RTHK: Britain lifts all Covid restrictions as cases surge

The British government on Monday lifted pandemic restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown.

From midnight local time, nightclubs were able to reopen and other indoor venues allowed to run at full capacity, while legal mandates covering the wearing of masks and working from home were scrapped.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson  who is self-isolating after his health minister was infected  urged the public to remain prudent and for any laggards to join the two-thirds of UK adults who are now fully vaccinated.

He defended the reopening  dubbed "freedom day" by some media  despite scientists' grave misgivings after daily infection rates in Britain topped 50,000, behind only Indonesia and Brazil.

"If we don't do it now, then we'll be opening up in the autumn, the winter months, when the virus has the advantage of the cold weather," the prime minister said in a video message. This week's start of summer school holidays offered a "precious firebreak", he said.

"If we don't do it now, we've got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? So this is the right moment, but we've got to do it cautiously."

Jonathan Ashworth, the opposition Labour party's health spokesman, said the government was being "reckless", echoing experts who say the reopening endangers global health.

After the success of the vaccination programme  which has now offered at least one dose to every adult in Britain  the government says any risks to hospital care are manageable.

But professor Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London warned that Britain was on course for 100,000 cases a day, as the Delta variant of Covid runs out of control. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-07-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Three Chinese workers among group kidnapped in Mali

Three Chinese nationals and two Mauritanians were kidnapped in southwest Mali on Saturday, the country's armed forces said, in the latest attack in the war-torn Sahel state.

Armed men attacked a construction site 55 kilometres from the town of Kwala, making off with five pick-up trucks and the hostages, Mali's army said on social media.

The assailants also destroyed equipment, including a crane and dump trucks belonging to Chinese construction firm Covec, and Mauritanian road-building company ATTM, according to the army.

A Malian army official, who requested anonymity, said the kidnap victims were working on road construction in the region.

Mauritania's Al-Akhbar news agency reported that gunmen arrived on motorbikes to attack the construction site, burning equipment as well as fuel tanks before withdrawing with captives.

Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that first broke out in the north of the country in 2012 before spreading to the centre and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes, while the economic impact on one of the world's poorest countries has been devastating.

Abductions have been frequent, both of Malians and of foreigners.

French journalist Olivier Dubois was abducted in northern Mali on April 8.

He said in a hostage video that the Group to Support Islam and Muslims, the largest jihadist alliance in the Sahel, had kidnapped him. (AFP)

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RTHK: Artist behind Charlie Hebdo's Mohammed cartoon dies

Danish artist Kurt Westergaard, famed for drawing a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed which sparked outrage around the Muslim world, has died at the age of 86, his family told Danish media on Sunday.

Westergaard passed away in his sleep after a long period of ill health, his family told newspaper Berlingske.

The illustrator was behind 12 drawings published by conservative daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten under the headline "The Face of Mohammed", one of which sparked particular anger.

The cartoons went almost unnoticed initially, but after two weeks, a demonstration against them was held in Copenhagen, and then ambassadors from Muslim countries in Denmark lodged a protest.

The anger then escalated into anti-Danish violence across the Muslim world in February 2006.

The violence linked to the cartoons culminated in a 2015 massacre that left 12 people dead at the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris, which had reprinted the cartoons in 2012.

Westergaard had been working at Jyllands-Posten since the mid-1980s as an illustrator, and according to Berlingske the drawing in question had actually been printed once before but without sparking much controversy.

During the last years of his life Westergaard, like a number of others associated with the cartoons, had to live under police protection at a secret address.

In early 2010, Danish police caught a 28-year-old Somalian armed with a knife in Westergaard's house, where he was planning to kill him. (AFP)

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South Africa: Three arrest for inciting looting and public violence

Three suspected instigators of last weeks violent business lootings that claimed the lives of over 200 people are expected to appear in West Rand courts on Monday and Tuesday.

The development was on Sunday confirmed by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) in a statement.

Two of the suspects were arrested on Thursday and Friday by police in the West Rand District in Roodepoort and Westonaria on allegations of creating and circulating inflammatory messages with the potential of inciting violence.

The two are on Monday expected to appear before the Randfontein and Westonaria Magistrates Courts, respectively.

A third suspect, a 21-year old woman, was arrested in Duduza in the Ekurhuleni District on Saturday 17 July 2021 on similar allegations. She is expected to appear before the Nigel Magistrates Court on Tuesday, said the NatJOINTS.

The structure reiterated its call for people to refrain from inciting violence by creating and circulating inflammatory messages that seek to do nothing but elevate the levels of tension, confusion and fear among communities.

These messages instil fear in our communities and undermine the authority of the State, NatJOINTS said.

The structure, through its Intelligence Coordinating Community (ICC), said it was also aware of more messages cropping up and circulating on various social media platforms, threatening to attack police stations and disarm law enforcement officers; attack courts of law and key infrastructure such as fuel pipelines and refineries; and more looting.

The JOINTS has subsequently mobilised maximum resources to address these threats and heighten visibility. Measures have also been put in place to ensure stability, and the protection and safety of those who are not involved in the unrest and wish to go on with their daily routine, the structure said.

To avoid arrest, looters of businesses during last weeks violent unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have been urged to surrender the goods.

NatJOINTS welcomed the many calls and tip-offs received via the MySAPS app from various communities in the two provinces.

These have resulted in the integrated security forces recovering volumes of suspected stolen property whose value is yet to be determined.

By this morning a total of 3 407 suspects had been arrested on various charges since the violence erupted over a week ago, with only one suspect granted bail, 1 122 expected to appear in different courts in the two most affected provinces, and the remaining dockets under investigation, reads the statement.

In the concerted response by the NatJOINTS to the recent acts of unrest and opportunistic criminality, where tensions now appear to be simmering down, security forces embarked on recovery operations with the collaboration of citizens who have gone out of their way giving tip-offs to the police, and some cleaning up their streets and business premises that were affected by the looting in the past week.

The NatJOINTS warned that those who were not part of the looting spree but were buying stolen property would also be arrested for being in possession of stolen property.

In Gauteng, during integrated operations at a number of hostels in mostly Tembisa, Johannesburg, Alexandra and Moroka over the weekend, 14 suspects were arrested for being in possession of suspected looted property.

Among the goods recovered were bed mattresses, television sets, couches, fridges, sound systems, computer screens and laptops, steel frames, groceries and clothing items.

In KwaZulu-Natal, 92 suspects were arrested over the weekend for the same crime.

Members of the public are urged to continue to report criminality to the police, which may be done anonymously by calling the crime stop number 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS app that can be downloaded onto any smartphone.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Health regulatory bodies condemn looting

South Africas statutory health regulatory bodies, together with the National Health Department, have denounced the ongoing looting and violence, especially acts targeting healthcare facilities and the medicines supply chain.

We appeal to citizens looting and destroying the healthcare infrastructure and disrupting the provision of health care to consider the long-term consequences of their actions on the health of communities.

In a time of a pandemic of huge proportions, such acts of violence, looting and the disruption of service will simply fuel the fire, a joint statement issued on Monday said.

The regulatory bodies are concerned about the acts of violence that are taking place at a time when medicines, including vaccines and access to healthcare services, are a necessity.

Without health care services, the requisite medicines and vaccines, we will have unnecessary deaths and cause further pandemonium, including severe damage to the economy.

In the statement  issued by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, Health Professions Council of South Africa, Office of Health Standards Compliance, South African Nursing Council and South African Pharmacy Council  the authorities said they are working closely with the National Health Department to restore the provision of healthcare and essential medicines, including chronic medicines and vaccines.

We appeal to community, religious and political leaders to spread the word that these acts of criminality are not only harming the economy but are senseless and counterproductive.

Targeting pharmacies, doctors practices, clinics and other healthcare institutions in the midst of a pandemic is detrimental, especially to the old, frail and vulnerable people.

These bodies said the impact of the destruction on public health is already being felt in societies, with members of the community deprived of healthcare and chronic patients unable to access medicines.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccine sites and vaccines themselves are lost to destruction and looting.

We further fear that the availability of controlled substances and medicines, which have been looted or stolen in the affected communities, may endanger the health of community members, who may consume these without the supervision and guidance of healthcare professionals.

The statutory health regulatory bodies called on people to not use any medicines that are not accessed through authorised healthcare institutions.

Such illegal activity may be reported to SAHPRA via mokgadi.fafudi@sahpra.org.za or to law enforcement agencies.

We wish to reiterate that the health and prosperity of our nation, as well as the defeat of the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality, can never be achieved through the destruction of livelihoods, the economy and the much-needed infrastructure.

Therefore, let us preserve what is left of the gains in health and economic growth and immediately adopt non-violent means to conflict resolution.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Urgency needed in transforming the economy

Following the unrest in some parts of the country last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of transforming the economy, creating jobs and sharing in the countrys wealth to lift millions of South Africans out of poverty.

In his newsletter on Monday, the President said South Africa is not only rebuilding after the destruction of the past week; but it is also rebuilding after the devastation of decades of dispossession and exploitation.

We need to fundamentally transform our economy and our society, deepening our efforts to create employment, lift millions out of poverty and ensure that the countrys wealth is shared among all its people, the President said.

The unrest resulted in the deaths of civilians and looting of public and private property, destruction of infrastructure and the suspension of essential services in Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng.

As we work to stabilise the country and secure essential supplies and infrastructure, we must work together to mitigate the effects of this unrest on societys most vulnerable.

We are called upon to help with food relief and support businesses in distress. We are called upon to join small volunteer teams to help clean up affected communities if we are able to do so, all the while mindful of the pandemic and what we must do to keep safe, the President said.

President Ramaphosa has encouraged businesses to provide employee wellness and other support to staff who have been affected by the violence.

The events of the last week are a stark reminder of how deep the problems are and how far we still have to go. These events must propel us to act with greater purpose and speed.

We should continuously strive to give true meaning to the promise of equality and freedom for all by making every day Nelson Mandela Day, more now than ever, the President said.

On Sunday, South Africa joined people across the world in marking Nelson Mandela Day through acts of service and generosity.

The President said this Nelson Mandela Day was different to previous years as it took place in the aftermath of a week in which parts of the country were gripped by violence and mayhem.

It was a week in which we were confronted by deeply unsettling images of desolate owners standing outside the shells of what was once a thriving business; of looted shops and warehouses; of burning trucks and buildings and streets strewn with debris; of anxious citizens barricading their communities; and of snaking queues of people lining up to buy food.

Despite this, we observed Nelson Mandela Day not as a country on its knees, but as a people who collectively embody the spirit of Nelson Mandela, perhaps as never before.

What I have seen in the last few days is a people united, resolute and determined to protect this country from anyone and anything that wants to destroy it, the President said.

He said those who lit the tinderbox of this unrest hoped to mobilise people by exploiting their conditions of hardship.

They were counting on citizens falling for crude propaganda designed to turn them not just against the state, but against each other. What they were not counting on was the enduring ability of South Africans to unite in the face of a common threat. This has always been our greatest strength as a nation, and it came to the fore, the President said.

In Tembisa, residents stood at night outside shops to protect them from looters while in Mthatha, taxi drivers formed a protective cordon around shopping malls.

In Mahikeng, community members organised themselves to guard businesses and in eThekwini, students from Mangosuthu University of Technology as well as other campuses embarked on clean-up campaigns in the inner city and other affected areas.

In Soweto, a young activist who leads the Soweto Youth Parliament has mobilised scores of young women and men to defend the Maponya Mall on a 24-hour basis in defence of their township economy.

On this Nelson Mandela Day, the South African people are the heroes of which Madiba once spoke; the people who make peace and build where it is easy to break down and destroy, the President said.

He said the true cost of this campaign of destruction will be keenly felt, especially by the poor.

Businesses have been destroyed and livelihoods lost at a time when we are already feeling the strain one and a half years into a global pandemic. The economic damage has sapped many of the budding shoots of recovery we were witnessing just a few weeks ago, the President said.  SAnews.gov.za

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RTHK: '50,000 phones worldwide on Israeli spyware list'

An Israeli firm accused of supplying spyware to governments has been linked to a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world, according to reports.

The NSO Group and its Pegasus malware  capable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone, and harvesting its data  have been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

Sunday's revelations  part of a collaborative investigation by The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and other media outlets  raise privacy concerns and reveal the far-reaching extent to which the private firm's software could be misused.

The leak consists of more than 50,000 smartphone numbers believed to have been identified as connected to people of interest by NSO clients since 2016, the news organisations said, although it was unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled.

NSO has denied any wrongdoing, labelling the allegations "false".

On the list were 15,000 numbers in Mexico  among them reportedly a number linked to a murdered reporter  and 300 in India, including politicians and prominent journalists.

Earlier this week, the Indian government  which in 2019 denied using the malware to spy on its citizens, following a lawsuit  reiterated that "allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever."

The Post said a forensic analysis of 37 of the smartphones on the list showed there had been "attempted and successful" hacks of the devices, including those of two women close to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018 by a Saudi hit squad.

Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Reuters, The Guardian said.

The use of the Pegasus software to hack the phones of Al Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.

Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty originally shared the leak with the newspapers.

The Post said the numbers on the list were unattributed, but other media outlets participating in the project were able to identify more than 1,000 people in more than 50 countries.

They included several members of Arab royal families, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officials  including heads of state, prime ministers and cabinet ministers.

Many numbers on the list were clustered in 10 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Pegasus is a highly invasive tool that can switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, as well as access data on the device, effectively turning a phone into a pocket spy. In some cases, it can be installed without the need to trick a user into initiating a download.

NSO issued a denial on Sunday that focused on the report by Forbidden Stories, calling it "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories," and threatening a defamation lawsuit.

"We firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," NSO said.

It said it was "not associated in any way" with the Khashoggi murder, adding that it sells "solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments".

Roughly three dozen journalists at Qatar's Al-Jazeera network had their phones targeted by Pegasus malware, Citizen Lab reported in December, while Amnesty said in June the software was used by Moroccan authorities on the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.

Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv. (AFP)

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Hong Kong: Special hospital visits extended

The Hospital Authority today announced that the special visiting arrangement will be extended from 22 to 26 hospitals from July 23, with one to two visits to be arranged per week considered by individual wards based on their operations.

The special visiting arrangement will cover four more hospitals. Meanwhile, two hospitals will further extend the existing special visiting arrangement to more wards.

Visitors do not need to call the wards for booking as ward staff will contact them to schedule a visit in the next few days, the authority noted.

One-off visitors are required to present a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test result obtained within 72 hours before the scheduled visit. Regular visitors may conduct weekly testing.

Visitors who have completed a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination for at least 14 days will be exempted from the testing requirements.

The authority pointed out that other hospitals and wards will continue to facilitate compassionate visiting arrangements and video visiting.

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South Africa: Government engages Western Cape taxi industry

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has been engaging representatives of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) as well as the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA).

The engagements, which started on Friday, are part of governments ongoing efforts towards strengthening unity and cohesion in the taxi industry in general, as well as to restore peace and stability in the Western Cape.

Taxi related violence has flared up in the province in recent months, resulting in the deaths of several taxi operators, drivers and commuters.

The Minister has condemned the killings and has called for calm.

We have not come here to recreate the wheel or duplicate the intervention of the Western Cape leadership. As national government, we have come to put politics aside for the sake of commuters and taxi industry players.

We are here to reinforce the efforts of the province and ensure an intergovernmental, multidisciplinary and targeted approach to safety, which is the only way to restore law and order in the taxi industry, Mbalula said on Monday.

The Minister is monitoring negotiations between the leaders of CATA and CODETA.

This is not the first time national government has intervened in the affairs of the taxi industry in the Western Cape. We were here last year and were encouraged by signs that the industry had turned a new leaf.

A peace pledge was signed, the mediation process was initiated and it was well underway. The leadership of CATA and CODETA even sat side by side at the National Taxi Lekgotla, which took place in August 2020.

All these were signs that the industry was headed in the right direction. We are disappointed by the recent turn of events, Mbalula said.

The Minister has cautioned taxi industry players to desist from violence, adding that lawlessness is unacceptable.

While we remain concerned about the state of the taxi industry and are attentive to the grievances of operators and drivers, we are resolute: acts of criminality in the industry will not be tolerated. Those who choose to resolve industry disagreements through the barrel of a gun will not be shown leniency. They will face the full might of the law, Mbalula said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Committee calls for coherence in characterisation of violence, looting

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has called for coherence in characterising what led to the violence, wanton looting and destruction of property over the past week, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

During a briefing with Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and top leadership of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on the roll out of Operation Prosper, the committee said it believes that the intelligence community must play a critical role in understanding and characterising the unrest.

Co-Chairpersons of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Cyril Xaba and Mamagase Nchabeleng, said the characterisation of the violence will assist in planning and counteracting similar future disturbances.

The reality is that the SANDF is projecting spending about R615 million on this project and it is critical that there is clarity and coherence on what this budget is spent on now and what resources are necessary to prevent any future flare-up, Xaba said.

Operation Prosper

Despite this, the committee welcomed the information that as of Sunday, 21 525 SANDF members had been deployed as part of Operation Prosper, and the assurances that more units are on standby in other provinces that have not yet experienced protest action. These deployments are proactively positioned for when the need arises.

Operation Prosper is the joint operation between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and SANDF. The deployment period is from 12 July to 12 October 2021.

The troop deployment aims for service in cooperation with the SAPS for the prevention and combating of crime and maintenance, and preservation of law and order in the Republic of South Africa.

Nchabeleng said since the deployment of the SANDF, the committee has seen laudable calm and stability, which gives them assurances that our security is in good hands.

We appreciate the augmentation of the deployed soldiers and are reassured that there will be no similar flare-up, Nchabeleng said.

Regarding the impact to the economy, the committee said there is a need to consider designating the N3 highway and other major arteries as critical infrastructure, to enable better and efficient protection of these roads.

The committee said it is cognisant of the recurring nature of disruptions, especially on the N3, and the impact it has on the economy, especially for the movement of goods from the Durban harbour to inland provinces and the rest of Africa.

We appreciate the information that there is increased deployment and patrol on the N3 to counter any disturbance. This is critical to the functioning of the economy, especially as the country rebuilds from the devastation caused by COVID-19, Xaba said.

The committee will on Tuesday and Wednesday visit both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng to assess the rollout of Operation Prosper and the impact it is having on the ground.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Cele to assess law enforcement efforts in KZN

Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, will today, visit businesses and shopping complexes in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, affected by wide spread looting during last weeks campaign of violence in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The purpose of the visits is to assess law enforcement efforts to maintain law and order, and ensure that calm has been restored in the affected communities, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

Cele will visit Liberty Mall in Pietermaritzburg, followed by Pavilion Mall in Westville and Gateway, which is also situated in Durban. -SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Condolences for MP Boitumelo Joyce Maluleke

Parliament has extended its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Member of Parliament, Boitumelo Joyce Maluleke, who passed away on Friday and her husband on Saturday.

The couple passed away due to COVID-19 related illness.

Maluleke joined the National Assembly in 2015 as an African National Congress representative from Limpopo.

She served in various Parliamentary Committees, including the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Ad-Hoc Committee on the Filling of Vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality; Powers and Privileges Committee; Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and People with Disabilities; and the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.

The Presiding Officers of Parliament, Speaker of the National Assembly Thandi Modise and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo, said Parliament has once again been robbed of a devoted public representative with an untiring commitment to the service of the people of this country.

Maluleke pursued her work with enthusiasm to advance the oversight programme of the committees she served. Her passing is a stark reminder of the viciousness of the virus, and we are deeply saddened.

We pay homage to her legacy of integrity as a lifelong activist. May the soul of Ms Maluleke rest in eternal peace, the Presiding Officers said.

They reiterated the call for South Africans to continue to adhere to all COVID-19 health protocols.

The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said Maluleke was a dedicated member of the committee who was driven by, among other things, a keen interest on the rights of women, youth and people with disabilities, and a deep spirit of patriotism.

Maluleke served on the committee since its inception in the sixth Parliament in 2019.

Committee chairperson, Nonhlanhla Ncube-Ndaba, described Maluleke as a hard worker, who played a remarkable role in the gruelling process of shortlisting and interviewing suitable candidates to fill vacant positions in the National Youth Development Agency.

This was a process that was followed by a joint meeting of the committee and the Select Committee on Health and Social Services that recommended 17 candidates for consideration by both Houses of Parliament and sent to the President.

Maluleke was a dedicated servant of the people who distinguished herself by her shining glory of many attributes. She took the work of the committee very close to her heart and the committee relied on her insights and wisdom.

The committee extends its heartfelt condolences to the Maluleke family and relatives. May her soul rest in eternal peace, said Ncube-Ndaba said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: 300 000 WC residents in the 35 plus age group register for vaccine

Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, says he is pleased many residents in the 35 to 49 age bracket have registered in their numbers for their COVID-19 vaccine.

We have nearly reached 300 000 registrations in just four days, and we are fast approaching 1 000 000 registrations in the Western Cape overall, said Winde on Sunday.

The registration of this age group on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) opened on Thursday last week.

Meanwhile, he said the Department of Health has indicated that the EVDS has already started scheduling vaccinations for this age group and that appointments will be starting sooner than initially planned.

Some residents in this age bracket have asked me whether they can walk in already too. The simple answer is yes, he said.

However, there are some complexities which need to be considered and the provincial government would prefer residents to wait for an appointment if they can.

The Western Cape is trying to manage the limited number of vaccines it has at each site fairly, based on those who are most vulnerable. The best and most objective way to do this is by age. This is because older residents have a much higher chance of dying if they are infected, based on very sound research globally," he explained.

In addition, the provincial government is still signing up residents who are aged 50 and above and have yet to receive the first dose of the vaccine.

There is also an even a larger proportion of those who are 60 years and over, still needing their second dose.

But we only have a set number of doses to use each week, and at each site.

Prioritisation

To manage this, the Premier said the Western Cape has introduced a prioritisation system for walk-ins to ensure fairness at public sites. However, private vaccination centres might operate differently.

The over 60 residents requiring a first or second dose are currently a top priority in the walk-in queue, as they are at the highest risk of hospitalisation and death and find it the most difficult to register online and will be assisted first.

We will then assist those walk-ins in the 50 to 59 age bracket who need their first dose, followed by those in the next age bracket, 35 to 49.

This means that walk-ins for the 35 plus bracket are possible at public sites but might have to wait longer and Winde said they could not guarantee that they will be helped if the vaccine allocation at the site is used up.

An appointment remains the preferred route at this early stage, he said.

The Premier said that they can administer about 150 000 vaccinations a week, including second doses which must be given six weeks after the first dose.

Six weeks ago, the Western Cape vaccinated approximately 70 000 people, who will now also be needing a second dose. We must ensure proper planning for this so that no one is left behind.

He said he was confident that as vaccine supplies increase and more people are vaccinated in the over 50 bracket, the pace in the 35 plus group will pick up and more walk-ins in this bracket will be helped and quicker.

I am also constantly pushing for more vaccines, and opening more sites, for this very reason. I want to thank the entire 35 plus for their patience and understanding, and for being so enthusiastic to get vaccinated.

This is exactly what we need to beat the pandemic and save lives and jobs.

He has assured them that they will get their vaccine soon.  SAnews.go.za

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South Africa: Government welcomes efforts to rebuild community radio stations

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has welcomed pledges and donations towards rebuilding community radio stations that were vandalised during last weeks unrest.

The unrest resulted in the deaths of civilians and looting of public and private property, destruction of infrastructure, including the suspension of essential services in some parts of the country.

Alex FM, Ntokozo FM, Mams FM and Westside FM were among the community radio stations whose equipment was damaged or looted.

As the Ministry of Communications and Digital Technologies, and the custodian of broadcasting policy in the country, we acknowledge the contribution made by the public to rebuild these community radio stations, which play an important role in disseminating relevant and necessary information to listeners, Ndabeni-Abrahams said on Monday.

The Minister described the destruction of infrastructure as an infringement on the rights of others.

Our resources are stretched already and the massive cost to replace infrastructure associated with rebuilding damaged infrastructure means that the delivery of other services will be hampered. It will take many years before the destroyed public and business infrastructure can be rebuilt, the Minister said.

Significant communications infrastructure has been vandalised, including network towers in some parts of the country.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies met with mobile operators to assess the nature of vandalism of network towers.

The purpose of the meeting was to also explore collaborative efforts aimed at protecting communications infrastructure and deploy mop-up operators to affected areas.

The telecommunications sector has been plagued by the destruction of network towers, resulting in network operators incurring billions of rands in replacements costs.

It is regrettable that much-needed network infrastructure is being destroyed. The country currently needs resilient and high-speed connectivity for every citizen, to enable them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy. Furthermore, mobile telephony is crucial in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Ndabeni-Abrahams said.  SAnews.gov.za

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RTHK: High school student arrested for murder in Singapore

Singapore police said on Monday a high school student had been arrested and would be charged with murder over the killing of a 13-year-old boy, whose body was found in a school bathroom along with an axe.

Extreme violence in schools is rare in Singapore, a country known for low crime and obedience to rules that counts itself as among the safest places in the world.

The victim was found with multiple wounds and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Police will charge a 16-year-old boy on Tuesday with murder and seek a court order to remand him for psychiatric assessment.

Investigations were continuing into the motive for the assault and an axe was seized, police said, adding there was no indication the two teenagers knew each other.

"We are all shocked to receive news of the tragic incident," Chan Chun Sing, the education minister, posted on Facebook.

He said the ministry was working closely with police on the investigations. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-07-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Using technology to help informal caregivers manage medication for patients with dementia

INDIANAPOLIS -- Most of the six million people in the U.S. who live with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias rely on informal caregivers, usually family or friends, to help manage their medications. Researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and University of Wisconsin have received a grant to create an application to support those caregivers.

"Caregivers are often under-trained, under-resourced, and under-supported to perform medication management. It can lead to significant burden, stress and even inappropriate medication use," said Richard Holden, PhD, a co-leader of the project. "To this point, technology has not been leveraged to help this population. Using participatory user-centered design, we plan to create an application that makes this potentially complex undertaking a little easier for them and leads to better medication adherence and safety." Dr. Holden is a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute and a professor and chair of health and wellness design at IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The app is called Helping the Helpers, and the project employs the three phases of participatory user-centered design. The team will start by interviewing and assessing the needs of the caregivers. Then those caregivers will work with the team to create the app with features and functionality that will benefit them. As co-designers, the caregivers will take part in all the design activities and will have equal say in the final product as members of the research team. The final phase will more widely test the app to see if caregivers can and will use it.

"This type of support is lacking for these caregivers, and technology provides an ideal way to reach them," said Nicole Werner, PhD, co-leader of the project and an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "But an application is useless if these caregivers can't or won't use it. That's why we are involving them in the design process from the very start, so we can create something that effectively addresses the struggles they and others like them are facing."

"User-centered design is the industry gold standard process for designing products," said Dr. Holden. "Any time technology is used, it must address end users' needs. We are grateful for the National Institute on Aging's support of this user-centered design approach."

###

This research is supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging, grant R21AG072418.

Other research scientists involved in the project are Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH of Regenstrief and IU School of Medicine and Aaron Ganci, MFA from IUPUI's Herron School of Art and Design. Noll Campbell, PharmD of Regenstrief and Purdue University College of Pharmacy is consulting.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About Regenstrief Institute Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the?Regenstrief Institute?is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health. A key research partner to Indiana University, Regenstrief and its research scientists are responsible for a growing number of major healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interoperability of electronic health records to improving patient-physician communications, to creating models of care that inform practice and improve the lives of patients around the globe.?

Sam Regenstrief, a nationally successful entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible for everyone. His vision continues to guide the institute's research mission.

About University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering

The UW-Madison College of Engineering is among the nation's top engineering schools, consisting of eight degree-granting departments and one of the nation's oldest and largest continuing education programs for professional engineers. The college develops the leaders, knowledge and technologies that improve lives now and create a better future. It draws upon the strength and collaborative spirit of one of the top research universities in the world.

About Richard J. Holden, PhD, M.S.

In addition to his role as a research scientist at Regenstrief?Institute, Richard J. Holden, PhD, M.S., is the chief healthcare engineer for the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science and the Dean's Eminent Scholar, professor and inaugural chair of Health & Wellness Design at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

About Nicole Werner, PhD

Nicole Werner, PhD, is the Harvey D. Spangler Associate Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, associate director, Wisconsin Institute for Healthcare Systems Engineering, and Care Research Technology and Small Business Liaison Leader of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Dementia Care Core.

This story has been published on: 2021-07-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Smooth start to social development sector's vaccination

As the social development sector kicks off its vaccination rollout plan on Monday, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has expressed her satisfaction with the first day of vaccination.

Zulu and Acting Health Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, visited the vaccination sites at Tembisa health care centre and Thokoza Progressive to unveil the social development sector vaccination rollout plan, which aims to vaccinate more than 240 000 members of the workforce from 19 July to 23 July 2021.

Zulu said the department has to cater for not only the Early Childhood Development (ECD), but all other social development service professionals because they are also frontline workers.

We have been working together with the Department of Health from the very beginning. The other issue is about the availability of the vaccines, [as] we needed to make sure that when we start, the vaccine is available. They are now [using the single-dose vaccine] so they dont have to come back again, Zulu said.

The Minister said the process of vaccination is very smooth, from the people who are administering the vaccine, to the process of registration and ensuring that they have the tech tools needed to check the ID number and telephone number of the person vaccinated.

So far, we havent seen any challenges... The ECDs and social service practitioners have their own queue, which is the entire value chain of what they need to do.

After having done the vaccination, people sit for 15 minutes just to ensure that they are fine, and if they are not fine, there is an emergency area where they can be taken to, Zulu said.

Dont leave your neighbours behind

Kubayi-Ngubane called on community members not to leave their neighbours behind when they go for vaccination, and for young people to also take along people aged 60 years and above.

Dont leave your neighbours behind because sometimes others dont have information about the vaccine, and others dont know where to go and what to do. The important thing for us is that we must try to make sure that as we get access to this vaccine, lets make sure we dont leave our neighbours and families behind, Kubayi-Ngubane said.

She called on communities to encourage residents, who are reluctant to receive the vaccine, to go to the vaccination sites and speak to the medical teams, who will explain everything to them.

This will assist us to be able to vaccinate more people. Those who are afraid because they heard that the vaccine is not good, will find nurses from the Department of Health, who will explain everything to them, the Minister said.

The vaccination rollout plan will include frontline workers in the following categories:

The ECD workforce: This is inclusive of ECD practitioners and staff, who work in the ECD environment. The Department of Social Development has been working with the ECD Inter-Sectoral Forum to ensure that no-one is left behind, given that ECDs remain open while schools are closed and practitioners are equally at risk of the contracting the virus. This includes all ECDs both registered and unregistered with government, including centre and non-centre-based programmes.

All social service professionals: This includes all social workers; auxiliary social worker; student social workers, who are currently doing fieldwork; child and youth care workers; child and youth care auxiliary workers and is inclusive of all social service professionals in the public, private and NGO sectors.

Community Development Practitioners, employed by the Department of Social Development; and

Frontline staff working in the Department of Social Development across the Republic, including at all Social Development facilities, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the National Development Agency (NDA), and the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: National Consumer Commission warns against inflated prices for essential good

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has sent a strong message discouraging suppliers from inflating prices of essential items amid the unrest that engulfed the country the past few days.

According to the NCC, these are the goods listed under Consumer and Customer Protection and National Disaster Management Regulations and Directions, issued in terms of Regulation 350 of Government Notice 43116.

This comes after reports of possible food shortages in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces following the looting of stores and damage to infrastructure.

Regulation 350 read with sections 40 and 48 was gazetted by government to prevent suppliers from profiteering during the period of the National Disaster. This was done to protect consumers against unfair, unreasonable, or unjust pricing, the NCC explained.

In terms of Regulation 350, the NCC said government intends to promote concerted conduct to prevent an escalation of the national state of disaster.

It also aims to alleviate, contain and minimise the effects of the national state of disaster and protect consumers and customers from unconscionable, unfair, unreasonable, unjust, or improper commercial practices during the national disaster.

With this said, it is unreasonable and unfair for suppliers of goods to take advantage of this state of national disaster by unfairly increasing the prices of goods without any economic justification to do so.

Acting Consumer Commissioner, Thezi Mabuza, said both Sections 40 and 48 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) make it prohibited conduct for a supplier to increase their prices unconscionably.

Section 48 states that a supplier must not offer to supply or enter into an agreement to supply goods and services at a price that is unfair or unconscionable. Unfair, unreasonable, or unjust pricing is when a supplier increases prices of goods or services that do not correspond to or not equivalent to the increase of providing that service or good, she said.

She said the goods and services in question are those which relate to basic food and consumer items, emergency products and services, medical and hygiene supplies as well as emergency clean-up products and services.

Some of these items include toilet paper, all-purpose cleaners, baby formula, disposable nappies, bleach, cooking oil, wheat flour, rice, maize meal, pasta, sugar, long-life milk, canned and frozen vegetable and canned, frozen and fresh meat, chicken or fish.

The regulator said a supplier or person contravening these regulations could be fined up to R1 million, up to 10% of a firms annual turnover, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months.

Consumers are encouraged to monitor the market and report any suspicious unfair price increases of these goods and services.

The NCC will continue with its efforts of implementing the provisions of the CPA by reducing and ameliorating any disadvantages experienced in accessing any supply of goods or services by a consumer, she added.  SAnews.gov.za

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Hong Kong: Vaccination appeal made

The Government today said members of the public have the responsibility to, at the time of vaccination in Hong Kong, provide truthful statements regarding their health and vaccination situation.

It made the statement in response to media reports about a man receiving two extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong after having already received two vaccine doses overseas.

The Government noted that upon arrival in Hong Kong, the man intentionally concealed the fact from healthcare workers at the vaccination centre that he had completed the COVID-19 vaccination course overseas.

It pointed out that such an act potentially poses risks to his own health, implicates the healthcare worker administering the vaccination to him and seriously wastes vaccine resources.

The Government condemned such an extremely selfish and irresponsible act which it said disregards the well-being of others.

It added that the act may involve a misrepresentation and gaining of benefits through deception and it will conduct an investigation and consider taking appropriate legal action and prosecute the person if necessary.

The Government also does not rule out the possibility of not providing the man with the vaccination record proof of the vaccines received in Hong Kong.

Under the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, the current Government's arrangement is to provide people who had never received any COVID-19 vaccines with two doses and those who were previously infected with one dose.

For people arriving in Hong Kong who had received the first dose in places outside Hong Kong, they need to honestly convey to the healthcare service provider responsible for administering the vaccine the details of the first dose in order to be considered for the second dose.

People arriving in Hong Kong who had completed the entire vaccination course in places outside Hong Kong do not need to receive extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

This story has been published on: 2021-07-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: CE visits Baptist University

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today visited the School of Chinese Medicine and a creative media and practice facility at Baptist University, and met the senior management to learn about the universitys latest developments.

Mrs Lam first visited the Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutics Laboratory, the centre for cancer and inflammation research and the Chinese medicine specialty clinic.

With advanced equipment and a rich collection of data, the pharmaceutics laboratory is a base for modern Chinese medicine treatment and new drug research.

As one of the research centres established by the School of Chinese Medicine, the centre for cancer and inflammation research studies the causes and treatment of common diseases by integrating Chinese medicine theories, clinical experience and modern scientific technologies.

Mrs Lam noted that Baptist University is the pioneer of Chinese medicine tertiary education in the city.

It established the School of Chinese Medicine early, in 1999, promoting keenly the standardisation, modernisation and internationalisation of Chinese medicine. At present, the universitys School of Chinese Medicine is the largest Chinese medicine tertiary education institution outside the Mainland.

She was also pleased to note that the university has been selected as the contractor through open tender to operate the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Tseung Kwan O, the first of its type in Hong Kong, which is expected to open in 2025.

I hope that Baptist University will continue to give full play to its experience in Chinese medicine teaching, training, scientific research and service operations to contribute to the initiative of the current-term Government to incorporate Chinese medicine into the Hong Kong healthcare system to advance the development of Chinese medicine.

Mrs Lam then visited the Laboratory for Immersive Arts & Technology, a creative media and practice facility at the Department of Music.

The laboratory, which meets the international standard in 3D immersive audio and video with multiple screens installed, is the first of its kind in Asias tertiary education sector. It enables the application of technology in artistic creation, enhances cross-disciplinary creation and interaction, and deepens audience engagement and experience.

Mrs Lam noted the nations 14th Five-Year Plan clearly supports Hong Kong to develop as an international innovation and technology hub and an exchange centre for arts and culture between China and the rest of the world.

To devise strategies and measures to develop and promote art tech, the Government has set up an interdepartmental task force, she added.

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South Africa: Six suspected instigators of violent unrest arrested

Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says six individuals, who have been identified as alleged instigators of the violent riots that flared up in parts of the country, have been arrested and some have already appeared in court.

Briefing journalists in Pretoria on Monday, Ntshavheni said efforts to restore economic activity have commenced and major routes and economic nodes are now operational.

In terms of arrests, and this is the latest update that we have just [received] now. We have got six arrests of the key instigators and of those arrested, three suspects have already appeared [in court] but were remanded in police custody for bail hearings later in the week. We understand that there may be an appearance tomorrow or two appearances tomorrow, she said.

One of those arrested has been granted bail.

While details of the cases will be provided at a later stage, the charges against them include incitement to commit public violence and further arrests are expected soon.

To date, the total recorded deaths as a result of the violence stands at 215, with three new deaths having been reported.

Update on efforts to reopen economic activity

Ntshavheni said since her last briefing on Friday, the situation in Gauteng has completely stabilised and clean up and business continuity efforts are underway for businesses that were not completely vandalised.

As reported on Friday, the N2 and N3 routes reopened for traffic and no incidents have been reported since the reopening, she said.

In terms of the rail network, the main line and Kroonstad lines are operational, including the North and South Coast lines between Durban and Richards Bay.

Ntshavheni said both the ports of Durban and Richards Bay are operational and the export core chains are resuming and citrus exports have commenced.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the situation is stable and no new incidents of looting have been reported.

Ministers and provincial leadership, led by the Premier, have continued with stakeholder and community engagements to calm tensions within the communities.

Ntshavheni said while there were previous reports of food shortages in KwaZulu-Natal, government can confirm that stores have been replenished with the improvement of food supplies from Gauteng and the ports.

In areas where shops have been completely vandalised people may still have to travel to adjacent towns to purchase their supplies.

Government is in the process of providing immediate food relief to households targeting areas affected by the looting where people have no access to food.

We are calling upon communities to assist law enforcement agencies by not buying stolen property, she said.

In terms of assistance to those who lost their livelihoods, the TERS benefit is immediately available to affected employees who are members of UIF or whose employers were members of the UIF.

This time around, TERS will be given directly to employees to avoid the situation that was experienced during the first round of the relief efforts during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.  SAnews.gov.za

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A new, inexpensive way to heal chronic wounds

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Tens of millions of patients around the world suffer from persistent and potentially life-threatening wounds. These chronic wounds, which are also a leading cause of amputation, have treatments, but the cost of existing wound dressings can prevent them from reaching people in need.

Now, a Michigan State University researcher is leading an international team of scientists to develop a low-cost, practical biopolymer dressing that helps heal these wounds.

"The existing efficient technologies are far too expensive for most health care systems, greatly limiting their use in a timely manner," said Morteza Mahmoudi, an assistant professor in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the Precision Health Program. "An economically accessible, practical and effective technology is needed."

To develop that new technology, Mahmoudi tapped into years of experience and expertise, having studied advanced materials to heal heart tissue, fight infections and support immune systems. But the team also kept an eye on cost, working to develop a product that could be made available to as many patients as possible, even in resource constrained markets.

"My goal is always to make something that works and is practical," Mahmoudi said. "I want to see my research become clinical products that help patients."

With his latest work, published July 19 in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, Mahmoudi is getting closer to that goal. He's working with partners in the United Kingdom who have started a company to oversee the development and approval of the new technology.

"We are building an experienced and expert team in the U.K. who will be able to efficiently commercialize the dressing," Mahmoudi said. "The company has just won a very competitive Eurostar grant to accelerate product development."

Working with his collaborators, Mahmoudi conducted a small pilot trial of the wound dressing with 13 patients with chronic wounds, all of whom were cured, he said.

Patients with advanced chronic wounds -- those which do not respond to traditional therapies -- are estimated to number over 45 million globally, making this one of the world's most pressing and urgent health care needs, Mahmoudi said.

The United States is home to about 5% of this population, yet more than 90% of the sales of "active" wound care technologies happen in the U.S. That essentially means that the rest of the world is left out, Mahmoudi said.

Venous leg ulcers and pressure ulcers associated with immobility in older and paralyzed patients are also major causes of chronic wounds, but perhaps the best-known examples of this type of injury being diabetic foot ulcers. Worldwide, there are more than 400 million people living with diabetes, and some studies have estimated that up to a quarter of those patients will develop foot ulcers within their lifetime.

Even with the high level of care available in the U.S., more than 30% of patients who develop a diabetic foot ulcer will die within five years of its onset. For reference, that percentage is higher than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.

Diabetic foot ulcers also illustrate many of the reasons why chronic wounds can be so challenging to treat.

Patients with diabetes can be dealing with restricted blood flow and other factors that slow their immune response, compromising the body's ability to heal the wound on its own. They can also have nerve damage that dulls the wound's pain and can delay patients from seeking treatment. When wounds heal more slowly and stay open longer, bacteria have more opportunities to cause infections and lead to serious complications. Put bluntly, there's a lot going wrong in a chronic wound.

"Chronic wounds are some of the most complicated things doctors have to treat," Mahmoudi said. "If you want to make a dressing that works, it has to address all those problems. And in order to be relevant to the majority of patients in the world, it has to be easy to use, practical and inexpensive as well."

There are many technologies available to support healing in chronic wounds, but those that can stimulate tissue regeneration are typically derived from harvested natural tissues. This is complex and expensive, resulting in products that cost upwards of $1,000, putting them out of reach for many patients and health care systems.

To attack those problems, Mahmoudi drew on a wealth of experience in developing new materials for biomedical applications. By designing a product that can be manufactured from readily available biopolymers, production costs can be kept low, and the team could add various other materials to lead to improved healing.

The team starts with a flexible framework of nanofibers -- exceedingly thin threads -- of natural polymers, including collagen, a structural-support protein found in our skin and cartilage. The framework provides a three-dimensional scaffold that fosters cell migration and the development of new blood vessels, essentially replicating the function of the extracellular matrix, the natural support system found in healthy, living tissue.

"It's important that the physical and mechanical properties of the dressing are really close to that of skin," Mahmoudi said. "In order to heal, the new cells have to feel like they're at home."

To that framework, the team can incorporate proteins, peptides and nanoparticles that not only spur the growth of new cells and blood vessels but also fight off bacteria by encouraging a patient's own immune system to join the charge. (The team's experiences on these elements were documented in earlier publications in Nature Nanotechnology and Trends in Biotechnology).

The dressing also degrades over time, meaning that nobody would have to change or remove it and potentially aggravate the wound site. And at roughly $20 apiece, Mahmoudi believes that the dressings -- if and when approved by regulatory agencies -- will be affordable to even resource-strapped health care systems faced with treating these serious wounds.

Although there are many existing wound care products, Mahmoudi is optimistic that the new dressing will stand out thanks to its low cost, high performance and another piece of research he did years ago.

For this previous project, though, he wasn't developing any new technology. He was interviewing hundreds of health care workers around the U.S., asking them what they wanted and needed in a wound dressing.

"We developed this dressing to solve the problems they were having. One of the clinicians told me, 'When you see too many products on the market, that means none of them works,'" said Mahmoudi, a Spartan driven to make things that work.

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More than 20 researchers joined Mahmoudi on this project, representing about 15 different research institutions, including Harvard Medical School; Emory University; Georgia Tech; Rutgers State University; McGill University; University of Siegen in Germany; and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

(Note for reporters, the research paper is available here: https:/ / pubs. acs. org/ doi/ 10. 1021/ acs. molpharmaceut. 1c00400 )

This story has been published on: 2021-07-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Update: 19-07-2021 | 11:27:54

The first session of the 15th National Assembly will open in Hanoi on July 20 morning.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) chairs the 57th meeting of the NA Standing committee

The event will take place at a time when the country is realising the Resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress and the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and Peoples Councils at all levels for the 2021-2025 tenure wrapped up successfully.

It holds special significance as it will lay a foundation for activities of the 15th legislature, including the election and approval of leadership positions in State agencies, discussions on socio-economic reports and the making of decisions on other important issues.

Lawmakers are due to decide on the numbers of NA Vice Chairpersons and members of the NA Standing Committee, as well as elect NA Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons, members of the NA Standing Committee, NA Secretary General, Chairperson of the NA Ethnic Council, heads of the NA committees, and State Auditor General.

They will also elect State President, Prime Minister, Vice State President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court and Prosecutor General of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy. They will decide on the structure and number of the Government members and approve the appointment of Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers and other Government members, the list of Vice Chairpersons and members of the Council for National Defence and Security (if any), and judges of the Supreme Peoples Court.

Later, the NA Chairman, State President, PM and Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court will take oaths before the legislature, which will be live broadcast nationwide.

The NA will also look into reports reviewing socio-economic performance and State budget in the first half and measures for the remaining months of this year, thrift practice and wastefulness prevention in 2020; approve the 2019 State budget balance, decide on the 2021-2025 socio-economic development plan and national financial plan, public capital borrowing and payment as well as the mid-term public investment plan for 2021-2025, and the national target programme on new-style rural building, and poverty reduction and sustainable social welfare for 2021-2025.

The National Election Council is due to deliver a report on the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and Peoples Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure and results confirming the eligibility of 15th NA deputies. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee will collect and submit voters feedback to the session.

Participants will also adopt resolutions on the programme on law and ordinance building in 2022, the NAs 2022 supervision programme, and the establishment of a group in charge of thematic supervision.

As planned, the session will close on July 31.

As many as 435 out of 499 deputies have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Before arriving in Hanoi, they must test for COVID-19 thrice./.

VNA
Vietnam strives for at least one

Vietnam strives for at least one successful homegrown COVID-19 vaccine in 2021

Vietnam strives to have at least one successful domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine this year, according to deputy health minister Tran Van Thuan.

The COVIVAC COVID-19 vaccine is produced by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) (Source: Ministry of Health)

Speaking at a meeting of the special working group on COVID-19 vaccine development and clinical trials on July 17, Thuan said COVID-19 vaccine is a matter of paramount concern to the Vietnamese Party and State leaders. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, has asked World Health Organisation (WHO) experts to help Vietnam with COVID-19 vaccine research and production to ensure vaccine self-supply.



This would help the research and clinical trials of Nanocovax and COVIVAC vaccines, two candidates making the most progress in the four under development in Vietnam, he said.



Thuan emphasised that the issue is how to make full use of the support from WHO experts in the accreditation of laboratories, the recognition of clinical trial procedures and most importantly the recognition of Vietnams own COVID-19 vaccine towards vaccine self-sufficiency, and furthermore, vaccine exports.



The health official also suggested that members of the Special Working Group work to their best capacity in providing maximum support to domestic researchers and manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines, with most flexible and best possible assistance to the ones in need of support.



The National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi and HCM City Pasteur Institute, two focal points in organising vaccine clinical trials, were asked to proactively prepare the necessary conditions both in terms of human resources, equipment and facilities, etc. to carry out necessary components in trials of transferred vaccines.



The Ministry of Health will soon submit to the Government a plan to use the budget from the National COVID-19 Vaccine Fund to support the implementation of phase 3 clinical trials for domestically developed vaccines as well as transferred vaccines, and request the Government to direct relevant ministries and agencies to coordinate with the health ministry in participating in clinical trial studies to ensure safety, progress and efficiency.



Thuan asked that members join a Viber group, which will also include the contacts of health ministrys leaders, to have timely exchanges on matters concerning vaccine research and development.



Science matters the most in the research and development of domestic COVID-19 vaccines, but flexibility will also be an important issue to consider. We strive to have at least one manufacturer making a successful homegrown COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021 at the earliest, the health official stressed.



Nanogen, the developer of the Nano Covax vaccine, this week said it has administered the first jab to 13,000 volunteers in its phase 3 human trials, with the second dose expected to be given before end of August, eyeing full clinical data for reviews this year.



The Covivac vaccine, by the Institution of Vaccine and Biological Medical in Nha Trang city, wrapped up phase 1 in late June and plans to carry out phase 2 soon.

Source: VNA
Italian firms seek investment op

Italian firms seek investment opportunities in Vietnam

Vietnam is emerging as a promising trade and investment destination for the business community in Italys Sicily region, as heard at a forum aimed at connecting Vietnam and Sicily held on July 14-16.

Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)

Speaking at the event, Alessandro Albanese, head of the General Confederation of Italian Industry (Confindustria), said in the coming time, the Confindustria in Sicily will promote its role in linking firms in the region with the Vietnamese market via creating the foundation for specific trade agreements.



Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue highlighted diverse cooperation fields and a myriad of trade and investment opportunities for the two sides, particularly after tariffs will be gradually eliminated following the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).



Vietnam is also a gateway to the ASEAN market, she added.

Participating enterprises paid attention to Vietnams development and investment priorities, farm produce trade prospects, smart city, environment, new energies, and links between local businesses and Vietnamese students studying in Italy, among other matters.



President of Sicily Nello Musumeci said he supports the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) as it is a drive to boost investment between Vietnam and Italy.



He pledged to call for accelerating the ratification of the pact.



Vietnam  Italy trade in the first five months of 2021 reached 2.29 billion USD, up 29.3 percent year-on-year.

Source: VNA
Flights to several southern loca

Flights to several southern localities to be suspended

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) recently sent a dispatch asking domestic airlines to suspend flights to and from airports in several southern cities and provinces that are under social distancing measures from July 19.

Flights to several southern localities to be suspended. (Photo: VNA)

Specifically, all flights to and from Con Dao in Ba Ria  Vung Tau, Ca Mau, Rach Gia in Kien Giang province will be halted from 0am on July 19.

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will still run a daily flight linking Phu Quoc and Hanoi and another on Can Tho-Hanoi route.

Bamboo Airways will operate Phu Quoc-Hanoi and Can Tho  Hanoi flights only on July 19, each one trip per day, in place of Vietnam Airlines.

Airlines are running Ho Chi Minh City  Hanoi flights with a daily capacity of 1,700 seats per trip.

Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines will supply no more than 700 seats per trip each day, Vietjet and Bamboo Airways each 400 seats, and Pacific Airlines 200 seats.

Each carrier could offer 1-2 daily flights on Ho Chi Minh City  Da Nang/Quy Nhon/Cam Ranh/Buon Ma Thuot routes.

There will be no limitation in the number of flights carrying cargo.

The suspension of flights is due to last till August 1.

All passengers must show documents certifying they test negative for SARS-CoV-2 as requested by the Health Ministry.

Source: NDO
News  Vietnam

Over 2,000 more Covid-19 infections announced in Monday morning report
UK PM, chancellor to self-isolate after health secretary tests positive for COVID-19

Xinhua) 08:04, July 19, 2021

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks back to Downing Street after attending a press conference in London, Britain, on July 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Ray Tang)

The British government has confirmed that most COVID-19 restrictions in England will end on Monday as part of the final step, or Step Four, of England's roadmap out of the lockdown. But scientists have warned that lifting all restrictions at this stage could increase likelihood of dangerous variants.

LONDON, July 18 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will enter quarantine as normal after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, Downing Street said Sunday.

This marked a U-turn on the pair's initial decision to avoid self-isolation by taking part in a daily testing pilot scheme, which had caused huge public outrage in the country.

"Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren't the same for everyone is wrong," Sunak said on Twitter.

Javid, the new health secretary who replaced Matt Hancock last month, is now self-isolating at home with his family. He said he has had two jabs of the vaccine and his symptoms are mild.

Visitors wearing face masks queue to board the London Eye in London, Britain, on July 16, 2021. (Xinhua/P Ray Tang)

The British government has confirmed that most COVID-19 restrictions in England will end on Monday as part of the final step, or Step Four, of England's roadmap out of the lockdown. But scientists have warned that lifting all restrictions at this stage could increase likelihood of dangerous variants.

Britain reported on Saturday another 54,674 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 5,386,340, official figures showed. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain has reached 128,683.

More than 87 percent of the Britain's adults have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while over 67 percent have received two jabs, the latest figures showed.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
PLA holds beach assault drills after US military aircraft's Taiwan island landing

Global Times) 08:08, July 19, 2021

Amphibious armored infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) attached to a brigade under the PLA 72nd Group Army drive into the waters during an amphibious training exercise focused on subjects of basic driving, landing craft ferrying and assault wave formation, etc. on May 21, 2021.Photo:China Military

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army and Navy held joint amphibious landing exercises in waters off East China's Fujian Province on Friday, geographically divided from the island of Taiwan only by the Taiwan Straits, just one day after a second US military aircraft landed on Thursday on the island in less than two months.

This was a move experts said on Sunday that displayed the PLA's capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and sent a warning to the US and Taiwan secessionists amid their "salami-slicing" tactics.

An armored unit attached to a heavy amphibious combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 73rd Group Army on Friday conducted a series of live-fire exercises in waters off the southeastern coastline of Fujian, China Central Television (CCTV) reported over the weekend.

Dozens of Type 05 series amphibious armored vehicles moved out from the coast into the sea and boarded PLA Navy's Type 072A tank landing ships, which carried them in a long-distance sea-crossing maneuver.

The domestically developed Type 05 series belong to the PLA's most advanced amphibious armored vehicle family, with good maneuverability at sea, strong firepower and a high level of informatization, the report said.

After approaching the target area, the amphibious armored vehicles were released from the landing ships and launched fire assaults as they marched toward the target beach.

The troops trained not only in daytime, but also at nighttime, Lieutenant Colonel Zhu Chaojun, a battalion commander, was quoted as saying on CCTV.

"As primary-level troops based in the southeastern coast, we must train hard under scenarios just like those in real battles, be combat-ready at all times and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zhu said.

The drills came only one day after a US Air Force plane, a C-146A, landed on the island of Taiwan on Thursday for the second time in 2021 after a US Air Force C-17 transport aircraft landed on the island on June 6.

The PLA exercises are likely routine and not directly related to the US military aircraft's landing on the island of Taiwan, but they definitely displayed and further honed the troops' capability in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a Chinese mainland military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

The US and Taiwan secessionists are again playing their"salami-slicing"tactics and challenging the Chinese mainland's bottom line, the expert said. He noted that the PLA's transparent exercises should be seen as warnings and a deterrent, and more complex drills will likely be staged in the future.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
China, Egypt mark joint production of 1 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses in Egypt

Xinhua) 08:11, July 19, 2021

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (1st L, Front) and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry (2nd L, Front) attend a ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt, in Alamein, Egypt, on July 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Sunday attended a ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.

The ceremony was held during Wang's official visit to Alamein, a coastal city in northern Egypt.

After China and Egypt inked a letter of intent for cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine production in December 2020, a Chinese company signed an agreement with an Egyptian firm and sent technical teams to Egypt to facilitate the local production of the vaccine.

Only half a year after the signing of the agreement, the Chinese vaccine was officially put into production in Egypt and reached the output of 1 million doses in a short time.

As the first batch of vaccines rolled off the production line, Egypt became the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in the COVID-19 vaccine production.

The local production of the Chinese vaccine in Egypt, which demonstrates China's determination and sincerity in promoting international anti-pandemic cooperation, marks a concrete move to actively implement Chinese President Xi Jinping's pledge to make the vaccine a global public good. It is also an important step taken by China to promote equal distribution of the vaccines and bridge the immunity gap.

This project is not only of great significance to Egypt's fight against COVID-19 pandemic, but also will greatly help Africa and the Arab region prevail over the pandemic at an early date.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, Egypt reaffirm commitment to strengthen strategic partnership

Xinhua) 08:34, July 19, 2021

ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday held a meeting here with visiting China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

Sisi asked Wang to convey his sincere regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping, while once again warmly congratulating the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the 100th anniversary of founding.

The Egyptian leader spoke highly of the miracles that the Chinese people have created one after another under the CPC leadership, which have also attracted worldwide attention.

Egypt regards China as a true friend and reliable partner, and will unswervingly and undisturbedly develop the bilateral cooperation in various fields, said Sisi.

Egypt will take the opportunity of celebrating the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and China, he noted.

Sisi affirmed that Egypt unswervingly pursues the one-China policy, firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability, and strongly supports China's fight against terrorism and religious extremism.

Egypt supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while hoping to boost cooperation with China in infrastructure, industrial parks, high technology and other fields, and become an important gateway for Chinese enterprises to enter the Middle East and Africa, said the Egyptian president.

Sisi thanked China for providing Egypt with the COVID-19 vaccines and helping his country produce the vaccines locally, adding that Egypt will continue to strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation with China.

Egypt is also willing to coordinate closely with China in jointly promoting regional peace and stability, he added.

For his part, Wang first conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to Sisi.

The friendship between China and Egypt, which has stood the test of international circumstances, is unbreakable and firm as a rock, said Wang, adding that China highly appreciates Egypt for always standing with China on the issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns.

China also firmly supports Egypt in continuing to explore a development path suited to its national conditions, pursuing an independent policy, and making efforts to fight terrorism, maintain stability and de-radicalize extremists, said the Chinese senior diplomat.

China looks forward to working together with Egypt to build the China-Egypt community with a shared future, and turn the bilateral ties into a pioneering model for the China-Arab states and China-Africa communities with a shared future, said Wang.

Calling Egypt an important partner in building the BRI, Wang said that China is willing to strengthen the synergy between the BRI and Egypt's Vision 2030, help Egypt accelerate its pace of industrialization, enhance its scientific and technological capabilities, uplift its development level, and deepen the law enforcement and security cooperation to safeguard the common security of the two countries.

Wang pledged that China will continue providing vaccines and anti-epidemic materials to Egypt to help it eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic.

China is also ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Egypt in international affairs, jointly uphold and practice multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and push forward the reform of global governance in the right direction, he said.

Wang expressed the hope that Egypt will continue to play an active role in the building of the China-Arab states Cooperation Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues in the Middle East and Africa.

During his visit to Egypt, Wang also held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, signed an agreement on the establishment of the Sino-Egyptian Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, and attended a virtual ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China's reusable suborbital spacecraft makes successful maiden flight

Global Times) 08:37, July 19, 2021

The manned spacecraft Shenzhou-12, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province on June 17, 2021. Photo: Xinhua

China's domestically developed, reusable suborbital spacecraft made its successful maiden flight on Friday, taking off and returning safely back to Earth. Experts hailed the progress in reusable spacecraft as a major step toward developing self-made space planes, having laid a solid foundation for more Earth-space shuttles.

The spacecraft, which was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province, landed at an airport in Alxa Right Banner in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

It served as a flight demonstration and verification project, state-owned space contractor China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) announced in a statement on Friday.

The development is an advanced integration of aerospace and aviation technologies, and "indicates China's transition from a big space-faring nation to a strong one," CASC said, reported China Space News, which is co-published by CASC and another industry giant China Academy of Space Technology.

It had laid a solid foundation for reusable space-Earth transportation technology, representing the country's first step to achieve innovative, independent development in this field, the statement said.

The State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense shared the news on its official social media accounts, saying that the mission was an "original and leading national scientific research project."

While no images or further details were revealed, the flight soon prompted waves of attention among curious netizens. However, responding to their curiosity, the administration only said, kind of proudly, "This is too advanced to be put on display."

Song Zhongping, a space analyst and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday that suborbital spacecraft, which are used for sending payloads to about 100 kilometers above the Earth's surface, could serve a variety of purposes such as ferrying satellites.

Suborbital spacecraft can also be developed into vehicles for space travel, as they take off vertically and land horizontally, Song noted.

"The most remarkable highlight of this mission is the craft's reusability, since it has verified a number of breakthroughs in materials and technologies that are required in developing a carrier capable of returning safely to the Earth," Song said.

Technologies required for reusable suborbital spaceflights are even more demanding, as the spacecraft had experienced both the environment in space and that under the Earth's atmospheric influence.

"China's mastery of the technologies will greatly boost the research into space planes, having laid a solid foundation for developing one of our own in the future," Song said.

China launched a reusable experimental spacecraft in September 2020 via a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. After spending two days in orbit, it returned safely to the scheduled landing site.

The successful flight in 2020 marked an important breakthrough for China in reusable spacecraft research, and it is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round trip transport for the peaceful use of space, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
World Heritage Committee's 44th session passes Fuzhou Declaration

Xinhua) 09:04, July 19, 2021

Guests attend the opening ceremony of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

FUZHOU, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has adopted the Fuzhou Declaration, calling for closer international cooperation within the framework of multilateralism.

UNESCO made the announcement via a video press conference on Sunday.

The Fuzhou Declaration reiterates the significance of world heritage protection and international cooperation, as well as the need to work and act together to address climate change, said Tian Xuejun, chairperson of the World Heritage Committee's 44th session.

The declaration calls for closer international cooperation within the framework of multilateralism and increasing support for developing countries, especially those in Africa and also small island developing countries, said Tian, who is also China's vice education minister and director of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO.

The declaration also calls for strengthening world heritage education, knowledge sharing and the application of new technologies.

The declaration states that global heritage has made a positive contribution to the promotion of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, as well as to world peace and sustainable development, Tian said.

The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee kicked off Friday in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, to review world heritage items online for the first time.

The session, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, is an extended one that will last until July 31 to go over the agendas of both 2020 and 2021.

The session will review candidates for entry to the UNESCO World Heritage list, including Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian Province and a global maritime trade center in ancient China.

The committee will also examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the list.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Pakistani foreign minister visits injured Chinese nationals from Dasu terror attack

Xinhua) 09:08, July 19, 2021

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (C) visits the injured Chinese national from the Dasu terrorist attack at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi of Pakistan's Punjab province on July 18, 2021. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday visited the injured Chinese nationals from the Dasu terrorist attack at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi near the federal capital Islamabad. The foreign minister was accompanied by Pakistani Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong. (Photo by Ahmad Kamal/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday visited the injured Chinese nationals from the Dasu terrorist attack at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi near the federal capital Islamabad.

The foreign minister was accompanied by Pakistani Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong.

Qureshi asked in detail about the condition of and treatment for each wounded Chinese national, and expressed sincere sympathy to them on behalf of the Pakistani government and people.

He promised that the best treatment will be provided for the injured Chinese nationals to help them recover at an early date.

Talking to Chinese media on the occasion, the Pakistani foreign minister said that Pakistan and China "have collectively fought challenges in the past, and we have undertaken development projects in the past, which has mutually benefited China and Pakistan."

"We are aware of the fact that there are elements who do not want to see development activities in Pakistan... they have undertaken this cowardly act," he added.

Qureshi extended deep condolences to the bereaved families, saying that the Dasu attack is not only an attack on the Chinese, but also on Pakistan and the friendship between the two countries.

He said that Pakistan will work with China to do everything possible to trace the culprits and bring them to justice.

In July 14, the shuttle vehicles of the Dasu Hydropower Project, for which a Chinese company is contracted to build, were hit by a blast when they were heading to the construction site in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leaving nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis dead, according to the Chinese embassy in Pakistan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese firm eases access to health facilities for Zambian community

Xinhua) 09:23, July 19, 2021

The Marcopolo-Malcom Mini Hospital is seen under construction in Chilanga township, Lusaka, capital of Zambia, on July 16, 2021. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)

LUSAKA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Residents of the Malcom community on the outskirts of the Chilanga township in Zambia can now breathe a sigh of relief as far as access to healthcare services is concerned.

The residents, who used to walk eight km to access the nearest health facility now have their own facility thanks to the corporate social responsibility of a Chinese firm that is giving back to the community.

The Marcopolo-Malcom Mini Hospital, with a 20-bed capacity and five admission wards, has been constructed by Marcopolo Tiles Company Limited, a joint venture between Chinese investors and the Zambian government.

The residents are happy that their headache of walking long distances to access health care services is now a thing of the past.

The company has embarked on a mission to better the lives of about 566 households or over 2,000 residents of the area through the provision of various social amenities which were lacking.

"This has brought happiness to the residents of this area and we are very happy with what Marcopolo has done," Andrew Nkhoma, the chairman of the community told reporters who visited the area.

The company, he said, has brought development because apart from the health facility, it has also constructed a police post as well as brought water and electricity to the area.

According to him, plans were underway for the construction of a high school by the firm.

Tilile Zulu, a resident of the area says she is happy that a clinic has been built in the area as this will ease problems of accessing healthcare services for the people.

"We are very happy that they have brought a clinic nearby, they have really done a good job because we used bicycles to access the nearest clinic and wheelbarrows to carry the sick," she said.

Her views have been backed by Mary Daka, who feels that the move is a relief especially to expectant mothers and to those with children under five years old.

"We thank Marcopolo because now the distance is short. Even when a child gets sick at night, it will now be easy for us," she said.

Precious Nkole concurs and adds that reaching the nearest clinic was a challenge especially when it comes to transport.

"When you are pregnant, you will have to start putting aside some money for transport and the poor transportation system here worsened the situation," she said.

Construction of the health facility started in March this year and 95 percent of the work has so far been done, with the handover of the facility to the government scheduled for later this month.

Frank Mulenga, the company's chief financial officer said about 220,000 U.S. dollars have been invested in the health facility which also includes electricity connection as well as sinking of a borehole for residents to have access to clean water.

The company intends to purchase equipment to be installed at the health facility at a cost of 200,000 U.S. dollars, he added.

He said corporate social responsibility is at the core of the company's investment hence the decision to embark on various projects in the community.

The company, he said, has been working in collaboration with the community who have provided the company with priority areas that require attention.

"We have been working with the leadership of the community before we do any projects. The priority areas are being given by the community and we are grateful for the support we have received so far," he said.

He confirmed that the construction of a school will commence next year and that the land has already been identified by the community where the school will be constructed.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China demonstrates great commitment in world heritage protection: UNESCO

Xinhua) 09:38, July 19, 2021

People visit the historical and cultural block of Sanfangqixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys) in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

- "China really demonstrates its interest in the preservation of the environment and in the connection to other countries," Mechtild Rossler, director of the Paris-based UNESCO World Heritage Center.

- "China is providing support to poor states in need ... and is supporting capacity building initiatives in collaboration with UNESCO, especially in the African region."

PARIS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China has not only boosted the protection of its own national heritage but has also helped other countries protect their own cultural and natural treasures, a UNESCO official said Saturday.

"China really demonstrates its interest in the preservation of the environment and in the connection to other countries," Mechtild Rossler, director of the Paris-based UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Center, said in a video interview with Xinhua on Saturday.

Rossler is attending the ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Fuzhou, east China. The session, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, is expected to last until July 31.

Aerial photo taken on July 16, 2021 shows the Fuzhou Strait International Conference &Exhibition Center, the main venue for the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

The session will review candidates for entry to the UNESCO World Heritage list and examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the list.

"We have many sites under threat on the world heritage list. We have a rich and so far underrepresented world heritage list. We need to do capacity building and enhance protection," Rossler said, warning that climate change has become an increasing threat to global heritage.

With 55 UNESCO World Heritage sites, China now ranks top in the world tied with Italy. In recent years, China has been promoting heritage protection as a means of bolstering its culture industries and ecological development as well as reducing poverty.

Meanwhile, the country is actively engaged in international heritage cooperation. "China is providing support to poor states in need ... and is supporting capacity building initiatives in collaboration with UNESCO, especially in the African region," Rossler said.

During the session, China announced that it is willing to work with UNESCO to build educational platforms for world heritage and help cultivate heritage protection skills for developing countries. China will also support UNESCO in implementing the Priority Africa strategy in terms of world heritage.

China is expected to host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands this year.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Female doctor in Dunhuang dedicated to helping patients with TCM therapies for 30 years

People's Daily Online) 09:45, July 19, 2021

A 51-year-old female doctor has spent the last 30 years treating patients by utilizing acupuncture, physical therapy, cupping therapy and other traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies, which have been proven both effective and economical.

Feng Shixia (R2) conducts a follow-up house call to check up on a patient's condition. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

According to Feng Shixia, director of a branch of the Mogao Town central health center in Dunhuang city, northwest China's Gansu province, her strong interest in TCM dates back to her childhood, when she often listened her father reciting excerpts from Drug Properties in Verse, an ancient book outlining the fundamentals of TCM.

"At that time, I didn't know that when arms were dislocated, they could be returned to normal with the correct maneuver. After starting my job, I have discovered more and more mysteries of TCM. The more I studied, the more I liked it," recalled Feng.

Feng said that when she was young and her family's economic conditions were difficult, it was only by borrowing friends' study notes that she could learn by herself and obtain junior college and undergraduate degrees in the field of medical and health care.

Feng Shixia (R1) leads medical staff in conducting follow-up house calls on patients' health conditions. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

As a deputy chief physician of TCM, Feng receives more than 6,500 outpatients, treats more than 2,200 of them with TCM therapies, and cures more than 150 inpatients every year. Since she takes "serving the people" as her personal belief, and respects the patients' "right to know, right to choose, and right to privacy", she has established a close rapport with her patients.

Last year, under Feng's leadership, her branch of Mogao town central health center in Dunhuang built a dedicated TCM center that focused on treating patients with neck, shoulder, waist and leg pain using TCM. At the same time, it ramped up the procurement of TCM equipment and various physiotherapy devices, and further strengthened the training of TCM techniques.

Feng Shixia (L3) treats a patient using cupping therapy. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

"I have developed a harmonious relationship with my patients, and treat some senior patients like my own family," Feng said, adding that being a doctor requires dedication, and she is very grateful to her family for their understanding and support over the past decades.

"As an ordinary person, I am simply doing my own work. I just want to try my best to do my job well within the scope of my ability," the doctor said.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chinese, Iranian FMs hold phone talks

Xinhua) 10:00, July 19, 2021

Chinese medical team members meet with Iranian medical experts in Tehran, Iran, March 7, 2020. (Xinhua)

The Chinese side thanks Iran for supporting China on issues concerning its core interests, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that China will, as always, support Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, choosing a political system and a development path suited to its own national conditions, and defending its legitimate rights and interests.

EL ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation here on Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Wang said that China appreciates President Hassan Rouhani and the Iranian government for their positive contributions to developing China-Iran relations over the past eight years.

China is willing to work together with President-elect Ebrahim Raisi and the new Iranian government to carry forward the fine traditions of mutual trust and mutual support between the two countries, strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation, continue jointly opposing unilateralism and bullying behavior, firmly uphold multilateralism and international equity and justice, and better safeguard the common interests of China, Iran and other developing countries, Wang said.

The Chinese side thanks Iran for supporting China on issues concerning its core interests, Wang said, adding that China will, as always, support Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, choosing a political system and a development path suited to its own national conditions, and defending its legitimate rights and interests.

For his part, Zarif thanked China for offering vaccines and anti-pandemic materials to Iran, and supporting Iran in fighting the disease.

The Iranian side hopes to continue strengthening anti-pandemic cooperation with China, he said.

Noting that Iran attaches great importance to its relationship with China, Zarif said he believes that bilateral relations will further deepen after the new Iranian government takes office.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and other issues.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China launches new remote-sensing satellites

Xinhua) 10:08, July 19, 2021

A Long March-2C carrier rocket carrying a new remote-sensing satellite group blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 19, 2021. China successfully launched a new remote-sensing satellite group from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:19 a.m. (0019 GMT) on Monday. The satellites were sent into orbit by a Long March-2C carrier rocket. This is the 10th group belonging to the Yaogan-30 family. Also aboard was Tianqi-15, a satellite belonging to the Tianqi constellation. Monday's launch was the 380th mission of the Long March rocket series. (Photo by Zhu Jihan/Xinhua)

XICHANG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a new remote-sensing satellite group from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:19 a.m. Monday (Beijing Time).

The satellites were sent into orbit by a Long March-2C carrier rocket. This is the 10th group belonging to the Yaogan-30 family, and will survey the electromagnetic environment and verify relevant technologies by adopting multi-satellite network mode.

Also aboard was Tianqi-15, a satellite belonging to the Tianqi constellation, which will serve the Internet of Things data collection.

The Long March-2C carrier rocket, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, measures 43 meters in length and has a takeoff mass of 242 tonnes.

The rocket is capable of sending two tonnes of payloads to the solar synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km.

Monday's launch was the 380th mission of the Long March rocket series that also marked the conclusion of the launch of the Yaogan-30 family.

The Long March-2C has sent all 10 groups of Yaogan-30 satellites into orbit with high accuracy since September 2017, with a 100 percent launch success rate.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Commentary: U.S. sanctions nothing but bluff and bluster

Xinhua) 10:09, July 19, 2021

BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- With the latest warning to its own businesses in Hong Kong and feeble sanctions on more Chinese officials, the United States now can do nothing but make empty threats, which is the inevitable fate of its interference in Hong Kong affairs.

The national security law in Hong Kong, taking effect a year ago, has blocked the channels for anti-China politicians to launch a "color revolution" in Hong Kong and meddle in China's internal affairs. Since then, the United States has indulged in sanctions and smear campaigns against Hong Kong in hopes of continuing to exert influence on the global financial hub.

Such attempts have proved to be merely meaningless political shows that are doomed to fail.

"Being sanctioned means I have done what I should for my country and Hong Kong," said Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, who was among the first to be put on the sanction list.

The political tricks of the United States have already backfired. The U.S. "business advisory" against the so-called increasing risks of operating in Hong Kong has been strongly objected to by global investors here.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham HK), which has been operating and thriving in Hong Kong for more than 50 years and owns some 1,400 members, said Hong Kong has a crucial role to play as an international business hub and remains a critical and vibrant facilitator of trade and financial flow between the East and West.

It is important, perhaps more than ever, for AmCham HK to constructively work with its public and private stakeholders to build a Hong Kong for the future, it said in a statement.

The voice of AmCham HK is echoed in Hong Kong's business community. The truth is almost all major American financial companies have established their presence here, and the United States itself has for years run a huge trade surplus with Hong Kong.

A peaceful and predictable environment in Hong Kong is undoubtedly conducive to doing business and developing the economy.

Figures do not lie. Over the last year, almost all key economic indicators, including funds raised through initial public offerings and total deposits in the banking system, have held up well, pointing to unchanged business confidence.

Under the national security law, investors from around the world enjoy a safer and more stable environment here, and their legitimate rights and interests are better protected, including those of U.S. companies. The International Monetary Fund recently published a report to reaffirm Hong Kong's status as a financial center.

It has been widely agreed that the United States should stop playing a disgraceful role in Hong Kong affairs. Its hegemonic acts have repeatedly violated international laws and the basic norms of international relations.

Political bullying and egoism are not only wrong but extremely dangerous. The determination of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in safeguarding national interests allows no challenge.

Hong Kong is about to start a new chapter after prolonged disturbances over the past years and regain its glory as the "Pearl of the Orient," and the enduring success of "one country, two systems" will continue. During that process, any obstruction and interference by external forces will not be allowed and will definitely fail.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, Egypt to donate COVID-19 vaccine to Palestinian people in Gaza Strip

Xinhua) 10:28, July 19, 2021

ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Egypt on Sunday decided to jointly donate 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to address the immediate needs of the local people.

The announcement came as Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry during Wang's official visit to Alamein, a coastal city in northern Egypt.

The two countries have paid close attention to the situation in the wake of the recent Palestinian-Israeli conflict, stressing that while making continued efforts to promote a just solution to the Palestinian issue, the international community should also care about the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, especially take concrete measures to help the local people fight against COVID-19.

The vaccine doses to be donated will be produced at the manufacturing plants jointly established by the two countries in Egypt, and be sent as soon as possible through coordination with the Palestinian side.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Interview: Kyrgyz president gives "highest mark" to CPC for great achievements

Xinhua) 11:16, July 19, 2021

BISHKEK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- "I would give the highest mark for the great achievements of the Communist Party (of China) in building and reforming China," President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Thanks to the wise leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), "the People's Republic of China has made great strides and has become a powerful modern state," he said, stressing China's important role in the international arena.

The Kyrgyz leader said that the CPC has always defended the fundamental interests of the Chinese people.

"One of the main reasons for the victory of the Chinese Communist Party in the revolution and the successful construction of socialism is that the party enjoys the sincere support and love of the entire people," he added.

Zhaparov noted China's achievements in poverty alleviation.

"Thus, 770 million people in China have (been) lifted out of poverty since the late 1970s," he said, adding that China has become a major contributor to global poverty reduction.

The Kyrgyz president believed that China has achieved such great results thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping's unprecedented determination and political wisdom.

"He is pursuing deep reforms with extensive experience in domestic and international relations. I would say that he sets an example of leadership in planning the country's future and mobilizing the strength of the Chinese people," Zhaparov said.

Speaking about bilateral relations, Zhaparov highlighted that China is an eternal neighbor and friend for Kyrgyzstan.

"The border between the two countries will always be the border of friendly cooperation," he said.

"We are proud of our friendly, good-neighborly and comprehensive strategic cooperation with China, and highly value such cooperation," the president added.

"In addition, the positions of the two countries are similar on most international and regional issues," he said, expressing Kyrgyzstan's interest in the further development of comprehensive cooperation with China based on openness and mutual trust, which is in the interests of both peoples.

Kyrgyzstan is one of the first countries to support and take an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We see this initiative as a serious source and incentive for the implementation of joint projects, as well as the development of infrastructure," he said.

"Today, the most important and promising areas of bilateral trade and economic, investment cooperation are infrastructure and transport, tourism, energy, processing industry, agriculture and mining," he added.

Zhaparov highlighted that Kyrgyzstan is actively working to improve the investment climate in the country.

"Creation of a favorable business environment, as well as protection of the rights of foreign investors is one of the priorities of Kyrgyzstan," the president said, adding "the doors to our country are always open for reliable Chinese investors."

On cultural cooperation, Zhaparov said it is one of the most important areas of Kyrgyzstan-China relations and the close cooperation in the cultural and educational spheres gives a great impetus to promote the common interests of both sides.

Noting Kyrgyz younger generation's growing interest in China, Zhaparov said, "In particular, there are four Confucius Institutes in Kyrgyzstan, and some universities also open Chinese departments. At the same time, more than 4,000 Kyrgyz students are studying in Chinese universities."

In the aspect of cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhaparov said China took the lead in effectively controlling the pandemic.

"We witnessed that China is helping not only Kyrgyzstan, but also other countries of the world in the fight against COVID-19," he said.

The president also spoke highly of the achievements of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the past 20 years.

"Today the SCO has become a practical and important instrument for regional cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres" and "an important factor in ensuring the security and sustainable development of interstate relations," he said.

Zhaparov said that Kyrgyzstan and China closely cooperate both on a bilateral level and within multilateral frameworks under the SCO.

"The high level of mutual trust and active dialogue between our countries also positively affects the development of multilateral cooperation within the SCO," Zhaparov said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China approves 40 fixed-asset investment projects in H1

Xinhua) 11:27, July 19, 2021

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, approved 40 fixed-asset investment projects in the first half of the year.

The projects, with a combined investment value of 246.4 billion yuan (about 38.1 billion U.S. dollars), cover areas including energy and water conservation, the commission said.

Previous data showed that China's fixed-asset investment went up 12.6 percent year on year in the January-June period, compared with the 15.4-percent increase in the first five months.

This year, the country plans to expand effective investment, with a central investment budget of 610 billion yuan and a special-purpose local government bond quota of 3.65 trillion yuan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Newly-built subway stations in Hong Kong offer a peek of ancient China

Xinhua) 13:02, July 19, 2021

HONG KONG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of railway fans rushed into the entrance of Sung Wong Toi Station located in Kowloon City District at around 5:00 a.m. local time on June 27 to get on the first ride on the opening day of Hong Kong's long-waited Tuen Ma Line.

For the residents living in the centuries-old area, the newly-opened MTR station has been added to their collective memories imprinted by Hong Kong's former Kai Tak Airport and the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City.

Hong Kong's public transit railway system, as a sign of speed and modernity, has surfaced itself with an exhibition of archaeological finds along with Chinese calligraphy in brush and ink.

The exhibition named "Treasures from Sacred Hill" at Sung Wong Toi Station, Hong Kong's first exhibition at a subway station, displays numerous relics including ceramic vases, incense burners and even pottery dice excavated during the station's construction.

"The findings are so rare. It has been the first time in Hong Kong with archaeological items with such a scale," Ray Ma, curator of Archaeology at Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monument Office, told Xinhua, adding that the findings can unveil the picture of Kowloon City and Hong Kong from thousands of years ago.

The exhibition welcomes an average of about 6,000 to 8,000 visitors per day, according to the Antiquities and Monument Office under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's Development Bureau.

Susanna Siu, executive secretary at the Antiquities and Monument Office, said the exhibition is about "introducing people the history at an accessible place in a way that can interest them."

Historical literature says one young emperor, in the final years of China's Southern Song dynasty, stayed at the current Kowloon City for a few months while fleeing the Mongol onslaught. The name "Sung Wong," meaning Song emperor in Chinese, is thus coined in the name of the station.

The archaeological finds in Hong Kong have been derived from the same origin as that of the Chinese mainland, though the place was not at the center stage in China's ancient history, Ma said.

While a significant amount of relics unearthed from China's Song and Yuan dynasties, the name of Sung Wong Toi Station is written in running scripts known as "Xingshu" by MTR's retired architect Abe Au Kit Tong to echo the calligraphy style that was popular during the Song dynasty.

"Chinese calligraphy has become a signature for Hong Kong's subway platforms," Au, 71, who is now teaching Chinese calligraphy in Canada after retirement, told Xinhua via a video interview.

His Chinese ink-and-brush writing featuring strong visual effects, along with the mosaic tiles in distinctive colors, was applied since the opening of the Hong Kong Island Line in the 1980s to help passengers distinguish different stations.

Chinese calligraphy, like architecture, is also about drawing lines and achieving balance by the exact ratio of different parts, Au said, while his displayed works at stations are more about finding the rhythm that suits the characteristics of each station.

The newly opened Tuen Ma Line, where Au's artworks are showcased, is Hong Kong's longest railway line that stretches 56 km with 27 stations.

Putting aside the challenging task of protecting historical sites during construction, building stations is hard in Hong Kong's well-developed and densely-populated communities, Senior Architectural Manager of Tuen Ma Line Wincy Chow said.

The construction needs to be carried out without obstructing transportation on the ground and plans were adjusted for the five ancient wells found at the site, according to Chow.

MTR, the public transit system that transports millions of passengers during normal weekdays, is not only a carrier but also a messenger from the past to the future.

"With the development of the economy, people's voice for historic monuments conservation is growing louder," Commissioner for Heritage Ivanhoe Chang said, and the Antiquities and Monument Office was founded in 1976 to protect and preserve Hong Kong's historic treasures.

However, challenges remain in today's rapid modernization process.

"About 30 years ago, there was no Chinese calligraphy class taught in my son's middle school," MTR's calligrapher Au recalled.

The number of people practicing this traditional art in Hong Kong has been decreasing, he said, and his calligraphy works with distinguishing styles inherited from different dynasties were sometimes taken as wrongly written characters. "Chinese calligraphy and printing characters are not the same thing," he said.

"I hope my works, if possible, can remind people of such a thing called Chinese calligraphy," Au said.

In Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui area, the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, standing beside the Victoria Harbor, used to be an iconic landmark and a key link between Hong Kong and mainland cities including Guangzhou and Beijing during the old days. The modern high-speed rail at West Kowloon came into operation in 2018.

"Demolition and redevelopment happen all the time," Chang said. "By taking account of history while looking into the future, we need to strike a prominent balance between development and conservation in order to achieve sustainable development."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China to intensify efforts to avoid drastic fluctuations in hog prices

Xinhua) 13:29, July 19, 2021

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's top economic planner said Monday that it would work with related departments to intensify regulatory measures to avoid drastic ups and downs in hog prices when necessary.

Since the beginning of the year, hog prices in China have fallen sharply due to a significant improvement in supply and the decline in demand, prompting authorities to step in with multiple measures to stabilize the market.

In June alone, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had twice issued warnings for an excessive slump in hog prices, alerting pig farmers to adjust their plans to stabilize supplies.

The NDRC has also started to purchase pork to replenish the reserves at both the central and local levels, as an index monitoring pork prices has dropped below a warning level.

"The excessive drop in prices of live pigs has been initially curbed as the price has rebounded significantly since late June," said Wan Jingsong, an official with the NDRC.

The current price has recovered by more than 15 percent from the previous decline, Wang said, predicting that the trend will sustain for a while.

Chinese authorities in June released a work plan to improve the mechanism for adjusting pork reserves.

The plan, released by several government organs including the NDRC, detailed multiple measures to avoid drastic movements in the pork market, with more indicators added for timely warnings of market changes.

While cyclical fluctuations of pork supply and prices are a worldwide phenomenon, such volatilities are especially high in China, partly because the majority of the country's pigs are produced on family farms.

After the African swine fever dealt a heavy blow to hog production and pork prices since 2018, authorities have taken a slew of measures, including handing out subsidies to encourage scale farming, to stabilize prices of the staple meat in China.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China proposes 3 routes to implement two-state solution: FM

Xinhua) 13:44, July 19, 2021

ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China proposes three routes to implement the "two-state solution," which is the only realistic way to solve the Palestinian issue, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

Wang made the remarks on his official visit here, a coastal city of northern Egypt, during which he held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry and met with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

On the occasion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China, in the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council, has pushed the security council through five rounds of review to the Palestinian issue and delivered a Presidential Statement, Wang said.

Noting that China recently also held a seminar for Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers, Wang said China has made unremitting efforts to promote a ceasefire and resumption of talks between Palestine and Israel.

Without a just foundation, no peace can last, Wang said, stressing that the independent statehood of Palestine should not be delayed indefinitely, and the legitimate rights of the Arab people should not be ignored chronically.

The "two-state solution" is the only realistic way to solve the Palestinian issue, he added.

Wang said all parties concerned on the Palestinian issue and the international community should make practical efforts to promote the "two-state solution" on the basis of UN resolutions. As such, the Chinese side puts forward the following three routes:

The first is to enhance the authority of the Palestinian Authority, giving them the power to exercise national sovereign functions in security, finance and other fields, to achieve the effective management and control of the autonomous and occupied Palestinian territories.

The second is to support all Palestinian factions to improve solidarity, realize internal reconciliation through consultations and talks, and form a unified position to negotiate for the Palestinian issue's solution.

The third is that Palestine and Israel should be encouraged to resume peace talks on the basis of the two-state solution. China welcomes representatives of both sides to come and negotiate directly in China and calls for a UN-led global peace conference, with the participation of the permanent members of the Security Council and all stakeholders in the Middle East peace process, so as to pursue a comprehensive, lasting, just solution and realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel.

Shoukry and Aboul-Gheit, for their parts, said they agree with the relevant ideas that the Chinese side put forth, stand ready to closely communicate and coordinate with China, and hope the international community to urge Israel to stop establishing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and remove its blockade on the Gaza Strip.

They said China, a country without record of colonizing or invading the others, has always stood on the side of international morality and principles and made positive impact on solving the Palestinian issue.

It is hoped that China can play a bigger role in regional affairs, they added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
After the Pandemic: Exploring the opportunities in China-Australia relations

People's Daily Online) 14:51, July 19, 2021

After the Pandemic is a positive, realistic, and innovative financial documentary series that takes a deep dive into the huge opportunities awaiting businesses in Australia and China in a post COVID world.

The five episodes focus on the economic recoveries and trade and investment developments in both countries as well as the wider Asia-Pacific region. In the first episode, host Tim Harcourt interviews former Australian ambassador Geoff Raby, CEO of NSW Ports Marika Calfas and social media personality Amy Lyons, analyzing the trade relationship between Australia and China from different angles. They all stressed that China is leading a very strong global economic recovery and that maintaining good relations is beneficial to both countries.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
UK vlogger refutes BBC report: We simply say what we believe in China"

People's Daily Online) 15:32, July 19, 2021

Lee Barrett, a British vlogger who was recently denounced in a news report from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as one of the foreign vloggers "suspected of co-operating with state-owned outlets to spread China's rhetoric to the world, has refuted the accusation, reaffirming that "we say what we believe" in China.

Photo shows Lee Barrett reaffirming that "we say what we believe" in China in the video clip. (Screenshot from Lee Barrett's channel on Bilibili)

In an article entitled "The foreigners in Chinas disinformation drive" on July 11, the BBC accused video bloggers such as Lee Barrett of taking money from sponsors in China to present themselves as "China-lovers" and spreading "disinformation" on Chinese life.

In response, Barrett released a video on the July 14, pointing out that narratives in the BBC report are groundless and untenable. He ended the report by making it clear that "we say what we believe, we say what we see and we show what we see." It is ridiculous to report that the videos released by himself and his son Oli Barrett are part of political propaganda, Barrett added.

With regards to the "media challengers" campaign launched by China Global Television Network (CGTN), which was denounced by the BBC article as a tool to woo foreign Internet celebrities, Barrett explained that it is nothing more than an ordinary competition that offers $10,000 for the winner.

Photo shows Lee Barrett refuting the BBC report. (Screenshot from Lee Barrett's channel on Bilibili)

"All media outlets around the world use foreign correspondents. Why is that a problem when they come to CGTN? I have no idea obviously because they are Chinese. That is the problem," Barrett said in the video.

In fact, this is not the first time these UK vloggers have been targeted by British media outlets.

The Times publishes an "investigative report" entitled "British YouTubers funded by China".

Earlier, on Jan. 9, The Times, a British daily national newspaper, published an "investigative report" entitled "British YouTubers funded by China" on page 7, claiming that the video content of these UK vloggers including Lee Barrett and Jason Lightfoot was funded by the Chinese government in order to carry out so-called political propaganda overseas.

Lightfoot retorted humorously by saying that since most of his income is generated by videos released on YouTube, a U.S. company, it is fairer to say the U.S. government is funding him, rather that its Chinese counterpart.

Lightfoot humorously refutes the accusation from The Times. (Screenshot from Lightfoot's channel on Bilibili)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Featured industries help reduce poverty in Guizhou, Sichuan provinces

People's Daily Online) 15:36, July 19, 2021

Photo shows a vegetable base located between 2,200 and 2,600 meters above sea level in Liangshan village, Weining county, southwest Chinas Guizhou province. (Photo/eyesnews)

Developing industries are playing a vital role in China's poverty reduction, and that is especially the case in Guizhou's Weining county and Sichuan's Guang'an city.

Located at a high altitude, the mountainous Weining county is now making a fortune through vegetable farming, even though it once lacked water supply for industrial development.

Last year, a 10,000-kilometer irrigation pipeline network was laid in the county, covering 280,000 mu, or nearly 19,000 hectares of farmland. In addition, agricultural experts from Guizhou University would regularly visit the county, instructing vegetable growers on how to carry out science-based planting.

Today, vegetables produced in the county are sold not only to local residents, but also customers in central Chinas Hunan province and south Chinas Guangdong province, and have even made their way into the Southeast Asian market. In the county's Liangshan village, the business is lifting the average annual household income by 9,000 yuan ($1,390).

While the vegetable business is freeing Weining residents from poverty, Guang'an has blazed a trail in Hu sheep husbandry under a national program that encourages east-west collaboration on poverty reduction.

Hu sheep grow fast, produce twice as much meat as goats, and sell well on the market. They have become a popular variety among the farmers in Shihe village of Guangan.

In 2019, You Hanzhong from Shihe started a Hu sheep farm with the help of the local government. Now, he owns over 200 ewes, compared to 80 in the early days, and earns a decent income.

Shihe village has also used the Hu sheep husbandry as a foundation to develop featured farm tour business and rural tourism, bringing villagers to a well-off life.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
It was not immediately clear what, if any repercussions, the sheriffs office will face for the statement and its refusal to enforce the mandate.

"The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has authority to enforce the order, but the underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance. We encourage the DPH to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors and law enforcement to establish mandates that are both achievable and supported by science."

"Forcing the vaccinated and those who already contracted COVID-19 to wear masks indoors is not backed by science and contradicts the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines," Sheriff Alex Villanueva wrote in a statement on the department's website.

COVID-19 cases are rising in the U.S. and around the world, largely driven by the delta variant of the coronavirus. Regions are beginning to return to measures such as mask-wearing to reduce the number of victims. Los Angeles County, in the U.S. state of California, reimposed a mask-wearing mandate that went into effect Saturday, but a county sheriff said the Public Health Department's move was "not backed by science" and his department will not enforce the measure.

Downing Street said Sunday in a statement the men will participate in a daily contact testing pilot that will allow them to continue to work from Downing Street but self-isolate when not in their offices. The announcement came after U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who leads the country's coronavirus response said Saturday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating.

Britain's National Health Service has contacted Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his finance minister, Rishi Sunak, to let them know that they have been close to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an advocacy group based in Washington and London, has produced a report that identifies a dozen pandemic profiteers "who have enriched themselves by spreading misinformation" about the COVID vaccines.

The group said the 12 entities operate "in plain sight, publicly undermining our collective confidence in doctors, governments and medical science. Their confidence in openly promoting lies and false cures comes from years of impunity in which they were hosted on popular social media platforms, driving traffic and advertising dollars to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, while benefiting from the enormous reach those platforms gladly afforded them."

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy decried the COVID misinformation that has spread across social media.

More stringent COVID-19 containment measures were imposed in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, as cases of infections continued to rise in the third week of a citywide lockdown. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters Saturday the new restrictions would remain in effect until the end of July.

Officials ordered the shutdown of building sites and nonessential retail businesses, restrictions that also apply to Sydney's surrounding communities in New South Wales. Residents in the Sydney suburbs of Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool are prohibited from traveling outside their communities unless they are health care workers or emergency responders.

Vietnam also is reportedly imposing new restrictions as it grapples with its worst COVID-19 outbreak to date. The government announced Saturday that it would impose two-week travel restrictions in 16 southern provinces beginning Monday, according to Reuters. "The curbs are to protect people's health," the government reportedly said in a statement.

In the United Kingdom, every adult has been offered a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the country's reopening Monday. So far 87.8 percent of adults have received at least one shot. Johnson said the reopening will go forward even though new infections are at their highest level since January, driven by the delta variant.

One U.K. COVID-19 restriction that will not be lifted Monday is on travelers from France, because of concerns about the beta variant first identified in South Africa. Travelers from France must isolate for up to 10 days on entering Britain, even if they are fully vaccinated. However, fully vaccinated travelers from most of the rest of Europe can forgo quarantining as of Monday as planned.

In the United States, three Texas state lawmakers have tested positive for the coronavirus, even though they had been vaccinated, the Texas State House Democratic Caucus said on Saturday.

The lawmakers left their state and flew to Washington to block passage of new, restrictive voting legislation in their state. Two of the lawmakers met Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris. In a statement Saturday, Harris spokesperson Symone Sanders said Harris and her staff are fully vaccinated and "were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive."

"We are taking these positive confirmations very seriously," Texas state Representative Ron Reynolds, told MSNBC. "We're following all CDC guidelines and... we are going to make sure that we don't expose anyone."

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said Sunday that there have been more than 4 million global COVID-19 deaths and over 190 million infections have been confirmed.


"Titane," a wildly imaginative film about a serial killer by French director Julia Ducournau, won the top Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, jury head Spike Lee told a ceremony Saturday before the award was slated to be revealed.

In a moment of confusion when asked in French to reveal what one of the prizes was, the U.S. film director read off a card and prematurely announced the best movie winner.

Ducournau became only the second woman to win the top award at Cannes. Her violent film, in which the heroine has sex with a car, split critics, with some praising its originality but others put off by its frantic and messy approach. Described as a "body horror" movie and based around a character with a titanium plate in her head, the film impressed some critics with its energy.

Ducournau had previously found critical success with Raw in 2016. The only previous female winner of Cannes' top award was Jane Campion who shared the prize in 1993 for The Piano.

The world's biggest film festival returned to the French Riviera after a 2020 hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.


Some 630,000 high school seniors and teachers started to get their first shots of the Pfizer vaccine from Monday.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the recipients come from 3,184 high schools and alternative schools across the country. They include permanent and substitute teachers and all other school staff.

Other applicants for a September mock test for the college entrance exam who are no longer in high school will be vaccinated next month, the KDCA said.

Shots are being administered at about 290 vaccination centers across the country. First shots will be given until July 30 and second shots on Aug. 9-20. Anyone who is not in good health can put it off.
Camp begins in Shanghai with teens from 16 nations

By:Wang Jiaye | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-07-16 08:53

The 16th Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp opened in Shanghai on July 13, 2021, with 39 campers from 16 countries including Japan, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States participating in different kinds of activities during the 9 days.

The camp is hosted by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Shanghai Youth Federation, and is organized by the Shanghai Youth Center.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all the campers this year are teenagers residing in Shanghai. Notably, it is the first time that students from Brazil, Malaysia and Ukraine have joined the camp.

(Campers from one of the four groups introduce their group flag they have just designed.)

During the camp, Chinese and foreign students will feel the diversity of Shanghai combining tradition and modernity through a lot of activities like a national theme show, urban landmark exploration, Chinese culture experience as well as visiting an innovation institution and other firms.

(Campers learn to do cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the Shanghai Public Safety Education Training Base.)

Swedish girl Isabel performed very well in the earthquake survival training. She believes that it's pretty cool to take part in the camp where they can learn something new.

Su Hyeon from South Korea has been living in China since she was 5 years old. She was deeply impressed by learning to do CPR, adding that mastering the skill is quite important but it's a little difficult for a beginner like her.

(Campers display a painted fan and works of Chinese paper rubbing.)



(A group of campers pose for a photo while visiting the JD Asia No 1. Warehouse.)

This year marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The campers will fly to Yan'an, a sacred land for the Chinese revolution, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to learn about the stories of the party engaging with foreign friends in the early days as well as the achievements of the new rural development.

Since its launch in 2005, the friendship camp has drawn nearly 1500 young people from about 70 countries and regions.





Story by Wang Jiaye

Photos by Lin Chunyue




Singaporeans amazed by intangible culture image base

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-07-19 17:48

As I was born and raised abroad, I hadnt learned about Chinese culture and traditions so carefully. As an overseas Chinese, it is good to have such an opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture, said Allen from Singapore on a visit to a digital art gallery themed around intangible culture heritage. Pictures of the 24 solar terms captured his interest.

Nearly 20 Singaporeans in Shanghai had a cultural tour around the Exhibition Hall of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at Moe Town in Bingo Plaza on Saturday, July 17.

This is the third of a series of activities for expats in town, organized by the Shanghai Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC) and the Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center. People were gathered at Shanghais first intangible culture image base and enjoyed HD videos of Chinas intangible culture heritage made by Shanghai Ximeng Culture Media Company. I live opposite to this plaza, but I had no idea of this place, said Mr. Kho from the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in China (Shanghai). He is also a member of the Singapore China Association.

At OMS Theater, Chinas first HD theater exclusively for screening intangible culture films, the expats understood that intangible culture heritage is everywhere, integrated in our daily lives. They were also impressed by the artists craftsmanship and splendid Chinese culture. Allen, a descendent of Fujian migrants to Singapore decades ago, shared his feelings: As an artist mentioned in the film, the key to his artwork lies in two factors: perseverance and endurance, which I think are important elements of Chinese culture.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law of the Peoples Republic of China. Im glad to see that over the past decade, the country has increased its protection of intangible cultural heritage, said Hua Linglei, founder and CEO of Shanghai Ximeng Culture Media Company. For the past four years, Hua and his team have focused their camera on Chinese craftsmen and created an exhibition titled The Craftsman of the Hundreds by combining AR technology and classical arts. After scanning the pictures on display, people will see different videos telling the stories of craftsmen.

Afterwards, the expats had a closer interaction with Shanghais cultural heritage. They tasted Dong Tai Xiang Pan-Fried Buns and learnt how to make a fine Huizhou ink stick with gold paint.

One of the expats shared his feelings about Shanghais pan-fried buns (shengjian). Having lived in Shanghai for two decades, he knows which vinegar is best to match the buns. There are pan-fried buns and pot stickers (guotie) in Singapore, but the vinegar is not right, he added.

Gold painting is the key step in making a Huizhou ink stick. While painting the gold ink on the ink stick, many of the Singaporeans turned on the flashlight of their mobile phone to look at the patterns more clearly. This is not only a test of eyesight, but also a test of patience! some of them said.

Intangible cultural heritage is the traditional beauty and wisdom that permeates daily life, said a representative from the Shanghai Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. She hopes the expats can better perceive and understand the city of Shanghai where we live together while experiencing the Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

(Photos partly by Shanghai Ximeng Culture Media Company)
Comal Countys COVID-19 active case count surpassed the 400 mark, and its fatalities rose to 322 as health officials on Monday confirmed the death of a New Braunfels woman in her 60s in an undisclosed hospital on July 12.

Health officials reported 73 new cases of the virus on Monday, bringing the number of active cases to 423, an increase of 45 from Fridays report.

Of the new cases, 51 are confirmed cases and 22 are probable.

The number of active cases has skewed upwards in recent weeks. The countys active cases numbered 189 on June 1, 226 on July 1 and 327 on July 15.

Comal County numbers are mirroring an upward trend across much of the country as the more easily-spread delta variant of the COVID-19 virus becomes the dominant strain.

Health officials have not confirmed any delta variant cases locally.

Its unclear how many of the newer cases are among unvaccinated people. While Comal County says it has been tracking the vaccination status of those hospitalized and dying from COVID, it hasnt released that information publicly. The Herald-Zeitung last week requested that data from county officials.

In a statement, the Texas Department of State Health Services said the delta variant is having a significant effect on unvaccinated people leading to increases in new cases and hospitalizations.

COVID hospitalizations, cases skewing younger, unvaccinated Hospitals locally and nationwide are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases, especially among young

Texas officials have not said how many of the new cases are among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Still, national and local health leaders say the most severe impacts appear to be happening overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated.

The vast majority of the new cases reported on Monday are among people in their 40s and younger.

According to the county data, 21 of the new cases were people under 20, eight were in their 20s and 29 were in their 30s and 40s. The remaining 15 cases were people 50 and older.

The county has reported 11,846 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020.

County health officials also added another 27 recoveries, bringing that total to 11,899.

Hospitalizations

Of the active cases, 16 people are hospitalized, one fewer from Fridays report.

Ten of those patients are below the age of 60, a trend that is also being reported across the country. Senior citizens were those most likely to have the worst outcomes with COVID-19, were the first group to be vaccinated, and the highest percentage of vaccinated residents.

Comal County hospitals reported caring for 30 COVID-19 patients, an increase of six from Friday, with six in intensive care and three on ventilators.

Officials have said that number could include both county and non-county residents hospitalized.

The percentage of hospital beds being used by COVID-19 patients in the 22-county region that includes both Comal and Guadalupe County has climbed from 4.06% on Friday to Mondays rate of 4.56%.

Statewide, daily confirmed new case totals and hospitalizations are climbing fast but are far below their winter peaks.

On Saturday, the seven-day average for new confirmed cases in the state was 2,119. Thats nearly triple the average on the first day of the month when it was 757. Meanwhile, the number of people hospitalized for the coronavirus in the state climbed from 1,591 on July 1 to 2,834 on Friday.

Testing and vaccination

Comal Countys seven-day molecular positivity rate stood at 8.23% on Monday, higher than Fridays rate of 7.68%. The antigen rate was at 8.13%, higher than the Friday report of 7.22%.

As of this weekend, the states positivity rate is over 10%  a level that Gov. Greg Abbott and the Trump administration had identified as a red flag earlier in the pandemic.

In the last seven days, about 144,000 molecular tests, such as nasal or throat swab tests, were administered in Texas, and 10.2% of those came back positive, according to DSHS numbers. The last time the states positivity rate was above 10% was in February, and the rate hit an all-time low of 2.8% in mid-June.

According to DSHS figures, in Comal County, 60.44% of residents over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 53.33% are fully vaccinated as of Monday. Those run ahead of the statewide rates of 59.46% and 51.42%, respectively.

The vaccination rates in Guadalupe County, which includes a portion of the city of New Braunfels, stood at 53.48% with one dose and 47.44% fully vaccinated.

The Comal County Public Health Department is now administering the Moderna vaccine for those 18 and older as well as the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 12 and older.

Those interested in receiving a vaccine can call 830-221-1150 to schedule an appointment.

The Texas Tribune contributed to this story.
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Below are the arrests for July 16 to 18. All listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Paul Binns, 58, was arrested on July 16 at 9:56 p.m. at 2800 Fenley St. for operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of .15 or more (class A misdemeanor) and operating a vehicle while intoxicated (level 6 felony).

Wesley Birden, 24, was arrested on July 18 at 11:41 p.m. at 2151 E. Lincoln Road for warrant/Marion County.

Rhett Cannon, 29, was arrested July 18 at 5:40 a.m. at 723 E. Broadway St. for warrant/domestic battery, criminal mischief.

William Daily Jr, 43, was arrested July 16 at 11:48 p.m. at 2301 E. Markland Ave. for warrant/St. Joseph County.

Jerry Glenn III, 34, was arrested on July 18 at 5:06 p.m. at 1800 N. Wabash for deception-legend drug (level 6 felony), manufacture/ dealing methamphetamine (level 2 felony), possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine (level 3 felony).

Myah Galloway, 30, was arrested on July 17 at 3:29 p.m. at 3021 S. Terrace Drive. for warrant/ residential entry.

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Linda Hanmmac, 34, was arrested on July 17 at 10:46 p.m. at 1503 N. Davis Road for criminal trespass (class A misdemeanor) and public intoxication (class B misdemeanor).

William Hunter, 43, was arrested July 16 at 2:38 p.m. at Buckeye Street and Taylor Street for possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor), possession of cocaine or narcotic drug (level 6 felony), and possession of methamphetamine (level 6 felony).

Martin Landrum, 28, was arrested on July 17 at 1:10 p.m. Locke Street and Virginia Avenue for resisting law enforcement (class A misdemeanor), invasion of privacy (class A misdemeanor), and public intoxication (class B misdemeanor).

Britney McCool, 33, was arrested on July 16 at 12:29 a.m. at 100 E. Center Road for criminal trespass (class A misdemeanor) and resisting law enforcement (class A misdemeanor).

Timothy Vonogden, 26, was arrested July 16 at 4:26 a.m. at 2135 N. Washington St. for domestic battery (level 6 felony).

Amy Sisco, 31, was arrested July 16 at 5:14 p.m. at 2301 E. Markland Ave. for possession of a legend drug or precursor (level 6 felony), theft-shoplifting (level 6 felony), and controlled substance-possession schedule II, II, Iv (class A misdemeanor).

Paige Turley, 30, was arrested at 1:06 p.m. at 1524 E. Markland Ave. for neglect of a dependant (level 6 felony) and public intoxication (class B misdemeanor).
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Press Release

July 19, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1,001:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's statement on Duterte's VP run You can trust Duterte never to take the Constitution or the law into consideration. The intent of the Constitution in banning presidents from re-election is basically to serve as a proscription against any person from occupying the presidency again after already being elected to said office. But of course, since the Constitution did not spell out that any other manner of assuming the presidency other than via re-election is also proscribed, Duterte takes this as a license for becoming the president again via the vice presidency. Not that Duterte cares that there is a Constitution and that he must follow it. But sometimes it helps that the Constitution does not spell out explicitly that what he is doing is illegal and prohibited. It gives him room to pretend that he gives a damn about the Constitution and the law. In the absence of such constitutional "loophole", will Duterte even care? Of course not. He already violated and continues to violate with abandon the very first law from which all other laws emanate: Thou shall not kill. You violate that first law of civilization and humanity, there is no other law that you would not think of violating. So this is why Duterte thinks of running for Vice President, even when all his predecessors, even PGMA, did not even as much as entertain the idea. Because his predecessors knew this is a basic violation of the Constitution, albeit not in its black letter, but its very spirit. Duterte knows this too, but he simply does not care. He always holds himself beyond the law and the Constitution. There is no reason why he would change that, especially when every law ever enacted is about to be used against him once he leaves Malacanang. And then, there is also the ICC. The ICC does not care about presidents, much less vice presidents, in issuing a warrant of arrest. So, in the long run, Duterte's VP run does not matter. The only real running he will do, sooner or later, is away from the arrest warrant of the ICC. (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1101)
OPEC and allied countries, meeting as OPEC+, agreed Sunday to raise production limits on five countries, ending a dispute that had sent global energy prices reeling.

The disagreement, triggered by the United Arab Emirates request to increase its own production, had temporarily disrupted a previous cartel meeting. In a statement issued Sunday, the cartel announced that Iraq, Kuwait, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would have their limits increased.

Under the new production limits, the United Arab Emirates could produce up to 3.5 million barrels of crude oil per day from May 2022. This is lower than the 3.8 million barrels per day the Gulf country was originally seeking. Saudi Arabias limit of 11 million barrels per day would increase to 11.5 million, as would Russias. Iraq and Kuwait saw smaller increases.

In Africa, Nigeria and Algeria could also see their ceilings increased.

OPEC has been losing momentum for the past few years and is struggling to establish itself as it did in the 1970s. When the United States, which is not part of the cartel, began to increase its own oil production, OPEC had to call on third countries such as Russia to jointly decrease the oil supply on the market and stabilize the price per barrel.

Thus, in 2016, the so-called OPEC+ was born. The OPEC member countries are Algeria, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. OPEC+ members are Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan and South Sudan.
China and Egypt have agreed to establish an intergovernmental cooperation committee in view of deepening bilateral ties, reports say Monday following Chinas top diplomat visit to Cairo.

Wang Yi and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry signed Sunday the deal adding that Beijing is ready to work with Egypt to deepen the alignment of their development strategies, expand cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure, new energy, space and aviation, as well as new and high-tech industries, and open up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua said.

Egypt is one of Chinas most important strategic partners among Arab countries, in the Islamic world, in Africa and among developing countries, Yi said.

The Chinese top diplomat also stressed that Beijing appreciates Cairo for its support on issues concerning Beijings core interests and said China also supports Egypt in safeguarding its own sovereignty, security and development interests.

For his part, Shoukry, Xinhua said, Egypt adheres to one-China principle and firmly supports Chinas efforts to safeguard sovereignty and security, and resolutely opposes foreign forces interference in Chinas internal affairs over issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and Tibet.

Egypt is willing to work with China to strengthen their cooperation in economy, trade, industry, science and technology within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and maintain communication on the reform of the United Nations Security Council and other international and regional issues, he added.

Both countries enjoy good relations. China has backed Egypts efforts to combat the pandemic with donation of vaccines and other medical equipment.

Both countries also signed an agreement for Egypt to start producing Chinese covid-19 vaccine for local consumption and for export across Africa.
California-based enterprise community event engine, Bevy, has acquired Cairo-based land leading event tech company in the Middle East, Eventtus.

The US company in a statement said that with the acquisition, it can now further advance our leadership role in enterprise events by delivering an end-to-end white labeled event system of record that helps enterprise leaders build even stronger and more engaged communities.

Per the deal, Bevy adds more than 20 engineers to the Bevy team, including Egyptian founders Mai Medhat and Nihal Fares.

It also extends Bevys event technology stack with the addition of a mobile in-person conference app, and several other engagement tools for attendees. Once integrated with Bevys enterprise community event engine, customers will have the most comprehensive, end-to-end event management solution to manage and scale their virtual, hybrid, and in-person event programs, the statement added.

Founded in 2012 by Mai Medhat, CEO, and Nihal Fares, chief product officer, Eventtus propose a mobile application that enables event marketers and producers to host or experience virtual, hybrid and in-person events.

The company, also based in Dubai, also proposes through its app, virtual networking possibilities, virtual booths, interactive tools for live streaming sessions, real-time analytics, and an integrated ticketing and registration system.

The company in the past also received investments from the biggest regional and global investors such as Algebra Ventures and 500 Startups. Bevy, founded in 2017, is the only end-to-end enterprise community event platform in the world, the statement notes.
Kikuyu musician Irungu Wanjaro popularly known as Wanjaro Junior is dead by apparent suicide.

Wanjaro is said to have left his Kasarani home in Nairobi on July 14, leaving behind a suicide note informing his family that they would find his body in River Sagana.

If I go missing, dont waste a lot of time looking for me. My body will be in Sagana River, a message he sent read in part.

On Saturday afternoon, locals in Mbeere Sub-County saw a body floating in Masinga dam, Embu County, and informed officers at Makutano Police Station.

Residents going about their businesses spotted the dead man in the dam and alerted the law enforcers who responded fast and retrieved his body, Mbeere South police boss Gregory Mutiso said.

A family member positively identified the body. Wanjaros car was also found abandoned in Kamweri village at the River Sagana bridge.

The police boss said preliminary investigations indicated that Wanjaro Junior killed himself over a Sh700,000 debt.
West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo, the only county chief elected on a KANU ticket, has quit the party.

Speaking in Makutano, Lonyangapuo cited frustration from top Kanu leadership, whom he accused of plotting to sabotage his administration through the county assembly.

The governor singled out West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio, West Pokot County Assembly Speaker Catherine Mukenyang, and West Pokot Deputy Governor Nicholas Atundonyang, as some of the leaders plotting his political downfall.

Lonyangapuo noted that he helped some of these leaders win seats in the 2017 General Election.

Some people are against me, including those I used to campaign for. Mr Poghisio is my senator and without me, he could not be a senator. The Speaker vied as a woman rep and terribly fell head down and legs up. I brought her to be Speaker, said Prof Lonyangapuo.

The governor also faulted his absentee deputy, Dr Atundonyang, who works in Texas, United States as a neurosurgeon.

[I appointed] the absentee deputy governor thinking that he will bring blessings and benefits to the Pokot community because he interacts with the whites but I have waited in vain. Recently, I was sick and they thought that they would take over but now they are surprised and that I am still roaring, he said.

He alleges that bursaries are being stolen. By whom yet you are the Deputy Governor? Who chased you? he posed.

Lonyangapuo at the same time announced that he he had formed a new political outfit, which he will use to defend his seat in the 2022 elections.

The governor said the political outfit will have a national outlook, and will not only focus on the Pokot.

My party is not Pochon (Pokot) as many purport. It has members and officials from across the country and it starts with Kenya something, he said.

Adding: People have been accusing me of leaving bigger parties to start a smaller one. Those who want to be president should come and kneel because there are no free things.
Githuki Nyokabi is a trained journalist who worked as a morgue assistant to raise funds for his college education.

Githuki became a diener by chance; in 2013, he was working as a photographer outside the Naivasha District Hospital Mortuary when a morgue attendant approached him for a more profitable job.

I received meagre payments from the photography job and when I was promised good tidings from dressing the dead, I did not look back, said the Coro FM journalist.

His job description included shaving, washing, dressing, and beautifying bodies.

For the five years I worked at the morgue, I lost some of my closest family members and friends, they thought I could go berserk and eliminate them but my late grandfather understood and supported me, he encouraged me to go to school saying only education could save me from ridicule, he narrated,

Githuki never quit because The dead are the best people to work with as they never argue or complain about services. Maybe because they wont feel it or pay for it.

The journalist would make Sh3,000 for one body and on busy days like Friday, he attended to about seven to ten people.

He managed to save some of his earnings which went up to Sh400,000, allowing him to pursue a diploma in journalism from Mt Kenya University.

While in school, Githuki continued with his service for the dead at the General Kago Funeral Home.

While I was the one catering for my school fees, those who laughed at me only needed to send a please call me message to their parents and receive the financial support. I even recruited two of my student colleague for the part time job, he told the Nairobian.

His lowest moment as a morgue attendant was attending to his childhood friend.

I had been told by a morgue attendant to attend to a body recovered after an accident. Before I started working on it, I realized it was my childhood friend, this case traumatized me for months. That was the only time my job haunted me, Githuki said.

He juggled work and school until 2018 when he completed his studies and got a job at a radio station.

Because of the dead, Im now a journalist and a happily married father-of-two, Githuki said.

He is urging people not to choose work or look down upon those who do odd jobs.
According to a tweet published by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on July 19, 2021, JS Yugiri conducted a goodwill exercise with PNS Alamgir in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Karachi, on an important sea lane.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

PNS Alamgir and JS Yugiri during the exercise (Picture source: Twitter account of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force)

JS Yugiri (DD-153) is an Asagiri-class destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The Asagiri class is equipped for combat and interception missions and is primarily armed with anti-ship weapons. They carry two of the Mk-141 Guided Missile Launching Systems (GMLS), which are anti-ship missile systems. The ship is also fitted to be used against submarines. She also carries the Mk-32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes (SVTT), which can be used as an anti-submarine weapon. The ship has two of these systems abeam to starboard and to port. It is also fitted with an Oto-Melara 62-caliber gun to be used against sea and air targets.

They are 137 m (449 ft 6 in) long. The ship has a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) with a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). The ship can have up to 220 personnel on board. The ship is also fitted to accommodate one aircraft. The ship's flight deck can be used to service an SH-60J9(K) Seahawk helicopter.

FFG 8 Ex USS MCINERNEY, an Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate, was built in Bath Iron Works and later commissioned into US Navy in Dec 1979. It was second of the series of total 51 OHPs commissioned into US Navy.

FFG 8 was handed over to Pakistan Navy on 31 Aug 10 and was subsequently commissioned on the same day as PNS ALAMGIR into Pakistan Navy at Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida.

PNS ALAMGIR is 453 feet long and displaces 4100 tons. It is propelled by 2 Gas turbines on a single shaft and can achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots in 100 secs. The ship is well equipped for various national and multinational taskings. PNS ALAMGIR can carry two helicopters for multiple tasks.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Russian watchdog demands Google lift restrictions on senator Pushkovs YouTube channel

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

14:06 19/07/2021

MOSCOW, July 19 (RAPSI)  Russia's communications watchdog has sent Google LLC a letter demanding that all restrictions on senator Alexey Pushkovs YouTube channel be lifted as soon as possible.

The letter of the watchdog, Roskomnadzor, was sent after a record of Postscriptum program that had been posted on the Pushkov's channel was removed. The video discussed the problems of sex education for children of school and preschool age, defended the idea of protecting traditional family values.

The letter emphasizes the inadmissibility of violation of Russian laws, the watchdog said in the statement.

The letter also stresses that such actions on the part of the administration of Google LLC violate the key principles of free distribution of information and are an act of censorship, and also contradict the current provisions of the Constitution and laws of the Russian Federation.

As noted by Roskomnadzor, YouTube more often than other foreign services restricts access to materials from Russian media. In total, about thirty cases of censorship of Russian publications and information resources were identified.

Moreover, YouTube is the leader in terms of the amount of unlawful content that has not been removed in spite of the fact that Roskomnadzor sent the administration of Google LLC (owns YouTube) more than 24,000 requests to remove prohibited content posted on the video hosting. Altogether, about 5,000 prohibited materials are still present on YouTube; a significant part of them contains materials from extremist and terrorist organizations banned on the territory of Russia other countries of the world, Roskomnadzor reminds.

Since the beginning of the year, 11 protocols have already been drawn up against Google LLC for the failure to remove the aforementioned illegal materials. Russian courts have reviewed three protocols to date, the respective fines make 6 million rubles ($80,000 at the current exchange rate), the body observes.
Nearly a dozen years after his most recent training win, Leo Fleming landed back in the winner's enclosure with Marlbank Road this March. And now, with Marlbank Road having won again and two-year-old trotter Three Finger Pour off to a respectable start on the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots circuit, Fleming has thoroughly relished the opportunity to be back in a hands-on role in the sport he loves.

Marlbank Road and Three Finger Pour are two of the 12 horses Fleming currently owns, and also two of a handful under his direct care since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic led to his return to the training ranks. But, even when he was making the three-hour daily round trip from his Campbellville, Ont., home to downtown Toronto for his executive job with a major hospitality company, Fleming never let his involvement on the backstretch lapse.

"I was the owner that was out there on his holidays and days off training his own horses, jogging them, looking after them," Fleming, who serves as the vice president of asset management for InnVest Hotels, told Trot Insider. "I had been like that for a while, and then ... this year was kind of interesting."

Fleming, who grew up on a farm near Tweed, Ont.  an 80-minute drive east from Kawartha Downs  got his first taste of harness racing at age 14, when he paddocked Standardbreds for his neighbour at the now-defunct raceways in Quinte, Belleville and Kingston. In the time since, he got married, raised three children, and worked his way up the ranks in the hospitality industry to his current position, staying active as a hands-on owner all the while  until much of the hospitality industry screeched to a standstill a year ago. For Fleming, the change of pace  chiefly by way of the lack of a daily and unpredictable time-consuming commute from Campbellville into the heart of Toronto's bustling business district  opened a window for him to jump head-first back into training.

"We have about 100 hotels, and I look after all the renovations to the hotels," he explained. "They could be in Vancouver, they could be in Quebec City, they could be in Halifax, so I'm flying all over and hiring all the people, and I have a team to manage the projects. This year, everything hit the brakes with COVID, so it gave me this opportunity where, instead of me commuting three hours because our office was right beside the Royal York downtown across from Union Station  I used to commute three hours from Campbellville in there every day, an hour and a half each way  I had those three hours back, and that gave me the opportunity to train some myself this year."

For someone who is used to being on the go constantly and flying to and from properties from Vancouver to Halifax and everywhere in between, training enabled Fleming to stay busy while his 'day job' transitioned to a more remote setup:

"It was good for me, because it gave me something to do," Fleming continued. "I think I would have been very restless  used to travelling all the time, and then being told that you have to work from home and stay still that much."

With the new-found spare time he enjoyed over the past year not having to endure lengthy at, at times, unpredictable commutes, Fleming decided to re-establish a small string of his own with partners Bill Manes, Steve Papillon, Gerald Lilley and Bill Cripps, who share in various combinations on Marlbank Road  who broke maiden in 1:53.1 in March and recently won again on June 29 at Georgian Downs  and a pair of rookies, including the aforementioned Three Finger Pour, who closed respectably to finish fifth of 11 in his career debut, a $22,850 Grassroots event at Woodbine Mohawk Park, on Thursday (July 15).

A back-row start didn't do Three Finger Pour any early favours  nor did stalled third-over cover, but as soon as Phil Hudon angled him three-wide around a struggling Real Cool Moves with three-eighths of the mile remaining, the Muscle Mass-Jayport Sweetheart colt accelerated to close significant ground and finish fifth  only three lengths in arrears of favoured winner Feel The Force.

The decision to start him in stakes company came after two promising qualifiers, the latter a 2:01 win at Mohawk on July 2.

"I was very happy with him after the first one because I knew he had lots of trot," Fleming said. "Just making him mind his manners, and it was educational. So, it was good. I expected him to go a good mile in the second one, and he did."

Meanwhile, Marlbank Road has just started to make up for lost time after an ankle injury cost him his two-year-old season, getting in the win column on March 25 in his fourth career start and winning again on June 29 at Georgian Downs. After a 10th-place finish in his Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots debut on July 10, the son of Sportswriter is slated to race again on Tuesday (July 20) in an $8,600 conditioned event at Georgian.

As Canada works its way out of the pandemic and back to 'normal life,' Fleming is seeing the hospitality industry return to a sense of pre-pandemic activity. But how that shift in activity will relate to Fleming's ability to continue training  he anticipates being back in his scaled-back downtown Toronto office two days a week come September  remains to be seen:

"We're just starting to see things recover," he said. "We had a huge project in Quebec City at our Hilton we're just finishing, and this is one of the first weeks where we're actually seeing a hotel feel pre-pandemic time, so it's positive on that side.

"For me, as it relates to training horses myself, we'll have to see what happens. So I'll be training them until some time in September, and then I may have to either hire someone to help me or move the horses to other trainers so they can take over full-time."

Regardless, Fleming's new hybrid work schedule will still enable him to maintain some semblance of hands-on experience until he can commit himself to the sport on a full-time basis again come retirement.

"I know it will allow me to be more involved with the horse that I was," he shared. "For me, this is the stepping to retirement. After retirement, I would like to train three or four of my own. This has been a trial run for me; I quite enjoyed it."

And, given the early potential shown by Three Finger Pour and Marlbank Road, Fleming can almost assuredly bank on more training wins  and the unique feeling of being so directly associated with that success.

"As an owner, when your horse wins, you get a lot of satisfaction," he said. "But, as somebody who's there every day working and looking after those animals, it's even more special."
Batavia Downs kicks off its 74th season of live racing on Wednesday (July 21) at 6 p.m. (EDT) and the management, staff and horsemen couldnt be more excited to welcome back a live crowd to watch the best harness racing available in western New York.

The track is also pleased to announce a plethora of new features that are sure to make Batavia Downs one of the most bettor-friendly options for both live and simulcast patrons.

We couldnt be more excited to be able to welcome all our longtime fans and friends back to Batavia Downs and see them watching trackside with absolutely no restrictions, said Henry Wojtaszek, President/CEO of Western Regional Off Track Betting and Batavia Downs Gaming. Last year was challenging for everyone, but that is in the past and we are laser-focused on the future. And the future is certainly bright for our customers and horsemen at Batavia Downs.

The meet runs for 59 dates and ends on Saturday (Dec. 11). In July and August racing will take place on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. (except opening night), Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 1:15 p.m. Then in September, October and November, the schedule shifts to Wednesday, Friday (except Nov. 19 & 26), Saturday with all post times at 5 p.m. December cuts back to just Wednesday and Saturday and both will go to post at 5 p.m.

There are two special matinee cards on Monday (Sept. 6) at 1:15 p.m., which is Labor Day, and Saturday (Nov. 6) at 3:15 p.m., which is Breeders' Cup Day.

Batavia Downs racing staff has put forth great time and effort to prepare for the 2021 Meet, said Scott P. Kiedrowski, Vice-President of Operations at Batavia Downs. We have invested in new equipment to condition our track and have given our Clubhouse and Rail Bar a fresh new look. This should be another fantastic year for harness racing here at Batavia Downs

The big news this year is Batavia Downs is now offering free full-card past performance programs for every live day of racing throughout the 2021 meet. You will be able to download them from the Batavia Downs Facebook page or from the website at bataviadownsgaming.com. Traditional programs will still be on sale at the track for $2 and include a $5 Free Play coupon for the gaming floor.

Batavia Downs is introducing two new wagers this year; the Jackpot Pick 6 and the Jackpot Super Hi-5. Both will be available each night and promise to feature some of the largest pools ever offered at the oldest lighted harness track in North America.

The Pick-6 is a 20-cent minimum wager that will be in Races 6 through 11, where you must pick the winner of each race. There will be a nightly payoff for bettors selecting the most winners but you must have a single unique winning combination ticket to take home the jackpot.

The Hi-5 wager will be in the last race each day. It too is a 20-cent minimum wager where a bettor must select the top five horses in the correct order of finish in that race. There will be a consolation payoff to those selecting the correct order of finish but they must have a single unique winning combination ticket to take home the jackpot.

Both of these wagers will feature carryover pools the next race day in the event that no single unique winning combination ticket was purchased.

If people cant make it to the track, they can also wager at any WROTB outlet in western New York or online with bataviabets.com. Opening an account with bataviabets.com allows our customers to wager on all Batavia Downs races as well as every other harness and thoroughbred track racing each day. Anyone 18 and over can easily open an account online through the service. Customers wagering online can receive bonuses of between 5 percent and 8 percent added back to their accounts based on monthly play. Plus, players can use the service whether they're trackside or watching from the comfort of their home.

Players can now watch all the races live every night as they will be broadcast in real time through a live stream on the Batavia Downs YouTube page.

Be sure to subscribe to the Batavia Downs channel to receive a notice when the races go live to follow all of the action.

We have done everything we could to make wagering at Batavia Downs the most user-friendly experience possible. Weve added new wagering options with the promise of big payouts, the ability to get all past performances through free programs and added a platform to watch every race, again at no cost. We hope to add new customers to our already loyal following and hope everyone takes advantage of what we have to offer this year, said Todd Haight, Director/General Manager of live racing at Batavia Downs.

The clubhouse will be open but with limited menus and capacity. It will be available on Wednesday and Saturday only until September, when it will also be open on Friday. Seating will begin one hour before the scheduled post time for each race day. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 585-343-3750, ext 6268.

The action on the track is the most important piece and that starts with the stake schedule.

The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) will visit the Downs three times during the summer, bringing four of the eight divisions with them. On Wednesday (July 21) which is opening night, the NYSS two-year-old trotting fillies will be in town. One week later on Wednesday (July 28) the Downs will host an all-stake double-header as three-year-old pacers of both sexes will be on hand. And then on Sunday (Aug. 4) the two-year-old male trotters will close out the NYSS schedule.

All your favourite local horsemen and horsewomen will be returning including last years top driver Jim Morrill Jr. along with Drew Monti, Dave McNeight III, Ray Fisher Jr., Shawn McDonough, Jim McNeight Jr. and Kyle Cummings. Training champion Gerry Sarama will also be back to defend against Shawn McDonough and Maria Rice who finished within three wins of each other last year for second place, along with a host of other conditioners.

Batavia Downs offers a text messaging service for notices about draws, entries and changes to the racing schedule. Horsemen are strongly encouraged to text the word HORSEMAN to 51660. You will then need to reply YES and you will be opted in for race office text message updates.

(Batavia Downs)
Current Affairs

Police in Turks and Caicos Islands believe the human remains recovered from a vessel found drifting near Grand Turk last month originated from the West Coast of Africa.



Police communications officer Takara Bain said in a press statement that work is continuing to identify the deceased persons with assistance from international law enforcement partners and United Kingdom diplomatic channels.



Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said: "We have been working closely with our partners in the United Kingdom and other international law enforcement agencies to work as quickly and efficiently as possible to identify those who were found deceased and establish the circumstances that led to their death."



"Her Majesty's Coroner has been heavily involved in that regard. It is believed the deceased persons originated from the West Coast of Africa, and neither the Turks and Caicos Islands nor the region was their intended destination. Although the details of the intended journey are yet to be established, we believe the vessel is linked to a similar vessel found in the waters of Tobago. We are liaising with the authorities there."



Commissioner Botting added: "This is a terrible loss of life, and I would like to extend condolences to families of the deceased. Additionally, I would like to thank the RTCIPF investigators and support team for all the hard work done thus far in this tragic and distressing case. We will continue to do our best to get the remains of those who have passed away home to their loved ones."

In may 2021, a boat with 14 dead bodies and other human remains which was found drifting off the coast of Tobago, was traced back to vessel stolen from Mauritania, a country in northwest Africa.



Trinidad officials said the Africans may have died of thirst and hunger.

In recent years, the European Union has been spending millions of dollars cutting off land routes through north Africa, therefore many Africans in search of better lives have resorted to taking the treacherous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located off the coast of Africa.



The European Unions border agency has described the route as the most dangerous migratory route in the world.



According to a recent AP report, although irregular crossings to Europe dropped overall in 2020, the Canary Islands route saw a significant rise, with some 22,600 migrants arriving, making Spain the main point of entry for migrants trying to reach European shores last year. At least 600 people died or disappeared trying to make the journey, the report said.






Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) for the development of Juranah independent strategic water reservoir located in the Makkah region that will boast a total storage capacity of 2.5 million cu m.

The project will be implemented on a BOOT (build, own, operate and transfer) model and the development work will include the water reservoir and all associated infrastructure and facilities.

SWPC said a private sector developer/developer consortium will be selected for the project following a competitive tender process which will be responsible for the development, financing, procurement, implementation and operation and maintenance of the water reservoir.

The successful bidder, through a special purpose vehicle, will provide the required storage capacity to SWPC under a 30-year water storage agreement.

The utility company said its obligations under the agreement will be backed by a credit support agreement from the Saudi government.

According to SWPC, the Juranah Independent Strategic Water Reservoir project comes in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Water Strategy 2030 that is aimed at boosting the water sectors resilience to respond to emergencies and disruptions as well as to provide peak load management of Hajj water demand.

Among the main objectives of this strategy are to increase water storage to 7 days of water demand by 2030 and to enhance the storage capabilities to manage peak water demand during the Hajj season, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi-based Sumou Real Estate Company has announced that it has awarded contracts to two local firms - International for Modern Industries Company and Modern Trains Company - for the construction of 412 residential villas in the port city of Jeddah.

The announcement comes following the transfer of the project land by the National Housing Company for carrying out the preparatory work.

The project is being implemented under the Khayala Housing Project (Dar Sumou) in co-ordination with the NHC, said the company in its filing to Saudi bourse Tadawul.

The financial impact of the agreement on the companys result and revenues is expected to be positive effective from the current year till end of the project, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Dhofar Poultry Company (DPC), one of the fastest growing brand in the fresh and frozen chicken segment in Oman, is celebrating 25 years of successfully operations.

With so many commendable years of experience, DPC ensures it constantly innovates to suit the varying demands of a dynamic consumer market while maintaining the same level of quality, taste and hygiene standards its customers are already familiar with, DPC said in a statement.

Over the years, DPC has evolved from a farm built out of seven houses that first introduced the concept of sale of fresh chicken in the Dhofar region to an operation that includes 48 modernized EC Poultry houses, a state-of-the-art hatchery, the latest processing machinery and equipment, and a nation-wide supply chain network. The products grew to be so loved by consumers that DPC was able to extend its sales and distribution to not just every corner of the Sultanate, but even export to other GCC countries. The company now plans to enter into newer markets, with an enhanced and diversified portfolio of products.

Despite stiff competition and a number of newer brands in the market, DPC said it has remained the preferred choice amongst consumers due to its distinct freshness and taste. This is achieved by timely delivery through well-organized cold chains. Currently, DPC claims a significant 25% market share in the overall fresh and frozen chicken market in Oman.

We understand the dynamism of the market and we take all the necessary initiatives to incorporate the latest technological innovations to ensure our products are at par with international standards, said Salim bin Taman al Maashani, CEO, DPC. While we are confident that our customer base will keep growing with every year, our goal for the year ahead is to add new products to our existing product portfolio and expand into newer markets.

With the growing demand for superior quality, 100% Halal and naturally-fed chicken in markets such as the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, DPC has customized their products and packages to suit these demands. The products are sold at leading hypermarkets like Lulu in UAE and Mega Mart in Qatar.

With significant investments in the poultry farming segment, Oman is set to establish itself as a key player in the region, while also reinforcing the nations food security objectives and sustaining the requirements of its burgeoning poultry industry. Revered as one of the oldest and the most trusted brand when it comes to fresh and frozen chicken, DPC has been committed to the Sultanates long-term objectives in achieving high self-sufficiency and enhanced food security. To meet the rising demand, DPC aims at increasing its production during 2021-2022.

In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources said that the Sultanate had achieved 51% self-sufficiency in the production of poultry meat when the local production in the Sultanate reached about 111,000 tonnes. To achieve lesser dependency on imports, increase the value of exports, and reduce the food gap, DPC will ensure to support with Oman Vision 2040 to increase self-sufficiency in the sector.

Commenting on the companys future plans, Al Maashani said: DPC takes great pride in stating that it is a 100 per cent Omani brand with a strong focus on contributing to the economy.

Poultry farming is considered a vital economic activity that contributes towards achieving food security in the Sultanate through the development of the poultry sector and encouraging investments in the segment. According to the company, DPC has been recognized as one of the key companies in its sector that have remained steadfast in its commitment to align itself with the Vision 2040. Its growing figures and expanding market share over two decades have proved its success while its forecasts for the years ahead are a reflection of the companys unfaltering ambition to be a key contributor in the sector, it added.TradeArabia News Service
To give impetus for the growth and development of stainless steel industry in India, Virgo Communications & Exhibitions is organising GSSE 2022: Global Stainless Steel Expo from March 3 to 5, 2022 in Mumbai.

The event will be held at a new venue, Jio World Centre in BKC: a state-of-the-art convention facility that offers a world-class experience and ambience for commerce, large events, festivals and concerts.

The three-day event will be a focused International B2B exhibition-cum-conference to connect global stainless steel industry and related stakeholders under one roof - manufacturers, buyers, influencers, regulators, industry associations and media who share a common vision of presenting stainless steel based sustainable solutions.

Pratik Shah, Director, Chromeni Steels said: India is the fastest growing stainless steel market and second largest producer of stainless steel in the world after China. The constant product upgradation using cutting edge technology and increased application of stainless steel in various end-user industries is the hallmark of our resilient industry. GSSE is well timed and presents an ideal opportunity to showcase innovation that augments Indias growing dominance in the global arena.

Speaking about the event, Rajeev Sherry, Managing Director, Outokumpu India and steering committee member said: We are upbeat as business activity has picked up and there is pent-up demand for quality stainless steel. This is an encouraging trend considering the second wave of Covid-19 has subsided in most parts of the country. GSSE is an apt platform to showcase impressive, efficient and state-of-the-art solutions to potential customers.

The fast-paced vaccination drive by government targeting 70% population by end of this year exudes lot of optimism and confidence. With travel restrictions being slowly relaxed, we are gearing up to host a successful business meet and provide an outstanding experience to all the stakeholders in accordance with covid-19 safety protocols, said Anitha Raghunath, Director of Virgo Communications & Exhibitions.

GSSE 2022 will attract participation of leading manufacturers of long & flat products, duplex, bars, pipes, tubes, sheets, coils, finished goods, machinery, technology, tools, welding equipment from India and overseas. The visitors profile include segments like Architecture, Building & Construction, Automotive, Transportation, Dairy, White Goods, Water & Waste management, Gas & Energy, Pharmaceutical/Medical Devices, Food Processing/Wine/Alcohol/Beverage, Hospitality/Lifestyle, Oil, HVAC & Refrigeration, Infrastructure, Defence, Cookware/Utensils, Laminate / Hardware, 3D Printing and much more.-- TradeArabia News Service
Pura Eco Retreat, located on the stunning Jubail Island, offers a unique chance to connect with nature, escape reality and embrace a sustainable way of living.

A wilderness escape infused with luxury, guests are invited to camp under the stars in comfort and style and enjoy a whole range of fabulous dining and wellness experiences.

Since opening at the end of 2020, the one-of-a-kind retreat has become one of the most desirable destinations in the UAE. Countless UAE residents and tourists have already immersed themselves in the gorgeous landscape of Jubail Islands mangrove forests, turquoise waters and roaming wildlife, and enjoyed a restorative break in one of the state-of-the-art domes and tents. Providing a totally holistic experience, guests have also been able to unwind and explore the local area through a range of enriching activities such as kayaking, yoga, walking, biking, and dining out in the fresh air.

Quickly becoming one of the most talked about attractions in the UAE, Pura Eco Retreat was honoured at the Transform Awards MEA 2021, where it topped the best visual identity from the sports, travel, leisure and tourism sector' category. Meanwhile, it recently celebrated reaching 20,000 Instagram followers, all gathered within months of opening. These recognitions further demonstrate the regions fascination with this stand out getaway, how special its location is, and how impressive the chic, air conditioned and comfortably furnished domes and tents really are.

But, whilst Pura Eco Retreat feels a world away from the bustling, fast-paced lifestyle of the UAE capital, this unspoilt, wild area is actually only a few minutes drive from Downtown Abu Dhabi. Surrounded by a protected area of natural beauty  one of the most treasured in the UAE - it offers once-in-a-lifetime kind of escape thats truly unlike anything else youll find across the region.

Now, with the hot summer months, Pura Eco Retreat has announced that it will temporarily close for a few months. During this time, the team will complete several renovation projects and work hard to create an even more well-rounded and immersive journey for those who want to get closer to the flora, fauna and animals of Jubail Island. The unique spot will close its doors on Sunday, July 4, and then reopen again on Friday, October 1, just in time for cooler weather.

As well as using this time to refresh and revamp the retreats facilities, the team will also explore new and innovative ways of reducing its carbon footprint. Already a strictly car-free zone, much of the structure and furnishings at Pura Eco Retreat are made from re-used and recycled materials. Not only that, but it has given back to the surrounding landscape by planting numerous trees and installing fishing pods to help gather any litter than has been left in the mangroves.

The Pura team wants to stress that this is just a temporary goodbye. They cant wait to welcome guests back to their unique, chic and peaceful retreat on Jubail Island as soon as October arrives.-- TradeArabia News Service
Help India!



An analysis of PM Modis tweets since May 2020 reveals that during April 2021 when Covid-19 cases were at its peak, Modis tweets were targeted to Mamata Banerjee. The tweet analysis report also reveals that #Mannkibaat is the most used hashtag by Modi since 2015, while he tweeted about oxygen only 7 times in April and May.

Shadab Farooq | TwoCircles.net

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NEW DELHI  At a time when people in India were gasping for oxygen and crying for hospital beds amid the deadly second wave of Covid-19  a period which claimed 40 per cent of Indias total deaths due to coronavirus, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modis Twitter analysis during the period shows that apart from Covid-19, his tweets were directed to West Bengal Elections, particularly targeted to its Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while he tweeted about oxygen 7 times in April and May.

An analysis of PM Modis tweet since May 2020 done by Junaid Khan, who is a data analyst and published at Tableau Public, a free platform to publicly share and explore data visualizations online, reveals that during April 2021 when Covid-19 cases were at its peak, Modis tweets were targeted to Mamata Banerjee.

From stats, we can see 30 tweets of Modi ji were focused on Covid whereas 27 tweets were about Mamata Banerjee or West Bengal, the tweet analysis revels.



Modis tweet analysis reveals that #Mannkibaat is the most used hashtag by Modi since 2015.

Khan has done the analysis based on tweets made by Prime Minister Modi from January 2021. As part of his methodology, Khan has analyzed the tweeting pattern of Modi and calculated the use of hashtags, their frequency and compared it with the most pressing issues of the time. By following this methodology, the analysis provides a quantitative data on the number of times Modi tweeted on an issue of public concern and thereby arriving at the conclusion of what issues did the Prime Minister of India thought important or less important.

Covid-19 second wave and Modi tweets

With 15, 767, 015 new cases and 165, 308 new deaths in India, the second wave of Covi-19 peaked in April-May 2021. The Kumbh Mela, also known as the Pitcher Festival, was taking place at the same time as elections in four major Indian states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Amid a massive increase of Covid-19 cases in India, these gatherings were accused of being super spreader events. By the end of May, India had 281,75044 active cases and 331,895 deaths, with the unreported number perhaps three times higher.

Due to a lack of oxygen, a dearth of medicines, and a paucity of hospital beds, the countrys medical system collapsed. While people were tweeting for #covidhelp, #plasmarequired, and #urgentoxygenneeded, Narendra Modis Twitter account only mentioned oxygen four times in April and four times in May.

The Covid-19 disaster during Indias second wave was caused by more than just a lack of hospital beds or oxygen tanks. The state of damaged infrastructure was exacerbated by dysfunctional politics, management systems, and failed leadership.

The tweet analysis published by Tableau Public reveals that Modi tweeted 27 times on Mamata/Didi during the West Bengal Assembly elections in April 2021, when Indias people were gasping for breath.

According to Modis tweet analysis from April 2021 when the Covid-19 deaths were at their highest, Modis tweeted 30 tweets about Covid-19, followed by 27 tweets on Mamata Banerjee and the West Bengal Elections.

Mamata Banerjee appeared to be a major roadblock in Modis extension of the saffron flag, and she proved it. When the voting began in May, and the TMC won by a large margin, Modi simply sent one tweet, congratulating Mamata Banerjee on her appointment as Chief Minister. There was no other tweet after the election about Mamata Banerjee.

Modis vaccine program hid the reality

Although Modi and his government machinery made big claims about Indias vaccination program reaching far and wide to its vast population, the healthcare situation of the country due to a raging pandemic showed otherwise.

On the 16th of January, Indias nationwide vaccination drive begins, Modi tweeted on January 9, 2021. Priority will be given to doctors and frontline workers, he added. In January, there were 11 vaccination-related tweets, 0 in February, and 2 in March.

While Modis tweet claimed to prioritize doctors and frontline workers, in a report, the Indian Medical Association said that 798 doctors died during the second wave of Covid-19 across the country of which a maximum of 128 doctors lost their lives in Delhi, followed by Bihar at 115. Modis tweet analysis shows that in April and May 2021, there are only two vaccination tweets by Modi  one in April and one in May.

The tweet analysis further reveals that Modi used the hashtag #Mannkibaat 127 times on Twitter. On All India Radio, DD National, and DD News, Narendra Modi hosts Mann Ki Baat, a radio show in which he addresses the people of India. There have been 77 episodes since the first one on October 3, 2014. On May 30, 2021, the 77th episode aired.

After #Mannkibaat tweets, #aatmanirbharvendor has 13 tweets, #largestvaccinedrive has 10 tweets, and #gujaratgrowthstory has 6 tweets, the tweet analysis report reveals.

No impact of criticism

While social media users criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking to tens of thousands of people at state election rallies and allowing Hindu devotees to gather for a festival in response to the rising number of coronavirus infections, it had little impact on Modis apparent public concerns.

As desperate demands for hospital beds, medical oxygen, and coronavirus tests inundated social media, hashtags like #ResignModi and #SuperSpreaderModi were trending on Twitter. Despite the trending hashtags, Modi and his tweets were more focused on Mamata Banerjee and the West Bengal Elections, thus revealing the priorities of this government.
The Smithsonian will receive a $200 million donation from Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chair of Amazon, and founder of aerospace and space flight company Blue Origin. The donation is the largest gift to the Smithsonian since the Institutions founding gift from James Smithson in 1846. A $70 million portion of the donation will support the renovation of the National Air and Space Museum and $130 million will launch a new education center at the museum.

The education center will be housed in a new facility to be constructed on the east side of the museums plaza at its flagship location on the National Mall. It will feature programs and activities that inspire students to pursue innovation and explore careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) fields, and it will help teachers better utilize the Smithsonians collections. The center will connect to all Smithsonian museums, coordinating STEAM-related collections and experts across the Institution and promoting inquiry-based learning in visitors of all ages, with a focus on under-resourced communities. The center will activate programming through innovative community partnerships to reach students and teachers in Washington, D.C., and in communities across the country. It will be built in conjunction with the second half of the museums ongoing revitalization. The new center will be named the Bezos Learning Center in honor of Bezos donation.

The gift will also help enable a technological transformation of the museums galleries and public spaces, including the creation of new interactive experiences to inspire visitors, students, teachers and families.

Since its inception, the Smithsonian has benefited from both federal funding and the generosity of visionary donors, said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. Almost 175 years ago, Mr. Smithsons inaugural gift laid the groundwork for this innovative approach, bringing together private philanthropy and public funding. Today, as we emerge from a pivotal moment in history, Jeffs donation builds on that original tradition and will help us reimagine and transform the Smithsonian. This historic gift will help the Smithsonian achieve its goal of reaching every classroom in America by creating a world-class learning center with access and inspiration at its heart. We are grateful to Jeff for his generosity and for his passion and commitment to education, innovation and technology. This donation will fuel our nations future leaders and innovators.

In accepting Bezos gift, Smithsonian Board of Regents Chair Steve Case, the chairman and CEO of Revolution and founder of America Online, said, Jeffs early curiosity about space exploration helped inspire him to think big and act boldly, and as a result he has played a defining role in the expansion of the internet. Were delighted that Jeff is making this commitment to help us extend the Smithsonians reach and impact, as we seek to inspire the next generation of scientists, astronauts, engineers, educators and entrepreneurs.

At this moment, the first human to set foot on Mars might be in elementary school, said Ellen Stofan, the Smithsonians Under Secretary for Science and Research and former director of the National Air and Space Museum. As the largest and most visited aerospace museum in the world, the museum wants to spark that passion and enrich the imagination and ingenuity of every student who visits the Smithsonian. For many years, Jeff has been an avid supporter of the Smithsonian and the museums mission to ignite tomorrow. With this gift, we will be able to continue our transformation and further expand the National Air and Space Museums ability to reveal the possibilities of space exploration.

The Smithsonian plays a vital role in igniting the imaginations of our future builders and dreamers, Bezos said. Every child is born with great potential, and its inspiration that unlocks that potential. My love affair with science, invention and space did that for me, and I hope this gift does that for others.

Bezos has a long history of supporting the Smithsonian. He was a founding donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and has contributed to the National Air and Space Museum. Bezos was honored during the National Portrait Gallerys 2019 American Portrait Gala with the Portrait of a Nation Prize and was awarded a Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for Technology in 2016. His portrait was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery in 2017. He was also a featured speaker at the National Air and Space Museum for the 2016 John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History.
MAJOR RESTORATION ANNOUNCEMENT!!

We have some very special news for you!

Over the last two years, we have been working with les Ailes Anciennes at le Bourget in France to create a plan which can help both Just Jane and Lancaster B.VII NX644, which the French team is restoring. NX664 rolled off the same production line, just a few dozen places after NX611, at the Austin Motor Company satellite plant in Longbridge, Birmingham. She is currently under restoration with les Ailes Anciennes at le Bourget near Paris, France.

As you know, we can typically only perform major restoration work on NX611 during the winter periods each year since the aircraft must be in taxiable condition during the summer season to help raise the funds we need for her continued restoration. Due to this schedule, there are various restoration tasks which we know cannot be completed within any particular six month, off-season period; the biggest of these tasks involving the wings, of course.

As a result, we have been networking with many of the Lancaster groups/owners around the world to find cooperative areas of mutual benefit, as you will have seen from our recent dealings with the South Yorkshire Air Museum and the rear fuselage of KB976. Through these conversations, we have developed a plan to help both les Ailes Anciennes in France and ourselves.

While les Ailes Anciennes has made great progress with NX664s fuselage, they have yet to tackle the aircrafts wings  so here is the plan we have conceived to assist each team. We will borrow NX664s outer wings, one at a time, and bring them to LAHC. We will start with NX664s port wing, first building a jig to mount it in and then restoring it into a taxiable condition. Once this wing is ready, we will swap it out for NX611s port outer-wing to allow Just Jane to continue her taxi-runs over the following season. NX611s port outer wing can then take its turn in the jig and undergo restoration to airworthy condition. This means that we can work on the wing for a full twelve month period without having to stop and start.

Once NX611s port wing is finished, it will go back on the airframe, at which point we can return NX664s port wing to France and repeat the same process with the starboard outer wing in a similar fashion. We are expecting this to be a 4 year plan and it certainly presents the biggest and most complex aspect of the whole project. While all the wing project is underway, we will still be restoring the rear fuselages for KB976 and NX611, hopefully making up the time we lost due to COVID, so that the restoration as a whole will still meet our 10 year plan to have Just Jane back in the air.

This wing project has huge benefits for NX611, as we can get a jig made without disrupting the taxy run season. We can also learn a lot about the wing and the best methods for working on it before we even attempt the airworthy restoration for NX611, and furthermore, we can have a full, 12 month period working on each wing, making the restoration proceed much more efficiently. The added benefit to the warbird world and all those whom love the Lancaster is that another example will get her wings refurbished as well  so whats not to like!

There is just one problem, however. Since we will be running the wing project alongside the rest of the restoration, we will need to raise an additional 500,000 over the next four years to fund the additional effort. To help manage this target, we have started a Gofundme campaign so that anyone can donate to the project and we can spread the news about this huge step forward.

We would be so grateful for any support you can give us whether it be financial or by sharing the link for the campaign on social media, over the internet and/or by word of mouth.

For those in the UK who would prefer to donate by cheque, please send them to the address below.

Panton Bros  Lancaster Restoration Fund

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre

East Kirkby Airfield

East Kirkby

Lincs

PE23 4DE

Or you can donate online, but please note that it is for the WINGS FUND HERE

This is the single best opportunity we have to take a huge step forward with NX611s restoration to airworthy condition. I cannot over stress how exciting and important this step is!

Whats more, weve already started! The first wing has already arrived and you can see photos of the delivery below. Special thanks must go to Welchs Transport who moved the wing for us  the had to spend 65 hours in customs at Calais before receiving clearance to proceed to the UK.

Stay safe and thanks for your support!

Andrew Panton

Thats all for this particular update. We hope that you have enjoyed reading it. As can be seen, a lot of work remains to be done, but the aircraft is well on the way back to flying condition. It is being done in a methodical and careful manner in order to keep the aircraft available for ground-running operations during the summer months. For those interested in helping support this important project, please click HERE

Be sure to check out their store HERE as well There are many cool items to buy which will help get Just Jane back in the air!
Wood, Andrew

Celebrating the Life of Dr. Andrew Wood

(May 20, 1923  June 19, 2021)

The family of Dr. Andrew Andy Wood would like to extend an invitation to friends and family to help celebrate his more than 90 years of life. Please join them for an afternoon full of memories, fun and enjoyment on Sunday, August 1, 2021 from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm at the Country Club of Paducah.

You may leave a Hug From Home, a message of sympathy and light a candle at www.milnerandorr.com.
Holt, Robert

Robert Holt liked things with motors, preferably fast ones: cars, trucks, tractors, planes and, most of all, motorcycles. It was an interest that started quick and kept rolling until his death in Paducah at age 66 on June 28, 2021.

Bob, as he was known to friends, family and co-workers, acquired his first motorcycle around age 15 and assembled his first, a modified Triumph, at 16. He developed a knack for fixing vehicles around the same time, working at a full service gas station in Falls Church, Virginia. He also developed a penchant for living somewhat dangerously, and had the stories that came with it: Riding wheelies between cars on the Paducah bridge; an accident that saw him fly off the bike, legs splayed open until he slammed, balls first, into a telephone pole; an affection for drinking, parties and late night adventures that might involve borrowing a Caterpillar-type backhoe or quietly siphoning gas in a strangers driveway. Other favored tales involved punching his older brother in the face through a glass window (his brother denies the punch landed), or run ins with the police  nights spent in county jails; harsh beatings delivered on dark country roads by officers who didnt like his long hair, full beard and habit of mouthing off.

The 1960s and 70s were a good time to be able to fix vehicles with your hands, which Bob could do with an impressive prescience, as if he could see something inside the gears, belts, shafts and motors that others could not. He found it easy to get a job  and easy to quit, sometimes telling the boss to go screw himself on the way out the door. Bob found a reason to stick around, though, when he got to Tommy Blair Inc. in Paducah. That reason had nothing to do with the name on the sign. It was someone else, someone who worked in the parts department: Pamela Jo Patterson.

Pam and Bob had their first conversations over a service counter, commiserating about life as a single parent. Bob had a young son, Devin, from his previous marriage to Nell Stainback (now Nell Morgan) and Pam had a young son, Joshua Lawrence, from her previous marriage. Pam and Bobs earliest dates felt a bit awkward: a friend from work consistently failed to meet them at Noble Park, later admitting he set them up; Pam threw a party just so she could invite Bob, and then Bob, not catching on, brought a date; when Pam lived on Fountain Circle, Bob once pulled into her driveway with a busted radiator so he would just have to wait for the engine to cool. Still, they fell in love, and married in 1980. They also smoked so many Marlboro cigarettes that Joshua started calling them the chimneys.

For Bob, the whole fam-damily, as Pam called it, fit together perfectly, like a wrench and a socket. They lived in a small blue house on a 6-acre plot on Oaks Road, and laughed, joked, cried, argued, farmed and fussed like four people who had always done so. The arrangement, if not their residence on Oaks Road, held for decades. Bob the motorhead-partier settled into Bob the dad. Bob who built the deck and the koi fish pond; Bob who loved Christmas and stayed fiercely loyal to dogs, friends and family. Bob who, eventually, went to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to help him quit drinking. He set down the parties and the beer, but kept the long hair and the beard, which earned him the nickname ZZ Bob, after the rock band ZZ Top.

In his later years, the hair shifted from a blond-ish red to a scattered white. Strangers who thought themselves funny would sometimes yell, Hey, Santa Claus! He didnt mind.

Robert Lynn Holt was born on Aug. 31, 1954, at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. His father was Col. Emmett L. Holt of the United States Air Force, his mother Barbara Bockmon Holt, a homemaker. Emmett was from Paducah but his military career took the family to a variety of places, including Kansas City, Germany and Saudi Arabia. In Germany, Bob became a junior champion skeet shooter and picked up an enthusiasm for illusions, sometimes performing as The Great Roberto. Bob was much more interested in vehicles than high school, which he skipped frequently to work at his first service station job. Emmett was known to call the station, hear Bob answer, and immediately start yelling that Bob should be at school. This had little affect on his attendance.

After leaving Tommy Blair, Bob followed Pam to another dealership, where she was a manager in parts. Pam later became co-owner, renaming it Park Avenue Inc. Bob fixed engines, overhauled transmissions  a difficult job few mechanics could handle with confidence  and grumbled about service writers until health problems led him to retire early around 2004. He was Park Avenues Technician of the Year in 1992, and won second place in the Show Custom Cruiser and Street Custom Sportster categories at the Paducah Harley Owners Group Fall Open Bike Show in 1999. Pam sold her stake in Park Avenue a few years after Bob retired (it is now Linwood) and the couple moved from Paducah to Shreveport, Louisiana, to be near Joshua, a chemistry professor at Centenary College of Louisiana, and, more importantly, his two children, Eleanora and Andrew Lawrence.

A wide conglomeration of family and friends helped with the move, packing two trucks with what felt like several tons of tools  and random crap. The current motorcycles, a Harley Davidson and a Kannon with a V-8 engine Bob assembled in his garage, were driven down by friends Gary Spiceland and Don Cooksey. Bob and Pam bought a piece of land, had a round house built on it and settled in to watch the grandkids grow. Bob got into woodworking, first as a hobby, then as a business.

He made wooden boxes, clocks, pens, dragons, giraffes and raccoons  his favorite animal. He displayed some pieces at the ArtSpace gallery in Shreveport and sold others through an online store Pam managed called ZZ Bobs Woodworking and Mosaics. Along with Bobs custom pieces and Pams mosaics, the store carried bulk MDF mosaic bases designed for artists to work on, which sold so well that Bob got sick of making them. He preferred animals or fun side projects, like the Gatling-style rubber band gun he made for the grandkids (it could shoot 200 rubber bands in a row).

When Pam died in February of 2020, the loss devastated Bob. Without her, the round house felt too empty, too quiet. He hauled long-removed speakers back in from his wood shop; hit the beer aisle at Kroger after more than 20 years of sobriety; played The Rolling Stones loud enough to disturb his two cats; and took to feeding a family of raccoons who visited his deck. In December, some nine months after Pams passing and six months before his own, Bob moved back to Paducah. This time, most of the hauling, packing, planning and figuring went to sister in law Cheri Cunningham and her husband Adam. The motorcycles, in no shape for a long drive by then, were rolled into a truck, driven the eight hours to Reidland and rolled back out in a new garage.

Bob Holt will be remembered at a memorial service sometime soon. Instead of flowers, please donate to the ASPCA. If youd like to make a personal tribute to Bob, try this: Eat a burger, with fries and a Coke. Hop in a car or on a motorcycle. Turn the stereo up too loud and, like the Steppenwolf song, get your motor running  head out on the highway. You know the rest.

Bob Holt is survived by: two sons and their partners, Joshua Lawrence and Audrey Tarr, Devin Holt and Dian Meechai; two grandchildren, Eleanora and Andrew Lawrence; a brother, John F. Holt and wife Lora; siblings in law Cheri Cunningham and husband Adam, Hayly Patterson Wiggins, Gary Mike Patterson, Allan Patterson and wife Jackie; numerous nieces and nephews; cousins Lynn Habacker, Virginia Ware, Fredrick Ware; and two cats, Snickers and Gizmo. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Barbara and Emmett Holt; and his wife Pamela Jo Holt.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Kyrgyz Ulema: it does not contradict the norms of Islam. Inoculations with the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm begin. To date the government had been in denial about the virus. The pandemic is compounded by the problem of refugees fleeing Afghanistan.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The ulema of Kyrgyzstan yesterday confirmed the fatwa issued a few days earlier calling on all Muslim believers to receive the Covid-19 vaccination. The Kyrgyz Mufti Press Office announced that the Council of Ulema met last week and agreed that the vaccination does not contradict the norms of Islam.

"We approve the statement of the Ministry of Health that the vaccine is not harmful, and is the only defence against the spread of the pandemic".

Already in the past few days, the Mufti of the Republic, Zamir Rakiev, and members of the Ulema Council have received the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. In order to begin mass vaccination, China had sent 1,250 doses of the drug to Kyrgyzstan on 11 July. Until now, the Kyrgyz authorities had maintained a very denialist stance, like other neighbouring countries in Central Asia. There are 738 mobile vaccination points throughout Kyrgyzstan.

According to the latest figures, the total number of coronavirus infections in Kyrgyzstan is almost 150,000, to which must be added the many cases that have been dismissed as 'abnormal pneumonia' and not treated in hospitals.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, according to official figures, 2,143 people have died of the disease in the country. A state of emergency is currently in force in Kyrgyzstan, with varying measures of restriction and isolation.

The religious administration of Kyrgyz Islam has also cancelled street parties for the Eid al-Adha festival, which this year falls on 20 July. The religious authorities have made it clear that prayers in mosques for the "festival of sacrifice" or "throat-cutting", known here as Kurban-Ayta or Kurban-Bayram, will be held "under conditions that respect health and epidemiological safety measures".

A further problem, in the face of the health emergency, is the delicate situation of the Afghan conflict, which is affecting the entire Central Asian region. Biskek has agreed to take in over 340 ethnic Kyrgyz Afghan refugees from Tajikistan. The foreign ministries of the two countries have approached the regional representation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, asking for help in evacuating the fleeing Kyrgyz.

In the last few days alone, several hundred Kyrgyz refugees have fled to Tajikistan, taking their livestock with them. Two children died on the way. At the moment, 91 men, 77 women and 177 minors from the Afghan village of Andemin, in the province of Badakhshan, are gathered in a camp in Kyzyl-Rabot, in the Tajik province of Murgabsk.

The Kyrgyz of the Pamir are the descendants of the groups that moved to Afghanistan at the end of the 16th century, with an uninterrupted flow until the Soviet period, and have always lived in rather complicated conditions.

According to the Kabul government, more than two million Afghan refugees have been forced to flee the country since the beginning of the attack by the Taliban (who claim to control 85% of the national territory). Pakistan has made it known that it cannot take in any more refugees, especially in the difficult conditions dictated by the fight against the pandemic.
by Giorgio Licini *

An open letter from the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea to the Australian Parliament: today is the anniversary of the start of the policy of diverting all refugee boats away from Australian territory. Figures from the Refugee Council of Australia: 132 refugees still held in Australian prisons; 233 forcibly confined in Papua New Guinea and Nauru; 14 dead. "'End colonial behaviour that denies people dignity'.

Port Moresby (AsiaNews) - Eight years ago, on 19 July 2013, the Australian government launched a restrictive policy towards asylum seekers, closing the country's doors to them and diverting their boats to detention centres on the islands of Manus and Nauru. Marking this anniversary, the Papua New Guinea Bishops' Conference - the country that has taken charge of these people, mostly from South Asia and the Middle East - writes an open letter to the Parliament in Canberra.

The letter calls for those still being detained or forcibly housed in Papua New Guinea to be given the chance to settle in dignity in Australia. According to figures released by the Refugee Council of Australia, 3,127 asylum seekers have been stranded at sea over the past eight years before disembarking in the country.

Of these people, more than 1,200 are now in Australia, 132 are held in immigration detention centres and 233 are still outside the country (between Papua New Guinea and the island of Nauru). A durable solution was found for only 1,000 people, almost all of whom were resettled in the United States.

More than 750 asylum seekers were sent back to their home countries, either voluntarily or by force. At least 14 people died, including one who died as a result of violence at the hands of detention guards and six who committed suicide.

Below is the text of the open letter from the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, signed by the secretary general Fr Giorgio Licini, a PIME missionary, and addressed to the president of the Australian Senate Scott Ryan and the speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith.

Today is eight years since the Australian parliament has legislated on the mandatory offshore detention for asylum seekers arriving by boat after 19 July 2013 and the prohibition on them of ever settling in Australia.

The people transferred in 2013 - 14 to Manus and Nauru, and some detained offshore or onshore till now, have served a crucial Australian interest. Their detention has effectively achieved the purpose of stopping the boats, thus allowing Australia to cordon off its maritime borders.

In truth, the Australian policy of indefinite detention of asylum seekers and refugees (or anybody else not convicted by the courts) sounds totally unjustifiable and unacceptable to us.

In any case, we firmly believe it should not apply to those who have served a paramount Australian national interest at the price of great personal sacrifice.

It is on this basis that, on this 19th of July 2021, we strongly urge the Australian parliament to legislate for the freedom and a home in Australia at least for those who have been detained in Manus and Nauru at any stage after 19 July 2013 and have no way, now and in the future, to be resettled to a third country.

We know that the remaining asylum seekers and refugees still in Papua New Guinea (127 of them according to the UNHCR) enjoy better freedom of movement than those transferred to detention facilities and alternative places of detention in Australia.

But you cannot think of keeping any of them here forever.

Under the current legislation, they have no right to be resettled in Australia. But they have no duty to live in Papua New Guinea either, unless that is their free choice. Australia forcing them to stay indefinitely on PNG soil against the wish of anybody here, contradicts the spirit of PNG self-determination. We believe it is time for Australia to erase any trace of past colonial demand and fully implement a new style of compassionate and participative leadership in the Pacific.

I can assure you that here in Port Moresby, not only us, but all those more involved in assisting the men affected by the current policy (particularly the PNG Immigration and the Australian High Commission) are all exhausted by the prolonged effort.

Please, close the Manus and Nauru chapter as soon as possible by allowing people who have sacrificed so much for your country, and whose acute suffering we see every day, to access a reasonable and acceptable level of freedom and dignity in Australia; specifically, those who have been in Manus and Nauru after 19 July 2013 and have no option for a third country of resettlement and, as we all well know, cant return to their home country.
Kim's regime claims no coronavirus cases in the country, while controls at the Chinese border remain strict. Some 20 trading officials are arrested. Trade between the two communist states is at its lowest since 2001. North Koreans could face food shortages as early as this August.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  Trade between China and North Korea saw more decline.

Data released by Chinese customs yesterday show that Chinese exports to its neighbour fell by 85.2 per cent year on year to US.77 million in the first six months of 2021.

This is the lowest level since 2001, when China began to release the statistics.

The drop is due to border controls set up by North Korea to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the scepticism of the international scientific community, North Korea continues to deny that any North Korean was infected with the coronavirus.

On 29 June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did mention however a "serious accident" in the country.

Neglect by officials of the Korean Workers' Party (in power since the end of the Second World War) undermined the safety of the population and the countrys efforts against the pandemic.

The situation along the border with China is tense as evinced by the arrest of 20 officials with trading companies, accused of importing and distributing Chinese products without following proper quarantine procedures.

The Daily NK reports that one of the sanctioned companies handles the Kim family's slush funds.

Chinese imports of North Korean goods also fell sharply, down by a 67.3 per cent, for a total of about US.96, another negative record in trade between the two communist countries.

According to the South Korean Unification Ministry, trade between North Korea and China had already dropped by 70 per cent in the first eight months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

In terms of monthly figures, China exported US.32 million of goods to North Korea in June, nearly six times the US.71 million the previous month but this was still a year-on-year decline.

Last month, Kim said that the country had not met its cereal production targets, a consequence of COVID-19 and major typhoons in 2020.

North Koreas strongman stressed that the population will face a difficult food situation. According to United Nations estimates, North Koreas food supplies will fall short by 860,000 tonnes this year, with shortages appearing as early as this August.

North Koreas large trade deficit vis-a-vis China confirms its political and economic dependence on its neighbour.

In 2019, bilateral trade represented 95.4 per cent of North Koreas foreign trade, up from 67.1 per cent in 2007.

Because of international sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programmes, Beijing is the only true partner of Kims regime.
by Shafique Khokhar

The distribution took place yesterday at the St James School Primary School, in Gharo. Education is the path to economic and social redemption for young people and their families. Christians and Hindus are among the beneficiaries without distinction in the name of fraternity. Christian charities plan further cooperation.

Karachi (AsiaNews)  The Focolare team in Karachi (Sindh province), the local Caritas, and the Mission Commissions of the local archdiocese handed out books, stationery and food to poor children from the St James Primary School, in Gharo, a town in Thatta district.

Manzoor Masih, George Noronha, Shahzad, and Fabian Clive, with the help of other team members reached out to the poorer but deserving children for whom education represents a way up the social and economic ladder.

St James pupils are largely from Christian and Hindu farming families who live in the village of Gardi Bit, Gharo, about 70 km from Karachi, along the coastal strip of Keti Bandar.

Yesterdays gifts were a source of joy for the children, who can count on this aid to continue their studies in an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

Inspired by Pope Franciss ideal of fraternity, Christian charities have handed out food without distinctions of faith.

About 40 pupils received colouring books, stationery, rice, cold drinks and fruit juices, along with sweets. Catechists, priests and activists promoted moments of encounters and prayer, with people from different communities sharing their experiences.

In some cases, the poverty of some families and children, who are barely surviving, left a deep impression. For them, education is the means to improve their quality of life.

Focolare team leader Fabian Clive stressed the beauty of helping the poor and needy, and hopes they can continue this work in the future.

Mansha Noor, Caritas Karachi executive secretary, praised the movements work in favour of the weakest groups in society.

Even these poor children can make a great contribution to the countrys development and the well-being of their families, if they are given resources and opportunities, he said.

He hopes that Caritas and the Focolare team can strengthen their cooperation in the future in education and help for the poor.

One the beneficiaries of yesterdays event was a 10-year-old 5th grade pupil, Ramo Hero, who said that giving and sharing are important.

One day, he explained, I too will share all my possessions with other poor children and help others, just as I received the help of Caritas and the Focolare Movement.
Second consecutive night of demonstrations in the province bordering Iraq. According to the governor, the protester was hit by a stray bullet fired by demonstrators. The opposition's version was different, saying that the security forces were responsible. Oil workers take to the streets over non-payment of wages.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) - One person has died during the second consecutive night of protests in southwest Iran, triggered by a severe water shortage that has lasted for some time.

Official state media quoted an official from the province of Khuzestan as saying that the protester was accidentally shot by people who were firing gunshots into the air.

Witnesses close to the opposition said the security forces intervening at the scene were responsible for the death. Iran is facing a severe drought and there is collective anger over the lack of water and electricity.

Irna, report the death occurred in the city of Shadegan; pictures of the man were shared on social media. In this rally," explains the interim governor Omid Sabripour, "the rioters started to shoot in the air to provoke people and, unfortunately, one of the bullets hit a person there, killing him.

The victim is said to belong to the Arab minority in Khuzestan, on the border with Iraq. However, the opposition abroad claims he died as a result of the intervention of the police, who fired on the demonstrators in the square. The authorities' version of events was different, as they played down the scale of the protests, which were said to have involved several cities in an oil-rich province. In videos posted on social networks, people are seen setting fire to tyres in an attempt to block roads.

On 16 July, the government had sent a delegation to the region in an attempt to respond to the protesters' demands. The water crisis has had devastating effects on agriculture and livestock breeding and has caused several power cuts. This is why protests have been taking place in various cities across the country since the beginning of the month.

According to the Iranian authorities, the drop in rainfall has dried up many hydroelectric power plants and triggered the crisis, along with a spike in requests for the use of air conditioners and refrigerators in this period of intense summer heat.

Others say the problem is linked to mismanagement of the grid and corruption, while the national economy remains paralysed, partly because of US sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic. In recent weeks, thousands of oil workers have gone on strike, demanding better wages and working conditions.
by Steve Suwannarat

Police use water cannons and tear gas against young protesters defying the ban on gatherings. The country reported 12,000 coronavirus cases, a new record. Spending on the monarchy and the military must be cut; effective vaccines must be bought, not Sinovac, one protester said.

Bangkok (AsiaNews)  Exactly a year since student-led protests hit Thailand, central Bangkoks iconic democracy monument was the scene of a large-scale rally yesterday.

The landmark, which is in the middle a major traffic circle, saw protesters challenge for hours the ban on gatherings of more than five people. Police used water cannons and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

In addition to traditional demands, such as the end of military power and a redefinition of the role of the monarchy, protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-ha, the former general who has been in power since the military took over in a coup in May 2014.

Protesters accuse the government of incompetence, of wasting resources during the pandemic while the countrys economy is in downward spin, causing enormous damage to Thais.

Today a new record of cases  almost 12,000  was reported, bringing the total number to 415,170 (3,422 deaths so far).

As the coronavirus spreads, new restrictions on retail trade and travel have been put in place. For Thais, the most exasperating aspect is the slow rollout of vaccines, while stringent restrictions have been imposed on businesses and a strict lockdown on the population.

Bangkok is currently in lockdown and under a curfew. One of Asias most vibrant cities is at an impasse with few prospects of reopening.

"Prayuth must resign unconditionally, said one protest leader yesterday. Spending on the monarchy and the military must be cut; effective vaccines must be bought and distributed, he added.

The reference to vaccines concerns Chinas Sinovac, Thailands main anti-coronavirus drug, which is still unavailable to most Thais.

Those who can afford vaccination are often offered unreliable but pricey products. Indeed, health authorities report that at least 800 healthcare workers vaccinated with Sinovac show no sign of immunisation.
The reward amount offered by the ATF varies on a case-by-case basis, but the largest amount offered at one time was $30,000 in September 2018 for three fugitives who are members of a gang in Baltimore, Hils said. All three have been arrested, but because the ATF does not release which cases result in the handout of money, it is unknown if the reward from that case was dispersed.
Olszewski fully supports the charter amendment as a straightforward effort to modernize the requirements of the position, according to county spokesman Sean Naron. He declined to answer whether the county intends to hire Walker should the charter amendment pass, citing too many unknowns about the outcome of the 2022 election and whether the amendment will be on the ballot at all. Olszewski, a Democrat, is running for reelection.
The latest example is his column about Goldenbergs and the retailers stores located in a few places throughout Baltimore during most of the 20th century (Old Baltimore retailer Goldenbergs catered to thrifty shoppers, July 17). Goldenbergs is a little before my time, and Mr. Kellys description of the retailer sheds light on how Baltimoreans shopped for their clothes, where they went to shop and how retailers catered to their needs. Plus, the article highlights certain buildings and intersections in the city that were so vital to Baltimores past commercial success and what possible for these sites now and in the near future.
Campus News

UB teams with Mozilla to further integrate ethics into computing curricula

By CORY NEALON

I realized we had a section for each of those topics. Until then, Id been immersed in the logistical weeds of the Playbook. But that moment made me realize that we have created something that could potentially be great. 

UB is among 22 colleges and universities to create a guide on how schools can update curricula to place more emphasis on ethics when designing technology products.

The Teaching Responsible Computing Playbook collected contributions from more than 30 authors from a range of institutions  liberal arts, private and public, community college, Ivy League, Jesuit, Quaker and more.

Each institution created undergraduate computing curricula that address the social impact of computing. Ultimately, the goal is to help higher education institutions integrate responsibility and ethics into their computing curricula and drive a cultural shift in the tech industry to help build a healthier internet.

My main feeling about the playbook is a sense of wonder about what we as a group were able to achieve, says Playbook co-editor Atri Rudra, professor in UBs Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE).

Earlier this year I was talking with a new colleague who is interested in responsible computing in education, and they listed five or six things that they thought were important to consider, he adds. I realized we had a section for each of those topics. Until then, Id been immersed in the logistical weeds of the Playbook. But that moment made me realize that we have created something that could potentially be great.

Computer scientist Kathy Pham, a Mozilla Fellow and co-editor of the Playbook, explains the Playbook has tremendous potential to reach computer science and engineering students.

The code they write may be used by billions of people, influencing everything from which news stories we read, to what kind of personal data companies collect, to who qualifies for parole, insurance or housing loans  and who does not, Pham says. In other words, these students have the power to shape society. When that power isnt coupled with responsibility, the results can have unintended consequences, negatively impacting users autonomy, privacy, security or well-being, as well as causing harm to society as a whole.

Each section contains an overview, key questions for educators, step-by-step checklists, case studies of how participating institutions have integrated those checklists into their programs and links to additional resources.

Matthew Hertz, associate professor of teaching in CSE, co-authored the section Accreditation and Ethics (along with Rudra). Kenneth Joseph, assistant professor, and Jennifer Winikus, assistant professor of teaching, both in CSE, also contributed, as this list of authors and contributors shows. Rudra also wrote two other sections on Choosing Computing Courses and Access to Technology.

Mozilla and the schools are encouraging faculty from additional institutions, especially those outside the United States, to add to the work though the Playbook submission form.

The Playbook is a collection of learnings and best practices gleaned from the first two years of a three-year Responsible Computer Science Challenge initiative led by the Mozilla Foundation, Omidyar Network, Schmidt Futures and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. The initiative provided $3.5 million in grants to 19 colleges and universities to conceptualize, develop and pilot curricula that integrate ethics with undergraduate computer science training.
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Building resources to tell historys untold stories

Records from the Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. in Buffalo. Lillian S. Williams partnered with the branch to house its records at UB's University Archives. Williams was first vice president of the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier at the time she collected the items as part of the associations initiative to preserve records pertaining to Buffalo's African American community. Photo: Douglas Levere

By CHARLOTTE HSU

Today, the resources are there  because we created them. Repositories recognize the importance of collecting the records of African Americans, whereas before they werent interested in those collections.  Lillian Williams, associate professor Department of Africana and American Studies

As a graduate student in the 1970s, Lillian S. Williams set forth to study Black history in Western New York. My friends and I wanted to do research projects on the African American community in Buffalo, and we were discouraged by our professors because they contended there were no sources to support that research, says Williams, now an associate professor in the Department of Africana and American Studies, College of Arts and Sciences. We knew that was the wrong answer, she continues. We knew there were sources, that there were primary records. The question was: Have they been collected by the repositories in the area? They had not. And what we did was to collect them. We were serious about wanting to do research on African Americans. So we showed our professors that the sources were there, and we each completed dissertations on the topics that we wanted to do. Those efforts helped to catalyze the formation and growth of the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, which has since built a collection of over 600,000 pages of documents from local African American organizations, families and individuals. Williams work on that project illustrates a central theme of her career: building up resources that enable fellow historians to carry out research in the areas of Black history, womens history and local history.

Lillian Williams, associate professor, Department of Africana and American Studies. Photo: Douglas Levere



Beyond Western New York, she edited the microfilm edition of the papers of the National Association of Colored Womens Clubs, was among the first members of the Association of Black Women Historians, and worked with fellow historians to document Black womens achievements through biographies. At the invitation of Julieanna Richardson, Williams joined the scholars who comprised the planning board for The HistoryMakers, a national African American oral history project. Today, the resources are there  because we created them. Repositories recognize the importance of collecting the records of African Americans, whereas before they werent interested in those collections, Williams says. I remember years ago, when I was doing research, I was told to go to an oral history collection because they might have information on someone I was interested in. I spoke to the director, who said, Why would we be interested in her?

A leather-bound book containing the "Covenant" of the Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. in Buffalo, a flyer advertising an event with W. E. B. Du Bois, and copies of The Y's Messenger newsletter. Photo: Douglas Levere



Preserving history of African Americans in WNY

In the 1970s, when Williams began searching for historical records pertaining to the lives of African American people and organizations in Western New York, she and fellow UB graduate students Monroe Fordham and Ralph Watkins found a wealth of material. We discovered there were major collections, in peoples garages, in their attics, and they saved them. So it was almost as if they were waiting for us to come along and ask for those records, Williams says, noting that the friends worked closely with members of the community at every stage of the effort. At first, It wasnt easy, she recalls, because people wanted to make sure they could trust us, that we would preserve their records, because that was a part of their legacy. Over time, the team microfilmed an enormous number of documents: photographs, letters, scrapbooks, leaflets, event programs, newsletters and more, initially working in Fordhams basement. Many of the records might not otherwise have survived. On one occasion, at a meeting of activists addressing issues of poverty and racism, Williams mentioned that she was interested in the history of the Michigan Avenue YMCA, but that she couldnt locate any papers. The organizations executive director happened to be there, and said, Theyre in my office, and if you call my secretary at 9 a.m. the next morning, you can have them, Williams recounts. She brought the documents back to UB, where longtime archivist Marchand Shonnie Finnegan added them to the University Archives. Early on in this drive to preserve local Black history, Fordham approached Williams with the idea of starting an organization devoted to African American history in Western New York. The two joined with Shirley Harrington, a longtime educator; Frank Mesiah, a president of the Buffalo Branch of the NAACP; and Melvin Watkins, a librarian, activist and community leader, to found the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier in 1974, at a meeting in Williams Buffalo apartment. We published a newsletter. We published a journal. We did a radio broadcast program, Williams says. It was only a few years in that we sponsored a conference, and people came from Alaska, from Ireland, to Buffalo to talk about local history because at that particular time, local history wasnt well respected in the academy. But we thought that in order to understand whats taking place nationally, you have to understand whats taking place locally, as well as across the country. Fordham, Harrington, Mesiah and Ralph Watkins have died. But their legacy survives through the association. The group hosts events, publishes the journal Afro Americans in New York Life and History, and has taped oral histories. Williams remains a board member. The extensive records that Williams, Fordham, Ralph Watkins and other members of the organization saved are available in microfilm at three locations in Buffalo: the William A. Miles Center for African and African-American Studies at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Branch Library on Jefferson Avenue; the E.H. Butler Library at SUNY Buffalo State; and the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center at SUNY Buffalo State. Williams used many of the documents to write her 1999 book, Strangers in the Land of Paradise: Creation of an African American Community in Buffalo, New York, 1900-1940. If you looked at the literature of Black people in cities, there was this narrative that they came from the South to the North and settled in cities, and everything fell apart, Williams says. I knew there was a different story. This didnt make sense to me. My parents moved from Mississippi to Niagara Falls during the 40s, and we had community. I knew that we lived in community. We did not live in chaos. Thats the story I wanted to tell.

Editing papers of NACW

Mary B. Talbert oval portrait. Photo: The Buffalo History Museum.

Williams effort to obtain and preserve the papers of the National Association of Colored Womens Clubs (NACWC) was a years-long quest. The journey began when she started studying the life of Mary Talbert, an early 20th-century civil rights activist, suffragist and human rights reformer who lived in Buffalo. Talbert served as president of the NACWC from 1916-20. Williams recalls that as a PhD student, I ran across Mary Talbert everywhere. It didnt matter where I was conducting research, whether I was looking at presidential papers, government departmental papers, or if I was looking at community institutions  there was Mary Talbert. Who is this woman, and why is she omnipresent? I knew she was president of the NACWC, and I thought if I got access to those papers, I would be able to get more information on Mary Talbert. So soon after completing her doctorate at UB, Williams contacted the NACWC. I tried to gain access to their papers, and they said no, Williams remembers. This was when I moved to Washington, D.C., and was teaching at Howard University. They said they had a historian who was writing their history, but that hed be done in a year, and that if I came back, theyd give me access to the papers. I was patient and I went back, I bought the book, but they still didnt give me access to the papers. That changed in the 1980s, when Williams was introduced to Virginia Poyer, an NACWC member, leader and donor. Poyer lived in Albany, where Williams took a job on the faculty of the University at Albany. After Poyer contacted the NACWC on Williams behalf, representatives of the association and a publishing house visited Albany, Williams recalls. Over lunch, They said yes. Id been trying to get access for 20 years, and they said yes. Williams negotiated with University Publications of America to publish the documents in a microfilm collection, with Williams selecting papers to be included. The project made speeches, correspondence, convention programs and minutes, handbooks and other records accessible to historians, and the NACWC received royalties, Williams says. The effort aided Williams work on Talbert. But the significance extended far beyond that. The NACWC records have now been digitized and are available through the ProQuest History Vault, making them more accessible to researchers. The NACWC was the most important vehicle through which African American women exercised political power, Williams says. And in a sense, it meant that to define the activities that African American women were involved in, including those that related to suffrage and other issues of concern, you needed to look at this organization. A failure on the part of the established academy was an inability to see the whole notion of intersectionality. These women were dealing with discrimination based on race and gender simultaneously.

Records of the Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. in Buffalo include old photographs. Photo: Douglas Levere

Creating resources for achievements
Duluth, MN (55816)

Today

Mostly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph..

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Tabernacle Chris Waits via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).

Rev. Fr. Derek Che Choh, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bamenda is calling for prayer and reparation after the Blessed Sacrament and a tabernacle containing the Eucharist was stolen from two parishes in the Njinikom Deanery in Cameroons North West Region.

On May 14, 2021, the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Njinikom Parish was broken into by unknown individuals.

It is with deep sorrow and grave sadness that I write to raise your awareness on some sacrilegious acts that have been perpetrated in our Archdiocese, said Father Derek Che Choh, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bamenda, in a July 14 letter. In the flow of events, it happened that on May 14, 2021, precisely in Njinikom Parish, the Blessed Sacrament was stolen from the Perpetual Adoration Chapel.

The priest said: On Thursday, July 8, 2021, the same sacrilegious act was committed when in Christ the King Parish Fuli Kom, the Tabernacle was completely dug off the Church wall and taken away. All these offenses have taken place in the same Deanery, that is, Njinikom Deanery.

Catholic teaching holds that the consecrated Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ. As such, the desecration of the greatest gift possessed by the Church, the Most Blessed Sacrament, is a very serious matter.

These acts against the Blessed Sacrament are direct insults on the Persons of Our Blessed Redeemer, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, said Fr. Derek Che Choh.

He said no feedback has been gotten on any of the abovementioned cases. He also asked parishioners to respond to the theft with acts of penance.

Letter from the Chancellor of Bamenda Archdiocese on theft in some parishes in Njinikom Deanery (c) Document

Fathers, shall we continue to be silent and let men of the underworld play with what we hold so dear to our hearts? What we ourselves handle with such reverence and devotion, the August Sacrament of the Altar? It is on this note that we call on all Christians of Njinikom and Fuli Kom Parishes to offer serious reparatory prayers to atone for such blasphemies and sacrileges, with their pastors providing a program for that. We equally call on all the Christians of our Archdiocese to join in prayers so that we can lay our fingers on the issue at hand and know the truth about these mishaps, he said.

Dear Father, with all these sad events starring at us, there is great need for us to be more vigilant in our parish premises especially in all churches where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved.

Some catholic faithful say it is difficult to understand the reasons behind the theft, but urge the perpetrators to come forward and return the tabernacle and Blessed Sacrament.

Rev. Fr. Derek Che Choh encouraged Catholic Christians to pray that the perpetrators of these acts repent and change their ways, and he St. Joseph to intercede for the parishes.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Ark of the Covenant and the First Tabernacle and St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, Patron of Our Archdiocese and Principal Patron of the Universal Church intercede for us in this regard, he said in his letter to Reverend Fathers.
An initial investigation did not find anything suspicious, Donelan said. Fire officials and the county police are investigating the fires cause and the death of the three children. Firefighters will also work to determine whether the home had functional smoke alarms.
While Black parents have been generally more reluctant to send their children back to school, he said, the mask requirement has the support of parents of all races. I think parents want masks, even if [students and staff] are vaccinated. This is the one time when there is agreement among parents, he said.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Curtiss residence on May 28, 2020, according to the plea agreement. During an interview with law enforcement, Curtis falsely informed investigators that he had not viewed child pornography since his 2017 conviction for child pornography-related offenses. He also falsely stated that he did not have a cell phone in his possession.
He received his bachelors degree in history from the University of Maryland, College Park and was later drafted in the U.S. Army, though his intent was to go to law school. When he returned to civilian life, his old professor told him Fairmont Heights High School in Landover was looking for a professor. At the time, in 1972, schools were segregated and Fairmont was a Black school. Boarman, who is white, was hired.
Greg Bricca, director of Carrolls already existing virtual learning program, said only 145 students of the more than 24,000 total enrolled in the school system applied for the 2021-22 program. And he noted that not all the applicants would have been approved. School leaders initially expected between 1% and 5% of the student population to join; however, only about .5% requested enrollment, he said.
Now, 40 years later, the family just wants Leroy Perry to be remembered. The Post wrote the following after a jurys acquittal of the police officer: Members of the Perry family sat stolidly on the courtrooms oak benches, their eyes raised to its high domed ceiling, as they learned that jurors had rejected the prosecutions assertion that Perrys death was unjustified. They left without a word to anyone in the courtroom, and went to Perrys widow, who had waited for the verdict in seclusion outside the courtroom.
Spyware Pegasus, was developed by the Israel-based cyber intelligence and security organisation known as NSO Group. The spyware reckoned to have been accessable at least since 2016, is said to be known by other names as well, namely Q Suite and Trident.

The Spyware, which my have been used to carry out surveillance on around 300 Indians, which includes two serving Cabinet ministers in the central government, three opposition leaders, a constitutional authority, officials in the government, scientists and around 40 journalist, as per french media nonprofit, Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International.

The list further contained activist, businessmen and those from the legal profession. A number registered in the name of a sitting Supreme Court judge was also found on the database, eventhough it was uncertain if the judge was still making use of it for Whatsapp and other messaging serviceses, The Wire reported on Sunday.

The leaked database of around 50,000 munbers worldwide has the names of many Indian journalists. Names of other suspected targets will be made known later in the days ahead.

While the existence of a number on the list points to a surveillance target, if the hacking bid was successful and the phone was infected by the Pegasus or not needs to be looked into by digital forensic scrutiny. According to reports, forensic tests established the targeting of 37 phones, out of which 9-10 iphones and one Android were from India.

The leaked data was retrieved by Paris-based media nonprofit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International and shared with The Guardian, The Washington Post, Le Monde, The Wire, among others, as part of a collaborative probe known as the Pegasus Project.

India was one of the ten nations where the numbers were concentrated with Mexco on top of the pile with 15,000 numbers. A huge amount of the numbers was also from West Asian nations like UAE, Bahrain and Saudi, with Pakistan, France and Hungary being the additional important nations on the listing.

This is the second instant that Pegasus Spyware has been associated with phone survellance. Earlier in 2019 chatting app Whatsapp users in ndia iincluding journalists and activists were told that their phone had been contravened.

Since Sunday there has been talks over the names and it is anticipated to give rise new political contention when Parliament meets for the monsoon session. The claims of surveillance is set to overshadow the monsoon session which starts on 19th July 2021.

Worldwide, around 1,000 individuals across 50 nations have been identified from the list, According to the Washington Post, murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggis wife phone was picked out using Pegasus, while his fiances phone was attacked by the spyware a couple of days following his demise.

Many Arab royal family members, not less than 65 business executives, 85 activists, 189 journalist and over 600 political figures and government officials which included cabinet minister, diplomats and Army and security forces officers are suspected to have been attacked. Many head of state and the prime minister also featured on the list. As per the Waashington Post.

Reports claim, NSO describes its customers as 60 intelligence, military and law enforcement organizations in 40 nations

Also Read: Karnataka: Viral audio clip on leadership change fake; BJP calls it fake
Abrams may be the biggest name yet to join NewsNation after 24 years on broadcast and cable news, starting as a legal correspondent on NBC News in 1997. He went on to host several shows on co-owned MSNBC before joining ABC in 2011.
We have been working with a great HR partner, she said. We realized we werent necessarily the best with managing people. And we have been working with a DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) partner as a resource for us, as well as our team, to provide further education and for them to be another lens for us to look at our business.
More than 500 people have been charged so far for their participation in the attack, and many like Hodgkins were accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies. They will have to decide whether to plead guilty or go to trial.
A little more than three hours later, officers were called to the West Side. At 7:30 p.m., police headed to the 5500 block of West Rice Street in South Austin for a report of a 30-year-old man who was shot after a man approached him with a handgun and opened fire. The man was hit in the shoulder and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:58 p.m., according to the medical examiners office. It had not released information about his identity Monday.
It really is about freedom; it is about people getting tired of living in misery and poverty, Martinez said. There is no food, there is no medicine ... they dont want more communism. They want the dictatorship to be over. That truly is the nature of the fight.
In the year and a half that Campbell has worked there, the nine cases accepted on behalf of African Americans were assigned to Campbell, making her feel like the Black people representative for the office, the suit stated. Davidman also complained about an African American operations manager at the U.S. Postal Service, and announced that she would only work with a white operations manager.
In my opinion, theyve been underresourced. But they have done a pretty decent job in the area of FOID revocations, said Brown. Is it perfect? No. Can we do more? Yes. So (what) well be looking at is creating a capacity to deal with the volume of not only FOID card, but other types of (crimes) like  straw purchases, being able to debrief every gun offender thats arrested to really focus on the high-risk gun offenders arrested.
The proposed $706 million capital budget includes $100 million in federal funds to renovate or replace mechanical systems to improve air quality at 17 schools, with many of the larger fixes slated for South Side campuses. Another $20.5 million would be used to renovate the ground floors of 33 schools to make them accessible for wheelchairs; and $80 million would go to expand the free, full-day prekindergarten program to all 4-year-olds over the next two years, which requires transforming classroom space for the young students. For the upcoming school year, $16 million in operating expenses has been earmarked for 62 of these new classrooms, serving more than 1,200 students in 17 communities.
You dont want to quit your job when theres a lot of uncertainty, but now the economy is doing better. There are other opportunities out there. And so people are switching, leaving jobs that may not have been great, Koustas said. Thats largely a sign of a strengthening labor market.
After a weekend of productive negotiations, we are pleased to announce that the parties have reached an agreement on a proposed substitute ordinance for civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, and the Police Board, the statement reads in part. If passed, this ordinance would bring an historic, transformative and balanced approach to civilian oversight.
Part of why Im running for reelection is because I watched the heroes across our state step up and do the right thing. We had so much to accomplish and we were able to do that together, he said. Im very proud of all of the people in the state of Illinois. And we have so much more we can do together.
Inspector General Patrick Blanchards office determined the employee who reported sexual harassment lost work assignments, and a former staffer backed that up in interviews, stating the elected official stopped giving her information on events she used to attend as a representative of the office, the report states. Other evidence found that following the harassment report, the employees daily activities were closely monitored and her work responsibilities changed.
Nearly 300 Marxist scholars from home and abroad on Saturday attended the opening ceremony of the third World Congress on Marxism, which was held both online and offline by Peking University in Beijing, according to organizers.

Themed "Marxism and Modernization," the two-day event features 10 thematic forums, four high-level dialogues and three special seminars. Over 60 international scholars from more than 20 countries including the United States, Britain, France, Russia, Japan and India are set to make online presentations.

"We are committed to promoting dialogue and exchanges between Chinese and foreign Marxist academic circles, hoping to expand the global influence of Marxism and enhance the vitality of Marxism through the event," said Qiu Shuiping, Peking University's Party chief.

As an important platform to promote international research on Marxism and boost academic exchanges in the field, the World Congress on Marxism was inaugurated by Peking University in 2015.
A Chinese language proficiency competition for school and college students was held online via video link in Cyprus on Sunday, as China and Cyprus celebrate this year the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Six college contestants and five high school students from Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Paralimni participated in the "first China-Cyprus Friendship Cup-Chinese Proficiency Competition."

In his opening speech, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Yantao said that "We celebrate 50 years of China-Cyprus diplomatic ties this year."

He hoped that this competition will not only refine the Chinese language skills of the contestants, but also provide them with a best platform to make friends that share their passion for Chinese culture, and lead them into a lifelong journey loving the Chinese language, China as a great nation and its people.

He added that in April 2019, the Chinese and Cypriot governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Cypriot Minister of Education Prodromos Prodromou, in his welcoming address which was presented by Elena Theodoulou-Charalambous, a cultural policy advisor at the ministry, said the Chinese language is currently the most spoken language in the world, noting that it embodies the values of a civilization that has lasted for over 5,000 years.

"With the deepening of the bilateral relations and practical cooperation in all fields between our two countries, there will be an increasing demand for more Cypriot young people who can speak Chinese and are familiar with China," the minister said.

Grace Monica Theodoulou from Nicosia, who graduated from the University of Edinburgh, won the competition for college students, while Elizaveta Vasilieva from the American International School in Nicosia was the winner of the contest for school students.
The Suzhou Symphony Orchestra launched its 2021-2022 season, which will see over 50 concerts and feature celebrated musicians including composer Tan Dun, violinist Ning Feng, pianist Zhang Haochen and tenor Shen Yang.

Conductor Bian Zushan will celebrate his 60-year career by collaborating with the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra.

The 85-year-old conductor was orphaned at the age of 13 after his father died. His new home was an orphanage in Shanghai, where he learned to play the piano. Graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he served as the principal conductor of the symphony orchestra of the National Ballet of China.

Highlights include violinist Ning Feng playing Paganini's famous Caprice No 24, pianist Jiang Chen giving a recital featuring French music, and tenor Shen Yang performing Chinese songs in distinctive southern Chinese musical styles.

The Suzhou Symphony Orchestra will perform works by composers including Gustav Mahler, Rachmaninoff and Johannes Brahms.

Conductor Chen Xieyang will lead the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra in a performance featuring Shostakovich's music, part of a concert held to mark the orchestra's fifth birthday.

Audiences will also hear composer Tan Dun's Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women, a symphony for 13-movement micro films, harp and orchestra, and Pictures At An Exhibition, a musical work of 10 movements by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky.

Founded in 2016, the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra is comprised of more than 70 musicians with an average age of 30 who are natives of China and 18 other countries and regions including Japan, South Korea and the United States. The orchestra started the Jinji Lake International Composition Competition in 2018, inviting composers from around the world to create music inspired by the city of Suzhou.
China's top economic planner said Monday that it would work with related departments to intensify regulatory measures to avoid drastic ups and downs in hog prices when necessary.

Since the beginning of the year, hog prices in China have fallen sharply due to a significant improvement in supply and the decline in demand, prompting authorities to step in with multiple measures to stabilize the market.

In June alone, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had twice issued warnings for an excessive slump in hog prices, alerting pig farmers to adjust their plans to stabilize supplies.

The NDRC has also started to purchase pork to replenish the reserves at both the central and local levels, as an index monitoring pork prices has dropped below a warning level.

"The excessive drop in prices of live pigs has been initially curbed as the price has rebounded significantly since late June," said Wan Jingsong, an official with the NDRC.

The current price has recovered by more than 15 percent from the previous decline, Wang said, predicting that the trend will sustain for a while.

Chinese authorities in June released a work plan to improve the mechanism for adjusting pork reserves.

The plan, released by several government organs including the NDRC, detailed multiple measures to avoid drastic movements in the pork market, with more indicators added for timely warnings of market changes.

While cyclical fluctuations of pork supply and prices are a worldwide phenomenon, such volatilities are especially high in China, partly because the majority of the country's pigs are produced on family farms.

After the African swine fever dealt a heavy blow to hog production and pork prices since 2018, authorities have taken a slew of measures, including handing out subsidies to encourage scale farming, to stabilize prices of the staple meat in China.
Nearly 300 global Marxist scholars attended the third World Congress on Marxism this weekend at Peking University, which played a role in the early history of Marxist philosophy in China.

With the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) falling this year, scholars at the congress agreed that China is undoubtedly one of the most successful practitioners of Marxism in the world today.

"As a scientific theory, Marxism profoundly reveals the objective laws of the development of human society and scientifically answers the question of where human society is headed," said Li Yi, vice president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (Chinese Academy of Governance).

"After more than 170 years, Marxism is still highly relevant today and remains the peak of the development of human thought and knowledge," said Jiang Hui of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

He said that socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era has become the leading banner of socialism in the 21st century and the mainstay of socialist development.

Also at the two-day event, over 60 international scholars from more than 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Britain, France, Russia, Japan and India, made presentations via video link at various thematic forums, high-level dialogues and special seminars. These dealt with such topics as "The spread of Marxism in China," "China's experience of modernization" and "The CPC and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

Over the past century, the scientific nature and truth of Marxism have been fully tested in China. China's achievements have attracted the attention of the world, and its rich theoretical attainments and practical experience in adapting Marxism to China's conditions have become the focus of participating scholars.

"Under the leadership of the CPC, China has embarked on the path of socialism and made great achievements. I think China has found a new development model and benefited from it," said Alexander Buzgalin, an economist and professor at Moscow State University.

Through continuous reform, China has improved people's lives, promoted more efficient social and economic development, and set the goal of realizing a moderately prosperous society, said Khubiev Kaisyn Azretovich, a political economy professor at Moscow State University.

"I think the Chinese Communists have foresight and vision," said Andrea Catone, editor-in-chief of the Italian Communist journal Marx Ventuno. "They make a plan that is oriented to the future and takes into consideration the all-round development of all the people and the common welfare of mankind."

Bearing in mind the various crises facing the world, the question arises whether Marxism can guide mankind to a better future. In particular, can the path taken by China provide more possibilities for the development of human civilization? Attendees shared their insights.

According to Jiang, socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era has blazed a path of modernization unprecedented in human history and provided a new option for developing countries in pursuing modernization. The building of a community with a shared future for mankind is China's solution to global crises, and is a major innovation of Marxism in the 21st century, he said.

"Although we are faced with many new problems today, the basic principles of Marxism, such as historical materialism and the position of the people, have an unfading value," said Tao Wenzhao, deputy dean of the School of Marxism Studies at Renmin University of China.

"Marxism can still play a very important role in contemporary international, economic and political affairs," said Huan Qingzhi, professor of the School of Marxism Studies at Peking University.

In particular, the response to such global crises as COVID-19 and climate change cannot depend entirely on international cooperation on environmental governance or public policies, but must also define a new international economic and political landscape, he said. "In this sense, Marxist theory can provide important points of reference and guidance."

Meanwhile, Buzgalin pointed to the importance of young people. "We also need to bring up a new generation of Marxists," he said.

"I think that China can be the center of world Marxist education, and support not only students in China, but also the creation of Marxist centers around the world," said the economist.
On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared China got a malaria-free certification. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, made this outstanding announcement and congratulated China for this hard-earned success. After seven decades of tireless struggle and with an effective health system, China has been awarded the certification  a remarkable feat for a country that reported 30 million cases of malaria in the 1940s.







This May, high-level WHO delegation travelled to China to verify China's malaria-free status and it was declared by officials that there has not been a single case reported for the past more than three years. China became the 40th country of the world to be declared malaria-free.





This triumph is a result of various socio-economic factors, especially lifting population out of poverty, targeted actions, and sustained efforts. Apart from these factors, the CPC leadership, thinking out of the box, sustainable efforts and continued struggles have made this success possible. With such a huge country of 1.4 billion people, with multilayers of diverse ethnic groups living across the length and breadth with multiple borders, this is a powerful example for those countries still struggling to counter this disease. Indeed again a miracle in its own magnitude. For a country like Pakistan still struggling to control malaria, China is an example to follow.





Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, is completely curable and preventable but has remained deadly for many years. Science has helped countries build their capacities, improve medical health facilities, infrastructure, and governance. Scientists believe that one of the major reasons for the spread of malaria is climate change as the mosquitos carrying malaria find their new and diverse habitats. These years, as a result of the reliance on science and latest medicinal techniques, an increasing number of countries have been certified malaria-free. Apart from this, it is worth remembering that Africa still have 94 percent of global malaria, killing nearly 400,000 people, mostly children every year in the content. According to an estimate, only in 2019, there were 229 million cases globally.





For achieving malaria-free status, a country must comply with certain international protocols and procedures. In order to get this global recognition, the applicant country must prove to the committee of experts appointed by WHO that there is no indigenous spread or rise of the disease for consecutive three years and there is a mechanism developed to handle any re-emergence. The nominated committee spends months in the country to move from different areas to collect data and investigate to finalize the report and submit it to WHO for final certification.





Chinese struggled against malaria begins in the 1950s, when health officials devised a strategic plan to help communities across the country to reduce the risk of malaria. This drive included administering antimalarial drugs, treatment facilitation, spraying areas where there are potential threats of breeding areas, use of insecticides. Later in 1967, the CPC leadership launched an important project called "523 project" that brought together scientists and institutions to find a cure for the local variant of malaria. The leadership of the time made the eye towards progress and development and these sort of indigenous problems and challenges must be dealt through strategic vision. If one step was not achieving desired goals, then the Chinese leadership made other ways and altered them according to the dynamics of the disease. Another important step that helped reduce malaria was the effective and widespread use of insecticide nets across the country. This step significantly alleviated malaria in the country.





By the early 21st century, China has been able to eradicate malaria from its soil to a large extent. In 2010, National Malaria Elimination Program was launched where all the ministries integrated central approaches through cohesion and coordination, making great strides in coping with the problem. With the help of wisdom, science and a strong approach, any malaria suspected case has been reported immediately, with medical investigation completed within three days and transmission traced within seven days. In so doing, Chinese medical experts and health officials have developed an effective mechanism to nip malaria in the bud with full force. With the central and better-coordinated mechanism, the Chinese government is following the right path. One of the important attitudes of Chinese officials is that one triumph after another does not make them stop their hard work, but rather these milestones boost them to continue marching forward. This is how great nations work tirelessly for their people and glory.





Another critical factor that has also contributed immensely is the way the country has lifted millions of people out of poverty as a result of the forty years' reform and opening-up. China is now even extreme-poverty-free declared by President Xi Jinping and recognized by the global institutions and community. Through sustained economic recovery, there has been a comprehensive sociological uplift where people begin to understand about their hygiene and other necessary civic sense. The economic recovery has improved and built new roads, homes and hospital system that has resulted in the further uplifting of the living standards of average Chinese people.





Currently nearly 177 million Pakistani people, making up roughly 60 percent of the population, are at risk from the disease. Pakistan has a lot to learn from Chinese experience and as we are closer together, Pakistan needs to double down on its fight against malaria with lessons from China.

Farhat Asif is a researcher and Founder & President of Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Pakistan.
 Flash

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday held a meeting with visiting China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

Sisi asked Wang to convey his sincere regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping, while once again warmly congratulating the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the 100th anniversary of founding.

The Egyptian leader spoke highly of the miracles that the Chinese people have created one after another under the CPC leadership, which have also attracted worldwide attention.

Egypt regards China as a true friend and reliable partner, and will unswervingly and undisturbedly develop the bilateral cooperation in various fields, said Sisi.

Egypt will take the opportunity of celebrating the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and China, he noted.

Sisi affirmed that Egypt unswervingly pursues the one-China policy, firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability, and strongly supports China's fight against terrorism and religious extremism.

Egypt supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while hoping to boost cooperation with China in infrastructure, industrial parks, high technology and other fields, and become an important gateway for Chinese enterprises to enter the Middle East and Africa, said the Egyptian president.

Sisi thanked China for providing Egypt with the COVID-19 vaccines and helping his country produce the vaccines locally, adding that Egypt will continue to strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation with China.

Egypt is also willing to coordinate closely with China in jointly promoting regional peace and stability, he added.

For his part, Wang first conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to Sisi.

The friendship between China and Egypt, which has stood the test of international circumstances, is unbreakable and firm as a rock, said Wang, adding that China highly appreciates Egypt for always standing with China on the issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns.

China also firmly supports Egypt in continuing to explore a development path suited to its national conditions, pursuing an independent policy, and making efforts to fight terrorism, maintain stability and de-radicalize extremists, said the Chinese senior diplomat.

China looks forward to working together with Egypt to build the China-Egypt community with a shared future, and turn the bilateral ties into a pioneering model for the China-Arab states and China-Africa communities with a shared future, said Wang.

Calling Egypt an important partner in building the BRI, Wang said that China is willing to strengthen the synergy between the BRI and Egypt's Vision 2030, help Egypt accelerate its pace of industrialization, enhance its scientific and technological capabilities, uplift its development level, and deepen the law enforcement and security cooperation to safeguard the common security of the two countries.

Wang pledged that China will continue providing vaccines and anti-epidemic materials to Egypt to help it eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic.

China is also ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Egypt in international affairs, jointly uphold and practice multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and push forward the reform of global governance in the right direction, he said.

Wang expressed the hope that Egypt will continue to play an active role in the building of the China-Arab states Cooperation Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues in the Middle East and Africa.

During his visit to Egypt, Wang also held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, signed an agreement on the establishment of the Sino-Egyptian Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, and attended a virtual ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.
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The staff of the Litchfield Jazz Festival is presenting the fourth installment of their free virtual concert series for April.
It is very dangerous to be out there, said Capt. Keith Williams of DEEPs EnCon Police. We are asking everybody that recreates not just on this river but any body of water in the state of Connecticut thats swollen right now because of the rain, please stay off the water, we dont want another incident like this to happen. This is a very unfortunate situation. The river level is very dangerous, its going to continue to rise throughout the next couple of days, so conditions are going to get even worse.
A man involved in the incident  who was not named in court documents for fear of reprisal, according to the affidavit  told police two men he knew stolen his Yamaha dirt bike at gunpoint earlier in the day at his cousins house, a few blocks away from Cordovas Sisson Avenue home. He met his friend, Reyes, and another man, later identified as Roman, and all three drove on a scooter and dirt bike to confront the alleged thieves behind the Sisson Avenue property, he told police.
Redford was last seen at approximately 10:37 a.m. Saturday when the Virginia Marine Police received a call from people on board the boat next to where Redford was swimming. People on the boat saw him swept away by the current and threw him a life ring, and during an attempt to move the boat closer, they lost sight of him and contacted authorities.
Fat Canary is fine dining, with white tablecloths and reservations that open, and often fill, two months in advance. Downstairs has a vibe that backs away from the more opulent aura above, but sticks to the refined standards, with an open floorplan, and different seating options, including dining tables that eschew the white linens and curving granite bar. Seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Downstairs can also be rented for private events.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Kerala government to file its response during the day on an application against the three-day relaxation in COVID-19 restrictions in the state in view of the upcoming Bakrid festival.

On July 17, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced the concessions at a press conference and said that in view of Bakrid (Eid-ul-Azha) being celebrated on July 21, textiles, footwear shops, jewellery, fancy stores, shops selling home appliances and electronic items, all types of repairing shops and shops selling essential items shall be allowed to open on July 18, 19 and 20 from 7 AM to 8 PM in category A, B and C areas.

The matter came up for hearing in the apex court before a bench of Justices R F Nariman and B R Gavai.

After the counsel appearing for Kerala said he would file reply to the application, the bench asked him to do so during the day and said it would take up the matter for hearing as first item on Tuesday.

The application was filed in the matter in which the top court had last week taken suo motu cognisance of media reports on the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to allow Kanwar Yatra amid the COVID pandemic.

During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the bench perused the affidavit filed by Uttar Pradesh government which said Kanwar Yatra will not be allowed this year due to the pandemic.

The bench said the authorities at all levels should take stern and prompt action against any untoward incident which directly affects the lives of citizens.
The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and a church in the eastern town of Batticaloa when the Easter Sunday mass was in progress on April 21, 2019. (AFP Photo)

Colombo: Sri Lanka's former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday highlighted in Parliament the police's failure to act upon the intelligence provided by India on the impending Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians, in 2019.

Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat linked to ISIS, carried out a series of blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing over 270 people and injuring more than 500 people on April 21, 2019.

Speaking in Parliament, Wickremesinghe said that Harin Fernando, a minister of his government at that time, had informed him after the attacks that Fernando's father had warned his sister not to attend the Easter Sunday mass as there could be trouble on that day.

When the police did not act on Indian intelligence, would they have acted on Harin Fernando's information, Wickremesinghe said as he blamed the police for not acting upon the intelligence provided by India on the impending suicide bomb attacks in the island nation.

Last week, head of the Catholic church Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith urged the government to take action against Wickremesinghe for his failure as the then prime minister to prevent the attacks.

The Cardinal said that a presidential inquiry on the attacks initiated by then president Maithripala Sirisena had found him guilty for his failure to prevent the attacks.

Similarly, the inquiry faulted Wickremesinghe for his soft attitude towards the rising Islamic extremism in the island, the Cardinal said.

In a 10-page letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the church reminded that the commission of inquiry had recommended that criminal proceedings be initiated against former president Sirisena for the failure of his responsibilities.

The church stressed that it had been five months since the inquiry report came out, yet no action had been taken against Sirisena.

The church, demanding accountability for the intelligence failure, has expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of seriousness in the investigations to bring culprits to book.

The government denies any lethargy in investigations and says nearly 700 people have been arrested and the due legal procedures are in place.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and a church in the eastern town of Batticaloa when the Easter Sunday mass was in progress on April 21, 2019.

Three explosions were reported from three five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury in Colombo.
Speaking on the Mississippi State Department of Health guidelines, Davis said unvaccinated teachers, staff and students should be screened weekly for COVID.
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A U.S. consulate for the Palestinians should be on Palestinian territory  not in Jerusalem By Amb. Alan Baker

On May 25, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Ramallah with PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas, as part of a series of measures intended to engage with and provide support for the Palestinian people. Blinken announced the intention of the U.S. administration to reopen the former U.S. Consulate-General in Jerusalem. The former consulate had served as a quasi-diplomatic mission to the Palestinian leadership and served Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, the West Bank areas of Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip. The consulate was merged in 2019 with the new U.S. embassy, which opened in Jerusalem following the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. The Secretary of States declared intention to reopen the former consulate general raises complex legal and political questions that require due consideration. Historic Background The U.S. consular mission in Jerusalem was originally established with the encouragement of American Christian Zionists in 1844 when Jerusalem was still part of the Ottoman Empire. Its function was to provide humanitarian and legal assistance to Americans in the Holy Land and to protect minorities against discriminatory Ottoman practices. The American consulate afforded consular services to Christian missionaries and Jews in the Holy Land. With the impending termination of the British mandate over Palestine in 1947, the U.S. Truman administration supported a Partition Plan recommended by the UN General Assembly in its November 29, 1947 resolution 181(III) entitled Future Government of Palestine, as a means of internationalizing Jerusalem. The plan recommended the establishment of two states, an Arab and Jewish state, with a separate international status for Jerusalem. While this recommendation was accepted by Israel, whose statehood was declared in May 1948, Israels neighboring Arab states rejected it and proceeded to invade Israel in what became known as Israels War of Independence. During the course of this war, east and west Jerusalem came under the control of Jordanian and Israeli forces, respectively. Israel subsequently declared Jerusalem to be Israels eternal, and only capital, soon moved its seat of government from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 1950. While the United States and other countries formally recognized Israel as a sovereign state, they refrained from recognizing Israels sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem, pursuant to their policy of supporting the idea of internationalizing the city. They chose to locate their embassies in Tel Aviv, and some states chose to maintain their historic Jerusalem consulates as separate consular missions to deal with residents of Jerusalem and Palestinians. In this context, the U.S. Jerusalem consulate remained completely independent of the U.S. Israel embassy, reporting directly to the U.S. State Department, as if it was representative to another political entity. 1967 Reunification of Jerusalem With Israels reunification of Jerusalem and extension of Israels laws to eastern Jerusalem following the 1967 Six Day War, the United States, in several UN declarations and other statements, maintained its refusal to recognize Israels sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem  east and west  preferring to await a negotiated solution to the issue of Jerusalem. 1978 Camp David and 1993 Oslo Accords This position remained consistent by various U.S. administrations during the course of peace process negotiations between Israel and its neighbors, including the Palestinians, both following the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1993-5 Oslo Accords. In his September 17, 1978 letter to Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat accompanying the signing of the Camp David Accords, U.S. President Jimmy Carter reaffirmed that the position of the United States on Jerusalem remains as stated by Ambassador Goldberg in the United Nations General Assembly on July 14, 1967, and subsequently by Ambassador Yost in the United Nations Security Council on July 1, 1969. In the 1993-9 Oslo Accords and their related documents, Israel and the PLO, with the active support of the Clinton administration, agreed that the issue of Jerusalem would be part of the negotiation on the permanent status of the territories. U.S. Consular and Political Relationship with the Palestinian Authority In light of the creation by the Accords of the Palestinian Authority as an autonomous administration with powers and responsibilities in parts of the territories, and despite the fact that the Oslo Accords did not provide for any Palestinian functions in Jerusalem, the independent and separate U.S. consulate in Jerusalem developed a new role of overseeing U.S. relations with this Palestinian political entity as well as with Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, the west bank areas of Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip. The U.S. Jerusalem consulate thereby became the de facto representative of the United States vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem and the territories, and its staff became a central channel of communication with Palestinian officials. Israels Position vis-a-vis the U.S. Jerusalem Consulate Given the solid historical relationship between Israel and the United States, the principled and long-maintained official U.S. policy of non-recognition of Israels sovereignty and legal status over any part of Jerusalem, and the ongoing and active functioning of the consulate as the de-facto U.S. representation to the Palestinians, Israel was, to all intents and purposes, stopped from demanding any formal or legal change in the situation. To the contrary, Israel had no choice but to permit this situation to continue. Israels foreign ministry even granted the consulate and its staff, on a de facto and pragmatic basis, symbolic consular privileges and immunities. However, this legal and factual situation of non-recognition ended with the formal U.S. declaration by President Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Change in Legal Status In his December 6, 2017, official declaration, President Trump proclaimed Jerusalem to be the Capital of Israel and instructed the State Department to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In so doing, he recognized that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations between the parties. Trump declared, This decision is not intended, in any way, to reflect a departure from our strong commitment to facilitate a lasting peace agreement. We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians. We are not taking a position of any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, or the resolution of contested borders. Those questions are up to the parties involved. With the opening of the new embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, the functions of the old consulate vis-a-vis Palestinian residents of Jerusalem and the area were combined within the newly located U.S. embassy in Jerusalem under a new Palestinian Affairs Unit formed under the larger umbrella of U.S. relations to Israel. This change in status of the former consulate was seen by the Palestinian leadership, and many U.S. Foreign Service officers who had served in the consulate, as a controversial move and a downgrade of U.S.-Palestinian relations, leading to a boycott by the Palestinian leadership of the new unit. Implications of U.S. Recognition of Israels Sovereignty in Jerusalem Formal American recognition of Israels sovereignty in Jerusalem established a new bilateral legal situation that replaced the former policy of non-recognition, whereby the United States acknowledged the application of Israel law in Jerusalem. As such, a mutually-accepted consular relationship between Israel and the United States is based on the 1963 Vienna Convention of Consular Relations to which both Israel and the United States are party. Article 4 determines that consular posts, or any other offices forming part of a consular post, may only be established in the territory of the receiving state with that states consent. Similarly, articles 7 and 8 of the convention require that the exercise of consular functions vis-a-vis or on behalf of another state requires specific approval. Clearly, reopening the former consulate in Jerusalem, the jurisdiction of which would be intended to cover relations with the Palestinian leadership, Palestinian governmental bodies, and Palestinian residents of the territories, none of which are subject to Israels sovereignty, would be politically and legally problematic in light of the new situation since 2017 of formal acceptance by the United States of Israels sovereignty in Jerusalem and the application of Israeli law in the city. Possible Solution A document entitled The U.S.-Palestinian Reset and the Path Forward, prepared for the incoming Biden administration under the direction of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Hady Amr and published by The National newspaper of the United Arab Emirates on March 17, 2021, sets out proposals for a new approach to relations with the Palestinians. It raises the idea of reopening a U.S. mission in the Palestinian territories to signal a commitment to the two-state solution. Such a proposition by Amr to open a U.S. mission in the territories would indeed appear to be compatible with the provisions of the 1995 Israel-PLO Interim Agreement, witnessed and endorsed by U.S. President Clinton together with other world leaders (commonly termed Oslo 2). Article IX, paragraph 5(c) of the agreement provides for the establishment of representative offices by foreign states in the area under the authority of the Palestinian Authority, as a means of furthering economic, cultural, and implementation and other agreements, for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority. Opening by the United States of such a representative office in Ramallah, or anywhere else in the territories under Palestinian governance, would be in accordance with the agreed peace process documentation agreed to by Israel and the Palestinians and supported by the United States, and would not require Israels consent, inasmuch as Israeli law is not applied in those areas. Amb. Alan Baker is Director of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center and the head of the Global Law Forum. He participated in the negotiation and drafting of the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians, as well as agreements and peace treaties with Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. He served as legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Israels ambassador to Canada. Home
Another Biden Administration eco-con

By Paul Driessen





Via yet another decree (Executive Order 14008), President Biden has instructed government agencies to permanently protect at least 30% of all US lands and waters by 2030. This 30 X 30 Plan appears to presume that any areas not designated as park, refuge or wilderness are not protected, even though the vast majority of federal lands are already effectively off limits to mining, drilling, timber harvesting and even grazing, by virtue of policies heavily tilted toward preservation and against any development.



Federal land management agencies include the Defense Department: 9 million acres; National Park Service: 80 million; Fish and Wildlife Service: 89 million; Forest Service: 193 million; and Bureau of Land Management: 244 million acres. Thats 615 million acres, six times California, 28% of the USA.



NPS lands are managed solely for scenic, wildlife protection and recreational purposes. Some FWS lands allow limited farming and energy development. BLM and FS areas are supposedly multiple use, with some natural resource development allowed, but all are increasingly managed primarily for preservation. Of this total  109 million acres  Washington plus Oregon  are already designated wilderness, where little more than hiking is permitted. Team Biden thinks even more should be off limits.



There is presumably no plan to buy up millions of acres of state and private land in states where the federal government now owns almost no land: such as 0.3% federal in Connecticut or 2.4% in Delaware. Instead, its likely the order envisions even more restrictive federal control in Alaska and 11 states west of the Dakotas, where the feds own from 29% of all land in Montana to 81% in Nevada  but effectively control even more acreage, because federal lands surround or affect access to state and private holdings.



Fresh and ocean waters of the United States would likely come under similar new restrictions  managed to protect rare, threatened and endangered species, or with wildlife used to justify restricting or banning drilling, fracking, mining, farming and other undesirable activities, in or near those species and waters.



Anti-development actions obviously harm local and state economies. But matters get truly interesting when we examine Team Biden plans to eradicate the 80% of US energy that now comes from fossil fuels, and replace it with pseudo-renewable wind, solar and battery power. And we dont even have to ponder the already shaky energy systems and economies, the frequent and prolonged blackouts, the scramble to find adequate electricity in states that are increasingly and inadvisably reliant on wind and solar power.



Even more eye-popping, President Biden wants 80% hydrocarbon-free electricity generation by 2030, 100% by 2035, and zero fossil fuels anywhere in the US economy by 2050.



But replacing Americas fossil fuel energy with wind and solar electricity would require tens of thousands of offshore wind turbines, millions of somewhat smaller onshore turbines, and/or billions of solar panels  many from China  plus thousands of miles of new transmission lines, plus over a billion half-ton backup battery modules for just one week of windless, sunless days. It could also mean turning entire US forests into wood pellets, to be burned in place of coal and gas to generate zero-carbon electricity in Britain and elsewhere  and growing corn, soybean, canola and other biofuel crops on millions of US acres that are now food crop, fallow, scenic and wildlife habitat lands. (See here, here and here for details.)



How does this square with plans to have federal overseers protect 30% of the nations lands and waters  while safeguarding bald and golden eagles, falcons, white-nosed bats, lesser prairie chickens, snail darters and hundreds of other rare, threatened and endangered species? How will land managers and courts ensure that critical land, water, wildlife and scenic issues are fully vetted, before they grant permits for massive clean, green, renewable energy installations  under the same years-long review process they demand for drilling, fracking, mining and pipelines?



Obviously, it doesnt. And they wont. Its just another eco con job.



Theyll have to ignore laws, cut corners and fast-track installation projects. Theyll destroy Americas

habitats, wildlife and scenic vistas, in order to save them ... from catastrophic manmade climate change.



Liberal Green/Blue cities and states wont want bird-and-bat-chopping wind turbines, or habitat-blanketing solar panels in their backyards or off their shores. They certainly wont want battery factories and mega-warehouses anywhere near them  especially considering the fire and explosion hazards they could pose. Theyll want these facilities installed in western states and other parts of flyover country. And they may have the votes, Big Media, Big Tech and Big Government power to dictate these terms.



That means communities will have to be vigilant  and prepared to file lawsuits and take other actions to ensure that project, programmatic and cumulative environmental impact studies are conducted; that other human health issues (such as light flicker and infrasound from wind turbines) are addressed in detail; that massive installations are blocked before they wreak havoc; that our living standards are safeguarded.



There are other threats. Europe is already pondering carbon tariffs that would slap climate taxes on products imported from countries that dont honor their Paris climate treaty obligations and continue to burn coal, oil and natural gas. Will that include wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicle and backup battery modules from China? Will Mr. Biden, Congress and/or Blue State legislators do likewise?



And dont forget the trash, much of it laced with toxic materials. Solar panels, EV and backup batteries, and 115, 290 or even 350-foot wind turbine blades cant be recycled. In whose backyards do they plan to put the monster landfills and dump the billions of tons of non-renewable trash? At whose expense?



Its incredible how far the climate obsessed have gotten by blaming every climate and weather blip on fossil fuel use  and insisting that natural climate changes that have blessed or pummeled planet and people throughout history have suddenly been replaced by purely manmade climate chaos.



Its equally incomprehensible that Team Biden can claim the US and EU can save the planet by eradicating fossil fuels  while China, India and a hundred other countries vastly expand their fossil fuel use to: (a) meet their own economic development goals; and (b) conduct the mining, processing and manufacturing needed to support our governing classes utopian wind, solar and battery ambitions.



While the United States significantly reduced its emissions of plant-fertilizing carbon dioxide (the miracle molecule that makes life on Earth possible) by replacing coal-fired power with natural gas, Asian and other countries opened hundreds of new coal-fired power plants. China alone put 38.4 gigawatts (38,400 megawatts) of coal plants into operation in 2020; its annual GHG emissions already exceed those of all developed countries combined. Beijing is also building, planning or financing more than 300 coal plants in Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia, Egypt and other nations.



African countries are planning to build more than 1,250 new coal and gas-fired generating units by 2030, many financed by Chinese banks and built by Chinese companies. Coal still supplies more than 70% of annual electricity consumption in India, the worlds second-largest coal user. India and Russia plan to mine much more coal and build hundreds more new coal-fired generating units in the next few years. Oil and gas production and consumption are also climbing rapidly once again in those countries.



Any American energy transformation would simply transfer emissions from the United States to these other countries. Worldwide fossil fuel use and CO2/greenhouse gas emissions would actually increase significantly. Even assuming those emissions are now the primary factor controlling Earths climate, there would be no climate benefits even from completely eliminating fossil fuel use in the United States  and attempting to replace that energy with wind, solar, battery and biofuel power  at enormous economic, environmental, social and human cost.



Yet this is the insane, authoritarian world we now live in. Its time to end the woke cancel culture, debate these issues in every public forum, and restore common sense, before the costs soar any higher.

Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy, climate change, human rights and economic development.
The long defeat -- where the Canadian Right went wrong (Part One) By Mark Wegierski

Canada One The Dominion of Canada was founded in 1867 as the result of a compact between two peoples of longstanding history, English and French Canada, whose respective heritages stretched back centuries. The Aboriginal peoples were included insofar as they had been traditionally considered to be under the special protection of the Crown. Canada was dominated by the Conservatives/Bleus of Macdonald and Cartier until 1896. In the federal election of that year, partly owing to the baneful execution of Louis Riel, French Quebec switched its vote en masse to the Liberals, led by Wilfrid Laurier. After 1896, most of the federal governments were Liberal, with only brief Conservative interludes. However, Canada was dominated by a traditionalist-centrist consensus in which all major parties shared. For example, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), while economically social democratic, was mostly socially conservative, viewing traditional nation, family, and religion as part of a pre-political consensus that they had no desire to challenge. Thus, the frequent Liberal victories had comparatively little impact on a society, politics, and culture dominated by the traditionalist-centrist consensus. Nevertheless, the long years spent out of power by the Conservative Party (from 1942 to 2003, the Progressive Conservative Party) tended to atrophy their political skills and steadily reduced the salience of traditionalism and conservatism in the country. The long years out of government prevented the Tory party from ever learning the discipline of power. Canada Two The federal election of 1963 was one of most critical in Canadian history. The staunch Tory, John Diefenbaker (who had been Prime Minister from 1957), faced the Liberal, career diplomat, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in establishing United Nations peace-keeping, Lester B. Pearson. Diefenbaker had won a minority government in 1957, and one of the historically largest majorities in the federal Parliament in 1958, with the support of Quebec. As Canadian traditionalist philosopher George Parkin Grant has noted, one of the focuses of the 1963 election was the fight over whether to accept U.S. nuclear weapons on Canadian soil, which Diefenbaker opposed. Diefenbaker lost the election, while Pearson won a minority government (a plurality of seats in the House of Commons). Pearson was to a large extent an archetypical liberal, filled with a reforming zeal. One of his most important acts was the change of the Canadian flag from the Red Ensign to the Maple Leaf Flag (dubbed the Pearson Pennant). Although the importance of the change has frequently been underrated in Canada, many political thinkers have interpreted the change of a countrys flag as a compelling symbol of regime-change. Arguably, this was ultimately proven in the case of Canada as well. The conclusion of this crucial phase in the political history of Canada is clearly the celebration of the Centennial of Confederation in 1967, dominated by the spirit of the times  progressive thinking was in the air, forward-looking ideas were at the heart of Expo 67 in Montreal. Canada was literally the changing worlds stage in this pivotal year. Upheaval Sometimes called the philosopher-king or the Northern Magus, Trudeau arrived on the scene in a big way in the federal election of 1968, characterized as one of Trudeaumania. Winning virtually every seat in Quebec, plus about half of the seats in English-speaking Canada, Trudeau easily formed a majority government. An unabashed progressive, he governed in an activist, transformational way, imposing his wide-reaching agenda on the federal government, and the country as a whole. 1968 has been seen by historians as a pivotal year  a year of major cultural shifts in European and North American countries as well as around the world  and it marked the beginning of a fundamental shift in the Canadian polity  traditional Canada was dying. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
The USCP officer who killed Ashli Babbitt

By Mark Alexander



I was dumbstruck last week after reading an article claiming, "Reporters Who Survived the Capitol Riot Are Still Struggling." Typical of the strugglers was PBS NewsHour correspondent Lisa Desjardins, who lamented, "I'm still not sleeping like I used to, even to this day." Bloomberg News reporter Erik Wasson felt, "It was traumatizing." Veteran Capitol Hill reporter John Bresnahan says: "I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with reporters [claiming] 'I don't know if I want to do this anymore.' Anyone who doesn't want to come up here again, I don't blame them at all, even a little bit, one iota."

Would these emotionally incontinent snowflakes have you believe their experience was tantamount to that of combat veterans who have endured relentless war-zone firefights, and brothers bleeding out in their arms? Would these "survivors" have you believe they had been caught in the crossfire of the endless violent and deadly urban riots Democrats seeded nationwide in 2020?

Apparently, many of these scribes experienced something that was well outside of their comfort zones and, consequently, are in need of therapy for manifestations of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Given that Nancy Pelosi's Capitol barricade political props are finally being dismantled, they may never feel the Capitol is a safe space again.

To be clear, the Capitol riot was a disgraceful event, and there were some violent people involved who in no way represent Donald Trump's tens of millions of supporters across the nation.

But for the record, there was only one shot fired that day  a shot that killed an unarmed 110-pound Air Force veteran, a woman named Ashli Babbitt. I have written at length about the circumstances of her death and about the fact that investigators closed the shooting review without releasing any details to the public.

Unlike every other officer-involved shooting anywhere, there has been no public information released about the investigation of Babbitt's shooter or the circumstances justifying that shooting  not the name of the officer involved, and not a shred of information about the motive or competence of the officer involved. For that reason, there is no reason to trust the decision to exonerate that officer, especially given the political influence of the Biden/Harris regime in that investigation.

Until this week, the only public knowledge about Ashli's death was in the graphic videos of the shooting here, here, and here  which clearly show the circumstances from her side of the door before and after her death.

What's clear from the videos is that there were four uniformed officers within feet of Babbitt, at least four additional heavily armed riot police, and one or more plain-clothed officers  none of whom made an effort to prevent her attempt to climb through the broken window of the door where she was shot. There is no apparent justification for the officer's actions, and it was fortunate that none of the other officers behind Babbitt were injured by that gunshot.

In the weeks following the "exoneration" of that officer, Pelosi and Chuck Schumer desecrated the death of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer Brian Sicknick, using his funeral as a political fodder to promote Pelosi's call for a "9/11-type commission," ostensibly to keep their Capitol riot narrative going strong. The fact that Pelosi dared compare the Capitol riot with the 9/11 Islamist attack on our country was indicative of the drama she planned.

Wisely, Republicans blocked that charade in May, but a month later Pelosi established a House committee to investigate the "insurrection," noting, "The timeline will be as long as it takes for them ... to do the investigation of the causes of this ... the white supremacy, the anti-Semitism, the Islamophobia, all of the rest of it." That will be a feeder for Joe Biden's assertion that the nation is being besieged by "white supremacists."

Here is what we now know about the officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt.

In late January, based on information then, our staff discussed the possibility that her shooter was a Capitol Police officer named Lt. Michael Byrd. At that time, given the pending investigation, it would have been irresponsible to publish such speculation. We determined we should wait on the outcome of that investigation, despite the video evidence calling into question justification for the shooting.

On 25 February, the then-acting House Sergeant of Arms, in video testimony, referred to the man who shot Babbitt as "Officer Byrd." But we still were determined to wait on the investigation findings, because the USCP declared, "The Department will share additional information once the investigation is complete."

Of course, in April, we then learned that those findings would be sealed from any public inquiry or scrutiny, other than the conclusion that there was "no evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully committed a violation." However, it became clear that if Byrd, a Black USCP officer, killed Babbitt, an unarmed White woman, that will have broader implications regarding the Biden administration's unprecedented concealment of the investigation.

In May there was speculation that the plain-clothed officer might have been a Secret Service agent, but the original statement by USCP on 07 January confirmed that "a sworn USCP employee discharged their service weapon, striking an adult female." Further, the Department of Justice news release about the incident unequivocally stated that it was a "U.S. Capitol Police officer involved in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt."

In June, when Babbitt's family filed suit to determine the identity of the officer who killed her, as well as the circumstances leading to that lethal use of force, their lawyer noted in an interview that they knew the officer involved was the same officer who had left a loaded handgun in a Capitol restroom. That was also an incident linked to Lt. Byrd, who was investigated for that incident in February of 2019.

The USCP has been exempted by Congress from Freedom of Information Act requests, thus the Babbitt family is suing the DC Police, which conducted the investigation, "for documents that identify the officer who shot Babbitt ... as well as notes and summaries of what the officer said regarding the shooting and the reasons he discharged his weapon." Notably, the DC Police would be required by law to reveal the officer's identity if he were one of its own.

At the time, Byrd suggested to other officers that he would "be treated differently" and questioned later about the incident. USCP Communications Director Eva Malecki insisted, "Appropriate actions will be taken," but it's not clear what if any actions were taken because the USCP is not required to disclose the results of misconduct investigations. (This despite the fact that more than 700 complaints have been filed against USCP officers in recent years.)

In congressional testimony on 15 June, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) asked FBI Director Christopher Wray, "Do you know who executed Ashlie Babbitt?" Shockingly, Wray responded, "No, I do not know the name of the person involved in the Ashli Babbitt shooting." Are we to believe that when the DoJ investigates a high-profile shooting in the nation's Capitol building, the FBI director has not reviewed those findings?

Gosar: "Why hasn't that officer who executed Ashli Babbitt been named when police officers around the country are routinely identified after a shooting?" Wray: "I won't comment on that case. It's not something we've been directly involved in so I can't agree or disagree with your characterization."

Gosar: "Do you approve of lethal force against unarmed citizens, especially 110-pound women with no warning, no prior use of nonlethal force?" Wray: "Not going to try to answer a hypothetical, especially one based on a case..."

Gosar: "That actually wasn't a hypothetical. That's actually what happened."

Enter investigative reporter Paul Sperry, who posts in his report, "Naming the Capitol Cop Who Killed Unarmed Jan. 6 Rioter Ashli Babbitt," details and photographic evidence linking Lt. Byrd with the shooting death of Babbitt.

According to Sperry: "Byrd appears to match the description of the shooter, who video footage shows is an African American dressed that day in a business suit. Jewelry, including a beaded bracelet and lapel pin, also match up with photos of Byrd. In addition, Byrd's resume lines up with what is known about the experience and position of the officer involved in the shooting  a veteran USCP officer who holds the rank of lieutenant and is the commander of the House Chamber Section of the Capitol Police. Following the shooting, Byrd's Internet footprint was scrubbed, including his social media and personal photos."

Currently, 53-year-old Byrd is on leave and under 24-hour protective details. Sperry notes: "USCP General Counsel Tad DiBiase [said] 'one of our officers has received death threats, threats to his family, and numerous vile, racist sentiments directed at the officer.' Without elaborating, he said 'these threats are currently under active investigation by the USCP and the FBI.'"

In light of those threats, there was and is nothing preventing the USCP from releasing the full investigative report with the name of Ashli Babbitt's shooter redacted.

Meanwhile, more than 500 protesters have been arrested. Notably, despite the constant Demo and Leftmedia drumming about "insurrectionists," not one protestor has been charged with treason or sedition  most being charged with trespassing.

However, the most dangerous person in DC on the day of the Capitol riot, an actual terrorist, has not been arrested. The FBI and BATFE are offering a $100,000 reward for information to convict the person who left pipe bombs outside both the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the protest.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
Search Engine Google has released a downloadable security update of their Chrome Browser. This is after they revealed there are security exploits in the browser, including a critical one that may be used by hackers to attack sites and mine private information.

The said patch update for the desktop version of the browser, according to Express, will fix a total of seven security vulnerabilities, including the aforementioned exploit.

Google Zero-Day Vulnerability Exploit and The Fix

Google first addressed the existence of the said major security exploit, which branded as CVE-2021-30563, in their recent blog, saying that they are aware of reports regarding said exploit, including an anonymous tip-off.

NEW: Google patches Chrome zero-day, eighth one in 2021



Zero-day is CVE-2021-30563

Update to Chrome 91.0.4472.164https://t.co/8mEwF1AKtA pic.twitter.com/uKocwk9KNu  Catalin Cimpanu (@campuscodi) July 16, 2021

However, according to Bleeping Computer, the company did not share any information regarding the cyberattacks in order to allow a security update to deploy on as many systems as possible before even more threat actors would start actively abusing said exploit.

READ ALSO: Google Removes Android Apps That Steal Facebook Passwords: How to Retrieve Compromised Account, Avoid Suspecting Apps

According to their blog, the said details will be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with the fix.

The said security exploit, according to Forbes, is classified as a "zero-day" exploit, which means that it was been made public before Google could initiate a patch update to solve this.

The said exploit, if the company did not address it, according to Android Police, will take advantage of a bug inside Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. A remote attacker can execute an arbitrary code by tricking the browser's users into visiting malicious websites, while triggering a type confusion error within the said script engine.

Once exploited successfully, the said type confusion will cause the system to be compromised entirely, crashing the browser while reading or writing memory out of the bounds of its buffer.

The CVE-2021-30563, along several similar exploits, were said to be developed and sold by several vendors that provided surveillance to customers around the world.

The CVE-2021-30563 is one of the eight security bugs, seven of which including it are branded as "High" threat, that were solved during Chrome's Patch 91.0.4472.164 update, which is suitable for Chrome Browsers that were installed in Windows PCs, Macs, and Linux PCs.

According to their blog, Google will roll out the said patch update over the coming days or weeks.

How to Update your Google Chrome

According to Android Police, Google made it clear that Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately to stay safe against cyberattacks.

Their devices should automatically fetch said patch update, but in case that some them did not have the said update, there is the manual update.

In order to do so, they need to click the three-dot menu button that is located on the right side of the browser, right beside the photo of their google profile.

Once they clicked it, they need to hover their cursor toward the "Help," click it, then go to the "About Chrome" tab where they will press it.

They need to wait for Chrome to receive the patch update from Google. Once it did receive the update, they will need to restart the browser.

READ ALSO: Kaspersky's 'Random Password Generator' Can Create Passwords 'That Can Be Easily Cracked:' How to Create Stronger Passwords
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 4 members of the Damascus government forces were killed by the bullets of ISIS mercenaries deployed in the Palmyra desert in the eastern countryside of Homs.

The elements were killed during the past two days because they had been ambushed while the Damascus government forces were conducting combing operations in the desert.

It is noteworthy that elements of the Damascus government forces are subjected from time to time to attacks by ISIS mercenaries stationed in the Badia.
Right now, many of my fellow Kent State students are currently in the process of working out exactly how to get enrolled in classes this fall (or possibly summer) and how exactly to get these classes paid for. Seeing as such, I figured it would be appropriate to cover a topic I have been mea
KOCCA will recruit participating companies for its program to support the export of media content. gettyimagesbank





By Lee Gyu-lee







The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) will initiate a program to support local media companies seeking to export their content overseas.







The state-run agency announced on Monday that it will be recruiting potential participants for the program until July 29.







"The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated the digitization of business, so we have come up with these export support programs to help media companies respond to their changing needs through contactless approaches," said Park Seung-ryong, head of the global business division at KOCCA.







The program will consist of three sub-programs: consulting, an online promotion seminar and a business-matching conference. The participating companies will be offered in-depth consulting to build a strategy to target foreign markets and assist in promoting their content through localized marketing, specific to the targeted market. They will also be given chances for business matching with potential buyers.







The online promotion seminar intends to expand channels for local companies to reach and distribute their products in overseas markets by providing platforms other than traditional distribution channels, including e-commerce.







One of the sub-programs, "ON:Hallyu Festival," will provide a platform for participating companies to introduce their content to potential buyers and interact with them online. The festival, which was also held online last year, invited 79 local companies and 137 buyers from 14 countries, attaining $1.3 million worth of export contracts.







This year's festival is scheduled to be held in November and will also include special sessions co-organized by the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).







Local content companies are eligible to apply for individual sub-programs or for all three together. Application instructions and forms can be found on KOCCA's official website.


A cellphone screen shows the Kakao Pay mobile app / Courtesy of Kakao Pay



By Anna J. Park



Kakao Pay has injected a total of 18 billion won ($15.7 million) into Kakao Pay Securities, in a bid to support its brokerage unit's mobile trading system (MTS), slated for launch later this year.



For the capital injection, Kakao Pay secured the brokerage unit's newly issued 1.22 million shares priced at 14,706 won per share.



The total size of the capital increase this time was 30 billion won in total. As Kakao Pay holds 60 percent of Kakao Pay Securities' equity, it paid 60 percent of the capital increase, amounting to 18 billion won. The other major shareholders, including Shinhan Capital with a 36 percent stake, provided the remaining 12 billion won for the paid-in capital increase.



This was not the first time that Kakao Pay injected capital into its brokerage subsidiary. When Kakao Pay Securities raised 10 billion won of capital in March this year, Kakao Pay also took charge of paying 60 percent of the capital increase. Put together, Kakao Pay injected 24 billion won this year alone into its subsidiary. When considering capital injected last year  nearly 20 billion won  as well as the initial capital injection of 55.8 billion won a few years back, Kakao Pay has so far invested nearly 100 billion won into its brokerage subsidiary.



"The capital increase of this round was implemented in order to raise the necessary money to expand the scope of Kakao Pay Securities' service areas, including the MTS. Kakao Pay Securities is planning to launch its MTS program as early as later this year," an official from Kakao Pay Securities told The Korea Times over the phone.



Kakao Pay Securities' logo
Service members in protective clothes wait in front of an A330 MRTT aircraft after it arrived at an unidentified airport in Africa, Monday. Two multi-role tanker transport aircraft will bring back members of the 301-strong anti-piracy Cheonghae unit to Korea from aboard the destroyer Munmu the Great following a mass COVID-19 outbreak on the ship. Those returning to Korea will be replaced by a crew who arrived on the aircraft. Yonhap



82% of Cheonghae unit members test positive for COVID-19



By Lee Hyo-jin



An infection cluster among members of Korea's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit in waters off Africa has drawn the criticism that the government and the military's negligence and mismanagement of the situation have resulted in the largest group infection in the military since COVID-19 reached the country.



A total of 247 service members, or 82 percent of the 301-strong crew aboard the 4,400-ton destroyer Munmu the Great, have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Monday.



All of the crewmembers are expected to be returned to Korea as early as tonight on two aerial tanker-transport aircraft sent by the military, while a replacement crew consisting of around 200 fully vaccinated sailors will bring the destroyer back to its home port here.



The outbreak is suspected to have started July 2, when one of the crew exhibited cold symptoms a day after the vessel left a nearby port where it had docked to load supplies.



He was prescribed cold medicine, and wasn't tested for the coronavirus, according to the JCS.









After several other sailors showed similar symptoms, the authorities conducted COVID-19 tests on 40 using rapid testing kits, all of which turned out negative. Such testing kits are less sensitive than polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and likely to miss an early infection.



Six crewmembers took PCR tests later as their symptoms grew more severe, and all were confirmed positive. After the testing was expanded to the entire crew, an additional 61 members tested positive Sunday, and the figure climbed further to 247, Monday.



None of the crew had been vaccinated, as the vessel left Korea in early February before the nation's vaccination program kicked off later that month.





This undated file photo shows the 4,400-ton destroyer, Munmu the Great. Yonhap
President Moon Jae-in, left, and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga / Yonhap



Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it remains "uncertain" whether President Moon Jae-in will visit Japan this week.



"Currently, the two countries are in consultations (on the issue), but it is still insufficient" in terms of accomplishments expected, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said in a written statement.



It is "uncertain whether (Moon's) visit to Japan and summit talks will take place," the official added on the customary condition of anonymity.



The official cited an "obstacle" that has emerged in the last phase of preparatory talks, apparently referring to inappropriate comments made by a high-level Japanese diplomat here against Moon.



Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy, reportedly told a South Korean reporter that Moon's diplomatic efforts with Japan are tantamount to "masturbating." He was quoted as saying that Japan "does not have the time to care so much about the relationship between the two countries as South Korea thinks."



The Cheong Wa Dae official said there has been "no convincing measure" from Japan in connection with the problem.

Earlier Monday, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Moon plans to attend the Olympic event slated for Friday and hold his first face-to-face summit with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on the occasion.



Park Soo-hyun, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication, immediately said, "No decision has been made yet."



The president is "trying to take a better path than an easy one" when it comes to the Seoul-Tokyo relations, he stressed.



Opinion polls show that many South Koreans are opposed to Moon making a trip to Tokyo to attend the ceremony slated for Friday.



"We are well aware of the negative public sentiment against (Moon's) visit to Japan," Park said. "Following such a public opinion is an easy choice, but (Moon) also needs to think about taking a lonely path as president."



Cheong Wa Dae has openly set a guarantee of making "accomplishments" in summit talks a precondition for Moon's possible trip to Japan. Seoul is seeking a resolution to longstanding disputes over shared history and Tokyo's unilateral export curbs launched in 2019.



Relations between the neighboring countries have remained at a low point due primarily to the thorny issue of compensating Korean victims of forced labor and sexual enslavement by Japan during its colonial rule from 1910-45.



U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been pushing to bring the two Asian allies closer for stronger trilateral cooperation in the region.



The Yomiuri, meanwhile, reported that the Japanese government has decided to dismiss Soma. Cheong Wa Dae's latest statement indicates that Tokyo has yet to inform Seoul of the decision, if true. (Yonhap)
Professional MMA fighter Jung Won-hee / Korea Times file



By Yoon Ja-young



A professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter used his skills to save his neighbors from being attacked by a dog that pounced on a smaller one that was being taken for a walk. The small dog was mauled to death, but the MMA fighter pinned down the attacking dog and saved 10 residents, including the owner of the little pooch, from injury.



According to the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, Jung Won-hee, a professional MMA fighter affiliated with Kingdom Jiu-jitsu Bokhyeon Gym in Daegu, heard a woman screaming while walking through an apartment complex July 10. It was around 9:40 p.m. and he was returning home after meeting a friend.



When he rushed to the scene, a white Pomeranian was being mauled by a large dog. The owner of the Pomeranian and a group of bystanders were unable to restrain the attacking dog due to its size and ferocity.



Jung, a flyweight standing 168 centimeters tall, used what's called a "knee on belly" technique from jiujitsu, using his left hand to grab the wild dog by the back of its neck and pinning it onto the ground. The dog released the Pomeranian and Jung told the owner to take it quickly to the vet. The Pomeranian, however, was later pronounced dead.



Jung let the wild dog loose after the Pomeranian and the owner left the scene. Around 10 apartment residents who watched the incident praised the fighter. Jung headed home afterwards.



News of the fighter's heroic action spread online after the pet owner's husband posted a message describing what had happened. The husband asked people to help him find the fighter to thank him for helping his wife who, without Jung's help, could have been attacked.



After a five-day search, the husband managed to get in touch with Jung by phone. The husband said he wanted to pay the fighter for the help, but Jung refused, saying he only did what he had to do.



Jung told the Hankook Ilbo that he thought about his 100-day-old baby boy while pinning the dog down. "It came to me that my son could also be in a similar situation someday ... I just wanted people to be safe."



He said he was able to control the huge dog, because he grew up with dogs that his grandfather raised in a vineyard in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, which is his hometown. With those dogs around when he was a child, he learned that he could control the animals without hurting them by holding the backs of their necks.



"Since the life of the wild dog also matters, I tried not to hurt it," he said.


Former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon answers reporters' questions before entering Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral in central Seoul to volunteer in offering free meals to the homeless, June 20. Yonhap





By Jun Ji-hye







Former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon has indicated his intention to run in the presidential election scheduled for next March.







He has yet to clarify which political camp he will join, but is most likely to run as an opposition candidate, considering that he met recently with a former leader of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and published a book criticizing the Moon Jae-in government's economic policies.







This would make Kim the third person who served in a high-ranking position in the Moon administration to run as an opposition candidate. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong have already declared their presidential bids  Choe has joined the PPP, while Yoon, who is currently an independent focused on expanding his political influence, has also signaled that he could join the party.







During an interview with CBS radio, Monday, Kim strongly signaled his willingness to run for the presidency, pledging to "devote myself to the people and the future of the country."







"I received many benefits from the country while having been in public office over the past 34 years. It is certain that I should serve my country," he said.







In his book published the same day, Kim directly criticized President Moon's economic policies focused on income-led economic growth, saying that economic growth cannot be accomplished if the government focuses only on increasing wages.






Rep. Park Yong-jin of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea announces his plan to make military service mandatory for both men and women during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 16. Yonhap





By Yoon Ja-young







Some presidential candidates, from both the liberal ruling and conservative opposition parties, are saying that they will introduce mandatory military service for women.







Rep. Park Yong-jin, one of the presidential hopefuls of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea, announced July 16, that he will make both men and women perform up to 100 days of compulsory basic military training if he is elected president. After the training period, they will undergo exercises as armed reserves for a certain period of time. He said that he will establish a committee in the first year of his presidential term to introduce this compulsory military service.







In this way, "the compulsory military service, which is causing social conflict, will be contributing to a strong defense and social integration," the lawmaker said.






The six contenders who will run for the second round of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) presidential primary pose after making it through the first round at the party's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday. From left are Rep. Kim Du-kwan, Rep. Park Yong-jin, former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon, former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae. Yonhap



The ruling Democratic Party (DPK) decided Monday to put off its presidential primary by five weeks in light of the recent upsurge in COVID-19 infections.



The decision was sealed earlier in the day during a closed-door meeting of the DPK's supreme council.



"(The DPK) decided to postpone the first half of its nationwide campaign tour (for presidential contenders), originally slated to kick off on Aug. 7, by four weeks and the second half by five weeks," Rep. Lee Sang-min, the chair of the DPK's election committee, told reporters following the meeting.



"The recent elevation of the country's social distancing regime following mass COVID-19 outbreaks as well as the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and the traditional Chuseok holiday season were taken into account," he said of the background of the decision.



Under the rearranged schedule, the DPK will pick its sole standard bearer for the March 9 presidential election by no later than mid-October, not Sept. 10 as previously announced.



The decision follows the party's monthslong internal division on the issue.



A group of DPK lawmakers, notably those known as supporters of high-profile DPK presidential hopefuls Lee Nak-yon and Chung Sye-kyun, demanded the election of the presidential candidate be put off to November.



They argued early primaries could fail to garner sufficient public attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also claimed the election of the rival presidential candidate by the main opposition People Power Party, slated for November, could steal the show if the DPK's candidate is picked too early.



But, the camp of the party's front-running presidential contender, Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, has been reluctant, apparently out of concern that his current lead in the primary could be negatively influenced, especially at a time when the support rating of runner-up Lee Nak-yon is on the rise.



In late June, the DPK's supreme council opted not to postpone the primary, but put the option back on the table amid the ongoing fourth wave of virus infections, which prompted the country to enforce the highest Level 4 social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area. (Yonhap)


From top, a wildcat, a fairy pitta, an otter, a water deer, a badger and a mink were spotted by the same hidden camera near a reservoir in Mount Wolchul National Park in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, between May and June. Courtesy of Korea National Park Service



By Ko Dong-hwan



The Ministry of Environment has captured what it called "extremely rare" sightings of three endangered species by the same camera in less than a month at a national park in South Jeolla Province.



The species were an otter, a fairy pitta bird and a wildcat. Otters in Korea are classified as a Level 1 endangered species, facing the most imminent threat of extinction. The other two are listed as second-level endangered species.



The three animals were caught by a hidden camera near a reservoir in Mount Wolchul National Park in the province's Yeongam County. The wildcat was spotted May 15; the fairy pitta, May 29; and the otter, June 2.



The Korea National Park Service (KNPS), under the ministry, which had set up the camera to monitor wild animals on the mountain, said Monday that the location where the three endangered species were spotted is where a reservoir meets a forest, providing rich sources of water and food for the wild species.



According to the agency, the national park is 56.22 square kilometers in size, which is comparatively smaller than other national parks in the country, but has a variety of wild species. The KNPS said the hidden camera that caught the three endangered species had also captured sightings of a badger, a mink and a water deer passing by in May and June this year.



Twenty-seven wild species classified as endangered here were confirmed to be living on the mountain as of Dec. 31, 2020, according to the agency. They are the Level 1 otter and copper-winged bat, and at the second level, one fish, two plants, three mammals, three amphibians, four insects and 12 birds.



The Mount Wolchul National Park Office Chief Moon Gwang-seon said the KNPS will study reservoirs and wetlands inside the park more thoroughly in the near future to conserve the habitats for endangered species and improve the environment's ecology.


By Christine Flowers





When Thurgood Marshall was strategizing his legal attack on segregation in the public school system of Topeka, Kansas, he asked psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark to repeat an experiment they had first conducted twenty years earlier in the 1930s.







In what has come to be known as the "Doll Test," the Clarks handed African-American children two sets of dolls, one white and one Black. They then asked the children a number of questions, including "which doll looks the most like you" and "which doll is nice, which is bad?"







The overwhelming majority picked the white dolls as being both "nice," and looking the most like them. From this, the Clarks deduced that the forced segregation of Jim Crow taught Black children to feel inferior. Marshall used this information in his powerful arguments to the Warren Court, and convinced the justices to overturn the principle of "separate but equal."







Among other things, this case stands for the proposition that children are extremely impressionable, and that they will interpret messages in a completely different way than adults. They don't have the mental acuity or sophistication to distinguish fact from fiction, nuance from clarity and are highly suggestible. That's why they always used to say that "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world," because the first powerful influence on a child-its mother-leaves a lasting imprint.







So, however, do teachers. If those teachers start teaching lessons that encourage certain children to feel less valued and important, it doesn't take a psychologist or a Supreme Court justice to realize the damage that's being done.







And that's exactly what's happening with this push in so many school districts to implement Critical Race Theory (CRT) protocols and lesson plans.







CRT is shorthand for a process by which white children are taught that their ancestors enslaved and persecuted the ancestors of their classmates "of color," and that this is the reason that so many of those classmates face discrimination and  the left's new favorite word  inequity.







It's not that the message doesn't have truth in it. Black and brown and immigrant groups have always been subject to discrimination in this society, and slavery casts a long shadow. Jim Crow was still in force when I was born, as my father could attest, and the imbalance in the criminal justice system is a reflection of generational inequality. The fact that populations of color are more likely to face the death penalty than white felons is just one example of the problems.







To attack CRT is not to attack history. But CRT is subversive, toxic and dangerous in that it doesn't just teach about history. It points fingers at those who have no guilt, no investment in past abuses, no responsibility for their classmates' pain, and no obligation to apologize. Children do not bear the mark of Cain.







This is why so many parents are turning out for school board meetings. You just have to Google "Louden, Va." and up pops a series of videos with men and women standing at the podium pleading with the school board members not to pursue policies that will make their children feel like strangers in their own classrooms.







Many supporters of CRT are trying to go on the counterattack, pretending that these policies are nothing more than an attempt to bring transparency to a discipline  history  which has long glossed over the suffering of minorities.







CRT advocates push forcefully back against the suggestion that they are making white children feel bad about anything. But when you sit a third grader down and ask him to reflect upon what it means to be white, which is happening, and when you have discussions about "white privilege," and when you divide kids into groups based on eye color and then give treats to the ones who have the preferred eye color just to show them how racism works, you are abusing that child.







In fact, you are doing as much damage to that child as any adult who uses his or her power advantage to influence thought, action and emotion. Those who have rightfully criticized the Catholic Church for past abuses should be applauding that assertion, although I have a strong suspicion that they won't.







The takeaway from this column should not be that we "cover up" the past. I, as much as anyone, agree with Santayana that those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. But, ironically, repeating the past is exactly what the CRT advocates are doing when they insert damaging and fraudulent theories of privilege and race into a classroom where children are captives to the whims of woke adults.







It was heartbreaking that Black children were forced to feel inferior to their white classmates. It would be equally heartbreaking if, 70 years later, we simply reverse the skin color of the victims.









Christine Flowers (





cflowers1961@gmail.com ) is an attorney and a columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times. This column was distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.
Military should take responsibility for quarantine failure



The worst-ever mass infection among service members has taken place among South Korea's Cheonghae unit aboard the 4,400-ton ROK Navy destroyer Munmu the Great, which is carrying out an antipiracy mission in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday that 247 sailors or 82 percent of the 301 crew have tested positive for the coronavirus.



Unable to operate the unit or the destroyer any longer due to the unprecedented infection cluster, the military sent two KC-330 aerial tanker/transport aircraft to Africa, Sunday, to airlift all of the sailors home. They are expected to return here Tuesday, about a month ahead of their original schedule.



The military cannot avoid criticism for its poor response to COVID-19. It should be held accountable for mishandling the pandemic among service members. The authorities were found to have failed to take timely and appropriate quarantine steps from the start, resorting to only stopgap measures in the absence of a proper contingency manual. For starters, they did not vaccinate the sailors though the vessel is exposed to infection risks with a large number of sailors crowded in closed spaces with interconnected ventilation ducts.



The military said the sailors could not get vaccinated because the vessel embarked on the mission in early February before the domestic inoculation program began. It also cited difficulties in transporting and storing vaccines and coping with the emergency situation as the vessel has been on a mission on far-off seas. Yet this is seen as an excuse for their mistakes. They should have exhausted all possible efforts including mobilizing special air flights to vaccinate the sailors in line with a plan to vaccinate all the country's service members.



The military said the first COVID-19 case in the unit was reported July 2, yet the medical staff treated the patient with only cold medicine without subjecting him to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Though many sailors complained of cold symptoms up to July 10, medical staff conducted only antibody tests which found them negative for the virus. Six sailors tested positive belatedly on July 13 after they underwent PCR tests.



All of this proves the authorities failed to check the spread of the coronavirus although they had several chances to do so. Defense Minister Suh Wook instructed the military to take stricter quarantine measures only when 38 cases broke out onboard the landing ship Gojungbong in April. Despite this instruction, the recent case shows that no due checks, isolation or treatments were made for more than 10 days after the first case broke out among the Cheonghae unit.



President Moon Jae-in and his administration also cannot deflect criticism. Whenever they boasted of "quarantine success" the nation suffered from the lack of vaccines and more mass infections, which have led to the current fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moon has said that Korea has been recognized as the world's exemplary case in responding to the coronavirus. Now we have to ask him a question: How on earth could such a nation fail to vaccinate sailors on an important overseas mission and have them return carrying COVID-19?


A POSCO flag stands alongside a Korean flag at the main gate of the steelmaker's headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in this undated photo. Courtesy of POSCO



By Kim Bo-eun



POSCO is seeking to develop power generation technology using ammonia synthesized from green and blue hydrogen.



The steelmaker is partnering with Doosan Heavy Industries and the Pohang-based Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST) to develop technology utilizing ammonia gas turbines. Representatives held discussions on Monday and agreed to work together to develop the necessary technology.



The power generation technology they are seeking to develop operates a turbine by burning hydrogen produced by decomposing ammonia.



Ammonia is a compound of one nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms. As a result, ammonia is considered as an optimal transportation mode for hydrogen.



However, there are limitations to using ammonia as fuel for power, due to its low combustion rate of only 20 percent compared to that of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is the fuel being used now for gas turbines.



For the first time in the world, POSCO, Doosan Heavy and RIST have developed a way to use ammonia cracking units, or "crackers," to decompose ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen and burn them to operate a gas turbine.



Burning hydrogen and nitrogen gas boosts the combustion rate and calorific value compared to burning ammonia.





POSCO's Hydrogen Business Office Head Cho Ju-ik, first from right, discusses with Doosan Heavy Industries Managing Director Lee Kwang-yol, second from left, ways to co-develop ammonia fuel power generation technology. Courtesy of POSCO
gettyimagesbank



By Kim Bo-eun



The Moon Jae-in administration has been moving toward phasing out coal-fired power generation and nuclear power plants.



As the transition takes place to renewable energy, the government has made liquefied natural gas (LNG) an important source of power generation.



The government is backing LNG because it is more environmentally friendly, with lower levels of carbon emission compared to other energy sources. LNG is known to emit around half of the greenhouse gases that coal does when burnt to generate electricity.



LNG became the largest source of power generation for the country in April this year. The government has unveiled plans to expand the scale of LNG power generation to 59,096 megawatts by 2034. This is up from 39,655 megawatts in 2019. If the planned transition takes place, LNG will become the second-largest source of power generation in that year, accounting for 30.6 percent, after renewable energy which will take up 40.3 percent.



The plan is to bring down the proportion of coal-fired plants' power-generating capacity among that of all power plants to 15 percent in 2034 from 29.5 percent in 2019 and reduce the share taken up by nuclear plants to 10.1 percent from 18.5 percent.



The government plans to construct 19 more LNG power plants by 2030 to enable the transition.



But the high cost of LNG fuel is posing a dilemma  it is more than 10 times higher than that of operating nuclear plants.



Another risk is that Korea relies on LNG imports from the U.S. and Middle Eastern countries such as Quatar and Oman. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is rushing to secure long-term supply contracts to meet growing demand due to the expanded use of LNG. Demand is projected to grow to 4,797 tons by 2034, up from 4,169 tons this year, according to the ministry's plan. This presents a challenge, as Korea will have to secure additional contracts with other countries.



The dependency on imports poses risks, because a failure to secure long-term contracts will force the government to rely on short-term contracts, which would likely bring up costs further, and potentially lead to a rise in electricity bills.




A four-wheel robot produced by LG Electronics that can travel over rough terrain, and therefore can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments, is shown in this July 13 photo. Courtesy of LG Electronics



LG, Hyundai, KT, Hanwha embrace robotics for future



By Baek Byung-yeul



Robotics has long been in the spotlight as a new growth engine in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Robots themselves are being assimilated rapidly into everyday life amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic as more firms see their future in automation.



They are still predominantly used in manufacturing, accounting for more than half of the market; but their presence is increasing in the services sector, such as with delivery companies, restaurants, hotels and banks, and are even augmenting people as drivers and rescue workers.



This being the case, conglomerates are pushing to introduce state-of-the art robotics technologies as future growth engines for their businesses.



"After the virus outbreak, companies are increasingly releasing service robots to minimize face-to-face contact. Firms are capitalizing on the contactless trend and their service quality can be enhanced with more robots being introduced," said Park Il-woo, a director at the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA).



The robotics industry can be roughly divided into two sectors  industrial and services use  with industrial robots accounting for the largest portion to date.



Market tracker Strategy Analytics forecast the value of the global service robot market to expand to $122 billion in 2024 from $31 billion in 2019. Service robots perform useful tasks for people not only in industrial settings, but also at home doing household chores, at stores guiding customers, at banks helping people make deposits and at retail stores stocking shelves. Professional service robots are used for specific commercial tasks operated by experts, such as surgery and firefighting.



Sales by Korea's robotics industry amounted to 5.3 trillion won ($4.6 billion) in 2019, according to data released in March by KIRIA, which supervises the country's industrial robotics policies.



The agency said industrial robots accounted for 52.5 percent (2.94 trillion won) of the total, followed by robotics parts and software accounting for 34.8 percent, service robots for the business-to-business market accounting for 6.4 percent and personal services robots accounting for 6.3 percent.



Among companies that are trying to nurture their robotics businesses, LG Group is way ahead of the pack and has already swiftly introduced a diverse range of robots.



Since he took the helm of LG Group in 2018, Chairman Koo Kwang-mo placed the robotics business as one of the conglomerate's cash-cow projects along with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and automotive electronics.



The latest example of such efforts came July 13, when key affiliate LG Electronics unveiled a new delivery robot that can function both indoors and outdoors.



At the 18th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, the company introduced the four-wheeled robot that can adapt to changing terrains.



LG Electronics, which has already commercialized indoor delivery robots, will continue testing the new robot until the end of the year. "The new robot will bring a huge change to the logistics industry as various kinds of tasks in delivering goods will be simplified when the robot is commercialized," a company official said.





A robot, constructed by Hanwha E&C, delivers food to residents of Forena Apartments in Seoul, July 12. Hanwha launched the project in conjunction with Woowa Brothers, which operates the food-delivery app Baemin. Courtesy of Hanwha E&C



Hanwha Group's construction arm, Hanwha E&C, recently joined hands with Woowa Brothers, which runs the food-delivery app, Baemin, to create robots that can handle deliveries at an apartment complex the conglomerate constructed in Seoul. Robots deliver food ordered through Baemin to the doorstep of each resident at Forena Apartments.



Hyundai Motor Group also wowed the automotive industry in December by announcing that Chairman Chung Euisun will acquire a controlling stake in the U.S.-based robotics company, Boston Dynamics, for $880 million.



Boston Dynamics is famous for its dog-like robots. Hyundai Motor Group said the decision was made to beef up the capability of its future mobility business as the U.S. firm's technology will be used to develop autonomous driving and safety features. To achieve these goals, the automotive group will invest 60.1 trillion won by 2025.





Hyundai Motor employees pose with the carmaker's DAL-e customer services robot at a dealership in Seoul, Jan. 25. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
LG Chem CEO Shin Hak-cheol speaks during a virtual press conference at the firm's headquarters in Seoul, July 14. Courtesy of LG Chem



By Baek Byung-yeul





The Logo for LG Chem's eco-friendly product brand LETZero / Courtesy of LG Chem
Aircraft owned by low-cost carriers are parked at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul in this July 2020 file photo. Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



Domestic low-cost carriers are going all out to draw investments to cope with snowballing losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and to prevent the government from revoking their licenses due to capital impairment, their regulatory filings showed Monday.



T'way Air could avoid capital impairment after raising 80 billion won ($70 million) in April by selling 31.8 million newly issued stocks to W Value-up, a special purpose vehicle established by JKL Partners, a local private equity firm (PEF).



Air Premia, a new budget carrier that seeks to launch flights between Gimpo and Jeju, has relied on JC Partners, another domestic PEF that formed a consortium with logistics provider Korchina, to invest up to 65 billion won in the airline. The consortium has injected 37 billion won into Air Premia so far.



Jeju Air, Air Busan and Fly Gangwon are also trying to raise capital to avoid their total capital becoming less than the par value of their capital stocks.



Jeju Air decided to reduce its capital to 38.4 billion won from 192.4 billion won in August by cutting the par value of its stock to 1,000 won from 5,000 won. The budget carrier, based on Jeju Island, also seeks to raise an additional 200 billion won by issuing new stocks the same month.



Air Busan is pushing ahead with a plan to raise 250 billion won by issuing new stocks in October, although the budget carrier received 80 billion won during the first half of this year from its parent company, Asiana Airlines.



Fly Gangwon had tried in March to reduce its capital to 13.8 billion won from 41.4 billion won and to raise an additional 20 billion won by issuing new stocks. However, the carrier scrapped its initial plan after realizing it would not be enough to avoid capital impairment. Instead, Fly Gangwon decided in June to reduce its capital to 8.2 billion won and to raise an additional 25 billion won by issuing new stocks.



Jin Air is also expected to raise capital from its parent company, Hanjin KAL, or its sister company, Korean Air, by issuing new stocks, although the company said that nothing has been decided so far.



Securities analysts, however, are skeptical, pointing out that a resumption of outbound travel is necessary for domestic budget carriers to achieve turnarounds in earnings.



"I recommend investors to be careful about investing in low-cost carriers," Daishin Securities analyst Yang Ji-hwan said. "Large-scale fundraising is inevitable for them, so there seems to be a dilution of shareholder value."


A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed OPEC logo in this April 14, 2020, illustration photo. Reuters-Yonhap



OPEC+ ministers agreed on Sunday to boost oil supply from August to cool prices which have climbed to 2-1/2 year highs as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.



The group, which includes OPEC countries and allies like Russia, crucially agreed new production allocations from May 2022 after Saudi Arabia and others agreed to a request from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that had threatened the plan.



"We are happy with the deal," UAE's Energy Minister Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazroui told a news conference. Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman declined to answer questions on how the compromise was reached.



OPEC+ last year cut production by a record 10 million barrels per day (bpd) amid a pandemic-induced slump in demand and collapsing prices. It has gradually reinstated some supply to leave it with a reduction of about 5.8 million bpd.



From August until December 2021 the group will increase supply by a further 2 million bpd or 0.4 million bpd a month, OPEC said in a statement. It aims to fully phase out cuts by around September 2022.



The group had agreed to extend their overall pact until the end of 2022 from an earlier planned date of April 2022, to leave more room for maneuver in case global recovery stalls due to new virus variants.



Whilst both Riyadh and the UAE had been supportive of an immediate output boost, the UAE had objected to the Saudi idea to extend the pact to December 2022 without getting a higher production quota.





In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei attends the UAE Energy Forum 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Al-Mazrouei said Sunday that OPEC and allied countries have reached a "full agreement" after an earlier dispute that roiled oil prices. AP-Yonhap
This May 26 file photo shows apps on the screen of a smart phone. Activists, journalists and politicians around the world have been spied on using cellphone malware developed by a private Israeli firm, igniting fears of widespread privacy and rights abuses. AFP-Yonhap

Activists, journalists and politicians around the world have been spied on using cellphone malware developed by a private Israeli firm, reports said Sunday, igniting fears of widespread privacy and rights abuses.



The use of the software, called Pegasus and developed by Israel's NSO group, was reported on by the Washington Post, the Guardian, Le Monde and other news outlets who collaborated on an investigation into a data leak.



The leak was of a list of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of NSO since 2016, the reports said.



Not all of those numbers were subsequently hacked, and the news outlets with access to the leak said more details about those who were compromised would be released in coming days.



Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for media organizations around the world including Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America, the Guardian said.



The use of the software to hack the phones of Al-Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.



Among the numbers found on the list were two belonging to women close to Saudi-born journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by a Saudi hit squad in 2018.





In this July 3, 2020, file photo, Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, talks to members of the media in Istanbul. AP-Yonhap


Description

The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees on Jan. 28 adopted three calendars for the next two school years, with the majority of schools set to have a traditional calendar. Click the appropriate calendar below to see your campuses schedule for the 2021-2022 School Year: Base Calendar

Intersession Calendar

School Day Redesign 1

School Day Redesign 2 Develop and implement lesson plans that fulfill requirements of the district's curriculum program and show written evidence of preparation as required

Prepare lessons that reflect accommodations for differences in student learning styles

Present subject matter according to guidelines established by Texas Education Agency, Board of Trustee policies, and administrative regulations

Establish efficient classroom management procedures

Establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior

Establish a system of students evaluation within the guidelines prescribed in state law or adopted by the school district

Continually evaluate and record various aspects of students' progress and report to parents as needed and required

Teach within the course of study for the subject area at the grade level as prescribed in state law or adopted by the school district

Understand and plan lessons leading to subject area objectives and assume the responsibility for written lesson plans for substitutes

Provide a variety of planned learning experiences using a variety of media and methods in order to motivate students and best utilize available time for instruction

Identify pupil needs and cooperate with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students resolve health, attitude, and learning problems

Be available for counseling with students and parents before and after school.

Share the responsibility of interpreting the educational programs to the community through such activities as open house and PTA meetings

Plan and coordinate the work of aides and other paraprofessional and student teachers (when applicable)

Participate cooperatively with the principal to develop the system by which he/she will be evaluated in conformance with the district's uniform guidelines for evaluation and assessment

Keep accurate records of student information; compile, maintain, and file all reports, records, and other documents required by the school and district

Performs all other tasks and duties as assigned

Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position WORK ENVIRONMENT: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Travel throughout the district is integral to this job. A remote working environment /alternate work arrangement is not an option for campus-based employees/campus-based positions because regular and punctual attendance at the worksite and performing all duties at the worksite are essential job duties for all campus-based personnel.



Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required of this job: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university; valid Texas teacher certificate with required endorsements for subject and subject level assigned.

Demonstrated general knowledge of curriculum and instruction.

Demonstrated knowledge of various routine tasks, duties, and procedures and the ability to follow specific instructions with little or no previous experience.

Present subject matter according to guidelines established by Texas Education Agency, Board of Trustee policies, and administrative regulations.

Establish efficient classroom management procedures.

Demonstrated flexibility to cope with the challenges of a rapidly changing world

Demonstrated willingness to remain current with the latest developments in the profession






Location: 4110-SanLuisGrbg SantaFeRd Ops



Job Title

CDL Driver

Primary Location

San Luis Obispo, California

Employee Type

Employee

Job Description

San Luis Garbage, a Waste Connections company, is now looking for a safety conscience CDL Driver to join the team at our Hauling location in San Luis Obispo, CA. Monday-Friday day shift. Previous waste experience would be a huge plus! Starting hourly pay will be in the low 20s, with regular wage increases. We also offer great family benefits, a 401k, paid vacation, etc. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Ability to safely operate a garbage truck on specified routes to collect solid waste. Waste experience preferred , but not required.

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

Perform routine inspection and maintenance on vehicles such as checking fluids, safety equipment, and tires.

Ability to perform a physically demanding job, loading and unloading, at times with no helpers.

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

Courteous interaction with our customers and perform other miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

A typical schedule for this position is Monday-Friday, with an occasional Saturday as needed, 45 hour work week. WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORT: Extensive physical activity. Requires strenuous physical work; heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling required of objects over 50 pounds.

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

The employee is exposed to outside weather, including frequent wet and/or humid conditions, as well as exposure to fumes and vibration. Noise level is usually moderate. MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS: Valid Class B CDL with air brakes endorsement is required.

Clean driving record.

Ability to read, write, comprehend and communicate in English. High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

Minimum 1 year of experience that is directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Basic knowledge of truck components in order to complete pre- and post-trip inspections. To be considered for any of our current openings you must complete an application at www.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)




WLSFCU is seeking a self-motivated, organized & creative Marketing Specialist. This person will be responsible for establishing & fostering community and relationship development by increasing credit union awareness & membership. This position will be responsible for the development, coordination, execution and analysis of the marketing plan, marketing campaigns and promotions. They need to be consistently pursuing leads for new opportunities for growth within our community. Essential functions including researching industry trends and demographics to develop products and services or marketing programs. Manage all branch delivery channels including website, online banking, direct mail and newsletters. The candidate must maintain a strong knowledge of credit unions products and services and business partner relationships and ensure compliance with laws and regulations affecting the department. The Marketing Specialist will be expected to maintain a strong community presence, present a positive image of WLSFCU and maintain competition awareness. Qualified candidate must have three to five years marketing experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. WLSFCU offers a comprehensive compensation package that includes competitive salary, medical, dental, vision, life/disability insurance and an excellent 401(k) benefit program.

recblid yfuf8j5mcpgdrwi3bubc6fd5jzfg2l










Salary $51,009.21 - $61,987.46 Annually Location Santa Rosa, CA Job Type Full-Time Department Regional Parks Department (RPK) Job Number 21/07-1274-OB Closing 8/3/2021 11:59 PM Pacific Position Information

Do you have experience working in community outreach, recreation and/or environmental education? Are you passionate about connecting people with nature? Become a Community Engagement Coordinator - Bilingual! Starting salary up to $29.70/hour ($61,987/year) plus a cash allowance of approximately $600/month* The Community Engagement Coordinator - Bilingual supports recreation, outreach, environmental education, volunteer services and other related activities to enhance community engagement in Sonoma County Regional Parks. In the Community Engagement Division, this position designs and delivers programs, represents the department at special events and at community forums, and participates in program tracking, documentation, and assessment. As a Community Engagement Coordinator, you will support the development and delivery of programs designed to serve priority audiences which include under-served members of our community, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, low income families, youth, as well as members of our Spanish-speaking community. Additional responsibilities include: Developing relationships with new and existing community partners that serve priority audiences

Assisting in designing and leading park programs especially suited to various audiences Integrating adaptive recreation principles and best practices in inclusive interpretation Coordinating recreational activities that may include van tours, camping, kayaking and interpretive activities such as nature walks, night hikes, etc.

The ideal candidate for this position will have experience delivering outdoor parks-based programming with diverse audiences and coordinating, implementing, and leading outdoor education, volunteer, and/or recreation programs. They will also possess: Experience fostering relationships with community partners such as community-based organizations, health clinics, schools, faith-based organizations, clubs, and neighborhood groups

A positive and adaptable mindset and be self-motivated and goal-orientated

An understanding of principles related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and authentic community engagement

A passion for connecting people to parks and the outdoors with a multicultural perspective

Strong written and verbal communication skills including speaking in front of groups, on the phone, and via email To learn more about our parks and park programs, please visit Sonoma County Regional Parks .



Working at the County of Sonoma The County offers excellent opportunities for career growth and the ability to become a contributing force in strengthening our community. You can also look forward to benefits* which include: An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities

Bilingual premium pay* is an additional $1.15/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for bilingual positions

Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year

Significant portion of health care premiums paid by the County and access to several health plan options

County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits

Retirement fully integrated with Social Security

May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment

Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range

* Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) .



Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at either the basic (conversational) or fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for bilingual positions must indicate their proficiency level in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to appointment to a bilingual designated position to confirm level of skill in this area.



The Civil Service title for this position is Park Program Assistant. This recruitment is being conducted to fill two Park Program Assistant - Bilingual positions in the Regional Parks Department. T his employment list may also be used to fill bilingual full-time, part-time, or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list. County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include coursework that directly relates to natural resource management, education, biology, forestry, behavioral/environmental/social science, recreation and leisure studies, community organizing and development, or a closely related field, AND one year of experience in educating or training about parks, the environment, or natural resources, and/or coordinating recreational programs, that included experience in performing clerical duties.



Required Certifications and/or Licenses: First Aid for Public Safety Personnel (Title 22) card, AND American Red Cross or American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) must be required during the six-month probationary period. For certain assignments (e.g., aquatics), the American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer certificate is required within one year of employment. Once obtained, these certifications must be maintained throughout employment in this classification.



License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: practices and principles of education recreation, and training; fundamentals of instruction and curriculum development; natural resource management; natural and environmental science; community engagement, organizing and outreach best practices; common office procedures and use of office equipment and computer applications, including desktop publishing programs; use of office equipment and office procedures; use of basic hand tools, power tools, and equipment used in routine maintenance of facilities; English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; modern monetary and record keeping.



Ability to: work at remote locations and act independently; communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and effective manner for varied audiences, to include the public, students, interns, and County employees; relate to a wide variety of individuals from different socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups; ; work outdoors with staff and the public in all types of weather; tactfully enforce educational and recreational facilities' rules; follow written and oral instructions; assists with lead responsibility for interns and/or extra-help staff by coordinating and reviewing work and by conducting training; meet deadlines; use current office software, including desktop publishing programs; read and interpret reports; perform basic arithmetic calculations; comply with common safety practices and procedures; detect safety hazards and take corrective action; perform moderate physical labor; perform light maintenance on facilities and interpretative displays.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.

You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.

You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.

Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification. Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.



Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:



An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:



Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.



Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer are contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.



HOW TO APPLY Applications are accepted online at: (see application details) . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (see application details)), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.



The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.



HR Analyst: JT

HR Tech: KC IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.



COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL* These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers: Paid Time Off : Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment. Health Plan : Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.



Cash Allowance : In addition to monthly salary, a cash allowance of approximately $600 per month. Retirement : Fully integrated with Social Security. IRS 457 Plan : Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum. Retiree Medical : County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits. Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development and more. For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process, more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (see application details). Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located here: (see application details) . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to (see application details) or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at (see application details) or (see application details). *IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.




POSITION TITLE: TIG Welder I, II, or III (Metal Fabrication Department) STRONGARM Designs provides the ideal HMI solution to the healthcare, bio-pharmaceutical, food, and other industries. We are diligently seeking to hire a candidate for TIG Welder Level III, responsible for TIG/GTAW welding formed sheet metal and cast metal components. This position provides welded metal components which are used to support and fabricate our entire line of products including CleanMount, Vertica, Mobile Stations, and Suite-Stations.

Join a team and company with endless innovative visions in a rapidly growing, leading industry! JOB DESCRIPTION:

Operate a TIG welding machine to join metal together based on provided engineering print. Fit, tack, and weld metal which include various sizes and shapes from either the press brake, laser cutter, or cast parts. Welding includes components with both square and curved surfaces. Maintain and ensure quality and aesthetic standards for custom, made to order HMI systems. REQUIREMENTS:

Prior experience TIG welding thin gauge stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum a must (typically 14-gauge 304 stainless steel and 14-guage CRS).

Experience reading engineering prints and welding symbols a must.

Able to use and read various measuring devices such as calipers and protractors.

Knowledge of the different types of metal used at STRONGARM (stainless steel, CRS, and aluminum)

Knowledge of sheet metal gauges.

Prior knowledge and ability to weld all typical types of joints (including butt joints, lap joints, corner joints, tree joints, and edge joints)

Able to stand, bend, lift, and/or walk for 2+ hours at a time.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Join metal together using a TIG welding machine including both square and curved surfaces.

Perform measurements/inspection to ensure conformance to work orders and engineering print specifications such as flatness, parallelism, and dimensional tolerances.

Fill non-conforming materials reports for incoming materials that are out of spec or defective.

Ensure quality and aesthetic standards are maintained.

Clock in and out of work order travelers using the VISUAL bar code system.

Follow the daily production schedule.

Perform within the parameters of STRONGARMs policies and procedures.

BENEFITS CRAFTED FOR YOU:

Competitive compensation based on experience and certification

PTO (including sick and personal days)

401K, Health insurance, vision, dental

STRONGARM swag

Biyearly bonuses & yearly raises based on performance reviews

25 coke machine STRONGARM Designs is looking for high-energy, mechanically inclined individuals with a positive attitude and willingness to learn. We at STRONGARM are committed to continuous improvement and seek driven candidates who wish to grow and develop professionally. Click to apply today!

recblid wtee5ha49hbkxs81bgg06z6ohdbufu








Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for optimistic femininity. Today, the brand is a global life and style house with handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home dcor and more. Polished ease, thoughtful details and a modern, sophisticated use of colorKate Spade New Yorks founding principles define a unique style synonymous with joy. Under the vision of creative director Nicola Glass, the brand continues to celebrate confident women with a youthful spirit. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry portfolio a global house of brands powered by optimism, innovation, and inclusivity. general purpose of the position: represent and communicate the kate spade brand and lifestyle to customers through sales competency, product expertise and by providing the highest level of customer service. responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: essential duties and responsibilities client & service expert: achieves individual sales goals develops strong product knowledge across all categories the sales associate is responsible for ensuring exemplary customer service by delivering the ultimate kate spade experience able to develop a personal clientele through effective use of the selling skills, proactive client outreach and use of client book building brand equity: understand and communicate the kate spade aesthetic, brand philosophy and lifestyle to the customer demonstrate interest and ability to work as part of a team operational excellence: execute operational tasks as per company directives accurately processes all pos transactions adhere to and apply visual directives, ensure that store standards are executed daily physical requirements: available to work store schedule, as needed, including evenings and weekends standing for extended periods of time able to safely lift boxes up to 40 pounds comfortable climbing ladders skills and abilities required: professional selling skills and exceptional interpersonal skills prior luxury goods experience preferred proactive ability to multi-task and prioritize works well in a team environment college degree preferred Our Competencies for All Employees Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.

Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Creativity : Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.

Interpersonal Savvy : Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.

Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.

Perseverance : Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.

Dealing with Ambiguity : Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isnt upset when things are up in the air; doesnt have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty. Our Competencies for All People Managers Strategic Agility : Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.

Building Effective Teams : Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in theirteam; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.

Managerial Courage : Doesnt hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and actionable positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary. Kate Spade is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant's or employee's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under the consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law. Visit Kate Spade at www.katespade.com.




This individual will provide nursing care in a college setting by offering services and resources to promote the physical, social and emotional well-being of students, specifically those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The P/T General Staff Nurse will assist with managing the College's COVID Testing program that is required for all employees and students who will be on-campus. They will review test results submitted, maintain compliance, and assist with contract tracing and communications with the community. This individual will also collect, analyze, and record COVID vaccination documentation submitted by undergraduate students. This individual may also assist in the assessment and treatment of minor health related issues, first aid, referrals when indicated including calling Emergence Response (911).

Requirements: REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of a valid license and current registration, issued by the New York State Education Department, as a Registered Nurse, is required. CPR/First Aid Certification is also required. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: At least 1 year experience working in college health and/or public health is strongly preferred. A Bachelor's degree is also strongly preferred.

Additional Information: WORK SCHEDULE: 28 hours/week, generally Monday - Friday, but some night and weekend work may be required. HOURLY RATE OF PAY: $52.80 per hour. No benefits. About Westchester Community College: Westchester Community College was founded in 1946 as the New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in White Plains. In 1957, the County of Westchester bought the 360-acre John Hartford estate in Valhalla and designated 218 acres for the community college. Westchester Community College is more than just the county's largest educational institution. It is a living, breathing part of Westchester that goes beyond the influence of a typical college and affects the lives of all who enter its doors.

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For some students, returning to school full-time after COVID will be a challenge
Dans le Finance Bill, le government va imposer des Fixed Penalty Notice de Rs 2000.00 et de Rs 10,000.00 a ceux qui vont enfreindre les dispositions de la Quarantine Act 2020.

74. Quarantine Act 2020 amended

The Quarantine Act is amended 

(a) in section 2 

(i) in the definition of communicable disease, in paragraph (a),by deleting the word Schedule and replacing it by the

words First Schedule;

(ii) by inserting, in the appropriate alphabetical order, the following new definition  Fixed Penalty Notice or FPN means a notice in the form set out in the Second Schedule;

(b) in section 3 

(i) in subsection (1) 

(A) in paragraph (b), by inserting, after the words allpersons, the words , other than such persons or class of persons as may be specified in the Order,;

(B) by repealing paragraph

(c), the semicolon at the end of paragraph

(b) being deleted and replaced by a full stop;

(ii) by repealing subsection (2) and replacing it by the following subsection 

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)

(b), the Prime Minister may authorise such persons or class of persons to be outdoor and, upon such authorisation, the Commissioner of Police shall issue a permit to those persons to be outdoor on such terms and conditions as the Commissioner may specify in the permit.

(c) in section 4, by inserting, after subsection (1), the following newsubsection, existing subsection

(2) being renumbered as subsection (3) 

(2) For the purpose of preventing a spread of a communicable disease in Mauritius during a quarantine period, the Minister may, by regulations 

(a) restrict a person from having access to a specified institution, place or premises unless he satisfies such medical requirements, and

complies with such conditions, as may be prescribed; and

(b) provide for anything that is required to prevent the spread of a communicable disease, including the closure of premises, restriction of activities and prohibition to attend places.

(d) in section 9, in subsection (1), by inserting, after the words Every person shall, the words , in such form as may be prescribed,;

(e) in section 12 

(i) by numbering the existing provision as subsection (1);

(ii) in the newly numbered subsection (1), by inserting, after thewords be liable, the words , subject to subsection (2),;

(iii) by adding the following new subsections 

(2) (a) Where a person is convicted of an offence under this Act and, as a result of the commission of the offence, the person was quarantined in a quarantine facility, the person shall be liable to a fine which shall not be less than twice the quarantine expenses but not exceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years

(b) In this subsection 

quarantine expenses, in respect of the person referred to in paragraph (a) 

(i) means lodging and food expensesincurred by the Ministry for theperiod during which the person was confined in a quarantine

facility; and

(ii) includes medical expenses incurred by the Ministry for any medical test carried out on the person.

(3) Notwithstanding 

(a) section 114 of the Courts Act; and

(b) section 72 of the District and Intermediate Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act

a Magistrate shall have jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act and may impose any penalty provided for by this Act.

(f) by inserting, after section 12, the following new sections 

12A. Fixed Penalty Notice

(1) Where a person commits an offence specified in the second column of the Third Schedule, the police officer who detects the offence shall 

(a) immediately serve a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) on that person calling upon him to pay, not later than 28 days after the date of the offence, the corresponding fine specified in the third column of that Schedule to the appropriate District Court;

(b) where that person refuses the FPN under paragraph (a), serve, not later than 10 days after the date of the offence, the FPN by sending it by registered post to that persons usual or last known place of residence or business address, calling upon him to pay, not later than 28 days after the date of the offence, the corresponding fine specified in the third column of that Schedule to the appropriate District Court.

(2) The FPN shall be drawn up in quadruplicate.

(3) The police officer who detects the offence shall 

(a) serve or cause to be served the original of the FPN on the offender;

(b) forward one copy of the FPN to the Commissioner of Police;

(c) forward one copy of the FPN to the appropriate District Court; and

(d) retain the fourth copy of the FPN.

12B. Payment of fixed penalty

(1) A person who is served with an FPN pursuant to section 12A shall, not later than 28 days after the date of the

offence 

(a) attend the appropriate District Court specified in the FPN;

(b) produce 

(i) the FPN;

(iii) his National Identity Card; and

(c) pay the fine specified in the FPN.

(2) On receipt of payment made under subsection (1), the District Court Officer shall fill in the relevant part of the FPN and, not later than 14 days after the date of payment, return the FPN to the police officer, as the case may be.

12C. Non-payment of fixed penalty

Where a person who has been served with an FPN under section 12A fails to pay the appropriate fine within the time limit mentioned in the FPN and criminal proceedings are instituted against him for the offence in respect of which he was served with the FPN, he shall, notwithstanding this Act or any other enactment, be liable, on conviction, to a fine which shall not be less than twice the fixed penalty in respect of that offence.

(g) in section 13, in subsection (2)(f), by deleting the words the Schedule and replacing them by the words the Schedules.

(h) by inserting, after section 15, the following new subsection 

15A. Transitional provisions

(1) Where, prior to the commencement of this section, a person has committed an offence specified in the second column of the Third Schedule and, on the commencement of this section, no criminal proceedings have been instituted against him in respect of that offence 

(a) a police officer shall, not later than 14 days after the commencement of this section, serve the FPN on the person in the manner specified in section 12A(3); and

(b) the person on whom the FPN is served shall, not later than 28 days after the date of issue of the FPN, pay the appropriate fine in the manner specified in section 12B(1).

(2) On receipt of payment made under subsection (1)(b), the District Court Officer shall fill in the relevant part of the FPN

and, not later than 14 days after the date of payment, return the FPN to the police officer, as the case may be.

3) Where a person who has been served with an FPN under subsection (1) fails to pay the appropriate fine within the time limit mentioned in the FPN and criminal proceedings are instituted against him for the offence in respect of which he was served with the FPN, he shall, notwithstanding this Act or any other enactment, be liable, on conviction, to a fine which shall not be less than twice the fixed penalty in respect of that offence.

(i) by numbering the existing Schedule as First Schedule;

(j) by adding the Second Schedule set out in the Twelfth Schedule to this Act;

(k) by adding the Third Schedule set out in the Thirteenth Schedule to this Act.
Huawei plans to invest US$150 million in digital talent development over the next five years. This program is expected to benefit another 3 million youth.

 Today we are announcing Huaweis Seeds for the Future Program 2.0. As part of our commitment to continuously developing talent, we will invest US$150 million in this program over the next five years and help college students and young people improve their digital skills. This program is expected to benefit another 3 million people,  said Huaweis Chairman Liang Hua.

In 2008, Huawei began to expand its talent development programs, through scholarships, technology competitions, and digital skills training, and has invested more than US$150 million in these programs. Huawei has since benefited more than 1.54 million people from over 150 countries.

Seeds for the Future is a program that aims to help cultivate young talent around the world, providing them with training from global ICT experts on the latest technology to help them develop the skills and mindsets needed to be competitive in the workplaces of the future.

Huawei introduced this program to Africa in 2014. Over the past years, the program has benefited nearly 2,000 students in more than 25 African countries. The program and Huaweis efforts in ICT talent development has been recognized by many African governments.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has commended the partnership between her Ministry and Huawei for supporting South Africas National Digital and Future Skills Strategy.

Through the Seeds for the Future Program, students will get access to Huaweis latest technology and this will give them a valuable insight into how ICT works to change our lives. This is the 5G, cloud and AI era, and we want our students to get the best skills so they can innovate and create local solutions that will serve our local needs, Stella said.

Yang Chen, Vice President of Huawei Southern Africa Region, said Huawei is committed to Africas human resource development.

Africa has the youngest population in the world. These youth are the continents greatest resource which will power the economy in the future. Huawei partners with African governments, education institutes and industry to equip the future leaders with the latest knowledge at the very highest global levels and provide them opportunities to apply it to achieve a better future for the continent.
In an effort to lure workers, companies are offering higher wages, sign-on bonuses and other perks. In June, the average hourly pay across the nation was up 3.6% compared with a year ago, The Associated Press reported. Some employers, especially in competitive industries such as restaurants and tourist venues, are offering signing and retention bonuses, or more flexible hours.
For those who dont use or have credit and debit cards, cash can still be used, by converting it into recyclable and reloadable CashCards at several locations throughout the festival. These cards work much the same way as a store gift card. No personal information is taken or stored; the cash is loaded onto the card and and can be used and reloaded as needed.
Photographs of the crash garnered various reactions on social media, with many grateful the homeowners were able to get out unscathed. Firefighters had initially been dispatched to a fire with entrapment as the car that hit the home was leaking gas inside the structure.
Many Republicans who want to distance the party from an audit question the cost for counties to comply with Mastrianos demands or argue that its time to focus on future elections. Some say it is highly unlikely it would uncover smoking-gun evidence of widespread fraud, or they point to a slew of GOP-led legislative hearings that, they say, already covered the topic thoroughly and produced legislation.
State agencies can initiate an emergency procurement at any time, not just during a state of emergency declared by the governor or a global pandemic. They have to explain why there is not enough time to obtain multiple quotes for the purchase, as well as how the supplier was selected and how the purchase will help the agency respond to a threat to public health, welfare, or safety, according to the emergency procurement request forms.
During 50 years in medicine, I have had occasion to meet people from many ethnic backgrounds, genders, races and religions. I have learned that the vast majority of people have similar goals  to have enough to eat, to have a roof over their heads, to be healthy, to be safe, to have a job, to live their lives with whom they choose and to be left alone to raise their families, and pursue their dreams as they see them.
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Follow the markets live as the Fed Minutes are released at 2pm EST today.

Gain access to a powerful search engine and most accurate and timely mortgage industry originator and servicer rankings.

It's Fed Day. Are you ready?

If you've been following the MBS Commentary, you know what a big deal this afternoon could be. Markets have been preparing for it for weeks and MBS Live members have been on top of those movements every step of the way.

This afternoon, when markets are convulsing mere milliseconds after the Fed Announcement, MBS Live members will know what's going on before anyone else. The accuracy and speed of our real-time price stream and alerts is unmatched.
Regional

Manipuri activist, held for FB post, freed after Supreme Court order

IMPHAL/NEW DELHI, JUL 19 (IANS) | Publish Date: 7/19/2021 11:58:06 AM IST

Authorities in Manipur on Monday released activist Erendro Leichombam on the Supreme Courts orders, two months after he was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for his Facebook post criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cure for Covid-19.

Officials in Imphal said that Leichombam, 40, was released from the Central Jail on Monday afternoon as a division bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah earlier on Monday ordered his release on or before 5 p.m.

Ruling that a person cannot be kept in jail even for a day for such an act, Justice Chandrachud said: He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We will order his release today.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for his part, requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday. However, the bench did not budge and said the court will grant interim relief now itself.

The bench said: We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith subject to interim directions of this court and subject to further orders.

The court directed its Registrar (Judicial) to communicate the order to Manipur Central Jail for release of the activist before 5 p.m. on Monday. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that he would press for compensation at the next hearing.

The Supreme Court order came as it heard a petition filed by Leichombams father, L. Raghumani Singh, stating that the detention of the activist is a reprisal for his criticism against BJP leaders.

Erendro, a Manipuri political activist, has been preventively detained solely to punish him for his criticism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid, said the petition.

Leichombam and Wangkhem Wangthpi, 41, (alias Kishorchandra) were initially arrested by the police on May 13 for their Facebook post on the complaint of BJP leaders.

On May 17, the day duo were granted bail by the Imphal Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Imphal West District Magistrate Th. Kirankumar, detained them under the stringent NSA.

The plea in the Supreme Court also said that Leichombam has already spent 45 days in custody for an innocuous piece of speech.

A complaint was filed against Leichombam by Manipur state BJP Vice President Usham Deban and General Secretary P. Premananda Meetei, accusing him and Wangthpi of posting offensive comments referring to the death of state BJP President Saikhom Tikendra Singh, who succumbed to Covid-19 at a hospital in Imphal on May 13.

Leichombam and Wangthpi had been arrested twice earlier on charges of sedition and for making various posts on social media against the government.

Leichombam, educated abroad, is the founder of the Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance, a political party whose candidate in the 2017 Manipur elections included rights activist Irom Sharmila. He had also unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls in 2017.

Rights activists and various Manipur-based organisations and elsewhere in the country had then criticised the government for overreacting.
Two women in Russia miraculously survived a swing accident after they fell off a swing on the edge of a 6,300-foot cliff.

A scary video of how the fall happened has been all over social media. This incident took place in the Sulak Valley in the Russian Republic of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea.

In the footage, the two young women is spotted riding a swing on top of a 6,300-foot cliff when all of a sudden the swing chain breaks and the seat of the swing flips. Both of them fell towards the edge of the steep cliff, but the women landed on a flat, raised wooden area just beyond the edge of the cliff.

But after they landed on the platform their friends and family took them to safety, both of them got bruises and scratches.

The Daily Mail reported that the police are presently carrying out an investigation on the safety of different canyon swings built close to Zubutli village, where this incident happened.

Also Read: Amazing! New Tesla Autopilot Tech Predicts Car Accident Before It Happens

Law Enforcement Agencies Investigate the Incident

The swing "did not meet safety standards," said the Ministry of Tourism in Dagestan. Law enforcement agencies and other services are carrying out relevant investigations because these two young women fell off the swing seat, they are doing this to make sure an incident like this won't put people the lives and health of people in danger, the ministry said in a statement.

In the United States, the Grand Canyon is not as deep as the Sulak gorge and the Sulak gorge is described as Europe's deepest canyon.

As per the reports, the local Kazbekovsky council is expected to order the removal of such precipice swings.

Police Prohibits the Attraction

A source told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, the women got scared and got some scratches, but none of them suffered severe injuries. It is terrifying to imagine what could have occurred if they had fallen when the swings were at a maximum height.

The police have prohibited the attraction and others similar to this since the incident. Other measures taken in connection with the accident are still not clear.

An investigation is in progress into the organisers and the safety standards that were step up at the time.

Precautions to be Taken While Using a Swing

Ensure that you hold on to the suspending chains with your two hands.

Avoid swinging too high.

It is not advisable to stand or kneel on the swing because it is very dangerous.

It is not safe to jump off a swing while it is still moving

Avoid going very close to the swing and maintain a safe distance if someone else is using the swing.

Related Article: Crash Test: How Much Damage Can Your Gadgets' Memory Take in Road Accidents?

For more news, updates about swing accidents and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
A New Age representational graphic of antigen rapid test.

The government has finally allowed rapid antigen test for Covid diagnosis in 78 private health facilities, according to a circular issued by the Directorate General of Health Services on Sunday.

Earlier, only the government used rapid antigen test for Covid diagnosis, ignoring health experts call for increasing the number of daily tests by allowing private companies to conduct rapid antigen test.

Covid infections have been very high in the country for almost two months that eventually forced the government to allow rapid antigen test in the private sector.

The government has determined that two test kits  one manufactured in South Korea and the other in the USA  should be used in rapid antigen testing.

People showing Covid symptoms or who have had direct contact with Covid patients in 14 days can take the rapid test, said the DGHS circular uploaded on its website.

Positive rapid antigen test results would be regarded conclusive but negative results would have to be verified by RT-PCR testing, the circular added.

The maximum price of the test has been set at Tk 700 and additional Tk 500 could be charged for collecting samples at home, said the circular.

Rapid antigen testing is considered very helpful, especially during high Covid infection when isolation of an infected individual becomes the key move in containing the disease.

Rapid antigen testing takes minutes to complete while RT-PCR testing requires 24 hours in the country.

About half of Bangladesh districts cannot diagnose Covid-19 in absence of RT-PCR laboratories where, experts said, the introduction of rapid test could play a significant role in Covid-19 management.

Usually, the areas with no Covid diagnosis facilities have to wait two to three days to get their samples tested in areas where the RT-PCR labs are.

The private organisations that have been given permission to carry out rapid test are distributed in 13 districts.

Fifty-seven of the private organisations are in Dhaka, where the countrys highest number of RT-PCR diagnostic facilities is.

Many of the areas, parts of the countrys worst Covid-hit districts, will still find it difficult to get tested even if the new organisations operate in full swing.

Currently, a limited number of people can get tested daily at Tk 100 while the cost rises up to about Tk 4,000 in private RT-PCR laboratories.

Rapid antigen tests are mostly freely conducted by the government.

The government said that it could easily test 50,000 people a day but this number of tests could never be achieved in the country of over 160 million people.
ZIMBABWEANS living in the Diaspora must come home and register to vote in their respective constituencies as voting in their present locations would create a logistical nightmare for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as well as disadvantage some parties like Zanu PF, which are under travel restrictions.

This was said by Zanu PF United States branch secretary for administration, Cde Simba Mujuru, who said Western nations needed to lift sanctions to enable Zimbabwe to develop unhindered.

People must come home and register to vote, otherwise who will foot the bill for all the resources and logistics. It could exhaust budgets. It is not possible for the Diaspora to vote in the US.

The US is just as big as Africa. If we are going to say lets have a vote in America for Zimbabweans in the Diaspora it would require ballot boxes in every state, this will be too costly for Zimbabwe to set up.

All those who want to vote should come back home to their respective constituencies and vote.

Anyone who genuinely wants to vote, the countrys leadership does not refuse Diasporans to vote, but there is no provision for Diasporans to vote in their respective places. There is no such set budget for such provisions. We are under sanctions and it will be an unfair playing field because Zanu PF leaders wont be allowed to campaign there, said Cde Mujuru.

Cde Mujuru said prospective voters in the Diaspora can simply fly to Zimbabwe and exercise their constitutional right to vote. Cde Mujuru said due to sanctions, it was not possible for Zanu PF to go and campaign in the Diaspora.

Our leadership does not have access to voters in the Diaspora, so that they can tell their own story, so that they can campaign. This means that some political parties can go to America and campaign as much as they want, but our leadership on the other hand do not have the access to the voters there, said Cde Mujuru.

Ahead of the 2023 elections, which pollsters predict Zanu PF would comfortably win, the ruling party acting national political commissar Cde Patrick Chinamasa recently said they want to be allowed to go into the diaspora to campaign.

The bulk of Zanu PF leadership are not allowed to go into the United States and United Kingdom due to restrictive measures imposed on Zimbabwe. If you want diaspora vote, first make the playing field level by removing all sanctions, so that Zanu PF leadership can go there to the diaspora and campaign freely without being vetted against sanctions, he said.

Zanu PF US district chairperson, Cde Flo Zezai, said every Zimbabwean regardless of geographical location can vote for a candidate of his choice.

Its a matter of where the voter meets the ballot. Its not about people being denied. In Zimbabwe we say the voter meets the ballot in the constituency. That is the true position.

We are calling upon every Zimbabwean in the diaspora to reach out to the congressmen and lobby for the removal of sanctions. We are educating the people on how racist and illegal the sanctions are.

Most of the people in the diaspora do not understand that. We have also taken the campaign to social media platforms to educate people and tell them what sanctions are. I think a lot of people in the diaspora are not educated in terms of sanctions. That is what we are doing right now, she said. Herald


SOUTH African security agents have reportedly confiscated several goods worth thousands of rand as smugglers attempted to move the loot into Zimbabwe following days of rioting in the neighbouring country.

South Africa has been on fire since July 8, 2021 after the incarceration of its former President Jacob Zuma for refusal to testify before a State capture Inquiry.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently described the yet to be quantified looting as a well-orchestrated campaign to start an insurrection against South Africas constitutional order.

Authorities have moved in to recover looted goods with the military assisting the South African Police Service.

Search and seizure operations are yielding positive results at Beitbridge and Groblersbrug ports of entry as the looted goods are being recovered. Reject and report stolen goods.

Dont buy stolen goods, the South African Police Service tweeted yesterday. Groblersbrug is a border crossing between South Africa and Botswana on the Limpopo River and Zimbabweans usually use it to enter and exit South Africa.

The situation in the country is gradually returning to normal in most parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Members of the South African Police Service remain dedicated to ensure the safety and security of everyone in South Africa, the SA police said.

Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they were yet to record cases of stolen goods from South African finding their way into Zimbabwe.

Last week, retailers in Zimbabwe said they were feeling the pinch of the unrest in South Africa as many were yet to receive goods paid for from the neighbouring country because of the riots and looting.

The Zimbabwean economy largely depends on imports from South Africa. Newsday
NUI Galway launch new online learning hub to promote educational and information resources on sexual consent

Pictured at the launch of a new online learning hub to promote educational and information resources on sexual consent at NUI Galway were pictured: Front row l-r: Professor Ciaran O hOgartaigh, NUI Galway President, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Hildegarde Naughton TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD. Back row l-r: Dr Charlotte McIvor, Dr Siobhan O' Higgins and Dr Padraig MacNeela from the Active* Consent team, NUI Galway. Photo: Aengus McMahon

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD and Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Hildegarde Naughton TD have today launched a new online learning hub at NUI Galway to provide an integrated, publicly-available resource on sexual consent awareness and consent learning resources.

This initiative builds on the work of the pioneering Active* Consent research team in NUI Galway and comes as part of a Government initiative to improve the understanding on the meaning of, and importance of, consent in sexual activity.



At the heart of this partnership will be a dedicated website, populated with resources that have already been developed by the Active* Consent team for the third level sector, as well as newly-designed resources supported by this project.



Launching the initiative, Minister Harris said: No part of our society is untouched by sexual violence and harassment. People need to be safe, empowered, confident, and capable in their relationships and Ireland can take a leading role in confronting sexual violence and harassment. The work being done in our higher education sector on Consent can be a positive educator for other areas, and this online learning hub will provide an important resource not only for our higher education institutions, but also for a wider community.



For higher education students, the programme available through the hub reflects the three levels of the Active* Consent online programme  a consent workshop based on the teams research; an eLearning resource on consent, sexual violence and harassment; and ongoing social media engagement into topics such as disclosure that links to students social media platforms.



For higher education staff, the three tiers of engagement available on the hub will provide awareness raising on definitions, skills, and student support practices; education for decision makers and leaders on how they can support lasting culture change; and in-depth training for those involved in consent education, support for student disclosures, and policy implementation.



The Department of Justice will fund the Active* Consent research team at NUI Galway to create the online learning hub, and is partnering with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on this important initiative.



Minister Naughton, speaking at the launch in NUI Galway, said: There can be no place for any forms of sexual violence and harassment in our society, and there can be no room for doubt or ambiguity on the meaning and importance of consent.



We must improve peoples understanding of what consent is, and what healthy consent looks like. This initiative will be an excellent resource for the third level sector and beyond.



It is an important commitment in Supporting a Victims Journey, the Department of Justice roadmap to improve the justice system for victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases, and will contribute to our national campaign on consent later this year.



NUI Galway President, Professor Ciaran O hOgartaigh, said: "NUI Galway is delighted to partner with the Department of Justice and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on this excellent initiative. At the heart of NUI Galways values are respect and openness. By championing respect and openness through initiatives such as the online learning hub, we can have a profound and sustainable transformative impact on society. We look forward to supporting this initiative and all who participate."



Dr Padraig MacNeela, Active* Consent Programme Co-Lead, NUI Galway, said: The online learning hub is based around the idea of consent literacy for all members of our society. This means that people feel confident in their knowledge and understanding of consent, their communication skills with partners, how to access supports themselves or help others to do so, and how we can safely challenge unacceptable aspects of our culture.



We will work with our partners such as Galway Rape Crisis Centre and Rape Crisis Network Ireland to create the resources we need to have a culture of consent in our colleges, schools, and communities.



See short video on Active* Consent - Sexual Violence and Harassment: How to Support Yourself and Your Peers, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG4OcQfYhs4&t=1.



-Ends-
Canada is also far outpacing the U.S. in percentage of people who are at least 18 years old who have received at least one dose, 80% to 68%.
A federal judge ruled to allow Indiana University to keep its COVID-19 vaccination requirement in place for all students, faculty, administrators and other employees at all campuses ahead of the approaching fall semester.
Across the country, the daily number of COVID cases has soared by nearly 20,000 over the last two weeks to about 32,000 and while the financial markets have been showing signs of concern, the U.S stock market remained resilient overall - that is, until Monday.
In the last seven years, the mayor has made public statements about his personal role in the decision making process. Literally, from the day after Eric Garner was killed, he made those declarations both to the family of Eric Garner, but also publicly. He said that he is involved in determining what the investigation would be, in making sure that it would be an expeditious investigation, Lucas said in court.
I think there may have been an assault, as part of what (the victim) did, which is what aggravated the response, LaPerutas lawyer Todd Cushner told reporters. He was going to assault Tekashi or he was in the process of assaulting Tekashi.
The White House announcement came shortly after the unsealing of a federal indictment charging three Chinese security officials with hacking a wide array of targets for the government between 2011 and 2018. The hacking operations were aimed at stealing information from aviation, defense, education, government, health care, biopharmaceutical and maritime industries to the benefit of Chinas commercial sector, according to the Justice Department.
But Poppe wanted to know if race had sparked the dismissals  particularly for one of potential jurors who, according to the Appellate Division, indicated that his brother was a recently retired New York City Police Department Special Victims Division detective, and that [the potential juror] had experienced an attempted burglary.
An actor from the hit series The Wire accused a Brooklyn journalist of sexually abusing him by touching his buttocks on two occasions  but the woman says it was in the context of a consensual relationship, her lawyer said.
There were no immediate arrests and cops have yet to establish a motive. Police said the victim had two prior arrests, one for robbery and one for disorderly conduct.
She doesnt know anything yet, Barns said. I called her thinking she knew, but I couldnt tell her the news. My daughter and him were trying to bring her back to New York. She was telling me how EJ and Makeda were trying to get her back to the Bronx. She has no idea.
The victim was with a woman when a black car pulled up on 132nd St. near 32nd Ave. in Flushing and somebody inside opened fire about 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, cops said. The man was struck in the head and left arm.
Kristy Mazanares had told Kenneth Manzanares she wanted a divorce, and he admitted to authorities that his behavior had gotten out of hand. He also dismissed the two children, who merely moved to an adjacent room and caught party of the beating and all of the screaming, according to NBC News.
The U.K. joins four other countries and territories added to the CDCs Very High warning list on Monday: the British Virgin Islands, Fiji, Indonesia and Zimbabwe. More than 50 others have been on the list for at least a week  including South Africa, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Brazil, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Uruguay have been on the list for months.
The couple said 50% of the trees they planned on selling this year were unsalvageable. Similar conditions are likely at other tree farms, especially ones where forest canopy did not offer protection from the heat, meaning customers can expect fewer options and higher prices when they buy a tree in several months, even in states outside of Oregon.
Alligator trapper John Davidson, who was called in to assist, told TCPalm that the bicyclist fell off his bike taking a sharp turn and fell onto the alligator who was in nearby water. The animal reacted by biting him two or three times.
Again, we dont know the motives of the suspect. We dont know if the suspect was in a mental health crisis, all that will be part of our investigation, Slinkard said, according to ABC 13.
As the boys sat in a car with a handgun that one of them brought to the scene, the older teen discharged the weapon, striking the victim at least once, according to police. Investigators believe the shooter did not know the gun was loaded, Police Lt. Richard Bell said at a news conference live-streamed by local news station KUTV.
Guns travel up the iron pipeline along I-95 from states like Florida or Georgia or Pennsylvania where gun laws are far less strict, Gillibrand said in the news conference. The percentage of illegally trafficked guns in New York State has continued to grow in recent years, but I refuse to believe that we cant stop these illegal guns from coming into our state.
It wasnt just the long wait for results and the boards inclusion of test ballots in official results that earned the ire of opponents. Many say the city should have done more to educate voters about the new ranking system and better trained poll workers.
Both infrastructure packages have stalled for weeks while lawmakers disagree on everything from the scope of the plans to how they should be financed. Democrats hope to pass the smaller bill with some Republican support and potentially push the more expensive bill on their own.
Theres no policy that would do more to confront the root causes of the affordability crisis, said Torres, 33, who formerly served on the New York City Council and has long kept a laser focus on affordable housing. It represents the implementation of housing as a human right.
Abdullah had a difficult relationship with former President Donald Trump, who he saw as undercutting any chance for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israels capital. He also chafed at the Trump administrations pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords  deals with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.
When we think of climate change, we tend to think of the classic fossil fuel problem. This is one of the additional threats to carbon, and to climate change potentially, that hasnt really been explored in any global sense.
This paved the way for 2012, when some of Westergaards comics were published in the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo out of Paris. In 2015, gunmen burst into the magazines offices, massacring 12 people. A total of 17 people were murdered across France in three days in a series of attacks, according to The Guardian.
And while we do intend it to be used in every school, theres room for some schools to do things differently. Thats why there will be a waiver process; if a principal thinks that she has a curriculum aligned to standards thats working well for her teachers, she can communicate with her superintendent and get the flexibility to continue doing things differently. We get that theres no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to a place as complex as New York City.
Two: Eliminate as much of the bureaucracy north of schools as possible and put the savings into schools and classrooms. Most principals and teachers would agree that central and field offices provide little to no value added to their efforts to educate children. Cutting back on those who provide these non-essential and often useless services will eliminate distractions and provide more money to schools to reduce class size and enrich the curriculum. The goal should be to recoup sufficient funds to hire three teachers for every two classes of kids pre-K through grade 12.
Of course, ranked-choice voting isnt the only factor in this huge success. We and other candidates won our races by building strong, broad and diverse coalitions of support, including everyone from NYCHA residents to immigrant communities to union members to faith leaders to long-time district residents. With or without ranked-choice voting, we were always planning on running campaigns that reached every voter, in every neighborhood, to talk about the issues that matter to our communities, from affordable housing to fully-funded schools to a real plan for racial equity. New changes to the citys matching-funds program, which amplify small-dollar contributions, also helped power campaigns with grassroots support up and down the ballot.
I am honored to know that a brand such as Budweiser wanted to celebrate my son in this way, B.I.G.s mother Voletta Wallace said with the products announcement. Christophers legacy and brand value is extremely important to myself and the family and memorializing him on the can of an iconic beer brand such as Budweiser is something I believe he would be happy with.
Despite this, the impossible conditions created by the blunt instrument that is the Governments isolation guidance, mean that we cannot continue, Webber wrote. We have been forced into a devastating decision which will affect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people and disappoint the thousands who have booked to see the show.
Its been like a rocket ship, Rowley, 50, told the Daily News about the books success. It just seems to have taken off in a way that I could not have imagined, he said. Maybe a book about having a character who has been very self-isolated and [who] is finding his way back to the light has sort of lined up with the times.
Can we put in underwriting criteria that are very explicit, for example, that we will not write a [building] without a full structural integrity engineering report? Will we need to require a 40-year certification in order to [cover] a residential condominium? By doing that, we can stop that business from coming in.
Pickhardt said he has asked health officials to come back next week and do another round of COVID testing to catch any more of the asymptomatic cases and confine the spread. We have always been prudent and mindful of how we manage during the pandemic. We are following standard protocol just in case of the possibility of one or two further being identified.
If you are not vaccinated, nows the time to do so, he said. For those individuals who are being affected by others, l wish that there was more that I could do to protect you. However, you hold the key to your own destiny during this public health crisis...by simply getting vaccinated. 
Medical personnel administers COVID-19 vaccines and tests at the Orange County Health Services drive-thru site at Barnett Park in Orlando, Wednesday, June 16, 2021. In partnership with the Florida Department of Health, vaccinations and testing are free and available daily 9am to 5pm. The vaccinations are available for ages 12+, with minors required to be accompanied by a legal guardian. The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are being administered at the Barnett Park location at 4801 West Colonial Drive. (Joe Burban/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
It was like Lazarus was back from the dead  if he came bearing bowls full of curry-soaked noodles: A social-media post announced the return of Bangrak Thai Street Kitchen  the dishes of which Orlando hasnt tasted since late 2019 when Orlando native Dylan Eitharong made the choice to leave behind his successful pop-up and head to Bangkok, the home of his father.
Louis Grayson, owner of Ramen Lab Eatery at 25 Northeast 2nd Ave., said his restaurant was closing at the time. Three men walked up with pizza from a neighboring business and unstacked the chairs and plopped down. A waitress nicely told them they should leave, and thats when the profanity started.
Earl Henry Jones, 42, was arrested Sunday, July 18, 2021, after the Monroe County Sheriffs Office said said he punched his Uber driver in the face, put him in a headlock and threw him to the ground in Key West, then stole his vehicle. (Monroe County Sheriffs Office)
Not the people on the beach giving him a wide berth. Not the frightened children  a group of junior lifeguards  who fled just as police arrived, according to their report. Not the beach safety supervisor who called the police, nor the lifeguard who feared for his safety and called his boss, nor the worried woman who complained to the lifeguard in the first place.
The Core Group statement was issued hours after Moises wife, Martine, arrived in Haiti on Saturday aboard a private jet clad in black and wearing a bulletproof vest after being released from a hospital in Miami. She has not issued a statement or spoken publicly since her return to Haiti as the government prepares for the July 23 funeral that will be held in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Other events to honor Moise are planned this week in the capital of Port-au-Prince ahead of the funeral.
The new figure will recite the oath of office, which was recorded by Biden at the White House especially for the attraction, Disney says. Donald Trumps animatronic also was programmed to say the presidential oath. Every sitting president since Bill Clinton has had a speaking part.
Riding his elliptical bike through the streets of Celebration, this workout junkie pumps his way past picture-perfect homes with white picket fences in what was touted as an American utopia. Find out how the New Urbanism town of Celebration has evolved since The Walt Disney Company first built it back in the 1990s. (Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Oswego, NY (13126)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
New York, US (PANA) - As the official COVID-19 death toll around the world passed 4 million earlier this month, UNICEF is increasingly concerned for children left without one or both parents, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said on Monday in a statement on children deprived of parental care due to the pandemic
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  Nigerias Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, on Sunday ordered a nationwide beef up of security as part of the efforts in fighting crimes and criminality and improving public safety and security
Bradda Head Holdings Limited's ( ) chief executive Charles FitzRoy joins Proactive London on their first day as a listed company after raising 6.2mln as part of its AIM flotation.

FitzRoy explains why they are a 'unique' lithium focused exploration company with three sedimentary lithium assets (Wikieup, Burro Creek East, and Burro Creek West). As well as one pegmatite asset (San Domingo); and 3 brine assets (Wilson, Spencer and the Pennsylvania brines).
No one has been injured and all staff on site are safe

( ) revealed that the collision of three robots caused a fire at its fulfilment centre in South London on Friday.

The online grocer said no one had been injured and all staff on site are safe, while less than 1% of the grid was damaged.

The FTSE 100 group said that most of the plant is in good condition, aside from some residual smoke smell, and it is working to restore normal service as soon as possible.

The Erith facility, which normally handles up to 150,000 orders a week, is expected to resume operations this week.

Its the second fire for Ocado, after the Andover warehouse burned down in 2019 due to an electrical fault.

There is reputational risk from cancelling swathes of orders  small Id say  but nonetheless to be considered, analyst Neil Wilson at Markets.com commented.

But the main thing investors are concerned about is the safety of the technology  will this be repeated? It is only two years since the Andover facility burned down. Will this impact on future deals with international partners?

Shares shed 3% to 1,759p on Monday morning.
Tencent first bought a stake in the AIM-listed company in late 2019

Chinese gaming giant Tencent Holdings has agreed a near-1bn takeover of ( ), a video games developer, designer and industry services provider.

The deal values the British company at 919mln ($1.3bn), the pair said in a statement.

Shareholders in Sumo will receive 513p cash per share, a 43% premium to Friday's closing price and a multiple of 55 times on an EV/EBITDA basis.

Tencent first bought a 10% stake in the AIM-listed company in late 2019 at around 150p, two years after it floated on the junior market at a price of 100p. This stake was since diluted to 8.75% but the Shenzhen-based group has also received irrevocable undertakings in favour of the deal from investors holding circa 27% of Sumo shares in issue.

Sumos board intends to unanimously recommend the offer, it said, while Sumo chairman Ian Livingstone added: "The board of Sumo firmly believes the business will benefit from Tencent's broad videogaming eco-system, proven industry expertise and its strategic resources, which will help secure and further the aspirations and long-term success of Sumo."

Games that Sumo has developed or co-developed include Hitman 2, 'Sackboy: A Big Adventure', Outrun 2', Snake Pass and Spyder, plus Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed and Team Sonic Racing for SEGA, LittleBigPlanet 3 for and Forza Horizon 4 for Microsoft.
Pub company Greene King said it has been forced to close 33 pubs in the past week due to staff self-isolating

( ) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) are among a growing chorus of groups urging the UK government to ease self-isolation policies in an effort to tackle the so-called pingdemic of staff shortages caused by large numbers of isolating workers.

The UK workforce is increasingly facing a risk of staff shortage as the surge in cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) leads to more people being pinged by the NHS Test and Trace app and being told to self-isolate for ten days.

On Monday, supermarket group and pub company both said they have had to shut some venues because of staff shortages as the app has forced staff to self-sisolate.

Earlier, the CBI suggested that the government should urgently bring forward its plans to allow double-jabbed individuals not to self-isolate if they have been informed by NHS Test and Trace that they have come into contact with a Covid positive individual. The group said the government should not wait until August 16 when the policy is currently intended to come into force.

The CBI also said those who have not had two doses of the vaccine should not need to self-isolate if they take daily lateral flow tests which record as negative for a prescribed number of days and report them to the NHS.

said some stores had been unable to open as around 1,000 staff have been "pinged" by the NHS app, according to a report on the BBC, while said in a statement that it has closed 33 pubs in the past week due to staff self-isolating and gym operator Pure Gym also reported around a quarter of staff were having to isolate.

As firms are hit by Covid pings, Puregym boss Humphrey Cobbald says, Weve been talking for a while internally about living in the United Pingdom & its become a huge challenge for individuals & businesses. Up to 25%, in some areas, of our staff have been asked to self-isolate."  Rob Young (@robyounguk) July 19, 2021

Last Thursday it was reported that more than 520,000 people had been 'pinged' in the previous week to 7 July, up 46% on the week before, saying they had been in close contact with someone with the virus.

Companies including Rolls-Royce and Nissan were reported as warning that a slowdown of production might result.

With restrictions being lifted and cases rapidly increasing, we urgently need a surefooted approach from government, creating confidence to secure the recovery. This starts by immediately ending the self-isolation period of ten days for people who are double-jabbed and providing a route out of isolation for those not yet fully vaccinated through daily lateral flow testsAgainst the backdrop of crippling staff shortages, speed is of the essence, CBI president Karan Bilimoria said in a statement.

Building and maintaining confidence is key to securing the economic recovery. Business and government will continue working together, helping people and businesses live safely and successfully with the virus. Mask wearing in enclosed spaces, especially transport, will help create confidence for both staff and customers, as will clarity around the future availability of free testing for employees, Bilimoria added.

Meanwhile, M&S chief executive Steve Rowe told The Sunday Times that COVID-19 cases were doubling each week and around three times as many staff at the retailer were being pinged by the NHS app.

Rowe also warned that the number of M&S staff self-isolating meant the company may need to reduce opening hours at its stores and that late deliveries and food wastage were increasing.

The publication also quoted a senior source at a large supermarket chain who said the pingdemic could result in a massive disruption in food supplies and store closures due to a shortage of staff.

A spokesperson for Greene King, which is owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, said: People having to self-isolate because of getting pinged through the app is becoming an increasing problem.

"In the last week alone, we had to temporarily close 33 pubs, which is making it even more challenging to rebuild trade as we reopen and is very disruptive for our team members.

"Along with the rest of the hospitality industry, we are calling on the government to roll out a test to release scheme to impacted industries, allowing people to continue working if they receive a negative lateral flow test result.

Shares in M&S were down 2.7% at 134.6p in early deals, while pub companies ( ), plc ( ) and Marston's ( ) were down more than 1%, 2% and 3% respectively, while Wagamama owner Restaurant Group ( ) was down 6%.
Shanker Patel knows Lords Group Trading (LON:LORD) from the bottom up.

I was the student that worked there whilst I was studying and going through law school, says the chief executive of the specialist distributor and retailer of building, plumbing, heating and DIY goods.

When decision time came to qualify as a solicitor or move into the business proper, he plumped for the latter. There were times when I wondered why I had chosen this path when I was working behind the counter of shops with no heating, or I was lugging around pots of paint.

Hes now at the very top of the tree, but it seems those formative experiences have shaped the way the Lords boss has developed the business as one that invests in its people. It is one of the companys three Ps that are the basis for its success.

The others are plant and premises. Judging from the branch I visit regularly, the premises have come a long way from when Patel was shivering behind that counter. They are light, airy and the complete antithesis to the traditional high street hardware shop.

Investment in people

In order to drive growth, you inject investment; but it doesn't have to be investment always in capex [capital expenditure], says the Lords CEO.

Investing in your premises and people sometimes has the best reward. But we know, because we're in quite operationally heavy businesses - distribution, merchanting retail  theres always going to be investment in our plant and machinery needed and, of course, into digital [infrastructure].

Im speaking to Patel at a critical juncture in the companys 35-year history, one that should accelerate the growth trajectory. Lords London Stock Exchange float is expected to value the business at 150mln. Crucially, it will provide management with 30mln of cash that will fund a mix of organic and acquisition-led expansion.

The aim is to almost double turnover to 500mln by 2024 from 288mln currently. At the same time, Patel and his team aim to increase the net return on sales from edging towards 5% to the 6%-7% enjoyed by larger operators such as .

That latter goal provides the potential future reward for investors getting in at the IPO, the Lords CEO believes. That 200 basis point delta [two percentage points increase] between where we are currently and where we want to bethat's really the upside for anybody wanting to invest in this business.

Bolt-on deals

Having scaled up when it bought its plumbing and heating business, Lords is looking at bolt-on deals to supplement self-generated growth and help boost the all-important net profit margin. To date, it has completed 11 transactions.

Negotiations normally kick off in the same vein, which speaks to the emotionally intelligent way the Lords team conducts business. They start with lunch. It may sound a loosely informal means of initiating talks over a transaction costing millions of pounds, but there is method to this approach.

You are giving respect to the vendors for what they have created, says Patel of the practice.

Generally, these are owner-managers who might have family in the business. There might be five issues they want to discuss with us before we get to price.

You do that over lunch; you have a conversation. You find out what really matters [to the vendor]. Youve formed a relationship. And that relationship, if it starts well, it makes the transaction easier.

Potential sleeper

The potential sleeper in the Lords business is the online operation, which at just under 10% of sales still represents a fairly chunky 25mln of annual revenues and is growing rapidly.

We are not just what you see online. We are online-in-store, says Patel.

The trouble with a purely online company is it's a one-time transaction event with a customer. The thing with us is you can transact with us online and in-store, on the telephone, via email, whichever channel you prefer to use, you can use it. But then we're local in terms of our fulfilment.

Patel says the Citys feedback from a round of talks with investors ahead of the IPO has been positive. Those funds and institutions likely to take a stake have bought into the vision and ethos as well as the financial projections.

With a free float of shares 34.5% - i.e. the percentage of shares not held by committed long-term holders - Lords will still ostensibly be a family-run business.

But as Patel points out some of the worlds best and biggest companies are just that  run on the family equity model. The American retail giant Walmart is dominated by the Walton clan, luxury goods group Richemont and Nike also remain under the control of the founding families.

We are a family-owned and professionally-run, says Patel. Professionalism is everything for us. But we are not just driven by a buck; we are driven by doing things right by all our stakeholders.
's ( ) Tom Oakley talks to Proactive London's Katie Pilbeam about their first contract with a private business for its Bleepa clinical communications technology.

Oakley says it's a 'big moment for Bleepa, taking technology to veterinary care, starting with horses'.

The contract is with the equine arm of the veterinary group CVS, covering 20 surgeries.

Oakley demonstrates the technology which he says validates their expertise with the flexibility of Bleepa within new markets and makes veterinary practices 'transformative'.
Shares have slumped 20% since a trading update in May

Its time for a rethink about the way investors look at Vodafone PLC ( ), according to Barclays.

Forget worries about Germany, Spain/Italy and debates about how much the free cash flow might be worth that admittedly, says the broker, give an unexciting result about the future.

Instead, remember these areas only account for 15% of the business and that 85% is in Infrastructure, B2B, Emerging Markets and German Consumer, where Barclays believes the outlook is much more constructive.

We would expect Vodafone to move gradually towards this way of reporting, which we believe could (finally) unlock value in the SOTP - our price target remains 165p.

Shares today were down 2.5% at 113.6p having slumped 20% since a trading update in May.
Cyprium Metals recently intesected sulphide ore grade copper in the second diamond hole, part of a phase 1 diamond drilling program at the Nanadie Well Copper-Gold Project in Western Australias Mid-West.

( ) is now a step closer to creating a product that will ride on the EV Revolution that is on a rising tide.

It has been about three months since our first Coffee with Samso: A New Copper Producer - An Overnight Success, with Barry Cahill where he announced the acquisition of the Nifty Copper Project.

The process was always going to be long and boring as the company was gearing up on the mining perspective. The ramp up to mining for a project like this is not simple and refurbishing a mining project is that much more complicated.

In this episode, I was interested to know what is happening at the mine site and the regional exploration activities. We know that planning and ramping up is a matter of procedure and administration. There is no doubt about the business. The resource and the technology are not questioned. We are talking about True and Tested technology.

This is why excitement has been brewing and a robust mining plan is being refined. This is most evident in the discovery of more metal in gaps that were left untouched by the previous operator.

Barry shares with us the recent drilling results which appear to have added more metal content to his spreadsheet. As he says, what appears to be waste is not payable dirt.

Exploration has started in the IGO JV and that will just take its course as activities on the ground gain momentum. Barry shares his thoughts on the recent announcement on the drilling results from Nanadie Well and we also discuss the increased prospectivity of the project.

PODCAST

About Barry Cahill

Executive Director

Mr. Cahill is a mining engineer with over 30 years experience in exploration, operational mining and management. In particular, his experience covers management of project development and construction from exploration drilling through project funding, commissioning and development. He was the Managing Director of Finders Resources Limited from 2013 until its takeover in 2018. Mr. Cahill has previously been executive director of a number of public companies including operations director at and Managing Director of Australian Mines Limited and Norseman Gold Plc.

About Cyprium Metals Limited ( )

Cyprium Metals Limited (ASX: CYM) is an ASX listed company headquartered in Perth, WA, that is poised to grow to a mid-tier mining business and manage a portfolio of Australian copper projects to deliver vital commodities, strong shareholder returns and sustainable value for our stakeholders.

Cyprium has projects with mineral resources of 200,000 tonnes of copper (Hollandaire 51.5kt JORC 2012 and Nanadie Well 151.5kt JORC 2004) and 100,000 ounces of gold (Hollandaire 28.8koz JORC 2012 and Nanadie Well 74.2koz JORC 2004) in the Murchison region, an established Western Australian mining jurisdiction, which includes the Cue Copper Project and the nearby Nanadie Well Copper Gold Project.

Cyprium has a highly credentialed executive management team in place with a meaningful equity investment, to target projects that have a copper mineral resource, with sulphide mineralisation and high sulphide content, together with excellent potential to increase the size of the mineral resource.

The development of the projects will be optimised using low-cost sulphide heap leach, which is ideal for stranded projects, problematic mineralogy, lack of scale and/or challenging locations. Innovative processing solutions will be used with the aim of producing final metal product on site to maximise value.

Cyprium pursues their strategy with all of their stakeholders, which includes employees, global markets, suppliers, shareholders, communities and government, that is based on integrity, co-operation, transparency and mutual value creation.

Please let Samso know your thoughts and send any comments to info@Samso.com.au. Remember to Subscribe to the YouTube Channel, Samso Media and the mail list to stay informed and make comments where appropriate. Other than that, also feel free to provide a Review on Google.

For further information about Coffee with Samso and Rooster Talks visit: www.samso.com.au

About Samso

Samso is a renowned resource among the investment community for keen market analysis and insights into the companies and business trends that matter.

Investors seek out Samso for knowledgeable evaluations of current industry developments across a variety of business sectors and considered forecasts of future performances.

With a compelling format of relaxed online video interviews, Samso provides clear answers to questions they may not have the opportunity to ask and lays out the big picture to help them complete their investment research.

And in doing so, Samso also enables companies featured in interviews to build valuable engagement with their investment communities and customers.

Headed by industry veteran Noel Ong and based in Perth, Western Australia, Samsos Coffee with and Rooster Talk interviews both feature friendly conversations with business figures that give insights into Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) companies, related concepts and industry trends.

Noel Ong is a geologist with nearly 30 years of industry experience and a strong background in capital markets, corporate finance and the mineral resource sector. He was founder and managing director of ASX-listed company Siburan Resources Limited from 2009-2017 and has also been involved in several other ASX listings, providing advice, procuring projects and helping to raise capital.

He brings all this experience and expertise to the Samso interviews, where his engaging conversation style creates a relaxed dialogue, revealing insights that can pique investor interest.

Noel Ong travels across Australia to record the interviews, only requiring a coffee shop environment where they can be set up. The interviews are posted on Samsos website and podcasts, YouTube and other relevant online environments where they can be shared among investment communities.

Samso also has a track record of developing successful business concepts in the Australasia region and provides bespoke research and counsel to businesses seeking to raise capital and procuring projects for ASX listings.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is the writers personal opinion and is provided for information only and is not intended to or nor will it create/induce the creation of any binding legal relations. Read full disclaimer.
The potash developer is a step closer to upgrading the mineral resource at its pioneer German potash asset, where just two holes need to be drilled to bring the resource up to indicated status.

South Harz is preparing to drill two confirmatory holes and upgrade its Ohmgebirge Potash Project's mineral resource.

South Harz Potash Ltd (ASX:SHP) has locked in landowner and tenant approval to execute the second of two planned confirmatory drill holes within its Ohmgebirge mining licence in Germany.

Now it has received the regulatory green light, the potash exploration and development company intends to push ahead with a formal application to drill the site.

South Harz will prepare final, supplementary information for regulatory authority Thuringer Landesamt fur Umwelt, Bergbau und Naturschutz (TLUBN), while detailed drill planning is now underway.

The ASX-lister has already appointed a drilling specialist to work at the first of the twin drill holes  now, SHP hopes to transition the contractor to the second drill site once work completes at the first hole.

Ultimately, drilling the two confirmatory holes will allow South Harz to upgrade the Ohmgebirge mineral resource to indicated status.

Map of the two planned drill holes at Ohmgebirge

A clear path

South Harz Potash managing director Dr Chris Gilchrist said: I am pleased to have now secured landowner and tenant permission to drill the second of two holes in the Ohmgebirge mining licence area, enabling the team to focus on drilling and completing the scoping study.

Our efforts to secure these sites have been hampered by COVID travel restrictions, but our senior personnel are now able to go to Germany and have engaged with stakeholders on a face-to-face basis to achieve this.

We are also fortunate to have secured drillers during this post-pandemic surge in demand for contract services and we can now see a clear path to the delivery of our objectives.

Twin drill holes

Todays announcement comes just over a week after South Harz appointed a specialist driller to explore at its pioneer potash asset.

Colloquially known as Angers, the drilling contractor is set to drill the first of two confirmatory holes at the potash play in 2021s final quarter.

Speaking to the appointment, Gilchrist said: I am pleased that we have agreed on the first of the drill sites at Ohmgebirge and importantly secured a specialist drilling contractor, which are currently in short supply as a result of the post-COVID resources and materials rush in Europe.

The team in Germany has worked hard to navigate the communications challenges caused by the COVID pandemic and will continue to do so to mitigate any further delays.

The potash market has picked up significantly over the past few weeks as post-COVID food security fears have fuelled substantial crop price increases which, in turn, has driven fertiliser sales and prices upwards providing a favourable backdrop to develop the first of our exciting potash projects within the heart of Europe.

Resource upgrade and scoping study

SHPs existing inferred resource stands at 5.3 billion tonnes, with the flagship Ohmgebirge project making up 325 million tonnes of that resource, grading 13.1% potassium oxide.

Its hoped results from both confirmatory holes will allow South Harz to upgrade the current Ohmgebirge resource to the indicated category.

Beyond that, the revised mineral resource estimate will allow South Harz to report technical and economic information about Ohmgebirge for the first time in a scoping study.

Essentially, the study will include a detailed resource assessment by Micon International Co Ltd and results from the twin drill holes.

Once a revised estimate is complete, K-Utec Salt Technologies GmbH will review the scoping studys mining and processing sections and update both capital and operating costs.

The study will also include an expert appraisal of the potash and industrial salt markets and provide guidance price forecasts for a financial model.

South Harz anticipates it can complete the scoping study in 2022s first quarter.
The ASX-listers pioneer potash project is a long-life operation spanning more than 30 years, with local and regional employment opportunities for up to 80 people in steady-state operations.

Australian Potash Ltd (ASX:APC) has started constructing the Lake Wells Village, an accommodation site at its flagship potash asset in Western Australia.

The village will provide lodging for workers across the Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash Project (LSOP), which carries the largest measured, JORC-compliant sulphate of potash resource in Australia.

In addition to accommodation construction, the company says other pre-development activities are underway across the asset with borefield development drill rigs on-site and working across the projects western borefield.

Australian Potash has also started to mobilise a civil earthmoving fleet, with the necessary surveys to construct the initial crystalliser ponds at the potash asset now complete.

Over the course of the current quarter, Australian potash intends to:

Continue developing the western borefield;

Kick-off its civil earthwork program;

Facilitate an Aboriginal business sandalwood clearing program and;

Reach a documentary close on its development debt program.

Project evolving amid rising prices

Australian Potash managing director and CEO Matt Shackleton said: We are very proud to provide shareholders with this project development update on the LSOP.

Globally, potash prices have risen materially year-on-year, with strong premiums being paid for organic, green SOP products that we will produce at Lake Wells.

Mirroring the significant work that went into identifying, measuring and testing Australias largest measured JORC-compliant SOP mineral resource estimate, we have applied the same stringent planning and design to the early works program.

Construction camp, wet and dry mess and fresh and wastewater treatment facilities are commissioned and operational, and drill rigs are on site developing what we are referring to as the western borefield.

The debt program is progressing quickly, and we look forward to being in a position to update shareholders on that, and provide further news on the LSOP development, over the coming weeks.

Fresh capital supports pre-development

In late May, Australian Potash snapped up $10 million in capital to fund pre-development activities at the Lake Wells SOP asset.

Global institutional, professional and sophisticated investors chipped in to raise the $10 million at 14 cents per share.

Speaking to the raise at the time, Shackleton said: The heavy institutional and sophisticated investor demand for the offer reflects well on the Lake Wells SOP Project'\s very robust financial metrics and supports our transition into development.

Lake Wells' development comes as the global sulphate of potash market continues to grow. In 2016, the potash fertilisers market was valued at US$20.72 billion.

However, with a compound annual growth rate of 4.47%, calculated in 2017, the market could be worth as much as US$26.87 billion by 2022.
New results have revealed a high-grade gold core zone, which is already 100-200 metres long and extends down-dip for more than 250 metres.

Representative high-grade drill core from 324 metres in hole BNEDD0088 that returned 17 metres at 31.9 g/t from 313 metres.

( ) shares have reached a new eight-year high, up more than 55% to as much as A$0.1475 intra-day on the back of bonanza grades at the Bankan Gold Project in Guinea that revealed a new high-grade zone.

The high-grade intersections have extended the gold core zone down dip for more than 250 metres, which is also open at depth.

Notable results over broad widths and consistency increasing at depth include:

49.7 metres at 11.7 g/t gold from 301 metres, including 17 metres at 31.9 g/t from 313 metres and 7 metres at 50.3 g/t; and

55.6 metres at 5.7 g/t from 237 metres, including 40 metres at 7.3 g/t from 239 metres.

Bankan Project, NE Bankan Longitudinal Projection illustrating emerging high-grade gold zone (red stipple), widening at depth.

Simply remarkable

Speaking to the results, managing director Paul Roberts said: Following up our recent, previous best-ever intercept of 44 metres at 8 g/t gold, with a significantly broader and higher-grade gold intercept 100 metres to its north is simply remarkable.

Added to that, on the new drill section reported here, we can see a clear progression of both increasing grade and grade consistency as we drill deeper.

Furthermore, with these new results, we now have a high-grade gold zone which is 100-200 metres long, extends down-dip for over 250 metres and, very promisingly, is open at depth.

Until now, NE Bankan has been shaping up as a large gold deposit with excellent geometry for a large-scale open pit mine.

Drilling has been carried out on 40 metres spaced lines with a 40-80 metre hole spacing along lines.

Predictive has now completed the drilling planned for its maiden resource estimate as well.

Results add a whole new dimension

He continued: These new results have added a whole new dimension to the project as it now appears that the core of the deposit contains consistently higher grades in a zone which is expanding at depth.

This offers clear justification for drilling deeper on this deposit.

Our immediate task is to define the new high-grade zone by infill and extension drilling.

To this end, the multi-purpose drill rig currently on site will be focused on further defining and extending this zone over the next few months.

"Elsewhere, we continue to obtain broad, good-grade shallow gold intercepts at Bankan Creek and are continuing to obtain encouraging gold results in our regional auger program, adding to our inventory of regional drill targets on the Bankan Project.

Looking ahead

In addition to the drilling reported to date, included within the maiden resource drilling program is one additional deep DD drill hole to the south of the known deep gold zone, testing the inferred southerly plunge position of the plus 100g/m gold mineralised contour.

Assay results for this hole have not yet been received.

At present, one multi-purpose RC-DD rig is on-site and has already commenced drilling a deeper hole beneath hole BNEDD0086.

This rig will be employed to drill both deeper holes and infill drill holes within the inferred high-grade zone.

Predictive is currently working with a Senegal-based drill contractor to bring a truck-mounted aircore rig on to site.

This rig will be employed during the rainy season to test the accumulating number of new targets defined by power auger drilling on the Bankan Project over the past nine months.

Change of directors interests

Meanwhile, company directors have demonstrated their faith in the companys gold strategy by participating in a recent placement.

In May, Predictive received commitments of A$26.5 million in a placement to institutional, sophisticated and professional investors.

The placement was narrowly focused on several tier-1 North American funds with a track record of strong success investing in emerging West African gold companies as well as targeting highly accomplished ultra-high net worth resource investors.

After receiving shareholder approval on July 9, MD Paul Roberts acquired 375,000 shares at 8 cents a share in an indirect interest, increasing the number of securities held in that interest to more than 6.3 million shares.

Non-executive director Steven Michael also participated with the purchase of 187,500 shares in an indirect interest, increasing his holding to 366,080 shares in that interest.
The explorer produced more than 73,000 gold ounces and nearly 23,000 tonnes of copper over the 2021 financial year, with both metrics landing at the higher end of previous guidance.

Aeris' production metrics across its gold and copper operations have fallen in line with previous guidance, wrapping up the 2021 financial year.

Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX:AIS) has met its gold and copper production metrics for FY21, capping off what executives called a transformational year.

The mining and exploration company produced more than 73,000 gold ounces at its Queensland-based Cracow operation over the financial year, while the ASX-listers Tritton project in New South Wales churned out nearly 23,000 tonnes of copper.

FY21 proved to be an incredibly busy period for Aeris - acquiring the Cracow gold operation from fellow ASX-lister Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) and discovering the high-grade Constellation copper deposit at Tritton.

Moving into the new financial year, Aeris has repaid $48 million of its senior debt parcel, reducing the amount owing to $27 million.

The company also recently bolstered its bank balance, executing a $50.4 million placement to fund exploration across its precious and base metal assets.

At the end of FY21, the explorer had $97 million in the bank, giving the company a positive net debt position equal to around $71 million.

A transformational year

Aeris executive chairman Andre Labuschagne said: FY21 was a transformational year for Aeris, that has set us up for the future.

There were many significant milestones during the year, which wouldnt have been achieved without the support of our employees, shareholders and financier.

We are looking forward to making FY22 another big year for the company.

Cracow Gold Operations

Over the course of FY21, Aeris produced exactly 73,685 gold ounces at Cracow at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $1,483 per gold ounce.

The ounce tally is at the upper end of Aeris guidance  the explorer hoped to produce between 70,000 and 75,000 gold ounces over FY21  and the AISC is significantly lower than the predicted $1,525 to $1,575 cost range.

During the year, Aeris also upgraded the mineral resources across Cracows Roses Pride and Klondyke-Royal deposits.

Based just 500 kilometres northwest of Brisbane, the flagship Cracow Gold Operation is what Aeris credits as transforming the company.

Aeris paid $60 million upfront to purchase the gold play, with another $15 million payment invoiced for June 30, 2022.

The buy also includes a 10% net value royalty, effective from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2027, capped at $50 million.

Aeris believes it can reinvigorate exploration at the goldfield, which has produced over 1.4 million ounces of gold since mining began in 2004.

Since it acquired the operation, the ASX-lister has completed a prospectivity review and is now reviewing a suite of priority targets.

To follow up on the gold potential, an aggressive exploration campaign is planned for the coming financial year.

Tritton Copper Operations

Meanwhile, at its NSW-based Tritton copper play, Aeris churned out 22,987 tonnes of copper at an AISC of $3.70 per pound.

Once again, copper production came in at the higher end of previous guidance, which predicted the copper plant would produce between 22,500 and 23,5000 tonnes of resource.

Production AISC was in line with expectations, with Aeris predicting every pound of copper would cost between $3.60 and $3.75 to produce.

While more than 750,000 tonnes of copper have been discovered to date on the Tritton tenement package, Aeris believed the potential to uncover more copper at the asset was high.

This view was validated in November 2020, when the company discovered the Constellation deposit during its first drill hole.

Aeris says drilling results to date have exceeded expectations and Constellation is quickly shaping up to play an important role in the copper assets future.

In FY22, drilling will continue at Constellation with the aim of establishing a maiden mineral resource for the deposits open pit and underground operations.

First-pass drill testing is also on the cards for multiple greenfields exploration targets in the broader project area.
A bulk test-work program is being conducted to determine the suitability of natural flake graphite from the high-grade zone at Springdale Project for use in battery anodes for electric vehicles.

Graphite suitable for battery production is highly sought after and attracts premium pricing.

Comet Resources Limited ( ) is pleased with the progress of ongoing test-work assessing the amenability of natural flake graphite from its Springdale Graphite Project in Western Australia to produce battery anode material suitable for use in EVs.

After producing a bulk sample of Springdale graphite concentrate during June at a lab in Perth, Western Australia, the concentrate has arrived at a specialist facility in Germany, been dried and prepared for testing with test-work underway.

In addition to the tests being performed by the specialist lab for Comet, sample concentrate material has also been provided to a third-party producer of anode material for their test work.

Demand expected to grow

Comet managing director Matthew OKane said: We now have material for testing in Germany, both for ourselves and a third-party producer of anode material.

The results of these test work programs will determine the suitability of Comets natural flake graphite from the high-grade zone at Springdale for use in the manufacture of battery anodes for electric vehicles.

With the continued push towards an electrified transport network, demand for these graphite products is expected to continue to grow.

Follows initial testing

With excellent grades and recoveries being achieved in initial tests, the company then began producing a concentrated bulk sample for further testing.

The production of concentrated materials was completed last month in a lab in Perth and the material was subsequently air-freighted to a specialist testing provider in Germany.

According to the company, three different processes are to be tested:

Purification to carbon content above 99.9%, as these carbon levels pave the way for high tech applications like usage in batteries;

Micronising for products that require well defined small flake graphite particles for their end uses; and

Spheronisation for usage in lithium-ion battery anodes for the rapidly expanding market for EVs due to the global drive to de-carbonise the transport network.

The test-work streams are designed to confirm the suitability of graphite flake from the high-grade zone at Springdale as a precursor material for these high value-added products.

Assessing properties

The specialist lab in Germany will assess, among other properties, the performance of the graphite during purification, micronisation and spheronisation.

These are the key steps for the processing of natural graphite products for electric vehicle (EV) battery anode markets.

Comets German lab partners will simulate these to test Springdales product suitability to meet industry standards in these areas.

On list of critical raw materials

Graphite suitable for battery anode production achieves premium pricing in graphite markets, making it a highly sought-after product.

The inclusion of natural flake graphite on the European Union (EU) list of critical raw materials highlights the importance of these products as part of the push to reduce global carbon emissions.

Comets Springdale Project in WA, a stable tier-one mining jurisdiction, is strategically well placed to provide such products.
The early results from the resource mapping indicate The Bull Project has similar features to the world-class Julimar nickel-copper-PGE deposit.

The company has collected 89 rock chip samples from the Target 1 anomaly at The Bull.

Anson Resources Ltds (ASX:ASN) geological mapping and geochemical sampling program has confirmed the geophysical interpretation of an intrusive complex at the companys 100%-owned The Bull Project in Western Australia.

Confirmation of the mafic-ultramafic intrusive complex following mapping across the Target 1 anomaly determines that The Bull bears similar geological terrane to Chalice Mining Ltds ( ) Julimar nickel-copper-platinum group element (PGE) discovery.

The Bull is modelled as a 1,400-metre-long, 500-metre-wide and 500-metre-deep chonolith body, with favourable geometry for hosting large-scale magmatic sulphide deposits.

Pleased with results from mapping

Anson executive chairman and CEO Bruce Richardson said: We are very pleased that results from the geological mapping and rock chip sampling closely align with the recently completed 3D modelling of the Target 1 anomaly.

Although there is still plenty of work to be done, the early similarities between what we are seeing at The Bull and the early results achieved by Chalice on the pathway to discovering Julimar are encouraging.

We continue to build our knowledge and geological understanding of The Bull as we move quickly towards defining a set of targets for our maiden drilling program later this year.

Mapping and sampling program

Recently, Anson set out to map and sample The Bulls Target 1 anomaly in order to ground truth its mafic-ultramafic intrusive interpretation.

During exploration, the ASX-lister discovered mafic and ultramafics samples within the area interpreted in the 3D model.

The survey also revealed that even though they were historically mapped as migmatites and granites, the magnetic anomalies identified may form part of a mafic-ultramafic intrusive system, similar to Chalices world-class Julimar nickel-copper-PGE deposit, which lies just 20 kilometres north of The Bull.

This means Anson has reason to believe the Target 1 anomaly is part of a larger prospective mafic/ultramafic intrusive complex.

To date, the company has collected 89 rock chip samples from Target 1, with geochemical samples confirming anomalous mineralisation.

Anomalous values were recorded for nickel, copper, palladium and lead, with a maximum of 20 parts per billion palladium and 25 parts per billion lead.

Rock chip samples were collected from outcrop and sub-crop geology from topographic highs, while other areas within the tenement were comprised of paddocks with little to no outcrop, although float and sub-crop were observed and sampled from easily accessible areas.

Visible sulphides were also noted in a sample collected from the area on the western edge of the 3D model.

Following the mapping and sampling program, fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) surveying is underway to identify EM bedrock conductor plates, which could be the response to massive sulphide mineralisation.
Securities will remain in a trading halt until Wednesday, July 21, 2021, or when an announcement is released to the market.

The Dubbo project is ready for construction with all major approvals and licences in place.

( ) (OTCMKTS:ASMMF) has been granted a trading halt by ASX with an announcement pending relating to a material investment into the companys flagship Dubbo Project.

The halt will remain in place until the start of regular trading on Wednesday, July 21, or until an announcement is released to the market, whichever occurs earliest.

Shares last traded at A$7.40 after recently reaching a record high of A$7.90, while the companys market cap is approximately A$1.032 billion.

EFA letter of support for Dubbo Project

The company recently received conditional finance support from Export Finance Australia (EFA) to secure A$200 million of debt funding for its Dubbo Rare Earths Project in Central NSW.

After issuing the letter of support, EFA began detailed due diligence of the project, in line with its mandate to support eligible Australian projects with targeted debt solutions to supplement private-market finance.

ASM managing director David Woodall said the Dubbo Projects alignment with the objectives of the Australian Governments critical minerals strategy - to diversify global critical mineral supply and capture more value from the critical minerals value chain - would be a key factor in a successful application to secure Australian Government financing.

He said: The critical metals we will produce from the Dubbo Project - including zirconium, niobium and hafnium, and the rare earth elements neodymium, praseodymium, terbium and dysprosium - are all in high demand for a suite of modern industrial applications, including energy-efficient technologies, electric vehicles, aerospace, defence and telecommunications.
Infinity Lithium Ltd (ASX:INF) is seeking to develop its 75% owned San Jose Lithium Project and produce battery grade lithium hydroxide.

Infinity Lithium confirms favourable revision of San Jose Lithium Project JV agreement

Infinity Lithium Corporation Ltd (ASX:INF) (FRA:3PM) has finalised a favourable revision relating to the JV agreement between the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Extremadura Mining S.L and joint venture (JV) partner Valoriza Minera S.A.

Extremdaura Mining will maintain a 75% project ownership interest in the JV entity TEL, the project vehicle that contains the rights to the San Jose Lithium Project in Spain

The revised agreement provides for the deferral of current payment obligations by Extremadura Mining to Valoriza Mineria and provisions to accelerate the acquisition of the balance of shares in TEL aligned to the resolution of research permit Investigation Permit Valdeflorez (PIV).



Administrative appeal process

TEL has received notification from The General Directorate of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Extremadura (Junta) that it has decided to reject the administrative appeal filed by TEL against the resolution that denied the research permit PIV.

TEL received notification that an appeal lodged by a non-government organisation (NGO) against the Investigation Permit Ampliacion Valdeflorez (PIAV) was dismissed and the extension area remains granted and in good standing.

The company and TEL reserves all legal rights and will progress to an administrative-contentious appeal.

Infinity has received advice supporting its position that the Junta's resolution to cancel the PIV is in direct breach of the law and in contradiction of previous rulings by the Junta on the environmental and urban legality and viability of the PIV.

The company has assembled a high calibre and experienced legal team lead by Madrid founded and national leading legal firm Perez-Llorca to advise and represent TEL throughout the administrative contentious appeal process.
A total of 495 geochemical samples were collected from the Dragon tenement during April-May 2021 by Xplore Resources on behalf of Tyranna.

The soil sampling program targeted three main areas - the Southern Dyke zone, the Sinclair shear and the Western Shear zone

s ( ) (FRA:IRN) soil sampling and reconnaissance results for the Dragon Project in Western Australias Wheatbelt region have been received across three main areas  the Southern Dyke Zone, the Sinclair Shear and the Western Shear Zone - ticking off another step in advancing the tenement.

A total of 495 samples were collected in Tyrannas aim to test for nickel, copper and cobalt, chromium and gold during April-May 2021.

The geochemical sampling was designed to target two main styles of mineralisation including nickel-copper-sulphides associated with mafic and ultramafic intrusive rocks and shear hosted gold and group elements.

Narrowing-in on targets

TYX non-executive director Joseph Graziano said the companys exploration strategy was to narrow-in on suitable targets at the Dragon Project.

The soil sampling program undertaken has assisted in this strategy and the company will now consider the advantages of an MLEM survey to further define the potential drilling targets.

The West-Perth based company will now investigate the potential to utilise a surface moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) survey to define potential deeper drilling targets, which has been a successful strategy followed by ( ) (FRA:S0G).

Geochemical sample locations.

Results

Xplore Resources on behalf of Tyranna carried out the geochemical sampling which saw 33 rock chip samples collected from the Dragon tenement, 436 soil samples from the Southern Dyke and interpreted southern extension of the Sinclair Shear, 26 biogeochemical samples to test interpreted north-south structures, as well as eight mine spoils and two float samples.

The areas sampled are:

The Widgiemooltha dykes  the 'Southern Dyke Zone';

The interpreted southern extension of the N-S Sinclair that hosts the Sinclair nickel project; and

Two north-south shears transect the western part of the Dragon tenement (E27/1034) and potentially host gold and PGE mineralisation.

Challenging cover issues were experienced, similar to what was experienced at the St George Mining Fish Hook prospect back in November 2019, while the Southern Dyke Zone had the least challenging conditions and returned the highest results.

These include:
The Toronto-based asset management firm has increased its holding to 10.41% through on-market purchases and placement participation.

The substantial shareholder was a key player in the companys $8 million placement.

Sovereign Metals Limited ( ) ( ) has received strong validation of its strategy focused on the Kasiya Rutile Project in Malawi with substantial shareholder Sprott Inc ( ) (NYSE:SII) (FRA:A781) lifting its holding to 10.41%.

The prominent Toronto-based asset management firm with a track record of identifying and funding successful early-stage resource projects across the globe now holds more than 43 million shares.

Series of purchases

Sprott and affiliates have extended the holding from 8.77% through a series of on-market purchases and participation in Sovereigns $8 million placement in April 2021 that was strongly supported by Northern Hemisphere based institutional investors.

The Sprott investments in SVM are held by USA Inc., Exploration Capital Partners 2014 LP and Sprott Capital Partners LP.

Sovereigns placement saw 20 million shares issued at A$0.40 per share plus a one-for-two unlisted option with an exercise price of A$0.50 and a 12-month expiry with Sprott Capital Partners LP acting as exclusive financial advisor.

Key appointment

Last week Sovereign appointed Paul Marcos, an engineering and consulting expert with considerable mineral sands experience, as head of development for the Kasiya project.

READ: Sovereign Metals appoints mineral sands industry veteran to drive rutile project towards development

As head of development, Marcos will lead and manage key technical components of the project, including the ongoing scoping study due for completion this year and also for future feasibility study programs.

Managing director Julian Stephens said: We are very pleased to welcome Paul to our team. He brings significant relevant technical experience and enthusiasm for mineral sands.

A huge endorsement

He said: Attracting individuals of this calibre to the Sovereign team is a huge endorsement of the Kasiya Project.

Having managed process engineering and given his involvement in feasibility studies for a number of African mineral sands projects, Paul is uniquely qualified to lead key technical components in developing the Kasiya Project.

Following the maiden mineral resource estimate delivered in June 2021 which confirmed the Kasiya Project as one of the worlds largest undeveloped rutile projects, this appointment underpins Sovereigns commitment to rapidly advance the project.

A scoping study is targeting a large-scale natural rutile operation to fill some of the existing supply deficit with the purest and most environmentally sustainable titanium feedstock.
The kit has received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (neutralizing") antibodies

Todos Medical Ltd ( ) has entered into a distribution agreement with Fosun Pharma for the cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Detection Kit.

The kit has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD or neutralizing) antibodies.

With the Delta variant posing a significant risk for breakthrough infections based on data from Israel, and fears increasing of a potential third wave nationwide, we see neutralizing antibody testing becoming critical for informed decision-making to assess who may be best suited for booster shots, as well as at what point someone previously infected with COVID begins to show waning immunity and may decide to receive vaccination as a result, said Jorge Leon, chief medical officer for Immunology and Oncology at Todos, in a statement.

As we begin to learn more about the heterogeneity of immune response to different COVID vaccines, there appear to be subgroups of people, who may need an additional dose of the vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated from a neutralizing antibody perspective, and we have now seen the Ministry of Health in Israel just this past week begin to give booster shots to the immunocompromised and certain other at-risk groups, who were shown to have low neutralizing antibody titers.

READ: Todos Medical makes progress with TolloTest enrollment as its Tollovir dietary supplement also receives interest

Leon added: Additionally, a recent German study reported that 2% of the general population and over 30% of those over 80 had no detectable neutralizing antibody levels after their second vaccine dose. The cPass test will enable individuals to take charge of their health by making data-driven decisions to protect themselves beyond vaccination, such as masking or avoiding certain higher-risk activities when armed with this crucial information.

Todos said it sees a large market opportunity developing for cPass that will begin to encroach on the COVID-19 PCR testing market, which rapidly developed into an $80 billion market worldwide in 2020, as immune monitoring will be the primary driver of COVID-19 testing growth going forward.

As time advances, and more and more individuals are six months and beyond from their initial vaccine dose, it will become increasingly important for individuals and healthcare providers to assess and monitor neutralizing antibody levels in order to make data-driven decisions with respect to booster shots and behavioral changes, the company said.

Todos said it is currently automating the EUA cPass test at its CLIA/CAP laboratory, Provista Diagnostics (Provista), to add high-capacity neutralizing antibody testing to its test menu, and is ramping up its sales and marketing infrastructure.

Provista plans to offer cPass as a testing service to other CLIA labs on a reference basis, as well as directly to the public through healthcare professionals. A key differentiator for this novel cPass test is that it detects neutralizing antibodies in patient samples without the use of live viruses and with very fast turnaround times -- as compared to the conventional method of measuring neutralizing antibodies in patient samples, which requires the use of live cells.

Upon completing the automation process, Todos said it expects Provista to provide high volume results in less than 24 hours. Todos will also make cPass available for client labs to run on their automated equipment.

The company has also been granted authorization to utilize a high-value version of the cPass test at Provista that has been adapted to quantitate neutralizing antibody levels, thereby allowing monitoring of levels over time.

Todos said it sees this modified test as eligible for a higher reimbursement rate than traditional SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests and intends to aggressively market Provistas new testing capabilities in the coming months to begin to capitalize on its investment in automation and drive high margin revenue growth.

Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham
Mas Gold Corp (CVE: MAS  OTCQB: MSGCF) CEO Jim Engdahl joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share details about the exploration company with projects along the La Ronge Greenstone Belt in Saskatchewan.

Engdahl telling Proactive about their 100% interest in four properties and which ones will see work this year.
Eros Resource Corp (CVE: ERC- OTCQB: EROSF) CFO Andrew Davidson joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news about the exploration company working to advance the Bell Mountain Project in Reno, Nevada.

Davidson telling Proactive the project is in the Fairview mining district, which is comprised of four gold-silver resource deposits, the Spurr, Varga, Sphinx and East Ridge deposits. The company is now continuing to work on their permitting. Davidson also told Proactive their unique finding model that so far has working great.
"If you look at the extraordinary success in eradicating smallpox and eliminating polio for most of the world -- and we're on the brink of eradicating polio -- if we had had the pushback for vaccines the way we're seeing on certain media, I don't think it would've been possible at all to not only eradicate smallpox, we probably would still have smallpoxWe probably would still have polio in this country if we had the kind of false information that's being spread now."

Dr. Anthony Fauci
Ex-chief of opposition group declared "undesirable" fined $670

 submitted by Andrey Pivovarov

16:26 19/07/2021

MOSCOW, July 19 (RAPSI)  Andrey Pivovarov, a former director of Otkrytaya Rossia, an opposition group declared in Russia "undesirable", has been fined 50,000 rubles ($670), the United press service of St. Petersburg courts told RAPSI.

As it was established, the United Democrats project, which belongs to the Open Petersburg interregional NGO, is functioning on the Internet. The said project distributes the NGOs messages and materials without indicating that it is on the list of NGOs performing functions of a foreign agent.

Accordingly, the Vasileostrovsky District Court of St. Petersburg fined Pivovarov 50,000 rubles, the press service said in the statement.

On June 2, the Pervomaisky District Court of Krasnodar ordered the pre-trial detention of Pivovarov until July 31.

From the case materials it follows that the defendant, who has been repeatedly brought to administrative liability for running the activities of a foreign NGO found to be undesirable in Russia, allegedly continued these actions.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
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The multiply-imaged supernova AT2016jka appeared in the distant giant galaxy MRG-M0138, gravitationally lensed by the foreground galaxy cluster MACS J0138.0-2155.

Galaxy clusters contain thousands of galaxies of all ages, shapes and sizes.

They have a mass of about one million billion times the mass of the Sun and form over billions of years as smaller groups of galaxies slowly come together.

Albert Einstein predicted in his theory of general relativity that massive objects will deform the fabric of space itself. When light passes one of these objects, such as a huge galaxy cluster, its path is changed slightly.

Called gravitational lensing, this effect is only visible in rare cases and only worlds best telescopes can observe the related phenomena.

Hubbles sensitivity and high resolution allow it to see faint and distant gravitational lenses that cannot be detected with ground-based telescopes whose images are blurred by the atmosphere of our planet.

When the light from a distant object passes very near to a foreground galaxy or cluster, gravitational lensing can cause it to appear as multiple images on the sky, said Dr. Steven Rodney from the University of South Carolina and colleagues.

If the source is variable, it can be used to constrain the cosmic expansion rate and dark energy models.

Achieving these cosmological goals requires many lensed transients with precise time delay measurements. Lensed supernovae are attractive for this purpose because they have relatively simple photometric behavior, with well-understood light curve shapes and colors  in contrast to the stochastic variation of quasars.

Using data collected by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope on July 18 and 19, 2016, the astronomers spotted four images of MRG-M0138, a massive red galaxy located 10 billion light-years away in the constellation of Cetus, lensed by the foreground galaxy cluster MACS J0138.0-2155.

Moreover, they found three lensed images of a supernova event, named AT2016jka, in the images of the background galaxy.

It is likely a Type Ia supernova  the explosion of a low-mass stellar remnant, whose light curve can be used to measure cosmic distances, the researchers said.

In archival Hubble imaging, three lensed images of the supernova are detected with relative time delays of less than 200 days.

We predict a fourth image will appear close to the cluster core in the year 2037. Observation of the fourth image could provide a time delay precision of around 7 days, less than 1% of the extraordinary 20 year baseline.

The supernova classification and the predicted reappearance time could be improved with further lens modeling and a comprehensive analysis of systematic uncertainties.

The teams paper was published online on arXiv.org preprint server.

_____

Steven A. Rodney et al. 2021. A Gravitationally Lensed Supernova with an Observable Two-Decade Time Delay. arXiv: 2106.08935
New Zealand freight and logistics company, TIL Logistics Group Limited, advises that CEO Alan Pearson has tendered his resignation, effective from 19 July 2021.

Alan remains a shareholder in the business and will continue to provide support for the company over the next two months on a consultancy basis as he pursues his alternative business interests and board directorships.

Alan has worked tirelessly, professionally and with the utmost integrity to lead TIL through its first three years as a publicly listed company. He oversaw the transition of three private businesses into one public company and the building of a new executive team as the original founders exited their operational roles in the business.

Chairman Trevor Janes commented: Alan has led TIL Logistics into a new era as a publicly listed company, focused on core values of customer excellence, health and safety, innovation and sustainability. This has attracted increased investor interest and investment which is exciting for the future of the company. TIL is well positioned with a strong and experienced leadership team as it enters a new era in its 150+ year history. On behalf of the Board, we thank Alan for all his efforts and wish him well in his future endeavours.

Current chief financial officer, Lee Banks, has been appointed Acting CEO while the recruitment process is underway. Lee has been with TIL Logistics for eight years and has served as CFO for the past two and half years.

The company will update the market on the new CEO appointment when the recruitment process is completed.

Please see the link below for details

TIL Logistics Announces Resignation of CEO

Source: TIL Logistics Group Limited

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Considering the increase in cases in several countries, the now rapidly spreading dominant Delta COVID-19 strain in those countries along with the amount of breakthrough cases; the entry requirements for Sint Maarten will be updated as of 18 July at 12:00 A.M.





The travel requirements that will be updated due to the rapid surge of the New Variant are as follows:





Curacao, British Virgin Islands, Morocco and Australia will be placed on the High Risk list.





St. Kitts and Nevis will be updated to Low-Risk.





All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, coming from high-risk countries are required to be in possession of a negative rt-PCR test within 72 hours before departure. No Antigen test will be accepted from travelers from these countries.





Travelers from the United States and Canada are required to do an rt-PCR test within 72 hours or they can alternatively do an Antigen test within 48 hrs before departure.
Runoff from melting Juneau Icefield increases By MOLLY TANKERSLEY July 18, 2021

Sunday PM

(SitNews) Southeast Alaska - Glacier runoff from one of the largest icefields in North America has been increasing for more than three decades, researchers from the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have found. As the Juneau Icefield continues to lose mass, the flow will increase until peak runoff is reached, the researchers predicted. Peak glacial melt each season is also arriving earlier than in previous decades, altering stream habitat and hydrologic patterns in the surrounding watersheds and downstream estuaries. Area streams and rivers now see higher total runoff in the spring, with increases annually as well. Researchers travel by ski to remote locations on the Juneau Icefield to collect snow and melt measurements in April 2015.

Photo courtesy of Joanna Young Prior to this study, which was published in the journal Water Resources Research, glaciers contribution to these coastal rivers was unknown. Moreover, Southeast Alaska is an extremely wet environment, with highly variable precipitation patterns that make it difficult to distinguish trends in the sources of streamflow captured by stream gauges. Precipitation is such an overwhelming signal in the area, both in terms of sheer quantity and variability through different times of the year and through different years. It wasnt clear if we would even be able to see the change in glacial input to streams amid the chaos of normal precipitation in Southeast Alaska, said lead author Joanna Young, an AK CASC postdoctoral fellow. The team used a model that combines glacial, riverine and soil moisture processes. That allowed them to determine if increases in water volume are driven by snowmelt, heavy precipitation or glacial runoff. The model data produced by Young and her colleagues show that annual glacier ice melt on the Juneau Icefield has increased since the 1980s by 10% per decade and glacier runoff by 3%. (Glacier runoff includes water from both glacier ice melt and precipitation flowing off the glacier, so the increased percentages of ice melt and runoff differ.) Total runoff in the studys watersheds increased by 1.4%. Peak runoff from glacial melt every year is occurring 2.5 days earlier each decade now than in the 1980s. Instruments on the Juneau Icefield collect data on weather conditions in May 2014.

Photo courtesy of Joanna Young Glaciers play an important role in Southeast Alaska watersheds, acting as frozen freshwater reservoirs throughout the year. Cold, sediment-heavy glacial runoff has a unique signature that affects where salmon choose to spawn and the delivery of nutrients to coastal estuaries. In Southeast Alaska, where storm events or glacial lake outburst floods can frequently elevate rivers to flood level, a higher base level of water due to increasing glacial melt could exacerbate flood risk. Understanding future changes to streamflow patterns is important for infrastructure planning and resource management. Our findings from the Juneau Icefield show that glacier loss is impacting streamflow regimes in coastal watersheds along the Gulf of Alaska, with implications for freshwater salmon habitat and the function of coastal marine ecosystems that receive runoff from glaciers, said co-author Eran Hood, professor of environmental science at the University of Alaska Southeast. In addition to on-the-ground data collection on the Icefield, Young and her colleagues used satellite data on glaciers in the region to develop the model for this study. We used a lot of different datasets to calibrate the model. By Alaska standards, the Juneau Icefield is one of the best monitored glacier regions in the state, and even in the northern part of North America in terms of long-term monitoring and the abundance of data thats available, said Young. On the web: Journal Water Resources Research - A changing hydrological regime: Trends in magnitude and timing of glacier ice melt and glacier runoff in a high latitude coastal watershed This article is provided as a public service by the University of Alaska - International Arctic Research Center Molly Tankersley is a writer with the International Arctic Research Center. Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.



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Alaska Sues Biden Administration for Breaking Promises on Federal Land Orders July 18, 2021

Sunday PM

(SitNews) Alaska - On the 63rd anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Statehood Act [07/07/21], Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that the State of Alaska is suing the U.S. Department of the Interior for illegally and unjustifiably extending decades-long restrictions on nearly 28 million acres of federal land in Alaska. The action by Secretary Haaland blocks State land selections and Alaska Native Vietnam Veteran allotments. This is a methodical effort by the Biden administration  more than just bureaucratic foot dragging  to frustrate ANILCA and the Statehood land entitlement and leave these lands locked up as de facto parks, said Governor Dunleavy. They are consciously ignoring and going around appropriate processes to hold things in perpetual limbo. It has needed to be challenged for a long time and it needs to be challenged now more than ever due to these new delays  and I am challenging it. The intent of ANILCA matters, these unnecessary withdrawals need to be lifted, and we need to finally move this process forward. This is another federal attempt to deny Alaska the full realization as a State promised under our Statehood Compact, and it should not stand. Quoting a news release from the governor's office, these withdrawals have prevented the State from exercising its Statehood right to claim valuable lands or assess the natural resources on these lands, and blocked Alaska Native Vietnam War veterans from selecting land allotments. Under a 1971 federal law, the Secretary was allowed to issue temporary land withdrawals to restrict the use of federal land in Alaska to allow the Department of Interior time to determine how federal lands should be used in the state. These withdrawals also effectively prevented the transfer of temporarily withdrawn lands to the State under the Alaska Statehood Act. Many of these 1970s-era orders have never been lifted even though the reasons for the withdrawals have been satisfied for decades. Under 16 such orders, about 28 million acres of land have sat under outdated restrictions, all the while with the federal government proposing that the withdrawals be lifted but never doing so. In 2006, the Bureau of Land Management reported to Congress that these temporary withdrawals could be lifted on over nearly all these areas without affecting the public interest. Following that report, BLM has completed numerous, multi-year reviews and land-use plans, each recommending that the withdrawals be lifted. In January of this year, then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt issued orders based on these extensive analyses to finally lift these 16 land withdrawals from about 28 million acres. Shortly after assuming office, however, President Bidens new Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, announced she was unilaterally repealing Secretary Bernhardts actions from taking affect for at least two years, claiming that the Department needed to conduct even more analyses of environmental, endangered species, historical preservation, and military land use laws  analyses that the BLM, itself, said it had already completed or were unnecessary. This announcement follows the Biden administrations already well-established pattern of assuming excessive administrative authority, rehashing completed actions, and even defying settled law to advance the policy goals of anti-development activists and political donors in the lower 48 rather than the everyday Alaskans that benefit from multiple use of public lands, said Corri Feige, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Any reasonable grounds for withdrawing this land expired long ago, and this renewed delay is entirely unjustified. Interiors final decision in January to end those withdrawals was both appropriate and long overdue, said Attorney General Treg Taylor. The decision by the Biden administration to further delay the effective date of actions lifting these restrictions is a punch in the gut to Alaskans, an affront to common sense, and a violation of law. The states lawsuit asks the federal district court in Alaska to prevent the Department of the Interior from continuing to delay the January 2021 orders and to direct the Department to lift these 16 obsolete withdrawals immediately. According to Doug Katchatag President of the Norton Bay Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and a resident of Unalakleet, "Governor Dunleavy's lawsuit is just grandstanding and ignores the wishes of Alaskans who live in the affected areas. These lands are our breadbasket; its these lands that allow us to hunt, fish, feed our families and ourselves, and to live traditional lifestyles. BLMs January decision was a good one: it was in response to the request of our communities that these lands should not be taken from us without our consent and given over to private corporations. We need public land management that will protect hunting and fishing that make traditional lifestyles possible." "Governor Dunleavy's lawsuit is just grandstanding and ignores the wishes of Alaskans who live in the affected areas. These lands are our breadbasket; its these lands that allow us to hunt, fish, feed our families and ourselves, and to live traditional lifestyles. BLMs January decision was a good one: it was in response to the request of our communities that these lands should not be taken from us without our consent and given over to private corporations. We need public land management that will protect hunting and fishing that make traditional lifestyles possible." According to Katchatag We are grateful to the BLM for protecting our watersheds on Alaskas public lands, and for putting priority on our subsistence and cultural resources in ways that the previous administration did not. The State of Alaskas lawsuit is insulting. It flies in the face of our repeated requests that the federal agencies be good stewards. Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews Source of News: Office of Governor Michael Dunleavy

www.gov.alaska.gov Norton Bay Inter-Tribal Watershed Council

www.nortonbaywatershed.org Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.



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The US would likely push its case for an invasion of Crimea as a first step to destabilize Russia. The US can and would argue before the United Nations that international law (US law) rejects Russias invasion of Crimea and its annexation.

by John Stanton

The average [Soviet] citizens innate readiness to defend Mother Russia against any invader was stronger than his assumed aversion to the Communist dictatorship.As to the Soviet armed forces, their unwavering determination, their unwillingness to admit defeat, and their capability to improvise astounded the Germans. Time and again these qualities compensated for the ineptitude of the Russian intermediate command The Russian soldier was naturally gifted in using favorable terrain features, skillfully digging-in and constructing fortifications, and camouflaging himself. His willingness to hold out to the bitter end seemed to be a natural trait.

The German Navy's principal concern in the Black Sea area was the transportation of supplies for the ArmyRussian naval forces in the Black Sea would have to be attacked and destroyed. The degree of success obtained would determine the outcome of the war in the Black Sea area. Attention was called to the fact that eventually it would become necessary to occupy all Russian Black Sea bases and ports At the beginning of August, the German Naval Operations Staff

submitted an estimate of the probable reaction of the Soviet Black Sea fleet in the event of a German penetration into the Caucasus. The Navy was to lend its support during the crossing of the Kerch Strait and prevent the Russian Black Sea fleet from interfering, Moreover, the Navy was to organize light forces for disrupting Russian communications across the Caspian Sea the Army group forces would have to face a hard and time-consuming struggle along the entire Caucasus front even though sizeable Russian forces had been destroyed during the past weeks. The steadily growing lines of communications, the vast territory to be kept under control, the scarcity of motor fuel, and the increasing terrain obstacles were the principal factors that would slow down the advance.

US Department of the Army, Pamphlet No. 20-26, March 1955

What led Hitler and his followers to construct Majdanek, Sobidor, Auschwitz and Treblinka is the imperialist idea of exceptionalismof racial, national and every other kind of exceptionalism.

Vasily Grossman, The Road, excerpted from an essay in the book titled The Hell of Treblinka

+++

Scenario: Invasion of Russias Crimea

The United States has a very predictable prelude to any war that it seeks to conduct. The first to fight is the US Treasury, Wall Street, and the economic and financial instruments of US national power. Russia is currently under US sanctions for annexing Crimea and, perhaps, for just existing. A long roster of countries--China, Venezuela, and Iran, for example--and individuals are on the US Treasury sanctions roster, so many that the US might just as well sanction the entire world except for NATO members (maybe that is coming).

Following the sanctions onto the beach--head, the mighty US disinformation and propagandamachine hammers away at the opponents national government and character nitpicking at any perceived human rights violation, internal to the country; for example, Russias Alexei Navalny. The USdisinformation machine consists of dozens of media/think tank organizations among them the New York Times, Atlantic Council,American Enterprise Institute, the Voice of America, theWashington Post and hundreds more anti-Russian (and Chinese) interests owned by behemoths like Fox, Comcast, Disney, and so on. Retired generals & admirals, former members of the US Congress, and think tank experts are available to drone on and on over the airwaves about the threat Russia poses and, they rationalize, war must be waged against them to ensure total American global dominance.The disinformation blitzkrieg would be a 24/7 propaganda operation similar to the run up to the second Iraq war.The Russians will be depicted as a sinister Slavic people, vermin even, not so much different than how the Nazis depicted the Russians in WWII.

The US& NATO case against Russia would include its disinformation practices through its international media outlets aimed at NATO allies; cyberattacks on the US; aggression (Crimea, Donbas, Syria);new weapons development (hypersonic), and the fact that Russia is largely surrounded by NATO allies and Russian officials complain about itsomething they are supposed to accept, not decry.

Flimsy Justification

Anyway, the US would likely push its case for an invasion of Crimea as a first step to destabilize Russia. The US can and would argue before the United Nations that international law (US law) rejects Russias invasion of Crimea and its annexation. It is a very flimsy case to make since the US really does not recognize any nations sovereignty (Iraq, Libya, Colombia, Somalia, and Pakistan for example). Nonetheless, any type of flimsy legallegitimacy matters a lot to the USgovernment before it pulls the trigger.

A ground attack on Crimea would be spearheaded by troops from Ukraine. They would probably push down from somewhere near Kershon fromthe North of Crimea and then split up into two forces, one headed for Simferopol (airport) and the other to head down the coast to Sevastopol (Russian naval base). US special forces would be embedded with the Ukraine troops advising them on tactics (they are already in Ukraine undertaking this mission).Any buildup of anti-Russian ground forces would have to be undertaken clandestinely and it is not clear how this would be done without Russias knowledge.

Anyway, months before Ukraines troop advance into Russias Crimea, US Navy SEALS and US Army Delta forces would infiltrate Crimean shores from, say, the Ukraine Western Naval Base in Odessa. They would engage in sabotage and establish satellite communications links with Ukrainian forces, EUCOM (European Command), the White House and Pentagon.

US Air Force combat air controllers would HALO jump (high altitude parachute drop) into Crimea to coordinate US & NATO airstrikes from airfields in Romania (Campa Turzii), Poland (Lask), and Hungary (Papa Air Base). Papa Air Base has runways to accommodate US C-17 heavy lift aircraft and was a key hub for the Joint Forcible EntryBulgaria military exercise in the spring of 2021, which involved mechanized forces and paratrooper drops. It is likely paratroopers would be needed to get other US & NATO ground troops into Crimeato support Ukraines advance into Crimea.

F-16s, F-15s and F-35s would also descend on Crimea from bases in England,Turkey and Germany. B-2s, B-52s and B1s would join in the carnage as well flying from bases in the US and, perhaps, Diego Garcia. Combat air controllers on the ground in Crimea would have their work cutout for them with so many aircraft from different nations trying to get in on some Crimea action. And let us not forget the obligatory cruise missile strikes that would be launched from US submarines. Such strikes would probably be aimed at Russian cruise-missile firing ships in the Caspian Sea, as well.

Grim Reapers

A real problem for Russias air forces is the US Air Forces 493rd Air Squadron, The Grim Reapers, stationed at Lakenheath, England. They would be called in to clear the skies of Russian fighter aircraft over Crimea. This is a real mismatch for the Russian Air Force as the 493rd Squadron has the best air-to-air fighting pilots in the world.

The same type of a US & NATO attack planning would likely be used against Vladivostok, a key commercial port on the Pacific in the Russian Far East, bordering China. US carrier warplanes from the US presence in the Pacific would take part. China would likely assist the Russian defense of the port.

How about Russias Sakhalins near Japan? That might be easy pickings for the US Navy and Marines. Or perhaps go for a two-fer and attack Crimea and Kaliningrad. The latter is sandwiched right between Lithuania and Poland. It might not be hard for the US & NATO to stir up Lithuanian and Polish enmity for Russias treatment of the two nations during the Cold War (but will the 18 to 25 age group care?). Maybe cripple Russias naval base at Tartus in Syria or the RussiasKhmeimim Air Base.

Russian Response

Russia would be unlikely to deploy its air force and navy to directly challenge such an overwhelming US & NATO air forceaimed at Crimea. But it can check Ukraines ground forces with its own forces that are stationed on the Russian border with Ukraine. They would likely make a push all the way to the Dnieper which would complicate US & NATO operation in and over Crimea. Now Ukraine and Crimea become theaters of military operations stretching, at the very least, US & NATO supply lines.

Russia would rely on its considerable air defenses, ballistic missiles armed with conventional warheads, hypersonic weapons from stand-off aircraft, intermediate range shore to ship missiles (to make life difficult for opposing naval forces in the Black Sea), and deft use of the electromagnetic spectrum to muck up communications between US & NATO forces in the air, on the ground and under the sea. Satellites that help the US & NATO forces see the battlefield would be targeted by ballistic missiles. Russian ships based in the Caspian Sea would launch cruise missile attacks (if they are still afloat). Russian submarine forces would be called upon to fire off cruise missiles and inflict significant damage on US & NATO surface and undersea warships, no easy task against US Virginia class attack submarines. The Russians would be smart to cripple US & NATO air refueling capability and its shipping supply chains that would extend across the Atlantic and; if Vladivostok is a target, theUS Pacific surface forces.

The same type of a US & NATO attack envisioned for Crimea would likely be used against Vladivostok, a key commercial port on the Pacific in the Russian Far East, bordering China. China would likely assist the Russians in the defense of the port city.How aboutRussias Kuril and Sakhalin islandstaken from Japanin WWII as targets? That might be easy pickings for the US Navy and Marines. Or perhaps go for a two-fer and attack Crimea and Kaliningrad. The latter is sandwiched right between Lithuania and Poland. It might not be hard for the US & NATO to stir up Lithuanian and Polish enmity for Russias treatment of the two nations during the Cold War (but will the 18 -ear olds care?).Maybe cripple Russias naval base at Tartus in Syria or its Khmeimim Air Basein the country with punishing air and sea attacks. Perhaps Russias arctic bases too. Who knows?

If US & NATO forces attempt a Nazi Operation Barbarossa effort, the outcome would be defeat for the US and its allies. Russias vast landmass allows them to buy time to retreat, dig-in and counterattack. And consider this: during WWII, the Russians in Sevastopol held out for 6 months against overwhelming odds; Leningrad held on for 1000 days while the Battle of Stalingrad saw defeat of the Naziwar machine that crippled its ability to wage war against the allied powers for the remainder of WWII.

History &American Hatred

Let us not forget Stalins ruthlessness. It is documented history and cant be hidden, nor should it be. The Stalin initiated famine which would kill millions of Kulaks in 1930 (Ukraine), and Stalins Great Purge in 1937--during which political and military personnel who led the Bolsheviks to military and political victory during the Russian Civil War were imprisoned on feather-like charges. Many of them were thrown in jail. But with the Nazi war machine stampeding through Russia, many of the imprisonedwho were not shot, would be called back to uniform to command troops during WWII; for example, branded a traitor and shut up in prison, Konstantin Rokossovskys was released from leg irons, and nearly overnight, was put into a command position. He would ultimately providemilitary leadership that proved critical to the outcome of the following key battles: Stalingrad, Moscow, Kursk and Berlin (after WWII he was responsible for implementing Stalins orders to crush a rebellion in Poland).

Stalins purges would continue through WWII until his death in 1953. Russian antisemitism during those early post-WWII years and through the Cold War was also well documented. According, to a Wikipedia entry titled, Antisemitism in Russia, Since the early 2000s, levels of antisemitism in Russia have been low and steadily decreasing.

Anyone who wishes to speak with some measure of competence on Russias pastmust consult Vasily Grossmans writings. To wit, Everything Flows, Life and Fate, Stalingrad, and the Roadthe latter a collection of short stories and Grossmans report on Treblinka (which was read at the Nuremberg trials

Anyway, Grossman was Jewish, and his mother was killed by the Nazis. He was a reporter for the Red Star traveling on the front lines with the Red Army during WWII and spent months with them in Stalingrads battle zones. It is quite extraordinary that he wasnt put in a Gulag himself as his books criticized Stalins State sponsored elimination of anyone who spokefreely, or would be turned in to the secret police by an informant looking to save his/her own skin.

The book Life and Fate speaks best to the Battle of Stalingrad and also the everyday small fightsof individual Russians seeking freedom to think and speak. Life and Fate also includes horrifying depictions Nazi Death camps. An essay in the book The Road titled, The Hell of Treblinka, based on Grossmans many interviews, is as horrible to read as it is necessary. He constantly battled with censors in Russia to get anything resembling his original texts published. And Grossmans Life and Fate was not published outside Russia, in English, until 1986.

Grossmans Everything Flows depicts, through its characters, the destruction of the Kulaks/Famine in 1930, and the primary characters 30 years of life in a Russian gulag. And it is in this book that Grossman gives his take on Russian history and Lenin and Stalin.

Grossman ventures to describe Russias national character, its soul based on a tortured history like this:

Soul [Russian] is neither here nor there; it simply does not come into it. If the French or the Germans, the Italians or the English had been placed a thousand years ago within the same parameters of forest, steppe, bog, and plain, in the force field between Europe and Asia, amid Russias tragic vastness, then the pattern of their history would have been no different from that of Russian history. Anyway, it is not only the Russians who have known this path. There are many people on every continent of this Earth who have come to know the bitterness of the Russian pathsome of them only vaguely and from a distance, some of them closely and clearly, suffering bitterness of their own.

It is time for the students and diviners of Russia to understand that the mystique of the Russian soul is the result of a thousand years of slavery.

Can Americans understand this?

So where does Americas pathological, nearly racist hatred of Russia come from? Perhaps it is because as an American looks into a mirror he/she sees a Russian looking back. It is a frightening experience as that American sees something of a similar historical past. The US State sponsored annihilation of first peoples/native Americans; the enslavement of Black people that would require a bloody civil war to free them from their chains; Jim Crow, the Ku Klux Clan, and innocents lynched; segregation of schools and workplaces; US military intervention on domestic soil to bust union organizers or the heads of peaceful protestors; Guantanamo Bay, torture at black sites, the prison industrial complex; and a host of other maladies that stain the idea that is the United States of America.

Or is it because Russian leaders refused to give up their country to Western Capitalists in the 1990s? Is it because, as history keeps reminding the world, the victors of the Cold War are no longer the preeminent political power on the planet? Is it because Russia annexed Crimea and Sevastopol (a great naval base) which were set for US Navy occupation? Is it because the US sponsored coup in Ukraine was botched as the resource rich Donbas broke away from the US puppet regime? Or maybe it is becausethere is something deep in the US psyche that houses the anti-Russian, racial hate that the Nazis had for Russians/Slavs.

John Stanton can be reached at jstantonarchangel@gmail.com
Sri Lanka: Gotabaya to contest the next Prez Poll

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said this morning that he hopes to contest the presidential election again.

The President stated that there are not three years to implement his policy but five more years after that.

The President made this observation at a discussion held with the owners of media institutions at the Presidential Secretariat today.




Historically Sri Lanka enjoyed a comparative and competitive advantage in the international market, particularly, over its brand name Ceylon Tea.

by Sirimal Abeyratne

Textiles, tourism and tea are the most important commodities in our export mix which includes both goods and services. The three sectors alone account for more than half of Sri Lankas export income. Hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 19-billion-dollar export income of the country fell by US$6 billion in earnings last year.

Despite import controls, merchandise trade deficit has already increased by $439 million during the first five months of the year. Over 80 percent of our imports are intermediate inputs and investment goods; they are needed to sustain production, and thereby incomes and jobs. Any policy measure that limits the availability of intermediate and investment goods in the domestic market will have far-reaching long-term economic implications. Besides, with the rising oil prices in the world market the pressure on import expenditure is again on the rise. We spend 20 percent of our import expenditure on fuel, while the volume of fuel imports cannot be cut down.

Tea earnings might suffer due to the chemical fertiliser ban.

Someone could argue that import controls may be directed at consumer goods, particularly of luxury types, according to an old definition. The most important import items that have been under import controls are personal vehicles; it might save about 4 percent of total import expenditure. If we bring home appliances too under import controls, then we might be able to save another 1 percent. Although some of the items in this consumer goods category are classified as such, when they are purchased for business purpose, apparently, they also do carry consequences on production, incomes and jobs.

It is in this context that I thought of bringing out a discussion on, not import controls, but on the challenges that the country has faced with our exports. I am looking at the most important export-trio  textile, tourism and tea.

Textile and garments

The largest single export item which brings about $5.5 billion export income as of 2019 is textile and garments. The sector has provided 350,000 direct jobs and another 1 million indirect employment. When Sri Lanka commenced production of textile and garments for exports to developed country markets, these exports were subject to quota restrictions under the Multifibre Agreement (MFA). While the international investors in the textile and garment sector moved around the then liberalising developing countries for orders to make use of the available country-quota under the MFA, the investors too looked for investment opportunities in developing countries. Nevertheless, the quota system also constrained the expansion of the sector beyond the limits of the quota, as a disadvantage.

As the MFA was phased out in 2004, the countries which were able to face the quota-free market competition benefitted, while others lost; I believe, Sri Lanka is one of these countries which benefited from the abolition of the MFA, although it was not each and every producer who faced the challenge successfully.

Soon after the abolition of the MFA, Sri Lanka faced the tsunami catastrophe in 2004 and was entitled to the European Unions General Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+), since its very inception in 2005. Under the scheme, Sri Lanka got quota-free and tariff-free access to the EU market. The GSP+ scheme covers two-thirds of tariff lines of the country or 7,500 export items, including textile and garments. The country lost it in 2010, regained in 2017, and is likely to lose it again in 2021.

To win or to lose

GSP+ is a Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance. There are only eight countries in the world as the exclusive beneficiaries of the GSP+ scheme  Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. According to the strict eligibility criteria of the GSP+ scheme, a country should first be a vulnerable developing country with a non-diversified economy and low level of exports to the EU  all these indicate that the country should be a special category of the poor. Secondly, the country must have ratified and implemented 27 international conventions as specified by the EU.

With the impending loss of the GSP+ scheme, I wondered about two important questions related to its eligibility criteria. The first is that if we win it back, we naturally confirm that we are still a poor and vulnerable country! If we lose it as it already happened, we confirm that we are incapable of doing with what we have ratified for! Anyway, the answers to these questions are beyond the scope of our discussion today.

However, my second question cannot be ignored: In the midst of a foreign exchange problem, we cannot afford to lose the GSP+ which affects over 20 percent of our total exports that are destined to the EU market. We have already lost GSP+ benefit for another 10 percent of our exports to the UK market, due to Brexit. An alternative to the GSP+ scheme would be a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with both the EU and the UK; many other counties in Asia opted for FTAs with them without the risk of losing their trade benefits. But Sri Lanka did not choose FTAs either.

Tourism sector

The tourism sector recorded a healthy growth since the end of the war in 2009 and contributed to over $4.3 billion foreign exchange earnings in 2018, which was over 50 percent of our services exports. The sector has already created nearly 400,000 jobs directly and indirectly, serving over two million tourists arriving annually.

Unlike many other export sectors, the tourism sector is different. As an export commodity, it is a package comprised of various goods and services so that the sector has multiplier effects through its numerous backward linkages. On the bad side, unlike other sectors the tourism industry is highly fragile as it over-reacts to security and health conditions both internally and internationally. The countries which tend to over-depend on the tourism industry are, therefore, highly vulnerable to both internal and external shocks affecting the tourism industry.

Even before COVID-19, the Easter Sunday terrorist attack in 2019 had caused severe damage to Sri Lankas growing tourism industry. According to the analysis of real time global travel patterns carried out by the ForwardKeys on the basis of over 17 million flight bookings a day, cancellation of tourist bookings in Sri Lanka surged over 86 percent within three days after the Easter Sunday attack.

The COVID-19 pandemic has knocked down the global tourism industry since last year. As a result, tourist arrivals fell down to just over 500,000 in 2020, while tourism earnings dropped by over 80 percent. The losses are not only for the foreign exchange earnings, but also for the people engaged in the industry through income and job losses.

Tea sector

Historically Sri Lanka enjoyed a comparative and competitive advantage in the international market, particularly, over its brand name Ceylon Tea. Most of its glorious status is already gone due to new competitors in the market and the change in demand patterns, as well as politics more than economics that governed the elements of the local tea industry.

In spite of all that, tea is still important in Sri Lanka in terms of its economic contribution; its not because of the importance of tea per se, but because of the unimportance of the growth of other sectors. If not for that matter, even though the tea sector would have flourished and grown, its share of contribution would have dropped significantly. It still provides job opportunities, directly or indirectly, to over 1 million people. Being the countrys second largest export item after textiles, tea exports generate over $1 billion foreign exchange.

According to industry sources, the latest blow to the tea industry is the policy decision on the fertiliser ban. I am not an industry expert to comment on this issue. I also do not know whether Sri Lankan tea would emerge as a global organic Ceylon Tea brand. However, potential repercussions of the current blow to the tea industry squeezing our foreign exchange constraint seem substantial.

(The writer is a Professor of Economics at the University of Colombo and can be reached at sirimal@econ.cmb.ac.lk )
At least 180 journalists around the world have been selected as targets by clients of the cybersurveillance company NSO Group, according to a new Forbidden Stories investigation, published today.

by Phineas Rueckert

Khadija Ismayilovas home in Baku had become like a prison. In Azerbaijan, an oil-rich nation nestled next to the Caspian Sea that since 2014 has increasingly stifled free speech and dissent, Ismayilovas investigations into the ruling family had made her a prime target of her own government.

The Azerbaijani investigative journalist knew she was constantly being watched  and had been told as much by friends and family who had been asked to spy on her.

The authorities had thrown the book at her: surreptitiously installing cameras in her home to film her during sex; arresting her and accusing her of driving a colleague to suicide; and eventually charging her with tax fraud and sentencing her to seven years in prison.

She was released on bail after 18 months and banned from leaving the country for five years.

So in May 2021, at the end of the travel ban, when Ismayilova packed her away her belongings and boarded a plane to Ankara, Turkey, she may have thought she was leaving all of that behind.

Little did she know the most invasive spy was coming with her.

For nearly three years, Khadija Ismayilovas phone was regularly infected with Pegasus, a highly-sophisticated spyware tool developed by Israeli company NSO Group that gives clients access to the entirety of a phones contents and can even remotely access the camera and microphone, according to a forensic analysis by Amnesty Internationals Security Lab, in partnership with Forbidden Stories.

All night Ive been thinking about what did I do with my phone, she told journalists from her temporary home in Ankara the day after learning her phone had been compromised. I feel guilty for the messages Ive sent. I feel guilty for the sources who sent me [information] thinking that some encrypted messaging ways are secure and they didnt know that my phone is infected.

My family members are also victimized, she added. The sources are victimized, people Ive been working with, people who told me their private secrets are victimized.

READ MORE HERE
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Brendan Quest 2 metre trans-Atlantic attempt

In an update issued on July 14th, Frank Davis announced that the VO1FN Transatlantic VHF project has received important support from SHF Elektronik Siggi DJ2MM who have sponsored an MVV 144-VOX Mast Mounted preamp. The unit has been received and will be installed in the coming days.

The unit has been modified by Siggi with more sensitive circuitry to deal with the very weak VHF signals to be expected on the Transatlantic path. This preamp will also enable the station to utilize its new FT991A transceiver to transmit in return to any signals heard. He also thanked Mr. Martin Jue of MFJ for sponsoring two 12VDC BiasT units for the irish station EI2DHK and Newfoundland Labrador station VO1FN. Both units have been received.

The VO1FN location will use the Bias T to power the SHF Mast Mounted Preamp. The EI2DKH beacon is now running 24/7 beaming across the Atlantic hoping to make contact with North America. The radio is an Elad Duo SDR with GPS DO operating on 28 MHz into a transverter. The Duo output is 1 milliwatt and the transverter delivers 10 Watts into a 100 Watt linear amplifier, so all systems are cool running except the amplifier which is fan cooled.

The station run by Tony EI8JK transmitting Q65 (60 sec, sub mode C) with CW ID every even minute on 144.488 MHz with audio frequency of 1500 Hz and it receives Q65 every odd minute on 144.178 MHz with audio frequency of 1500 Hz

IRTS
Ham Radio training for civil defence volunteers to combat calamities

The Millennium Post report that in a bid to ensure seamless connectivity even to the remotest locations in Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas, the civil defence volunteers on Sunday started receiving training in Ham Radio communication.

About 60 civil defence volunteers hailing from interior blocks of Gosaba, Patharpratima, Sagar, Namkhana and Mathurapur will be trained online on how to stay connected using radio waves, when the normal communication system gets cut-off due to natural calamities.

"In the last two years there have been 3 to 4 severe cyclonic storms that have hit the coastal belt of South 24-Parganas. We have found out that connectivity has been jeopardised after such disasters. There have been several meetings at the administrative level on bridging this connectivity issue and finally we have decided to train our civil defence volunteers in communication through Ham Radio. The West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC) which has worked with the district administration during such natural calamities has been roped in for the training," Sourav Chatterjee, Additional Deputy Controller (ADC), Civil Defence , South 24-Parganas said.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, the custodian and secretary of WBRC said the online training of three months will be conducted by Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management, the training and development wing of WBRC. Classes will be conducted every Sunday by Dr. Pasupati Mondal. Dipak Giri, a civil defence volunteer from Mahendranagar in Pathapratima was very excited after attending his first class. "There are a lot of problems related to connectivity in my residence. So, I climbed up a tree near my residence to attend the virtual class. I am hopeful that after successful completion of the training, I will be able to stand by the people in our village in times of natural calamities in a much more effective manner,"Giri said.
Missouri Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, poses with Gov. Mike Parson on July 14 after the governor signed his police reform bill into law. The bill is the first of its kind in the state since Michael Browns death.
In voicing confidence that the Supreme Court would rule his way, DeSantis asserted that most courts at this point have had their limit with the CDC issuing these dictates without a full statutory basis. As an example, he pointed to a 5-4 ruling in late June that left the CDCs nationwide eviction moratorium in place. Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he agreed with the four dissenters but voted to uphold the moratorium to allow more tenants to secure federal rental assistance funds before it expires in July.
I am worried about what is to come because we are seeing increasing cases among the unvaccinated in particular. And while, if you are vaccinated, you are very well protected against hospitalization and death, unfortunately that is not true if you are not vaccinated, Murthy said on CNNs State of the Union.
Teddy was one of several comfort dogs deployed from around the country to provide psychological aid to victims and first responders at Surfside. He often worked six-hour days, taking a big break during the afternoon and returning to the site in the evenings. Barrett said Crisis Response Canines always ensured the dogs needs come first.
Amazon is trying to capture that market of instant gratification, he said. The pandemic retrained our mentality how we want to be consumers. There was a time you wanted to interact with people. Now its we just want to go in, get out and move on with our lives and not interact with as many people we used to before.
Among those who had to wait: Henry Lee Lewis, a 15-year-old charged with murdering real estate agent Stefano Barbosa in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 1 this year, when courts were still under lockdown; Nathaniel Williams and Gershon Woods, teenagers accused of murdering bartender Nelson Vega in Miramar last September while trying to steal his Mercedes for a joyride; and Lorenzo Pulliam, accused of killing a woman last fall and leaving her body in a Dania Beach canal to make it look like an accident.
Nebergall returned to her home an hour later, alone, and soon made vulgar remarks, forcibly kissed her lips and a breast, asked for oral sex and tried a sexual act, she testified at a 2018 trial. She said she didnt try to resist because he kept touching a gun in his waistband during the attack.
The governor and the Florida Supreme Court can put their heads in the sand, ignore science, and, from their safe cocoons in Tallahassee, declare everything is back to normal, said attorney H. Dohn Williams, who is vaccinated and says he has adhered strictly to public health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even as Haiti spiraled into violence and political upheaval, they say, few in the Trump administration took seriously Moises repeated warnings that he faced plots against his life. And as warnings of his authoritarianism intensified, the Biden administration kept up its public support for Moises claim to power, even after Haitis Parliament emptied out in the absence of elections and Moise ruled by decree.
In this handout photo released by Haiti's Secretary of State for Communication, Haiti's first lady Martine Moise, wearing a bullet proof vest and her right arm in a sling, arrives at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Martine Moise, the wife of assassinated President Jovenel Moise, who was injured in the July 7 attack at their private home, returned to the Caribbean nation on Saturday following her release from a Miami hospital. (Haiti's Secretary of State for Communication Photo/via AP) (AP)
Police have arrested three young people after a British tourist in Puerto Banus was, allegedly, assaulted with pepper spray in a bungled attempt to steal his 10,000-euro Rolex watch.

A witness to the attack in Marbella alerted Local Police who were quickly on the scene and found the 31-year-old British man in a state of distress and with a great deal of redness on his face and shoulder.

The victim explained that he had been sprayed in the face, by the trio of youths, before they tried to, unsuccessfully, make off with his Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust model, valued at about 10,000-euros.

However, the three fled after the tourist put up a fight and the youths realised that the alarm had been raised.

Descriptions of the alleged attackers, provided the victim and eye-witnesses, allowed the Local Police officers to quickly locate the offenders. The three were arrested and charged with robbery with violence and threats.

The victim was taken to a health centre, by police officers, to be treated for the injuries caused by the pepper spray.
The curve of the fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic is worrying the Andalusian Government.

On Saturday - the latest data available  the region registered 3,999 positive cases of Covid-19, while the cumulative incidence rate increased for the seventeenth consecutive day to 376.3 points per 100,000 inhabitants. A whopping 117.1 points more in just one week.

With these figures on the table, the Juntas committee of experts will have to make a decision, this week, about the regions easing of coronavirus measures programme, which has remained at a standstill for several weeks more than originally planned.

The president of the regional government, Juanma Moreno, has made it clear that the data worries him and issued a stern warning on his official Twitter account saying: "We will take action if necessary."

There are 200 more patients admitted for Covid 19 in Andalusian hospitals than two weeks ago. Take extra care! Hospitalisations are on the rise, although thanks to the vaccine we are far from the maximum peak of the pandemic. We will continue to monitor the situation, the Juntas head tweeted.

According to data provided by the regional government on Sunday (18 July) the region administered a total of 9,198,217 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine up until Friday, 16 July, which means that 4,377,710 people in Andalucia are fully-vaccinated, while 5,177,773 have had at least one dose.
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MBABANE  Chairman of the Witchdoctors Association Makhanya Makhanya has observed maturity in Hosea MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza.

As a result, he said if one was to sit down with Mabuza, there was a lot he could learn from the politician. Mabuza is one of the legislators who are at the forefront in the call for political reforms in the country. The other MPs are Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Simelane, and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube. The trio has been calling for the country to have an elected prime minister, not one appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III. This, they stated, was because they believed an elected PM would be accountable to the people. Even though Makhanya declared his fondness for Mabuza, he stated that he was opposed to the removal of the Kings powers to appoint the PM.

Submissions

Makhanya said while following the submissions by Mabuza through different forums, he observed that there was a lot to be learnt from the legislator in terms of politics. In his own words, Makhanya said; If you can sit Mabuza down, there is a lot you can learn from him as he seems to be understanding what he is talking about. In vernacular, he said, Yindvodza Mabuza. Asked what he really meant when he said Mabuza seemed to understand what he was talking about, Makhanya stated that in as much as the legislator advocated for change, he (Mabuza) had a clear understating that change could not come in a day hence the need for tolerance and patience. This, Makhanya said showed that Mabuza was not fighting to kill anyone but was prepared to dialogue in a manner that could help him and the parties concerned.

We are talking about a businessman who owns businesses across the country. Judging from his establishment, one could safely say that he can calculate and come up with an answer unlike those who perpetuate anarchy under the pretext of the call for change in the country, he said. Kuyabonakala kutsi Mabuza uyakholelwa ekutseni kulesinye sikhatsi kuyaye kubhotjotwane kume tindvuma. Kuyabonakala futsi kutsi uyati kutsi kunesikhatsi lapho kugezwana khona tindvuma bese kuyacolelwana, he added in vernacular, which can be loosely translated to: It is clear that Mabuza understands that differences should be ironed out so that people live in harmony no matter how tense a debate may be. Makhanya said he was not pleased with the manner some church leaders interfered in the call for change. He stated that the language and tone used by some of the church leaders did not show an element of leadership as they seemed to be full of anger and hatred.

Established

It was established that Makhanya had never met Mabuza in his life. It was also gathered that Makhanya followed Mabuzas statements through the media while Mabuza only saw Makhanya on television and local newspapers.
LUDZIDZINI - When Caphelumbutfo sang the Kings praises inside Ludzidzini Cattle Byre; little did he know that some of those who followed the event on television took offence.

Information gathered was to the effect that Caphelumbutfo, whose real name is Sibusiso Mahlalela, was attacked by a mob a few minutes after he had alighted from a bus after attending Sibaya. The incident is said to have happened at Mhlaleni in Matsapha, where the warrior rents a flat. When asked about the incident, Caphelumbutfo confirmed that he was attacked by a mob of about 20 people after he alighted from the motor vehicle. He stated that the mob was carrying bush knives and stones.

Attire

They accused me of singing the Kings praises and donning traditional attire during Sibaya. They made it clear that they saw me singing the Kings praises inside the cattle byre on television. I had to run for cover as the mob pelted me with stones. My landlord had to call the police after they threatened to burn the flat, he said. Caphelumbutfo said the mob stated that they were not pleased by his actions while making allegations about the King, which cannot be repeated for ethical reasons. He mentioned that he had since reported the matter to the police and stated that he would not stop praising the King. However, he considered relocating to another place where he would live without fear. The warrior had people talking when he sang the Kings praises inside Ludzidzini Cattle Byre on Friday.

Clad in his traditional attire, Caphelumbutfo, who was sitting at the front, stood up and faced the entrance where the King enters the cattle byre. With his melodious voice, Caphelumbutfo caused silence when he began singing the Kings praises. Those who followed him concluded that he had prepared for the event. He noted some initiatives which had taken the country forward as well as the Kings involvement in solving disputes in the SADC Region. As a result, he received a massive applause. Caphelumbutfo was among those who sang the Kings praises while waiting for his arrival. They included Jubumgwaco and Two Minutes Shongwe among others. Shongwe said he heard about the alleged attack on Caphelumbutfo last Saturday. He said the ill-treatment of those who showed support for the King was a violation of the right to freedom of speech and association which is enshrined in the Constitution. Shongwe said it was wrong to attack another person for showing love and support for the King.

This is the time to decide whether you want to pretend in fear for your life or maintain your position. I also sang the Kings praises as I always do. We do this to show love and appreciation to the King. In Eswatini, we sing praises to the King and the Queen Mother in appreciation for their existence and no one has a right to stop us from doing that, Shongwe said. He said relatives of the people who attacked Caphelumbutfo needed to call them to order before they faced Gods wrath. He also said fighting the King and those who showed support to him was like fighting God who appointed the King.
MBABANE  It is less COVID-19-related deaths for now in the third wave, compared to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, a second wave is defined as a new wave lasting one or more days, commencing after the end of the first wave. It further refers to an occurrence, after the previous peak, where the caseload returns to at least 30 per cent of the previous peaks case load. The third wave is the effect of the virus on the social determinants of health, and its effects on the next generation. It is characterised by more infections. The less COVID-19 deaths could be attributed to the country being proactive in the response to the pandemic. In the long-run, it could also be attributed to vaccination rollout in the majority of the population. Worth noting is that when 400 confirmed cases of the virus were recorded in the second wave, there were 80 deaths recorded in the country.

Cases

On the other hand, the country has been recording a high number of cases since last month, which have reached more than 480 confirmed cases of COVID-19, while deaths are only 12. Local health experts have declared that the country is in the early stages of the third wave and it has not reached its peak. Compared to the second wave, the third one seems to have fewer deaths, although admissions are increasing to as high as 153 recently. With the third wave, new strains of the virus such as the Alpha and Delta variants, which are highly infectious, have been recently detected in neighbouring South Africa. Local health officials did not dismiss suggestions that the virus may have been spread to the kingdom due to the proximity between the two countries. World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Promotions Officer Dr Kevin Makadzange said although it was too early to compare the two waves since the recent third wave had not reached its peak, the less deaths recorded in the current wave could be attributed to awareness and proactiveness.

Overwhelmed

He said when the first wave first hit, it was slow and the health system was not overwhelmed, and the opposite was true on the second wave, when hospitals were overwhelmed. However, in the third wave, the country is a bit prepared as there is the availability of oxygen tanks, support staff and the UK emergency medical team, among many other responsive ways to the virus, Makadzange said. He added that hospital beds were increased and individuals were more cautious and proactive, in that they tested early for COVID-19. He expressed hope that the precautionary measures would work to the nations advantage during the third wave. The health promotions officer further noted that in the third wave, the virus was more transmissible but less fatal, according to recent research. Dr Makadzange mentioned that for now, vaccines were not going to help because only a small percentage of people were vaccinated. However, he did not rule out that they would eventually help, especially when more locals had vaccinated.
MANZINI  How can he be a Member of Parliament (MP) when he has not been sworn in?

This was the reaction of the MPs calling for political reforms, who stated that they were shocked to learn that appointed Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini became an MP last Thursday. Hosea Constituency MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza wondered how the newly-appointed prime minister (PM) was an MP without being sworn in first. He said in his understanding, any politician elected or appointed to the august House was an MP-elect until sworn in. Weve been called in today for the swearing in of an MP, maybe it is him, Mabuza said. On the other hand, Siphofaneni Constituency MP Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane rhetorically asked what the procedures were before requesting not to comment any further. Ngwempisi Constituency MP Mthandeni Dube said he would consult extensively on this as his understanding of the Constitution was different from what was unfolding. The PM was made an MP on Thursday? This is news to me, Dube said. Worth noting is that Dlamini was announced as the countrys PM last Friday following that the Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Masuku, had been acting in this office since the demise of Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini in December 2020.

Confirmed

Attorney General Sifiso Khumalo confirmed that the new Prime Minister, Cleopas Dlamini, was appointed an MP last week Thursday. He said as a result, by the time that the King announced Dlamini as PM at Sibaya on Friday, he was already a member of the House of Assembly. Khumalo yesterday then produced Legal Notice No.207 of 2021 which states that in exercise of powers vested in the King under Section 95 and 98 of the Constitution, the King and Ingwenyama was making the notice. The notice may be cited as the appointment of a member of the House of Assembly and was deemed to have come into force on July 15, 2021. Khumalos reaction follows that eyebrows were raised when Dlamini was appointed on Friday at Sibaya yet he was known to be a member of Senate, which was in breach of Section 67 (1) of the Constitution.

The clause states that the King shall appoint the prime minister from among members of the House acting on recommendation of the Kings Advisory Council. Informed about the latest developments, Human Rights Lawyer Sipho Gumedze said at least the government was trying to be compliant with the Constitution. He, however, said if it was true that the new PM was appointed a member of the House, then he should have been sworn in as an MP on Thursday. He said if Thursday had not been possible, Dlamini could have been sworn in on Friday morning before the announcement was made by the King on Friday afternoon. He said for a member of the House to be sworn in, it did not mean that the whole House had to be present. The Speaker and the AG could have made an arrangement for Dlamini to take the oath of being an MP on Friday in order to fulfil the whole process and make it constitutional, said Gumedze.
LOMAHASHA  Chaos erupted in this small town as the youth and other members of the community blocked roads and burnt tyres while demanding justice after the murder of two young men from the area, allegedly by a police officer.

The men were allegedly shot dead by the police officer on Saturday during a funeral. The police officer, stationed at the Lomahasha Police Station, allegedly gunned down the duo at the late Peters Transport owner Peter Mashabas home situated at Lomahasha. The cop, who is popularly known as Twenty Dlamini, is alleged to have shot both men while they were seated by a fire which was outside the homesteads gate during the night of the funeral.

Rifle

It was alleged that the police officer used a service rifle, R4, to shoot the duo. The deceased were identified as Sifiso Mpostoli Masilela (26) and Mxolisi Sigubhu Nyoni (28), who both hailed from Lomahasha. It was also established that the feud started at a bar around the area, where the police officer and the duo were enjoying alcoholic drinks. The alleged bone of contention which led to the death of the two was the questioning of the police officer by the duo, asking him what prompted him to shoot a young man from the area during the recent protests that were marred by looting, vandalising and burning of some business establishments. The police officer is believed to have shot a young man who is now confined to a wheelchair during the recent political unrest. The duo asked him how he felt to have committed such an act and destroy a young mans future. This is said to have infuriated the police officer and a brawl ensued, resulting in the two running away to another bar, claimed a source.

The source alleged, While at that other bar, they got wind that the police officer was in pursuit of them and they left and went to the Mashaba homestead and started a fire outside the gate. The police officer was informed that they were at the Mashaba homestead and he got there, drew his service rifle and shot them. He fired one shot at each of the men. People came and took the gun from him and he ran away. According Jacob Mashaba, a senior family member and brother to the late Peter, the incident took place at around midnight. Jacob said he was in his car when he heard a knock on the window from a family member informing him that a police officer had allegedly shot two young men at the homesteads gate.

Preparations

We were making preparations to bury our young brother Joshua. There was no vigil as per the ban on such events. It was around midnight when I was informed that a police officer had gunned down two men at the gate. I tried to enquire on what prompted the police officer to do this but I was told it was a long story that started while they were enjoying drinks at a bar, he alleged. Another family member also echoed Jacobs sentiments, stating that she was asleep when the incident took place. My children woke me up to the sad news while I was taking a nap. According to someone who witnessed the incident, the argument was that the police officer shot one of their friends and the two young men asked him why he did that.
CIA chief says trend lines in Afghanistan 'troubling' amid Taliban advances 23 Jul 2021 | 8:14 AM Washington, July 23 (UNI/Sputnik) CIA Director William Burns in an interview with NPR said he is troubled by the advances the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) is making in Afghanistan. see more..

Explosion in Gaza leaves 1 dead, 10 injured 23 Jul 2021 | 1:41 AM Gaza, Jul 22 (UNI/Xinhua) At least one Palestinian was killed and 10 others injured on Thursday in a huge explosion in the largest public market in the Gaza Strip. see more..

US, Iraq set to agree in withdrawal of US troops by year end 23 Jul 2021 | 1:05 AM Washington, Jul 22 (UNI/Sputnik) The United States and Iraq are expected to agree on the pullout of US forces by the end of 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. see more..

Turkey reports record daily COVID-19 cases since late May 23 Jul 2021 | 1:00 AM Ankara, Jul 22 (UNI/Xinhua) Turkey on Thursday reported 9,586 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily infections since late May. see more..
UW in the News

State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage:

Forbes, The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T), Wyoming Public Radio, The Laramie Boomerang and the Associated Press detailed UWs proposed changes to its academic programs, including the reorganization of some of its colleges and the elimination of as many as 75 faculty and staff positions. Hits 106 and Oil City News published UWs detailed announcement. Nebraskas Rural Radio Network, The College Post and KGAB Radio published condensed versions of the release.

The CS-T reported that Gov. Mark Gordon supports UWs proposed restructuring plan, which he hopes will spur Wyomings economy. Gordon met with the UW Board of Trustees last week during its meeting in Torrington.

Last week, the UW Board of Trustees approved a notice of intent to develop a new School of Computing as part of the universitys restructuring plan. The CS-T and Rocket Miner noted that the effort would likely take at least five years to fully launch. Wyoming Public Radio also reported on the School of Computing as well as two other new initiatives: the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Three proposed hydrogen pilot projects have been chosen as finalists for grant funding by the Wyoming Energy Authority. The CS-T noted that a Tulsa, Okla.-based company is set to receive the bulk of the grant money -- nearly $1 million -- for a hydrogen feasibility study in partnership with UW. The study could inform development of a hydrogen and synthetic natural gas hub in Wyoming later this decade.

Channel 7 News in Denver cited a UW study on the economic damage grasshoppers can cause. Economic damage to crops occurs when there are more than 10 grasshoppers per square yard, according to the study. This year, those numbers are much higher as grasshoppers can number 40 or even 50 per square yard in certain parts of the country.

Slate interviewed Scott Schell, a UW entomologist, about the grasshopper invasion in the U.S. and what is being done to minimize the damage. Schell studies rangeland grasshopper ecology and management.

UW President Ed Seidel was profiled in a Jackson Hole News & Guide piece. Seidel discussed UWs role in helping the state jump-start its economy and in training the next generation of entrepreneurs.

UW Associate Professor Michael Dillon and colleagues published a paper that was picked up by EurekAlert! The study indicates how humans can learn from animals and insects about the impacts of climate change.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide last week featured the latest Grand Teton Music Festival performances. The world-class event returned earlier this month after the pandemic canceled last summers festival. Among presenters at the festival last weekend was Michael Griffith, UWs director of orchestral activities, who was invited to give preconcert lectures at Teton Village.

A new solar energy array will begin development this fall in Laramie. Oil City News noted that the solar array will provide UW students with opportunities to gain hands-on experiential learning.

The Sheridan Press reported that Ben Kern, a UW assistant professor of kinesiology and health, designed and distributed the Wyoming Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance survey for Wyoming public schools to review physical education standards. Wyoming is well below the national average in offering physical education to elementary school students, according to the statewide survey.

The Western Farmer-Stockman published a UW release announcing that UWs Sheridan Research and Extension Center will host the first Growing Grapes in Wyoming Symposium next month. The symposium will focus on the management of grapes at the end of the growing season into harvest.

Two Lander students participated in UWs Windy Ridge Foundation Astro Camp last week. County 10 published UWs release noting that 20 students from Wyoming and two from Colorado participated in the weeklong camp, which focused on exoplanets.

Wyoming News Now published UWs release promoting the Teton STEM Academy on the universitys campus last week. Hands-on activities in the interdisciplinary sciences were offered to 25 high school students from Wyoming and one from Colorado.

MoneyGeek interviewed Tim Zhang, a UW assistant professor of finance, for a couple of articles that offered insightful assistance for cheap renters insurance and the best homeowners insurance.

The Powell Tribune reported that UWs Powell Research and Extension Center will host Field Days this week. Last years event was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.

The CS-T reported that nearly 200 UW student-athletes were named to the Academic All-Mountain West teams for the spring season.
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On 16 July 2021, the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, met with the President of Afghanistan, H.E. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, during the International Conference Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and discussed progress with Customs reform in Afghanistan.

President Ashraf Ghani was pleased to see Secretary General Mikuriya following the latters visit to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, in 2017. He began by stressing that Customs reform was one of his priorities. He also explained that progress had been made in the areas of electronic payments of duties and electronic salary payments to government officials, and that he would pursue greater digitalization of Customs procedures. After describing the difficulties faced by his country in ensuring that government revenue kept pace with expenditure, the President voiced his interest in further streamlining and standardizing duty collection as well as in compiling and learning more about international best practices for revenue collection.

Dr. Mikuriya also expressed his pleasure and honour at meeting the President again. He summed up previous WCO contributions to Customs reform in Afghanistan, especially in the field of human resources. After acknowledging that progress had been made thanks to the leadership of the President, who was familiar with Customs matters in his capacity as a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mikuriya offered some advice on moving forward with Customs reform and reaffirmed the WCOs readiness to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan. It was agreed that the Secretary General would follow up with Afghanistans Minister of Finance to discuss further support by the WCO.
On 15 and 16 July 2021, at the invitation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, WCO Secretary General Kunio Dr. Mikuriya spoke at the International Conference on Central-South Asia Regional Connectivity, held in Tashkent.

The conference aimed at exploring the possibility of connecting two gateways, one in Uzbekistan representing Central Asia and another one in Pakistan representing SouthAsia, passing through Afghanistan as the shortest connection route. The conference was marked by the opening remarks of the President of Uzbekistan HE Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Afghanistan HE Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and the Prime Minister of Pakistan HE Imran Khan, followed by the minister of foreign affairs and heads of international organizations.

Secretary General Mikuriya indicated that regional connectivity was a high priority for the WCO as Customs is strategically located at the borders to facilitate legitimate trade while protecting the supply chain from security breach by criminal and terrorist organizations. He recalled his visit to all central Asian countries in 2019 where he was impressed by the strong commitment of Uzbekistan to improving Customs service as a crucial element of his open-border policy through the use of WCO instruments and standards. Dr. Mikuriya also noted that a new wind of openness is blowing in Central Asian for enhanced connectivity, resulting in the recent accession by Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention following his visits to those countries in 2019. He informed the conference that the three Presidents of these countries that he met at that time shared with him their common vision of connecting Central Asia to South Asia through Afghanistan.

Dr. Mikuriya confirmed that for Afghan Customs, the WCO has been working on human resource development and that while the WCO offered standards for modern Customs procedures and best practices on how best to use technology in Customs control, the human aspect was also fundamental for Customs reform. He went on to propose that Customs could build on these components to develop trust among their domestic and international partners in support of regional connectivity that would ultimately bring stability and peace. He also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting to this objective.

In the margins of the conference, Secretary General Mikuriya also met with the Head of Uzbekistan Customs, Mr. Murodjon Azimov, and the Head of Pakistan Customs, Mr. Tariq Huda, who had earlier signed a bilateral Customs cooperation agreement during the meeting between the Uzbek President and the Pakistani Prime Minister. Dr. Mikuriya congratulated both Heads of Customs on their successfully establishing exchange of data and other cooperative arrangement that would strengthen regional connectivity and expressed his readiness to support the implementation of the bilateral agreement.
Dunn Announces Intention to Seek Re-Election

By West Kentucky Star Staff





MCCRACKEN COUNTY - McCracken County Property Value Administrator Bill Dunn has announced his intent to seek re-election in 2022.Since taking office in 2018, Dunn said his goal has been to transform the PVA office into a transparent, cooperative, and high-tech government office.Under his leadership, Dunn says the PVA office has successfully implemented numerous improvements, including reducing the time it takes to process deed and vehicle records, focusing on electronic record keeping, adopting a notification system for new county property addresses, and updating thousands of property records and assessments."Serving McCracken County citizens as PVA has been a true honor. I have always had an open-door policy. It's always a pleasure talking with residents when they are in our office," Dunn continued, "I find reward in the challenge of finding better methods. I feel I have much more to contribute in making the information we manage reliable and useful."Dunn graduated with a Masters in Business Administration from Murray State University and holds a Kentucky real estate broker's license. He is a graduate of Leadership Paducah and the National Association of Counties' High-Performance Leadership Academy and is a decorated Navy veteran.
Police Seek Help To Find Runaway Teenager

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - The Paducah Police are seeking help to find a runaway teenager.Police said 13-year-old Sydney Montgomery was last seen on Walter Jetton Blvd.Montgomery is 5'1, and weighs 115 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing jeans and a white t-shirt.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8548.
Disturbance at Trigg Court Leads to Man's Arrest

By West Kentucky Star Staff

CADIZ - A Trigg County man was arrested Thursday after causing a disturbance at the Trigg County Justice Center.The Sheriff's Office said that Sheriff Aaron Acree was at the Justice Center when he noticed Philip Townsend slurring his speech and shouting, which was causing alarm to others in the building.Townsend was was there for a court appearance for a previous weapons and DUI charge. He was then arrested prior to that court appearance on new charges of alcohol intoxication and disorderly conduct.
Boaz Man Wanted on Warrants

By West Kentucky Star Staff

GRAVES COUNTY - The Graves County Sheriffs Office is seeking help in locating a person wanted on several outstanding warrants.Twenty-year-old Thomas Cole McNeil of Boaz is wanted on several outstanding warrants including, absconding parole, probation violation for felony offenses and failure to appear for felony offenses.If anyone has information on McNeils whereabouts, they are asked to contact the Sheriffs Office.
Help Sought to Find Lyon County Woman

By West Kentucky Star Staff

LYON COUNTY - The Lyon County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in locating a missing woman.Thirty-four-year-old Tabitha D. Cunningham was last seen July 13. She is described as a white female 57, weighing 170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriffs Office at (270) 388-2311 or Dispatch at (270) 388-0911.
OP-ED: Military, Veterans Issues Receive Attention

By Representative Richard Heath

MAYFIELD -By Representative Richard HeathPerched just across the Kentucky River from the Capitol is a 150-year old building that celebrates our commonwealths rich military history. The legislature approved $8,000 to construct the building that houses the Kentucky Military History Museum during the 1850 Regular Session after an earlier arsenal was lost to fire. Because the arsenal was used for the manufacture, maintenance, and storage of volatile weapons and substances, the legislature wisely stipulated the building be located away from the building that served as the center of state government at that time. That allocation was certainly not the first legislative measure aimed at strengthening our military presence, as over the past few years we have worked hard to ensure our state is military friendly and welcoming to those who serve our nation.During the 2021 Regular Session, we passed several measures with this intent, and I thought I might share a few with you in this weeks update.Protections for Military Families - HB 109 ensures that deployed service members who have custody of their children do not lose permanent custody due to their deployment. Known as the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act, HB 109 allows custodial responsibility to be temporarily granted to a non-custodial parent during the deployment.Preventing the Patriot Penalty - HB 196 prohibits automobile insurance companies from implementing a Patriot Penalty, by using a lapse in coverage due to deployment as cause to raise rates.Kentucky Operator's License Requirement Exemption for Armed Forces Families - HB 277 provides an exemption to the Kentucky operator's license requirement for a member of the Armed Forces, their spouse, or dependent child. Under the provisions of this bill, Kentucky will recognize a valid driver's license issued by the state of their permanent residence.Streamlining Services for Kentucky Veterans - HB 398 is a reorganization for the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs aimed at streamlining services for Kentucky veterans.Construction Contracts - SB 99 exempts facilities at Bluegrass Station from the requirement to have construction contracts executed under the supervision of a licensed architect or professional engineer. The bill would relate only to facilities measuring 20,000 feet or less and used in the furtherance of security or defense contracts, grants, or agreements with the United States federal government located on property owned by the Commonwealth.Kentucky Emergency Response Commission - SB 133 requires the executive director of the Department of Military Affairs serve as vice-chair of the Kentucky Emergency Response Commission.Department of Military Affairs Reorganization - SB 147 redistributes powers and responsibilities from the Facilities Division of the Department of Military Affairs to the department's adjutant general.National Guard Leadership - SB 161 reflects updated job titles for Air National Guard leadership and permits National Guard leadership to be employees of the Commonwealth.Before I conclude, I would like to share that the Kentucky Military History Museum is open to the public. It is operated by the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Department for Military Affairs, but my office can help make arrangements for your visit. If you are interested, please let me know. I can be reached here at home anytime, or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Feel free to contact me via email at Richard.Heath@lrc.ky.gov. If you would like more information visit the LRC website www.legislature.ky.gov.
Calloway Traffic Stops Bring Drug Charges

By West Kentucky Star Staff

CALLOWAY COUNTY - Separate traffic stops on Saturday and Sunday meant drug charges for a man and woman from Calloway County.According to the Calloway County Sheriff's Office, a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle Saturday night in New Concord.The vehicle fled, but the stop was made a short time later.The driver, 53-year-old Dennis Payton, of New Concord, was allegedly in possession of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.Payton was arrested on the drug charges, and fleeing or evading police. Payton was already out on bond for two pending Calloway circuit court cases.On Sunday a deputy stopped a vehicle in Murray for a traffic violation. The driver, 39-year-old Tracey Kendall, also of New Concord, was allegedly in possession of suspected morphine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.She was charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (opiate), prescription controlled substance not in proper container, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as various traffic offenses.Payton and Kendall were taken to the Calloway County Jail.
Gallery Showcasing Kentuckians Unveiled at Capitol

By The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - The first exhibit in the Team Kentucky Gallery showcasing talents of people in the state has been unveiled and is on a display for a six-month rotation.Gov. Andy Beshear's office says the exhibit is displayed in the Capitol and on the Team Kentucky digital art gallery and runs until Dec. 31.He says as Kentuckians are again able to visit the Capitol, he wants them to see their communities represented.First lady Britainy Beshear said she has seen how art can help heal young peoples trauma. She says she's impressed by the state's extraordinary artists.You can see more details by clicking here.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-18 18:20:38|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial panoramic photo taken on Feb. 26, 2020 shows the mining site of the Chinese mining company Zijin Mining in Kolwezi, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (Xinhua)

KINSHASA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- In Kolwezi, in southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), beyond counting are drilling rigs and dump trucks coming back and forth on mine after mine.

But on the outskirt of this world-class mining hub, one particular mine stands out from the others, with greenery sprawling its mining dumps where a lot of dust are always supposed to be in the air.

After years of green mining practice, Chinese mining company Zijin Mining, the owner of this green mine, has won praise from the local community by constantly reducing the footprint on the environment caused by mining activities.

Zijin Mining owns and operates here the 4th largest copper company in the DRC, a country that harbors vast reserves of copper, gold and many other valuable minerals.

As the mining deposits keep cashing in, the Chinese company has always put sustainability a priority with its green mining practice that brings real benefits to the local community.

In 2018, the company started afforestation and revegetation work on its waste dump. However, the efforts went in vain at the initial stage, as less than 10 percent of the first batch of green plants survived due to the poor soil condition.

"Because of the soft soil and the rainy season during construction, transport trucks often sank in the mud. We had to rely on shovels or manual force, leading to slow and painstaking progress at work," Lin Weifa who was in charge of the greening operation recalled.

After repeated tries, the company finally managed to armor the waste dump and slopes of the tailings dam with nearly 400,000 square meters of vegetation cover, winning praises from local residents close to the mine.

"The gree works in recent years have effectively improved air quality and successfully protected surrounding residents from many infectious diseases. This is what I have never seen in other companies around Kolwezi," local resident Biladi Cooper said.

The vegetation cover also turns the mine into a paradise for migratory birds. During the rainy season in 2019, about 50 African little egrets arrived out of blue to the mining area. Every rainy season ever since, it becomes a hot ticket for wilds birds of various kinds.

However, going green in mines is also about realizing ecological transition that makes mining activates as much sustainable as possible. In late 2018, the company launched a program to treat waste gas from its smelter, making the gas much less polluting. It also built solar lighting systems and used more clean energy in recent years.

According to Albert Yuma, President of the DRC's state-owned mining company Gecamines, the partnership with the Chinese company is "a model for Sino-Congolese joint ventures" for its efficiency demonstrated throughout the construction and operation process.

"Zijin Mining is a company that embodies a high sense of duty and responsibility, and it has indeed carried out mining for the benefit of the Congolese people through its practices," said Dany Banza, ambassador-at-large of the President of the DRC. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-18 22:39:31|Editor: huaxia

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Guests attend the opening ceremony of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

FUZHOU, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has adopted the Fuzhou Declaration, calling for closer international cooperation within the framework of multilateralism.

UNESCO made the announcement via a video press conference on Sunday.

The Fuzhou Declaration reiterates the significance of world heritage protection and international cooperation, as well as the need to work and act together to address climate change, said Tian Xuejun, chairperson of the World Heritage Committee's 44th session.

The declaration calls for closer international cooperation within the framework of multilateralism and increasing support for developing countries, especially those in Africa and also small island developing countries, said Tian, who is also China's vice education minister and director of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO.

The declaration also calls for strengthening world heritage education, knowledge sharing and the application of new technologies.

The declaration states that global heritage has made a positive contribution to the promotion of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, as well as to world peace and sustainable development, Tian said.

The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee kicked off Friday in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, to review world heritage items online for the first time.

The session, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, is an extended one that will last until July 31 to go over the agendas of both 2020 and 2021.

The session will review candidates for entry to the UNESCO World Heritage list, including Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian Province and a global maritime trade center in ancient China.

The committee will also examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the list. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 08:02:12|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO -- One person died and three others were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in Walnut Creek, Northern California of the United States, police said.

Local police responded after receiving reports of a shooting at about 1:37 a.m., the police said in a Facebook post. (U.S.-California-Shooting)

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ALAMEIN, Egypt -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Sunday attended a ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.

The ceremony was held during Wang's official visit to Alamein, a coastal city in northern Egypt. (China-Egypt-COVID-19-Vaccine Production)

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LISBON -- The strike of employees of Groundforce, a ground-handling company, caused the cancellation of 327 flights on Sunday in Portugal, according to the official source from ANA, a company which manages the Portugal Airports.

Of the 511 arrivals and departures scheduled for Sunday, 301 were canceled at Lisbon airport and 26 other flights were canceled at the Porto airport. (Portugal-Flights-Strike)

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KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait started on Sunday vaccinating teenagers aged 12-15 against COVID-19 in preparation for the new school year that starts in September.

Buthaina Al-Mudhaf, assistant undersecretary for public health affairs of the Kuwaiti Health Ministry, said in a statement that the ministry has started vaccinating teenagers aged between 12 and 15 in health centers in six governorates across the country. (Kuwait-COVID-19-Vaccination-Teenagers) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 09:50:18|Editor: huaxia

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ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Egypt on Sunday decided to jointly donate 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to address the immediate needs of the local people.

The announcement came as Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry during Wang's official visit to Alamein, a coastal city in northern Egypt.

The two countries have paid close attention to the situation in the wake of the recent Palestinian-Israeli conflict, stressing that while making continued efforts to promote a just solution to the Palestinian issue, the international community should also care about the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, especially take concrete measures to help the local people fight against COVID-19.

The vaccine doses to be donated will be produced at the manufacturing plants jointly established by the two countries in Egypt, and be sent as soon as possible through coordination with the Palestinian side. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 10:21:03|Editor: huaxia

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Travelers with face masks are seen at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, the United States, July 18, 2021. Public health authorities in Los Angeles County announced on Thursday that the most populous county in the United States will require all residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status, due to increased COVID-19 transmission. (Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 10:56:47|Editor: huaxia

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A Long March-2C carrier rocket carrying a new remote-sensing satellite group blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 19, 2021. China successfully launched a new remote-sensing satellite group from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:19 a.m. (0019 GMT) on Monday. The satellites were sent into orbit by a Long March-2C carrier rocket. This is the 10th group belonging to the Yaogan-30 family. Also aboard was Tianqi-15, a satellite belonging to the Tianqi constellation. Monday's launch was the 380th mission of the Long March rocket series. (Photo by Zhu Jihan/Xinhua)

XICHANG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a new remote-sensing satellite group from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:19 a.m. Monday (Beijing Time).

The satellites were sent into orbit by a Long March-2C carrier rocket. This is the 10th group belonging to the Yaogan-30 family, and will survey the electromagnetic environment and verify relevant technologies by adopting multi-satellite network mode.

Also aboard was Tianqi-15, a satellite belonging to the Tianqi constellation, which will serve the Internet of Things data collection.

The Long March-2C carrier rocket, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, measures 43 meters in length and has a takeoff mass of 242 tonnes.

The rocket is capable of sending two tonnes of payloads to the solar synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km.

Monday's launch was the 380th mission of the Long March rocket series that also marked the conclusion of the launch of the Yaogan-30 family.

The Long March-2C has sent all 10 groups of Yaogan-30 satellites into orbit with high accuracy since September 2017, with a 100 percent launch success rate. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 11:09:04|Editor: huaxia

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President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov talks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 17, 2021. (Press Office of Kyrgyz Government/Handout via Xinhua)

BISHKEK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- "I would give the highest mark for the great achievements of the Communist Party (of China) in building and reforming China," President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Thanks to the wise leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), "the People's Republic of China has made great strides and has become a powerful modern state," he said, stressing China's important role in the international arena.

The Kyrgyz leader said that the CPC has always defended the fundamental interests of the Chinese people.

"One of the main reasons for the victory of the Chinese Communist Party in the revolution and the successful construction of socialism is that the party enjoys the sincere support and love of the entire people," he added.

Zhaparov noted China's achievements in poverty alleviation.

"Thus, 770 million people in China have (been) lifted out of poverty since the late 1970s," he said, adding that China has become a major contributor to global poverty reduction.

The Kyrgyz president believed that China has achieved such great results thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping's unprecedented determination and political wisdom.

"He is pursuing deep reforms with extensive experience in domestic and international relations. I would say that he sets an example of leadership in planning the country's future and mobilizing the strength of the Chinese people," Zhaparov said.

Speaking about bilateral relations, Zhaparov highlighted that China is an eternal neighbor and friend for Kyrgyzstan.

"The border between the two countries will always be the border of friendly cooperation," he said.

"We are proud of our friendly, good-neighborly and comprehensive strategic cooperation with China, and highly value such cooperation," the president added.

"In addition, the positions of the two countries are similar on most international and regional issues," he said, expressing Kyrgyzstan's interest in the further development of comprehensive cooperation with China based on openness and mutual trust, which is in the interests of both peoples.

Kyrgyzstan is one of the first countries to support and take an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We see this initiative as a serious source and incentive for the implementation of joint projects, as well as the development of infrastructure," he said.

"Today, the most important and promising areas of bilateral trade and economic, investment cooperation are infrastructure and transport, tourism, energy, processing industry, agriculture and mining," he added.

Zhaparov highlighted that Kyrgyzstan is actively working to improve the investment climate in the country.

"Creation of a favorable business environment, as well as protection of the rights of foreign investors is one of the priorities of Kyrgyzstan," the president said, adding "the doors to our country are always open for reliable Chinese investors."

On cultural cooperation, Zhaparov said it is one of the most important areas of Kyrgyzstan-China relations and the close cooperation in the cultural and educational spheres gives a great impetus to promote the common interests of both sides.

Noting Kyrgyz younger generation's growing interest in China, Zhaparov said, "In particular, there are four Confucius Institutes in Kyrgyzstan, and some universities also open Chinese departments. At the same time, more than 4,000 Kyrgyz students are studying in Chinese universities."

In the aspect of cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhaparov said China took the lead in effectively controlling the pandemic.

"We witnessed that China is helping not only Kyrgyzstan, but also other countries of the world in the fight against COVID-19," he said.

The president also spoke highly of the achievements of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the past 20 years.

"Today the SCO has become a practical and important instrument for regional cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres" and "an important factor in ensuring the security and sustainable development of interstate relations," he said.

Zhaparov said that Kyrgyzstan and China closely cooperate both on a bilateral level and within multilateral frameworks under the SCO.

"The high level of mutual trust and active dialogue between our countries also positively affects the development of multilateral cooperation within the SCO," Zhaparov said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 12:35:03|Editor: huaxia

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by Yao Lan, Hong Xuehua

HONG KONG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of railway fans rushed into the entrance of Sung Wong Toi Station located in Kowloon City District at around 5:00 a.m. local time on June 27 to get on the first ride on the opening day of Hong Kong's long-waited Tuen Ma Line.

For the residents living in the centuries-old area, the newly-opened MTR station has been added to their collective memories imprinted by Hong Kong's former Kai Tak Airport and the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City.

Hong Kong's public transit railway system, as a sign of speed and modernity, has surfaced itself with an exhibition of archaeological finds along with Chinese calligraphy in brush and ink.

The exhibition named "Treasures from Sacred Hill" at Sung Wong Toi Station, Hong Kong's first exhibition at a subway station, displays numerous relics including ceramic vases, incense burners and even pottery dice excavated during the station's construction.

"The findings are so rare. It has been the first time in Hong Kong with archaeological items with such a scale," Ray Ma, curator of Archaeology at Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monument Office, told Xinhua, adding that the findings can unveil the picture of Kowloon City and Hong Kong from thousands of years ago.

The exhibition welcomes an average of about 6,000 to 8,000 visitors per day, according to the Antiquities and Monument Office under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's Development Bureau.

Susanna Siu, executive secretary at the Antiquities and Monument Office, said the exhibition is about "introducing people the history at an accessible place in a way that can interest them."

Historical literature says one young emperor, in the final years of China's Southern Song dynasty, stayed at the current Kowloon City for a few months while fleeing the Mongol onslaught. The name "Sung Wong," meaning Song emperor in Chinese, is thus coined in the name of the station.

The archaeological finds in Hong Kong have been derived from the same origin as that of the Chinese mainland, though the place was not at the center stage in China's ancient history, Ma said.

While a significant amount of relics unearthed from China's Song and Yuan dynasties, the name of Sung Wong Toi Station is written in running scripts known as "Xingshu" by MTR's retired architect Abe Au Kit Tong to echo the calligraphy style that was popular during the Song dynasty.

"Chinese calligraphy has become a signature for Hong Kong's subway platforms," Au, 71, who is now teaching Chinese calligraphy in Canada after retirement, told Xinhua via a video interview.

His Chinese ink-and-brush writing featuring strong visual effects, along with the mosaic tiles in distinctive colors, was applied since the opening of the Hong Kong Island Line in the 1980s to help passengers distinguish different stations.

Chinese calligraphy, like architecture, is also about drawing lines and achieving balance by the exact ratio of different parts, Au said, while his displayed works at stations are more about finding the rhythm that suits the characteristics of each station.

The newly opened Tuen Ma Line, where Au's artworks are showcased, is Hong Kong's longest railway line that stretches 56 km with 27 stations.

Putting aside the challenging task of protecting historical sites during construction, building stations is hard in Hong Kong's well-developed and densely-populated communities, Senior Architectural Manager of Tuen Ma Line Wincy Chow said.

The construction needs to be carried out without obstructing transportation on the ground and plans were adjusted for the five ancient wells found at the site, according to Chow.

MTR, the public transit system that transports millions of passengers during normal weekdays, is not only a carrier but also a messenger from the past to the future.

"With the development of the economy, people's voice for historic monuments conservation is growing louder," Commissioner for Heritage Ivanhoe Chang said, and the Antiquities and Monument Office was founded in 1976 to protect and preserve Hong Kong's historic treasures.

However, challenges remain in today's rapid modernization process.

"About 30 years ago, there was no Chinese calligraphy class taught in my son's middle school," MTR's calligrapher Au recalled.

The number of people practicing this traditional art in Hong Kong has been decreasing, he said, and his calligraphy works with distinguishing styles inherited from different dynasties were sometimes taken as wrongly written characters. "Chinese calligraphy and printing characters are not the same thing," he said.

"I hope my works, if possible, can remind people of such a thing called Chinese calligraphy," Au said.

In Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui area, the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, standing beside the Victoria Harbor, used to be an iconic landmark and a key link between Hong Kong and mainland cities including Guangzhou and Beijing during the old days. The modern high-speed rail at West Kowloon came into operation in 2018.

"Demolition and redevelopment happen all the time," Chang said. "By taking account of history while looking into the future, we need to strike a prominent balance between development and conservation in order to achieve sustainable development." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 12:48:20|Editor: huaxia

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) holds a meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) in Alamein, Egypt, on July 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

The friendship between China and Egypt, which has stood the test of international circumstances, is unbreakable and firm as a rock, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday held a meeting here with visiting China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.



Sisi asked Wang to convey his sincere regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping, while once again warmly congratulating the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the 100th anniversary of founding.

The Egyptian leader spoke highly of the miracles that the Chinese people have created one after another under the CPC leadership, which have also attracted worldwide attention.

Egypt regards China as a true friend and reliable partner, and will unswervingly and undisturbedly develop the bilateral cooperation in various fields, said Sisi.

Egypt will take the opportunity of celebrating the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and China, he noted.

Sisi affirmed that Egypt unswervingly pursues the one-China policy, firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability, and strongly supports China's fight against terrorism and religious extremism.

Egypt supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while hoping to boost cooperation with China in infrastructure, industrial parks, high technology and other fields, and become an important gateway for Chinese enterprises to enter the Middle East and Africa, said the Egyptian president.

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (1st L, Front) and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry (2nd L, Front) attend a ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt, in Alamein, Egypt, on July 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Sisi thanked China for providing Egypt with the COVID-19 vaccines and helping his country produce the vaccines locally, adding that Egypt will continue to strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation with China.

Egypt is also willing to coordinate closely with China in jointly promoting regional peace and stability, he added.

For his part, Wang first conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to Sisi.

The friendship between China and Egypt, which has stood the test of international circumstances, is unbreakable and firm as a rock, said Wang, adding that China highly appreciates Egypt for always standing with China on the issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns.

China also firmly supports Egypt in continuing to explore a development path suited to its national conditions, pursuing an independent policy, and making efforts to fight terrorism, maintain stability and de-radicalize extremists, said the Chinese senior diplomat.

China looks forward to working together with Egypt to build the China-Egypt community with a shared future, and turn the bilateral ties into a pioneering model for the China-Arab states and China-Africa communities with a shared future, said Wang.

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) holds talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry (R) in Alamein, Egypt, on July 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Calling Egypt an important partner in building the BRI, Wang said that China is willing to strengthen the synergy between the BRI and Egypt's Vision 2030, help Egypt accelerate its pace of industrialization, enhance its scientific and technological capabilities, uplift its development level, and deepen the law enforcement and security cooperation to safeguard the common security of the two countries.

Wang pledged that China will continue providing vaccines and anti-epidemic materials to Egypt to help it eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic.

China is also ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Egypt in international affairs, jointly uphold and practice multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and push forward the reform of global governance in the right direction, he said.

Wang expressed the hope that Egypt will continue to play an active role in the building of the China-Arab states Cooperation Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues in the Middle East and Africa.

During his visit to Egypt, Wang also held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, signed an agreement on the establishment of the Sino-Egyptian Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, and attended a virtual ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt. 








Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 13:15:55|Editor: huaxia

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ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry here Sunday, during which both sides agreed on further strengthening of the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

Wang said that Egypt is one of China's most important strategic partners among Arab countries, in the Islamic world, in Africa and among developing countries.

Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership has been continuously upgraded and yielded fruitful results, Wang said.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have worked in solidarity to fight the coronavirus, which has become a new highlight of bilateral relations, he added.

China, he said, is ready to work with Egypt to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, take the opportunity of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties to lift the relations to a new high, speed up the building of a community with a shared future between China and Egypt and play a leading role in the building of such a community between China and Arab and African countries.

China highly appreciates Egypt for standing by China on issues concerning China's core interests and firmly supports Egypt in safeguarding its own sovereignty, security and development interests, Wang said.

China is ready to work with Egypt to deepen the alignment of their development strategies, expand cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure, new energy, space and aviation, as well as new and high-tech industries, and open up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation, he said, adding that China will continue to support Egypt's localized production of vaccines to help the country fight COVID-19.

The two sides should strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, deepen cooperation in vocational education, Chinese language education and vocational training, and consolidate public support for mutual benefits and friendship, Wang added.

Noting that China and Egypt are both major developing countries with global influence, Wang said that the two sides should hold high the banner of opposing interference in internal affairs, advocate a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, oppose confrontation between blocs and the instigation of a new Cold War, and jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law.

For his part, Shoukry warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China on the 100th anniversary of its founding, saying that Egypt is the first Arab country and the first African country to have established diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China.

Egypt deeply cherishes its historic friendship with China and stands ready to further coordinate with China to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and promote international and regional peace and stability, Shoukry said.

Egypt adheres to the one-China principle, firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard sovereignty and security, and resolutely opposes foreign forces' interference in China's internal affairs over issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and Tibet, he added.

Shoukry said Egypt supports China's data security cooperation initiative, thanked China for helping Egypt produce vaccines and expressed his hope for continuous efforts in pushing forward bilateral cooperation on vaccines.

China has set a good example for the world in fighting the pandemic, he said, adding that Egypt supports China's position on the origin tracing of the virus.

Egypt is willing to work with China to strengthen their cooperation in economy, trade, industry, science and technology within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and maintain communication on the reform of the United Nations Security Council and other international and regional issues, Shoukry said.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on Palestine, Syria, the Iranian nuclear issue, among other issues, and coordinated their positions.

Both sides agreed on negotiation to sign the second five-year implementation guidelines for strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership and on a plan for joint implementation of the BRI.

Following the talks, the two foreign ministers also signed an agreement on the establishment of the Sino-Egyptian Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, and attended a virtual ceremony marking the joint production of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 13:24:47|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's top economic planner said Monday that it would work with related departments to intensify regulatory measures to avoid drastic ups and downs in hog prices when necessary.

Since the beginning of the year, hog prices in China have fallen sharply due to a significant improvement in supply and the decline in demand, prompting authorities to step in with multiple measures to stabilize the market.

In June alone, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had twice issued warnings for an excessive slump in hog prices, alerting pig farmers to adjust their plans to stabilize supplies.

The NDRC has also started to purchase pork to replenish the reserves at both the central and local levels, as an index monitoring pork prices has dropped below a warning level.

"The excessive drop in prices of live pigs has been initially curbed as the price has rebounded significantly since late June," said Wan Jingsong, an official with the NDRC.

The current price has recovered by more than 15 percent from the previous decline, Wang said, predicting that the trend will sustain for a while.

Chinese authorities in June released a work plan to improve the mechanism for adjusting pork reserves.

The plan, released by several government organs including the NDRC, detailed multiple measures to avoid drastic movements in the pork market, with more indicators added for timely warnings of market changes.

While cyclical fluctuations of pork supply and prices are a worldwide phenomenon, such volatilities are especially high in China, partly because the majority of the country's pigs are produced on family farms.

After the African swine fever dealt a heavy blow to hog production and pork prices since 2018, authorities have taken a slew of measures, including handing out subsidies to encourage scale farming, to stabilize prices of the staple meat in China. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 13:39:56|Editor: huaxia

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ALAMEIN, Egypt, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China proposes three routes to implement the "two-state solution," which is the only realistic way to solve the Palestinian issue, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

Wang made the remarks on his official visit here, a coastal city of northern Egypt, during which he held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry and met with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

On the occasion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China, in the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council, has pushed the security council through five rounds of review to the Palestinian issue and delivered a Presidential Statement, Wang said.

Noting that China recently also held a seminar for Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers, Wang said China has made unremitting efforts to promote a ceasefire and resumption of talks between Palestine and Israel.

Without a just foundation, no peace can last, Wang said, stressing that the independent statehood of Palestine should not be delayed indefinitely, and the legitimate rights of the Arab people should not be ignored chronically.

The "two-state solution" is the only realistic way to solve the Palestinian issue, he added.

Wang said all parties concerned on the Palestinian issue and the international community should make practical efforts to promote the "two-state solution" on the basis of UN resolutions. As such, the Chinese side puts forward the following three routes:

The first is to enhance the authority of the Palestinian Authority, giving them the power to exercise national sovereign functions in security, finance and other fields, to achieve the effective management and control of the autonomous and occupied Palestinian territories.

The second is to support all Palestinian factions to improve solidarity, realize internal reconciliation through consultations and talks, and form a unified position to negotiate for the Palestinian issue's solution.

The third is that Palestine and Israel should be encouraged to resume peace talks on the basis of the two-state solution. China welcomes representatives of both sides to come and negotiate directly in China and calls for a UN-led global peace conference, with the participation of the permanent members of the Security Council and all stakeholders in the Middle East peace process, so as to pursue a comprehensive, lasting, just solution and realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel.

Shoukry and Aboul-Gheit, for their parts, said they agree with the relevant ideas that the Chinese side put forth, stand ready to closely communicate and coordinate with China, and hope the international community to urge Israel to stop establishing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and remove its blockade on the Gaza Strip.

They said China, a country without record of colonizing or invading the others, has always stood on the side of international morality and principles and made positive impact on solving the Palestinian issue.

It is hoped that China can play a bigger role in regional affairs, they added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 16:51:45|Editor: huaxia

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VIENNA -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries, known as OPEC+, agreed in an online meeting on Sunday to boost oil production by 400,000 barrels a day as demand increases.

OPEC and its non-OPEC allies also reached a deal to phase out the cut of 5.8 million barrels per day of oil production by September 2022 "subject to market conditions." (OPEC-oil production increase)

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JERUSALEM -- Midea Group, a Chinese home appliance giant, opened its first store in Israel on Sunday, Midea's official Israeli importer Hemilton Group said.

The new flagship store covers an area of 350 square meters in a shopping mall in the central city of Rehovot and offers refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, range hoods and more. (Israel-Midea-First Store)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Fitch Ratings on Monday affirmed Malaysia's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at 'BBB+' with a stable outlook.

Malaysia's rating balances prospects for strong and broad-based medium-term growth and persistent current account surpluses with a highly diversified export base, against high public debt, a low government revenue base and lingering political uncertainty, the rating agency said in a statement. (Malaysia-Fitch-Rating)

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NAIROBI -- Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Shenzhen Municipal Committee partnered to showcase China's booming coastal city of Shenzhen through a photo exhibition dubbed visit, trade and investment.

The three-day exhibition, which ended on Monday at the Nairobi University Conference Hall, featured several images of Shenzhen taken by Kenyans living in the city, giving the world a taste of the city through their eyes. (Kenya-China-Investment) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 16:57:44|Editor: huaxia

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The head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's commission for external relations has spoken highly of China`s achievements along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and China's assistance to Laos in fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic.

China's achievements have injected confidence and strength into developing countries, including Laos, in exploring development paths that are in line with their respective national conditions, said the Lao party official.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 17:03:01|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand Olympic sailors have arrived in Japan's Enoshima, the venue for the Tokyo 2020 sailing competition, and are gearing up for the start of the regatta this weekend.

New Zealand will have sailors in six of the 10 classes on the Olympic program and all are medal contenders, including 2016 medallists Peter Burling/Blair Tuke (49er), Alex Maloney/Molly Meech (49erFX) and Sam Meech (Laser).

The majority of the sailing team landed in Japan last Thursday night and spent the first day on the ground rigging their boats up in preparation to go sailing. Finn sailor Josh Junior joined the team last Friday night, having flown from Spain where he had been based since his bronze at the Finn Gold Cup.

Meech will be the first Kiwi in action when the Laser gets underway on July 25 and he is looking to add to the bronze he collected in Rio 2016.

"It's really exciting," Meech said. "It was neat to go down to get the boat [on the first day] and see it all branded up and see everyone who I haven't seen for a year.

"It's been a while since we've been racing so it was neat to get back down there. It does feel like the Olympics, with everyone in their uniforms and the boats looking good."

Meech was consistently among the medallists during the last Olympic cycle but has had a lack of international competition over the past year due to COVID-19.

"It has been really difficult not racing, so it's been a completely different buildup," Meech said. "You'd normally be racing every couple of months so you'd have your goals to work on from those races and your structure your year around those.

"We tried to do the same but just around training blocks and you take as much as you can from those. We have also been heading to Australia [to train with their best Laser sailors], which has helped, and treated them almost like regattas. We haven't checked in with the Europeans since February last year, so it will be interesting to see how they are all going."

Light winds are forecast for the next few days in Enoshima. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 17:07:49|Editor: huaxia

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The COVID-19 pandemic "exposes the inequalities that have been hidden for a long time," Stephen Ndegwa, a scholar at the Nairobi-based United States International University-Africa, has told Xinhua.

"Saying that America is the land of the free, is the land of equality, is a fallacy," he said, adding that "when the crash (COVID-19) came, the United States was unable to treat everyone equally."

The numbers of COVID-19 cases were surging in more than half of U.S. states and territories, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently.

Inequality in access to the vaccine and a racial gap have impacted the success of the nation's vaccination campaign. Federal figures show that counties with higher percentages of black residents have lower vaccination rates in the country.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 17:36:58|Editor: huaxia

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WELLINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand microbiologist has advocated for a hard-and-fast approach, as that taken by the Chinese government, to contain the spread of COVID-19 Delta variant.

Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles from the University of Auckland has argued for a prompt and complex government response when dealing with potential COVID-19 Delta variant infection, by comparing the Australian government's slow-and-steady approach with the hard-and-fast approach by the Chinese government in pandemic control restrictions, local news media Stuff reported on Monday.

In mid-June, an unvaccinated and unmasked van driver working with the Sydney airport responsible for transporting international aircrew, became infected with the Delta variant.

"We know how Sydney ended up where it is now. That one case has gone on to seed an outbreak. It may even be approaching 1,500. More than 70 people were in hospitals, about 20 of them in intensive care. Sadly, deaths are possible," said Wiles.

Wiles believed that the outbreak is a combination of the increased infectiousness of the Delta variant and a state government that decided to take the slow-and-steady rather than hard-and-fast approach to enacting pandemic restrictions.

"A new study sheds light on just how much more infectious Delta is. Researchers from China and the UK examined the first Delta variant outbreak in mainland China. It started in late May, and like Sydney's, with one case. China takes the hard-and-fast approach to deal with COVID-19, so the outbreak was over by mid-June with 167 cases," said Wiles.

Wiles said Chinese health officials started population-wide screening as soon as the first case was detected, and the close contacts of anyone who tested positive were put into managed isolation and were given daily PCR tests.

"Researchers found that people with Delta tested positive on average around 3.7 days after exposure compared to around six days with the earlier variants, a shortened incubation period," said Wiles.

"This reinforces that hard and fast is the right way to stamp out Delta outbreaks," stressed Wiles.

She also warned that New Zealand could easily end up with a community outbreak of Delta, given that two boats with Delta-positive mariners have docked in New Zealand's ports last week.

Wiles also warned of the faster replication rate in the early stages of the Delta variant infection.

"This means the infected people will be shedding more virus and more opportunities for new variants of Delta to evolve," said Wiles.

"With so many countries currently experiencing uncontrolled transmission of Delta, it's scary to think about how much worse the virus might get," said Wiles. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 17:42:36|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and Chinese technology company Huawei have jointly launched the NAITA-Huawei Information and Communication Technology Academy for Sri Lankan youth, local media citing a statement from Huawei reported on Monday.

Sri Lankan Minister of Education G.L. Peiris, speaking at the launch ceremony on Friday, said that human resources were the principal asset of Sri Lanka.

"It is commendable that Huawei is helping us very vigorously and actively to upgrade the skills of youth that we have, the quality of which will determine the future of this island," he said.

NAITA Chairman Tharanga Naleen Gamlath said that there was a demand for vocational training in Sri Lanka. "We expect our NAITA-Huawei academy to be the center of ICT talent and vocational development in Sri Lanka with our target on upskilling over 300 youth annually."

Huawei Sri Lanka CEO Liang Yi said that the new facility will help cultivate talent in emerging technologies such as 5G, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

"A long-term strategy that includes resource sharing, complementary advantages, and joint development between universities, vocational training institutes, and enterprises is needed to efficiently match the talent supply with the demand and this academy will play that role," he said.

Huawei has operated in Sri Lanka for over 20 years and aims to transfer ICT knowledge to 10,000 local youth in five years. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 17:46:21|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations. China-ASEAN relationship has grown into the most successful and vibrant model for cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and an exemplary effort in building a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2020.

China, which established a dialogue relationship with ASEAN in 1991, was the first to ink the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the first to become ASEAN's strategic partner and the first to start free trade area negotiations with ASEAN.

Xi has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for greater China-ASEAN cooperation. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.

Nov. 27, 2020

China will work with ASEAN to advance all-round cooperation and maintain good momentum for development and prosperity in the region, Xi said while addressing via video the opening ceremony of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

China welcomes the signature of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and looks forward to its early entry into force, Xi said.

China will work with ASEAN members to sustain the smooth flow of trade, promote mutual investment, open markets wider to each other, and foster deeply integrated industrial, supply and value chains, he said.

July 14, 2020

In a telephone conversation with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Xi said that cooperation between China and Singapore in the fight against COVID-19 has become a new highlight of bilateral relations and added significant connotations to their all-round cooperative partnership.

China, Xi said, will continue to provide Singapore with firm support.

In the battle against COVID-19, China, upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, has been sharing its experience unreservedly with other countries, and providing supplies and technical support for the international community to the best of its capacity, Xi said.

July 14, 2020

In a telephone conversation with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Xi said China stands ready to work with Thailand to cement solidarity and cooperation among regional countries and safeguard the sound momentum of development and prosperity in the region.

The two sides, Xi suggested, should better synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Thailand's development strategies such as Thailand 4.0 and the Eastern Economic Corridor, promote cooperation in such innovative fields as e-commerce, and push for new development of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

April 10, 2018

Xi met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference on deepening cooperation in key areas.

China is willing to strengthen coordination with ASEAN countries including Singapore, and synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's development plan to build a community with a shared future for both sides, he said.

Nov. 11, 2017

On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte discussed how to strengthen bilateral ties.

China will continue to treat neighboring countries with amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

Xi also said China is to work with ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability, as well as development and prosperity in the South China Sea region. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 18:07:09|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writers Wang Yaguang and Mao Pengfei

BANGKOK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China on Monday celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their dialogue relations.

Since the relations began in July 1991, bilateral trade volume had soared from less than 8 billion U.S. dollars to more than 680 billion dollars last year. With such a strong foundation, the two sides have pledged to enhance cooperation in all sectors to open a new chapter in ASEAN-China common development and prosperity.

The Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Thailand's Rayong Province has been a miniature and fruit of such win-win cooperation. Established in 2006 and now home to 160 overseas companies, the plant boasts 40,000 local workers, mostly in automobile, electronics and machinery sectors.

Himile Group, a major tire mold supplier headquartered in China, chose to set up a factory in the zone in 2014.

"Most of our clients, the world's top tire producers, have built their production bases in ASEAN countries. We want to move closer to them ... to serve the Southeast Asian market," said Qiu Jinliang, managing director of Himile's Thai branch.

Over the past seven years, the plant's production and sales capacity has expanded 60 percent annually, Qiu said, noting that "the biggest challenge now is our production capacity falls short of clients' demand."

In the past year and a half, despite the COVID-19 outbreak and related travel restrictions, the industrial zone managed to attract 27 Chinese companies to invest there, said Zhao Bin, president of the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Realty Development.

With more than 650 million consumers and being a supply chain hub for major industries, ASEAN is becoming an important strategic market for Chinese businesses, Thailand's Siam Commercial Bank said in a research report.

In 2020, China's foreign direct investment (FDI) in ASEAN countries surged 52.1 percent year-on-year, bucking a global downward trend. Meanwhile, ASEAN investors continue to see a rosy prospect in China for its solid post-pandemic recovery and the new development paradigm of "dual circulation," with the bloc's investment in the Chinese mainland jumping 50.7 percent in the first half of 2021, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Bilateral trade has also thrived over the years, buoyed by a friendly relationship between the two sides and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

Thanks to the CAFTA, more commodities from ASEAN countries, ranging from agricultural products such as mango, durian and coffee to primary and intermediate products like rubber and paper, have entered the Chinese market. In 2020, China and ASEAN became each other's largest trading partner for the first time.

In May, Cambodia exported its first batch of fresh mangoes directly to China as part of increased agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Cambodian Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon expected the country's fresh mango exports to China to total 100,000 tons this year.

"We will continue to enhance cooperation with China, increasing exports of our products to the Chinese market," he said.

Trade volume between China and ASEAN maintained a robust growth in 2021, surging 27.8 percent year-on-year in the first six months, according to China's customs statistics.

In November last year, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement was signed by its 15 participating countries including China and the 10 ASEAN members, creating a massive free trade zone covering roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product, trade and population.

The RCEP marks "the beginning of a new era for China-ASEAN ties" and is a boon to trade and investment in not only Southeast Asia, but also the world, said Panitan Wattanayagorn, chairman of Thai prime minister's Security Advisory Committee.

Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said the RCEP would promote regional trade and investment as it would further reduce trade barriers, expand the integrated regional market, and strengthen regional supply chains.

"The tailwind from the RCEP will give us a lift," said Zhao Feng, vice president of the SAIC Motor-CP Co., Ltd., a joint venture between the Shanghai-based SAIC Motor Corporation and Thai conglomerate CP Group. Once coming into effect, the agreement will facilitate the company's imports and exports, lower operation costs and minimize risks.

With a planned investment of more than 30 billion baht (about 1 billion U.S. dollars), the SAIC Motor-CP's plant in Thailand's Chonburi province represented one of Thailand's largest FDI projects. "We aim to make it the MG brand right-hand-drive vehicle manufacturing base in ASEAN," Zhao said.

Having worked 25 years in the auto industry and eight years in the SAIC Motor-CP, Jakkit Chuwitsakunlert is now a senior manager of the company's quality assurance department. He said what impressed him the most is the company's efficiency, or "the Chinese speed" as he called.

"Everything should be done very fast. It is very challenging, but think in a positive way, it's a good thing," Jakkit said. "Boosted by the Chinese speed, I have no doubt that our company will grow faster and faster." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 18:20:27|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD -- At least 27 people were killed and over 30 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a trailer in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, local media reported Monday morning.

According to the reports, the accident occurred after the over-speeding bus collided with a trailer near Taunsa bypass in Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab. (Pakistan-Traffic-Accident)

- - - -

AYBAK, Afghanistan -- Afghan forces regained control of Dara-e-Suf Bala district in northern Samangan province, forcing the militants to flee, provincial police spokesman Munir Rahimi said Monday.

"The security forces launched counter-offensive in Dara-e-Suf Bala early Monday and recaptured the district within hours, forcing the rebels to flee," Rahimi told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Samangan-Fighting)

- - - -

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia on Monday burned down 7.62 tons of drugs and illegal substances to mark the International Day against Drug, officials said.

Gen. Chuon Sovann, vice chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), set fire on the drugs at a ceremony held on the southern outskirts of capital Phnom Penh. (Cambodia-Drugs-Day)

- - - -

TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan -- Militants affiliated with the Afghan Taliban have overrun Dihrawud district in the southern Uruzgan province, a local official said Monday.

The official on condition of anonymity confirmed that the Dihrawud district has fallen to the armed insurgents on Monday. (Afghanistan-Uruzgan-Taliban) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 18:48:36|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on Nov. 19, 2020 shows a cargo ship leaving a berth of the Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations. China-ASEAN relationship has grown into the most successful and vibrant model for cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and an exemplary effort in building a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2020.

China, which established a dialogue relationship with ASEAN in 1991, was the first to ink the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the first to become ASEAN's strategic partner and the first to start free trade area negotiations with ASEAN.

Xi has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for greater China-ASEAN cooperation. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2020 shows the view of Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center, the venue of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo, and its neighboring buildings in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan)

Nov. 27, 2020

China will work with ASEAN to advance all-round cooperation and maintain good momentum for development and prosperity in the region, Xi said while addressing via video the opening ceremony of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

China welcomes the signature of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and looks forward to its early entry into force, Xi said.

China will work with ASEAN members to sustain the smooth flow of trade, promote mutual investment, open markets wider to each other, and foster deeply integrated industrial, supply and value chains, he said.





July 14, 2020

In a telephone conversation with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Xi said that cooperation between China and Singapore in the fight against COVID-19 has become a new highlight of bilateral relations and added significant connotations to their all-round cooperative partnership.

China, Xi said, will continue to provide Singapore with firm support.

In the battle against COVID-19, China, upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, has been sharing its experience unreservedly with other countries, and providing supplies and technical support for the international community to the best of its capacity, Xi said.

The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)

July 14, 2020

In a telephone conversation with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Xi said China stands ready to work with Thailand to cement solidarity and cooperation among regional countries and safeguard the sound momentum of development and prosperity in the region.

The two sides, Xi suggested, should better synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Thailand's development strategies such as Thailand 4.0 and the Eastern Economic Corridor, promote cooperation in such innovative fields as e-commerce, and push for new development of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

April 10, 2018

Xi met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference on deepening cooperation in key areas.

China is willing to strengthen coordination with ASEAN countries including Singapore, and synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's development plan to build a community with a shared future for both sides, he said.

Workers work at the construction site of the China-funded Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila, the Philippines, Nov. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

Nov. 11, 2017

On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte discussed how to strengthen bilateral ties.

China will continue to treat neighboring countries with amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

Xi also said China is to work with ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability, as well as development and prosperity in the South China Sea region. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 19:16:24|Editor: huaxia

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of the dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. Find out what business insiders say about the cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 19:42:52|Editor: huaxia

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Thanks to the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), more commodities from ASEAN countries, ranging from agricultural products such as mango, durian and coffee to primary and intermediate products like rubber and paper, have entered the Chinese market. In 2020, China and ASEAN became each other's largest trading partners for the first time.

by Xinhua writers Wang Yaguang and Mao Pengfei

BANGKOK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China on Monday celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their dialogue relations.

Since the relations began in July 1991, bilateral trade volume had soared from less than 8 billion U.S. dollars to more than 680 billion dollars last year. With such a strong foundation, the two sides have pledged to enhance cooperation in all sectors to open a new chapter in ASEAN-China common development and prosperity.

Aerial photo provided by the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone (TCRIZ) shows a part of the industrial zone in Thailand's Rayong Province on May 21, 2021. (TCRIZ via Xinhua)

The Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Thailand's Rayong Province has been a miniature and fruit of such win-win cooperation. Established in 2006 and now home to 160 overseas companies, the plant boasts 40,000 local workers, mostly in automobile, electronics and machinery sectors.

Himile Group, a major tire mold supplier headquartered in China, chose to set up a factory in the zone in 2014.

"Most of our clients, the world's top tire producers, have built their production bases in ASEAN countries. We want to move closer to them ... to serve the Southeast Asian market," said Qiu Jinliang, managing director of Himile's Thai branch.

Over the past seven years, the plant's production and sales capacity has expanded 60 percent annually, Qiu said, noting that "the biggest challenge now is our production capacity falls short of clients' demand."

In the past year and a half, despite the COVID-19 outbreak and related travel restrictions, the industrial zone managed to attract 27 Chinese companies to invest there, said Zhao Bin, president of the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Realty Development.

Aerial photo provided by the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone (TCRIZ) shows the administrative building of the industrial zone in Thailand's Rayong Province, on May 21, 2021. (TCRIZ via Xinhua)

With more than 650 million consumers and being a supply chain hub for major industries, ASEAN is becoming an important strategic market for Chinese businesses, Thailand's Siam Commercial Bank said in a research report.

In 2020, China's foreign direct investment (FDI) in ASEAN countries surged 52.1 percent year-on-year, bucking a global downward trend. Meanwhile, ASEAN investors continue to see a rosy prospect in China for its solid post-pandemic recovery and the new development paradigm of "dual circulation," with the bloc's investment in the Chinese mainland jumping 50.7 percent in the first half of 2021, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Bilateral trade has also thrived over the years, buoyed by a friendly relationship between the two sides and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

Thanks to the CAFTA, more commodities from ASEAN countries, ranging from agricultural products such as mango, durian and coffee to primary and intermediate products like rubber and paper, have entered the Chinese market. In 2020, China and ASEAN became each other's largest trading partner for the first time.

Photo taken on May 7, 2021 shows fresh mangoes during a ceremony marking the first shipment of Cambodia's fresh mangoes to China, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Xinhua/Ly Lay)

In May, Cambodia exported its first batch of fresh mangoes directly to China as part of increased agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Cambodian Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon expected the country's fresh mango exports to China to total 100,000 tons this year.

"We will continue to enhance cooperation with China, increasing exports of our products to the Chinese market," he said.

Trade volume between China and ASEAN maintained a robust growth in 2021, surging 27.8 percent year-on-year in the first six months, according to China's customs statistics.

The signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is held via video conference in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Nov. 15, 2020. (VNA via Xinhua)

In November last year, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement was signed by its 15 participating countries including China and the 10 ASEAN members, creating a massive free trade zone covering roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product, trade and population.

The RCEP marks "the beginning of a new era for China-ASEAN ties" and is a boon to trade and investment in not only Southeast Asia, but also the world, said Panitan Wattanayagorn, chairman of Thai prime minister's Security Advisory Committee.

Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said the RCEP would promote regional trade and investment as it would further reduce trade barriers, expand the integrated regional market, and strengthen regional supply chains.

Photo taken on June 29, 2021 shows workers inspecting new cars in a factory of the SAIC Motor-CP Co., Ltd. in Chonburi province, Thailand. (Xinhua/Wang Yaguang)

"The tailwind from the RCEP will give us a lift," said Zhao Feng, vice president of the SAIC Motor-CP Co., Ltd., a joint venture between the Shanghai-based SAIC Motor Corporation and Thai conglomerate CP Group. Once coming into effect, the agreement will facilitate the company's imports and exports, lower operation costs and minimize risks.

With a planned investment of more than 30 billion baht (about 1 billion U.S. dollars), the SAIC Motor-CP's plant in Thailand's Chonburi province represented one of Thailand's largest FDI projects. "We aim to make it the MG brand right-hand-drive vehicle manufacturing base in ASEAN," Zhao said.

Having worked 25 years in the auto industry and eight years in the SAIC Motor-CP, Jakkit Chuwitsakunlert is now a senior manager of the company's quality assurance department. He said what impressed him the most is the company's efficiency, or "the Chinese speed" as he called.

"Everything should be done very fast. It is very challenging, but think in a positive way, it's a good thing," Jakkit said. "Boosted by the Chinese speed, I have no doubt that our company will grow faster and faster." 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 19:48:31|Editor: huaxia

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A man receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination campaign at Ciledug Youth Sport Center in Tangerang, Indonesia, July 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.)

-- India records 38,164 new cases;

-- Indonesia reports highest daily deaths of 1,338, 34,257 new cases;

-- Philippines logs 5,651 cases, tally at 1,513,396;

-- Pakistan adds 2,452 cases, 991,727 in total.

HONG KONG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries:

NEW DELHI -- India's tally rose to 31,144,229 as 38,164 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, the federal health ministry's latest data showed.

Besides, 499 deaths due to the pandemic since Sunday morning took the total death toll to 414,108.

There are still 421,665 active cases in the country, with a fall of 995 during the past 24 hours.

A total of 30,308,456 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, out of which 38,660 were discharged during the past 24 hours.

Vendors resume business as the COVID-19 restrictions ease at one of the oldest market in Bangalore, India, July 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

JAKARTA -- Indonesia recorded 34,257 newly-confirmed cases and 1,338 deaths in the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said.

This has been the highest daily number of fatalities the country ever reported since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Based on the latest data, the total of coronavirus cases in the Southeast Asian country reported by the government is now at 2,911,733, while the COVID-19-related death toll has increased to 74,920.

Additional 32,217 recovered patients were reportedly discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries from the pandemic in the archipelago to 2,293,875.

A woman receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination campaign at Ciledug Youth Sport Center in Tangerang, Indonesia, July 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.)

MANILA -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,651 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,513,396.

The death toll climbed to 26,786 after 72 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the death toll from the highly transmissible Delta variant has climbed to three.

A fisherman throws fish feeds near Taal volcano island in Batangas Province, the Philippines on July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan confirmed 2,452 new cases over the past 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said.

The NCOC, a department leading Pakistan's campaign against the pandemic, said that the country's number of overall cases rose to 991,727 amidst the fear of a fourth wave.

A total of 22,811 people died of the disease, including 30 patients who died over the last 24 hours, the NCOC said, adding that 2,532 are in critical condition.

The country currently has 48,850 active cases while 920,066 others have recovered from the disease.

People wearing face masks are seen on a street in Peshawar, Pakistan, on July 16, 2021. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 1,252 more cases, raising the total number of infections to 179,203.

Of the new cases, 413 were Seoul residents and 336 were people residing in Gyeonggi province.

Forty-four cases were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 10,940.

One more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 2,058.

A woman wearing a facial mask walks along a street in Seoul, capital of South Korea, July 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia confirmed 790 new cases, raising the national total caseload to 67,971 so far, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The new infections included 581 local cases and 209 imported cases, the ministry said.

Twenty-two more fatalities had been recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 1,128, it said, adding that 1,087 patients recovered, taking the total number of recoveries to 60,017.

A health worker prepares a dose of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on July 8, 2021. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua) 




Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:15:08|Editor: huaxia

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Afghan security personnel members stand guard at a security checkpoint in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, July 19, 2021. Afghan security forces have beefed up security ahead of annual festival of Eid al-Adha. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

KABUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Fighting between Afghan government forces and the Taliban militants has been continuing amid Afghans' preparation to celebrate Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of the Sacrifice of the Muslims, which falls on Tuesday.

In the latest move against the Taliban advances, government forces have recaptured Dara-e-Suf Bala district in the northern Samangan province on Monday, police and army said.

However, the Taliban, in a response, have overrun Dihrawud district in the southern Uruzgan province without any casualties reported.

Confirming the fall of the district, Uruzgan's provincial governor Mohammad Omar Shirzad said that the security forces stationed in Dihrawud had retreated and reached the provincial capital Tirin Kot early Monday.

In addition to Dihrawud, the Taliban militants have also overrun Nijrab district in the eastern Kapisa province and Chakhansur district in the western Nimroz province over the past 24 hours.

Government forces have also evicted the militants from Malistan in the eastern Ghazni province and Surkhparsa district in Parwan province over the period, according to officials.

Taliban fighters, according to security officials, have intensified pressures on Taluqan city, the provincial capital of Takhar province, Kunduz city, the provincial capital of Kunduz province, Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzjan province, Kandahar city, the capital Kandahar province and Ghazni city, the capital of eastern Ghazni province over the past several weeks.

A total of 967 militants, according to security officials, have been killed and more than 500 others injured over the past four days across Afghanistan.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has rejected the claim as baseless.

Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, in a message on Eid al-Adha, has called for finding political solution for Afghanistan's crisis and expressed hope for Afghans to celebrate the festival in a peaceful environment.

Afghan Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, in his message on the eve of Eid al-Adha, has denounced the ongoing war, saying "war is not the solution", and called upon the Taliban to choose for peace through negotiation. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:54:25|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- "Horrific things" happened to Native American children at boarding schools run by the U.S. government, according to a report published by The New York Times on Monday.

Hundreds of thousands of Native Americans children were housed and educated in a network of institutions, created to "civilize the savage," in the century and a half that the U.S. government ran boarding schools for them, the report read.

"There were horrific things that happened at boarding schools," Tom Stritikus, the president of Fort Lewis College, was quoted in the report as saying. "It's important that we daylight that."

Many of the deaths of former students have been recorded in federal archives and newspaper death notices, the report said, adding that the search for bodies of other students is already underway at two former schools in the western state of Colorado. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:06:33|Editor: huaxia

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Scientists monitor the operation of China's Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) at the Institute of High Energy Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China will ramp up efforts to help stimulate the innovation vitality of female scientific and technological (sci-tech) talents, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The ministry and the All-China Women's Federation, as well as other 11 departments, have launched a series of measures to support female researchers in playing a greater role in sci-tech innovation.

These measures include training high-level female sci-tech talents, supporting their innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities, improving evaluation mechanisms for them, and supporting their research during pregnancy and nursing periods.

The ministry will work with relevant departments to implement these measures so as to create a better environment for female sci-tech talents.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:44:57|Editor: huaxia

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SANAA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- As the livestock prices went up by more than 100 percent in Yemen's capital of Sanaa, many residents have to celebrate the Eid al-Adha, a major festival for Muslims, without sacrificing animals this year.

"It used to cost 50,000 Yemeni riyals (200 U.S. dollars) to buy a sheep. However, it costs more than 100,000 riyals now and an ox is worth more than 1 million riyals," said Mohammad Ali, a resident who came to a livestock market but was shocked by the prices.

"Yemen is the poorest Arab country. The average per capita income here is around 2,200 dollars a year. We couldn't afford to buy a sheep, let alone an ox or cow," Ali said.

Years of brutal civil wars and blockades have decimated Yemen's fragile economy, making what the United Nations calls the worst humanitarian crisis on earth.

"Fewer and fewer people come to buy sacrificing animals," said Muhammad al-Jumai, a livestock vendor in Sanaa, adding "the business plummeted by at least 20 percent compared to last year."

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 3 million, and pushed some 20 million to the brink of famine. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:51:27|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A Nigerian air force Alpha Jet was hit and crashed in the northwestern state of Zamfara after returning from an air interdiction mission on Sunday, but the pilot of the aircraft has been rescued, air force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said on Monday.

The Alpha Jet came under "intense enemy fire," which led to its crash in Zamfara state on Sunday afternoon, after returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna states, Gabkwet said in a statement.

"Luckily, the gallant pilot of the aircraft... successfully ejected from the aircraft," he said, adding that the pilot was able to evade armed "bandits" and seek refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset.

Using the cover of darkness and his mobile phone for navigation, the pilot was able to elude several bandit strongholds and maneuvered his way to a Nigerian army unit, where he was finally rescued, Gabkwet said.

He said the air force, in conjunction with land forces, has in the last two weeks mounted intensive day-and-night air interdiction operations against bandits and their hideouts, especially in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states.

"Through these intensive air operations, hundreds of bandits have been neutralized and several of their hideouts destroyed," Gabkwet said.

The security operations came after a series of gunmen attacks in north Nigeria in recent months that led to deaths and kidnappings. Nigerian troops are currently in several operations aimed at addressing the haunting issue of insecurity in that part of the country.

Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff Lucky Irabor told reporters in a press briefing in Kaduna city on Monday that he has had personal interaction with the "brave" pilot after the incident.

"I met the pilot this (Monday) morning. We interacted, and he is fine. The pilot is in Kaduna. With the experience he has, he was able to find his way out of the danger zone safely," he said.

He said the crash site and the pilot's parachute had been located, adding the military remains committed to its assigned role of addressing insecurity in the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:54:01|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is planning to increase motor vehicles exports to the East African Community (EAC) bloc in order to boost the automotive sector, an official said on Monday.

George Makateto, an official with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Enterprise Development told journalists in Nairobi that Kenya's automotive industry has a lot of underutilized capacity due to low domestic demand for new vehicles.

The EAC member states include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

Government data indicates that Kenya's local assembly plants are currently producing about 10,000 units per year against a capacity of 34,000 units.

Makateto said that the EAC trading bloc is an ideal market because Kenyan goods do not attract import duties when exported within the region.

The Kenyan official revealed that the national automotive policy is in the final process of development and when it is implemented it will help to spur the domestic motor vehicle industry.

He said that the automotive policy promotes the sector by discouraging imports of second-hand cars into the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 22:30:26|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden has recently lashed out at social media companies over misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

"They're killing people. The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. And they're killing people," Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has labeled health misinformation an "urgent threat" amid the Biden administration's push to get more people vaccinated, as the more contagious delta variant has been spreading among unvaccinated Americans.

"Modern technology companies have enabled misinformation to poison our information environment with little accountability to their users," Murthy said last week.

The White House is asking Facebook and other social media platforms to be more aggressive in removing "harmful" posts that spread disinformation and flagging posts that spread information, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Facebook has pushed back on criticism about its efforts to combat COVID-19 misinformation.

"The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19," Facebook responded in a corporate blog post by Guy Rosen, a company vice president. "President Biden's goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 23:11:30|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced on Monday that, with the approval of the State Council, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing will take the lead in developing international consumption center cities.

The move is a major strategic decision made by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, and will play a significant role in serving the establishment of the new development paradigm, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said at a meeting.

It is also significant for the country's high-quality growth, he noted.

Efforts will be made to pool quality international market entities, goods and services, as well as to accelerate the cultivation of local brands, Wang said.

The minister pledged efforts to develop business communities and improve market regulation services.

The MOC will work with other related departments to unveil a general plan on building the international consumption center cities and the five cities will formulate their implementation plans to advance the construction tasks, according to Wang.

Over the years, consumption has become a key driving force of the world's second largest economy amid its broader economic transformation.

China's consumption further recovered in the first half of this year, with its retail sales of consumer goods totaling 21.2 trillion yuan (3.28 trillion U.S. dollars), up 23 percent year on year, official data shows.

For the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China is expected to become the world's largest goods consumption market, the Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development forecast in a research report.

WHY THE FIVE CITIES?

The five cities to take the lead in developing international consumption centers were selected based on their respective advantages in the consumption field and economic strengths, according to analysts.

Shanghai, for instance, has ranked the country's top consumption market.

With a population of over 24 million, Shanghai's retail sales of consumer goods last year reached 1.59 trillion yuan despite the impact of COVID-19, up 0.5 percent year on year and ranking first among Chinese cities.

For the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Shanghai aims to become the first Chinese city with retail sales of consumer goods totaling over 2 trillion yuan, according to a guideline released by the city on developing as an international trade hub.

As the country's capital city and an international tourism city, Beijing has also seen robust consumption growth. In the first six months of this year, Beijing's total consumption value expanded by 22.1 percent year on year, official data showed Monday.

In May, Beijing unveiled 10 special measures to advance the cultivation of an international consumption center city, focusing on new consumption landmarks, new brands, digital consumption and the development of cultural, tourism, sports, education and medical consumption.

The international consumption center cities not only have huge consumption markets, but also act as barometers for global consumption innovation, said Wang Wei, a research fellow with the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Under the new development paradigm, building international consumption center cities will help foster new platforms for both the internal and external circulation to reinforce each other, Wang said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 23:43:09|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built Lamu port located on the Kenyan coast on Monday received a large cargo vessel as the port reaffirms its strategic position as a transhipment hub serving the greater eastern African region.

John Mwangemi, acting managing director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), said the arrival of MV Spirit of Dubai, owned by the French shipping line CMA CGM, at the recently launched first berth of Lamu port, will inspire confidence in its ability to host international logistics business.

"The dream of spearheading the transhipment business at the Lamu port has now become a reality with the arrival of the world's biggest and most reputable shipping lines," Mwangemi said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 20 inaugurated the first berth of Lamu port, which is part of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor to pave way for the docking of bulk cargo ships.

The seaport that is located in Lamu archipelago which is also a world heritage site is being constructed by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and will have 32 berths in total upon completion.

The 310 billion shillings (2.86 billion U.S. dollars) port is expected to be the largest deepwater port in Sub-Saharan Africa besides enhancing regional connectivity, trade and investments.

The Lamu port on July 15 received the first commercial ship MV AMU 1 owned by a local shipping company and is expected to attract large vessels transporting cargo destined for the greater Horn of Africa region and beyond.

Mwangemi said MV Spirit of Dubai will pick the same cargo offloaded by MV AMU 1, for onward transhipment to the Middle East and Europe.

He said the port is capable of handling Panamax and post-Panamax vessels with a capacity of over 10,000 TEUs adding that two additional berths will be operationalized at the end of this year.

"We are prepared to continue receiving more vessels in the coming few days," said Mwangemi, adding that installation of modern infrastructure and deployment of skilled personnel will enhance seamless operations at the mega seaport. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 00:09:24|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Greater investment in home-grown research and development of a safe and efficacious vaccine is crucial in order to boost the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, experts said in a virtual forum in Nairobi on Monday.

Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Nairobi-based international health advocacy group, Amref Health Africa said the continent's ability to defeat the pandemic hinges on domestic financing toward the development of effective vaccine candidates.

He urged African governments to increase the budget earmarked for COVID-19 vaccine research even as they negotiate with foreign pharmaceutical companies for patents to facilitate local production of the essential life-saving commodity.

Among issues discussed by health experts who spoke at the virtual forum organized by Amref Health Africa included solving COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy that is rampant in the continent amid misinformation.

Joachim Osur, vice chancellor of Amref International University said that vaccine hesitancy that is rife among women, youth and community health workers poses a threat to Africa's quest to flatten the curve.

He cited a recent study conducted in Kenya which revealed that vaccine hesitancy among youth aged 18 to 24 years stood at 58 percent while 19 percent of community health workers were reluctant to take the jab.

Osur said that Africa's COVID-19 vaccine research agenda should prioritize community engagement in order to boost its uptake among high-risk groups including the elderly and chronically ill.

Jesca Nsungwa-Sabiiti, commissioner, Department of Reproductive and Child Health at Uganda's Ministry of Health said vaccine research coupled with infrastructure upgrade, data collection and public awareness is key to ensure the goal of inoculating a critical mass of Africa's populace was achieved. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 00:24:19|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Standing at the entrance to a shopping complex in Chawama township in Lusaka, Zambia's capital is Joseph Phiri, aged 17 years old, who is ready to help direct patrons with vehicles to parking spaces.

"This helps to create a good rapport with shoppers who may need to buy a face mask or two," explained Phiri, a face mask seller.

With plenty of time on their hands, a good number of students in Lusaka are investing in short-term businesses.

Interaction with youngsters involved in the aforementioned trade revealed that it is proving to be a good business for the majority of them. They indicated that they are using the earnings to supplement their families' incomes or to raise money for school fees.

"On a good day, I make up to 450 Zambian Kwacha (about 20 U.S. dollars) as profit from selling the masks," said 24-year-old Dominic Chisulo, a university student.

Chisulo, who trades from the entrance of one of the big shopping malls in Lusaka further revealed that selling face masks has enabled him to save up funds for his university fees.

"I will not have to worry about resources for my upkeep once schools reopen as I am saving money for that," he said, adding that some young people who are selling face masks are earning more than some of their counterparts in formal employment.

For 15-year-old Beatrice Banda, who also sells face masks around the same trading place as Chisulo, the exercise for her is a way to stay out of trouble as well as an opportunity to help complement her family's income.

"I am helping my grandmother, who is the sole breadwinner of our family, raise money for savings. This is also helping me to stay out of undesirable activities," said Banda, a grade nine student.

Institutions of learning were closed about a month ago as a measure by the government to curtail the swelling numbers of COVID-19 cases in Zambia. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 00:32:09|Editor: huaxia

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KAMPALA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has lost 16 medical doctors to COVID-19 in four weeks, a local medical workers' association said Monday.

Mukuzi Muhereza, Secretary-General of Uganda Medical Association, told Xinhua by telephone that the deaths were recorded between the last part of June and early July.

They died of COVID-19 from various places across the country, Muhereza said.

He said the dead included a neurosurgeon, a young ear, nose and throat surgeon and a pediatrician.

Muhereza said, the association has decided to call upon all doctors in the country to contribute at least 300 U.S. dollars each to help fellow medics who test positive for COVID-19 and require lots of money for treatment.

He called upon the government to come up with a specific health fund to cater for doctors and other health workers amid the pandemic.

Uganda has so far registered 90,656 COVID-19 infections. So far, 2,392 people have died due to the virus since March last year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 02:40:41|Editor: huaxia

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VALLETTA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people thronged the streets around the Maltese capital's first mobile vaccination clinic, which was opened for walk-ins on Monday as part of the country's efforts to vaccinate at least 85 percent of its adult population.

A mobile dental clinic, owned by the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Malta, was turned into a vaccination truck and it began to offer COVID-19 jabs to all those who had not yet been vaccinated because they had not received an appointment or were reluctant.

Malta's Health Minister Chris Fearne, currently in self-isolation after coming into contact with a COVID-19-positive case, took to Twitter to laud the "Strong turnout at the COVID-19 vaccination walk-in clinic at Mosta Technopark, as 85 percent of adults in Malta have had at least the first jab (81 percent fully vaccinated). Keep jabbing!"

Malta is also vaccinating young people aged between 12 and 15 based on the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) approval.

Many of those in the queue on Monday were foreign nationals living in Malta, while others were there because they had changed their mind about the jab. The vaccination center at the University of Malta is also offering the vaccine to those without an appointment.

The appointment-free mobile clinic will visit the southeastern city of Zejtun on Wednesday and St Julian in the center of Malta on Friday. People are requested to show proof of residence, such as a utility bill, in order to get the jab.

Valerie Sollers, a German national living in Malta, told Xinhua that she had not received an appointment to get vaccinated and had been eagerly waiting for the time when everyone is offered the jab.

"I've been waiting for this vaccine for so long. I'd like to visit my family in Germany this summer, so I came at the first available opportunity to get my first dose. In two weeks, I'll get my second and then I can travel two weeks after that. So yes, it's a relief," she told Xinhua.

She said she thought she was one of the first to arrive when she called a taxi at seven o'clock in the morning but was in for a surprise when she found a long queue there. People started to converge on the mobile vaccination clinic as early as half past five in the morning. "It's quite impressive," she commented.

Steffi Schomer from the Netherlands was looking forward to receiving her first dose of the vaccine although she was disappointed that she had to "spend hours in the scorching sun" first.

"It should have been better organized," she said. "The sun in Malta is quite strong and standing in this heat for so long is tiring. I've seen people faint."

Jeremy Vassallo, a 24-year-old Maltese, was not able to go for his vaccine on the date and time he was given so he had to wait for the walk-in clinic to be able to get his shot.

His friend, Noella Zammit, was initially adamant on not taking the vaccine, arguing that all the hype and stress surrounding the vaccination had scared her, but since then she has changed her mind.

"After I saw how many people were dying from COVID-19 and since it is the only way to travel, I've decided to take the jab. It cannot harm me I guess," she said jokingly. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 03:07:13|Editor: huaxia

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DUBLIN, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Ireland is easing COVID-19 restrictions on international travelers coming from some of the European countries and the United States starting from Monday, according to Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE.

From Monday, travelers from the 27 European Union (EU) member countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Britain and the United States will no longer be required to quarantine if they have proof of having been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, having recovered from the disease, or having had a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival, said the report.

The relaxation came at a time when Ireland has been witnessing a notable increase in the number of confirmed cases over the last week or so.

On Monday, the Irish Department of Health reported 1,017 new confirmed cases in the country.

The five-day incidence in Ireland averages 1,159 cases per day, the highest since Feb. 2 of this year, said the department in a statement on Monday.

Earlier in the month, Tony Holohan, chief medical officer with the health department, said that the Delta variant of the coronavirus accounted for over 70 percent of the new confirmed cases in the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 04:49:19|Editor: huaxia

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LISBON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that it had sent to Timor-Leste a batch of 12,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, as well as syringes and needles.

"This action concludes the first cycle of sending vaccines to the PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African Countries) and Timor-Leste," said the Portuguese government in an official statement.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there was a "political commitment to make available to those countries, which are our main cooperation partners, at least five percent of the vaccines against COVID-19 purchased by Portugal."

The operation also involves the Portuguese Ministry of Health, the National Authority for Medicines and Health Products and the Task Force of the National Vaccination Plan against COVID-19 in Portugal.

To bring life back to normal, countries worldwide such as China, Russia and the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:23:20|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police confirmed 13 policemen were killed in a gunmen attack in the northwestern state of Zamfara on Sunday.

In a statement on Monday, Mohammed Shehu, spokesperson for the police in Zamfara, said the attack occurred on Sunday afternoon when police mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota village in Bungudu local government area were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by bandits to attack some nearby communities.

However, Shehu said the police operatives ran into an ambush by the gunmen and were engaged in a gunfight.

"The personnel, who ran into the ambush, exhibited resilience and gallantry by engaging the hoodlums, an effort that deterred the bandits from attacking the communities," he said.

Unfortunately, 13 policemen were killed in the gunfight, said the police spokesperson.

According to him, a special anti-banditry operation is currently ongoing with a view to tracking down the assailants.

There have been a series of gunmen attacks in north Nigeria in recent months, leading to deaths and kidnappings. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:38:52|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Monday disclosed the completion of the second-year filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reservoir.

Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, said in a Twitter post that the completion of the second year filling of the dam ahead of the initial schedule is due to the heavy rains across the country.

With the completion of the second year filling, the East African country can now operate two turbines at the mega hydroelectric dam, it was noted.

The construction of the 6,500-MW hydroelectric dam, which will be regarded as Africa's largest dam upon completion with a total volume of 74,000 billion cubic meters, started in April 2011 on the Blue Nile river in Ethiopia's Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State in proximity to the Ethiopia-Sudan border.

However, the project has been a major issue of dispute since then among the three Nile-bounded countries of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan.

Despite countless tripartite negotiations among experts, ministers and leaders of the three African countries, they are yet to reach a trilateral agreement regarding the project.

Ethiopia reiterates that the dam will power its development aspirations, and boost its aspirations to attain the middle-income status by 2025. Meanwhile, Egypt and Sudan frequently express their concern that the dam would affect their share of the river waters.

Rising from Lake Tana some 570-km north of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, the Blue Nile or Abay River is one of the two principal headwaters of the world's longest river, the Nile. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:40:52|Editor: huaxia

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YAOUNDE, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 Boko Haram fighters had given themselves up to authorities in Cameroon's Far North region, a government official told Xinhua on Monday.

The fighters arrived in the remote town of Kolofata on Sunday night in two groups and surrendered to community defense forces otherwise known as vigilante group, the region's governor Midjiyawa Bakari told Xinhua on phone, adding that the ex-fighters had been handed over to government authorities.

"All of them are Cameroonians. They came with members of their families including children and women. They have been surrendering all this while. In a space of one month, we have received 200 to 250 of them coming back," Bakari said.

The government will pardon them and host them at the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration center in the region, according to the governor. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 09:09:53|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Monday donated medical supplies and equipment as well as financial aid to neighboring Vietnam to help the country fight COVID-19, a health official said.

Health Ministry secretary of state Yok Sambath, who brought the donations to Vietnam via a special flight, said the donations included 1 million face masks, 100,000 N95 masks, 100 automatic oxygen concentrators, and 350,000 U.S. dollars.

"The donations are to assist Vietnam to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially a severe community outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City," she told reporters at the Phnom Penh international airport before departure.

"The donations are a humanitarian gesture and represent our spirit of friendship and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19," she added.

Vietnam reported 5,926 new cases on Sunday, including 4,692 in Ho Chi Minh City, pushing the national total caseload to 53,830, with 254 deaths, according to its health ministry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 11:32:41|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A vast majority of Muslims in Australia have experienced discrimination, the Australian Human Rights Commission has found.

According to a report published by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on Monday, 80 percent of Islamic people in Australia have faced prejudice or discrimination.

Half of 1,000 respondents to the survey said they were discriminated against by law enforcement and 48 percent said they were targeted in workplaces or while looking for work.

One in every four said they were too scared to speak up when they - or someone they knew - experienced discrimination.

Zaahir Edries, a Sydney-based Islamic lawyer who migrated to Australia from South Africa at the age of five, said he noticed an increase in discrimination towards Muslim Australians in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

"Around September 11 things changed for me quite significantly," he was quoted by multicultural state broadcaster SBS on Monday.

"Attitudes towards my faith and my identity changed in the public sphere, so that made it difficult to interact the same way I did before."

"As a young adult at the time, I struggled to reconcile my identity as a Muslim and also as someone who was being asked to explain the events of some horrible criminals on the other side of the world, which wasn't something we'd experienced previously."

Despite the high level of Islamophobia uncovered by the survey, 63 percent of participants said they believed Australia was a welcoming country and 74 percent said they felt Australian.

Chin Tan, Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, said it was time for the federal government to establish an anti-racism framework.

"We believe there is a strong and powerful need for us to have a coordinated national strategy that works on many fronts to actively counter racism and discrimination at the various levels that they occur and it brings me to this advocacy that we are now putting forward to the commission about implementing a national anti-racism framework," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 12:09:33|Editor: huaxia

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A military police officer stands guard during a drug burning ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 19, 2021. Cambodia on Monday burned down 7.62 tons of drugs and illegal substances to mark the International Day against Drug, officials said. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Monday burned down 7.62 tons of drugs and illegal substances to mark the International Day against Drug, officials said.

Gen. Chuon Sovann, vice chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), set fire on the drugs at a ceremony held on the southern outskirts of capital Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court's prosecutor Chreng Khmao said the destruction of the drugs clearly demonstrated the kingdom's firm commitment to combating all kinds of illicit drugs.

"A total of 7.62 tons of illicit drugs and illegal substances used for drug manufacturing was destroyed," he said at the event. "The courts won't tolerate any drug criminals. We will punish them severely."

He said the drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine and nimetazepam, among others, had been seized from criminals in Phnom Penh and four provinces, namely Svay Rieng, Kampong Chhnang, Prey Veng, and Takeo.

The Southeast Asian nation has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of drugs could be jailed for life.

According to the NACD, during the January-June period of 2021, the authorities had arrested 7,259 drug suspects in 3,258 cases, confiscating more than 850 kilograms of illicit drugs. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 13:04:21|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people were killed and over 30 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a trailer in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, local media reported Monday morning. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:22:29|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic still wreaked havoc in Asia-Pacific countries as India recorded 38,164 new infections and Indonesia reported the highest daily deaths.

India's tally rose to 31,144,229 as 38,164 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, the federal health ministry's latest data showed.

Besides, 499 deaths due to the pandemic since Sunday morning took the total death toll to 414,108.

There are still 421,665 active cases in the country, with a fall of 995 during the past 24 hours.

A total of 30,308,456 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, out of which 38,660 were discharged during the past 24 hours.

Indonesia recorded 34,257 newly-confirmed cases and 1,338 deaths in the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said.

This has been the highest daily number of fatalities the country ever reported since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Based on the latest data, the total of coronavirus cases in the Southeast Asian country reported by the government is now at 2,911,733, while the COVID-19-related death toll has increased to 74,920.

Additional 32,217 recovered patients were reportedly discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries from the pandemic in the country to 2,293,875.

Malaysia reported another 10,972 new infections, the health ministry said on Monday, bringing the national total to 927,533.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 48 of the new cases are imported and 10,924 are local transmissions.

Another 129 deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 7,148.

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,651 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,513,396.

The death toll climbed to 26,786 after 72 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

Pakistan confirmed 2,452 new cases over the past 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said.

The NCOC, a department leading Pakistan's campaign against the pandemic, said that the country's number of overall cases rose to 991,727 amidst the fear of a fourth wave.

A total of 22,811 people died of the disease, including 30 patients who died over the last 24 hours, the NCOC said, adding that 2,532 are in critical condition.

The country currently has 48,850 active cases while 920,066 others have recovered from the disease.

South Korea reported 1,252 more cases, raising the total number of infections to 179,203.

Of the new cases, 413 were Seoul residents and 336 were people residing in Gyeonggi province.

Forty-four cases were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 10,940.

One more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 2,058.

Cambodia confirmed 790 new cases, raising the national total caseload to 67,971 so far, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The new infections included 581 local cases and 209 imported cases, the ministry said.

Twenty-two more fatalities had been recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 1,128, it said, adding that 1,087 patients recovered, taking the total number of recoveries to 60,017. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 21:06:22|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Monday evening that six million Cambodians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Pheng Soeun, a 67-year-old farmer in the southeastern Kampong Cham province, was the six millionth person to be vaccinated, the prime minister said, adding that he awarded the woman 10 million riels (2,500 U.S. dollars) and some relief items for being the special recipient.

"To date, Cambodia has provided COVID-19 vaccines to 6 million people, or 60 percent of the 10 million targeted adult population," he wrote on his official Facebook page.

Cambodia began a vaccination drive on Feb. 10, with China being the key vaccine supplier.

The kingdom has three vaccines approved for emergency use so far, namely China's Sinopharm and Sinovac, and Britain's AstraZeneca.

World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Cambodia Li Ailan praised Cambodia for its faster-than-expected vaccination process.

"It is very encouraging that Cambodia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout is progressing well, faster than originally planned. Meanwhile, ongoing efforts are being made to ensure routine childhood immunization services... it is challenging but vital," she wrote on Twitter.

Cambodia logged 790 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, pushing the national total caseload to 67,971, the health ministry said, adding that 22 more fatalities were reported, taking the death toll to 1,128. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 20:39:34|Editor: huaxia

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Customers order drinks at a bar in London, Britain, on July 19, 2021. As England moved to the final stage of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on Monday, in what has been dubbed "Freedom Day", medical experts were reminding the public to exercise caution. Almost all legal restrictions on social contact were being removed. There are now no limits on how many people can meet or attend events, nightclubs reopened at midnight, and face coverings will be recommended in some spaces but not required by law. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

LONDON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- As England moved to the final stage of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on Monday in what has been dubbed "Freedom Day", medical experts are reminding the public to exercise caution.

In an interview with Xinhua, Stephen Winchester, consultant virologist at Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services, said it was imperative that the British government continues to urge the public to remain cautious.

"I think there is that risk (of infections rising as restrictions are eased)," said Wincheser.

This Monday has seen almost all legal restrictions on social contact being removed. There are now no limits on how many people can meet or attend events, nightclubs reopened at midnight, and face coverings will be recommended in some spaces but not required by law.

Vaccines, according to Winchester, had been key in allowing Britain to have its Freedom Day.

"It's in the backdrop of the vaccination program, and also with some degree of caution as well in the timing of the year," the expert said.

He noted that there remains an element of caution in the final step of release in terms of trying to encourage people to meet outside and encouraging the use of face masks where deemed appropriate.

The easing of restrictions is always a judgment, which might be proved wrong, he added.

Talking about the concern that infections rise could give way to new variants emerging, the virologist said the threat of new variants will "always be there".

"Globally new variants can emerge, as we've seen all across the globe. So I don't think that not lifting restrictions eliminates that risk. I think there is still transmission even with restrictions. So there's always a risk of a new variant emerging," he said.

Some scientists have predicted that Britain's infections, currently at about 50,000 a day, could reach 200,000 a day later in the summer.

What's key, Winchester believes, is that Britain continues with its strong vaccination program and testing structure.

Both scientists and the British government have acknowledged that although vaccines have weakened the link between COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, it has not severed it.

According to Winchester, the link is not expected to be broken at this current stage.

"We don't have a full population with two doses of vaccine. So there's still some progress to be made on the vaccination front itself. There's also the fact that the vaccines are never 100 percent effective," he said, adding that there's still a potential for variants to emerge that may reduce the efficacy of the vaccines further.

"So it's quite a dynamic process that doesn't have an instant solution, unfortunately," he said.

According to government scientists, the peak of the current wave is not expected before mid-August and could lead to between 1,000 and 2,000 hospital admissions per day.

Central estimates from modellers advising the government also show that COVID-19 deaths are expected to reach between 100 and 200 per day at the peak, although there is a large amount of uncertainty.

Winchester stressed that the public will need to use their own judgement in helping to stop the spread of the coronavirus as restrictions were eased.

"If you're in a quite small room or meeting room, and there's quite a large number of people or it just feels densely full with people, then, you need to be careful, use your own judgment and use the mask sensibly. And then beyond the mask, it's just general common sense in terms of isolating if you have symptoms, getting tested, not going out, avoiding contact with anyone who is symptomatic where possible."

He said the risk of having a Freedom Day now is that cases could rise further, but if the public remain cautious and aware that there are still cases, hospitalizations and deaths out there, then it should help to mitigate the spread.

"They may not be at the rates that they've previously been at, but they can still occur and so still to be careful to look after yourself and those around you," he urged.

Britain has reported another 48,161 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 5,433,939, according to official figures released Sunday.

The country also recorded another 25 coronavirus-related deaths, with the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain standing at 128,708. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

Nearly 88 percent of adults in Britain have received the first jab of COVID-19 vaccine and more than 68 percent have received two doses, according to the latest figures.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 05:12:05|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, July 19 (Xinhua) -- France has entered a fourth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic which is spreading at "lightning" speed, said government spokesman Gabriel Attal on Monday evening while announcing tough sanctions on non-compliance with the health pass rules.

"We are seeing a wave faster than all the previous ones," Attal told a press conference, noting that the incidence rate has increased by nearly 125 percent in one week, "an increase so strong, so sudden that we had never known since the beginning of the epidemic in our country."

"For several days we have crossed the threshold of 10,000 positive cases every day. This virus contaminates at lightning speed," he said.

The Delta variant, first detected in India, now represented 80 percent of infections in France, he added.

Since July 12, the number of departments exceeding the alert threshold of 50 infections per 100,000 inhabitants has increased from 12 to 37, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

The surge mainly concerns the overseas departments, the Paris region and the coast, where there are many tourist arrivals during the summer period.

The government spokesman called for everything to be done so that the fourth wave would not be "more devastating" than the previous ones.

A cabinet meeting adopted earlier in the day a law bill containing new measures intended to contain the rapid spread of the virus, including compulsory vaccination for caregivers and massive extension of the health pass, announced by President Emmanuel Macron last week.

Under the bill, a compulsory health pass for access to cultural and leisure venues will come into force on July 21, certifying that the bearer has either been fully vaccinated or had a recent, negative PCR test.

For bars and restaurants and certain shopping centers, "the pass will be due on Aug. 30, the time for those who wish to be vaccinated," said Attal.

The bill, to be presented to parliament at the end of the week, also included an obligation of 10-day isolation for people who test positive for COVID-19.

There will be checks and sanctions for non compliance with the health pass rules, with a fine of up to 1,500 euros for a natural person and 7,500 euros for a legal person at the first breach, said Attal.

At the third breach, it can go up to one year in jail and a fine of 9,000 euros for a natural person, and one year in jail and 45,000 euros for a legal person, he added.

Warning about the risk of a new variant if the virus circulates too much, Attal said "vaccination coverage is not sufficient" in France.

As of Monday, 30.79 million people in France have completed their vaccination, representing 45.7 percent of total population, health ministry data showed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-19 07:13:04|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- One person died and three others were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in Walnut Creek, Northern California of the United States, police said.

Local police responded after receiving reports of a shooting at about 1:37 a.m., the police said in a Facebook post.

One victim died at the scene and the other three were taken to a local hospital, police said, adding that "This is an active investigation." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-20 06:05:16|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday urged financial regulators to "act quickly" on the regulation of stablecoins, a type of digital currency that is pegged to the U.S. dollar.

"The Secretary underscored the need to act quickly to ensure there is an appropriate U.S. regulatory framework in place," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement following a meeting of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets.

"In the meeting, participants discussed the rapid growth of stablecoins, potential uses of stablecoins as a means of payment, and potential risks to end-users, the financial system, and national security," the Treasury Department said, adding the President's Working Group expects to issue recommendations in the coming months.

The meeting came after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told lawmakers last week that the United States doesn't have appropriate regulation for stablecoins, compared with bank deposits and money market mutual funds.

"They're like money funds, they're like bank deposits, and they're growing incredibly fast, but without appropriate regulation," Powell said at a congressional hearing.

"If we're going to have something that looks just like a money market fund or a bank deposit or a narrow bank and it's growing really fast, we really ought to have appropriate regulation and today, we don't," he said.

In a financial stability report released in May, the Fed had warned that stress in the financial system could further interact with potential risks from new digital payment systems, including stablecoin arrangements.

"These associated risks may require additional safeguards, and regulators are monitoring these developments," the report said. Enditem
" " Isleta Maigo Fahang (Bird Island) is just one of the many stunning vistas off Saipan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands. Yuri Smityuk/TASS/via Getty Images

Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Saipan. It's part of the Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth of the United States, in the western Pacific Ocean. That puts it at least 5,900 miles (9,495 kilometers) away from the continental U.S.

Truthfully, almost no one in the world had heard of Saipan until World War II  though its history goes back more than 3,500 years. A 2013 study published in American Journal of Human Biology suggests that Saipan and the Mariana Islands were inhabited well before most other Pacific Ocean islands. That means humans were already building a society on Saipan more than 1,000 years before ancient Egypt's Cleopatra was born.

So what else don't we know about Saipan, one of the most remote places on the planet you can visit without needing a passport (if you're a U.S. citizen, of course)?

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1. It's Beautiful

Think about everything that makes Hawaii so stunning: white-sand beaches, epic hiking through jungles and fantastic ocean views. Now subtract around 90 percent of the tourists and that's Saipan. The Marianas (including Saipan, Tinian and Rota) received almost 425,000 visitors in 2019. By comparison, the islands of Hawaii welcomed approximately 10.5 million  more than 20 times as many travelers in the same year. That leaves a lot of empty beaches for travelers willing to trek to the remote islands of the Pacific.

" " In this aerial image, debris of the United States M4 Sherman tank remains at shallow water off Chalan Kanoa beach in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

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2. Saipan Is a Giant Volcano

Like the Hawaiian Islands, Saipan was formed millions of years ago by an underwater volcano. The pressure of two tectonic plates pushing against each other eventually caused a volcanic eruption, and over time, the buildup from repeated eruptions formed an island. Eventually, floating coral larvae became stuck on the island, piling up to create a coral reef.

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3. The U.S. "Won" the Island During WWII

Though Saipan's history goes back thousands of years, it didn't play a role on the global stage until WWII.

Rule over the Mariana Islands jumped from country to country starting in the mid-1600s. The first country to occupy the island was Spain, which ruled the island from 1565 to 1899, though the U.S. took control after the Spanish-American War. It eventually fell under Germany control from 1899 to 1914, but then was taken by Japan during WWI, which saw it as a barrier to foreign invaders from the East.

During WWII, the U.S. and Allied forces invaded, and the Japanese lost the nearly monthlong Battle of Saipan. The U.S. occupied the island and installed a military air base there, which became a turning point in WWII. Having a base so close to Japan meant the Allies could fly the U.S. Army's long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers to strike Japan directly.

" " American troops land on the beaches of Saipan Island during the Battle of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, June 1944. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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4. You Can Snorkel on Military Relics

As with most battle sites, post-conflict cleanup wasn't top of mind immediately after one side laid down arms. Near Saipan, the U.S. left several Sherman tanks in the ocean just offshore. Complete with gun turrets, the tanks are still sitting in about 10 feet (3 meters) of water in the reefs off the island's southwest coast, easy for exploring and diving.

But the tanks aren't your only option for historical scuba diving or snorkeling. Along Saipan's underwater WWII Maritime Heritage Trail, divers will find two sunken Japanese airplanes, two U.S. airplanes, various merchant ships and several landing vehicles (that apparently didn't do their jobs very well). There's also the wreck of the 500-foot-long (152-meter-long) Shoan Maru, a Japanese naval ship that sits in only about 30 feet (9 meters) of water. Though intrepid divers may want to instead poke through the "junk" at the underwater WWII trash pile, which includes pieces of airplanes, Jeeps and whatever else the Navy didn't feel like carrying home.

" " Archaeologists are surveying a sunken auxiliary vessel, presumably the torpedoed Shoan Maru, on the Maritime Heritage Trail, Battle of Saipan in Tanapag Lagoon. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 3.0)

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5. The Chamorro Are the Indigenous People

The word Chamorro is derived from the name of the island's last ruling family before the Spanish invasion. The Chamorro language is very similar to the languages spoken on South Pacific islands populated by peoples from Southeast Asia, leading linguists to believe Saipan's first inhabitants also came from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, likely). It's a matriarchal culture with its own myths and origin stories, values and cuisine. Many of the best Chamorro dishes are very similar to Malaysian dishes, like kelaguen (similar to ceviche or Tahitian poisson cru) and pancit (seafood noodles).

" " A village scene depicts the difference in caste through body language and building structures of the Chamorro people from the late 1600s. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 3.0)

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6. Saipan Is Part of Micronesia

The Northern Mariana Islands (which includes the 14 islands of the Mariana Archipelago; Saipan is the biggest) are officially called "the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands" and are a U.S. territory. That, along with Guam and the Marshall Islands (both U.S. territories); Palau; the 33 islands of the Republic of Kiribati; the Republic of Nauru (the world's smallest republic), and the Federated States of Micronesia, make up the region of the world known as "Micronesia."

Nesia means "island," thus "Micronesia" means "small islands." Polynesia, which generally includes the islands in a triangle shape around Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island, means "many islands." Melanesia includes everything else that you probably thought was part of Polynesia: the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia (part of France) and Vanuatu. Melanesia means "black islands," or islands of darker-skinned people, in reference to the darker skin tone of many of the island's inhabitants.

" " Saipan and the Mariana Islands are part of Micronesia. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 3.0)

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7. It's Close to the Deepest Point on Earth

Saipan is relatively close to the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on Earth. To reach the ocean floor, you'd have to travel more than 35,000 feet (10,668 meters) below the surface (for reference, Mount Everest is just over 29,000 feet [8,839 meters]). Despite the complete lack of light, insanely high pressure and freezing cold water temperatures, some animals are able to live in the trench's depths. Some of the alien-like creatures who live in the mysterious chasm include the "Benthocodon Jellyfish," goblin sharks and the ominously named "zombie worm."

Now That's Interesting The WWII Battle of Saipan raged from June 15 to July 9, 1944, and is often called "Pacific D-Day" because U.S. forces stormed Saipan's beaches to take control of its air base. Part of the troops included 800 African American Marines who unloaded food and ammunition and delivered supplies (under fire) to troops storming the beach. These 800 men were the first African American combat Marines in World War II.
Ethiopians voters went to the polls in the early hours of the morning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 21, 2021.

guest column

As the recorded number of infections in Africa edges towards the six million mark, it has become clear that Covid-19 is not only a public health challenge. Apart from the devastating economic impact of lockdowns and related regulations, the pandemic is undermining the well-being of democracy in Africa.

In prioritising public health, governments have drawn on emergency legislation to implement lockdown regulations. These measures narrow the gap between authoritarianism and democracy and can be used as a pretext for authoritarian regimes to hold on to power.

The pandemic struck at a critical time for some of Africa's democracies and coincided with several elections scheduled for 2020 and 2021. Although some polls went ahead, others were postponed and rescheduled.

The health of democracy in Africa has been in question for some time and postponed elections can add to growing fears of democratic backsliding on the continent.

Postponed elections can threaten democracy in Africa for two reasons: moving an election is a controversial decision that can lead to instability, and uncertainty over whether elections will take place at all does not secure democracy.

Nowhere is this more evident than from Ethiopia's June 21 parliamentary, regional state council and local elections. Rescheduled twice since August 2020, the postponements were not only a source of controversy, but are also linked to the conflict in the northern Tigray region after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) went ahead with elections in that region in 2020. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's decision to postpone elections was interpreted by the TPLF as a move to extend his power, hiding behind Covid-19 public health concerns.

Further controversy arose after many opposition leaders were jailed, other opposition parties boycotted the polls, and constituencies in some regions were excluded from these elections based on security concerns and registration irregularities. Those regions will allegedly be voting in September 2021, but no elections are on the horizon for Tigray. This makes it hard to call these elections free and fair. Some experts believe that Covid-19 has "dramatically redirected Ethiopia's political landscape deeper into authoritarianism". Ethiopia is a key player in the Horn of Africa and the second most populous country on the continent. Its democratic trajectory is therefore of great importance.

Another case to consider is that of Senegal. Regional and local elections in Senegal have been postponed indefinitely from March 28, the third delay since 2019. Senegalese are already protesting the government crackdown on opposition leaders, corruption, and Covid-19-related economic decline. The Senegalese government responded with violence.

Postponing elections is not unheard of but the decision should not be taken lightly. Elections must take place within a specified period, usually five years. As a failsafe, an additional 90-days (usually) are factored in. If the time between elections exceeds this, a country can experience a constitutional crisis.

Delays can be interpreted by opposition parties as a move to consolidate power. Especially where elections have been postponed under states of disaster legislation during the pandemic, democracy has been rattled. Many governments have abused their additional powers. Freedom House reports that since the start of the pandemic, respect for human rights and democracy has deteriorated in 80 countries across the globe.

Abuses of power include violent crackdowns on protestors, experienced in Nigeria; detention or arrest of government critics, experienced in Zimbabwe; and social media blackouts and media restriction as experienced in Uganda, and Tanzania. To this list can also be added the recent government-sanctioned internet blackout in eSwatini during pro-democracy protests in the country.

It is also possible that proceeding with elections in the name of upholding democracy could have the opposite effect. Higher voter turnout is desirable since it is more representative of the voting population. Despite Covid-19 precautions implemented by election management bodies, citizens may still decide that the risk of infection from venturing out to vote at polling stations is too great and abstain.

Amid a security crisis and the pandemic, Mali proceeded with two rounds of legislative elections in March and April 2020. This combination of security and health threats meant only 23.22 percent of eligible voters turned up to cast their votes. More concerning than the low turnout is the confirmation of these results by Mali's Constitutional Court.

Regular elections are the hallmark of democracy and allow citizens to voice their views on governments. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, elections have been postponed worldwide at a rate not experienced before. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance reports that between February 21 last year and June 21, 78 countries and territories globally have postponed elections citing coronavirus concerns.

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African countries make up 17.9 percent of this total. The pandemic has created many new challenges for governments, not the least of which has been upholding democracy in conditions which call for social distancing and limited numbers of people gathering in groups. Indeed, finding a "democracy-human security balance" is proving to be one of the more complicated tasks facing governments during the pandemic.

Covid-19 could spark a global reconsideration of the electoral process, with remote voting options, such as online voting, enjoying renewed interest. It is important to remember that elections are not the only measure of democracy. Factors such as a level playing field for opposition parties, citizen choice as to whether or note to vote, voter turnout and a free public space are important indicators of the quality of democracy.

Elections are important and should be allowed to go ahead where possible. But what the pandemic teaches is that timing and safety are everything.

Isabel Bosman is a researcher in the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme of the South African Institute of International Affairs.
analysis

Swimming was finally banned on beaches north of Durban and residents warned to stay indoors at the weekend to avoid breathing noxious chemical fumes after the massive fire at a Durban pesticide warehouse - but seven days after the arson attack, questions remain unanswered about the human health risks, ecological impacts and poor communication to affected communities.

Thousands of Durban residents woke to the overpowering stench of burning chemicals almost a week ago, when arsonists and looters set fire to a massive warehouse containing toxic pesticides and chemical products owned by the Mumbai-based chemicals giant UPL.

The Indian multinational group was set up in 1969 as United Phosphorus Limited by chemist Rajju Shroff and now boasts that it is the fifth biggest agrochemical company in the world (after Bayer, Dupont, Syngenta and BASF) with annual revenue of $5.04-billion

In a press statement released almost five days after the fire began, the company confirmed that the attack led to "a large plume of smoke being released into the atmosphere as well as causing water to overrun catchment devices" from its new Cornubia warehouse.

Hedging its bets over whether it was solely or partly responsible for the toxic air cloud or...
A former Minister of Education Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili has disclosed that nine out of every 10 African children are not able to read and learn numbers at the age of 10.

Ezekwesili, who is also a co-convener of #BringBack Our Girls, lamented that such statistics and reality were an economic disaster.

She added that for Nigeria to move forward from its present economic state, education and human capital must be the new crude oil.

Ezekwesili stated this in Abuja yesterday during the graduation ceremony of the class of 2021 of the Pace Setters Academy.

While stressing love of oil and the gains from it by the elite and political class of the society, she noted that crude oil had a severance date and as such, there must be a change in focus.

She said that for the error of misplaced priorities, God would not be happy with the country's middle and upper class.

"If children are not able to read to get a certain numerical concept before the age of 10, they are going to be completely unable to accomplish much in life. I'm citing evidence and not merely saying," she said.

The proprietor of the school, Mr Kenneth Imansuagbon, said that education had the capacity to open the human mind and liberate individuals from chains of poverty and societal ills.
The NBC says that giving details of either security issues or victims of these challenges may jeopardise the efforts of security agencies in tackling them.

Revealing too much details while reporting insecurity in Nigeria may have adverse impact on the efforts of security agencies in tackling the challenges, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC)said in a letter to broadcast stations.

The commission noted that, "while bringing information on security to the doorsteps of Nigerians is a necessity, there is a need for caution."

It said this is because "some of the topics also have ethnological coating thereby, pitching one section of the country against the other and leaving Nigerians in daily hysteria."

Dated July 7, the letter, which was signed by the director of broadcast monitoring, Francis Aiyetan, on behalf of the commission's director-general, enjoined the stations to join hands with the government by not "glamorising the activities of insurgents, terrorists, kidnappers, bandits."

Mrs Aiyetan also said in the letter that broadcast stations should advise "guests and/or analysts on programmes not to polarise the citizenry with divisive rhetoric, in drving home their point."

She also called on them not to give "details of either the security issues or victims of these security challenges so as not to jeopardise the efforts of the Nigerian soldiers and other security agents."

"The commission reminds you to be guided by the provisions of Sections 5.4.1(f) and 5.4.3 of the NBC Code that states:" the letter read.

"The broadcaster shall not transmit divisive materials that may threaten or compromise the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a Sovereign state" and "in reporting conflict situations, the broadcaster shall perform the role of a peace agent by adhering to the principle of responsibility, accuracy and neutrality."

Buhari government's media censorship

The new directive issued by the NBC comes a blanket move to control the reporting of worsening security situation as increasingly President Muhammadu Buhari faces criticisms for not doing enough to address the problem.

The NBC code has been a major tool the Buhari government uses in its bid to control the content produced by broadcasting stations, with huge fines often awarded against broadcasters considered to have committed a breach of the code.

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The development is seen as part of a broader media censorship drive by the government. This is reminiscent of the days of Mr Buhari as a military dictator between 1983 and 1984 when he used decrees to control what the press reported.

Last week, Nigerian media recently launched a campaign against the Buhari government's brazen attempt to regulate social media and censor the press through controversial media bills at the National Assembly.

The controversial bills are the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act amendment bills.

The former sought lawmakers' cooperation to include "all online media" among the media organisations the government seeks to be able to censor.

The latter gives the president the right to appoint the chairman of the board of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC). It also empowers the president to appoint all other members of the board upon the recommendation of the information minister.
The drugs were seized at the warehouse of a major drug kingpin, Okeke Chijioke, of No. 3, Atunya street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered 548,000 tramadol tablets branded as "Tarkadol" at Nkwelle, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The agency's Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said the drugs were seized at the warehouse of a major drug kingpin, Okeke Chijioke, of No. 3, Atunya street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle.

He said Mr Okeke's arrest on July 10 followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.

According to him, after the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered.

"The suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered. Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention.

"The substance has also tested positive to amphetamine. The drug was equally labeled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it's a 225mg drug.

"It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification.

"During the search on the warehouse, a double barrel pump gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered, " he said.

Mr Babafemi said this was even as operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village on 14th July intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LGA, Bauchi State.

In a related development, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba, who supplied narcotics to dealers in Adamawa, had been arrested in Numan area of the state.

Mr Babafemi said Mr Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges.

He said a drug dealer, Mohammed Ali, had earlier been arrested on July 10 with 1.150kg of diazepam in Numan.

"A follow up operation led to the arrest of Godiya who supplied Ali, while investigation has since revealed that he is based in Mayolope village in Lau local government area of Taraba.

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"This was where he suppliedJambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.

"Few days after Godiya's arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103kg also in Numan on 14th July.

"This also was followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500kg of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on Friday, 16th July 2021, " he said.

Mr Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA , Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa state Commands.

Mr Marwa, a retired brigadier general, applauded them for sustaining the offensive in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria, charging them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.

(NAN)
Abuja  The Federal Government has revealed that over 800 contracts for roads and bridges are currently being executed across the nation.

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who made the disclosure during the national infrastructure summit organised by Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, in Abuja, explained that the projects Covering over 13,000 Kilometres of the 35,000 plus Kilometres of Federal Highways and Bridges.

The minister disclosed further that the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari has now commenced the process of developing a new Infrastructure Master Plan up to 2030 and this has progressed significantly.

Speaking on the summit with theme, "Towards a Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Management in Nigeria", Fashola noted that, "I f this was a shooting competition, I would say that the NSE has hit the Bull's Eye with the theme."

According to him, "Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Management lie at the core of the Buhari Administration's strategy for growing the Nigerian economy, creating jobs and prosperity, and lifting people out of poverty.

"The stock of infrastructure and the commitment to grow them is the real measure of a Nation's desire for growth and prosperity.

"A Nation cannot grow bigger than the capacity of its infrastructure and President Buhari's commitment to infrastructure leaves no one in doubt about his desire to rapidly grow Nigeria's economy.

"The outline of that infrastructure development is made clear by the fact that the Ministry of Works and Housing is currently managing over 800 contracts for Roads and Bridges covering over 13,000 Kilometres of the 35,000 plus Kilometres of Federal Highways and Bridges.

"In every state of Nigeria today there is either a Road project, a Bridge project or a Housing project or all combined under construction.

"This is a critical driver for employment of professionals for design, surveys, and construction practitioners.

"It also galvanizes other sectors like mining for gravel, sand, laterite, crushed stones to mention a few, while it drives the demand and supply of lubricants like diesel, and oils, as well as bitumen production and supply.

"The transport sector is also driven by the need to ferry these inputs across distances from production sites to construction sites by thousands of Trucks employing drivers.

"At the construction Sites, the urban poor earn their daily living from supply of skilled and unskilled labour by working the materials to finished products.

"But this is only a small piece of the pie. Design, Construction and Governance account for only about 30% of Jobs in the Built Industry.

"It is maintenance and operation that provides 70% of the sustainable jobs long after construction has ended.

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"This is why the Buhari Administration must take the credit for approving the first ever FGN Facility Management and Maintenance policy in March of 2019.

"Implementation is now bearing fruits with 24 Federal Secretariats now fully rehabilitated and under a facility management contract.

"Thirty-seven Bridges nationwide are now undergoing maintenance and repairs, some of which have been due for decades.

"NSE's plenary and the theme have therefore struck the right chord.

"It would therefore be with bated breath that the Ministry of Works and Housing will await the outcome of today's conversation on how to scale up and deepen what has already started.

"In closing I only wish to point one that a significant number of projects such as the Lagos - Ibadan, Enugu - Port Harcourt , Abuja- Kano, Kano- Maiduguri, Enugu- Onitsha, Oyo - Ogbomosho, Ilorin - Jebba, Abeokuta - Ibadan , Calabar - Itu , Second Niger Bridge, Ikom Bridge, Loko - Oweto Bridge, Ibi Bridge and Bamenda - Mfun Bridge, Chanchangi Bridge, Bodo Bonny Bridge and many more, which were recommended for development in the 2013 National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan have now taken off, are progressing, nearing completion or have been completed.

"The Buhari Government has now commenced the process of developing a new Infrastructure Master Plan up to 2030 and this has progressed significantly.

"I have no doubt in my mind about the positive direction Nigeria's economy is heading with these investments in Infrastructure.

"They are the key to reduced journey times, to efficient and competitive productivity arising from the ease of doing business."

Vanguard News Nigeria
opinion

Perhaps we should be studying the link between hard drugs/voodoo and crime more closely.

What kind of society are we building? The frightening thing about the recent spate of homicides is that they are being committed by young people who ought to have a great future ahead of them. We should be worried when our teenage children are prime suspects in homicide cases. And the frequency of the terrible happenings is heart-rending.

The soul-numbing trend is in your face. Homicide has become our everyday companion. It wasn't always like this. Life used to be sacred. It was not considered fashionable for acorns to be devoured before they became trees. Now, we are inundated with gory tales of gruesome stabbings, decapitations, gun violence and more. If you turn off the radio, the stories are waiting for you on television; if you refuse to read them in the newspapers, they'll waylay you on social media. There is no escaping the epidemic of bloodletting sweeping through the land.

What, in God's name, is going on?

To fully appreciate the extent of the problem, let's examine a few cases which seriously traumatised the society and left our jaws agape in horror.

Story 1: Jennifer Ugadu, a 200 level student in the Faculty of Education of Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, was found dead in her room at an off-campus hostel of the institution. Her roommate named her boyfriend, James, a military officer, as the killer. He allegedly took her phone away and replied those sending him WhatsApp messages of enquiry about why he killed her: "The day I killed her, I called my mom and told her; her aunt is also aware. I'm also prepared to die because I wanted to commit suicide because of her. But I want her to go with me. So don't trouble yourself. Cuz, I'm going to die also."

Story 2: Favour Seun Daley Oladele, a 22-year-old 400 level Theatre Arts student of Lagos State University (LASU), was murdered by her boyfriend, Owolabi Adeeko, in collaboration with his mother. Motive: Money ritual. In his confessional statement widely published in the media, Owolabi disclosed that he took her to a hotel, drugged her and smashed her head with a pestle, while Prophet Segun Phillip, the chief ritualist, slit her throat with a knife and removed some parts of her body, including her heart, to make the ritual soup, which Owolabi and his mother ate in the belief that such cannibalism would make them rich. Owolabi's mum, Bola, on her part, put all the blame on her son who she accused of conniving with Prophet Phillip to make her eat and bathe with human remains.

Story 3: 39-year-old Kabiru Oyedun assisted his herbalist friend, Akin, who strangled and killed a girl during sexual intercourse in his room. Oyedun confessed that he held the girl's legs while she struggled for life. His fee for assisting in the murder was N50,000. His friend, Akin, now at large, took away the girl's heart after dismembering the body. A vigilant neighbour tipped off the police, otherwise the murderers would probably have escaped detection.

Story 4: A 26-year-old youth corps member serving in Akwa Ibom State, Chidinma Pascaline Oduma, was arrested for allegedly hacking a man, Akwaowo Japhet, to death in his house. She was apprehended while trying to scale the fence of the compound where the man lived. The irate mob that caught her, beat and stripped her naked and would have lynched her but for the timely intervention of the police who are now investigating the murder.

A lady named Hannah Adesuwa Osazuwa stabbed her boyfriend, Lifeoftomson Seun, to death with a pair of scissors, for chatting with another girl on WhatsApp. She believed he was cheating on her. She challenged him. A quarrel ensued. The atmosphere became heated. She pulled out a pair of scissors and stabbed him close to the heart.

Story 5: A 28-year-old lady, Ebiere Ezekiel, reportedly stabbed her boyfriend, Godgift Aboh, 21, to death in Yenagoa over an argument about a missing sum of N1,500. The suspect, a hairdresser, and the deceased had been dating for over one year. It was alleged that the deceased slapped her (Ezekiel) for daring to ask him about her missing N1, 500. She allegedly stabbed her boyfriend in the stomach during the argument. He died shortly after.

Story 6: 17-year-old prospective Law student, Esther Alex, set her 28-year-old boyfriend, Chidinma Ikechukwu Omah, ablaze in Makurdi. She alleged that the young man had been two-timing her, had made her commit abortion three times, only to ditch her in the end. Sources disclosed that Esther got wind of the plan by her boyfriend to finalise wedding plans with another woman, after promising to marry her. Indeed, he had earlier visited Esther's parents to introduce himself and declare his noble intentions when the going between both lovers was good. On the fateful night, Esther sneaked out of Ikechukwu's room, where they both slept, to fetch a container of petrol, which she had hidden in the premises and returned to set her victim ablaze. He later died of his wounds.

Story 7: A lady named Hannah Adesuwa Osazuwa stabbed her boyfriend, Lifeoftomson Seun, to death with a pair of scissors, for chatting with another girl on WhatsApp. She believed he was cheating on her. She challenged him. A quarrel ensued. The atmosphere became heated. She pulled out a pair of scissors and stabbed him close to the heart. It was a terrible wound. He bled internally, and died on the spot.

Story 8: A 12-year-old boy, Muhammad Sani, has allegedly killed his girlfriend at Damutawa village in Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Muhammad and his 15-year-old girlfriend, Habiba Junaidu, were hanging out at his uncle's house. By some inexplicable twist of events, the boy was alleged to have suddenly taken his uncle's loaded dane gun and shot the girl from the back. She died instantly. The police are working hard to get to the bottom of the matter.

Story 9: A 15-year-old boy allegedly beat a teenage girl to death for refusing his love advances. The boy and the deceased were students of Reverend Kuti Memorial Grammar School and Nawar-ud-Deen Grammar School respectively. The police prosecutor disclosed that the boy accosted the victim on her way home from school and asked her to be his girlfriend, but she refused. Be then assaulted her gravely. "As a result of the beating", said the police, "the victim was taken to the General Hospital at Ijaye for treatment and was later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta, where she died".

And of course, the famous Chidinma case is still unravelling!

What kind of society are we building? The frightening thing about the recent spate of homicides is that they are being committed by young people who ought to have a great future ahead of them. We should be worried when our teenage children are prime suspects in homicide cases. And the frequency of the terrible happenings is heart-rending. The only solace, if it could be so called, is that all suspects are presumed innocent until found guilty by a competent court of law.

Perhaps we should be studying the link between hard drugs/voodoo and crime more closely, especially with regard to crimes committed by teenagers and other young people in their twenties. We need a scientific approach now more than ever before.

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If you add the bad news from young killers to the insecurity casting a shadow over the nation, the resultant picture is depressing. When the bandits of Kaduna started their crime wave, we did advocate that the authorities throw everything -- including the kitchen sink-- at the terrorists to send an unmistakable message to terrorists that they would not be allowed to profit from their crimes. See where we are now! We are at the mercy of outlaws.

Each time I review the findings of StatiSense on security in Nigeria, I have a foreboding that the worst is yet to come, unless we do our utmost to destroy the terrorists in our midst. Take a look at the local government areas with the most deaths (reported cases) in the first half of 2021:

Birnin-G, KAD: 233; Maradun, ZAM: 196; Katsina, BEN: 171; Chikin, KAD: 154; Zurmi, KAD: 152; Gusau, ZAM: 122; Marte, BOR: 119; Gwoza, BOR: 115; Ohaukwu, EBY: 114; Igabi, KAD: 107.

Again, spare a thought for the local governments with the most kidnap incidents in the first half of 2021:

Rafi, NIG: 443; Talata-Marafa, ZAM: 317; Shiroro, NIG: 225; Maru, ZAM: 195; Kajuru, KAD: 145; Chikun, KAD: 115; Yauri, KEB: 102; Konduga, BOR: 74; Faskari, KAT: 74; Kachia, KAD: 72.

Perhaps we should be studying the link between hard drugs/voodoo and crime more closely, especially with regard to crimes committed by teenagers and other young people in their twenties. We need a scientific approach now more than ever before.

I am reminded of Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan: "No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

Wole Olaoye can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com.
PREMIUM TIMES has listened to an audio recording of a conversation between an aide of Governor Bello Matawalle and the banditry kingpin

Villagers evicted by a banditry kingpin identified simply as Turji started returning home Sunday morning after an aide of the Zamfara State governor met with the outlaw.

Bandits loyal to Turji had sacked several villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area and kidnapped more than 50 people, according to sources.

Turji was said to be angry that some residents of the area provided information to security agents that led to the arrest of his father at the Kano-Jigawa boundary.

PREMIUM TIMES' reporter has listened to an audio recording of Turji's conversation with Moyi Sidi, a special assistant to Governor Bello Matawalle who is also from Shinkafi local government area.

In the clip, Turji said he was angry because "two influential Hausa persons facilitated the arrest of my father," saying they were the only people in Zamfara State giving him trouble.

When the governor's aide pleaded with him to release the abducted persons in his camp and allow those fleeing their villages to go back, Turji responded: "You know I protect them (villagers) more than the DPO of the area. But when I started protecting people by fighting other bandits to reclaim stolen cows and give it back to people, they started envying me."

Turji told Mr Sidi how the "Hausa men started blackmailing me and my father. At a time, he relocated to Katsina and started planning against me. That was how they got at my father.

"But I don't understand how they would just go and arrest my father. I am the one who has issue with them, my father is innocent and they know where I am with my boys.

"Why would they arrest my father? They said my father is the one keeping all the cows we stole from Kebbi. Imagine, they said my father took cows from Kebbi to Jigawa! How would my father lead cows from Kebbi to Jigawa? Where did he follow to reach Jigawa State? Just imagine the lie!"

The banditry kingpin promised to release the abducted prisons in his camp, assuring that nothing would happen to them because he has no problem with the Zamfara State Government "save for some five people. Two Fulanis and two Hausas".

He told the governor's aide: "I promise you. If Musa can bring my father to the riverside, let him just call me and hand over my father to me, Wallahi I will release all the people in my camp. What would I even do with them?"

However, a source in Shinkafi local government council said those who spent the night at the secretariat have started moving back to their villages.

The source sent exclusive pictures to confirm the development.

It was not immediately clear if the development was connected to Turji's promise to the governor's aide.

Commenting on the development, however, the chairman of a socio-political group, Zamfara Circle, Aminu Tsafe, lamented the state of law enforcement in the state.

"These are about 900 people with 900 guns, assuming each of them is carrying one gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. These people cannot be hidden. It is clear that the fight against banditry is not being accorded the attention it deserves," he said.

The security adviser to Governor Matawalle, Mamman Tsafe, declined to comment on the development.

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But a director in the department confirmed that the displaced residents were returning to their villages and those kidnapped have been released.

When asked whether the state government led discussion to ensure that Turji's father was released, he said "Well, I'm not even sure whether the guy's father was arrested. But in the audio you sent to me, he didn't mention Zamfara State. He doesn't have issue with our government so, I don't know what you mean by asking whether we've released his father."

He said the state government and the security office will release statements on the issue.

Mohammed Shehu, Zamfara state police command spokesperson, didn't respond to calls and SMS sent to him.
Famous rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, for what it called its attempt to muzzle press freedom in the country.

This is as the group argued that only dictatorial regimes reminiscent of military governments would see journalism as an enemy that must be brought down or forced to compromise.

HURIWA, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also noted that media houses in the country would be contravening the provisions of the Nigerian 1999 constitution (as amended) should they subscribe to the policy direction by the NBC.

The Rights group recalled that the National Broadcasting Commission had ordered television and radio stations in Nigeria not to divulge "details" of the activities of bandits, terrorists and kidnappers in their reports.The regulator specifically directed radio and television stations not to "glamorize the nefarious activities of insurgents" during their daily Newspaper Reviews. As an unwritten custom, broadcast stations in Nigeria review Newspaper headlines daily before their breakfast shows.

According to Onwubiko, "media freedom otherwise known as freedom of expression is a foundation for many other rights and is a cornerstone for strengthening the principle and practice of constitutional democracy. Those who should know have emphatically stated that freedom of expression is a human right and forms Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

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He further noted that based on legal scholarship, authorities and a plethora of decided cases and case laws, "freedom of expression covers freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and gives individuals and communities the right to articulate their opinions without fear of retaliation, censorship or punishment."

The statement further read: "HURIWA wonders how the NBC wants to dictate how electronic media outlets tell their verified stories by illegally asking them to modify the facts of their findings as reporters," insisting that "the right to freedom of expression wouldn't be worth much if the authorities also had the right to imprison anyone who disagrees with them.

"This is because as correctly espoused by constitutional scholars, an effective media also depends on the legal basis that freedom of expression gives the right to function and report freely, sometimes critically, without threat or fear of punishment.

"Truly and indeed, freedom of expression is not an absolute right: it does not protect hate speech or incitement to violence which most media houses are aware of and as professionals have always adhered to.

"HURIWA agrees that many other rights which are intrinsic to our daily lives in any given constitutional democracy build on and intersect with this protection for free thought and individual expression."

The group therefore asked the media houses to "disobey the unconstitutional directive of the NBC or else they will lose listeners and followers since Nigeria is not like China whereby there is communism and absolute tyranny of government against the civil society."

RELATED NEWS
The Presidency on Sunday formally responded to the recent position of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Father Matthew Kukah, before the United States Congress that nothing really works in Nigeria saying the cleric's position is an incredible falsehood.

It also described as unfortunate and disappointing the position of the "so-called" man of God painting his country in bad light before a foreign parliament.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a release, stated that it was unfortunate, and disappointing, for citizens of Nigeria to bear witness to one of their Churchmen castigating their country in front of representatives of a foreign parliament.

The Presidency said it was familiar with overseas political tours that opposition politicians take - visiting foreign leaders and legislators in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe saying the argument goes that if they are heard seriously abroad, then Nigerian citizens back home should surely listen to them too.

It said: "But in order to be heard at all, and to maximise media coverage back home for their activities, inevitably these visits involve painting the worst possible picture of our country before their chosen foreign audience.

"Soon enough we inescapably hear an identical list of racist tropes against Northerners, how one religion dominates governance above all others, how the government is doing nothing to address herder-farmer disturbances, and how the government spends money on infrastructure to benefit everyone but the group and religion of the speaker. Of course, in order not to disappoint their western audience, regardless of fact, the list is always the same-and always slanted for whoever wishes to cross-check."

The release added that Nigerians expect such position from their unimaginative opposition stressing that it is troubling when a "so-called" man of the Church copies the worst excesses of those seeking personal advancement in public office.

The Presidency also explained steps taken so far by the present administration to tackle the issue of herder-farmer disturbances saying "only this government has put forward the first and singular plan in nearly a century to address herder-farmer challenges - a fact recognised by international NGOs, including the International Crisis Group".

It further punctured Kukah's position that the Buhari-led government had done nothing in six years.

"To declare to a foreign audience that this government does nothing is an incredible falsehood".

Rather than the investment in infrastructure between Nigeria and Niger being wasteful and biased as erroneously said by Kukah, the Presidency stressed that a similar infrastructure project between Lagos and Benin has revolutionised the two neighbouring economies to the advantage of both countries.

It emphasised that there is religious balancing in government appointments notwithstanding that the 1999 Constitution never stipulated ethnic or religious leaning in appointments into public office

"There is no bias in this government when the president is northern and Muslim, the vice president southern and Christian, and the cabinet equally balanced between the two religions. But neither is there anything in our Constitution to state that political posts must be apportioned according to ethnicity or faith. It takes a warped frame of mind for a critic to believe ethnicity is of primary importance in public appointments. It is yet more troubling to hear a Churchman isolating one group for criticism purely on ethnic lines".

The Presidency further punctured Kukah's position that only Christian schools were being attacked by bandits and terrorists saying it is untrue as both Christian and Muslim schools had suffered in the past in the hands of the terrorists and bandits.

It said: "With due respect to the esteemed position he holds, the Bishop's assertion that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists is not supported by the facts on the ground. It is sad to say but also true that victims of crime, kidnapping, banditry and terrorism cut across all strata of the society. Sad but true that Kankara students in Katsina State were stolen by bandits of the same Islamic faith as those they took away. The same may be true of those who are still holding the 134 students of the Islamic School at Tegina in Niger State. The nation witnessed the sad incident of the female students abducted by bandits at Jangebe in Zamfara State and the over 100 predominantly Muslim students of the Federal Government Girls College Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State who are currently in captivity- and the nation's security agencies are hard at work to release them unharmed.

"The attack on Christian students is sad and unacceptable; so also is the abduction of students of other faiths. The claim that only Christian schools are being targeted is totally untrue.

"As a nation and a people, we must together define evil as evil. We must not allow our religious differences to divide us. No one gains but the evil doers when we divide our ranks according to ethnicity and religion in confronting them. The bandit, kidnapper and terrorist are the enemies of the people who should be confronted in unison."

The statement also quoted copiously from the Bible to support its claim on ethnicity and racialism

"To be clear, The Bible is definitive on matters of ethnicity and racialism: In Romans 2:9-10, it says: "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good".

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"And in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Whether Christian or Muslim, we stand by these beliefs and are steadfastly committed to them in governance".

The Presidency used the forum to be hard on the cleric for disparaging Nigeria before a foreign audience saying "there is no place in mainstream civil discourse for those who actively, negatively, and publicly label an individual ethnic group, especially before a foreign audience.

"These are not the views expressed or opinions held by the vast majority of the citizens of Nigeria. For all our challenges as a nation, nearly all of us seek to live together in harmony, celebrating differences, and finding common ground as Nigerians above all. But people like Kukah are doing their best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians.

"More than any other set of people, leaders - in politics or religion who preach respect for truth have a duty to practice it. It is a moral and practical responsibility.

"Going by the history of the Church as is well known, it will stand up publicly for the truth.

It is time others did the same."
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has denied social media reports that one of its aircraft crashed on Sunday.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, while reacting to reports of a NAF fighter jet crash in Kaduna, told LEADERSHIP that, "No crash in Kaduna."

He said he was still making contacts from other locations, insisting that no NAF plane left Yola, Adamawa State for Kaduna on Sunday.

"No crash in Kaduna. No aircraft left Yola for Kaduna. I am making contact and awaiting information from other locations," he said.

Meanwhile, military sources, however, said there was a possibility of a plane crash but details were sketchy.
A worker at Yarima Bakura Specialist Hospital said the bodies of the mobile police officers had been deposited in the facility.

The Zamfara State government has confirmed the killing on Sunday of many mobile police officers on special duty by bandits in Kurar Mota area of Zamfara State.

A spokesperson of Governor Bello Matawalle confirmed the incident but did not provide details.

He said the governor had cancelled his schedules in mourning of the fallen police officers.

Ibrahim Zauma, special assistant to the governor on new media, gave the confirmation of the attack on his official Facebook page.

He posted thus: "Governor Bello Matawalle has just cancelled his scheduled political meeting in commiseration of the death of our gallant MOPOL officers at Kurar Mota frontline base.

"The Governor is shocked over the bandits incursion which claimed the lives of the police officers. May the souls of those who fell rest in peace. "

A resident of Dangulbi also spoke about the killings but unable to say how many people died.

"I heard the gunshots coming from the axis I was heading to," the resident said, adding that when some people standing by the roadside asked him to stop, he thought they were among the bandits.

However, a source at Yarima Bakura Specialist Hospital said the bodies of the mobile police officers had been deposited in the facility.

"I counted 26 bodies and several injured others who have been taken to the emergency unit. Two suspected bandits were also brought with gunshots injuries."

The police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, promised to respond to this reporter's inquiry on the incident but had not done so at of the time of filing this report.
The presidency yesterday took issue with the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, over his submission to the United States Congress that nothing really works in Nigeria.

It described as unfortunate and disappointing the position of the "so-called" man of God painting his country in bad light before a foreign parliament.

Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said in a statement that it was unfortunate, and disappointing for Nigerians to bear witness to one of their churchmen castigating their country in front of representatives of a foreign parliament.

The presidency stated that it is familiar with overseas political tours that opposition politicians take - visiting foreign leaders and legislators in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, saying the argument goes that if they are heard seriously abroad, then Nigerian citizens back home should surely listen to them too.

It said: "But in order to be heard at all, and to maximise media coverage back home for their activities, inevitably these visits involve painting the worst possible picture of our country before their chosen foreign audience.

"Soon enough we inescapably hear an identical list of racist tropes against Northerners, how one religion dominates governance above all others, how the government is doing nothing to address herder-farmer disturbances, and how the government spends money on infrastructure to benefit everyone but the group and religion of the speaker. Of course, in order not to disappoint their western audience, regardless of fact, the list is always the same-and always slanted for whoever wishes to cross-check".

The statement added that Nigerians expected such position from the opposition, stressing that it is troubling when a "so-called" man of the church copies the worst excesses of those seeking personal advancement in public office.

The presidency also explained steps taken so far by the present administration to tackle herder-farmer disturbances, saying "only this government has put forward the first and singular plan in nearly a century to address herder-farmer challenges - a fact recognised by international NGOs, including the International Crisis Group".

It punctured Kukah's position that the Buhari-led government has done nothing in six years.

"To declare to a foreign audience that this government does nothing is an incredible falsehood," the statement added.

Rather than the investment in infrastructure between Nigeria and Niger Republic being wasteful and biased as erroneously said by Kukah, the presidency said a similar infrastructure project between Lagos and Benin Republic had revolutionised the two neighbouring economies to the advantage of both countries.

According to it, there is religious balancing in government appointments notwithstanding that the 1999 Constitution never stipulated ethnic or religious leaning in appointments into public office.

"There is no bias in this government when the president is Northern and Muslim, the vice president Southern and Christian, and the cabinet equally balanced between the two religions. But neither is there anything in our constitution to state that political posts must be apportioned according to ethnicity or faith. It takes a warped frame of mind for a critic to believe ethnicity is of primary importance in public appointments. It is yet more troubling to hear a churchman isolating one group for criticism purely on ethnic lines," it added.

The presidency also faulted Kukah's position that only Christian schools were being attacked by bandits and terrorists, saying bandits and terrorists had in the past attacked both Christian and Muslim schools.

It said: "With due respect to the esteemed position he holds, the bishop's assertion that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists is not supported by the facts on the ground. It is sad to say but also true that victims of crime, kidnapping, banditry and terrorism cut across all strata of the society.

"Sad but true that Kankara students in Katsina State were stolen by bandits of the same Islamic faith as those they took away. The same may be true of those who are still holding the 134 students of the Islamic School at Tegina in Niger State. The nation witnessed the sad incident of the female students abducted by bandits at Jangebe in Zamfara State and the over 100 predominantly Muslim students of the Federal Government Girls College, Birnin Yauri, in Kebbi State who are currently in captivity- and the nation's security agencies are hard at work to release them unharmed.

"The attack on Christian students is sad and unacceptable; so also is the abduction of students of other faiths. The claim that only Christian schools are being targeted is totally untrue.

"As a nation and a people, we must together define evil as evil. We must not allow our religious differences to divide us. No one gains but the evil doers when we divide our ranks, according to ethnicity and religion in confronting them. The bandit, kidnapper and terrorist are the enemies of the people who should be confronted in unison."

The statement also quoted copiously from the Bible to support its claim on ethnicity and racialism.

"To be clear, the Bible is definitive on matters of ethnicity and racialism: In Romans 2:9-10, it says: 'There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good'.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"And in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' Whether Christian or Muslim, we stand by these beliefs and are steadfastly committed to them in governance."

The presidency flayed the cleric for disparaging Nigeria before a foreign audience.

It said: "There is no place in mainstream civil discourse for those who actively, negatively, and publicly label an individual ethnic group, especially before a foreign audience.

"These are not the views expressed or opinions held by the vast majority of the citizens of Nigeria. For all our challenges as a nation, nearly all of us seek to live together in harmony, celebrating differences, and finding common ground as Nigerians above all. But people like Kukah are doing their best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians.

"More than any other set of people, leaders - in politics or religion who preach respect for truth have a duty to practise it. It is a moral and practical responsibility.

"Going by the history of the church as is well known, it will stand up publicly for the truth.

It is time others did the same."
Nigeria's critical gas infrastructure project, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline is currently suffering implementation delay as Chinese lenders fail to release funds.

As a result, the federal government is seeking $1 billion so that work can continue on the gas pipeline costing up to $2.8 billion after Chinese lenders which had pledged to offer much of the funds did not disburse cash as quickly as expected, three sources close to the matter said.

It is the latest sign of failing Chinese financial support for infrastructure projects across Africa, after years of major Chinese lending for railway, energy and other projects.

A spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which is building the 614-km (384-mile) Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, said it was still negotiating with the Chinese lenders - Bank of China and Sinosure - to cover $1.8 billion of the project cost.

"There's no cause for alarm," the spokesman said, without saying whether NNPC was turning to other lenders.

But the three sources told Reuters the company was now approaching others, including export-import institutions, to

continue work on the pipeline that will run through the central states to Kano, the northern economic hub.

Chinese lenders had originally been lined up to fund bulk of the estimated $2.5 billion to $2.8 billion cost of the project, which is central to president Muhammadu Buhari's plan to develop gas resources and boost development in northern Nigeria.

NNPC, which was funding 15 per cent, said last year it had used its own funds to start construction. The sources said the Chinese lenders would not agree to disburse the cash NNPC had expected by the end of the summer, prompting it to turn to others.

"They are looking at Nigeria as one loan, and right now, they feel they are too exposed," one source said.

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Bank of China said it would not comment on specific deals. Sinosure did not respond to a request for comment

.

The Nigerian ministries of transport, finance and petroleum also did not reply to requests for comment.

Chinese bank lending to African infrastructure projects has fallen across the continent, from $11 billion in 2017 to $3.3 billion in 2020, a Baker McKenzie report said in April.

Nigeria began building the AKK pipeline in June 2020, saying it would help generate 3.6 gigawatts of power and support gas-based industries along the route. The project was to be funded under a debt-equity financing model, backed by sovereign guarantee and repaid through the pipeline transmission tariff.

NNPC awarded engineering and construction work along three sections of the pipeline to Oando, OilServe, China First Highway Engineering Company, Brentex Petroleum Services and China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau.
Kisumu  Thirteen people were confirmed dead on Sunday after a petrol tanker burst into flames moments after it was involved in a head-on collision.

Those who died during the incident were reported to have been scooping leaking fuel from the trailer in Malanga along the Kisumu-Busia road.

Gem Sub County Police Commander Charles Chacha said the 4am incident in Gem Sub County left scores others with serious burns with 12 people having died on the spot. The thirteenth succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment.

Chacha said 11 people including children who had rushed to scoop fuel were admitted at Yala Sub County Hospital with serious burns.

The police boss said a trailer ferrying milk from Busia towards Kisumu had veered off the road to avoid a head on collision with the petrol tanker.

"It was at this point when the petrol tanker instead hit another oncoming vehicle head-on causing the tanker to burst into flames," said Chacha.

The tanker carrying fuel was heading towards Busia. The milk trailer however escaped the ugly accident.

The police chief said after the accident, locals poured into the highway scooping petrol that was flowing in every direction.

"We counted 12 bodies dead at the scene, some badly burnt," he said.

Efforts to put out the fire bore no fruit. Firefighters from Siaya and Kisumu arrived a the scene two hours after the incident was reported.
Nairobi  Kenyans living abroad sent home Sh33 billion in the month of June, new data shows.

The data from the Central Bank of Kenya's weekly bulletin says this is a reduction from Sh34 billion that was sent in May 2021, which was the first time the inflows crossed the $300 million mark.

The inflows represent a 20.4 percent increase from remittances sent between June 2020 to June 2021.

"The cumulative inflows in the 12 months to June 2021 totaled USD 3,383 million compared to USD 2,809 million in the same period in 2020, a 20.4 percent increase," CBK notes.

The United States continues to be the largest source of remittances into Kenya, accounting for 58.8 percent of remittances in June 2021.

In 2020, Kenyans abroad sent home Sh341 billion defying the pandemic odds.

Diaspora inflows have remained Kenya's largest source of foreign exchange since 2015.

Remittances also play a key role in providing livelihood to low-income households in the country.
Kisumu  It is feared the death toll from a Saturday night fuel tanker fire ball could rise as more people were still missing.

The official death toll as announced by police stood at 13 Sunday, after one more person succumbed to burns sustained during the tragedy that occurred at Malanga in Gem, on the Kisumu-Busia highway.

"It burst into flames as they scooped fuel that was flowing," said Charles Chacha, a local police chief in Siaya County where the accident occurred.

"We counted 12 bodies at the scene. Another person died in hospital from their injuries." The Kenya Red Cross said as many as 27 people were hospitalized while several others were reported missing. There was no exact figure given on the missing people because it kept increasing.

12 people were burnt on the spot when the petrol tanker went up in flames as villagers, mainly boda boda riders, scooped fuel with jerrycans.

"I appeal to locals to always learn from the lash incidences where we have lost lives in similar circumstances," warned Nyanza police boss Karanja Muiruri.

Police fear some may have been burnt completely near the oil tanker, after bones were found on the scene.

Fire crews arrived on the scene two hours later to douse the inferno while those injured in the blast were taken to hospital.

The tanker overturned while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle. It is then that it hit another and rolled during the 10:30pm incident.

The first group of villagers who rushed to scoop fuel survived, and witnesses said the fire started when the second group and others who were on the second round scrambled for the fuel flowing on the trenches.

A similar incident occurred in Sidindi area along the same road over 10 years ago when scores were killed while scrambling for fuel from a n overturned tanker.

Survivors from the Saturday night accident recounted the ordeal as they scrambled for fuel.

Primary and secondary school learners were caught up in the incident that killed some of their parents.

"We were sleeping when we heard a loud bang," said a class four pupil, "We rushed out since we live next to the road. When I reached with my brother we saw people armed with jerricans scooping fuel and that is when fire broke out."

A victim hospitalised with serious burns told Capital FM, "I got burnt plus my brother as others died in the inferno."

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Some witnesses said they suspect the fire started from the nearby power lines that came into contact with the truck after the accident.

"The trailer fell on the electricity line and that could have caused the fire," said a Form Two student who also survived the fire.

Images broadcast by local TV stations mainly captured by witnesses showed the blazing tanker lighting up the night sky and in the morning following, crowds gaping at the twisted, smoldering wreckage.

Deadly fuel truck accidents along perilous roads are not uncommon in Kenya and the wider East Africa region.

In 2009, more than 100 people were killed when a petrol tanker overturned northwest of Nairobi and an explosion consumed those gathering to collect leaking fuel.

More recently, at least 100 people were killed when a tanker exploded in Tanzania in 2019 while in 2015 more than 200 perished in a similar accident in South Sudan.
On an overcast Sunday afternoon in May 2021, a small gathering of people watched in Nairobi as the one of the world's most successful fossil finders was awarded a PhD degree.

Kamoya Kimeu, 81, received an honorary Doctor of Science from the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) of Ohio, US, in a ceremony administered by renowned paleoanthropologist, Dr Richard Leakey.

Kimeu is Kenya's oldest living fossil finder and one of the most unrecognised masters in the science of human evolution. He has individually discovered more evidence of the existence of early human than any other person. "This honorary doctorate from CWRU means the world to me, and ranks alongside the National Geographic Society's La Gorce medal I received from President Ronald Reagan in 1985," said Kimeu in his acceptance speech read on his behalf by his daughter, Jenniffer Kimeu.

The La Gorce medal, one the highest awards by the National Geographic Society, recognised Kimeu's "accomplishment in geographic exploration." Not only did Kimeu meet the 40th president of the United States, he was awarded $10,000 in prize money and went on a fully-paid tour of the United States.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the convocation event was held virtually and live-streamed to the Nairobi office of the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI).

"Kimeu is a Kenyan who has given his entire life to finding the evidence that other people can interpret for the story of our African origins," said TBI's founder, Leakey, who conducted the hooding ceremony on behalf of Case Western.

The Turkana Basin Institute is a scientific research centre in Turkana and Marsabit counties in northern Kenya, and Kimeu was Leakey's right hand man in the field for several decades.

Kimeu is a prophet without honour in his own country. For all of his spectacular finds and contribution to the palaeo-sciences, he has never once been recognised by a Kenyan institution.

Kimeu was born in 1940 in Makueni County, southeastern Kenya. He attended a local primary school but only up to Class Six. In 1960, Kimeu was told by his uncle about work opportunities in Tanzania, which is how he started working for paleoanthropologist, Mary Leakey, in Olduvai Gorge, as an unskilled field assistant at the age of 20 years.

It was a fortuitous collaboration as Mary and her husband, Louis Leakey, were probably the foremost field researchers at the time in the science of human origins. Discoveries made by the Leakeys would elevate East Africa as a region highly significant to our understanding of human evolution. Young Kimeu would greatly add to this reputation in years to come.

Back home, Kimeu's career was viewed with suspicion because digging up the "bones of ancestors" is considered taboo in many traditional cultures across the world. Also, newly Christianised Africans held firmly to the belief that evolutionary theories contradicted religious creationism, a hardline position that persists in Kenya's Christian sphere today.

Growing up, Jennifer, Kimeu's daughter remembers that their neighbours could not understand why her father kept casts of hominins (early humans) in the house.

"As a family, it did not bother us because we understood evolution especially since my dad was so passionate about what he did," she says.

Her mother, a strong supporter of Kimeu's work, was also instrumental in ensuring that the family combined their knowledge of evolution with Christian values.

No formal education

Despite misgivings by neighbours and religionists, Kimeu persisted in this newfound calling. Richard Leakey says that though Kimeu only had a primary-school education, "he worked his guts out and learned a great deal. Our knowledge today is because of Kamoya."

Fossil finding is not for the faint of heart. Field teams camp in the open terrain of hot, normally arid regions. Food, essential supplies, and research equipment have to be transported in, on rough or non-existent roads, dust storms, difficult radio communication and vehicle breakdowns are the norm.

In Turkana, northern Kenya, where the majority of palaeontological research takes place, Kimeu and his colleagues had to contend with camels for conveyance and faced potential attacks by armed bandits known as "Shiftas."

"But in all those years, I never once heard my father complain about his work," said Jenniffer.

In 1977 Kimeu was appointed Curator of Inland Prehistoric Sites for the National Museums of Kenya. By now, he was knowledgeable enough to supervise the fieldwork in expeditions led by Richard Leakey (who is the son of Mary Leakey), his wife Meave, and, in later years, their daughter Louise.

Leakey credits many of his field discoveries and the resulting global acclaim to Kimeu's astuteness in the field. However, in earlier years, significant fossil discoveries were attributed to Leakey or other qualified scientists on an expedition and not field specialists like Kimeu.

From the most unlikely barren ground, Kimeu has unearthed everything from ancient apes to elephants and humans in a manner that seems, to inexperienced people, supernatural.

Kimeu credits his detection skills to his rural upbringing and the experiences he had growing up herding goats in the village. "This tacit knowledge allowed me to read the landscape and understand its processes as if our ancestors were speaking directly to me," said Kimeu. He adds that implicit knowhow combined with scientific training is what led to the many spectacular finds over a 55-year career.

In 1964 while working in Tanzania he discovered the lower jaw of Paranthropus boisei, bringing to light a previously unknown hominin and discrediting the notion that only one species of human ancestors could exist in the same place and time.

A partial tibia bone of Australopithecus anamensis that Kimeu located near Lake Turkana proved that our primate ancestors were already walking on two legs over four million years ago. Another find, the skull of a 195,000-year-old Homo Sapiens in the Omo valley of southern Ethiopia in 1967, is the earliest known specimen of modern man. The site of the fossil find was named Kamoya's Hominid Site.

In 1973 he found the skull of Homo habilis (handy man), a human ancestor that lived 1.5 - 2.4 million years ago. Two extinct primates have been named after him, Cercopithecoides kimeui, based on a partial skull he found in southwestern Kenya in 1982, and Kamoyapithecus hamiltoni whose teeth are thought to be the oldest ever found of an extinct ape that lived about 26 million years ago.

But the fossil finds that immortalised Kimeu's legacy is that of Turkana Boy or Nariokotome Boy. Unearthed in 1984, Turkana Boy is the almost intact skeleton of an adolescent Homo Erectus that lived between 1.6 - 1.5 million years ago. To date, it remains the most complete fossil skeleton of early man ever discovered.

For long, western scientists were sceptical that modern man could have originated from Africa, a view driven by prejudice and the lack of concrete evidence. Europe or Asia were the "preferred" regions of human origin, even though Charles Darwin, the father of Evolution had in 1871 proposed Africa as the likely birthplace of humankind.

Twentieth century fossil findings in East Africa, vastly enhanced by Kimeu's specific discoveries, have unquestionably stamped Africa as the "cradle of mankind."

Kimeu remembers the advice that Mary Leakey gave him as a young man. That an essential ingredient for success in palaeontology is, "mastering crucial technical skills and taking the time to do the job right," he said. Like his tutor, Kimeu developed a reputation for sharing his knowledge and mentoring young researchers, people far more educated than he, both African and foreigners.

They include Frederick Kyalo Manthi, head of Palaeontology at the National Museums of Kenya; Prof Isaiah Nengo, director of Research and Science at the Turkana Basin Institute; and Prof Yohannes Haile-Selassie Ambaye of Ethiopia, curator of Curator of Physical Anthropology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, US.

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Prof Nengo first met Kimeu in 1985 at the National Museums of Kenya as a fresh graduate from the University of Nairobi. He is delighted to have witnessed the honouring of his mentor whose contribution, he says, can be compared with celebrated counterparts from America and Europe. "The knowledge and dedicated effort of some indigenous African field technicians like Kamoya in palaeontology and primatology have been critical in many major scientific breakthroughs made in these disciplines," says Prof Nengo.

Kimeu worked in field research until the age of 75 years, and now in his twilight years, he hopes that his doctorate will motivate young African students who aspire to be "fully-fledged members of the international scientific community of the science of origins."

***

Turkana Basin Institute

In 2005, the Stony Brook University endorsed Richard Leakey's idea of Turkana Basin Institute, committing funds for the project.

Additional fundraising began in 2006; construction of temporary facilities for a long-term field camp on the east side of Lake Turkana (TBI-Iwleret) commenced in 2007; the camp was fully operational by year-end and was the site for the first Kenya-based Human Evolution Workshop in 2008.

Construction of the first full field center on the west side of the lake (TBI-Turkwel) was completed in 2012. Construction of permanent facilities at TBI-Ileret commenced in 2012, and is scheduled to be completed in 2016.

Formally, Turkana Basin Institute, Ltd is the title holder for the fixed assets in Kenya known as TBI-Nairobi, TBI-Turkwel and TBI-Ileret (together known as "TBI Kenya") and is under an agreement with the Government of Kenya, through the National Museums of Kenya, to serve as a repository for the archaeological and paleontological heritage of the Lake Turkana region
In spite of an agreement stating elections for Somaliland are to be held in Mogadishu, some analysts say the decision is far from fully agreed

Somalia is rushing against time to resolve two critical issues on its electoral plan with polls scheduled to begin on July 25.

Officials in Mogadishu were this week reconciling two 'camps' wrangling over who should lead the electoral teams for the northern regions of Somaliland.

The 'two' camps are aligned to Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Gulaid and Speaker of the Senate Abdi Hashi respectively after the two differed on who should chair the respective State Indirect Electoral Implementation Team [SIEIT] for Somaliland.

Both Gulaid and Hashi are the senior-most Somaliland officials in the Federal Government. Somaliland claimed (unrecognised) independence from Somalia since 1993.

As Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital, has refused anything to do with elections in Somalia, the election of representatives from the region often happens in Mogadishu, arranged by politicians, natives of the region.

After surprise elections on Monday, an 11-member SIET team for Somaliland split into two, with one side voting for Khadar Harir Hussein as chairman and Ajib Hussein Samale as deputy.

The seven comprised of four members appointed by Gulaid and three others appointed by the office of Prime Minister Mohamud Hussein Roble.

Hours later, four members of the SIET who did not attend the polls decided to elect their own chairman, Sulayman Aidid Osman, and Abdishakur Abib Hayir as deputy.

But under the majoritarian voting style for leaders of electoral teams, analysts indicated Gulaid's team will carry the day for having more members voting than the group led by Hashi.

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"Hashi's team was caught off guard by their members changing votes if not sides. They cried foul but the election will stick [for Hussein to lead the team]," said Adam Aw Hirsi, a political analyst.

In spite of an agreement stating elections for Somaliland are to be held in Mogadishu, some analysts say the decision is far from agreed in principle.

Abdi Ismail Samatar, a Somali academic admitted that venues will determine if the elections run smoothly.

"The election of the northwesterners (from Somaliland) is not complete until it's decided on where to hold the elections and the (common) leadership of the SIEIT," he argued.

Jubbaland factor

Meanwhile, officials in Gedo are also scrambling to iron out wrangles in Gedo, Jubbaland on where to hold elections. As it is, each state is to give two venues for the election of representatives who will then travel to Mogadishu to vote for the president on October 10.

Mr Roble had appointed a team in June to help reconcile communities in Gedo. They were in Garbaharrey, Gedo this week to meet elders and special interest groups. Much to Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe's dislike, the regional administration is openly pro-Farmaajo. Madobe's Kismayu-based government controls Gedo as well.

"Since Abdirashid Janan and his militia crossed over to Somalia and surrendered to Somali intelligence officials in March, there has been no political dispute within Gedo," Hirsi said, referring to Jubbaland's former interior minister initially blamed by Somalia for running a militia from Kenya before Mogadishu changed tune and pardoned him.
Kenya's Eurobonds trading on the Irish and British stockmarkets are facing subdued demand on worries over the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainties surrounding the outcome of cases seeking to block the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Bill that seeks to expand the size of the government through a popular vote.

Kenya has raised $7.85 billion through Eurobond issues in the past seven years, which are listed on the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Central Bank of Kenya data shows that the yields on the Eurobonds, which rise when prices fall, climbed by six basis points during the week ending July 8, 2021.

The rise in bond yield signals an increased sovereign risk rating for the country, which has the effect of dampening the prospects of success in future Eurobond issues. The changes in bond yields, however, do not affect the country's interest payment on the Eurobond trading in the secondary market.

Economists at the British Standard Chartered Bank attributed the decline in prices and the growth in yields of the Kenyan Eurobonds to foreign investors who are jittery about the response to the third wave of Covid-19 and the uncertainties related to the outcome of the Court of Appeal petition on the constitutional amendment through a referendum.

"A six-basis-point move is not very high. However, there have been some Eurobond price losses in the past several weeks because of what is happening both in the global and local markets," said Eva Otieno, the group's principal-in-charge of the Africa Strategy.

"Globally, investors are looking at emerging markets as markets that have been heavily impacted by the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic," she told The EastAfrican.

BBI factor

According to Ms Otieno, the proposed constitutional amendment drive has a huge impact on the performance of the Eurobonds in the international markets.

"BBI is presenting significant fiscal risks in terms of financing the expanded form of government from an economic perspective," she said.

"A ruling in favour of the BBI would likely see Kenya Eurobond losses because of the risks to the fiscal outlook, with higher fiscal spending expected. On the other hand, an unfavourable verdict would likely be supportive for the Kenya Eurobonds, as investors would interpret that to mean that spending pressures will be contained."

In 2014, Kenya issued a $2 billion Eurobond and tapped a further $ 750 million, while the second Eurobond of $2 billion was issued in February 2018. In May 2019, Kenya raised $2.1 billion from the international capital markets to pay off other loans including a $750 million Eurobond that matured on June 24, 2019, and other debt obligations.

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In June this year, Kenya raised an additional $1 billion by issuing a 12-year Eurobond at 6.3 percent.

Three global rating agencies, S&P, Fitch, and Moody's Investor Service, downgraded the country's credit status largely due to its faster than expected accumulation of debt against declining revenue collection and struggling economy raising fears of the possibility of debt distress.

According to Gregory Smith, an emerging markets fund manager at the Global investment management firm M& G Investments, African countries issued $11.8 billion worth of Eurobonds in the first half of 2021, out of the total emerging market sovereign issuance of $109 billion.

These were Kenya ($1 billion, 12.5 years at 6.3 percent), Ghana ($3 billion, multiple bonds with the 13-year portion at 8.625 percent), Benin ($1.18 billion, 11-year at 4.875 percent); Senegal (944.58 million, 16-year at 5.375 percent) and Cameroon ($826.5 million, 11-year at 5.95 percent).
analysis

The State Security Agency confirmed it received intelligence that some of its former senior members supporters of the ex-president, were planning unrests

When the Constitutional Court in South Africa decided to jail ex-President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court last week, it looked like a legal punishment for violation of the law.

But the looting and violence after he reported to the Escourt Correctional Centre have raised more questions than answers, are now raising other pertinent questions of President Cyril Ramaphosa and state security machinery.

And as the last of the unrest and violent outbursts, ostensibly triggered by the jailing of Zuma, were apparently petering out, State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo was a pains to "walk back" what had seemed to be, at the height of the chaos of a few days prior, an admission that pro-Zuma elements in the shadowy State Security Agency had played a role in planning and co-ordinating the unrest and looting.

Instead, it was being said by her and various other ministers that the "carefully planned and orchestrated" attacks on infrastructure and commercial hubs was ultimately the work of "about a dozen" key "instigators," one already under arrest.

Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni promised more arrests, possibly this weekend.

The government was confident that the situation was calming down and that if there was a flare-up, it was in a position to contain that.

But there were signs everywhere that if Zuma ended up in jail, there would be violence, it just didn't show how or where.

Eeven in the tension of court cases, signs were always on the wall that Zuma's case was a political problem too, and that chaos, organised along the same line could follow. What wasn't expected was the explosion of the violent economic damage inflicted on the business class of all categories.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli previously sounded a warning to the government that the former president is "not just an ordinary chap from Nkandla."

"If he gets arrested, there will be serious consequences to the unity and cohesion of the African National Congress. When Zuma goes to court, you see the level of support from those who go outside of court... if he goes to prison, it suggests that there will be a serious level of unhappiness," he said.

A few days to the jailing, groups on WhatsApp, Telegram and other social media platforms chatted about making it clear to the government Zuma shouldn't be jailed. They were ANC youth aligned to Zuma, who see him as a defender of the poor being punished for elite crimes.

The State Security Agency confirmed it received intelligence that some of its former senior members within the agency, who were supporters of the former president, were key in orchestrating the violent unrests in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo said they were "busy sorting fact from fiction" on that information.

She added that the security agency was also looking into the possibility of "right-wing extremism," racial tensions and attacks on foreign nationals erupting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. "I am not saying that these eruptions will happen. I am saying we are looking into it," she said. The question then becomes why the police were slow to act.

By Friday, organised local armed communities were struggling to contain the looting ad clean up, commercail,centres. The thieving, including incidents of arson is estimated at about $3 billion in losses both to the operators and the country's economy, according to government early assessment. At least 117 people had also been reported killed by Thursday.

Pretoria decided to deploy more South African Defence Forces troops to areas where the violence had been deadly in KwaZulu-Natal province, Zuma's home province, and to the commercial capital Johannesburg in the province of Gauteng. The attacks on trucks ferrying major food and fuel supplies on highways through KwaZulu Natal resulted in scarcity and sharp rises in prices of the same, signalling a failure in self-defence attempts by local communities.

The immediate problem, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, was slowing down a vaccination drive in one of Africa's most affected countries by Covid-19. Violence erupted just as the country reported a historic 190,000 inoculations in a day. On Thursday, it instead also reported 17,500 new infections. Officials suggest the new infections may have arisen as gangs ignored Covid-19 protocols as they engaged in looting.

Yet as Zuma serves 15 months in jail, fears are that the mass looting that followed protests against his incarceration may spill across the country, perpetuated by the underlying social and economic inequalities.

In his address to the nation on Monday, President Ramaphosa avoided mentioning the name of Mr Zuma.

He also skirted around boldly, pronouncing that the protests were torched by people against the imprisonment of Mr Zuma. That appears to be a mistake made by the President who is seen as not saying things as they are.

"Some have characterised these actions as a form of political protest. This violence may indeed have its roots in the pronouncements and activities of individuals with a political purpose, and in expressions of frustration and anger," Mr Ramaphosa said.

"At the beginning of this unrest, there may have been some people who sought to agitate for violence and disorder along ethnic lines. There is no grievance, nor any political cause, that can justify the violence and destruction that we have seen in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng."

He promised to come hard on the protesters in what has stoked fears of bloodshed. "We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who perpetrate these actions and will ensure that they face the full might of our law," said Mr Ramaphosa.

"The passage of time has not erased from our memories the dark days when sinister elements stoked the flames of violence in our communities to try and turn us against each other. We live with these memories."

Sibongile Ndlovu, who lives near the Johannesburg CBD in Hillbrow, told The EastAfrican that the deployment of troops on the streets was now helping to quell the protests.

"On Monday police were struggling to manage the situation, but the coming in of the army on Tuesday saw the situation improve. There is a massive difference," Ms Ndlovu said.

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The protests risk worsening the surge in coronavirus infections as well as causing food insecurity.

Paballo Mnguni, 23, who resides in Alex with her parents, says she has not been able to sleep since Monday because of gunshots at night.

"You keep thinking they'll end up getting to your house," she told The EastAfruican in a telephonic interview.

Just across the N1 highway, less than a kilometre away, Sandton, Africa's richest square mile, was peaceful, as neighbouring township Alex was engulfed in chaos.

Sandton malls and shops remain intact with minimal security. Such is the inequality in South Africa

"It's quiet in Sandton, we've not had any protests here. We're just staying indoors because we're aware of what is happening in Alex, but it's generally been quiet here," Silindile Hlatshwayo, 35, who resides in Sandton, told Nation.

The protests come at a time when the economy was already on its knees because of Covid-19.

Mervyn Abrahams, who serves as director of KwaZulu Natal-based Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, said the looting of basic food and necessities is more than just a demonstration against former president Zuma's arrest.

"These protests are driven by economic issues, not so much the political issue of freeing Jacob Zuma. What was required was a flame and the Free Zuma campaign was that.
Popular lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has faulted the National Assembly for voting against the electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Amendment Bill.

Ozekhome, who was delivering a special lecture at the 2021 graduation ceremony/prize giving ceremony of the Pacesetters' School Abuja yesterday, said the concept of democracy is no longer in practice in Nigeria.

He said the "national tragedy" in the last two days at the National Assembly was for the sole interest of politicians in order to rig elections. "Votes are meant to be counted and they are meant to count. Where you do not allow it to count then you're not having a government of the people, you are having a government of the few.

"Why do we choose to kill electronic voting when across the world, even Democratic Republic of Congo here is using it? You are even now making INEC to be no longer independent. Why are we killing this country? Why are we on a journey of no destination?" he said.

A former minister of education and former vice president of the World Bank (Africa Region), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said economic evidence had proven that nations where citizens are not at the center of development had ended up being at the bottom.

"For our continent to make it, education and human capital have to be the epic centre of our economic strategy, education must be the new oil," she added.

Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, commended the proprietor of the school for ensuring quality education for children across the country, saying it was the responsibility of the government to embrace it and set the standard for all children.

While charging the students to be good ambassadors, he stressed that the potentials of Nigeria lie greatly in children.

The director of the school, Kenneth Imansuangbon, urged the students to be hardworking, saying what their parents achieved did not matter, but the mark they were able to make in the world. He expressed hope that with the caliber of children the school is producing, there is a great hope for the country.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested a suspected major illicit drug kingpin in Anambra State, Okeke Chijioke, 44, and recovered 548,000 tablets of Tramadol tablets branded as Tarkadol.

The arrest and recovery was done at his warehouse at No. 3, Atunya Street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle, Oyi local government area of the state.

Spokesperson of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said Okeke's arrest on Saturday, July 10, 2021 followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.

According to Babafemi, "after the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered. The suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered.

"Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention. The substance has also tested positive to amphetamine

"The drug was equally labeled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it is a 225mg drug. It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification.

"During the search on the warehouse, a double barrel pump gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered."

Also, operatives of the Benue State command of the NDLEA on road patrol in Apir village on July 14, intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of Tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misau LGA of Bauchi State.

In a related development, a suspected notorious inter-state drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba State but supplied narcotics to dealers in Adamawa State, has been arrested in Numan area of the state.

Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor has been named the 'Public Sector Icon of the Year' by Vanguard Newspapers.

The CBN Governor was honoured alongside other eminent personalities at the Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards 2019, 2020, held in Lagos at the weekend.

In his citation, the organisers of the awards noted that in the course of Emefiele's tenure as governor, the central bank has introduced critical interventions such as the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading-Payment Assurance Facility, the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, and the Shared Agent Network Expansion Facility, to directly support enterprises with huge potential for job creation, conservation of foreign exchange, import substitution as well as ensure financial system stability.

"When he assumed office as the tenth indigenous Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in June 2014, the CBN, under Emefiele's leadership, has had to come up with new strategies to navigate the Nigerian economy through hurdles such as the challenge of foreign exchange inflow, the exchange rate, the economic recession, stagflation, financial inclusion and the gap in the value chains of majority of crops in Nigeria.

"With the advent of the coronavirus came global health and economic challenges, which Nigeria was not immune from.

"However, like every other proactive central bank in the world, the CBN stood up to be counted. Some of the measures taken by the Emefiele-led team to mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic on households and businesses were: Mobilisation of key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy through the CACOVID alliance, which led to the provision of over N27 billion in relief materials to affected households, and the set-up of 39 isolation centers across the country, the creation of N100 billion Target Credit Facility, for affected households and small and medium enterprises through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, among others," the newspaper added.
The Lagos State Government is set to raise $2 billion by floating Agricultural Commodities Notes in partnership with the Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange (LCFE), in a strategic move to revolutionise agriculture, especially, food production and guarantee food security.

As part of preparations some top officials of the state government held engagements with the management of LCFE, the second in the series.

Speaking at the meeting, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, explained that the state had determined to end food scarcity by transforming Agriculture through capital injection.

According to her, a large expanse of land had been developed to create central logistics as hubs in the key locations of the state.

"To catalyse its five-year Agricultural Road map, Lagos State is prepared to raise $2 billion from private sector participation in partnership with the LCFE by floating Commodity Notes. The state has strong capacity to raise medium and long-term funds to execute developmental projects.

"It had raised huge amounts from the financial market over the years without default. The government is fully committed towards total transformation of Agriculture in order to boost food production. We shall place premium on capacity building among others to drive our agricultural revolution," Olusanya said.

Also speaking, , the State's Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, noted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had re-affirmed his administration's commitment towards Agricultural Commodities. Olowo lamented the poor contribution of Agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product of Lagos State and the need to reverse the trend.

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"We have a new road map to transform agriculture. We need to raise funds for this at the LCFE. The contribution of Agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lagos State is less than two per cent. This is not heartwarming and we have to change the narrative. The good thing is that payback of the money we intend to raise is not contingent on sinking fund. The project will re-appraise itself. We shall work with competent financial advisers," Olowo said.

The Managing Director, LCFE, Mr. Akin Akeredolu-Ale, expressed optimism that LCFE shall provide opportunities for Lagos State Government to meet its financial obligations.

"The Lagos State Government estimates the population of Lagos at 22 million which is rapidly growing, calling the urgent need for food security.

Lagos has the potential to be self- sufficient and has the potential to employ over one million people through capital market participation, public private participation and joint state partnerships etc. The capital market has been a source of funding for Lagos State in the past and this time will not be different. We are proposing that Lagos State Government lists an Exchange Traded Note (ETN) of N100 billion in the first instance on LCFE in a bid to fund the 5-year Agricultural Road Map," Akeredolu-Ale said.
Mistrust and dishonesty remain the biggest hurdles in formation of political alliances ahead of 2022 elections, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has said.

While coalitions have been touted to be the key to the formation of the next government, most of the alliances find themselves on shaky grounds, some on the verge of collapse.

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) and One Kenya Alliance (OKA) are two political unions that are facing uncertainty and the ANC party is part of both.

Speaking in Nyeri over the weekend, the ANC party leader said the turmoil in the coalitions has been as a result of mistrust and dishonesty, adding that Nasa has suffered breach of trust.

"The truth is, there is a trust deficit in Nasa. That is the truth and we cannot hide from it," Mr Mudavadi said.

Political parties' funds

According to Mr Mudavadi, the mistrust has played out in the recent impasse on sharing of millions of shillings from the political parties' funds. This is after Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga ruled out sharing out of the money between his party and coalition members ANC, Wiper Democratic Movement and Ford Kenya.

The impasse has seen the Nasa coalition, which took on the Jubilee Party in the 2017 election, split even further, spelling doom for its survival into the next political season.

But Mr Mudavadi said that a resolution is in the works, with Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka spearheading the move to bridge the differences.

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Meanwhile, a super alliance is still in the works, with the ANC leader seemingly seeking to bring on board more parties onto the One Kenya Alliance, a formation of ANC, Wiper, Kanu and Ford Kenya, which is a breakaway from the now crumbling Nasa coalition.

Keep an open mind

Nevertheless, Mr Mudavadi says it is going to take trust and a drive towards a common set of goals for an ideal political formation to be formed.

To this effect he maintains that the ideal coalition is yet to be fully formed, asking Kenyans to keep an open mind.

"Kenyans should keep an open mind because political formations are yet to be completed," Mr Mudavadi said.

He said that founding members of the OKA coalition are working to iron out outstanding issues with the sole aim of building trust.

"Once we have agreed on common values and trust is established, the coalition agreement will be signed and submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties. But the coalition must be anchored on trust," Mr Mudavadi said.

The ANC party leader was speaking in Nyeri when he kicked off a two-day tour of the county as he seeks to solidify and build on his following for the 2022 presidential bid.

Mr Mudavadi will be meeting with local leaders, technocrats and the business community.
The family of disgraced police officer Caroline Jemutai Kangogo will not honour her alleged burial wishes, spelt out in what police say is her suicide note. Instead, Kangogo will be laid to rest in a Christian ceremony sometime next week, said Mr Robert Kipkorir, the family spokesperson and uncle to the late police officer.

In an unsent text message distributed by police officers on Friday, Kangogo was alleged to have instructed her family to cremate her remains. The family says this will not happen.

The text messages contained a number of unsubstantiated claims, including marital infidelity, sexual harassment, and, paradoxically as she wanted to be cremated, a suggestion that she be buried in a wedding gown.

"To my people, it's my wedding day -- dress me in a white gown that my husband could not afford. To my parents, I am requesting that my body be cremated to end your suffering. Remember to take good care of my children. For the things in Kasarani, hire movers for safe delivery here," she is said to have suggested.

But the family says it will accord its fallen daughter a "normal" send-off. It was also non-committal yesterday on whether the late Kangogo, who was married to Commissioner of Police Richard Kipkirui Ng'eno, had reported any marital problems.

National Police Service

On whether the National Police Service would be involved in the send-off ceremonies -- as is the tradition when a serving police officer dies -- Elgeyo Marakwet Police Commander Patrick Lumumba said that was an administrative matter and he was yet to receive any communication from Nairobi.

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Cpl Kangogo, who was said to be on the run for the last 10 days, is said to have sneaked into her rural home in the wee hours of Friday and hid inside a bathroom 40 metres from the main house, where, it is again claimed by police officers, she shot herself in the head. No one in the compound heard the gunshot.

Mr Kipkorir, family spokesman, said the death was puzzling.

"No one knows at what time Kangogo entered the homestead for the alleged suicide," he said. "Her mother only discovered the body in the morning when she went to wash the bathroom."

He also said the family was yet to be shown the suicide note, and that the family hoped detectives would establish why Kangogo would kill the two men she is said to have shot on separate occasions before going underground; as well as any other uncertainties in her last days before her body was discovered.

"We had appealed to her to surrender to any police station but we are disturbed that she instead decided to take away her life," said the family spokesperson.

"We are clueless on all that has happened and we leave the matter to the police to carry out their investigations."

Mr Lumumba had earlier confirmed that security personnel had been deployed around the homestead to lay in wait for the police officer, but she somehow sneaked in undetected.
A Kenyan man who has been at the centre of controversy after he 'secretly' buried his partner in the US in December last year has been arrested.

According to police records, Obadiah Kemari Kinara was booked on Sunday, July 11, 2021, into the Tarrant County Jail system in or around Dallas - Ft Worth, TX.

He was arrested for suspicion of "injury to a child, elderly or disabled individual with bodily injury" offence, according to CrimeInformer, a state agency.

Mr Kinara was arrested at a court of law in Texas. His bail has been set at Sh1.3 million ($12,000).

He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The man was last year at the centre of a controversy surrounding the death of his partner Dorothy Bosibori Ongera, 35.

Dorothy, a mother of six, died in Texas on December 17, 2020. Her lifeless body was found in a bathtub at her house in Dallas.

Foul play

Kinara denied having a hand in her death but her family demanded an independent autopsy after Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office ruled out foul play, ruling the incident as accidental drowning.

In March, Dorothy's father David Ongera obtained an order from a Texas court to exhume his daughter's body after Kinara buried her in a public cemetery on December 28, 2020.

The judge barred parties from interfering with the remains until the matter is determined.

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"After hearing and reviewing the evidence and considering the argument of counsel, the court grants the motion to exhume the body.

"However, because this court has not yet adjudicated the person with the right to control the disposition of the remains of Dorothy Ongera, after exhumation there is not yet any person with the powers to direct the cemetery as to the disposition, including whether or not yet any autopsy shall be performed," ordered Justice Brooke Allen of Tarrant County in Texas.

Right to bury

A hearing to determine who has the right to bury the deceased will commence on March 23.

The family questioned the motive of Ms Bosibori's partner for secretly burying her body, saying he had no legal rights to do so as he was neither her next of kin nor husband.

Kinara, a registered nurse, insisted that Dorothy was his wife and he had the right to bury her but her family refuted these claims, saying their union was not legally recognised.

Ms Bosibori was living with Kinara, with whom she had three children.

Estranged husband

The father of the other children is her estranged husband, Dennis Nyakundi Mose, who lives in Kenya.

"I loved my wife, and I've been deeply hurt and affected by the social media campaign orchestrated by my in-laws to create the impression that I had something to do with the death.

"I believe some people are doing this because they are targeting my children and the insurance payouts," Kinara told the Sunday Nation in February.
The Somali government has raised a new rift with troop contributing countries to a peacekeeping mission on its territory after it rejected proposals to modify the forces for an expanded role.

In a sweeping statement on Saturday, Somalia Government Spokesman Mohamed Moalimuu said Mogadishu had rejected in totality a report from the African Union (AU) which proposed four ways in which the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) could be modified.

Moalimuu was referring to a report of the Independent Assessment Team on the African Union's Engagement in and with Somalia post-2021 which came as Amisom nears the end of its extended mandate in Somalia which is due by December 2021.

"The Somali government held an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the report and has rejected from the outset the report's finding and recommendations and will issue a formal statement," Moalimuu said.

While Somalia could be expected to table reasons behind the rejection, the move by Mogadishu signals an apparent disagreement with the five troop contributors to Amisom -- Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Burundi and Uganda.

Multidimensional force

Earlier in the week, a technical team of experts from the five countries said they accepted the proposal to turn Amisom, which has been essentially a combat force, into a multidimensional force with a hybrid formation of AU and UN, which will work on total stabilisation of Somalia, including security, humanitarian and political rebuilding of the country.

"In the ensuing deliberations, the technical experts of the Amisom (Troop contributing Countries) TCCs observed that the containment of threats to peace and security in Somalia still existed," the technical team said in a statement after meeting in Nairobi last Sunday.

"In particular, the technical experts regretted that Somalia had become a threat to international peace and security due to chronic instability in that country, a situation that had been worsened by and nourished the existence of terroristic elements in Somalia."

The AU independent panel led by South African military officer, Maj-Gen Xolani Mankayi, proposed four options for Amisom ahead of the end of its mandate in December.

One option was to fully transition into an AU-UN multidimensional stabilisation mission deployed under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter on threats to global peace and security. The team said this will provide a "holistic approach, beyond the security and stabilisation process" which was Amisom's initial mandate from the time it was created in 2007.

"The nucleus of the security components would be constituted by the contingents currently serving in Amisom, subject to assessment of their capabilities and would be augmented as necessary to respond to the new realities such as the opening of new sectors," the report seen by the Nation says.

Right balance

"The mission will be constituted with the right balance of civilian, police and military capability, including a Rapid Strike Force (RSF), and intervention brigades tailored to the specific operational requirements of the Somalia environment, established following joint AU-UN strategic assessment, planning as well as collaborative decision making, together with representatives of potential troops and police contributing countries."

The second option, the team proposed was to reconfigure Amisom into an AU multidimensional stabilisation support for Somalia, which will end the mission's role as a combat force by including a stronger political component led by AU but coordinating with UN. However, this could already face financial problems as there has been no regular source of funds beyond the UN's.

The team said this option is only possible with "predictable and sustainable" funding derived from a UNSC authorised mandate under UN assessed contributions.

The third choice is for Amisom to turn into a regional standby force, based on AU's security architecture. Traditionally, such an architecture has taken on standby forces created by regional economic blocs. This means the troop contributing countries could change to be specific from those countries who share a regional bloc with Somalia, as in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. It means that countries in the region will have a sole duty of mobilising equipment needed to deploy such a force.

Exit Somalia completely

In the absence of all this, the AU team proposed that Amisom exits Somalia completely, which could take up to six months from December. It said this could be a result of broken trust between Amisom and Somalia's federal government.

Somalia's rejection of the report came as the AU team accused Mogadishu of frustrating its efforts to gather views on the future of Amisom. The federal government, the report charged, did not respond to inquiries until after the team had finalised the report which "sends a message that African Union involvement in Somalia is not welcomed by the political actors".

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In general, the AU team said Amisom's role may still be needed, albeit with adjustments, given the continual lack of trust between the federal government and the federal member states.

It said Somalia's lack of stabilisation is mostly a result of wrangles in the government which has seen the country miss targets to write a new constitution, share resources and power, as well as a delayed reform of the security forces. This, in addition to Amisom's lack of capacity, threat of Al-Shabaab and the divergent interests of foreign partners, have conspired to slow down stabilisation, it said.

"Any future Amisom exit must be based on the (Somalia National Army) SNA's capacity to protect the civilian population, to engage Al-Shabaab, to protect main supply routes and secure liberated territory.

"The AU-IA team believes that a premature withdrawal of Amisom would lead to a dramatic reversal of the progress achieved in Somalia during the last 14 years. The events of 25 April 2021, which were precipitated by the political impasse between FGS and some FMS, saw militias and some SNA allied to the opposition temporarily take over parts of Mogadishu," it said, referring to a split back in April when the military took political sides as the country haggled on term extension for President Mohamed Farmaajo.
Lawmakers allied to President Kenyatta have gone for the political jugular of Jubilee officials, asking them to resign over the party's defeat in the Kiambaa by-elections.

In the by-election, United Democratic Alliance's (UDA) John Njuguna Wanjiku garnered 21,773 votes to prevail over Jubilee Party's Kariri Njama who got 21,263.

The poll results leave President Uhuru Kenyatta in a precarious position as he crafts his succession.A number of MPs in the ruling party who are loyal to the President blame the secretariat for the poor show in both Juja and Kiambaa constituencies and are now pushing for a total overhaul of the secretariat. Blame is being directed at vice-chairman David Murathe and secretary-general Raphael Tuju, both accused of being elitist and messing up the party's image.

But the two say politicians should take responsibility for the results.Kieni MP Kanini Kega, who led the campaigns in Kiambaa, set the stage for the clash when he said that all officials, except four, should quit their positions.

"If you are a Jubilee national official and your name isn't in the list below, kindly submit your letter of resignation immediately before we physically eject you from the headquarters. The four we want to remain are the Party Leader, Deputy Secretary General Joshua Kutuny, acting Executive Director Wambui Gichuru and the director of communication Albert Memusi. The rest pack and go," wrote Mr Kega on his Facebook page.

Drop namesKirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said the party's image has been soiled by what she described as elitist and "talk down cadres" within its ranks, who she argued, "must be dispensed with to forestall the party's further downwards slide".

"The party must get rid of its elitist and talk-down cadres who have messed up its image," she told the Sunday Nation yesterday, even though she did not drop names. For her, the starting point is for the party to be felt on the ground, and the choice of its message and the messengers who will carry it will be critical going forward.

"That demands a change of leadership and rebranding. It should then inject pro-people leaders who have a way with the base. Such leaders must endear themselves to members and forestall defections," she added.

Eldas MP Adan Keynan, who is also the party's parliamentary secretary, challenged the President to crack the whip by dissolving the government and shaking up his inner cycle. "This is actually the time to dissolve this government, and have the President vet afresh not just his advisors, but the technocrats who he has entrusted with the task of delivering on his legacy projects, of the Big Four and his succession game plan," he said.

Though Mr Murathe admitted that things don't look good for the ruling party, he challenged the politicians to stop blame games and take responsibility for the defeat in Kiambaa.

"The secretariat was totally sidelined in Kiambaa and there is no way we can take the blame," he said, saying the secretariat had done everything that needed to be done for success.In the aftermath of the Juja defeat, Mr Murathe said politicians had blamed the secretariat for the poor show and decided to take charge of the campaigns in Kiambaa. So the secretariat decided to sit back in Kiambaa.

"If they had won, they would be bragging all over the place on how they did it. Now that we have lost, they should take responsibility as none of the members of the secretariat stepped in Kiambaa," said Mr Murathe.

Mr Tuju downplayed talk of his possible removal, noting that sentiments expressed by members were healthy for the party."I wouldn't want to be engaged in a back and forth argument with party members who are my employers. They are free to express themselves, such feedback is good for the party," he said, adding that he was satisfied by the party's performance in Kiambaa, especially because the gap between the two sides in Juja was huge."It's a gap we bridged in Kiambaa.

It's prudent to mention that mid-term elections have many dynamics that are often associated with protest votes," he added.

Momentum

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UDA's win in Kiambaa has offered Deputy President William Ruto much needed momentum in his push to succeed his boss. And the blame game among the President's men and women is also likely to work in favour of the country's second in command who may exploit the fissures to consolidate his position as Mt Kenya's choice once President Kenyatta retires.

With two by-elections having gone in his favour, the DP has acquired the motivation to push his presidential bid and hope that he can build on the confusion in Jubilee to win all the seats in the region in next year's elections.

Mr Murathe dismissed suggestions that the President will walk away in a whimper when the sun sets on his final term in August next year.Apart from the President, who is the party leader, other officials are DP Ruto (deputy party leader), Nelson Dzuya (chairman), Mr Murathe, Mr Tuju, MP Caleb Kositany, who is the deputy secretary-general.Those who want to overhaul the leadership are more interested in Mr Tuju and Mr Murathe who have been the public face of the secretariat.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's allies will be retreating this week to review their performance in the Kiambaa by-election, where they lost to the nascent UDA party linked to Deputy President William Ruto.

It is expected that they will recommend remedial measures to save Jubilee Party from demise and wrest Mt Kenya from Dr Ruto's grip.

The politicians will meet at the party's Pangani headquarters on Wednesday just five days after the humiliating defeat on Friday by the Ruto camp. Should they fail to bring to sheen back to Jubilee -- and by extenstion State House -- they will inadvertently be putting their party leader, Mr Kenyatta, in an uncomfortable position, just a year to the end of his term.

Senior party members are baying for blood. They say the secretariat has let the President down. And they want him to set some heads rolling before it is too late. They warn that the core support base of the party is unhappy with the manner and direction in which Jubilee is being run. The President, they say, must act.

"Jubilee Party's core supporters are unhappy and urgent action is needed to forestall further downwards slide," Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, a Jubilee stalwart, said.

At Pangani, that message is expected to ring loud and clear on Wednesday as ruffled politicians on the receiving end of the Dr Ruto bulldozer pressure the President to reassure their support base that he is still in charge of their political future.

The secretariat, on the other hand, is fighting back. Yesterday vice-chairman David Murathe told the Sunday Nation that "those who bungled the Kiambaa by-election will have to account for the money they were given for campaigns", and that he will not allow the detractors "to bully" secretary general Raphael Tuju, "who even spent his own money to bring the trophy home".

There were indications last evening that Mr Murathe had met with the President in State House, but we could not verify them independently.

But what options does Mr Kenyatta, a retiring president, have? Or what motivations can he muster?

Overhauling the secretariat

The Sunday Nation this week talked to a trusted lieutenant of the head of state who has been by his side for at least 20 years now. He shared some of the scenarios they are toying with.

The first is the possible overhauling of the secretariat as the general belief is that some of the officials have exposed the President to ridicule, either knowingly or inadvertently, and a new set of party officials would breathe in some freshness and endear the party to its traditional base.

The secretariat is led by Mr Tuju, and has been accused on several occasions of accused of ineptitude. The Kiambaa debacle, where the party lost despite massive deployment of state machinery, did not make matters better for the secretariat.

The loss wasn't the first in recent days, for in May Jubilee lost in the Juja constituency by-election to the little known People's Empowerment Party (PEP), which is linked to Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.

But two situational reports by the National Intelligence Service, which the Sunday Nation understands were submitted to presidency days to the election, noted that Jubilee might lose the Kiambaa seat for reasons beyond the party secretariat. That, then, casts doubt on whether Mr Kenyatta would give Mr Tuju and Mr Murathe marching orders based on the loss.

Agitation around the rising cost of living and the sidelining of DP Ruto appeared to have been the reasons for the loss, even though Mr Kenyatta and his handlers are upbeat that they can recover and convince the Mountain to come back to them.

A faction within Jubilee is nonetheless pushing the President to inject fresh blood into the party, not just for the optics but also to address the disaffection with the current leadership and make him appear to be a listening leader.

Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata, who is among the last Central Kenya politicians to abandon the President, blames "his advisers and those he has entrusted to run his political machinery" for the turn of fortunes.

"The threat of dividing Mt Kenya is real but we can mend the rift if the President accepts the reality, comes to us and gets our views on political succession and the economy, as these are the two things that have led to the rebellion," he said.

Mr Kang'ata wants Mr Kenyatta to first accept that Dr Ruto has successfully charmed Central, that the people are uncomfortable with the manner in which he is managing the economy, and that deployment of State instruments of power to impose decisions on them is counterproductive.

"They should reconsider the proposed merger between Jubilee and ODM and discard any support for ODM leader Raila Odinga's stab at the presidency," Mr Kang'ata said.

Last week Mr Tuju said the merger talks between Jubilee and ODM had been sanctioned by the President himself, and that it is only Mr Kenyatta who can call them off. Jubilee is, however, divided on the prospect of a coalition with Raila.

Their criticism of the process revolves around the feeling, whether true or not, that central Kenya leaders, including Mr Kenyatta, have spent so much time and energy in the past preaching to the region why a Raila Odinga presidency would be bad for them, and that the damage this has caused on the image of the ODM leader cannot be undone overnight. To put it more brutally, Mr Odinga is 'unsellable' in the Mountain, they say.

Depending on what transpires at Pangani next Wednesday, therefore, Mr Kenyatta will be faced with the dilemma of backtracking on the pre-election merger talks and risk losing the Odinga hand, or staying the course and agitating his restless support base further.

The other choice for Mr Kenyatta is the eating of humble pie and reaching out to the DP for a political truce. It sounds rather easy when put that way, but a vast majority of the President's advisers are opposed to it as it would be an admission that he is somewhat a wounded tiger retreating to lick his wounds.

They hold that the President is the centre of power and must project himself as such. He can't appear to be broken. Or beaten. Or desperate. He must not be seen to be showing signs of weakness, and the boss cannot kneel in front of his subordinate, the DP.

Those against this route argue that it would not only imply negotiating at the DP's terms, but would also see most of them face the consequences of 'misleading the President'. They believe that route would involve compromises that would ultimately see the President's men paying the price of the truce.

Dr Godwin Siundu, a political analyst, argues that the safest way for President Kenyatta out of this dilemma is straight out of the Kibaki bag of political tricks. Mr Kenyatta's predecessor Mwai Kibaki never attempted to guide his succession, at least publicly.

Succession debate

But Mr Kenyatta is on record as saying that his choice of his preferred successor would shock the nation. "They think because Uhuru is going home in 2022 he will not have a word on what will happen," he said in November 2018. "I am telling them when the right time comes, I will have something to say."

Dr Siundu holds that the suspicion that Mr Kenyatta is keen to endorse a candidate from the Nasa coalition has made it urgent for the DP and his allies in Central to poison the ground against him.

"He could borrow a leaf from Mzee Kibaki and avoid the succession debate, even though we know the former president had a preferred successor in private. That way, he will keep both One Kenya Alliance and what used to be Nasa, as well as the DP, guessing. That can accord him some peace in his sunset days in the office," said Dr Siundu.

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Mr Kenyatta, it is understood, has been careful not to openly campaign for Jubilee candidates for fear of reducing himself to the level of tiffing with his deputy, who is already charting his own future after the end of the current administration. In all the by-elections, the closest Mr Kenyatta has come to campaigning for them is by having a photo taken with the preferred candidate at State House.

The third option for the President is to keep kicking out the dissidents, and the hardliners in his court hold that this is the road to the proverbial Canaan. A number of Jubilee leaders have been subjected to disciplinary action on account of going against the grain, and Mr Murathe believes party discipline is not negotiable.

Finally, there is a minority group around the President who feel he needs to quickly retrace his steps and reach out to all key allies of the DP from Central. They say in so doing, the politicians might likewise mellow and, like errant sons and daughters, come back home. Were they to abandon the DP, Dr Ruto would be left without key grassroots mobilisers just months to the elections, denying him the time to reorganise his house.

Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, who is a close ally of the President said "we are at that crossroads where we must demolish the walls of separation and come together to chart our way forward as a united team".

He is of the view that the differences playing out in the by-elections are only serving to pass across one message -- that united, the Mountain stands a better chance of making use of its numerical strength to be in the next government.

Analysts are in agreement that the position Mr Kenyatta finds himself in is not new for a president doing his second and final term in office. In fact, they say, he should be grateful that he has, courtesy of the handshake with Mr Odinga, wielded immense power in the dying days in office.
The Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has said its talks with the ruling Jubilee Party will go on despite the latter's poor performance in recent by-elections.

To the party challengers, the recent losses in Kiambaa, Bonchari and Juja by-elections has debunked the myth that the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led party is still enjoying unwavering support across the country.

Out of 11 by-elections that have been conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from 2018 to date, the ruling party has won three: Wajir West, Baringo South and Garissa. It has abstained in Msambweni, Machakos, Matungu and Kabuchai and lost four: Kibra, Bonchari, Juja and Kiambaa.

Yesterday, ODM national chairman John Mbadi who is also Suba South MP, dismissed claims that the recent Jubilee Party loss to Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate John Njuguna Wanjiku in Kiambaa will complicate the ongoing talks.Mr Mbadi, who is part of the team driving the Jubilee-ODM coalition talks to field a single presidential candidate in the 2022 General Election, told the Sunday Nation that the talks will proceed.

He said ODM is not fully banking on the entire support-base of the Jubilee Party across the country but just a fraction of what was in their basket during the last elections."We do not want the entire number. We just want the numbers which they have at the moment to combine with ours.

We did not have those numbers before," said Mr Mbadi.

Man to watch

He said Dr Ruto's recent wins in the vote-rich Mount Kenya should not be construed to mean the country's second in command is now the man to watch in the region, which voted overwhelmingly for Jubilee both 2013 and 2017.

"It is Juja where they lost badly but they still got numbers that will come into our basket. Muguga they won, even though by a small margin. In Kiambaa, they lost with a small margin, so it is interesting to say that Ruto now controls Mount Kenya. That is not what we call controlling a region," he said.

Mr Mbadi noted that for Mr Odinga to clinch the presidency in 2022, all votes remain important, so the talks with Jubilee will not stop because of the performance in mini-polls."ODM has its numbers. So if we get numbers from Jubilee whether it is a half, quarter or a third, it does not matter. It will increase our numbers," he said.

The Suba South MP went on: "If Ruto and Uhuru were in Jubilee together and they competed with us, the moment Ruto goes away and Uhuru goes away, whatever the number Uhuru is coming within the coalition with ODM is an addition. Ruto is not adding on his side, unless he gets numbers from our side. "He said the public will not be privy to the nitty-gritty details of the talks.

"Where we are currently in our talks, we will not give out information pertaining to what Jubilee is giving and ODM too. If we start sharing the details at the moment it will jeopardise our talks," Mr Mbadi elucidated.This comes a week after Mr Odinga said the ongoing coalition talks between his party and that of President Kenyatta is a preparation for next year's epic duel.

"Jubilee-ODM talks are just preparations because the two parties have players, therefore, you cannot just tell them to sit back until the right time. It is important to start warming up as early as now, so that we know how 2022 will be handled. Whether we will go as ODM or a coalition and how it will be," said Mr Odinga.

Five negotiators will represent each party while the respective Jubilee and ODM executive directors will be the joint secretaries. Jubilee will be represented in the talks by Vice-chairman David Murathe, Secretary-general Raphael Tuju, National Assembly Majority Whip Emmanuel Wangwe, Igembe North MP Maoka Maore and Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda.

On the ODM side will be Mr Mbadi, Secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed, nominated Senator Agnes Zani and Kisii Woman Representative Janet Ong'era.

Improvement

Even though Jubilee lost in Kiambaa, its performance was an improvement from last May's Juja by-election where it lost to the little known People's Empowerment Party, which is linked to Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.University of Nairobi lecturer and political analyst Prof XN Iraki said that the ruling party is not yet dead but is suffering from what he termed as "cognitive dissonance".

"It cannot see the reality on the ground, I hope the defeat jolted it to reality. My fears are that its members will start bolting as 2022 approaches," said Prof Iraki, adding that only the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was giving the party life.

Jubilee's Kieleweke team is sending a message to their rivals that it is not yet over and their support remains intact as they fulfil the pledges they made to Kenyans during the 2017 electioneering period.

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"I do not think there is a feeling Jubilee is losing grip on its strongholds or support base. Our stronghold remains Kenya as a whole... people need to know that democracy is give and take," said Mr Wangwe, who is also the Navakholo MP.

Familiar pathBut political analyst and governance expert Javas Bigambo argues that the ruling Jubilee Party seems to be following the familiar path of the Democratic Party and Party of National Unity (PNU).

"If history is to serve any meaningful lessons on the cycle of political parties in Kenya, it is that the ultimate death of the Jubilee Party is imminent. It is only President Kenyatta's incumbency that is preventing the party from the real death and cremation," he said.

He added: "The direction of Mount Kenya's new political magnet Moses Kuria is a dependable affirmation that even political leaders from the region are not seeing the future of the Jubilee Party in the region after the end of President Kenyatta's second term. It is therefore safe to assert that the Jubilee Party is suffering from the late stages of a very terminal illness."
Historical and land injustices in Taita Taveta County involving private owners and residents have left thousands of locals landless.

The landlessness has adversely affected economic growth in the region and in some instances led to insecurity in the area.

Various government agencies are investigating key land grabbing cases in the county that have reduced thousands of residents to squatters.

Currently, the government is investigating the renewal of the Voi Point Limited lease after claims that it was issued irregularly.

More than 6000 Mkamenyi residents claim that they inherited the farm from their forefathers who were evicted by the sisal estate farm.

The sisal estate has agreed to cede 200 acres to only settle 35 families that are currently squatting inside the farm.

The Senate through the Lands committee has initiated investigations over the renewal of Machungwani farm whose lease expired in January 2013. The 2,700 acre farm belonged to former Taveta MP Basil Criticos who has been seeking the renewal of the lease since 2012.

More than 5,000 farmers have invaded the farm and now want the government to subdivide the land to them. The farmers have invested in farming agricultural crops including bananas and vegetables that are supplied to markets across the coastal region.

In this year's budget, the county government has set aside Sh1 million to fund the subdivision exercise.

Mboghonyi ward MCA Jones Maskuj said they have high hopes that the National Lands Commission will not renewal the lease.

"This is our hope that the land will revert to the squatters," he said.

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At the same time, more than 3500 squatters are also facing eviction in Voi, following a dispute with Sparkle Properties Limited. The company claims it bought the land from Bata Shoe Company which had acquired the land from the residents in 1979.

Another 10,000 residents are facing eviction from Isanga Iwishi ranch in Mwatate. The ranch has already issued an eviction order but the matter is still under investigation by both the county government and the senate.

Last Monday, the National Lands Commission board led by chairperson Gershom Otachi was expected to visit the county to deliberate on lands issues facing the residents.

The board was expected to give its stand on Machungwani and Mkamenyi land dispute that have raised tension in Taveta and Voi areas respectively.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has urged women to actively seek for various elective political seats in the 2022 General Elections instead of waiting to be nominated into such positions.

He stressed that women should not expect to be given political leadership on a silver platter.

"To demonstrate their strength and that they are capable of leading, women should fight for parliamentary, senatorial and even ward representative seats," he said on Saturday evening at the University of Embu.

Addressing professionals from Embu County, Mr Muturi blamed gender imbalance representation in Parliament on failure by more women to vie for seats.

He asked women to rise above retrogressive cultural beliefs that they are weak people who can only be nominated.

"Women should believe in themselves and go for elective posts so that there could be equal representation in Parliament. The Constitution provides two-thirds representation of either gender in Parliament," he said.

Two-thirds gender rule

He warned that the two-thirds gender rule will not be achieved if women continue shying away from vying for political positions.

At the same time, Mr Muturi reached out to professionals and asked them to back his presidential ambition.

He reiterated that he has what it takes to take the country to the next level if he becomes the fifth President of Kenya, adding that he will be happy if professionals from the region campaign for him.

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"With the support of the professionals, I can easily clinch the presidency," he said.

He said he has a wealth of experience in leadership having been an MP and a Speaker.

"I now want to be the President so that can I can transform the country for the betterment of all Kenyans.

Embrace politics

Mr Muturi encouraged the professionals from the region to embrace politics as it plays a crucial role in development and proper governance of the country.

Former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti said leaders from Mount Kenya East have thrown their weight behind Mr Muturi because they believe he is capable of taking over the country's leadership when President Uhuru Kenyatta retires.

"We have decided to back Mr Muturi for presidency and there will be no retreat," he said.

Further, the Speaker urged the Embu professionals to strive to give back to the society as a way of lifting the living standards of the less fortunate.

University of Embu Vice Chancellor Daniel Mugendi appreciated the partnership between the institution and professionals from the county.

Prof Mugendi applauded the professionals for their continuous support to education in the region.

Embu County Professionals Development Association Chairperson Josephine Kibaru Mbae said they are focusing on improving education standards in the region and that they been having mentorship programmes in learning institutions.

She noted that since the professionals embarked on the programme, they have seen tremendous improvement.
A wildlife conservancy in Kenya is the new home of an endangered baby chimpanzee from an Iranian Zoo.

This follows successful plans to relocate the four-year-old female but orphaned chimp known as Baran to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Northern Kenya.

Baran lost her mother at a tender age and there have been months-long campaigns to relocate her over unsuitable conditions at Tehran's Eram Zoo.

Eram Zoo, which had contacted several international animal care centers, finally decided to send Baran to Kenya where she will live in a conducive environment and among her peers.

Environmental activists in Iran were worried about the health effects of the unsuitable conditions on Baran.

Efforts to save the endangered roan antelope from extinction

The young chimp had been struggling to cope with elderly apes who occasionally bullied her in the Middle East zoo.

The hostile environment, according to Iranian authorities, exposed Baran to a lot of physical and mental stress, denying her balanced development.

Zoo authorities said that after a long struggle, a decision was made to transfer the four-year-old to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Kenya, which provides refuge to rescued, orphaned or abused young chimps.

A farewell ceremony for Baran was held last month in Eram Zoo, the main wildlife center in the Iranian capital.

Baran happier

Dr Jafar Barmaki, the Iranian Ambassador to Kenya, says they decided to translocate the orphan chimpanzee to Sweetwaters to give her an environment where she can regain her health.

Baran's translocation process, which began last year, was completed a month ago when the ape safely arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi before being moved to Ol Pejeta.

Dr Barmaki said the chimpanzee is currently under a three-month quarantine in an exclusive area within the sanctuary to ensure she is disease-free before she can meet and mingle with other animals.

"Baran currently looks very happy and her appetite has improved," Dr Barmaki said, adding that Baran was mainly surrounded by very elderly chimpanzees back in Eram Zoo, who were quite aggressive towards her.

Sweetwaters, which was established over 30 years ago, currently hosts 34 chimpanzees rescued from locations across the world.

Dr Stephen Ngulu, a wildlife veterinarian and head of Sweetwaters, says Baran will become an ambassador for her species and help raise awareness on the plight of chimpanzees across the continent.

"Baran will be in quarantine for 90 days, a period stipulated by the Kenya Wildlife Service. With 24-hour veterinary support and a stimulating quarantine enclosure, chimpanzees arriving at the sanctuary are carefully nursed back to health. She will be monitored as she adjusts to her new life," said Dr Ngulu.

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"While Baran's story started with hardship, the future now looks better for this lucky chimpanzee. We hope the bright sun of Kenya will bring her a renewed experience amongst her kind."

Early life

Baran was born prematurely in 2017 at Tehran's main wildlife centre.

Baby chimps, according to vet experts, must spend at least five years with their mothers, but she was deprived of that.

Baran's mother was not able to fully bond with her when she was a bit older, and she was not accepted by the other chimpanzees.

After her mother died, Baran was moved into a cage for her own protection.

"Baran's relocation to Sweetwaters comes after months-long collaborative efforts among Ol Pejeta Conservancy, KWS, Iran in Kenya, Eram zoo and other animal welfare organisations," said Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Lack of other chimpanzees to socialise with can be harmful to both the mental and physical development of baby chimps.

Wild Chimpanzees remain endangered species of primates due to poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss, and climatic stress.

Statistics show that the population of wild chimpanzees has drastically dropped from about a million across 25 countries in Africa, in the turn of the 20th Century, to between 172,000 and 300,000 in six countries.
90% of Africas cultural heritage currently lies outside the continent, including the Benin Bronzes in the British Museum.

The Federal Government says it is the rightful entity to take possession of 1,130 stolen Benin artifacts and others due to be returned to Nigeria.

Other contenders for the custody of the artworks are Edo State government and the Palace of the Oba of Benin, from where the artworks and artifacts were looted in 1897 by the invading British Army.

The position of the Federal Government was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed at a press conference in Lagos. The minister said the return of the artifacts is being negotiated bilaterally between the national governments of Nigeria and Germany, saying Nigeria is the entity recognised by international law as the authority in control of antiquities originating from Nigeria.

Mohammed said: "The Federal Government is aware of the widely-reported controversy on who will take possession of the Benin Bronzes when they are returned from Germany. Let me state clearly here that, in line with international best practice and the operative conventions and laws, the return of the artifacts is being negotiated bilaterally between the national governments of Nigeria and Germany. Nigeria is the entity recognised by international law as the authority in control of antiquities originating from Nigeria."

According to him, relevant international conventions treat heritage properties as properties belonging to the nation and not to individuals or subnational groups. "For example," he said, "the 1970 UNESCO Convention, in article 1, defines cultural property as property specifically designated by that nation. This allows individual nations to determine what it regards as its cultural property."

Mohammed said regardless of the right the FG has over the custody of the looted artifacts, the Nigerian state - through the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments - has, in working assiduously over the past years to repatriate Nigeria's looted artefacts, carried along the traditional institutions and state governments.

"What I am saying in essence is that the Federal Government will take possession of these antiquities, because it is its duty to do so, in line with the extant laws," the Minister said, noting that the Federal Government had always exercised this right in cognisance of the culture that produced the art works.

"That is why the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments have always involved both Edo State government and the Royal Benin Palace in discussions and negotiations that have now resulted in the impending return of these antiquities," he said.

Mohammed also revealed that the Federal Government is not just involved in the repatriation of Benin artefacts, but also working on repatriating Ife Bronzes and Terracotta, Nok Terracotta, Owo Terracotta, the arts of the Benue River Valley, the Igbo Ukwu, the arts of Bida, the arts of Igala, Jukun, etc.

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The Minister spoke about the efforts of the Federal Government over the Igbo statues that were auctioned at Christie's in Year 2020, and how the Federal Government took the British and Belgian authorities to ICPRCP in 2019 over an Ife object.

"These antiquities," Lai Mohammed said, "consist of two important Benin Bronzes and an exquisite Ife Bronze head. We are currently before the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to it Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP) in Paris, where we have instituted a claim against a Belgian who wanted to auction an Ife Bronze head valued at $5 million, at least."

He said the Ife Bronze antiquity has been seized by the London Metropolitan Police, pending the decision on who the true owner is. "Of course, we all know that the true owner is Nigeria."

RELATED NEWS
Abuja  Nigeria has dismissed allegations reported by a local churchman to the United States that militants were only targeting Christian schools during a spate of kidnappings in the West African country.

Allegations made at the US Congress are attributed to Matthew Hassan Kukah, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of the northwest Sokoto.

The prominent leader is quoted as lamenting the persecution of Christians in Nigeria by Islamic extremist groups in the northern parts.

He blamed the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim, for complicity after alleged failure to prosecute culprits and secure the release of hundreds of students held captive.

Garba Shehu, a media aide to Buhari, denounced the sentiments made during a virtual presentation with the US Congress in Washington.

"It is yet more troubling to hear a Churchman isolating one group for criticism purely on ethnic lines," the presidential spokesman said.

"With due respect to the esteemed position he holds, the Bishop's assertion that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists is not supported by the facts on the ground."

Sheu argued some students had been kidnapped by bandits of the same Islamic faith as those they abducted.

These students were recently kidnapped in Buhari's Katsina State homeland.

Islamists are also blamed for the kidnapping of 134 students of an Islamic school in Niger State.

The same radicals are allegedly behind the kidnapping of over 100 predominantly Muslim students of a government girls' college in Kebbi State.

Most students in these kidnappings remain hostage.

"The attack on Christian students is sad and unacceptable; so also is the abduction of students of other faiths," Shehu said.

He therefore said the claim that only Christian schools were targeted was untrue.

"As a nation and a people, we must together define evil as evil," Shehu said.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country (estimated at 211 million), is divided roughly in half between Muslims, mostly in the north, and Christians, in the south.
Nearly 50 African countries are to receive 25 million COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by the United States, with the first shipments to Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Ethiopia in the coming days, US officials and the Gavi vaccine alliance said on Friday.

"In partnership with the African Union and COVAX, the United States is proud to donate 25 million COVID-19 vaccines to 49 African countries. The Biden Administration is committed to leading the global response to the pandemic by providing safe and effective vaccines to the world," Gayle Smith, the US State Department's coordinator for COVID-19 recovery and global health, said in the statement.

The U.S. is working with @_AfricanUnion and @gavi to share through COVAX 25 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with 49 countries in Africa. Together we will defeat the global pandemic and build a safer, healthier & more secure world for all. https://t.co/5UWjXMQmLr pic.twitter.com/5N8eHGcjXh - Department of State (@StateDept) July 17, 2021

In April, US President Joe Biden pledged to share 80 million US.-made vaccines with countries around the world to protect the most vulnerable and stem transmission of the coronavirus.

Nearly a million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be delivered to Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Ethiopia in coming days, the statement said.

The remainder will be shipped in coming weeks, it added.

Covax equitable vaccine scheme buys 500 million doses of Moderna's Covid jab

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Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which leads on procurement and delivery at scale for COVAX, said: "We are pleased to be working closely with the African Union and the US Government to ensure equitable access and timely delivery of approximately 25 million doses to the continent. As the continent battles a surge in cases, we need collective action as we work towards our shared goal of protecting the African population and turning the tide globally against the pandemic."

43% jump in Covid-19 deaths

Africa recorded a 43% jump in COVID-19 deaths last week as infections and hospital admissions have risen and countries face shortages of oxygen and intensive-care beds, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

African Union Special Envoy Strive Masiyiwa said the U.S. donation to 49 countries was appreciated "especially at this moment when we are witnessing the third-wave in a number of African countries".

Great news! 25 million US-donated #COVID19 vaccines will soon be on their way to Africa via #COVAX, working alongside @_AfricanUnion & @afreximbank. A huge thank you to @GayleSmith, @POTUS and the US administration for making these vital doses available. https://t.co/aXnZb8J5B0 - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (@gavi) July 16, 2021

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian, has called for vaccinating at least 10% of the most vulnerable in every country - including health workers and the elderly - by September.

The COVAX dose-sharing programme has so far shipped 121 million doses to 136 mostly low and middle income countries, far short of its original targets, due to supply constraints since India suspended vaccine exports. It is run by the Gavi vaccine alliance and the WHO.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says calm has been restored to most areas torn by looting and violence in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng this week.

On national television he says the affects will be felt for weeks to come.

He admits that "we must acknowledge that we were poorly prepared for an orchestrated campaign of public violence, destruction and sabotage of this nature.

"While we commend the brave actions of our security forces on the ground, we must admit that we did not have the capabilities and plans in place to respond swiftly and decisively.

"Our police were faced with a difficult situation and exercised commendable restraint to prevent any loss of life or further escalation.

"However, once additional security personnel were deployed, they were able to quickly restore calm to most areas that were affected."

South Africa: Ramaphosa resists calls to declare a state of emergency

'Deliberate' attacks

Ramaphosa says: "It is clear now that the events of the past week were nothing less than a deliberate, coordinated and well-planned attack on our democracy.

"The constitutional order of our country is under threat.

"The current instability and ongoing incitement to violence constitutes a direct contravention of the Constitution and the rule of law.

"These actions are intended to cripple the economy, cause social instability and severely weaken - or even dislodge - the democratic state.

"Using the pretext of a political grievance, those behind these acts have sought to provoke a popular insurrection.

"They have sought to exploit the social and economic conditions under which many South Africans live - conditions that have worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic - and to provoke ordinary citizens and criminal networks to engage in opportunistic acts of looting.

"The ensuing chaos is used as a smokescreen to carry out economic sabotage through targeted attacks on trucks, factories, warehouses and other infrastructure necessary for the functioning of our economy and the provision of services to our people.

"Through social media, through fake news and misinformation, they have sought to inflame racial tensions and violence.

"Worst of all, they have sought to manipulate the poor and vulnerable for their own benefit.

"Yet, despite the widespread destruction, this attempted insurrection has failed to gain popular support.

"It has failed because of the efforts of our security forces, and it has failed because South Africans have rejected it and have stood up in defence of our hard-won democracy.

Court considers options as unrest rages in South Africa in wake of Zuma jailing

'Prepardness' review

The President says once the crisis has passed government will undertake a thorough and critical review of its preparedness and its response.

Police Minister Bheki Cele is visiting KwaZulu/Natal today to quell the racial violence between Zulu and Indian South Africans that has caused 20 of the 212 death from the unrest.

Cele and Ramaphosa say a dozen instigators of the anarchy have been identified. One of them is among the 2550 people arrested.

Former spy chief Tulani Dlomo, who also served as South Africa's Ambassador to Japan, has turned himself in to police and vehemently denied that he ii one of the instigators.

He says authorities turned to him for help this week for help in dealing with the violence.

Ramaphosa says the arterial N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban has been opened and its being patrolled by the contingents of the 25000 soldiers drafted in assist police.

In addition to dealing with the extensive damage looters did to 161 malls and shopping centers, 11 warehouses, eight factories and 161 liquors outlets, government has to stables the country and secure essential supplies and infrastructure.

South Africa's Ramaphosa says looters will 'face full might of the law'

Rebuilding

Ramaphosa says government must provide relief and support recovery and rebuilding.

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"We must encourage the active efforts of citizens in defence of lives, livelihoods and democracy," he says.

"To stablise the country, we have massively increased the numbers of law enforcement and secuerity personnel on the ground in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

"Specialised units of our law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to locate and apprehend those responsible for planning and cooperating this violence.

"We will spare no effort in brining these individuals to justice."

Ramaphosa continues to resist calls for a state of emergency to be declared.

He says he confident that "the deployment of our security forces, working together with communities and social partners across the country, will be able to restore order and prevent further violence.

"We will extinguish the fires that are raging and stamp out every last ember.

"We will identify and act against those who lit the flame, and those who spread it."
press release

Authoritarian governments using Pegasus software sold by the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group

Jamal Khashoggi family members were targeted with Pegasus software

'They paint a picture of legitimacy, while profiting from widespread human rights violations' - Agnes Callamard

NSO Group's spyware has been used to facilitate human rights violations around the world on a massive scale, according to a major investigation into the leak of 50,000 phone numbers of potential surveillance targets. These include heads of state, activists and journalists, including Jamal Khashoggi's family.

The Pegasus Project is a ground-breaking collaboration by more than 80 journalists from 17 media organisations in 10 countries coordinated by Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit, with the technical support of Amnesty International, who conducted cutting- edge forensic tests on mobile phones to identify traces of the spyware.

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said:

"The Pegasus Project lays bare how NSO's spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril.

"These revelations blow apart any claims by NSO that such attacks are rare and down to rogue use of their technology. While the company claims its spyware is only used for legitimate criminal and terror investigations, it's clear its technology facilitates systemic abuse. They paint a picture of legitimacy, while profiting from widespread human rights violations.

"Clearly, their actions pose larger questions about the wholesale lack of regulation that has created a wild west of rampant abusive targeting of activists and journalists. Until this company and the industry as a whole can show it is capable of respecting human rights, there must be an immediate moratorium on the export, sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology."

In a written response to Forbidden Stories and its media partners, NSO Group said it "firmly denies... false claims" in the report. It wrote that the consortium's reporting was based on "wrong assumptions" and "uncorroborated theories" and reiterated that the company was on a "life-saving mission". A fuller summary of NSO Group's response is available here.

The Investigation

At the centre of this investigation is NSO Group's Pegasus spyware which, when surreptitiously installed on victims' phones, allows an attacker complete access to the device's messages, emails, media, microphone, camera, calls and contacts.

Over the next week, media partners of The Pegasus Project - including The Guardian, Le Monde, Suddeutsche Zeitung and The Washington Post - will run a series of stories exposing details of how world leaders, politicians, human rights activists, and journalists have been selected as potential targets of this spyware.

From the leaked data and their investigations, Forbidden Stories and its media partners identified potential NSO clients in 11 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

NSO Group appears not to have taken adequate action to stop the use of its tools for unlawful targeted surveillance of activists and journalists, despite the fact that it either knew, or arguably ought to have known, that this was taking place.

"As a first step, NSO Group must immediately shut down clients' systems where there is credible evidence of misuse. The Pegasus Project provides this in abundance," said Agnes Callamard.

Khashoggi family targeted

During the investigation, evidence has also emerged that family members of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi were targeted with Pegasus software before and after his murder in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 by Saudi operatives, despite repeated denials from NSO Group.

Amnesty International's Security Lab established that Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz just four days after his murder.

His wife, Hanan Elatr was also repeatedly targeted with the spyware between September 2017 and April 2018 as well as his son, Abdullah, who was also selected as a target along with other family members in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

In a statement, the NSO Group responded to the Pegasus Project allegations saying that its "technology was not associated in any way with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi". The company said that it "previously investigated this claim, immediately after the heinous murder, which again, is being made without validation".

Journalists under attack

The investigation has so far identified at least 188 journalists in 21 countries who were selected for potential targeting with NSO spyware between 2016 to June 2021, including in Azerbaijan, Hungary, India and Morocco, countries where crackdowns against independent media have intensified.

The revelations show the real-world harm caused by unlawful surveillance:

In Mexico, journalist Cecilio Pineda's phone was selected for targeting just weeks before his killing in 2017. The Pegasus Project identified at least 25 Mexican journalists were selected for targeting over a two-year period. NSO has denied that even if Pineda's phone had been targeted, data collected from his phone contributed to his death.

Pegasus has been used in Azerbaijan, a country where only a few independent media outlets remain. More than 40 Azerbaijani journalists were selected as potential targets according to the investigation. Amnesty International's Security Lab found the phone of Sevinc Vaqifqizi, a freelance journalist for independent media outlet Meydan TV, was infected over a two-year period until May 2021.

In India, at least 40 journalists from nearly every major media outlet in the country were selected as potential targets between 2017-2021. Forensic tests revealed the phones of Siddharth Varadarajan and MK Venu, co-founders of independent online outlet The Wire, were infected with Pegasus spyware as recently as June 2021.

The investigation also identified journalists working for major international media including the Associated Press, CNN, The New York Times and Reuters as potential targets. One of the highest profile journalists was Roula Khalaf, the editor of the Financial Times.

"The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media. It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice," said Agnes Callamard.

"These revelations must act as a catalyst for change. The surveillance industry must no longer be afforded a laissez-faire approach from governments with a vested interest in using this technology to commit human rights violations."

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Exposing Pegasus infrastructure

Amnesty International is today releasing the full technical details of its Security Lab's in-depth forensic investigations as part of the Pegasus Project.

The Lab's methodology report documents the evolution of Pegasus spyware attacks since 2018, with details on the spyware's infrastructure, including more than 700 Pegasus-related domains.

"NSO claims its spyware is undetectable and only used for legitimate criminal investigations. We have now provided irrefutable evidence of this ludicrous falsehood," said Etienne Maynier, a technologist at Amnesty International's Security Lab.

There is nothing to suggest that NSO's customers did not also use Pegasus in terrorism and crime investigations, and the consortium also found numbers in the data belonging to suspected criminals.

"The widespread violations Pegasus facilitates must stop. Our hope is the damning evidence published over the next week will lead governments to overhaul a surveillance industry that is out of control," said Etienne Maynier.

In response to a request for comment by media organisations involved in the Pegasus Project, NSO Group said it "firmly denies" the claims and stated that "many of them are uncorroborated theories which raise serious doubts about the reliability of your sources, as well as the basis of your story." NSO Group did not confirm or deny which governments are NSO Group's customers, although it said that the Pegasus Project had made "incorrect assumptions" in this regard. Notwithstanding its general denial of the claims, NSO Group said it "will continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action based on the results of these investigations".
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has now staked the sharing of the Political Parties Fund it receives to a case it wants its partners in the moribund National Super Alliance (Nasa) to lodge against Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu.

This, even as it emerged that ODM wrote to Ms Nderitu asking her to convene a meeting following Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka's request.

"Our position is that Nasa was not a clandestine organisation but an above-the-board alliance of registered political parties governed by instruments deposited with your office, the contents of which are self-explanatory. We, therefore, wish to request your esteemed office to convene, at your earliest possible convenience, a meeting of Nasa constituent parties as per Musyoka's request," ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna told Ms Nderitu in a letter.

An earlier meeting, the ODM official said, failed to take place as Mr Musyoka cancelled at the last minute.

ODM, led by politician Raila Odinga, says the only way they can share their funds is if what they receive is based on the August 8, 2017 General Election presidential votes, a position Ms Nderitu has argued will be unconstitutional.

"The August 8, 2017 presidential election results were declared null and void and cannot therefore be used for any legal purposes, including forming the basis to compute and distribute the Political Parties Fund, as such shall amount to an illegality," Ms Nderitu said in an October 15, 2019 letter, which has since been made public by ODM in its continued fight with Nasa partners over the sharing of the funds.

ODM says Mr Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi's Amani National Congress (ANC), and Moses Wetang'ula's Ford-Kenya had refused to join them to challenge the finding of Ms Nderitu, which the orange party says has denied it its rightful share -- some of which would have gone to the Nasa affiliates.

Mr Musyoka met Mr Odinga last week, an escalation of the Nasa affiliates' demand for a share of ODM funds.

"The registrar has been on record saying she uses the results of the repeat presidential elections, resulting in skewed allocation where you see Jubilee receiving as much as three times what comes to ODM," Mr Sifuna said.

"We believe the registrar is wrong to apply results of an election other than a General Election and [have asked our partners to] help us go to the Supreme Court to make a finding on that. They have not."

Other elective posts

In the annulled August 2017 poll, Mr Odinga got 6,822,812 (44 percent) against President Kenyatta's 8,223,369 votes (54 percent).

In the repeat election in October the same year, President Kenyatta got 7,483,895 votes, or 98.26 percent, while Mr Odinga was registered as having garnered 73,228 (0.96 percent).

Ms Nderitu's position means ODM does not get funding based on the August 8 presidential votes, with their impressive 6.8 million votes in the annulled poll, which would have assured them of millions in their accounts.

But the Nasa parties argue that ODM was being economical with the truth and failed to consider the part of the Nasa agreement that required sharing based on the other seats, even without the presidential vote share.

"When a coalition partner fails to meet the funding threshold under the Political Parties Fund, the sharing formula will take into account the party's contribution to the coalition strength in Parliament and to the qualifying party's share of the fund," states the coalition's 2017 agreement 1 (e) on the sharing of funds.

But Mr Sifuna insists this section, while true, was only based on the precursor that there had to be joint nominations in the different seats, with a single coalition candidate, a proposal opposed by the affiliate parties who went against each other in the different seats, only choosing to back one candidate for the presidency.

In a past interview on the matter, Mr Sifuna told Nation: "Our former partners cannot be entitled to monies due to ODM on account of the votes received by the party's other candidates, governors, MPs and MCAs, for the simple reason that they did not campaign for those candidates and in fact fielded opponents against them"

What the law says

In the current law, parties are required to have at least three percent of the total votes in a preceding General Election to qualify, a tall order only met by Jubilee and ODM.

The law also requires parties to have at least three elected governors, 20 members of the National Assembly, three of the 47 senators, and at least 40 members of county assembly.

This caveat means that otherwise big national parties like Wiper, ANC, Kanu of Baringo senator Gideon Moi, Ford Kenya and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua's Maendeleo Chap Chap -- which are players in the national politics -- do not qualify for state funding.

"How do you explain a formula that only benefits two parties? The funding should ensure we build a strong multi-party democracy, based on the number of votes each party gets, a token to hard work next time, while having funds to run and manage the party," said Ms Jane Njiru, the vice chair of the PPLC women caucus, representing Ford-Asili.

PPLC has now demanded a review of the formula for sharing funds that will see 75 percent of the monies shared among all parties according to votes garnered in the last election, with 15 percent shared equally among registered parties that participated in the poll.

The caveat is that such parties should have at least one elected member at county or national level, the PPLC group has proposed in far-reaching recommendations.

Ten percent, they said, should be shared equally between the Registrar of Political Parties as well as the PPLC to manage the funds.

Fringe parties

The push by the non-qualifying parties, which had been quashed before, means at least 69 parties that have at least one elected leader in Kenya might soon get the funding.

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Though small, fringe parties, they cannot be ignored, they said.

The 69 political parties outside the Big Five occupy 88 of the 290 elected MPs seats, and 529 of the 1,450 elected members of the county assemblies (MCAs), PPLC said.

And with the requirement that each party has at least 24,000 unique members in the country -- most taking the minimum as 30,000 -- before registration, it means the 69 parties then have a membership base of more than 2.1 million, at least.

Jubilee retreats to discuss humiliating Kiambaa loss

Treasury is required to provide at least 0.3 per cent of the revenue collected by the national government, as audited and approved by the National Assembly, be allocated to the Political Parties Fund.

Among the qualifying parties, the fund is divided 80 percent proportionately based on the total number of votes in the last election and 15 percent based on the number of candidates of the party from special interest groups.

Five percent goes to the Registrar of Political Parties to administer the fund.

In the 2019/20 financial year, for example, Jubilee got Sh564.2 million and ODM Sh363.5 million of the Sh871.2 million allocated for the year.

In the current financial year ending this month, Sh795.2million was allocated to the fund, with Jubilee bagging Sh515 million and ODM Sh240.5 million.
The government has been urged to speedily appoint a management board to deal with emerging issues at troubled Nzoia Sugar Company.

Former board chairman, Joash Wamang'oli, has also faulted the government for the slow progress of revamping the company following the disbandment of the board.

Mr Wamangoli however expressed hope that President Uhuru Kenyatta will soon issue a directive for the reinstatement of the board.

"Nzoia Sugar Company will soon be back on its feet since you all know that state has brought on board auditors to establish what has been ailing the company," Wamang'oli said earlier in the week at Korotomi village, Misikhu ward in Webuye East Sub County.

"It is now clear that my board was doing so much for the good of the factory. Let leaders at the county assembly enact laws that will help cane farmers," he added.

Wamang'oli made the remarks at the funeral of Mzee Aineah Nambafu Nandasaba, the father of Kephar Nambafu, who is Trans-Nzoia CEC for roads.

The company's board was disbanded last year in July by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya to pave way for the lease of the company to strategic partners.

Financial impropriety

The suspended board comprised Wamang'oli (chairman), Michael Wanjala (managing director), Hillary Chongwony (director), Tom Ipomai (director), Karen Kandie (director), Anne Omodho (director) and Mary Makokha.

Others were Richard Njoba, (director) Zakayo Magara, (director) Stephen Kisaka, (director) Patrick Musumba (director) and Stephen Ikiiki (director).

Following the board's disbandment, the government called for bids from interested investors to run the company and return it to profitability.

The investor was also expected to clear accrued debts owed to cane farmers and lenders.

Then last month, Mr Munya suspended the company's Managing Director Michael Wanjala to facilitate investigations into his alleged involvement in financial impropriety at the company, including nonpayment of farmers' arrears amounting to more than Sh700 million.

Wanjala, who until his suspension had been running the company for a year without the board of directors, was also accused of withholding staff salaries amounting to Sh2billion.

Protesting cane farmers

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Employment Court Judge Onesmus Makau stayed the decision by the CS to send Wanjala home pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

Justice Makau certified the matter as urgent and ruled that the stay order will be effective for 21 days.

But while echoing the sentiments of former board chairman, Misikhu Ward MCA Milly Masongo appealed to President Kenyatta to appoint a board of management now that the Managing Director has been suspended.

Ms Masungo said that problems bedeviling the company have been worsened by the absence of a board.

"It's very important to have a board in place for accountability and sound management. The current situation has greatly jeopardized the livelihoods of the more than six million families that depend on the factory. Until we have a board in place, nothing will salvage this company," she said.

On June 24, employees of the company and farmers blocked Mr Wanjala from accessing the company premises even though a court had temporally overturned his suspension.

A fortnight ago, operations at the company were disrupted by protesting cane farmers.
A map showing the provinces of Ituri, top, and North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Geneva  The U.N. refugee agency says a series of attacks by armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has forced nearly 20,000 civilians to flee for their lives.

More than 100 armed groups, such as the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces, have been terrorizing communities in the eastern DRC for decades.

On May 6, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi launched a state of emergency in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. Following that declaration, peoples' hopes were raised that violence would end and law and order would be established in the region.

However, U.N. refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch says armed groups are continuing to devastate civilian lives. He says there is little military presence in the area to protect people from the relentless attacks.

"Where civilians are on their own, then the armed groups get a chance to make a comeback and attack civilian lives," said Baloch. "And that is why they have been going from town to town, villages to villages killing people, burning their houses, looting the houses, injuring the people as well.

The UNHCR says the Allied Democratic Forces have allegedly killed at least 14 people and injured many others around the city of Beni since June 22. Last year, the ADF reportedly killed 500 civilians in eastern DRC.

Over the past two years, nearly two million people in North Kivu province alone have been uprooted by insecurity and violence, according to the U.N.

In the aftermath of the current crisis, Baloch says the UNHCR and partners are helping local authorities register forcibly displaced families and respond to their needs.

"More than 100,000 people were assisted with emergency shelters in 2020 and almost 14,000 so far in 2021," said Baloch. "But needs remain high as attacks by armed groups continue to displace people in the province, with many forced to flee multiple times."

Baloch says women and children are particularly vulnerable and are being provided with shelter, relief items and cash. He says his agency's resources are overstretched as the international community has not responded well to its appeal. He says UNHCR's $205 million appeal to run its DRC operations this year is only 36 percent funded.
Geneva  The World Meteorological Organization is calling for action to halt climate change as extreme weather becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Heavy rainfall this week has triggered devastating floods across western Europe, killing and injuring scores of people, destroying homes and livelihoods. At the same time, parts of Scandinavia -- northern Europe's coldest region -- are enduring scorching temperatures.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute says Finland had its warmest June on record, which has extended into July. Southern Finland it notes has had 27 consecutive days with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius. By Finland's normally frigid temperatures, that qualifies as a heatwave.

The western U.S. and Canada also have been gripped by heat, with many records broken in states of Nevada and Utah. Last August, Death Valley, California reached a temperature of 54.4 degrees Celsius, the world's highest temperature record. But meteorologists believe Death Valley may have equaled that record a week ago on July 9.

The spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, Clare Nullis, says the heatwave in the western U.S. has led to megadrought conditions and numerous wildfires.

"The heatwave that we saw in parts of the U.S. and Canada at the end of June... This heatwave would have been virtually impossible without the influence of human-caused climate change," said Nullis. "Climate change, caused by greenhouse gas emissions, made the heatwave at least 150 times more likely."

Nullis says climate change already is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. She adds many single events have been shown to have been made worse by global warming.

"We need to step up climate action," said Nullis. "We need to step up the level of ambition. We are not doing really enough to stay within the targets of the Paris agreement and keep temperatures below two degrees Celsius, even 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century."

The spokeswoman's call echoes that of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who is urging all countries to do more to avoid a climate catastrophe linked to rising carbon dioxide emissions and temperatures.
(Updated July 16, 2021 06:47 PM) Ethiopia's media regulator on Thursday revoked the license of the Addis Standard's publisher, forcing the monthly magazine and news website to cease operations immediately.

The outlet's publisher, JAKENN Publishing, said in a statement that the Ethiopian Media Authority did not explain why it temporarily revoked the Addis Ababa media company's license.

The regulator called the Addis Standard around noon Thursday and requested that an employee bring the license to an impromptu meeting, an Ethiopia-based journalist with knowledge of the situation told VOA. The journalist requested anonymity over security concerns.

At the meeting, the regulator took back the license but did not provide written documentation about the suspension, the journalist said.

A statement from the EMA said the license was revoked over complaints that it was being used to "advance the terrorist group's agency," including by "legitimizing a terrorist group as a 'Defense Force.'"

That group is likely the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which Addis Ababa has officially designated a terrorist organization and has been battling in Ethiopia's north since November, Reuters reported.

The TPLF is a former member of the coalition that ruled Ethiopia for more than 30 years. In May, Ethiopia designated the group a terrorist organization.

The suspension came two weeks after police in the capital arrested about 20 journalists and staff from the independent broadcaster Awlo Media Center and YouTube-based broadcaster Ethio-Forum.

'A way to silence the journalists'

The arrests, which took place between June 30 and July 2, are likely connected to coverage of Ethiopia's government, including reporting on the conflict in Tigray, press freedom analysts and a journalist told VOA.

"They're all labeled as being very close, politically speaking, to the TPLF, the ruling party in the Tigray region. But this is just a way to silence the journalists who dare to report about it," said Arnaud Froger, who covers sub-Saharan Africa for media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

Three of those detained were released on July 6, according to the independent Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. The others remain in custody but have not been formally charged or given the right to be visited by their lawyers and families, both of which are violations of Ethiopian due process, the commission said in a statement.

#Ethiopia: Detention of Ethio-Forum and @AwloMedia journalists and staff should follow due process; detainees should be released immediately if court order not produced #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/CIm5pIXVQc --- Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (@EthioHRC) July 11, 2021

Ethiopia's embassy in Washington did not respond to VOA's emails requesting further details and comment.

Fighting in Tigray has dominated regional news coverage since Ethiopia's federal government launched a military offensive against the TPLF in November. On June 28, federal forces withdrew from the regional capital, Mekelle, and Tigrayan forces reclaimed it.

The United Nations office on human rights earlier this year warned that "serious violations of international law, possibly amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, may have been committed by multiple actors in the conflict," including Ethiopia's army, Tigrayan forces, Eritrea's military and Amhara regional militia.

On Monday, the European Union's foreign policy chief said the EU should consider enacting sanctions against Ethiopia.

Media obstacles

When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, it appeared that Ethiopia would shake off its reputation as having a repressive media environment. Imprisoned journalists were freed and bans on several news outlets lifted.

But since 2016, conditions for journalists have worsened in the face of new political challenges, said CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo.

"Since the conflict in Tigray started, we have definitely seen an intensification and increasing frequency and variety of attacks against journalists," Mumo told VOA.

The press freedom advocate cited physical attacks, barriers to access and telecommunications blackouts among the obstacles, but added that these issues were not exclusively tied to the conflict in Tigray.

Independent photographer Finbarr O'Reilly, who was in Mekelle on assignment for The New York Times when federal forces withdrew, said reporting on Tigray had challenges.

While O'Reilly and the reporter he was working with didn't have much trouble entering Tigray once they were in Ethiopia, an internet and telecommunications blackout in late June made it harder to file materials.

Tigrayans generally consider the media to be a helpful presence, O'Reilly said, but the government side does not.

"We were fortunate that we had access, but of course we had to take our own security seriously, at every step of the way," O'Reilly said. "Where do you go? Who's in control? Are you going to run into Eritrean forces, who are accused of some of the most brutal, wanton acts of violence? Are you going to run into recently defeated remnants of Ethiopian forces, who will take out their frustration and anger upon you?"

O'Reilly said he was subjected to a disinformation campaign after he left Ethiopia.

"The campaign to discredit the reporting that we've done and call it propaganda -- the barrage of trolling and online abuse that we've received on social media, Instagram, Twitter, and so on from supporters of Ethiopian government -- is pretty intense," he said.

The journalist said he did not receive threats or harassment from Tigrayan supporters.

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O'Reilly said the prime minister's personal spokesperson even directly contacted him to express her displeasure with what she considered to be propaganda.

Fear of retaliation

The unidentified journalist who spoke with VOA said that they try to avoid reporting on Tigray or other sensitive issues like a border dispute with Sudan for fear of government retaliation.

The journalist said an official from Ethiopia's broadcast authority called earlier this year to criticize an article and to say that the consequences would be severe if the journalist continued to report on such topics.

Officials have also contacted the journalist asking for headlines and wording in articles to be changed, and accusing them of writing stories "with the intention of tarnishing the name of the country" on the international stage, the journalist said.

But the most recent call reached a new level.

"After that warning from the regulatory body, I am very careful in the stories I'm working on," the journalist said, adding that self-censorship is common among peers.

Media arrests are also viewed by the press community as cause for concern, the journalist said, adding that they still try to report in the hopes that they can contribute in even a small way to improving Ethiopia's democratic system.

"Yes, I have a fear," the journalist said. "But what can I do?"
The album "Hokoyo" was still going strong when Mukudzei Mukombe, popularly known as Jah Prayzah, decided to release a 16 -track album "Gwara" early this month.

Arguments will rage on about the timing of the release, but there is no doubt that "Gwara" has already found favour with his legions of fans, with some songs attaining anthemic status, barely weeks after hitting the streets.

A section of his fans who had grown accustomed to fast paced beat in most of his song, might find the album moribund and slow from the usual pulsating beat.

However, most of his music fans are revelling in "Gwara", which is a cohesive, inspirational and soulful project that consolidates the musical journey Jah Prayzah has walked through to date.

Already a topical discussion among his fans, critics and perennial over-the fence audience, "Gwara" is a well sequenced solid musical project, which is a clear exhibition of the musician's lyrical finesse and his grip on fusing modern and traditional instruments, without losing the message.

"Gwara", Jah Prayzah's 11th album, centres on distinct themes that have carried his work for more than a decade - love, spirituality, social issues, love and celebration of life.

The album blends various music genres, contemporary beat, rhumba flair and his traditional beat, where he fuses mbira with modern instruments.

Unlike his previous album, "Hokoyo", in "Gwara", Jah Prayzah might have wanted his music to have presence, to seep into what is happening, and be able to be listened to as timeless artwork, interesting in itself and worthy of attention.

This probably explains why he came out with a sequel of four songs-dubbed "Nhoroondo". A set of four narrative and sentimental tracks accompanied with videos, the tracks are slow, meditative, but striking to the core, societal challenges that include poverty, inheritance issues, which confronts the nation daily.

The album starts with the track "Bvumbamirai", where the crooner calls for spiritual guidance, as he sojourns to look for earthly riches, which are proving to be elusive.

The follow up track, "Takarasima", is a love ballad, where a man persuades his lover to leave her family and go yonder, in anticipation of a better life, with promises to love each other till death.

"Murder", the third track is a club banger likely to find favour with party goers, who over the years have endeared themselves with the crooner.

Featuring a number of familiar faces, Van Choga and DJ Fantan, the song is not lyrically-rich, but it's a track that will get everyone on the dance floor, at any given time. It is likely to be popular with music fans that to this day, still dance to "Eriza", "Donhodzo", "Chinamire" and "Porovhoka".

Never the one to be shy away from love, Jah Prayzah reinforces the importance of love when he tells a story of a beautiful lady, whom he yearns for in the song, "Nyeredzi". Hinged on powerful love lyrics in "Nyeredzi", the crooner proves that he is adept at projecting both sides of an emotion. One minute, his heart is wrenching apart and enveloped in emotion in the adulating "Ndodzungaira", and the next minute he is glossing over a girl he yearns for in "Nyeredzi", - the first part of the four song- sequel that include "Chimwe neChimwe" and "Ndichiyamwa" - a beautiful narrative that projectS a beautiful love song, but sadly ends tragically.

On the same album is the track "Ndodzungaira", a touching and soulful song, in which a son IS remorseful for the wrong that he could have done to his mother, amid a flurry of misfortune stalking his life.

It is the kind of song most people can relate on a personal level, and is not surprising that up beat tune is already a hit on various platforms.

Although in the traditionally themed tracks, "Mhondoro", "Tauchira" and to some extent "Mhaka" share a similar message of spirituality and reaching out to one's ancestors, the melodies they carry are unique to each other. In "Mhondoro", the raspy voice of Jah Prayzah and his backing vocalist are fused with modern and traditional instruments to create a powerful song. Most of its lyrics were derived from a folktale song.

One of Jah Prayzah's major strengths is visuals, where he strengthens interpretation of lyrics with powerful images and visuals.

The release of four videos, entwined with the same storyline reveals a kind of simplicity, yet a powerful soundscape he paints with powerful lyrics.

The track "Humhandara" is a slower, cohesive tempo than other tempos that Jah Prayzah's fans had grown accustomed to. Laid back, as it is, however the didactic message is not lost in translation as a mother reminds the girl child on the importance of self-preservation. In the absence of a hyper-beat, the message comes well, less intimidating as he reflects on the ideal virtues of a girl, who should wait for her time to blossom.

His choice of words, displays unbridled affection and admiration for women, and his desire to see them prosper. A good listen to "Humhandara" shows that Jah Prayzah is tapping into the possibility of holding solo performances'.

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The tempo picks on the "Mbwende", a truly inspiring track that celebrates the prowess of hunters of repute, who still go out and gather for the family despite of the rugged terrain. Using strong Shona metaphors, intertwined with street lingo, Jah Prayzah, celebrates hard work, while taking a dig at people who expect to get a soft landing in most situations. Listening to the lyrics, one gets the impression that "Wagwizi" is also celebrating his own achievements, the same thread that is clearly articulated in the track "Asante Sana"

"Isu tiri majita, toshandira kuguta. Vanoshandira kuputa, haa humbwende"

Boi Boi, though yet another love ballad, is a strong dance floor bounce, very danceable track and suits all occasions, without taking away the love message from a love-struck lad who wishes to spend time with a girl of his dreams.

Other tracks on the album include "Tauchira", "Chigaro Cheushe", "Gone" and the title tarck "Gwara".

"Gwara" exhibits excellent artwork, and is proof of Jah Prayzah's evolution from being a local contemporary musician to an international musical connoisseur, who can fuse many genres and still retains his original beat.
Ethiopia's media regulator is warning foreign news outlets that publishing specific references that it says mischaracterize the country's war-torn northern Tigray region will be met with legal consequences.

"In reviewing and monitoring the news reports, the Ethiopian Media Authority [EMA] has found that some foreign media are repeatedly characterizing [the Tigray People's Liberation Front - TPLF] as a national army by calling it the Tigray Defense Force or TDF," said an official statement issued on agency letterhead Friday that was sent to VOA.

An earlier warning had been sent to at least two foreign media outlets.

The statement sent to VOA, signed by agency chief Yonatan Tesfaye Regassa, comes one day after the EMA revoked the license of the Addis Standard's publisher, accusing the monthly magazine and news website of advancing the agenda of a "terrorist group," without providing more specifics.

That "terrorist group" was thought to be the TPLF, which Addis Ababa has been battling in Ethiopia's north since November, Reuters has reported. The TPLF is a former member of the coalition that ruled Ethiopia for more than 30 years. In May, Ethiopia designated the group a terrorist organization.

EMA officials on Thursday said they revoked the license over complaints that the Addis Standard was advancing "the terrorist group's agency," including by "legitimizing a terrorist group as a 'Defense Force.'" The suspension drew outrage from global press freedom watchdogs, who've accused the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of taking an increasingly hard line against domestic news outlets covering the conflict.

'A grave violation of Ethiopian law'

Friday's warning directed at foreign outlets appeared to escalate TPLF coverage restrictions.

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"Bearing in mind that Tigray is one of the federation units of Ethiopia that cannot have a force with that nomenclature [such as 'Defense Force'] and as the country's parliament has labeled TPLF a terrorist organization, the [EMA hereby] informs that use of such terminology violates Ethiopia's territorial integrity, national interest and security," Friday's statement said.

Warning all foreign media against "using such characterization," the statement said, "further use of the same terminology by any foreign media will be a grave violation of Ethiopian law, which will lead to stringent measures."

When Prime Minister Ahmed came to power in 2018, it appeared that Ethiopia would shake off its reputation as having a repressive media environment, but conditions for journalists have worsened in the face of new political challenges, according to reports by multiple press freedom advocates.

Friday's new coverage guidelines for the Tigray conflict come two weeks after police in the capital arrested about 20 journalists and staff from the independent broadcaster Awlo Media Center and YouTube-based broadcaster Ethio-Forum, both of which have been critical of the government.

The state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission on Sunday said federal police had since released three of the journalists.
Rural Aid Kenya, a non-governmental organisation, will from next year educate 30 children from Mukuru slum in Landi Mawe Ward, Nairobi County.

The NGO has grouped the learners into three, according to their fee structures.

"[The beneficiaries] include learners who got more than 300 marks in KCPE exams, those who scored less than 300 marks and others who wrote their KCSE exams and want to pursue various courses," project manager Mary Nzilani Odhiambo said.

Ms Odhiambo made the announcement during the children's registration at Salvation Army's Kayaba Corps at the weekend.

"Our aim is to fund the education of children from the slums in Nairobi County" she told the meeting that MCA Herman Azangu and parents from the ward in Starehe also attended, noting, however, that the organisation has also sponsored learners from other parts of the country.

Key challenges

The MCA thanked Rural Aid Kenya for the support, noting there are many bright and talented children in Mukuru.

The main challenge when it comes to their education is lack of money, which is pushing higher the poverty index attributed to unemployment.

The situation was compounded by job cuts due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was confirmed in Kenya in March 2020.

Schools were closed for more than 10 months across the country as part of efforts to contain the virus.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, many people opted to move from informal settlements in urban areas to their rural homes to start life afresh.

The legislator asked the government to address poverty and youth unemployment for the sake of posterity.

He said youths in the area loiter for lack of jobs yet it is located within Nairobi's Industrial Area, which he described as the capital's hub.

"My ward is situated in the middle of Industrial Area yet my people have no jobs. The government should address the issue of joblessness," he said.
The Liberian government has mounted a rescue operation for scores of people feared missing following the sinking of a cargo ship off the coast of the capital, Monrovia.

Authorities say the ship which was heading for the central port city of Buchanan was officially carrying 18 people, as indicated by its manifest, but they suspect that the number of passengers could have been higher.

"We are commissioning an investigation into how a vessel that was detained for failure to meet rudimentary safety requirements managed to get on the sea with passengers and cargo," Eugene Nagbe, commissioner of the Maritime Authority, told reporters at a press conference on Sunday morning.

According to Mr Nagbe, the ship had been declared unseaworthy.

Among those listed in the manifest are its Swedish captain, a Chinese crew member and nine members of the regional West African Examination Council.

The Liberian-registered Niko Ivanka reportedly left Monrovia on Saturday morning only to send out a distress signal later in the afternoon to the Liberian coast guard, about overflowing water.

Mr Nagbe told reporters that before help arrived, the ship had partially sunk.

He noted that search and rescue operations were ongoing for the missing people after 11 were pulled out of the water.

Teams from Liberia's coast guard, aided by a ship from the anti-whaling organisation known as Sea Shepherd, are searching nearby shores and riverbanks for people or bodies, he said.

Mr Nagbe added that the government would investigate the incident , noting that the ship was not even licensed to carry passengers.
Abuja  Almost a month after more than 148 pupils in Nigeria's Niger State were abducted, the criminals have refused to free them despite collecting a ransom of $40,000 (N20 million).

The pupils of of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, between the ages of 10 and 14, were abducted by bandits in the north central state on June, 29.

One person was killed during the raid on the school while another was seriously injured.

Eleven of the children who were too young to take part in a long walk with the gunmen, forcing their release.

The attackers may have been irked by the enactment of a new law in the State, which prescribes the death penalty for kidnappers, bandits and their informants.

The bandits initially demanded $60,000 (N30 million) last week but parents were able to raise $40,000 (N20 million), which they collected but refused to release the children.

"We gave them the [amount] only for them to say we only gave them money for recharge cards. Three days after, they refused to release our children," a parent said on July 17.

Authorities say the bandits' position is aimed at causing the government to rescind its stand against payment of ransom to them as well as the new law.

Governor Sani Bello of Niger State on July 16 signed the Special Provisions of the Law against Kidnapping and Cattle Rustling (2016), which was amended to provide for punishment by hanging for informants and those who aid and abet kidnapping and cattle rustling.

The governor also signed the Vigilante Amendment Law meant to invigorate and strengthen the state vigilante corps for better operational efficiency.

Bello said informants who help kidnappers will now face death by hanging in public.

According to him, the punitive measure is necessary in view of the security challenges that have continued to threaten peace in the state in particular and the country in general.
The electoral agency Sunday refuted claims that hackers infiltrated its servers and obtained the personal details of at least 61,000 registered voters.

Earlier, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said it had arrested a 21-year-old fraud suspect said to have hacked into the servers of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The suspect, identified by the DCI only as Kiprop, is said to be the brains behind a high tech mobile phone scam syndicate that has been stealing millions of shillings from M-Pesa agents across the country.

In a statement on Sunday, however, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said these reports were not factual.

Mr Chebukati explained that the register of voters is kept in a Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system, which he said has never been tampered with since it was installed eight years ago.

According to Mr Chebukati, the BVR system was designed to have its own isolated network making it difficult for hackers to infiltrate it.

"Since installation and commissioning of the system eight years ago, the BVR system that hosts the register of voters used during elections has never been hacked because the servers are not connected to the open internet," the statement said.

"In addition, the rest of the commission's entire internal network is behind a high security firewall system."

Agency pledges action after complaints over political parties 'data breach'

Possible sources

Mr Chebukati said the data in question could have been obtained from entities that acquired it through legitimate means.

The Constitution allows the IEBC to give part of the register of voters - for specific electoral areas - at a fee.

"The commission services numerous requests by various entities requiring the register of voters for specific electoral areas. These requests are serviced upon payment of certain fees and in accordance with privacy laws requiring personally identifiable information to be kept confidential.

In 2019, the Orange Democratic Movement paid Sh15,000 for the register for Kibra Constituency, Nairobi, during a by-election that followed the death of MP Ken Okoth.

The IEBC chair said: "What is currently being reported in the media is not data obtained through hacking of the BVR system but possibly from entities that may have legitimately obtained it from the commission through formal requests and upon payment of requisite fees."

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DCI's report

The DCI claimed Kiprop gained access to IEBC's database and stole the personal details of 61,617 registered voters from a county in western Kenya.

The data found in his possession contains names of registered voters, their ID numbers and dates of birth.

According to DCI boss George Kinoti, fraudsters contact different wireless carriers and convince the customer service agents that they are the true owners of the lines.

Upon successful sim swapping, the suspect is granted full access to the victim's online accounts.

Kiprop, believed to have previously worked for one of Kenya's mobile phone networks, was arrested on Friday morning and a gunny bag full of Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom sim cards seized.

The suspect was arrested in Juja by sleuths from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, supported by Safaricom's fraud investigations team and security officers from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Nigeria may have lost out on a multi-billion dollar oil pipeline contract following the decision of Chinese investor to move the project to neighbouring Niger Republic after it reportedly first tried to site it in Africa's most populous country.

The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), now known as China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd. (CPP), has commenced works on the construction of a 1,980km, 20-inch-diameter pipeline that will carry crude from the Agadem Rift Basin (ARB) fields in Niger Republic to the Republic of Benin's Atlantic oil terminal in Seme-Krake port.

The pipeline construction which, according to partners, had been held up for months by the coronavirus pandemic is eexpected to increase Niger's oil production from the current 20,000 barrels a day to 120,000 barrels a day after the completion of the pipeline in 2024.

Known as the Niger-Benin Export Pipeline (NBEP), the pipeline, valued at $7 billion, which was launched by the Niger and Benin governments last month, will run from Agadem in Niger to the Republic of Benin.

There are strong indications that Nigeria has lost out on the huge economic gains that would have accrued to the country and its teeming citizens from the multi-billion dollar crude oil pipeline with the government of Niger Republic and the Chinese government.

LEADERSHIP Sunday findings revealed that the crude oil export pipeline project, which is now planned to run from Niger Republic to Port Seme on the Atlantic coast in Benin, was originally planned with the Nigerian government.

Sources familiar with the transaction revealed that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) now known as China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co., Ltd. (CPP) has been trying since 2006 to build a pipeline linking oil fields in Niger to the coast.

According to sources, outcry by some Nigerians about the pipeline project may have led to the decision by the government of Nigeria to decline the deal with China.

The pipeline would enable the transportation of all the proven crude reserves in Niger for export in order to earn foreign exchange for the Niger government and the promoters.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that the CNPC had in 2006 offered $102 million at the auction organised by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) to privatise the Kaduna Refinery, but Nigeria declined.

The source revealed that the CNCP had planned to buy the Kaduna Refinery, rehabilitate it and then construct a pipeline for Niger Republic to supply crude oil for refining to the refinery.

After the failure to secure the plan with Nigeria, the CNCP was said to have moved on to plan the Niger-Chad Oil Pipeline, which would have connected Chad with the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline, but that plan was abandoned, reportedly because of a 'poor experience with Chadian authorities.

The official explanation given for the project's cancellation was concerns about attacks by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad area.

After that plan began to unravel, CNPC pursued an alternative plan to route a pipeline to the coast through Benin.

In January 2019, Niger Republic's minister of petroleum resources and Benin's minister of water and mines signed a bilateral agreement for the construction of the pipeline, and later in August the CNPC signed a contract with the government of Benin to build and operate the Niger-Benin pipeline.

The 1,982-km, $7 billion pipeline would start from the Agadem oil field in Niger, connect with the CNPC-built refinery at Zinder, Niger, and end at the port of Seme Terminal in Benin, allowing CNPC to export Nigerien oil.

In September 2019, CNPC signed a transportation convention with the two governments and began construction, with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou laying the first stone and giving the project a full-throated endorsement.

In February 2020, CNPC suspended all construction work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With coronavirus affliction raging in China, CNPC was unable to transfer employees from China, and was worried about the disease spreading among construction workers.

In October 2020, it was reported that CNPC had started detailed designing of the pipeline, and that a consortium of CNPC-related companies had completed the engineering of the onshore section of the project, including 675 kilometres that will run through Benin and 1,275 kilometres through Niger.

Experts believe Nigeria would have benefited immensely from the transaction if it had gone through in the country, in terms of easier access to premium motor spirit for use in the country, as well as the huge opportunity for employment for the nation's teeming youths. All these benefits will now go to Benin Republic

In his reaction, Adigun Ademola, oil policy analyst with the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (FOSTER), said it is a huge loss to the country that has a huge infrastructure gap in the oil and gas industry.

Ademola said, however, that Nigeria may have rejected the deal due to unfavourable contractual terms; nevertheless, the project would have offered great opportunity to optimise industry operations and opportunities.

Another respondent who would not want to be named said the government may be cautiously disengaging itself from huge financial indebtedness to China.

The source curiously linked Nigeria's rejection of the deal to the current delay by Chinese lenders from releasing critical funds for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline completion.

It was learnt that the federal government is seeking a $1 billion loan so that work can continue on the gas pipeline that will cost up to $2.8 billion after Chinese lenders, which had pledged to offer most of the funds,p did not disburse cash as quickly as expected.

It is the latest sign of falling Chinese financial support for infrastructure projects across Africa, after years of major Chinese lending for railway, energy and other projects.

A spokesman for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which is building the 614-km (384-mile) Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, said it was still negotiating with the Chinese lenders - Bank of China and Sinosure - to cover $1.8 billion of the project cost.

"There's no cause for alarm," the spokesman said, without saying whether NNPC was turning to other lenders.

But the three sources told Reuters that the company was now approaching others, including export-import institutions, to continue work on the pipeline that will run through the middle of the country to its northern economic hub, Kano.

Chinese lenders had originally been lined up to fund the bulk of the estimated $2.5 billion to $2.8 billion cost of the project, which is central to President Muhammadu Buhari's plan to develop gas resources and boost development in northern Nigeria.

NNPC, which was funding 15 per cent, said last year it had used its own funds to start construction. The sources said the Chinese lenders would not agree to disburse the cash NNPC had expected by the end of the summer, prompting it to turn to other sources.

"They are looking at Nigeria as one loan, and right now they feel they are too exposed," one source said.

Bank of China said it would not comment on specific deals. Sinosure did not respond to a request for comment.

The Nigerian ministries of Transportation, Finance And Petroleum also did not reply to requests for comment.

Chinese bank lending to African infrastructure projects has fallen across the continent, from $11 billion in 2017 to $3.3 billion in 2020, a Baker McKenzie report said in April.

With the continent facing an estimated annual $100 billion infrastructure deficit, the loss of Chinese funding leaves a big gap to fill.

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Nigeria began building the AKK pipeline in June 2020, saying it would help generate 3.6 gigawatts of power and support gas-based industries along the route. The project was to be funded under a debt-equity financing model, backed by sovereign guarantee and repaid through the pipeline transmission tariff.

NNPC awarded engineering and construction work along three sections of the pipeline to Oando, OilServe, China First Highway Engineering Company, Brentex Petroleum Services and China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau.

Transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi said earlier this month that Nigeria was negotiating a mix of loans from Chinese and European Lenders to fund railway projects, after media reports said it had initially planned to rely primarily on Chinese banks.

The former president, National Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Ade Olopoenia, said Nigeria was supposed to be a port of destination for landlocked countries like Chad and Niger Republic but inefficiency on our part has cost us that status.

Olopoenia in a chat with LEADERSHIP Sunday said there may be an agreement between Nigeria and Niger Republic but there will be a clause that will help end the pact if certain conditions are not met.

He said, "It is as a result of what is happening in Nigeria ports that has made Benin Republic to be receiving Nigerian cargoes because of its efficiency and its lower tariff plans. They will prefer to spend less and enjoy more in Benin Republic than to come to Nigerian Port to export crude and pay more."

He also said since Nigerian pipelines are not safe from vandalisation, Niger Republic may be skeptical about using our port for export.

"Nigeria-owned pipelines are not safe from vandalism. Products are being vandalised and this leads to malfunctioning of the pipelines. That may be another fear. Due to insecurity, they may be scared of investing heavily in Nigeria. So, they needed a safe place to export their crude and if they can't find it in Nigeria, they will look for another option," he said.
Abuja  The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the federal government is seeking $1 billion to continue work on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, a key project costing about $2.8 billion, after Chinese lenders, which had pledged to offer most of the funds, failed to disburse cash as quickly as expected, three sources privy to the matter told Reuters.

According to the report, it is the latest sign of falling Chinese financial support for infrastructure projects across Africa, after years of major Chinese lending for railway, energy, and other projects.

A spokesman for state oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which is building the 614-kilometre (384-mile) pipeline, said it was still negotiating with the Chinese lenders - Bank of China and Sinosure - to cover $1.8 billion of the project cost.

"There's no cause for alarm," the spokesman said, without saying whether NNPC was turning to other lenders.

But the three sources told Reuters that the company had begun to approach others, including export-import institutions, to continue work on the pipeline that would run through the middle of the West African country to its northern economic hub, Kano.

Chinese lenders had originally been lined up to fund the bulk of the estimated $2.5 billion to $2.8 billion cost of the project, which is central to President Muhammadu Buhari's plan to develop gas resources and boost development in northern Nigeria.

NNPC, which was funding 15 per cent of the project, said last year it had used its own funds to start construction. The sources said the Chinese lenders would not agree to disburse the cash NNPC had expected by the end of the summer, prompting it to turn to others.

"They are looking at Nigeria as one loan, and right now, they feel they are too exposed," one of thesources said.

Bank of China said it would not comment on specific deals, even as Sinosure did not respond to a request for comment, the newswire claimed.

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The Nigerian ministries of transport, finance and petroleum also did not reply to requests for comment.

Chinese bank lending to African infrastructure projects has fallen across the continent, from $11 billion in 2017 to $3.3 billion in 2020, a Baker McKenzie report said in April.

With the continent facing an estimated annual $100 billion infrastructure investment deficit, the loss of Chinese funding leaves a big gap to fill.

Nigeria began building the AKK pipeline in June 2020, saying it would help generate 3.6 gigawatts of power and support gas-based industries along the route.

The project was to be funded under a debt-equity financing model, backed by sovereign guarantee and repaid through the pipeline transmission tariff.

NNPC awarded engineering and construction work along three sections of the pipeline to Oando, OilServe, China First Highway Engineering Company, Brentex Petroleum Services, and China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau.

Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, said this month that Nigeria was negotiating a mix of loans from Chinese and European lenders to fund railway projects, after media reports said it had initially planned to rely primarily on Chinese banks.
The presidency accused Mr Kukah of spreading falsehood with the intent to discredit the administration.

The presidency has attacked an influential Catholic cleric, Matthew Kukah, over his recent address to the U.S. Congress.

The presidency accused the cleric of spreading falsehood with the intent to discredit the administration.

Mr Kukah had in a virtual appearance before the American lawmakers criticised President Muhammadu Buhari's handling of the security situation in Nigeria. He also alleged that President Buhari was nepotistic in key appointments and favoured Muslims over Christians.

"The whole of the North is being invaded by armed bandits that are launching attacks at will. The President has shown nepotism in his appointments as he is appointing only people that share the same religion with him into key political offices like the security Chiefs," Daily Post newspaper reported the Catholic bishop as saying.

"For the first time in Nigeria, the first three persons: the President, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representative are all Muslims.

"This has never happened before. So, we require practical and measuring assistance that can help us and our children."

In its reaction, the presidency in a statement by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said Mr Kukah was doing his "best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians."

In the statement released Sunday, Mr Shehu accused Mr Kukah of falsehood, saying attacks by armed men stand condemned but are not targeted at Christians.

President Buhari has been criticised by many Nigerians for his handling of the security situation as attacks and kidnappings by armed persons have become commonplace in many parts of Nigeria.

Read the full statement by Mr Shehu below.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

RESPONSE BY THE PRESIDENCY TO THE STATEMENT MADE BY BISHOP KUKAH BEFORE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS

It is unfortunate, and disappointing, for citizens of Nigeria to bear witness to one of their Churchmen castigating their country in front of representatives of a foreign parliament.

We are all too familiar with these overseas political tours that opposition politicians take - visiting foreign leaders and legislators in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. So, the argument goes, if they are heard seriously abroad, then Nigerian citizens back home should surely listen to them too.

But in order to be heard at all, and to maximise media coverage back home for their activities, inevitably these visits involve painting the worst possible picture of our country before their chosen foreign audience.

Soon enough we inescapably hear an identical list of racist tropes against northerners, how one religion dominates governance above all others, how the government is doing nothing to address herder-farmer disturbances, and how the government spends money on infrastructure to benefit everyone but the group and religion of the speaker. Of course, in order not to disappoint their western audience, regardless of fact, the list is always the same-and always slanted for whoever wishes to cross-check.

Nigerians expect this from their unimaginative opposition - but it is troubling when a so-called man of the Church copies the worst excesses of those seeking personal advancement in public office.

Only this government has put forward the first and singular plan in nearly a century to address herder-farmer challenges - a fact recognised by international NGOs, including the International Crisis Group. To declare to a foreign audience that this government does nothing is an incredible falsehood.

To suggest that investment in infrastructure between Nigeria and Niger is wasteful and biased - when a similar infrastructure project between Lagos and Benin has revolutionised the two neighbouring economies to the advantage of both our countries - is quite disturbing.

There is no bias in this government when the president is northern and Muslim, the vice president southern and Christian, and the cabinet equally balanced between the two religions. But neither is there anything in our Constitution to state that political posts must be apportioned according to ethnicity or faith. It takes a warped frame of mind for a critic to believe ethnicity is of primary importance in public appointments. It is yet more troubling to hear a Churchman isolating one group for criticism purely on ethnic lines.

With due respect to the esteemed position he holds, the Bishop's assertion that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists is not supported by the facts on the ground. It is sad to say but also true that victims of crime, kidnapping, banditry and terrorism cut across all strata of the society. Sad but true that Kankara students in Katsina State were stolen by bandits of the same Islamic faith as those they took away. The same may be true of those who are still holding the 134 students of the Islamic School at Tegina in Niger State. The nation witnessed the sad incident of the female students abducted by bandits at Jangebe in Zamfara State and the over 100 predominantly Muslim students of the Federal Government Girls College Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State who are currently in captivity- and the nation's security agencies are hard at work to release them unharmed.

The attack on Christian students is sad and unacceptable; so also is the abduction of students of other faiths. The claim that only Christian schools are being targeted is totally untrue.

As a nation and a people, we must together define evil as evil. We must not allow our religious differences to divide us. No one gains but the evil doers when we divide our ranks according to ethnicity and religion in confronting them. The bandit, kidnapper and terrorist are the enemies of the people who should be confronted in unison.

To be clear, The Bible is definitive on matters of ethnicity and racialism: In Romans 2:9-10, it says: "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good"; And in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Whether Christian or Muslim, we stand by these beliefs and are steadfastly committed to them in governance.

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There is no place in mainstream civil discourse for those who actively, negatively, and publicly label an individual ethnic group, especially before a foreign audience. These are not the views expressed or opinions held by the vast majority of the citizens of Nigeria. For all our challenges as a nation, nearly all of us seek to live together in harmony, celebrating differences, and finding common ground as Nigerians above all. But people like Kukah are doing their best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians.

More than any other set of people, leaders - in politics or religion who preach respect for truth have a duty to practice it. It is a moral and practical responsibility.

Going by the history of the Church as is well known, it will stand up publicly for the truth.

It is time others did the same.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

July 18, 2021
As Nigeria's Federal Government enters the fray for the custody of the yet-to-be-returned Benin artifacts, the contest takes a new dramatic turn, writes Prisca Sam-Duru

The promise by Germany to return Bini bronzes stolen from Nigeria during colonisation of Africa, by 2022, may well serve as the needed push that'll spur other countries to act in like manner.

Germany had agreed to return hundreds of the priceless artifacts looted from Nigeria by colonial masters in Africa in 1897, with the first returns, expected to take place in August 2022. For art and culture advocates, Benin Kingdom and indeed, the entire country, this calls for celebration but so far, what 'we've seen is a transition from convulsive pressure to return our stolen heritage, to controversies concerning their final destination once they touch down in Nigeria. The controversies trailing the cheery news of such feat recorded after decades of demand for restoration and restitution of the artifacts may well be confirming the trepidations of foreign experts about what happens to the works after their return.

During her visit to Nigeria in February 2020, Dr Clementine Deliss, a curator, publisher, and cultural historian, said, no doubt, the artifacts are necessary for the original owners as they'll trigger a sense of history. She, however, worried about what happens to the artifacts, after restitutions have been made.

One of the looters' arguments as disclosed by Deliss, was that Nigeria does not have the expertise and technology to conserve the works when returned. But one of the guests in the event where she spoke, assured her that Nigeria has the ability to receive the artefacts, as the world class museum at the Pan Atlantic University was ready for the works.

In the case of the Bini bronzes to be returned by Germany, it is viewed as the property of the Benin Kingdom which is why the disagreement concerning who takes custody of the works has been between the Edo state governor and the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II. Disappointingly, both the Oba and the state governor are still talking about establishing a suitable abode for the artifacts with August 2022, just by the corner.

Governor Obaseki had disclosed that he was "working on a tripartite arrangement, involving the federal and state governments, the Oba of Benin, and a private trust that would manage the artifacts on behalf of the palace and the people". The establishment according to his plan, would be known as the "Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA), using Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd as a vehicle to receive the stolen artifacts."

In a swift reaction, the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, rejected the possibility of handing over the stolen historical Benin artifacts to any other organization, individuals, or agency of whatever guise.

Oba Ewuare, while rejecting the plan, noted that "demands for the stolen items predate the emergence of this administration". He further called on the Federal Government to take custody of the artifacts on behalf of the Palace until the Benin Royal Museum is ready for their collection, warning that under no condition should custody of the artifacts be given to any "privately contrived entity like the Legacy Restoration Trust".

Following the Oba's position on the matter, Governor Obaseki was said to have insisted that his intention has been to work with the Oba of Benin in an arrangement that would be led by the federal government. He, however, accused a palace chief of misinforming the revered monarch about his plans, promising to straighten things out with the Benin Monarch.

In an earlier statement, the Oba of Benin advised Obaseki, to "review his approach of using the private vehicle of the Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd and the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) and to see how he can genuinely collaborate with the Oba Palace in accordance with our original understanding".

Oba Ewuare II further said that he had agreed with the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki to house the artifacts in a palace museum and that the controversy around it was absolutely not necessary. The Oba perceiving that Obaseki could be manipulated, asked that prayers be made on his behalf, "... because it seems there are some unscrupulous people behind this arrangement, who might be doing it for financial gain."

The governor's response in which he advised that under no circumstance should anyone whether in government or acting independently should abuse the Monarch or engage in "disrespectful exchanges" over the soon-to-be-returned artifacts, portrays the high regard he has for the Monarch as well as the fact that there'll be no showdown between the duo after all.

Now, it appears the plea of Oba Ewuare has rather been heeded in the extreme. The Federal Government of Nigeria last Saturday asserted itself as the rightful entity to take possession of both the returned and yet-to-be returned stolen Benin artifacts. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed the Federal Government's intention at a press conference in Lagos.

The minister said the return of the artifacts is being negotiated bilaterally between the national governments of Nigeria and Germany, and that Nigeria is the entity recognised by international law as the authority in control of antiquities originating from Nigeria.

"The Federal Government," Lai Mohammed said, "is aware of the widely-reported controversy on who will take possession of the Benin Bronzes when they are returned from Germany. Let me state clearly here that, in line with international best practice and the operative Conventions and laws, the return of the artifacts is being negotiated bilaterally between the national governments of Nigeria and Germany. Nigeria is the entity recognised by international law as the authority in control of antiquities originating from Nigeria."

The minister said that the relevant international Conventions treat heritage properties as properties belonging to the nation and not to individuals or subnational groups. "For example," he said, "the 1970 UNESCO Convention, in its article 1, defines cultural property as property specifically designated by that nation. This allows individual nations to determine what it regards as its cultural property."

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A good number of people have posited that it's best to leave the artifacts in countries where they're being kept, while the hosts pay royalties to Nigeria instead of bringing them home where maintenance culture is at its lows. From an economic point of view, keeping the artifacts in European museums could actually be most viable. But many other individuals counter that opinion with the cultural and historical implications of the continued keeping of the works in Europe; which is also quite understandable.

And so, rather than engage in arguments over who takes over custody of the artifacts once they're brought back, the most important issue should be whether they'll be properly preserved. From reports, the artifacts have not lost their original value by reason of expert handling in the museums that have kept them. It is therefore the duty of the relevant authorities in Nigeria to ensure the adequate preservation and protection of these Bini bronzes which are among the most recognised cultural pieces on the continent and beyond.

The emphasis should not just be about preservation but very importantly, protection of the artifacts to ensure that some unscrupulous elements even in government, do not arrange a second 'looting' of the artifacts.

Vanguard News Nigeria
Stakeholders in the book industry will converge both virtually and physically for the 20th edition of the annual Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) scheduled to hold at Habour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, from July 27- 29, 2021.

Briefing newsmen in a Press Conference held at Protea Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos, to herald the event, the Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), Gbadega Adedapo, said that the 2021 book fair tagged "Awakening the Giant in Women for the Growth of the Book Ecosystem" will feature the physical showcasing of books at the event venue and hosting of book lovers across the globe, including those who will choose to use the online platform to interact virtually.

Adedapo revealed that subsequent editions would be expanded to include special awards, saying: "I must state that by next year, we will be introducing series of awards for the members of constituent bodies under categories such as the Best Author, Best Book Seller, Best Literary Work, Best Printer, Best Librarian and Best Publisher. This we believe will drive more participation... The selection criteria and the Award Committee would be unfolded soonest."

Also speaking at the Conference, the Executive General Secretary, Abiodun Omotubi assured prospective visitors that "As it is to be a hybrid event, people all over the world will have the opportunity to participate as the event has much to offer all participants."

The President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), Geneva, Switzerland, Sheikha Bodour Al-Qasimi is expected to be the keynote speaker at the international conference which will also feature dignitaries such as the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila as the Special Guest of Honour, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as Chief Host, First Lady of Ekiti State, Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and her Lagos counterpart, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu.

Special features of the 2021 book fair include book exhibitions and launches, authors' grove, presentations, trainings and workshops as well as Spelling Bee and Mathematics Competition for primary and secondary schools.

The NIBF reputed to be the second-largest international book fair in Africa is organized by stakeholders in the book ecosystem such as the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council(NERDC), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN), Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), Reproduction Right Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS). According to the Chairman, the main objective of the fair is to promote the reading culture of Nigerians as well as other Africans.

Those who attended the Press Conference include the pioneer Chairman of the board, Mr. Dayo Alabi, the Executive Secretary of the Trust, Mr. Abiodun Omotubi, Vice Chairman, Mr. Fashanu Joseph Babatunde, Trustee, Mrs. Ronke Orimalade, President of the Nigerian Publishers Association, Hon. Chief Uchenna Cyril Anioke, President of the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dare Oluwatuyi, President of Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria Mr. Olugbemi Malomo and President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Mr. C. C. Ukah.

Explaining the rationale behind the integration of the virtual platform, Adedapo said: "In spite of the ups and downs that the world has been witnessing over a year now due to the COVID-19, all is now set to organize the 20th edition of Nigeria International Book Fair. The last one year has made us realize that any enterprise without online presence will die naturally. As a trust, we are embracing the new norm as this year's book fair will be hybrid in nature; a hybrid experience- physical and virtual participation."

Mrs. Ronke Orimalade, a trustee of the board justified the theme of the book fair, saying: "Women have been in the forefront of bookselling over the years. Even in those days, many women did a lot to promote the sales of educational books. Those who were not educated knew the colours of the prescribed books for the various classes and used that knowledge to get the books to the market place."

Speaking on the programmes mapped out by the organizers, the Chairman revealed that "The programmes for the book fair have been carefully put together to harmonize the interest of women, discuss the strategies to empower women in the book value-chain for the benefits of all and sundry." He expressed the hope that Africa would take a cue from facts, opinions and working strategies that would be at the event, saying: "The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council as well as the Nigerian Copyright Commission will organize expository workshops during the fair. Furthermore, there will be concurrent seminars by major associations in the Nigerian book sector, Nigerian Publishers Association, the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Library Association, Association of Nigerian Authors and Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria."

The latest directory of constituent members of the NIBF by the Booksellers Association of Nigeria and the Secretary General of Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran's newest book are among the books that will be launched at the event. As part of the activities for this year's fair, the organizers also plan to feature the Spelling Bee and Mathematics Competitions which will be powered by the Centre for Law and Business. Imploring schools to participate actively in the competitions, the Chairman said: "We encourage schools to enroll their pupils to take part in these competitions. The participating children will win various prices and selected schools will be given the opportunity to make presentations. There will also be a cultural presentation to showcase the rich and exciting African arts and culture for the pleasure of the international participants."

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The benefits of the 2021 NIBF hybrid event as revealed by the organizers include the fact that it will provide all exhibitors the platform to showcase their products and connect with visitors both virtually and on-site for brand visibility and improved sales. Besides, literary materials are to be available, accessible and affordable to book lovers and information seekers. In addition to the provision of recent publications, promoting inclusiveness and celebrating the impact of women in the industry, there will also be huge discount on books and other teaching/ learning materials. Moreover, the event will avail local participants the opportunity to link up with foreign book industry players and share ideas on innovations in the industry.

According to the organizers, participation at the fair is open to the general public and registration is free. The organizers also revealed that the book fair had been certified by the Lagos State Safety Commission and Event Safety Marshals will be on ground to enforce strict compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols.

The corporate sponsors of the three-day event include the United Bank for Africa, Fidelity Bank, Quarterfold Printabilities, Evans Brothers Nigeria Publishers Limited, University Press Plc, Rasmed Publications Limited, Learn Africa Plc, Cambridge University Press Ltd., CSS Bookshop and Laterna Bookshop.

Vanguard News Nigeria
Alhaji Mohammed Adambe, a first class traditional ruler in Kogi State, who was kidnapped on July 13, has been released.

The Spokesman for the state police command, DSP William Aya, who confirmed this on Sunday in Lokoja, said that the traditional ruler was released in the evening of July 17.

It would be recalled that Adambe, the traditional ruler of Eganyi, was kidnapped on Okene-Ajaokuta road while returning to his community.

Aya said that the state police command had already sent a delegation to Eganyi to sympathise with the ruler.

Adambe spent five days with his captors before regaining freedom. (NAN)
Legislators on the Parliamentary Covid-19 task force have said there is need to investigate three privately owned laboratories that are carrying out screening and testing services on travelers at Entebbe international Airport due to irregularities in their operations.

Buikwe South MP Lulume Bayiga said the task force is set to investigate how the companies were contracted, pay taxes, checking of quality assurance of the tests carried out and how they account for money they collect from the travelers among other irregularities.

"The work of checking travelers to ensure they are negative is done by the Ministry of Health, what we have found here is the private companies carry out their own tests and make their own quality assurance which is not right when it comes to checking people's health," he said.

Mr Lulume made the remarks while addressing journalists after the task force's meeting with officials from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) during a visit at Entebbe International Airport and Penniel beach testing and screening centre over the weekend.

"What is pertinent is to ensure all travelers are tested and given genuine results, we have had incidences of people with positive Covid results later on turning out negative, people who have not been tested getting results as long as they have paid money. The health ministry or a body it authorizes is responsible for ensuring quality assurance yet the labs here are telling us they carry out their own quality assurance" he said.

Entebbe Municipality MP, Mr Michael Kakembo, said the labs in question include Safari lab, Test and fly laboratory and Case Clinic.

The task force discovered they were charging exorbitant fees in comparison for the same services at different border points.

"We went to Mutukula border, we found the same companies charging Shs 140,000. At Entebbe we found they were charging between Shs 300,000 to Shs 350,000," he said.

"Private companies are after making profits but not saving people's lives, that is why we are having problems with our travelers, people can test negative before traveling out and test positive on reaching their destination countries which paints a bad picture on our country as a whole," he said.

Kalungu West MP, Mr Joseph Ssewungu, said there is need to find out how authorities at the airport allowed travelers from category one and two countries were Covid strains like the delta variant originated from to enter the country.

"What we have found out to be true is that CAA authorities allow non Ugandans from countries like Britain enter the country without any extra checks but Ugandans who come from the same country are denied entry and made to pay for the tests. We have even found companies making upto $60,000 (Shs 213 million) per day, we need to find out who gave them those contracts," he said.

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Ssewungu said there is need to find out the origin of the fake Covid-19 test results sent by the ministry of health that end up being accepted by CAA officials at the airport.

"We could have avoided the variants coming into the country but there are a lot of mistakes between the Ministry of Health and CAA authorities," he said.

UCAA officials led by the Acting Director General Mr Fred Bamwesigye told legislators that the forging of results was as a result of hackers infiltrating the system shared between them and the health ministry.

"Forging of results was not there in the beginning, even right now it's not at a point that it's out of control. Forging results is a very hard issue, when the second variant came, I believe in ministry of health found difficulty in testing which has been affected by hacking," he said.

The General manager UCAA Mr Emmanuel Barungi said even though there is an online checking system, it is not 100 percent air tight.

"The system was hacked, even results that are verified as real can be checked and found to be with forged PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests, results can be hacked into online" he said.

However the head of the labs at Penniel beach, Ms Betty Nabalindwa, said it was only travelers category two countries (UK, USA, China, Turkey, South Africa among others) that where they paying a mandatory fee of 65 dollars (Shs 230,000) for ordinary checks and 75 dollars (Shs 266,000) for express checks not as reported by the MPs' findings.

"We are employees of test and fly, I'm not contracted under government of Uganda per se but we are mandated to do this work by the ministry of health," she said.
The National Drug Authority recently gave Ugandans the green light to use Covidex as a supporting treatment for Covid-19 and other viral infections.

The deepening rift between Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST) and Prof Patrick Ogwang over Covidex has at its centre, work spats, use of $7 million (Shs24.6b) grant, and expectations of windfall from brisk sales of the new drug, sources at the institution have revealed.

Covidex is a locally-made herbal medicine which the National Drug Authority (NDA) approved last month as a supportive treatment for Covid-19.

Dr David Nahamya, the secretary to NDA, while declaring the approval of the medicine on June 29, said they assessed and granted permission to Jena Herbals Ltd to produce the medicine. Jena Herbals Ltd is owned by Prof Ogwang.

But on June 14, upon learning that Jena Herbals was already manufacturing and making monies from the medicine, which has a very high market demand, both the university and NDA issued tough statements, calling for immediate halt of production and sale of the medicine.

Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, the chairman of NDA board, said they reacted that way because as regulators, they wanted to ensure safety of the medicine.

"We wanted him [Prof Ogwang] to bring his paperwork to NDA and other things to be verified and we did not have dosage of Covidex. We have only been notified about this drug. We have allowed the drug to be on shelves of drugs shops and pharmacies but we are saying more research is being done and we have told people that this is not a definitive treatment for Covid-19," Dr Bitekyerezo said.

But Prof Ogwang said he had to seek President Museveni's intervention at some point during the approval processes because of the intense pressure NDA was mounting on him.

Some critics also say NDA favours or is manipulated by pharmaceutical companies and foreign investors who don't want to see development in herbal medicines.

But NDA denied such claims, saying it strongly supports local innovations in herbal medicines and that a special unit has been dedicated to support development and regulation of herbal medicines.

Whereas NDA asked Prof Ogwang to cease sales until the medicine has completed the approval process, a furious Prof Celestino Obua, the Vice-Chancellor of MUST, penned a quick but stinging statement, asking Jena Herbals to stay away from Covidex.

Prof Obua said Covidex was developed by the university under Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre (PHARMBIOTRAC) and that the institution has the intellectual property rights (IPRs). He didn't declare when they got the IPRs.

The university lawyer, Mr Timothy Mugumya, when asked whether the institution holds the said IP rights, said he couldn't comment about the issue, but hinted that he doesn't "want to be seen to deviate from the statement" by Prof Obua.

According to sources at the university, the dispute over the ownership of Covidex stems from spats between Prof Obua and Prof Ogwang.

But Prof Obua said he has nothing against Prof Ogwang but that he wants things to be done in the right way.

"Any third party interested in production, distribution or sale of Covidex herbal medicine without prejudice is hereby asked to desist from negotiating any deals with any individual, other than the university authority, who is the holder of the intellectual property rights for this product, and for the avoidance of any doubts, in this case Mbarara University of Science and Technology authority," he said.

But a highly placed source at the institution said Prof Obua is furious because he is faced with audit queries over the $7m (about Shs24.6b) they got for research and development of herbal medicines from the World Bank through the government.

The source said Prof Obua reportedly made an agreement on behalf of MUST while getting monies to present three lines of production of traditional medicine which they do not have by now.

"When MUST was given a centre of excellence called PHARMBIOTRAC, part of it [the agreement] was that it should have at least three production lines of traditional medicines by the end of the year," the source said.

Last week, the lawyers of Prof Ogwang also accused the university of using three products that were developed by their clients to solicit funds. The lawyers, Omongole & Co. Advocates in their July 9 letter said the university's move is illegal and fraudulent. They specifically warned Prof Obua to desist from using their client's products to solicit funding from government.

"We deem that this is illegal and fraudulent action by the university and urge the university not to go ahead with the said action without the authorisation of our client or Prof Ogwang personally," the lawyers wrote. The lawyers insisted that Covidex is owned by Prof Ogwang, and not the university.

The university officials and Prof Obua have not given a clear response to claims made by Prof Ogwang's lawyers and queries over the $7 million grant. But on June 13, four days after Prof Ogwang's lawyers threatened to sue the university, another group of lawyers said they are also suing NDA for giving the green light to Jena Herbals Ltd to manufacture and sell Covidex.

The plaintiffs, Advocates for People (AFP), and Mr Musa Muhammed Kigongo, the director and secretary general of AFP, petitioned the High Court in Kampala and are, among others, seeking remedies to quash the said NDA decision.

"The decision and procedure followed by the 1st respondent to approve Covidex as a supportive drug in the management of viral infections, including Covid-19, among others, and authorising the 2nd respondent to produce, sell and distribute the said drug whereas it is not the rightful owner or holder of the patent, is not only illegal, procedurally improper but also prejudicial to public interests and tax payers," the petitioners contend in their documents before court.

Mr Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA spokesperson, said no one had yet served them with intention to sue and that the authority is innocent because it is not an intellectual property agency.

"Our regulatory role is to ensure that the drugs on Ugandan market are safe, of good quality and efficacious. We are not an intellectual property agency, so if anyone has issues with ownership of any product, they know who to sue... ," Mr Rwamwiri said.

Intellectual property rights are granted in the country after registering details about the product with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau.

Meanwhile, Prof Ogwang has placed a notice of its trademark in the Uganda Gazette. The notice, which was placed in the June 28 issue, will run for two months to allow any member of the public who opposes the registration of Covidex trademarks to raise their grounds.

Still in their law suit, the petitioners argue that on June 14, Prof Obua, clearly stated in a press statement that the university is the intellectual property holder of Covidex.

Earlier, Prof Obua said the university allowed Prof Ogwang to carry out investigation on the treatment of viral infections under PHARMBIOTRAC at the Faculty of Medicine at MUST.

"Prof Ogwang is a member of MUST; he would not be called a professor if he was on the street, so he is a member of the university. Prof Ogwang applied to investigate that medicine through the university," Prof Obua said.

"My statement is that it is the Government of Uganda that funded its development. It must also be taken into account by you and everybody else. Yes, the government is promoting it and the government is promoting institutions and individuals, [Prof] Ogwang is a member of MUST. He has not disowned the fact that he is a member of MUST.

"We have not refuted the fact that this medicine is being developed, we are proud and very proud that MUST is supporting the effort to have clear treatment of the population from this killer disease."

Asked about patent rights, Prof Obua said the matter will be handled between the university and Prof Ogwang since he is a member of the university.

Prof Obua said whether Covidex is on the market or not, "of course, there are pressures and we should also be cognisant of the fact that people are desperate."

"If he has done so [applied for] and he has been given that clearance, we are happy as a university because he is following the procedures, the very thing I have talked about. He is following procedures that should be done. Get clearance from NDA, NDA has given temporally clearance, is saying before we can give you full clearance, go and conduct a clinical trial," Prof Obua said.

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Another source at the university said: "Covidex would have been the best thing for the university [to give accountability for the grants] but Prof Ogwang separately got $70,000 from the World Bank to make Covidex."

Prof Ogwang also revealed that the former minister for Science and Technology, Dr Ellioda Tumwesigye, gave him money to develop a Covid-19 remedy. On his part, Dr Tumwesigye advised MUST to stop colliding with Prof Ogwang but rather support him to do more research to get tablets and capsules from his innovation.

Dr Tumwesigye said Prof Ogwang was given Shs300m in two instalments.

"I think as of now that should not derail us. We are all working for the government. What is crucial is to save lives. In fact in my interest, they should stop bickering. Let them now focus on looking for other products because the virus is changing everyday, rather than being divided in pettiness, let them come and support more innovations. We have so many herbal medicines that in combination can be able to cure us from this Covid and other diseases. So, they should not waste their resources and time fighting trying to out-talk each other," Dr Tumwesigye said.

"Let us now focus on supporting Prof Ogwang other than undermining him, support his team to get more formulas to improve because we could even get tablets, capsules, we can get substitutes for children."

Reaction

My statement is that it is the Government of Uganda that funded its development. It must also be taken into account by you and everybody else. Yes, the government is promoting it and the government is promoting institutions and individuals, [Prof] Ogwang is a member of MUST.

He has not disowned the fact that he is a member of MUST," Prof Celestino Obua, the Vice-Chancellor of MUST
Elegu, Uganda  Security at the Elegu border point in Atiak Sub-county, Amuru district has been intensified following the entry of hundreds of South Sudanese into Uganda seeking food.

At the border, the security personnel struggle to restrain the South Sudanese nationals from entering the country.

According to the District Health Officer Amuru, Patrick Odong Olwedo, Ugandans coming from South Sudan are allowed entry after being tested. He however says that the challenge is with the South Sudanese who forcefully enter into the country seeking relief food.

He says that the problem started a week ago following the distribution of food in the different refugee settlements.

MPs under the Northern Uganda COVID-19 task force led by Koboko Municipality MP Charles Ayume visited the border to assess the operations of the COVID-19 laboratories and the COVID-19 response in the area.

Labwor County MP Norman Ochero says that Amuru district is one of the epicenter of COVID-19. He explains that security personnel and the residents face challenges restraining the South Sudanese from entering the country. He says that security should be boosted in the area.

Jonam County MP Emmanuel Ongiertho says that the border security, health team are trying their best to contain the situation. He says that apart from the challenge of people trying to force their way into the country, another problem is the health response at the border point that needs to be enhanced.

An estimated 100 people try to cross daily according to sources from the border security.
No fewer than 1.6 million candidates are expected to participate in this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled to begin on Aug. 16.

The Head of National Office (HNO) of West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mr Patrick Areghan, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

Areghan said that the council was working day and night toward accommodating some schools still bothering it with late registration.

He said that the development was taking its toll on the council's operations.

Areghan said ahead of the conduct of the 2021 WASSCE, the council was working with relevant stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free WASSCE for school candidates, in spite of some challenges.

"As I have always said, conducting examination is not a tea party. It is a huge task and requires collaboration of all critical stakeholders, including the media.

"It requires a lot of preparations and even more, especially in the face of the rising cases of insecurity and the resurgence of Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

"In conducting this examination, we also want to ensure that the lives of all those involved, including council's staff, and materials are properly secure.

"Our arrangement for the successful conduct of our upcoming examination, therefore, is in top gear as we are ensuring that we do not leave any stone unturned," he said.

Areghan noted that examination conduct required money and other resources.

According to him, the entire process of conducting the examination - from the printing of examination materials, distributing them and ensuring security, to the recruitment of ad-hoc staff and printing certificates - is a huge financial burden.

Areghan gave the assurance that WAEC would continue to do all it could to stay afloat.

"It is what the council has been doing, and we want to ensure we continue in that excellent tradition."

He noted that the West African School Certificate was internationally accepted and required protection of its integrity.

"Therefore, in order not allow anything reduce that standard, we shall be collaborating with the federal and state ministries of health and education as well as the police and other security agencies.

"This is in a bid to ensure that all precautionary measures are in place before, during and after the examination," Areghan said.

The HNO said that WAEC members had been meeting to fine-tune strategies that would ensure hitch-free conduct of the examination.

He urged schools and candidates to get themselves well prepared ahead of the examination, warning that the council would not tolerate any acts capable of undermining the integrity of the examination.

"There is no hiding place for cheats.

"We want to warn schools, students and even supervisors and invigilators that there will be no hiding place for anyone who tries to go against laid down rules for the conduct of this examination.

"We will surely catch that person, no matter where the malpractice is being carried out.

"We have in-built mechanisms to detect every act of cheating; cheats, when caught, will not get their results.

"Even if you cheat in our objective test, we will catch you, using technology. This technology is called the Item Deferential Profile; it has been there for quite sometime," he said.

The HNO advised parents not to indulge their children and wards in cheating in examinations by providing money to source for the questions from fraudsters.

"We have carried out a lot of sensitisation, reaching out to parents not to give money to their children in an attempt to patronise rogue website operators and other mischievous individuals, who promise to help get to WAEC questions for them, before the examination.

"There is nothing like that. Some even go as far as saying WAEC normally posts questions on the internet.

"This is laughable and misleading. We have tried as much as possible to enlighten the world that there is nothing like 'miracle centre'.

"This is a creation of the society and not the council.

"It may be existing in their subconscious but does not exist in our dictionary," he said.

According to him, there has been no episode of leakage of council's examination questions in Nigeria since the last, many years ago.

He said that what some sections of the public referred to as leakage during conduct of WASSCE, was the work of internet fraudsters, who registered and sat with genuine candidates in the hall.

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"They are served the examination papers, they pretend to be writing the examination, while they manage to snap the questions in collaboration with their mercenaries outside.

"But these days, they no longer snap the questions; rather, they connive with some unscrupulous supervisors and invigilators, who help them to snap the questions, using their own handsets, and send, after which the fraudsters put the questions on the internet.

"These same supervisors allow some candidates into the halls with handsets, even when they know it is against the law, all because they have been compromised.

"However, the various ministries of education have been doing a great job in this respect, as they have been taking drastic measures on those found culpable, by either sacking outrightly or demotion," he said.

The HNO warned that WAEC would not hesitate to hand any suspect over to the police.

"We have a way of detecting those posting these things to the internet and go after them; that is why we always need the collaboration of the police," Areghan said.

(NAN)

Vanguard News Nigeria
The Federal Government, and some state governments, like Kaduna, say they neither negotiate nor pay ransom to bandits. But government being incapable of preventing the mass kidnap of citizens, especially school children, and inability to rescue them, leaves families and friends with no choice but to negotiate with the bandits and pay hefty ransom.

So, does it really matter who pays ransom to the bandits; whether it is government, the so-called state actors; or the families of the victims, the hapless and helpless non-state actors?

At this point, let me commend the exceptional courage of Governor Ahmed el-Rufai of Kaduna State, a state where bandits are running riot, forcing schools to shutdown, controlling the highways and forests, and deciding whether the citizen can sleep at home with one eye open, or in the forests under the rains with two eyes open.

In such exceptional circumstances, it truly requires a man of immense courage to continue calling himself His Excellency, the Executive Governor and Chief Security Officer. But for the Constitution, he would have seemed more like a strutting impostor complete with an hired security convoy and tenancy in the Government House.

In fact, with bandits appointing themselves tax collectors, policemen, judges and governors of territories in the country otherwise ruled by President Muhammadu Buhari, the question: who is the Governor of Kaduna, Katsina, Borno or Niger State? may elicit the response: "Which of the governors; the politician or His Excellency, the bandit governor?"

Come to think of it, if Communication Minister, Isa Pantami, can claim that he has repented from his call that Christians be killed and, therefore, deserves to remain in office, what stops bandits proclaiming they have repented and, therefore, having the right to contest elections and hold office?

More so, when they have neither been tried nor convicted.

On the other hand, the bandits can deny ever being bandits or to have resigned from banditry. This will very much be like Ms. Lauretta Onochie, President Buhari's Personal Assistant on New Media, who in a desperate bid to be cleared as an electoral commissioner, denied the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, even before the cock could crow thrice.

Who knows, they can even go to court to swear an affidavit that they are no longer bandits. If they do so, they will be right in the context of the lessons Onochie is teaching young minds in Nigeria that political partisanship is like a uniform you can wear or remove at will.

There are efforts, even if little, being made by some governors to limit the bandit attacks. Ironically, these are the leaders constantly under attack by politicians and their hacks, especially in the unfeeling Presidency. This is why Benue governor, Samuel Ortom, is consistently under attack for the crime of resisting the barbarism being visited on his people by mindless bandits and terrorists.

Ironically, the bandits are shifting attention from Benue to neigbouring Plateau State whose governor, Simon Bako Lalong, had claimed the attacks on his neighbour was because it enacted the anti-open grazing law. That is the problem with outlaws; they are incapable of distinguishing between friends and foes.

When governors of the South-West took the basic step, like Governor Ortom, by asking herders to leave the government reservation forests and stop grazing cattle across farm lands and roads, they immediately came under attack by federal authorities and groups which ordered the herders to ignore the governors and be lawless.

In fact, the rubber stamp Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who is incapable of fixing a leaking roof, claimed the governors are the source of conflicts in the region. I am sure that such a redundant fellow, whose posturing on the electronic transmission of election results turned out to be fake, cannot help fix the country.

The absence of a truthful, reliable and capable leadership, has led to the marked rise of banditry, terrorism, food prices and general insecurity in the country. To use the elegant words now in season, there are now many 'ungoverned spaces' in the country. In 2020, nine of the 34 local governments in Katsina State were either under the control of bandits or hotly contested by them. These included Faskari, Dandume, Sabuwa, Dan Musa, Batsari and Safana.

In Niger State, local governments like Kaure and Shiroro are fully under the control of bandits. Governor Ortom had told the country that 18 of the 23 local governments in Benue State are under contest between the legitimate state authorities and bandits, most of them foreigners. In Sokoto State, eight of the 23 local governments are contested by the bandits. They are Sabon Birn, Tangaza, Tureta, Isa, Goronyo, Kebbe, Dande-Shunni and Rabah where the political icon, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was born.

Given their effective control of large swathes of land, bandits can easily dictate elections in such places. No voter would dare vote against candidates anointed by ruling bandits. My analysis is that if bandits control so many local governments, then, if they so wish, they can win elections into State Houses of Assembly, the National Assembly or as governors.

If good people can come to power, so can bandits, whether repentant or not. The fact is that apart from politicians facing criminal charges for looting public funds, it is not unlikely that we have criminals sitting in the National Assembly as Honourable Members or Distinguished Senators. In fact Senator Joshua Dariye, following his 2018, conviction is serving 10 years in prison.

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A legislator being imprisoned is not new. Law enforcement agencies for many years suspected that Maurice Ibekwe was a leading fraudster in the country. His listed heist include a $242 million fraud in the Banco Noreste Scam and the alleged 1992 scamming of a German, Klaus Munch and his company, Firm System Organisation to the sum of $30 million.

In 1999, Ibekwe won elections as the Honourable representing Okigwe North Federal Constituency of Imo State. While in the National Assembly, his choice of House Chairmanship was, fittingly, Police Affairs. When the joke was being taken too far, security agents were nudged to charge him to court. He died in prison in 2004.

Given our opaque politics, the way the electoral system is being manipulated and compromised, including the Senate voting to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from transmitting election results electronically, it is not unlikely that in the not too distant future, we might have a bandit or terrorist win elections as a state governor and will be addressed as His Excellency and would automatically become a member of the Governors Forum. To paraphrase the English poet and Anglican cleric, John Donne: Do not ask me for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for me and thee.
Ndidi Dike has been consistent on the contemporary Nigerian art scene for over three decades, displaying a sense of assignment. As a sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist, she has produced works in sculpture, paintings, collage, photography, video, mixed media and installations that resonate with time and season. Her artistic prowess has seen her, participating in over seventy group or joint exhibitions and more than a dozen solos.

Dike's latest body of works is on display at Art21 Gallery Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, in an exhibition that opened last Friday. The exhibition titled, "Working Through An Impasse" which remains open till 25th September, represents a result of intense research and engagement, all of which materialised during the period of lockdown due to the Corona virus pandemic.

Dike was already planning a major solo exhibition of new works in a range of media in early 2020 of which she envisioned titling "Intersections and Realities of An Aesthetic Vocabulary." And as the title suggests, she was thinking reflexively about the conceptual and material engagements found in her past work, but the plan was shattered by the unexpected arrival of COVID-19.

"In developing this exhibition, I wanted to mark out new formal and technical approaches to problems that remain unresolved--problems that present themselves in a new guise under the lights of COVID. These are questions concerning globalization, consumption, market culture, and the pandemic itself. In this new body of work, I respond to the collective experience of quarantine and isolation, inequities surrounding sanitation and health, recent histories of racial and political upheaval, and the exploitation of natural resources and human labour", she explained.

Dike who had her early education in England and her tertiary education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating with a BA in Fine and Applied Arts in 1984, disclosed that "The pandemic not only redirected the questions I was asking of my own work at the time, but also prompted me to seriously reflect on the role of the artist in moments of crisis, which, in turn, provoked me to recalibrate ideas for the show.

"The works in this exhibition, "Working Through An Impasse," constitutes a varied and complex response to challenges brought about by the pandemic. Not only did the virus bring the engines of global capitalism to an abrupt halt, it has also eroded the myth of the West's invincibility".

Although in Nigeria, we have always been going through hardships, Dike described the title, "Working Through An Impasse", as appropriate because of the experiences of the Coronavirus across the globe. The pandemic according to her, exposed inadequacies of systems especially the health system in Nigeria, and globally.

Her inspiration comes from many sources, objects, people, places, circumstances and the environment. And she usually works on what appeals to her at a point in time. "The market for example will always appeal to me; I've done a lot of work on it. It's just being aware and conscious of our environment", she said.

In all, eight bodies of works that include massive installations, mixed media, paintings and collages which took more than one year to complete, are on display. 'Ashes Beyond Masses', 'Residues of Provoking the Saint', 'Building Blocks of Desire and Consumption', 'Taking Stock', 'The Reckoning', 'The luxury of Distance, Empathy and Apathy', 'Panoramic Meditation on Trade, Consumption and Dispossession' and some other untitled works are exhibits for observers' viewing.

For the artist, the pandemic served as a useful resource for works produced during this season. "We never believed it because it was new to all of us. We didn't expect that we will be forced to quarantine or locked down for three months and some other countries are still grappling with the Corona virus. So, it's obvious that the Corona virus is here to stay and it's true that it gave me materials and ideas and concepts to express in my art. Initially I was afraid especially during the lockdown because we didn't know what will happen next".

Among the works is a multi-layered art piece designed with the concept of a mega city, with medical vials stacked to evoke the construction of buildings and thorough fares, while individual units resemble mass movement of people and mass production of therapeutic vaccines. The work she noted, emerged naturally while she was watching how vaccines were being made on automated assembly lines which she explained, called to mind, the movement of people throughout the cities all over the world. "It was in the similitude of mass migration in India, when people were asked to go back to their villages. That's basically the concept behind that".

Another fascinating piece is 'Residues of provoking the Saints'. It shows political posters from various campaigns, bringing in decayed element which sounds more of a metaphor for the Nigerian state. "I've always liked some of the slogans they've used, the fact that you notice after campaigns, all the posters disappear. So for me, Its a kind of material- residue of empty promises; you know they promise light, water etc. And this is why the masses are not happy with what the politicians are doing. That's why I called it 'Residues of Provoking the Saints', and that's what keeps the masses restless".

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While she ensures the Uli tradition is represented in the exhibition, she also displays installations that ran commentaries on Nigeria's oil industry. "I'm always referencing natural resources in parts of the continent, taken to feed the industrial global north and by that I mean Europe and America and, other continents. The exploitation of our resources bothers me".

'The Reckoning', which took the artist months of hard labour to produce, is "based on one of Prof. Wole Soyinka's quotes which says the man in us if not completely dead, has gone into a coma. What is happening in the United States, is of enormous concern to us. We'll be very foolish if we fail to recognise in our society the kind of dehumanisation of the black body going on in the US; if we fail to make any correlation between that and the dehumanisation going on in our own soil by our own people, whether it's by leadership, military, police or any kind of institution or private enterprise. That quote is the inspiration behind it".

Of great interest is what she calls 'A Kindred Lament to the Quarantine'; a very emotional and important aspect of the exhibition, portraying loss of loved ones due to the pandemic. And for the artist, it is a sort of homage to medical personnel, to friends, families or anyone that lost somebody to the pandemic.

Vanguard News Nigeria
Abuja  A major illicit drug kingpin in Anambra, Okeke Chijioke, 44, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and 548,000 tablets of Tramadol branded as Tarkadol recovered from his warehouse at 3 Atunya street, Maryland estate, Nkwelle, Oyi local government area of the state.

Okeke's arrest on Saturday 10th July 2021 followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.

After the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered.

The suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered.

Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention.

A statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy said, "The substance has also tested positive to amphetamine".

"The drug was equally labeled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it's a 225mg drug".

It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification.

During the search on the warehouse, a double barrel pump gun with 3 live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered.

This is even as operatives of the Benue state command of the Agency on road patrol in Apir village on 14th July intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LG, Bauchi state.

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In a related development, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba but supplies narcotics to dealers in Adamawa has been arrested in the Numan area of the state.

Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges.

Another drug dealer, Mohammed Ali had earlier been arrested on 10th July with 1.150kg of diazepam in Numan.

A follow up operation led to the arrest of Godiya who supplied Ali, while investigation has since revealed that he's based in Mayolope village in Lau local government area of Taraba, from where he supplies Jambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.

Few days after Godiya's arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103kg also in Numan on 14th July, followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500kg of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on Friday, 16th July 2021.

Commending the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa state Commands for sustaining the offensive action in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.
The House of Representatives clarified yesterday that the passage of the electoral bill into law cannot hinder the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from adopting electronic voting and transmission of election results in 2023.

It explained further that it had in the controversial Section 52(2) of the electoral bill given adequate discretionary powers to the electoral umpire on whether or not to transmit election results electronically.

The clarification came as opposition lawmakers urged President Muhammadu Buhari to insist on the mandatory inclusion of electronic transmission of results in the laws.

They asked the President to simply withhold his assent when presented with the bill, reject and return it to the National Assembly for due diligence to be done.

The reactions, however, came on the heels of the widely-publicised testimony by INEC that it has capacity for real-time transmission of election results from the polling units to the central server, countering the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Professor Ubale Maska, that the nation lacks capacity on electronic transmission of election results.

This is even as the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, advanced reasons to justify the position taken by the Senate. His defence came as the passage of the passage on Thursday continues to generate reactions against the development.

The Pan-Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Middle Belt Forum, MBF, among others, yesterday kicked against the position of the National Assembly on electronic transmission of election results.

Reps not against INEC in any way -- House spokesman

Giving the clarifications yesterday, spokesman of the House, Benjamin Kalu, said the position of the House was not against INEC in any way.

He added that the disagreement was between NCC, which testified on lack of capacity and INEC which countered the commission; and not with parliament.

He said: "I will like to place it on record that INEC did not counter the House of Representatives' position on Section 52 (2) of the Electoral Bill because we allowed INEC discretion to decide when it suits them as an independent, unbiased umpire. There is no interference whatsoever.

"We did not take any position that is against the INEC position. If at all there is any countering that was done, it was between the INEC now and the report of the NCC. NCC is saying they don't have the capacity and INEC is saying they have the capacity.

"It has nothing to do with the National Assembly. The National Assembly, as long as the House of Representatives is concerned, has given INEC full discretionary powers to do so. May be, they should go to the Senate and clear with Senate on the capacity or otherwise.

"We adopted in full what was proposed to us by that report on the bill and that was what the CSOs asked for. That was what the Nigerian people asked for during the public hearing and we did not change it against all the accusations that we were influenced to sneak it out of the bill and we kept clearing that report. Now, it had been presented and we have seen where the position of Nigerians lies -- discretionary powers for an independent organizations such as INEC. We did not whittle those powers down. Those powers were not reduced. We agreed with that proposition.

"So, most people who are raising this propaganda around have not really sat down to interpret the position of this particular Section 52 (2). And I am sure that by tomorrow or so, the House will be coming out with a press release that will clear the real position of the House of Representatives.

"So, we are not being countered by INEC. INEC simply countered NCC and they should sort it out. For us, we have given them the powers. If they have the capacity, let them transmit. If they don't have capacity, let them not transmit.

"The only thing we did was to reject a motion that says "shall" should be used to replace "may". And you know if you do "shall", it means it's compulsory; whether or not they are able to do it, they must do it.

"But here, we are saying, you are independent, look at the various polling units, look at where you have the technological capacity to transmit, you transmit. If you don't have, you are also open to manual, you should do that.

"That's what we passed and the public needs to know that was what we passed. There will be a press release by tomorrow (today) on this, hopefully."

Try NCC's director for perjury -- Rivers Rep

Relying on the disclosure by INEC, some lawmakers from the main opposition, People Democratic Party, PDP, who also spoke exclusively to Vanguard yesterday, said NCC Director should be prosecuted for perjury.

A member of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, representing Obio/Akpor federal constituency of Rivers State, alleged that the leadership of the House invited the NCC to lie and deceive Nigerians on the issue.

He said: "Nothing new can be added. It is either the House version or the Senate version that will be adopted. We have always known that electronic transmission is possible and those agitating against it know the truth.

"We as parliamentarians cannot put the country in reverse gear. The world is going nuclear and we spend so much on NigComSat, yet we shamelessly lie that we have only 50 per cent network coverage when in 2018, we had about 70% to 80%.

"Who is fooling who? What about Nigerian satellite that I asked the Prof? He avoided the question. I am personally unimpressed with the leadership of the House for conniving with their party, APC, to deceive Nigerians. That's very disappointing.

"You can tell the truth and still hold an opinion, in such revered position of trust. You need not perjure just to toe party position. Most members of South West switched position over night and NCC was invited to lie and provide a false justification for them.

"I will call for prosecution of the NCC professor who lied on oath. Let him face trial and get a court decision if 2G and 3G have only 50% coverage in Nigeria and that data transmission cannot be done from more than 50% of polling units.

"Simply put, APC is out of favour and knows that their only solution is to rig 2023 election by writing fake election results. Electronic transmission will hinder them. That was why they made it a party policy from a regional agenda to stand against electronic transmission.

"I tell my colleagues that this time the President won't return the bill because of misspelling of "is" in the bill. He will sign it but I am still confident that Nigerians will be victorious at last.

"That will not save them. Their only saviour is to be responsive, transparent, evolve sound economic policies that will revive the economy, create employment, improve on basic amenities like road, electricity, water, health etc and create employment. They cannot fool everybody all the time."

Buhari should reject bill -- Edo Rep

Speaking in a similar vein, Sergius Ogun, representing Uromi federal constituency of Edo State, as President Buhari to reject the bill for it to be re-presented in September.

He said: "I think the APC members made up their mind long ago to write the results of 2023 elections. The repeal and enactment of the electoral bill is one of the vehicles to achieve this. INEC admitted during the public hearing that they have the capacity to deliver on electronic transmission of result in 2023.

"What the APC didn't allow to happen in committee of the whole house will not happen in the conference. The whole world should prevail on the President to return the bill to the NASS as he can't even assent to this bill as passed by the NASS because of the contradictions/conflict with the constitution.

"When the attorney general and his team go through it with fine tooth comb and the President is returning it to the NASS, he can use the opportunity to suggest to his party to allow for electronic transmission.

"He promised to lead from the front, he is not even leading from anywhere right now. He is the leader of his party, let him prove to Nigerians for once that he truly believes in free, fair and credible elections.

"If this is the legacy he leaves when he departs in 2023, God sparing his life, he will not only be on the side of the righteous but posterity will judge him fairly. He returned the electoral amendment bill in the 8th Assembly three times and eventually said it was too late to implement it, citing ECOWAS protocols.

"He can return this bill in September before the budget and we will return it with the budget or even before the budget in December, so he can assent to it before the end of the year."

We've means to transmit -- Kogi Rep

On his part, Tajudeen Yusuf, representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency of Kogi State, reminded Nigerians that INEC employed electronic transmission of results in last Edo, Ondo, Imo elections without any problem.

He said: "No. The conference committee can't go outside what what passed by the two chambers. The conference can only choose which of the reports to adopt, either the House or Senate, though the House version is still okay.

"The House passed the recommendation of the electoral committee that election and transmission under this act shall be by means determined by the commission. So INEC is at liberty to choose what to do.

"Meanwhile, INEC came before the electoral committee and the public hearing where the commission stated clearly their readiness and preparedness to do electronic transmission of results.

"It was used in Edo and Ondo governorship elections and the Imo senatorial bye election. So, we have the infrastructure to carry out electronic transmission."

Minority Reps'll continue the fight -- Delta Rep

Also reacting yesterday, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, repreenting Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency, said the Minority Caucus would continue to push for electronic transmission of results.

He said: "The minority caucus will continue to push for electronic transmission of results."

Recall that the minority caucus of the House had staged a walk-out from plenary amid rancorous consideration of the bill last Friday to protest the non-inclusion of the provision.

Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, had while briefing journalists after passage of the bill, said the Caucus will continue to agitate for the provision of the item in the law.

"By walking out, it clearly shows that we are disappointed in the action of the chairman of the Committee of the Whole which in effect is the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase.

"When we return, we will continue our agitation and ensure that the right thing is done," Elumelu had said.

It's bid to rig 2023 polls -- PANDEF

Reacting to the development yesterday, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, said the new twist taken by the National Assembly on the controversial electoral bill amendment was aimed at perfecting moves to ensure that the 2023 elections were rigged.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, described the passage as shameful and ridiculous.

Robinson said passage of the bill had ridiculed the nation before the world, adding that those who voted in favour of the new bill have disappointed the trust reposed in them.

He said: "It ridiculous and shameful. That is just a way of being irresponsible with words. It is shameful. We are ridiculing the country before the world and the global community.

"All those who supported that clause should bury their faces in shame and it is purely an agenda to perpetuate the forced majority that the Southern part of the country has suffered over the years.

"What they want to achieve is to continue to have a situation where Boko Haram-infested state churn out more votes in elections than peaceful states like, Lagos, Bauchi, Delta, Edo and others.

"We will have more votes in Sambisa forest than in peaceful Rivers State like we had in 2019. That is the platform they are setting to rig 2023 election. It is a shame. But they should know that Nigerians are ready for them and it is going to be a showdown come 2023."

Ohanaeze blasts NASS

Also reacting, OHANAEZE Ndigbo lashed out at members of the National Assembly who rejected electronic transmission of result by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, in its elections, saying it was shocked that ethnicity, religion and partisanship, instead of transcendental values among the law makers, had played a key role in their decision.

National publicity of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Chidozie Ogbonnia, said: "It is regrettable that the voting pattern in the National Assembly at this level of global sophistication is still defined by ethnicity, religion and partisanship instead of transcendental values.

"The electronic transmission of election results is expected to reduce manipulations of various kinds. For instance, during the 2019 Presidential election, some persons in authority were struggling to allocate 25 per cent of the votes to certain candidates.

"They tried to achieve it by re-writing election results. With electronic transmission of results, such electoral malfeasance cannot be contemplated. Therefore, the electronic model reduces thuggery and other forms of electoral manipulation to the barest minimum.

"It is painful that the Senate could not redeem itself with the sanctity of the electronic model. The Senate, in ideal situation, should reason above the base sentiments of ethnicity, party, religion and political immediacies. A Senator should be statesman and answerable to the good of the nation and posterity.

"With what happened in the Senate, Nigeria has backpedalled by about fifty years. "

Also reacting, Igbo elite body, Alaigbo Development Foundation, ADF, said the action of the National Assembly was meant to whittle down the powers of INEC, dismissing their action as null and void.

"The amendments made by the National Assembly in respect of the Electoral Act is null and void. The amendment was an attempt to whittle down INEC powers by subjecting the transmission of results through electronic means to the will of the National Communications Commission, NCC, and the approval of the National Assembly."The amendment is dead on arrival because of its retrogressive implications. The Constitutional powers of INEC are such that the electoral management body is independent and autonomous. This implies that in the discharge of its electoral functions, INEC cannot take orders from any other body or institution."So INEC has already admitted that it has capacity to transmit election results electronically and cannot be directed otherwise by any other institution, including the NCC and the National Assembly. So, the insincere amendment proposed by the National Assembly is a nullity; it has failed woefully," ADF spokesman, Abia Onyike, said."

Shameful development -- MBF

In its reaction, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, described as shameful the rejection of electronic transfer of election results by some members of the National Assembly, saying those behind the act won elections through rigging and were protecting their personal interest.

National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: "It is a shameful thing, and the argument they are putting forward is unfounded. I am even disappointed that the Senate President would say that they are trying to save 50 per cent of Nigerians whose results may not be transmitted. I think that is funny.

"In this time and age, apart from the GSM which we have, and which everybody uses in this country, including children who are not even up to voting age and we know the coverage level, we also have the satellite phones all over the place and you can use that to communicate anywhere as long as you are in the open.

"Now, INEC has also come out to say they have the capacity to transmit results everywhere around the country. Now all I can say is that members of the National Assembly who ensured that they stifled this recommendation of transmitting results are only protecting themselves. That means that they came in through rigging and they know that they cannot win if they do not rig."

Lawan explains Senate's position

Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday advanced reasons to justify the position taken by the Senate on the electronic transmission of election results.

The Senate on Thursday, while considering the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, voted that "The INEC may consider electronic transmission of results, provided the national coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communications Commission, NCC, and approved by the National Assembly."

Lawan explained that the Upper Chamber voted the way it did in defence of about half of the Nigerian voters whose votes might not be counted with immediate deployment or application of electronic transmission of election results.

The Senate President spoke to journalists at the weekend while on a constituency visit to his Yobe North Senatorial District.

Asked to comment on the passage of the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, Lawan said: "I'm happy that we have been able to pass the amendment even though some people are complaining of what we have passed in the Senate and probably what the House of Representatives has also passed.

"When the majority of senators voted against immediate application or deployment of electronic transmission of results from the polling units, to the ward, to the local government, states and federal, they didn't say they do not believe in electronic transmission (of election results).

"All of us in the Senate, 109 of us, believe that at one point, our electoral process must deploy electronic transmission so that it eases and enhances the electoral process and give it more credibility and integrity.

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"But you see, when you have not reached that stage where you could deploy the electronic transmission from every part of the country, then you have to be very careful. And no matter what anybody may say, you cannot have about 50 per cent of Nigerian voters not participating or not getting their votes counted in elections and say it doesn't matter, that we have to start the electronic transmission.

"We know the evils of not transmitting results electronically but compare the evils of electronically transmitting just half of the electoral votes from Nigerians and say you have elected a President with 50 percent only.

"Others have voted but their votes could not be electronically transmitted. This is disenfranchising Nigerians and we are not going to support this kind of thing because essentially, we are supposed to be fair to every part of Nigeria and when we voted, every part of Nigeria voted for and against (the amendment).

"What I mean here is that, you have Senators from northern part of Nigeria who voted for electronic transmission. Maybe that is their belief or their environment is ready for electronic transmission.

"You have senators from southern part of Nigeria who voted against immediate deployment of electronic transmission but they support that the electronic transmission of results should be allowed after certain conditions are met and the conditions are simple: The National Communication Commission, NCC, had provided the technical information that only NCC could give - that only about 50 per cent of the Nigerian environment, the polling units, in the country could possibly have their results electronically transmitted.

"So what happens to the other 50 percent. So we believe that all of us in the Senate were aiming at the same target but chose to go through different routes and that is why in my concluded remarks in the Senate after the debate and voting, I said there was no Victor, no Vanquish because we all meant well.

"For those Nigerians who still feel that the electronic transmission should have just been allowed to take effect, I said well, this is how democracy works. Democracy is to allow those minority views to be expressed and democracy provides that the majority views will always prevail."

Lawan faulted some media reports that insinuated that only the APC senators voted against immediate application of the electronic transmission of results, explaining that the votes cast on either sides of the subject matter cut across party lines and regional divides.

"In this respect, it was not just APC. I have seen it reported in the media that only APC Senators voted against the immediate deployment of electronic transmission.

"There are PDP Senators who voted against that but it appears that some people want to target at APC Senators. There were PDP Senators who voted against immediate deployment. I'm using the word 'immediate' with an emphasis.

"Nobody said don't use electronic transmission at all. You use it when we reach there and only NCC can give you information. That is the main reason why, in the Senate version, clause 52(3), there is that provision to contact the NCC because INEC will not know until they go to NCC.

"So NCC will be the only institution to give that information because they are competent and it's within their jurisdiction. And we say the National Assembly should approve of it.

"It is not when they want to do transmission that they will have to go to National Assembly that we want to do transmission. No. That once NCC has told INEC is now ready. INEC should come to the National Assembly with the NCC and say we are now ready.

"There is no way any National Assembly, not even this 9th National Assembly will deny INEC the use of electronic transmission as part of our electoral process when we are ready for it," Lawan said.

He said it was wrong to conclude that Senators who voted for electronic transmission with conditions did not like the results transmitted electronically.

"I want to take this opportunity to debunk that insinuation or outright castigation of Senators that voted against immediate deployment of electronic transmission that they don't like electronic transmission. It is not true.

"Even though I didn't vote. But I believe that what my colleagues did is binding on all of us in the Senate. 28 against 52... l believe that what we have done requires that the Senate and the House will each constitute a conference committee, what we call harmonisation for the two sides. When we harmonise, then we will send it to Mr President," Lawan said.
Rwanda continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic with cases gradually rising each day.

To regress the spike of new cases, government recently locked down a handful of districts including the capital Kigali.

Health authorities also rolled out a mass testing in virus hotspots as part of the efforts to assess the prevalence of the virus, including its variants, in local communities.

The two day exercise targets over 100,000 city residents.

Kigali City, the virus hotspot for the past month, on Saturday July 17, recorded 1,391 cases out of 1997 cases recorded on the same day.

Other districts with more than 50 cases include Musanze, Bugesera, Kayonza and Kamonyi district.

On the same day, 976 patients recovered, majority of whom were from home-based care program, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 38,186.

With a total of 24,952 cases and deaths recorded in the past month, Rwandans are facing a worrying trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In July alone, a total of 15,502 new cases and 200 deaths has been recorded, making it the most number of cases recorded in the shortest period of time.

Caution against complacency

Speaking to the national broadcaster in a televised interview on Sunday morning, Minister of Local government, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi called for heightened vigilance, especially for areas under the 10-day lockdown, as government intensifies efforts to mitigate its spread.

Gatabazi gave a stern warning to members of the public who voluntarily violate Covid-19 protocols, adding that local leaders and security organs are of no exception.

"For those under a lockdown, we ask them to endure that period with heightened vigilance towards the measures they are given."

He added, "If this is observed, we collectively find a solution to the problem, and this will improve the current situation."

Mass testing to end today

Government says it will wrap up the mass testing exercise later today, with results expected to be communicated to the public.

As it stands, data from John Hopkins University indicate that a total of 54,549 cases have been confirmed, among which 638 patients have lost their battle.

Health authorities reassure that they bank on the countrywide vaccination program, to ensure that at least 60 percent of the country's population is fully vaccinated by end next year.
Dar es Salaam  The question of whether or not to tax institutions run by faith groups is not new in Tanzania, whereby at a certain point exemptions were abolished on certain services including imported goods.

This happened because it was found out that there were some people who abused the privileges enjoyed by faith organisations towards tax issues and exemptions.

It was on this background that President Samia Suluhu Hassan challenged clerics to improve transparency in order to find a practical way of providing them with some sort of relief in relation to taxation by the Taxman.

President Hassan made the challenge during her meeting with Catholic bishops under the umbrella of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) on June 25, 2021. TEC President Archbishop Gervas Nyaisonga informed President Hassan that tax charges imposed on its institutions providing social services--in education and health--posed a huge challenge to the organisations.

The matter came up again when the Head of State met clerics under the Christian Community of Tanzania (CCT) just two weeks later in Morogoro Region.

CCT's chairman Alinikisa Cheyo said massive taxation imposed on church institutions adversely affected provision of social services to the public.

Responding, President Hassan noted that a similar issue would be raised by the National Muslims Council (Bakwata) if they were to be given such opportunity.

In the two occasions, she challenged religious institutions to increase transparency and trust to enable the Taximan to fairly conclude whether services provided by the faith based organization (FBOs) were for or not for profit.

Speaking to The Citizen on Thursday, TEC secretary general Charles Kitima said religious institutions providing education services charge relatively high fees compared to public schools as they aim to recruit the best teachers.

He argued that when expenditure was subtracted from total income; the small profit generated was used to strengthen provision of service, and that nobody walked home with dividends.

"The balance is spent on construction of laboratories, dormitories and the like. But, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has been demanding the same to be subjected for taxation," he wondered over the phone.

Dr Kitima said the amount was given back to society, sometimes by providing services to people with financial challenges in schools and health centres, like victims of Covid-19.

"We can't leave a Covid-19 patient to die at the facility's doorstep because they lack money. They will be treated using such funds because persons are considered in an institution's budgets," he said.

He observed, however, saying religious institutions have well accepted President Hassan's call for improved transparency in their financial matters.

"We completely agree with her call for increased transparency. But, TRA should also understand that the small remaining amount from revenue collection is used for development purposes such as improving the learning environment, students' health and funding education of students who lose parents and guardians in the middle of their studies," he said.

He said TRA should create a friendly relationship with social services providing institutions.

Dr Kitima revealed further that TEC held meetings with the ministries for Finance and Planning and Health, Community Development, Gender, the Elderly and Children shortly after President Hassan assumed office on March 19, this year. With exception to the ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the duo advised the church how best they could work amicably with the Taxman.

"Our focus is now learning how to work with TRA. The Church is also asking them to cooperate with us," he said, admitting that the two sides had poor communication in some parts of the country.

"There are some places where the two sides have maintained cordial relationships for many years," he added.

Furthermore, he said the Catholic Church's history in the provision of social services since pre-independence to post-independence era placed them in trouble.

During that period there was no emphasis in submitting tax-returns to TRA despite being a requirement of the law.

"The President has awakened us to submit returns, audit reports and comply with every demand of tax related laws," he said.

Tanzania's Mufti and chairman of National Muslim Council (Bakwata), Sheikh Abubakar Zubeir, said like political parties all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were registered under one law. He said tax exemption was among incentives they enjoyed on the conditions of increasing levels of transparency, blaming some institutions for failure to work professionally.

"Some institutions can import 200 or 300 tonnes of cement for implementation of development projects, but the same is diverted for sales in the market."

Sheikh Zubeir said an institution may import a car in the name of orphans, hinting that the same is turned into a property belonging to an individual which is incorrect.

"The President has spoken the right thing. Institutions should now change and execute their duties according to the country's laws," he said.

He said Bakwata has been striving to meet required levels of transparency and remind each other whenever something goes wrong.

"I can't guarantee that we are 100 percent clean. However, the President's reminder is a good thing to prevent wrongdoing and promote compliance," he said over the phone, adding.

"Bureaucracy should be eliminated among government institutions to avoid discouraging institutions doing commendable jobs to provide services to citizens and that stakeholders should be equally treated."

Regarding tax exemptions abuses, Sheikh Zubeir suggested that indemnities should be lifted against individuals and institutions implicated with the misuse.

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The Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT) Archbishop, Dr Maimbo Mndolwa, responded positively to the call saying it would unveil profit making religious institutions that have been hiding themselves behind the non-profit making religious institutions.

"Transparency has been maintained in social services provided through the Mvumi Hospital in Dodoma; Berega in Morogoro; Kilimatinde in Singida; Muheza DDH Hospital in Tanga and other several health centres," he said.

He said the challenge facing the hospitals had been spending collected monies on salaries, equipment and recruitment of new doctors and/ nurses.

Regarding tax exemption abuse, Archbishop Mndolwa said the tendency was behind some few people joining institutions pretending to be the people of faith, while actually they were not.

He said such incidents cannot be found in institutions under the TEC and CCT umbrella, where they have been auditing, supervising and taking accountable measures against notable misconducts.

"The government should consult our umbrella bodies before registering an institution for us to satisfy ourselves who are behind them," he said.

Furthermore, he suggested that multiple registration bodies such as the Business Registration and Licensing Agency (Brela) and Registrar of Non-Governmental Organizations at the ministry of Home Affairs should be trimmed to one body like our Rwandan counterparts.
Nairobi  Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Raychelle Omamo participated in the High Level United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) held on Thursday.

The Council was chaired by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

The Cabinet Secretary delivered Kenya's statement lauding Libya for the key milestones achieved in the peace process and encouraged continued national dialogue towards the delivery of the country's upcoming elections.

The Cabinet Secretary welcomed the establishment of the High National Reconciliation Commission and urged the government's continued commitment to the process with the support of the African Union.

She emphasized the need for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement including the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries whose continued presence was a threat to peace in Libya and the Sahel region and created a conducive environment for terrorism and violent extremism.

The Cabinet Secretary called on the planning and implementation of a Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration programme in Libya and corresponding programmes in neighbouring states working in close collaboration with UNSMIL and regional organizations.

The Council received a report from Jan Kubis, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. The Council was also addressed by His Excellency, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of Libya.
Nairobi  A consortium of Kenya conservationists, Civil Societies and Human right advocates have demanded a swift investigation into the murder of a prominent environmentalist Joanna Stutchbury warning more deaths would follow if activists continued to be attacked with impunity.

Led by Center for Justice Governance Environmental Action and Amnesty Kenya, the activists said they were alarmed at the rate at which human rights activists, environmentalists, and conservationists are threatened, harassed and killed in Kenya and worldwide yet the perpetrators continue to walk around the country free.

"We as organizations from all parts of the country, the African region, and the world, condemn this senseless killing and call for justice for Joanna and all the other environmental and human rights activists who have lost their lives while defending the integrity of our environment and natural heritage," the activists said in a statement.

"These fierce and courageous defenders have met their untimely death while trying to leave behind a better world for the next generation, for being the voices and guardians of the trees in the forests that give us the oxygen that we breathe and the wildlife that attracts billions of shillings as foreign currency from the tourists that visit this nation," they said.

They further called on the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, as well as the Kenya Forestry Service, to come up with a plan of protecting and, where appropriate, gazette all forest lands in Kenya to shield them from land grabbers who see the forests as opportunities to enrich themselves at the expense of our environment and all Kenyans.

The vocal Kenyan environmentalist, known for fighting for Kiambu forest which is under constant threat from private developers was killed on Thursday at her home in Thindigua, Kiambu County.

She was shot dead four times by gunmen along the drive way of her home, according to police and witnesses.

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Nothing was stolen from her, with reports indicating she might have been targeted.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has since called on security agencies to hunt down her killers and bring them to book.

In his message of condolence to the family, relatives and friends, the president said his administration greatly appreciates the contribution of Stutchbury in conserving the environment.

"It is very sad, unfortunate and regrettable that bad people have senselessly taken away the life of Joanna Stutchbury in such a senseless manner," the President said in a statement on Friday.

"For the longest time, Joanna has been a steadfast champion for the conservation of our environment and is remembered for her relentless efforts to protect Kiambu forest from encroachment," the President mourned.

The Head of State promised Government action to track down and apprehend killers of Ms Stutchbury terming them cowardly enemies of the Kenyan nation.
Nairobi  Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on Saturday met with United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken at the State Department where they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.

The two further exchanged views on access to vaccines and post COVID-19 economic recovery programs as well as regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest to both countries, officials said.

Blinken said that 1.7 million doses of vaccines will soon be delivered to Kenya as part of America's support in the fight against the virus.

"We are very pleased to have been able to help in the fight against COVID-19 and provision of vaccines. There is still much to be done on the continent and we are looking forward to working more with Kenya," he stated.

He pointed out that United States of America and Kenya have very strategic partnership and are working together across the continent and beyond to ensure that relationship remains strong.

Omamo called on the international community to work together with other countries in ensuring that COVID vaccines are available to all so as to hasten universal economic recovery.

"There is still hope that all countries can build back together. We build back better on our continent and we can do so in partnership with friends," she said.

Kenya is set to receive 1.76 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the United States government, officials said.

Chairman of the COVID-19 vaccine Deployment Taskforce Willis Akhwale confirmed Wednesday that talks with the United States administration are at an advanced stage for the delivery of the doses.

"So, we are moving from the period when we have been experiencing scarcity to when we should have adequate doses," he said on Wednesday during an interview on KTN News.

US President Joe Biden had in June committed to donating the Pfizer vaccine to countries which are experiencing shortages in a bid to resolve the inequalities that have been witnessed in the distribution of vaccines globally.
Nairobi  The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has denied reports that corruption charges against former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich in the Sh63 billion Arror, Kimwarer Dams project scandal have been dropped.

The Business Daily reported Friday that two charges in the case against the former Cabinet Secretary had been dropped.

A statement from the DPP's office however, stated that the cases are still pending in court and Rotich together with four others are facing various offences which include conspiracy to defraud, abuse of office and failure to comply with the law.

The statement further stated that when the case came up for plea on the amended charges in May, Rotich objected to the plea being taken on two counts.

According to Rotich, the two counts did not specify what particulars he was to respond to under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act and the Public Finance Management Act and Magistrate Douglas Ogoti allowed the application by the prosecution to amend the charges within seven days.

On May 26, Rotich was charged afresh as the prosecution removed the names of former Principal Secretaries Kamau Thugge and Susan Koech who had been charged with him.

The two will testify against Rotich during the hearing.

The DPP also removed the names of 20 Italians who were still at large from the charge sheet and are meant to be charged separately.

The DPP said the evidence in the case remained the same and they will not be introducing new documents neither shall they be introducing new witnesses.

"Currently there are two active cases, we had indicated we have no intention whatsoever to consolidate the two as much as they may share some accused persons, majority of the accused persons are different in the two cases," the prosecution said.

The former CS denied all the charges read out to him alongside all the others accused who had been charged alongside him.
Dar es Salaam  The reason behind the killings that took place at a bar at Sinza in Dar es Salaam on Saturday is still shrouded in controversy as eye witnesses and the police force give conflicting accounts of the incident.

On Saturday evening, an accountant with Tanzania Drama and Film Actors Association (TDFAA), Mr Alex Korosso - alias 'Simba' - shot dead one Gift Mushi before taking his own life just as soon.

The Kinondoni Regional Police Commissioner, Ramadhan Kingai, told The Citizen's sister paper Mwananchi yesterday that the cause of the shooting which took place at Lemax Bar, was mere drunkenness.

However, eye witnesses link the shootings to frustrations resulting from dishonesty in relationships.

People who spoke to The Citizen said that the victim (Mushi) was not really Mr Korosso's target.

They said Korosso's target was a woman with whom he had cohabited for some time in the past.

"Korosso drove all the way from his home to Lemax Bar. She joined his colleagues, and (Korosso)repeatedly uttered the words that he had an intention of killing this woman," said a source who preferred not to be named.

"He started firing a gun into the air before going in the direction of the bar manager where he asked about the whereabouts of the woman whom, he said, was working at the bar," the source said.

But as lady luck would have it, the woman was not at that location at that particular time.

Mr Mushi met his death after exchanging words with the killer that he should stop threatening to shoot people who were enjoying their drinks.

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"Gift Mushi was shot once in the leg, twice in the stomach, and thrice in the head. The killer then decided to also shoot himself dead," the source explained.

Speaking to The Citizen, the bar manager, Mr Agustine Nyange, said Mr Korosso was their regular customer.

"A few days before the incident, he came here and had some drinks. He left the place, leaving behind a bill of Sh600,000," said Mr Nyange.

The bill was later paid by his girlfriend.

Although the bill was paid, witnesses say the girlfriend had been complaining that Mr Korosso was misusing money that should have been spent on more important needs.

But, according to Mr Kingai, the shooting was simply the result of irresponsible drinking.

"After we did an investigation, we established that when Korosso set his foot in the Lemax Bar he was already drunk," said RPC Kingai.

Mr Mushi, who was killed by Mr Korosso, is survived by a wife and a six-year old child.
Human rights bodies on Friday urged authorities in Ethiopia to end arbitrary arrests and detentions of ethnic Tigrayans.

Those detained have included activists and journalists.

In a statement, Amnesty International said police in Addis Ababa have arrested and detained dozens of Tigrayans without due process.

"The arrests appear to be ethnically motivated, with former detainees, witnesses and lawyers describing how police checked identity documents before arresting people and taking them to detention centers," the organisation said.

Police crackdown against Tigrayans in the capital started shortly after the Tigray region's capital, Mekelle, was recaptured on June 28, by the outlawed Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

The global human rights watchdog urged the Ethiopian government either to charge or release the detained Tigrayans.

It further asked Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government to reveal the whereabouts of the unaccounted civilians detained in unknown locations.

"Following the withdrawal of the Ethiopian National Defense Force from parts of Tigray and the announcement of a unilateral cease-fire by the federal government on June 28, for the last two weeks Tigrayans in Addis Ababa have been arbitrarily arrested and detained. Former detainees told us that police stations are filled with people speaking Tigrinya, and that authorities had conducted sweeping mass arrests of Tigrayans," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's director for East and Southern Africa.

Amnesty called on the Ethiopian government to "end this wave of arbitrary arrests, and to ensure that all detainees are either promptly charged with internationally recognised crimes and given fair trials, or immediately and unconditionally released."

It added: "The government should also inform families of the whereabouts of the detainees and ensure that they have access to lawyers and families.

"While some people have been released on bail, approximately hundreds of others remain in detention, and their whereabouts unknown" said Amnesty

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it is monitoring reports of arbitrary detention and arrests, closure of businesses and other forms of harassment targeting ethnic Tigrayans in Addis Ababa.

"In Addis Ababa, reports indicate that some suspected detainees including media workers have been transported to locations outside the capital and may face continued harassment" the commission said.

The commission urged the Ethiopian government to free all civilians detained without sufficient legal grounds and denied due process.

It also called on federal and regional authorities to hold accountable law enforcement officials who are responsible for arbitrary arrests, harassment, or those who committed other forms of right violations.

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Meanwhile, a Tigrayan victim spoke to Nation.Africa about the latest crackdown.

Mr Hailu Amaha (last name changed for safety reasons) was arrested last Saturday along with 26 others from a bar and restaurant near his home.

"All of a sudden, a group of policemen arrived and ordered us to board a patrol vehicle that was parked outside," he said.

"When some of us started to ask why we are being arrested, they started to beat us," he said.

He added: "They took everyone inside that bar that evening including the owner of the restaurant to jail."

Amaha said police later said that the reason for their arrest was that they were not wearing face mask.

But he says they were targeted on the basis of their identities and still fear getting rearrested again, despite their release after four days in jail.

Addis Ababa and the Federal police have denied the allegations.
Carry your own cross. That is Governor Amos Nyaribo's unequivocal response to the ripple of jitters flowing across the rank and file of his staff following damning reports by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on widespread graft at the county government.

EACC has flagged dozens of irregularities and illegalities staff committed both at executive and the assembly levels.

This has sparked panic among staff mentioned in the report, or whose units have been fingered for malpractices, as they live in fear of imminent arrest.

The graft watchdog has questioned why procurement was done outside the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis) and why the county has been reallocating funds in breach of due process.

The Department of Lands, for instance, reallocated Sh3 million meant to buy photographic and audio-visual equipment to finance shadowy recruitment expenditure on March 14, 2019.

Nyamira's policy to allocate equal sums of development funds to all wards has also come under sharp criticism.

"The arrangement has affected implementation of projects that require substantial amounts of money resulting in stalled and incomplete projects and is not effective in the long term," EACC says in its report.

The graft watchdog also fingers the Department of Health Services' hiring of 34 health workers without advertisement, shortlisting and interviews.

Furthermore, the county recruited early childhood development education staff without the minimum qualifications and lacking Teachers Service Commission numbers.

Staffing policies

EACC notes that failure to follow due process in staff recruitment is a loophole that may lead to unfairness and lack of competitiveness.

The executive and the County Public Service Board are also faulted for staffing policies that include failure to maintain a skills inventory, haphazard and irregular hirings, failure to train new staff or to carry out training needs assessments.

They have also not done background reference checks, lack a staff performance management framework and have not remitted statutory deductions.

On project management, the report cites failure to complete projects on time and to ensure that needed project deliverables for the Revenue Collection and Management System are met.

Concerns raised in the Information Communication Technology Department were use of personal emails to transact official business, use of dissimilar systems and failure to integrate systems, lack of a disaster recovery and business continuity plan, lack of a user management process and failure to separate user rights.

The county assembly's human resource function was flagged for lack of a scheme of service for different cadres of staff.

Two-thirds rule

Another issue was failure to undertake background checks on certificates before hiring, failure to put in place a human resource advisory committee for handling issues related to staff, lack of a performance management framework and failure to comply with the two-thirds rule in payroll management.

Findings in project management concern the slow pace in the implementation of projects, some of which are behind schedule while others have stalled and have are abandoned.

Mr Nyaribo has now said he will not protect corrupt staff in his administration and will work with the EACC to expose them.

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He spoke on Wednesday at Guardian Hotel in Nyamira during the launch of the Corruption Risk Assessment reports.

The reports highlight graft loopholes in the assembly and the executive and recommend ways to seal them.

EACC commissioner Rose Mghoi Macharia handed over the reports to Speaker Moffat Teya and Mr Nyaribo. County Commissioner Amos Mariba also received copies of the reports.

"These EACC people you see here today are laughing, but I can tell you they can bite. When they come for you tomorrow over the same issues they have raised here today, they will be very different people. When they do that, I've a job to protect, and a family to feed. I'll hand you over," the governor said.

Mr Mariba urged prudent use of public resources and employment of qualified personnel.
Laikipia Finance Executive Murungi Ndai has accused 'political detractors' of derailing passage of the county assembly's Sh8.1 billion budget.

Inclusion of Sh1.116 billion infrastructure bond transaction in the 2021/2022 budget has also been deadlocked.

"Some political detractors are not happy about the infrastructure bond and I think the push-and-pull we're witnessing is unnecessary. Those are selfish moves and should be stopped," Mr Ndai said yesterday.

"The detractors have led to the delay in passage of the budget on time and this is injustice to the citizen. At the end of the day, the common mwananchi will suffer but not the government of the day," he added.

The budget includes Sh5.1 billion equitable share, Sh1 billion own source revenue, Sh750 million conditional grant and projected Sh1.116 billion infrastructure bond transaction.

"We're trying to find an innovative way of financing infrastructure upgrade but this is not going well with some political detractors. The impasse will result in delays in absorption of the budget and clearing of pending bills," Mr Ndai said.

Bond proposal

Ward reps recently quashed the devolved unit's attempt to include the bond proposal in the Supplementary Budget Estimates days before June 30, 2021.

In the budget estimates, the county government allocated Sh1.7 billion towards infrastructure, Sh2.1 billion for health and Sh536 million for the Assembly.

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The leasing programme has been allocated Sh280 million to grade and gravel 900 kilometres. Upgrading key urban centres and markets has been allocated Sh933 million.

"Infrastructure upgrade will spur economic activities by attracting investments in enterprise, manufacturing, service provision and tourism," Mr Ndai said.

Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital and Nyahururu County Referral Hospital have been allocated Sh160.7 million and Sh140.7 million respectively.

The Executive has set aside Sh30 million for National Hospital Insurance Fund subsidies, while Sh33 million will go to paying stipends for community health volunteers, while Sh700 million has been set aside to settle contractors' pending.

"We're committed to ensuring liquidity in the market. This will involve prioritising payment of pending bills as the first charge by all the departments. We have set aside Sh700 million for this purpose," Mr Ndai said.

Finance infrastructure

The devolved unit plans to float the Sh1.116 billion bond at the Nairobi Securities Exchange to finance infrastructure projects.

The assembly should pass the bond before it is presented to National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council and the National Assembly for approval.
Djibouti and Ethiopia have secured funds to build a second electricity transmission line after the two neighbors enjoyed the returns from the first project that linked their power grids.

The first project has enabled Djibouti to import Ethiopia's hydropower-processed, renewable and cheap electricity.

After, the two countries agreed to further develop the project, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has now approved two grant loans worth $83.6 million which enables Ethiopia and Djibouti to proceed with the construction of their second power transmission line which will eventually boost their energy trade.

According to a statement the bank issued last week, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved the funds in a bid to boost cross-border trade in electricity between Ethiopia and Djibouti.

The grants also intend to deepen economic integration in the Horn of Africa's region.

The funds comprise a $ 69.65 million grant to Ethiopia and a second grant of $ 13.93 million to Djibouti and were sourced from the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank's concessional financing window.

The Nation has learnt that the latest loans which are granted based on a long-term loan framework, will be used for the second Ethio-Djibouti power transmission line project.

The Ethiopia-Djibouti Second Power Interconnection project, according to the bank, will entail the construction of nearly 300 km of interconnector line, 170 km of transmission lines, and new construction or renovation of substations in the two countries.

"The first interconnection line is reaching its power transfer capacity limit due to several developments in both countries, such as the industrial development in the eastern part of Ethiopia, the railway line from Djibouti to Ethiopia (powered by electricity), and the port expansion in Djibouti "said Mr. Batchi Baldeh, the Bank's Director of Power Systems Development.

"The two countries have thus decided to develop the second power interconnection line to maintain energy security and reliability for Djibouti" he added.

Completion of the second phase of the joint power line interconnector will boost Ethiopia's revenue from power exports to Djibouti.

On the other hand, it enables Djibouti to import more reliable and affordable clean electricity, with costs less than US $ 10 per kilowatt hour.

According to the Bank, the second project is expected to build on benefits achieved over the last ten years, including a 65% increase in customer connections in Djibouti and a sharp reduction in the use of thermal generation plants from 100% to around 16%.

Other expected benefits in Djibouti include a more conducive environment for businesses and job creation for youth, as well as lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently, electricity imported from Ethiopia accounts about 70% of Djibouti's entire power demands.

The bank was able to provide this second round of loan support acknowledging to the successful completion and fruitful outcomes achieved from the first phase of the power line project.

In 2004 the African Bank financed the first power interconnection project between the two countries.

The project is aligned with the Bank's East African Regional Integration Strategy Paper, which seeks to promote regional infrastructure for economic transformation.

Abebe Gizachew, an economic expert says the first and second power line projects are part of Djibouti's long-term development strategies set under the country's vision 2035 'launched in 2014.

"By establishing new power interconnections with Ethiopia, Djibouti plans to achieve goal of 100 percent renewable energy supply by 2035" said Abebe.

"Though the goal looks so ambitious, the government plan however intends to make sure the entire Djiboutian population including rural areas get access to electricity by then"

Currently, some 50percent of Djibouti's little over one million population does not have access to electricity.

While, being the main power supplier to Djibouti, 60% of Ethiopia's over 110 million population however does not have access to electricity, according to recent government figures.

According to Abebe, completion of the second power line will enable Djibouti to import an additional 60 MW per day into its national grid.

Most of this electricity will be injected to Djibouti from Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam which is currently 81 percent completed.

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During the past 20 years, Djibouti has been aggressively working to boost its share of renewable energy within its electricity production.

In fact, some economic analysts say that the tiny Africa nation has been in an energy race to meet its ambitious goal of becoming the first African country that is entirely reliant on green energy.

Since Ethiopia started exporting electricity to Djibouti, the horn of Africa's nation has earned about $ 275 million in revenue.

Last year, Ethiopia earned $66.4 million from electric energy exports to Sudan and Djibouti.

Out of the total revenue, $ 29.3 million has been gained from Sudan while the remaining $ 37.1 million from Djibouti.

According to the state power and electricity utility, Ethiopia is working to create integration through electricity with additional African countries including with Tanzania, South Sudan and Somaliland.

A few months ago, Addis Ababa said that the power transmission line that links nation's power grid with Kenya is near completion and it will be operational soon.

Kenya has an initial agreement with Ethiopia to import up to 400 Megawatts of electricity.
Khartoum  Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, received United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare in his office in Khartoum yesterday to discuss UN support to Sudan.

During the meeting, El Burhan lauded the support delivered by the United Nations (UN) to make the transitional period in Sudan a success.

The support delivered by the UN is important to realise peace and development in the country, El Burhan said.

The Sovereignty Council Chairman also reaffirmed his motivations to complete the process of democratic transition in Sudan.

In a press statement after the meeting, the UN Under-Secretary-General explained that he also briefed El Burhan on the 'liquidation phase' of the joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the different stages of UNAMID's withdrawal from the region.

Atul Khare further congratulated the Chairman on behalf of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of Eid El Adha, the end of Hajj.
Tunis/Tunisia  Switzerland sent medical aid to Tunisia to support its anti-Covid-19 efforts, said the Swiss embassy in Tunis.

The equipment consists of oxygen concentrators and multipurpose respiratory devices worth 335 thousand Swiss francs (about one million dinars).

A Swiss military aircraft landed Friday at Tunis-Carthage International Airport. It was loaded with 50 oxygen concentrators with a flow capacity of five litres, 7 concentrators with a flow capacity of 10 litres as well as 15 multipurpose respiratory decvices, the embassy said in a press release.

This assistance fits within the support provided by Switzerland to help Tunisia stem the pandemic.
Tunis/Tunisia  Three Moroccan military aircraft loaded with medical equipment arrived at Tunis-Carthage airport as part of the airlift approved by the Kingdom of Morocco to set up a field hospital in Tunisia.

Two military aircraft arrived on Thursday in Tunis, as part of the same initiative to help Tunisia combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

King Mohammed VI had ordered emergency aid to Tunisia, consisting of two complete and autonomous intensive care units, with a total capacity of 100 beds. It also includes 100 ventilators and 2 oxygen generators with a capacity of 33 m3 per hour each, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday.

Tunisia is experiencing an unprecedented epidemic wave characterised by a widespread of the Alpha and Delta variants in most governorates, with high rates of infection and death, according to figures by the Health Ministry.
Eritrean community in Switzerland donated nine wheel chairs to the National Association of Eritrean War Disabled Veterans.

At the handing over ceremony conducted at the central office of the association, Ms. Senait Tewoldemedhin, representative of the community, said that supporting war disabled veterans is the responsibility of every citizen and called on others to follow the noble example.

Indicating that the support was in continuation of the initiative the nationals in Switzerland have been taking, Mr. Mohammed-Nur Idris, head of Organizational Affairs and Information of the association, expressed appreciation for the support the nationals have extended.
press release

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Great Egyptian People, The Honorable People of Egypt, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today, I speak to you in a moment in which I feel a combination of happiness and pride; feeling happy for being here amongst representatives of all Egyptian people categories and proud of what we have achieved together including the successive victories and great achievements accomplished by Egyptian hands and righteous martyrs' blood. I find myself proud of what have been achieved by the Egyptians when their calls had intensified in Egypt's squares, streets and villages expressing their will to restore Egypt back from those who wanted to violate its holiness and steal its identity, driven by wrong concepts and extremist ideologies. Furthermore, I find myself together with the Egyptian Army, honored by being its leader during those difficult moments of the homeland's history, having absolute bias to the will of this great people. As much as the challenges and difficulties that we had encountered as a result of our decision, people and state, to restore Egypt back from a group of aggressors and misled trafficking in the homeland and the religion, as much as the determination to undertake the challenge and achieve the decisive victory in the battles of survival and building. When I answered your calls, I had absolute confidence in the Egyptians' capabilities and an undoubted belief in victory. My provisions in this work journey on top of the homeland's rescue team was impartiality and faith. I feared no one but Allah, I had no goal but the homeland and I sought only by work. My belief was honest and my trust was in its place as this brave people had proved that genius is deep-rooted in their characters. The Egyptian personality had been inspired by its long history, strength and civilized roots and started to prove to the whole world its ability to reach glory. It did not fear to face its challenges; it was not despaired by media that seeks to discourage it and was not deterred from achieving its goals by vicious terrorism. The challenges were great, yet were never greater than our will to confront them and lead the homeland to cross over into future horizons. We have encountered a tidal surge of terrorism that caused the bloodshed of our sons from the great Egyptian army and the valiant police. We stormed into economic problems and crises accumulated over decades with an economic reform program whose hero was the Egyptian citizen, who bore its direct implications on his daily life, understanding the importance of these measures to ensure a better future for generations to come. We, also, cooperate together to rebuild and establish our national constitutional institutions and legislative chambers representing the Egyptian people. In parallel, it was a race against time to build and maximize capabilities and assets of the future Egypt. The major national projects have become a symbol expressing the Egyptian will to build their own country. We seek to raise the standard of living for more than "four thousand" villages, through establishing new cities accommodating all Egyptians across the country, offering social housing providing adequate housing for youth, developing dangerous and unsafe regions, eliminating slums, comprehensive repairing of the national road network, increasing the agricultural land, and -today- launching our greatest national project "Hayah Karima" (Decent Life) to develop the Egyptian countryside. This has been done, aiming at achieving sustainable development and improving the quality of life for about 58 million citizens over the next three years, with a minimum budget of about EGP 700 billion. Today, as I announce the launch of this ambitious project to implement it, with Allah's Support and with my confidence in the capabilities of all Egyptians; state and people, I consider this an inauguration of the new republic. It is the Egyptian republic that is firmly established on the concept of a modern civil democratic state, which possesses comprehensive military, economic, political and social capabilities, and that raises the concept of citizenship and acceptance of the other. It is the republic that seeks to achieve peace, stability and development, and that aspires to a political development achieving vitality for the Egyptian society based on the consolidation of the concepts of social justice, dignity and humanity. Furthermore, it also seeks to shape the Egyptian person in an integrated, healthy, mental and cultural structure, having confidence that the Egyptian person is the treasure of this country and the icon of victory and glory. Resilient, modern, civil and democratic Egypt is appropriately suitable for the Egyptians, which expresses their will, suits their aspirations, and represents their sacrifices. Great Egyptian People, I renew the solemn vow I made and promise you that our new republic, which was born from the womb of your great June 30 Revolution. We are determined to move forward towards further work and construction, having comprehensive capacity, and pursuing to achieve economic and political development. Moreover, we support more common spaces among the people of the country, providing all means for our youth to achieve a worthy future in their great country. I would also like to express my utmost gratitude to the great Egyptian people for all their efforts and sacrifices to stand today safe and secure in pursuit of construction and development. I thank the men of the Egyptian army for their sacrifices to preserve the dignity and protect the capabilities of the homeland. I also pay tribute to the brave Egyptian policemen for their role etched in golden letters in facing the black terrorism. I thank every worker who built glory to Egypt, every farmer who planted hope, every scientist who generated light. Moreover, I send special greetings to the great Egyptian woman who has always been at the forefront of the national march and the challenge. Ladies and Gentlemen, August Gathering, Egypt manages its external relations regionally and internationally with firm and stable principles based on mutual respect, delinquency for peace and upholding the rules of the international law. Egypt also has acquired political tools, military and economic power that enhances the enforcement of our will and the protection of our capabilities. In order to achieve peace and security at the regional and international levels, Egypt adopted a methodology based on the exercise of the utmost wisdom and rational use of power without prejudice to the circles of the Egyptian national security on both the short and long terms. Honestly, I assure you that Egypt's national security is a red line that cannot be surpassed, regardless of who approves or objects. Practicing wisdom and delinquency for peace do not mean in any way to compromise the destiny of this homeland that we will not allow anyone to approach. In order to preserve it, we have several options that we will decide according to the situation and circumstances. Egyptian People, Brothers and Sisters, I reiterate every now and then my promise and pledge to you that I will remain a son of this country working for it, free from whims, loyal to your will, confident in your abilities, believing in your strength and praying to Allah for success and all the best. As I have cordially told you before: "Dreams are imprescriptible", today, I assure you: "Believing in the dream forms the present and the future". I have a great dream for my nation like yours and an unrelenting will to achieve it just like you. Hence, let us be dedicated to our dreams for Egypt and always pay unsustainable efforts for its sake. Long live Egypt... long live Egypt... Long live Egypt May Allah's Peace and Mercy Be upon You Thank you
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 16th July 2021, commissioned the National Mosque of Ghana Complex, at a brief ceremony at Nima.

The edifice contains a grand mosque which is the second largest in West Africa, an office complex for the National Chief Imam, a clinic fitted with laboratories and a pharmacy, a library and a morgue.

With the current and immediate past Presidents of the Republic of Niger, their Excellencies Mohammed Bazoum and Mahamadou Issoufou, and Professor Ali Erbas, President of the Directorate of Religious Affairs of Turkey, present, President Akufo-Addo applauded the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, as well as the Government and people of the Republic of Turkey for its financial and technical support offered towards the construction of the Complex.

"The minaret of this mosque is very visible from many parts of Accra. For me, it is not just the beauty that it adds to Accra's skyline that excites me necessarily. I am even more excited by the fact that, as a Christian-majority country, a symbol of Islam can beautifully adorn our landscape, and expose the beauty of religious harmony that we enjoy in Ghana, and which continues to be the envy of the rest of the world," the President said.

Acknowledging the importance of a mosque in the theological architecture of Islam, he noted that Prophet Mohammed's Mosque in Madina continues to be a site of pilgrimage for devotees from across the world.

The mosque, President Akufo-Addo explained, is not just a place of prayer, stressing that "it is a hub for social and cultural activities. In other words, a mosque is supposed to bring people together, and not divide them".

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He, thus, urged the National Chief Imam and members of the Muslim fraternity to use the occasion of the commissioning of the Complex to foster even further the unity of the Muslim Ummah in Ghana, and, by extension, the unity of the Ghanaian people.

"This beautiful Complex is a replica of the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, which has become one of the most visited mosques in the world for the purposes of tourism. I expect that we should also nurture and take care of this mosque, and build its profile as a tourist destination for travelers to our country," he said.

President Akufo-Addo continued, "Fortunately, our Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture is a devout Muslim and an astute business man, and I expect him to craft an appropriate strategy to make this beautiful edifice a place of pilgrimage".

On his part, the President pledged to continue to serve Ghanaians with all his strength and with all his heart.

"I shall continue to be faithful to my presidential oath, and, hopefully, I can count on your support and the support of the Ghanaian people to make our country great and strong," he added.
analysis

The SADC region is developing its renewable energy sector despite limited funding for renewables capital. However, if SADC is seeking to lower emissions and increase renewable energy supply by 2040, progress is delayed by various barriers.

As South Africa looks to diversify its coal-dependent energy supply, financial institutions are also looking to divest from coal and chase good returns in the environmental, social and governance space. Capital for environmentally just projects has been growing in recent years. Africa, however, and more particularly the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, has been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to accessing financing to develop their renewables energy sector.

SADC has been receiving $1-billion from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) each year towards the development of renewables for the past decade. However, Laura Cozzi, chief energy modeller at the International Energy Agency said in a panel discussion that $1-trillion was needed from the developed world to assist emerging countries to scale up renewable energy supply.

Existing funding has been coming from various multilateral and financial institutions regionally and globally. A third (33%) of funding for renewables in the SADC region has come from the Export-Import Bank of China (CHEXIM) which...
Algiers  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad "strongly" condemned in a statement Friday, "a particularly dangerous drift" of the Moroccan diplomatic representation in New York, which has recently delivered to the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement an official note in which Morocco publicly and explicitly supports a so-called "right to self-determination of the Kabyle people."

The Moroccan diplomatic representation in New York delivered to all the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement an official note whose content formally enshrines the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco in a hostile campaign against Algeria, through a public and explicit support to an alleged "right to self-determination of the Kabyle people" who, according to the said note, would suffer "the longest foreign occupation."

This double allegation is an acknowledgement of guilt regarding the multiform Moroccan support currently given to a known terrorist group, as was the case with the support to the terrorist groups that bloodied Algeria during the "black decade."

This Moroccan diplomatic communication is adventurous, irresponsible and manipulative. It is a short-sighted, simplistic and vain attempt to cultivate an outrageous combination between a decolonization issue duly recognized as such by the international community and which is only a plot directed against the unity of the Algerian nation.

The communication directly attacks the principles and agreements that build Algerian-Moroccan relations. It constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

Algeria strongly condemns this dangerous drift, including for the Kingdom of Morocco within his internationally recognized borders.

In the situation created by a dubious diplomatic act committed by an ambassador, Algeria, a sovereign and indivisible Republic, has the right to expect a clarification from the Kingdom of Morocco on this very serious incident.
analysis

'We need a radical ethical transformation,' said economist Iraj Abedian during a Daily Maverick webinar discussion on the recent violence and unrest that has rocked the country.

Economist Iraj Abedian convened with Daily Maverick journalist Desiree Erasmus and host Marianne Thamm at a Daily Maverick webinar event on Sunday evening to unpack the violence which has unfolded in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal this week and look at where South Africa is headed.

"It's been a hell of a ride. It's been emotional; it's been traumatic," said Erasmus, who has been on the ground reporting on the violence in her home province of KwaZulu-Natal for the past week.

"The devastation that I saw was unprecedented," she said.

That being said, Erasmus said what she is experiencing now, after a week of carnage, is a sense of "hope and renewal" that she believed she had lost.

This was after she had seen community members come together in droves to clean up and rebuild what was lost.

Abedian agreed with President Cyril Ramaphosa's remarks on Friday that the unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal is not an "ethnic mobilisation", but a strategy where the instigators of this insurrection sought to "paralyse the economy"...
opinion

Last Sunday, a Presbyterian Church of East Africa cleric expressed great displeasure with a song that has become popular with some members of the Kikuyu community, especially during bride-price ceremonies, weddings, birthday parties and even during political functions.

While banning the song, Firirinda, from any church-related function he would be presiding over in the future, the Mathira spiritual leader described it as ungodly, though he did not say exactly how. In one sense, he was right. Such songs should not really feature at sombre occasions like funerals.

However, in another sense, he was wrong. The song, which has been trending for the better part of this year with its jaunty tune and highly danceable beat, is meant for happy occasions, but describing it as "ungodly" is akin to killing a mosquito with a club.

Indeed, it exemplifies the kind of zealotry that has lost the Christian church's youthful adherents in droves over the years. The ban also raises other issues to do with culture and religion, for we seem to have swallowed too many myths shovelled down our throats by foreigners to the effect that Africans were godless savages until the white man came on a mission of redemption.

First, a brief history of the song: It was originally recorded in 1986 by Gatundu musician Dick (Munyonyi) Njoroge, but it did not attract fans until this year when a popular vernacular radio and television DJ, Jeff Kuria, gave it air-play and it started trending on social media.

Perfectly harmless ditty

It is a simple song with catchy lyrics and elementary dance-steps without any hint of lewdness. In fact, it is meant to be a welcoming song for guests at public functions, be they traditional or "modern", and nothing in it should really arouse the ire of clerics except one line that prescribes a sugarless mug of tea for those guests who don't take alcohol.

My only quarrel with the clergyman is that he has taken the issue too seriously. For a man who presumably administers tiny doses of alcohol to his flock during Holy Communion, such intolerance is staggering, if you pardon the pun.

No dance is likely to make the women whirling their skirts any less godly, or any born-again Christian backslide. It is a perfectly harmless ditty that has probably earned its composer a few coins in his waning years and nothing more. Nowhere in the Bible are Christians cajoled to be dour misanthropes with nary a funny bone in their make-up.

The ridiculous reaction to the song may not be the best example of how practitioners of the Christian religion have looked down upon African traditions through the ages, insisting that the only way to become a true Christian is to discard every one of them, but it comes close.

We were taught from our youth that everything with an African origin is heathen, and the only route to redemption is to adopt the mannerisms, languages and even names of the white man. We were told that traditional brews were the favourite tipples of the devil, and we should replace them with whisky, scotch, rum, gin and other concoctions that have ruined the livers of insufferable snobs.

During baptism, we were forced to adopt ridiculous names which have no meaning to us if we wanted to be accepted as "civilised". The trouble is, some of our clerics still think there is something wrong if you insist on adopting an African name like Kwame, Haile or Samora.

Dwelling on non-issues

We were also taught that the mark of an educated person is how he or she has mastered the English language. In short, we were socialised to believe that everything African is wrong and everything foreign superior. When Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o titled his book of essays Decolonising the Mind, he must have had such things in mind - that we Africans are still lost in a cultural maze and in danger of losing our identities.

It is a big pity that to this day, some people with a highly infectious inferiority complex hold on to such beliefs, indicating just how thoroughly they have been indoctrinated to hate everything African and to adore everything foreign. Is it any wonder that to this day, Africans are being used by wazungu to harass, oppress and plunder from fellow Africans while still professing the Christian faith?

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Doesn't it worry anyone that Africans are perhaps the only people whose governments condone the enslavement and casual murders of their women in faraway lands?

Instead of dwelling on non-issues like the innocent lyrics to songs meant to welcome honoured guests to social functions, perhaps our religious leaders should concentrate more on denouncing the iniquities of a socio-political system, which has managed to condemn millions to endemic deprivation.

Promising them heaven in the hereafter when they have always lived in acute destitution here on earth just won't do. Not when they know that those who have made them live in this misery are their own political leaders - and the apologists their own clergymen.

The author is a consultant editor.
opinion

Despite his protestations that he does not support violence, former MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe's own words suggest that he is inviting violence on those who have tried to hold him to account.

Kebby Maphatsoe - former president of the now disbanded Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association (MKMVA) - sent a letter to ANC officials last week, reported in City Press (17 July), stating, "We are not in support of any instability or violence." This is a lie.

The lie is connected to Daily Maverick in two ways. Firstly, Maphatsoe made a direct threat on the MKMVA WhatsApp chat group on 2 April last year against the DM columnist Omry Makgoale (an MK veteran), who was first applicant of five MK veterans who made a successful application to the South Gauteng High Court in 2016, alleging misuse of funds of the MKMV Trust Fund by Maphatsoe and three other executive members of the fund. (One of the applicants, Don Sipho Mashele, has since died of Covid-19).

In their action against Maphatsoe and his fellow trust fund directors, Makgoale and his fellow MK applicants were represented by advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC and advocate Nobuntu Mbelle, on behalf of Webber Wentzel attorneys, acting...
The Ethiopian government is threatening sanctions on journalists and media outlets that will 'glorify' the victories of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a former ruling party now considered a terrorist group in Addis Ababa.

In the latest crackdown on independent media, the Ethiopia Media Authority warned news outlets not to equate the Tigray fighters to a national army, and not to consider TPLF the governor of the region.

Yonatan Tesfaye Regassa, deputy director-general of the authority warned, in a letter to correspondents, of "stringent measures" against any journalist who reports on Tigray fighters as though they were a national army.

"The Ethiopia Media Authority has found out that some foreign media are repeatedly characterising the TPLF as a national army by calling it's the Tigray Defence Force or TDF," Yonatan wrote in a letter dated July 16, and which was circulated under the subject 'terminologies that violate Ethiopia's territorial integrity.'

"Bearing in mind that Tigray is one of the federal units of Ethiopia that cannot have a force with that nomenclature, and as the country's Parliament has labeled TPLF a terrorist organisation, the authority informs that use of such terminology violates Ethiopia's territorial integrity, national interest and security," he said.

He was referring to a parliamentary decision earlier this year to ban the TPLF and label them as a terrorist movement.

Other forbidden terminology

Ethiopia has also warned journalists against referring to the TPLF and its leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, as the leader of Tigray.

Once President of Tigray Regional State, Debretsion was stripped of the powers by Ethiopia after he defied the postponement of national elections and held local polls.

In November, the Ethiopian Parliament nullified the authority and declared Debretsion and 96 other senior army officers, TPLF and government officials as fugitives.

The region is officially under a provisional administration but it fled recently as the Tigray fighters stormed the capital, Mekelle.

"It shall be understood that further use of the same terminology by any foreign media outlet will be a grave violation of Ethiopian law, which will lead to stringent measures."

The warning, which could mean journalists losing their press credentials and outlets banned from covering the conflict, came as Addis Ababa upped their labelling of TPLF as an outlet using child soldiers in the war.

Billene Seyoum, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokesperson, specifically accused New York Times and the Associated Press of "glamourising the use of child soldiers by the TPLF".

Uproar

On Friday, uproar followed the suspension of Addis Standard, an online news magazine published by Jakenn Publishing PLC. Officials of the company said they were suspending publishing activity after the Authority withdrew its licence.

"The management of JAKENN deeply regrets and is disturbed by the decision taken today by the Ethiopian Media Authority to recall JAKENN's recently issued media license without due explanation," the firm said in a statement on Thursday.

Various press freedom lobbies protested the decision, saying the outlet was being punished for sustaining an independent line of reporting on the Tigray conflict.

"Today's move to withdraw its license is the latest demonstration of the government's hostility towards independent journalism," said Muthoki Mumo, CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative said in a statement on Friday.

"Authorities should immediately restore Addis Standard's licence, ensure that it can operate independently, and cease all efforts to harass and censor journalists and media outlets."

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Other reactions

Other groups including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said they had written to the authority seeking clarifications on the withdrawal of the licence.

The Foreign Press Association of Africa tweeted that Ethiopia should allow a free press as it is essential for democracy.

"We feel disappointed that @EthMediaAuth, with no explanation, has suspended activities of @addisstandard. Censorship, suppression and repression of the media only happens in authoritarian democracies," the association tweeted.

A unilateral ceasefire declared by Ethiopia two weeks ago looked all but broken after Amhara militia allied to Ethiopian forces clashed with the TDF.

The Tigray fighters have gone on to declare certain victories and retaken towns initially lost to Amhara, Eritrean and Ethiopian forces.

Prime Minister Abiy said he will "repel" any attacks.
Monrovia  The Manager of the Buchanan Port in Liberia has been suspended for alleged financial impropriety amounting to over US$200,000.

Mr. Charles Gull and his Chief Statistician, Amara Kamara were suspended early Friday afternoon for their alleged involvement in diverting monies intended for the Government of Liberia into their personal accounts both in the United States and Liberia respectively.

The funds, according to reports, were remittances reportedly paid by Arcelor Mittal and Equatorial Palm Oil for the exportation of iron ore and palm oil out of the country via the port in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara were arrested and risked off by agents of the National Security Agency (NSA) for interrogation early Friday afternoon.

Though the NSA, though it's Director Henrique Pearson remains tightlipped on the arrest and subsequent investigation of Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara, there are reports that the pair remain in the custody of the NSA.

In a release issued late Friday evening under the signature of the Communications Director of the NPA Malcolm Scott, the NPA confirmed the suspension of Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara.

The release endorsed that the pair was suspended without pay for alleged financial impropriety.

According to the release, an investigation has been launched into the matter.

"The Management of National Port Authority informs the public that Buchanan Port Manager, Mr. Charles D. Gull and Amara Kamara, Chief statistician, outstation ports, have been suspended with immediate effect without pay for "alleged financial impropriety".

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"The two employees will remain suspended until the outcome of an ongoing investigation which they have been subjected to".

The release pointed out that the actions taken against Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara are in "straight adherence to the NPA's administrative axe against any of its staff who may be found punishable for acts consistent with the Port's policy".

Meanwhile, the NPA has vowed to release the details and findings concerning the ongoing probe and subsequent actions by the NPA Management to the public.

Mr. Gull, who has little or no knowledge on the workings of port marine activities, was appointed by President George Manneh Weah to steer the affairs of the Port of Buchanan, based upon recommendations from some hierarchies of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

He studied criminal justice at the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU).

There has been mounting pressure for his removal as a result of his lack of the requisite qualifications to adequately steer the affairs of the port.

Post Views: 16
Senior Reporter

Commercial sex workers continue to face multiple risks including violence, poor health, loss of dignity and are discriminated against in the communities they live.

They are also vulnerable to a variety of human rights abuses perpetrated mostly by their clients as well as other violations such as refusal of clients to adhere to the agreed transaction fee or outright refusal to pay for services provided.

Notwithstanding all the disadvantages attached to the profession, the lure of making fast cash or circumstances, force scores of women to become sex workers.

However, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa who is also the country's health ambassador, is working flat out taking these women off the streets as she continues with her drive of not leaving no one behind.

The aim is to rehabilitate and economically empower them.

Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, the First Lady is rolling out empowerment initiatives to ensure the commercial sex workers earn a decent living.

Her motto as the mother of the nation is that she does not discriminate any of her children, they are all equal despite their circumstances in life.

On Friday last week, Amai Mnangagwa had a meeting with representatives of commercial sex workers drawn from around Harare where she urged them to shun prostitution and also safeguard their health.

As a mother, she has not been short of words of wisdom in restoring the dignity of these women by offering them practical solutions through engaging in income generating projects of their choice.

As a health ambassador, she also urged the sex workers to have constant health checks and advised them she was availing her foundation's mobile clinic so that they get screened for cervical and breast cancer and they agreed.

"I looked for you my children so that we sit down and discuss about life particularly your health and well-being. As the health ambassador I am more concerned about your health vanangu. We want to put our heads together and see how we can preserve health," she said.

She asked the women if they get tested for HIV and AIDS more often, to which they responded saying they were scared to do so considering some men sometimes force them to engage in sexual activities without protection.

"Vana vangu, it is important to know where you stand health wise to avoid the spread of diseases.

"Cancers are also there hence you must be screened for cancer, HIV and other ailments so that if need be, you commence on treatment early to ensure a higher survival rate.

"Ndinokudai mese vanangu uye ndinokudai muri vapenyu," she said.

Amai Mnangagwa asked the women if they were willing to shun prostitution and engage in projects so that they may leave their ways and start on a clean page.

They all clapped hands and ululated saying they were also tired of being sex workers and were willing to start a new challenge.

"Ndirikuda kuti tifambe pamwechete tichishanda pamwechete. Therefore, I want us to discuss project ideas that you would want. I don't want you to go back in the streets ndinoda kuti hupenyu hwenyu hushanduke," she said.

She gave them a chance to point out the type of projects they would want to engage in.

The women suggested many project ideas that include running canteens in their respective areas specialising more on traditional foods, selling groceries, detergents making, hair dressing and poultry project.

The First Lady advised the representatives to go back and inform other members so that they form groups.

She said she was going to mobilise resources through her Angel of Hope Foundation and assist them where she can.

Furthermore, the First Lady said she was going to plead with the responsible authorities so that the women are allocated places suitable for their projects.

Before starting the projects, the First Lady said there was need for the women to be trained in various areas that include financial literacy, project management and hygiene to name a few.

"If we pull in one direction, we will achieve more, it is possible. Let us work hard and do away with gossiping, we want unity," the First Lady said.

The women welcomed the First Lady's vision describing her as an Angel of Hope.

Left with little option due to various reasons, the women said they had ventured into the trade that is both dangerous and exploitative, just to survive.

They are however willing to change.

Amai Mnangagwa heard heart pouring accounts of their experiences.

A 47-year-old from Mbare who was among the women said she resorted to the world's oldest profession due to economic circumstances.

"Amai, I could not fend for my children and grandchildren and decided to engage in prostitution to feed the family," she said.

"Some men hire us and agree on a certain fee, but after using us, they become violent and rob us at knife point of any valuables in our possession leaving us with nothing.

"They will not pay you even a single cent. Some will sleep with you the whole night only to be given just US$1, if you complain, you are beaten. You end up having no choice but to comply. As for me I have scars all over my body."

She said she was tired of this and was now ashamed of the fact that her children and grandchildren were aware she is sleeping with many men.

"I need to start on a fresh page and encourage other ladies of the night to leave the dangerous profession. Thank you Amai for remembering us and we are ready to work," she said.

Another sex worker from Zindoga, Waterfalls said she embraced what the First Lady had done for them and was ready to leave works of darkness.

"We want to show the world that we are hard workers and can work. I promise to forget about sex work and focus on making clean money with the assistance of our First Lady. This profession is very dangerous we always come across unspeakable things," she said.

"We want to thank you Amai for your love and kindness. In other people's eyes, we are outcasts but you have shown us that you are true mother who does not select her children. You love us all equally. We welcome the project initiative."

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Another 32-year-old from Mbare said all along she wished to work for herself and leave prostitution but she had no one to assist her like what has been done by the First Lady.

"Amai, in our area we charge lower rates as little as US$1. So for me to go home with at least US$20 to feed my children, I have to sleep with 20 men.

"It is not easy sleeping with such a big number on a single day. We are abused daily Mama. Sometimes you are threatened with death if you demand payment therefore I look forward to make the best out of these projects," she said with tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Kubva nhasi hamuchatione tisina kupfeka paZindoga" they shouted with joy as they left the meeting place.

This is not the first time the First Lady has come to the rescue of sex workers.

Recently she introduced single women in Seke communal lands who were engaging in commercial sex work to income-generating projects like farming, poultry and detergent-making.

Even commercial sex workers in Epworth also benefited from the empowerment programmes as they now have sewing clubs, cooking clubs, soap and detergent-making ventures, courtesy of the First Lady.

She did the same in Chivhu where she gathered single mothers who had resorted to prostitution to take care of their families and convinced them to start income generating projects.

Amai Mnangagwa's programmes and projects are non-partisan and the list of her initiatives is endless.
Beitbridge Bureau

The Zanu PF leadership in Matabeleland South province has applied to the national leadership to confer national hero status to their provincial chairman Cde Rabelani Choeni.

Cde Choeni (71) succumbed to Covid-19 related complications on Friday at his rural home in the Malusingani area under Beitbridge West Constituency.

Zanu PF's provincial political commissar Cde Japhet Dube last night said they had sent all the necessary documentation to their national party office.

"His passing on is a huge blow to the party and the people of Matabeleland South," he said.

"We have since sent our request to the national party leadership for him to be conferred with the national hero status. Our hope is that we will get feedback tomorrow (today)".

Family spokesperson Mrs Mbongeleni Muleya said although they were waiting for the Zanu PF leadership to confirm the heroes' status on their brother, they had set his burial for Tuesday.

"We are waiting to hear from the Zanu PF leadership on issues concerning his hero status. However, we have set Tuesday as the tentative day for his burial in the Malusungani area," she said.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Matabeleland South chairman Cde Section Ncube said on Saturday that the province will be poorer without Cde Choeni, who was also the ZNLWVA provincial secretary for health.

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"Matabeleland South has been robbed, it's a painful experience that Covid-19 is wreaking havoc. I was with him in 1975 at Morogoro in Tanzania and we trained together.

"We are hoping that our senior leadership will look into his case and the work he did for the nation and accord him befitting hero status. We will also make recommendations in that regard," said Cde Ncube.

Cde Choeni joined the liberation struggle under Zipra in 1974 when he crossed to Zambia through Botswana.

He then travelled to Morogoro, Tanzania, where he received military training and was appointed a medical man.

In 1976, he operated at GCB Gokwe region which was later known as the Northern front.

During the same year, he was promoted to Zone Medical man and later the Zone Commander.

In 1978, he was elevated to the position of Deputy Regional Medical Man, a rank he held until the cease-fire period.

He is survived by wife Lydia, one child, and five grandchildren.

Meanwhile, two more senior citizens Mr Ndidzulafhi John Netsianda (79) and Daniel Mabonga (58), also succumbed to Covid-19 related compilations in Beitbridge district yesterday.

Mr Netsianda was a businessman who was involved in the business of trading in vehicles accessories and spares, while Mr Mabonga is former head of the ZRP Border Control Unit.
Correspondent

The first Saturday of this month saw local author, film maker and anti-Government activist, Tsitsi Dangarembga, getting her first Covid-19 vaccination jab at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.

She did not waste the opportunity to use the experience to fight Government using the social media. She used the pandemic to cast aspersion on the Government's otherwise proud record in handling Covid-19, which has even been hailed by our perennial critics.

"Finally queuing for my vaccination at Pari. There's no order. People standing around, staff have just arrived, no one telling us anything. It's going to be hours waiting. I've brought a chair so I can work, but not even enough order for that. Typical Zimbabwean chaos," she tweeted bitterly at 0814hours that morning.

Dangarembga is not alone. She is part of a group of Zimbabweans who have gained some celebrity status and, instead of using it to build their nation, they are using their fame to drive negativity.

Others in the same category include activist, Hopewell Chin'ono.

The fight against Covid-19 is not Government's responsibility alone. Instead of sitting on a chair to work on her next manuscript, a responsible citizen faced with the situation that she claimed she encountered at Parirenyatwa Hospital, would take the lead in organising fellow citizens in a proper queue.

Her fame is useless if it is only reserved for global cameras at award ceremonies held in Western capitals.

Dangarembga is an influencer. If she asked fellow citizens to properly queue up they would listen to her, but she chose to play to the gallery as the activist in her got excited by the sight of a crowd of other citizens.

She had the golden opportunities to use the gathering to educate fellow citizens on the need to continue observing Covid-19 safety protocols even when one is vaccinated. Dangarembga's tweet betrays the fact that the well-travelled elite Zimbabwean writer is yet to acknowledge her power of influence as a Zimbabwean celebrity. In response to her tweet, some even questioned why she had to get her jab at Parirenyatwa instead of a private institution given her socio-economic standing.

This brings in another dimension of Zimbabwean influencers' misuse of the power they wield over their admirers and supporters.

In February this year, Chin'ono disparagingly described the Chinese vaccines that Zimbabwe is using as "chinhu chavo chekuChina" when he was questioning the legality of possible mandatory vaccination. A few weeks later, he was to tweet that he had "received the Sinopharm" jab and how vaccines were "the only defence available to avoid getting seriously ill" if one contracts the deadly virus.

His case shows how citizens can choose to fight the virus on the same side as Government instead of using the pandemic to fight the authorities, although his sincerity was doubtful. Like Dangarembga, his decision to get vaccinated was most likely driven by the realisation that the Western vaccines that people like him were waiting for were unlikely to be authorised for use in Zimbabwe anytime soon.

Outside of ZANU PF, one faction or the other of the MDC formations command a considerable following as election results have shown over the past 20 years.

Instead of using its influence among the impressionable youths to spread the important message of the need to religiously follow Covid-19 safety precautions and getting vaccinated, the opposition's leaders were on the forefront of sowing doubt among Zimbabweans over the efficacy of Chinese vaccines during the day.

At the same time, they would be quietly getting vaccinated either at public vaccinations points like the Wilkins Hospital in Harare or getting their jabs at various foreign embassies.

One senior MDC Alliance member, who was exposed for this is that faction's deputy national chairperson, Job Sikhala.

Like Chin'ono and Dangarembga, the opposition faction is using the pandemic to fight Government politically when it is detrimental to peoples' lives to assume such a stance. A well-meaning opposition party joins hands with Government in fighting a common enemy such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

The MDC-A would want a scenario where Zimbabweans perish in huge numbers so that it can criticise President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF than join hands with Government. The faction values powers more than the people from whom that power comes.

In May last year, the World Bank announced its intention to provide US$7 million to Zimbabwe to help the country fight the spread of coronavirus.

Many remember how the MDC-A co-vice president, Tendai Biti quickly wrote to the Bretton Woods lender for it to attach tough conditions for the country to access the funds at a time that the nation needs every cent it can get to fight the pandemic.

Like other anti-Government elements, Biti sought to politicise the issue instead of joining in the fight against the pandemic.

Apart from people like Biti, Chin'ono and Dangarembga, together with some private media players have been using the pandemic to fight Government spiritedly.

Who would forget how the February 10 2021 edition of the NewsDay screamed, "We don't know what vaccine to buy: Govt" when Government had already secured its first batch of vaccines that arrived only five days later.

The media are a very key player in critical times such as the ones that the world is going through.

Media houses that are aware that they thrive because people exist, unhesitatingly join hands with authorities in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, but not so with NewsDay.

Recently World Health Organisation (WHO) director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently commented that "variants are currently winning the race against vaccines because of inequitable vaccine production and distribution, which also threatens the global economic recovery."

When NewsDay published an article on the matter on July 8 2021, it shamelessly and sensationally claimed 'Vaccines failing to match new variants' in a headline.

Ghebreyesus never said that vaccines were failing to tackle the new virus variants. He attributed the temporary scenario to "inequitable vaccine production and distribution", but the publication shamelessly twisted this to suit the agenda of its Western handlers and used a headline, which created the wrong and non-existent impression that the available vaccines were failing to contain the new Covid-19 virus variants further alienating those who were contemplating getting inoculated.

However, not many were surprised. Since the onset of the pandemic the newspaper and its sister publications have never hidden their agenda of fighting any Eastern solutions in the vain and misplaced hope that some Western big pharma's vaccine brands could secure a stranglehold over Zimbabwe's vaccine and other pharmaceuticals market.

Even at individual level, iwe neni tine basa/ mina lawe silo umsebenzi (you and I have a duty), as Zanu PF cadres would put it.

Before joining perennial whiners likeDangarembga in putting their lips together to criticise Government for the prevailing high infection and fatality numbers as well as the long vaccination queues, citizens should take a long and hard look at the man or woman in the mirror and ask some very hard and uncomfortable questions. They should ask themselves what they are doing within their households, communities, workplaces, cities and towns to keep the figures down.

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It is everyone's duty to fight the pandemic starting with wherever one is and with whatever one has. Zimbabwean citizens should get basics right before blaming Government of not doing enough to stem the pandemic's third wave tide.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has been advising the nation on the basic Covid-19 safety protocols like wearing masks, maintaining social distance, washing hands with running water regularly and avoiding crowded places among others.

It is easy to blame Government for the current spate of infections and fatalities and even politicise the global pandemic, but Government cannot wear a face mask correctly for every citizen.

Fighting Covid-19 starts with an individual citizen's behaviour. Government ensured that the current lockdown did not mean locking down the economy. However, whether or not Zimbabwe is forced to move to a full lockdown is determined by the net effect of the country's behaviour.

A trader who is complaining of how the lockdown has lowered the demand for his or her wares is key in determining whether or not his or her business survives by the way he or she behaves. If he or she is being careless he or she contributes to high figures that can push Government to impose even stricter measures.

It is a serious indictment against some Zimbabweans that they need to be arrested and fined in order for them to follow Covid-19 safety protocols for the sake of their own health and lives.

Serious citizens take the pandemic very seriously. They take the ongoing vaccination programme seriously by getting inoculated and by encouraging others to do the same. This is the only way the country can win over the pandemic.

This is because victory over the deadly virus lies within each citizen.
Chaos is once again reigning supreme at Mupedzanhamo and Mbare markets as illegal vendors have trooped back and are encroaching into roads and their servitudes causing massive congestion especially during peak hours.

The traders were chased away last month while their illegal structures were demolished under an operation meant to bring sanity across Harare Metropolitan, but they have since resurfaced.

A visit at the site yesterday showed that the illegal traders, mostly selling second hand clothes, commonly referred to as mabhero, were displaying their wares while encroaching on both the road and its servitude.

The news crew also observed that the crowded vendors had created makeshift market stalls which they were using to sell their wares.

They were also not observing social distancing while others could be seen without the compulsory face masks.

Some vendors were also blocking traffic lights at the Mupedzanhamo area, giving motorists a hard time to pass the busy intersection.

The situation at Mupedzanhamo was almost similar with to the chaos that prevailed around Rufaro Stadium.

Harare Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti has already said the Government will not backtrack on bringing sanity in the city and would not allow people in the province to continue disregarding the law.

"We can't develop a provincial economy with lawlessness," he said.

The road servitude being encroached is the full width of the space reserved for a road, from the properties on one side to the properties on the other side.

It is occupied by the road, verges and usually some other space and would include things like storm water drains, electricity pylons, filter lanes and roundabouts.
Municipal Reporter

Residents have raised concern over the continued parcelling out of residential stands under high voltage Zesa power lines and sewer lines.

Already, residential stands have been parcelled out around Kuwadzana 6 under power lines and new ones were being dished out in Glen View 1. Combined Harare Residents Association programmes manager Mr Reuben Akili said they expect council to use the law and follow due process in ensuring that people do not endanger themselves.

"We are aware of houses built below 11kv power lines and this is dangerous. These structures emanated and were birthed by corrupt activities that have been happening in the housing and planning departments of council.

"We expect council to follow Section 74 of the Constitution," he said.

Mr Akili said demolitions or removal of houses constructed under power lines without court orders fuels corruption as they cover up for underlying maladministration and corrupt activities that would have resulted in these settlements.

"In Tafara, residents raised issues over Volcano Housing Cooperative, which dished out stands under power lines and open spaces," he said.

Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust chairman Mr Shalvar Chikomba said land barons were to blame for the houses built under power lines and sewer lines.

"It is dangerous. We do not want to lose lives over an issue that can be corrected before any danger happens. It is noble to investigate how that happened.

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"Prevention is always better than to leave people at risk," he said.

Harare Residents Trust director Mr Precious Shumba said illegal constructions on top of strategic public service infrastructure should be demolished while investigations are undertaken to establish who sold the land on top of sewer and power lines.

"The criminals who sold the land and the victims have to be both prosecuted for their illegal actions that have compromised public service delivery. Of course, the council has failed to service land for housing allocations.

"This has allowed the corrupt to take advantage and begin their own processes of allocating people land without town planning authority. Alternatively, the council should offer the people who have built on top of sewer and power lines alternative land for their housing constructions with the affected people paying for the servicing of the alternative land," he said.

Harare Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme last Friday said council would respond after assessing the alleged areas to ascertain if they were suitable for stand allocations.
A group, Arewa Youth Frontiers for Good Governance (AYFGG) has chided Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for calling the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq a "one chance governor."

The minister, during the unveiling of a factional All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Ilorin recently, said he regretted supporting AbdulRazaq.

"It was immediately after the governor emerged as the party's candidate for the election that it dawned on us that we had entered 'one chance," he had said.

But speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the National Coordinator of AYFGG, Mohammed Hussaini, said it was unfortunate such a degrading comment came from a minister and a leading figure in the party.

Lai's ire was provoked because the governor has refused to dance to his tune and the political stakeholders have denied him the role of a kingmaker in Kwara State, he said.

Hussaini urged the minister to focus on the national assignment given to him instead of seeking relevance in Kwara politics.

He said AbdulRazak should be supported as he unprecedentedly transforms the state, instead of being distracted.

"We are not surprised at the vituperation of Lai Mohammed because we knew that since the coming of the Abdulrahman's government in Kwara State, the kingmaker role he expected to regale in did not come simply because Governor Abdulrahman has refused to dance to his tune or regard him as a kingmaker," he said.
Three Israeli filmmakers were allegedly arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged link to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Israelis, Rudy Rochman, a Zionist activist; Noam Leibman, filmmaker, and David Benaym, French-Israeli journalist, were reportedly arrested on July 9 when they visited Ogidi village, Idemili North LGA of Anambra state.

The foreigners were said to have taken off from Ben Gurion Airport, Israel, on July 5 and arrived in Nigeria the following day to film a documentary titled, 'We Were Never Lost'.

The documentary seeks to explore Jewish communities in African countries such as Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda, and Nigeria.

According to the Times of Israel, the arrested persons have not been charged by Nigerian authorities and are without legal representation.

The newspaper said the filmmakers were arrested on suspicion that they had come in contact with Biafran separatists.

The families of the three Israelis were also quoted in a statement as saying local political elements twisted the gifting of a Torah scroll to a local community as constituting support for separatist political ambitions.

In their statement, the families said the filmmakers brought gifts for the communities hosting them but that the gifts were misinterpreted as support for IPOB activities.

"The filmmaking crew thought it would be a nice gesture to bring several gifts with cultural symbolism to the communities it planned to visit," the statement reads. Unfortunately, members of non-state political groups have hijacked for their own purposes images of the filmmakers gifting a Torah to a local community.
President Hage Geingob said Namibia has made concerted efforts in ensuring that borders with Angola remain open to strengthen and promote business and economic relations amid the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Geingob was speaking in Angola at the weekend on behalf of observer countries associated to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

Created on 17 July 1996, the CPLP encompasses Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, and Timor-Leste while states like Uruguay, Senegal, Japan, Namibia, Turkey and the Czech Republic are associate observers.

"We may have different languages, but we all share the common language of the struggle against colonialism. Now, we share the common language

of the struggle against poverty, corruption and Covid-19," stated Geingob during the 13th summit held in Angola's capital, Luanda.

He said the challenges brought about by the pandemic have not stopped the member states of the CPLP from pursuing their ambitions, and applauded the progress made in the development of the draft agreement on mobility amongst the member states.

"The Africa Continental Free-Trade Area has brought much promise to the development of industries that will create jobs and grow economies. This will greatly benefit cooperation at the level of CPLP as 70% of its members are from the continent of Africa," shared Geingob.

As one of the observer states, Namibia joins hands with CPLP members to strengthen local, regional and global governance architecture. "It is the unity that will bring about a world free from poverty and hunger; it is the unity that will guarantee our peace and security, and deliver the promise of economic development and prosperity," the President added. Geingob said the values of international cooperation and multilateralism that underpin the CPLP are fundamental for the promotion and strengthening of peace and security and socioeconomic development. The CPLP was founded on the principle of solidarity under three main objectives for the organisation: political and diplomatic coordination, cooperation in all areas, and the promotion and diffusion of the Portuguese language.
Kogi State government says in a financial report that it spent over two billion naira on agric-related projects to help the sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic but farmers in the state deny receiving any support.

Adams Aduojo was dissatisfied with the conduct of the labourers he contracted to plough his farmland for planting of beans.

The commercial farmer who lives in Enjema, a rural community in the eastern part of Kogi State, had hired their service a few months before this reporter visited but the farmland was yet untouched.

"They just collected my money and did nothing for more than a month. They must go there and do the work," an angry Mr Aduojo said that evening.

He was reporting the perceived laziness of the labourers to his aged mother when our reporter arrived in the community.

This is one of the challenges farmers usually encounter with labourers with poor work ethic.

But for Mr Aduojo, who was gradually recovering from the biting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world for more than a year, this poses a grave setback with the concern that he may miss the second window of the planting season, if the labourers delay any further.

Like any other farmer in Kogi State, he was badly affected by the pandemic, recording a huge loss, he said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

"Last year, during the harvesting of cashew (nuts), between the marketers and the whites, what transpired made farmers to be at a negative point because they cannot export. A bag supposed to be sold for N70,000 was sold for N12,000," he told our reporter.

That amounts to over 80 per cent drop in revenue for cashew farmers who depend largely on export markets for sales.

The drastic drop was linked to the COVID-19 restrictions that limited international travels last year. Experts said the purchase of cashews even stopped in some localities.

Mr Aduojo explained that while the price of cashew nuts fell, the cost of maintaining a cashew plantation remained high.

"You can use N30,000 in clearing the land. During September and October, you have to do the fire tracing so that fire will not get into it."

He was speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in company of his neighbour, Haruna Ajeh, who harvested eight truckloads of cassava but sold them for N100,000 instead of the N140,000 -- the market price before the pandemic broke out. Mr Ajeh, as a result of the price drop, had a cumulative loss of 320,000 naira.

Mr Aduojo recalled how the fear of the pandemic made some of his colleagues quit farming after the loss of capital.

"Some had their yams harvested. People ate their yam for fear of the unknown. It was a bottleneck on the side of farmers," he lamented.

Loss in millions

In March 2020, nearly a month after the country recorded its index COVID-19 case, the Nigerian government declared a total lockdown in high-risk states and consequently, a ban on inter-state travels, which lasted for weeks.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, a COVID-19 skeptic, refused a total lockdown but ordered a temporary closure of all land and water entry points into the state to curb the spread of virus in the state.

The restrictions on movement negatively impacted the supply of seedlings and other agricultural inputs for planting and marketing of farm produce.

"Farming is movement. It is not highly restricted in Kogi State (like other states) but later on, the restriction came. The restricted movement affected us," said Babaniyi Asorose, a Lokoja-based farmer.

The sexagenarian who mainly plants cashew, maize and guinea corn, explained that Kogi farmers are dependent on neighbouring cities like Abuja, Ilorin and Benin for seedlings and farm input.

He further stated that he lost an estimated five million naira to the pandemic, cumulatively.

Dada Emmanuel, a retired civil servant and cassava farmer in Yagba West Local Government Area, also corroborated Mr Asorose's claim.

The year 2020 has been the worst since he retired five years ago from the state's ministry of finance, he told PREMIUM TIMES. A large chunk of his monthly pension is what he invested in the three-acre cassava farm sited in Egbe.

"(When the pandemic broke out), activities were reduced nearly to zero level because movement was restricted and labourers could not go to farm. That affected the yield, resulting in nearly N1.5 million estimated loss," he told our reporter.

Ramatu Usman, 28, on the other hand, said she used to make an annual turnover of between N500,000 and one million naira from growing beans and vegetables and bambara groundnut but her revenue crashed last year.

"I could not raise up to N300,000."

She was only able to pay her children's school fees from the proceeds of her farm produce. No savings, she said.

Double blow

The effect of the pandemic on farming was worsened by the reduction in rainfall last year, which experts attributed to climate change.

Messrs Aduojo, Asorose and other farmers said the rain stopped in August as against the expected November, a shift from the routine weather pattern.

"The plot I marked for one hectare of palm tree, I have paid for them. 125 stamps. It was the rain that prevented me from transferring them from the nursery to the land," said Mr Aduojo about his botched attempts to plant palm trees.

Weather patterns in recent times have become less favourable and increase the volatility of crop yields, according to a research by McKinsey Global Institute.

Also, the State of the Climate in Africa 2019 Report noted that the changes are threatening food and water security, and socio-economic development in Africa.

For instance, the report noted that under the worst climate change scenario, there will be a 13 per cent reduction in crop yield in West and Central Africa, 11 per cent in North Africa and eight per cent in East and Southern Africa.

This climatic factor, coupled with the insecurity that has kept farmers away from their farms in the northern parts of Nigeria, has been blamed for the hike in food prices.

Livestock farmers not left out

The fate suffered by crop farmers did not spare their counterparts in livestock farming.

Jimba Umar, a fish farmer in Koton-Karfe in Kogi Local Government Area, lamented how he was jobless for nine months with more than a dozen mouths to feed.

The father of 15 children said he barely survived the lockdown because things were tough for his family.

"That time, we stayed at home, we did not move for nine months. No Sunday, no Friday," Mr Umar said.

Asked if he was able to access loans or reliefs, he responded in the negative. "Nothing. Ten kobo, we did not get," he retorted, paddling the boat towards the shoreline of the Lokoja river.

The 40-year old, who had since abandoned fishing, now ferries passengers from one end of the river to the other for a pittance.

He, however, said he is willing to go back to fishing if he gets the aid of the government.

Another livestock farmer badly hit during the pandemic is Ahmed Suleiman, a registration officer at the Ankpa local government secretariat in Ankpa.

He lost more than 100 fowls to flu last year and was gradually recovering from the loss when this reporter visited his community.

Unlike Mr Umar who abandoned fish farming, however, a resilient Mr Suleiman sold his goats to raise the capital to start afresh with forty chickens that were two months old when PREMIUM TIMES visited.

He sold four of the goats to raise money to buy the feeds and veterinary treatment for the fowls. His financial books perused by our reporter showed that he has spent N60,800 to feed and treat the birds.

"If I get assistance from the government, I have a large space to keep them," he said with hope of expanding the business.

According to the Food Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the pandemic prompted some households to sell off their livestock.

"Results from Nigeria COVID-19 National Longitudinal Phone Survey (conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics and the World Bank last August showed that about 54 per cent

of households have been engaged in livestock production since mid-March, with nearly 36 per cent of them reporting that the pandemic had impacted their livestock activities.

While a significant share of households generally sell livestock at the best of times, about 17 per cent reported that the pandemic prompted them to sell," the FAO report read.

Government Intervention

In a bid to cushion the effects of the pandemic and ensure a more sustainable and resilient food system in the country, the federal and state governments rolled out different agricultural schemes.

One of them is the distribution of agricultural inputs, seeds and fertiliser to smallholder farmers in the state, which was flagged off by the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, last July.

However, some of these farm inputs warehoused at the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) office in Lokoja were later carted away by hoodlums who hijacked the October EndSARS protest. The looting spree also took place in Osun, Lagos, Edo, Kwara and Plateau states where COVID-19 palliatives were stored.

Mr Asorose, who is also the Lokoja coordinator of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said he was in attendance when the minister flagged off the distribution, noting that it was abruptly discontinued the following day.

He said he was lucky to get a bag of benniseed but other members of the farmers' group got nothing.

"The minister came. I was there and they test-run the distribution. The minister said we should be given. They promised to continue sharing the following day but none of our members was given anything," he recalled.

"During the COVID riot, the youth went there and packed them away. Why were we not given in the first place?" he queried, accusing the state government of not being transparent.

According to him, if properly distributed, the farm inputs would be a relief because fertiliser and seedlings were scarce commodities during the pandemic.

COVID-19 spending in Kogi

At the state level, an analysis of the audited financial report of COVID-19-related expenditure made available on its website, shows that over two billion naira was expended on agric-related projects.

The audited budget execution documents certified by the Auditor General of Kogi State, Yakubu Okala, noted that N16.8 billion was used to fund COVID-19 response and recovery expenditures as of August, 2020.

A further breakdown shows that a significant part of the total sum was from the federal government's intervention fund, donations from private organisations and loans from banks, while the remaining was from the state coffers.

Majority of the 11 agricultural projects funded cut across planting and cultivation, economic empowerment for different cadres of farmers and the supply of farm inputs. All these gulped N2.6 billion.

For instance, N400 million was spent to support women and youth in agriculture while the supply of agricultural inputs, including fertiliser, gulped N200 million.

Despite these claims, the farmers who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES denied getting any support from the state government in form of financial assistance or supply of farm inputs.

Maria Egwemi, 42, said all she needed to cultivate her farm in Ajaokuta for cassava planting was N50,000 but she could not raise it despite efforts to obtain loans from friends and relations.

She started farming in 2002 with the support of her husband but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from continuing.

"Even yesterday, I was thinking about my three farms at Ajaokuta. I went to a local place to get a loan. It has been cleared but I could not turn it.

"The rainy season is almost over. If I get N50,000 now, I will be really happy," she said with a smile that concealed her frustration.

If she does not cultivate as at when due, weeds would take over the land and the rainy season will get past her.

"You know we women don't like to sit down. We like to support our husbands. If they can help us, if the government gives us loan, it is better than the local ones and the interest is not much," Mrs Egwemi added.

Both Messrs Asorose and Aduojo said those who might have benefited from the schemes are 'political farmers', who owned farmlands on televisions only.

They described the political farmers as those ones often paraded by the state government for publicity stunts but who do not have farms in reality.

Questionable accountability

PREMIUM TIMES wrote the state ministry of agriculture in June, requesting the details of places where the 11 agricultural-related projects in the audited document were executed and the contractors awarded the projects.

A month after the Freedom of information (FoI) request was submitted to his office, the state's Commissioner for Agriculture, David Apeh, responded, saying none of the projects had been executed.

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"Apart from one project that we call Accelerated Agricultural Development scheme which is in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria... It is a special project. So, When I saw the list you sent, they are all budgetary provisions that have not been executed."

Mr Apeh said they have not been executed because the state does not have the money yet. "We have plans but we cannot do them now."

However, when our reporter drew his attention to the fact that the audited documents, wherefrom the projects were extracted, indicated that the monies have been spent, the commissioner responded; "it was not from my own office."

He then referred PREMIUM TIMES to other officials for further investigation.

All efforts to get the reaction of Asiru Idris, the finance commissioner who also endorsed the document with his signature, and Onogwu Mohammed, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bello, were unsuccessful.

They are yet to respond to this newspaper's enquiries forwarded to them via SMS and known WhatsApp contacts.

Recall that a PREMIUM TIMES investigation into the state's COVID-19 spending had in the past exposed how the state spent N90 million on a COVID-19 software that cost N300,000.

The acquisition of the contentious software was contained in the same audited budget execution documents that referenced the N2.6 billion spent on agriculture-related projects.

Although the state government said it spent the N90.7 million on a collection of software not limited to the self-assessment software, it failed to highlight other software acquired.

Sources in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said the anti-graft agencies have taken interest in further investigating the state's COVID-19 spending.

This followed petitions submitted by two civil society organisations, Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project and Citizen Gavel, premised on the PREMIUM TIMES's report.

Although EFCC and ICPC have received several petitions from citizens and groups that have never been treated, Femi Ajibade, the Operation Lead at Citizen Gavel, expressed optimism that the Kogi case will not be swept under the carpet with constant follow-ups by his organisation.

While the probe is in progress, experts have posited that without an appropriate funding of the agriculture sector, the country cannot achieve food security.

An agricultural scientist, Celestine Ayok, told PREMIUM TIMES that in terms of funding, agriculture should have been second to the defence ministry in the budget allocation.

But the case of Kogi State goes beyond budget increase for agriculture; it is that of poor accountability on spending.

Mr Ayok, however, said the states have a bigger role to play in achieving food security because the federal government depends on them.

A month after PREMIUM TIMES's visit to the Kogi communities, Mr Aduojo told our reporter that he was able to go ahead with the beans planting earlier delayed by the labourers. He is hopeful of a bountiful harvest.

Despite not benefitting from the state government's spending on COVID-19 recovery, he said he would continue to invest hugely in agriculture for its potential of saving the nation from hunger.

This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check project.
Muslims in Rwanda are preparing to celebrate Eid-Al Adha while coping with all restrictions in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year's holy festivity will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 20 which has been declared a holiday by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour.

Eid-Al Adha is normally celebrated by a prayer and slaughtering of lamb, cow or goat and meat is freely shared among Muslims as well as non-Muslims in the community.

However, it will be a different picture in Kigali city and other eight districts placed under the lockdown since Saturday July 17.

Accordkng to Sheikh Suleiman Mbarushimana, the Spokesperson of the Rwanda Muslims Council, meat will this time round be distributed door to door.

"After slaughtering the sacrifices at Nyabugogo slaughterhouse, there will be a team in charge of distributing all the meat pieces to people in nearby communities," explained Mbarushimana.

"This will be conducted in high regard to Covid-19 measures and with the help of youth volunteers and grassroots authorities," he added, explaining that there will also be slaughtering in different provinces.

Sheikh Mbarushimana also disclosed that in this celebration, 500 animals will be slaughtered which is less compared to the previous years where over 2,000 were slaughtered during the celebrations.

Regarding prayers which normally brings together believers on the morning of this day, Mbarushimana said this will not happen in Kigali and the districts under lockdown.

He said that prayers will be done from home.
The minister of health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije said that a second test to determine the spread of delta variant will be conducted on those who tested positive for Covid during the course of Kigali mass testing exercise that kicked off Saturday, July 17.

He said this at Kibagabaga testing site in Gasabo District on the first day of mass testing in Kigali piloted on sampled households in each cell of the capital.

The mass testing was conducted using rapid test kits at designated sites in each sector across Kigali City.

Earlier, officials had said that they target to test at least 15 per cent of people in Kigali.

According to Ngamije, the same exercise was extended to the eight districts under lockdown alongside Kigali.

He said that the results will help in the assessment and will inform measures to be taken to curb the spread of the virus in the country.

"This will give us an estimated number of active cases, the infected demographic, people with symptoms and the asymptomatic, and the infections per household. It will provide information for further measures to be taken."

Yvette Uwamahoro, the coordinator of the testing site in Gatenga Sector, observed that a significant number of selected people complied and reported on time, and those with positive cases will be followed upon during the lockdown period.

"There is an assigned team is already in place and they will work together with community health workers who will follow up those who have tested positive on a daily basis."

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Umutoni Gift whom The New Times found on Gatenga sector testing site said it's good to know one's status at the start of a lockdown.

"I had symptoms which prompted me to come here, I can't risk the lives of my children by being in a lockdown with them without knowing my actual status," she said.

Emmanuel Mushinzimana, a resident of Gatenga cell, commends the government's effort to curb the pandemic, however, he said a lockdown might make it harder if one tests positive in terms of economy considering different demanding things needed to recover.

Ancille Mugorewera, a grandmother at 80 who had come to test for Covid at Kibagabaga testing site, said you can't trust that you are negative unless you are tested.

"Even though I am old, I have to live until God decides otherwise," she said, challenging old people with a resistant mindset who say they will die anyway.

Ngamije also said that the overall results will be communicated after July 18th, the last day of mass testing.

However, he said that at the end of this lockdown, another 15 per cent random sampling at cell level will be tested to assess the impact of the lockdown in terms of reduction of active cases and give a way forward with guidelines.
Rwandan peacekeepers (Rwanda Battle Group III and Rwanda Medical Contingent VI) serving under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) were on Friday, July 16, decorated with UN medals in recognition of their contribution to maintaining peace and stability during almost one year tour of duty in Central African Republic, Sector East, Bria.

Bria is the capital of Haute-Kotto, one of the 14 prefectures in the far east of the Central African Republic.

Apart from Rwanda BattleGroup III, a mechanised infantry unit under MINUSCA, Bria is also the main base of the Rwanda Medical Contingent VI and has Rwanda's level 2 hospital, one of the best such medical facilities under the UN mission in the country.

Presiding over the ceremony held at Bria, MINUSCA Force Commander, Lt Gen Daniel Sidiki Traore thanked Rwandan peacekeepers for their effort in bringing back peace in CAR as well as providing medical support to MINUSCA.

"You are awarded medals because you deserve them. Rwanda Battle group has done an outstanding job in peacekeeping as well as providing medical services to peacekeepers and the public during their tour of duty," he said.

The Rwanda Medical Contingent VI Commander, Col Prof Alex Butera said both contingents (RWA BG III & RWA MED VI) operated in a very tense environment since their arrival in the mission area, with the escalation of activities by armed groups.

"However, we managed to carry out our role of ensuring sustainable Health protection of forces as well as protecting civilians in conflict zones," Butera said.

Locals as well as UN officials in the country in the recent past told The New Times that Rwandan peacekeepers serve exemplary.

Rwanda maintains two Infantry Battalions, a Mechanized Battle Group and a Level II Hospital in support of peacekeeping operations in CAR.
General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Greek Defence Force, said on Friday, that his Rwandan counterparts visit to Greece was opening new horizons in Greece military cooperation with Africa.

He said this as he met the Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda Defence Force, General Jean Bosco Kazura during his visit was at Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), according to media reports from Anthens.

"The role of Armed Forces in Peace and Stability in the Mediterranean and Central Africa goes beyond geography, opening new horizons in our military cooperation," said the Greek General via his twitter account.

It is recalled that on May 25, Greek Foreign Minister Dendias participated as a keynote speaker in an online conference co-organized by the South African Embassy and the Group of African Ambassadors in Athens in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry according to reports by greekcitytimes.com.

In his speech, the Foreign Minister welcomed the role of the African Union as a security architecture of the African continent and noted the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which has the potential for a common market of 1.2 billion people.

"Greece, which never had a colonial past in the region, has a long and valued relationship with African countries," he said, adding: "By building on these longstanding relations, we are working towards further deepening our mutually beneficial partnerships."

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Dendias highlighted Greece's intentions to upgrade cooperation in all sectors, both in bilateral and multilateral contexts.

"Our growing engagement in Africa is being also demonstrated by the opening recently of our new Embassy in Dakar which will cover the biggest part of the Sahel region," the foreign minister said.

"Together with our other Embassies, the General Consulates, Consulates and Honorary Consulates in the Continent, Greece will continue working with our African partners to expand our relations on the ground," he added.

Rwanda-Greece relations

In January 2018, Konstantinos Moatsos, the Greek Ambassador to Rwanda with residence in Nairobi presented his letters of credence to Paul Kagame.

At the time, Moatsos said that Greece and Rwanda had signed air service agreements that had the potential to boost tourism, trade, investment and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

"My job as Ambassador is to promote bilateral relations in every field, and I have realised that the region has a rich cultural heritage just like Greece. We are already partnering with Rwanda in the field of international relations, and we recently signed an air services agreement. We want to continue our partnership," he said.
Some of the suspects in the terror case involving Paul Rusesabagina and other members of FLN militia have resorted invoking the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, saying they should be let off and reintegrated in the Rwandan community.

Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement is an accord signed in Lusaka, Zambia, on July 10, 1999 between Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe as an effort to end armed conflict in DRC.

While appearing before judges of the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-Border Crimes on Friday, July 16, suspects argued that the agreement stated that members of armed groups who had committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity had to be prosecuted and tried in courts, but those who did not carry out such crimes would be demobilised and reintegrated.

This clause, they said, was intended to encourage the members of the armed groups to cease armed conflicts for demobilisation and reintegration purposes.

They were making their final submissions while reacting to the sentences sought for them by prosecution during earlier hearings, as the court resumed the trial of the case in which the 21 suspects face terrorism crimes.

Until now, the accused said, the national demobilisation and reintegration programme is operational, and that among those receiving civic education, there are even former senior commanders of militia groups.

Felicien Nsanzubukire, one of the suspects in the case, said that he was arrested on February 9, 2017 in DRC.

Nsanzubukire argued that he does not know FLN because it was created when he was already in custody as a member of FDLR/FOCA, insisting that he was never its (FLN) member.

Nsanzubukire, who features on the UN sanctions list owing to atrocities he committed, told the court that he did not have any involvement in the deadly and destructive attacks carried out by FLN in 2018 and 2019 in Rwanda.

However, he claimed that, while in FDLR/FOCA, he did not commit any genocide, war, crime nor crimes against humanity.

He requested forgiveness for the crime of joining the militia group (FDLR/FOCA).

He was responding to the charge of joining a terror group that the prosecution brought against him.

Prosecution had requested 20-year-sentence against him.

He requests to be transferred to Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre in Musanze District so that he get civic education course and later reintegrated into the Rwandan community.

He however said that should court find him culpable, jusges should use their discretionary powers to give him a lesser sentence because he was a cooperative suspect.

Another suspect, Anastase Munyaneza, also told the court the same story.

Munyaneza said that the Lusaka Accords stated that efforts should be put in judicial pursuit against the members of armed groups who perpetrated the genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.

However, he said that prosecution was creating a contradiction when it held that a member of an armed group has to be tried in court just for the fact that they were in such a group - when they did not commit the indicated serious crimes.

"If everyone had to be prosecuted for the crime of just being a member of an armed group, then no one should be demobilised and reintegrated because all affiliates of such groups would have committed it," he said.

Munyaneza said that he categorically admits to the crime of being a member of an armed group for which he asks forgiveness, but, denied membership to a terror group.

He also denied involvement in the FLN attacks in which nine people lost their lives and many others injured.

Prosecution had also requested 20 years in prison against Munyaneza for alleged membership in a terror group.

Basing on the Lusaka accords, Munyaneza requested the court to allow him the opportunity to be taken to Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre for his transition to civilian life.

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In case this request is not granted, he implored court to give him a light punishment.

Andre Kwitonda, another suspect, said that he was conscripted into FDLR and FLN by force, pressure and threat.

The prosecution sought a 20-year-jail term against him for the charge of being a member of a terror group.

His request is not to be prosecuted, based on the Lusaka accords.

He argued that there is a 'kind of inequality before the law' because there are combatants of the armed groups who were arrested while still their members and were sent to Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre.

"Me, I am being tried in court, yet I was arrested in Goma when I had parted ways with the armed groups, trying to return [in Rwanda]," he said.

The trial will continue next Thursday, July 22 when the court will be receiving submission from more suspects.
opinion

Kenya's ties with Somalia have deteriorated significantly in recent years. The two countries' differences were approaching breaking point last year, but diplomatic ties were restored in May this year.

As the two countries move towards complete restoration of relations, it is reasonable to wonder why Nairobi and Mogadishu are unable to collaborate, yet they confront similar problems - poverty, instability and the threat of al-Shabaab.

To me, Kenya's perspective is that of a Big Brother who supported Somalia through its frantic efforts to recover from decades of civil conflict. As such, Nairobi sees Mogadishu as an indebted and thus expects obedience to its interests.

Somalia, on the other hand, thinks Kenya exploited its vulnerability and did nothing to build a foundation for a long-term partnership.

The two are inextricably linked on many fronts, including sharing a porous border. The frosty ties mean a significant loss for both nations; for example, the miraa trade with Somalia was worth about Sh20 billion per year, but the ban on miraa in Somalia has devastated the Meru community.

Strong basis for cooperation

Miraa, which is already banned in much of Europe and North America, should not be a deciding factor in our future ties with Somalia. The leaf, however, highlights the fact that we have sided with our elite, who are involved in charcoal trade with Kismayu leadership at the expense of the Meru community.

Kenya must abandon its belief that "since we assisted Somalia, it owes us gratitude" in favour of a new, genuinely feasible approach based on mutual respect and equal partnership.

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Kenya cannot expect Somalia, weak as it is, to remain unconcerned about Nairobi's unwavering support for the head of Somalia's Jubaland state, Ahmed Mohamed Islam aka Madobe.

Kenya must also sever ties with rogue regional administrations that often try to sever relations with the Federal government of Somalia.

Nairobi must also close the offices of anarchist elements operating from its territory; many of whom operate under the guise of non-governmental organisations or think tanks that make millions of dollars ostensibly working to promote democracy in Somalia but in reality actively trying to destabilise Somalia.

Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo must do everything possible to create a strong basis for cooperation and commerce between their people.

The author is the executive director of the Institute for Horn of Africa Strategic Studies and an analyst at Southlink Consultants
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has stopped all restructuring in public universities in a move that may reverse the changes introduced by the University of Nairobi.

He said his office had not been consulted and no gazettement has been done

In a letter to all vice-chancellors, principals of constituent colleges and chairpersons of the institutions and constituent college councils, Prof Magoha said the proposed reviews need university charters to either be amended or done through legal notice.

Prof Magoha added that such changes by universities must be forwarded to the Ministry of Education through the Commission for University Education for gazettement in line with the University Act 2012.

"Any proposed changes must be accompanied by the rationale for the institution, the proposed changes and proposed human resources instruments including the organising structure, staff establishment, human resource policies and guidelines, and council resolutions approving all above instruments and proposed recruitment and availability of budget to cater for the proposed restructuring until approvals and gazettement of the relevant instruments," reads part of the letter dated July 14.

The minister said the proposed reviews that necessitate abolishing and establishing new positions in the governance and administrative structures of public universities and constituent colleges, especially those not envisaged under the Universities Act 2012, must comply with the necessary laws governing such changes and be forwarded to the ministry in consultation.

'Final say'

Prof Magoha said the proposed reviews must be forwarded to the Cabinet secretary not later than three months after council approval of the proposed amendments.

"This communication supersedes any other communication," he said.

The directives from Prof Magoha came after the University of Nairobi council chairperson Julia Ojiambo and vice-chancellor Stephen Kiama announced changes and restructuring at the institution a week ago.

Prof Ojiambo announced the abolishment of five offices of deputy vice-chancellors and replaced them with two positions of associate vice-chancellors.

The council also abolished all colleges and reorganised functions at the faculties from 35 to 11.

Further, all positions of principals and deputy principals, as well as their roles, were reorganised under new positions of executive and associate deans to align resources to the faculties where teaching and learning take place.

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Prof Ojiambo said the abolishment of the new offices, merger of functions and creation of new positions were aligned to the core mandate of the university.

Legal structures

However, Prof Magoha has told the institutions of higher learning and their constituent colleges that the university sector operates within the existing legal framework and are expected to make any changes under the existing laws.

"Where the reviews necessitate amendments to the existing legal established structures, amendments should be forwarded for consideration, approval and gazettement where applicable," he said.

According to the university legal framework, the positions of deputy vice-chancellors, principals and the colleges are contained in the university charters and statutes. Therefore, they cannot be reorganised without seeking legal advice from the Attorney-General and the Cabinet secretary's office.

Prof Magoha said the council chairs and vice-chancellors could not affect any changes unless there is an amendment of the university chatters and statutes, which have those positions.
The Supreme Court Friday faulted the government for the slow progress in implementing citizens' right to accessible and adequate housing, as it awarded 340 Nairobi squatters Sh85 million for illegal eviction from a three-acre piece of land seven years ago.

Each of the squatters will receive Sh100,000 from the government and Sh150,000 from Moi Educational Centre (MEC) for the forced eviction from two informal settlements within Nairobi under the watch of armed police officers.

The squatters were inhabitants of City Cotton and Upendo villages and their eviction was to create space for the expansion of the privately owned by MEC.

In the landmark ruling by a five-judge bench, the apex court faulted the government for slow implementation of the right to accessible and adequate housing, as provided for under Article 43 of the Constitution.

The judges said there should be continued concerted efforts by the State in the progressive realisation of these rights and therefore. It said the State should take deliberate steps, both immediately and in the future, towards the full realisation of the rights.

"It is indeed a sad state of affairs that 10 years into promulgation of the Constitution, the State still seeks to rid itself of its mandate and obligations by hiding behind the perceived inconsistencies sometimes presented in the Constitution, and in the present context, the provisions of Article 21(2) of the Constitution, and to abdicate its role in ensuring that Article 43 rights are realized," said the Supreme Court.

The bench comprised Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and Justice Mohammed Ibrahim, Smokin Wanjala, Njoki Ndung'u and Isaac Lenaola.

They stated: "The State has to take a more drastic and purposive approach to its mandate and obligations in ensuring that the rights to the people of Kenya are not violated, or in the very least, that these rights are not deprived or denied. We say no more."

Progress made

The judges, however, observed that the State has taken several steps, such as policy structures and legislative formulation, to address issues of land and housing.

"Although the State may seem to be at the forefront in the realization of Article 43 rights, more is yet to be done, especially in the realization aspect. As for the enforcement of these rights, nothing much can be achieved if the legislative and policy processes are still at the nascent stage," said the judges.

They noted that policy and legislative formulation and lack of adequate resources have been the reasons given by the State in the realization of Article 43 rights (economic and social rights).

In listing the steps taken by the State, the apex court observed that in October 2009, the Lands ministry formulated the Eviction and Resettlement Guidelines, which provided that forced evictions were not only illegal and unjust, but also counterproductive to economic growth and development.

The guidelines also provided insights and procedures on how to deal with the issue of evictions and resettlement by the State, noting that the State was under an obligation to provide alternative resettlement to those that had been evicted.

Further on, in 2012 a Bill was presented in the National Assembly titled the Evictions and Resettlement Procedures Bill No.44 of 2012. The Bill has never gone past the first Reading - on September 12, 2012.

The Senate also introduced the Preservation of Human Dignity and Enforcement of Economic and Social Rights Bill No.27 of 2018.

The Bill proposes that each County should have an integrated development plan and to establish mechanisms to monitor and promote adherence to Article 43 of the Constitution. It has not gone past the 1st Reading - on September 25, 2018.

"These may be just some of the few, if not only, legislative and policy structures that the State has sought to come up with in the past few years," said the judges.

"Warning" to developers

The petition filed by the squatters through Katiba Institute also sought to interrogate and contrast the obligations of the State and those of private citizens, to observe, respect, protect, promote or fulfil constitutional rights, more specifically the rights to dignity and adequate housing, and the rights of children and older persons.

The court declared that the demolition of the squatters' houses and their forced eviction by MECand the police, without a valid court order, was a violation of their fundamental right to inherent human dignity.

It was also a violation of the right to security of the person, accessible and adequate housing guaranteed in the Constitution, and the rights of children and elderly persons.

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The bench overturned a decision of the Court of Appeal to deny the squatters the damages which they had been awarded by Judge Mumbi Ngugi in 2014.

The squatters settled on the land in 1968 and constructed semi-permanent houses, business structures.

They had also been supplied with social amenities and services such as water and electricity, and the government had also licensed them to operate businesses on the suit property

Lawyer Dudley Ochiel, for the squatters, welcomed the judgment, terming it a warning to private developers and government agencies who undertake forced evictions.

"This is the clearest statement ever from the Supreme Court that the culture of forced evictions in Kenya must come to an end, especially in informal settlements. The Supreme Court's award of damages is a warning to private developers who undertake the evictions" said Mr Ochiel. He appeared in the case alongside lawyers Mbugua Mureithi and Emily Kinama for the squatters.
At least 1.6 million candidates will participate in this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled to begin on August 16.

The Head of National Office of West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mr. Patrick Areghan, gave the figure yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Areghan said that the council was working to accommodate some schools still bothering it with late registration.

He said that the development was taking its toll on the council's operations.

Areghan said ahead of the conduct of the 2021 WASSCE, the council was working with relevant stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free WASSCE for school candidates, in spite of some challenges.

"As I have always said, conducting examination is not a tea party. It is a huge task and requires collaboration of all critical stakeholders, including the media.

"It requires a lot of preparations and even more, especially in the face of the rising cases of insecurity and the resurgence of Coronavirus pandemic in the country

"In conducting this examination, we also want to ensure that the lives of all those involved, including council's staff, and materials are properly secure.

"Our arrangement for the successful conduct of our upcoming examination, therefore, is in top gear as we are ensuring that we do not leave any stone unturned," he said.

Areghan noted that examination conduct required money and other resources.

According to him, the entire process of conducting the examination - from the printing of examination materials, distributing them and ensuring security, to the recruitment of Adhoc staff and printing certificates - is a huge financial burden.

Areghan gave the assurance that WAEC would continue to do all it could to stay afloat.

"It is what the council has been doing, and we want to ensure we continue in that excellent tradition."

He noted that the West African School Certificate was internationally accepted and required protection of its integrity

"Therefore, in order not allow anything to reduce that standard, we shall be collaborating with the federal and state ministries of health and education as well as the police and other security agencies.

"This is in a bid to ensure that all precautionary measures are in place before, during and after the examination," Areghan said.

The HNO said that WAEC members had been meeting to fine-tune strategies that would ensure hitch-free conduct of the examination.

He urged schools and candidates to get themselves well prepared ahead of the examination, warning that the council would not tolerate any acts capable of undermining the integrity of the examination.

"There is no hiding place for cheats.

"We want to warn schools, students and even supervisors and invigilators that there will be no hiding place for anyone who tries to go against laid down rules for the conduct of this examination.

"We will surely catch that person, no matter where the malpractice is being carried out.

"We have in-built mechanisms to detect every act of cheating; cheats, when caught, will not get their results.

"Even if you cheat in our objective test, we will catch you, using technology. This technology is called the Item Deferential Profile; it has been there for quite sometime," he said.

The HNO advised parents not to indulge their children and wards in cheating in examinations by providing money to source for the questions from fraudsters.

"We have carried out a lot of sensitisation, reaching out to parents not to give money to their children in an attempt to patronise rogue website operators and other mischievous individuals, who promise to help get to WAEC questions for them, before the examination.

"There is nothing like that. Some even go as far as saying WAEC normally posts questions on the internet.

"This is laughable and misleading. We have tried as much as possible to enlighten the world that there is nothing like 'miracle centre'.

"This is a creation of the society and not the council.

"It may be existing in their subconscious mind but does not exist in our dictionary," he said.

According to him, there has been no episode of leakage of council's examination questions in the past years in Nigeria.

He said that what some sections of the public referred to as leakage during the conduct of WASSCE, was the work of internet fraudsters, who registered and sat with genuine candidates in the hall.

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"They are served the examination papers, they pretend to be writing the examination, while they manage to snap the questions in collaboration with their mercenaries outside.

"But these days, they no longer snap the questions; rather, they connive with some unscrupulous supervisors and invigilators, who help them to snap the questions, using their own handsets, and send, after which the fraudsters put the questions on the internet.

"These same supervisors allow some candidates into the halls with handsets, even when they know it is against the law, all because they have been compromised.

"However, the various ministries of education have been doing a great job in this respect, as they have been taking drastic measures on those found culpable, by either sacking outrightly or demotion," he said

The HNO warned that WAEC would not hesitate to hand any suspect over to the police.

"We have a way of detecting those posting these things to the internet and go after them; that is why we always need the collaboration of the police," Areghan said.

NAN
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) risks having its multibillion shilling assets attached to a tax debt of Sh450.58 million owed to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

It already owes suppliers Sh928.93 million, with about Sh686.32 million of that amount relating to supplies made for the 10th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference held from December 15 to 19, 2015.

The latest damning financial revelations about the KICC, a state corporation, are captured in the 2018/19 report of Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu to Parliament.

Ms Gathungu notes that the corporation's failure to pay the taxes may attract penalties and interest, making it difficult to settle the amount, given its largely nonperforming revenue streams.

"Failure to pay taxes when due could attract penalties and interest. There is also the likelihood of the corporation's assets being attached," Ms Gathungu said, even as she doubted the accuracy and authenticity of the pending bills figure, saying it had its own budget.

The amount due to KRA includes a tax brought forward of Sh22.99 million, reconciled tax by KRA demand letter of Sh413.53 million and tax due in 2018/2019 of Sh14.1 million.

The audit report, however, notes that the amounts were not broken down and that tax return documents were not presented for review.

KRA valuation

This comes after the corportation recorded a paltry Sh1.03 billion in revenue collected compared to the Sh1.35 billion that it projected to collect, painting a gloomy picture of the facility's financial situation.

But even as KICC faces auction, Ms Gathungu has raised doubts over valuation of the corporation's assets.

The audit shows KICC is worth Sh4.04 billion as per the valuation of its four categories of assets undertaken during the year under review that was submitted to the auditor-general.

"The valuer did not give a detailed report on how the valuation was undertaken and why the valuation, particularly the freehold land and buildings seem to be undervalued, compared to current market values," Ms Gathungu says in the audit report.

A breakdown of the valuation that cost the taxpayer Sh7.6 million, as depicted in the audit report, shows that the freehold land on which KICC stands is worth Sh2.3 billion.

The buildings are worth Sh1.66 billion, furniture Sh21.46 million and office equipment Sh55.25 million.

The value of the land excludes land commonly referred to as the Comesa parking area and courtyard, on which the first Kenyan President's monument stands.

Ms Gathungu has doubted the figures saying the assets were undervalued.

Valuation figures for the four categories of KICC assets differ from amounts reflected in the financial statements presented to the auditors.

As per the KICC financial statements, KICC is worth Sh2.76 billion, depicting a huge variance of Sh1.28 billion compared to the figures in the valuation report.

Broken down, the freehold land has been valued at Sh1 billion, buildings Sh1.66 billion, furniture Sh81.26 million and office equipment Sh14.17 million.

Debt recovery challenges

As the State corporation experiences difficulties paying taxes, the audit report shows that it is equally unable to collect over Sh623.35 million which has been outstanding for over three years.

The bulk of this amount - over Sh60.65 million - is owed by government ministries, departments and agencies.

"The management's efforts to recover these debts have not been fruitful," the audit report states.

Out of the amounts owed, Sh36.1 million was accrued by a private secretary to retired President Mwai Kibaki after he failed to honour a tenancy agreement.

The private secretary, whose name has not been revealed in the audit report, occupied the 18th floor of KICC from July 1, 2013, three months after Kibaki retired after serving his two-five-year terms as the country's third president, to July 1, 2016.

Ms Gathungu notes that the KICC management did not present the lease of agreement entered with the private secretary for review.

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The audit report further notes that recoverability of the debt remains doubtful despite a provision for bad and doubtful debts of Sh23.62 million, "which appears inadequate".

The National Assembly owes KICC Sh47.31 million, which the auditor-general says has been outstanding for "a considerably long period of time".

The debt relates to the office spaces that the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) has rented for members of the National Assembly and senators since 2013, as well as the parking fees for their vehicles and aides.

Interestingly, the audit further notes that an inquiry and comparison with financial statements of the reported debtors showed that the debts were not recognised as payables or pending bills by the owing institutions.

This means that the owing institutions did not budget for the debts and that it will take a long time for KICC to recover its money.

The failure to repay the debts means that KICC's reliable revenue streams are generated through credit sales extended to conference clients, government and private tenants and leased parking.
Sixteen persons, including six children, were killed in three different road accidents in Osun State within two days.

Fourteen persons were killed in Ilesa-Akure express road accident on Saturday, while two person were reported dead on Gbongan-Osogbo road, yesterday.

Osun Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr Paul Okpe, in a statement by the command spokesperson, Agnes Ogungbemi, yesterday, said the Ilesa-Akure road accident occurred at Powerline area in Ipetu-Ijesa around 5:30p.m., on Saturday.

He said apart from the six children killed in the incident, four males and some females also died, while two others were injured.

Okpe added that an articulated vehicle (Howo-Sinotruck) with number plate, BAU 171 ZE, collided with a Toyota Siennawith number plate, KRD 842 GY.

He said: "We received a distressed call at 5:45p.m., on Saturday evening about an accident on Ipetu-Ijesa-Ilesa Highway, involving two vehicles.

"Our men arrived at the location at 5:50 pm and met dead bodies at the scene. We evacuated the deceased to the nearest morgue at the Wesley Hospital in Ilesa. We also took the four injured persons to the hospital."

Meanwhile, the incident, yesterday, involved a Previa mini bus with number plate, GNN 57 XD, and occurred around Niger Cat dockyard, Gbongan at 12.40 p.m.

Okpe, who blamed the incident on loss of concentration by the driver, said two persons died while five others were injured.

He added that the injured victims were taken to private hospitals while the dead victims were deposited at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, OAUTH, morgue.

Also, two persons were injured in a dual auto accident involving a DAF truck with number plate, KNT 24 XP, and a C180 Mercedes Benz with number plate, BM 307 AKD around 2.09 p.m. at Eleweran area, Old Ede road, Ife.
The rising political temperatures in Kenya over the Uhuru Kenyatta succession are likely to take a toll on the country's trade with its East and Central African partners, with importers and transporters on the Northern Corridor already exploring new routes for their cargo.

Just this week, Uganda began a trial delivery of petroleum products from the Dar es Salaam port through Lake Victoria, after a 16-year break. This move spells doom to the Port of Mombasa, which accounts for three-quarters of the transit cargo headed for Uganda.

Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) import a huge percentage of their petroleum products using trucks through Kenya. Refined petroleum, which forms 13 per cent of Kenya's total exports, is the country's third-largest export after tea and cut flowers.

Uganda Railways Corporation took 500,000 litres of petroleum products across Lake Victoria from Tanzania. The fuel had landed in Dar es Salaam and was transported by train to the Mwanza port, then to Uganda through the lake.

Now, with Kampala looking to Dar, the potential loss of the lucrative petroleum transshipment business has jolted officials in Nairobi, according to sources. Kenya invested $400 million in the rehabilitation of its oil pipeline network from Mombasa to Eldoret, and holding facilities in Eldoret. It also constructed a $170 million fuel jetty in Kisumu in anticipation of transferring part of the fuel via Lake Victoria.

Election effects

While some state officials have put on a brave face, the chipping away of business is likely to increase as the country enters full electioneering mode in the coming months.

The General Election is slated for August 2022 and the battle lines are already drawn.

The falling-out between President Kenyatta and his deputy Dr William Ruto is causing jitters and a bare-knuckle duel is shaping up between the two estranged politicians, who were elected on the same ticket in the elections in 2013 and 2017.

On Thursday, Dr Ruto drew the first blood when his party United Democratic Alliance won its first parliamentary seat in a high-stakes by-election in Kenyatta's backyard in Kiambu County.

The developments in Kenya have brought back memories of the 2007/08 political crisis after a contested presidential election result when operations in part of the transport corridor stretching from the Mombasa port city to the Great Lakes were paralysed by post-election violence.

Both Mr Kenyatta and Dr Ruto were charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but the charges were dropped largely due to lack of evidence and alleged witness tampering.

Transport companies from Uganda and Rwanda were awarded Ksh12.3 billion ($113 million) for losses incurred in the violence. Intraspeed Logistics Ltd, Kampala City Traders Association, Willex Uganda Ltd, KPI Ltd, Katraco Uganda Ltd, Dooba Enterprises, Sebco Uganda, Bunyonyi Safaris, Seven Hills Impex, Uganda Agricultural Tools, Mugenga Holdings, Board City Company and Bidco Uganda Ltd lost vehicles and goods. K

enyan High Court judge Msagha Mbogholi awarded them Ksh6.3 billion ($58 million)as compensation for loss of business and special damages, and another Ksh6 billion ($55 million)as interest on the principal amount. They are yet to be paid by the Kenyan government.

Museveni calls signing of oil pipeline deal 'third victory' for Uganda, Tanzania

No impact

Kenya Pipeline Corporation managing director Macharia Irungu told The EastAfrican that Uganda's attempt to re-route shipments through Tanzanian ports of Dar es Salaam and Tanga would not impact its business much, noting that less than three percent of the fuel cargo will go through the Central Corridor.

"We are in a better position as KPC, I am not worried," Mr Macharia said. "We won't lose more than three percent of the cargo volume."

Kenya transports about 900 million litres of petroleum products per month and is banking on Tanzania's inadequate fuel transport infrastructure to retain the Ugandan petroleum transhipment business.

"Tanzania doesn't have the infrastructure," said the KPC boss. "Our route is cheaper and more organised, and they can secure their taxes. Tanzania will not secure their taxes because there are no controls."

With an inadequate pipeline infrastructure, Tanzania will have to rely on trucks to evacuate the fuel from its port into the shores of Lake Victoria, before it is shipped to Uganda, something Kenya says will be a hard-sell, mostly because of delays and possible adulteration.

"It is expensive to ferry products by road. We normally pump one million litres per hour through the pipeline from Mombasa to Nairobi. When you look at the logistical and operational aspects, it will take Tanzania years to wrest the Ugandan market from us," Mr Macharia said.

Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) acting managing director Stephen Wakasenza told Bloomberg this week that while they "are comfortable with Mombasa," they were seeking an alternative route "for strategic reasons".

"We are targeting oil because it is a product used daily," he said.

Losing grip

Kenya's position as the preferred petroleum products importation route for landlocked East and Central African nations started slipping out of its hands in 2015, when EAC countries, save for Uganda, reduced their oil imports from Nairobi due to concerns over adulteration.

Uganda receives over 185 million litres of petroleum products, mostly channelled through the Kisumu port and the Eldoret depot.

"We now aim to use two routes across Lake Victoria from Kenya's Kisumu port, and Tanzania's Mwanza port to bring in up to 20 million litres of petroleum products monthly," Mr Wakasenza said.

The Kisumu port supplies Kampala with up to six million litres of petroleum products monthly, using the MV Uhuru I, and there is a plan is to increase the volume once Kenya completes building its second wagon ferry MV Uhuru II.

In the five months to May, Kenya's 180-tonne, 91-metre MV Uhuru cargo carrier made 26 round trips to Ugandan ports, moving over 50 million litres of fuel.

Nairobi has been pushing for the actualisation of its multimodal Lake Victoria transport system to serve the region, but this has been dragged down by Kampala's delay in completing its oil jetty and refurbishing its ports.

Kampala has been building a fuel jetty, which was set to be ready by January this year, but whose completion timeline now remains in limbo.

Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda seem to have abandoned their ambitious Eldoret - Kampala - Kigali Refined Petroleum Products Pipeline Project, one of the key ventures that the region had initially agreed to jointly invest in, but it now seems to have dropped off their priorities.

The project was to cost $1.5 billion, with the 350km Eldoret to Kampala costing $400 million, while the 434km Kampala to Kigali pipeline was to cost $1.1 billion. The project would also see the construction of the mainline pumps, intermediate pump stations and road or rail loading facilities for tankers.

The initial design requirement would also have accommodated a bi-directional flow with the installation of pumping stations to take products from Hoima refinery via Kampala Terminal back to Kenya and an option to feed into the Kampala-Kigali pipeline.

Perfect timing for Tanzania

The move by the region's importers to look for alternative routes could not have come at a better time for Tanzania. The Samia Suluhu Hassan administration has been angling for the shipping and logistics business and the Tanzanian leader has aggressively sold her country as a stable environment for doing business in the region.

This weekend, President Samia is visiting Burundi to sell her country as a business and investment destination of choice.

Burundi uses the Central Corridor for most of its cargo and the visit is meant to cement the existing deals and open up others.

President Samia has offered incentives to investors and the Tanzanian ports, while suffering administrative and capacity problems, have been bracing to eat Mombasa's lunch.

Tanzania, home to the most ambitious port project in the region -- the $10 billion Bagamoyo Port -- has announced plans to revive its construction, potentially turning the tables on its competitors. The project features a special economic zone and industrial park that are billed to attract at least 700 business units and dominate the freight business along Africa's Indian Ocean coastline, eclipsing Kenya's equally ambitious Lamu port project.

Kenya has announced incentives to encourage more shipping lines to use the Mombasa and Lamu ports as the gateway to the Eastern Africa region. These include exempting fuel supplied to shipping lines from import and excise duty, value added tax, railway development levy and import declaration fees.

In Tanzania, the Samia government unveiled a $15.7 billion budget, of which $1.3 billion has been allocated to flagship infrastructure projects in the 2021/2022 fiscal year. Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba allocated funds to the ports of Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga and Bagamoyo.

At the Tanga port, the government is investing in dredging from four to 13 metres, installation of navigation equipment and completion of two deep-draft berths.

To woo users, Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (Tasac) has begun programmes to capture new markets and increase its throughput after heavy investment funded by the World Bank to expand port operations. From March, Tasac started clearing more products, including fertiliser, industrial and domestic sugar, edible or cooking oil, wheat, oil, liquefied petroleum gas and chemicals.

Dodoma seems to have begun reaping the benefits of the $345 million World Bank grant to the new Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project, which has significantly improved its port business.

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Kenya and Tanzania are competing to position their facilities as the preferred entry points to the region, particularly inland markets in landlocked nations like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Some $58.3 million out of Tanzania's budget for 2021/22 has been allocated to implement several marine transport projects in Lakes Victoria and Tanganyika aimed at raising the volume of cargo and passenger movements between Tanzania and neighbouring countries.

Improve trade

According to the Ministry of Works, a new ship with 600-passenger and 400- tonne cargo capacity is being built to ply Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma Port and boost trade with Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC alongside the 100-year-old, 70-metre-long MV Liemba, now undergoing rehabilitation.

The Tanga port, which will be the exit point for Ugandan petroleum products through the up-and-coming East African Crude Oil Pipeline, is also being dredged from 3.5 metres to 15 metres and raise its cargo handling capacity to over one million tonnes per year.

Up to 90 percent of Tanzania's international trade transactions depend on the port of Dar es Salaam. Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern DR Congo are the target destinations for cargo offloaded at the Dar and Tanga ports while Mtwara port handles cargo for Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Rwanda is the leading EAC partner state using the Port of Dar es Salaam, with about one million tonnes of cargo recorded at the port per year, according to TPA figures. Burundi depends on the port for 99.2 percent of its international cargo while the figure for Rwanda is 86 percent, comprising both imports and exports.

The $38.72 million MV Mwanza Hapa Kazi Tu construction project is being handled by South Korean firms Gas-Entec and Kangnam and is scheduled for completion by December next year.

President Samia also inaugurated a $15.53 million slipway at the Mwanza South port that will facilitate further ship construction projects for Lake Victoria. She said the aim was to make Mwanza a major hub of marine business in the Great Lakes region once the SGR project is complete, considering its strategic positioning.

Tanzania already has two major ships serving all three countries that share Lake Victoria -- MV Victoria with a carrying capacity of 1,200 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo, and MV Butiama with the capacity to carry 200 passengers and 100 tonnes of cargo.
At least 2,000 residents of Pandanguo, Jima and Madina villages in Lamu are facing an acute shortage of food and water.

The three villages bordering the Boni forest are occupied by the Boni minority community, who are traditionally hunters and gatherers.

Shortly after the national government launched Operation Linda Boni to flush out Al-Shabaab militants from the dense forest in 2015, the Boni were banned from entering the forest.

They were encouraged to ditch their traditional forest life and embrace modern farming so as to escape hunger and become food-secure.

The government had also pledged to meet the community's needs until the operation was over.

Speaking to Nation.Africa on Wednesday, villagers said they had tried farming but their efforts were futile every season because of droughts.

Pandanguo village headman Adan Golja said it is the second season in a row that crops had failed.

Most of the wells and boreholes that villagers depended on, he said, had dried up, leaving them and their livestock reeling in thirst.

He appealed for relief food and water from the county and national governments and well-wishers.

He said they have tried planting maize, cassava, simsim, green peas and other crops for their subsistence but the crops died because of the drought.

"It is now the second season that we haven't harvested anything in our farms. I urge the government to intervene and send relief food and other humanitarian aid to us. We're suffering," he said.

Despite the recent decision by the State to allow the Boni to enter some sections of the Boni forest to look for fruits and honey, they were still facing hunger as lack of rain had also resulted in lack of honey and wild fruits altogether, said Makka Bulo, a Boni woman leader in Pandanguo.

Villagers are digging up wild roots to live on as they wait and hope that officials and well-wishers will do something about their plight, she said.

"All farm crops have dried up, leaving us with no food. The continuing drought spell has also led to a lack of edible wild fruits and honey that could have saved the situation. We need urgent assistance," she said.

More than 2,000 people in Pandanguo and Jima depend on one well in Pandanguo to get water for their domestic use, said Boni community spokesperson Ali Sharuti.

"There is one open fresh-water well used by the community here. The drought has turned the well saline and that is the water we drink and cook with. We have no alternative source of water. Food is also a major problem here," Mr Sharuti said.

Mwanahamisi Kanyara of Jima village pleaded with the State to consider reintroducing the aid programme introduced in 2015 but which was ended after a few months so as to save the community from the suffering due to food and water shortages.

"When the security operation started in Boni forest, the government pledged to give us food and all other relief help until the operation ends. They only did that for some months and then stopped," she said.

"We are now suffering. We have nowhere to get food. The little crops we tried to plant have dried up because of the drought and so have the wells here. The situation is bad and we really need help."

Villagers sometimes must trek as many as 20km in search of food and fresh water at their only nearby town, Witu, said Fatima Bute.

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In most cases, she said, they rarely get any water and food or they just get a little, which is not enough to meet their needs.

Hanifa Suleiman, of Madina village in Lamu East, also said residents were suffering from the drought, especially after wells and boreholes dried up.

"Normally, we use Jabias to store our water but now due to the drought, not a single Jabia has water. All the wells and boreholes don't have water either. We are dying of thirst. We hope help comes soon," she said.

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia did not answer our phone calls seeking comment on humanitarian aid pledged seven years ago for Boni forest people by the national government.

Lamu County Emergency Response Services executive Godana Dae said, "I'm in a meeting. I will revert once I'm through."
A former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Benjamin Chidoka, has said that the Senate voting against the electronic transmission of results is disappointing, and that all those who stayed away from voting are a disgrace to their constituencies.

He said this during the 50,000 steps run/walk for Peace on Sunday in Abuja and the 36 states of the federation, which was part of activities marking his 50th birthday.

Chidoka said, "I could not imagine the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria voting against the electronic transmission of results. I am not only disappointed, and all those who stayed away from voting are a disgrace to their constituencies.

"All those who voted 'no' to electronic transmission, in a country where we do JAMB through CBT, the International Passport is electronic, the driver's license is biometric and electronics you can renew it online.

"I don't think the government of the day in all honesty can say that there is any part of Nigeria today where you don't have POS dispensing money across Nigeria, where there is no ATM machine dispensing money. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has disgraced the National Assembly, has whittled the hope of Nigerians and I hope that they will reverse themselves.

"I don't know how that would happen but the House of Representatives should not go the way of the Senate. I don't think this is good for Nigeria; it is an embarrassment in a country where foreigners are putting money into a company like Flutterwave and others. People are coming to invest in Technology in Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the biggest recipients of technology funding," he said.
A major illicit drug kingpin in Anambra State, Mr. Okeke Chijioke, 44, has been arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

He was caught with 548,000 tablets of Tramadol branded as Tarkadol stored in his warehouse at 3 Atunya street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle, Oyi Local Government Area in Anambra State.

A statement issued yesterday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi revealed that Okeke's arrest on Saturday, July 10, 2021, followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed that he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.

Babafemi disclosed that after the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilogrammes were recovered.

He said the suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered, adding that preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention.

Babafemi further revealed that the substance has also tested positive to amphetamine.

He said the recovered drug was equally labeled 100 milligrammes pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, but laboratory tests confirmed it's a 225- milligramme drug.

He said it was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification, adding that during the search on the warehouse, a double-barrel pump gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered.

He added that the operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village on 14th July intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LGA of Bauchi State.

In a related development, Babafemi said a a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba but supplies narcotics to dealers in Adamawa has been arrested in Numan area of the state.

He noted that Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges.

The NDLEA Spokesman also revealed that a drug dealer, Mohammed Ali was earlier arrested on July 10, with 1.150 kilogrammes of diazepam in Numan.

He noted that a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Godiya, who supplied Ali with drugs, while investigation has since revealed that he was based in Mayolope village in Lau LGA of Taraba State, from where he supplies Jambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.

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He further disclosed that few days after Godiya's arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103 kilogrammes also in Numan on July 14, followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500 kilogrammes of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on Friday, July 16, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa State Commands for sustaining the offensive action in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria, charged them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.
The United Nations Secretary General has deplored the plight of young amid Covid-19 pandemic, saying young people still face disproportionate levels of unemployment and under-employment before the pandemic.

Antonio Guterres was speaking recently as part of commemorations marking World Youth Skills Day held on the theme; -'Reimagining youth skills post pandemic'.

In his statement, UN SG highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people's employment and skills acquisition, especially in the technical and vocation education area, and why we must continue to invest in their development and include them in policy and decision making processes.

The full message is reproduced below:

"Today, we celebrate youth resilience, drive and innovation in times of COVID-19. Young people were already facing disproportionate levels of unemployment and under-employment before the pandemic. More than one out of five youth were not in employment, education, or training, the majority of them young women."

The COVID-19 pandemic, he added, has further aggravated this troubling situation. In many cases, it has forced organisations to pause skills development training. Distance learning posed a particular challenge for Technical Vocational Education and Training, particularly among marginalised youth.

"To recover better, we must address the longstanding disparities and challenges faced by young people. That means ramping up skills development and education, with a particular focus on climate action, sustainable development, gender equality and inclusivity. It is crucial to boost investments in Technical Vocational Education and Training, broadband connectivity and digital skills."

"Young people drive solutions and must have a seat at the table, including in policy-making processes at the local, national, and global levels.Youth2030, the United Nations system-wide Youth Strategy, lays out the roadmap for the UN and partners to work for and with young people worldwide. I urge everyone to make the most of this framework and together, build an inclusive, fair and sustainable development for all. I wish you a happy and productive World Youth Skills Day."

MoHERST launches national TVET alumni network
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) on Thursday 15 July 2021 announced its plans to distribute D13 million dalasis among 500 hundred windstorm victims across the country.

The money officials say, is a donation by the International Red Cross Society in Geneva.

It could be recalled that a heavy windstorm that hit on Wednesday 7 July 2021 initially claimed lives in the country, with a total of 1531 people internally displaced and 3140 totally affected by the storm. Gambia Red Cross officials say the D13 million dalasis is meant to support the most vulnerable victims to enable them rebuild their houses.

Meanwhile, the latest update from the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) indicates that the July 7 windstorms reportedly killed 11 people in the country and affected 192 communities. They added that 1721 households including 27,434 people were affected. The GRCS report further added that 552 families across the country completely lost their houses while 295 houses had partial damages.

Alasan Senghore, secretary general of the GRCS, who was speaking during a press conference on Thursday at its headquarters said: "The GRCS received a tune of over 200,000 Swiss Franc from the International Red Cross Society in Geneva. The 200, 000 Swiss Franc is amounting D13 million dalasis. It's meant to support the people that are hit hard by the windstorm. We would be using cash transfer to five hundred households around the country. So far, 1847 households have been assessed across the country."

The gesture, Senghore revealed, is part of GRCS efforts to complement government efforts in improving the lives and livelihoods of the victims most especially the 500 people that are affected badly.

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Their priorities, he further added, is to ensure that they help the victims to get back to their houses and to improve their living conditions. However, he was quick to add that they are targeting the most vulnerable victims, claiming that the GRCS would distribute the money to the victims through mobile money.

"We are using this medium because we are moving towards getting people assisted in a way that is more dignifying. The victims know what they intend to do with the assistance which we would be providing to them. However, our objectives are to ensure that they repair their houses. We will be using the mobile money system because it's more accountable, quicker and more efficient."

Senghore recalled that in 2018 the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) launched the Early Warning System, a project that aimed at updating the public about future disaster and weather conditions. Before the commencement of the 2021 raining season, he said, the NDMA called its partners including GRCS to look at the possibilities of disaster and how to respond to it.

GCCI president extols GRA for transparency in tax admistration Concerns mount as more people testing positive for covid-19 Gambia

"There is a need for the government to improve on the early warning system to ensure the public gets information ahead of disasters. If the public were updated about the windstorm in advance, the lives lost in the North Bank Region could have been saved.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) in collaboration with International Trade Centre (ITC) on Thursday launched the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training at a ceremony held at the Ministry's conference hall in Bijilo.

The Ministry and TVET stakeholders are currently implementing the National TVET Road Map 2020/2024 and the strategic objectives of the roadmap is to provide mechanisms in addressing challenges through planned activities, institutions peers, students and wider stakeholders.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training is an education and training which provides knowledge and skills for employment. It also uses formal, non-formal and informal learning, as TVET is being recognised to be a crucial vehicle for social equity inclusion and sustainable development.

Speaking at the launch Isreal D. Aseweje, president of the National TVET Alumni Network, outlined that TVET alumni is an umbrella body that is introduced to promote and come up with good policies that will be implemented for the development of the country.

The alumni, he added, is also designed to strengthen good relationship amongst them, sharing ideas and skills.

"Part of our project is mentorship, partnership and supporting a workforce to give back to their various institutions." he said

For his part, Madi O. Jatta, deputy permanent secretary, admin and Finance at the Ministry, stated that the role of the Ministry is to develop the human capacity stock of the country as prescribed in the Gambia Tertiary and Higher Education Policy 2014/2024 as well as the education sector policy 2016-2030.

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"The blueprint mandated the Ministry to not only develop the skilled human resources but to provide a an enabling environment for structures as alumni to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of TVET. Scholarships have been awarded to deserving students over years and the ministry will continue to build the capacity of student."

While congratulating the national team of alumni network for their foresight in conceiving such outstanding ideas, he equally thanked the ITC for their tireless support towards the initiative.

Fatoumatta Jallow, coordinator of YEP and International Trade Center representing Yusupha Keita, expressed delight to be associated with the event and to support the idea of young people in the country.

"We are glad to be part of the development of youth because we are the future leaders."
A weeklong Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) workshop organised by the Curriculum Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) unit of Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) Monday kicked-off at National Nutrition Agency conference hall, Kanifing.

The forum attracted different stakeholders from Regional One Education office, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, gender unit, Madarasaa unit, Non-formal Education, Curriculum Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD), Project Coordination Unit (PCU), Standard and Quality Assurance Directorate (SQAD), Science and Technology Education Directorate (STED), in-service Training Unit and The Gambia College.

The weeklong event seeks to deliberate on areas of intervention to create and develop valued activities for CHE in schools across the country based on the Comprehensive Health Education research findings and recommendations from the previous engagements with different stakeholders in Banjul and Kanifing Municipal Councils.

Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education in The Gambia is an implementation research project conducted by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education with funding from International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.

Addressing the gathering, Momodou Jeng, director of CREDD said that the five year research project involves ensuring Comprehensive Health Education.

The research findings, he added, have revealed that most of the children are getting into some complications without knowing where and from whom they can seek advice, authentic and relevant information.

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"Therefore, there is urgent need for intervention to brainstorm on the needy to package in the immediate intervention packages for our students and children to 'Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education in The Gambia,'" he added.

Ms Fatou Dally Bittaye, harped on the importance of the co-creational forum for better implementation and to strengthen the work of MoBSE.

In his presentation, Dr Mat Lowe, a co-researcher and resource person, highlighted the aims and objective of the project, saying the overall aim of the study is to understand the underlying factors that affect the implementation of comprehensive health education (CHE) for adolescents in and out of school.

The methodological approach, he said, was divided into three phases, adding that the package of interventions include training of teachers on CHE based on the study findings, establish collaborative agreement with teachers and the school of education at the Gambia College to enlist their support for the project and community engagement fora and discussion sessions on CHE.

Ms Phebian Ina Grant-Sagnia, principal investigator of the project reiterated that the project targets in and out-of-school adolescents in The Gambia

She maintained that comprehensive sexuality education is an issue that is affecting the youth, which task is not just only for schools, but parents too have to partake.
The president of Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Edi Mass Jobe, who is also chairman of Atlas Energy Group has strongly commended the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) for its transparency in tax administration.

The ranking of companies in terms of tax payment, he said, will greatly boost and strengthen tax payment system and encourage more and big companies to voluntarily come forward to settle their tax obligations on time.

He described this system as long overdue and transparent. He said this will help to know those companies that are tax compliant.

The GCCI president made this remark in an exclusive interview with The Point on Tuesday.

According to Mr. Jobe, who was speaking on behalf of Atlas Energy Company, the tax payment system in the form of ranking companies is a very good system that the public needs to be aware.

He also points out that ranking companies according to what they pay will surely encourage more companies to pay their tax obligation regularly and on time.

"We are proud that GRA decided to use this kind of system to rank companies according to their tax payment."

He said exposing this to the media is a clear indication of transparency in the tax payment system.

The GCCI president said that GRA should have come up with this system earlier. He commended GRA for taking up this bold initiative to tell journalists who pay tax and who don't.

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Regarding Atlas Energy Group, which is ranked third in terms of highest tax payment in 2020, Mr. Jobe expressed total appreciation to the management of GRA for revealing some of the companies that had paid their taxes over the past year. He said this would help other companies who are reluctant to come and pay their tax obligation.

He confirmed that Atlas Energy Group has been among the 10 top taxpayers in this country for a long time and "we are proud of that. We think corporations are part of what they make for shareholders."

Mr. Jobe further stressed that the most important thing that companies should do is to pay tax to contribute to the welfare of their communities and national development.

He stressed the importance of tax payment, saying it is used for building of hospitals, schools and construction of road.

He urged all and sundry to see payment of tax as a serious business. "I think the payment of tax and employment of people are the two important things that companies do for the states and community at large. We are very proud to be part of this top lists and I think payment of taxes and employment of people that government and community should use as criteria to judge corporation."

"We very happy that this year the GRA decided to inform people like the media of who is paying tax because it helps to name and shame those businessmen who are not paying tax.

"Everybody is encouraged to pay tax, so this transparency that GRA started should continue. They should tell the public who is paying and not paying tax and Social Security should do the same thing by telling the people who are the companies complying in employing people but also in paying their social security mandate because pension poverty is one of the biggest problems in The Gambia, once people leave work their lifestyle changes."
Around 9.30pm on Saturday, a tanker ferrying thousands of litres of petrol from Kisumu to Busia collided head-on with a milk truck at Malanga in Gem, Siaya County.

The crash attracted the attention of Malanga villagers, who rushed to scene to rescue drivers of both vehicles who had narrowly cheated death.

But what was initially a rescue mission turned into a looting spree as boda boda riders and some villagers started delivering jerrycans to siphon petrol from the overturned tanker.

Aware of the danger the looters were exposing themselves to, the injured tanker driver attempted to stop the crowd from siphoning the highly flammable fuel.

"We exchanged words with him (driver) asking him to allow us to collect the flowing petroleum. As we were leaving, we heard a loud bang," said Ms Diana Odongo, a witness.

The driver's pleas fell on deaf ears as crowds scrambled to open one compartment after the other. They scooped petrol as more and more people joined the party.

In total disregard of the Covid-19 containment measures and the 7pm to 4am curfew, the residents -- including women and children -- trooped to the accident scene in droves with the hope of striking it rich.

And in less than 30 minutes, tragedy struck as the tanker burst into a huge fireball, engulfing the entire scene and trapping the villagers.

"I was on my way home holding a 20-litre jerrycan when I heard the loud bang. Behind us was a huge fire. We had to run fast fearing for our lives as our clothes had been covered with petrol," recalls Ms Odongo.

The flames spread to nearby maize farms and things quickly got out of hand when jerrycans that had been filed with petrol fuelled the flames.

When the hellish fire was put out many hours later, at least 13 people had perished while 31 were fighting for their lives in hospitals.

Yesterday, burnt shells of the vehicles, the remains of villagers burnt beyond recognition and shocked relatives milling around captured the sombre mood at the scene.

Hell broke loose when one person reportedly opened the tanker's compartment so they could scoop petrol faster before police arrived, leading to the explosion.

"Out of ignorance, one resident, on realising that the compartment was closed and delaying them, opened it and in the process, it caused a spark. Within no time there was an explosion," said Gem sub-county police commander Moreso Chacha.

The death toll, he said, could rise as a majority of those who were injured immediately rushed back to the villages for fear of arrest.

"We suspect more people were injured but opted to go home because they knew they were wrong. The truck was ferrying milk to Kisumu while the oil tanker was headed to Busia when they rammed into each other at about 9.30pm," he said.

Mr Paul Manasseh, a boda boda rider who helped to ferry the injured people to various hospitals, said a pregnant woman was among those who perished, while a young mother was burnt to death with a baby strapped on her back.

"All the women died in the fire after the explosion. We tried our best with the little resources we had to help the injured. It was a scene from hell.

"It's unfortunate that Kenyans have refused to learn from past tragedies. Villagers yet again rushed to the scene of the accident and started siphoning fuel in total disregard of the Covid-19 containment measures and the curfew," he added.

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The fire, which burnt for hours, was eventually managed by a fire engine from Busia County.

"We could not get a fire engine from Siaya since it's in Nairobi for repairs. We had to get help from Busia," said Mr Chacha.

Horror-struck villagers used wheel barrows to move dead bodies from the accident scene.

Some families desperately tried to trace their loved ones, who could not be located in nearby hospitals.

At various hospitals, survivors lay in pain as they recounted the events that preceded the incident; with many, including children, having suffered more than 80 per cent burns.

The incident happened just four kilometres from Sidindi market, another spot where on July 13, 1998, a tanker overturned and burst into flames during a scramble by villagers to scoop oil. The incident left 39 people dead and about a dozen others nursing injuries.
Below is a statement from the Minister of Communication.

"It is no secret to anyone that, for some time now, the visits of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya, and his wife to certain foreign countries have been giving rise to aggressive, violent and uncontrolled actions and demonstrations organised by some of our compatriots, motivated by the desire to disrupt the smooth running of the said visits.

Faced with this notoriously serious situation, the government of the Republic hereby recalls that the President of the Republic is an institution enshrined in the Constitution. The fundamental law, stipulates in Article 5, paragraph 1 that "The President of the Republic is the Head of State", and in Article 8, paragraph 1 that, "The President of the Republic represents the State in all acts of public life".

From the foregoing, the Head of State is neither the head of a region, nor the head of a group, a community or a corporation, but the Head of the State of Cameroon and of the entire Cameroonian people.

As such, wherever he may be, he is entitled to respect and deserves the consideration of all his compatriots.

This means that an attack directed at the person of the Head of State is an attack on Cameroon and Cameroonians as a whole.

Building on this, all Cameroonians of good will, animated by a sense of patriotism and conscious of their intrinsic responsibility and the sacredness of the office of the President of the Republic, strongly condemn the irresponsible actions of these compatriots.

Such exactions, masterminded and orchestrated by heterogeneous and visibly misguided groups, are detrimental not only to the one who, by the will of the vast majority of the Cameroonian people, is presiding over the destiny of our Nation, but also to the image of Cameroon and to the dignity of the Cameroonian people.

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The government of the Republic, through my voice, appeals to the patriotism of these fellow citizens in the diaspora, to their honourability and sense of responsibility, so that they refrain from such inappropriate, dishonourable and pernicious actions, which can only heap opprobrium on all, and harm their own country.

In any case, the Government of the Republic recalls that the resolution of the problems that our country could be facing may not occur outside Cameroon, but in Cameroon, and within the framework of the institutions of the Republic.

This is in fact what the Head of State has never relented doing since his accession to the supreme magistracy, supported by the government, Cameroonians of good will, as well as our partners and friendly countries.

The government of the Republic therefore urges all Cameroonians and especially those in the Diaspora, who are accustomed to these disorderly, untimely and irreverent acts, to return to an exemplary republican morality in voicing out their grievances, whatever they may be, and thereby get involved in a more constructive and civic approach so as to build a Cameroon that is dignified and respected in Africa and worldwide."

Yaounde, 15 July 2021

(s) Rene Emmanuel SADI
Deputy President William Ruto, confident of a 2022 State House race triumph following a series of wins in recent by-elections, has told his opponents to prepare for what he says will be a battle royale.

Coming just days after the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) bagged the Kiambaa seat at the heart of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Kiambu backyard against a well-oiled Jubilee campaign, the DP yesterday dismissed all ongoing coalition-building efforts by his rivals, saying they will not stop him from ascending to presidency.

President Kenyatta and Dr Ruto's archrival Raila Odinga are crafting a coalition that will involve some leaders of the One Kenya Alliance-- Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Moses Wetang'ula (Ford-Kenya) and Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress).

"I am telling them that they can join all the forces against me but they should be ready because we the hustlers, with our God, are ready to face them," he said when he stopped to address the public at Kibaoni market after attending a service at St Patrick Catholic Church in Kilifi town.

The DP accused his rivals of targeting him and his allies in a smear campaign.

"Woe unto those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster befalls upon you?" Dr Ruto posed.

"There is more corruption in the fight against corruption," he added.

Constitutional amendments

The DP accused Mr Odinga of taking advantage of the 2018 'handshake' with the President to distract Jubilee from its Big Four Agenda.

"Raila came from the National Super Alliance and started frustrating us in Jubilee because we had plans for proper housing and creating employment for the jobless youth, and manufacturing. He told us that was not a priority arguing that changing the Constitution was," said the DP.

He said it is time leaders stopped talking about changing the Constitution and come up with policies that will economically empower the poor and the youth.

The second-in-command has been championing the 'bottom-up' economic model that seeks to empower people at the grassroots all the way to the top.

"We are changing the conversation. It is not going to be about leaders and positions and sharing of powers. It is going to be about ordinary citizens and creating of jobs and enterprise. That is the new talk that we are going to have in Kenya," he added.

Dr Ruto warned that the proposed law changes through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which intends to create more political positions, is against Biblical teachings.

"We should be careful as we push for constitutional amendments to avoid the wrath of God. How can it be that we are pushing for change because of our gains, to get more powers and create political positions to burden the common people in the society?" he posed.

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Meru Senator Mithika Linturi said the church should not shy away from telling Kenyans the truth, both politically and spiritually.

The next President

He said President Kenyatta has failed to address issues affecting ordinary Kenyans.

Gatundu MP Moses Kuria said the UDA win is a clear indication that the DP will succeed Mr Kenyatta.

"Kenyans now have an idea on who will become the next President," he said.

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa said Kilifi has already made a decision to support Dr Ruto.

"Everything has its time. Kilifi used to belong to Raila Odinga and his ODM party but it is now for the Deputy President," she said.

Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari urged the Mijikenda community to support the DP for a change.

"Most times we applaud the Deputy President for his kindness but when it comes to the time to stand with him, we disappear and leave him," he said.

The DP will have a meeting with Kilifi traders today.
This was during a third extraordinary meeting of the Board of Directors chaired by Mouhtar Ousmane Mey on July 15, 2021.

Board members of the National School of Local Administration (NASLA) have met in an extraordinary meeting in Yaounde to review and integrate an additional FCFA one billion grant from the Head of State into the budget of the institution. The meeting was chaired by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Mouhtar Ousmane Mey in Yaounde on July 15, 2021.

The additional money takes the total budget of NASLA to FCFA five billion, nine hundred and forty-seven million, nine hundred and twelve thousand, six hundred and forty.

Edifying the press on the extraordinary session, the Director General of NASLA, Tanyitiku Enohachuo Bayee said it was principally concreted to the examination of an amendment of the budget of NASLA. "The budget had been adopted in a budgetary session at the beginning of the year as the law provides. Luckily for NASLA, we received an additional FCFA one billion grant from the Head of State. The present session is to integrate and ventilate this additional one billion into the NASLA budget," he explained.

As concerns the functioning, the Director General noted that the school has been operational and the administrative structures are functioning properly. "We have trained and recently graduated the last batch of former CEFAM. We have also done the recruitment for our first in-service cycle training of 300 trainees who will be starting on August 2, 2021. We have also recruited our part-time teachers. NASLA is also in a programme of infrastructural development. We have in the last few months increased our learning capacity by 240 spaces. There is an Amphitheatre currently being constructed alongside a gymnasium, pedagogic structures, and office buildings, he stated.

Tanyitiku Enohachuo Bayee further stated that the priority of NASLA is to increase capacity building within the framework of decentralisation and local development. "We are also conscious that part of our public or clients are workers of regional and local councils who cannot sometimes leave their job sides to come and study in Buea for six months. So we are developing a distance learning platform which will permit us to reach out to them. We are also intending to upgrade our research capability and our library so that we become a reference in matters of decentralisation and local development," the Director General stated.
Legal representation for some of the men accused of working in cahoots with a former public prosecutor to scam the Office of the Judiciary in witness fees is delaying the start of their trial.

"There is nothing outstanding as far as investigations are concerned. The matter is ready for trial. The only thing outstanding is the accused persons' legal representation," said state prosecutor Latoya Mukumbo during court proceedings on Friday in the Katutura Magistrate's Court.

She added that once the accused have secured legal representation, the matter will be transferred to an appropriate court for the trial to commence.

The case, which dates back to 2016, was provisionally struck from the court's roll, pending police investigations in 2019, but was placed back on the court's roll last year.

The prosecution wants to try former prosecutor Ivan Tjizu alongside co-accused Eino Kombanda, Sackaria Panduleni, Paulus Fillemon, Today Amoomo, Sam Haiduwa, Andrew Masipa, Benjamin Amoomo, Gabriel Usko, Festus Mweendeleli, Alvin Kuutondokwa, Pendukeni Shikongo, Michael Namene and Isai Nathanael in the matter.The state is also prosecuting Martin Ndepando, Dave Valombola, Oiva Kanime and Leonard Ndjoze for the alleged crimes. The prosecution is charging Tjizu and his co-accused with more than 130 counts of corruption under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act. The charges range from fraud to managing an enterprise conducted through a pattern of racketeering activities, corruptly giving a false document containing false statements to an agent, conducting an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activities, and money laundering.

According to the prosecution, Tjizu was working for the office of the prosecutor general in Windhoek, stationed at the Windhoek Magistrate's Court, and conspired with his co-accused in scamming N$410 000 from the Office of the Judiciary through paid-out witness fees. It is alleged that the group fraudulently worked with a web of people in claiming witness fees for people who allegedly travelled from outside Windhoek, and were arranged to pose as State witnesses during court sessions.

As a prosecutor at the time, Tjizu would allegedly misrepresent the witnesses to the presiding magistrate - and as a result, witness fees were falsely claimed and paid out.

Once witness fees had allegedly been paid out to people who were arranged to pose as witnesses, the money would then be shared.

Currently, all of the accused are out on warning, and such warning was extended by magistrate Namwenyo Shikalepo when she postponed the case to 20 September to allow them to find defence lawyers for the trial.
opinion

Home to more than one billion people, Africa boasts the youngest, fastest-growing middle class in the world. With a median age 14 years younger than that of any other continent, Africa is on the cusp of profound political, economic, and social transformation. Around 20 million jobseekers enter the labor market every year in Sub-Saharan Africa. If these young people can be incorporated into the economy, they could contribute decisively to the region's development and growth.

To help Africa realize this demographic dividend, financial institutions and development banks must invest in the coming transformation. That means both promoting the private sector - the engine of job creation - and changing how we ourselves operate.

Across all areas of economic development, investing in Africa's future represents a win-win, because many of the continent's biggest challenges are in fact global problems that will affect us all. COVID-19 has made this abundantly clear, offering a warning of what awaits us in an age of climate change. For Europe to avoid the worst effects of global warming, it must engage with countries everywhere to help them achieve sustainability and climate resilience.

Though Africa is blessed with great natural wealth, political and historical factors have left it afflicted with high poverty rates. Nine of the ten countries with the highest poverty rates are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the economic fallout from the pandem

Writing for PS since 2017, Werner Hoyer is President of the European Investment Bank. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2021. http://www.project-syndicate.org

ic is estimated to have added another 32 million to the total.

Still, the continent's prospects are changing. Its oil and mining sectors now account for a minority of long-term capital inflows, because investors have come to focus on telecommunications, retail, and services. In Sub-Saharan Africa, an average of 90,000 users per day connect to the internet for the first time. Africa is quickly emerging as the new global center of mobile banking, a development that will expand its economies' access to global markets, build resilience, boost transparency, and create jobs.

In the European Investment Bank's 2021 development report, which details our 5 billion ($5.9 billion) of lending in Africa last year, we offer a series of articles from experts highlighting the complexities facing development finance today. New issues range from how to calculate climate risk to expanding programs to save the forests of Ivory Coast, which are being cut down at an alarming rate to make way for cocoa production.

Alongside the development report, we have also published A Partnership with Africa, which delves deeper into key strategic and policy ideas driving contemporary development efforts. As one of the defining global issues of this century, climate change will intensify Africa's challenges, including by displacing more people and making states and societies more fragile. Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, Africa stands to suffer the full impact of a warming planet.

However, owing to Africa's relatively low level of industrialization (reflected in its small contribution to global warming), there is a unique opportunity to leap-frog directly into a greener future. To succeed, African leaders must support innovation and adoption of the best available technologies. Basic goods such as water, renewable energy, and clean mobility must be made available to all.

The EIB has operated in Africa since 1965, investing 59 billion in 52 African countries and honing a model from which other international financial institutions can learn. Last year, 71% of our financing for Sub-Saharan Africa was allocated to fragile states or least-developed countries, where we have sought to support positive changes underway, including rapid economic growth, improved political stability and integration, increased foreign investment, and more and better business opportunities. Underpinning this work is a willingness to listen to African leaders and to cooperate with ambitious, committed innovators. This allows us to respond directly to local needs and priorities while still working in line with EU policy.

Over the last couple of months, we have held strategic discussions with the presidents of Senegal, Ghana, and Tunisia, as well as African Union Commissioner Josefa Sacko. The EIB also played an active role in the recent Africa summit that French President Emmanuel Macron hosted in Paris, and in the EU-Africa Green Investment Forum in April. At both events, leaders from both continents stressed the need for a stronger partnership.

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Many African leaders have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with impressive determination. By acting together, Africa and Europe can face down the current health and economic crisis while mapping out shared investment priorities to achieve a sustainable and inclusive recovery.

For our part, we at the EIB have refined our African operations significantly in recent years. And following discussions among EU policymakers on how to enhance the European financial architecture for development, we have been considering how to refocus our contributions to maximize their impact in the service of EU and African objectives.

By improving how we deliver our development financing in close cooperation with the European Commission and the European External Action Service, we can help meet the growing need for ever-stronger economic and trade ties between Europe and Africa. In an age of climate change and global pandemics, our continents will sink or swim together.

BY WERNER HOYER

Writing for PS since 2017, Werner Hoyer is President of the European Investment Bank. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2021. http://www.project-syndicate.org
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the support of the International Trade Centre (ITC), officially launched the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organizations (TPO) Network and held its First Annual General Assembly 15th - 16th July 2021 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO) Network is a public-sector-led entity and will work in partnership with the ECOWAS commission to drive inclusive trade development initiatives within West Africa and beyond.

Before officially launching the Network, Mr. Tei KONZI, ECOWAS Commissioner for Trade, Customs and Free Movement, on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, stressed the importance of the Trade Promotion Organisations in accessing new markets and establishing linkages between local and international businesses. These are some of the major reasons the Council of Ministers at their 17th June 2021, 86th Ordinary session took a decision to establish the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organisation Network in the region, he reiterated.

In her remarks, the International Trade Centre Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton emphasized the milestone West Africa had achieved with the establishment of the ECOWAS TPO Network. "As a network, you can learn from each other, support growth into each other's markets, invest in shared information assets, and amplify the voice of TPOs and the private sector as champions of the Africa of tomorrow," said Ms. Coke-Hamilton.

Ms. Cicile Tassin-Pelzer, Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and to ECOWAS, noted that the flagship of the West African Competitiveness Programme has brought together public and private sectors stakeholders across the region to strengthen competitiveness and enhance the level of production, transformation and export capacities of the Private Sectors. Speaking directly to the TPOs, by creating this network, you take your mission to another level, creating strength in numbers and synergies of closer collaboration with an ultimate objective improving the West African Markets, she said.

In his welcome address, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo ED/CEO Nigeria Export Promotion Council stated that indeed this was the first of many steps towards building mutual trust and cooperation without borders within the ECOWAS region. Today, intra-Africa exports only account for about 16% of Africa's global export, and more specifically, intra-ECOWAS trade only accounts for a tenth of ECOWAS countries' global trade. Indeed, more must be done to increase the volume of trade within the ECOWAS region and more importantly between ECOWAS and the rest of Africa.

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It is therefore imperative that through the TPO network we work assiduously towards facilitating the ease of trade for our MSMEs within the ECOWAS region and Africa at large, thereby building an army of exporters that will boost intra Africa trade. If soundly operationalized, this new mechanism of TPO Network should help a great deal in boosting trade among ECOWAS member states. Consequently, economic integration in the sub-region will be further deepened, he added

The first AGM of the Network, chaired by the President of the ECOWAS TPO Network Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and supported by the Vice President Mr. Guy M'Bengue, Chief Executive Officer of Cote d'Ivoire Export Promotion Agency (APEX-CI), will consider key documents for the operationalization of the network.

As part of the event, the ECOWAS TPO network will also engage in discussions with Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, and Transcorp and Jean B. Bakole, Regional Director of UNIDO, moderated by Dr. Asare Afua Asabea, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Agency (GEPA).
opinion

Trust is the glue that binds people together. Public trust entails demonstrating transparency, accountability, and competence. However, in Liberia, society's confidence in transparency, accountability, fairness has plummeted. In Short, there is a growing trust deficit between public officials in Liberia and many of the citizens.

We cannot trust public officials to always say what they mean and mean what they say. They speak in forked tongues and are mostly dishonest in their promises. When they are in trouble and have been exposed, they use language to cover up. In Liberia, as soon as we hear certain words and statements, we know that we are being lied to. Statements such as "the law must take its course"; "We are still investigating and the outcome of will be announced in due course"; "We welcome the court decision, the report was forwarded to the President, Investigation is ongoing, we are still studying the judgment and we will comment in due course; "Fellow Liberians, I sincerely apologize to the nation, I hope you will find it in your hearts to forgive me."

While many citizens have praised Senator Dillion's leadership on transparency at the Liberian senate with the hope it would assist the leaderships in the Liberian senate to cleanse themselves and earn some legitimacy, some recent mishaps from the Senator keep reminding us why public trust is being eroded in Liberia.

The first issue has to do with the so-called Legislative Engagement Fund. The members of the 54th Legislature including Senator Dillon received from the Executive Branch of government US$15,000 for the so-called Legislative Engagement Fund, but the Senator's decision of receiving such money raised massive public condemnation with some citizens arguing he professes to be the "Light" and as such; he should not have taken the money. It also comes in the wake of further revelation from a fellow CPP lawmaker that the Senator Dillon Montserrado received US$20k to offset loans they had taken a while back. During a news conference at his Capitol Building office, Senator Dillon tried to unsuccessfully to extricate himself from the embarrassing situation by declaring his share would be donated to the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE). However, LACE in a press statement rebuffed the Senator's antics by clearly stating the agency would be violating their statues if they receive the 15k from Senator Dillion. The Senator found himself straddling between many worlds - to keep or donate the money. The decision landed to donate the money, or at least half of it - US$ 7,500 - to the Montserrado County Health Team. However, Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has asked the County Health Officer of Montserrado to return the money.

The second issue we cannot let slide is his debunking of FrontPageAfrica story which revealed the Senator flew business class on Delta Airway enroute to the United States of America. In debunking FrontPageAfrica, the Senator Screenshots original economy class ticket from Monrovia to New York, however, according to FrontPAgeAfrica investigation, Senator Dillon deceitfully concealed his upgraded ticket which he arrived in Accra, and flew to the United States. Unfortunately, Sen. Dillon left the ticket confirmation number exposed which was researched by FrontPageAfrica which revealed the Senator flew Class Z also known as Delta One after upgrading his ticket to Business class fare. After FrontPageAfrica revelation, Senator Dillon appeared on Spoon Talk and admitted the truth stating "I brought this upon myself. I should not have lied about it,"

We have been told lots of lies over the past years by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led government with no remorsefulness or apologies and must commend Senator Dillon for his apologies, but we must also criticize him like any other public officials or politicians when their actions erode public trust. Under President Weah's leadership, a culture of impunity has taken hold, and consequences and accountability have fallen by the wayside. That culture of impunity now needs to be excised, and visibly so. Only integrity and ethical values imposed from the top down will help undo the damage, which has undermined the credibility of our institutions. That's why the citizens of Montserrado County overwhelmingly voted for Abraham Darius Dillon in 2019 and re-elected him in 2021 as Senator. Senator Dillon was elected to assist in espousing an ethos of ethical leadership and clean governance something President Weah and others elected are failing to do. He should be the proponent of a transparent, accountable, and fair state, one in which society could have confidence and stop making a conscious decision to lied and only come back to apologize when the truth is revealed. He must understand in order to undo the structural legacy of bad governance - manifest in Liberia's unequal wealth distribution and high Gini co-efficient - transparency, accountability, and fairness are essential. Trust and Confidence, both by business and the citizenry, in a competent and capable state are essential and prerequisite ingredients for creating an environment that is not only conducive to investment, but can enable people to fulfill their economic potential.

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It is imperative our public officials commit to a change in behavior by building a culture of integrity to bridge the trust divide. This requires responsive and responsible leadership to set the tone and lead by example. Strengthening institutions and dismantling networks of patronage, cronyism and corrupted systems are critical tasks in reinforcing an economy that caters to the needs of society on an inclusive basis. Similarly, increasing levels of trust is a fundamental requirement. Re-establishing Liberia's position and profile internally and externally requires leadership from every stakeholder, candor from individuals, and a collective commitment to secure human dignity for all, together with economic inclusion on a sustainable basis. Only then will Liberia realize the vision of a free and fair society, in which every Liberians can achieve their true potential with their head held high. They will fulfill the dreams of their forebears and lay the foundation for future generations to enjoy real freedom, unshackled from the chains of the past. They will be able to achieve their goals, in a country characterized by public trust, integrity, compassion, and determination.

Editor's note: The views expressed here in this article are that of the author and not of the New Dawn.
Zanu PF has described the MDC Alliance as a political outfit stuffed with mad, heartless and irresponsible people who are always fabricating falsehoods against the ruling party.

This comes after messages went viral on social media at the weekend indicating that Zanu PF was pushing for Parliament to have a law that will criminalise the wearing of miniskirts and trousers by women in Zimbabwe.

In an interview with Newzimbabwe.com on Sunday, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo blamed the MDC for originating the message "in order to score cheap political goals".

"Absolute nonsense. Total madness. Whoever originated that message is a very irresponsible person. There is no such thing at all," Khaya Moyo told Newzimbabwe.com.

In a subsequent statement, Khaya Moyo accused an unnamed Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) and opposition MDC Alliance for fabricating the message which he termed "fake news".

"The Revolutionary Party distances itself from circulating fake news saying the party is lobbying or mooting for the disbandment of miniskirts and trousers for women. The fake news whose origins has been traced to an NGO allied to opposition parties reflect the views of that organisation and its handlers who have no respect for women, women rights and our culture," added Moyo warning the MDC Alliance.

"This false story reflects a new low for the opposition MDC Alliance. Zanu PF reminds political players that spreading fake news in the name of our leadership or Party as part of the so called misinformation and disinformation agenda shall never shall never salvage their falling political fortunes or heal their factionalism and splits.

"The people of Zimbabwe know too well what Zanu PF, the Party of the masses stands for because it is theirs and in now way, can they be misled by these desperate fake news being peddling," Khaya Moyo's statement further reads.

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Khaya Moyo castigated MDC Alliance alleging it was peddling the fake news in the name of acting national Political Commissar Patrick Chinamasa at a time when he is not well after being involved in a road accident recently.

"What is disturbing and heartless is that the fake news is being generated in the name of our Acting Political Commissar Cde Patrick Chinamasa by heartless MDC Alliance groups at a time when Cde Chinamasa in being indisposed and recovering at home after an accident recently. These shameless level of desperation reflect immaturity, childish mentality and an uncultured disposition in the MDC Alliance. Surely, these opposition malcontents have become headless lost minds and need our prayers and sympathy and not ridicule."

Moyo also highlighted that the trousers had no gender during the struggle for independence.

"During the independence struggle, combat men and women fought the colonial rule and trousers had no gender."
Focal Persons of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) began a two-day consultative meeting with Civil Society Organizations (SCOs) on modalities to strengthen regional capacities for conflict prevention in West Africa and the Sahel.

At the opening of the meeting in Abuja, on the 12th of July, 2021, the ECOWAS Commission's Director, Political Affairs Dr. Aderemi Ajibewa stated that the forum's objectives are geared towards the creation of a more politically stable and economically integrated region, mindful of the impacts of democratic reversals on peace and security processes alongside its implications for the formulation and operationalization of the new generation ECPF Plans of Action.

Represented by Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, Head, Mediation and Coordination of Regional Political Affairs, participants who were joined remotely by officials of ECOWAS institutions, diplomats, staRank ( + / - )keholders, and partners, were charged to work out a more sustained partnership framework between CSOs, ECOWAS, and UN, to advance in-country implementation of conflict prevention, including the promotion of inclusive peace, constitutional and electoral processes.

Stressing that the more agreeable way to address the roots causes of conflict is set out by the ECPF, he, however, noted that the Framework should be a guide to actions that must be constantly adapted to the changing security dynamics while incrementally promoting and consolidating peace and security, development, and human rights in West Africa.

"We believe that by raising this platform for exchange between CSO representatives and ECPF focal points, the implementation of the ECPF through a more active, systematic and sustainable partnership, is better served" He added.

For Dr Chukwuemeka Eze of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the realization that several countries still struggle with partisan security forces, judicial partiality, and dependent electoral Commission including the increased cases of identity, ethnicity and religiosity, calls for a collective assessment of roles in strengthening the integrity of democracies, elections and political transitions in fulfilment of a broader agenda of sustainable development where no one is left behind.

The representative of the Director, Political Affairs, United Nations Regional Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr. James Aji disclosed the readiness of the UNOWAS to partner with Civil society and all stakeholders by enhancing regional and sub-regional partnerships to address cross-border and cross-cutting threats to peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel.

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The Director, West African Division, United Nations Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Mr. Abdel-Fatau Musa, in his guiding intervention, averred that there is a need to urgently examine rising unemployment in the region, stressing that challenges that stare the civil society at the face would not be effectively addressed if governance is weak. He called for the implementation of the numerous ECOWAS frameworks while ensuring that traction is gained by the already developed plans of action.

The meeting featured presentations on democracy and security challenges as well as gaps and lessons learned in the operationalization of ECPF plans of action in Member states, using case examples. Participants will also be looking at the outcome of the earlier Accra consultations on the engagement of civil society as partners in preventing and responding to political and electoral conflicts as well as findings of the ECPF Plans of Action evaluation.

The set of outcomes emanating from the meeting is also expected to inform broader policy discussions on strengthening civil society's meaningful participation in conflict prevention, inclusive peace, and political processes in West Africa and the Sahel.
opinion

Recent advances in green technologies have made reaching net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 not only technically feasible but also economically worthwhile. Meeting this goal - which has started to anchor expectations now that an increasing number of countries have adopted it - is necessary to keep global warming well below 2 Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels. But countries must start rapidly reducing emissions now.

Climate change affects different parts of the world differently, and not all countries are equally responsible - both now and historically - for carbon dioxide emissions. These disparities have so far prevented the emergence of an international consensus on how to share mitigation costs fairly. But in the run-up to the United Nations climate-change summit (COP26) in Glasgow in November, recognition of the severity of the global warming threat, coupled with a dramatic reduction in the cost of renewables, is making rapid progress easier. In fact, the emphasis in the climate debate has shifted from the costs of mitigation to the opportunities provided by new technologies.

The race to realize a net-zero world by 2050 remains tight, with different groups of countries moving at varying speeds. But it is becoming increasingly clear that the performance of emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) other than China is likely to hold the key to success.

Among advanced economies, Europe is at the forefront of green transformation efforts. The United States under President Joe Biden now seems determined to raise its climate ambitions, and its technological capacity makes it likely to perform well, despite continued domestic political obstacles. The same can be said for other rich countries such as Japan and Canada, which also have the resources and technology to be in the net-zero vanguard.

The poorest countries already suffer the most from ongoing climate change and are the least able to afford mitigation and adaptation measures. On ethical grounds, they deserve a lot of assistance to help them adapt and leapfrog to green technologies, but their total CO2 emissions will be too small to affect the global aggregate significantly between now and 2050.

This is not the case for EMDEs, whose level of climate ambition and capabilities will be a major determinant of global success. While emissions in most advanced economies are declining, they are still increasing in most EMDEs, which, including China, now account for about two-thirds of global emissions. (China by itself generates about 30% of the global total.)

But, because China differs in some important ways from most other EMDEs, lumping it together with these countries is not the best way to assess their prospects for further decarbonization. For starters, China has both the desire and the capacity to be a global export leader in green technologies, and pursuing this ambition will also boost China's efforts to tout the attractiveness of its sociopolitical system.

Moreover, China has the financial resources to meet the often-large upfront costs of the green transition, and the country's semi-public firms may be willing to take the long view needed for many of these investments to prove profitable. Finally, China's sheer size means that it will benefit substantially from its own emission cuts, diminishing the free-rider problem - a point that many overlook.

There are thus good reasons to believe that China will soon scale up its climate policies and embark on a growth path that reduces emissions much more rapidly than now. In contrast, the other EMDEs, while a diverse group, are almost all still on carbon-intensive growth paths.

EMDEs must invest heavily in power, transportation, housing, and related sectors to meet the expectations of their still-growing populations, including hundreds of millions of very poor citizens. Despite the justifiably optimistic emissions-reduction scenarios for the advanced economies and China, therefore, it is the other EMDEs' trajectories that could be the difference between limiting global warming to well below 2C and significantly exceeding this threshold.

Compared to developed countries and China, EMDEs have limited ability to mobilize the long-term upfront finance needed to put them on green growth trajectories. They lack domestic fiscal space and do not qualify for concessional resources from advanced economies, which are mostly reserved for low-income countries.

Moreover, some important EMDEs such as India, Indonesia, and South Africa still rely heavily on coal. While these countries' primary challenge is rapid growth of new green capacity, they face the additional difficulty of decommissioning relatively new capital stocks. China also must confront these issues, but has greater leeway to deal with them.

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The only viable solution to this challenge is a lot of long-term international financing for EMDEs, mostly from private sources. Multilateral development banks should facilitate this process by offering to blend in some slightly concessional financing of their own and providing risk-reducing facilities to mobilize private resources. That would require the MDBs to obtain additional shareholder capital as well as permission to use their balance sheets less conservatively. Meanwhile, China, rather than being a net recipient of foreign capital, will be a source of long-term private and public finance for the other EMDEs.

As policymakers prepare for COP26, prospects for achieving a carbon-neutral world by 2050 are improving. But it is unrealistic to expect to keep global warming well below 2C if middle- and lower-middle-income countries do not participate fully in the green transformation.

BY KEMAL DERVIS

Writing for PS since 2003, Kemal Dervis, a former minister of economic affairs of Turkey and administrator for the United Nations Development Programme, is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
opinion

One of the key indicators to development is an improved living conditions for the citizens.

No development can be considered meaningful if people are not having the basic needs of life.

And every government should do all it can to keep stock of what the citizens are going through so they know what areas need touching to improve the conditions of living.

It is because of this that the inspection of government projects by President Edgar Lungu is commendable.

Not only will the president see how quick or slow the projects are but will learn of other needs critically wanted by the people whom he was elected to serve.

President Lungu's recent visit to Zambezi district of North-Western Province has revealed the need for more of such visits.

Some issues raised have been heart-wrenching details like deplorable accommodation for key staff like teachers.

In a rare show of unity between the Lundas and Luvales, the two parties, usually at odds, presented the president with some needs they so badly need.

Speaking on behalf of the five traditional rulers, Senior Chief Ishindi said inadequate accommodation for teachers and lack of boarding schools in some parts of the district had seen the affected teachers and pupils to rent shebeens.

So displeasing as this may be, it is happening and unfortunate but it's good the president went out and seen or heard these things first hand.

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Besides the accommodation poser, telecommunication signal had led some residents in the district to climb trees or stand on top of anthills for them to communicate via mobile phones.

Hilarious as this sounds, a visit to these areas proves this right and good that the president went there and would have to address these issues that people need to live a better life.

Also, lack of police presence in areas had led to criminal activities to the point of attacking people suspected of practising witchcraft.

Also raised is the fact that while the area has A high school, it had limited accommodation and no boarding facilities for learners who were coming from distant areas.

"It is a full secondary school with only two teachers' houses. There are 23 teachers, but only two teachers' houses. There is no boarding, all the boys live in shebeens in the villages. We feel this thing has been there for the last 10 years," Chief Ishindi said.

These are pertinent core issues that need addressing but may never come to the president's attention without such visits to bring first hand information.

We encourage the president to come up with more or such deliberate system of visiting areas and ensure other areas needing development are tackled.
The Interior Ministry has finalized preparations to implement a security plan during celebrations of Eid al-Adha holiday as per directives from Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfiq.

A plan to secure citizens during Eid al-Adha celebrations includes intensified deployment of police personnel in roads and squares, as well as ensuring that shops, malls, restaurants and recreational areas are abiding by the closing times and taking all anti-coronavirus precautionary measures.

The police personnel will be ready to offer all means of assistance to the citizens mainly in case of emergencies as part of the ministry's keenness to abide by human rights standards.

The ministry's bodies will be put on high alert to secure the State's important and vital facilities. Campaigns by supply directorates will be intensified to monitor the markets and the circulation of goods.

MENA
Egypt offered its condolences on Friday to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Holland over the victims of devastating flash floods.

Floods caused by torrential rain left more than dozens of people dead and hundreds of others missing in western Europe.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry extended its sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

Egypt showed its solidarity with the governments and peoples of these friendly countries in this crisis, the statement added.

MENA
Egypt's Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam has lauded President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's speech Thursday during a ceremony that witnessed the launch of the "Decent Life" presidential initiative, which is meant to upgrade Egyptian villages.

In a statement released Friday, Allam praised President Sisi's emphasis that Egypt's national security is a "red line that can never be crossed", and that tendency to peace does not mean letting anyone meddle with Egypt's security.

The mufti called on the Egyptian people to unite and support their loyal political leadership, which he said works day and night to preserve the homeland and achieve the desired achievements and development.

MENA
Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aati has discussed with Democratic Republic of Congo's Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde the current status of bilateral cooperation in various fields.

During the meeting, the irrigation minister reviewed the latest developments of the Nile water issue, and the current position as regards the Ethiopian dam negotiations, asserting Egypt's keenness to resume talks in order to reach a just and legally binding agreement for all parties.

That agreement shall meet the aspirations of all parties for development, he said, emphasizing Egypt's keenness on preserving its water rights and achieving the benefits for all parties.

Abdel Aati also pointed out to Egypt and Sudan's demand for the participation of international parties, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations in the negotiating process to actively support the negotiation methodology among the three countries, especially after negotiations have reached an impasse as a result of Ethiopia's intransigence.

In the same regard, the Egyptian minister stressed that Cairo and Khartoum will not accept a unilateral decision with regard to filling and operating the dam.

MENA
analysis

Although individual families of the mental healthcare users who died after they were discharged from Life Esidimeni in 2016 have been compensated for the violation of their constitutional rights, the actors responsible for the deaths, suffering and torture of the mental healthcare patients have yet to be held criminally accountable. But that could change after a formal judicial inquest into the deaths starts at the Pretoria High Court on 19 July 2021.

This article was first published in Spotlight.

144 deaths: How we got here

As a result of the unlawful and uncaring actions of the Gauteng Department of Health, 144 mental healthcare users died in conditions which the Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke described as "cruel, inhuman and degrading". Many vulnerable mental healthcare users suffered starvation, dehydration, neglect, torture, and severe violations of their human rights.

2015:

In 2015, then Gauteng MEC for Health, Qedani Mahlangu, ended a longstanding contract between the Gauteng Department of Health and Life Esidimeni and announced plans to move patients to other psychiatric hospitals and NGOs. This was done, according to the department, to implement and fulfil plans in the 2013 National Policy on Mental Health to "deinstitutionalise mental healthcare". The policy envisaged...
Four Zanu PF officials will contest in the ruling party's primary elections for the Kwekwe Central National Assembly seat after they successfully submitted their Curriculum Vitaes Saturday.

Zanu PF Midlands Province Chairperson Daniel Mackenzie Ncube in an interview Sunday said the province has received CVs for prospective candidates in the coming by elections.

"We have pending by elections in Kwekwe Central and Mberengwa South constituencies and several councils in the province. As a party we have called for members to submit their CVs," Ncube said.

He said four prospective candidates have expressed their interest to represent Kwekwe.

The four are former Kwekwe Deputy Mayor John Mapurazi, gold magnet and cleric Kandross Mugabe, State Security Minister Owen Ncube's nephew Energy Ncube and Zanu PF's women's league member Gladys Chimudzeka.

A candidate who emerges victorious will face MDC Alliance's Judith Tobaiwa.

Kwekwe Central fell vacant following the death of Legislator Masango Matambanadzo in suspected food poisoning case last year.

Earlier attempts to choose a parliamentary representative for Zanu PF's Kwekwe candidate ended in chaos as then supporters of two candidates Ncube and Mugabe were engaged in running battles last year.

Police had to be called in to quell the violence.

Some youths in the aftermath of the poll violence were arrested after they threw missiles at police who had been called quell the violence.

The primary elections had to be abandoned following the violence, which left the governing party instituting investigations.

Mackenzie-Ncube said the investigations have now been concluded.

"The investigations are complete what is now required is to make decisions based on the recommendations of the investigations. I cant reveal much on that issue. A decision has to be taken and taken fast so that we don't deteriorate to a situation we will all regret tomorrow," Ncube said.

"It's total madness to be antagonistic just for primary elections, its not the last position within Zanu PF and there is no need for these strong differences. We are preaching that both candidates and their supporters that this is all internal and it should be viewed as such. Healthy differences are encouraged within the party but serious differences as evident in Kwekwe should not be allowed and we are seized with the issue," he said.
A land reform programme beneficiary in Marondera has accused a white farmer of invading his land and has appealed to authorities to resolve the matter.

The affected farmer, Mr Livison Manjengwa, said his farm had been invaded by his neighbour, Mr Rodney James Cormac, who had started preparing part of the land for agricultural activities.

Mr Manjengwa said last Wednesday, he received a call from his farm manager saying Mr Cormac had encroached onto his farm.

"I rushed to the farm and asked to Cormac explain his actions since I have a valid offer letter from the Government.

"He then bragged that nothing would happen to him," he said.

Mr Manjengwa said allowing Mr Cormac to stay on the invaded land would be tantamount to reversing the gains of the land reform programme.

When The Herald visited the farm last wee, the news crew observed Mr Cormack using an excavator to clear the land that Mr Manjengwa claimed was his.

Mr Cormac declined to comment and headed for his compound where further efforts to engage him were fruitless.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East, Aplonia Munzverengwi, recently confirmed having received some complaints over downsizing of farms across the province.

"My office is seized with cases involving invasions and we are dealing with each case individually," she said.

Ten farmers have been affected by the reported invasion of Dombi Farm after several people came with letters indicating they had also been offered land there.
Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki on Friday sent a cable of greetings to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

In his cable, the defense minister asserted that Armed Forces stand by their wise leadership and are ready to defend the nation.

Chief of Staff Lt. General Mohamed Farid sent a similar cable to President Sisi.

The defense minister and chief of staff also greeted army personnel and those who take part in UN peacekeeping missions on this anniversary.

MENA
Chinhoyi residents have expressed concernS over the rise in Covid-19 positive cases and fatalities which they point to congestion at Makonde Farmers Market situated in Gadzema township, where farmers and hawkers converge to trade in fresh vegetables without observing regulations.

The wholesale market is daily teeming with people most of who do not adhere to Covid-19 prevention and containment measures.

These measures include, wearing face masks, hand sanitising, and physical distancing.

Farmers who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com Sunday lamented the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, saying enforcement of Covid-19 regulations was lax at the market.

"Council has to decongest the place by relocating some of the farmers back to the main market. Its crowded and both farmers and those coming to buy vegetables are not adhering to Covid-19 regulations making it an epicentre of spreading the disease," McAthony Gwemure from Chitomborwizi said.

A Chinhoyi resident, Winnet Mutemera, said the daily crowds at the market were spawning new Covid-19 infections in Makonde district, a coronavirus hotspot.

"We are at very high risk of getting Covid-19 here. There are a lot of people coming into this market and most are disregarding regulations, its scary," said Mutemera.

Another farmer, who preferred anonymity, urged council to remove illegal vendors who throng the market.

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Makonde Farmers'Market administrator, Jokonaih Shoko said the congestion was due to an influx of illegal vendors.

"We have tried to address this issue so many times, but my voice is in the wilderness. People remain at risk of contracting Covid-19 if this issue is not addressed in time," said Shoko.

Chinhoyi Municipality spokesperson Tichaona Mlauzi said council had put measures to decongest the market.

"We wouldn't want people to gather and congest the market. This particular market is a wholesale and we expect retailers to get their orders and revert to their designated places. But we have a situation in which even household consumers come to buy," said Mlauzi.

Contacted for comment, council Health director, William Mayabo admitted the crowds were potential Covid-19 super-spreaders.

"We acknowledge people are overcrowding at the market. With Covid-19, we don't allow that. We devised a system to decongest the market by saying we want strictly farmers but this is not heeded.

"Our council security and police are overwhelmed by the defiance but they will make sure that sanity prevails at the market," said Mayabo.

Recently, the Health ministry placed Hurungwe, Karoi, Kariba and Makonde on localised lockdowns after a rise in new infections and deaths.
Zanzibar started its Covid-19 vaccination campaign last week using the Sinovac brand, two months ahead of Mainland Tanzania where vaccination is planned to take off in September or October. The exercise targets frontline workers first.

Omar Dadi Shajak, permanent secretary at Zanzibar's Ministry of Health said the vaccines were initially meant for the aborted Haj pilgrims. He did not give details of when the consignment arrived or how it was acquired but said the second dose will be administered in two weeks' time.

Meanwhile, the government in Dodoma is seeking $37.4 million to meet customs clearing costs for its vaccine consignments, vaccine insurance, and waste management, in readiness for the vaccination programme.

The ministry of health said the country requires $52.2 million to roll out a comprehensive national Covid-19 vaccination campaign later in September or October, and so far the government has come up with $13,380,721 and Gavi $1,381,724.

So far the $37.4 funding gap is expected to be filled through various sources including the World Bank, World Health Organisation, Unicef, and Gavi.

The first batch of vaccines is expected from Covax, targeting all frontline workers, all cadres of health personnel and people with co-morbidities, and those above 48 years. At least 24.1 million doses will be required to cover 95 percent of the targeted priority groups by the end of 2022.

Tanzania recently launched an 84-page document on the national vaccination plan, directing vaccine types, regulatory preparedness, strategy and co-ordination; cold chain, supply and waste management, monitoring and surveillance, acceptance and uptake, and evaluation and costing.

The Covid-19 task force commissioned by President Samia Suluhu had recommended the use of BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen Ad26, COV2, Novavax, and AstraZeneca vaccines in that preference order. And as schools resumed two weeks ago, schools appear to be following the government's new Covid-19 guidelines.

Although Tanzania is now releasing information on Covid infections, it's still withholding official government data on the number of deaths, which along with vaccination is among key conditions cited by the IMF for a new $574 million loan.
Tunis/Tunisia  The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (French: UTICA) called Friday for a tripartite dialogue with the Tunisian General Labour Union (French: UGTT) and the government to discuss vital economic, social and financial issues and salvage the situation.

The UTICA and the UGTT, which previously led the national dialogue and won the Nobel Peace Prize, can identify solutions, along with the government, to put the country on the path of security, reform and growth, the confederation said.

Dialogue and social negotiations require responsibility and wisdom and efforts to avoid whatever may disrupt social climate, especially in the current context.

"The ultimate goal of social dialogue is to overcome crises and achieve balance while being aware of reality and responsible, far from any manipulation, UTICA added.

Wage hikes are not an automatic process as they need to take into account the financial situation of companies, notably indicators of growth, productivity and economic efficiency.

The UTICA reminded that official figures provided by State bodies remain a reference for all. The improvement of the purchasing power is mainly linked to the development of sectoral policies, including health, housing, transport, education, production systems, distribution channels and vital public services.

The purchasing power cannot be addressed separately from the competitiveness of companies and production costs which increased sharply, particularly with regard to the cost of logistical and energy services, hence the need for a review.

The employers' oprganisation reiterated readiness to participate in dialogue and negotiations. The priority today is to look at the fallouts from the current crisis on employment and professional relations, it said.

"All sectors, without exception, have been affected by the pandemic at various levels," it added.
A high school pupil in Victoria Falls is appealing for help to treat a rare gum disease that has left his face swollen.

Kwanele Mathe (17) is an orphan under the care of his elder sister Nokukhanya Mathe (27) in Chinotimba and is doing Form Four at

Mosi-oa-Tunya High.

Kwanele said the condition, which has not been fully diagnosed, started in 2017 with a swelling on the gums which developed into a

pimple-like growth on the chin before it spread.

For four years he had been enduring the condition which he said gives him sleepless nights.

He endures bleeding gums and severe headache while he struggles to eat.

He now wants money so he can seek medical examination as health authorities have told him to go for an operation.

"It started in 2017 but I have not gotten treatment because of lack of money. It started as a small lump on the gum and has spread around the chin. I have gone to Victoria Falls Hospital where I was referred to Bulawayo for specialized treatment in 2019 but I couldn't go because we have no money. The condition has continued to worsen," said Kwanele.

Because his sister Mathe is not working, Kwanele sometimes cannot afford pain killers to relieve pain.

"I am seeking help so I get treatment as my condition is worsening each day. I can't bear the pain anymore, it's worsening and I wish it

could be operated on," he said.

He also seeks help in paying for his school fees.

Mathe said her younger brother had lost friends as many of his childhood buddies had deserted him.

She said he struggles to eat and depends on semi-liquid foodstuffs.

Kwanele does not have an exact figure of how much he needs for treatment since no diagnosis has been done, but well-wishers can reach him on his sister's mobile number 0787104195.
PLATINUM producer, Unki Mines, has invested US$48 million towards increasing its concentrator capacity, which is expected to boost output by 30 percent.

General manager, Mr Walter Nemasasi, said the new concentrator was set for commissioning sometime in September.

He was briefing the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs responsible for monitoring implementation of Government programmes, Dr Jorum Gumbo, during a recent visit of to the Shurugwi-based mine.

Mr Nemasasi said the new plant was now 75 percent complete and is expected to help cut operational costs.

The new plant will be a second major value addition and beneficiation project by the mine after the commissioning of a US$60 million smelting plant at the mine by President Mnangagwa in 2019.

"Once it becomes operational, the project is expected to increase production of platinum group concentrate at the plant by 30 percent and ultimately increase exports by the same margin," said Mr Nemasasi.

"We are expecting to commission the new project by September and the total value will be around $48 million."

He said the project was part of the mining giant's commitment towards implementing the Government's mineral beneficiation process aimed at accruing maximum benefits from the industry.

"The project is so huge in that once we finish, we will increase our production from 180 000 tonnes a month to 210 000 tonnes a month," said the general manager.

"We will then cut our transport costs by 60 percent as most of the ore will be processed here before being exported for separation of base metals and precious stones."

Minister Gumbo, who toured the plant, said he was impressed by the progress saying the investment was critical towards meeting the country's vision of creating an upper middle-income economy by 2030. He said the new project has created more jobs as the company was employing locals to speed up its completion.

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"What is happening here is quite amazing. I am mostly impressed that Zimbabweans are doing the actual work at this site," said Dr Gumbo.

"The mine is also assisting locals. Mines should take a cue from this since all their efforts eventually help the country. What is also impressive is that our chiefs and locals are being consulted in all the developments.

"We want to see a community living in harmony with mining giants. I am happy that you are doing well through your CSR programmes."

Minister Gumbo said infrastructure upgrade was critical for sustainable mining development that benefits local communities.

"We need to see a new and modern city sprouting in the rural area as a token of appreciation once you leave this place in future since you are mining a finite resource," he said.

"The President has reiterated that these minerals should be exploited so that we realise development as local communities and as a nation.

"In this regard value addition and beneficiation industries will be located in specific provinces and districts where the endowments are located."

Under the Government's National Development Strategy (NDS 1-2021-2025), priority is being given to developing and strengthening the already existing value chains and beneficiation of the country's minerals.

"The strategy will also prioritise decentralisation of industrialisation initiatives in line with policy thrust of devolution and decentralisation," said Minister Gumbo.

The Government has said it was impressed by the strides made by the platinum producing company amid calls for more community social responsibility programmes.
Hwange Town residents are gallivanting and partying, especially at informal beer drinking outlets commonly known as shebeens, in defiance of Covid 19 regulations.

This is despite warnings by health authorities against such practices as cases and deaths continue to rise on a daily basis.

Known high profile people in the coal mining town are known to be running the shebeens which have been existing side-by-side with

Covid-19 lockdown, where public gatherings, public drinking and other businesses are restricted.

Hwange has become a hotspot in Matabeleland North and authorities have dedicated the bulk of vaccines to the coal mining town in an attempt to ensure the urbanites follow in the footsteps of their neighbours in neighbouring Victoria Falls, also in the same district.

Victoria Falls started mass vaccination in March and to date more than 21 000 people have been vaccinated.

Health authorities say a majority of new cases being reported are of people who were not vaccinated.

Matabeleland North recorded 70 new infections on Saturday bringing the cumulative cases to 3 827 to date, a huge jump from 1 454 cases that were there on June 1 before the 3rd Delta variant wave.

There were 47 active cases and 19 deaths at that time in Matabeleland North. On Saturday the province had 1 781 active cases and 41 deaths, after three people died on the day.

On Saturday the whole country recorded 1 445 cases and 68 deaths.

Health authorities said a majority of the infected people in the province are not vaccinated.

For example, of the 70 cases recorded on Saturday, 64 were not vaccinated and all three deaths recorded in Hwange and Lupane were also not vaccinated.

Hwange has close to 400 active cases, with the vaccinated Victoria Falls having less than 200.

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Dr Fungai Mvura, acting Hwange District Medical Officer appealed to residents in Hwange to get vaccinated.

"Statistics show that a majority of cases are on people that were not vaccinated. That's why we have dedicated a majority of the dosses we got at this stage to Hwange urban, not even Hwange rural, so that we try and prevent further spread of the disease because we are getting huge numbers of new cases there," said Dr Mvura.

She expressed concern at the prevalence of the shebeens.

Hwange residents leader Fidelis Chima is also a worried man.

"The taskforce is not doing enough, they should engage and descend hard on these shebeens especially those running them. Covid-19 has hit out town and I would want to encourage people to get vaccinated," he said.

Health authorities have said those who test positive cannot be vaccinated until they recover.
analysis

The NPA is ready to hit back at claims of bias against prosecutor Billy Downer on Monday when the corruption case against Jacob Zuma and arms company Thales is due to resume. But its arguments are unlikely to be heard as Zuma has filed a request for a postponement.

Former president Jacob Zuma has launched a scathing attack on State advocate Billy Downer, calling him unfit for the job of prosecuting one of South Africa's longest-running cases.

Zuma's legal team argues that Downer, a deputy director of public prosecutions, lacks title to prosecute. He alleges a political conspiracy, of which Downer is said to be a participant, that would see him jailed for crimes he did not commit.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is ready to hit back at these claims and their 84-page heads of argument contain the crux of their defence of Downer, saying he has been a member of the prosecution team since 2001 and led the prosecution team since 2003.

The NPA's defence relies heavily on a 2015 Supreme Court of Appeal ruling in the case of Porritt and Another vs National Director of Public Prosecutions and others. In the case, Gary Porritt and Susan Bennett...
Ethiopia's unilateral ceasefire in the war in Tigray has all but broken down after Amhara militia allied to the national defence forces engaged with fighters from the troubled north region.

But away from the frontlines, both the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayan forces accuse each other of using child soldiers.

Billene Seyoum, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokesperson, alleged this week that the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) deployed children and accused international media of glorifying victories by a group that has drafted minors, an illegality in international law.

But Getachew Reda, senior advisor to the leader of Tigray People's Liberation Front Debretsion Gebremichael, instead accused the Amhara militia of attacking children. Tigray and Amhara have had a long running conflict.

"I am in Alamata now after the routing of Abiy Ahmed and Agegnehu Teshager's child-killing armies," Reda tweeted, accusing the leader of Amhara and the Ethiopian PM of authorising attacks on children. "The real measure of the Amhara special forces was revealed for what it is: Empty bravado. We will see what stories Abiy and his lapdog will tell your supporters."

The clashes came as Prime Minister Abiy vowed on Wednesday to "repel" any fresh offensives, saying "the government will do whatever is necessary to defend these attacks being carried out by our internal and external enemies."

However, it is not clear which external enemies he was referring to though Egypt and Sudan are seen as potential threats to security over Ethiopia's controversial Grand Renaissance Dam.

PM Abiy made the statement one day after the Tigray Defence Forces took control of Korem, Alamata cities and the entire Raya zone in southern Tigray bordering the Amhara region.

"Although the Ethiopian government remained committed to peace even if it came at a 'cost', these latest attacks would not go unanswered," PM Abiy said.

Two weeks after Abiy declared a unilateral ceasefire, the new fighting looks like pitting of regional militias against Tigray. Amhara militia, who had allied with the Ethiopia National Defence Forces had helped beat back Tigray earlier in the year, taking up territory.

But the group also represents an age-old conflict between Tigray and Amhara, going as far back to the last century based on imperial rivalry.

The Tigrayan forces regained Alamata, the biggest city in the disputed territories of south Tigray, with no resistance after a large Amhara militia unit withdrew from the city south of Korem.

Korem and Alamata were under control of Amhara special and militia forces.

That TDF is further advancing toward the Amhara region to retake disputed towns such as Wolkait Tegede and Setit Humera, may indicate an imminent long-running clash between the two neighbouring states that have dominated Ethiopian politics for centuries.

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Amhara elites

It was unclear how far the Ethiopian federal government under Abiy would go to tame the warring militias allied to it, especially given that they have their own local political scores to settle. In fact, PM Abiy is now under pressure from the Amhara regional government and Amhara political parties to take action.

After the latest developments in Raya zone such as the recapture of Korem and Alamata, towns claimed by the Amhara, several Amhara elites are saying that the Amhara people are being betrayed by PM Abiy's administration.

Metta-Alem Sinishaw, a political analyst says the resumption of conflict marks the nationalisation and internalisation of the Ethiopian elite conflict.

"The conflict is not longer TPLF versus Abiy or TPLF versus Amhara. This will have serious political implications far beyond the military campaign," he said.
Thousands of citizens in Grand Kru County District #2 now have reason to smile following the breaking of grounds for the construction of 33 hand-pumps in 29 communities in the county.Rank ( + / - )

Representing Deputy Speaker Cllr. J Fonati Koffa, the constituency coordinator Chris Joboe said the project is in fulfillment of Cllr. Koffa's promise was made during his most tour of 45 communities in the district. The cost of the 33 hand pumps is US$106,228.

Joboe said the hand pumps project will play a significant role in the lives of citizens.

He said the long-awaited safe drinking water is about to be over, adding that all have been finalized to ensure the project is implemented.

"Cllr Koffa remains the beacon of hope, and whenever he made a promise he always fulfills; I can say for the record he is a leader that cares for his constituents and the records are there", he said.

He called on citizens in the district to rally support around Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and ensure that they take ownership of the facilities when completed.

"To get this project started, Cllr. Koffa had to go in his own pocket because we are all aware since the inception of this new government there has been no legislative-funded project due to financial constraints." Chris stated.

The indoor program of the groundbreaking ceremony was held recently at the Methodist Church in Felorken Harrisville City, Grand Kru County.

Joboe explained the project is in three phases with the first phase expected to target two Statutory Districts: Barclayville District and Dorbor District, respectively.

In the Barclayville District, five communities are being captured, including Felorken Harrisville, Small Seen, Beswen, Topor, and Upper Felenken benefiting one hand pump each; while in DoRank ( + / - )rbor District Warkpo, Nyenkupo, kpo, Barforwin, and new town are to benefit one hand pump each.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony was attended by Grand Kru County Superintendent Madam Doris Ylatun who admonished residents to take ownership of the project--describing it as a milestone intervention.
UNESCO Assistant Director for Education, Stefania Gianini has assured Liberia of the organization's support in girls' education and provide assistance for education for the country's disabled population.

Madam Gianini revealed that Girls Education, as in getting girls back to school in post COVID19 situation, has been at the front brander of UNESCO and Liberia stands to benefit significantly through the Ministries of Gender and Social Protection and Education of Liberia.

She made these remarks when Liberia's Gender and Social Protection Minister, Williametta Piso Tarr and the Chairperson of the National Commission on Disabilities, Madam Daintowon Pay-Bayee paid a courtesy visit at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. The meeting took place on Thursday, July 1, 2021.

A dispatch from Paris, France quotes Madam Gianini as saying that UNESCO has programs to place young girls back in school due to lapses in their academic sojourn as a result of school closures, social and emotional effect, early marriages, and pregnancy that have accompanied the COVID19 Pandemic and affected many students around the world and Liberia is no exception in that direction.

She said remedial action that supports skills development under its Technical and Vocational Program, TVET is also vital for ensuring the creation of life skills and job opportunities under its Global Education Coalition to which Liberia is already a participant.

Speaking earlier, Madam Williametta Piso Tar, extolled UNESCO for the many collaborations that it already has with Liberia and stressed that all needs to be done to keep girls in school, with emphasis on rural areas.

Minister Tarr said the Corona Virus Pandemic has affected many young girls already, but noted that a change of direction to ensuring that girls and women are brought back to the classroom or ensure some form of digital learning that keeps them busy and aware of their surroundings.

She said a program that pushes capacity development of teachers in the sciences, the development of a WASH Program in schools, and the development of a holistic education program will be needed to enhance education for girls and women.

The Chairperson for the Commission on Disabilities, Madam Pay-Bayee said education for people living with some form of disability has been a major challenge and has been compounded by the Corona Virus Pandemic in Liberia.

Madam Pay-Bayee said the Deaf, Physically Challenged and Virtually Impaired have got to struggle year-in and year-out just to acquire some form of education.

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She appealed to UNESCO to assist in training teachers in sign-language advancement, hands-on skills in vocational and technical education, and braille education to enable them to assist their disabled colleagues.

UNESCO Head of the Education Section, Madam Justine Sass said they have developed a Girls' Back To School Campaign in four (4) Thematic areas. Teachers Development, Students Protection, Water and Sanitation, and Health.

She said the campaign is aimed at ensuring that girls and women are taken back to school after the COVID19 and ensure that they stay in school and acquire skills that will develop their potentials.

Madam Sass promised UNESCO Education Section support to Liberia in ensuring that young girls and women are returning back to school through its educational support programs.
Rejects war crimes court

Following three weeks of deliberations that brought together experts from professional and technical backgrounds, the Plenary of the Liberian Senate has overwhelmingly voted for the establishment of a transitional justice commission to probe the Truth and Reconciliation Commission final recommendation.

The proposed transitional justice commission, if accepted by President George Manneh Weah, will lead to the holding of dialogue where Liberians will be given the opportunity to choose between establishing War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia to prosecute warlords who committed crimes against humanity and other heinous crimes during the country's 14 years civil war or restorative justice, the latter being recommended that would involve bringing victims and perpetrators together in a palava hut-style reconciliation.

The proposed transitional justice commission, if enacted, will also seek to review the works and recommendations of the TRC, where necessary, and make additional recommendations on how far back in Liberia's history should such a transitional justice process go, among others.

Members of the Senate took the decision following debate and recommendations signed by about 20 of the 30 senators from both the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change and the main four opposition Collaborating Political Parties.

The hearings at the Liberian Senate were provoked by President Weah's request for advice on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations that contain calls for a War and Economic Crimes Court.

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President Weah on September 19, 2019, wrote the Senate, seeking its advice on how to proceed with implementation of the TRC final report amid immense pressure by Liberians at home and abroad, and buttressed by international partners, seeking justice for victims of the bloody 14-year civil war that took about 250, 000 lives.

Among trending and challenging issues of international law and domestic law include whether or not Liberia is bound to respect all international treaties, conventions, and agreements it signed (Executive) and ratified (Legislature) as in the case of the Geneva Convention and the Rome Statues that deal with certain crimes defined as war crimes, whether the Liberian Constitution is subordinate to international instruments Liberia signed and ratified, whether crimes committed during the Liberian civil war that violated provisions of international law that Liberia acceded to can be pardoned by the Liberian Legislature or other Liberian Authorities and whether accused war criminals would get justice before national criminal courts as expected under international law.

Other concerns that the President asked senators to look into were making a case for the establishment of a war crimes court presided over by Liberian and foreign judges without violating the Constitution, whether the timing is ripe for such a court and whether there is a statute of limitation for the trial or punishment of war crimes, without losing sight of peace, security, and development against the demand for accountability and justice.

The recommendations from the Liberian Senate to the President also suggest that President Weah should apologize to all Liberians especially, victims to find a way forward for lasting peace and co-existence among Liberians, where perpetrators and victims will accept each other again. Editing by Jonathan Browne
Requests increased IDA support against Covid-19

President George Manneh Weah Mr. Weah has committed his government to do its part in redoubling efforts on the fight against corruption to ensure that resources are not wasted while requesting increased support from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank to countries largely impacted by Covid-19.

"As we look up to the generosity of the major shareholders and donors for a significant IDA 20 replenishment, we would like to commit to doing our part by not only increasing domestic resource mobilization but also to redouble our efforts on the fight against corruption, to ensure that resources are not wasted," Mr. Weah said Wednesday, 15 July.

Addressing the World Bank Meeting virtually on IDA 20 Replenishment in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, President Weah said that such increased support would ensure that the gains realized as a result of the World Bank Group's support through the IDA are not wiped out by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Weah noted that the increased support would also enable affected nations to meet urgent development needs now and in the future, adding that Covid-19 has not only been having a devastating impact on health systems but has also caused serious devastation on the Liberian economy, contracting the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 3% in 2020.

He shed significant light on the impact that Covid-19 is having on Liberia, most particularly the economy and the population, and also accentuated the critical interventions that multilateral and bilateral institutions have made to buttress the country's anti-Covid-19 fight.

He told the meeting that an early IDA 20 replenishment would be critical, not only to address shortfalls and setbacks created by the global pandemic but also to provide investment programs that will lay the foundations for sustainable recovery and a smooth transition to growth and development over the next few years.

President Weah disclosed that huge financial support from the International Development Association through the World Bank Group has been invaluable in assisting the country cope with the global pandemic.

He noted further that "It has been the largest single source of financing to our COVID-19 response," reflecting that in 2020, this emergency support enabled Liberia to provide ambulances, ventilators, and diagnostic laboratory equipment for its health care system.

President Weah acknowledged additional financing in the amount of $8 million has been approved for Liberia to finance the acquisition of much-needed Covid-19 vaccines.

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He expressed gratitude to the World Bank Group and other international partners for the additional support being organized to assist Liberia to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on citizens.

Mr. Weah disclosed that under the auspices of the World Bank and in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund, Liberia has received financial support for a nationwide household food distribution program.

"More recently, another financing package has been approved to provide grant support to vulnerable households, to enable them to start or revive small businesses, as well as provide temporary employment support to vulnerable individuals," he noted.

President Weah said Liberia is grateful for the support provided so far but made it clear that the country's needs remain critical.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out a significant proportion of the gains registered after we recovered from the recent Ebola outbreak," he said, adding: "Moreover, Liberia, like many other countries, is currently battling a new wave of COVID-19, with new variants that are more deadly and infectious than ever before."

According to him, though Liberia has not yet decided to go into another hard lockdown, many essential economic activities are still adversely affected.

President Weah said Liberia will still be counting on the support of the World Bank Group to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the health sector as well as on the economy as a whole.

"We believe other member countries are in a similar situation, in spite of the fact that disbursements under IDA-19 were accelerated to address the new and unique challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic," he stressed.
Says Gender Minister Saydee-Tarr

The Government of Liberia announces disbursement of over 1.2 million United States Dollars (US$1.2m) to approximately 3,500 beneficiaries in Grand Kru and Maryland counties in over four cycles of its Social Cash Transfer Program.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr says payment for the next two cycles is scheduled for August 2021.

Speaking Thursday, July 16, 2021 at the Ministry of Information weekly press briefings in Monrovia, she said as of July 1, 2021 approximately 1.2 million United States Dollars has been transferred to households in Monsterrado County with 13,350 out of 15,000 beneficiaries receiving full payments, while the rest are to follow.

She explains that the Social Cash Transfer Program is in alignment with Pillar One of the government's Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development which anchors on providing greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across five out of six regions through sustained and inclusive economic growth driven by scaled-up investments in agriculture, infrastructure, human resource development, and social protection.

According to the Gender Minister, the Program aims to protect children and empower women as it provides subsistence to households, thereby strengthening their ability to provide for the basics and respond better to shocks.

"The Program is providing income support to approximately 10,000 extremely poor and food insecure households in Liberia through regular cash transfers and Accompanying Measures. These transfers are being implemented in Maryland and Grand Kru with Bomi and River Gee counties in the pipeline. These counties were selected because they had the highest rates of poverty and food insecurity in Liberia", she adds.

At the same time the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reunited 22 children with their families.

Minister Saydee-Tarr narrates the children were trafficked from Gbarpolu County and later rescued in Margibi County by the Liberia Immigration Service on January 29, 2021, and subsequently turned over to the Ministry.

She says the Ministry will routinely monitor the children's welfare and remain engaged with court proceedings as the alleged trafficker identified as Anthony B. Sumo is being prosecuted.

"We are reaffirming our commitment in achieving PILLAR 1 of the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, (Power to the People) 2. 4.2, which highlights Children protection as a key priority of the Government of Liberia."

Commenting on the 2021 Generation Equality Forum that was recently held in Paris, France, where she accompanied President George Manneh Weah along with other officials, she notes that the Forum nourished a powerful and lasting coalition for gender equality by presenting a vital moment for activists, feminists, youth and allies to achieve transformative change for generations to come.

"It brought together governments, corporations and change makers from around the world. The stakeholders embarked on a 5-year journey to accelerate equality, leadership and opportunity for women and girls worldwide."

Minister Saydee-Tarr recounts that during the three-day long Forum, she met with UNESCO Assistant Director for Education, Stefania Gianini, and stressed the need

to keep girls in school, especially, those residing in rural areas.

"I reminded the Assistant Director for Education that the coronavirus pandemic has affected many young girls already, but noted that a change of direction to ensuring that girls and women are brought back to the classroom or ensure some form of digital learning that keep them busy and aware of their surroundings."

The Gender boss details that during the meeting, she also emphasized the urgent need of a program that pushes capacity development of teachers in the sciences, development of a WASH Program in schools and a holistic education program to enhance education for girls and women.

Saydee-Tarr: "Madam Gianini assured the delegation that Girls Education, as in getting girls back to school in post COVID-19 situation, remains paramount to UNESCO and Liberia stands to benefit significantly through the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Education.

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We were informed that UNESCO has programs to place young girls back in school due to lapses in their academic sojourn as a result of school closures, social and emotional effect, early marriages and pregnancy that have accompanied the COVID-19 Pandemic and affected many students around the world and Liberia is poised to benefit."

She says during the Forum, Liberia reaffirmed pledge to join the Action Coalition's commitment makers to promote economic rights and justice and that government has already launched a 2 million united states dollars rural women loan scheme to support vulnerable market women yearly.

Additionally, we have provided along with USAID a Stimulus package to support women businesses at a combined total of $13 Million US Dollars. We also committed and have starting rolling out Gender and Social Inclusion Units in government offices, and they are instituting Gender Policies", she adds.

She discloses that currently, government has established four GSIUs, which include Gender Ministry, Liberia Electricity Corporation, Ministries of Mines and Energy, and Public Works, respectively.
The Government of Liberia through the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission or LRRRC in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Liberia has completed the population verification of Persons of Concern (PoC) living in Liberia.

Speaking during the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) regular Thursday briefing, 15 July 2021, LRRRC boss Festus Logan said the verification process started on 17 April 2021 and ended on 30 May 2021.

He explained that the main objective of the verification exercise was to verify refugees and asylum seekers living in Liberia, along with their enrollment and update of their bio-data in line with national and regional data set.

Mr. Logan said it was also meant to undertake continued registration which includes (new birth and death registration), carry out local integration and voluntary repatriation survey, as well as issuing proof of registration for all cases already verified and close all cases that cannot be traced in Liberia.

He further stated that before the Ivorian emergency, Liberia hosted 8,235 refugees and asylum seekers out of which 8,112 were Ivorian refugees.

Mr. Logan continued that with the Ivorian emergency, 30,230 Ivorians and some third country arrivals were registered, making a total of 38,465 refugees and asylum seekers registered within the Liberian territory, 99 percent of them Ivorians.

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According to him, after the population verification, Liberia now records a population of 31,944 verified refugees and asylum seekers as of 30 June 2021, adding that this figure represents 83 percent of the total Persons of Concern living in Liberia, while 17percent were 'no show.'

However, Mr. Logan disclosed that the LRRRC and UNHCR have given a period of three months, starting from 1 June 2021 up to 31 August 2021 to enable any individual that missed the verification for a legitimate reason to be verified.

He noted that of the total number of 31,944 refugees verified, Nimba County represents 56 percent; Grand Gedeh, 25 percent; Maryland, 11 percent; River Gee, 7 percent and Montserrado, 1 percent.

According to Mr. Logan, a durable solutions survey done during verification revealed that 57 percent of the population representing about 18,208 refugees opted to voluntarily return to Cote d'Ivoire, while four percent of them representing 1,278 individuals opted for integration in Liberia. He added that 12,458 of the population representing 39 percent are undecided on a preferred solution.

Logan continued that the mop-up exercise is ongoing for 6,521 individuals representing 17 percent of refugees who missed the verification, noting that LRRRC and UNHCR are liaising with the government of Cote d'Ivoire for possibilities that some PoCs may return home.

The Government of Liberia used the medium to thank the UNHCR for the support provided to complete this exercise.-
Says Gender Minister Saydee-Tarr

The Government of Liberia announces disbursement of over 1.2 million United States Dollars (US$1.2m) to approximately 3,500 beneficiaries in Grand Kru and Maryland counties in over four cycles of its Social Cash Transfer Program.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr says payment for the next two cycles is scheduled for August 2021.

Speaking Thursday, July 16, 2021 at the Ministry of Information weekly press briefings in Monrovia, she said as of July 1, 2021 approximately 1.2 million United States Dollars has been transferred to households in Monsterrado County with 13,350 out of 15,000 beneficiaries receiving full payments, while the rest are to follow.

She explains that the Social Cash Transfer Program is in alignment with Pillar One of the government's Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development which anchors on providing greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across five out of six regions through sustained and inclusive economic growth driven by scaled-up investments in agriculture, infrastructure, human resource development, and social protection.

According to the Gender Minister, the Program aims to protect children and empower women as it provides subsistence to households, thereby strengthening their ability to provide for the basics and respond better to shocks.

"The Program is providing incSays Gender Minister Saydee-Tarrome support to approximately 10,000 extremely poor and food insecure households in Liberia through regular cash transfers and Accompanying Measures. These transfers are being implemented in Maryland and Grand Kru with Bomi and River Gee counties in the pipeline. These counties were selected because they had the highest rates of poverty and food insecurity in Liberia", she adds.

At the same time the Ministry oSays Gender Minister Saydee-Tarrf Gender, Children and Social Protection has reunited 22 children with their families.

Minister Saydee-Tarr narrates the children were trafficked from Gbarpolu County and later rescued in Margibi County by the Liberia Immigration Service on January 29, 2021, and subsequently turned over to the Ministry.

She says the Ministry will routinely monitor the children's welfare and remain engaged with court proceedings as the alleged trafficker identified as Anthony B. Sumo is being prosecuted.Says Gender Minister Saydee-Tarr

"We are reaffirming our commitment in achieving PILLAR 1 of the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, (Power to the People) 2. 4.2, which highlights Children protection as a key priority of the Government of Liberia."

Commenting on the 2021 Generation Equality Forum that was recently held in Paris, France, where she accompanied President George Manneh Weah along with other officials, she notes that the Forum nourished a powerful and lasting coalition for gender equality by presenting a vital moment for activists, feminists, youth and allies to achieve transformative change for generations to come.

"It brought together governments, corporations and change makers from around the world. The stakeholders embarked on a 5-year journey to accelerate equality, leadership and opportunity for women and girls worldwide."

Minister Saydee-Tarr recounts that during the three-day long Forum, she met with UNESCO Assistant Director for Education, Stefania Gianini, and stressed the need

to keep girls in school, especially, those residing in rural areas.Says Gender Minister Saydee-Tarr

"I reminded the Assistant Director for Education that the coronavirus pandemic has affected many young girls already, but noted that a change of direction to ensuring that girls and women are brought back to the classroom or ensure some form of digital learning that keep them busy and aware of their surroundings."

The Gender boss details that during the meeting, she also emphasized the urgent need of a program that pushes capacity development of teachers in the sciences, development of a WASH Program in schools and a holistic education program to enhance education for girls and women.

Saydee-Tarr: "Madam Gianini assured the delegation that Girls Education, as in getting girls back to school in post COVID-19 situation, remains paramount to UNESCO and Liberia stands to benefit significantly through the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Education.

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We were informed that UNESCO has programs to place young girls back in school due to lapses in their academic sojourn as a result of school closures, social and emotional effect, early marriages and pregnancy that have accompanied the COVID-19 Pandemic and affected many students around the world and Liberia is poised to benefit."

She says during the Forum, Liberia reaffirmed pledge to join the Action Coalition's commitment makers to promote economic rights and justice and that government has already launched a 2 million united states dollars rural women loan scheme to support vulnerable market women yearly.

Additionally, we have provided along with USAID a Stimulus package to support women businesses at a combined total of $13 Million US Dollars. We also committed and have starting rolling out Gender and Social Inclusion Units in government offices, and they are instituting Gender Policies", she adds.

She discloses that currently, government has established four GSIUs, which include Gender Ministry, Liberia Electricity Corporation, Ministries of Mines and Energy, and Public Works, respectively.
As lawmakers receive another US$15k each

After their first chopping of a whooping US$15,000 each stirred public anger here, Liberian lawmakers are again receiving the second batch of the same amount of US$15,000 dubbed "Legislative Engagement Fund" as allotted in the 2020/2021 National Budget.

A communication available to the NewDawn newspaper, dated 15 July 2021 under the signature of Ebenezer Wilson, Chief of Staff, indicates that Margibi County Senator J. Emmanuel Nuquay has received US$15,000 "as the second disbursement of the Legislative Engagement Fund as allotted in the 2020/2021 National Budget."

"A check bearing the amount was received on Thursday July 15, 2021," the communication says.

The communication says on 10 June 2021, Senator Nuquay received the first disbursement of US$15,000 of the Legislative Engagement Fund and directed it to the Dolo Town Youth Center project that is soon to kickoff.

Members of the Liberian Legislature continue to be bombarded by heavy criticism from across the Liberian society barely a week after they all received a whopping sum of USD15, 000 each under the guise of project fund, with calls that the money is returned.

Liberia, one of the world's poorest countries, currently has 28 sitting Senators with 73 Representatives, bringing the total to 101 lawmakers. The number of sitting lawmakers - 101 multiplied by US$15,000 amounts to US$1,515,000.

In case each of the 101 sitting lawmakers receives the second batch of US$15,000, it means in total US$3,030,000 would be disbursed among the sitting lawmakers for the first and second distributions combined.

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Liberia's Legislature actually has 103 lawmakers, but two Senators - elect have not yet been seated since the 2020 December polls either due to election disputes or other legal issues which have contributed to the reduction of sitting lawmakers to 101.

Members of the public, including opposition leaders, have been condemning the allotment and receipt of the US$15,000 by each of the lawmakers on grounds that such money could have been directed to other national efforts, mainly in the fight against Coronavirus for a country that has a very weak health system.

Meanwhile, Nuquay's office says the US$15,000 received Thursday, 15 July will be augmented and directed to the acquisition of 20 motorcycles, 15 of which will be given to the Lower Margibi Commercial Cyclists, and the remaining five will be given to other well-meaning Margibians as a means of empowerment.

"This scheme for the cyclists in Margibi is in fulfillment of a promise made by Senator Nuquay under the campaign "don't ride for gas but empowerment."

The communication adds that Nuquay's office has contracted a Margibi - based enterprise - Z Group of Businesses, owned by prominent entrepreneur Mawolo Jallah, to procure the motorcycles and deliver them to the beneficiaries.
Luanda  Agreement on Mobility in the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), signed Saturday in Luanda, provides for the Member States citizens to apply for a visa and residence permit.

The Accord was signed by the ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CPLP Member States, during a ceremony attended by the Heads of State and Government and their representatives.

The document states that the "CPLP residence visa" and the "CPLP residence permit" can be granted to all nationals from the nine member states, holders of diplomatic, official, special and service passports, as well as ordinary ones.

Under the terms of the Agreement, the CPLP residence visa is an administrative authorisation, granted to the citizen from one country to gain access to another country, aimed to request and obtaining a CPLP residence permit.

The modality is defined as an "administrative authorisation granted to the citizen of a party that allows him to take up residence in the territory of the issuing party".

When applying for these types of visas, the document adds, the applicant must not have in his person measures prohibiting entry by the State where he wishes to reside, as well as signs of threat to order, security or public health of the host party.

In the case of ordinary passports, and with a view to facilitating increased mobility and its adjustment to the internal realities of each country, the Mobility Agreement allows additional partnership instruments to divide applicants into groups, depending on their activity or situation in which they find themselves.

These groups are defined as lecturers from higher and non-higher education institutions, researchers of recognised centers of expertise; and highly qualified technicians, entrepreneurs, cultural agents.

This category includes artists, sportsmen and the media, writers, musicians, promoters and organisers of cultural and sport events, as well as students.

CPLP Mobility covers the modalities of "CPLP short-term stay", "CPLP temporary stay", "CPLP residence visa" "CPLP residence" .

One of the articles of the Agreement establishes that "short stays do not depend on prior administrative authorisation and are intended for all citizens of the parties holding ordinary or ordinary passports and holders of diplomatic, official, special and service passports".

In the case of temporary stay, the legal instrument defines that its attribution depends on prior administrative authorization granted by the host party, in the form of a temporary stay visa, for a period not exceeding 12 months and is intended for holders of ordinary passports.

The CPLP residence permit has an initial duration of one year, renewable for successive periods of two years, without prejudice to renewals for a longer period, provided that the legislation of each country allows it.

The application for a residence permit is requested within a maximum period of 90 days counting from the first entry of the holder of a residence visa and it is decided within 60 days, counting from the date of submission of the application.

Signed the Agreement Tete Antonio, minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola, Carlos Alberto Franco Franca of Brazil, Rui Alberto de Figueiredo Soares minister of Foreign Affairs Cooperation and Regional Integration of Cabo Verde.

Also Suzi Carla Barbosa, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities of Guinea-Bissau and Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea.

For Mozambique signed Amade Miquidade, minister of the Interior, Augusto Santos Silva, minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Edite Ramos da Costa Ten Jua of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities, and for East Timor, Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno, minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

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Attended the ceremony the Presidents of Angola Joao Lourenco, Cabo Verde Jorge Carlos Fonseca, Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Sao Tome and Principe Evaristo de Carvalho, Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Namibia Hage Geingob, and Vice President of Brazil Hamilton Mourao.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Heads of State of Mozambique, East Timor and Equatorial Guinea.

Also witnessed the ceremony, Prime Ministers of Portugal, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde and Sao Tome and Principe as well as representatives of the United Nations and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IIF), has rolled out the second cycle of Project 40at40 which will gift 40 couples In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) grants in accordance with the wishes of its late founder.

The cycle begins today, July 19, 2021, with the opening of the application portal, www.ibidunniighodalofoudation.org, where couples who meet the requirements can apply.

Having gone through several fertility struggles, the late Mrs Ibidunni O. Ituah-Ighodalo founded IIF in 2016 to give couples the chance to become parents through assisted reproduction, IVF and other fertility treatments.

Mrs Ibidunni, on June 14, 2020, pronounced that her 40th birthday wish was to give 40 couples 40 IVF grants, but she did not live to fulfill her wish.

However, her husband, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House, on her 40th birthday on July 19, 2020, launched Project 40at40 which gifted 40 IVF grants to 40 couples, marking the first cycle of the project.

According to Pastor Ighodalo, the success of the first cycle was made possible by the generous donations and support of well-meaning people, corporations and partners.

He explained that in collaboration with renowned fertility medical partners, IVF treatments were administered to 39 beneficiaries in the first cycle out of which seven pregnancies had been achieved while results of five others were being expected.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi inspected on Friday 16/07/2021 projects to upgrade the network of the North Coast's roads and axes.

President Sisi's inspection tour included the axes linking the North Coast's new road network with the cities and governorates of Cairo and the Delta region, in addition to the ongoing development project of Cairo-Alexandria highway at a length of 160 kilometers, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said.

The Cairo-Alexandria road will extend to be of eight lanes in each direction, the spokesman added.

The President also inspected the development project of Dabaa axis at a length of 260 kilometers to be of eight lanes in each direction, as well as a project to upgrade the international coastal road along the way to El Alamein airport.

He also saw for himself the development project of Wadi el Natrun - El Alamein road at a length of 130 kilometers.

Sisi issued directives to the officials concerned to proceed with the development of the North Coast's roads and axes in order for them to integrate with ongoing mega national projects in the area.
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aati returned home on Saturday 17/07/2021 following an official visit to DR Congo.

In statements upon arrival, Abdel Aati said that he held meetings with senior Congolese officials to probe ways of boosting bilateral cooperation in water management and achieving joint interests.

He added the visit emanates from Egypt's belief in the necessity of promoting cooperation between Egypt and the African countries in order to achieve the goals of sustainable development and reach an optimum management of water.

While in Kinshasa, Abdel Aati inaugurated a center for rain forecast and climate change in the Congolese capital.
The Egyptian Exchange (EGX) has achieved strong weekly gains, estimated at nearly EGP 22 billion, supported by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)'s launch of the EGP 100-million presidential initiative for real estate financing.

The market capital gained about EGP 21.9 billion to hit EGP 679.7 billion, compared to EGP 657.8 billion in the past week.

The EGX 30 benchmark index leapfrogged 3.7 percent to reach 10,561.28 points.

The broader EGX 70 index of the leading smaller and mid-cap enterprises (SME) went up by 6.68 percent to register 2,474.89 points.

The all-embracing EGX 100 index also increased 5.39 percent to close at 3,428.76 points.
Tunis/Tunisia  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Othman Jerandi on Friday reviewed with Arab Group of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations the conclusions of the high-level meeting held last Thursday by the Security Council on the situation in Libya.

The meeting, which is part of Jerandi's working visit to New York, offered the opportunity to discuss the priorities of the joint Arab action at the UN level as well as the processes of settling Arab issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, a Foreign Affairs Department press release said Saturday.

Jerandi underlined on the occasion, the importance of Arab support for the political settlement in Libya to ensure peace and security in this country.

For their part, the Arab diplomats commended Tunisia's positions in support of just causes, expressing their recognition of the efforts it is exerting within the Security Council to support the processes of peaceful settlement of conflicts in the Arab region.
WHO, Lagos State Government and the NCDC are agreed that COVID-19 pandemic's third wave has made landfall - even as the deadlier Delta variant sneaks into the country.

A statement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office in Africa disclosed the continent is currently facing its third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic with resurgence in 12 African countries.

"Africa is facing a fast-surging third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with cases spreading more rapidly and projected to soon overtake the peak of the second wave the continent witnessed at the start of 2021," the agency stated.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, had stated late last month, "The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. With rapidly rising case numbers and increasing reports of serious illness, the latest surge threatens to be Africa's worst yet."

Recently, new cases of the Covid-19 pandemic have surged, climbing to 1,249 cases between 1st July and 13th July 2021, with Lagos State being the epicentre of the spread. The recent report released by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed that Nigeria recorded 154 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.

Lagos State recorded 119 cases last week, representing 77% of the total cases recorded in the day. The new cases take the total tally in the country to 168,867 cases with the number of active cases surging to 2,119 patients. Nigeria is clearly joining the likes of Haiti, Lesotho, Sierra Leone amongst others currently battling with the third wave of the pandemic.

The country currently stands 9th on the ranking of African countries with the highest cases of coronavirus disease. However, with the recent spike in the number of cases, Nigeria is at risk of a new set of lockdowns.

More, early last week, the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force had uncovered the virulent Delta variant of Novel Coronavirus in the state. The State Incident Manager and coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre, Dr. Olabode Ladipo, who confirmed the development, said the public was notified of the need to take extra caution and consistently apply all advisories earlier released by the task force.

The Delta variant is a highly transmissible variant of COVID-19 originating from India and it infects people more rapidly than the other known COVID-19 variants. This is coming after the federal government penultimate week confirmed the first case of Delta variant in the country.

The state government warned residents to continue to comply with all advisories aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19, including all in-bound travellers being mandated to isolate for seven days and submit themselves for tests.

On his part, a sober Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated last week that the state had started experiencing a potential third wave of the pandemic with dire consequences. Sanwo-Olu, who gave the alert while updating on the pandemic situation in the state and ongoing response as a government, added that the country stood the risks of losing both lives and livelihood on a devastating scale.

In a reflective mode, Sanwo-Olu recalled that starting around the end of March 2021, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos began to wind down, and "we began to enjoy some reprieve from the worst effects of the virus.

This allowed us to further open up the economy to allow the start of the journey towards full normalcy in our lives and the pursuit of livelihoods, after what has been a very difficult year."

Further, according to him, "Regrettably, in spite of the hard work and dedicated efforts towards sustaining the return to normalcy, over the last three months, we are now finding ourselves at what appears to be the start of a potential third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Lagos State.

"From the beginning of July, we started to experience a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1 per cent at the end of June 2021 to its current rate of 6.6 per cent as of July 8, 2021. The rapid increase within a week gives great cause for concern.

"Also, within the last two weeks, the occupancy rate at our isolation centres increased from an average of 1 per cent to 6 per cent. This is the new and disturbing reality that now confronts us."

Meanwhile, as dictated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), passengers from red list countries are required to observe mandatory isolation. Nigeria has added South Africa to its "red list" of countries for which there are stringent restrictions for arriving passengers, due to the spread of the Delta variant in the country. South Africa joined the likes of India, Brazil, and Turkey on the list.

Lagos State has so far successfully isolated 2,386 passengers. But out of this number, 15 per cent have absconded, the Lagos State governor revealed. It's hardly disputable that a continuous surge in the number of cases in Lagos State can be a danger for the entire country at large, given that Lagos is the economic hub of the country, with large movements in and out of the state.

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If not quickly contained, it could push Nigeria into another round of lockdown, especially, with the highly transmittable Delta variant on the loose.

Clearly, ahead of the Sallah celebration and beyond, greater vigilance is required in churches and mosques and other places of religious worship. It would simply be foolhardy for Nigerians to permit themselves to be swayed by the illusion that normalcy is back. It certainly is not.

A mandatory public compliance with all protective protocols, compulsory use of facemasks in all public places, social distancing, temperature checks, provisions for hand-washing and sanitisers, and a maximum of 50 per cent occupancy in enclosed spaces are clearly the way to go.

Just as the NCDC Director General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, had noted, the responsibility to prevent a surge in cases was not with the government alone, but requires adherence to public health and social measures by all members of the public.
Paris  The Paris Club* creditors group has agreed to cancel $14.1 billion in Sudanese debt, and to reschedule the terms of servicing a further $9.5 billion owed to the group. The Paris Club congratulated Sudan for the strong measures of poverty reduction and ambitious economic reforms that have allowed the country to reach the Decision Point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative as announced in June by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In a statement following the regular meeting of the Paris Club on Thursday, which was attended by Sudan's Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim, accompanied by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, the creditors block of 16 members explains that the decision to cancel the debt is designed to provide interim debt relief as part of the HIPC Initiative.

"Sudan is expected to reach its HIPC Completion Point by June 2024 or earlier and receive the remainder of the debt reduction envisioned under the enhanced HIPC Initiative already endorsed by the international community in 1999," the Paris Club statement says. "On an exceptional basis, considering Sudan's very limited capacity of payment, and provided that it continues to satisfactorily implement an IMF supported programme, no payments are expected from Sudan until at least 1 December 2024."

'Considering Sudan's very limited capacity of payment, and provided that it continues to satisfactorily implement an IMF supported programme, no payments are expected from Sudan until at least 1 December 2024' - Paris Club

The Paris Club acknowledges in its statement that Sudan is also committed to seek comparable debt relief from its other creditors, including non-Paris Club creditors, and the Paris Club creditors "urge Sudan's other creditors to provide a debt relief on comparable terms".

In a state* The Paris Club (French: Club de Paris) is a group of officials from major creditor countries whose role is to find co-ordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries. As debtor countries undertake reforms to stabilise and restore their macroeconomic and financial situation, Paris Club creditors provide an appropriate debt treatment.ment via social media, Sudan's Minister Ibrahim congratulated the Sudanese people and added: "We will seek reaching a similar result or better one with creditors from outside the Paris Club."

The members of the Paris Club that participated in the reorganisation of Sudan's debt were Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

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Observers at the meeting were representatives of Brazil, Finland, and North Korea, as well as the International Monetary Fund, the International Development Association, the African Development Bank, the European Commission, the OECD, and the Secretariat of the UNCTAD. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Czech Republic also observed this reorganisation.

* The Paris Club (French: Club de Paris) is a group of officials from major creditor countries whose role is to find co-ordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries. As debtor countries undertake reforms to stabilise and restore their macroeconomic and financial situation, Paris Club creditors provide an appropriate debt treatment.
Tunis/Tunisia  Two people in Makther, Siliana, received bullet wounds on Friday night after their car refused to comply with orders to stop near barracks.

Spokesperson for the Defence Ministry Mohamed Zekri told TAP a car with four individuals on board approached the fence of the barracks late on Friday night and its driver refused to stop. This forced a guard to fire warning shots before shooting out the tyres of their car as the driver continued to make his way.

Those wounded were taken to the hospital and their condition is stable, the official added.

A security source previously told TAP the passengers were drunk . The public prosecutor's office ordered an investigation into this incident.
In its 19th commencement, Denden Commercial School graduated 852 students including 606 females in certificate today, 17 July.

The students graduated in the fields of Book Keeping, Secretarial Science, Business Management and Library Science.

Indicating that vocational training has significant contribution in nation building process, Mr. Habtegergis Tedros, director of the school, said that the Government of Eritrea is making substantial investment in human resources development.

Mr. Habtegergis also called on the graduates to practically develop their skill and play due part in the implementation of the national development drives.

Mr. Measho Gebretensae, head of Supervision and Quality Control at the Ministry of Education, commending the graduates for the commitment they demonstrated during their stay at the school, reminded them to become exemplary in their place of assignment.

The representative of the students on his part commending for the opportunity they were provided, expressed conviction to live up to expectations.
Algiers  The political class denounced Saturday the resort of the Moroccan system, via its representation in New York, to the distribution of a note to the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement with "provocative" and "hateful" content, describing this step as a "terrorist act" against Algeria.

Several political parties denounced the distribution by the Moroccan representation in New York an official note to the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movements in which it supports the alleged "right of Kabylia to self-determination."

The Democratic National Rally (RND) said that "this act shows clearly the current support of Morocco to a known terrorist group and unveils the plan behind the normalization of relations with the Zionist entity, whose goal is to shake Algeria's stability and to officially enshrine the involvement of the Moroccan Kingdom in a campaign hostile to Algeria."

The Party for Freedom and Justice (PLJ) described the facts as "terrorist act and a shameless aggression conducted by the system of the hateful Zionist Mekhzen towards Algeria, by proxy in the name of its lords."

El Bina Movement said it is "deeply shocked as all Algerian," by the content of the aforementioned document, considering it as a "serious declaration of war against Algeria, State and people." The Algerian people will remain "unites and indivisible, homogenous and consolidated," added the Movement.
Luanda  The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) reiterated Saturday in Luanda its commitment to strengthening solidarity and cooperation aimed at ensuring the economic and social development of the peoples.

The CPLP members commitment is expressed in "Luanda Declaration", signed by the Heads of State and Government and their representatives at the end of the 13th CPLP Conference.

The participants also reiterated their commitment to defence of peace, the rule of law, democracy, human rights and social justice.

The leaders welcomed the choice of the motto "Building and strengthening a common and sustainable future" for the event and pledged to promote political dialogue, exchange of experiences and cooperation, with a view to enhancing the achievements of the CPLP in all areas.

As for Covid-19 pandemic, they considered it an additional challenge to the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals within the community, having expressed regret and solidarity with the victims of the pandemic, which affects the entire world.

They expressed support for international cooperation initiatives to accelerate development, production and equitable and universal access to diagnosis, treatment and vaccines against Covid-19.

The CPLP reiterated the need to build public policies aimed at creating the necessary infrastructure to democratize access to new technologies, promoting training and education suitable for their use.

The Heads of State and Government decided to increase multilateral action in terms of capacity building, sharing of experiences, networking initiatives and development of partnerships, within the scope of promoting trade and investment aimed to preserve and create decent jobs, income and productive capacity.

They reiterated the importance of progressively integrating economic cooperation into the general objectives of the CPLP, as well as the consolidation of a multilateral community agenda for the sector, with a view to contributing to the economic and social development of the member states.

They adopted the Mobility Agreement between member states, an instrument that aims to effectively contribute to greater circulation within the community, to increase cooperation relations in all areas and to promote the feeling of belonging to the CPLP.
A Bulawayo-based health expert and medical Doctor Solwayo Ngwenya has warned that the only panacea to COVID -19 pandemic is behavior change.

He added that vaccinations alone are not a solution to the rampaging pandemic.

Last week President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended level 4 lockdown by two more weeks as the country recorded an 80% prevalence of the vicious Delta Covid 19 variant.

Following the upsurge of the pandemic ,the government recently rolled out a free and voluntary mass vaccination exercise with the aim to reach 10 million citizens to achieve herd immunity.

However in an interview with NewZimbabwe.Com Sunday, Ngwenya argued that no amount of vaccinations will eradicate Ccovid 19 as long as people are not following World Health Organization (WHO) COVID 19 preventions protocols.

"Corona virus follows people's behavior. Right now people are extremely complacent , relaxed and they are still mixing and mingling .So the virus is following the people's behavior and we are having this terrible variant Delta which was confirmed by the government recently," said Ngwenya.

The medical professor said the current Delta variant is highly contagious and resistance to some vaccines.

"Early January this year, I warned people but unfortunately the people's behavior did not change so we are now faced with variants which are resistance to vaccines. It is difficult to say vaccination are going to solve anything,"

"Vaccinations are part of the prevention strategy but over ally the behavior of the population is critical in the way how the virus moves around, is given time to change its structures and come back in stronger variance. So It is entirely up to the population how it behaves in controlling the pandemic," said Ngwenya, who is also Acting Mpilo Hospital Chief Executive officer.

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Ngwenya predicted that the pandemic is going to intensify and kill a lot of people in the coming months despite the current on-going vaccination programme.

"Corona virus is going to get worse. I see it is going to be a long fight now with Covid 19 and probably this is going to be drawn out for the coming months and is going to infect a lot of people as it is doing and is going to cause a lot of deaths. So whether you are vaccinated or not it will find you and infect you," warned Ngwenya.

He described the current Covid 19 strain as more devastating than the first Wuhan variant.

"This is a terrible disease and is four times as high as the previous Wuhan variant It is 60 percent infectious and highly transmissible," added Ngwenya.
Police yesterday claimed that members of the Johanne Marange Apostolic sect that are said to have gathered in Manicaland for an annual festival were permanent residents at a shrine there.

Activists have been pushing the police to act against the thousands that allegedly congregated at Mafararikwa in Bocha as they were violating Covid-19 restrictions.

The church commands a huge following across the country and in the region and an estimated 20 000 congregants gather in Marange every year for their annual Passover feast.

This year church members have been gathered since July 3. They only started dispersing last night.

Police, who have been saying they were not aware of what was happening at the shrine, yesterday said there was never a gathering.

"As far as police is concerned, there are no people gathered in Marange except for those who are permanent residents at the shrine," police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.

"Police have deployed officers on the ground to monitor the situation.

"Police in Marange, Manicaland, in their findings said there are no people gathered in Marange."

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights last week wrote to the police demanding action to disperse the church members, raising Covid-19 fears. The police did not respond to the July 12 letter.

Bocha Diamond Community Trust chairman Moses Mukwada also gave police 48 hours to act, but there was no action. Makwanda is based in Manicaland.

Villagers in Marange yesterday said they feared a Covid-19 outbreak as the shrine was overcrowded.

Mukwada said in previous years, even without Covid-19, there were outbreaks of diseases after the sect's Passover gathering.

"The Johanne Marange apostolic members are dispersing tomorrow (today) after their annual Passover, so we are fearing the worst because these people are going back to their respective communities and many of them are from Marange," he said.

"We think that Covid cases are going to rise sharply," he said.

"These people don't sanitise and they don't even want to be vaccinated.

"In previous years even without Covid-19, whenever these people dispersed we encountered outbreaks of diseases such as cholera."

Mukwada claimed that there were political bigwigs, who were in support of the gathering.
In volatile economic and political landscapes, chances are high that customers become insolvent or fail to pay their trade credit debts which can have ripple effects on one's business.

Financial protection is key in running a successful business, hence the need for credit insurance.

Credit Insurance is one of the lesser known types of insurance available in Zimbabwe today.

It is very much a business-to-business arrangement, thus credit insurance exists between supplier companies and buyer companies, including "bodies corporate".

Diversified insurance company Credit Insurance Zimbabwe Ltd (Credsure) is one of a handful of insurance companies that offer credit management support in case of businesses experiencing financial loss.

"Many businesses are both givers and takers of trade credit and this is a major channel through which credit flows between sectors of the economy (both local and global)," said Credsure senior underwriter credit department Simbarashe Marange.

"Credit insurance provides protection against the risk of non-payment by trade debtors. It provides compensation in cases of unexpected trade debt losses, which other insurers cannot cover."

Credit insurance became a feature of trade around 1919 when countries such as Britain started to trade into war-torn Europe with countries that had hitherto been hostile to it.

"The function of credit insurance is primarily to protect the one asset which, after capital goods, represents the most significant investments in one's business -- the accounts receivable," Marange said.

"Credit insurance's primary purpose is to assist a policyholder in three areas namely, to prevent sales to companies that are likely to default, to compensate policy holders where their buyers have had a sudden change of fortune and there is a default on payment, as well as to supervise the collection of a debt when it is not yet time to claim.

"In all cases, a credit insurer acts as a silent financial partner to the policyholder and a credit limit is set for the maximum amount that can be sold to each debtor.

"Credit Insurance has a secondary purpose, which is to assist in the financing arrangements made between a policyholder and his bankers.

"A credit insurance policy can be ceded to a bank as collateral for any lending made. The net effect of credit insurance overall is that it gives peace of mind to the policyholder, its credit manager and the relevant bankers."

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Marange said export credit insurance offers protection against loss from non-payment by foreign buyers due to political, economic and commercial risks not covered by other insurance policies.

"The risks covered by an export credit insurance policy include political risks where a loss is brought about by wars, revolutions, insurrections, boycotts and strikes, among others outside Zimbabwe," he said.

"Export credit insurance covers a loss that occurs through an act or omission of a foreign government, which either prevents the goods reaching their destination or the purchase price funds being transferred back to Zimbabwe."

Marange said domestic credit insurance is cover given on local buyers to protect the supplier against unexpected trade debt losses, which other insurers do not cover.

He said the insured percentage for most domestic policies is 80% and for export it varies from 85% to 95% depending on the type of policy.

Credsure offers credible general insurance solutions, bonds and guarantees insurance solutions, credit insurance solutions as well as health insurance solutions.
A Matabeleland South youth civic organisation has raised security concerns about women awaiting delivery at maternity centres in Matobo district after criminals stormed a hospital there and raped two pregnant women.

Unknown criminals broke into Maphisa district hospital last week and raped two pregnant women.

The suspects allegedly used an open window to sneak into the maternity home where three pregnant women were sleeping.

One of the women survived the rape ordeal by escaping from the facility.

The Community Youth Development Trust (CYDT) said the disturbing incident exposed the plight of pregnant women in the province with regards to access to sexual reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).

"The raping of two pregnant women at a hospital's maternity home by two men in Matobo district last week serves as evidence of CYDT findings in relation to the plight of pregnant women in the province," Bongiwe Dube, the Matabeleland South CYDT information officer said in a statement.

The CYDT commissioned a "Needs Assessment" survey in December to understand the local trends on the access to and availability of SRHR services in Gwanda, Umzingwane and Matobo districts.

In its findings, the CYDT said lack or limited access to SRHR were a result of unavailability of health centres, lack of prioritisation of SRHR services by local health centres and limited or lack of knowledge by rights holders as to where teenagers can look for SRHR services among others.

"The organisation is saddened by the continued lack of health facilities in Matobo district and other provincial districts which has a direct effect on expecting mothers as they cannot afford to walk over 15km to and from the nearest clinic," Dube added.

"The way in which the two men accessed the health facility (through a window) also exposes the limited protection of pregnant women since this is not the first time in which they are a target of sexual abuse at local hospitals."

In June, unknown suspects besieged a maternity waiting home at Manama mission hospital in Gwanda before kidnapping and detaining a pregnant woman for three hours.

The shelter has no security details manning the premises.

"CYDT demands the strengthening of security services and measures in local hospital which will enhance the security and protection of pregnant women," Dube said.
interview

People got to know much of Eunice Tava after you featured on Jah Prayzah's video Nyeredzi last week. Why is it that with such a big acting portfolio you were not known that much?

Nhoroondo is a four-episode story told by musician Jah Prayzah off his latest offering Gwara.

It started with the releasing of visuals of the song Nyeredzi last Tuesday, the fourth song on the 16-track Gwara album, which was followed by Chimwe Nechimwe and Ndichiyamwa.

Tomorrow the fourth video under the Nhoroondo series will be released to wrap up the project that tries to literalise the song's themes alongside endlessly charming interstitial footage.

A star-studded cast features in the four-party Nhoroondo story and these include Tapiwa Mavindidze, who played the role of VJ in the popular soapie Studio 263, as well as award-winning actress and producer/director Chiratidzochedenga Eunice Chikowore, popularly known as Eunice Tava (pictured) in acting circles.

Standard Style's Moses Mugugunyeki (MM) caught up with Tava (ET), who spoke about her long acting journey as well as her philanthropic work through her humanitarian arm Chedenga Foundation.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

ET: The film industry in Zimbabwe has of late been lowkey as compared to music. There has been lack of distribution that has been limiting us in terms of exposure, but music is readily available on various platforms and Jah Prayzah is a unique musician whose brand is widely recognised and appreciated for his unique talent and the collaborative artistic approach. so being featured on his platform puts one in the limelight. I would like to thank Jah Prayzah for not being selfish with his brand and remembering the professional actors within our sector by using his platform to put us in the limelight.

He has always been an actor himself, he once featured in the movie The Purse and Bhegi Rabvaruka so he is one of us. That's the spirit which is lacking within our sector, to empower and support each other using any available opportunities. Hats off to Jah Prayzah!

MM: How did you get into the Nhoroondo project?

ET: Jah Prayzah himself cast me after he fell in love with my performance of some shoot that we had done for an advert. We were at his home village in Uzumba and after the shoot he told me that he wanted to have me on his album.

I hesitated inwardly, but could not open up to him that I was not comfortable. I thought I was going to be dancing and I knew I'm not a dancer. I was then called for a meeting and they explained what the project was about and I loved the idea. I cried when they were explaining the script because it describes part of my real-life experiences. We then talked about remuneration. I was told of a figure that got me smiling and we got started.

MM: Who actually is Chiratidzochedenga Eunice Chikowore, aka Eunice Tava?

ET: I was born in Kwekwe and grew up in Mhondoro with my mother's family. I went to school in Mhondoro and Bulawayo and I am the only child from my mother. Both my parents are late.

MM: Tell us about your artistic journey, especially the acting side?

ET: From Bulawayo I migrated to Harare and joined the arts industry doing community theatre as a hobby as I was working for GM Chemicals. I then joined Rooftop Promotions where I staged plays at Theatre in the Park. I also worked with Daniel Maposa, Jasen Mphepho, Obrian Mudyiwenyama, Silvanos Mudzvova, Stanley Mambo and Cont Mhlanga who all shaped my acting career.

I then got into film acting so it was a matter of sometimes I'm on stage, at times I'm on set. I then felt there was a gap in the theatre sector, there were not more than four, if not three, female directors in that sector and that's what motivated me to look for opportunities. In 2007 there was a call for young directors, which was hosted by the British Council, and I applied. I got the opportunity to go for training and through this I presented my first play at the Harare International Festival of the Arts titled Election Day, which was written by Chris Mlalazi. It got me an award at Nama.

Since then, I have been directing plays as well as acting. I have staged more than 50 plays here in Zimbabwe and I have staged some of my works at international stages in East Africa, Southern Africa and Europe. I have directed Election Day, Colours of Dreams, Diamonds in Son's Grave, Narratives from the Dark and Blood Tongue. In film, I have featured on Studio 263, Subaru D, Salon.Com, Sinners, Mirage, Chipo The Gift series and The Story of Nehanda, to mention a few.

MM: What inspired to take acting as a career?

ET: Acting is something that I have always enjoyed from primary school and I was privileged to have worked with the people I mentioned above in the theatre sector who then "paid us money" that one could survive on. however, it is not something that I do on full-time basis. I have other trades that you may find me in.

MM: Apart from acting, what else do you do?

ET: When I'm not on stage, you may find me on the desk editing some works. when not on that desk, you may look for me in the studios doing voice-overs (adverts). when I'm not there, I will be in my office for Chedenga Foundation, a charity organisation that I founded.

MM: What challenges have you faced as a female in the arts industry?

ET: Many artistes cry of male dominance, manipulation and other things, but I had a different challenge. Mine has been the "pull-her-down" syndrome by fellow female artistes. There are very few women who have stood by me as compared to female artistes preaching the "Be a sister's keeper/women empowerment gospel". I have respect for those few women whom I will mention.

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MM: Tell us about your humanitarian side? What do you do and how long have you been doing that?

ET: I'm the founder of Chedenga Foundation, a charity organisation that helps marginalised children by providing them with basic needs. I have been serving street kids with breakfast and other needs for the past seven years as a self-funded project. I witnessed two street kids whom I used to feed die due to (I guess) msombodhiya. They had grown up living in the streets and their death also made me to focus on helping these kids in the streets and other less privileged kids out there build a future and this is what motivated me to have "Education And Career Mapping", which is one of our programmes. I had wanted to continue doing that in private, but I had a lot of limitations. I then decided to have an organisation registered so that I could reach out to more children around Zimbabwe.

MM: Going forward, what should we expect from you both on the acting and humanitarian sides?

ET: From now expect to see less from the acting side and more on the directing and producing. I have always wanted to lead and there are well established filmmakers who have already set up the ground for me to achieve.
Paris, France  The representatives of the Paris Club creditor countries decided on 15 July 2021 with the Government of the Republic of the Sudan to restructure its external public debt.

The Paris Club congratulated Sudan for the strong measures of poverty reduction and ambitious economic reforms that have allowed the country to reach its Decision Point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative on 28 June 2021.

This decision was concluded under the so called "Naples terms" on arrears. It was concluded for maturities falling due during the consolidation period under the so called "Cologne terms", designed by the Paris Club to provide interim debt relief as part of the HIPC Initiative. This would lead to the non-ODA debt cancellation of US$ 14.1 billion in debt owed by Sudan to Paris Club creditors.

Sudan is expected to reach its HIPC Completion Point by June 2024 or earlier and receive the remainder of the debt reduction envisioned under the enhanced HIPC Initiative already endorsed by the international community in 1999. On an exceptional basis, considering Sudan's very limited capacity of payment, and provided that it continues to implement satisfactorily an IMF supported program, no payments are expected from Sudan until at least 1 December 2024.

Sudan is committed to devote the resources that otherwise would have gone to Paris Club creditors to priority investments. Sudan is also committed to seek comparable debt relief from its other creditors, including non-Paris Club creditors. Paris Club creditors urge Sudan's other creditors to provide a debt relief on comparable terms.

Representatives from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Saudi Fund for Development, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and the Czech Republic also attended the meeting as observers. They expressed their support to the terms reached between the Paris Club and the Government of Sudan and indicated their willingness to provide to Sudan comparable terms under the framework of enhanced HIPC Initiative and in accordance with terms and conditions adopted by their respective Boards of Directors.

The representatives of the Paris Club members expressed their commitment to implement the final component of debt relief contemplated under the enhanced HIPC Initiative as soon as Sudan meets the conditions to reach Completion Point. The IMF and the World Bank currently estimate that those creditors will then have delivered total debt relief of approximately US$ 21.3 billion (in net present value terms). This amount does not include additional efforts that Paris Club members intend to provide at Completion Point. In principle, at Completion Point, most Paris Club creditors intend to provide on a bilateral basis additional efforts up to 100% cancellation of their covered claims.

Background notes

1. The Paris Club was formed in 1956. It is an informal group of official creditors whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by borrower countries.

2. The members of the Paris Club which participated in the reorganization of the Republic of the Sudan's debt were the Governments of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Observers at the meeting were representatives of the Governments of Brazil, Finland and the Republic of Korea, as well as the International Monetary Fund, the International Development Association, the African Development Bank, the European Commission, the OECD, and the Secretariat of the UNCTAD. Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Czech Republic also observed this reorganization.

3. The delegation of Sudan was headed by Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Emmanuel MOULIN, Chairman of the Paris Club, Director General of the Treasury at the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery.

Technical notes

1. Sudan's economic program is supported by a 39-month arrangement under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility approved by the Board of the International Monetary Fund on 29 June 2021. Sudan reached the Decision Point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative on 28 June 2021.

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2. The stock of debt owed to Paris Club creditors as of 31 December 2020 was estimated to be more than US$ 23.5 billion in nominal terms, of which more than 99% consisted of arrears and late interest.

3. The cut-off date is 1 January 1984 for Sudan.

4. This decision consolidates around US$ 23.5 billion, most of which is composed of arrears and late interests. It cancels a total of US$ 14.1 billion and reschedules around US$ 9.4 billion. These rescheduled amounts will be addressed for debt relief when Sudan reaches Completion Point.

5. On an exceptional basis, creditors have also decided to defer until after 1 December 2024 the repayment of arrears accumulated by Sudan on short term and post cut-off date debts, the maturities falling due during the consolidation period under the post cut-off date debts as well as all moratorium interest due during the consolidation period on the rescheduled and deferred amounts.
Kigali, Rwanda  The Republic of Sudan has become the 32nd African country to join the Smart Africa Alliance thus signaling a strong intention to place technology at the centre of Sudan's reconstruction.

Smart Africa is an alliance of African countries, international organisations and global private sector players tasked with advancing Africa's digital agenda. The alliance is empowered by a bold and innovative commitment by African Heads of State to accelerate sustainable socioeconomic development on the continent and usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and use of ICTs.

With a vision to create a single digital market in Africa by 2030, the Smart Africa Alliance brings together Heads of State who seek to accelerate the digitalization of the continent and create a common market. Smart Africa was launched in 2013 by seven (7) African Heads of State and the Alliance has now grown to include 32 member countries, representing over 815 million people and over 40 Private Sector members committed to the vision and the advancement of Africa.

"We are honoured to welcome the Republic of Sudan as the 32nd country member of the Smart Africa Alliance. This brings us closer to achieving our vision of transforming Africa into a Single Digital Market. We also look forward to utilizing technology to advance Sudan's socio-economic development," said Lacina Kone, Smart Africa's Director General & CEO.

The Republic of Sudan has introduced key reforms aimed at utilizing technology to advance the socio-economic development in the North-East African nation. With this new trajectory, technology will build a growing digital economy; will advance education and health and advance economic advances.

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"We are happy to join the Smart Africa Alliance at a time when Sudan is embarking on an ambitious digital transformation journey that will result in a paradigm shift and make valuable contributions towards a brighter future for its citizens. With Sudan's talented ICT professionals, we will play a pivotal role in shaping Africa's Single Digital Market and realize our collective digital transformation vision," said Ammar Hamadien, Director General of The National Information Center.

Sudan will contribute to and benefit from initiatives for Africa under the Alliance which include blueprints on the development of Smart Cities, Smart Villages, the Digital Economy, Broadband connectivity and ICT Start-ups and innovation ecosystems among others.

Smart Africa ensures best-practice sharing and the advancement of technology across Africa.
The place is a hive of activity as salesmen jostle, often violently, for prospective customers.

This is the famous Glen View Area 8 Complex in Harare, the high-flying business hub for carpenters, who for years have plied their trade on these premises.

Several devastating fire calamities have befallen this place, but that has not taken the steam out of the enterprising men, women and even children that were born and bred here.

Last month caterpillars drove into the sprawling complex and demolished the scores of stalls and working areas, literally razing the entire place down -- just as the many fires before them have done.

The government deemed them illegal settlers and that is why bulldozers and caterpillars descended on the complex and razed it down.

Today mounds of debris from the demolitions still cover the area even when local communities have helped themselves with broken pieces of wood for cooking.

A few stalls that escaped the steel teeth of the bulldozer still remain, serving as a painful reminder of the once thriving business that was the livelihood of hundreds of people.

The demolitions left scores of carpenters, breadwinners, with no other means of income.

"Life has been difficult since the day my business was demolished by council, I have been struggling to put food on the table for my 16 dependants," says Clever Makatare.

Makatare has had to endure the pain of losing not only his business, but also material and finished products for which payment may have already been made in part. It meant having to repay clients.

Nearly 500 businesspeople had their dreams shattered at the complex, translating to several thousands of dependants.

Makatare had just built a permanent structure for his business venture when the demolishers arrived.

"I had just built a 14m by 13m structure worth US$3 250, which was nicely built with cement floors and everything," he said.

"It was done with metal walls to prevent effects of fire, which usually destroys the complex.

"We are suffering, I am struggling to make a single sale per day, I lost business and made huge losses. My family is suffering."

He expressed concern over the way the demolitions were done. He, however, pins his hopes on the government.

But this all appears vain hope as, according to Makatare, "no one has come to address our concerns since the demolitions, I'm sure they are ashamed of what they did."

On a good day, prior to the destruction, Makatare would make between US$450 and over

US$1 000. Now that is all gone.

Sydney Mandewe, another carpenter, is still counting his losses as he had paid-for orders destroyed on the fateful day.

Mandewe bemoaned the fact that their warehouses were destroyed during month-end, a time rentals and salaries were due.

He employs 10 people in his business venture and the demolitions made it impossible for him to raise salaries for them.

"We encountered losses as our products are not safe in the sun," Mandewe. "The demolitions destroyed our products too.

"When demolitions were done, the notice was for a very short period, most of our stuff was destroyed as we hurriedly packed up.

"It seems the council has a hidden agenda to derail efforts we have made in our work and on the empowerment drive being spearheaded by the country."

Mandewe also expressed worry as the demolitions were done at a time the country was battling to contain the Covid-19 third wave, making it impossible for them to get back on their feet.

Mandewe pleaded with responsible authorities to avail an alternative and legitimate place for them to work from.

Another carpenter at the same complex, Paul Damani, said life away from his workshop hasn't been easy.

Damani relies solely on the carpentry business, otherwise it becomes a hand-to-mouth affair.

"We lost customers as we had to change posts, to squat on some of the places that were not destroyed," he said.

"Our goods are getting destroyed as we try to find ways to get back on our feet."

"The demolitions were done during month-end and most of us being lodgers, we failed to pay rentals, and we also have employees whom we failed to pay.

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"Some have been affected so badly they have had no choice, but to relocate to their rural areas.

"It is unfortunate that all this is happening when there is over 90% unemployment in the country and many thousands of youths are sitting at home doing nothing after completing their education.

"Many youths, who had found employment in this industry are going to go back to the streets where they take up drugs and other vices.

"It is our plea to responsible authorities to allow us to work freely so as to avoid social ills like drug abuse and robbery."

The carpenters strongly believe they are victims of politics and the impending elections of 2023 could be the source of their misfortunes.

On June 29, council, backed by police, embarked on demolitions in residential areas.

In Glen View, the demolitions were mainly focused on the densely populated Glen View 8 complex and Tichagarika shopping centre while Highfield was demolished days later.

Harare's oldest suburb of Mbare was the first to be visited by the steel monsters.
Police have arrested two Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leaders from Hurungwe for convening a gathering in violation of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

Officer commanding Hurungwe district Chief Superintendent Helina Mahonde warned church members to desist from illegal gatherings as these had proved to be "super-spreader" events.

"I would like to confirm that the police have arrested two church leaders of Johane Masowe eChishanu sect for convening a gathering during the lockdown," Mahonde said.

"The two are Moffat Phiri (34) and Emmanuel Bango (28) both from Chikuti in Hurungwe district.

"The two convened a gathering for the purpose of worshipping on July 15, 2021 at around 12.00 hours at Magaisa business centre near Kasimure.

"We received a tip-off from members of the public and police reacted swiftly and found a group of 40 members of the sect gathered at the shrine. They will appear in court soon."

She warned members of the public against attending gatherings during lockdown.

"As police, we are warning members of the public to desist from gatherings as these are Covid-19 super spreaders," Mahonde said.

"Hurungwe is one of the declared hotspots so we must be worried if no action is taken.

"I also want to warn would-be offenders that the police will leave no stone unturned. We will continue to deploy heavily and offenders will be brought to book."

Ironically, for the past two weeks, police in Mutare reportedly turned a blind eye on a Johanne Marange pilgrimage in Bocha, Marange, which was attended by thousands of faithfulls.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights formally complained to the police over the gathering by the sect which is politically linked to the ruling Zanu PF party.

Gatherings that include church services were banned last month as Zimbabwe is battling a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
analysis

Khartoum  The 18th of July brings to mind sad memories marking the 22nd anniversary of the massacre of nearly 200 kids who were forcefully conscripted only to be killed in cold blooded manner, which observers and human rights groups have described as the most heinous of crimes committed by the ousted regime against a collective group of teenagers in the country.

The martyrs were the conscripts at the Alailafoon Training Camp, 40 KM Southeast of Khartoum.

They were among thousands of youngsters forced to do compulsory military service immediately after they had finished their secondary school examination.

Some of the conscripts were kids doing marginal work around the City and were collected from the streets to the said cadet camps.

Students finishing their secondary school education were to undergo the training or else they will not be allowed to receive their secondary school graduation certificates.

After they finish their training, the conscripts were sent to the war fronts against the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) of John Garang. The conditions in those training camps were reported to be ones of oppression and humiliation.

Alailafoon's Conscripts petitioned from the Camp authorities to give them a three-day leave to spend the Holy Korban Bairam with their families as do all the country's citizens.

But the Camp command rejected their request, arguing this was against the military discipline. To realize their desire of spending the holiday with their families, the conscripts planned to escape from the Camp.

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The moment they started to dislodge the Camp's barbed wire, a hail of bullets descended on them, killing tens of them. Those who remained alive had no way other than to swim their way across nearby Blue Nile River, or take the locals' boats anchored on the shore. Tens of them who had no swimming experience drowned to their death.

After the downfall of the regime, the dossier of this calamity was opened within a wide legal investigation to unveil the crime perpetrators and bring them to book for premeditated murder and crimes against humanity.

In the process, the legal authorities in 2020 exhumed a mass grave in which several of the massacre victims were buried.

In February, the Attorney General asked for ten of the accused in this crime to surrender to the authorities for clues they were in complicity in the killings.

The list includes the now Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League Kamal Hassan Ali who was the Camp commander at the time and who is now wanted by the Interpol in this crime.

Last week the Attorney General announced that Bashir himself will stand trial in this case.
analysis

Khartoum  Three of the most outstanding issues that busied the press in the last week were: The PM Abdalla Hamdok's pledge to trace and recover stolen money from abroad, the landmark resumption of railway passenger traffic between Khartoum and the Red Sea City of Port Sudan after it had stopped for 16 years and the deliberations of the UN security Council on the protracted dispute over the Grand Renaissance Dam Ethiopia has built across the Blue Nile.Rank ( + / - )

On the recovery of stolen money believed to be kept in foreign banks or invested abroad, wrote Dr. Zuhair Alsarraj in the daily journal Aljareeda (the Newspaper):

Very often we hear commitments from senior government officials to recover the stolen money kept or invested abroad without the government taking the necessary procedures, which are difficult and very painstaking and could lead to failure!

Previously I have written more than five articles on this important matter, indicating its intricacy and the long thorny procedures that need to be followed to recover the stolen money, foremost verdicts that should be made against the accused by fair trials in courts of law where the accused are availed all the chances to defend themselves. At that time the concerned government can embark on procedures for the recovery of that stolen money.

Some countries, mainly the U.S, Britain and France have some years back issued a guide on stolen money, upon an initiative from the United Nations in collaboration with the World Bank and several other circles concerned with corruption combat and the recovery of stolen money.

Egypt, for example, had tried after the downfall of President Mubarak to recover its stolen money from abroad, exerting big effort in this bid, and sought the help of established international know how agencies that cost the country hundreds of thousands of dollars but failed to recover a single penny.

However, there are some successful experiments like that of Nigeria which managed to return sums stolen by former president Sani Abacha and smuggled to Switzerland, all after talks that spanned for more than seven years, beginning with a wide security investigation by the Nigerian authorities in 1998, with Swiss participation, until after when Nigeria managed to recover more than half a billion dollars during 2005-2006 and then two billion dollars in 2013.

We also have the experiment of the Philippines that recovered about two billion dollars out of ten billion dollars looted by president Ferdinand Marcos, but after cases in Swiss courts that continued for 17 years.

The matter is not just promises and pledges. It is not as easy as the way some think or talk about it. It is a long and difficult process that requires laborious work, tremendous effort and patience, may be for tens of years. If we are serious about recovering our stolen money, we have to stop speeches, promises and pledges and begin serious action by putting the thieRank ( + / - )ves on trial instead of the comic plays we see today!

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About the resumption of the Eastern train trips to Port Sudan, wrote Ms. Asma'a Juma'a, the editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Aldemograti (the Democrat):

The Sudan Railways was a lifeline that used to feed all of Sudan's different regions with all the means of progress and to deepen the social bonds among the country's varied components, bringing the nation together and more interactive. It also brought the citizens living in outlying regions closer to the Capital Khartoum without even visiting it. The railways was one of the supports of the economy, that used to drive the wheel of development forward.

Once it had taken hold of power, the ousted regime began the dismantling and destruction of the railways corporation, sending off five thousands of its employees, laying off the qualified cadres who kept the railways functioning. Operatives of that regime even embarked on the removal of the rails, selling them as garbage to steel companies, leaving behind no more than shadows, remains of locomotives railing between limited areas just to secure some jobs for their corrupt cadres and as gates through which they can exercise their favorite satanic hobby for corruption, the art they master very well.

It is imperative for the present government to first revive the railways for this facility to begin to flourish.

Last week the Ministry of Transport officially announced the full maintenance of the railroad linking the cities of Atbara and Port Sudan, through the towns of Jabait and Sinkat which was completely out of service for16 years.

The people of the East have received the first train on this line with tears, ululations and excitement. A wave of joy had swept Eastern Sudan, one of Sudan's most isolated and neglected regions despite its location as a gateway towards the World, a matter that should have made it the most prosperous and influential region in the country.

It is also good news that the Sudan Railways has embarked on the repairing of other railroads on the way towards bringing life to the entire body of this national carrier..

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About the tabling of the issue of the Renaissance Dam Ethiopia has built across the River Blue Nile before the United Nations Security Council, and the latter's decision to return the dispute to the African Union for further consideration, wrote Mr. Mohammad Almekki Ahmed in the newspaper Alhadatha (the Modernity) under the title: Is it true that Ethiopia has won this round in the dispute and that Sudan and Egypt were the losers ?

The two countries did not completely lose this round and Ethiopia did not triumph completely as has been circulated. The confrontation between the three countries had taken a soft and calm diplomatic approach and did not blow up the possibility of reaching understandings in the future.

In addition, a number of countries had implicitly condemned Ethiopia's unilateral conduct, stressing the need to make the coming talks a success, a matter that puts the government in Addis Ababa before a difficult international test in the coming period.

It is my belief that Sudan and Egypt had gained a lot at the Security Council in this thorny issue. They have addressed the World's decision-makers and the Arab, African and international public opinion in a show broadcast live.

Also the Security Council's consent to the issue to become part of its schedule for the second time is a diplomatic and political victory for Khartoum and Cairo, simply because Addis Ababa was opposed to this issue being discussed at the United Nations.

Ethiopia had gained when it did not boycott this international occasion, despite its rejection of the issue to be tabled before the World organization.

It was noticed that Ethiopia's address had concentrated on the issue of sovereignty which should not mean jeopardizing the rights of other nations.

The addresses of Sudan and Egypt were characterized with careful preparation and logical language, when the two of them put forward facts about the tripartite talks and the hazards posed by the Dam, sending clear messages of warning to the Security Council.

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For its part, the UN has expressed the conviction that "progress can be made to resolve the dispute in a peaceful and constructive manner."

It urged the three countries to keep up with their cooperation and "avoid any announcements that escalate tension in a region that also faces the challenges of the Covid19 pandemic."

That means the UN is aware that the water issue can engender a bitter struggle.

In this tense atmosphere there emerged a glimpse of hope from the Republic of Democratic Congo, the AU's current chairman, which announced that (there were documents which will shortly be presented to the three countries to become a basis for the upcoming water talks).

The AU will receive political and technical assistance from the United Nations, the U.S.A, Russia and the European Union in a bid to end the crisis, and prevent a water war that disrupts the US and European priorities in the World now that attempts have begun to break the ice between Washington and Moscow and also possibly between Europe and Moscow later on.

But the crux of success is to change the mode of the negotiations in order for the previous plowing in water not to keep going on.

The Security council deliberations, apart from political gains and losses, avail Sudan and Egypt with an opportunity to reread the dimensions and effects of the quick international changes upon the region and mull the ways for movement in the coming days.

The deliberations were also a chance for Ethiopia to revise its position, accept understanding and agreement for the three peoples' interests and to guard the region against a destructive struggle.
Twenty-two-year-old model Ruth Nyamukova has big dreams.

The Visual Communication and Multimedia Design student wants to be counted among the most in-demand models of her generation.

"In December 2020 I began commercial modelling and was signed up by Top Model Zimbabwe," Nyamukova told Standard Style.

"My goal is to be a brand ambassador or influencer for a major firm."

Growing up, the Chinhoyi University of Technology student was passionate about modelling.

"From a young age, I had a dream to be a model and I was inspired by Miss Malaika," she said.

"Being born in an African household, my parents were sceptical of modelling as a career."

In 2015, Nyamukova contested in the Miss Winter Diamond City in Mutare.

At Chinhoyi University of Technology, she became a freelance fashion model and did exhibitions for fellow students on campus.
Tunis/Tunisia  President Kais Saied had, on Sunday, a telephone conversation with his Algerian counterpart Abdelmajid Tebboune, during which he expressed again his deep thanks and gratitude for the help brought to Tunisia in this delicate phase.

The Tunisian people will forever remember this "historic" and fraternal act provided by Algeria, said Kais Saied, reports the Presidency of the Republic in a statement.

In this connection, he welcomed "the firm and constant will of Algeria to support Tunisia".

The meeting was also an opportunity for both sides to exchange Eid greetings, the same source added.

A meeting last Monday between the Tunisian and Algerian presidents. Abdelmajid Tebboune reiterated Algeria's support for efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia and announced its decision to send 250,000 doses of vaccines and essential medical equipment to deal with this pandemic.

He said that "Algeria is fully prepared to support Tunisia, a sister country, in case of need".
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said Egypt and Sudan share common history and destiny as well as unified strategic objectives, noting that Egypt is seeking to enhance economic cooperation in the coming phase with the aim of activating bilateral trade for the best interests of the two peoples

This came in a statement released by the Finance Ministry on Sunday on the outcome of Maait's meeting with Head of the Sudanese Customs Authority Bashir Al Taher and his accompanying delegation.

Head of the Egyptian Customs Authority EL-Shahat Ghatori and Finance Minister's Adviser for External Relations Hossam Hussein attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Maait voiced the Egyptian side's readiness to provide the Sudanese Customs Authority with all its needs of training and qualified cadres.

He also expounded the Egyptian expertise in modernizing the customs system through issuing a new customs law, establishing a logistics center as well as applying the pre-registration of cargo information called "Advanced Cargo Information (ACI)", which aims to simplify and speed up procedures needed for releasing goods, which contribute to verify exporters and importers, all through a single window online portal.

Meanwhile, the head of the Sudanese Customs Authority voiced happiness over visiting Cairo and reaching agreement with the Egyptian side on the fields of training and qualification of human cadres.

The two sides agreed on the necessity of regularly convening the joint customs committee which meets every six months.

Ghatori, for his part, voiced happiness over cooperating with the Sudanese side, noting that 87 x-ray devices have been installed in harbors to check on small-sized luggage and it is targeted that 85 percent of Egyptian crossings will be provided with x-rays.

He pointed out that the Egyptian Customs Authority is ready to train Sudanese cadres through the National Institute for Customs Training in Alexandria and Cairo, which has been applying the latest technological systems in the training.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received on Sunday a phone call from Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman.

Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said the contact tackled boosting bilateral relations as well as other regional issues of common interest.

The two leaders exchanged greetings over Eidul Adha.

Sisi wished Sultan more success in completing the overall development march initiated by late Sultan Qaboos, lauding brotherly relations binding Egypt with Oman that were formed through decades of solidarity and unity in face of crises and challenges.

He reiterated Egypt's keenness to maintain and further develop these distinguished relations to achieve the best interests of the two brotherly peoples and the interests of the entire Arab world as well.

Sultan Haitham praised distinguished relations between Egypt and Oman, reiterating keenness on opening new scopes of cooperation and maintaining coordination towards regional and international issues of mutual interest.

He stressed that Oman seeks to draw on from Egypt's pioneering development experiment that was carried out thanks to the wise leadership and the good vision of President Sisi.

The two sides reiterated keenness on boosting bilateral relations within the coming period, especially in the economic and investment domains and increasing trade exchange to level up to the distinguished political relations between the two countries.

Sisi expressed appreciation over the good treatment of Egyptians in Oman at both official and popular levels.

Sultan Haitham underlined the importance that members of the Egyptian community in Oman would continue backing their Omani brothers in carrying out the sultanate's development march.
opinion

Over 1 billion people - approximately 15% of the worlds population - are estimated to live with some form of disability. As this demographic grows owing to an increase in chronic health conditions and ageing populations, their risk of marginalization also increases within the largely ableist society we live in, which often fails to consider the unique needs of people living with disabilities.

One of these needs is access to quality, affordable, accessible health care. Despite being entitled to the highest standard of health without discrimination, persons with disabilities, 80% of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), face a myriad of challenges that prevent them from accessing quality health care. These barriers include inaccessible and low-quality health care services, prohibitive health care costs, biases of health and social service providers and non-inclusive health responses - making them among the hardest hit during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

While many of these challenges existed before the pandemic, the global health crisis has amplified the gaps in access to quality health care among people living with disabilities, who have (for the most part) been left behind in national recovery and response efforts. In the past year, the pandemic has shone a spotlight on the challenges experienced by persons with disabilities as they seek to access public health information, basic hygiene and health facilities.

It has also highlighted the effect of these barriers on this populations health, well-being, and dignity.

As the pandemic spread across Africa and governments moved quickly to impose containment measures such as curfews, restriction of movement and suspension of learning, little consideration was given to the needs of persons with disabilities. Measures such as lockdowns threatened already limited employment opportunities and worsened seclusion - both of which could have devastating long-term impacts on the capacities of persons with disabilities to attain economic independence and full social integration.

Africas response to health challenges must recognize this reality. Delivering quality, affordable and accessible health care for people with disabilities - before, during and after a health crisis - will require concerted efforts from all stakeholders to prevent further disability and marginalization and protect and promote inclusive health practices.

Our continent urgently needs health reforms that mainstream care for disabled populations and create structures to support inclusive health systems.

At the basic level, this will include not only delivering primary health care with professionalism and empathy, but also working with representatives of the disability community to provide accurate and relevant health information in formats that empower their members to make informed health decisions and protect themselves and their families.

This is especially important during disease outbreaks, when it is critical to ensure that persons with disabilities have real-time access to health information to stem the spread of infection. Last year for example, Amref Health Africa and the Zambian Ministry of Health collaborated to produce COVID-19 information, education and communication materials in braille and sign language. The materials, which included information on prevention of COVID-19 and case management, benefited an estimated 270,000 members of the disability community and complemented Zambias pandemic response efforts.

Use of assistive technologies could also play a significant role in improving delivery of health interventions to people with disabilities, allowing them to surmount their physical and cognitive challenges and live healthier, more productive lives. Investing in such technologies through programs such as Innovate Now can narrow the gap in access to care by leveraging widely available tools such as the mobile phone, which can save lives by virtually connecting people with disabilities to doctors and other care givers. This would be a significant development on a continent where health facilities and transport infrastructure are often inaccessible to the disability community.

COVID-19 has shown us why we cannot afford to waste more time in the strengthening of our health systems. To safeguard the health rights of persons with disabilities, we must establish structures and frameworks that ensure that the most vulnerable among us are represented at the heart of our health systems. We need to proactively include persons with disabilities in response plans, conduct disability-focused training of health workers and prioritize them in socio-economic recovery efforts. We also need to empower them through meaningful engagement at all stages of the development of disability-inclusive systems geared at improving health outcomes within the community.

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We have an opportunity to work together to build equitable, accessible, and effective systems that meet us all at our points of need. We owe it to the most vulnerable among us to innovate and deliver solutions that will reach the furthest left behind, to realize the vision of a world in which everyone, regardless of physical ability, can access quality, affordable care. Failure to do so will not only delay the attainment of health for all, but it will also be an injustice to humanity.

Viviane Sakanga, Amref Head of Country Program, Zambia; Bernard Chiira, Director, Innovate Now
The police say they are conducting a manhunt for the bandits who killed the cops.

The police have confirmed that 13 officers were killed on Sunday during an operation to repel an attack by bandits in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the officers were killed by suspected bandits while on special duty along Kurar Mota frontline base.

The police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Shehu, in a statement, said 13 officers paid the supreme price in the attack and many bandits were also killed.

He added that the police were conducting a manhunt for the bandits.

"The attack occurred on Sunday at about 1230hrs, when Police Mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota village in Bungudu LGA were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by bandits to attack some nearby communities.

"The personnel, who ran into the ambush, exhibited resilience and gallantry by engaging the hoodlums, an effort that deterred the bandits from attacking the communities. Unfortunately, 13 personnel paid the supreme price. However, the bandits, on their part, suffered heavy casualties.

"A special Anti - Banditry Operations is currently ongoing with a view to track down the assailants. The Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Rabiu, while visiting the injured Policemen at the hospital reaffirmed that today's unfortunate incident will not discourage the officers and men of the command from discharging their mandate of protecting lives and properties of the citizens.

"He called on every law-abiding citizen to join hands with the security agencies to successfully end the menace," Mr Shehu said.
Tunis/Tunisia  The Foreign Ministry shed light on Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18) on the African leader's fight for freedom and his commitment to champion the values of freedom and equality and human rights.

Mandela inspired the whole world in his struggle against race discrimination and left Humanity a legacy of fight to uphold tolerance, solidarity, mutual help and co-existence.

The COVID-19 outbreak demonstrates that no single country can cope alone with the pandemic. The Foreign Ministry reminded of Mandela's quotes, mainly "None of us, acting alone, can achieve the success" and "Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronisingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future."

Tunisia, which fully embraced these values, called from the outset for pooling global efforts and upholding solidarity and equitable development to face up to this scourge and cushion its impact, particularly in developing and less developed countries.

The ministry laid emphasis, in this respect, on the unanimous adoption by the Security Council of resolution 2532 which called for a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations on the Council's agenda to combat the COVID-19 pandemic..

All countries across the world are urged to rally around common values ans scale up international cooperation to tackle the pandemic.

There is need for a fairer and more equitable new world order which is able to address crises. "It always seems impossible until it's done,". said Mandela.
Tunis/Tunisia  Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi on Sunday instructed the governors of Sousse, Medednine, Monastir, Kairouan, Nabeul, Sfax, Ariana, Ben Arous and Tunis to requisition all private clinics to accommodate patients staying in hospitals that are experiencing oxygen shortages.

This measure will remain in force until the resumption of the normal pace of oxygen supply, said the Prime Ministry in a statement.

Moreover, the same source made a point of specifying that in no hospital in the Republic, a break in oxygen supply has been recorded, contrary to information circulating.

The Prime Ministry has, in this regard, called for not giving in to rumours and to unify efforts to fight against this pandemic.

The crisis unit of the Ministry of Health, chaired by Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, decided on a series of measures to alleviate the lack of oxygen in hospitals in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday evening.

These measures concern:

- The mobilisation of all hospitals, public and private, for the fight against COVID-19, pending a return to normal oxygen supply

- Immediate transfer of patients admitted to hospitals with oxygen shortages to private clinics in the same or nearby regions

- The provision of all the oxygen available to producers for the benefit of all hospital institutions according to need and without any restriction or reserve

- The introduction of the necessary mechanisms to avoid such a situation in the future (risk of oxygen supply breakdown)

- The acceleration of the starting of the oxygen generators offered and arrived, a few days ago, in Tunisia, and their installation in the agreed hospital institutions.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli asserted on Sunday that the New Alamin city is a promising area for investment, business, tourism and life.

This came during an inspection tour of the city in which he was accompanied by Housing Minister Essam el Gazzar and a number of other officials.

The premier added that the government is keen on benefiting from all Egypt's capabilities, noting that the New Alamin city will be a future city like the New Administrative Capital in which a huge number of projects are currently being implemented in these cities.

During the tour, Gazzar reviewed the projects implemented in the area including the establishment of 18 huge buildings.

The premier directed to intensify the work rates in these projects in order to finalize them as soon as possible.
Transport Minister Kamel el Wazir said on Sunday that his ministry will not tolerate any encroachment on state-owned lands.

During his follow-up of the removal of encroachments on state-owned lands affiliated to the Transport Ministry in Alexandria, Wazir said the state is keen on enforcing law and maintaining the safety of citizens.

Coordination is maintained between the Transport Ministry, the Egyptian National Railways and the Interior Ministry to remove all encroachments on the state-owned lands registered over the past years, the minister noted.

The minister was also accompanied by Alexandria Governor Mohamed el Sherif who thanked the premier in behalf of Alexandria residents over the recent projects implemented in the governorate.
Egypt has denounced the renewed violations of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremists under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.

In a press release on Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez reiterated Egypt's categorical rejection of these violations, drawing attentions to Egypt's constant warnings against breaching the sanctity of the holy site, which is revered as the third holiest site in Islam by Muslims worldwide.

Hafez also hold the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for keeping worshipers safe at the holy site to maintain security and stability.

Israel must also abstain from any acts that could trigger an escalation, the spokesman noted, urging Israeli authorities to go forward with reviving peace talks based on international law and relevant UN resolutions to achieve a two-state outcome. MENA
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received today Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Mr. Wang Yi, in the presence of Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Sameh Shoukry and the Chinese Ambassador to Cairo.

The Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency stated that President El-Sisi welcomed Mr. Wang Yi in Egypt and asked him to convey his greetings to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

His Excellency stressed Egypt's keenness to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership bringing together the two countries.

It was noted that this year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Egypt. Those years witnessed extended cooperation and coordination efforts between the two countries in various fields.

President El-Sisi also praised the Chinese experience which he described as a success story that the world seeks to draw lessons from in order to advance the comprehensive development process for the good of the peoples.Presidency

For his part, the Chinese Foreign Minister conveyed to the President a verbal message from President Xi Jinping. In the message, the Chinese President affirmed China's keenness to continue developing its strategic relations with Egypt, noting that China respects and appreciates President El-Sisi and Egypt which has a pivotal role in maintaining stability in the Middle East.

He also stressed that CPresidencyhina will continue supporting Egypt's efforts in fostering comprehensive development, combating terrorism and achieving security and stability in the region.

Regarding the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, both parties expressed their keenness to develop it at the international level. In this regard, the Chinese Foreign Minister made it clear that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has agreed to grant the status of dialogue partner to Egypt. SCO makes coordination and cooperation efforts in the fields of combating terrorism and extremism, energy and science.

The Spokesman stated that the meeting discussed prospects for enhancing aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In this regard, the coordination efforts that were made at the highest levels since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic were praised. Egypt, hence, signed a joint manufacturing agreement with "Sinovac". This is a step that supPresidencyports the localization of the pharmaceutical and vaccine industry in Egypt.

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The President and the Chinese Foreign Minister expressed their aspiration to continue the fruitful cooperation between the two countries at all levels so as to strengthen international efforts in facing the repercussions of the pandemic.

The President also stressed Egypt's keenness to benefit from the distinguished Chinese expertise that would support development programs and national projects in Egypt.

It was added that Egypt's modern infrastructure is one of its assets that integrates with the Belt and Road Initiative and that the "Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone" has an important role and sets a good example of successful investment cooperation between the two countries.

The latest developments concerning the Renaissance Dam issue were also discussed during the meeting.

President El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's strong position to preserve its water security, represented in its historical rights in the Nile waters, by reaching a legally binding agreement for the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

This agreement would achieve the interests of all parties in a fair manner.

Mr. Wang Yi made it clear that his country is fully aware of the importance of the Nile River to Egypt, hence China is keen to reach a solution to this issue in a manner that would meet the interests of all parties.

Presidency
Tunis/Tunisia  Tunisia took delivery Sunday of 324,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by France.

Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi and French Ambassador Andre Parant were present at Tunis-Carthage airport along with the representative of the World Health Organisation in Tunisia and Operations Manager at UNICEF- Tunisia Country Office.

The donation was made under COVAX partnership which involves Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance - the World Health Organisation, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the UNICEF which is reponsible for vaccine purchases and delivery, UNICEF said in a press release.

The French diplomat said there will be a second donation of 800,000 doses in the coming days. France will carry on sending urgently medical oxygen and equipment in addition to seven million masks, one million gloves and three medical oxygen production units made available during the French PM's Tunisia visit.

The Health Minister said this batch of vaccines is much needed and extended thanks to France and its allies for "this generous contribution."

"These joint efforts will help us contain the spread of the pandemic and limit its impact on the hard-hit Tunisian population," he said, calling on Tunisians and residents in Tunisia who are not yet vaccinated to register without delay while complying with barrier gestures.

Yves Souteyrand, the WHO Representative in Tunisia, said "these vaccines give cause for hope to Tunisians who are now facing the terrible consequences of the severe forms of the COVID-19." "All vaccines approved by the WHO are safe and efficient," the official added.

UNICEF Operations Manager Doudou Luemba said the organisation and its parteners continue to work hard in order to find ways to obtain vaccines that would help Tunisia go through this difficult time.
A leading advisory firm has given the move by Padenga Holdings to list on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) the thumbs-up, before hinting that the firm's stock could initially trade at a discount due to a liquidity crisis.

Padenga delisted from the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange on Friday last week and switched to the VFEX, which trades exclusively in foreign currency.

The switch marked an important step in the firm's ambition to end the country's listing drought.

However, Inter Horizon Securities (IH) projected that the Padenga share price would self-correct as new listings arrive at the waterfall.

Following a slow start to listings since opening in October last year, the VFEX has recently attracted multinationals, including oil firm Invictus and gold producer Caledonia, which have indicated they are keen to list.

"Downside risk is liquidity on the VFEX itself, which may potentially create an initial discount on valuation," IH said.

"We, however, believe this will resolve itself in the medium term as other companies list on the VFEX.

"The proposed transaction to migrate listing to the VFEX is primarily driven by the need to benefit from incentives articulated by the ministry of Finance whereby companies listed on the VFEX will be entitled to higher retention rates of their incremental exports," IH said.

"In addition, the listing on the VFEX enables Padenga to raise capital in foreign currency from a deeper investor base to pursue viable acquisitions in related export sectors."

Padenga is one of the world's largest suppliers of crocodile skins for luxury bags and shoes, counting leading global brands among its clients.

IH said Padenga revenues would remain strong, underpinned by a bullish outlook for its mining business.

The advisory has previously indicated that Dallaglio, which houses Padenga's mining business, will be the most immediate beneficiary of the VFEX listing.

It said the move would open pathways for Dallaglio to pounce on new gold assets and position itself to benefit from attractive forex retention thresholds recently announced by government.

The thresholds present growth opportunities for gold miners and VFEX-listed firms.

Padenga swooped on Dallaglio about two years ago, as it diversified from its traditional croc skins processing business into gold mining in a surprise move.

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Through Dallaglio, Padenga then gained a foothold into Eureka Gold Mine, which returns to production this month following a US$40 million injection to restart operations.

The transaction also gave Padenga access to Chegutu-based Pickstone Mine, a 60kg per month gold asset.

"We see potential for growth pathway particularly in Dallaglio via acquisitions within the gold space motivated by the new incentives articulated by the ministry of Finance and Economic Development and in the short term an uplift in earnings caused by a higher effective 'real' gold price achieved based on greater foreign currency retention.

"The listing onto the VFEX enables shareholders to unlock a 'real' United States dollar valuation of the business, with capital gains and dividends realisable in hard currency," noted IH.
THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has given its first elaborate indication that domestic manufacturing firms are too weak to handle a glut of imports from big guns under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

AfCFTA rolled into life this January, with 54 of the 55 African Union (AU) member states rallying firms to line up exportation strategies and reach out to Africa's 1,3 billion people.

However, it is not all about exports.

Companies are bracing for higher volumes of cheap imports originating within the AU, which will pile pressure on industries in struggling markets like Zimbabwe.

On paper, the AfCFTA agreement presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to rebuild its industries after haemorrhaging for 21 years due to diminishing spending power, a grinding foreign currency crisis and bottlenecks in power supply.

These hurdles were amplified by last year's outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which compounded a crisis that was already worsening.

In an analysis of prospects under the bloc that widely liberalises the African market eliminating tariffs in 90% of the region's merchandise, CZI said the US$3,4 trillion bloc presents setbacks to local firms that lack economies of scale to produce at less costs and export competitively priced products.

CZI said instead of joining the campaign to scale up intra Africa trade, government should negotiate with peers to defer trade liberalisation while scour the markets to raise US$2 billion and reposition for an overflow of merchandise from big guns.

"The biggest question is on whether Zimbabwe, and the industry in particular are ready to take advantage of the AfCFTA?" CZI asked in the second quarter Business and Economic Intelligence Report released last Thursday.

"As things stand now, the simple answer is no. Given years of de-industrialisation, decline in local value chains and limited retooling, the local industry is constrained to take full advantage of the AfCFTA.

"Thus, the industry needs to come up with long-term export strategies that take the AfCFTA into consideration such as growing export markets and retooling/upgrading production processes to become efficient and be able to competitively compete with the rest of the continent."

CZI added: "Negotiate for more time in AfCFTA for liberalisation to allow for domestic industry to retool and upgrade production processes.

"The operating environment remains far from ideal, especially faced with the implementation of AfCFTA, which requires a determined approach to enterprise level and business environment- driven competitiveness, to ward off competition from impending imports and to compete on the continental market."

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It said capacity to participate in AfCFTA had been undermined by lack of investment.

Constraints to investment include challenges for foreign investors to remit dividends through banks, liquidity constraints, risky exchange control regulations, negative country perception, punitive taxes and a complex business climate.

"Current capacity utilisation of 47% in industry is significantly low, meaning that firms are not operating at optimal levels to enjoy economies of scale that reduce per unit cost of production to render export price competitive," said the report.

"The high cost of doing business environment emanating from over-regulation, heavy taxation, complex import and export procedures, utility and infrastructure deficiencies further constrains AfCFTA readiness for business.

"The country also needs to develop its local value chains to ensure that most of the raw materials needed for industry are sourced locally and not rely on importation from countries that would also be competitors. Government must tax for growth, not for revenue collection," CZI added.
opinion

Frelimo, which governs Mozambique, has squandered the enormous political capital it enjoyed at independence. It now remains in power through violence, intimidation, harassment, and threats.

Forty-six years ago, Samora Machel, the leader of Mozambique's liberation movement and the country's first president, stood before a euphoric crowd at Machava Stadium and declared the

He inspired the people of Mozambique to imagine and build a new nation in which development, social justice, an solidarity with - and care for - the oppressed took centre stage.

Four decades later, Machel's declarations ring hollow. His words and the new dawn they heralded have since disintegrated.

I'm a Mozambican political sociologist. I have been a keen observer of the country's changing economic, social and political structures since the early 1990s.

The declaration of independence in 1975 proclaimed a social contract that contained the ideals of freedom. These included economic and social justice, eradication of hunger and poverty, health and education for all, equality of all people regardless of ethnicity, race and gender, emancipation of women, the rule of law and human rights.

But Frelimo has squandered the enormous political capital it enjoyed at independence. The party remains in power by using violence, intimidation, harassment and threats. Generalised

David Matsinhe, Losophone Research Specialist/Adjunct Professor in African Studies, Carleton University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

lawlessness characterise Mozambique today.

Governance crises and deep rooted corruption permeate all aspects of political, economic and social life. Popular discontent with the Frelimo government is on the rise. This explains the armed conflict in central and northern regions.

The context

Mozambique was the first country in southern Africa to become independent through armed insurrection. This threatened the white minority regimes of Southern Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Both feared that Mozambique would become a haven for the liberation movement guerrillas of the respective countries. It was, therefore, in their interests to topple the Frelimo government.

As Mozambique celebrated independence the regime of Ian Smith in Zimbabwe conducted air raids in southern and central Mozambique. Civilians were killed and communication systems, bridges and crops were destroyed.

David Matsinhe, Losophone Research Specialist/Adjunct Professor in African Studies, Carleton University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Rhodesian regime also teamed up with Portuguese malcontents who still had interests in Mozambique, to create a surrogate terrorist movement, Renamo.

When the Rhodesian regime fell and Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, the South African apartheid regime stepped in to finance Renamo's operations. Its 16-year war of destabilisation consisted of acts of terrorism that produced profound psychological trauma.

The war of destabilisation and natural disasters created the need for foreign aid. Working with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Frelimo introduced structural adjustments in 1987. These programmes involved economic liberalisation and deregulation.

The programmes involved widespread privatisation of state-run companies, massive layoffs and unemployment and cuts in government spending on social services. The cost of food, water, housing, electricity, transport and telecommunications went up. Poverty and inequality increased.

At the same time Frelimo elites set about building an extensive patronage system.

Natural resources

In my view Frelimo political elites have presided over the natural resource mismanagement, looting and environmental crimes.

In the past 20 years many rural communities have been forcibly removed from their homes to make room for agribusiness, mining, oil and gas companies.

In addition, natural ecosystems have been plundered. The deforestation of central and northern regions has left areas subject to vicious cycles of droughts, cyclones and floods.

In 2013, the Environmental Investigation Agency investigation found that 93% of logging in Mozambique was illegal.

But the most marked exploitation of natural resources followed the discovery of large reserves of natural gas in Palma district, Cabo Delgado province.

Local rural communities have been dislocated and impoverished. The transfer of the Afungi peninsula in Palma district, where the French company Total has been constructing its liquefied natural gas infrastructure, was marked by government threats, intimidation, coercion and lack of transparency.

Without just compensation and meaningful free, prior and informed consent, communities that for centuries relied on fishing for their livelihood were evicted from their fishing grounds forever.

State of human rights

The Mozambican declaration of independence committed the new nation to upholding the rights enshrined in international and regional human rights covenants. Yet, human rights organisations document violations of fundamental human rights protected under international law year after year.

In Cabo Delgado, nearly 1 million internally displaced people are in desperate need of having their basic needs met. This includes shelter, water, sanitation and education.

Those suspected of aiding the enemy are disappeared, tortured and killed.

Journalists attempting to cover the conflict face intimidation and harassment, arbitrary arrests, and torture.

The 1975 declaration of independence also proclaimed the complete "emancipation of women". But most women in Mozambique live under deplorable conditions, stripped of their rights, humanity and dignity.

Poverty and inequality

In the declaration of independence, Frelimo proclaimed that the new government would fight and eliminate all the "faces of colonialism and underdevelopment". These included diseases, illiteracy and hunger. It said health services network would be extended throughout the country. Frelimo also promised to promote the spread of education at all levels.

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These promises have not been met. The Frelimo government has overseen growing poverty and inequality. It presides over low human development indices, especially in rural areas, particularly in the central and northern regions. Among these are:

health (child mortality, nutrition),

education (years of schooling, enrolment),

living standards (water, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, floor, assets), and

unemployment (notably of youth).

Corruption is rife. An egregious example was the revelation of the country's biggest ever financial scandal in 2016. Senior government officials acquired secret and illegal loans from Switzerland's Credit Suisse International and Russia's VTB Capital. It later emerged in court that more than US$17 million had been paid in bribes to the Frelimo party and two serving ministers at the time - defence and finance.

Conclusion

The ideals of the struggle for freedom outlined in the 1975 declaration of independence are lost and forgotten.

In my view Frelimo has made a mockery of the ideals of liberation. Mourning, not celebration, is suitable for the occasion.

David Matsinhe, Losophone Research Specialist/Adjunct Professor in African Studies, Carleton University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
press release

Goma  Three Months On, Elisee Lwatumba, Eric Muhindo Unjustly Detained

Congolese authorities should immediately and unconditionally release two activists who were arbitrarily arrested on April 19, 2021, after peacefully demonstrating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Human Rights Watch said. Elisee Lwatumba and Eric Muhindo, both members of the youth movement Struggle for Change (Lutte pour le Changement, or Lucha), were charged with "incitement to civil disobedience" and "threats of attack," and face up to five years in prison, their lawyer said.

The arrest in North Kivu province of the two activists and the baseless charges against them is part of a government crackdown on pro-democracy groups, the media, and other dissenting voices, which has been tightening since early 2020. On May 6, 2021, nearly three weeks after their arrest, martial law was imposed on North Kivu and Ituri provinces, further threatening fundamental rights and freedoms, and effectively stalling all court cases.

"The arbitrary detention of Elisee Lwatumba and Eric Muhindo is a worrying reminder that peaceful protesters are still at risk in Congo," said Thomas Fessy, senior Congo researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities should demonstrate their commitment to freedom of expression by immediately releasing both activists and dropping the charges against them."

Officers of Congo's National Intelligence Agency (Agence nationale de renseignements, ANR) arrested Lwatumba and Muhindo while they were returning home following a peaceful demonstration on April 19 in Butembo, North Kivu province. Muhindo told Human Rights Watch that they were forced into a police vehicle and taken to an ANR cell. "They beat us with sticks, even while interrogating us," Muhindo said. "They told us to confess that we were Mai-Mai [rebels], and that we were part of a group that is trying to start a revolt."

Earlier that day, both activists took part in demonstrations in town as part of a general strike movement that began on April 5 in the cities of Goma, Beni, and Butembo in North Kivu. Protesters called on the authorities to stop the killings by armed groups in Beni territory and said that MONUSCO, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, should leave Congo because of its perceived inaction to protect civilians.

Armed groups and government forces have killed more than 1,250 civilians during attacks in Beni territory since the start of a major military operation on October 30, 2019. These general strikes or journees ville morte ("ghost towns") largely paralyzed socio-economic activities in the province.

Lwatumba and Muhindo were held at an intelligence agency detention facility for two nights, then taken to the prosecutor's office, where they were interrogated in the presence of their lawyer. On April 24, they were transferred to Butembo's overcrowded central prison. Facing extremely dire conditions, each paid about US$27 so they could get access to a section where they were allowed to have a mattress brought in from home, which they share with two other detainees, Muhindo said.

Congolese and international human rights activists have campaigned for their release. On July 13, Congo's human rights minister, Fabrice Puela, told journalists that "these young men shouldn't have their future compromised because they demonstrated in the Republic's interests." Puela said he discussed their case with the chief of military justice "to see how to obtain their provisional release."

Lwatumba, 22, was in his final year at high school at the time of his arrest. "I am going to miss state exams [giving access to higher education]," he told Human Rights Watch. Muhindo, 32, is Three Months On, Elisee Lwatumba, Eric Muhindo Unjustly Detainedmarried with two children and owns a small business. "It has become very hard to take care of my family," he said.

Their case was initially set to be heard at the Peace Tribunal (Tribunal de paix), a civilian court tasked with low-level crimes and infractions. However, under martial law orders - contrary to regional human rights standards - their case will be prosecuted before a military court. In its July 7 briefing, the UN Joint Human Rights Office stated that because cases were not being processed, "dozens of people were kept in pretrial detention without [their cases] being heard, in violation of the law." It said that military tribunals had noThree Months On, Elisee Lwatumba, Eric Muhindo Unjustly Detainedt been "given the means to proceed with criminal cases that were ongoing at civilian courts."

A third Lucha activist has been arbitrarily detained in Goma since July 6. Parfait Muhani had come from Butembo for work when local authorities told him to meet with the provincial head of the NThree Months On, Elisee Lwatumba, Eric Muhindo Unjustly Detainedational Intelligence Agency. He was taken to the military prosecutor's office instead.

He was questioned about allegations by Lucha a month earlier that staff of the Congolese first lady's Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi Foundation misappropriated goods intended for people displaced by the recent Nyiragongo volcano eruption. The foundation filed a defamation complaint against Lucha. Lucha also alleged that local authorities, some of whom have since been arrested, were responsible for misappropriating goods.

"I said that I was not there [in Goma, at the time of the eruption], and that I knew nothing about the case," Muhani told Human Rights Watch. "When they were done interrogating me, they said, 'You are under arrest.'"

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Muhani said he spent one night in a cell at the prosecutor's office and was told to pay $10 or be tortured. The following day, he was shown a provisional arrest warrant and transferred to Goma's central prison, where he remains, facing charges of "defamatory statements," "contempt for the supreme magistrature," and "criminal association." These baseless charges against Muhani should be dropped and he should be immediately and unconditionally released, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch has documented dozens of cases involving state agents and security forces targeting activists and journalists over the past year. On January 20 a military court acquitted eight Lucha members, after they spent a month in detention and faced up to 10 years in prison for taking part in a peaceful march in Beni territory.

Also in Beni, dozens of children calling for peace were violently accosted and rounded up by police forces on April 29. President Felix Tshisekedi apologized to all the children involved on June 17, but only after he appointed the police commander in charge of the round-up, Francois Kabeya, mayor of Goma on May 25.

"The Congolese government continues to target activists who raise uncomfortable truths and advocate for peace and justice," Fessy said. "The activists Lwatumba, Muhindo, and Muhani should never have been arrested and now martial law is holding back court cases, keeping these activists unjustly in detention."
Monrovia  In an effort to revamp and clean up the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sub-sector, to make it more responsive to national growth and development, the Minister of Mines and Energy has undertaken several measures to ensure transparency and greater efficiency within the Department of Mines.

As part of these measures, Minister Gesler E. Murray, has appointed Mr. Arthur C. Gotolo as Director of Mines, while his predecessor Mr. Samuel T. K. Wilson has been transferred to central administration for re-assignment as per Civil Service regulations.

Minister Murray, in 2019, transferred the Inspectorate Division from the Department of Mines to the Office of the Minister to separate the respective roles of the Inspectorate Division and the Department of Mines. Minister Murray noted: "The simple logic is that one cannot be a player and a referee at the same time." The Department of Mines is responsible for the issuance of mining licenses, while the Inspectorate Division ensures compliance of these licenses in consonance with the mineral and mining laws of Liberia.

The Ministry informs the public that in furtherance of the institutional reforms, the large number of volunteer inspectors that were inherited from previous administrations were relieved of their assignments in the various mining districts across the Country.

Additionally, only volunteer inspectors with good track records will be recommended for employment to the Civil Service Agency (CSA). At the same time, a similar measure will be rolled out to remove volunteer mining agents from the system. The Ministry assures the public that this administration remains robust in clamping down on dredge mining and other illegal activities within the artisanal and small-scale mining sub-sector. These measures are aligned with the Government's overarching objective to enhance revenue collection from the mining sector.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy is also pleased to inform the public that it is continuing the training in smart mining techniques to improve the capacity of local miners to carry out their mining activities in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.

In another development, the Ministry has completed the construction of additional 300 meters of revetments or seawalls at New Kru Town to prevent sea erosion. This brings to 1,325 meters of seawalls to further protect additional homes, schools and other structures within the vicinity
Monrovia  Last week, Assistant Minister for Logistics at the Ministry of State, James Emmanuel Potter, came under fire and the criticisms of youth league of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) for popping champagne on an Audi Q7 he had bought for his wife as a birthday gift. The contention surrounded his ability to afford such a luxurious car with his meager salary. The youth league believed there was something sinister that needed investigation. They described his action as anti-pro-poor.

"The Revolutionary National Youth League of the Mighty Coalition for Democratic Change (RNYL-CDC) condemns in its stoutest term the reckless display of wealth on the part of Assistant Minister J. Emmanuel Potter. The action of Emmanuel Potter who couldn't afford a 2,500 USD vehicle years back will in less than three years be displaying and popping champagne over a luxurious Audi Q7 vehicle," said Hassan Newland, Assistant Secretary of CDC Youth League.

The week barely ended when the news of the Director for Mines at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Samuel T. K. Wilson, being transferred to central administration for re-assignment as per Civil Service regulations.

According to the Ministry, the transfer is intended to revamp and clean up the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sub-sector, to make it more responsive to national growth and development.

However, FrontPageAfrica has gathered that Mr. Wilson is also being investigated by the Ministry of Justice over his acquisition of a luxurious 18-bedroom guest house in the Du Port Road community which has raised eyebrows over his dealings in mines sector.

He is also said to be carrying out another construction on the RIA Highway. FrontPageAfrica has, however, not been able to verify this information as Mr. Wilson could not be reached for comments up to press time.

FrontPageAfrica gathered that the Minister became concern over the matter taking into consideration that Mr. Wilson's take-home pay is about US$600 and only acquired the property after his employment to that position.

Mr. Wilson closePost Views: 3d down his Facebook account immediately the news hit social media.

And while the public is yet to get a comprehensive detail of the story unfolding at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, another broke out at the Port of Buchanan over the weekend.

The Manager of the Buchanan Port in Liberia was suspended for alleged financial impropriety amounting to over US$200,000.

Mr. Charles Gull and his Chief Statistician, Amara Kamara were suspended early Friday afternoon for their alleged involvement in diverting monies intended for the Government of Liberia into their personal accounts both in the United States and Liberia, respectively.

The funds, according to reports, were remittances reportedly paid by Arcelor Mittal and Equatorial Palm Oil for the exportation of iron ore and palm oil out of the country via the port in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara were arrested and risked off by agents of the National Security Agency (NSA) for interrogation early Friday afternoon.

Though the NSA, though it's Director Henrique Pearson remains tightlipped on the arrest and subsequent investigation of Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara, there are reports that the pair remain in the custody of the NSA.

In a release issued late Friday evening under the signature of the Communications Director of the NPA Malcolm Scott, the NPA confirmed the suspension of Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara.

The release endorsed that the pair was suspended without pay for alleged financial impropriety.

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According to the release, an investigation has been launched into the matter.

"The Management of National Port Authority informs the public that Buchanan Port Manager, Mr. Charles D. Gull and Amara Kamara, Chief statistician, outstation ports, have been suspended with immediate effect without pay for "alleged financial impropriety".

"The two employees will remain suspended until the outcome of an ongoing investigation which they have been subjected to".

The release pointed out that the actions taken against Mr. Gull and Mr. Kamara are in "straight adherence to the NPA's administrative axe against any of its staff who may be found punishable for acts consistent with the Port's policy".

Meanwhile, the NPA has vowed to release the details and findings concerning the ongoing probe and subsequent actions by the NPA Management to the public.
analysis

BY Tawanda Majoni is the national coordinator at Information for Development Trust (IDT) and can be contacted on tmajoni@idt.org.zw

Just recently, former South African president, Jacob Zuma, walked into the Estcourt Correctional Centre close to his rural Nkandla kraal to serve a 15-month jail sentence after having been convicted of contempt of court for severally failing -- read refusing--to appear before a commission investigating multi-billion corruption scandals in which he is being named as a central player.

Initially, he had vowed that he would not go to jail, accusing some justices at the country's constitutional court of waging a personal war against him.

At that time, he had holed himself up in his Nkandla homestead.

That place is a breath-taking palace built along Zulu tradition and with, no doubt, ill-gotten money.

As he wined and dined inside the palatial home and hosted high-profile guests, his sympathisers--thousands of them--were toyi-toying outside and formed a human wall against law enforcers, who were likely to come and drag him out.

The loyalists included hundreds of ANC veterans of the war against apartheid who wore military fatigue and threatened anyone that would dare touch Msholozi, a popular nickname for Zuma, uBaba kaDuduzane.

A few hours before the deadline for him to surrender himself to justice, a defiant Zuma, after what looked like a string of meetings with God-knows-who, slipped out of his beloved Nkandla and went straight to Estcourt prison to start serving his term.

After that, all hell broke loose.

As Msholozi was fitting on the orange prison garb, people in KwaZulu-Natal started what then appeared like spontaneous riots.

The riots quickly spread to the Gauteng province.

Property was destroyed, shops were looted and, by now, over 200 people have died in the protests.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to deploy the army to quell the riots that he, up to now, believes were organised along ethnic lines.

A modest way to say powerful Zulu people planned and executed the riots, especially through social media.

In the few days between Msholozi's surrender to Estcourt and now, the South African economy has suffered a multi-billion loss through wanton destruction of property and infrastructure, looting, disruption of services and, most probably, stock market shivers.

Here is the thing.

The majority of the people, who started the protests seemed to be convinced that Zuma was being persecuted by his political enemies.

Many of who subsequently joined the looting in particular didn't and don't care if Msholozi has enemies or not.

They just wanted to lay their hands on that unattended flat-screen TV, crates of beers or dressed cow carcasses.

Let's not miss the point though. The blame lies mostly with the organisers of the pro-Zuma protests.

They were the ones who torched the veld and then gave space to greedy looters, foreigners who would love to kick Zuma in the wrong place, among them.

But then, who in current civilisation would like to torch the veld and still protest his or her innocence?

One political analyst seems to have nailed it when he appeared on air to unpack the growing Zuma-based tension in KZN and Gauteng.

Paraphrased, this is what he said: "The problem with successive ANC governments is that they have tended to neglect giving proper education to the people. That's the reason why Zuma's sympathisers are now failing to draw a line between politics and the justice system."

Spot on. The Zuma admirers must have known that their hero's -- or "martyr's" -- fate must be decided by the courts.

South Africa still has a constitution and laws. They had no business violently barring law enforcers from taking their hero to jail.

Doing so was/is tantamount to anarchy. As long as the law exists, it must be observed.

It doesn't matter that, in quite a number of cases, the law is an ass.

It seemed it never occurred to the admirers what slippery precedent it would have set if Msholozi had completely refused to leave Nkandla.

The authorities would never have sat back and let things go the Zuma way.

So, violent confrontations were naturally going to happen and people would have been killed by bullets inside and outside the Nkandla kraal.

Then the sympathisers would have been quick to invoke the memories of the Marikana massacres when, in 2012, SAPS opened fire on striking miners and 34 people got killed in the process.

After that, the very sympathisers would have invoked the memories of the 1960 Sharpeville massacres and the 1976 Soweto killings, going on to angrily liken Ramaphosa's administration with apartheid South Africa.

The net effect would have been heightened ethnic tension between the Zulu people and the other tribal populations in South Africa, in a large way.

When such tension reaches certain levels, there is critical disunity, instability and social, political and economic regression as we have seen in other parts of Africa.

But then, defiance would also have spawned another destructive culture, whereby people, going forward, would start disregarding the rule of law and do as they please.

Let's get it right, right from here.

There is absolutely no-one -- except a sewer rat -- who would like to associate with a country where there is no respect for the rule of law.

In any case, isn't that Msholozi has already filed a couple of challenges against his conviction and sentence?

Isn't it that there is already a court process to review the Concourt ruling?

Why did the sympathisers, and possibly Zuma himself, not see, right from the start, that this was the correct thing to do, instead of whipping up populist emotion and taking South Africa to this level of civil disobedience?

The problem is bigger than this, as it were. Granted, even Saul was going to have his own backers before he transformed to Paul.

But such backers are always what they are--gutter sycophants.

They may like Zuma as much as they like, but these backers seem to be completely ignorant to the fact that their hero is not exactly a good guy.

He is facing criminal charges regarding alleged corruption, yes.

That one is before the courts and for the courts to decide. The law is an ass, so it says you are innocent till proven guilty.

But as we wait for the Zondo Commission and the courts to decide if Zuma is guilty or not, he is clearly guilty in a different matter--governance.

Zuma was a bad governor, period. That is why, in the first place, his tenure ended just before it was supposed to end.

The ANC and right-thinking South Africans decided they had had enough of his misrule so they couldn't wait for him to finish the lap.

In Africa, cornered dogs always say it was the cat when they are found with chicken blood on their snorts.

That is why they always talk of their enemies when they are caught with their fingers in the cookie jar, pretty like what Msholozi did in 2018 when they stood him down pre-term.

The law, being an ass, may one day find Zuma innocent of corruption.

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But his sympathisers must have stopped to think about how badly he managed South Africa between 2009 and 2018, a case in which the court of public opinion, not being an ass, has already found him guilty.

The public opinion bench has heard and upheld the evidence that Zuma was at the centre of the capture of the South African state.

He was/is a member of the "Zupta" family, a hybrid African-Indian mini-ecosystem bringing together the Guptas -- three Indian brothers who trekked to South Africa at independence in 1994 -- and the Zumas.

The Guptas owned a portfolio of companies, which got many lucrative contracts from the South African government.

That was because the Guptas were "family friends" of the Zumas and a few other relatives from the underworld extended family.

You will remember that Duduzane held senior positions in the Guptas' empire. And Duduzane is Zuma's son.

Zuma looked away when all this was happening. Why? Because he is a bad guy who had no regard for corporate governance.

Zuma allowed the Guptas to turn the South African state into its main client, something like a cash cow.

The Guptas milked, almost dry, many public enterprises, among them SAA, Transnet, Eskom and tax departments.

Those that danced to the Guptas' Odissi, Kathak or Manipuri were richly rewarded.

Those that disobeyed Gupta tenderpreneurship were severely punished. And those that dared probe the state capture were persecuted.

Zuma was the prefect, of course. And South Africa lost billions in the process. The ANC reputation got hard knocks and so did that of the country.

Nosy but notable outfits like KPMG, McKinsey, Bain and Co as well as German's SAP unearthed many unethical lapses in the manner in which tenders and contracts were awarded during Zuma's almost decade-long rule.
The Institute of Directors Zimbabwe (IoDZ) says executives taking up board leadership roles must be accredited with credible institutions if companies are to derive high-quality guidance and advice from them.

In an interview with Standardbusiness during the Director of the Year awards recently, IoDZ chairman Mike Eric Juru said this was important as the success of organisations hinged on the quality of directors that they appointed.

"The unfortunate reality is that the root cause (of board shortcomings) is traceable to the selection and appointment process," Juru told Standardbusiness.

"The pool from which the selection is done needs to be filtered first to ensure those appointed have credentials befitting the appointment," he added.

Juru said not everyone could be a director and there were critical attributes required for role effectiveness.

This is why directors must receive appropriately structured training and relevant experience, Juru noted.

In addition, they should have accepted to be subservient to a code of ethics or conduct as a professional, who continuously updates one's skills, leading to accreditation.

The IoDZ boss said such accreditation would give appointing authorities leads into, who qualified to sit on boards and who did not.

"The current situation deviates away from a known fact that success in one's field does not necessarily follow success in any other. While we have various professional accreditations, the respective practitioners find themselves elevated to a new responsibility of directorship without the requisite training and are expected to perform.

"Success in courts does not translate to success in governance practice, success in treating people and saving lives again does not translate to success in the boardroom," Juru added.

He said directors had a fundamental and legal responsibility to provide an oversight role for the organisations, which meant they provided a bird's eye view.

"The word 'oversight' is composed of 'over,' meaning above, and 'sight,' meaning looking, but most importantly, not touching and that is the difference maker.

"Directors perform the executive oversight role by deliberating on, scrutinising and approving company policies, strategies, programmes, and expenditure plans and to make executives accountable.

"The role further involves serving as a resource to the chief executive officer (CEO) for advice and guidance along with serving as a check and balance," Juru said.

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He said an important thing to note was that without skills and experience, one cannot advise and guide executives.

Juru said directors led busy lives, which required skillful boardroom management to pick executives who make the right decisions during the times they meet.

"It is imperative for the appointing authorities to save the situation by appointing the right skills from the start.

"Accreditation will confirm sufficient understanding of board meeting management best practices and would lead to corporate governance best practice all the time, which promotes organisational progress.

"The nuances of how to run a board meeting are part of director training.

"The institution of directorship needs to be revered as it carries so much responsibility.

"The platform for director accreditation is already in existence in Zimbabwe as we have respective professional bodies in governance (IoDZ) and also esteemed regulators in the form of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and State Enterprises Regulatory Authority, who are entrusted to protect the public interest.

"The respective bodies are strategically positioned to monitor, regulate, set practice standards and ethical codes for directors in state enterprises and listed companies," added Juru, founder and CEO at Integrated Properties.
Gruppo San Donato, Italys largest private hospital group have signed an agreement to collaborate with the Kenyan government with the aim to enhance development of telemedicine and the construction of new and modern hospitals.

Italy's teaching hospital, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University will enhance tele-medicine and the development of new state of the art hospitals in Kenya.

Today Gruppo San Donato, Italy's largest private hospital group have signed an agreement to collaborate with the Kenyan government with the aim to enhance development of telemedicine and the construction of new and modern hospitals.

In the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Kenya, Alberto Pieri, a MoU was signed between the San Donato Group - represented by the vice president, Kamel Ghribi, Professor Gianvito Martino, the Vice Rector for Research at the Vita -Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan government, represented by the Minister of Health, Mutahi Kagwe.

The MoU relates to a partnership between the San Donato Group, the Vita - Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan Ministry of Health to provide an enhanced local health sector. With a long-term vision to guarantee universal care in Kenya and to provide improved assistance and quality services to the Kenyan population, making the East African Country a health center in the region.

Four areas of focus for the Group San Donato Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan government will include development and support of the Kenyan national plan for mental health with the construction of a center of excellence in Nairobi; field training and exchange of professionals and students to strengthen clinical and specialist skills; partnership on research and innovation projects such as telemedicine, among others; consultancy for development projects of the care and assistance network; construction of new and modern specialized care facilities. These eventually will become a health hub of medical excellence for Africa.

President Kamel Ghribi said "A universal health care requires regional health hubs which in turn are key geo strategic health centers on the continent. To achieve this, we need to have stronger networks of health cooperation. Today's agreement between Italy and Kenya is a sign of long-term engagement for a better future and healthcare for all."

Health Minister of Kenya, Mutahi Kagwe said "Kenya and GSD will collaborate on research and the implementation of mental health interventions. Our objective is to adopt the philosophy of family health for the population. Kenyans deserve quality healthcare."

ABOUT Gruppo San Donato

GSD is the premier provider of health services at all levels of care in all specialties for the Italian National Health System for the last fifteen years, and employs a unique model centered on clinical and academic research to provide individual-based care to everyone.

Today, GSD employs 15,303 people including 4,092 physicians across 18 hospitals with 5,300 beds  and is first private healthcare group in Italy capable of managing 4 million patients a year.

Being the  1 hospital group in Italy, Gruppo San Donato is a pioneer in multiple research fields, with outstanding clinical programs and academic excellences. GSD provides diagnosis and treatment in all recognised medical fields that you would expect from a world-class healthcare system.

According to Bloomberg's 2019 Indexes, Italy is recognized as the 2nd healthiest country in the world, having the 4th most efficient healthcare system globally.The country's efficient national healthcare system, strong focus on healthy eating habits, combined with prevention, promote and ensure longevity for its citizens. Besides being a front-runner in the European healthcare arena, Italy offers excellent hospitality standards and a multitude of tourist attractions.

Media contact:

info@gksd.com

https://www.gsdinternational.com/our-vision-mission.html
Spurred by the sheer need to bridge the healthcare gap for Malawians both in the UK and Malawi, a group of Malawian nurses based in the Queensland have come together to help make a difference to the populace in the two countries.

Against this background, the first ever Malawian-UK Nurses Association has been launched with both the United Kingdom (UK) and the Malawi government lauding the establishment of the grouping as a right step towards the contribution of having a robust health system in the two countries.

Participating in the virtual launch on Saturday, UK's Minister for Africa James Duddridge said the association had the full blessing of the UK government and that Westminster appreciates the role that Malawian Nurses play in the UK.

"I am delighted with this association and as a government we recognize and appreciate your significance in the health sector here in the UK as well as in your homeland Malawi," said Duddridge.

Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima, who officially launched the Association commended the Malawi diaspora community in the UK for the initiative.

The Veep said the fact that they are Malawians in UK, it does not make them less Malawians - urging them to be involved in the development of Malawi.

"Through the Malawi Diaspora Engagement Policy, we seek to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between Capital Hill and the diaspora community.

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"The underlying goal in this relationship is to mainstream and empower Malawians living abroad to effectively make significant contributions to the development of the country," said Chilima.

The Vice President called on the Association to familiarize itself with the Malawi Health Policy which he said about is an overarching framework to guide the achievement of the health sector goals in Malawi.

"These goals include improving the health status of all Malawians, providing adequate financial risk protection and improving client satisfaction," said Chilima.

Earlier, Malawi's Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda shared with the association what she described as the devastating Covid 19 situation in Malawi.

The Minister said such Associations give hope that the government has reliable partners it can reach out to for expertise and technical assistance as the country battles the third wave of the virus.

President of the Malawian UK Nurses Association, Charity Gladstone said among other mandates the Association will be fighting for rights of Malawian Nurses in the UK on issues of promotion and career progression which said is not automatic for them as the diaspora.

Comedian Dalitso Chaponda spiced up the virtual launch with comedy picking on the current looting.

He sent the online participants into stitches when he wondered that instead of stealing espionage and information from South Africa all what Malawian diplomats thought of worth stealing was but booze.
press release

A handover ceremony of medical equipment, donated by the World Health Organization (WHO), was held, today, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Rose Belle. The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal; the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Mahen Kumar Seeruttun; the WHO Representative, Dr Laurent Musango, and other personalities, were present.

To the tune of Rs 6 million, the equipment comprises Bronchoscopy Endoscopic device, spirometer and microscope and will be used to conduct respiratory and pulmonary tests at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. This donation stems from the collaboration between the Mauritian authorities and the WHO following the grounding of the bulk carrier, MV Wakashio, offshore of Pointe d'Esny, last year, with a view to addressing the impact of the oil spill on human health. The Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital was the designated centre to treat health problems relating to the oil spill.

The Health Minister recalled, in his address, that health problems resulting from the oil spill included skin and eye irritation, as well as mild respiratory problems. Dr Jagutpal underlined that the oil spill incident was the first time that the country was faced with such a health hazard, and he thanked the WHO for its ongoing support.

The representative of the WHO, for his part, stressed that the equipment will help improve health care services for lung and respiratory illnesses in the short, medium and long term. It is noted that Covid-19 screening equipment was also remitted to the Ministry of Health and Wellness by the WHO on that occasion.
press release

An online Inter-ministerial meeting Committee in the context of the Indentured Labour Route Project (ILRP) chaired by the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, was held, this afternoon, at the Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre, Port Louis.

This first Inter-ministerial meeting organised by the Republic of Mauritius saw the participation of 11 Ministers in charge of arts, culture and heritage from various countries where indentured labourers established permanently. The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, also intervened during the meeting.

The objective of the meeting was to exchange views on the implementation of the ILRP in the different countries and on the creation of an international database gathering historical testimonies, especially archives, related to the history of indentured labour.

Several presentations were made during the meeting, namely: the ILRP, the International Indentured Labour Database, and the cultural perspective on the legacy of indentured diaspora in various countries.

On the same occasion, the International Indentured Labour Database Project was launched. The project aims to reconstruct migration history by using modern technology which will facilitate the study of demographic history of the population.

In his message, the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, recalled that the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund has been engaged since 2004 in the setting up of the ILRP. He added that the UNESCO supported the initiative of Mauritius to set up the ILRP when Mauritius presented the project to the UNESCO at its 195th session held in Paris in October 2014.

The project, he said, is steered by an International Scientific Committee including professionals in various fields and in October 2017, the Committee met for the first time to establish a plan of action listing activities and projects with the view to research and promote indenture. He underlined that the Committee which comprises 20 members from 14 countries has also developed an Action Plan 2021-2023 in a bid to raise awareness about the history of Indentured Labour.

Lauding the project, Prime Minister Jugnauth reaffirmed the need for indentured labour experience to be better known across the world. Through the project, he stated, a network of persons and institutions across the indentured diaspora will be created and this will contribute to nation building efforts and to a greater understanding among peoples and societies within the indentured diaspora and the countries themselves.

The Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, for his part, recalled that the Aapravasi Ghat is a place where indentured labourers set foot to write a new page in the history of Mauritius.

Speaking about the ILRP, he underlined that the Government of Mauritius has taken the initiative to give a new impetus to the project with a Secretariat based in Mauritius. The project, he added, is steered by an International Scientific Committee comprising scholars and scientists.

He further underlined the need to set up National Committees and announced that the Government of Mauritius has approved the setting up of a National Committee on the Labour Route Project which will comprise scholars, members of government, and civil society. Government, he emphasised, has at heart the development of the ILRP and the setting up of the National Committee will further help to attain the goals of this highly symbolic project.

Minister Teeluck also added that it would be an achievement to develop a database on labour migration where each citizen could disseminate their routes.

The Indentured Labour Route Project

The ILRP is steered by an International Scientific Committee including professionals in various fields such as history, anthropology, archaeology, and heritage.

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In October 2017, the International Scientific Committee met for the first time to establish a plan of action listing activities and projects with the view to research and promote indenture.

The aim of the ILRP is to bring together all countries having experienced the migration of indenture and other forms of contract labour in the 19th and mid-20th centuries.

It strives to contribute to nation building efforts and to a greater understanding among peoples and societies across the indentured diaspora as well as within the countries themselves.

The Mauritius National Committee and the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund would be responsible for working with the Government, civil society, academic institutions and other interested organisations on the planning and implementation of the Indentured Labour Route Project in Mauritius.
THE Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango has stressed on the need for Tanzanians to work hard while adhering to necessary precautions against the Covid-19 pandemic, which is ravaging the global health system.

Speaking during his tour of Kigoma region, Dr Mpango called upon Tanzanians to pray for the nation and its leaders, for them to continue working diligently in bringing development to wananchi.

"I have directed leaders from the regional, districts, wards all the to village level to emphasize on the need for people to take precautions against this disease," Dr Mpango said.

Inaugurating the Nyaruyoba Health Centre in Kibondo District, the VP told the people who gathered there that the third wave of Covid-19 had crossed in Kigoma region and it was among ten regions with the most patients.

He pointed out that before July 10th, this year the region had recorded 18 patients, noting that the third wave looks very intense as compared to two previous waves.

Dr Mpango urged members of the public not to take for granted the advice given by health experts on containing the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

"We should be very keen in following all the advice, so that we don't perish. Let's teach our children to frequently wash their hands with clean running water and soap without getting tired," noted the VP.

Dr Mpango encouraged people to stick to prayers so that God can relieve the country from adverse effects brought by the disease.

He applauded the residents of Nyaruyoba for their efforts of bringing development to the area through the construction of the health facility with a capacity of serving over 19,000 people within the ward and other neighbouring areas.

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When he was on the way to Kibondo, the vicepresident made a stopover at Nyakitonto in Kasulu District and listened to concerns from the residents, including park rangers brutality based on the claims of invading the Kagerankanda forest reserve.

According to the residents of Nyakitonto they have been using the area to run their various daily economic activities.

The VP ordered for an immediate solution to bring to an end any further conflicts between the people and the department of tourism and natural resources in the district.

He warned the park rangers against taking matters into their own hands, instead he said, they should let proper organs to resolve any arising conflicts.

At Makere Village, Dr Mpango affirmed the commitment of the government was to connect Kigoma and other regions through a tarmac road network to benefit the residents of the area.

Regarding ending water woes facing the residents of the village, the Minister for Water Mr Jumaa Aweso said they intend to drill water wells in the village beside the ongoing 45-litre well project being undertaken in collaboration with Development Partners (DPs).

Dr Mpango also made a stop at Busunzu in Kibondo district and assured the residents that the government will continue executing all social services projects, including the construction of roads, health centres, primary schools and water infrastructure.
THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped the money laundering charge in the economic trial of six people allegedly linked with theft of 164,160,000 litres of diesel valued at 246bn/- at Kigamboni area in Dar es Salaam.

This was revealed at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court last Friday when the trial came for mention. State Attorney Ester Martin told Senior Resident Magistrate in Charge Godfrey Isaya that the DPP decided to drop the charge as per section 91 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).

She informed the court that the DPP, under the provision in question, would not further prosecute the accused persons in respect to the charge of money laundering. Under the circumstances, therefore, the accused persons would face only three counts.

After the court had endorsed the DPP's decision, the trial attorney made substitution of the charge sheet and read over the remaining counts to the accused persons. They include damaging property used for the purpose of providing necessary service, stealing and occasioning loss to a specified authority.

The accused persons were not allowed to enter a plea to the charges because the case falls under the Economic and Organised Crime Control Act. The magistrate reminded them that his court still lacked jurisdiction to entertain anything, including the question of bail.

He said that the case against the accused persons would be tried by the Economic, Corruption and Organized Crime Division of the High Court. The lower court could try the matter only upon securing consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

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Following the decision of the DPP, however, the accused persons will be entitled to bail, which will be issued by the High Court. The court adjourned the case to July 29, 2021, for mention, as investigations into the matter are incomplete.

The accused person in the trial are Didacus Chacha (43), a resident of Kibada in Kigamboni, Lulu Kayombo (35), who resides at Kunduchi Mtongani, Lilian Kileo (58), a resident of Mbezi Beach, Amri Mzee (45), who resides at Ikwiriri and Ashrafu Karwani (51), a resident of Jet Lumo.

Prosecuting, the trial attorney told the court that on September 1, 2019 at Tungi area within Kigamboni District in Dar es Salaam Region, the accused persons damaged the pipeline used for supply of diesel, the property of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).

He alleged that on between September 1, 2019 and May 31, 2021 at Tungi area in Kigamboni District, by willful acts, the accused persons caused the TPA to suffer a pecuniary loss of 500m/-

The court heard that on May 31, 2021 at Tungi area within the district, all accused persons stole 164,160,000 litres of diesel valued at 246bn/-, the property of Oil Market Companies.
Displaced people in Adigrat town, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday vowed to wipe out the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a group that was once the country's ruling party, but which Addis Ababa now considers a terrorist movement.

Using alarming words like "weeds", "cancer" and "disease" to refer to the group, the Ethiopian leader seemed to confirm the final collapse of the unilateral ceasefire he had declared two weeks ago, which was meant to aid humanitarian access in the region now controlled by fighters allied to TPLF.

"The enemy we are facing is Ethiopia's cancer," Abiy said in a tweet referring to TPLF, led by Debretsion Gebremichael, whom Addis Ababa has proscribed alongside other senior Tigrayan leaders.

He said TPLF probably is the first and the only group in Ethiopia's history that is trying to disintegrate Ethiopia.

Uproot junta

"But certainly the junta will be uprooted in a way it will not regrow again... This will happen if we all rise to remove the Emboch," he added.

The Nobel peace laureate was referring to a water hyacinth, locally known as Emboch, which has invaded Lake Tana and which Ethiopia has not yet managed to get rid of despite fighting it for over 10 years.

But given the context of the war against TPLF, he may have been referring to crushing the rebel group once and for all.

"Abiy is saying Ethiopian joint forces will launch a large offensive against TPLF" Solomon Ketema, a political analyst told Nation.africa on Sunday.

"A large offensive means the conflict will not anymore be confined in the region. The intended move is so very dangerous and it could probably be the beginning journey towards the country's disintegration," he added.

After the collapse of the ceasefire, Addis Ababa accused TPLF of using child soldiers, something the group denied in a lengthy statement on Sunday morning. But now Addis Ababa is drafting supportive militia from regions across the country to join the Amhara fighters who had long sided with the Ethiopia National Defence Forces. Forces from Afar, Oromia, Somali region as well as the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's (SNNP) region had all been sent to Tigray to combat the TPLF and its allied militia.

Next Yugoslavia

Previously, some analysts had warned that Ethiopia might be the next Yugoslavia, referring to the disintegration of the once European country whose former republics split into independent states.

Sunday's statement, the second in a week, is the strongest made by the prime minister since Tigray's capital Mekelle was retaken from Ethiopia's army on June 28.

The statement by the Ethiopian leader could clearly be seen as an open declaration of war against TPLF.

He said Ethiopia National Defence Forces (ENDF) and regional forces are taking positions on the frontlines.

"We have strict plans on what, why, how, where and when to do it and enemies and friends will see the results very soon"

After TPLF recaptured major cities in southern and western Tigray, Abiy last Wednesday vowed to repel these fresh offensives.

"The government will do whatever is necessary to defend these attacks being carried out by our internal and external enemies" he then said.

However, it is not clear which external enemies he was referring to, though Egypt and Sudan are being seen as potential threats to security over Ethiopia's controversial dam.

Second phase of war

Regional states are also deploying forces to Amhara region to take on TPLF in the declared the second phase of war on Tigray.

Sidama, Oromia, SNNP and Afar regions have sent their forces to the frontline.

Other regions such as Somali and Gambela have also announced they will deploy their regional troops.

Metta-Alem Sinishaw, a political analyst on Ethiopia and East Africa, says the resumption of conflict marks the nationalisation and internalisation of the Ethiopian elite conflict.

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"However, the conflict is not any more TPLF vs Abiy or TPLF vs Amhara region. The active participation of several regional forces has unexpectedly transformed the conflict into at least a national front against TPLF. This will have serious political implication far beyond the military campaign."

As Ethiopia deploys regional forces to the war front, TPLF forces have started cross-regional attacks to repel arriving troops.

TPLF rebels have carried out operations against pro-government troops in neighbouring Afar region, a spokesman said Sunday, opening a new front in the widening eight-month conflict.

The "very limited action" targeted special forces and militia fighters from Oromia region, Ethiopia's largest, who were massing along the Tigray-Afar border, the rebel spokesman, Getachew Reda, told AFP.

"We took those actions to ensure those forces are sent back to Oromia, and we have managed to do that," Getachew said, adding that there were some casualties but he could not provide figures.

"Our action was very limited to dispersing the peasant militia from Oromia that was mostly press-ganged into fighting the useless war."
NEWS has broken in the past week about the involvement of Colombian mercenaries, trained by the United States, being at the heart of the assassination of Haitian President, Jovenel Moise.

The fact that those instrumental in the brazen killing of a legitimately elected leader of a sovereign state are all foreigners and most, if not all, were at some point trained by the US in causing significant concern throughout the Caribbean region and in South America.

Recent events in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and even Venezuela (where an attempted coup led by foreign mercenaries was foiled earlier this year) are setting off alarm bells.

Many are questioning if we are about to see a return to the turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s which witnessed civil wars across Central and South America as well as the Caribbean with foreign actors playing a major role either directly or at a minimum by way of providing weaponry and intelligence support.

The role of external forces in fomenting street protests in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela has been the subject of intensive social media activity.

Many are comparing recent developments with the grim dark days of Operation Condor which was a US-backed campaign of political repression and state terror involving intelligence operations and assassination of opponents.

Several then right-wing dictatorships of South America officially and formally implemented it in November 1975.

Wikipedia says about Operation Condor that due to its clandestine nature, the precise number of deaths directly attributable to Operation Condor isdisputed.

Some estimates are that at least 60 000 deaths can be attributed to Condor, roughly 30 000 of these in Argentina.

American political scientist J. Patrice McSherry mentions in a 2009 source that of those who were kidnapped, tortured and killed in allied countries or illegally transferred to their home countries to be executed hundreds, or thousands, of such personsthe number still has not been finally determinedwere abducted, tortured, and murdered in Condor operations.

Victims included union and peasant leaders, priests and nuns, students and teachers.

Although it was described as a cooperative effort by the intelligence/security services of several South American countries to combat terrorism and subversion, guerrillas were used as an excuse, as they were never substantial enough to control territory, gain material support by any foreign power, or otherwise threaten national security.

With this background, recent events in the West African archipelago-state of Cape Verde should also be setting alarm bells. The past year has seen the pursuit, via politically motivated judicial overreach, of Venezuelas leadership by the US spill over into this small collection of ten islands.

At the heart of the ongoing legal fight is the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab who was detained in Cape Verde whilst undertaking a humanitarian Special Mission to purchase food and medicines from Iran on 12 June 2020.

His aircraft had only stopped to refuel.

Many will never have heard of the Republic of Cape Verde, a former Portuguese colony which gained independence in 1975, let alone find it on a map of the world.

Cape Verde has the distinction of being the closest part of the African continent to South America.

It is a short four-hour flight from the tip of Brazil. This has made Cape Verde the perfect stop, according to The Spectator and The Daily Telegraph both leading respected publications from the United Kingdom, for the narco-traffic from Brazil.

The Daily Telegraph quoted a local rap star as saying, Cape Verde is the World Trade Centre of cocaine and buying drugs here is easier than buying water.

The narco-trade has a close and symbiotic relationship with narco-funds.

This relationship creates large quantities of money which needs to be laundered and here again, as a recent report by Pangea Risk reported, Cape Verde has indicated its willingness to assist.

Concerns are said to be growing in the European Union, led by the former colonial power Portugal, about the weakness of compliance systems and, given the disproportional impact of narco-funds on the Cape Verde banking system, the willingness of local banks and the political eliteto look the other way.

So, a small island state with absolutely no natural resources of its own, desperately trying to compete with global powerhouses in the Idyllic Islands of the World tourist trade has shown its willingness to be the go-to partner for a newly strident Superpower looking for an African outpost from which to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the continent.

Last year the Cape Verde Constitutional Court ruled against the construction of a US military base. Undaunted by this setback, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia has recently announced subject to details to be worked out that the embassy complex of the United States will undergo a massive expansion valued at over $400 million and promising to directly inject $100 million into the Cape Verde economy.

Just to place that in context, $400 million would represent an improbable 20% of the GDP of Cape Verde.

Little wonder then that the expansion is described as massive. Locals have also been left wondering quite how the direct injection into the Cape Verde economy will take place as no local firm has the specialist expertise nor security clearance to handle a contract of the type.

No doubt the local champions of the project will find a way.

This sudden interest in Cape Verde is not justified by business flows, not by tourist numbers  in fact no plausible explanation for the project has been voiced by Ulisses Correia.

The only rational explanation for the massive expansion is that it will be an embassy complex in name only as in reality it will be the very military base that the Constitutional Court declared illegal in 2020.

A military base, supposedly, from which to conduct significant monitoring on sea traffic exiting the Mediterranean Sea and either heading towards South America or south along the West Coast of Africa.

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Either way, seafarers will have to pass-by the ten islands of

Cape Verde.

There is of course another use of such a massive expansion and that is to keep a close watch on potential hostile (to US interests) activity of African states, starting with the 14 other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), whose fifteenth member is Cape Verde.

It would be the perfect place from which, given that Cape Verde isseveral hundred kilometres from the nearest African mainland (Senegal), from where to train those who would carry conduct the political will of the United States.

Out of sight and out of mind but all the time supported by a compliant and pliant political elite which has no regard for the long-term impact on its small population of the arrival of young, armed military personnel.

Do the Cape Verde people know how desperate the islanders of Okinawa are to get rid of their wanted guests? Are they aware how happy the locals in the Philippines were once the lurid night clubs and seediness associated with two large military bases closed as the bases themselves were abandoned?

Ulisses Correia and his political associates are destroying the hard-earned reputation of their country, but it seems there is no end to how far they will go, egged on by the illusion of economic salvation, to destroy the moral and social fabric of their island nation in pursuit of

personal glory.
There is heavy traffic gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Monday, following heavy influx of vehicles occasioned by travellers exiting and entering Lagos for the global Sallah celebrations.

Tuesday and Wednesday has been declared as public holidays by Federal Government to observe the annual Eid- el Kabir by Muslims across the globe.

Eid al-Adha, Arabic for Festival of the Sacrifice, is one of the latter holidays celebrated among Muslims.

Muslim faithful often commemorates the day with the slaughtering of rams.

Most civil servants also seized the eve to travel out as the state Secretariat was a shadow of itself as workers, mostly junior did not turn up for work expected to be done on a half day duty.

Despite joint efforts by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and other agencies like the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), the building gridlock still stretched to Mobil Gas Station outbound Lagos and Mountain Top University for those moving in to Lagos.

Motorists got stranded along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway since the early hours to beat the anticipated usual gridlock commonly experienced during festivity periods, especially on the eve of such festival.

The situation was also compounded as a result of large buyers who stormed Kara Cattle Market around the long bridge, Lagos-Ogun border line, to shop for rams and cows for the Sallah celebration as well as various pockets of broken down vehicles.

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Passengers were also stranded as transport operators hiked fares. Some passengers trekked long distances to get to their destinations

The popularly commercial motorcyclists, known as "Okada" riders were seen making brisk business commuting wiling and desperate passengers out of the traffic quagmire.

It was gathered that for instance, a ride from the Long Bridge to Berger that normally goes for N200 for each passenger was hiked to N500, while a ride from Mowe to Berger, rose from N500 to N1,000.

An officer of the FRSC, who did not want to be mentioned, said the situation is overwhelming due to activities of traders, Lorries and truck that brought rams from the North.

According to him, there was limited space for buyers to park in the market, considering the number of lorries and rams available for sale as well as the state of the market.

Also checks by Vanguard also showed large number of air travellers with families, who stormed Murtala Muhammed Local Airport, Ikeja, were seen in a rush to catch available flight to their various destinations.

Details later...

RELATED NEWS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has confirmed that a military jet crashed in the Northwest region but the pilot survived the crash.

Irabor spoke in Kaduna on Monday at an interactive session with senior and junior officers from the North West.

Irabor who did not give details, said the pilot was flown to an undisclosed hospital.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, an Air Commodore ,explained in a statement on Monday that on 18 July 2021, at about 12.45 pm, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft, returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna State, came under intense enemy fire which led to its crash in Zamfara State.

"Luckily, the gallant pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft. Using his survival instincts, the pilot, who came under intense ground fire from the bandits, was able to evade them and sought refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset."

"Using the cover of darkness and his phone set for navigation, Flight Lieutenant Dairo was able to elude several bandits' strongholds and maneuvered his way to a Nigerian Army Unit, where he was finally rescued.

"It is instructive to note that upon receipt of the news of the crash, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, had directed that all efforts must be emplaced to rescue the pilot. Accordingly, NAF Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms and helicopter gunships provided close air support to NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops who were able to locate the crash site and the pilot's parachute, while also combing nearby locations for any sign of the pilot. It is gladdening to note that while in hiding, Flight Lieutenant Dairo confirmed that the presence of NAF aircraft within the vicinity of the crash site helped in scaring the bandits who were after him, thus enabling him to find refuge and escape to a safe location.

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"It is important to also recall that only recently, the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, had directed the Armed Forces of Nigeria to do all it takes to flush out criminal elements in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna States. It is in fulfilment of this directive that the NAF, in conjunction with surface forces, has in the last 2 weeks mounted intensive day and night air interdiction operations against bandits and their hideouts, especially in these 3 states. Through these intensive air operations, hundreds of bandits have been neutralized and several of their hideouts destroyed.

"Despite the setback of yesterday's crash, the NAF remains committed towards fulfilling Mr President's mandate as well as other constitutional roles assigned to it. The willingness, readiness and tested ability of the NAF remains unshaken and unwavering as it continues to carry out its assigned roles," he said.

RELATED NEWS
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft was shot down by bandits on Sunday.

There were reports of a crash involving military aircraft the authorities denied the stories.

However, in a statement on Monday, Spokesman of NAF, Edward Gabkwet, said a military jet was attacked while returning from an air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna States.

He, however, said the pilots and all other occupants were rescued, saying the gallant pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft.

According to him, "Using his survival instincts, the pilot, who came under intense ground fire from the bandits, was able to evade them and sought refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset."
The Lamu Port on Thursday received the third vessel since it opened on May 20, signalling what officials say is a vote of confidence in the facility from the shipping industry.

The MV AMU 1, which docked in Kililana, Lamu West, had sailed from Zanzibar. It had a consignment of 62 containers belonging to CMA CGM Shipping lines - 41 forty-footers and 21 twenty-footers, equivalent to 103 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

The consignment contained mostly agricultural products from Zanzibar, said Joseph Tonui, the Kenya Revenue Authority's (KRA) regional coordinator in charge of the Southern Region.

Mr Tonui described the cargo's arrival as a vote of confidence in the port by the shipping industry.

"The dream of making Lamu the port of choice for exports, imports and as a transshipment hub is becoming a reality," he said.

KRA has deployed new Integrated Customs Management Systems at the port to ensure faster cargo clearance and enhance turnaround time in a move to secure competitive advantage in the shipping industry and pull more business to the port.

"In addition, the management of KRA has deployed experienced officers to offer efficient customs services to support the budding business at the new port," he said.

"We will continue to support and facilitate international trade as well as working closely and partner with industry players that include shipping lines, importers, exporters, clearing agents and logistics to enhance trade and generally market the new port."

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He encouraged other shipping lines to use the port and direct the biggest vessels to be served at the facility given that it has greater capacity, an efficient customs clearance process and has waived transshipment fees.

The arrival of the MV AMU 1, said Lapsset Regional Manager Salim Bunu, was a key milestone for the facility.

Mr Bunu thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta for his support in ensuring the port achieves its objective.

"I'm happy that today the Lamu Port has received its third ship since its opening. This is a key indication that the facility is a reality," he said.

"I' m confident the operationalization of the port will tilt the economic scales not only in Lamu but Kenya as a whole."

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said the government had done what it could to ensure the region enjoys peace and stability so that port activities are carried out uninterrupted.

He said the government had deployed adequate security across the region and assured port users that their security was guaranteed.

The improved road network, he noted, had contributed immensely to greater security.

"Lamu is safe. For all port users, I can assure you that your security is guaranteed," he said.

President Kenyatta opened the port on May 20 this year in an event coinciding with the docking of the first ship, the MV CAP Carmel from Singapore.
Eswatini's King Mswati III on Friday appointed Cleopas Dlamini as the southern African nation's new Prime Minister, the move coming after weeks of protests in a push for democracy.

Dlamini, previously the chief executive of the Public Service Pension Fund, replaces Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, who died in December 2020.

The announcement, streamed live online and on state radio on Friday, was made at an open public meeting known as Sibaya, usually only held once a year.

Pro-democracy campaigners called demonstrations to coincide with it.

Eswatini police fired teargas and water cannons at the anti-monarchy protesters, the head of a teachers' union said.

"Police have dispersed us. At the moment, they are driving us out of the town's outskirts," Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary-General Sikelela Dlamini said earlier from Manzini, Eswatini's second-largest city.

He also said shops and offices were closed.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network said Mswati's army rounded up 18 protesters in Manzini in the last four hours.

"We hear eight of them are badly injured and are at Manzini police station," SSN said in a statement.

Opposition leader Mlungisi Makhanya of Pudemo was reportedly one of those arrested.

Skirting around the sticky issues, Mswati said it was important that the Prime Minister be someone who is accessible and open to advice by the nation.

He asked the nation to fully support and stand behind the new PM.

The king also noted the importance of improving the local economy in light of a strain in the region.
editorial

Kenya and Tanzania have joined Uganda in introducing prohibitive taxes on telecommunications services. Kenyans will be paying more for data as the telecom industry passes on the cost of an increase in excise duty payable on data. While Uganda has finally retreated from a disastrous sin tax on social media services in favour of a more lucrative levy embedded in the pump price for fuel, the Treasury could not resist the temptation of imposing a 12 percent tax on airtime.

Tanzania, on the other hand, followed in Uganda's footsteps to introduce a tax on mobile money transactions.

These taxes partly reflect the fiscal crisis governments in the region are grappling with. Yet, as experience has shown, these taxes might yield much for the pain they inflict on consumers and, in the extreme, might even result in a drop in aggregate revenues for the sector if consumers are forced into foregoing, or cutting back on their consumption of mobile telephone services. Uganda has been in this space before and that is what probably informed the recent change of tack.

East Africa's treasury secretaries are probably going for the telecommunications sector because it is tantalisingly low-hanging fruit. Yet targeting it is likely to kill the wave of innovation that would have positioned the economies for a faster rebound.

Imposing an additional tax on any sector during the current lockdowns is also detrimental. With the majority of people confined at home and continuity in learning increasingly dependent on the ability to have data, telecommunications is no longer a luxury but an essential service. Imposing taxes that make the service less affordable is akin to shooting oneself in the foot since the ripple effect will manifest in less pleasant ways.

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Mobile telephony and the value-added services that come with it have been transformational for Africa and it is not surprising that the continent leads in the usage of mobile money. In a region of poor physical infrastructure, mobile telephony leaped over physical constraints, accelerating economic velocity in previously unimagined ways. Mobile money is the only way hundreds of millions on the continent interface with any formal financial service.

Taxing mobile telephony and its associated services is not inherently wrong. In a largely informal economic setting, taxing telephone services may as well be the only way of bringing informal players into the tax loop. The question is, how much tax is a fair tax on the sector and the user?

The double-digit rates aside, there are also philosophical questions to deal with. Excise duty on calling credit can be defended because it creates value. What value is created when one simply deposits or receives money into their mobile money account? And in a situation where calling credit is used as a currency to pay for other services, what are the likely knock-on effects of the tax down the line?

Unless well-coordinated, taxes on the sector can also disrupt regional initiatives such as the One Network Area, if a differential between partners diverts international traffic to neighbours. Government technocrats need to be more creative and stimulate private sector consumption and business growth.
Michael Wanjihia Onesmus, the man who was accused of signing off billions of shillings to controversial businessman Kamlesh Pattni, has claimed that the Central Bank of Kenya played along in the theft of Sh19.3 billion from taxpayers to cover up questionable loans it had issued to four struggling lenders.

Last year, Mr Onesmus sued the CBK and the government, claiming to have been coerced into resigning before being prosecuted for the loss as part of a ploy to cover up the banking industry regulator's role in one of Kenya's most brazen public funds heists.

In his latest court filings, the former CBK bureaucrat gives details of banks and overdrafts he alleges Mr Pattni exploited to swindle taxpayers as the regulator watched.

Mr Onesmus was a CBK bureaucrat when irregular payments of at least Sh19.3 billion were made to companies associated with Mr Pattni, in what was dubbed the Goldenberg scandal.

Resigned

He resigned from the banking industry regulator in August 1993 after Mr Micah Cheserem took over as CBK governor from Mr Eric Kotut.

The irregular payments were made in two batches of Sh13.5 billion and Sh5.8 billion when during Mr Kotut's tenure.

The scandal was executed just after the government had implemented new laws that gave incentives to companies that brought in foreign exchange to Kenya.

The incentives involved the National Treasury, through the CBK, giving companies a 20 per cent bonus of whatever amount of US dollars that were brought into the country.

At the time, the CBK was fully in charge of handling of US dollars, meaning companies that were paid in the foreign currency had to deposit their earnings with the CBK.

Forged receipts

Mr Pattni took advantage of the scheme by providing the Treasury and CBK with forged receipts of gold and diamonds he claimed to have exported.

The CBK paid Mr Pattni at least Sh19.3 billion, on the strength of the businessman's claims and receipts, rather than dollar deposits with the banking industry regulator.

In reality, the little gold and diamonds that Mr Pattni exported had not been mined locally, but were smuggled into Kenya from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Pattni shared the loot with several companies and law firms in a move that appeared to be money laundering.

After the Goldenberg scandal went public in 1993, Mr Onesmus was charged alongside Mr Pattni, former Treasury Permanent Secretary Karuga Koinange and former CBK Deputy Governor Eliphaz Riungu for authorising and making payments to Mr Pattni's firms.

But last year, Mr Onesmus sued the CBK and government, claiming to have been coerced into resigning.

"On the morning of August 13, 1993, I was called by the head of administration of the CBK and informed me that the new (CBK) governor had decided to sack several senior officers of the CBK and there was no debate about it. The head of administration told me that I was the first to be informed so that I could be given a chance to retire because I had served the CBK for 27 years. I was required to tender my resignation immediately," Mr Onesmus says in court papers.

No choice

"The threat was real because there are other officers who were sacked after refusing to resign and had to sue the CBK and the cases have been in courts for many years. I had no choice but to oblige".

In pursuing millions of shillings for alleged coercion and malicious prosecution, Mr Onesmus now claims in court papers that the CBK had granted overdrafts to Pan African Bank (Sh4.5 billion), Exchange Bank (Sh3.96 billion), National Bank of Kenya (Sh1.2 billion) and Transnational Bank (Sh250 million).

Previously, the CBK had insisted that Mr Onesmus resigned voluntarily and that the regulator is not aware of the claims made by its former employee on the Goldenberg scandal.

Mr Pattni told the CBK that the money he made from the gold and diamonds exports would be sold to the banking industry regulator by the four banks with unpaid overdrafts.

The CBK used the money made by the four lenders in the Sh13.5 billion batch of payments to clear the pending overdrafts -- a move that cleaned up the banking industry regulator's own books of accounts, Mr Onesmus adds.

Mr Onesmus alleges that he was prosecuted as a scapegoat aimed at covering the regulator's role in the scandal that benefitted Mr Pattni's companies -- Goldenberg International Limited and Exchange Bank.

The former CBK bureaucrat insists that he was not in charge of entering contracts with Goldenberg International or any of Mr Pattni's companies, and that the payment orders in the Sh13.5 billion batch were ordered by the Finance ministry.

At the time, former Vice President George Saitoti was the Finance minister, and was a close associate of his boss, President Daniel Arap Moi.

Mr Pattni owned Pan African Bank and Exchange Bank at the time. Transnational Bank was owned by former President Moi and his personal aide Joshua Kulei.

National Bank of Kenya was a government-owned lender at the time.

No dollars were expected

"It appears that these banks were unable to clear these overdrafts and therefore this scheme was used, which means that no dollars were expected to come. These transactions were performed in the accounts of the CBK and it cannot claim lack of knowledge or involvement."

"My petition is based on seeking reliefs for contravention of my fundamental rights and freedoms that were contravened by the respondents when the CBK forced me to resign to yield me to stand trial on its behalf to cover up its active involvement and perpetration on loss of public monies, which loss the CBK had knowledge and admitted in correspondences between itself and Kamlesh Pattni and contrived I be charged to hoodwink the public," Mr Onesmus says in court papers.

Mr Onesmus spent two years in remand as the trial proceeded, and his home was raided by Criminal Investigations Department (now Directorate of Criminal Investigations) detectives who claimed to be searching for evidence.

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Harassed in remand

The former CBK bureaucrat adds that he was physically and verbally abused in remand, and that it was unfair to remand him in Kamiti Maximum Prison, a facility that is typically for convicted criminals.

Interestingly, by the time Mr Onesmus was being tried alongside three others, CBK records indicating the irregular transactions with Mr Pattni had already been destroyed.

During the hearings, Jacinta Wanjala Mwatela, a former CBK director in charge of supplies and service, told the chief magistrate's court in 1998 that the documents were pulped and some shredded before being burned.

Why the documents were destroyed amid a pending investigation and trial has never been explained, but the move pointed at a cover-up plot.

Mr Onesmus is testing the limits of Kenya's laws, which usually provide a three-year window for filing cases against unlawful termination.

But the former CBK bureaucrat has filed his suit as a constitutional petition on grounds that his basic rights and freedoms were violated, and that the allegedly forced resignation was only a product of the larger scheme to frame him as a rogue employee in the Goldenberg scandal.

Constitutional petitions are allowed to lift the time limit provided for any kind of dispute, whether employment, land or any other.

bwasuna@ke.nationmedia.com
Likoni is the poorest constituency in Mombasa County despite the devolution of functions to regional governments, residents say.

Despite affordable housing in Likoni, it remains one of the most unappealing areas due to runaway insecurity, garbage and sewage menace along the Likoni to Lunga Lunga Highway.

Mr John Owenga, a resident of Mombasa, says he dreads living in Likoni.

"Likoni is a no for me. It has cheap housing, but security is wanting. The prices of the houses are good but I would rather stay in Kisauni. There is nowhere safe in Likoni. Wherever you are you are at risk of being mugged," Mr Owenga told Nation.Africa

Likoni is notoriously and historically insecure, a feature it shares with Kisauni, where mugging, drug abuse and rape are common.

But Likoni MP Mishi Mboko says crime is not peculiar to the constituency and some places are worse.

"Kisauni is equally not safe. Those who commit crimes in Kisauni are the ones that come seeking refuge in Likoni. In any rural urban setup, we expect such challenges," she said.

She, however, exuded confidence that with upcoming infrastructure developments like the Dongo Kundu Bypass and the Special Economic Zone (SEZ)w the constituency will become an industrial hub for investors.

"We are hoping to have the SEZ in Dongo Kundu, which is on course and will expand the industrial sector of Likoni. Initially, most of the industries were on the island. The bypass will boost the economic status of this part of Mombasa," she said.

Mr Salim Rashid, a resident of Shika Adabu, says he admires some of the developments in neighbouring Kwale County.

"There is a need for jobs and the creation of more opportunities. Development without jobs is meaningless. Nothing can run if there is no money in people's pockets," Mr Rashid said.

Joblessness among young people, he said, is fuelling crime in the area.

Mr Shaban Mwakea, a resident of Shika Adabu, said it is sad that Likoni leaders do not understand what residents want.

"Likoni is indeed a forgotten district of Mombasa. There are fewer opportunities for the youth. Families have no hope, whereas in neighbouring Matuga constituency, there are notable developments," he said.

"Our leaders have failed to work with the community in fighting crime. There is scarcity of water, lack of investments, dimming the hopes of many youths in the area."

When the Likoni footbridge was completed, traffic and congestion in the Likoni channel reduced drastically, easing movement of humans and vehicles. The Likoni ferry crossing was a nightmare for motorists but is now much better with reduced congestion.

Previously, the 500-metre crossing was an uncertain trip for the over 300, 000 people and 6,000 motorists.

The risks here were not just from a ferry stalling in the middle of the channel but also from losing personal belongings to pickpockets or being run over by a truck.

Ms Mboko, however, rejects the claim that the area is neglected, arguing that her constituency is now better than what it was a few years ago.

Through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the area now has Mishi Mboko Primary and Secondary Schools and Timbwani Mixed Secondary School.

The constituency also boasts about 80 roads built in partnership with the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra), increasing access to remote parts of the sub-county.

"I have rehabilitated primary and secondary schools in Likoni that had asbestos roofing, built perimeter walls and renovated toilets at several institutions. We have a new classroom and administration block at Mwahima Secondary school," Ms Mboko said.

She said that The constituency has grown, she said, as there are educational facilities, including a technical and vocational training institute.

Poverty has affected children and young people disproportionately, preventing them from finishing school and finding work, leaving many idle and unable to pursue their dreams, including getting university education.

Likoni supplies the largest workforce on Mombasa island, and it also caters for the housing needs of most of them. A majority of residents engage in informal activities like hawking and stone quarrying, and as casual labourers at the port of Mombasa.

With meagre incomes of between Sh200 and Sh500 per day, it is not enough to afford food and rent one room.

In addition, Likoni has the largest informal settlement in Mombasa where newcomers attempt to make a start in life in the city. Just like many other informal settlements, it is close to work areas on the island and has low-cost housing.

Bedsitters rent for about Sh5,000, one-bedroom apartments for as low as Sh8,000, two-bedroom houses Sh16,000 and three-bedroom house goes for at least Sh27,000.

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"We cannot all be equal. In Likoni we cater for all. There are cheaper houses and even high-end houses for anyone who desires. We have grown in status too," Ms Mboko said.

Because of the expansion of the Mrima, Shonda, Manyatta, Shika Adabu and Mtongwe health facilities, residents of Likoni constituency no longer need to cross the ferry to seek health services elsewhere

"Our mothers have been successfully delivering at our facilities, especially at Mrima, which came in handy when there was a health workers' strike in 2017," Ms Mboko added.

Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal, an aspiring governor in the 2022 elections, proposed that Likoni be turned into a municipality under a town manager.

"Assisted by a board, they need to understand the needs of locals, turn them into development plans and address them. This will allow residents to determine their own development needs," he said.

He added: "This is not to suggest that we are creating another layer of bureaucracy. We are borrowing the best practice used elsewhere. Kisumu County has a city manager, Adala Wanga, who runs Kisumu City. The same happens in Ukunda, Kwale County. Why not try it?"
ODM leader Raila Odinga has challenged the police and Judiciary to be more proactive in protecting women and children amid growing reports of murder and disappearances in the country, saying the worrying trend was slowly becoming the new normal.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mr Odinga urged the National Police Service (NPS) to reassure Kenyans that it is up to the task of protecting children, girls and women.

"Police must assure Kenyans that an individual will not pluck and kill two, four or five children or girls before the ring is detected and crushed," the ODM leader said.

The Judiciary, he noted, must also fasten the wheel of justice in the wake of such attacks.

"The Judiciary must also assure Kenyans that justice will come swiftly and fairly where lives have been senselessly lost," he said, adding that justice was taking too long to come "if it ever does for the victims."

The delays, he noted, only prolong pain for families and emboldens predators.

"Now more than ever, this country needs assurance from these two public institutions that are critical to ending the madness," said the former Prime Minister.

Read: Concern as cases of child abduction on the upsurge

"Too many children, girls and women have in recent times suffered gruesome deaths in the hands of people who should be their protectors...Children are being plucked from their playgrounds, picked on the way to or from school and places of worship and from the balconies and doorsteps of their parents' houses and slaughtered by adults."

Girls and women, he noted, were being killed in cold blood by supposed lovers, husbands and even parents.

"This turn of events is completely unacceptable...This is not the country we wish for our children, especially our daughters and sisters. Yet slowly but steadily, this brutality is becoming a new normal, just another news item in our country."

He also passed his condolences to families that have lost loved ones to such crimes.

"My prayers are with families currently hunting for disappeared children. You deserve justice."

Read: Shantel Nzembi murder: Police dig into key suspect's criminal history

Spike in disappearances

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In the past few months, there number of appeals for missing persons, including children, has increased on social media.

There is also rising concern among parents across the country over the trend as more pictures of minors who have disappeared are shared online.

At least 242 children aged 18 and below were reported missing between January and December 2020, a report by Missing Child Kenya said -- 125 girls and 117 boys. Some of them were found and reunited with their families, while others were taken to government shelters. A few were found dead while others are still missing.

The report comes a few weeks after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) cautioned parents to monitor how their children use social media and the people they interact with.

"Sex traffickers have come up with a new technique of kidnapping targeting teenage schoolgoing girls or those who have just completed their secondary education".

"The crooks lure the young girls on social media where they access their personal details before enticing them into a trap," the statement read.

Serial killer

In a breakthrough involving one such criminal, police recently arrested a man who confessed to killing two boys abducted from Shauri Moyo, Nairobi.

20-year-old Masten Milimu Wanjala led police to where decomposing bodies of the two minors, Charles Opindo Bala (13) and Junior Mutuku Musyoka (12) were hidden in Westlands area.

Police believe he may have other victims, and investigators are interrogating the suspect to establish the locations of other children he is believed to have kidnapped and killed.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner-General Githii Mburu has admitted that the government has been losing revenue worth hundreds of millions of shillings after it emerged that some local companies have been exporting huge quantities of minerals without permits.

This is notwithstanding that Section 171 of the Mining Act, which came into force in 2016, provides that exporting a mineral is only authorised by an export permit granted by the Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Petroleum.

The suspicious exports, which involves 44 companies dealing in gold, gemstones, salt and soapstone, has been flagged by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu in the audited accounts of the Ministry of Mining and Petroleum for the 2018/19 financial year.

The audit states that the government only pocketed Sh7.20 million and Sh74.42 million in mineral export levy and mining royalties respectively for the year under review.

The amount is a drop in the ocean considering that the minerals have been exported since 2016.

No export permits

The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard that while the seven companies that dealt in salt did not have export permits, the three companies that dealt in gold, the five dealing in gemstones and 29 in soapstone needed their export permits authenticated.

While appearing before PAC, which is considering the audit report, Mr Mburu admitted that some companies flouted the law while others used licenses that needed authentication.

Initially Mr Mburu had defended the salt companies, noting that they were justified in engaging in the business without an export license.

However, when he was taken through the provisions of the Mining Act by PAC chairman Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and committee members Aden Duale (Garissa Township), Joseph Ngugi (Gatanga) and James Gichuhi (Tetu), he yielded.

"The ministry has been clear that it did not issue export permits to the companies. So where did they get the permits to export the minerals as required by the law?" Mr Wandayi posed.

Mr Mburu told the committee that KRA is not in possession of any export permits for entities that exported salt.

"A task force was set up for the development of a regulatory framework for the integration of salt work into the mining legislative framework. The regulatory framework is not yet in place, therefore devoiding KRA of the basis for making salt permits a requirement for exports," said Mr Mburu.

Krystalline salt limited, Kurawa Salt Limited, Malindi Salt Works limited and Kensalt Limited are some of the seven salt mining companies that are operating in the country without mining licenses and for which assessment for royalties due has not been done.

The companies extracted the salt in the coastal region and sold their products locally and abroad without export permits.

Taskforce

Mr Duale told Mr Mburu that the taskforce he is leaning on to justify failures by KRA by allowing the companies to export the minerals without export licenses was not based on any law.

"The Mining Act is the law. The taskforce you are referring to has no force of law," Mr Duale said.

The Garissa Township MP was not done with Mr Mburu just yet.

"It is interesting that the justification you are putting before this committee is the same argument the salt companies are peddling outside there. Follow the law that was given to you. As long as the law exists in its current form, we shall abide by it," added Mr Duale.

It did not take long before Mr Mburu "saw the light".

"It may not have been clear to us but after rereading the law, we have found out that the salt export requires a permit," the KRA boss noted.

He, however, noted that when KRA tried to implement the law, the four salt companies sued the taxman over the enforcement of the expert permit requirement.

Court order

"The implementation of the law has led to the court order though we have appealed. We will not allow any salt export without a permit," he said, with Mr Duale saying that the companies have been cornered.

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"The audit report has cited them that is why they rushed to court," said Mr Duale.

When the managements of the four salt companies appeared before the committee two weeks ago, they claimed that the salt they are dealing in does not qualify to be salt under the meaning of the Mining Act.

But Mr Duale reminded them that the first schedule of the Act lists salt "that you are dealing in" as a mineral.

Mr Mburu further told the committee that KRA could not confirm the authenticity of the export permits used by gold and gemstones dealers in the trade as the Mining Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia is yet to respond to his inquiries.

Under the Mining Act, only the ministry that issues extraction licenses and export permits can confirm the authenticity of the documents.

dmwere@ke.nationemdia.com
A man has killed his wife by slitting her throat in Yiiga ria Nyaga village, Tharaka Nithi County under unclear circumstances.

Igambang'ombe Deputy County Commissioner Fred Masinjira said 24-year-old Aron Mawira Kienge reportedly used a sharp knife to cut the throat of his wife, Joyce Wanjue Njeru, aged 19 years.

He said the woman died about one kilometer from the scene of the crime while being rushed to hospital by residents.

"The suspect has been arrested and investigations launched to establish the cause of the crime," said Mr Masinjira.

He said the body was taken to Chuka County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem examination. He added that the suspect will be charged with murder.

Mr James Muthengi, one of the residents who spoke to journalists said the suspect has been in and out of police custody for some criminal acts.

"Although Mawira has been committing crimes in the village, we least expected him to commit such a big crime," said Mr Muthengi.

Ms Sarah Kageni, another resident, said the accused has been exhibiting some unsound mind characters.

She said during the heinous incident, Mr Mawira did not harm their young child.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is on the horns of a complex political dilemma, with only a year to the August 2022 General Election.

As he races against time to complete his Big Four Agenda projects, a key plank of his legacy, pressure is piling from competing quarters to name his successor - both in his Mt Kenya backyard, where he is the de facto kingpin, and in the race for State House.

The Head of State also has to factor in his commitment to making Kenya politically and ethnically cohesive, in line with his 2018 'Handshake' with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Add to this a politically restless Deputy President and a groundswell of rebellion in his home turf that has seen his key allies cast their lot with his politically estranged deputy, and the Catch-22 situation President Kenyatta finds himself in becomes clearer.

Dr Ruto's inroads in Mr Kenyatta's backyard are giving him a run for his money if the ruling party's recent losses in Kiambaa and Juja by-elections are anything to go by.

A troubled King, the president is also staring at a looming fallout in Jubilee Party as his men go for each other's necks and trade blame over his misfortunes.

Observers had pointed out that in the event he won a second term, he would almost immediately plunge into a lame-duck phase, as did his predecessor Mwai Kibaki, who either chose to play no active role in politics or was unable to control the politics around his succession.

Significantly, Mr Kibaki was unable to convince his central Kenya home turf - which had voted almost to a man for him in 2002 and 2007 - to support one particular candidate in that year's polls.

The Head of State and his handlers have remained tight-lipped on his succession, only saying he will be actively involved in succession politics towards the end of his final term.

He also finds himself prematurely reduced to a lame duck, with the Jubilee Party, which would be critical in driving his agenda, split down the middle.

The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which sought to spearhead a constitutional referendum ahead of the next polls, was not only met with suspicion and open hostility in the ruling party's strongholds, it is now in limbo after the Court of Appeal said it would release its verdict on a date that does not favour the August deadline set by the BBI proponents.

Even as rebellious elements in Jubilee pivot towards aligning themselves with incoming political powerhouses, President Kenyatta's allies say he is still a political force to reckon with.

Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood says what is important now is for Mr Kenyatta to focus on his administration's objectives.

"His options are limited at this time. He can ignore those pulling him back and instead choose to focus on what directly impacts the people, including ensuring projects are complete and fighting corruption,"Mr Dawood said.

Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu in a previous interview told the Nation that recent by-election losses should not be misconstrued to mean the President has lost support in his turf.

DP Ruto's allies say it is clear the President is not bound by the power-sharing agreement with his deputy as was the case in his first term.

They, however, believe Dr Ruto has the requisite clout to take over from Mr Kenyatta through the 2022 General Election.

Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni wa Muchomba said the President's apparent low profile in party politics and preoccupation with other matters, especially teaming with political opponents without wide consultation, have clouded his support in his backyard.

"These agreements and political marriages, which were arranged without proper consultations, have put us where we are. We are moving to where we can be heard," she said.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome said the President should ensure his legacy does not include a return to the 1990s police state.

The MP is among the DP's lieutenants who have incessantly accused State House operatives of witch-hunt and misusing the security agencies against leaders they view as associated with Dr Ruto.

The Jubilee Party is facing a fresh storm following the loss in last week's Kiambaa parliamentary by-election, even as the party's technical committee is set to meet today to review its performance and plan a retreat to salvage the ruling outfit.

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This as, a growing list of leaders-- including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Jubilee parliamentary coalition secretary Adan Keynan, Kieni MP Kanini Kega, Mr Wambugu, and Ndaragwa's Jeremiah Kioni -- push for a change of guard at the party's secretariat.

The secretariat is led by secretary general Raphael Tuju, chairman Nelson Dzuya, and vocal vice chairman David Murathe.

Yesterday, Jubilee deputy secretary general Joshua Kutuny said the party's technical committee will meet today in a meeting also expected to be attended by the party's parliamentary leadership ahead of a planned retreat the party says will be used to plan for its future.

"We are meeting on Monday to decide when we are going to have the retreat. We should be meeting as a small caucus so that we start rolling out some of these reforms. It is going to be a continuous process," Mr Kutuny told the Nation yesterday.

Additional report by Onyango K'onyango and Nicholas Komu
The father of fugitive police officer Caroline Jemutai Kangogo -- who died of suspected suicide on Friday -- has disputed suspicions that his daughter could have been murdered, insisting that she took her own life.

This comes as Mzee Barnabas Korir, himself a former inspector of police, divulged more details about Kangogo's last moments and how she sneaked into the family compound on a boda boda at around 10pm but was not seen by any family member until her lifeless body was discovered by her mother Leah during routine cleaning.

Mzee Kibor now says that from his own assessment of the scene, there is no indication of foul play that could point to murder.

"I do not like it when people go on with these insinuations that she might have been killed. In case you actually know for sure she was killed, then come forward and say so. But from what I see, this girl, my daughter, took her own life depending on how we found her," said Mzee Kibor.

Locked from inside

This, he reckons, can be deduced from the fact that the bathroom where she was found, which is 40 metres from the main house, was locked from inside.

"There is no way someone could have brought the body and dumped it in that bathroom, but still have it locked from the inside where we found her body. She locked herself inside," he told Nation.Africa.

The family has also revealed that it will not honour Kangogo's death wish, found in a draft message on her phone that she be cremated. Her relatives have instead set her burial for Saturday, July 24.

Police findings

Police have ruled that Kangogo's death was an apparent suicide.

"It is suspected that she might have shot herself using the firearm from below the chin and the bullet exited on the head slightly above the left ear," a police report said.

A Ceska pistol serial number G4670, which was cocked with a magazine loaded with eight rounds of ammunition - one in the chamber - one used cartridge and one bullet head were found on the scene.

She was found in a sitting position while hunched over and leaning against the bathroom wall. Her legs were outstretched while crossed and her face covered with a dark-green shawl from behind with her right hand lying on the floor of the bathroom with her thumb and index fingers holding the pistol.

There were no blood splatters on the bathroom wall.

The door was pushed back and could not bar anyone from accessing the bathroom and when her mother found her, she did not touch anything but immediately called the police.

Havi's reaction

With the confirmation that no family member interfered with the scene, and with the benefit of a photo of the scene itself, Law Society of Kenya president Nelson Havi has accused investigators of rushing to conclude it was a suicide.

"The media has been conscripted by DCI to run with the cover-up story 'Caroline Kangogo commits suicide'. Who was the witness? When was the autopsy done? I remember telling special crimes boss on Tuesday, 'I am sure you guys will eventually tell us that you found her dead'," Mr Havi said on Twitter.

LSK had on Wednesday hired veteran lawyer John Khaminwa to facilitate Kangogo's surrender.

Dr Khaminwa had sought court protection for Kangogo not to be placed under custody if she surrendered, but instead be released on bail.

Others who have doubted the suicide story include lawyer Cliff Ombeta and Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

"This lady did not commit suicide. Gun placed in hand unlike where it would be because of the recoil. Blood splatter and drag would not be at the front. Shows she was brought there and left to bleed. Placing of the cover on the head? The yellow Jersey still?" Mr Ombeta said on Twitter.

Third force

Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula said: "Cpl Caroline Kangogo is dead from an alleged suicide. This should not bring a closure to investigations as to who killed the two men associated with her. We might never know her side of the story! In the complex world of crime, there could be a third force!!"

But speaking at his Iten home, Mzee Kibor seemed to believe all had been figured out, including the reason there was no blood splatter.

"When the bullet exited, it couldn't have splattered blood on the wall because looking at the bullet, it went in on the chin, and exited through the left ear," he said.

"She shot from the right and it went up, to the left. It could not have splattered because the bullet would have had to come out at the front, from behind," explained Mzee Kibor, who also disputed that the police officer was left-handed, saying she was, indeed, right-handed.

Dropped off by boda boda

In Kangogo's last moments, Mzee Kibor said she was dropped off by a boda boda rider around 10pm on Thursday, before her body was found the next day.

"This young man did not know he was carrying my daughter. He only says she asked him to drop her off about 50 metres from the house before she made her way here," Mzee Kibor.

The family says they did not see or hear the police officer come in, and neither did they hear the gunshot that killed her in their family bathroom.

But even as he stayed convinced that the police officer took her own life, Mzee Kibor insisted she was still innocent until proven guilty on the murders of colleague Constable John Ogweno and businessman Peter Njiru Ndwiga, for which she was being sought before her death.

"No one has proven that my daughter was behind those murders. No one has said it, because as a family we were always hoping she will come home, so we can discuss it and know if she did it, and if yes, why," said Mzee Kibor.

SMSs

Kangogo's father also spoke about the trove of text messages detectives believe were the police officer's suicide note, saying he could not verify their authenticity.

All he knows, he said, is that there was a phone at the scene, but that it had no SIM card.

In the text messages, Kangogo confesses to a plot to kill her husband, with whom she had two children.

Kangogo said she watched the man, a senior officer in Mombasa, for days but that "I sympathised with the kids. I forgave you."

On the Juja-based businessman Ndwiga, Kangogo had no remorse, according to the texts, saying he had conned her of Sh1.5 million in a car deal she said required her to borrow Sh300,000 from her father to finance.

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She expressed love for Mr Ogweno, the police officer she was accused of killing and with whom she was in a romantic relationship.

"For you my love John Ogweno, our love was made in heaven that's why since Monday, a day after the incident, you always embrace me with love and forgiveness and tell me it is well with your soul despite living in separate worlds. May our kids live in peace, love, forgiveness, success and being God-fearing. Rest well and see you soon," said Kangogo in the texts.

The police officer said she had been disowned by her father, Mr Kibor, after her troubles with her husband.

"Depression is real, please assist those you know. My divorce pushed me to be inhuman. My father disowned me due to a failed marriage. My husband was allegedly first in calling my father and my brother to cover up his mistakes and they all fell into his trap," she said.

She accused her husband of infidelity, which she said caused her anguish.

Alleged sexual harassment

She also alleged sexual harassment at her Nakuru work station.

And her final wishes? Kangogo wanted to be cremated, wearing her wedding dress.

"To my people, it's my wedding day - dress me in a white gown that my husband could not afford. To my parents, I am requesting my body to be cremated to end your suffering. Remember to take good care of my children. For the things in Kasarani, hire movers for safe delivery here," she said.

Meanwhile, detectives have now been sent to Kangogo's Iten home to ascertain the circumstances of her death and trace her last moments.

newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Elderly Samburu women patiently wait for the distribution of relief food at Maral (file photo).

It is noon in Nkaroni village, in Samburu East, and the sun is blazing down over the vast land with searing heat.

The temperature has crossed 30 degrees Celsius mark and rising. Hungry children are clinging onto their parents' shukas (traditional wear), with their lives pegged on hope.

The drought that has ravaged this village in Samburu County and several parts of northern Kenya since January last year has been devastating, leaving families in a desperate situation.

More than 10 counties in Kenya's north are affected by the prolonged drought, and, according to the government, at least 2 million people are in need of clean water and food.

Worsening by the day

The drought in Samburu, Marsabit, Turkana, Isiolo and parts of Baringo, is worsening by the day, with desperate families trekking long distances in search of food, water and pasture for their livestock.

Women, children and the elderly are the most affected, as the dry spell persists. Their livestock, the main source of livelihood, has been decimated.

Scorched fields here tell the story of one of the worst droughts the northern region has faced yet, and residents here appear to have been left to their own devices.

In Samburu, South Horr, Barseloi, Wamba, Suyan, Loonjorin, Ntepes, Archer's Post and Nachola are the worst-hit areas. A spot check by the Nation in the affected areas established a desperate situation.

In some areas, desperate families have been waking up as early as 4am to sit on roadsides to beg for food and water from travellers.

Scorching sun

Throughout the day, they endure the scorching sun, and with herders, they chase after vehicles hoping to secure something to quench their thirst and fill their hungry tummies.

Elizabeth Naserian is one of the desperate residents of Loonjorin, who has gone for days without food after the little donation she had received ran out.

"We are hoping God will save our lives because the situation is bad. We do not have food and water. The drought has lasted several months and if the government does not come to our aid, we will die," said Naserian, a mother of five.

Pastoralist communities from neighbouring Marsabit, Isiolo, Baringo and Turkana counties have been forced to travel several kilometres in search of water and pasture for their livestock.

According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), in Samburu alone, at least 100,000 pastoralists are at risk of starvation

Though no deaths have been reported so far, if the situation remains unchecked it will degenerate into a disaster, residents told the Nation.

The drought has been triggered by absence of rains for the last couple of months and the water table in the affected regions has gone down drastically.

Likely to get worse

Samburu NDMA County Coordinator Alex Leseketet says the situation is likely to get worse.

Samburu East region is the worst hit, with water, pasture and food stocks having run out several months ago.

"Samburu County is on an alert stage but the trend is really worsening very fast. In Samburu East, most wells and dams dried and people are suffering. That is why we placed the area on an alarming state list," Mr Leseketet said.

Emaciated livestock

Livestock prices have also dropped sharply after they became emaciated due to lack of water and pasture.

Samburu County Special Programmes Chief Officer Daniel Lesaigor said more than 100,000 people are in dire need of relief food and water.

He appealed for help as the available food (253 metric tonnes) can only serve a population of 36,000.

Most school-going children, he said, have dropped out amid mass migrations in search of water.

"We had mapped out about a population of 36,000 across the entire Samburu County in March. But as the droughts continue, we have realized more than 100,000 urgently need help," Lesaigor said.

There is also concern that the situation may spark conflicts as groups scramble for the already scarce resources.

Conflict among pastoralists

The drought is exacerbating conflict among pastoralists, with fights breaking out at water points. Several people have already died in clashes over water at Komu area on Samburu-Isiolo border over the last one month.

"The conflicts often surround access to water and pasture points. The conflicts have increased with the drought," said Samburu County Commissioner Abdirazak Jaldesa.

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There is a reported shortage of animal feed in Samburu and Isiolo counties, with some livestock farmers appealing to the government to intervene.

Local leaders have appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to support drought-stricken residents.

Led by governors Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu) and Stanley Kiptis (Baringo), they said they need urgent help to save people and animals.

"I call upon the Ministry of Devolution and other development partners to urgently help us with relief food for families affected by the drought," Mr Lenolkulal said.

Samburu East MP Jackson Lentoijoni called for urgent interventions to stop further ethnic clashes over control of water points and grazing fields.

"This is a critical moment and as leaders we appeal for a relief food to cushion starving locals. We are also in talks with herders find a solution on escalating attacks over access of water points," the MP said.

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Salaried employees in Kenya who become jobless will get a fraction of their pay for six months from a State-backed fund aimed at cushioning workers laid off or are unable to work due to illness.

The Ministry of Labour says workers will be required to contribute to the yet to be formed Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

Fund

Employees will contribute one percent of their pay that will be matched by employers towards the fund that aims at generating at least Ksh45 billion (about $415 million) annually on implementation.

While offering relief to sacked workers, it looks set to add to the cost of doing business in an economic setting where employers pay mandatory fees monthly to staff health and pension schemes.

The monthly stipend will be offered for six months in a period when the State hopes workers affected by job cuts would have tapped new work or entered business.

"The reason for capping it (relief) for that period is because we don't want people to sit and imagine that they are going to earn from that fund," Labour Principal Secretary Peter Tum said.

"Within these six months, what we will be saying is that you will be actively seeking employment and re-skilling yourself."

The fund is part of the post-Covid recovery blueprint to ease the pain of loss of income, put money in people's pockets and spur demand for firms' goods and services. The State targets implementing the fund within the next financial year starting July 2022.

Thousands of workers lost jobs amid the Covid-19 economic fallout that led to business closures and firms dipping into losses.

Young people were the hardest hit by the job cuts compared to their counterparts aged above 35 years.

A hiring freeze on the back of sluggish corporate earnings is a major blow to jobseekers, especially the close to one million who graduate from various educational institutions every year.

Social protection

The unemployment fund, to be managed by the Social Protection Department under the Labour ministry, mirrors that of South Africa - which has so far disbursed huge amounts of money to support of millions of workers and businesses affected by the vagaries of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The South African scheme, which was established in 2002, also involves employees contributing one percent of their pay which is matched up by employers.

South Africa had by last February disbursed 58.15 billion rand ($4 billion) through its Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Covid-19 TERS) to help millions of workers hit by the national lockdowns to stem the spread of Covid.

The unemployment benefit ranges from 38 percent of income for high income earners to a ceiling of 60 percent for the lowest income earners, according to information on the International Labour Organization's website. They are paid for a maximum period of 238 days (about eight months).

It applies for those have been fired, retrenched or if their contracts have expired, but not those who resign, abscond duty or are suspended.

Enterprises

The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) wants the proposed fund to also cushion cash-strapped firms to enable them to keep workers on the payroll during unforeseen crises until the economy stabilises.

"This is a timely and noble conversation given the impact Covid-19 continues to have on jobs, livelihoods and enterprises. However, we should bear in mind that Covid-19 has also impacted enterprises which are also in need of support," FKE executive director Jacqueline Mugo told a recent forum on the UIF.

"Enterprises should not be left to their own fate. We need to build enterprise resilience and recovery at the same time if we are to absorb and retain our people in decent jobs."

Ms Mugo says such schemes have worked well in either developed or upper middle-income countries, which have comprehensive social protection plans.

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She reckons that low-income countries such as Kenya could struggle to sustain it.

The employers' lobby says its research had shown that such a fund, supported by employers and employees, had not been "effective in economies with high unemployment and underemployment rates".

The Labour ministry had initially targeted concluding stakeholder consultations by December, but now says they were likely to extend to end of this fiscal year in June 2022.

"We were working with the timeline of this calendar year because being contributory it's something that we can domicile within the ministry and activate it through contribution provided that policy framework and stakeholder validation process is complete," Mr Tum said.

"But these are negotiations which should be handled carefully and timelines could keep changing. Our projection is that we will be able to execute this within this financial year."
Kenyans who have desperately been waiting for lifesaving antiretroviral drugs can breathe a sigh of relief as distribution began on Wednesday.

For eight months, the crucial drugs were stuck at the Mombasa port over a ludicrous distribution row between the Ministry of Health and the United States government that should never have arisen in the first place.

At grave risk were 1.5 million people living with HIV, who were caught in a mindless game that could have resulted in deadly consequences.

If the two governments do not agree on who will handle the distribution in future, there might be a recurrence of the problem.

The donor was against the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency distributing the drugs while the government, on the other hand, was uncomfortable with the third party delivering the medicine to its people.

It's not difficult to see why the donor has no faith in Kemsa. The government agency has lately been embroiled in mega corruption allegations with billions of shillings reportedly stolen. Little progress has been made in pursuing the suspects to recover the funds.

Long term solution

Both parties have settled on the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (Meds), a faith-based agency, to do the distribution. Meds has distinguished itself for promoting healthy lives among those infected with HIV.

"In the interim, the Meds will be facilitating the distribution on behalf of USAid and the Kemsa," said Mr Eric Watnik, Charge d'Affaires, of the US Embassy in Nairobi.

He said the current deliveries are possible following negotiations between the two governments. They are, however, working together to prevent any future delays in the importation, warehousing, and delivery of antiretrovirals and other medical supplies.

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The two governments are committed to finding a long-term solution for continued shipments of US-donated health commodities, including developing systems that will provide better accountability.

"The United States and Kenya will collaborate on how to improve and strengthen Kenya's public health supply chain and implement robust internal and external controls so that all Kenyans continue to receive life-saving medications with dependability and transparency," said Mr Watnik.

The current donation of 300,000 packs of 90-day supplies of tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir and 4,400 packs of 30-day supplies of atazanavir/ritonavir will be delivered to 2,144 public health facilities across the country.

It's encouraging to hear that the two governments have now reached a compromise to unlock the impasse after months of suffering.

With the dispute finally resolved, it is now up to the health authorities to hasten the delivery of the medicines to patients.
Today is the 80thh birth anniversary of our brother, a true Liberian patriot, Professor Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh. We his family, comrades, and well-wishers had planned an elaborate two-day celebration. However, due to the prevalence of that diabolical COVID 19 witchcraft, we have had to postpone the ceremonies to a later date. And so, Deo volonte, by His grace, InshAllah, we shall soon roll out the big drums and render unto the Professor the encomiums he so much merits.

Today, we only stop to congratulate Dr. Tipoteh for his achievements and longevity particularly when we consider the intimidations, harassments, and long years of exile to which he was subjected--all in the cause of our people.

Those who read contemporary Liberian history or who are old enough to remember the events in our country beginning in the early 70's will recall that it was Dr. Tipoteh who popularized and made us proud again to wear our African clothing and sport our indigenous names and culture. Remember the rubber sandals nicknamed the "Tipoteh"?

It was Dr. Tipoteh BY AMBASSADOR (PROF) DEW TUAN-WLEH MAYSONwho along with the late venerable Albert Porte and some others, led the way in "speaking truth to authority", thus laying the foundation for the continuing struggle for rice and rights, for economic development, and political freedom.

In 1971, upon my return to Liberia following my studies in the United States, I plunged myself into the budding struggle being led by Dr. Tipoteh for greater freedom in our Liberia. Joining forces with Dr. Tipoteh was a great experience. . We held long discussions with each other and with his associates and mine. We had a strategic objective: to work for a more just and equitable Liberia. And we covenanted among ourselves that we would not be used by the ruling class to perpetuate its privileges. Gradually, we began to attract a large following, first among the students, the workers, and among the broad masses of our people.

Dr. Tipoteh was and continues to be, a paragon of virtue. Modest and brutally honest, he is never tired of speaking and working in defense of the mass of our people thereby earning the deep love and respect of all of us.

He is not a wealthy man, but he has never pursued wealth. Whatever money he has made from honest work, he has used it to assist the poor and suffering in our country.

Hear this, my people: When Dr. Tipoteh was Minister of Planning in the first Doe cabinet, he, along with other Ministers, went for a LAMCO Board Meeting in Europe. LAMCO defrayed all the expenses of the Ministers. And so when Tipoteh returned, he, alone among the Ministers, gave back to Government all the per diem he had received for the trip! Such brutal honesty!

Oh yes, the post of President has eluded Tipoteh. But most of the heroes and sheroes we now honor in our history did not hold the office of President. Mama Suacocoa, Juah Nimley, P. G. Wolo, Albert Porte, Dr. Morias, Wilmot Blyden, Didho Tweh, Bill Witherspoon, Du Fahnbulleh, Bacchus Mathews--did they occupy the Mansion? No, no, no. Yet we honor them as opposed to, say, C.D.B. King who dishonored the Presidency by being an accomplice in the shameful business of slave trading.

Oh, please let me remember that I said at the beginning that we are saving the major accolades and big Waka for later this year when we hold the formal 80th birthday ceremonies for Dr. Tipoteh. And so I am going to shut up. In doing so, however, permit me to get a little personal. In my long years of association with Dr. Tipoteh, I have come to know, respect, and admire this man--his progressive thinking, his moral values, his good character, his tenacity, his capacity for hard work. By Dr. Tipoteh's side, I have lived through some difficult yet magnificent days--with Susukuu in Putu, with the various protests for Albert Porte and against gambling, with the Sawyer for Mayor campaign, on the barricades with our people during the April 14th rebellion--to name only a few episodes when the Dr., as usual, exhibited his rare qualities of leadership and courage.

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Yes, my people, Dr. Tipoteh has run the race, he has kept the faith.

Happy birthday, Bo, DG, Dr. All God's blessings for you and Sis. Fatu, your darling wife. I can bet that no matter the circumstance, you, Dr. Tipoteh, can always be counted upon in defense of the poor, the oppressed and the downtrodden in our country, in our Africa, in our world.

Dominus vobiscum.

God be with you.

BY AMBASSADOR (PROF) DEW TUAN-WLEH MAYSON
A new batch of 133 asylum seekers from Libya landed in Rwanda early Friday.

They will join others who were already in Rwanda, waiting to be relocated to third countries, as previous hold-ups in Libya begin to thaw.

"The 6th group of asylum seekers from Libya that total to 133 have safely arrived in Rwanda, they have been tested for Covid-19 and are awaiting results. Once they are out, they [will] join others at the transit centre in Bugesera," a statement from the government stated on Friday.

The relocation process of asylum seekers to Rwanda had slowed down since the year began, with the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) saying that, since April, it has been negotiating clearance of an evacuation flight with Libyan authorities but had not succeeded in getting a permit to evacuate the asylum seekers.

Coronavirus related travel complications and strict criteria of resettlement in some countries caused a delay in the entire evaluation and resettlement chain.

UNHCR said the conditions of resettlement vary from country to country, for instance some only want to resettle people with their families, while some countries don't have structures to receive unaccompanied children. There are also restrictions on nationalities.

Out of the 4,000 people still in Libyan detention, more than 1,000 are eligible to be evacuated by UNHCR, but the process has been sluggish and complicated.

For a big part of last year, the coronavirus related travel glitches hampered resettlement but the process resumed late last year and dozens have already departed since late year.

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A new bloc has been constructed at the Gashora Emergency Transit Mechanism to accommodate more asylum seekers.

Some 515 individuals have been evacuated from Libya to the centre to date, with eight children being born at the centre and registered in Rwanda. Some 248 asylum seekers are currently still in Gashora, while 273 asylum seekers have departed for third countries since the transit centre was set up.

France, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Belgium have been taking in some of the asylum seekers, but UNHCR continues to call upon other countries to come forward and resettle the remaining asylum seekers.

When asked about the possibility of local integration, Elise Laura Villechalane, the UNHCR external relations officer, told The East African that it is a possibility but for now most of the asylum seekers are being processed to be resettled in other countries as that is what they prefer.

She also said UNHCR has resources to run operations this year, "but there is zero visibility regarding resources for next year".

"The good news is that UNHCR got re-assurances that the parties involved, like the AU, EU and Rwanda, agreed to renew the mechanism mandate for a few more years, upon expiration of the agreement in September 2021."
The producers of the world's most important beverage crop - coffee - are not getting enough income to lead decent lives and prosper, a concern that threatens their future and that of the crop, experts have warned.

This a pressing issue that was discussed by the 3rd World Coffee Producers' Forum (WCPF) - held virtually - hosted by Rwanda on Thursday, July 15, 2021.

It served as the base to develop guidelines, to be approved in the in-person gathering in Kigali, Rwanda in July 2022, for the creation of National Coffee Sustainability Plans that will help producing countries design and implement comprehensive coffee policies to secure the future of a coffee sector where coffee producers are prosperous and coffee production is sustainable.

The virtual conference held on Thursday, gathered more than 2,000 participants from 70 countries including coffee producers, industry representatives, government officials, multilateral agencies, coffee business dealers from across the world to help understand and seek solutions for many issues threatening farmers' livelihoods and coffee production.

At the conference, discussions centred on the theme "Coffee Farmers' Prosperity; supporting coffee growers to further their social and economic development, and support sustainable inter-generational growth, success, and opportunity in the coffee sector.

Indeed, according to Coffee Barometer 2018, while coffee is increasingly lucrative with a retail value of $200 billion in 2015, less than 10 percent of the aggregate wealth stays in the producing countries.

This biennial report published by the Coffee Barometer Collective and includes Hivos, Oxfam Belgium, Solidaridad and Conservation International noted that the figure comprises the income of farmers, exporters and government agencies involved in growing the beans and exporting them internationally.

Such imbalance, it noted, illustrates the pressing need for transparency of transactions in order to achieve re-distribution, pointing out that a sustainable coffee sector more equally distributes proceeds to farmers.

Whereas coffee companies are busy conquering markets, cutting costs and driving efficiency, coffee farmers are struggling to get their fair share of the total value added in the coffee industry, the report indicated.

Verediyana Uwamariya, a coffee farmer in Nyaruguru District, is one of the farmers struggling to achieve economic prosperity as the income she gets from this crop is inadequate.

The farmer told The New Times that production per coffee tree is about 2.5 kilogrammes of cherries while a farmer gets about Rwf250 a kilogramme, adding that; overall, farm productivity is low compared to the cost of production.

"I invest much of my income in nurturing coffee trees so that they give yield. The proceeds I get are small that I cannot improve my livelihoods," she said, citing expenses on grass mulching for her small coffee plantation on which she harvests around 200 kilogrammes of cherries per season.

Speaking during the above-mentioned forum, Gerardine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources said that coffee production has been at the core of farm families' livelihoods for so many generations, adding that it is also the source of cash income for over 350,000 households that are operating on 42,000 hectares of land in Rwanda.

Last year, Mukeshimana said, coffee as a commodity was the fourth contributor to Rwanda's foreign exchange earnings, which means it plays a tremendous role in improving the country's trade balance, but also its economic performance.

However, she said, the processing segment of the coffee sector, and inter-generational and sustainable coffee industry requires that those at the base, especially coffee producers have a shared prosperity, Mukeshimana observed.

"As they currently struggle to keep up with the increased production costs and climate change, export, processing, wholesale, and retailing companies need to include the producers as full and equal partners," she said.

"The proportion for value-added needs to equally trickle down to the coffee producers as it does for the downstream players so that the coffee producers and the next generations can have incentives to continue investing in coffee production and maintain the value chains," she said.

Hailemariam Desalegn, Board Chair of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said that more than 25 million families grow coffee all over the world, most of them smallholder producers, but expressed concern that they are grappling with small income.

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"Although coffee farmers are so beloved around the world [because they produce the sought after coffee], they still struggle to make a decent living. In many countries they can't even cover their cost of production, and face every day deeper and deeper challenges," he said, calling for an approach that ensures increased income and improved welfare for coffee farmers.

In his presentation on the prosperity of coffee producers, Prof Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University in the US, said that all over the world, there is 'the continuing poverty of coffee growers'.

"Because while coffee is the world's most important beverage, and the world's most healthy beverage, ... it is not by itself providing the kind of decent livelihoods and prosperity for the millions of millions of farmers engaged in growing coffee," Sachs said.

He said that that the challenge is to help set a new global course of policy of companies, governments of the United Nations that can address the issue and ensure the prosperity of coffee farmers.

entirenganya@newtimesrwanda.com

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Blog

Health care should be equitable. This means it must be accessible to anyone, regardless of social class, or place of residence. For a pregnant woman dwelling either in the hills of Rwanda, or in the deserts of Niger Republic, comprehensive antenatal care and support is very important. The work of providing critical care to women and children in the last mile is enormous, requiring passion and tenacity. One group of health care workers who do this work consistently is community health workers (CHWs).

In the African scenario where the shortage of health workers often diminishes optimal healthcare delivery, CHWs fill the void in rural communities, providing care and saving lives. They are usually members of the communities they are working in and receive shorter training than conventional health professionals. In many African communities, they are the first port of call for health care seekers, particularly pregnant women.

Several African countries have different models of using CHWs to provide community care. Overall, the outcomes are similar, saving lives and preventing complications for the most vulnerable, often hard to reach people on the continent. In the first of a two-part series on the work of CHWs in African countries, we chronicle Rwanda's CHW system.

An All-inclusive Care Approach

Rwanda is a landlocked country in east Africa with a population of 13 million people. One of Africa's shining lights in the continent's drive towards universal health coverage, Rwanda's CHW approach is one that ensures access to quality healthcare in every community. Started in 1995 after the genocide, Rwanda's CHW program is aimed at providing maternal and child healthcare in the country's rural communities. In every community of between 50 and 150 households, three CHWs were stationed. Two of these, a male and female pair are referred to as binomes. They focus on identification and treatment of childhood diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, and malnutrition in the community, while also being responsible for the provision of contraceptives to community members. The third CHW, who must be female, focuses on the provision of care to pregnant and breastfeeding women, including antenatal, postnatal and delivery assistance.

In 2018, the Rwandan government deployed an additional CHW to each village, with the purpose of providing care for chronic diseases like HIV, Tuberculosis, and palliative care for cancer patients. This additional CHW visits patients with chronic conditions to counsel them, ensure adherence to medications, and transport them to district hospitals if necessary. To ensure the delivery of quality care, the CHWs are trained on their area of concentration as assigned by the Ministry of Health.

To become a CHW, at least a secondary school education is necessary. CHWs work as volunteers in the country so, they do not receive a salary. They are compensated through performance-based incentives, based on certain indicators like the number of patients assisted or referred. These incentives are coordinated by the CHWs themselves through various cooperatives.

At over 45,000, Rwanda's CHW network is the largest single group of healthcare providers in the country. They are available in every community, village and district. According to Dr. Carolyn Aling, a consultant gynecologist at Sheikh Khalifah Hospital in the country's capital, Kigali, the services they provide have helped improve the country's health indices, especially for maternal and child health. "The fact that these CHWs are trained to identify pregnant women with high risks has helped a lot in early referral and management. That has contributed to reduced incidences of complications and even deaths". Dr Aling also pointed out that prolonged labor is another problem the CHWs are helping to avert. As the CHWs live in the communities, they have a register of every woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding.

Aside from monitoring antenatal attendance in health facilities, they also keep track of pregnancies. Women whose expected delivery dates are close are kept on notice to alert the CHWs immediately they present signs of labor. The CHWs usually take women to health facilities for delivery and accompany them to district hospitals if necessary. As a result, prolonged labor is prevented and the complications that may arise are averted.

Successes of the CHW Program

Rwanda has a three-tier health care system: Community health centres to which the CHWs are attached, district hospitals that receive referrals from the community health centres and tertiary hospitals. The referral system ensures that CHWs are the first port of call for people seeking care and refer people to community health centres. Cases that cannot be handled at the health centres are referred to district hospitals and if necessary, tertiary hospitals. This process allows district and tertiary hospitals to attend to cases requiring specialised care.

According to Dr. Fernand Rwamwejo who works with Babyl Health, a digital health company based in Kigali, CHWs in Rwanda are the bedrock of the country's health system. "If not for them, our tertiary health facilities would have long been overwhelmed. They are basically the backbone of our primary health care system which now caters for a majority of the healthcare needs of our people." Ambroise Murindangabo, a former CHWs supervisor at Burera district, believes that their work was the main catalyst for Rwanda's achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). "The way they help people get healthcare services through the mountainous terrains has made life easier for, especially women and children" Murindangabo, who worked with the CHWs from 2012 to 2018 said. He added that the work the CHWs do is mainly out of passion and love for their communities, as they leave their farms and other sources of livelihood to provide care to the people.

Life expectancy in Rwanda has skyrocketed from 31 years in 1995 to 69 years in 2018, one of the highest on the continent. Maternal mortality, which was 1,160 per 100,000 live births in 2000 has reduced tremendously to 248 per 100,000 in 2017. Infant mortality also dropped from 120 per 1000 live births in 1995 to 26 per 1000 live births in 2019. These successes, both Dr. Aling and Dr. Rwamwejo believe, are largely due to the work of CHWs in Rwandan communities.

The success of Rwanda's CHW program can be attributed to several factors including greater coordination. Arguably, the biggest contributor to this success is Rwanda's health insurance policy. Under the policy, no Rwandan, regardless of socioeconomic status, is denied the care they need. People in communities who are not able to afford health insurance are supported by the government. This means lack of money is not a barrier to seeking care. "A pregnant woman does not worry about money for antenatal and during delivery, even if she requires a cesarian section in the district or tertiary hospitals, she does not have to pay", said Dr. Aling. This has created trust in the system and for the CHWs, such that whenever they refer an individual to a health facility, there is no reason for them to refuse.

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Room for improvement

CHWs contribute significantly to healthcare delivery across several African countries. They have bridged the critical gap in human resource for health in the last mile, and their positive impact across the continent must be commended. However, most CHWs work as volunteers, receiving only a stipend for their services which is usually not enough to cover their basic needs. This is demotivating and goes against the principles of equity itself. Rwanda is leveraging the CHW program to drive healthcare provision in rural communities, it is paramount that the country provides proper compensation for them. This includes enrolling them into the civil service as fulltime employees, with full benefits. Such a move will encourage the Community Health Workers and ensure that the equity we advocate for in healthcare delivery is also enjoyed by those providing the care.
press release

The DA welcomes the Department of Social Development's (DSD) announcement that the Social Development Sector will commence its vaccination rollout plan from today, Monday 19 July 2021.

The vaccination rollout plan will include all front-line workers within the Social Development sector namely: the Early Childhood Development (ECD) workforce irrespective of the centers' registration status and category; all social service professionals within the public, private and NGO sectors; community development practitioners; and frontline staff within DSD, South African Social Security Agency, National Development Agency and South African Council for Social Service Professions.

This is victory for all civil society organizations, in particular the ECD sector, who have been relentless in their collective call for vaccinations within the Social Development Sector.

The DA encourages the sector to get vaccinated as it is important for their own safety and the vulnerable South Africans they continue to selflessly serve with kindness and dedication.

Local Government Elections are coming up in 2021! Visit check.da.org.za to check your voter registration status.
press release

SIU welcomes the dismissal of Chief Director: Supply Chain and Asset Management at the Gauteng Department Of Health

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the dismissal of Ms Thandiwe Pino, Chief Director: Supply Chain and Asset Management at Gauteng Department of Health ("GDoH"), for her involvement in the irregular awarding of contracts relating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by the department in response to Covid-19 pandemic.

The SIU investigated allegations of maladministration, greed, nepotism and corruption in the appointment of service providers by the GDoH to supply PPE and related goods and services. The allegations were referred by Office of the Premier in Gauteng in March 2020 and later formed part of Proclamation R23 of 2020, which authorised the SIU to investigate allegations of impropriety in connection with the affairs of all State institutions (including the GDoH).

Part of the allegations received stated that:

Royal Bhaca Projects (Pty) Ltd ("Royal Bhaca") was irregularly awarded a contract to the value of R125 million from the GDoH to supply various PPE items due to its Director's close proximity to the MEC of GDoH, Dr Bandile Masuku.

Ledla Structural Development (PTY) Ltd ("Ledla"), a company with links to Royal Bhaca, was appointed by the GDoH to provide PPE to the value of R139 000 000.

Beadica 423 cc ("Beadica") Beadica was awarded a contract to supply PPE to the value of R68 597 000 by the GDoH. Included in the products to supply was surgical masks, N95 face masks and FFP2 face masks.

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The SIU finalised the investigation into the award of contracts by GDoH to Royal Bacha, Ledla and Beadica. The investigation revealed that proper procurement processes were not followed in awarding contracts to Royal Bacha, Ledla and Beadica by the former Chief Financial Officer, Ms Kabelo Lehloenya and the Chief Director: Supply Chain and Asset Management of GDoH, Ms Thandiwe Pino.

Ms Lehloenya resigned when the allegations surfaced. The SIU was granted a preservation order by the Special Tribunal to freeze her pension benefits pending the finalisation of civil action against her.

In line with Section 5(7) of the SIU Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred to the GDoH evidence in support of the institution of disciplinary action against Ms Pino for alleged contraventions of, inter alia, Section 217(1) of the Constitution, Section 38(1)(a)(iii) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act: Regulations, Sections 45(a) to (e) of the PFMA, relevant National Treasury Practise Notes, the Supply Chain Management ("SCM") Policy/ies of the GDoH, and her failure to adhere to the Code of Conduct of the Public Service.

The GDoH actioned the referral by the SIU and instituted disciplinary charges against Ms Pino. The SIU provided evidence and support at the disciplinary hearing. The SIU was informed that Ms Pino was found guilty on the disciplinary charges and a sanction of dismissal was made.

The SIU welcomes the sanction meted against Ms Pino for her involvement in the irregular awarding of PPE contracts to Royal Bacha, Ledla and Beadica. The action by GDoH is a clear demonstration of implementation of SIU referrals for disciplinary action.

Fraud and corruption allegations may be reported via the following platforms: siu@whistleblowing.co.za / Hotline: 0800 037 774
Bahir Dar  Police disclosed today that 7 people who have capsized in a boat on Saturday in Lake Tana of Ethiopia's Amhara Region were found dead.

It is to be recalled that some 13 people were missing after a boat capsized in Lake Tana on Saturday night.

After two days of tedious search operations to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing boat passengers, the dead bodies of 7 passengers were found this morning, Deputy Head of East Dembiya Woreda Police Office, Commander Chernet Asmare told ENA.

The bodies were found floating on the lake between Gorgora and Addisge Denge rural kebele bordering Lake Tana, he stated.

The investigation for the bodies of the remaining six people has been intensifying, he said, adding that a task force has been set up to investigate causes of the accident.
document

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has called for coherence in characterising what led to the violence, wanton looting and destruction of property over the past week, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The committee held a briefing with the Minister of Defence and top leadership of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on the roll-out of Operation Prosper.

The committee believes that the intelligence community must play a critical role in understanding and characterising the disturbance. "The characterisation of the violence will assist in planning and counteracting similar future disturbances. The reality is that the SANDF is projecting spending about R615 million on this project and it is critical that there is clarity and coherence on what this budget is spend on now and what resources are necessary to prevent any future flare-up," said Mr Cyril Xaba, the Co-Chairperson of the committee.

Despite this, the committee welcomed the information that as of Sunday 18 July, 21 525 SANDF members were deployed as part of Operation Prosper. Similarly, the committee welcome assurances that more units are on standby in other provinces that have not yet experienced protest action, so that deployments are proactively positioned when the need arises.

"Since the deployment of the SANDF we have seen laudable calm and stability, which gives us assurances that our security is in good hands. We appreciate the augmentation of the deployed soldiers and are reassured that there will be no similar flare-up," said Mr Mamagase Nchabeleng, the Co-Chairperson of the committee.

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Regarding the impact to the economy, the committee highlighted that there is a need to consider designating the N3 highway and other major arteries as critical infrastructure, to enable better and efficient protection of these roads. When they are obstructed, it affects the heartbeat of the nation's economy. The committee is cognisant of the recurring nature of disruptions, especially on the N3, and the impact it has on the economy, especially for the movement of goods from the Durban harbour to inland provinces and to the rest of Africa,

"We appreciate the information that there is increased deployment and patrol on the N3 to counter any disturbance. This is critical to the functioning of the economy, especially as the country rebuilds from the devastation caused by Covid-19," Mr Xaba emphasised.

The committee will visit both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng on Tuesday and Wednesday to assess the rollout of Operation Prosper and the impact it is having on the ground.
Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, will today, visit businesses and shopping complexes in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, affected by wide spread looting during last week's campaign of violence in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

"The purpose of the visits is to assess law enforcement efforts to maintain law and order, and ensure that calm has been restored in the affected communities," the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

Cele will visit Liberty Mall in Pietermaritzburg, followed by Pavilion Mall in Westville and Gateway, which is also situated in Durban.
Tunis/Tunisia  About 50 Tunisian undocumented migrants have been held in June and July in Libya, Information Officer at the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) said Monday.

In a statement to TAP, Ben Amor called on behalf of the families of these migrants whose fate is still unknown, the President of the Republic and the Foreign Affairs Minister to take action in this case and get information on the detainees.

the migrants' families are in a difficult psychological state due to the lack of information about their children, he pointed out.

About 9 youths including 2 girls, had set sail from Djerba Island last June 19 on board of a makeshift boat and they had been intercepted by Libyan Coast Guards, one of the migrants' parents said.

"Due to the lack of information from the Tunisian Consulate in Libya, we are still seeking further sources of information to learn about the fate of our children," he indicated.
analysis

After more than a week of violence and destructive lawlessness, South Africans in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have spent the weekend cleaning up and rebuilding what was destroyed. In the aftermath, law enforcement have directed their attention to recovering looted property and arresting the instigators of the violence.

Minister of Police, Bheki Cele visited businesses and shopping malls that have been affected by the looting, in Durban and Pietermaritzburg on 19 July. The purpose of the visit was to monitor and maintain law and order in KwaZulu-Natal and ensure calm has been restored to the affected communities, SAPS said in a statement.

Cele spent the weekend engaging with community members in Phoenix, Bhambayi and Zwelisha in KwaZulu-Natal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, accompanied by Ministers Bheki Cele of Police, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula of Defence, Ayanda Dlodlo of State Security and KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihke Zikalala on an oversight visit in Ethekwini, KwaZulu-Natal assessing the impact of recent public violence and the deployment of security forces. Elmond Jiyane/GCIS. 16/07/2021

On Saturday, Cele said he had increased policing in Phoenix, northwest of Durban, to improve safety and end vigilante acts.

"80 public order police officers have been deployed to assist local police and work together with members...
I am still yet to come across any constitution in this world which stipulates that a musician should retire at a particular age. If such regulations existed, the likes of Jimmy Cliff or Sir Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones would be out of business by now. I know that in some professions such as the judiciary and police, the constitutional requirements regarding retirement of judges and commissioners are often adhered to.

It was Thomas Mapfumo's 76th birthday this month. He was born on July 3, 1945. Mapfumo announced sometime last year after his two Zimbabwe tours, which were promoted by Max Mugaba, that he would retire at the age of 75.

However, events taking place now show that he is still working beyond his own stipulated retirement age.

Below is the message coming from Mapfumo himself on his Facebook page which was released to the public on July 3, 2021.

Hello Chimurenga Music fans, thank you for stopping by the Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited page. Many of you have often asked why we did not have an official Facebook page, but at one point we did. We had a page with over 40 000 followers, opened by Thomas' family. The former band manager was given access to that page, and when that said former manager parted ways with the band, he refused to hand the page back and de-activated it. So here we are, starting over and hoping you will support us once again. While we are here clarifying some things, we would like to make some things very clear, especially with regards to who represents Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited. There is some confusion as to who speaks on behalf of the band and it has caused a lot of chaos in our camp.

Austin Sibanda is not the manager of the Blacks Unlimited band. Blessing IvanVava is not Thomas Mapfumo's publicist. There has been confusion, including interviews where this misrepresentation has taken place for so long and we would like to make it very clear that these people have not worked with The Blacks Unlimited since December 2018. There have been several other instances of people who know Mr Mapfumo personally, taking it upon themselves to conduct business under his name. At this moment, only Thomas Mapfumo speaks for Thomas Mapfumo. If it does not come from any of his official platforms, it is not from him.

All merchandise is sold via the band's website. We do not sell merchandise through WhatsApp, or any other platforms other than the website. We also do not have a WhatsApp group chat, nor do we support such groups as they are fuelling illegal sharing of the artiste's music. Please note that publication or sharing of Thomas Mapfumo's music/artistic material on any platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) without written permission from Thomas Mapfumo's legal representation is a serious violation of copyright laws. We urge anyone who has published Thomas Mapfumo's music, live performances, rehearsals, etc. without written permission fromChimurenga Music Company to take it down with immediate effect. Failure to do so will result in legal consequences.

If you would like to book the band, please use their website contact form. If you would like to purchase the band's music, please go to the known online music platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and the band's website. If you would like to keep up with the band and support them please follow this page; @Official Mukanya (Twitter); and officialthomasmapfumo (IG). The band's official website is Thomas -mapfumo.com

Thank you for your continued support!"

From the look of it, Mapfumo is still very active. The last paragraph reads "If you would like to book the band... .etc" meaning that he has not retired yet.

However,his former manager, Austin Sibanda and his former publicist are no longer working with him.

Enter Sam Mataure. When Mataure who had been Oliver Mtukudzi's manager and drummer saw that gap in 2018, he thought that he could persuade Mapfumo to take him on as his manager. Mapfumo to some extent agreed, but Mataure was unfortunate that when he reached Portland, Oregon in the United States where Mapfumo resides, he fell sick and was hospitalised. Mapfumo saw this development as a burden to him. He took care of Mataure, but as soon as he was healed he persuaded him to go back to Zimbabwe. Mataure could not even operate as a drummer because he had been paralysed on his left side after the stroke he had suffered. Mataure then came back to Zimbabwe. They met again in October 2019 when Mapfumo went to give a performance at Ekhuruleni Boksburg Hotel in South Africa. Mataure persuaded music promoter, Josh Hozheri to take him to South Africa as he had a strong desire to show Mapfumo that he was now fit again. He still wanted to be Maapfumo's manager. I spoke to Mataure before he left Zimbabwe about his ambitions and Mapfumo's announced retirement and this is what he had to say: "What nonsense, Mdhara can't retire just like that. I am going to persuade him to re-think. He is still fit and strong. I am going to the US and talk to him to hold two major concerts after the Covid-19 pandemic is gone, and then he can retire".

In May this year, Mataure decided to have a second go at it. After all, his visa to the US was still valid. When he reached Oregon Airport, due to Covid-19 restrictions, he was quarantined for 14 days before he could meet Thomas Mapfumo. I followed him via WhatsApp and here is what I found out. Mataure has not been well again. He is having trouble with his breathing and might prove to be a burden once more to Mapfumo. Now who should be managing who? We will see what happens as events unfold.

When the Chimurenga musician turned 76 years of age, one could tell he was still full of life as he began to make plans for the future.

The US-based musician said he was "extremely blessed to have a full life."

As he put it: "I am 76 years old today and looking back at my life, I can honestly say that I have been extremely blessed to have lived a full life," Mukanya said in a statement.

"I have managed to make a living out of my God-given gift, seen the world and lived long enough to see my children grow. Ndinotenda Mwari nemudzimu vandisvitsa pandiri nhasi. (I thank God and all my ancestoral spirits for having taken me this far.) I also thank my fans for always supporting me -- God bless you all and thank you for the love!" he said.

Indeed Mapfumo has travelled the world through his God-given gift. He has been to The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States of America, South Africa and several other countries plying his trade.

In my analysis, I do not think that there is a retirement age for musicians. Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones who are close to their 80s are still pulling in the crowds in concert-filled halls. For as long as the demand from the fans is still there, there is no need to retire.

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Banning Eyre, author of Mapfumo's Lion Songs book writes:

"Thomas Mapfumo, the lion of Zimbabwe stands beside FelaKuti, Youssou N'dour and Franco as one of Africa's greatest and most consequential bandleaders. He has merged ancient African traditions of the sacred metal-pronged Shona mbira into the currents of international music."

Banning Eyre is a writer, guitarist, photographer and music producer. He has written about international music, especially African music, since 1988. During all that time, he has been a lead producer for the syndicated, Peabody Award-winning public radio programme known as Afropop Worldwide.

In some organisations, lack of post-retirement security also induces some of workers to understate their ages in order to postpone retirement.

Formusicans, there is no active pension and there is no retirement age.

As for Mapfumo, with his illustrious musical career which has gone on for over 50 years and has been well-known for his criticism of Zanu PF governments through songs such as Mamvemve and Corruption, there is no need to retire as his songs have remained popular both in Zimbabwe and internationally. His songs mostly speak about the suffering of ordinary people, corruption and ask the government to respect the rule of law.

Mukanya has been persecuted on several occasions starting with the Ian Smith regime during Rhodesia and later by then now late President Robert Mugabe's government which forced him to settle in exile. For as long as he remains alive, we feel that he must also keep his music alive.
As the riots in Gauteng started to ease, those employed in suburbs affected by the destructive violence feared losing their jobs and decried the futileness of it all.

After three years of unemployment, Gladys Ntshiba, 51, felt happy when she got a job as a frozen-goods packer at Meat World in Mayfield Square shopping centre in Daveyton, situated in Gauteng's East Rand. Little did she know that, three years later, she would be standing across the street from her place of employment, watching helplessly as people broke into it and fled with goods.

According to Ntshiba, who lives in Mayfield Extension 8 with her four children, she didn't recognise most of the people who were looting, but there were many young boys and men.

A few days later, on 14 July, Ntshiba was again standing outside Meat World, this time waiting for her employer to arrive with a truck to move what was left of the inventory to safety. There was a heavy police presence, and Kit Kat Cash & Carry next door was also removing what remained of its stock, along with other shop owners in the centre. Some volunteers were cleaning up.

"Our fear was losing our jobs," Ntshiba said. "We are standing here fighting not to lose our jobs. Losing a job is painful. Some of us are breadwinners at home, no one is helping us at home. I am a mother and I am alone at home. My heart is sore, I am in pain. When this happens, as workers we are hurt, as women we are the ones who are most affected.

"The children who we are fighting for to get jobs? Look, their jobs are gone. The [ATMs] are destroyed, the places we are meant to buy groceries... Where will people get their grant money? There is no place they will be getting that money. They destroyed everything, what will their children get? Children are still going to stay at home [without jobs]."

Pointing across the parking lot at the facade of the KFC that was burnt when the riots started on Monday 12 July, Ntshiba said: "It's sad that the mall was built for them but it is being destroyed by them. If they burn here, we will lose a lot of things. We will lose and our children will suffer. People have sacrificed a lot to get these jobs. Some had just started working, and their jobs are done, just like that."

An uncertain future

Her colleague Pedro Nahiha, 47, said he was scared of losing his job. "Your wellness is obviously affected when you lose a job and it's not nice. When you are working, you can educate your young ones, so when you lose your job, what will you educate them with? It's more difficult to get jobs during this time of corona. It's not easy to get a job."

Nahiha is from Inhambane, Mozambique, and came to South Africa with his wife in the hope of finding greener pastures. He sends most of his money home to his three children. He was working for a metal manufacturer in Johannesburg when he was retrenched in 2015 and remained unemployed until July 2017, when he started working at Meat World. Being unemployed is a state he does not want to find himself in again.

"I am going to be at home for the next few days, and I will only know if I still have a job once my employer has spoken to the insurance," he said.

Nahiha and Ntshiba were not the only ones at the damaged centre waiting to find out if they were still employed. Daveyton-born Bongani Mokoena*, 26, works as a stock manager at Mayfield Motor Spares and came to check whether there was anything left.

The corner shop, which supplies stock to three other branches, was a nightmarish scene of broken glass and windows, though the door locks were still in place. Mokoena said they had taken money, shocks, drums, tyres, batteries, control arms and more.

"It's messed up, even my boss isn't sure what is going to happen. It's going to affect my livelihood very badly because my wife just gave birth and there are many things I need to get. There won't be money to get those things at the end of this month if the insurance doesn't pay him out. It appears I may not have a job. It's hectic and I am confused, I don't know what to do. Where will I even begin looking for a job?"

Staring at those arrested sitting in the middle of the parking lot, Mokoena said he found it difficult to have compassion for them as they did not consider him.

"They don't know that their actions are affecting other people. The people whose stuff they have damaged also have families to feed, and they are only thinking about their stomachs. They are thinking about the present but not the future. At the end of the day, they benefit now, but in the long run they are going to suffer more than the shop owners."

Driven by despair

Outside the shopping centre, Tebogo Mashiane, 28, and her friends were going through some of the clothes they had appropriated, checking sizes and exchanging what would not be of use to them.

Mashiane lives with her two children in a room she rents for R850, which she pays with the R900 she receives from her children's grants. She barely makes a living by selling herbal teas and skin products.

"With all this happening, people don't pay and there is no stock, so what will I live on? This is how I am going to stay alive for now," she said, pointing at heaps of 12.5kg bags of mielie meal, Mr Price clothing and uncooked meat that she grabbed while fearfully ducking rubber bullets.

Her shoes and jeans were soaked from falling in water puddles in the Shoprite storeroom where food had been taken at an alarming rate. Nothing remained in the store, Mashiane said. A post on social media was what led her to Mayfield Square on the afternoons of 13 and 14 July.

"We thought it would be better to come here instead of staying at home because the shops will close, where will we buy food? It's better we also come here and take some things. I cannot act better, I can see people taking clothes here, so I cannot run for food only. I am also taking what I can," she said. "People are taking furniture, TVs, cement, headboards, fridges, doors, building material... people took a lot of things, shame."

Mashiane was fortunate that her landlady had understood her plight when the Covid-19 lockdown started last year and she could not pay rent. Similarly, Mashiane hoped that she would understand why the rent was late or unpaid now that social grant payments may be delayed because the cash-in-transit industry has been affected by the unrest.

'Politics don't pay me'

Mashiane and Nomasonto Nkabinde, 21, had a different goal to Emmanuel Molefe, 39, who had just knocked off from his night shift when he saw the commotion at the shopping centre and opted to join in. He cut and broke his hand as he was running to take alcohol while the police had their hands full with those busy at the food stores. "This is now personal," said Molefe. "He [President Cyril Ramaphosa] closed our tap. Politics don't pay me," he said, beckoning others towards the Shoprite Liquor Shop.

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For Nkabinde, though, food and not alcohol was the priority. "Even when they stopped alcohol, we still lived. The issue is food. They will close the shops and we won't have food," she said, pointing at packets of soup and bags of meat and mielie meal she had taken.

The food would not last longer than two weeks, she lamented. "No, I am obviously still stressed even with this because it's not enough. I don't work. I sell veggies - tomatoes, cabbages and that. They burnt my stock at Skwereng. They started at Daveyton Mall and they burnt there, so our veggies were left charred on the ground. All our stock, and we don't have money to stock or to buy food for the house."

Nkabinde, who lives with her three children, said she thought it was better to join the people taking food and stock up with whatever she could find. "I know what we are doing is wrong, but we have got to do this in order to live right now."

But Ntshiba had no sympathy for them. "They have hurt us, and they have hurt our families and homes. You cannot even sleep when you think of the kind of life your family will live. They didn't feel any pain for us when they destroyed like this. Where will they buy food? Where will they queue for grants?

"They didn't care. They are just happy that they will have full stomachs for now, but they will also be crying as we are crying for these shops when they are back to hunger."

*Not his real name
Goethe  Institut Namibia, in collaboration with StArt Art Gallery, will present a takeaway exhibition for the 'Family Matters - Familiensachen' project on 28 July at 6PM (CAT) online via Zoom.

This project was initiated by the Goethe-Institut Namibia in late 2019 and explores various aspects of the social family unit in seven African countries.

In collaboration with their respective Goethe-Instituts, creative content producers in Angola, Burkina Faso, DRC, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and South Africa worked to record and tell the stories of 29 families covering subjects from religion and finances to marriage and travel. Featuring are five families from Namibia in short videos.

The content of this project is showcased online via the Goethe-Institut Namibia website, as well as in the form of a 'pocket exhibition' or zine (a small-circulation, self-published pamphlet). With the intensity of the pandemic in Namibia and the inability to host a traditional exhibition, this pamphlet functions as a takeaway exhibition that can be collected and explored in conjunction with the website.

"Photographs and films depicting Africans are inescapably tied to colonial histories, when they were first used to create patronising and problematic depictions to satisfy an ethnocentric and western gaze. Over the past few decades, this narrative has been challenged by creative producers living on the continent, who have taken these mediums and re-moulded them. The fragments of this project, brought together here, are all part of this growing body of respectful representation and self-reflection," said Helen Harris & Gina Figueira from StArt Art Gallery.

The online launch will consist of a virtual walk-through of the zine followed by a walk-through of the website and a discussion with some of the participating content creators.

Interested attendees are invited to collect a zine ahead of the exhibition from 19 July at the Windhoek branch of Goethe-Institut, located 1-5 Fidel Castro Street. Those in Swakopmund: can contact Lendl Izaaks on WhatsApp: +264811273286.

Moongo Family based in Windhoek. (Photograph by Lloyd Zandberg)
Caiundo  The minister of Social Action, Family and Women Promotion, Faustina Alves, this Sunday delivered various goods to the Khoisan community residing in the localities of Ntopa and Mbundo (commune of Caiundo), in southeastern Cuando Cubango Province , aimed to minimize some social needs of that people.

On the occasion, the communal administrator of Caiundo, Moura Jamba, highlighted the government's attention to social support to the locality, as well as the resettlement process.

He requested that the process be continued, to facilitate the social integration of the population, as well as the implementation of social facilities, aiming at the continuous improvement of their well-being.

He also pointed out the lack of roads, as well as the need for more social facilities, such as schools and medical centers, as the main difficulties in the region.

The construction of residences, in accordance with the way of life of the community, and their inclusion in the Kwenda project were other concerns presented by Moura Jamba to minister Faustina Alves.

At the moment, only the municipality of Cuito Cuanavale benefits from Kwenda project, revealed Moura Jamba.

The commune of Caiundo is located 143 kilometers south of the municipality of Menongue, with an area of 6.909 square kilometers and an estimated population of 14.650 inhabitants, of which 306 are Khoisan, divided into 74 families, according to the 2014 general census.

Agriculture and fishing are their main source of livelihood.

As part of her three-day visit to Cuando Cubango Province, the minister held meetings with the provincial governor of Cuando Cubango, Julio Bessa, and with the kings of the municipalities of Menongue and Cuchi.
The first vaccination drive through station at the Windhoek Showgrounds will start operations on Tuesday, 20 July.

This initiative which is powered by Gondwana Collection Namibia, the Gondwana Care Trust, FNB

Namibia, Vaccines for Hope and supported by several private companies, will allow people to get vaccinated in the safety of their own vehicle.

According to Gondwana, vaccinations will be done Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10:00 to

18:00 on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of front-line workers who will be given priority if they arrive in uniform or an official vehicle (police, medics, firefighters etc).

No pre-bookings required and walk-ins are also welcome, they added.

According to Gondwana, Tuesday will kick off with only Sinopharm vaccines, and Astra Zeneca and possibly other vaccines will be added as soon as Ministry of Health receives those vaccines.

"In these darkest of hours, we need each other. It is in these trying times that the true character of our nation will be tested - the real fiber of our society. We need to reach out. Therefore, please bring Ouma and Oupa or your vulnerable neighbour or maybe your housekeeper's Oupa and Ouma. We hope to make a small contribution to society's heroes like all front line workers and emergency first responders, who might only have weekends to get vaccinated," Gondwana's Managing Director, Gys Joubert, said.

"If you want to help our overworked front line workers, get vaccinated. If you want to help our overflowing hospitals, get vaccinated. If you want to save lives and livelihoods, get vaccinated. If you want your children to have a better future than our current reality, get vaccinated," Joubert said.

Download the vaccinations forms prior to your visit at the drive-through vaccination station or bring along N$5.00 per person cost contribution for the vaccination forms, payable at the entrance.

Interested individuals or companies who would like to support this initiative financially or in kind are welcome to contact the Gondwana Care Trust's Silke Ahrens at [email protected].
Hundreds of mourners defied Covid-19 public health regulations to bid farewell to Ovaherero Paramount Chief Vekuii Rukoro, who was laid to rest at Okahandja yesterday.

Rukoro, who died about a month ago in a Windhoek hospital from Covid-19 complications aged 66, was buried at the heroes' shrine. He has been credited, among others, for championing the cause of the Nama and Ovaherero people in seeking reparations from Germany over the 1904-1908 genocide committed by that colonial power.

Before his burial yesterday, his body was taken to his traditional homestead at his native village of Omutukururu in the Otjozondjupa region. Family members, political leaders, tribal elders and business executives offered eulogies in a virtual ceremony for Rukoro on Friday.

In his message, Nama Traditional Leaders Association Gaob Johannes Isaack said Rukoro followed in the footsteps of his mothers and fathers, and for this reason rejected the reconciliation and reconstruction agreement signed between the governments of Namibia and Germany, no matter what the consequences might be.

"He had two final assignments which he has entrusted to us. We shall fight tooth and nail to nourish the bond between the Nama and Ovaherero people," he said.

"Equally, we shall fight the continued salient genocide today committed against these two nations. This I promise to the world. I may not see the final freedom of our people, just as PC Rukoro did not see it, but our children and grandchildren shall hold the torch, for it is a long walk to freedom."

The chairperson of the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation (OGF), Nandiuasora Mazeingo said Rukoro chiefly demanded that Ovaherero and Nama, as communities targeted by the German Extermination Orders of 1904 and 1905 respectively, and its execution, which resulted in the first genocide of the 20th century, speak directly with the state of Germany.

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"He particularly rejected and abhorred the idea of absolutist representation adopted by the Namibian government, which essentially posits itself as elected into office to represent the wider citizenry on all matters heaven and earth, including those for which it has not expressly sought a representation mandate," he stated.

In his message, Founding President Sam Nujoma described Rukoro as firm in persuasion and principle, with the acumen and strategic craft to know when, how and why to accommodate the demands of others who were negotiating their way into the setting sun.

After independence, Nujoma appointed Rukoro as deputy minister of justice, a position he served until in 1995 when Nujoma again appointed him to the position of attorney general from 1995 to 2000. Rukoro became a member of the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, where he was one of the main drafters of Namibia's constitution. Nujoma said Rukoro forged a constitutional legacy that will define the country for generations to come.
Walvis Bay  Devastating shack fires ravaged through the coast on Friday, killing at least one person and displacing more than 20 families in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

The latest incidents once again highlight the continuous challenges residents in informal settlements face due to a lack of housing. The families not only lost their homes but national documents, schoolbooks, stationery, and goods they were selling as a means of survival. Kuisebmond resident Festus Kalondo (18) died on Friday evening when his shack caught fire while he was busy cooking.

"The fire quickly spread to two more shacks but firefighters managed to control it, Inspector Ileni Shapumba of the Erongo police said on Saturday. Earlier the same day, a fire also displaced 16 families living closely at the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC) informal settlement in

Swakopmund. A minor boy allegedly lit a match and threw it into a gas cooker. As a result, the shack caught fire and spread to surrounding shacks. At least 33 shacks burnt down, however, some were not occupied at the time of the fire. According to Shapumba, a sister of the minor boy tried to extinguish the fire but it was too overwhelming.

'Everything gone'

Eveline Kharugas, who had three shacks in her yard, told New Era yesterday that she lost everything. "Both me and my husband are pensioners and have been making a living from selling second-hand goods and wood.

We lost about N$300 000 worth of goods including furniture, stock, cash and valuable items we have gathered through the years," a sad Kharugas said. She also expressed her disappointment towards other residents of the settlement who were standing and filming instead of assisting to put out the fire.

"It was disheartening to see how people were standing and laughing while our belongings are being destroyed. It was horrifying and sad," Kharugas said. Another fire victim, William Julius, said he was not home when the fire happened. "I was at work when I got that dreadful call that my shack has been destroyed by fire," he said.

According to him, they are now at the mercy of Good Samaritans. "I don't even know how we will rebuild our home," he said. Selma Eibes, who is also a former fire victim, said that she is living in constant fear.

"One minute you have shelter, the next minute all is gone. That is life in DRC. Many of us when such fires occur are not at home maybe that is fate," she added.

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Formalisation of DRC

Meanwhile, the fire victims appealed to the Swakopmund municipality to make water and electricity more accessible to the local community. "We have been living for more than 15 years in DRC. We have been told that the formalisation is coming. It is yet to reach us." They are of the opinion that they wouldn't have to deal with shack fires if they had access to electricity. "Change really needs to happen for the residents of DRC, we have been pleading for houses, water and electricity for years. We hope that this fire highlights the challenges we face as DRC residents," they said. Swakopmund mayor Louisa Kativa on Friday said that the 16 families will temporarily be accommodated at the Mondesa sport stadium, while a better solution is being explored. A meeting between the Swakopmund municipality and the fire victims was due to take place yesterday to discuss the future of the victims. The DRC informal settlement came in existence in 2001 as a temporary resettlement community for people waiting for subsidised housing. It is home to thousands of families that have been hoping to secure decent housing.
Lobito  The President of Cabo Verde, Jorge Carlos Fonseca, expressed this Sunday, in Angola's coastal Province of Benguela, his country's willingness to optimize bilateral relations with Angola, through strategic partnerships.

Speaking to the press, after a visit to the Cabo Verdean community in Benguela, the president pointed out some axes in the economic sector as very important to leverage the partnership between the two states and, as an example, he referred to air transport , where the respective national flag companies can cooperate more vigorously.

"The Cabo Verdean company has licences to fly to the United States and through this partnership, Angola Airlines (TAAG) could take advantage of this route," he said, making an assessment of his visit of a few hours to Benguela Province, where was received by Governor Luis Nunes da Fonseca.

He also added that his country has great potential and experience in the areas of tourism and hotels, where they can pass on their knowledge to Angola.

The agreements that Cabo Verde has with the Community of West African States (ECOWAS) may also open doors for Angola to enter that region, which it considers to be a large market.

Regarding Angola's potential, he recalled the contractual process under which the country made available to Cabo Verde a large portion of agricultural land in Quibala locality, Angola's centre-west Province of Cuanza Sul, which could facilitate the coming of Cabo Verdeans to work and explore the land, for the benefit of the markets of both countries.

Asked about his visit to the Cabo Verdean community in Benguela, he said it was a fraternity visit and also aimed to increase the self-esteem of his fellow country people, stressing that "since Cabo Verdeans are a migratory people", so the President must really make these visits "to give his people some comfort and listen to their problems".
Agribank Namibia is celebrating Yolanda Kavetuna, a dedicated millennial female part time farmer specializing in livestock framing in communal areas. She has over nine years years of extensive experience in farming and is currently farming with crossbreeds in Otjituuo area in the Grootfontein district.

Kavetuna said she drew her inspiration for farming from her family from a very young age. "I come from a family of farmers, because I recall having to travel to the cattle post before even getting my school report card and only returning a day before school reopen and I spend most of my school holidays on the farm growing up," she added.

In 2013, when the country was going through a drought, Kavetuna purchased a few heifer, and in-calf-cows, because the prices were good at the time and she continued to build the herd until 2015.

She received a loan from Agribank which she said helped her in terms of having cash flow throughout the year. "Similarly, I used the money to purchase cattle supplements," she explained.

She said the challenges she faces as a farmer are the scarcity of land and having to share communal land, but despite these challenges she remains determined to succeed.

"I recently experienced a calving rate of over 85% and I managed to maintain the health condition of my livestock to ensure that I get a calf every year," she stated.

For aspiring farmers, Kavetuna advised that if you have an interest in farming, she urged them to start now. "At the most associate yourself with three best friend, that should be able to help you reach your farming goals," she advised.

She said this three friends should be someone close to you that can share information and bounce off ideas, the second is your veterinarian and the third is someone or an institution that will finance your farming venture.
Luanda  The Angolan Copyright Society (SADIA) and Europe's Unison have announced the signing of an agreement for the collection of digital rights in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

According to a press release, to which Angop had access, the representation agreement aims to collect digital rights in Europe, for the repertoire of over 35,000 songs entrusted by Angolan authors, artists and publishers to SADIA.

With this agreement, reads the note, SADIA members will be represented throughout the European territory, through a single point of contact, as a result of Unison's multi-territorial licence agreements with Digital Service Providers (DSPs), Social Networks and other users of musical works.

SADIA s chairman, Lopito Feijo, has said that this project requires responsibility, mainly because it is something as important as the collection of digital rights for Angolan authors.

"It is a great honour for us to have them as partners and we are happy that the authors have trusted us to carry out this project", reinforced the official.

On his turn, Unison CEO, Jordi Puy, has said that he sees the agreement as the beginning of a long and fruitful journey for the two parties.

"We are grateful to SADIA for trusting us and very happy to serve the representatives of Angolan creators in our joint mission to optimize digital collections in Europe", reads the document.

Both companies are committed to providing efficient, transparent and cutting-edge services to the music industry and are committed to streamlining the receipt of artistic rights.

Unison is Europe's leading independent copyrights management entity offering a multi-territory digital licensing service with direct negotiations with DSPs, social networks and other digital music users, as well as offline collection management through its international network representation agreements.

The company began operations in 2020 and already manages rights for more than 1 million songs, representing more than 270 customers from 12 countries.
Ethiopia Warns Media on Coverage of Tigray Conflict

Ethiopia's media regulator is warning foreign news outlets that publishing specific references that it says mischaracterise the country's war-torn northern Tigray region will be met with legal consequences. Voice of America (VOA) reports that it has been sent a letter which reads: "In reviewing and monitoring the news reports, the Ethiopian Media Authority [EMA] has found that some foreign media are repeatedly characterizing [the Tigray People's Liberation Front - TPLF] as a national army by calling it the Tigray Defense Force or TDF." An earlier warning had been sent to at least two foreign media outlets, VOA says.



The statement sent to VOA, signed by agency chief Yonatan Tesfaye Regassa, came after the EMA revoked the licence of the Addis Standard's publisher, accusing the monthly magazine and news website - a publishing partner of allAfrica.com - of advancing the agenda of a "terrorist group," without providing more specifics. The licence has since been restored, according to an article on the publication's website.



The new coverage guidelines for the Tigray conflict come two weeks after police in the capital arrested about 20 journalists and staff from the independent broadcaster Awlo Media Center and YouTube-based broadcaster Ethio-Forum, both of which have been critical of the government. The state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission says federal police had since released three of the journalists.
Activists Call for Probe Into Murder of Kenyan Environmentalist

Conservationists, civil society and human rights advocates have demanded a swift investigation into the murder of prominent environmentalist Joanna Stutchbury - warning that more deaths would follow if activists continued to be attacked with impunity.

The group is calling on the environment ministry and the Kenya Forestry Service to come up with a plan and where appropriate, "gazette all forest lands in Kenya to shield them from land grabbers who see the forests as opportunities to enrich themselves at the expense of our environment and all Kenyans".

The vocal environmentalist, known for fighting for Kiambu forest which is under constant threat from private developers was killed at her home in Thindigua, Kiambu County.
Zimbabwe Govt's Religious Exemptions During Covid-19 A Timebomb

As Covid-19 pummeled Zimbabwe, worship services have never been the same, as authorities banned them from gathering in the midst of the battle against the pandemic. However police have claimed that members of the Johanne Marange Apostolic sect that are said to have gathered in Manicaland for an annual festival were permanent residents at a shrine there.

Activists have been pushing the police to act against the thousands that congregated at Mafararikwa in Bocha as they were violating Covid-19 restrictions. The church commands a huge following across the country and in the region and an estimated 20,000 congregants gather in Marange every year for their annual Passover feast.

Former health minister and opposition MDC Alliance politician Henry Madzorera has warned the government to stop the selective application of law in enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. The critics say the white garment churches' involvement in party politics, particularly in favour of the ruling Zanu-PF, has continued to flourish in Zimbabwe even after the demise of the late former president Robert Mugabe.
Pedimos al pueblo no dejarse sorprender con listas y nombres de posibles gabinetes que vienen circulando: son trascendidos y especulaciones. Tras la proclamacion del JNE haremos los anuncios oficiales que corresponda para el gobierno del Bicentenario. #PalabraDeMaestro
?? EN VIVO | Desde San Martin de Porres, la titular del Consejo de Ministros, Violeta Bermudez, y el ministro de Salud, Oscar Ugarte, cierran con exito la segunda #Vacunaton en Lima Metropolitana y Callao. #JuntosPorLaVacunaton ????https://t.co/QvDAVAzW8q
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian State Revenue Committees southern customs department and executives of the Meghri customs checkpoint department had a meeting with the executives of Irans Norduz customs checkpoint, the Armenian SRC told Armenpress.

The Armenian and Iranian sides discussed relating to upgrading works, the recent large-scale passenger flows, the queues, etc.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the occasion of her birthday, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads:

Your personal contribution to the strengthening of the Armenian-German relations and the expansion of mutual partnership in various areas is significant.

I highly value the bilateral relations which are based on mutual trust and am convinced that they will contribute to the constant development and deepening of the cooperation between the two countries.

I warmly remember our meetings both in Yerevan and Berlin, and the consistent implementation of the agreements, which were reached during those meetings, will give a new quality to the Armenian-German partnership for the benefit of the welfare of the two nations.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is calm at the moment. The Armenian Armed Forces fully control the situation, Head of Information Department of the Armed Forces, Colonel Samvel Asatryan told Armenpress.

He noted that some media outlets are spreading panic news connected with the recent incidents in some sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, in particular in the Nakhijevan direction, which could negatively affect not only the population but also create certain obstacles for the activity of the Armenian Armed Forces.

The Armenian Armed Forces fulfill their duties in a whole scale and great responsibility, are ready for any scenario and expect full trust and support by the public, Coloneal Samvel Asatryan said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Foreign Ministry has commented on the statement of the representative of the Azerbaijani foreign ministry, which contains territorial claims to Armenia.

The MFA provided a comment to ARMENPRESS.

Question: Yesterday the representative of the Azerbaijani foreign ministry made a comment which contains territorial and historical claims towards Armenia. How do you assess such demands?

Foreign Ministry: By making fake territorial and historical demands towards Armenia, the Azerbaijani side is trying to remove the Karabakh conflict from the international agenda on the one hand, and on the other hand to create new threats for regional security and stability.

Trying to justify such fake agenda, the Azerbaijani side doesnt hesitate to attribute obvious falsifications to the November 9 trilateral statement. If we derive from the logic of the Azerbaijani interpretation of that documents reference to the return of displaced persons, the Armenian refugees must return to Nakhijevan, Gandzak, Baku, Sumgait and other territories of present-day Azerbaijan evicted from Armenians.

As for the historical claims towards Armenia made by the Azerbaijani foreign ministry spokesperson, its difficult for us to perceive the Azerbaijani criteria of historical definition. We have to remind again that history can never be the strong side of a country, whose both geographical and political name has a history of a century, and the name of Azerbaijani is even newer than that.

The efforts of Azerbaijani leadership to spread and maintain lasting enmity between the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples are a constant threat to regional peace and security. Before accusing Armenia of revanchism, Azerbaijan must explain the international community what is the meaning of the trophy park in Baku, which is nothing more than a shameful monument of revanchism and hatred.

Armenia will continue acting consistently from the positions of the exercise of the Artsakh peoples right to self-determination, de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh which were subject to ethnic cleansing and the return of the Armenian population to those territories in accordance with the November 9 trilateral statement. Only the resumption of the Karabakh peaceful settlement process under auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship can create preconditions for the lasting peace in the region.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 19 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 19 July, USD exchange rate is down by 1.87 drams to 492.91 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 4.18 drams to 580.60 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is down by 0.07 drams to 6.61 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 7.41 drams to 676.62 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is down by 100.93 drams to 28910.45 drams. Silver price is down by 3.16 drams to 413.7 drams. Platinum price is down by 4.55 drams to 17970.98 drams.
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. The first sitting of the National Assembly of the 8th convocation will be convened on August 2.

Talking with ARMENPRESS, the secretary of the Central Electoral Commission Armen Smbatyan said that the Central Electoral Commission will make a protocol on the registration of mandates this week.

"The first sitting of the National Assembly will take place after that, the next Monday," the CEC secretary said, without mentioning a specific day.

The day of the first sitting of the National Assembly will be announced by the CEC chairman after the protocol is ready.

Extraordinary parliamentary elections in Armenia were held on June 20. After the results were announced, 4 political forces appealed in the Constitutional Court: "Armenia", "I have honor" blocs, "Zartonk" and "Armenian Homeland" parties. On July 17, the Constitutional Court announced its decision to uphold the decision of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Armenia on the results of elections.
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS/ The Azerbaijani Armed Forces once again resorted to provocative actions in the evening of July 19. Starting at 6:40 p.m., Azeribaijani units fired from different caliber firearms at the Armenian positions in the Yeraskh section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as a result of which an intense skirmish took place. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MoD Armenia, the Armenian side suffered no casualties.

The Defense Ministry of Armenia strongly condemns the provocation of the Azerbaijani side, and warns that any similar action will be harshly responded by the Armenian side. "The Azerbaijani military-political leadership is fully responsible for the escalation of the situation, reads the statement of the MoD Armenia.
Muslims in war-scarred Libya mark Eid al-Adha from Tuesday, but few will be able to afford the sheep or goat traditionally slaughtered during the festival.

The guns may have fallen silent in the North African country, but its people are now fighting a deep economic crisis worsened by the Covid pandemic and drought.

Few customers were stopping in the days before Eid at the Sidi Khalifa roadside market outside Benghazi in Libya's east, where trader Osama al-Aqury blamed soaring fodder prices for the rising cost of livestock.

"For the past four years state farming cooperatives have been meant to sell fodder to sheep farmers at subsidised prices, but they haven't," said the 35-year-old, who uses a wheelchair.

Seriously wounded in the 2011 revolt that overthrew and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi, he manoeuvred easily among his animals, grabbing them by the horns to show them to the few potential buyers.

While the ritual is not obligatory in Islam, tradition and social conventions mean that most families hope to buy and slaughter a sheep or goat for the Eid feast.

But like many people in the Arab world facing grinding economic crisis as the year's biggest Muslim festival approaches, Libyans are looking at the prospect of a lean Eid.

- Pandemic and drought -

Kadhafi's fall sparked a decade of violent chaos in Libya and the collapse of an economic system that was based on state patronage funded by oil revenues.

Today, non-subsidised animal feed costs 150 dinars (around 30 euros) per 100 kilogrammes (220 pounds), Aqury said.

Meanwhile "the fields are totally dry" after months with no rain, he added, before moving aside to perform one of his five daily prayers, perched in his wheelchair as he faced Mecca.

Amer al-Messilati, who manages the herd of a wealthy Benghazi rancher, agreed that times are tough.

"The price of feed this year has impacted the price of sheep," he said, as market-goers wandered past without buying. "To help buyers, we've been accepting cheques as well as cash."

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A one-year-old sheep with good quality meat can now sell for up to 2,000 dinars (375 euros) -- up from 1,400 dinars last year.

Years of fighting and the Libyan state's division into two rival administrations have compounded a liquidity crisis, sent prices higher and led to endless delays in salary payments to the many public sector workers.

With many banks also capping withdrawals at 1,000 dinars, queues at cash machines are long and Libyans are forced to plan their shopping and expenses long in advance.

The coronavirus pandemic has compounded Libya's woes, and cases have exploded in recent weeks.

- Struggle to survive -

In Benghazi, Faraj al-Nayli, a state employee who had come to the market to seek out a bargain, said that "wealthy families shouldn't haggle, because everyone finds something to suit their budget".

He also said the state should help out poorer families.

With economic woes mounting, a new unity government in power since March has put aside more than 10 million euros to import tens of thousands of animals for municipalities to distribute to poorer families.

This year the livestock are arriving from all over: sheep from Spain and Romania, calves from Ireland and Hungary; even camels from Djibouti.

Some 38,000 thousand head of livestock arrived in recent days, for distribution across the country, according to the size of families.

The question remains whether they will arrive on time for Eid.

"The state is getting in late...it should have done it two months ago, not a few days before Eid," said Nayli.

Moreover, he said, "without liquidity, we can't survive."

bur-rb/par/fz
Iranian police have opened fire amid protests against water shortages in southwestern Iran, a video shows, the latest unrest after days of demonstrations that have seen at least one person killed.

The video from the Human Rights Activists News Agency by Human Rights Activists in Iran showed the shooting late on Saturday in Susangerd, which has been an epicentre of demonstrations in Iran's restive Khuzestan province.

A police officer fires into the air with a pistol and at least one other shot can be heard in the footage. Riot police on motorcycles race around a corner, firing at the protesters.

The video corresponded to other Associated Press reporting of the demonstrations in Khuzestan, home to ethnic Arabs who complain of discrimination by Iran's Shi'ite theocracy.

The video also matched known features of Susangerd and the protest depicted took place where other demonstrations occurred in recent days.

On Sunday, the deputy governor of Khuzestan province in charge of security affairs acknowledged the unrest had killed at least one person.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Valiollah Hayati as blaming "rioters" for killing a citizen in the city of Shadegan in Khuzestan. Iran's government long has blamed protesters for deaths during demonstrators in unrest, despite its history of bloody crackdowns.

Arab separatists have long operated in Khuzestan, which Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein tried to seize in his 1980s war with Iran. They have blown up oil pipelines in the past and have been blamed for attacks, including a 2018 assault on a military parade that killed at least 25 people in Ahvaz.

Water worries in the past have sent angry demonstrators into the streets in Iran. The country has faced rolling blackouts for weeks now, in part over what authorities describe as a severe drought. Precipitation had decreased by almost 50 per cent in the last year, leaving dams with dwindling water supplies.

The protests in Khuzestan come as Iran struggles through repeated waves of infections in the coronavirus pandemic and as thousands of workers in its oil industry have launched strikes for better wages and conditions.

Iran's economy also has struggled under US sanctions since then-President Donald Trump's 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers, crashing the value of he Islamic Republic's currency, the rial.
An Israeli woman uses her iPhone in front of the building housing the Israeli NSO group, on August 28, 2016, in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.

Rights activists, journalists and lawyers around the world have been targeted with phone malware sold to authoritarian governments by an Israeli surveillance firm, media reports say.

They are on a list of some 50,000 phone numbers of people believed to be of interest to clients of the company, NSO Group, leaked to major news outlets.

It was not clear where the list came from - or how many phones had actually been hacked.

NSO denies any wrongdoing.

It says the software is intended for use against criminals and terrorists and is made available only to military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records.

It said the original investigation which led to the reports, by Paris-based NGO Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International, was "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories".

But it added that it would "continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action".

The allegations about use of the software, known as Pegasus, were carried on Sunday by the Washington Post, the Guardian, Le Monde and 14 other media organisations around the world.

Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras.

What do we know about the people targeted?

Media outlets working on the investigation said they had identified more than 1,000 people spanning over 50 countries whose numbers were on the list.

They include politicians and heads of state, business executives, activists, and several Arab royal family members. More than 180 journalists were also found to be on the list, from organisations including CNN, the New York Times and Al Jazeera.

Many of the numbers were clustered in 10 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the reports.

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BBC graphic

When contacted by the outlets involved in the investigation, spokespeople for these countries either denied that Pegasus was used or denied that they had abused their powers of surveillance.

It was not clear how many of the devices on the list had actually been targeted, but forensic analysis of 37 of the phones showed there had been "attempted and successful" hacks, the Washington Post reported.

This included people close to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October 2018 while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. His body was then dismembered.

The investigation found that spyware was installed on his fiancee's phone days after his murder, and that his wife's phone was targeted with spyware between September 2017 and April 2018.

The NSO Group said its technology was "not associated in any way with the heinous murder".

The phone of Mexican journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto also appeared twice on the list, including in the month before he was murdered, the investigation found.

His phone disappeared from the scene of the murder so a forensic examination was not possible. NSO said that even if his phone was targeted, that did not mean that data collected was connected with his murder.

BBC graphic

The phones of two Hungarian investigative journalists, Andras Szabo and Szabolcs Panyi, were found to have been successfully infected with the spyware.

Mr Panyi told Forbidden stories that learning of the hack was "devastating".

"There are some people in this country who consider a regular journalist as dangerous as someone suspected of terrorism," he said.

The Hungarian government was "not aware of any alleged data collection", a spokesperson told the Guardian.

In India, more than 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and two ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government were reported to be on the list.

This included the key opposition figure Rahul Gandhi, with two mobile phone numbers belonging to him found in the list. Mr Gandhi no longer has the devices so it was not possible to analyse them to determine if he had been hacked.

India's government has denied using unauthorised surveillance.

More details about who has been targeted are expected to be released in the coming days.

WhatsApp sued NSO in 2019, alleging the company was behind cyber-attacks on 1,400 mobile phones involving Pegasus. At the time, NSO denied any wrongdoing, but the company has been banned from using WhatsApp.

Analysis box by Joe Tidy, Cyber reporter

The allegations here are not new. What is new is the scale of the targeting of innocent people that's allegedly taking place. Nearly 200 reporters from 21 countries have their phone numbers on this list, and more names of high-profile public figures are expected to be revealed.

There are plenty of unknowns in these allegations - including where the list comes from and how many of the phone numbers were actively targeted with spyware. NSO Group has once again come out swinging and denies all accusations. However, it's a blow for the company, which is actively trying to reform its reputation.

Only two weeks ago it released its first "transparency report" detailing human right policies and pledges. Amnesty International brushed the 32-page document off as a "sales brochure".

These latest allegations will do further damage to its image, but they won't hurt the company financially. There are very few private companies able to produce the sort of invasive spy tools that NSO sells, and clearly the largely unregulated market for the software is booming.

You might also be interested in:

Click here to see the BBC interactive
A southwest Sydney woman in her 50s has died after contracting COVID-19, becoming the fifth person in NSW to die amid the current outbreak.

The Green Valley woman was reportedly linked to removalists who travelled to central-west NSW while allegedly knowing they were COVID-positive.

Her body was found in her home on Monday morning, and NSW Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner.

She is the youngest person to die of COVID-19 in Australia in 10 months and the 61st person to die of COVID-19 in NSW since early 2020.

The twin male removalists linked to the woman, along with two other workers, travelled from West Hoxton in southwest Sydney to Molong in central-west NSW and stopped in Figtree, South Bowenfels and Orange.

Three of the removalists travelled to Molong despite discovering they were COVID-positive en route, NSW Police allege.

Police escorted the men and their vehicles back to Greater Sydney, issuing the trio with court attendance notices for failing to comply with COVID directions.

The twin men linked to the woman were forced to sit in a blue ute outside the Green Valley property on Monday while police conducted investigations inside the house.
NSW has recorded its fifth Covid death from its current Delta outbreak  a woman believed to be related to the removalists charged after allegedly breaching Public Health Orders.

The woman aged in her 50s was found dead inside her home in Green Valley in south west Sydney, the ABC reports.

It is understood that she is the mum of two of the men, twin brothers identified as Roni and Ramsin Shawka, 27.

NSW has recorded its fifth Covid death from its current Delta outbreak. Source: 9 News

A NSW Health spokesperson has confirmed the death.

"NSW Health today sadly reports the death of a woman in her 50s who was a confirmed COVID-19 case. She was a resident of south western Sydney and a close contact of a COVID case.

"This is the 61st death in NSW related to COVID-19 and the fifth of the current outbreak.

"NSW Health extends its sincere sympathy to her family and friends."

NSW Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner.

The twin male removalists linked to the woman, along with two other workers, travelled from West Hoxton in southwest Sydney to Molong in central-west NSW and stopped in Figtree, South Bowenfels and Orange

Three of the removalists travelled to Molong despite discovering they were COVID-positive en route, NSW Police allege.

Police escorted the men and their vehicles back to Greater Sydney, issuing the trio with court attendance notices for failing to comply with COVID directions.

The brothers have been isolating at their home, along with their mum who later tested positive, 9 News reports.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, one of the removalists defended their actions, saying "it was not his fault".

The news comes after the state recorded 98 new local cases of Covid on Monday.

As many as 44 of the cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday were active in the community while infectious, including 20 for their entire infectious period.

Story continues

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Fourth-generation dairy farmer Nathan Chittenden talked about trying to find workers for his farm. He said when his grandfather started Dutch Hollow Farm in Schodack Landing 45 years ago, it was easy for him to find employees in the local community. He said that changed when his parents owned the farm and now while he owns the farm.

I was lucky as I live in the middle of apple orchards and there is no shortage of migrant workers, he said. There are eight family members and nine non-family workers on the farm, but they might just as well be family because we work hard beside one another. It's hard for them because they only get to see their families on their cellphones. They're terrified to go back home because they don't know if they'll be able to come back.

Two migrant workers, Mayer Garcia and Izaias Santiz, were on the panel and both said they would like to be able to visit their families in Mexico and come back to work in the U.S. without having to go through the application process again.

Santiz, 19, said he came to the U.S. to work at age 16 to support his family back home who are living in poverty. He said he works on a dairy farm and would like to continue to do so. Garcia said he also came to America to work to help get his family out of poverty in Mexico. He said he was happy to work to help produce the food you all consume.
They were married in November 1993. In 2013 they co-authored the book "Love & War: Twenty Years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home," in which they described how they maintain their love and peace at home while holding and fighting for completely incompatible political points of view. He has continued to be a prominent consultant for Democrats, while she has been an active advocate for conservatives and Republicans. While they avoid talking policy with each other, they enjoy analyzing political strategies and the quality of campaigns. And they respect each others commitment to our nations democratic process.

They have stated that they have disagreed since before they met, so the polarization in our national political scene doesnt bother them at all. In case someone might think that they have come to agree with each other more over the years, Carville recently wrote a book titled "Were Still Right, Theyre Still Wrong."

And of course, they hold radically different views of Donald Trump. Carville disagreed with Facebook, Twitter and some news outlets when they banished the former president, saying, You just let him sit there and let the camera roll so people can see what a blabbering idiot he is.
A fellow Republican who supported former President Donald Trump's impeachment and a union representing Southwest Airlines pilots are among U.S. Rep. John Katko's donors in the second quarter of 2021.

Katko, R-Camillus, raised over $484,000  $166,087 from individuals, $280,050 from political action committees and other groups, and $37,821 in transfers from a joint fundraising committee, Take Back the House 2022.

The donor list includes some notable names. Former U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh, who has long supported Katko after endorsing him in 2014, gave $1,000. Bruce Kenan, a partner at Pyramid Management Group, has donated $5,500 for Katko's reelection campaign.

One of the largest donors to Katko's campaign is the National Victory Action Fund, a group that started to help Republicans win back the House and Senate. The fund, which is chaired by former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, contributed $10,000.

Katko received $10,000 from U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy's Continuing America's Strength and Security PAC. Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump after the House impeached the former president in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack.
The father-son team that smuggled Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a large musical-equipment case was sentenced to time in prison for their role in helping Nissan Motor Co.s former chairman flee trial in 2019.

Michael Taylor, 60, the father and a former US Green Beret, received a sentence of two years by the three-judge panel on Monday in a hearing that lasted about 20 minutes. His 28-year-old son, Peter Taylor, was handed a 20-month sentence.

Both pleaded guilty last month to charges of aiding Ghosns escape to Beirut, a development that was just as shocking as the November 2018 arrest of the auto executive for alleged financial crimes. With Ghosn out of reach  Lebanon doesnt extradite its citizens  the pair has become a proxy for Ghosn and his case. So has Greg Kelly, a former Nissan director who was detained on the same day as his boss and is facing trial in Japan. Ghosn and Kelly have denied allegations of understating the auto executives compensation.

(Also read | Nissan to study brain function of Formula E drivers to improve their performance)

Carlos Ghosns Downfall at Nissan and the Aftermath: QuickTake

After spending more than a year in Japan and free on bail, Ghosn made his way to Osakas airport on Dec. 29, 2019, by bullet train. From there, he was rolled on to a private jet that flew to Istanbul, where he switched planes and made his way to Beirut.

This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas," Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said. Noting that Ghosn has no intention of returning to Japan, he added: A year and a half has passed, but there is no prospect of the trial being held." The $860,000 in payments the Taylors received from Ghosn, part of which was used to fund the former executives travel, showed the Taylors main motive was compensation," Nirei said.

Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of more than two years for each, while defense lawyers for the Taylors pushed for a suspended sentence.

(Also read | High on electric goals, Nissan CEO says $1.4 billion UK EV hub 'just a start')

The pair were detained for about 10 months in the US before being extradited. Chief Judge Nirei said Monday that time served in the US was not related to the crime itself and therefore shouldnt be taken into account. Their detention in Japan before sentencing was taken into consideration, he said.

Both Taylors, dressed in somewhat wrinkled dark suits and surrounded by guards, listened to the judges statements without showing much expression. The pair can file to appeal their sentencing within the next 14 days, Nirei said.

Trains, Planes and Audacity: Ghosns 5,400 Mile Escape to Beirut

The Taylors have been embroiled in legal battles since helping Ghosn escape. After fighting extradition charges, the pair were brought to Japan in March and placed in solitary confinement in a detention center as they attended trial at the Tokyo District Court.

The duo apologized to prosecutors and Japans justice system in a hearing in late June. Helping Ghosn flee was a mistake, they both said. Michael Taylor has never denied his involvement in Ghosns escape, speaking in court about how he organized and carried out the brazen operation. Peters role is less clear.

Money used to pay for Ghosns escape was transferred through Peters company and he met with the former auto executive several times in the months leading up to, and on the day of, the escape, according to prosecutors. But Peter testified in court last month that he didnt know the details of when or how Ghosn was planning to escape, and only learned of the former chairmans flight via reports after the fact.

Chief Judge Nirei said Monday that while Michael played the leading role" in the escape, Peters role was also imperative and important."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
LOS ANGELES  LiveJasmin on Monday announced that industry veteran Karl Edwards has joined the team to promote the LGBTQI+ community across all its brands.

LiveJasmin said it has always embraced this diverse community and is looking forward to a brighter future where all forms of sexual identity are celebrated online.

I am thrilled to have the chance to work with LiveJasmin," Edwards said. "I believe the brands work ethic, driven mentality, and expertise will help us to realize our shared vision of CameraBoys future.

This first step will help bring LiveJasmins brother site," CameraBoys, to the forefront of the gay industry. CameraBoys said its goal is "to become as dominant in its own market as LiveJasmin is in theirs."

According to Karl, Cameraboys is already an exciting and dynamic product and Im looking forward to enhancing the user experience with new features that extend the identity of the site. The new products that were developing will embrace and promote the diversity and beauty of this community in innovative ways and I can't wait to get started!

Karl has more than 25 years of experience creating and building significant adult brands. said Morgan Sommer, LiveJasmins senior vice president of sales and traffic. We plan on utilizing his knowledge and insight to the fullest and work together with him to turn the LGBTQI+ division into the next titan of this market.
Trout Unlimited (TU) has partnered with the Arizona Wildlife Federation (AWF) to create the Get Outdoors Arizona business coalition (GOAZ). In Arizona, outdoor recreation is a powerful economic engine contributing 201,000 jobs, $5.7 billion in wages, $21.2 billion in consumer spending and $1.4 billion in local and state tax revenue. These statistics ensure businesses and communities across Arizona thrive with outdoor recreation providing good jobs that are sustainable in perpetuity.

GOAZ is a coalition of 65+ businesses and organizations across Arizona that recognizes the important linkage between strong conservation policies and vibrant economic opportunities. The business voice holds a lot of weight with our elected officials, but we also know that businesses dont often have time to get to know the issues and figure out who to talk to about it. Hence GOAZ was created  TU and AWF created the framework for the advocacy and businesses can sign on as they are able and interested.

One goal of GOAZ is connecting local businesses to nonpartisan, science-based information on conservation issues affecting Arizona and its public lands, offering opportunities to engage business owners on state and federal legislative issues vital to the health and sustainability of wildlife and public lands.
Each business working in the tourism and service industry has their own philosophy and put it into their leading concentration to build up a brand name and strategies for development.

Rowing SUP on the Huong River has been a new product of Hue recently (photo taken before the COVID-19 outbreak): Photo: MC

Identifying specific brand name

According to the recent research of Vietnam Tourism Association, facing hard tourism activities during the pandemic, there are two types of businesses reaction: being calm and minimizing everything to maintenance level until everything is back into normal, and the second type is many businesses consider it as an opportunity to distribute the products that are not as usual to come onto the market, taking advantage of the chance to create the new services.

This research shows that the pandemic is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for businesses to assert themselves and for new businesses to build up their brand names. With appropriate effort and direction to go, opportunities will be always available for any businesses.

Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Deputy Director of Tourism Department acknowledged that maintaining business during the pandemic was difficult, but keeping their brand name was even more difficult. To get the overall and accurate assessment whether tourism brand name can be maintained under the impact of the pandemic, it is necessary to wait until tourism is back to normal.

In this current period, keeping up the core value of the business and not changing too much toward the quality-decreased direction, together with the readiness for the next period based on the existing brand name has already been a success to tourism businesses.

It is recognized that over time, despite being affected by the pandemic, the quality of products and services has still been ensured. According to the businesses, the tourists demand for using quality service is increasing. This trend hasnt decreased by the pandemic. On the contrary, it is even higher.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thuan, Director of Dai Bang Tourism Joint Stock Company shared that the pandemic requires the businesses to be meticulous in the work of serving tourists. Meeting this requirement is the way to stimulate other tourists to make the same choice of using the products.

Recently, being shared on some tourism forums, it is surprising that while many destinations all over the country couldnt attract tourists, resorts and destinations in Hue still maintained their operation, despite the low number of tourists. According to the Tourism Department, in addition to maintaining the quality, many tourism destinations offered many unique programs such as using pool service, booking dinners will receive the enclosed rooms. According to some businesses, that is the value of the next business strategies, such as some destinations switch to focus on exploiting health care services.

It is necessary to enhance the rank of cultural heritage tourism ( photo taken before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak)

A strength that is being built up to be a stronger brand name of Hue tourism is the dedication, thoughtfulness, and a safety and hospitable destination. Leaders of the Tourism Department informed that it has been over a year since the time foreign tourists, who reluctantly were under quarantine situation, came back to their countries after the trips to Hue, they have been continuously sent greetings and thanks to Hue tourism sector, as well as promising a day to come back to the beautiful Ancient Capital.

Finding solutions in difficulty

Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang analyzed that in business, the core branch name is considered as a guideline throughout the business philosophy of the enterprise. There will be the period when the businesses have to face vital choices, such as the current pandemic forces the businesses to consider which choice is important, and who are their customers?

Mr. Vu The Binh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association said that in the period that the businesses trying their best to attract customers, with deep discount programs, the businesses have to ensure the quality of both products and services. In addition to maintaining the quality commitment, ensuring health for tourists must also be their priority. Quality and safety seem to be the two solutions, as well as the two brandings that tourism businesses need to focus on, especially in this current situation.

According to the specialists, under the viewpoint that the pandemic is an opportunity to promote the brand names, the businesses should find a way to reconcile the above two options, try to optimize all activities, expenses, etc., to maintain the survival.

Regarding the orientation of Hue tourisms joint brand name from the impact of the pandemic, leaders of the Tourism Department affirmed that many new products and services will be established to enhance the richness and diversity of the Ancient Capitals tourism sector.

Story and photos: Duc Quang
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TOKYO (AP)  Keigo Oyamada, a Japanese composer working on the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, quit Monday after coming under fire for bullying classmates during his childhood.

I sincerely accept the opinions and advice I have received, express my gratitude, and will keep them in mind for my future actions and thoughts, he said on his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

I apologize from the bottom of my heart.

Reports of his past abuse of classmates, including those with disabilities, surfaced online recently and sparked a backlash on social media plus demands for Oyamada's resignation.

Games organizers initially said he would stay on because he had shown remorse. Hours after Oyamada submitted his resignation, they reversed their position and called his actions absolutely unacceptable." They said their earlier decision to let Oyamada stay on in light of his apology, and the short time left before the opening ceremony, was wrong.

We offer our deepest apologies for the offense and confusion caused to so many during this time," organizers said in a statement.
The Obama administration, seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had returned to the fight, set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat. It also planned to try some of the men in federal court.

But the closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the U.S., including for prosecution or medical care.

The prisoner transfer process stalled under Trump, who said even before taking office there should be no further releases from Gitmo, as Guantanamo Bay is often called. These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield, Trump said.

Under Trump, only one prisoner, a Saudi, was transferred to Saudi Arabia to serve the remainder of his sentence after he agreed to a plea bargain.

Under Obama, 197 were transferred to other countries, while 500 were transferred by Bush. Most of those still at the site are being held without charges.
Krogmans craft was hit by enemy fire. Krogman radioed that his wing had been hit as his wingman also took fire from the ground and could not watch as Krogman crashed into the jungle below. His wingman took a risky flyover and observed the wreckage on fire but saw no sign that the lieutenant had escaped, according to the defense department.

A search and rescue flight tried to reach the crash but was shot down and the Air Force called off the operation. Krogman was declared killed in action on January 31 that same year. His body remained in the aircraft until a personnel recovery mission found his remains on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 2019, over 52 years later. Krogmans remains were identified in July 2020 and plans to bring him home have been in the works for the past year.

As of July 16, 2021, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency  the group responsible for finding missing and killed in action soldiers  said that there are still 1,584 U.S. service members still not accounted for from the Vietnam War.

Dozens of people joined the family to travel up from Worland making the nearly three-hour trip to honor Krogman. The expectation was for the escort to grow as the family and the pilots remains make their way back. Communities along the way had also planned to line the streets to wave flags, salute and show their respects for the pilot.
BILLINGS  Extreme heat broke decades-old records as it descended Monday on parts of the northern Rocky Mountains, elevating the dangers posed by dozens of wildfires burning across a region parched by drought and blanketed with dangerous smoke.

Along the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana, the small city of Columbus reached a scorching 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 Celsius). The temperature in Billings, Montana's largest city, hit 106 F (41 C), topping a record set 61 years ago.

Authorities braced for new fires to ignite and existing ones to grow as the National Weather Service said the heat would linger through Thursday.

Such extreme conditions can result from a combination of unusual, short-term natural weather patterns, heightened by long-term, human-caused climate change. Scientists have long warned that the weather will get wilder as the world warms. Climate change has made the U.S. West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years, but it remains difficult to determine how much global warming is to blame, if at all, for any individual weather event.
Montana anglers Ken Schmidt and Mark Jones struggled to catch fish the final day of the 2014 North Dakota Governor's Walleye Cup but wound up winning the fishing tournament anyway. They faced no such adversity this year.

Schmidt, of Glasgow, Montana, and Jones, of Billings, Montana, had five fish in the boat on Lake Sakakawea in just a few hours on Saturday morning, "and those were the ones we ended up weighing," Schmidt said.

Teams were allowed to catch eight fish and weigh five each of the two days of fishing, for a two-day total of 10. Schmidt and Jones had come into the second day of the 2021 tournament in sixth place but ended the day atop the leaderboard. With an overall two-day weight of 40.44 pounds -- nearly 8 pounds more than their 2014 total -- they took home the trophy for a second time, along with the $15,000 first prize.

"We found good quality fish in an area," Schmidt said, adding that they had their best luck with leeches for bait, on the east end of Sakakawea. "We knew it was holding not huge fish but really nice fish, in that 23- to 25-inch range, and they were just fat and healthy."
The Petroleum County Sheriffs Department is investigating a homicide that occurred Thursday in the small town of Winnett about 25 miles east of Grass Range on Highway 200.

Andrew Smith, 29, was behind bars in Musselshell County as of Monday afternoon after he allegedly stabbed Larry G. Patterson, 79, to death Thursday evening, said Sheriff Bill Cassell. The men had been in some sort of fight at an apartment the two lived in that escalated to the extent that it left Patterson dead and Smith shot.

Details were still under investigation and it was unclear who drew or fired the gun that injured Smith. When law enforcement arrived on scene around 7:15 p.m. Patterson was already dead in the courtyard of the apartment complex and Smith was nearby with a gunshot wound in his left bicep. Smith was treated for his injuries before he was taken to jail.

No one else was suspected to be involved in the incident, said the sheriff. Cassell expected Smith to be charged with deliberate homicide either Monday or Tuesday in Petroleum County District Court by the county attorney.
TOKYO (AP)  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

"This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.
For those who think trapping is a management tool, remember that trapping has driven wolverines, fishers, lynx, pine martens and river otters to the endangered list or close to it. Brian Giddings, former furbearer coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, stated, FWP regulates furbearer trapping seasons for recreational harvest opportunities. Montana's harvest seasons are not based on reducing or controlling diseases. Backing him are professional biologists writing in Trapping and Furbearer Management in North American Wildlife Conservation, "Regulated trapping will not (and is not designed to) eradicate diseases

Traps are indiscriminate. They maim and kill any animal, bird or even fish that triggers them. Random killing of animals is hardly management. Federal trapper Dick Randall said that for every target animal he trapped, he caught and discarded two non-targets. Its guaranteed that many more elk calves, fawns and bear cubs will die with the addition of wolf snares and the extended wolf trapping and snaring season using bait. This helter-skelter killing spree should not be condoned by any conservation or hunting organization. When you donate to an organization, first make sure that it does not condone trapping. The time has come to demand responsibility from these organizations.
They might just be kicking the can down the road, Block said.

Every year for the last 20, Norm Tafelmeyer, of Cooperstown, has sold 500 to 600 bales of hay, mostly to ranchers in North Dakota and Montana. He stopped selling hay in April and is holding on to twice as much as he would in a normal year to make sure hes got a supply for his own cattle.

His longtime customers are calling as the states drought worsens, asking how much he has to sell. One asked Tafelmeyer to put him on a waiting list.

I told him I have all kinds of lists I can put you on but theres sad news, Tafelmeyer said. Theres no hay for you to buy.

About half of the state is in extreme drought, and another 8% is in exceptional drought, the worst category. Grass in pastures is in short supply, stunted by a lack of rain in April, May and June, a time frame that producers count on for the majority of forage growth from the states cool-season grasses.

Most of the round bales Tafelmeyer sells are prairie hay, and the drought has put a direct hit on production. He recently put up hay on a 40-acre field that in past years has yielded as many as three round bales per acre, each weighing 1,200 to 1,500 pounds.
A Hebron man charged 1  years ago with a felony sex crime has been sentenced to a year in prison.

Chad Maley, 39, must also spend 1  years on probation after his release, court records show. He was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity. Defense attorney Justin Balzer declined comment on the case.

Maley and two other men were arrested in January 2020 after they responded to an online advertisement on a website police said was commonly used for commercial sex activity. The men communicated by cellphone with officers who were posing as the sister of a 16-year-old girl, according to police affidavits. The men allegedly agreed to pay money to engage in sexual acts with the purported 16-year-old.

South Central District Judge Daniel Borgen suspended seven years of an eight-year prison term. He gave Maley credit for 29 days served. Maley will serve the sentence at the same time as two previous sentences. He pleaded guilty in June to drug charges in two separate cases and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Health Department aid

North Dakotas Health Department is getting more federal money for its COVID-19 response.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently awarded $1.6 million to the department, according to U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.

The money was approved by Congress earlier. It will be used for bolstering epidemiology and laboratory capacity.

Testing and vaccines

A comprehensive list of free COVID-19 testing offered by local public health units in North Dakota can be found at health.nd.gov/covidtesting.

In Bismarck, PCR and rapid antigen tests are administered Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Monday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the strip mall at 2805 Morrison Ave., Suite A.
More than 737,000 SCE&G customers had already paid more than $2 billion toward the project, which never generated any power. Customers did ultimately see retroactive credits applied to bills after lawmakers passed a temporary rate cut that knocked about $25 a month off the average residential customers bill.

SCANA shareholders accused the company of assuring them the project was above board, even as costs and delays spiraled out of control. This, investors alleged, caused SCANA stock to be traded at artificially inflated prices, numbers that plummeted once the project was mothballed. In July 2016, SCANA stock was trading at $76.12 a share but dropped more than 50% after news of the project's failure, and the investigations surrounding it, became public, according to the investors' attorneys.

The settlement includes $160 million in cash, with the remaining $32.5 million covered by cash or stock in Dominion Energy. The Virginia-based company took over SCANA in 2019, paying more than $6.8 billion to buy out the company's stock and assuming its consolidated net debts of $6.6 billion.

Claimants will be required to cash their checks within 120 days or forfeit the award, according to the order.
"I just don't understand how anyone could have voted any other way with his history of conduct," Kiefert said.

District 24 is a swath of eastern North Dakota that includes Barnes County and parts of Cass and Ransom counties.

The recall sponsoring committee cites its reason for the campaign as Kiefert "failing to meet the standards of a Republican representing District 24. The standards that we hold Representative Kiefert to are espoused in the ND Republican Party platform, the ND Constitution, and the US Constitution.

"After careful examination, we have concluded that Representative Kiefert has not committed to these standards and that a recall of his current term is the only recourse for the voting constituents of District 24," the petition states.

The recall campaign is a result of Kiefert's response to his censure, said sponsoring committee chairman Shane Anderson, who also is the District 24 GOP treasurer. Personally, Anderson is disappointed in Kiefert's voting record, citing his vote against a resolution to end the COVID-19 state of emergency. The resolution failed.
This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up or thumbs down on the issues from the past week.

Up

It was good news for Bismarck last week when the federal Office of Management and Budget announced it will continue to classify cities with at least 50,000 people as metropolitan statistical areas. The agency was considering changing the threshold to 100,000 people, which would have made cities like Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot micropolitan areas. Bismarck Mayor Steve Bakken and others raised concerns that the change in classification could put federal funding at risk. Another concern was how the change could affect future economic development. Nationwide, 97% of public comments submitted on the proposed change were opposed to it, The Associated Press reported.

Down

Strong oil prices are generally good news for North Dakota, with increases having a direct impact on the state treasury. But higher oil prices will have a negative impact on the states road construction budget. The increase means the state will need to spend more on oil used for road construction and making asphalt. It isnt expected to affect projects already bid for this season, the AP reported, but likely will impact projects for next year.

Up
Thank you to the Bismarck Tribune for the editorial on July 10 regarding North Dakotas 2021 legislative districting process. This is a tremendously important issue that only happens every 10 years.

Specifically, the Tribunes editorial made a strong point about rural areas losing representation in the North Dakota Legislature. This is an unfortunate truth and is due to population shifts to urban areas reflected in the 2020 census. Thats why Im urging the 2021 legislative districting committee to study the possibility of splitting each Senate district into two parts for seats to the state House of Representatives.

For example, lets take a look at District 39. It takes up much of western North Dakota, covering the communities of Bowman and Watford City. Its certainly a long drive between those two communities. Honestly, it cant be easy for the three legislators who represent District 39 to cover the entire district. It obviously would give much better representation to voters if the district was split in two -- 39A and 39B. The district would have one senator, and voters in each half would elect their own member of the House of Representative.
As Cubans take to the streets to protest the countrys government, Internet access has been cut off to quell dissent and President Joe Bidens spokesperson has issued a clear message to refugees fleeing Communist Cuba: You are not welcome. []

Cubans are taking to the streets over food shortages and outrageously high prices, calling for an end to the countrys communist regime with mass protests.

Cuban citizens have taken to the streets across the country for the first time in more than six decades to protest against deteriorating living conditions and the lack of basic goods and services, including medical attention amid increasing numbers of coronavirus infections, The Wall Street Journal reported.

There have been other protests in Cuba, but this time the Cuban government seems worried. The Wall Street Journal further commented that the demonstrations are more widespread and larger than ever before  Protesters this time appear willing to stand up against the government. President Diaz-Canel has called the protests a U.S.-supported conspiracy to undermine and subvert the Communist Party through instability.

Meanwhile, President Joe Bidens administration has made it clear that the U.S. will not welcome Cuban refugees, thus continuing Trump-era policies regarding restrictions and sanctions against Cuba. Republicans, including Sens. Marco Rubio and Elliot Abrams, want the Biden Administration to support to the Cuban protestors without softening the sanctions against the Cuban government. The actual substance of this proposal is not clearly defined.

Could this be the beginning of the end for the Cuban Communist Party? If so, how can we interpret these events through a theological and moral lens?

The communist state in Cuba is known for its history of human rights violations, including, but not limited to, arbitrary detention, free-speech restrictions, persecuting Christians and other non-government-approved religions, violating labor rights, barring its citizens the freedom of mobility, and failing to provide basic goods and services. Cuba only began to recognize property rights in 2019.

The Old Testament scholar Walter Kaiser Jr. wrote in Toward Old Testament Ethics that: Oppression which is directed against spiritual obligations or personal rights is condemned by God. Cubas communist regime may now be experiencing a long-due reckoning.

The socialist program cannot succeed. The system is self-destructive. Ludwig von Mises once wrote:

[T]he socialist idea is nothing but a grandiose rationalization of petty resentments. Not one of its theories can withstand scientific criticism and all its deductions are ill-founded. Its conception of the capitalist economy has long been seen to be false; its plan of a future social order proves to be inwardly contradictory, and therefore impracticable.

Moreover, Communism and Socialism do not ascribe to any higher morality in their law. They simply follow expedience, the promotion of class warfare, and the suppression of enemies (including the people). This is best explained by RJ. Rushdoony in his book Law & Liberty wherein he writes:

For Marxism, law is simply the will of the state. It has no reference to any absolute right or wrong, nor is there any higher law than the state. Law is simply a system of prescriptive and binding rules which express the totalitarian and coercive will of the state

Rushdoony goes on to say that:

[T]he state wars against its own people as an enemy. Because the Communist state always regards its subjects as an enemy either to be remade by brainwashing and brute force, or to be crushed by terror and violence, peace between the party and the people is an impossibility.

The Cuban Communist Party is guilty of this. Its idea of justice and execution thereof is a far cry from the biblical ideal of civil government being ordained by God to protect life and property and to punish criminals (Rom. 13:1-7). In Cuba, the government is the most dangerous criminal.

Historically, when governments are destructive towards the ends they are to serve, there is a precedent of God providentially bringing a transition for a new government and order. The Cuban people deserve justice and to be free, and for more than six decades the communists have viciously oppressed them. As such, the fall of the Cuban Communist Party could be a great event of liberation and justice for the Cuban people.
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We have missed you Canada and we are thrilled at the opportunity to return soon," Higgins said.

Meanwhile, though, Higgins said the U.S. should open its borders to visiting Canadians as well.

"The U.S. has neglected to give the Northern Border the serious attention it deserves, and there is no excuse," he said. "Failure to coordinate this announcement in a binational way will only lead to confusion among travelers. We will continue to push for action by the U.S. government to welcome our Canadian neighbors back.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who has pressed the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. and two U.S. cabinet secretaries on the border issue, also said the Canadian move should prompt the U.S. to act.

Canadas policy change is long overdue and has the potential to be terrific news for thousands who have loved ones, property or commercial interests across the border," said Schumer, a New York Democrat. "The United States must now immediately follow suit, make our policy uniform and further energize New Yorks recovery."

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A 22-year-old Buffalo man has been charged in the July 4 triple shooting outside a downtown restaurant, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.

David A. Douglas was arraigned Saturday morning before Buffalo City Court Judge Lenora Foote-Beavers on seven charges, including attempted murder, related to a shooting outside Deep South Taco on Ellicott Street in which three people were shot but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

According to prosecutors and police reports, Douglas attempted to commit a robbery outside Deep South Taco at approximately 12:35 a.m. July 4. He was aided by another individual in the attempted robbery, prosecutors said.

There was an argument and fight in the wake of the robbery attempt, police said, and Douglas fired several shots from an illegal gun. The gunfire hit three people, who were taken in civilian vehicles to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Douglas was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of second-degree assault.

Douglas is scheduled to return to court at 9:30 a.m. Thursday for a felony hearing. He was remanded without bail.
"Subjects have been parked blocking the entrances to Tulip Corp., blocking traffic with vehicles and pedestrians, drinking from open containers, openly using narcotics, gambling, littering and creating a general nuisance," an officer wrote in the report.

Police were also called to that area of Highland three times in that span, according to the report.

Police were called to disperse a group at 1:36 a.m. Sunday. Officers responded for a premises check at 2:56 a.m. Sunday. A loud noise/loud music complaint was made at 12:28 a.m. Monday.

A number of incidents of gunfire were reported in the city Friday and over the weekend.

A resident of 27th Street, between Ferry and Walnut avenues, called police at about 2 p.m. Friday after he found shell casings outside his home and bullet holes in a parked car nearby, according to a police report. A neighbor told police she heard about eight gunshots around 5 a.m.

At about 3:40 a.m. Saturday, police were called to Niagara Falls Memorial for a man shot in the leg. The victim, who was transferred to Erie County Medical Center, told police he was shot while in his vehicle in front of a bar at LaSalle Avenue and 11th Street, according to a report.
U.S. News and World Report gave Erie County an overall community health score of 53, on a 100-point scale. But for health equity, the score dropped to 22, due to the racial gap in pollution exposure and premature deaths.

As previously reported, African American children in the county are nearly five times as likely as white children to live in poverty. Almost half of them do.

Black children in the county are twice as likely to die before they turn 18 and more than twice as likely to die within a year after birth, while Black girls are 2 1/2 times more likely than whites to give birth in their late teens, the County Health Rankings report shows.

And the neighborhood you live in may matter more than any natural predisposition to illness, according to the report and many public health leaders.

Several local groups already exist to grapple with the issue. That includes the local African American Health Equity Task Force and the University at Buffalo Community Health Equity Research Institute, which launched in December 2019.

The Rev. Kinzer Pointer, one of the conveners of the African American Health Equity Task Force, said the East Side and parts of the lower and upper West Side are among the worst off.
ALBANY  As people wonder what a democratic socialist might bring to Buffalo following the June Democratic mayoral primary victory by India Walton, a living, breathing example already exists in New York: the state Legislature.

Their ranks are small  just six out of 213 lawmakers in both houses  but advocates on causes from housing and taxes to criminal justice matters say these new democratic socialists are prodding an already liberal-dominated Legislature further to the left.

The apparent influence of the six lawmakers is also outsized because nearly all of them came to office having beaten popular incumbents last year, including one who served in the Assembly for 48 years.

Going into the 2022 election cycle, an increasing number of Democrats in the two houses are seeing their political shadows lengthen with worries that they, too, might face their own potential primary challenges from the left with support of the Democratic Socialists of America, or DSA. Even some hardened, if somewhat entrenched, liberals in the houses are worrying.
Last year Buffalo experienced its hottest July on record. This year's might be the wettest.

Thanks to a weekend deluge that saw more than 3 inches fall in Buffalo in a 24-hour span, July 2021 is now the fifth wettest July in history. This month has seen 6.59 inches of precipitation through only 18 of its 31 days.

The wettest July on record was 8.93 inches in 1992.

Buffalo saw nearly a half-inch on Friday (0.47) followed by 2.67 inches on Saturday. The 2.67 was just .03 off the all-time record for July 17, which was set at 2.70 in 1873.

The 2.67 inches would have been an all-time record on most other days of the year. Only 19 other days on the entire calendar have single-day precipitation records higher than 2.67.

"We had a funnel boundary stalled out over the area, which became the focus for showers and thunderstorms," said Aaron Reynolds, a meteorologist out of the National Weather Service office at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

"We just had the right conditions  a really soupy air mass and the stalled funnel boundary. Copious amounts of moisture that moved across the area fueled the showers and thunderstorms."
You can always count on me, my country, and many of our colleagues in the region, Abdullah said.

The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria  more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan  and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, an administration official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting with Biden was also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallahs U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.
Toronto, CANADA, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FreshBooks, a Canadian cloud accounting software with paying customers in 100+ countries, announced that it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ontario government to share data and insights regarding small business recovery trends. The MOU will help small businesses and entrepreneurs by using FreshBooks data to help identify weaknesses and gaps in government programs to support timely and impactful decision making and policy development. The data, which is representative of FreshBooks extensive business owner base in Ontario, will be anonymized and aggregated before being shared with the provincial government.

Access to timely, quality data makes all the difference when it comes to making good decisions both in government and in business. Were glad to share our lens and insights, and play an important part in this next phase of small business recovery, said Paul Cowan, Chief Marketing Officer, FreshBooks. Were eager to provide this valuable line of sight for Ontarios policymakers into whats happening in the small business sector.

Recent insights from FreshBooks data include:

COVID-19 has exacerbated the stressors that small business owners face, especially for women-owned businesses. Women-owned businesses in Canada took nearly twice as long to recover from the financial setbacks brought on by COVID-19 than businesses owned by men.

Some industries have experienced significant growth, for example the Construction and Trades industry which saw a 10% increase in new clients compared to other industries, others have had a tougher time navigating the pandemic.

Ontario-based businesses saw revenues decline by over 10%, on average, during the start of the provinces most-recent stay-at-home order which began at the start of April.*

FreshBooks data-sharing partnership with the Ontario government is meant to provide advocacy and support, and aims to shine a light on how small businesses are affected by policy change and seismic events. In September 2020, the company also launched its Your Voice program, a virtual, lunch-time roundtable series connecting FreshBooks customers directly with policymakers from all areas and levels of politics. The series provides a forum for small business owners to share their views and experiences first-hand with those who have the ability to make changes that impact their lives and businesses.

Story continues

Earlier this month, FreshBooks rolled out the ability for Canadian customers to pay for their subscriptions in Canadian currency along with clear and transparent pricing plans. Following its built-for-owners philosophy, these new service offerings aim to meet the growing demand and unique needs of Canadas small business ecosystem. Learn more about the newly launched Canadian pricing page: https://www.freshbooks.com/en-ca/pricing.

*This data point was calculated using proprietary data from FreshBooks during the period of April 5th, 2021 and May 31st, 2021. It analyzes the Total Revenue metric for full-time and part-time businesses in Ontario.

About FreshBooks

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H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta overlooking Kenya's Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe signing MoU with GKSD President Kamel Ghribi

H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta overlooking Kenya's Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe signing MoU with GKSD President Kamel Ghribi

H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta overlooking Kenya's Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe signing MoU with GKSD President Kamel Ghribi

Italys teaching hospital, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University will enhance tele-medicine and the development of new state of the art hospitals in Kenya.



NAIROBI, Kenya, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Gruppo San Donato, Italys largest private hospital group have signed an agreement to collaborate with the Kenyan government with the aim to enhance development of telemedicine and the construction of new and modern hospitals.

In the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Kenya, Alberto Pieri, a MoU was signed between the San Donato Group - represented by the vice president, Kamel Ghribi, Professor Gianvito Martino, the Vice Rector for Research at the Vita -Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan government, represented by the Minister of Health, Mutahi Kagwe.

The MoU relates to a partnership between the San Donato Group, the Vita - Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan Ministry of Health to provide an enhanced local health sector. With a long-term vision to guarantee universal care in Kenya and to provide improved assistance and quality services to the Kenyan population, making the East African Country a health center in the region.

Four areas of focus for the Group San Donato Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and the Kenyan government will include development and support of the Kenyan national plan for mental health with the construction of a center of excellence in Nairobi; field training and exchange of professionals and students to strengthen clinical and specialist skills; partnership on research and innovation projects such as telemedicine, among others; consultancy for development projects of the care and assistance network; construction of new and modern specialized care facilities. These eventually will become a health hub of medical excellence for Africa.

Story continues

President Kamel Ghribi said A universal health care requires regional health hubs which in turn are key geo strategic health centers on the continent. To achieve this, we need to have stronger networks of health cooperation. Todays agreement between Italy and Kenya is a sign of long-term engagement for a better future and healthcare for all.

Health Minister of Kenya, Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya and GSD will collaborate on research and the implementation of mental health interventions. Our objective is to adopt the philosophy of family health for the population. Kenyans deserve quality healthcare.

ABOUT Gruppo San Donato

GSD is the premier provider of health services at all levels of care in all specialties for the Italian National Health System for the last fifteen years, and employs a unique model centered on clinical and academic research to provide individual-based care to everyone.

Today, GSD employs 15,303 people including 4,092 physicians across 18 hospitals with 5,300 beds  and is first private healthcare group in Italy capable of managing 4 million patients a year.

Being the  1 hospital group in Italy, Gruppo San Donato is a pioneer in multiple research fields, with outstanding clinical programs and academic excellences. GSD provides diagnosis and treatment in all recognised medical fields that you would expect from a world-class healthcare system.

According to Bloombergs 2019 Indexes, Italy is recognized as the 2nd healthiest country in the world, having the 4th most efficient healthcare system globally. The countrys efficient national healthcare system, strong focus on healthy eating habits, combined with prevention, promote and ensure longevity for its citizens. Besides being a front-runner in the European healthcare arena, Italy offers excellent hospitality standards and a multitude of tourist attractions.

Media contact:

info@gksd.com

https://www.gsdinternational.com/our-vision-mission.html

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e27586c-17b3-495a-b16e-eb58089bd5a7




That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was the kind of aggressive behavior that we're seeing coming out of China.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement that the U.S. has repeatedly made groundless attacks and malicious smear against China on cybersecurity. Now this is just another old trick, with nothing new in it. The statement called China "a severe victim of the US cyber theft, eavesdropping and surveillance."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct, the official said.
Webster defines science as "knowledge as distinguished from ignorance." The famous plaque on UW's Bascom Hill states that the U. of Wisconsin ..."should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found." Consequently, if one is not permitted to question it, it is not really science. Can anyone imagine not being permitted to ask a question in math or science in school?

Because it has nothing to hide, true science would have no fear of Father Altman's questioning the "Science of Covid." According to UW it's the continual and FEARLESS sifting and winnowing through which the truth is found. Isn't Father Altman then doing us a favor by being fearless?

Scientifically, the Covid injection is not a vaccine but "experimental gene therapy," and by avoiding vaccine protocols it was not tested on guinea pigs, making injected humans now the actual "guinea pigs." Father Altman is correct in stating, "don't be a guinea pig."

Since Nazis forced their medical experiments on people, after WWII under international law it became a crime to use medical experiments on people without their consent. What kind of shepherd would Father Altman be if he failed to warn his flock of the dangers it faced?
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life, July 19)  This week, we recommend exhibits to check out, a new album from an OPM legend, an affordable art fair in case youre in the mood for more art, and more.

Visit Blanc Gallery exhibits

You have until July 31 to view the exhibits This Flesh is Cursed by Jomari Tleon and Mccoy Lazaruz, which draws on the themes of remembering and mortality, Disanthropomorphic Era by Rene Bituin, a rumination on how we have driven ourselves to ruin; and Connections that we Crave by Mark Dawn Arcamo, which deals with media consumption in the digital age.

You can view the works online through blanc.ph  CNN PH LIFE STAFF

Listen to Barbie Almalbis new album

Barbie Almalbis is celebrating 25 years in the music industry with her new album Scenes from Inside. The nine-track album is inspired by her experiences during quarantine as musician, a mom, a friend, a wife, and a pet lover. Early favorites from the album include the opener Kumpas, the breezy track Iyong-iyo and the lovelorn Silaw.

The album is now available on music streaming platforms.  DJ

Buy affordable art

People are still buying and selling art! So much so that the organizers of the affordable art fair Art in the Park decided to hold a second edition this year. Art in the Park Special Edition is a celebration of its 15th year anniversary and will run from July 25 to August 1 online at artinthepark.ph.

Works are priced at 70,000 and below. The fair will have an estimate of 10,000 artworks from 62 galleries.

Some of the featured artists include Antipas Delotavo with a special exhibit called Gridlock, Leeroy New with an installation called Mebuyan Vessel Polyp at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati; Anna Bautistas Time Capsules; and Eugenia Bautistas Adrift.  CNN PH LIFE STAFF

Shop local at Studio Artesan by Rustans

Though upmarket department store Rustans has always been known for carrying international luxury brands, they have also been home to a number of local designer/in-house labels that many of us grew up with. For women of a certain age, it was Lady Rustan and Criselda Lontok. As one who lived through the Y2K fashion years, we had U (which launched in 2000; Hindy Weber-Tantoco was one of their in-house designers). Until today, I still have a wide neck, almost off-shoulder top with fuschia and grey stripes from the brand. A real gem from that era.

In that same tradition, Rustans recently launched their new concept store Studio Artesan, which features homegrown Filipino fashion and home brands. While there are a growing number of stores that focus on locally made wares, this one has the Rustans shopper in mind: pricier pieces that are ideal for our older and more seasoned loved ones (Who, lets admit, can be extremely picky). Think carabao-shaped ceramic jars by Liwayway and indigo-dyed towels by Maison Metisse. But there are a few items that welcome modest budgets, such as beaded accessories, trinket boxes in-laid with capiz shells, and even small leather pouches to store your face masks on the go.  Marga Buenaventura

Shop for Studio Artesan items here.

Load up on K-pop B-sides

Its always the title track in the spotlight: the lead song of the idol group/soloist's comeback thats being promoted. But many K-pop fans also know that comebacks also mean an opportunity to mine B-sides for hidden gems. Stellar examples include BTS Home from Map of the Soul: PERSONA, GFRIENDs Night Drive, and NCT 127s 0 Mile.

If you feel like listening to hours and hours worth of K-pop B-sides, listen to Manila Community Radios Shut Up and Listen w/ Bishfork-K ( -K) on July 21, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with tracks selected by a bunch of K-pop geeks (including yours truly).  DJ
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  An Olongapo Court has dismissed the terrorism charges against Aetas Jasper Gurung and Junior Ramos, handing the Duterte administration its first loss in the highly-contested Anti-Terrorism Act.

Olongapo Regional Trial Court Branch 97 ordered the release of Gurung and Ramos after it found that the evidence against the two Aetas were insufficient.

The two have been detained since August last year after the military accused them of being members of the New People's Army (NPA), who fired at a group of soldiers in Barangay Buhawen, San Marcelino, Zambales resulting in the death of Sgt. Rudil Dilao.

The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been designated by the executive Anti-Terrorism Council as a terrorist organization.

"After a careful examination of the records, the Court holds that the prosecution failed to discharge the burden of proving the identities of the accused as perpetrators of the crime," according to the decision dated July 15 and handed by presiding Judge Melani Tadili.

"Thus, the case for violation of this law against the accused must be dismissed," it said.

The Olongapo court also said the warrantless search conducted on the accused is invalid, rendering inadmissible the grenade and other ammunition seized from them.

The case against Gurung and Ramos was the first known case under the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act, which is one of the most legally challenged laws in the country, with at least 37 petitioners questioning its constitutionality.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  The Department of Health acknowledged Monday the "possibility" that the Philippines has more undetected cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant as the government has yet to step up genome sequencing efforts.

"The possibility is always there," Health sec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing when asked if there are likely undetected cases of the Delta variant.

"As we said, we do purposive sampling kung saan nagsa-sample tayo sa mga lugar na may matataas ang kaso," added Vergeire, who is also the department's spokesperson.

[Translation: As we said, we do purposive sampling where we get samples in areas with high cases.]

The Philippine Genome Center can currently run 750 samples per week, she said.

Vergeire said that once the Philippines receives new machines, the capacity will be boosted to 1,500 samples per week.

"The Philippine Genome Center is now extending the capacity to their Visayas and Mindanao University of the Philippines network," she added.

On Sunday, Vice President Leni Robredo also said the actual number could be higher than the initial 35 recorded cases of the Delta variant, which is believed to be 60% more contagious than the Alpha variant and can cause severe symptoms.

READ: Robredo warns there could be more delta variant cases in PH

The DOH said the 11 local cases were recorded in Manila City, Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Antique, and Pampanga.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  The Labor Department is confident there is still hope that President Rodrigo Duterte will fulfill his 2016 campaign promise of ending contractualization.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a media briefing Monday that his department was preparing a letter to President Duterte urging him to pass the controversial measure as urgent.

"We are going to prepare a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte to certify the ENDO bill as urgent... para once and for all matapos na ang issue ng endo," Bello said.

[Translation: We are going to prepare a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte to certify the endo bill as urgent... to solve the issue of endo once and for all]

Bello added once certified it would become a priority legislation of the President.

The labor chief said that DOLE's endorsement will also give weight to the proposed measure. DOLE will also stick to the Senate version of the bill or Senate Bill 1826.

'The Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act' proposes several changes in the Labor Code provisions on contracting arrangements and employment relationships.

The bill also changes the definition of labor-contracting which was highly contested by employers' groups.

Duterte vetoed the bill in June 2019, citing the need to balance the concerns of employers and employees.

"I believe the sweeping expansion of the definition of labor-only contracting destroys the delicate balance and will place capital and management at an impossibly difficult predicament with adverse consequences to the Filipino workers in the long term," Duterte said in his veto message.

There are around 700,000 workers who have been regularized since the start of Duterte's term, DOLE says.

The DOLE data also showed that some 50,000-60,000 workers remain contractual.

Labor groups on Duterte's labor policies: failed

Several labor groups slam the Duterte administration's labor policies in the last five years.

They gave the labor policies "failing mark" for the administration's inability to end contractualization, increase wages, and protect them from COVID-19 and red-tagging.

"Sa ilalim ng kanyang pamumuno lalong bumaba anag kalagayan ng mga mangagawa kahit sa gitna ng pandemya. Ang grado po namin sa kanya ay bagsak at palpak," Defend Jobs Philippines spokesperson Christian Magsoy said.

[Translation: The quality of life of workers under the Duterte administration did not improve amid the pandemic. We are giving him a failing mark.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  After fellow lawyers refuted President Rodrigo Duterte's claim that becoming vice president can help him evade lawsuits, his spokesperson on Monday said the statement could be "an opportunity to provoke jurisprudence."

Duterte earlier said he is considering running for vice president in the 2022 polls to acquire "immunity" from lawsuits. He made this remark amid threats of facing legal actions once he steps down from the top government post.

Other members of the legal profession, including former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te and National Union of Peoples' Lawyers President Edre Olalia, were quick to debunk this statement, saying the country's vice president has no such immunity.

Asked what Duterte's basis is for making the claim, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque gave a short response in a Palace briefing.

"Let's just say perhaps this is an opportunity to provoke jurisprudence," he said.

According to Olalia, only the president is immune from suit. He added even this is not stated in the present 1987 Constitution and is only recognized in the Philippines' prevailing jurisprudence.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made a similar remark, although he said he considers Duterte's claim merely a "part of a political statement rather than a legal conclusion."

In a previous speech, Duterte said he was "seriously thinking" of joining the vice-presidential race. In another briefing, he admitted that his constant mention of the matter was part of his strategy to intimidate his critics.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20)  Severe tropical storm Fabian maintained its strength as it moves slowly northwestward, the state weather bureau said.

In its 11 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Fabian was located 1,065 kilometers east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon as of 10 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 115 kph, and central pressure of 985 hectoPascals (hPa).

However, the agency said Fabian is unlikely to usher in heavy rainfall nationwide throughout its forecast period.

Still, PAGASA warned of monsoon rains in the next 24 hours over Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan under the combined influence of Fabian and the southwest monsoon.

Meanwhile, residents and disaster managers in Batanes and Babuyan Islands are enjoined to monitor tropical cyclone bulletins. This is because any further southward shift in the orientation of the track forecast may result in the hoisting of (Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal) #1 over these areas, said PAGASA.

Moderate to rough seas are likewise expected over Palawan and Occidental Mindoros western seaboard, it added, advising seacrafts to exercise precautionary measures while headed to sea.

Fabian may reach typhoon category by Wednesday afternoon or evening, the agency also said. However, it is also seen to exit Philippine territory by Thursday evening or Friday morning.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  A tugboat and barge carrying COVID-19 patients who recently traveled to Indonesia are on their way to Albay Province.

Twelve of the 20 crew members on board M/V Tug Clyde and Barge Claudia have tested positive for COVID-19. The vessel will dock at a private port in Barangay Lidong, Sto Domingo in Albay on Tuesday afternoon.

The Task Force COVID-19 Bicol and local government units of Legazpi and Sto. Domingo are finalizing protocols on the handling of the patients and other crew members considered as close contacts. OCD-Bicol's Gremil Alexis Naz said the crew members are all Filipinos.

State media Philippine News Agency reported the vessel and barge came from Indonesia before it docked at the port of Butuan on July 14.

Indonesia is being ravaged by the feared Delta coronavirus variant, which is believed to be the most transmissible variant and associated with increased hospitalization. Health experts are worried about the Philippines' ability to deal with a similar surge.

There are to date 35 Delta variant cases recorded in the Philippines, including two deaths and 11 locally acquired cases. The country's first few Delta cases came from four Filipino seafarers on board MV Athens Bridge, which travelled from India when it was hit with the feared variant.

CNN Philippines' Bicol correspondent Rosas Olarte contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  There's no decision yet if the national government will provide cash aid to families affected by the enhanced community quarantine, Malacanang said Monday.

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he already asked the Department of Budget and Management about the financial aid to families residing in areas under hard lockdown.

"Magkakaroon po ako ng kasagutan diyan sa Wednesday, sa susunod na press briefing," he said.

[Translation: We will have answer to that on Wednesday, at the next press briefing.]

On Friday, the government placed Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo City, and Iloilo province under ECQ until end-July.

When the country experienced another surge of new infections in March, the national government imposed the strictest quarantine status in several areas. This forced more sectors to temporarily cease operations, subsequently prompting the government to provide a fresh wave of financial aid to Filipinos.

Over the weekend, Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to provide financial aid amounting to 6,000 for each family in the city.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, in a statement Saturday, also said about 500,000 Ilonggos would not be allowed to work due to ECQ.

"500,000 Ilonggos or a portion thereof will go hungry for the next two weeks. The city will try to do its best to give our food assistance in the meantime," Trenas added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  Malacanang on Monday urged Congress to pass the bill seeking to end illegal contractualization in the country  one of President Rodrigo Dutertes major campaign promises.

Citing Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the measure continues to be an administration bill, but he added no amount of certification from the President can enact it into law if lawmakers decide against it.

We continue to appeal to Congress to pass this anti-endo law as the term of the President ends, Roque said in a briefing.

In a separate presser, Bello said the Department of Labor and Employment will write to Duterte to once again certify the measure as urgent.

"End of contract" or "endo" is a highly contested form of contractualization widely practiced in the country.

Under the scheme, workers are hired for not more than five months, so employers don't need to regularize them on the sixth month as mandated by the Labor Code. It strips millions of workers of all the benefits granted by law to regular employees.

Despite previously certifying it as urgent in 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte didn't sign the bill the following year due to its sweeping expansion of the definition of labor-only contracting, which he argued comes at the expense of employers. After the veto, lawmakers refiled the same measure in both houses of Congress.

Malacanang's statement also runs counter to that of Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Jacinto Paras, who earlier this month said the measure has ceased to become a government priority due to a supposed lack of clamor after Duterte's rejection. Around the same time, however, Bello said he believes the President will still approve the bill before his term expires next year.

Amid conflicting statements, Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer Labog said the Duterte administration should show it is serious in ending exploitative forms of contractualization.

Kung hindi, ito ay isang malinaw na cheap political campaign gimmickry ng mga nasa Gabinete na naglalayong kumandidato sa darating na eleksyon, he said.

[Translation: If they dont end it, it would be clear the pronouncements were just cheap political campaign gimmickry of Cabinet officials who intend to run in the upcoming elections.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  PDP-Laban still wants President Rodrigo Duterte to run for the second highest post in the land, the ruling party's newly-elected executive vice president said Monday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said PDP-Laban's resolution pushing for Duterte's VP bid remains, despite the ongoing conflict with the faction led by ousted party president Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

"Hindi naman nagbago ang resolution [The resolution did not change]. The resolution was not modified, altered or overturned whatsoever," Nograles said, referring to the resolution adopted by the party last May during its national council meeting in Cebu.

READ: PDP-Laban adopts resolution urging President Duterte to run for VP in 2022

"The resolution still stands that the party PDP-Laban is still asking President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to consider running for VP of the Republic of the Philippines and giving him the discretion to recommend to PDP-Laban who he believes should run for president and be supported by PDP-Laban," he said.

Nograles said they are still waiting for further guidance from their party chairman on who he will endorse as his running mate if he pursues his political plan next year.

He said this may be announced when PDP-Laban holds a national convention in September.

"We are scheduling a national convention come September, also in accordance with the schedule given by Comelec to all parties. Sa [in the] national convention, baka doon i-announce kung sino ang aming susuportahan (an announcement may be made on who we will support) for president and VP, Nograles added.

Duterte earlier said he is entertaining the idea of becoming a vice president to ensure "immunity" from lawsuits.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is being floated as a possible presidential candidate in the upcoming polls.

Pacquiao and Sen. Koko Pimentel were booted out of their posts over the weekend after the faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi elected a new set of PDP-Laban officers.

Nograles clarified, however, that Pacquiao and Pimentel are still members of the group but anyone can leave the party if they want to.

READ: Nograles: Cusi group the only legitimate PDP-Laban; Pacquiao, Pimentel still members
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  The countrys next Pfizer delivery containing more than half a million coronavirus vaccine doses will arrive on July 21, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a briefing on Monday.

The shipment of 562,770 doses procured by the government was initially scheduled for July 19. It was unclear what caused the delay.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier said two Pfizer batches were scheduled to arrive this month. The second batch will cover 375,570 shots and was previously announced to arrive July 26.

The country so far received 2.4 million doses from the U.S.-based pharmaceutical firm through the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility. Last month, the government announced it signed a supply deal with Pfizer for a separate 40 million shots.

In total, 27.8 million doses from different vaccine manufacturers were delivered to the country. Of this number, 15 million were administered, while only 4.7 million people were fully inoculated against COVID-19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) - The country tallied 5,651 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, bringing the nationwide count to 1,513,396, the Department of Healths latest bulletin showed.

Of the total, 47,561 are active cases or currently ill patients. At least 91.9% have mild symptoms, 1.9% are asymptomatic, 1.6% are critical, 2.7% are in severe condition, and 1.88% have moderate symptoms.

Meanwhile, the death toll reached 26,786 after 72 more patients died. The number of COVID-19 survivors also jumped to 1,439,049 with 5,332 new recoveries.

The DOH said that 10 duplicates were removed from the nationwide tally, of which, seven are recoveries.

It added that 88 cases previously reported as recoveries have been validated to be active cases. Of cases earlier tagged as recoveries, 39 were also reclassified as deaths after final validation, the DOH said.

All laboratories were operational on July 17, but six laboratories failed to submit their data to COVID-19 Document Repository System, it added. Based on data in the last 14 days, the non-reporting laboratories contribute on average, 0.4% of samples tested and 1.0% of positive cases.

The daily positivity rate or percentage of people who tested positive stood at 11.0% based on 50,385 tests done on July 17. The World Health Organization recommends that positivity rates be below 5% as bigger numbers may indicate high transmission.

Meanwhile, Davao City, Iloilo City, Bacolod, Makati, General Santos, Baguio City, Laoag, Santa Rosa, and Butuan were tagged as high-risk areas for COVID-19 by the OCTA Research group.

Davao City has the highest number of new cases per day, averaging at 224 from July 12 to 18, OCTA said Monday in its report.

OCTA added that Davao City also has the highest intensive care unit utilization rate of 95%. It was followed by Iloilo City at 93%.

Cases abroad

Among overseas Filipinos, the Department of Foreign Affairs reports 147 new confirmed cases, bringing the total confirmed cases abroad to 21,090.

Meanwhile, 16 more succumbed to COVID-19, pushing the death toll among Filipinos abroad to 1,261. The DFA adds that 76 new recoveries were also logged, raising the recovery count to 12,430.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) - The Senate hopes to pass key economic measures by August in line with the legislative chamber's commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte, a Senate leader said Monday.

"Meron po tayong mga panukala na pending pa rin po sa Senado na hopefully by next month of August, matatapos na po natin. 'Yan po ang mga pending economic measures," Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said in a televised briefing.

[Translation: We have pieces of legislation still pending in the Senate that we will hopefully pass by next month of August. These are pending economic measures.]

Zubiri was referring to bills amending the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Public Service Act, and Foreign Investments Act, measures the President earlier urged Congress to pass immediately.

"'Yan po ang aming pangako sa ating mahal na Pangulo noong bumisita po kami sa [This is what we promised our beloved Preisident when we visited] Malacanang," added the solon.

These measures shall help give the Philippine economy a much-needed boost amid the COVID-19 health crisis, said the lawmaker, adding these will also help encourage investments which in turn will create more job opportunities for Filipinos.

Zubiri also said they committed to the chief executive that they will pass "hopefully by August and September" the bill creating a separate department for overseas Filipino workers.

In a separate statement, the lawmaker said the senators also target passing proposed legislation on the following in "the next two months":

- Bureau of Fire Protection's modernization

- Rural agricultural and fisheries development

- Increasing age of statutory rape

- Military and uniformed personnel's insurance fund

- Anti-online sexual abuse and exploitation of children

- Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention

- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao extension

The Senate shall go on a break in October according to Zubiri, for some of its members' filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2022 polls, and resume session in November to December.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20)  The country's top health official says the Philippines is doing better than its neighbors when it comes to handling the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

"Kumpara po sa ibang bansa sa ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) na nakakaranas ng malubhang pagtaas sa kaso dahil sa Delta variant, sa ngayon kasalukuyan, mas di hamak na mas maayos naman po ang ating kalagayan vis-a-vis the Delta variant," Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said at President Rodrigo Duterte's weekly address on Monday.

[Translation: Compared to other countries in ASEAN experiencing a serious rise in cases because of the Delta variant, we are currently faring much better vis-a-vis the Delta variant.]

In his report, Duque said even if the country has tallied cases of the Delta variant, health officials are keeping a close eye on the case trend, as well as health system indicators to better respond to the threat presented by the variant.

He added that currently, only 0.5% of sequence samples are Delta variant cases, and that there were more Beta variant cases, followed by the Alpha variant based on the whole genome sequencing by the UP Philippine Genome Center.

"With the additional 16 Delta variant cases detected, the national government is continuously monitoring closely our case and health systems indicators, as well as intensifying the four-door response strategies to mitigate the spread of the Delta variant and prevent a possible surge," Duque said in his report.

READ: 'Recovered' local case becomes nation's 3rd Delta variant death

Duque suggested local government units should strengthen their prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and reintegration strategies, as well as ramp us vaccination efforts especially for those who are included in the A1 to A3 categories.

On Monday, the DOH said there was a "possibility" that the Philippines has more undetected cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant as the government has yet to step up genome sequencing efforts.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20)  President Rodrigo Duterte has stressed the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as the country records more cases of the more transmissible Delta variant.

You must get the vaccine, or you die, Duterte said during his weekly address.

Currently, the Department of Health recorded a total of 35 Delta cases, including 11 locally acquired cases. Of these, three patients died due to the variant, it added. However, the department admitted that there may be more cases linked to Delta since it has yet to step up genome sequencing efforts.

The President also cited a Pulse Asia survey that said more adult Filipinos, or 43% of the respondents, are willing to receive their coronavirus shot. This latest result is higher than Februarys 16%.

Duterte then warned those who do not want to get inoculated.

Kung ayaw talaga ninyong maniwala, eh 'di wag na lang kayong lumabas ng bahay para wala kayong mahawa (If you really don't want to believe, don't go out of your house so you do not infect others) if that is your state of mind, actually to me you are anti-social, he said.

Parang kang galit sa tao (It seems like you hate people). In face of the danger confronting you and knowing fully well that it is really dangerous, you choose the path of this resistance by not getting the vaccine at all, he added.

The government has received over 27 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of July 17, of which some 15 million have been administered. Of the latter, over 4 million individuals received their two doses.

Vaccine supply is still a problem in many local governments, especially in the regions. However, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. assured that the country has ample supply, with 12.8 million doses as stock pile in different warehouses which is good for 32 days.

He also said that aside from the initial donation of 3.2 million vaccines, the United States -- through the COVAX facility -- will send 3 million doses more to arrive this July or August. The British Government has also expressed its intention to donate 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca to the country that will arrive this month, he added.

Meanwhile, distribution of China-made vaccines Sinovac and Sinopharm by the World Health Organization-led initiative may also start next month, Galvez said.

By year-end, authorities are aiming to immunize up to 60% of the target population by focusing in Metro Manila to achieve population protection.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  The Philippine Coast Guard said it drove away a Chinese navy warship last week from an area some 147 nautical miles off El Nido, Palawan and within the countrys exclusive economic zone.

In a statement Monday, the PCG said its vessel BRP Cabra on July 13 chased off a Chinese Navy Warship 189 from waters off the Marie Louise Bank in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG added that its personnel conducted a radio challenge to the Chinese warship while monitoring the foreign vessel in their radar.

As the PCG personnel led by Commander Erwin Tolentino moved closer, the Chinese warship did not respond, prompting them to issue another verbal challenge using the Filipino vessel's long range acoustic device.

The Chinese warship moved away after the last radio challenge by the BRP Cabra, but it sent a reply as it was being escorted out of the Philippines EEZ.

"Philippine Coast Guard 4409, this is Chinese Navy Warship 189. Please keep two nautical miles distance from me," the radio challenge said.

Last July 5, the BRP Cabra also drove away five Chinese and two Vietnamese vessels from the same area near the Marie Louise Bank.

Status quo in foreign policy

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said recent incidents like the BRP Cabra driving away foreign vessels inside the country's EEZ do not mean the Duterte administration is veering away from its foreign policy.

"We will not surrender any of our territories and we will always protect what is ours," Roque said Monday night during President Rodrigo Dutertes weekly public address.

Roque said the incidents show the PCG's increased capacity to protect the country's territories.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana thought the Chinese warship immediately left the area after being challenged because it was too near Palawan.

"Kaya sila umalis ay dahil napakalapit nila sa Palawan. That is uncontested, sa atin yun. Pangalawa, ayaw nila magkaroon ng insidente diyan involving their naval ships," Lorenzana said, responding to Duterte's question on why the Chinese warship pulled out.

[Translation: They (Chinese) left because they are very near in Palawan. That is uncontested, it is ours. Second, they don't want to start an incident there involving their naval ships.]

An arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled that China's island-building activities in the West Philippine Sea violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS and "have caused devastating and long-lasting damage to the marine environment." China rejects the ruling, which also recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights to parts of its EEZ which Beijing contests.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Ending illegal drugs was a campaign promise that President Rodrigo Duterte failed to fulfill in his first three to six months in power. It was a self-imposed deadline that he repeatedly extended and a war he started but later on admitted he cannot finish.

On numerous occasions, the President explained he never thought the drug problem in the country was so vast and deeply rooted, even within the government system.

"Sabi ko nga na [I said before] I can solve the problem in six months. Little did I know that I will be fighting my own government," Duterte said in his sit-down interview last June 8.

Five years since the drug war began, over 52% of the country's 42,045 barangays have been cleared of illegal drugs while more than 31% have yet to be cleared based on government data.

"Kahit napakarami pa nating nahuli, kahit masasabi nating napakarami na nating na-confiscate, and yet meron pa ding drug user doon, hindi pa rin pwede i-declare na drug cleared. [Even if we arrest many or confiscate a lot of drugs, we cannot declare an area cleared if there are still drug users left in an area]," Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief PGen. Guillermo Eleazar said. "It needs a whole of community approach where the police or the enforcement is just part of it."

With this, the controversial "Tokhang" operations continued, where authorities knock on the doors of supposed drug peddlers and users, and ask them to surrender and avail of government rehabilitation programs.

As for high value targets, Eleazar said there is no let-up in their efforts to bring them to justice.

The PNP also noted the continuous drop in crime rates since the drug war was launched. For example, total crimes from November 11, 2020 to March 31, 2021 went down by more than 15% compared to the numbers from November 11, 2019 to March 31, 2020.

Bloody drug war

In September 2016, Duterte said: "Mag-massacre kayo ng isang daan, isang daan rin kayo, eh di pardon lahat eh [You massacre one hundred, and you're also one hundred. All of you will be pardoned]. Restored to full political and civil rights plus a promotion to boot. Basta gano'n mga lalo na, high profile. [Just like that, especially with high profile cases]. We have to remove them from the syndicates or remove them from this planet."

Based on available government data, 293,841 drug suspects were arrested while 6,147 were killed in the 203,715 anti-illegal drug operations conducted from July 1, 2016 to May 31, 2021.

That is apart from the more than 20,000 deaths under investigation that the PNP reported in 2018. CNN Philippines requested an update on these cases, but it has yet to be granted.

Lawyer Krissy Conti, who is handling the cases of some drug war victims, said the President himself encouraged and emboldened policemen to kill.

"Hindi lang niya basta inutos na ubusin ang droga. Inutos nya rin na ubusin ang drug addict, na patayin ang drug addict. He encouraged it. Inengganyo niya ang mga pulis, ipinasok niya ang konsepto sa kukote ng mga pulis na ok lang na mapatay niyo, patayin niyo," Conti said.

[Translation: He didn't just order police to wipe out drugs, he ordered them to wipe out all addicts. He encouraged it. He introduced the concept that it was OK to kill them all.]

But the PNP insisted there was no such order from the President. Eleazar said policemen need to defend themselves when a drug suspect resists arrest and fights back.

Eleazar also said respect for human rights is part of police training and whoever violates this will face the long arm of the law.

Victims' quest for justice

For some of the families of drug war victims, justice remains elusive, like in the case of 17-year-old Joshua Laxamana. His mother Christine Pascual has not yet moved on from the brutal death of her son.

Laxamana, an online gaming player, was killed in a supposed police operation in Pangasinan in 2018. Police claimed Laxamana was a notorious member of a burglary gang, and that drugs and a firearm were recovered from him  something that Pascual and other witnesses disputed.

Pascual said her son joined a DOTA tournament in Baguio City with two companions. The incident occurred while the victims were walking home to Tarlac province.

"Pinangarap niya na makilala siya bilang isang magaling sa ganong kakayahan niya, bilang 'yun ang hilig niya. Ang saklap po talaga 'di ba? Isang araw, makikila siya sa ganong pamamaraan pa, may baril may drugs, samantalang 'yun ang pinakaayaw niya," Pascual said.

[Translation: He dreamed of one day becoming famous for what he loves and what he does best, but what's tragic is that he became known for allegedly carrying a gun and drugs. He hates those things.]

Murder charges were filed against six police officers for Laxamana's death. However, the Ombudsman dismissed the case due to lack of evidence. Pascual said the case filed against President Duterte and the PNP before the International Criminal Court (ICC) is her only hope to attain justice for her son.

"Wala naman pong imposible pag pinursige, 'di ba po? 'Pag talagang pinush, wala pong imposible marating 'yang hinahangad namin, napakasarap po sa pakiramdam. Siguro doon lang po kami makakatulog na ang anak namin o sinumang pamilyang may kamukha namin na masarap pong matulog na napaglaban mo po at merong nagdusa sa nangyari samin," Pascual said.

[Translation: Nothing's impossible if you pursue it, right? Pursuing and attaining what we long for will make us feel good inside. I think the only time we can get a good night's sleep is when we or any family that has gone through such a horrible thing like we did, gets justice, and until the people responsible suffer for their crime.]

Before stepping down on July 15, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda sought a full investigation on the drug-related killings in the Philippines. Should the ICC proceed with the formal investigation, Malacanang said the Duterte administration will not cooperate.

"I believe that the decision to move forward into a formal investigation stage is legally erroneous and politically motivated...Hinding-hindi magko-cooperate ang Presidente hanggang matapos ang kanyang termino sa June 30, 2022 [The President will never ever cooperate until his term ends on June 30, 2022]," said a fuming Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in one of his press conferences.

Quest for transparency: Body-worn cameras

Police have started using body-worn cameras for their operations. Eleazar said it was a change introduced to make police operations more transparent.

"Napakalaking bagay nito kasi magbibigay ito ng proteksyon hindi lamang sa sinasabi nating suspects, pati na rin sa mga pulis na binibigyan ng maling akala o malicious accusation. In effect, ito ay para sa kabutihan ng lahat," the PNP chief said.

[Translation: This is of great importance because this will not just protect the rights of suspects, but also protect our policemen from false and malicious accusations. In effect, this is good for everyone.]

With controversies hounding the government's bloody war on drugs, former PNP chief, now senator, Ronald Dela Rosa said things could have been different if there were body-worn cameras during his time. Dela Rosa was the poster boy of the Duterte administration's "relentless" campaign against illegal drugs.

"Since may namatay, at nagke-claim ang pamilya na hindi talaga lumaban, nagke-claim naman ang pulis na lumaban, merong doubt ang publiko. Pero kung meron na sana 'yun, na-establish na sana na ito talaga may ginawang kalokohan ang pulis, mali ang ginawa nila, established kaagad. Ma-file-an agad ng kaso. Kung wala naman, kahit na anong claim ng other side, sa victim o sa suspect, naka-counter agad 'yung claim nila dahil merong ebidensya," the senator said.

[Translation: There is doubt among the public when police say a suspect died after fighting back, and the family says otherwise. But if there are body cameras, evidence can be established quickly and allegations of any wrongdoing can be proven or disputed.]

Recently, the Supreme Court issued a set of guidelines in the use of body-worn cameras in serving search and arrest warrants. These guidelines may help improve public trust in law enforcement, according to the Commission on Human Rights.

CHR Spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said they fully support the creation of this legal framework since the introduction of new technology in the criminal justice system promotes transparency and accountability.

"We push for the use of body-worn cameras as a preventive measure to reduce lethal force during police operations; to achieve improved resolution of complaints; and more effective evidence in judicial proceeding," De Guia said.

Human rights group Karapatan also welcomed the use of body-worn cameras or alternative recording devices, but said it will continue to keep careful watch for possible gaps and loopholes that may be used by law enforcers in their operations.

The PNP created a technical working group (TWG) to incorporate the Supreme Court rules into their existing policies. Eleazar said the TWG is also expected to create a module that will be used in training their personnel.

"Sa panig ng inyong PNP, tinitiyak namin na ang panuntunan na pinaghirapan at pinaglaanan ng mahabang oras ng ating mga Mahistrado ay isa sa mga magiging instrumento upang gawing normal ang konsepto ng transparency at accountability sa isip at sa gawa ng bawat miyembro ng inyong kapulisan," the PNP chief said.

[Translation: We in the PNP will make sure that the guidelines set forth and given full attention by our honorable Justices will be utilized so the concept of transparency and accountability will be instilled in the minds of our policemen.]

Currently, the PNP has a total of 2,696 body cameras that were distributed to 171 police stations and offices. But Eleazar said they need around 30,000 more to cover all police stations and units of the national police force.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  As the country braces for another possible surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant, a private hospitals' group bares their biggest struggle: the lack of manpower.

"Ang limitasyon lang po ng private hospitals of course right now ay 'yung dami, availability ng mga nurse namin at mga nursing staff," Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said in a televised government briefing.

[Translation: The limitation of private hospitals of course right now is the number and availability of our nurses and nursing staff.]

He bared that many nurses resigned from private hospitals after the surge in COVID-19 cases in March and April, perceived to be driven by the Alpha and Beta variants first discovered in the United Kingdom and Africa, respectively. The surge led to lower bed capacities in some hospitals, he added.

Delta, which was first discovered in India, is said to be the most transmissible among all variants. It is also seen as the driver of the deadly surge in COVID-19 cases in India and Indonesia.

READ: Indonesia is battling a devastating Covid-19 crisis. And its peak is likely still to come

"Pag dumami po ang kaso ng moderate at critical, doon po magkakaproblema talaga," said de Grano. "Mahihirapan ang mga pribadong ospital, kahit po ang government hospitals kasi ang kailangan po dito sa mga kasong ganyan ay mga nursing staff na magma-manage sa ating mga COVID cases."

[Translation: Once the moderate and critical cases increase in number, that's when we'll be having a problem. Private hospitals and even government hospitals will have a difficult time because what is needed here are nursing staff that will manage our COVID cases.]

Research group OCTA earlier cautioned of a resurgence in coronavirus infections in the country, with daily tallies matching the peak observed a few months ago, once the feared variant spreads in Metro Manila.

To date, there are three recorded fatalities due to the Delta variant in the country.
Govt-and-politics

top story

Election

Pennsylvania election audit gets GOP campaign trail embrace

Associated Press Mastriano

HARRISBURG  Former President Donald Trumps false claims of a stolen election have been debunked by the courts, his own Justice Department and scores of recounts.

But in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where Trump lost by 80,000 votes eight months ago, theyre finding new signs of life.

A Republican state lawmaker, bolstered by campaign trail support from top Republican candidates for governor and U.S. Senate, has launched a push for a forensic investigation of the presidential election results, a review modeled on the widely discredited process underway in Arizona.

The effort is likely to face legal challenges and is still limited to three counties, where it is getting pushback even from Republican commissioners. But its march forward is forcing many to stop viewing it as one lawmakers pet project and take it seriously.

Tioga County won't offer up voting machines to Pa. election audit The three commissioners in rural Republican-controlled Tioga County made the decision.

The audit has fast become a litmus test in an election cycle where an open governors office and an open U.S. Senate seat  the political equivalent of a blue moon  have triggered fiercely competitive Republican primaries.

That has some GOP party officials and donors squirming with discomfort, albeit quietly. Some Republicans privately worry that the spectacle of a protracted election audit is a time bomb that not only will damage the states democratic institutions, but also the partys credibility with critical swing voters.

Most of the Republicans I know, at the very least, have misgivings and, at worst, are like me and realize this is just really a blunder of epic proportions, said former congressman Charlie Dent, a centrist Republican from the Allentown area. Why bring the Arizona clown show to Pennsylvania?

Those worries have been easily drowned out by supporters of the effort.

One, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who has claimed that Trump  asked me  to run for governor, is the ringleader of the audit campaign and is fundraising off it.

All Im asking for is a transparent and thorough investigation to prove to U.S. voters that our votes were fairly counted, and that we have nothing to worry about, Mastriano wrote in the email appeal last weekend.

A rival, former congressman Lou Barletta, who is running for governor, has said that he was for an audit way back in December.

Earlier this month, Mastriano sent letters to three counties  including Philadelphia, a Democratic bastion and the states largest city  to request access to a sweeping list of information, documents and equipment, with the threat of subpoenas for holdouts.

York County raises objection to Mastriano's proposed election audit York County's commissioners raised questions about the legality of Mastriano's demand, the cost to the county and their lack of staff to complete the project.

Gov. Tom Wolf and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, both Democrats, have vowed to fight the subpoenas in court, giving Republicans who are leery of Trumps antics hope that the audit will have a short life.

Subpoenas are a tool lawmakers have rarely used in the past, leaving it unclear whether a court would block such an effort, order counties to comply or just choose not to intervene, said Bruce Ledewitz, a Duquesne University law professor who teaches constitutional law.

No court is going to get in the way, probably, he predicted. But that doesnt mean you get some kind of enforceable enforcement order.

Meanwhile, Mastriano has left key questions unanswered, including who will do the work, how it will be funded and where such a vast amount of documents and equipment would be stored securely.

That has not stopped candidates for U.S. Senate or governor from backing it.

Sean Parnell, a candidate for U.S. Senate, said that half the state not trusting the election result is a problem that can be remedied with an audit, and dismissed the official state and county audits as simply recounts that were inadequate to investigate allegations that something went wrong.

And now after the fact, that people are saying, Hey, wait a minute, maybe there were some problems, they just blow us all off and say, No, no, screw you, you dont know what youre talking about, like, Youre just a bunch of crazy conspiracy theorists, Parnell told a radio show host Wednesday.

In Arizona, the Senates Republican leadership initiated the unprecedented partisan audit of votes in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, despite the fact that the votes already had been counted, recounted and certified. The effort has been supported by many Republican state lawmakers, state party chair Kelli Ward and state Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate.

However, it has drawn withering criticism from some other establishment Republicans, including those who control the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors; Cindy McCain, the wife of the late senator and GOP presidential nominee; and former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has avoided the topic altogether.

In Pennsylvania, Republican Party and Senate Republican leaders have responded with silence.

Many Republicans who want to distance the party from an audit question the cost for counties to comply with Mastrianos demands or argue that its time to focus on future elections. Some say it is highly unlikely it would uncover smoking-gun evidence of widespread fraud, or they point to a slew of GOP-led legislative hearings that, they say, already covered the topic thoroughly and produced legislation.

At the end of the day, I dont know what youre going to achieve, said Sam DeMarco, the GOP chair of Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh.

Still, even Republicans who avoid repeating Trumps election fraud claims have perpetuated the idea that Democrats cheated.

They routinely distort the actions of state judges and officials as unconstitutional or illegal in settling legal disputes and questions over Pennsylvanias fledgling mail-in voting law in the weeks before Novembers election.

Weeks ago, Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives rejected doing any such 2020 election audit through their chamber.

Instead, those Republican lawmakers advanced a Voting Rights Protection Act that, they said, would make elections more secure and accessible and fix 2020s alleged problems.

In addition, it would have shifted authority over election policy away from the executive branch and assigned broad new election-auditing authority in future elections to the state auditor general, currently a Republican.

Democrats dismissed the bill as voter suppression and Wolf vetoed it, but it gave Republican Party figures something to point to, at the very least, as an alternative to an Arizona-style audit of the 2020 election.

I think thats the issue, said Jeffrey Piccola, the GOP chair in Republican-controlled York County. I dont think going back to 2020 is going to solve any problems, and Im not sure you can solve any problems.
Gov. Tom Wolf and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, both Democrats, have vowed to fight the subpoenas in court, giving Republicans who are leery of Trump's antics hope that the audit will have a short life.

Subpoenas are a tool lawmakers have rarely used in the past, leaving it unclear whether a court would block such an effort, order counties to comply or just choose not to intervene, said Bruce Ledewitz, a Duquesne University law professor who teaches constitutional law.

No court is going to get in the way, probably," he predicted. "But that doesnt mean you get some kind of enforceable enforcement order.

Meanwhile, Mastriano has left key questions unanswered, including who will do the work, how it will be funded and where such a vast amount of documents and equipment would be stored securely.

That has not stopped candidates for U.S. Senate or governor from backing it.

Sean Parnell, a candidate for U.S. Senate, said that half the state not trusting the election result is a problem that can be remedied with an audit, and dismissed the official state and county audits as simply recounts" that were inadequate to investigate allegations that something went wrong.
Last year, Grant Audit Specialist Bridget [Smith] was responsible for 27 grants, this year weve added one more, we have two more grants pending approval, so that will bring us up to 30, he said.

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Seiberlich noted that the rules constantly change on the grants that come from Washington, D.C., and Jefferson City. Smith keeps track of those rule changes in addition to checking the paperwork sent to her from the grant administrators throughout the county.

Webinars, shes on Zoom all the time, he said.

In 2020, the revenue from the 27 grants was almost $9 million, with $6.8 million in expenses. Seiberlich stated that the difference in revenue-to-expenses is the various completion and start dates in fiscal and calendar years.

Seiberlich said he often hears the question, "So, thats free money?" in regard to the grants.

Well, yes and no, he said. It is free money except you all pay for it. Its your money. Thats why its responsible for us to make sure that when we have somebody apply for a grant, that they do the paperwork correctly, that we can balance the books so when the independent audit comes in and says the administrator did it right, that you started the program and ended the program.
Japan will give 48,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Vanuatu, says the Japanese Ambassador to Vanuatu
If wineberry plants infest your land, you can take action in several ways. Uproot them with a garden fork, but be sure to get the entire root system or it will resprout. You can even hand-pull them. Just be sure to wear long sleeves and sturdy gloves; elbow-length leather rose-gloves prove useful here. This can be done any time of year, even in winter. You can also cut the canes near ground level and spray the cut stump with concentrated herbicide such as glyphosate. (Choose a concentrated product meant to be mixed with water, but use it full strength. Pour the herbicide carefully into a labeled, hand-held squirt bottle used only for that purpose.) Herbicide diluted with water to the strength indicated on the container of the concentrated product can be used as a foliar spray, but be careful to avoid spraying desirable plants under or around the wineberries.
U.K. companies are urging the government to speed up changes to self-isolation rules after hundreds of thousands of employees from across the economy were removed from the workplace because of a surge in alerts that they should stay at home.

Businesses from stores to car factories are reporting disruption after more than half a million people were contacted  or pinged  by the countrys coronavirus app in a week. Some retailers have suffered staff absences of up to 30%, according to a person familiar with the situation. Asos Chief Executive Officer Nick Beighton said the online fashion business is feeling the squeeze at warehouses and its London headquarters.

As many as 900 workers at carmaker Nissans plant in Sunderland are absent, and Rolls Royce has also been hit by a surge in pings, the BBC reported on Thursday. Up to 10% of the workforce at some meat processors are affected, with product ranges now being reduced.

The government is figuring out how to change the rules on self-isolation as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to lift just about all coronavirus measures for England on Monday. Lucy Frazer, the solicitor general, told Sky News on Friday that ministers are looking at the issue and recognize the significant impact this is having on businesses.
I now teach one or two students at a time, here in my backyard, he said. Most of my students are retired officers of some type, one a retired police captain, another a U.S. Army vet, still another a retired air marshal.

He keeps teaching and writing because he likes to pass along what hes learned, and because hes been lonely since his wife died of cancer a few years ago. He also enjoys the company.

His students call him Po, an honorific for an older person in the Philippines, and he doesnt just see them as students.

I treat them as friends, and look forward to them coming to learn, he said.

Hes taught some students for a long timeone woman has been with him since 2000.

Marinas said he had a group of air marshals come to learn to use extendable batons, and a police captain who wanted to learn disarming techniquesall skills in his martial arts wheelhouse.

We have fun, as I will challenge them at times, telling them that if they stick four knives in a row, Ill treat them to coffee, he said laughing. Then they come back at me and ask if two hits will get them half a cup.
Negative thinking does not move you forward. I dont feel like anybody owes me anything. Over my lifetime I took advantage of every opportunity I could. I worked hard, slept well, and ate and drank in moderation, Martin stated to Lesley Atkinson with Fort Lee Public Affairs in a 2016 P-I story. I followed my parents in their religious beliefs. My father built a cubicle under the step for his Bible study. He took the family to church and sang in the choir. He was a leader at home and in his profession. I cant sing, but I never miss church or Bible study. I like to think Im a reflection of my dad.
RICHMOND  Virginias redistricting commission is again fully staffed after a departure earlier this month, which had left the commission without citizen representation for Southwest Virginia.

Virginia Thornton, a lawyer from Forest, near Lynchburg, will replace Marvin Gilliam of Bristol as one of the citizen members representing the GOP on the panel.

The commission is tasked with drawing political boundaries for the states congressional and General Assembly districts using data from the 2020 census. The census has promised to deliver its data to states in August. The commission is slated to deliver maps to the General Assembly for approval by Sept. 30.

Due to census delays prompted by the pandemic, elections for the House of Delegates this fall will be held using the existing political maps, which were adjusted by the courts in 2019 in a decision that found Republicans had racially gerrymandered some districts nearly a decade prior.

Thornton was voted into the commission by its members on Monday, with 13 ayes and two abstentions. The commission also considered Jeffrey Wayne Bolander of McGaheysville in Rockingham County. Both Thornton and Bolander were nominated by Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, the Senate minority leader.
McKay said the lawsuit sends misconceptions about the trans community, adding the policies not only let trans students have a safe and welcoming learning environment, but to simply exist.

Its basically letting trans students have the access to what everybody else has access to, which is equal rights, McKay said. It is the right to exist in public schools in all activities that they offer.

Lamneck said the pushback against the policies are misinformed and that the guidance when put in place will have positive outcomes for all students.

The impact is great for the entire student body, and thats what we want at the end of the day, to have a thriving student body where everyone can succeed no matter their sexual orientation or their gender, Lamneck said.

The amicus brief details accounts of discrimination, isolation and physical violence that transgender students and their families have faced in various Virginia public school systems.

One student, who lives in the area of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, identified as T in the brief, changed middle schools three times and briefly lived with her aunt in another state after being bullied and not having her new name honored in the yearbook or on substitute rosters, the brief states.
In short, the department cant hire enough new troopers to replace those who are leaving the force.

The number of trooper applicants decreased dramatically from 2,594 in 2017 to just 1,556 in 2020  a 47% decline. Of those applicants, 75% voluntarily dropped out of consideration in 2017 when they learned what the job entailed. In 2019, dropouts increased to 84%.

Of the 258 applicants who remained in 2019, the majority failed their physical or written tests, were disqualified due to a prior felony, or did not have a college degree. And these less qualified candidates struggle . to meet certification standards, Settle says.

It costs Virginia taxpayers $108,260 to train just one new state trooper. Their average annual pay is $56,691, which is lower than that offered by many local police and sheriffs offices in the commonwealth.

Settle calculated that candidates who failed to pass the academy or left VSP before full retirement age resulted in a net loss of $68.7 million over the past five years. That puts the $18.6 million he is requesting in proper context.

Because of the large number of vacancies, state troopers are facing mandatory overtime, cancelled days off, and longer than optimal deployments.
Sri Lanka; A multi-day fishing vessel monitoring system from Australia

July 19,2021 | Source: Colombo Page

Sri Lanka received a multi-day fishing vessel monitoring system that contributes to ensure maritime security, under a financial grant from Australia, Presidents Media Division announced. Australian High Commissioner David Holly said the monitoring system would help in preventing illegal fishing, ensuring border protection and security in Indian Ocean Region, preventing human and drug trafficking and rescuing fishermen in distressed vessels. The monitoring system consisting of 4,200 transponders, equipment for a monitoring center and satellite facilities is valued at 5.38 million Australian Dollars. The monitoring center will be set up under the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The first set of transponders was symbolically handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Australian High Commissioner David Holly at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (16).



A total of 1,250 such transponders were installed at multi-day fishing vessels in 2015, but most of them are currently inactive. The High Commissioner drew the attention to the request made by Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda to assist in updating these transponders. Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission at International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Sri Lanka, said that this monitoring system would go a long way in strengthening the people-centric economic policy and enhancing the fish and fisheries export process in line with international standards. The President emphasized the importance of the monitoring system to Sri Lankas maritime security, which is situated at a unique geographical location. The President extended his gratitude to the Government of Australia for its continued and unwavering support to the Sri Lankan Government. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbor Development, Multi-Day Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Secretaries to the Ministries, Heads of Defense Forces, Officials from the Australian High Commission and the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were also present.
West Bengal: Once top in output, State Fishing Coops face twin onslaught from weather, Influential Individuals

by Sandip Chakraborty

July 19,2021 | Source: News Click

In the wee hours of July 14, a fishing trawler called MV Haimabati was returning to Frasergunj port after catching fish in the Bay of Bengal area. However, rough weather near the Jambudweep island led to the capsizing of the trawler. Only two out of the 12 fishermen on board could survive, rescued by people from other trawlers. Nine fishermen who were sleeping in the lower deck died, while one is still missing. Sukumar Dan, a fisherman, told NewsClick that such trips to the bay area are dangerous but lucrative considering the restrictions on inland fishing due to the lockdown. After a fishing trip, the owner of a trawler typically gets 40% of the money earned, while 60% is divided among the staff of 10-12 people on the trawler.



Aftermath of Cyclone Yaas



The livelihood of the fishing community of the region has suffered in the aftermath of cyclone Yaas, which hit the coast in May 2021. According to Debasish Barman, general secretary of West Bengal Fishermens Association, due to the cyclone and the consequent high tide in four districts (East Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Howrah), a total of 31 blocks have been affected and pisciculture practised across more than lakhs of bighas of water bodies has been hampered. Barman said fish worth an estimated Rs 300- 400 crore was swept away by the cyclone. The intrusion of saline water into water bodies spanning over 50,000 bighas has worsened the plight of the fishing community. About 3,500 small fishing boats have been destroyed and more than 400 big fishing nets were swept away, along with five trawlers in the havoc wreaked by the cyclone. Over the past one year, at least six incidents of trawlers capsizing have been reported in which 32 fishermen have lost their lives. Twelve fishermen lost their lives in other incidents, including getting mauled to death by tigers in the area.



The Fishing Sector



In the past 10 years, fishermen from the lower castes in West Bengal have been ousted from the fishing bodies, say several experts. Under the 34-year -rule of the Left Front, the state was known to among the topmost in inland fishing. However, with the ousting of traditional fishing communities in Bengal, states like Maharashtra seem to be taking a lead in fish production. In West Bengal, over 27 lakh 67 thousand fishermen are now staring at livelihood threat as cooperative laws are being loosened, in violation of the West Bengal Fisheries Act, 1984, say experts. Fishermen allege that this is an attempt to open up the sector to the inexperienced persons affiliated to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). There seems to be an attempt to open the sector to the corporates as well, they feel. Until 2010, there were 1,292 fishermens cooperatives in the state comprising traditional fisherman communities and 20 Central cooperatives of fishermen, which are now in dire straits. As far as the state-level cooperatives are concerned, there are allegations that contracts are being awarded to individuals posing as cooperatives instead of traditional cooperative societies. According to Mangal Pramanik, an inland fisherman, a fight is going on in the state in which traditional fishing communities like Majhi, Malo, Bauri, and Parmanik are losing ground to influential outsiders, who are all ruling party hooligans''. Experts blame neoliberal policies being followed by the TMC government as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government for facilitating the ouster of the traditional fishing communities. As a result, fisherfolk are being forced to work as agrarian or construction workers, and some have been even forced to move to other states, such as Kerala, in search of employment. Ram Das, president of the Fishermens Federation and All India Fishers and Fisheries Workers' Federation (AIFFWF), South 24 Parganas, alleged: Trawlers are being looted regularly in connivance with the pirates and goons of the ruling party of the state. Most of these hooligans have created free zones for their operations in both North and South 24 Parganas districts and in the vast belt of Sundarbans.



Das said the recently imposed regulations had also harmed the fishing community and that the submerging of agricultural land into coastal pisciculture , with former fisherman and owners of small boats now engaged as labourers of the pisciculture farms, had complicated matters. He claims most of these farms has been started by the TMC strongmen, especially in the coastal areas of Medinipore district and in South 24 Parganas Minakhan area. The AIFFWF has coined the slogan water bodies for fishnet owners to support the fishing community in their struggle. Speaking with NewsClick, AIFFWF state president Tushar Ghosh alleged that BJP and TMC governments at the Centre and state, respectively, were promoting anti-fishermen policies and are responsible for redistributing water bodies among their own party strongmen as well as disbanding the cooperatives. Many fishermen and fishery workers pointed out that production of fish in the state had been rapidly falling due to the policies of the government. They said whenever fishermen have tried to raise their voices against the unfair redistribution of the water bodies, the administration and the police have acted as one against fishermen and false complaints have been registered against them.
Over the next decade, the IRS sent Lund dozens of letters, bills, and summonses for financial records. Lund replied with his own letters claiming he was not a U.S. citizen and therefore not subject to taxation or IRS authority. During this same time, Lund continued to work to hide his assets and income from the IRS while also stealing from government assistance programs. He repeatedly transferred title to his properties to various straw entities and people; hid rental income by signing leases with the names of at least 16 different LLCs, partnerships, and trusts; applied for and received food stamps and Medicaid benefits; and convinced an employee to open a bank account on behalf of one of Lunds trusts.
Saturday's ride was supposed to mark the 40th Death Ride, which attracts thousands of cyclists to the region each year to ride through three mountain passes in the so-called California Alps. It was canceled last year during the coronavirus outbreak.

Paul Burgess, who drove from Los Angeles to participate in the ride, said most of the cyclists he met were thankful to steer clear of the fire danger.

They just said this is just how it goes, Burgess said. "Its part of climate change to a certain extent, its part of just a lot of fuels that are not burnt, the humidity is low, the fuel moisture levels are low, and ... around the state, many parts of it are much like a tinderbox.

Afternoon winds blowing at 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 kph) fanned the flames as they chewed through bone-dry timber and brush. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday in both California and southern Oregon, where the largest wildfire in the U.S. continued to race through bone-dry forests.
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Education

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Keeping it kosher: 'Taste of Judaism' invites non-Jews to learn about the faith (with tasty treats)

Jeff Woo/DRC Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis explains the unique aspects of Jewish community to a small group of people who signed up for the three-session class, A Taste of Judaism on Thursday at Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound. The class aims to demystify Reform Jewish spirituality, ethics and community for anyone who is curious. After class, students sample popular Jewish treats  mostly sweets and baked goods. Jeff Woo/DRC Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis delves into aspects of Jewish community to people attending the three-session class, A Taste of Judaism on Thursday at Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound.

Update: Readers have expressed interest in both "A Taste of Judaism" and more comprehensive programs about Judaism. Congregation Kol Ami will host an expanded program beginning Aug. 31. "Introduction to Judaism" is a 13-week course for the curious, seekers, interfaith couples with children and is open to LGBTQ individuals and families.

Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis had a small group gathered for the second session of A Taste of Judaism offered this summer through Congregation Kol Ami, Denton Countys sole synagogue.

The group was all women. A few seekers who said they might convert to Judaism sat in the worship space, along with a woman who simply wanted to learn more about the faith and a Muslim woman who said she missed her interfaith womens group in New York that brought Jewish and Muslim women together for dialog and friendship.

Rabbi Geoff made it clear: A Taste of Judaism isnt meant to convert people to the faith.

Judaism isnt a conversionary faith, he told them. This program was started so that Jewish communities could put themselves into context with and for the non-Jewish communities around them.

Dennis said the Flower Mound congregation has been offering the class every three or four years for the last two decades. It just so happens that in 2021, Jews in America are facing a surge of antisemitism. The suspicion and hostility feel as if theyre coming from all over the ideological spectrum, Dennis said.

Ill never miss an opportunity to give people a look at Jews and what they are doing, Dennis said. This program isnt new, but its one of those programs that can respond to just about any moment we find ourselves in as Jews. Its a chance to see and discuss what is going on.

Whats going on for Jews in North America? The QAnon conspiracy theory and online community has revived centuries-old tales and prejudices about Jews, lone wolf assailants have been radicalized by far-right online forums, and young progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives have drawn fire for sentiments that critics say cross the line from mere criticism of Israel into antisemitism.

There is sometimes-deadly antisemitism coming from the right, and some anti-Israeli sentiment on the left that can kind of feed into a broader antisemitism, Dennis said. We see it coming from different places.

One answer to the problem?

Hospitality. A Taste of Judaism is mostly a three-session survey of the faith, covering spirituality, ethics and community. But its served with a side of Jewish treats. Mostly sweets.

The Union of Reform Judaism, a religious association for North American Reform Jews, proposed the outreach program more than 20 years ago, when Rabbi Dennis was a rabbinical student.

I can say that I was one of the 20-some-odd pilot instructors who determined what it looks like, he said. There is a basic blueprint that comes out of the Union for Reform Judaism. But every rabbi probably has their own take on it. Youre never going to get rabbis to stick to a script.

The sessions are about two hours long, and theres no homework or tests. Dennis told the participants that Jews are part of a broad faith, from Orthodox Judaism to Reform Judaism, which includes Congregation Kol Ami. Judaism is a faith of deeds, not creeds, Dennis said, and though the faith asks Jews to believe in the existence and oneness of God, religious leaders dont excommunicate people for doubts and questions.

Jews are comfortable with ambiguity, Dennis said. Youre not really required to believe anything to be part of the community.

Jennifer Allen, a Flower Mound mom, said she came to the program because shes considered converting.

The best way to describe myself is Christian, Allen said. Weve gone to some churches in the area, but really, Im disillusioned with the way theyve been acting. I see the things Christians do now and, to me, thats not Jesus.

Allen told Farwah Raza, a Flower Mound Muslim, that she was especially turned off by the certainty she sees among so many Christians.

I think its kind of ridiculous to think we know everything, because nobody does, Allen said.

Raza said she grew up in a Muslim household that was open to other ideas and faiths, and that welcomed neighbors and friends of all faiths.

I saw [the Taste of Judaism class advertised] on Flower Mound Neighborhood, Raza said, referring to an online group. I was part of a group in New York, the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom. It was for Jewish and Muslim women and it was such a great group. Religion is like art. You can look at a painting and see something so different than what someone else sees.

Flower Mounds Yvette Elliott said she signed up for the program out of curiosity.

I believe Texas is stronger when we know each other, she said.

This summers sessions were smaller than usual, something Dennis attributes to the pandemic.

People are still uncomfortable getting out of their bubbles a little, he said.

Dennis said the program is a small outreach, and its hard to guess if community-based initiatives like this bring much light to a world that feels dark and hostile.

The truth of the matter is because Judaism is not a conversionary religion, a lot of people might only encounter us through some social service or social action project. People encounter us when we participate in a Habitat for Humanity project or an interfaith project. Its good to get out of our bubble. Its useful to interact with the community as Jews.

Just last month, Flower Mound staged its first LGBT Pride event.

I was bound and determined the Jewish community should be represented, Dennis said. I have a rainbow Jewish flag and a rainbow Texas flag. We gave people oranges and talked to anyone who stopped by.

Dennis said the congregation didnt elicit much surprise from the attendees who stopped by the synagogues booth.

The queer community is pretty conscious that the Reform world is affirming, he said. And the Orthodox community is pretty live-and-let-live.

The pride event put the congregation in a larger pool of people than A Taste of Judaism does, but Dennis considers the program more of a cumulative initiative.

Its got to be tens of thousands in synagogues across the country who have the program. Some run it every year. I speculated [people] in the thousands have come through, Dennis said.
Two juveniles were wounded after a boy allegedly shot himself and a girl Sunday night, the Aurora Police Department announced.

The shooting happened at 18th Avenue and Airport Boulevard, near the Friendly Village of Aurora mobile home park. Police announced the shooting at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Police said it appeared the boy shot himself and injured the girl in the process. Police said they will not release any other details about the shooting until the investigation is complete.

The boy and girl were taken to a hospital with serious injuries Sunday night. They are both expected to survive, police said.

Anyone with information who has not already spoken to police is asked to call the Aurora Police Department at 303-627-3100.

To remain anonymous, tipsters can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 and be eligible for a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Australian communications and technology giant Telstra Corp Ltd has said that it is in talks to buy the Pacific operations of telecommunications firm Digicel Group  in partnership with the Australian government.

Digicel Group Holdings is active in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. Digicels Pacific operations include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tahiti. According to Reuters, Telstra has said that the government would finance the bulk of any bid.

Digicels Pacific business may well be a reasonably attractive proposition, given that it is the major telecommunications player in the Pacific region. But such a deal could also be complicated, involving multiple operators and governments. So why is Telstra apparently keen? And why might the Australian government want to get involved?

The clue may be in last years reports, denied by Digicel, that it had plans to sell its Pacific business to state-owned China Mobile. This would worry Australia, which regards Digicel as a strategic asset that it does not want to see handed over to China.

In addition, Australia has increased its presence in the Pacific recently through the creation of a A$2 billion ($1.5 billion) infrastructure financing facility. Its also a member if the so-called Quad group, together with the United States, India and Japan, which aims to counter Chinas expanding interests in the Indo-Pacific.

Thus Telstra seems to be able to rely on Australia taking on some of the financial and strategic risk management support involved. In fact, Australian media reports suggest a deal would be worth about A$2 billion ($1.5 billion), with the Australian government paying around A$1.5 billion.

However, Telstra has insisted to local Australian press that this is not yet a done deal.
Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) announced that it has awarded licences to two new mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), bringing the total number of mobile telecom companies in the country to seven.

CITC said the new companies are Integrated Telecom Mobile Company (ITC Mobile) and Future Networks Communications after they won a competition announced by the CITC in February 2021.

In 2014, CITC awarded the MVNO licenses to Virgin Mobile KSA and Etihad Jawraa, said a report in Arab News.

Companies with MVNO licenses can provide users with services, including voice calls, internet, SMS, voicemail, media services, and more, without owning any towers or frequencies. The provision of these services depends on the MVNOs renting or purchasing capacities from service providers with infrastructure and then providing services to subscribers.

Mohammed Al Tamimi, Governor of CITC, mentioned that licensing MVNOs comes in line with the commissions plans to stimulate the investment environment for Saudi Arabias telecom sector. At CITC, we aim to enhance the level of competitiveness in the sector, and improve user experience, by facilitating additional service providers, he said. Al Tamimi also highlighted telecom service providers as important partners in transforming the Kingdom into a digital society, a key component of Vision 2030, who can contribute to innovation in telecom, mobile data, and internet services.

The Saudi telecommunications sector is estimated to contribute 5.3% to the national GDP, with a market size that reached SAR 69bn ($18.4 billion) in 2020, growing by 4% from the previous year.
Operator Moov Africa  Gabon Telecom has announced plans for an investment programme of more than 10 billion CFA francs (about $17.9 million) to bring coverage to Gabon's main roads  and many of its villages  using 3G and 4G technology.

This vast investment programme will cover 141 villages throughout the country. The deployment, says Gabon Telecom, aims to bring broadband to everyone and to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

In fact the coverage programme includes all the countrys provinces and will make it possible to offer voice and broadband internet services of up to 10 megabits per second per site to the populations involved. That goes for the roads too: some 600 km of roads will apparently have the opportunity to benefit from voice and 4G internet services.

Theres also a sustainability element. Solar power and lithium battery technology is likely to be involved in the rollout, which will take place between 2021 and 2022 and will involve 1,230 solar panels, 166 batteries and 141 villages.

According to the Gabon Review website, Gabon Telecom, the countrys largest operator by subscribers, currently covers 94 percent of the Gabonese population.

The president of the regulatory council, Lin Mombo, has suggested that other telecommunications companies might consider following Gabon Telecoms example. The company has apparently already begun a test phase between Bakoumba and Franceville via Moanda.
Under the order, service members who are unmasked because theyre fully vaccinated must still be prepared to show proof of their vaccination status in the form of a vaccination card or other medical record.

Supervisors cannot ask unmasked civilian employees about their vaccination status unless they have reason to believe an unmasked employee is actually unvaccinated.

The section is worded based on the guidance from the Department of Defense. But Brooks takes issue with such vaccination status inquiries.

The government should not try to intimidate, force, or coerce anyone into receiving the vaccine, Brooks said in his release. Furthermore, it is none of the governments business who has or has not been vaccinated. Infringing upon doctor-patient confidentiality is discriminatory and wholly un-American. President Biden, as Commander In Chief, has the ultimate authority to overrule this terrible policy. I urge him to do so immediately.

In his letter to Biden, Brooks also pointed to health risks associated with certain vaccines and even suggested that masks may be dangerous.

Although still early, I suspect time will reveal that masks, while arguably promoting health, also endanger the health of those who wear them, Brooks wrote. Masks have small fibers that regularly loosen and are lodged in users lungs. Some masks have inks and dyes which, when consumed by lungs, have unknown cancer and other health risks. Certainly, all or almost all masks reduce oxygen intake into the human body, with all the risks this imposes. There is also the unknown risk that, in the heat and humidity of summers in the South, heat stroke risks increase among mask wearers.

Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.

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State officials have sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department to see if COVID-19 recovery funds can be used on prisons.

At best the scheme is disingenuous; at worst, its stunningly shameless.

State officials are desperate to show some effort to address dismal conditions in Alabama prisons in response to a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice. A plan put into play by Gov. Kay Ivey that would obligate the state to more than $3 billion over the term of the proposal fell apart earlier this year after underwriters backed out.

Now the availability of more than $40 million in COVID-19 recovery funds has caught their attention.

Lawmakers should put this hare-brained notion to rest.

As the name suggests, COVID-19 recovery funds are meant to assist Alabamians who have suffered from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, Gov. Ivey directed funds to several counties for various projects, most of which were directly related to that intent.

Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn, in his letter to the Treasury Department, suggested that use of the recovery funds for prison construction and renovations would enhance health care for inmates, who, he added, were indigent and largely people of color.
HCMC expats look out for each other amid pandemic

Regardless of where they are from, foreigners in Saigon are extending a helping hand to each other and even locals to help cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday morning Robin Deepu, owner of a restaurant in Saigons District 2, and his employees cooked meals for 400 people and took them to locked-down areas and hospitals in the city to donate to expats, locals and frontline medical workers.

"Both expats and Vietnamese are facing a lot of difficulties at the moment, and I just want to share their burden," Deepu, an Indian businessman living in Vietnam for more than 10 years, said.

He added that some expats, hit severely by the economic impact, have contacted his restaurant and asked for help.

He promised he would keep feeding people for free until the pandemic is over.

"All of us are suffering from this, but I think I can help them, so here I am."

His restaurant in Hoi An and another in Saigons District 1 are closed due to the pandemic.

Deepu is among many foreigners living in Saigon who are helping their fellows navigate the Covid storm.

Robin Deepu prepares meals in his Indian restaurant in Saigon's District 2. Photo courtesy of Robin Deepu.

The pandemic continues to cripple the economy. As of Monday morning, the city, also the nation's Covid epicenter, has recorded 32,926 cases in the current outbreak.

Since Vietnam closed its borders in March last year and commercial flights are yet to resume, many expats have been stranded since they cannot afford the expensive repatriation flight tickets.

Far away from their support systems and nowhere to turn to, they seek help from charities.

But many feel judged when they show up because they are not Vietnamese.

"Because expats cannot rely on the Vietnamese governments food banks and many do not have family here. They have to seek help from local charity groups but then people looked at them oddly when seeing expats ask for assistance," CJ van Vurren, an English teacher in HCMC, said.

As a result many expats are supporting each other by giving out food and other necessities.

Since van Vurren runs an animal rescue group, she is well known in the expat community, and so many have reached out to her for help.

The South African, 33, has been handing out 40 packages of food and other essential necessities to help locals and expats since the beginning of June.

Each contains rice, beans, eggs and instant noodles to feed a family of four, and other items like soap.

"Since I want to give them a home-away-from-home feeling, I add food items that are from where they are from. For instance, I add more pasta and sauce for Italians, corn and bread for people from Nigeria, and rice, instant noodles and Asian seasoning for those from the Philippines."

As many people feel embarrassed, and also to mitigate the Covid infection risk, she puts these packages in front of peoples houses and leaves without waiting for them.

But after the city began stricter social distancing last Friday, she has posted on Facebook to find those in need and bought food and essentials, getting them delivered directly to their houses.

"Be the best person you can be and good things will come to you," van Vurren maintained.

People have been touched by van Vurrens kindness.

Moana Tranh, a Filipina living in District 9, is grateful for the food she has been providing since she cannot get any help from her family in the Philippines, especially since they are mourning her sister who died of Covid last month.

To show her appreciation, she sent over to van Vurren a picture of her family member standing next to the food bag with a message saying "thank you so much."

Many other samaritans have also created Facebook and Instagram pages to offer help to anyone in need.

Kuwaiti man Ali Al said: "I just want to extend a helping hand. Together we can make a difference."

It does not matter to him whether the person he helps is a local or foreigner.

The business owner living in Binh Thanh District has told many friends to share his contact details with people in need.

A family member of Moana Tranh, a Filipina living in District 9, poses for a photo next to food packages sent by CJ van Vurren. Photo courtesy of Moana Tranh.

Many expats are also extending a helping hand to needs locals and Covid frontline workers.

Gaveau Patrick, a French businessman in Binh Chanh District, supports a religious organization to give food to the poor, old and disabled people.

"In times of struggle, we have to unite," he said, adding the organization mostly helps people in District 8, with support from the local authority.

Trevor Long, an Australian living in District 2, has raised money from expats in Saigon and friends in Australia to buy rice, noodles and vegetables for the needy.

The owner of a restaurant in Thao Dien Ward has also coordinated with the local police, who have helped him identify those in need and reach out to them.

Long said on Facebook: "The police responsible for controlling these locked-down areas are also now through us providing the food for them. Not their job, so very commendable indeed."

But there are also some difficulties.

The semi-lockdown and shopping fever in the last few days have made it hard for him to buy the things he needs.

"The meals now have no egg because I cannot buy them," he said.

He can get rice, potatoes and vegetables, and is currently looking for a source of protein to improve the meals.

Logistics is another issue these days. Normally, the organization that Patrick supports buys rice from Can Tho City and vegetables from Lam Dong Province, but now truck drivers cannot go out of the city while those in other places are worried about entering Saigon, a Covid hotspot.

But shrugging aside the challenges and the economic difficulties, Deepu, van Vurren, Ali Al, Patrick, and Long all told VnExpress International they would continue to look for people who need help.

Deepu said: "Saigon has given us a lot, we are a part of this city. And helping others is always the right thing to do."
A Covid-19 checkpoint in Bien Hoa Town of Dong Nai Province, July 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan

The Health Ministry announced 2,014 new local Covid-19 patients Monday morning, with most recorded in Ho Chi Minh City.

The southern metropolis reported 1,535 patients, 1,346 of whom were detected in quarantine zones and areas under lockdown and 189 at new clusters and via spontaneous health checks at hospitals.

Its neighbor Binh Duong Province recorded 215 cases, including 123 in quarantined and isolated areas and 92 with unclear sources of transmission.

Dong Nai Province that also borders HCMC got 74 cases, with 33 having been isolated, 32 linked to a cluster at a company in Vinh Cuu District, and nine being contact traced.

Among other southern localities, the Mekong Delta's Vinh Long Province registered 41 cases, and 30 are linked to a cluster at a company in Long Ho District and 11 have unknown infection sources.

Ben Tre Province reported 30 cases, including 20 linked to previously confirmed patients, three associated with a market in Ward 5, Ben Tre Town, one returning from HCMC and the authorities are tracking down the source of transmission for the remaining six.

Soc Trang Province registered 19 cases, with four linked to previously confirmed patients, one returning from HCMC, one returning from Can Tho City, the delta's capital, one returning from Dong Nai Province and 12 being contact traced.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province detected 17 cases, with five related to previous patients, 10 in areas under lockdown and quarantine zones, one returning from HCMC, and one with unknown transmission source.

An Giang Province had eight cases, with five linked to previously confirmed patients, two returning from HCMC and one returning from Vinh Long Province.

Dong Thap Province got six cases: five in quarantine and one with unclear transmission sources.

Tra Vinh Province reported five cases and all are HCMC returnees.

Hau Giang Province reported two cases, with one linked to an existing patient and one returning from Can Tho.

The entire southern region will be under strict social distancing from Monday, with people required to stay at home and only go out for buying food, medicine or to work in businesses and offices allowed to open.

In the central region, Phu Yen Province reported 25 cases: 21 in quarantine zones and isolated areas and four with unclear infection sources.

Quang Ngai Province reported 14 cases that have all been isolated prior to their test results.

Quang Nam Province recorded two cases, one linked to a confirmed patient and one being contact traced.

Central Highlands Gia Lai Province reported one case that has unclear transmission source.

In northern Vietnam, Hanoi recorded 12 cases, with 11 linked to existing cases and one returning from HCMC.

Bac Ninh Province got three cases, one in quarantine and two returning from HCMC.

Vinh Phuc and Lao Cai provinces reported two cases each, Thai Binh one, and they are all people returning from HCMC.

So far in the fourth wave which started in late April, Vietnam has recorded 52,164 cases in 58 of its 63 cities and provinces.

HCMC is leading the case count with 32,926 infections.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Vietnam has recorded 55,789 cases. Of them, 10,663 have recovered and 254 have died, including 219 in the new wave.

More than 4.28 million of the nation's 96 million have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus and 306,475 have got two doses.
A security officer wearing protective gear at Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka, January 20, 2021. Photo by Reuters.

Sri Lanka has removed the ban on travelers from Vietnam and is again allowing entry for them since July 17.

Countries still in the banned list are India, South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Fully vaccinated travelers from Vietnam can visit Sri Lanka now and spend only one day in quarantine. They are required to take a PCR test on arrival and isolate themselves at designated sites until the test returns negative.

However, people not fully vaccinated will be mandatorily quarantined for 14 days.

Visitors can choose from between hotels and government-run quarantine facilities.

Sri Lanka, which has had nearly 280,000 infections and 3,779 deaths, had banned entry for visitors from Vietnam since June 1.

The highly transmissible Delta variant has become the most prevalent in many countries, including Vietnam where most new cases are linked to it.

Several other countries have been banning and imposing stricter quarantine measures for travelers from Vietnam.

Vietnam has recorded 52,164 infections in its ongoing fourth wave of Covid, which began on April 27 and has been its most challenging so far.
YERINGTON (AP)  Elected officials in a rural Nevada county where voters sided solidly with Republican President Donald Trump in the 2020 election have rejected a proposal to rename a road for him.

Lyon County commissioners cited community opposition before voting 3-2 on Thursday against renaming the half-mile Old Dayton Valley Road in Dayton, an unincorporated community 23 miles south of Reno.

The new name would have been Pres. Trump Way.

Commissioner Ken Gray, proponent of the measure, told the Nevada Appeal that supporters were intimidated not to come out publicly for the idea. He said the question could be brought back for a countywide vote.

Commissioner Wes Henderson originally favored the proposal, but said he reconsidered due to concerns about issues including Trumps impeachment trials.

Trump was tried twice by the Senate but acquitted.

The new name would have given new addresses to facilities including a senior center, a branch library and a school.
Despite being housed in the states tax department, the oversight board had a broader statutory reach than a narrow focus on fiscal policy. The law gives the board the authority to probe many aspects of mining, reviewing regulations for operations, safety and environmental impacts. The commission further has the power to request audits, call witnesses and subpoena documents.

The law also required state agencies responsible for regulating mining, including the Division of Industrial Relations and the Division of Environmental Protection, to submit reports to the board.

But unlike the Gaming Commission, the board did not have the authority to levy penalties. And in reality, even when the commission had a quorum, it lacked the resources and staffing to do much more than take testimony and register public comment, former board members have said.

The governors office did not respond to a written question about whether Sisolak supports efforts to overhaul the boards structure. The office also did not elaborate on its timeline for appointments or whether Sisolak is concerned about having vacancies on the commission.

A spokesperson for the governor, Meghin Delaney, said Sisolak plans to make appointments to the board, and she suggested that COVID-19 pandemic was partially responsible for the delay.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday formally prohibited federal prosecutors from seizing the records of journalists in leak investigations, with limited exceptions, reversing years of department policy.

The new policy largely codifies the commitment Garland made in June, when he said the Justice Department would abandon the practice of seizing reporters' records as part of efforts to uncover confidential sources. It aims to resolve a politically thorny issue that has long vexed Justice Department prosecutors trying to weigh the media's First Amendment rights against the government's desire to protect classified information.

The United States has, of course, an important national interest in protecting national security information against unauthorized disclosure, Garland wrote in his memo. But a balancing test may fail to properly weight the important national interest in protecting journalists from compelled disclosure of information revealing their sources, sources they need to apprise the American people of the workings of their government.
The IRS has announced that the first round of payments for the Child Tax Credit was sent to 35 million families totaling more than $15 billion. Around 86 percent of the payments were made through direct deposit, and the tax agency encourages families to provide bank information to get the funds more quickly.

The IRS developed the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to assist families in managing their payments. Through this portal, families can opt out of the payments and update or provide a bank account number to receive the credit through direct deposit.



The second payment will be made on 13 August. The remaining payments will be made on the 15th of each month from September to December.

Those who do not normally file taxes are encouraged to do so or sign up to receive the payments through the Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool.

Who is pushing to make the changes permanent?

Under the American Rescue Plan, the amount of money and the method the credit is distributed to families was changed. Rather than receiving a $2,000 credit during tax season, families now receive a minimum of $3,000 and can have half the value of the credit sent to them this year.

One of the leading voices in the movement to make the changes to the tax credit permanent in President Biden. The President had initially incorporated a measure to extend the credits new structure through 2025 in the American Families Plan.

However, without Republican support, it seems unlikely that the plan would make it through the Senate with the filibuster in place. The Senate filibuster requires that bills receive a sixty-vote majority to pass.

Some lawmakers are working on a reconciliation bill to overcome the filibuster and enact the Presidents legislative agenda. Reconciliation bills are a way for the Senate to pass budgetary bills with a simple majority. But, only a certain number of bills can be passed using this parliamentary tool.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, unveiled a reconciliation bill last week that would make the changes to the Child Tax Credit permanent.

The bill also includes measures from the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, like creating a Civilian Climate Corp. The White House described the CCC as an organization designed to get people out in the wild, conserving our public lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, and advancing environmental justice.

Republicans have been unified in their opposition to the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. If it garners no Republican support, all Democratic members of the caucus would have to vote in favor.

For progressive Senators leading the effort, it may be more difficult to sway more moderate members like Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
On July 12, at the 47th conference of the United Nations Human Rights Council dialogue about protecting the human rights of Africans and African descents, several developing countries blamed systematic racism and racial discrimination and called on the international community to step up efforts to combat discrimination and violence against Africans and Asians.

Veronica Michelle Bachelet Jeria, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that systematic racism and racial discrimination have worsened the inequalities facing Africans and their descents, which has made them marginalized in economic, social, and political lives. Several cases, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the US, Kevin Clarke in the UK, and Adama Traore in France, indicate that systematic racism and racial discrimination exist in the law enforcement systems in those countries. The excessive use of force by some governments against peaceful anti-racist protests has suppressed the voices of African descents and anti-racists. The countries that profited from slavery, the transatlantic slave trade, and the colonial system rejecting to admit their historical responsibility is an important reason for rampant racism and racist violence. The relevant countries should take substantial measures to change discriminatory mechanisms, investigate racist crimes, and provide compensation for the victims in order to realize racial equity and justice as soon as possible.

Ambassador Chen Xu, Permanent Representative of China to the UN in Geneva, who spoke on behalf of more than 50 countries, stated that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the "Durban Declaration and Programme of Action". There is still a long way to go for the international community to fight against racism, racial discrimination, exclusionism, and corresponding behaviors of intolerance. Multilateral human rights institutions should take measures to address systematic racism and structural racial discrimination fundamentally to eliminate the historical legacies including slavery, transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, and labor trafficking. During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, some political and public figures have made racist comments and incited violence, racial discrimination, xenophobic mentality, and Islamic phobia, which led to increasing discrimination and hate crimes against Africans, Asians, and their descents, especially females and children. The international community should step up efforts to combat racial discrimination and hate crimes against Asians and their descents, supervise and urge political and public figures to stop making racist comments, and fully guarantee the rights of Asians and Asian descents. Multilateral human rights institutions should pay close attention to the questions above and consider taking appropriate actions.

The Chinese representative pointed out in the national statement that Africans and African descents are still in the face of systematic racism and racial discrimination in the US, UK, Canada, and EU countries, and suffering serious discrimination and violence under the law enforcement and judiciaries, therefore justice cannot be served. In recent years, discrimination and hate crimes against Asians and Asian descents in such countries have rapidly increased, which are closely linked to the seditious speeches by some politicians and media. The international community should not ignore systematic racial discrimination and let Africans, Asians, and their descents continue to be harmed by discrimination and violence.

The African Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Group of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Indonesia, Vietnam, Belarus, and others have condemned systematic racism and racial discrimination, urged the relative countries to fully and effectively implement the "Durban Declaration and Programme of Action", eliminate the historical legacies including slavery, transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism, end police violence, ban language that incite racial discrimination, and to effectively protect human rights for all, including Africans, Asians, their descents and the aborigines.

[ Editor: WXY ]
A police vehicle is seen near Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, July 18, 2021. Rising COVID-19 cases sparked tougher restrictions with more retail closed in Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW), the epicenter of the country's current outbreak, on Saturday. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

SYDNEY, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Australia's most populous states along the east coast are struggling with climbing COVID-19 cases as the country's two biggest cities both plunged into lockdown.

As Sydney prepares for its fourth week in lockdown, the state of New South Wales (NSW) recorded 97 locally acquired cases in the 24 hours till 8:00 p.m. local time Thursday. The latest outbreak in NSW has now resulted in 1,026 local cases.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian raised concern over 29 cases that were in the community, telling residents to expect a spike over the weekend.

"I am assuming, because in the last 24 hours at least 29 of those 97 cases were infectious in the community, the numbers tomorrow will be greater than what we saw today... There is no doubt the numbers are not where we would like them," she said.

Berejiklian also said the authorities will not hesitate to "go harder" if current restrictions fail to curb the numbers.

Meanwhile, the state of Victoria on Friday recorded 10 new local cases at the first day of a five-day snap lockdown on the city of Melbourne, of which four were already announced on Thursday.

"You only get one chance to go hard and go fast. If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier," said Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Melbourne's lockdown will see stricter restrictions than Sydney, allowing only five reasons to leave home, to shop for food and essential items, provide or receive care, exercise, work or study if they are unable to from home, and to get vaccinated.

After confirming support from the federal government, Victoria announced on Friday support payments of 200 million Australian dollars (about 150 million U.S. dollars) to help impacted businesses through the lockdown.

The state of Queensland to the north of NSW and Victoria on Friday declared Victoria as a COVID-19 hotspot and shut its border.

Queensland also recorded one new local case in hotel quarantine, who was thought to be "zero risk" to the community, but the authorities already detected two outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant in the state's southeast and warned the residents to take the virus "extraordinarily seriously."

The government on Thursday already extended restrictions including mask-wearing on parts of southeast Queensland for one more week. Enditem

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[ Editor: JYZ ]
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Georgia on Monday, July 19, where he will sign the Declaration of the Associated Trio summit and take part in the Batumi International Conference, the press service of the head of state said.

"On July 19, 2021 Zelensky will pay a working visit to Georgia in order to start the activities of the Associated Trio format of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova at the presidential level. The leaders of the three countries will sign the Declaration of the summit of the Associated Trio and will hold a joint meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel," the presidential press service said on Monday morning.

At the same time, within the framework of the visit, Zelensky will also take part in the work of the Batumi International Conference together with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu and the President of the European Council.
Belgium is removing entry restrictions previously imposed on Ukrainian citizens as part of countering the spread of COVID-19, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

"Belgium has opened up to all types of travel for Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the EU Council. The Foreign Ministry is working to increase travel opportunities this summer," Kuleba wrote on his Twitter on Sunday.
In Dnipropetrovsk region, a Ukrainian serviceman who was injured in the shelling attack on Thursday, July 15, died in a hospital, said Tetiana Huba, adviser to the head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration.

"At dawn, the heart of our fellow countryman stopped ... At about 21:30 on July 15, during the enemy shelling attacks, 80 percent of 29 years old Horbenko Oleksandr Oleksandrovych's body were burned. Doctors were fighting for his life," Huba wrote on Facebook on Monday.
As many as 50,435 people were given coronavirus vaccines in Ukraine in a single 24-hour period on July 17, with 34,079 receiving the first dose and 16,356 the second dose of a two-shot vaccine, the Ukrainian Health Ministry said on Sunday

"As many as 50,435 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in a 24-hour period on July 17, 2021. A total of 34,079 people were given the first dose, and 16,356 completed their vaccination course," the Ukrainian Health Ministry's press service said in a statement on Telegram.

A total of 179 mobile teams, 354 vaccination posts and 229 vaccinations centers operated in the 24-hour period, it said

Since vaccination began, 2,638,941 people have been vaccinated in Ukraine. Of them, 2,638,939 have received the first dose in the country, and 1,422,536 have received both doses and are now immunized completely (including two patients who received one of the two doses abroad).
Half of Kyiv residents are satisfied with the activities of mayor Vitali Klitschko. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the sociological group Rating.

"Fifty percent of the respondents are satisfied with the activities of the mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko, 44% are dissatisfied," the report on the results of the study published on Monday says.

It is noted that the city residents assess the local state of affairs better than the general situation in the country. Thus, 29% believe that the country is moving in the right direction, 57% are of the opposite opinion. But 38% assess the state of affairs in the city as correct, 52% consider it wrong.

In addition, satisfaction with the mayor's activities exceeds satisfaction with the work of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (36% satisfied, 57% dissatisfied) and of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (16% satisfied, 66% dissatisfied).

The survey was conducted from July 10 to July 14 among residents of Kyiv aged 18 years and older by the method of personal formalized interview (face-to-face). The sample is representative by age and gender. Sample population: 1,200 respondents. The error of representativeness of the study with a confidence level of 0.95: no more than 2.8%.

Vitali Klitschko celebrates his 50th birthday on Monday.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said the meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in the Associated Trio format within the Batumi International Conference forms a new regional dimension for the enlargement of the European Union.

"The meeting in the format of the Associated Trio forms a new regional dimension for the enlargement of the European Union, which will include Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. I am happy that President of the European Council Charles Michel shares this thought and testified to the support of our initiative," Zelensky wrote on Twitter after speaking at the Batumi international conference.

Earlier, the president said about the need to support Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova from the European Union in countering Russian aggression and offered to provide a European perspective to them as states that share common values.
People work in an area affected by floods caused by heavy rainfalls in Bad Muenstereifel, Germany, (Photo : REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay)

German officials rejected suggestions that they had done too little to prepare for last week's floods and said warning systems had worked, as the death toll from the country's worst natural disaster in almost six decades rose above 160.



Flooding has devastated parts of Western Europe since last Wednesday, with the German states of Rhineland Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as parts of Belgium, among the worst hit.



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In the Ahrweiler district south of Cologne, at least 117 people were killed, and police warned that the death toll would almost certainly rise as the clean-up continues from floods whose costs are expected to rise into the many billions.



The high death toll has raised questions around why so many people seemed to have been surprised by the flash flooding, with opposition politicians suggesting the death toll revealed serious failings in Germany's flood preparedness.



Seehofer said in response that the German National Meteorological Service (DWD) issues warnings to Germany's 16 states and from there to districts and communities that decide at a local level how to respond.



"It would be completely inconceivable for such a catastrophe to be managed centrally from any one place," Seehofer told journalists on Monday. "You need local knowledge."



Criticism of the emergency response was "cheap election campaign rhetoric", he said.



The devastation of the floods, attributed by meteorologists to the effects of climate change, could shake up Germany's federal election in September, which until now had seen little discussion of climate.



A poll for Der Spiegel found only 26% thought Armin Laschet, the state premier who is the conservatives' candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor, was a good crisis manager.



The campaign frontrunner was pilloried at the weekend for seeming to laugh while the German president delivered a solemn mourning speech.



Local authorities said that the Steinbachtal Dam visited by Seehofer - which had been at risk of breach for several days, prompting the evacuation of thousands - had been stabilised and that residents could return home later on Monday.



Armin Schuster, head of the federal disaster management agency, challenged claims that his agency had done too little, telling Reuters in an interview that it had sent out 150 warnings, but that it was for local authorities to decide how to respond.



'TERRIFYING SCENES'



Clean-up work was continuing in the Ahrweiler district, but with many of 170 still missing thought to be in areas authorities had not yet reached or where waters had not yet receded, few were likely to be found alive.



"Our focus is on giving certainty as soon as possible," Stefan Heinz, a senior district police officer, said. "And that includes identifying the victims."



The worst of the flooding cut off entire communities from power or communications. Residents were trapped in their homes by fast-rising floodwaters and a number of houses collapsed, leaving what Merkel on Sunday described as "terrifying" scenes.



The DWD weather service had warned on Monday last week that heavy rain was heading to western Germany and that flooding was very likely. On Wednesday morning, it said on Twitter that the risk of flooding was increasing and called on the population to seek guidance from local authorities.



Germany is readying a relief package for hard-hit communities in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, and also in Bavaria and Saxony, where there were fresh floods over the weekend.



Insurers estimate the direct cost of the floods may run as high as 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion). The transport ministry estimates the cost at repairing damaged roads and railways at 2 billion euros, Bild reported.



One government source told Reuters on Monday that immediate relief worth around 400 million euros ($340 million) was being discussed, half of which would be paid by the federal government and half by the states.



The relief package, which is also expected to include billions of euros for longer-term rebuilding efforts, is due to be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday.



No new casualties were reported in Belgium, where 31 people are known to have died. The number of missing on Monday stood at 71, compared to 163 on Sunday. Some 3,700 homes were still without drinking water.



In the Netherlands, thousands of residents in the southern province of Limburg began returning home after water levels receded from record heights that threatened towns and villages across the region. Though floods left a trail of damage, all major dykes held and no casualties were reported.


Ethiopia announced on Monday that it has completed the second-year filling target of its disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), nearly two weeks after it started the process, which was carried out despite the lack of a legally binding agreement with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.

The upstream country did not announce the amount of water it has stored in the dam's reservoir, amid media reports that Addis Ababa failed to meet its target of 13.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water, holding only 3 bcm due to technical problems.

However, the Ethiopian Irrigation Minister Seleshi Bekele said the retained amounts are sufficient to run two turbines of the hydropower dam, which has been under construction since 2011on the Blue Nile, a main tributary of the Nile River, a crucial source of freshwater to Cairo and Khartoum.

"The second filling of the Renaissance dam has been completed and the water is overflowing," Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia's minister for water, irrigation and energy said on Monday.

"It means we have now the needed volume of the water to run the two turbines," he said in a Tweet."

Last summer, Ethiopia unilaterally retained 4.9 bcm of water in the GERD's reservoir, which has a capacity of 74 bcm.

On 6 July, Ethiopia commenced filling the GERD for the second year without reaching a deal with Egypt and Sudan, a step both downstream states view as necessary to secure their shares of the River Nile.

Cairo and Khartoum see eye to eye on the importance of securing a legal deal guaranteeing binding rules for filling and operating the Ethiopian dam in a manner that does not cause significant harm to the Egyptian and Sudanese peoples, who rely on the Nile as the main source of freshwater.

Ethiopia, which hopes the controversial multi-billion dollar hydropower dam will support its economic development goals, seeks to sign non-binding guidelines on the dam's filling and operation rules that can be modified at any time at its discretion.

Tripartite negotiations faltered earlier this year after Ethiopia refused to include other mediators in the talks, as Egypt and Sudan requested, to help the African Union, the current mediator, with securing the long-awaited deal.

Cairo and Khartoum has resorted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which convened over the decade-old issue on 8 July. The 15-member body representatives called for resuming negotiations and avoid taking any unilateral measures.

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Sudan announced on Monday its rejection of the unilateral second filling of the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia declared complete earlier today.

In an official statement, the Sudanese irrigation ministry reiterated the downstream country's "constant" rejection of the unilateral measures taken by Ethiopia, accusing the upstream country of attempting to impose fait accompli policies and ignore both downstream countries' "legitimate interests and serious concerns."

Addis Ababa earlier today announced that it has completed the second-year filling of the hydropower dams reservoir, nearly two weeks after it started the process that was executed despite the lack of a legally binding agreement with Sudan and Egypt, the other downstream countries.

Sudan said the Ethiopian approach will only harm the "distinguished and historical" ties between Khartoum and Addis Ababa, according to the statement.

Khartoum called for continuing negotiations in good faith to reach a legally binding, comprehensive agreement that preserves the interests of all parties involved and addresses their concerns, particularly the safe operation of the Roseires Dam.

Tripartite negotiations faltered earlier this year after Ethiopia refused to include other mediators in the talks, as Egypt and Sudan requested, to help the African Union, the current mediator, with securing the long-awaited deal.

Cairo and Khartoum have resorted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which convened over the decade-old issue on 8 July. The 15-member body representatives called for resuming negotiations and called on all parties to avoid taking any unilateral measures.

"It is never too late  reaching the hoped-for deal is necessary, reachable, and available if the political will is present," the statement assured.

Cairo and Khartoum see eye to eye on the importance of securing a legal deal guaranteeing binding rules for filling and operating the Ethiopian dam in a manner that does not cause significant harm to the Egyptian and Sudanese peoples, who rely on the Nile as the main source of freshwater.

Ethiopia, which hopes the controversial multi-billion dollar hydropower dam will support its economic development goals, seeks to sign non-binding guidelines on the dam's filling and operation rules that can be modified at any time at its discretion.

Sudan said the unilateral filling of the GERD would threaten the lives of millions of its people living downstream of the dam, jeopardise the operational safety of its dams, and consequently risk Sudan's national security.

Addis Ababa did not announce the amount of water it has stored in the dam's reservoir, amid media reports that they failed to meet its target of 13.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water, holding only 3 bcm due to technical problems.

Last summer, Ethiopia unilaterally retained 4.9 bcm of water in the GERD's reservoir, which has a capacity of 74 bcm.

In Monday's statement, Sudan reassured its citizens that a host of "befitting" technical and administrative measures has been taken in order to the potential negative effects of the unilateral filling be spared.

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A convoy bearing food for Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray came under attack at the weekend, the United Nations said Monday, dealing a further blow to aid distribution in a region threatened with famine.

The 10-vehicle World Food Programme convoy was attacked on Sunday about 115 kilometres (70 miles) from the town of Semera "while attempting to move essential humanitarian cargo into Tigray region", WFP said in a statement.

The agency said it was working with local officials to determine who was behind the incident.

"WFP has suspended movement of all convoys from Semera until the security of the area can be assured and the drivers can proceed safely."

Semera is the capital of Afar region, which borders Tigray to the east.

The route via Semera into Tigray had become critical for aid delivery in recent weeks after two key bridges along other routes were destroyed in late June.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray last November to detain and disarm leaders of the region's then-ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

He said the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps.

- Fighting spreads -

The 2019 Nobel Peace laureate declared victory in late November after government forces took the Tigray capital Mekele, but TPLF leaders remained on the run and fighting continued.

Last month the war took a stunning turn when pro-TPLF forces retook Mekele, Abiy declared a unilateral ceasefire and the army mostly pulled out of Tigray.

But after rebel leaders launched a new offensive intended to regain control of western and southern Tigray -- contested areas that have been occupied by fighters from Amhara region, which borders Tigray to the south -- Abiy vowed to "repel" them.

Officials from six regions and the city of Dire Dawa have since vowed to send troops to back up government forces.

At the weekend rebel forces carried out what a spokesman described as a "very limited action" in Afar targeting special forces and militia fighters from Oromia region, the country's largest.

A state media report published Saturday night accused the TPLF, which the government deems a terrorist organisation, of blocking aid into Tigray via Afar using "heavy shelling" and "heavy artillery."

But rebel spokesman Getachew Reda denied any aid delivery had been disrupted, saying the fighting was not near any aid routes.

A senior UN official told the UN Security Council this month that the Tigray conflict had pushed 400,000 people into famine and that another 1.8 million people are on the brink of famine.

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Iran on Monday announced strict curbs in the capital Tehran and a nearby province to stem the spread of Covid-19, as daily infections drew close to an all-time high.

President Hassan Rouhani had earlier this month warned of a "fifth wave" because of an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant in the Middle East's hardest-hit country.

Government offices and banks in Tehran and Alborz provinces are set to close from 6 pm (1330 GMT) until next Monday morning, the national virus taskforce said in a statement.

The restrictions also include a ban on car travel to and from the two provinces, and a new shutdown of high-risk businesses across Iran's worst-hit areas.

The new measures coincide with the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday celebrated in the Islamic republic on Wednesday.

Covid-19 has killed more than 87,370 people from upwards of 3.5 million infections in Iran, according to official figures that the authorities admit do not account for all cases.

In the past 24 hours, the country officially recorded 25,441 new cases, close to the record 25,582 reached on April 14.

Iran also registered 213 fatalities, with 92 recorded in Tehran, the province's taskforce chief Alireza Zali told state television.

The closure of government facilities and banks in the country's bureaucratic and business hub is a first since the pandemic began.

Iran has avoided imposing a full lockdown on the population, and instead resorted to piecemeal measures such as temporary travel bans and business closures.

Rouhani on Saturday warned of "very low" observation of health protocols, and said Iran faces another jump in infections "across almost all the country".

Addressing the virus taskforce, he said it was due to the June presidential election, "unnecessary" travel and the flouting of health protocols.

Strangled by US sanctions that have made it difficult to transfer money to foreign firms, Iran says it is struggling to import vaccines for its population of 83 million.

Just over 6.1 million people have received a first dose of anti-Covid vaccine, while only 2.2 million have received the necessary two jabs, according to the health ministry.

The authorities have approved the emergency use of two locally produced vaccines, with the only mass-produced one -- COVIran Barekat -- still in short supply.

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President Joe Biden is set to host King Abdullah II of Jordan during one of the most difficult moments of the Jordanian leader's 22-year rule and at a pivotal time in the Middle East for Biden.

Abdullah arrives Monday afternoon at the White House. Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the meeting ``will be an opportunity to discuss the many challenges facing the Middle East and showcase Jordan's leadership role in promoting peace and stability in the region.''

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital, and his administration has even offered praise for the Trump-brokered accords _ a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration's policy-making.

Biden officials plan to stress to Abdullah that Abraham Accords are not an ``end run`` on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the situation in Syria _ more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan _ and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, the official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah _ along with Egypt President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi _ visited Iraq in June for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhim in Baghdad. The Biden administration sees Jordan as a moderate voice in the region that can help ``balance and counter'' some of the more malign influence coming from Iran, the official said.

Abdullah is the first Arab world leader to meet face-to-face with Biden. The president is set to host al-Kadhimi at the White House next week, and Biden has invited Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, to visit later this summer.

Abdullah is also set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Oval Office meeting with Biden is also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden.

Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein are expected to join Abdullah for the White House visit. First lady Jill Biden is to host the queen for tea at the White House.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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The accident happened around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Multan, in Punjab province.

Government official Shezad ul-Islam said 40 people were injured in the accident, and the death toll was likely to rise as some were in critical condition.

Eid al-Adha is one of the biggest celebrations on the Muslim calendar, when families slaughter animals and share the meat with the poor.

Huge numbers of people have been crossing the country in recent days to return home to their families.

Pakistan has a terrible traffic safety record with thousands of accidents a year due to substandard roads, poorly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
Caretaker Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is urging people to work from home again amid a recent spike in coronavirus infections in the Netherlands.

Dutch infection rates shot up shortly after the government relaxed almost all lockdown measures last month, including allowing nightclubs to reopen.

Rutte subsequently apologized, called the easing an `error of judgment' and ordered nightclubs and discotheques to close again until mid-August.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Netherlands soared over the past two weeks from just under 5 to nearly 59 new cases per 100,000 people on July 18.

Health Minister Hugo de Jonge says the daily number of new infections appears to be stabilizing, `but is, of course, too high.'

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Hajj graffiti has changed greatly in recent decades. Ahram Online spoke to a selection of original hajj graffiti artists, to remember the past and compare it to the present.

Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage) has always been a grand occasion in Egyptian social history. Those lucky enough to go to Mecca are blessed with the title "Hajj," which in social terms means they are people of deep faith. The ceremony of the Hajj on the village level is associated with folk music and chants to see off the pilgrim, as well as food and beverages for the long journey to Mecca. The ceremony has also traditionally meant colourful paintings that bless the house of the hajj with holy religious motifs that mark the date that he was blessed with undertaking the pilgrimage.

The paintings of local artists on the houses of those who performed hajj constitute a timeline of social history where at the beginning artists were free to draw icons such as the prophets Ismail and Ibrahim, the Prophet Mohammed disciples, and angels, up until the 1970s when such drawings became more toned down as they were prohibited by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists during the period of the expansion of their social influence.

According to artist Anas Abdel Qader, a hajj painter, Mohamed Rashad El-Safi, who died in 1976, was one of the key artists of Faw village in Qena governorate, and whose artwork is affiliated with carving on wood and door entrances, many of which sadly perished. Another artist was Abdalla Khalaf (1909-2003), who started painting in the early 1950s, along with the calligrapher Rashed Ibrahim (1940-2000). "Every village had it's own signature artist, which makes every village as unique as the artists that draw on the walls," Abdel Qader notes.

According to Mohamed Abdu, a hajj graffiti artist who started painting in the 1970s, the old paintings  despite their modesty and simplicity and limited colours  conveyed much of the essence of that era in Upper Egypt. In contrast to today's hajj graffiti, which is designed on computer and then printed on big banners and hung on walls, and that does not show any of the Upper Egyptian festivity rituals that included people blowing the mezmar (a flute like instrument), the flags of Egypt and Sauid Arabia, the hajj train, and the pigeon of Hiraa cave, which is affiliated with the migration (hijra) of the Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Yathrib.

"In the old days the artists were authentic and true to their profession," explained Abdel Qader. "With their simple tools comprised of a hand-made brush off goat hair or palm trees, a painter would use colours extracted from the Nila dark blue flower, and brown. Then he would add eggs to prevent the colour from being washed off, and then some sugar to make it shine."

Old hajj graffiti portrayed women providing wheat seeds for the birds of the Holy Shrine (in Mecca), explained Abdu to Ahram Online, adding that the old school artist had to be also a calligrapher, for lots of poetry was painted on the houses of those who went on pilgrimage and women would chant songs while preparing the food supplies for the hajj journey.

As for today's artists, they depend mainly on digital images of the Holy Shrine, along with an airplane and that's it. Reason for why the old graffiti remains and artistic and social gem.

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The drive of this monthly series is to show Egypt a 100 years ago through a collection of postcards collected by Egyptologist George Darresy while working in Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century. This collection is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris and contains images addressing a range of subjects in everyday life, including Pharaonic , Islamic, Coptic monuments.

The Darresy collection is of great value for its pictorial representation of Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century. The collection complements the books on Egypt published by France after the French Expedition at the beginning of the 19th century.

As cultural counsellor of Egypt to France, I presented to the director-general of UNESCO a request that the collection be included in UNESCO's "Memory of the World" programme.

Here we see some images from the collection of the Holy Carpet Mahmal Ceremony. The double digits on some of the images denote years in the 20th century.

The Ceremony of the Holy Carpet Mahmal

At the beginning of the century, there were several types of popular ceremonies in Egypt that have disappeared or faded with time. One such ceremony is the procession of El Mahmal or The Holy Carpet.

The yearly celebration involved the Egyptian government manufacturing a new cover for the Holy Kaaba and offering it to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After the cover is prepared in the factory, a large ceremony takes place in Cairo, where a parade organised by the Egyptian army tours the different districts of the city.

The parade included a caravan of decorated camels carrying the Holy Carpet, as well as many other gifts. After the caravan ends its tour in Cairo, it starts its long trip, guarded by the Egyptian army, across the eastern desert, then on to the Suez Canal and Sinai till it reaches Palestine.

From Palestine, it goes directly to Saudi Arabia, crossing its northern borders to the heart of Hijaz, then to Mecca. Normally it reached Mecca before the pilgrimage season, where another ceremony takes place that ends with the covering of the Kaaba with the Holy Carpet.

Here is a series of post cards showing the ceremony

Fathi Saleh is consultant to the prime minister for heritage affairs, founder and emeritus director of CULTNAT, and former ambassador of Egypt to UNESCO.

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On Monday, 19 July 2021, Ethiopia announced the completion of the second filling of the reservoir of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The announcement failed to specify the amount of water that Addis Ababa managed to withhold from the Blue Nile.

According to the original plan that Ethiopia announced, the second filling should have added extra 13.5 bcm to the around five bcm that had been withheld by the first filling that was executed last year.

However, according to government officials in Cairo from both the ministries of irrigation and foreign affairs, the information available suggests that Ethiopia had not reached nine bcm by todays announcement.

Our information is that they got around eight bcm, which is compatible with our assessment in view of the stage of constructions they have reached, said a government official.

Earlier in the month, when Ethiopia announced the beginning of the second filling, this official had said that Addis Ababa was lagging behind with its construction efforts. He, like other government officials, attributed the delay to both financial and political handicaps. The government of Abiy Ahmed, they said, had failed to honour its financial commitments to the construction companies. The government has also been involved in internal political disputes, which have forced a delay as resources were consumed to finance military and security confrontations.

Hanei Rasslan, a senior African affairs analyst at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies said today that Ethiopia had only managed to withhold water at the level of 574 meters, rather than the anticipated 595 meters. According to Rasslan, Abiy Ahmed may celebrate all he wants, but he knows and we know that he failed to achieve the original objective as planned, Rasslan said.

Still, according to Egyptian and Ethiopian statements, both on and off the record, this level of water at the reservoir of the GERD is sufficient for Addis Ababa to operate the first two turbines, of over 13 total, to generate electricity. The successive Ethiopian governments have consistently promoted GERD as the countrys way to overcome an acute power shortage.

Neither of the two downstream countries of the Blue Nile, Sudan and Egypt, provided an immediate reaction to the news of the second fillings completion. Neither countries have reported an acute drop in the Nile water level or the suspension of water facilities in either countries.

Both countries have, however, been for the past two years contesting the Ethiopian unilateralism with the construction, filling and operation of the GERD. They too have been contesting the failure of Ethiopia to show required flexibility to reach a legal agreement for the three countries overlooking the Blue Nile on the filling and operation of the GERD in a way that would not cause significant harm to the downstream countries.

Last year, Sudan complained about the harmful impact of the unilateral first filling that forced a stop to several of the countrys water stations. Earlier this month, in a UN Security Council meeting on the GERD dispute, the foreign ministers of Sudan and Egypt criticized Ethiopia for failing to provide the downstream countries with adequate information on the filling and potential operation to help them prepare for the possible impact on their subsequent dams and their water needs. Sudan, in particular, has complained about the impact of the sudden and un-synchronized filling on its seasonal Roseires Dam.

We have been demanding an agreement on the cascading of dams. Ethiopia has been promising to cooperate but it never really did, commented a Sudanese diplomatic source. He asked for his name to be withheld.

According to Sudanese and Egyptian officials the question now is what next? Ethiopian officials are already talking about scheduling the third filling. This is the case despite the fact that for the past two years they had argued that only the first and second filling are part of the construction according to their interpretation of a 2015 Declaration of Principles that they had signed with Sudan and Egypt.

Neither Sudan nor Egypt has at any point over the past two years subscribed to this interpretation. This was never the meaning of the text nor the spirit behind it; the idea of the DOP was to reassure Ethiopia about the agreement of the downstream countries to build a hydropower dam in return for the commitment of Ethiopia to reach a full and binding legal agreement on all aspects of the construction, filling and operation of the dam, said another Egyptian official. Since then Ethiopia has only been going in circles and playing games, he added.

As of today, both Egyptian and Sudanese sources say that their countries would be putting pressure on the international community to either get Ethiopia to come round to negotiate with the intention of reaching an agreement before the end of this year or by the beginning of next year or to put pressure on Ethiopia to suspend all plans for a third filling pending reaching an agreement for as long as it would take for the three countries to get an agreement.

The same officials insist that their countries have gone way beyond the extra mile to encourage Ethiopia to reach a legally binding agreement. They say that they were willing to go for an interim agreement on the second filling, but that Ethiopia had not even come round to meet the requirement for a decent second filling.

Both Egyptian and Sudanese officials say that their capitals have been very flexible and very accommodating unlike Ethiopia, which has been very rigid.

Today marks the end of the second filling for Ethiopia, for us it marks the beginning of a new path  an intense diplomatic and political offensive to get an agreement before the end of this year or the beginning of next year, said a third Egyptian official. If, by spring next year, Ethiopia has not come round and the international community is not putting pressure to bare then it will be a new ball game, he added.

Egyptian and Sudanese officials anticipate the African Union led negotiations will resume before or around the end of August. They argue that this new round when or if it happens would be very telling of the true intentions of Ethiopia.

According to Rasslan, these talks cannot be purposeful if they are managed the way the AU-led negotiations have been for the longest time. He added, We cannot be expecting a deal out of the AU-led negotiations if no clear intervention is offered especially from the US.

Sudanese officials say that they are still pushing for a formula they had proposed whereby the AU presidency, currently the DRC, would get direct technical support from the US, the EU and the UN.

In the UN Security Council session that convened earlier this month, Sudanese foreign minister Mariam Sadik Al-Mahdi pressed on the need to fix the mode of negotiations to allow for the negotiations to be purposeful. Also, earlier this month Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas said that his country is not willing to go back to the empty circle of negotiations.

Egyptian officials for their part said this week that they have been getting substantial reassurances from both the US and the EU on their willingness to be more involved in helping DRC to get the negotiations to lead to an agreement.

Ethiopia had during the past few months said that it would not sign any full and legally binding agreement but that it would only sign a set of guidelines and principles.

According to Rasslan, if the UN Security Council was to adopt a firm stance on basis of the draft resolution that Tunis, the current Arab non-permanent member of the council had tabled on behalf of Sudan and Egypt, then Ethiopia would have to succumb. If not, he added, then it would be up to the US to put pressure towards one of two scenarios: a two-stage agreement, that would consecutively deal with the filling and operation and then future projects or an overall agreement that would leave each of the three countries unhappy about something.

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Sukuk supply is expected to witness a surge in the second half (2H) of 2021 after experiencing strong growth during 2Q of 2021, backed by strong investor appetite and issuers refinancing and funding diversification needs, according to Fitch Ratings

In its commentary titled Global Sukuk Market Growth to Continue in 2021 and Beyond Global, Fitch said that seasonal patterns will affect quarterly sukuk issuance which, following the summer break, is expected to inch up in the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

The sukuk market experienced robust activity in 2Q of 2021 after a slowdown in 1Q of 2021, driven by the significant issuances from the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (the largest corporate sukuk issued to date) and the Indonesian, Turkish, and Omani sovereigns, according to Fitch.

The growth was driven by issuers aiming to diversify their funding and taking advantage of the low interest-rate environment amid continued fiscal deficits and still-challenging economic conditions. Investor demand remains intact due to new sukuk supply scarcity and the global hunt for yield, Fitch explained.

On global outstanding sukuk, Fitch revealed that it reached $754.1 billion in 2Q of 2021  representing 5 percent higher than 1Q of 2021.

Moreover, sukuk issuance with maturities of more than 18 months from the Gulf Cooperation Council region, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan went up by 136 percent (Q-o-Q) to reach $23.4 billion in 2Q of 2021, with sukuk shares in the total funding mix leaping to 36 percent, according to Fitch.

It also pointed out the volume of outstanding Fitch-rated sukuk, which posted $131 billion, with 80 percent of issues being investment-grade.

Meanwhile, defaulted sukuk volumes remain small at 0.27 percent of gross sukuk issued to date, and include the 2021 sukuk default by PT Garuda Indonesia, according to Fitch.

A number of recent international sukuk issuances contained new clauses and revised terms in the documents to comply with the sharia standards of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). The changes aim to address the globally sizeable UAE-based sukuk investors, issuers, and arrangers that are subject to AAOIFI compliance rules. These changes have credit implications that could affect issuers liquidity, credit profile and ratings. Further changes may be made in the future to comply with AAOIFI standards, which Fitch will assess, Fitch illustrated.

Egypt is gearing up for issuing its first of its kind Islamic sukuk (bonds) after its related bill secured parliament approval in July.

Previously, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said that Egypt is expected to issue $2 billion in the first issuance.

In an exclusive interview published on Ahram Online during June, the global head of Islamic finance at Fitch Ratings Bashar Al-Natoor said that while Islamic finance represents about 82 percent of the total financing operation in Saudi Arabia, 42 percent in Kuwait, and 37 percent in Bahrain, the portion in Egypt doesnt exceed six percent.

He added that the value of Islamic finance ranges between $2.5 trillion and $2.7 trillion globally, covering five key grounds, including Islamic banking  representing 70 to 75 percent of Islamic finance  and Islamic bonds that account for around 15 percent.

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Sudan rejects GERD's second filling; urges legal, comprehensive deal



Ahram Online, , Monday 19 Jul 2021



Khartoum said it has adopted a host of fitting measures to spare the country the potential negative effects of the unilateral filling



Sudan announced on Monday its rejection of the unilateral second filling of the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia declared complete earlier today.



In an official statement, the Sudanese irrigation ministry reiterated the downstream country's "constant" rejection of the unilateral measures taken by Ethiopia, accusing the upstream country of attempting to impose fait accompli policies and ignore both downstream countries' "legitimate interests and serious concerns."



Addis Ababa earlier today announced that it has completed the second-year filling of the hydropower dams reservoir, nearly two weeks after it started the process that was executed despite the lack of a legally binding agreement with Sudan and Egypt, the other downstream countries.



Sudan said the Ethiopian approach will only harm the "distinguished and historical" ties between Khartoum and Addis Ababa, according to the statement.



Khartoum called for continuing negotiations in good faith to reach a legally binding, comprehensive agreement that preserves the interests of all parties involved and addresses their concerns, particularly the safe operation of the Roseires Dam.



Tripartite negotiations faltered earlier this year after Ethiopia refused to include other mediators in the talks, as Egypt and Sudan requested, to help the African Union, the current mediator, with securing the long-awaited deal.



Cairo and Khartoum have resorted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which convened over the decade-old issue on 8 July. The 15-member body representatives called for resuming negotiations and called on all parties to avoid taking any unilateral measures.



"It is never too late  reaching the hoped-for deal is necessary, reachable, and available if the political will is present," the statement assured.



Cairo and Khartoum see eye to eye on the importance of securing a legal deal guaranteeing binding rules for filling and operating the Ethiopian dam in a manner that does not cause significant harm to the Egyptian and Sudanese peoples, who rely on the Nile as the main source of freshwater.



Ethiopia, which hopes the controversial multi-billion dollar hydropower dam will support its economic development goals, seeks to sign non-binding guidelines on the dam's filling and operation rules that can be modified at any time at its discretion.



Sudan said the unilateral filling of the GERD would threaten the lives of millions of its people living downstream of the dam, jeopardise the operational safety of its dams, and consequently risk Sudan's national security.



Addis Ababa did not announce the amount of water it has stored in the dam's reservoir, amid media reports that they failed to meet its target of 13.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water, holding only 3 bcm due to technical problems.



Last summer, Ethiopia unilaterally retained 4.9 bcm of water in the GERD's reservoir, which has a capacity of 74 bcm.



In Monday's statement, Sudan reassured its citizens that a host of "befitting" technical and administrative measures has been taken in order to the potential negative effects of the unilateral filling be spared.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/417444.aspx
KYODO NEWS - Jul 19, 2021 - 21:43 | News, All, Coronavirus, Japan

The head of the World Health Organization is planning to visit Japan during the Tokyo Olympics, Japanese government officials said Monday.

If realized, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will discuss anti-COVID-19 measures for the Olympics and Paralympics with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The meeting is expected to take place sometime between Thursday and Saturday, the officials said. The government is also considering arranging talks between Tedros and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Friday when the Olympics start.

The WHO has been advising organizers of the Tokyo Olympics on infection prevention measures.

Tedros last visited Japan in June 2019 to attend the Group of 20 summit held in Osaka.

Related coverage:

U.S. female gymnast tests positive for COVID ahead of Olympics

Tokyo reports 727 new infections, under 1,000 for 1st time in 6 days

21 close contacts tied to South African Olympic athletes with COVID-19






KYODO NEWS - Jul 20, 2021 - 00:09 | World, All

The United States, Japan, NATO and other U.S. allies on Monday took a coordinated action to condemn Beijing over cyberattacks allegedly involving state-linked actors, a move that could add further tension to an increasing U.S.-China rivalry.

The United States also blamed China's Ministry of State Security for its role in a massive compromising of Microsoft Corp.'s Exchange Server email software, whose vulnerabilities were disclosed in March, saying it was conducted by "contract hackers" affiliated with the Chinese intelligence agency.

"The United States and countries around the world are holding the People's Republic of China accountable for its pattern of irresponsible, disruptive, and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange Server by Chinese state-backed groups was "a reckless but familiar pattern of behavior" and demanded that the Chinese government end "this systematic cyber sabotage."

Japan said it "strongly supports" the statements by the United States, Britain and other countries, which "express the determination to uphold the rules-based international order in cyberspace."

"Malicious cyber activities that could potentially undermine the foundation of democracy embodied by free, fair and secure cyberspace cannot be condoned," Foreign Press Secretary Tomoyuki Yoshida said in a statement, adding Japan "firmly condemns and will take strict measures against these activities."

According to a senior U.S. government official, an unprecedented group of allies and partners joins the United States in exposing and criticizing China's malicious cyber activities, including Japan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

In its statement, the 30-member NATO said, "We call on all states, including China, to uphold their international commitments and obligations and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace."

It is the first time that NATO has condemned Beijing's cyber activities, according to the U.S. official.

The move can be seen as the latest effort by President Joe Biden's administration to work with U.S. allies and like-minded countries to counter China's assertiveness and other behavior that concerns them.

According to the U.S. government, China's Ministry of State Security uses contract hackers to conduct cyber operations globally, including criminal activities such as cyber-enabled extortion and theft from victims.

"The PRC's Ministry of State Security has fostered an ecosystem of criminal contract hackers who carry out both state-sponsored activities and cybercrime for their own financial gain," Blinken said, referring to the acronym of China's official name.

Australia, which along with Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States form the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, said it is seriously concerned about reports on contract hackers who have carried out intellectual property theft for personal gain and to provide commercial advantage to the Chinese government.

The senior U.S. official said the United States and its allies are making it clear to China that malicious cyber activities will only unite targeted countries around the world to call them out and promote network defense and cybersecurity.

In some cases, there have been reports that the Chinese government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransomware operations against private companies that have included ransom demands of millions of dollars, according to the U.S. government.

Beijing's "unwillingness to address criminal activity by contract hackers harms governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure operators through billions of dollars in lost intellectual property, proprietary information, ransom payments, and mitigation efforts," it said.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 19, 2021 - 21:10 | All, Japan

Japan's Narita and Haneda airports started Monday the use of facial recognition on a full scale, allowing international travelers to check in baggage and pass security checkpoints without showing passports or flight tickets.

In the "Face Express" system aimed at speeding up the boarding process and providing a touchless experience for passengers, travelers need to have their photos taken at check-in when they register their passports and boarding passes upon arriving at the airports.

After registering necessary data with special terminals, cameras at baggage check-in, security checkpoint entrances and boarding gates will automatically verify passengers' identity and allow them to pass through, Narita International Airport Corp. said.

"The procedure (for boarding) ended quickly and the gate opened smoothly," said company employee Susumu Hayakawa, 29, before traveling on a Japan Airlines flight to Chicago from Narita airport near Tokyo.

The system fully came into service after Narita airport started trialing the use of facial recognition in April, only involving airport staff and not actual travelers.

It will also lead to reduced physical contact between travelers, machines, and airport and flight staff, helping to prevent the spread of virus infections, the airport operator has said.

Passenger data, including facial images, will be deleted within 24 hours after registration to protect privacy.

The biometric ID processing is available on some flights of All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines at Narita airport, east of Tokyo, and some Japan Airlines flights at Haneda airport in Tokyo for the time being, gradually expanding to other airlines.

Related coverage:

Narita airport starts facial recognition trial run for faster travel

Japan asks airlines to halt new bookings as Olympic traffic rises
Mumbai:

Indrani Mukerjea, the key accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has sought divorce from her husband Peter Mukerjea.

Indrani Mukerjea (46), lodged in Byculla Women's Jail, has served Peter Mukerjea, a co-accused in the case, a legal notice for divorce on the grounds that their marriage had "irretrievably broken down".

The notice also seeks an amicable financial settlement from Peter Mukerjea before April 30, so that the procedure to dissolve the marriage can be initiated.

She sent the notice by courier to Peter Mukerjea on April 25 through her lawyer. The 64-year-old former media baron is lodged in Arthur Road Jail. Both the prisons are located in Central Mumbai.

"My client states that your marriage is now irretrievably broken down and there is no chance of a reconciliation. This fact has been acknowledged by you as well," reads the notice.

Also Read | Indrani Mukerjea in ICU; Blood test indicates poisoning, drug overdose

Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 and Peter Mukerjea a few months later. Both are facing trial in the murder case of Sheena Bora (24), Indrani Mukerjea's daughter from a previous relationship.

Bora was abducted and killed in April 2012, allegedly by Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai in conspiracy with Peter Mukerjea, police have said.

Her body was dumped in a forest in the adjoining Raigad district. The killing came to light in August 2015 after Rai, arrested in another case, spilled the beans, they have said.

Rai later turned approver (prosecution witness) in the case.

Also Read | INX Media case: Special court extends Karti Chidambaram's CBI custody by three days

The CBI, which took over the case from Mumbai Police, has claimed a financial dispute led to the killing.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Donald Trump administration is working on a proposal to streamline the H-1B visa procedure to attract the brightest foreign talents, according to a top federal agency official.

The proposed regulation aims to intensify crackdown on H-1B visa fraud, said Francis Cissna, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley, according to PTI.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is working on two proposed regulations with regard to the H-1B programme. The first regulation proposes to establish an electronic registration programme for petitions subject to numerical limitations for the H-1B non-immigrant classification.

This rule is intended to allow USCIS to more efficiently manage the intake and lottery process for these H-1B petitions, said Cissna.

The letter is dated April 4, the content of which was first reported by Axios news website on .

The second regulation will propose to revise the definition of specialty occupation, so as to increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest foreign nationals via the H-1B programme and to revise the definition of employment and employer-employee relationship to better protect US workers and wages, Cissna said.

The two proposed regulations are expected to improve the H-1B programme, which visa procedure is most sought after by Indian talents.

The Department of Homeland Security will also propose additional requirements designed to ensure employers pay appropriate wages to H-1B visa holders, the letter stated.

The USCIS is also drafting a proposed rule to remove the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), as announced in the regulatory agenda. Due to the court order which invalidated the IER delay rule, the International Entrepreneur Final Rule is currently in effect.

We have not approved any parole requests under the International Entrepreneur Final Rule at this time, Cissna said, adding that USCIS now has a dedicated email addresses to make it easier for the public to report suspected fraud and abuse in the H-1B and H-2B programmes.

Other steps that the USCIS announced earlier include establishing a more targeted approach in the H-1B employer site visit programme.

We initiated these targeted site visits to help us determine, among other things, whether H-1B-dependent employers are actually paying their workers the statutorily required salary to qualify for an exemption from recruitment attestation requirements, it said.

The USCIS is also expanding its administrative site visit programme to include L-1B petitions.

We are initially focusing on employers petitioning for L-1B specialised knowledge workers who will primarily work offsite at another company or organizations location to ensure that they are complying with the requirements from the L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2004. These requirements were meant to help prevent United States workers from being displaced by foreign workers, the USCIS said.

Cissna said it also published a policy memorandum that instructs officers to apply the same level of scrutiny to both initial petitions and extension requests for non-immigrant visa categories. The guidance applies to all non-immigrant classifications filed using Form r-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker.

The previous policy instructed officers to give deference to the findings of a previously approved petition, as long as the key elements were unchanged and there was no evidence of a material error or fraud related to the prior determination.

The updated policy guidance rescinds the previous policy. Under the law, the burden of proof in establishing eligibility for the visa petition extension is on the petitioner, regardless of whether users previously approved a petition, it said.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

The Union governments decision to withdraw AFSPA from parts of Arunachal Pradesh has sparked off divergent views from political parties in the state, with the Congress demanding total withdrawal of the "draconian law" while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party maintaining a cautious stand.



The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest individuals without prior notice, is "not relevant" in a peaceful state like Arunachal Pradesh, state Congress president Takam Sanjoy said.



"When the Centre can lift the Act from Meghalaya, why not in Arunachal Pradesh? There are no records of terrorist activities in the state over the past several years. There are other laws to deal with such activities and AFSPA would only jeopardise public peace," Sanjoy said.



The Home Ministry has "arbitrarily extended" the provisions of the Act at a time when the Naga rebel groups are holding peace talks, he alleged.



The Centre withdrew AFSPA from the entire state of Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, with effect from , a home ministry official announced on .

The ruling BJP is of the view that the Centre should study the ground situation in the state and, if permissible, should repeal the Act to ensure peace in the region.

"The presence of anti-national elements in the northeast cannot be denied. It is a central subject and if the Union government deems fit to revoke the Act, then it will be for the greater good," state BJP president Tapir Gao said.



Peoples' Party of Arunachal president Kahfa Bengia feels the eight police stations areas need not come under AFSPA as there were no reports of militant activities from these regions in a very long time.

"The Home Ministry should make sure its decisions do not affect the people of the state," he said.

Hawa Bagang, president of All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union, asserted that AFSPA helps in curbing anti-social activities by insurgent groups of neighbouring states.

"The Army should properly verify the details before booking anybody under the Act," he added.

In Arunachal Pradesh, areas under the controversial Act have been reduced from 16 police stations areas, bordering Assam, to eight police stations, besides Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts.



(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

With the conviction and life sentence of Asaram Bapu in a case involving the rape of a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in Ahmedabad nearly five years ago, another godman has been exposed for indulging in sexual activities taking advantage of the gullibility and blind faith of his large number of followers.

Asarams conviction comes a few months after another godman, Sacha Sauda sect chief in Haryana Ram Rahim Gurmeet Singh was arrested after he built an empire of gigantic proportions which was allegedly based on sex, crime, and criminal intimidation, all under a facade of religiosity.

After Ram Rahims arrest from Panchkula in Haryana, a surfeit of skeletons came tumbling out of his closets and the empire crumbled like a pack of cards.

Both these cases are sagas of huge empire-building and unmasking of all manner of men and women, a large section of them with depraved values.

The now-convicted Asaram had established over 400 ashrams in India and abroad, many of which are still being run by his followers. His forte was his powerful oratory and his magnetic appeal through his deep-set eyes with which he virtually mesmerised his legion of followers. The bulk of his followers refuse to believe that he could have been up to his sexcapades and other illegal activities. They feel he has fallen victim to conspirators.

Asarams reach was particularly strong in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana but extended to many other states too. As the truth of his operations emerges, there are lessons to be learnt for people at large, not the least of which is to not get swayed by those who preach something and practice just the opposite.

The biggest protector against falsehoods is the right kind of education of which there is a dearth in the backward states of north India where blind faith thrives.

As the Sacha Sauda chiefs case showed, politicians and even some bureaucrats, including policemen fell prey to the fake godliness of Ram Rahim Gurmeet Singh. Some even got cuts from his ill-gotten wealth. But such is the protection of those in power in India that these bigwigs manage to get away from any punishment.

It is time that public pressure is built up against those who provide protection and patronage to such fake swamis who, besides hoodwinking gullible people also spoil the fair name of the religion they profess to be the high priests of.

By 2008, 40 of Asarams ashrams had gurukuls (residential schools). When two boys went missing that year from one such school in Ahmedabad and their mutilated bodies were found on the banks of the Sabarmati, there were allegations that black magic was practised there.

The parents alleged that the police harassed them and refused toregister a complaint against Asaram or the ashram administration.

A CID probe ordered on the behest of the Gujarat High Court rejected the claims of practice of black-magic.

The Narendra Modi-led Gujarat state government set up the Justice DK Trivedi Commission to probe the deaths in the ashram but nothing came of it. In 2009, Asarams followers organised a rally, protesting against their alleged harassment by the Gujarat police.

The protest turned violent, and over 200 supporters of the controversial baba were arrested after they attacked and injured 20 policemen.

Following the Asaram judgment in the lower court, his supporters will move the High Court. If Asaram is indeed guilty, he must be meted out strict punishment so that his followers and the legion of supporters of other babas across the country with dubious credentials learn some useful lessons.

One pernicious practice the country needs to focus on is the rampant trial by the media in this case as in so many others. While in this case the ends of justice have evidently been met, in principle this pre-judging of an accuseds guilt during trial is a dangerous practice that needs to be eschewed.
New Delhi:

Pakistan authorities on handed over an Indian national who had gone missing in Pakistan on a pilgrimage, according to officials.

The Sikh pilgrims had gone to Pakistan to celebrate Baisakhi festival and returned to Amritsar on after a 10-day pilgrimage. But 24-year-old Amarjit Singh, a resident of village Niranjanpura in Amritsar district, was not to be found in the group.

Pakistan authorities later found him at the home of his "Facebook friend" Amir Razak in Sheikhupura, 50 km from Lahore, and handed him over to their Indian counterparts, the officials said.

The boy told officials that he had gone to stay with his friend Razak on , telling his hosts that he held a visa for over a month's stay in Pakistan.

On , Pakistani and Indian TV channels reported about his sudden disappearance from a gurdwara. Indian authorities also reported him missing after they learnt that he was found among the pilgrims who had returned home.

On hearing the news, the host family reported the matter to police, and officials from the Evacuee Trust Property Board of Pakistan took Singh to Lahore on .

Amarjit Singh's passport was deposited with the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board, who reportedly informed top officials when he failed to collect it within the stipulated time.

The Pakistani police had launched a manhunt in Nankana Sahib where a number of Sikh families live, reports said.

Kiran Bala, another member of the same group, had also not come back with the jatha, after reportedly converting to Islam and marrying a Pakistani man.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi/Wuhan:

Both the Indian and Chinese media are speculating and raising hopes of positive outcome of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Wuhan Summit which begins on . And it is likely that their meeting could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on .



"It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas," military spokesman, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing.



Modi on left for China to hold talks with Xi at a two-day informal summit in Wuhan starting . The Wuhan Summit is being held to improve ties between the countries. The border issue and the Doklam standoff of 2017 are expected to figure in their talks. Post-Dokalam standoff, the relations between the two militaries were picking up.

ALSO READ: Islamabad High Court terminates Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in Iqama case

"Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces," Col Wu said.



Col Wu was replying to a question about the expectations from the Modi-Xi summit and as well as the outcome of the meeting between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Feng this week.



Col Wu's comments were significant as President Xi is also the head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader in recent times, Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the overall high command of the Chinese armed forces.



Ahead of Modi's visit to China for the Wuhan Sunmmit, Sitharaman was in Beijing to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers' meeting. She held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wei and discussed steps to improve military ties.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held series of meetings in Wuhan city of China's Hubei province as part of a historic two-day informal summit to "solidify" the India-China ties and exchanged views on how the two countries can work together for the overall good of the world.

"The two leaders had a one-on-one meeting during which they exchanged views on solidifying our bilateral relationship," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar was quoted as saying by PTI.

The two-day informal summit in Wuhan, the first of its kind between the countries, is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 2017 Doklam standoff.

Modi, who landed in Wuhan past midnight on Thursday, held a series of informal one-on-one meeting with Jinping in Hubei provincial museum in the city. Later, they also held rounds of delegation-level talks with six officials on each side.

Xi also hosted a banquet for Modi at the state guest house by the famous East Lake in central Wuhan.

During the talks, Modi offered to host the next informal summit with Xi in India in 2019. "I'll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such informal summit in India," Modi told Xi. The Chinese president said they can meet in a similar fashion from time to time.

"I believe in the future, we will meet in format like this, from time to time. I look forward to in-depth communication with your Excellency, and ensure we can build common understanding and help to take the China-India relationship to the next level," Xi said.



Hailing the centuries old Sino-India ties and looking forward, Modi said the two sides have a "big opportunity" to work together for the benefit of their people and the world.

More meetings will be held between Modi and Xi on Saturday with just interpreters of Hindi and Chinese languages accompanying them. Both leaders will have a walk along the banks of a lake and take a boat ride together to herald a new chapter in Indo-Sino relations.

HIGHLIGHTS

#04:01 PM: I hope such informal summits becomes a tradition between both the countries. I'll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such informal summit in India: Modi

#03:58 PM: We (India-China) have the responsibility to work for 40% of the world population, this means trying to successfully get the world rid of many problems. To work together towards this is a big opportunity for us: PM Mod

# 03:55 PM: Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has termed the "informal summit" between Modi and Xi Jinping a "no agenda" meet. Rahul asked Modi to raise the issues of Doklam and CPEC.

Dear PM, Saw the live TV feed of your No Agenda China visit. You look tense! A quick reminder: 1. DOKLAM, 2. China Pakistan Eco Corridor passes through POK. Thats Indian territory. India wants to hear you talk about these crucial issues. You have our support, Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

# 03: 50 PM: The people of India feel really proud that I'm the first Prime Minister of India, for whom, you (Chinese President) have come out of the capital twice to receive me, says Modi in Wuhan.

#03:40 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Chinese President Xi Jinping hold delegation level talks in Hubei.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Chinese President Xi Jinping hold delegation level talks in Hubei. #China pic.twitter.com/9sUE6G9Ajw  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#03:20 PM: Watch: PM Modi at an exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics & Treasure.

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Chinese President Xi Jinping at an exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics & Treasure (Hubei Provincial Museum) #China pic.twitter.com/REIFk93qtK  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#03:15 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Chinese President Xi Jinping visit an exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics & Treasure (Hubei Provincial Museum)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Chinese President Xi Jinping visit an exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics & Treasure (Hubei Provincial Museum) #China pic.twitter.com/bflhzVQNP7  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#01:07 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping witness a cultural programme at Hubei Provincial Museum.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping witness a cultural programme at Hubei Provincial Museum. #Wuhan pic.twitter.com/X85JaFmxp1  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#01:02 PM: Prime Minister Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at Hubei Provincial Museum.

#FLASH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at Hubei Provincial Museum. pic.twitter.com/TLDj8eN6WN  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#12:55 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Hubei Provincial Museum.

# 10:30 AM: Congress party has asked if Prime Minister Modi will raise questions over China's occupation in Doklam during his informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As Modiji 'hugs' his friend, President, Xi Jinping today in Wuhan, China, will he remember his innate duty to protect Indias strategic interests & question China on occupation of #Dokalam impacting Indias National Security?

1/n  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 27, 2018

# 9:30 AM: Chinese Defence Ministry expressed its willingness to stabilize Indo-China military ties on the sidelines of the on-going visit of Prime Minister Modi to Wuhan city.

#08:50 AM: PM Narendra Modi to have a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at 1530 hrs (China time) in China's Wuhan.

PM Narendra Modi to have a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at 1530 hrs (China time) in China's Wuhan. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/sFhxI22NvE  ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2018

#08:45 AM: OPINION | Modi must tread warily to dispel any sign of hidden agenda: The abruptly-called summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, China, later this week could turn out to be a clever ruse to showcase Sino-Indian convergence on issues relating to US protectionism. he Chinese, caught in a piquant situation after the trade restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese exports to the US are apparently keen to project to US President Donald Trump that they have Indian support. Modi would have to tread warily to dispel any impression of a hidden agenda with China on this issue..... Click Here To Read More

#08: 35 AM: "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance... We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective," PM Modi tweeted on Thursday.

#08:30 AM: Hello and welcome to the live updates on Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi's China visit. Modi is on a two-day visit to attend an "informal summit" being hosted by Chinese President Xi-Jinping. For the next two days, the leaders of the two emerging Asian powers will hold a series of one-on-one meetings. The "informal summit" is seen as a significant milestone in Indo-Sino relations.

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New Delhi:

A purported audio clip of self-styled godman Asaram, who was awarded a life imprisonment for the 2013 rape case, is going viral on social networking sites.

In the 15-minute-long audio tape, surfaced online on Saturday, the controversial spiritual guru is heard saying over the phone that his time behind bars is short-lived and 'good days will come'.

The audio clip might have been recorded during a telephone conversation Asaram had on Friday, according to Jodhpur Central Jail DIG Vikram Singh. The call was made with permission from jail authorities.

"Inmates are permitted to make a call over any two given numbers for 80 minutes in a month. He had spoken to a 'sadhak' at Sabarmati Ashram on Friday at 6.30 pm. May be this communication was recorded (then) and made viral," Singh added.

In a one-way communication which appeared like a telephonic sermon, Asaram first extended his gratitude to his followers for maintaining calm and not coming to Jodhpur on the day of judgment.

"We should respect the law and order and the system. I also do so," he is purportedly heard saying in the audio clip.

He claims a few people are on a campaign to defame his ashram and want to take its control.

Also Read | Lessons to learn from Asaram case; time to rise against those providing protection to fake godmen

"Do not get carried away by such provocations or anything circulated on the letter head of ashram...," Asaram said in the clip.

Referring to co-accused Shilpi and Sharat Chanda, who were handed down 20-year jail terms by the special court, Asaram says he would first arrange for their release from jail "as it is the duty of parents to first think about their children".

"(Even if) more advocates will be required for the release of Shilpi and Sharat, that will be done. Afterwards, Bapu will make way out of the jail," he said.

"If a mistake has happened in the lower court, there are upper courts for rectifying those mistakes," Asaram added.

"Truth has no cover and lie has no legs (to stand upon)... It is immaterial, what the allegations are," he said adding, "good days will come".

At the end of the conversation, he makes Sharat to speak, who says there's nothing to be worried about in the jail.

Also Read | Asaram guilty of raping minor; sentenced to life imprisonment

Apart from this 2013 rape case, Asaram is also facing trial in a separate case, where two sisters from Surat accused Bapu and his son Narayan Sai of sexual assault.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi:

The abruptly-called summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, China, later this week could turn out to be a clever ruse to showcase Sino-Indian convergence on issues relating to US protectionism.

The Chinese, caught in a piquant situation after the trade restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese exports to the US are apparently keen to project to US President Donald Trump that they have Indian support.

Modi would have to tread warily to dispel any impression of a hidden agenda with China on this issue. The US is Indias bulwark against any Chinese designs to encroach on Indian territory and India can ill afford to displease the Trump administration, loaded as the US President is with his idiosyncrasies.

Said Lu Kang, the Chinese spokesman, after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs visit preparatory to Modis talks: We are newly emerging markets as well as developing countries with big population. So we believe the two countries will continue to uphold the globalisation so that it is more inclusive. We have a lot of shared interests, concerns and positions.

At Wuhan, the two leaders will exchange views on overarching long-term strategic issues as well as the latest trends of the world so that the world will develop in a more stable way, Lu said.

The latent message from this is that there would be an undercurrent of agreement on globalisation as opposed to US unilateralism and protectionism.

To a specific question by a journalist whether there would be a joint message related to trade and protectionism, especially against US unilateral protectionism, he said while he cannot make any pre-judgement ahead of the meeting, It is sure that the two leaders will exchange views on these issues but I believe you will see and hear very positive voices.

Chinese hopes that India could be on the same page as them were rekindled recently when NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said in his address to the fifth India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) that the world economy was staging a synchronised recovery after a long time but that it was marred and disrupted by unseemly protectionist noises that are coming out from the Atlantic basin from north and America and Europe. This was seen as a thinly veiled attack on US and Western countries' protectionist policies.



How Modi would deal with the issue and steer clear of the seeming Chinese trap remains to be seen but the Prime Minister is no babe in the woods. He has shown in time that he is no pushover on strategic issues.

On his part, Modi would strive to freeze the Chinese claim to Doklam in Bhutan which is Chinas way of showing to countries in the region that India cannot shield the tiny once protectorate from Chinese covetous eyes.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which is slated to run through a part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a major sore point with New Delhi.

While the road is now virtually a fait accompli, India would expect from Beijing concrete assurances that Indias access to the seas for trade and commerce would not be hampered by this Sino-Pak partnership.

With the Ballochis in Pakistan up in arms against the corridor and the fact of Indias covert links with the rebels, China is looking for neutralising India on the issue.

Just as the Americans have reacted strongly to a huge trade balance in favour of China, India too has the same issues with Beijing which it needs to sort out.

Besides, the Chinese have been dumping all manner of goods in India, most of them of sub-standard quality, attracting the Indian consumer through cheap pricing. In the process, Indian small and medium industry has suffered grievous damage and thousands of people have been rendered jobless.

Modi and his team justifiably need to take this issue up strongly with the Chinese. One can only hope that the Wuhan Summit would yield

positive results for India and would not be a triumphant Chinese capturing of the Indian mind.
New Delhi:

Alleging the Congress of using impeachment as a political tool, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on termed its notice to remove Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra a "revenge petition" after the Supreme Court's judgment "exposed" the conspiracy of falsehood in the Judge Loyas death case.

"My preliminary reaction to the impeachment motion filed is clear. It is a revenge petition after the falsehood of the Congress party has been established in the Justice Loya death case. It is an attempt to intimidate a Judge and send a message to other Judges, that if you don't agree with us, fifty MP's are enough for a revenge action, Jaitley said in a Facebook post.

In the Facebook post titled 'Judge Loya Death Case: The One That Almost Created a Judicial Mutiny, Jaitley also said BJP president Amit Shah had "no role" in the Sohrabuddin case which was an alleged encounter executed by some central agencies through the State Police.

Congress and six other opposition parties, in the day, had moved a notice for the impeachment of the Chief Justice of India, accusing him of five counts of "misbehaviour" and "misusing" authority.



The opposition parties met Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and handed over a notice for the impeachment of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) with signatures of 64 MPs of the Upper House.



Observing that impeachment of a Judge of the Supreme Court is to be done only in the case of either his incapacity or on proven misconduct, Jaitley said the Congress party and its friends have started using impeachment as a "political tool".

"To use the power as intimidatory tactics when neither you have a case of 'proven misconduct' or the numbers on your side, is a serious threat to judicial independence," Jaitley said.

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Thiruvananthapuram :

A body of a woman, with severed head, has been found hanging upside down from a tree in Keralas capital Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday morning.

The Kerala Police suspect the head-severed body could be of the missing 33-year-old Latvian woman, who had gone missing from the beach town of Kovalam last month.



According to police, the womans sister identified the body. However, the state police is administration is waiting for forensic tests to be completed for an official confirmation.

The Latvian missing womans sister has claimed the beheaded body as her sibling. However, we are waiting for DNA test and postmortem report, a Kerala senior police officer said.

The Latvian woman along with her husband had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on February 21 for Ayurvedic treatment for post-traumatic depression. She had gone missing since March 14 after she visited Kovalam beach.
New Delhi:

World Book and Copy Right Day are observed by the United Nations every year on April 23. It is an annual event organised to foster a global appreciation for reading and to promote writing, publishing and familiarity with copyright laws around the world.

This event was first held in 1995 at the behest of the UNs UNESCO General Conference held that year in Paris.

The 2018 edition is entitled Reading, its my right!, and it will be an opportunity to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

History of this Day:

This is a symbolic day for world literature as on this day in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died. It is also the birth or death day of other notable authors including Manuel Mejia Vallejo, Josep Pla, Vladamir Nabokov, Maurice Druon and Haldor K Laxness.

In order to pay tribute to authors and books, UNESCO's General Conference selected this day.

What is World Book Capital?

Each year, UNESCO and the international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry - publishers, booksellers and libraries, select the World Book Capital for a one-year period, effective April 23 each year.







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The US government is investigating a series of health incidents in the Austrian capital Vienna involving its diplomats and other administration staff. More than 20 officials have reported symptoms similar to Havana Syndrome - a mystery brain illness - since President Joe Biden took office in January.

The syndrome is unexplained, but US scientists say it is most probably caused by directed microwave radiation. It was first found in Cuba in 2016-17.

US and Canadian diplomats in Havana complained of symptoms ranging from dizziness, loss of balance, hearing loss and anxiety to something they described as "cognitive fog". The US accused Cuba of carrying out "sonic attacks", which it strongly denied, and the incident led to increased tension between the two nations. A 2019 US academic study found "brain abnormalities" in the diplomats who had fallen ill, but Cuba dismissed the report.

The Vienna cases first came to light in the New Yorker magazine on Friday and were later confirmed by the US State Department, which said it was "vigorously investigating". Reuters quoted an Austrian foreign ministry statement saying it was "working with the US authorities on jointly getting to the bottom of this".

Vienna has long been a centre for diplomatic activity and has had a reputation as a hotspot for espionage, particularly during the Cold War. Countries like the US have a large diplomatic presence there.

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At least 13 people were killed when a petrol tanker overturned and caught fire in western Kenya at the weekend. The truck collided with another vehicle on a highway between Kisumu and Busia late on saturday. Witnesses described the crash scene as a "huge fireball". People had rushed to the scene with jerrycans to siphon off fuel from the overturned tanker before it exploded. A local police chief said 24 people were in hospital with serious burns and said children were among the injured.

Investigators are still searching the scene and warned the death toll could rise. "We will require a proper examination to determine if there were people burnt completely at the scene, where bones were found," Chief Charles Chacha said. It took two hours for firefighters to reach the scene, near the town of Malanga, about 320km (200 miles) north-west of the capital, Nairobi.

A lorry carrying milk travelling in the opposite direction had collided with the petrol tanker. Witnesses said several motorcycles were found smouldering close to the crash site. One of the injured, Wycliffe Otieno, told AFP news agency how he and others had arrived with jerrycans when the spilled fuel around him ignited.

"I was able to run to safety. I just don't know how lucky I was, because I have been told the people we were with did not survive," Mr Otieno said from his hospital bed. Footage posted on social media showed the fiery wreckage lighting up the local sky as survivors stood nearby.

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Mrs Merkel visited affected areas of western Germany on Sunday, talking to survivors and emergency workers. At least 188 people in Germany and Belgium are now known to have died in the floods. Heavy rain is continuing to wreak havoc, with attention now shifting to parts of Austria and southern Germany.

Emergency crews rescued people from homes in the Austrian region of Salzburg, where floodwaters submerged the streets of one town. The fire brigade said the capital Vienna saw more rainfall in an hour on Saturday night than in the previous seven weeks. In the Upper Bavaria region, one person was killed as heavy rains deluged basements and roads.

Meanwhile in western Germany, authorities said the Steinbachtal dam, south-west of Bonn, remained at risk of breaching after residents were evacuated from homes downstream.

European leaders have blamed climate change for the floods, which have also affected Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Experts say global warming makes torrential rainfall more likely. The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began.

Mrs Merkel said the world had to "be faster in the battle against climate change".

She walked through the badly-hit village of Schuld, surveying the damage and speaking to residents and emergency workers. Later she pledged to fast-track aid for reconstruction. "We are by your side," she said, describing the situation as "terrifying". "It is shocking - I can almost say that the German language doesn't have words for the destruction that's been wreaked," she said.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said a package of 300m ($354m; 257m) in immediate aid would be proposed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

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Kathmandu: Sher Bahadur Deuba has officially become Nepal's new PM on Sunday. He has easily won a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha of Parliament on Sunday. Deuba got 165 votes out of a total of 275. A total of 249 MPs participated in the voting process. Out of these, 165 votes were cast in his favour, while 83 votes were cast against him.

MPs from Nepali Congress, CPN Maoist Centre and Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal voted in favour of Deuba. Thakur-Mahato faction of JSP-N decided to vote for Deuba in the last hour. MPs from the disgruntled faction of the UML were also divided in this regard. PM Narendra Modi has congratulated Sher Bahadur Deuba on officially becoming the PM of Nepal. He wrote in his tweet, 'Congratulations to Sher Bahadur Deuba on becoming PM. I wish you a successful tenure. I hope we will take forward our unique partnership strongly in all sectors and further strengthen old relations.'

The 75-year-old Deuba, president of the Nepali Congress, was sworn in as PM on July 13. A day earlier, a constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of Nepal's Supreme Court Cholendra Shamsher Rana ordered the restoration of the Lok Sabha House of Representatives of Parliament, which was dissolved by President Vidya Devi Bhandari on May 22, the second time in five months, on the recommendation of the then PM KP Sharma Oli. The court had termed the verdict as unconstitutional.

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JEDDAH: The Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) said that Saudi Arabia's nominee Muhammed Sulaiman Al Jasser has been elected as its new President for five years. The election was officially confirmed by the ISDB Group General Secretariat on Sunday, according to media reports.

The Islamic Development Bank Board of Governors has adopted a resolution expressing profound gratitude and appreciation of Saudi Arabia for its continuous support to the bank since its inception, according to an official statement. The Board of Governors Committee of Procedures held an online meeting on July 6 to consider the candidacy of Al Jasser for the IsDB presidency to succeed Bandar Hajjar. Located in Jeddah, the IsDB is a multilateral development finance institution focusing on Islamic finance. Saudi Arabia is the largest single shareholder among the bank's 57 member states.

Al-Jasser's election was announced by the chairman of the IsDB board of governors, Sardor Umurzakov, who is also the deputy prime minister and minister of investment and foreign trade of Uzbekistan, after the confirmation of the IsDB Group General Secretariat. The board of governors also adopted a resolution expressing profound gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the Saudi government for the continuous support to IsDB since its inception.

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The United States surgeon general has said he is concerned about what lies ahead as COVID-19 infections are rising in every state, millions of people remain unvaccinated despite widely available jabs, and a contagious new variant of the virus is spreading.

In an interview on Sunday, Dr Vivek Murthy said nearly all coronavirus-related deaths in the US are among the tens of millions of people who have not been vaccinated.

I am worried about what is to come because we are seeing increasing cases among the unvaccinated, in particular. And while, if you are vaccinated, you are very well protected against hospitalisation and death, unfortunately, that is not true if you are not vaccinated, Murthy said.

His comments come as new US COVID-19 cases surged 70 percent this week compared with the prior seven days to an average of 30,000 new infections a day, fuelled by the Delta variant.

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy says most corona virus-related deaths are among unvaccinated people

Deaths also rose 26 percent week-over-week to an average of 250 a day, mostly among unvaccinated patients.

The head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) last week urged countries to continue to embrace public health curbs amid a rise in corona virus cases in several nations across the Americas, including the US.

Carissa Etienne said on Wednesday that the region reported nearly 74 million cases and 1.9 million deaths from COVID-19 over the previous week, making up for more than a third of COVID cases worldwide and more than 40 percent of reported deaths.

Cases rise when complacency sets in, Etienne said. We are all tired, but after experiencing successive peaks of infections in the same locations, we must break this cycle by embracing public health measures early and consistently.

While US case numbers and hospitalisations are still far below levels from the worst of the pandemic early this year, Murthy said the worsening situation shows the need to convince more people to get inoculations.

Gold edges up on Delta virus threat, lower US bond yields

Taiwan approves Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp's Covid vaccine candidate

Takeaways from the Pegasus Project
On April 21, the Supreme Court ordered the constitutional anti-corruption body, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, to stop carrying out sting operations to arrest government staffers receiving bribes. Since the decision, the anti-graft body has relatively been inactive as it has been dealing with minor cases and culprits who have committed major crimes take a sigh of relief.

Following the ruling, the CIAA, until July 15, had filed 16 complaints at the Supreme Court. Out of the 16, four cases were related to bribery while the remaining 12 were corruption cases rising up to Rs 400,000. The only major case registered at the CIAA is the one against officials of the then Tax Settlement Commission.

As the apex court ordered the CIAA not to offer bribes to government officials themselves to catch them, their attention should have shifted to major frauds taking place in the country. But, that has not happened as it continues to focus on catching government officials red-handed when accepting bribes.

As things stand, works are underway to amend the regulation and guidelines regarding raids. After this, the CIAA cannot offer bribes to arrest government officials, but it can take over bribery cases and book offenders. This gives a message that the CIAA is not willing to change its working pattern as it still wants to work in the same manner it has always worked under.

Were forming a work plan that will focus on collecting evidence before we book people, says Narayan Prasad Risal, the commissions spokesperson. There are talks that well be continuing with sting operations, but were not doing that. We just want to end bribery in the country as we can still take action against those who take and offer bribes.

But critics argue that the CIAA is taking the easy route as it wants people to believe it is doing something by continuing to book people for taking bribes of a few thousand rupees while people who have duped the state billions of rupees escape unpunished.

Staying away from politicians

The CIAA, which was without leading officials from 2007 to 2013, operated under controversial leadership after that. In the past eight years, under the leadership of Lokman Singh Karki, Deep Basnyat and Nabin Kumar Ghimire, the CIAA avoided cases that involved politicians. There were instances in which the CIAA was used by the powerful to serve their purpose.

Karki, who bullied and booked people who were against him, avoided all cases that were related to irregularities done by influential political leaders or parties. Basnyats term was also surrounded with controversy as his entire period was spent filing corruption cases against officials from the Tax Settlement Commission. Ghimire, on the other hand, only focussed on small cases as he turned a blind eye when it came to major corruption cases in the country. He allegedly also put on hold multiple corruption cases due to pressure from Baluwatar.

Former Joint Attorney General Murari Prasad Poudel says that the CIAA no longer has the ability to handle major corruption cases.

If they want, they have all the resources to investigate irregularities during major construction projects. There are so many of these cases, but they dont investigate these cases for no reason, says Poudel.

It is not that it has not booked high-ranking politicians and officials. In 2016, it booked then state finance minister Lharkyal Lama for amassing property illegally. But, the Special Court acquitted him while cases against former ministers Bikram Pandey and Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar are still on trial.

Apart from these few examples, the CIAA has been reluctant to take action against active politicians.

A former secretary at the CIAA, Purna Chandra Bhattarai, says that the CIAA has been too slow to amend its working procedure as people have found new and better ways to indulge in corrupt activities like bribery and fraud.

In the past few years, weve had a hard time investigating issues related to properties. Right now, the culprits are one step ahead of the CIAA and that is due to its archaic rules and procedures. We have to change that if we want to catch these frauds.

Apart from Lama, cases related to the property appear to have been avoided by the CIAA for the past 15 years.

Raids: A means to show existence

Last year, the CIAA filed a record of 441 cases at the Special Court. Most of these cases (206) were filed after a sting operation led by the CIAA, in which it caught the culprits red-handed. Looking back five years, almost half of the cases filed by the CIAA are these types.

The CIAA says the only reason there are so many of these cases is that most of the complaints they receive are related to bribery.

People come to us with these cases. Because these cases are filed, we have to look at them. We cant say we have better things to do and stop taking these cases, says spokesperson Risal. Major cases take time to investigate as a lot of people and factors are involved. But, these bribery cases along with cases related to fake documents dont take as much time. As we deal with them relatively quickly, people think that we only look at these cases; that is wrong.

Critics argue that the CIAA does not have much work as the police can be mobilised to arrest these people which can take up to a week. As most of the culprits are lower-level employees, the CIAA feels that power centres will not interfere in the case.

These cases are also proved with relative ease at the Special Court, which means they can show that they have been working towards making Nepal corruption-free. The authority is so proud of this as it publicises its success rates.

But, we cant stop corruption in the country without apprehending those at the top, says senior advocate Sabita Bhandari Baral. The CIAA has become an organisation that can only punish small offenders. They cant show the number of successful small cases and hope that corruption will end. Unless they are brave enough to book powerful people for corruption, its relevance will gradually disappear.

Baral says that the CIAA has been shying away from booking people close to prime ministers, ministers and influential people close to them. She says that this is one of the main reasons why the CIAAs role is being questioned by the public.

Catching people red-handed started as a campaign when the CIAA was under the leadership of Karki. During the fiscal year 2013/14, formed a mechanism to take action against public officials. Since then, it has been quite active in booking these officials after catching them red-handed. Even after Karki was removed by the Supreme Court, this trend continued.

Basnyat and Ghimire also continued the trend as they even started to book public officers based on CCTV footage.

Major cases limited to reports

Last year, the CIAA suggested the government keep tabs on tenders applied by contractors and refuse to give contracts to these contracts who were not capable of handling major projects. This was odd to many as the CIAA, which had thousands of such complaints against these contractorss, decided to prepare a report rather than taking action.

In 2020, there were around 1,200 development projects, worth Rs 76,44 billion, that were in a passive state with the government taking no action against any of these contractors. Instead, it amended the public procurement regulations as it extended time to complete these projects.

Out of those, the CIAA had segregated 50 major cases and said it would start taking action against them. But, it did nothing. Two years ago, it ignored the decision made by the Council of Ministers when selecting contractors for the Melamchi Drinking Water Supply Project.

Over a decade ago, the Supreme Court set a precedent in regards to the then Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation, in which it told the CIAA that it could not investigate policy decisions made by the Council of Ministers. But, the CIAA misinterpreted it and refrained from investigating any decision made by the council.

In July 2012, the government decided to let the tillers own the Nepal Trust land previously owned by King Birendra Shah and his family. The government gave away 21.87 acres of land to the tillers. While doing so, there were a lot of irregularities that the CIAA was aware of, but it ignored it citing it was a decision made by the Council of Ministers and it had no jurisdiction over that.

Former Joint Attorney General Poudel says that there are times the CIAA tries to protect the government during major corruption cases as it acts like its shadow.

As the ruling party plays a role in constitutional appointments, they try to appoint heads who will support them at times of need, says Poudel. They are instructed to do things in a certain manner by these politicians and they do it without it coming out in public.

Avoiding major cases

(L-R) Newly appointed CIAA commissioners  Sumitra Shrestha Amatya, Jaya Bahadur Chand, Prem Kumar Rai, Kishor Kumar Silwal and Hari Poudel.

It has been six years since the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament sent a report to the CIAA to investigate Chameliya Hydropower as it accused the hydropower project of financial irregularities of up to Rs 550 million. Not only did the CIAA not register the case, but it also did not even put the file on hold as it has avoided the case altogether.

In July 2017, the CIAA filed a Rs 3.34 billion corruption case against officials from the Tax Settlement Commission. But, it took the commission four years to start a supplementary case regarding the same case, which questions their competence.

Another high profile case is the procurement of narrow and wide-body aircraft by the Nepal Airlines Corporation. The Public Accounts Committee had said that there had been financial irregularities of up to Rs 4.35 billion.

The CIAA has also not shown any interest regarding the corruption case against former Communication Minister Gokul Prasad Baskota as the CIAA Chief Navin Ghimire, before retiring from office, had done his best to put the case on hold. The CIAAs intention can be clear when it summoned Bijaya Prakash Mishra, who had shot the video of Baskota asking for a bribe, even when it knew that he was in Japan.

Power-sharing at its peak

File: Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA)

After Karki was removed from the office, the CIAA has had one controversial person after another in its chiefs position as most of them have been political appointments.

Basnyat was the Rastriya Prajatantra Partys candidate while Ghimire was CPM-UMLs. Similarly, Ganesh Raj Joshi, Raj Narayan Pathak and Sabitri Gurung were appointed due to their ties with CPthe N-Maoist Centre, Madhes-based parties and Nepali Congress respectively.

Currently, different corruption cases against Pathak and Bansyat are sub-judice. Basnyat, who has been involved in the Lalita Niwas land scam, has also spent some time in prison. He was released on bail after an order from the Supreme Court. Pathak has been accused of settling cases by taking bribes while he was in office. A video of him doing so has been made public.

Ghimire, who punished public officials for taking a bribe as little as Rs 500, was later criticised as he put major cases against politicians on hold before leaving office.

He put a file against the contractors who were making railway tracks on hold, said a source from the CIAA. This was probably the only case which was put on hold despite the entire investigation being completed.

Since Ghimires term has ended, the nature of officials working at the CIAA has not changed.

January onwards, five officials have been appointed at the CIAA. Cases against these five officials are sub-judice at the Supreme Court as a writ petition was filed against them after KP Sharma Oli appointed them without fulfilling the necessary criteria. The fate of these officials is unknown.

That said, these appointed officials are also controversial. Chief Commission Prem Rai has been accused of being a member of Olis coterie who has a soft corner for the UML.

It wont surprise me if he takes decisions in favour of the UML, says an official working close with Rai.
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Butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera) are one of the most diverse animal groups. To date, scientists have found as many as 5,000 species from the Alps alone. Having been a place of intensive research interest for 250 years, it is considered quite a sensation if a previously unknown species is discovered from the mountain range these days. This was the case when a Swiss-Austrian team of researchers described a new species of alpine moth in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal Alpine Entomology, solving a 180-year-old mystery.

Decades of research work

Initially, the team - Jurg Schmid, a full-time dentist, author and passionate butterfly and moth researcher from Switzerland, and Peter Huemer, head of the natural science collections of the Tyrolean State Museums in Innsbruck and author of more than 400 publications, needed a lot of patience.

Almost thirty years ago, in the 1990s, the two researchers independently discovered the same moth species. While they found it was similar to a moth of the leaf-roller family Tortricidae and commonly named as Dichrorampha montanana which had been known to science since 1843, it was also clearly different. Wing pattern and internal morphology of genitalia structures supported a two-species hypothesis. Moreover, the two were found at the same time in the same places - a further indication that they belong to separate species. Extensive genetic investigations later confirmed this hypothesis, but the journey of presenting a new species to science was far from over.

The Hidden Alpine Moth

To "baptise" a new species and give it its own name, scientists first have to check that it hasn't already been named. This prevents the same species from having two different names, and essentially means looking at descriptions of similar species and comparing the new one against them to prove it is indeed unknown to science. In the case of this new moth, there were six potentially applicable older names that had to be ruled out before it could be named as new.

Intensive and time-consuming research of original specimens in the nature museums of Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt and London eventually led to the finding that all six ancient names actually referred to one and the same species - Dichrorampha alpestrana, which has been known since 1843 and had to be adopted as the valid older name for Dichrorampha montanana as having been described a couple of months earlier. Similarly, all other available names proved to belong to Dichrorampha alpestrana. The species discovered by Schmid and Huemer, however, was different, not yet named, and could finally be described as new to science. The authors chose to name it Dichrorampha velata - the Latin species name means "veiled" or "hidden," pointing to the complicated story behind its discovery.

Lots of unanswered questions

The Hidden Alpine Moth is a striking species with a wingspan of up to 16 mm and a characteristic olive-brown color of the forewings with silvery lines. It belongs to a group of mainly diurnal moths and is particularly common locally in colorful mountain flower meadows. For now, we know that its distribution extends at least from Salzburg and Tyrol through southern Switzerland and the Jura to the French and Italian Alps, with isolated finds known from the Black Forest in Germany, but the researchers believe it might have a wider range in Central Europe.

The biology of the new species is completely unknown, but Huemer and Schmid speculate that its caterpillars may live in the rhizome of yarrow or chrysanthemums like other species of the same genus. As with many other alpine moths, there is a strong need for further research, so we can get a better understanding of this fascinating insect.

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Original source:
PULLMAN, Wash. --Students who identify as LGBTQ+ in Washington state school districts with conservative voting records reported experiencing more bullying than their peers in more politically liberal areas, according to a new study.

For the study in the journal Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, researchers explored the relationships among school district voting records in the 2016 presidential election, bullying experiences in schools and mental health outcomes of LGBTQ+ youth in the state.

The study shows LGBTQ+ students are at a higher risk for psychological distress and suicidality as a result of bullying, particularly in school districts that voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Students in conservative voting districts also reported their teachers were less likely to intervene in instances of bullying than students who responded from more liberal voting districts.

"To my knowledge, nobody has really looked at this connection between a school district's political attitudes and the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in schools," said Paul Kwon, professor of psychology at Washington State University and coauthor of the study. "This project highlights an inequity that is not talked about a lot and shows the need for more explicit and inclusive anti-bullying legislation and policies that help mitigate the risks to LGBTQ+ youth regardless of district political attitudes."

Kwon and his colleagues' work supports previous research showing anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice is consistently related to political ideology and beliefs. For the current study, they analyzed the responses of nearly 50,000 students in 8-12 grades to the 2018 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey. The survey asks students about a variety of factors including sexual and gender identity, bullying and whether or not teachers intervened during instances of bullying. In total, 20% or nearly 10,000 students in the survey identified as being LGBTQ+.

According to the analysis, when teachers intervened "almost always" in instances of bullying, LGBTQ+ students reported experiencing bullying rates that were nearly identical to non-LGBTQ+ students.

When intervention did not occur, LGBTQ+ youth experienced more bullying, and subsequently, more psychological distress and suicidality.

"This was especially prevalent in more conservative school districts where LGBTQ+ youth report less teacher intervention despite experiencing more bullying," Kwon said. "Over 35% of youth in our study are students in a conservative leaning school district, possibly placing them at greater risk for more bullying experiences and higher psychological distress."

While each school district in Washington is mandated to enact policy that at minimum, complies with legislation prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying, Kwon and colleagues suggest individual school boards, regardless of political leanings, implement policy that goes beyond minimum protections for LGBTQ+ youth.

For example, the researchers suggest school policy should include explicit parameters for training and education for teachers regarding LGBTQ+ bullying as well as steps for teachers and administrators to intervene following LGBTQ+ bullying experiences. In addition, they suggest that all school websites explicitly describe anti-bullying policies as they relate to LGBTQ+ youth using specific examples.

"We also recommend educators discuss anti-bullying policy with students and families at the start of each school year, while concurrently highlighting LGBTQ+ identities, particularly in conservative districts," Kwon said. "After all, students have little choice in the school they attend, almost no choice in the school district they belong to and are unable to vote until they are 18. Thus, they are subjected to the environment of the school and broader culture of the school district chosen for them."

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Citizen Services

TurboTax-maker Intuit will leave free tax filing partnership with IRS

TurboTax maker Intuit, the largest company in the tax-preparation software industry, announced Thursday that it will leave the Free File program, the public-private partnership that offers free tax filing to millions of Americans but has been a magnet for controversy since its creation two decades ago.

The program was founded as a gambit by the tax prep industry, led by Intuit, after the George W. Bush administration proposed that the IRS create a free online filing option for taxpayers. Such an option would have threatened the profits of the burgeoning tax prep software business. After lobbying by the companies, the IRS agreed not to develop its own filing portal. In exchange, the industry offered free versions of its software, including TurboTax, to most Americans.

The exit of Free Files two largest participants  Intuit, and, last year, H&R Block  throws the future of the program into doubt. The Free File Alliance, the industry group that administers the program with the IRS, did not immediately respond to a question about the viability of the program after Intuits departure, but said, We appreciate [Intuits] service in providing millions of free returns to American taxpayers.

Intuit made its announcement in a blog post titled Accelerating Technology Innovation to Better Help Consumers Solve Their Most Pressing Financial Problems. The company said its decision to leave the program at the end of the tax season in October will allow it to focus on further innovating in ways it said are not permitted within the program. The agreement with the IRS that governs the program comes with a series of restrictions  including some that bar advertising most paid products to Free File users  which were imposed to ensure the program is actually free.

Intuits goal is to democratize financial services that are usually only available to the wealthy by providing all Americans access to opportunities to improve their finances, the companys blog post said. Yet the Free File program is designed to focus solely on tax preparation and e-filing with strict requirements for user experiences.

The statement added that Intuit remains committed to free tax filing. With more free tax filings than all other tax prep software companies combined, Intuit is the industry leader in free tax preparation.

An Intuit spokesperson declined to comment beyond the blog post.

A series of articles by ProPublica have shown that, for many years, Intuit and other firms have steered taxpayers who were eligible for free online tax prep toward paid options. Some of these tactics centered on heavily marketing options that were labeled free but were separate from the Free File program and often led users to paid commercial products. In 2019, Intuit went so far as to add code to its Free File website that kept the option from turning up in results on Google and other search engines. (That code was later removed.) The company used dark patterns, according to ProPublicas reporting, which are design tricks to get users of its website to do things they dont necessarily mean to do.

An audit by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration estimated that in 2019 more than 14 million taxpayers paid for tax prep software that they could have gotten for free. ProPublica estimated that those customers generated around $1 billion in revenue for Intuit and other firms.

Intuits announcement this week comes amid ongoing litigation, sparked by ProPublicas reporting, alleging that the company tricked TurboTax users into paying for tax prep they were eligible to get for free. In both the litigation and in responses to previous articles by ProPublica, Intuit has denied misleading customers.

Tens ofthousands of TurboTax customers are seeking to use arbitration, an alternative to a lawsuit, to pursue claims that they paid for a service that should have been free. Intuit has denied wrongdoing.

The IRS Free File program currently has nine free offerings from tax prep companies, including Intuit. The other offerings come from far less well-known brands, including TaxSlayer and FileYourTaxes.com. The IRS didnt respond to a request for comment.
(Adds EU's call on transparency improvement, PM's reaction)

BRUSSELS, July 19 (Reuters) - The European Commission approved on Wednesday the Czech Republic's 7 billion euro plan to recover from the pandemic and transform the economy to become greener and more digitalised.

The scheme will be financed from EU grants until 2026. Once the plan is also approved by EU finance ministers, Czechia will get 910 million euros in pre-financing for projects foreseen under the plan.

The funding is part of an initiative under which all the bloc's 27 nations are to get money from an EU recovery scheme worth 800 billion euro ($943 billion).

The Commission, which has concluded that Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis is in conflict of interest as final owner of a business empire that receives EU funding, said the Czech Republic needs to improve transparency and preventing conflict of interests when distributing the funds.

"(The Czech side) has received a qualified audit opinion due to the absence of effective measures targeting the prevention, detection and correction of cases of conflict of interest," the Commission said in a proposal for the European Council, without mentioning any concrete people or companies.

"Dedicated milestones shall be established to ensure that those weaknesses will have been addressed before the first payment request," the proposal said.

Babis, asked about the issue when receiving the plan from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said he was not aware of any systemic problems on the Czech side.

Besides audit and control, the country needs to improve protection of whistle-blowers, strengthen its judicial system, better collect and analyse data on corruption, and establish rules for lobbying, the Commission said.

The Commission said Czechia planned to spend 42% of its money to reach climate-neutrality goals, including investment in renewable energy, modernisation of district heating, replacement of coal-fired boilers and improving the energy efficiency of residential and public buildings.

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The plan also includes measures for nature protection and water management as well as investment in sustainable mobility.

Prague will also invest 22% of the total to make the economy more fit for the digital era, including investment in digital infrastructure, the digitalisation of public administration, including the areas of health, justice and the administration of construction permits.

The plan also includes measures to improve Czech citizens' digital skills at all levels. (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski in Brussels, Robert Muller in Prague; Editing by William Maclean)
Ben & Jerry's announced plans to end sales of their ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, following two months of silence from the company on social media in the face of public backlash.

Ben & Jerry's has a factory in Be'er Tuviya, Israel, and has conducted business with Israel since 1987. The brand, which was founded in Vermont in 1978 but is currently owned by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, typically markets itself as upholding progressive values and publicizing support for social justice movements.

"We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerrys ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the company said in a statement posted on its website Monday. "We also hear and recognize the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners."

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Although there is an ongoing debate about the nature of the conflict in Israel, Human Rights Watch, an international humanitarian organization that researches and advocates for human rights, stated in a recent report that Israel's actions have amounted to committing crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians.

While many businesses tread lightly in politics for fear of alienating customers, the ice cream maker has taken the opposite approach, often espousing progressive causes.

The announcement  posted on Ben & Jerry's Twitter and Instagram accounts and website  was one of the strongest and highest-profile rebukes by a well-known company of Israels policy of settling its citizens on war-won lands. The settlements are widely seen by the international community as illegal and obstacles to peace.

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Given the rise in violence and global tensions in recent months, Ben & Jerry's has fallen subject to backlash and boycotts for their involvement in the region. The public outrage against the brand has received extensive media coverage.

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According to the brand's statement, Ben & Jerry's will not renew its license agreement with a longstanding partner that manufactured and distributed ice cream in Israel. The license expires at the end of next year.

However, while the company is halting sales in Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ben & Jerry's stated it "will stay in Israel through a different arrangement" and "share an update on this as soon as were ready."

 Popeyes chicken nuggets coming soon: Popeyes to add chicken nuggets to the menu based on its chicken sandwich recipe

Contributing: Associated Press; Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY

Contact Ella Ruehsen at (207)509-1429 or IRuehsen@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Ben & Jerry's to stop ice cream sales in West Bank, east Jerusalem
DUBLIN, July 19, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Europe Steel Market (Production, Imports & Exports) Report with Potential Impact of COVID-19: 2021 Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The European steel market is expected to reach US$107.5 billion in 2025, at a negative CAGR of 3.03%, for the duration spanning 2021-2025.

Factors such as growth in automotive production, rising use of major home appliances, upsurge in construction & heavy equipment sales, accelerating demand for finished steel products, and rapid urbanization would generate market value.

However, rising penetration of electric vehicles and steel price volatility are the challenges faced by the market. A few notable trends may include the emerging role of steel in the renewable energy sector, high consumption of electric steel in transformers & motors, and adoption of green steel.

The steel market is highly concentrated to a few large players, as the importance of scale economies favours concentration to larger companies. However, as the steel market remains highly cyclical, it is subject to intense competition.

The main challenges that steelmakers face include: volatility, shifting demand centers, complex supply chains, productivity and cost efficiency. The market is also affected by general economic conditions and end-use markets, including the automotive, appliance, construction and energy industries. As these industries experience a downturn, the steel market usually follows their trend.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc in the European steel industry, as companies were forced to shut down and business operations were halted in order to curb the spread of the virus. Manufacturing facilities witnessed the sudden closure for a particular period. Steel manufacturing plants had to direct their activities in the production of medical oxygen, which halted the operation of oxygen furnaces. These factors had a significant and long term impact on the steel industry in Europe.

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Scope of the report:

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the European steel market.

The market dynamics such as growth drivers, market trends and challenges are analyzed in-depth.

The competitive landscape of the market, along with the company profiles of leading players (ArcelorMittal, Thyssenkrupp, Salzgitter AG, Acerinox, Aperam and Tata Steel Europe) are also presented in detail.

Key Target Audience:

Steel Manufacturers

Scrap Steel Providers

Finished Steel Producers

Raw Material Suppliers

End Users (Automotive Industry, Construction Industry, Domestic Appliances Market and Others)

Investment Banks

Government Bodies & Regulating Authorities

Key Topics Covered:

1. Overview

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Major Types of Steel

1.3 Different Grading System of Steel

1.4 Application of Steel by End-Uses

1.5 Fundamental Forces for Shaping Steel Industry Dynamics

1.6 Steel Mine-to-Market Value Chain

2. Impact of COVID-19

2.1 Decline in Steel Production

2.2 Downfall in Steel Consumption Growth Rate

2.3 Impact on Scrap Usage

3. Europe Market Analysis

3.1 Europe Steel Market by Value

3.2 Europe Steel Market Forecast by Value

3.3 Europe Steel Market by Regions

3.4 Europe Crude Steel Production

3.5 Europe Crude Steel Production by Production Route

3.5.1 Europe Basic Oxygen Furnace Steel Production

3.5.2 Europe Electric Arc Furnace Steel Production

3.6 Europe Crude Steel Production by Quality

3.6.1 Europe Carbon Steel Non Alloy Production

3.6.2 Europe Carbon Steel Other Alloy Production

3.6.3 Europe Stainless Steel Production

3.7 Europe Crude Steel Production by Product

3.7.1 Europe Steel Flat Products Production

3.7.2 Europe Steel Long Products Production

3.8 Europe Finished Steel Import

3.9 Europe Finished Steel Import by Products

3.9.1 Europe Finished Flat Products Import

3.9.2 Europe Finished Flat Products Import by Regions

3.9.3 Europe Finished Long Products Import

3.9.4 Europe Finished Long Products Import by Regions

3.10 Europe Finished Steel Export

3.11 Europe Finished Steel Export by Products

3.11.1 Europe Finished Flat Products Export

3.11.2 Europe Finished Flat Products Export by Regions

3.11.3 Europe Finished Long Products Export

3.11.4 Europe Finished Long Products Export by Region

4. Regional Market

4.1 Germany

4.1.1 Germany Steel Market by Value

4.1.2 Germany Steel Market Forecast by Value

4.1.3 Germany Crude Steel Production

4.2 Italy

4.3 France

4.4 Spain

4.5 The U.K.

5. Market Dynamics

5.1 Growth Drivers

5.1.1 Growth in Automotive Production

5.1.2 Rising Use of Major Home Appliances

5.1.3 Upsurge in Construction & Heavy Equipment Sales

5.1.4 Accelerating Demand for Finished Steel Products

5.1.5 Rapid Urbanization

5.2 Key Trends and Developments

5.2.1 Emerging Role of Steel in Renewable Energy Sector

5.2.2 High Consumption of Electrical Steel in Transformers and Motors

5.2.3 Adoption of Green Steel

5.3 Challenges

5.3.1 Rising Penetration of Electric Vehicle

5.3.2 Steel Price Volatility

6. Competitive Landscape

6.1 Europe Market

6.1.1 Key Players - Revenue Comparison

6.1.2 Key Players - Market Capitalization Comparison

6.1.3 Key Players - Steel Production Capacity

6.1.4 Europe Decarbonisation Ambitions & Technologies by Key Players

6.1.5 Europe Steel Market Volume Share by Key Players

7. Company Profiles

7.1 Business Overview

7.2 Financial Overview

7.3 Business Strategies

Acerinox

Aperam

ArcelorMittal

Salzgitter AG

Tata Steel Europe

Thyssenkrupp

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/snzeu8

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005486/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

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TORONTO, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Fidelity Investments Canada ULC ("Fidelity"), one of Canada's top investment management firms, announced the retirement of Bruce MacDonald, portfolio manager of Fidelity Far East Fund (the "Fund"), at the end of 2021.



Fidelity Investments Canada ULC Logo (CNW Group/Fidelity Investments Canada ULC)

Portfolio manager Xiaoting Zhao joined Bruce MacDonald in the management of the Fund in January 2021 and will assume sole responsibility following Bruce's retirement. Xiaoting brings deep experience in managing emerging markets strategies over many years. He currently co-manages Fidelity Emerging Markets Equity Multi-Asset Base Fund. In the U.S., Xiaoting also manages Fidelity Emerging Asia Fund, which is available only to U.S. investors.

The investment objectives and strategies of the Fund remain the same. Xiaoting is expected to bring a more growth-oriented investment style to the Fund compared to Bruce's core approach.

Commensurate with this transition, there have been changes to the holdings of the Fund. This is likely to result in a potentially meaningful capital gains distribution to existing and new investors in the Fund at year end, including Fidelity Far East Class.

The capital gains distribution from Fidelity Far East Class will be deferred by a year and may change subject to market conditions.

About Fidelity Investments Canada ULC

At Fidelity, our mission is to build a better future for Canadian investors and help them stay ahead. We offer investors and institutions a range of innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals.

As a privately-owned company, our people and world class resources are committed to doing what is right for investors and their long-term success. Our clients have entrusted us with $194 billion in assets under management (as at June 30, 2021) and they include individuals, financial advisors, pension plans, endowments, foundations and more.

We are proud to provide investors a full range of investment solutions through mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, including domestic, international and global equity, income-oriented strategies, asset allocation solutions, managed portfolios, sustainable investing and our high net worth program. Fidelity Funds are available through a number of advice-based distribution channels including financial planners, investment dealers, banks, and insurance companies.

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Read a fund's prospectus and consult your financial advisor before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Commissions, management fees, brokerage fees and expenses may all be associated with investments in exchange-traded funds and investors may experience a gain or loss.

Find us on social media @FidelityCanada

SOURCE Fidelity Investments Canada ULC

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View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2021/19/c4750.html
HONG KONG, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuiou Pay (Fuiou) recently launched a B2B global payment solution with leading global digital payment company Visa and open bank Nium in Hong Kong. This new product launch is another breakthrough since Fuiou and Visa started collaborating on B2B payments in Greater China.

Nium Logo (PRNewsfoto/Nium)

Fuiou, Visa and Nium share a common goal in bringing better commercial payment experiences to enterprises in Greater China. Leveraging Visa's strong commercial payment solutions and its global network, Nium's card issuance support and Fuiou's technical service capabilities, the three parties have joined hands to develop a safe and seamless payment tool for enterprise users in Greater China and Global.

Since the pandemic, small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) have continued to receive more attention and support from governments in many countries as their business have been heavily impacted. However, the complex demands that SMEs have on payments and business operations are hardly satisfied by large institutions.

Through this collaboration with Visa and Nium, Fuiou seeks to create global payment products and solutions for cross-border e-commerce, advertising, overseas education and cross-border travel, among other major payment categories, and offer the following services to different sectors across a wide range of payment scenarios:

Card customisation: users can tailor their payment cards based their needs, including the customisation of payment scenarios, regions, the period of time for actual usage, etc. The card allows users to handle funds online 24x7. Multi-format support: the card is compatible with all different operation platforms for both B2B and B2C users. Proven solutions are available for API connection, risk control rules, etc. Service support: as Visa's B2B partner and Nium's project manager, Fuiou focuses on its customers' experiences in payment and technology. Exclusive communication channels are provided to different customers to ensure their payment issues are addressed in a timely manner.

The world is getting more inter-connected under the influence of various factors, and this cooperation among the three parties is a great example of this. In addition to the booming cross-border e-commerce industry, as well as those enterprises along its upstream and downstream industrial chains, the three parties have also kept track of the recovery of the aviation and travel sectors and the demand of global enterprises in relation to payments for international purchases. With the bridge built by Visa, Nium and Fuiou, this brand-new business payment solution can expand the reach of B2B payments, narrow the gap between small enterprises and their suppliers, and make cross-border payment easier and more accessible.

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Maaike Steinebach, General Manager Visa, Hong Kong and Macau, said: "Halfway through the pandemic last year, only 4 in 10 small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong are selling online. Today more than 3 in 5 are engaged in eCommerce.[1] The ability to make and receive simple, fast and secure digital payments, and integrating that to overall business operation, is crucial. Visa is excited to partner with Fuiou and Nium to enable small businesses to bring such comprehensive B2B payment solutions to SMEs in Hong Kong region, Greater China and beyond."

Yiqun Zhang, Fuiou Payment President, said, "We want to thank Visa and Nium on co-developing this business solution. We really appreciate Visa's product innovations and unswerving support to Fuiou's internationalisation strategy. Thanks to that, we are able to offer more innovative products and services to SMEs and micro businesses. We are deeply impressed by Nium's efficient teamwork and all-function technical capabilities. As a third-party payment service provider in China, Fuiou is committed to better services to merchants, especially SMEs and micro businesses. We have been doubling our efforts on FinTech exports in recent years, hoping to export our capabilities to a greater extent. Cross-border payment and FinTech exports have undoubtedly enlarged the reach of our services. We wish to proceed with innovation and cooperation with Visa and Nium in more dimensions and in more countries and regions in the days to come."

Prajit Nanu, Co-founder and CEO of Nium, said: "This collaboration with Fuioupay and Visa is a great example of how three forward-thinking companies can come together to create seamless solutions that empower global businesses. This partnership heralds our commitment to continue innovating and finding new ways to provide businesses with unique and convenient payment solutions that help them scale."

[1] 2020 The Visa Back to business Study

About Fuiou Pay

Fuiou Payment is a technology-driven payment company with full licenses from China which provides technology, service and solution for global mobile payment. We actively develop overseas markets, contributing to provide localized payment solution for overseas partners. Fuiou Payment strictly controls security verification in every payment step and is in compliance with the highest industry security standards.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world's leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit www.visa.com.cn.

About Nium

Nium is a global B2B payments platform that enables companies around the world to unlock new revenue opportunities and improve cash flow economics. Nium is a leader in its geographical and payment service breadth, owning licenses in the world's largest and fastest-growing economies. Our modular platform allows banks, payment providers, travel companies, and other businesses to collect and disburse funds in local currencies to over 100 countries, plus issue physical and virtual cards globally. Our proprietary set of APIs embeds financial services and can bring to life multiple B2B and B2C use cases in a matter of weeks.

Nium is part of CB Insights Fintech 250, which highlights the most promising Fintech companies globally. Today, Nium serves over 130 million customers and enables platforms to provide access to financial services to over 3 billion people across the world. For more information, visit: http://www.Nium.com.

SOURCE Nium
NurPhoto

Two days before the Capitol riot, Doug Mastriano ended one of his frequent Facebook Live videos on an abrupt note. The Pennsylvania state senator had referenced his upcoming speech at a pro-Trump Stop the Steal conspiracist rally in D.C. on Jan. 6 but didnt want to discuss the event on his official government page.

Were gonna hop over on the other page, Doug Mastriano Fighting For Freedom, where we can talk freely, Mastriano told viewers, directing them to his personal Facebook account. So please follow me over to Doug Mastriano Fighting For Freedom, well continue the conversation off of this government page, and onto a page where we can speak freely about everything.

The video on his personal account has since been deleted, along with other posts related to Mastrianos activity on Jan. 6. But his social-media strategy, beginning with open courtship of the QAnon conspiracy theory, has long walked the line between elected official and far-right instigator. Via a network of near-identical Facebook pages, Mastriano has amassed a following that calls itself his army. And while some Mastriano fans are facing prison time for their alleged involvement in the Capitol riot, the state senator has continued to push election-fraud hoaxes, culminating this month in his demand for an audit of the 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania.

These Elected Republicans Joined the Protest That Became a Deadly Riot

Mastriano spent much of his career in the military, deploying three times to Afghanistan and reaching the rank of Army colonel before his retirement in 2017. Soon after that, he entered into a different form of battle: the world of the QAnon conspiracy theory and its self-described digital soldiers.

1233311951 Zach D Roberts

In February 2018, Mastriano announced his bid to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. Like many first-time candidates establishing an internet presence, Mastriano registered his Twitter account the same month as his announcement. Some of his first tweets were equally conventional: links to his campaign website, descriptions of his work in the military, photos of family.

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But months into his campaign, Mastriano began soliciting attention from more fringe figures. In May of that year, he tweeted at far-right internet personality Jack Posobeic, asking for an endorsement. That month, he also tweeted that the artist of a school mural should face 20 years in prison for that painting, which depicted an Aztec warrior beheading Donald Trump.

By that August, Mastrianos tweets regularly included eyebrow-raising hashtags.

#QAnon #MAGA #Trump2020 #PatriotsFight #TheGreatAwakening #Trump, Mastriano wrote in multiple early tweets. The identical order of the hashtags across the tweets suggests that Mastriano repeatedly copy-pasted the string of hashtags. A Media Matters report this month found that Mastriano tweeted the #QAnon hashtag more than 50 times. Included in Mastrianos hashtagged tweets were pictures of Donald Trump as an anime character, and a cartoon girl in a sailor uniform staring wistfully at a Trump sign.

The QAnon conspiracy theory falsely accuses Trumps enemies of a number of outrageous acts, including pedophilia and/or child cannibalism.

Mastriano lost his congressional bid but won a special election for a state Senate seat the following year. Billing him as a candidate for protecting families, Mastrianos campaign site advertised his belief that marriage is between a man and womanand that no amount of disinformation or political correctness will change these facts. (He also caught flak that year for multiple anti-Muslim posts, including one that claimed Islam wants to kill gay rights, Judaism, Christianity, and pacifism, and another that falsely accused Rep. Ilhan Omar of encouraging the attempted murder of a child in a mall.)

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country in spring 2020, Mastriano expanded his online audience with a recurring series of fireside chats on Facebook Live, during which he slammed health precautions. After one such video, in which Mastriano appeared to encourage listeners to quit churches that did not hold in-person services, a coalition of nearly 50 religious leaders in his district signed a letter complaining about his remarks.

By November 2020, when Mastriano joined legions of far-right conspiracists in falsely claiming that fraud had cost Trump a second term, the Pennsylvania lawmakers fans were beginning to take up a new name for themselves: Mastrianos Army.

Some of the hashtags earliest invocations came in attacks on Mastrianos foes. Supporters tweeted it alongside photoshopped images of President Joe Biden in jail, as well as at a Democratic Pennsylvania lawmaker who spoke out against Mastriano.

Not all of those fans were even Mastrianos constituents; one such attack on Biden, for instance, came from a Pennsylvanian who lists their location as outside Mastrianos district. But Mastriano encouraged that support across the state.

Beginning in September, Mastriano became an administrator for nearly 40 county-level Facebook pages dedicated to him. The pages, discovered by Erin Gallagher, a researcher of disinformation at Harvard Universitys Shorenstein Center, include groups like Philadelphia County For Doug Mastriano, despite Mastriano not representing that area of the state.

Gallagher also found Mastriano to be an administrator in the Facebook groups Senator Doug Mastriano, We the people ask you to run for governor! and Draft Senator Douglas Mastriano for Governor of Pennsylvania. The first group currently has more than 16,000 members.

Mastrianos activity was not limited to the online sphere.

The #MastrianosArmy hashtag is full of pictures of Mastriano with fans at pro-Trump, post-election events, including one in which he poses with a woman in a shirt with a QAnon slogan. By last December, as the myth that the election was stolen germinated, those pictures were increasingly geotagged in Washington, D.C., where Mastriano fans marched at pro-Trump events while holding signs with Mastriano slogans like walk as free people. In a harbinger of the election obstruction to come, at least one group photo of Mastrianos Army at a D.C. rally in December was hashtagged #DoNotCertify.

Mastriano was a scheduled speaker at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the Capitol attack. In a video blitz two days before the rally, he promoted it in the now-deleted Facebook Live video, as well as in an appearance on a far-right radio show during which he described Republicans as in this deathmatch with the Democrat Party. He was also responsible for transporting some of the events attendees into the citysix days before the riot, Mastriano used $3,354 in campaign funds to reserve buses to D.C., according to campaign finance documents reviewed by Philadelphias WHYY.

Mastriano speaks at a protest against an extended stay-at-home order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 20, 2020. REUTERS/Rachel Wisniewski

Sandra Weyer, a Pennsylvania woman, was charged last month for allegedly breaking into the Capitol and encouraging a mace attack on a New York Times journalist. Truth be known about storming the capitol . . . we were sick and tired of DITHERING!!! Weyer tweeted about the event.

Dithering is a Mastriano catchphrase, as his colleagues noted positively before the riot. As photos hashtagged #MastrianosArmy in a pro-Mastriano Facebook group reveal, some of his fans have even made We Dont Dither T-shirts. A New Yorker report previously suggested that Weyer rode on one of Mastrianos buses, although Mastriano denies that. Weyer was previously pictured at a D.C. rally in December, where she held a Mastriano sign alongside a group of his fans.

Mastriano disavowed Weyer in an email to The Daily Beast, and generally rejected the idea that the crowd that has followed his social-media organizing trail was his responsibility. Regarding your photo, it is a dangerous and nonsensical precedent to imply that a public figure is responsible for all of the actions of their supporters, he wrote. (Mastriano did not respond to other questions for this story.)

Another alleged Capitol rioter, Samuel Lazar, has repeatedly been photographed alongside Mastriano, including at a Mastriano event in May, as HuffPost reported. Mastriano told the outlet he did not know Lazar, and that he condemned the mans actions. Lazar, who appeared on video boasting about macing Capitol police, has not been charged with a crime, though his photo has appeared on FBI wanted lists.

Other alleged Capitol stormers overlapped with Mastrianos circles. During the rally, the state senator posed for a photo with former Pennsylvania lawmaker Rick Saccone, who later posted on Facebook, We are storming the capitol. Our vanguard has broken through the barricades. We will save this nation. Are u with me? Saccone has not been charged with a crime. Rachel Powell, a Pennsylvania woman who is facing charges for allegedly smashing a Capitol window, traveled alone to the Capitol. Earlier that summer, however, she attended the same far-right July 4 event as Mastriano, when both showed up to Gettysburg National Military Park in response to a hoax about leftists burning flags there.

Mastriano, for his part, claims to have left the Capitol area before Jan. 6 turned to violence, even as footage from that day appears to show him in a crowd as the front of that group began to breach Capitol barriers. In a statement to HuffPost, Mastriano claimed to have respected police lines.

Despite calls for Mastrianos resignation, or an investigation into his involvement with the Capitol riot, Pennsylvanias Senate has not taken action against the lawmaker. Instead, Brian Sims, a state representative who has called for an investigation into Mastriano, has faced threats from members of Mastrianos army. In one of Mastrianos Facebook Live videos, a commenter noted that Brian Sims has been rubbing me the wrong way for a few yrs. Maybe Ill pay him a visit.

Ex-Cop Charged in Riot Joined Proud Boys While on Force

Sims, in turn, accused Mastriano of attempting to get him killed.

Since the riot, Mastriano has joined the bandwagon of Trump supporters calling for audits of the 2020 election. The only such actual audit is a chaotic, ongoing affair in Arizona, staffed by conspiracy theorists and uncredentialed vote-counters. They have racked up millions in public funds while searching for bamboo fibers in ballots, based on a conspiracy theory about fake ballots being shipped from Asia.

In June, Mastriano took a trip to the site of the Arizona audit, which is being run by a Florida-based company whose CEO previously promoted election-fraud hoaxes. While the Arizona audit was ongoing, that CEO also participated in a documentary alleging voter fraud.

Nevertheless, in a blog post, Mastriano wrote that he was more than impressed with what I saw on the ground in Phoenix. He has not disclosed the funding of his trip, which he described in a Facebook Live video as a justifiable business expense that did not involve taxpayer dollars.

Mastriano, who has previously promoted a Telegram channel for a fringe group demanding a Pennsylvania audit, set out his own demand for an Arizona-style recount on July 7, and the Washington Post reported last month that he met with Donald Trump about the idea.

In an interview, Pennsylvanias Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman dismissed the demand as a publicity stunt for what he suspects are Mastrianos gubernatorial ambitions.

Its burnishing his own political credentialing to run for governor, Fetterman told The Daily Beast. Thats all this is. No one thinks it [the audit] is going anywhere. This is all just bad performance art.

Mastriano asked three counties to turn over their voting machines. Two of the counties, (Tioga and York), have already declined, with their Republican commissioners stating that they could not compromise voting equipment by turning them over to a third party. Mastriano has threatened to subpoena the counties, an avenue that Fetterman recently characterized as unlikely to succeed, though some Republicans in the legislature have signaled potential support.

This is just theatrics in an attempt to secure a Trump endorsement, which is obviously highly coveted in any Republican primary, Fetterman said. If you want to talk about whats really insidious in Pennsylvania, its the blatant attempts to impose mandatory voter ID through a ballot initiative, which is straight-up voter suppression.

Fetterman suggested Mastriano was tailoring his statements to a Trumpist audience. It was a recalibration previously evident in Mastrianos changing tone on Twitter.

During those early days, when Mastriano was still searching for his audience, he tweeted a meme that falsely attributed a quote to Hillary Clinton. Anybody not willing to accept the results of an election is a danger to democracy, the quote read.

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Well well well, Mastriano tweeted. I actually agree with Hillary.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Innocean SVP, Christine Smith, will lead the marketing department as its new director

Kristina Covello-Garcia moves from senior manager of network development at Genesis Canada to national manager of marketing communications for Hyundai Canada

Hyundai Canada establishes new department, Digital Business Development, increasing its focus on the online customer journey

MARKHAM, ON, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. announced today, changes to its marketing department. Effective July 12th, Kristina Covello-Garcia is national manager, of marketing communications, and Christine Smith is director of marketing, replacing Lawrence Hamilton who was promoted to executive director of Genesis Canada in May.

Smith comes from Hyundai Canada's marketing agency of record, Innocean, where she led the Hyundai account for the past four years, most recently as senior vice president, client business. Smith brings nearly 30 years of marketing experience comprised of progressive agency roles in the automotive and consumer packaged goods sectors. In 2009, Smith re-located to New York where she led the Gillette account at BBDO/Proximity, as well as established and led the Campbell Soup account before she returned to Canada in 2017 and was hired as vice president at Innocean, overseeing the Hyundai and Genesis accounts. In her new role, Smith will report to Don Romano, president and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada.

Christine Smith, director of marketing (CNW Group/Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.)

"As someone who values the fast-pace of the agency environment, but has been consistently curious about working client-side, the perfect opportunity to flourish in both scenarios arose through my new role at Hyundai Canada," says Smith. "It's easy to become deeply invested in Hyundai, the brand and the company are always on the move, progressing quickly in terms of lineup diversification and technology, and the focus on the customer journey is stronger than ever. After three years of providing support and direction agency-side, I'm thrilled to join Hyundai Canada client-side, and am very proud to lead the talented and dedicated marketing team I've had the pleasure of working on a number of award-winning campaigns with."

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Also new to the Hyundai Canada marketing team is Kristina Covello-Garcia, who is the national Manager of marketing communications as of July 12th, reporting to Christine Smith. Covello-Garcia has worked in the automotive industry for over 16 years, starting with manufacturing experience as an assembler at Ford Motor Company of Canada to field management with General Motors of Canada. Covello-Garcia joined Hyundai Auto Canada in 2010, working in well-rounded roles of increasing responsibility in sales, service and parts, Genesis operations, and network development.

Kristina Covello-Garcia, national manager of marketing communications (CNW Group/Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.)

"Brands growing as quickly as Hyundai require a fully invested team with a strong focus on customer experience. Having worked in almost every area of the business, I have a deep understanding of the brand and the importance of successfully communicating our vision to consumers. I look forward to applying my industry expertise into marketing and joining a highly successful, innovative team that shares my enthusiasm," says Covello-Garcia.

"The changes announced today represent the commitment and talent of both Christine and Kristina, as well as the natural ebb and flow of a company fostering growth of its employees, creating a ripple effect of organizational opportunity and transformation," says Don Romano, president and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada. "Both Christine and Kristina have impressive career trajectories and leave new benchmarks for success in their respective previous areas of work. The Hyundai brand is at the zenith of total brand evolution through our leadership in mainstream EVs, new performance models on the horizon, a vehicle generating an entirely new segment, and enhancing the online customer journey. In this time of rapid growth, we will benefit tremendously from Christine and Kristina's fresh perspectives, as well as their proven expertise in successfully providing an engaging, class-above customer experience."

Additionally, Hyundai announced the inception of a new department, digital business development which will be led by Adam Mintz, who takes the new role of senior manager, digital business development reporting to Steve Flamand, director, product & corporate strategy. Mintz has been with Hyundai Canada for over five years and has nearly two decades on digital marketing experience. Replacing Mintz as manager, digital platforms is Siobhan McLaren-Hall, who has worked on Hyundai's digital marketing business since January 2018.

About Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Hyundai Auto Canada, established in 1983 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout Canada by Hyundai Auto Canada and are sold and serviced through more than 222 dealerships nationwide. Hyundai is also the first to offer a second-generation zero-emissions Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle to Canadian customers, called the NEXO. More information about Hyundai and its vehicles can be found at www.HyundaiCanada.com.

For more information about Hyundai and its products, please visit www.hyundainews.ca or contact:

Jenn McCarthy, National Manager, Public Relations, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Phone (416)770-0842, email: jmccarthy@hyundaicanada.com

Mohga Hassib, Public Relations Coordinator, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Office: (905) 948-6882, Email: mhassib@hyundaicanada.com

Hyundai Logo (CNW Group/Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.)

SOURCE Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2021 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. ('FTA' or 'the Company') (NYSE:YMM) for violations of the federal securities laws.

Investors who purchased the Company's shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's initial public offering conducted in June 2021 (the 'IPO'), are encouraged to contact the firm before September 10, 2021.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com.

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. FTA's apps, Yunmanman and Huochebang, were about to be subjected to a cybersecurity review by the Chinese government. The Chinese government required the Company to suspend new user registration. The Company was directed to complete a 'comprehensive self-examination of any cybersecurity risks,' and 'continue to improve its cybersecurity systems and technology capabilities.' Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about FTA, investors suffered damages.

Join the case to recover your losses.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

Story continues

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm

Brian Schall, Esq.,

www.schallfirm.com

Office: 310-301-3335

info@schallfirm.com

SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/656006/INVESTOR-ACTION-ALERT-The-Schall-Law-Firm-Announces-the-Filing-of-a-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Against-Full-Truck-Alliance-Co-Ltd-and-Encourages-Investors-with-Losses-in-Excess-of-100000-to-Contact-the-Firm




By Claudia Cristoferi and Silvia Aloisi

MILAN (Reuters) -Italian luxury group Ermenegildo Zegna will list in New York by combining with a U.S. investment vehicle, giving the menswear company an enterprise value of $3.2 billion and helping it expand in Asia and the United States.

The move is the latest example of an Italian family-owned fashion business luring outside investors to fund expansion, boost marketing spending and compete with bigger players, after the industry was hit hard by the coronavirus crisis.

"We could have remained private for another 100 years, but the timing was perfect and the world of luxury has become very challenging," Chief Executive Gildo Zegna, 65, told reporters.

Zegna, founded as a textile company in 1910 and now a leader in luxury menswear, will raise $880 million by combining with the U.S. special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) launched by European private equity group Investindustrial and led by Sergio Ermotti, former chief executive at Swiss bank UBS.

Under the deal, the Zegna family will sell a portion of their holdings and retain 62% of the combined company, which is being given an equity value of $2.5 billion.

The cash raised will help Zegna expand in China, which accounted for 35% of the group's 1.3 billion sales in 2019, and the United States. It will also help buy other brands, after its $500 million purchase of U.S. luxury label Thom Browne in 2018.

Gildo Zegna, whose "from sheep to shop" business includes much of its supply chain, said he had no intention of building a luxury conglomerate and would only acquire niche labels. He also said the group would stick to menswear.

"We have a clear strategy based on organic growth," he said.

'HEALTHY DIET'

The pandemic, which forced retailers to temporarily shut shops and froze international travel, hit smaller luxury brands harder than big groups like LVMH and Kering.

That has led some family owners to open up their companies to attract fresh funds. Etro, another Italian family-owned label, reached a deal on Sunday with LVMH-backed fund L Catterton to sell a majority stake.

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Giorgio Armani, 87, said this spring he could consider joining forces with another Italian company. Reuters reported on Friday that John Elkann, scion of Italy's Agnelli family, has been exploring a possible tie-up.

Zegna said the pandemic had forced his business to undergo a "healthy diet", slashing operating expenses by 20% and cutting investments. He said he hoped sales in 2021 would come close to their 2019 levels after dropping by about 20% last year.

The group will merge with Investindustrial Acquisition Corp in a deal that will give Investindustrial an 11% stake in the Italian brand. The listing is expected this year and Ermotti and Investindustrial chief Andrea Bonomi, who will both join Zegna's board, said they had a long-term investment plan.

(Additional reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by David Goodman and Edmund Blair)
Latest funding will help scale Julia Computing's production of Julia solutions and new product development for pharmaceuticals, energy, finance, and other sectors.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Julia Computing , founded by the creators of the Julia high-performance programming language, today announced the completion of a $24M Series A fundraising round led by Dorilton Ventures, with participation from Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, and HighSage Ventures. Also announced today, Bob Muglia, former Snowflake CEO and former Microsoft President of Servers and Tools, will join the Julia Computing Board of Directors.

Julia Computing Raises $24M in Series A, Former Snowflake CEO Bob Muglia Joins Board

Julia Computing will use the funding to further develop and advance its secure end-to-end JuliaHub cloud platform.

Julia Computing will use the funding to further develop and advance its secure, high-performance JuliaHub cloud platform and to grow the Julia ecosystem. JuliaHub makes it easy to develop, deploy and scale Julia programs and models that data scientists and engineers are adopting at an increasingly rapid pace. In addition to being a cloud computing product in its own right, JuliaHub is a platform for other revolutionary applications, such as JuliaSim for multi-physics simulation, JuliaSPICE for circuit simulation, and Pumas for pharmaceutical simulation product from Julia Computing's partner company, Pumas-AI.

Julia Computing was founded by the creators of Julia the fastest and easiest high-performance computing language for artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, data science, modeling, and simulation. Julia is used by more than 10,000 companies worldwide, including AstraZeneca, BlackRock, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Moderna, Pfizer, as well as NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

"The wonders of today's world are created using digital models. The circuits within our smartphones, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, and aeronautics are all examples of advanced technologies built using digital modeling. Although these advancements have been amazing, the tools and systems that support these efforts are decades-old and cannot take full advantage of the cloud," said Bob Muglia, member of the Julia Computing Board of Directors. "The Julia Computing team has rocked this world by building JuliaHub , a modern platform for technical and scientific modeling. JuliaHub is poised to advance scientific computing and enable solutions that will deliver new generations of products and services that we cannot even imagine today."

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Originally developed at MIT, the Julia programming language has been downloaded more than 29 million times by users worldwide, including thousands of open source developers who have contributed to Julia and its 6,000 registered packages. Over 1,500 universities worldwide are using and teaching Julia, including world class institutions such as MIT, Stanford, and UC Berkeley.

The community has seen exponential growth since Julia was introduced to the public in 2012 . Julia helps scientists and engineers tackle large-scale data science problems, and solves the "two-language problem" by eliminating the two-step process of testing, modeling, and prototyping in a high-level language (such as Python, Matlab, or R), and then rewriting in a second, faster lower-level language (such as C or C++) for production and scaling. JuliaCon , an annual gathering for the Julia community, takes place July 28-30, and is online and free for everyone this year.

"Technical computing is stuck in a rut today," said Viral Shah, co-founder and CEO of Julia Computing and co-creator of Julia. "Data scientists and engineers are using products that were designed many decades ago. JuliaHub makes it possible to design new drugs and therapies, develop new batteries, simulate a space mission, and map out the universe, all while using fewer computing resources and reducing data center emissions. We truly are defining the future of data science and simulation, and it is thrilling to help drive these exciting innovations. Reinforced by our latest funding, we look forward to scaling our team and bringing Julia's superpowers to more industries and applications."

Daniel Freeman, who led the Dorilton Ventures investment, explains, "We are excited to lead this important round and partner with Julia Computing. Julia Computing is at the very centre of technical computing, a substantial global market with significant barriers to entry. Julia's machine learning and AI technologies make it possible to simulate rather than approximate, changing the economics of computational analysis and scientific discoveries. This is a truly transformative business with high potential for success."

Tim Tully, partner at Menlo Ventures concurs, "Investing in companies building best-in-class cloud technology is our strategic focus, and we feel that the opportunity to support the fantastic team and products from Julia Computing is a natural fit for our portfolio. We see several startups building their businesses using Julia, not just in the scientific computing community, but also more broadly across a wide range of enterprises and industries. We look forward to great things from the Julia Computing team and we are excited to be involved in their future successes."

For more information about Julia Computing, please visit www.juliacomputing.com .

Julia Computing is currently hiring. Please visit https://juliacomputing.com/jobs/ for more information and to apply.

About Julia Computing

Julia Computing was founded in 2015 by all the creators of the Julia programming language. The company provides scalable enterprise computing solutions through its JuliaHub platform. A recent focus area of the company has been the creation of a suite of modern ML-enhanced modeling and simulation tools, such as the Pumas framework for pharmaceutical simulation, JuliaSim for multi-physics simulation, and JuliaSPICE for circuit simulation. Julia solves the two language problem by providing high performance and ease of use in a single language. Julia is used by over 10,000 companies and over 1,500 universities. Julia's creators won the prestigious James H. Wilkinson Prize for Numerical Software and the Sidney Fernbach Award.

About Dorilton Ventures

Dorilton Ventures leads significant minority investments in early- to mid-stage technology companies focused on data-centric segments such as IT infrastructure, data science, and cyber security.

Contact:

press@juliacomputing.com

Bob Muglia, former Snowflake CEO and former Microsoft President of Servers and Tools, will join Julia Computings Board of Directors.

"Technical computing is stuck in a rut today. Reinforced by our latest funding, we look forward to scaling our team and bringing Julia's superpowers to more industries and applications, says Viral Shah, co-founder and CEO of Julia Computing.

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SOURCE Julia Computing
- Korean digital content companies showed off various companies promotion content and received positive feedback from the participants

- CTA supported Korean companies with a special hall for Korea and non-contact export consultation

- Non-contact export consultation recorded 156 cases with 20 Korean companies and 37 overseas companies

SINGAPORE, July 19, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Singapore ICT exhibition, CommunicAsia 2021-ConnecTechAsia (hosted by IMDA & Informa Tech/sponsored by Informa Tech) that drew attention with the participation of digital content companies of Korea, the worlds well-known 'digital powerhouse,' ended with a big success.

Korean companies participation in CTA online exhibition from July 14 to 16 was to promote the Korean companies' entry into ASEAN countries by the close support of MOIBA, introducing various content based on excellent technology and bringing a strong interest.

CTA is the largest ICT event with Asian Digital Content-related agencies, companies, and VCs, and according to the business agreement with IMDA in Singapore, it was held under the name of 'Asia Tech x Singapore 2021 (AT x SG)' this year. About 329 global companies and over 8,200 attendees participated.

The host was very supportive of Korean companies participating in this online exhibition by Opening of Korea Pavilion-MOIBA special hall on the website; Introducing participant companies products through demo session; Holding AI Summit and webinar session to provide panel discussion and presentation to interchange and share insight for information such as Industry 4.0, 5G technology, IoT, Quantum, etc.; Biz-matching through non-contact export consultation and recruiting buyer in the exhibition; IR pitching session (Elevating Founders) based on 6 topics such as Health Tech, Climate/Agri Tech, Future of Work, Ed Tech, Fintech, Smart Cities, etc.

In particular, 20 Korean companies and 37 overseas global companies participated in the non-contact export consultation performed as a prior program for 5 days from July 5 (Mon.) to 9 (Fri.), conducting 156 consultation cases in total.

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An official of this event said, "The participation of Korean digital content companies getting its spotlight in its industry has brought success to this event. We expect strengthened interaction with the Korean digital content companies through this exhibition."

For more details related to CTA, visit its official website (https://www.connectechasia.com).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005002/en/

Contacts

Korea Mobile Internet Business Association (MOIBA)

Aaron Im

+82-70-8765-8321

ish@moiba.or.kr
William C. "Beau" Brashares advises fund sponsors in the formation and management of private investment funds.

NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that William C. "Beau" Brashares has joined the firm's New York office as a partner in the Corporate Department and member of the Investment Funds and Private Equity Practices. Brashares represents fund sponsors in the formation and management of private investment funds, including buyout, mezzanine, venture, senior debt, industry-specific, and funds-of-funds, as well as the structuring, operation, and regulatory compliance of their management companies.

William C. "Beau" Brashares, Partner, Latham & Watkins

"Beau's deep experience in a wide range of representations, including various fund platforms, stages of development, and asset classes, is a perfect fit for our market-leading Investment Funds Practice," said Andrea Schwartzman, Global Chair of Latham's Investment Funds Practice. "He has tremendous technical skills and is known for his collegiality and team-based approach. We are thrilled to welcome Beau to Latham and to our group."

Brashares also works with both sponsors and limited partners on seed investments, spin-off transactions, co-investments, secondary transactions, and the purchase and sale of minority interests in management companies. In addition, he routinely advises sponsors on critical firm-level issues including succession planning, carry plan structuring, and governance matters.

"Continuing to expand our Investment Funds Practice both in the US and globally is a strategic priority of the firm, and we are delighted to welcome Beau to the group," said Charles Ruck, Global Chair of Latham's Corporate Department. "Furthermore, the market for funds representation is ripe for growth, and Latham remains committed to growing in line with our clients' needs."

Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins' New York office, added, "Beau is a highly respected funds lawyer with a well-established practice and an outstanding reputation in the market. He is a tremendous addition to our distinguished Investment Funds and Private Equity Practices in New York that serve a diverse client base on their most sophisticated transactions."

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"Latham's top-tier Investment Funds Practice is one of the most active and diverse practices of its kind globally, and I am excited to be joining the group," said Brashares. "The combination of the firm's integrated global platform, deep roots in private equity, and collaborative culture will be of tremendous benefit to my clients."

Brashares joins Latham from Kirkland & Ellis in New York. He received his JD from Harvard Law School.





About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Contacts

Andrea Schwartzman, Global Chair, Investment Funds Practice, +1.212.906.2952

Charles Ruck, Global Chair, Corporate Department, +1.212.418.7625

Marc Jaffe, New York Office Managing Partner, +1.212.906.1281

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SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP
JERUSALEM, July 19 (Reuters) - A liberal party in Israel's governing coalition said on Monday it would ask the Defence Ministry about exports of Israeli spyware that media reports have linked to hacking of phones of journalists, civil servants and rights activists worldwide.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, head of the Meretz party, told reporters he would meet Defence Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday to discuss the exports by NSO Group, which are licensed by the Defence Ministry. (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Maayan Lubell)
VANCOUVER, BC, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Merchant Growth, together with its funding vehicle, the Merchant Opportunities Fund, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the portfolio and business assets of Victoria, BC based, Company Capital Inc.

Merchant Growth, together with its funding vehicle, the Merchant Opportunities Fund, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the portfolio and business assets of Victoria, BC based, Company Capital Inc. (CNW Group/Merchant Growth)

Company Capital Inc. has been supporting small businesses across Canada for their working capital needs since their inception in 2011. They share the Merchant Growth philosophy of open disclosure and a strong customer relationship management ethos.

David Gens, Founder, President & CEO of Merchant Growth notes: "We look forward to welcoming each and every Company Capital customer to Merchant Growth, and we commit to serving our new customers for a long time". Founder of Company Capital, Steve Clark goes on to say "We believe our customers will be well looked after by the Merchant Growth team".



About Merchant Growth

Merchant Growth is a leading Canadian financial technology company that specializes in small business financing. Over the past decade, Merchant Growth has supported Canadian businesses with hundreds of millions of dollars in growth financing. Using an innovative approach that includes the latest technology, complete transparency and thoughtful customer care, Merchant Growth is committed to helping make business financing easy to understand and accessible. To learn more, visit: www.merchantgrowth.com.

SOURCE Merchant Growth

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A provided photo shows flames and smoke from the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, July 14, 2021. (John Hendricks/Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal via The New York Times)

Some of Europes richest countries lay in disarray this weekend as raging rivers burst through their banks in Germany and Belgium, submerging towns, slamming parked cars against trees and leaving Europeans shellshocked at the intensity of the destruction.

Only days before in the northwestern United States, a region famed for its cool, foggy weather, hundreds had died of heat. In Canada, wildfire had burned a village off the map. Moscow reeled from record temperatures. And this weekend the northern Rocky Mountains were bracing for yet another heat wave as wildfires spread across 12 states in the American West.

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The extreme weather disasters across Europe and North America have driven home two essential facts of science and history: The world as a whole is neither prepared to slow down climate change nor live with it. The weeks events have now ravaged some of the worlds wealthiest nations, whose affluence has been enabled by more than a century of burning coal, oil and gas  activities that pumped the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that are warming the world.

I say this as a German: The idea that you could possibly die from weather is completely alien, said Friederike Otto, a physicist at Oxford University who studies the links between extreme weather and climate change. Theres not even a realization that adaptation is something we have to do right now. We have to save peoples lives.

The floods in Europe have killed at least 165 people, most of them in Germany, Europes most powerful economy. Across Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, hundreds have been reported as missing, which suggests the death toll could rise. Questions are now being raised about whether authorities adequately warned the public about risks.

The bigger question is whether the mounting disasters in the developed world will have a bearing on what the worlds most influential countries and companies will do to reduce their own emissions of planet-warming gases. They come a few months before United Nations-led climate negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, effectively a moment of reckoning for whether the nations of the world will be able to agree on ways to rein in emissions enough to avert the worst effects of climate change.

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Disasters magnified by global warming have left a long trail of death and loss across much of the developing world, after all, wiping out crops in Bangladesh, leveling villages in Honduras and threatening the very existence of small island nations. Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in the run-up to climate talks in 2013, which prompted developing-country representatives to press for funding to deal with loss and damage they face over time for climate-induced disasters that they were not responsible for. That was rejected by richer countries, including the United States and Europe.

Extreme weather events in developing countries often cause great death and destruction  but these are seen as our responsibility, not something made worse by more than a hundred years of greenhouse gases emitted by industrialized countries, said Ulka Kelkar, climate director at the India office of the World Resources Institute. These intensifying disasters now striking richer countries, she said, show that developing countries seeking the worlds help to fight climate change have not been crying wolf.

Indeed, even since the 2015 Paris Agreement was negotiated, with the goal of averting the worst effects of climate change, global emissions have kept increasing. China is the worlds biggest emitter today. Emissions have been steadily declining in both the United States and Europe, but not at the pace required to limit global temperature rise.

A reminder of the shared costs came from Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives, an island nation at acute risk from sea level rise.

While not all are affected equally, this tragic event is a reminder that, in the climate emergency, no one is safe, whether they live on a small island nation like mine or a developed Western European state, Nasheed said in a statement on behalf of a group of countries that call themselves the Climate Vulnerable Forum.

The ferocity of these disasters is as notable as their timing, coming before the global talks in Glasgow to try to reach agreement on fighting climate change. The world has a poor track record on cooperation so far, and this month new diplomatic tensions emerged.

Among major economies, the European Commission last week introduced the most ambitious road map for change. It proposed laws to ban the sale of gas and diesel cars by 2035, require most industries to pay for the emissions they produce and, most significantly, impose a tax on imports from countries with less stringent climate policies.

But those proposals are widely expected to meet vigorous objections both from within Europe and from other countries whose businesses could be threatened by the proposed carbon border tax, potentially further complicating the prospects for global cooperation in Glasgow.

The events of this summer come after decades of neglect of science. Climate models have warned of the ruinous impact of rising temperatures. An exhaustive scientific assessment in 2018 warned that a failure to keep the average global temperature from rising past 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to the start of the industrial age, could usher in catastrophic results, from the inundation of coastal cities to crop failures in various parts of the world.

The report offered world leaders a practical, albeit narrow path out of chaos. It required the world as a whole to halve emissions by 2030. Since then, however, global emissions have continued rising, so much so that global average temperature has increased by more than 1 degree Celsius (about 2 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880, narrowing the path to keep the increase below the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold.

As the average temperature has risen, it has heightened the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in general. In recent years, scientific advances have pinpointed the degree to which climate change is responsible for specific events.

For instance, Otto and a team of international researchers concluded that the extraordinary heat wave in the northwestern United States in late June would almost certainly not have occurred without global warming.

And even though it will take extensive scientific analysis to link climate change to last weeks cataclysmic floods in Europe, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and is already causing heavier rainfall in many storms around the world. There is little doubt that extreme weather events will continue to be more frequent and more intense as a consequence of global warming. A paper published Friday projected a significant increase in slow-moving but intense rainstorms across Europe by the end of this century because of climate change.

Weve got to adapt to the change weve already baked into the system and also avoid further change by reducing our emissions, by reducing our influence on the climate, said Richard Betts, a climate scientist at the Met Office in Britain and a professor at the University of Exeter.

That message clearly has not sunk in among policymakers and perhaps the public as well, particularly in the developed world, which has maintained a sense of invulnerability.

The result is a lack of preparation, even in countries with resources. In the United States, flooding has killed more than 1,000 people since 2010 alone, according to federal data. In the Southwest, heat deaths have spiked in recent years.

Sometimes that is because governments have scrambled to respond to disasters they have not experienced before, like the heat wave in Western Canada last month, according to Jean Slick, head of the disaster and emergency management program at Royal Roads University in British Columbia. You can have a plan, but you dont know that it will work, Slick said.

Other times, it is because there are not political incentives to spend money on adaptation.

By the time they build new flood infrastructure in their community, theyre probably not going to be in office anymore, said Samantha Montano, a professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. But they are going to have to justify millions, billions of dollars being spent.

 2021 The New York Times Company
Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- China offered millions of barrels of oil from its strategic state reserves this month in an unprecedented move to try and quell inflation brought on by rising costs of everything from food to fuel.The country will supply about 3 million tons -- or 22 million barrels -- to major refineries, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified as the information is sensitive. The decision is the latest in a slew of measures by the worlds second-largest e
Continued commitment to American market demonstrates long term vision of European Group.

LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosti Group, the European headquartered technology led plastic moulding company and contract manufacturer, has announced that two key management positions have been filled in the United States of America. The appointments of a regional technical director and regional sales director are part of a long term strategy to expand the service offering to North American clients, and follow the announcement of a commitment to opening a Digital Innovation Lab in Boston.

Rosti Logo

Pat Williams, Senior Vice President Asia at Rosti Group said, "I am delighted to have Ron Maddocks and Steve Dei Rossi on board to enable Rosti to serve our existing and growing client base in North America even more effectively."

Ron Maddocks has joined as Regional Technical Director, having previously been a client of Rosti and working in the industry since 1995 within engineering and plastics companies. Maddocks commented, "We will provide a US-based portal to the rest of Rosti's global manufacturing sites to provide 24/7 development capability. I'm excited to be a key member of the growing team at Rosti here in the United States."

Steve Dei Rossi has joined as Regional Sales Director, with over 12 years in industrial client management and business development, having previously served as a military police officer in the US Navy. He said, "Our early stage development is to build the Rosti Group's reputation in America to be as popular, trusted and respected as it is in the United Kingdom, Europe, China and South East Asia. Rosti has established a beachhead now in America, and I look forward to playing my part to serve our growing client base to help them access our worldwide capabilities."

Rosti is a global technology led plastic injection moulding company and contract manufacturer to some of the world's leading manufacturers in the packaging, consumer appliances, business machines and medical sectors. Founded in 1944 with headquarters in Malmo, Sweden, the Group has 3,200 existing employees across 8 production facilities in Europe and Asia, with the operations in Malaysia recently awarded Platinum by the America based Responsible Business Alliance. The investment being made by the establishment of a senior team based in America, under the management of the Asia based leadership, demonstrates the long term vision of the Group to serve clients worldwide with a 72 hour turnaround.

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About Rosti Group

Founded in 1944 with headquarters in Malmo, Sweden, the Group has 3,200 existing employees across 8 facilities in Europe and Asia and specialises is plastic moulding and outsourcing. Rosti is owned by the family controlled investment company Nordstjernan. Please visit: http://www.rosti.com

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SOURCE Rosti Group
MOSCOW, June 20 (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, was in an optimistic mood ahead of his return to Washington on Sunday, expecting meetings scheduled with U.S. colleagues next week to be constructive, the RIA news agency reported.

President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden agreed to return their respective ambassadors to Washington and Moscow during talks in Geneva on Wednesday, a first summit between the two that they both described as pragmatic rather than friendly.

Moscow recalled Antonov for consultations after Biden said in March that he believed Putin was "a killer". The U.S. ambassador later returned to Washington for consultations too.

"There is a lot of work to be done. We are counting on progress," RIA cited Antonov as saying before he boarded a flight to the United States.

Antonov said he was returning with an optimistic mindset and that meetings would begin on Monday and continue throughout the week.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow, editing by Louise Heavens)
Vow ASA has through its subsidiary Scanship AS been awarded 10 contracts for its clean ship systems for up to 10 cruise ships, where 4 contracts are firm orders at a total value of Euro 8.880.000 and 6 contracts are optional contracts at a total value of Euro13.320.000.



Each contract includes the supply of state-of-the-art technology to process garbage, food waste and wastewater onboard cruise ships carrying 1500 people aboard. Scanship has previously delivered and are currently delivering equal systems to 10 cruise ships built by the same yard for the same shipowner on a newbuild program commenced in 2012. The new orders are an extension of this program, where the first equipment delivery for the 11th ship will be in 1Q 2023.

We are very pleased to continue to supply our technology towards one of the largest newbuild programs in the cruise industry. We are also extremely proud, as it confirms our long-time capability to deliver advanced technology at large industry scale, in line with quality standards and delivery schedule required by shipyard, and according to shipowner need of being compliant with highest effluent standards at sea., says Vow ASA CEO Henrik Badin in a statement.

Shipyard and shipowner will be disclosed at later stage.





For further inquiries:

Henrik Badin, CEO

Vow ASA

Tel: +47 90 78 98 25

Email: henrik.badin@vowasa.com





About Vow ASA

In Vow and our subsidiaries Scanship and Etia we are passionate about preventing pollution. Our world leading solutions convert biomass and waste into valuable resources and generate clean energy for a wide range of industries.

Cruise ships on every ocean have Vow technology inside which processes waste and purifies wastewater. Fish farmers are adopting similar solutions, and public utilities and industries use our solutions for sludge processing, waste management and biogas production on land.

Our ambitions go further than this. With our advanced technologies and solutions, we turn waste into biogenetic fuels to help decarbonize industry and convert plastic waste into fuel, clean energy and high-value pyro carbon.

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Our solutions are scalable, standardized, patented and thoroughly documented, and our capability to deliver is well proven. They are key to end waste and stop pollution.

Located in Oslo, the parent company Vow ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker VOW from 13 January 2020). The Vow group has 120 employees in Norway, France, Poland and the US.





This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.




The Biden administration isn't hesitating to blame China for a string of Microsoft Exchange cyberattacks. The White House has declared "with a high degree of confidence" that hackers linked to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) were responsible for a digital espionage campaign using the Exchange vulnerabilities. Officials have confronted senior Chinese leadership with this and "broader" hostile online activity, the White House said.

The US further accused China of running an intelligence operation that relied on "contract hackers" who frequently launched attacks meant solely for profit, such as ransomware schemes and crypto jacking. The Chinese government's reported unwillingness to tackle these abuses is believed to hurt businesses, governments and infrastructure with "billions of dollars" in damage, the White House said.

Accordingly, the Justice Department has revealed indictments of four MSS-affiliated Chinese men for allegedly conducting an extended hacking campaign meant to steal intellectual property and trade secrets, including health research. The initiative, which ran between 2011 and 2018, reportedly saw Ding Xiaoyang, Cheng Qingmin, Zhu Yunmin and Wu Shurong compromise comptuers worldwide to grab information ranging from autonomous vehicle technology and chemical formulas through to research on Ebola, AIDS and other diseases.

Biden's administration has already taken multiple actions in response to attacks, including "proactive network defense actions" like deleting backdoors on compromised Exchange servers. It added private companies to its Unified Coordination Group to bolster its security incident response. CISA, the FBI and the NSA also released an advisory outlining China's strategy for compromising US and ally networks using the Exchange holes and other methods.

This comes on top of stricter security rules for pipeline companies as well as a pilot to tackle vulnerabilities in sectors like electricity and water supply.

China has historically denied involvement in attacks like these, and it's doubtful the country will have a change of heart after this. The White House effort is more of a warning  the US will not only pin attacks on China, but respond to them in kind.
She also interviewed women such as Charlotte Berry Winters, one of the first female Navy enlistees in the Navy in World War I; the first female graduates of West Point; and combat nurses who describe covering the wounded with mattresses to protect them from shrapnel.

Redmond found veterans to interview in myriad ways. She read newspaper stories about service members and tracked down their contact information; she interviewed acquaintances of her husband, a 1962 graduate of West Point; she received leads from friends; she even interviewed someone on a cruise. She was always on the lookout.

Redmonds childhood friend helped her edit the book, which she worked on during the COVID-19 quarantine. Each story includes a short introduction, but most of it comprises each veterans own words. She estimates that about 70 percent of those she interviewed are now deceased, but shes informing their families and the surviving veterans of the books publication.

Not all the accounts are as dramatic or unique as that of Army medic Orville Smith, who was annoyed at the person who jumped into his foxhole in battle until he looked and realized it was Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Cassandra D. Nicholls, 30, of Colon had her probation extended by one year after admitting to violating the terms of her probation. On May 4, 2020, Nicholls was sentenced to 30 months of ISP for possession of a controlled substance. A motion to revoke her probation was made on April 27 after she was arrested in Saunders County on April 26 for possession of a controlled substance. After admitting to the violation, Nicholls was found guilty by Hall. Beamis said she supported a probation term for Nicholls, as it would give her enough time to see if she can complete the program and would extend past her time in the Saunders County Drug Court. Nicholls said she was preparing to go into treatment and knew
More than a dozen diplomatic missions in Afghanistan have called for "an urgent end" to the Taliban's military offensives across the war-torn country, saying they are at odds with claims the militant group wants a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.

Fifteen missions, the EU delegation, and the NATO representative in Kabul made the call in a joint statement on July 19, following another round of inconclusive peace talks in Doha over the weekend between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

After two days of talks in the Qatari capital, the sides said they agreed on the need to reach a "just solution," and to meet again "next week."

There was no mention of a cease-fire for the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, which begins in Afghanistan on July 20.

Several times in the past, the Taliban and Kabul government have agreed on short truces during Islamic holidays, raising hopes they could be extended into longer-term cease-fires.

Intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Doha have been stalled for months while the Taliban carried out a sweeping offensive that saw the insurgents capture nearly half of the countrys more than 420 districts, threaten several provincial capitals, and take control of a number of border posts as U.S.-led international forces exit the country.

"This Eid al-Adha, the Taliban should lay down their weapons for good and show the world their commitment to the peace process," the diplomatic missions in Kabul said in their joint statement, adding that the insurgents offensive is in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict."

"It has resulted in loss of innocent Afghan lives, including through continued targeted killings, displacement of the civilian population, looting and burning of buildings, destruction of vital infrastructure, and damage to communication networks."

The text was supported by Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Britain, and the United States, as well as the European Union delegation to Afghanistan and the Office of the NATO Senior Civilian Representative.

The statement denounced the indiscriminate detaining and killing of civilians and assaults of prisons in Taliban-controlled areas, as well as attempts to repress the human rights of women and girls and to shut media outlets.

It called on all parties to the conflict to immediately end the violence, agree to a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire, and engage fully in peace negotiations to end the suffering of the Afghan people and pave the way to an inclusive political settlement.

In Doha, the Afghan government delegation was led by Abdullah Abdullah, the second-highest Afghan official and the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation.

"We agreed to continue the talks, seek a political settlement to the current crisis, avoid civilian casualties, facilitate humanitarian assistance & medical supplies to tackle Covid-19 pandemic," he tweeted.

The Taliban team was headed by top Taliban figure Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

"Both sides agreed upon the need for expedition in the peace talks, in order to find a fair and permanent solution for the current issue in Afghanistan as soon as possible," the militant group said in a statement.

This story is based on reporting by Radio Azadi correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their protection.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Pakistani authorities say a passenger bus rammed into a container truck in the center of the country on July 19, killing at least 33 people and injuring 40 others.

The bus was traveling from the industrial city of Sialkot to Dera Ghazi Khan in the province of Punjab, police said.

Most of the dead and injured were workers who were returning home to celebrate with their families for the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Some of the injured were said to be in critical condition.

The investigation into the cause of the accident was still under way.

Deadly road accidents are common in Pakistan due to bad roads, poorly maintained vehicles, and disregard for traffic laws, leading to thousands of deaths every year.

Based on reporting by dpa, AP, and RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal
The Talibans rapid victories in neighboring Afghanistan have once again highlighted deep divisions within Pakistan, where some are celebrating the hard-line Islamists expanding territorial control while others warn of increasing homegrown violence and extremism.

The public rift heralds a future wherein the Talibans possible return to power and the gloating of Pakistani supporters are stoking fears of a subsequent rise in extremism. Many in Pakistan blame its own rulers and terrorist groups for bringing the Afghan war into their country, killing tens of thousands and forcing millions more into displacement.

The Taliban is acting like a protective barrier for Pakistan [in Afghanistan], lawmaker Mufti Abdul Shakoor, a leader of the Jamiat Ulam-e Islam (JUI) political party, told the parliament in a heated speech on July 12. The Afghan Taliban is making sacrifices for defending Pakistan, he added as he apparently toed an old line of the countrys security establishment.

The Pakistani military has used the various phases of the Afghan conflict since the early 1980s as a means to protect itself from the real or perceived influence of archrival India and fend off possible threats from secular Afghan nationalist regimes who have championed irredentist claims.

Shakoor, a turbaned Pashtun cleric from the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Afghanistans border, alleged that agents of India's Research and Analysis Wing and Afghanistans Directorate of National Security intelligence agencies were responsible for sending terrorists into Pakistan who killed more than 70,000 people.

I want to say it out loudly: The Taliban practically controls Afghanistan now because it is popular among the people, he said. Who else would have defeated America only with the force of arms?

He urged Islamabad not to oppose a possible Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Even if we cannot support them, we should not oppose them because it equals enmity with Pakistan, Shakoor noted.

But most secular and moderate Pakistanis take a diametrically opposite view.

It is wrong to claim we dont have any favorites in Afghanistan. Our only favorite in Afghanistan is the Taliban, lawmaker Mohsin Dawar, a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement, told lawmakers on July 12 prior to Shakoors pro-Taliban speech. [Supporting the Taliban] is equal to invading our neighboring country and supporting those terrorists who are fighting the state there.

As Islamabad faces intense public accusations from Afghan officials, senior Pakistani officials have expressed jubilation over the Talibans battleground successes in Afghanistan. In previous phases of the war, Islamabad witnessed similar moments when its Afghan Islamist allies assumed power.

But the celebrations are set to prove short-lived as Pakistan faces the security, economic, diplomatic, and political fallout from its deep involvement in Afghanistan.

An Extended Battlefield

Since the 1980s, Pakistani society has undergone a near complete transformation as the states official moderate Muslim nationalism has been overtaken by Islamist jihadists and far-right radical clerics. During the past two decades, parts of Pakistan became an extension of the Afghan battlefield as U.S. drones hunted Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders and large-scale Pakistani military offensives prompted mass displacement.

The Islamist political parties and jihadist groups in Pakistan are celebrating the American withdrawal from Afghanistan as their victory, said Zia Ur Rehman, a Pakistani journalist who frequently reports on the countrys Islamist fundamentalist currents. But many people are really concerned about the negative impact of the evolving situation in Afghanistan on their countrys security.

Rehman says a Taliban return to power in Afghanistan will enhance Talibanization in Pakistan. Pakistan is really susceptible to the fallout from great power intervention and withdrawal from Afghanistan, he told Gandhara. We have been witnessing this since the Soviet invasion more than four decades ago.

In Tirah, a remote alpine valley near the western district of Khyber on Afghanistans border, hard-line clerics inspired by the Afghan Taliban have already banned music and photography and have called on women to observe purdah or veil. If any financial or physical harm comes [to visitors] because of violations, they will be responsible, a letter issued by the clerics warned.

This is why, perhaps, Pakistans approach is now more ambivalent toward Taliban victories. As rural districts rapidly began to fall to an advancing Taliban in northern Afghanistan, Pakistans powerful army chief and spy chief gave an eight-hour briefing to lawmakers on July 1.

Their main message reportedly was that Islamabad is rapidly losing influence over the Afghan Taliban so it is seeking to strengthen border defenses to prevent a spillover of instability from Afghanistan. They also warned of a potential blowback from any crackdown on members of the Afghan Taliban who have been sheltering in Pakistan for the past two decades.

Many civilian leaders, however, were more obvious in expressing their hopes that Taliban battlefield gains will work to Pakistans advantage.

Two issues that threaten Pakistan's emerging economy. One is unrest in Afghanistan on which we hope: Taliban and their countrymen find peace and healing, the countrys largely ceremonial head of state, President Arif Alvi, tweeted on July 11.

Hopes For A Reformed Taliban

In recent weeks, some ministers ran an undeclared campaign to inform Pakistanis of their countrys involvement with the Taliban, which Islamabad has spent decades largely denying.

Sometimes their dead bodies arrive, and sometimes they come here in hospitals to get medical treatment, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told Geo TV, a private news channel, on June 27. But more recently on July 11 he said he hoped that a new, civilized Afghan Taliban would join peace talks instead of pressing ahead with its violent campaign.

While other ministers joined Rashid in praising the Afghan Taliban and attempted to paint the militants as reformed versions of the religious zealots who swept to power in the 1990s, senior security officials warned of repercussions of the Afghan war and the banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) taking advantage of the mounting chaos.

"We were aware [of the situation] and have taken several measures to deal with it. Islamic State, the TTP, and their affiliates are using their bases in Afghanistan to plan and initiate attacks on Pakistan's armed forces," Major General Babar Iftikhar, the military spokesman, told journalists on July 10.

But many in Pakistan are not convinced Islamabad is ready to abandon its support for the Taliban. Farhatullah Babar, a former lawmaker and leader of the secular Pakistan Peoples Party, urged Islamabad to change its course.

Dont mistake Taliban for the Afghan nation, theyre a faction only, he tweeted. Overt or covert support to a faction sure to antagonize the whole nation, he added. No one can fight Afghan nation, much less win. No self-immolation please!

The already tense relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan nosedived after Afghan officials repeatedly accused Pakistan of being behind the Talibans offensives. A peace conference that Islamabad hoped to host over the weekend was postponed, and bilateral relations hit a new low as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recalled all diplomats from Islamabad after the daughter of his countrys ambassador was briefly abducted and "tortured" last week.

Pakistanis have good reason to warn of being burned in Afghanistan. After the fall of Afghanistans socialist government in April 1992, many of the anti-Soviet mujahadin factions Islamabad had hosted turned against Pakistan when they assumed power in Kabul. Some of the same leaders are now part of the Afghan government.

After the groups emergence in late 1994, the Taliban remained broadly allied with Pakistan, but its hard-line policies isolated Islamabad internationally. The Taliban never agreed to formally relinquish Afghanistans claims, and like all previous governments resisted recognizing the 19th-century Durand Line as an international border between the two countries.
MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan -- Safia and her three young children live out in the open, exposed to the punishing summer heat, with no food or water.

She fled her home in Afghanistans northern city of Kunduz after it was struck last week by mortars, which killed her husband, the familys sole breadwinner.

We have no food or shelter, says Safia, who is among hundreds of others camped out in a field on the outskirts of the city, which is home to nearly 400,000 people. My children are sunburned and sick. The government hasnt helped us.

More than 35,000 people -- according to the United Nations -- have fled their homes in Kunduz since the Taliban launched a major assault on the capital of the province of the same name late last month.

The militants have seized control of dozens of districts across Afghanistan in a blistering offensive since the start of the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops on May 1.

The Taliban has captured six of Kunduz Provinces nine districts and encircled the city of Kunduz, the countrys fifth largest. Afghan security forces have been battling Taliban fighters in the citys neighborhoods for weeks.

Dozens of residents have been killed or wounded and the increased number of those who have left either fled the violence or were forced out by the Taliban, which has used abandoned homes as positions from which to fire at government forces.

"We dont even have a tent, says Nasima, a mother of three whose husband was recently killed while fighting in Kunduz.

She, too, has taken refuge in an open field on the fringes of the city. "We are sitting under the scorching sun, she adds. All my children are hungry and thirsty.

Looming Humanitarian Crisis

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on July 13 of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as the escalating conflict brings increased human suffering and civilian displacement.

An estimated 270,000 Afghans have been newly displaced inside the country since January of this year due to the intensifying war, bringing the total number of displaced Afghans to a staggering 3.5 million, UNHCR said.

Babar Baloch, a UNHCR spokesman, said a failure to stem the "violence will lead to further displacement within the country, as well as to neighboring countries and beyond.

Some 18.4 million people, nearly half of the population, need humanitarian help, according to the UN, which has appealed for $1.3 billion in funding for 2021. It has only received about 37 percent of that figure.

The World Health Organization warned last week that it was struggling to get medicine and supplies into Afghanistan, where facilities have come under attack and some staff have fled. It estimates that more than 3 million Afghan children are at risk of acute malnutrition.

The intensifying war has exacerbated the precarious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, which is suffering from a devastating drought and has seen a hike in cases and deaths from the coronavirus pandemic.

Rocket Fire

The number of Afghans in need of lifesaving help is only soaring as the Taliban offensive continues unabated.

Sardar Bais family of eight lives in a flimsy tent on a dusty plain on the outskirts of Maimana, the provincial capital of the northwestern province of Faryab.

The Taliban attacked our village, says the 43-year-old, who has six young children. We were coming under constant mortars and rocket fire.

The family fled their home district of Qaisar two weeks ago after it was overrun by the Taliban. The militants control 12 of Faryabs 14 districts and have laid siege to Maimana, a city of more than 150,000.

We couldnt bring any of our possessions with us, says Bai. We are weak from hunger. I dont have any money. I need to find shelter for my young children.

Local officials say more than 12,000 families across Faryab, located on the border with Turkmenistan, have been displaced by the Taliban offensive in recent weeks.

Among them is Abdullah, whose family of 12 fled its home in the Qurghan district. They now reside in Sheberghan, the capital of neighboring Jawzjan Province, where the Taliban has captured seven out of the nine districts.

The militants have surrounded Sheberghan and even breached the city on July 16, sparking fear among residents.

Our situation is very bad and we cant return home, he says. Many people have fled their homes. My entire family of 12 is living in one small room.

I Lost Consciousness

Maimana is just one of a dozen cities that are under siege by the militants.

Afghan forces and Taliban militants have been engaged in fierce clashes in and around the southern city of Kandahar, the nations second largest and home to more than 600,000 people.

The militants have captured several districts surrounding the city in the past month and carried out a series of attacks on police outposts before breaching the city of Kandahar on July 9.

I was washing myself ahead of evening prayers when a mortar landed in our house, says Musa Jan, a local resident. I lost consciousness. When I woke up, my wife and children were crying over me.

Jan was hospitalized and his family has relocated to another part of the city.

His family is among 5,000 families that have fled their homes in areas in and around Kandahar, where authorities have enforced a night-time curfew.

Government troops say the militants have seized homes in residential neighborhoods, forcing civilians to flee and complicating efforts to drive the Taliban out of the city.

"There has been heavy fighting for weeks, says Abdul Manan, a resident of Kandahar. Mortars are being fired all the time. Those who have been able to have fled their homes.

Written by Frud Bezhan based on reporting by Radio Azadi correspondents in Afghanistan, whose names are withheld for security reasons.
Turkish Recep President Tayyip Erdogan on July 19 called on the Taliban to "end the occupation" of Afghanistan and said Turkey will talk to the militants over their refusal to let Ankara run Kabul airport after the U.S. troops complete their pullout from Afghanistan.



Turkey has offered to run and guard the airport after the international withdrawal, expected to be completed by the end of next month. Ankara has been negotiating with the United States on financial, political, and logistical support for the airport mission.

The militants last week called Turkey's offer "reprehensible" and warned Ankara against its offer.

"In the statement made by the Taliban there is no phrase 'We don't want Turkey'," Erdogan told journalists in Istanbul when asked about the comments.

Erdogan and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the airport issue in their first face-to-face meeting on the margins of a NATO summit last month.

Turkey maintains hundreds of troops in Afghanistan.

"God willing, we will see what kind of talks we will have with the Taliban and see where these talks take us," Erdogan said.

Referring to the Taliban all-out offensive against the Afghan government troops ahead of the August 31 self-imposed deadline for the U.S. forces' departure, Erdogan said Muslims should make peace with one another.



"(The Taliban) needs to end the occupation of their brothers' soil and show the world that peace is prevailing in Afghanistan right away," Erdogan said.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
Turkmenistan continues to send heavy weaponry, helicopters, and other aircraft to areas along the Turkmen-Afghan border to allay security fears as Taliban fighters engage in major offensives nearby in northern Afghanistan.

RFE/RL correspondents reported from the southern district of the Mary region, which borders Afghanistan, that local officials, police, prosecutors, and military commanders have started sending their families inside the country -- adding to concerns among local residents who are not allowed to leave the area for Ashgabat, the capital, or other regions far from the border.

"Military officers and law enforcement officials have started hastily sending their wives and children out of Mary, which caused panic among local people. Many residents of the region would like to leave the area along with their children for Ashgabat or even farther, to the Balkan region. But nobody is allowed to leave the region," one of the residents of the region told RFE/RL.

According to the correspondents, caravans of military trucks have streamed from military depots in the Oguzhan district to Serhetabat for weeks, while military helicopters have been frequently circulating between Serhetabat and nearby districts.

Sources close to the military personnel told RFE/RL that fresh conscripts are being brought to the region, where they undergo expedited military courses and trainings.

The Turkmen government, which is tightly controlled and highly secretive, has made no announcement about increased security. Law enforcement officials, meanwhile, have increased warnings to average Turkmen against the using virtual private networks, or VPNs, which are illegal but widely used to circumvent government restrictions on the Internet.

The government also has not officially reported talks with Taliban officials held in Ashgabat on July 10.

Turkmenistan shares an 800-kilometer border with Afghanistan, where the security situation has deteriorated sharply as Taliban fighters advance on provincial centers and even some border crossings.

Hundreds of Afghans, including soldiers, local police, and regular citizens, have reportedly fled into other neighboring Central Asia countries, including Tajikistan.

On July 5, the border guard service reported that more than 1,000 Afghan troops had crossed into Tajikistan over the previous 24 hours.

Less than a week ago, almost 350 ethnic Kyrgyz shepherds from Afghanistan with their families and some 4,000 livestock entered Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan has asked the Tajik side to secure passage for the shepherds toward the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.

However, on July 18, Tajik officials announced that they had been sent back to their village in Afghanistan after Kabul guaranteed their safety.

The United States has announced the withdrawal of all of its forces by August 31. Earlier this month, U.S. forces vacated their largest base in Afghanistan at Bagram, north of Kabul.

Amid the pullout, the Taliban has pushed into several areas and now controls about one-third of the countrys 423 districts and district centers.

The rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces, and the Taliban battlefield successes, are stoking concerns that the Western-backed government in Kabul may collapse.
U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has met with political and military leaders in Pakistan amid a further worsening in relations between Kabul and Islamabad.



Khalilzad's visit on July 19 came a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recalled all diplomats from neighboring Pakistan two days after the daughter of Kabul's ambassador was briefly abducted and allegedly "tortured."

Silsila Alikhil was on her way home when she was seized by unknown assailants for several hours and "severely tortured," Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on July 17. It didn't provide further details.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said she had been hospitalized and that a "thorough investigation" into the "disturbing" incident was launched.

But Ghani ordered the diplomats, including the ambassador, to return to Kabul "until the government of Pakistan punished the kidnappers...and until the security of the Afghan ambassador and diplomats in that country was guaranteed," his spokesman Waheed Omar said on July 18.

On July 19, Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar discussed the case with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Pakistan is seen as key to peace in Afghanistan. The Taliban leadership is said to be in Pakistan, and Islamabad has used its leverage to press the Taliban to talk peace.

Khalilzad on July 19 met with Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as the powerful heads of the military and the intelligence service, the ISI. He arrived in Islamabad from Qatar, where the Taliban and Afghan government representatives held two days of talks that ended late on July 18 with a pledge by the warring sides to meet again.

It was the highest level of talks so far aimed at jump-starting a peace process that has fizzled while the militants stepped up an offensive that brought them substantial territorial gains as U.S. and NATO troops complete their pullout.



In a statement following Khalilzad's visit, Khan was quoted as saying, "Conflict and instability in Afghanistan is not in Pakistan's interest, as it would lead to serious challenges for Pakistan in areas of security and influx of refugees."



Pakistan already hosts nearly 2 million Afghans, refugees from four decades of war.

Senior Pakistani security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Khalilzad pressed Pakistan to push Taliban leaders to accept a cease-fire or at least reduce the violence to allow a peace process to take root.

This story is based on reporting by Radio Azadi correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their protection.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Teller County honors those who served in WWII; Donations fuel creation of permanent monument in Victor
The state of Colorado wants all large businesses in the metro Denver area to track what their employees do before and after work when it comes to commuting.

It wants those employers to increase parking charges for gas-powered vehicles, appoint an Employee Transportation Coordinator to administer programs that reduce single occupied vehicle commutes and offer fully or partially subsidized public transportation passes  even if the business is nowhere near any.

And it wants those plans from 2,764 businesses with some 900,000 employees  which could cost anywhere from $7,200-$811,643 annually to implement  by Jan. 1, 2022, according to state records.

The effort dubbed the Employee Trip Reduction Program, part of legislation passed in 2019 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado, comes as businesses are recovering from a pandemic year that saw entire industries shut down and unemployment skyrocket.

Some businesses are understandably concerned about the new regulations, said representatives from the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Denver South Economic Development Partnership and Colorado Business Roundtable.

We recognize air quality is an important issue and the business community acknowledges the need for action  many are already taking these steps, said Thomas Brook, president and CEO of Denver South. But its asking the state what can you do to put in a program thats voluntary or regulated in a way that it actually has meaningful impact on the air quality and do so in a way thats minimally intrusive to the business community, whose function after all is to run a business.

The Chamber and Denver South on Friday submitted comments to Colorados Air Quality Control Commission  the nine-member citizen panel populated with Gov. Jared Polis appointees, no more than five of whom can be from the same political party.

The commission will meet in mid August to hammer out the rules and regulations, after getting a full report from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environments Air Pollution Control Division, including an economic impact report and input from 25 stakeholders (like the Chamber).

The ETRP lives in Regulation No. 22 under the Colorado Greenhouse Gas Reporting and Emission Reduction Requirements.

Those requirements came from the Colorado legislature by way of HB19-1261 Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution, which Polis signed into law in May 2019. It included lofty goals, without many implementation specifics critics assert, of reducing 2025 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26%, 2030 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50%, and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% of the levels of statewide greenhouse gas emissions that existed in 2005.

To help get there, the trip reduction program was introduced.

Its 10 pages of regulations that would impact large businesses, defined as 100 or more employees, in the area labeled an 8-Hour Ozone Control Area that includes the counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas and Jefferson. It also includes the city and county of Denver, of course, with Broomfield and parts of Weld and Larimer counties.

The regulations describe an employee as not only one on payroll, or salary, but also every person in the service of an employer, under any contract of hire. Each of those employees or contractors would have to be surveyed on how they get to work, what kind of vehicle they drive, and travel distance from home.

Then, in an effort to reduce single occupied vehicle trips during peak commuting hours, the employer must offer things like employee shuttles, flexible schedule perks to those who drive electric vehicles, carpooling and ride-share options, subsidized public transportation passes, bike parking and showers, among others.

Cost estimates vary wildly depending on the size of the company, and the trip reduction efforts implemented, from $7,200-$800,000. But state officials dispute cost "exaggerations" and say the programs could save employers and employees money in the long run.

A lot of these things will be a net savings in the end, said Clay Clarke, Climate Unit supervisor from the Air Pollution Control Division, saying the $800,000 estimate in the report assumed unrealistically that an employer would use more expensive options such as providing transit passes at a daily rate as opposed to monthly.

What we will hear from transportation management officials who have seen these programs in place is that information about the real costs are much lower than those high-end estimates.

He also disputed the misinformation that the transportation coordinator would require a full-time position, or a new hire.

This is not a full-time-employee worth of work, he said. Many companies already have an employee thats likely doing it.

The Division documented its outreach efforts: 3,686 letters mailed; five large listening sessions with almost 800 participants, seven listening sessions specifically for ETRP with almost 500 registrants, 25 stakeholder meetings and 90 written comments.

The idea is to provide (employees) incentives and options that are flexible to the industry or businesses, Clark said.

The cost of the trip-reduction program is only one of the concerns business groups have with the proposed regulations.

This is a real legal question, said Laura Giocomo Rizzo, senior vice president of external affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. How can an employer be responsible for an employees off-duty behavior? You could buy every employee a bike, charge $1,000 for parking, but ultimately we live in a country where people get to work how they want or can. This punishes employers and puts them in a weird position.

While the proposed regulations exclude employees who use the car as part of their job responsibility for emergency response, it doesnt exclude single mothers who have day-care responsibilities, or employees who care for sick or elderly relatives, Giocomo Rizzo said.

This is another example of the legislature passing vague laws, but the details are where the rubber really hits the road, she said, pointing to the other example of the recently implemented Equal Pay law thats causing some companies to exclude Colorado residents as applicants.

The Colorado Business Roundtable, a public policy organization with executives from some of the states largest employers, sent a notice to all members opposing the program.

We share a common goal of achieving clean air and a healthy environment but incentives and education are far better tools than regulations and penalties, according to the emailed statement. With the Commission estimating that the cost to implement the program could reach as much as $800,000 annually for larger employers, the economic impact would be devastating and would likely result in job losses and higher prices for consumers. After the global pandemic and witnessing the economic upheaval of a lifetime, Coloradans should remain laser focused on economic recovery, not new regulations.

Brook said Denver South, which represents some 250,000 employees and is one of the largest employment regions in the state, is hoping the regulations are made voluntary, or come with no penalties.

The organization raised the same concerns about whether employers have the right or legal authority to regulate an employees behavior when theyre off the clock.

We also dont believe it takes into account businesses access to, or level of, public transportation, Brook said. There are widely disparate levels of transit access.

The regulations could also disproportionately affect blue-collar employers like those in the service or manufacturing industries.

Many of those white-collar jobs, like customer service phone support, can potentially be done from home, Brook said, meaning those employers can get credit for those single-occupancy vehicle trip cuts, but employers like a grocery store or restaurant whose employees must physically be at work will be penalized.

Theres also the issue of companies below 100 employees who would hesitate to expand here if it would bring all the ETRP regulations down on them, he said.

We know the health department is in a tough spot here, and the Air Quality (Control) Commission is facing a serious problem, with dangerous ozone levels, Brook said. We want to collaborate to come to a solution that will address the problem while allowing employers to continue to recover from the Covid-19 crisis.
The attacks are happening through cloud service providers. CISA is issuing alerts to anyone who may have been affected and ordering them to shut down the VSA servers immediately.

One of the most valuable boards that I was honored to sit on was former Congressman Mike Rogers' Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security. I sat on the Iowa advisory board along with Sam Clovis and Matt Strawn. Rogers was a former FBI special agent in the Chicago Bureau in the 90s. He founded APPS in 2015 to educate all presidential candidates on the dangers of increasing cyber security attacks to our country. He also played a role in President Trumps national security transition team and has been a constant leading critic of Putin. Rogers sits on the Board of Directors for Iron Net Cybersecurity.

Rogers stated in 2015, The next president will have a world to help repair, while defending us here at home. While most wars have been fought on soil, it looks like cyber war can be just as devastating.
Virginias redistricting commission is again fully staffed after a departure earlier this month, which has left the commission without citizen representation for Southwest Virginia.

Virginia Thornton, a Lynchburg-area lawyer from Forest, will replace Marvin Gilliam of Bristol as one of the citizen members representing the GOP on the panel.

Virginias redistricting commission is tasked with drawing political boundaries for the states congressional and General Assembly districts using data from the 2020 census. The census has promised to deliver its data to states in August. The commission is slated to deliver maps to the General Assembly for approval by Sept. 30.

Due to census delays prompted by the pandemic, elections for the House of Delegates this fall will be held using the existing political maps, which were adjusted by the courts in 2019 in a decision that found Republicans had racially gerrymandered some districts nearly a decade prior.

Thornton was voted into the commission by its members on Monday, with 13 ayes and two abstentions. The commission also considered Jeffrey Wayne Bolander of McGaheysville in Rockingham County. Both Thornton and Bolander were nominated by Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, the Senate minority leader.
I cant believe that this was the type of situation that the Federal government envisioned when it created the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses, and the communities they serve, make it through these difficult times, Johnson wrote in an email.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who along with fellow Virginian and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner urged FreightCar in 2019 to reconsider its plans to leave Roanoke, said though a spokesperson that the legislation was passed to help small businesses keep workers on their payrolls.

We need strict oversight to ensure thats where the money went, Kaine said in a statement earlier this month.

In its filing with the SEC, FreightCar said the loan enabled it to keep employees working at the Alabama facility through February of this year. The plant employed about 600 people at the peak of its production.

Officials with FreightCar did not respond to questions last week.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, which administers the Paycheck Protection Program, does not comment on whether individual loans have been forgiven. But overall numbers show that applicants have not been required to pay back 99% of the total dollar value to date.
We understand McAuliffes desire to tie Youngkin to Trump just as we understand Youngkins desire to avoid hard questions. But that doesnt make either strategy good for voters.

Voters ought to hear what both candidates would do if they find themselves sitting behind the governors desk in January. McAuliffe, to his credit, has a much longer list of policy papers than Youngkin does  but hed do a better service to voters by talking about them and not Trump.

3. Just what would a Republican administration do?

We really dont know. For better or worse, we know exactly what kind of governor McAuliffe will be, because hes been governor before. With Youngkin, we have no idea.

Democrats are making much of Youngkins comments that hed go on offense over abortion restrictions  although given Youngkins lack of a record, voters have no idea whether to believe that or not. Maybe hes telling the truth. Maybe hes just telling conservative voters want they want to hear.
We'll see soon enough if any of these approaches bring more students to GTCC. The one thing we know right now is that college trustees think Clarke is the person to lead these efforts.

Staff writer John Newsom covers higher education for the News & Record of Greensboro and the Winston-Salem Journal.

Have something to say about this blog post? Email him at john.newsom@greensboro.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @JohnNewsomNR.

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The cast of Henry Vand the armies of Englandwill be led by Brandon Carter, believed to be the first Black man in the U.S. to portray the title character in the three history plays devoted to his journey to the throne (Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V). Carter has played seven seasons with ASC, and has performed around the world, from Johannesburgs famed Market Theatre to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the Kennedy Center, the Apollo and Classical Theatre of Harlem. In a play rich with memorable characters, Chris Johnston portrays the swaggering Pistol, John Harrell (he/him) the loyal Welshman Fluellen. The time-honored Shakespearean practice of doubling  wherein actors play multiple roles  is on fine display in this production: Meg Rodgers (she/her) plays five roles including the boastful Dauphin and the princess Katherine, whom Henry woos; and newcomer Meme Garcia (they/them) plays the cowardly soldier Nym, Princess Katherines lady-in-waiting Alice, and the hot-headed Orleans. John Harrell is celebrating his 28th season with ASC and has played more than 200 roles including Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 and Iago in Othello, both in the 2020 season. Meme Garcias path to ASC includes a Fulbright Scholarship and roles at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Intiman Theatre Festival. Henry V begins June 17 in ASCs iconic Blackfriars Playhouse, the worlds only re-creation of Shakespeares indoor theatre.
A retreat overlooking the mountains boasts the best Airbnb host in North Carolina, a new report finds.

Lucky W Cottage in Asheville earned the top honor on Tuesday after short-term rental company Airbnb said the property received some of the highest marks in the country.

A listing describes the cottage as a farm home thats secluded but not too far from the action.

It is about 100 from the main house but is very private with mountain views, according to the listing. Take a swim in the pool or visit the horses and chickens. Only 10 minutes from downtown and 5 minutes from groceries and restaurants.

Owner Jessica Withers said she welcomes each guest personally but was surprised when she found out she was named the most hospitable host in the state, the Citizen-Times of Asheville reported.

People really seem to love being greeted by the dogs, Withers told the newspaper. We have one older border collie who likes to spend his mornings over there in front of the door, and he only goes over there if there are guests there.

Her listing won top marks after facing tough competition in the state.
From the start of the pandemic until the end of May 2021, 3,468 workers compensation claims related to COVID-19 were denied in North Carolina  nearly five times the number that have been accepted, according to data from the state Industrial Commission, which administers workers compensation claims.

North Carolinas workers comp laws are among the nations least friendly to workers. At least 17 states and Puerto Rico have taken steps to make it easier for employees to prevail in workers comp cases involving COVID-19, according to information compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. North Carolina isnt one of them.

A bipartisan workers compensation bill, which would have helped North Carolinians likely exposed to COVID-19 at work, died last year after business groups lobbied against it. Opponents argued that it would cost employers too much money.

Claims likely to be rejected

Valerie Johnson, a lawyer with offices in Durham and Charlotte, is among those who have seen how hard it is for workers and their families to prevail in such cases.
Weve devoted our careers to strengthening health care so that our fellow North Carolinians can fulfill their enormous potential and our economy can compete with any in the world. The legacy of the organizations we led is found across North Carolina, where we worked with community members to creatively fill gaps in access to health care.

Now, because of actions by the N.C. General Assembly and the federal government as well as, of all things, a pandemic, we have a golden opportunity to finally close our states health care coverage gap.

Our legislature has prudently built up a rainy day fund of $7 billion, putting North Carolina in a winning position to remedy long-festering maladies, like the inaccessibility of health care. Meanwhile, the federal government has substantially upped funding and other incentives to offer insurance to certain working people and others by expanding Medicaid.

And finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed just how fragile our lives, our economy and our health care system really are. It all adds up to a watershed moment  not merely a trumpet blast in the world of good public policy, but a chance to energize the lives of North Carolinians who are working hard, raising families and pursuing dreams.
"I've been to enough car fires with fuel nearby to know to just get people out of the area," Villa said. "This fire is gonna go, and once it goes it's going to be uncontrollable. So I need to get people away."

Villa was previously a member of the West Valley Volunteer Fire Department, so she had some fire training that most troopers never receive. Each of the DNRC workers were safe and none received major injuries. According to Villa, she knew she had to get those people to safety and in that moment didn't think about herself.

"I'm like most troopers, we don't like talking about ourselves that much," Villa said. "At some point there will be another incident like this. I'm just glad I reacted the way I needed to and that everyone is safe."

According to Col. Lavin, the Medal of Valor is given to those who demonstrate selfless acts of heroism without regard for their own personal safety. He said Villa went through a "life-saving act of peril" and performed a "remarkable act of heroism."
While Keefe had 47 convictions prior to the killings, he also had a rocky and abusive early childhood, his attorney argued before Pinski.

The Montana Supreme Court ordered a new sentencing in January, saying Pinski had written his decision before the hearing and did not take into consideration Keefe's rehabilitation in prison.

On Friday, Keefe called his actions deplorable and reprehensible and apologized to the victims' families for the killings and for bringing them back into court. He said that at the time of the crime, he was a liar and a cheat looking for easy money who did not consider consequences and how his behavior affected others.

Tavie McKay, another daughter of the McKays and sister to Marian Qamar, described Keefe's "wanton execution" of her family.

Muna Qamar, who was in the house when her mother and grandparents were killed, broke down, saying she couldn't remember her mother. She said Keefe caused her lifelong trauma.

A probation and parole officer testified that the Department of Corrections will have to do some calculations to determine when Keefe would be eligible to seek a hearing before the parole board.

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Republicans came into office this winter promising to create economic opportunity for Montana families, but their actions since then have betrayed those promises. That betrayal is on display in the Gianforte administrations newest attack on Montanans health care. A few years ago, Republicans and Democrats in Montana came together to create a unique Medicaid program called HELP, which covers almost 100,000 people. Nearly 2 in 3 Montana businesses rely on HELP to provide health insurance to their employees. HELP keeps Montanans healthy and ready to go to work for Main Street businesses.

Now Governor Gianforte and Republicans in the Legislature want to put red tape between Montanans and their health care. Like most of us, Medicaid recipients currently sign up for health coverage just once per year. Under a new rule proposed by the Gianforte administration, many Montanans with the lowest wages will have to reapply for their health insurance multiple times throughout the year. Theyll have to repeatedly fight with bureaucratic red tape just to keep access to their health insurance.
DECATUR  Police investigating a report of vehicle catalytic converter theft said they caught the Decatur suspect red-handed: carrying a stolen converter in each hand and with four more stuffed inside a duffle bag.

A sworn affidavit from the Macon County Sheriffs Office said deputies had been dispatched to Antioch church, 5409 East U.S. 36 in Decatur, at 3:32 a.m. Sunday on reports of a converter theft from a Ford pickup parked there.

As police interviewed the victim, other deputies checking the surrounding area came across a 34-year-old man on the lot of the nearby A1 Space Place Storage, holding two freshly cut-off converters.

Approximately 100 feet from where (he) was first observed, a duffle bag containing four additional, recently cut catalytic converters was found, said Deputy Byron Ebbert.

A black bag containing saw blades and portable saw batteries was observed underneath a 2012 Chevrolet box truck that was parked in the storage facility parking lot. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the catalytic converter had been cut off of the box truck.

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Ebbert said deputies soon located other nearby vehicles, including a truck and a Hummer, that had their converters stolen and had also been damaged in the process of the theft.

The man was booked on a preliminary charge of theft from a place of worship, five additional counts of theft and six counts of criminal damage. A check of Macon County Jail records Monday showed he remained in custody with bail set at $15,000, meaning he must post a bond of $1,500 to be freed.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state attorneys office.

Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise across Central Illinois and the country in recent months, law enforcement officials have said. Thieves can steal the converters in minutes; they're valuable when sold for scrap because they contain trace amounts of precious metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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A Florida man who breached the U.S. Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag was sentenced Monday to eight months behind bars, the first resolution for a felony case in the Capitol insurrection.

Paul Allard Hodgkins apologized and said he was ashamed of his actions on Jan 6. Speaking calmly from a prepared text, he described being caught up in the euphoria as he walked down Washington's most famous avenue, then followed a crowd of hundreds into the Capitol.

"If I had any idea that the protest ... would escalate (the way) it did ... I would never have ventured farther than the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue," Hodgkins told the judge. He added: "This was a foolish decision on my part."

Prosecutors had asked for Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying in a recent filing that he, "like each rioter, contributed to the collective threat to democracy" by forcing lawmakers to temporarily abandon their certification of Joe Biden's 2020 election victory over President Donald Trump and to scramble for shelter from incoming mobs.

In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Randolph Moss said that Hodgkins had played a role, if not as significant as others, in one of the worst episodes in American history. Still he chose to give Hodgkins a year less in prison.

"That was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a protest," Moss said. "It was  an assault on democracy." He added: "It left a stain that will remain on us  on the country for years to come."

The sentencing could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial. Hodgkins and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies.

Under an agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty last month to one count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop lesser charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky said that, while Hodgkins didn't engage in violence himself, he walked among many who did  in what she called "the ransacking of the People's House." And as he walked by smashed police barriers, he could see the smoke of tear gas and the chaos ahead of him.

"What does he do?" she asked the court. "He walks toward it. He doesn't walk away."

She added that Hodgkins was in the midst of a mob that forced lawmakers to seek shelter and some congressional staffers to hide in fear, locked in officers as hundreds swept through the building. Those in fear for their lives that day will, she said, "bear emotional scars for many years  if not forever."

Hodgkins was never accused of assaulting anyone or damaging property. And prosecutors said he deserves some leniency for taking responsibility almost immediately and pleading guilty to the obstruction charge.

But they also noted how he boarded a bus in his hometown of Tampa bound for a Jan. 6 Trump rally carrying rope, protective goggles and latex gloves in a backpack  saying that demonstrated he came to Washington prepared for violence.

Video footage shows Hodgkins wearing a Trump 2020 T-shirt, the flag flung over his shoulder and eye goggles around his neck, inside the Senate. He took a selfie with a self-described shaman in a horned helmet and other rioters on the dais behind him.

His lawyer pleaded with the judge to spare his 38-year-old client time in prison, saying the shame that will attach to Hodgkins for the rest of his life should be factored in as punishment.

The lawyer argued in court papers that Hodgkins' actions weren't markedly different from those of Anna Morgan Lloyd  other than Hodgkins stepping onto the Senate floor. Morgan Lloyd was the first of roughly 500 arrested to be sentenced. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and last month was sentenced to three years of probation.

Hodgkins' lawyer, Patrick N. Leduc, described his client as an otherwise law-abiding American who, despite living in a poorer part of Tampa, regularly volunteered at a food bank. He noted that Hodgkins is an Eagle Scout.

His actions on Jan. 6 "is the story of a man who for just one hour on one day lost his bearings ... who made a fateful decision to follow the crowd," the attorney said.

***

PHOTO GALLERY

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ALTON  Crews were putting the final touches on Southern Illinois University's new $11.5 million dental clinic ahead of next month's scheduled opening.

The project was announced in 2019 and work began the following year with demolition of a building which was no longer in use.

University officials expect the School of Dental Medicine's new Advanced Care Clinic in Alton to open to students Aug. 1, according to The Alton Telegraph.

The clinic is expected to expand the dental school's offering of care, particularly for children. There'll be two medical operating suites where students and staff will be able to administer general anesthesia.

The project's financing includes grants, university funds and external financing.

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Springfield is looking to partner once again with a St. Louis microlender to provide loans to small businesses in the city.

City council at its meeting Tuesday is set to debate an ordinance that would establish a new $2 million microloan program, funded by area banks and the Small Business Administration.

St. Louis-based Justine Petersen would administer the COVID-19 recovery loan program. The city would provide $50,000 for the salary of the person working within the city's Office of Planning and Economic Development to help administer the loan and assist with program outreach.

"So what this will do is really give them the presence, the greater presence in Springfield to be able to fulfill the lending gap need that our community currently has," Mayor Jim Langfelder said.

Justine Petersen was tapped to administer a similar loan program in late 2015 with $550,000 in committed loans from area banks. This time around it has $250,000 in separate committed loans from Bank of Springfield, Carrolton Bank, INB, and PNC Bank totaling $1 million.

Another $1 million in committed loans comes from the SBA, combining to provide a $2 million pool to help jumpstart businesses afflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Microloans from Justine Petersen are designed for businesses in low-income areas and the vast majority of loans in Springfield have gone to Black business owners.

"The data reinforces the mission of the program," said Galen Gondolfi, loan counselor with Justine Petersen, referencing an internal report that 83% of its loans have gone to Black business owners. In total, 57% of Justine Petersen loans have gone to women.

Gondolfi said his organization has recently met with members of the Springfield Black Chamber of Commerce and hopes to partner with them to help administer the loans. Justine Petersen has been criticized in the past for at times being inaccessible. Gondolfi agreed that they haven't always been keen at marketing to each neighborhood in the city.

"I do believe by partnering with the Black chamber, it provides the opportunity for concentrated penetration," Gondolfi said. Justine Petersen will also be looking for the chamber's recommendation on who it should hire for outreach within the city.

Money is provided to Justine Petersen by other entities but the organization takes full risk on any loans it administers, Gondolfi said. Langfelder, a former city treasurer with a background in banking, said the program has "favorable" 3% loan proceeds.

The city is planning to front $300,000 in total to assist with the program, though it may be possible for Springfield to use the money it received from the federal American Rescue Plan act.

Dominic Watson, president of Springfield's Black chamber, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

City council also is set to consider emergency passage of a pair of ordinances totaling more than $1.8 million to buy equipment for the Springfield Fire Department.

The purchases are connected to $5.5 million in loans the city is expected to take out from JP Morgan Chase Bank to buy new vehicles for SFD, the city's police department, and office of public works.

Springfield budget director Bill McCarty said the fire department purchases are being put on emergency passage because there's a five-figure surcharge if the city buys them after August 1.

"We're already going to put contracts through. But it's going to be a while before we get anything," McCarty said.

The costs include $1,213,168 for a new Pierce 100-foot platform fire truck and $622,212 for a new Pierce enforcer engine. The city would buy both items from the St. Paul, Minnesota-based MacQueen Equipment LLC.

SFD Deputy Chief Mike Abbott said the truck will take at least a year to build because of semiconductor and metal shortages. Everything from the pressure gauges to the emergency lights on a truck are controlled by microprocessor chips, which are scarce, he said.

Also on Friday, Langfelder introduced an ordinance that requests a supplement appropriation of $1.2 million to open a low-barrier shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness at the former site of The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center at 221 N. 11th St.

The cost is based on the $200,000 it takes to operate the overflow shelter for four months. That cost over a two-year period equates to about $1.2 million. Half of the funding would come from Community Development Block Grant money with the remainder provided to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The shelter will also connect those in need to the proper services and long-term housing solutions those people need, Langfelder said.

"What we need to do is make sure it's full-coverage services," Langfelder said. "Because it's not just overflow. What should happen is that's the intake area and then you can move them to the supportive services housing facility that meets that person needs as much as possible."

The plan includes yet-to-be hired outreach specialists at the police department and Memorial Health System to work at the facility, Langfelder said. Those job descriptions are still being drafted, so it could take until September or October for the shelter to become fully operational.

 Land acquisition totaling more than $3.5 million on 9th and 10th streets related to the ongoing Springfield Rail Improvement Project.

 An ordinance that would reallocate $1.4 million to Springfield Fire Department's budget that was previously cut during the budget-making process in February. Money for the budget reallocation will be provided by dollars the city received from the federal American Rescue Plan act.

 An intergovernmental joint-funding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for continued monitoring of nutrients and suspended sediment in Lick and Sugar creeks totaling $767,600. USGS will pay for $251,643 of the cost and Springfield will pay the remainder over a five-year period if the ordinance is enacted.

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NEWTON  Newton welcomed Hot Yoga Newton to the city during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 8.

Hot Yoga Newton is at 109 N. College Ave. in downtown Newton. The studio is on the second floor of a historic building and offers clients an airy space perfect for practicing yoga in a relaxed environment.

Owner Ashley Moose started practicing yoga in 2009 to cope with anxiety and stress. She fell in love with the health benefits yoga offers and decided she wanted to share her experience with others. She has since completed 535 hours of yoga teacher training through Yoga with an Edge in Hickory.

Moose serves as Hot Yoga Newtons primary instructor. She is supported by additional instructors Kellie Allie, Naomi Mitchell, Katie Gaither and Jade Mundy.

All classes at Hot Yoga Newton are heated to at least 90 degrees. At least 10 classes are offered each week to accommodate varied schedules. New clients are offered special introductory pricing of two weeks of unlimited classes for $29 or four weeks of unlimited classes for $49.

Hot Yoga Newton originally opened in July 2020 following strict guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, the ribbon-cutting was delayed until the studios one-year anniversary.
Youd be hard-pressed to find a dairy farmer who doesnt want to breed healthier, more efficient cows. Though there are costs associated with a more detailed genetic program that can help achieve those goals, from registrations to semen costs to genomic testing, returns exist in the form of more productive animals.

How might a farms agricultural lender take this genetic investment into account when evaluating financing needs? That was a question posed during the July 7 Hoards Dairyman DairyLivestream as the panelists discussed the revisions to the Net Merit (NM$) index that will take effect with the August 2021 genetic evaluations. In other words: How might the $ in NM$ really pay off?

For perspective, Penn State University dairy cattle genetics professor Chad Dechow simply explained it like this: We are in an industry that works on margins, and having better genetics gives you a better margin compared to your competitor herds that have poorer genetics.



That margin likely consists of higher component production and the revenue that comes with it, as well as how a lender might view your management ability, Cornell University agricultural economist Chris Wolf pointed out.

Using genetic strategies such as NM$ selection allows you to build a herd that is better able to withstand changes in the dairy market. Of course, management ability is necessary to make use of available genetics, but it also goes the other way  without genetics, management will only go so far. The gains in genetics are permanent, so you have the potential there, emphasized Joao Durr, CEO of the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding,

Fewer costs

Wisconsin dairy farmer Lloyd Holterman has been using NM$ as the main selection index for his Rosy-Lane Holstein herd since it was introduced in 1994. He has kept with it for the last 27 years because of the payoffs the farm has seen.



Lets say, in one herd, the milking females average 400 NM$, and the other herd is at 0. That $400 will come back to you over the lifetime of each cow, Holterman described. Thats really critically important because you have to spend a lot of money trying to manage the problems out of these cows. To breed a better cow genetically so you dont have the problems . . . thats our goal.

He noted that they have been able to go the last six years without using antibiotics in the milking herd, in part because mastitis incidence is so low. Fertility isnt a problem, either, with pregnancy rates over 40%, and at the same time, production reaches over 30,000 pounds of milk and averaged 4.2% fat last year. He credits a large portion of those achievements to the herds genetic foundation.

Genetics is probably the most underestimated part of dairy management, Holterman believes. Look at grain farmers; a bag of seed corn is really important to them, but we just seem to think that a dairy cow is a dairy cow. That couldnt be further from the truth.



To watch the recording of the July 7 DairyLivestream, go to the link above. The program recording is also available as an audio-only podcast on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and downloadable off of the Hoards Dairyman website.

An ongoing series of events

The next broadcast of DairyLivestream will be on Wednesday, July 21 at 11 a.m. CDT. Each episode is designed for panelists to answer over 30 minutes of audience questions. If you havent joined a DairyLivestream broadcast yet, register here for free. Registering once registers you for all future events.



To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021

July 15, 2021
The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

Holstein Association USA, in partnership with Western Kentucky University (WKU) and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, is thrilled to announce the formation of the WKU SmartHolstein Lab. The lab, located at the WKU Agriculture Research and Education Center, is designed to be a research, development, and demonstration center for the dairy industry.

Were delighted to be able to work with Western Kentucky University on the WKU SmartHolstein Lab partnership. This creative initiative gives us the opportunity to work with new dairy technology and data and assess how it can be of value to Association members and the dairy community at large, states Holstein Association USA Chief Executive Officer John M. Meyer.



The mission of the WKU SmartHolstein Lab is to lead Holstein and dairy advancements through research, development, and outreach in technologies, analytics, and genetics. This endeavor will also provide students with unique experiential learning opportunities.

The WKU SmartHolstein Lab is a remarkable collaboration with Holstein Association USA, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, and a number of dairy industry partners. This collaboration will provide unique opportunities that will directly benefit our students, dairy producers, and the dairy industry in general, says Dr. Fred DeGraves, Chair, Western Kentucky University Department of Agriculture & Food Science. We are excited with the synergism this collaboration offers and look forward to the wide array of opportunities in teaching, research, and outreach that this project will generate. We would like to thank Holstein Association USA, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, our dairy industry collaborators, and dairy producers from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky for their support of this project.



The WKU dairy farm is set up to milk 50 cows and raise associated replacement heifers. The long-term goal is to develop a 100% A2, polled herd of cows in the top 20% of the breed for TPI with additional emphasis on health, reproduction, and fitness traits.

To increase the genetic potential of the herd at the WKU SmartHolstein Lab, Holstein Association USA members are invited to donate Registered Holstein animals or embryos through the Send a Holstein to College program. If you do not currently own Holsteins but would like to contribute to the Send a Holstein to College effort, we will help you identify a breeder or an auction where you can buy a Holstein to donate. To nominate an animal for the program or learn more, visit www.smartholstein.com. Nomination forms are due December 1, 2021.



The SmartHolstein Lab has been established as an easy-to-access demonstration and development farm to explore new technologies designed to collect novel phenotypic traits including wearable or indwelling sensors and milk-based biomarkers. A major emphasis will be placed on practical use of data for on-farm decision making. This herd will also be a nucleus herd for genetic selection strategies and collection of novel phenotypic information.

I want to congratulate Western Kentucky University and Holstein Association USA on this incredible ag tech partnership, said Kentuckys Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles. As Chair of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, I speak for all our board members when I say we all believe strongly in the importance of cutting-edge research to the future of the agriculture industry. Projects such as the WKU SmartHolstein Lab will help us innovate our way to the next generation of Kentucky agriculture. The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board is proud to support this initiative.

Collaborations and partnerships from established and startup dairy technology and data providers are welcomed and essential for the success of this project. Many industry partners have already donated technologies to this endeavor. The WKU SmartHolstein Lab is a place where partners can come to explore new opportunities with an experienced team of dairy analytics leaders. Industry partnerships may come in the form of donation of expertise, technologies, or graduate student stipends. Mutually beneficial collaborations with other university faculty members, international visitors and scientists, and non-profits are also welcome.



Please contact us at wkudairy@smartholstein.com with questions or expressions of interest.

You can learn more about the WKU SmartHolstein Lab at www.smartholstein.com or by following SmartHolstein on Facebook or Instagram.
Come the fall, practically all college students are running around with their heads cut off. Of course, not literally, but talk of career fairs, internships, and job openings is buzzing around campuses. Quickly, students become anxious about landing the position of their dreams.

To the students luck, career services specialists are unphased by the chaos. Standing firm, these experts are ready to help students put forth their best foot. Sara Lane, the director of career services at North Carolina State Universitys College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, shared her advice during a workshop hosted by the American Dairy Science Association-Student Affiliate Division.

Encompassing years of experiences, involvements, and accomplishments, a resume gives employers a quick glance at a candidate. To start off the workshop, Lane had the students look at a sample job description and five resumes. She instructed them to choose a top pick to hire.



Throughout the selection process, the students were thrown curveballs as two of the candidates submitted cover letters and a company employee spoke highly another. With all these considerations in mind, the students agreed that there was one exceptional candidate.

So, what made that person stand out?

Starting with their resume, the sample candidate followed a clean and consistent format. Lane recommended a layout with the name and contact information at the top followed by a professional summary, education, and coursework or skills.

She said that a professional summary and a coursework or skills section can be added on the resume when the candidate does not have much job experience in the field they desire to work in. For educational background, college students should remove their high school degree and instead state post-secondary majors and minors, expected graduation date, and their collegiate GPA if above 3.0 or required.

Job experience and involvement conclude the resume. The thing recruiters are most interested in is the experience, said Lane. Applicants should use the job description to tailor their background to what the company is looking for.



Additionally, the top candidate submitted a supplemental cover letter that was not required. However, they explained how their experience tied in with the job description. Lane noted, Statistics show that about 40% of hiring managers actually look at cover letters. In this candidates case, she was not the top pick until she included it.

A cover letter can help you stand out from the pack, informed Lane. She advised students to have three paragraphs. She said, Your first paragraph is the I love you paragraph. You tell the company why you like them and why you want to work for them.

For the second paragraph, she referred to it as the You love me paragraph because the candidate is describing why their experience and knowledge is right for the job. To conclude the cover letter, the last paragraph should invite the recruiter into further conversation.

Lane recommended that college students take full advantage of their campuss career services. Through these tips and speaking with your colleges experts, perfecting your resume and cover letter should be a breeze!



Jessica Schmitt

Jessica Schmitt grew up working on her familys dairy farm near Fort Atkinson, Iowa. She recently completed her junior year at Iowa State University where she is triple majoring in dairy science, international agriculture, and agricultural and life sciences education with a communications option. Schmitt is serving as the 2021 Hoards Dairyman editorial intern this summer.
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) Lashing out at the opposition Congress and international organisations for alleging surveillance on politicians, journalists and others, Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday such 'obstructers' and 'disrupters' were only aiming to humiliate India at the world stage.

Asserting that they will not be able to derail India's development trajectory with their conspiracies, Shah, in a hard-hitting statement, said, People have often associated this phrase with me in lighter vein but today I want to seriously say - the timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions Aap Chronology Samajhiye!' The home minister said those against India's progress are peddling the same old narratives about the country.

'This is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers. Disrupters are global organisations that do not like India to progress.

'Obstructers are political players in India who do not want India to progress. People of India are very good at understanding this chronology and connection,' he said.

Shah questioned the timing of the 'selective leaks' on the eve of the Monsoon session and said they have been amplified by a few whose only aim is to do whatever is possible to humiliate India on the world stage.

'To see the rudderless Congress, jump on to this bandwagon is not unexpected.

'They have a good past experience in trampling over democracy and with their own house not in order, they are now trying to derail anything progressive that comes up in Parliament,' he said.

Shah's reaction came after the Congress demanded his sacking and a probe into the alleged phone-tapping of prominent personalities in the country using Israeli Pegasus spyware and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee probe.

An international media consortium reported Sunday that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

Story continues

The government, however, had dismissed the allegation of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people, saying it 'has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever'.

Opposition parties protested in Parliament on the issue and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee inquiry.

The home minister said he wanted to assure the people of India that the Modi government's priority is clear 'National Welfare' - and it will keep working to achieve that no matter what happens.

The home minister said the facts and sequence of events are for the entire nation to see and the disrupters and obstructers will not be able to derail India's development trajectory through their conspiracies.

Shah said the Monsoon Session of Parliament started on Monday and in what seemed like a perfect cue, late last evening a report appeared and it has been amplified by a few sections with only one aim - to do whatever is possible to humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about the nation and derail India's development trajectory.

The home minister said the people of India have high hopes from the current monsoon session as key bills for the welfare of farmers, youngsters, women and the backward sections of society are lined up for debate and discussion.

No less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is ready to discuss all topics, he said.

Shah said just a few days ago the Council of Ministers was expanded with great emphasis given to women, SC, ST and OBC members.

'But there are forces unable to digest this. They also want to derail national progress. This merits the question - to whose tune are these people dancing, who want to keep showing India in poor light? What pleasure do they get to time and again show India in a bad light?' he asked.

The home minister said when the prime minister rose in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to introduce his Council of Ministers, which is a well-established norm, the Congress-led opposition was in the Well of both Houses.

'Is this their respect for Parliamentary norms? The same behaviour continued when the IT Minister was speaking about the issue,' he said.

The opposition parties created a ruckus over the alleged phone tapping and other issues in both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon session, forcing repeated adjournment of proceedings. PTI ACB SKL RT RT
Maharashtras coronavirus caseload climbed to 62,20,207 on Monday after 6,017 people tested positive for the infection, the lowest since February 22, while the death toll jumped to 1,27,097 as 66 patients succumbed to COVID-19, a health department official said. The fresh COVID-19 deaths were the lowest in the last one week.

The official said as many as 13,051 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, pushing the number of recovered cases to 59,93,401.The state now has 96,375 active COVID-19 cases.

Maharashtras COVID-19 recovery rate is 96.35 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent, the official said.Significantly Hingoli, Wardha and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra did not report any new coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours.

According to the official, Mumbai reported 403 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 7,31,561, while the death toll increased to 15,716 with 14 fresh fatalities.A total of 1,092 new COVID-19 cases and 24 fatalities were reported in the Mumbai circle  that includes the city and its satellite towns  taking the tally to 16,27,032 and the death toll to 33,284.

The official said 202 people tested positive in Pune municipal limits, pushing the tally to 5,00,690, while the death toll rose to 8,600 after one more patient succumbed to the infection in the city.The wider Pune region reported 1,658 new COVID-19 cases and 17 fatalities, taking the tally to 14,66,915 and the death toll to 27,413.

The Kolhapur region reported 2,443 new COVID-19 cases and 16 fresh fatalities, according to the health department.The Nashik region witnessed 543 new cases, while the daily infection count was 208 in the Latur region.

The official said Nagpur, Akola and Aurangabad regions reported 26, 24 and 23 new COVID-19 cases, respectively.According to the official, out of 4,56,48,898 COVID-19 tests done so far in the state, 1,67,646 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

Story continues

Currently, 5,61,796 people are in home quarantine and 4,052 in institutional quarantine across the state, he said.The highest number of active cases at 15,768 are in Pune district, followed by Thane and Mumbai at 13,632 and 10,422, respectively.

According to the health department, of the total 59,93,401 recovered patients, the highest at 10,42,911 are from Pune district, followed by Mumbai and Thane at 7,03,066 and 5,64,399, respectively.Coronavirus figures for Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 62,20,207; new cases 6,017; total deaths 1,27,097; total recoveries 59,93,401; active cases 96,375; total tests 4,56,48,898.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
CASABLANCA (Reuters) -A Moroccan court on Monday jailed dissident reporter Omar Radi for six years on sexual assault and espionage charges, which he denied, in a case that has alarmed rights groups.

Radi, who has been in pretrial detention for almost a year, said he had consensual sex with his accuser Hafsa Boutahar and rejected all espionage accusations.

Radi's lawyer, Ali Amar, said the charges lacked evidence and that the verdict will be appealed.

Amnesty International said the trial "was marred by blatant breaches of due process".

The verdict was announced 10 days after the same court in Casablanca handed a five-year jail term for sexual assault to another dissident journalist, Soulaimane Raissouni, who also denied the charges.

Both men are outspoken critics of the authorities, public policy, the judiciary and Morocco's human rights record. Raissouni has been on hunger strike for more than 90 days.

Rights activists have accused the authorities of abusing the justice system to silence critical voices and applying the law unevenly, using criminal charges with scant evidence to target political opponents.

Radi's colleague Imad Stitou, whom the judiciary accused of complicity in the alleged sexual assault after he testified as a witness, was sentenced to one year in jail, half of which was suspended.

In both cases, the plaintiffs said the defendants' efforts to cast the charges as politically motivated denied them their right to seek justice.

Last week the U.S. State Department said the verdict in Raissouni's case raised concerns over fair trials and free speech in Morocco.

Morocco said the U.S. reaction was based on biased information and that neither trial was related to the defendants' work. It said the judiciary is independent and that courts and the police were only implementing national laws.

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; editing by Angus McDowall and Grant McCool)




Supreme Court orders release of activist, arrested over Facebook posts

19 Jul 2021: Supreme Court orders release of activist, arrested over Facebook posts

The Supreme Court of India today ordered the release of Erendro Leichombam, a 37-year-old political activist arrested for sedition over some Facebook posts earlier this year. A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah directed his release by 5 pm on Monday, subject to a personal bond of Rs. 1,000. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had sought more time from the top court.

Order: 'Continued detention would violate right to life'

"We are of the view that the continued detention of the petitioner would amount to violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We direct him to be released today by 5 pm," the Supreme Court said. SG Mehta had wanted the case to be adjourned until tomorrow. The order was passed on a petition filed by Leichombam's father.

Context: When and why was Leichombam arrested?

Leichombam, along with journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem, was arrested in May over some Facebook posts. "The cure for Corona is not cow dung & cow urine. The cure is science & common sense. Professor ji RIP," Leichombam had written, referring to Tikendra Singh, the then state BJP President, who succumbed to COVID-19. Some local BJP leaders had then filed a police complaint against them.

Details: Arrest is bad in law, violates earlier SC order: Plea

Leichombam was earlier granted bail on May 17 by a local court, however, the police then invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA), 1980, and kept him under detention. In his petition, Leichombam's father said the NSA was being misused to invalidate the bail order. He added the arrest was in violation of an earlier Supreme Court order against clampdown on information about COVID-19.

History: Leichombam was charged with sedition last year too

In June 2020 too, Leichombam was charged with sedition over another Facebook post containing a picture of Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In the picture, Sanajaoba Leishemba, who is the titular king of Manipur, was seen bowing with folded hands before Shah. Leichombam had captioned the image "Minai macha," which roughly translates to "Son of a servant."

Story continues

Sedition law: SC has questioned the need for sedition law

The SC order has come just days after the apex court questioned the relevance of the prevailing sedition law in India. "The sedition law is a colonial law. Do we still need the law in our country after 75 years of Independence," Chief Justice NV Ramana had remarked last week. "Is the law still necessary in the statute book in our country?"

The news article, Supreme Court orders release of activist, arrested over Facebook posts appeared first on NewsBytes.

Also see: Supreme Court asks UP to reconsider allowing Kanwar Yatra

Vinod Dua sedition FIR quashed; Supreme Court cites 1962 order

700 MT oxygen should reach Delhi daily, SC tells Centre

Read more on India by NewsBytes.


The media release from the Shadow Ministers today, was yet another example of misguided political point-taking in the overseeing of the NBN.

Their media release was on the topic of bonuses and the lack of bonuses paid to those on the front-line in NBN. As an ex-employee of NBN Co, I've had direct experience with this topic. At one point I had 26 direct reports, some being paid bonuses, others not.

I believe that most NBN employees in the categories the Shadow Ministers are talking about, are likely employed under enterprise employment agreements, negotiated by Unions, such as the one they site with the CEPU. Full-time permanent employees that are paid bonuses, are employed under direct individual employment contracts.

As I recall, these enterprise agreements do not have a bonus component. They do have other benefits, not afforded to employees on direct contracts. Those covered by enterprise employment agreements, for example, are guaranteed year-on-year pay increases. Those on direct contracts pay increases are not guaranteed, impacted by NBNs and the individuals performance. Pay increases to these staff sometimes aren't awarded. If bonus's were important, the unions could well have asked for these to be included, but they would have had to trade-off other beneficial conditions, such as guaranteed year-on-year pay increases. Generally, for the unions certainty of conditions is probably preferable to less certain 'at risk' employment conditions.

The bonuses are assigned based on: the percentage of at risk component within their employment contract; the performance of the company against the weighted company targets, as set by the board, and; the individual's assessed performance during the year.

I found the system fair, with clear guidelines for a manager to assign their particular share of the bonus pool to their bonus earning reports. The individuals that I assigned bonuses to were all deserving of them, as they had all provided clearly demonstrable value to NBN.

The media release by the shadow ministers is clearly a political beat-up by the opposition. However, Mr Rue could have addressed the Senator's question better. If some of the above points had been made by Rue it would have nullified the oppositions argument.

I'm not totally biased towards NBN and its management, read the article I wrote on the NBN purpose, here. I do feel that most of the blame of what NBN has become is driven by its stakeholder, the Government, mismanaging and prioritising political driven imperatives, such as the wasted capital on the implementation some components of the Multi-technology Mix.

If NBN had not been such a political vehicle it would be in a much better place. Instead it has been pushed into technology choices by unqualified politicians, with some other questionable regulatory decisions made by the ACCC.

As a wholesaler it should not be a prominent brand in the consumer telecommunications market. Do electricity consumers know who produces and distributes their electricity? No, most only know their retailer. The only reason that the NBN is so front of mind for consumers, is due to its political positioning by Government and Opposition parties.

It would be great if the politicians, on both sides of floor, stop using NBN as a point of difference and let it get on with being a good economic multiplier providing value to the Australian people.

I don't envy the leadership at NBN, most have inherited this politically created mess. It is a business that is marginal, where huge investment still needs to be made to fix many poor, politically made, technology decisions.
Conditions that cause discomfort and pain, such as arthritis, wake many older adults up during the night. Midday naps after a night of sleep disruptions are normal and can be helpful to compensate for lost sleep. On the other hand, excessive napping may indicate a larger issue. Here are five potential reasons why your elderly loved one may be sleeping all day according to AgingCare.com :

1. Boredom and lack of engagement. The simplest reason why seniors may find themselves napping throughout most of the day is because they feel like they have nothing better to do. When people feel like theres not much to look forward to, they can fall into the habit of sleeping the day away. One of the best ways to combat boredom is by finding ways to help your loved one stay active and socially engaged. Volunteering is a great way to stay engaged and feeling purposeful. There are many organizations in Forsyth County, including Senior Services, that are always in need of volunteers to perform a variety of activities and functions  some can be done from ones home.
The latest sting hurt like a multi-syllable curse word, and the swelling was more than I remembered from the last time I was stung.

A week later, a bee got me on the back of the upper arm while mowing. This time, it hurt like two multi-syllable curse words strung together, and my arm swelled from four inches above my elbow to four inches below.

Though I kind of liked having a giant Hulk arm when I looked in the mirror, it was a bit alarming.

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Dr. Google told me this was a later-in-life allergic reaction to bee venom.

If youve been stung by a bee and didnt have a reaction, there is still a chance of reacting in the future, David Golden, M.D. at Johns Hopkins University said in an ABC News article. You can get stung many times in your life and not react and one day become allergic to it. If youve actually had an allergic reaction to a sting, theres a very high chance of reacting again.

And, of course, I got stung again. Twice. Once in the back of the right leg and once on the left hand, about an inch from my thumb. The hand began to swell like a balloon.
New COVID-19 cases remained at elevated levels in North Carolina over the weekend, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday.

The state reached a near two-month high in new cases on Friday, with 1,163 reported  the most since May 20. The daily count of new cases fell slightly to 1,053 on Saturday and dropped to 734 on Sunday.

However, new cases have been at 995 or higher five of the past six days.

Meanwhile, Forsyth County continued to report a low number of new cases, with 73 between noon Friday and noon Monday. There were no additional COVID-19 deaths over the 72-hour period.

Since Forsyth the onset of the pandemic in mid-March 2020, 37,261 Forsyth residents have tested positive for the virus and 427 have died from COVID-19 related illnesses. Forsyth has had 217 new cases so far in July.

DHHS lists COVID-19 cases and deaths on the day they are confirmed by medical providers and public health officials, so people may have been infected or may have died days or weeks before their cases were counted.

Since mid-March 2020, North Carolina has had 1.02 million COVID-19 cases and 13,535 COVID-19 related deaths, with the number of deaths up 12 since Fridays report.
A Hickory man found a Navy officers hat while vacationing on the North Carolina coast in June. A few weeks later, he found the owner.

Jeff Mackie was on vacation with his wife when they saw a hat wash up on the beach. On the hat was the name USS Ramage with a crest and the words Par Excellence. On the back were the letters CO, meaning Commanding Officer.

It was in pretty good shape, Mackie said.

He said he searched for the owner of the hat at the beach, but no one claimed it.

He researched the name of the ship and found out it was a guided missile destroyer. He reached out to a few contacts in the Navy and asked if they knew how to get in touch with the hats owner.

On July 12, Mackie received an email from Isaac Harris saying You found my cover!!! Harris explained in the email that he had lost the hat while at sea.

Harris is the current commanding officer of the USS Ramage, according to the U.S. Navy website.

Mackie said he mailed the hat to Harris soon after getting in touch with him.
The network allows PHPs to make electronic referrals, communicate in real time, securely share client information and track outcomes. Community members can search NCCARE360s repository of more than 10,000 local services at nccare360.org/resources or email connect@nccare360.org.

At stake with Medicaid transformation: three-year PHP contracts for the four insurers that are projected to be worth $6 billion a year.

With two optional one-year extensions, a contract could be worth a total of $30 billion  among the largest vendor contracts awarded in state history.

Five years worth of often-controversial public health and legislative debate culminated in July 2020 when Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed Republican-sponsored legislation that provided pivotal start-up funds.

Richard said the transformation is designed to insure that Medicaid recipients will continue to see the same medical provider if available through the PHP, and that providers will get paid.

Managed care is a system under which people agree to see only certain doctors or go to certain hospitals, as in a health maintenance organization, or HMO, or a preferred provider organization, or PPO, health-insurance plan.
This bill is narrowly tailored to offer medical marijuana to those with legitimate medical needs, Nickel said.

As a primary reason for legalization, the bill says modern medical research has found that cannabis and cannabinoid compounds are effective at alleviating pain, nausea and other symptoms associated with several debilitating medical conditions.

Rabon, a cancer survivor, has said SB711 would not serve as a gateway to recreational marijuana use.

Recreational marijuana use is not something we want in our state, Lee said, but added that the prohibition should not keep North Carolina from doing the right thing for people with chronic and debilitating conditions.

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Lowe said bill sponsors reviewed legislation in piecing together SB711.

We realized that, for some states, it has worked out well, while for others it was just a recreational product, Lowe said. Thats not the goal with this particular bill on our state.

Some advocates for permitting medical marijuana still criticize SB711 for being too restrictive on who can use it, and for not putting enough emphasis on the mental health aspect of debilitating health conditions.
As protesters take to the streets in Cuba, defying a violent government crackdown, Americans across the political spectrum have a chance to break with old canards about the country. Progressives should understand that there is nothing remotely progressive about the thuggish, oppressive, neo-Stalinist government of Cuba. And conservatives should understand that six decades of embargoes, sanctions and unrelenting animosity have been an utter, dismal, counterproductive failure.

It is long past time to try something different: We need to tear down the metaphorical wall that bisects the Florida Straits and permit all manner of sustained engagement. Standing in solidarity with the Cuban people and supporting their aspirations would be much more terrifying to Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel than any new punitive measures we might impose.

The protests that erupted last week in cities and towns across the island have no antecedent in the communist era. The nearest comparison was a violent demonstration that took place in central Havana in 1994, during what the regime calls the special period  the years, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, when generous subsidies from Moscow ended and Cuba suffered crippling shortages of just about everything, especially food.
Third, more Cubans than ever are aware of the regimes abuses thanks to the arrival of social media. Cubans got 3G mobile phone service in 2019, giving millions internet access for the first time. Not only can dissidents now use encrypted messaging apps such as Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp to communicate, social media also have facilitated spontaneous uprisings by ordinary Cubans. Many Cubans learned about the protests from videos posted on Twitter and Facebook, and rushed to join them. They used their cellphones to take images that spread across Cuba, sparking protests in other cities. As a result, thousands of Cubans who had never engaged in dissident activity got involved.

Social media also have exposed the regimes brutality. Once, the state security rounded up dissidents in secrecy. But on Tuesday morning, when regime thugs detained popular Cuban YouTuber Dina Stars, her arrest was broadcast live on television. The video has been seen around the world via social media. Cubans have used cellphone videos to record and disseminate images of protesters being beaten and arrested across the island, leading the regime to restrict cellphone service across the island.

This confluence of economic distress, popular anger and social awareness has created a moment of opportunity. Will Biden seize this moment to support the freedom movement?
Local

editor's pick alert featured

New Starkweather book to examine Caril Ann Fugate's role in killings

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Author Harry MacLean, who has made several trips to Lincoln this year while researching a book about Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate, stands near the scene of one of the crimes -- where Starkweather killed Fugate's mother, stepfather and baby half-sister. Journal Star archives Caril Fugate (left) and Charles Starkweather in a snapshot taken by his landlady in 1957.

Caril Ann (Fugate) Clair

For his first book, Harry MacLean was a stranger, and Skidmore, Missouri, was a strange land.

But that didnt stop the Nebraska native from driving there from his home in Colorado after reading about the 1981 vigilante slaying of a small-town bully in Newsweek.

He stayed in Skidmore for three years  attending church services and tractor pulls, selling tickets for a Mothers Day bazaar and judging a community dance contest. He knew he had to learn the landscape, the culture, the history and, more importantly, build the trust of the locals to unravel the motive, and the mystery, behind the killing.

I hadnt intended to do that, but thats how it worked out, he said. I got deeper and deeper into the community.

After it was released in 1988, In Broad Daylight sold more than 1 million copies, won an Edgar Award and was made into a TV movie.

But for his latest book  an examination of Caril Ann Fugates role during Charlie Starkweathers 1958 murder spree  MacLean is already right at home.

His brother was a classmate of Starkweathers at Irving, and MacLean was just a couple of years behind.

He grew up on South 24th, the same south Lincoln street where C. Lauer and Clara Ward, and their maid, Lillian Fencl, were killed; C. Lauer Ward was on the board of directors at Bankers Life, where MacLeans father was a vice president.

Here, he didnt have to learn the landscape or the history. He lived it. He could conjure Lincoln in the 1950s as a teenager, as Fugate and Starkweather would have seen it; eating at the Runza near Pioneers Park; running down to Marysville, Kansas, for 3.2 beer.

Charlie talks about doing stuff that I did, MacLean said. Ive got so many amazing tie-ins to this story.

MacLean has published four more books since his first. But hes thought about telling a Starkweather story for decades.

It was always there in the back of my mind that this story has never really been told, particularly in the context of whats happened since then.

And not in the way MacLean intends to tell it.

He was a lawyer and a judge before he became an author. He served as a trial attorney for the Securities and Exchange Commission, first assistant attorney general in Colorado, special counsel to the Colorado governor, general counsel for the federal agency that oversaw the Peace Corps, a magistrate for the Denver District Court and, lately, as a private arbitrator settling workplace and labor disputes.

He is paid to find facts and draw conclusions.

Last year, he was working on a novel and realized he was weaving in a Starkweather theme. He went to YouTube, and found Fugates interview on A Current Affair.

Fugate was adamant onscreen: She was a 14-year-old victim at the time, a hostage worried about the safety of her family, and not at all an accomplice. Not a Bonnie to Starkweathers Clyde.

I thought, This has never been resolved. Her guilt or innocence has never been resolved, MacLean said. And I thought, Maybe thats the story. Maybe you ought to dig into that.

He started his research earlier this spring after suspending his arbitration practice. Hes been to Lincoln four times since then, studied nearly 4,000 pages of documents, revisited the crime scenes. Hes determined to analyze all of the arguments and evidence and  as he did when he was a magistrate, or when hes arbitrating a case  take a position on Fugates guilt or innocence.

Officially, Fugate was found guilty only as an accomplice in the murder of Robert Jensen, sentenced to life in prison and was paroled in 1976. But the court of public opinion largely convicted her in all of the 10 killings Starkweather committed with her by his side, MacLean said. And the traditional approach was binary: She was either a helper or a hostage.

Its more complicated than that, he said. Not as black or white. Look at all of the research that has been done in the past 60 years on the adolescent brain and its cognitive abilities. Now add the trauma of watching your boyfriend repeatedly kill.

If youre 14 years old and you think youre a hostage and you see that, what does that do to your ability to reason and think and make rational decisions about escaping?

He hasnt reached a verdict through his recent research yet, he said. And unlike most of Lincoln, he didnt draw a conclusion decades ago, during the spree, because he was away at prep school.

I heard about it when I got home, he said. So I dont have to get rid of a prejudice.

His book will contain a chronology of the crimes, filtered through Starkweathers own conflicting reports about Fugates role. And the Nebraska native  raised in Bassett and Lincoln  will give his readers a taste of the Good Life.

Im going to force feed the reader on Nebraska. Im sick of the one-note take the world has on it. Its a much more interesting place.

But this project is challenging, despite his familiarity with Lincoln. When he was working on his first book, all but one of the primary characters was still alive. They helped him tell the story in real time.

It wasnt history. It had just happened. It was raw and it was alive and there were emotions everywhere.

The Starkweather case is history. Most of those close to the crimes are gone. MacLean does plan to try to talk to Fugate, who lives in Michigan and last year was denied a pardon. Hes also spoken with a former Lincoln Star reporter who covered the crimes, and the trials, and Fugates appellate attorney.

Beyond them, hes dependent on documents.

Help an author out? If you knew Caril Ann Fugate, Charlie Starkweather or any of the victims  or their families  author Harry MacLean wants to talk to you. Email him at hnmac@aol.com

He wants to start writing this fall, and hopes to publish in two years. In the meantime, he plans to continue his research, and hopes to find people who knew Fugate, Starkweather or their families.

Those personal, firsthand accounts can help him add new life to an old story.

The challenge for me as a writer is bringing it alive, to make it a present story, he said. So when readers read it, theyre there as if it happened two years ago.
Police say they arrested two Lincoln men with meth and stolen guns in separate, back-to-back incidents Friday night.

Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said at about 5:30 p.m., investigators were in the 500 block of Eldora Lane, near 70th and Vine streets, looking for 27-year-old John Belot on an outstanding federal arrest warrant.

When they saw him approach a home in the area, they tried to contact him, Belot dropped a backpack and ran, Bonkiewicz said. But police quickly caught and arrested him.

He said inside the backpack police found a loaded .22 Beretta, reported stolen in Grants Pass, Oregon, along with 8.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, paraphernalia and a Glock magazine with six 9mm rounds.

Bonkiewicz said they also found $510 cash, 1.4 grams of meth and several ID cards that didn't belong to Belot in his pockets.

The second incident happened at 7:45 p.m., when police stopped a Mitsubishi Galant near 27th and Theresa streets, just south of Cornhusker Highway, for straddling the lane lines.
A 61-year-old Lincoln man is set for sentencing in October after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a ward while he was working at the Saline County Jail.

Monty Roesler could get up to two years of imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000 and at least five years of supervised release.

In a grand jury indictment unsealed in February, the government accused Roesler of having sexual contact with an individual at the Wilber jail who was his ward.

At a hearing Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessie Smith said Roesler engaged in inappropriate, sexual contact multiple times with a federal inmate being held at the jail in Wilber between Sept. 21 and Oct. 7, including one incident Oct. 7, during his nighttime rounds.

Asked if what Smith said was true, Roesler said it was.

He pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a ward in exchange for the government agreeing to dismiss a second count.

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The affidavit, written by Investigator Joseph Villamonte, includes information on Barnes' month-long evasion of Lincoln Police, which included the 18-year-old jumping from his mom's car during a traffic stop and being whisked out of the intensive care unit at Bryan West on June 19 against doctor's orders, according to police.

Barnes' mother, Sentoris Barnes, has disputed LPD's account of the incident at the hospital, which led to the teen's grandmother being cited and released.

Earlier that day, Jaheim Barnes was involved in a crash on Foxcroft Court involving a stolen Nissan Altima  the event that landed him in the ICU, Villamonte wrote. Sentoris Barnes told the Journal Star her son was not driving the car when it crashed, but occupants of the Nissan told police that the 18-year-old was behind the wheel, according to the affidavit.

The same Nissan had been used hours earlier in the shooting near Tanker Hill Park, where investigators found seven 9 mm shell casings and one of the teens told officers a round had hit the ground near his foot, Villamonte wrote.
A quick-acting 16-year-old boy is being credited with saving a 7-year-old boy with autism who had wandered away from his home and was struggling in a nearby pond.

Lincoln Police Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said it happened at about 8:15 p.m. just northeast of the Loren Eiseley Branch Library.

He said police were called there after the 16-year-old boy, who lives in the area, saw the child struggling in the water, jumped in and pulled him back to shore. An adult saw what happened and came out with a towel.

Bonkiewicz said as police showed up, they almost immediately found the boy's relatives out searching for him.

He said they didn't ticket anyone, but did tell them about Project Lifesaver, which is designed to track "at-risk people prone to wandering.

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A Lincoln museum has been voted the Best Attraction for Car Lovers by USA Today.

The Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed beat out 19 other attractions in the U.S. to earn the top spot. The contest was voted on by readers and a panel of experts, which included editors from USA TODAY and 10Best.com.

Other attractions ranged from car museums and factory tours to driving experiences and live auctions.

The Museum of American Speed, located at 599 Oakcreek Drive, houses a collection of historic cars, engines, parts and memorabilia in more than 150,000 square feet of display space.

It was founded in 1992 by "Speedy" Bill and Joyce Smith to present a chronology of racing engines and speed equipment, as well as display significant items in racing and automotive history.

We are so proud the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed received this national recognition, said Clay Smith, president of Speedway Motors. Weve always heard from visitors how impressed they are by the collection. This recognition helps put Lincoln on the map as a destination for automotive enthusiasts.
If youre 14 years old and you think youre a hostage and you see that, what does that do to your ability to reason and think and make rational decisions about escaping?

He hasnt reached a verdict through his recent research yet, he said. And unlike most of Lincoln, he didnt draw a conclusion decades ago, during the spree, because he was away at prep school.

I heard about it when I got home, he said. So I dont have to get rid of a prejudice.

His book will contain a chronology of the crimes, filtered through Starkweathers own conflicting reports about Fugates role. And the Nebraska native  raised in Bassett and Lincoln  will give his readers a taste of the Good Life.

Im going to force feed the reader on Nebraska. Im sick of the one-note take the world has on it. Its a much more interesting place.

But this project is challenging, despite his familiarity with Lincoln. When he was working on his first book, all but one of the primary characters was still alive. They helped him tell the story in real time.

It wasnt history. It had just happened. It was raw and it was alive and there were emotions everywhere.
Around 100 people, many waving Cuban flags and holding signs, gathered in Lincoln on Sunday afternoon in a show of solidarity with protesters in Cuba.

The group organized at 27th and O streets before moving to the steps of the Capitol.

Protestors called on state leaders and members of Congress to appeal to the White House, in hopes that the Biden administration could send resources to assist those living on the island separated by just 90 miles from Florida.

Adrian Almeida, a student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, said the idea for a rally in Lincoln began at the Tyson plant in Madison, where his mother works.

Organizers used social media to reach Cuban Nebraskans across the state, with many in attendance Sunday traveling from Omaha, Columbus, Grand Island, Norfolk, Hastings and even Scottsbluff.

"If people in Cuba are in the streets, we have to be in the streets in Nebraska," Almeida said.

Almeida's father and grandmother live in Cuba, and he said he has not been able to speak to them since the government shut down the state-run internet and cut off lines of communication as protests grew over recent days.
La Crosse: Officers serving on the La Crosse unit receive an annual base pay of $56,000 to $70,000. The city also offers benefits including up to six weeks of paid vacation, up to 120 days of sick leave and education incentives.

Eau Claire: The average hourly wage for officers in the City of Eau Claire ranges from $22.93 to $33.53, a salary of about $48,000- $70,000. Cadets at this department are offered an hourly salary of $22.37 while attending academy.

Kenosha: The City of Kenosha offers a starting annual wage between $62,376 and $77,472 to their police officers. Kenosha provides a Duty-Related Death Benefit of a lump sum equivalent to one year of the affected officers salary. Other benefits included deferred compensation, tuition reimbursement of up to $3,000 per year and a health savings account.

Mequon: The position as a police officer in the City of Mequon offers a starting wage of $60,000. Mequon offers a complete benefit package, as well as compensation for those attending police academy.

McFarland: The McFarland Police Department offers a monthly wage between $3,628.80- $4,717.44, which is about $44,000- $57,000 annually. McFarland officers are allowed a take-home vehicle, a uniform allowance and educational reimbursement.
A felony conviction on his record  a barrier for many Wisconsinites  is likely further harming his search, Young said, but my lack of a vehicle is really whats got me in a box.

Ive got to have a roof over my head, he added. So I had no choice (but to sell the vehicle), you know?

Ditching the service industry

Amid the mad dash for workers, businesses are increasingly rolling out incentives like signing bonuses. But an Indeed Hiring Lab survey of 5,000 working-age Americans flagged coronavirus-related health concerns as a major factor slowing the return to work. Other reasons for non-urgent job searching in order of popularity included: having a working spouse, financial cushion, care responsibilities or security from enhanced unemployment payments, according to the survey.

Madison bartender Jamie McPeters said he sees return-to-work hesitation among local food service workers, even as some restaurants dangle $1,000 signing bonuses for cooks. McPeters decided to leave the industry after more than 20 years to pursue a graphic design career. Although thankful for regular customers who took care of us, McPeters said he wont miss the $2.13 hourly wage plus tips  or occasionally rude clientele. Trying to enforce mask-wearing during the pandemic drove the last point home.
Openness and transparency in government got a rare win last week when Gov. Tony Evers vetoed legislation that likely would have kept the public from knowing about allegations of misconduct or sexual harassment by members of the Legislature or their staffs.

The proposed legislation would have created a new legislative service agency call the Legislative Human Resources Office  and there is probably some merit to that concept.

But lawmakers tainted that original idea by giving the proposed office a blanket exemption from reporting on any legislative misdeeds and being accountable to the public. The language in the bill said the office shall at all times observe the confidential nature of records, requests, advice, complaints, reviews, investigations, disciplinary actions, and other information in its possession relating to human resources matters.

That exemption, of course, covers about everything under the sun. Or in this case, everything legislators dont want to see come to light and never see the sun.

As Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council noted, No other state or local body gets to entirely withhold any records related to human resources and there is no clear reason why the Legislature should have been treated any differently.
1. Yes. They are not doing their duty as lawmakers; they should face consequences.

2. Yes. The Democrats may have a point, but they should be required to return to work.

3. No. With no filibuster option available, Democrats would be unable to stop a bad bill.

4. No. Most Texas voters oppose the GOPs voting measures, so they had to be stalled.

5. Unsure. Abbott wants to take a stand, but jailing lawmakers may be too harsh.

Vote

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KEARNEY  The Kearney Police Department made 85 traffic stops, but reported there were no major concerns created by Cruise Nite, although there were areas of congested traffic on Saturday night along Second Avenue and 25th Street.

As with any large-scale event, members of the KPD focus on preparation, collaboration and community engagement toward a safe and secure outcome. We appreciate the assistance from our allied agencies, community partners and event organizers toward this goal. I couldnt be prouder of the KPD, Chief of Police Bryan Waugh said.

He said preparing for Cruise Nite requires months of planning, additional staff, equipment and resources.

All of our staff once again stepped up to the task, Waugh said.

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There were 241 calls for service between 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday.

KPD investigated 10 traffic accidents and performed 85 traffic stops during that time. These numbers reflect only statistics from KPD. Law enforcement officers from KPD, Buffalo County Sheriffs Office, Nebraska State Patrol and UNK Police all worked together for Cruise Nite.

A summary of the weekend activity related to the event includes:
When it comes to mental health issues, law enforcement is on the front line.

Often, law enforcement are the first people and the first to respond to these calls for service that can be among the most complex and the most difficult to connect to the right resources, said La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron.

His department now has some more help. La Crosse police, in cooperation with La Crosse County Human Services, has formed a co-responder program thats part of a community resource unit.

The program pairs a police officer with a mobile crisis responder for calls in which mental health may be a factor. City and county officials discussed the program during a Monday press conference in La Crosse.

We have long recognized the need for a broader approach to mental health issues, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds said.

Reynolds said the program will serve people with mental health issues in a more effective way and get them the help they need much faster. He also believes the program will ease the burden on the criminal justice system.
Sabrina Madison has worked here before.

It was 2016, she had just quit her job at Madison Area Technical College and was hunkered down above the Veterans Museum in the co-working space of 100state, a nonprofit designed to guide and innovate entrepreneurs like herself.

As the lone African American women in the office space and one who wasnt trying to design the next best piece of software or gadget, she was fueled by the energy of the space and her cohorts but knew what she was setting out to do was quite different from those around her.

But Madison is back in the same building on Capitol Square. Only now she has her own space and has fleshed out a business model designed to help women like herself thrive.

Madisons enthusiasm remains infectious, her drive unrelenting as the Progress Center for Black Women prepares to open its doors on the seventh floor of 30 W. Mifflin St.
In a 2020 report, the collaborative found low rates of colon cancer screening and HPV vaccination in some rural areas, and low rates of childhood vaccinations and depression screening in some urban neighborhoods.

Blacks in Wisconsin have higher rates of cancer and sexually transmitted diseases than other groups, and worse outcomes for stroke, diabetes and asthma, stemming in part from more poverty and less education, according to the state Department of Health Services.

A key disparity in Wisconsin, and in Dane County, has been infant mortality. In 2016-18, the Black infant mortality rate in the county was 12 deaths per 1,000 births, compared to 4.3 deaths per 1,000 births for white babies. The rate was 7.8 for Hispanics and 4.4 for Asians.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted disparities in the state. Compared to white residents, Hispanics have 1.7 times greater case rates, Blacks have 2.1 times greater hospitalization rates, and American Indians have 1.5 times greater death rates, the state health department says.
A lifetime of traveling while living and working next to their own antiques mall in Adamstown left Ed and Carol Stoudt with a prodigious collection of Old World artifacts and memorabilia they displayed in their borough restaurant, biergarten and brewery.

As they continue to wind down their businesses, the Stoudts are now selling those beer steins, posters, pipes and other curiosities at a public auction that gives anyone a chance to own a piece of their nearly 60 years operating in Adamstown. Two of Ed Stoudts antique cars  a 1932 Auburn convertible roadster and a 1937 Ford Woody Wagon  will also be sold.

I would describe this as a collectors auction, said Ted Wiederseim, owner of Phoenixville-based Wiederseim Associates, which is conducting the July 24 sale. Some people in the trade might be interested, but mostly its going to be people who have ever been to Stoudts, ever been to the restaurant, ever had a beer, ever had some bratwurst up there.

In addition to the 60-plus beer steins that were displayed in the Stoudts biergartern, there are circus, movie and war posters that would be familiar to anyone who has gone to an event there. Plus, the Alpine rocking chair where Ed Stoudt typically sat during Oktoberfests will be sold, along with a fun house mirror, mahogany telephone booth, pipe collection and chandeliers.

I think theres a huge local audience that is so interested in the Stoudts and their history. Theres a huge emotional attachment," said Jean Sauer, director of operations for Wiederseim Associates.

Stoudts house, beer brand still on market

The auction of the Stoudts private collection follows the May sale of the Stoudts 18-acre business complex in Adamstown and the couples move in June to Vermont where they bought a horse farm near their daughter.

Were taking a more simple approach to life, said Carol Stoudt.

The Stoudts former Chateuesque-style duplex at 63-65 W. Main St. in Adamstown remains for sale. The nine-bedroom home was extensively renovated by the Stoudts, who stripped old paint and varnish to restore the original woodwork. The upcoming auction includes some furniture from the home.

Carol Stoudt said she and Ed distributed some of their collection to their children, and are now offering the rest to the public.

Hopefully people will purchase them and take really good care of them like we did for all these years, she said.

As their own collection goes up for sale, the Stoudts continue to make plans for the future of their award-winning beer.

Begun in 1987, Stoudts Brewing Co. was a pioneer in the craft beer industry, winning numerous awards and growing to the point where it was producing 450,000 gallons of beer a year. But production decreased in the face of competition from other craft brewers as well as changing customer tastes. The brewery closed in last year, and its equipment sold.

Carol Stoudt, who never strayed from making traditional German-style beers, said they are now considering the future of the brand. Initially, they wanted to sell it outright to someone who could make and sell the beer using the old recipes. Now, Stoudt says they are hoping to keep control of the brand and lease it to someone who could brew it under a contract.

Carol Stoudt said maintaining ownership and some oversight of the beer will help ensure its quality. She said she may even help with marketing.

We definitely want to keep it alive, and keep someone brewing it that really has the love and the passion that we had, she said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace. They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.

The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that targeted victims  including in the U.S.  with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials also alleged that criminal contract hackers associated with China's Ministry of State Security have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the MSS in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of targeting trade secrets and confidential business information, including scientific technologies and infectious-disease research.

Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination shaming as sending an important message, even if no single action can change behavior.

President Joe Biden told reporters the investigation's not finished, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out future consequences for China, saying, "This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia.

Even without fresh sanctions, Monday's actions are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in Chinas western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.

The administration also advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.

The European Union and Britain were among the allies who called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the blocs 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage.

The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace. The alliance said it was determined to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats.

That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was the kind of aggressive behavior that we're seeing coming out of China.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement that the U.S. has repeatedly made groundless attacks and malicious smear against China on cybersecurity. Now this is just another old trick, with nothing new in it. The statement called China "a severe victim of the US cyber theft, eavesdropping and surveillance."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct, the official said.

Dmitri Alperovitch, the former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said the announcement makes clear that MSS contractors who for years have worked for the government and conducted operations on its behalf have over time decided  either with the approval or the blind eye of their bosses"  to start moonlighting and engaging in other activities that could put money in their pockets."

The Microsoft Exchange hack that months ago compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world was swiftly attributed to Chinese cyber spies by Microsoft.

An administration official said the government's attribution to hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security took until now in part because of the discovery of the ransomware and for-profit hacking operations and because the administration wanted to pair the announcement with guidance for businesses about tactics that the Chinese have been using.

Given the scope of the attack, Alperovitch said it was puzzling that the U.S. did not impose sanctions.

They certainly deserve it, and at this point, it's becoming a glaring standout that we have not, he said.

He added, in a reference to a large Russian cyberespionage operation discovered late last year, "Theres no question that the Exchange hacks have been more reckless, more dangerous and more disruptive than anything the Russians have done in SolarWinds.



Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan in London and Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.



Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden praised King Abdullah II of Jordan as a stalwart ally in a tough neighborhood as the two leaders huddled at the White House on Monday, a meeting that came at a pivotal moment for both leaders in the Middle East.

Last week a Jordanian state security court sentenced two former officials to 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the king uncovered earlier this year that involved Abdullah's half-brother.

Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

You have always been there, and we will always be there for Jordan, Biden said during an Oval Office meeting with Abdullah and his son, the Crown Prince Hussein.

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting any chance for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He also chaffed at the Trump administration's pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords  deals with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. His administration has even praised the Trump-brokered accords  a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration.

Biden planned to stress to Abdullah in private that the accords are not an end run" on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Abdullah, for his part, praised Biden for setting the standard internationally in the battle against COVID-19. The U.S. delivered 500,000 vaccines to Jordan days ahead of the kings visit. The king also appeared to make clear that he was looking to reset the U.S. - Jordan relationship after a four bumpy years with Trump.

You can always count on me, my country, and many of our colleagues in the region, Abdullah said.

The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria  more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan  and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, an administration official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting with Biden was also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallahs U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.

They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the kings half-brother. Biden, who has known Abdullah for years, was quick to publicly express strong U.S. support for Jordan" and praise the king's leadership after details of the coup attempt were unveiled in April.

It's unclear if Biden raised the United States' long-standing call to extradite Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi, a Palestinian woman living in Jordan who is wanted by the U.S. on a charge of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals.

The Trump administration last year indicated it was considering withholding aid to Jordan in a bid to secure al-Tamimi's extradition. She was convicted in Israel of a 2001 bombing of a Tel Aviv restaurant that killed 15 people, including two American citizens. She has lived freely in Jordan since she was released in a Hamas-Israel prisoner swap in 2011.

Biden administration officials have previously made clear to Jordan that the extradition of al-Tamimi, who is on the FBI's most wanted list, is of high-interest to the United States, according to the administration official.

Arnold Roth, whose 15-year-old daughter, Malki, was killed in the bombing, noted that Biden has spoken frequently of decency and dignity as paramount values in how he'll run his administration. Roth and his wife, Frimet, wrote Blinken and other administration officials last month calling on the administration to press Abdullah for extradition. He said they received no response from the administration beyond acknowledgement that their letter was received.

I cant think of two words that more powerfully encapsulate what weve been deprived of in all of our dealings with the U.S. government, Roth said.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Former President Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election have been debunked by the courts, his own Justice Department and scores of recounts.

But in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where Trump lost by 80,000 votes eight months ago, they're finding new signs of life.

A Republican state lawmaker, bolstered by campaign trail support from top Republican candidates for governor and U.S. Senate, has launched a push for a forensic investigation of the presidential election results, a review modeled on the widely discredited process underway in Arizona.

The effort is likely to face legal challenges and is still limited to three counties, where it is getting pushback even from Republican commissioners. But its march forward is forcing many to stop viewing it as one lawmaker's pet project and take it seriously.

The audit has fast become a litmus test in an election cycle where an open governors office and an open U.S. Senate seat  the political equivalent of a blue moon  have triggered fiercely competitive Republican primaries.

That has some GOP party officials and donors squirming with discomfort, albeit quietly. Some Republicans privately worry that the spectacle of a protracted election audit is a time bomb that not only will damage the states democratic institutions, but also the partys credibility with critical swing voters.

Most of the Republicans I know, at the very least, have misgivings and, at worst, are like me and realize this is just really a blunder of epic proportions, said former congressman Charlie Dent, a centrist Republican from the Allentown area. Why bring the Arizona clown show to Pennsylvania?

Those worries have been easily drowned out by supporters of the effort.

One, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who has claimed that Trump  asked me  to run for governor, is the ringleader of the audit campaign and is fundraising off it.

All Im asking for is a transparent and thorough investigation to prove to U.S. voters that our votes were fairly counted, and that we have nothing to worry about, Mastriano wrote in the email appeal last weekend.

A rival, former congressman Lou Barletta, who is running for governor, has said that he was for an audit way back in December.

Earlier this month, Mastriano sent letters to three counties  including Philadelphia, a Democratic bastion and the states largest city  to request access to a sweeping list of information, documents and equipment, with the threat of subpoenas for holdouts.

Gov. Tom Wolf and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, both Democrats, have vowed to fight the subpoenas in court, giving Republicans who are leery of Trump's antics hope that the audit will have a short life.

Subpoenas are a tool lawmakers have rarely used in the past, leaving it unclear whether a court would block such an effort, order counties to comply or just choose not to intervene, said Bruce Ledewitz, a Duquesne University law professor who teaches constitutional law.

No court is going to get in the way, probably," he predicted. "But that doesnt mean you get some kind of enforceable enforcement order.

Meanwhile, Mastriano has left key questions unanswered, including who will do the work, how it will be funded and where such a vast amount of documents and equipment would be stored securely.

That has not stopped candidates for U.S. Senate or governor from backing it.

Sean Parnell, a candidate for U.S. Senate, said that half the state not trusting the election result is a problem that can be remedied with an audit, and dismissed the official state and county audits as simply recounts" that were inadequate to investigate allegations that something went wrong.

And now after the fact, that people are saying, Hey, wait a minute, maybe there were some problems, they just blow us all off and say, No, no, screw you, you dont know what youre talking about,' like, 'Youre just a bunch of crazy conspiracy theorists, Parnell told a radio show host Wednesday.

In Arizona, the Senates Republican leadership initiated the unprecedented partisan audit of votes in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, despite the fact that the votes already had been counted, recounted and certified. The effort has been supported by many Republican state lawmakers, state party chair Kelli Ward and state Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate.

However, it has drawn withering criticism from some other establishment Republicans, including those who control the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors; Cindy McCain, the wife of the late senator and GOP presidential nominee; and former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has avoided the topic altogether.

In Pennsylvania, Republican Party and Senate Republican leaders have responded with silence.

Many Republicans who want to distance the party from an audit question the cost for counties to comply with Mastriano's demands or argue that it's time to focus on future elections. Some say it is highly unlikely it would uncover smoking-gun evidence of widespread fraud, or they point to a slew of GOP-led legislative hearings that, they say, already covered the topic thoroughly and produced legislation.

At the end of the day, I dont know what youre going to achieve, said Sam DeMarco, the GOP chair of Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh.

Still, even Republicans who avoid repeating Trumps election fraud claims have perpetuated the idea that Democrats cheated.

They routinely distort the actions of state judges and officials as unconstitutional or illegal in settling legal disputes and questions over Pennsylvanias fledgling mail-in voting law in the weeks before Novembers election.

Weeks ago, Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives rejected doing any such 2020 election audit through their chamber.

Instead, those Republican lawmakers advanced a Voting Rights Protection Act that, they said, would make elections more secure and accessible and fix 2020's alleged problems.

In addition, it would have shifted authority over election policy away from the executive branch and assigned broad new election-auditing authority in future elections to the state auditor general, currently a Republican.

Democrats dismissed the bill as voter suppression and Wolf vetoed it, but it gave Republican Party figures something to point to, at the very least, as an alternative to an Arizona-style audit of the 2020 election.

I think thats the issue, said Jeffrey Piccola, the GOP chair in Republican-controlled York County. I dont think going back to 2020 is going to solve any problems, and Im not sure you can solve any problems.



Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter
Franklin & Marshall College last month protested an Atlantic magazine article that claimed it is considering changing its name because of its associations with slavery. The magazine later reported that the college has had no official conversations on that subject.

But there has been considerable discussion on campus about the men for whom the college is named  not so much about the early embrace and later rejection of slavery by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), but about the lifelong buying and selling of hundreds of slaves by John Marshall (1755-1835).

The Scribbler first heard about the Marshall matter from an F&M staff member about a year ago. This spring, the college sponsored three conversations about Marshalls and Franklins complex history with slavery. The college has appointed a committee to examine the impact of naming and symbols on campus.

Among the impacts that the group will consider, no doubt, is the recent vandalizing of the Marshall statue.

The committee of students, faculty and staff probably will draw on information about Marshalls associations with slavery from Paul Finkelmans 2018 book, Supreme Injustice: Slavery in the Nations Highest Court.

Marshall, the nations most influential Supreme Court chief justice, was an unrepentant slaveholder, according to the headline of an article by Finkelman in the June issue of the Atlantic. He enslaved more than 300 Black men, women and children. He bought and sold and split families.

Moreover, Marshall never wrote an opinion for the court supporting freedom for an individual Black person. In slave-trade cases, he sided with slave traders. He was one of the most pro-slavery, racist leaders of early America, Finkelman said.

Finkelman is a historian and outgoing president of Gratz College, an online institution headquartered in Philadelphia. He was the July 7 guest on Smart Talk, public radio station WITFs daily program discussing issues of interest to central Pennsylvanians.

Finkelman said he admires Marshall as a great justice, but he deplores his practice of trading in slaves and his dismissal of free Blacks as pests.

A radio listener and F&M graduate asked Finkelman to resolve a problem. Many historically significant men owned slaves in the 18th and early 19th centuries, he said. This will make it very, very difficult to determine whose reputation should be demoted in the current cultural climate.

We can evaluate how people behave, Finkelman answered, and we have to evaluate them in the time they lived.

He said Franklin owned several slaves but later freed them and became president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. He was one of a number of people beginning to reevaluate slavery in the late 18th century.

Theres a difference between someone who owns a few slaves because thats the custom of the times, Finkelman said, and someone like Marshall whos always out there buying and selling people.

Finkelman said he does not care whether F&M changes its name, but he does think this is a teaching moment. F&M, he said, might institute a course comparing Franklin with Marshall.

Asked by the Scribbler to comment, F&M history professor Louise Stevenson said many of us, not merely those in history, most likely will use our courses next year to link the Marshall issue to our teaching.

How might any of this affect unofficial discussions about changing the colleges name? Thats the umbrella question that covers everything else. One way or another, it will be answered.

Jack Brubaker, retired from the LNP staff, writes The Scribbler column every Sunday. He welcomes comments and contributions at scribblerlnp@gmail.com.
Does art imitate life? In November 2011, a Ben Stiller movie called Tower Heist was released. Its about hotel employees who scheme to rob their corrupt financier boss, Arthur Shaw (played by Alan Alda), because Shaw lost their pension funds due to fraud.

Some of the movie was filmed at Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City, and the Trump Organization is now facing criminal charges. You cant make this stuff up!

Will former President Donald Trump suffer the same fate as Arthur Shaw and be led down a long row of prison cells? Time will tell.

Joe Segro

Lancaster
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR MONDAY, JULY 19, 2021

Against Mother Natures Worst Events, Better Infrastructure Is Our Defense

July 18, 2021 (EIRNS)The doublespeak media leaders of the United States, New York Times and CNN for example, made clear yesterday their hope that hundreds of Germans will have died in the natural disaster to make it possible for Green Party co-leader Annalena Baerbock to rally and win the Chancellorship. The Times headlineGermany Floods: Climate Change Moves to Center of Campaign as Toll Mountsis sufficient to give you the idea.

The lead article in the German weekly Neue Solidaritat spoke instead to reality: Gegen die Launen der Mutter Natur, hilfts nur der Ausbau der Infrastruktur! (The Takedown of Infrastructure Helps the Moods of Mother Nature) That article says: The worst flood to date in Central Europe, the so-called Magdalene flood in July 1342, occurred long before CO2 levels rose in the atmosphere. At that time the water was in the cathedrals of Wurzburg and Mainz, the cities on the Rhine, Main, Weser and Elbe were overrun by floods, and thousands of people were killed....

The reconstruction of infrastructure must be used to rebuild the businesses hit by the floods, so that the people in the region can get back their jobs and thus their livelihoods. The goal must be that the people affected should be better off after the reconstruction than before the disaster.... Whether such natural events, which are always to be expected, turn into catastrophes depends above all on whether people have created the necessary infrastructure in time to enable them to cope with them. We do not need a vague climate protection, but rather concrete measures to protect people.

Touring the flood area, Chancellor Angela Merkel fell headlong into a torrent of climate hysteria, featuring the absurd statement, The German language hardly knows any words for the devastation that has been caused here. She might have tried Nachlassigkeit, German for negligence. The government apparently had meteorological warnings beginning July 12-13 that heavy rains were likely to cause serious flooding in tributaries of the Rhine-Meuse River systems, but the warnings were turned into public service bulletins largely through certain apps rather than all-points alerts. Large numbers of people did not evacuate, despite being in known danger of inundation. Moreover these tributary rivers are, from EIR reports, not dredged or canalized, nor are the dams on them maintained.

But to Merkel, the storms force had something to do with climate change. We have to hurry, we have to get faster in the fight against climate change. So Europeans in the Rhine and Meuse watersheds cannot expect in this governments recovery package, any improvements in the flood-control and water management infrastructure, but only faster bans on energy sources and faster increases in their electric bills.

The floods in the Elbe River system in the East of the country in 2002 followed a full week of heavy rains, and were more devastating and much more widespread than these; they spread across Eastern Europe and even into Russia. Perhaps global warming became even more extreme by 2002 than it had been back in 2021, when there were already hardly any German words to describe it?

The situation is exactly the same in the North American West, where a gradually intensifying drought condition has been known to be developing for 25 years, with no action ever initiated to build great projects of water transfer infrastructure from wet regions of the continent, nor to build power plants capable of desalination along the surrounding oceans and seas of water. Instead, global warming (now climate change) is pronounced the reason that nothing can be done but sacrifice to save the planet.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, federal chairwoman of the Civil Rights Movement Solidarity party in Germany, said that the European Unions so-called climate-change recovery package could only have been devised by people who have no interest in people, who do not care about the development of the developing sector, but who want to continue the colonialist system.

Mark Carney, the UNs Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and former Governor of the Bank of England, proposed buying CO2 emission rights from developing countriesprovided that they renounce economic development and the expansion of agriculture. There is already an agreement between Norway and Gabon, in which Gabon has committed itself to forgoing economic development of its rainforestswhich cover 90% of the countrys area. For this they will get a ridiculous 150 million over ten years! Said Zepp-LaRouche: I find that absolutely disgusting and I hope that the legitimate will of the majority of people in the world will prevail instead, to claim their right to development.
Core Group signals support for Haitis designated PM

A key group of international diplomats on Saturday signaled support for Haitis designated prime minister in the first such statement of its kind following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise _ a move that surprised many because it does not mention the interim prime minister who has actually been running the country.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph has been leading Haiti with the backing of police and the military, and has pledged to work with everyone _ including designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry and Joseph Lambert, the head of Haitis inactive Senate.

The statement was issued by the Core Group, which is composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the U.S., France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

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The group called for the creation of a consensual and inclusive government.

To this end, it strongly encourages the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government, the group said.

Moise designated Henry as prime minister to replace Joseph a day before he was killed _ but Joseph and his allies argue that Henry was never sworn in. Supporters of Lambert recently issued a statement supporting him as the countrys provisional president.

U.S. and U.N. officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Henry and spokespeople for Joseph and the OAS did not immediately return messages for comment.

The group also asked that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support authorities in their efforts to restore security.

The statement comes more than a week after Moise was killed by gunmen who raided his private home in an attack that authorities say involved Haitians, Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers.
Gloria Richardson, civil rights pioneer, dies at 99

Gloria Richardson, an influential yet largely unsung civil rights pioneer whose determination not to back down while protesting racial inequality was captured in a photograph as she pushed away the bayonet of a National Guardsman, has died. She was 99.

Joe Orange, her son-in-law, said Richardson died Thursday in New York.

She was not ill. She died peacefully in her apartment in New York in her sleep, said Orange, who is married to Richardsons daughter, Donna.

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Richardson was the first woman to lead a prolonged grassroots civil rights movement outside the Deep South. In 1962, she helped organized and led the Cambridge Movement on Marylands Eastern Shore with sit-ins to desegregate restaurants, bowling alleys and movie theaters in protests that marked an early part of the Black Power movement.

I say that the Cambridge Movement was the soil in which Richardson planted a seed of Black power and nurtured its growth, said Joseph R. Fitzgerald, who wrote a 2018 biography on Richardson titled The Struggle is Eternal: Gloria Richardson and Black Liberation.

Richardson became the leader of demonstrations over bread and butter economic issues like jobs, health care access and sufficient housing.

Everything that the Black Lives Matter movement is working at right now is a continuation of what the Cambridge Movement was doing, Fitzgerald said.

In pursuit of these goals, Richardson advocated for the right of Black people to defend themselves when attacked.

Richardson always supported the use of nonviolent direct action during protests, but once the protests were over and if Black people were attacked by whites she fully supported their right to defend themselves, Fitzgerald said.

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Richardson was born in Baltimore and later lived in Cambridge in Marylands Dorchester County _ the same county where Harriet Tubman was born. She entered Howard University when she was 16. During her years in Washington, she began to protest segregation at a drug store.

In 1962, Richardson attended the meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Atlanta and later joined the board.

In the summer of 1963, after peaceful sit-ins turned violent in Cambridge, Gov. J. Millard Tawes declared martial law. When Cambridge Mayor Calvin Mowbray asked Richardson to halt the demonstrations in exchange for an end to the arrests of Black protesters, Richardson declined to do so. On June 11, rioting by white supremacists erupted and Tawes called in the National Guard.

While the city was still under National Guard presence, Richardson met with U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy to negotiate what became informally known as the Treaty of Cambridge. It ordered equal access to public accommodations in Cambridge in return for a one-year moratorium on demonstrations.

Richardson was a signatory to the treaty, but she had never agreed to end the demonstrations. It was only the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that began to resolve issues at the local level.

She was one of the nations leading female civil rights activists and inspired younger activists who went on to protest racial inequality in the late 1960s and into the 1970s.

Richardson was on the stage at the pivotal March on Washington in 1963 as one of six women listed as fighters for freedom on the program. However, she was only allowed to say hello before the microphone was taken.

The male-centric Black Power movement and the fact that Richardsons leadership in Cambridge lasted about three years may have obscured how influential she was, but Fitzgerald said she was well-known in Black America.

She was only active for approximately three years, but during that time she was literally front and center in a high-stakes Black liberation campaign, and shes being threatened, Fitzgerald said. Shes got white supremacist terrorists threatening her, calling her house, threatening her with her life.

Richardson resigned from Cambridge, Maryland, Nonviolent Action Committee in the summer of 1964. Divorced from her first husband, she married photographer Frank Dandridge and moved to New York where she worked a variety of jobs, including the National Council for Negro Women.
Harris says voting bills honor American hero John Lewis

Congress should honor the memory of the late civil rights activist and U.S. by enacting laws to protect voting rights, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Saturday on the one-year anniversary of his death.

As we mourn his loss, we reflect on the legacy of an American hero, Harris said. Congressman Lewis fought tirelessly for our countrys highest ideals: freedom and justice for all, and for the right of every American to make their voice heard at the ballot box.

Lewis was a high-profile civil rights activist before he won a Georgia congressional seat as a Democrat in 1986.

He was 80 when he died months after announcing he had advanced pancreatic cancer. Lewis was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists, a group led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that had the greatest impact on the movement.

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Lewis was best known for leading some 600 protesters in the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. Alabama state troopers beat Lewis and other activists who were marching for voting rights that day.

In her statement Saturday, Harris recalled crossing the bridge with Lewis during a commemoration in 2020.

The right to vote remains under attack in states across our nation, Harris said. And the best way to honor Congressman Lewiss legacy is to carry on the fight _ by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as well as the For the People Act, and by helping eligible voters no matter where they live get registered and vote, and have their vote counted.

Democrats on Capitol Hill are pushing for a sweeping federal voting and elections bill that Senate Republicans have united to block, saying they think it intrudes on states ability to conduct elections. Most Republicans have also dismissed a separate bill, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore sections of the Voting Rights Act that were weakened by the Supreme Court.
LA County Face Mask Order to Apply at Dodger Stadiums Covered Concourses

Anyone 2 years of age and older attending games at Dodger Stadium beginning tonight will be required to wear a mask or appropriate face covering while in covered stadium concourses and at concession stands, in accordance with the latest Los Angeles County Department of Public Health order.

Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a face covering while seated in their ticketed seats.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers plan to hold a mobile coronavirus vaccination clinic during their seven-game homestand, which runs through Sunday.

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It will be located on the left field Reserve level. Ticket holders receiving their vaccine will receive a voucher for two tickets to a future 2021 home game while supplies last.
Police Arrest 40 People at Koreatown Transgender Protest

Police said today that 40 people were arrested in Koreatown during another round of violent, dueling demonstrations regarding transgender rights.

The protests began at about 11 a.m. Saturday near Wilshire and Rampart boulevards in front of Wi Spa, according to Detective Megan Aguilar of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Demonstrators began throwing smoke bombs and projectiles at LAPD officers, she said. A dispersal order was issued around noon, and an unlawful assembly was declared. Demonstrators were given time to leave the area but several dozen refused to go.

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Thirty-nine people were arrested on suspicion of failure to disburse and another person was arrested on suspicion of bringing a prohibitive item to a protest, the LAPDs Media Relations Section reported Sunday.

Footage posted on social media showed police in riot gear shooting bean bag rounds at some protesters, and hitting others with batons when they refused orders to move back.

Two weeks ago, violent clashes between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators took place outside Wi Spa after a viral video from a woman who

complained about a person with male genitalia, who identified as female, being nude in the womens section of the spa. At least five people were injured that day.

It was not immediately clear if trans rights supporters with the group SoCal Antifa  which was involved in several violent incidents at the July 3 demonstration  were among Saturdays attendees.
US to send first vaccine doses to Africa in coming days

The U.S. will begin making its first COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Africa in the coming days, with the ultimate goal of sharing 25 million doses this summer across the continent in partnership with the African Union.

The first donated doses will be sent to Ethiopia, Djibouti and Burkina Faso, said State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter, with the U.S. working with the COVAX global vaccine alliance. In all, doses will eventually go to 49 African countries.

According to the White House, Djibouti and Burkina Faso will each receive 151,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine, while Ethiopia will receive 453,600.

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The United States has partnered with Sub-Saharan Africas nations for decades, working alongside African governments, regional institutions, civil society and others on the continent to foster opportunities and address global challenges, said NSC Senior Director for Africa Dana Banks. The COVID-19 pandemic is no different.

Nongovernmental organizations praised the Biden move to begin vaccine sharing with Africa, but warned doses arent arriving quickly enough to slow deadly outbreaks.

As many wealthy countries return to normal, Africa is returning to lockdown, said Tom Hart, the acting CEO of the ONE Campaign. Many of these cases and deaths could be prevented by one thing: access to vaccines. The Biden administrations announcement is a good next step, but the reality is that Africa needs 200 million doses by the end of September to stem this crisis.

The shipments come as part of an initial supply of 80 million doses that President Joe Biden had pledged to send out to the world by the end of June, though deliveries were slowed by regulatory and logistical hurdles in recipient countries. They mark the Biden administrations down payment on a plan to buy and donate 500 million more doses for the world over the coming year.

To date the U.S. has shipped more than 53 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 30 countries and territories.
Major Fannie Griffin McClendon never thought too much about being part of the only Black female United States army group to serve in Europe during World War II. Neither did those who served with her in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The soldiers had a job to do.

The women are credited with solving a serious U.S. Army mail crisis during the war. Upon their return, they were seen as models for generations of Black women who would join the military.

But overall, the efforts of the 855 service members have gone widely unrecognized  until recently.

In April, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would award members of the battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nations highest honors. Now, the House of Representatives will consider the bill. However, even if it passes, it will be too late for much of the 6888th. Most of the soldiers have died. It is believed there are only seven surviving members.

One of them is McClendon. She spoke about the award from her home in Tempe, Arizona.

She said receiving the honor would be nice. But, she added, I just wish there were more people to, if it comes through, there were more people to celebrate it.

McClendon has met with her local congressmember to press for passage of the bill.

The 6888th was deployed to Europe in 1945. At the time, there was growing pressure to include Black women in the Womens Army Corps, or WACs. There was also a push to permit them to join the WACs white members overseas.

I think that the 6888th, the command inherently knew that their presence overseas meant more than clearing the mail backlog, said Retired Army Col. Edna Cummings. She was not a member of the 6888th, but has been working to get them greater recognition.

They represented hope for Black women soldiers back in the United States who were facing racism and sexism in their military service, she said.

The 6888th was deployed to Birmingham, England. Its job was to process a huge collection of letters and other mail sent to troops and others who never received them. Many troops were angry about lost letters and delayed mail.

They expected we were going to be there about two or three months trying to get it straightened out. Well, I think in about a month, in a month and a half, we had it all straightened out and going in the right direction, McClendon said.

At the time, the military was segregated, or divided by sex and race. Blacks could not share housing, eating places and other Army properties with whites. This forced the 6888th to set up all their operations on their own.

The 6888th began the project by dividing into three groups so that the work could continue around the clock. They created a locator system based on the names of soldiers and the number of their unit in which they served.

Each group of the 6888th could process about 65,000 pieces of mail during a single work period.

The women dealt with the backlog of mail, about 17 million pieces, in three months, two times faster than the Army expected.

Their effort was a major success. But the 6888th still dealt with criticism and questioning by those who did not want Black women to serve in the military.

The army group was deployed to France after they completed the mail project. And, when they finally returned home to the U.S. their service went unrecognized.

It is sad to say. They came back to Jim Crow America, Cummings said, adding there are so many stories of units of color who were not recognized until decades after the war.

Still, Cummings said the time overseas with the Army changed the lives of the women who served.

The 6888ths Elizabeth Barker Johnson is an example. She was the first female to attend Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina on the GI Bill, a law that provides free college education to returning soldiers.

McClendon took a different path, joining the Air Force after segregation in the military was ended. She became the first female to command an all-male unit with the Strategic Air Command.

Another member, the late Doris Moore, became the first Black social worker in the state of New Hampshire, her family said.

The 6888th is also the subject of a documentary. And there is discussion of making a movie based on the story of the 6888th. A monument honoring the soldiers was put up at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 2018.

And there is the hope of a Congressional Gold Medal.

It is past time that we officially recognize them for their incredible contribution to our troops during World War II, said Maggie Hassan, one of the U.S. senators who proposed the Senate bill.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

inherent  adj. belonging to the basic nature of someone or something

backlog  n. a large number of jobs that are waiting to be finished

locator - adj. showing the place where someone or something is

Jim Crow  n. the slang name for the laws that segregated Black people in the United States

decade  n. a period of ten years

incredible - adj. unbelievable

contribution - n. something that is done to cause something to happen

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Scientists in California report the first appearance of a species of bright green algae, caulerpa prolifera, growing in the ocean near California. And the researchers say they hope to never see it again.

The growth of caulerpa prolifera was found close to the coast off the Southern California town of Newport Beach. Divers recently began to remove the algae, as it could greatly harm the areas environment. Few fish or other animals eat caulerpa prolifera. So it spreads effectively. It can quickly take control of an ecosystem, forcing out other plants as well as the animals that eat them.

So far, the growth covers about 90-square-meters. However, tiny pieces of the algae can easily break off and continue to grow elsewhere.

Robert Mooney is a biologist with Marine Taxonomic Services. He led a team of three divers at the site.

He told the Associated Press that the team has a chance to fully remove the plant but no time can be wasted.

We dont have the luxury of waiting to see what happens, he said.

The species was discovered late last year. Federal, state and local officials were urged to act earlier this year to prevent the algae from spreading. It was important to act quickly, they said, because the movement of swimmers and boaters in the sea help spread the algae.



California faced a similar problem two years ago. A related algae was found off the coast of Huntington Beach and Carlsbad. It cost $7 million to remove. California then banned the sale of that algae and others.

Caulerpa prolifera is used in some aquariums and is not banned in California. When people clean aquariums, the resulting wastewater can include extremely small pieces of the algae. These pieces will travel along waterways into the Pacific Ocean and begin to reproduce.

The source of Newport Beachs algae invasion is not confirmed. But Keith Merkel, a biological consultant on the project, has a suspicion.

Its more than likely the source is an aquarium release, he said.

So far, divers have not discovered the algae anywhere else in the area. But, Merkel said testing will continue and if more algae is found, another removal operation will begin.

Theres a good chance that it has spread, we just dont know where  which is the biggest fear that we have, Merkel said.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Amy Taxin reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

aquarium  n. a glass or plastic container in which fish and other water animals and plants can live

luxury  n. something desirable but expensive or hard to get

species  n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants; a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus
An Independence man was arrested on a murder charge on Monday for allegedly killing a Corvallis resident at a rodeo style event south of Albany on Sunday night.

Pedro Martinez-Carrillo, 19, turned himself into the Linn County Sheriff's Office on Monday and was lodged in the Linn County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder, according to a news release.

Martinez Carrillo is being held without bail, according to the jail website.

The shooting occurred in the 3200 block of Old Highway 34, and was reported at 10:11 p.m.

When Linn County Sheriff's Office deputies responded, they found Hector Cisneros, 24, deceased.

The location of the shooting is a private residence with acreage, and a rodeo-type event with hundreds of people was being held when a disturbance broke out that led to Cisneros death, according to a news release.

On Monday morning, detectives interviewed several witnesses at the scene. More individuals came to give statements throughout the morning. Several men gathered around a SUV hugging each other.


remaining of

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Not at all.

A little but not enough to alter my schedule.

Enough that I try to stay inside as much as possible.

It's really done a number on me.

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Robert Nichols is the state senator for Senate District 3. First elected in 2006, Nichols represents 19 counties, including much of East Texas and part of Montgomery County. He can be reached at 699-4988 or toll-free at (800) 959-8633. His email address is robert.nichols@senate.texas.gov.
Konkel, at Madison Area Care for the Homeless (MACH) OneHealth, said the trauma and stress of being homeless is compounded when you are being told its illegal to exist.

People will be sleeping outside one way or the other, she said, and we can give them a little peace and dignity and respect and help people move into a better situation or we can continue to ignore the problem.

OKeefe said it likely wont be an inexpensive proposition to set up an authorized encampment. But he said the city does have up to $2 million through the American Rescue Plan Act it could use. He and the mayor acknowledged that people are frustrated and impatient for a solution, but insisted the city is moving as quickly as possible to find a better option.

I think that we are close to some solutions, Rhodes-Conway said. I am quite hopeful about getting us into a better situation in the long term.

Tiny homes
Schools taught baby boomers like me that America is perfect, that the Civil War was fought over states rights and not slavery and that there were, as Trump might say, very fine people on both sides.

We were taught America never lost wars (this was pre-Vietnam) and that Americans won World War II in Europe almost single-handedly, even though the Soviet Union had many more troops and defeated many more Nazis.

Americas acts of genocide against Native Americans werent discussed but George Armstrong Custers bravery was. Defenders at the Alamo were uber-patriots, we were taught, even though a prime motivator for the Texans was their desire to own slaves.

And so on.

So I posed two questions to Ladson-Billings, whom Ive known for years. First, how do she and other Black leaders stay committed and not grow cynical or despondent, as I suspect some might?

By taking the long view, she responded. I am old enough to remember the hate that was spewed at Martin Luther King, she said. Now there is practically no major city in the country that does not have a street named for him. The same for Malcolm X, Paul Robeson and Muhammad Ali, she added, referring to prominent African-Americans of the past.
WASHINGTON (AP)  About 2,500 Afghans who worked for the U.S. government will be evacuated to a military base in Virginia along with their families pending approval of their visas, the Biden administration said Monday as the administration rapidly moves to complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Members of Congress have expressed alarm about the fate of Afghans who worked for the U.S. over the past 20 years, particularly as the Taliban have stepped up military operations against the Afghan government, seizing control of major portions of the country as U.S. troops withdraw.

The Afghans will be temporarily housed at Fort Lee, a sprawling Army base south of Richmond starting next week, according to a Defense Department notice sent to Congress. The administration announced earlier this month that it would soon begin relocating Afghan visa seekers under an initiative known as Operation Allies Refuge.

The group includes 700 Afghans who worked for the U.S. and roughly 1,800 family members.

These are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service to the United States has been certified by the embassy in Kabul, and who have completed thorough security vetting processes, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
Andrew Sewell and Bill Banfield hope to break new ground in the next three years. But in the meantime, they dont mind revisiting an old memory: The night they ducked out of an official university party and spent the evening with Leonard Bernstein.

Sewell, the longtime music director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Banfield, the orchestras newly appointed composer in residence, were both graduate students at the University of Michigan at the time. It was 1988 and Bernstein  the world-renowned composer, conductor, educator and public figure  was visiting the campus on a concert tour with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Banfield and Sewell were among the graduate students invited to meet him at a formal reception following his performance.

We were all grouped around him like a bunch of young pups, Sewell recalled. Then he said, Listen  this is kind of boring.

So a group of students sneaked Bernstein into the kitchen, where Bernstein called his driver and they left the party in Bernsteins limousine, Banfield recounted. They headed to a pub and asked the waiters to put a table in the center of the room, where the students gathered around the maestro.
Chris Kartsounes had heard enough of Outagamie County Circuit Judge Vincent Biskupics demands. In May 2017, at his sixth hearing after having already been sentenced  when a case would normally be over  Kartsounes lost his cool.

Im tired of this, your honor, he said. Ive served my time. Ive done everything Im supposed to do ... Why do you keep harassing me? he asked, firing profanities at the judge.

After the outburst, Biskupic accused Kartsounes of drinking  a violation of the condition that he remain sober while out of jail. When Biskupic asked whether a breathalyzer would detect alcohol, Kartsounes said he did not know. The judge promptly sent him back to the county jail in Appleton, where Kartsounes would serve the nearly four months that remained on his 12-month sentence.

Just like dozens of defendants identified by Wisconsin Watch and WPR whose cases landed in Biskupics courtroom, Kartsounes, now 55, faced an uncertain future  one in which he didnt know when his punishment, and the courts control over his life, would end.
Abbas added that extracting and burning the tar sands oil Enbridge transports through the lines is especially carbon-intensive and not in line with the citys commitment to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions.

Enbridge says it needs to replace the corroded and cracked Line 3 with new, larger pipes to maintain our high safety standards, reduce future maintenance activities and create fewer disruptions to landowners and the environment.

The project would restore the 53-year-old line to its original capacity of about 760,000 barrels per day, roughly double what it currently carries, which Enbridge says is needed to deliver oil to Midwestern oil refineries. Minnesota regulators decision to approve the line was upheld at the appeals court level, but opponents of the line on July 14 petitioned the states Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court decision.

Work is complete in Canada, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Enbridge began construction of the 337-mile Minnesota portion in December.

Both pipelines also threaten to encroach on Ojibwe rights to hunt, fish, gather and practice traditional ways of life off-reservation throughout northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan, according to the city resolution.
The Tobacco-Free Dane County Coalition is changing its name to the Dane County Alliance Against Commercial Tobacco to acknowledge the ceremonial use of tobacco by American Indians while keeping its focus on the companies that produce and market cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other forms of the addictive, cancer-causing product.

For centuries, Native Americans have used tobacco for ceremonial and cultural purposes, Missy Tracy, municipal relations coordinator for Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison, said in a joint statement by the alliance and Public Health Madison and Dane County.

What has caused significant health impacts to our population is the commercialized version of tobacco, in which businesses add cancer-causing chemicals and more nicotine to addict new generations, Tracy said.

American Indians are among the heaviest users of commercial tobacco, with 20.9% of those 18 and older reporting daily use of tobacco, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats the highest percentage among all ethnic groups in the United States, compared to 15.5% for whites, 14.9% for Blacks, 8.8% for Hispanics and 7.2% for those of Asian descent.
This means no postcards sent out to remind kids to get their shots, no nudges on social media, no flyers or advertisements, no events at schools, no outreach whatsoever. And not just for COVID, mind you, but for everything  measles, mumps, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis, polio.

In a pandemic.

In a state with a less-than-stellar COVID vaccination rate.

At a time when experts are tracking the rise of a deadlier new COVID variant.

It is hard to imagine behavior dumber, more dangerous, more short-sighted and more downright backward than that exhibited by Tennessee and its lawmakers.

Which is, unfortunately, right on brand for this country in this era. It was in the 2000s that Stephen Colbert coined the term truthiness to describe the right wings secession from objective fact, and some of us began to speak of them as living in an alternate reality. How, we wondered in newspaper columns and speeches, can we have meaningful discourse if we cannot agree on basic facts?
Anyone who knows farmers knows that every farmer is different. They each have their own unique background, each have their own life experience and opinion, and so the task of organizing a room of very independent people into a cohesive whole could be compared to herding cats.

Its not been an easy task, says IGWA Board President Tim Deeg, a farmer and bank executive who is retiring as IGWA board president after 30 years of service. Farmers are kind of like herding cats. Everyone has a little different idea of how to reach our end goal. And everyone takes their position very seriously.

We managed to keep everyone on the bus; we kept everyone on the life raft, adds a grinning Tominaga. Thats probably one of the most important things weve done  keeping people together to protect our interests, the interests of Southern Idaho business and agriculture and the whole economy in that area.

Tominaga, Deeg and farmers like Dean Stevenson, who is the chairman of the Magic Valley Ground Water District, are all quite proud of avoiding the potential economic havoc that could have come from widespread water curtailments over the years by taking fast action. It was a collective effort with strong leadership from IGWA, the farmers and key people in the Idaho Legislature such as House Speaker Scott Bedke and Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot.
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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy has asked a judge to throw out his conviction for trespassing at the Idaho Capitol and acquit him instead because he says the states trespassing law should not be applied to public property.

Idahos courts, like many states, allow defendants to ask the judge for an acquittal within several days of a jury verdict. The move is seldom made, however, and rarely successful.

It stems from Bundys arrest on Aug. 25, 2020, after he refused to leave an auditorium in the Statehouse after officials ordered it to be cleared. Officers also said he went limp and refused to stand up and put his hands behind his back. Officers ultimately wheeled him out of the Capitol building on a swivel chair.

The arrest came during a special session of the Idaho Legislature that was called so lawmakers could address issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. Bundy was among dozens of demonstrators  many of them members of his Peoples Rights organization  who attended the special session to protest because they were angry about coronavirus-related restrictions. During one of the protests, unmasked protesters joined by Bundy forced their way into a House gallery with limited seating, shattering a glass door.
No one is calling for the government to require people to vaccinate, and no one is proposing jail time for those unvaccinated people who spread COVID to others, Assistant Senate Minority Leader Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, said in a written statement. What we are saying is that a natural consequence of choosing not to vaccinate is not being qualified to do certain types of work.

I hate to see anyone lose their job, but shifting the burden of a decision not to vaccinate on to patients and coworkers is unsafe and contrary to the basic expectation that health care workers do no harm, Burgoyne added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Winder, R-Boise, and Sen. Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, who signed the Senate GOP statement, could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Normally, only the governor is allowed to call the Legislature back in for a special legislative session. But on May 12 the House voted against adjourning the session for the year and instead voted to take an extended recess until no later than Dec. 31. House Republicans have been clear that the move not to adjourn was deliberate.
TWIN FALLS  A disabled aircraft blocked the main runway Sunday evening and early Monday at the Twin Falls airport. The runway was cleared Monday afternoon and flights resumed operations, according to airport management.

A business jet blew out its right main tire upon landing at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, airport Manager Bill Carberry said.

After deceleration and braking, the left main tire also blew out, Carberry said. The pilot and co-pilot werent injured

Very unusual to have both main landing gears blow out like this, Carberry said, so I am sure this will be looked at by the FAA.

The pilots were flying into Twin Falls to pick up a passenger in a Beechcraft from the Oklahoma charter company Private Jets Inc.

Flights in and out of Twin Falls on Sunday night and Monday morning were canceled or delayed, Twin Falls city spokesperson Josh Palmer said.

The Twin Falls airport doesnt have the heavy cradling equipment required to move the jet off the runway, Carberry said, so he resorted to calling in help from Oklahoma.
One hundred students at Patrick Henry County have enrolled in the G3 initiative, a Virginia program that provides assistance in high-demand roles, new PHCC President Greg Hodges told the schools board at its meeting on Monday.

The G3 Initiative pays for all of a students tuition, fees and enrollment, and provides extra money students can use for living expenses.

If a student is eligible for both G3 and SEED funds, G3 pays first, which extends the life of SEED funding, Hodges said.

It is a great time for community colleges students, Hodges said, because we can get them a credential, we can get just about everything paid for, and in many cases, give them some money in their pocket to pay for living expenses.

Terry Young, who was on vacation, was to have given the report on G3 enrollment, but Hodges reported in his stead.

Young has been named interim vice president of Academic & Student Success Services, to fill in for a year in the role vacated by Hodges when he was promoted. That keeps the role open for recruitment in the spring, which is the key time for position movement in higher education, Hodges said.
Making $9 an hour, its a pain in the butt because you dont have enough to buy food sometimes, said Scotty Manan, a McDonalds worker from Marion. Raising minimum wage would honestly help a lot of people. I see homeless people in my town who just cant afford rent. I'm going on strike to demand a $15 minimum wage because its the right thing to do.

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Im out here to demand $15 an hour for every worker in the country, said Nathan Ruggles, an Amazon driver from Candler. After decades of low paying jobs, I am finally making a living wage. I have two kids, so making $15 an hour is an absolute necessity to support them. But it was a fight to get Amazon to pay $15 in the first place. If we wait for all these companies to pay a living wage out of the goodness of their hearts, we will wait forever. Congress must pass a $15 federal minimum wage.

United in their demand for a $15 an hour minimum wage for all workers, tipped restaurant workers, who are paid a subminimum wage of $2.13 an hour, will also hold protests from coast to coast, including in New York, Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Tipped workers have been excluded from increases in the federal minimum wage for over half a century, and the subminimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 an hour since 1991, according to the news release.
NSO Group denied in an emailed response to AP questions that it has ever maintained a list of potential, past or existing targets. In a separate statement, it called the Forbidden Stories report full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.

The company reiterated its claims that it only sells to vetted government agencies for use against terrorists and major criminals and that it has no visibility into its customers data. Critics call those claims dishonest  and have provided evidence that NSO directly manages the high-tech spying. They say the repeated abuse of Pegasus spyware highlights the nearly complete lack of regulation of the private global surveillance industry.

The source of the leak  and how it was authenticated -- was not disclosed. While a phone number's presence in the data does not mean an attempt was made to hack a device, the consortium said it believed the data indicated potential targets of NSO's government clients. The Post said it identified 37 hacked smartphones on the list. The Guardian, another consortium member, reported that Amnesty had found traces of Pegasus infections on the cellphones of 15 journalists who let their phones be examined after discovering their number was in the leaked data.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A study looking at the landscape of COVID-19 research in Australia shows an impressive rapid response in clinical trials to the pandemic, but researchers say the haste in funding, development and implementation highlight new challenges.

In a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, University of Sydney researchers looked at clinical trials conducted in Australia focused on the COVID-19 pandemic between 1 January to 16 November 2020. They identified crucial research areas which were overlooked, such as there being no trials on public health communication or community transmission prevention related to COVID-19.

There was a significant emphasis on treatment trials (60 percent, 34 out of 56 COVID-19 focused trials).

The researchers state extensive media coverage and public opinion may have misled research prioritization. For instance, there may have been too many uncoordinated hydroxycholorquine trials, randomizing too many patients to non-effective or even potentially harmful treatments.

There was also a concerning lack of collaboration between clinical trials, with 80 percent of trials stating they are not planning to share data.

Researchers are calling for infrastructure to make collaboration easier for Australian researchers, such as funding for data-sharing efforts and minimum standards for collaboration and data sharing.

"In Australia, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to rapid changes in some processes including fast-tracked funding, ethics approvals, trial registration, and publication," says lead author Dr. Anna Lene Seidler, a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney's NHMRC Clinical Trials Center.

"Whilst research scale up has been impressive, some of these trials may not have been sufficiently strategic or collaborative, which may have led to taxpayer-funded research waste.

"Going forward, we need protocols to fast-track procedures in emergency scenarios that balance both rigor and urgency."

Key findings:

The academics analyzed clinical trials data from 1 January to 16 November 2020, from the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry and ClinicalTrials.gov, which captures 95 percent of registered trials recruiting in Australia. They found:

56 trials addressing COVID-19 directly, of which 34 were treatment trials.

12 trials addressing the indirect effects of the pandemic.

40 trials (71 percent) had no commercial sponsor and were funded by government or not-for-profit sources.

Only four were completed (7 percent), with the remainder recruiting (n = 26, 46 percent), not yet recruiting (n = 24, 43 percent), or withdrawn (n = 2, 4 percent).

Only seven trials (12 percent) included populations at high risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 such as people with comorbidities.

Lack of collaboration concerning

The researchers also found that most treatment trials were too small to detect reliably if a treatment could prevent COVID-19 deaths.

"The median target sample size was small (150), meaning that, individually, trials were likely underpowered to detect differences in clinically important outcomes," wrote Dr. Seidler and colleagues.

"None of the identified treatment trials are sufficiently powered to detect typical differences in mortality; and with low case numbers in Australia, it seems unlikely that a single trial could obtain such large sample sizes."

Trial organizers seem reluctant to share data, despite several high-profile calls for collaboration and data sharing across studies, a development the researchers described as "concerning."

"These calls seem to pass largely unheard among triallists in Australia, with 80 percent (41 trials) indicating they are not planning to share data.

"Frequently mentioned barriers to data sharing include a lack of understanding of the relevance, lack of resources to prepare data, insufficient academic recognition, and concerns about participant privacy, ethics approval and data misuse."

Senior author Professor Angela Webster from the University of Sydney's NHMRC Clinical Trials Center said: "It would have been better if researchers had worked together and combined their expertise and resources to conduct larger trials, or a suite of similar trials for which results could be combined upon completion for more impactful research evidence."

Improvement needed for research impact

Professor Angela Webster and co-authors said: "Too little has happened in creating infrastructure and funding for rapid collaboration, advanced adaptive methodologies and data sharing.

"In future, with adequate funding for technological innovation, clinical trial registries may play a key role in automatically connecting similar trials and facilitating collaboration.

"The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to improve collaborative infrastructure and methodologies, and advance future research across all health areas."

Explore further Oncology clinical trials decline during pandemic

More information: Anna Lene Seidler et al, The landscape of COVID19 trials in Australia, Medical Journal of Australia (2021). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Anna Lene Seidler et al, The landscape of COVID19 trials in Australia,(2021). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51148
Cumulative incidence of events according to blood pressure variability tertile; dementia incidence in men ( A); dementia incidence in women ( B); incidence of cognitive decline in men ( C); and incidence of cognitive decline in women ( D). BPV indicates blood pressure variability; and T, tertile. Credit: Journal of the American Heart Association (2021). DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019613

A new report from the long-term ASPREE study, involving Monash University, has revealed high blood pressure variability (BPV) in older adults, particularly in men, is associated with an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the findings may identify people at increased risk of major cognitive impairment, allowing for triage into heightened surveillance, and point the way to new areas for research.

The new paper is one of many important health findings yielded from the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) dataset. The primary prevention aspirin trial released main results to global acclaim in 2018. Further analysis of the extensive, high quality data from 19,114 Australian and Americans, continues to drive new findings in healthy older adults, mostly over the age of 70.

This study was co-led by Associate Professor Joanne Ryan from the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and Professor Mike Ernst from the University of Iowa.

"By around 2050 we believe that people aged 60 years and older will outnumber adolescents and youths. As an agerelated disease, and one with a notable lack of treatments, dementia will indefinitely remain a major public health priority," Associate Professor Ryan said.

"Any opportunity to identify early those at risk, and engage people in preventive therapies, is important."

Hypertensionsystemic high blood pressurein mid-life has previously been shown to be a strong predictor of dementia in later life. More recently, data has shown that more granular short and long-term fluctuations in blood pressure (BPV) are also an indicator of cognitive decline.

However, most studies investigating BPV involved younger people, older people already diagnosed with cognitive impairment, or used a single cognitive assessment tool to gauge cognitive acuity.

"The ASPREE dataset was uniquely suited to provide a robust answer to this question; a large cohort of participants underwent standardised blood pressure and cognition assessments, and they received long-term follow up," says Associate Professor Ryan.

"Importantly, rather than just a single cognitive assessment tool, participants underwent a series of cognitive tests. This enabled us to capture detail on many facets of cognition and memory, including global cognition, delayed episodic memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed and attention.

"They also underwent a validated depression scale prior to each annual cognitive test, which is important because depression may have an impact on cognitive function."

Blood pressure was recorded for all participants during their annual visits, and was done so in accordance with guidelines from the American Heart Foundation.

Data from 16,758 participants were included in this study. The researchers grouped participants at baseline (study entry) into three groups, based on BPV: low, medium and high. BPV was generally higher among women than men, but cognitive scores were similar across participants with low, medium and high BPV.

Over time, differences emerged. Those in the highest BPV group were shown to be at significantly increased risk of incident dementia and cognitive decline compared with those in the lowest BPV group. Being male also increased the risk significantly.

The findings support the earlier results that had suggested BPV may be a useful indicator of cognitive decline, expanding our understanding to include older, relatively healthy adults who had reached late life without significant cognitive impairmenta group that is not typically considered at high risk for dementia in their remaining lifespan.

The results also provide the first evidence of possible sexspecific effects of BPV on cognition.

The biological mechanisms underpinning the relationship between BPV and cognitive decline remain unclear, and the researchers say this should be a focus of further investigation.

Accumulating evidence suggests BPV is associated with structural brain changes, including increased lesions in the brain called white matter hyperintensities, increased small bleeds in the cerebrum, and enlarged fluid-filled spaces in the brain matter. Whether these changes are caused by BPV or vice versa is unknown.

Degeneration of neurons and synapses associated with Alzheimer's disease may influence the body's regulation of blood pressure, which may contribute to increased BPV. This may cause a loop, whereby microvascular damage from blood pressure instability might alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier, enabling accelerated damage to brain neurons. While all ASPREE participants were without symptoms of cognitive impairment at study entry, some may have had pre-symptomatic established disease that contributed via this pathway.

Men have a higher lifetime exposure than women to other known risk factors of cognitive decline, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure and smoking. But even when the researchers accounted for those, the increased risk for men remained.

Associate Professor Ryan said: "While we don't know for sure, it is tempting to speculate about the existence of different pathways towards cognitive decline in men and women. Or sex hormones such as oestrogen across a woman's lifetime may have a protective effect for women.

"More study is warranted into this area to help determine the underlying reasons for these sex-specific differences, and into research to find out whether reducing BPV can preserve late-life cognitive function."

The paper, published in Journal of the American Heart Association, is titled "Long-Term Blood Pressure Variability and Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia Among Older Adults."

Explore further Tooth loss associated with increased cognitive impairment, dementia

More information: Michael E. Ernst et al, LongTerm Blood Pressure Variability and Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia Among Older Adults, Journal of the American Heart Association (2021). Journal information: Journal of the American Heart Association Michael E. Ernst et al, LongTerm Blood Pressure Variability and Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia Among Older Adults,(2021). DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019613
In this March 16, 2020, file photo, vehicles enter the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel in Detroit to travel to Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency has rejected a creative plan by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens to have Ontario residents line up inside the tunnel to get COVID-19 vaccinations. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File

Canada announced Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7.

Officials said the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived as of Aug. 9 for eligible travelers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, who said he spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday, said the U.S. has not yet indicated any plan to change current restrictions at the land border. Canadians are able to fly into the United States with a negative COVID-19 test.

Asked in Washington if the U.S. would reciprocate, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, "We are continuing to review our travel restrictions. Any decisions about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. ... I wouldn't look at it through a reciprocal intention."

U.S. Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins, whose district includes Buffalo and Niagara Falls, said the U.S. has "neglected to give reopening the northern border the serious attention it deserves, and there is no excuse."

Canadian officials also announced that children who aren't vaccinated but are travelling with vaccinated parents won't have to quarantine, but will have to avoid group activities including schools and daycare centers.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also said a ban on direct flights from India will be extended to Aug. 21 because of the delta variant. "The situation in India is still very serious," he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that Canada could start allowing fully vaccinated Americans into the country as of mid-August for nonessential travel and should be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September.

People pilot their boats in Burlington Harbor on Lake Champlain, in Burlington, Vt., Wednesday, June 23, 2021. In non-COVID-19 summers the harbor is filled with boats from Canada, while this summer locals are hoping the governments of the United States and Canada reopen the border to routine crossers so the boaters can return. Credit: AP Photo/Wilson Ring

Canada leads G20 countries in vaccination rates, with approximately 80% of eligible Canadians vaccinated with their first dose and over 50% of those eligible fully vaccinated.

"This weekend, we even passed the U,S. in terms of fully vaccinated people," Trudeau said. "Thanks to the rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, we are able to move forward with adjusted border measures."

Reopening to the U.S first is a "recognition of our unique bond, especially between border communities," Trudeau said.

In the early days of the pandemic, the U.S. and Canadian governments closed the more than 5,500-mile (8,800-kilometer) border to nonessential traffic. With increasing vaccination rates and dropping infection rates, some were annoyed the two governments hadn't laid out plans to fully reopen the border.

Canada began easing its restrictions earlier this month, allowing fully vaccinated Canadians or permanent legal residents to return Canada without quarantining. But among the requirements are a negative test for the virus before returning, and another once they get back.

Pressure has been mounting on Canada to continue to ease the restrictions at the border, which have been in effect since March 2020. Providing exemptions for travel into Canada amid the pandemic is politically sensitive and Trudeau is expected to call a federal election next month.

Canadian officials have said they would like 75% of eligible Canadian residents to be fully vaccinated before loosening border restrictions for tourists and business travelers. The Canadian government expects to have enough vaccine delivered for 80% of eligible Canadians to be fully vaccinated by the end of July. The U.S. only allowed for exports of vaccines into Canada in early May.

Commercial traffic has gone back and forth normally between the two countries since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs $1.5 billion. Canadian officials say Canada had about 22 million foreign visitors in 2019about 15 million of them from the United States.

Explore further Fully vaccinated Canadians exempt from quarantine in July

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Lymph nodes are critical to the body's immune response against tumors but paradoxically, cancer cells that spread, or metastasize, to lymph nodes can often avoid being eliminated by immune cells. Recent experiments by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Boston University School of Medicine provide insights on the details behind this immune evasion, which could help scientists develop strategies to overcome it. The findings are published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

"We know that lymph nodes are often the first place cancer spreads as it progresses. We also know that our immune system can attack and kill cancer cells," explains senior and co-corresponding author Timothy P. Padera, Ph.D., an investigator in Radiation Oncology at MGH and a 2021-2026 MGH Research Scholar. "One of the perplexing questions that has been at the core of the recent work in my lab is how can organs that generate our immune responseslymph nodespermit cancer cells to survive and take them over instead of attacking them? This was the driving motivation behind this study."

By analyzing patient tissue from breast, colon, and head and neck cancers, combined with animal models of breast cancer lymph node metastases, Padera and his colleagues showed that immune cells called T cells are abundant in metastatic lymph nodes but fail to penetrate tumors that have spread to such nodes. The team measured increased physical forces, known as solid stress, in lymph nodes with metastatic cancer. "We hypothesized that solid stress in lymph node tumors can impair both blood flow and the T cell trafficking capacity of blood vessels in lymph nodes," says lead and co-corresponding author Dennis Jones, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine.

The scientists then developed a device to compress lymph nodes in order to simulate the gradual growth of lymph node metastases. When they applied compressive force to lymph nodes, there was a clear link between physical force and disruption of T cell entry into lymph nodes. "Our findings indicate that as cancer cells grow in the lymph node, they reorganize and alter the lymph node, disabling critical functional responses of the immune system," says Padera. "By understanding how cancer cells are disabling lymph node function, we hope to fight back to help the lymph nodes generate anti-cancer immune responses, which will help fight cancer cells everywhere in the body."

Alleviating solid stress with the blood pressure drug losartan boosted the numbers of blood vessels and T cells in lymph node metastases, suggesting that alleviating solid stress is a potential strategy to improve T cell entry into tumors.

"Our work now leads to many important additional questions," says Jones. "Does losartan treatment combined with immunotherapy cause the eradication of metastatic cancer cells in lymph nodes by T cell killing? And further, does this lead to a strong systemic anti-cancer immune response that helps clear the cancer from the entire body?" Jones notes that finding the answers to these questions could lead to new treatment strategies for patients with metastatic cancer.

Explore further Metastatic lymph nodes can be the source of distant metastases in mouse models of cancer
(HealthDay)A Chinese researcher has died after catching a rare infectious disease called the Monkey B virus, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention officials say.

In March, the 53-year-old veterinarian dissected two dead monkeys as part of his work in a Beijing research institute specializing in nonhuman primate breeding. He developed nausea, vomiting and fever a month later, and died May 27, the Washington Post reported.

Evidence of the Monkey B virus was found in the man's blood and saliva, making it the first documented case of the virus in China. Two of the man's close contacts, a male doctor and a female nurse, tested negative for the virus, officials said.

The Monkey B virus, also called the herpes B virus, is prevalent among macaque monkeys, but extremely rare among humans.

In humans, it can attack the central nervous system and cause brain inflammation that leads to a loss of consciousness, Kentaro Iwata, an infectious disease expert at Kobe University in Tokyo, told the Post. It has about an 80% death rate if it's not treated.

There have been less than 100 reported human cases of herpes B since the first case of primate-to-human transmission in 1932. Victims have tended to be veterinarians, scientists or researchers who work directly with primates and could be exposed to their bodily fluids through scratches, bites or dissections. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has only been one documented case of an infected human spreading the virus to another person, the Post reported.

Both herpes B and the novel coronavirus are "the consequence of species jumps," Nikolaus Osterrieder, dean of the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences in Hong Kong, told the Post. "But the important difference is that in the case from herpes B, it's a dead end. It's not jumping from one human to another human. SARS-CoV-2, on the other hand, acquired the ability to spread to a new host."

Still, Florida officials debated last year what to do over a rapidly growing population of rhesus monkeysan emerging tourist attractionmany of which carried the herpes B virus, the Post reported.

Explore further Chinese man hospitalized with H5N6 bird flu

More information: Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on the Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on the herpes B virus

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A researcher testing a child as part of the study. Credit: Andrea Crisanti

Testing of an entire Italian town shows antibody levels remain high nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Researchers from the University of Padua and Imperial College London tested more than 85 percent of the 3,000 residents of Vo', Italy, in February/March 2020 for infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and tested them again in May and November 2020 for antibodies against the virus.

The team found that 98.8 percent of people infected in February/March showed detectable levels of antibodies in November, and there was no difference between people who had suffered symptoms of COVID-19 and those that had been symptom-free. The results are published today in Nature Communications.

Antibody levels were tracked using three 'assays' - tests that detect different types of antibodies that respond to different parts of the virus. The results showed that while all antibody types showed some decline between May and November, the rate of decay was different depending on the assay.

The team also found cases of antibody levels increasing in some people, suggesting potential re-infections with the virus, providing a boost to the immune system.

Lead author Dr. Ilaria Dorigatti, from the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and the Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA) at Imperial, said: "We found no evidence that antibody levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic infections differ significantly, suggesting that the strength of the immune response does not depend on the symptoms and the severity of the infection.

"However, our study does shows that antibody levels vary, sometimes markedly, depending on the test used. This means that caution is needed when comparing estimates of infection levels in a population obtained in different parts of the world with different tests and at different times."

Professor Enrico Lavezzo, from the University of Padua, said: "The May testing demonstrated that 3.5 percent of the Vo' population had been exposed to the virus, even though not all of these subjects were aware of their exposure given the large fraction of asymptomatic infections.

"However, at the follow-up, which was performed roughly nine months after the outbreak, we found that antibodies were less abundant, so we need to continue to monitor antibody persistence for longer time spans."

The team also investigated the infection status of household members, to estimate how likely an infected member is to pass on the infection within the household. Their modeling suggests that there was a probability of about 1 in 4 that a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 passes the infection to a family member and that most transmission (79 percent) is caused by 20 percent of infections.

This finding confirms that there are large differences in the number of secondary cases generated by infected people, with the majority of infections generating no further infections and a minority of the infections generating a large number of infections.

The large differences in how one infected person may infect others in the population suggests that behavioral factors are key for epidemic control, and physical distancing, as well as limiting the number of contacts and mask wearing, continue to be important to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease, even in highly vaccinated populations.

The team's dataset, which includes the results of the two mass PCR testing campaigns conducted in February and March and the antibody survey conducted in May and then again in November, also allowed them to tease apart the impact of various control measures.

They showed that, in the absence of case isolation and short lockdowns, manual contact tracing alone would not have been enough to suppress the epidemic.

Project lead Professor Andrea Crisanti, from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial and the Department of Molecular Medicine at the University of Padua, said: "Our study also shows that manual contact tracingthe search for positive individuals on the basis of known and declared contactswould have had a limited impact on the containment of the epidemic, had it not been accompanied by a mass screening."

Dr. Dorigatti added: "It is clear that the epidemic is not over, neither in Italy nor abroad. Moving forward, I think that it is of fundamental importance to continue administering first and second vaccine doses as well as to strengthen surveillance including contact tracing. Encouraging caution and limiting the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 will continue to be essential."
Credit: fran_kie/Shutterstock

Throughout the pandemic, public health decisions have been based on the government's interpretation of data. With COVID restrictions lifting in England on Monday July 19, that onus will now fall primarily on the general publicand the news media that keeps them informed.

The success of this shift from government responsibility to public responsibility will be a fundamental factor in how successfully the UK plots its path out of the pandemic. And at its heart it's a question of data literacy, or the ability of the public to understand and make informed decisionsabout mask-wearing, self-isolation and home-workingbased on the COVID data they're exposed to.

As an expert in data literacy, I've watched as data has assumed a central role in determining the degree of society's freedom since March 2020. Niche statistical jargon and data visualizations are now widespread in the public domain, with specialist data sites such as Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Map and the Worldometer's coronavirus page receiving a surge of traffic.

But are English people really ready to digest the deluge of COVID data on their own? One study has already suggested that lockdown ending will result in the public taking COVID-19 less seriously. Coupled with the fact that COVID data is complex and subject to constant change as new variants emerge and spread, it's unclear whether the general public is prepared to make informed, data-driven decisions after July 19.

Data indigestion

I find it tempting to celebrate the public's expanding access to data and familiarity with terms like "flattening the curve". After all, a better informed society is a successful society, and the provision of data-driven information to the public seems to contribute to the notion that together we can beat COVID.

But increased data visibility shouldn't necessarily be interpreted as increased data literacy. For example, at the start of the pandemic it was found that the portrayal of COVID deaths in logarithmic graphs confused the public. Logarithmic graphs control for data that's growing exponentially by using a scale which increases by a factor of ten on the y, or vertical axis. This led some people to radically underestimate the dramatic rise in COVID cases.

The vast amount of data we now have available doesn't even guarantee consensus. In fact, instead of solving the problem, this data deluge can contribute to the polarization of public discourse. One study recently found that COVID skeptics use orthodox data presentation techniques to spread their controversial views, revealing how more data doesn't necessarily result in better understanding. Though data is supposed to be objective and empirical, it has assumed a political, subjective hue during the pandemic.

These examples show that data literacy must accompany data availability in the coming weeks and months. Only a data-literate public can make decisions that keep everyone as safe as possible. And empowering the public with this competency is in turn the responsibility of journalists and educators.

A logorithmic graph (on the right) flattens exponential curves, which can confuse the public. Credit: LSE

Making sense of information

Journalists are vital conduits between the scientific community and the general public. Data journalism in particular, a relatively small subset of journalism before the pandemic, has been essential in communicating how the scientists who inform governments reached their decisions.

Yet data journalists themselves may not be as data literate as the scientific community. Attempts by journalists to portray accurate accounts of the COVID situation are not always successful. Countries hit early by the pandemic, such as Italy, were also the first to reveal the limitations of data journalism, and have since provided valuable reports on the lessons they learned. In 2019, there were only 20 data journalists in the whole of Italy.

This is where educators come in. The pandemic has only strengthened the case presented by academics for data literacy to be included in the curriculum at all educational levels, including primary. This could help citizens navigate our data-driven world, protecting them from harmful misinformation and journalistic malpractice.

Outstanding article by our own @MrHonner, suggesting 7 ways that students and teachers can explore the math and statistics of COVID-19, using data and graphs in the New York Times. Good lessons here for everything from data literacy to calculus. https://t.co/ACCSlUwpbk  Steven Strogatz (@stevenstrogatz) April 4, 2020

Data literacy does in fact already feature in many higher education roadmaps in the UK, though I'd argue it's a skill the entire population should be equipped with from an early age. Misconceptions about vaccine efficacy and the severity of the coronavirus are often based on poorly presented, false or misinterpreted data. The "fake news" these misconceptions generate would spread less ferociously in a world of data literate citizens.

To tackle misinformation derived from the current data deluge, the European Commission has funded projects such as MediaFutures and YourDataStories. Media Futures aims to reshape how the media uses data, while YourDataStories aims to develop tools to bring data-driven information suppliers closer to journalists, with a focus on open data. The Commission also funds data literacy education across the EU, indicating how seriously public authorities are now taking data literacy.

Data literacy is the key to harnessing the value of data in order to make smart and safe decisions. Suppliers and consumers of COVID information have a shared responsibility to make sense of the data deluge as the UK government pulls pack and eases restrictions. But with data literacy still lacking, even among data journalists, efforts must now be made to educate the public about how best to read data.

Explore further Schools should strive to improve students' food literacy

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

More than half a year has passed since the first vaccine for COVID-19 was given emergency authorization, and almost half the United States has protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a result. Yet children under the age of 12, for whom the vaccines haven't yet been authorized, have been unable to take advantage.

Vaccine makers have been working to make their products available to younger patients, launching clinical trials to evaluate whether the vaccines can safely and effectively protect children as young as six months.

One site for those trials is at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where Jeff Gerber, a pediatrician, epidemiologist, and infectious disease specialist, is heading Moderna's effort at CHOP. To get an update on efforts to evaluate a COVID-19 vaccine for younger children, Penn Today spoke with Gerber about how the vaccines are being adapted for kids, what special considerations go into a pediatric clinical trial, and why giving children access to a COVID-19 vaccine is critical for their health: mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Can you describe what the trial aims to do and its progress to date?

This is the KidCOVE trial, which is testing the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in kids from 6 months up until just before they turn 12. Moderna conducted a study for 12 to 17-year-olds that's under review right now. KidCOVE, like many of the COVID vaccine trials, is co-led by the National Institutes of Health and industry.

This is a combination phase 2/3 trial. These two parts can be done in direct sequence because this vaccine has already been tested extensively in adults and older children and has lots of safety and effectiveness data.

Phase 2 is what is called the dose finding and age de-escalation portion. They divide the participants into three subcategories: 6-11 years, 2-5 years, and then six months to just under 2. In each of those age categories, the trial starts out by giving a lower dose than what the teenagers and adults get and testing a small number of children to look at safety and immune response.

If all looks good, then they will increase the dose a bit, doing it very carefully by starting with the older age group then moving down, looking at side effects. Phase 2 will finish once they decide they have a dose for each age group with a favorable side effect profile and strong immune response, and that is the dose that will be tested in phase 3. That is a randomized controlled trial, where the vaccine is tested against a placebo. It's possible that one age group might move into phase 3 ahead of the others.

This trial is spread across up to 80 sites, mostly in the U.S. CHOP is just one of them. The overall trial will include approximately 7,000 kids, the majority of which will be in the randomized controlled trial. Our expectation at CHOP is to enroll somewhere around 100 subjects.

Rates of COVID-19 are lower now than they were when some of the adult vaccine trials were taking place. How can you tell if the vaccines are effective?

What you can do, and this is something they're still working on with all the COVID-19 vaccine platforms, is identify what's called an immunologic correlate of protection. That involves testing your blood and seeing if there is some type of signature or biomarker in your immune system that predicts who will be protected against infection. The thing we hear about most is antibodies, but that's an oversimplification. Antibodies are the easiest and most accessible part of the immune response to measure, but there are other components.

The primary endpoints of this study are safety and immunogenicity, the type of immune response the vaccine generates: What are the side effects? Are there adverse events, both minor and serious? And what the antibody profile is, compared to what we've seen in older subjects from previous trials.

Secondary outcomes include how well those antibodies bind and block virus as well as how the cells of the immune system behave. And we'll look at effectivenesshow many kids get infected with virus or get the disease after being infected in the vaccinated group versus the placebo group. But there likely aren't enough children who will be enrolled to make a statistically significant conclusion about this kind of efficacyeffectiveness will be inferred primarily from the antibody response.

How do you follow participants in the study and get the information you need about side effects, immune response, and infection rates?

Generally speaking, it's a combination of prospectively asking people questions about 'how you felt after vaccination, did you have certain symptoms?" Also, when you do bring them inand this study, like many others, involves many visits where participants come in for checkupsat those times we do blood tests and nasal swabs. But it also relies on the reports of the subjects. They're instructed and reminded to let us know if they have COVID-19 symptoms, if they've sought medical attention, taken new medications, or received any new diagnoses, for example. It's particularly focused on capturing any significant or severe disease.

I've seen media reports of some teens and pre-teens developing myocarditis, or heart inflammation after vaccination. Is that something you're tracking?

The study is intentionally designed to pick up any minor or serious adverse events, including MIS-Cmulti-inflammatory syndrome in children. With myocarditis, any time a child or subject is hospitalized or has any type of adverse effect that might remotely be related to vaccinationif it was a doctor's visit, emergency department visit, or hospitalization, we capture that information and a thorough review is done.

There are certain criteria under which the study would be paused while experts on the data safety monitoring board review what's happened and decide whether a study can continue. That set up is intentionally conservative. We saw that happen with multiple COVID-19 vaccines, and that's in place for this trial.

How are CHOP and the other sites ensuring that the trial subjects represent a diverse U.S. population?

We've tried to be really intentional about that. The sponsor is committed to enrolling a diverse group of subjects with the goal to enroll a group that looks like the U.S. in terms of race and ethnicity. Our part in that is trying to enroll a cohort that looks like Philadelphia. We've looked at the race and ethnicity breakdown of the area that CHOP serves and we've done our best to enroll a group of subjects that looks similar.

The response to this trial has been amazing. We have many more families interested than we could possibly enroll. So far, we've filled every slot we've been given. The families and particularly the kids who have come and joined have been amazingthe visits are long, they have to do a lot of stuff as part of the trialbut, their enthusiasm! Almost 100% of the kids have expressed how they want to help get a vaccine to kids. It's really neat to see. Nobody likes needles but the kids are really brave and I think they appropriately feel good about themselves. It's inspiring to see the dedication and sacrifice of the families.

How do you handle informed consent in this study? Do the kids have a say?

We take this very seriously. The sponsor has developed a really thorough consent process that we have adapted for CHOP. There is a consent form for the parents and then there's an assent form for the children. Any child seven and above will fill out a form that's written at grade level. They can read it and then one of the physicians on our team will review it and answer any questions. It's done individually, we consent the parents and then the child provides assent.

We've had kids ask terrific questions. We explain to them what a research study does, what they would be doing as part of this research study. And the most important thing for them to know is that they can say no at any timenow, or all the way until right before the needle gets put in your armand there will be no penalties. We make that as clear as possible to try to make sure our kids and parents have agency to choose.

The question a lot of parents are anxiously asking: When can we expect results and ultimately a vaccine approval or authorization for kids?

With any trial there are always some unforeseen delays. Right now the dose finding, age de-escalation portion of the trial is getting near completion and the hope is that the randomized controlled trial portion will start very soon, hopefully within the coming weeks.

The study is a year long. Just like the adult trial, the vaccine is given in two doses, a month apart, then we follow them for a year, looking for adverse events, looking for immune response and whether they get sick or not.

With the adult vaccine trials, the FDA asked for two months of safety data. It's still unclear whether they will grant that same review time frame to the children's vaccine trials. That has an impact on when both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will ultimately get authorized or approved.

It's becoming clear that there won't be a vaccine approved for younger children before this school year starts. And considering it takes more than a month to get full immunity, I think realistically, for kids under 12, the most hopeful time that they would be immune, if they choose to get vaccinated, is in the second half of the school year.

Do variants play into how you're moving ahead with the trial?

This particular study is not designed to test response against variants. But it's possible that data from the trial could be used to see what level of antibodies is protective against some variant strains. What's encouraging to me and many other is that adults who are vaccinated seem to be well-protected against current circulating variants. My hope is that the same thing will translate into pediatrics.

Kids tend to get less sick from COVID-19 than adults. Why do you feel it's so important to vaccinate them?

It's a great question, because this is generally a different disease in kids than it is in adults. That said, this virus can still harm kids. It's much less common, but a small number of kids, around 500 in the U.S., have died from SARS-CoV-2 infections. MIS-C is a complication that can cause you to be severely ill with sometimes lasting effects, and in rare cases can even be fatal.

Another piece of this is that kids make up almost a quarter of the population of this country. It still remains to be precisely determined how much kids contribute to disease spread, but they certainly contribute at some level, so that's another really important consideration.

But then the other piece, which is so, so important is that kids' lives, just like adults' lives, have been turned upside down. From young kids who want to have a playdate or go to daycare to school-age kids for whom school is their lifethis pandemic has shut down many of those opportunities. Rates of anxiety and depression and self-harm and obesity are skyrocketing. Kids are falling behind in school.

The public health benefit of vaccinating kids goes beyond preventing infection, it's also about social-emotional development and mental health.

That's why both of my kids are vaccinated. I have two teenagers who ran to the Convention Center when they were eligible.

We've appropriately initially focused on adults, because this has been primarily a disease of adultsat least relatively speaking. But we can't forget the children, who have been affected deeply by this pandemic. We have a way out with vaccines and hopefully, it will be a way out for kids as well.

Explore further There are many good reasons for kids to get the COVID vaccine
Italian pharmaceutical Leadiant has been fined almost 20 million euros for allegedly overcharging for medicine used to treat a rare cholesterol disease, the Dutch consumer watchdog said on Monday.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets "established that drug manufacturer Leadiant charged far too high a price for its prescription drug CDCA-Leadiant," it said in a statement.

"As such, Leadiant abused its dominant position," the Hague-based regulator said.

In just over a decade, the medicine's name changed and its price leapt from 46 euros ($54) for a box of 100 capsules in 2008 to 14,000 euros in 2019, the ACM said.

This represented 153,000 euros per year for a patient, an amount the authority deemed "excessive" and "unfair".

"After a small, low-risk investment, Leadiant implemented a huge price increase for a drug that had already existed for years," ACM board chairman Martijn Snoep said.

"We consider this to be a very serious violation," he said.

The ACM handed Leadiant a 19,569,500-euro fine.

The Italian pharmaceutical said it "fundamentally disagreed" with the fine, telling the Dutch ANP news agency it planned to challenge the decision.

"We are convinced that we have always acted correctly and in accordance with all applicable regulations," Leadiant managing director Antonio Gama da Silva said.

The drug chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA)-Leadiant is used for the treatment of patients with a rare hereditary metabolic disorder called cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX).

The rare condition affects the body's ability to break down cholesterol fats and symptoms include brittle bones in children and dementia and seizures in adults.

In the Netherlands, approximately sixty patients suffer from this disease.

These individuals need to use the drug for the rest of their lives, the ACM said.

Leadiant maintained the price of 14,000 euros in the Netherlands until a hospital in Amsterdam managed to manufacture the same drug in its own laboratory in January 2020, the ACM noted.

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The British government on Monday lifted pandemic restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing rules in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown.

From midnight (2300 GMT Sunday), nighclubs reopened and other indoor venues were allowed to run at full capacity, while legal mandates covering the wearing of masks and working from home were scrapped.

Prime Minister Boris Johnsonwho is self-isolating after his health minister was infectedurged the public to remain prudent and for any laggards to join the two-thirds of UK adults who are now fully vaccinated.

He defended the reopeningdubbed "freedom day" by some mediadespite scientists' grave misgivings after daily infection rates in Britain topped 50,000, behind only Indonesia and Brazil.

"If we don't do it now, then we'll be opening up in the autumn, the winter months, when the virus has the advantage of the cold weather," the prime minister said in a video message.

This week's start of summer school holidays offered a "precious firebreak", he said.

"If we don't do it now, we've got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? So this is the right moment, but we've got to do it cautiously."

In a bid to demonstrate a bit of caution, vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi told the BBC he would continue to wear a mask in "crowded indoor places".

But Jonathan Ashworth, the opposition Labour party's health spokesman, said the government was being "reckless", echoing experts who say the reopening endangers global health.

"We are against opening up without any precautions in place," Ashworth told BBC television, attacking in particular the government's plan on masks.

'A new chapter'

After the success of the vaccination programmewhich has now offered at least one dose to every adult in Britainthe government says any risks to hospital care are manageable.

But professor Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London warned that Britain was on course for 100,000 cases a day, as the Delta variant runs out of control.

"The real question is, do we get to double that or even higher?" he told BBC television.

"We could get to 2,000 hospitalisations a day, 200,000 cases a day, but it's much less certain," he said.

Despite the risks, in Leeds in northern England, there was a queue outside Fibre, a night club reopening on Sunday evening, and the dance floor was packed with no masks in sight.

"I thought, well, we missed New Year's, so why not come out and celebrate?" said Nicola Webster Calliste, 29.

"It's like a new chapter."

Warning light

But medics warned that relaxations could push up case numbers enough to put severe pressure on the National Health Service (NHS) and risk seeding new variants, even though Britain is suffering far fewer deaths than in previous waves.

Senior Conservative MP Jeremy Hunt, a former health secretary, said the government should learn from Israel and the Netherlands, which have been forced to reverse recent relaxations.

"The warning light on the NHS dashboard is not flashing amber, it is flashing red," he told BBC radio.

Scotland and Wales, whose devolved governments set their own health policy, said they would maintain the mandate on face coverings among other restrictions, despite England's moves to lift measures.

Fully vaccinated residents returning from so-called "amber list" destinations in Europe no longer have to quarantinealthough in a last-minute policy shift, the government has kept the requirement in place for France.

Also staying in place are requirements to self-isolate after a close contact, which have forced millions off work or school in recent weeks, leading to industry warnings of severe economic disruption.

After their contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Downing Street initially said Johnson and finance minister Rishi Sunak would get tested every day instead of self-isolating.

But after a public and political outcry, Downing Street staged a hurried U-turn.

Johnson, who was in hospital with COVID last year, will remain at the prime minister's country retreat at Chequers northwest of London until July 26.

Others urged the government to stick to the cautious global consensus on tackling the pandemic, rather than acceding to the libertarian instincts of Johnson and other Conservatives.

The government's stated approach of lifting controls now before any winter surge of respiratory disease is marked by "moral emptiness and epidemiological stupidity", said University of Bristol public health expert Gabriel Scally.

Explore further UK says braced for 100,000 daily COVID cases

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(HealthDay)Pfizer Inc. announced on Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to its COVID-19 vaccine, positioning the vaccine for full approval by January.

The Pfizer vaccine has been administered to more Americans than any other shot so far in the U.S. vaccination campaign. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 85 million people have been fully vaccinated with the two-dose Pfizer regimen.

A full approval for the Pfizer vaccine could help boost U.S. vaccination efforts. Some people who have been reluctant to get a shot have said they are unwilling to get an experimental medication, and an approval could also make it easier for employers, school districts, and others to mandate vaccination, Bloomberg News reported.

Right now, the Pfizer vaccine is only authorized on an emergency basis for people aged 12 years and older. Pfizer said it would apply for full approval in those aged 12 to 15 years once the required six months of data following second vaccine doses are available.

Explore further Pfizer to seek approval in fall for COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 2 to 11

More information: Bloomberg News Article

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The French government approved a draft law Monday that is intended to pressure non-vaccinated people to get a jab against COVID-19 as the country faces a surge in new cases.

The law, which is expected to be presented to parliament at the end of the week, was approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday, said government spokesman Gabriel Attal.

It will massively extend a "health pass" system that will require people to produce evidence of vaccination or a negative test when they visit public venues such as restaurants, bars or shopping centres.

The government has said the legislation is intended to incite people to take up the offer of jabs, and more than three million people have booked appointments since it was outlined by President Emmanuel Macron last Monday.

The proposals have led to mass protests and accusations from some politicians that Macron is abusing his powers and even running a "dictatorship".

A former member of Macron's parliamentary party, Martine Wonner, urged protesters at the weekend to "go lay siege to lawmakers, go invade their headquarters, to tell them you do not agree."

Around 114,000 people rallied around France on Saturday to protest the system, with some wearing a yellow star, seeking to liken the treatment of the non-vaccinated with that of Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II.

The government and Holocaust survivors have condemned the symbolism.

"This is an odious comparison," Joseph Szwarc, a survivor of a notorious roundup of Jews in Paris, said at a remembrance event on Sunday, adding that the sight of the yellow stars had greatly saddened him.

"I wore the star. I know what it is. It's in my flesh," he said.

Europe Minister Clement Beaune called the comparisons "monstrous".

Elsewhere, a COVID-19 vaccination centre in southwest France was set on fire in a suspected arson attack early Sunday in Urrugne in the southwestern Basque region, local prosecutor Jerome Bourrier announced.

Overnight on Friday, a centre in Lans-en-Vercors, southeast France, was vandalised and tagged with anti-vaccination graffitti.

The government says it has no choice but to urge people to get vaccinated as the country faces a fourth wave of cases linked to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.

Opinion polls show that most French people approve.

"We have a fourth wave that is taking off, with a rise in cases that is stratospheric," government spokesman Attal told journalists on Monday.

The country reported 12,500 daily cases on Sunday, double the number of a week ago.

Health Minister Olivier Veran has said that nine out of 10 newly infected people are unvaccinated.

Explore further France warns virus fourth wave could hit by end-July

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(HealthDay)The coronavirus pandemic has left plenty of Americans saddled with medical bills they can't pay, a new survey reveals.

More than 50% of those who were infected with COVID-19 or who lost income due to the pandemic are now struggling with medical debt, according to researchers from The Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit organization that advocates a high-performing health care system.

"The good news in the report is that insurance losses during the pandemic may have been offset by federal efforts to help people get and maintain their insurance coverage," said Sara Collins, vice president for health care coverage and access at The Commonwealth Fund.

"The bad news is that about a third of Americans continue to struggle with medical bills and medical debt, even those who have health insurance coverage, and medical bill problems were highest among people who were affected by the pandemic, either getting sick with COVID-19 or losing income during the pandemic or losing their insurance coverage. These people are stuck with large bills," Collins said.

Those most affected were Black and Hispanic people, who were more likely to lack affordable health care, the researchers found. What's worse is those who suffered the most from the COVID-19 pandemic are the most likely to have medical bills and debt.

Adults aged 19 to 64 who contracted the virus, lost income or lost their job-based health insurance coverage also reported higher rates of problems with medical bills and debt than people not affected by the pandemic in these ways.

"It is a significant problem for people in the United States, and I think we need to address changing the benefit design, but also changing how we view medical debt," Collins said.

Frederick Isasi is executive director of Families U.S., a national nonpartisan consumer health care advocacy organization. "This study underscores what we've known since the deadliest pandemic wreaked havoc on our country last yearthe most vulnerable in our communities have borne the brunt of both the health and economic impacts," he said.

"We must ensure they have access to the best health and health care they need without being saddled with medical debt or having to choose between paying the rent and filling a prescription for lifesaving medicine," Isasi added.

Isasi said Congress needs to pass the Democratic budget resolution and quickly pass a reconciliation package that closes the Medicaid expansion coverage gap, ensures Medicare includes dental, hearing and vision benefits, "... and finally puts an end to drug companies' abusive prices, to make health care affordable and accessible to all."

Key findings of the survey include:

Black and Hispanic adults were more likely to have problems paying medical bills and to lose income during the pandemic.

More than 55% of Black people and nearly 44% of Hispanics reported problems with medical bills and debt, compared with 32% of white people.

More than one-third of U.S. adults reported a loss of income during the pandemic. Black and Hispanic Americans and those with low incomes were particularly hard hit, with 44% of Black people and 45% of Hispanics reporting a loss of income.

More than one-third of insured adults and half of uninsured adults reported having medical bill problems or were paying off medical debt.

Among working adults with employer coverage, 34% reported medical bill or debt problems, as did 46% of adults with individual and marketplace coverage.

The survey was conducted from March 9 through June 8 among nearly 5,500 U.S. adults aged 19 to 64.

According to US News & World Report, some steps people can take to get help with their medical bills include:

Check medical bills for errors.

Negotiate medical bills with your hospital or insurance company.

Get help paying medical bills. Some nonprofit hospitals may cancel your bills entirely.

Consider filing bankruptcy.

Understand medical debt relief programs. During the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government and some states have ways to help reduce your bills.

Contact your state health insurance department to see what they can do to reduce or forgive bills.

The core issue is the way health insurance in America works, said Dr. Susan Rogers, president of Physicians for a National Health Program.

"Trying to tweak insurance coverage is never going to get everyone coveredit's not made for that. This is why I support Medicare-for-all or single-payer, because that is the only plan that is made to cover everyone," Rogers said.

Despite all the efforts over the years and the financial hardships of the pandemic, nobody has ever done anything that covers everyone, Rogers noted.

"What is happening now with insurance companies is they are just bleeding everyone, and it's just not sustainable. Everything keeps going up, premiums go up, copays go up, deductibles go up," she said. "What has happened is you just keep increasing the gap between the haves and have-nots and that's just not sustainable."

Explore further Many Americans struggling to afford health care in pandemic

More information: For more on affordable care in your state, head to The For more on affordable care in your state, head to The Commonwealth Fund

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Anew USC study of a large and diverse group of Medicaid enrollees finds Latino patients had starkly higher odds of a positive COVID-19 testas well as higher odds of hospitalization and deaththan white patients.

The study of racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 testing and outcomes included data from more than 84,000 adults at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center who were enrolled in that county's Medicaid managed care plan.

The research appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

One hypothesis for worse COVID-19 outcomes among low-income people has been that they are more likely to have other preexisting health problems. After controlling for those risks, as well as demographic and neighborhood factors, Latinos still fared worse than other groups. That was in spite of the fact that the Latino patients were disproportionately younger. In general, Latinos in the U.S. are healthier than whitesa phenomenon known as the "Latino paradox."

"Even among a population of Medicaid patients who are similarly economically disadvantaged, Latinos are shouldering an unfair burden of this deadly pandemic," said study co-author Mireille Jacobson, associate professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and senior fellow at the USC Schaeffer School for Health Policy and Economics.

"The substantially higher risk facing Latinos should be a key consideration in California's strategies to mitigate COVID-19 transmission and harm."

The opportunity to study a large and racially diverse low-income population at the public hospital appealed to the researchers. They hoped to help answer questions about what was causing COVID-19's racial and ethnic disparities in communities around the country and to understand whether prior work was confounded by differences in economic status across groups.

Latinos were tested more for COVID-19 and had higher rates of infection, hospitalization and death

Health providers at the medical center observed in the early days of the pandemic that Latinos were more likely to test positive; in response, they increased their outreach to that community and urged them to get tested. Likely because of that outreach, testing for COVID-19 was higher among Latinos than for Black, Asian or white patients, but Latinos also had much higher infection rates. Tragically, they were also much more likely to end up hospitalized and to die from COVID-19 than white Medicaid enrollees.

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minorities in terms of infection, hospitalizations and deaths. The interplay of social, economic and demographic factors influencing COVID outcomes remains poorly understood. Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID vary widely across the country and seem to depend on local context, the study's authors said.

They point to prior studies that showed adjusted odds of hospitalization were higher for Black and Latino patients than for whites in a Wisconsin health system. In contrast, adjusted odds of hospitalization were similar for Black and Latino patients when compared with white patients in a New York City health system.

"One of the lessons we take away from this study is that being Black in Northern California is different than being Black in New York; being Latino in this population is different than being Latino in Louisiana," said study co-author Tom Chang, associate professor of finance and business economics at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Causes of racial and ethnic COVID-19 disparities remain unclear

Chang and Jacobson say the potential causes of these conflicting regional findings may be differences that haven't yet been fully explored, including living and working conditions or trust of medical systems.

"Another lesson is that integrated health systems could do the data analysis that revealed these disparities essentially in real time," Chang said. "In this case, the data is screamingly loud that Latinos are experiencing worse outcomes from COVID-19 and that these differences are not driven by differences in underlying health."

The USC researchers are continuing to partner with the medical center to study vaccination rates and outcomes.

"We found our collaboration with Professors Chang and Jacobson tremendously valuable in helping us study the impacts of race, socioeconomics and decision-making in our health care environment," said study co-author Samir B. Shah, CEO of Contra Costa Regional Medical Center.

"In unprecedented times like we are living through now, studying the effects of decisions we make in health care delivery and public health messaging are valuable in resource determination, community outreach, clinical care delivery and the transmission of fact-based information."

More information: Mireille Jacobson et al, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Testing and COVID-19 Outcomes in a Medicaid Managed Care Cohort, American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2021). Journal information: American Journal of Preventive Medicine Mireille Jacobson et al, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Testing and COVID-19 Outcomes in a Medicaid Managed Care Cohort,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.05.015
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Australia's two largest cities are set to stay under tight COVID-19 restrictions as Melbourne on Monday extended a five-day snap lockdown designed to curb a virulent outbreak.

"These restrictions simply cannot end at midnight tomorrow night," Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said, without saying how long the Melbourne lockdown would last.

About 12 million people are under lockdown in Melbourne and Sydney, where a month of restrictions has failed to quash an outbreak of the Delta variant.

Australia had mostly dodged widespread community transmission in the 18 months since the pandemic began, but is now seeing more than 100 new cases a day, straining contact tracing efforts.

The most recent outbreak started mid-June when a foreign aircrew infected a local driver in Sydney.

The virus was then carried to Melbourne with a relocation team, prompting a snap lockdown that was due to end late Tuesday, but has failed to reduce new infections to zero.

Victoria state on Monday reported 13 new cases.

Andrews told weary residents now on their fifth lockdown that the measures were making an impact. "We have made great progress, we have avoided thousands of cases," he said.

In Sydney, it looks increasingly unlikely that the city will exit a lockdown in its fourth week at the end of the month as planned.

On Saturday New South Wales introduced a slew of new restrictions and ordered all non-critical stores to close.

The state reported 98 new cases on Monday.

Explore further Sydney tightens lockdown amid 'stubborn' outbreak

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(HealthDay)A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in an American who had recently traveled to Nigeria, U.S. health officials reported. Officials believe the threat of the virus spreading to others is low.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that's in the same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes a milder infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It typically begins with flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, then progresses to a widespread rash on the face and body. Most infections last 2-4 weeks.

The infected person is now hospitalized in Dallas, the CDC said.

Officials are working to contact airline passengers and others who may have come into contact with the patient during two flights: Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta on July 8, with arrival on July 9; and Atlanta to Dallas on July 9, the CDC said.

The passengers were required to wear masks on their flights and in the U.S. airports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it's believed that the risk of spread of monkeypox is believed to be low, the CDC said in a news release.

The strain of monkeypox in this case is one that's most commonly seen in parts of West Africa, and is fatal in about 1 in 100 people. But the risk can be higher in people with weakened immune systems.

Before this latest case, there have been at least six reported monkeypox cases in travelers returning from Nigeria (including cases in the United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore). This case is not related to any of these previous cases. In the United Kingdom, several additional monkeypox cases occurred in people who had contact with infected travelers, the CDC said.

It's believed that African rodents and small mammals spread the virus to people and other forest animals like monkeys. People can get monkeypox when they are bitten or scratched by an animal, prepare wild game, or have contact with an infected animal or animal products. Monkeypox can also spread between people through respiratory droplets or through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, or items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores. Most monkeypox outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the CDC said.

Explore further First case of monkeypox virus detected in Singapore

More information: Visit the CDC for more on Visit the CDC for more on monkeypox

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The 5k running events are set to resume on Saturday July 24, following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Credit: Northumbria University

Academics from Northumbria University, Newcastle, have published a research paper explaining why parkruns are so popular, particularly among those in managerial and professional positions.

The research, "Lost and found: parkrun, work and identity," was carried out by Dr. Russell Warhurst and Dr. Kate Black from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria in conjunction with parkrun UK. It comes as the high-profile mass-participation events are set to resume on Saturday July 24 following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Published in Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, Dr. Warhurst and Black investigated why despite significant efforts to broaden the appeal of parkrun among the wider population, a disproportionate number of parkrunners are in managerial and professional careers. Their research explored the diverse reasons why such runners take part and reveals some surprising results.

Started in 2004, parkrun has become a major mass-participation running event, with hundreds of thousands taking part together over five-kilometer distances in different locations across the UK every Saturday. The huge growth in popularity pre pandemic had seen the events widely lauded in the fight against obesity.

Dr. Warhurst explains: "The success of parkrun has typically been explained in terms of a reaction to the dangers of obesity and sedentary lives and, particularly in relation to professionals and managers as having social and mental wellbeing benefits. Our research delved deeper, inviting parkrunners at one of the UK's larger parkruns in Newcastle to participate in interviews and explain just what parkrun means for them. We found that managers and professionals reported less satisfaction from their work than might once have been the case as these workers are subject to ever increasing performance standards, individual accountability and decreasing autonomy and discretion.

"While to some extent running was extending these forces of controlinto workers' leisure time, reinforcing, for example, the imperative to continuously improve, achieve and never fail, our results also paint a more positive picture. With its unique ethos, parkrun is enabling managerial and professional runners to not only escape from the isolation and pressures of their work but to discover or rediscover a more autonomous, holistic, healthier and sustainable sense-of-self."

Dr. Warhurst and Dr. Black believe the results of their research provide support for the value of parkrun post-pandemic in view of the further isolation and pressures that COVID-19 has brought.

Dr. Black adds: "Managerial and professional runners are encouraged to reflect upon and engage with the non-competitive, participatory ethos of parkrun. This reconnection will enable such runners to avoid reinforcing what might have been lost in their work lives and to use parkrun to find a new, positive sense-of-self post-pandemic.

Explore further Researchers look to success of parkrun to transform sedentary lifestyles

More information: Russell Warhurst et al, Lost and found: parkrun, work and identity, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health (2021). Russell Warhurst et al, Lost and found: parkrun, work and identity,(2021). DOI: 10.1080/2159676X.2021.1924244
All U.S. students, teachers and staff should wear masks when in school, regardless of their vaccination status, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said Monday.

That guidance runs counter to recommendations released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month: Those guidelines said teachers and students who are vaccinated can enter schools without masks, while the unvaccinated should continue to wear them to protect themselves against the coronavirus.

The CDC did not offer suggestions on how teachers can know which students are vaccinated or how parents will know which teachers are immunized. The biggest issues will be at middle schools where some students are eligible for shots and others are not. If sorting vaccinated and unvaccinated students proves too difficult, administrators might choose to just keep a masking policy in place for everyone, the CDC said at the time.

"Most of us don't really like wearing a mask. Let's just admit that," said Dr. Michael Grosso, chair of pediatrics Northwell Health's Huntington Hospital in Huntington, N.Y.

"But it is hard not to like the new guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. First, kids need to be back in school, face to face, and the AAP is promoting that. This is important for every child, and even more for children with learning problems. It's important for learning, for socialization, for physical fitness and for mental health," he said.

"Second, most schoolchildren are un-immunized, at least for now, and will remain that way until the studies are completed and we have authorization for the use of the vaccines in younger individuals," Grosso added. "This will take a little while longer. For now, un-immunized children need the protection that comes with masking everyone in the school setting."

Despite the fact that children are less likely than adults to get severe COVID, they are at risk for MIS-C, which affects about 1 in 600 infected children and teens, Grosso said. "This multi-system inflammatory condition, which follows primary infection by several weeks, is extremely serious, and more often than not results in the need for pediatric intensive care," he noted.

Along with recommending masking for all, the AAP's latest guidance says all eligible people should be vaccinated against COVID-19, strongly recommends in-person learning, and advises schools to prepare for students' mental health needs.

"We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachersand we all play a role in making sure it happens safely," said Dr. Sonja O'Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health.

"The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it's not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health," O'Leary said in an AAP news release. "Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean-hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone."

Universal masking is necessary because a significant portion of students are not yet eligible for vaccines, and masking is proven to reduce transmission of the virus and to protect those who are not vaccinated, according to the AAP.

Also, many schools will not be able to monitor the vaccine status of students, teachers and staff, and the virus may be more widespread in communities with low vaccination rates.

"There are many children and others who cannot be vaccinated," said Dr. Sara Bode, chairperson elect of the AAP Council on School Health Executive Committee.

"This is why it's important to use every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from COVID-19. Universal masking is one of those tools, and has been proven effective in protecting people against other respiratory diseases, as well," Bode said in the release. "It's also the most effective strategy to create consistent messages and expectations among students without the added burden of needing to monitor everyone's vaccination status."

The AAP guidance does echo CDC recommendations for school building ventilation, testing, quarantining, cleaning and disinfection.

Safety precautions are highly effective when used consistently, and children are at higher risk of suffering mental health issues and developmental setbacks if they miss out on in-school learning, according to AAP.

It's also crucial that children are caught up on all regular vaccinations, including the flu shot, the AAP said.

"The last thing we want as we come out of this pandemic is an outbreak of another vaccine-preventable disease," O'Leary said.

More information: The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on COVID-19

 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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A new robotic neck brace from researchers at Columbia Engineering and their colleagues at Columbia's Department of Otolaryngology may help doctors analyze the impact of cancer treatments on the neck mobility of patients and guide their recovery.

Head and neck cancer was the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2018, with 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths, accounting for 3% of all cancers and more than 1.5% of all cancer deaths in the United States. Such cancer can spread to lymph nodes in the neck, as well as other organs in the body. Surgically removing lymph nodes in the neck can help doctors investigate the risk of spread, but may result in pain and stiffness in the shoulders and neck for years afterward.

Identifying which patients may have issues with neck movement "can be difficult, as the findings are often subtle and challenging to quantify," said Scott Troob, assistant professor of otolaryngologyhead and neck surgery and division chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. However, successfully targeting what difficulties they might have with mobility can help patients benefit from targeted physical therapy interventions, he explained.

The current techniques and tools that doctors have to judge the range of motion a patient may have lost in their neck and shoulders are somewhat crude, explained Sunil K. Agrawal, a professor of mechanical engineering and rehabilitative and regenerative medicine and director of the ROAR (Robotics and Rehabilitation) Laboratory at Columbia Engineering. They usually either provide unreliable measurements or require too much time and space to set up for use in routine clinical visits.

To develop a more reliable and portable tool to analyze neck mobility, Agrawal and his colleagues drew inspiration from a robotic neck brace they previously developed to analyze head and neck motions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In partnership with Troob's group, they have now designed a new wearable robotic neck brace. Their study appears July 12 in the journal Wearable Technologies.

The new brace was made using 3D-printed materials and inexpensive sensors. The easy-to-wear device was based on the head and neck movements of 10 healthy individuals.

"This is the first study of this kind where a wearable robotic neck brace has been designed to characterize the full head and neck range of motion," Agrawal said.

In the new study, the researchers used the prototype brace, along with electrical measurements of muscle activity, to compare the neck mobility of five cancer patients before and one month after surgical removal of neck lymph nodes. They found their device could precisely detect changes in patient neck movements during routine clinical visits.

"Use of the sensing neck brace allows a surgeon to screen patients postoperatively for movement difficulty, quantify their degree of impairment, and select patients for physical therapy and rehabilitation," Troob said.

"Patients consistently identify need for rehabilitation and guided exercises after surgery as an unmet need in their medical care," Troob said. "This work will lay the foundation for the appropriate identification of patients for intervention. We additionally hope that through using the neck brace, we will be able to objectively quantify their improvement and develop evidence-based rehabilitative programs."

In the future, the researchers hope to investigate larger groups of patients and use the neck brace to follow patients through physical therapy to develop evidence-based protocols for rehabilitation, Troob said. They also would like to develop similar braces for other surgical sites, such as the forearm, ankle, or knee, he added.

Explore further Robotic neck brace dramatically improves functions of ALS patients

More information: Biing-Chwen Chang et al, A novel neck brace to characterize neck mobility impairments following neck dissection in head and neck cancer patients, Wearable Technologies (2021). Biing-Chwen Chang et al, A novel neck brace to characterize neck mobility impairments following neck dissection in head and neck cancer patients,(2021). DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2021.8
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Most of the six million people in the U.S. who live with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias rely on informal caregivers, usually family or friends, to help manage their medications. Researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and University of Wisconsin have received a grant to create an application to support those caregivers.

"Caregivers are often under-trained, under-resourced, and under-supported to perform medication management. It can lead to significant burden, stress and even inappropriate medication use," said Richard Holden, Ph.D., a co-leader of the project. "To this point, technology has not been leveraged to help this population. Using participatory user-centered design, we plan to create an application that makes this potentially complex undertaking a little easier for them and leads to better medication adherence and safety." Dr. Holden is a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute and a professor and chair of health and wellness design at IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The app is called Helping the Helpers, and the project employs the three phases of participatory user-centered design. The team will start by interviewing and assessing the needs of the caregivers. Then those caregivers will work with the team to create the app with features and functionality that will benefit them. As co-designers, the caregivers will take part in all the design activities and will have equal say in the final product as members of the research team. The final phase will more widely test the app to see if caregivers can and will use it.

Researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and University of Wisconsin are creating, with caregivers as co-designers, Helping the Helpers, an application (app) to support informal caregivers (often family or friends) of people with dementia. These caregivers are often under-trained, under-resourced, and under-supported to perform medication management. Credit: Regenstrief Institute

"This type of support is lacking for these caregivers, and technology provides an ideal way to reach them," said Nicole Werner, Ph.D., co-leader of the project and an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "But an application is useless if these caregivers can't or won't use it. That's why we are involving them in the design process from the very start, so we can create something that effectively addresses the struggles they and others like them are facing."

"User-centered design is the industry gold standard process for designing products," said Dr. Holden. "Any time technology is used, it must address end users' needs. We are grateful for the National Institute on Aging's support of this user-centered design approach."

Explore further Testing effectiveness of a mobile app for assessment of dementia symptoms
People enjoy the weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England, Monday July 19, 2021. Credit: Steve Parsons/PA via AP

The British government has decided not to inoculate most children and teenagers against COVID-19 until more safety data on the vaccines become available.

Children as young as 12 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, as well as those who are household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, will be eligible for vaccination, the government said Monday.

The decision to hold off giving shots to most people under age 18 was based on the recommendation of an expert advisory panel. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization said the health benefits of universal vaccination don't outweigh the risks for most young people, who typically suffer only mild symptoms of the virus.

"Until more safety data is available and has been evaluated, a precautionary approach is preferred," the JCVI said in a statement.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement that "today's advice does not recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at this point in time.

"But the JCVI will continue to review new data, and consider whether to recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at a future date.''

On what some have called "Freedom Day", marking the end of coronavirus restrictions in England, visitors follow as Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler leads the first tour of the Tower of London in 16 months since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, in London, Monday, July 19, 2021. Beginning Monday, face masks will no longer be legally required and with social distancing rules shelved, but mask rules will remain for passengers on the London transport network.Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

The decision not to vaccinate most young people puts the U.K. at odds with France and several other European countries, which have decided to vaccinate adolescents as young as 12.

Among hundreds of people at a Paris vaccination center Friday, scores were teenagers with their parents. The French government announced last week that it plans to set up vaccine drives at middle schools, high schools and universities in the fall.

In the U.K., children and teenagers who are eligible for inoculation will receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the only one British regulators have authorized for use in those under 18. The University of Oxford is still conducting trials of the safety and effectiveness in children of the vaccine it developed with AstraZeneca.

Aside from medical and scientific questions surrounding the use of COVID-19 vaccines by adolescents, many public health experts have raised questions about the morality of inoculating low-risk children at a time when many of the world's most vulnerable people still lack access to vaccines.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who was instrumental in developing the AstraZeneca vaccine, told Parliament's science and technology committee last month that vulnerable adults elsewhere should be prioritized over children.

On what some have called "Freedom Day", marking the end of coronavirus restrictions in England, visitors listen as Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler leading the first tour of the Tower of London in 16 months since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, in London, Monday, July 19, 2021. Beginning Monday, face masks will no longer be legally required and with social distancing rules shelved, but mask rules will remain for passengers on the London transport network. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

"It is older adults, those with other health conditions, and health care workers who are looking after them, who absolutely have to be prioritized, he said.

The Oxford trial should help policymakers decide whether they want to extend mass vaccination programs to children at some point in the future as they seek to ensure schools are safe and combat the spread of the virus in the wider population, Pollard said.

The announcement came on what the government has dubbed "Freedom Day," the day most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were removed throughout England. Bars and restaurants can now operate at full capacity and night clubs are reopening for the first time in 16 months.

The government decided to lift the restrictions because 88% of the adult population has now received at least one dose of vaccine and more than two-thirds are fully vaccinated. While infections are rising rapidly, the high level of vaccination means that fewer people are becoming seriously ill than during earlier waves of the virus.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
(HealthDay)When you're hospitalized, you'll want qualified medical professionals treating you, but does it matter if your doctor is a man or a woman?

It might.

A new study in Canada found that patients cared for by female physicians had lower in-hospital death rates than those who had male doctors.

"Our study overall shows that female doctors have lower patient death rates compared to the patients of their male colleagues, but the difference could not be explained based on imaging tests, CT scans, ultrasound, things like that," said the study's lead author, Anjali Sergeant.

"However, the lower death rate in the patients of female physicians was partially explained by the fact that a higher proportion of new medical grads are female and that these new grads may be more up to date," added Sergeant, a medical student at McMaster University in Ontario.

The study was prompted by past research in a primary care setting that suggested there could be differences in how male and female physicians practice. This included reports that female doctors spent more time with patients, provided more patient-centered care and care with an empathic focus. A U.S. study, done in 2017, also found a similar difference in patient death depending on physician gender.

The new research included patients admitted to general medical wards at seven hospitals in Ontario between April 2010 and October 2017. The patients received care from a general internist or a family physician hospitalist.

Half of the more than 171,000 patients were older than 73. They were seen by 172 physicians, 54 female and 118 male.

The female physicians ordered more diagnostic imaging tests, but that did not explain the modest difference in death rates.

The study team found that 4.8% of patients treated by the female physicians died in the hospital, compared with 5.2% of the patients of male physicians. The difference was 0.47%, similar to the 0.43% difference found in the American study involving Medicare patients.

"I think that because the Canadian and American health systems are so different one might expect that the findings would be hard to replicate, but it seems like we did have a similar finding," Sergeant said.

The results remained the same when the research team adjusted for various patient characteristics. But the team found the difference was statistically insignificant when they accounted for the number of years the doctors were in practice.

"What this told us was that patients with female doctors may have better outcomes partially because more women make up more newer medical grads in Canada," Sergeant said, noting some evidence suggests that new medical grads, male and female, may be more up to date on clinical guidelines.

But Sergeant added she would like to see more research on the gap in death rates. She and her colleagues also cautioned against perpetuating gender stereotypes.

Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber is a professor of medicine at Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership in Athens, Ga.

Men and women bring different strengths to the job, she said. Women are more often caregivers in their own homes and they bring that outlook to their jobs, added Rohr-Kirchgraber, who was not involved with the study.

"We're thinking about what's going to happen when [patients] go home, who's going to be with them," Rohr-Kirchgraber said. "It's not only about the care while you're in the hospital, but it's the forward thinking about what's going to happen when you get out."

These types of studies are important because women physicians still don't make as much money as their male counterparts, Rohr-Kirchgraber said. Quoting other research, she said about 40% of female physicians leave the practice of medicine or reduce their hours within six years of completing their training.

"Talk about worsening the physician shortage, and it's not because we're not smart enough or good enough. It has to do with the fact that there's such inequity when you get out into the workplace," Rohr-Kirchgraber said. She called for paid family leave policies that would benefit both male and female physicians, and more transparency about salaries.

"When you make things like family leave policies that are conducive to having families, you help the whole family, not just the women physicians, but the guys, too," Rohr-Kirchgraber said.

The findings were published online July 16 in JAMA Health Forum.

Explore further Patients of women doctors more likely to be vaccinated against the flu

More information: The Association of American Medical Colleges has more on the The Association of American Medical Colleges has more on the evolving physician workforce.

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The four fires comprising the Granite Pass Complex west of Missoula have burned a combined 1,702 acres with 0% containment, according to a news release. At 1,407 acres, the BM Hill fire is the largest of those four fires. Crews responding to the Lolo Creek blaze, which is 127 acres in size, are focused on preventing it from crossing U.S. Highway 12.

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The Missoula County Sheriffs Office has issued an evacuation warning from the Idaho border to Lolo Hot Springs.

Two fires are currently ripping through the West Lolo Complex  the Deep Lookout Mountain fire in the Superior Ranger District and the Thorne Creek fire in the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District.

The Thorne Creek fire grew to 1,690 acres over the weekend. The fire is still being managed as a full suppression fire, but given its location in steep terrain it poses an extreme risk to firefighter safety. Lolo National Forest officials did not indicate how much of the fire is considered contained in Mondays update.

The smaller Deep Lookout Mountain Fire grew to 365 acres over the weekend and is reportedly 43% contained. Minimal fire behavior was expected for Monday, however strong winds of 35 to 50 mph associated with the red flag warning could push out smoke that previously shaded the fire area.
Under the congressional budget process, certain measures regarding revenues, spending and the debt can be approved with a 51-vote threshold, which is why Democrats are pursuing it. The process allows them to bypass a near-certain filibuster from Republicans.

But theres a catch: The Senates nonpartisan parliamentarian can rule for the removal of any provision not directly related to the budget, or items whose budget impact is merely incidental to their intended policy changes.

In the end, Democrats would not achieve their goal of federal standards through the infrastructure bill alone but could incentivize some states to move in that direction.

Money with incentives has passed before. So lets see what we can get approved, Klobuchar said. But again, that is only part of it. Look, its not the whole thing, right? But its a tool you dont want to let go.
MOSCOW (AP)  Heavy smoke from raging wildfires covered the Russian city of Yakutsk and 50 other Siberian towns and settlements Sunday, temporarily halting operations at the city's airport.

Russia has been plagued by widespread forest fires, blamed on unusually high temperatures and the neglect of fire safety rules, with the Sakha-Yakutia region in northeastern Siberia being the worst affected.

Local emergency officials said 187 fires raged in the region on Sunday, and the total area engulfed by blazes has grown by 100,000 hectares (about 247,000 acres) in the past 24 hours.

The situation with wildfires in our republic is very difficult. I repeat that we are experiencing the driest summer in the past 150 years in Yakutia, and the month of June was the hottest on record. This, together with the dry thunderstorms that occur nearly daily in our republic, brought about significant wildfires," Aysen Nikolayev, Yakutia's governor, told reporters.

Smoke from the fires covered 51 towns, settlements and cities in the region, including the capital Yakutsk, forcing authorities to suspend all flights in and out of the city.
Don Murphy, owner of Murphys Bar and Grill in Chinatown, says he noticed nearby restaurants asked patrons for vaccination cards but received backlash.

He said: They got eaten alive on social media. I dont want to put my staff through that.



MONTGOMERY, Ala.  With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations up sharply over the last month in Alabama but still far below when the pandemic was at its worst early this year, school officials have said vaccines wont be required in the fall and local systems can decide on their own whether to require masks or other precautions.

While the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that schools require face masks for children older than 2 and all adults, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey disagrees, an aide said.

Governor Ivey believes students need to be in the classroom without any type of mask requirement. She continues to encourage all eligible Alabamians to roll up their sleeves and get the vaccine to make COVID-19 a distant memory, spokeswoman Gina Maiola said Monday.



LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas hospitalizations due to the coronavirus jumped by 106 over the weekend as the state led the nation in new cases per capita.
" " Many times, a noncompete agreement isn't presented to an employee until their first day on the job. William Potter/Getty Images

If you're working for a company you don't like and decide to work for its competitor, will that first company come after you for switching jobs? That might depend on whether you signed a noncompete agreement.

A noncompete agreement is a type of contract that prevents an employee from working for a competitor within months or even years after leaving the company. In other words, noncompete clauses are designed to protect an employer against workers taking their talents and trade secrets to the competition.

That might make sense for high-paid corporate executives, TV anchors or tech workers, whose sudden departure to the competition would pose a real threat. But the crazy thing about noncompete agreements is that American employers have asked all types of workers at all wage levels to sign them: home health workers, sandwich shop employees, even dog walkers.

According to 2020 data published in the Journal of Law and Economics, around one in five American workers are bound by a noncompete agreement. In early July 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban or limit the use of noncompete agreements in employee contracts.

"You'll find noncompete agreements in every corner of the U.S. labor market," says study co-author Evan Starr, an assistant professor of management and organization at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. "They're being signed by interns, minimum wage workers, even volunteers for nonprofits in states like California that won't even enforce noncompete agreements."

According to Starr's research, nearly 40 percent of 11,505 U.S. workers he surveyed have signed a noncompete agreement at some point in their careers, and 18 percent are currently bound by one. That includes one-third of workers earning $40,000 or less. Another study by the Economic Policy Institute found that 29 percent of employers paying less than $13 an hour required their workers to sign noncompete agreements. Of the folks in the top tier of their study (those earning $22.50 and above), 36.5 percent had signed noncompetes.

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Do Noncompete Agreements Serve a Legitimate Purpose?

The classic argument in favor of noncompete agreements is that they take some of the risk out of hiring and training new employees. Companies invest time and resources in training new workers, and part of that training includes sharing inside information, maybe even trade secrets, about how the companies do business.

"If the worker is allowed to walk across the street and join a competitor, then that puts the firm at a competitive disadvantage," says Starr. "The company had to create that information and spend lots of money developing it."

As the pro-business Maryland Chamber of Commerce put it, "Noncompete agreements are essential to the growth and viability of businesses by protecting trade secrets and promoting business development."

Another argument in favor of noncompete clauses is that workers aren't forced to sign them. They can be negotiated as part of the overall employment contract. If a worker feels like they're giving up too much by signing a noncompete clause, they can ask for a higher salary or walk away.

In reality, through, very few people ever pause to consider the ramifications of signing a noncompete agreement and ever fewer are in a position to negotiate.

"Less than 10 percent of workers negotiate over their noncompete agreement," says Starr. "More than 85 percent of the time, when a worker is presented with a noncompete agreement, they simply sign it."

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Do Companies Really Enforce Noncompete Agreements?

If you're one of the millions of Americans who have signed a noncompete agreement, you might assume that very few of these contracts are ever enforced. Companies would only go after the big fish, right? Nope.

"There are about 1,000 noncompete lawsuits a year and you'll find all sorts of workers that you'd never expect to be in the legal record," says Starr. A Wall Street Journal analysis found that noncompete lawsuits increased by 60 percent from 2002 to 2013.

Consider the home health aide who was sued by his Pittsburgh-based agency when he tried to leave and work for a rival company. Or the famous case of the janitor who was sued by her billion-dollar employer, Cushman & Wakefield, when she tried to work for a rival cleaning business. (The company dropped the case after a public outcry).

As of right now, various types of noncompete agreements are enforceable in 47 states. Only California, North Dakota and Oklahoma have outlawed noncompetes for all workers. A handful of other states, like Maryland, have also banned noncompete agreements for low-wage workers. In Florida, however, you can still be held to a noncompete agreement even if you were fired from your job, Starr says.

The truth is that relatively few noncompete lawsuits ever go to court. The very existence of these noncompete agreements, and the broad language they use, is usually enough to intimidate workers, whether you are a janitor or a manager, from leaving for a better-paid job with the competition.

One such contract was signed by a clerk with a Philadelphia home health agency. The five-page contract prohibited the employee from working for any of its clients in a 35-mile (56-kilometer) radius within five years of leaving the job, and to pay the company's legal fees if the case went to court.

"How many of these workers have the wherewithal to fight a legal battle?" asks Starr, who says that workers who dare to leave for greener pastures will receive threatening letters from the company's lawyers. "Ninety percent of the time, these threatening letters tend to resolve the issue. What you see in the courts is a small, small sliver of what's actually going on."

Noncompete agreements are not only bad for the workers who sign them, argues Starr, but also for the entire U.S. labor market, including employers.

"Let's say that in a certain market sector, 50 percent of the workers are bound by a noncompete agreement," says Starr. "If you're a firm trying to fill a position, it's going to be really hard to hire an experienced worker, because everybody's bound by noncompete agreements."

The negative effects of noncompete agreements are even felt by workers who aren't bound by them. The mere existence of noncompete agreements "gums up" the labor market, Starr's research shows, driving down wages, slowing the hiring process, and making it less likely to receive a job offer.

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Will Biden's Executive Order Change Anything?

The FTC now has to consider how aggressively it wants to take on noncompete agreements. It could ban them from being used in low-wage jobs, which other states have done, or it could impose rules to make the process more transparent. For example, lots of workers are asked to sign noncompete agreements on their very first day on the job when they've already negotiated their pay and benefits. The FTC could require early notice for such agreements.

Starr believes that in most cases, noncompete agreements aren't necessary at all. If a company really wants to protect its trade secrets, then have workers sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). If a business wants to protect its investment in clients, then have workers sign a nonsolicitation agreement, which would forbid an employee from soliciting customers of the business they just left for a period of time. For job sectors that require months or years of training, there are even contracts that require a worker to pay back a portion of their training costs if they leave within two years.

"The key difference is that all of those other agreements are directly tied to the interest that the business is trying to protect," says Starr, "but unlike noncompete agreements, they don't restrict where workers can go."

Now That's Interesting Judges generally stick to the "janitor rule" when determining the enforceability of a noncompete agreement. A contract is unenforceable if it's so broad that it prevents a worker from taking any job with a competitor, including a janitor.
Final decision depends on vaccination rates and health conditions (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the country could open its borders with the United States to fully vaccinated Americans for non-essential travel by mid-August, the Associated Press reports.

Mr Trudeau made the announcement with leaders of Canadas provinces on Monday and released a readout of the call.

The prime minister added that opening the border depends on the nations vaccination rate and public health conditions.

Canada would be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travellers from all countries by early September, the readout said. He noted the ongoing discussions with the United States on reopening plans, and indicated that we could expect to start allowing fully vaccinated US citizens and permanent residents into Canada as of mid-August for non-essential travel.

Mr Trudeau said approximately 80 per cent of eligible Canadians have received their first dose of the vaccine and 50 percent of eligible Canadians are vaccinated. The prime minister added that case numbers and severe illnesses declined as vaccination rates increase.

That number makes Canadas vaccination rate much higher than the United States.

The United States and Canada closed their border for non-essential travel in March of 2020. Mr Trudeau announced earlier this month that fully vaccinated Canadians could now enter Canada from the United States without having to quarantine for 14 days.

Canada began allowing fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents to return to Canada without quarantining if they test negative for Covid-19 before leaving and once they return.

The return to normal travel should help the lagging tourism industry. The US Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs $1.5bn. Similarly, Canadian officials say visitors from the United States made up 15 million of the nations 22 million visitors in 2019.

Canadian officials say they want 80 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated before loosening restrictions for tourists and business travellers, which it expects by the end of July.

Story continues

The news also comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised its Covid-19 warning level for travel to the United Kingdom to very high. The advisory warned Americans not to travel to the UK, adding if they must, they should be fully vaccinated.

The warning came as Covid-19 cases have exploded in the UK since June, and despite prime minister BorisJohnsons much vaunted freedom day on Monday, which sees England ending many of its Covid restrictions.

Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping for an exemption to allow home games starting on 30 July. The Blue Jays played a truncated season in Buffalo, New York in 2020 and then started this year in Dunedin, Florida before moving back to Buffalo. But the Canadian government did not allow the Blue Jays to play in Toronto because of the ongoing risk.

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The Latest: Hungary will offer 3rd shots beginning in August

AP News Digest 3:35 a.m.

Canada will reopen to vaccinated Americans next month, says Trudeau, with other foreigners to follow
"Titane" has won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making Julia Ducournau the second female filmmaker to win the festival's top honor in its 74 year history.

The win was mistakenly announced by jury president Spike Lee at the top of the show, unleashing a few moments of confusion. Ducournau did not immediately come to the stage to accept the award, instead waiting until the formal announcement at the end of the ceremony.

At the end, the win for "Titane" was announced by Lee and presenter Sharon Stone.

After the flub, the ceremony continued and other awards were handed out while Lee was seen with his head in his hands.

The Grand Prix award was a joint honor split between the Iranian drama "A Hero" and Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen's "Apartment No. 6."

Best director was awarded to Leos Carax for "Annette," the fantastical musical that opened the festival. The award was accepted by the musical duo Sparks, who wrote the script and music for the film.

Nadav Lapid's "Ahed's Knee" won the jury prize, while Caleb Landry Jones took home the best actor prize. Renate Reinsve won best actress for Joachim Trier's "The Worst Person in the World."
Shuping is serving as president of the Catawba Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers. He is a graduate of the 1970 Executive Program conducted by the University of North Carolinas Graduate School of Business Administration.

He is a vice chair of the Morganton Recreation Commission and a member of First United Methodist Church.

Fire alarm box to be removed

Fire alarm box No. 134 at Bouchelle and Caldwell streets will be removed today following a third false alarm Wednesday at 11:10 p.m.

An estimated crowd of 25 to 30 people were waiting at the scene when the fire truck, followed by Chief Carroll M. Sullivan, arrived last night. The chief estimated that the cost to the city and the taxpayer per truck for answering a false call was $250 to $300.

He announced in The News Herald yesterday, following two false alarms from the Bouchelle and Caldwell intersection, that he would remove the box if there was another one. The box will be removed permanently from the area. Residents will have to use their telephones in the event of fires in the future.
Rep. Blackwell was a primary sponsor of legislation creating North Carolinas Overmountain Victory State Trail, which follows the paths our patriot militia took after they mustered in 1780 in order to fight the Battle of Kings Mountain, which proved to be pivotal in our Revolutionary War, Lindsey said. Blackwells leadership with respect to the (trail) is enabling North Carolina to make not only an exciting regional and state contribution to trails and conservation, but also an exciting national contribution.

Rep. Blackwell has advocated for conservation, parks and trails in his district and promoted the public benefits of conservation and water quality protection throughout the state of North Carolina for as long as he has held office, Kota said. He has earnestly listened to the concerns of the people and conservationists in his district and beyond, and has backed stable and increased funding for the state conservation funds programs to ensure our natural, historic and cultural heritage sites, farms and waterways are preserved for the people of North Carolina now, and for generations to come. His leadership and foresight in proposing and sponsoring legislation for enhanced public trail funding and for new state trails, such as the Wilderness Gateway and Overmountain Victory trails, has been invaluable.
Bill Willing reminded his father that there was a war going on. But the lackluster student agreed that his life needed direction and focus. In March 1969, he joined the Army.

Neither he nor his father would have guessed that Bill Willing would end up flying 512 combat missions as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam with the 1st Aviation Brigade, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 170th Assault Helicopter Company. Or that worry would dog Fred Willing so persistently during his sons deployment in Vietnam that his hair would turn white.

Dad kept telling me, Son, that war is going to be over before you get out of flight school, Willing recalled. Nobody wanted me to go to war. My father just wanted me to go in the Army and set some goals.

Bill Willings war included flying as an aircraft commander in gunships and as a co-pilot in the slicks that transported troops and provided medevac flights.

He fought for words when describing the bravery of the young pilots who regularly flew the slicks. They often set down in desperately dangerous landing zones to insert or extract troops and wounded soldiers.

The mantra was, If we put you in, well get you out, Willing said.
The sentencing could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial. Hodgkins and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies.

Under an agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty last month to one count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop lesser charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky said that, while Hodgkins didn't engage in violence himself, he walked among many who did  in what she called "the ransacking of the People's House." And as he walked by smashed police barriers, he could see the smoke of tear gas and the chaos ahead of him.

"What does he do?" she asked the court. "He walks toward it. He doesn't walk away."

She added that Hodgkins was in the midst of a mob that forced lawmakers to seek shelter and some congressional staffers to hide in fear, locked in officers as hundreds swept through the building. Those in fear for their lives that day will, she said, "bear emotional scars for many years  if not forever."
She added that DEQ violated the Montana Environmental Policy Act by failing to provide reasonable assurance that the mining companys cemented tailings facilities would operate as planned.

These laws are meant to protect our lands and our waters, and they couldnt be more important in this case. The Smith River and its tributaries have irreplaceable value to Montana fisheries and residents alike, she said. We ask that you send DEQ back to the drawing board on the Black Butte mine to ensure these resources are protected.

Sarah Clerget, an attorney for Montana DEQ, said at the hearing that the design for the mines cemented tailings facility lays out protection after protection to ensure it is safe and stable.

In the six year process of reviewing the operation permit, DEQ had 17 internal experts looking at the mine plan and approving it. The agency also employed 42 other outside experts to review the plan, she said.

The Smith is safe. This mine plan is solid as a rock. It will not move, it will not leak, it will not fail. It is the safest and most stable mine plan ever proposed in the state of Montana, and probably in the world, Clerget said.
Although Montanas Democratic Party appears to be dang near invisible, President Joe Biden and the Democrat majorities in Congress are definitely on the move. The good news is what theyre doing brings tremendous benefits to our people and planet, not to the mega-corporations Republicans in the White House and Congress have slavishly served for the last four years.

While the $1.3 trillion infrastructure bill continues to be hammered out in bipartisan negotiations, Biden and congressional Democrats deserve significant credit for moving ahead with a massive $3.5 trillion measure they aim to pass using reconciliation, in which a budget measure can pass with a simple majority and is not subject to the obstructions of the Senates outmoded filibuster rule that requires 60 votes to advance bills.

That means this critical bill can become law with or without Republican votes. The measure will address very real, very serious and very important issues in our society while providing widespread benefits to our citizens. Republicans could pitch in, of course, were they not so busy trying to rewrite history on Trumps Jan. 6 insurrection, bad-mouthing trans athletes and LGBTQ citizens, and wasting taxpayer money sending national guard troops to the border for political theater.
This means no postcards sent out to remind kids to get their shots, no nudges on social media, no flyers or advertisements, no events at schools, no outreach whatsoever. And not just for COVID, mind you, but for everything  measles, mumps, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis, polio.

In a pandemic.

In a state with a less-than-stellar COVID vaccination rate.

At a time when experts are tracking the rise of a deadlier new COVID variant.

It is hard to imagine behavior dumber, more dangerous, more short-sighted and more downright bass-ackward than that exhibited by Tennessee and its lawmakers.

Which is, unfortunately, right on brand for this country in this era. It was in the 2000s that Stephen Colbert coined the term truthiness to describe the right wings secession from objective fact, and some of us began to speak of them as living in an alternate reality. How, we wondered in newspaper columns and speeches, can we have meaningful discourse if we cannot agree on basic facts?
BARGNY, Senegal (AP)  Adama Ndiaye got up before dawn to travel about 25 miles (40 kilometers), hoping that she would be able to get a sheep for the celebration next week of the Muslim holiday of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha.
PARIS (AP)  Over 100,000 people protested across France on Saturday against the governments latest measures to push people to get vaccinated and curb rising infections by the delta variant of the coronavirus.
Billionaire Bill Ackman is walking away from a deal announced last month that would have given him a 10% stake in Universal Music Group, the label that is home to Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, and the Beatles.

In a letter Monday to shareholders of his investment fund, Pershing Square, Ackman cited questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission about whether the structure of a special-purpose acquisition company would allow such an acquisition under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

Vivendi SA last month confirmed that its Universal Music Group was in talks to sell a 10% stake to Pershing's special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, in a deal that would value the record label at about $40 billion. The 10% stake would have gone for around $4 billion.

A SPAC is typically a group of larger investors who raise money for acquisitions and then seek out acquisition targets. The deal announced by Ackman last month was unique because unlike a rush of SPACs that have rolled out this year, the intent was not to merge with Universal, but to take a stake in the company that had already announced plans to go public.
SEOUL, South Korea  South Koreas prime minister has offered a public apology over a large-scale coronavirus outbreak on a destroyer on an anti-piracy mission off East Africa.
The two princes once shared a brotherly like bond, reportedly spending time on hunting trips in the desert as Abu Dhabi's crown prince mentored Saudi Arabia's ambitious and brazen heir to the throne. Prince Mohammed worked to model aspects of the kingdom's transformation on the successes of the United Arab Emirates.

So close were the two de-facto leaders that Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched into a war in Yemen and cut ties with neighboring Qatar together. In late 2017, the two nations announced a new partnership to coordinate in all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields.

In more recent years, however, increasing political differences emerged, particularly with regard to the fighting in Yemen and relations with Qatar. This has prompted some analysts to speculate of behind-the-scenes tensions between the two powerful princes.

But on Monday, the UAE's state-run news agency said the meeting in Riyadh explored ways for enhancing the flourishing relations and strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Jesse Alig, center, the mayor of Piti and president of the Mayors' Council of Guam, said he's heard CHamoru residents, regardless of age, express concerns that the Covid-19 vaccine will turn them into "zombies."
Filipinos take part in a protest condemning China's incursion in the West Philippine Sea, on June 21, 2019 in Makati, Metro Manila.
The U.S., U.K. and allies formally attributed the Microsoft Exchange hack to actors affiliated with the Chinese government, and other nations are joining in that assessment, escalating last weeks tensions between the White House and China.

The U.S. and a group of allies said Monday that the Chinese government has been the mastermind behind a series of malicious ransomware, data theft and cyber-espionage attacks against public and private entities, including the sprawling Microsoft Exchange hack earlier this year.

The Chinese Government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held account if it does not, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Monday in a statement.

The European Unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the cyberattack was conducted from China and resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies. The activities were linked to the hacker groups Advanced Persistent Threat 40 and Advanced Persistent Threat 31, according to an EU statement on Monday.

The group of nations attributing the attack to China will also include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO, marking the first condemnation by the North American-European alliance on Chinas cyber activities, a senior Biden administration official said.

Mondays announcement will add to the range of issues the U.S. and China have been at odds  including economic, military and political. Those tensions intensified last week when the administration warned investors about the risks of doing business in Hong Kong with an advisory saying Chinas push to exert more control over the financial hub threatens the rule of law and endangers employees and data.

The U.S. also charged four Chinese nationals affiliated with the Ministry of State Security with a campaign to hack into computer systems of dozens of companies, universities and government entities in the U.S. and abroad between 2011 and 2018. The indictment was unsealed Monday.

President Joe Biden has called competition with China one of the defining challenges of the century. Chinas leaders were surprised by the administrations decision to leave in place tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump, and were infuriated by its support for reopening a review of how the Covid-19 pandemic started  and whether it leaked from a lab in Wuhan.

With the report Monday, the evidence presented is expected to show how Chinas Ministry of State Security uses criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including for its own personal profit, the official said.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately reply to a request for comment outside of office hours. In March, the ministry dismissed allegations that China-based government hackers were behind cyberattacks on Microsoft Exchange servers, accusing the company of making groundless accusations, and saying that tracing the source of cyberattacks is a highly sensitive political issue. China has long insisted that it is not a perpetrator but a victim of cyberattacks.

50 Tactics

As part of the announcement, the National Security Agency, CISA and Federal Bureau of Investigation will expose more than 50 tactics Chinese state-sponsored cyber hackers used when targeting U.S. and allied networks, along with advice and technical mitigations to confront threats, the official added.

Among the threats is state-sponsored cyber extortion, also known as ransomware attacks, in which the Chinese government has demanded millions of dollars from private companies in exchange for digital keys that allow victims to regain access to their computer networks, the official said.

Microsoft Corp. has previously attributed the hack to Chinese actors the software giant called Hafnium. The U.S.s assessment appears to support Microsofts conclusions, attributing the hack to MSS-affiliated actors with high confidence, the official said.

The attack against Microsofts Exchange email servers exploded over the course of two weeks between late February and early March. Microsoft first released software patches on March 2 to fix the critical vulnerabilities exploited in the hack. The attack exposed tens of thousands of victim email systems, including those of health-care facilities, manufacturers, energy companies and state and local governments.

Until now, most ransomware attacks had been attributed to Eastern European and North Korean operators. Now, the U.S. is accusing the Chinese government of not only leading malicious cyber operations, but also of hiring mercenaries, according to the official. The claim accuses China of not only sponsoring espionage, but also supporting and possibly endorsing the work of cyber criminals executing these attacks.

Due to the breadth of victims around the world, the formal attribution came only after the U.S. had attained a high confidence level on the source of the hack, and making the announcement in concert with allies, the official added.

Now read: Gauteng paid Microsoft R318 million instead of R21 million because of a simple error
A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile (165-kilometer) Death Rides website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.

Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fires quick spread.

It happened so fast, Pennington said. We left our tents, hammock and some foods, but we got most of our things, shoved our two kids in the car and left.

About 800 fire personnel were assigned to battle the flames by Sunday night, focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible, the U.S. Forest Service said.

A fire in the mountains of northeast Oregon grew to more than 18 square miles (48 square kilometers) by Sunday. The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, remote communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.
I think the best thing for us to do is just encourage everyone to use their common sense and practice personal responsibility and make themselves and their families safe, Gov. Kay Ivey told reporters last week.

Cases also are on the rise in Springfield, Missouri, where Mayor Ken McClure told CBS-TV's Face the Nation that false information about the pandemic was hampering the fight to get people vaccinated.

I think we are seeing a lot spread through social media as people are talking about fears which they have, health related fears, what it might do to them later on in their lives, what might be contained in the vaccinations, he said.

Murthy, the surgeon general, said not nearly enough progress was being made in the fight against misinformation spread through social media about COVID-19 and vaccines. Individuals, not just platforms such as Facebook, need to combat the problem, he said.

"Each of us has a decision that we make every time we post something on social media, and Im asking people to pause and to see, is a source accurate? Is it coming from a scientifically credible authority? And if its not, or if youre not sure, dont share, he said.



Associated Press writers Olga R. Rodriguez in San Francisco and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. Reeves reported from Newnan, Georgia.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
25-year-old employee of Armenia ex-MP's company dies in hospital after car accident

US imposes new sanctions against Cuba, Biden says this is just the beginning

Armenia MOD: Monthly payment of AMD 300,000 is terminated in case body of missing soldier is identified and buried

Remains of Armenia soldier Isahak Simonyan declared missing in action during 44-day Karabakh war are found

168.am: Brawl takes place in building of Armenia's State Supervision Service, chief not commenting

Karabakh Ombudsman: Resident of Aygestan village crosses over to sector under Azerbaijani control

Azerbaijan President demands compensation from companies that extracted gold in Karabakh

Baku announces end of sham "trial", 13 Armenian POWs "sentenced" to 6 years in prison

Kremlin: Putin, Pashinyan discuss unblocking of transport and economic links in the region

Russian MFA: Immediate launch of activities for demarcation of Armenia-Azerbaijan border may ensure de-escalation

Taliban claims it controls nearly 90% of Afghanistan's borders

Turkey sells kamikaze drones to another country for the first time

July 22 digest: Pashinyan talks Azerbaijani provocations near border, more on COVID-19 in Armenia

Karabakh emergency situations service: Searches for deceased soldiers in Mataghis were fruitless

Armenia's Pashinyan holds phone talks with Vladimir Putin

Nearly 350 apartments to be exploited at the end of this year in Karabakh's Stepanakert alone

Armenian ex-defense minister Seyran Ohanyan to be head of 'Armenia' bloc's parliamentary faction

Armenia Central Electoral Commission declares Aug. 2 as date for convening first parliamentary session

Armenia Central Electoral Commission approves record on provision of mandates to Members of Parliament

Armenia acting PM: Potential of construction firms doesn't allow for implementation of projects

Armenian government exempts company importing raw material for military helmets production from customs duty

Armenia acting economy minister: Government has to bring shepherds from other countries

US and Germany announce Nord Stream 2 agreement

Armenian information security expert: Armenia is being exposed to cyberattacks at state level

Armenia government allocates more than $18m to reconstruct over 50km roads

TALK TIME: Analyst says Armenia will be split into two zones (Russia and Turkey) in case ill-fated treaty is signed

Advisor to Armenia acting PM sacked

Azerbaijan prohibiting Armenian clergymen and pilgrims from entering Dadivank Monastery

Acting premier on Armenia COVID-19 situation: I hope we will not go to lockdowns at all

Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: COVID-19 and war didn't allow for repatriation "boom"

France Ambassador to Armenia visits Metsamor Historical-Archaeological Museum-Reserve

Armenia revenue committee chief: Continuous growth trend of jobs continued in June as well

Flood damage in Belgium exceeds  10 billion

Two Azerbaijanis injured in land mine explosion in Karabakh

ECtHR issues Badalyan v. Azerbaijan case decision, confirms torture and illegal imprisonment

Deputy health minister on Armenia coronavirus situation: Growth trend will continue in coming days

Two planes crash at Dubai airport

Well-known Armenia businessmans brother arrested

Armenia acting premier: Some of our reforms are being taken advantage of

Armenia Syunik provincial governors son declared wanted

Azerbaijan sentences Russian Armenian to 10 years in prison

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan's provocative steps, maximalist aspirations pose new threats to Armenia, Artsakh

Acting PM congratulates opposition Armenia and I Have Honor blocs on entering parliament

Armenia government delegation to head for Russia

Search for fallen soldiers remains continues in Karabakh

Armenia Ararat Province governor : No panic in Yeraskh village

225 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Biden again calls on democratic countries to oppose authoritarianism

Non-scheduled direct flights to be operated between Lyon, Yerevan

World oil prices dropping

World Tourism Organization announces record-breaking crisis in history

Newspaper: Artsakh Defense Army commander to be changed?

Newspaper: How will issue of Armenia parliaments opposition vice-speaker be resolved?

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: What happened in October-November will haunt this political team

Armenia "I Have Honor" bloc leader: We will be tough opposition in parliament

Armenia acting PM chairs consultation to discuss investment programs implementation

Robert Kocharyan comments on the reason why opposition 'Armenia' bloc lost

Armenia Ombudsman: Shootings in Yeraskh disturb the peace of civilians

UN Security Council considering possibility of issuing statement on Varosha

Robert Kocharyan on the army and the news about Armenia's potential MOD

Robert Kocharyan: We Armenians have taught our enemy that it can treat us this way

Police stopping drivers and searching cars in Yerevan, traffic service is enhanced

Armenia 2nd President: Authorities will use technology of planned defeat again

Armenian analyst: 138,000 citizens have left Armenia over past 6 months, 80,000 of them will never return

Talks over Eurasian Economic Union-Iran free trade agreement kick off

Armenia MOD official presents Azerbaijani army's provocations in Yeraskh sector of border to military attaches

Armenian acting FM receives French Member of European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau

Citizens of Armenia's Kajaran holding protest, demand release of Mayor Manvel Paramazyan

Two new Azerbaijani military units exploited in Karabakh's Martakert region

Perenjiyev: Aliyev-Putin meeting was held on threshold of signing of another Moscow-Baku-Yerevan agreement

Armenian defense minister resigns, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, July 21 digest

Union of Armenians of Russia: Plaques honoring Armenian marshals of former USSR dismantled

Cyprus appeals to UN Security Council over Ankara's steps in Varosha

Attorney of brother of businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan: Yes, my client opened fire, but doesn't accept the charge

Italian official shoots immigrant

Erdogan: Ankara has nothing against the Taliban's ideology

US, Japan and South Korea intend to deepen trilateral cooperation

Armenia ombudsmans office: Citizens' verbal complaints double as of July

Attorney: Civil claim being prepared against Armenian army general turned MP Gagik Melkonyan

Excavations resume at Tavush Fortress area of Armenia (PHOTOS)

Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff chief visits rehabilitation center

Yerevan State University opening new M.A. program in American Studies

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One dollar falls below AMD 488 in Armenia

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Armenia deputy defense minister Suren Sahakyan sacked

Over $8m in investments expected in Armenias Gyumri

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Opposition Armenia bloc member doctor comes out of prison

Acting economy minister: Armenia exports in June exceeded $300m for first time

OIF head to Armenias Pashinyan: I would like to reaffirm to you all solidarity of Francophone community

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Kremlin: Karabakh agreements implementation not going badly in general

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Today I will share the series of unpleasant rumors that followed the news about my conversations with Russian-Jewish blogger and traveler Alexander Lapshin, a part of which was disclosed through a media outlet after a discussion that was beyond my will. This is what journalist Nairi Hokhikyan said in a video message today.

Hokhikyan reminded that during a recent closed discussion, he presented what had happened to him, Alexander Lapshin, Nikol Pashinyan and his former spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan on May 11, 2019 and what Karapetyan had told Lapshin.

On May 11, 2019, I was invited to the My Step for Gegharkunik Province economic forum, which was also attended by Alexander Lapshin. During the break, Lapshin and I were invited to a round table with the Prime Minister, and this is where there was a short talk about Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). At that moment, Lapshin and Karapetyan separated from us. At a distance of nearly 2 meters, they had a personal talk and I only heard a small conversation. On the way back to Yerevan in my car, Lapshin told me Armenia was preparing to transfer Artsakh to Azerbaijan through a war and that Karapetyan had told him that. Lapshin also said Armenia will soon change its orientation towards Azerbaijan and Turkey. When Lapshin asked how Armenia would lead a pro-Azerbaijani and pro-Turkish policy without transferring Artsakh, Karapetyan, according to Lapshin, said yes, Armenia will give Nagorno-Karabakh. When Lapshin said the people and the army wont give Nagorno-Karabakh, Karapetyan said there will be a few thousand victims, and then it will be transferred. According to Lapshinn, Karapetyan had warned him that he was standing in Armenias way.

During our fourth conversation, Pashinyan blamed Lapshin for taking uninformed steps and going to Artsakh.

According to Hokhikyan, over the past few days, Lapshin has been consistently renouncing and refuting this. I didnt want to proceed with these rumors, especially personal talks, but show facts. However, since Lapshin has passed the stage that is inadmissible from the perspective of human relations and is blaming me for lying and defaming. I will present the facts, he said.

Hokhikyan went on to present the voice messages and SMSs that Lapshin sent him on November 11, 2020.

In the audio recording, Lapshin says: Nairi, do you remember when we were coming from Gavar to Yerevan two years ago? Do you remember when I said Nikol had told me such a thing, better yet, Nikol didnt say it, Vladimir Karapetyan said there will be serious changes very soon since Nikol is orienting towards close ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey and a solution to the Karabakh issue. For this, Karapetyan told me I really love Azerbaijan and write bad things about the Azerbaijanis, but I should be ready since the situation will change soon. Do you remember I told you about this? And so, unfortunately, the situation changed, but nothing good happened.

Hokhikyan asked if he could use this information, to which Lapshin gave a negative response and mentioned that he wouldnt be forgiven for that.

Lapshin also sent a text message stating the following: Nobody can blame me for not having done anything for Armenia and the Armenian people. Now it turns out that if I make this statement, 90% they will kill me and blame Robert for that. Again, it turns out that I am in this situation again. Neither the old nor new authorities didnt help me with anything. Understand, I have a wife and small child. I cant die because of that conflict.

In closing, Hokhikyan adds that he wont continue with this topic anymore.
YEREVAN.  The 2021 university entrance exams in Armenia differed from both the 2019 and 2020 exams. Karo Nasibyan, Deputy Director of the Assessment and Testing Center, stated this during a press conference Monday.

"The thing is that the 2019 entrance exams have passed in their normal course, at the 2020 exams, as you know, the applicants took only one exam, whereas in 2021, they took a maximum of two exams. We had 1,800 free [education] spots and 21,820 paid [education] spots allocated at universities. 11,058 applicants were registered to take the joint exam, and the number of the accepted [applicants] was 8,083, [a total of] 2,935 were left out of the competition, of whom 1,546 were cut," he said.

Nasibyan informed that those who were cut, as well as those who received a positive grade in one of the two exams from those who were cut from the exams can participate in an additional competition for open spots.

"The number of [these] open spots is large because in addition to state universities, non-state universities are included. There are about 15 thousand open spots (). Enrollment for the open spots starts from today until July 26, inclusive. The registration will take place like this: They [i.e., the aforesaid applicants] will choose up to six professions, they can choose different universities, and in that case, the advantage will be given to the grade [received in the university entrance exam], not who noted which profession first," Karo Nasibyan emphasized.
Resident of Tegh village of Syunik Province of Armenia Artur Arushanyan managed to show resistance to the Azerbaijanis and wasnt captured while crossing over to the territory under Azerbaijani control with his combine. This is what Arturs brother, Alik told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The incident took place while Artur was sowing the land. My brother was probably 7 meters into the Azerbaijanis territory, but he didnt know it was their territory. He showed resistance, and the Azerbaijanis werent able to take him, he said.

Asked if Artur managed to bring the combine back, Alik said he brought it back with great difficulty. The Russian border guards and the village head negotiated for nearly 4-5 hours. When the Azerbaijanis approached my brother, he hadnt even crossed one centimeter. They crossed the border and came after my brother to capture him. They drew a border with a tractor so that we wont cross over to the territory under their control, he said.
'50,000 phones worldwide on Israeli spyware list'

An Israeli used her iPhone in front of the building housing the Israeli NSO group "Pegasus" in Herzliya in 2016. File photo: AFP

An Israeli firm accused of supplying spyware to governments has been linked to a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world, according to reports.



The NSO Group and its Pegasus malware  capable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone, and harvesting its data  have been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.



Sunday's revelations  part of a collaborative investigation by The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and other media outlets  raise privacy concerns and reveal the far-reaching extent to which the private firm's software could be misused.



The leak consists of more than 50,000 smartphone numbers believed to have been identified as connected to people of interest by NSO clients since 2016, the news organisations said, although it was unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled.



NSO has denied any wrongdoing, labelling the allegations "false".



On the list were 15,000 numbers in Mexico  among them reportedly a number linked to a murdered reporter  and 300 in India, including politicians and prominent journalists.



Earlier this week, the Indian government  which in 2019 denied using the malware to spy on its citizens, following a lawsuit  reiterated that "allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever."



The Post said a forensic analysis of 37 of the smartphones on the list showed there had been "attempted and successful" hacks of the devices, including those of two women close to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018 by a Saudi hit squad.



Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Reuters, The Guardian said.



The use of the Pegasus software to hack the phones of Al Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.



Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty originally shared the leak with the newspapers.



The Post said the numbers on the list were unattributed, but other media outlets participating in the project were able to identify more than 1,000 people in more than 50 countries.



They included several members of Arab royal families, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officials  including heads of state, prime ministers and cabinet ministers.



Many numbers on the list were clustered in 10 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.



Pegasus is a highly invasive tool that can switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, as well as access data on the device, effectively turning a phone into a pocket spy. In some cases, it can be installed without the need to trick a user into initiating a download.



NSO issued a denial on Sunday that focused on the report by Forbidden Stories, calling it "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories," and threatening a defamation lawsuit.



"We firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," NSO said.



It said it was "not associated in any way" with the Khashoggi murder, adding that it sells "solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments".



Roughly three dozen journalists at Qatar's Al-Jazeera network had their phones targeted by Pegasus malware, Citizen Lab reported in December, while Amnesty said in June the software was used by Moroccan authorities on the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.



Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv. (AFP)
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1. Metrocon: The states largest convention of anime fans is back at the Tampa Convention Center this weekend. After taking last year off, fans of anime, video games, comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and film will gather for games, exhibitions, panels and lots of shopping in the huge merchant mall. There will be meet and greets with voice actors from popular anime films and well-known cosplay artists. Dont miss the winners of the costume contest Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will be cashless this year, even at the door. Online purchase saves money on ticket prices and also lets you pick up your passes on Thursday night. Single-day tickets are $35-$45, and there are multiday ticket packages available at metroconventions.com/register. Children 6 and younger are free. Hours are 10 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 333 Franklin St., Tampa.

2. Back-to-School Bash: The first 250 kids in kindergarten through 12th grade get a free backpack at Westfield Brandon mall. There will also be a setup of 40 or 50 local businesses with services that cater to kids and families including after-school programs, health care resources, tutoring, entertainment and government resources. The mascots from the Rays and Lightning will be there, as will circus entertainers. There will also be face painting, giveaways and an interactive scavenger hunt. Registration on Eventbrite required to qualify for a free backpack. Free. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. 459 Brandon Town Center Drive. 727-674-1464.

3. Against the Odds Basketball Clinic: Kids can learn new techniques and elevate their game at this clinic with basketball drill stations, competitive scrimmages, food, drink and free school supplies. Free (donations appreciated). 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Slam! Tampa, 7116 Gunn Highway. 813-501-2149.

4. Cruisin Back to School: Adults can show off their prized Mustang or other Ford product as their children enjoy games, face painting, music, food and appearances by Tampa Bay Buccaneer players. Free. 4-7 p.m. Friday. Bill Currie Ford, 5815 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. 813-902-3607.

5. Hernando County Back-to-School Bashes: Take advantage of free ways to get ready for school at two Hernando County locations on Saturday. In Spring Hill, the Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math will have free school physicals, dental screenings, immunizations and eye/hearing screenings available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parent or guardian must be present. Free. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday at 8403 Balm St. 352-697-3455. And in Brooksville, the Hernando County Sheriffs Office is giving away 1,500 free backpacks. Children must be present and accompanied by a parent or guardian. Proof of residency required. Free. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday at Nature Coast Technical High School, 4057 California St. 352-797-7088.
Meatballs are just one of the many ground-beef meals you can make. April Greer/The Washington Post/Getty

Chefs share their favorite things to do with a pound of ground beef.

Large-batch dishes like chili and ramen utilize ground beef and make versatile leftovers.

Seasoning can amp up basic dishes like meatloaf.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ground-beef chili is a great meal.

Beef chili is a delicious and versatile meal. Scott Suchman/Washington Post/Getty

James Kim, co-owner of Sons of Thunder, believes chili is a versatile and easy dish to make with ground beef.

"I love making chili ... Our chili uses grass-fed ground beef and three different kinds of whole-dried chilies, cooked down to capture a complex and sweet heat that warms you up during the winter."

Kim recommends eating it on its own, over rice or fries, or even on a hot dog.

Grilled burgers are ideal.

Burgers are a classic. Mariah Tauger/Getty

Nicolas Caicedo, the executive chef at The Williamsburg Hotel, recommends using ground beef to make burgers.

"Simply add a pinch of salt and black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and parsley to the ground-beef patty and put it straight on the grill."

A "fatty" is a twist on a classic.

It's similar to meatloaf. AS Food studio/Shutterstock

"I like to make a fatty with the ground beef," said Rick Gresh, executive chef at Flight Club.

"A fatty is a stuffed-ground beef loaf, usually wrapped in bacon and cooked on the smoker," he explained.

"Recently I made a pulled pork, roasted poblano, queso-fresco stuffed fatty, wrapped it in bacon, and as it smoked I basted it with a pineapple-serrano glaze."

Lettuce wraps are a low-carb treat.

Lettuce wraps are healthy and delicious. Scott Suchman/ The Washington Post/ Getty

"I like to make Asian-lettuce wraps with ground beef," said Brandon Thordarson, executive chef at Moxie's Grill & Bar.

Thordarson sautes lean ground beef with diced onions, celery, ginger, and garlic in oil.

"Then I add a little chopped cilantro and two tablespoons of soy sauce," he said. "I thicken it with a cornstarch and water slurry. This helps to make the sauce thick so it sticks to the lettuce."

"Schmom" Tacos are inspired from childhood.

Ground beef tacos are a great go-to dish. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe/Getty

You can never go wrong with "schmommy"-styled tacos, according to Dan Jacobs, executive chef and owner of DanDan, EsterEv, and Fauntleroy.

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He said nothing beats the hearty tacos your mother used to make, which inspired the name.

"Drain the fat and add onions, garlic, and poblanos diced small after caramelizing the beef," Jacobs said. "Then, serve 'schmommy' style with sour cream, lettuce, tomato, onion, and hot sauce."

Pastitsio is a rich and delicious dish.

Don't hold the cheese on your pastitsio. Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty

Joshua Dalton, the chef at Veritas, says you can never go wrong with pastitsio.

"It's a delicious Greek-lasagna dish with pasta and ground beef, topped with cheese and nutmeg."

Amped-up meatballs are a tribute to a classic dish.

Spice up your meatballs. MariaKovaleva/Shutterstock

Spicing up your classic meatball with the best ingredients is always a great idea, according to Andy Pastore, executive chef of Meat on Ocean.

The secret to Pastore's meatballs is Sambal Oelek  a garlic-chili sauce commonly used in Asian cooking. "We add the sauce to our onions while they are sweating to give the meatballs an earthy-umami flavor profile."

"Our meatballs are a tribute to the classic dish Beef Stroganoff," he said. "Once the meatballs are formed, they are slow-cooked in a gravy similar to Stroganoff that contains chicken stock, sour cream, fresh dill, and parsley."

The meatballs are then topped with gouda right before serving.

Upgrade your ramen.

You can't go wrong with ramen. sasaken/ Shutterstock

"Most people associate ground beef with American dishes like meatballs and burgers, but it's delicious with Japanese food too," said Tomo Takahashi, CEO and founder JINYA Ramen Bar.

"Adding meatballs is a great way to upgrade a classic bowl of ramen and create a next-level comfort-food dish," he said. "Ground beef is also an easy, affordable way to transform instant ramen into a standalone dinner at home."

Takahashi recommends cooking the ramen with sake, soy sauce, sugar, and Chinese-chile bean sauce.

Read the original article on Insider
The Statue of Liberty. Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock

Is the pandemic akin to climate change?

Back in March 2020, my colleague Ryan Cooper argued that it was, in an article that has haunted me ever since.

"This is what an uncontrolled, exponentially-accelerating crisis looks like on the ground: first slow, then all at once," Cooper wrote of the COVID-19 crisis. "Past procrastination and dithering means that once the seriousness of what is happening is undeniable, the worst effects can only be mitigated, not avoided."

He added: "Climate change is going to be exactly like this, only on a much longer time scale."

Sixteen months later, the comparison seems more apt  and depressing  than ever.

Let's start with the pandemic. The number of COVID cases and deaths are once again rising, but this time there's a catch: Vaccines are widely available, and the vast majority of those hospitalized with the virus are people who have chosen not to get their shots. "This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said on Friday.

There are a number of reasons why so many Americans are hesitant to get a shot that could save their lives, but a significant factor surely is the conservative media ecosystem which has chosen to amply and encourage anti-vax attitudes. It's probably not a coincidence that red states like Missouri and Arkansas are among the hottest "hot spots" in the nation. Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is selling "Don't Fauci my Florida" merch, is in even worse shape: The state last week accounted for 20 percent of all new COVID cases in the United States.

Most alarming, the anti-vax message persists even among people with the personal experience to know better. On Saturday, The New York Times featured three Arkansans who had recently been hospitalized with COVID  and who still refuse to get a shot.

"It's just too new," one of those patients told the newspaper. "It is like an experiment."

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Now let's take climate change. Across the country in Oregon, the Arkansas patient's comments find an eerie echo among conservatives who refuse to believe that planetary warming has anything to do with the drought-fueled Bootleg Fire that has destroyed dozens of homes and consumed hundreds of thousands of acres of land. They'd rather blame the federal government, or environmentalists, or marijuana farmers. Never mind that a little bit more of California burns each year, or that Canada and Siberia  Siberia!  are experiencing triple-digit temperatures, or that Germany is flooding. (These are just examples from the last week or so.)

"It's not that much hotter," one Oregon resident told The Washington Post, even as he filled up a 3,600-gallon water tanker to help fight the blaze. "It's environmentally caused mismanagement."

Between COVID and the climate, you have to wonder if humankind is capable of saving itself. I am not convinced. We're getting too much fresh evidence that people  enough of them, anyway  will go out of their way to avoid solving the very challenging problems that face us. The outlook is grim.

So how are we in this mess?

What climate skepticism and vaccine hesitancy have in common, to a great extent, is that they both deny reality  about the nature of an urgent problem in the former case, about the possibility of a solution in the latter. Both are also largely (but not exclusively) phenomena of the right.

If one chooses to be sympathetic and squint a bit, climate denial can seem a bit understandable: The consequences of warming seemed decades away, something to be dealt with later rather than make any sacrifices or big changes right now. (Collectively, it seems our species probably would fail the Stanford marshmallow experiment.) The incentives for the advocates of denial were also easy to comprehend: Energy companies have spent untold sums of money over the years to block action and seed doubts about the reality of climate change. There were plenty of folks happy to take the check.

Vaccine hesitancy is more difficult to grasp, if only because the consequences to its adherents are immediately apparent in the hospitals that are filling up once again, in the burnout of overworked and traumatized medical workers, and in the numbers of unvaccinated friends, family, and neighbors who are becoming gravely ill. The incentives for personalities like Fox News' Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham to demagogue doubts about the vaccine are also less clear. Is it just ratings? Is it just a habit from decades of their movement's anti-science propaganda? Or is it simple nihilism?

Whatever the reasons, the effects are clear: We are stuck as a society, unable and seemingly unwilling to make sufficient progress against two of the great threats of our time.

Lest this seem hysterical or overly despairing, a concession: Most Americans seem to understand the need to take action, both on COVID and climate. A majority of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine, after all. Even larger majorities believe that the warming climate is already affecting their communities, and that the federal government is doing too little to solve the problem. Every now and again, a prominent Republican will pop up to promote vaccination, or to promise that the party is ready to get serious about saving the climate. We are not entirely out of hope, yet.

At this point, though, it all seems a bit insufficient  and in any event it should be clear by now that determined minorities remain incredibly effective at hindering effective, meaningful solutions. Less clear is what to do about it. How, really, do you change the minds of the 20 percent of Americans who falsely believe the government is using vaccines to microchip the population? How do you convince an Oregon farmer to believe the flames that are destroying the land around him? With both COVID and climate, the seriousness of what is happening is undeniable. Yet the denial continues anyway. The results in both cases are likely to be dreadful.

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Melania Trump reportedly tried 4 times to block an election night party at the White House

Weapons of mass destruction

IRS enforcement off the table as funding in bipartisan infrastructure deal, GOP senator says
After nearly a year and a half of COVID-19, Americans are looking to prioritize living and playing over work in the post-pandemic age.

The big picture: What Americans choose to focus on will have downstream impacts on where they choose to live, how they want to work and what they'll want to spend money on. Cities that were built around supporting work first and foremost will need to adjust.

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By the numbers: In data first provided to Axios, the PR agency The Brand Guild surveyed about 1,000 Americans about their attitudes toward work-life balance, and found that just about a quarter ranked work as the most important aspect of their life, down from nearly a third before the pandemic.

Work in fact came last, with 43% of those surveyed prioritizing living and 31% prioritizing play.

Americans are willing to relocate to find what they want, which turns out to be space and amenities. About 50% of those surveyed reported COVID-19 made them at least think about moving to a new area, and 82% said suburbs were better than cities  a fact that a majority of city dwellers surveyed agreed upon as well.

"We see this as a shift to live, then play, then work," says Jayne Sandman, the co-CEO of The Brand Guild. "It's a new normal, and it's going to affect where people live and how they want to spend their time."

Details: The survey focused on four real estate markets in transition  New York, Washington, D.C., Miami and Houston  and found differences in how residents were looking at the post-pandemic period.

In relatively wide-open Houston, living ranked highest because of its "more affordable quality of life," says Hannah Josi, brand strategy manager at The Brand Guild.

In more space-constrained New York, urban amenities were the biggest draw, especially as city life begins to return to normal, while Washington residents  where office life may have changed less  still prioritized work at higher levels than elsewhere.

The bottom line: With remote work eroding the value of downtown office clusters, cities that want to thrive in the future "need to create exciting urban clusters that people actually want to go to work in," says Sandman.

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By Lisa Giles-Keddie

(Reuters) -Musical theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber on Monday cancelled the opening of his new London production of "Cinderella" and said he had no idea when it would go ahead, blaming "impossible conditions" imposed by the British government.

Lloyd Webber said one person in the cast had tested positive for coronavirus, but the rules around quarantine and isolation for the remainder of the actors - all testing negative - meant the show could not open as planned on Tuesday.

"I have been forced to take the heart-breaking decision not to open my 'Cinderella'," Lloyd Webber said in a statement.

"The impossible conditions created by the blunt instrument that is the government's isolation guidance mean that we cannot continue," he added.

The modern twist on "Cinderella" was a high-profile new musical following the closure of theatres for almost 18 months because of the pandemic.

Lloyd Webber said he had no idea when "Cinderella" might go ahead. "I can't answer," the composer told journalists. "We will open here, but who knows? 2084?"

Lloyd Webber, the creator of hit shows including "Cats" and "Phantom of the Opera," is one of the most influential and successful figures in the theatre world and had been a key voice urging support for theatre during the pandemic.

With music by Lloyd Webber and a story by Oscar-winning screenwriter Emerald Fennell, "Cinderella" had already suffered several delays due to changing restrictions ordered by the British government around quarantine, social distancing, and capacity in indoor entertainment venues.

"Theatre is now on its knees," Lloyd Webber said. "We can't isolate every time somebody may or may not have it."

The government on Monday ended https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/pm-johnson-pleads-caution-freedom-day-arrives-england-2021-07-18 over a year of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in England but the so-called Freedom Day was marred by surging infections, warnings of supermarket shortages and Prime Minister Boris Johnson's own forced self-isolation.

"Freedom Day has turned into closure day," Lloyd Webber said in his statement.

(Reporting by Lisa Keddie and Jill Serjeant, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Cynthia Osterman)
Tucson, Ariz. firefighters were reportedly shot at Sunday afternoon while responding to a house fire, according to preliminary reports.

Tuscon Police Department Public Information Officer Richard Gradillas tweeted Sunday an "officer involved shooting" had occurred, but did not disclose any further details.

Firefighters received an alert about smoke coming out of the windows of a home. The firefighters entered the property and one of the firefighters was shot at, KVOA reported.

Police arrived on the scene and reportedly exchanged gunfire with a suspect. The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken into custody and the fire is now under control.

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Fox News has reached out to the Tucson fire and police department seeking more information.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Daily Beast

Duchess of CambridgeKate and William have probably long fantasized about issuing a statement saying: Screw you, Harry and Meghan! That is not how we do things round here!Instead, as befits the royal world of semaphore, they put out a deeply traditional photo of their son that could be construed as saying the same thing.After a week of turmoil for the palace, which saw a shocking announcement that Prince Harry was to pen a memoir, described as the stuff of nightmares for the royal family, nor
Aspinal of London has a huge up to 70% off sale. (Getty Images)

Yahoo Lifestyle's editors are committed to independently selecting wonderful products at great prices for you. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

The Duchess of Cambridge has one of the most covetable wardrobes on the planet - and that includes her accessories, too.

The duchess' array of handbags are always enviable - and one of her go-to brands is the famed Aspinal of London.

You might remember when Kate stepped out at the end of 2019 for a visit to the Royal Opera House, wearing a beautifully tailored pink suit, teamed with the black Midi Mayfair bag from the brand.

The Duchess of Cambridge visits The Royal Opera House on January 16, 2019 in London with an Aspinal of London bag. (Getty Images)

In fact, the mother-of-three owns the Midi Mayfair Bag in two colours, black and purple, which she has carried at various royal engagements over the years, the most recent being in Bradford in January 2020.

Well, Aspinal of London now has 70% off as part of a big summer sale across the site, with huge reductions just waiting to be snapped up, including the Duchess-approved Midi Mayfair Bag, which is on sale in a striking midnight blue and deep maroon.

From handbags to phone cases, there are massive discounts on a range of different pieces, so if you deserve a new bag to celebrate being able to socialise again, or are looking for a gift for someone special, there's tons to choose from.

Here are the 12 pieces we're think are worthy of adding to your basket ASAP.

Story continues

Watch: The Duchess of Cambridge's style evolution: how to recreate her most memorable looks
Australia has cancelled far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins's visa after she boasted about flouting the country's strict hotel quarantine rules, a senior official said Monday.

Hopkins had flown into Sydney to appear on a reality television show when she posted a video on Instagram talking about answering the door naked and maskless to workers delivering meals to her hotel room.

International arrivals to Australia are required to complete 14 days in mandatory isolation in a hotel, under rules designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said Australia's border agency "acted quickly to make sure that the visa on which she entered was cancelled" after the footage appeared.

"We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can possibly arrange that," Andrews told public broadcaster ABC.

"She's clearly not someone that we want to keep in this country for a second longer than we have to."

Police later on Monday said a 46-year-old woman had been fined Aus$1,000 (537, US$737) for not wearing a face covering, and transferred to the airport for deportation.

Hopkins has long caused controversy by spouting racist, anti-Islamic and anti-migrant views, and regularly speaks out against coronavirus measures such as lockdowns.

Andrews said Hopkins had been granted a visa with the support of a state government on the basis it would potentially be of economic benefit to the country.

"The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was appalling," Andrews said.

"It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown, and it's just unacceptable behaviour. So, personally, I'm very pleased she'll be leaving."

About 12 million Australians are currently under lockdown to curb outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Canberra has also limited the number of people who can enter the country, leaving tens of thousands of Australians stranded overseas.

hr-arb/leg
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Waiting among hundreds of fellow travelers to catch a ferry out of Bangladesh's capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was risking catching the coronavirus, but he felt it was even riskier to stay in Dhaka with another lockdown looming.

I have to pay rent every month even though I have no work, he said, adding that his landlord had been bothering him for money even as he was struggling just to feed himself. "I'd rather go to my village home and lead life as God lets me.

Nijam is among the tens of millions of Bangladeshis shopping and traveling this week during a controversial eight-day pause in the country's strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha. The suspension has been panned by health experts who warn it could exacerbate an ongoing surge fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first detected in neighboring India.

Already there is a scarcity of beds, ICUs, while our health care providers are exhausted," said said Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former chief of the governments Health Directorate. "So if the situation worsens and more patients come to hospitals, it will be near impossible to deal with the crisis.

With the spread of the virus rampant, most everything in Bangladesh was ordered shut on July 1, from markets to mass transportation. Soldiers and border guards patrolled the streets and thousands were arrested and sent to jail for violating the lockdown.

Yet even with the new restrictions, virus deaths still hovered around 200 each day and daily infections were still around 11,000, both thought to be undercounts. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.

Despite the warnings from experts  and with just over 4 million of the countrys 160 million people fully vaccinated  the government announced that from July 15-23, all restrictions would be lifted and everything would be reopened so people could celebrate the festival, which is normally a boon to the economy.

Story continues

But, in all situations people must stay alert, use face masks and strictly follow health instructions, a government policy statement said.

Government officials have not responded to criticism of the move. An official with the Ministry of Public Administration, which issued the order pausing the lockdown, referred The Associated Press to the policy statement when asked for comment. Calls and emails to a spokesperson with the Health Ministry were not returned.

A junior minister from the Ministry of Public Administration, Farhad Hossain, told local media on Saturday that the lockdown needed to be eased as a lot of business revolves around the festival.

The result in the capital has been crowds of people jamming into malls and markets to do their holiday shopping and others thronging ports and bus stations as they try to make their way to their rural hometowns.

During the last major Islamic festival in May, an estimated 10 million of Dhaka's 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families. A similar number could travel this week, especially since many like Nijam, the construction worker, may be looking to wait out the next lockdown in their villages.

Among the huge crowd of people shopping at Dhakas New Market, was Shah Alam, a dental technician.

As the government has relaxed the situation for a few days, we are coming to markets to buy necessary goods," Alam said. We are trying to follow the health safety guidelines.

Ahmed, the health expert, said he sees the main risks of suspending the lockdown as people from the city spreading the virus to their villages and people spreading the virus while they pack into markets for their shopping, especially cattle markets where millions of people will buy animals to sacrifice for Eid al-Adha.

Maybe hundreds of thousands of cattle markets will be arranged throughout the country starting from remote village up to city, and the cattle sellers and others engaged in the business are mainly coming from rural areas, and possibly they will bring virus with them, he said.

According to his estimates, 30 million to 40 million people will gather for prayers in mosques or open fields across the country for the festival on Wednesday.

The Eid congregations are going to be a superspreading event," he said.

He said the month after the festival will be a critical time for a country that has already tallied nearly 1.1 million infections and nearly 18,000 deaths from the pandemic.

We may not actually avoid a catastrophic situation, he said.

___

Associated Press video journalist Al-emrun Garjon contributed to this report.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Authorities in Belarus raided offices of an independent newspaper and detained three of its journalists Monday as part of a relentless crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists.

Alyaksandr Mantsevich, the editor of the Regionalnaya Gazeta (Regional Newspaper), and journalists Zoya Khrutskaya and Nasta Utkina, were detained, said the Belarusian Association of Journalists, or BAJ.

They were taken into custody after the search of the newspapers office in Maladzyechna, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

BAJ said that a total of 64 searches have been conducted over the last 10 days. Thirty-two journalists in total are in custody, either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.

The authorities have turned life into hell for independent journalists in Belarus with a conveyor belt of searches and arrests, BAJ head Andrei Bastunets said. There is an impression that the authorities have decided to leave the country without journalists.

On Monday, authorities also froze the bank accounts of the Belarusian PEN Center, an association of writers led by Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature. Alexievich, a member of the opposition Coordination Council, left Belarus last year after being summoned for questioning by the state investigative agency.

On Monday, a court in Minsk also handed out prison sentences ranging from five to nine years to 11 people who were accused of coordinating radical actions and planning arson on a messaging app.

One of them, 26-year-old Yevgeny Propolsky, who was sentenced to eight years in prison, said during the trial that investigators beat and tortured him to force confessions.

They threatened me, beat and tortured me with electric current, Propolsky said. They forced me to write a confessional testimony.

The Viasna human rights center recognized the 11 people convicted Monday as political prisoners, saying there are a total of 562 in the country now. Viasna said the searches Monday targeted civil society activists and human rights defenders in the cities of Brest and Pinsk in western Belarus.

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Belarus was rocked by months of protests after Lukashenkos August 2020 election to a sixth term in a vote that the opposition and the West saw as rigged.

Belarusian authorities responded to opposition demonstrations with a massive crackdown, including police beating thousands of demonstrators and arresting more than 35,000 people. Leading opposition figures have been jailed or forced to leave the country, while independent media outlets have had their offices searched and their journalists arrested.

The West has responded to the crackdown by imposing sanctions on Belarus. The European Union ramped up the restrictions after Belarus in May diverted a passenger jet to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist. The government in neighboring Lithuania has accused Belarusian authorities of organizing a flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa in retaliation.

Lukashenko, who has ordered to halt cooperation with the EU on stemming illegal migration, said Monday that Belarus could contain the flow of migrants if the bloc rolls back the sanctions.

They have introduced sanctions to strangle us," Lukashenko said. "They take such action against the Belarusian people and they want us to protect them  listen, it's really weird. If you want us to help you, dont put a noose around our neck.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main challenger in the August 2020 election, was forced to leave Belarus under official pressure immediately after the vote. She was in Washington on Monday for meetings with officials and U.S. House members to rally support for the Belarusian opposition.

They have the power, they have weapons and they have been trying to silence people, Tsikhanouskaya said. But we have been standing up to them for a year.
The board of Ben & Jerry's has clashed with its parent company, Unilever, over the handling of the withdrawal of its products from Israeli settlements.

Ben & Jerry's released a statement Monday announcing that it would stop selling its ice cream in the occupied territories.

"We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry's ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the statement said.

Withdrawing the product requires the ending of a license agreement with a local franchisee who has distributed Ben & Jerry's in Israel since 1987. Through the franchise, the company has a manufacturing facility and two scoop shops south of Tel Aviv. However, the company's ice cream is also sold in grocery stores in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which the U.N. Security Council has said are a "flagrant violation under international law."

The licensing agreement expires in December 2022, and Unilever will not renew it, the company said.

"Although Ben & Jerry's will no longer be sold in the OPT, we will stay in Israel through a different arrangement. We will share an update on this as soon as we're ready."

Image: Ben & Jerry's (Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images file)

Tensions mount between Unilever and the board

The Ben & Jerry's board had been pushing to withdraw ice cream sales from the occupied territories for years, said the board's chair, Anuradha Mittal. However, it wanted to release a different statement, reviewed by NBC News, that made no reference to continued sales in Israel  a decision that Mittal said would require board approval  and highlighted the company's commitment to social justice.

Unilever released the statement against the wishes of the board and in violation of a legal agreement made when it bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000, Mittal said.

"I am saddened by the deceit of it," Mittal said. "This is not about Israel. It is about the violation of the acquisition agreement that maintained the soul of the company. I can't stop thinking that this is what happens when you have a board with all women and people of color who have been pushing to do the right thing."

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When Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry's in 2000, the companies crafted an unusual acquisition agreement that legally vested an independent board with control over the ice cream company's social mission, brand integrity and policies. That means the board has to approve any changes to the product, licensing deals, new markets and social mission statements.

"It's an amazingly unique acquisition agreement and really ties the hands of the CEO and Unilever," Mittal said. "It was designed so that a progressive business could ensure its independence and protect its values when acquired by a large corporation."

While it is possible for Ben & Jerry's to remain in Israel through a different arrangement, the Ben & Jerry's board would have to vote to approve the arrangement, which it has not done yet, Mittal said.

The board said in a separate statement: "The statement released by Ben & Jerry's regarding its operation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (the OPT) does not reflect the position of the independent board, nor was it approved by the independent board. By taking a position and publishing a statement without the approval of the independent board on an issue directly related to Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity, Unilever and its CEO at Ben & Jerry's are in violation of the spirit and the letter of the acquisition agreement."

Referring to Unilever's attempt to override the board's decision, Mittal said: "They are trying to destroy the soul of the company. We want this company to be led by values and not be dictated by the parent company."

Unilever did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations. It highlighted in a separate statement Monday that it remains "fully committed to our presence in Israel, where we have invested in our people, brands and business for several decades."

"We have always recognized the right of the brand and its independent board to take decisions about its social mission. We also welcome the fact that Ben & Jerry's will stay in Israel," the statement said.

Mittal said, "It is stunning that they can say that when the statement was put out without the approval of the board."

Advocacy groups have been pushing Ben & Jerry's

Ben & Jerry's has faced a 10-year campaign spearheaded by Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group. The group argues that the sale of Ben & Jerry's products in the occupied territories is at odds with the company's stated progressive values and social mission to "eliminate injustices in our local, national and international communities by integrating these concerns in our day-to-day business activities."

"By doing business in Israel and in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory it violates its own social mission and engages in unethical practices," the organization says on its website.

Mittal said that the board passed a resolution to end sales of Ben & Jerry's products in Israeli settlements last July but that the company's CEO, Matthew McCarthy, whom Unilever appointed in 2018, "never operationalized it."

NBC News has not independently reviewed the resolution.

The international nonprofit organization Human Rights Watch has said for years that companies that operate in the settlements are complicit in human rights abuses.

"Our recommendation for businesses is to evaluate their operations and to understand the ways they can be benefiting from and contributing to human rights abuses in settlements," said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director of Human Rights Watch.

Pressure on Ben & Jerry's intensified in May as violence escalated between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that governs the Gaza Strip. Since then, the company has remained silent on social media in the face of criticism from pro-Palestinian activists. Before May 18, the company posted almost daily to its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

In late June, the nonprofit advocacy group SumOfUs added to the pressure with an online petition calling on Ben & Jerry's to "stop supporting apartheid in Palestine."

"Ben & Jerry's has been one of the world's most progressive companies since its inception, but they continue to sell and operate on stolen Palestinian land," says the petition, which gathered more than 35,000 signatures after it launched Thursday.

Mittal said that throughout that period, the board has pushed to release a statement pledging to withdraw Ben & Jerry's products from Israeli settlements but that senior executives at Unilever became heavily involved because of the decision's political sensitivity.

The company has taken progressive stances on other issues

Ben & Jerry's has a history of making strong statements in support of racial and social justice.

"One of the questions I get most often is aren't you afraid of alienating consumers by the stands that you take at Ben & Jerry's?" McCarthy, the CEO, told The Wall Street Journal in early May. "It's the exact opposite."

In 2016, the company voiced its support for Black Lives Matter in a blog post that said "to be silent about violence and threats to the lives and well-being of black people is to be complicit in that violence and those threats." The post, which explicitly mentioned the police shooting of a man in Charlotte, North Carolina, triggered backlash, with some people threatening to boycott the brand. Since then, the company has made strong statements about the rights of refugees, how the criminal justice system has failed transgender Americans and, in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a police officer in Minneapolis, dismantling white supremacy.

Other companies under pressure for doing business in the occupied territories include the baked goods company Pillsbury. In April, Charlie Pillsbury, whose ancestor Charles A. Pillsbury founded the company, wrote an op-ed in the Star Tribune of Minneapolis calling for a boycott of the brand, which is now owned by General Mills, for having a factory in an Israeli industrial zone in occupied East Jerusalem.

"As long as General Mills continues to profit from the dispossession and suffering of the Palestinian people, we will not buy any Pillsbury products," he wrote, calling on others to join the boycott.

General Mills spokesperson Kelsey Roemhildt said the company has a "longstanding commitment to protecting human rights throughout our supply chain."

"We provide every employee with full social benefits without prejudice to race, religion or nationality. Nearly half of the workers at our supplier's facility are Palestinian, and many have been employed for several years, working alongside Israeli colleagues and reporting continuing satisfaction," Roemhildt said.

In 2018, Human Rights Watch ran a campaign to get Airbnb, Booking.com and other property rental services to stop listing places in the settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"Airbnb has never boycotted Israel, Israeli businesses, or the more than 20,000 Israeli hosts who are active on the Airbnb platform," Airbnb said in a statement at the time. "We have always sought to bring people together and will continue to work with our community to achieve this goal."

Airbnb withdrew the listings but later reversed the decision after it was served with a lawsuit in a San Francisco court that argued that it discriminated against Jewish people.

"Many companies are navigating adherence to business and human rights standards and balancing that with concern about blowback on the other side," Shakir said. "We think they should treat Israel-Palestine the way they treat human rights abuses elsewhere rather than having a special rule because it might get you in trouble."
Were all contending with a return to normalcy, and going back to school likely feels strange yet exciting. Whether youre heading to a physical campus, taking classes online or a mix of both, a laptop is sure to be the control center for your studies.

And things have changed quite a bit over the last year or so. Weve seen the introduction of Apples M1-powered MacBooks, while Microsoft recently unveiled Windows 11. With ARM-based computers teasing a future where the line between mobile and desktop computing is blurry, and Windows 11 working to bridge that gap by supporting Android apps, the laptop market is the most exciting its been in years.

But that might lead to more questions for shoppers. What should you look out for if you want an ARM-based PC? Will they run Windows 11 when that update is available? What are some key specs you should add to your must-have list this year? We compiled this guide to help you make the right choice, alongside a list of this years best laptops.

What to look for in a laptop for school (and what to avoid)

First: Windows on ARM still isnt worth it. Snapdragon laptops may look and feel sleek, offer excellent battery life and built-in cellular radios, but theyre typically quite expensive, especially considering their limited app compatibility and finicky software. Apples M1 MacBooks, on the other hand, are great for almost everyone, barring those who need external GPUs, niche software or more than 16GB of RAM.

Over on the Intel side of things, almost every notebook released this year packs an 11th-generation Core processor. Youll likely be able to find a cheaper version of a product with a 10th-gen chip, and it should still serve you well. And dont forget about AMDs Ryzen chips, either  theyre plenty powerful and no longer just for the bargain bin. If you're eagerly awaiting the arrival of Windows 11 devices, don't expect to see them before the semester begins. They're more likely to show up in the fall around Microsoft's usual hardware event in October.

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Across the industry, companies have shifted to taller aspect ratios for their screens. Surface Laptops sport 3:2 panels, while many Dell and HP models offer 16:10. While the older 16:9 format is nice for watching videos, youll probably appreciate a taller format when youre writing an essay. Some devices, like Dells XPS and Samsungs Galaxy Book Pro, come with OLED panels, which will be nice for working with photos and videos. They usually cost more and take a toll on battery life, though, so youll need to weigh your priorities.

Fortunately, theres a diverse selection of laptops around, so you should be able to find a suitable one regardless of your preferences. Here are our favorite notebooks for your return to schoolwork.

Apple MacBook Air M1

With its speedy performance, slim fanless design and excellent battery life, the MacBook Air M1 is a no-brainer for any Apple user. Youll appreciate familiar features like a Retina display, comfortable keyboard and reliable trackpad. Plus, thanks to the companys excellent Rosetta 2 emulator software, you wont notice a huge performance difference when relying on Intel apps.

The big news, though, is that the ARM-based M1 allows the laptop to run iPhone and iPad apps too. While not every app will be available on macOS, the potential for more options on your desktop here is great. Now you just have to make sure you can keep the distractions at bay  which should be easy with the upcoming Focus modes on macOS Monterey, arriving in its final form later this year.

Unfortunately for those looking for more internal storage or something to run their bespoke video streaming setup, pre-fab MacBook Air M1 laptops top out at 512GB storage (although you can pay extra for up to 2TB) while the Pro M1 only supports up to 16GB of RAM. The MacBook Pro M1 also lacks support for multiple monitors and an external GPU. Those with more demanding workflows might need to look to Windows or an Intel-powered MacBook to ensure app compatibility.

Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $999

Dell XPS 13

Dells XPS series has been an Engadget favorite for years. Despite a somewhat plain design that some might call classic, the XPS 13 still stands out for nailing pretty much everything that matters. Great performance? Check. Gorgeous screen? Yes. Comfortable keyboard? Yep. Throw in a long-lasting battery and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports in the latest versions, and youve got a powerful workhorse for all your classes (and more).

The company shifted to a 16:10 aspect ratio in 2020, and recently added a 4K OLED option. That means youll see greater contrast ratios and deeper blacks for maximum display goodness. The OLED configuration will cost you $300 more than the Full HD LCD option, but those who want the best viewing experience may not mind the premium. We also recommend you spend a little more and get at least the Core i3 model with 8GB of RAM instead of the meager 4GB that the base model offers.

Buy XPS 13 at Dell - $930

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

If youre looking for an excellent typing experience, look no further than the Surface Laptop 4. Microsoft has been killing it with its recent Surface Laptops keyboards, and this one is no exception. Though theyre not as deep and springy as ThinkPads, the buttons here are super responsive and offer ample travel. The roomy trackpad is solid, too.

Of course, its important that the Surface Laptop 4 deliver on everything else, or we wouldnt recommend it. The 15-inch version that we tested offered breezy performance, respectable battery life and a lovely 3:2 Pixelsense screen that supports Microsofts Surface Pen input. Though its design is a little staid, the Surface Laptop 4 still has a clean, professional look and a luxurious aluminum case that's sturdy enough to withstand being stuffed in your backpack on the regular. Plus, at 3.4 pounds, it won't burden your shoulders much.

The best thing about the Surface Laptop 4 is that the base model, which comes equipped with AMDs Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB of RAM, starts at $1,000. That rivals the Dell XPS 13, making it a better buy for the value conscious; you get more screen, more power and more RAM for the money. Both the Surface and the XPS are great options, but the latter offers an OLED panel and thinner bezels that make it look more modern.

Buy Surface Laptop 4 at Microsoft - $999

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro

For those whose priority is a lightweight design, the Galaxy Book Pro series should be at the top of your list. At just 2.36 pounds for the clamshell and 3.06 pounds for the convertible model, the 15-inch Galaxy Book Pro is one of the lightest 15-inch laptops around. Its also super thin at 0.46 inches thick, and despite its compact size it manages to house three USB-C ports (one of them supporting Thunderbolt 4), a microSD card reader and a headphone jack.

It also packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and at least 8GB of RAM, along with a 68Whr battery that delivers a similar runtime to the Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 4. Thats particularly impressive given the Galaxy Book Pro has a Super AMOLED screen, which offers sumptuous image quality, high contrast ratio and deep blacks. Unfortunately, Samsung is still stuck on a 16:9 screen format, which will feel outdated in a year or two, but is hardly a dealbreaker.

The Galaxy Book Pros keyboard isnt as comfortable as the Surface Laptop 4s but its pleasant enough, and the trackpad is enormous. Were more concerned about the odd webcam software that makes you look dark and splotchy, so if looking your best on video calls is of concern you might want to consider something else. Plus, the $1,100 base model comes with an Intel Core i5 chip, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, making it a competitive offering against the Dell and Surface laptops. Awful camera aside, theres plenty to love about the Galaxy Book Pro, especially for those looking to lighten their loads.

Buy Galaxy Book Pro at Samsung - $999

Acer Chromebook Spin 713

If youre considering saving a few hundred bucks by opting for Chrome OS, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 might be the right choice. Sure, there are cheaper Chromebooks out there, but its one of few machines with a 3:2 aspect ratio and has a utilitarian design that makes it perfect for butterfingers.

That price also gets you an 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and sturdy 360-degree hinge so you can set it up in a variety of modes. The 13.5-inch screen is also more pixel-dense than most 1080p displays of the same size. Though the Spin 713 only clocked about 8 hours on our battery test, thats enough to get you through a work day. If $700 feels too expensive for a Chromebook, you could also wait till it inevitably goes on sale to save a bit more. There are sleeker, more powerful Chromebooks available, but Acers Spin 713 offers a good mix of performance and a modern screen for the money.

Buy Acer Chromebook Spin 713 at Best Buy - $700

Acer Aspire 5

If price is your utmost concern, we recommend the Acer Aspire 5. Its a 15-inch Windows laptop with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage that costs between $400 and $450. Yes, thats less memory than anything else on this list, but it also costs much less than any of our non-Chromebook suggestions.

Theres plenty of ports here  including an Ethernet socket  and the aluminum chassis should make this laptop feel more expensive than it is. Youll also appreciate its reliable performance, comfortable keyboard and 1080p display. For the price, the Aspire 5 offers everything you need to get through the school day, making it a great bargain.

Buy Aspire 5 at Acer starting at $399
WASHINGTON  China was behind the massive hack that compromised tens of thousands of Microsoft Exchange email servers worldwide, the Biden administration said Monday, as the United States joined with other world powers to blame Beijing's intelligence agency for a wide array of malicious cyber operations that targeted dozens of industries.

The United States, NATO, the European Union and other allies said China's Ministry of State Security has been using contract hackers in a ransomware scheme designed to extort companies for millions of dollars, according to a senior administration official.

The sweeping condemnation from the U.S. and its allies came as the Justice Department announced indictments against four Chinese nationals, including three state security officers, who were accused in a yearslong hacking scheme in which they allegedly stole trade secrets, confidential business information, sensitive technologies and scientific research from dozens of companies, universities and government entities in several countries, including the United States.

Monday's twin announcements highlight the worldwide cyberthreat the Chinese government poses, U.S. officials said. The Biden administration has confronted senior Chinese government officials about its cyber activities, the senior official said, although the White House has not announced sanctions or other punitive actions. The official said the United States is not ruling out further steps to hold China accountable.

"The breadth and duration of China's hacking campaigns, including these efforts targeting a dozen countries across sectors ranging from healthcare and biomedical research to aviation and defense, remind us that no country or industry is safe," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said. "Today's international condemnation shows that the world wants fair rules, where countries invest in innovation, not theft."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China's contract hackers cost governments and businesses billions of dollars in stolen intellectual property and ransom payments.

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"The (People's Republic of China's) Ministry of State Security has fostered an ecosystem of criminal contract hackers who carry out both state-sponsored activities and cybercrime for their own financial gain," he said. "Responsible states do not indiscriminately compromise global network security nor knowingly harbor cyber criminals  let alone sponsor or collaborate with them."

The global hack targeting Microsoft Exchange earlier this year exploited email server vulnerabilities and victimized a wide gamut of companies, including small businesses, local governments, healthcare companies and manufacturers.

Asked about the Microsoft Exchange hack, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said China "firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms" and cautioned that attribution of cyberattacks should be based on evidence and not "groundless accusations," The Associated Press reported.

Chinese nationals charged

The Justice Department on Friday unsealed an indictment against three officers of the Hainan State Security Department, a provincial arm of the Ministry of State Security, in a hacking scheme that targeted American and foreign companies, as well as government agencies, from 2011 to 2018.

The defendants allegedly used Hainan Xiandun Technology Development Co., Ltd. as a front company to hide the Chinese government's role, while coordinating, facilitating and managing hackers at the now-disbanded company.

The conspiracy involved accessing networks by sending spear-phishing emails with links to fake websites designed to mimic the domains of legitimate companies and hijacking credentials to target multiple users and entities, according to the Justice Department.

The Justice Department said the hacking scheme targeted various industries  including defense, education, biopharmaceutical, aviation, maritime  whose proprietary information would economically benefit Chinese companies. Academic research on Ebola, MERS, HIV/AIDS and other diseases was also targeted.

Among those charged were Ding Xiaoyang, Cheng Qingmin and Zhu Yunmin, all Ministry of State Security officers. Wu Shurong, a hacker whose job allegedly involved creating malware and infiltrating victims' computer systems, was also charged in the case. They have not been found or arrested.

The defendants have been charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit espionage, which carry a combined maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Following the announcement, federal agencies described dozens of tactics and techniques they say were used by China's sponsored hackers. A 31-page document published by the FBI, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency or CISA also outlined ways to mitigate attacks.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: China is responsible for Microsoft Exchange hack in January, US says
(AFP via Getty Images)

Joe Bidens administration has transferred its first detainee from Guantanamo Bay, where a man who was never charged with a crime was held for nearly two decades and was referred for release in 2016 but remained at the prison under Donald Trumps administration.

The release of Abdul Latif Nassar, who was imprisoned at the wartime facility in 2002, could signal the administrations motions towards its complete closure.

Mr Nassar will be repatriated to his native Morocco subject to security and humane treatment assurances, according to a statement from the US Department of Defense.

In 2016, an inter-agency panel determined that his detention no longer remained necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States, according to the Pentagon.

The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries national security interests, the Pentagon said. The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdoms willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

In 2018, Mr Trump ordered the prison in Cuba to remain open and continue admitting detainees when lawful and necessary after partially repealing an effort under Barack Obama to begin closing its operations, which Mr Obama signed on his second day in office.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters earlier this year that the National Security Council was engaged in administration talks to completely shut down the prison by the end of Mr Bidens first term in office in 2024.

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Monday that the administration is dedicated to following a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population of the Guantanamo facility while also safeguarding the security of the United States and its allies.

The prison, which opened under George W Bush following the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, has been widely criticised for reportedly denying due process to detainees under extrajudicial imprisonment as they endure human rights abuses.

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Mr Nassar was held in Afghanistan for several months before his transfer to Guantanamo in May 2002. A six-part Radiolab series following a years long investigation revealed most of the governments claims against him lacked meaningful evidence to justify his detention.

His counsel told the inter-agency Periodic Review Board in 2016 that he had not made any negative comments or expressed any ill will towards the United States nor displayed any evidence of an interest in extremist activities during his detention and deeply regrets his actions of the past.

Following Mr Nassars transfer, the prison will continue to hold 39 people, 11 who are charged with war crimes. The prison held nearly 700 men at the prisons peak after 9/11.

Read More

Guantanamo prosecutor retires as 9/11 trial remains elusive

Trump considered sending Covid-infected Americans to Guantanamo Bay, new book claims

Two Guantanamo detainees cleared for release as Biden moves to close prison ahead of 9/11, reports say

US approves release of oldest Guantanamo prisoner, lawyer says
The U.S. plans to announce Monday that it is sending 3 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine to Guatemala, according to a White House official.

This shipment is going to the Central American country Monday as a part of an agreement between the U.S. and Guatemala and will arrive on Tuesday, the official said. The Biden administration has already sent millions of doses to Guatemala, a country at the forefront of the immigration debate. The last batch of 1.5 million doses arrived on July 8 in Guatemala City.

The official added that the administration was "proud to be able to deliver these safe and effective vaccines to the people of Guatemala."

Earlier this summer, the Guatemalan health minister asked Russia for a refund for approximately $80 million on an expected 8 million Russian Sputnik B COVID-19 vaccine doses because Russia had only delivered 150,000 of the doses.

In June, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei met with Vice President Kamala Harris on her first international trip to Guatemala and Mexico.

"We need the vaccine and hopefully the U.S. will contribute to us," Giammattei told CBS News' Ed O'Keefe in an interview in June, ahead of his meeting with Harris.

Guatemalan Ambassador to the U.S. Alfonso Quinonez told CBS News, "We are very grateful to the US Government for this generous gesture."

Last week the U.S. said it would be sending 3.5 million Moderna doses to Argentina.

President Biden faces challenges on immigration policy

Restaurants still struggle to survive the pandemic

President Biden discusses economic recovery ahead of infrastructure push
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty

More than 600,000 Americans have already lost their lives from COVID-19 and our epidemic is still far from over. The virus has an ally in the forms of defiancedefiance against social distancing, contact tracing, masks, and most recently, vaccines. Such opposition here concentrates mostly in deep red states in the South, the Heartland, and Mountain West regionsareas where COVID-19 is rising yet again, especially where vaccinations rates are low and the Delta variant dominates.

This week, the Biden administration recognized how misinformation contributes to the staggering public health impact of COVID-19, with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issuing his first advisory, warning about the power of vaccine myths when they are amplified on social media sites, and the president himself warning about the spread of misinformation and calling on tech and social media companies in general, and Facebook in particular, to work harder to limit it.

But those calls are insufficient, and fail to acknowledge how the anti-vaccine movement has expanded and globalized into an anti-science evil empire. Taking this on will require something far more ambitious.

COVID-19 Is Rising in the Ozarks, and Time Is Running Out

In fairness, the U.S. Surgeon Generals advisory is an important step for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the past, when I have attempted to warn about anti-vaccine disinformation, including a 2017 article entitled How the Anti-Vaxxers Are Winning, their response was that by writing such an article I risked giving oxygen to anti-vaccine activities or providing undue attention. At least now, our public health leaders recognize the threats from misinformation and are willing to warn the American people of its dangers.

A decade ago, or perhaps even five years ago, a U.S. Surgeon General advisory might have helped start efforts to counter anti-vaccine or anti-science disinformation, or what the World Health Organization now refers to as the infodemic. But at this point warning about social media, and providing a potential tool kit for family and health professionals to recognize how misinformation operates, wont suffice. The stark reality is that years of silence from our public health agencies has enabled something far worse.

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If the Biden administration is serious about combating anti-vaccine and anti-science disinformation as a means to raise COVID-19 vaccination rates or achieve compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), it must recognize the following realities.

Yes, the social media companies have been slow to halt the infodemic. But the presidents swipe at Facebook (theyre killing people) was off-target. All of the techs and social media outlets are culpable, and in my opinion one of the greatest offenders is Amazonnow the largest promoter of fake anti-vaccine and dangerous COVID-19 conspiracy books. Ultimately, focusing primarily on social media fails to address the source of the disinformation.

Instead, there must be engagement and willingness to counter an evil empire with three heads. I compare this to Ghidorah, the three-headed dragon fighting Godzilla and other animated characters.

The first head is the anti-science disinformation campaign from conservative news outlets and political leaders on the right. Anti-vaccine rants are now regular features on Fox News and other conservative channels, as are efforts to downplay the severity of the COVID-19 epidemic or discredit NPIs. Unfortunately Im a frequent target. This months CPAC conference was a horror show of pundits and even elected members of the U.S. Congress working overtime to discredit the benefits and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Anti-science focused on vaccines was first adopted by the far right in 2015 through a health freedom campaign, but tragically it has since become a major platform of conservatism in America.

The second head is the one that provides the misinformation the far right and others use to weaponize health communication. These are the many non-governmental, anti-science organizations that monetize the internet through advertising or selling products. The Center for Countering Digital Hate estimates that the top 12 of these organizations have tens of millions of followers on social media, while producing films and books, with outreach that extends globally. In terms of those that go after me and other scientific colleagues, I agree with the disinformation dozen list, but there are also many others.

Finally, there are the state actors. Both U.S. and British intelligence have called out the Russian government for its effort to flood our media and internet with anti-science messages and activities. In the U.S., they often operate through propaganda arms such as Russia Today or Sputnik News to create wedge issues. Anti-science is not their only approach but is one that dominates.

Bottom line: This monster is much bigger and formidable than Facebook or social media.

If the Biden administration is serious about countering anti-vaccine disinformation it must be willing to take on the empire and launch a counteroffensive. To begin, we must understand that the Department of HHS and its agencies are ill-equipped to do this alone. Instead they must seek advice from outside the health sector in order to fully understand the options and levers available to make inroads against this adversary. They must learn from those experienced in combating global threats such as terrorism or cyberattacks. For that reason, I have recommended to the Biden administration that they immediately establish an interagency task force with representation from the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce, State, and HHS to find a way to defeat Ghidorah.

The evil empire will not stop at COVID-19 vaccines and prevention. It is just the beginning. The bad guys know we are a nation built on science and technology. The question is, are we willing to fight to protect American science from the three-headed monster?

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President Joe Biden has called domestic terrorism one of the most serious security threats facing America. In June, his National Security Council even issued a strategy to combat it. So why is he standing by one of his own nominees who collaborated with ecoterrorists and lied to the Senate to cover up her actions?

On April 22, President Biden nominated Tracy Stone-Manning to lead the U.S. Department of the Interiors Bureau of Land Management.

With more than 10,000 employees, BLM manages roughly an eighth of the nations land, including nearly 65 million acres of forest. That land holds about 30% of our nations minerals and is used for a variety of functions, including energy development, livestock grazing, mining, recreation and timber harvesting.

The lands managed by BLM make up the majority of territory in many Western states, including my home state of Wyoming. Whoever leads this agency must have the faith and trust of the American people. Ms. Stone-Mannings nomination violates that trust.

Involved with ecoterror tactic

Ms. Stone-Manning lied to the Senate about her past association with an ecoterrorist cell that hammered 500 pounds of metal spikes into trees in Idahos Clearwater National Forest in 1989. She anonymously sent a disturbing and threatening letter to the U.S. Forest Service on behalf of the ecoterrorists and then spent years covering up their crimes.

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Tree spiking has a long history as an especially vicious ecoterrorist tactic. It involves hammering a metal rod or other material into a tree trunk, either at its base where a logger or firefighter might cut into it or higher up where it would mangle a mills saw blade.

Ecoterrorists who employ this tactic to stop legal timber harvesting know exactly what theyre doing. The results can be catastrophic to life and limb. Some of the spiked trees from the Idaho forest are still standing and remain dangerous to this day.

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Virgin spruce forest in Monongahela National Forest, W.Va., on Aug. 27, 2019.

Nominees complete a background questionnaire under oath when they come before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Ms. Stone-Manning claimed she had never been arrested or charged and to my knowledge  the target of such an investigation. Thats not true.

According to court documents and news reports, Ms. Stone-Manning was investigated in a 1989 federal probe of this tree spiking conspiracy. She was subpoenaed to provide physical evidence, including hair samples.

Don't forget warmer winters: Climate change coverage ignores heavy impact of heat on cold deaths

While denying it to the Senate, Ms. Stone-Manning admitted in 1990 that she was an investigative target. Her experience, she said, was degrading. It changed my awareness of the power of government. Yes, this was happening to me and not someone in Panama.

Ms. Stone-Manning also claimed that she later testified in a trial that resulted in the conviction of a responsible individual. Thats just part of the story. The reality is she didnt cooperate with investigators.

Tracy Stone-Manning, nominated to direct the Bureau of Land Management, at her confirmation hearing in Washington on June 8, 2021.

A retired federal law enforcement agent who was the lead investigator for the crime wrote to the Senate saying she helped plan the spiking and she was a target of the investigation. He said she absolutely refused to do anything to help. Her intransigence set back the probe by years. Only after she was caught and offered immunity did she agree to testify against one of the spikers in 1993.

The Senate cannot confirm a liar

Her involvement and her false statements to the Senate about this ecoterrorist episode are reason enough to block her from serving as BLM director. Bob Abbey, who led BLM under former President Barack Obama, said these actions "should disqualify her" from leading this important agency.

Climate Catastrophe: We're conservatives and we're fighting against climate change

Its not clear her radical views have changed. In a 2018 article about Western wildfires, her husband wrote in Harper's magazine that firefighters should just let homes built on the edges of forests burn. Theres a rude and satisfying justice, he wrote, in burning down the house of someone who builds in the forest.

Ms. Stone-Manning is not responsible for the views of her husband. But last September, she called the article a clarion call and urged people to read it.

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BLMs work is too important to be led by someone who covered up for ecoterrorists, lied to the Senate and supports extremist views most Americans find reprehensible. The Senate must reject this nomination.

The presidents own terrorism strategy recognizes the danger of environmental extremists. If hes serious, he will withdraw Ms. Stone-Mannings name from consideration and choose someone to lead BLM who can win the confidence of the American people.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., is the senior Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Follow him on Twitter: @SenJohnBarrasso

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: BLM nominee Stone-Manning lied to the Senate. We cannot confirm her.
Photo credit: The Market

Officially, all Ferrari F40s left the factory painted red. There were a handful, however, that were believed to be painted yellow and black, and another handful sent back to the factory by the Sultan of Brunei to be repainted. What we're saying is, it's especially difficult to find an F40 for sale that isn't red. As luck would have it, the most famous non-red F40 of all is for sale right now in the United Kingdom.

Though this F40 did leave the factory painted red, it was brought to Japan when acquired by famous tuners Liberty Walk in 2004 who, in 2010, converted it to LM spec and painted it white. Four years later, the car was purchased by a dealer and then acquired by the current seller, who converted back to factory specification, save for the paint. It went from white to a blue based on Porsche's Aqua Blue Metallic, and is now paired with correct 17-inch Speedline wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tires.

The seller, U.K.-based freelance photographer Sam Moore, has taken the car to countless events under his ownership, giving the car world ample opportunity to soak in its glory. If you've seen a blue F40 pop on Instagram or get driven by Shme150 on YouTube, it's likely this is the exact car. It also sounds fantastic thanks to a Tubi straight-piped exhaust system.

The car is currently listed on The Market, a U.K.-based online auction house run by Bonhams with a high bid of 765,500 (around $1.05 million) and just four hours left to bid. If you're interested, you better get a bid in quickly before time runs out.



via Carscoops

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Jul. 19EDGEFIELD  Main Street had much more than its regular amount of pedestrian traffic Sunday, with hundreds of visitors on hand to mark a military anniversary. The 122nd Engineer Battalion of the South Carolina National Guard was established in 1946, and several decades of soldiers celebrated the occasion, gathering for about three midday hours in the town square.

Soldiers lined up to hear about the unit's history and mission, and were dismissed for a couple of hours to take part in "food, fun and fellowship," with a variety of booths and family-friendly attractions available for exploration.

"Everything went great," said Maj. Caroline O' Sullivan, with the 122nd. "We were really pleased to have a lot of support from the community and former soldiers and everyone in the state of South Carolina as well."

This was her first time to see a unit celebrate 75 years, she added. "It's a huge milestone, and hopefully we'll have a lot more to celebrate in the next 75 years."

Reps. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, and Bill Hixon, D-North Augusta, were among the high-profile visitors, presenting a proclamation "to commend the more than 750 soldiers, their families, retirees and veterans of this historic and courageous battalion on their dedicated and selfless service to the state of South Carolina and this great nation; and to extend best wishes for its continued success in the years to come," as stated in the document.

"This battalion has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other locations for missions throughout the country," said retiree Kevin Joy, a North Augusta resident.

"The National Guard falls under the governor, but they also fall under the Department of Defense," he said, pointing out that the results can be having troops respond for civil service, such as dealing with a flood, hurricane or tornado, or troops can be sent abroad to face other challenges.

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Joy pointed out that his military background included years in the 122nd and in a variety of other scenarios. "I joined in 2001, and in 2003 we got deployed to Iraq, so the battalion was over there in Fallujah, Al Asad Airbase  all your hot spots there in Iraq."

His National Guard years continued until 2014, and prior military background included years in the Marine Corps (1973-85), followed by a stretch (1985-2006) working in the federal prison system and a little longer (2016-18) in the state prison system. His current local associates include the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League and the Fraternal Order of Police.

O'Sullivan, referring to the battalion at the center of attention, said, "We ... have several different type of engineer companies. We have a bridging company, we have ... vertical construction detachments and we have horizontal construction companies and then we have combat engineers as well."

Major recent engagements, she said, included the response to the catastrophic flood of October 2015, "and currently, we're staging to help out with hurricane response in this upcoming year."

Major backers of the Sunday event were such organizations as Edgefield Pool Room, Park Row Market, TLC Confections Bakery and Cafe, Edgefield Police Department, Dearybury Oil and Gas, Frank Chapman Resource Development Association and the Palmetto chapter of the Army Engineer Association of South Carolina.
Reuters

California power company Pacific Gas and Electric said on Wednesday it would bury 10,000 miles of power lines in high-risk fire zones as a safety measure after its equipment caused multiple destructive wildfires over several years. The utility, which called the project a multi-year initiative, maintains more than 25,000 miles of overhead distribution power lines in the highest fire-risk zones, or more than 30% of its total distribution overhead system, according to the company. The move by PG&E comes days after it said its equipment may have been involved in the start of a recent wildfire in Sierra Nevada, according to a filing by PG&E to regulators published on the internet by a San Francisco Chronicle journalist.
Ancient figures are etched into the rock faces at the Fish Slough Petroglyphs site in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Volcanic Tablelands area near Bishop, Calif. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Inside federal Ranger Chris Masons patrol truck, the radio crackled with alarming news: People were seen lugging bags of heavy equipment into a protected site containing prehistoric rock carvings.

Archeologists know the site as the Volcanic Tablelands, an otherworldly landscape of pink-hued cliffs and terraces shaped by wind, rain and earthquakes. It was also an area where it was not unusual to find looters armed with shovels and saws prowling for anything that could be sold in the illegal antiquities market.

But when Mason arrived at the scene on Earth Day 2017, he determined that the suspicious activity involved a faculty member and students from Caltech, the prestigious private research university in Pasadena known for its strength in science and engineering, and for managing NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Joseph Kirschvink, a professor of geoscience, had used a portable pneumatic drill to extract core samples for paleomagnetic studies, officials said. He drilled into rock face roughly three feet from a petroglyph and left the site riddled with 29 1-inch diameter holes marked with blue paint.

Fish Slough, a National Natural Landmark on the eastern edge of the Volcanic Tablelands, includes vivid petroglyphs chipped into bizarrely eroded volcanic tuff formations. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The trouble is, Kirschvink was not authorized to conduct research in the area designated to be of critical concern in California's eastern Sierra Nevada, and that was the reason he and Caltech came under investigation for violating the Archeological Resources Protection Act.

The site, near Bishop, is administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The expansive petroglyph site is one of the oldest recorded in the West and easily accessible by road. A placard at a popular viewing site roughly one mile north of where the damage occurred warns visitors that "no person may excavate, remove, damage or otherwise deface any archeological resource."

It took four years to resolve the case due to delays caused by the pandemic, and the strict requirements and complexities of the agency's forensic protocol and damage assessment procedures, officials said.

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Kirschvink did not respond to requests for comment.

Native Americans, archeologists and federal land managers have long complained that unlawful removal and destruction of artifacts and sacred sites destroy priceless cultural connections, along with scientific data that allow a better understanding of the earliest inhabitants of North America.

An uptick in unauthorized incursions by university professors armed with geology picks and pneumatic drills in recent years has only compounded their frustrations. The area is known for its Bishop tuff  a type of rock formed by super-heated volcanic ash, which is of interest to researchers.

Those formations and the prayers etched into them so many thousands of years ago belong to the public, said Kathy Jefferson Bancroft, tribal historic preservation officer for the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Reservation. "They are not sources of raw material for unpermitted academic studies."

Linea Sundstrom, co-chair of the nonprofit American Rock Art Research Assn.s conservation and preservation committee, agrees.

Theres no excuse for it, she said. "Its bad education if university professors are not making their students aware of laws protecting archeological sites on public lands.

Beyond that, Barbara Bane, archeological curator at the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest, Calif., wondered aloud: Are these university professors actually saying they couldnt have gone someplace else to drill their holes? Really?

The answer to that question is reflected in the penalties meted by Bureau of Land Management officials after lengthy investigations.

Caltech in June agreed to pay $25,465 to the Department of the Interior to cover the costs of repairing damage from the drilling, which the Bureau of Land Management concluded was "inadvertent." Under the terms of the agreement, it also promised "meaningful academic and educational outreach about the importance of obtaining appropriate federal permits before conducting research on public lands."

In a statement, Caltech said, While this was an isolated incident that took place more than four years ago, we deeply regret the damage caused to public lands, especially in light of this areas sacred meaning to local tribal groups.

Going forward, it added, Caltech will conduct academic and educational outreach to promote fuller understanding, appreciation, and respect for the importance of clear authorization before undertaking research with the potential to affect geological or archeological resources in any way  both within our community and the broader geosciences field.

Its not just Caltech.

The University of Texas at Dallas in 2018 paid $19,842 in connection with 41 holes drilled two years earlier without authorization into a rock art site on agency land just over the Nevada border, about 25 miles east of the Volcanic Tablelands.

That research was led by John Geissman, 69, a university professor at the time, who said he deeply regrets the incident.

I made a big mistake, and it haunts me to this day, said Geissman, who recently retired. I have obligations as a geoscientist and a human being to do the right thing.

As required under terms of that universitys 3-year-old settlement with the Bureau of Land Management, Geissman said he is working on an article to be published in an American Geophysical Union journal that will include a sufficiently detailed section on my mistake.

Honestly, I recognize that I have been slow on this, he said. For the past few years I have been trying to graduate all my PhD students in a timely fashion, and that involves a lot of editing of many versions of manuscripts for publication.

Then there was Cal State Northridge, which in 2008 paid $25,397 to settle a case that involved the unauthorized drilling of 41 1-inch holes into a petroglyph site on agency land about 15 miles south of Bishop.

Critics believe untold other drillings have gone unreported in volcanic landscapes across the West since paleomagnetic studies emerged as an important scientific endeavor in the 1950s.

For Native Americans, the geometric shapes, animals and human figures etched by their ancestors into the rocks at the Fish Slough Petroglyphs site are part of a living spiritual world. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

At the 36,000-acre Volcanic Tablelands in Inyo County, geology runs wild: Cinder cones streaked with orange and red rise from desert badlands, along with sharp-edged cliffs and boulders that were created by a cataclysmic explosion 760,000 years ago.

Fish Slough, a National Natural Landmark on the eastern edge of the tablelands, includes vivid petroglyphs chipped into bizarrely eroded volcanic tuff formations that overlook a verdant desert oasis laced with meandering spring-fed creeks.

For researchers, its stark geological wonders contain detectable evidence of prehistoric shifts in the ability of Earths magnetic field to shield the planets surface from cosmic rays. Some researchers suggest these shifts may have influenced global climate and the evolution of species and entire ecosystems  from deep-sea vents to rainforests.

For Native Americans, however, the pictorial outbursts of sun discs, spirals, zigzags, deer, sheep, snakes and human figures etched into cliffs and boulders by prehistoric clans over scores of generations are part of a living spiritual world.

They tell cryptic stories of the past, when the climate was cooler and wetter, and when man lived closer to nature.

Many of the images were carved into desert varnish, a thin red to black coating found on exposed rock surfaces.

Bureau of Land Management officials said the university-related incidents were reported by volunteer petroglyph patrols organized by the California Archeological Site Stewardship Program.

Mason was unavailable for comment. But David Lee, a stewardship program member and independent rock art researcher, recalled, Im the one who turned in the Caltech group."

Immediately after I spotted them," he said, I shot into town and notified BLM authorities. A short while later, Ranger Mason arrived at the scene.

In Lee's view however, the problem is far from solved. There is no petroglyph site on public land in the United States that is not at risk right now from vandalism, he said.

More volunteers are needed to keep an eye on these engraved messages from the past, Lee said, because federal land managers are overwhelmed by ever-increasing numbers of visitors.

Why should we care? Because these images are still considered sacred by the descendants of the people who made them.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Canada will allow fully vaccinated Americans to enter the country in just three weeks, authorities said Monday.

U.S. citizens who have been vaccinated for at least 14 days and meet other entry requirements may cross the northern border starting at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 9, the Public Health Agency of Canada said.

Travelers will need to have had a full series of a vaccine that is accepted by the Canadian government, which are the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots.

"Were moving forward and safely easing some border measures that have been in place throughout the pandemic  thanks to the hard work of Canadians, rising Covid-19 vaccination rates, and declining Covid-19 case numbers," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

U.S. children under 12 who are not vaccinated will also be allowed to enter as long as they are accompanied by a "fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor," the health department said.

Travelers from the rest of the world will also be eligible to enter Canada starting Sept. 7, "provided that Canada's Covid-19 epidemiology remains favourable," the health agency statement said.

The statement warned that borders could close again at any moment if conditions take a turn for the worst.

"Border measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves," the health agency said. "As Canada begins to welcome fully vaccinated travellers from the U.S., the Government of Canada will continue to monitor the situation and provide updated travel advice for Canadians."

Canada closed its borders in March last year as the world desperately fought the spread of Covid-19.

Reopening Canada to the world has been in the works for weeks now.

Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays, who haven't been in Ontario since September 2019, will finally be allowed to play at their Rogers Centre home on July 30, the government announced last week.

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat whose native Minnesota shares a 547-mile border with Canada, said Monday that she is happy for all the friends, family and co-workers who have been separated all this time.

"And for those who haven't yet gotten vaccine, here's reason no. 99 for getting one," she said in a statement.

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Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay told Americans to get their shots and head north to enjoy poutine, rye whiskey and curling.

"You know you are wishing to!" he tweeted.
(Corrects WestJet Airlines capacity in paragraph 15 to 40% from 60% after spokesperson amends figure)

By David Ljunggren and Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada on Monday said it would allow fully vaccinated U.S. tourists into the country starting from Aug. 9 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented 16-month ban that many businesses complained was crippling them.

Inoculated visitors from countries other than the United States will be permitted to enter beginning on Sept. 7. The relaxation depends on Canada's COVID-19 rates remaining favorable, officials said.

"Thanks to the rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, we are able to move forward with adjusted border measures," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Brampton, Ontario.

Some 50% of Canadian residents are fully vaccinated, and 75% have had one shot, government officials said.

Businesses in Canada and the United States, particularly the travel and airline industries, pushed for an end to restrictions on non-essential travel between the two countries, which were imposed in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic.

Since then, the land border has been closed to all non-essential travel. However, the United States has allowed Canadians to fly in, while Canada has not allowed Americans to do the same.

"As Canada moves from recovery into growth, having workable border measures for fully vaccinated travelers is critical for Canadian businesses," said Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Until now, the United States and Canada had extended the border restrictions month-by-month.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said U.S. officials told him it was likely Washington would extend its land border restrictions, which expire on Thursday, for an additional month.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to say whether the United States would follow Canada's lead.

"We are continuing to review our travel decisions and we'll be guided by our public health and medical experts ... I wouldn't look at it through a reciprocal intention," she told a briefing when asked about Canada's decision.

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People eligible to enter Canada must have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days beforehand. Children under 12 who are not vaccinated will not be required to quarantine if traveling with their fully inoculated parents.

The government repeated that Canadians should still avoid non-essential travel abroad.

The news should be a boost for Canada's hard-hit airlines which have recovered more slowly from the pandemic than their U.S. counterparts. Ottawa is also lifting the requirement that all travelers arriving by air must spend three nights in a hotel.

Canada's second-largest carrier, WestJet Airlines, said it was operating at 40% capacity in July compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Calgary-based WestJet said the move was "significant and positive step forward". Shares in Air Canada - the nation's largest airline - were trading down more than 3% in Toronto on Monday amid a broader decline.

Mike McNaney, President and CEO of the National Airlines Council of Canada, whose members include Air Canada and WestJet, welcomed the announcement but said, "we have almost lost the summer travel season."

In a statement, Air Canada said the loosening of the border restrictions was "an important step" and added that it had announced a new summer schedule with up to 220 daily flights between the U.S. and Canada.

(Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Allison Lampert in Montreal;Editing by Paul Simao, Aurora Ellis and Cynthia Osterman)
Good Morning America

The Supreme Court last month remanded a lower court's ruling that police officers who used excessive force on a 27-year-old man who died in their custody were protected because they didn't know their actions were unconstitutional. "The Supreme Court has summarily vacated a pro-officer decision by a lower court in an excessive force case," Taylor told ABC News. "So this is a big deal, not only because of what the Supreme Court said but also because of what it will be for the record going forward."
An American father and son have been sentenced for their role in ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan in 2019.

The Tokyo court sentenced US Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor to two years in prison.

His son Peter was handed a term of one year and eight months.

The pair were extradited from the US over claims they smuggled Mr Ghosn out of Japan in a luggage box on a private jet as he awaited trial.

Japanese prosecutors had been seeking prison terms of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for Peter.

They were accused of orchestrating Mr Ghosn's escape to Lebanon from western Japan's Kansai airport in December 2019 and receiving $1.3m (950,000) for their services.

Both had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges and said that they regretted their actions.

Private security specialist Michael Taylor and his son Peter fought a months-long battle to avoid extradition over the case, before the US Supreme Court handed them over to the Japanese authorities in March.

The former Nissan boss is now an international fugitive living in his childhood home of Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.

Mr Ghosn was on bail while awaiting trial on four counts of financial misconduct, which he denies, when he managed to slip past authorities in a case and onto a private jet, the court heard.

US prosecutors called his escape "one of the most brazen and well-orchestrated escape acts in recent history".

Michael Taylor and his son Peter posed as musicians to help Carlos Ghosn escape

After his arrival in Lebanon, Mr Ghosn said he was a "hostage" in Japan, left with a choice between dying there or running.

A Turkish court convicted an executive of Turkish jet company MNG and two pilots over their role in flying him out of Japan.

Mr Ghosn was first arrested on charges of financial misconduct in November 2018 for allegedly under-reporting his pay package for the five years to 2015.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC broadcast earlier this month, Mr Ghosn told of how he disguised himself to slip unnoticed through the streets of Tokyo, why a large music equipment box was chosen to smuggle him out of Japan and the elation he felt when he finally landed in his native Lebanon.

You can watch Storyville Carlos Ghosn: The Last Flight on iPlayer.
Last night, Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes attended Childrens Mercy Park to support the U.S. mens national team in the Gold Cup match against Canada. The U.S. extended their undefeated streak at Childrens Mercy Park with an impressive 1-0 victory.

The U.S. finished on top of its first-round group with an undefeated record, and they will play in the quarterfinals on July 25th. Mahomes appeared on camera, being acknowledged by the many fans in attendance as he walked around the field sporting a mask as Sundays matchup got underway.

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He took time during the field tour to greet the U.S. and MLSs Sporting Kansas City player Gianluca Busio, who soon looks to have a transfer deal in place with a European club.

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Mahomes is no stranger to supporting the US mens national team, as he attended the 2019 Gold Cup matchup against Panama with teammate Travis Kelce. Mahomes fiancee and new mom Brittany Matthews is currently part-owner of the NSWL franchise in Kansas City. She too was in attendance for the recent Gold Cup match.

List
The attack affected about a quarter of a million Microsoft Exchange servers

The UK, US and EU have accused China of carrying out a major cyber-attack earlier this year.

The attack targeted Microsoft Exchange servers, affecting at least 30,000 organisations globally.

Western security services believe it signals a shift from a targeted espionage campaign to a smash-and-grab raid, leading to concerns Chinese cyber-behaviour is escalating.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) has also been accused of wider espionage activity and a broader pattern of "reckless" behaviour.

China has previously denied allegations of hacking and says it opposes all forms of cyber-crime.

The unified call-out of Beijing shows the gravity with which this case has been taken. Western intelligence officials say aspects are markedly more serious than anything they have seen before.

It began in January when hackers from a Chinese-linked group known as Hafnium began exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange. They used the vulnerability to insert backdoors into systems which they could return to later.

The UK said the attack was likely to enable large-scale espionage, including the acquisition of personal information and intellectual property.

It was mainly carried out against specific systems which aligned with Hafnium's previous targets, such as defence contractors, think tanks and universities.

"We believe that cyber-operators working under the control of Chinese intelligence learned about the Microsoft vulnerability in early January, and were racing to exploit the vulnerability before [it] was widely identified in the public domain," a security source told the BBC.

If this had been all, it would have been just another espionage operation. But in late February something significant changed.

The targeted attack became a mass pile-in when other China-based groups began to exploit the vulnerability. The targets scaled up to encompass key industries and governments worldwide.

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It had turned from targeted espionage to a massive smash-and-grab raid.

Western security sources believe Hafnium obtained advance knowledge that Microsoft intended to patch or close the vulnerability, and so shared it with other China-based groups to maximise the benefit before it became obsolete.

It was the recklessness of the decision to spread the vulnerability that helped drive the decision to call out the Chinese publicly, officials say.

The UK is also understood to have raised the issue of Chinese cyber-activity in private with Beijing over an extended period, including handing over dossiers of evidence.

Microsoft went public about the vulnerability on 2 March and offered a patch to close it. At this point, more hackers around the world had realised its value and piled in.

Around a quarter of a million systems globally were left exposed - often small or medium-sized businesses and organisations - and at least 30,000 were compromised.

Western governments accuse the MSS of using hackers for hire and want it to sever ties with them.

The UK Foreign Office said the Chinese government had "ignored repeated calls to end its reckless campaign, instead allowing state-backed actors to increase the scale of their attacks and act recklessly when caught".

The White House said it reserved the right to take additional actions against China over its cyber activities.

The EU, meanwhile, said the hack had "resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies".

But Western spies are still struggling to understand why Chinese behaviour has changed. If the hackers were authorised to escalate, it would suggest a step-change in what the country is willing to do and raise the fear that they no longer care about being caught.

That is partly why so many governments have joined together to signal their concerns. Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have joined Nato in issuing a statement in "solidarity".

The countries also called out wider Chinese behaviour which it linked to two groups known as APT 40 and APT 31, which are believed to be linked to the MSS.

Despite the strong language, there are no signs of fresh sanctions against China. In contrast, new sanctions were placed on Russia for the recent SolarWinds campaign which many experts believe was less serious than the Microsoft Exchange campaign linked to China.

Some officials, however, hope China is more sensitive than Russia to international pressure.

The US Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against four MSS hackers which it said were linked to a long-term campaign targeting foreign governments and entities in key sectors in a least a dozen countries.

Ultimately, Western security sources believe the MSS is behind all the activity revealed today and hope co-ordinated international action will put pressure on their activities.
KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

The Biden administration and several allies plan to allege Monday morning that Chinas civilian intelligence service is responsible for a sweeping hacking campaign that hit tens of thousands of companies around the world earlier this year.

According to a senior Biden administration official, hackers affiliated with Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS) conducted the massive operation, which took advantage of security flaws in Microsoft Exchange Server software, or Microsofts email software. The attack was so widespread that the White House National Security Council at the time whipped up an emergency response group to address the offensive.

The U.S. and allies plan to lay out how the MSS has been hiring criminal hackers on a contractual basis to conduct Beijings hacking operations, according to the official.

MSS is using, knowledgeably, criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, the senior administration official said during a call on Sunday.

The National Security Agency, FBI, and the Department of Homeland Securitys cybersecurity agency (CISA) have spent months warning organizations about the Microsoft Exchange Server hacking, but this is the first time the U.S. government is formally attributing the campaign to the Chinese government. Microsoft security researchers had previously attributed the operation to actors operating in China, but did not detail a link with the MSS.

The European Union, NATO, Japan, and members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliancethe U.K., Australia, Canada, and New Zealandwill also be criticizing MSSs hacking Monday, according to the official. Its the first time NATO is publicly attributing this kind of activity to China.

The U.S. and allies also plan to allege the contracted hackers working for MSS have been running hacking campaigns for their own personal profit on the side. Some of the intelligence agencys hackers are running ransomware operations, the official said. In one case the hackers have targeted an American firm and made a ransom demand worth millions of dollars.

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The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday that a federal grand jury in May had charged four Chinese nationals and residents for coordinating a hacking campaign on behalf of the MSS targeting victims in the U.S. and abroad between 2011 and 2018. It was unclear if other charges related to the MSS were forthcoming.

The U.S. intelligence community has long observed hackers with connections to the Russian or Iranian government working for personal gain. But the MSS appears to have put a twist on the usual playbook of hackers working dual roles, the administration official said.

On the Russian side we sometimes see individuals moonlighting. And we see some connections between Russian intelligence services and individuals, the official said. But the MSS use of criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct.

Contract hackers have long been the bread and butter of the MSS, according to a mysterious, anonymous group known as Intrusion Truth, which has been publishing investigations on a blog dedicated to exposing what it says are hackers working for the MSS through front companies and contracts. Other researchers, including those at cybersecurity firm FireEye, have previously said that some hackers affiliated with the Chinese government appear to run financially-focused hacking operations for their own personal gain.

Chinas embassy in the U.S. did not immediately return a request for comment.

The administrations decision to highlight Chinas role in the recent spate of hacking comes just as the U.S. government is grappling with a wave of cyberattacks that Russian-speaking cybercriminals and Russian government-linked hackers have also launched against American companies in recent months. The onslaught of attacks has left the Biden administration scrambling to thwart Russian hacking campaigns and get Russian President Vladimir Putin to punish hackers launching attacks from within his country.

And while Putins response to Bidens entreaties on ransomware hacking has been lackluster by some measuresthe Kremlin says they havent received requests from U.S. agencies to hold hackers to account, a statement the Biden administration disputesthe U.S. government has taken swift action to hold Russias feet to the fire in recent months. The administration expelled 10 Russian diplomats and applied sanctions to a score of individuals and companies following a hacking operation the U.S. government says Russias Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) launched against U.S. companies and several federal agencies.

But if the administrations response to the Russian hacking has been quick and somewhat comprehensive, the administrations response to the Chinese hacking might appear to lack heft.

Chinese hackers approach to the Microsoft Exchange Server hacking was anything but strategic, and instead was indiscriminate and brazen, says Allison Nixon, who worked with companies vulnerable to the Chinese hacking operation.

It seemed like they didn't care whether victim machines belonged to a strategic target or rival nation, Nixon, chief research officer at cybersecurity consulting firm Unit 221B, told The Daily Beast.

The Chinese hackers didnt leave any vulnerable systems unscathed and left companies open to ransomware attacks, according to Nixon.

They hit the whole vulnerable population, Nixon said. When this is increasingly so damaging to civilian systems, wearing people down with this constant onslaught, we have to draw a line somewhere.

Dmitri Alperovitch, the former CTO of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrikethe firm that attributed the 2016 Democratic National Committee hack to Russian government hackerstold The Daily Beast the U.S. government ought to apply more pressure to the Chinese government.

Given that sanctions have already been used against virtually every other rogue cyber nation-state, not using them against China is a glaring oversight, said Alperovitch, now executive chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator. The administration deserves credit for the impressive international coalition of abominations against Chinas reckless Microsoft Exchange hack and Im hopeful that the next logical step will include related criminal indictments and the first-ever imposition of sanctions against [the Peoples Republic of China] actors for such violations.

The Biden administration hasnt ruled out applying more pressure to Beijing, the senior administration official said, noting that U.S. officials have been in touch with senior Chinese government officials to warn them their brazen hacking will have consequences.

We're not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC accountable, the official said. We're also aware that no one action can change the PRCs behavior Weve raised our concerns about both the Microsoft incident and the PRCs broader malicious cyber activity with senior PRC government officials, making clear that the PRCs actions threaten security, confidence, and stability in cyberspace.

Other countries are expected to attribute the activity to Beijing in the coming days, according to the official.

Beijing might be responsive to the U.S., EU, and allied naming and shaming as is, but bringing specific hackers to justice will be crucial to tamping down on this kind of attack moving forward, says Phil Reiner, the chief executive officer of the Institute for Security and Technology.

The Biden administration continues to prioritize working with international partners to enforce global rules and normsthis is refreshing, and welcome. Making clear with other national leaders that this wanton and dangerous cyber activity wont be allowed is a powerful tool, but one must wonder if additional actions are still forthcominglike indictments and or sanctions, Reiner, who previously served in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in the Pentagon, told The Daily Beast. International pressure might be considered a powerful tool in the China instance, but we should also be holding those accountable that conducted these attacks.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The number of Olympic athletes to test positive for the coronavirus is growing. More than 1 million acres are burning as wildfires rip through the West. And the first felony sentence was handed down in the Capitol riot.

 Hey y'all! It's Laura. Here's Monday's news, just for you.

But first, missing your dog? Check inside the wall!  When Gertie the dog ran off into the woods, her owner looked everywhere for her. But it wasn't until a neighbor heard cries from inside a wall that they discovered where Gertie had gotten off to. Check out this awesome video of her rescue.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Olympic athletes test positive for coronavirus

Just four days before opening ceremonies, another U.S athlete will miss out on the Tokyo Olympics. Katie Lou Samuelson, who was instrumental in the U.S. qualifying for the first-ever Olympic 3x3 women's basketball competition, was in COVID-19 health and safety protocols Saturday and will not compete in Tokyo. Samuelson is one of an increasing number of athletes and others in Tokyo who have been placed in COVID-19 protocols. On Sunday, U.S. tennis player Coco Gauff said she tested positive for the coronavirus and would withdraw from the Games, and an alternate on the U.S. women's gymnastics team in Tokyo tested positive for the virus. Fifty-five people connected with Tokyo 2020 had tested positive as of Sunday, according to organizers.

 Text with us at Tokyo Olympics! Subscribe to texts, where well be your official guide to the Games.

Opinion: Olympic leaders' nightmare scenario has become reality in Tokyo.

The rumors aren't true: The cardboard beds athletes are sleeping on at the Tokyo Olympics aren't "anti-sex."

Want to feel the Olympic spirit? Here's how to celebrate Team USA without being in Tokyo.

The prospect of athletes testing positive in the Olympic Village in Tokyo is looming large.

Wildfires spreading like wildfire across the West

Powerful storms forecast for parts of the drought-stricken West this week could actually do more harm than good as "fire clouds" and dry lightning sweep across a region already dotted with wildfires fueled by parched vegetation, heat and winds. The storms brought flash flooding to Phoenix and other areas of the Southwest, but less rain is forecast farther north. In California, the Dixie Fire had burned through 30 square miles and was threatening more than 800 homes and other structures. The remoteness of the fire, along with the steep terrain, was adding to the challenges faced by hundreds of firefighters. More than 80 wildfires were burning through 1,157,976 acres in 13 states on Monday, battled by almost 20,000 firefighters. Experts warned that unstable weather conditions could add to the misery in the coming days.

Story continues

Dramatic photos of the wildfires sweeping across California and western states as record heatwave, drought continue.

Wildfire explodes near Lake Tahoe, forcing hundreds to flee; critically dangerous fire weather expected through Monday.

Dee McCarley hugs her cat, Bunny, at a Red Cross center Wednesday in Klamath Falls, Ore.

What everyone's talking about

First felony sentence handed down in Capitol riot

A Florida man became the first felon sentenced Monday for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He got eight months in prison and was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution for a portion of the damage to the building. Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding for interrupting Congress' counting of Electoral College votes. He spent 15 minutes in the Senate chamber, holding a flag supporting former President Donald Trump and taking pictures. District Judge Randolph Moss called literally waving the flag for Trump an unmistakable sign of loyalty to a single person rather than the country and democracy.

Indiana woman plans to plead guilty for crimes committed in Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Paul Hodgkins on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

All 50 states see rise in new coronavirus cases

In an ominous run not seen since the spring 2020 surge, new coronavirus cases rose in all 50 states for the fourth day in a row on a rolling seven-day average. In some states the increases were startling. New cases in Rhode Island almost tripled week over week, and Maine and Vermont's increases were almost as large. In Massachusetts, Alaska and Kentucky, new case counts more than doubled in one week, and Minnesota, Florida and Texas were right behind. The pace of deaths also is up sharply  24.7% from its low point two weeks ago.

 2021-22 school year recommendation: The American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday that everyone older than 2 should be wearing masks in schools, regardless of vaccination status. The academy also "strongly recommends" in-person learning and urges all who are eligible be vaccinated to protect against COVID-19.

Visitors wear masks in a shopping district in Hollywood on July 1. Coronavirus cases jumped 500% in Los Angeles County over the past month, and health officials warned July 13 that the especially contagious delta variant spread rapidly among California's unvaccinated population.

Real quick

First Guantanamo Bay detainee released under Biden

Renewing the process adopted under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the Biden administration for the first time released a prisoner from Guantanamo Bay, the Pentagon announced Monday. Abdul Latif Nasir was transferred from the military prison in Cuba, which was opened after the 9/11 terror attacks, to the Kingdom of Morocco. In 2016, the board overseeing releases from Guantanamo Bay found in it was no longer necessary to detain Nasir for U.S. national security interests, but the steps for Nasir's release could not be completed by the end of the Obama administration, and transfers stalled during the Trump administration. At its peak, the prison population at Guantanamo Bay reached about 700; with Nasir's release, 39 detainees remain.

The U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was opened after the 9/11 terror attacks.

A break from the news

 15% of workers are delaying retirement because of COVID-19. Should you follow suit?

 3 things parents can do to help their child's mental health this summer.

 Are you better off putting your emergency fund in a Roth IRA instead of a savings account?

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 at the Olympics, Capitol riot sentencing, wildfires in the West, Guantanamo Bay. It's Monday's news.
A woman who worked at a day care facility in Lexington is facing multiple charges of assaulting children, police said Monday.

Breanna Marie Audette was arrested on July 15 and charged with 14 counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.

The 23-year-old Irmo resident is accused of assaulting children who were in her care at Harvest Daycare, according to the release. Thats on Whiteford Way, near Sunset Boulevard.

The investigation began on July 12, after the administrator at Harvest Daycare reported the abuse, police said.

Security footage recorded at the day care showed Audette assaulting several children by grabbing them aggressively by the arm, neck, and face, and in one incident, she pushed a child to the ground, according to the release.

Information on the conditions of the children was not available.

Audette was taken to the Lexington County Detention Center and was released after her bond was set at $14,000, police said.

If convicted, the maximum sentence for each felony unlawful conduct toward a child charge is 10 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.

Harvest Daycare administrators have cooperated throughout the investigation, police said.

Harvest Daycare is a full-time day care opportunity for children from 6-weeks-old through 5-years-old, according to the day cares website.

At Harvest, we believe that the Bible and Christian values are the foundation for happy and fulfilled people and families, the day care website says. That is certainly true when it comes to children as well. Thats why the Harvest Daycare offers not only a safe place for your children to grow, but also a Christian environment where Biblical values can be taught.

In addition to police, the assaults have also been investigated by the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
Women who reported they were sexually abused by a cardiologist in Weatherford said they feel betrayed after the Texas Medical Board gave him a slap on the hand in terms of discipline.

Dennis Doan has been accused of sexually assaulting or harassing at least 24 women over a five-year period at the Heart Center of North Texas. The Texas Medical Board determined Doan engaged in a pattern of unprofessional sexual misconduct with patients by groping, touching or massaging their breasts. On June 11, the board handed down its discipline for Doans actions  two years of probation.

The terms of Doans probation prohibit him from practicing on or seeing female patients, although he can consult on cases, review records and interpret medical tests.

The Medical Board chose to protect one of their own over sending a message to doctors that you cannot do this, said Jan Williams, one of the four women who filed criminal charges against Doan. But they chose their own. I think their message says to doctors, Hey, we can do this in the future. Were just going to get our hands slapped.

The Texas Medical Board did not respond to requests to comment.

Sexual abuse accusations

The criminal case against Doan began in 2018 when Sunny Woodall reported to Weatherford police that he had sexually abused her during an exam. During an appointment, Doan grabbed her chest and roughly massaged her breasts, according to police testimony at a Medical Board hearing. As Doan massaged her breasts, Woodall felt his erection on her side.

Weatherford police put a call out to the public asking if anyone else had been abused by Doan.

As of the June 11 Medical Board hearing, 24 women  some patients, some coworkers  reported that they, too, had been sexually harassed or abused by Doan as far back as 2013, according to Medical Board documents. Four women, including Williams, pursued criminal charges against the 46-year-old doctor.

In December, Doan pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Medical Practice Act. He could not be charged with sexual assault because the groping the women described Doan did was not considered sexual assault in Texas at the time. Until September 2019, abuse had to include penetration of some kind to be considered sexual assault in Texas.

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Doan agreed to a plea deal over the charges and received two years of probation. As part of the plea deal, his criminal record will be cleared at the end of 2022.

Williams, Woodall and the two other women who filed criminal charges against Doan called the plea agreement an injustice. And now, they say they feel betrayed by the Texas Medical Board as well. The Star-Telegram does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual abuse. The women identified in this story gave permission for their names to be used.

Doans attorneys said in a statement that the plea bargain was the result of years of investigation.

In the end, all allegations involving assaultive conduct and sexual impropriety were abandoned by the Parker County Attorneys Office, the statement from defense attorneys Christy Jack and Letty Martinez, of the law firm Varghese Summersett, said.

Once Doan completes his probation, there will be no finding of guilt, the case will be dismissed and he will not have a conviction on his record, the statement said.

The tip of the iceberg

Physicians across the country rarely have their licenses taken away after sexual misconduct accusations, according to data analyzed by Public Citizen, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Azza AbuDagga, a researcher with Public Citizens Health Research Group, said Doans case is a typical example of physicians being given a second chance when they sexually abuse patients.

In 2020, the group published a report analyzing discipline against doctors accused of sexual misconduct over a 15-year period. From 2003 to 2017, 1,354 doctors had their licenses officially flagged for sexual misconduct against patients, coworkers or both.

Of the 1,354 doctors, 38% continued to hold active licenses in the states where they were disciplined. Some of those physicians had their licenses restricted in some way, such as only seeing male patients for a period of time. Others had to undergo psychiatric evaluations or take a course on professional boundaries.

An investigation from the Atlanta Journal Constitution found 450 cases of doctors who were brought before medical boards for sexual misconduct or sex crimes in 2016 and 2017. Nearly half of those doctors kept their license to practice medicine. Even when doctors were criminally convicted  like Doan  they often were allowed to continue to practice medicine.

Stephanie Jones, another woman who pressed sexual assault charges against Doan after she she says he fondled her during exams, said she felt disappointed and betrayed by the boards lenient discipline.

I dont believe the Medical Board protects medical patients in the state of Texas, Jones said. Too many times theyve let these guys off, let them practice again. We have a doctor shortage, they say. Thats not an excuse to let a predator continue to practice.

The data on physician sexual abuse is difficult to obtain and incomplete. The reports used by Public Citizen came from the National Practitioners Data Bank, which is not available to the public. The database only includes physicians who were officially disciplined by a medical board for misconduct. There is no known database that tracks complaints made against physicians that do not result in disciplinary action, AbuDagga explained.

We only know the tip of the iceberg of the problem, AbuDagga said.

Data on sexual abuse by doctors also doesnt capture the assaults that go unreported. The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network estimates that fewer than one in four cases of sexual assault in the U.S. is reported to police.

In the same month Doan was officially disciplined by the Texas Medical Board, the board disciplined three other physicians on the basis of sexual misconduct investigations. A doctor in Houston was accused of sexually harassing a colleague and is now required to have a chaperone when seeing female patients. Another physician out of Florida voluntarily surrendered his license because he is under investigation for sexual boundary violations. A third physician in Marshall, Texas, voluntarily surrendered his license after two male patients alleged he touched them inappropriately. His license was restricted in 2020 after the first patient came forward.

Future victims?

Jones and Williams said Doan massaged and fondled their breasts under the guise of medical care during cardiology appointments. The shame they felt continues to follow them today. They worry when Doan is able to practice on patients again, more victims will trail in his wake.

Four women initially pressed criminal charges against Doan.

Woodall, Williams and three other women are also plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Doan and the Heart Center of North Texas. The Heart Center denied all claims of wrongdoing in a petition filed in response to the suit.

Only one patient, Pat Wagner, did not have her case against Doan dismissed. Wagner, 78, said at an appointment in 2016, Doan pulled her shirt up to her chin, grabbed both of her breasts and asked, Are you taking care of them? according to her testimony for the lawsuit. Doan was initially charged with assault on the elderly in Wagners case, but the charge was changed to Violation of the Medical Practice Act in the plea deal.

According to court transcripts, Doan denies that he touched anyone inappropriately or in a sexual way. He said he pleaded guilty to violation of the Medical Practice Act, according to a deposition for the lawsuit on April 22, because he failed to explain to Wagner what he was doing in the course of his physical examination.

When I used the stethoscope to examine (Wagner), he said, according to the transcript, I inadvertently may have touched the edge of her breast when I listened to her heart sound, and ... she felt like that was offensive to her.

He denied touching Williams or Jones breasts at all.

To this day, he is still denying he has done anything wrong, Williams said. And as long as someone believes they are not guilty of what is being said, theyll continue with their wrongdoing.

Doans probation terms do not restrict him in any way from interacting with female coworkers, despite at least seven women reporting Doan sexually harassed them when they were in employed at the Heart Center of North Texas.

Physicians who sexually abuse a patient often have other victims  sometimes hundreds over the course of decades. Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar made national headlines in 2016 when 200 girls and women came forward and accused him of abuse since the early 1990s.

These physicians keep practicing for 20 or more years, AbuDagga said. And they leave behind a trail of misery. They destroy the lives of many, many of their patients. And they go unpunished.

According to AbuDaggas report, of the 1,354 doctors who faced discipline due to sexual misconduct from 2003 to 2017, 221 of them had previous sexual misconduct reports made against them.

Aims for change

In May 2020, the Federation of State Medical Boards published a report on sexual abuse within the medical community and made various recommendations to address this widespread problem. The federation said misconduct, including sexual misconduct, should provide the basis for a medical board to revoke a physicians license.

Findings of even a single case of sexual misconduct are often sufficiently egregious as to warrant revocation of a physicians medical license, the federation said in the report.

And yet, medical boards still tend to side with physicians, even if the board itself finds the physician poses a danger to the public, AbuDagga said.

In Doans case, the board determined in March 2018 that Doans continued practice would constitute a continuing threat to the public welfare, and suspended his license.

The suspension was lifted in June and replaced with the two-year probation.

Medical boards are made up of other physicians and they tend to side with the perpetrator, AbuDagga said. Usually, the board negotiates a compromise with the doctor and their health organization. In Doans case, a hearing was initially scheduled in March, where the women planned to testify against Doan. Instead, the board canceled the hearing and entered into a deal with Doan, according to public documents.

As part of his deal with the Medical Board, Doan is required to take a course on professional boundaries within a year of the boards order. If he follows all provisions of his probation terms, he will likely be able to practice with female patients again.

The board often requires physicians to attend a sexual misconduct training in these cases, but they are often eventually able to practice medicine again. AbuDagga said the board sees the physicians as able to be rehabbed after sexual misconduct. She has seen no evidence this works.

Especially in this case, AbuDagga said about Doan. Theyre talking about two dozen victims. What more evidence do we need that this physician is a threat to the public?

As part of Public Citizens report, the agency made 14 recommendations to create a zero-tolerance policy toward physician sexual abuse. Those recommendations include mandated reporting in the medical community for sexual abuse, investigations of each complaint of physician sexual abuse and mandatory revocation of the license of any physician found to have engaged in sexual abuse.

Timeline of events

2011: Dennis Doan issued medical license.

2013: The first patient complains to The Heart Center of North Texas about inappropriate behavior from Doan.

2014: Jan Williams first assaulted by Doan, according to lawsuit.

2017: Williams removes herself from Doans care after 6 incidents of Doan giving her unnecessary breast exams, according to the lawsuit.

Jan. 10, 2018: Sunny Woodall has an appointment with Doan and says she is assaulted.

Jan. 12, 2018: Woodall reports the assault to Weatherford police.

Feb. 15, 2018: Media outlets publish stories about Doan, ask additional victims to step forward.

February 2018: Williams and Jones go to police.

Feb. 15, 2018: Doan is arrested, per criminal records, and charged with assault of Woodall.

March 1, 2018: Doan is temporarily suspended by the Texas Medical Board.

June 14, 2019: Five women filed a civil lawsuit filed against the Heart Center of North Texas.

Dec. 22, 2020: Doan pleads guilty to one count of violation of the Medical Practice Act.

March 2021: Hearing for Doan scheduled by the Texas Medical Board canceled.

June 11, 2021: Medical Board ratifies official discipline of Doan  two years of probation from this date  and makes discipline public.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. Call 1-800-656-HOPE(4673) to speak with a crisis support service at RAINN.
ST. PETERSBURG  More than two dozen environmental organizations joined calls for Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency for the Tampa Bay area as Red Tide continues to leave dead fish along the coast and disrupt business across the region.

An executive order would help organize and finance Red Tide clean-up efforts, said a letter signed by 29 organizations and organized by the Center for Biological Diversity. The Ocean Conservancy sent a letter saying a statewide effort, rather than local governments scrambling to deal with the disaster, would help mitigate the catastrophe.

This is the whole job of having a centralized executive government, said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida Director and senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. To provide this type of oversight and leadership, when theres a crisis of regional magnitude, which is what Red Tide is.

Lopez said the order would also: bring state oversight to cleanup efforts, make more state funding sources available and allow for a regional strategy to deal with the economic and environmental fallout. The state had sent nearly $1 million to help local cleanup efforts in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County as of last week.

What we really need here is the freeing up of resources to actually get on the water and clean up the dead fish that are already in the water, said J.P. Brooker, director of Florida conservation at the Ocean Conservancy. As those fish decay, theyre going to release more nitrogen, which is going to fuel the Red Tide event even further.

The letters add to the chorus of voices calling for the governor to act. Last week St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman asked for an emergency order and received a sharp rebuke from DeSantis office, which said the state was already helping and accused Kriseman of trying to score cheap political points.

The St. Petersburg City Council passed a resolution the following night asking DeSantis to declare a state of emergency. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who will run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2022, issued a similar call.

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DeSantis briefly addressed Red Tide during a news conference Monday in Poinciana to celebrate the passage of a land conservation bill. At the ceremonial signing, he spoke first about unrest in Cuba and then U.S. immigration policy, including his weekend trip to the Texas border, before a reporter asked about Red Tide. The governor reiterated that his administration is tapping a dedicated fund to support the local response to the toxic bloom.

We have that pot of money, DeSanits said. Were using it.

He added: Unfortunately this thing doesnt just leave so were going to have to deal with this.

Meanwhile Red Tide toxins continue to take an ecological toll: Pinellas County says it has collected a total of more than 1,277 tons of dead marine life and debris. By comparison, the county picked up about 1,800 tons during the 2018 outbreak that affected Pinellas coast.

Nearly 300 tons of waste were recovered Friday and Saturday alone, said county spokesman Tony Fabrizio, and workers reported picking up three dead loggerhead turtles as well as a dead dolphin in recent days. The county had about 30 boats out picking the dead from the water Monday.

The beaches are beginning to see more debris as stronger Red Tide concentrations show up there. Crews circled from Weedon Island to Tierra Verde over the weekend. Fabrizio said beaches up to Indian Shores have seen dead fish.

A flight over the coast showed extremely discolored water and dead fish offshore from Blind Pass to Indian Shores, he said. Discolored water is also lingering in Tampa Bay, though officials hope rain will introduce more freshwater to the estuary, which could help alleviate the situation.

Environmental organizations blame the Piney Point disaster, when in April the state allowed 215 million gallons of polluted water from an old Manatee County fertilizer plant to be released into the bay so that it wouldnt spill into neighborhoods. That likely is providing fuel for the Red Tide bloom.

If the continued insults from water pollution are not addressed, our marine ecosystems and the economy built around them will fail, said a statement from Shawn Martin, chair of Surfrider Florida Foundation Florida Keys chapter.

Red Tide resources

These online resources will keep you informed and safe:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a website that tracks where Red Tide is detected.

Florida Poison Control Centers have a toll-free 24/7 hotline to report illnesses, including from exposure to Red Tide: 1-800-222-1222

To report dead fish for clean-up in Tampa Bay, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-800-636-0511 or file a fish kill report online.

In St. Petersburg, call the Mayors Action Center at 727-893-7111 or use St. Petersburgs seeclickfix website.

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the countys tourism wing, runs an online beach dashboard at www.beachesupdate.com.

The Red Tide Respiratory Forecast allows beachgoers to check for warnings.

How to stay safe near the water

Do not swim around dead fish.

Those with chronic respiratory problems should be careful and stay away from places with a Red Tide bloom. Leave if you think Red Tide is affecting you.

Do not harvest or eat mollusks or distressed and dead fish from the area. Fillets of healthy fish should be rinsed with clean water, and the guts thrown out.

Pet owners should keep their animals away from the water and from dead fish.

Residents living near the beach should close their windows and run air conditioners with proper filters.

Beachgoers can protect themselves by wearing masks.

Source: Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
(Fixes typo in 6th para and adds second byline)

By Dawit Endeshaw and Maggie Fick

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Forces from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region have mounted attacks in neighbouring Afar region, a spokesman for Afar said on Monday, marking an expansion of an eight-month-old conflict into a previously untouched area.

Tigrayan fighters crossed into Afar on Saturday and Afar forces and allied militias were still fighting them on Monday, Afar spokesman Ahmed Koloyta said.

"Now (Ethiopian military forces) are on their way and we will work with them to eliminate (the Tigrayan forces)," he said.

Getachew Reda, a spokesman for the Tigrayan forces, confirmed they had been fighting over the weekend in Afar.

"We are not interested in any territorial gains in Afar, we are more interested in degrading enemy fighting capabilities," he said via satellite phone.

He said that Tigrayan forces had repelled militias from Ethiopia's Oromiya region who had been sent to fight alongside the Afar regional forces.

Reuters could not independently confirm his account.

A military spokesman and offficials in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office and a government taskforce on Tigray did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Thousands of people have died in the Tigray conflict so far. About 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes and more than 5 million are relying on emergency food aid.

Ethiopia has a federal system with 10 regions and in the past week the conflict in Tigray has drawn in regional forces around the country as they deploy to support the federal military.

Fighting erupted in November between the region's ruling Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the military. Three weeks later, the government declared victory when it seized the regional capital Mekelle, but the TPLF kept fighting.

At the end of June, the TPLF retook Mekelle and most of Tigray after the government withdrew soldiers and declared a unilateral ceasefire.

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The spillover of the war into another part of Africa's second most populous nation may pile more pressure on Abiy.

He won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize but is facing international criticism over the conflict amid reports of atrocities committed by federal forces and troops from neighbouring Eritrea who have fought alongside them. His government says it is investigating such reports.

The TPLF dominated Ethiopia for decades as the strongest force in a multi-ethnic coalition, until Abiy took power two years ago. They say they were forced into conflict after attempts to mediate with Abiy and ensure their region's autonomy in line with the constitution broke down.

The government designated the TPLF a terrorist organization in May.

AID CONVOY ATTACKED

TPLF leaders have said they will keep fighting until they regain control of disputed territory in the south and west of Tigray, which was seized during the fighting by the government's allies from Amhara region.

On Sunday, Abiy said the Ethiopian military was prepared to defeat Tigrayan forces.

Forces from Amhara region, which has a border dispute with Tigray, have been supporting the military since the beginning of the conflict. On Friday, three other regions said that they were sending forces to support the army.

On Sunday, the Somali region said it was also sending troops, as did Benishangul-Gumuz region on Monday. Gambella and Harari regions have also said they were sending troops, state-run Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Afar is strategically important because the road and railway linking the capital Addis Ababa to the sea port of Djibouti run through it. Djibouti is landlocked Ethiopia's main access to the sea.

Over the weekend, the head of the TPLF said that Tigrayan forces had released around 1,000 government soldiers captured during recent fighting.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Sunday it had begun visiting soldiers being detained in Tigray.

The United Nations' World Food Programme on Monday said its convoy of nine trucks were attacked on Sunday morning while moving aid into Tigray.

The convoy was attacked 115 km ( 70 miles) from the town of Semera in Afar, the agency said. WFP has suspended movement of all convoys from Semera until security can be assured.

(Additional reporting and writing by Maggie Fick in Nairobi; editing by Katharine Houreld and Angus MacSwan)
HONG KONG (Reuters) -A 37-year-old senior official of Chinese developer Evergrande Group appeared in a Hong Kong court on Monday to face a charge of attempted rape, the judiciary press office said.

The case has attracted significant attention in Hong Kong, where the defendant is accused of attempting to rape a woman after a dinner at an exclusive club in March that was also attended by three senior government officials.

Chen Fen, Evergrande's Hong Kong deputy general manager, denied attempted rape of a woman at a residential building in the Happy Valley district and was released on bail of HK$100,000 ($12,873), the press office said in a statement.

He cannot leave the city and must report to police twice a week as part of his bail conditions, Hong Kong media reported.

The court will hold a preliminary inquiry on July 30.

Evergrande did not respond to a request for comment.

Media reported that Chen had engaged three lawyers but Reuters could not reach them for comment.

A total of nine people attended the dinner, in violation of COVID restrictions at the time, media has reported.

The three government officials - Under Secretary for Security Sonny Au, Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang and Customs and Excise Commissioner Hermes Tang - were fined for breaching the four-person seating limit.

The other five attendees have not been identified.

The Hong Kong government has declined public calls for a formal investigation and full disclosure on the dinner, stressing the three officials, all under the security bureau, were not involved in any criminal investigation and the meal did not involve any conflict of interest.

The three government officials said in separate statements this month, after media reported on the dinner, that they had paid fines for violating the social gathering rules and would exercise caution when attending events in future.

Media said the dinner took place in a private club in the night life district of Wan Chai, close to Happy Valley.

($1 = 7.7678 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Clare Jim; editing by Robert Birsel and Jason Neely)
Federal prosecutors added a new count against a former gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, days after saying that investigators found child pornography on a laptop seized in the case.

Robert Hadden, a former Columbia University doctor, is now facing seven counts in connection with alleged abuse of six adult patients and one minor. Prosecutors also allege in the indictment that Hadden assaulted "dozens of female patients, including multiple minors" between 1993 and 2012, though Hadden is not facing charges for those additional allegations.

Prosecutors claim Hadden, for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity, "enticed and induced" individuals to travel interstate by "causing victims to return to appointments with him to be further sexually abused."

Each of the seven federal counts carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Hadden, who agreed in 2016 to plead guilty to two state charges of criminal sex acts in the third degree and forcible touching, has also been accused in civil lawsuits of sexually abusing dozens of patients.

The new count, which was filed July 14, alleges Hadden abused another former patient during appointments in 2008 and 2009.

Hadden entered not guilty pleas to the original counts in the case, and Hadden's attorney, public defender Deirdre von Dornum, told CBS News in an email that he will also plead not guilty to the new count during an arraignment Tuesday.

In a letter to the court on July 8, the government said FBI investigators found child pornography on an Apple iBook laptop seized during its investigation. A U.S. Attorney said during a July 12 court hearing that the computer was seized in August 2020 from the home of Hadden's deceased father. The iBook is among dozens of electronic devices seized in the case.

Von Dornum said during that hearing that she has been asking prosecutors to clarify if any charges are planned in connection with the pornography.

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"We have been asking (the prosecution) whether they plan to make use of that, whether they have any evidence that Mr. Hadden had anything to do with that, et cetera. They have so far been noncommittal, but said we should plan to see them use it in their case," von Dornum said. "I've been pressing on this issue because I don't see how it's admissible in the case in chief, and obviously it would change the trial greatly."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York declined to comment on the case.

The court has given prosecutors a September 3 deadline to tell Hadden's defense team whether it plans to use material obtained from electronic devices at trial.

Von Dornum said in a July 8 letter to the court that if the government seeks to use material found on the iBook "in any way" against Hadden, the defense will "hire a forensic expert to examine the laptop and evaluate whether there is any evidence to connect Mr. Hadden  as opposed to his father or someone else  to that material."

Von Dornum also indicated the defense may challenge whether the consent given to investigators to search Hadden's father's house "was provided by someone with actual or apparent authority to give such consent." She said in the letter that the house was in probate proceedings at the time.

Hadden and Columbia University were sued in 2018 by 17 former patients who claimed a "massive coverup" of allegations of sexual abuse by the doctor. The lawsuit has since ballooned. Anthony DiPietro, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said Monday that 195 former patients have now signed on.

An attorney for Hadden in the civil suit could not immediately be reached for comment, but he has previously denied all allegations other than those for which he entered guilty pleas in 2016.

Columbia University did not immediately reply to a request for comment Monday, but on May 26 said in an email, "Nothing is more important to Columbia than the safety of our patients, and we condemn sexual misconduct in any form. We commend all those who have called Robert Hadden to account for his abhorrent actions and deeply regret the harm he caused to women in his care, and to their families."

80 large wildfires rage across western U.S.

101-year-old pediatrician pushes off retirement

Prince Harry writing "intimate and heartfelt" memoir
By Rodrigo Viga Gaier

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -

A definitive settlement with miner Samarco and owners, BHP Group and Vale SA, for the damage caused by a burst tailings dam in 2015 could reach 100 billion reais ($19.06 billion), the governor of the Brazilian state where the disaster occurred told Reuters.

That estimate is nearly four times higher than an initial deal struck with mining companies in 2016, which created a foundation to implement reparations and temporarily froze lawsuits relating to the incident.

"The expectation is that the agreement is around 100 billion reais," Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais, told Reuters in an interview late on Friday.

His comments come after the lead prosecutor of the task force for the disaster told Reuters earlier this month that the previous agreement was not effective enough and floated a benchmark value for a future settlement of 155 billion reais.

The dam collapse at the Samarco iron ore mine near the town of Mariana in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is widely regarded as the country's largest ever environmental disaster. It released enough thick red sludge to fill about 12,000 Olympic swimming pools, flattened an entire village, killed 19 people and left hundreds homeless.

The waste flooded the Rio Doce river, choking fish and spitting them lifeless to the surface.

In 2016, the companies agreed an initial settlement with prosecutors which created a foundation through which to repair damages and a complicated chronology for payments. But the deal left space for a final definitive agreement.

According to Vale, ongoing reparations currently provide for a disbursement of 24.4 billion reais, of which about 13 billion reais have already been spent.

The company has said that a total of 5 billion reais was allocated to offset damage considered irreversible. That amount is not open to renegotiation.

Zema said the final settlement would also look to learn from the agreement signed with Vale for a separate dam disaster in 2019 at Brumadinho, in which the company agreed to pay 37.69 billion reais ($7.17 billion).

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The Brumadinho settlement has, according to Zema, been more successful at freeing up funds for wider development projects in the state of Minas Gerais. By contrast the reparations for the Mariana disaster have become caught up in red tape, Zema said.

"As it is at the moment, in 50 years still nothing would have changed, but if we do it as we're proposing, things will get better quickly," he said.

In response to requests for comment, Samarco, Vale, BHP and the Renova Foundation - responsible for implementing reparations - said they remain committed to repairing the damage done.

The negotiations with prosecutors, they added, will not interfere with projects and compensations currently in progress.

($1 = 5.2479 reais)

(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, additional reporting by Marta Nogueira, writing by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
The Tamarack Fire, which was ignited by lightning on July 4, has grown to 28.5 square miles and remains 0% contained, authorities said.

Gusty winds and dry, hot weather are increasing the size of wildfires, scorching vast stretches of California.

The National Weather Service said on Twitter that the coming days in the U.S. West will see "elevated and critical fire weather conditions and widespread chances for dry thunderstorms."

Mandatory evacuations of several small towns and other areas in the path of the fire have forced hundreds of people to leave their homes.
A ramen restaurant in Delray Beach, Fla., has been the recipient of anti-Asian vitriol from interlopers who refused to leave and take the pizza they bought elsewhere.



How it started: Ramen Lab Eatery, which sits at 25 Northeast 2nd Ave., was trying to close at 11:45 p.m. on Thursday when three white men allegedly showed up and began unstacking chairs.



The group reportedly started spewing profanities after a female employee "politely" asked them to leave. Restaurant owner Louis Grayson said he stepped in and filmed the scene.

"They started calling her a lil b*tch, saying f*ck you to her," Grayson told NextShark. "I came out and asked them to leave, but they continued to yell, got [more] aggressive and kept saying this is public property."

In the video, a man in a white shirt tells Grayson: "Take your f*cking China flu, and shove it up your a**! A**hole, you f*cking Taiwanese ch*nk motherf**ker.

Grayson is heard telling the group that he asked them to leave nicely, but the profanity continues. Sissy motherf**ker! Communist! Communist! another in pink shorts says.

Grayson told NextShark that the man in pink shorts arrived first, unstacking chairs by himself before returning with the others and buying pizza from another business. In their initial confrontation, the man allegedly told him, "I bet youre from California and a liberal, you communist.





The aftermath: The interlopers reportedly left after restaurant staff called the police. Shortly after, Grayson took the video to Instagram.



On Sunday, Grayson went to the Delray Beach Police Department to ensure that they had a report and his video evidence. "I wanted to make sure we were taking the right legal actions. [The police] said the best thing to do was put it on the internet since they could not do much with verbal abuse," he told NextShark.

Grayson said police have assured him that they have the case. As of this writing, one of the interlopers has been identified by an anonymous tipster who saw the video, he said.

One exchange that struck out to Grayson was when the group repeatedly asked him where he was from. When he said he's from the U.S., one allegedly said, "No youre not, you f*cking from [sic] China you f*cking ch*nk.

Customers and others have sent the restaurant supportive messages. Its amazing how the guy in the white shirt stopped talking once he finally realized you were taking a video. Im so sorry this world is mean! Stop the hatred, people, one user wrote.

Grayson said that while the Asian American community has always faced hate and discrimination, it's become "more prevalent" with the COVID-19 pandemic. "The difference is that now, with technology and social media, we are able to record and post instantaneously. Hate in the Asian American community has always been an issue and will continue be an issue, and just because its not being recorded and shared doesnt mean it isnt happening," he told NextShark. "I want to thank everyone who has shown their support and spread awareness  lets continue to end hate."



Featured Image via @ramenlabeatery

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A convoy bearing food for Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray came under attack at the weekend, the United Nations said Monday, dealing a further blow to aid distribution in a region threatened with famine.

The 10-vehicle World Food Programme convoy was attacked on Sunday about 115 kilometres (70 miles) from the town of Semera "while attempting to move essential humanitarian cargo into Tigray region", WFP said in a statement.

The agency said it was working with local officials to determine who was behind the incident.

"WFP has suspended movement of all convoys from Semera until the security of the area can be assured and the drivers can proceed safely."

Semera is the capital of Afar region, which borders Tigray to the east.

The route via Semera into Tigray had become critical for aid delivery in recent weeks after two key bridges along other routes were destroyed in late June.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray last November to detain and disarm leaders of the region's then-ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

He said the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps.

- Fighting spreads -

The 2019 Nobel Peace laureate declared victory in late November after government forces took the Tigray capital Mekele, but TPLF leaders remained on the run and fighting continued.

Last month the war took a stunning turn when pro-TPLF forces retook Mekele, Abiy declared a unilateral ceasefire and the army mostly pulled out of Tigray.

But after rebel leaders launched a new offensive intended to regain control of western and southern Tigray -- contested areas that have been occupied by fighters from Amhara region, which borders Tigray to the south -- Abiy vowed to "repel" them.

Officials from six regions and the city of Dire Dawa have since vowed to send troops to back up government forces.

At the weekend rebel forces carried out what a spokesman described as a "very limited action" in Afar targeting special forces and militia fighters from Oromia region, the country's largest.

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A state media report published Saturday night accused the TPLF, which the government deems a terrorist organisation, of blocking aid into Tigray via Afar using "heavy shelling" and "heavy artillery."

But rebel spokesman Getachew Reda denied any aid delivery had been disrupted, saying the fighting was not near any aid routes.

A senior UN official told the UN Security Council this month that the Tigray conflict had pushed 400,000 people into famine and that another 1.8 million people are on the brink of famine.

rcb/txw/gd
Fifteen diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, as well as a NATO representative, called for a ceasefire with the Taliban on Monday.

It comes just hours after a peace meeting in Doha failed to agree on a ceasefire.

Afghan leaders met the Taliban's political leadership in the Qatari capital over the last two days, but a Taliban statement late on Sunday made no mention of a halt to rising violence.

Australia, Canada, the EU and Germany were among those calling for the Taliban to halt offenses.

The Taliban has made sweeping gains as the U.S has withdrawn troops. They have captured several districts and border crossings in the north and west.

The statement also condemned rights violations, such as efforts to shut schools and media organisations in areas recently captured by the Taliban, which has previously denied such allegations.

The U.N. refugee agency estimates 270,000 Afghans have been displaced inside the country since January, bringing the number of people forced from their homes to more than 3.5 million.
A former police officer in El Salvador is accused of having dozens of bodies, most of them women, buried around his residence and is facing charges of at least four counts relating to homicide.

Hugo Osorio, 51, allegedly told police there could be up to 40 bodies in several graves around his property in Chalchuapa, roughly 50 miles from the capital city of San Salvador, according to a now-deleted confession published on June 12 by Revista Factum. Osorio was discharged from the National Civil Police in 2005 for having sexual relations with a minor and raping an underage person and spent five years in prison.

While El Salvador is known for its history of high crime rates, the incident has led some news outlets to call the home the "House of Horrors." Authorities have found at least 17 bodies surrounding the home, according to a report by Reuters.

EL SALVADOR BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO ACCEPT BITCOIN AS LEGAL TENDER

Neighbors reported screaming and that a woman fled the residence on May 7, but she was allegedly hit in the head by Osorio, who used a metal pipe, and dragged her back inside.

Reports said that Jacquelinne Palomo Lima, 26, and her mother were lured to the windowless home after Osorio promised them information pertaining to Palomo's missing brother. When police arrived at the home on May 7, Palomo Lima's body was found along with the bodies of her mother and the missing brother, including 14 other corpses discovered in a mass grave behind the home, Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro told reporters on May 19.

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Palomo Lima's 79-year-old grandfather, Jose de la Cruz, said a trail of blood left by his granddaughter is the primary evidence that led to the discovery of his slain family.

"If it had not been for her, I would still be looking for them," the grandfather told Reuters.

Osorio was charged on May 12 on two counts of femicide, killings that deliberately target women. He later received an additional two counts of homicide. At least nine other people have been charged with aggravated homicide and femicide in connection to the deceased bodies.

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Prosecutors offered Osorio a deal in exchange for his testimony and collaborating in nine cases involving other alleged accomplices, they said in a May 21 press conference. The deal was referred to as an "opportunity of partiality," and no other information was disclosed about the agreement, according to the outlet.

The confession published by Revista Factum alleging that up to 40 victims were buried around the residence was taken down on June 14, two days after El Salvador's attorney general obtained a court order forcing it to do so.

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All known bodies surrounding the residence in Chalchuapa were exhumed earlier this month, Villatoro said at a July 14 news conference. He did not disclose the total number of victims. A criminologist overseeing the investigation, Israel Ticas, was sanctioned by the government for suggesting to the media there could be at least 40 victims, according to Reuters.

Salvadoran Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado has dismissed any reports alleging at least 40 victims, saying they are unproven, the outlet added.

Data from the United Nations show El Salvador has long been a dangerous country for women. The country recorded 10.2 femicides per 100,000 women in 2017, making it the highest rate of such crimes in Latin America. A survey conducted in the same year by the U.N. found 67% of Salvadoran women had experienced some form of violence in their lives.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Despite the country's government reporting 1,322 homicides in all of 2020, marking an 80% drop from five years prior, some human rights organizations have questioned the validity of recent government homicide reports. The government has also claimed a 61% decline in femicides in the first six months of 2020, compared to the first half of 2019.

U.N. data from 2018 show one woman was killed in a femicide every 24 hours in El Salvador, according to the Organization of Salvadoran Women for Peace.

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Tags: News, Crime, El Salvador, murder, Central America

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Former El Salvadoran policeman accused of having dozens of bodies buried around 'House of Horrors' residence
PARIS (Reuters) - The French government adjusted its new plan to fight COVID-19 on Monday, slashing planned fines and postponing them to an unspecified date, spokesman Gabriel Attal said.

The measures, which include requiring a health pass in a wide array of venues from the start of August and making vaccination mandatory for health workers, will still account for some of the toughest in Europe.

The health pass provides proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has recently had a negative coronavirus test or has newly recovered from the virus.

What changes is that a planned 45,000 euro fine for businesses which do not check that clients have a health pass will be much lower, starting at up to 1,500 euros and increasing progressively for repeat offenders.

Besides, checks will initially be meant to help people apply the measures but the fines will not be imposed immediately. Government spokesman Attal told a news conference he could not say exactly when the "run-in period" would end and fines would be imposed.

He said it might be more than a week but would be less than a month, to give everyone the time to adapt to the new rules.

"We have entered the fourth wave of the epidemic," Attal said after a meeting of the French cabinet.

A health pass will be required in venues including cinemas, bars, restaurants, hospitals and long-distance train and planes, a decision that led to protests at the weekend.

The plan, set to be voted on by parliament, was announced a week ago by President Emmanuel Macron as infections rose and vaccination rates slowed down. The plan also foresees that people who test positive for coronavirus will need to self-isolate for 10 days.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Ingrid Melander; editing by Grant McCool)
French President Emmanuel Macron decorated veteran American civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson on Monday with France's highest order of merit, the Legion of Honour.

Macron said that Jackson had spent his life fighting for the same values as the French republic and he called him a "great friend" of the country, noting his role in helping free French hostages during the first Gulf War.

Jackson, 79, said he was "deeply honoured" by the award, adding: "I have received several honours from around the globe but this one is among the very special ones because of France's continuing courageous and moral leadership around the world."

Baptist minister Jackson, was a companion of Martin Luther King in the 1960s.

After running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, he was appointed by Bill Clinton as his envoy to Africa.

Jackson announced in 2017 that he was suffering from Parkinson's disease.

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Georgias speaker of the House has called for an independent investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County.

Speaker David Ralston made the demand in a Thursday letter to Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron in which he called for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to get involved to determine if any irregularities or willful fraud occurred.

"Recently, media reports have surfaced which call into question the way in which Fulton County conducted, counted and audited the November 2020 Presidential Election," Ralston wrote. "Given the seriousness of this situation and the possible repercussions for our state and nation, it is time we have an independent investigation  once and for all  of the way in which Fulton County conducted, counted and audited the November 2020 Presidential Election."

GEORGIA LEGISLATOR SEEKS INVESTIGATION INTO RAFFENSPERGER OVER 2020 ELECTION 'FAILURES'

President Joe Biden won the state by roughly 12,000 votes approximately eight months ago, a tally affirmed in multiple recounts and certified by the state, however, former President Donald Trump and his allies insist there was widespread election fraud in the Peach State, among others, as well.

Ralston's call for an investigation into Georgia's most populous county came the same day that state Sen. Burt Jones, a Republican on the Senate Government Oversight Committee, sent a letter to committee Chairman Sen. Marty Harbin calling on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to testify about the election results.

Both Ralston and Jones referenced reports that have supposedly called into question the final vote tallies, though neither has shown evidence that Bidens win could be invalidated. One report last week alleged that nearly 200 absentee ballots were scanned twice.

Separately, Raffensperger urged local officials last week to terminate both Barron and Ralph Jones, the registration chief, for their "continued failures."

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Every time we think weve reached the peak of Fultons elections mismanagement issues, more comes to light, the secretary of state told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Ive been calling for change in Fulton since day one. Maintaining public confidence in our elections begins in Fulton County."

A report written by an independent election observer monitoring the November election in Fulton, which includes much of Atlanta, found that the county's election was sloppily handled but did not uncover any fraud. Raffensperger opened an investigation last month into the handling of paperwork in Fulton County related to the use of drop boxes for the 2020 election.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The secretary of state was thrust into the national spotlight after it was revealed Trump tried pressuring him to find the number of votes sufficient to win the state. That call is now under scrutiny as part of a criminal investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election in Fulton County.

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Tags: News, Georgia, 2020 Elections, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Investigation

Original Author: Mike Brest

Original Location: Georgias House speaker calls for independent investigation of Fulton County 2020 election
By Andreas Kranz and Leon Kugeler

STEINBACHTAL DAM, Germany (Reuters) -German officials rejected suggestions that they had done too little to prepare for last week's floods and said warning systems had worked, as the death toll from the country's worst natural disaster in almost six decades rose above 160.

Flooding has devastated parts of Western Europe since last Wednesday, with the German states of Rhineland Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as parts of Belgium, among the worst hit.

In the Ahrweiler district south of Cologne, at least 117 people were killed, and police warned that the death toll would almost certainly rise as the clean-up continues from floods whose costs are expected to rise into the many billions.

The high death toll has raised questions around why so many people seemed to have been surprised by the flash flooding, with opposition politicians suggesting the death toll revealed serious failings in Germany's flood preparedness.

Seehofer said in response that the German National Meteorological Service (DWD) issues warnings to Germany's 16 states and from there to districts and communities that decide at a local level how to respond.

"It would be completely inconceivable for such a catastrophe to be managed centrally from any one place," Seehofer told journalists on Monday. "You need local knowledge."

Criticism of the emergency response was "cheap election campaign rhetoric", he said.

The devastation of the floods, attributed by meteorologists to the effects of climate change, could shake up Germany's federal election in September, which until now had seen little discussion of climate.

A poll for Der Spiegel found only 26% thought Armin Laschet, the state premier who is the conservatives' candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor, was a good crisis manager.

The campaign frontrunner was pilloried at the weekend for seeming to laugh while the German president delivered a solemn mourning speech.

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Local authorities said that the Steinbachtal Dam visited by Seehofer - which had been at risk of breach for several days, prompting the evacuation of thousands - had been stabilised and that residents could return home later on Monday.

Armin Schuster, head of the federal disaster management agency, challenged claims that his agency had done too little, telling Reuters in an interview that it had sent out 150 warnings, but that it was for local authorities to decide how to respond.

'TERRIFYING SCENES'

Clean-up work was continuing in the Ahrweiler district, but with many of 170 still missing thought to be in areas authorities had not yet reached or where waters had not yet receded, few were likely to be found alive.

"Our focus is on giving certainty as soon as possible," Stefan Heinz, a senior district police officer, said. "And that includes identifying the victims."

The worst of the flooding cut off entire communities from power or communications. Residents were trapped in their homes by fast-rising floodwaters and a number of houses collapsed, leaving what Merkel on Sunday described as "terrifying" scenes.

The DWD weather service had warned on Monday last week that heavy rain was heading to western Germany and that flooding was very likely. On Wednesday morning, it said on Twitter that the risk of flooding was increasing and called on the population to seek guidance from local authorities.

Germany is readying a relief package for hard-hit communities in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, and also in Bavaria and Saxony, where there were fresh floods over the weekend.

Insurers estimate the direct cost of the floods may run as high as 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion). The transport ministry estimates the cost at repairing damaged roads and railways at 2 billion euros, Bild reported.

One government source told Reuters on Monday that immediate relief worth around 400 million euros ($340 million) was being discussed, half of which would be paid by the federal government and half by the states.

The relief package, which is also expected to include billions of euros for longer-term rebuilding efforts, is due to be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday.

No new casualties were reported in Belgium, where 31 people are known to have died. The number of missing on Monday stood at 71, compared to 163 on Sunday. Some 3,700 homes were still without drinking water.

In the Netherlands, thousands of residents in the southern province of Limburg began returning home after water levels receded from record heights that threatened towns and villages across the region. Though floods left a trail of damage, all major dykes held and no casualties were reported.

(Reporting by Reuters TV, Holger Hansen, Anneli Palmen, Andreas Rinke, Matthias Inverardi and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; Writing by Maria Sheahan and Thomas Escritt; Editing by Kirsti Knolle, Alex Richardson and Nick Macfie)
The censorship of conservative voices on social media, headlined by the Twitter and Facebook ban of former President Donald Trump, is pushing Republicans further away from the sites.

In new Fabrizio, Lee & Associates polling provided to Secrets, just 14% of Republicans said they have a favorable view of Twitter and 22% said so of Facebook.

GOP voters are sick and tired of the big social media companies, said pollster Tony Fabrizio in his analysis.

But, he added, its not an anti-internet thing. There is, Fabrizo said, much more approval by Republicans of other Big Tech companies, such as Amazon, Google, and Apple.

The Republican disapproval of Facebook and Twitter, he added, open the door to new conservative-supportive social sites such as Parler and GETTR to surge.

GETTR founder Jason Miller, a former spokesman for Trump, said the site has grown faster than Twitter and Facebook and would really surge if Trump joins.

Just in case, he said, Trumps former Twitter handle, @RealDonaldTrump, has been reserved for his former boss. Its in the safe, Miller said.

Twitter has suspended former President Trump's famous account and the new site, GETTR, has reserved his handle.

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Tags: Washington Secrets, Donald Trump, Donald Trump twitter

Original Author: Paul Bedard

Original Location: GETTR reserves '@RealDonaldTrump,' it's 'in the safe'
For about 10 minutes, Haitian President Jovenel Moise attempted to call security forces to counter the early morning raid that unfolded at his home earlier this month before he was assassinated, according to a report.

The Miami Herald reported that Moise called the Haitian National Police commissioner, and urged him to, "Mobilize people."

The report said that about 10 minutes passed and there were no signs of any security reinforcements at the scene. At one point, he called a "tactically trained officer" from the national force.

BIDEN TO BOLSTER SECURITY AT US EMBASSY IN HAITI, WON'T SEND TROOPS TO STABILIZE COUNTRY

"I need your assistance now!" he said, according to the paper. "My life is in danger. Come quick; come save my life."

There was silence and then the sound of an assault rifle, the report said. When it was over, Moise lay sprawled on his bedroom floor. He had been shot in the forehead, chest, hip and stomach, and his left eye was gouged.

The suspected assassins were made up of Haitians, Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers. The shooting occurred at Moise's Port-au-Prince home on July 7.

The attack on the 53-year-old "was carried out by foreign mercenaries and professional killers  well-orchestrated," and that they were masquerading as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bocchit Edmond, the Haitian ambassador to the U.S., said.

WIFE RETURNS TO HAITI AFTER MEDICAL TREATMENT

The paper said it along with the McClatchy Washington Bureau spoke to "at least three people" who received calls from the presidents house on that morning. The paper said it is still a mystery how the team managed to get past several layers of security at the home.

None of the presidents security guards were hurt.

"When I send you to protect a president, I dont send you to live, I send you to die protecting him," one member of the security detail told the paper.

So far, police have detained more than 20 suspects they say were directly involved in the killing, including a contingent of former Colombian special forces soldiers. Other suspects were killed by authorities as they closed in.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Mural of Jovenel Moise. VALERIE BAERISWYL/AFP via Getty Images

As the investigation into the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise continues, new details reported by The Miami Herald shed a chilling light on the president's final moments and frantic cries for help.

At 1:34 a.m. on July 7, the night he was killed, Moise reportedly called the Haitian National Police commissioner and said, "They are shooting by my house." "Mobilize people," he added, per the Herald. Gunfire had begun just minutes before.

Moise then spent 10 minutes desperately requesting backup, the Herald writes. "With no sign of his security forces," Moise made another call to a "tactically trained officer" with the Haiti National Police and exclaimed, "I need your assistance, now!" "My life is in danger. Come quick; come save my life," he reportedly said.

But the foreign mercenaries had already come inside Moise's residence and gone straight to his room, while "talking to someone on the phone to identify the president," said the officer Moise spoke with. Once the target's identity was confirmed, the shooter allegedly "turned to face the president and shot him without any conversation," per the Herald.

When national police officers arrived on the scene shortly after 2 a.m., they found Moise's wife, Martine, wounded in the hallway in front of the bedroom door. She later maintained that although the president was hit with "as many as 12 gunshot wounds," "he was killed almost immediately," the Herald writes.

"This never should have happened with the presidential guard," said the officer, who also reportedly added that "he's always been concerned about weaknesses in the president's security detail."

On Monday, Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph agreed to step down and hand power over to Ariel Henry, his "challenger who has been backed by the international community," reports The Washington Post.

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Weapons of mass destruction
A group representing Virginia hospitals is urging health care systems to require employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, saying the shots are driving infections down to their lowest levels since the pandemic began.

The Virginia Hospitals and Healthcare Association, an alliance of 110 hospitals and 26 health systems, issued a statement Monday calling on its members to determine the appropriate time to implement mandates.

Hospital and health system employee vaccination against COVID-19 will maintain the long-term ability of our health care system to respond to the pandemic, to safely care for patients by protecting them from infection, and to mitigate the spread of the virus within health care facilities and among clinicians, patients, and their families and friends, the association said. Implementing COVID-19 vaccine requirements will help accomplish these goals, while protecting the patients and communities served by our hospitals and health systems.

The associations position comes seven months into a nationwide vaccine rollout that has led to dramatic declines in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. In Virginia, only one person who was fully vaccinated against the virus died of the disease last month, according to new health department data, and 99% of all new illnesses are happening among those who arent vaccinated.

Frontline health care workers were some of the first people eligible to receive the shots, and all immunizations were voluntary, given that they were only authorized by federal drug officials for emergency use. With more scientific evidence available, though, some medical organizations are now beginning to impose vaccination requirements, just as they have for the flu and other communicable diseases.

Today, about 3.3% of coronavirus cases in Eastern Virginia are among health care workers, according to the Virginia Department of Health, down from its peak in April 2020 of about 26%.

In Hampton Roads, no hospital system has announced plans to make the shots a condition of employment, but that could change.

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Childrens Hospital of The Kings Daughters and Bon Secours Mercy Health say they encourage vaccination and will evaluate whether to revise their policies in the future. Megan Barr, a spokeswoman for Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, said the community hospital also only recommends vaccination but will revisit the policy after the Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccines.

Sentara Healthcare, which owns 17% of the states inventory of hospital beds, said it agrees with the associations stance on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines but is keeping the status quo.

At this time and with continued evaluation, COVID-19 vaccination remains voluntary for Sentara employees, Dr. Jordan Asher, Sentaras chief physician executive, said in a statement. We strongly encourage our team members as well as all community members who are eligible and able to get vaccinated.

Asher said regardless of staffs vaccination status, they are keeping patients and visitors safe by wearing masks and continuing safety protocols in clinical settings.

Riverside Health did not return requests for comment on its vaccination policy.

Its unclear how many health care workers in the region are already vaccinated. When asked by The Virginian-Pilot, hospital system representatives either said they didnt have the data or declined to answer.

Outside the region, Inova Health, which operates five hospitals in Northern Virginia, said it will require its employees to get vaccinated by Sept. 1. Inova, which has 18,000 employees, expects part-time workers and contractors to get immunized, too.

About a week ago, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believes there should be more vaccination mandates at the local level, though the Biden administration has stopped short of giving any top-down directives.

There will be decisions made by private-sector entities, by universities, by educational institutions, and even perhaps by local leaders, should they decide that is how to keep their community safe, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said July 12. If they decide to make that decision, we certainly support them in that step.

Though the summer has seen a sharp decline in cases, public health officials say when it comes to the coronavirus, Virginia is not out of the woods. They believe vaccination will be the most effective tool at stopping the pandemic, which has killed over 11,400 Virginians and infected 533,000.

The delta variant, a more aggressive mutation of the virus, presents a new threat to unvaccinated residents and under-vaccinated communities. Data scientists say its likely already the dominant COVID-19 bug circulating in the state.

Julian Walker, a spokesman for the Virginia association, said the group made a statement last fall encouraging all health care workers and residents to get vaccinated. But research points to vaccines being safe and effective, prompting the group to endorse mandates.

The associations board of directors, composed of health system representatives from across the state, made the decision to weigh in on the issue when it met last week.

This most recent statement is a reflection of that ongoing evaluation, looking at the latest science, he said.

Public health officials anticipate more hospitals and medical practices will mandate vaccination, following a federal court ruling in Texas that sided with a hospital that required workers to get vaccinated.

Over 100 workers at Houston Methodist Hospital who had been put on leave without pay for not getting vaccinated sued their employer, saying the action would constitute wrongful termination.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes dismissed the case, saying the staff was free to work somewhere else.

The lawsuit likened the threat of termination to forced medical experiments during the Holocaust. Hughes vehemently disagreed, saying the hospital was a private employer, not the government.

Equating the injection requirement to medical experimentation in concentration camps is reprehensible, he wrote. Nazi doctors conducted medical experiments on victims that caused pain, mutilation, permanent disability, and in many cases, death.

He added: Every employment includes limits on the workers behavior in exchange for his remuneration. This is all part of the bargain.

In the past few weeks, many organizations representing medical professionals have called for coronavirus vaccine requirements for health care workers. A coalition, including the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and five other medical groups, said without vaccination being a condition of employment, a sufficient vaccination rate is unlikely to be achieved.

The coalition provided guidance on how hospitals and health care systems could implement new policies, including legal and ethical considerations.

Research shows that prior to the pandemic, rates of routine vaccinations among health care providers werent optimal.

But when health care employers instituted policies for flu shots as a condition of employment, compliance rose to over 94% during the 2019-2020 season, the coalition said, compared to 70% in organizations without a requirement.

Elisha Sauers, 757-839-4754, elisha.sauers@pilotonline.com
Jul. 19Honolulu police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 34-year-old man early today in Wahiawa.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services paramedics responded to a report of a man with gunshot wounds to his upper torso just after 5 a.m.

Witnesses reported seeing an unknown man shoot the victim while seated inside a car, police said.

The man was treated by paramedics and transported by ambulance from Lakeview Circle in critical condition at 5 :14 a.m. to a hospital, EMS said.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Police have not made any arrests and said they do not have any leads about the suspect.

The case has been classified as a second-degree murder.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office has not yet identified the victim.
ABC News

America's top general on Wednesday spoke publicly for the first time about whether he feared then-President Donald Trump would try to involve the military in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as reported in a newly-released book. While Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, at a rare Pentagon news conference, declined to comment on specific claims made in the book, he and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Wednesday were emphatic that the military is and ought to remain a strictly "apolitical" institution. "I, the other members of the Joint Chiefs, and all of us in uniform, we take an oath, an oath to a document, an oath to the Constitution of the United States, and not one time do we violate that," Milley told reporters asking about the book excerpts.
(Corrects name of volunteer in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9, corrects age in paragraph 2)

By Tommy Ardiansyah

JAKARTA (Reuters) - As coronavirus surges in the Indonesian capital, volunteers like Badie Uzzaman are pitching in to help, delivering food to people who have tested positive but are forced to quarantine at home as hospitals run short of beds.

The 26-year-old driver of a three-wheeler, Badie drops off the packages in front of patients' homes, calling out that their food has arrived and making small talk from a distance.

"I do feel scared," said Badie, one of four volunteers who deliver meals to up to 70 homes three times a day. "I'm worried all the time as I have family and go home to them after work."

In recent days, new infections, driven by the more virulent Delta variant, have been higher in the world's fourth-most populous nation than elsewhere, a seven-day average from a Reuters tracker showed.

Badie works for non-profit charity Dompet Dhuafa, or "Wallet for the Poor", which set up the kitchen, and aims to open two more, after some housewives joined in the task of cooking rice, chicken and vegetables.

"Many hospitals are full," said coordinator Ahmad Yamin. "We decided to create this kitchen station to help people ... and give them nutritious food to boost their immune systems so they can recover as soon as possible."

With hospital occupancy rates at about 90%, few COVID-19 sufferers are likely to find a bed, so their only option is to self-isolate, recover at home and prevent the spread of the virus.

Daily infections in the Southeast Asian nation of more than 270 million hit a high near 57,000 last week, while the death toll has doubled from early July to about 1,000 per day.

Badie has overcome fears of getting infected from his work, he said.

"I've fallen in love with humanity after all and that is what makes me believe everything will be fine."

(Corrects name of volunteer in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9, corrects age in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Tommy Ardiansyah and Yuddy Cahya Budiman; Editing by Karishma Singh and Clarence Fernandez)
By Andre Paultre and Daphne Psaledakis

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -Claude Joseph, who has nominally led Haiti as acting prime minister since the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, will hand power to a challenger backed by the international community possibly as soon as Tuesday, a Haitian official said.

The announcement appears to end a power struggle in the Caribbean nation between Joseph and Ariel Henry, the 71-year old neurosurgeon who was appointed prime minister by Moise two days before the killing but had yet to be sworn in.

Haiti foreign ministry senior official Israel Jacky Cantave said that Joseph took charge following Moise's assassination to help ensure continuity of state but would hand over power to Henry now that there is a consensus on the future of the country and protests have calmed.

Cantave said that Haiti's Council of Ministers would meet on Monday and that if all goes well, Joseph could hand over power to Henry in a ceremony on Tuesday.

Reuters was unable to immediately reach Joseph by phone for comment.

Moise was shot dead when attackers armed with assault rifles stormed his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince. The assassination has pitched the poorest country in the Americas into political uncertainty at a time of surging gang violence that has displaced thousands of people and hampered economic activity.

Joseph told the Washington Post in an interview published Monday that he and Henry had met privately over the past week, and that he had agreed on Sunday to step down "for the good of the nation" and was willing to transfer power "as quickly as possible."

Haiti, a country of about 11 million people, has struggled to achieve stability since the fall of the Duvalier dynastic dictatorship in 1986, and has grappled with a series of coups and foreign interventions.

On Saturday, the 'Core Group' of international ambassadors and representatives urged https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/martine-moise-widow-assassinated-president-returns-haiti-2021-07-18 "the formation of a consensual and inclusive government."

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"To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government," the group said.

The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, and the European Union and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

The group also called for the organization of "free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible."

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed reports that Haitian politicians were discussing ways of working together in the wake of the assassination, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday.

Henry told Reuters on July 9 that he considered Joseph to be not interim prime minister but a foreign minister who had taken on the office.

"My installation should be done as soon as possible. I'm working on the formation of a government, I am consulting, and I should speed up my consultations," he said in the interview.

A Colombian police chief said on Friday https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-justice-min-ex-official-could-have-ordered-moise-killing-colombia-police-2021-07-16 the assassination may have been ordered by a former Haitian justice ministry official, citing a preliminary investigation that has implicated Haitian Americans and former Colombian soldiers.

Martine Moise, the assassinated president's widow, returned to Haiti on Saturday for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the attack.

(Reporting by Andre Paultre in Port-au-Prince and Daphne Psaledakis, Matt Spetalnick and Jan Wolfe in Washington; writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Rosalba O'Brien)
More than a dozen diplomatic missions in Afghanistan on Monday called for "an urgent end" to the Taliban's ruthless military offensive, saying it was at odds with claims they want a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.

The statement -- signed by the US, EU, and over a dozen other missions in Kabul -- follows another round of inconclusive talks in Qatar over the weekend between the Afghan government and the Taliban that many hoped would kickstart the ailing peace process.

"The Taliban's offensive is in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement," it read.

"It has resulted in loss of innocent Afghan lives, including through continued targeted killings, displacement of the civilian population, looting and burning of buildings, destruction of vital infrastructure, and damage to communication networks."

For months, the two sides have been meeting on and off in the Qatari capital, but have achieved little, if any, notable success -- with the discussions appearing to have lost momentum as the militants made enormous battlefield gains.

A joint statement released late Sunday said little more than they had agreed on the need to reach a "just solution", and to meet again "next week".

"We also agreed that there should be no pause in the negotiations," Abdullah Abdullah, who oversees the Afghan government's delegation, told AFP.

He noted, however, that neither side was currently pursuing a joint ceasefire during the talks, despite urgent calls from Afghan civil society and the international community to end the surge in fighting.

During the summit in Doha, the Taliban's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada released his own statement saying he "strenuously favours" a political settlement -- even as the hardline Islamist movement continues its sweeping offensive across the nation.

Despite coming days ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, the statement notably made no mention of a formal call for a ceasefire.

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Over the years, the Taliban have announced a series of short truces during Islamic holidays, initially spurring hopes for a larger reduction of violence.

However, the group has been criticised for using the temporary ceasefires to resupply and reinforce their fighters, allowing them to launch devastating onslaughts on Afghanistan's security forces once the truce expires.

With foreign forces in the last stages of a withdrawal due to be complete by the end of August, the Taliban have cut a huge swath across Afghanistan, capturing hundreds of districts, seizing key border crossings and encircling provincial capitals.

bur-gw-ds/fox/qan
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. government on Wednesday extended the closure of land borders with Canada and Mexico to non-essential travel such as tourism through Aug. 21 even as officials debate whether to require visitors to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. The latest 30-day extension by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) came after Canada said on Monday it would start allowing in fully vaccinated U.S. visitors on Aug. 9 for non-essential travel after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a 16-month ban that many businesses have called crippling. "We rely on the guidance of our health and medical experts, not on the actions of other countries," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, declining to offer any timetable for when the administration might ease travel restrictions that bar much of the world from the United States.
An American father-son duo who helped former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn flee Japan were sentenced to jail by a Tokyo court on Monday, one for two years and the other 20 months.

The sentences are the first to be handed down in Japan in the Nissan saga, which began with former auto tycoon Ghosn's shock arrest in 2018 on financial misconduct allegations.

Former US special forces operative Michael Taylor was jailed for two years, while his son Peter received a sentence of 20 months for their role in smuggling Ghosn onto a private jet inside an audio equipment box.

"This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of serious crime, to escape overseas," chief judge Hideo Nirei said. "Both defendants pulled off an unprecedented escape."

Nirei said there was "no prospect" of Ghosn's trial resuming because he is now a fugitive in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.

The Taylors, who faced up to three years in prison, did not contest involvement in what US prosecutors described as "one of the most brazen and well orchestrated escape acts in recent history".

The pair both apologised in previous hearings at which Japanese prosecutors had sought a sentence of two years, 10 months for Michael, and two years, six months for Peter.

Their defence lawyers had argued that a suspended sentence was appropriate given their remorse, and asked that the 10 months they were in US detention before being extradited should be considered in sentencing.

But Nirei said that detention period was not related to the crime and should be treated differently.

He informed the men, who wore dark suits and white shirts with no tie and remained silent as he spoke, that they could file an appeal within 14 days.

- Compensation 'motive' -

The Taylors arrived in Tokyo in March after losing a battle against extradition.

At their first hearing, in June, prosecutors described the almost-cinematic details of the operation -- including that Ghosn was hidden in a large case with air holes drilled into it to slip past security at an airport.

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Describing the experience recently to the BBC, Ghosn said the half-hour in the box waiting for the plane to take off was "probably the longest wait I've ever experienced in my life".

A third man, identified as George Antoine Zayek, is also accused of involvement in the escape but remains at large.

According to the prosecution, the Ghosn family paid the Taylors more than $860,000 for preparation and logistical costs, and $500,000 in cryptocurrency for lawyers' fees.

"The main motive for this case was compensation," Nirei said.

Ghosn's escape started with him simply walking out of the luxury central Tokyo residence where he was out on bail on December 29, 2019, and taking a shinkansen bullet train to Osaka in western Japan.

"There were dozens of people in the carriage, but I was wearing a cap, a facemask and sunglasses. You'd have had to be a real expert to recognise me under all that," Ghosn wrote in a book published last year.

He met Michael Taylor in a hotel in Osaka and was smuggled onto the private jet, transiting in Turkey before arriving in Lebanon.

- Kelly trial -

Ghosn, who holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports, says he fled Japan because he did not believe he would receive a fair trial.

He has always denied the charges against him, arguing they were cooked up by Nissan executives who opposed his attempts to more closely integrate the firm with French partner Renault.

The fallout from the saga has been vast, with Nissan's CEO forced out after his own financial irregularities were uncovered in a probe that followed Ghosn's arrest.

A former Nissan aide to Ghosn, Greg Kelly, is awaiting the verdict in his trial in Japan. He could face 10 years or more in prison if convicted of financial misconduct.

And two pilots and another employee of a small private airline in Turkey have been sentenced to four years and two months for their role in Ghosn's escape.

In May, Ghosn was questioned by French investigators in Lebanon over a series of alleged financial improprieties.

But he was only heard as a witness, and would need to be in France to be formally indicted.

hih-nf-sah/kaf/qan
Jeb Bush, the former GOP presidential candidate, took to Twitter on Sunday to appeal to the Bide administration to employ the needed technology to restore internet service in Cuba amid the unrest that was sparked a week ago during anti-government protests.

"Technology exists to tear down Cubas cyberall (sp) and aid dissenters if President Biden is willing to use it," he posted. "Please do so, President Biden."

Bush retweeted an editorial from the Wall Street Journal that pointed to Havanas attempt to stem protests by limiting internet access in certain areas of the country. The tactic is not a new one and has been used by other regimes facing unrest.

The paper said the question really is not if the U.S. has the technology; the question is if the Biden administration has to political will to make such a move.

"Biden may be wary of upsetting the left and its romance with the Cuban regime, but the 2020 election showed thats a losing strategy in Florida," the paper said.

Biden said Thursday that he is considering establishing an internet source for the Cuban people after the government shut off access amid mass protests.

The Cuban government ended the internet shutdown Wednesday, allowing videos and images to surface that revealed suppressive efforts by police forces to quell the protests, but service has been unreliable.

The White House did not immediately respond to an email from Fox News.

In 2015, when he was considering a run for president, he was critical of the Obama administrations approach to Cuba.

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"Ninety miles to our south, there is talk of a state visit by our outgoing president," he said, referring to President Obama. "But we don't need a glorified tourist to go to Havana in support of a failed Cuba. We need an American president to go to Havana in solidarity with a free Cuban people, and I am ready to be that president."

Fox News' Caitlyn McFall contributed to this report
A Kansas City man is accused of fatally stabbing his mother, brother and sister inside their home last week after family members grew concerned over increasingly erratic behavior, according to court records.

Rahman M. Muhammad, 38, was charged Monday with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of armed criminal action in connection to the slayings. The bodies of his relatives were discovered by police in Kansas Citys Linwood Homeowners-Ivanhoe neighborhood last week.

The victims were identified in court documents as Shirley Muhammad, Jaelin Ransom and Tyla Ransom.

Police were sent to the home in the 3200 block of Woodland Avenue on July 15 after the three had not been heard from over the course of two days. A granddaughter of Shirley Muhammad called police to say she could hear the dog barking inside the house but did not see any movement inside, according to court records.

Arriving officers knocked on the door but no one answered. They went inside through the back door, which was ajar, and announced themselves as police.

Jaelin Ransom was the first victim discovered. He was found on the first floor seated on a stairway landing. On his face was a $100 bill covering his eyes, according to a police narrative.

Officers then went upstairs to a common area on the second floor where blood was seen on the floor and the walls.

In one bedroom on the second floor, they found Tyla Ransom and Shirley Muhammad was found in the southeast bedroom

Each victim was found with a $100 bill on their head.

Court documents provided no details as to the significance of the money left on the bodies.

Police believe Rahman Muhammad to be diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

All three victims last reported to work two days before their bodies were found, according to court records. Shirley Muhammad and Tyla Ransom were both scheduled to work the day after, but did not arrive or call to take the day off, according to court records.

A family member told police that Shirley Muhammad had recently expressed concerns about aggression her son  Rahman Muhammad, who family said in court documents is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia  had displayed since being released from prison last year, according to court records. Shirley Muhammad told family she was worried he had been experiencing psychotic episodes.

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Police began surveillance of a different residence associated with Rahman Muhammad seeking to make contact with him. On Friday, the day after the bodies were discovered, Rahman Muhammad asked officers for a ride to 32nd and Woodland because he had heard something happened to his family and he needed to see them, investigators allege.

Rahman Muhammad agreed to instead to have detectives take him to police headquarters, according to court records.

During an interview, Rahman Muhammad told police he started living at the home in the 3200 block of Woodland Avenue in June 2020 but had moved out a couple of months ago. He told police he last saw his mother and sister earlier in the week and could not recall the last time he saw his brother, according to court records.

While interviewing Rahman Muhammad, detectives noticed fresh cuts on his right palm. Blood was seen on the right cuff of his gray long-sleeved hooded sweatshirt and the white trim of his tennis shoe.

Search warrants were obtained for authorities to search Rahman Muhammads person, his cell phone and the home where his relatives were found.

In the home, there was a serrated kitchen knife with apparent blood on it, according to court records. The blade was bent and its tip had broken off. A pair of bloodied boxer shorts was also found with DNA likely belonging to Jaelin Ransom and Rahman Muhammad, court records said.

Detectives also learned Rahman Muhammad had arrived at Truman Medical Center around 8 p.m. Wednesday seeking care for wrist pain caused by rough housing with some friends, according to court records. He left about six hours later without receiving treatment, hospital workers told police.
Luke Craig was arrested in Versailles about 6:40 p.m. Monday and charged with second-degree escape after he left the Fayette County Juvenile Detention Center Sunday.

After Versailles police arrested him without incident in Versailles, Craig, 16, was returned to the state-run Fayette County Regional Juvenile Detention Center, where he was being held on two counts of murder in the deaths last year of his mother and his little sister.

The crime

Tefani Nikki Noe, 33, and Brooke Goggin, 12, were found dead about 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 in Lawrenceburg, state police said. They were killed inside Noes home on Corinth Road in Anderson County, according to court records. Both died of gunshot wounds, the county coroner told the Anderson News.

The youngest victim was in middle school

Brooke was a seventh-grade student at Anderson Middle School, according to her obituary.

The 12-year-old was in the school band and participated in archery.

The Anderson County School District described her as a wonderful young lady.

On Facebook, Amanda Jo Durr-Maddox commented, This is an absolute tragedy. My kids rode the bus with these children. Sending prayers for all involved.

Mother Tefani Noe was a UK grad

Noe was a graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and the University of Kentucky in Lexington, according to her obituary. She was a senior integrity analyst with Humana and was working on her masters degree from the University of St. Louis.

Noe liked to fish and ride motorcycles, and she was a member of truck clubs, according to her obituary.

Katie Blevins-Rector commented on Facebook, Loved this young lady! Ill never forget our college years and the wonderful times we had with our kiddos.

Oh, my gosh! So many prayers are needed, please!!! Tefani and I grew up together in the same schools. We attended the same sleepovers, Becca Harrington commented. I saw Nikki (Tefani)s cute Facebook photos over the years with her children. She loved them so much. She was so gentle and kind, with a golden heart.

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Teen captured after Lexington jail escape. He faces charges in deaths of his mom, sister
(Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

England's 'freedom day' marred by soaring cases

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "freedom day" ending more than a year of lockdown restrictions in England was marred on Monday by surging infections, warnings of supermarket shortages and his own forced self-isolation.

Johnson's bet that he can get one of Europe's largest economies firing again because so many people are now vaccinated marks a new chapter in the global response to the coronavirus.

If the vaccines prove effective in reducing severe illness and deaths even while infections reach record levels, Johnson's decision could offer a path out of the worst public health crisis in decades. If not, more lockdowns could loom.

Australia prolongs lockdown in Victoria

Australian authorities said Victoria state would extend a lockdown beyond Tuesday to slow the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, despite a slight drop in new infections in the state and nationwide.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said lockdown rules would not be lifted as cases were still being detected in the community, promising more details would be provided on Tuesday, when the lockdown had been due to end.

Meanwhile, Australia will deport controversial British commentator Katie Hopkins after she admitted breaching the country's quarantine rules.

Singapore advises unvaccinated people to stay home

Singapore's health ministry on Sunday "strongly" advised unvaccinated individuals, especially the elderly, to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks, citing heightened concerns about the risk of community spread of COVID-19.

The country reported 88 new locally-transmitted coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest daily toll since August last year, driven by growing clusters of infections linked to karaoke bars and a fishery port.

Though Singapore's daily cases are only a fraction of the number being reported among its Southeast Asian neighbours, the jump in infections is a setback for the Asian business hub, which has successfully contained its earlier outbreaks.

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South Korea military suffers worst outbreak

South Korea's military has recorded its biggest cluster of infections to date, with more than 80% of personnel aboard a destroyer on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden testing positive.

While the 247 cases are not directly linked to new domestic infections, with the destroyer having left South Korea to start its mission in February, the surge comes as the country battles its worst-ever outbreak of COVID-19 cases at home, with another 1,252 new infections reported for Sunday.

The country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday that just 50 of the ship's complement of 301 personnel have tested negative in an outbreak first reported on July 15. Authorities have begun an operation to airlift them home.

Taiwan approves Medigen's vaccine candidate

Taiwan's government approved the emergency use and production of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp's COVID-19 vaccine candidate, a major step in the island's plans to develop its own vaccines to protect against the coronavirus.

The vaccine candidate has yet to finish clinical trials and no efficacy data is available, but Taiwan's health ministry said studies so far have shown that antibodies created by the shot have been "no worse than" those created by AstraZeneca's vaccine.

Taiwan-based Medigen said last month it was seeking a speedy emergency use authorisation from the government for its vaccine candidate after safely completing Phase II trials.

(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Bruce family representative Chief Duane Yellowfeather Shepard speaks in Manhattan Beach on April 9, 2021 at an event to shed light on efforts by LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn for the county to return Bruce's Beach to Charles and Willa Bruce's descendants. Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images

LA County officials are set to return beachfront property that was taken from a Black family in the 1920s.

Charles and Willa Bruce owned a beach resort that welcomed Black visitors amid racial discrimination.

The descendants of the Bruce family are set to receive the land that could be worth up to $75 million.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard's primary goal is to defend his tribe. His top priority is the Bruce family, his extended relatives whose descendants are on track to receive land taken from them nearly a century ago.

It's been a challenge for years to reobtain the beachfront property seized from Charles and Willa Bruce - a couple who purchased land in Manhattan Beach, California and created a "sanctuary" for Black residents to enjoy the beach amid racial discrimination in the early 1900s.

"It was a very important place because there was no other place along the coast of California where African Americans could actually go and enjoy the water," Shepard, the Bruce family historian and spokesperson, told Insider.

Charles and Willa Bruce Courtesy of Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard

Bruce's Beach Lodge faced intimidation from white residents and the Ku Klux Klan, but the couple didn't back down, Shepard said. The property was eventually taken from the family in 1924 by the city council, which used eminent domain under the guise of building a park. It remained untouched for years.

Willa and Charles only received only about $14,000 in compensation after taking legal action, according to the Los Angeles Times. Officials previously told CNN the land is worth approximately $75 million that subsequent generations of the Bruce family have missed out on. Shepard said the land was worth between $35 and $75 million, but officials told Insider in a statement the land has not yet been assessed and would be "in the coming months."

It wasn't until 2007 that a plaque was made to acknowledge the Bruces, but it contained "misinformation," Shepard said. The plaque points to Gregory Peck, a white landowner, saying he "made it possible" for the beachfront property to be open to "all people."

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Peck's role in securing the land for Black visitors has since been widely disputed, as The LA Times reported last year that the developer's property was guarded by security, forcing beachgoers to walk an extra half mile to the ocean.

As crowds gathered across the country in response to the police killing of George Floyd in March 2020, the Bruce family's mission to get their land back underwent a refreshed effort in collaboration with local activists.

After reading a blog post on the property's significance, Kavon Ward took an interest in the issue of Bruce's Beach and set up an event to raise awareness on Juneteenth last year.

"It was just something in my spirit that said that it [the land] was taken... it needs to be given back," Ward, who is now the founder of Justice for Bruce's Beach, told Insider. "And I think energetically and subconsciously every move I made worked toward that."

Beachgoers of Bruce's beach Courtesy of Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard

LA County is poised to move forward with returning the property to descendants of the original owners

A lifeguard facility currently resides on the land where the Bruce resort once stood. The land has been owned by Los Angeles County since 1995, and before then, the state owned the property.

"When I first realized that the county owned the property that was once Willa and Charles Bruce's Beach Lodge, I knew that returning it to the Bruce family was the right thing to do," Hahn told CBS LA in a statement. "But this is the first time a government has done anything like this, and there were a lot of questions about how it would work."

Officials released a report earlier this month detailing steps to return the property, including evaluating the land's value and certifying the property's legal heirs. The county board of supervisors on July 13 voted in favor of moving forward with the plan once greenlit by the state, per the Daily Breeze.

Despite the official steps, Ward and Shepard told Insider that the Manhattan Beach city council has yet to apologize to the family.

"Our next step will be, once we get that land restored to us, is to go after them for the restitution, for the loss of revenue for 96 years of our family from the business, the loss of generational wealth, and the punitive damages for their collusion with the Ku Klux Klan in disenfranchising our family," Shepard added.

Read the original article on Insider
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's Defence Ministry said on Monday that the export of cyber products, like spyware sold by NSO Group, was for lawful use and with the sole purpose of fighting crime and countering terrorism.

An investigation by 17 media organisations published on Sunday said NSO's spyware was used in attempted and successful hacks of 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, government officials and rights activists. Reuters was not able to verify the accusations independently.

NSO has denied what it called "the false allegations" raised by the organizations and said it sells technology only to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments.

"Our technologies are being used every day to break up pedophilia rings, sex and drug-trafficking rings, locate missing and kidnapped children, locate survivors trapped under collapsed buildings, and protect airspace against disruptive penetration by dangerous drones," the company said.

The Defence Ministry said in its own statement that Israel approves the export of cyber products "exclusively to governmental entities, for lawful use, and only for the purpose of preventing and investigating crime and counter terrorism."

"In cases where exported items are used in violation of export licenses or end use certificates, appropriate measures are taken," the ministry said, without elaborating.

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, head of the liberal Meretz party and a member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's decision-making security cabinet, told reporters he would meet Defence Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday to discuss the exports by NSO Group.

Speaking during a televised Meretz faction meeting, lawmaker Mossi Raz called on the party to demand that Israel halt NSO exports, which he likened to "exporting weaponry, which is forbidden to non-democratic countries".

But another Meretz lawmaker, former Israeli military deputy chief Yair Golan, was more circumspect, saying the reporting on NSO "looks tendentious, with a commercial motivation" and adding: "It is not just NSO that does such things."

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Maayan Lubell and Steve Orlofsky)
A man has appeared in court in London accused of plotting to kill an exiled Pakistani political activist.

Muhammad Gohir Khan, 31, was charged on 28 June with conspiring with others unknown to murder Ahmad Waqass Goraya in the Netherlands between 16 February and 24 June this year.

Mr Khan was arrested on 25 June, shortly after he arrived in London on a train from the Netherlands.

A trial is provisionally set for next January.

On Monday, Mr Khan, from Forest Gate in east London, appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing by video link from custody.

He will enter a plea in the case at a hearing on 29 October.
Los Angeles - Los Angeles is the first county in the nation to require masks again. The mandate is for indoors, and it's indefinite.

The masks came back Sunday, one month after California dropped restrictions, claiming the state's COVID recovery was on track. But, now, a speedbump.

Dr. Anthony Fauci warns of a dangerous outbreak among the unvaccinated.

"There are still plenty of people who are not vaccinated, leading to that dynamic spread of the virus throughout the community. I believe that's what the challenge is in Los Angeles," Fauci told CBS News.

Nationwide, the rate of vaccinations has dropped by 35%. That's allowed Canada, at first slow to get shots in arms, to catch up fast. America's progress is threatened by the highly contagious Delta variant.

New cases have spiked almost 70% in the U.S. over the past week with eight states plagued with rapidly rising infections.

"Most people will either get vaccinated or have been previously infected or they will get this Delta variant. And for most people who get this Delta variant, it's going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime," former head of the Food and Drug Administration Dr. Scott Gottlieb told "Face the Nation."

A new CBS poll shows that a majority of Americans are worried about the Delta variant. But it's the fully vaccinated that are more concerned than the unvaccinated.And there's new concerns over COVID spreading among athletes at the Tokyo Olympics, which start this week. Tennis star Coco Gauff announced that she tested positive and will no longer be able to compete with Team USA.

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Nearly 100 years after it was donated to the city of Lafayette, Louisiana, a statue of Confederate Gen. Alfred Mouton was taken down on Saturday, removed from its perch above the corner of Jefferson Street and Lee Avenue.

The Lafayette chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy gave the statue of Mouton to the city in April 1922. Mouton was the son of Alexandre Mouton, a senator and the 11th governor of Louisiana. A slave owner, civil engineer, and sugar cane grower, Alfred Mouton was killed in the Battle of Mansfield in 1864.

An organization called Move the Mindset pushed to have the statue removed, and the city of Lafayette joined in their legal battle last year. Before a trial was set to start on July 26, the United Daughters of the Confederacy signed a settlement to move the statue, with the city agreeing to pay $20,000 for a new base. It hasn't been announced yet where the statue will go.

Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday to watch as the statue was taken down. "This is an historic day for Lafayette," Mayor-President Josh Guillory said. "This is a day that starts the process of healing for our community. We didn't have mobs of people that took a chain or a rope to tear down the statue. It's not who we are. It's not Lafayette."

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A bomb threat closed a suspension bridge north of Detroit for several hours Sunday, officials said.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority said on Twitter that the bridge was closed at 2:15 p.m. Sunday after law enforcement reported a bomb threat.

After an "extensive search," nothing was found, the authority said.

The bridge was reopened by about 5:10 p.m. local time, according to a post from a Mackinac County 911/ Emergency Management Twitter account connected to the Mackinac County website.

Both Michigan State Police and the Mackinac City Police Department were continuing to investigate the incident.

Mackinaw City police told 9&10News that a caller said that he had planted a bomb underneath the bridge. The caller said that he was in a car at a nearby gas station, though no car was ever found.

A spokesperson for the city police department could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mackinac Island: Tourists, businesses on Michigan's Upper Peninsula eager to resume normal life after COVID

The US is seeing a summer surgein gun violence

Officials did not, at first, report the reason for the closure. The 911 Twitter account announced at about 2:30 p.m. that the bridge was closed to all traffic because of "an emergency incident." Citizens were told to avoid the area.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority also acknowledged the closure online, but did not provide details.

On the northern side of the bridge, traffic backed up for several miles, reported the Detroit News. Some took the holdup as a chance to get gas, flooding into local service stations.

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Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot-long Mackinac Bridge, which connects two peninsulas in Michigan, has the world's 24th-longest roadway, as well as the longest suspension between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere.

Police acknowledged to 9&10News that the bomb threat made Sunday was similar to the one made in downtown Harbor Springs, about 270 miles north of Detroit, in January of this year.

Contributing: Elinor Aspegren

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Bridge reopens after bomb threat, according to officials
A Moroccan court on Monday sentenced journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi to six years in jail on charges of espionage and rape, stirring condemnation from rights groups.

Radi's trial opened in June last year, just days after rights group Amnesty International charged that Moroccan authorities had planted Israel-made Pegasus spyware on his cellphone.

Rabat denied the report at the time, and on Monday the authorities "categorically rejected" using Israeli spyware to monitor critics at home and abroad.

Radi, 35, is a known vocal critic of the authorities and has been detained since July 2020.

His arrest and detention sparked protests by rights activists, intellectuals and politicians at home and abroad.

He faced charges of rape and "undermining the internal security of the state" in two separate cases investigated separately but judged together.

Radi was also accused of having received "foreign funds" in exchange for providing "intelligence" information to a third party.

When Monday's verdict was announced, protests erupted in court.

"This prosecution is motivated by revenge, not by a quest for the truth," Radi himself said.

Amnesty in a statement labelled the proceedings "flawed" and "not justice", calling for "a fair retrial in line with international standards".

At a previous hearing in June, the judge questioned Radi about text messages he had exchanged with a Dutch diplomat in 2018.

Radi has protested his innocence throughout, and last month told the court the case against him was void and "did not justify my imprisonment for nearly a year".

He said he was the victim of people "who consider themselves above the law", and rejected both charges of rape and espionage.

"Where is the crime in a journalist meeting and exchanging (views) with an official from a foreign country?" he asked.

- 'False allegations' -

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Monday's ruling came as Morocco said it "never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices".

A government statement denied that Rabat had "infiltrated the phones of several national and international public figures and heads of international organisations through computer software".

A joint investigation by several Western media outlets said on Sunday that activists, journalists, businessmen and politicians around the world had been spied on using the software developed by Israeli firm NSO.

The media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde, drew links between NSO Group and a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers.

Many numbers on the list were clustered in 10 countries, among them Morocco.

Rabat on Monday expressed its "great astonishment" at the reports, calling them "false allegations devoid of any foundation".

Also on Monday, the same court in Casablanca handed down six months in jail to another journalist, Imad Stitou, 32, who was said to have been present with Radi when he allegedly raped a woman.

Radi had said the sex was consensual.

Stitou reacted by saying: "Justice preferred to ignore the truths told within" the courtroom.

Radi's is the latest in a series of harsh sentences passed against journalists in the North African kingdom, and also in neighbouring Algeria.

Authorities in both countries have detained and tried journalists on charges ranging from harming national interests to sexual assault.

Last week, the United States criticised its ally Morocco's rights record, after it gave a five-year jail term to another journalist, Soulaimane Raissouni.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has ranked Morocco 136 out of 180 countries in its 2021 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF chief Christophe Deloire said Monday's verdict against Radi came after a procedure "marred by irregularities".

A Human Rights Watch report last year sounded the alarm at the erosion of press freedoms in both Morocco and neighbouring Algeria.

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The former NBC host and Fox News star says that the tennis star only wants to respond to questions she can control.

Naomi Osaka has fired back at conservative talk show host Megyn Kelly after she criticized the tennis stars latest promotional efforts ahead of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Kelly took issue with Osakas pre-Olympic media blitz after the 23-year-old withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon due to mental health struggles that make it challenging for her to speak to the press.

Since saying shes too introverted to talk to the media after tennis matches, Naomi Osaka has launched a reality show, a Barbie, and now is on the cover of the SI swimsuit issue, conservative radio host Clay Travis tweeted.

(Credit: Getty images)

Kelly replied with her own shady comment, writing, Lets not forget the cover of (& interview in) Vogue Japan and Time Mag!

Osaka was quick to clap back at Kellys post, writing Seeing as youre a journalist I wouldve assumed you would take the time to research what the lead times are for magazines, if you did that you wouldve found out I shot all of my covers last year. Instead your first reaction is to hop on here and spew negativity, do better Megan [sic], she said in a now-deleted tweet, per TheWrap.

She then blocked Kelly on Twitter.

Poor @naomiosaka blocked me while taking a shot at me (guess shes only tough on the courts), Kelly responded, accusing Osaka of refusing to speak to the media at recent sporting events because she cant control the questions.

She is apparently arguing that she shot her many covers b/4 publicly claiming she was too socially anxious to deal w/press. Truth is she just doesnt like Qs she cant control. Admit it, Kelly continued.

Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates match point during the second round match between Karolina Muchova of Czech and Naomi Osaka of Japan on day 4 of the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica on May 02, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

One of those covers made history this week. Osaka, along with Megan Thee Stallion and Leyna Bloom appeared on the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition covers.

As previously reported by theGrio, all three ladies appeared on the groundbreaking covers, which were revealed on Monday. Megan breaks the mold as the first rapper on the swimsuit cover, Osaka is the first Black female athlete to do it and Bloom is the first trans woman to grace the cover.

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MJ Day, editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, shared in a statement, We celebrate Naomi for her passion, strength and power geared toward consistently breaking barriers when it comes to equality, social justice, and mental health.

This is one of numerous covers Osaka has graced in the past few weeks, including her Vogue Hong Kong cover from last week.

Check out all of the SI covers here.

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Last week, Mattel announced that the tennis champ has been immortalized as a Barbie doll.

An earlier report noted that the doll is part of the Barbie Role Model collection, which launched in 2015. Previous honorees have included pioneering Olympics fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, gymnast Gabby Douglas, black-ish and Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi, historic NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, and ballet dancer Misty Copeland.

Osaka will go into this summers Olympic Games ranked second in womens tennis singles by the World Tennis Association, and once held the top spot back in January 2018.

She was targeted with racial backlash for her decision to represent Japan in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, per theGrio.

Osaka discussed the ensuing backlash in her recently released self-titled Netflix docuseries, where she said some critics told her that her Black card was revoked.

This story contains additional reporting by Jared Alexander, Biba Adams and Jaelen Ogadhoh.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Naomi Osaka calls out Megyn Kelly after host criticizes magazine covers appeared first on TheGrio.
Nicaragua's long-term leader Daniel Ortega, under fire internationally over the detention of opposition figures ahead of November elections, will seek a fourth consecutive presidential term, a senior ally said Monday.

Ortega, 75, will be the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front's candidate for the November 7 presidential vote, Gustavo Porras, the speaker of Nicaragua's parliament, told public television.

He predicted victory was "indisputable."

Six opposition presidential hopefuls among 26 people detained by Ortega's government since last month, will not be allowed to run in the election.

In a clampdown that began on June 2, Ortega's government has rounded up political rivals in a series of house raids and nighttime arrests on charges of threatening Nicaragua's "sovereignty."

The charges are rooted in a law initiated by Ortega and approved by parliament in December, widely criticized as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents ahead of the election.

The law bars "those who ask for, celebrate and applaud the imposition of sanctions against the Nicaraguan state" from seeking public office.

The first person to be detained was Cristiana Chamorro, widely seen as the favorite to beat Ortega but now under house arrest on government claims of money laundering.

Her mother, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, unseated Ortega in 1990 to become Latin America's first elected female president.

- 'No allies left' -

Ortega, who was widely expected to seek a renewal of his mandate, has not yet made an announcement himself.

Presidential candidates will be able to register from July 28 to August 2.

Ortega says the people rounded up by his forces are "criminals" seeking to overthrow him with US backing.

But the clampdown has drawn international condemnation and fresh sanctions, with the United States branding the long-term leader a "dictator."

The European Union has said it was "inconceivable" the November elections "will be anything remotely approaching a democratic competition."

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A firebrand Marxist in his younger days, Ortega and his Sandinistas toppled a corrupt autocratic regime to popular applause and seized control of the country in 1979.

He was elected president in 1984 and ruled until 1990 when he was beaten by Chamorro, then returned to power in 2007. He has won two successive reelections.

His vice president since 2017 is his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Ortega has been accused of increasing authoritarianism by the opposition and international community, especially following the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2018 which left more than 300 dead and thousands in exile, according to rights bodies.

In May this year, Nicaragua's parliament appointed a majority of governing party-aligned magistrates to the election body that will oversee the November election.

Luis Carrion, a former Ortega ally and cabinet minister, said the president's actions revealed the "weakness" of his government, "without internal allies, its own base deteriorating, internationally isolated and rejected by the people."

Carrion said he has left Nicaragua to avoid possible arrest himself.

Moises Hassan, another former comrade of the president, told AFP there has been a "generalized rejection" of Ortega, who "has no allies left" even among Latin America's other leftist former revolutionaries -- besides Cuba and Venezuela, who remain loyal.

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Heavily-armed criminals have shot down a fighter jet in Nigeria's northwest Zamfara state, the airforce said Monday, adding that the pilot had safely ejected and evaded capture.

The region has for years been terrorised by gunmen known locally as bandits, who maintain camps in forested areas and launch attacks on villages to loot, kidnap and steal cattle.

The gangs have lately scaled up mass abductions of students, prompting more military deployments to the area, including fighter jets, to end the violence.

Nigeria's airforce said one of its fighter planes was "returning from a successful air interdiction mission" on Sunday when it "came under intense enemy fire which led to its crash in Zamfara state."

"Luckily, the gallant pilot... successfully ejected from the aircraft," airforce spokesman Edward Gabkwet said in a statement.

The plane was an Alpha Jet, the statement said. It did not give details as to how it was downed.

"Using his survival instincts, the pilot, who came under intense ground fire from the bandits, was able to evade them and sought refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset," the statement said.

The pilot found his way to an army base "where he was finally rescued."

In May, 11 officers including the top-ranking army commander Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, were killed when their plane crashed in bad weather in nearby Kaduna state.

President Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general first elected in 2015, has been under increasing pressure from allies and critics alike over his government's handling of mounting security problems in Africa's most populous country.

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nintendo has "no plans" to launch a new model of its Switch gaming device beyond the screen upgrade announced this month, the company said on Monday in an unusual public denial following media reports.

The $349.99 Nintendo Switch OLED will launch on Oct. 8 in the second major upgrade to the hit line of consoles.

Prior to the launch announcement, Bloomberg reported the Switch upgrade would have an upgraded central processor unit (CPU) and 4K output. The new model has neither, leading to speculation a further upgrade is pending.

The Kyoto-based firm, which is the focus of intense speculation on social media, said on Twitter it has "no plans for launching any other model at this time".

Nintendo also denied a Bloomberg report which said the upgraded model is expected to offer higher profit margins. "We want to make clear that the claim is incorrect," it said.

(Reporting by Sam Nussey; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely)
Northampton, MA --News Direct-- 3BL Alerts

Northern Trust released its latest Corporate Social Responsibility report today, marking a full decade of transparent, detailed information across the company.

During a period of extraordinary social, health and economic challenges, 2020 was a year that for Northern Trust focused on compassion, communication and support, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael OGrady said. We are pleased to report on progress toward creating long-term value for our clients, employees, shareholders, communities and other key stakeholders.

Connie Lindsey, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, added, Northern Trust is committed to creating more equitable possibilities to achieve long-term financial success for those who face hurdles because of their race, ethnicity, gender, geography or socio-economic conditions.

Highlights from the 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Report include:

Global Philanthropic Strategy

Northern Trust introduced a new, highly focused philanthropic strategy that concentrates volunteerism and contributions on four key areas of fundamental impact: educational excellence, food security, accessible health care and affordable housing. Northern Trust committed $20 million over the next five years to extending access around the globe to these essential human needs and creating more equitable opportunities to achieve long-term financial success for those who face unfair hurdles because of their race, ethnicity, gender, geography or socio-economic conditions.

In 2020, Northern Trust made charitable contributions of more than $16 million, equaling 1% of pre-tax net income, which is in the top quartile benchmark for financial companies. Over the past 10 years, Northern Trust has given $160 million to charities globally. Northern Trust also committed $3 million to support communities most impacted by COVID-19, including support for nonprofit organizations around the world that provide healthcare, food and other humanitarian relief.

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Staff Engaged in the Community

Northern Trusts new global engagement platform, iVolunteer, helps Northern Trust employees identify, engage and develop relationships with local charities. During a year of primarily virtual work, a crucial component of this platform was a virtual volunteer hub, which enabled staff to find and participate in virtual volunteering activities. During the Achieving Greater Together volunteer campaign in October alone, partners contributed more than 5,500 hours of service and supported more than 180 global charities.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Northern Trusts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy is driven by three priorities: Drive Accountability, Enhance Development Programs and Placement, and Advance Culture. These priorities are aimed at enhancing our focus on the hiring, development and advancement of women and people of color at every level. Business unit leadership, regional councils and Business Resource Councils facilitate the development of an inclusive culture that values and leverages DE&I to achieve and sustain superior business results.

Emissions Reduction and Renewable Energy

We reduced our per-employee carbon emissions by 60 percent since 2015  surpassing our goal of 25 percent.

Note: with the vast majority of staff working from home and significantly reduced business travel, we estimate that the reduction in global emissions due to COVID-19 was approximately 25 percent.

New Environmental Social Governance Scoring Methodology

Northern Trust Asset Management developed the Northern Trust ESG Vector Score , a proprietary measurement that ultimately brings greater clarity to sustainable investing by focusing on key ESG-related business issues that could impact a portfolios investment return.

Community Investments

Northern Trust is dedicated to building stronger communities by investing its capital in direct investments that have a sustainable positive impact in locations where we do business. We have maintained an outstanding Community Reinvestment Act rating for 26 consecutive years. In 2020, Northern Trust originated over $1 billion in new investments. As of December 31, 2020, our total community investment portfolio exceeded $3 billion, including:

$3 billion in affordable housing

$185 million in education and social services  providing long-term capital and equity for facilities and programs such as charter schools, health clinics and daycare centers.

$208 million in job creation, supporting mission-driven micro-loan origination programs and the expansion of businesses and job creation through private equity funds.

$37 million in Wealth Accumulation, investing in CDFI and community credit unions providing capital to meet the needs of underserved communities

Visit northerntrust.com to read and share the full report.

Media Contact:Doug Holt312-662-8315http://www.northerntrust.com

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from 3BL Alerts on 3blmedia.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/northern-trust-releases-annual-corporate-social-responsibility-report-798748468
By Nora Buli

OSLO (Reuters) -Norway said on Monday that a March 10 cyber attack on parliament's e-mail system was carried out from China, calling on authorities there to take steps to prevent such activities.

"The cyber attack in March compromised the e-mail systems of our most important democratic institution. We will always react to these types of intrusions," Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

An investigation by the countrys intelligence services had revealed the attack came from "actors operating out of China", the ministry said. "Several of our allies, the EU, and Microsoft have also confirmed this."

"We have conveyed to China in a meeting with the Chinese Embassy today that this is unacceptable," Soereide told Reuters.

Norway's statement was part of a coordinated international response, with the United States and a coalition of allies on Monday accusing China's Ministry of State Security of a global cyber hacking campaign, specifically attributing it to a wider Microsoft attack disclosed earlier this year.

The attack had utilised a security hole in Microsoft Corp's Exchange software.

"Today, alongside NATO, the EU, and several allies individually, Norway has sent a clear message to China that we assess that the cyber attack against the Storting (Norwegian parliament) came from within China, and that we expect Chinese authorities to do more to prevent malicious cyber activity emanating from Chinese territory," Soereide said.

The Chinese Embassy in Norway told Reuters that it has requested evidence for the claims from the Norwegian government.

"We are willing to cooperate with all relevant parties, based on facts and evidence, to jointly combat illegal activities in cyber space. At the same time, we strongly oppose baseless accusations and smears towards China and politicizing relevant issues," it said in an emailed statement.

The embassy also questioned whether the coordinated actions with other Western countries was a "collusively political manipulation".

(Reporting by Nora Buli; editing by Niklas Pollard, Nick Macfie and Jonathan Oatis)
Poor management by city government deprived programs for New York schoolchildren hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid, an audit by city Comptroller Scott Stringer found.

The shortfall came because Department of Education officials didnt submit all the paperwork to secure more than $155 million in reimbursement for some speech, occupational and physical therapy sessions, Stringers auditors found.

The Education Department missed out on at least another $25 million by never requesting reimbursement for other services, the auditors say.

Half of the roughly $180 million city Education Department officials left on the table would have gone to the state under federal rules, with the remaining $90 million flowing to the city coffers, auditors said.

This is money that could be in our classrooms supporting our children when they need it most, said Stringer in a statement. This mismanagement is unacceptable, and the DOE must improve its process to capture every last dollar eligible for reimbursement.

DOE officials vigorously disputed Stringers findings.

The officials say Stringer overstated the amount of federal money the city would have obtained by including the 50% that would have gone to state government. Department of Education Chief Administrative Officer Lauren Siciliano said Stringer is holding the department to a standard that is neither fair nor reasonable.

Stringers office argued that since DOE is responsible for submitting all the reimbursement claims, it was appropriate to note the total amount the agency missed out on recouping, even if half of it would have gone to the state.

To claim money for special education services from Medicaid  the federal insurance program that covers medical costs for low-income people  school districts must compile reams of paperwork, including doctor referrals, evidence that therapists are licensed, consent from families to apply for reimbursement, and notes documenting therapy sessions.

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Auditors said the DOE conducted roughly 6.8 million individual therapy sessions during the 2018-19 school year for which it couldve claimed reimbursement.

But the Education Department was missing at least one element of the necessary paperwork for about 1.6 million of those therapy sessions, depriving the agency of up to $155 million in potential reimbursements, auditors said.

The most common piece of missing documentation was a referral from a doctor, auditors found.

The DOE has a team of in-house doctors that writes referrals for occupational and physical therapy, and agency officials said they try to deploy those doctors based on need. Stringers auditors advised the DOE to hire more doctors.

Stringers auditors found other holes in the DOEs procedures.

In roughly one-fourth of the cases the auditors analyzed, the DOE failed to submit evidence that the provider had an appropriate license to claim federal reimbursement. The comptrollers office recommended a comprehensive review to determine which therapists need to obtain or update their credentials.

Scores of disabled students in private schools also receive DOE-funded therapy that is eligible for federal reimbursement  but the city does not always make sure the private schools provide the paperwork needed for the city to get federal reimbursement, the auditors found.

Stringers auditors said city education officials need to strictly enforce the expectation that private schools create their own referrals from doctors.

Another problem, Stringers auditors found, was a shortfall in the consent forms collected from students families.

A DOE spokeswoman countered that claim, saying the agency collects consent from 85% of families, one of the best collection rates in the country on a form that is voluntary for families to complete and return.

In one pointed back-and-forth, auditors dinged DOE officials for failing to take advantage of a Medicaid program that reimburses districts for psychological counseling.

The DOE frequently provides students therapy that meets the Medicaid definition for psychological counseling  but fails to classify the sessions as such on students Individual Education Plans, auditors said.

The department says many of those counseling sessions are not eligible for federal reimbursement, and that changing recommendations on students IEPs would amount to focus[ing] on revenue rather than the students needs..

But Stringers report says thats patently untrue, and that the oversight cost the city up to $2.4 million in federal money during the 2018-19 school year.

The DOE has long struggled with Medicaid reimbursement. Stringers office found in 2014 the DOE lost out on $356 million in unclaimed funds over the course of three years.

The agency ramped up its efforts in 2013, and Medicaid reimbursement revenues shot up from roughly $18 million in 2016 to $97 million in 2019, before falling some during the pandemic, the report found.

The Education Department now has an office dedicated to overseeing Medicaid reimbursement requests, though it employs only five people, according to the audit.

DOE officials argued that recouping every possible dollar of Medicaid reimbursement likely would require big spending outlays on new systems and staff.

We reject this audits suggestions that prioritize bureaucratic procedures over New York City families, said Education Department spokeswoman Katie OHanlon. We have already implemented many of this reports recommendations and will continue to work towards maximizing all reimbursements as appropriate, but not ahead of the needs of students.
(Bloomberg) -- Oil was the biggest loser in a broad market selloff after OPEC+ agreed to boost crude supply as a resurgent virus shook investor confidence in the global economic recovery.

Futures in New York fell 7.5% on Monday, the largest decline since September. OPEC and its allies agreed to monthly supply hikes of 400,000 barrels a day. At the same time, the spread of the delta variant is stoking a risk-off mood in broader markets and threatening oil demand with fresh mobility restrictions around the world. The dollar also rose, reducing the appeal of commodities priced in the currency.

The demand story has really taken a big hit here, and on the supply side, were getting more barrels of crude, said Ed Moya, senior markets analyst at Oanda Corp. The momentum behind this move could get ugly.

Oil prices have been volatile over the last two weeks while OPEC+ remained in a dispute over adding supplies to the market. The deal was struck this weekend after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reached a compromise on UAEs demand for a more generous output limit. OPEC+ will now face a new set of challenges next year as rival supplies grow, said Toril Bosoni, head of IEAs oil industry and markets division, in an email.

As supplies from other producers not part of the deal rebound, and demand falls seasonally, stocks could see renewed builds early in the year, she said.

Countries around the world are also dealing with surges in new cases of Covid-19 as the highly contagious delta variant drives up infections. Indonesia surpassed India and Brazil in daily case numbers. U.S. infections are outpacing the global rate of increase, and the U.K. on Saturday reported the most cases since January.

Weve got risk aversion firmly in place and its all triggered by the spread of the delta Covid-19 variant, said Moya of Oanda Corp. Theres this fear that youre not going to have that strong economic recovery we were all hoping for in the second half of the year.

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The delta strain may make oil volatile in the near term, but the deal between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies would support a constructive view on prices, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said. The market is still very tight, despite the addition of supply, said Ed Morse, head of commodities research at Citigroup Inc. in a Bloomberg Television interview.

The agreement spans more than a year and covers millions of barrels of production, but it also remains flexible. The alliance will continue to hold talks every month from September, including a review of the market in December.

Thats a fair bit of time before global oil supplies are back to pre-pandemic levels, said Stewart Glickman, energy equity analyst at CFRA Research. It doesnt feel like a glut to me.

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An anti-abortion activist protests in front of the Supreme Court on June 29, 2020.

WASHINGTON  When the Supreme Court agreed in May to hear a challenge to Mississippis ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, many saw it as a decisive move in the decades-long effort to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Though that remains one possible outcome, many of the high court's most significant decisions in recent months underscore that its six-justice conservative majority does not always operate in lockstep. A look at some of their past opinions and statements on abortion offers a more nuanced view that complicates pat predictions.

The Mississippi case, which the court could hear as early as November, will probably be the most closely watched on its docket in the next year  generating frenzied debate on one of the nation's most polarizing social issues before the 2022 midterm election. Unlike other disputes, the suit raises fundamental questions about the right to abortion.

"I don't know if there's a path to uphold the Mississippi law without reconfiguring abortion rights at least a little bit," said Neal Devins, a law professor at William & Mary Law School. But "I see no prospect for Roe being overturned."

Mississippi approved its prohibition on most abortions after 15 weeks in 2018 and is one of 16 states with pre-viability bans that have been blocked by federal courts, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. The law has no exception for rape or incest but allows abortions in cases where there is a medical emergency or "severe fetal abnormality."

Roe concluded that women have a right to an abortion during the first and second trimesters but that states could impose restrictions in the second trimester. Two decades later, the court upheld that right but overturned the trimester framework and allowed states to ban most abortions at the point of viability, when a fetus can survive outside the womb  roughly 24 weeks. Pre-viability bans in conservative states are intended to challenge the court's precedent in those two cases.

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Review granted: Supreme Court to consider Mississippi 15-week abortion ban

More to come: Huge numbers of abortion cases heading to Supreme Court

The question for the nation's highest court in the Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, is where states may draw the line on prohibiting abortions. The answer, expected next year, will turn on how the conservative majority balances precedent against a generations-old struggle to weaken Roe.

Heres a look at what the justices have said or written on abortion:

Chief Justice John Roberts concurred with the Supreme Court's liberal justices in a ruling striking down a Louisiana abortion law.

Roberts' minimalism

Chief Justice John Roberts brings an especially interesting history to the Mississippi case.

In the courts most recent major abortion decision, a plurality led by Associate Justice Stephen Breyer struck down a Louisiana law last year requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Roberts gave Breyer and the court's other liberals the fifth vote needed to reach that outcome.

Instead of signing onto Breyer's opinion in June Medical Services v. Russo with the three other liberal justices, Roberts wrote a concurrence in which he concluded that a 2016 precedent forced his hand. The court, Roberts wrote, must "treat like cases alike and the Louisiana law was nearly identical to one from Texas the court invalidated years before.

The move squelched an outcry from liberals, who probably would have framed a different outcome as a political flip-flop after two conservatives joined the court in the four years after the Texas case. But by declining to sign the plurality opinion, Roberts gave conservatives a chance to pursue other anti-abortion laws, even though he had sided with Breyer and the liberals.

Chief in charge: Swing vote to soft power: How Roberts exerts influence

Concur? Supreme Court's split decision on abortion gives opponents unlikely boost

Though no longer a swing vote, Roberts built similar coalitions this year between conservatives and liberals with narrow opinions that moved the court in a conservative direction more slowly than some had predicted. Assuming Roberts lands in the majority in Dobbs, experts said, he could attempt to repeat that high-wire act by crafting an opinion that undercuts Roe without directly overturning it.

Podcast: 'Roberts pulled it off'

That could kick legal fights about the constitutionality of abortion down the road.

"I think what he would like to see from the court on an abortion case ahead of the midterm elections is something more narrow, something that does not explicitly overrule Roe, but something that perhaps eliminates viability as a salient concept in the courts abortion jurisprudence," said Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University.

That "would send the lower federal courts into a bit of disarray trying to determine whether a 12-week ban or six-week ban was permissible under the new standards," she said. "And that would set up a spate of litigation for the next two years."

Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh greets President Donald Trump in 2019.

Kavanaugh in the middle

When Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh made the short list in 2018 to replace retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, some conservatives questioned his commitment to the anti-abortion cause. They pointed to one of his only opinions on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that dealt with the issue: the case of a 17-year-old immigrant in federal custody who sought the procedure.

Kavanaugh appeared eager to avoid sweeping constitutional questions about abortion and immigration. When the appeals court in 2017 permitted the teen to end her pregnancy, Kavanaugh did not join a stemwinder of a dissent raising those issues. Instead, he wrote a more limited dissent defending the idea of having the teen first meet with an American adult sponsor, similar to a foster parent.

During his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh called the courts decision in Roe "precedent on precedent" and described the notion that women have a constitutional right to abortion as something that has been "reaffirmed many times over 45 years." Since then, Kavanaugh has emerged as the median justice, landing in the high court's majority in 97% of all cases during the 2020-2021 term, according to statistics compiled by SCOTUSblog.

Welcome: Justice Kavanaugh gets hero's welcome from Federalist Society

Trump: Michael Wolff's 'Landslide' recounts Kavanaugh rant

Kavanaugh dissented in June Medical, breaking with Roberts and asserting "additional factfinding is necessary" to evaluate whether Louisianas law would have closed the states abortion clinics.

Mary Ziegler, a Florida State University law professor, said abortion rights advocates will try to appeal to Kavanaugh's fealty to precedent. Abortion opponents, she predicted, will try to convince him to do what "you sort of assume he wants to do" while not pushing him too far.

"A lot of the same kinds of arguments about precedent and backlash that progressives have aimed toward Roberts will also be aimed at Kavanaugh," said Ziegler, author of "Abortion and the Law in America" and other books on the issue. "He shares Roberts concerns but also seems to think he can write more conservative opinions and finesse those concerns."

Barrett's first full term

Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett has made her personal views on abortion clear.

Years before she was confirmed to the Chicago-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, while still a Notre Dame law professor, Barrett signed a two-page advertisement in the South Bend Tribune describing Roe's legacy as "barbaric."

During her Supreme Court confirmation hearing last year, Barrett said she didn't "have any agenda" to overturn Roe and said she would follow the "rules of stare decisis," the Latin term for the notion of precedent. Pressed about the ad during her hearing, Barrett said she hadn't remembered it until it surfaced in a newspaper story.

"Thirty years worth of material is a lot to try to find and remember," she said.

Newest justice: Barrett steers the Supreme Court to the right, but not toward Trump

More: Barrett delivers first opinion in case involving records disclosure

None of that means Barrett would vote to overturn Roe. Some court observers have questioned whether she would make that decision so early. Barrett, who was confirmed in late October, will embark on her first full term on the court this fall.

"I would be stunned if she would want to go all the way to overrule Roe so early in her tenure on the court and let it define her, said Devins at William & Mary.

Earlier: Barrett signed anti-abortion letter accompanying ad calling to overturn Roe v. Wade

Earlier: Barrett's law review articles show how Supreme Court rulings such as Roe v. Wade could be challenged

Barrett's best-known abortion case on the 7th Circuit came in 2018 in the form of a challenge to an Indiana law requiring fetal remains to be buried or cremated. After a three-judge panel invalidated the law, the full appeals court rejected the states request for reconsideration. Barrett dissented from that decision.

When Indiana appealed to the Supreme Court, a 7-2 majority upheld the state's law.

Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch called a Supreme Court decision on a Louisiana abortion law "a sign we have lost our way."

Gorsuch's textualism

Though he spent more than a decade as an appeals court judge in Colorado, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch didn't directly confront constitutional questions about abortion. He did rule in cases touching on the issue, including over "Choose Life" license plates.

Gorsuch sided with abortion rights advocates in 2007 on a threshold question: whether a lower federal court had jurisdiction to decide if Oklahoma could deny funding collected from the specialty plates to an organization involved in "abortion related" activities, such as counseling. Gorsuch ruled the lower court could hear the case on the merits.

Months later, the district court did just that  and ruled against the group.

Gorsuch was more on point in a bristling dissent in June Medical, asserting that the court's usual process had been "brushed aside" to strike down the Louisiana law and that the decision was "a sign we have lost our way." Part of Gorsuch's argument was that the court ignored the state's ostensible reason for requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges: to ensure the procedures were conducted safely.

Text: For Supreme Court's conservatives, it's all about the letter of the law

Gorsuch: Supreme Court sides with Amish on septic system dispute

Steven Aden, chief legal officer at Americans United for Life, declined to predict how Gorsuch might approach Dobbs. Aden, whose group has fought for abortion restrictions for nearly five decades, noted Gorsuch has embraced his reputation as a textualist, the notion that jurists decide cases based primarily on the text of the law.

That, Aden argued, ought to augur well for the anti-abortion cause.

"Any judge who is a fan of an original, textual reading of the constitutional text  who's loyal to the intention of those who wrote it  is a friend of the right to life," Aden said. "He's also been one of the strongest federal judges on religious liberty, going back to the 10th Circuit."

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas called Supreme Court decisions on abortion "grievously wrong."

Conservative stalwarts

Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the courts most reliable conservative votes, are the most likely to take on Roe directly.

Thomas, the most senior associate justice, wrote last year of the courts "ill-founded abortion jurisprudence" in his dissent in June Medical. He described those decisions as "grievously wrong" and said they "should be overruled."

Before Alito's confirmation in 2006, a memo he wrote for the Justice Department in the 1980s surfaced in which he called for overturning Roe. Though Alito has been a consistent vote to support abortion restrictions, he has been more circumspect in discussing his broader views on the courts precedents.

Pot: Supreme Court Justice Thomas questions federal marijuana prohibition

Not surprised: Alito defends controversial speech as he marks 15 years on court

Alito dissented in October when the Supreme Court said women seeking to end their pregnancies with medication didn't need to visit a doctor because of COVID-19 in the short term, a move he said used the "pandemic as a ground for expanding the abortion right recognized in Roe v. Wade." When the case made it back to the court in January, it ruled women were required to visit a doctor's office after all.

Alito dissented in June Medical, asserting the dispute should have been returned to the trial court for additional fact-finding.

Abortion rights supporters protest at the Supreme Court on March 04, 2020.

Middle ground for liberals?

Based strictly on the size of their group, the courts three liberals  Associate Justices Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan  are likely to be in damage control mode when the Mississippi case is decided, experts said. But as the term that wrapped up this month demonstrated, that doesnt mean they are without influence.

More: Justice Stephen Breyer says he hasn't decided about retirement, despite pressure from left

The courts liberals joined with Roberts in one of the most closely watched cases this year involving a conflict between LGBTQ rights and religious freedom. A unanimous court concluded a Catholic foster care agency could decline on religious grounds to screen same-sex couples as prospective parents.

The opinion stopped short of what some conservatives wanted: The overturning of a decision in 1990 that makes it more difficult for religious entities to challenge generally applicable laws.

Religious freedom: Supreme Court sides with Catholic foster care agency

More: Supreme Court foster care ruling likely to prompt more tests of religion

A similar lineup is possible in Dobbs: Liberals could join at least two conservatives in an opinion that does something less than overturn the courts precedents. On the other hand, such compromise may be harder to reach on the divisive issue of abortion.

"What would a compromise look like in this case?" asked Ziegler, the Florida State University law professor. "If the court upholds this law and gets rid of viability or does something else thats a pretty huge deal but stops short of overturning Roe, I dont know how happy about that youre really going to be if youre Justice Breyer or Justice Kagan."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Division among Supreme Court conservatives complicates overturning Roe
A 59-year-old Texas woman is dead after two family dogs attacked her Sunday inside an El Paso home, police said.

The womans daughter arrived at home around 6 p.m. and found the animals, which police described as pit bulls, mauling her mothers body, according to an El Paso Police Department release.

The dogs appeared to be well taken care of, and their food and water bowls were full, investigators said. They dont know what triggered the attack, but all indications are that the two pit bull dogs killed the woman.

An investigation is underway.

Escaped dogs kill 77-year-old woman on her porch, Arizona cops say. Owner arrested

Report of gun-toting bear sent wildlife officers scouring through Minnesota wilderness

Coyote killed after repeatedly charging toddlers at San Francisco Botanical Garden, city says

Coyote cornered in South Carolina kitchen wont budge  until cops deploy dog toys
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has inked a deal to publish a memoir detailing his upbringing, Penguin Random House announced Monday.

The publisher described the memoir in a statement as "the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him." Proceeds from the book, which is scheduled for release late next year, will go to charity.

Harry characterized the memoir as being written from the perspective of the man I have become, rather than the royal title he was born into.

Ive worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think, Harry said.

The memoir comes amid a seemingly newfound openness by Harry to discuss his private life, offering a peek behind the scenes of a public figure.

Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stepped down from their roles as senior members of the royal family last year and have since been working on a series of projects.

Harry and Meghan moved to California, where they founded Archewell, a charitable foundation, reached a deal with Netflix and created an Apple TV+ series focusing on mental health with Oprah Winfrey. In the series, Harry divulged how his own emotional well-being was affected for years after the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

He told Winfrey that he turned to excessive alcohol and drugs to cope as an adult.

"I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling," he said. "Not because I was enjoying it, but because I was trying to mask something."

He and his wife also spoke to Winfrey in a separate interview about their decision to step down from their royal duties amid intense media scrutiny that damaged their mental health. Meghan explained that the media attacks had resulted in suicidal ideation while she was pregnant with the couple's first child, Archie.

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They both described feeling a lack of support from the other members of the royal family and ultimately making the choice to put their family's wellbeing first. Harry added that the experience helped him grasp a better understanding of the racist undertones of the attacks on his wife.

Harry explained in his statement on Monday that hes been excited to share the things hes learned over his life and promised his memoir to be a firsthand account of my life thats accurate and wholly truthful."

Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle said the publisher was "thrilled" to add Harry to its list of authors.

"Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness," Dohle added. "It is for that reason were excited to publish his honest and moving story.
ROME (AP)  A France-based migrant rescue organization soon will be getting medical and other assistance aboard its charity ship in the Mediterranean.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, known as IFRC, said Monday that its teams will go aboard the Ocean Viking rescue ship starting in August in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Thats an area heavily used by traffickers based in Libya who launch unseaworthy boats crowded with migrants toward Italys southern shores. Rescue ships often host the migrants aboard for days until Italy or Malta grants permission to dock and disembark the passengers.

The Geneva-based organization will be providing first aid and other medical care, psychological support, dry clothes and blankets as well as food to rescued migrants aboard the ship operated by the charity SOS Mediterranee.

Lives continue to be needlessly lost in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly on the long and treacherous Central Mediterranean route between Libya and Europe, the two humanitarian organizations said in a joint statement. They noted that 792 people are known to have died on that route while trying to reach Europe in the first six months of this year, three times as many as in the same period in 2020.

We are proud to start this new mission, but we also call on the EU and its member states to urgently increase search and rescue operations, IFRC President Francesco Rocca said in the statement.

The Italian and Maltese governments have appealed to other nations in the European Union to take in some of the tens of thousands of rescued migrants in recent years, since many of them hope to reach northern Europe to find jobs or relatives there.

Many of the migrants are denied asylum because they are fleeing poverty and not war, other conflict or persecution. But for the large part, the appeals by Italy and Malta to their EU partners have gone unheeded.

___

Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group's hacking software has been used to spy on heads of state, journalists, activists and lawyers across the world, per an investigation by 17 news organizations and nonprofits, published Sunday.

Why it matters: Authoritarian governments and others have used this spyware "to facilitate human rights violations around the world on a massive scale," with 50,000 phone numbers of targets leaked  including the family of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, alleges rights group Amnesty International, which helped research the report, which NSO called "false."

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Driving the news: The investigation into NSO's Pegasus software spyware, known as the Pegasus Project, was conducted by a consortium including WashPost, the Guardian and 15 other news outlets, alongside Amnesty and the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories.

The list of numbers doesn't necessarily mean the phones were hacked, but the consortium determined they were potential surveillance targets. Reporters identified "more than 1,000 people spanning more than 50 countries through research and interviews on four continents," WashPost reports.

Among the targets were "at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists, and more than 600 politicians and government officials," along with several heads of state, prime ministers and Arab royal family members, per WashPost.

Zoom in: Journalists working for major news outlets were allegedly targeted  including the Financial Times, the "Wall Street Journal, CNN, the New York Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America," the Guardian reports.

Researcher Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of Washington Post journalist Khashoggi, allegedly had the Pegasus spyware "successfully installed" on her phone four days after his 2018 murder at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, according to analysis by Amnesty Internationals Security Lab.

The reports did not disclose the source of the leak nor how journalists verified the material.

Of note: NSO argues that Pegasus helps solve crimes, combats terrorism and brings criminals to justice.

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The group announced in 2019 a broad range of human rights protections after being accused of selling its Pegasus spyware to authoritarian governments, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

What they're saying: NSO attorney Thomas Clare told WashPost the reports contained inaccuracies. Clare said the consortium had "apparently misinterpreted and mischaracterized crucial source data on which it relied."

"NSO Group has good reason to believe that this list of 'thousands of phone numbers' is not a list of numbers targeted by governments using Pegasus, but instead, may be part of a larger list of numbers that might have been used by NSO Group customers for other purposes," Clare said in a statement to WashPost.

What to watch: Amnesty said in a statement the Pegasus Project media partners would run more stories over the next week "exposing details of how world leaders, politicians, human rights activists, and journalists have been selected as potential targets of this spyware."

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SINGAPORE  Police have arrested a 16-year-old Singaporean teen for his suspected involvement in the death of a 13-year-old boy.

In a statement on Monday (19 July), the police said that on 19 July, at about 11.40am, the police received a call for assistance at 6 Boon Lay Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers found the 13-year-old lying motionless, with multiple wounds, at a toilet at the said location  River Valley High School. The 13-year-old teenager was pronounced dead at scene by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Preliminary investigations revealed that the two students are not known to each other. "Notwithstanding the preliminary findings and the arrest of the teenager, the police are continuing their investigations into the motive for the assault. An axe was also seized as case exhibit," the police said.

The police will be charging the 16-year-old Secondary 4 student in court on Tuesday with murder, "with a view to seeking an order from the court to remand the teenager for psychiatric assessment".

The police said it will conduct a thorough investigation and the full facts will be established in court. "Pending the court proceedings, the police would like to urge members of public to refrain from speculating on the case out of respect for the family of the deceased."

Multiple police vehicles seen at the scene

Earlier, when news first broke of the incident, local media reported that multiple police vehicles and an ambulance were spotted in the school compound.

Chinese evening paper Shin Min Daily reported that a student had allegedly brought a knife to school to attack another person.

There were also multiple unverified reports and text messages circulating that the attacker is a student of the school and was carrying an axe.

RVHS students are between the ages of 12 and 18. The school offers the six-year Integrated Programme which allows students to skip the O levels.

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'Shocked': Chan Chun Sing

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said in a Facebook post around 4.25pm that "we are all shocked to receive news of the tragic incident at River Valley High School this morning".

"Our thoughts are with the families of the students concerned. Ministry of Education, Singapore is rendering all possible support to them, and the students and staff at the school.

We are working closely with Singapore Police Force on the investigations, and they will be sharing more details on the case in due course," he said.

The Ministry of Education, Chan said, is "determined to work with parents and students to keep our schools safe and have our children grow up and learn together in a trusted environment". He also urged students to reach out to an adult, their teachers or school counsellors if they need someone to talk to.

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If you are feeling distressed, you can call SOS' 24-hour hotline at 1800 221 4444. You can also email pat@sos.org.sg.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

Fishmongers at all markets to be tested for COVID-19 following port cluster

Enforcement is 'cat and mouse' game, agencies stretched: Lawrence Wong

COVID: Dine-in to be scaled back to groups of 2 from 19 July

COVID: Over 400 nightlife venues that pivoted into F&B suspended
A federal campground north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed indefinitely as officials search for a bear that has been deemed a safety threat.

The black bear has been lingering among campers at Paint Creek Campground in Cherokee National Forest, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The campground is near the Tennessee-North Carolina border and the closest town is Greeneville, Tennessee.

Investigators say the bear has not attacked anyone, but it has remained in and around the campground for weeks.

Euthanizing the bear has not been ruled out, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says.

Based on the reported behavior of the bear, it is certainly conditioned to foods in the campground and losing its fear of people, TWRA Black Bear Program Leader said in a news release.

An effort to trap the bear is the preferred course of action. This will reduce opportunity for its behavior to escalate which could result in injury to someone utilizing the campground.

Safety concerns involving bears have heightened in the region after a 16-year-old girl was attacked as she slept in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The girl survived but was hospitalized with lacerations to the head, officials said. The bear responsible for the attack was killed by rangers at the scene, officials said.

Black bears can reach up to 600 pounds and have strong claws and teeth, according to federal officials.

Black bears in the wild are opportunistic, feeding on whatever is readily available, the U.S. Forest Service said in the release.

Food odors and improperly stored garbage will attract bears to campsites and picnic areas, even when humans are around. Though bears are naturally afraid of humans, bears habituated to human food can begin to associate human scents with the reward of food. Due to this, bears can become a threat to humans, property, and themselves.
A U.S. Senate hearing in Atlanta on Monday highlighted the fact that Democratic concerns about new voting laws are rapidly shifting to potential post-election meddling by state legislatures.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., was the first speaker to address the Senate Rules and Administration Committee as it met in a rare hearing outside of Washington, D.C. And he highlighted his recently introduced bill that will make it more difficult for partisan state lawmakers to remove members of local election boards. Thats one way that numerous state legislatures controlled by Republicans are making it easier for them to possibly overturn election results they dont like.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., at a U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee field hearing in Atlanta on Monday. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

A law passed in Georgia earlier this year, Senate Bill 202, has attracted national attention and much criticism due to provisions that make it harder to vote by mail, among other restrictions. But it also allows partisan officials in the state Legislature to control our state board of elections and take over local elections. And it allows them to engage in these takeovers even while the votes are still being cast, Warnock said.

This is a recipe not only for voter suppression but for chaos in our democracy, he said to the committee, chaired by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

Warnocks legislation would eliminate a provision in the Georgia law that allows an individual to challenge an unlimited number of voter registrations without personal knowledge of whether those voters are eligible. A conservative group challenged the eligibility of 364,000 Georgia voters last December, prior to the January runoff elections for the states two U.S. Senate seats.

Warnocks bill would also add protections from harassment for election workers, and it would limit the removal of local election officials.

Georgia State Rep. Billy Mitchell, the chairman of the state House Democratic Caucus, was even more pointed than Warnock. He expressed support for the For the People Act, the major voting rights legislation spearheaded by Democrats for the past several months, which seeks to make voting more accessible and political spending more transparent. But Mitchell reserved his real alarm for laws that could allow for post-election shenanigans  an issue that has not received anywhere near the same amount of attention from the press or from Democrats in Congress as have the laws affecting voting access.

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Georgia state Rep. Billy Mitchell at Monday's hearing. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

I believe that dark money, unlimited campaign spending, is wrong, and I hope you will be able to do something about it. ... I further believe that voter suppression is unfair and wrong, and hope you do something about it. But our grandparents and great-grands endured far worse, and we will use this to motivate our voters, Mitchell said.

But what I am most concerned about, and hope you come up with a solution for, is cheating umpires that these laws are creating.

They are replacing elected officials in states and counties  who must concern themselves with the will of the voters  with political appointees, whose only concern is the will of the person who appointed them, Mitchell said. If they dont like the outcome of an election, they can simply and immediately just take over the election board. These political appointees could overturn elections without fear of being held accountable by the voters.

Helen Butler, executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples Agenda, a civil rights group, testified that she had been removed from the board of elections in rural Morgan County, an hour or so east of Atlanta, after the state Legislature changed the way the county chooses members of the board.

Georgia state Sen. Sally Harrell, a Democrat, told the committee that the Republican-controlled Legislature had made these changes in Howard and other counties in little-noticed portions of the local consent calendar, which the state Legislature uses to package together many different small pieces of legislation that are hyperlocal. It took us a while to catch on, she said.

Zero Republican senators on the Senate Rules Committee attended the hearing, and the GOP also did not call any witnesses.

Warnock, second from right, speaks during the hearing. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

In early June, Protect Democracy, which calls itself a nonpartisan antiauthoritarianism organization, released a report noting that 21 measures had been passed into law this year that give state lawmakers greater control over elections and the ability to punish election officials, and that there are 216 provisions in 41 states that had been proposed and are under consideration.

Many of these provisions are being pushed by Republican lawmakers who claim to believe former President Donald Trumps baseless claims about the 2020 election being stolen.

Two scholars of democracy, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, wrote this month in the Atlantic that the legislation would allow Republicans in Arizona, Georgia, and elsewhere to do something Trump tried and failed to do in 2020: throw out ballots in rival strongholds in order to overturn a statewide result, and that the new laws impose criminal penalties for local election officials deemed to violate election procedure.

This will enable statewide Republican officials to compel local officials, via threats of criminal prosecution, to engage in electoral hardball. Throwing out thousands of ballots in rival strongholds may be profoundly antidemocratic, but it is technically legal, and Republicans in several states now have a powerful stick with which to enforce such practices, wrote Levitsky and Ziblatt, who co-authored the 2018 book How Democracies Die.

The two academics were among the more than 100 experts on democracy who signed a letter in June urging Congress to do whatever is necessary  including suspending the filibuster  in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.

A voting rights activist holds a sign with the image of Rep. John Lewis at a rally in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, the first anniversary of Lewis's death. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

In addition to Warnocks bill, there is also discussion of Congress passing national standards for election administration  some of which is in the For the People Act  and of reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887.

That law, which is derided by some scholars as muddled and unclear, stipulates how Congress should litigate a contested election. It has never been invoked, but the vagueness of the statute is an invitation to chaos or abuse, experts say.

____

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The first person to be convicted of a felony regarding actions during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is expected to receive the sentence on Monday.

Prosecutors want Paul Allard Hodgkins, a 38-year-old Tampa resident, to serve 18 months in prison, though his lawyer doesnt want him to spend time behind bars at all, according to the Associated Press. He pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding last month, though he was not accused of assault or damaging property.

His sentence could provide insight for others who were charged into whether they should accept plea deals or go to trial. Approximately 500 people have been charged in connection to the swarm of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol as Congress was certifying President Joe Bidens electoral victory.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TRANSFERS FIRST DETAINEE OUT OF GUANTANAMO BAY

In a recent filing, Hodgkinss lawyer, Patrick Leduc, argued that prison was not necessary for his client given that any such punishment will pale in comparison to the scarlet letter Mr. Hodgkins will wear for the rest of his life.

During the riot, the Florida man wore a Trump 2020 T-shirt and carried a flag over his shoulder while walking onto the Senate floor.

Leduc noted that Hodgkins's actions do not differ drastically from those of Anna Morgan Lloyd, a 49-year-old from Indiana, who was the first rioter arrested to be sentenced. After pleading guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct, she was sentenced to three years of probation.

Prosecutors, however, note that Hodgkins left his hometown on a bus with a backpack that included rope, protective goggles, and latex gloves, which they argue shows he was prepared for violence.

Time and time again, rather than turn around and retreat, Hodgkins pressed forward, the government filing said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

It has been eight months since then-President Donald Trump lost his reelection bid and more than six since the riot occurred.

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In January, the former president spoke at a nearby rally before the riot began. He urged his supporters to fight like hell and to make their voices heard "peacefully and patriotically" after he spent the previous eight weeks claiming that he was the rightful winner of the election.

Four people died at the riot, and three Capitol Police officers died in its aftermath, though only one of their deaths was ruled a homicide.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, U.S. Capitol Building, U.S. Capitol Police, Riots, Police

Original Author: Mike Brest

Original Location: Sentence to be handed down for first Capitol rioter charged with felony
BRUSSELS (AP)  A meeting Monday between Serbia and Kosovo that is part of the European Union-brokered negotiations aimed at resolving a long-lasting dispute that remains a source of tensions in the volatile Balkans produced no progress.

The negotiations were headed by the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who urged Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti before the meeting in Brussels to achieve a comprehensive legally-binding agreement.

The EU's special envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, who was part of the talks, said at the end of the meeting that it was difficult and it demonstrated very different approaches of the two parties.

The only outcome I would report today is that the dialogue will continue, he said, adding that chief negotiators will hold monthly meetings while both leaders agreed to meet again in September.

Serbia and Kosovo have been told that they can't hope to move forward in their efforts to join the EU before resolving the decades-old rift that exploded in a conflict in 1998-99, leaving more than 10,000 people dead and triggering an intervention by NATO.

The European future for Serbia and Kosovo depends on the normalization of their relations. We therefore expect both parties to work together, to overcome the legacy of the past and solve all outstanding issues between them, underlined Lajcak.

Kosovo, formerly a province in Serbia, declared independence in 2008. But Belgrade has refused to accept that. While Kosovo has been recognized by the U.S. and most EU nations, Belgrade has relied on support from Russia and China in its bid to retain claim on the territory.

Kurti said that Serbia didn't want to face the past and face the families of more than 1,600 people still missing from the war in Kosovo.

Serbia should recognize Kosovo. Kosovo should recognize Serbia and everything else is resolvable and easy, Kurti said.

Vucic argued that all sides committed crimes, adding that there was no agreement at all at the meeting, describing the Kosovo side as irrational.

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I am concerned. I dont know what we are going to do, Vucic said. They see only themselves as a victim and only Serbs as criminals.

After a stalemate since last year, the two meetings in the last two months have been fruitless.

The EU-brokered negotiations started in 2011, but were stalled last year partly because of the coronavirus pandemic before resuming a month ago.

Since the start of the EU-brokered negotiations, the delegations from Belgrade and Pristina have agreed on a number of issues, tackling problems from free travel to trade. While many of them still remain to be applied, they also remained far apart on Kosovos independence.

The future is more important than the past. The past is important, but we have to look forward. And when we look forward, what we see at the end of the path is the European perspective for Serbia and Kosovo, Borrell before the meeting.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's health ministry on Sunday "strongly" advised unvaccinated individuals, especially the elderly, to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks, citing heightened concerns about the risk of community spread of COVID-19.

The country reported 88 new locally-transmitted coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest daily toll since August last year, driven by growing clusters of infections linked to karaoke bars and a fishery port.

Though Singapore's daily cases are only a fraction of the number being reported among its Southeast Asian neighbours, the jump in infections is a setback for the Asian business hub, which has successfully contained its earlier outbreaks. On July 10, it had reported no new cases.

As a precaution, authorities on Sunday shut fresh fish and seafood stalls in markets across the city-state as it tested fishmongers for COVID-19.

"We are concerned that there remain cryptic transmission chains which might continue to spread within our community. The porous nature of wet markets makes contact tracing and isolation less straightforward," the health ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

About 73% of Singapore's 5.7 million population has received the first dose of a COVID-10 vaccine, but the government is pushing to get more of the elderly vaccinated, as those above 70 years of age have the lowest takeup rates at about 71%.

The rising cases prompted the city-state to tighten some restrictions on social gatherings from Monday just a week after easing them. However, it has more lenient rules for those who have been vaccinated.

As Singapore's vaccination rates rise and it prepares to live with the virus, the government has said it will look beyond case numbers at severity of illnesses to decide on further virus measures.

Of the 243 people with COVID-19 currently in hospital, five had serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation, and one was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan in Singapore; Editing by Ed Davies)
Graced with rolling vineyards, bountiful big game, the iconic Table Mountain, endless sandy beaches and vast cultural riches, South Africa would have expected to cash in on a post-virus travel boom.

But a week of violent rioting and looting risks deterring foreign visitors and hammering hopes of recovery, the industry says, compounding losses caused by the country's mounting coronavirus toll.

Tracey Hellerle of the Umzolozolo lodge near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal province, which was the epicentre of the disorder, said every visitor booked to stay during the week of the riots had cancelled.

Before Covid-19, visitors from across the world -- and during the pandemic, from across the country -- would sit on poolside sun loungers overlooking the undulating plains of the Nambiti game reserve, hoping to catch a glimpse of Big Five game animals.

"We'd just started to get back into the swing of things," Hellerle said, noting that a downturn in bookings because of the pandemic had already led to layoffs.

"People were just too scared to travel (and) because of the riots they closed the N3 (motorway), which had become like a war zone and people were just too terrified to get in their vehicles to travel."

Since the looting and riots erupted on July 9, 212 people have died, of whom 180 lost their lives in KwaZulu-Natal.

- Tourism fears -

Tourism is a mainstay of South Africa's economy, which was stumbling even before Covid-19 and the riots.

The industry contributed 355 billion rand ($24.6 billion, 21 billion euros) to the economy in 2019 -- seven percent of GDP -- and employed 759,900 people, according to official statistics.

In Clarens, an idyllic tourist town nestled at the foot of the Maluti mountains that is a popular weekend retreat five hours by car inland from Durban, guesthouse owner Heinrich Pelser fears foreign tourists could be deterred by the unrest.

"If you look at Canadians and Americans I don't think they will come soon," he said.

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Since the unrest began, Pelser's Stonehaven cottages have hosted drivers heading away from riot-hit Durban, as well as one man on his way to the city to take food to his mother, he said.

Under coronavirus restrictions, alcohol sales are banned nationwide -- a particular blow for Clarens, which is known for its microbreweries, and for the Western Cape province which is renowned for its wineries, as well as being the end point of the prestigious Blue Train.

"It's not worth coming here if you can't sample the cheese, the wine, the beers," said Pelser, who employs six full-time staff.

In Cape Town, capital of the Western Cape and a popular stop for cruise ships, tourist-oriented businesses say the lack of visiting liners has hurt them.

"It's been very slow. Before we had a lot of cruise passengers. We are just waiting to see if this vaccine means they can come back," said the manager of the Wild Thing Africa souvenir store in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront.

"Now we don't want (the violence) to come here," she said, giving her name only as Simone.

Nearby, passengers who were nearly all South Africans disembarked from a red double-decker Cape Town tour bus parked beside the city's Two Oceans Aquarium.

"I feel very safe, it's normal here. The coronavirus restrictions have been easier than I expected," said a passenger who gave his name only as Brian, visiting his South African girlfriend.

- 'Safe to come'? -

In another blow to Durban's tourist allure, officials have closed several beaches in the city's north, usually popular with visitors both local and foreign, for fear of chemical contamination following nearby industrial arson.

Zanele Khomo, chief growth officer at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that events had been "devastating" for the city's tourism economy.

"Tourism-wise it's gonna hurt us as a country," she added.

The destruction from the looting has been broadcast worldwide, as have fake news stories about attacks on tourist areas.

"Once the riots have calmed down, South Africa is very popular and once it's safe to come, people will definitely travel," said Umzolozolo lodge's Hellerle, noting that some lodges in KwaZulu-Natal had been empty since March 2020.

"It's hoping and praying."

gw/gd/reb
By Colin Packham and Paulina Duran

CANBERRA (Reuters) -Telstra Corp Ltd said on Monday it was in talks to buy the Pacific operations of telecommunications firm Digicel Group in partnership with the Australian government, a move widely viewed as a political block to China's influence in the region.

Telstra said the government would finance the bulk of any bid for Jamaica-based Digicel, the largest mobile phone carrier in the Pacific with operations in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tahiti.

Digicel's future has been the focus of market and media speculation for several months. It last year denied an Australian newspaper report it was considering a sale of its Pacific business to state-owned China Mobile Ltd.

A sale of Digicel to a Chinese company would be a cause of concern for the Australian government amid strategic competition between U.S. allies and China in the Pacific region.

"The Australian government is trying to achieve a few things at once. Digicel is the primary player in the Pacific and Australia sees it as strategic asset that they can't allow to fall into the hands of China," said Jonathan Pryke, Director, Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank.

"They are keen to get Australian business back into the Pacific and they've come to the realisation that they are going to have to underwrite."

A Digicel spokesman declined to comment. A spokesperson for Australia's Minister for the Pacific, Zed Seselja, also declined to comment.

A spokesman for Australia's department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was inappropriate to comment on the "incomplete commercial discussions of a publicly listed company," but said that: "Partnering on infrastructure development is a key part of our Pacific Step-up."

He said the government supports businesses investing in infrastructure in the Pacific, "including communications infrastructure, which plays a key role in economies across the region".

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The Chinese embassy in Canberra did not respond to requests for comment.

Telstra said it was initially approached by the Australian government "to provide technical advice in relation to Digicel Pacific, which is a commercially attractive asset and critical to telecommunications in the region."

"If Telstra were to proceed with a transaction it would be with financial and strategic risk management support from the government," the company said in a statement.

Telstra did not provide financial details, but Australian media reported a deal would be worth about A$2 billion ($1.5 billion) with the Australian government paying around A$1.5 billion.

Using details reported by the media, Goldman Sachs estimated a deal would be valued at between A$1.9 billion to $2.5 billion, with equity split after debt seeing Telstra acquire up to 30%.

A deal would require Digicel to underwrite its future revenue forecasts for three years, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

UNDERSEA CABLES

Australia has ramped up its presence in the Pacific through the creation of a A$2 billion ($1.5 billion) infrastructure financing facility and via its membership of the Quad group, together with the United States, India and Japan, to counter Chinas expanding interests in the Indo-Pacific.

Digicel, founded by Irish billionaire Denis OBrien, has a dominant market share in Papua New Guinea and uses a submarine cable from Sydney that was constructed with funding from the Australian government to expand data services there.

Australia stepped in to largely fund the 4,700-km (2,900-mile) Coral Sea cable in 2018 to head off initial agreements by Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands for Chinese telecoms company Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to lay the cable.

Australia, the United States and Japan are financing an undersea optic fibre cable for Palau, while sources told Reuters last month that Nauru is negotiating for the construction of an undersea communications cable that would connect to an Australian network. Nauru earlier rejected a Chinese proposal.

Washington has pressed governments around the world to squeeze Huawei and other Chinese companies out of supplying sensitive communications equipment, alleging the company could hand over data to the Chinese government for spying, a charge denied by Beijing and Chinese telcos.

($1 = 1.3510 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Colin Packham in Canberra and Paulina Duran in Sydney, additional reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; editing by Lincoln Feast, Jane Wardell, Kirsten Donovan)
Texas Democrats' trip to Washington, D.C., attempting to block GOP-backed voting bills from passing in the state Legislature will cost $1.5 million, a state lawmaker said.

State Rep. Armando Walle projected the lawmakers' chartered flights alone cost upward of $100,000, according to NBC News. Other notable expenses will include food, hotel lodging, and transportation, he said.

Last week, nearly 60 Democrats fled Austin, paralyzing the state's House of Representatives and drawing ire from their GOP colleagues. The majority of the Democratic lawmakers boarded private jets to Washington to meet with federal officials after Republicans pushed two pieces of legislation that would restrict certain ballot-casting processes and require more identification for voting.

TWO MORE TEXAS DEMOCRATS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19

A wire transfer from the House Democratic Caucus paid for the jets, and one House member put a block of hotel rooms on a personal American Express card.

It is unclear whether taxpayers will end up paying partially or wholly for the Democrats' trip.

Democrats have insisted that no taxpayer funds are being used in the excursion, but their Republican counterparts have posited that upward of $1 million will be paid by residents due to the prolonging of a special session.

Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order to convene a special session to deliberate on Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 3, a pair of bills that would ban drive-thru voting, implement more comprehensive voter identification requirements for mail-in ballots, and prohibit officials from sending voting applications to those who did not request them. SB 1 was passed by the Senate amid the theatrics, but HB 3 has been stalled as the House lacks the two-thirds quorum necessary to vote on the legislation.

If Democrats do not return in a timely manner, the special session could last for nearly one month, with legislators being paid per diem rates during the process. On Wednesday, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan requested that the Democrats return their $221 per day wages if they're outside of the Lone Star State.

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"Under the Texas Constitution ... per diem must be paid to each member for each day of a special session, regardless of whether the member is actually present," Phelan wrote in a memorandum. "I am requesting all members who are intentionally absent for the purpose of preventing the House from conducting business during the special session to return your constitutional per diem to the state's treasury immediately upon receipt."

On Tuesday, House Republicans voted to send law enforcement to hunt down the lawmakers "under warrant of arrest if necessary" after the leaders discovered they lacked a two-thirds quorum when they tried to bring one of the bills to a vote with only 80 members of the normal 150-member government body present. Two motions to initiate the move passed by an overwhelming 76-4 margin, with Democrats who chose not to vacate the state as the only "no" votes.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The absent Democrats have drawn criticism for their trip after at least five fully vaccinated members involved in the trek tested positive for COVID-19 since their departure. The legislators were seen posing maskless on flights to Washington, D.C. ahead of the diagnoses, a decision one of the lawmakers admitted was "sloppy."

"Let our mistake be the object lesson," Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu, who has become a prolific tweeter since he and colleagues fled Texas, said. "Being vaccinated doesn't ALWAYS stop you from spreading the virus."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Texas, Democrats, Voting, Republicans, Washington D.C.

Original Author: Jake Dima

Original Location: Texas Democrats' Washington trip to block voting bills will cost $1.5 million, lawmaker says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Monday it is investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents among its personnel in Vienna, where the New Yorker magazine has reported about two dozen U.S. intelligence officers, diplomats and other officials have reported experiencing mysterious afflictions.

"When it comes to Vienna, in coordination with our interagency partners we are vigorously investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents among (the) U.S. embassy community there," State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a regular briefing.

(Reporting By Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis; Writing by Arshad Mohammed)
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government reiterated on Monday that it recognises opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuela's president, a move aimed at quashing a bid by the Nicolas Maduro-backed Venezuelan central bank to repatriate nearly $1 billion of its gold stored in London.

Legal teams representing Maduro and Guaido will be at the UK Supreme Court on Monday in the latest stage of a long-running tug-of-war over what amounts to about 15% of Venezuelas foreign currency reserves.

Lawyers representing the central bank say selling the gold would fund the response to the coronavirus pandemic and bolster a health system gutted by more than six years of economic crisis.

The Bank of England, whose vaults house the gold, has refused to release it, however, after the British government in early 2019 joined dozens of others countries in backing Guaido on the basis that Maduros presidential election victory the previous year was rigged.

"The UK government is clear that Juan Guaido has been recognised by Her Majesty's Government since February 2019 as the only legitimate President of Venezuela," the British Foreign Office said in a statement, having been invited by the Supreme Court to clarify its position ahead of Monday's case.

"He (Guaido) is the only individual recognised to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state," a Foreign Office spokesperson added, saying the South American country needed "a peaceful transition to democracy".

The dispute over the gold began in May 2018 when Maduro secured re-election in a vote that the main opposition coalition boycotted and called a sham. Afterwards, Boris Johnson, then the British foreign minister, said: We may have to tighten the economic screw on Venezuela.

Concerned by mounting sanctions against the Maduro government, the Venezuelan central bank (BCV) told the Bank of England (BoE) it wanted to bring home 14 tonnes of gold it had stored there.

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Around the end of 2018, Calixto Ortega, the BCV president, traveled to London to discuss the matter with BoE officials, according to Sarosh Zaiwalla, a London-based lawyer representing the BCV, but they told Ortega there was an issue with his authority.

The following February, Britain joined dozens of other nations in backing Guaidos claim to be the legitimate president. In April, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the BCV, alleging Maduro was using it to plunder Venezuelan assets to enrich corrupt insiders.

Before the sanctions, Venezuela paid off several gold swap transactions the BCV had agreed with Deutsche Bank in previous years, people familiar with the deal said. That resulted in 17 tonnes of gold held in the BOEs vaults being returned to the control of the BCV, bringing its holdings there to 31 tonnes, about a quarter of Venezuelas total gold reserves.

The sanctions then triggered the early termination of other gold swaps made between BCV and Deutsche Bank, releasing more gold to the BCV, according to a chronology filed in previous court cases by Guaidos legal team.

Guaidos team asked the UK courts to determine who had the authority to represent the BCV and receive the gold.

The European Union, which Britain formally left at the start of the year, said in January https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-eu/eu-states-no-longer-recognise-guaido-as-venezuelas-interim-president-idUSKBN29U1A3 it could no longer legally recognise Guaido as Venezuela's president after he lost his position as head of parliament following legislative elections in December, despite the EU not recognising that vote.

(Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Peter Cooney)
The Democratic Republic of Congo scored a key heritage victory on Monday as UNESCO removed one of its nature reserves from a list of threatened sites, the UN agency said.

UNESCO praised the country's conservation efforts and the government's commitment to ban prospecting for oil in Salonga, the vast central African country's largest public park.

The World Heritage Committee cited "improvements towards its conservation state" in its decision, according to a statement Monday.

"Regular monitoring of the wild fauna shows that the bonobo (ape) populations remain stable within the territory despite past pressure, and that the forest elephant population is starting to come back," the statement said.

The Congolese environment ministry welcomed the move.

It would be "an opportunity to rethink the management of the peatland with a view to quantifying its capacity to absorb carbon" emissions, it told AFP in a statement.

Salonga is Africa's largest protected rainforest and home to 40 percent of the Earth's bonobo apes, along with several other endangered species.

It was created in 1970 by then dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and had been on the endangered list since 1984.

The park is also home to slender-snouted crocodiles and Congo peacocks.

bmb/gd/spm/tgb
The US government pledged Monday to steer clear of legal orders that force journalists to reveal their sources, with only rare exceptions, reversing course after revelations of secret efforts to obtain information from the media.

The Justice Department said it would no longer use the "compulsory legal process" including subpoenas or warrants to obtain records or identify sources from journalists involved in newsgathering activities.

The new policy comes following revelations that under former president Donald Trump the department secretly obtained phone records of journalists investigating his administration, including from CNN, the Washington Post and New York Times.

The statement said the policy shift was made "because a free and independent press is vital to the functioning of our democracy."

It said the new policy applies to reporters, publishers, third-party service providers and others involved in newsgathering, and to physical or digital documents as well as phone records.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the new policy in a memo and called for "a review process to further explain, develop and codify the policy."

Monday's announcement comes after news that the Trump administration sought records of journalists investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, while obtaining "gag orders" to keep that effort secret.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last month that the use of such orders in leak investigations "is not consistent with the president's policy direction."

The Garland memo said exceptions to the policy would be made if the journalist were the subject of an investigation, or was suspected of being a foreign agent or member of a terrorist group, or in cases of "imminent" risk of death or bodily harm.

The policy would not apply if the reporter were suspected of a criminal act such as insider trading, or if a criminal act -- such as breaking and entering -- were part of the reporter's activities.

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- Longstanding concerns -

While the cases involving the Trump administration have drawn scrutiny, the policy change addresses a longstanding concern on press freedom and follows several cases where journalists have been threatened with jail for refusing to reveal sources.

"The attorney general has taken a necessary and momentous step to protect press freedom at a critical time," said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

"This historic new policy will ensure that journalists can do their job of informing the public without fear of federal government intrusion into their relationships with confidential sources."

The American Civil Liberties Union also welcomed the move.

"This policy is a major step forward in protecting journalists against government spying and safeguarding a free press," said Patrick Toomey, senior staff attorney of the ACLUs National Security Project.

New York Times reporter Judith Miller was jailed in 2005 for refusing to reveal the source of her reporting on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Another New York Times reporter, James Risen, was threatened with jail for refusing to testify in a case seeking to confirm his sources for reporting on a US operation in Iran that was intended to disrupt that country's nuclear program.

Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters waged a legal battle to avoid incarceration in 2007 for protecting a source for an investigation in a steroid scandal in major league sports.

bur-rl/bgs
LAS VEGAS (AP)  The U.S. women's Olympic team was in unfamiliar territory having dropped two exhibition games in a row for the first time in a decade.

The Americans rebounded with a strong effort to beat Nigeria 93-62 on Sunday in the final pre-Olympic exhibition tune-up for both teams.

It feels good, U.S. coach Dawn Staley said. To come out and play the way we did on both sides of the basketball. We shared it, got our bigs the ball. We made a concerted effort to do that. I think everyone in the locker room feels good about being able to impact the game in a lot of different ways."

A'ja Wilson scored 16 points and Breanna Stewart added 14 to lead the U.S., which dropped consecutive exhibition games for the first time since 2011 with losses to the WNBA All-Stars and Australia this week.

No one wants to be on the team that loses, Wilson said. I was a little like uh-oh. People talk and jump the gun say everything and anything. the vets were like its ok, its part of the game, well get back. Coach came in today and said we're getting back to our dominance and that helped me feel a little more at ease. The people we have in the locker room are so talented we know what we were doing."

The Americans got off to a strong start, racing out to a 20-4 lead. After shooting 2 for 18 from behind the 3-point arc in the loss to Australia, the U.S. pounded the ball inside early and often against Nigeria. The first 10 points came from Wilson and Brittney Griner.

The U.S. led 29-15 after one quarter as Stewart had 10 points. Griner took over in the second quarter to help the Americans extend the lead to 55-34 at the half. Nigeria never made a run in the second half against the U.S., which was missing Diana Taurasi for the third straight exhibition game as she recovers from a hip injury.

She said Saturday that she'd be ready for the Olympics.

Nigeria's roster is still undetermined for the Olympics that begin next week. The African nation was trying to get Nneka Ogwumike and Elizabeth Williams to play for them. The two have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a last-ditch effort said two people familiar with the situation.

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The pair were notified earlier this week by FIBA that their petition to play for the African nation had been denied because they played for the U.S. national program for too long. The people spoke to The Associated Press Friday on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made.

The two WNBA players would need to have FIBAs decision overturned by Sunday night's registration deadline for the Olympics or have the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) grant them a provisional allowance and add them to the roster until a hearing can occur.

Nigeria coach Otis Hughley Jr. wasn't sure when and how the CAS would decide.

I wish I could answer those questions. I dont know the answers to those questions,' he said. I'm locked into the girls we have who are eligible. I hope and pray that changes. ... it would be a welcome edition."

Hughley was disappointed that FIBA wouldn't let the Nneka Ogwumike and Williams play.

Its unfortunate its coming out the way it is, he said. "The parents and grand parents are both born there. Why would you not certify them? ... Every country on this earth theres an African on them. Why wouldnt you let these children return to their own roots.

Williams did play for Nigeria in the exhibition game while Ogwumike and her sister, Chiney, who was approved to play as a naturalized player for Nigeria were on the bench, but not suited up.

Nneka Ogwumike didn't make the U.S. Olympic roster which is what set off the chain of events that led to her trying to play for Nigeria where her parents are from and she and her sisters hold dual citizenship.

Erica Ogwumike, the youngest of the four Ogwumike sisters, had five points for Nigeria. Atonye Nyingifa scored nine points to lead the team.

Nigeria has been a team on the rise, reaching the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2018. before losing to the U.S.

BETTER SHOOTING

After a dismal performance from behind the arc against Australia, the U.S. made 9 of 16 from 3.

UP NEXT:

These two teams will open against each other in the Olympics on July 27.

___

More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2020-tokyo-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
President Joe Bidens administration is evacuating 2,500 Afghan immigrants to a military base in the United States as a Taliban onslaught stokes fears of a government collapse and retaliation against former U.S. government employees in the country.

These are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service the United States has been certified by the Embassy in Kabul and who have completed thorough [special immigrant visa] security vetting processes, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters during Mondays briefing. They will be provided temporary housing and services as they complete the final steps in the Special Immigrant process.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has faced bipartisan pressure to provide visas for interpreters and other local employees, as lawmakers fear a massacre of these individuals and their families after the withdrawal of American troops. The evacuation flights will begin later this month and deliver the immigrants to Fort Lee, Virginia  an announcement that coincided with a plea for an urgent end to the Talibans ongoing military offensive in favor of peace talks with the central government in Kabul.

US TO EVACUATE THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN HELPERS AS AFGHANISTAN TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF ALL-OUT CIVIL WAR

The Talibans offensive is in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict and to the Doha peace process, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said in a joint statement with 16 other diplomatic missions. We join the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in calling on the Taliban and all parties to immediately end the violence, agree to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, and engage fully in peace negotiations to end the suffering of the Afghan people and pave the way to an inclusive political settlement that benefits all Afghans and ensures that Afghanistan does not again serve as a safe haven for terrorists.

Taliban forces have surged across Afghanistan in recent months, as Bidens decision to withdraw all American troops from the country shifted the balance of power between the militants and the Afghan security forces.

Story continues

The last opportunities remain for a political settlement and an enduring peace in Afghanistan, said High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Abdullah Abdullah Monday, per local media. Insisting on a military option shows that necessary lessons have not been learned from more than four decades of conflict.

Abdullahs team has met with the Taliban in Qatar, but the militant group is reportedly demanding that Kabul release 7,000 prisoners in exchange for a ceasefire. Taliban officials insisted they want to strike a peace deal, despite their ascendance on the battlefield.

"In spite of the military gains and advances, the Islamic Emirate strenuously favors a political settlement in the country, and every opportunity for the establishment of an Islamic system, a Taliban statement Sunday declared.

Biden insists a Taliban victory is not inevitable. Still, the Afghan military was designed to be dependent on American support  particularly for the air force, which has been maintained by U.S. contractors.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

What they will do is basically bring the Kabul administration to its knees, an Asia-Pacific intelligence officer who has served in Afghanistan predicted. At that stage, when the Taliban are in a really overwhelmingly strong position, that is a time when they will say, OK, let's talk, amend the constitution.'

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Foreign Policy, National Security, War in Afghanistan, Antony Blinken, State Department, State Department, Taliban, Afghanistan

Original Author: Joel Gehrke

Original Location: Western diplomats plead for Taliban to halt offensive as US evacuations of Afghan employees begins
Reuters Videos

The Russian government initially struggled to get coronavirus vaccines into people's arms, facing a wary public.But now some regions have a new problem: People are finally lining up to get vaccinated - and there are shortages.One resident in the town of Vladimir said people were lining up at 4 a.m. for centres opening at 10 a.m.Eugenia is a health inspector in the town:"The first month of vaccination, we had about 20-25 people during working hours. Right now, it can be 70-80 or 50, it depends on how many vaccines we have. So yesterday we did 80 vaccinations, today we have only a certain amount of vaccines; it's just 50 because we only have 50 doses, that's all."Reuters went to the appointment desks of four different clinics around there last week. They all said no shots were available.The earliest appointments were next month, and all said they could not give an exact date.Sergey Sobyanin is Moscows Mayor:"During the last six months, 1.7 million people in Moscow got the first vaccine. Now, during the last month - only a month- theres been more than two million!"The countrys vaccine drive was initially slow, in part due to skepticism.But now, Russia is battling a record third wave of COVID-19 infections.And vaccination is compulsory in some Russian regions for people working in jobs involving close contact with the public like waiters and taxi drivers.The switch poses a challenge for Russia, which has also signed contracts to supply its Sputnik V vaccine to countries around the world.Russia is producing 30 million sets of doses per month, according to the industry ministry.Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin ordered the government on Monday to check what vaccines were available for Russians.The industry ministry said it was working with the health ministry to close the demand gap in places where it had jumped. The health ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Zoom announced Sunday it has signed an agreement to acquire cloud contact center software provider Five9 in an all-stock transaction valuing the company at $14.7 billion.

Why it matters: This is Zoom's first billion-dollar acquisition and the second-biggest American tech deal this year, after Microsoft's planned $16 billion purchase of Nuance Communications, per CNBC.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

Our thought bubble, via Axios' Felix Salmon: In a sign of how good the public markets and the pandemic have been to Zoom, the acquisition price is about 60% greater than the $9.2 billion that the videoconferencing app was valued at in its 2019 IPO.

What they're saying: "We are continuously looking for ways to enhance our platform, and the addition of Five9 is a natural fit that will deliver even more happiness and value to our customers," Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said in a statement.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
My campaign is going to focus on racial justice, because justice is a huge part of what the Bible teaches and that is not a part of our lived reality right now in this country, he said. Im going to talk a lot about reinvesting in rural communities, because in a lot of ways, those rural communities are places that kind of have made their way to the margins.

The 5th District  which stretches from Rappahannock County to the city of Danville and includes much of the Charlottesville area  is largely rural, and Throneburg said he hopes to appeal to voters in those areas, as well as to voters of color, activists and faith-minded people by addressing commonalities.

Though he has not run for public office before, Throneburg said he believes his life experience has equipped him with the necessary skills to lead the district.

I pastored for many, many years and walked with people through the highs and lows of life and through some of the most challenging experiences that they go through, he said. Im a small-business owner and I feel the stress and uncertainty that comes with trying to make a living for your family and provide for them.
The inspector general probe was launched in 2019 at the request of Democratic congressional leaders who said they were concerned that the Trump administration had hidden the role of the Republican redistricting expert while trying to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire. The Commerce Department oversees the Census Bureau, which compiles and crunches the numbers used to determine political power and the distribution of federal funds.

The inspector general's report confirmed the conclusions of a congressional investigation about the Trump administrations illegal efforts" to add a citizenship question to the census, said U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Lying to Congress is unacceptable, and the IG did the right thing by referring Secretary Rosss conduct to the Justice Department," said Maloney, D-NY. It is appalling that the Trump Administration subjected an undertaking as important as the decennial census to brazen political manipulation."

The inspector general investigation was unable to establish that Hofeller played a major role in the attempt to add the citizenship question to the census form, Gustafson's letter said.
He tried to skirt the issue by wanting my endorsement, yet walking on both sides of the fence. The Trump base is very large in Virginia, they understood his game, and they didnt come out for Gillespie, Trump said. He got creamed!

Gillespie, who also had never held public office but had served as chairman of the Republican National Committee and as counselor to President George W. Bush, lost to Democrat Ralph Northam by nearly 9 percentage points. Last year, Trump lost Virginia by 10 points.

Political analysts say Youngkin may be reluctant to take firm positions on political issues that might alienate suburban moderates in the states key battlegrounds. Republicans lost control of the House of Delegates and state Senate in 2019 during a race that involved heated debate over gun control. During Trumps reelection campaign in 2020, Virginia was not a presidential battleground for the first time since 2008.

Theres a natural constituency in the Republican Party. By and large, theyll vote for Republicans, whoever it is. Its almost as if Youngkin is winking at them, said University of Richmond professor Carl Tobias, who tracks state politics. Youngkin is also targeting more moderate or independent voters, in the suburbs of Virginias urban crescent that runs from Northern Virginia through greater Richmond, to Hampton Roads.
He said the proposal stems from economic demand.

Data centers  are voracious users of electricity and theyre only growing by the day, he said. It is a fantasy to think that renewable energy is going to power all these data centers. Its just not going to happen.

He said the plant would help Charles City County economically.

This county needs, desperately, some economic good news and some activity, he said. This is one of the most impoverished counties in Virginia. And the irony is that ... environmental activists who live outside of the county come in and drum up all sorts of opposition based on social and environmental justice, as they call it.

And what they fail to recognize (is) this project is actually going to displace far more polluting and older, inefficient projects in Virginia. So this is a net improvement, this power project, over other projects.

Specifically, he noted that Dominion Energy, the states largest utility, still uses coal to produce electricity in Virginia.

A power plant like this is going to speed up the retirement of coal plants that Dominion and other utilities continue to operate at a very, very high cost, he said.
Virginias upcoming recreational marijuana market will be subject to intense regulation from state officials, namely, a new regulatory board Gov. Ralph Northam filled out on Monday.

The Cannabis Control Authority will work to launch Virginias new adult-use marijuana market in 2024 and ensure compliance with state rules from there on out. Northam on Monday named five people to the authoritys board of directors, which has legal power over the agency.

The five people who will sit on the board are:

* Neil Amin of Henrico, the CEO of hotel operator Shamin Hotels, will serve as the chair of the board. Shamin Hotels owns and operates over 60 hotels across six states and is based in Richmond. Amin previously worked for Goldman Sachs, and has served on the Virginia Treasury Board, Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, and the Governors Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates. (Shamin Hotels owns the building within which the Richmond Times-Dispatch's downtown offices are located.)

* Michael Jerome Massie, a lawyer from Portsmouth, will be the vice chair of the board. Massie is a trial lawyer with his own practice, and previously worked as a prosecutor for the city of Portsmouth.
McKay said the lawsuit sends misconceptions about the trans community, adding the policies not only let trans students have a safe and welcoming learning environment, but to simply exist.

Its basically letting trans students have the access to what everybody else has access to, which is equal rights, McKay said. It is the right to exist in public schools in all activities that they offer.

Lamneck said the pushback against the policies are misinformed and the guidance when put in place will have positive outcomes for all students.

The impact is great for the entire student body and thats what we want at the end of the day, to have a thriving student body where everyone can succeed no matter their sexual orientation or their gender, Lamneck said.

The amicus brief details accounts of discrimination, isolation and physical violence that transgender students and their families have faced in various Virginia public school systems.

One student, who lives in the area of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, identified as T in the brief, moved middle schools three times and briefly lived with her aunt in another state after being bullied and not having her new name honored in the yearbook or on substitute rosters, the brief states.
Foreign luxury cars priced at more than 10 million yen in Japan are becoming popular among wealthy people who cannot travel abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic and who are willing to spend money on the back of higher global share prices.

Domestic sales of luxury foreign-brand vehicles such as Italy's Ferrari and Britain's Bentley hit record highs in June since 1988, when comparable data became available, industry data showed.

The trend clearly contrasts with worsening living conditions for some people, including part-time and nonregular workers, as the spread of the coronavirus dealt a blow to employment in the service and other business sectors.

Sales of foreign-made luxury passenger cars priced at 10 million yen or more surged 60.9 percent to 3,336 units in June from a year earlier, exceeding the previous year's level every month since the beginning of this year, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

Sales in 2020 were also solid, increasing 0.5 percent from the previous year to 22,712 units, even though the economy was significantly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, sales of Ferrari jumped 80.6 percent from a year earlier to 121 units, while those of Bentley expanded 23.9 percent to 83 units.
A female gymnast from the United States has tested positive for coronavirus, an official in the city where the team has been staying to train said on Monday.

The official in Inzai, just east of Tokyo, said that the gymnast was in her teens and that they'd determined she had one close contact, but declined to give more information, including whether the gymnast was on the main team or an alternate.

Simone Biles, currently dominant in women's gymnastics, is 24. The two teenage members of the U.S. team are Sunisa Lee and Grace McCallum, both 18.

All four of the alternates, selected in case one of the main team members tested positive, are in their teens. Sunisa Lee late on Monday posted a video on Instagram showing her and three team members smiling and waving their accreditation, with the caption "Tokyo bound." Still later, she posted a photo showing her and the others standing in front of the Olympic Village.

Multiple Japanese media reports said that a simple saliva screening test had flagged the athlete concerned as a suspected positive on Sunday, and it was confirmed with a more detailed PCR test on Monday.
The United States on Monday condemned China for using contract hackers to conduct cyberattacks, and said Japan, NATO, the European Union and others are similarly critical of Beijings malicious activity in cyberspace.

The U.S. government also said that, along with its allies and partners, it has formally attributed an attack exploiting the vulnerabilities of Microsoft Corp.s Exchange Server email software, which came to light in March, to actors affiliated with Chinas Ministry of State Security, an intelligence agency.

The United States and countries around the world are holding the Peoples Republic of China accountable for its pattern of irresponsible, disruptive, and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

An unprecedented group of allies and partners are joining the United States in exposing and criticizing Chinas malicious cyber activities, a senior U.S. government official told a teleconference, touching on Japan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

It is the first time that NATO has condemned Beijings cyber activities, according to the official.

Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States form the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance.
Elena Gottreich, deputy director for prosecutorial strategies for the department and one of the new team's leaders, said that while the department recovers thousands of illegal guns a year, We lacked the mechanism to intercept the guns prior to them hitting the streets.

After another bloody weekend that ended with more than 60 people shot, including 10 fatally, and with homicide totals expected to surge in what is typically the most violent time of year, Brown said it's especially important to seek out those who have are unwilling to come forward with information.

Someone knows who is being paid as a third party to purchase guns for a violent person in this city, that would do a drive-by shooting on young people celebrating a graduation, who have been reluctant to give it to police," he said, referring to a shooting late Saturday on the West Side in which a 12-year-old girl and four teenagers were wounded by gunfire at an outside party.

Brown also said the team  which includes Cook County and federal prosecutors  will charge gun traffickers with the highest crime we can.
On Monday, the top Republican in the Minnesota House, Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, called on Hortman to explain by Wednesday what she intends to do about Thompson. If Hortman fails to act, he said, House Republicans will move ahead with ethics complaints.

That panel, made up of two Democrats and two Republicans with one alternate from each party, was already scheduled to meet Friday to consider a different ethics complaint against Thompson. GOP state Rep. Eric Lucero filed it late last month after Thompson, during a contentious floor debate over policing legislation, denounced Lucero by saying, I know you're a racist. GOP lawmakers allege in the complaint that Thompson's conduct violated House rules on decorum.

Thompson's unraveling might not have happened if it weren't for his own statements during a memorial July 6 on the fifth anniversary of Castile's death. At the memorial, Thompson disclosed that St. Paul police had pulled him over for a missing front license plate  what he called a pretextual stop" of the kind he fought to end as a legislator.

Im still being profiled. ... You can still get driving-while-Black tickets in the state, Thompson said.
Left to right, this is Tom Wallbank, Brian Steuerwald, Dean Steuerwald, Ed Simpson, and Andrew Korty. All are FBI club members. Celebrating at Toms house after judging, and watching the award announcements. Tom is a 3-time Indiana Brewers Cup Homebrewer of the Year, and Andrew was the most recent Homebrewer of the Year.
A detainee stands in the common area of the cellblock at Camp Six at Guantanamos Detention Center Zone in February 2017. Photo: Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The United States announced the transfer of a detainee from Guantanamo Bay, the first of this type of repatriation to occur during the Biden administration, as well as a signal of its intent to resume the effort to empty and close the notorious U.S. facility. The move also comes as the U.S. has begun withdrawing military troops from Afghanistan, just as the war in that nation is approaching its 20th year.

The Biden administration remains dedicated to a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo facility, a Pentagon official told reporters on Monday. In February, the White House committed to shutting down the prison by the end of Bidens first term.

The repatriated detainee, Abdul Latif Nasser, is a 56-year-old Moroccan man who has been held at the camp since 2002 without officially being charged with a crime. He was approved for release in July 2016, but Donald Trump halted such transfers during his time as president, leaving five detainees who had been approved, including Nasser, in limbo.

With Nasser released to the Moroccan government, 39 prisoners remain at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Eleven have been charged with war crimes, while 28 have yet to be charged with anything.

The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries national security interests, the Defense Department said in a statement.

One of President Obamas first official acts after taking office in 2009 was to sign an executive order calling for the closure of Guantanamo. Republicans in Congress opposed and repeatedly worked to block the plan, and the administration was not able to finish transferring all the detainees housed at the facility by the time Obama left office.
TOKYO (AP)  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

"This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japans criminal justice system. Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was broke, denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses.

But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

The father and son, both wearing dark suits and flanked by guards, stood before the court in silence.

The Taylors' defense lawyer Keiji Isaji sought a speedy trial. Many Japanese trials last for months, if not years.

The maximum penalty in Japan for helping a criminal is three years in prison. Prosecutors had demanded a sentence of of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for his son.

Story continues

The Taylors defense had argued for suspended sentences for the two, who spent 10 months in custody in the U.S. before their extradition.

But Nirei said the time they were held before and during trial would not count as time served, saying they were not directly related and should be treated differently. There is a limit to how much we can consider, he said.

In December 2019, Ghosn left his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka. At a hotel there, he hid in a big box supposedly containing audio equipment, that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe, according to prosecutors.

Another man, George-Antoine Zayek, is accused in the escape, but has not been arrested.

Separately, Greg Kelly, a former top Nissan executive, is on trial in Tokyo on charges of falsifying securities reports on Ghosns compensation. Kelly, arrested at the same time as Ghosn, also says he is innocent.

A verdict in Kellys trial, which began in September last year, is not expected until next year. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions. Upon conviction, the charges Kelly faces carry the maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama


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The Arab Spring, which was a series of pro-democracy anti-government uprisings over a decade ago that swept across several largely Islamic states, triggered a substantial regional conflict that ultimately impacted global oil production. Those events left a legacy of civil war in OPEC member Libya, Syria, and Yemen. There are emerging fears of similar developments occurring in Latin America, with many countries in the region rocked by widespread anti-government protests since 2019.

Colombia, Latin Americas fourth-largest oil producer, and economy, recently became the epicenter of broad anti-government dissent with the Andean nation rocked by nationwide protests for over two months. Decades of chronic socio-economic inequality, violence, lawlessness, corruption, and suppression of civil society created a tinderbox that the slightest spark could ignite.

Those politically flammable conditions were amplified by the Trump administrations decision to abdicate regional leadership and take an inflammatory tone toward Latin America. The COVID-19 pandemic caused poverty to rise sharply across the region and amplified the deep socioeconomic fault lines that exist sparking greater instability, turmoil, and conflict. The latest developments, notably deep dissatisfaction with the regions rightwing governments failure to deliver economic and social progress, could spark a Latin American Spring with leftwing politicians sweeping to power across the region.

Colombias anti-government marches, which were marred by considerable violence, only recently died down after two months of protests. During those protests, independent Colombian peace think tank Indepaz recorded 74 deaths with 44 of those occurring at the hands of police and other security authorities. The blockades which sprang up across Colombia in the wake of the Duque administrations violent repression of the protests, sharply impacted the Andean countrys economically crucial oil industry. Onshore drillers were forced to shutter oilfields during May 2021 causing production to plunge to a low of 650,884 barrels per day.

Source: Colombia National Hydrocarbon Agency.

While most of the anti-government marches and road blockades have ended considerable political turmoil still exists and tensions are simmering, indicating that they could flare up once again at any time. That risk is magnified by the Duque administrations refusal to recognize protestors grievances, many of which relate to the governments poor economic performance and failure to quell violence in the crisis-riven Andean country.

Related: U.S. Gasoline Demand In 2021 May Have Peaked Already Since Duque became President in August 2018 lawlessness, corruption and poverty have spiked. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights stated last year that Colombia has the fifth-highest legal impunity rate in Latin America. A 2019 survey conducted by international thinktank Transparency International found that just over half of respondents believed corruption in Colombia had increased compared to 12 months earlier.

Violence is spiraling out of control since Duque took office. Indepaz recorded 46 massacres for the first six months of 2021 compared to 33 for the same period a year earlier, with a total of 36 massacres documented by the UNs Colombian mission for all of 2019. The latest incidents have been compared to the paroxysms of violence which swept across Colombia during the 1990s. Data from government statistics agency DANE shows (Spanish) that at the end of 2018 just under 35% of Colombians lived in poverty whereas by the end of 2020 it had jumped to nearly 43%. Some non-government organizations believe that more than half of all Colombians are now living in poverty compared to roughly a third only two years ago. These events have occurred in-country long dominated by a divisive political environment where many Colombians struggle to access basic public resources.

Civil opposition to the Duque administration is also manifesting as hostility toward Colombias economically crucial petroleum industry. Oilfield invasions and community blockades of industrial facilities were increasing before the anti-government protests erupted in late April 2021. From December 2020 onward there has been a series of violent seizures of oilfields in the municipality of Puerto Gaitan in the Llanos Basin. Widespread community opposition toward hydraulic fracturing grew considerably after national oil company Ecopetrol and international oil supermajor Exxon received government consent to conduct fracking pilots in the Middle Magdalena Valley.

These events indicate that the petroleum industrys social license is crumbling, particularly after incidents of environmental contamination. Those developments, including the failure of President Duques rightwing government to deliver basic public goods and social services as well as provide greater access to Colombias growing wealth, are driving civil dissent in other Latin American nations. Latest polls indicate (Spanish) former M19 guerilla and left-leaning senator and 2018 presidential candidate Gustavo Petro will win Colombias top job if elections were held today.

Related: The Ongoing Transformation Of Big Oil

Peru is on a knife-edge after a hotly contested presidential election and a constitutional crisis that last year saw three presidents in one week. Surging discontent with the establishment saw leftwing presidential candidate Pedro Castillo, who campaigned on a platform of resource nationalism and even proposed deactivating key democratic institutions, emerge victorious. This occurred after what can only be described as one of the closest-run and most contentious presidential elections in Perus modern history.

The confusing electoral outcome and ensuing political turmoil are testing Perus fragile democracy, which was already under fire because of a long-running constitutional crisis and fallout from the pandemic that sharply magnified divisions between rich and poor. The populist leftwing Castillos victory underscores the considerable disenfranchisement and discontent that exists among everyday Peruvians regarding the Andean countrys establishment. This has triggered considerable consternation in Perus mining and hydrocarbon sectors. Not only did Castillo state he is seeking greater state control of natural resources, including increased taxation, but that he is willing to shutter Perus legislature should it block his economic and institutional reforms. Such authoritarian rhetoric is reminiscent of Hugo Chavezs statements when he won Venezuelas 1998 democratic presidential election. While Castillos advisers last month retracted his earlier statements about nationalizing natural resources, his victory indicates there are tough times ahead for Perus petroleum industry that was already rocked by violent protests during 2020.

Opposition to Brazils populist rightwing President Bolsonaro is growing mainly due to his mishandling of the pandemic which has killed over half a million Brazilians. Protests recently erupted across Brazil provoked by allegations of corruption regarding the health ministrys purchase of vaccines. While they pose little danger to Brazils oil industry, the protests point to increasing political turmoil and instability in a country that not long ago was embroiled in Latin Americas largest-ever corruption scandal involving national oil company Petrobras. That event saw left-leaning President Dilma Rousseff impeached and Brazil plunge into its worst economic downturn in decades.

During 2019 turmoil engulfed Chile, long considered Latin Americas most stable and business-friendly nation, which after weeks of protests saw the government agree to rewrite the constitution to address severe socioeconomic inequality. Cuba and Haiti are also inundated with strife as decades of turmoil caused by deep socioeconomic inequality inflamed by the pandemic explodes. While many Latin American nations are lurching to the left because of the failure of right-wing governments to deliver a long-promised economic bounty, Venezuelas autocratic socialist regime appears on the verge of collapse. It is the rapid decline of the founding OPEC member, once Latin Americas wealthiest country and most stable democracy, that stands as a stark reminder of the perils ahead for Latin Americas less-stable nations.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The failure of the OPEC+ talks and the subsequent (albeit gradual) rapprochement of the sides coincided with Middle Eastern NOCs setting their August 2021 official selling prices. The connection between the OPEC+ talks and Saudi Arabias expectations was visible in that Saudi Aramco did not issue its official prices up until the last point, publishing them only when the Vienna meeting was definitely and certifiably called off. The delay of Saudi Arabias month-on-month hikes only underscores the intent; by hiking August prices across all continents, in most cases beyond the general markets anticipations, Aramco put across a fairly straightforward message that it does not want the collective OPEC+ action to halt and it will not ramp up production beyond its quota. Other national oil companies followed suit, to varying degrees, and now, with the OPEC+ deal alive and kicking again, it all made perfect sense to do so. Even though overall refining margins seem much healthier in Europe and North America, it was the Asian OSPs that generated the most interest, the main market outlet for Saudi barrels. The inter-month backwardation on Dubai M1-M3 futures widened last month by some 60 cents per barrel, therefore the general expectation was that the increments for August prices would be roughly along those lines. Saudi Aramco, however, raised Arab Super Light by $1 per barrel (to a $3.85 premium vs Oman/Dubai average) and all the other grades by $0.8 per barrel month-on-month. The odd thing about such an across-the-board move was the lack of differentiation between lighter and heavier grades, one of the main trends of 2021 overall after the flattening of differentials on the back of the 2020 price slump.

Graph 1. Saudi Aramco Official Selling Prices for Asia in 2017-2021 (USD per barrel).

Source: Saudi Aramco.

Saudi Aramco went for the same move in Europe, too. Formula prices for Northwest Europe were hiked by $0.8 per barrel month-on-month across the board for all grades, whilst US-bound prices were increased by 20 cents per barrel from July, with the exception of Arab Extra Light which was raised by 40 cents per barrel m-o-m. The issue is that the economic normalization that has been happening in western economies impacted lighter ends differently than it did the heavier yields  namely, grades rich in naphtha became the most in-demand segment of the crude spectrum. Bereft of nuance, the August price hike has led to Asian Arab Heavy prices reaching a 9-year high at $1.20 per barrel premium against the Oman/Dubai average, despite a protracted heavy-end weakness across the Asia Pacific.

Related: Oil Prices Crash After OPEC+ Reaches Deal To Ease Cuts Graph 2. ADNOC Official Selling Prices in 2017-2021 (USD per barrel).





Source: IFAD.

The UAE benchmark Murban has followed a different route, even though the overall result was hardly different from its direct peer Arab Extra Light. The IFAD price for August 2021 Murban prices was set at $72.34 per barrel, some $1.28 per barrel above the cash Dubai monthly average. Whilst the exchange naturally calculates the average Murban OSP, the other grades are manually tweaked by ADNOC to reflect current market conditions. Here ADNOC was more in line with the general trend, rolling over Das, hiking Umm Lulu by 5 cents to parity with Murban, all the while dropping Upper Zakum by 10 cents from July to a differential of -$0.6 per barrel to Murban, the lowest since the onset of the pandemic. Upper Zakum, being the heaviest of ADNOCs major streams at 34 API, is certainly facing a much harder task of finding market outlets than the light sweet Murban.

Graph 3. Iraqi Official Selling Prices for Asia in 2018-2021 (USD per barrel).

Source: SOMO.

Once Saudi Aramco set the overall course for Middle Eastern pricing in August, the Iraqi SOMO had little incentive to diverge from the charted course yet it still tried to add a layer of nuance. The Iraqi state oil marketer hiked Asia-bound prices by 80 cents per barrel month-on-month for Basrah Light and Basrah Medium, whilst increasing Basrah Heavy by 75 cents per barrel to a -$0.65 per barrel discount to the Oman/Dubai average, i.e. softening the blow on the heaviest of streams. SOMOs European prices were even more buyer-friendly, seeing a 55-65 cents per barrel hike for its flagship grades and rolling over Kirkuk prices from July. Once again, the notion that heavy-yield-rich grades should see a smaller month-on-month increase than those rich in naphtha found its reflection in the August 2021 OSPs.

Graph 4. KPC Official Selling Prices for Asia in 2017-2021 (USD per barrel).

Source: KPC.

Kuwait mirrored Saudi Aramcos pricing and hiked its KEB August OSP by 80 cents per barrel to a 2.05 per barrel premium over the Oman/Dubai average, keeping the 10 cents per barrel discount to Arab Medium and the 20 cents per barrel discount to Basrah Light. Whilst Kuwait did get a production baseline hike, from 2.81mbpd to 2.96mbpd, its immediate export capacities might be curtailed by peak power demand. Generally reliant on associated gas for its power generation, quota-restricted oil production has triggered a decline in gas available for power generation just as Kuwait has been struggling to cope with one of its warmest summers on record. As a result, crude burns started rising in Kuwait again (getting closer to 0.2mbpd) on the heels of the country hitting several all-time peaks in power demand over the course of this month. Hypothetically, LNG imports might save the day for Kuwait (and it did indeed start importing LNG), however the exorbitantly high prices of liquefied gas limit the Middle Eastern nations space in doing so.

Graph 5. NIOC Official Selling Prices for Asia in 2018-2021 (USD per barrel).





Source: NIOC.

According to shipping data, Iranian exports have actually fallen back since May 2021, roughly corresponding to the start of nuclear negotiations. In March-April this year NIOC was exporting some 700-750kbpd of crude, most of it towards the Singapore-Malaysia-China triangle where anything might get blended and relabelled. In May-June, however, this has dropped to a mere 500kbpd, and whilst the possibility of some barrels resurfacing later and avoiding responsibility remains fully valid, the overall trend tilts towards a stagnation rather than an impending Iranian oil export boom. The ascent of Ebrahim Raisi to the post of Irans president will complicate matters more as the likelihood of seeing the JCPOA resuscitated following his assumption of office on August 08 is rather slim, i.e. the negotiators have a little more than 2 weeks to find a mutually acceptable solution.

Related: Natural Gas Prices Still Have Room To Run

Graph 6. Middle Eastern Medium Sour Grades in 2018-2021 (USD per barrel).





Source: Saudi Aramco, NIOC, SOMO.

Interestingly, the Iranian national oil company NIOC copied Saudi Aramcos 80 cents per barrel month-on-month increase for its flagship Iranian Light and Heavy streams going to Asia in August, sticking to the 30 cents per barrel discount on the Iran Light-Arab Light spread. Whilst reiterating its willingness to remain competitive against Saudi or Iraqi peers, Irans current market strategy feels somewhat different than that before 2015  having become self-sufficient in transportation fuels it has become much more self-centric and lacks the massive hoarding of crude that dominated the pre-2015 reality. According to Kpler data, crude inventories in Iran have been on the decrease since late May so there is not even a stock build-up taking place, in anticipation of big things to come. So in the end, despite all the turbulence that this month has seen, everything returned to its right place  OPEC+ is controlling crude supply again, Saudi Arabia is maintaining intra-group discipline and Iran remains an invariable wild card.



By Gerald Jansen for Oilprice.com

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When President Biden served the death blow to the Keystone XL pipeline this January, environmentalists rejoiced. Canadian oil exports to the United States, however, did not decline. What those rejoicing about the cancellation of Keystone XL were forgetting is something that many people seem to forget: it's not the supply of oil that is the problem.

It's the demand. The International Energy Agency raised hackles earlier this year when it released its Roadmap to Net-Zero. Some called the roadmap a bombshell. Others dismissed it as impossible. Saudi Arabia referred to it as a sequel to La La Land. This Roadmap to Net Zero called for an immediate suspension of new oil and gas exploration.

"No new oil and natural gas fields are needed in the net-zero pathway, and supplies become increasingly concentrated in a small number of low-cost producers," the agency wrote in the roadmap. The premise appears to be that no more oil and gas will be needed because there will be no demand for them. The reality, however, is different.

Last year, at the height of the pandemic crisis, some in the oil industry said we were already beyond peak oil demand. None other than BP predicted that oil demand will never return to pre-pandemic levels. Now, none other than that same IEA that called for the suspension of new oil and gas exploration is calling on OPEC+ to boost their output because demand for fuels was shattering all expectations. It is also forecasting oil demand next year to not just return to but exceed pre-pandemic levels.

Related: The Next Major Wildcard For Oil

All this points to something that planners at IEA and Brussels may or may not think about but is nevertheless real: limiting the supply of a commodity will not automatically lead to a decline in the demand for that commodity. It is the demand side of the equation that needs to be targeted if you want to reduce supply, in this case, in order to reduce global carbon emissions. Yet this is unusually tricky.

Reuters reported earlier this month that "Governments around the world have been slow to make uncomfortable decisions to persuade consumers to cut energy consumption to help achieve climate targets, often because consumers are not ready to pay up or compromise their lifestyles."

In fact, governments seem to be avoiding the topic of reducing energy consumption altogether precisely because any decisions that need to be made in this respect are "uncomfortable," as Reuters puts it, or, to put it more bluntly, will cost politicians votes. This is a problem, and delaying it won't lead to a self-solution.

The bigger problem, in the context of the Paris Agreement targets, is that unless the issue of energy demand is addressed, these targets will become even harder to hit. An even bigger problem is that even if governments try to address the demand issue, there is no guarantee they will be successful in reaching an agreement with the public to reduce demand.

Switzerland is a recent case in point. The government of one of the wealthiest countries in Europe proposed a law to help the country meet Paris Agreement emission targets. The proposal involved a surcharge on car fuel and a tax on air travel. It was rejected at a national referendum, although in all fairness, it was a slim majority that rejected it, at 51.6 percent. Still, it was a majority.

What the Swiss case suggests is that even in wealthy countries, people are not all that willing to change their lifestyleor pay more moneyin order to reduce emissions. As a side note, the poverty rate in Switzerland has risen to 8.7 percent recently, so wealthy does not necessarily mean "everyone is rich and can afford an EV". Related: U.S. Gasoline Demand In 2021 May Have Peaked Already

When it comes to poorer countries, the problem becomes even more challenging. India's Environment Secretary earlier this month put it bluntly: rich countries must help poor countries foot the emission reduction bill.

"Every policy decision has a cost to the economy. Going net-zero or using less carbon also has a cost," Rameshwar Prasad Gupta told Bloomberg in an interview. "We are not anti-net-zero. But without adequate climate finance being definitively available, we can't commit on that part."

Now, imagine how the less fortunate citizens of rich countries would react to news their governments have agreed to help pay for another country's energy transition. This would effectively mean those same citizens would be paying for both theirs and someone else's emissions reduction. This isn't something likely to sit well with taxpayers anywhere, even in the greenest of European countries.

The situation, then, appears to be an impasse, and it may become chronic, with little possibility to date for governments to relax their emission-relates targets. If anything, they are tightening them, making it even harder to sell the energy transition to people.

"We see a widening gap between rhetoric and what is happening in real life," the IEA's Fatih Birol said earlier this month. "So many governments are coming with net-zero targets by 2050 and the same year CO2 emissions are growing and it will be the second-largest increase in history.

"Consumer behavior needs to change as a result of government steps."

Such a change could only be effected in one of two ways: slowly and gradually, or quickly and forcibly. Based on targets being set by the energy transition ideologues, slowly and gradually is not an option. The quick and forcible way, however, is fraught with the danger of revolts and toppled governments. All one could tell these emission-conscious governments, then, is good luck with the transition.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The agreement which OPEC+ reached on Sunday is modestly bullish for Goldman Sachss forecast that Brent will hit $80 per barrel this summer, the investment bank said in a note after the group agreed to start adding 400,000 bpd production each month from August.

For months, Goldman Sachs has been calling for $80 a barrel oil this summer, expecting strong demand recovery, despite expectations that Iranian oil could return legitimately to the market at some point, and despite the two-week-long stalemate within OPEC+ about how the group would proceed with oil supply management.

Last week, Goldman Sachs reiterated its $80 price forecast for Brent crude despite reports that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had reached a deal on oil production that would extend the OPEC+ deal until the end of next year.

On Sunday, OPEC+ agreed to extend the deal from April 2020 through the end of December 2022 and to add 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) on a monthly basis beginning in August 2021 and until phasing out all the 5.8 million bpd the group is currently keeping off the market, in light of improving global oil demand. The group also gave higher baseline production levels as of May 2022 not only to the UAE but also to Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait, and Iraq.

The agreement had two distinct points of focus: a moderate increase in production which will keep the market in deficit in the coming months, as well as guidance for higher capacity which will be needed in coming years given growing under-investment, Goldman Sachs said in a note, as carried by Reuters.

The agreement that OPEC+ reached is a $2 per barrel upside to Goldmans $80 a barrel call for this summer, as well as a $5 upside to the forecast of Brent of $75 a barrel next year, the bank said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Improving supply and demand fundamentals have prompted Credit Suisse to raise its short and long-term forecasts for oil prices, expecting the average Brent price at $70 a barrel this year, up from $66.50 projected earlier.

According to a Credit Suisse note cited by Forexlive, the price of Brent is set to average $69 per barrel next year, up from $68 a barrel the bank had previously expected.

The long-term forecast for Brent Crude was also raisedto $62 a barrel from $60 per barrel.

Credit Suisse also revised up its forecasts for the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, to an average of $67 a barrel this year, up from $62 per barrel in its previous estimate. Next year, WTI prices are set to average $66 per barrel, up from $63 a barrel expected earlier, according to the Swiss bank.

In the long term, WTI Crude prices will average $59 a barrel, compared to the previous projection of $55 per barrel.

Credit Suisses key reason for raising its oil price forecasts is the continued improvement in the fundamentals in supply and demand.

Demand continues to surprise to the upside, while OPEC+ and the U.S. shale patch continue to exercise restraint and show strong discipline in adding supply to the market, according to Credit Suisse.

Globally, crude oil stocks will continue to draw down in the second half of this year, supporting higher crude oil prices, the bank noted.

This year, despite much higher oil prices, U.S. shale continues to keep discipline in spending on drilling, opting to spend more of its record cash flows on reducing debts and rewarding shareholders.

OPEC+, for its part, just sealed a deal on Sunday to boost monthly production by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) beginning in August 2021 until unwinding all the 5.8 million bpd cuts it is currently keeping off the market.

On Monday, after the OPEC+ deal was announced on Sunday, oil prices were down by nearly 4 percent, with WTI Crude trading at $69.02 and Brent Crude at $70.99.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Iran looks to export its first oil cargo from a terminal on the Sea of Oman without the need for tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, senior officials said on Sunday.

The first vessel has arrived in the Jask region and we expect operations to load heavy crude to start Monday noon, the director of the Jask Oil Terminal, Vahid Maleki, told the Islamic Republic News Agency, as carried by Bloomberg.

Separately, Reza Dehghan, Deputy CEO for Development and Engineering Affairs at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), told Irans oil ministrys news service Shana:

Due to the completion of the strategic and national plan for the transfer of crude oil from Goreh to Jask, the first shipment of crude oil will be exported from the Jask terminal in the coming few days.

In May this year, Iran began sending crude oil through the Goureh-Jask Crude Oil Pipeline project, which will allow it to bypass the critical oil chokepoint the Strait of Hormuz.

The Goureh-Jask pipeline, which was estimated to cost US$2 billion, is 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) long and will carry crude oil from the Goureh oil terminal in the northwest of Iran to the Jask region on the Sea of Oman, without tankers having to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the Persian Gulf, just two oil producersSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)currently have some (limited) options for bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, where the daily transit in 2018 was 21 million barrels of oil per day or the equivalent of some 21 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption. Iran, like all others, currently relies on the Strait of Hormuz to get its oil to the market, although most of its sales are currently covert because of the U.S. sanctions.

Meanwhile, Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said after OPEC+ reached a deal on production on Sunday said that the group shouldnt ignore Irans oil exports after the U.S. sanctions are removed. The world powers have adjourned the talks as Iran has signaled that it would continue negotiations when the new president Ebrahim Raisi takes over in early August.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Oil prices continued their decline in the afternoon hours on Monday, with WTI crude falling sharply to $66.33 per barrel.

The price of a WTI barrel was down 7.63% on the daya slide that began following the Sunday OPEC meeting, which only grew worse as Delta variant fears crept into the markets.

The price drop is despite the forecast for an ever-tightening supply situation in the oil market.

Poor timing

OPECs timing could be seen as rather unfortunate. The group was handed a favor in the IEAs prediction that the market shortfall was somewhere in the 1.5 million bpd range. With that outlook, oil prices would surely be resilient even as OPEC+ agreed on Sunday to ramp up production to the tune of 400,000 bpd starting in August and every month thereafter, until the production cut agreement had been entirely wound down.

But now, increases in the presence of the Covid-19s Delta variant has the market nervous that it will once again stall the U.S. economy and slow the oil demand recovery that had just started to take hold.

The Dow was down sharply on Monday, too, with airline stocks hit particularly hard, along with energy stocks such as Chevron and Exxon.

The FDAs panic meter redlined on Monday, as the average number of daily new coronavirus cases over the past week increased 66% from the previous week.

In LA County, as just one example, the rate of new cases ticked up 300% since July 4, according to LA Countys health department.

Of course, new cases dont necessarily mean hospitalizations or severe illness.

The FDAs Dr. Scott Gottlieb said that most unvaccinated Americans will likely contract the Delta variant, CNN said, And for most people who get this Delta variant, its going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital, Gottlieb said on Sundays Face the Nation.

Those fears also helped to send Brent crude down 6.71% on Monday to $68.65 at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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The worlds top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, raised its crude oil exports in May to the highest level in four months after OPEC+ decided in April to gradually ease its cuts and the Kingdom started unwinding its extra unilateral cut of 1 million bpd between May and July.

Saudi Arabia exported 5.649 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil in May, data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Monday. This was up from 5.408 million bpd of crude oil exports in April, according to JODI, which compiles self-reported data from the countries.

The Saudi crude exports in May were at their highest level since January this year, when the Kingdom exported 6.582 million bpd. Until January 2021, Saudi Arabia had been raising its crude oil exports every month since June last year when the Kingdom saw its crude oil exports drop to their lowest on record at just below 5 million bpd.

In January 2021, the Saudis surprised the market with the decision for a unilateral cut of 1 million bpd, while the OPEC+ group was only slightly easing the cuts due to the concessions to Russia and Kazakhstan.

At the following OPEC+ meeting in early March, Saudi Arabia surprised the market yet again, saying it would keep the extra cut into April instead of only in February and March as originally planned. OPEC+ decided not to ease the cuts in Aprilexcept for a combined 150,000 bpd increase for Russia and Kazakhstanas the group was looking to tighten the market and keep its powder dry until it sees tangible proof of rebound in global oil demand.

After May 2021, Saudi Arabias crude oil exports are expected to continue to increase because the OPEC+ group and the Kingdom are currently easing a total of 2 million bpd of the cuts until July. As of August, OPEC+ will add 400,000 bpd of supply every month until all 5.8 million bpd remaining cuts are restored, as per Sundays deal, which put an end to two weeks of uncertainty about the groups future oil supply.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Govt-and-politics

Hundreds of Omaha police, firefighters skip COVID vaccination (copy)

Over the past 16 months, if Omaha fire union president Steve LeClair caught word of yet another firefighter testing positive for COVID-19, he and other union members would fire up an assembly line to make mass quantities of spaghetti and other food.

The union provided about 12,000 meals, LeClair estimated, to more than 200 Omaha firefighters who contracted the virus. The meals provided enough food to feed the workers and their immediate family members for more than a week at a time.

And when masks were scarce at the beginning of the pandemic, the Black Police Officers Association gave a free reusable cloth mask to each of its roughly 230 members in order to provide some protection from the virus, said Lt. Ken Fox, the groups president.

Those efforts, among others, helped support Omaha first responders who were taking care of the public while trying to avoid a COVID infection themselves.

Omaha fire and police officials had to manage staffing and shuffle shifts amid sickness and quarantines among their ranks, especially when coronavirus infections spiked at the end of 2020. In November and December, 232 firefighters and police officers tested positive for COVID-19  accounting for about 15% of the citys first responders.

After access to the vaccine came  in late December for firefighters and early February for most police officers  a majority of the first responders got the shot.

Yet department records provided by the city after a World-Herald records request indicate 27% of Omaha firefighters and 41% of Omaha police officers remain unvaccinated.

Dr. Mark Rupp, the chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers infectious diseases division, commended those workers who have been vaccinated but expressed disappointment that so many are yet to get the shots. He likened the coronavirus vaccine to needed safety gear  the heavy coat that firefighters wear while battling flames or the bulletproof vest that officers wear to felony drug busts.

Many first responders take all kinds of actions to maintain their safety and their health, Rupp said. Why wouldnt you want to have the equivalent of that to protect from an unseen virus?

Being vaccinated, he said, is especially important for health care providers and first responders who come into contact with hundreds of people every day.

All of us have a sworn responsibility to protect the public, he said. A sworn officer of the law has dedicated their life to public safety. Why would you want to be a part of the chain of contagion that could be spreading the virus in the community?

The City of Omaha has not required its workers to get the vaccine, and no plans are in place to do so. But officials have kept track of first responders who have been vaccinated. And a new city policy effective this month gives those who are vaccinated an additional benefit, a change that some first responders say is essentially forcing them to get the shot.

The citys first responder vaccine lists include workers who got the shot somewhere else besides the clinics held specifically for first responders and who voluntarily reported the information to their respective departments.

City officials cautioned that the vaccination figures could be higher because workers arent required to share whether they have been vaccinated.

Civilian employees of the Omaha Police Department have the highest reported vaccination rate of fire and police employees at 74%. The Omaha Fire Department is next with nearly 73%. And almost 59% of sworn Omaha police officers, including the recruit class set to graduate in October, have gotten the shots.

While Omaha Fire and Police Department civilian workers vaccination rates exceed that of the population they serve, OPDs sworn officers fall short.

As of Friday, 65% of Douglas County residents ages 18 and older were fully vaccinated, according to the health department.

About a quarter of Omahas police force and nearly 40% of Omaha firefighters have tested positive for the virus at least once since the beginning of the pandemic, compared with roughly 13% of Douglas County residents.

Assistant Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said she was pleased with the Fire Departments vaccination rate, which is higher than she would have predicted back in 2020, when the vaccine was new and she wasnt sure how many would jump at the chance to get vaccinated. She said she would love to see 90-100% of Omaha firefighters  who also are trained EMTs or paramedics  get the shots, but she said thats not realistic.

Bossman said she relies on data to help coax someone into getting the shot. Since mid-January, one firefighter tested positive in March and one unvaccinated firefighter tested positive in July.

Once our employees started receiving vaccinations, the number of (coronavirus) cases dropped drastically internally, she said. The numbers speak for themselves.

In April, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said about 60% of the department was vaccinated and he expected that number to rise. According to the departments records, it hasnt.

Eleven police officers have tested positive for the virus since late March. Records dont show whether or not those officers were vaccinated. The number includes one officer who tested positive for the virus July 7.

When asking for someones vaccination information, officials also recorded whether Omaha police officers and firefighters were rejecting the vaccine.

Of the 177 firefighters who are not listed as vaccinated, 156 were recorded as denying the vaccine or submitting a signed denial form.

Some unvaccinated firefighters said they didnt like the language of the denial form and declined to sign it. At least two firefighters refused the second shot.

That means, barring a change of heart among vaccine refusers, the Fire Department can reach a maximum vaccination rate of only 76%.

A similar tally of Police Department numbers listed 110 department workers who declined the vaccine. The remaining more than 300 Police Department workers do not appear on the list, either noting vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Fox, who worked on patrol early in the pandemic but now serves as the Police Departments training commander, said he never tested positive for the virus. That surprised him, he said, because he was around people who later tested positive and had to quarantine three times because of exposures.

I was a stickler for masks, he said. We had a lot of officers get sick. That was scary. Knowing that you had to go out and interact with the public and come home. ... We didnt have the luxury of sitting at home and not being around people. We had to go out and do a job.

Fox said he would shower as soon as he got home and used hot water to wash his uniform, which he left in the garage. When he and other officers were told they had been exposed to someone with the virus, they had to self-quarantine for at least 10 days, which meant time away from family.

A positive COVID test meant a worker was out for 10 days or longer, according to city records.

Fox, who shares custody of his children, didnt get to see them in person for an entire month because of when a quarantine period fell during his visitation schedule.

In his role as the head of training, Fox ensured that class sizes were small and attendees wore masks.

The police recruits who started training in May were given the opportunity to get vaccinated at the academy. Those who are unvaccinated, Fox said, wear masks.

As for the Police Department as a whole, since the mask mandate expired in May, masks for unvaccinated officers are not required but encouraged as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, said department spokesman Lt. Neal Bonacci.

The Fire Department requires workers to wear masks on medical emergency calls, along with additional personal protective equipment if needed.

While at fire stations, if one person is unvaccinated, then all personnel must wear a mask, Bossman said. But if everyone on a shift is vaccinated, she said, no masks are required. Bossman said officials plan to review the policy in the coming weeks with the departments medical director.

Rupp, the UNMC infectious disease doctor, said all unvaccinated people who are in public, including first responders, should wear a mask because it can help prevent the spread of the virus.

People can unwittingly be shedding the virus, he said.

In the first 16 months of the coronavirus pandemic, Omaha first responders received a benefit that allowed many of them to receive workers compensation because of COVID-19. If a first responder tested positive for the virus and also recorded a recent work-related exposure, the City of Omaha presumed that the employee contracted the virus on the job.

LeClair, the fire union president, said he thought the presumption that someone had contracted COVID on the job helped prevent large outbreaks among firefighters.

The last thing we wanted to do was create a situation where somebody wouldnt want to take their sick leave and they would come into work and unknowingly spread the virus throughout the whole station, LeClair said. I think the presumptive agreement in the end, one, it served our members well, and two, I think it served the city very well also.

Of those who tested positive for the virus, 93% of firefighters and 83.5% of police officers sought workers compensation. The city, which could deny claims if the worker had a non-work-related exposure or international travel, denied 11 firefighters claims and 17 officers claims.

Under a policy that took effect July 1, the city will not approve a workers compensation claim for unvaccinated first responders if they get sick with the coronavirus on the job.

Those who are vaccinated still receive the work-related presumption.

Everybodys gotten an opportunity to get vaccinated, Deputy City Attorney Bernard in den Bosch said. If you have not taken advantage of it, thats fine, but youre not going to get the advantage of the presumption.

For example, the unvaccinated firefighter who tested positive in early July is not eligible to apply for workers compensation, even if its determined that he contracted the virus on the job.

LeClair says he respectfully disagreed with the policy, which he called premature. He said some unvaccinated union members felt they were being pushed to get the shots.

LeClair said he is vaccinated and continually encourages members at meetings and in conversations to get the vaccine. While hes optimistic because the virus numbers in Douglas County have plummeted, he said hes cognizant of COVID variants and increases in virus cases across the state, country and the world.

I just dont think were out of the woods yet, LeClair said.

Unvaccinated fire union members have talked to LeClair about the quick timeline between research and development of the vaccine to the administration of the shots. He said he thinks those who are hesitant fall into two categories: those who have reservations about the fast production and those who have tested positive and have antibodies.

Rupp said protection from the vaccine is more uniform and more long-lasting than antibodies that are generated after someone contracts the virus.

Rupp said that while its true that the coronavirus vaccine has been around for a relatively short time, numerous studies have proven the safety and efficacy of the shots  and experts are continuing to study the vaccines. By this point, he said, hundreds of millions of doses have been administered in the United States, with only extremely rare side effects. That, he said, should help give confidence to the vaccine holdouts.

No Omaha police officer or firefighter has died from the coronavirus, fire and police officials said. But officials estimated about a dozen from each department experienced severe symptoms.

Omaha Police Sgt. Tony Conner, the president of the Omaha Police Officers Association, spent weeks in the hospital, including a stay in the intensive care unit, where he was in listed critical condition after contracting COVID-19 in late October. The union posted on social media that Conner was fighting for his life due to complications with COVID-19.

Conner has said he thought he was exposed to the virus at an informal meeting at a bar Oct. 23 with a retired police captain and another police officer, among others. He didnt return to work until February, according to a TV commercial produced for Mayor Jean Stotherts reelection campaign, which focused on text messages between Conner and Stothert and was titled Tonys Recovery.

Conner didnt return several phone calls and texts from a reporter seeking comments on the unions position on the COVID policy change and about how the pandemic has affected his unions members.

Fox praised Schmaderer and other Omaha police officials for acquiring hand sanitizer, masks and other equipment to help keep officers safe. He also said he was thrilled that officers got the chance to get the vaccine earlier than the general public. But he said he thinks the country has succumbed to politicization of the vaccine and thinks its a persons right to get the vaccine or not.

Luckily, the people in important decision-making positions believed that COVID was real and believed that it was something we needed to protect our officers from, Fox said. All I ask is, continue to be safe if youre not gonna take the vaccine.

LeClair said firefighters in the union have suffered great stress throughout the pandemic  not just from taking care of very ill patients but also from the fear of taking the virus home to their family.

I know theyre tired, he said. I mean, I can see it in their eyes. I can see it in their faces.

LeClair, who is a veteran, said he was required to get all kinds of shots during his time in the military, so he respects the opinions of those who are hesitant to get vaccinated and want to choose whats injected into their bodies. But he also recognizes the science behind the coronavirus vaccine and urges people to trust in it.

LeClair said he watched his grandfather die of COVID and said goodbye through a nursing home window.

After reviewing the data from vaccine trials, and because he wanted to visit his relatives, LeClair decided to get the shot.

I wanted to see my dad. I wanted to be able to hug my dad and I wanted to be able to hug my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, and I wanted them to be able to spend time with the kids, he said. If you want to know the best way to get back to normalcy  everybody, get vaccinated.
And a local German teacher, for example, remembers taking her classes to Gerdas for Oktoberfest.

The atmosphere, the delicious food and Gerdas hospitality gave real meaning to the word gemutlichkeit, and a memory we will long cherish, the teacher wrote on a funeral home website when Gerda died. It was a blessing to have her in our midst.

Reefe said she hopes to re-create her moms flair for gemutlichkeit  a feeling of warmth, friendliness and good cheer  in the pop-ups. She had the first one at Archetype Coffee Co. before the pandemic and then took a break until things opened up again. It was a big success.

She had the second on Saturday night at the Sons of Italy Hall, where she hopes to have future events as well. It sold out more than a week beforehand.

For $18, diners got goulash over spatzle with a side of potato salad and a hard roll. Apple strudel, Black Forest and German chocolate cakes were a little extra.

She said the pop-up dishes taste like Gerda made them.

I have the recipes (but) just like most cooks, she went on how it looked, how it felt and how it tasted. You could write it down but she would be the only one who could make it turn out, Reefe said.
Yet records provided by the city after a World-Herald records request indicate that 27% of Omaha firefighters and 41% of Omaha police officers remain unvaccinated.

Dr. Mark Rupp, the chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's infectious diseases division, commended those workers who have been vaccinated but expressed disappointment that so many have yet to get the shots. He likened the coronavirus vaccine to needed safety gear  the heavy coat that firefighters wear while battling flames or the bulletproof vest that officers wear to felony drug busts.

"Many first responders take all kinds of actions to maintain their safety and their health," Rupp said. "Why wouldn't you want to have the equivalent of that to protect from an unseen virus?"

Being vaccinated, he said, is especially important for health care providers and first responders who come into contact with hundreds of people every day.

"All of us have a sworn responsibility to protect the public," he said. "A sworn officer of the law has dedicated their life to public safety. Why would you want to be a part of the chain of contagion that could be spreading the virus in the community?"
Need help after the storm?

Debris pickup for the vulnerable, especially the elderly and disabled: call 211 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Residential curbside debris pickup: Begins Monday. All residents are asked to have tree debris at the curb by Monday morning. Bag small debris in yard waste bags or place in trash cart. Debris placed in old trash cans will not be collected, according to the city. Cut large limbs into sections no longer than 6 feet and no heavier than 100 pounds. Crews will not go onto private property to pick up debris.

Debris drop-off sites open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday:

 Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, 905 Elkhorn Drive in Elkhorn

 Hefflinger Park, 112th Street and West Maple Road

 Levi Carter Park, concrete boat ramp on East Carter Boulevard near North 12th Street East.

 Al Veys Park, 6506 S. 60th St.

Food pantries: Visit foodbankheartland.org for interactive map or call 402-331-1213.

Power out? Streetlight out? OPPD has completed all repairs for those who lost power because of the storm. If you are without power or see a streetlight not working, call 800-554-6773.

Other problems? Mayor's Hot Line: 402-444-5555
The Ben & Jerry's statement cited the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.

The company did not explicitly identify those concerns, but last month, a group called Vermonters for Justice in Palestine called on Ben & Jerrys to end complicity in Israels occupation and abuses of Palestinian human rights.

How much longer will Ben & Jerrys permit its Israeli-manufactured ice cream to be sold in Jewish-only settlements while Palestinian land is being confiscated, Palestinian homes are being destroyed, and Palestinian families in neighborhoods like Sheik Jarrah are facing eviction to make way for Jewish settlers? the organizations Ian Stokes said in a June 10 news release.

In a Monday statement, the organization said Ben & Jerry's actions did not go far enough.

By maintaining a presence in Israel, Ben & Jerrys continues to be complicit in the killing, imprisonment and dispossession of Palestinian people and the flaunting of international law," said the Vermont group's Kathy Shapiro.

The Israeli foreign ministry called Ben & Jerry's decision a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups" and the company was cooperating with economic terrorism.
That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security carried out a ransomware attack was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was "the kind of aggressive behavior that we're seeing coming out of China."

The European Union also blamed China for what it said were malicious cyber activities with "significant effects" that targeted government institutions and political organizations in the EU and its 27 member states, as well as key European industries.

In a statement, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was "conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government "to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct," the official said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Monday with Belarus main opposition leader as the United States steps up criticism of the government in Minsk for a widening crackdown on dissent following disputed elections last year.

Blinken met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the State Department to show support for her and other protesters demanding an end to repression. Tsikhanouskaya was President Alexander Lukashenkos main challenger in the August 2020 election and was forced to leave the country after the polls that the opposition and the West saw as rigged.

They discussed the ongoing repression, the crackdown by the Lukashenko regime and the steps that we have said, and much of the international community has said, that the Lukashenko regime must take, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

As you know, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has been at the forefront of the opposition movement in Belarus, and we were happy to welcome her to the department today and to continue our efforts to stand with the Belarusian people and their aspirations for human rights, democracy, and their broader Euro-Atlantic aspirations, he said.

Tsikhanouskaya is in Washington this week meeting with Biden administration officials and lawmakers to seek their backing.
Biden has announced that the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan will officially end on Aug. 31.

Evacuation flights for Afghans who have aided U.S. military and diplomatic missions are scheduled to begin leaving Kabul late this month.

Brewer fears that perhaps this wholesale exodus will come back to haunt us, leading to a potential quick collapse of everything short of Kabul ... with the prospect that then you can only hold Kabul for so long.

Although many Afghans who helped U.S. forces as interpreters and drivers have already gotten out of the country, many of those who are still there may be restricted from movement through checkpoints in Taliban-held territory to Kabul now, Brewer said, making their evacuation more challenging.

They and their families will be killed, he said. It will be genocide.

Brewer has some positive memories of the Afghan troops he helped train and work with.

They werent afraid to fight, he said. They hustled; they showed me tremendous respect.

I saw the Afghan army become a pretty viable force in 2009-2010, Brewer said. They could own the night and kill the Taliban.
The Nebraska Corn Board for years has given grants to Nebraska fuel retailers to incentivize them to add higher blends of ethanol, such as E-15 or E-85.

But now the organization is going out of state to promote the fuel.

The Corn Board announced earlier this month that it has partnered with a company called Pearson Fuels to put two E-85 pumps at stations in California, the first time it has provided a grant to help pay for pumps out of state.

The two pumps are at stations in Chatsworth and Agoura Hills, two Los Angeles suburbs.

While promoting corn-based fuel from conservative Nebraska to drivers in liberal California may seem like an odd marriage, it makes a lot of sense.

California is the largest E-85 market in the country, and the demand opportunity is enormous, said John Greer, a farmer from Edgar who is District 2 director for the Corn Board. Plus, most of Nebraskas ethanol is sold to California.
Hopkins, who has also gained notoriety for her anti-Muslim and anti-immigration comments, described pandemic lockdowns as the greatest hoax in human history.

Her social media following was expanded by then-President Donald Trump who often retweeted her before Twitter permanently banned her in June last year for breaching the platform's hateful conduct policy.

In a since-deleted Instagram video from her hotel room, she said that she planned to frighten staff who brought meals to her door by confronting them naked and without a mask.

People in quarantine are not allowed to open their hotel room doors until 30 seconds after their meals have been delivered and must wear masks while their doors are open.

Andrews described Hopkins comments as shameful.

The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling, Andrews said. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and its just unacceptable behavior."

Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the program Big Brother VIP in which Hopkins was to appear, said on Sunday her contract was cancelled.

Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine, the companies said in a joint statement.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Updates provided on dredging, Lake Houston Spillway expansion

About 300 area residents attended Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martins public meeting at the Kingwood Community Center July 8 to receive updates about two of this areas most critical flood mitigation projects: dredging the San Jacinto River and the Lake Houston Dam spillway expansion.

The meeting consisted of a short briefing on each project followed by breakout sessions located around the room where residents were able to see detailed representations and get answers to their questions from various representatives for each of projects.

The first presentation was the update on dredging presented by Stephen Costello, Houstons chief recovery officer for overseeing the entire Houston-area Hurricane Harvey recovery. He described the flood mitigation projects including each of the three major dredging areas in the west fork and east fork of the San Jacinto River along with the mouth bar removal at the rivers confluence with Lake Houston.

The dredging along the west fork of the San Jacinto was the very first project that the Army Corps of Engineers did. They moved about 1.8 million yards of material and they actually pumped it over to two disposal sites, one on the east side of Highway 59 and one to the north and west side of Highway 59, Costello said. As the project developed, it required large pipes laid in the riverbed to carry out the dredged sediment. These and other pipes will also be needed if future dredging is required.

Costello provided detailed maps of the west fork, east fork and mouth bar operations and summarized the whole project by noting a total of 4,004,008 cubic yards of material with a removal cost of $222 million was expected by the time it is completed.

The Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement update was presented by Dr. Chris Mueller, a vice president with Black and Veatch, the engineering and consulting firm for the project.

Presently, we can release one foot of water in 24 hours. With the ability of the new gates, well be able to release four feet of water in 24 hours, so that gives us the ability to react to a storm like Harvey, Martin said. This is a big project and is going to take years to complete because it has a lot of complicating considerations. They include the nature of the dams current construction, the realities of its age and the need to manage the downstream impact to residents and businesses south of the dam to the Gulf of Mexico.

Mueller described the present dam as one built to impound water rather than to manage its flow. It now has a spillway structure with four small gates which are designed to release water at a rate of 10,000 cubic feet per second. He presented pictures of designs to better manage and increase flow rates when needed by creating a system of new crest gates into the overall structure. He provided photos of two similar existing crest gates used on dams located in Ozark Beach, Missouri and Cedar Falls, Wisconsin.

Gates have different widths and different heights, so there can be some changes there, really, to optimize the benefit we can achieve upstream with the gate operations, Mueller said.

The design phase will take about 12 months to complete. Then officials will need to gain environment clearance and permits for the project, which he said would likely take two to three months. Mueller pointed out that the regulatory process governing dams has had a significant impact on where the new gates can be located, in terms of how long it would take to meet requirements. The decision at this point is to locate them on the west half of the dam, mainly because environmental and permitting requirements can be met much more quickly in terms of months and even years.

Once approved, construction will take 18 months to two years.

Martin noted everything presented in the briefings, including answers to questions asked in the breakouts, would be made available for the public to see on his Houston City Council website, houstontx.gov/council/e.
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to move for the adoption of the Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament next week.



The Mid-Year Budget, which is the governments supplementary estimate for the 2021 financial year, will be proposed to the House on Thursday 28 July.



Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the deputy Majority leader, announced this new on the floor of the House on Friday.



The Finance Minister will also answer a question on the cost of President Akufo-Addos official trip to France, Belgium and South Africa in May this year.



On Wednesday (21 July 2021), the minister will also tell the House if the government took a loan to finance the Free Senior High School policy.



IPPs under scrutiny

Apart from the appearance by the Finance Minister, the House has scheduled certain ministers of state to appear before it to respond to questions relating to their ministries during the week.



They include the Minister of Energy, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who will answer a question about how much money the government has paid in relation to independent power producers over the past eight years, as well as fielding demands for breakdowns and the periods involved.



He will be expected to inform the House of the outcome of an investigation into a shooting incident during an impasse between the people of Lower Manya Krobo and the Electricity Company of Ghana power distribution company.



Progress report

The Energy Minister will also brief the House on progress with work to connect some communities in Tain, Saboba, Nadowli Kaleo, North Dayi and Nkwanta North to the national electricity grid.



The Ministers of Communication and Digitalisation, Fisheries, Roads and Highways, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Defence, Trade and Industry and the Attorney General are expected in the House next week to respond to questions.



The House will also receive reports of assignments for various committees.



The deputy Majority leader entreated MPs to present themselves at the plenary, especially for the presentation of the Mid-Year Budget Review.

Source: asaaseradio









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Employees of the countrys favorite insurer, Hollard Ghana with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance, affectionately called Hollardites have donated sanitary items to support new moms at the Trust Mother and Child Hospital.



The items donated to the hospital include anti-bacterial liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, disposable facemasks, medical gloves, wash hand stations, bleach, washing powders, disinfectants, toiletries, paper towels, diapers, and bottled water.



Presentation

Speaking on the motivation for the initiative, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Hollard Ghana, Cynthia Ofori -Dwumfuo said: We are proud of Hollardites for raising funds to purchase and donate these items to the hospital. The initiative named Hollard Ghana Volunteer Activity is an employee-driven activity that sought to give back to the community. It is our nature to do well by doing good and so, giving to a Mother and Child unit is one of our numerous ways of showing care and putting smiles on the faces of mothers.



As an unconventional insurance company, we have a duty, to treat everyone with care and dignity. This aligns with our purpose, to enable better futures through every available touchpoint like supporting caregivers. This is our little gesture of showing appreciation to our mothers for their diverse contributions to the nation. We are hopeful that this donation will go a long way to help the hospital, the mothers, and their newborn babies she added.



Appreciation The items were received by Afia Drah, Communications & BDM, and Lillian Annan, Director of Nursing Services of the Trust Mother and Child Hospital. Lillian said the management of the Trust Hospital is very grateful to Hollard Ghana for the gesture.



COVID has affected both private and public health facilities. Donations like what Hollard employees have done are laudable and must be appreciated. The items are very needed for staff and client use in these uncertain and difficult times she said.



About Hollard Ghana

The countrys favorite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries across the world. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative

insurance solutions customized to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more; and can be reached via the following means: 0501603967 (Hollard Insurance) and 0501533698 (Hollard Life).



Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs.

Source: peacefmonline.com









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For a business mogul celebrated as one of the wealthiest in the country, Sam Jonah seems to take exception to the touting of his assets. According to him, he was brought up in a home that upheld uprightness and humanitarian values above everything else.



He, therefore, finds it uncomfortable when industry watchers and others attempt to quantify his value in monetary terms.



The former CEO of AngloGold Ashanti made these comments on JoyNews.



To drive home the point, my father, on their house was an inscription, w bisa wu fie, wnbisa wo sika in other words, your name is far more important than your riches. I take offence when, for instance, I have been defined by what people think I have, he clarified.



Despite reports of mouth-watering assets putting him at the top of coveted lists of rich people, Mr Jonah insists he is merely resourceful and does not subscribe to that nonsense.



When I hear the nonsense that they say he is the richest man in Ghana, it causes me a lot of grief, he indicated.







Source: Joy News









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CEO of Ghanaian luxurious perfume brand What You Want Co Ltd, Maison Yusif, has won big at the 2nd edition of Africa's Most Respected CEOs Awards which took place on Saturday, July 17, 2021, at the plush Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights.



The young CEO beat major contenders from South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia to emerge winner of this year's Most Respected CEO of the Fragrance Community in Africa award at the just ended prestigious event.



Receiving the award, CEO of What You Want Co Maison Yusif, admonished other CEOs and individuals to help collectively build the business world to foster growth.



"First of all, I'd like to say a big thank you to Allah for this award. They say when the nuclear weapon explodes only the cockroaches survive. All of us here are the cockroaches and together we are going to build the business world" he said.



The event which is organized by the Business Executive Limited seeks to identify and publicly recognize the CEOs in Africa who are the most respected by the continents public on a sector-by-sector basis as well as acknowledging the works of reputable CEOs in each country.



Also, the event aims at providing excellent opportunities for participants to establish continent-wide personal/professional reputations and exemplary corporate images for the institutions they lead.



What You Want is a niche perfume brand, serving customers what they want in luxurious perfume fragrances in Ghana.

In line with his vision to be the biggest go-to brand in Africa, What You Want Co aspires to stir the wave of perfumery with a well-detailed and attractive redolence that expresses the unique identity of every individual, place, and experience.



With its unique and distinct varieties of scents, What You Want Co aspires to remain the most trusted brand for high-quality alcohol-based and pure oil fragrances that leave a lasting impression on the faces of its high-profile clientele.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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A non-profit organisation, 2112 Charity has donated more than 800 reading books to two schools and a community library in the Korle-Gonno Electoral Area in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to encourage reading among students.



The beneficiary schools were Hijaz Islamic Basic School, Hampstead Academy, and the Korle-Gonno community library. The library received about 500 books out of the number while the remaining number was shared between the two schools.



Objective



At the presentations today (June 1, 2021), the Founder of the 2112 Charity, Mr. Joseph Lawrence Nii Ayikwei Hammond indicated that the gesture formed part of his commitment to giving back to society.



It is our desire to support the education of children and improve their academic standing, he added.



Mr. Hammond said his outfit would repeat the gesture annually, saying their long-term goal was to put up an Information and Communication Technology lab in the Korle-Gonno community to equip students with technological-based knowledge and skills.



Success Story



He disclosed that the organisation was sponsoring one student, now in her second year in the university. The student completed St. Marys Senior High School, Korle-Gonno, and successfully gained admission to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to read BSc in Material Science and Engineering.



Talking about other initiatives, Mr Hammond said the organisation intended to collaborate with the Assembly Member of the Korle-Gonno electoral area, Mr Ivan Esinam Tekpli to sensitise students in the community on the importance of reading. The sensitisation aimed to arouse the interest of students to patronize both the community and school libraries.



The Founder appreciated Cranmer Primary School based in the United Kingdom, the Quarshie Family(UK), his colleagues, friends, and families who had supported the 2112 Charity community development initiative since its inception in 2015.



He appealed to the indigenes of the Korle-Gonno community and other well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations for support.



Beneficiaries



The Head of Librarian of the Korle-Gonno community library, Mrs. Joan Owusu Asare received the books on behalf of her outfit.

These books will help to better and enrich the vocabularies of the students. Their reading skills will also be enhanced, she acknowledged.



Meanwhile the Headmaster of the Hampstead Academy, Mr. Francis Hammond expressed great joy after receiving their quota of the donation on behalf of the school.



We had the number of Non-Governmental Organisations which came and made promises to give us reading books but they never returned. So we are grateful to 2112 for this gesture, he stated.



For her part, the Headmistress of the Hijaz Islamic Basic School, Ms Ellen Adjaye-Gyamfi who received on behalf of her outfit said the gesture of 2112 Charity was laudable and worth emulating.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Ghana Public Health Association (GPHA) has called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to continue to educate their constituents and enforce the laws guiding COVID-19 prevention and control.



The Ghana Public Health Association (GPHA) has

called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to continue to educate their constituents and enforce the laws guiding COVID-19 prevention and control.



They also pleaded with the public to follow laid down COVID-19 protocols, especially the wearing of face masks in public places, while they avail themselves for vaccination whenever available.



Dr Amofah George, President of GPHA who stated this in a statement issued and copied to the GNA, further called on Transport Unions to "ensure that passengers wear their masks when in public transport, and religious leaders should take the caution as their religious duty if they love their followers".



He also admonished the Government not to be complacent but to take all the necessary measures to ensure people's safety, no matter the cost of such measures.



We believe that despite the enormous efforts of the government to ensure that we are all healthy and safe, it is a fallacy to think that everything can, and should, be left in the hands of the government to ensure our safety, he stated.



According to him, "the invasion of the variant in Ghana was occurring, unfortunately, at a time when there appears to be universal disdain to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols, especially wearing of face masks, while some religious and other groups are complicit in this offence".



He noted that the devastation of the variant in India, in terms of mortality and morbidity, has shocked humanity with rippling economic and other consequences, far and near as families had to queue to cremate their dead loved ones.



Dr Amofah pointed out that the reality of the situation is that the new variants will continue to emerge some more transmissible and/or more pathogenic and virulent.



However, we still have a window of opportunity to protect ourselves, our families, and loved ones irrespective of the variant, he indicated.



He recounted that only two cases of COVID-19 were detected in Ghana in March 2020 before the infection spread countrywide, and expressed worry that we were still struggling to contain that community spread with its socio-economic consequences.



"We have noticed, with growing concern, the emergence of the dreaded Coronavirus variant termed, Delta variant, in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa and the rest of the world".



It is against this backdrop that the GPHA is calling on the public to take responsibility for their health and safety and that of their loved ones.

Source: GNA









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Head of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Prof. Joseph Osafo has pleaded with Ghanaians not to toy with their lives with regard to the Coronavirus pandemic.



Ghana has currently recorded 98,817 cases of the deadly disease.



Out of this number, 95,147 patients have recovered and been discharged but 812 people have unfortunately passed away.



The country's active cases stand at 2,858.



This data is provided by the Ghana Health Service and according to the Health authority, there is an upsurge in the cases.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Prof. Joseph Osafo reminded Ghanaians of the risks in neglecting the COVID protocols.



He advised Ghanaians to strictly adhere to the wearing of nose masks, social distancing and all other preventive etiquette against the virus.



He called on the citizenry to note that it is better to be alive than die prematurely.



"To go mad and live long is better than dying prematurely," he stated.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Communications Director for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has cautioned Ghanaians not to relax on the COVID-19 protocols.



Reports indicate a surge in the COVID-19 cases in Ghana.



According to the Ghana Health Service, the country's active cases stand at 2,858 with 812 patients passing away.



Recently, the recorded the most contagious Coronavirus variant called "Delta variant" which originated from India.



Over 100 students of the Achimota school were said to have contracted the Delta variant and recovered from the disease.



Discussing the issue on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' , Yaw Buaben Asamoa partly blamed Ghanaians for the upsurge in the COVID-19 cases.



He noted that many Ghanaians have abandoned the protocols, hence endangering their lives and others.



He also raised a point about large funeral gatherings and other public events where the protocols are least observed.



He called on the citizenry to return to the protocols stressing Ghana almost defeated the disease when the protocols were strictly observed by all and sundry.



"Let's go back and do what we used to do . . . wear our masks, washing our hands. Practice social distancing at funeral and at church, ensure you observe all the protocols," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Professor Joseph Osafo has admonished Ghanaians not to live a reckless life.



Speaking in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Osafo advised the citizenry not to harbour thoughts that COVID-19 isn't real or let the good health of some people deceive them to think the disease doesn't exist.



Making his submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme Monday morning, Prof. Osafo noted that Ghanaians are becoming optimistic and confident in themselves that they won't contract the disease, hence refusing to adhere to the protocols, is a reckless attitude.



He cautioned the citizenry not to compare themselves to other people but religiously stick to the protocols in order to save themselves and loved ones.



"Value your life. Value your loved ones. Know that what we're experiencing is not permanent. Don't compare and avoid the optimism bias . . . Don't be reckless; simply don't be reckless!"





Close to a hundred thousand (100,000) cases of the deadly viral disease have currently been recorded in Ghana.Over 90000 patients have recovered and been discharged.However, the country's active cases stand at 2,858 with 812 deaths.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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African leaders, particularly, those within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have been asked to respect the legal and constitutional terms of two mandate limits.



They should not serve beyond their second term in office, Africans Rising, a Pan-African movement of people and organizations, working for peace, justice and dignity, advocated.



The group is demanding that African presidents set great examples by choosing not to cling to power or prioritize personal interests as leaders.



Any elected official is a representative of the people, and as such, they should be responsive to the demands of those whom they represent, the Pan-African movement emphasized in a statement issued, and copied the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumasi.



The statement, initialed by Mr. Prince Akphar, Engagement Officer, Africans Rising, comes in the wake of the recent Second West African Summit for Democracy and Good Governance, held in Benin.



It was organized under the auspices of the UST-Togo, Tournons La Page, a civil movement, CREA (Centre de Recherche sur l'Etat en Afrique) and Africans Rising.



Highlighting the Summit, the statement said it hosted participants from nine African countries and had various researchers and activists in attendance.



The objective was to build solidarity among African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and work together for the effective implementation of democracy and good governance of ECOWAS.



As one of its cardinal agenda, the programme launched a special campaign for African Presidents not to serve beyond their second term in office.



The statement said in line with this, the President of Benin, Mr. Patrice Talon, at the final day of the Summit, was presented with a symbol, which he used to declare his intentions of not going beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms.



In the view of the Pan-African movement, as we strive to see our continent flourish, let us remember that young people are the future and the future is now.



Let us use the power of our collective voices to call on our leaders, and demand that their actions and authorities are not used for selfish aims, but that they are used to benefit the entire citizenry.



The statement said Africans Rising, in a paper delivered at the Summit, encouraged young activists and politicians to make good use of political positions to benefit their citizens when they get the opportunity to serve in one.



The speech contained messages on how Africans Rising was founded and the beliefs it holds in good governance, as well as some of its programmes such as Activism Award, Solidarity Mission, FreeThem Campaign and the commemoration of the African Liberation Day.

Source: GNA









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The Head Porters Association of Ghana (Kayayei) led by its President Hajia Adiza Zongo Panior, has ordered former first lady Lordina Mahama to return all state money she had received as salary.



It will be recalled that the Emoluments Committee for Parliament approved the salaries of current first and second ladies, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo and Mrs. Samira Bawumia respectively.



Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo was expected to receive a monthly salary of GH 21,000 which will be backdated to 2017.



The second lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia was also expected to receive a salary and will be backdated to 2017.



However, the payment of salaries to the first and second ladies stirred public anger among some Ghanaians.



Former officeholders and politicians also shared their opinion on the matter.



After a thorough consultation between the president and vice president, both first and second ladies decided to refund all salaries paid them from 2017 and had decided not to accept any allowance or salary from the state.



Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo submitted a cheque of GH 899,000 which she took as allowances since January 2017 through the Consolidated Bank of Ghana, CBG.



The second lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia in a letter signed by Kwame Twum Esq, her senior aide, dated 13th July 2021 reiterated the need to refund all state monies and allowances paid her since 2017.



Speaking on the issue on Accra-based radio station, Peace FM, with Odi Ahenekan Kwame Yeboah, the president of the Kayayo Association, Hajia Adiza Zongo Panior called on the former first lady, Lordina Mahama to refund all state monies and allowances paid her.



ALSO READ If you don't see Akufo-Addo as President, you are lawless---NDC, Mahama told

Our issue is very short, we have given Lordina 24 hours to refund the money, that is what we want to tell her. Because Aunty Rebecca has done a lot for the country, she built a maternity ward in Kumasi and even at the Korle-bu hospital. She has done a lot.



We havent seen any infrastructure or project Lordina Mahama has done. So that money can even help. I want to plead with the government. You are entitled to payment when in power, she said.



Lordinas husband (Mahama) has said it. So anytime there is an issue you raise your voice, we are giving her 24 hours period. That money can be used for school feeding, she stressed.



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Source: Peacefmonline.com









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As further evidence of its commitment to eradicating financial marginalisation and exclusion, the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) Ghana has partnered with the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Social Work and Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) to launch the Financial Capability and Asset Building (FCAB) Africa project.



The project, which seeks to broaden the financial capability of vulnerable populations through financial inclusion and professional training was virtually launched at the 22nd edition of the Biennial Conference of the International Consortium for Social Development.



Speaking at the event, which brought together academics, professionals, and policymakers, President of CIB Ghana, Patricia Sappor suggested that the overarching goal of financial service delivery via banks and other institutions alike was to ensure financial inclusion, especially of the most vulnerable. Short of that, she argued, financial institutions would have failed.



The Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, is very pleased to be the lead partner of the FCAB project on the continent and also in Ghana. This is because the objectives of FCAB Africa tie into the mandate of the Institute to promote not only the study of banking and regulate it but to ensure that all these impact vulnerable households positively, she said.



The initiative, she added, could not have come at a better time, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated prevailing financial inequalities, with the already vulnerable - women, children, and the elderly in rural areas - being the worst hit.

The International Monetary Fund, in its Regional Economic Outlook published in April, 2021 acknowledges that economic recovery across the globe will not be evenhanded.



Touching on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the report says, Looking ahead, the region will grow by 3.4 percent in 2021, up from 3.1 percent projected in October, and supported by improved exports and commodity prices, along with a recovery in both private consumption and investment. However, per capita output is not expected to return to 2019 levels until after 2022in many countries, per capita incomes will not return to pre-crisis levels before 2025.



In view of this, Vice President, Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia, who was the special guest of honor at the launch gave assurance that government is working assiduously to ensure the nation reaches full recovery and is positioned to lead, economically on the continent.



Referencing the states handling of the pandemic - which was very recently commended by the IMF - Dr. Bawumia stated that evidence abounds to measures that have been out in place to aid the recovery process.



One thing is clear; the pandemic has revealed that the importance of digitalisation in reducing the cost of running brick and mortar businesses. Government will continue to support digital innovations with good governance and policies around data privacy, data sharing, and cybersecurity, he added.



Head of the Special Studies Unit at the Research Department of the Bank of Ghana, Phillip Abradu-Otoo, who also joined the launch virtually, echoed sentiments expressed by the Vice President and the President of CIB Ghana. He indicated the banks readiness to continue doing its part in providing an enabling economic environment and reducing financial marginalisation.



The agenda being promoted by the FCAB is intricately linked to the mandate of most central banks. When a central bank delivers on its mandate, whether through conventional or unconventional means, the socio-economic conditions of the financially marginalised segments of the population will improve, he explained.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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South Africas former president Jacob Zuma has appeared on a video link from prison to attend a corruption trial.



Mr Zuma faces charges of fraud and racketeering dating back to the 1990s.



This is the first time he has been seen since he was sent to jail for contempt of court  a move that sparked a week of looting and arson in South Africa.



He sat quietly in a large office chair in a nondescript prison room.



He wore a dark suit and red tie and said little as his lawyer argued for another postponement of his corruption trial.



The hearing took place online  due to the pandemic and security concerns.



Mr. Zuma has now spent more than a week in prison after he was found guilty of contempt of court, for refusing to participate in a separate corruption inquiry.



The decision to sentence Mr Zuma to 15 months in jail sparked protests which quickly turned violent  leading to more than 200 deaths, and widespread looting and arson.

Source: BBC









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The National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Dr. Mrs. Gertrude Quashigah, has hinted that the government has given approval for funds to be released for the payment of arrears for 1st term of the 2021 academic year to caterers.



According to her, the National Secretariat of GSFP had already collated caterers data and processed it for payment as soon as the Controller and Accountant Generals Department transfer same to Bank of Ghana for onward transfer to the Ghana School Feeding accounts.



A statement issued in Accra by the Public Relations Unit of the Ghana School Feeding Programme, on the other hand, has refuted the claim that the government is presently owing caterers of the programme some eight months arrears.



According to GSFP, the government is only owing the caterers the 1st term of the 2021 academic year, of which processes are ongoing to effect payment as soon as possible.



It said since the 2nd term of the 2021 academic year is still in progress, it will be impracticable for the government to release funds to pay the caterers before their data is compiled and submitted by their Regional Coordinators.



The statement explained that the normal contractual agreement between the caterers and the government is that cooking services are supposed to be pre-financed by the caterers for at least a whole academic term. Thereafter, the caterers would receive payment of their arrears for the previous term at least before the commencement or in the course of another term.



The statement is in reaction to information in the media which sought to create public disaffection for the social intervention programme.



According to some of the caterers, the government is owing them for eight months without any attempt to settle them.

The truth is! The 2nd term is still in progress and so it cannot be said that we owe the caterers for 8 months.



However, we apologise to all caterers for the delay in the payment of their 1st term arrears and assure them that they will soon receive payment.



It added: The government has done very well to settle all arrears of caterers in the 1st and 2nd terms of 2019/2020 academic year amounting to some 117 cooking days. The caterers did not cook in the third term of 2019/2020 academic year due to Covid-19.



Nevertheless, there are a few isolated cases of caterers who did not receive their 2019/2020 arrears in full including some of the caterers of the JHS hot meal due to some challenges.



But those challenges, the statement indicated, are being addressed to ensure that all affected caterers receive their remaining money.







Source: 3news.com









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THE NKAWIE Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region presided over by Micheal Johnson Abbey has sentenced three armed robbers to a total of 75 years in hard labour.



Akwasi John, aka Sergeant, 25; John Fordjour, aka Meadow Shadrack, 23, and Abdul Razack, aka Shatta Movement, 19, who engaged in series of armed robberies pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them.



Facts of the case indicate that on July 1, 2021 at 9pm suspect John Fordjour aka Kwadwo Fordjour who was wanted in a case of robbery, attempted to commit robbery and robbery was arrested by group of people in a failed robbery operation and handed over to the Manfo Police together with 13 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and 50 tablets of Dizepam in his possession.



Suspect confessed to police during interrogation that prior to his arrest, he together with one remand prisoner, Akwasi John, and Abdul Razak alias Shatta Movement who was at large attacked and robbed a victim of his single barrel gun, mobile phones and other valuables.



He continued that few days afterwards, he together with the same gang attacked another complainant, Sulemana Mohammed at Kwaem Cottage near Asuhyiae with the said gun in the midnight and attempted to force his door open and rob him of his money and other valuables but the complainant in the process slashed his face with cutlass, sustaining wounds on his face and fired one warning shot and they escaped.

He later led police to the whereabouts of his accomplices, Abdul Razak and John Fordjor who were also apprehended.



They were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

They pleaded guilty with explanation to all the counts and after their explanation, the court found all the accused persons guilty on all the counts and convicted them accordingly.



The court sentenced accused Akwasi John to 15 years on each of the counts whereas accused John Fordjour and Abdul Razack were sentenced to 10 years each of the three counts but sentences shall run concurrently.



Additionally, convicts Akwasi John and John Fordjour were further arraigned before the court for the charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and attempt to commit crime to wit robbery.



They pleaded guilty simplicita to the two counts and were convicted on their on plea of guilty and sentenced convict Akwasi John to 25 years each of the two counts and convict John Fordjour was sentenced to 15 years on each of the two counts and again sentences shall run concurrently.



The court ordered that exhibit being a locally manufactured gun with butt No.8417-72 retrieved be handed over to complainant, Kwame Twumasi.



Convicts were handed over to Kumasi Central prisons to serve their sentences.









Source: Vincent Kubi/Daily Guide









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Washington, United States: An Israeli firm accused of supplying spyware to governments has been linked to a list of 50,000 smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world, according to reports Sunday.



Israel's NSO Group and its Pegasus malware have been in the headlines since at least 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.



Sunday's revelations raise privacy and rights concerns, and reveal the far-reaching extent to which the private Israeli company's software may be being misused by its clients internationally.



Read Full Story .... ndtv.com >>> :

















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A CCTV footage released by police has captured the scary moment a five-year-old was almost kidnapped in broad daylight in Queens, New York.



According to police, the kidnapping attempt took place around 8:00 PM when the lad and her family were walking along a pathway.



In the video, the five-year-old could be seen hopping in front while his family follows closely while chatting.



At that same time, the kidnappers arrived in a burgundy saloon car, and one of them, a tall male in a white t-shirt, alighted to facilitate the crime.



He is seen snatching the boy, and dumped him in the backseat of the car, while his accomplice sat in the front passenger seat.



The kidnapping attempt was not a success due to the bravery of the boys 45-year-old mother, Dolores Diaz, and siblings.



Dolores distracted the suspects, while the siblings struggled to pull the child out of the car.



Residents quickly rushed to the scene, but the suspects fled in their car before they could be apprehended.



The police have updated that the 24-year-old male has been arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping.







UPDATE: A 24-year-old male has been arrested and charged with:



- Attempted Kidnapping

- Reckless Endangerment

- Acting in a Manner Injurious to a Child less than 17 https://t.co/WXxXyk5JEq

 NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 17, 2021









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On Saturday, 20th July, 2021, Hon . Boakye Agyarko joined Constituency Chairmens workshop in Koforidua in the Eastern Region .



Hon. Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko who was a keynote speaker delivered excellently on the need to uphold the Partys tradition which is the meter to guide all actions and inactions of the party activities.



Hon. Boakye Agyarko also encouraged the present Chairmen to make NPP the dominant party in Ghana for all time, for the sake of the orderly and rapid development of the country. He added that the Party can achieve this if the frontline operatives from polling station upwards are properly taken care of and can be made battle ready at all times.



Hon. Boakye Agyarko commended the creation of the Welfare Scheme. He admonished the Chairmen to be our brothers keeper, All of us must see it as a new covenant to be upheld and we all have a responsibility in making sure it succeeds.



In the last submission of the Former Energy Minister, he recalled times where the party was peaceful and did well. It is therefore in the enlightened self interest of the party members to wholeheartedly back and support the good initiative that has been started.



Boakye Agyarko a former Campaign Manager and Policy advisor, use the opportunity to also gunner support as he is tipped by man party members to replace the President whose mandate ends in 2025. Hon. Agyarko is a political stalwart with deep rooted leanings in the Danquah Busia Tradition where his father served as a founding member of the NLM , the United Party and the Progress Party.





Source: peacefmonline.com









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The distinguished Western Regional Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Takoradi Constituency, Hon. Dr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has been recognised and deservedly honoured at the Better World Fund Cannes Film Festival held in France on the 12th July 2021 at the 3.14 Plage.



The mission of this astute organisation (Better World Endorsement Fund) touches the sensitive areas of our existence, such as the environment, Biodiversity, Ecosystem and Women's Empowerment.



It's assuring that the Better World Endowment "creates a continuously growing community of leading thinkers and doers who share our mission for positive environmental, economic and social change as well as our passion for collaborative impact".



The Body is made up of a high-powered team of world-class experts from business industries and academia. The accomplished individuals making up the team set the tone through their supports for human development and environmental sustainability. The Better World Fund presented "Ethical Gold" which was anchored on "Responsible Mining", making a world of difference in small-scale gold mining.



The Republic of Ghana was the country of honour due to government effort and leadership, and Hon. Dr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah's ingenuity in addressing the challenges in the small-scale mining in Ghana through his ardent promotion for responsible mining.



Accordingly, this year's programme in Cannes had the "Ethical Gold Session" to honour those in the Gold industry that promote responsible mining therefore, Hon. Dr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah was honoured with the Social Impact Award for promoting zero mercury in the small-scale mining sector in Ghana.



Innovatively, the Minister spearheaded the Regional Coordinating Council to organise the first-ever Gold Expo in Ghana in March last year, directed specifically at resolving the topical issues i.e., the quest for technology-oriented small-scale mining which will ensure the implementation of best mining policies, enforcement of statutes and collaborative stakeholder engagement to safeguard our existence and to sustain the environment.



This year, July 2021, the Hon. Regional Minister led the organisation of Ghana Mining Week to promote once again, the urgency and essence for responsible mining in Ghana and also to advance the conversation for Green mining operations through mining policy sessions and diplomatic field trips.



The significance is for the nation to realise the economic and social benefits of responsible mining which ought to be underpinned by the right usage of technology in the entire extraction process and gold mining value chain. On an account, the distinguished Western Regional Minister stated that It is all about "transformative change through the pursuits of responsible small-scale mining which resultant effect is the production of ethical gold in Ghana".

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The hacienda of Pablo Escobar, circa 1989. (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

At the height of the Colombian drug wars in 1989, a small private army of mainly British ex-servicemen were hired to assassinate Colombian drug boss Pablo Escobar.

The private unit  led by former SAS man Peter McAleese  was armed to the teeth, funded by a rival drug cartel and sent into the jungle to wage war against the gangster responsible for an estimated 4,000 deaths and 80% of the international cocaine trade at the time.

Now the incredible story of Operation Phoenix has been told on screen in the stunning new feature documentary Killing Escobar, premiering on BBC Two (9pm, 19 July) and iPlayer.

The film includes breathtaking archive footage of McAleeses battle-hardened unit gathering in the Colombian jungle to train for armed assault against Escobars Hacienda Napoli home.

Peter McAleese shares his story in Killing Escobar. (Two Rivers Media/David Whitney)

At the time, drug lord Escobar  recently portrayed on screen in smash hit Netflix series Narcos  was head of the Medellin drug cartel and one of the most wanted men on Earth, with a million dollar bounty on his head.

His rivals at the Cali drug cartel wanted him out of the way and hired British security contractor Dave Tomkins to take him out. He then contacted McAleese to put a team together.

As McAleese, now 78, recalled: It set my heart pumping. I was really up for it.

An image taken 06 September 1989 from Colombian television of a wanted advertisement for Medellin drug cartel leaders Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez. (CARLOS LEMA/AFP via Getty Images)

David came to me and said, Are you interested in doing a job. I never asked what it was, I just said yes, and then he said Do you want to go to Colombia? and I said yes and he outlined the job.

I knew of him (Escobar) in passing, Id read the odd piece in the paper but I didnt know a great deal.

Read more: Escobar's hippos terrorise Colombian waters

Having served in the paras regiment since he was 17, then joined the SAS and travelled around the world serving in private military forces, McAleese recruited 11 former comrades for the deadly task.

While it was funded by the Cali cartel, McAleese claims it was with the tacit approval of UK and US governments.

Wagner Moura's Pablo Escobar and Juan Pablo Raba's right-hand man Gustavo in Narcos. (Netflix)

Former DEA agent agent Javier Pena  one of the real Narcos hunters portrayed in the Netflix series  agreed, and commented in the film: When we heard about this plan, of course we wanted him dead. So any effort to kill Pablo Escobar was of course welcomed. We wanted it to happen.

Story continues

The men touched down in Cali in March 1989. They tooled up and moved out to a special camp in Antioquia, nearer Escobars Medellin headquarters.

At their jungle base, they trained with a massive cache of weapons, secured a helicopter painted in local police livery and prepared for the attack.

Colombian police and military forces storm the rooftop where drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot dead in December 1993. (AFP via Getty Images)

The team were on $5,000 a month basic pay and organiser Tomkins was told a further million dollar bonus was payable for Escobars head.

All the while knowing that any slip of security could lead Escobars notorious enforcer soldiers, or Sicarios, to their location.

McAleese said: The way I looked at it was we trained to do a job. We trained for 11 solid weeks, practicing hitting that place and covering every eventuality.

A boy smiles in the Pablo Escobar neighbourhood - 500 houses built by the Colombian drug lord for the poor - in Medellin in 2008. (AFP via Getty Images)

"We outlined the areas of his house in the grounds and everyone took different sections and we changed ranks and everyone did a different job every time we did a rehearsal, so if anyone went down, we could replace him.

I felt they (Escobar's men) had guys who were trained to run about with submachine guns. Some of them had been soldiers but not professional soldiers, maybe they had done their national service.

He added: If we didnt get this right, it could backfire on us.

Ive never seen as much training done in my army career, bearing in mind it was only for the one day.

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and his wife Victoria Henao appear in this file photograph when Escobar was a member of the Colombian Congress in 1983. (CLP/ZDC)

The film uses a mix of archive footage, new interviews and dramatic reconstructions with actors to tell the story of their 11 week training, and then setting off to kill Pablo.

There's then a fateful twist when the attack goes wrong en route to Medellin, leaving McAleese and his soldiers stranded in the jungle needing a dramatic rescue.

Despite fearing for their lives, McAleese and his crew finally made it out of the jungle - and while the mission was unsuccessful, Escobar was ultimately killed by Colombian police in 1993.

To this day McAleese contemplates just how close they came to ridding the world of Escobar all those years before.

He commented: I feel that what they did to Escobar was long overdue.

Take the situation we were in. We trained for 11 weeks. The DEA were out there for years and couldnt put it together.

Its alright saying they got him, but its not a good reflection on how they handled the situation.

I dont know much about the DEA but I just know that we had a go at it for 11 weeks. And we got pretty close.

The outcome wasnt what we thought it would be, but theres not many things I would change.

Killing Escobar is on BBC Two, Monday 19 July, 9pm, and available on iPlayer.

Watch: Escobar's hippos causing headache in Colombia
The newly discovered Dichrorampha velata moth. Credit: Jurg Schmid

Butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera) are one of the most diverse animal groups. To date, scientists have found as many as 5,000 species from the Alps alone. Having been a place of intensive research interest for 250 years, it is considered quite a sensation if a previously unknown species is discovered from the mountain range these days. This was the case when a Swiss-Austrian team of researchers described a new species of alpine moth in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal Alpine Entomology, solving a 180-year-old mystery.

Decades of research work

Initially, the teamJurg Schmid, a full-time dentist, author and passionate butterfly and moth researcher from Switzerland, and Peter Huemer, head of the natural science collections of the Tyrolean State Museums in Innsbruck and author of more than 400 publications, needed a lot of patience.

Almost thirty years ago, in the 1990s, the two researchers independently discovered the same moth species. While they found it was similar to a moth of the leaf-roller family Tortricidae and commonly named as Dichrorampha montanana which had been known to science since 1843, it was also clearly different. Wing pattern and internal morphology of genitalia structures supported a two-species hypothesis. Moreover, the two were found at the same time in the same placesa further indication that they belong to separate species. Extensive genetic investigations later confirmed this hypothesis, but the journey of presenting a new species to science was far from over.

The Hidden Alpine Moth

To "baptise" a new species and give it its own name, scientists first have to check that it hasn't already been named. This prevents the same species from having two different names, and essentially means looking at descriptions of similar species and comparing the new one against them to prove it is indeed unknown to science. In the case of this new moth, there were six potentially applicable older names that had to be ruled out before it could be named as new.

Intensive and time-consuming research of original specimens in the nature museums of Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt and London eventually led to the finding that all six ancient names actually referred to one and the same speciesDichrorampha alpestrana, which has been known since 1843 and had to be adopted as the valid older name for Dichrorampha montanana as having been described a couple of months earlier. Similarly, all other available names proved to belong to Dichrorampha alpestrana. The species discovered by Schmid and Huemer, however, was different, not yet named, and could finally be described as new to science. The authors chose to name it Dichrorampha velatathe Latin species name means "veiled" or "hidden," pointing to the complicated story behind its discovery.

Habitat of the new moth species Dichrorampha velata. Credit: Juerg Schmid

Lots of unanswered questions

The Hidden Alpine Moth is a striking species with a wingspan of up to 16 mm and a characteristic olive-brown color of the forewings with silvery lines. It belongs to a group of mainly diurnal moths and is particularly common locally in colorful mountain flower meadows. For now, we know that its distribution extends at least from Salzburg and Tyrol through southern Switzerland and the Jura to the French and Italian Alps, with isolated finds known from the Black Forest in Germany, but the researchers believe it might have a wider range in Central Europe.

The biology of the new species is completely unknown, but Huemer and Schmid speculate that its caterpillars may live in the rhizome of yarrow or chrysanthemums like other species of the same genus. As with many other alpine moths, there is a strong need for further research, so we can get a better understanding of this fascinating insect.

Explore further New species of moths discovered in the Alps named after three famous alpinists

More information: Jurg Schmid et al, Unraveling a complex problem: Dichrorampha velata sp. nov., a new species from the Alps hitherto confounded with D. alpestrana ([Zeller], 1843) sp. rev. = D. montanana (Duponchel, 1843) syn. nov. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), Alpine Entomology (2021). Jurg Schmid et al, Unraveling a complex problem: Dichrorampha velata sp. nov., a new species from the Alps hitherto confounded with D. alpestrana ([Zeller], 1843) sp. rev. = D. montanana (Duponchel, 1843) syn. nov. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae),(2021). DOI: 10.3897/alpento.5.67498
Fig. 1. Systematic identification of PRMT interactome. (a) Schematic diagram showing PRMT1 to PRMT9. The light blue boxes represent the catalytic domains, the cyan and yellow boxes represent double E motifs and THW loop motifs that are specific to PRMTs, respectively. (b) Workflow for identifying PRMT-interacting proteins using BioID. (c) The biotinylated PRMT-interacting proteins detected by Western blotting using streptavidin-HRP (left) and silver staining (right). (d) The Venn diagram illustrating the PRMT interactome obtained from this study compared with methylarginine-containing proteins identified in the study by Larsen et al. (2016) and Guo et al. (2014). The correlation is calculated by Fishers exact test, with the whole genome as the background. (e) Overlap of the interactome among different PRMTs. Fishers exact test is used to calculate the P-value of the overlap. The PRMT interactomes are clustered by overlap significance (shown in red), and the numbers of overlapped protein are indicated in blue. Credit: Science Bulletin (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.01.004

Thousands of proteins undergo arginine N-methylation, a widespread post-translational modification catalyzed by several protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) that covalently link methyl groups to arginine side chains. Nine PRMTs, PRMT1 to PRMT9, have been identified in the human genome, which are further classified into three types according to the final methylarginine products. Arginine methylation plays key roles in various cellular processes.

However, global understanding of their molecular mechanisms and biological functions is limited due to the lack of a complete picture of the catalytic network for each PRMT as well as the absence of reliable antibodies and mechanically well-defined "erasers" and "readers".

In a study published in Science Bulletin, the researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) identified the interacting proteins for all human PRMTs, and demonstrated their functional importance in mRNA splicing and translation.

Using a sensitive BioID technology, the researchers systematically characterized the interactome and the substrate specificity of all known human PRMTs. They demonstrated significant overlapping of interactomes of human PRMTs with the known methylarginine-containing proteins. Different PRMTs are functionally redundant with a high degree of overlap in their substrates and high similarities between their putative methylation motifs.

Through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, the researchers revealed that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in regulating RNA splicing and translation are highly enriched in PRMT interactomes and undergo extensive arginine methylation, indicating their importance in regulating RNA metabolism.

By applying RNA-seq and Ribo-seq, they demonstrated that the inhibition of PRMTs leads to global alteration of splicing and translation, providing a genome-wide picture of the general functions of protein arginine methylation. Interestingly, they found that the inhibition of PRMT activity did not change the distribution of ribosome occupancy in different regions of mRNAs, suggesting that PRMTs affected the maturation of ribosomes before they are assembled onto the mRNAs.

Using RPS2 as an example, the researchers found that mutations in RPS2's methylation sites suppress ribosome assembly, translation, and eventually cell growth, indicating that arginine methylation of ribosomal proteins is critical to ribosomal assembly. This might be the main mechanistic reason for why PRMT affect translation.

This study provides new insights into biological functions of PRMTs and links individual PRMTs to their arginine methylation events, revealing critical functions of arginine methylation in regulating RNA splicing and translation.

Explore further The role of PRMT1-mediated alternative splicing in dilated cardiomyopathy

More information: Huan-Huan Wei et al, A systematic survey of PRMT interactomes reveals the key roles of arginine methylation in the global control of RNA splicing and translation, Science Bulletin (2021). Huan-Huan Wei et al, A systematic survey of PRMT interactomes reveals the key roles of arginine methylation in the global control of RNA splicing and translation,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.01.004
Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, CC BY 2.0

It's been a tough year for elegant terns in Southern California.

A drone crash in June forced an estimated 3,000 of the sleek seabirds with their pointed orange bills to abandon their eggs on Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County. Experts say it's possible that many of the birds set up camp on two commercial barges in nearby Long Beach Harbor.

Now droves of the baby birds are falling into the ocean and drowning.

"They basically landed on the barge a day or so, and it may have been two or three days, after the incident involving the drones when they left Bolsa Chica," said Tim Daly, spokesman for California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "There's really no way of proving or knowing, but we think there's a possibility, because they suddenly appeared."

The birds built a noisy new home atop two 180-foot-long boats piled high with rocks. The barges, run by construction company Connelly-Pacific Co., were preparing for a trip to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station to reconfigure them for Navy boats, said Melissa Loebl, reserve manager at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

But now they're stuck because the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act prevents the company from moving and disrupting the birds.

Just after July 4th, dozens of dead baby terns washed up on the Long Beach shore. Loebl said she suspected Independence Day fireworks scared some of the birds. The babiestoo young to fly and unable to climb back onto the barges, which were sitting at least two feet above waterdrowned.

Since then, International Bird Rescue, a conservation group, has rescued 325 baby elegant ternsand collected more than 100 baby carcasses. Many more probably drowned, said Russ Curtis, the organization's spokesman.

"We haven't really determined the full extent of what prompted them to stumble off the barge," Curtis said. "They're noticing the adults are probably in the water, flying around. ... I think they're just stumbling off the barge and there's a pretty big dropoff and they can't get back on."

The terns' tumultuous few months have worried biologists and bird rescuers.

"Elegant terns are very susceptible to disturbance, as has been seen," said JD Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue. "This becomes a conservation issue pretty quickly."

A patchwork of agencies, conservation groups and local volunteers has emerged to conduct emergency rescues of the baby birds.

Every morning for nearly two weeks, two boats sidle up to the terns' new floating home. With their engines low, so as not to scare the birds, the boats circle the barges, searching for wayward baby terns.

The little ones are easy to spot, Bergeron said: Their wings, not quite waterproof yet, quickly sink in the water.

One of the smallest birds he encountered, named "Little Mike," was very low in the water when rescue boats approached Tuesday. The tern slipped underwater for about 20 seconds before rescuers recovered the animal and helped it breathe again.

"That bird was essentially resuscitated from death and is actually doing really great," Bergeron said.

With a swoop of a net, the rescuers scoop the terns from the water and into the boat, where they are dried off, warmed with handwarmers and taken back to the center. There, staffers feed the birds slivers of fish by handa tedious operation that often takes several hours, Curtis said.

"It's a little bit like having a baby nursery where you just have to keep feeding," he said.

Staffers wear masks and face shields as they feed the terns, so the birds don't get habituated to their human caregivers. Once the babies fledge at 35 days, International Bird Rescue plans to release the terns back into the wild.

But what to do about the barges in the meantimeand after this generation of baby birds grows upremains a challenge.

The center is going through an extra 100 pounds of fish a day, Curtis said, and needs donations to continue to care for the rescued birds. Boaters are advised to steer clear of the barges, to avoid disturbing the birds.

Loebl said people are working on a temporary solution to create a ramp, so any birds that fall off the barge can climb aboard again. A trial raft attached to the barge on Thursday seemed to work, she said.

"The ultimate goal is a hands-off approach, which means if we can attach ramps or rafts to the barge to allow the birds to recover themselves, that would be great and ideal," Loebl said.

This is not the first time terns have navigated to the Long Beach Harbor to colonize. In 2006, droves of baby tern carcasses washed up onshore after stampeding off two privately owned barges in the harbor.

The tugboat operator, Ralph Botticelli, told the Los Angeles Times then that he and his workers were attempting to move the barges when they accidentally spooked the birds.

The terns returned the following year, prompting environmentalists to once again propose a more permanent solution: the possible creation of a manmade island.

"The reason we want to do that is these terns keep wanting to nest in the port," Loebl said. "So if they're trying to find habitat because their habitat is limited ... these (are) open spaces for them to breathe."

2021 Los Angeles Times.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Julia Martin prepares a solution as part of her chemistry research. Martin graduated in 2019, but during her time at UCSC, she participated in the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program through the university's STEM Diversity Office, which works to support underrepresented students in STEM fields. TAs also play an important role in classroom success for undergraduate students, as a new statistical analysis shows. Credit: University of California - Santa Cruz

Diversity among graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) may be among the most essential factors in retaining underrepresented minority undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, according to statistical evidence from a new study set to publish in the August issue of the Economics of Education Review.

A team of economists and chemists at UC Santa Cruz gathered and analyzed data from more than 4,000 students in general chemistry labs at the university over a five-year period to show thatamong undergraduate students who were Latinx, Black, Native American, Native Alaskan or Hawaiian, or Pacific Islandercourse drop rates decreased from 6 percent to 0.5 percent, and pass rates increased from 93.6 percent to 98.4 percent when these students were assigned a TA who was also a member of a racial or ethnic minority group.

"There are just not that many interventions that make that much of a difference in education," said Economics Professor Rob Fairlie, the senior author on the paper. "I thought we would find something, but I was surprised that the effect was so big."

The study controlled for variability in individual teaching and learning abilities and also found no effect of TA-student pairings on course grades. This led the paper's authors to conclude that the large demonstrated changes in drop and pass rates likely result from how TA-student interactions influence a student's decision of whether or not to stick with a course.

"One huge implication of this study is that sometimes people question whether the instructor or TA can alter student decisions, and I think we clearly document that," said Daniel Oliver, lead author of the paper who is now a senior research fellow at Tulane University. Oliver worked on the study while completing his Ph.D. in economics at UCSC.

Statistics aligned with lived experience

The most significant trend driving the paper's results was specifically how Latinx students benefited from having a TA of the same ethnic background. David Delgadillo, a graduate student and former TA in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UCSC, said he has felt a sense of validation from the study's findings.

"For me, being Latino in STEM and having gone through the process as a student myself and then transitioning into that teaching role, I can say that I think it's easy to be intimidated in these courses, especially if you don't have family members or friends that have gone through the process," he said. "But with TAs, that first initial interaction with somebody that you feel represents you or represents a struggle that you've gone through really lowers the entry barrier into being a successful student in these classes."

As a TA, Delgadillo said that he always worked hard to create a welcoming environment in the classroom and to boost student confidence because he understood how much pressure students might be under, particularly if they came from marginalized communities.

"There's this extra level of stress and this thought process of "I need to perform well and do everything perfectly, or my one opportunity to move up the social ladder is done," and that's the complex that you can sometimes go into it with as a student," Delgadillo said. "I think what really helps is being welcomed into that course by somebody who can understand that sense of pressure. Someone who lets you know that it's okay and that you're going to make mistakes and struggle a little bit, but if you keep going and keep pushing, you'll eventually persevere."

The new paper demonstrates how economists can contribute to conversations around these issues by helping to quantify the impacts of what students and TAs are experiencing.

"As economists, our training is to do statistical work with these big data sets and carefully set up analyses that can affirm many personal stories in chemistry and the sciences," said Rob Fairlie. "And our interest is in trying to create equity."

Insights for breaking down barriers

Statistics from the National Science Foundation in 2015 showed that, while Latinx, Black, Native American, Native Alaskan or Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander people represented 26 percent of the U.S. adult population, people from these groups collectively accounted for about 13 percent of the nation's highest degree holders in science and engineering and made up 10 percent of the workforce in related fields. These disparities in representation can have profound economic impacts, since careers in science and engineering tend to be higher-paid.

Glenn Millhauser, a distinguished professor and chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UCSC, said he hopes the new study's results will help higher education institutions provide better support for students from minority communities who are entering science-based fields. Millhauser was a coauthor on the paper, along with chemistry lecturer Randa Roland, and both helped to design the study.

"We want to provide a meaningful sense of inclusion, along with instruction that leads to real success, so that students feel part of the STEM community and are provided with the tools for more advanced studies and degrees," Millhauser said.

The new paper indicates that one way universities can help to break down barriers to entry in STEM fields is through continued improvements in recruiting and support for graduate student instructors and faculty from diverse backgrounds. And, ultimately, all instructors, regardless of their ethnic or racial backgrounds, must be accountable for understanding and adapting to the needs of their students.

A'Lester Allen, a doctoral candidate in physical chemistry who has been a TA for general chemistry and other courses, said he would love to see increased representation among professors, graduate students, and staff. However, he says it's also important to ensure that the responsibility for student success is not placed disproportionately upon instructors from minority communities.

"I think what needs to happen is a little soul-searching by everyone to build an understanding of what it's like from the perspective of historically disadvantaged students coming into these classes, so that the instructors can see all of the barriers in the way that students see them," Allen said. "Maybe then those barriers can be removed."

Explore further Passing challenging introductory chemistry course gives biggest boost to underrepresented students

More information: Daniel Oliver et al, Minority student and teaching assistant interactions in STEM, Economics of Education Review (2021). Daniel Oliver et al, Minority student and teaching assistant interactions in STEM,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102125
SGR J1935+2154: Examples of short-duration bursts inspected in the study. Credit: Zou et al., 2021.

By analyzing the data from NASA's Fermi spacecraft, astronomers from the Hebei Normal University and Nanjing University in China, have investigated X-ray bursting activity of a soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) known as SGR J1935+2154. Results of the study, published July 9 on arXiv.org, deliver more hints about the properties of X-ray bursts from this source.

SGRs are sources emitting large bursts of gamma-rays and X-rays at irregular intervals. They are known to be magnetars, isolated neutron stars with ultra-strong magnetic fields. SGRs emit X-rays in their quiescent state, and outbursts occur when the intense magnetic field shifts. Based on their brightness, the SGR bursts can be divided into three classes: short-duration bursts, giant flares, and intermediate burts.

At a distance of about 30,000 light years, SGR J1935+2154 is a soft gamma-ray repeater discovered in 2014 by NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. To date, the source has experienced several periods (windows) of activity in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020. When it comes to April 2020, it was recognized as the most violent bursting month of this SGR so far.

Previous observations of SGR J1935+2154 suggested a periodic window behavior (PWB) for its bursting activity, which means that bursting phases always appear periodically, but there is no periodicity for specific bursts. In order to further investigate this hypothesis, a team of astronomers led by Jin-Hang Zou (Hebei Normal University/Nanjing University) has conducted a systematic search for X-ray bursts of this SGR using the data from the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) onboard Fermi, hoping to identify its PWB.

"We performed a systematic search for X-ray bursts of the SGR J1935+2154 using the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor continuous data dated from Jan 2013 to July 2021," the researchers wrote in the paper.

By analyzing the Fermi data, Zou's team has identified eight bursting phases of SGR J1935+2154, consisting of a total of 255 individual bursts. Further analysis of this dataset using two independent methods allowed them to find that the bursts exhibit a period of approximately 237 days with an about 58.6 percent duty cycle.

These results are fully consistent with all the X-ray bursts of SGR J1935+2154 observed by multiple missions to date. Moreover, the findings suggest that the next active windows will occur June-November 2021 and February-July 2022. The first predicted window was confirmed by the current ongoing burst activities of SGR J1935+2154, which started on June 26, 2021.

Trying to explain the physical origin of the identified 237-day period of bursts, the astronomers assume that the most natural way to cause such a period may be the free precession of the magnetar.

"Given that there is no evidence showing SGR J1935+2154 are in a binary system, we focus on the explanations invoking the properties of the magnetar itself," the authors of the paper wrote in concluding remarks.

Explore further Study determines burst properties of the most recurring transient magnetar

More information: Periodicity Search on X-ray Bursts of SGR J1935+2154 Using 8.5-year Fermi/GBM Data, arXiv:2107.03800 [astro-ph.HE] Periodicity Search on X-ray Bursts of SGR J1935+2154 Using 8.5-year Fermi/GBM Data, arXiv:2107.03800 [astro-ph.HE] arxiv.org/abs/2107.03800

 2021 Science X Network
Assisted migration may be a solution to climate-driven population damage. Credit: Matthias Appel/Flickr, CC BY-SA

As climate change brings record droughts and floods, extended fire seasons continue to make headlines, and the role of humans in this terrible situation is now undisputed, institutional change has been slow and unsteady. In particular, conservationists have been wary of pointing to climate change as the biggest threat to biodiversity, given the many other threats that exist.

But the situation may now be changing. In the last 18 months, the IUCN Red Listwhich lists species' extinction risk statusrecorded a 52% increase in species listed as being threatened by climate change. Conservationists are being forced to consider whether their conventional approach of maintaining, not changing ecosystems, needs to be adapted to a changing world.

You may have heard of situations where threatened species are released back into areas they used to occupy in the wild. Examples include the restoration of rhinos in Africa and wolves in North America.

However, in our research, my colleagues and I showed that many failed reintroductions are taking place in regions where the climate isn't suitable for the species being released.

This undermines attempts to protect species in their former habitats and is a warning that climate change is already restricting the habitat of threatened species.

In some cases, new habitats become available as the change in climate conditions allows species to survive in areas that were previously too cool. But unless they can populate these new habitatsan adjustment which is tricky for mostmany threatened species will experience a reduction in their current range.

Tasmanian devils are carnivorous predators who can disrupt ecosystems. Credit: MappingMeganTravel/Pixabay, CC BY

"Conservation translocation", also known as assisted migration, assisted colonization and managed relocation, describes interventions that could be used to tackle climate change-driven species declines and extinctions.

Instead of leaving species to suffer in hotter and drier environments, we can try to expand their range by moving them to new habitats. This overcomes situations where species can't move by themselves, such as plants whose seeds disperse only a few meters at a time, or birds who won't leave the safety of their woodland home to seek new territory.

However, this approach remains controversial due to the perceived risks of moving species to ecosystems they've never experienced before. Risks include spreading diseases into new habitats, aggressive competition with resident species for prey or space, and the introduction of new predators.

An example of this last problem is that of the Tasmanian devils moved to Maria Island off the coast of Tasmania, to protect against a contagious cancer ripping through their population.

These predators found an easy supply of prey in the form of short-tailed shearwaters (also known as moonbirds) and little penguins, themselves species of concern. Both bird species have now been eradicated from Maria Island.

But translocations are a conservation option that we can't just dismiss. A new paper on assisted migration from a team of international researchers calls for the risks of translocation to be balanced against the risks of doing nothing at all. Given the immediacy of the climate crisis, it is now the path of least risk that we must take.

The complex relationships between species are easily disrupted by new predators. Credit: Wikimedia, CC BY

Early days

There are only a handful of attempted assisted migrations undertaken specifically to reduce the negative effects of a warming world.

A good example is the western swamp turtle: Australia's rarest reptile, thought to be extinct for a century but recently discovered near Perth. The turtle feeds in ephemeral pools that appear after seasonal rains, but droughts are shortening their feeding window by several weeks: with consequences for the species' reproductive success.

For the western swamp turtle, translocations to cooler, wetter sites to the south of their current range offer the right type of habitat and enough food to survive ongoing droughts. These appear to be the safest long-term place for the turtles to thrive, and trial translocations are already reporting good results.

Time to act?

Plants are in a similar predicament. In a recent collection of papers in the Journal of Ecology, a group of Italian researchers estimated under pessimistic (but highly probable) climate change scenarios that 90% of 188 threatened plant species may need assisted migration to cope with habitat loss.

A historical marker in Torreya State Park explains the history of the Torreya tree. Credit: Wikimedia, CC BY

But while researchers are using computer models to predict the future needs of threatened species, one group has decided that the time to act is now. The Florida torreya, the most endangered coniferous tree in the US, has been moved north by a group of citizens known as the Torreya Guardians. They exploited a loophole in US law that allows plant translocations on private land by the public but prevents federal conservation authorities from doing the same thing.

The species' current range is extremely restricted but was much more widespread before the last global ice age. The Torreya Guardians argue that the specimens of Florida torreya growing across the US provide evidence that the species can thrive beyond its current restrictions.

With new temperature records being set all the timeand melting ice, sea-level rise and historic droughts affecting the whole planetit's only a matter of time before climate-induced extinctions become a regular feature in the headlines.

It's time for calls for better global policy on assisted migration to be heeded. We need guidance so that we, as a global community of concerned citizens and conservation scientists alike, can act decisively to protect the survival of threatened species.

Explore further Monitoring species condemned to extinction may help save others as global temperatures rise

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The authors parents house. Credit: Jeff Da Costa, Author provided

It was close to midnight when I received a phone call from my sister telling me that our parent's house was under water. Neither she nor they really knew what to do next. They were in a state of shock amid an ongoing emergency.

I drove from my house in Luxembourg City to my hometown on the only road that was still passableand even that didn't stay that way for long. The streets were empty and I passed no one. My parents had already called the fire service for help, but they were advised that they could not come in the next few hours.

I arrived to find the lower level of my childhood home submerged. There we were, together as a family, holding torches, knee deep in the water, trying to get as much of it out, one bucket at a time.

My parent's experiences will largely be counted in material loss. But water damage does not capture what they and many others went through that night. During the pandemic, people have related differently to their homes. Declared a place of refuge from the invisible threat of the virus, home is supposed to be one place you can feel safe. This is especially true for the most vulnerable and the elderly. I was heartbroken to see my parent's sense of safety swept away in a matter of minutes.

In my Ph.D. research, I study how we can effectively adapt to the consequences of increasing severe weather events under climate change and what can be done to prepare for them and mitigate their impact. One area I'm interested in is early warning systems, or the lack thereof, during extreme weather events, such as the recent floods in western Europe.

While the climate is certainly a complex system that is difficult to predict with any certainty, the unfolding catastrophe is a sad reminder of just how inadequate early warning systems can be.

Red flood alert still in place over Luxembourg https://t.co/7FVAmHsk2s pic.twitter.com/508rMuMZ35  Luxembourg Times (@LuxTimes) July 16, 2021

The authors hometown on July 18 2021. Credit: RSS-HYDRO, Author provided

Gridlocked early warning systems

The European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) issued a flood notification at the beginning of the week, announcing that there would be extreme rainfall and the risk of floods mid-week in the most severely hit regions (western Germany, Luxembourg, eastern Belgium and southern Netherlands).

This information was passed to a variety of national authorities, which can differ depending on the member countries. In Luxembourg it's the fire and rescue service. These bodies are in charge of transmitting the message to relevant local authorities.

It is within each country's laws and regulations to determine which authority has the power to issue warnings to their citizens.

This delegation of responsibility meant that the southern Dutch province of Limburg issued evacuation warnings on the Wednesday afternoon, well before the flood hit the region, while in neighboring Germany, the state of Rhineland-palatinate only started evacuating people when it was too late.

Evacuating people when they are already knee deep in water is not a successful way to mitigate against disaster and it does not bode well for the ability of countries to adapt to these events in future. Early warning systems cannot be successful if used in this manner.

EFAS did send out early notifications, sometimes in addition to information from national services. But the bodies receiving this information were specific to each country. As a result, the responsibility of implementing any actions on the ground based on a flood warning is taken at a political level.

So why are there no coordinated warning systems in place for all affected areas, regardless of borders and local government? The system is fundamentally flawed. While the EFAS is highly effective in detecting threats, the different ways countries delegate responsibility for warning their citizens creates a gridlock along the chain of transmission. Ordinary people pay the price, sometimes with their lives.

There are systems in place to protect us. Weather models have high enough resolution to warn us, often in enough time. But somewhere along that line from meteorologists to the public, there is a gap. That is where I will be focusing my attention in my research. After all, if we cannot manage the present, what does that say about our plans for the future?

Explore further Germany questions warning system after deadly floods

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Michigan State University ecologists led an international research partnership of professional and volunteer scientists to reveal new insights into what's driving the already-dwindling population of eastern monarch butterflies even lower.

Between 2004 and 2018, changing climate at the monarch's spring and summer breeding grounds has had the most significant impact on this declining population. In fact, the effects of climate change have been nearly seven times more significant than other contributors, such as habitat loss. The team published its report July 19 in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

"What we do is develop models to understand why monarchs are declining and what's happening to biodiversity in general," said Erin Zylstra, the study's lead author. Zylstra is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Integrative Biology and the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, both in MSU's College of Natural Science.

"A lot of it is not good news. But in understanding the reasons why a species is declining, there is also a message of hope: there's something we can do about it," said Zylstra. "We did this study not just to say what's causing changes in the monarch butterfly population, but also learn how we can make it better."

Understanding the monarch decline and doing what we can to reverse it is important not just for preserving biodiversity, but also because insects are prolific pollinators. The eastern population of monarchs migrates between Mexico and the eastern half of the U.S. and southern Canada every yearwith summer layovers in Michigan and other U.S. states. Since the mid-1990s, though, there has been a dramatic decline in their population, with worst-case estimates projecting that the current population is a mere 20% of what it was just a few decades ago.

The mid-1990s through the mid-2000s saw the most dramatic decline, coinciding with a period when glyphosate weed killers became hugely popular in the agricultural industry. Farmers grew crops that were engineered to be resistant to glyphosate, allowing them to apply the chemical widely, decimating milkweed plants that are the sole host and food source for monarch caterpillars.

The prevailing theory during that period has been that the loss of milkweed from agricultural areas was responsible for the severe declines. Since then, monarch populations have continued to fall. Although glyphosate-driven milkweed loss remained one possible explanation, other theories emerged over time. Today, researchers are divided on what's stunting the monarch's population.

About a decade ago, however, Leslie Ries of Georgetown University and Elise Zipkin, now an associate professor of integrative biology at MSU, came to a realization. Researchers and volunteers were collecting an increasing amount of data that could help make a more definitive determination of what's driving the monarch population decline.

"People have different hypotheses," said Zipkin, the senior author on the new study and director of the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program. "So we tried to come in as an impartial team, take the time and put all these pieces together to really parse out the contributions of various stressors."

Part of what makes it so difficult to understand the decline is the eastern monarch's complicated life cycle. These monarchs spend their winters, November through February, in central Mexico. When the weather starts to warm, they head north to the southeastern U.S., particularly eastern Texas.

Once there, the adults breed, lay eggs and then die. It's the next generation that continues the migration, starting in about May, flying to the Midwest and parts of Canada, where they produce two to three more generations. The butterflies that develop in late August shut down their reproductive systems and spend their energy migrating south back to Mexico, where the cycle begins anew.

With support from the National Science Foundation, the team analyzed data from more than 18,000 surveys of monarchs in different locations across the midwestern U.S., central Mexico and southern Canada between 1994 and 2018. Most of these surveys were performed by local volunteers who helped count adult butterflies.

"Almost all of those data were not collected by professional scientists and that is really, really cool," Zipkin said. "There is no group of scientists out there that could collect all the data that we needed. But these volunteers go out every year and record data in a very structured way. That's the only way we could do this analysis."

"The level of expertise among the volunteers is really incredible," said Zylstra.

Zylstra led the effort to develop a model based on these observations and draw meaningful conclusions. In particular, the team was interested in what the data said about the three leading theories behind the eastern monarch's population decline: milkweed habitat loss, mortality during the autumn migration and resettlement on the overwintering grounds, and climate change's detrimental impact on monarch breeding success.

"I think that everyone is partially right. All of these things do play some role. With monarchs, everything is nuanced, and everything is tricky," said Zylstra. "But in recent years, as glyphosate applications have remained more stable, although still very high, there is strong evidence that population changes are driven by climate on the spring and summer breeding grounds."

Each of these hypotheses can contribute to lost butterflies at smaller scales, Zylstra explained. But looking at the problem holisticallyacross many years and multiple countriesmakes it clear that climate change has been the dominant disruptive force since 2004. Unfortunately, there isn't enough data in agricultural regions to definitively determine what happened between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s, the period of the most pronounced decline.

To get the full picture of the population decline, the team needed to understand the dynamics of many generations in many locations. Hence the need for thousands upon thousands of surveys. The herculean effort of collecting and making sense of this data has also reaped two large rewards.

First, by proving the model's potential to tease out population dynamics for something as complicated as the eastern monarch, the team is optimistic it can adapt the model to understand what's driving population changes in other species, too.

Secondly, this understanding should help inform where conservation efforts can provide the greatest benefit for the eastern monarch's numbers.

"This study gives us information on where to spend our limited dollars on restoration," Zylstra said.

Although we can't simply turn off climate change, we can, for example, focus on restoring milkweed in the regions that remain most conducive to monarch reproduction despite warming temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, she said. That said, anything we can do to curb climate change will also improve the outlook for both monarchs and humanity, she added.

And although curbing climate change is a huge lift, Zipkin pointed out that this study reminds us of the power of partnerships to confront large challenges.

"We're talking about three countries that this is directly affecting: the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It's not something that we have to do alone," Zipkin said. "Partnerships do matter."

Working out what's behind the population decline proved that. Between the professional scientists and volunteer data collectors, residents of all three countries made this study possible.

"You need those kinds of partnerships. You need people with different expertise. We showed that's how we can figure out what's going on. Now, what can we do with conservation?" Zipkin asked. "We can work together."

Explore further New Monarch butterfly breeding pattern inspires hope
A forest fire during the 2015 El Nino. Credit: Erika Berenguer

A major drought and forest fires in the Amazon rainforest killed billions of trees and plants and turned one of the world's largest carbon sinks into one of its biggest polluters.

Triggered by the 2015-16 El Nino, extreme drought and associated mega-wildfires caused the death of around 2.5 billion trees and plants and emitted 495 million tons of CO 2 from an area that makes up just 1.2 percent of the entire Brazilian Amazon rainforest, and 1 percent of the whole biome.

The stark findings, discovered by an international team of scientists working for more than eight years on a long-term study in the Amazon before, during and after the El Nino, have significant implications for global efforts to control the atmospheric carbon balance.

In normal circumstances, because of high moisture levels, the Amazon rainforest does not burn. However, extreme drought makes the forest temporarily flammable. Fires started by farmers can escape their land and trigger forest fires.

According to climate predictions, extreme droughts will become more common and, until now, the long-term effects of drought and fires on the Amazon rainforest, and particularly within forests disturbed by people through activities such as selective or illegal logging, were largely unknown.

Examining the Amazonian epicenter of the El NinoBrazil's Lower Tapajos, an eastern Amazonia area around twice the size of Belgiumthe research team, led by scientists from Lancaster University, the University of Oxford, and The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation found the damage lasts for multiple years.

An Amazonian forest that burned during the 2015 El Nino. Credit: Erika Berenguer

The study revealed that trees and plants in drought-affected forests, as well as burned forests, continued to die at a rate above the norm for up to three years after the El Nino droughtreleasing more CO 2 .into the atmosphere.

The total carbon emissions from the drought and fires in the Lower Tapajos region alone were higher than a whole year's deforestation within the entire Amazon. And, as a result of the drought and fires, the region released as much over a three-year period as some of the world's worst polluting countries' yearly carbon emissionsexceeding the emissions of developed countries such as the UK and Australia.

After three years, only around a third (37%) of the emissions were re-absorbed by plant growth in the forest. This shows that the Amazon's vital function as a carbon sink can be hampered for years following these drought events.

Dr. Erika Berenguer, lead author of the report from Lancaster University and the University of Oxford, said: "Our results highlight the enormously damaging and long-lasting effects fires can cause in Amazonian forests, an ecosystem that did not co-evolve with fires as a regular pressure."

The scientists gathered data by regularly revisiting 21 plots across a mixture of primary forest, secondary re-growing forest and forests where people have selectively logged. The results from these plots were then extrapolated to the region.

Although previous research has shown human-disturbed forests are more susceptible to fires, it was unknown if there was any difference in the vulnerability and resilience of trees and plants in these forests when drought and fires happen.

Burned Amazonian forests by the side of the BR 163 in Para. Notice the large number of dead trees (i.e. those without leaves) as a result of the fires. Credit: Marizilda Cruppe/Rede Amazonia Sustentavel

The study showed that while many trees died in primary forest affected by drought, the loss of trees was much worse in secondary and other human-disturbed forests. The researchers found that trees and plants with lower wood density and thinner barks were more prone to dying from the drought and fires. These smaller trees are more common in human-disturbed forests.

The researchers estimate that around 447 million large trees (greater than 10cm Diameter at Breast Height) died, and around 2.5 billion smaller trees (less than 10cm DBH) died across the Lower Tapajos region.

The researchers also compared the effect on different forest types from drought alone, as well as the combined stresses of drought and fire.

Tree and plant mortality was higher in secondary forests from drought alone when compared with primary forests. Impact from drought was not higher in human-modified forests, but was significantly greater in those human-modified forests that experienced a combination of drought and fire.

Carbon emissions from those forests burned by wildfires were almost six times higher than forests affected by drought alone.

These findings highlight how interference by people can make the Amazon forests more vulnerable and underline the need to reduce illegal logging and other large-scale human disturbances of forests in the Amazon, as well as investments in fire-fighting capabilities in the Amazon.

Professor Jos Barlow of Lancaster University and the Universidade Federal de Lavras, and Principal Investigator of the research, said: "The results highlight the need for action across different scales. Internationally, we need action to tackle climate change, which is making extreme droughts and fires more likely. At the local level, forests will suffer fewer negative consequences from fires if they are protected from degradation."

Explore further Carbon emissions from Amazonian forest fires up to four times worse than feared

More information: Erika Berenguer el al., "Tracking the impacts of El Nino drought and fire in human-modified Amazonian forests," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Erika Berenguer el al., "Tracking the impacts of El Nino drought and fire in human-modified Amazonian forests,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2019377118
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, pictured in a satellite image last July by Maxar Technologies.

Ethiopia said Monday it had attained its second-year target for filling a mega-dam on the Blue Nile River that has stoked tensions with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.

"The first filling already was done last year. The second one is already done today. So today or tomorrow, second filling will be announced," an official told AFP, adding there is now enough water stored to begin producing energy.

Water Minister Seleshi Bekele later confirmed the milestone, which officials had earlier predicted would come in August.

In a post on Twitter, he attributed the accelerated timeline to "extreme rainfall" in the Blue Nile basin.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been at the centre of a regional dispute ever since Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011.

Egypt and Sudan view the dam as a threat because of their dependence on Nile waters, while Ethiopia deems it essential for its electrification and development.

Talks held under the auspices of the African Union (AU) have failed to yield a three-way agreement on the dam's filling and operations, and Cairo and Khartoum have demanded Addis Ababa cease filling the massive reservoir until such a deal is reached.

But Ethiopian officials have argued that filling is a natural part of the dam's construction process and cannot be stopped.

Energy generation

The UN Security Council met earlier this month to discuss the project, although Ethiopia later slammed the session as an "unhelpful" distraction from the AU-led process.

Egypt claims a historic right to the Nile dating from a 1929 treaty that gave it veto power over construction projects along the river.

A 1959 treaty boosted Egypt's allocation to around 66 percent of the river's flow, with 22 percent for Sudan.

Yet Ethiopia was not party to those treaties and does not see them as valid.

Map of East Africa showing the Nile and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

In 2010 Nile basin countries, excluding Egypt and Sudan, signed another deal, the Cooperative Framework Agreement, that allows projects on the river without Cairo's agreement.

The Nile's main tributaries, the Blue Nile and White Nile, converge in Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea.

The process of filling the GERD's reservoir began last year, with Ethiopia announcing in July 2020 it had hit its target of 4.9 billion cubic metres.

The goal for this year's rainy seasonwhich had been announced before the first cycle was completedwas to add 13.5 billion cubic metres. The reservoir's capacity is 74 billion.

With the second-year target hit, the dam can run the first two of its 13 turbines, Seleshi said Monday on Twitter.

"Intensive efforts are being made for the two turbines to generate energy," Seleshi said, adding that "early generation" could be realised "in the next few months."

'National symbol'

The $4.2-billion dam is ultimately expected to produce more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity, making it Africa's biggest hydroelectric dam and more than doubling Ethiopia's electricity output.

Ethiopia had initially planned output of around 6,500 megawatts but later reduced its target.

The first two turbines should produce 750 megawatts of electricity, increasing national output by roughly 20 percent, said Addisu Lashitew of the Brookings Institution in Washington.

It is "a significant amount" for an economy that frequently faces power shortages and is sometimes hobbled by power rationing, he said.

The milestone would also have "political implications" for a country going through "a very difficult time" in no small part because of the eight-month-old war in its northern Tigray region, Addisu said.

"The dam is seen as a national symbol, a unifying symbol. It's one of the very few things that bring together people from all walks of life in Ethiopia," he said.

"Definitely the government will try to extract some political value from the second filling."

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Many studies have shown that poverty hampers political participation. For the first time, Max Schaub has examined the influence of acute financial hardship on political participationsituations, often lasting only a few days, in which money is so tight that it no longer covers the bare necessities. These situations are experienced primarily by people living below the poverty line. In Germany, that includes about 16 percent of the populationthe unemployed, retired persons with small pensions, and single parentssocial groups whose monthly budget is often spent down to the last euro. Unexpected circumstances will immediately plunge them into financial difficulties.

Such financial constraints are accompanied by sharply reduced rates of political participation on election days, the author found. Notably, voting intensions among the poor dropped by 5 percentage points. In absolute figures, this means that 500,000 fewer votes were cast in federal elections. Actual voter turnout was also reduced by an average of 5 percentage points compared to elections held at moments when poor voters experienced less financial pressure. The effect has been constant over the last few decades, is particularly pronounced in local and state elections (-6%), and a little less pronounced in federal elections (-4%).

"Short-term emergencies may turn people into non-voters," says Schaub. This is due to increased levels of stress and alienation from the political process, both of which deprive those affected of their desire to participate. Moreover, to save money, the only option often is to retreat into the private sphere. This reduces social embeddednessan important driver of political participation. "To ensure that all segments of society are represented, we should avoid scheduling elections on days when parts of the population are suffering from financial shortages," explains Schaub.

The study analyzes voter turnout in more than 1,000 elections at the federal, state and local levels in Germany since 1946. The study combines data from large-scale surveys such as the "Allgemeine Bevolkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften" (ALLBUS) and the "Deutschlandtrend" (Infratest dimap) with in-depth interviews with persons living in poverty. To determine the consequences of short-term financial difficulties, the study exploits the idiosyncrasies of German payment conventions. In Germany, salaries, pensions and unemployment benefits are transferred at the end of the month, yet many important payments must also be settled then. Since banks do not transfer money on weekends, in months in which the last day coincides with a weekend, these payments must be made earlier than in months in which the last day falls on a weekday. For example, in a 'short' month such as July 2021, where the 31st is on a Saturday, an identical income must cover for fewer days than in the 'long' month of August30 days (July 1 to July 30) instead of 32 days (July 31 to August 31). As the study shows, these extra days present those living in poverty with considerable financial difficulties, thereby negatively affecting political participation.

Explore further Previous unemployment influences voter turnout, says study

More information: Max Schaub, Acute Financial Hardship and Voter Turnout: Theory and Evidence from the Sequence of Bank Working Days, American Political Science Review (2021). Journal information: American Political Science Review Max Schaub, Acute Financial Hardship and Voter Turnout: Theory and Evidence from the Sequence of Bank Working Days,(2021). DOI: 10.1017/S0003055421000551

Provided by WZB Berlin Social Science Center
German Chancellor Angela Merkel had said lessons should be learnt but cautioned against overly high expectations.

The German government on Monday pledged to improve the country's under-fire warning systems as emergency services continued to search for victims of the worst flooding in living memory, with at least 165 people confirmed dead.

The west of the country was deluged over two days last week, with torrents of water sweeping away trees, cars and bridges and destroying swathes of housing.

Many victims in Germany were found dead in sodden cellars after attempting to retrieve valuables, while others were swept away by the sheer force of the water.

A total of 117 people are now confirmed to have died in Rhineland-Palatinate state, with 47 victims in neighbouring North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and one in Bavaria.

At least 31 people also died in Belgium, and later torrential rain caused havoc in southern Germany and several neighbouring countries.

"We haven't been to all the houses yet, we must assume that we will find more bodies," said Rhineland Palatinate's regional interior minister Roger Lewentz.

The number of people missing remains unclear, mainly because of disrupted communication networks.

Police in Koblenz said they were still trying to locate 170 people in Rhineland-Palatinate, after managing to get through to several hundred residents who were earlier reported missing.

Graphic showing how torrential rain often causes flooding.

The situation was similar in NRW, where police said they had been able to contact more than 700 residents who were initially unreachable. Several dozen remain missing.

In neighbouring Belgium, the number of people unaccounted for fell from 163 to 70. The country will hold a national day of mourning on Tuesday.

As the scale of the flood disaster became clearer, questions mounted in Germany about whether enough was done to warn residents ahead of time.

Government spokeswoman Martina Fietz said the country's weather warning system and mobile phone app Nina had "worked" but admitted that "our experiences with this disaster show that we need to do more and better".

Armin Schuster, president of the government's civil protection agency (BBK), called on German radio for sirens to be reinstated in more areas as part of the country's disaster warning system.

'Completely inconceivable'

Although meteorological services had forecast torrential rain and flash floods, many residents said they were caught off-guard by rapidly rising waters.

Emergency workers in Germany have been racing to assess damaged buildings, clear debris and restore key services.

The floods caused sweeping power cuts and knocked down telecommunication antennas, preventing residents from receiving warnings in time.

Under Germany's federal system, it is up to the 16 regional states to organise responses to flood alerts and coordinate efforts with the civil protection office and the fire brigade.

Annalena Baerbock, the Green party candidate to replace Angela Merkel as chancellor after elections on September 26, on Monday called for a more centralised approach.

"In my view, the federal government must play a much stronger coordinating role," she told the ARD broadcaster.

But during a visit to the flood-ravaged town of Euskirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said it would be "completely inconceivable that such a disaster could be dealt with centrally from any one place".

"I believe that we are still in the right position in Germany with our organisation of civil protection and disaster management," he said.

Visiting the flood zone in Rhineland-Palatinate on Sunday, Merkel said lessons should be learnt but sometimes "things happen so quickly that you can't fully escape the force of nature."

Timeline of deadliest floods in Europe in the last 20 years.

Emergency aid

The disaster has catapulted climate change to the top of the agenda in Germany, ahead of September's polls that will mark the end of Merkel's 16 years in power.

Experts say that because a warmer atmosphere holds more water, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding.

Merkel's cabinet plans to approve an emergency aid package for flood victims on Wednesday, expected to total around 400 million euros ($470 million). The final bill is likely to be in the billions.

In the German spa town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, the search for bodies continued amid mud-covered streets piled high with debris.

"They are still searching. We will find dead people for sure," a resident of the town told AFP, while another said he had witnessed a body being carried away on a cart by soldiers.

Explore further Germany questions warning system after deadly floods

 2021 AFP
Firefighters battle the Tamarack Fire in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Erratic winds and dry lightning added to the dangers for crews battling the nation's largest wildfire on Monday in parched Oregon forests, just one of dozens burning across several Western states.

The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. The blaze just north of the California state line was 25% contained.

Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon.

"With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts," the National Weather Service in Sacramento, California, said on Twitter.

Thousands have been ordered to evacuate, including some 2,000 people who live in rugged terrain among lakes and wildlife refuges near the fire, which has burned at least 67 homes and 100 outbuildings while threatening many more.

Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Firefighters said these conditions in July are more typical of late summer or fall.

The Tamarack Fire burns behind a greenhouse in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Pyrocumulus cloudsliterally translated as "fire clouds"complicated containment efforts Sunday for the Dixie Fire in northern California, where flames spread in remote areas with steep terrain crews can't easily reach, officials said. New evacuation orders were issued in rural communities near the Feather River Canyon.

The Dixie Fire remained 15% contained and covered 29 square miles (74 square kilometers). The fire is northeast of the town of Paradise, California, and survivors of that horrific fire that killed 85 people watched warily as the blaze burned.

A growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders, the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada.

The Tamarack Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had charred about 28.5 square miles (74 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber as of Sunday night. The blaze was threatening Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.

A scorched car rests on a roadside as the Tamarack Fire burns in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile (165-kilometer) Death Ride's website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.

Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fire's quick spread.

"It happened so fast," Pennington said. "We left our tents, hammock and some foods, but we got most of our things, shoved our two kids in the car and left."

About 800 fire personnel were assigned to battle the flames by Sunday night, "focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible," the U.S. Forest Service said.

A scorched car rests on a roadside as the Tamarack Fire burns in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

The Tamarack Fire burns behind a greenhouse in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

The Tamarack Fire burns in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Flames lick at a roadside as the Tamarack Fire burns in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

A firefighter walks towards a home while battling the Tamarack Fire in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

In this photo taken with a drone provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, a pyrocumulus cloud, also known as a fire cloud, is seen over the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Smoke and heat from a massive wildfire in southeastern Oregon are creating "fire clouds" over the blazedangerous columns of smoke and ash that can reach up to 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and are visible for more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. Authorities have put these clouds at the top of the list of the extreme fire behavior they are seeing on the Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

Jessica Bell takes a video as the Dixie Fire burns along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Benjamin Bell watches as the Dixie Fire burns along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, the Bootleg Fire burns at night near Highway 34 in southern Oregon on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon that's spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources. The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched more than 377 square miles (976 square kilometers), and crews had little control of it. Credit: Jason Pettigrew/Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Smoke rises from the Dixie Fire burning along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, smoke from the Bootleg Fire rises behind the town of Bonanza, Ore., on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon that's spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources. The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched more than 377 square miles (976 square kilometers), and crews had little control of it. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, columns of smoke from the Bootleg Fire rise behind a water tender in southern Oregon on Friday, July 16, 2021. Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon that's spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources. The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched more than 377 square miles (976 square kilometers), and crews had little control of it. Credit: Lisa Chambers/Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

Smoke billows behind power lines as the Dixie Fire burns along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Jessica Bell watches as the Dixie Fire burns along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Jessica and Benjamin Bell watch as the Dixie Fire burns along Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

A fire in the mountains of northeast Oregon grew to more than 18 square miles (48 square kilometers) by Sunday. The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, remote communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.

Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

Overall, about 70 active large fires and complexes of multiple blazes have burned nearly 1,659 square miles (4,297 square kilometers) in the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center said. The U.S. Forest Service said at least 16 major fires were burning in the Pacific Northwest alone.

Explore further California fire cancels bike ride, prompts evacuations

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, the Bootleg Fire burns at night in southern Oregon on Saturday, July 17, 2021. The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. The Bootleg Fire is among dozens burning in the parched West. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

The nation's largest wildfire torched more dry forest in Oregon and forced the evacuation of a wildlife research station Monday as firefighters had to retreat from the flames for the ninth consecutive day due to erratic and dangerous fire behavior.

Firefighters were forced to pull back as flames, pushed by winds and fueled by bone-dry conditions, jumped fire-retardant containment lines and pushed up to 4 miles into new territory, authorities said.

The destructive Bootleg Fire in south-central Oregon is just north of the California border and grew to more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles.

Fire crews were also rushing to corral multiple "slop fires"patches of flames that escaped fire lines meant to contain the blazebefore they grew in size. One of those smaller fires was already nearly 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) in size. Thunderstorms with dry lightning were possible Monday as well, heightening the dangers.

"We are running firefighting operations through the day and all through the night," said Joe Hessel, incident commander. "This fire is a real challenge, and we are looking at sustained battle for the foreseeable future."

On Monday, the fire reached the southern edge of Sycan Marsh, a privately owned wetland that hosts thousands of migrating birds and is a key research station on wetland restoration.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, a DC-10 tanker drops retardant over the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, Thursday, July 15, 2021. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

The blaze, which was 25% contained, has burned at least 67 homes and 100 buildings while threatening thousands more in a remote landscape of forests, lakes and wildlife refuges.

At the other end of the state, a fire in the mountains of northeast Oregon grew to nearly 19 square miles (49 square kilometers).

The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, rural communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.

Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

In California, a growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders, the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, the Bootleg Fire burns in the background behind the Sycan Marsh in southern Oregon on Saturday, July 17, 2021. The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

The Tamarack Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had charred about 36 square miles (93 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber as of Monday. Crews were improving a line protecting Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.

About 500 fire personnel were battling the flames Sunday, "focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible," the U.S. Forest Service said.

Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather with lightning possible through at least Monday in both California and southern Oregon.

"With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts," the National Weather Service in Sacramento, California, said on Twitter.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, firefighters battle the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. Credit: J. Michael Johnson/Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have swept the region, making wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

Firefighters said in July they were facing conditions more typical of late summer or fall.

Northern California's Dixie Fire roared to new life Sunday, prompting new evacuation orders in rural communities near the Feather River Canyon. The wildfire, near the 2018 site of the deadliest U.S. blaze in recent memory, was 15% contained and covered 39 square miles. The fire is northeast of the town of Paradise, California, and survivors of that horrific fire that killed 85 people watched warily as the new blaze burned.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, firefighters battle the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. Credit: J. Michael Johnson/Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, the Bootleg Fire is seen smoldering in southern Oregon, Saturday, July 17, 2021. The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, a public information officer talks with evacuees at a Red Cross Shelter near the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, Sunday, July 18, 2021. The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. Credit: Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP

This preview image of an AP digital embed shows a real-time wildfire location detail, perimeters and thermal hot spots across the U.S. Credit: AP Digital Embed

Pacific Gas & Electric equipment may have been involved in the start of the Dixie Fire, the nation's largest utility reported to California regulators.

PG&E said in a report Sunday to the California Public Utilities Commission that a repair man responding to a circuit outage on July 13 spotted blown fuses in a conductor atop a pole, a tree leaning into the conductor and fire at the base of the tree.

The Dixie Fire has grown to nearly 47 square miles (122 square kilometers), largely in remote wilderness. The utility said investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have collected equipment from the location.

PG&E equipment has repeatedly been linked to major wildfires, including a 2018 fire that ravaged the town of Paradise and killed 85 people.

At least 16 major fires were burning in the Pacific Northwest alone, according to the Forest Service.

Explore further Oregon wildfire burns area nearly the size of Los Angeles

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
(upper) Changes in rainfall levels between the 2000's and the 2010's. (lower) Frequency of precipitation (0.5mm/hr) and heavy precipitation (10.0mm/hr) during the Meiyu-Baiu season over the years. Credit: Tokyo Metropolitan University

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have analyzed long-term precipitation radar data from satellites and found significantly enhanced rainfall over the most recent decade during the annual Meiyu-Baiu rainy season in East Asia. The data spans 23 years and gives unprecedented insight into how rainfall patterns have changed. They showed that the increased rainfall was driven by the decadal increased transport of moisture from the tropics and frequent occurrence of the upper tropospheric trough over the front.

From the second half of June to the first half of July every year, East Asia is subject to a particularly rainy spell known as the Meiyu (in China) or Baiu (in Japan) season or "plum rains," from the ripening of plums along the Yangtze River. They are triggered by the so-called Meiyu-Baiu front, where the flow of moist air around the Asian monsoon region meets anti-cyclonic flows around the rim of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH). Though they bring much needed water to the region, recently, it seems that the floods they trigger have taken a deadly turn, with widespread destruction; flooding in China and Japan in 2020 was particularly devastating. For scientists and policymakers, it is vital that this be put within the framework of a bigger picture: are these simply anomalies, or are they here to stay?

Though studied in much depth, the majority of studies use rainfall gauge measurements and observations of cloud activity around land. An overall picture of rainfall throughout the region was lacking, particularly analyses which spanned long periods of time. Now, a team led by Assistant Professor Hiroshi Takahashi have examined satellite data featuring radar measurements of precipitation. They combined two sets of data, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM). The full set of data spans 23 years and covers both the sea and the land with equal precision. Through careful analysis of the time series, they confirmed a significant elevation in rainfall over the past decade. In particular, they showed that there has been a clear increase in the number of extreme precipitation events, the kind that can trigger natural disasters.

(upper) Precipitation anomalies compared to average rainfall over the 22-year period spanning 1998 to 2019. (lower) Anomalies in the flow of water vapor compared to the same period as above. Credit: Tokyo Metropolitan University

The question is why it has changed. The team focused on two aspects of the development of rainfall, the transport of moisture and changes in the flow of air in the upper troposphere. Firstly, they showed that there has been increased transport of water vapor along the rim of the WNPSH, largely due to decreased tropical cyclone activity, a trend seen both in decade-to-decade comparisons and the devastating season of 2020. Furthermore, they showed there were anomalous circulations in the upper troposphere, creating a "trough" that drove air upwards around the western edge of the Meiyu-Baiu front, strongly correlated with enhanced rainfall.

Anomalous circulations can be seen in the upper troposphere, creating troughs and ridges that persist when comparing averages over the 2000's and the 2010's. Credit: Tokyo Metropolitan University

Through a full analysis of data encompassing a far larger area and a longer time span than before, the team's findings put the recent changes in the Meiyu-Baiu season in East Asia within the framework of a globally changing climate. They hope that new standards for average rainfall are reflected in new standards of disaster prevention.

Explore further The dynamics behind the exceptional summer 2020 Yangtze River rainfall projections

More information: Hiroshi G. Takahashi et al, Recent decadal enhancement of MeiyuBaiu heavy rainfall over East Asia, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Hiroshi G. Takahashi et al, Recent decadal enhancement of MeiyuBaiu heavy rainfall over East Asia,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93006-0

Provided by Tokyo Metropolitan University
Masks effectively reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. Credit: Shutterstock

Mask mandates are in place in Victoria and New South Wales as these states continue to see COVID cases in the community. And public health experts have argued face masks will continue to be an important measure in our fight against the virus for some time to come.

Evidence shows masks are effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

However, masks won't always be compulsory, particularly outside outbreak situations. In most Australian states and territories at present, masks are not mandatory but are recommended in certain settings, such as where physical distancing is difficult.

But moving forwardas more people get vaccinated and outbreaks hopefully become fewer and smalleris mask use likely to stick?

Leaving it up to the public

In recent weeks, we've seen announcements from the United Kingdom and Singapore that they're shifting their approach to COVID-19 restrictions, moving to a new way of "living with the virus."

In the UK, along with the reopening of all businesses, and lifting of attendance caps at events, social distancing and mask wearing will become matters of personal responsibility.

Select authorities may still require people to wear masks in certain settings, such as in hospitals or on public transport. For example, masks will remain compulsory on London's public transport network.

But from July 19, the national legal requirement to wear a face covering in shops, on public transport and in other enclosed spaces will end.

In Singapore and the UK, the governments have noted the community's behavior will be part of the solution.

Authorities hope that even without mandates, people will continue to wear masks in high-risk situations, such as crowded and enclosed spaces.

Will discretionary mask use work?

While we know mandates increase mask use substantially, the decision to wear a mask is influenced by many factors beyond whether or not there are penalties in place for non-compliance. A person's age, level of income, where they live and cultural norms can all play a role.

A review on mask use to prevent respiratory infections, conducted before COVID-19, found people are more likely to wear a mask when they feel at increased risk of infection, or when they think the outcome of getting sick is severe.

Wearing a mask is also motivated by a shared sense of responsibility and by perceived social norms (those unwritten rules or beliefs we consider acceptable in our community). We often take cues from people we're close to, especially in uncertain times.

Our research found perceived pressure from different avenues including employers, mass media, government and family can all play a role in increasing mask use.

It's difficult to know whether as countries move away from mandates, and leave it up to individuals, we're likely to see ongoing mask use in the community.

But it's worth looking to the Asian experience. Some Asian countries have a longer history of wearing masks, both for protection against pollution and for protection against infection, especially since SARS in 2003.

In Hong Kong after the outbreak, the proportion of people who reported wearing a mask when experiencing flu-like symptoms declined sharply from 74% in June 2003 to 39% in September 2003. But self-reported health-related behaviors, including mask use, were still much greater in the period after SARS compared to before it.

Researchers tracking these trends noted that in the face of SARS, people in Hong Kong came to accept mask use as part of their "civic responsibility".

One study looking at photographs of settings such as grocery stores and markets in six different countries in early 2020 mapped huge variations in mask use. This ranged from a high of 97% in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (in Asia) through to 4% in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In some of these countries the level of mask use may have been influenced by government recommendations or mandates in place at the time.

There is an element of doubt as to whether masks will continue to be used in countries with more individualist cultures such as the US and Australia ("I often do my own thing"), as opposed to collectivist cultures like those found more often in Asia ("My happiness depends very much on the happiness of those around me").

Vaccination status could also affect mask use in the community. People who are vaccinated against COVID-19as a high proportion are in countries like the UK and Singaporemay be less inclined to wear a mask, compared to those who are unvaccinated.

The new normal?

If we're trying to shift the social norm around masks, and encourage their ongoing use (without mandates), it's important we evolve our messaging. This includes relevant reminders around times when masks would be most beneficial, such as:

encouraging people to put a mask on straight away if they're out in public and start to feel unwell

encouraging mask use in higher-risk locations such as on public transport and especially when visiting people in aged care and hospitals.

Continuing to frame the use of masks as a social behavior is critical. We don't send our kids to school with peanut butter sandwiches in case there's someone with an allergy. Likewise, wearing a mask is a simple action we can take to protect those who may be vulnerable.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Beyond the many known benefits of outdoor education, COVID-19 has highlighted the outdoors as an environment which mitigates the risk of spreading airborne viruses. Credit: Pexels/Charles Parker

Bilateral negotiations are underway to move the historic federal commitment to a Canada-wide early learning and child-care system from vision to reality. Expanding access for all young children in Canada will require creating and licensing more physical spaces where children learn and are cared for. But what kinds of spaces will these be?

In the face of the growing body of research that reveals how outdoor early learning has significant developmental benefits for children, early childhood educators across the country are reimagining early learning and care in the outdoors.

Governments need to take note of this burgeoning grassroots movement because there are implications for capital infrastructure, regulations and early childhood educator training.

Optimal conditions for learning

In the outdoors children can move freely, follow their interests, take risks and test their limits. This translates into children who are happier, more active, curious, confident and collaborative. High-quality outdoor environments create optimal conditions for learning.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the outdoors as a health-promoting environment that mitigates the risk of spreading airborne virusessomething we can continue to benefit from in the future.

My doctoral research is about the philosophy, practice and policy of outdoor early learning in Ontario. I have become convinced that high-quality outdoor learning should be a significant part of every early learning and child-care program.

Here's what governments should be contemplating as we begin to build a Canada-wide system that embraces and enables outdoor learning.

Infrastructure must include outdoor spaces

When we think of capital infrastructure costs for early learning and care, we tend to think about buildings, but we need to think carefully about outdoor spaces and reframe them as outdoor learning environments. Regulations across the country currently do not require more than seven sq. m per child of outdoor space. That is just half the size of a parking space!

Fortunately evidence-based design guidelines already exist for planning high-quality outdoor learning environments. Criteria for early learning and care infrastructure funds to create new spaces should require high-quality outdoor learning environments as part of any new construction or renovation.

Schools, local green spaces

Of course, access to outdoor space is a challenge in many urban centers. However, accommodations can be made.

First, early childhood education programs can be delivered through schools, which tend to have outdoor space. This would maximize existing assets and benefit all children in a school. The Nova Scotia government has done so with its pre-primary program for four-year-olds. The government recently announced a new fund for outdoor learning environments in partnership with the federal government.

Second, partnerships with municipalities and parks agencies can support access to local green spaces. Partnerships can help ensure access to infrastructure such as bathrooms and running water.

Investing in high-quality natural play spaces in school yards and local parks would also leverage benefits for everyone in the local community. This is especially important given that access to green space is not equitable in Canada.

Forest and nature schools

We also need to enable early learning programs in which children spend the majority of their day outdoors, such as forest and nature schools.

Currently government regulations for early learning and care in every jurisdiction require an indoor facility in order to obtain a license to operate. However, such buildings are a poor and unnecessary use of money when programs plan to be mostly outside. Community buildings, cabins and shelters can provide sufficient protective space during inclement weather.

In the U.S., Washington state recently licensed outdoor preschools. Pilot program budgets demonstrated that outdoor programs require around 30 percent less in operating funds than traditional early learning and care programs.

In St. John's, N.L., Cloudberry Forest School has just started a three-year pilot project to explore the licensing of outdoor early learning and care programs. Other jurisdictions will soon be able to benefit from their learning.

Educator training

Quality in early learning and care is influenced by the educational attainment of the staff who work with children. Currently, the majority of post-secondary early childhood education programs across the country do not explicitly prepare educators for outdoor teaching and learning. However, this is changing rapidly.

There are new post-secondary transformations taking place in Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. In Ontario, Humber College is embracing a "Two-Eyed Seeing" approach, whereby both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives influence early land-based play and learning. Their work is guided partly by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action.

Existing evidence-based professional learning resources and training programs could be scaled and paired with apprenticeship approaches to educator training to help meet the urgent need for qualified educators.

Canada needs an additional 20,000 staff each year to expand the early learning and care system, most of whom need to be educators who will work directly with children. Outdoor early learning is a source of untapped potential for recruitment.

Passionate professionals in parks, conservation and outdoor education might reimagine their careers through early childhood education in outdoor learning environments if supported to make the transition. Recruiting for outdoor programs may also attract more males to early childhood education. The fact that educators report their own improved well-being and professional engagement outdoors may help attract and retain more early childhood educators.

Scotland as an international model

Scotland recently expanded its early learning and care and emphasized the importance of outdoor play and learning in its policy. A grassroots movement led by early adopters, and then supported by champions within government, laid the groundwork.

The Scottish government also developed a robust set of resources for educator training, play space design and implementation guidelines to support outdoor programming. Government, local authorities and non-profits in Scotland worked together to enable early learning and care programs to use local green spaces. This is a model Canada should pay attention to.

The Public Policy Forum recently recommended that the federal government invest in an infrastructure fund for early learning and care as well as the expansion of post-secondary programs for early childhood educators. As government and educational plans unfold, children should not have to depend on the goodwill of an educator to access high-quality outdoor learning; good policy and investment are the solution, and all levels of government have roles to play.

Building a new Canada-wide early learning and care system will be one of the most significant social investments in decades. With the goal of serving every young child in Canada, it is incumbent upon us to imagine and build a system that reflects children's innate needs and desires to learn outdoors in order to enhance child-care quality as well as child and educator well-being.

Explore further Outdoor play in shorter, more frequent windows can boost physical activity in early learning settings

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Thorsten Schmitt at the experiment station of the Swiss Light Source SLS, which provided the X-ray light used for the experiments. Credit: Paul Scherrer Institute/Mahir Dzambegovic

Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), working in an international team, have developed a new method for complex X-ray studies that will aid in better understanding so-called correlated metals. These materials could prove useful for practical applications in areas such as superconductivity, data processing, and quantum computers. Today the researchers present their work in the journal Physical Review X.

In substances such as silicon or aluminum, the mutual repulsion of electrons hardly affects the material properties. Not so with so-called correlated materials, in which the electrons interact strongly with one another. The movement of one electron in a correlated material leads to a complex and coordinated reaction of the other electrons. It is precisely such coupled processes that make these correlated materials so promising for practical applications, and at the same time so complicated to understand.

Strongly correlated materials are candidates for novel high-temperature superconductors, which can conduct electricity without loss and which are used in medicine, for example, in magnetic resonance imaging. They also could be used to build electronic components, or even quantum computers, with which data can be more efficiently processed and stored.

"Strongly correlated materials exhibit a wealth of fascinating phenomena," says Thorsten Schmitt, head of the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group at PSI: "However, it remains a major challenge to understand and exploit the complex behavior that lies behind these phenomena." Schmitt and his research group tackle this task with the help of a method for which they use the intense and extremely precise X-ray radiation from the Swiss Light Source SLS at PSI. This modern technique, which has been further developed at PSI in recent years, is called resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, or RIXS for short.

X-rays excite electrons

With RIXS, soft X-rays are scattered off a sample. The incident X-ray beam is tuned in such a way that it elevates electrons from a lower electron orbital to a higher orbital, which means that special resonances are excited. This throws the system out of balance. Various electrodynamic processes lead it back to the ground state. Some of the excess energy is emitted again as X-ray light. The spectrum of this inelastically scattered radiation provides information about the underlying processes and thus on the electronic structure of the material.

"In recent years, RIXS has developed into a powerful experimental tool for deciphering the complexity of correlated materials," Schmitt explains. When used to investigate correlated insulators in particular, it works very well. Up to now, however, the method has been unsuccessful in probing correlated metals. Its failure was due to the difficulty of interpreting the extremely complicated spectra caused by many different electrodynamic processes during the scattering. "In this connection collaboration with theorists is essential," explains Schmitt, "because they can simulate the processes observed in the experiment."

Calculations of correlated metals

This is a specialty of theoretical physicist Keith Gilmore, formerly of the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the U.S. and now at the Humboldt University in Berlin. "Calculating the RIXS results for correlated metals is difficult because you have to handle several electron orbitals, large bandwidths, and a large number of electronic interactions at the same time," says Gilmore. Correlated insulators are easier to handle because fewer orbitals are involved; this allows model calculations that explicitly include all electrons. To be precise, Gilmore explains: "In our new method of describing the RIXS processes, we are now combining the contributions that come from the excitation of one electron with the coordinated reaction of all other electrons."

To test the calculation, the PSI researchers experimented with a substance that BNL scientist Jonathan Pelliciari had investigated in detail as part of his doctoral thesis at PSI: barium-iron-arsenide. If you add a specific amount of potassium atoms to the material, it becomes superconducting. It belongs to a class of unconventional high-temperature iron-based superconductors that are expected to provide a better understanding of the phenomenon. "Until now, the interpretation of RIXS measurements on such complex materials has been guided mainly by intuition. Now these RIXS calculations give us experimenters a framework that enables a more practical interpretation of the results. Our RIXS measurements at PSI on barium-iron-arsenide are in excellent agreement with the calculated profiles," Pelliciari says.

The graphic shows how an electron (blue dot) can be elevated to different energy levels (dotted arrows) or falls back to lower energy levels. Between the highest energy level and somewhat lower level, secondary processes take place. The curve in the background represents the iron electronic levels. Credit: Paul Scherrer Institute/Keith Gilmore

Combination of experiment and theory

In their experiments, the researchers investigated the physics around the iron atom. "One advantage of RIXS is that you can concentrate on a specific component and examine it in detail for materials that consist of several elements," Schmitt says. The well-tuned X-ray beam causes an inner electron in the iron atom to be elevated from the ground state in the core level to the higher energy valence band, which is only partially occupied. This initial excitation of the core electron can cause further secondary excitations and trigger many complicated decay processes that ultimately manifest themselves in spectral satellite structures. (See graphic.)

Since the contributions of the many reactions are sometimes small and close to one another, it is difficult to find out which processes actually took place in the experiment. Here the combination of experiment and theory helps. "If you have no theoretical support for difficult experiments, you cannot understand the processes, that is, the physics, in detail," Schmitt says. The same also applies to theory: "You often don't know which theories are realistic until you can compare them with an experiment. Progress in understanding comes when experiment and theory are brought together. This descriptive method thus has the potential to become a reference for the interpretation of spectroscopic experiments on correlated metals."

The international team has published its work in the journal Physical Review X.

Explore further Physicists uncover secrets of world's thinnest superconductor

More information: Description of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in correlated metals, Physical Review X, 19.07.2021

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.11.031013 Description of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in correlated metals,, 19.07.2021 Keith Gilmore et al, Description of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in correlated metals, arXiv:2011.04509v1 [cond-mat.str-el] arXiv:2011.04509 Journal information: Physical Review X
AIMS scientists used dedicated seismic vessels to measure the impacts of the survey's noise in an ocean environment. Credit: Copyright AIMS, image credit Nick Thake

New research has found marine seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration are not impacting the abundance or behavior of commercially valuable fishes in the tropical shelf environment in north-western Australia.

The research is the first of its kind to use dedicated seismic vessels to measure the impacts of the survey's noise in an ocean environment, with the eight-month experiment conducted within a 2500 square kilometer fishery management zone near the Pilbara coast.

It involved using multiple acoustic sensors, tagging 387 red emperor fish and deploying more than 600 underwater cameras to track and measure fish behavior before and after firing seismic air guns into the ocean.

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Principal Researcher and project leader Dr. Mark Meekan said the large-scale experiment measured the short-term and long-term effects of seismic airguns on the community of commercially important species in the region, such as red emperor (Lutjanus sebae).

"What makes this research unique and robust is we used an actual seismic vessel in a real ocean environment and some of the most advanced technologies to track and measure possible impacts," he said.

"Commercial fishers are concerned seismic survey noise could change the abundance and behavior of key fish speciesthis research directly sought to determine if commercially valuable fish leave the area or hide when exposed to the seismic noise.

"The results reveal there were no short-term or long-term effects on the abundance, behavior and movement of bottom-living fishes.

New research from AIMS reveals seismic surveys are not impacting the abundance or behaviour of commercially valuable fishes. Credit: Copyright AIMS, image credit Marcus Stowar

"This suggests seismic surveys have little impact on commercially valuable fish species in this environment."

AIMS acoustic scientist and co-author Dr. Miles Parsons said Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) were deployed to document the movements, feeding patterns and abundance of the entire benthic fish community.

Red emperor fishan important target of fisherieswere tagged and tracked via an array of acoustic telemetry receivers to understand their movements.

"It was surprising to find no changes in the key behaviors we were assessing after the fish were exposed to seismic blasts," he said.

This research fills in a key knowledge gap in the effect of seismic exploration on fisheries in the area, which is necessary for managers, marine industries, and policy makers to make informed decisions about its sustainable use.

"The magnitude and extent of this study also means the results provide valuable knowledge on potential impacts in other environments, not just in Australia, but internationally."

The research experiment is part of the North West Shoals to Shore Research Program. The program also investigates impacts on pearl oysters, with this study still in progress.

Explore further Cod behave differently in noisy environments

More information: Mark G. Meekan el al., "A large-scale experiment finds no evidence that a seismic survey impacts a demersal fish fauna," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mark G. Meekan el al., "A large-scale experiment finds no evidence that a seismic survey impacts a demersal fish fauna,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2100869118

Provided by Australian Institute of Marine Science
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

"Rhinos are a charismatic symbol of Africa's thriving wildlife," so says a team writing in the International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, "but their future is threatened."

There is growing demand for rhino horn and thus increased poaching. The animals' plight is not helped by corruption and ineffective protection. Deirdre Dixon, Raymond Papp, Chanelle Cox, Melissa Walters, and Julia Pennington of the University of Tampa in Florida, U.S., point out that thousands of these magnificent beasts are killed simply for their horn every year. Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa are at the forefront of the problem, but scant attention is paid to understanding the position and viewpoint of the local people.

In order to investigate the issues from an ethical stance, the team has conducted qualitative interviews with local ranchers, conservationists, and the general population, and used analytical tools to extract meaning from their data. As they offer in the title of their paper the ethical issues are not "black and white".

The poachers are at odds with the rangers and conservationists, the locals are often at odds with the wildlife itself. The conservationists vehemently disagree with any rhino hunting and want to secure the future of the species. Others are less concerned with such matters and more concerned with their own life and livelihoods.

"Given the different stakeholder vantage points, it is difficult to find common ground and unanimously agree upon one solution for the rhino crisis. However, we can apply ethical frames to foster understanding of each stakeholder group and use these vantage points to explore a combination of solutions," the team writes.

The team offers a range of further discussion points and frames questions that might improve education and understanding in and around this sensitive subject.

Explore further Nearly 50 rhinos killed in Botswana in 10 months as poaching surges

More information: Deirdre Dixon et al, Ethical leadership is not black and white: a case study on stakeholders and African rhino conservation, International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies (2021). Deirdre Dixon et al, Ethical leadership is not black and white: a case study on stakeholders and African rhino conservation,(2021). DOI: 10.1504/IJTCS.2021.116145
I know from working with Lt. Gov. Oliver since 2012, when we served together in the Assembly, she is fully committed to seeing Atlantic City succeed, Brown said.

Brown was never strident in his positions and worked a lot across the aisle, said John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.

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Brown had been elected three times to the Assembly and once to the Senate, and would have had no problem getting reelected as long as he wanted to, Froonjian said.

The only real way to make it more competitive is to open it up and get rid of an incumbent, Froonjian said of Murphys possible motives.

On Feb. 18, after Brown bowed out of the reelection race, Murphy praised him in a news release.

Several weeks later, someone from Murphys office contacted Brown about possibly helping with Atlantic City, Brown said.

Brown has said he decided not to run to spend more time with his family and because he never saw elective office as a career.

But when this opportunity came up, he saw it as a way he can help the governor accomplish what he wants to accomplish in the city, he said, through building consensus.
An employee of a Camden County child-care center has been charged with assaulting a 1-year-old and abusing another, authorities announced Saturday.

Maggie Fruit, 21, of Somerdale, has been charged with attempted murder and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the incidents, which occurred Thursday, according to a statement by acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Lindenwold Borough Police Chief Michael P. McCarthy.

The incidents occurred at a day-care center on the 600 block of Chews Landing Road in Lindenwold, according to the statement, which did not name the facility.

Authorities said a 911 call at 1:41 p.m. Thursday reported a child being abused at the center. When police arrived, they were shown a surveillance video that captured the assault, which witnesses also described, according to the statement.

The child was taken to a hospital for examination and released, authorities said.

About 30 minutes before that child was assaulted, the statement said, Fruit was being "physically abusive" to another 1-year-old in the same classroom, the surveillance video also showed, according to the statement. That child did not require medical attention, authorities said.
A big part of the national plan, she said, will be to expand access to swimming and water safety lessons. But public pools are limited in many low-income neighborhoods and rural towns. And building new pools is an expensive proposition.

Harvey said a proven strategy is to encourage swimming classes at a young age by working with schools that have pools and arranging for schools without pools to collaborate with nearby hotels, condominiums, public parks, recreation centers and community groups to help more kids learn how to swim.

Drowning is a 100% preventable tragedy, said Tony Gomez, program manager for injury and violence prevention in King County, Washington. His agency has analyzed every drowning case in the county, he said, and found that if one or more safety precautions had been followed, the deaths would not have occurred.

A lot of decisionmakers see lifeguarded beaches and pools as a luxury, he said. But access to swimming is a public health benefit that should be available to everyone. It provides valuable exercise that helps prevent chronic disease, and if you pay lifeguards $20 an hour, you can save millions in EMS and hospital costs by preventing drownings.

For public health officials, Gomez said, water safety is straightforward. We need to make sure that all communities offer everyone the ability to learn to swim and ensure that people only swim where there are lifeguards, wear lifejackets as required, obey safety signs and follow boating safety rules. That way, everyone can safely cool off, get some exercise and have fun this summer.
"The South Jersey AIDS Alliance does not condone violence of any kind and has never or would never use violent means for any reason.," the alliance said in a statement. "We wish Councilman Morshed a speedy and complete recovery," the alliance said in a statement."

The needle exchange program, which was the first to open in New Jersey in 2007, has long been debated by city officials. Council cast the first vote for an ordinance to repeal the program during a June 16 meeting. In a 7-2 vote, the members overwhelmingly supported getting rid of the needle exchange. Morshed was one of the seven in favor of ending the program. A final vote will be held this Wednesday.

Late Thursday night, Morshed left Masjid Al-Hera mosque on Atlantic Avenue. His car was parked in the parking lot on the corner of Florida and Atlantic.

When I tried to get off of that parking lot to Florida Avenue, unfortunately one car blocked me, he said. It was dark, and I didnt know what was going on. I get out of my car and was going to ask them why, Why you guys block me?
The governor has defended his decision to appoint the utility law expert.

DeWine reassigned Laurel Dawson, the chief of staff who oversaw the Randazzo selection process, in a May staff shuffle described as unrelated. The governor's top lobbyist, Dan McCarthy, is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who was president of one of the dark money groups implicated in the alleged bribery scheme. McCarthy has said his actions were legal and he has no indication he is a target of the probe.

Still, Ohio Democrats have seized on the ongoing investigation in their efforts to reverse Republicans' dominance in state politics next year, which is complete. The party controls every statewide office, both chambers of the state Legislature and the Ohio Supreme Court, with many of those seats up for grabs.

In May, Democratic state Reps. Allison Russo and Bride Rose Sweeney re-introduced an anti-corruption bill aimed at shedding light on dark money and other political spending in the state.

The next month, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, the mayor of Dayton, unveiled a four-point plan to combat corruption and restore ethics in Ohio."
What does he do? she asked the court. He walks toward it. He doesnt walk away.

Hodgkins, she added, was in the midst of a mob that forced lawmakers to seek shelter and some congressional staffers to hide in fear, locked in offices, as hundreds swept through the building. Those in fear for their lives that day will, she said, bear emotional scars for many years  if not forever.

Under the June plea deal, Hodgkins agreed to plead guilty to the one count and pay $2,000 in restitution to the Treasury Department. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop less serious charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct. They also said they would ask for a reduced sentence for acceptance of responsibility and for saving the government from a costly trial.

In earlier filings, Leduc described his client as an otherwise law-abiding American who, despite living in a poorer part of Tampa, regularly volunteered at a food bank. He noted that Hodgkins is an Eagle Scout.

His actions on Jan. 6 is the story of a man who for just one hour on one day lost his bearings ... who made a fateful decision to follow the crowd, the attorney said.
If the goal is a peaceful and stable country, however, these tools are not evidence of results. Both Haiti and Afghanistan are clear examples that more money can instead be part of the problem.

How can we change the culture of international aid to ensure that more isnt equated with better and that short-term stability isnt preserved at the cost of long-term progress? How can we build in incentives for acknowledging when assistance isnt leading to positive results and ending programs that are detrimental?

President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have both asserted that America must take the lead again in promoting democracy across the globe. Doing so means scrutinizing the impact of our interventions to ensure they dont promote undemocratic behavior. If we have different foreign policy aims than China, we need to conduct our foreign policy differently too, and that means holding ourselves to account for the outcomes we facilitate.
WASHINGTON  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) President and CEO Jamie Fly expressed outrage at revelations that the smartphones of at least five former and current Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists working for its Azerbaijani Service may have been targeted for infection with the Pegasus spyware application.

"It is outrageous that in the 21st century, so many governments seek to block free expression and prevent journalists from providing objective news and information to their fellow citizens," Mr. Fly said. He added, "RFE/RL strongly condemns this cowardly invasion of the privacy of working journalists. We have long highlighted the abusive practices of the Azerbaijani government against our Azerbaijani Service, Radio Azadliq. We call on the Azerbaijani government to stop blocking our website, halt its surveillance of our staff, and to cease its harassment of our former bureau chief Khadija Ismayilova."

An investigation by 17 media organizations and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), released late on July 18, has drawn links between the Israeli-based NSO Group, accused of supplying spyware to governments, and a leaked database of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of the company since 2016.

The NSO Group clients included the governments of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates, according to the report.

Ms. Ismayilova was chief of RFE/RLs Azerbaijani Services Baku bureau in 2008-2010, before embarking on deep investigative reporting in the years that followed, exposing corruption linked to members of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs family. She was imprisoned in December 2014 and Azerbaijani authorities raided and forcibly closed RFE/RLs Baku bureau. Ismayilova was released from prison in May 2016, but prohibited from traveling abroad until earlier this year.

RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service was banned from local FM airwaves by Azerbaijani authorities in 2009; in 2017, an Azerbaijani court satisfied a government request to ban access to the Services website, azadliq.org. In addition to the persecution of Ismayilova, the Services journalists have been the targets of abductions and death threats, arbitrary detentions, physical attacks, and attempts to intimidate family members, none of which were investigated by Azerbaijani authorities despite repeated requests by RFE/RL management.

Despite the Azerbaijani governments assault on its journalists, RFE/RLs Azerbaijani Service, known locally as Radio Azadliq, remains an indispensable source of independent news in the country, actively publishing text, audio, and video content on the web, via satellite, and on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and other digital platforms.

About RFE/RL

RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 41 million people every week in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed 6.5 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2020. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

----

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948)

Jana Hokuvova in Prague (hokuvovaj@rferl.org, +420.221.122.072)
The St. Patrick Society and River Bend Foodbank will continue their partnership for Grand Parade XXXV.2.

River Bend staff and volunteers will be conducting a donation drive preceding the parade, and along the parade route in downtown Rock island and Davenport.

The drive has raised thousands of dollars donated by attendees.

The St. Patrick Society is accepting applications through July 31 for parade participants. Parade applications are available at spsparade@me.com. Accepted units will receive staging area assignments of their position via email by Aug. 15.

The nations only bistate St. Patricks Grand Parade will start promptly Aug. 28 at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of 4th Avenue and 23rd Street in Rock Island. The parade will travel through downtown Rock Island, across the Mississippi River via the Talbot/Centennial Bridge to W. Third Street and proceed east through downtown Davenport along a route ending at E. Third and Perry streets.
Like many colleagues, Marlow said his organization is working to combat or prevent emotional exhaustion in nurses.

"We try to make sure that they get an appropriate amount of time off  at least two days in a row, maybe three," he said. "We also try to make sure to make sure our facility is somewhere they want to be."

He said leaders also must show compassion  such as assisting nurses with duties and picking up nursing or housekeeping rounds themselves.

"Rolling up their sleeves and showing that they care," he called it.

The SIU study used the widely accepted Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to measure the prevalence of burnout among nurses across the nation. An MBI score of 27 indicates burnout. Nearly half of the study participants reported a total score of 27 or higher.

Whittington said length of nursing career, ages and area of nursing did not seem to impact the level of burnout.

"We saw it all over the place, which tells me that if nurses are working as nurses, they are experiencing emotional exhaustion," she said.

She said the study also offered suggestions to combat or prevent burnout.
These are wise investments. Small, distributed producers support nimble supply chains in an era of increasing environment disruption; organic farms improve soil health - and healthier soil draws down more carbon. Organic farms sequester about 25% more carbon than soils from nonorganic farms. They also emit far fewer greenhouse gasses, including 56% less nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide that's produced by the evaporation of chemical fertilizers, according to University of California at Davis data.

Yet those benefits are being undermined by the misuse of an ostensibly sensible rule that requires farmland to be free from pesticides for three years before its production can be certified for sale as organic. It's a necessary precaution, but also a costly one for farmers who must fallow their fields to transition from conventional to organic production. So some have come up with a more expedient alternative: simply clear wildlands that have never been treated with agrochemicals and get certified without the wait. The profit motive is strong; organic foods can be sold at a premium over conventional products and demand is growing. U.S. sales rose by more than 12% to $62 billion in 2020.
In response to Marc Thiessen's Thursday column: Really? He said Donald Trump's social media exile "could even help him win back the White House." Really? Trump absolutely loves his supporters because they obviously are the source of his power. The evidence of the last five years is that he absolutely hates people like me who consider themselves conservative but reject him. He has no way to grow his base and apparently never had the desire to do so. That is reflective of an autocrat. He does not care about this country if he is not leading it.
Tuesday, July 20, 2021, will officially be Earl Hansen Day in Silvis.

The World War II veteran and John Deere Harvester retiree turns 100 on Tuesday.

During a reception Sunday at New Perspective Senior Living, where he has resided for about the past four months, Silvis Mayor Matt Carter read the proclamation and presented Hansen with a gold key to the city.

More than 75 people showed up to see Hansen, who was born July 20, 1921, in Ringsted, Iowa. Woodrow Wilson was president.

Hes been living at the senior living facility for about four months. Before that, he had lived in the home he built for his wife and three sons, Roy, who is 74, Lloyd, who is 71, and Chris who is 69.

Roy Hansen said that their father turning 100 is something wonderful to ponder.

I mean 16 and 21, thats the important ones, right? Roy Hansen said with a laugh. I guess 100 has to fit in there somewhere. The more you think about it when you make it that way, 100 definitely fits.

Roy Hansen said his dad is someone who took care of things himself and taught his sons to do the same.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended temporary legal status to hundreds of Somalis on Monday to allow them to remain in the United States for an additional 18 months during civil strife in the African nation.

It is the 25th extension of Temporary Protected Status for Somalis under the 1990 law designed to provide a haven from natural disaster or civil disorder. Somalia was first designated for TPS in 1991.

Three decades of conflict in Somalia, along with natural disasters and disease outbreaks, have worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis, the Homeland Security Department said in a statement. Somalia has recently experienced a dramatic upsurge in violence, severe drought, and flooding, which have contributed to worsening food insecurity and internal displacement.

About 450 Somalis will be able to extend their stay and be authorized to work until March 2023, and about 100 more who were in the United States on Monday will be eligible to enroll for the first time.
Late last week, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky echoed Hill when she called the new surge a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

According to the CDC the vaccination rate in Scott County stands at 47.2% of the total population of just under 173,000. The rate in Rock Island County is 41.7% of the total population of just over 143,000.

Scott County Medical Director Dr. Louis Katz weighed in on the vaccination rates on both sides of the Q-C.

"Our rates of vaccination are disappointingly low, but not as bad as rates seen in places like Southern Missouri," Katz said. "Rates of infection in Scott County have more than doubled in the past couple weeks - 1.2 per 100,000 population to 3.0 per 100,000 - but remain tolerable, as have positive test rates under 1.5% to 3.9%.

"But how high they will go is not clear. Because the vaccines are most effective at preventing severe illness and the highest risk age groups are well immunized locally, I am hopeful we will not see a disabling spike in hospital use."

Katz explained his concerns about indoor events held during Saturday's Quad-City Times Bix 7.
At least one person was fatally shot roughly every three hours in Chicago from 4 p.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. Monday, with a total of five people slain. They were among 11 people shot in less than 24 hours and at least 61 people shot, 10 of them fatally, during the weekend.

Despite the daunting totals, it isnt the most people shot during a weekend so far this year, or in the past month. Over the long Fourth of July weekend, 108 people were shot, including 17 people who were killed. In late June, 77 people were shot in a single non-holiday weekend, seven of them fatally. Seventeen of those shooting winneconn were wounded during two mass shootings alone.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown is expected to address the ongoing violence during an 11 a.m. news conference.

On Sunday, Chicago police were called to the South Side, 1700 block of West 79th Street in Gresham, around 4:10 p.m. for a report of a man who had been shot in the stomach and hand. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition, police said, and he was pronounced dead there at 4:41 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office, which had not released his name or age as of Monday morning.
About 30 people, many of whom waved Cuban flags and carried signs with proclamations of freedom, gathered near Buckingham Fountain on Sunday to peacefully demonstrate in solidarity with recent protests in Cuba.

If Cuba is in the streets, Chicago too, the group yelled as drivers honked their horns in support. Joe Biden, Cuba needs your help, the group chanted.

Some began the day at a Mass, spoken in Spanish, at St. Ita Catholic Church in the Lakewood-Balmoral neighborhood.

It was really nice for the church to really do a blessing for the protest, said Handry Martinez, who lived in Cuba until he was 19. It was more trying to find, I guess, the strength and pray for the people of Cuba ... for the situation to change.

The purpose of the protest was to support people living in Cuba, he said.

It really is about freedom; it is about people getting tired of living in misery and poverty, Martinez said. There is no food, there is no medicine ... they dont want more communism. They want the dictatorship to be over. That truly is the nature of the fight.
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Student attendance suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, the Department of education measures attendance data by chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of time enrolled in school. Due to quarantining guidelines, the DOE instead measured attendance by how many students missed 30 days or more during the school year.

Sanderson said in a normal year, 2 to 3% of the student population misses 30 or more days of school. In 2020-21, 6.5% of students missed 30 or more days and were most likely to be disengaged at an extreme level.

Eighty percent of those students came from 30 school districts throughout the state. Disproportionately impacted demographics included economically disadvantaged, homeless, Hispanic and Native American students.

Even though attendance was affected by the pandemic, 90% of school districts held in-person classes for the majority of the 2020-21 school year, Sanderson said.

The DOE is still waiting on academic assessment results to gauge students academic performance during the pandemic. Sanderson said the Department is internally conducting a series of data digs to look at how districts were impacted by COVID and to better understand districts priorities in utilizing federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
Rodney Bordeaux, the tribe's president, said Fridays events were historic and thanked the young people for bringing the remains back.

This is going to make us that much stronger as a people as we reclaim who we are, he said. Indian Country nationwide is rising up. Were going to be stronger as we go forward.

Christopher Eagle Bear, 23, who was part of the youth council responsible for bringing returning the remains, said, On this day, it is an honor to be Lakota. Hopefully, what we do here can inspire another youth group to move the road further than what we have started.

Some of the children will be reburied in a veterans' cemetery on the reservation and others will be interred at family graveyards, tribal officials said.

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland last month announced a nationwide investigation into the boarding schools that attempted to assimilate Indigenous children into white society.
It will also help scientists understand what species were common and which were rare, and how rare versus common species persist over time.

Im really excited about having that modern survey, McGuire said.

Ice age

During the period in North America when glaciers reached farthest south, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, it is theorized that a narrow passageway may have opened a corridor allowing travel from north to south. Prior to 25,000 years ago, animals may have been able to walk from Siberia to the Bering Strait and across to Alaska, Canada and then south into what is now the United States. That passageway may have funneled mammals to the area near Natural Trap Cave.

At some point around 11,000 to 14,000 years ago, as the glaciers retreated and more humans explored the region, North America lost more than half of its large mammal species, everything from mammoths to short-faced bears and large dire wolves.

Many species went extinct, and what we have around today are remnant species, Meachen said.
BERLIN (AP)  The United Nations' human rights chief voiced alarm Monday over the reported use of military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's comments came after an investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provided further evidence of the malware's use.

Revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a variety of countries are extremely alarming, and seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine peoples human rights, Bachelet said in a statement released in Geneva.

Given that that software and others "enable extremely deep intrusions into peoples devices, resulting in insights into all aspects of their lives, their use can only ever be justified in the context of investigations into serious crimes and grave security threats," she said.
They arrived at the arena earlier this month, frustrated with a system they say has not provided the help they need to get into stable housing and back on their feet.

The couple had stuffed their clothes, bedding and other possessions into tote bags and backpacks, but they were unsure as of Monday afternoon where they would end up.

We dont want to be here. We didnt want to be here the day we were dropped off, and we didnt want to leave because we would end up in the woods somewhere, McElhannon said. Its not safe for her.

The Richmond region registered its largest single-year surge in homelessness in January, according to a biannual count of the homeless conducted by the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care. The count rose from 549 to 838, a 53% uptick.

The end of some state protections and a soon-to-expire federal eviction freeze have fueled fears that a new wave of families could lose their homes before a billion-dollar pot of rental assistance is distributed.

Jason Aroudan, an immigrant from Northern Africa who became homeless about two years ago, said he has spent most nights outside the Coliseum during that time. He said hes noticed the number of people regularly staying around the Coliseum grow in the past six months.
Climate change is making heat waves more extreme and more frequent, according to a report from Climate Central, an organization dedicated to research on climate science. Extreme heat can be deadly, leading to increases of heat-related illness and threats in hotter neighborhoods.

Heat Watch volunteers first went out into the city at 6 a.m. Thursday, the time of day when temperatures are usually coolest and then at 3 p.m., the warmest part of the day.

That way, were able to compare not only how different things are at those two time periods, but how much theyve changed from the morning to the afternoon, Hoffman said.

At his last outing at 7 p.m.  when heat absorbed by the ground surface escapes back into the air  Hoffman hopped into the car to collect data one last time.

Volunteers went through Richmond on 12 routes, each on various types of land uses and tree canopies in order to get a complete coverage of the city.

Driving along the route, Hoffman took notice of what areas lack green spaces and what areas have plenty as the sensors collect the various data.
I dont even think we could have done it without that backbone support, said Patrice Ismael-Gantt.

UMFS, a nonprofit family service organization, offers more than 20 programs, including foster care and adoption.

Emily Clark, regional director of the central region for UMFS, said the agency is dedicated to providing resources and assistance not only for LGBTQ foster parents but also for LGBTQ foster children.

They are at higher risk for abuse and neglect, but also for things like substance abuse, depression and a whole host of extra challenges, Clark said, and so having an affirming foster home can be extremely healing.

UMFS works alongside Side by Side, an LGBTQ youth organization, to provide support groups and other resources for LGBTQ foster kids in the agency.

Clark said there are many LGBTQ parents who foster through UMFS and that the organization does its best to make sure that they are feeling really affirmed and supported in their journey through information sessions, training and other programs.

Patrice Ismael-Gantt remembers the moment when she could see that Zane, who is now 12, fully embraced his foster parents.
State Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, who introduced the legislation, didnt want to comment on The Pilots analysis until the report is released by the criminal justice department, though he said that he was not surprised by the preliminary data he had seen.

And it just further solidifies our suspicions and also the recognition that this is a policy and practice thats needed, he said.

But even after the department releases its report, it remains unclear whether police agencies will use the data and subsequent findings to inform their policing practices.

The Community Policing Act prohibits officers from engaging in bias-based policing  defined in the law as taking action solely based on a persons race, ethnicity, age or gender  but does not define a specific threshold in the data at which an agency or an individual officer might be suspected of doing so. The law does not give guidelines or instructions for how agencies should use the data.

Several Hampton Roads police agencies, including in Chesapeake and Newport News, said that they regularly review data, including traffic stops, as a way to monitor and improve their practices.

Drew said that the Newport News Police Department reviews data twice a week.
The board will work alongside the new Cannabis Control Authoritys CEO, who will be selected by Northam in the coming weeks.

On July 1, Virginia kicked off a yearslong process to legalize recreational cannabis in the state, becoming the first state in the South to do so. Adults 21 and older can now legally possess marijuana and consume the drug in private.

Selling marijuana will continue to be illegal until the state launches the regulated legal market in 2024, issuing licenses for growing, processing and retail sales.

Democratic lawmakers in the state say they were driven by the disparate enforcement of marijuana laws, which resulted in unequal harm to Black people in the state. Through legislation and regulation still in the works, Virginia Democrats have promised to ensure people disparately affected by marijuana enforcement can benefit from the legal market.

Reinvestment and public health boards

Two other boards will play a key role in Virginias plan to legalize marijuana.
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Supreme Court justices

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Thomas J. Meeks is right. The time to enact term limits for the U.S. Supreme Court is now. His proposal deserves serious consideration. It should also be built upon.

In a July 9 Letter to the Editor, Meeks called for a Supreme Court of nine justices. He also prescribed an 18-year-term limit beginning and ending in odd-numbered years.

The benefits of this proposal are numerous. First, it regularizes the size of the Supreme Court. Second, it ensures that every president will receive at least two nominations to the court. As a result, Supreme Court nomination battles will be far less polarized than they are today. Our country also will benefit from increased turnover on the court.

That said, a resolution mechanism should be added to Meeks' proposal. That might look something like this:
The most maverick Republicans are Lee Ware of Powhatan (tending to be more socially liberal) and John Avioli of Staunton and Terry Kilgore of Scott (tending to be more conservative).

In the Senate, the most maverick Democrats are Lionell Spruill of Portsmouth (tending to be more liberal) and Petersen and Creigh Deeds of Bath (tending to be more conservative). The most maverick Republicans are Emmett Hanger of Augusta (tending to be more liberal) and Vogel and Dunnavant (tending to be more conservative).

Whats the opposite of being a maverick? The chart also allows us to measure who is the most conventional. In the House, two legislators almost zero maverick votes -- Democrat Jeffrey Bourne of Richmond and Republican Kirk Cox of Colonial Heights sit squarely on that left-right scale (just in very different places) and rarely deviate up or down.

In the Senate, the least maverick legislator is Todd Pillion, R-Washington, followed by John Bell, D-Loudoun.
Landon never fully left journalism even after his retirement in 1995. A year later, he co-founded the Virginia Coalition for Open Government and served as its first director. The nonprofit group worked to make citizens aware of government transparency and open records laws, and to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act. For years, Landon drove a Volvo with a license plate that read, OPEN GOV.

He worked with the late Clifton Chip Woodrum, who represented Roanoke in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1980 to 2003, to push for the General Assembly to create the Freedom of Information Advisory Council in 2000 to oversee the application of the states open records and meetings laws.

What he did for the Virginia Coalition for Open Government was nothing short of heroic, said Megan Rhyne, the nonprofits executive director.

Rhyne said Landon was skilled at securing grant money, including one substantial grant that has allowed for VCOG to be one of the few state open government coalitions to have an endowment and be able to have a full-time employee.
A Roanoke man facing three felonies from a shooting last year maintained his innocence but entered into an agreement with prosecutors on Monday.

Raymond Antione Massey pleaded no contest to malicious wounding and to having a firearm as a felon and got a five-year prison sentence, which will be suspended after he serves two.

He has already served 17 days toward the charges and will have to begin serving the remainder on Friday.

Massey, 42, initially had been charged with aggravated malicious wounding, which in Virginia can bring up to a life sentence, plus felony gun possession, which carries a mandatory minimum of two years. Through his agreement, prosecutors dropped a third charge of use of a firearm in a felony, which would have brought him an additional three years behind bars.

At Mondays hearing, assistant prosecutor John McNeil said the charges came after a chaotic June 21, 2020, brawl at an apartment complex in the 2000 block of Indian Village Lane Southeast. McNeil said two women were fighting and someone set off fireworks.

During the altercation, Ibrahim Kromah was wounded by a single gunshot and was hospitalized. The bullet did not hit any organs and doctors were able to remove it, McNeil said, adding that Kromah has since recovered.
Its a step in the right direction, for sure, said Lara Miller, who manages the Floyd-based Bootleg BBQ food truck. We hope the town will see the benefits and that it really supports small businesses that are having a hard time already. And it brings new food into the area.

One of Bootleg BBQs activities is working with a number of local breweries to complement their offerings. The food truck has set up shop at Long Way Brewing in Radford and plans to start going to Moon Hollow Brewing near Blacksburg in August.

Another beer tasting establishment that Bootleg BBQ plans to visit soon is the recently opened Iron Tree Brewing Company in downtown Christiansburg.

Iron Tree has in recent weeks drawn praise for helping to enliven a section of downtown Christiansburg, and its owners have voiced strong interest in seeing the addition of a nearby food vendor to complement the brewery.

Its a win-win partnership with breweries and food trucks, Miller said.

The ordinance specifically permits food trucks in certain locations in the B-2 Central Business District, the formal name for the prevalent zoning district in downtown Christiansburg.
Members of the community can turn in guns in exchange for grocery gift cards at an upcoming event.

Called Groceries Not Guns, the voluntary gun buyback event is scheduled Aug. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 401 Gainsboro Road NW, the office of the Roanoke branch of the NAACP.

We are looking for anyone who might be interested in turning a gun that they are not that excited about having into $250 in groceries, said Catherine Koebel Stromberg, a volunteer with the Roanoke-based Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition.

The coalition submitted a grant request, written by Koebel Stromberg, which resulted in an award of $4,500 from the Roanoke Gun Violence Prevention Commission. The gun buyback event is being funded with that money and aims to reduce gun violence, conflict and intimidation, Koebel Stromberg said. Co-sponsors include the coalition, city police and the NAACP.

The event will accept handguns and long guns. Grocery gift cards will be provided in the following amounts: $150 for a rifle, pistol or revolver, $250 for a semi-automatic handgun and $50 for any inoperable gun. Only a limited number of gift cards are available, according to Koebel Stromberg, who urged people wishing to participate to arrive early.
A quick word about two I admire.

Doug Doughty, Roanoke Times sportswriter emeritus, kept detailed lists and oceans of statistics the old-fashioned way, on paper, long before such information became ubiquitous in digital form.

My late mother, proud of her Scots-Irish heritage, often cited that societys thrift as inspiration. Im too Scot to waste that, she would say as the lesser cuts of beef went into the stewpot.

In honor of Doughtys respect for the statistical oddity and Mothers waste-not-want-not counsel, todays dispatch is presented.

First, the stats. Just since the beginning of 2021, respondents to this column have emailed dispatches totaling 12,071 words. Accurate count of a separate category of words, those delivered verbally to voicemail over this same period, would require an actuary.

In sum, all that eloquence must not be squandered but shared.

Ann Boswell Breslin read here about Louise Thaden, a pioneering aviatrix who lived for a while in Roanoke, and wrote in recalling the Thaden offspring Bill and Patsy. Of Bill, a pilot and the readers fellow 1949 Jefferson High graduate, she referenced his 2012 obituary.
The court will not take further formal action on the statue until Jan. 2, 2022, according to the order. But in an attached letter that Dorsey penned to Peters dated June 23, he urged hasty removal of the stonework, for the sake of judicial optics.

There is a legal, intellectual, and moral imperative to move this statue with all deliberate speed, Dorsey wrote.

In his letter to Peters, Dorsey said no one would suggest a Confederate flag or monument has any place in a courtroom.

The meaning conveyed by this statue due to its proximity to the Roanoke County Courthouse and being on Roanoke County property is, likewise, completely antithetical to the proper administration of justice, Dorsey wrote. It matters not who is offended; it only matters that this monuments message, in its present location, is offensive to the appearance of judicial fairness and neutrality, without a hint of prejudice.

Citing several historians, Dorsey noted slavery was, by a wide margin, unquestionably the primary cause of the Civil War. Confederate monuments are tied to the mythology of the Lost Cause  the way many white Americans have chosen to view history following the Civil War, Dorsey wrote.
Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

In California, a growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders, the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada.

The Tamarack Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had charred nearly 29 square miles (74 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber as of Sunday morning. The blaze was threatening Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.

A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile (165-kilometer) Death Ride's website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.

Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fire's quick spread.
Mason pointed out that when cities such as Richmond and New Orleans removed their statues, the bases stayed up a while to allow people to visit and take photos.

He said he was particularly disappointed that some local activists whose work was pivotal in the removal of the statues werent able to view the bases before they were removed.

It wasnt the city that took down the statues. It was local people organizing for years, putting pressure on the city to take down these statues  my hat is off to the people who were doing the hard work of mobilizing the community against the statues and against what they symbolize. Im just so disappointed that we didnt have this moment, to just, frankly, pat ourselves on the back for what we had done, he said.

While Mason is disappointed the city moved so quickly to remove the bases, he said he didnt think they should stay there long and that the city needs to move forward to reimagine those spaces.

I certainly dont think that those pedestals should have remained up there long .... In fact, their removal allows us now to think about what these spaces look like after weve gotten rid of them  Market Street can be just a beautiful public space, a beautiful living room for all the people of Charlottesville, he said.
Some people in central Virginia are preparing to fight a plan to put a natural gas pipeline through their properties that would serve a yet-to-be-built power plant in Charles City County.

While Charles City County has approved the plant, property owners and county government leaders along the pipeline path said they have no information yet about the actual route of the pipeline. Environmental groups say the line would serve a plant that is not needed for Virginias electricity needs.

The natural gas industry has written our law in Virginia, and nationally, to a very great extent, said Lynn Peace Wilson of Henrico County, who received a letter from the pipeline company about her property across the Chickahominy River in New Kent County. They have written themselves protections that make it very difficult for anyone to question what they are doing.

The company behind the pipeline proposes to foul our air and our water and our soil and our wetlandsshould prepare for a fight, she said.
Editors note: Each week were running a commentary from a different governor whose state is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission. Those governors will be meeting in a summit in St. Paul, Virginia, in October.

With a low cost and high quality of living, its no surprise that more than 1.7 million North Carolinians call Appalachia home. The 29 North Carolina counties that are a part of it offer great opportunities to families living in the region  welcoming communities, a strong small business environment and an abundance of outdoor activities and natural resources. But they also face unique challenges. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is dedicated to addressing Appalachias challenges and boosting its strengths so these rural communities can thrive.

As the former ARC Co-Chair, Ive seen firsthand how this bipartisan coalition among Governors and the federal government has worked together to improve peoples lives in all 13 states that make up this region. I am proud of the investments that the Commission has made in our communities, and as our country moves past the pandemic toward its next chapter, its as important as ever that we continue our collaborative efforts to support the people of Appalachia.
This seems such a great idea we wonder why it hasnt been done before. George Marshall is, arguably, VMIs most important alumnus. He led the American military during World War II. After the war, he became the nations top diplomat, credited with saving democracy in western Europe, and for that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. To be both a warrior and a peace laureate is quite a feat.

The legacy of Stonewall Jackson  a former VMI professor  is, shall we say, complicated (less complicated for some than others). But theres nothing complicated about Marshalls legacy. Cadets once had to salute Jacksons statue, since removed. There should be no controversy about saluting Marshall. VMI does honor Marshall in many ways  theres both a building and an arch named in his honor and the institute is home to the Marshall Foundation and museum. But hes still been in Jacksons shadow at VMI. Thats too bad, but heres the opportunity: If VMI truly wants to remake itself to be more accommodating to modern sensibilities, it need not abandon all of its traditions. It need only more fully embrace one of its own, a son of the 19th century whose work remade the 20th century and continues to shape the 21st.
Those traditionally elderly door greeters that weve grown used to gracing major American brick and mortar retailers are now being shored up with controversial facial recognition software undetected by customers

The Boston-based Fight for the Future advocacy organization is trying to put pressure on private businesses to swear off any form of facial recognition.

The group just launched a campaign to ban the use of facial recognition technology in restaurants and retail outlets, and the Ban Facial Recognition in Stores campaign has already been backed by more than 35 privacy and civil liberties organizations.

Companies say they offer facial recognition in the name of convenience and personalization, but their real priorities are protecting and predicting their profits, ignoring how they abuse peoples rights, said Caitlin Seeley George, campaign director at Fight for the Future.

According to the groups database, several major retail stores are already using the software without being upfront about it. Those include Macys, Lowes, Rite Aid, Ace Hardware, Apple stores.

On the other side, Walmart, Kroger, Home Depot, Target, Costco, and Dollar Tree are among those that have pledged not to use it. Other major retail chains like BestBuy, 7-Eleven, Aldi, Starbucks told Fight for the Future that they might use it.

In 2019, Fight for the Future launched a similar campaign to ban facial recognition on university campuses in the U.S. Using facial recognition systems within schools has met with resistance from parents, students, and lawmakers alike.

Proponents hail the crime-solving and potential crime-prevention benefits. However, privacy advocates say it could lead to automatically identifying and tracking anyone, not just criminals, and it can be used for violations of privacy. They also argue that the data collected by corporations is often shared with law enforcement agencies, and this has resulted in wrongful arrests due to incorrect facial recognition.

The market for facial recognition tech is gaining in leaps and bounds. Its expected to grow from $3.2 billion last year to $7 billion by 2024 in the U.S. alone.

It remains highly controversial, with privacy and civil rights groups scrambling to spread awareness in the public.

In 2019, Lowes and Home Depot were sued in Illinois for using the software even though they claim the aim is to enhance security, protect against theft and other crimes and to monitor in-store traffic patterns

Employees from tech companies, including Microsoft, Salesforce and Google, demanded in 2018 that those companies stop selling software and services to the government and law enforcement agencies.

Amazon seems to be increasingly working with U.S. police forces via its facial recognition product, Rekognition. That move caused nearly two dozen Amazon shareholder groups to pressure CEO Jeff Bezos to stop selling it out of concern that the technology would represent yet another threat to our privacy and help the government cement its mass surveillance capabilities.

In the new report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), some 20 government agencies are using recognition software. In addition to law enforcement agencies, the Postal Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service are using it.

However, the report claims that many agencies do not even know which systems they are using and that better awareness is needed.

Although the accuracy of facial recognition technology has increased dramatically in recent years, risks still exist that searches will provide inaccurate results, wrote GAO.

Still, even if tech workers and privacy advocates somehow manage to ban facial recognition software from stores and institutions, there is another issue that seems impossible to challenge:

Our TVs are also equipped with cameras, microphones and, in some cases, facial recognition technology. We all remember Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg covering his laptop camera and microphone in 2016. Former FBI director James Comey did the same.

A recent Consumer Report investigation found millions of smart TVs had security flaws.

Furthermore, a 2019 study published by Northeastern University found several devices, including reputable brands, automatically send data to Amazon, Facebook, Netflix, and third-party advertisers.
 NIJ releases new publication with "Guidelines for Post-Sentencing Risk Assessment" | Main | New York Times reporting Biden Justice Department agrees with OLC memo stating prisoners transferred to home confinement must return to prison after pandemic ends 

July 19, 2021

First Jan 6 rioter to be sentenced on felony charges gets (below-guideline) sentence of eight months in federal prison

As noted in this preview post on Friday, this morning was the scheduled sentencing day for Paul Allard Hodgkins, who carried a Trump flag into the well of the Senate during the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Hodgkins' sentencing has been seen as particularly significant because he is the very first person to be sentenced on felony charges stemming from his actions on January 6  one misdemeanor defendant has been sentenced to probation  and because Hodgkins' sentencing memo and the Government's sentencing memo made notable arguments as he sought probation and as the government urged an 18-month prison term (at the midpoint of the calculated guidelines range of 15 to 21 months).

This AP piece reports via its headline that the federal sentencing judge here did what often happens in these kinds of cases, namely he came quite close to splitting the difference: "Capitol rioter who breached Senate sentenced to 8 months." Here are more details on this notable federal sentencing:

A Florida man who breached the U.S. Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag was sentenced Monday to eight months behind bars, the first resolution for a felony case in the Capitol insurrection. Paul Allard Hodgkins apologized and said he was ashamed of his actions on Jan 6. Speaking calmly from a prepared text, he described being caught up in the euphoria as he walked down Washingtons most famous avenue, then followed a crowd of hundreds up Capitol Hill and into the Capitol building. If I had any idea that the protest  would escalate (the way) it did  I would never have ventured farther than the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue, Hodgkins told the judge. He added: This was a foolish decision on my part. Prosecutors had asked for Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying in a recent filing that he, like each rioter, contributed to the collective threat to democracy by forcing lawmakers to temporarily abandon their certification of Joe Bidens 2020 election victory over President Donald Trump and to scramble for shelter from incoming mobs. His sentencing could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial. He and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Hodgkins pleaded guilty last month to one count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop lesser charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct. Video footage shows Hodgkins wearing a Trump 2020 T-shirt, the flag flung over his shoulder and eye goggles around his neck, inside the Senate. He took a selfie with a self-described shaman in a horned helmet and other rioters on the dais behind him. His lawyer pleaded with Judge Randolph Moss to spare his 38-year-old client time in prison, saying the shame that will attach to Hodgkins for the rest of his life should be factored in as punishment. The lawyer argued in court papers that Hodgkins actions werent markedly different from those of Anna Morgan Lloyd  other than Hodgkins stepping onto the Senate floor. The 49-year-old from Indiana was the first of roughly 500 arrested to be sentenced. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and last month was sentenced to three years of probation. Hodgkins was never accused of assaulting anyone or damaging property. And prosecutors said he deserves some leniency for taking responsibility almost immediately and pleading guilty to the obstruction charge. But they also noted how he boarded a bus in his hometown of Tampa bound for a Jan. 6 Trump rally carrying rope, protective goggles and latex gloves in a backpack  saying that demonstrated he came to Washington prepared for violence.

Prior related posts:

July 19, 2021 at 12:34 PM | Permalink

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8 months for participating in a seditious act?! The judge's admonitory rhetoric aside, MAGA folks will likely see this as a tap on the tush and encouragement for further acts of sedition. Upward variance to 5 years would have been more appropriate.

Posted by: Michael Levine | Jul 19, 2021 5:45:10 PM

The coverage I saw suggested he didn't provide information to the prosecutors or anything. Also, this is problematic:

"But they also noted how he boarded a bus in his hometown of Tampa bound for a Jan. 6 Trump rally carrying rope, protective goggles and latex gloves in a backpack  saying that demonstrated he came to Washington prepared for violence."

I recognize the breadth of appropriate punishments here. But, this seems too low, especially if it is somehow a "model" for future punishments.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 19, 2021 7:04:47 PM

Agree with Joe and Michael Levine.

The facts that Joe highlights are indeed problematic in their own right. Not only that, but also they directly contradict the defendants claim that he didnt realize the situation would escalate.

BTW, as Michael Levine points out (and I have before too), it wasnt a riot. Those are what sometimes happen after sportsball games. It was a sedition/insurrection. The media Im not surprised to see getting it wrong, but this blog ought to know much better. As should the DOJ!

Posted by: kotodama | Jul 19, 2021 7:27:34 PM

Yes, on the "riot" talk

The government sentencing memo makes clear that he is being prosecuted for trying to stop the certification of the election.

This is INSURRECTION. Mitch McConnell called it that.

There is a pending bill (though for some reason, it is not getting any attention from what I can tell) to enforce the "insurrection" penalty in the 14th Amendment. Some argued Trump should have only been targeted with that and not impeachment. I disagree, but it underlines what is involved.

The memo speaks of that "grave danger on democracy" etc. It is an attack on the U.S. Capitol that, again as cited in the memo, to try to stop the transfer of power.

Trolls who compare it to other "riots" arising from anti-government protests are just that. We need not aid and abet their rhetoric.

I guess you can say insurrection is in some fashion a sort of riot. But, I think that leads to confusion.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 19, 2021 9:51:13 PM

Great points Joe, thanks for adding those.

I wasn't aware of the bill in progress either. So thanks for the heads up on that as well!

Posted by: kotodama | Jul 19, 2021 11:01:11 PM

That is still too high and an injustice but at least there was a bit of a push back from the judge.

Posted by: restless94110 | Jul 20, 2021 7:10:56 PM

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 New report highlights how various federal agencies other than DOJ can advance criminal justice reform | Main | NIJ releases new publication with "Guidelines for Post-Sentencing Risk Assessment" 

July 19, 2021

New UNODC report details interesting global realities and trends in incarceration

A section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has released this interesting new data report highlighting on its cover page "Nearly twelve million people imprisoned globally; nearly one-third unsentenced; with prisons overcrowded in half of all countries." This release about the report provides some context and highlights:

One in every three prisoners worldwide are held without a trial, which means that they have not been found guilty by any court of justice, according to the first global research data on prisons published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The research brief, released ahead of Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July, examines the long-term trends of imprisonment, stating that over the past two decades, between 2000 and 2019, the number of prisoners worldwide has increased by more than 25 per cent, with a global population growth of 21 per cent in the same period, with 11.7 million people incarcerated at the end of 2019. This is a population comparable in size to entire nations such as Bolivia, Burundi, Belgium, or Tunisia. At the end of 2019  the latest year data is available  there were around 152 prisoners for every 100,000 population. While Northern America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe have experienced a long-term decrease in imprisonment rates of up to 27 per cent, other regions and countries, such as Latin America and Australia and New Zealand, have seen growth over the last two decades of up to 68 per cent. At 93 per cent, most of the persons detained in prison globally are men. Over the past two decades, however, the number of women in prisons has increased at a faster pace, with an increase of 33 per cent versus 25 per cent for men.

For those concerned about mass incarceration in the US and elsewhere, this report provides a terrific global snapshot of recent trends and some of the latest data. For example:

As of 2019, there were an estimated 152 prisoners for every 100,000 population globally. This global rate has not changed much over the last two decades  it stood at 151 prisoners in 2000. There is, however, considerable sub-regional variation: as of 2019, a much larger share of the population was imprisoned in Northern America (577 per 100,000 population), Latin America and the Caribbean (267) and Eastern Europe (262), than in Sub-Saharan Africa (84), Melanesia (78), or Southern Asia (48). Furthermore, gender-specific rates also vary substantially across sub-regions. The high male imprisonment rate in the Northern American sub-region (1,048 male prisoners per 100,000 male population) is particularly noteworthy.

July 19, 2021 at 09:41 AM | Permalink

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South China Morning Post

For those trapped in submerged underground trains as Tuesdays horror unfolded in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, it was a life-and-death matter of keeping their heads above water in the hope that help would arrive. The rare torrential rain that began on Saturday has claimed at least 25 lives  12 of them in flooded subway stations  left seven other people reported missing and displaced 200,000 people in Henans provincial capital. The cumulative rainfall in three days was close to a nor
LONDON (AP)  Corks popped, beats boomed out and giddy revelers rushed onto dancefloors when Englands nightclubs reopened Monday as the country lifted most remaining coronavirus restrictions after more than a year of lockdowns, mask mandates and other pandemic-related curbs on freedom.
NEW YORK (AP)  Prince Harry is writing what his publisher is calling an "intimate and heartfelt memoir."

Random House expects to release the book, currently untitled, late in 2022.

"I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," the Duke of Sussex, 36, said in a statement Monday. "I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think. I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I've learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that's accurate and wholly truthful."

Financial terms were not disclosed. Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House.

"Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him," Random House announced.
Meticulously etched into the walls of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics nearly 4,000 years ago, depictions of watermelon harvests from the desert sands of the Sahara demonstrate their importance to the pharaohs. Seeds found in North Africa date the nightshades origin 1,000 years earlier. Several millennia later on the other side of the world in Vincennes, Indiana, Mouzin Brothers Farms is proudly carrying on the tradition, though the quality of their watermelons has vastly improved compared to the original tough and bitter version that was primarily savored for its high water content along the equator.

Julius Mouzin, Sr. broke ground on his farm in 1935, raising livestock and growing produce for a nearby orphanage, later shifting his focus to the local markets after the facility shut down. His sons, Julius Jr. and Paul, were the original Mouzin brothers, passing the torch to Pauls sons, Dennis and Ed. Today, Dennis sons, Brady and Blake, are taking on leadership roles within the operation, as well as their brother Colten, who is currently enrolled in college but also involved in many endeavors on the farm.

The farm grew from its original 35 acres to a few thousand at the turn of the 20th century. Now into its fourth generation of family ownership, Mouzin Brothers Farms claims a whopping 12,000-acre spread among Indiana, Illinois, Florida and Georgia properties. The staff of around 30 full-time permanent employees swells to around 450 with an influx of seasonal workers during the busiest summer months.

Although the Mouzin brothers admit that everyone who works on the farm wears a number of different hats, Brady, 27 and a graduate of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, primarily manages sales and administrative responsibilities. Blake, 25, earned an agribusiness degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and oversees field scouting as well as the farms the food safety and certified organic programs.

Dennis remains heavily involved in high-level operational aspects of the farm. At age 85, Paul still stops by every day at 5 a.m. His wife continued to pick cantaloupes in the field up until about a decade ago, well into her mid-70s.

All in the family

At first, neither Brady nor Blake were keen on joining the family business, having spent the summers of their youth working in the fields as their friends enjoyed vacations and downtime. After they went away to college, their mindset began to evolve.

As we got older, we started to consider the potential of management opportunities with the farm and we began to lean into the idea of returning to work here, Brady says. My dad, uncle, grandma and grandpa all urged me to explore my options, but once Blake and I had removed ourselves enough to get some perspective on the whole operation, we realized that we both wanted to come back home.

Watermelon has been a Mouzin Brothers staple crop from the very beginning. The farm grows between 10 and 15 different varieties annually  mostly seedless varieties, but also seeded, jumbo seeded and specialty offerings.

They all have different genetic qualities, Blake describes. Some grow quicker than others, so our season really depends on where were growing them and when we want to harvest.

Typical watermelons that shoppers might find at the grocery store or farmers market include the large oval Excursion, the glossy deep-striped Fascination and the dark green Sweet Gem varieties, all with sweet, firm red flesh.

Our Black Diamond watermelons seem to be everybodys favorite; we grow a couple hundred acres of those, Blake says.

Down on the farm

Farms and rustic market stands punctuate the drive down rural U.S. Route 41 between Terre Haute and Evansville, mainly because the sandy, fertile earth and rolling topography of southwestern Indiana lend themselves so well to growing watermelons. However, the Mouzins are quick to point out that relationships between the regional melon producers here are more collaborative than competitive.

We get along with the other farmers; were all part of the same associations, and were in close communication most days, Brady says. We all grow by working together to expand the industry, not by taking market share away from each other. We dont step on each others toes.

I always tell the boys, if youre worried about your neighbor, youd better figure out why, Dennis notes. If you think theyre doing something better than you are, thats something that needs to be addressed. Your competition should make you better, not worse.

Cream of the crop

Following watermelon, sweet corn is the Mouzin Brothers largest crop sold in the produce aisle for customers.

All of our corn is grown for food consumption, not livestock feed, so it has to meet certain qualifications, Blake says. We also grow and ship conventional field corn for Azteca Milling in Evansville, which supplies the corn flour used to make Mission Foods tortilla chips.

The Mouzins grow a full complement of additional produce on their farms, including pumpkins, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, soybeans, ornamental gourds and hemp for CBD and textile/fiber applications.

We sell all of our own produce directly to retail; thats one of the things that makes us unique, Brady adds. Right now, Im currently working with buyers from Walmart, Kroger, Jewel-Osco and Meijer.

Distribution-wise, Mouzin Brothers Farms services a core customer base within a 500-mile radius of their Indiana and Illinois farms.

We like to push local to the Midwest, Brady says. Theres a basic industry understanding that if you can get a product from the field to the store within a day, its considered local. But we also ship all over  out to Colorado, Texas and Maine  and we do a lot of business in Minnesota. I have friends in New York and around the country who will see our label in stores and call or text me about it.

The addition of the Florida and Georgia facilities has extended the Mouzins standard Midwestern growing season from spring through fall into a nearly year-round operation.

We start in Florida in January with field prep, and we dont stop harvesting until our crops are out of the field in Indiana in November, Brady explains. There are slow times, but we never really get time off.

Keeping up with trends

Creative chefs might be experimenting with watermelon in terms of culinary recipes and cocktails, but in the way people consume the fruit, nothing has really changed over time.

Four or five years ago, we saw a big spike in watermelon-themed apparel, Brady chuckles. Watermelon everything was in!

Savvy consumers want to know where their food is coming from, leading to more direct communication between farmers and their customers. To that end, Mouzin Brothers brought Madison Heiden on board in May 2020. A former queen ambassador for the Illiana Watermelon Association, she manages the farms social media accounts and community engagement efforts.

Shes helped us so much in those areas, Brady says. I used to be in charge of our Facebook page, and it was a disaster. I posted something maybe once every five months? Shes really taken that responsibility on and grown it exponentially.

Under Heidens watch, the farm is getting increasingly more involved with local events and charities, setting up partnerships with local schools for fall pumpkin giveaways and pumpkin patch field trips. Promoting a new roadside produce stand at the Vincennes headquarters online proved fruitful last summer as well.

It was great, Heiden says. We had so much traffic some days, you couldnt see the road because of all of the cars stopping.

Like any produce farmers worth their salt, all the Mouzins really want to do is grow and provide a great-quality product to their customers.

We take everything seriously, and we cut no corners in terms of labor and food safety, Brady says. Its expensive, and its a lot of work. But thats how we believe in doing it, how weve always done it, and how well continue to do it.

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SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Council green-lighted a facade improvement program Monday for the Leeds, Riverside and Peters Park corridors.

The council approved the program, which is similar to city corridor improvements made on West Seventh, Pearl and Pierce streets, by voting in favor of its consent agenda.

"We've seen a lot of progress in that corridor," Jeff Hanson, the city's community development operations manager, said of West Seventh Street. "So, I think with these three programs we will get a lot of applications."

The goal of the program is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the exterior facades of existing buildings and businesses in those corridors and to encourage private investment in properties and businesses. A $60,000 maximum per property will be awarded through a competitive application process. Property owners will have to provide a 25 percent match of any money granted through the program. The funds could be used for existing exterior facade improvements, signs and site landscaping.

"It's an excellent program. It will benefit all of us to see that in place," Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore said. "I'm glad to see the $60,000 allocation to each property, because I think it will be used wisely with the 25 percent matching funds."
"Some students identify as a 'he' or a 'she,' but what happens when they don't identify as a male or a female?" Fielding asked. "Then, it is OK to use a term like 'them' as opposed to one related to a specific gender."

This is a breakthrough, according to Ruhrer-Johnson.

Citing statistics from the Trevor Project, a national organization devoted to crisis invention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning individuals, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 25.

"Somebody who is LGBTQ is almost three times as likely to contemplate suicide," Ruhrer-Johnson said. "Nobody wants to be a part of those stats."

Which is why GSA groups are so important.

"And it isn't just about being gay," Ruhrer-Johnson said. "We talk about grades, friends and activities that have nothing to do sexual identity."

In other words, GSA members are allowed to be like typical high school kids.

"Everybody wants to be accepted for who they are," Eastman said. "Especially in high school."

Both Ruhrer-Johnson are making plans for their senior year in high school as well as prepping for college.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.
The dangerous criminals in these gangs arent letting up. In fact, because local leadership in our capital city has created an anti-police, soft-on-crime environment, the task forces work, in my opinion, is needed now more than ever," Kemp said, reiterating criticism of Bottoms.

Ahead of 2022 state elections, many Republicans are trying to make the case that voters shouldnt trust Democrats on crime, even though state government has traditionally had a limited role in fighting crime, with most of the responsibility falling to local sheriffs, police departments and district attorneys. Kemp has repeatedly touted state police efforts to cut down on street racing and stunt driving. Troopers have formed a six-person crime suppression unit to arrest fugitives, but troopers have little role in investigating local shootings, a key concern.

Carr said some district attorneys weren't doing enough to prosecute cases, singling out District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, who covers Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Gonzalez has said that more people who are arrested should be released before trial without requiring cash bail, that she won't prosecute some low-level drug cases and that she won't seek the death penalty. That's prompted pushback, especially from officials in Republican-dominated Oconee County.
Southwestern Missouri lags well behind the national average for vaccinations, but persuading the unvaccinated to get a shot is proving difficult.

In Springfield, Annaliese Schroeder, a community health advocate, knocked on a door and briefly talked about an upcoming clinic. She offered a door tag with information about the virus, and asked a few question: Do you want information about the clinic? Do you know someone who does? Do you have any questions about other clinics, or the vaccines?

Josh Gollaher and Nikki Schaub turned down a flyer as they walked home to their apartment complex. Both told a reporter they were adamantly against taking a vaccine.

I just dont want to, Schaub, 42, said. Id rather wear a mask.

Gollaher, 29, said he doesn't trust the studies about the spread of the virus.

Their studies could be wrong, he said. Itll blow over.

Schroeder and Kelsey Connor, a public health information specialist, said those sort of encounters are rare. She and Conner are careful not to push back when residents turn them down. They never ask the residents vaccination status, they said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  J. Thomas Manger, a former police chief in Maryland and Virginia, is the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, congressional officials announced Thursday. Manger will take charge of the department in the aftermath of the violent Jan. 6 insurrection in which supporters of former President Donald Trump easily overwhelmed law enforcement and stormed the building.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Smoke from wildfires in the western U.S. and Canada is blanketing much of the continent, including thousands of miles away on the East Coast. And experts say the phenomenon is becoming more common as human-caused global warming stokes bigger and more intense blazes.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Los Angeles County will again require masks be worn indoors in the nation's largest county, even by those vaccinated against the coronavirus, while the University of California system also said Thursday that students, faculty and staff must be inoculated against the disease to return to campuses.
NEW YORK (AP)  Prince Harry is writing what his publisher is calling an intimate and heartfelt memoir.

Random House expects to release the book, currently untitled, late in 2022.

Im writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," the Duke of Sussex, 36, said in a statement Monday. "Ive worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think. Im deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what Ive learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life thats accurate and wholly truthful.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House.

Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him, Random House announced.
CEDAR FALLS  Two people were killed when a barn collapsed in Cedar Falls on Friday night.

On Saturday, the Dike-New Hartford School District sent a letter offering condolences to families affected by the loss of two people killed in a barn collapse, according to a Dike parent who received a copy.

The letter identifies those killed as Andy Kaufman and his son, Beckett, who was about to enter fourth grade. The Courier was unable to confirm the letter refers to the Cedar Falls barn collapse.

Cedar Falls Fire Rescue was dispatched to 9702 Viking Road at around 6:30 p.m. Friday for a response to traumatic injuries. Dispatch advised that a barn had fallen on two male subjects, according to a news release.

After arriving on scene, firefighters were told there were possibly two people in the barn when the roof collapsed. Bystanders said they hadnt been able to get a response from those trapped in the rubble. During the recovery effort, two victims were found obviously deceased, the release said. Fire officials determined the victims died instantly in the collapse.

Cedar Falls Fire officials said Sunday they weren't yet able to release the names of the deceased, and did not have a timeline for when that might occur.
Signs advertising cannabis  complete with large, green marijuana leaves  have sprouted up across Nebraska.

From Benson to South 24th Street to midtown Omaha, in Kearney and Scottsbluff and Lincoln and Norfolk, gas stations, smoke shops and specialty stores are offering THC-laden edibles, smokable hemp and vape pens.

For nearly the past year, the hot seller at many of those shops has been Delta 8, a byproduct of the hemp plant thats chemically similar to Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  the chemical associated with the high effect produced by marijuana.

Experts say the Delta 8 products are less potent than their close cousin, marijuana. But Delta 8 is psychotropic, meaning that it produces a high.

Marijuana remains illegal in Nebraska, though hemp, which comes from the same plant, is legal. The 2018 federal farm bill legalized and regulated production of hemp, but no limits were placed on the derivatives of the hemp plant, including Delta 8. That created a loophole allowing for its sale.

Those who use Delta 8 say it has similar benefits as cannabidiol, or CBD, the non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis that some people use for sleep, or to treat pain or inflammation. CBD has been sold in Nebraska for a few years.

Shop owners say their customers range from 18-year-olds to 80-year-olds, some of whom use Delta 8 because they say it alleviates the effects of seizures, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Theres not a federally set age limit on the products, though minors cant purchase smokable products, and some shops dont sell to anyone under 21.

An Omaha police spokesman said sale of the substance is legal. Gov. Pete Ricketts, who opposes legalization of marijuana, has asked the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office to review the sale of Delta 8, his spokesman said.

Concerns have been raised nationally about its regulation and whether some of the products contain contaminants. Nebraska shop owners acknowledge that the growing market for Delta 8 and other hemp derivatives is unregulated, and they say its largely up to retailers to ensure that theyre selling quality products.

On the shelves at Greenlight Natural, located on Bensons main retail strip, products for sale include gummy candies, cake pops, cookies, oils, vape pens and even pre-rolled joints that contain Delta 8.

Greenlight Natural owner Chris Potratz said sales of Delta 8 have surpassed CBD.

Its pretty much the vast majority of what I sell, Potratz said. I would say nine out of 10 customers who come in are looking for Delta 8.

Its absolutely everywhere.

After years of discussion about allowing cultivation of hemp in Nebraska, the U.S. Congress cleared the way by legalizing it in the 2018 farm bill.

The law was hailed as a possible savior for Nebraska farmers, a small group of whom are in the early stages of trying their hand at growing hemp for commercial uses. Hemp can be used to produce items like cloth, paper and cosmetics.

Under the law, hemp must have less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC to be legal. But in opening the door to hemp, the farm bill also made legal derivatives found in hemp, including Delta 8  provided that the final product is below the 0.3% threshold.

Officer Michael Pecha, a spokesman for the Omaha Police Department, said: OPD monitors and checks on the shops selling these products to make sure they are selling items that are legal in Nebraska. If a business is found to be in violation, we will take enforcement action.

Ismail Dweikat, a professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the hemp plant produces more than 100 different cannabinoids that produce different effects when consumed, including CBD and Deltas 8 and 9.

Dweikat, who specializes in plant breeding and genetics, said Delta 8 is a minor cannabinoid with a low concentration of THC. A lower potency generally produces a less pronounced high feeling, he said.

Passage of the 2018 farm bill prompted the Nebraska Legislature to pass a complementary law in 2019 allowing cultivation of hemp. The law provided for the licensing and regulation of the new crop, and created the Nebraska Hemp Commission to promote hemp and its products.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who introduced Nebraskas hemp bill, said in 2019 that he introduced the measure to create jobs in Nebraska and hoped that hemp processing facilities would sprout up in his North Omaha district.

In a recent interview, Wayne said lawmakers at the time didnt discuss the possibility of hemp derivatives that contain THC making their way into Omaha storefronts.

But Wayne, who supports legalization of medical and recreational marijuana, said he doesnt have a problem with the product.

Delta 8 doesnt bother me personally, Wayne said. Our laws and regulations have to catch up.

An opponent of Nebraskas hemp bill, State Sen. John Lowe of Kearney, warned at the time that the hemp bill could make it more difficult to hold the line on legalizing marijuana. He said he thought that the Legislature was going down a path without knowing the depth.To be sure, the federal governments position on CBD and other hemp derivatives is confusing, the Harvard Medical School noted, as Delta 8 is still included on the Drug Enforcement Administrations list of controlled substances.

Some industry watchers have expressed concerns about a lack of oversight of Delta 8 and what may be in the products that contain it.

Large cannabis producers have been pushing to clamp down on Delta 8 after two tests of samples  one by the U.S. Cannabis Council trade group and another commissioned by Bloomberg News  found high levels of intoxicants in several of the products, as well as metals in some of them, the Chicago Tribune reported.

In recent months, 14 states, including Colorado and Iowa, have blocked the sale of Delta 8, citing lack of research into the compounds psychoactive effects, NBC News reported in June.

Wayne said he would like to explore consumer protection legislation related to Delta 8 to provide a framework to make sure that theres a healthy and safe product being offered.

Shiva Kumar, a co-owner of Lincoln-based CBD Remedies, said the highly unregulated nature of the market poses a challenge to consumers to ensure that theyre purchasing safe products. Its incumbent on retailers to know the source of their products, he said.

CBD Remedies includes consultants Andrea Holmes, a professor of chemistry at Doane University, and Dr. Amanda McKinney, a board-certified physician who is associate dean of health sciences at Doane.

Kumar, Holmes and McKinney said CBD Remedies products are tested by third-party labs and come with certificates of analysis that detail the potency and contaminant level of the product.

Products at Greenlight Natural, too, come with a QR code that a customer can scan with their smartphone. The code directs them to lab results showing information about the potency of the product and contaminant levels.

Holmes said generally speaking, the high feeling produced by Delta 8 is about four times less than what someone would feel after consuming Delta 9 THC from marijuana. But the difference isnt as clear-cut as that: Age, body type and the method of consumption all play a role in how someone will feel.

Its not one-size-fits-all, she said.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer unveiled a measure to treat marijuana like alcohol or tobacco, allowing it to be taxed and regulated, though states could still outlaw its use. Under the proposal, those under 21 couldnt purchase it, and it would remain illegal to sell significant quantities without proper licensing and authorization.

In Nebraska, a push is underway to legalize medical marijuana in the state. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana is collecting signatures to put the issue before voters in 2022.

That effort follows a similar one in 2020 that failed when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the proposal violated a requirement that a ballot initiative stick to a single subject.

McKinney said she hopes that scientists and doctors who understand cannabis are included in discussions by state and federal leaders about regulation of such products, and in the larger conversation about legalization of marijuana.

Holmes said experiments and trials have shown Delta 8 to be a pretty powerful anti-inflammatory that can also help nausea in cancer patients, among other uses.

McKinney said, Im looking forward to that day (that marijuana is legalized), but right now were fighting all of these little battles  first it was CBD and now its Delta 8, and thats going to continue until its fully legal ... at the federal level.

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It's easy to see why the 49-year-old governor, who is known as a scorched-earth campaigner in her home state, is elbowing out anyone trying to claim a more hands-off approach to the pandemic. She doesnt have the experience of working alongside Trump, like Mike Pence, Nikki Haley or Mike Pompeo  all of whom have visited the presidential-proving ground of Iowa in recent days. Other potential rivals like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have the advantage of governing states that figure prominently in national politics.

The pandemic was rocket fuel for Noem's political rise. While she had been laying the groundwork to build a national profile and looking for ways to make South Dakota a testing ground for conservative policies, she jumped on decrying coronavirus restrictions early.

Conservatives nationwide have since made efforts to try to halt the pandemic's spread into a favorite punching bag. At the Family Leadership Summit, where Noem spoke alongside Pence, Pompeo and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, speakers warned that government restrictions were eroding personal liberties. DeSantis has even begun selling Don't Fauci My Florida merchandise to raise money for his gubernatorial reelection campaign, taking aim at another favorite target, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia on Monday after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach the country's quarantine rules.
PARALIMNI, Cyprus (AP)  The only route to lasting peace on ethnically divided Cyprus is through the international communitys acceptance of two separate states on the east Mediterranean island nation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

Erdogan said that a permanent and sustainable solution to the countrys division can only be possible by taking into account that there are two separate states and two separate people.

The international community will sooner or later accept this reality," Erdogan told Turkish Cypriot lawmakers in Cyprus' breakaway north before celebrations to mark the 47th anniversary of a Turkish invasion that split the island along ethnic lines.

Turkey's 1974 invasion came in the wake of a Greek junta-backed coup that aimed at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and keeps 35,000 troops there.

In a 1983 resolution, the U.N. Security Council denounced the Turkish Cypriots' secessionist move as legally invalid and called for its withdrawal. The European Union has also ruled out a two-state deal. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said in Nicosia earlier this month that the 27 member-bloc which Cyprus joined in 2004 would never, ever" accept such an arrangement.
Guaido, who was the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly, challenged Maduros claim to the presidency, arguing that his 2018 election was rigged and invalid. Guaido says he is the countrys interim president under provisions of the constitution that allow the head of the legislature to take power until free elections can be held.

Countries including the U.S. and the U.K. have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, although China, Russia and many others haven't and Maduro holds effective power within Venezuela.

The battle over the gold is being fought out between two competing governing boards of the Central Bank of Venezuela, one appointed by Maduro and the other by Guaido.

Guaido, who is represented by the law firm Arnold & Porter, is arguing there is nothing ambiguous about the U.K. actions.

Maduros lawyers argue that he's still president of Venezuela and that the U.K. has recognized this by continuing diplomatic relations with his government.

Leigh Crestohl, a lawyer representing the Maduro board, said the U.K. governments position threatens the attractiveness of the City of London and the Bank of England as a secure place for foreign assets.

International observers to this case may be surprised by the possibility that a unilateral statement of political recognition by the U.K. government can dispossess a foreign sovereign of assets deposited in London without any recourse in the English court, Crestohl, a partner at the London-based law firm Zaiwalla & Co., said in a statement. This is all the more so where that recognition ignores the reality on the ground.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Pay Dirt is Slates money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Athena and Elizabeth here. (Its anonymous!)

Dear Pay Dirt,

In late 2017, I collected $133,000 from a wrongful death suit for my oldest sons death. I placed the check in my account, which was originally a guardianship account for my daughter opened about 10 years earlier. When she stopped using it, I just kept it for my own use, continuing depositing only my paychecks for at least eight years. The associate at the bank was supposed to have changed it to be only my checking account, but keeping this daughter as a signor but no longer primary (for emergencies).

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I soon moved across the country to live with her because she wanted to take care of me. (I am just 58 this year.) After living with her for a few months, in which she treated me horribly, even though I was paying a lot of her outstanding and current bills, we had a terrible fight, and she kicked me out. A couple of weeks later, she cleaned out my account over the course of a few days, leaving me $6,000.

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I filed a criminal case, but the district attorney office chose not to prosecute because her name was on the account. I found out the bank didnt properly change my account, leaving her as controller of the account. I have tried everything to try to get my money back to no resultunless I put down a huge retainer for a lawyer, which I cannot afford to leave in limbo for years until the case is settled and then only if I win. She has since bought a house and new car, and I have been left homeless, wandering from job to job that includes housing. What do I do?

Sad and Directionless Mom

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Dear Sad,

Wow. I cant imagine how you are feeling, and I am so sorry this has happened to you. All of it. This dynamic did not sound healthy at all, and to add insult to injury, she cleaned you out. I first want to make sure you are talking to a licensed professional about this hard time. There are more affordable options now than ever for therapy, and if you are going to deal with this head on and work to move forward, youll need grit and outside support.

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You shared that the district attorney did not press criminal charges but you fear a civil case would cost you an arm and a leg. Have you tried to find a pro bono attorney in your area that specializes in family law, or a legal aid organization that can walk you through your options? Its such a large sum of money, and if the bank had followed through with the appropriate channels, this wouldnt have happened. Even if its just a consult, I would try to find a reputable attorney who could offer some guidance on the legal constraints and whether its worth your time, money, and effort to proceed.

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Id also like you to do an assessment on your current financial situation. A tool like Personal Capital is a great place to start. You can enter assets you currently have that do not pertain to your daughter, debts you have occurred, and the money you have available from your current paychecks and accounts. Now more than ever, you need to be able to see where you stand financially so you can start trying to figure out a game plan to build a new nest egg for retirement. You can do this.

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Get the Pay Dirt Newsletter Money advice from Athena and Elizabeth, delivered weekly. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Dear Pay Dirt,

I have always considered myself fairly financially responsible. I put a lot in my savings, keep a minimal amount in my checking, track my budget, etc. I also have a bit of anxiety around spending moneyjust your general Catholic, Southern guilt associated with Enjoying Things.

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And then I got scammed. In the middle of a very busy work day, I got a fraud alert text from my bank and then got called from a number that mimicked the first six digits of my banks normal number. It sounded so official and normalthey knew my name!and told me that a Zelle fraud had occurred and I had to transfer the Zelle money to my email address to get it out of processing. I did that and they told me it would take a couple hours to get back in my account. No money showed up in my account, so I called my bank, and they said it look like it was coming back to me by morning. At no point in this conversation did they think anything was amiss. Then, when I called back in the morning, they said the money had processed to a different bank. Thats when we realized I had been scammed. They immediately walked me through filing a claim and gave me info to file a report. They said it was likely I will get my money back, but not certain, and that it could take up to 90 days to resolve it.

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Im lucky that I have savings and losing this money isnt destroying my life, though its definitely like a bomb went off. How do I keep this from happening in the future? And how do I stop feeling like the dumbest person in the world? I feel so irresponsible, foolish, embarrassed, and ashamed.

Dumb Scammed Baby

Dear Scammed,

First of all, you are not dumb! Scams happen all the time, to people from all walks of life. Would you call all those successful businesspeople who gave Elizabeth Holmes millions when she was supposedly inventing ground-breaking medical equipment dumb? Exactly!

There is no way I can guarantee you that you will not fall victim to another scam, but I can share some tips so you can spot one more easily. First, your bank will never call you to request personal information, such as your social security number, bank account number or security code, birthdate, email, or address. They will, however, send you text messages if thats how youve set up your account to receive alerts. It may be regarding a withdrawal amount or asking if you authorized a purchase. Usually, its just you replying yes or no. If its ever more than that, go to your banks website, look up the contact number, and call that number to see whats going on.

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Scammers tend to be urgent when asking for a request, such as sensitive information, a security code, or a money transfer, but a legitimate bank representative wont mind if you say youll call back at the number found on the bank website. Always ask for their contact information, including name and extension. If its something such as an account in collections, ask that they send everything to you in writing. Never agree to a money transfer or buying a gift card. (The r/scams subreddit is a good resource to search, too.) If something feels off, trust your gut.

More Money Advice

Listen to Athena discuss spending on Slates How To! podcast:

Dear Pay Dirt,

We have a 16-year-old rising junior. We have been saving for his college but do not have enough to pay for it completely. If he gets a state scholarship, he could get an additional few thousand dollars. So in theory, he could get a part-time job or take out about $6,000 a year in loansor a combination of bothand get out of school without a ton of debt. We also live in a state where he could go to community college for two years for free. He talks about going to college but is a little all over the place. He has mentioned multiple times that he doesnt want to go into crippling debt for an education, but he also doesnt want to go to any school in state. Then the next day he says he is going to go to junior college for free and use all the savings for two years of university.

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I think it is time to have some kind of financial conversation with him on what kind of support he can expect from us so we can also start looking at his real options. What conversations should we be having with him? More specifically, as long as there are no unexpected life events, should we tell him how much we will probably have for him for school?

College Is Expensive!

Dear Expensive,

Ah, teenagers. One minute they want to be lawyers, then the next they could care less about it all together. It sounds like your son is just unsure of where to start this process and how to make a decision. Community colleges are fantastic for people who arent yet sure what they want to study, but it seems that he is the one who needs convincing.

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Schedule a family night with your son, order in a pizza, and crunch some numbers. You can use a tool like this one that will compare not only tuition at different schools but also other information such as graduation rates, classroom sizes, and student body diversity. These are all important factors to consider, in addition to tuition. With each school, make a list of finance options that may be applicable, such as grants, loans, scholarships, and contributions from family. Run some back-of-the-napkin numbers on what you can contribute and what hell need to cover himself, and how any loan repayments will look. This will hopefully help him see the differences and may help guide him toward a decision.

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If hes still on the fence, ask what appeals to him about going to an out-of-state school. State schools offer the same opportunities as private schools for far less money, with less debt and more chances to try things he wouldnt otherwise be able to. (I spent the summer abroad for a fraction of the price someone else spent because I attended a public school. Thanks, Arizona State!) Since hes a rising junior, you also have plenty of time to go on campus tours, talk through the positives and negatives of each, and reassure him you wont show up at his dorm unannounced every Saturday morning if he goes to the school an hour down the road. But starting the money conversation now and giving him all the tools to make an informed decision is an excellent move for both you and him.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

My mother is terribly worried that I wont be OK in retirement since I will have neither the magic $1 million saved (completely unrealistic for me) or even 10 times my last salary. But I have crunched the numbers and know that I will be OK. Im naturally frugal, exceptionally healthy, have multiple options for cheaper geographical relocation, work for a company that wants to keep older workers as long as possible, and have hobbies that are very low cost. Should I have to retire earlier than planned due to health reasons, I am excellent at ferreting out every possible local, state, federal, or charitable program that can help. Why is so much retirement advice so completely unrealistic for the lower or middle class? What can I tell her or give her to reassure Mom Ill be fine?

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Mom Will Always Worry

Dear Worry,

Im not entirely sure why there isnt more retirement advice that pertains to us peasants! But it sounds like youve done your homework and have a solid understanding of your expenses and available resources, so youre on the right track. And youre not alone when saying you will not be retiring with a million dollars to your name. On average, those ages 55 to 64 have about $104,000 put aside for retirement. Thats nowhere near enough, according to some experts, but there also a lot more options now for those who wish to retire with less.

You can also think of your mom worrying this way: She cares. Its parents job to not only worry about their kids but to also want the best for them and make sure they are safe, secure, and happyeven decades after theyre out of diapers. In typical mom fashion, start printing articles like this with more realistic advice for those in the middle class, and leave them around for her to find. Dont forget to give her a hug and thank her for caring, while youre at it.

Athena

More Advice From Slate

My daughter is turning 5 in a few months, and her best friend has her birthday the day before. We are good friends with her parents, who have suggested this year that we do a joint birthday party at a restaurant with a kids play area. I dont want to! I think us sharing the cost of the party would be a huge help to them, so Im feeling guilty. How do I get out of this in the most face-saving manner possible?
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

Dear Care and Feeding,

I need some help gaining perspective on my 15-year-old childs whiplash approach to gender and sexuality. For the last three years, they have been on a journey with regard to their sexuality, declaring and changing identities one every few weeks or months, even when those identities have been both contradictory (how can one be both asexual and polyamorous?) and hypothetical (my kid isnt dating and hasnt dated). They are committed to being anything but cisgender and hetero, and that identitywhatever it turns out to beappears from their actions and words to be the central part of their sense of self. They spent a lot of time on queer wikis, looking up new possible identities. They avidly ship fictional characters into same-sex couples, express anger/disappointment when shows/books have hetero couples, and talk constantly about LGBTQIA issues, representation, etc.

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I have been, and want to be, supportive. My kid deserves to be loved and celebrated for who they are, and however their identity settles out is fine with me. But I am also struggling with these rapid changes. In the last two weeks, my kid has changed their name once and pronouns twice, colored their hair, worn exaggeratedly feminine eye makeup, pinned their hair up to look masculine, purchased a bikini and a dress and then asked me to buy them a binder (because they think it would be fun to look like a boy sometimes). At this point, it feels like theyre trying on identities like costumes, and that makes me very uncomfortable. None of it feels authenticit seems more like a bid to stand out in a crowd or perhaps to find the limits of my acceptance.

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I have worked so hard to make sure my kids know they are loved unconditionally, but if this kid is looking for a boundary, maybe I should set one? I literally squirmed when I wrote that sentence; setting a random limit on acceptance goes against everything I believe. But at the same time, I am so, so tired of hearing about their identity day after day after day and of trying to keep up with the changes. Theyre a great, smart, interesting kid for a dozen different reasons; their gender/sexuality is just one aspect of their personality. Would it be wrong of me to say, in essence, I love you, and will never not love you. When you figure out your identity let me know, and in the meantime can we maybe stop talking about it all the time? Also, as the world opens up and my kid spends more time outside of our home, can I/should I ask them to be more thoughtful in how they present themselves? It seems to me that trans and nonbinary people cannot simply change their identities and expression for fun, so my kids behavior feels a little bit like cosplaying in a way that could be hurtful. Or do I just keep keeping my mouth shut, do my best to remember this weeks identity, and pray that this phase ends soon?

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Tired and Confused

Dear Tired,

Back in my day, we hid our evolving sexualities and gender identities from our parents! While that wasnt better, it was definitely less annoying, probably for everyone involved.

OK, but seriously, this kid is trying on identities like costumes, which is a normal part of adolescence, as is, for some people, needing all of these changes to be seen and acknowledged. Its extremely challenging for you as a parent to remain supportive when your kid is constantly contradicting themselves, but its their prerogativeup to a point. No matter what your pronouns are, its not OK to be an asshole to your mom. Your kid is looking for a boundary, youre absolutely rightbut its not a boundary on your acceptance, which they seem to have correctly intuited is genuinely boundless. The boundary is on their behavior, and how they are allowed to treat the people who care about them.

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You cant ask your kid to stop talking about gender and sexuality or table the question of their identity until they have it figured out, which presumes a kind of endpoint in their journey that might not exist for a while, or ever. But you can set limits on when or how you want to engage in these conversations. Its reasonable and healthy to say, I dont have the bandwidth for another conversation about this right now. Im busy with [thing that is important to you]. Can we set a time to pick this back up when I can focus better? You are important to me, and you deserve my full attention. Youll get a lot of pushback at first, probably, but stick to your guns, and follow through on your end of the bargain. It gets better, or at least different.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

I was raised Jewish and my partner was raised atheist, but while we celebrate the main Jewish holidays with my family, we also have decided to let our 8-year-old daughter choose if she wants to actually attend Hebrew school and have a Bat Mitzvah, as most of the reform synagogues in our area charge a lot of money for the programs, plus its a massive time commitment. Weve explained what a Bat Mitzvah is and how long it takes to study for one, and until now, she hasnt been interested in it, but last weekend, she attended her cousins Bat Mitzvah and her attitude has completely changed. She was bored during the ceremony, but she loved the small after-party, which my sister went all out for, and has now been begging us to send her to Hebrew school. She said she likes celebrating Passover and Hanukah with her grandparents, but she really wants to sing the special songs and wear a fancy dress and have a special party like her cousin did.

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My partner thinks that since shes only excited about going because of the party and attention that comes with a Bat Mitzvah, in a few years she may decide she actually doesnt want that and well be out several thousand dollars. I will admit that Ive always hoped that my daughter would have a Bat Mitzvah, but I also remember that at her age, I too was more interested in the big party and presents my siblings got than in sitting through prayers I didnt fully understand. But as I got older, I learned more about the meanings of different prayers and the parts of the ceremony, and was able to fully appreciate it. And at her age, Hebrew school at most reform synagogues is just learning the alphabet and playing games with other kidsits not like wed be having her read the Torah for six hours every Saturday. I think that since we promised our daughter that she could choose if and when to start Hebrew school, we should honor that promise, no matter why she wants to join, but I also understand my partners hesitation, as our daughter has gone through phases of being really into one activity and then quitting after a few months when she finds something new. What do you think we should do here?

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Hebrew School Hang-Ups

Dear H.S.H.,

Look, I dont want to come off as some kind of religious extremist here, but have you considered  practicing Judaism?

I understand the challenges of raising interfaith kids, and I hear you about the expense and time commitment involved in preparing for a Bat Mitzvah. But in the absence of any Jewish observance or education apart from a twice-annual holiday celebration with the grandparents, how can you expect your 8-year-old to want to have a Bat Mitzvah for any reason besides its a fun party with lots of presents? Of course thats going to be her takeawayshe has no other basis for extrapolating the meaning of that milestone. Also, shes 8. Its not fair to her to expect her to make a decision this big without enough information, but also, its not fair to her to expect her to make a big decision, period. Your husband is second-guessing her choice, which isnt great, but it also wasnt a good idea to make the choice hers to begin with.

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Without being explicit about the fact that youre rolling back the promise you made to let her choose her own Hebrew school adventure, see if you can stall a bit by exploring what having a meaningful regular engagement with Jewish religious or cultural life would mean for you as a family. These traditions resonated with you at some point, and now its up to you to explore what that might mean for you as an adult. While it might take some time to find the path that feels right to you, you can at least find company in your search. There is a whole generation of people who were raised Jewish and are now actively looking for ways to raise kids who have a connection to some aspect of that faith. It might be the rituals and traditions, the cultural and historic aspects, or the questioning, searching, argumentative way of engaging with philosophical questions. Or maybe youll find that none of this is actually important to you and that youre content with things as they arein which case, your daughter should just have a regular 13th birthday. Thats also fine. But expecting her to be the only religious person in your family from ages 8 to 13 is a recipe for lasting confusion and resentment, even if it culminates in a great party.

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 If you missed Sundays Care and Feeding column, read it here.

 Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group!

Dear Care and Feeding,

My partner was raised by a father who yelled, withheld affection, and used shame as a tool of control. His family would describe it as being hard on the boys, but we both recognize it was toxic, damaging, and not OK. His mom was largely silent about the treatment. He and we have done a lot of work over the past few years to undo the damage, and hes a loving, sensitive father to our 2-year-old.

The issue is that his parents want all of the traditional grandparent relationship with our child (and another on the way), but my partner has never resolved with them, much less discussed, the pain that their parenting caused. So, he feels exhausted and hurt at the end of visits, and talks about how much he doesnt want to spend time with them. Conversation is stilted and his Dad shares abusive parenting anecdotes as if everything was OK. And then hell say yes to another multiday overnight visit. I know this is my partners relationship to manage, but I really dont know how to support him as we navigate this new phase of his relationship with his parents. If they were treating my daughter similarly, Id have no problem putting my foot down, but so far they have been loving and attentive grandparents (phew!). The awkwardness and passive aggressive behavior are exhausting for me too. Is this a wait and see situation? Do I just keep having an open ear and hope it resolves?

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Unsure of Grandparents

Dear Unsure,

Your husband and his parents are trying to leapfrog over their painful past and fast-forward straight to a happy, easy grandparent-dom, and for obvious reasons, thats not going well. The problems are theirs to solve, but they affect you. Unfortunately, theres nothing you can do except make it clear to your husband that these multiday visits that leave him emotionally spent are hard on both of you, and that he needs to find a way to begin to change that. Maybe hes ready to talk to his parents openly about how their parenting affected him, inaugurating a new chapter in their relationship, or maybe what he needs is space to heal without being reminded of the past. Either way, the current situation is not working.

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Especially as you head into the challenge of parenting two young kids, you need to create a solid framework for your own emotional well-being as parents and adults. It sounds like you have supported your husbands growth and had an open ear as he has struggled to process the way he was parented. Going forward, maybe he will also be willing to do more of that work with a support group or a therapist (assuming he doesnt already have one), so that you are not solely responsible for supporting his mental health, in addition to your other caretaking responsibilities. This stuff is hard to navigate as a family, but hes a grown-up and is ultimately the one who needs to make choices about his adult relationship with his parents.

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For more of Slates parenting coverage, listen to Mom and Dad Are Fighting

Dear Care and Feeding,

I am an avid reader of all the Slate advice columns, and generally find myself in agreement with most of the responses. However, I have noticed a recent trend in the answers given to questions regarding COVID vaccination refusal and family/friend relationships. Overwhelmingly, the responses are to end, temporarily or permanently, relationships with people who refuse to be vaccinated. This is, I think, an extreme overreaction, and is most likely not in the best interest of anyone involved.

For some context, I have a doctorate in a medical field and have family members who have and have not been vaccinated, all of whom I see regularly. Myself and my spouse got our vaccines as soon as we were eligible, and we have a young daughter who is still ineligible. Thankfully, children and infants, the only demographic not currently able to be vaccinated, are at very low risk for serious illness. Everyone else can and should get the vaccine, and is therefore safe from serious illness or death. Are there exceptions? Sure. Everything in life has exceptions. We cannot live in a zero-risk society.

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Unfortunately, though, your focus on the risks of COVID overlooks an additional serious risk: The pandemic has destroyed or weakened many peoples social support systems and led to a massive mental health crisis. I myself have lost many friends due to the prolonged separation and trauma of this ongoing event. Advising people to end or jeopardize their remaining relationships to potentially stave off a small risk of minor illness is frankly bad advice. Now more than ever we need to reaffirm our social support systems and be thankful for those relationships which remain. Although I am left-leaning politically, I find it appalling that vaccines have become politicized by the right and the left, and your columns ill-given advice to blow up peoples support networks over vaccine refusal is exactly thatan unnecessary politicization which is designed to punish those who refuse the vaccine or keep company with refusers. Please recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health and stop sowing divisiveness around this issue.

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Frustrated and Flummoxed

Dear Frustrated,

This is tricky territory to navigate, and while I cant speak on behalf of every single one of my advice-columnist colleagues, Im willing to own up to having navigated this issue imperfectly in the past. I certainly agree with you that mental health and physical health are equally important; in fact, I believe they are one and the same. But where we might diverge, Frustrated, is that I dont think Im sowing divisiveness when I give people permission to avoid their unvaccinated friends and family members. Its not in the best interest of anyones mental health to wish this issue away or pretend that it doesnt exist.

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You and I both understand that support networks are important, especially when it comes to friends and relatives who help provide child care. Parents arent meant to go it alone, and the cost of quality care is prohibitive for many U.S. families. In general, and especially when this issue informs a parents decision about socializing with unvaccinated people, my advice is informed by the principle of harm management. Its incredibly difficult to forgo family help, but it might also be psychologically taxing for the new mother of an infant to leave that child in the care of someone who has made the decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. We now know that COVID-19 poses a very small risk to children, its true. But would a person who is willing to ignore the risks their choices, writ large, impose on societywhose values are informed by far-right conspiracy theoriesbe a good caretaker in other ways? Is that person likely to get a flu shot, or a DTaP booster? That all enters the calculus, and while Im not able to tell anyone what the exact right answer is in a given situation, I want parents to make choices that keep them safer, both physically and psychologically.

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The exception to this is when friends and family members are not willing to get the vaccine because they come from a community that experiences medical racism. Its on all of us to meet people where they are and open dialogues about the vaccine that are grounded in mutual respect and openness, and I continue to recommend this how-to guide for people who think they have a shot at changing someones mind.

But when vaccine-avoidant peoples minds seem to be firmly made up, I am going to continue to give the advice that its OK to back away from those relationships. Refusing a proven-safe vaccine isnt a choice that only affects the person who makes it; it has repercussions for medically vulnerable people and for the medical personnel who must care for those who become very sick. When a friend or family member has made a morally indefensible choice, its not always clear whether our obligation is to support them, cut ties, or to find some middle path. I trust my readers to determine which of those courses is right for them, and I think all of them are valid responses.

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Emily

More Advice From Slate

My 5-year-old son recently had a play date at the house of a kindergarten friend of his. When my wife picked him up, the friends mother explained that the two boys had gotten dirty playing in the sprinkler, and so she had given him a bath. My jaw dropped when I found out. I quizzed my son and apparently no other adults were present, no cameras were seen, and she did not touch his privates. He had fun and did not seem bothered by the bath. Nevertheless, I am upset that a stranger would strip my child and bathe him without first checking with us. My wife thinks that this can be explained as a cultural difference as the friends parents are immigrants, and that the mother was trying to be respectful. I want to put the kibosh on the relationship. What would you suggest?
A global investigation involving 17 media organizations found that military-grade spyware designed by an Israeli firm has been used to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and business executives around the world. Israel-based NSO Group created and leases the Pegasus spyware, which is designed to track terrorists and criminals. But the new evidence suggests the spyware could have been provided to leaders of countries that have problematic human-rights records and they are using it to persecute political enemies. The data calls into question whether the NSO Group is making good on its promise to police its clients for human rights abuses.

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The investigation began with a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International. They in turn shared that with 17 news organizations, including the Washington Post and the Guardian, that carried out months of reporting to track down the numbers. Its unclear who put the numbers on the list or why and just because a number is on the list doesnt mean it was necessarily hacked. But through forensic analysis, the investigation was able to determine that at least 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, human rights activists, and business executives were hacked. Among the victims of the hack are two women close to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Pegasus software was installed on the phone of Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggis fiancee, four days after the Saudi journalist was killed.

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By combing through the phone numbers, reporters were able to identify more than 1,000 people in more than 50 countries. The people included several Arab royal family members, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists, and more than 600 politicians and government officialsincluding cabinet ministers, diplomats, and military and security officers. The numbers of several heads of state and prime ministers also appeared on the list, reports the Washington Post. The journalists whose numbers are included in the list include reporters from some of the worlds largest news organizations, including CNN, the Associated Press, Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Le Monde, the Financial Times and Al Jazeera.The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media. It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice, Amnestys secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, said.

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The Pegasus software is a malware that infects both iPhones and Android devices and grants access to all information stored in a smartphone. It can also secretly activate microphones. NSO Group has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and claims the global investigation is full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories. The company said the 50,000 phone numbers cannot be a list of numbers targeted by governments using Pegasus, based on this exaggerated number but vowed it would continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action. NSO Group insists it only sells its software to vetted government agencies but critics say this investigation shows how the private surveillance industry lacks regulation.
Over the last several weeks, there has been an unprecedented public campaign on the part of progressives to try to pressure Justice Stephen Breyer, age 82, to resign from the Supreme Court. Despite these efforts, in an interview with CNNs Joan Biskupic that was reported on Thursday, the justice indicated that he has not yet decided when or whether to retire. Almost immediately after the interview was published, further calls came for Breyer to step down.

There have not been many voices countering the wisdom and appropriateness of the campaign, but those criticisms are powerful. Justice Breyer is well aware of the stakes involved in the timing of his departure from the court, and the pressure applied to him only makes it more difficult for someone who decries the politicization of law to step down. But there is one fact relevant to potential retirement and the future of the court that, to my knowledge, no one has pointed out: history shows that pundits, and even presidents, are not good actuaries.

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History is replete with mispredictions about the likely longevity of potential Supreme Court nominees. When Justice John Paul Stevens was nominated in 1975 there was widespread concern that, because of a recent heart attack, he would not be on the court long. But Stevens remained on the court for 35 years, retiring in 2010. He passed away two years ago at the age of 99. When President Theodore Roosevelt nominated Oliver Wendell Holmes for the court in 1902, there were similar concerns about the length of the 61-year-old Civil War veterans likely tenure in office. Holmes retired from the court 30 years later, in 1932 and died in 1935 two days shy of his 94th birthday. But the best example of the problem with predicting longevity is offered by the most prominent case when considerations of age influenced a Supreme Court appointment.

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The year was 1943, and the potential nominee was Judge Learned Hand of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. While Hand is little known to the general public today, he may be the one appellate judge every first year law student remembers, and not just because of his unforgettable name. His opinions are still the staple of law school casebooks, in subjects as diverse as constitutional law, contracts, torts, copyright, and admiralty. He is often described as the best appellate court judge of the 20th century.

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When Justice James Byrnes stepped down from the court to aid President Franklin Roosevelts World War II effort, Hand was an obvious candidate to succeed him. Justice Felix Frankfurter, among many others, lobbied Roosevelt for his appointment.

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But Hand was 71. When Attorney General Francis Biddle met with Roosevelt to discuss the potential candidates, they both dismissed Hand, despite his eminence and achievements. Biddle later reported they had agreed Hand was simply too old. Attentive to the future and the opportunity to shape the court for many years ahead, Roosevelt chose a nominee more than a generation younger than Hand. And, so, Wiley Rutledge, age 48, joined the court.

Justice Rutledge, Roosevelts last appointment to the court, had a distinguished tenure, and he was a role model for one of his clerks, future Justice John Paul Stephens.

But that tenure was short. After six years on the court, Rutledge died of a stroke in 1949, at the age of 55.

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By that time, Hand, 77, was considered clearly too old for even consideration. President Harry Truman nominated Judge Sherman Minton, age 58, to fill the seat.

But Mintons tenure was also abbreviated. He retired in 1956 at age 65 because of ill health, leaving Republican President Dwight Eisenhower to nominate the successor to Rutledge and Minton.

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Long after Rutledge had passed away and years after Minton retired, after Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower each had the opportunity to fill the Supreme Court seat that Hand had been denied, Hand continuedon, on, and on. He authored the influential books The Spirit of Liberty (1952) and The Bill of Rights (1958), and he wrote countless additional important Second Circuit decisions. Hand died in 1961 at age 89, the year President John Kennedy took office. Up to his final yearsome 18 years after he had been denied a Supreme Court nomination because of his ageHand remained active on the Second Circuit, producing classic opinions on topics ranging from tax law to labor law, immigration law, and tort law.

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If he had been named to the court and stayed on until his death, Justice Hand would have become the third-oldest person to serve on the court.

The only justices who were older when they left the court: Holmes and Stevens.

The Hand story suggests three important points.

First, the life-time tenure system established by the Constitution both puts pressure on presidents to pick younger appointees over older candidates whom they might otherwise select and, at the same time, makes the happenstance of individual longevity a powerful factor in shaping constitutional law. In April, President Joe Biden established a commission of legal experts to consider various proposals for court reform. Term-limits are one of the topics they will consider, and current bipartisan proposals to establish lengthy, but fixed, term-limits for Supreme Court justices (typically 18 years) would, at least in part, address the problems created by a system of life-time tenure. If FDR had ultimately decided Hand was the most qualified candidate, he might have nominated him for the court because the advantages of picking a much younger nominee like Rutledge would have been diminished. Conversely, Justice Rutledges untimely death would have been less consequential for constitutional law. President Roosevelt doubtless envisioned that Justice Rutledge would serve on the courts for decades, rather than a term of a fixed period. His death after only six years on the court altered the arc of constitutional law in a way that was far greater than it would have been if he had died in the middle of a term of limited duration.

Second, nothing in life is predictable, including, above all, the tenure of life itself.

Finally, if Justice Breyer decides not to retire, those worried about the future of the liberal wing of the court may take comfort in the Hand story. News accounts report that Justice Breyer is very attentive to his health and that he has a good exercise regime. At 82, he may have many years on the court ahead.

Who knows? 82 may be the new 71.
It may seem a wonky piece of trivia that a man named Michael Brown withdrew his nomination last week to be the Pentagons acquisitions chief. But in fact, its a national security disaster, a retreat from a promise of major reform in the way the U.S. military buys weapons, a process currently controlled by one of Washingtons most sclerotic bureaucracies. It is also worth noting that Browns withdrawal was forced by an enabler of that bureaucracy.

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Brown is currently the head of the Defense Innovation Unit, a small branch of the Pentagon, based in Silicon Valley, which was created in 2015 to apply breakthrough civilian technology to military needs.

The idea for DIU was spawned in 2006, when an F-16 pilot named Raj Shahwho later became the units presidentwas flying combat missions in Iraq. His cockpits GPS screen showed him the coordinates for his targets, but there was no overlaid imageno moving dot or iconthat showed where he was in relation to those coordinates. During his home leave, he bought an iPAQ, one of the early pocket PCs, and loaded it with a standard, cheap aviation-map program. Back in his F-16, he strapped the pad to his lap and relied on it for navigation, ignoring the planes multimillion-dollar mil-spec software.

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Shah realized that commercial technology was racing ahead of the U.S. militarysa dangerous trend, given the nations reliance on its technical edge to win wars.

President Barack Obamas last secretary of defense, Ashton Carter, set up DIUx (as it was called then, the x standing for experimental) to fill the gap. It was a rambunctious office at first, bitterly resisted by the Pentagon weapons bureaucracyand not so welcome in Silicon Valley, where executives tended to distrust government. The few executives who took a meeting with DIUx were disappointed. In the business world, a meeting generally ends with a decision. In the defense world, a meeting ends with another meeting, which might lead to a requirement written by one of the military services, which the acquisitions bureaucrats would translate into a request for proposal, to which corporations would respond with product designs, which other bureaucrats would evaluate, leading to a contract for a prototype, followed by testing, then finally a contract for a weapona process that took (and still takes) years, by which time the technology would be two or three generations outdated. All along, the officers who wrote the original requirements would never speak to the corporate managers who built the resulting weapon.

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DIUs aim was to bring business practices and schedules into the world of weapons systemsstarting out with small stuff, gradually scaling up. They worked under an obscure law governing Other Transaction Authority, or OTA, allowing contractors to bypass the onerous rules and regulations while designing prototypes. This authority was created in the 1950s to allow NASA to keep up with the Russians in the space race. Much later, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency invoked OTA in its highly celebrated Cyber Fast Track program, which resulted in the awarding of 130 contracts, no more than two weeks after the initial proposal, at an average cost of $150,000.

In 2015, the year of DIUs founding, Congress passed an amendment, known as Section 815, allowing OTA contracts for a wider range of projects, as long as a senior official affirmed that they enhanced military effectiveness. This gave DIU a mandate to expand its missionand assured Silicon Valley companies that they could bid for a contract and hear back on its success or failure in a matter of weeks.

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Brown became DIUs president in 2018, just as business was taking off. He was ideal for the job, having experience in Washington (as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow who wrote the first paper warning of Chinas military use of Silicon Valley software) and in technology (as CEO of Symantec, Quantum Corporation, and EqualLogic, leaders in cybersecurity and data storage). Under his leadership, DIU has contracted 95 prototypes, nearly half of which have entered production.

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In short, if the Pentagons acquisitions bureaucracy was going to step into the world of cloud computing, A.I., 5G, cybersecurity, and autonomous command-control (the areas of most of DIUs projects), Brown was ideally suited to take charge.

On May 28, 2020, on his last day of his job as DIUs chief technology officer, a civil servant named Bob Ingegneri filed a complaint with the units supervisors, charging Brown with violating standard practicesspecifically, paying friends and colleagues higher-than-normal salaries to come work for the unit, in violation of regulations.

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The supervisors gave the complaint to DIUs new lawyer, who had just taken the job. The lawyer wrote an 80-page report, rebutting all but one of Ingegneris complaints. It turned out some of the complaints were untrue, and others referred to payment practices that Congress had allowed for DIU and DARPA, so they could hire experts who would be unlikely to work for civil servant salaries. More than that, the salaries that Brown offered had been approved by Washington Headquarters Services, which one Pentagon official told me is the stodgiest bureaucracy of them allif they didnt think Brown was doing wrong, then he wasnt doing wrong.

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That was the end of the contretemps, until this past April, when the Biden administration nominated Brown to be undersecretary of defense for acquisitionsa move that everyone saw as a green light for innovation in defense contracting. Kathleen Hicks, the deputy secretary of defense, touted DIU as a model of innovation. Shortly after his Senate confirmation, Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, made a publicized trip to its headquarters.

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But then, Ingegneri filed his old complaint to the Defense Departments inspector general. He also called a number of reporters, rousing a couple of them, from Defense One and FedScoop, small news sites but widely read within the national security bureaucracy, to write stories. Those stories roused attention from other, larger papers and from senior officials. The officials made inquiries to the IG, who told them that the investigation into Brown could last anywhere from a few months to a year. It was this commentthe possibility that the Pentagon job might be left open for a yearthat prompted Brown to withdraw his nomination. He remains the head of DIU. (Ingegneri, who now works at a consulting firm, did not respond to a request for an interview. Neither did Brown or the IGs office.)

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A longtime defense consultant who read the complaint and the DIU lawyers earlier rebuttal told me he was puzzled by the IGs estimate. It seemed to the consultant that Brown had done nothing wrong; even a thorough investigation would take no longer than a month or two. However, he also knew that merely saying that it might take as long as a year would, in effect, kill the nominationand the IG must have known this when he said so.

The Pentagons inspector general has long been hostile to the Other Transaction Authority contracts that DIU and a few other agencies have invoked. This past April, the IG published an audit criticizing the whole practice of OTA as hindering oversight, transparency, and accountability. In a sense, the report is rightthe whole point of OTA is to allow innovative projects to evade the normal, sluggish procurement process. But the report doesnt point out that Congress and previous defense secretaries have allowed these evasions for this purpose. Nor does it point out the power struggle thats implicit in this auditthat DIU and other units like it pose a challenge to the IGs authority and purpose.

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It is also a bit ironic that the IG is complaining about the somewhat closed nature of contracts worth a few tens of millions of dollars, when multibillion-dollar projects lumber through the process, checking every box and crossing every T, winding up with enormous cost overruns and weapons that dont workwhich the IG then criticizes, a dozen years too late, for excess costs and underperformance.

In other words, the IG is inclined to look askance at the prospect of Michael Brown, the head of DIU, running the Pentagons entire acquisitions shop. It may explain why officials were told the investigation could take a year.

Meanwhile, there is nothing the Pentagon or anyone else in the Biden administration can do about it. Trump fired five IGs for investigating corruption and malfeasance in his administration. Biden made a commitment to ensuring the independence of IGs across the federal agenciesproperly soand therefore cant interfere, cant even intrude to ask questions, on a matter like this.

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The IG does valuable work, but over the years, some people have weaponized the IG, tied up peoples careers for months or years, sometimes to the detriment of security, one former Pentagon official told me. That seems to be whats going on here.

Bill Greenwalt, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute who wrote Section 815 when he was a staffer on the Senate Armed Services Committee, agrees with that point, telling me that the IG has long been hostile to changes in law that allow flexibility and alternative approaches.

He added, Make no mistake, Brown would have shaken up the system, and the losers would have been the Chinese, the traditional defense contractors, and public employees who dont want to change to meet the threats of our times.
This article is part of the Free Speech Project, a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

On Friday, President Joe Biden took a swing at Facebook over coronavirus-vaccine misinformation that continues to proliferate on the platform. Theyre killing people, Biden told reporters when asked what his message was to Facebook and other platforms regarding misinformation and the pandemic. I mean they really, look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated, and thatstheyre killing people. This blunt, if brief, accusation was enough to kick off a weekend news cycle in which the social-networking giant aggressively pushed back against the White House and nearly every close watcher of the company weighed in on the extent to which Facebook deserves blame for the millions of Americans who continue to refuse to get COVID shots.

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The tensions between the houses of Biden and Zuckerberg arent quite a sudden development. According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook and the White House have been privately meeting for months to discuss ways to curb anti-vaccine content. The administration had reportedly been optimistic about the prospect of working with Facebook, but talks recently fell apart as officials decided that the platform has a flawed and insufficiently rigorous approach to confronting vaccine hesitancy. And its not just Biden whos ramping up public pressure on Facebook. Earlier in July, White House chief of staff Ron Klain told the New York Times that people in focus groups that the administration is commissioning on vaccines are most commonly pointing to Facebook as the source of misinformation theyve seen on the topic. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy additionally called on social media companies to take responsibility for addressing the harms of vaccine misinformation in his first advisory of this administration, and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has called on Facebook to work harder to remove anti-vax posts. On Monday, Biden addressed the issue with a lighter touch, saying, My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow Im saying Facebook is killing people, that they would do something about the misinformation, the outrageous misinformation about the vaccine. Thats what I meant.

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Theyre killing people, President Biden says when asked about COVID misinformation spreading on social media platforms. https://t.co/TDE9ZJqnEb pic.twitter.com/HBLcFtwVTh  CBS News (@CBSNews) July 16, 2021

After Bidens initial comments, Guy Rosen, Facebooks vice president of integrity, wrote a sharp-elbowed blog post claiming that the facts do not bear out the presidents accusations, and suggested that the administration is trying to shift the blame on Facebook for failing to reach its goal of getting 70 percent of Americans vaccinated by July 4. (The country narrowly missed the mark, with a 67 percent vaccination rate.) The fact is that vaccine acceptance among Facebook users in the US has increased, Rosen wrote. These and other facts tell a very different story to the one promoted by the administration in recent days. He further asserted that more than 3.3 million Americans have used Facebooks vaccine finder tool to schedule an appointment, and that the platform has already taken down more than 18 million pieces of COVID-19 misinformation. However, the post did not disclose how many people interacted with those 18 million pieces of content, as Harvard Shorenstein Center research director Joan Donovan noted.

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Was Biden right in pointing the finger at Facebook for its role in facilitating the spread of vaccine misinformation, or was his ire misplaced? A bit of both, actually. As it turns out, the story is a lot more complicated than either party has acknowledged.

Ultimately, Facebook has improved in the way it deals with health misinformation during the pandemic in terms of taking down and limiting the spread of such content, and the platform likely isnt the main driver of vaccine hesitancy in this country. But at the same time, the anti-vax movement wouldnt be as powerful and pernicious as it is without Facebook.

Stanford Internet Observatory research manager Renee DiResta, an expert on the online tactics of the anti-vaccination movement, argues in a worthwhile Twitter thread that after being snubbed by the mainstream media and more traditional outlets, anti-vaxxers began relying heavily on Facebook around 2009 to find more followers. They used groups, pages, and ads as the publicity-generating infrastructure that would sustain their cause for years to follow. Facebook was hesitant to take action because anti-vaxxers were increasingly framing their views as being political in nature, especially after a 2015 bill outlawing personal and religious exemptions for school vaccines in California. Facebook has until recently been extremely reluctant to moderate political content, and anti-vaxxers were able to take advantage of that permissiveness to prime people with medical misinformation and cultivate a receptive audience. By the time the COVID-19 vaccines came along, anti-vaxxers were ready to mobilize the infrastructure theyd built on social media. Facebook has played an important part establishing an internet ecosystem that allows lies to spread much faster than the truth, and despite the platforms current efforts to provide accurate vaccine information, its trying to climb out of a hole that its helped to dig for more than a decade.

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That being said, its not clear that Facebook is the primary engine behind vaccine misinformation at this very moment. As Charlie Warzel points out in Galaxy Brain, while Facebook does have a role in amplifying this misinformation, its also likely been able to reach more people with pro-vaccine resources than many government campaigns due to its sheer size and audience capture. In addition, experts seem to place more of the blame for vaccine hesitancy on established conservative voices like Fox News and Republican politicians. While Facebook may help to amplify these viewsand reach them in private groups where one-on-one persuasion can happeninfluential establishments and figures already have their own huge platforms through which to reach impressionable followers. On top of that, its tricky to determine how much of the blame to place on Facebook because there isnt a lot of comprehensive information about the extent and nature of the problem on the platform. The White House has been repeatedly citing a report from the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate that found that 65 percent of anti-vaccine misinformation on social media is coming from about 12 individuals. Facebook both disputes the reports methodology and claims to have taken action against some of these individuals accounts.

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As Donovan and others have noted, Facebook likes to release a lot of flattering statistics about its efforts to promote accurate information and take down lies, but it conveniently tends to omit data about the number of users who are seeing misinformation and the ways in which they engage with that content. Reporting from the New York Times suggests that the company is mulling the prospect of restricting toolsthe valuable, Facebook-owned CrowdTanglethat researchers use to try to understand which pieces of content are spreading the most on the platform. Independent analyses, such as one conducted by NPR on the virality of stories about people dying after getting vaccinated, suggest that the problem may be more serious than Facebook would like to admit. NPR found that in almost half of all the days from January to March of 2021, such stories were among the most popular vaccine-related articles on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Its not clear what the White House can do itself to limit the spread of vaccine misinformation, given that direct government intervention could run afoul of the First Amendment. Beyond more short-term fixes, its also not clear what Facebook can or is willing to do about the fact that its size and engagement incentives make anti-vax content spread so quickly on the platform. For lawmakers currently scrutinizing Big Tech, though, all of this may add up to yet another reason to try to limit Facebooks influence. And while theyre focused on health misinformation, YouTubes and Amazons, too.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Is the world better or worse than when you were born? That can be a difficult question to answer. Technology and medicine have never been more advanced, life expectancies continue to grow, and some people are the wealthiest in human history. But that progress comes coupled with concerns about climate change, wealth inequality, political unrest, and the future.

Future Tense invited author, economist, and former New America fellow Charles Kenny to discuss his new book Your World Better: Global Progress and What You Can Do About It. The book targets an important demographic: the engaged middle school student. It is meant to encourage kids to help better the world themselves, and embolden them with a sense of power, rather than hopelessness, about the state of the planet theyre inheriting. (All author royalties from the book will go to UNICEF.) Charles chatted on Slack with five middle-school studentsAva, 11; Claire, 13; Jordan, 12; Marisa, 13; and Muskan, 12to get their impressions of the world, and how they plan on changing it. This conversation has been edited and condensed.

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Charles Kenny: Hi all! Lets start by having you briefly introduce yourselves.

Ava Hi, Im Ava! Im from California but live in Arizona.

Jordan: Hi everyone, my name is Jordan!

Muskan: Hi, I am Muskan from Minneapolis. I just got my second COVID shot today.

Charles: Congratulations, hope no side effects!

Claire: Hello Im Claire and I am from Maryland!

Marisa: Hi Im Marisa, and Im from California.

Charles: Great! Thanks so much for doing this and Im really excited about the chat today! Im Charles Kenny, the author of Your World Better: Global Progress and What You Can Do About It.

Im also a dad of two kids, 10 and 13. The 10-year-old liked the book, the 13-year-old said the first version was a dumpster fire but says she likes it more now.

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I want to start with some questions about you, what you think about the state of the country and the planet and your life, and then lets get into a discussion about the progress weve made, the problems that remain, and what you can do about them.

How many lights are in the room you are in now (give or take)? (I reckon there are about nine where I am).

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Jordan: Three for me and the lights are pretty bright.

Claire: Around 10.

Ava: Four, but one burned out.

Marisa: I have five, but only one of them is on.

Muskan: Three and a lamp.

Charles: Great. Second random question: Do you have a toilet in your house (yes/no)? (In mine, thats a yes!)

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Muskan: Yes.

Jordan: Yes.

Claire: Yes.

Ava: Yes.

Marisa: Yes.

Charles: Good!

OK, moving on  Would you rather have been born when your grandparents were young or today?

Muskan: I would say today.

Claire: I would rather be born today.

Jordan: I feel like todays time is easier, but my grandparents seem to be fine so Im split. But if I had to choose, I would say today.

Marisa: Today.

Maybe in the 90s or early 2000s because of the culture. Im curious about it.  Ava

Ava: It would be cool to live in a time with different fashion and lifestyles, but I feel I would be better off today.

Charles: That seems pretty unanimous  is there any other time in the past that youd rather have been born?

Jordan: Not really but the time in between when all the wars stopped and now, I guess.

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Marisa: I love history but I feel like maybe it would be better to be born today.

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Claire: No, I would still like to be born today because I think a lot of things have changed for the better now.

Muskan: I would rather be born today, but I wonder what it would be like to be born as the first couple of people on Earth just to see what that wouldve been like.

Ava: Hmm  Maybe in the 90s or early 2000s because of the culture. Im curious about it. My parents are always bringing up interesting things from when they were younger. So, its then or today. Both are a good time to be alive.

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Jordan: Um, I guess if I had to be born a time earlier than right now, the 90s sound like a good time.

Charles: OK cool. So weve done when, what about where. Would you like to move with your family to another country, or happy here?

Jordan: I would like to have been born in either Britain or Japan.

Charles: (I was born in BritainI admit I liked it there too J)

Ava: Im happy in America. Maybe it would be nice to visit other countries, but I dont think Id be up for living anywhere else.

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Marisa: I think that every country has its good parts and bad, but I feel like if I had an opportunity to move to a different country I would take it.

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Claire: I am very happy here but I agree with Ava, and love visiting other places.

Muskan: Im happy here, but I would also like to live in Europe just for the culture.

Charles: Marisawhere?

Marisa: Maybe to Britain or Canada.

Charles: Go Canuks!

I think living today in the U.S. or Europe or Japan is pretty much the best you can hope forfor all its many problems the U.S. is one of the richest, healthiest countries in the world ever. And that was a reason I asked about toilets and lightsmany people worldwide still dont have toilets in their houses, or running water or electric lights. And through most of history hardly anyone didthats just some of the ways I think the world has got better.

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(Or Canada! Canada is good!)

So thats kind of what the book is about. But I want to know what you think  so, on a scale of 1-10, how hopeful are you about the future? (1 means AAAARGH! 10 means YIPPPEEE!)

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Jordan: Eight as I feel that it will improve over time.

Muskan: Probably around six or seven.

Claire: Probably an 8/10.

Ava: Hmmmmmmmmm

six. No, seven. Yeah seven.

Marisa: Probably about a five. There are somethings Im hopeful about, others just look grim to my cynical mind.

Charles: Interesting Marisa, I want to come back to that.

Ava: I agree with Marisa.

Charles: So, if you had to grade your future, *Americas* future, and the worlds future, what are your three grades?

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Jordan: My future: seven

Americas: eight

Worlds: nine

Ava: Mine: nine. America: seven. World: six

Muskan: Mine is eight, Americas is seven, and worlds is six.

Marisa: For my future I might give a seven or an eight. Americas future probably a four or a five. The world I would give a five; it could really go any direction.

Claire: I would grade my future a nine because I am hopeful I will have a good life. I would grade Americas future an eight because I think things are changing for the better and hopefully that will continue. I would grade the worlds future a six because I am hopeful, but like Marisa said it could go any way.

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Charles: Jordan: why world > U.S. and you?

Jordan: Well I feel like my future will be bright, but if America goes through the right path it would be brighter and I would by association.

Muskan: For America I think it depends if we have better leaders, maybe it could be nine.

Charles: Muskanyou volunteering? :-)

Muskan: Maybe yeah haha.

Charles: OK, pop quiz (no Googling!): In 2020, a survey asked Americans if they were very happy, pretty happy, or not that happy. What proportion of Americans last year said they were very happy or pretty happy? Was it A) nine out of every 10 people; B) three-quarters; C) half; or D) one-quarter?

Muskan: B.

Marisa: D.

Claire: C.

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Jordan: I think it would probably be half, I can tell there are many that are not.

Ava: Three-quarters? Maybe? I feel like some people were happy and some unhappy due to the election, COVID, and everything else

Charles: So Muskan gets the prize (there is no prize).

Muskan: And Ava got it too.

Charles: (Sorry yes, congratulations Ava, and the nonprize is on its way to you too!)

(And you were right as to why!)

That was the worst year for decades by the way, usually it is about nine out of 10. But, well, you know  2020  Most people say they are happy but think most other people are miserable. They think theyre doing OK, but the world is heading for disasterwhy is that?

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Jordan: The looming threat that is corona and global warming.

Ava: All sorts of stuff. One of the main things in global warming and climate change.

Charles: But why does that worry you about the state of the world but not the state of you? (I honestly have no answerpop quiz over!)

Muskan: I think a lot of people think that more people are unhappy than actually are because they see a lot of it online.

Jordan: Well, it does worry me the world ends, I end alsothats my way of thinking.

Charles: You think you are in a better position re: global problems? Or is it what Muskan says? Or Jordans fatalism?

Marisa: Im not sure.

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Ava: Me neither.

Charles: (Nor am I!)

Claire: Same.

Jordan: Us as kids have seen way more than we need online, our generation is getting more and more of a presence online and I guess Ive been kinda desensitized.

Charles: Huh. So why are you all online if it makes you so darn depressed about the state of the planet?

Marisa: The internet can be kind of addictive sometimes. (I know that I sometimes spend too much time on it.)

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Ava: Because technology can be addicting  thats one reason

Jordan: Welp it kinda draws you in with the goods so much so that the bads are not as bad to the average online user.

Charles: Anything we can do to fix that?

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Jordan: We could try and go outside more and talk to people in person, just getting to know someone in real life is way different than online.

Marisa: Go outside. See the world as it is, with all its imperfections and realize how much more beautiful it is outside of a box.

Charles: So Im a dad and I worry about my kids Internet use. My parents used to worry about how much TV I watched. In the 19th century worried parents were concerned (really) with how much time kids spent reading novels. Do you think this time is different?

Jordan: Usually people play a persona in a way online, and you dont really have to worry about all the stuff going on outside. Its hard to know, but we all have probably seen or heard a tragedy online and have brushed it off. I think we all should take a little time out of our day to see the world as it really is.

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Claire: I think many people are online a lot or too much and people are focusing on a lot of bad things (which could also be beneficial to fixing those problems, but we need a balance of being online and being offline.

Muskan: I think its similar but is also different because the internet is so huge and has good and bad sides.

Marisa: They were worried about books! (Hides in the corner with her hoard.) It isnt really that different though.

Charles: Fair. There is probably such a thing as reading too many novels, too ;)

Ava: I think its only slightly different. Just like novels, not everything you see on the internet is true.

But screen time and blue light can be bad for you. If you have too much of it.

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Claire: I agree, Muskan.

Marisa: Ironically though this is being held online 

Charles: Marisaha! So parents (me) and grandparents quite often say things like in my day we didnt this Internet thing, we walked miles to a library. What is the most tiresome line like that you hear from adults?

Jordan: Ive seen way too much stuff online thats way much for a kid to be seeing. Also @Ava I have blue light glasses.

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Marisa: Ive never actually been told a phrase like that. (my dad likes to say back in the dark ages, does that count?)

Charles: Fair. Jordan, in my day we only had three TV channels and the nasty stuff came on after bedtime. It is far harder to control who sees what on the Internet  but are you all watching videos that are miserable about the state of the world, or is it just the general yuckiness makes you depressed about humankind?

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Ava: In my day, we would bike to friends houses and talk to them face to face. These days kids only text.

Muskan: What could you possibly be doing on your phone? There are a lot of things actually, and they can be good things.

Charles: (Ive done the bike to friends houses line. Now I feel old J) So, on average kids are happier about their future than adults are  Why do you think adults can be so happy to say the past was tough and yet think the future is going to be awful?

Jordan: I guess people just are like the past is the past and the future is bleak to them.

Muskan: Because so much has changed since we were born, and the birth rate just keeps increasing.

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Ava: I kinda agree with Muskan.

Charles: Muskan: change that is both good and bad?

Claire: With good change in technology also comes bad change, so that can be worrisome.

Marisa: I guess we didnt live through the past and experience all the bad things our ancestors did. We dont live with memories of a darker time. (Well I guess we do now considering we are living through COVID.)

Kids tend to look at things in a different light than many adults do.  Marisa

Muskan: Some parts may be bad, but still change happens so fast so we just feel like itll keep going this fast. But for older people it didnt happen as fast, so they might be less hopeful.

Charles: Muskaninteresting!

Jordan: I agree with @Muskan.

Charles: Marisado you think well view the world more positively as a result (assuming we fix COVID?)

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Jordan: For me definitely.

Marisa: Maybe, but my cynicism usually wins.

Charles: Claire raises an interesting point  So what do you think youll be saying to children when you are older along the in my day vein?

Ava: I have no idea what the future will be like, so thats hard to say right now.

Claire: For example in my day there was a global pandemic where I couldnt go to school or see my friends.

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Charles: Claire: Ha! Youre sure there wont be another one?

Ava: Oh thats a good one Claire.

Muskan: I think the same as Ava.

Marisa: Probably something about how I used to do real things instead of cheap simulations on the internet.

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Charles: So what is the biggest problem you will all be grappling with when you are older? Whats the biggest challenge we face now?

Ava: Global warming.

Jordan: Probably getting COVID under control and learning to live normally like we used to.

Marisa: When were older: college debt. Now: stereotypes.

Muskan: When were older itll probably be something like climate change and maybe having a lot less privacy because of the internet and technology.

Ava: Today, COVID. After thats under wraps, global warming.

Jordan: I agree Ava, global warming will be more prevalent in the future.

Claire: When we are older the biggest problem will be the ones related to the planet such as global warming, pollution, etc. Right now the biggest problems are probably global warming, pollution, and COVID.

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Charles: Climate and debt, privacy with the literacy gap and stereotypes as problems of today  So will we (you) solve the climate problem? And/or the privacy problem.

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Marisa: If we put our minds to it.

Muskan: Hopefully.

Ava: If we work together and really focus on it.

Charles: Why havent we (by which I mean 50-year-olds like me) solved it?

Jordan: I think that the reason that older people havent solved it may be just lack of resources

Marisa: Kids tend to look at things in a different light than many adults do. They can solve problems in creative ways that maybe an adult couldnt.

Charles: So if you lot will be better at it (I hope and believe thats true), how do you start having a bigger influence on what were doing than you do right nowhow do we get old people like me to pay attention to people like you?

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Jordan: We need to stand out. If you dont stand out you cant expect people to listen to you at all, they need to know you will help and will get it done.

Ava: We have to make an impact that will make them listen.

Muskan: Well a lot of things can spread through social media, and thats how we can get people to come together.

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Marisa: WE SHALL MAKE THEM!!!!!

Claire: I agree Jordan! We need to have conversations about these problems and we can use social media to spread it.

Jordan: But we cant become a morally dubious resistance.

Charles: So  what do you think would be more effectivethings like protests and school strikes or giving up meat, maybe biking more, turning out lights  or TikToks?

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Ava : Something more peaceful.

Marisa: Protests and school strikes. Stuff that gets into the newspaper. I know they read those.

Jordan: Protests and school protests.

Muskan: Things like turning out lights and biking more help, but protests make a bigger impact.

Claire: I think we need to spread the word of biking more, turning out lights, etc. through peaceful protests.

Jordan: I think we also really need to eat different foods and diversify our food sources. Also finances for companies need to be boosted as well.

Charles: So you think (i) you have some of the answers (I agree); (ii) they require collective change (otherwise you could just do personal stuff); and I guess (iii) so that means protest  because you cant vote, run for office etc. Would you lower the voting age?

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Jordan: No, I feel the voting age is just right because children act more on emotional motives (me included).

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Marisa: Yes I would, because younger people should have an influence on the future of their country/state/city.

Jordan: I think children should be able to vote for mayor and such but not president. Plus children could also be influenced by social media and parents alike.

Charles: Im influenced by parents and social media and I get to vote.

And Marisa: what age?

Claire: No, I think young people get influenced a lot by social media and once you are older you can learn to make your own decisions.

Muskan:I think maybe they should lower it to high school age. But I feel like the parents need to approve if they think their kids are mature enough.

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Jordan: Just imagine if a kid heard about something on social media and used their emotional rather than ethical and moral and logical reasoning.

Marisa: I think maybe lower the age to 15 or 13, thats at the age when most people are logical enough to make their own decisions.

Charles: Jordan?

Jordan: 13? Im 12 and I dont think Id be able to vote reasonably.

Marisa: Voting is also optional.

Charles: Jordan: What do you feel about the reasonableness of votes since you were born? All of them made sense?

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Jordan: No but that just means that thats my point of view, not the collective majority.

Charles: Fair!

But I will say that if you ask adults if the people who voted for the people they didnt vote for are behaving logically and so on, a declining majority would say yes. I think you are proving that you have the maturity and wisdom to vote! (Maybe.)

Jordan: Yes, I can see that point of view.

Charles: Right then, votes for 13-year-olds and the world will be fixed by the time Im 60. Its a plan.

And with that, weve been going for a while, and Im really grateful, but lets call it a wrap. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Go make the world a better place, and also have a great summer!

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
In Greek mythology Pegasus is a winged horse that could fly, and which eventually became a constellation. It is also seen as a symbol of soul and its immortality that can inspire poetry. However, in the world we live in it is an unstoppable military grade spyware that threatens to upend democratic processes around the world because it has lent itself to alleged governmental abuse in at least ten countries, including India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

A total of 37 phones, 10 of which are said to be Indian, were infected with the Pegasus spyware so powerful as to be able to strip mobile devices of any known security. In a sense, mobile devices infected with Pegasus are like an electronic tether which only created an illusion of free movement.

The spyware created by an Israeli company called NSO group and its availability is mainly restricted to governments. However, how these governments use the spyware is apparently beyond the control of the company. That means that it could just as easily be used to track a terrorists communications as a jealous minister spying on his wifes extramarital affair.

That is the thing with any great technology. It is morally not just agnostic but indifferent and there lies the rub. The expose of this spyware is a result of a significant investigation based on a leaked database accessed by Paris-based media nonprofit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International and shared with The Wire, Le Monde, The Guardian, Washington Post Die Zeit, Suddeutsche Zeitung and 10 other Mexican, Arab and European news organizations as part of a collaborative investigation called the Pegasus Project.

The investigation is causing both global ripples as well serious worries about how a spyware like this seriously threatens democratic processes and institutions apart from individual civil liberties. Since the mobile phone owners of those who were targeted never just call and message themselves a whole ecology of their friends gets swept up in such egregious surveillance.

It has been pointed out that Pegasus is so sophisticated that it turns your mobile phone into an appendage of yours and can even turn on its camera and microphone to watch and hear you without you realizing it. It might be best to shove your mobile phone into a microwave oven but please do not turn on the oven unless you want to both destroy the phone and create a serious fire hazard. You can also shove it up your arse sometimes.

I have no FOMO* about this as a journalist because my phone number is not on this list. In a sense, it may be a reflection on my inconsequentiality as a journalist but then I would rather be inconsequential than be intruded upon and defiled. To be sure, there are people whose phones may be needed to be tracked but a vast majority of people, including even those meddlesome journalists, do not deserve this at all.

I have just begun working on a story for Mayank Chhaya Reports (MCR) about the fallout of Pegasus. As part of that, tomorrow I will interview the leading India telecom and security expert Ravi Visvesvaraya Sharada Prasad.

Since I am working on the Pegasus story for MCR, my reading so far suggests that other than the act of infecting phones with the spyware, which is outrageous in itself and represents a major threat, the substance of it is still rather thin.

At one level, of course, the story is about the creation and use of a spyware which can strip your devices of all known security. At the more insidious level we have to establish how it has been deployed for clearly malicious purposes with larger societal consequences.

Among the names that came out today whose phones may have been infected is that Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi. Once again, reading the report I am not clear about the extent of spying, its details and its eventual political misuse and abuse against Rahul and others. Roughly such intrusions happened in 2018 which means in theory it has been about three years. I am not saying the intrusion lasted three years. Maybe it did, maybe it did not. The point though is whether Rahul Gandhi and others were subjected to coercive and even punitive measures resulting from the information that may have been collected from their phones. That goes for the journalists too. I have read about at least one case of a rural journalist, Rupesh Kumar Singh, whose name appears on the list was in fact jailed for writing a questioning report about the death of tribal man. Because of that reporting Singh was detained for two days on June 4-6, 2019.

As for Rahul, since he was a target of surveillance in the run-up to the 2019 general election, at the very least it shows a political intent by whoever ordered it. That in and of itself is deeply problematic.

Speaking in parliament Indias Communications and Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav sounded dismissive about the Pegasus controversy and quite predictably suggested that its timing was curious considering it came just a day before the start of the monsoon session of Indias parliament. It was if every newspaper in the world that carried the expose was waiting for the monsoon session to start. In any case, the timing of the expose has zero connection or relevance to the disturbing implications of this kind of surveillance.

*In case you do not speak the social media lingua franca, FOMO is a short for Fear of Missing Out.
Are Slovakia's national parks crowded?

See for yourself. A website with another traffic light system has been launched to help tourists.

A stone run near Somoska Castle in the south of central Slovakia. (Source: Branislav Caban/TASR)

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As if one traffic light system  for international travel  was not enough, Slovakia has launched another one  for nature lovers.

The latter, called Turisticky semafor (a traffic light system for tourism), aims to make a trip to Slovak national parks and protected natural areas a more pleasant experience while preserving nature at the same time.

The Turisticky semafor will display increased traffic, on the basis of which a visitor will be able to choose less busy places, the Environment Ministry said about the recently launched website with a map.

Three traffic light hikers

The new traffic light system should motivate people to explore other areas that are often overlooked.

The ministry, nevertheless, admits its primary goal is to protect the environment against the rising number of tourists. Compared to last year, the ministry said, visits to Slovak nature increased by 2.5 million.

Although the website and the map are in Slovak only, it is easy to get a handle on them. Three traffic light hikers tell visitors on the website which areas are busy or uncrowded:

red: Plenty of tourists. People are recommended to choose a different area.

Plenty of tourists. People are recommended to choose a different area. orange: A higher number of tourists. Keep that in mind or choose a different area.

A higher number of tourists. Keep that in mind or choose a different area. green: A minimum number of tourists. Enjoy your trip.

The website is updated at 10:00 on a daily basis.

The Zadielska tiesnava narrow passage near Moldava nad Bodvou, eastern Slovakia. (Source: Milan Kapusta/TASR)

When visiting the places with a 3-5 level of protection, the ministry stressed, tourists must walk on marked hiking trails only. Also, they should walk in groups and speak aloud to reduce the risk of encountering a wild animal.

Spectacular Slovakia travel guides

19. Jul 2021 at 10:54 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Danubes water level higher than usual due to floods in Germany

Apart from the Danube, the water levels of the Morava River also increased.

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The water level of the Danube River rose to 703 centimetres in Bratislava on the morning of July 19.

It will continue rising to about 770 centimetres in the afternoon hours, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) said, adding that it will start decreasing again at night.

At the lower river sections near Komarno and Sturovo, the water level is expected to culminate on July 20, as reported by the TASR newswire.

The rising levels are due in part to the flood that hit Germany and Austria in the past few days. Moreover, there were several intensive storms in Slovakia on Sunday, July 18.

Apart from the Danube, the water levels of the Morava River also increased due to intensive rain. It reached 528 centimetres in the Devinska Nova Ves borough on Monday morning, TASR reported.

Situation being monitored

The higher water levels pose no serious risks for the capital, said its spokesperson Katarina Rajcanova on Sunday.

But we keep monitoring the situation together with the Slovak Water Management Company and the Fire and Rescue Corps that are responsible for placing the flood barriers if necessary, she added, as quoted by TASR.

The water flooded some areas around the boroughs of Devinska Nova Ves, Devin, Petrzalka, Rusovce and Cunovo. The underpass near the University of Economics in Bratislava was also flooded on Monday morning.

Mosquitoes used to hatch in some of these areas, so the city will use BTI larvicide to minimise a potential mosquito calamity, Rajcanova said.

The Slovak Water Management Company said on Sunday evening that they were monitoring the situation on the Danube and added that the water level will stabilise throughout Tuesday, as reported by TASR.

19. Jul 2021 at 11:02 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Slovak government should compensate victims of forced sterilisation

Justice Minister Maria Kolikova responded that the government takes this issue very seriously, Heger wants to wait for a legislative proposal.

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Slovakias government should set up a mechanism to ensure prompt and effective access to reparations for victims of forced or coercive sterilisation.

Despite long-standing calls to address their situation, including ensuring access to compensation, remedies for these human rights violations remain elusive for many victims, reads a letter the Council of Europes Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, sent to Slovak PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) and Justice Minister Maria Kolikova (Za Ludi).

Mechanisms not effective

Mijatovic pointed to the fact that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) recognised sterilisation as a major interference with a persons reproductive health status, bearing on manifold aspects of an individuals personal integrity or their physical and mental well-being, as well as their emotional, spiritual and family life.

UN committee: Slovakia still discriminates against Roma Read more

Intervening in such a way without full and free consent has been found to be incompatible with the requirement of respect for human freedom and dignity, she wrote.

Even in cases where consent had formally been sought, in specific individual cases relating to Slovakia the ECHR found evidence of a gross disregard of the right to autonomy and choice as a patient; in addition, the manner in which consent was obtained was liable to arouse in the victim feelings of fear, anguish and inferiority, as well as entail lasting suffering.

Although there has been some progress in setting up effective mechanisms, including the amending of healthcare legislation, the issue of reparations has never been comprehensively resolved, Mijatovic continued.

Existing mechanisms, in the form of domestic civil claims, have not provided an effective means of redress for this serious human rights violation, owing to the many obstacles the victims face.

Mijatovic emphasised that neither apologies nor reparations can undo the harm inflicted on victims, both physically and mentally, and that such tangible steps would provide a measure of justice that has eluded victims for a long time.

Some victims have already passed away without receiving redress, Mijatovic wrote. The delivery of justice can no longer wait.

Heger awaits proposal

Court awards 17,000 in compensation for unlawful sterilisation Read more

In her response to the letter, Kolikova assured Mijatovic that the Slovak government takes the issue of sterilisation without informed consent very seriously, and that it understands the importance of providing satisfaction to the victims.

The minister also pointed to several measures the country has taken in this regard, including the creation of a group to investigate cases that particularly included Roma women, resulting in establishing the institute of informed consent in 2004. In 2014, the necessary forms were translated into nine languages. The state also trained healthcare professionals in connection with informed consent, Kolikova continued.

While I acknowledge the potential difficulty of seeking compensation through civil proceedings in cases where alleged sterilisation took place many years ago, it should be noted that there were successful cases decided by general courts involving women who underwent sterilisation without informed consent before 2004, in which the courts referenced the V.C. vs Slovakia judgement of the ECHR, the minister wrote in her response.

She went on to say that the justice and health ministers are examining other possible of redress, which would require expert opinion as well.

PM Heger responded that he will wait for the legislative proposals of Kolikova and Labour Minister Milan Krajniak (Sme Rodina), as reported by the TASR newswire.

19. Jul 2021 at 17:58 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Following wins in the Geers Stakes and his first Pennsylvania Sire Stakes preliminary, I Did It Myway ($3.00) ran his career record to a perfect three-for-three with a 1:52.2 score in his $54,020 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Sunday (July 18) at Harrah's Philadelphia.

The son of Captaintreacherous and Flyme To The Moon yielded to Birthday on the first turn before accelerating to clear the lead at the conclusion of a :27.4 first quarter. From that point on, I Did It Myway lived up to his name, travelling unchallenged through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:24.4. Still 1-1/2 lengths in front at the eighth pole, I Did It Myway dug in stoutly to repel a late challenge from pocket rival Birthday by a half length. Threshold finished third, another 5-1/4 lengths behind.

Todd McCarthy drove I Did It Myway for trainer Tony Alagna and the partnership of Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Don Latore, and Alagna and Fodera Racing.

Night Hawk ($11.80) also kept a perfect record intact, lifting from the pocket to overpower 1-2 favourite JMs Finaltreasure in the $53,620 second division. In line to David Miller, the son of Betting Line and Night Music angled out of the pocket off the home turn and edged 1-1/4 lengths clear of the longtime pacesetter to win in 1:52. Brian Brown trains the two-time winner for William Donovan, Acadia Farms, Joe Sbrocco and In The Gym Partners.

The $54,020 first division saw All The Chips ($18.80) break a string of three second-place finishes in as many starts with a resounding 3-1/2-length win in 1:52.2. Tim Tetrick controlled the terms with the Betting Line-Mastery Blue Chip gelding, rating early splits of :28.1 and :56.4 before using identical :27.4 sectionals in the back half to edge clear of runner-up Atlas Hanover. Cory Mumford trains All The Chips for Frank Chick and James Fleming.

A quintet of $20,000 Stallion Series events for rookie pacing colts and geldings served as supporting events on the 15-race card, with Captain Cowboy's 1:52.3 mile the fastest winner on the lower circuit. Yannick Gingras drove the son of Captaintreacherous and Odds On Lassomyhrt for trainer Ake Svanstedt. David Miller notched a Stallion Series double with Hammering Hank (1:53) and Boardwalk Bet (1:54.4), while Vicious (1:52.4, Dexter Dunn) and Bring The Bling (1:53.4, Tetrick) also won their divisions.

In the afternoon's featured overnight event, a $16,200 top-level conditioned pace, 2019 Little Brown Jug winner Southwind Ozzi earned his third win in his last four starts by way of a dynamic 1:49.2 performance. After rating a :54.3 first half in line to Tetrick, the five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere entire sprinted away up the backstretch as though he was shot out of a cannon, using a :26.3 third quarter to vault to a four-length lead and then preserving most of that margin as Tru Lou rallied off cover to finish a no-match second. Bill MacKenzie trains the 17-time winner for Vincent Ali Jr. and Alma Iafelice.

Tetrick and David Miller shared top honours among drivers with four wins apiece on the 15-race card.

Racing returns to Harrah's Philadelphia on Wednesday (July 21); first post is 12:25 p.m. (EDT).

(Harrah's Philadelphia)
Driver James MacDonald, trainer Nick Gallucci and owner-breeder George Millar teamed to win two of three Gold Series divisions for the two-year-old pacing fillies at Georgian Downs on Sunday (July 18).

Their first victory came with Silver Label in the first $69,733 division. Starting from post 5, Silver Label left smartly and settled behind favourite I Love Ongait as that filly led the field of eight to a :27 quarter and :55.2 half. Heading for the third marker, MacDonald put Silver Label on the attack and she and I Love Ongait battled to a 1:25.2 three-quarters before Silver Label was able to pull away in the stretch and secure the 1:55.3 victory. I Love Ongait settled for second, three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner, and Darby Ogill completed the top three.

The win was Silver Labels second straight over the Georgian Downs oval. The Bettors Delight daughter toured the Innisfil oval in 1:56 in the Grassroots season opener on July 6.

I thought that I Love Ongait was a pretty nice horse, and if she could just get a nice piece of it in there Id be happy, said Stouffville, Ont. resident Millar. Its a little surreal how well theyre racing right now so I am just going to suck it all in and enjoy it while its here, because I know how fleeting it can be sometimes.

Millar barely had time to enjoy Silver Labels victory before MacDonald and Prohibition Legal were parading for the second $68,933 division. From post 1, Prohibition Legal sat briefly in third as Stonebridge Thalia stepped out to a :29 quarter. Heading for the :57.4 half, first Speaker Nancy and then favourite Prohibition Legal swept to the front, but Stonebridge Thalia came back out and challenged as Prohibition Legal led the way to the 1:26.1 three-quarters. However, Prohibition Legal had plenty in reserve and sprinted home to a 1:54.1 victory, the Big Jim daughters second straight in Gold Series action. Love That Smile closed for second and Stonebridge Thalia was third.



Prohibition Legal pictured winning a Gold division at Mohawk on July 2 Prohibition Legal pictured winning a Gold division at Mohawk on July 2

You dream all winter about racing in the big races, but then when you get down to July reality sets in and it doesnt always seem to work out that way. If you wind up with one decent horse, or maybe two out of 10, you consider yourself lucky, and we seem to have a bunch of them right now, said Millar. You know what, it couldnt happen at a nicer time for me. To see them race so well, and be my homebreds, its wonderful. I am getting a little bruised where I am pinching myself.

Silver Label and Prohibition Legal are not the only repeat Ontario Sires Stakes winners in the Millar Farms barn at present. Two-year-old pacing gelding Betterhavemymoney also has two Gold Series wins on his resume. It is also not the first time the Millar Farms team has celebrated two Ontario Sires Stakes wins in one night. Three-year-old pacing geldings Powertrain and Cantstoplying won their Grassroots divisions at Woodbine Mohawk Park on July 10.

The success has had special meaning for Millar, who underwent a double lung transplant in February and had to give up driving the young horses around his Stouffville farm track during a prolonged recovery.

I dont know, ever since I stopped driving the horses so much and I went to the hospital and got my new lungs, they all seem to be racing better, so maybe somebody is trying to tell me something; I shouldnt be training them so much and leave it up to the guys that know what theyre doing, quipped Millar. Nicks (Gallucci) just doing a wonderful job. I think hes really enjoying the transition over to racing young horses.

Every time we win a Sires Stakes race I buy him and his wife dinner and I said, This is starting to get expensive, added Millar with a chuckle.

In the third $68,933 division Fade Out and driver Doug McNair fired out of post 7 and took control just past the :27.4 quarter, then carried on to a :57 half and 1:26 three-quarters before battling down the stretch to a one-half length win in 1:55.3. Speak Your Mind finished second and Dewitt for Josie was third. Favourite Better Double Flip finished fifth.

She raced good; she went a big trip there tonight. She was out quite a long ways making front. I thought she went a pretty good trip, and she fought them off pretty good, said trainer Gregg McNair. She never made a mistake all winter, but I wouldnt say that we were thinking wed maybe win a Gold with her.

The Guelph resident shares ownership of Fade Out with Dean Lockhart of Collingwood and McKinlay & Fielding of Toronto, Ont. The partners offered up $20,000 for the daughter of Sportswriter at last falls Black Book Yearling Sale.

Fade Out started her career in the Grassroots, finishing second to Silver Label on July 6, and the pair could meet up again in the Battle Of The Belles eliminations at Grand River Raceway on Monday, July 26. Prohibition Legal will skip that event and prep for the third Gold Series Leg at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Aug. 17.

Next up on Georgian Downs Ontario Sires Stakes schedule is the second Gold Series Leg for the exciting three-year-old pacing colts on Sunday, July 25, which could feature the return to Ontario of Meadowlands Pace winner Lawless Shadow.

A $13,000 Preferred 2 Trot capped the Sunday card with Arrakis kicking out of the pocket to score a 16-1 upset in 1:55.3.

Even-money favourite Serenity Cruise controlled the pace through fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.2 with Arrakis sitting closely in second. Exemplar pulled first over from third moving up the backstretch but quickly faltered moving to the final turn, leaving Arrakis as the closest threat to Serenity Cruise. And once driver Travis Cullen fed Arrakis racetrack, he nabbed the front in the final strides to best Serenity Cruise by a head in a 1:55.3 mile with Esquire closing for third.

A nine-year-old gelding by Federal Flex, Arrakis won his fifth race from 10 starts this season and his 22nd from 183 overall, earning $381,844. Francis Guillemette owns and trains the $34.50 winner.

(with files from Ontario Sires Stakes)

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Georgian Downs.
The Sunday night (July 18) program at Running Aces was loaded with headlines and big performances topped by Rush To The Bank, who dominated again in the $12,500 Minnesota-sired sophomore male trot to win his 13th-consecutive win.

Nick Roland saw plenty of leavers inside of him at the start and floated away in fifth position from post 7 with Rush To The Bank, but wasted no time in getting the Banker Volo gelding out and rolling, and they quickly brushed to the lead just past the quarter. Once at the front of the field, Rush To The Bank was never in doubt. He checked in 1-3/4 lengths ahead of Ice Titan, and Hide Your Banker was a close third.

The winner is now a perfect six-for-six in 2021 for owners Jeralene Roland and Vickie Rush and trainer Dan Roland. He paid $2.40 to win.

Driver Luke Plano had a tremendous night at the office, bagging five wins, a second and two thirds on the eight-race program. He also took down the weekly Sunday feature when he piloted All American N to a gate-to-wire score in the $12,000 Open Handicap Trot in 1:55.4 for two in a row. All American N ($3.80) is owned by Jose Cervantes and trained by Edward Hernandez. Plano also scored with Bitty Bitty ($2.60) in 1:54, Bobleeswagger ($3.20) in 1:55.4, Crusin For You ($8.40) in 1:56.3, and Bobs Time ($8.20) in 1:55.

Coatofmanycolors (Nick Roland, $2.40) made it five wins in a row in the $12,500 Minnesota-sired sophomore filly trot with a dominating win in 1:58 over The Royal Queen and Its So Fluffy. The Tymal Templar filly has now won six of nine races this year for owner-trainer Jenni King.

Lucky Playmate (Rick Magee, $9.80) made it two in a row in the $9,300 Open II Handicap Trot with a furious late charge to get up right on the line by a head over Bringthegold in 1:56. Bringoverthemoney was home third. The winner is owned by Cathy Dessert and is also trained by Magee.

Live racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday (July 20) with first post at 6:05 p.m. (CDT) and will feature a carryover of $4,822.84 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager.

(Running Aces)
Four of the five first-leg winners in the Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS) for two-year-old trotters will return for the second leg at MGM Northfield Park Monday night (July 19). There will be five divisions of eight-horse fields with each having a purse of $17,500.

The most seasoned of the winners returning to action will be All Gas No Brakes (Uncle Peter), who has won three of four this season with a best time of 2:00.3 at Northfield in the first leg. The gelding has additional wins at Circleville and Wilmington. Tyler Smith will leave from the pylons in the tenth race for trainer Todd Luther.

The tenth race is power packed with two other first-leg winners: Phantom Tom and Count Jogging scoring from post five and six. Phantom Tom (Long Tom) won his only start in 1:59.4 and will be driven by Greg Grismore for Scott Cox. Leaving from post 6 is Count Jogging (Full Count) to be driven by Aaron Merriman for Marty Wollam. The gelding was a winner in the only start this season in 1:59.1.

The fourth winner to return is Muscle Count (Long Tom), to be handled by Chris Lems for Miles Wollam. In the only start the gelding was a winner in 2:00 leaves from post 2 in the second race on the card.

Seventeen Ohio stallions are represented in the BSS, with eight of the horses competing by Long Tom.

Twenty-nine trainers will send horses to the gate with Chris Beaver leading the way with five starters.

The program at MGM Northfield Park gets underway with a first race post time of 6 p.m. (EDT).

(OHHA)
Harness fans will never hear trainer Gordon Corey brag about one of his horses, despite their past success or future potential. But when the three-year-old male pacers make their fourth and final stop at First Tracks Cumberland Tuesday (July 20) with two $10,000 divisions for the fifth leg of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS), the horse everyone else will be talking about is Call Me Maverick.

Despite spending half a century training, driving and racing horses, Corey has never been one to speak openly about one of his charges. One may hear the occasional, Hes a nice little horse or shell be okay, but the 78-year-old Maine native would rather discuss his affinity for Bob Dylan than tout a pupil from his Institute of Equine Erudition.

Perhaps the humility stems from his modest beginnings around the New England racetracks of the past  a folklore and experience that has molded such other notable horsemen as Freeman Parker and Donnie Richards, whose fabled status are now given to the eponymous Maine Legends series.

Through much poking and prodding, todays Corey quote was simple: Weve done our job, now the horse has to do his. Thats it, which is hardly ready for primetime rhetoric. Call Me Maverick is the top point earner in the division, and has yet to be worse than first on his home track.

Nonetheless, the horse seemed happy and fit as his caretaker, Allison Hynes, grazed him around the lush Cumberland Fairgrounds barn area. He likes to be outside, but hes not really much for eating the grass, Hynes said.

From the outside, racing a single horse in the Maine Sires program must seem like a vacation for Corey and Hynes, who usually look after a barn of 30-plus head of babies down in Pinehurst. Having worked and lived together since the mid-seventies, Corey and Hynes enjoy their summers in Maine and their winters in North Carolina, breaking colts for some of the biggest names in the business.

A son of Western Maverick, Call Me Maverick (2-1, Mike Stevenson) drew post 6 in the second division with eight horses vying for the $10,402 purse, with just seven betting interests. The 3-1 entry is comprised of Whatawinwillie (post 1, Kevin Switzer Jr.) and Andy So Sure (post 7, Number 1A, Gary Mosher) that both come from the stable of Marc Tardif.

Fourth in the point standings, A Sweet Bidda Luck (post 5, Ron Cushing) is the 5-2 second choice and also won his last MSBS outing at Cumberland on July 10. Trained by Heidi Gibbs, he is by Western Maverick as well.

The first $10,176 division is highlighted by the 2-1 morning line favourite Edelman, a black gelding by Western Maverick who is still looking for his fourth seasonal victory, having finishing second in his last two outings. With sire stakes wins at both Bangor and Cumberland, the Heidi-Gibbs-trained sophomore scores from post three with regular driver, breeder & co-owner Ron Cushing. Edelman is second in the point standings.

For Edelman to be successful, he must defeat Paxxton (third in points), another son of Western Maverick who beat him last time on July 10 and looks to make it two-in-a-row. Driven by Heath Campbell, he is co-owned and trained by Valerie Grondin with Rhoda Underhill and is 5-2 from a familiar post five.

The so-called glamour boys division is the fifth leg of the 13-race series, which travels around to the two commercial tracks, as well as the Maine pari-mutuel fair circuit, culminating in the $80,000 final on Oct. 16 at Bangor.

Tuesdays card (July 20) also features the $12,500 final of the Donald Richard Maine Legends pacing series, with the trophies sponsored by the Maine Harness Horsemans Association and Blue Seal Feeds.

Live harness racing from Cumberland is presented each Tuesday and Saturday through July 31, post time is 2:30 p.m. (EDT), with two additional dates added Wed. & Thurs., Aug. 4 & 5 with 11 am posts. For more information visit firsttrackscumberland.com.

(First Tracks Cumberland)
Julie Marie Heffernan of New Waterford peacefully passed away on July 10 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

Julie was born in New Waterford on March 26, 1938 to the late Caroline (Vandenbrook) and Julien Dupret. Julie had a passion for harness racing and was involved for over 50 years as an owner, trainer, and even a driver in the 1970s. She never missed a race day, watching some of her favourite horses going to the gate. Julie passed the love of the sport on to her sons who are actively involved in the sport today. Her favorite time of year was going to Old Home Week in PEI with her son Johnny and grandsons Matthew and Noah. Those memories will be forever cherished.

Julie is survived by her daughters, Patricia (Joey) MacIsaac, Cindy (Gerard) Murray; sons, Sheldon (Meta), Myles (Jackie) and Johnny; sister, Odile Pearson; 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by Melissa Pratt who was like a daughter to her. Besides her parents, Julie was predeceased by her husband, Myles Heffernan Sr.; son, Darnell Heffernan; grandson, Wayde MacIsaac, and a child in infancy.

A special thank you to Seaview Manor and the staff of 4A for their care and compassion. Cremation has taken place.

A chapel service will be held on Friday, July 16, at 11 a.m. (ADT) with Father Peter McLeod officiating. Covid restrictions will apply, and seating is limited. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Diabetes Association. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of McLellan Brothers Funeral Home, 3183 Plummer Ave., New Waterford, 902-862-7500. To send online condolences, go to: www.mclellanfuneralhome.com.

Northside Downs will hold a memorial walk for the late Julie Heffernan during their Aug. 7 program.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Julie Marie Heffernan.
Virginia is rightly famed for its deep and varied history, but much of the states past has never been written down. It is at risk of being lost forever.

Thats certainly the case with the final resting places of many of the commonwealths earlier people. Tucked away in woods and fields, old burial places can be out of sight, out of mind.

Which means their gravestonesif any survive above groundcan be bulldozed, erased, in a few minutes time if someone is so inclined. (This reporter has known that to happen in county after county.)

The Piedmont Environmental Council, which keeps in steady contact with landowners across the region, is well aware of the issue. And is now trying to do something about it.

The nonprofit conservation group hopes to identify undocumented burial sites across its nine-county turf, which includes Culpeper, Madison, Greene, Orange, Albemarle, Clarke, Fauquier, Loudoun and Rappahannock counties.

PECs staff seeks to link landowners and citizens to preservation professionals who can help them identify and document those localities historic cemeteries and burial grounds.
Signs advertising cannabis  complete with large, green marijuana leaves  have sprouted up across Nebraska.

From Benson to South 24th Street to midtown Omaha, in Kearney and Scottsbluff and Lincoln and Norfolk, gas stations, smoke shops and specialty stores are offering THC-laden edibles, smokable hemp and vape pens.

For nearly the past year, the hot seller at many of those shops has been Delta 8, a byproduct of the hemp plant that's chemically similar to Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  the chemical associated with the high effect produced by marijuana.

Experts say the Delta 8 products are less potent than their close cousin, marijuana. But Delta 8 is psychotropic, meaning that it produces a high.

Marijuana remains illegal in Nebraska, though hemp, which comes from the same plant, is legal. The 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized and regulated production of hemp, but no limits were placed on the derivatives of the hemp plant, including Delta 8. That created a loophole allowing for its sale.

Those who use Delta 8 say it has similar benefits as cannabidiol, or CBD, the non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis that some people use for sleep, or to treat pain or inflammation. CBD has been sold in Nebraska for a few years.

Shop owners say their customers range from 18-year-olds to 80-year-olds, some of whom use Delta 8 because they say it alleviates the effects of seizures, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. There's not a federally set age limit on the products, though minors can't purchase smokable products, and some shops don't sell to anyone under 21.

An Omaha police spokesman said sale of the substance is legal. Gov. Pete Ricketts, who opposes legalization of marijuana, has asked the Nebraska Attorney General's Office to review the sale of Delta 8, his spokesman said.

Concerns have been raised nationally about its regulation and whether some of the products contain contaminants. Nebraska shop owners acknowledge that the growing market for Delta 8 and other hemp derivatives is unregulated, and they say it's largely up to retailers to ensure that they're selling quality products.

On the shelves at Greenlight Natural, located on Bensons main retail strip, products for sale include gummy candies, cake pops, cookies, oils, vape pens and even pre-rolled joints that contain Delta 8.

Greenlight Natural owner Chris Potratz said sales of Delta 8 have surpassed CBD.

It's pretty much the vast majority of what I sell, Potratz said. I would say nine out of 10 customers who come in are looking for Delta 8.

It's absolutely everywhere.

After years of discussion about allowing cultivation of hemp in Nebraska, the U.S. Congress cleared the way by legalizing it in the 2018 Farm Bill.

The law was hailed as a possible savior for Nebraska farmers, a small group of whom are in the early stages of trying their hand at growing hemp for commercial uses. Hemp can be used to produce items like cloth, paper and cosmetics.

Under the law, hemp must have less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC to be legal. But in opening the door to hemp, the Farm Bill also made legal derivatives found in hemp, including Delta 8  provided that the final product is below the 0.3% threshold.

Officer Michael Pecha, a spokesman for the Omaha Police Department, said: OPD monitors and checks on the shops selling these products to make sure they are selling items that are legal in Nebraska. If a business is found to be in violation, we will take enforcement action.

Ismail Dweikat, a professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the hemp plant produces more than 100 different cannabinoids that produce different effects when consumed, including CBD and Deltas 8 and 9.

Dweikat, who specializes in plant breeding and genetics, said Delta 8 is a minor cannabinoid with a low concentration of THC. A lower potency generally produces a less pronounced "high feeling," he said.

Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill prompted the Nebraska Legislature to pass a complementary law in 2019 allowing cultivation of hemp. The law provided for the licensing and regulation of the new crop, and created the Nebraska Hemp Commission to promote hemp and its products.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who introduced Nebraska's hemp bill, said in 2019 that he introduced the measure to create jobs in Nebraska and hoped that hemp processing facilities would sprout up in his North Omaha district.

In a recent interview, Wayne said lawmakers at the time didn't discuss the possibility of hemp derivatives that contain THC making their way into Omaha storefronts.

But Wayne, who supports legalization of medical and recreational marijuana, said he doesn't have a problem with the product.

"Delta 8 doesn't bother me personally," Wayne said. "Our laws and regulations have to catch up."

An opponent of Nebraska's hemp bill, Sen. John Lowe of Kearney, warned at the time that the hemp bill could make it more difficult to hold the line on legalizing marijuana. He had said he thought that the Legislature was going down a path "without knowing the depth."

To be sure, the federal government's position on CBD and other hemp derivatives is confusing, the Harvard Medical School noted, as Delta 8 is still included on the Drug Enforcement Administration's list of controlled substances.

Some industry watchers have expressed concerns about a lack of oversight of Delta 8, and what may be in the products that contain it.

Large cannabis producers have been pushing to clamp down on Delta 8 after two tests of samples  one by the U.S. Cannabis Council trade group and another commissioned by Bloomberg News  found high levels of intoxicants in several of the products, as well as metals in some of them, the Chicago Tribune reported.

In recent months, 14 states, including Colorado and Iowa, have blocked the sale of Delta 8, citing lack of research into the compounds psychoactive effects, NBC News reported in June.

Wayne said he would like to explore consumer protection legislation related to Delta 8 to provide "a framework to make sure that there's a healthy and safe product" being offered.

Shiva Kumar, a co-owner of Lincoln-based CBD Remedies, said the highly unregulated nature of the market poses a challenge to consumers to ensure that theyre purchasing safe products. Its incumbent on retailers to know the source of their products, he said.

CBD Remedies includes consultants Andrea Holmes, a professor of chemistry at Doane University, and Dr. Amanda McKinney, a board-certified physician who is associate dean of health sciences at Doane.

Kumar, Holmes and McKinney said CBD Remedies products are tested by third-party labs and come with certificates of analysis that detail the potency and contaminant level of the product.

Products at Greenlight Natural, too, come with a QR code that a customer can scan with their smartphone. The code directs them to lab results showing information about the potency of the product and contaminant levels.

Holmes said generally speaking, the high feeling produced by Delta 8 is about four times less than what someone would feel after consuming Delta 9 THC from marijuana. But the difference isnt as clear-cut as that: Age, body type and the method of consumption all play a role in how someone will feel.

Its not one-size-fits-all, she said.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer unveiled a measure to treat marijuana like alcohol or tobacco, allowing it to be taxed and regulated, though states could still outlaw its use. Under the proposal, those under 21 couldn't purchase it, and it would remain illegal to sell significant quantities without proper licensing and authorization.

In Nebraska, a push is underway to legalize medical marijuana in the state. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana is collecting signatures to put the issue before voters in 2022.

That effort follows a similar one in 2020 that failed when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the proposal violated a requirement that a ballot initiative stick to a single subject.

McKinney said she hopes that scientists and doctors who understand cannabis are included in discussions by state and federal leaders about regulation of such products, and in the larger conversation about legalization of marijuana.

Holmes said experiments and trials have shown Delta 8 to be a pretty powerful anti-inflammatory" that can also help nausea in cancer patients, among other uses.

McKinney said, "I'm looking forward to that day (that marijuana is legalized), but right now we're fighting all of these little battles  first it was CBD and now it's Delta 8, and that's going to continue until it's fully legal ... at the federal level."

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In June of this year, Iredell County Sheriffs Office narcotics investigators identified Abernethy as an individual distributing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine in Iredell and the surrounding counties. With assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, the Catawba County Sheriffs Office Narcotics Unit, and the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office Narcotics Unit, Iredell County Sheriffs Office Undercover Narcotics investigators were able to purchase over approximately 1,000 grams or over two pounds, of crystal methamphetamine, directly from Abernethy. During the investigation, it was learned Abernethy was obtaining the narcotics from out of state, Campbell said.

During the investigation, he said, Iredell narcotics investigators identified Bailer and Collins as associates of Abernethy and assisted him in the distribution of crystal methamphetamine in Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln counties.

He said after Abernethys arrest in Lincoln County, a half-pound of crystal methamphetamine was found inside his residence.
For crimes he called vicious and frightening, a judge gave a death sentence to a man prosecutors called The Boy Next Door Killer for the home-invasion murders of two women and the attempted murder of a third, AP reported.

Victims family members wept as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler handed down the sentence to 45-year-old Michael Thomas Gargiulo.

Everywhere that Mr. Gargiulo went, death and destruction followed him, Fidler said at the all-day hearing.

Gargiulos case received added attention because one of his victims was about to go on a date with actor Ashton Kutcher, who testified at the trial.

The sentencing, delayed by procedural issues and the pandemic, came nearly two years after a jury convicted Gargiulo and recommended his execution.

Gargiulo was found guilty of the 2001 murder of Ashley Ellerin, a 22-year-old fashion design student, in her Hollywood home as she prepared to go out with Kutcher. At the trial, Kutcher said that he was late to pick up Ellerin, who did not answer her door.

He looked inside to see blood stains that he thought were spilled wine. Prosecutors used him in their closing arguments, suggesting Ellerin was killed by another man who was jealous of Kutcher.

Ellerin was found with 47 stab wounds.

Her father, Michael Ellerin, who had been visiting his daughter from Northern California hours before she was killed, was one of several victims relatives who spoke at the hearing of their suffering as they waited years for justice.

He said he was tempted to imitate his wife Cynthias mournful scream and primal wailing after finding out that Ashley had been murdered.

It marked the beginning of an altered, diminished, heartbreaking life, he said.

Gargiulo was also convicted of the murder of 32-year-old Maria Bruno, a mother of four, in her home in El Monte, east of Los Angeles, in 2005. Brunos breasts were cut off and her implants were removed.

And he was found guilty of the attempted murder in 2008 of Michelle Murphy, who fought him off in her Santa Monica apartment, forcing him to flee and leave a trail of blood that also led to his eventual arrests for the other two killings. Murphy was the key witness at the trial.

To this day, spending the night alone creates a world of fear in me, Murphy said in court before the sentencing.

She cried as she talked about meeting the families of the two women who didnt survive their attacks.

How is it fair that one persons actions can destroy the lives of so many? she said.

Gargiulo is a former air conditioner and heater repairman, bouncer and aspiring actor whose nicknames from media outlets included The Chiller Killer and The Hollywood Ripper but was called The Boy Next Door Killer by prosecutors because he lived near the victims he stalked then attacked in their homes.

He spoke before his sentencing, angrily complaining that his lawyers prevented him from taking the stand in his defense.

Im going to death row wrongfully and unjustfully, said Gargiulo, who sat in court in orange jail attire and face mask and showed no visible reaction to his sentencing. I did want to testify and my fundamental choice was blocked.

He is unlikely to be put to death anytime soon. California has not executed anyone since 2006 and Gov. Gavin Newsom has halted executions for as long as he is in office. But courts have been proceeding on the assumption that executions may one day resume.

Gargiulo is now expected to be extradited to Illinois for the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio in his Illinois hometown. Prosecutors in his California trial were allowed to present extensive evidence from that case as they sought to establish a pattern and present Gargiulo as a serial killer.

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Current Affairs

A pproximately over 3 million radio listeners across key markets in the United States recently tuned in to morning radio for a chance to win a Caribbean vacation  courtesy of Sandals Resorts International  and escape to paradise. This, while learning about destination Turks and Caicos Islands and what a luxury-included Sandals vacation has to offer including its recently implemented Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness.



Sandals Resorts International has been working non-stop for the past several months to let travellers know that the Caribbean is open for business and reassure them of their safety while enjoying its resorts.



As a part of dedicated #BackToHappy and #SeacludedAtSandals initiatives, the resort company has already hosted over two dozen media personnel including radio DJs, and journalists, since reopening its first resort, after last year's closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.



For its most recent radio remote, which was live from Beaches Turks and Caicos, Sandals and its partners engaged radio DJs and stations from seven key US markets, namely Baltimore, Chicago, Phoenix, Omaha, Lexington, Denver, and Nashville.



Interviewees included Ms. Pamela Ewing - Director of Tourism, Ms. Sonia Simmons - Communications Manager, Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association and Mr. Trevor Musgrove - President, Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association. Beaches Turks & Caicos staff members were also heavily featured throughout all the various interviews as well.



We were honoured to host media and travel partners at Beaches Turks and Caicos, the premier all-inclusive family resort in the Caribbean. This has been a great opportunity to remind the world that we are open and ready to welcome everyone back safely, said James McAnally, General Manager, Beaches Turks and Caicos.



He added; Our highly trained staff of superstar team members remain enthusiastic to offer the high level of service for which Beaches Turks & Caicos is well-known. Our beautiful property caters to children and adults, all while adhering to our newly implemented Platinum Protocol of Cleanliness.



Among the visiting radio DJs was Trent "Moose" Pender. He noted that what he experienced at Beaches Turks and Caicos is exactly what his listeners in Nashville, Tennessee, where 96.3 JACK-FM reaches, are looking for.



Our listeners love these promotions with Sandals and Beaches. We can't thank the amazing squad at Beaches Turks & Caicos enough for having us, and allowing listeners to live these experiences of life in paradise through us, he explained.



The best part of the whole experience is the opportunity to change our listeners' lives with a chance to win an adventure like this one.






Current Affairs

If the TCI Hospital doesn't see any patients for an entire year, the Turks and Caicos Islands government must pay InterHealth Canada $30million annually.



This may be about to change as part of ongoing arbitration between InterHealth Canada and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.



Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Desiree Lewis, told the Appropriations Committee of the House Assembly that the annual cost is one of the contentious issues under review.



Responding to a question from Governor's Appointed Member Willin Belliard, the Permanent Secretary said: "If they see zero patients they will still get that amount. It's a part of the project agreement. It doesn't matter how many patients they see. It's an agreed amount. Each year the hospital will submit a budget and it is up to the TCIG whether or not we accept or reject their budget. Right now that also is a part of the ongoing arbitration."



Lewis said she could not give a time frame as to when it will be completed.

"It could be to 2023, we just don't know," she said.






Wythe County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Jefferies has been named the associate vice president of finance for Wytheville Community College. He sent a resignation letter to his staff last week, announcing his decision. His resignation is effective Oct. 31.

I have absolutely enjoyed my time here since I first started in July of 2018. We have been through a whole lot together, and we will continue our work to ensure a smooth opening of the 2021-2022 school year, the letter said.

I have proudly accepted a leadership role at Wytheville Community College, and will officially begin my work there on November 1, 2021. I am excited for this new leadership opportunity, and even more excited that I still get to work in a community that I love and am proud to call home, he wrote.

The Wythe County School Board has called a special, closed-session meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss employment, resignation, retirement, salary or transfer of specific personnel.

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Jefferies has served as Wythes schools chief for three years now, after being hired by unanimous vote on July 1, 2018.
Lovell said it was too early to call Saturday's shooting gang-related.

Weve had many years of growth as a city and a shrinking police force (and) you can only go so long in that trend before you hit a tipping point, he said.

If you go back to yesterday, weve had 11 shootings incidents resulting in 13 people injured or killed  and thats in a span of 38 hours. Not only is this shocking, all these calls really tax resources.

The first calls about the latest gun violence came in just after 2:10 a.m. Officers responded to a pod of food trucks in a popular pedestrian area in downtown Portland to find chaos. Seven people were injured, including an 18-year-old woman who later died at a hospital. The other six people are expected to survive.

Lovell said there may be other victims who left on their own. He called on anyone who witnessed the incident or had cell phone video or photos of the area before, during and after the shooting to contact police. No arrests have been made.
Pegasus activates a phone's camera and microphone, acting as a pocket spy.

European politicians and media groups voiced outrage Monday over reports that an Israeli firm supplied phone malware used by governments to spy on activists, journalists, lawyers and politicians in several countries.

The NSO Group and its Pegasus malwarecapable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone and harvesting its datahave been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

A collaborative investigation by The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and other media outlets, based on a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers, revealed the spying may have been far more extensive than previously thought.

The leaked numbers are believed to be connected to people identified by NSO clients as potential surveillance targets.

They include one linked to a murdered Mexican journalist and family members of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the spying, if confirmed, was "completely unacceptable", while French government spokesman Gabriel Attal called it "extremely shocking.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet called for better regulation of surveillance technology and the head of Reporters Without Borders, Christophe Deloire, said the revelations provoked "shock and revulsion".

Authoritarian regimes

It is unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled and NSO has denied any wrongdoing.

But the claims that countries such as Azerbaijan, Hungary, India and Morocco, where authorities have cracked down on independent media, spied on dissident journalists at home and abroad sparked indignation.

The other countries that accounted for most of the numbers on the list were Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

French investigative news site Mediapart claimed that the phones of its founder Edwy Plenel and one of its journalists were among those targeted by Moroccan intelligence services and said it had filed a criminal complaint.

Morocco denied the claims, saying it "never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices".

'Rogue' operators

Pegasus is a highly invasive tool that can switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, as well as access data on the device, effectively turning a phone into a pocket spy.

In some cases, it can be installed without the need to trick a user into initiating a download.

NSO insists it is only intended for use in fighting terrorism and other crimes, and that any other use is the work of "rogue" operatorsclaims rubbished by Amnesty International.

"NSO's spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril," Amnesty International chief Agnes Callamard said in a statement.

"It's clear its technology facilitates systemic abuse."

Map showing countries where journalists were targetted to be potentially spied on with the spyware Pegasus.

The Post said the numbers on the list were unattributed, but other media outlets participating in the project were able to identify more than 1,000 people in more than 50 countries.

They included several members of Arab royal families, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officialsincluding heads of state, prime ministers and cabinet ministers.

Journalists 'compromised'

The investigation identified at least 180 journalists in 20 countries who were selected for potential targeting with Pegasus between 2016 to June 2021.

Among them were reporters for Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Reuters, The Guardian said.

Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a veteran investigative journalist in India, said that Amnesty International had informed him that his phone and privacy had been "compromised" in 2018.

"It also puts my sources at risk. People who are speaking to you on condition of anonymity, if they get compromised, that's terrible," he told AFP. "It's bad for democracy, it's bad for journalism. It is terrible."

On the list were 15,000 numbers in Mexicoamong them reportedly a number linked to Mexican journalist Cecilio Pineda, who was killed in 2017and 300 in India, including politicians and prominent journalists.

In Mexico, the news website Aristegui Noticias reported on Monday that family members and the cardiologist of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador were spied on between 2016 and 2017 when he was leader of the opposition.

The president himself had been spared because he "apparently doesn't use a personal mobile phone", the report said.

Leading Indian opposition figure Rahul Gandhi was twice selected as a potential surveillance target, The Guardian reported.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah denied the reports, saying they aimed to "humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about our nation and derail India's development trajectory."

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters Budapest has "no knowledge of this type of data collection".

Denial

NSO Group, which is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, denied any wrongdoing.

It issued a denial on Sunday, calling the investigation "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories", and threatening a defamation lawsuit.

"We firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," NSO said.

It said it was "not associated in any way" with the Khashoggi murder, adding that it sells "solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments".

The Washington Post said a forensic analysis had revealed that two women close to Khashoggi had been hacked. He was murdered in 2018 by a Saudi hit squad.

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday the spyware scandal involving an Israeli software firm and up to 50,000 smartphone numbers was "completely unacceptable" if true.

"This has to be verified, but if it is the case, it is completely unacceptable," she told reporters in Prague.

Media outlets including The Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde drew links Sunday between the Israel-based NSO Group, accused of supplying spyware to governments, and a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world.

Von der Leyen, who was in Prague to present a Czech post-COVID recovery plan worth 7 billion euros ($8.2 billion) approved by the EU, slammed the alleged attack on journalists' phones.

"Free press is one of the core values of the European Union," she said after meeting Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

The NSO Group and its Pegasus malwarecapable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone, and harvesting its datahave been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

The leak consists of more than 50,000 smartphone numbers believed to have been identified as connected to people of interest by NSO clients since 2016, the news organizations said, although it was unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled.

NSO has denied any wrongdoing.

Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.

 2021 AFP
The VB 10,000 crane vessel commenced operations in the predawn hours Thursday on the second-to-last cut into the dwindling remains of the shipwrecked Golden Ray in the St. Simons Sound, said U.S. Coast Guardsman Michael Himes.
Local_news

College to host redistricting town hall meeting

College of Coastal Georgia will host a town hall meeting July 26 to discuss the upcoming redrawing of voting district lines.

The meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. at the colleges conference center is one of a number of town halls being held across the state by the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting and Congressional Reapportionment committees.

The agenda includes an explanation of reapportionment and redistricting and public testimony.

District boundaries are redrawn to reflect changes in the population once every 10 years after the U.S. Census data is released.

It is a virtual certainty that nearly every district in the state will have new boundaries based on the past 50 years in the state, said state Rep. Steven Sainz, R-Woodbine, whose District 180 stretches from downtown St. Marys to Waycross.

A decade ago, District 180 encompassed all of Camden County and part of Glynn County. The new lines, drawn by the Republican Party, put former Republican state Reps. Jason Spencer and Mark Hatfield in the same district. Spencer won that election and served several more terms.

Sainz said he is uncertain how the new district lines will be drawn but with much of the states population growth in the metropolitan Atlanta area, rural districts could get geographically larger, while urban ones get smaller.

It will be interesting to see, he said. I would expect there are no district lines that wont change.

Sainz said he plans to attend the meeting at the college and is encouraging the public to show up to learn more and voice their opinions.

I expect to take a fully active role, he said. Folks should come and give their thoughts. It matters a lot to how the legislature works.

State Sen. Sheila McNeill, R-Brunswick, said there is not enough information available yet to predict how District 3 boundaries could change.

I feel there will be changes to assure that all citizens of Georgia will have the appropriate representation they need, she said. I am happy with the districts that I have at this point and feel my staff and I are equipped to handle the constituents of District 3.

State Rep. Buddy DeLoach, R-167, a member of Glynn Countys state delegation, serves on the House committee charged with drawing new lines. His district includes Long, McIntosh and Glynn counties.

It may not be easy to redraw the lines in Glynn County, where the population on St. Simons Island has grown large enough to be divided to meet the state guidelines to have districts of approximately the same population.

Chris Channell, supervisor of the Glynn County Board of Elections and Registration, said he plans to present five different maps with different suggestions for boundary lines after he receives U.S. Census data needed to complete the work.

County commissioners will ultimately choose a map with new boundaries that will be sent to the state for approval.

One challenge in drawing new lines in the school board and county commission districts, which have the same boundaries. If lines are redrawn, the challenge is to do them in a way that wont put two incumbents in the same district.

I dont see a problem with county commission districts, Channell said. If school board and county commission incumbents live far apart (in the same district), it could be a problem.
At age 76, I seem to be getting a little more caught up in it than I had in the past, Anderson said of his service in Vietnam. All of this is really appreciated, because I didnt get any welcome home or thank you for your service. Now when I do hear that, I say thank you for saying that, and that it was my pleasure to serve over there.

This is a wonderful community. It is two cities but one community, and no place Ive ever heard of treats veterans better than Bryan-College Station and Brazos County. We love it, Anderson said.

Casey Ellisen, a doctoral student focusing on military history, helped organize the exhibit. Ellisen said she heard common themes of camaraderie and friendship from the veterans she interviewed, and that the return home from military service was often rough because of the unpopularity of the war. She also expressed gratitude for the chance to help shape the exhibit.

Sharing veterans stories is something Im really passionate about. I was honored to meet with our local veterans and get to hear a piece of their lives, and put it together in a way that we can share it with the community, Ellisen said.

The museum, at 19124 Texas 6, is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults. For more information on the exhibit, visit americangimuseum.org.

Eagle reporter Chelsea Katz contributed research to this article.

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Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

A few thunderstorms this evening. Mostly clear skies late. Low 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few thunderstorms this evening. Mostly clear skies late. Low 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
A sweeping probe into a data leak of more than 50,000 phone numbers has revealed an extensive misuse of Israeli company NSO Group's Pegasus "military-grade spyware" to facilitate human rights violations by surveilling heads of state, activists, journalists, and lawyers around the world.

Dubbed the "Pegasus Project," the investigation is a collaboration by more than 80 journalists from a consortium of 17 media organizations in 10 countries coordinated by Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit, along with the technical support of Amnesty International.

"The Pegasus Project lays bare how NSO's spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril," Amnesty International's Secretary-General, Agnes Callamard, said.

"These revelations blow apart any claims by NSO that such attacks are rare and down to rogue use of their technology. While the company claims its spyware is only used for legitimate criminal and terror investigations, it's clear its technology facilitates systemic abuse. They paint a picture of legitimacy, while profiting from widespread human rights violations," Callamard added.

NSO Group is the maker of a cyber-surveillance weapon called "Pegasus," which, when surreptitiously installed on victims' iPhone and Android devices, enables an attacker to harvest emails, SMS messages, media, calendars, calls, and contact information, as well as chat content from messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal, and stealthily activate the phone's microphone and camera.

The tool, which is sold by the surveillance vendor to governments worldwide, is typically installed by either exploiting previously unknown security vulnerabilities in common apps or by tricking a potential target into clicking a malicious link. NSO Group calls itself "the world leader in precision cyber intelligence solutions for the sole use of vetted-and-approved, state-administered intelligence and law enforcement agencies."

The list of phone numbers, while not including the names, is said to contain hundreds of business executives, religious figures, academics, NGO employees, union officials, and government officials, with the probe uncovering NSO Group clients in at least 11 countries, including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and the U.A.E.

The investigation has so far identified 180 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officials, spanning across more than 50 countries, even as the timeline of the attacks spread over a seven-year period from 2014 up to as recently as July 2021. However, Rwanda, Morocco, India, and Hungary denied having used Pegasus to hack the phones of the individuals named in the list.

Troublingly, a forensic analysis of 67 mobile devices showed the intrusions involved the ongoing use of so-called "zero-click" exploits  which do not require any interaction from the target  dating all the way back to May 2018. In one instance highlighted by Amnesty International, the compromise is believed to have leveraged multiple zero-days in iMessage to attack a fully patched iPhone 12 running iOS 14.6 in July 2021.

"All this indicates that NSO Group can break into the latest iPhones," Citizen Lab's Bill Marczak said in a series of tweets. "It also indicates that Apple has a MAJOR blinking red five-alarm-fire problem with iMessage security that their BlastDoor Framework (introduced in iOS 14 to make zero-click exploitation more difficult) ain't solving."

Of the tested smartphones, 23 devices had been successfully infected with Pegasus, and 15 exhibited signs of attempted penetration, the Washington Post said in an in-depth report.

"The coming week's stories about the global hacking of phones identical to the one in your pocket, by for-profit companies, make it clear that export controls have failed as a means to regulate this industry," U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted. "Only a comprehensive moratorium on sales can remove the profit motive."

This is far from the first time NSO Group's phone-penetrating spy software has been used to target human rights activists and journalists. In October 2019, Facebook-owned WhatsApp revealed that at least two dozen academics, lawyers, Dalit activists, and journalists in India were the target of unlawful surveillance by taking advantage of a then-unpatched vulnerability in the messaging service.

WhatsApp has since taken the company to court in the U.S., citing evidence that "the attackers used servers and Internet-hosting services that were previously associated with NSO."

For its part, the Israeli company flatly disputed the allegations, stating it's "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories that raise serious doubts about the reliability and interests of the sources," while stressing that it's on a "life-saving mission" to "break up pedophilia rings, sex and drug-trafficking rings, locate missing and kidnapped children, locate survivors trapped under collapsed buildings, and protect airspace against disruptive penetration by dangerous drones."

"After checking their claims, we firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," the company added. "Their sources have supplied them with information which has no factual basis, as evident by the lack of supporting documentation for many of their claims. In fact, these allegations are so outrageous and far from reality, that NSO is considering a defamation lawsuit."

The latest development also comes days after another Israeli company called Candiru was outed as the commercial spyware vendor behind the exploitation of a number of zero-day flaws in Google Chrome and Microsoft Windows as part of a series of "precision attacks" to hack more than 100 journalists, academics, activists, and political dissidents globally.

Update: Amazon on Monday said it has cut off web hosting infrastructure and accounts linked to Israeli surveillance vendor NSO Group following a forensic investigation of the attacks that determined that a phone infected with NSO's Pegasus malware sent information "to a service fronted by Amazon CloudFront, suggesting NSO Group has switched to using AWS services in recent months."

In a related development, Amnesty International has published a Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT) to help individuals scan their iPhone and Android devices for evidence of compromise. Apple, for its part, rolled out an update to iOS but has not yet released security details that could indicate whether it has fixed the exploits identified by Amnesty International.

"Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals," Apple's head of security engineering and architecture Ivan Kristic said in a statement. "While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data."
A tree planted in Grand Island to celebrate Nebraskas 150th Arbor Day has died.

The fall fiesta sugar maple was planted April 30 in Pioneer Park, on the east edge of the park, along Elm Street.

It was donated for the event by Grand Islands Betsey Hager Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The tree will be removed and replaced this fall, Parks Superintendent Barry Burrows told The Independent.

When we planted it, it was really well rootbound and had some high girdling roots that were coming out of the top. To properly plant it, we needed to take it down to the first lateral root, Burrows said. It probably just went into a major shock with having that much root system removed from it.

Burrows attributes its condition to poor containerized growing.

Growing in a container, like that, is really hard on them if theyre not planted correctly to begin with in the nursery where its being grown, he said.

Though unfortunate, trees can sometimes fail after being planted, Burrows said.

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Cook said the art fair is a chance for us to correspond with the community and talk about what we do and show all the fun things we like to do.

Along with Schmidt, Cook said there were six first-timers at this years Art in the Park.

She is always enthusiastic about welcoming first-time participants to the annual event.

There was also a lot of hands-on art happening for the kids attending the show, such as at the Freckled Color booth manned by Casey Martin of Hastings. Martin was promoting his childrens art book, The Color of Our Shadows, which is a beautifully written and illustrated book that celebrates individuality and diversity.

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There were also some other hands-on childrens art projects at the event. The fair featured the works of the late Dot Parker of Grand Island, who was a longtime volunteer at the event and was active in promoting childrens art.

Cook said what makes Art in the Park special is the diversity of talent and mediums represented each year.

We have always tried to come up with enough diversity so that people who like different kinds of things have an opportunity to find something that they cant find anyplace else, she said.
We were a little lax, Labun confessed. We didnt know their names, and they wore masks, so we couldnt always tell who they were, but they were given food anyway.

Thats its goal: to serve all in need.

The pantry, part of the churchs Catholic Charities committee, assists people beyond Kearney, including those in Shelton, Minden and Gibbon.

Its committee of volunteers includes Mary Alice Lanspa, a nurse who also gives her time at the HelpCare Clinic in Kearney.

You can always give a donation, but that doesnt connect you with people, Lanspa said. We all like to be here for one another, and this is the way to do it. Its really nice to get to know people.

The church also gets periodic requests for assistance with rent, medical expenses and utilities. Those are passed to the Kearney Jubilee Center, which formalizes the request and seeks help from a group of churches that includes Prince of Peace. Labun is a member of the Jubilee Centers board.
Facebook's algorithms sometimes flag the word hoe in a New York gardening group's posts for violating community standards, apparently confusing that word for another without an e on the end.
Driving through Montana, I stopped at nearly every historical marker. Back home in Oregon, Id zoom right by the equivalent signs.

When I got my haircut at Bobs Barber Shop on Broadway in Red Lodge, I asked about local Montanan politics, the state of the local economy, and details on why and how the barber ended up in this small slice of a huge state. Back in Portland, Id probably just settle for talking about the weather.

A stop at Red Lodge Ales was an excuse to get some great beers and meet new people. If I were in Bend, Id stop by Crux but never bother to talk to new folks; after all, Id surely be meeting some friends there.

Theres something about being a visitor somewhere that makes you more willing to ask questions, explore history and connect with strangers. That sense of curiosity shouldnt be reserved for when youre traveling in a new spot. That willingness to admit your lack of expertise should be true in your own community. That acceptance of the fact that others have valid and varied perspectives should apply to conversations with your neighbors, not just newly discovered friends.
1. Communicate with intention

The pandemic has revealed many dysfunctional communication cycles that existed before the virus changed all our lives, such as the ways that parents, teachers and administrators communicate (or fail to communicate).

If we want to break those cycles as we transition to a post-pandemic life  or stop them before they have a chance to set in  we need to embrace more intentional communication norms.

Its simpler than it sounds. One way to be more intentional in the way you communicate is by asking yourself: What is my purpose in this conversation? What am I learning about this different person or view? Am I speaking to be heard and understood? Is there a question I can ask to learn more about other views?

The virus is not going away. Returning to work and school will certainly lead to more hard conversations later. We need to think of intentional communication as a core competency for our post-pandemic future.

2. Slow down and listen

In a conflict, people often rush to act. They want to solve the problem or show that they are taking responsibility. But the best response to a crisis usually begins with listening.
A semitrailer truck turning from Brown Street into the parking lot of the gas station at 1520 W. Market St. struck the boy and killed him. The driver told authorities he hadnt seen the boy while turning. No charges were filed.

The family never recovered from that  it was different, Martiece said in an interview. It was different. I dont think everyone has gotten over it.

For Martiece, the loss fueled a creative project.

The Unknown, a book dedicated to telling the Arrington family's story and coming to terms with the death of Travell, embodies both poetic and novelistic forms.

"For the past almost half-a-decade, since I entered college and then finally graduated, I've been working on this poem," he said. "This is my way of, I wouldn't say fully accepting his death, but providing a gift to him, in a sense. I don't think I'll ever accept it. It is what it is, but the best way for me to look at it is he would want me to do this right now. He would want me to share his story with the world."
For those downstate Illinois residents who want to breakaway from Chicagoland and form their own state, two Southern Illinois University Carbondale researchers have an emphatic caution: do not do it.

In a whitepaper released earlier this year by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, a think tank at the university, political scientists John Foster and John Jackson said analysis of Illinois state revenue and budgeting over recent years shows downstate Illinoisans would be worse off without Chicago than they are with their northeastern neighbors.
SPRINGFIELD  Amtrak rail passenger service, significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume full service on Monday.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced last week that the full pre-pandemic schedule will return with trains between Chicago and points south and west in Illinois. The COVID-19 crisis forced service to be cut by half.

Tickets are available for purchase from Amtrak online starting Monday.

Daily, there will be five round-trips between Chicago and St. Louis, two round-trips between Chicago and Quincy and three round-trips between Chicago and Carbondale.

Lincoln Service between Chicago and St. Louis, which includes the Amtrak national Texas Eagle, includes intermediate stops at Normal and Springfield. Trains 301 and 305 will depart Chicago and trains 302 and 304 will leave St. Louis.

Intermediate stops at Macomb and Galesburg will be included on the Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr run between Chicago and Quincy. Train 381 will depart Chicago and 382 will leave Quincy.
A man, 40, was shot as he walked in the first block of West 68th Street in Englewood at 3:38 a.m. He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the left leg and was listed in fair condition.

A 45-year-old man was found lying on the sidewalk in the 100 block of East 36th Street in the Bronzeville neighborhood at 3:19 a.m., police said. He was taken in critical condition to University of Chicago Medical Center.

One minute later, officers were called when a 25-year-old man was shot by someone he knew inside an apartment in the 6100 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in the West Woodlawn neighborhood at 3:20 a.m. He had multiple gunshot wounds to his back and he was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he had been listed in critical condition, police said.

A man, 19, was shot at 1:45 a.m. as he stood in an alley in the 300 block of North Mayfield Avenue in South Austin. Police said he was shot by one of two males who approached him on foot. He was hit in the back and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he had been in good condition.
That means it falls on miners to report safety risks. Current and former miners told the Energy News Network they have reasons not to report problems or hazards if it will mean slowing or shutting down production, since that could mean losing bonuses for meeting production goals or for going days without reportable accidents. Especially as coal plants and coal mines are closing nationwide, employees worry about keeping mines competitive and open  so they can keep their jobs.

Labor unions  namely the United Mine Workers of America  used to play a role in monitoring and advocating for safety in Illinois coal mines. But there are no labor unions representing miners in Illinois today, and many mines rely heavily on temporary contractors with little job security. This means workers are more reluctant to report safety risks or injuries, experts and miners say, since they fear rocking the boat could cause them to lose jobs that are among the most desirable in an economically stressed region.

A retired longtime Illinois coal miner, who asked his name not be used for fear of alienating former colleagues, said that miners felt much freer to report safety problems  including to federal inspectors  when they were represented by a union.
There were 100 intensive care beds in use on average over that same seven-day period, an 11 percent increase from the week prior. Ventilator usage remained steady with 35 in use on average for the week.

All numbers, while rising amid a nationwide surge sparked by a more contagious virus variant, were well off pandemic highs when the positivity rate rose above 13 percent last winter and COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked above 6,000, with ICU bed usage topping 1,200.

Vaccinations, meanwhile, have slowed, with about 58 percent of the states 18-and-older population fully vaccinated and 73 percent having received one dose. The rolling seven-day average for vaccine doses administered was 20,628 as of Monday, down from an April peak over 130,000.

As the numbers rise, Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office said Friday the administration currently has no plan to implement any additional mitigations now that there is an abundance of vaccine available and accessible across Illinois. We encourage all Illinoisans ages 12-plus to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

But Pritzker, speaking at a news conference regarding infrastructure later Friday, said his administration is always open to making changes in policy in order to keep people safe and healthy.
Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is an evidence-based model traditionally used for training healthcare professionals. These practice simulations are used to provide realistic opportunities for students to apply their practice skills in real time, using realistic client-based scenarios. Social work educators Marion Bogo, Mary Rawlings, Ellen Katz and Carmen Logie adapted traditional OSCE for use with social work students, resulting in the publication of Using Simulation in Assessment and Teaching: OSCE Adapted for Social Work (Council on Social Work Education, 2014).

Each SC State social work student was assigned a standardized case from the OSCE book and had to interact with the client based upon the case scenario. The practice simulations were implemented using Zoom. Following the practice simulations, the actors/actresses provided their assessment of the social work students interaction with them as the client.

This part of the program was very important to both collaborators, said Jaime Rogers, field liaison for the Social Work Program. The feedback process was beneficial for the mock clients as well as the social work students.
But words are the easy part. At least so far, the administration seems uncertain and unprepared in dealing with those Afghan allies. The jeopardy they face was totally predictable, once Biden decided to pull out. So why isn't there a better plan -- any plan, really -- in place already?

All we have are vague hints from the White House. Maybe the endangered employees will be airlifted to Guam, an American territory in the Western Pacific, where they can be processed under a program called Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) that would permit them to move to the U.S. Or perhaps they will be trucked to neighboring Tajikistan, where refugees are already pouring across the border.

Either option presents a logistical nightmare, since about 18,000 Afghans, with 53,000 family members, worked for the Americans. But even if they were all somehow brought to safety, the administration's problems would just be starting.

Under the SIV program, which was created in 2008, only 11,000 visas remain available. Moreover, the qualifications for this program are very strict, requiring all sorts of work documents, recommendations and medical clearances. Navigating the process can take two years, and even then, success is not guaranteed. Many former employees are turned down. One such person, Abdul Rashid Shirzad, was recently profiled by The Washington Post.
The debate about voting and voting laws in the United States is truly more about partisan politics than objective analysis. A common refrain is that every American should have the right to vote and not face obstacles to casting ballot. But the fact is that elections are about winning and losing  and power  and every party, every candidate truly only wants supporters, not opponents, casting ballots.

Democrats claim Republican leaders in red states are systematically making it harder for people to vote, particularly Blacks and other minorities that traditionally favor Democrats. They are seeking national standards that would effectively take away each states legal right to run its own elections.

More accurately, Republican lawmakers in states such as Georgia, which has faced the most criticism for its voting law revisions, are making changes in large part because of so many practices that were implemented in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic: no-excuse absentee voting, mail-in voting, drop boxes.

Georgia is being used as the poster child for a campaign aimed at painting Republicans as vote suppressors. A closer look reveals something quite different  and makes us wonder why blue states to include President Joe Bidens Delaware are not subject to criticism for their rules and laws that are less liberal than Georgias.
Job Title: Monitoring Assistant (UN Jobs)

Organisation: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Duty Station: Uganda

Reports to: Programme Associate

Grade: G5

About US:

United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the worlds largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to food and contribute to lasting solutions, especially in many of the worlds most remote and fragile areas.

Job Summary: The Monitoring Assistant will support the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) by taking responsibility for completion of a range of processes and activities related to monitoring that requires some interpretation of standard guidelines/practices. The Monitoring Assistant will coordinate and perform monitoring activities within a specific coverage area and provide reports to support the effective delivery of assistance packages.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead in influencing the Districts to revise the Community Action Plans in line with the changing needs and advocate for adoption of the Community Action Plans by the Sub Counties, District and other players

Strengthen the integrated approach to all WFP programmes; Nutrition, General Food Assistance and Agriculture Market Support in Kamwenge and Kyegegwa District and externally with other actors.

Coordinate and monitor the implementation of Asset Creation and Livelihood activities in the refugee settlement and in the host community in collaboration with Government (Office of the Prime Minister, District Local Governments), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other livelihood partners in the district.

Contribute to Programme design, discussion, and documentation/proposal writing.

Assist in the implementation of the APP, review achievements and constraints and provide feedback accordingly.

Support in the synthesis of Asset Creation and Livelihood programme results and provide input into analysis.

Provide programme operational support e.g. procurement and partnerships management

Organize and conduct joint stakeholder monitoring and review meetings on the progress of ACL/livelihood activities.

Contribute to the documentation of programme achievements and lessons learnt, human interest and success stories on the Asset Creation and Livelihood programme.

Actively participate in joint weekly, monthly inter-agency coordination meetings with UN agencies, local governments and other stakeholders at refugee or field level to discuss issues related to Asset Creation and Livelihood programme and provide update on the progress.

Conduct capacity needs assessments for District Local Governments and targeted beneficiaries and organize capacity strengthening initiatives.

Maintain statistics/data on the supported beneficiaries in formats agreed by the Field Office

Submit weekly and monthly reports highlighting progress on program implementation, gaps, and areas for support/follow up.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Monitoring Assistant job placement must hold a University degree or equivalent in one or more of the following disciplines: Economics, Agriculture, Agriculture economics, Social Sciences, Development Studies and humanities.

At least Four (4) or more years of progressively responsible work experience of implementing Asset Creation and Livelihood projects

Computer knowledge and skills in MS Word, MS Excel and MS Power point.

Experience in livelihoods programming in a refugee context.

Experience in implementing Cash for Work projects

Demonstrated understanding of the Livelihood Conceptual framework

Ability to collect and analyse programme output and outcome data and preparing various reports for management and stakeholders.

Fluency in written and oral English is a requirement, and ability to speak and understand Kiswahili and Runyakitara will be an added advantage.

Competencies:

Strategic Management: Displays basic understanding of WFPs policies and strategies to perform monitoring and/or evaluation activities and their inter-relationship.

Displays basic understanding of WFPs policies and strategies to perform monitoring and/or evaluation activities and their inter-relationship. Performance Management: Applies knowledge of WFPs performance management system to manage resources and relationships to undertake monitoring actions or deliver straightforward evaluations of operations, programmes, or processes to WFP monitoring and/or evaluation quality standards.

Applies knowledge of WFPs performance management system to manage resources and relationships to undertake monitoring actions or deliver straightforward evaluations of operations, programmes, or processes to WFP monitoring and/or evaluation quality standards. Qualitative/Quantitative Methodology: Understand and applies an appropriate mix of established methods and data collection tools to monitoring, reviews or straightforward evaluations, in line with WFPs strategic and operational results frameworks (metrics), WFP guidance and technical standards.

Understand and applies an appropriate mix of established methods and data collection tools to monitoring, reviews or straightforward evaluations, in line with WFPs strategic and operational results frameworks (metrics), WFP guidance and technical standards. Data Analytics and Visualization: Collects and summarizes programme data, including information on shipments, distribution site logistics, the status of personas in need, and beneficiaries planned and reached for all programme assistance modalities and activities.

Collects and summarizes programme data, including information on shipments, distribution site logistics, the status of personas in need, and beneficiaries planned and reached for all programme assistance modalities and activities. Programme Monitoring and Review: Gathers, organizes, and provides data on programme outputs, processes, and outcomes, including distribution plans and the status, quantity, and quality of food and cash distributed and technical assistance provided.

NB: Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply. WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

How to Apply:

All candidates who wish to join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) should apply online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 30th July 2021

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
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By the time the Bootleg Fire is extinguished months from now, it will likely be as big or bigger than those fires, but research shows that Oregon once experienced megafires much larger than these fairly often, Johnston said.

I think its important for us to take the long view of wildfire. In the context of the last couple hundreds years, the Bootleg Fire is not large, he said. One of the things my lab group does is reconstruct historical fires, and fires that were burning in that area in the 1600s and 1700s were just as big as the Bootleg Fire or bigger.

That's little reassurance for fire crews battling the current blaze, which is 25% contained.

On Monday, flames forced the evacuation of a wildlife research station as firefighters had to retreat from the flames for the ninth consecutive day due to erratic and dangerous fire behavior. Sycan Marsh hosts thousands of migrating and nesting birds and is a key research station on wetland restoration in the upper reaches of the Klamath Basin.

Fire pushed by winds and fueled by bone-dry conditions jumped fire-retardant containment lines and pushed up to 4 miles into new territory, authorities said.
That sensibility was what made Ozs performance so symbolically important, Oz said. While she is a transgender woman, her gender is not central to her professional identity or her performance. The performance wasnt to be a transgender magic show, as Clem alleged, but rather a magic show that happened to be performed by a transgender woman. Oz is simply a magician, she said, whose primary mission is to entertain. Just being able to do that, she said, is significant: a sign that who she is does not need to be trivialized or explained.

You never know who youre going to touch or who you are going to reach, who you are going to find yourself in, Oz said. Thats part of the reason why I really love my job. Its because you have all of these different kinds of communities and people who might not feel like theyre often seen. To be able to maybe find yourself in somebody else and see them doing something they love and maybe have that inspire somebody else  Thats a really cool thing. Thats kind of why I do what I do.

Shelstad said that the vitriol of a small group of individuals should not define Campbell County. It doesnt really show a heartbeat for our community, he said in an interview.
We have things like diabetes and heart disease and, nine out of the 10 top causes of death can be linked back to, at some level, sedentary behavior. We have to adjust to this, he said. The challenge in physical education is to give students a chance to experience a variety of different types of activity so they can start to understand what things they do like.

But how to measure student success, or development? Kern said that can be tricky, because grading on a childs physical fitness is not appropriate.

Its a lot easier to look at how not to measure the standards, he said. Generally the idea of assessing students (physical fitness) and assigning any value to that, like a grade for their fitness level, is really inappropriate. We dont do that.

While it may make sense to do fitness testing, rather than assign a grade from it, the results should be used to help students gain information about how to grow from there.

All too often, we emphasize the outcome of the fitness test, when that really isnt what is important. What is important is what you do with the data, he said.

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Shell Trinidad and Tobago yesterday announced the start of natural gas production from its Block 5C, off the east coast of Trinidad, which it expects to peak at about 220 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d).

Shells announcement of first gas from Block 5C, known as the Project Barracuda, comes amid heightened interest in the fate of Atlantic LNGs Train 1, following reports that the first LNG facility in T&T, commissioned in 1999, will be mothballed in the coming weeks and could stay out of service for at least two years.
On the sands of Manzanilla Beach on Trinidads East Coast, Spiritual Shouter Baptist believer Tameka Harris stood in the darkness before daybreak among the worshippers who had brought her there to be cleansed of her troubles.

There was a full moon and the tide was low that early morning in March.

The Government-imposed Covid-19 restrictions at that time said beaches and coastal waters were open to the public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

However, at 4.16 a.m., Tameka slipped away from the others, shed her clothing and walked into the sea where she died.
It is the height of irony that our local social media platforms on TVoften presumed as lacking in the accepted journalistic principles of rationality, discretion and fair play, et alare some of the places where some of our critical issues as a nation are brought into focus.
The funeral of Haitis former president Jovenel Moise is scheduled for today in Cap Haitien, his countrys second city and his own home base.

But in his troubled country, even that event looks precarious.

On Wednesday, locals in Cap Haitien threw stones at the motorised convoy of the national police chief Leon Charles. They were angry that Charles had not prevented Moises killing on July 7, or done more to find the culprits.
If I were to amend the famous quote from Harper Lees classic novel to suit my purpose for writing this column, it would say: dogs dont do anything but love us, thats why its a sin to give them away.
He said Ducey's position remains the same despite the conflicting policy of his own health department.

And if schools refuse to conform to his directive?

"We'll see," said Karamargin.

Law's language

The new law's wording and intent are at issue.

The language, inserted by Republican lawmakers into a budget bill, says that schools "may not require the use of face coverings by students or staff during school hours and on school property.''

A separate provision says schools cannot require students or teachers to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or to wear a face covering to participate in in-person instruction.

No problem here, said the lawyers for the two districts, saying their policies require none of that.

"Nothing in (the law) restricts a school district from following guidance provided by federal, state and local public health authorities with regard to students who have been exposed to COVID-19,'' they wrote.
"Earlier today, two of our Tucson EMTs were shot by a gunman as they were posted on an emergency call. At this point, one of them is in ICU with very critical injuries and another is awaiting surgery, with non-life-threatening but serious injuries. Officers, firefighters and civilians were also shot and we understand there are serious injuries and possibly casualties," the post said. "We are still getting details about this terrible situation, and at this point we would like to keep our team members names private so their families can tend to them. We will share information soon. Please pray with us, for all involved and for our team members who are fighting to recover from this senseless act."
The United States has voiced its concerns about treatment of some journalists by the North African kingdom. Another journalist, Soulaimane Raissouni, was recently sentenced to five years in prison.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said that media freedom is foundational to prosperous and secure societies and governments must ensure that journalists can safely perform their essential roles without fear of unjust tension, violence or threats. The case of Raissouni and others, including Radi, were being watched, Price said, and we have raised these concerns with the Moroccan government and we will continue to do so.

Morocco, a major U.S. ally, quickly took issue with the U.S. stance. Its Ministerial Delegation for Human Rights said the State Department knowingly obscured the point of view of the complainants and their defense, going so far as to deny their very status of victim. The statement said it was astonished at the focus on the professional status  journalist  and his allegations.

The Casablanca court ordered Radi and Stitou to pay the equivalent of more than $22,300 to the victim of the alleged sexual assault.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
OPINION: Letter writers are sharing who they think should be voted onto the City Council for Ward 3 and 6. Who do you think is the best candidate? Write a letter to the editor at tucson.com/opinion.
A native son of southwestern Indiana, Jeremiah Galey was raised on the flavors of Posey County summer produce  mainly corn, tomatoes and watermelon.

These days, the executive chef at Amys on Franklin in Evansville, Indiana, enjoys finding innovative new ways to enjoy familiar ingredients.

I'm unabashedly out-of-the-box, he says. You'll likely catch me trying something absurd in the kitchen just to see what happens.

Searing watermelon slices in a cast-iron skillet is just one example.

Since it's grilling season, I like to grill things people may not expect, Galey explains. Grilled romaine is excellent. Any type of fresh vegetable you put in front of me usually ends up on the grill or smoker. I like to use citrus when possible, too  say a nice orange balsamic vinaigrette on a salad with grilled radicchio, goat cheese and shaved fennel.

Like many locavores, Galey admits he really only works with watermelon in-season during the summer to make the most of its peak flavor.

I created the watermelon cocktail featured here at Amys, and its been selling like wildfire, he says. Juicing a watermelon is so easy with a blender or food processor; you only lose a tiny amount of pulp, so utilizing fresh watermelon juice was a no-brainer.

Even with all of his creative experimenting, Galey concedes that the simple approach to fresh watermelon is sometimes the best way to go.

Just slice and eat! he laughs. I'm from the country, though, so I'm liable to drill a hole in it, dump a bottle of booze in and slice it up the next day.

For those days when you find yourself with extra watermelon on hand and a thirst for using it in three unique ways, try these recipes straight from the heart of watermelon country, each with seven ingredients or less.

+2 Cast-Iron Watermelon The ever-versatile watermelon is the star of this sweet-and-savory side dish mash-up featuring a balsamic reduction, Tajin seasoning and feta cheese.

+2 Jerry's Gin & Juice Watermelon juice and grenadine make this gin cocktail recipe as colorful as it is delicious.

Watermelon Sorbet This dairy-free dessert recipe makes the most of juicy watermelon with just five ingredients.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has identified a man agents are searching for in connection with a Sequoyah County double shooting.

Lee King, who is known to have connections in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Houston, is the suspect in a Saturday double shooting that sent two Arkansas men to the hospital in critical condition, the OSBI said Monday in a news release.

About 8:30 p.m. Saturday, the Sequoyah County Sheriffs Office was notified that two men were lying in the roadway on Interstate 40 near Vian. Both men had been shot, the OSBI said.

Investigators believe the two men were good Samaritans who picked up King after his car ran out of gas and took him to a convenience store in Vian to buy a gas can and gasoline.

The men drove King back to his car, where one was shot in the face and the other was shot multiple times in the torso, the OSBI said. They were in critical condition, according to the news release, but were expected to survive.

Kings car matched one stolen during a Saturday morning carjacking in Oklahoma City, the OSBI reported.
Along with Memorial Middle School, TPS two junior high campuses, Nathan Hale and East Central, will start classes at 9:15 a.m. and end at 4:20 p.m. Monroe Demonstration Academy and Carver, Central, Webster, Edison and Rogers middle schools will start classes at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:35 p.m. Thoreau Demonstration Academy will end classes at 4:20 p.m. daily, with regular classes starting at 9:15 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays and extended day starting at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The nine traditional brick and mortar high schools will all start at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3:35 p.m.

Start times for the districts alternative sites range from 7:20 a.m. for Project Accept TRAICE Elementary to 9:15 a.m. for TRAICE Academy Middle and High schools. Release times span from 2:05 p.m. at Street School to 4:20 p.m. for TRAICE Academy Middle and High schools.

Open signups: Registration is open through 5 p.m. on July 26 for TPS before and after care programs for the 2021-2022 school year.

The district announced in April that it would use a portion of its federal COVID-19 relief funds to offer free after school care at every elementary campus five days a week.
She told Moore if you have a service that you need someone just to work, at a church or something like that, give me a call, she said.

Looking back at her life, Stanley still has a hard time believing she ended up in the business.

She was born and raised in Henryetta, and never once thought about working for a funeral home when she grew up.

Instead, her plan was to teach.

I just liked teaching, she said. In high school I was a debater, I participated in the plays, public speaking. And I enjoyed it.

Stanleys first teaching job would be at Fox Consolidated School in Fox, Oklahoma.

And her first year there couldnt have come at a more eventful time: The U.S. had just entered World War II.

As her male students began to leave to go to war, a lot of them said, Teach, will you write to me? Stanley recalled.

And I kept up with so many of them.

Writing to her former pupils in uniform wasnt just a duty, she said. She enjoyed it.

However, one day the mail brought something she never expected.
A lawsuit that will almost certainly test the limits of last years McGirt v. Oklahoma decision has been filed by Gov. Kevin Stitts administration.

The suit, in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City, challenges the U.S. Interior Departments announcement several months ago that it is assuming regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation.

It said its decision was based on McGirt.

The Department of the Interior and other defendants in this case are dead wrong, Stitt said in a press release announcing the lawsuit. They are attempting to unlawfully federalize mines that have been regulated by Oklahoma for almost 40 years (and are) ignoring the clear limitations in the McGirt decision.  The state of Oklahoma has no choice but to pursue legal action.

The state is challenging not only the federal governments reasoning but the procedure by which it assumed jurisdiction over mining regulation and rehabilitation.

The state apparently has retained the national law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, which has extensive background in energy law, to represent it in the case.
In fiscal year 2020, that broke down to just under $50 million to the TSET endowment, $12.4 million to the general fund and $4.1 million to the attorney general.

TSET, however, is funded by proceeds from the endowment, not the annual payments to it. The payments peaked at $113.4 million in 2013 and have been steadily declining since.

The endowment is managed by a five-member investment committee headed by the state treasurer, and at last count was worth more than $1.6 billion. That $1.6 billion cannot be touched without a vote of the people.

The purposes for which TSET can spend money are limited by the 2000 constitutional amendment and state law, but broadly speaking the expenditures must be related to public health, research and reducing tobacco use.

TSETs largest and most visible programs are its Helpline, which provides information, counseling and nicotine replacement therapy for smokers, and media campaigns such as Tobacco Stops With Me.

As others have before, LOFT questioned the effectiveness of these programs, and in particular the Helpline. LOFT conceded the program is relatively effective but said it costs several times more than other states spend.
Hardy himself, a healthy 36-year-old man, said he had significant health effects for two months after he contracted COVID before he was able to get vaccinated. Hardy said he had classic symptoms of a heart attack while he was recovering and would have gone to the emergency room if he hadnt known what was happening.

No one knows the long-term effects of a COVID infection.

What are the experiences of people 10 years after being infected with COVID-19? We dont know that because the first-ever infection was only about a year and a half ago.

Its very, very scary as a physician, and whats also scary is we dont know how to treat this, Hardy said. We dont know whos going to do poorly and whos going to make a full recovery.

So when we say that more than 99% of the people who get COVID survive, we actually say that more than 99% of the people who have had COVID have survived so far. And some of the 99% who have survived have survived with a significantly reduced quality of life.

Some fully vaccinated people are starting to wear masks again when they go into public places. Hardy said he still wears a mask in public and has told relatives they should consider it, too.
There is no good reason to make the District of Columbia a state in our union.

The problem of those living within this area not being represented in Congress was historically half-solved many years ago by returning the area south of the Potomac River to the state of Virginia.

That area is represented by the current county of Fairfax.

My wife, Shirley, and I were home-owning residents of that county while we worked for the U.S. Army and other intelligence agencies located in D.C. during the 1990s and 2000s.

Fairfax County has the second largest school district in the U.S. and has the highest per-capita income of any county, except for the one in Maryland next to D.C.

Maryland would benefit immensely if it could get the northern residential areas of D.C. back.

That obstacle may be because the second residences of our congressional representatives are located in this area, and they dont want to pay much higher property taxes, if they are moved to Maryland.

Currently, huge sums are given to D.C. by Congress. There are many other non-government organizations that might have to pay their fair share of taxes if they were moved from this tax haven.
France will ban from next year the killing of male chicks by crushing or gassing, a practice denounced as barbaric by animal welfare groups, and will push for a similar measure at European level, the agriculture minister said on Sunday.

Each year, 50 million male chicks are culled in this way, Julien Denormandie said in an interview posted on the website of daily Le Parisien. Only females, future egg-laying hens, are kept alive.

"France is the first country in the world, along with Germany, to end the crushing and gassing of male chicks," Denormandie added.

The two countries will try to convince their European Union partners to outlaw the practice at a council of EU agriculture ministers on Monday, he said.

From 2022, breeders in France will instead need to equip themselves with machines to detect the sex of chicks before they hatch.

"The dynamic is well underway and, given the orders already placed, the machines will be installed for two-thirds of production in France by the end of the first quarter of 2022," Denormandie added.

The measure is expected to lead to an extra cost of 1 euro cent per box of six eggs, he said.

To help breeders buy the equipment, France will grant subsidies totalling 10 million euros ($11.8 million).

The castration of live piglets will also be prohibited from the start of 2022, Denormandie said.
JAKARTA -- As coronavirus surges in the Indonesian capital, volunteers like Badie Uzzaman are pitching in to help, delivering food to people who have tested positive but are forced to quarantine at home as hospitals run short of beds.

The 26-year-old driver of a three-wheeler, Badie drops off the packages in front of patients' homes, calling out that their food has arrived and making small talk from a distance.

"I do feel scared," said Badie, one of four volunteers who deliver meals to up to 70 homes three times a day. "I'm worried all the time as I have family and go home to them after work."

In recent days, new infections, driven by the more virulent Delta variant, have been higher in the world's fourth-most populous nation than elsewhere, a seven-day average from a Reuters tracker showed.

Badie Uzzaman, 26, a volunteer of Indonesian NGO Dompet Dhuafa, rides a three-wheeled vehicle while distributing free food to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients undergoing self-isolation in South Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Badie works for non-profit charity Dompet Dhuafa, or "Wallet for the Poor", which set up the kitchen, and aims to open two more, after some housewives joined in the task of cooking rice, chicken and vegetables.

"Many hospitals are full," said coordinator Ahmad Yamin. "We decided to create this kitchen station to help people ... and give them nutritious food to boost their immune systems so they can recover as soon as possible."

Volunteers of Indonesian NGO Dompet Dhuafa distribute free food to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients undergoing self-isolation in South Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2021. Picture taken July 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters

With hospital occupancy rates at about 90%, few COVID-19 sufferers are likely to find a bed, so their only option is to self-isolate, recover at home and prevent the spread of the virus.

Daily infections in the Southeast Asian nation of more than 270 million hit a high near 57,000 last week, while the death toll has doubled from early July to about 1,000 per day.

Badie has overcome fears of getting infected from his work, he said.

"I've fallen in love with humanity after all and that is what makes me believe everything will be fine."

Badie Uzzaman, 26, a volunteer of Indonesian NGO Dompet Dhuafa, carries free food to be distributed to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients undergoing self-isolation in South Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Badie Uzzaman, 26, a volunteer of Indonesian NGO Dompet Dhuafa, talks with a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient undergoing self-isolation as he delivers free food, in South Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2021. Picture taken July 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters
German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the flooding that has devastated parts of Europe as "terrifying" on Sunday after the death toll across the region rose to 188 and a district of Bavaria was battered by the extreme weather.

Merkel promised swift financial aid after visiting one of the areas worst affected by the record rainfall and floods that have killed at least 157 in Germany alone in recent days, in the country's worst natural disaster in almost six decades.

She also said governments would have to get better and faster in their efforts to tackle the impact of climate change only days after Europe outlined a package of steps towards "net zero" emissions by the middle of the century.

"It is terrifying," she told residents of the small town of Adenau in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. "The German language can barely describe the devastation that's taken place."

As efforts continued to track down missing people, the devastation continued on Sunday when a district of Bavaria, southern Germany, was hit by flash floods that killed at least one person.

Roads were turned into rivers, some vehicles were swept away and swathes of land buried under thick mud in Berchtesgadener Land. Hundreds of rescue workers were searching for survivors in the district, which borders Austria.

"We were not prepared for this," said Berchtesgadener Land district administrator Bernhard Kern, adding that the situation had deteriorated "drastically" late on Saturday, leaving little time for emergency services to act.

About 110 people have been killed in the worst-hit Ahrweiler district south of Cologne. More bodies are expected to be found there as the flood waters recede, police say.

The European floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium. Entire communities have been cut off, without power or communications.

In North Rhine-Westphalia at least 46 people have died. The death toll in Belgium climbed to 31 on Sunday.

Aftermath of heavy rainfalls in Germany. Photo: Reuters

Aid up, power down

The scale of the floods mean they could shake up Germany's general election in September next year.

North Rhine-Westphalia state premier Armin Laschet, the CDU party's candidate to replace Merkel, apologised for laughing in the background while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to media after visiting the devastated town of Erftstadt.

The German government will be readying more than 300 million euros ($354 million) in immediate relief and billions of euros to fix collapsed houses, streets and bridges, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

"There is huge damage and that much is clear: those who lost their businesses, their houses, cannot stem the losses alone."

There could also be a 10,000 euro short-term payment for businesses affected by the impact of the floods as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the paper.

Scientists, who have long said that climate change will lead to heavier downpours, said it would still take several weeks to determine its role in these relentless rainfalls.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the link with climate change was clear.

In Belgium, which will hold a national day of mourning on Tuesday, 163 people are still missing or unreachable. The crisis centre said water levels were falling and a huge clean-up operation was underway. The military was sent in to the eastern town of Pepinster, where a dozen buildings have collapsed, to search for any further victims.

About 37,0000 households were without electricity and Belgian authorities said the supply of clean drinking water was also a major concern.

Bridges battered

Emergency services officials in the Netherlands said the situation had somewhat stabilised in the southern part of Limburg province, where tens of thousands were evacuated in recent days, although the northern part was still on high alert.

"In the north they are tensely monitoring the dykes and whether they will hold," Jos Teeuwen of the regional water authority told a press conference on Sunday.

In southern Limburg, authorities are still concerned about the safety of traffic infrastructure such as roads and bridges battered by the high water.

The Netherlands has so far only reported property damage from the flooding and no dead or missing people.

In Hallein, an Austrian town near Salzburg, powerful flood waters tore through the town centre on Saturday evening as the Kothbach river burst its banks, but no injuries were reported.

Many areas of Salzburg province and neighbouring provinces remain on alert, with rains set to continue on Sunday. Western Tyrol province reported that water levels in some areas were at highs not seen for more than 30 years.

Parts of Switzerland remained on flood alert, though the threat posed by some of the most at-risk bodies of water like Lake Lucerne and Bern's Aare river has eased.

($1 = 0.8471 euros)
Read what is in the news today:

COVID-19 Updates

-- The Ministry of Health documented 2,014 local COVID-19 infections, including 1,535 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, on Monday morning, raising the national tally to 55,845, with 10,667 recoveries and 254 deaths.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has tasked seven ministries with setting up their own special working groups to help Ho Chi Minh City and other southern localities in the fight against COVID-19.

-- Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long on Sunday said that his ministry had prepared for the worst scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic in southern localities, pledging to prevent the lack of protective gear and ensure maximum safety for frontline medical staff.

-- Authorities in Vung Tau City, located in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, have banned people from traveling to work by motorbike and on foot for COVID-19 prevention.

-- Authorities in Hanoi have requested people to stay home, only go out in necessary situations, and not to gather in groups of more than five, while closing all stores selling non-essential goods from 0:00 on Monday due to new clusters of coronavirus infections in recent days.

-- COVID-19 hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have been overloaded by surging daily infections and faced a shortage of ventilators and oxygen supply.

Society

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade has sought support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development over a dearth of up to 1,500 metric tons of vegetables and fruits and 400,000 eggs every day.

-- Two children drowned after the older sister tried to rescue her sibling, who had slipped into an irrigation canal in central Quang Tri Province on Sunday afternoon.

-- The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has asked carriers and airports to create favorable conditions for bringing internal migrants from Ho Chi Minh City and southern localities to their hometowns.

-- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have suspended 16 companies located in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City after they failed to practice COVID-19 prevention measures as required.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Delta coronavirus variant, first detected in India in late 2020, is sweeping through Southeast Asia, sending many countries, including Vienam, scrambling to shore up their defenses against COVID-19, particularly given the current shortage of vaccines.

Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper spoke with Professor Yik Ying Teo, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, via the Internet to learn about how Singapore is faring in its battle against the Delta variant.

Penetrating defenses

After successfully containing the virus for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has found itself facing an outbreak that has, so far, lasted for months. By comparison, Vietnam confirmed less than 2,000 domestic cases in the previous three waves. However, since the fourth round began in late April, Vietnam has detected more than 52,000 local infections. Other countries in the region are also experiencing record numbers of cases and deaths. Can you help us understand what exactly is going on?

My understanding is that the current situation in Vietnam is driven by the Delta variant, which is penetrating quite a lot of the defenses that countries put in place previously. Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia have kept the coronavirus at bay for a very long time thanks to their effective public health measures, but the Delta variant is so much more transmissible [than other variants]. I would say that it is not that the public health measures that Vietnam has imposed are ineffective, but that the coronavirus has changed to become better at getting around the measures. This is exactly the reason why a similar situation is happening in many parts of the Asia Pacific right now. Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam are seeing a large outbreak of COVID-19, despite the fact that so many have done very well in the past 18 months since the pandemic began.

Singapore and Vietnam are among the few countries that developed a positive reputation last year due to their abilities to keep their COVID-19 cases low, thanks to strict restrictions and public health measures. But now, in mid-2021, Vietnam is struggling to contain the virus. Do you think Vietnams strategy to deal with the virus is still effective? What key measures should it take at this moment?

I think Vietnam and Singapores measures are workable. Singapore imposed strict measures in April and May when we saw large spread within the community, so we went back to implement some restrictions on movement, like a form of lockdown. Most importantly, such measures help to ensure a minimum impact on the health of the people as well as on the economy. If we wanted to ignore the economy, we could lock down the entire country for a very long time. Thanks to the lockdown, people are safe and the infection rates have started to decrease. Unfortunately, people are still struggling because they have lost their jobs and don't have money. It is in those istuations that the effects of the lockdown hurt more than being infected with COVID-19.

The long-term plan must always be to focus on how we are going to live with COVID-19. We need to protect the health of our people, but we also need to protect the economy. Lockdown not only causes a big impact on the economy, but it also has a significant mental impact.

For Vietnam, the question is how it plans to effectively use vaccines to protect itself. That will be an important feature of any country's response to COVID-19 moving forward.

What is Singapores approach to prevent the spread of the Delta variant?

What weve done in Singapore create different layers of measures. The first measure is that weve imposed restrictions on people returning to work. The second measure is that we have group size limitations for social and dining activities. At the moment, there are still quite a lot of restrictions in the community, for example restrictions on going to the gym and visiting the cinema.

One of our most important measures is our border control. Singapore requires mandatory quarantine for travelers coming into the city-state, except for those from a few countries. There are also non-pharmaceutical interventions that Singapore put in place, including face mask wearing. Importantly, Singapore now also relies on the use of vaccination. We inoculate people with effective vaccines. Vaccination does not prevent infection completely but it reduces the chance of being infected. And if someone has been vaccinated but still infected, the chance of the person experiencing severe symptoms that require hospital care is much lower.

Our data suggests that being vaccinated with the vaccines we use in Singapore (Pfizer) lowers the chance of being infected by 69 percent. If you're infected, it lowers the chance of severe symptoms by at least 80 percent. So, most of the time, even if you are infected, you have no symptoms or you have very mild symptoms. So, those are all the different layers of protection that we are putting in place. We anticipate that vaccination has been one of the biggest differences in allowing us to build our defenses against the Delta variant.

Professor Yik Ying Teo, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore. Photo: The Straits Times

Not time yet for Vietnam to live with COVID-19

Living with COVID-19 has been widely discussed around the world, especially in developed countries with high vaccination rates. Singapore has announced a road map to live with COVID-19 in which it plans to stop counting the number of infections. What do you believe are the conditions for countries like Vietnam to live with the virus?

The main condition is actually related to vaccination. The vaccination rate in the population needs to be at a very high level in order to live with COVID-19. The other requirement is to be able to monitor the effectiveness of the vaccines that have been used, as it is almost certain that there will be new variants and we will need to be able to follow science and data to see whether the vaccines will continue to be effective against the new variants. So living with the coronavirus will rely on vaccination as a way to protect the population, but it also depends on the assumption that vaccines will continue to be effective against emerging variants.

Singapores decision to stop counting the number of infections is something that has caught the attention of international news. Our ministers made a statement about how we may potentially move to the stage of tracking not the infection numbers but the hospitalization numbers.

I personally think it is very important to understand the context of this decision. Presently, Singapore tracks the number of people who have been infected. Once the number of vaccinated people in Singapore becomes high enough (maybe 70 to 80 percent) and we have epidemiological proof that vaccines protect people against severe outcomes of the disease, we will stop counting the numbers.

Right now, we are starting to see the evidence that vaccination protects against severe symptoms and deaths. That is very important information because once we see that vaccines are effective against severe symptoms, we will be able to stop worrying about infection numbers.

For example, if we have 100 people infected today but they have mild symptoms and little chance of infecting others because the majority of people around them are vaccinated, the news will say 100 people infected today, which might make people feel as if the numbers are not as serious as before. In order for us to move to that stage, we must have a high vaccination rate in the population.

I believe that with the use of effective vaccines, we can reduce COVID-19 to a point where we consider it similar to the flu. I anticipate that by the end of this year Singapore will relax border restrictions.

If Vietnam has a low rate of vaccination (over four million doses of vaccine have so far been administered), then it wont be possible to say that the country can live with COVID-19. Living with it means many people in the population are protected from the short-term and long-term health effects of infection.

Some countries are following a policy of suppressing COVID-19 with lockdowns until a vaccine is available, with the goal of no community transmission, or zero-COVID. Do you think the strategy is still possible as new variants, including the Delta, continue to emerge?

It depends on how strict the lockdown is and whether or not people choose to follow it. There are some countries in Southeast Asia with lockdowns, but those lockdowns are not strictly enforced, and if there is no real enforcement, then it is not effective.

Second, the Delta variant is so much more transmissible. If you enforce a two-week lockdown, what is likely to happen is that people will start to infect household members. Some of the people may actually end up with no symptoms or very mild symptoms, and they don't even know they are infected. And if they are the ones going out to buy food, despite the lockdown, they may infect others even though it is at a very low rate.

So my concern is that a two-week lockdown may not be sufficient. So even for Singapore, when we imposed stricter measures in May, these stricter measures were imposed for many weeks before we lifted some of the restrictions.

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A man has stabbed his wife and her suspected lover to death during a jealous rage in Ho Chi Minh City.

Police in District 8 confirmed on Sunday they had taken N.V.D., 47, into custody for murder.

The victims were D.T.H.D., 46, who was his wife, and N.T.T., 31.

Preliminary information showed that D. had talked on the phone with his wife before being overwhelmed with jealousy on Saturday night.

D. suspected that his wife was having an affair with T., thus he decided to look for the man.

After spotting T. on Me Coc Street in District 8, D. attacked him with a pair of scissors.

T. ran away for a short distance before collapsing on the ground and succumbing to his wounds.

D. returned home following the incident and stabbed his wife with the same weapon as soon as she came back to the house.

The wife was brought to a hospital for emergency treatment but passed away later that night.

D. eventually turned himself in to local police.

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Authorities in Vung Tau City, located in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province in souther Vietnam, have banned people from traveling to work by motorbike and on foot for COVID-19 prevention.

The prohibition is mandated in a document issued by the Peoples Committee of Vung Tau on Sunday evening that stipulates strengthened measures to control traffic in the city during the 14-day implementation of social distancing, which starts in the entire province on Monday.

Accordingly, the citys governing body has requested production establishments to arrange for their workers to travel altogether on one vehicle between their home and workplace.

Each vehicle must not transport more than 50 percent of its capacity or 20 passengers.

Workers are not allowed to ride motorbikes or walk to work.

Companies are encouraged to make preparations for workers to stay inside their facilities.

Only delivery workers and those working at markets, supermarkets, convenience stores, and food supply establishments are permitted to use motorbikes to travel, providing that they hold a certificate of testing negative for the coronavirus.

The negative certificate is only valid for three days from the date of testing.

Cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers in state agencies and public business units are also allowed to use motorbikes to travel during their official duties.

Following its issuance, the policy has prompted many concerns from companies and workers.

It would take us the entirety of working hours to tour the city to pick up every worker, said a firms representative.

We havent prepared any resources for this shuttle service, said another representative.

In my opinion, this document should only apply to factories and companies in industrial zones, another enterprises leader said, suggesting workers at other companies like his be allowed to use personal vehicles.

Responding to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspapers query regarding those complaints late on Sunday night, a leader of the Peoples Committee of Vung Tau emphasized that the citys COVID-19 prevention committee had thoroughly discussed and considered the high risk of viral spread before preparing the document.

The aim of the document is to quickly stop the spread, said the leader.

We hope that people and companies understand and seriously follow it."

The Ministry of Health documented 2,014 local COVID-19 infections, including 17 in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, on Monday morning, raising the national tally to 55,845, with 10,667 recoveries and 254 deaths.

The new infections increased the southern provinces caseload to 182 in the ongoing virus wave that erupted in Vietnam on April 27.

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Authorities in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai have urged the Ministry of Health to allocate more COVID-19 vaccine shots to the locality so that it can vaccinate local workers to ensure economic development.

Dong Nai Province began implementing extensive social distancing measures from July 9, according to the provincial Peoples Committee.

As of Sunday, more than 60 areas in the locality had been locked down, affecting over 82,000 households with 362,000 people.

More than 900 COVID-19 patients had been recorded in the province since the fourth outbreak began in Vietnam on April 27.

Approximately 2,900 people were staying at concentrated quarantine centers and 8,400 others undergoing home quarantine.

Although local authorities have intensifying pandemic prevention and control efforts, especially at businesses and industrial parks, the highly-transmissible Delta variant has caused a lot of infection clusters.

Many of the clusters have been detected at local markets, tenanted housing areas of factory workers, and many industrial parks.

Multiple COVID-19 cases have been found at enterprises with tens of thousands of laborers, namely Pouchen and Changshin.

Within only one week from July 10 to 17, Dong Nai recorded 379 cases in the community.

The Ministry of Health has so far allocated 226,520 vaccine doses to the province, while the number of people belonging to target groups promulgated by the government is over 400,000.

In addition, nearly 1.2 million laborers at local businesses and industrial parks, who are at high risk of getting infected, have yet to receive any shot.

The Dong Nai administration thus urged the health ministry to distribute more vaccine shots so that it can administer them to local laborers promptly.

This will help ensure the dual goal of pandemic prevention and economic development, as well as prevent the disruption of supply chains for both the domestic and international markets.

Vietnam had documented 55,845 COVID-19 cases as of Monday morning, with 10,667 recoveries and 254 deaths.

The country has reported 52,215 local infections in 58 provinces and cities, including 903 cases in Dong Nai, since April 27, when the fourth virus wave began.

Dong Nai is a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City  the countrys largest epicenter in this bout with 32,926 cases.

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He may be recognised for Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, McLeods Daughters and Satisfaction but actor turned producer, turned distributor Dustin Clare has added streaming platform entrepreneur to his resume.

A year ago Clare launched Shelter, a streaming service specialising in architecture, design, lifestyle and outdoor living.

Not content with simply acquiring titles from across the globe, Shelter has also been building an original slate with its own commissions.

This week it launched Permanent Camping 2. 10 years after designing Permanent Camping in Mudgee, NSW, architect Rob Brown has teamed up again with master builder and joiner Jeffery Broadfield. This time they have built upon a remote location in Berry, NSW. Accessible only by foot, are two striking copper towers overlooking lush green paddocks and the Pacific Ocean.

That story came off the back of the success of our first original series, Inspired Architecture. The first episode of that played in all the major Architectural / Design film festivals around the world. Its been one of our most watched pieces of content on the platform, he tells TV Tonight.

Its not traditional reality TV style or lifestyle content

We released our original series Architecture on the Edge, which we also commissioned out of Chile, South America. All the stuff were commissioning is really creative and artistic. Its not traditional reality TV style or lifestyle content. Were really going much deeper than that, allowing ourselves time to explore the spaces, and the ideas behind them and how they came to be.

Thats really the ethos, I guess, with all the original content that were producing. Were also working with a local filmmaker in the Northern Rivers, Sophie Hexter, who is doing an interior design series on the Byron Bay aesthetic. And then we have Inspired Architecture S2 which will release in October with our new suite of TV apps.

Weve got a series from the UK that weve commissioned called Follies, which is all about architecture follies and we have Tiny Spaces as well, which is shooting in Victoria.

We really want to build a new quality of content in architecture, home and lifestyle, which I think generally can get pretty trashy and repetitive. We want to elevate it as creative, artistic and thoughtful.

The path to streaming came from his move into distribution, and prior to that producing independent films such as Sunday, The Meaning of Vanlife, and 2015 US drama A Fighting Season.

First was making content and then working out how to monetise the content, and then seeing an opportunity in the streaming space, which is really the next frontier of distribution. Thankfully weve had really great support from some of the biggest lifestyle distributors around the world.

The future will see the rise of niche

Its a been a steep learning curve, he concedes, especially in the area of tech and building an audience. But the beauty of Streaming is the capacity for niche genres to find a like-minded audience as a business model.

The future will see the rise of niche. In social media we can subscribe to something specifically that we decide we like. So it makes sense that the content, if its specific to your tastes, is where youre going to be watching. The rise of bespoke, curtailed or a la carte all those words are specific to the reality of what we can do as an audience. Once upon a time we used to have to wait till 8pm to watch a certain type of broad show. Now, we can watch any type of show, anytime we want, he maintains.

Shelter, which even plants a native tree for every subscriber through Eden Reforestation Projects, will launch apps in October through Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV internationally. It is also in early discussions with Telstra TV.

Clare, seen most recently in Eden, Doctor Doctor and soon in Surviving Summer, says there is an audience for high-end architecture titles.

Some of our most-watched content has been around remote style cabins

Were spending so much time in our homes I think were getting a better appreciation of them and an understanding of how we want to live in them. The flip side of some of our most-watched content has been around remote style cabins. People are really drawn to getting back to nature and the escape element.

Weve also seen that for us 15 minutes is a really fantastic runtime. Its something that people are really committing to, as opposed to an hour and a half feature film or a one hour television episode.

Were really looking at people who are up and coming and giving them opportunities

No signs of slowing down, Clare plans more original commissions for Shelter.

Were really looking at people who are up and coming and giving them opportunities. People who might not have had that opportunity in the commercial broadcast space but definitely deserve it. Theyve had great work done in the short film area and TV commercial. This is giving them a real shot at something creative and longer format.

Shelter offers a 14 day free trial and subscriptions are $7.99 monthly / $79.99 yearly.
Outspoken British commentator Katie Hopkins flew out of Australia on a 3pm Singapore Airlines flight, some 24 hours after she was evicted by Channel Seven.

Hopkins had her visa cancelled by Department of Home Affairs, which followed her now-deleted video in which she openly flouted quarantine rules. Daily Mail has pap shots of her at Sydney International terminal earlier today.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews told ABC, I thought it was just shameful, the fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling.

It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and its just unacceptable behaviour.

So personally Im very pleased shell be leaving.

Seven and Endemol Shine Australia bowed to pressure to sever ties with Hopkins claiming her comments were irresponsible and reckless.

They are yet to acknowledge she was cast in Big Brother VIP or why she was chosen.

Karen Andrews said Ms Hopkins and other Big Brother contestants had been granted visas based on support from the NSW government, which approved letting the contestants into Australia above the quarantine cap.

This does happen from time to time, it actually happens reasonably regularly that state governments approach the federal government on the basis that there is an economic benefit to some people coming in over the quarantine caps, she said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also commented this morning.

We put in place a process where the film companies who are guaranteeing a massive boost to our economy and jobs can make applications, as long as they do it in a way that is not going to impede on the number of Australians coming back, he said.

But he said he was shocked by Ms Hopkinss behaviour and he hoped she was on the first plane back.

To think that she could actually think that the measures that we are taking to keep our community safe can be treated with such juvenile, imbecilic behaviour is just mind-boggling.

A new contender for Blunder of the Year.

Photo: Airline Reporter
Home & Away has been forced to extended its mid-year production break due to the ongoing COVID situation in Sydney.

The Daily Telegraph report producers told actors and crew on Saturday, as the NSW government increased lockdown restrictions.

Cast and crew had already been on a planned two-week shutdown break.

With the ongoing COVID-19 related restrictions, Home and Aways scheduled two-week production break has been extended as a precautionary response to the current pandemic, a Seven spokesman said. The health and safety of all Seven West Media employees is paramount.

Last year the soap was also shut down for 2 months during the height of the pandemic but returned with safety protools including mask wearing, temperature checks on arrival, increased hygiene practices and rigorous cleaning schedules.

A mid-season finale screens on Thursday as the show breaks for the Olympics, but with shooting months ahead of broadcast there will be a stockpile of episodes.
The Feed returns to SBS from late July with presenters Marc Fennell and Alex Lee, while new co-host Virginia Langeberg will fill-in for Alice Matthews while she is on parental leave.

Langeberg who joined SBS in 2019, has more than 15 years experience in Australia and the UK covering challenging stories, including the typhoon destruction in the Philippines, and the aftermath of the Sri Lanka Easter bombings.

Born in Sweden of Tanzanian and Swedish heritage, she moved to Australia at a young age. Prior to joining SBS, she was based in London for BBC World News.

Im beyond excited about this new opportunity. The Feed covers current affairs in such a bold and unique way, I cant wait to be part of it, she said.

Before Matthews departs on August 10, The Feed will air a two-part special documentary titled Pandemicland, co-produced by Alice, Rebecca Metcalf and Ninah Kopel.

Living through your teens and early 20s is scary at the best of times but its even harder during lockdowns, border closures and forced isolation, Alice says. We filmed over the course of 10 months, and I think Pandemicland is a testament to the strength and resilience of a generation that will shape the post-COVID world.

Filmed over ten months, Pandemicland will explore what its like to come of age during COVID. Airing across two weeks on August 3 and August 10, the documentary gets intimate and personal access into the lives of four diverse young Australians navigating a different world to the one they expected.

Theres Ciang, a 21-year-old aspiring comedian in Melbourne who dreams of signing a deal with Netflix but is stuck practising stand-up in his bedroom. Eighteen-year-old Cooper, an up-and-coming rugby star from a coastal NSW town, is grappling with ideas of masculinity after losing two friends to suicide.

Sydney-based dancer Samantha, 16, whose goal to attend a prestigious European ballet school could be threatened by injury and border closures. And, in regional Victoria, 14-year-old Mercedes weighs up the gut-wrenching decision to give up her dream to become a professional boxer so she can get a job to support her single mother.

The Feed returns Tuesday July 27 at 10pm on SBS.

The Feed: Pandemicland airs Tuesday August 3 and August 10 at 10pm.
Veteran Seven News presenter Rod Young will retire this Thursday, wrapping a stellar 45 years in journalism.

Young joined Seven News Brisbane in 2002 where he co-presented weeknight bulletins alongside work wife Kay McGrath for almost a decade before relocating tothe Gold Coast where he co-presents with Amanda Abate.

He was previously at ABC News Brisbane where he began working in the late 1970s and at station 2GO at Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast.

To the legions of loyal supporters whove been there over many years, a heartfelt thank you. My sincerest gratitude for the encouragement that has kept me going through good and bad, he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Sevens Brisbane and Gold Coast news director Neil Warren said, Seven News has been fortunate to have Rod as part of our team for many of those years. He quickly earned the trust of viewers, delivering the news with absolute authority.
Season 3 of Love Island Australia will film in Port Douglas later this year, with Sophie Monk back as host.

New singles will couple up at the Love Island villa against a backdrop of the Great Barrier Reef, the luscious Daintree rainforest, and pristine golden beaches.

Sophie Monk said: Love Island is such a fun and irresistible show and you cant help but get wrapped up in all the flirting, dating and dramas.

I cant wait to join a whole new group of girls and guys looking for love, and filming in my hometown of Queensland is an added bonus for me as well, as Port Douglas is one of my favourite places to visit.

Produced by ITV Studios Australia, and supported by Screen Queenslands Production Attraction Strategy. the reality TV format will return an estimated $8.6 million to Queenslands economy and create more than 100 jobs for local crew.

Screen Queensland CEO Kylie Munnich said, The economic boost to regional centres due to these large-scale reality formats coming to town is significant; this is another fantastic result for Queensland.

First, we had Australian Survivor, filming out of Cloncurry, now we have Love Island for Port Douglas  and what better place on earth to find love than the idyllic tropical north.

This announcement further confirms the growth of Far North Queensland as a significant film and TV hub for the state, growth to be aided by the construction of a studio facility in Cairns, to be operational by early 2022.

Adrian Swift, 9Networks Head of Content Production & Development said, What better place to spark romance and set hearts racing than in the tropical paradise of Port Douglas. Queensland has hosted some of the nations biggest productions in recent times and who doesnt want to watch our hottest cast of islanders yet in a brand new villa, set in luscious rainforest, right on the reef.

ITV Studios Australias Head of Content, Beth Hart, said What better location, than Port Douglas, for one of the sexiest shows on Australian TV screens. Showcasing the incredible surroundings that are second-to-none, we will be bringing to viewers, not only the hottest Australians, but the hottest scenery in the world. We couldnt be more excited to shoot this season in picture-perfect Far North Queensland. We are thrilled to be working with Screen Queensland and to have the opportunity to produce shows on Australian shores for Channel 9.

Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt added, Love Island enjoys a huge national and international following with the reality juggernaut broadcast in over 20 countries around the world, so this is great news for the region whose lush rainforests and pristine beaches will be showcased globally.

The local FNQ community and its businesses will also benefit in a myriad of ways from the production spend on catering, transport, construction, accommodation, technology and much more.

We are thrilled that postcard Port Douglas will star in Season 3 and proud of the opportunities, for crew and the wider FNQ community, the production will deliver to the region, Mr Pitt said.

Other productions choosing the Far North this past year include 10 / Netflix teen series, Dive Club, feature film This Little Love of Mine, and Matchbox Pictures Irreverent, to start production next month.

Love Island is owned by ITV Studios and Motion Content Group and is distributed internationally by ITV Studios. The hit show has also been commissioned in over 20 territories from the UK and the US to Spain, the Netherlands and many more.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Mainly clear. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. (Psalm 119:30)
A private plane is readied for Democrats from the Texas Legislature as they arrive by bus to board and head to Washington, D.C., Monday, July 12, 2021, in Austin, Texas. The House Democratic Caucus announced on Saturday that three Democrats had tested positive. After further precautionary testing, two more members tested positive for COVID-19, the caucus announced late Sunday.
Three 75-minute classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Another three 75-minute classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Plus an elective class and study hall every day. It may resemble the life of a college student, but it wasn't a college student's schedule.

More than 40 high school students from Johnson and Gilmer high schools adhered to the structured schedule during the Upward Bound summer residential institute on the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Dahlonega Campus.

"We are treated like real college students, and it's a good experience," Luz Cerda said. The rising senior from Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia, has participated in Upward Bound summer institute for three years. "It gives me an understanding of what I can expect in college."

Providing promising low-income high school students access to post-secondary education is the purpose of Upward Bound.

"These are potential first-generation college students who have the academic ability to get to college, they just may not know that they can get there or how to get there," Dr. Latrice Richardson, project director of Upward Bound, said.
As a scientist, Dr. Royce Dansby-Sparks is aware of the potential for contaminants in the well water that supplies his Lumpkin County home.

As an associate professor of chemistry at the University of North Georgia (UNG), Dansby-Sparks knows how to test the water for harmful impurities. This fall, Dansby-Sparks will connect the two roles as his students offer to test the well water of Dahlonega homeowners for metals.

This voluntary service is available through a collaboration between UNG and the University of Georgia Extension office for Lumpkin County. Dr. Lori Wilson, head of UNG's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will utilize her expertise in water analysis to assist with the research-based project. It is one of three funded by the Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) into Action grants for fall 2021.

LEAP is an Association of American Colleges and Universities initiative designed to provide higher education institutions with a practical framework to deliver an inclusive liberal education in a complex and diverse world. LEAP into Action grants support small-scale and impactful projects by UNG faculty and staff, Dr. Carly Redding, director of academic engagement and associate professor of sociology and human services at UNG, said.

The three LEAP grant recipients were Dansby-Sparks, Jeffrey Repko and Dr. Kasee Laster.

Repko, assistant professor of sculpture in the Department of Visual Arts, will advance a public art initiative for sculptures on the properties of the Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA). Students will learn to weld during the fall 2021 semester, and their projects will be installed at GHA's properties on a rotating basis.

Laster, lecturer of English at UNG, will implement an educational game into her English composition classes to increase student engagement. The result will be a well-researched paper suitable for publication from students.

Dansby-Sparks said his project provides a real-world learning experience for his students, who typically learn the process by testing fabricated samples in the classroom.

"With this research project, students will know there is a real person who will be impacted by the results of their tests," Dansby-Sparks said.

According to a 2009 U.S. Geological Survey, about 23% of more than 2,100 private wells sampled from across the country had at least one contaminant at a level of potential health concern. Dansby-Sparks said more than 40% to 60% of Dahlonega and Lumpkin County homeowners use well water, which is not regulated by water quality standards.

"The UGA Extension Office for Lumpkin County offers well water testing for a fee. Through our partnership, we will duplicate that test and expand on it," Dansby-Sparks said. "We will do the same analysis and test for arsenic and lead, as well as other metals."

He said his project will help students understand the applications of chemistry and get them invested in their community.

"It's hard to find synergy or ways to incorporate community-based projects in teaching science curriculum," Dansby-Sparks said. "This is a way to do both. Statistical and chemical analysis that ties that into service-learning."
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Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has assigned supervisory responsibilities over Russias federal districts to his deputies, he said on Monday at a meeting with deputy prime ministers.

"Each of you will be responsible for the social development on assigned territories, how effective budget funds are spent, whether this spending meets the demands of the public, and how budgetary discipline is observed. Special attention should be paid to addressing tasks of ensuring the economic growth of districts, boosting their investment attractiveness, supporting small and medium-size businesses and creating jobs," he said.

The premier noted that these goals should be pursued both in the given districts and all the regions that they are made up of.

In particular, Dmitry Grigorenko will be responsible for the Central Federal District, Viktoria Abramchenko for the Siberian Federal District, Tatyana Golikova for the Northwestern Federal District, Yury Borisov for the Ural Federal District, Marat Khusnullin for the Southern Federal District, Dmitry Chernyshenko for the Volga Federal Region, and Alexander Novak for the North Caucasian Federal District. Yury Trutnev will remain the curator of the Far Eastern District.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that deputy prime ministers should be responsible for federal districts during his annual Direct Line session on June 30. Putin then emphasized that the curatorship practice is applied to the Russian Far East and the Arctic and has lived up to its expectations.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev urged Armenia to think about peace and to turn the page of war.

"Today, with Mr. President we broadly discussed our plans, our initiatives and our approaches to the newly emerged situation.. Azerbaijan itself implemented resolutions of the UN Security Council, demanding unconditional and full withdrawal of Armenian troops from our territories, and Azerbaijan has put an end to war. Therefore, now it is time to think about peace and to turn the page. We are ready for that," Aliyev said during a joint press conference with President of the European Council Charles Michel.

"I think that demonstrating good will and very pragmatic approach in a relatively short period of time, we can resolve most of the still remaining issues on the table and lay down the foundation for a broad regional cooperation in the region. EU plays, and I am sure will play very important role from this point of view and the visit of Mr. President to the three countries of the South Caucasus demonstrates European involvement, European agenda. It is fully in line with our agenda," he added.

"Our views coincide with this issue also. Of course, the post-conflict development with respect to connectivity issues, with respect to issues of reconstruction of the liberated territories will be always on our agenda," the head of state said.

After the second Karabakh war there are new opportunities for opening of all communications in the region," Ilham Aliyev stressed.
Brief clashes erupted on Sunday between Israeli police and Palestinians at Al Aqsa mosque over visits by Jews to the compound revered in Judaism as the site of two destroyed Biblical temples.

No serious injuries were reported in what police described as stone throwing early in the day by several Palestinian youngsters who it said were then dispersed.

Palestinian officials said police forcefully evacuated Muslim worshippers to clear the way for Jewish visitors and fired rubber-coated bullets during the confrontation in one of the most sensitive venues in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

All was quiet by the time Muslim noon prayers were held, but the incident drew condemnation by the Palestinian Authority, which administers limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli media reports put the number of Jewish visitors who walked through the Jerusalem plaza at around 1,300, USA News reported.

They were mostly religious Jews, some with children in tow, who toured the site under heavy police guard on the Tisha B'Av fast day marking the razing of the temples.

In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said it held "the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the escalation resulting from the Israeli incursion in the Al Aqsa mosque complex in occupied Jerusalem".

The Authority called the Jewish visits provocative and a "serious threat to "security and stability".
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the preparations for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Moscow are underway.



"Indeed, such a visit is being prepared. It will be a working visit. [Its aim is] to coordinate positions, "TASS cited Peskov as saying.



He also stressed that signing any documents during Ilham Aliyev's visit to Russia is not planned.
The ministers of OPEC+ countries agreed to extend the agreement until the end of 2022 with the main parameter of the deal - the production baseline - changing for some countries at a meeting on Sunday, a source participating in the talks said.

According to the source, for Russia and Saudi Arabia the production baseline will be raised by 0.5 mln barrels per day (bpd), to 11.5 bpd. For the UAE, it will be raised from 3.17 mln bpd to 3.5 mln bpd. The production baseline will also be raised for Kuwait and Iraq by 150,000 bpd. Thus, those countries now can produce more oil within the framework of the agreement. The source specified that the new baseline levels will become effective in May 2022.

According to the sources, the main issues between the partners have been ironed out after two weeks of informal talks which allowed to hold a formal meeting in a short timeframe. The sources specified that contradictions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been resolved, TASS reported.

In early July, the OPEC+ ministers could not reach an agreement on these two issues during five days. The UAE was not pleased with renewing the agreement on oil production after April 2022 on the same terms, since it felt that the current baseline was not relevant for it, while Saudi Arabia rejected the possibility of correcting this parameter on an individual basis. Due to contradictions on the baseline levels, the ministers could not coordinate the more pressing issue of the level of oil production since August until the end of this year.
Outgoing Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said his administration is offering a general outlook of the countrys economy to its successor and will share experiences with the next administrations officials.

Speaking at the meeting of the Economic Coordination Headquarters, Rouhani said his administration has made arrangements for the transition of power with a national outlook and tries to realistically outline the countrys macro-economic plans for the next administration.

Pointing to his cabinets efforts to give transparent reports about its activities over the past 8 years, Rouhani said the people should be informed of the problems that the administration has dealt with and of the measures it has taken to nullify the sanctions and counter the economic war.

He said the outgoing administration will share its experiences in coping with the sanctions, the economic war and the coronavirus outbreak with the next administrations authorities.

In comments in June, Rouhani said the next administration will have a much easier job in running the country, since his cabinet has handled the situation under an unprecedented economic war and while facing the problems in the import of medicine and foodstuff.

He also noted that the next administration will take over the office with proper coronavirus-related conditions, saying efforts will continue to supply the COVID vaccine as the homegrown vaccines will be soon available in the market, Tasnim reported.

Ebrahim Raeisi, the former Judiciary Chief of Iran, won the June 18 presidential election by a landslide.
It now takes COVID-19 three to four days to affect the lungs instead of six to seven days, which was previously the case, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said in an interview with Rossiya-1s Nailya Asker-zade on Monday.

"A number of new symptoms have become clear. Sometimes, gastrointestinal symptoms are recorded but often times, the symptoms resemble those of tonsillitis. The main thing that should perhaps be highlighted is that patients used to develop lung damage by the sixth or seventh day but now, lung damage may become clear by the third or fourth day," he pointed out.

The virus is now spreading at a quicker pace, and the illness is developing faster, Murashko added.

"This is something to keep in mind," the Russian health minister noted. "Antiviral therapy and early treatment is what makes it possible to mitigate the damage to health and oftentimes, save a patients life," he emphasized.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, about 190.1 mln coronavirus cases and more than four mln deaths have been reported worldwide. According to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center, Russia has so far recorded over 5,982,000 cases, more than 5,359,000 recoveries and roughly 149,000 deaths. The Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.
By maintaining its contacts with the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) and trying to convince them to negotiate with the Afghan government, Moscow is implementing a relevant UNSC resolution, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.

Speaking with the Rossiya 1 TV channel host Vladimir Solovyov, the official mentioned that, in March 2020, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution, which welcomed efforts to facilitate the intra-Afghan negotiations.

"We are implementing the Security Council's resolution. We supported it as a country, [and] we are implementing on a practical level. There is no contradiction," Zakharova said.

The Afghan peace process started in Doha back in September last year and has carried on until the current round of the talks, which was launched on Saturday.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili at the meeting with the European Council President Charles Michel said that more EU in Georgia is a strong message for its progress and development.

"Today is a very important day for Georgias European future. Thank you to @eucopresidentfor taking part in this. More EU in Georgia is a strong message for our progress and our development, a message that remains unchanged despite all challenges," she wrote on Twitter.

From Baku Michel flew to Batumi where he is expected to attend a regional summit in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi on Monday.
Vietnam was named among the worlds top 20 host economies for foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first time in 2020 with an inflow of 16 billion USD.

Vietnam is named 19th among the worlds top 20 host economies for FDI in 2020. (Photo: VNA)

The country was up five places against last years ranking to reach 19th on the list, according to UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)s World Investment Report 2021.

While global FDI flows fell by 35 percent to 1 trillion USD amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the lowest level since 2005 and almost 20 percent lower than the 2009 trough after the global financial crisis, the FDI in Southeast Asia, considered an engine of global FDI growth for the past decade, contracted by 25 percent to 136 billion USD, said the report.

It stated that Vietnam remained among the three largest recipients in the region with a decline of only 2 percent, while the remaining two of Singapore and Indonesia suffered drops of up to 21 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

According to UNCTAD, a slight decline in FDI to the country was due to significantly lower investment contractions in manufacturing and realty activities.

However, thanks to the rise in investment in electricity projects, including a 5 billion USD gas-fired power plant proposed by ExxonMobil (US) and a 2.2 billion USD coal-fired power plant developed by Thai MNEs in the Quang Tri Economic Zone, the flow of FDI was still okay.

As investors, Singapore and Japan topped the list of countries and territories having investment projects, in which Singapores reached 5.64 billion USD, 37 percent of the total and Japan invested 2.44 billion USD, a surge of 67 percent in investment compared to 2019.

UNCTAD pointed out local measures to promote investment, including the permission for certain disputes between foreign investors and the State to be taken to international arbitration, were keys to attract FDI inflows.

The report also said the Vietnamese government has expanded the list of business lines eligible for investment incentives, along with the publishing of a detailed list of conditions applied for businesses to be considered high-tech enterprises eligible for tax incentives as good points.

Vietnam for the first time introduced a negative list on market access, affording foreign investors with national treatment (NT) except in the sectors included in that list. The country also raised the cap on foreign ownership in domestic airlines.

According to the report released late June, the US continued to be the worlds largest FDI recipient, followed by China and Hong Kong (China).

UNCTAD expected global FDI flows to bottom out in 2021 and later recover some lost ground, with an increase of about 10-15 percent.

The report said: This would still leave FDI some 25 percent below the 2019 level, adding current forecasts show a further increase in 2022 when the upper bound of projections would bring FDI back to the 2019 level.

The report concluded: Prospects are highly uncertain and will depend on, among other factors, the pace of economic recovery and the possibility of pandemic relapses, the potential impact on FDI of recovery spending packages, and policy pressures.

In the first six months of 2021, the total FDI commitments to Vietnam declined by 2.6 percent year-on-year to 15.27 billion USD, the FDI disbursement rate, however, rose by 6.8 percent to stay at 9.24 billion USD.

Currently, Vietnam has totally 33,787 foreign investment projects with a combined registered capital of 397.89 billion USD, while the disbursed amount stood at 241.1 billion USD, 60.6 percent of the committed amount./.

Source: VNS
In Vietnam, there are an estimated 182,563 new cases and 122,690 cancer deaths each year. Due to the high mortality rate, many people hope screening will help detect this disease early.

After reading a very credible advertisement on cancer screening services for women in their 30s at a private hospital in Hanoi, Diem Hang, 37, bought a cancer screening package worth VND4.5 million (about $200).







The results she received showed that her Tirads was up to level 5, so she might have thyroid cancer. Hearing the news, Hang shivered. She and her husband immediately flew to Ho Chi Minh City to see a famous oncologist for re-examination. It turned out that she only had normal fibroids.



Dr. Phung Thi Huyen, Head of Internal Medicine 6, Hanoi-based Central Hospital for Cancer Treatment, said that she sometimes was asked for advice by her acquaintances, who gave her their blood test sheet with abnormal cancer test indicators'. These people had only blood test results, which gave a warning of suspected cancer, without any other examinations.



Doctor Huyen affirmed that blood tests for cancer screening have no value in diagnosing cancer.



As Head of Oncology Department of HCM City-based Thu Duc City Hospital, Doctor Nguyen Trieu Vu shared many stories of patients who came to him with all kinds of emotional reactions.



Thu, 36, a woman in District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, asked for doctor Vus advice because she thought she had ovarian cancer. The woman took a periodic health check organized by her company. At the hospital, Thu was encouraged to buy an additional cancer screening package worth VND2.4 million (over $100).



According to the cancer test, Thu had abnormally high CA 125, suggesting cancer. Not only Thu but her whole family was extremely confused. Thu and her husband rushed to the hospital to "ask" for Vus advice. They came to see the doctor with only the blood test sheet.



Doctor Vu asked them to take other tests, which showed that the woman only had inflammation, which also caused the CA 125 to rise. Thu and her husband were overjoyed as if they had just 'missed death'.



In another case, a 65-year-old man from District 2, Ho Chi Minh City came to Thu Duc City Hospital for examiniation because of fatigue. Doctors concluded that he was in the end stage of liver cancer. The patient did not believe because he spent tens of million dong for cancer screening.



Doctor Nguyen Trieu Vu said that currently the "cancer screening market" is extremely active with a lot of screening packages priced from a few million dong to tens of millions dong, even hundreds of millions of dong. Private hospitals and clinics without oncology wards also offer cancer screening services.



According to GLOBOCANs statistics in 2020, the number of new cases of cancers and deaths caused by cancer tend to increase worldwide.



In Vietnam, there are an estimated 182,563 new cases and 122,690 cancer deaths each year.



For every 100,000 people, 159 people are newly diagnosed with cancer and 106 people die from cancer.



Due to the high mortality rate, many people hope screening will help detect this disease early. Just typing the keyword "cancer screening," within 50 seconds, there are more than 14 million results about cancer screening with countless cancer screening packages advertised.



Readers can also easily find all kinds of information about screening tests for cancer, such as elevated CEA for colon cancer, high AFP for liver cancer, DR 70 test for screening 13 types of cancer... Many people believe that these tests are the "golden key" to detect cancer early.



Not only tests, many medical facilities advertise their cancer screening services using high-tech equipment such as CT-256 scanner or PET/CT scans. These services are priced tens of millions of dong.



According to Dr. Phung Thi Huyen, Head of Internal Medicine 6 of the Central Hospital for Cancer Treatment, in fact, cancer screening is a measure to detect cancer early, giving patients a good chance in cancer treatment but this must be based on professional factors.



For example, smokers are screened for lung cancer, those whose family members have breast cancer should be screened for breast cancer, and people with a history of stomach diseases should be screened for gastrointestinal cancer. Doctors will guide patients to screen for a certain type of cancer, not screening all cancers at once.



The American Cancer Society only recommends screening for cancers with specific methods, such as screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, or lung cancer by specific methods.



Doctors also confirmed that there is no test to detect all 13 types of cancer as some clinics advertise.



Strategic solution



Vietnam is implementing the National Strategy for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases for the period 2015 - 2025, including cancer with the hope to create positive and sustainable changes, contributing to improving Vietnam's ability to cope with cancer.



The Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Cancer Research Institute have launched many community cancer screening programs such as annual breast cancer screening in October, cervical cancer screening.



In 2019, the Ministry of Health also approved the Pilot scheme on screening for early detection of cervical cancer and treatment in some provinces in the period of 2019-2025".



However, these cancer screening programs are still small in scale.



For example, every year the Bach Mai Hospital and Central Hospital for Cancer Treatment in Hanoi organize a month for breast cancer screening in the community in some areas. As for cervical cancer, screening can help people at risk to detect the disease early, but currently there is no methodical strategy to be implemented on a large scale, but mainly at the level of encouraging people to self-screen.



Currently, 70% of patients are diagnosed with breast cancer at a late stage. Screening services are also not included in the health insurance.



Health experts said that the proliferation of cancer screening packages in Vietnam partly reflects the fact that the health sector does not have a complete strategy for cancer screening.



Screening packages through blood tests, CT scans, etc. is not common in the world because it goes against medical ethics and has no scientific basis.



Cancer screening services are simply sales of medical services, and no longer mean cancer screening.



In order for cancer screening to be effective, it needs to be implemented on a community level instead of an individual level. The implementation of screening requires strict and specific regulations.



In developed countries, doctors prescribe screening for necessary cases and this is covered by insurance on the basis of balance of funds. This may be a strategic solution that the Ministry of Health can consider.



Khanh Chi

The miraculous journey of a patient who was in hospital for 11 years In the last 11 years of his hemophilia treatment, Phan Huu Nghiem experienced 26 surgeries. His medical file has at least 65 medical records.
Many young people see attacking a website or a system as a joke. But when they have to be involved in legal procedures, they realize the seriousness of the acts, but it is too late.

According to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), up to 61% of hackers performed their first hack before the age of 16. Statistics in 2015 by the National Cyber Crime Unit in the UK also show that 17 is the average age of cybercriminals.

Today, there are many tools available to carry out cyber attacks. Many of the tools are free or the users have to pay very low fees, while the technical expertise required to use them is much simpler than before. Those who commit cyber crimes are getting younger and younger.

Not only becoming more common, simple hacking tools can be found easily on the Internet. There are even videos providing detailed tutorials for these products.

This is why cybercrime is becoming more common and cyber criminals are getting younger than traditional crime types.

Different from the real world, the cyber environment gives users the feeling of being anonymous. This has led to an increasing number of low-level cyberattacks.

Also because of being able to remain anonymous, many people are confused between right and wrong and gradually encroach on the world of cybercriminals.

The way to turn boys into hackers

According to Virarium - a campaign that investigates customers of Lizardstresser - a website specializing in providing DDoS services, the average age of its visitors is 19 years old.

The results of the behavioral analysis of the users of the DDoS service of Lizardstresser show that 60% of them are exposed to this field from playing computer games. Notably, a denial of service (DDoS) attack is also the form that hackers use to disrupt the service of the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) online newspaper recently.

A survey by CREST, an international not-for-profit accreditation and certification body that represents and supports the technical information security market, shows that, from having a passion for games, many people become interested in writing code to create "mods" of computer games. Gradually, they have a need to participate in online hacker forums to learn more in-depth knowledge about this field.



According to research by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), organized crime gangs often scour online forums in search of talented young hackers. This is a factor that causes many young people to participate in cybercrime activities.

An attack to change the interface by international hackers targeting Vietnamese websites.

People become hackers to assert themselves

There are many reasons for young people to choose to become a hacker. According to CREST's survey, many young people said that participating in illegal activities on the internet was a way to respond to the pressures of life.

Many hackers used to be victims of real-life bullying. Showing off their hacking skills on the internet is a way to make them feel more powerful.

Another reason is that conducting cyberattacks is like a milestone confirming their membership to the online forum they have joined.

In the world of hackers, money is just a secondary motivator. The hackers who make the most money aren't the most admired.

In general, many young people have become hackers because of the desire to prove themselves. They are motivated to conquer a certain IT system in order to improve their own skills.

Gradually, they become addicted because of the fame that comes from this act. That is also the time when hackers are getting deeper into this world and it is harder for them to get out of it.

Why not become a cybersecurity expert?

Most young people and their parents are not aware of what constitutes cybercrime and the consequences of participating in a cybercrime network. However, it must be affirmed with certainty that cybercrime can be criminally handled similar to terrorism and theft.

Before choosing to become a hacker, young people should think about the consequences and answer the question "Why do I follow this path?"

Criminals who used high technology to appropriate assets of organizations and individuals were arrested by Vietnamese police in mid-2019.

Many experts in the field of information security have confessed that, at certain points in their lives, there was a certain impact that made them move from being a hacker to a network security expert. This impact made them understand that becoming a hacker is not the only way to assert themselves in the digital environment.

Instead of proving themselves at hacker forums, young people who love IT can try their hand at security and cyber security competitions.

It is a fact that with the rapid development of the Internet and IT, most parents often do not know what their children are actually doing online.

Without the right educational environment, the children who are interested in learning about IT can easily fall into online attacks or be lured into becoming cybercriminals.

With those talents, they need a good educational environment and positive influencers to guide them to better understand their choices.

This is also the reason that in many countries, including Vietnam, the organization of hackathon contests has gradually become an annual activity.

Such competitions are an opportunity for young people to express themselves. Furthermore, it will lay the foundation for them to follow the path of becoming a white hat hacker instead of a cyber-criminal.

Trong Dat

Cyberattacks are similar to terrorism Many hackers conduct cyberattacks just to show their abilities and do not think that the cyberattacks will put them behind bars.
Amid shortages of Covid-19 vaccines and vague fears about rare side effects, some countries have mixed different types of vaccines.

In Southeast Asia, Thailand on July 12 began giving the second shot of AstraZeneca vaccine to people who had been injected with Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine. The Bangkok Post on July 13 called the Thai government's permission to combine the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines a shift of viewpoint.

Photo: Some studies from the UK, Germany and Spain show that the combination of vaccines increases the amount of antibodies.

American television channel CNN asked whether the combination of vaccines protect people better and if it necessary. Many studies have been conducted and are being implemented to better understand the benefits and risks of this approach.

Actually, this is not a new idea. Researchers tested this method in the fight against other diseases like Ebola.

Scientists argue that giving two doses using different types of vaccines could induce a stronger immune response, either by stimulating different parts of the immune system or by teaching the immune system to recognize different components of an invading pathogen.

In addition to the potential immunological benefits, the combination of different vaccines also offers flexibility when vaccine supplies are uneven or limited, according to Zhou Xing, an immunologist from McMaster University in Canada.

Photo: Tests showed that the combination of vaccines makes the antibody to increase 10 times compared to the two injections using AstraZeneca vaccine only.

According to research in the UK, Germany, and Spain, combining a dose of AstraZeneca vaccine with a dose of Pfizer triggered a much stronger immune response than injecting two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

According to Reuters, in May, scientists from the University of Oxford (UK) said that patients who received a combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines developed significantly higher amount of antibodies than those who got two shots of AstraZeneca vaccines.

As part of a trial called Com-COV, researchers gave vaccinations combining different types of vaccines to 830 volunteers who were over 50. Those who got two doses of BioNTech's Pfizer vaccine had the highest antibody amount, followed by those who received the first dose from AstraZeneca and the second dose from the Pfizer vaccine. Reversing the order of injections also gave higher antibody results than those who received two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

A study by German scientists at the University of Saarland and a test called CombivacS in Spain with 663 participants revealed similar results.

Preliminary data from Com-COV indicates that the combination of vaccines may increase side effects such as fever, headache, and fatigue. However, these side effects are short-term and most subside after 48 hours. In addition, side effects can also be signs of a strong immune response.

Recommendations for vaccine combination

Although the initial results are promising, most of the studies are in the early stages and have not been fully evaluated scientifically, according to scientists.

The World Health Organization (WHO) still recommends not combining vaccines. WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris recently stated that there was not enough data to assess whether the combination of vaccines is safe.

The trend of mixing and matching Covid-19 vaccines is dangerous, given the limited availability of data on the safety of administering different types of vaccines, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan warned on July 12.

So it will be a chaotic situation in countries if citizens start deciding when and who should be taking a second, third or fourth dose, she added.

However, in Germany, a person is considered fully vaccinated if he or she has received two doses of the same vaccine or two types of vaccine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 66, helped pave the way for the recommendation for mixing vaccines. In June, Merkel received a second dose of Moderna's vaccine, after receiving the first dose from AstraZeneca.

Health authorities in a number of countries like Canada, Sweden, France, Spain and Italy, said people who have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine can get a second shot with another vaccine. In the UK, from the very beginning of the vaccination campaign, the government allowed mixing vaccines.

In South Korea, because the AstraZeneca vaccine was delivered late, the government announced that health workers who received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine could get a second shot with Pfizer. In Canada, the vaccine advisory board said Pfizer and Moderna could be used interchangeably.

Currently, Bhutan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates also allow vaccine mixing to improve the effectiveness of Covid-19 prevention.

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration is more cautious. According to this agency, people who have had their first dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine can get a second shot with another vaccine in exceptional cases, when the vaccines they got for the first shot are not available.

Phan Le - Nguyen Vinh
According to data from the Vietnam General Department of Customs, Vietnams total import-export value by June 15, 2021 had reached US$288.68 billion, up 33%, or $71.55 billion, year on year.

A Vietnam-China border gate in Lang Son Province. Vietnam's exports to China are still in the form of unofficial quotas (border trade), and trade exchanges between border residents, which causes risks for exported goods, especially agricultural products.

Vietnam's exports hit $143.36 billion, up 29.7% or $32.79 billion, compared to the same period of 2020. Imports reached $145.32 billion, an increase of 36.4%, equivalent to $38.76 billion year on year.

China was still the main export market of Vietnam during this period, with $20.3 billion, up 27% year on year. Notably, exports to China accounted for 15.4% of Vietnam's total export revenue of $131 billion.

In Asia, China was the largest export market for Vietnam, followed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Korea, and Japan. Of Vietnams total export revenue to Asian countries of $62.57 billion, China accounted for more than $20 billion.

Vietnam's exports to China during this period were only behind a few major markets such as the US ($37.44 billion) and the European Union ($20.61 billion).

China is now an important market for Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery products. In the first 5 months of this year, China accounted for 22.6% market share in the total export turnover of agriculture, forestry and fishery products of Vietnam.

Vietnams export of many fruit and vegetable products to China increased impressively during this time. Specifically, dragon fruit exports reached nearly 1.2 million tons, up 138% over the same period of last year and 62.18% of the plan for entire 2021; mango over 468,000 tons, up 156.87% year on year, exceeding by 12.33% the 2021 plan; watermelon over 290,000 tons, up 131.80% year on year, 27% higher than the yearly plan.

Vietnamese vegetables and fruits were still mainly exported fresh, accounting for about 80%; while processed fruit and vegetable products accounted for only 20% of total export turnover.

Since 2016, exports to China have increased quite strongly, particularly in 2016-2018. In 2016, Vietnams export turnover to this market was estimated at $21.97 billion, and it increased to $35.46 billion in 2017, $41.27 billion in 2018, $41.41 billion in 2019, $48.87 billion in 2020 and $20.3 billion in January-May of 2021.

However, exports to China are still in the form of unofficial quotas (border trade), and trade exchanges between border residents, which causes risks for exported goods, especially agricultural products.

Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has repeatedly told Vietnamese exporters to export goods to the Chinese market soon via official channels (buying and selling under contracts, with clear conditions on delivery, delivery at international border gates, main border gates).

At the same time, they have been asked to strictly implement regulations on traceability, area codes for growing, packaging facilities, and labeling, as well as other requirements to improve product quality, and to meet regulations and standards of foreign customers.

Imports from China rise sharply

Vietnams export of many fruit and vegetable products to China increased impressively in the first five months of 2021.

Exports to China increased quite well, but in the opposite direction, imports of goods from China in the first five months of this year also rocketed, with $43.8 billion, up 54.2% over the same period in 2020. Thus, the trade deficit from China amounted to more than $20 billion, which has been a "chronic" problem in trade relations with China for decades.

Imports from China were still mainly raw materials, semi-finished products, components, and equipment for production and export activities, so this partly reflects the increasing production capacity of Vietnam. However, the risk is that the Vietnamese market is heavily dependent on China. The fluctuations of the Chinese market, including policy issues, can disrupt the supply of raw materials and machinery to Vietnamese enterprises.

The movement of imports from the Chinese market in the first months of this year was different compared to previous years.

For the first time, China surpassed South Korea to become the largest market supplier of computers, electronic products and components to Vietnam in the past 5 months, with approximately $8 billion, an increase of 54.6% compared to the same period of last year. Meanwhile, that of the Korean market reached $7.3 billion.

For machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts, in the first 5 months of 2021, Vietnam spent $9.73 billion to import these items from China, a sharp increase of 72.9% year on year, accounting for 51.4% of the total imports from China.

In the January-May period, China was the largest market supplying raw materials and accessories for the textile and garment industry of Vietnam, accounting for 51%, with $5.6 billion, up 42% over the same period of 2020. It was followed by Taiwan with $1.08 billion, up 25%; and South Korea with $1.06 billion, up 14%.

During this time, China and South Korea were still the two main markets supplying phones and components to Vietnam with a total value of $6.88 billion USD, accounting for 90.8% of Vietnams total import value of this group of items, including $3.67 billion from China, up 51.6%.

In particular, in the first 5 months of 2021, imports of CBU cars of all kinds from the Chinese market increased dramatically, reaching nearly 9,400 units, 6.5 times higher than over 1,400 units in the same period last year, including nearly 5,600 specialized cars and 2,840 trucks.

For many years, China has been Vietnam's largest import market. In 2016, imports from China were nearly $49.93 billion and rose to more than $84 billion in 2020.

The trade deficit with China also increased sharply, from $27.96 billion in 2016 to $35.32 billion in 2020, and up to $23.52 billion in the first 5 months of 2021.

For many years, Vietnam has tried to reduce its trade deficit with China, but the results above show that to achieve this goal Vietnam still needs to make more efforts.

To reduce the trade deficit with China, boosting exports is not enough. Vietnamese enterprises mainly import machinery and materials for production from China.

In order to reduce the trade deficit from this market, Vietnam needs to have a strong processing and manufacturing industry and supporting industries, which are still weak at present. If this weakness is overcome, the competitiveness of Vietnams economy will improve, and the trade deficit from China will no longer be a constant concern.

Luong Bang
In the last days of 2020, the rumor that Taiwanese group Foxconn - Apple's supplier  was moving part of its Ipad and MacBook production line to Vietnam at Apple's request created a stir.







Previously, Apple chose Vietnam to produce wireless headphones. Other Apple suppliers such as Luxshare and Pegatron also plan to expand their operations in Vietnam with a total investment capital of billions of US dollars.



Apple's operating model is not the same as Samsung's. Apple does not directly manage plants. Instead, it works with suppliers around the world to manufacture and assemble Apple products. These suppliers are referred to as OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Therefore, the increase in investment activities by Apple's suppliers in Vietnam is mainly due to Apple's request.



Before making investment shifts, Apple's senior leaders carefully surveyed conditions in Vietnam. Like many other investors, Apple's first condition is related to administrative procedures, including customs procedures, and quality inspection procedures for imported goods, among others.



Many other investors from Japan and the US have also planned to choose Vietnam as an investment destination. Negotiations are ongoing and Vietnam's acceptance of capital flows of up to billions of dollars is real, not ambiguous.



In January 2021, many investors came to Vietnam, such as Singapores Kodi New Material Vietnam with registered investment capital of $270 million, investing in a tablet and laptop manufacturing project in Bac Giang province; JA Solar PV Vietnam (China) with a $210 million project to make photovoltaic panels in Bac Giang province; and United States Enterprises (USA), with a $110 million project manufacturing machinery and equipment in the semiconductor and electronics industries in Da Nang.



Nguyen Van Toan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises (VAFIE), said that the US and Japan are encouraging the relocation of factories to their home country or to a third country. Obviously, facing fluctuations in the global economy, in order to maintain their production chains, they must have a policy of not putting all their eggs in one basket and look for a safer place, including Vietnam.



Some countries that compete for FDI with Vietnam such as India and Indonesia are creating an investment environment to invite foreign capital flows. Those countries have made specific moves, such as preparing land funds at reasonable prices for foreign investors.



When investors choose a destination, they often comprehensively consider issues such as investment environment, transport infrastructure, transportation, human resources, electricity, materials, etc," Toan said, adding that this is an issue that requires more attention in Vietnam.



Improving quality of capital flows





Over the past decade, Vietnam has witnessed a dramatic shift in attracting high-quality FDI inflows. Foreign investment projects are aimed at industries with high technology, typically the electronic equipment manufacturing projects of Samsung and LG in Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong...



Vietnam has made its mark on the world technology map with "Made in Vietnam" electronic products, becoming one of the major electronic production bases in the world. As large capital inflows continue to pour in the country, Vietnam will truly become the world's "factory" of technological goods.



However, it must also be recognized that Vietnam still only accepts projects at the lowest value-added stage in the global supply chain, which is assembly, taking advantage of cheap labor costs. The stages that require higher added value are still not done in Vietnam.



Domestic firms are still struggling to become suppliers for foreign-invested businesses. When coming to Vietnam, foreign investors often bring their own satellites too, while "domestic" enterprises are small in size and weak in competitiveness, so it is hard for them to compete.



That is something that must be solved in the coming time, when a new wave of foreign investment appears. Otherwise, Vietnam will be just a temporary destination for foreign investors.



Dang Duc Anh, Deputy Director of the National Center for Socio-Economic Information and Forecasting, said: If we want to attract big investors and participate in high value-added chains, we must solve bottlenecks in the quality of human resources, infrastructure...



After all, when investors want to shift their supply chains, they will look at the fundamental elements of a country to build the chains. Without these elements, Vietnam will be unable to attract foreign investment in industries of high added value and modern technology.



Luong Bang

Door opens to growing level of FDI Vietnams effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic along with it signing a host of new free trade agreements has resulted in many global tech giants shifting their investment to the country.
Homebuilders are hardly standing still, surveying the landscape.

National powerhouse D.R. Horton continues to build like crazy, said Kay Vinzant, executive officer for the Heart of Texas Builders Association. It seems they have 25 to 30 starts every week.

The massive Park Meadows subdivision is growing on paper and on the ground. Conceived as a 1,500-lot project along Ritchie Road and its intersection with Warren Road, a Park Meadows South will bring 500 additional homes to the booming area, Peters said. D.R. Horton and Stylecraft are among contractors building homes there.

I would guess more than half those lots are being built out, Peters said. They are all in Waco, or they have requested to be annexed into Waco. A proposed annexation goes before the Waco Plan Commission July 27.

A master-planned development, The West End, is developer Ken Coopers latest foray along the Highway 84 west of town. Cooper, a developer of the Hidden Valley subdivision, will join several local builders in placing 600 homes in close proximity to Val Verde Road, near the McGregor Executive Airport.
The Waco City Councils first public discussion of a plan to buy the Doris Miller YMCA facility for $2.7 million will come Tuesday, when a vote is scheduled to approve the purchase.

The move is likely to lead to the city closing the riverfront Bledsoe-Miller Community Center, about a mile from the Doris Miller Y, and moving services offered at Bledsoe-Miller to the Doris Miller facility. Officials familiar with negotiations have previously told the Tribune-Herald there would be no loss of city services in the move.

Unlike the community center, the YMCA has multiple pools.

Waco City Manager Bradley Ford said the city plans to assess the pools, but there has not been a decision about how they would be used. Ford said he is excided about the prospect of the city buying the facility.

The sale is a potential lifeline for the financially struggling YMCA of Central Texas, which operates the Doris Miller YMCA, 1020 Elm Ave., and the larger Waco Family YMCA, 6800 Harvey Drive.
GoodFellas Christmas in July

Waco GoodFellas will have its annual Christmas in July fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday at The Base at Extraco Events Center, 4601 Bosque Blvd.

The event includes live music, food, drink, auctions and raffles.

For ticket information, call 254-405-5576.

La Vega vaccination clinic

La Vega ISD will have a COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday at La Vega High School, 555 N. Loop 340.

For more information, call Dr. Peggy Johnson 254-299-6700.

First Methodist VBS

First Methodist Church of Waco, 4901 Cobbs Drive, will have Vacation Bible School from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Children in pre-K through sixth grade are welcome to attend.

For more information, call 254-772-5630 or email tara@firstwaco.com.

CRRC Zoom webinar

The Community Race Relations Coalition will host a Zoom webinar from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
ROME (AP)  A France-based migrant rescue organization soon will be getting medical and other assistance aboard its charity ship in the Mediterranean.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, known as IFRC, said Monday that its teams will go aboard the Ocean Viking rescue ship starting in August in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Thats an area heavily used by traffickers based in Libya who launch unseaworthy boats crowded with migrants toward Italys southern shores. Rescue ships often host the migrants aboard for days until Italy or Malta grants permission to dock and disembark the passengers.

The Geneva-based organization will be providing first aid and other medical care, psychological support, dry clothes and blankets as well as food to rescued migrants aboard the ship operated by the charity SOS Mediterranee.

Lives continue to be needlessly lost in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly on the long and treacherous Central Mediterranean route between Libya and Europe, the two humanitarian organizations said in a joint statement. They noted that 792 people are known to have died on that route while trying to reach Europe in the first six months of this year, three times as many as in the same period in 2020.
Foreign nationals buying American agricultural businesses and getting government subsidies are coming under increasing criticism from both parties.

The campaign to reduce China's economic dominance in the United States has reached America's farmland, with Congressional legislators from both parties considering legislation to restrict Chinese acquisitions of valuable agricultural real estate.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives recently approved legislation to that effect, saying that China's involvement in the United States food chain presents a national security threat.

Furthermore, influential Senate senators have already shown an interest in measures to preserve American farms in the hands of their constituents.

The debate over farm ownership is taking place in the context of broader efforts by Congress and the Biden administration to reduce the United States' economic reliance on China, particularly in key industries such as food, semiconductors, and minerals that are considered critical to supply chain reliability.

Several political figures, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass. ), have called for stricter restrictions on who may own and operate America's farms, a movement that began in agricultural states and has gained support nationwide.

China's agricultural footprint has grown significantly in the United States over the past decade, with Chinese companies acquiring farmland and large agribusinesses, such as pig processing giant Smithfield Foods, among others.

According to the Agriculture Department, Chinese landowners will own about 192,000 agricultural acres in the United States by the beginning of 2020, valued at $1.9 billion. This includes property used for farming, ranching, and forestry.

The total amount of farmland held by individuals from other countries, such as Canada and European countries, is still smaller than the total amount of farmland owned by Americans.

It also represents a tiny proportion of the approximately 900 million acres of total farmland in the United States.

The pattern of growing acquisitions and the purchasers' possible ties to the Chinese government have legislators deeply concerned.

China's agricultural investments in other nations have grown more than tenfold since 2009, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2018.

As part of its "One Belt, One Road" economic growth ambitions, the Communist Party has aggressively encouraged investments in overseas agribusiness, intending to gain more control over the country's food supply chain in the process.

According to Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Washington), the present trajectory in the United States is heading to the establishment of a Chinese-owned agricultural land monopoly, which he warned at a recent House Appropriations hearing.

The committee unexpectedly approved Newhouse's amendment to the Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration spending bill (H.R. 4356 (117)), which would prohibit any new agricultural purchases by companies that are wholly or partially controlled by the Chinese government and prohibit Chinese-owned farms from accessing federal assistance programs.

The increased emphasis on limiting foreign farm acquisitions comes as President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced several measures to strengthen the food supply system in the wake of the pandemic's significant disruptions.

Increased monitoring of major meat processing firms such as JBS and Smithfield is one component of this endeavor, as are proposals to tighten the criteria for meat branded as "Product of the United States."

While legislators continue to concentrate only on Chinese purchasers, other nationalities own much more agricultural land in the United States than Chinese buyers.

By the end of 2019, foreign investors had acquired a stake in more than 35 million acres of land.

According to USDA statistics, in the five years since 2015, the total has increased by an average of 2.3 million acres each year.

Joe Maxwell, president of the progressive advocacy group Family Farm Action, explains how foreign investors can set up limited liability companies in the United States and designate an American owner to circumvent reporting requirements while still maintaining complete control over the operation from behind the scenes.

According to Maxwell, "it's a huge effort to establish who actually owns the property."

"These foreign interests have a lot of intelligence.

They use a variety of corporate formations to further hide their activities."

Since the influx of foreign capital into agricultural real estate, it is becoming more difficult for young farmers in the United States to get the property because prices are being driven up by outside purchasers.

Maxwell believes that this presents a significant danger because an older generation of farmers is likely to leave the business.
COMMENTARY

JEDI cancellation offers multiple benefits for DOD, industry

As DOD moves on from JEDI, the department embraces a multi-cloud future

The cancellation of the single-source $10B Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) project came as surprising, but perhaps not fully unexpected news. From its beginnings in 2017, the proposition of awarding such a massive program to a single vendor caused controversy. Protests and litigation led to significant programmatic delays that would likely have stretched on. So, after four long years, everybody lost  or did they?

Reality is, technology changes fast. While 2017 may not seem that long ago, in tech its almost a light year. Consequently, the cloud alternatives the DoD has today well exceed what JEDI proposed.

Many professionals tasked with moving our defense IT infrastructure forward have known all along their missions depend on leading-edge technical capabilities. Over the last several years, programs like the Air Forces Cloud One and Platform One, the Defense Information Systems Agencys milCloud, the CIAs Commercial Cloud Enterprise (C2E), the Armys cARMY and more, were stood up or updated because the mission simply couldnt wait. Technology continued to move forward, as did the militarys need to move to an enterprise-level cloud architecture that could also be pushed to the tactical edge.

These programs began offering AWS and Microsoft Azure as part of their capabilities. They began to apply the same enterprise-level security and scalability that comes from tying into large cloud provider environments. That growth and movement will go on for years to come.

Security is another key consideration. Commercial best practice has long embraced the model of cloud diversity and redundancy. The risks of putting everything in one data center or at one location are simply too great. And, while a single cloud provider can offer redundancy, the risks of tying your fortunes to one vendor are also great. There should simply not be any given entity or geography that, if attacked, would greatly disrupt or even end your operations.

There is also a need to invest in commercial-grade security, where the security vendors have a vested interest ensuring their solutions are as strong as possible; any seen as vulnerable will fail. The Biden Administration has said as much in its May Executive Order on Improving the Nations Cybersecurity. The order is meant to accelerate civilian agencies move to the cloud, because the Administration recognizes it is inherently more secure.

I would suggest that, while the DoD had very legitimate reasons (i.e., vendor accountability, contract streamlining, consolidated support) to structure JEDI as it did, putting all eggs in one basket is not always the best idea. The announcement of the new Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability (JWCC) program right after the JEDI cancellation indicates DoD now embraces that position. JWCC will involve services from multiple vendors, allowing components the flexibility to adopt the platforms best suited to their purposes. While initially DoD says Microsoft Azure and AWS are the only two vendors truly capable of meeting their capability requirements, more platforms may join the qualified mix as technology keeps developing.

The DoD well understands that the battlefield today is as much cyberspace as physical space. Recent sophisticated attacks such as the Solar Winds and Colonial Pipeline incidents are coming from state-sponsored organizations. As a nation, we must be ready and able to compete in that theater.

When we are, the DoD will win hands down because it will be armed with multiple best of breed solutions. Advanced technology and commercial-grade security will prepare all our warfighters to meet whatever strategic and tactical needs they may have, wherever and whenever they arise.
Protests over $10B DHS IT contract back under consideration

NOTE: This story has been extensively re-written because of some mistakes and mischaracterizations in the original story.

A pair of companies that saw their protests regarding the Homeland Security Department's $10 billion FirstSource III contract dismissed over being untimely are asking the Government Accountability Office to reconsider that decision.

Sources are indicating those two small businesses will see their original protests reinstated.

But first I have to explain a couple mistakes I made in writing the original story that was published a few days ago.

I wrote that KPaul Properties and Z-SofTech Solutions had been eliminated from the competition for FirstSource III, DHS' vehicle for acquiring IT hardware and software from small businesses. They were not eliminated. That was a misunderstanding on my part. I got that wrong.

The companies protested requirements in the solicitation that dealt with certain ISO certifications that were required as part of the phase one submission for FirstSource III.

GAO did not rule on the merit of those protests. Instead, the oversight agency dismissed the protests because it believed they came after the due date for the phase one submissions. The appropriate time to raise those kinds of objections is before submissions are due.

Here is where another misunderstanding occurred. The companies actually submitted their protests before the due date, which had been extended by DHS. But GAO apparently didnt know about the extension.

It is unclear how that misunderstanding occurred. But somehow GAO worked from the wrong date and made the decision.

GAO will not comment since it is a now active case. Ive asked KPaul and Z-SofTech companies for copies of their requests for reconsideration. No luck there so far.

My hunch is that GAO will act on the requests for reconsideration by reinstating the original protests and adjudicating those.

If the case goes to a full decision, well probably learn what happened with the date. If DHS takes a corrective action that addresses the protests, well likely never learn what happened. But well keep trying.
Lots of tires, appliances, mattresses and a toilet are among the items that have been fished out of the Cedar River over the years. On Saturday, volunteers for the Cedar River Festival Group will climb into canoes again for the 34th time to pick up trash and debris.

Its actually Iowas longest running river cleanup, said Kristin Guess, a board member with the organization. The goals continue to include safely cleaning up the river, raising awareness and advocating for preserving water.

Volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at Deerwood Park in Evansdale for registration and a safety meeting. Theyll be bused to the starting point of the cleanup route, Guess said, and paddle the three miles or so back to Deerwood Park, picking up debris along the way.

Many participants bring canoes, but canoes are available for volunteers if they dont have one. People are encouraged to sign up in advance at the Cedar River Festival Groups Facebook page to make sure we have enough canoes for everyone. If someone has their own canoe or kayak, we encourage them to bring that. We have some people come to help who have never paddled on the water before, she said.
Waterloo police responded to a report of shots fired at 9:18 p.m. in the area of the 100 block of Argyle Street. Witnesses reported that several people were seen running toward an area apartment complex. Officers arrived on the scene and spoke with people at an address on Logan Avenue where they discovered the child who had an injury to the arm.
WATERLOO -- The state of Iowa has agreed to pay $125,000 to settle a lawsuit over the 2016 suicide of an inmate housed in the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility.

In 2018, the family of Dustyn Henry sued the state of Iowa and Mike Schwab, a veteran probation and parole officer for the First Judicial District Department of Correctional Services who was tasked with supervising Henry at the Waterloo work-release facility.

Henry had previously been housed at the West Union Residential Facility, but in May 2016 he wrote to an officer there and warned that if he was not allowed to leave, he would either kill himself immediately or escape, see his family, and then kill himself.

The officer sent Henry to a hospital for a mental health evaluation where he was voluntarily committed for a few days before being removed from the West Union facility and jailed.

In July 2016, he was released from jail and placed at the Waterloo work-release facility under the supervision of Schwab, who was informed of the suicide threat. Although Henry made good progress and eventually qualified for a less restrictive form of work release, he was readmitted after he lost his job and relapsed into methamphetamine use.
Time to reassess

With two-and-a-half months left before the end of the freeze, students still have time to re-evaluate their plans to pay back their debt, said Elizabeth Keest Sedrel of Iowa College Aid.

For anyone whose situation has changed or anyone who just took the default options, this is a golden opportunity to look at the options and decide what would make sense, she said. Whether its a fixed plan with the same monthly payments, a graduated plan where payments increase over time, or an income based plan, its a great time to re-evaluate.

Keest Sedrel said now is the time for recent graduates to check in with loan servicers and ensure they have an option that is best for them before payments begin again in October.

Kelsey Ryder, University of Iowa director of financial literacy, said students should take the time to better understand federal loans in general.

Because theyve been paused for so long, I definitely think its important for students who have and have not experienced repayment to understand the basics about loan repayment, she said. They need to know their loan servicers and update their contact information with the entity.

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The new law has affected gun sales locally, as new laws regarding guns usually do, said Mike Rostack, who owns Mr. Guns in Cedar Falls.

To me, itll be a temporary surge, but you dont know, he said, noting handguns are his most popular sellers.

Under the law, Iowans buying a gun from a federally licensed dealer still have to either pass a federal background check or present a permit to carry.

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That makes it more work for us, unless the purchaser already has a permit, Rostack said. But he said it was similar to a layaway for those whose background check came up inconclusive: Wait five days or so, and come back when the check has cleared.

Some of them dont understand why they cant get their gun right now, but thats the law and thats how it works, he said.

Overall, Rostack said, he thought the law was a good idea.

It kind of shifts the liability back to the federal government, and they can blame themselves if they dont do the check right, Rostack said.
The cops havent talked to me. No one has talked to me. You are the first person that has called me, said Jones, of Oskaloosa. I wasnt involved in anything. I have alibis and everything. I am just waiting for someone to come talk to me.

He ended the interview without answering whether he had made prior statements about Tibbetts death.

The 24-year-old Hansen, of Sigourney, said allegations he was involved in Tibbetts death are crazy and starting to spread online.

I have no clue why my name even got brought up with this, Hansen said.

Jurors convicted Bahena Rivera in May after a two-week trial during which prosecutors argued that the 27-year-old farmhand stalked and approached Tibbetts while she was out for an evening run. They said he killed her after she threatened to call police and dumped her body in a cornfield.

Bahena Rivera claimed in his courtroom testimony that two masked men broke into his trailer and forced him to drive them around at gunpoint. He said they came upon Tibbetts, and that one of them stabbed her to death and loaded her body in his cars trunk before instructing him to dispose of it.
For one customer, I am making 25,000 parts a week, Kueter said. When you add up all the customers we serve, that is a lot of parts.

The company was founded in Dubuque by Thomas Uelners grandfather Felix in 1946.

Initially, Felix ran the company out of a rented garage near Flora Park. At the time, the company specifically focused on tool and die production. It eventually moved to a more permanent location on Washington Street.

Early on, Thomas Uelner said, the company primarily created the tools needed for toy production.

In 1986, the company moved to the Dubuque Industrial Center West in a new facility.

In 1997, the company, by then under the leadership of Thomas, invested in adding production stamping to its operations. Today, the company has evolved from a small tool shop with a handful of employees to a major tool and die provider in the Midwest region that employs nearly 50 people.

Jayne Uelner, the wife of Thomas and the director of human resources for the company, said Uelner Precision Tools & Dies has made a name for itself through its commitment to creating quality parts, something that is particularly important during a time when some companies are turning to having their tools produced overseas.
A park ranger at Yellow River State Forest told him that he wished the Reicherts would come back every weekend.

He said the people who are godly people are much kinder, much nicer and keep their camp clean, Mike said.

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Cowboys for Christ was founded in 1970, according to its website, to reach out to the livestock industry worldwide. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, it actually ordains cowboy and cowgirl chaplains ands put out a 16-page publication called the Christian Ranchman that contains letters, testimonials and articles from folks all around the country.

On the kitchen table at their home outside of Greene, Jamie and Mike have the latest edition, as well as flipbooks they hand out before Sunday services. A sign above a door in the kitchen says, This day the Lord made. In the living room, Jamie has mounted a puzzle that shows Jesus about to hop onto a white horse.

To Jamie, the toughest days are when they pass out all sorts of fliers and no one shows up. Thats probably the hardest. And financially its out of our pocket. Otherwise, its fun. We love to camp. We love to ride, Jamie said.

The mules themselves actually arent such a pain. Mike said he actually trained one to answer questions.
the terroir

the wine

the history







terroir analysis

tastings (of the last 10-15 vintages)



sales

visitor experience

press coverage

social media presence

When Croatians say prosek, they mean a centuries-old sweet, dessert wine made near the Adriatic coast from the grapes that have been dried in the sun in order to concentrate the sugar in their juice. When Italians say prosecco, they mean the sparkling wine, produced exclusively in northern Italy, made from the glera grape variety, often blended with other white wine varieties.

Prosec (a town in the Pardubice region of Czechia)

Prosec (a prescription medicine that is used for the short-term treatment of duodenal ulcers)

any one of the Procedural Security companies that exist worldwide, who use the same Prosec abbreviation.

 (Shampanskoye or Champanskoie)



 

  (Sparkling wine)

Over the past fortnight, a number of apparently controversial issues have arisen in the wine industry. However, it seems to me that in several cases the combatants are talking at cross purposes; and the media are not helping the situation. So, I will discuss three of them here.Let's start with the kerfuffle in Saint Emilion, in which two of the Grand Cru Classe A estates (Chateau Cheval-Blanc and Chateau Ausone) are withdrawing from the upcoming (2022) revised classification process: Bordeaux giants quit the classification system These estates have officially objected to the criteria being used for the revision, claiming that "the areas for evaluation went too far beyond what we considered fundamental". Naturally, they have also claimed that: "It is not that we feel that we are above the classification at all, or that we don't need it".My immediate response, along with some other people, is: "I wasn't born yesterday". Let us have a look at the listed criteria that the two estates list as important, along with a list of those to be used for the re-classification. We can align them this way, with the estate criteria on the left and the new criteria on the right:When looked at like this, it is pretty obvious, isn't it? The criterion that the estates insist is missing from the new criteria is their exalted history, whereas the evaluation by the Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualite will include what is happening today, instead.Now, okay, the wine industry is well-known for resistance to high-tech . Many wine producers only take reservations by phone, for example, and some dont use social media at all.However, these two estates seem to be living in the wrong century; and they will have to face up to it eventually. There is, of course, also the more basic question of whether we even need classifications of wine estates, in the first place.The Italian DOC and DOCG wine region of Prosecco seems to like litigation. A while ago, they lost a very long-standing argument with the Australians, who insisted that the name Prosecco has always referred to a grape variety, as well as to a geographical region. The Italians tried to insist that the grape should be called Glera, leaving the Prosecco name untainted as a Geographical Indication. They lost, although the Australians did agree to call their Glera-based wines Australian Prosecco, just to be clear.The Italians are now after the Croatians, again, who are much nearer to them, being just across the water: Prosecco wars: Italy protests Croatias bid for special status for its prosek wine The Croatians have submitted yet another application for special European Union recognition of their dessert wine, called prosek. In response, the Italian members of the European Parliament have protested to the European Commission. Their argument is this:Clearly, the two words do sound alike; and this obviously arises from geographical proximity. Italian is a Romance language, while Croatian is a Slavic language (technically, South Slavic), and thus the two words do not descend from a single ancestral word. This is an example of what we call evolutionary convergence.Given that the two wines under discussion have little in common stylistically, it is only the similarity of name that is being disputed. What are the Italians trying to claim: that their customers cannot tell a sweet Croatian wine from a bubbly Italian one? Perhaps Prosecco's customers cannot tell any of these apart, either:We need to get serious here. The stealing of words for commercial purposes is one thing, to be deplored; but historical convergence of words due to geographical proximity is another thing altogether. We are going to have centuries of litigation if we start deploring the latter. Sadly, the betting seems to be that the Croatians will lose , anyway.This is being treated as the biggest scandal of the past fortnight. The Russian government has deemed it time to start regulating what can be written in Russian on the back label of a bottle of sparkling wine, in Russia: Russia's storm in a champagne flute . This should surprise no-one.However, the wine industry in Europe, in particular, has reacted in what seems to be a rather extreme manner:In amongst all of this media hype, there has been at least one word of common sense:The latter article points out that the new Russian law applies only to the Cyrillic script on the back label of the bottles, not what is written in Latin script on the front label. This means that the front label of imported sparkling wines does not have to change, and can say Champagne, Prosecco or Cava, as the case may be. The back label, however, cannot say any of these equivalents:but must instead say:This makes it difficult to see what the fuss is about. Perhaps it comes from people who are not used to having two languages on their wine labels? Oddly, these people seem to be blaming Vladimir Putin personally for this situation, rather than discussing broader governmental motives. More interestingly, it has been pointed out that the situation regarding Champagne and Switzerland is really rather similar.Mind you, the Comite Champagne Interprofessional Champagne (CIVC) is also willing to object to other products that actually do contain champagne. For example, the recent resolution concerning the Aldi Champagne Sorbet, which contains 12% champagne wine, was in favor of the objectors (the CIVC), who claimed that use of their unique wine did not give the sorbet any fundamental characteristics ( Aldis champagne sorbet goes sour ).On the other hand, the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) has now adopted Russian as its sixth official language, which will enable the Russian-speaking community to better understand and appropriate the international standards and practices that the OIV has adopted to improve the conditions of production and marketing of vine and wine products. Thus sounds eminently sensible; and it involves no litigation at all.Perhaps the current pandemic has had more affects on the wine industry than people have realized. All of this social distancing might have been taken metaphorically as well as literally, and people are now making trouble out of boredom. If so, then the sooner you all get vaccinated (so far, USA: 48%; Sweden 57%), then the sooner you can take your masks off , and start being social to each other again. Do not make an official storm in every teacup you can see.
State's top law enforcement official issues warning



Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr warned residents in May about a scam robocall impersonating his own office. A recorded message said the office was calling about your case and told recipients to press 1 to avoid negative consequences. Carr told residents to be on alert, saying: We encourage citizens to learn the warning signs of these impostor scams so they don't lose money or divulge personal or financial information to a fraudster.

Why is the South so popular with telemarketers and scammers?

"People are more polite, so they're more likely to answer the phone, Quilici says, and successful pickups make robocallers more likely to call an area again.

The South also has pockets of poverty, and those areas may be targeted for illegal pitches about easy money or financial relief, he says.

To see where your area code ranks, click here.

Robocalls to Do Not Call Registry numbers about payments due or overdue bills are legal; so are appointment reminders or alerts about school closings. Political calls, debt-collection calls and those from health care providers, such as a pharmacy calling about a prescription, also are legal. Illegal, though, are automated calls trying to sell you something or offering, for example, debt-reduction services.

Possible respite from the noise

U.S. consumers may get a temporary break from these nuisance calls this summer. A new federal regulation to stop call spoofing  where a number is faked to make it seem local or legitimate  has gone into effect, and YouMail already has seen a dip in robocall volume for July.

What's new is a call-authenticating framework called STIR/SHAKEN, which phone carriers had to adopt by the end of June. The measure was part of AARP-endorsed federal legislation, the TRACED Act.

In June, about 39 percent of the robocalls were scams, chiefly about car warranties or health-related frauds, which can pertain to Medicare, disability assistance fraud or the sale of junk insurance, Quilici says.

Payment reminders were 13 percent of the calls; alerts and other reminders, 24 percent; and telemarketing calls, 24 percent.

YouMail estimates robocalls based on those its users receive and keeps a database of the calls, including scams, and compares incoming calls to those already identified because of the call properties or originating number.

Unfortunately, Quilici expects robocall volumes to increase since scammers always look for new ways to reach targets. For now, he says, everybody should enjoy the vacation from robocalls for a month or two."

Tips to Avoid Robocalls and Scams

 Get a robocall-blocking app. Try a free solution such as Nomorobo or YouMail, which are carrier-agnostic. (Nomorobo is free for landlines and $1.99 a month for cellphones.) Your mobile carrier may have free tools, too.

 Let a call go to voicemail if you dont recognize the caller. If you need to call back, do not use the number the robocall gave. Instead, use a number you know is legitimate, such as one on a statement, credit card or company website.

 Don't trust caller ID or who robocallers say they are.

 Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. If you do, hang up immediately. Do not hit any buttons, even if the call asks you to press a number in order to stop getting the calls. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says.

 Here's more from the FCC on call-blocking tools and resources.

Kathryn Masterson is a writer who previously worked for the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune. Her byline also has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer and Washington City Paper.


Musgrave Minerals Ltd (ASX:MGV) Significant Gold Intersections Enhance Big Sky

Perth, July 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Musgrave Minerals Ltd ( ASX:MGV ) ( FRA:6MU ) ( OTCMKTS:MGVMF ) is pleased to report further strong assay results from reverse circulation ("RC") drilling at the Big Sky and Target 14 prospects along the new gold corridor south-west of Lena and Break of Day on its 100% owned ground at its flagship Cue Gold Project in Western Australia's Murchison district (Figure 1*). Broad spaced (100 x 25m) first pass RC drilling continues to identify thick regolith gold mineralisation within the extensive 2.6km-long aircore gold anomaly at Big Sky and within the Target 14* area, 800m to the north. Gold mineralisation remains open to the south and down dip at Big Sky. RC drilling is continuing.Musgrave Managing Director Rob Waugh said: "RC drilling continues to return positive results at both Big Sky and Target 14 with assay results for a further 19 RC holes received. It's still early days but results continue to be very positive. These two target areas are 800m apart and on the same structure. This 800m gap is currently being drill tested. A 1.2km long zone to the south of Big Sky will also be drill tested in the coming weeks. The Company currently has four drill rigs on site.Results have currently only been received for broad spaced drilling at Big Sky (100m to 200m spaced holes) with assays received for generally only single RC drill holes on most traverses. Drill traverse line spacing is being infilled within higher grade areas with multiple drill holes on each traverse either drilled or planned. Unfortunately, assay turnaround is slow at present with gold results awaited for more than 75 RC drill holes with the numbers growing daily. We look forward to updating the market with further strong results as assays are received."The 15,000m RC drilling program to define the extent of gold mineralisation in the regolith and basement rock beneath is continuing with >118 RC drill holes completed to date. Assays are pending for more than 75 RC drill holes from the Big Sky and Target 14 areas.Big Sky and Target 14 ProspectsRC drilling south-west of Lena within the new 7km-long gold corridor has continued to intersect significant gold mineralisation below thin transported cover (1-10m) in areas not drilled by previous explorers. The Big Sky gold anomaly (Figures 1 & 2*) is defined over 2.6km of continuous strike where it remains open to the north and south. The Big Sky area is 800m south of Target 14*.RC drilling is currently underway to test the continuity, grade and down dip extent of the mineralisation in oxide and fresh basement rock (Figures 1, 2 & 3*). The Big Sky Prospect is approximately 2km south-west of Break of Day, and the extensive 2.6km gold anomaly remains open to the north and south where further drilling is underway (Figures 1 & 2*).Six-metre composite samples have been received from a further 19 RC drill holes in the current program at Big Sky (12 holes) and Target 14 (7 holes), with initial holes spaced on 100m to 200m traverse lines. Significant new intersections at Big Sky include:- 48m @ 1.1g/t Au from 42m (21MORC120), including:o 6m @ 4.4g/t Au from 66m- 6m @ 4.5g/t Au from 108m (21MORC121)- 12m @ 1.9g/t Au from 84m (21MORC114)- 12m @ 1.9g/t Au from 108m (21MORC115)Drill hole and assay details are presented in Tables 1a and 1b. All composite intervals assaying above 0.5g/t have been reported in this release and are considered significant where they occur over broad widths. One-metre samples from anomalous gold composites have been submitted for individual analysis with results expected in August-September. It is noted that a number of drill holes steepened from the planned dip and failed to intersect the projected target.RC drill holes are spaced 40m apart along 100-200m spaced traverse lines with infill drilling underway with a focus on the higher grade and thicker intervals of gold mineralisation intersected to date. The extensive nature and continuity of the gold mineralisation supports the view that the Big Sky Prospect has the potential to add to the Company's existing resource base at Cue.At Target 14, 1.2km south-west of Break of Day (Figures 1 & 4*) and 800m north of Big Sky, anomalous gold is defined over 300m of continuous strike where it remains open to the south. Significant new intersections include:- 18m @ 1.2g/t Au from 42m (21MORC105)- 6m @ 3.9g/t Au from 24m (21MORC110)Drill hole and assay details are presented in Tables 1a and 1b. All new composite intervals assaying above 0.5g/t have been reported in this release and are considered significant where they occur over broad widths. One-metre samples from anomalous gold composites have been submitted for individual analysis with results expected in August-September.Numbers ProspectThe Numbers prospect, approximately 3.5km south of Break of Day, has an Inferred Resource of 278,000t @ 2.46g/t Au for 22,000oz gold (see MGV ASX release 16 October 2020, "Annual Report to Shareholders"). It is envisaged that Numbers could be a satellite pit to a larger development at Break of Day/Lena.One-metre resamples of previously reported six-metre composites from twenty-two resource definition RC drill holes at the Numbers Prospect (Figure 1*) have confirmed the results from the six-metre composite sampling. The intent is to upgrade the resource estimate to the higher confidence Indicated category. These RC, resource definition drill holes are spaced on an approximate 20m x 20m grid. The majority of drill holes intersected mineralisation consistent with the existing model.Mineralised intersections from one-metre resamples include:- 18m @ 2.4g/t Au from 60m (21MORC057)- 17m @ 2.3g/t Au from 78m (21MORC062)- 6m @ 3.0g/t Au from 21m (21MORC063)- 16m @ 3.0g/t Au from 52m (21MORC064)- 7m @ 2.6g/t Au from 135m (21MORC068)- 12m @ 2.0g/t Au from 86m (21MORC070)- 10m @ 5.6g/t Au from 50m (21MORC071), including:o 1m @ 46.4g/t Au from 55m- 4m @ 3.9g/t Au from 92m (21MORC076)- 12m @ 5.4g/t Au from 12m (21MORC077), including:o 5m @ 11.1g/t Au from 14mAll drill hole and assay details are presented in Tables 2a and 2b*. All new intervals assaying above 1g/t have been reported in this release and are considered significant where they occur over broad widths. Drill hole locations are shown on figures in MGV ASX announcement 25 May 2021, "Further RC drill results from White Heat and Numbers prospects".White Heat ProspectOne-metre resamples of previously reported six-metre composites from RC drilling at White Heat, 300m south of Break of Day (Figure 1), has confirmed previously reported high-grade gold mineralisation. The high-grade shoot at White Heat has a strike extent in fresh rock of up to 80m and has currently only been drilled to a maximum depth of approximately 120m. Three diamond drill holes have been completed at White Heat aimed at confirming the RC drill results. Assays are pending.Significant new RC intercepts from one-metre resamples include:- 1m @ 14.4g/t Au from 18m (21MORC051)All drill hole and assay details are presented in Tables 2a and 2b. All new intervals assaying above 1g/t have been reported in this release. Drill hole locations are shown on figures in MGV ASX announcement 25 May 2021, "Further RC drill results from White Heat and Numbers prospects".Cue ProjectThe Cue Gold Project is located approximately 30km south of the township of Cue in the Murchison district of Western Australia. The Lena and Break of Day deposits are only 5km from the Great Northern Highway, approximately 600km north of Perth.The current resource estimate for the Cue Gold Project totals 6.4Mt @ 3.2g/t Au for 659koz including the Break of Day deposit (797kt @ 10.2g/t Au for 262koz contained gold) and the Lena deposit (4.3Mt @ 2.3g/t Au for 325koz contained gold) located 130m to the west of Break of Day (see MGV ASX announcements dated 17 February 2020 and 11 November 2020).*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Musgrave Minerals Ltd

Musgrave Minerals Ltd (ASX:MGV) is an active Australian gold and base metals explorer. The Cue Project in the Murchison region of Western Australia is an advanced gold and copper project. Musgrave has had significant exploration success at Cue with the ongoing focus on increasing the gold and copper resources through discovery and extensional drilling to underpin studies that will demonstrate a viable path to development in the near term. Musgrave also holds a large exploration tenement package in the Ni-Cu-Co prospective Musgrave Province in South Australia.


Australian Army Deployment

Sydney, July 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - DroneShield Ltd ( ASX:DRO ) ( FRA:DRH ) ( OTCMKTS:DRSHF ) is pleased to advise that it has sold a quantity of its RfOne MKIITM long-range sensors to the Australian Army. The capability is being delivered immediately to allow the Australian Army to assess its future counter-drone requirements and options.The deployment of these long-range sensors will highlight the flexibility, resilience, and capabilities of DroneShield equipment in a dynamic field environment, while also assisting the Australian Army in establishing its counter drone requirements and future capability options.The sale was structured as a one-off sale to the Australian Army, and, similar to the standard purchases from DroneShield's other defence and law enforcement customers, comprises a small purchase of equipment. While the size of the sale is financially immaterial, it is considered to be material from a growth perspective as it is expected to lead to larger procurements, once the equipment from the earlier purchase has been fielded for a period of time.Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented, "As an Australian company, DroneShield is immensely proud to support the Australian Army with its long-range counter-drone strategy."About DroneShield Ltd

DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (OTCMKTS:DRSHF) is an Australian publicly listed company with its head office in Sydney and teams in the US and UK. We specialise in RF sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing.

Our capabilities are used to protect Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world.

Through our team of primarily Australian based engineers - we offer customers bespoke solutions and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms.

DroneShield is proudly exporting Australian capability to customers throughout the world and supporting Australia's defence, national security and other organisations protect people, critical infrastructure and vital assets.

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Mangaroon North Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd-Au Project

Perth, July 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to announce the recent grant of the exploration licence (EL) 09/2422. This EL and three additional EL applications are in the name of Redscope Enterprises Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Venus, and cover a total of 546 km2 (Figure 1*) in an area prospective for Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd, Au and Rare Earth Elements (REE) in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia.MANGAROON NORTH Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd-Au PROJECT:- The tenements E09/2422 and ELA 08/3229 cover a total of 295 km2 and abut Dreadnought Resources Ltd's ( ASX:DRE ) and First Quantum Minerals Ltd's ( TSE:FM ) ("FQM") Mangaroon Project (Figure 1*) targeting magmatic Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd mineralization associated with the mafic-ultramafic Money Intrusion (refer DRE ASX release 15 March 2021). FQM can earn a 51% interest initially in the Mangaroon project by spending $15M on exploration (refer DRE ASX release 7 April 2021).- DRE recently identified gossanous outcrop over 1 km strike at Bookathanna Bore in the northern part of the Money Intrusion with significant rock chip results of up to 1.0% Cu, 0.6% Ni, 0.04% Co and 0.3g/t Pt-Pd-Au (refer DRE ASX release 16 July 2021). The outcrop is located approximately 3 km east of Venus' ELA 08/3229) (Figure 2*).- Within Venus' E09/2422 and ELA 08/3229, several northwest trending Narimbunna igneous intrusives (dolerite and gabbro sills) and northnortheast trending Mundine Well dolerites, dykes, sills and small intrusions are considered highly prospective for magmatic Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd mineralization similar to that discovered in the Money Intrusion (Mundine dolerite).- E09/2422 and ELA 08/3229 are also considered prospective for gold mineralization along strike of the historical high-grade Star of Mangaroon gold mine and at structural targets along several shear and fault zones that transect the tenements (Figure 3*).- Initial field mapping, rock chip sampling and geochemical surveys on the granted EL09/2422 will target potential Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd mineralization associated with mafic intrusives identified from DMIRS geological maps and geophysical data.YANGIBANA NORTH RARE EARTHS PROJECT:Two recent applications, ELA08/3375 and ELA09/2541, are in an area considered prospective for rare earth elements (REE). ELA09/2541 is located some 10 km north of the Yangibana carbonatite field and is considered prospective for carbonatite-hosted REE mineralization. REE targets have been identified in the southern section of the tenement along ESE-WNW trends in the magnetic imagery that may potentially represent carbonatite sills within the Durlacher Supersuite, showing a similar orientation to the Yangibana carbonatites to the south (Figures 4a-b*).*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Venus Metals Corporation Limited

Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold and base metals exploration. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects.

The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%) (OYG JV); Indicated and Inferred Resources of the mine is 1.7 million ounces of gold.

Exciting new discoveries at the Youanmi Gold Mine have been made at the Grace prospect in footwall granites where very high grades of free milling gold have been intersected, including 25m @34.7g/t Au from 143m (RXRC 287) and 13m @60.49 g/t from 181m (RXRC 239). The Grace Prospect may substantially add to the Youanmi Gold Mine resources.
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Sydney, July 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Nova Minerals Ltd ( ASX:NVA ) ( FRA:QM3 ) ( OTCMKTS:NVAAF ) recent results demonstrate continued opportunity for increasing the total resource at the Estelle Project in Alaska, with further results on the secondary target (RPM) coming before the end of the year.Chris talks about the scoping study as well as the coming resource upgrade for Korbel Main, which will include the RPM results from recent drilling.So far the uncharted mineralised corridor is yet to reveal more gold and the Nova team is now deploying further reconnaissance exploration and adding an additional drill rig to the four currently operating.To watch the Interview with Chris Gerteisen, please visit:About Nova Minerals Ltd

Nova Minerals Limited (ASX:NVA) (FRA:QM3) (OTCMKTS:NVAAF) is a dynamic explorer and developer of its flagship Estelle Gold district in the Tintina gold belt. Nova's strategy is to substantially increase the current 4.7Moz resource on the Korbel prospect. Subsequently to continue to lock in value through moving Korbel towards production whilst increasing the resource base across the pipeline of targets within the Estelle gold district. Nova Minerals also holds strategic investments in Snow Lake Resources Ltd (Thompson Brothers Lithium Project), Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) and RotorX Aircraft Manufacturing Co.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Nob Hills restaurant line-up will get a little bit bigger in early August with the opening of Mesa Provisions.

The eatery, at 3120 Central SE, specializes in New American cuisine with a Southwest flair, according to owner and executive chef Steve Riley. Its slated to open Aug. 3.

The things I want to do are going to be a little bit different and a little bit unique, he said.

Riley, whose culinary resume dates back several decades, was last in the kitchen as executive chef at Farm & Table in northwest Albuquerque, but even then his goal was to open a restaurant in the Nob Hill neighborhood.

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I grew up in this area and spent a lot of time here in my younger years and Nob Hills always just kind of had a certain appeal to me, he said. I think its the right place for the clientele that I would like to attract.

Much like Rileys previous employer, Mesa Provisions will feature a menu centered around local foods and that changes seasonally.

Riley said he is working with several local farms, including Silverleaf Farms and Vida Verde Farms, as well as smaller food producers to source ingredients.

Our goal is quality, he said. We are a quality-driven restaurant. We want to use the best quality produce that we can find, the best quality products, organic where we can.

Menu items will include year-round staples like green chile cheese biscuits, a smoked half chicken with a red chile honey marinade and duck fat tortillas, and seasonal items like a peach salad.

I think that well be a little bit different than some of the places that are here, he said. But I think well add some freshness and some local vegetables and some unique dishes that I think you wont see anywhere.

Riley said he is still hiring for several positions. Wages range from $8 to $10 an hour with tips for servers and beer tenders, $13 an hour and up for dishwashers, and $15 an hour and up for line cooks. All positions include medical, paid vacation, profit sharing and a staff meal.

Pilar Martinez covers retail and commercial real estate for the Journal.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Public Service Company of New Mexico has donated 21 used Surface Pro 3s to Belen Public Library in an effort to increase computer literacy in the area.

PNM is so happy that we are able to support our communities, said Sara Ross, client services supervisor for PNM, according to the release.

Its exciting to see that the equipment that we cant use anymore get put to such great use at places like Belen Public Libraries. Kathleen Pickering, director of the Belen Public Library, added in the release.

The Surface Pro 3s can be used to support coding classes, research and other activities.

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Correction: A previous version of this article listed the incorrect address for the art sale. It has been corrected.

Albuquerque-based Weems Gallery and Framing will gift proceeds from the sale of donated items to the National Indian Youth Leadership Project, according to a news release.

The sale will take place during normal business hours July 23-25 at 5935 Wyoming NE. The sale will include historical art, pottery and baskets, which have been donated by Manitou Gallery in Santa Fe. The gallery purchased the items from a private collection at auction.

The NIYLP works with middle and high school students of Native American backgrounds providing support and resources through year-round curriculum both in schools and outdoors.

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WELCOME

Dr. Kee J.E. Straits has been hired by Bosque School as the director of equity, community and culture. Straits is a licensed bilingual psychologist and is the founder and CEO of Tinkuy Life Community Transformations, a local consulting organization helping children and families from culturally diverse backgrounds with mental health equity. She received a bachelors in psychology from Williams College, a masters in special education with an emphasis in bilingual and multicultural studies from the University of New Mexico, and a doctorate in combined clinical, counseling and school psychology from Utah State University. Straits is president of the board of directors for the Native Health Initiative in Albuquerque, a member of the American Psychology Association, the Society of Indian Psychologists and the Yazzie/ Martinez Equity Council for Albuquerque Public Schools. She has also written several publications as well as being a guest lecturer nationwide and abroad in Perth, Australia, and London, England. Bosque School is an independent preparatory school serving students grade 6-12, located on a 42-acre campus near the Rio Grande.

Audrey Mitchell has been hired by Total Management Systems Inc. as corporate director of human resources and training. Mitchell has 15 years of industry experience through various roles including guest service manager, controller and human resources. She has a masters degree in human resources from Colorado State University, and six years experience in specific human resource roles in the hotel industry. Total Management Systems is a New Mexico-based hotel management company serving the area since 1980.

PROMOTIONS

William Widmaier has been promoted to vice president of partnership and production at Azuca. Albuquerque-based Widmaier has been responsible for executing licensing partnerships with Wana Brans, Revolutionary Clinics and Columbia Care. Before joining Azuca in 2018, Widmaier worked at Raaka Chocolate as the production manager. He has also worked with chefs in New York, and has been in the food industry for more than 10 years. Azuca is a privately held, investor-backed company serving the global cannabis industry with chef-created, fast-acting edibles.

Luke Ragland has been named senior vice president of Daniels Fund Grant Program, a Colorado-based organization that serves nonprofits in New Mexico. Ragland has served as the president of Ready Colorado, as well as vice president of Policy at Colorado Succeeds. He practiced commercial litigation at a Denver law firm, and worked at the White House. He currently serves on the board of the Colorado Charter School. The Daniels Fund Grant Program provides support to nonprofit organizations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming that work with aging, amateur sports, disabilities, drug and alcohol addiction, early childhood education, homelessness and disadvantaged, K-12 education, and youth development.

ETC.

Kim Jew Portraits celebrated 45 years in business on July 1. Jew has photographed five presidents, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Miss Universe and Miss America winners, and Muhammad Ali among others. Jew is a second-generation business owner in Albuquerque. His parents owned and operated the New Chinatown Restaurant for more than 50 years. Jew has no plans to retire yet but plans to eventually pass the business over to his son.

Items for consideration for Briefcase should be e-mailed to gporter@abqjournal.com.

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APPLAUSE

Season Elliott and Laura Lingad of WiseChoice Foods LLC have been honored as 2021 Top Women in Grocery from Progressive Grocer Magazine. Elliott, president of the company, was named in the category of Senior-Level Executives. Lingad, director of operations, was in the Rising Star Category  the 15th Top Women in Grocery class, considered the most prestigious honor for female leaders in the grocery industry. Other honorees included female executives from Coca-Cola, Target and Instacart. WiseChoice Foods is locally owned and operated in Albuquerque by Steven B. Chavez, and has been certified minority-owned since 2018 by the National Minority Supplier Development Council Southwest Division.

The Jewish Community Center will host the 2021 Humanitarian Awards Aug. 15. This years recipients are:

 Fred Nathan, founder/executive director of Think New Mexico, which focuses on making and changing laws to help children and families with food and education needs.

 Mary Martinez, owner of Home Instead, who does work on a co-working space for professional services such as lawyers, counselors and financial services to work with senior citizens.

 Jenny Landau of the NM Immigrant Law Center, which has provided pro bono legal services to more than 4,000 low-income immigrants in 2019.

 Shira Greenberg, founder/artistic director of Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts. Greenberg founded Keshet to inspire and unite the community, and her M3 (Movement+Mentorship+Metamorphosis) program gets incarcerated youth involved in dance. Greenberg will receive the Harold B. Albert Award for Community Service.

The ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. for in-person ticket holders and at 6:30 p.m. for virtual ticket holders. The in-person event will be held at 5520 Wyoming NE. Tickets are available for $150 each or $1,500 for a table.

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After 14 months and nearly 6.9 million applications nationally, the Paycheck Protection Program stopped accepting new applications at the end of May.

Since then, the focus among businesses, banks and the U.S. Small Business Administration has shifted toward the next phase  and most notable feature  of the program: getting those forgivable loans converted into grants, provided the businesses met the requirements of the program.

And for businesses that applied early in the program, the deadline to avoid making payments on the forgivable loans is coming up quickly.

So far, it seems like businesses have gotten the message. New Mexico-specific data on loan forgiveness isnt available, but nationwide, about 3.3 million 2020 loan applications have been forgiven, totaling about $279.4 billion, according to the SBA.

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However, about 1.7 million applications, totaling $159.1 billion, havent yet been received by the SBA, so theres clearly still room for improvement. Program experts say forgiving the remaining 2020 PPP loans, along with most of the 2021 loans, is likely to be a full-time job for the foreseeable future.

I expect our forgiveness team will be very busy, said Metta Smith, chief lending and client experience officer for DreamSpring, a community development financial institution based in Albuquerque.

When the federal program launched in early April last year, a crush of businesses moved quickly to apply for funding, initially overwhelming the system. Once the dust settled, those early businesses had to apply for forgiveness within 10 months following an initial covered period. For businesses that applied early in April, that would put the deadline in the middle of July.

I think well be dealing with this for another year, said John Garcia, district director for the SBA in New Mexico.

To qualify to have the loan forgiven, businesses must show that at least 60% of the proceeds from the grant were spent on payroll costs, while demonstrating they were able to maintain their employee base and compensation levels, according to the SBA. Garcia said a wide variety of materials, from payroll documents to lease agreements, can be used to show compliance. Businesses just beginning the process should begin by meeting with the lender they worked with to secure the loan, Garcia said.

Even before the deadline started closing in, New Mexico businesses that received PPP funding early in the window started getting busy with forgiveness applications.

Ben Williamson, controller for Bosque Brewing Co., said he spearheaded the companys effort to get its approximately $1.1 million loan forgiven shortly after joining the company this February. Williamson said starting with a new company made it more challenging to track down the materials he needed to show compliance. Still, he said the process was relatively straightforward once he had all the materials in place. The company submitted its forgiveness application in mid-April, and the SBA had fully forgiven it by May, Williamson said.

Its a big relief, he added.

Overall, lenders have reported that businesses are generally engaged and on the ball. Smith of DreamSpring said earlier this month that about 90% of its first-draw borrowers working with DreamSpring have applied for forgiveness. Of those, Smith said about 70% did so proactively. To reach the rest, DreamSpring began calling, emailing and texting applicants to make sure theyre engaged. The lender even began emailing individualized login links to businesses with their application information to streamline the process, Smith said.

It really limits the amount of effort that they have to put into the application, she said.

Alan Shettlesworth, president and CEO of Main Bank in Albuquerque, said about 90% of the banks first-draw PPP loans have been fully forgiven, with most of the remainder currently going through the process. After an initial slowdown during the spring, Shettlesworth said the SBA sped up its approvals significantly when the calendar switched to June.

Garcia of the SBA stressed that borrowers can still apply for forgiveness after they begin paying the loan, and doing so will allow them to avoid future payments. Some lenders, including Main Bank, are also willing to work with borrowers who have to make payments before their loans are forgiven.

Were not trying to kick (borrowers) when theyre down, Shettlesworth said.

Stephen Hamway covers economic development, health care and tourism for the Journal. He can be reached at shamway@abqjournal.com.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Central New Mexico Community College is seeking nominations for its annual New Mexico Ethics in Business Awards.

The program honors for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations and individual people in the state that demonstrate a strong commitment to the highest level of ethical business practices in daily operations, management and personal philosophies, and in their response to crises and challenges, a release said.

Nominations can be made by a customer, client, employee, consultant, vendor or individual who is impressed with the ethical business practices of an organization or individual, the release said.

Completed nominations will be reviewed and vetted by the New Mexico Ethics in Business Awards Screening Committee. A group of finalists will go through an additional vetting process led by CNM students in business ethics courses. The winners will be celebrated at a dinner and awards ceremony in April 2022.

To make a nomination and for more information, visit https://ethicsinbusinessnm.com/nominate.

The Journal is the awards programs media sponsor.

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Todays devastating opioid epidemic may stem, in part, from the medical industrys lack of comprehensive tools to analyze, diagnose and effectively treat chronic pain, but now, a New Mexico startup may have a breakthrough solution to begin tackling the problem.

PainScan System Inc.s patent-pending technology could allow doctors and clinical technicians to rapidly create detailed 3D maps of an individuals pain points on an iPad or computer screen using a simple touch exam that measures pain intensity on any part of a patients body. That could offer physicians a holistic view of a persons symptoms to better diagnose the causes and develop more-effective treatments.

Family medical practitioner Dr. Andru Zeller conceived of the system while working with patients at his private clinic in Las Cruces. And since 2015, hes worked to transform his idea into a functioning, marketable technology that could soon become available to the medical industry.

The concept arose from directly working with people who didnt want opiates to deal with their pain, Zeller said.

That challenged me to figure out what was going on with their pain and how to help them feel better, Zeller told the Journal. It became clear that were missing critical tools to get a clear picture of a persons pain.

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MRIs and other exams allow physicians to see things in a patients body.

But theyre terrible at identifying chronic pain that doesnt have an obvious source, Zeller said. The PainScan device grew out of that. We need a more sophisticated way to fully map a patients pain using touch examinations.

Zeller and his team at PainScan are still testing and modifying the system, devising new iterations of the technology based on feedback from physicians to better fit their needs.

But the initial base technology includes a special clinician glove embedded with ultra-thin sensors to measure the degree of pressure as an examiner touches or palpates a patients pain points. Thats backed up with cameras to track the palpated location, plus a special software platform developed by the PainScan team to rapidly acquire all data from the cameras and sensors in real time and display it on a 3D avatar of the patient on a computer screen.

The system includes a handheld device that patients will squeeze as the physician touches or palpates pain points. The patients gripping reactions will indicate the pain felt on a scale on one to 10, all of which is captured by the software platform and incorporated into the 3D image.

Todays verbal zero-to-10 scale is Paleolithic, Zeller said. This system provides precision medicine to measure pain, something we dont have today.

The PainScan team is also incorporating artificial intelligence, or machine learning, into the software platform to help guide physical exams by offering suggestions to the physician to expand or repeat certain palpation points based on patient responses. That will help to develop a more comprehensive image of all individual patient reactions and the pain they experience.

The team plans as well to integrate a sensor-embedded waist band into the system to measure a patients muscle movement during examination, Zeller said. That will help record more of the patients overall reaction when physicians palpate pain spots, because people tend to tense up, or clench their muscles, when they experience pain.

Overall, the system can offer a detailed baseline of an individuals pain to help guide physicians in pinpointing sensitivities, diagnosing causes, and applying appropriate treatments for the particular conditions of patients, rather than simply prescribing painkillers or other generic therapies, Zeller said.

In addition, the baseline can help cut through patient subjectivity. Thats important, because people tend to generalize the pain they feel without precise descriptions, and they often downplay the amount of pain felt.

People tend to underscore their pain, even when their facial expression says otherwise, Zeller said. With an objective baseline, we can cut through the social, or culturally conditioned mind, and get to a base-brain reaction that all people share.

Likewise, many medical professionals working in primary, urgent and emergency care settings are under-trained in pain analysis, and theyre often face time pressures that lead to superficial examinations, Zeller said.

This system provides a helping hand to guide under-trained clinicians in anatomy and pain analysis to enable them to see what an expert on pain conditions might otherwise see, he said.

And because the system can be used for pre- and post-treatment examinations, physicians and researchers can identify chronic pain trends in patients over time to measure how therapies are working and pursue new courses of action.

Researchers can use it to study more complicated therapies with solid pre- and post-therapy examinations, Zeller said.

That can help occupational therapists with objective baselines to show improvements through therapy, which, in turn, will help to secure buy-in from insurance companies to keep paying for patient care.

Zeller officially launched his company in 2018, although hes since changed the name from Just Healthcare LLC to PainScan System.

The Arrowhead Center in Las Cruces, which manages all of New Mexico State Universitys entrepreneurship and technology-transfer programs, has provided critical support for PainScan from the start. NMSUs Federal and State Technology Partnership, or NM FAST, program helped Zeller win a $256,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant this year from the National Science Foundation to continue developing PainScan technology.

The U.S. Small Business Administration provides $125,000 per year to help finance FAST, which the Arrowhead Center launched in 2015 to work with small businesses and startups across the state in preparing applications for SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer grants from federal agencies like NSF. Over the past six years, the FAST program has assisted 240 businesses around New Mexico, leading to a total of $11.6 million in SBIR and STTR awards.

Zeller was a natural fit for FAST, said Arrowhead Deputy Director Dana Catron.

Hes one of those people who worked in his profession long enough to identify a critical need and then create something to successfully fill that need, Catron told the Journal. His technology is sound and hes engaged and excited about what hes doing.

NMSU also helped Zeller obtain $72,000 in financing from the states Small Business Assistance program, allowing PainScan to receive technical assistance from New Mexicos national labs.

Serial entrepreneur John Mierzwa  CEO of the Albuquerque-based website development company Ingenuity Software  has joined PainScan as CEO and is now helping Zeller seek private investment.

Were compiling materials to start talking with investors, Mierzwa told the Journal. Were pretty confident about PainScans future. It provides a missing piece to the chronic-pain puzzle in medicine.

Zeller himself has invested about $70,000 of his own funds in the company. PainScan recently acquired a facility with laboratory space in Las Cruces. It currently employs eight people.

Kevin Robinson-Avila covers technology, energy, venture capital and utilities for the Journal. He can be reached at krobinson-avila@abqjournal.com.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

One longtime, local tutoring program for struggling students at three Albuquerque schools could serve as a template for other schools and districts in New Mexico  assuming enough tutors could be recruited.

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Now in its 18th year of operation, Albuquerque Reads is a project of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and works in conjunction with Albuquerque Public Schools to provide one-on-one tutoring to kindergartners and first graders.

The program, which has stayed relatively small by design and capacity since its inception, currently targets three elementary schools  Bel-Air, Whittier and Atrisco  all identified by APS as high-priority Title 1 schools with high numbers of low-income children who are at risk of reading failure, program director Margarita Rodriguez-Corriere said.

Working in tandem with classroom teachers, Albuquerque Reads has more than 300 volunteer tutors trained by certified teachers. Each volunteer provides 90 minutes a week of literacy instruction to one child. The program serves an average of 250 children a year, each of whom gets one-on-one in-classroom instruction in reading and writing skills.

Successful track record

The programs reading improvement rate has been steady and impressive in its ability to bring struggling students to grade level.

According to APS evaluations and national assessments, Rodriguez-Corriere said, at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, an average of only 24% of the kindergartners and first graders at these schools were reading at grade level, while 45% of students were considered seriously below grade level, meaning 1.5 to three years behind.

By early March, as schools were forced to close because of the pandemic, the average number of students reading at or close to grade level had jumped to 42%, she said.

Many of the tutors are retired teachers, as well as retired and active duty members of the military, college students and working professionals, so there is an inter-generational component to this program, said Scott Darnell, who oversees the Chamber of Commerces programs and policies.

These kids want and need to have positive adult role models in their lives, he said. The key is instruction that is one-on-one, frequent, and with consistent interaction between a caring adult role model and a child.

Building home libraries

In addition, every student participant in the program over the course of a year receives about 20 free books to take home and build a home library, and having books at home is a strong indicator and determinant of reading proficiency, Rodriguez-Corriere said.

Darnell said he has had discussions with APS officials about expanding the program, but not to other schools. Instead, the goal in the near future is to expand the program in the existing schools into second grade and then the all-important third grade.

Educators say that a child needs to learn to read by third grade, so that he or she can read to learn by fourth grade. According to New Mexico Voices for Children, three out of four fourth graders in New Mexico, about 76%, are not reading at grade level, and the inability to read at the appropriate level by fourth grade is a predictor that the child is four times more likely to drop out of high school.

By expanding the program within the three existing Title 1 schools, we can ensure our ability to maximize and maintain the gains of the kids at those schools, as well as maintain fidelity to the model, which is that every child gets significant amounts of one-on-one tutoring, Darnell said. Ultimately, the challenge with expansion is primarily related to the ability to find enough volunteer tutors to serve in the program.

A transferable program

The Albuquerque Reads program is available and its organizers willing to train others should another group wish to set up such a system in other districts or schools around the state.

They could simply take our curriculum and programming and apply it, Darnell said. Its definitely transferable and scalable and we would certainly be able to share it.

Madelyn Serna Marmol, associate superintendent of Equity, Instruction, Innovation and Support for APS, confirmed that the district is interested in having Albuquerque Reads expand the program to additional grades in the three schools where it is currently operating.

But even though the program has been successful and the template is workable for expansion to other schools in the district, she said, the limiting obstacle is the same one encountered by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce  trying to recruit and train enough tutors.

Any opportunity for us to work with the Chamber of Commerce and the community is great, and APS is grateful to them and all the volunteers who come in to help our students and support our schools, Marmol said. Its a wonderful thing.

Albuquerque Reads has an annual budget of $72,000, which comes from an allocation provided by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and from private donations.

For further information about Albuquerque Reads, call 505-843-7323, or go online to abqreads.com.
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This story was originally published by Searchlight New Mexico, a nonprofit investigative news organization. A longer, unedited version can be found at http://www.searchlightnm.org/

Attorney General Hector Balderas relationship with a local law firm is under scrutiny amid allegations that Albuquerque-based attorney Marcus Rael Jr. used his influence with the attorney general to persuade Balderas to sign off on a multibillion-dollar utility merger.

The merger between a global energy giant and New Mexicos largest utility could drastically changes electricity distribution in the state, with hundreds of millions of dollars for New Mexico utility customers hanging in the balance.

For eight months, the state has been involved in negotiations over a proposed merger between Connecticut-based Avangrid and Public Service Company of New Mexico. Rael, who frequently represents the state, was hired to represent Avangrids parent company, Iberdrola.

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Five civic and environmental justice groups have filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission, the state auditor and the disciplinary board of the New Mexico Supreme Court, alleging Rael used his influence to push the attorney general into signing on early to the merger deal.

Balderas, who has participated in negotiations on behalf of consumers, initially criticized the deal before supporting it.

Balderas agrees that the (merger deal) is magically in the public interest, despite his own experts testimony detailing why the merger is bad for New Mexicans because it doesnt adequately protect their rights, said Mariel Nanasi, the executive director of New Energy Economy, one of the complainants calling for an investigation.

Balderas in a statement denied any claims of favoritism or conflict of interest. And Rael said his firm always adheres to the states Rules of Professional Conduct.

Both UNM law grads

Since taking office in 2015, Balderas has hired Marcus Rael Jr. or others at his firm, Robles, Rael & Anaya, to help represent the state in at least 19 cases, at least triple the number of cases farmed out to any other private law firm, a review by Searchlight New Mexico showed. Balderas and Rael both graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2001 and briefly worked together before Balderas ran for public office.

The story behind the complaint is a complicated one involving a sprawling merger and questions about whether it would serve New Mexicans or was instead commandeered to profit utility companies.

The five groups  New Energy Economy, Democracy Rising, Indivisible Nob Hill, Renewable Taos and Retake Our Democracy  argue that Balderas awarded Raels law firm lucrative contracts without considering the lawyers experience or expertise for the case  a violation of state ethics law. They say that Balderas relationship with Rael presented a conflict of interest in the merger case.

Balderas declined repeated requests for an interview with Searchlight regarding the merger. In a written statement to Searchlight, Matt Baca, a spokesman for the Attorney Generals Office, said the claims about favoritism or a conflict of interest are entirely false. New Energy Economy has reached a new low in attacking another party in this case with such a baseless complaint, the statement said.

With respect to his relationship to Mr. Rael, the Attorney General has friendships with many of the attorneys in the case and at the PRC, Baca said in a separate statement.

Rael said in an email that he had not seen the complaint, but that his firm specializes in representing local and state governments. All the firms public contracts, including those with the Office of the Attorney General, were awarded in accordance with the stringent requirements of the State Procurement Code and the Governmental Conduct Act. It also goes without saying that the attorneys of my firm strictly adhere to the New Mexico Rules of Professional Conduct, the statement said.

Close ties

Raels legal appointments have involved him in cases with broad implications for the state, including Texas vs. New Mexico, a Supreme Court case concerning groundwater rights. Lawyers at Raels firm are also involved in the Yazzie-Martinez case, which is focused on widespread inequities in education.

In 2018, then-state auditor Wayne Johnson opened an investigation into the relationship between Balderas and Rael and the bidding process for outside firms, following an anonymous tip about the amount of work that the Attorney Generals Office was sending to Robles, Rael & Anaya. Results were never made public.

Avangrid is the U.S. subsidiary of the Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, and if the merger goes forward  which could happen as early as this fall  the states electricity infrastructure will become a part of Iberdrolas massive global energy portfolio.

For PNM and Avangrid, billions of dollars are at stake.

Agreement revised

Iberdrola hired Rael in February, before a hearing with the Public Regulation Commission. Over the past eight months, parties involved in the hearing have filed thousands of pages of documents for review and presented arguments before the hearing examiner. This administrative process is expected to end with public hearings in August, after which the five elected PRC board members will decide whether to allow the merger to go forward. The attorney general participates in this process by providing testimony to determine whether or not the merger is in the public interest.

Hearing documents show Rael held 18 meetings at the Attorney Generals Office from his hiring till April 5. For his services, Iberdrola paid him $400 an hour, almost double his regular rate with the Attorney Generals Office.

At the time Rael was hired, the Attorney Generals Office was pushing for changes to the merger deal that would better serve the public, such as money for infrastructure projects and credits on utility bills.

On April 2, Balderas told the Journal that he had concerns about the mergers lack of benefits for utility customers and worried about utility profits leaving the state. Experts for the state recommended massive changes, including doubling customers credits, making a 30-fold increase to the economic development funds paid to New Mexican communities, and placing the cost for leaving the Four Corners Coal Plant on shareholders, rather than customers.

Days after those recommendations were filed with the PRC, Rael visited Balderas office. Hearing documents do not reveal what they discussed, but a few weeks later Balderas signed on to a tentative merger deal that fell dramatically short of what expert witnesses had suggested. The complaint alleges Rael pushed Balderas into the deal on behalf of Iberdrola.

We were satisfied that the [new agreement] improved significantly from the opening application, including increased economic development, rate credits, a full commitment to transition to clean energy, and investing in tribal communities and frontline workers, Balderas wrote in an emailed statement to Searchlight.

The revised agreement includes additional benefits for the state, customers, tribal communities and union workers  but it saves PNM and Avangrid-Iberdrola $395 million that would have gone to customers and communities if the experts suggestions had been adopted in full.

Political ties

Lawyers and other employees at Robles, Rael & Anaya have donated more than $36,000 to Balderas since his first run for public office in 2005  more contributions than from almost any other entity.

Balderas has retained the law firm to represent the state in lucrative cases and paid out millions in fees and expenses to the firm. Invoices and contracts from the Attorney Generals Office obtained by New Energy Economy and shared with Searchlight show more than $3 million in direct payments of fees and expenses to Robles, Rael & Anaya.

Annabella Farmer contributed reporting to this story.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

As part of the Journals ongoing Literacy Project, we are adding to our growing list of literacy programs available throughout New Mexico. Anyone who knows of programs that we have not yet singled out is welcome to call them to our attention. Contact Rick Nathanson at rnathanson@abqjournal.com, or Mike Murphy at mmurphy@abqjournal.com.

NEW MEXICO LIONS CRANE READING PROGRAM

Operating out of the Las Cruces Lions Community Center, this is a tutor-led, computer-based program that works with children not reading at grade level and adults who desire to read more proficiently. The program is free and donations are welcome.

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For information, contact George Mulholland, 575-312-1316, or email him at georgemulholland@comcast.net; or contact reading specialist Cathy Waters, 575-640-5020, or email her at catrog1@comcast.net.

OPERATION KIDSIGHT INC.

This program of the New Mexico Lions Clubs provides vision screenings for kids 3 to 9 in public and private elementary schools, Head Start schools and child care centers across the state.

Studies have shown that 60% of children identified as problem learners or diagnosed with such things as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia or autism, actually suffer from undetected eye disorders.

Operation KidSight works with school nurses, teachers and parents of referred children to get these children a comprehensive eye exam. It estimates that 35-40% of referred children had never before received an eye exam.

The Lions receive grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico to cover vouchers for eye exams and glasses for eligible students 3-7, and it contracts with the New Mexico Department of Health to provide similar vouchers for young people ages 8-18 and who are not covered by Medicaid or insurance.

For information, contact Brenda Dunn, program manager, at 575-525-5631, or go online to NMLionsKidSight.com.

READWEST INC.

This program is to enhance the reading skill of adults in general, though two of the main groups it serves are people with very low literacy skills, and people who are learning English as a second language, said executive director Muncie Hansen.

ReadWest also serves people who dropped out of high school and would now like to get their high school equivalency certification but are too intimidated to seek it through courses at local community colleges, she said.

The organization uses trained volunteers who do one-on-one tutoring out of ReadWests main Rio Rancho office at 103 Rio Rancho Blvd. It also conducts some group ESL classes at Puesta del Sol and Rio Rancho elementary schools.

The program, which began in 1989 operating out of the Corrales Library, offers its services free of charge.

For information, call 505-892-1131 or go online to readwest.org.

READ WRITE ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM

Based out of Moriarty, this program provides tutoring throughout Torrance County to anyone age 16 and older who is no longer in school. The program is geared toward teaching English as a second language, and to English-speaking individuals who read below the sixth-grade level. Read Write Adult Literacy also holds GED preparation courses.

Volunteer tutors are trained via programs offered through the nonprofit ProLiteracy Worldwide, a New York organizations that supports literacy initiatives that help adults learn to read and write.

New students take an initial assessment to determine their current skill level and are interviewed to ascertain their personal goals. Students are then paired with a tutor who regularly meets with the student at the Read Write Literacy offices in Moriarty, in public libraries throughout Torrance County or via online audio-video sessions. Tutors track the students progress and formal assessments are done semi-annually or upon exit notice from the student.

The program is free to participants and the tutors are unpaid volunteers. Overhead costs are covered by an allocation from the New Mexico Higher Education Department, a grant from United Way of Central New Mexico, and other grants and private donations.

For information, go to readwritenm.org, email them at rwliteracy@yahoo.com, or call their offices as 505-886-3333.

RIO ARRIBA ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM

With offices in the Espanola public library, this program provides free basic literacy and ESL tutoring to people who live in Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Taos counties. Student-tutor pairs meet in libraries or other public places once to twice a week.

Typically, two-thirds of the students are being tutored in ESL and one-third in general literacy, said program director Devon Hoffman.

Many ESL students often have as one of their goals to take the citizenship test. Sometimes, theyre already citizens, so their immediate goal is just better grasp of reading and writing English, he said.

According to the organizations website, about 25% of Rio Arriba County residents lack basic literacy skills, 34% speak only limited English, and 80% of students active in the program for six months or more show improvement toward their goals.

The largest source of funding for the program is the state, but other sources include grants and private donations.

For information, go to www.RAALP.org, or send an email message to READ@raalp.org, or call 505-747-6162.

MENTORING KIDS WORKS NM

This program uses mostly paid, but some unpaid volunteer mentor tutors who work with elementary school kids in second through fifth grades who teachers have identified through standardized testing as reading below their respective grade levels.

The tutors are recruited from high schools and colleges and trained by Mentoring Kids Works NM and by the May Center for Learning in Santa Fe. The tutors spend about two hours a week with each kid in after-school programs.

The program is based out of Santa Fe, but also has programs in elementary schools in Taos, Albuquerque, Socorro and Espanola.

The mentor tutors create an important relationship with a child, and the kids look forward to being with their mentors every week, said program director Louise Yakey. They are great role models for these kids. Many of our mentors are first generation high school graduates going on to college. About 80% of our mentors are bilingual. So for kids who are learning English having just come to this country, our mentors give them that one-on-one attention. They can speak to them in Spanish, and then teach them what they need to do in the assignment in English.

For information, go to mentoringkidsworksnm.org.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Toby Velasquez grew up fishing at Morphy Lake State Park in northern New Mexico.

He has hunted, hiked and fished his way around the state with his family.

Now, the outdoors enthusiast will lead the State Parks Division.

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I think sometimes in New Mexico we take for granted all of the public land access that we have, Velasquez said. We have so many opportunities for outdoor recreation.

New Mexicos 35 state parks are housed under the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

Velasquez, a Mora High School graduate and New Mexico Highlands University alum, started his State Parks career 30 years ago as a seasonal employee, then a park ranger.

He served as manager of Coyote Creek and Morphy Lake state parks.

Velasquez managed the divisions northeast region, was chief of the boating safety and law enforcement bureau, and was named deputy division director in 2015.

EMNRD Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst said Velasquezs experience and knowledge is a tremendous asset to the agency.

Velasquez succeeds Director Christy Tafoya, who retired at the end of June.

Our State Parks already provide wonderful recreational opportunities to every New Mexican and visitor to our great state, and Im looking forward to working with Mr. Velasquez to kick it up to the next level, Cottrell Propst said in a statement.

The current president of the Pojoaque Valley School District board said he wants to help make outdoor experiences such as camping, hiking and boating less intimidating for newcomers.

You dont need a $1,500 pair of binoculars to go and have fun wildlife viewing, he said.

Velasquez also wants to modernize the parks system and reignite a public interest in outdoor careers. The COVID-19 pandemic forced temporary facility closures last year, but also pushed the division to move toward online reservations at many sites.

We need to continue to protect and enhance our natural and cultural resources, in order for future generations to be able to have the same access that we do, Velasquez said.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Police in Albuquerque are investigating the death of a man seen dressed in a hospital gown whose body was later found in a campus police car.

Albuquerque TV station KOB reports that surveillance video Saturday showed the man wandering over to the University of New Mexico campus before getting into the back of the patrol car.

Authorities said the man was found dead about 10 hours later in the vehicle that was parked outside UNM police headquarters.

The UNM Hospital is affiliated with the university and is located just north of the schools main campus.

The name of the dead man hasnt been released yet.

The Office of Medical Investigator said the death wasnt suspicious and the man likely died from dehydration, heat, and/or lack of oxygen.

UNM police didnt immediately disclose whether the cruiser was unlocked or if the man broke into the vehicle.

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BERLIN  German officials defended their actions ahead of last weeks severe floods that caught many towns by surprise and killed 196 people in Western Europe, but they conceded that more lessons can be learned from the disaster.

As floodwaters receded Monday, authorities continued searching for more victims and intensified their efforts to clean up a sodden swath of western Germany, eastern Belgium and the Netherlands.

So far, 117 people have been confirmed dead in the worst-affected German region, Rhineland-Palatinate, while 47 were killed in the neighboring state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and at least one in Bavaria, parts of which saw heavy rain and flooding over the weekend. The death toll in Belgium was 31.

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Authorities said they were likely to find more victims among destroyed homes.

Weather officials had forecast the downpours that led to even small rivers swelling rapidly, but warnings of potentially catastrophic damage didnt appear to have made it to many people in affected areas  often in the middle of the night.

Federal and state authorities faced criticism from some opposition politicians over the disaster, which comes as a national election looms in September. But Interior Minister Horst Seehofer dismissed suggestions that federal officials had made mistakes and said warnings were passed to local authorities who make decisions on disaster protection.

I have to say that some of the things Im hearing now are cheap election rhetoric, Seehofer said during a visit to the Steinbach Reservoir in western Germany, where authorities say they no longer fear a dam breach. Now really isnt the hour for this.

Seehofer underlined that message during a visit Monday to Bad Neuenahr, in the worst-hit area, but said authorities will have to draw lessons once the immediate relief phase is over.

Wherever we can improve anything  in alarms, in equipment  we must do so, he said. We owe that to the families who have been affected, and above all to the victims.

The head of Germanys civil protection agency said the weather service had forecast relatively well and that the country was well-prepared for flooding on its major rivers.

But, Armin Schuster told ZDF television Sunday night, half an hour before, it is often not possible to say what place will be hit with what quantity of water. He said 150 warning notices had been sent out via apps and media.

He said we will have to investigate where sirens sounded and where they didnt.

Officials in Germanys Rhineland-Palatinate state said they were well-prepared for flooding, and municipalities were alerted and acted.

But the states interior minister, Roger Lewentz, said after visiting the hard-hit village of Schuld with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday that we, of course, had the problem that the technical infrastructure  electricity and so on  was destroyed in one go.

Local authorities tried very quickly to react, he said. But this was an explosion of the water in moments.  You can have the very best preparations and warning situations (but) if warning equipment is destroyed and carried away with buildings, then that is a very difficult situation. Cellphone networks also were knocked out by flooding.

Broader questions about Germanys emergency warning system had arisen after a nationwide test in September 2020, the first in 30 years, largely failed. Sirens didnt sound in many places, or had been removed after the end of the Cold War, and push alerts from the national warning app arrived late or not all.

Schuster, the head of the civil protection agency, noted that a program to reform civil protection was launched earlier this year, including a drive to encourage local authorities to install more sirens. Germany doesnt have a text messaging system for disaster warnings, but Schuster told Deutschlandfunk radio it is exploring the possibility.

As local communities face the huge task of rebuilding smashed homes and infrastructure such as bridges and water systems, Merkels Cabinet is set to draw up a package of immediate and medium-term financial aid Wednesday.

At the Steinbach Reservoir, North Rhine-Westphalia state governor Armin Laschet said the dam was designed for a risk that might occur once in 10,000 years.

This was exceeded in the last few days, he said. It was a likelihood nobody had foreseen.

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Associated Press writer Frank Jordans at the Steinbach Reservoir contributed.
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PHOENIX  Arizona county election officials have identified fewer than 200 cases of potential voter fraud out of more than 3 million ballots cast in last years presidential election, further discrediting former President Donald Trumps claims of a stolen election as his allies continue a disputed ballot review in the states most populous county.

An Associated Press investigation found 182 cases where problems were clear enough that officials referred them to investigators for further review. So far, only four cases have led to charges, including those identified in a separate state investigation. No one has been convicted. No persons vote was counted twice.

While its possible more cases could emerge, the numbers illustrate the implausibility of Trumps claims that fraud and irregularities in Arizona cost him the states electorate votes. In final, certified and audited results, Biden won 10,400 more votes than Trump out of 3.4 million cast.

APs findings align with previous studies showing voter fraud is rare. Numerous safeguards are built into the system to not only prevent fraud from happening but to detect it when it does.

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The fact of the matter is that election officials across the state are highly invested in helping to ensure the integrity of our elections and the publics confidence in them, said Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat. And part of that entails taking potential voter fraud seriously.

Arizonas potential cases also illustrate another reality: Voter fraud is often bipartisan. Of the four Arizona cases that have resulted in criminal charges, two involved Democratic voters and two involved Republicans.

APs review supports statements made by many state and local elections officials  and even some Republican county officials and GOP Gov. Doug Ducey  that Arizonas presidential election was secure and its results valid.

And still, Arizonas GOP-led state Senate has for months been conducting what it describes as a forensic audit of results in Phoenixs Maricopa County. The effort has been discredited by election experts and faced bipartisan criticism, but some Republicans, including Trump, have suggested it will uncover evidence of widespread fraud.

This is not a massive issue, said Adrian Fontes, a Democrat who oversaw the Maricopa County election office during the 2020 election and lost his re-election bid. It is a lie that has developed over time. Its been fed by conspiracy theorists.

The AP tallied the potential cases after submitting public record requests to all Arizona counties. Most counties  11 out of 15  reported they had forwarded no potential cases to local prosecutors. The majority of cases identified so far involve people casting a ballot for a relative who had died or people who tried to cast two ballots.

In addition to the APs review of county election offices, an Election Integrity Unit of the state attorney generals office that was created in 2019 to ferret out fraud has been reviewing potential cases of fraud.

A spokesman for Attorney General Mark Brnovich told the AP in April that the unit had 21 active investigations, although he did not specify if all were from last fall.

A month later, the office indicted a woman for casting a ballot on behalf of her dead mother in November. A spokeswoman declined to provide updated information this week.

Maricopa County, which is subject to the disputed ballot review ordered by state Senate Republicans, has identified just one case of potential fraud out of 2.1 million ballots cast. That was a voter who might have cast a ballot in another state. The case was sent to the county attorneys office, which forwarded it to the state attorney general.

Virtually all the cases identified by county election officials are in Pima County, home to Tucson, and involved voters who attempted to cast two ballots.

The Pima County Recorders Office has a practice of referring all cases with even a hint of potential fraud to prosecutors for review, something the states 14 other county recorders do not do. Pima County officials forwarded 151 cases to prosecutors. They did not refer 25 others from voters over age 70 because there was a greater chance those errors  typically attempts to vote twice  were the result of memory lapses or confusion, not criminal intent, an election official said.

None of the 176 duplicate ballots was counted twice. A spokesman for the Pima County Attorneys Office, Joe Watson, said that the 151 cases it received were still being reviewed and that no charges had been filed.

Pima Countys tally of referrals to prosecutors after last years election was in line with those in 2016 and 2018. Prosecutors filed no voter fraud cases after the 2016 election and just one after the 2018 election, and that case was later dismissed, Watson said Friday.

But there were some new patterns this year, said deputy recorder Pamela Franklin. An unusually high number of people appeared to have intentionally voted twice, often by voting early in person and then again by mail. In Arizona, where nearly 80% of voters cast ballots by mail, its not unusual for someone to forget they returned their mail-in ballot and then later ask for a replacement or try to vote in person, she said. But this pattern was new.

Franklin noted several factors at play, including worries about U.S. Postal Service delays. In addition, Trump at one point encouraged voters who cast their ballots early by mail to show up at their polling places on Election Day and vote again if poll workers couldnt confirm their mail ballots had been received.

The results in Arizona are similar to early findings in other battleground states. Local election officials in Wisconsin identified just 27 potential cases of voter fraud out of 3.3 million ballots cast last November, according to records obtained by the AP under the states open records law. Potential voter fraud cases in other states where Trump and his allies mounted challenges have so far amounted to just a tiny fraction of Trumps losing margin in those states.

The Associated Press conducted the review following months of Trump and his allies claiming without proof that he had won the 2020 election. His claims of widespread fraud have been rejected by election officials, judges, a group of election security officials and even Trumps own attorney general at the time. Even so, supporters continue to repeat them and they have been cited by state lawmakers as justification for tighter voting rules across the country.

In Arizona, Republican state lawmakers have used the unsubstantiated claims to justify the unprecedented outside Senate review of the election in Maricopa County and to pass legislation that could make it harder for infrequent voters to receive mail ballots automatically.

Trump, in a statement, called APs tally an attempt to discredit the massive number of voter irregularities and fraud in key battleground states and said the real numbers will be released shortly. He did not provide any evidence to back up his assertions.

Senate President Karen Fann has repeatedly said her goal is not to overturn the election results. Instead, she has said she wants to find out if there were any problems and show voters who believe Trumps claims whether they should trust the results.

Everybody keeps saying, Oh, theres no evidence and its like, Yeah well, lets do the audit. And if theres nothing there, then we say, Look, there was nothing there,' Fann told the AP in early May. If we find something, and its a big if, but if we find something, then we can say, OK, we do have evidence and now how do we fix this?' Fann did not return calls this week to discuss the AP findings.

Aside from double voting, the cases flagged by officials mostly involved a ballot cast after someone had died, including three voters in Yavapai County who face felony charges for casting ballots for spouses who died before the election.

In Yuma County, one case of a voter attempting to cast two ballots was sent to the county attorney for review. Chief Civil Deputy William Kerekus told the AP that there was no intent at voter fraud and the case was closed without charges.

Cochise County Recorder David Stevens found mail-in ballots were received from two voters who died before mail ballots were sent in early October. Sheriffs deputies investigating the cases found their homes were vacant and closed the cases. The votes were not counted.

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Cassidy reported from Atlanta.
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PHOENIX  A federal court has denied an appeal for a man who got one of his convictions overturned in an Arizona migrant-smuggling case but then was resentenced to a longer prison term than hed faced before.

The 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals ruled Friday that Rufino Valdez-Lopez provided no proof that the judge who resentenced Valdez-Lopez acted vindictively by imposing prison sentences adding up to 25 years, up from the 20 years imposed by the original sentencing judge whod since retired.

Valdez-Lopez and other smugglers in 2007 held 75 migrants hostage in a house in metro Phoenix and threatened them with an AK-47 rifle, the ruling said.

Valdez-Lopez had argued that the resentencing judge acted vindictively because Valdez-Lopez had succeeded in having one of his convictions overturned.

The resentencing judge had said he presumed he had the same information that the first judge had but believed Valdez-Lopez deserved a significant sentence because his conduct was incredibly outrageous and impacted numerous victims, the ruling said.

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PHOENIX  A judge threw out a 6-year-old legal settlement requiring Arizona to improve health care for thousands of prisoners, saying corrections officials have shown little interest in complying with their obligations under the deal and that it would be absurd to expect the state to act differently in the future.

In a withering ruling Friday, Judge Roslyn Silver opted against imposing additional contempt-of-court fines against the state for its longstanding noncompliance and instead said she will take the case to trial. The judge said the states failure to provide adequate medical care for prisoners has led to suffering and preventable deaths.

Not only has the state failed to fulfill its obligations, Silver said it offered erroneous and unreliable excuses for non-performance, asserted baseless legal arguments, and in essence resisted complying with the obligations they contractually knowingly and voluntarily assumed.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declined to comment on the ruling.

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C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Gov. Doug Ducey, said the ruling was being reviewed.

When questioned in the past about the courts actions against the state for noncompliance in the case, Ducey has said he wants state agency directors  not judges  running state departments.

The refusal by the state of Arizona to live up to the promises it made cannot be countenanced any longer, said Corene Kendrick, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who represents prisoners in the case. We need to go to trial.

A court-appointed expert has concluded that understaffing, inadequate funding and privatization of health care services are significant barriers in improving health care for about 30,000 inmates in Arizonas state-run prisons.

Judges in the case have hit Arizona with a total of $2.5 million in past contempt fines for noncompliance. Lawyers for the prisoners were seeking more financial penalties against the state.

Silver wrote the fines didnt motivate the state to comply with the settlement. There does not appear to be a contempt sanction robust enough to coerce compliance, Silver wrote.

In 2018, a magistrate judge imposed a $1.4 million contempt fine against the state, which paid the penalty but was later reimbursed by the company that at the time was providing health services inside prisons.

In late February, Silver issued a $1.1 million contempt fine. Corrections officials said they would ask the former contractor for reimbursement for the second fine, though its unclear whether the company has agreed to do that.

In the nine years since it was filed, the lawsuit has cost the state $20 million, including $10 million for attorneys defending prison officials and $8.1 million for lawyers who pressed the case on behalf of inmates, according to records.

The case was settled in 2014 just days before it was headed to trial.

The settlement arose out of a lawsuit that alleged the states prisons didnt meet the basic requirements for providing adequate medical and mental health care for prisoners.

The lawsuit said some prisoners complained that their cancer went undetected or that they were told to pray to be cured after begging for treatment.

It also said the failure of the medical staff at one prison to diagnose an inmates metastasized cancer resulted in his liver enlarging so much that his stomach swelled to the size of a pregnant woman at full term. Another inmate who had a history of prostate cancer had to wait more than two years for a biopsy.

The state denied allegations that it was providing inadequate care, and the lawsuit was settled without the state acknowledging any wrongdoing.

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Associated Press writer Bob Christie in Phoenix contributed to this report.
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PHOENIX  U.S. officials say the number of migrant families they encountered at the border in June increased by 25% from the previous month even as summer temperatures rise in the deserts and mountain terrain of the southwestern borderlands.

According to new numbers released Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection tallied 55,805 members of families with children in June, compared with 44,746 in May. While a large increase, the figure is far below the high of 88,587 in May 2019.

Overall, officials say they saw 5% more encounters with migrants trying to cross the border in June compared with May but attributed much of that increase to repeated attempts by people trying to get into the United States.

Pandemic-related powers that the government uses to rapidly expel most migrants from the country without allowing them to seek asylum has led to a larger-than-average number of migrants trying to cross multiple times, which means the numbers somewhat overstate how many are arriving at the border, Customs and Border Protection said in the monthly report.

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Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times. The Trump administration issued the public health order in March 2020 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and President Joe Biden has largely kept it in place.

The new numbers show slightly more than a third of the 188,829 people encountered at the border in June had unsuccessfully tried to cross at least one other time in the previous 12 months.

The CBP last month expelled 104,907 people under the pandemic powers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Protection since October has offered an exception to that order for children traveling alone and announced Friday it would allow the exception to stand following a review, allowing those minors to avoid deportation. The CDC said it determined there is sufficient infrastructure in place to protect the children, caregivers, and local communities in the U.S. from the virus.

The number of single adults encountered at the border fell in June, but they were the largest group of people trying to cross. Encounters with children traveling alone increased by 8% last month, to 15,253, compared with 14,137 in May. Junes figure is still well below the high of 18,663 unaccompanied children encountered in March by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009.

The number of children in CBP custody fell to 832 on June 30 from 5,767 at its peak on March 29.

Although most border-crossers traditionally have been from Mexico and Central America, authorities have been noting growing numbers of migrants from other countries, including Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and Cuba.

CBP officials in recent weeks have been expressing concerns about the dangers migrants face crossing through remote borderlands without water at the height of summer.

We are in the hottest part of the summer, and we are seeing a high number of distress calls to CBP from migrants abandoned in treacherous terrain by smugglers with no regard for human life, CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller said in Fridays report.

The bodies of an unusually large number of migrants who died in Arizonas borderlands are being recovered amid record temperatures in the sun-scorched desert and rugged mountains. An increase in migrant deaths also has been noted in Texas, and rescues are up throughout the border with Mexico.

The nonprofit group Humane Borders, which maps the recoveries of bodies in Arizona using data from the Pima County Medical Examiners Office in Tucson, said 43 sets of human remains were found in the states border region last month  the hottest June on record for Phoenix. Forecasters say highs in Phoenix, where temperatures last month regularly soared above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius), tend to be similar to those in Arizonas Sonoran Desert north of Mexico.
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DALLAS  A Dallas resident has been hospitalized in stable condition under isolation after returning from Nigeria with the first-ever Texas case of monkeypox, health officials revealed Friday.

In a statement, federal and state health officials said the traveler arrived at Dallas Love Field on July 9 from Atlanta after an overnight flight from Nigeria.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk to others on the flights and in the airport is low, especially in light of COVID-19-related masking policies. However, efforts are underway to contact his fellow passengers.

Monkeypox is a rare viral pox-like disease from the smallpox family, only milder. It can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, contact with body fluids or contact with an infected animal or animal products.

The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The United States saw a large outbreak among humans in 2003 after the virus spread from imported African rodents to pet prairie dogs. However, this is believed to be the first monkeypox virus infection in a Texas resident, according to Dallas County health officials.

Monkeypox symptoms typically begin with flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, then a widespread rash on the face and body, according to the CDC. Most infections last 2-4 weeks. Infections with this strain of monkeypox are fatal in about 1 in 100 people, but the mortality rate can be higher among those with weakened immune systems.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden praised King Abdullah II of Jordan as a stalwart ally in a tough neighborhood as the two leaders huddled at the White House on Monday, a meeting that came at a pivotal moment for both leaders in the Middle East.

Last week a Jordanian state security court sentenced two former officials to 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the king uncovered earlier this year that involved Abdullahs half-brother.

Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

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You have always been there, and we will always be there for Jordan, Biden said during an Oval Office meeting with Abdullah and his son, the Crown Prince Hussein.

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting any chance for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israels capital. He also chaffed at the Trump administrations pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords  deals with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. His administration has even praised the Trump-brokered accords  a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration.

Biden planned to stress to Abdullah in private that the accords are not an end run on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Abdullah, for his part, praised Biden for setting the standard internationally in the battle against COVID-19. The U.S. delivered 500,000 vaccines to Jordan days ahead of the kings visit. The king also appeared to make clear that he was looking to reset the U.S.  Jordan relationship after a four bumpy years with Trump.

You can always count on me, my country, and many of our colleagues in the region, Abdullah said.

The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria  more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan  and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, an administration official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting with Biden was also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallahs U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.

They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the kings half-brother. Biden, who has known Abdullah for years, was quick to publicly express strong U.S. support for Jordan and praise the kings leadership after details of the coup attempt were unveiled in April.

Its unclear if Biden raised the United States long-standing call to extradite Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi, a Palestinian woman living in Jordan who is wanted by the U.S. on a charge of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals.

The Trump administration last year indicated it was considering withholding aid to Jordan in a bid to secure al-Tamimis extradition. She was convicted in Israel of a 2001 bombing of a Tel Aviv restaurant that killed 15 people, including two American citizens. She has lived freely in Jordan since she was released in a Hamas-Israel prisoner swap in 2011.

Biden administration officials have previously made clear to Jordan that the extradition of al-Tamimi, who is on the FBIs most wanted list, is of high-interest to the United States, according to the administration official.

Arnold Roth, whose 15-year-old daughter, Malki, was killed in the bombing, noted that Biden has spoken frequently of decency and dignity as paramount values in how hell run his administration. Roth and his wife, Frimet, wrote Blinken and other administration officials last month calling on the administration to press Abdullah for extradition. He said they received no response from the administration beyond acknowledgement that their letter was received.

I cant think of two words that more powerfully encapsulate what weve been deprived of in all of our dealings with the U.S. government, Roth said.
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WASHINGTON  Three of the Democratic state lawmakers who fled Texas to stymie a Republican-backed effort to impose broad new voting restrictions have tested positive for COVID-19 and are quarantined, the Texas Houses Democratic Caucus director said Saturday.

One lawmaker tested positive Friday and the other two did so on Saturday, according to caucus director Phillip Martin. All three were fully vaccinated against the disease, according to Martin, who declined to release their names or conditions to respect the privacy of Members and their personal health.

More than 50 Texas lawmakers arrived in Washington on Monday after leaving their home state on a private charter flight. They received criticism from Republicans and others after a photo showed them maskless on the plane, though federal pandemic guidelines dont require masks to be worn on private aircraft.

Rep. Chris Turner, the caucus chairman, said in a statement that the caucus was conferring with health experts in Texas for additional guidance.

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This is a sober reminder that COVID is still with us, and though vaccinations offer tremendous protection, we still must take necessary precautions, Turner said.

COVID-19 infections in people who have been fully vaccinated against the disease  also referred to as breakthrough infections  are rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Democrats left the state to deny the Republican-controlled Legislature the necessary quorum to pass a bill that would place new restrictions on voting in Texas.

Members of the caucus met with Vice President Kamala Harris, including two of the three lawmakers who tested positive, Harris spokesperson Symone Sanders said a statement on Twitter.

Based on the timeline of these positive tests, it was determined the Vice President and her staff present at the meeting were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and therefore do not need to be tested or quarantined, Sanders wrote.

The Vice President and her staff are fully vaccinated, according to Sanders.

Martin said it is not known where or when the three Texas lawmakers were infected.

We dont know. In order to be on the plane everybody had to be fully vaccinated, according to Martin.

Members of the group also met with Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, but none of the three infected attended that meeting and Schumers office has been notified of the positive tests, according to Martin.

Turner said the White House was also notified.

Texas House Speaker Dade McPhelan, a Republican, issued a statement saying he and his wife were praying for the health and safety of the sick lawmakers.

My staff has reached out to Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, and his epidemiology team for any additional guidance on protocols for those exposed to COVID-19 post-vaccination, Phelan wrote.

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Miller reported from Oklahoma City.
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BANFORA, Burkina Faso  Florent Coulibaly, a soldier in Burkina Fasos army, says he hasnt been sleeping well for the past few months as he is often roused at 3 a.m. to fight jihadi rebels.

Until recently life was peaceful in western Burkina Fasos Comoe province, but an increase in attacks by extremist groups in the countrys west has put the military on edge.

It tires us. It gives us a lot of work. It scares us, too, said Coulibaly, 27. We dont know where (the jihadis) are going to come from. They see us, but we dont see them. They know us, but we dont know them.

Over the past six months, his battalion has doubled its patrols from once a week to twice, but Coulibaly says the men are ill-equipped, overworked and worry the area could be overrun by jihadis.

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Burkina Faso is experiencing an increase in extremist violence by groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Last month, at least 11 police officers were killed when their patrol was ambushed in the north. The country also experienced its deadliest violence in years when at least 132 civilians were killed in an attack in its Sahel region.

The jihadi rebels are also expanding their reach within Burkina Faso. Extremist violence centered in the countrys north and east has spread into the west and southwest areas near Mali and Ivory Coast, bringing residents and security forces in those areas to brace for more conflict.

The move into western Burkina Faso makes strategic sense for the groups who can use it as a base to extend their operations in West Africa. The thick vegetation gives them cover and the area can give them territorial control over the smuggling route between Gulf of Guinea countries and Mali.

Attacks in three regions of Burkina Fasos south and southwest quadrupled from four to 17 between 2018 and 2019, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. There were nine attacks last year  a reduction that analysts attribute to increased military operations as well as the expansion of violence across the border in neighboring Ivory Coast.

In June, a soldier was killed in northeastern Ivory Coast on the border with Burkina Faso, and in March there was an attack by 60 gunmen on two security outposts in Ivory Coast, killing three people.

This attack confirmed the intention of armed groups to target the north of coastal countries. This is likely a new phase in the groups strategy to expand into these areas, said Florent Geel, deputy director-general for Promediation, an international organization focused on mediation.

During a trip in April to the towns of Banfora and Gaoua in the west and southwest, as well as one village near the border with Ivory Coast, local defense groups and security forces told The Associated Press they didnt have the manpower to stem the violence and felt like it was just a matter of time until the area was inundated by jihadis. Civilians also say theyve started living in fear.

Last year, for the first time, jihadis posted notes on classroom doors warning students and teachers to stay away, said a 35-year-old primary teacher in a village in Comoe province who didnt want to be named for fear of his safety. While his village hasnt been attacked, it has become militarized with checkpoints stoking paranoia among residents.

The situation is deteriorating .. In the past you could leave (the village) at midnight with your motorbike  But today you are not going to take the risk  When youre sleeping youre on the lookout, when you hear a strange noise you startle, but before it wasnt like that, he said.

Large numbers of teachers, including himself, are asking to transfer from less secure villages, which are easier for jihadis to attack, into larger towns like Banfora, he said.

Burkina Fasos army is also trying to work with the Ivorian military by conducting joint patrols and sharing intelligence, but during at least one clash with jihadis, the Ivorian soldiers refused to fight, the military said.

Some areas have no security presence and rely on local defense groups to stave off extremists. In Gaoua, a group of Dozos  traditional hunters who operate across the region  said theyre often the first to arrive when there is an attack, with the army showing up three hours later or not at all.

Its discouraging, said Noufe Sansan, a Dozo chief. Pointing to a text message on his phone that he received from a security officer informing him that there are more than 60 extremists hiding in a nearby forest, he said news of attacks in the once peaceful area have become almost daily.

The Dozos are trying to strengthen their forces and alert the community of the potential for future violence, but want help from the government. Two years ago, they asked for 24 motorbikes to increase mobility to better respond to attacks, but have yet to receive anything, he said.

Meanwhile, civilians who escaped the volatility in the north in hopes of rebuilding their lives in more peaceful parts of the country, say theyre fed up from fleeing.

Seated on the ground in Niangoloko village, 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Ivory Coasts border, Saydou Gamsore described how he fled his home last year because of the extremist violence and said if hes attacked again, hed rather die than keep moving.

We are tired of running away, said the 76-year-old. Even if it means death  I will stay here.
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BANGKOK  Thailand has tightened coronavirus restrictions and warned of further measures as daily cases surpassed 10,000 and the death toll hit a record 141 on Saturday despite an overnight curfew in Bangkok and several other provinces.

The surge since April has overwhelmed hospitals, strained the economy and thrown tourism recovery plans in doubt. The vaccine rollout, hindered by supply problems, is slugging with some 5% of the population fully vaccinated and 15% only partially.

I would like everyone to realize our necessity to impose stricter measures soon. We all may get affected and be inconvenienced in many ways, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha wrote on his Facebook page late on Friday.

Cases have been climbing particularly in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The government imposed additional measures overnight including a ban on any gatherings and activities that can spread the virus, including anti-government rallies that have criticized Prayuths handling of the pandemic.

Violators face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht ($1,220).

Prayuth said the forthcoming additional measures seek to limit peoples mobility as much as possible, close down virtually all non-essential places and implement strict work from home. He said the governments medical committee will discuss and study the lockdown measures in other countries carefully before approving the new ones.

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To ease the pressure on hospitals, Prayuth said authorities are considering allowing people to test themselves at home with antigen test kits.

Thai health authorities said Wednesday they will seek to impose limits on exports of the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine because the country doesnt have enough for its own needs. Production of the AstraZeneca jabs at a Thai factory has fallen short of its target, likely delaying the governments plan to acquire a total of 61 million doses until next May.

The government will speed up securing as many vaccines as we can from everywhere and weve never blocked the private sector from securing alternative vaccines, Prayuth said on Facebook, addressing some of the criticism of his management of the crisis.

He has earlier announced plans to allow the entry of vaccinated travelers without requiring them to quarantine on arrival starting in mid-October. Since July 1, the government has reopened the tourist island of Phuket to fully vaccinated tourists under strict health conditions including staying on the island for 14 days while being tested for COVID-19. It had previously vaccinated most Phuket residents.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Thailand has reported 391,989 confirmed cases and 3,240 fatalities.
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PHOENIX  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has appointed a former longtime Arizona Public Service lobbyist and a retired Microsoft executive to oversee Arizonas three universities.

Ducey announced Monday hes picked Jessica Pacheco and Bob Herbold to fill two vacant seats on the Arizona Board of Regents.

Pacheco was vice president of external affairs for APS parent company Pinnacle West Capital Corp., before leaving last year to start a public affairs firm. She oversaw the utilitys lobbying, political activities and public image when it controversially spent millions to elect favored regulators.

Herbold had a long career with Proctor & Gamble and Microsoft before retiring in 2001 as chief operating officer of the software giant. He now runs a foundation that provides scholarships to graduates studying engineering and computer science, according to the governors office.

The Board of Regents oversees Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. Pacheco and Herbold replace Karrin Taylor Robson, who left to enter the Republican primary for governor, and Kathryn Hackett King, whom Ducey appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court.

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WENN/Instagram/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity

When speaking about the 'Bridget Jones's Diary' star's relationship with his 'Wheeler Dealers' co-star, Mike additionally mentions that she 'has a great relationship' with his son, Hudson.

Jul 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Renee Zellweger has "found her Prince Charming" in Ant Anstead.

The "Bridget Jones's Diary" star was snapped kissing her new man on Laguna Beach, California on Saturday, July 17 and now Ant's close pal and "Wheeler Dealers" co-star, Mike Brewer, says the two are smitten.

"I think Renee has found her Prince Charming and Ant has found a real woman in Renee," he tells Britain's Daily Mail newspaper. "Hes got a woman who cares about him, and he cares about her. They are both wonderful people and they deserve this happiness."

"They just clicked, and the timing was right. They wanted to keep it private at first. When youre in a new relationship, you dont know if it will work or not so youre not sure if you should tell your friends or share it with your family."

"But Renee is comfortable now with them being seen together, shopping at Home Depot (U.S. home supply store) or just doing the ordinary things other couples do."

Renee and Ant met when she guest starred on his show "Celebrity IOU: Joyride" and Mike says she has already started to bond with his son.

Hudson, 22 months, from his second marriage to Christina Haack, host of American property programme "Flip or Flop", and she has even been FaceTiming his teenage children, who live in the UK with his first wife Louise.

"Renee has a great relationship with Hudson, something that's obviously very important to Ant," Mike adds. "Ant's an all-round good guy but one of the nicest things about him is that he's a good dad. He's always on the phone to those kids, even though he can't see them right now. He's such a devoted father he makes the rest of us look bad."
WENN/Judy Eddy Celebrity

According to her representative Gina Rodriguez, the former 'Jersey Shore' star decides to get help because she 'wants to be the best parent' she can be for her children.

Jul 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Ronnie Ortiz Magro's ex-girlfriend Jen Harley seemed to be looking forward to a fresh start. One month after she was arrested on an assault with a deadly weapon and domestic battery, the former "Jersey Shore" star has checked herself into rehab for her alcohol dependency.

On Saturday, July 17, her representative Gina Rodriguez informed TMZ that the 34-year-old entered a 28-day program in Las Vegas. "Jen Harley has decided to check into a Las Vegas rehab facility to seek treatment for her alcohol dependency," she told the outlet. "She made the decision to get help because she wants to be the best parent she can be for her children." According to Gina, the rehab program started on Saturday morning.

On June 19, Jen was taken into custody at the Clark County Detention Center after she allegedly pointed a gun at her boyfriend Joseph Abrosole and threatened to kill him. At the time, her bond was set at $5,000 and she was set to attend a court hearing scheduled for June 20.

Her June arrest wasn't the first time Jen was busted. Back in 2019, she was arrested for allegedly throwing an ashtray at Ronnie, who was also arrested during their relationship for allegedly striking her and chasing her with a knife. In June 2018, Jen was also booked for domestic battery after she was accused of dragging Ronnie with her car during a fight. The Clark County District Attorney eventually decided not to press charges, saying there was "insufficient evidence."

Jen and the "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" star share three-year-old daughter Ariana together and endured a tumultuous on-off three-year relationship that ended in 2019. However, they kept things relatively civil through 2020.

For now, the former couple has since moved on with new partners. Jen reportedly has been seeing a man named Joe for six months, while Ronnie has been dating Saffire Matos since 2020.
Instagram Music

To include unreleased early version of 'It's Not Me', 'In It For the Money (Remastered Expanded Edition)' features 43 tracks, including B-Sides, rarities, and outtakes and a series of live tracks.

Jul 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Supergrass are celebrating the 24th anniversary of their smash-hit second album, "In It or the Money", with a three-CD re-release.

"In It For the Money (Remastered Expanded Edition)", released on August 27, features the singles "Going Out, Richard III", "Sun Hits the Sky", and "Late In The Day", as well as a previously unreleased early version of "It's Not Me", which is now available to stream.

Originally released in April 1997 to critical and commercial acclaim, the album reached number two in the U.K. charts, selling over a million copies worldwide.

The expanded edition features 43 tracks, including B-Sides, rarities, and outtakes and a series of live tracks. It will also include imagery shot from photographer Kevin Westenberg, as well as sleevenotes from Charles Shaar Murray.

The album anniversary comes two years after the band reunited following more than a decade apart. They got together at Glastonbury in 2019.

About their reunion, frontman Gaz Coombes told NME, "We've had an intense week of rehearsing to get back into the swing and it's sounding pretty amazing. We just plugged in and started playing, and you just feel those moves that we all play together." He added, "It's like our legs are tied with rope. It's quite bizarre, but I guess that chemistry never goes away."

Meanwhile, bandmates Gaz and Rob Coombes, Mick Quinn, and Danny Goffey have lined up a series of festival dates this summer, beginning with a set at the Latitude Festival in Southwold, England on July 24. They are joining Bastille, Bombay Bicycle Club, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, Sons of Kemet, Villagers and more in the bill.
Instagram Celebrity

In a video posted on Instagram, the British far-right political commentator boasts about breaching quarantine rules after arriving in Australia to film 'Big Brother VIP'.

Jul 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Britain's Katie Hopkins has been booted out of Australia for playing down COVID-19 lockdown. On Monday, July 19, she was seen boarding a Singapore Airlines flight from Sydney at 3 P.M. after her critical skills visa was torn up by the Federal Government.

Australia's minister for home affairs announced earlier on Monday that the controversial political commentator would be deported after she boasted about breaching the country's quarantine rules. "All visa holders must abide by the health directions issued by our health officials. We won't tolerate those who don't," Australia's minister of home affairs, Karen Andrews, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that," Karen continued. "I thought it was just shameful, the fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling," she additionally told the ABC. "It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and it's just unacceptable behaviour."

Katie flew into Sydney last week to film Australian "Big Brother VIP" once she completed her mandatory 14-day quarantine. However, during her stay in a Sydney hotel room, she boasted about deliberately breaking COVID rules by opening her door naked and mask-free to the workers who deliver her food.

"The police officer who checked me in told me when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door," she complained about the country's rules while breaking out into hysterics. The 46-year-old said she was "lying in wait" to "spring [the door] open and frighten the s**t out of them and do it naked with no face mask."

"Lockdown is and remains the greatest hoax in human history," she added in the video. The caption of her video said it contained "extreme humour," as she claimed, "I have never broken quarantine."

Katie's video has been removed, but it prompted public's outrage as Sydney is currently put in tight lockdown after the worst coronavirus outbreak in almost a year hit the country's most populous city.
Warner Bros. Pictures Movie

The Arthur Curry depicter teases that he's going to ditch his natural brown hair for blonde as he's about to start filming 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' in England.

Jul 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Jason Momoa can't wait to slip into Aquaman's scaled suit again. The actor has revealed that he has arrived in London, England to start the production of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom".

On Sunday, July 18, the 41-year-old posted on Instagram a video of him seemingly sitting on a swing outdoor. "I am finally in England," he said in the clip. "It is sunny out. It's amazing, and I'm going to start Aquaman 2 tomorrow."

He also teased that he's going to trade his brown hair for blonde "This is the last day of the brown," he said while holding up his locks. "I'm going to be a blond. Supposedly they have more fun. I don't know about that. We'll test it out."

Momoa further expressed his excitement in the caption. "London calling!," so he wrote, "so excited to start Aqua-man 2, we are here! goodbye brown hello blondie! Mahalo to everyone for support on the HD Momoa line with @harleydavidson and all my love to the cast and crew of SEE ! Love u Canada link in bio! Aloha j."

Little is known about "Aquaman 2", but screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick stated in March 2020 that the sequel would not be based on a specific comic book. He said it would be taking inspiration from the "Aquaman" stories of the Silver Age of Comic Books that featured Black Manta as the villain.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II had confirmed earlier that he would reprise his role as David Kane / Black Manta. James Wan is back at the helm, while Amber Heard returns as Mera, Patrick Wilson returns as Orm Marius, and Dolph Lundgren reprises his role as King Nereus. The film is set for a December 16, 2022 release in the United States.
ROBBINS, Calif. - One person who was stabbed and shot during a pigeon racing event in the Town of Robbins in Sutter County is still in the hospital in critical condition, even though the incident occurred more than a week ago. Two other victims have since been released from local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Sutter County Sheriff's Office dispatchers sent officers to a home in the area of Acacia St. and Del Monte Ave. on the afternoon of July 10 to respond to a call about gunshot victims. They determined that a large event was occurring, which was a pigeon race.



Karanjeet Singh Karanjeet Singh

Satvir Singh Cheem Satvir Singh Cheem

Deputies said four vehicles had pulled up to the event and several people got out with handguns and swords. Then, according to deputies, they started shooting and stabbing victims who were attending the pigeon race.

The dispute, according to deputies, stemmed from an ongoing issue from a pigeon racing event held a few weeks before.

The victims had were all East Indian males who were between 34 and 37 years of age. None of the victims names are being released at this time.

The three victims were driven away from the scene of the incident and ended up calling 911 for medical assistance. One victim was shot in the foot, one was shot in the thigh, and the third was shot in numerous places as well as stabbed in the neck, according to authorities.

Detectives said they identified two suspects who have since been arrested and who are being charged with attempted murder.

On July 11 deputies went to the City of Selma and took Karanjeet Singh into custody. His first court date was July 13 and his next is on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Sutter County Court House. His bail has been set at $1 million.

On July 14 detectives joined forces with the Fresno County Sheriffs Office and arrested 22-year-old Fresno resident Satvir Singh Cheem on numerous charges, including attempted murder. His bail has been set at $250,000 and his court date was Friday in Sutter County.

Other suspects have been identified and further arrests are pending, according to the Sutter County Sheriffs Office. Investigators said that they have served two residential search warrants and also searched five vehicles.

If you have any information relevant to this case you are asked to contact the Sutter County Sheriffs Offices investigation unit at (530) 822-2310.

This is a complex investigation and my staff have been working non-stop to help bring resolution to the incident," said Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes. "We appreciate everyones patience as we continue to put the pieces together and build a solid case.
Be prepared for hot temperatures, the threat of thunderstorms, and elevated fire danger on the way in your Monday forecast. A Red Flag Warning for high fire danger is set to be in effect from 2pm through 8pm Monday in Modoc County due to very dry conditions, locally gusty southwest winds, and very dry fuels. We have partly cloudy skies over northern California for the start of your Monday, but we'll have some clearing overhead through the day. The potential for thunderstorms will be greatest to our east, but there is still a slight threat for isolated thunderstorms as far west and the valley this afternoon and evening. Temperatures are starting out in the 60's to 70's in the valley and foothills, and in the 50's to 60's in our mountain areas early today. Winds are starting out of the northeast this morning, but will shift to become out of the south or southwest to 15mph this afternoon. Gusts up to 25mph will be possible across most of our region, with gusts up to around 30mph looking likely in Modoc County later today. Humidity will mostly dip into the 10 to 20 percent range this afternoon. High temperatures are projected to top out in the upper 90's to around 105 degrees in the valley, while mountain and foothill areas end up in the 80's to 90's Monday afternoon. The threat of thunderstorms is adding concern to our fire danger today, but it is expected to head east on Tuesday.

Sunny to mostly sunny skies, periods of gusty southwest winds, and above average temperatures are expected for most of the week ahead. Temperatures in the valley will range from the upper 90's to lower triple digits, while foothill and mountain areas continue to have high temperatures in the 80's to 90's through this weekend. A Fire Weather Watch has already been issued for Modoc County from 2pm through 8pm Tuesday for the same reasons the Red Flag Warning is in effect for that timeframe on Monday. Our fire danger will remain elevated through our extended forecast. High pressure off to our east will keep us hot and dry, while low pressure off the coast continues to give us periods of gusty south or southwest winds in the afternoons and evenings. There does not look to be much of a change of pace for our daily forecasts from Tuesday through this weekend, but a few more clouds are expected across our region Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures are also expected to get a bit hotter for the start of your weekend. Valley areas are projected to end up in the 102 to 107 degree range on Saturday, but will dip by a few degrees on Sunday. We'll end up anywhere from the upper 80's to lower triple digits in the foothills and mountains this weekend.
Ad space for E-Com Real Estates in print during Jan-May21 rose by more than 2.5x compared to Jan-May20, as per TAM AdEx data. Meanwhile, Digital ad insertions rose by 6% during this period over Jan-May20. On the other hand, E-Com Real Estates ad volumes on Radio dramatically dropped by 93% in Jan-May21, while E-Com Real Estates ad volumes remained unchanged on Television.

Digital

On the Digital medium, ad insertions for the E-Com Real Estates category increased by 6% during Jan-May21, compared to same period in Y2020.

Nobroker Technologies Solutions and Property Share Online Platform were the top 2 advertisers of the E-Com Real Estates category with 34% and 31% share of ad insertions in Jan-May21, respectively. Nobroker.com was the top brand with 34% share of category ad insertions during Jan-May21. Top 10 advertisers and brands had more than 95% share of ad insertions in the category.

Ad Network transaction method dominated the category with 93% share of ad insertions on Digital during Jan-May21, followed by Programmatic/ Ad Network with 3% share.

Print

Ad space for E-Com Real Estates during Jan-May21 grew by more than 2.5x, compared to Jan-May20. Info Edge India topped among the advertisers, followed by Kagaay Technosolv, both covering 63% of the category ad space in Jan-May21. 99acres.com was the top brand with 39% share, followed by Kagaay App with 24% share of ad space. Top 10 advertisers and brands grabbed almost all ad space of the category.

5 new brands were seen during Jan-May21, compared to Jan-May20. 99acres.com was the top new brand, followed by Kagaay App, One Call Deal, Anashwar.com and Click4flats.com.

During Jan-May21, English language publications topped with 61% share of E-Com Real Estates ad space, followed by Kannada publications with 18% share. Top 3 Publication languages together contributed 96% share of the category ad space. General Interest publication genre had 58% share of the ad space, followed by Business/ Finance/ Economy with remaining 42% share.

West Zone topped in E-Com Real Estates with 44% share of ad space during Jan-May21, followed by South Zone with 33% share. New Delhi and Bangalore were the Top 2 cities in overall India for advertising in Print.

Discount Promotion was the only Sales Promotion utilised by E-Com Real Estates advertisers with 34% of ad space during Jan-May21. Only Kagaay Technosolv and Zeromileproperty.com used Discount Promotion in the category with 71% and 29% share of the Sales Promotion ad space, respectively, during Jan-May21.

Television

Ad volumes of the E-Com Real Estates category on Television remained almost same during Jan-May21, compared to same period in Y2020. In Jan-May21, Locon Solutions and its brand Housing.com topped among the advertisers and brands, respectively, with 53% share of the category ad volumes. Top 10 advertisers and brands had nearly 100% share of ad volumes.

99acres.com was the top new brand, followed by Kagaay App during Jan-May21, compared to Jan-May20. Eight new brands appeared for E-Com Real Estates category during Jan-May21.

With a share of 40%, News Bulletin was the most preferred program genre to promote E-Com Real Estates ads on Television. This was followed by Feature Films with a share of 15%. The Top 2 program genres  News Bulletin and Feature Films  together covered 55% of the category ad volumes.

On TV, Prime Time was the most preferred time-band, followed by Afternoon and Morning time-bands. Together, the Prime Time, Afternoon and Morning time-bands combined for more than 70% of the ad volumes. Advertisers of the E-Com Real Estates category preferred 20-40 second ads with 59% share of the category ad volumes, followed by <20 second ads with remaining 41% share.

Radio

On the other hand, E-Com Real Estates ad volumes dramatically dropped by 93% on Radio medium during Jan-May21, compared to Jan-May20. Homelist topped in the list of both advertisers and brands with 57% of the category ad volumes in Jan-May21. The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company and its brand Findhome.com were 2nd in the list of advertisers and brands, respectively, with 43% share. On Radio, Homelist was the only new brand in the E-Com Real Estate category in Jan-May21 over Jan-May20.

On Radio, only Madhya Pradesh and Kerala saw advertising in the category with 57% and 43% share of the ad volumes, respectively.

Advertising on Radio was preferred in the Evening time-band, followed by the Afternoon and Morning time-bands. 73% of the E-Com Real Estate ad volumes were in the Evening and Afternoon time-bands during Jan-May21.
Award-winning digital marketing agency FoxyMoron has appointed Keerthi Kumar as Group Account Director-South. In this new role, Keerthi will be managing client relationships, helping the agency grow its business in the southern market and leading the team in FoxyMorons Bengaluru office. He will also be working closely with teams across Zoo Media (the network that owns FoxyMoron and six other agencies). In this role, Keerthi will report into Prachi Bali, National Head of Client Relationships and Business Head- North, FoxyMoron.

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Before starting his stint at FoxyMoron, Keerthi has led the digital mandate for HCG Cancer Hospitals, was an Account Director at Dentsu Webchutney and served as a Digital Account Manager for Phantom Ideas. Keerthi comes with 11 years of diverse industry experience in client management, brand management, digital marketing and digital/brand strategy. He has also worked on building a variety of digital campaigns for brands across industries such as e-commerce, healthcare, food and beverages, retail, fitness, fashion, online classifieds, etc. Keerthi has also played a key part in popular campaigns like Swiggys Voice of Hunger which won awards at Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Kyoorius Digital Awards, Effies India, and Abbys.

Prachi Bali, National Head of Client Relationships and Business Head - North, FoxyMoron said Keerthis strong relationships and experience in the south market will help strengthen the agencys foothold in the region. His solid digital expertise will benefit not only FoxyMoron but the entire Zoo Media network.

Speaking on the appointment, Keerthi said FoxyMoron and the Zoo Media Network are set up with a future-ready vision. With full-funnel media and creative focus, teams are well-equipped for synchronized and efficient brand communication, brand building and digital marketing work. I'm excited to be a part of this first-of-a-kind independent media network and am looking forward to creating one of the strongest teams in the region and delivering creative excellence to marquee brands.
About 5000 underserved youth from regions across Karnataka, Telangana and Delhi-NCR are now skilled in Data Science and Cloud computing, with over 2000 of them placed in jobs through a program by IBM (NYSE: IBM) in partnership with NASSCOM Foundation aimed at making India's youth future ready.



As part of IBM's SkillsBuild career readiness program (https://ibm-india-newcollar-employability.skillsbuild.org/), IBM and NASSCOM Foundation worked with 23 colleges to certify enrolled students on IBM certified courses on emerging technologies including Data science and Cloud computing in 2019. This unique program engaged students with an on-campus, 250 hour-long blended training model that uses online and face-to-face training to build skills in new-age technologies like Data Science and Cloud Computing in its first year.

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Subsequently, the program pivoted into a completely online mode of education and learning due to COVID based restrictions in 2020. Students from 23 Tier-2 and Tier-3 non-technical institutions were trained by partners TMI and iPrimed. The colleges chosen for the program included Vijaya Evening College, East Point College, Vidya Vahini College, Vivekanand Degree College, Karnataka college Dharwad, Siddaganga College, KSS Arts, Science and Commerce College, Siddhaganga Women's College. Several other colleges in Dharwar, Bhagalkot, Gadag, Koppal, Nargund, Bangalore, and Tumkur in Karnataka and Faridabad in Haryana were also a part of the program*.

After the training, IBM and NASSCOM Foundation, in association with training partners, have been conducting placement drives across the country and have already placed over 2000 students in leading technology organisations despite the challenges caused by the pandemic.

IBM has championed the development of technical, soft skills and life-skills in youth to prepare them for the 'new collar', future-ready jobs.

Manoj Balachandran, Leader, Corporate Social Responsibility, IBM India/South Asia said, "Aligned to the Skill India mission, IBM is committed to bridging the skills gap by working with an ecosystem of industry partners, academia and government to provide professional and technical skills to students and teachers. As the industry leader in emerging technologies, we consider it our responsibility to leverage that technical expertise in making skills training accessible to every learner across the country. On World Youth Skills Day, we are proud to have associated with NASSCOM Foundation and our esteemed partners in providing industry-relevant content, skill sets and employment to students that will help them future proof their skills and build careers."

Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, commenting on the completion of the program, said, "The Future is blended learning  be it a combination between face-to-face and online/digital mode or between structured curriculum and skills based or applications based learning, or a fantastic combination between all these. Despite the challenges during the ongoing COVID pandemic, NASSCOM Foundation is proud to work with IBM on this initiative, where together, we have skilled about 5000 youth and placed over 2000 of those students. We would like to sincerely urge companies to take this initiative as an example to join us in our goal of closing the industrys skills gap, in line with the SDGs, to provide employability to the youth from underserved communities.

IBM and NASSCOM Foundation have also previously partnered to train students using other coursework on SkillsBuild designed for teens and university students. This engagement registered more than 50,000 users from almost 500 institutions across India being trained on Technologies like AI, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Quantum Computing and more.

Smt. Sushanti P K, Principal, Kittel Science College, Dharwad

"Firstly, I would like to thank the entire team of NASSCOM FOUNDATION, IBM and TMI E2E Academy. This type of training program that provides employability with zero cost to students is a first-ever in our college. We run similar programs like this through industry experts with experienced backgrounds but that module is commercial and candidates have to bear the cost. However, I am glad to note that this program is conducted free of cost with no compromise in the quality. NASSCOM FOUNDATION, IBM and TMI E2E Academy joined hands with us to resolve the problem of unemployment in rural areas.

Our management team and I are happy to acknowledge that the candidates who had enrolled in the program have completed their training followed by its assessments. Even though the training/assessment was conducted on an online platform, the candidate response was overall good, and they took it as a new experience. The eBook provided to them was also a great idea because it helped them follow the lectures and prepare for the assessments. The TMI team helped and supported the students in every way so that they could understand the platform and process to be successful beneficiaries of the program. We look forward for these kinds of programs that benefit the rural poor graduates."

Ashwini. R, Beneficiary, MGR College

"I would like to express my gratitude towards IBM, NASSCOM FOUNDATION and iPRIMED for conducting the NEW COLLAR EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS PROGRAM even during this COVID Pandemic situation. As we all are aware the COVID pandemic overtook the entire world, but IBM didn't consider dropping classes and continued to conduct them regularly. They made sure that we qualify ourselves to attend any kind of interview and learn all the current trending technologies in the IT world.

The trainers from IBM had a great presenting style with lots of opportunities to ask questions and talk about real life examples which provided us with an enjoyable and informative course. It was a wonderful practical course both personally and professionally. During the session, we learned a lot about Cloud computing which is essential today for every company. We also learned a lot on Virtualization, IT infrastructure and Blockchain, and all these have helped us to gain knowledge about today's tech landscape. We also had a hands-on lab session in which we are trained to use various techniques and learned the importance and advantages of the techniques. Finally, I would like to say that I feel happy and blessed to be associated with such a great organization and I strongly feel that collaboration of our college and IBM will help students achieve great success in their careers".
Following a multi-agency pitch, Interactive Avenues  A Reprise Network Company has won the digital mandate Bank of Baroda. It is the third-largest public sector bank in India, operating for over 110 years.

The account will be handled by Interactive Avenues Mumbai office.

Bank of Baroda was looking for a fresh, strategic, and impactful corporate digital makeover. Therefore, one of the mandates for IA is to create and revamp the website of the bank and its allied services. Through this improved digitization, Bank of Baroda is trying to upgrade its customer experience and acquire the attention of the millennials and GenZ.

Bank of Baroda was amongst the flagbearers to promote Indian banking to the global platform. Currently, it has a significant presence in the overseas markets, with a network of 96 offices in 19 countries including of 44 overseas branches/ offices (including 1 IBU GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 9 EBSUs in UAE and 1 mobile banking unit in Mauritius), 52 branches of bank's 7 overseas subsidiaries. In addition, Bank has one joint venture in Malaysia viz. India international bank (Malaysia) Berhad and one associate Bank in Zambia viz. Indo Zambia Bank Ltd. with 30 branches.

Purshotam - Chief General Manager - Retail Liabilities, Wealth Management, Marketing, Capital Market & NRI Services, said, Banking, especially in metros and international markets, is entirely digitized today, owing to the ease of accessibility it offers. Evidence of increase in customer impressions on our website suggests that more and more customers are interacting with the website for their daily banking needs. To ensure seamless user experience and faster transactions online, the website should provide best UI/UX, thorough information, interactive and useful business tools, etc.

We look forward to working with Interactive Avenues to create an improved digital infrastructure for us that can offer a seamless banking experience for our existing and prospective customers across the globe, he further added.

Amardeep Singh, CEO, Interactive Avenues  A Reprise Network Company, said, This is a very significant partnership for us, and we are extremely honoured to be part of Bank of Barodas digital transformation journey, and adding them to our roster of marquee clients. Gone are the days when retail banking customers had modest expectations in terms of banking experience. Customers now expect their banking interactions to be more technologically sophisticated and personalized. We are looking forward to creating this interesting online customer experience for Bank of Baroda.

In this regards, Sitecore Area Vice President Asia, Saurabh Pandit states, We are thrilled to partner with Interactive Avenues and the Bank of Baroda and assist one of Indias largest financial institutions with a major international digital transformation project. Banking is becoming more of a digitally responsive industry and the players that adopt truly agile interfaces will win in the future.
Kaapi Machines, Indias leading coffee equipment and consulting brand, has elevated Abhinav Mathur as the CEO and Managing Director. Mr. Mathur, who has been leading the company for the past 4 years, has now also come on board as a shareholder and investor into the venture. His new set of responsibilities will entail supervising the companys management team, building new strategic local and international partnerships, and driving the organization towards sustainable growth and profitability.

A true visionary in the coffee industry, Abhinav, over the years, elevated the company from a pure play equipment supplier to a full-service coffee consulting, innovation and community-leading organization. During his leadership, the company launched several new-age coffee equipment in India such as Ripple Maker, PuqPress, Brood Nitro-Coffee and La Marzocco Modbar, with the purpose of elevating the coffee brewing and consumption experience. The brand is also providing consulting, training and other services to top coffee businesses like McCafe, Starbucks, Slay Coffee, Third Wave Coffee Roasters, Araku Coffee and many more.

In the vast career spanning 15+ years, Abhinav has performed various roles in the product, marketing, key account management, operations and sales & distribution, working in diverse sectors including Consumer Durables and FMCG. He started his career with Wipro Lighting as an Area Manager and then moved to Philips, setting up a new Trade Marketing function with a focus towards Modern Retail. He worked for Stanley Black & Decker, setting up its modern retail, e-commerce and consumer business before moving to Indulge Beverages, a start-up into the coffee capsule space. Prior to his stint at Kaapi Machines, Abhinav was the Vice President at Stovekraft in Bangalore where he oversaw product, marketing, modern retail, and e-commerce functions for the company.

Commencing his new role as a CEO and Managing Director, Abhinav Mathur states, In India, coffee is no longer just a phenomenon or a marketplace that is satisfied with instant coffee. With the advent of cafe-chains, an interesting new set of consumers have forayed into the scene who are experimental and inquisitive to know all about beans and brews. This demand has been rather gratifying because this saw the emergence of a new breed of coffee entrepreneurs whose motive is to bring to the consumers the perfect final cup of coffee. I have been a relatively new entrant into this industry but am now seeing it evolve day by day. In my new role, I look forward to diversifying the outreach, collaborating with the right partners, innovating experiences and strengthening Kaapi Machines growth trajectory, which will hopefully help create a lot of new, innovative coffee ventures in the near future!
Omnicom Group appointed Karen van Bergen as Chief Environmental Sustainability Officer, and she will report directly to John Wren, Chairman and CEO, Omnicom. In this role, van Bergen will be responsible for overseeing the companys climate change initiatives and processes which include setting measurable goals, policies and partnerships that will reduce its carbon footprint. This new position will be in addition to her current role as EVP and Dean of Omnicom University.

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Van Bergens appointment underpins Omnicoms on-going effort to reduce the environmental impact of its operations across its global networks and agencies. Nearly five years ago, the company established sustainability goals aimed at reducing its energy use while increasing use of renewable resources. With these goals targeted for completion by 2023, van Bergen will work with executive leadership on developing a climate action plan with the goal of further reducing Omnicoms carbon footprint.

In addition to these internal goals, the company remains a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, which commits to undertaking initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility and encourage the diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. Moving forward, Omnicom has committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative, which audits participating companies on their emissions goals and evaluates whether they are in-line with the global mandate to keep warming below 1.5 degrees.

Omnicom, in line with many of its peers, has also committed to joining industry initiatives that will serve as catalysts for change. Several of its UK agencies have joined Ad Net Zero, the U.K. advertising industrys initiative to achieve real net zero carbon emissions from the development, production and media placement of advertising by the end of 2030. Omnicom is also a founding member of the #ChangeTheBrief Alliance, a flagship initiative that calls for the agencies and clients to harness the power of their advertising to promote sustainable consumer choices and behaviors.

By 2023, we will have exceeded our current sustainability goals and are committed to developing and implementing an even more ambitious climate action plan, said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom. Karen van Bergen is just the right leader for this effort given her long tenure with Omnicom and excellent previous experience with environmental initiatives at multinational corporations. Under her leadership, I have no doubt we will continue to raise the bar in minimizing the environmental impact of our global operations.

Environmental sustainability has played a role in several of van Bergens previous positions. Earlier in her career, she led environmental policy and stakeholder dialogue for Outboard Marine Corporation in Europe. When she was later at McDonalds Europe, she created and led the first Environment department, working on sustainable packaging, minimizing environmental impact and stakeholder engagement. She also led the business/NGO coalition to initiate the first moratorium on rainforest deforestation in Brazil. Furthermore, she headed up the Environment Subcommittee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Europe for four years, leading business dialogue with the European Union (Commission, Council, Parliament) and other key stakeholders.

During her time at Omnicom, van Bergen has used her expertise to counsel a wide variety of clients on sustainability policies, communications strategies and stakeholder engagement. For the past four years, she has also served as the Strategy Officer for Omnicom with the World Economic Forum, which developed its own framework for ESG reporting that Omnicom follows.

Environmental sustainability has been a priority for businesses for decades, but there is a renewed energy that is urging more action and proactivity from companies worldwide, said van Bergen. Omnicom is ready to do its part to create a better future, and I am pleased to assist in identifying, implementing and expanding our sustainability initiatives. As an industry with worldwide influence through advertising and communications, it is imperative that we set an example and be a part of the solution.
In an expansion of Project HILLDAARI with Stree Mukti Sanghatana & Recity Network, Nestle India launched its waste management project in Ponda, Goa. To establish Ponda as one of the cleanest tourist cities in India, Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), Directorate of Municipal Administration(DMA), and Ponda Municipal Council(PMC), Goa, have come forward in support of the project HILLDAARI.

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The official launch of the project took place at Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) premises on the 15th of July, 2021. More than 30 eminent personalities from Government, Civil society, and media attended the programme; Hon. Dr Tariq Thomas, Secretary (Urban Development), Hon. Shri. Shantaram Kolvekar, Chairperson, PMC, Mr Pradeep Naik, Chief Officer, PMC, and Mr Sanjay Bhandari, Head of Factory Corporate Affairs, Nestle India, among many others. On this occasion, a vision film was showcased outlining the project outcomes. The project envisions establishing Ponda as one of the cleanest tourist cities in India by 2023. It aims to train 105 waste workers professionally, divert 13.8 MTD of waste and enable capacity building for urban local bodies.

The pilot phase of the project was initiated in February 2021 to identify the challenges on the ground and accordingly work on a strategic plan for the future. The project covered a total of 3950 property units. No-contact IEC (Information, Education & Communication) materials leveraging traditional and digital media were used to conduct waste management awareness among 1352 properties in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The project implemented creative street art activities to ignite social awareness on ideal waste management practices such as No-Littering and Segregation. Following this, 7 waste collection vehicles and 2 public walls were painted to bring the desired behavioural change among citizens and tourists. Further, the team has also deployed a Unique Waste Intelligence Technology, that supports the Municipal Corporation in the end-to-end monitoring of waste management activities and solving city-related problems in real-time. The project now intends to expand in the remaining 11 wards of the city after implementing the project in 4 wards during the pilot phase.

While congratulating Project Hilldaari on the successful completion of the pilot, Dr Tariq Thomas Hon. Secretary (Urban Development) Government of Goa emphasised Garbage as one of the major problems in Ponda. He said, Ponda as a tourist place is developing with a manifold increase in the quantity of solid waste. Waste can be the biggest unsolved issue in the future as there is an impropriety to throw garbage anywhere in goa. I appreciate Nestle Indias, Recity Network and other stakeholders for initiating a systematic approach through project HILLDAARI towards holistic waste management solutions in the city. I am grateful to the Ponda council for this collaboration and I will ensure the desired support from GSUDA & DMA for its effective functioning in the city. I am hopeful Ponda will set an example for other cities to follow in terms of waste management.

Shri. Shantaram Kolvekar, Hon. Chairman of PMC mentioned project HILLDAARI as notable progress following the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiated by Hon. Shri. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in 2014. He added The project has already initiated required directions to achieve the establishment of a Solid Waste Management System in the city. The concept of 3 important Rs i.e. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle will tremendously help towards establishing solid waste management. He requested all the citizens, PMC staff, and government officials to join together to make Ponda one of the cleanest cities in India.

According to Mr Sanjay. Bhandari, Head of Factory Corporate Affairs, Nestle India Ltd, Being a popular tourist place in Goa, Ponda has been given the priority to implement HILLDAARI Initiatives. Behaviour change among citizens and society is important to establish successful solid waste management in the city. The project has planned engaging activities to focus on behaviour change activities. I appreciate Stree Mukti Sanghatana, Rectify Network, and other project team members for initiating successful implementation of the project.

 The launch event was conducted as per government mandated COVID-19 protocols and the Hilldaari team ensured attendees followed all safety measures. remarked, Mr Tushar Tongaonkar, Hilldaari Project Lead.
Lockdowns, restrictions, weekend curfews, call them what you may, the reality that Covid-19 induced disruptions are likely to be part of our lives for a long time is slowly setting in and has forced everyone to adapt to the New Normal. With social distancing, unwinding is now confined to indoors with Virtual Party with Friends or weekend of binge-watching, Thirsty Crow will ensure that you dont run out of Stock with their Online Food & Drinks Delivery Platform with LIVE Tracking across Mumbai and Pune. The App is available on iOS and Android.

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Brainchild of Mr. Kabir Dutt, CEO, who runs an International App Development Company and had earlier Successfully Launched and Sold his Taxi Hailing Startup, Sharing Taxi in 2017-18 and Mr. Ajay Arora, founder and Mr. Lovel Arora, co founder who under their banner, COLOSSUS not only created Music Videos, Film Songs and AD Films Worldwide but also etched their names in the league of Legendary Directors researched the market during the lockdown and saw the need gap.

Kabir says, Alcohol consumption in India reached 6.5 billion liters in 2020. The steady increase in consumption can be attributed to rising levels of disposable income and a growing urban population among others. The In-Home Drinking saw rise from 73% to 88% with Casual Get-togethers becoming more Popular during Pandemic and the Office goers arent waiting for the weekend to pour themselves a Drink with Majority also upgrading to Higher-Priced Drinks. Currently there are Major Concerns over the Long Queues outside the Liquor Shops. Thirsty Crow provides information about the Alcohol Stocks that the Local Licensed Wine Shops Stocks, approved by the State Excise Department. This SAVES a Significant Amount of Time for the Customer who wants to Order and take Informed Decision.

Ajay adds, Thirsty Crow ensures only 25+ years Age Group Users are shown the Alcohol Information on the App by doing Aadhaar based KYC Verification including Face Recognition. Thirsty Crow is the Only Alcohol Delivery App in the Market today which does Digital Customer KYC and follows the State Excise Law which is SAFER than Over the Counter Sales where today even a 16-year-old can also go and buy Alcohol. The Customer pays the money directly to the Licensed Wine Shop Delivery Boy at the Time of Delivery ensuring its not into Selling and Delivering any Alcoholic Products. Mr. Sanjay Dutt has been My Guide and Philosopher for 30+ years and when I was thinking about the Brand Ambassador for Thirsty Crow, I couldnt think of anyone except Mr. Dutt who will feature in Thirsty Crows upcoming campaigns  both offline and online for the brand.

To compliment Alcohol, Thirsty Crow has launched Online Food Delivery in Mumbai with Mouthwatering Menus and Offers from 1500+ Restaurants and is launching in Pune shortly.

Lovel says, The India online food delivery market reached a value of US$ 4.35 Billion in 2020. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30.1% during 2021-2026. The market is currently witnessing growth on account of the increasing access to high-speed internet facilities and the boosting sales of smartphones. This, in confluence with the growing working population and inflating income levels, is propelling the online food delivery market growth in India. Moreover, the rising trend of the on-the-go food items and quick home delivery models that offer convenience, ready-to-eat (RTE) and cheaper food delivery options are escalating the demand for online food delivery services in the country.

Thirsty Crow plans to launch the Food & Drinks Delivery Service in Rest of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana, etc. in the coming months.

Watch out this space for more!
SKINN, a fine fragrance brand from the house of Titan, has been instrumental in introducing global fragrances to the Indian audiences. Launched in 2013, at the time of its launch, Titan Company had stated that it was eyeing a turnover of Rs 500 crore and a market share of 20 per cent by 2023. Today, the brands portfolio has grown, with separate fragrances for men and women and various collections. According to industry report, the domestic flavours and fragrance market is valued at $500 million (around Rs 3,600 crore), which is a small slice of the $24 billion global industry. Yet India is not just a growing market for consumption, but also an important exporter of raw material for fine fragrances.

GAMEXX Awards 2021 Last date for submitting entries - Monday, July 26, 2021 - ENTER NOW

Also read: SKINN by Titan celebrates Valentines Day with an endearing video

Skinn by Titan recently launched a range of everyday affordable fragrances. The Tales collection from SKINN celebrates Happiness, where every fragrance is reminiscent of happy memories. The collection, comprising four fragrances  Rio, Oslo, Malaga, and Ibiza  curates unique fragrances for Men and Women in bright, colourful packaging reflecting the theme of spreading the tales of happiness to one and all.

Earlier in July 2021, SKINN Tales launched a digital campaign, conceptualised by Ogilvy South, which aims to capture the imagination of the users who are looking for everyday fragrances that have a unique character at the heart of their creation.

In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Kanwalpreet Walia, Marketing Head - Fragrances and Accessories Division at Titan Company Limited, elaborates on the marketing strategy for SKINN Tales brand, catering to a discerning young TG, creating consumer experience in the digital space even though creating the mood with fragrances is very hard to do digitally.

Consumers, both male and female, are very particular about choosing their perfume brand. How have you positioned your new affordable perfume brand, Tales, to tap the discerning younger consumers?

We have been and are still going through unpredictable times and during these situations, we all look for small moments of joy. Aromas and fragrances are known to have a positive impact on emotions and ones mood. They have the ability to make the wearer feel more positive and happy.

With SKINN Tales, we have introduced a collection of four happy scents that uplift the spirits of the user with just a spray. This everyday perfume range is crafted to last long, to add excitement, and to elevate your mood. All four fragrances under Tales  Rio, Oslo, Malaga, and Ibiza  have been designed as a representation of these fun, exotic places and are formulated under the expertise of the French Perfumers.

The collection has unique fragrances for men and women, and it is available at an affordable price range of Rs 1,595 for 100 ml, to spread the tales of happiness and fragrances to one and all.

How does the pricing compare with vis-a-vis the competitor brands? Who is your TG?

Brand SKINNs endeavour is to offer superior fragrances across different olfactive spectrums to consumers. With SKINN Tales, we have democratised the fine fragrance space and are working towards perfumes becoming a part of consumers everyday grooming.

SKINN Tales Collection is positioned as youthful, fun, casual, and accessible everyday fragrances for men and women. This introduces a completely new segment under SKINNs stable and it is placed at a price point that is very competitive and affordable. The fragrances are ideal for someone who wants to enjoy fragrances every day and not just occasion led.

What is the value proposition that Tales is offering? What are some of its unique and rich features that will attract the customers?

The intent behind SKINN Tales was to create a perfume that can be generously used as part of their daily grooming ritual and expects the fragrance to bring the much needed cheer and feel good to the day. Thus, the bright, colourful packaging, coupled with the right olfactory notes, reflects the theme of Tales of Happiness.

The Tales of Happiness proposition embarks on the narrative that fragrance is reminiscent of happy memories. Each of the four variants under Tales  Rio and Oslo for men, and Malaga and Ibiza for women  have been designed as a representation of fun, exotic places, formulated by the master perfumers to create an elevating experience.

The collection has an assortment of olfactive spaces  Floral, Musky, Citrusy notes to offer a wide range for your everyday usage.

With minimum social gatherings taking place and with people still working from home, how has the product performed during the pandemic times? How did you manage your supply chain during the lockdown period? Did you notice a lot of online buying?

Post-COVID, fragrances have found new meanings and purposes. In recent times, various researches have indicated that in a sombre mind space, fragrances also reinforce positive emotions, signal safety, and serenity  almost acting as a personal shield. Thus, the market for various aromas, scents, incense, essential oils as well as perfumes for creating a positive ambiance and impacting mood is thriving.

As consumers start seeing the fragrances in a different way, we as a brand are all set to offer well-suited fragrance solutions. SKINN Tales is a move in the direction of exploring new olfactive spaces and capturing these changing behaviours.

Our online channels share of business has increased with many consumers opting to order their favourite fragrance from the brand website SKINN.in and other e-commerce websites. At the same time, the offline channels remain as important as always and are showing healthy recovery. With offline stores taking all precautions and giving customers the comfort of safety, the relevance and attraction remain. The comfort of touch and feel is best experienced at offline stores.

Customers mostly go for foreign labels when it comes to branded perfumes, when they can afford it. What has been your strategy to woo these customers towards Tales?

The brand SKINN stands for providing exceptional products at a great value to customers, and this core trait of bringing a world-class perfuming experience for Indian audiences will continue to be our strategy. SKINN Tales, like our any other perfume, is crafted by best in class master perfumer of global repute. The fragrances are a result of best of the ingredients mixed with the expert craftsmanship tailor made for the Indian audience. This economical pricing will get people to experiment more with the Eau de Parfum format.

The unorganised market also dominates this category. Spurious brands are also another area of concern. How are you tackling these challenges? Are they a threat to your business?

The fine fragrance industry in India has extremely low penetration, even though fragrances have played a very big role in the culture of our country, as we have a variety of fragrances for different occasions and needs. However, as a lifestyle product, the relevance of fine fragrance is still low. The challenge is the lack of awareness of fragrances as a fashion accessory, but with increasing conversation online for fashion and grooming consciousness, evolving lifestyles, and the pandemic, consumers tastes and preferences are changing rapidly.

We believe that there is a market for everyone as India is a huge country. While there is an unorganised and spurious market at one end, there is also increasing brand and quality consciousness on the other hand. We cater to the latter  a consumer who demands a certain sophistication of international fine fragrances. Our aim is majorly to bring the perfume out of the closet and make it an everyday accessory rather than occasion wear.

We decode the consumer preferences, understand the ever-evolving fragrance, grooming landscape to develop our fragrance and with SKINN Tales have come up with a solution to offer a unique fragrance experience to our consumers at a sweet price point.

What has been your engagement strategy with your audience? Have you explored any innovation on the media front to reach the young audiences?

We believe in building relevance for fragrances as a first means for building engagement. For building relevance, we are trying to build content which deconstructs fragrance andis a slice of life, thereby being more engaging.

In the pre-COVID-19 era, we brought Master Perfumers to interact with fragrance and fashion enthusiasts and gave them an experience of physically creating fragrances through a hands-on session.

Creating the mood with fragrances is very hard to do digitally, but in recent times we have done a few interesting campaigns to reach our audiences. We got Master Perfumers on Instagram Live to interact with consumers. These experts shared their inspiration for crafting fragrances, notes and lured the listeners into the mesmerising world of perfumes.

For one of our launches last year, we partnered with the travel enthusiasts who brought alive the nature-inspired world of SKINN Escapade beautifully through interesting content.

We also sampled SKINN fragrance digitally  where the consumer could order a discovery kit and sample our different fragrances to make a choice from the comfort of their homes.

All these initiatives have helped the brand enhance the connect with consumers and give them a peak into the exciting world of SKINN.

(Edited and additional inputs by Shanta Saikia.)

For more updates & collaboration, connect us on :

WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube
Paul Scherrer Institut

Villigen, 19.07.2021 - Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), working in an international team, have developed a new method for complex X-ray studies that will aid in better understanding so-called correlated metals. These materials could prove useful for practical applications in areas such as superconductivity, data processing, and quantum computers. Today the researchers present their work in the journal Physical Review X.

In substances such as silicon or aluminium, the mutual repulsion of electrons hardly affects the material properties. Not so with so-called correlated materials, in which the electrons interact strongly with one another. The movement of one electron in a correlated material leads to a complex and coordinated reaction of the other electrons. It is precisely such coupled processes that make these correlated materials so promising for practical applications, and at the same time so complicated to understand.

Strongly correlated materials are candidates for novel high-temperature superconductors, which can conduct electricity without loss and which are used in medicine, for example, in magnetic resonance imaging. They also could be used to build electronic components, or even quantum computers, with which data can be more efficiently processed and stored.

"Strongly correlated materials exhibit a wealth of fascinating phenomena," says Thorsten Schmitt, head of the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group at PSI: "However, it remains a major challenge to understand and exploit the complex behaviour that lies behind these phenomena." Schmitt and his research group tackle this task with the help of a method for which they use the intense and extremely precise X-ray radiation from the Swiss Light Source SLS at PSI. This modern technique, which has been further developed at PSI in recent years, is called resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, or RIXS for short.

X-rays excite electrons

With RIXS, soft X-rays are scattered off a sample. The incident X-ray beam is tuned in such a way that it elevates electrons from a lower electron orbital to a higher orbital, which means that special resonances are excited. This throws the system out of balance. Various electrodynamic processes lead it back to the ground state. Some of the excess energy is emitted again as X-ray light. The spectrum of this inelastically scattered radiation provides information about the underlying processes and thus on the electronic structure of the material.

"In recent years, RIXS has developed into a powerful experimental tool for deciphering the complexity of correlated materials," Schmitt explains. When used to investigate correlated insulators in particular, it works very well. Up to now, however, the method has been unsuccessful in probing correlated metals. Its failure was due to the difficulty of interpreting the extremely complicated spectra caused by many different electrodynamic processes during the scattering. "In this connection collaboration with theorists is essential," explains Schmitt, "because they can simulate the processes observed in the experiment."

Calculations of correlated metals

This is a specialty of theoretical physicist Keith Gilmore, formerly of the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the USA and now at the Humboldt University in Berlin. "Calculating the RIXS results for correlated metals is difficult because you have to handle several electron orbitals, large bandwidths, and a large number of electronic interactions at the same time," says Gilmore. Correlated insulators are easier to handle because fewer orbitals are involved; this allows model calculations that explicitly include all electrons. To be precise, Gilmore explains: "In our new method of describing the RIXS processes, we are now combining the contributions that come from the excitation of one electron with the coordinated reaction of all other electrons."

To test the calculation, the PSI researchers experimented with a substance that BNL scientist Jonathan Pelliciari had investigated in detail as part of his doctoral thesis at PSI: barium-iron-arsenide. If you add a specific amount of potassium atoms to the material, it becomes superconducting. It belongs to a class of unconventional high-temperature iron-based superconductors that are expected to provide a better understanding of the phenomenon. "Until now, the interpretation of RIXS measurements on such complex materials has been guided mainly by intuition. Now these RIXS calculations give us experimenters a framework that enables a more practical interpretation of the results. Our RIXS measurements at PSI on barium-iron-arsenide are in excellent agreement with the calculated profiles," Pelliciari says.

Combination of experiment and theory

In their experiments, the researchers investigated the physics around the iron atom. "One advantage of RIXS is that you can concentrate on a specific component and examine it in detail for materials that consist of several elements," Schmitt says. The well-tuned X-ray beam causes an inner electron in the iron atom to be elevated from the ground state in the core level to the higher energy valence band, which is only partially occupied. This initial excitation of the core electron can cause further secondary excitations and trigger many complicated decay processes that ultimately manifest themselves in spectral satellite structures. (See graphic.)

Since the contributions of the many reactions are sometimes small and close to one another, it is difficult to find out which processes actually took place in the experiment. Here the combination of experiment and theory helps. "If you have no theoretical support for difficult experiments, you cannot understand the processes, that is, the physics, in detail," Schmitt says. The same also applies to theory: "You often don't know which theories are realistic until you can compare them with an experiment. Progress in understanding comes when experiment and theory are brought together. This descriptive method thus has the potential to become a reference for the interpretation of spectroscopic experiments on correlated metals."

The international team has published its work in the journal Physical Review X.

Text: Barbara Vonarburg

About PSI

The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large, complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own key research priorities are in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether PSI employs 2100 people, thus being the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget amounts to approximately CHF 400 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, with the other members being the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, as well as Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research).

Original publication

Description of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in correlated metals

Keith Gilmore, Jonathan Pelliciari, Yaobo Huang, Joshua J. Kas, Marcus Dantz, Vladimir N. Strocov, Shigeru Kasahara, Yuji Matsuda,Tanmoy Das, Takasada Shibauchi, and Thorsten Schmitt.

Physical Review X 19 July 2021

DOI:https://journals.aps.org/prx/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevX.11.031013

Address for enquiries

Dr. Thorsten Schmitt

Head of the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group

Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 37 62, e-mail: thorsten.schmitt@psi.ch [German, English]



Dr. Keith Gilmore

Institute for Physics and IRIS Adlershof, Theoretical Solid-State Physics

Zum Groen Windkanal 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany

Telephone: +49 30 2093 66370, e-mail: keith.gilmore@physik.hu-berlin.de



Dr. Jonathan Pelliciari

Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source II

P.O. Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA

Telephone: +1 631 344 6223, e-mail: pelliciari@bnl.gov

Publisher

Paul Scherrer Institut






Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Mainly clear. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
MINOT, N.D.  The 2021 North Dakota State Fair will showcase some of the states best livestock with a stacked lineup of events. The fairs livestock schedule has events starting on Wednesday, July 21, and continues through Saturday, July 31.

Much like years past, the livestock schedule at the North Dakota State Fair will host events that feature everyones favorite animals, including cattle and hogs, as well as rabbits, poultry, draft horses, ponies, sheep and goats.

Featuring no shortage of shows and exhibits, the livestock portion of the fair includes a large number of events, including the ranch rodeo, barrel racing, a horse pulling event and bull riding.

Following is the 2021 livestock schedule for the N.D. State Fair:

Wednesday, July 21

Livestock events at the fair get started with a Pre-Quarter Horse Show in the All Seasons Arena (ASA) at 9 a.m. This will be the only livestock show of the day.

Thursday, July 22

Similar to Wednesday, there will be only one livestock show for Thursday  a Pre-Quarter Horse Show in the ASA. The show starts at 8 a.m.

Friday, July 23

Following a Quarter Horse Show at 8 a.m., there will be Open Class Sheep and Beef, along with Team Roping at noon.

Saturday, July 24

A Quarter Horse Show once again kicks off the day of events, followed by an ARBA Rabbit Show in the morning and a Pony Pull in the afternoon starting at 3 p.m. in the ASA.

Sunday, July 25
Getting ready for the new school year was the main topic for the Tekamah-Herman Board of Education at its meeting July 12.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill.  The lowly horseradish  packaged in small, nondescript jars and confined to back shelves of supermarkets  doesnt get a lot of attention in most places. But it is celebrated in a big way here.

The 25,000 residents of this community 12 miles northeast of St. Louis across the Mississippi River express their love for the pungent root in a big way every spring.

The International Horseradish Festival is among the more unusual agricultural celebrations in the Midwest  actually, in the world. And for good reason: About 60% of all horseradish on the planet is grown in the Collinsville region. It was among the first festivals held in the state since the spring of 2020, when most such functions were shut down during the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Everybody stepped up. Its nice to have our festival back, said Kris Schmitt, a member of the festival committee. We had to jump many hoops, but that was just fine. Our county health department is amazing. Our city is amazing. Even though the state of Illinois did not allow us to do certain things, the city wanted to make sure we were taken care of. We all worked together to pull this off.

The festival, in its 34th year, is sponsored by the chamber of commerce. The business community is solidly behind the event.

We keep it community-focused, community-driven, Schmitt said. We use it as a fundraiser, not only for businesses downtime, but to promote the community completely. Some civic organizations are here and do some fundraising.
CORN------

Corn closed the week 3  cents higher. Private exporters sales of 600,000 metric tons (mts) of corn to China and 130,000 mts of corn to an unknown destination.

In the weekly export inspections report, corn inspections totaled 40.8 million bushels (mb) for the week. Total inspections in 2019-20 are now at 1.587 billion bushels (bb), down 13% from the previous year. USDA is estimating corn exports at 1.795 bb in 2019-20, down 13% from the previous year.

In the weekly crop progress and conditions report, U.S. corn crop conditions fell 2% this week to 69% good or excellent versus 68% expected, 71% last week and 56% last year. Iowa saw the largest drop to 59% good or excellent, down 10% on the week. 76% of the crop is in the dough stage with 23% denting.

In the weekly Energy Information Administration report, ethanol production rose slightly compared to the prior week at 926,000 barrels per day (bpd) versus 918,000 bpd last week and 1,023,000 bpd last year. Ethanol inventory rose slightly to 20.3 mb versus 19.8 mb the prior week but still below last year's 23.4 mb.

Strategy and outlook: Producers should remain hedged, including multiple years of production. Downside risk remains amid increasing production and mounting supplies of corn.

SOYBEANS------

Soybeans closed the week 5  cents higher. Private exporters announced sales totaling 592,000 mts of soybeans to China and 498,000 mts of soybeans to an unknown destination.
https://www.aish.com/sp/so/How-Being-a-Vietnam-Vet-and-Christian-Pastor-Led-Me-to-Become-a-Jew.html

Looking back on my life, I see the little marks in the road that God placed to help me find my Truth.

My youth was filled with a lot of rebelliousness. My father died when I was 8 and to a certain extent, I had to raise myself on my own. As a teen and young adult, I got involved in many troubling behaviors. I began to hang around the wrong crowds and experimented quite a bit with many different recreational drugs.

But a part of me always had deep-rooted principles. I believed in American democracy and strongly opposed communism. So when the Vietnam war began, I volunteered and joined the Air Force. Several experiences in Vietnam shaped me into who I am today. I distinctly remember some near-death experiences. Once when I was in the latrine shaving, I felt a voice in my head telling me, "Get out right away!" I immediately ran and a few minutes later the base was attacked and many people killed.

I felt a voice in my head telling me, "Get out right away!" I immediately ran and a few minutes later the base was attacked and many people killed.

Another incident occurred at the end of my tour in Vietnam. A friend of mine wanted to go to Saigon to party and celebrate the end of our tour. Something inside of me said that this was dangerous and I had a strong premonition that there was a chance I would die. I didn't go. Sure enough, there was an attack that night and my good friend was killed.

When I came home, I did a lot of introspection and was ashamed of some of my previous behaviors. I always believed in God and the intricate design of our universe and I began to think more about what my purpose in this world was. At the time street preaching began to explode on the streets of America. I got caught up in it and began to study ministry. I became an ordained pastor and ministered three different congregations, each with 75 to 100 people. I began leading Bible study groups and self-help groups. The ministry that I was a part of was very much into Replacement Theology, believing that the Jewish people had been replaced by believers in Christ and that Christianity was now the new Israel.

As I continued preaching this belief, questions began to plague me. I started seeing discrepancies and contradictions between the Jewish Bible and the Christian Bible. I began to see that Jesus did not seem to be the Messiah as predicted by the Hebrew Prophets. This became magnified even more when I once came across a Torah in Hebrew and English. I felt the ground beneath me begin to sway. I would take my questions to my elders and they would scoff at me and tell me I was going down a dangerous path and not to question anymore. But the questions only grew stronger.

Donating toys in Hevron

I felt a strong sense of loneliness. I was divorced and longed to meet my true soulmate. I cried out to God constantly to bring the special someone into my life. I was at a restaurant in Tacoma, Washington that had live jazz music which I loved. Little did I know that I would meet my future wife there. Mimi was planning on going to a different restaurant that also had live music, but at the last moment one of the band members had gotten sick and they canceled their performance. So Mimi headed out to the restaurant I was at. I'll never forget the first time I laid my eyes on her. I felt swept away. I introduced myself and we started dating, and were married eight weeks later!

I introduced myself and we started dating, and were married eight weeks later!

We discovered that although our lives were diverse, we both had the same hearts. Mimi was very unfamiliar with her Jewish identity, being raised secular with no close family around. Her mother had lived in fear of her Jewishness and moved far away from her family. It wasnt until Mimi was grown that her mother finally shared the family secret that she was Jewish. But God had a plan and was moving the pieces and pulling us towards Judaism.

During this time I tried leading a Messianic congregation. This focused much more on Judaism but still held the belief that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. I also started to actively support Israel and dabble into Judaism. One day a member of my congregation suggested that I go visit Israel. What was supposed to be a two-week trip to Israel ended up becoming a 2-month stay. While in Israel, I felt an unexpected familiarity. As if a part of me suddenly came alive and magnified. When my trip was over and I returned to the US, it felt as if part of me was left behind. My love for Israel was truly born.

Me and my wife, Mimi

When I came home, I decided it was time to leave Christianity and embrace Judaism and Zionism. My Christian brethren and many in my congregation were devastated and some reacted angrily. But my wife and I felt that this was our destiny. We found a special Chabad rabbi in California who began teaching us more about Judaism and Jewish practice, and eventually we decided we wanted to convert.

Four years ago I converted to Judaism and today live in Jerusalem where my wife and I are building our home. We spend a lot of our time supporting Israel and Jewish causes.

I chose the name Boruch Ovadiah. Boruch means blessing in Hebrew, as I saw my entire life a blessing from God. And Ovadia means servant of God as I strive to serve Him every day of my life. Living here is a daily inspiration for realizing my destiny. It is truly a blessing to serve God! Am Yisrael Chai!

Excerpted Yisroel Juskowitz's book, "Your People are my People: Inspiring Stories of Converts to Judaism."
Vaccinate Alabama TikTok Contest

Getting a COVID-19 vaccination can protect you, your family and community and help end the pandemic. To promote vaccination, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is sponsoring a TikTok contest for persons between the ages of 13 and 29 to encourage vaccination against COVID-19 before the beginning of the school year.

To participate, contestants are to submit a TikTok video showing themselves getting vaccinated or include a creative message explaining, "This is why I got vaccinated. All videos must tag @alcovidvaccine, #getvaccinatedAL and #ADPH. Winners will be determined based on creativity, originality and popularity (likes and shares). TikTok videos can be submitted between July 16  August 6, 2021.

A panel of judges composed of advertising professionals and ADPH personnel will select four winners who will each be awarded a $250 Visa gift card. Winners will be announced August 13 via the @alcovidvaccine TikTok account, and promoted on ADPH social media.

Vaccination is important in protecting adolescents and others against symptomatic COVID-19 disease. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for most people age 12 and older. Parental or guardian consent must be obtained for any person younger than age 19 receiving a COVID-19 vaccination from an ADPH vaccination location.

Page last updated: July 16, 2021
Alexander City, AL (35010)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Never let a crisis go to waste.

We are five days away from fundamentally transforming America.

Two seemingly disconnected statements from two Chicago politicians  Rahm Emmanuel, the White House Chief of Staff, and President Barack Hussein Obama -- were not empty words. They were long-term intentions.

The men clearly said that, to fundamentally change America, you should never let a crisis go to waste. This is the radical lefts playbook, the social experiment leading to a new order. It requires a nationwide upheaval to topple the established order via a government imposition that will forever control the masses.

In these two sentences, you have the Marxist teachings of Saul Alinsky and the Socialist couple, Cloward and Piven. This planned upheaval is in full force in America and is meant to fell a once-great nation.

Democrats are hastily making changes that will be impossible to reverse. They have less than two years to cement in place the new radical building blocks. They are pressing forward with conditions that cannot be reversed to return to Americas greatness. As leftists say, Burn down the system!

Last year, the lefts rioting foot soldiers were called peaceful protesters as they attacked, killed, and set America ablaze. It was an insurrection against the established order. But you never heard it called that. These tactics, which Saul Alinsky mentored in his pamphlet Rules for Radicals, were the opening salvo leading to the imposition of American Marxism.

The One Party overreach includes a massive effort to remove traditional values, values that made America a shining light upon a hill. Leftists sweep aside traditions and cherished heritage, replacing them with a mass indoctrination dividing the country. The indoctrination has leaped from Ivy League academia into the public school system.

Who would have thought that Pink Floyds 70s epic political statement, The Wall, was referring to American parents rushing to tear down a Marxist educational system, protesting loudly at school board meetings, We dont need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom. Hey! Teacher! Leave our kids alone! as young children are being taught to reimagine their gender and hate the color of their skin, while their elder brothers and sisters are being trained to actively hate America. In Marxist terms, never let an opportunity go to waste.

It has gone beyond the schools and colleges. It is in the corporate boardrooms where executives supinely surrender independent thought and products to the Marxist mob.

Who would have thought that an American party would rush blindly to support a movement that spent 2020 in a nationwide insurrection of arson, destruction, and wholesale looting? Or that, once in power, it would continue their lunacy from the White House where, in July 2021, Al Sharpton, the veteran troublemaker in chief, left a meeting with Biden and Harris to deliver a threatening warning, We will create a movement on the ground to protect the right to vote. This will be a summer of activism, a summer of getting back on the streets.

In other words, a return to the violent anarchy of 2020.

You saw what a summer on the streets looks like. Jenny Durkan, the Seattle mayor, called it a summer of love as anarchists petrified law-abiding citizens by occupying and destroying their properties as they turned the center of Seattle into an occupied zone in which a lawless mob killed at least one person and terrified others.

Sharpton said he was going to turn up the heat. Typically, Sharptons words result in destruction and spilled blood. And he used these words standing outside the portals of the White House. President Biden and VP Harris gave the impression that they know violence is coming and endorse it at the highest level.

Sharpton and Biden are lying when they talk about voter apartheid and Jim Crow 2.0. This inflammatory language is untethered from the truth but is emotive rhetoric to rile up the BLM/ANTIFA anarchists.

As black Republican, Byron Donalds, said, If you cant run on your record, a failed border policy, the loss of an energy independent country, a sinking economy, sinking wages, insecure borders, you have to foment outrage.

He added, In Florida, we give greater access to vote [as do Texas and Georgia over Bidens Delaware or Harriss California]. Its never a problem to see black folk vote, but the Democrats have to resort to this nastiness.

Bidens Delaware requires voter identification and has fewer voting hours than Texas. Delaware rejects no-excuse absentee ballots. Is Delaware a Jim Crow racist state?

How can anyone, let alone a president, equate voter ID to a Civil War that left 600,000 dead on the battlefield? But Biden did just that. If this isnt hyperbole, what is?

A party in power loses the right to call itself democratic when its leader lies to the people and the media treat his lies as if Moses had brought them down from Mount Sinai.

That is what is increasingly happening with Biden and the fawning media that celebrates his false words as gospel. They amplify his lies to people conditioned to believe that anything Republicans propose is racist. These colluding Democrat propaganda broadcasters and social media moguls who blank out opposition voices have created this disconnect in America.

Cover chaos with a lie. Broadcast it relentlessly. Block the other side from having their voices heard. Dominate the narrative, and you control the people.

Bidens For the People Bill, otherwise known as HR1, is falsely named. It should be called For the Party Bill.

Biden notoriously said, We the People is the Government. A swamp animal for over half a century, he pitches this leftist lie as gospel truth.

The Democrats should be called the Demagogue Party. We the People means we the people. Not the party. But try saying that in public.

This is an America in which Democrats dominate an agenda that includes actively defunding the police while helping violent criminals avoid serving any serious time in jail. Inevitably, this leads to a major leap in homicides, not by the police as leftists try to convince you but, predominantly, by armed black men. Statistics bear this out. Murder rates are skyrocketing in Philadelphia (40%), Minneapolis (56%), Portland (800%), New York (23%), Chicago (24%), Los Angeles (27%), even Washington DC (35%). The murder surge in Oakland was up 91% from a year ago. Democrat cities all, yet they blame Republicans for Democrat dereliction of duty.

In Oakland, a dim-witted councilwoman, Carroll Fife, said that criminals need nurturing. No, Mrs. Fife. Its the citizens that need nurturing and protecting, not the criminals. The criminals need nurturing in Oakland prisons.

New York docked a billion dollars from its law enforcement budget even as 82% of inner-city blacks are demanding greater police protection, according to black civil rights advocate, Bob Woodson. He calls Democrat dereliction, moral treason.

Democrats have demoralized the police. Now they are doing it to the armed forces by indoctrinating both officers and the ranks with critical race theory to the officers.

The Democrats skill at manufacturing crises and exploiting them to fundamentally change America has burnt a hole in the fabric of an exceptional nation. It has stained its heritage with a malevolent negativity that is rendering its values obsolete, and leftists are doing it intentionally.

Can America be saved? Can the fabric ever be repaired?

That is up to those who care sufficiently -- and their voices have yet to be heard.

IMAGE: United States Capitol by Diego Delso (edited by Andrea Widburg in Pixlr). CC BY-SA 3.0.

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When it came to the Middle East, President Barack Obama concluded that it was an endless quagmire into which large amounts of American blood and treasure would flow. While Obama might have appropriately diagnosed the problem, his solution was to create a hegemonic power that would provide stability to the region and remove the need for American intervention. Obama chose Iran.

The Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was less about preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, which it was not designed to do, and more about releasing sanctions funds that would rebuild Iran and facilitate its quest for a Shia crescent from the Tigris Euphrates Valley to the Mediterranean.

Obama's combination of narcissism and self-adulation made him think he was the smartest guy in the room, as British prime minister David Cameron observed, at least according to Cameron's aid Steve Hilton.

Clearly, Obama knew little about foreign policy, but what he did know was that the American people have little interest in events that take place across the oceans, absent a dramatic incident like an oil embargo that hits them in their pocketbook.

Domestic policy in contrast is the stuff on which elections are won and legacies are written. It is for that reason that Obama hesitated to give the order to assassinate Osama bin Laden. The political risks were great even if the benefits might strengthen the presidential image.

How mindless was the JCPOA? The Iranians got the release of large amounts of their funds which had been sequestered in the West. For this, they promised to delay enriching uranium to the point of weapons grade. The emphasis was on delay, not on never producing a bomb. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that Iran, despite denials, had had a covert nuclear weapons program for a decade and had been stockpiling nuclear material. The former accusation was brushed off because it had been known, and for the latter, Iran's denial sufficed.

The Europeans hungry for Iranian oil and trade were all too eager to have this agreement in place. The Obama administration was less concerned about Iran's expansionist interests than finding an excuse to leave the Middle East with its endless wars and instability.

President Donald Trump terminated the agreement and reimposed sanctions because while the international inspectors found that Iran had generally followed the JCPOA, it was not in compliance with limitations on ballistic missile development and sanctions imposed on Iranian officials.

Democrats saw this as creating a pathway for Iran to have a bomb, but Iran was always going to have a bomb. The issue was never "if," but "when."

Among the initial policy decisions of the administration of Joseph R. Biden was a strong attempt to resurrect the JCPOA. So far, the Iranians have been clever negotiators, despite their economy suffering from the weight of Trump-imposed sanctions. Iran is playing hardball and demands that the sanctions be lifted before meaningful negotiations can take place.

Despite promises to Congress that no lifting of sanctions would take place without consultation, the Biden administration waffled in the face of Iranian determination. The American administration permitted both South Korea and Japan to release funds owed Iran. There is dispute whether the funds can only resolve debts owed in those countries or be transferred back to Iran.

The unspoken reality of these talks is that, like the Obama administration, the Biden administration and the Europeans do not really care if Iran gets a bomb, for an Iranian bomb is an inevitability. Iran is not going to target America or Europe with a nuclear device. The Iranians might pay lip service to an eschatology that embraces the end of days, but in the final analysis, the Iranians are pragmatists rather than zealots.

An Iranian bomb is designed for one country, Israel, and to many in both Europe and increasingly in the United States, the elimination of the Jewish state would solve a series of problems.

Of course, an Iranian nuclear attack on Israel would lead to nuclear war in the Middle East.

So why, then, does Iran want a bomb? Iran seeks to overrun Israel by conventional warfare and checkmate Israel's use of nuclear weapons.

In the end, the great curse for all the people of the Middle East is that they will bear the burden of American and European policies that have the potential to manufacture chaos if not nuclear war.

Abraham H. Miller is an emeritus professor of political science, University of Cincinnati, and a distinguished fellow with the Haym Salomon Center.

Imgae: Elvert Barnes.

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Anaheim, California, home to Disneyland, has an ugly, fantasy view of the First Amendment. How else can one explain why Anaheim, after boasting about its respect for free speech, canceled an America First rally at which Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz were appearing because of the town's "duty" to oppose speech it doesn't like?

To date, Southern California has been hostile to America First. On July 9, an American First rally set for an event center in Laguna Hills, at which Gaetz and Greene were to appear, had been canceled. The news reported that the hotel's general manager wanted to avoid any controversies:

A Laguna Hills event center canceled plans to host an "America First" rally on July 17 after learning the speakers were slated to be two of the most controversial Republicans in Congress: Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene. "We just want to stay clear of that," Javad Mirtavoosi, general manager of Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center, said by phone Friday. [snip] Mirtavoosi said that when the center booked the event they just expected a "gathering." "As soon as we found out who the speakers were we immediately canceled it," Mirtavoosi said.

Nothing daunted, the America First team tried again, this time finding a venue in Riverside, another Southern California venue. Apparently, the venue canceled the event, although the city of Riverside breathed a collective sigh of relief:

"I recognize this was a divisive issue in our community, and I am glad it has been resolved," Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, a Democrat elected in 2020, said in the statement released by the city. "Riverside is a diverse and inclusive community, so it is heartening to hear that this event will not move forward," added Mayor Pro Tem Gaby Plascencia. "I am disappointed we even got to this point, because these speakers are the antithesis of everything Riverside stands for."

Riverside and its mayor are not so diverse and inclusive that they can stand opposing political opinions.

However, it's Anaheim that gets the award for "most horrific leftist political statement." When America First tried to book a venue in Anaheim, this is the proud announcement the city published:

That is a truly Orwellian paragraph if I've ever seen one:

As a city we respect free speech but also have a duty to call out speech that does not reflect our city and its values.

No, Mike Lyster. As a city that respects free speech, you have a constitutional obligation to let people speak even if you feel the speech does not reflect your city's Marxist values. The First Amendment exists not to protect only speech you like because, self-evidently, such speech needs no protection.

The reason for all this cancelation is the left's claim that Greene and Gaetz are Nazis because they put America first. Every person who lives here should put America first. It's our home and the home of our eventual descendants. That is not a racist sentiment, nor one seeking world domination. In fact, unlike leftists, President Trump wanted to keep America's focus within her own borders.

Unlike Greene's critics, I've read her America First draft, which supported her planned America First caucus. She was forced to denounce both because both Democrats and Vichy Republicans attacked her as a Nazi. In fact, there's not a scintilla of racism or a desire for world domination in that document. What it says is that the freedoms that Americans up until quite recently once enjoyed are a legacy of our nation's Anglo-Saxon political heritage. Moreover, those freedoms are valuable, should be cultivated, and are worth defending.

The same document says a nation needs enforceable borders, something that benefits Blacks and American Hispanics, whose livelihoods are destroyed through the open southern border. It's worth noting that the Biden administration just announced that America's borders are closed to people escaping Cuban communism or Blacks fleeing Haiti's brewing civil war. Haitians succeed in America, putting the lie to Critical Race Theory's claim that systemic racism prevents Blacks from achieving success.

Ironically, Southern California was once Reagan country. Sixty years of Marxist indoctrination in America's schools and open borders and amnesty have turned a proudly constitutional region into the frontline in the war against the First Amendment.

You can help in this war by boycotting Disneyland. The Disney corporation is hard-left, it pushes sexuality on our children, and many of its child stars over the last two decades report having been horribly abused. Plus, it's a twofer: boycotting Disney also boycotts Anaheim. It's a good message to send.

As for Gaetz and Greene, they held a "Free Speech Peaceful Protest" Saturday evening outside Riverside City Hall. More than 100 people showed up.

Remember: the left fears Gaetz and Greene and lies about them. Greene is not a Nazi, and those explosive alleged sex charges the FBI was investigating against Gaetz seem to have gone nowhere. To defeat the left, support these two.

Image: Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene in Riverside (edited in Pixlr). YouTube screen grab.

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Texas Democrat legislators who fled a special session of the Texas Legislature for Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 12 gained national attention. They proclaimed that Texas's Republican-controlled Legislature intended to pass voter registration restrictions that would bar blacks from voting. When they arrived in Washington, D.C., Kamala Harris effusively praised them as freedom-fighters. Joe Biden announced that they righteously thwarted the quorum required for the special session and asserted that Texas posed the greatest threat to American democracy since the Civil War.

Of course, that is utter nonsense and an insult to both the Civil Rights Movement and the protest movements that led to the Voter Rights Act of 1965. Those renegade Democrat legislators aimed to shut down the Texas Legislature to keep it from passing voter integrity laws that would ensure people are legally registered to vote. It was  pure and simple  an act to retain power in America through voter fraud.

Democrats and their progenitors, the Southern slaveholders and Jim Crow crew, have a long history of using Blacks as pawns for political power. During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, although Southerners denied slaves all rights, they wanted them counted in the census for representation purposes. The Northern free states wanted slaves not to count at all to weaken the slave states' political power. They compromised by counting a slave as 3/5 of a person (a taxable person), giving the slavers more political power than they deserved.

Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase in 1803 opened a challenge to the slave states' control in the federal government. The South demanded that new territories allow slaves, while the North demanded that they be free. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 drew a geographic line on slavery that stood for 30 years.

When President Polk successfully instigated and won the war with Mexico in 1848, and negotiated with England on the northern border, vast new territories opened. The Compromise of 1850 repealed the Missouri Compromise, trading off benefits to North and South. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, spawned by a Supreme Court decision banning prohibiting slavery in any state, led to violent confrontations in Kansas (Bloody Kansas), when Southern infiltrators (now officially Democrats) attempted to steal the election. In 1857, the Supreme Court, in the infamous Dred Scott case, held that escaped slaves who made it North had to be returned to their Democrat owners in the South. In 1859, John Brown, who had participated in the Bloody Kansas conflicts, raided Harpers Ferry to spark a slave insurrection. That failed effort threw the South into a panic.

When Lincoln became president in 1860, it was the final straw for the Southern Democrats, who saw him breaking the power they'd fought for. With the first president from the Western Frontier leading the newly formed Republican Party, slavery would be abolished unless they acted forcefully. South Carolina seceded from the Union first on December 20, 1860. That led to the horrific Civil War, and, when the Southern Democrats lost, the 13th and 14th Amendments finally eliminated the 3/5 person clause.

Southern Democrats again denied Blacks their rights through restrictive voter qualification laws (Jim Crow laws). The KKK  the Democrats' paramilitary arm before Antifa  used brute force intimidation, while politicians relied on absurd literacy requirements to deny Blacks the vote. The Civil Rights Movement, with heroic people like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and the Freedom Riders, led to important gains for Blacks. The most significant was the Voter Rights Act of 1965. That effectively curtailed the Southern Democrats' power by mandating unfettered access for citizens of all colors to the vote.

Today, Biden and other Democrats are fighting hard to keep control of the Black vote ("If you don't vote for me, you ain't black"). Even as Democrats lose their grip on Black voters, though, they are attempting to pad the voter rolls with illegal aliens flooding through the southern border. This mirrors those Southern Democrats who flooded into Kansas in the 1850s, determined to turn the Kansas and Nebraska territories Slave.

And today, the Texas Democrat legislators are using the theatrical, "pretend" voter integrity issue to achieve their Orwellian "For the People Act," which will advance fraud and destroy the votes of every American, Black or White.

This has nothing to do with protecting Blacks' right to vote. This has everything to do with voter fraud. It's all about the power, baby.

Image: Texas Rep. Julie Johnson's now-deleted selfie.

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Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been infecting academia for almost thirty years now, and generations of college students have left those institutions and infected corporate America. The latest corporation infected with CRT is Hasbro, a company that makes some of the most popular toys in America. David Johnson, a packaging engineer who works for Harvey Nash, which contracts with Hasbro, brought to Project Veritas evidence of the CRT training employees and contract employees are forced to undergo.

The program Hasbro requires employees to attend is put on by a company called "the conscious kid" (tck). If you go to the company's website, you find pastel colors, cute pictures, and a baby-esque font. The company boasts that it is "an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to equity and promoting healthy racial identity development in youth. We support organizations, families and educators in taking action to disrupt racism in kids."

What the training materials that Johnson brought to Project Veritas show is that "disrupting racism in kids" means saying that America is so systemically racist that, by the time they're toddlers, America's children have drunk in that racism with their mothers' milk.

The home page boasts that tck works with Google to "to curate a list of reading materials and lesson plans to support inclusive, anti-racist K12 classrooms." In other words, CRT is in your child's classroom. It's also on your child's television. Not only is Nickelodeon pushing transgenderism on America's children, tck boasts that "[i]n partnership with Nickelodeon, we provided resources to support conversation and action around race and racism with kids."

The co-founders of tck are Katie Ishizuka and Ramon Stephens, who have achieved some measure of celebrity. In December, Today's Parent raved about their "teaching us how to raise anti-racist children." The irony is thick here because their entire push is to focus obsessively on race and to demonize Whites as people who victimize (the obviously pathetic) Blacks.

One of tck's resources is "racial trauma and ways to cope." A guy named Dr. George James, who studied psychology and "Africana Studies," validates microaggressions. He also says George Floyd, a violent felon who died from a heart attack after inserting fentanyl in his rectum and fighting with police, and Breonna Taylor, whose boyfriend shot at police who had announced their entrance into his home, were murdered. And he says Blacks are pretty much overwhelmed by racism at all times and in all places in America. James apparently makes a good living with this victim narrative.

And then there's Hasbro, which hired tck. Hasbro, founded almost a hundred years ago, is a publicly traded company worth over $5 billion. The company made its name with Mr. Potato Head (assuming his gender, I'm sorry to say), and then introduced boys to G.I. Joe, that masculine symbol of aggression. I played with both as a child and managed to survive to a ripe old age without becoming a psychopath.

Nowadays, Hasbro is the parent company for such brands as Monopoly, Nerf, Playskool, My Little Pony, Transformers, and Tonka. Every home in America has Hasbro toys. Every child in America is affected by what Hasbro does.

Hasbro's reach matters to Johnson, who told Project Veritas's James O'Keefe that he "oppose[s] the indoctrination of children" and "introduce[ing] children into racial bias at an early age before they're really able to understand what race and racism is." He's right; that's exactly what Hasbro is doing through its relationship with tck.

Johnson brought to Project Veritas the videos Hasbro requires employees and contractors to watch, in which tck's Ishizuka and Stephens insist that racism in America is so systemic that children get it with the air they breathe and must be trained out of it. For Johnson, the whole idea is disgusting, and the fact that it's being marketed at Hasbro is worrisome:

[Critical Race Theory] uses a Marxist lens to look at people as oppressed and oppressors[.] ... [I]t divides people who have whiteness as the oppressor and people who lack it as the oppressed, and no matter what, you are split between those two groups. So, it's inherently divisive. [snip] I think the end goal for 'Conscious Kid' is to make sure that Hasbro is going to use their lens and that Hasbro is going to push their principles through all levels of their product marketing and packaging.

Johnson is right. Watch the video and fight CRT wherever and whenever you see it. It's Marxist, it's anti-American, it's divisive, and it's evil. If you have kids, let Hasbro know you're not buying its products until it abandons all CRT training within every nook and cranny of its organization.

Image: David Johnson speaks to Project Veritas. YouTube screen grab.

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San Francisco is famous for its tech trend-setting, but here's a different kind of trend-setting now that it's got a leftist prosecutor who won't do his job:

Shopping from behind locked glass-case barriers. Not just some goods, but now, all the goods..

Here's what appears to be a citizen video, from someone trying to get the attention of the local press, of the Safeway supermarket at Church and Market in an area between the Mission district and the Castro district.

Shopping in San Franciscos Safeway is experience. Need soap, meds, shampoo, toothbrush etc? Ring for assistance bc everything is locked. Result of Chesa Boudins so called  restorative justice  @wsjournal @kron4news @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/rIhclyO9L7  Old Fashioned Parent (@PowellMason415) July 14, 2021

Obviously, this is an attempt to thwart shoplifters, given the retail theft free-for-all going on in that city. The problem didn't just crop up out of nowhere, it's the result of city policy. Radical left-wing District Attorney Chesa Boudin, raised by Bill Ayers, and formerly Hugo Chavez's advisor, has declared shoplifting effectively legal if the value of the stolen goods is under $950. And much as he denies it when the seat gets hot, he actually means it:

According to the Washington Examiner:

As videos of brazen retail thefts in San Francisco draw national attention, The Examiner has obtained new data showing that District Attorney Chesa Boudin is prosecuting far fewer shoplifting cases than his predecessor. The numbers show the prosecution rate for shoplifting cases involving a misdemeanor petty theft charge for a loss of $950 or less fell under Boudin, from 70 percent under former District Attorney George Gascon in 2019 to 44 percent in 2020 and 50 percent as of mid-June 2021. Prosecutors filed charges in 116 of 266 cases presented by police involving petty theft in 2020, compared to 450 of 647 cases in 2019, according to the data provided by the District Attorneys Office. It's all to keep low-level criminals out of jail, he claims, calling it "criminal justice reform," which is part of the Soros agenda. Joe Biden's daughter Ashley was reportedly partying with Chesa in Philadelphia this past weekend, so his idea is au courant with the rich cognoscenti.

But out on the mean streets of San Francisco, criminals have taken that notification to heart and instead gotten busy.

Countless videos have since been posted of shoplifters walking in and out of retail establishments in San Francisco with bags full of goods, fully confident that they'll never be prosecuted. Retail gangs have also gotten busy, doing full-blown broad daylight heists such as happened at Neiman-Marcus on Union Square earlier this month. Target has cut its hours. Walgreens has shut 17 stores. Stores can't take it anymore. And instead of defending themselves with cops and security guards, they're sealing off all the goods from any human contact.

Good luck getting some help opening those cases, and having the goods await for you at the store counter, now that stores can't get workers, based on the state of California's generous unemployment pay, which makes not working more attractive than actually having a job.

Meanwhile, shopping where you can't touch anything isn't much of a shopping experience, and far from foolproof, given that thieves often just smash through glass cases anyway, as they did at Neiman Marcus. It suggests that maybe the stores are just trying to hold on a bit longer before they have to shut down anyway and go to full e-commerce given they can't defend themselves any other way. Goodbye, city life, might as well life in those places without Kinkos.

The comments section to that video is a doozy. Here's a sample:

So much for quality of life. Chesa loudly proclaimed that he was not prosecuting "quality of life crimes" when he was elected a couple years ago.

How's the quality of life now in San Francisco, now that trust has vanished entirely between buyers and sellers, and the entire social capital is gone? Does he care that locals are now forced to shop behind glass barriers just to get shampoo?

As Boudin faces a voter recall, and 40% of San Francisco's residents say they plan to move out, rest assured, he tells us he's doing a good job and only the cops are to blame.

Instead of putting the criminals behind bars for thievery, as is done in normal societies, in San Francisco, now it's the goods that are behind bars. It's unintended consequences, for sure, the Caracas-ification of San Francisco, under the man he idolized, Hugo Chavez, making the beautiful city by the bay a total crime pit like Caracas. The left calls that progress.

Image: Twitter screen shot

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On May 21, federal health officials testified before Congress that only 60% of their employees had received the COVID vaccine.

Federal health officials testified at a Senate committee hearing that about 60% of their employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far There are three COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. that have all received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. More than 279 million vaccine doses had been administered in the U.S. and 60.5% of adults had received at least one shot as of May 21.

That was almost exactly the same vaccination rate as that of the public at large. My question, why is the public continually misled that the people not getting the vaccine are just Trump-supporters?

Why hadn't 40% of federal health workers received the shot by May 21, since I am sure it had been available to them for about six months?

Neither public health officials nor the press is asking those questions. But if I had to guess, it would come down to trust.

Why should the public trust public health officials and social media outlets to be the deciders of what is true and not true about the virus since they intentionally blocked anyone who blamed the origin of the disease on the Wuhan Lab and essentially called it a false conspiracy theory?

The blocking of that information for one year was extremely damaging to any investigation.

Why should we trust social media outlets on anything since they allow Joe Biden and others to continually lie by claiming that voter integrity laws are like Jim Crow laws?

Those lies are meant to gin up racial hate and division, so why aren't the liars and the posts blocked?

Why would we trust social media outlets who blocked truthful stories about Hunter Biden, while they were campaigning for Joe, to be honest deciders of what is true?

Why are all the people who lied about Russian collusion still allowed to post on social media, since they intentionally spread misinformation to intentionally divide the country and to destroy one person? If the social media outlets truly cared about disinformation, instead of just people they disagreed with, they would block Adam Schiff, Obama, Biden, Clapper, Brennan, Comey, McCabe, and others, but they don't, so why would these oligopolies be allowed to determine what is acceptable and what is not?

Section 230 should be repealed!

While Cubans are fighting for their freedom, powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and most of the media are trying to limit ours.

The social media outlets and other supposed journalists are much more dangerous to our democracy, freedom, and prosperity than anything Russia, China, or Iran has ever done to us.

It is truly a shame that we are letting so many in the United States destroy us from within. Remember this?

Letters: Nikita Khrushchev's chilling prediction: 'We will take America without firing a shot'

I was nine years old in 1956 when I read that Russia's communist leader, Nikita Khrushchev, said, "We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within... "

It appears that there is a lot from the 1963 plan for America that is occurring in America. Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals now guides the Democrat party of today.

It is truly sad that most of the media gladly support the people who want to remake or destroy America, the greatest country for freedom and fairness that has ever existed.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.

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Germany has made a big deal about how global warming is the reason behind the region's catastrophic floods.

According to NBC News:

"The German language hardly knows any words for the devastation that has been caused here," [Chancellor Angela Merkel] said. She said the force of the storms suggested that they had "something to do with climate change," adding, "We have to hurry, we have to get faster in the fight against climate change."

She also palled it up with Joe Biden on climate change just a few days ago:

While in the United States, the chancellor and President Biden signed a pact that included a commitment to "taking urgent action to address the climate crisis," which is to include stronger collaboration "on the policies and energy technologies needed to accelerate the global net-zero transition."

Others have been even more aggressive, such as Merkel's leftist finance minister, who seeks to replace her in the upcoming September German election:

"I am firmly convinced that our task is stopping human-made climate change," Mr. Scholz told ZDF public television. He praised his party's role in passing some of Germany's first climate laws when the Social Democrats governed with the Greens from 1998 to 2005, but called for a stronger effort to move toward a carbon-neutral economy. "What we still have to do now is get all those who have resisted right up to the end that we raise the expansion targets for renewable energies in such a way that it also works out with a CO2-neutral industry to give up this resistance," he said.

Hey, that'll get the floods to stop. Nothing like remodeling the world on the greenie and failed socialist models and giving government all the power. Just ask Cubans how those things work out.

In reality, the problem is more immediate. The politicians may be bloviating about global warming, but the catastrophe that happened was a problem with a failed government early warning system.

According to the Times of London, here's what really would have halted the high loss of life in those devastating floods (non-subscription reprint here):

The first signs of catastrophe were detected nine days ago by a satellite orbiting 500 miles above the tranquil hills around the Rhine river. Over the next few days a team of scientists sent the German authorities a series of forecasts so accurate that they now read like a macabre prophecy: the Rhineland was about to be hit by "extreme" flooding, particularly along the Erft and Ahr rivers, and in towns such as Hagen and Altena. Yet despite at least 24 hours' warning that predicted, almost precisely, which districts would be worst afflicted when the rains came, the flood still caught many of its victims largely unawares. Germany got its preparations "badly wrong", one of the experts who built Europe's sophisticated flood prediction model told The Sunday Times. Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at Reading University, said that a "monumental failure of the system" had led to one of postwar Germany's deadliest natural disasters, which had by last night claimed at least 133 lives since Wednesday and left hundreds of people unaccounted for. At least another 24 people were dead across the border in Belgium, a figure that the country's national crisis centre expected to rise, while the rains forced thousands from their homes in the Netherlands.

So they developed all this technology, which it turns out was very accurate, and never got the message out. The article states that they even ran a dry run on their emergency systems, which didn't work...and did nothing.

To be fair, early warning systems are very hard to get entirely right. Indonesia has had tremendous problems with its early warning system for tsunamis (it's hard to get cell phone texts to locals when earthquakes knock out the transmission towers), and California has had spotty success  genuine success in San Diego County in getting everyone out safe from wildfires in 2014 (my sister was one of them)  and bad problems in subsequent fire evacuations up north since then. The politicians there, too, like to blame wildfires on global warming instead of their own bureaucratic failures. Warning the public to oncoming catastrophes is a valid function of government, so let's just say they're falling down on the job on their legitimate functions (you had one job), while calling for more power for themselves because-global-warming. Whenever a government entity calls for more climate change legislation with accompanying government power, look for something they're hiding.

This seems to be what we are seeing in Germany now, now that the establishment is pointing to global warming while ignoring its own failures to warn.

Germans are famous for two things, and this phenomenon is instructive: one is precise, high-quality technology, and the other is grotesque overbearing bureaucracy.

In this election year for that country, guess which one won out.

Image: Max Pixel, CC0 license, public domain. Date unknown.
Who knows what song Neil Armstrong and Senator Ted Kennedy were listening to this week in 1969? My guess is "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans, a song that topped the charts, sold millions of copies, and that no one remembers. Yes, I bought the 45, but it's not around anymore. The song did make a lot of predictions:

In the year 6565

Ain't gonna need no husband, won't need no wife

You'll pick your son, pick your daughter too

From the bottom of a long glass tube, whoa

Didn't we do that in 1978? The famous "Louise Brown," the first test tube baby?

By the way, the song does not make any prediction about a guy from New York stealing a future election with Russian help. Sorry, liberals  it ain't in these lyrics, either!

Back to 1969.

Like most families, we sat around the TV and watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon.

I can remember much of it, from Walter Cronkite's countdown to the lunar landing to President Nixon's speech to the astronauts.

We remember Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins and congratulate the crew and everyone down here who made this amazing mission possible.

Wonder whatever happened to that U.S. flag and landmark that we left up in the moon?

No matter what, I was very lucky to be alive and experience one of the greatest days in world history! I was very lucky to be living in the U.S., where I could watch the whole thing. I mention this because my cousins in Cuba did not see it live on TV.

Over in Chappaquiddick, Senator Ted Kennedy was attending a party with friends and campaign workers. Here is the story:

Just after 11 p.m., Kennedy left the party with Kopechne, by his account to drive to the ferry slip where they would catch a boat back to their respective lodgings in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. While driving down the main roadway, Kennedy took a sharp turn onto the unpaved Dike Road, drove for a short distance, and then missed the ramp to a narrow wooden bridge and drove into Poucha Pond. Kennedy, a married man, claimed the Dike Road excursion was a wrong turn. However, both he and Kopechne had previously driven down the same road, which led to a secluded ocean beach just beyond the bridge. In addition, Kopechne had left both her purse and room key at the party. Kennedy escaped the car and then dove down in an attempt to retrieve Kopechne from the sunken Oldsmobile. Failing, he stumbled back to the cottage, where he enlisted Gargan and another friend in a second attempt to save Kopechne. The three men were unsuccessful; her body was not recovered. The trio then went to the ferry slip, where Kennedy dove into the water and swam back to Edgartown, about a mile away. He returned to his room at the Shiretown Inn, changed his clothes, and at 2:25 a.m. stepped out of his room when he spotted the innkeeper, Russell Peachey. He told Peachey that he been awakened by noise next door and asked what time it was. He then returned to his room.

To say the least, it became a huge scandal for Senator Kennedy. It probably ended his presidential ambitions, although he did run against President Carter in 1980.

My father and I had a long conversation one time about this years later. As he said, one man walked on the moon and became a hero forever. On the other hand, one man behaved recklessly, and a young woman drowned. Armstrong was a serious man and successfully piloted a capsule into history. Kennedy thought he was invincible and ended up destroying any chance of winning an election outside Massachusetts.

I cannot remember the moon landing without the reference to Chappaquiddick, the other big story of that week.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: National Archives.

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Amid a flare-up of OPEC tensions last week, much ink has been spilled on the supposedly fractious nature of the Saudi-Emirati relationship. We have heard prophecies of a breakdown in the longstanding alliance over the disagreement on oil production quotas. These predictions of demise are considerably premature and overlook the considerable range of issues these two countries have and continue to align on. It will take far more than a minor dispute over oil to shatter decades of friendship.

OPEC is an organization that has seen more than its fair share of arguments over the years. Barely a meeting goes by without reports of at least one member taking issue with another. When the press sensationalizes these flare-ups, it is often forgotten that the entire point of the organization is for differences to be aired and disagreements to be addressed in a structured manner. If OPEC simply folded and alliances folded every time delegates round the table failed to see eye to eye, it would not have lasted a week. Those playing up this latest dispute as triggering a major break in Gulf relations will more than likely be disappointed.

The dispute in question centers on oil production quotas, which has rumbled on since Saudi Arabia and Russia, the organization's two biggest producers, agreed in June last year to a deal that would limit output. The UAE, along with others, were reluctant adherents to the deal, given the agreed baselines failed to reflect the advances made in their production capabilities. The latest flare-up was played out more visibly than might otherwise have been expected.

However, to look into the tea leaves and see a more permanent fracture emerging is misguided. These are two countries who have been and continue to be united on the major political issues facing the region today. Concerns around Iran's funding of terror, countering extremism, and boosting economic diversification in this oil-dependent corner of the world are just some of the major topics these countries remain in firm lockstep on. Those are more than enough of a basis for a strong partnership to endure.

It is characteristic of any occasion where disagreements within a multilateral institution arise that speculation of its demise becomes rife. The U.N. Security Council has faced numerous supposed prophecies of its downfall, without there ever being a realistic prospect of that being the case. The same is very much the case here and, in fact, highlights the entire purpose of these organizations in the first place.

The very nature of cooperation on oil production means that technical disagreements and disputes are inherent in any plan of action. It's tempting for some to think of the Gulf-based oil-producing members as one homogeneous block with similar goals, ambitions, and production capabilities. However, this simply isn't the case. The Saudis, for example, have considerably larger production capabilities than their neighbors. This means that it will have a greater advantage if demand for oil begins to decline as renewables take off in earnest.

This highlights how this flare-up, despite the will of some commentators to see it as a hotly disputed disagreement between two close allies, is in fact centered on technical differences. Imagine if other global alliances, such as the U.S. and Canada or Australia and New Zealand, were to fracture over technicalities around wheat exports or cattle ranching. It simply does not reflect the reality of alliance-building and international relations.

Prophets predicting the decline of the Saudi-Emirati alliance would do well to heed this. This is a relationship based on shared security and diplomatic and cultural interests spanning decades. It is not going to be undone by one heated OPEC session. I suspect that those out there talking up the possibility of a fracture know this but are simply keen to stoke up political drama where there is little to be had. It will take considerably more than a technical disagreement over oil quotes to break one the Middle East's most enduring partnerships.

Image: Logo via Wikipedia, public domain.

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Secretary of state Antony Blinken is neither naive nor stupid. So why did he invite United Nations officials to investigate systemic racism in the United States? It cannot be for the sophomoric reason he stated:

Responsible nations must not shrink from scrutiny of their human rights record; rather, they should acknowledge it with the intent to improve.



Antony Blinken (U.S. government public domain image).

It is the responsibility of the American people and their elected representatives, not the U.N., to examine and improve, if needed, the human rights record of the U.S. An April 2021 poll shows that nearly two thirds of Americans and 90% of Republicans oppose the idea of providing reparations to the descendants of slaves, according to the results of a nationwide University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB poll. So the administration is seeking ways to affect the public's views: bring in the U.N. and supposedly world opinion.

The State Department invitation for an official visit, issued on July 13, was to the U.N. special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism and the U.N. special rapporteur on minority issues. The State Department plans to issue invitations to other U.N. experts who "report and advise on thematic human rights issues."

These other "experts" are the members of the U.N. Human Rights Council. Secretary Blinken welcomed the U.N. Human Rights Council's adoption of a resolution on July 13 that calls for action to combat systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent in the context of law enforcement.

Both of the special rapporteurs who have been invited to the U.S. signed a U.N. Human Rights Council statement last year that called for "reparative (emphasis added) intervention for historical and contemporary racial justice" around the world.

Take a look at the nations on the Human Rights Council that, on June 5, 2020, issued this report that said: "The uprising nationally is a protest against systemic racism that produces state-sponsored racial violence, and licenses with impunity this violence. ... The protests the world is witnessing, are a rejection of the fundamental racial inequality and discrimination that characterizes life in the United States for black people, and other people of color."

The current fifteen members of the U.N. Human Rights Commission are in addition to China, Russia, and Cuba, such leading lights as Bolivia, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Senegal, and Uzbekistan. France and the U.K. are the only liberal Western democracies included.

We could write the report right now, without even knowing that the U.N. Human Rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, has already endorsed reparations on July 12 after issuing a U.N. report on systemic racism in late June, which called for wide range of reparation measures.

The U.N. report will be used by the leftists and the Democrat party  but I repeat myself  as proof that a massive transfer of wealth is needed from white Americans to Americans "of color." The ideological framework for this has been made by Critical Race Theory, which alleges that all whites are by definition racist and that the American system of government is systematic racism. Since only whites can be racist, the Chinese government, a non-white government, cannot be following a racist policy against the Uighurs. The slavery of Africans today by other Africans and Arabs in Africa is a taboo subject, even though the U.N.'s International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that there are more than three times as many people in forced servitude today as were captured and sold during the 350-year span of the transatlantic slave trade. But do not expect the U.S. Human Rights Commission to address the modern slave trade of Africans by Africans and Arabs.

The U.S. is the target. The leading members on the council  China, Russia, and Cuba  will make sure that it is the U.S. that owes the rest of humanity reparations.

So no, Blinken is neither naive nor stupid. This is a carefully orchestrated political power play against the American people.

We are being set up. The U.N. Human Rights Council, with its august sounding name, will issue its report decrying systemic racism in the U.S. and calling for financial reparations, among other remedies, and the Democrats will use the authority of this world forum to bludgeon Americans into accepting a vast transfer of wealth from one group of Americans to another. It turns out that Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax and Biden's higher income tax rates are not the only things you have to fear as this administration tries to destroy the American middle class.

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Ravi Teja's Khiladi lands into Troubles:- Mass Maharaj Ravi Teja is back with a bang with Krack and the film ended up as the biggest hit in his career. He is shooting for Khiladi in the direction of Ramesh Varma. Even before completing the project, Ravi Teja announced Ramarao On Duty and commenced the shoot of the film. The latest news we hear said that Ravi Teja is not happy with Ramesh Varma's work. He allocated bulk dates for the project but the shoot is yet to be wrapped up.

As per the update we know, more than 30 days of the film's shoot is pending. Some crucial scenes on Ravi Teja and Action King Arjun are pending along with a song that is planned to be shot in Dubai. The makers too are unhappy with the mounted budget. Ramesh Varma is now pooling money from some of the distributors to complete the pending portions as the makers are not ready to invest more on the film. Ramesh Varma also announced the sequel for Raakshasudu recently.

Going with the update, Ravi Teja is in plans to return back to the sets of Khiladi only after he completes the shoot of Ramarao On Duty. The makers of Khiladi are now in plans to release the film during the mid of next year.
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(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 16 - Italian firefighters said Friday they had rescued 40 people in at Tillf south of Liege in Belgium from devastating flooding that has killed at least 126 people, mostly in Germany.

They said they were continuing their search and rescue operations in the area.

The Belgian flood death toll currently stands at 23. (ANSA).


Actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley has said she is disappointed by the Governments lack of progress in dealing with old wartime explosives at sea, almost a decade on from the death of 19 whales.

The Absolutely Fabulous star spoke out at the same time as a diver recalled the incident in 2011 in which 39 pilot whales became stranded at Kyle of Durness, in the north of Scotland, a day after three explosions at nearby Cape Wrath.

The disorientated creatures were spotted in the shallow waters, and while rescuers managed to get some of the pod back out to sea, 19 of them died after becoming stranded.

Lumley told how the mammals had died in traumatic conditions after being washed up on the beaches.

Actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley raised the issue at a meeting with Environment Secretary George Eustice (Ian West/PA)

She added: With most horrific mass strandings of this kind, it is quite difficult to know the cause. But in this instance, a government report found that, munitions disposal operations conducted in the vicinity of the Kyle of Durness the day before and during the mass stranding event (MSE) was the only external event with the potential to cause the MSE.

Lumley raised the issue at a meeting with UK Environment Secretary George Eustice, complaining that the treacle-like morass of inter-Government department bureaucracy was holding up action.

The actress, who is a spokeswoman for the Stop Sea Blasts campaign, is calling for an end to high order unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearances at sea.

She stated: It seems crazy to me that we are still using World War Two techniques to clear World War Two bombs when our modern era has given us modern techniques that cost the same and are enormously more kind to the environment and sea life.

Lumley continued: My heart goes out to the volunteers who were part of the rescue effort on that awful day and are now speaking out so bravely about their experiences.

Ten years on, it is frankly shocking and disappointing how little progress has been made to deal with underwater ordnance clearance.

Despite a positive meeting with the Secretary of State and his no doubt good intentions I have to confess that I am disappointed that the Government appears to be trapped in the treacle-like morass of inter-Government department bureaucracy rather than just cracking on with what to most people looks like a common-sense solution.

They appear to be saying that there wont be any real progress until 2022 which means more harm is likely to be inflicted on more of our sea creatures.

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Her comments came as Jamie Dyer, a rescue diver at the Kyle of Durness incident 10 years ago,told how whales of different ages from part of a pod became stranded.

He recalled: We had all facets of this pod here, older males and females, sub-adults, an unweaned calf. Whales were blowing sand through blowholes which quickly turns to internal bleeding, which then automatically rules out the chance of a refloat.

This, along with the unweaned calf, was one of the most heart-breaking rescues I have been involved in as we couldnt locate the mother so it was not viable to refloat.

He told how those trying to help the stranded creatures had very limited resources, limited manpower and too many animals weighing several tonnes on a dangerous sandbar with an incoming tide.

Mr Dyer said of that day: Hard decisions had to be made.

SNP MP John Nicolson backed calls for action, saying: Exploding bombs kill whales and other marine mammals. The mass stranding and multiple deaths in the Kyle of Durness show how much needless carnage the bombs can cause.

We know other safer methods of disarming World War bombs are possible. So there is no excuse not to make sea mammal life and the environment a priority.

A spokesman for the UK Governments Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: We absolutely recognise the impact that underwater noise from clearing unexploded ordnance can have on vulnerable marine species and we are actively exploring the use of alternative methods.

Environment Secretary George Eustice was pleased to meet Joanna Lumley and the StopSeaBlasts Campaign to discuss how we can work together to reduce the impact that clearing unexploded ordnance can have on the marine environment.

We are working at pace on this issue and the very first at-sea trials of alternative techniques will take place later this summer.
An investigation into how secret Ministry of Defence papers ended up at a Kent bus stop has found no evidence of espionage but instead blamed an individuals blunder.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told MPs: We are confident that we have recovered all the secret papers.

The papers included documents relating to the likely reaction of the Russians to the passage of the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender through waters off the coast of Crimea and to the UK military presence in Afghanistan.

The papers contained details about HMS Defenders voyage off Crimea (Ben Mitchell/PA)

Mr Wallace added: The investigation has found no evidence of espionage and has concluded there has been no compromise of the papers by our adversaries.

The papers were handed to the BBC by the member of the public who found them, and MPs have previously been told the leak appeared to be the result of a mistake by one individual who reported the loss to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The investigation has independently confirmed the circumstances of the loss, including the management of the papers within the department, the location at which the papers were lost and the manner in which that occurred, Mr Wallace said.

These are consistent with the events self-reported by the individual.

The individual concerned has been removed from sensitive work and has already had their security clearance suspended pending a full review.

For security reasons, the department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss or on the identity of the individual, Mr Wallace added.
Boris Johnson said he no longer believed all this NHS overwhelmed stuff as he resisted imposing Englands second coronavirus lockdown, leaked messages suggest.

Dominic Cummings shared WhatsApps with the BBC as he alleged the Prime Minister was reluctant to heighten restrictions because the people who are dying are essentially all over 80.

In his first broadcast interview, the hostile former chief adviser to Mr Johnson accused his one-time boss of putting his own political interests ahead of peoples lives.

Mr Cummings has repeatedly accused the Prime Minister of being too slow in imposing the second lockdown, which came into force on November 5.

The political adviser, who left Downing Street during a bitter row in November, shared a series of messages from October 15 that appear to be from Mr Johnson to aides.

I must say I have been slightly rocked by some of the data on covid fatalities. The median age is 82  81 for men 85 for women. That is above life expectancy. So get COVID and live longer. Hardly anyone under 60 goes into hospital (4 per cent ) and of those virtually all survive. And I no longer buy all this nhs overwhelmed stuff. Folks I think we may need to recalibrate, they read.

Dominic Cummings during an interview with Laura Kuenssberg (Jeff Overs/BBC)

There are max 3 m in this country aged over 80.

It shows we dont go for nation wide lockdown.

Mr Cummings said in the interview that Mr Johnsons attitude at the time was a weird mix of, er, partly its all nonsense and lockdowns dont work anyway and partly well this is terrible but the people who are dying are essentially all over 80 and we cant kill the economy just because of people dying over 80.

He also alleged that Mr Johnson was too beholden to lockdown-opposing Tories and elements of the media which convinced him the first lockdown was a mistake.

Mr Cummings claimed the Prime Minister referred to the Telegraph, which previously employed him as a journalist, as my real boss.

A Number 10 spokeswoman responded: Since the start of the pandemic, the Prime Minister has taken the necessary action to protect lives and livelihoods, guided by the best scientific advice.

The Government he leads has delivered the fastest vaccination rollout in Europe, saved millions of jobs through the furlough scheme and prevented the NHS from being overwhelmed through three national lockdowns.

The Government is entirely focused on emerging cautiously from the pandemic and building back better.

But Labours shadow health minister Justin Madders said: The revelations are further evidence that the Prime Minister has made the wrong calls time and again at the expense of public health.

The chaos, delay and incompetence at the heart of Government is costing lives and harming the economy. Boris Johnson is reckless, unfit to govern and a public inquiry cannot be delayed.

Dominic Cummings: The Interview will air on BBC Two at 7pm on Tuesday.
A teenage boy has been arrested after an incident amid filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones movie in Glasgow.

Police say the disturbance happened at Renfield Street around 3.20pm on Saturday as the cameras continued to roll on a parade scene being filmed in the city centre.

Some streets will be closed on various days for the rest of the month due to filming, with the prohibition of pedestrian movements during action in some cases.

The incident happened on Saturday as filming in Glasgow continued (Andrew Milligan/PA)

According to a list of street closures and timings on the Glasgow City Council website (https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/19741/Event-Road-Restrictions) this is the case for Renfield Street between Drury Lane and West George Street from 7am to 7pm on July 14-22.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: Officers in Glasgow arrested a 17-year-old teenage boy following a disturbance on Renfield Street around 3.20pm on Saturday, 17 July.

A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

The same restrictions will be in place for:

 St Vincent Street between Buchanan Street and Renfield Street between 8am-10pm on July 27 and 8am-7pm on July 28;

 Renfield Street between Gordon Street and West Regent Street from 8am-7pm on July 29-31;

 Renfield Street between St Vincent Street and Renfrew Street, and Sauchiehall Lane between Renfield Street and West Nile Street between 10am and 4pm on July 29.

Olivier Richters being given medical attention after falling during a scene (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Vehicle movements, waiting, loading and unloading are also prohibited across similar times and places.

Despite filming continuing on Sunday, action was brought to an abrupt halt after one of the actors took a spill performing a scene and had to be seen by an ambulance crew.

Director James Mangold could be seen instructing actor Olivier Richters on his performance, aggressively running through the band  his face contorted in mock anger  and running with his arms aloft.
The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO kicked off Friday in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, to review world heritage items online for the first time.

The session, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, is an extended one that will last until July 31 to go over the agendas of both 2020 and 2021.

The session will review candidates for entry to the UNESCO World Heritage list, including Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian Province and a global maritime trade center in ancient China.

The committee will also examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the list. It will discuss whether to remove Liverpool from the list due to waterfront developments in the city, including a new multi-million dollar stadium for English Premier League club Everton.

Also on its agenda is Australia's Great Barrier Reef, which was recommended to be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. In June, the committee said the country did not do enough to protect the world's largest coral reef system from the impacts of climate change.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the session, saying China is willing to work with all countries across the globe and UNESCO to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, promote dialogue and mutual learning, support the cause of world heritage protection, jointly safeguard the cultural and natural treasures of humanity, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

To well protect, inherit and make good use of these precious treasures is our shared responsibility, and is of vital importance to the continuity of human civilization and the sustainable development of the world, he said in the letter.

Fuzhou, the host city, has set up a live broadcast platform on the official website of the event, offering services such as delayed live stream and playback.

The session will also see a number of activities, including the World Heritage Site Managers' Forum, World Heritage Young Professionals Forum, and other side events hosted by China.

I think there is no greater thing than the concerted effort of the world to preserve its history. It's always a good thing to hold a world gathering for exchanging views and drafting plans to improve protecting our patrimony, said Albanian Ambassador to China Selim Belortaja when attending the opening ceremony.

Fuzhou is the second Chinese city to hold World Heritage Committee sessions after east China's Suzhou in 2004.

China now has 55 UNESCO World Heritage sites, ranking top in the world tied with Italy.


By APD writer Shristi Kafle

On July 13, Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Nepal.

He replaced CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli after the Supreme Court issued a mandamus to appoint Deuba as the Prime Minister following a petition filed by lawmakers, including Deuba himself.

This is the fifth time that 70-year-old Deuba is leading the government which is struggling to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to overcome its severe economic impacts.

In February 2018, Deuba had handed over the government to Oli, and now yet again he came to power taking back the cabinet key from the same person. Alike the previous tenure, Deuba has the backing of the Maoist Centre led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda in this stint as well.

But Deuba knows that there is a mountain of challenges ahead.

To start with, the new Prime Minister needs to win vote of confidence from the parliament within one month of appointment. Since the dissolved House has been reinstated after the verdict of Supreme Court, Deuba should be able to win the hearts of lawmakers as his party doesnt own a majority.

There is a sharp faction within the former ruling party, the major opposition, CPN UML led by Oli, but the chances are almost nil that they would support Deuba. It has been learnt that the disgruntled faction led by former Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has made it clear that it will not back the Deuba-led alliance.

Amid such, Deuba should be able to convince the remaining lawmakers, particularly from the Janata Samajbadi Party, to support him. For this, he has already initiated the discussions with the party leaders.

Janata Samajbadi Party already has a sharp division among its members so it is a challenge for Deuba to maintain balanced relationship. The party is yet to pick names for the new cabinet. Currently, he has formed only a five-member cabinet with the members from Nepali Congress and Maoist Centre.

Deuba can stay in power for one and a half years, until the next elections, only if he could win the vote of confidence in the House. Or else, his tenure will be limited for a month, and the House would be dissolved once again.

According to Bishnu Rijal, central committee member of CPN UML, the power is still in the court of his party. He wrote an article on Friday and opined that if the UML forged unity, Deuba has to step down within 29 days. "CPN UML lost the leadership of the government after it failed to manage the internal rift and let the foreign forces play, but the overall politics is still in its hands."

As per the provision, if the House is dissolved, the country should hold elections within six months. Earlier, the former PM Oli had announced the elections for April.

Kishore Nepal, a senior journalist was quoted in a local report, "The countrys economy is in a bad shape. We have to fight the pandemic. Deuba also needs to clear up the mess left by Oli on political, constitutional and governance fronts. He further said that coming days are very crucial for Deuba.

Former Health Minister and Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa is of view that Deuba has both challenges and opportunities ahead. He took Twitter to share, "Hope he will fulfill his responsibility by converting the challenges into opportunities.

Deuba has other challenges too, particularly fighting the pandemic, enhancing the weak health system and ensuring vaccines to all population among others. At a time when the country is in dire need of good health system, Deuba has failed to appoint the Health Minister. This move has been criticized by many.

However, he received applauds after Deuba held a meeting with the Chinese ambassador Hou Yanqi on Friday, where she announced that China will provide additional 1.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal. This has been taken as a good start of maintaining the friendly relation with the northern neighbor.

Deuba has a huge challenge of maintaining a balanced relation between the two neighbors China and India. Nepal has a trouble free relation with China, but it is yet lagging behind in implementation of Belt and Road projects, which has upset China to some extent.

On the other side, Nepal still has a major task of resolving the border disputes with India, which has surfaced since a year. Currently, the southern neighbor is being criticized for not providing the promised one million Covishied vaccines which was procured by Nepal in February. Over a million senior citizens of Nepal are yet to receive their second dose due to India's reluctance to send the vaccines.

In addition, Deuba also has an image to improve, as he is known for many controversies in the past. He was often termed as pro-India leader in the past, which has been in test once again. Many regard this as a chance to clean up his image since India has a dominant role in Nepals political scene since long.

Right after Deuba's appointment as the Prime Minister, many Indian leaders had expressed their opinions and wishes. Subramanian Swamy, a BJP leader and a former minister, wrote in Twitter, "India should right away tell the new Nepali PM designate that he must disown all the outgoing Nepal PM's anti India postures in Indian territory, Bhagvan Ram etc, otherwise India cannot support Nepal." It reflects that Deuba also has to make corrections of Oli's controversial statements and misdeeds during his tenure.

Unlike past, the new PM didnt receive any call or congratulations from the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, indicating that India is not that pleased with the latest developments in Nepal. It has also raised different speculations about Deubas challenges for the future of Nepal-India relations.

However, several Indian media reported that Deuba is an ally of India, and it is important to have Nepal along with it as it continues to have border disputes with China. Some experts claimed that Deuba might approach India seeking help to win the vote of confidence and secure his position.

Besides China and India, another challenge for Deuba-led government is to maintain the relation with the US. The controversial US project Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is yet to be endorsed by the parliament. Many regard that the MCC project has been linked with Nepals sovereignty and independence.

Surya Raj Acharya, an expert in public policy and infrastructure, is of view that the government should not pass the agreement. He shared in social media that MCC can serve as a litmus test for the performance of government. "MCC is a strategic trap in the name of aid. It should not be endorsed by the parliament at any cost," he wrote in his post.

Earlier, a taskforce formed by the government had recommended that MCC agreement can be endorsed only after few amendments.

With such different challenges ahead, many are in mode of wait and watch to observe whether Deuba could pass this test or yet again disappoint the awakened public during his fifth stint as the head of government.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
Dave Ramsey is Americas trusted voice on money and business. Hes authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the Web at daveramsey.com.
Chinese company China Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT) has developed a new missiles/rockets launcher container platform that can fire guided and unguided rockets as well as precision missile and loitering munitions also called suicide drones.

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The new Chinese-made container-type missiles/rockets launching platform. (Picture source ALIT)

China Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), is a leading state-owned defense company authorized by the Chinese government for export and import of aerospace-related weapon systems, products, and technologies.

According to exclusive information from the Army Recognition editorial team, ALIT has developed a new rockets/missile container mounted on an 8x8 Kingkan 310 truck chassis. The launcher unit is stored inside a shipping container and can be deployed as a ground missile station or on the deck of a cargo carrier. The missile system reveals itself only when the container roof opens, and the missile rises from concealment and launches.

The Chinese missile/rocket container-type platform can carry different types of launcher units able to fire WS-15 unguided rocket, WS-22 guided rocket, WS-33 precision missile, and WS-40 loitering munitions system also called suicide drone.

All the firing operations can be performed from inside of the container or in autonomous mode. The launcher unit has is equipped with automatic aiming and operation system, firing data calculation, pre-launching testing, and firing control. It has the capability to fire in single or ripple mode.

The missile can be fired from the ground or the vehicle carrier with an elevation from +30 to -55 and a direction of 120 left and right.

The WS-15 is an unguided rocket with a maximum firing range of 40 km. The WS-22 is a guided version of the 122 mm PR50 rocket with simple cascade inertial terminal guidance which has a maximum firing range of 45 km.

The WS-33 is a surface-to-surface missile that seems to be based to a Chinese-made anti-ship missile. It has a length of 3.3 m, a weight of 200 kg, and a diameter of 200 mm. It can hit targets at a range of up to 70 km/

The WS-43 is a Chinese-made loitering munition with a range from 20 to 60 km and a flight time of up to 30 minutes. Currently, GPS composite guidance technology is adopted. In the future, the Chinese Beidou navigation system with higher precision will be adopted. It can carry a 20 kg warhead. Thanks to its modular design, different warheads can be mounted on the WS-43 including anti-radiation warheads, high-explosive combustion warheads, and more.
MANSFIELD -- The Ohio Bird Sanctuary is soaring to the finish line, according to executive director Gail Laux

The Treehouse Masters are on their way to the Sanctuary, and will start the build next week.

"Watch our Facebook page and website for daily updates," Laux said. "The big reveal will be at the end of August."

Laux encourages the public to be a part of this exciting project and join the USA Today Network in supporting the Ohio Bird Sactuary through online giving and grants.

If the Sanctuary raises $3,000 through online giving, it qualifes for a grant to help cover the rising cost of lumber to finish the Treehouse-Classroom.

The Ohio Bird Sanctuary is located at 3774 Orweiler Road, Mansfield, Ohio, 44903. For more information call 419-884-4295
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Court ruling could spotlight questionable practices by health care companies doing huge business with Ohio, other states
Have you ever looked at a car and realized that it's imbued with a sense of speed and history? I've been looking at this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette for the better part of an hour now, and I can't shake the feeling that it has seen a lot of action. This is far from being a barn find, but it isn't a garage queen either. It has been under the same ownership for almost half a century now! And there's more to it than meets the eye.This vehicle was purchased new by the seller's best friend and was immediately modified for drag racing. There are a few photos of it from that time included in the ad. Just by looking at them you can't help but think that this was perhaps one of the fastest cars down the quarter-mile (402 meters) back in the '60s. One of the bidders immediately labeled it as a "true Gasser ", and I'm honestly sad that the seller didn't provide some information regarding its racing achievements.If I were to make a guess, I'd say that this was capable of doing 12-second passes. That isn't so impressive by today's standards, but let's not forget that we're talking about the '60s here. This Corvette was used for active racing duty for 11 years, before being acquired by the seller and converted to street use. While there isn't any information about the original engine that came with the car as it left the plant in St. Louis, Missouri, we do know what it's packing now.The fuel-injected 327 ci (5.4 liters) V8 that's under the hood was the most powerful engine to ever be offered with the first-gen Corvette , rated for 360 horsepower. Some more upgrades were done to it so that it could really achieve its potential. Judging by the old photos, I'd say that this was an Almond Beige model, but in 1972 it was repainted to its current burnt orange shade. A 2020 video of the car is provided in the ad, so I wouldn't be surprised if the photos are just as old.Even so, it's obvious that this car is far from being flawless, and you should have an extra budget set aside for restoring it. As you open the door you are greeted by the classic C1 Corvette interior. I can only imagine how surprised I would have been back in the day, seeing that the speedometer goes all the way up to 160 mph (257 kph).The odometer shows 97,000 miles (156,106 km), but that shouldn't matter that much if you're planning a frame-off restoration. This Corvette is currently located in Millbury, Ohio, and with six days left until the auction is over, the highest bid stands at just $12,000 . I guess that if you snatch it for under $20,000, you've got yourself a deal!
Once it went on sale, it was naturally Ferraris most powerful and fastest car to date, but also the most expensive. And, drawing a quirky parallel to a popular automotive trope, it followed in the footsteps of Henry Fords desire to have all model Ts painted black by having the entire F40 production dressed up in the companys famous Rosso Corsa from the factory.Of course, just like it was the case with the legendary right-hand-drive seven cars for the Sultan of Brunei, something happened with this particular 1989 F40 example. After all, its got a license plate that proudly signals were dealing with the unique F40 BLU, a car thats currently in the possession of Sam Moores, a well-known commercial photographer, amateur racer, socialite, and car collector.But not for long, as there are just six more hours (at the time of writing) before the 1989 Ferrari F40 dressed up in a bespoke shade inspired by Porsches Aqua Blue Metallic will find a new owner. One that didnt mind paying at least 765,500 to get this supercar parked in his or her air-conditioned classic car enthusiast garage. Yep, this bespoke F40 is about to fetch over one million dollars ($1,048,188 at the current exchange rate, to be more precise).Does anyone need the highlights to decide if the F40 is worth that much? Just look at the blue wonder... Actually, lets just recap them quickly so we forget that most of us dont have such a huge bank account  and the money to spare for its upkeep during the years to come. It has been owned since 2015 by Sam Moores and were dealing here with an early example that features wind-up windows instead of the initial sliding ones.It was first sold in Switzerland, and it traveled the world quite a bit, even ending in the possession of Liberty Walk in Japan. Then it came to the UK sporting a white-painted body kit, so it was stripped down and returned to factory specification with help from Carrozzeria Zanasi. But it also went one step further as it was repainted blue... and the rest is probably history
AMG

HP

Contacted by Autoevolution, the Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Chief of Product and Technology Communications, Koert Groeneveld , told us that they will have no less than eight premieres on display at the 2021 IAA Munich. Five of them will have battery-electric powertrains, and one will be a performance hybrid, which could be slang for the all-new Mercedes-C 63 (or is it the GT 73 ?).Lead in Electric is the message from Mercedes-Benz at the International Motor Show (IAA), which is being held in Munich for the first time, Groeneveld said. With a sense of zeitgeist and a dialogue- and experience-oriented presence, Mercedes-Benz is pursuing a strong, forward-looking image as a modern luxury automotive brand. Of a total of eight premieres, five are purely electric models and one is a performance hybrid vehicle . They show how the electrification of the entire portfolio continues to gain momentum across all brands.The Mercedes official ended his statement by saying that there might be news coming up by the end of this week, so does this mean that they will officially lift the curtain for the all-new Mercedes-AMG C 63 ? Who knows, guess well have to stay tuned for that and remind ourselves about the controversial powertrain of the model that will challenge the likes of the BMW M3.Its no surprise that it will be electrified, in a premiere, and it appears that it will use the 2.0-liter turbo-four from the modern 45 lineup, presumably pumping out 416. The electric motor, believed to generate another 197 HP, will supposedly help it boast 631 HP in total, for a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint expected to take just 3.7 seconds.The 2022 Mercedes-AMG C 63 wont sound as good as its predecessors, though the Affalterbach brand probably has an ace up its sleeve in this department. Nevertheless, with alleged plug-in capability, it is understood to be able to travel up to 40 miles (65 km) in complete silence.Its still too early to tell whether it will make its way to the United States, but if everything goes well, then it might hit production before the end of this year and arrive at European dealers in early 2022.
EV

The news of Honda's latest plans comes from the company's new CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, who took the reins this April, and he announced the manufacturer's disposition for such partnerships. As InsideEVs notes, Honda has already partnered with GM to build two models based on the American corporation's Ultium platform for electric vehicles.While it may seem like an easy decision for Honda to just team up with General Motors in this field, their partnership is focused on two new large-sized EVs that are meant to be sold in North America as 2024 models. One of them will be badged as an Acura, while the other will wear the Honda badge . Both will feature GM's Ultium platform for EVs.Previous collaborations between Honda and General Motors involve hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and autonomous driving technologies. All the above make GM probably the best partner for Honda from that standpoint, but the American corporation has dramatically reduced its presence in Europe, and it is unclear how the resulting models made by Honda and GM would be made different in the context of electrification and marketing.A distinctive design will be the starting point, but sharing powertrain components and most of the specs will make standing out difficult when compared to their "cousins" from GM.Meanwhile, Honda's plans for a future alliance are meant to involve a partner who will allow the Japanese company to lead the way with its "completely newplatform", called e:Architecture. The latter is expected to arrive at the middle of this decade (feel old yet?), which means that the manufacturer has invested a considerable amount in the development of this platform, and it would not make sense to sidetrack it in favor of something borrowed from another partner.
Back when Ford was building the 20-hp Model T that was capable of achieving a top speed around 40 mph (64 kph), elsewhere in the world speed addicts were developing automobiles that could go more than five times faster.This was the case of Carl Benz, the father of the automobile who constructed the Blitzen Benz in 1909. With a 21.5-liter engine that made 200 hp, it set a new land speed record that year averaging 126 mph (202 kph) over a distance of one kilometer (0.62 miles). Behind the wheel was French driver Victor Hemery and the feat was achieved on the Brooklands circuit in Surrey, England.A year later, driven by the conviction that they can do better than the Germans, several Fiat engineers decided to build their land speed record contender, the S76.Of course, going faster required a huge engine and what they managed to create was the embodiment of the phrase no replacement for displacement. Derived from an airplane unit, the colossal fire-spitting inline-four displaced no less than 28.4 liters (1,730.2 cu in) and produced a whopping 290 hp. It had four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder while ignition was achieved using a crank handle and BOSCH type DR4/4 high voltage magneto.The chassis featured a rigid axle suspension system with leaf springs and longitudinal struts on the rear. Brakes were only installed on the rear axle which might seem a bit dangerous nowadays but back then, safety was not on the list of priorities.The body panels were streamlined to reduce drag and were as thin as possible to improve overall weight but thanks to the humongous four-cylinder it was still extremely heavy for the era, weighing about 3,748 lbs (1,700 kg).Nicknamed the Beast of Turin, the S76 was such a monstrosity that when race driver Felice Nazzaro got to test it, he deemed it uncontrollable and never claimed back in it again.Fiat built a second car a year later and sold it to a wealthy Russian Prince named Boris Soukhanov. Shortly after receiving his beast, Soukhanov hired Pietro Bordino to drive it at Brooklands and attempt to break the land speed record. One of the most promising Italian drivers of the era, the 24-year-old accepted the challenge but when he took it to the track, it was so terrifying that he refused to go over 90 mph (145 kph).Soukhanov then hired American driver Arthur Duray to finish the job and in December 1913, in Belgium, he managed a one-way speed of 132.27 mph (213 kph), which was faster than what airplanes from that year could achieve. Unfortunately, Duray was unable to complete a return run within the time limit, so the record was never officially recognized.The first S76 remained in Fiats possession but it was dismantled soon after the First World War ended. Little is known about Soukhanov's car which, minus the powerplant, ended up in Australia in 1919. It was rebuilt and fitted with a Stutz engine, but its owner crashed it in the early 1920s while practicing for a race.The chassis somehow survived as it changed owners over the years and in 2003, it ended up in the possession of a British collector named Duncan Pittaway who began a lengthy restoration process. He discovered that the original engine from the first S76 actually survived and managed to get a hold of it. After several years of hard work that saw the double chain-drive gearbox, body, and many other components being rebuilt using the original Fiat drawings, the Beast of Turin was brought back to life.In 2015, Pittaway was invited to Goodwood where he raced the fire-spitting monster in a pre-1920 race at the famous Festival of Speed and you can see how the car performed in the video below.Even if 111 years have passed since the first one was built, the Fiat S76 is still as outrageous as it was when its gargantuan 28.4-liter was cranked up for the first time. A priceless piece of automotive history, it rose from its ashes and will continue to dazzle for generations to come.
Certainly one of the most expected new military releases this year, the Russian fighter jet promises to bring something new to the table. Rostec, the well-known giant military-industrial complex, has announced that the long-awaited aircraft will make its first appearance tomorrow, on the first day of the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon, in Zhukovsky, near Moscow. The show is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, which makes the unveiling of the new aircraft even more special.Alluding to the nations international fame in chess competitions, and to the idea of victory in combat, the name Checkmate is one of the few things that have been revealed so far. Developed by the famous aircraft maker Sukhoi, this next-generation fighter is described by Rostec as being fundamentally new.The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Rostec launched a teaser for Checkmate, that builds even more on the idea of surprise and expectations. Whats obvious is that the aircraft is targeted at the international market, with Russia being a traditional supplier of military products for countries in the Middle East, India and certain parts of Asia. A few days earlier, UAC had posted an equally-mysterious message on social media, related to Checkmate  Everything is simpler than you think.No information related to the Checkmates capabilities was presented in the video. According to the Russian media, this next-generation fighter would combine supersonic speed with a low radar signature. Coincidentally or not, the U.S. Air Force is also developing a next-generation stealth aircraft , the B-21 bomber, with nuclear capabilities and the ability to conduct unmanned operations. USAF has recently revealed another rendering of the B-21, but it looks like Checkmate will be the first to make a public appearance this year.After being shrouded in mystery, it will be interesting to see whether the Russian Checkmate really is a game-changing fighter.
The entire escape played out like something out of a spy movie, with Ghosn getting smuggled out of Japan in a large audio equipment box. Since this box was too big to be x-rayed by customs officials, Ghosn was not discovered and he eventually made his way to Istanbul via plane, before getting rerouted to Beirut.Fast forward to today, and a Toyko court has just handed down the first sentences related to Ghosns arrest and escape from Japan, thus imprisoning the two Americans that helped him out. U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor received a two-year sentence, while his son Peter will be in prison for one year and eight months, reports Reuters This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of serious crime, to escape overseas, said Hideo Nirei, the chief judge, while explaining his ruling. One year and a half has passed, but there is no prospect of the trial being held.Taylor and his son pleaded guilty and made a full apology to the court last month, stating that they regretted their role in helping Ghosn flee Japan. The pair received $1.3 million for their services, plus another $500,000 for legal fees, said prosecutors. Ghosn meanwhile faces charges for enriching himself at the expense of his employer through payments to car dealerships in the Middle East.As of right now, Ghosn is still a fugitive from the law, but he remains in his childhood home of Lebanon, where there isnt an extradition treaty with Japan. Furthermore, another former Nissan executive , Greg Kelly, is also on trial in Tokyo for allegedly helping Ghosn hide what he was doing with all that money.Both Ghosn as well as Kelly have denied the charges.
After fans spent countless hours to spot just about every pre-production 2021 Ford Bronco out there, the Blue Oval made it easier for them as it started churning out a lot of 2- and 4-Doors over at MAP (Michigan Assembly Plant). Most of them are for customers, but certain units are also landing in the hands of eager dealers and will eventually make their way into someones garage after promotional duties This Oxford White 2021 Ford Bronco 2-Door in Outer Banks guise seems to belong to the latter category, as far as we can tell based on the spotted report coming from the good folks over at bronco6g.com . And its a great example of a Bronco that could have been a lot cooler than it seems... if not for the botched attempt at mixing up disparaged elements that dont seem to work all that well together. At least thats the opinion of the community... and we tend to subscribe, with a side note.For us, the Oxford White color is great for kicking off an attempt at creating a vintage-flavored Bronco . And this unit proudly wears a set of retro decals to prove us right. But then everything is ruined with a single addition.And its not the fact that it seemed the dealer attempted to cram up on the roof every Yakima accessory it could find (including an awning!). That one bodes well for the vintage looks  since youre getting retro styling like its 1973 all over again, but also modern accessories to fulfill every summer road trip dream.Instead, just like many of the fans, our problem is with the steel fender flares. They look so out of place that its hard to focus your attention on anything else. Perhaps with the right set of chunky 37-inch tires (if not even 40s) it would get a hall pass for the added clearance...
VTOL

While JetPack Aviation only teased us with animations of the aircraft so far, we now have footage of an actual prototype nailing its first platform tests. As seen in the video posted by New Atlas on YouTube, the P1that will eventually be powered by four individual turbojet engines, does very well in its tests, thanks to JetPack Aviations flight control software, which was created by the companys team.While the P1 prototype looks nothing like the aircraft in their animation, and it is also tethered in these tests, this is nevertheless a major step forward for JetPack Aviation. The VTOL proved to be impressively stable and resilient, including with dummy loads on it and performing in 30-knot winds. The safety tether doesnt support the P1, as seen in the footage. Tests confirmed that the Speeder can takeoff, do turns, climb, and hold itself in a stable hover using LiDAR.David Mayman explained that the prototype consists of a way bigger chassis than the final product will eventually have, and this is just for testing purposes.The flying motorcycle boasts some really unbelievable features: it will be the size of a motorcycle, it will be able to take off vertically, fly at speeds over 200 mph (321 kph) and it will lift 450 lbs (over 200 kg). Youll be able to control it remotely, control it with the help of a pilot or it can be fully autonomous. It will be turbine-powered because the energy density of batteries is not reliable for such a small and capable type of aircraft.When it will finally be released (a date that we are yet to be informed about), the Speeder will first come in a version for the military and first responders. Some experimental versions will also be available but will have limitations in terms of speed and fuel capacity. As for price estimates for the Speeder, they are a staggering $380,000 per unit.
The party headed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian will control 71 seats in the 107-member National Assembly and be in a position to appoint its leadership.

I dont know if he nominated himself or anybody else nominated him, but as a result of votes, the party has decided that Alen Simonian will be our candidate for chairman of the National Assembly, Hrachya Hakobian, Pashinians brother-in-law and a member of the outgoing parliament, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Hakobian said he does not know whether Ararat Mirzoyan, the outgoing parliament speaker and another close Pashinian associate, himself chose not to continue to hold the position.

Mirzoyan kept a low profile during the recent parliamentary election campaign, raising more questions about his relationship with Pashinian. It is not yet clear whether he will be appointed to another position in the legislative or executive branch.

By contrast, Simonian attended virtually all campaign rallies by the prime minister. The 40-year-old is one of the outgoing parliaments three deputy speakers.

According to Hakobian, the ruling party has also designated two of the new parliaments three vice-speakers: Ruben Rubinian and Hakob Arshakian. Both men are affiliated with Civil Contract.

Rubinian is currently the chairman of the parliament committee on foreign relations, while Arshakian is Armenias former minister of high-tech industry. The latter resigned in March after assaulting a journalist at a restaurant in Yerevan.

The new Armenian parliament is expected to hold its inaugural session on August 2.
Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov, the deputy chief of the Russian militarys General Staff, presented the results of the four-day staff negotiations to Armenias top army general, Artak Davtian, in Yerevan on Saturday.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said Istrakov, Davtian and other officers present at the meeting discussed further directions of Russian-Armenian military cooperation. It said the two sides also signed memorandum of cooperation.

The ministry reported no details of agreements reached during the talks.

Istrakov also met with Davtian and Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian earlier in the week.

A Russian military delegation headed by Istrakov already held weeklong staff negotiations with the Armenian armys top brass in January. Harutiunian said afterwards the talks were aimed at assisting us in the reform and modernization of Armenias armed forces.

Harutiunian and the chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, discussed what the Armenian Defense Ministry described as ongoing large-scale reforms of Armenias armed forces in a July 8 phone call.

They also spoke about the upcoming round of Russian-Armenian defense talks which the ministry said will focus on bilateral programs and actions aimed at deepening Russian-Armenian military cooperation.

The Armenian government moved to step up that cooperation shortly after the six-week war in Nagorno-Karabakh stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire last November. Moscow has since deployed troops in Armenias Syunik province bordering districts southwest of Karabakh retaken by Azerbaijan during and after the hostilities.

Yerevan requested additional Russian troop deployments along Armenias border with Azerbaijan after Azerbaijani forces reportedly crossed several sections of the frontier and advanced a few kilometers into Syunik and another Armenian province, Gegharkunik, in May.

The situation at those border sections was also on the agenda of Gerasimovs call with the Armenian defense minister.
The Defense Ministry in Yerevan said its troops deployed outside the village of Yeraskh bordering Azerbaijans Nakhichevan exclave came under heavy gunfire after two days of relative calm. It said no Armenian soldiers were killed or wounded in the resulting intensive shootout.

A ministry statement warned that continued Azerbaijani truce violations would meet with a tough reaction from the Armenian side. Azerbaijans military-political leadership bears full responsibility for the escalation of the situation, it said.

Both sides reported last week fighting in the area about 70 kilometers south of Yerevan. One Armenian soldier was killed there on Wednesday as a result of what Yerevan called an Azerbaijani attempt to move closer to an Armenian border post.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry blamed the Armenian side for the skirmishes which also left at least one Azerbaijani soldier wounded.

At a meeting held in Baku earlier on Monday, Azerbaijans Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov reportedly ordered Azerbaijani army units to thwart Armenian armed provocations along the border between the two countries. Echoing a recent statement by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he said they must be prepared for another war with Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian accused Baku on Saturday of planning to provoke new military clashes in Karabakh and along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. He pointed to the armed incidents at the Yeraskh-Nakhichevan border section.

The skirmishes reported there came amid a continuing military standoff along other portions of the frontier where Azerbaijani troops reportedly advanced several kilometers into Armenian territory in May.
Presence of a high pressure ridge is typical for summer, a meteorologist says, but duration is unusual
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Mainly clear. Low 76F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 76F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Is aging a disease? Treating it like one could be worth trillions, study says
Lois Henry is the CEO and editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news publication dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley. She can be reached at lois.henry@sjvwater.org. The website is sjvwater.org.
The board of the Bakersfield City School District formally bid farewell on Tuesday to Doc Ervin, who has been superintendent since he arrived 
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  When Blue Origin launches people into space for the first time, founder Jeff Bezos will be on board. No test pilots or flight engineers for Tuesdays debut flight from West Texas, just Bezos, his brother, an 82-year-old aviation pioneer and a teenage tourist.

The capsule is entirely automated, unlike Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic rocket plane that required two pilots to get him to space and back a week ago.

Bransons advice? Just sit back, relax, look out of the window, just absorb the view outside, he said on CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Differences in quirks and rockets aside, the billionaire rivals are gearing up to launch just about anybody willing to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a brief up-and-down space hop.

A brief look at what awaits Bezos and his passengers:

BEZOS ON BOARD

Bezos created Blue Origin in 2000, a move that he said prompted his high school girlfriend to observe, Jeff started Amazon just to get enough money to do Blue Origin  and I cant prove her wrong. He has said he finances the rocket company by selling $1 billion in Amazon stock a year. Bezos caught the space bug at age 5 while watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrins moon landing on July, 20, 1969. He chose the 52nd anniversary for his own launch. Enamored by space history, Bezos named his New Shepard rocket after Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and his bigger, still-in-development New Glenn rocket after John Glenn, the first American in orbit. The 57-year-old Bezos  who also owns The Washington Post  stepped down as Amazons CEO earlier this month and last week donated $200 million to the Smithsonian Institution to renovate its National Air and Space Museum and launch an education center. To see the Earth from space, it changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity, he said. Its a thing Ive wanted to do all my life.

WHO ELSE IS FLYING

Bezos personally invited two of his fellow passengers  his 50-year-old brother Mark, an investor and volunteer firefighter, and female aviation pioneer Wally Funk. Joining them will be Oliver Daemen, a last-minute fill-in for the winner of a $28 million charity auction who had a scheduling conflict. At age 82, Funk will become the oldest person in space. She was among 13 female pilots  the so-called Mercury 13  who took the same tests in the early 1960s as NASAs Mercury 7 astronauts, but were barred because of their gender. Finally!" Funk exclaimed when offered a seat alongside Bezos. As for the Dutch Daemen  who at 18 will become the youngest person in space  his financier father bid on the capsule seat in June, but dropped out when the price soared. Blue Origin came calling just over a week ago, after the unidentified auction winner switched to a later flight. The teenage space fanatic, who starts college this fall, is Blue Origin's first paying customer; no word on what his ticket cost.

ROCKET AND CAPSULE

While Bezos won't be the first boss to ride to space on his own rocket, he can lay claim to strapping in for his companys first human launch. Hes also aiming higher, with an anticipated altitude of about 66 miles (106 kilometers) versus Branson's 53.5 miles (86 kilometers). Blue Origins 60-foot (18-meter) New Shepard rocket will accelerate toward space at three times the speed of sound, or Mach 3, before separating from the capsule and returning for an upright landing. The passengers will experience three to four minutes of weightlessness, before their capsule parachutes onto the desert just 10 minutes after liftoff. Thats five minutes less than Alan Shepards 1961 Mercury flight. Blue Origin, though, offers the biggest windows ever built for a spacecraft. Bezos purchased the desolate, parched land for launching and landing rockets. The closest town is Van Horn, population 1,832.

TRACK RECORD

Blue Origin has completed 15 test flights to space since 2015, carrying up experiments, childrens postcards and Mannequin Skywalker, the companys passenger stand-in. Except for the booster crash-landing on the first trip, all the demos were successful. One rocket ended up flying seven times and another five. The capsules also were recycled. Blue Origin deliberately aborted a couple flights after liftoff to test the emergency escape system on the capsule. The pace seemed slow compared with the competition, and many wondered why Blue Origin  its motto Gradatim Ferociter, or step by step ferociously  was taking so long to launch people. Based in Kent, Washington, the company kept fairly mum on its launch plans. Bezos finally announced its time following the last test flight in April, a dress rehearsal that saw mock passengers briefly climb aboard before liftoff. The rocket and capsule that will be used Tuesday have flown twice before.

WHATS NEXT

Blue Origin is expected to open ticket sales soon after Bezos flies and has already lined up some of the other auction bidders. The company hasn't disclosed the cost of a ride. The fourth seat on the upcoming flight was auctioned off for $28 million. Nineteen space advocacy and education groups are getting $1 million each as a result, with the rest to be used by Blue Origins Club for the Future for its own education effort. While the diminutive New Shepard is meant to launch people on brief flights to the edge of space, the mega New Glenn will be capable of hauling cargo and eventually crew into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, possibly beginning late next year. Blue Origin also has its eyes on the moon. Its proposed lunar lander, Blue Moon, lost to SpaceXs Starship in NASAs recent commercial competition to develop the technology for getting the next astronauts onto the moon. Blue Origin is challenging the contract award, as is , the other competitor.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
It has never been in our human nature to leave well enough alone. We're granted something good in life and promptly ruin it with our arrogance, never satisfied or content. We riot after our sports team wins or loses, we produced "The Rise of Skywalker," and we have now created mac and cheese-flavored ice cream.

New York City-based ice creamery Van Leeuwen decided to observe National Mac and Cheese Day (July 14, if you're wondering) by teaming up with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese to create a cold, cheesy concoction ostensibly geared toward those with pregnancy cravings or literal children. And yes, you can currently get mac and cheese ice cream right here in Houston's Rice Village at one of Van Leeuwen's scoop shops.

GRAB A SLICE: These Houston spots for regional pizza styles will satisfy your travel-starved soul

And because I believe in suffering for my art, I headed to Rice Village minutes after opening to sample this science experiment.

Abigail Rosenthal/Chron

Coincidentally, I wasn't the only one there with an apparent hunger for cheese-flavored ice cream at 11:15 a.m. on a Wednesday. Two customers ahead of me ordered scoops as I waited.

"Is it good?" a woman asked as an employee handed her a scoop of the concoction.

Her response was not heartening.

"Ehhhhhhh," said the Van Leeuwen employee, unwilling to speak ill of the $6 ball of neon orange the customer had ordered.

Abigail Rosenthal/Chron

I steeled myself and handed over my $6, thinking longingly of the pint of Creamy Creations back home in my freezer.

STAY COOL: Where to get soft serve ice cream and custard in Houston

What I received was a perfectly round, strikingly orange scoop of ice cream. I took a breath and took a bite.

It's...weird. This ice cream has notes of salted caramel and would maybe be passable if you didn't know it was modeled after a Kraft dinner. But it is modeled after a Kraft dinner, and that knowledge clouds every bite. The color, akin to the liquified cheese remnants at the bottom of a plastic bowl after a sad overcooked pasta meal, doesn't help.

And the aftertaste... the aftertaste is exactly that of Kraft Macaroni & Cheesenothing I've ever yearned for from a dessert but possibly a scientific marvel.

I didn't puke. That's the highest praise I can offer.

FRIED FAVES: 7 places to get the best hometown fried chicken in Houston

What's that quote from "Jurassic Park"? "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didnt stop to think if they should."

They might as well have been talking about this ice cream.

I can only hope that we will learn from our mistakes, but history says otherwise. My only plea is this: Let's just leave ice cream alone.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Jennifer Wollock, Texas A&M University

(THE CONVERSATION) Spying is a risky profession. For the 14th-century English undercover agent-turned-poet Geoffrey Chaucer, the dangers  at least to his reputation  continue to surface centuries after his death.

In his July 2021 essay for the Times Literary Supplement, A.S.G. Edwards, professor of medieval manuscripts at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, laments the removal of Geoffrey Chaucer from university curricula. Edwards says he believes this disappearance may be propelled by a vocal cohort of scholars who see the father of English poetry as a rapist, racist and antisemite.

The predicament would have amused Chaucer himself. Jewish and feminist scholars, among others, are shooting down one of their earliest and wisest allies. This is happening when new research reveals a Chaucer altogether different from what many current readers have come to accept. My decades of research show he was no raunchy proponent of bro culture but a daring and ingenious defender of women and the innocent.

As a medievalist who teaches Chaucer, I believe the movement to cancel Chaucer has been bamboozled by his tradecraft  his consummate skill as a master of disguise.

Outfoxing the professors

Its true that Chaucers work contains toxic material. His Wife of Baths Prologue in The Canterbury Tales, his celebrated collection of stories, quotes at length from the long tradition of classical and medieval works on the evils of women, as mansplained by the Wifes elderly husbands: You say, just as worms destroy a tree, so a wife destroys her husband.

Later, The Prioresss Tale repeats the anti-Semitic blood libel story, the false accusation that Jews murdered Christians, at a time when Jews across Europe were under attack.

These poems in particular generate accusations that Chaucer propagated sexist and antisemitic material because he agreed with or enjoyed it.

Several prominent scholars seem convinced that Chaucers personal views are the same as those of his characters and that Chaucer is promoting these opinions. And they believe he abducted or raped a young woman named Cecily Chaumpaigne, although the legal records are enigmatic. It looks as though Cecily accused Chaucer of some such crime and he paid her to clear his name. Its unclear what actually happened between them.

Critics cherry-pick quotations to support their claims about Chaucer. But if you examine his writings in detail, as I have, youll see themes of concern for women and human rights, the oppressed and the persecuted, reappear time and time again.

Chaucer the spy

Readers often assume Chaucers characters were a reflection of the writers own attitude because he is such a convincing role player. Chaucers career in the English secret service trained him as an observer, analyst, diplomat and master at concealing his own views.

In his teens, Chaucer became a confidential envoy for England. From 1359 to 1378, he graced English diplomatic delegations and carried out missions described in expense records only as the kings secret business.

Documents show him scouting paths through the Pyrenees for English forces poised to invade Spain. He lobbied Italy for money and troops, while also perhaps investigating the suspicious death of Lionel of Antwerp, an English prince who was probably poisoned soon after his wedding.

Chaucers job brought him face to face with the darkest figures of his day  the treacherous Charles the Bad, King of Navarre, a notorious traitor and assassin, and Bernabo Visconti, lord of Milan, who helped devise a 40-day torture protocol.

Chaucers poetry reflects his experience as an English agent. He enjoyed role-playing and assuming many identities in his writing. And like the couriers he dispatched from Italy in 1378, he brings his readers covert messages split between multiple speakers. Each teller holds just a piece of the puzzle. The whole story can only be understood when all the messages arrive.

He also uses the skills of a secret agent to express dangerous truths not accepted in his own day, when misogyny and antisemitism were both entrenched, especially among the clergy.

Chaucer does not preach or explain. Instead, he lets the formidable Wife of Bath, the character he most enjoyed, tell us about the misogyny of her five husbands and fantasize about how ladies of King Arthurs court might take revenge on a rapist. Or he makes his deserted Queen Dido cry: Given their bad behavior, its a shame any woman ever took pity on any man.

Chaucer the chivalrous defender

While current critiques of Chaucer label him as an exponent of toxic masculinity, he was actually an advocate for human rights.

My own research shows that in the course of his career he supported womens right to choose their own mates and the human desire for freedom from enslavement, coercion, verbal abuse, political tyranny, judicial corruption and sexual trafficking. In The Canterbury Tales and The Legend of Good Women, he tells many stories on such themes. There he opposed assassination, infanticide and femicide, the mistreatment of prisoners, sexual harassment and domestic abuse. He valued self-control in action and in speech. He spoke out for women, enslaved people and Jews.

Women want to be free and not coerced like slaves, and so do men, the narrator of The Franklins Prologue says.

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As for Jews, Chaucer salutes their ancient heroism in his early poem The House of Fame. He depicts them as a people who have done great good in the world, only to be rewarded with slander. In The Prioresss Tale he shows them being libeled by a desperate character to cover up a crime of which they were manifestly innocent, a century after all Jews had been brutally expelled from England.

Chaucers own words demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt that when his much underestimated Prioress tells her antisemitic blood libel tale, Chaucer is not endorsing it. Through her own words and actions, and a cascade of reactions from those who hear her, he is exposing such guilty and dangerous actors as they deploy such lies.

And was he a rapist or an abductor? Its unlikely. The case suggests he might well have been targeted, perhaps even because of his work. Few authors have ever been more outspoken about mans inhumanity to women.

It is bizarre that one of the strongest and earliest writers in English literature to speak out against rape and support women and the downtrodden should be pilloried and threatened with cancellation.

But Chaucer knew the complexity of his art put him at risk. As his character the Squire dryly observed, people all too often demen gladly to the badder ende  They are happy to assume the worst.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/calls-to-cancel-chaucer-ignore-his-defense-of-women-and-the-innocent-and-assume-all-his-characters-opinions-are-his-152312.
BURLINGTON, Wis. (AP)  The cost of saving Echo Lake has climbed into the millions, stirring a debate about whether the popular but deteriorated recreational spot is worth the investment.

Burlington faces a 2025 deadline to address a state determination that the dam on Echo Lake is no longer adequate to safeguard against the potential catastrophe of a major flood.

The citys choices come down to either making a substantial investment in upgrading the dam and improving the lake or removing the dam and letting the reservoir vanish into the natural flow of the White River.

City officials plan to choose a course of action later this year after engineers figure out how much it would cost to save the lake.

Mayor Jeannie Hefty says she wants to save Echo Lake and see it restored as a beloved natural resource. Hefty, however, said she is uncertain how much the project will cost  and how much taxpayers are willing to pay.

Thats for the community to decide, she said. Its a lot to look at.

Part of the answer came when engineers presented their estimate on the cost of dredging years worth of muck and pollution from the bottom of Echo Lake.

The dredging alone would require $2.5 million, the Racine Journal Times reported.

By scraping tons of sediment off the lake bottom, engineers at Ayres Associates Inc. said they could double the average depth of Echo Lake from 2 feet to 4 feet. That would not only improve water quality and recreation, but it would also increase the 70-acre lakes capacity for protection against flooding.

City officials will not decide whether to move forward with dredging, however, until they resolve the bigger question of whether to fix the dam. Another study from Ayres Associates is expected later this summer on the cost of the dam project.

If officials decide to remove the dam and dissolve Echo Lake, they would be saving the $2.5 million for dredging plus whatever the cost would be for repairing the dam.

Echo Lake has been part of Burlington since the mid-1800s, but if city officials decide against investing in improvements, the dam could be removed, allowing the lake to empty into the White River and disappear forever.

City Public Works Director Peter Riggs said all options are on the table.

If the dam is removed and the lake empties into the White River, Riggs said, officials would undertake reclamation efforts for the river, including deciding where the river should flow and what should be done with the rest of the old lake bed.

The outcome of dam removal would not look like: Take a bulldozer to the dam, wipe your hands off and walk away, Riggs said. Theres a myriad of options that might be explored.

Over Fathers Day weekend and into that following Monday, four youths were pulled from Lake Michigan and did not survive, three along Wisconsins southern shore in Racine and one on Indianas south shores in Michigan City

Echo Lake has been part of Burlington since the mid-1800s when the first dam was built from earth and brush. The current concrete dam was installed more than 50 years ago, possibly in the 1950s.

Located near the center of town, the lake has become a popular spot for fishing, boating and other recreational activities, as well as picnicking in a nearby park.

But over the course of many decades, the lake has been polluted with phosphorous and other substances, contributing to sediment buildup on the lake bottom.

In 2015, the state Department of Natural Resources said the dam no longer was adequate to protect against a catastrophic 500-year flood. State officials gave the City of Burlington 10 years  until 2025  to rectify the situation.

The citys current total annual budget is about $25 million, which includes about $7 million in property tax collections.

Even before the full cost of the project is known, debate is heating up over whether Echo Lake should be allowed to disappear into the history books.

A group has organized on Facebook under the banner Save Echo Lake & Dam, attracting more than 800 followers. One participant declared: I cannot imagine my old hometown not having Echo Lake.

At the nearby Veterans Terrace event venue, General Manager Beth Reetz said the lake and the dam are major attractions when she books weddings and other special events for the facility.

Nevertheless, Reetz said, said she is willing to wait to see the final price tag for saving the lake and to hear what alternatives exist for perhaps transforming the site into something equally as appealing.

I want it there, she said of the lake. But Im also going to stay open-minded.

Homeowner A.J. Schkeryantz, who owns property on the lakes north shore, said he bought his house specifically so he could enjoy the scenic lake views and atmosphere.

Schkeryantz said his property value would plummet if the lake suddenly vanished. Although he lives outside the city limits, he said he would happily pay higher taxes to fund whatever improvements are needed to keep the lake where it is.

It makes this area beautiful, he said. If they let this go, itd be an embarrassment to our town.
avid_creative, Contributor / Getty Images

A fatal wreck Monday morning at the Causeway Bridge on Pleasure Island left two people dead and closed the roadway for much of the day, according to the Port Arthur Police Department.

Around 7:15 a.m., officers from the Port Arthur Police Department responded to a major motor vehicle crash at the foot of the Causeway Bridge/Texas 82 on Pleasure Island, according to the department. Police confirmed that two people died as a result of the crash, which involved two commercial vehicles. But the victims identities and other additional details were limited.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Recordings of 911 calls after an oceanfront Florida condominium building collapsed in the middle of the night show disbelief, panic and confusion as people tried to comprehend the disaster.

"Oh my God! The whole building collapsed! one caller said to a dispatcher at the Miami-Dade Police Department, which released the recordings Wednesday from the June 24 collapse of Champlain Towers South. The names of the callers were not released.

Weve gotta get out. Hurry up, hurry up. Theres a big explosion, a second caller said. Theres a lot of smoke. I cant see anything. We gotta go. I cant see nothing but smoke.

At least 97 people died in the collapse, and a handful of others are still missing. A cause has not yet been pinpointed, although there were several previous warnings of major structural damage at the 40-year-old building in Surfside.

One 911 caller, a woman, said she saw what appeared to be a large depression near the swimming pool, which had concrete problems that investigators are looking into as they try to identify a cause.

I woke up because I was hearing some noise. I couldnt understand what was happening. I looked outside and I saw the patio area sinking down. The pool area started sinking down, the caller said. "There are many parts of the building that went down. The building just went into a sinkhole. There will be many, many people dead.

Yet another female caller said she was stuck near the building parking garage and needed help. Part of the condo remained standing after the collapse but was taken down later by a demolition crew.

Can somebody help me get out, please? If the building comes down, it will come down on my head, the caller said.

Release of the calls Wednesday came as a judge approved the sale of the oceanfront property, with proceeds intended to benefit victims of the deadly disaster.

At a hearing, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman ordered that the process begin to sell the site of Champlain Towers South, which could fetch $100 million to $110 million according to court records.

The court-appointed receiver handling finances related to the condo, attorney Michael Goldberg, said the judge wants the sale to move quickly.

He wants us to start exploring a potential sale, Goldberg said of the judge in an email. He did say he wants the land to be sold and the proceeds to go directly to the victims as soon as possible.

Goldberg said the decision did not necessarily preclude a buyer from turning at least a portion of the site into a memorial, as some people have advocated. Other survivors want the structure rebuilt so they can move back in.

Hanzman's ruling came as part of a series of lawsuits filed in the wake of collapse. The judge put the lawsuits on a fast track and authorized Goldberg to begin disbursing Champlain Towers insurance money to the victims and families.

The judge also approved returning $2.4 million in deposits that some Champlain condo owners had already made toward an assessment to pay for $15 million in planned major repairs.

In nearby Miami Beach, residents of an 82-year-old, two-story apartment building were ordered to evacuate because of concrete deterioration. The city ordered the evacuation of Devon Apartments on Monday and is giving residents until next Monday to leave the building, city spokeswoman Melissa Berthier said in an email Wednesday.

The apartment building is about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from Champlain Towers South.

After the collapse, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava ordered an audit of all buildings over 40 years old. A condominium in nearby North Miami Beach also was ordered evacuated over safety concerns shortly after that audit started.

The collapse left officials around the county grappling with concerns about older residential buildings.

Manny J. Vadillo, an attorney who represents the owners of the Devon Apartments, told WTVJ that they have worked diligently with the city since deciding in May to demolish the building by December.

He said they have started to vacate the building in an orderly fashion, adding that 14 people remained inside. He said the owners are helping residents move.

My clients are extremely sensitive to safety and, in fact, visited the property several times since last week to speak with tenants when communications started with the city to ensure tenants were not caught by surprise, Vadillo said. Some tenants have been there many years.

Resident Esmart Romero told WSVN that he was not surprised the city deemed the building unsafe.

If you look at the condition of this apartment, its not good, Romero said. You get what you pay for.

___

Anderson reported from St. Petersburg and Frisaro from Fort Lauderdale. Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in Orlando, David Fischer and Kelli Kennedy in Miami, and R.J. Rico in Atlanta contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace. They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.

The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that targeted victims  including in the U.S.  with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials also alleged that criminal contract hackers associated with China's Ministry of State Security have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the MSS in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of targeting trade secrets and confidential business information, including scientific technologies and infectious-disease research.

Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination shaming as sending an important message, even if no single action can change behavior.

President Joe Biden told reporters the investigation's not finished, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out future consequences for China, saying, "This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia.

Even without fresh sanctions, Monday's actions are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in Chinas western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.

The administration also advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.

The European Union and Britain were among the allies who called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the blocs 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage.

The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace. The alliance said it was determined to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats.

That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was the kind of aggressive behavior that we're seeing coming out of China.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement that the U.S. has repeatedly made groundless attacks and malicious smear against China on cybersecurity. Now this is just another old trick, with nothing new in it. The statement called China "a severe victim of the US cyber theft, eavesdropping and surveillance."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct, the official said.

Dmitri Alperovitch, the former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said the announcement makes clear that MSS contractors who for years have worked for the government and conducted operations on its behalf have over time decided  either with the approval or the blind eye of their bosses"  to start moonlighting and engaging in other activities that could put money in their pockets."

The Microsoft Exchange hack that months ago compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world was swiftly attributed to Chinese cyber spies by Microsoft.

An administration official said the government's attribution to hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security took until now in part because of the discovery of the ransomware and for-profit hacking operations and because the administration wanted to pair the announcement with guidance for businesses about tactics that the Chinese have been using.

Given the scope of the attack, Alperovitch said it was puzzling that the U.S. did not impose sanctions.

They certainly deserve it, and at this point, it's becoming a glaring standout that we have not, he said.

He added, in a reference to a large Russian cyberespionage operation discovered late last year, "Theres no question that the Exchange hacks have been more reckless, more dangerous and more disruptive than anything the Russians have done in SolarWinds.

___

Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan in London and Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia

(THE CONVERSATION) Im here to get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse, Britney Spears told a California court on July 14, 2021. She said that he was ruining her life, and in previous testimony she claimed that a team led by her father controlled her schedule, prevented her from having another baby and bullied her.

She may soon get her wish after the judge in the case said she could hire her own lawyer, former prosecutor Mathew Rosengart, who plans to file paperwork soon to end the conservatorship on her behalf. To terminate a conservatorship, California law simply requires the filing of a petition demonstrating that it is no longer required.

Spears case is unusual: Conservatorships are typically not imposed on someone who doesnt have severe cognitive impairments, and Spears has toured the world, released four albums and earned US$131 million, all while deemed legally unfit to manage her finances or her own body.

But it does illustrate how easily conservatorships can be abused  which is one reason some members of Congress are considering ways to reform the state-run system.

What is a conservatorship?

I teach about conservatorships in my course on aging and law and have written extensively about the parent-child relationship.

Conservatorships are legal arrangements that give a third party control over someone else. They can be imposed only by a court, and only a court can terminate them. The person put in charge of the persons affairs is called the conservator, or the guardian in some states.

Conservatorships have been around for centuries and are critical legal mechanisms to help people  often older persons with dementia or other neurocognitive disorders  who are considered unable to care for themselves or their finances.

Conservators are subject to court oversight and are typically required to submit annual reports to the court. And California law  which is similar to the rules in most states  requires the court to monitor each conservatorship to protect against abuse and ensure that the conservator is acting in the best interests of the subject.

Conservators often have broad powers

Jamie Spears has been a conservator for his daughter since he was appointed to this role by a California court in 2008 and has reportedly received at least $5 million in fees.

He has served as both the conservator of the person  able to make decisions about his daughters personal needs, including medical decisions  as well as that of her estate  able to make financial decisions for her. Currently, he serves only in the second role, while Jodi Montgomery, a licensed personal fiduciary and care professional, is Britney Spears conservator of the person.

While the standard in many states is to impose the fewest restrictions so the person retains the most rights possible, the powers of a conservator can be broad. And the person subject to one may lose the right to marry, make a will, vote or consent to medical treatment.

And imposing a conservatorship is not supposed to be easy. California requires clear and convincing evidence that one is necessary. The law also states that the individual has the right to be represented. The one imposed on Spears, however, was done quickly.

Conservatorship abuse and anemic oversight

Broad powers and anemic oversight make conservatorships subject to multiple forms of abuse, ranging from the imposition of unnecessary restrictions on the individual to financial mismanagement. Nothing can be done if no one finds out about the abuse.

A 2010 U.S. government report identified hundreds of allegations of physical abuse, neglect and financial impropriety by conservators. Most of them related to financial exploitation, and that, in turn, often meant that the victims family was affected, losing not just expected inheritances but also contact with the person subject to the conservatorship.

A 2017 New Yorker article on abusive guardians highlighted the case of April Parks, who was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for financial conduct related to numerous conservatorships she handled. She was also ordered to pay more than half a million dollars to her victims.

But beyond these anecdotes, no one even knows the magnitude of the problem. Thats because conservatorships are subject to state law, and each state handles the imposition of them as well as data collection differently. And a 2018 Senate report found that most states are unable to report accurate data on conservatorships.

The National Center for State Courts estimated in 2016 that 1.3 million adults in the U.S. are subject to some kind of conservatorship  representing about $50 billion in assets  but a previous report suggested the number of cases could be more than double that.

Theres virtually no data on how often conservators misuse their power or when a conservatorship has been improperly imposed.

Free Britney may lead to reforms

However, this may begin to change, thanks to growing publicity of the issue.

Last years Netflix movie I Care a Lot told the story of a fictionalized abusive guardian played by Rosamund Pike, who won best actress at the Golden Globe for the role. And a 2020 episode of the investigative series Dirty Money profiled what it alleged was guardian abuse by several lawyers, including one who subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming defamation.

And in February 2021, The New York Times aired Framing Britney Spears, which documented her yearslong struggle under the conservatorship. Times reporters also exposed confidential court records that showed Britney Spears has been unhappy with her father since at least 2014. A court investigator in 2016, for example, wrote that the conservatorship had become an oppressive and controlling tool against her.

Now, members of Congress as ideologically opposed as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren have joined the Free Britney cause and are pushing for conservatorship reforms and more data on the legal arrangements.

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While states have made some improvements, such as urging more autonomy for conservatees and less restrictive alternatives to conservatorships, reform advocates such as Syracuse law professor Nina Kohn say more is needed to protect the rights of individuals and prevent abuse, including stronger oversight.

Spears may soon find herself free of her conservatorship. Regardless, her situation has already put a spotlight on the potential for abuse  and it may lead to a better system for those who genuinely need the assistance.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/why-conservatorships-like-the-one-controlling-britney-spears-can-lead-to-abuse-164617.
Talk of a possible third booster shot for the COVID-19 vaccine has added further confusion to the national debate over this life-saving medicine, but people who havent been vaccinated yet shouldnt be misled by that. They should be focused on getting their first vaccination shot  or if they had that, the second followup shot for the Moderna or Pfizer versions. Unvaccinated folks  and everyone else, frankly  can worry about a third booster shot when or if that is recommended.

And thats a key point to remember. Even though Pfizer is planning to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, researchers still dont know if it will be needed. Additional booster shots for vaccines are common, such as every year, and many scientists believed that this practice could eventually include the Covid vaccines.

Some studies showed that the initial vaccinations from the big three  Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson  were quite effective and might protect patients for several years, possibly a lifetime. But later studies have suggested that an additional booster shot could be helpful this fall or winter to boost immunity and perhaps ward off the worrisome delta mutant of the coronavirus.

All this will be sorted out in the coming months. Vaccinations boosters are not unusual, and none of this undermines the safety of the existing vaccines. They have been proven to very effective in their main goal  preventing people from getting sick or dying from the coronavirus. Even if the vaccines cause some minor side effects in some people, such as sore arms or short-term fever, thats a small price to pay for the peace of mind you get in being safe from this deadly disease.

It has already killed 625,000 people in the country, including more than 51,000 Texans. Just this week it also passed another grim milestone  more than 4 million deaths worldwide.

With the vaccines available in this country, no American has to worry about being included in that terrible toll. Doctors have noted that almost every one getting hospitalize because of the coronavirus, or dying from it, is someone who has not been vaccinated. In some nations, the vaccines are not widely accessible and their residents are exposed to a risk they cant avoid.

Fortunately, thats not the case in Texas or any U.S. state. Public health authorities are virtually begging the unvaccinated to take that step, reaching out with mobile clinics or even offering prizes and incentives. If that motivates someone to get vaccinated, thats fine.

But the bottom line is that these shots save lives, and the possibility of booster shots is months away  and may not even be necessary. We may be discussing a third shot in 2022, but this year, the focus must remain on that all-important first one.
The second week of the walkout by Texas House Democrats has begun, and now the real questions are coming into focus? Who blinks first?

Will Democrats back down at some point and return to Austin, sitting glumly in their seats as the Republican bills on voting restrictions advance through the House and Senate? Or will the Democrats hang tough and force Republicans to modify - or even withdraw? - the bills this year?

The real answer is that no one knows now, and not for a while. The House Democrats will probably remain out of state until Aug. 8, when the current special session ends. If they do that, the bills cant be passed because the House doesnt have a quorum - the whole point of this and other walkouts. But after that, the whole issue gets dicier  and nastier.

Gov. Greg Abbott can call as many special session as he wants, and only he can determine the agenda for them. He is almost certainly going to follow this session with another in August, maybe even the day after the current one ends.

Democrats could, in theory, continue to boycott them and deprive the House of a quorum. But at some point, that becomes practically and politically difficult, if not impossible.

Living away from their family for weeks on end is tiring. Even if they have the moral high ground for now for taking what they consider a principled stand, they literally cant stay out of Texas forever. At some point more and more Texans will want them to return, and they will look stubborn if they dont. They can either go the House chamber willingly, or be hauled there by DPS troopers.

House Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont could also theoretically order the House doors locked so they cant escape again. Then, presumably, Republicans would push through the bills in question.

This is, after all, how previous walkout ended. In 2003 Texas Democrats fled the state to Oklahoma to protest GOP plans to gerrymander electoral districts. Eventually they came back, and the GOP-friendly district lines became law.

That, incidentally, is a key point here. Abbott is also going to call a special session this year for the Legislature to redraw electoral districts based on data from the 2020 census. And yes, those new district lines will be carefully crafted to maximize GOP chances and minimize Democratic chances - just as Democrats would do in reverse if they had the votes in the House and Senate.

But having played the walkout card once, Democrats really cant put it on the table again. And in the grand scheme of things, the redistricting battle is more important for them than this problematic voting bill.

That bill is designed to make it harder for people to vote in ways that Democrats would prefer. But while its bad, it isnt as bad as some Democrats are making it out to be. It actually does improve voter access in a few ways. And at the end of the day, Texans can still vote, even if its a little more inconvenient in some places.

The redistricting, however, will affect the campaigns for Texas state House and Senate seats in 2022 as well as congressional districts, which Texas now has four more of thanks to continued population growth. And those district boundaries will be in effect for every state and federal election in this decade, until the 2030 census occurs and the 2031 Legislature draws new boundaries.

The redistricting that occurs this year will help keep Texas red throughout the decade, though of course Democrats could reverse that trend if they get enough votes - as they have been in recent elections.

To wrap all this up, right now it looks like a win-win for Texas Republicans. They will eventually get the voting bill passed, and after that, they will begin their once-a-decade exercise in creative map-making. Democrats wont like any of this, and in fact they will hate it. But they dont have the votes in the state House or Senate to stop it.

Their only hope - and its a plausible one - is that voters will be so angered by GOP actions that Texas turns more blue in next years state and federal elections.

If youd like to know how that turns out, well all have to wait and see. Even the best crystal ball can project that far ahead. But if you think those campaigns will be intense and bitter, featuring a lot of sharp elbows under the basket, you would be correct. All candidates are advised to wear a mouth guard.

Thomas Taschinger, TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com, is the editorial page editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Follow him on Twitter at @PoliticalTom
Sandeep Jauhar, New York Times bestselling author and doctor, once said "The only mistake you can make is not asking for help."

Think about that. If you are anything like me, you struggle to ask for help when you need it. Its something a lot of humans battle with. You don't want to be a burden on others, are afraid to speak up, or want to prove you can do it yourself.

You dont ask for help when you dont know how to do something or cant manage it on your own, because you might be afraid of looking stupid or incompetent. You might pretend like you know what youre doing when youre really drowning. Perhaps you think asking for help is a sign of weakness; that if you ask for help youre admitting youre inadequate in some way; that you lack knowledge, skill or experience to do something yourself. You dont want anyone to see that youre struggling and you want people to think that youre in control and can handle things.

There are tons of reason you won't ask for help, but to not do so can be a mistake. You get in your own way if you make asking for help mean something negative about you when it doesnt. Asking for help doesnt mean youre stupid or inadequate, it simply means you need help with something specific for a time.

Confident people often ask others for help. They do so not only because theyre secure enough to let it be known they need help, but they know that trying to do everything themselves is not always the best use of their time, skills or energy. They recognize it can leave them feeling overwhelmed and stressed and then they cant do things properly. Confident people find someone whos good at what they need to learn or get done and then ask for their help and guidance. They know that asking, Can you help me? shows respect for the other persons knowledge and abilities. Otherwise, they wouldnt ask.

Here are some of the ways you are holding yourself back by not asking for help, and how you can overcome it.

Accepting help leads to empathy.

Your ability to seek help will allow you to be emphatic when the tables are turned. If you get the help you need now, for whatever reason, later on in life you might be able to assist in helping a friend when they need it. As we realize the strength in our ability to ask for help, lets use the fruit of that harvest to become a blessing in the lives of others. If a friend gave you a ride one day, offer a ride to someone in your life who is in need. If your brother gave you his time as you talked through a crisis, dont hesitate to be there for him when the time comes. Without a need for recognition or without a need for praise, freely share the generosity you have received.

They love you more than you know.

Do you hesitate to ask your friends and family for help because you dont want to be a burden? Dont be afraid to ask; they want to be there to help you as you have been there for them. Researchers found that we are appreciated and cared for more than we know. When asked if they perceived a peer in a positive or negative light, the descriptive adjectives people used to characterize others were overwhelmingly positive. They want to be that supportive friend for you, but you have to let them.

Everyone needs help.

Everyone will need help. From parents to presidents, everyone has needed some assistance. You dont have to face life alone. We all have people in our lives willing to help from friends, classmates, roommates, co-workers, boyfriends, girlfriends to parents and professors. No one is alone. You are not the first, and you wont be the last, person who needs assistance from people they love. So ask! It takes courage to admit you need help so be brave. You can do it. It might be scary, but it is worth it. It is so easy for people to down play their need for help. You don't have to brush it under the rug.

Strength comes from your vulnerability, and being able to step outside of your pride, your protective shell, your fear and say, I need help. Strength comes from letting go of what youve been taught, the way youve been raised, the beliefs you have ingrained in your mind, and knowing that sometimes you need a friend alongside you, helping to carry those burdens that have been weighing you down for so long.

Professionals have credentials for a reason.

Sometimes you need a little guidance or a bit of advice from someone who actually knows there stuff. This can be a doctor, a therapist, a pastor, a librarian, or even a grocery store clerk. They are working in their respective jobs because they have whatever knowledge is necessary to help the company be successful. A librarian will be able to tell you where a book is, and a grocery store clerk could help you pick out a yummy meal. Doctors and therapists went to schools for a decade to be able to provide you with the care you need to be healthy. It's OK to admit that you don't know it all, because you haven't be trained in those areas. It doesn't matter how independent you are, because Google can only tell you so much.

It can be hard to ask for help when you need it the most, but at the end of the day you are doing yourself an injustice by not speaking up for yourself. There are people in your world who do genuinely care and want to offer a helping hand. You just have to put your ego aside and trust they want to.
Indonesian health workers remove the body of a COVID-19 victim who died while isolating at home in Bandung, West Java, July 18, 2021.

Soaring coronavirus infections in Indonesia were fast approaching the 3 million mark Monday as a medical association warned that the health-care system was teetering and government officials had yet to announce whether they were extending a partial lockdown in Java and Bali.

Indonesia recorded 1,338 fatalities from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, a new single-day record that pushed the pandemics death toll in Southeast Asias most populous country to close to 75,000, according to Health Ministry data. The wave of infections have been driven by infections from the highly contagious Delta variant, officials said.

On Sunday, the Indonesian Medical Association said that at least 114 doctors had died from COVID-19 since the start of July. In addition, at least 445 nurses had died from of the virus during the pandemic, it said.

We are worried that we are on the brink of a collapse, just looking at the number of deaths among doctors, Mahesa Paranadipa, the head of the associations mitigation team, told an online discussion.

The nation has recorded 2.91 million cases of COVID-19 since the virus was first detected here in March 2020, but more than 350,000 were confirmed in the past week alone, according to the Health Ministry. While new infections fell to 34,257 on Monday, the previous seven-day average was 13 times higher than the same figure for the week ending May 15, 2021.

Hermawan Saputra, a member of the Indonesian Association of Public Health Experts (IAKMI) said the decline in positive cases might not reflect a downward trend.

From an epidemiological perspective, cases could continue to rise and could still break records at least until next week, Hermawan told BenarNews.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi said officials met Monday night to discuss emergency restrictions imposed on July 3 on Java and Bali islands and on July 6 in 15 regencies and municipalities elsewhere, but did not come to an agreement. The restrictions were due to expire on July 20.

Just wait. It expires tomorrow and there will be a decision whether to extend or not, Siti told reporters on Monday.

Dicky Budiman, an Indonesian epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, said the government should extend the lockdown for the next two weeks to save the health system.

Our health facilities are extremely strained. The death rate is also still high. If it is not extended, the situation will worsen, Dicky told BenarNews.

Instead of relaxing restrictions, the government should take a hardline stance against COVID-19, Dicky said.

The government should aim for 1 million tests and 1 million vaccinations daily and impose restrictions at entry points, he said.

Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas urged people from the Muslim majority to abide by the governments order not to hold public prayer gatherings on the Eid-ul-Adha holiday, or Day of Sacrifice, which falls on Tuesday in Indonesia.

Lets uphold the sanctity of life. Stay at home to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, he said in a televised address.

Indonesian Muslims gather at a market in Bogor to buy goats and cows to be sacrificed for the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha festival, July 19, 2021. [AFP]

Bed shortages

At least 527 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died while self-isolating at home between June 25 and July 15, according to LaporCOVID-19, a volunteer group that tracks pandemic data. Bed shortages caused by the explosion in positive cases forced hospitals to turn away patients.

Still, things could be looking up, health authorities said on Monday.

In West Java, home to the majority of those who died while self-isolating, the hospital occupancy rate has fallen to 80 percent from around 91 in early July, the head of the provincial coronavirus task force, Daud Achmad, told the state-run Antara news agency.

Hospital occupancy has consistently decreased since the emergency restrictions were enforced, he told Antara.

The capital Jakarta has seen more spaces for patients after authorities converted the Hajj dormitory into a COVID-19 emergency hospital with 1,000 beds, Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said on Saturday.

This may be due to the significant addition of beds. We hope that in the next few days there wont be too many patients, Dante told a virtual press conference.

COVID-19 patients may be able to breathe because of 30,000 oxygen concentrators being sent to hospitals, the ministry said. A shortage of oxygen was blamed for dozens of deaths at a hospital in the central Java city of Yogyakarta earlier this month.

Declining confidence

Meanwhile, a survey released on Sunday suggested that public confidence in President Joko Jokowi Widodos handling of the COVID-19 pandemic fell to 43 percent, from 56.5 percent in February.

The Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) poll conducted in June, at the onset of the explosion in infections, involved 12,000 respondents.

In June, for the first time, the level of confidence in the president was below 50 percent, said Djayadi Hanan, executive director of the polling firm.

Nabil Ahmad Fauzi, head of the political department of the opposition Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), urged the government to prioritize handling the pandemic instead of focusing on economic concerns.

We call on the president and other government institutions to be more serious in doing their jobs, he told BenarNews.

Indonesian volunteer motorcyclists escort an ambulance carrying the body of a COVID-19 victim on its way to a cemetery to on the outskirts of Jakarta, July 11, 2021. [AP]

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association warned that 400 restaurants in the greater Jakarta area could close permanently if the lockdown is extended, CNN Indonesia reported.

The associations deputy chairman, Emil Arifin, predicted those restaurants could lose a combined 5 trillion rupiah (U.S. $343.8 million) during the pandemic.

Five restaurant groups alone stand to lose 1 trillion ($68.8 million) during the pandemic, maybe more, he said.

The Indonesian Trade Union Association (Aspect) said many companies had been forced to lay off workers during the pandemic.

You can imagine, even the middle classes are struggling, let alone people in the lower class, Aspect president Mirah Sumirat said.
Activists place dummy corpses of COVID-19 victims in front of a Malay banner that says We Die in Rebellion, and Come Out and Fight, as they call for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassins resignation over his perceived failure to stem the pandemic.

Many Malaysians are upset and irate about what they see as confounding and endless pandemic-related lockdowns, combined with unseemly political wrangling, as their country reels from the COVID-19 health crisis and its economic fallout.

Public resentment is growing against the members of the broad ruling coalition, some of whose politicians have made insensitive comments about the hardships that people are going through, and have flouted pandemic restrictions with minimum fallout.

On top of that, Malaysians stress levels are rising due their being cooped up at home, or losing much-needed income, or both, due to the lockdowns  with record-breaking infections in the latest shutdown  as mirrored by hundreds of citizens comments on Twitter.

I just cant do anything. I just cant stand being locked at home anymore, my parents are arguing almost every day, a Malaysian user with the Twitter name Comelgebugebu, said recently on the social media platform.

It has been months, it is getting very tiresome. Please, I am so fed up with this world!

In a move to kick-start the pandemic-battered economy, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a fourth stimulus round last month, of 150 billion ringgit (U.S. $36.2 billion), which included 10 billion ringgit in cash handouts for middle- and low-income households by the end of this year.

That, however, has failed to dispel Malaysians anger, as 36-year-old Rahimah Ramli made amply clear.

Thanks for the aid, but people just need to get back to their normal life. I do, Rahimah, a vegetable vendor and mother of two, told BenarNews.

Deserted roads are seen during a COVID-19 lockdown, in Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 13, 2021. [Reuters]

The stress has already taken a toll on Malaysians mental health, said psychiatrist Norliza Chemi, who is seeing rising anxiety- and stress-related illnesses, especially depression.

Even the lockdown itself could trigger anxiety because people are made to stay at home, thus in general we are seeing soaring cases of mental illness, Norliza, who leads Kajang Hospitals Psychiatry and Mental Illness Department, told BenarNews

More and more confusing SOPs

Complicated lockdown protocols  and conflicting government statements on it  have contributed to peoples anxiety and anger.

These restrictions are called standard operating procedures, or SOPs, and Malaysia institutes several levels of SOPs  each with their own initials  that can confound even the most dyed-in-the-wool bureaucrats.

More and more confusing SOPs ...MCO3.0 vs FMCO vs Phase 1 vs EMCO Phase 1 vs Phase 2? Who am I?  Where am I?  I dont know about other countries, but Im pretty sure Malaysia has the most complicated and confusing panjang lebar [long and tedious] SOP. #KerajaanGagal, one exasperated Malaysian said on Twitter earlier this month.

#KerajaanGagal, or failed government, is a social media campaign that has been among Malaysia top Twitter trends since April. Thats when it became clear that an emergency imposed by Muhyiddin, purportedly to contain the pandemic, had not resulted in a drop in COVID-19 infections.

When the campaign began, Muhyiddin had not imposed a strict lockdown, which many were calling for. He finally did so on June 1, but new infections kept rising.

On Monday, the Southeast Asian nation reported close to 10,972 new COVID-19 infections  slightly lower than last Thursdays 13,215  with the cumulative caseload inching close to a million.

With 129 virus-related deaths  following a record high 138 on Saturday  pandemic fatalities rose to 7,148.

Like activist and lawyer Lim Wei Jet, many Malaysians are wondering what is going on.

A lockdown is supposed to (a) reduce the number of infections & (b) buy time for our healthcare system. Neither is working  numbers are skyrocketing, our healthcare system is collapsing. How long more must the rakyat [public] tolerate this #KerajaanGagal? rights activist and lawyer Lim Wei Jet asked on Twitter last week.

A woman wears a mask as she looks outside her home during an enhanced lockdown, in Kuala Lumpur, July 3, 2021. [Reuters]

Use science-based information

Critics note that when the so-called strict lockdown was imposed on June 1, all businesses were ordered shut, except those in 17 essential sectors. In addition, more than a dozen manufacturing sectors were allowed to continue operating at 60 percent capacity.

Allowing these sectors to operate during the purported strict lockdown has generated a lot of debate and bitterness, Munir Majid, chairman of the independent think tank CARI ASEAN Research told National Public Radio in the U.S. recently.

Some people are saying, What lockdown, when you allow 92,000 companies to continue to operate? And so many workers continue to go to work, he said.

In late June, Mohamed Azmin Ali, the minister of trade and industry, said it was unfair to say that workplaces were the main contributors of new infections.

[T]he number of positive cases recorded from the manufacturing sector and factories are between five to 10 percent only. So, its not right to place the blame on the economic sector, specifically on the manufacturing sector, local press reports quoted Azmin as saying.

But the problem isnt the number of workers who get infected, its the numbers of people the workers infect when they go back home to cramped living quarters, said Ong Kian Ming, a former deputy minister at Azmins ministry.

Halijah Naemat, 74, puts away a white flag after she received help from others at her home during an enhanced lockdown, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia July 6, 2021. [Reuters]

A delusional prime minister

Malaysia is not alone in grappling with a debilitating pandemic, but what is happening in the country alongside the pandemic has fueled Malaysians anger, political scientist Bridget Welsh noted in an essay on Sunday in East Asia Forum.

[W]hat makes this crisis different is how it is playing out politically. Malaysia is arguably experiencing its largest broad crisis since the 1969 racial riots, Welsh said in her essay titled Pandemic failures will transform Malaysian politics.

Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the unelected Muhyiddin government, which has a razor-thin majority in parliament, has been focused on maneuverings to survive rather than to stem COVID-19 infections.

In January, when the king imposed an emergency on Muhyiddins advice, the PM also suspended parliament.

So not only has the government ignored opposition entreaties on the lockdowns and vaccine policy, it has also actively ignored health experts recommendations, Azman said.

The people are of the view that politicians are still playing with politics to gain power while the COVID-19 infection is worsening, which has distracted the government from properly managing the pandemic, he told BenarNews.

A police officer checks a drivers papers at a roadblock during a lockdown ahead of the Eid celebrations, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, May 10, 2021. [Reuters]

It isnt only social media-savvy Malaysians who are upset with the government.

Vegetable vendor Rahimah, for instance, said she had lost respect for politicians.

Politicians are only bothered about themselves. All they care about is how to look after their own interest and their cronies, she told BenarNews.

Welsh agreed.

There has been a growing perception that those in power dont care, she wrote.

Ministers have been serial offenders of health protocols, accepting modest fines while imposing devastating penalties on ordinary citizens.

Welsh was referring to photographs and videos showing various ministers without masks, dining with friends in restaurants and the like, and being given little to no punishment for their violations, even as ordinary Malaysians are fined heavily for lesser violations.

In addition, comments made by members of the ruling coalitions parties have not endeared them to average Malaysians.

For example, Muhyiddin and senior Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) member Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Azizs comments on an initiative called the White Flag movement were widely criticized.

The White Flag citizens initiative urged Malaysians in need to fly a white flag on their houses if they were desperate for food or medicines. The initiative proved to be extremely successful.

In response, Abdul Aziz said people should pray instead of raising white flags.

Muhyiddin said his government was providing enough aid so no one needed to raise flags for help.

Its okay to put up a blue flag, the prime minister said.

The color of Muhyiddins ruling coalition is blue.

I wish to remind him [Muhyiddin] that there are many living in hunger, with only one meal a day in Malaysia, right now, opposition lawmaker Charles Santiago said on Facebook.

I think we have a delusional Prime Minister who is quite divorced from whats happening on the ground.
Philippine soldiers stand next to a road being constructed in an area that was a main battleground in 2017 when Islamic State-inspired militants laid siege to the southern Philippine city of Marawi, May 23, 2021.

Government troops killed a suspected member of the Islamic State militant groups Philippine branch and captured two others during an operation in southern Maguindanao province at the weekend, the military said Monday.

Soldiers were checking on reports about Dawlah Islamiyah-Hassan Group suspects being present in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town when the suspects shot at them on Saturday morning, precipitating a gunbattle, said Lt. Col. Benjamin Cadiente, commander of the 33rd Infantry Battalion.

While troops were approaching the reported location of the terrorists, they were fired upon by an undetermined number of Dawlah Islamiyah-Hassan Group members, which forced the soldiers to retaliate, Cadiente said in a statement, using the Philippine name for the Islamic State (IS) group led by Salahuddin Hassan.

A suspect identified only as Tong Bomber was killed in the shootout, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency. He was a bomb expert believed to be responsible for attacks against military convoys and installations in Maguindanao, the PNA report said.

He was killed following the 7 a.m. encounter in Barangay Nabundas, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, PNA quoted Cadiente as saying in his incident report to the Armys 6th Infantry Division commander.

A soldier was wounded in Saturdays incident, but was out of danger after receiving medical treatment, the military said.

The three suspects allegedly belonged to a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) led by Hassan, which has pledged allegiance to IS.

BIFF is a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with Manila in 2014 and controls a Muslim autonomous area in the south.

Other Dawlah Islamiyah cells have worked with a faction that was behind a five-month siege of Marawi, a city in the southern Philippines, by pro-IS Filipino fighters and militants from other countries in 2017.

In January, BIFF militants allegedly carried out two roadside bombings in the south that killed three and injured scores of people.

In May, BIFF briefly took over a southern town, but bloodshed was averted when they left after a tense standoff.

During a trip to the south soon after, President Rodrigo Duterte warned Muslim leaders he would have to wage an all-out war similar, if local authorities did not rein in the militants.

Since January 2021, government forces have captured or slain some 150 militant suspects, of whom 19 were from DI and 131 from BIFF.

Mark Navales and Richel V. Umel contributed reporting from Cotabato, Philippines.
A Philippine Coast Guard officer aboard the BRP Cabra observes a Chinese Navy warship near the Marie Louise Bank in the South China Sea, July 13, 2021.

The Philippine Coast Guard said Monday it had challenged a Chinese warship that entered the countrys territorial waters in the South China Sea last week but eventually sailed away.

The BRP Cabra was patrolling near Marie Louise Bank  about 147 nautical miles (87 km) off the coast of El Nido town in Palawan province  when it spotted the Chinese ship on July 13, the Coast Guard said.

The incident occurred a day after the fifth anniversary of a landmark international arbitral ruling that affirmed Manilas rights to its territories in the South China Sea and declared Beijings claims over most of the contested waterway as baseless.

The navy warship had a flag of the Peoples Republic of China and was marked by Chinese characters, Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo said in a statement.

BRP Cabra calmly raised a radio challenge while monitoring the movement of the said ship using radar, Balilo said.

The PCG vessel moved closer to see more clearly the activity of the Chinese Navy warship in our waters, he said, using an acronym for the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Chinese warship, bow number 189, maintained silence, forcing the Philippine Coast Guard ship to use a Long-Range Acoustic Device to broadcast audible notifications and warnings.

It broke its silence and sent a radio message after the Philippine Coast Guard ship continued its challenge.

Philippine Coast Guard 4409, this is Chinese Navy warship 189. Please keep two nautical miles distance from me, the local coast guard quoted the message as saying.

Only then did the Chinese ship turn around to leave Marie Louise Bank, Balilo said, adding that the BRP Cabra followed to ensure that the foreign ship left the countrys exclusive economic zone.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the crew strictly followed the manual on enforcing rules within the EEZ.

This is to ensure that we follow a rules-based and peaceful approach in guarding our democracy and that the rights of the Philippines to protect its sovereignty are protected, Balilo said.

Officials in Manila did not immediately respond when BenarNews contacted them to ask if this was the first incident involving a Chinese marked warship since a dispute over Chinese ships in the Philippine EEZ began in March, or why they waited nearly a week to release details about the incident at sea.

Last month, BRP Cabra chased away five Chinese and two Vietnamese ships that had been monitored in the countrys waters, according to the Coast Guard.

Backed by other ships on April 27, it chased away seven Chinese ships from Sabina Shoal, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said at the time. The shoal is 130 nautical miles (241 km) west of Puerto Princesa in Palawan province, within the EEZ.

Both the Philippines and China, as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan claim in whole or parts of the sea region. Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the South China Sea dispute, but Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the sea overlapping Indonesias exclusive economic zone.

While President Rodrigo Duterte has said that the July 2016 the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague clearly favored the Philippines, he has been reluctant to enforce it. Duterte has maintained that China is a friend who has been generous with its economic largesse and anti-COVID19 vaccines.

His foreign and defense secretaries have pointed out that friendly relations aside, the arbitral court ruling was set in stone and was part of international law.

The United States, Japan, Australia and other countries, meanwhile, have backed the Philippines, urging China to follow international norms and stop its expansionist moves in the sea region.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not reply to a BenarNews request for comment on Monday. Last week, Beijings foreign ministry dismissed the arbitration award as nothing more than a piece of waste paper.
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Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has signed into law nearly $1 billion in federal pandemic stimulus spending, but the bill failed to gain enough support to go into effect immediately
President Joe Biden praised King Abdullah II of Jordan as a stalwart ally in a tough neighborhood as the two leaders huddled at the White House, a meeting that came at a pivotal moment for both leaders in the Middle East
LENOX  The first time Andris Nelsons and Baiba Skride performed together, he was 21 and she was 19. Their families knew each other  the fath
Investigations editor

Larry Parnass, investigations editor, joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant and CommonWealth Magazine.
The Massachusetts House and Senate last Friday struck a deal to extend the authorization for voting-by-mail until Dec. 15 to cover municipal elections happening later this summer and fall.
Rainfall totals

The following are unofficial totals compiled from observers for the National Weather Service in Albany, from Sunday evenings intense thunderstorm:

Lenox Dale 2.65 inches

Lenox 2.32

Clarksburg 2.22

Dalton 1.96

Becket 1.75

Stockbridge 1.46

North Adams 1.20

Pittsfield 1.04

Savoy 0.60

Lanesborough 0.54
Camille Cosbys first appearance since her husbands release from prison has people asking questions about the state of their marriage.

Bill Cosbys wife of 30 years was photographed in New York City on Friday (July 16) without her wedding ring. Fridays spotting was the first time Camille, 77, was seen since Bill Cosbys release from prison after his sexual assault conviction was overturned June 30, Page Six reports.

Cosby served more than two years of his three-to-10-year sentence for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constan at a Philadelphia-area state prison. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction on June 30 after finding that the actor had made a "non-prosecution agreement" with a previous prosecutor on the case, which should have prevented him from ever being charged in the first place.

RELATED: Bill Cosby Reportedly Wants To Be Compensated For His Time Behind Bars

Prior to his release, Bill and Camille Cosby had not seen each other in person since his 2018 conviction. Camilla stood by her husbands side throughout the sexual assault trial. In June 2020, Camille expressed hope when Cosby won the right to appeal his conviction.

Im very, very pleased. Its not 100 percent, but now Im looking at something that is possible. Possible for vindication. That is the goal, she told ABC News.

Camille also reiterated her claim that racism was part of why he was convicted in the ABC News interview. She first made the claim when she accused a Pennsylvania judge of discriminating against Cosby in May 2019.

Though Camille has been one of her husbands strongest supporters, the Cosbys were not always so united. There were reports in June 2018 that Camille left the couples Pennsylvania mansion, where Cosby was on house arrest after his conviction.
Police in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday (July 17) announced the arrests of three people in connection to a viral video of a 12-year-old boy being physically and verbally abused while the word gay was trimmed into his hair.

The video, recorded from an Instagram Live on June 17, appeared to show the young boy being struck by members of his family, 11 Alive Atlanta writes. It also appeared to show the word gay cut on the side of his head with clippers, supposedly as a punishment.

RELATED: Mother Arrested Weeks After Two Daughters Discovered In Florida Canal

After the video surfaced on social media, police found the child and suspects. Officers arrested Brittney Monique Mills, 35, Lorkeyla Jamia Spencer, 19, and Jarrode Richards-Nwankwo,18, the report says. Mills and Spencer were charged with cruelty to children, and Richards-Nwankwo has been charged with cruelty to children and batteryfamily violence, according to a statement from the Atlanta Police Department.

The behavior in this social media post was difficult to watch and is absolutely unacceptable, the statement reads. We are appreciative of the number of people who flagged this case with us and for those who provided information on the location where it took place. Our investigators worked hard to identify those involved and to gather the evidence needed to place each behind bars and we are thankful for their work.

RELATED: Brooklyn Man Charged For Fatally Beating 4-Month-Old Whose Crying Interrupted His Video Games

Authorities placed the child, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, in the care of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services on June 18. The child told city council candidate and activist Devin Barrington Ward that he was emotionally stressed both from the experience and the idea of being removed from his home, the report notes.

As a Black queer man, I have experienced some of the same homophobia and some of the same abuse by the hands of people that I love as a child, Barrington tells 11 Alive. If you saw that and you didnt see anything wrong with that, youre part of the problem."
Haiti first lady Martine Moise returned home Saturday (July 17), nearly two weeks after her husband President Jovenel Moise was assassinated by intruders at their private estate in a bold middle-of-the-night attack that left her critically wounded.

According to the Miami Herald, the 47-year-old first lady, who was wounded in the right arm, was flown to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport after the attack on July 7 and immediately taken to Jackson Health Systems Ryder Trauma Center, where she underwent surgery.

RELATED: Haitian Presidents Wife Martine Moise Speaks Out After His Assassination

On Saturday, the emotional widow, her arm in a sling, returned home, arriving at Toussaint Louverture International Airport at the end of a charter flight from Miami with members of her family, the Herald writes. She was greeted by acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph and other members of her late husbands administration.

RELATED: First Lady Of Haiti Thanks Guardian Angels After President Jovenel Moise Was Assassinated And She Was Injured

The first lady will help prepare for her husbands funeral with a government committee, according to the report. The Prime Minister announced Friday (July 16) that a funeral for the slain president is scheduled to be held on Friday, July 23 at the northern city of Cap-Haitien, near the presidents birthplace and where he began his career as an entrepreneur.

More than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the presidents assassination, including 18 Colombian and five Haitians, several of whom have ties to South Florida, the Herald reports.

In an effort to prevent further unrest, representatives of several nations issued a joint statement Saturday pushing for elections to be held before the end of the year.

As Haiti faces serious dangers, the members of the group express the wish that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support the authorities in their efforts to restore security throughout the territory, including in areas currently plagued by gang violence, to hold free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as soon as possible, and to ensure that every citizen receives adequate services of the State, the statement reads.
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Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
The school my children attended had students of many different religions, as well as students with no religious background. In thinking about what makes Christianity unique from other religions, it is important to respect the religious beliefs of others that are different from our own. We should also take the opportunity to listen, dialogue, and learn about other religions.

All religions are concerned about the relationship of human beings with that which is spiritual. It can seem like the similarities end there. Even the nature of belief in the divine can vary from one God to many gods, from that which is holy to the eternal essence or ultimate divine reality. But we can find common ground in the general revelation of other religions  such as doing good unto others, the concept of love, moral behavior, and belief in an afterlife.

Here, I want to focus on four aspects of Christianity that make it unique and stand out from other world religions.

1. Gods Plan of Salvation

The Bible gives Gods plan of salvation for saving sinful human beings from death and reconciling them unto Himself. This is accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some well-known verses sum up Gods plan of salvation:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17).

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

These verses remind us that salvation is a gift from God. God gave His all  His beloved Son  and initiated our deliverance and rescue out of His goodness and love. Salvation is Gods work, through Jesus Christ, and is offered by His grace.

2. We Cannot Save Ourselves

In Christianity, nothing we do can save us. We cannot stand before God on personal merit. We are not rewarded with eternal bliss based on how we live our lives. We cannot achieve perfection on our own. Right practice, or taking personal responsibility to follow the right path, does not help our spiritual state. Obedience in our actions does not get us to heaven.

Titus 3:5a says He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

The Bibles story of redemption tells us how human beings are unable to please God; to do enough to live by Gods holy and righteous standards. We see this, in particular, in the Mosaic covenant of the Old Testament. Redemption of humanity is through Jesus Christ with the guarantee that we are saved by faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast."





Photo credit: Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages

3. God Comes to Us

Christianity is unique in that God comes to human beings. Christian theologian John Stott, in his book Basic Christianity says In the Bible we do not see man groping after God, we see God reaching after man. It is not what we think, do, or experience that gets us to God.

Gods action of not only coming down into the world, but saving humanity, is seen in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Stott continues, The Christian good news is not confined to a declaration that God has spoken. It also affirms that God has acted. God has taken the initiative in both these ways because of the character of mans need. For we are not only ignorant; we are sinful. It is not sufficient therefore that God should have revealed himself to us to dispel our ignorance. He must also take action to save us from our sins.

In Christianity, God in His mercy reconciles human beings to himself through the work of Jesus Christ.

Even within Christianity we can fall into the trap of believing that rituals, high ethical standards, and right practice help us earn our way into Gods presence. Yet all that is required is faith. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. And: It [Gods choice] does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on Gods mercy (Romans 9:15-16).

4. The Incarnation of Christ

Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the way to God and the exact representation of God the Father. In Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God  fully human and fully God. Hebrews 1:3a says The Son is the radiance of Gods glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. No other central figure in a world religion has claimed to be God.

When Philip, one of Jesus disciples, asked show us the Father, Jesus replied: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father? (John 14:9).

As theologian David Wells says: Christ has been seen as unique. He was the only incarnation of God in human flesh, who died for us on the cross. He did what no one else could do or has done: He bore our sins and rose again for our justification. There was no one else like him in his time, and there is no one else like him in ours. He was and is unique without rival, peer, equal, or comparison. He is in a category by himself. He is Godthe incarnate and sovereign Lord.

Christianity is the only faith with an empty grave, whose leader came back from the dead and walked and talked with his followers.

Without the incarnation of God in the flesh and Jesus Christs resurrection from the dead, we would not have Christianity, or our restoration to God and eternal life. Jesus said: I am the one who brings people back to life, and I am life itself. Those who believe in me will live even if they die (John 11:25).

The uniqueness of Christianity and the claims made by Jesus himself will make others feel uncomfortable, and even annoyed. They are controversial in our religiously diverse society. Yet, the Bible is clear that salvation is freely available to all people who believe that Jesus Christ took on humanitys sin so we might be reconciled with God for eternity.

Related: Listen to Our FREE New Parenting Podcast! Christian Parent/Crazy World with Catherine Segars is now available on LifeAudio.com.

Photo credit: Getty Images/VectorMine
The Bible is full of brilliant imagery. Through His Holy Word, God gives us a glimpse into a realm where human eyes rarely gain access. When we dive into Scripture hungry to know more about God, His ways, and His plans we never leave disappointed. In the pages of the Bible mysteries of the universe, the Heavens, and spiritual beings are divulged so that we can know Him better. The Ophanim reveal our God as King and affirm the sovereignty of His reign.

What Does The Bible Say about the Ophanim?

In 597 BC, Jehoiachinking of Judah, a priest named Ezekiel, and 10,000 Jews were captured by invading Babylonians and brought to a village called Tel-abib (Ezekiel 3:15). Five years into their exile God approaches Ezekiel near a river in Chebar (modern-day Iraq) and inaugurates him for prophetic ministry by showing him an extraordinary vision (Ezekiel 1:1-2).

The Ophanim described in Ezekiels vision are impossible to define apart from the full scope of the revelation. In Ezekiel 1 we find a young priest on the precipice of his new calling. As part of Gods great plan to call Israel to repentance, He chooses to open the Heavens before Ezekiels temporal eyes.

Ezekiel sees an ominous, fiery, lightning cloud waft toward him from the north. Four illuminated beings blaze brightly within the cloud. Although the beings resemble the form of a man, they are far from mortal. Each has four facesone human, one lion, one ox, and one eagle. Theyre completely covered with eyes, from the top of their heads to the tips of their glowing calf-like feet. Their human-shaped hands tuck inside each of their four wings. One set of wings stretches outward to connect with the wings of their counterparts, while the other set shrouds their own bodies (Ezekiel 1:4-11, Ezekiel 10:12).

The prophet doesnt record these creatures by name in Ezekiel 1, where the recounting of his vision begins. But by chapter 10 theyre identified as Cherubim. These angelic creatures are the same ones associated with the Ark of the Covenant images (Exodus 25:1822) and the angels most frequently cited in the Hebrew Bible. Theyre known as the guardians of Gods throne, which makes sense when we witness what comes next in Ezekiels vision.

Ezekiel is first captivatedand I imagine a little terrifiedby the image of four massive and awe-inspiring Cherubim floating toward him in the vision. The angels speed back and forth in flashes like lighting at the sole discretion of Gods Spirit. But then the prophet notices a wheel beneath each cherub. He records the wheels appearance like this: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around (Ezekiel 1:16-18).

These luminescent, interlocking wheels have come to be known as Ophanim, after the ancient Hebrew word meaning wheels. The four Ophanim, guided by the same spirit as the Cherubim in one symbiotic entity (Ezekiel 1:20), are thought to be the chariot of Gods throne. As Ezekiels vision progresses the reason for this designation comes to light.

Spread above the heads of the four Cherubim and the Ophanim, Ezekiel sees a crystal vault that is so breathtaking the only human words he can muster to describe it is awesome. Above the vault, he sees a vibrant, sparkling throne, and high above the throne he sees the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When Ezekiel witnesses the majesty of Gods glory he immediately falls facedown and hears the thunderous voice of the Almighty instruct him in his mission to bring Gods judgment to rebellious Israel (Ezekiel 1:22-28).

Why Do Some Refer to the Ophanim as Angels?

The Bible never references the Ophanim as angelic beings. But Jewish apocalyptic writers branded them as a class of angel, and lists them in their hierarchy of angels, along with the Seraphim and Cherubim because of the Ophanims unique lifelikeness, their supernatural power, and their close proximity to Gods thronenot to mention the multitude of eyes.

Ophanim are still mentioned in traditional Jewish prayers sung by congregations as part of their Shabbat morning service; "The ophanim and the holy living creatures with great uproar raise themselves up; facing the seraphim they offer praise, saying, 'Blessed be God's glory from His place."

Text taken from the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q405) has also helped further the idea of the Ophanim as angelic beings, as well as late sections of the pseudepigrapha Book of Enoch (61:10, 71:7) where the Ophanim (also spelled ofanim) are described with the Cherubim and Seraphim as angelic beings who never sleep while guarding the throne of God.

Whether or not the Ophanim are actually angelic beings or simply a divinely powered mechanism of multidimensional transport doesnt matter. What does matter is the Ophanims role in revealing Gods glory to Ezekiel and every other believer who would one day read his account and gain a fresh vision of Gods Kingship. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him (Colossians 1:16).

What Do the Ophanim Reveal about God?

In form and function, the Ophanim in Ezekiels vision reveals Gods supreme reign over the entire universe. The multidirectional wheels themselves remind us that we serve a God who is omnipresentable to be in all places at all times.

As the Spirit of God guides the Cherubim (Ezekiel 1:12), that same spirit indwells the Ophanim. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels ((Ezekiel 1:20). This symbolic unity of submission displays Gods supreme authority and right to rule and reignHis omnipotence.

And the eyes that cover the wheels and the Cherubim are symbolic of Gods omniscience; He is all-seeing, all-knowing.

In 17 Things the Bible Tells Us about Angels Dr. Roger Barier reminds us that, The word, angel, means messenger. For example, Hebrews 2 tells us that the Angels were the messengers who delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses. In this respect, the Ophanim may be classified as angels because they literally carried the message of Gods sovereign rule to Ezekiel and Israel--and to the entire world through the scriptural account of Ezekiels vision.

Why Is it Important for Christians to Know about the Supernatural Realm?

In Ephesians 6:12 were told that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. God desires Believers to be aware of the world beyond what our temporal eyes can see so that we, in the Lords mighty power, can be prepared to take on whatever scheme the enemy has in store.

We live in a society of extremes. On one end of the spectrum, there are Believers who discount the supernatural aspects of their faith and cling to the naturalistic mindset that relies solely on doctrinal truths for everyday living. And on the other end of the spectrum, there are those so caught up in their fascination with the spiritual realm that they are of no earthly use. We must find the balance God desires for each of His children, and that begins by having our eyes open to the truth.

When Elishas servant was terrified by the surrounding enemy in 2 Kings 6:16, the prophet tells the young man, Dont be afraid  Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. He then prays Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see. Then the LORD opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).

The world we live in is not our home. Theres an invisible realm where battles rage for our souls. When we choose to explore the Bible and seek Gods understanding of supernatural things, we come that much closer to the Kingdom of God.

In The Duty of Living in the Reality of the Supernatural Alex Crain sums up the grim alternative in this poignant way: Losing the reality of the supernatural is no small, insignificant detail. It is not an optional feature of true spirituality. When it is absent from our experience, all we are left with is a dead sociological tool; a mere psychological mechanism for manipulating ourselves and other people. As the Apostle Paul said, If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 1:1).

For more information about living life in the spiritual realm check out A Supernatural Faith by RC Sproul.

Photo credit: GettyImages/mouu007

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author and speaker who has managed and directed childrens and youth programs for more than 20 years. Her debut childrens book, What Is A Family? released through Familius Publishing in 2020. Annette has also written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children and has developed parent training seminars to benefit the community. Her passion is to help wanderers find home. She and her husband have five childrenthree who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at homeplus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock.
KAMIAH - On the afternoon of Monday, July 19, the U.S. Forest Service provided an update on the multiple fires burning throughout Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests lands. Fires that have been previously reported on may not show up in the daily updates as they are shifted to control and patrol status.

Firefighting resources across the region have been fully engaged in suppression operations for the last three weeks, which leaves fire leadership looking for the best ways to address the physical and mental fatigue that sets in quickly with this type of arduous work. This is often accomplished through bringing in outside resources to bolster local capacity, which has been happening to a large extent already during this earlier than normal fire season.

As smaller fires are contained and controlled, fire managers are attempting to rotate ground and aviation resources through rest and recovery days while maintaining coverage for current fires and initial attack response.

Based on the current and forecasted conditions, we are anticipating a very long fire season, stated Barry Ruklic, Deputy Fire Staff Officer for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. Managing firefighter fatigue is integral to continuing our mission of protecting life and property during this already busy fire season.

*Note: I.R. mapping has not been available for all fires, some acreages may not be exact or updated.

Salmon River Ranger District

Phone Number for fire restrictions and closure information-208-842-2245

Mile Marker 216 Fire

The Mile Marker 216 fire is approximately 30 acres and located along Highway 95 South of Grangeville, Idaho. Firefighters from the Salmon River Ranger District were able to contain this accidental human start with a quick response before it could move up the dry, steep, river-breaks terrain of the Salmon River Canyon. The fire was controlled late last night and has been declared out this morning after a thorough patrol.

Red River Ranger District

Phone Number for fire restrictions and closure information-208-842-2245

Lynx Fire

The Lynx fire is approximately 100 acres and located 23 miles East of Elk City, Idaho. Fire managers are in the process of assessing potential structure protection needs in the vicinity. Access to this fire and associated values at risk is limited. Forest Service Road #357 is the only access and it is currently impacted by the fire. Type 1 Wildland Fire Module (highly skilled, innovative, and logistically self-sufficient fire crew) has been ordered for this fire.

Dixie & Jumbo Fires

Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team is managing the Dixie and the Jumbo fires, located approximately 40 miles southeast of Grangeville and 15 miles south of Elk City near the community of Dixie.

On Monday, July 19, the Type 1 Incident Management Team commanding the Dixie and Jumbo Fires provided an update on fire growth and containment operations. According to the update, the Dixie Fire grew approximately 939 acres on Sunday and is now estimated at 27,287 acres, while the Jumbo Fire grew approximately 39 acres and is estimated at 1,397 acres. The fires are estimated to be 8% contained.

Sunday was a critical fire weather day, but overall the firefighters control lines held. The Dixie Fire did grow, especially to the north, toward but not crossing Jack Mountain Hill.

An area closure order #01-17-05-21-001 is in effect for these fires.

For more information about the Dixie fire, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7608.

Lochsa Ranger District

Phone Number for fire restrictions closure information-208-926-4274

Weaver Fire

The Weaver fire is approximately 2 acres and located 3 miles Southeast of Pierce, Idaho. This fire was started by lightning and engine and handcrews are currently engaged in full suppression operations due to its close proximity to the community of Pierce, as well as state and private timber ground. Crews are working to get containment of this fire in anticipation of forecasted weather and associated winds.

Weitas Butte Fire

The Weitas Butte fire is approximately 1 acre and located one mile North of Weitas Butte lookout. Ground resources are assessing the lookout for structure protection needs and some road/trail closures may be implemented as a safety precaution for both firefighters and the public.

Snow Creek Fire

The Snow Creek fire located 15 miles east-northeast of Kamiah, is now estimated at 550 acres. There are 3 engines, 1 handcrew, 1 Wildland Fire Module, 2 Heavy Equipment Taskforces, 4 initial attack modules and 10 misc. overhead currently engaged in suppression efforts on the Snow Creek fire. The primary incident objective is to reduce the impacts of fire on private lands and protect structures. Firefighters continue to construct primary suppression lines adjacent to Elk Ride Subdivision and have been successful in utilizing burnout operations to halt fire spread to the South and West. Firefighters are using a suppression strategy that incorporates and utilizes fuel type changes and natural features to establish control lines. This reduces firefighter exposure to hazards and helps the limited resources be more successful in suppression operations. Road closure orders #01-17-55-21-009 and #01-17-55-21-005 are in effect for this fire.

Bald Mountain Fire

The Bald Mountain fire is approximately 110 acres and is located just North of Castle Butte lookout near Forest Service road #500. Structure protection is in place for the lookout and repeater site. This fire is currently unstaffed due to low values at risk and higher priority fires elsewhere. It will be closely monitored for activity by aviation and lookout tower platforms. Road and trail closure order #01-17-55-21-008 are in effect for this fire.

Rocky 2 Fire

The Rocky 2 fire is approximately 35 acres and located near Rocky Ridge Lake on the Lolo Motorway, FS Road #500. This fire is unstaffed at this time due to low values at risk and resources being utilized on higher priority fires. Road and trail closure order #01-17-55-21-008 is in effect for this fire.

Greenside Butte Fire

The Greenside Butte fire is approximately 208 acres and located 8 miles Southwest of Fish Lake Airstrip in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. This fire is currently unstaffed due to higher priorities, and Horse Camp Cabin has structure protection in place.

Powell Ranger District

Phone Number for closure information-208-494-1661

Storm Creek Fire

The Storm Creek fire is now estimated to be 3500 acres and located 9 miles Southeast of Powell, Idaho. A 10-person Wildland Fire Module is assigned to this fire. Structure protection and fuels prep work on the Colt Killed pack bridge is complete. Ground resources are continuing to improve access to infrastructure and implement structure protection measures for Elk Summit Guard Station.

Lonesome Fire

The Lonesome Fire is estimated at 170 acres and located 35 miles East of Headquarters, Idaho. This fire is actively burning near identified Prescription Burn Units within the Lost Toboggan Landscape burn project area.

Army Mule, Monroe Lake, Ashpile Peak & Prophyry Fires

The Army Mule (600 acres), Monroe Lake (161 acres), Ashpile Peak (1-2 acres), and Prophyry Fires (75 acres) are all burning in remote or wilderness areas. These fires are being monitored by lookouts and are unstaffed due to resources being assigned to fires where there are higher values at risk.

Granite Pass Complex

The Granite Pass Complex is managing the BM Hill, Shotgun, Boulder Creek, and Lolo Creek fires. The fires are on both the Lolo National Forest and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. A Type 2 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Granite Pass Complex as of 6:00 a.m. PDT, Sunday morning.

The combined fire acreage is now at 1,702 acres with 0% containment. The fires are estimated to have grown approximately 170 acres over the weekend, with most growth coming from the BM Hill fire.

Crews will focus on holding the Lolo Creek Fire from crossing Hwy 12 preventing the impact on the residential, commercial, and recreational travel. This will also allow crews to implement tactics to contain the complex. Air operations will continue to go direct on the fire where needed.

The speed limit on Highway 12 from Spring Gulch to the top of the pass has been reduced to 45 mph for pubic and firefighter safety, please drive with caution and remain aware of firefighter activity.

There are closure orders in place for these fires: 01-17-55-21-007, 01-17-55-21-010, and 01-17-55-21-013.

For more information on the Granite Pass Complex, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7653/.

North Fork Ranger District

Phone Number for restrictions and closure information-208-476-4541.

Independence Fire

The Independence Fire is located 30 miles southwest of Superior, Montana. Firefighters have been successful in halting the spread of this fire and are now focused on mopping up any remaining hot spots. The local district will continue to patrol this fire through the next week.

Bar Creek, Nub & Slide Fires

The Bar Creek, Nub and Slide Fires are all being monitored by firefighters, however no resources are actively engaged on these fires due to steep remote location and no identified values at risk.

Cougar Rock Complex

The Cougar Rock Complex is being managed by the Northern Rockies Type 2 Incident Management Team.

Progress continues on securing lines around the fires still burning in the Cougar Rock Complex, say officials. Collectively, the 14 fires in the complex are considered 15% contained, and have reached a total of 4,367 acres in size as of Monday morning. Most of the fires are burning to the east and northeast of Elk River.

The surge of firefighter forces has really helped increase the amount of fire line around the active fire perimeters. Heavy equipment is opening roads so that firefighters have improved access. These roads may serve as containment lines to help tighten up the overall fire perimeter. Hand crews are going direct where conditions permit.

For more fire information associated with the Cougar Rock Complex, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7640/.

Palouse Ranger District

Phone Number for restriction and closure information-208-875-1131

Johnson Creek Fire

The Johnson Creek Fire is burning on the Palouse Ranger District 4 miles north of Elk River. The Johnson Creek Fire is estimated to be approximately 800 acres. Ground crews and heavy equipment are being utilized to clear out existing roads and improving access to the fire. Aviation resources are being utilized to keep the fire North of Johnson Creek to minimize spread towards Elk Butte Lookout and repeater site. Firefighters are working provided fuels mitigation and structure protection to the site. The identified values at risk that efforts are being focused on include Elk Butte Lookout and repeater site, the Elk River municipal watershed, the community of Elk River, and Potlatch industrial timber grounds.

Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association (CPTPA) has suppression responsibility on the National Forest lands where the Johnson Creek fire is burning.

An area closure #01-17-52-21-002, #01-17-52-21-003, is in effect for the Johnson Creek Fire.

Leland Complex

The Leland Complex is now under command of the Eastern Area (Gold) Type 2 Interagency Management Team. The Sand Mountain, Pine Creek and Bonami fires are being managed under this complex.

Sand Mountain Fire

The Sand Mountain Fire is located 2.5 miles east of Laird Park in Latah County. The fire has grown by approximately 64 acres since the previous update and was last estimated at 1,492 acres with 0% containment.

Bonami Fire

The Bonami Fire remains at 6 acres in size as is 80% contained. There has been no recent growth on this fire.

Pine Creek Fire

The Pine Creek Fire is located 2.5 miles east of Juliaetta, ID, and remains at 542 acres as crews have the fire 100% contained.

Additional firefighting crews continue arriving to support the complex of fires. The efforts to clear access roads, establish hose lay and begin mop-up are occurring on the Sand Mountain Fire, and crews are patrolling and monitoring the Pine Creek and Bomani Fires. The Eastern Area IMT is transitioning with the local Type 3 team to assume management of the Johnson Creek Fire. The fire will be brought in as part of the Leland Complex.

The Leland Complex is now under command of the Eastern Area (Gold) Type 2 Interagency Management Team. The Sand Mountain, Pine Creek and Bonami fires are being managed under this complex. This Interagency Management Team will also be assuming command of the Johnson Creek fire near Elk River.

For more information on Leland Complex, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7644/.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Fire Information Hotline

The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Fire Information hotline is 208-494-1661. This line will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. daily for general forest closure questions and general fire information questions. More specific question on fires managed by the incident management teams will be directed to call that specific fires information number. The public may also call their local district rangers office for closure information.

Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Closures

Official forest closure orders are referenced below for multiple fires. Please refer to the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests website for the Stage II Fire Restrictions and official closure orders: http://www.fs.gov/alerts/nezperceclearwater/alerts-notices.

Red Flag Warning

Red flag warnings are in effect across most of North-central Idaho and Western Montana Monday for thunderstorm activity and associated high winds. This warning could be in effect through Wednesday for some areas.

Temporary Flight Restrictions

Temporary flight restrictions are in place over fire areas for the safety of the public and aerial firefighting resources. These restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). Remember; if you fly, we cant.
MECOSTA COUNTY  The wet weather pattern settled over the area has health officials warning Michiganders to prepare for the mosquitos that will follow.

"The mild winter weather and the recent rainfall have made ideal conditions for an explosion in the mosquito population," officials at Central Michigan District Health Department said in a news release.

Beyond the annoying itch these bloodsuckers inflict on their victims, it's the transmission of diseases  Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus  that concern health officials.

In 2020, 39 Michiganders contracted a mosquito-borne illness: 31 with West Nile virus; four with EEE, resulting in two deaths; and three with Jamestown Canyon virus according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. None of the human cases were in Mecosta, Osceola or Lake counties, however, Mecosta County reported one case of EEE in an animal.

As of Thursday, July 15, only the Jamestown Canyon virus had been identified in 2021, according to the latest 2021 Michigan Arbovirus Surveillance weekly summary. Positive mosquitos were found in Bay, Oakland and Saginaw counties.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

West Nile: While most people with West Nile will not have symptoms, about one in five will develop a fever. Headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash also are common. Fatigue and weakness may last for weeks or months.

Less than 1% will develop serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis. In addition to headache and high fever, symptoms may include neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures or paralysis. Mortality rate is about 10%

People age 60 and older have the greatest risk for severe illness, along with people who have certain medical conditions. For more information, visit michigan.gov/westnilevirus.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis: Like West Nile, most people who contract EEE will develop symptoms. About 5% will develop chills, fever, weakness, muscle and joint pain for up to two weeks. Fatigue and weakness may last for weeks or months.

For the less than 1% who develop severe neurologic illness, symptoms may include high fever, headache, irritability, restlessness, drowsiness, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, bluish discoloration of the skin, convulsions, and coma. Mortality rate is 30%.

High risk populations include older adults and those with certain medical conditions, as well as children. For more information, visit michigan.gov/eee.

Jamestown Canyon: This is the first year the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have tested for Jamestown Canyon virus. According to a news release, cases have been increasing in the Midwest.

Like EEE and West Nile, most people infected with Jamestown Canyon virus do not experience symptoms. Those who do may experience fever, headache and fatigue. In rare cases, it can cause severe neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Arboviruses, such as the three mentioned above, are transmitted by mosquitoes or other insects. Health officials encourage Michiganders to take steps to prevent being bitten.

"It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness," Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health at MDHHS, said in a news release reporting the Jamestown Canyon virus cases.

"We urge Michiganders to take precautions, such as using an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are present if possible, and wearing clothing to cover arms and legs to prevent bites."

Other tips include:

 Fixing and maintaining screening on doors and windows; and

 Emptying standing water, such as in buckets, pools or old tires, to reduce areas mosquitoes can lay eggs.

For more information, visit michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.
Legislative Initiative Petition 1, Repeal one of two state emergency powers laws: Passed 20 to 15 in the Senate

To approve an initiated law that would repeal one of the two state laws that authorize a governor to assume extraordinary powers during an emergency, including statewide lockdowns like those ordered under the 2020 coronavirus epidemic.

Enacted in 1945, this law places no limit on the duration of a declared emergency. The states other emergency powers law adopted in 1976 puts a 28 day deadline on a governors assumption of emergency powers, with legislative approval required for any extensions.

A state Supreme Court ruling in Oct. 2020 held that a law authorizing what amounts to unilateral governance for the duration of a governors term violates the constitutions separation of powers provisions.

Approval by the governor is not required for an initiated law, which is placed before the legislature by petition. If the legislature does not approve the measure it is placed on the next general election ballot.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 27, Epidemic-related supplemental spending: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate

To appropriate $367 million federal coronavirus relief and "stimulus" dollars to several social welfare-related programs, plus $17 million state taxpayer dollars. Most of the money would go to hospitals, nursing homes and child care facilities to boost front-line workers' pay. Another $12.7 million would go to the State Police, and $7 million state dollars would go into a fund to compensate wrongfully imprisoned individuals.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

House Bill 4117, Authorize two-year license plate renewals: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate

To authorize extending the duration of vehicle registration renewals (license plate tabs) to two years instead of annually. A related bill also extends the state park admission tags available with these to two years.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 529, Spend federal stimulus dollars on bridge repairs: Passed 23 to 12 in the Senate

To appropriate $1.626 federal stimulus dollars for bridge repair projects around the state.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

House Bill 4980, Permit drag races in the sand at Silver Lake State Park: Passed 28 to 7 in the Senate

To make an exception to the state law banning drag racing for an activity at Silver Lake State Park authorized by the Department of Natural Resources. This would apply to a 450-acre section of sand dunes park managers have set aside as a "scramble area" for ORVs.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Permission to reprint this legislative summary in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that www.MichiganVotes.org is properly cited.

Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
According to an AIIMS doctor, there is complete mis-information on the third wave of COVID that will impact children

HEAL Health recently organised an Infodemic Pandemic eSummit  HEAL-Thy Samvaad, Episode-19 in knowledge partnership with HEAL Foundation, Indian Public Health Association, DPU, and Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism & Communication (MCNUJC).

Dr Sanjay Kumar Rai, President, IPHA, Professor, Dept. of Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi said, The combination of misinformation and disinformation, which is called infodemic, has been happening since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the recent example of misinformation is that  the third wave of COVID will impact children  this is complete misinformation as there is no scientific basis behind it. We see people wear hand gloves perceiving that it will protect them from infection, but it doesnt help in this, on the contrary, it helps spread the virus as while wearing hand gloves, you dont wash hands and touch other surfaces  in this way, there is the probability of spreading the virus. To keep people away from infodemic, community education is required, wherein the role of public health experts are significant.

Prof K Sekar Head, Centre for Psycho-Social Support in Disaster Management, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) said, Immediately after COVID came into India, there was the reaction from 95 per cent of the people, showing mental health burden and the 5 per cent who didnt react, had no source of communication. Although the mental burden decreased gradually, yet COVID-19 has been a source of complex, multifaceted stress for many. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences.

Dr Rajib Das Gupta, Chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health, JNU, New Delhi mentioned, In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, infodemic was described as an over-abundance of information  some accurate or some not makes it hard for people to find the trustworthy sources and the reliable guidance when they needed. Interestingly, the World Economic Forum cautions these as digital wildfires.

Dr Amitav Banerjee, Prof & Head of Community Medicine, Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune stated, Misinformation would be the act of omission, misinformation may be the act of commission and misinformation may be some mala fide vested interest. We need to have an open debate. Omission and commission by the government authorities and scientists are required. Public health professionals from top to bottom are required to be deputed. Good scientific debates are required for transparency.

Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, Vaccine Public Policy & Health Systems Expert said, The government should include specialist health communication agencies for running coordinated behaviour change campaigns and a professionally drafted centralised communication strategy, which should be followed by all stakeholders combined.

Founder & CEO, HEAL Health, Dr Swadeep Srivastava said, Dr Srivastava said, With the support of the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), we are all set to start India Health Infodemic Fact-Checking Network (IHIFCN), which would be Indias first dedicated fact-checking forum for healthcare news stories/information going out in the public domain predominantly through social media. The IHIFCN would be committed to promoting excellence in fact-checking.
An MoU was recently signed with CiTiS Infotech & InnoWise Global to jointly offer the programme

MIT Centre for Future Skills Excellence, MIT Art, Design & Technology University (ADT) Pune has introduced a new post-graduate diploma in Robotics Process Automation (RPA) from August 2021 academic session. MIT-ADT University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pune-based firms CiTiS Infotech & InnoWise Global to jointly offer a PG diploma programme in Robotics Process Automation.

The main intention of this association is to build employable professionals to cater the demand of the ever-emerging global automation industry. The Curriculum for PG Diploma in RPA has been curated, designed, & developed in such a way that may help graduates and working professionals develop their talents with micro-credentials anticipated for future jobs.

The adoption of RPA across multiple global industries such as healthcare, pharma, diagnostic, logistics, etc. is rising at a breakneck speed. A career in RPA is extremely beneficial and profitable. This new technology will undoubtedly provide a large number of job possibilities around the world.



Any graduate with mathematics at Class XII or equivalent is eligible for the eleven-month programme, which is divided into three trimesters with unique internship opportunities for better exposure. The admission announcement with details is available on its official website.
Whether it is the industry or academia, life sciences workers are gradually accepting the fact that lab data digitisation improves processes, simplifies workflows and makes research and development (R&D) more efficient. With increasing advances in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), digitisation in the research environment is set to become an integral part of every laboratory worldwide. But in emerging markets such as India, there are a large number of factors responsible for its slow adoption such as lack of skilled workforce, high maintenance and service costs, limited expertise, data security etc.
Namibia received a boost on Friday with the arrival of 250,000 Sinopharm doses bought from China, after its Covid-19 inoculation programme was halted by a lack of vaccines. The country temporarily suspended delivering shots at major vaccination centres across the country after supplies ran low.

A nurse prepares a dose of the Sinopharm coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at Wilkins Hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 24, 2021. Reuters/Philimon Bulawayo/File Photo

It is classified as an upper-middle-income country and had to pay to participate in the global vaccine distribution scheme Covax. But it has only received 67,200 doses out of 108,000 allocated by the facility.It has also received donations of 100,000 Sinopharm doses from China and 30,000 AstraZeneca doses from India.Out of a population of 2.5-million people, only 133,863 people had received their first dose of either the Sinopharm or AstraZeneca vaccine by Thursday, while some 32,753 are fully vaccinated, government figures showed."Distribution of the vaccines will be over Saturday and Sunday, and we will have a resumption of the national vaccination programme on Monday," deputy executive director in the ministry of health Petronella Masabane said, while announcing the arrival of the vaccines.The southwest African country expects delivery of a further 40,800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the Covax facility later this month and 333,333 doses of Johnson & Johnson procured from the African Union's vaccine procurement programme.
South African brands love a chatbot, don't they? It's not hard to see why. On the face of it, it's a machine that can talk to millions of customers on your behalf without the need for human intervention. It's a convenient, cheap, and cheerful way to solve everything. Right?

The Covid-19 chatbot that saved lives In the days following South Africa's first case of Covid-19, Praekelt.org was busy using WhatsApp for good, building the Covid-19 chatbot using their social impact product Turn...
Richard Brasher will retire as CEO of Pick n Pay after leading the retail business for eight years. Brasher's retirement is effective from 21 April 2021, and he will be succeeded on that date by Pieter Boone, former chief operating officer of German multinational company Metro AG.

Richard Brasher

Pieter Boone

Pick n Pay buys SA delivery startup Bottles Pick n Pay has concluded an agreement to purchase on-demand delivery startup Bottles. The acquisition is expected to be completed by November this year...

The Pick n Pay board was notified of Brasher's intention to depart the company over a year ago, and Boone's appointment follows a comprehensive local and international search, the retailer said.Pick n Pay chairman Gareth Ackerman commented, We are naturally very sad to be announcing Richards departure. He has led a remarkable turnaround in our company, and the Pick n Pay Group is immeasurably stronger now than when Richard took over in 2013."He has almost doubled Pick n Pays store network, and has grown turnover from R55bn when he joined the company to almost R90bn. As well as delivering consistent and sustainable profit growth, modernising the Pick n Pay business, expanding our offer and transforming our efficiency, Richard has led the transformation of Boxer into Africas fastest-growing limited range discounter.I am delighted that Pieter Boone will succeed Richard as CEO in April. As all our stakeholders would expect, we conducted a very thorough search internally and externally, both inside and outside South Africa."We had many possible candidates, but we knew when we met Pieter that we had found the right person. Pieter has exceptional global retail experience across a number of diverse geographies."He has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead and deliver sustainable growth in tough and emerging markets. His wide-ranging experience will stand him in very good stead across all areas of the Pick n Pay business, including Boxer and franchise, our growing online offer, and our value-added services.Brasher said of his departure, "This is in many ways a sad day for me, but also an exceptionally proud one. I have worked in retail now for 35 years, traded across four continents and 24 countries. I have held the highest office in two great retailers, and have had a truly memorable career.My aim when joining Pick n Pay eight years ago was simply to leave the business in a much stronger position than I found it. I am extremely grateful to my team and the whole Pick n Pay and Boxer family for helping me to deliver this goal. The past year in particular has been the most unforgettable of my long career. In the face of the most incredible headwinds, our business and our people have stood strong, taken every challenge in their stride, and worked harder than ever before."We have delivered for the people who matter most  our customers. This has been the best testimony I could want in demonstrating that our business is strong, modern, flexible, and ready to seize the huge opportunities of the future.I want to thank every colleague in Pick n Pay and Boxer for standing shoulder to shoulder with me for the past eight years, and in particular Gareth Ackerman, the Ackerman family, and the Board, for giving me immeasurable support throughout. I am excited for Pieter and excited for the future of the Pick n Pay Group, and will give the company my full support in ensuring a smooth transition in the coming months.Pieter Boone commented, "I am delighted to be joining the Pick n Pay team at this time. Richard is leaving the business in a very strong position, with huge potential to grow and serve more customers. Retail is changing throughout the world, and my job will be to ensure that the Pick n Pay Group is at the forefront of change  earning the lifetime loyalty of more customers by giving them more, better and new ways to shop with Pick n Pay and Boxer.Pick n Pay has a very rich and impressive heritage, and wonderful values. Values and people are tremendously important to me, so the business is the most perfect fit. I feel privileged and humbled by the confidence placed in me by Gareth Ackerman, the Board of Directors and the Ackerman family to lead this esteemed company into the next phase of its journey.I look forward to working closely with Richard to achieve a smooth handover in the coming months, and to leading the Pick n Pay and Boxer teams to create more relevance for the customers we serve and would like to serve.The past year has been challenging and tough in South Africa and in so many other parts of the world. But I have huge faith in the ability of the country and the continent to triumph in the coming years, and cannot wait to get started on this journey.
702, part of Primedia Broadcasting, announced that station manager Thabisile Mbete is bidding farewell to the station to pursue a new career direction outside radio. Mzo Jojwana, who rejoined 702 last year after time with Power FM, will be taking up the role as 702 station manager.

Congrats on your appointment. How do you feel about it?

How and when did this come about?

Mzo Jojwana steps up to take on 702 station manager role Mzo Jojwana, who rejoined 702 last year after time with Power FM, will be taking up the role as 702 station manager, as Thabisile Mbete pursues a new career direction outside radio...

What excites you most about taking on this new role?

Tell us about your journey into radio

Professionally I got my first radio job at CapeTalk, 702s sister station in Cape Town, as a producer and as they say, the rest is history.

What do you love most about your career, the industry and what you do?

What has been your biggest career highlight?

What is your biggest motivation in life?

You've been recognised as an industry innovator. What contribution will you be making to 702?

What career advice would you give to anyone entering the radio industry?

Ive gone through a range of emotions, from joy to trepidation. This is a seminal step in my radio career.. Im eternally grateful for this opportunity to take my career to the next level.This development came because of our current station manager, Thabisile Mbete deciding to pursue a different career. For me, this moment is about a meeting of the minds with a commonly shared vision, and a primary interest in keeping 702 as the great platform it is and building on the great work that Thabisile and the team have put in place.To be given the chance to work with and lead an amazing pool of talented content and technical producers, and some most talented presenters in South Africa. I look forward to carrying the baton of this 41-year-old media institution, called 702 to new and different heights.Radio has been a love of mine since childhood. I remember listening to the legendary John Perlman in the car with my dad, and that is the foundation for my radio career. I am a graduate of Journalism and Media Studies at Cape Peninsula University of Technology.I owe a great deal of gratitude to many people who have contributed to my careers, not least Collin Cullis, who gave me a shot all those years ago and in recent years, my former CEO at Primedia Broadcasting, Terry Volkwyn is another individual whos impact in my life is simply immeasurable.I love the intimacy and the immediacy of radio. The ability of the medium to reach as many people as it does, as the original social media and its ability connect people. 702 is currently playing a very significant role in facilitating conversations of national and local importance. Im excited about the opportunity to work with amazing and hugely talented people who are purpose and mission driven to make a meaningful contribution in the advancement of South Africa.Without doubt, my appointment as 702 station manager, but there have many gratifying moments along the journey.Im motivated by setbacks; they keep you in in check and teach you to remain grounded and can also be a major source of motivation.My intention is to make certain that 702 maintains its central role and relevance in the media landscape in South Africa. We will continue to consistently deliver on our promise to Walk The Talk with our listeners and deliver a responsive, premium audience for our commercial partners.You need perseverance and an unwavering determination to succeed. I believe that working in radio is not job, but a labour of love and lastly, one needs to have a teachable spirit. Ive been learning and continue to learn about our industry since the first day I started at Primedia all those 18 years ago.
WeBuyCars has confirmed that it has purchased the TicketPro Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. This comes after news broke that the property was sold to a third party that does not operate in the event space. "This will allow the company to increase its footprint in the Johannesburg area as the result of the recently concluded purchase agreement between WeBuyCars and Sasol Pension Fund," the company said in a statement.
Federal prosecutors woke up to more bad news related to their case against Michigan-based militia members who they allege are right-wing domestic terrorists that were plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

According to court records obtained by National Justice, 39-year-old FBI Special Agent Richard James Trask II was arraigned today for an act of felony domestic violence against his wife in Kalamazoo's 8th District court.

Agent Trask was granted bond despite the seriousness of his charges but the court has prohibited him from possessing a firearm, putting the fed in a very odd situation.

Trask, who played a major role assisting the militia plot investigation, is the most active FBI figure in the case. He has testified in court on the state's behalf and played a vital role in constructing the narrative for the media to run with against the defendants.

With his arrest yesterday, the FBI suffers another black eye to its credibility in the politically charged case set to go to trial in October. Last March, prosecutors were forced to indict their own informant in the investigation due to his outrageous criminal conduct while operating as a paid snitch on behalf of the Bureau.

An egregious spousal assault case looming over their lead investigator's head means the defense can now argue in the court of public opinion that the FBI agent who set the Wolverine Watchmen up is a greater threat to the community than the supposed "terrorists" he helped entrap with the help of at least 12 paid informants. According to studies on men who murder their wives, approximately 1/3 of them were previously arrested for domestic violence.

If agent Trask is convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison under Michigan law.

The FBI, which likes to perform for the press to tip the scales of justice in their "domestic terror" arrests, is refusing to make any public statement on the serious accusations against Trask. They have not even said whether he will be stripped of his duties to protect the wider public.

Trask joins a wave of FBI agents who, in the last few months, have been arrested or sued for raping, extorting, shooting, and terrorizing women, children, and the mentally handicapped.

The most recent scandal for the Bureau is an Inspector General report that discovered the FBI's Indianapolis branch deliberately ignored reports of abuses by serial child molester Larry Nassar's, who abused girls on the Olympic gymnast team he served. Instead of pursuing the allegations, Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott tried to get a job for himself on the Olympic Gymnastics Committee.
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SPRUCE WOODS PROVINCIAL PARK  Sean Morton and Sonya Richmond had enough of working behind a desk, surrounded by concrete.

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SPRUCE WOODS PROVINCIAL PARK  Sean Morton and Sonya Richmond had enough of working behind a desk, surrounded by concrete.

"We reached a point where we were sick of working behind desks," Morton said on the side of Highway 5, just north of Spruce Woods Provincial Park.

KIMBERLEY KIELLEY/THE BRANDON SUN Trans Canada Trail hikers Sonya Richmond and Sean Morton sold their home and quit their jobs to follow their dream of crossing the 27,000-kilometre trail over three years. They were walking along Highway 5 on Saturday when The Sun caught up with them.

So, they quit their jobs, sold their house in southern Ontario, donated most of their belongings and hit the dusty trail.

The Trans Canada Trail, to be exact.

Morton taught at a small university and Richmond quit her job as a geographic information system analyst, creating award-winning bird Atlases and publishing her research.

They literally unplugged.

In June 2019, they struck out on the trail to draw attention the amount of time youth spend on screens and the need to reconnect with nature and the country and become environmental stewards through Mortons photography and Richmonds extensive knowledge.

Their goal is to reconnect people with nature through conservation of birds and important habitats across Canada.

On Saturday, the two were found along the side of Highway 5 in 35 C heat, reflective umbrellas attached to their heads for shade, pulling gear packed in knapsacks on ultralight wheeled frames.

"I have 75 pounds of camera gear and Sonyas pulling the food, and camping gear," Morton said.

The pair started at Cape Spear, N.L., Canadas most easterly point. The plan is to complete the 27,000-kilometre trek across the Trans Canada Trail by 2022 while taking winters off.

"We had a schedule we tried to stick to," Morton said. But as they took in the spectacular landscape, their progress slowed down considerably.

"Were supposed to be done," he said with a chuckle.

So far, the pair have received a warm reception from Manitobans.

"The world isnt as tough as the media shows," Morton said. "Theres a lot of good in the world."

As they make their way to Victoria, B.C., Morton documents their journey through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a blog.

They are carrying the Canadian flag for Canadian Geographic and have received support from the prime minister.

"We want to show Canadians their country," Morton said. "We want to tell the story as we see it.

"Its been a real privilege to do the walk, get the grant and meet Canadians."

Canadian Geographic awarded the pair with a small grant to help with the journey

In a YouTube video, Richmond can be heard saying her goal is to inspire people of all ages, physical abilities, cultural background orientations and identities to get outside, explore, discover, learn and reconnect with nature through birds and citizen science.

"Were all connected in Canada through our trailways," she said.

The couple have hiked roughly four Camino trails overseas and are currently planning to hike Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., to complete the journey of the 27,000-kilometre trail, the longest recreational trail in the world.

"Fewer people have completed this journey than have gone to the moon," Richmond notes in the video.

"We wanted to have an adventure, but we wanted to inspire others."

To follow the couples adventures, #Hike4Birds, check out:

 comewalkwithus@hotmail.com

 comewalkwithus.online

 facebook.com/WalkWithUsAcrossCanada/

 instagram.com/comewalkwithusonthegreattrail/

 twitter.com/TransCanadaWalk

 inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/projects/sheinspiresme/dr-sonya-richmond/

 kkielley@brandonsun.com
In 2015, an obscure company run by a real estate mogul woke the world to Chinas ambitions in semiconductors, the foundational technology that powers computing. Laden with state funding and political backing, the company made jaws drop with a $US23 billion bid to buy the American chipmaker Micron.

Six years on, Chinas would-be microchip champion looks more like a national disappointment. The company, Tsinghua Unigroup, said this month that one of its creditors had initiated bankruptcy proceedings, raising the prospect that it could be broken up.

People look at semiconductors on display from the Tsinghua Unigroup at the China Beijing International High Tech Expo in Beijing. Credit:AP

Tsinghua Unigroups flagging financial fortunes are an uncomfortable failure for Chinese officials, who sought to use state-guided funds and plans to pull even with the United States in an ever more pugnacious competition over the future of technology. Once an exemplar of the powers of state-directed capitalism, Tsinghua Unigroup is emerging as a cautionary tale about the waste that can come with misplaced investment and subsidies.

Yet to Chinese economic planners, it may not matter. Over the last two years, market incentives like the subsidies that bloated Unigroups books have fed a boom in all things microchip. According to an analysis by state-run media, China created 58,000 semiconductor firms between January and October 2020  roughly 200 a day.
Anthony Di Iorio, a co-founder of the Ethereum network, says hes done with the cryptocurrency world, partially because of personal safety concerns.

Di Iorio, 48, has had a security team since 2017, with someone travelling with or meeting him wherever he goes. In coming weeks, he plans to sell Decentral, and refocus on philanthropy and other ventures not related to crypto. The Canadian expects to sever ties in time with other startups he is involved with, and doesnt plan on funding any more blockchain projects.

Ethereum co-founder Anthony Di Iorio Credit:Bloomberg

Its got a risk profile that I am not too enthused about, said Di Iorio, who declined to disclose his cryptocurrency holdings or net worth. I dont feel necessarily safe in this space. If I was focused on larger problems, I think Id be safer.

Back in 2013, Di Iorio co-founded Ethereum, which has become the home of many of the hottest crypto projects, particularly in decentralised finance - which lets people borrow, lend and trade with each other without intermediaries like banks. Ether, the native token of the network, has a market value of about $US225 billion ($304 billion).
The nations most notoriously corrupt politician, former Labor minister Eddie Obeid, is set to return to prison after a judge found him guilty over his role in a rigged tender for an exploration licence which delivered a $30 million windfall to his family.

A guilty verdict was also delivered against former resources minister Ian Macdonald,72, and Obeids middle son Moses, 52.

Moses Obeid (left), Ian Macdonald and Eddie Obeid (right). Credit:Sydney Morning Herald

Justice Elizabeth Fullerton, who heard the case without a jury, has said she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the three had conspired with the effect Macdonald wilfully breached his duties as a minister of the Crown in order to provide a financial advantage to the Obeid family.

The judge said that the people of NSW expected their elected officials to act conscientiously but that Macdonald and Obeid, who was a parliamentarian at the time had failed to do so.
Australian researchers have concluded that federal government research investment largely failed to produce useful findings about the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and placed too much focus on the now-discredited hydroxychloroquine treatment.

A team of six medical research experts issued the damning indictment of taxpayer-funded COVID-19 research and called for reform of the sector in a paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday.

Professor Angela Webster, director of evidence integration at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre at the University of Sydney and senior author of the paper. Credit:Louie Douvis

In an accompanying comment piece, three other researchers estimated the federal governments signature Medical Research Future Fund spent $6.8 million on seven clinical trials that recruited fewer than 10 people at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per volunteer.

The federal government did not fund trials to address the question of how to encourage people who are vaccine-hesitant to get a COVID jab. Other trials were set up in a way that made it close to impossible for them to provide useful data.
Freight drivers will be required to be tested for COVID-19 every seven days after almost half of heavy vehicles stopped at the Queensland border were caught without a pass or documentation to enter the state.

Queensland police stopped 226 heavy vehicles at Coomera, Wallangarra and Goondiwindi at the weekend.

Of those, 83 drivers were fined or cautioned and 29 had come from a hotspot without appropriate passes.

One driver who falsified records had come from the Chinderah truck stop hotspot and was unco-operative with police was forced into quarantine, police said.
A man has died after crashing his e-scooter into a pole in an inner Brisbane suburb seconds after he overtook a bicycle.

Police said the man, in his 50s, was wearing a helmet and they were investigating whether he had suffered a medical episode.

Paramedics, including critical care and the high acuity response unit, were called to Riverside Parade at West End near the Go Between Bridge about 6.30am on Monday.

Police Inspector Daniel Bragg said witnesses saw the incident unfold.
Queensland police believe they have identified the body of a woman found in a metal box on a Brisbane apartment balcony.

Police raided a unit at Newport Hamilton Apartments on Parkside Circuit in Hamilton late on Monday night following a NSW report of a missing person filed on April 12.

Qiong Yan, a Chinese national, was reported missing in NSW in April after her mother reported she had lost contact with her. A friend of the woman in NSW reported her missing.

On Tuesday afternoon police said a post-mortem had established the body was a female of Asian ethnicity, and that legal confirmation of the identity might be days or weeks away.
Scientists say there is little cause for long-term optimism in a new scientific report on the Great Barrier Reef, despite Environment Minister Sussan Ley seizing on it in her campaign against UNESCOs proposed in-danger rating for the World Heritage-listed site.

Ms Ley is spearheading a public relations blitz ahead of Friday nights vote by members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee on whether to impose an in-danger warning on the reef.

Australian Institute of Marine Science surveying the Great Barrier Reef to monitor coral recovery after mass bleaching events. Credit:Australian Institute of Marine Science

She flew to Europe on July 10 to lobby delegates on the committee, while ambassadors of more than a dozen countries were flown to the reef to see healthy corals.

On Monday, the minister pre-empted the official release of the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences annual report monitoring the health of the reef, which recorded a recovery in coral cover after swathes of it were denuded in mass bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Ms Ley told The Australian the coral recovery figures showed UNESCOs draft ruling had not been based on the latest information.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says Australia will continue calling out countries behind malicious cyber attacks after taking the rare step of joining with key allies to formally accuse China of co-ordinated hackings and engaging contract hackers to steal intellectual property.

The Chinese embassy in Australia on Tuesday rejected the allegations, saying Australia had its own poor record on cyber attacks and was like a thief crying stop the thief.

The attacks on Microsoft Exchange software, which began in January, allowed hackers to gain access to the email systems of thousands of users, including in Australia.

Australia and other countries - including the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union - accused Chinas Ministry of State Security of carrying out cyber attacks as well as paying criminal groups to conduct ransomware attacks to extort millions of dollars from companies.
In recent days Ive been interested to read in this masthead comments from both Telstra and Optus regarding the upcoming auction of low-band 5G spectrum.

Readers might wonder why this rather arcane issue is attracting such passion from the telcos. What is spectrum and why does it matter?

Low-band spectrum will be auctioned later this year. Credit:Glenn Hunt

First, spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Those signals are what allow our mobile devices to operate.

Mobile networks use radio frequency spectrum across different ranges. Generally, the lower the frequency, the further a signal can travel.
Singapore: Stranded amid a worsening COVID-19 outbreak, Australian expats have been left scrambling to get their hands on Thailands left-over vaccine doses.

In what has been described as a vaccine lottery, expats received emails from the Australian embassy in Bangkok on the weekend informing them if they had been successful in securing a shot of AstraZeneca from a limited batch.

Defying a ban on gatherings imposed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, protesters run from tear gas fired by riot police in Bangkok on Sunday. Credit:Getty Images

Those selected were given jabs in Bangkok on Sunday as police fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators protesting the handling of the virus by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-chas government.

While foreigners have access to doses elsewhere in the region such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, expats havent immediately been included in the general vaccination rollout in Thailand, where stocks have run low and less than 5 per cent of the population of 69 million people is fully inoculated.
More than 54,000 new cases were confirmed on Saturday (British time), the highest daily number since January, although reported virus deaths have stayed comparatively low so far. On Sunday there were 48,161 new cases. Nightclubs have been closed in London for 17 months. Credit:AP Officials have repeatedly expressed confidence the UKs vaccine rollout  68.3 per cent of adults, or just over half of the total population, has received two doses  will keep the threat to public health at bay. Daily deaths, currently at around 40, are just a fraction of a peak of above 1800 seen in January. But leading international scientists on Friday described Englands Freedom Day as a threat to the whole world, and 1200 scientists backed a letter to British medical journal The Lancet that criticised the Conservative governments decision. I cant think of any realistic good scenario to come out of this strategy, Im afraid, said Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester. I think its really a degree of how bad its going to be.

Loading One worry, Tang said, is of super variants that could surface after people are allowed to mix without precautions over the summer. Add a flu resurgence in the colder months and that spells a winter of very serious proportions, he said. Even Prime Minister Boris Johnsons chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, warned that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast. Johnson himself played down talk of freedom and stressed that life wouldnt instantly revert to how it was pre-pandemic. If we dont do it now weve got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? he said in a video message filmed on Sunday. This is the right moment but weve got to do it cautiously. Weve got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there.

The Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are both self-isolating for 10 days after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday despite being fully vaccinated. They are among hundreds of thousands of Britons who have been told to quarantine because they have been near someone who tested positive. The situation is causing staff shortages in restaurants, car manufacturers and public transport. The London Telegraph reported on Monday that ministers were urging Johnson to ditch the requirement for fully-vaccinated people to self-isolate entirely. Nightclubs in particular are potent spreading grounds, Tang said, because their core customer base  people 18 to 25  only became eligible for a first vaccine dose last month and havent yet been offered the second shots needed to boost immunity.

Loading That population is not fully vaccinated. Theyre not masking. Theyre in very close contact, heavily breathing, shouting very loudly to the music, dancing with different people, he said. Thats the perfect mixing vessel for the virus to spread and to even generate new variants. Johnson has highlighted the risk of new variants and urged citizens to complete the vaccine program. Above all, please, please, please, when youre asked to get that second jab ... please come forward and do it, Johnson said. The Prime Minister urged the public on Sunday to exercise prudence and respect for other people and the risks that the disease continues to present. He wants nightclubs and other crowded venues to use COVID-19 status certification as a matter of social responsibility and only to admit patrons who can show they are double-jabbed, have a negative test result or have recovered from the disease.

There is no legal requirement for them to do so, however. In a flash poll of 250 late-night bars and clubs by the Night Time Industries Association last week, 83 per cent said they wouldnt be asking people about their COVID-19 status, according to Michael Kill, the trade bodys chief executive. Many owners see the passes as a huge turn-off for customers and accuse the government of passing the buck to businesses. Weve heard people will boycott businesses that adopt this, Kill said. The last thing we want after months of closure is to be again hindered in terms of capacity to trade. Either mandate it or dont mandate it. This is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on us. Johnsons decision to scrap the legal requirement for face masks in indoor public spaces has also sowed confusion. Days after he said masks would still be expected and recommended in crowded indoor places but not compulsory, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that passengers on the capitals Tube and buses must continue to wear them. Some retailers, such as the bookstore chain Waterstones, said they would encourage customers to keep their masks on. But many believe implementing such policies will be tricky without the backing of the law. The end of restrictions in England on Monday was a critical moment in Britains handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 128,000 people nationwide, the highest death toll in Europe after Russia. Other parts of the UK  Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  are taking slightly more cautious steps out of lockdown.
Damascus: Israel carried out an aerial attack southeast of Syrias northern Aleppo province late Monday, a Syrian military official said.

The unidentified military official, quoted by the state news agency SANA, said Syrian air defences shot down most of the missiles in the attack that occurred just before midnight. The targets are still being identified, the official said.

Explosions in Aleppo.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor that has activists on the ground in Syria, said the Israeli strikes targeted weapons depots that belong to Iranian-backed militia operating in Aleppos Safira region.

The group said the strikes were followed by loud explosions.
Some voter education programs may be in jeopardy due to new Ohio law

With Ohio searching for more poll workers during the pandemic last year, Secretary of State Frank LaRose had to get creative.

Ohioans needed their hair cut after being indoors for months. And, perhaps just as much, they wanted to go out again for drinks. So LaRose announced two new programs meant to spur voter registration and poll worker recruitment.

Styling for Democracy brought registration forms to Ohio barber shops, while a number of craft breweries joined the Raise a Glass for Democracy campaign. Rhinegeist Brewery offered up bottles of Every Vote Counts IPA with labels that read, A collaboration brewed to encourage voter registration in Ohio.

These efforts, LaRose later said, were successful in driving recruitment and educating voters.

It appears they will also be illegal going forward, thanks to a state budget provision inserted and supported by Republican lawmakers.

Here is the provision text: No public official that is responsible for administering or conducting an election in this state shall collaborate with, or accept or expend any money from, a nongovernmental person or entity for any costs or activities related to voter registration, voter education, voter identification, get-out-the-vote, absent voting, election official recruitment or training, or any other election-related purpose

There are a few exceptions, such as using a nongovernmental building (like a church) as a polling place and allowing food donations for poll workers on Election Day.

Besides that, the language seems clear: LaRose would not be able to collaborate with private businesses or with voting rights advocates on any get-out-the-vote programs because they are not part of the government.

LaRose, however, sees the budget provision differently. He feels the language does not apply to programs like his Styling for Democracy initiative.

Thats not my interpretation of the law, certainly, LaRose said.

He also described having recent conversations with legislative leaders and said they told him outlawing such programs was not their intent.

Those are great initiatives, he continued, and were going to continue doing those because one of my most important responsibilities is making sure that Ohioans can access the opportunity to get registered and to cast a ballot.

What happens if the law does end up prohibiting such work?

And if somebody wants to challenge my ability to do that, well then I guess well see them in court, LaRose said.

Facebook CEO donated to Ohio election causes

The 2020 election cycle was particularly complicated, with many Ohio voters opting to cast absentee ballots for the first time due to the pandemic. LaRoses office and other advocates spent much of the year educating citizens on their voting options and various deadlines.

Nonprofit groups and corporations like Facebook tried to help. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $300 million toward election causes such as poll worker recruitment and buying safe elections equipment.

Millions of dollars were distributed through the nonprofit group Center for Election Innovation & Research, which then divvied up the money to secretaries of state across the country, Vox reported.

Last September, state lawmakers on the Ohio Controlling Board approved LaRoses request to accept more than $1 million from the Center for Election Innovation & Research. LaRose said the money would be distributed to county boards of elections to assist with poll worker training, voter advertisements and equipment.

Some of this spending was controversial. Despite support from the Ohio Association of Elections Officials, the Republican members of the Summit County Board of Elections expressed concerns about taking in money from a private organization, cleveland.com reported at the time.

Anti-democratic

provision

Democratic lawmakers and groups making up the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition urged Gov. Mike DeWine to veto the budget item.

The state operating budget is not a vehicle for lawmakers to sneak in anti-democratic provisions that threaten the constitutionally-protected right to free and fair elections, said Catherine Turcer, executive director of the good government group Common Cause Ohio, in a provided statement.

But the Republican governor signed the budget with this item still in place.

Now Democrats plan to try and repeal the provision ahead of the 2022 election cycle, with Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Cleveland, announcing she was seeking cosponsors. Lawmakers are on summer break and return to regular sessions in the fall.

LaRose continues to promote his work and says he has no plans to stop, even with the provision in place.

I am very proud of the work that weve done, just like any secretary of state should do, to get people registered to vote, to encourage participation, he said.
For the first time in two years, the Cowboys conducted a practice in Oxnard, as the start to the 2021 training camp got underway.
Cement maker Ltd on Monday reported an over two-fold jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 569.45 crore for the second quarter ended June 2021, helped by a lower base, increase in sales and cost efficiency.

The company, which follows the January-December financial year, had posted a profit of Rs 270.95 crore in the April-June quarter a year ago, said in a BSE filing.

The company, a subsidiary of Swiss building material major Holcim group (earlier LafargeHolcim), reported revenue from operations of Rs 3,884.94 crore during the quarter, up 49.29 per cent from Rs 2,602.24 crore in the year-ago period.

Managing Director and CEO Sridhar Balakrishnan said, "ACC has recorded very good performance this quarter. With a strong focus on supply chain efficiencies and cost optimization, the company has emerged stronger and more resilient. Waste Heat Recovery System projects at various sites are progressing well."



Total expenses climbed 40.97 per cent to Rs 3,175.47 crore, compared to Rs 2,252.62 crore earlier.

Revenue from cement rose 43.96 per cent to Rs 3,672.31 crore, as against Rs 2,550.99 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Cement sales volume jumped 43.7 per cent to 6.84 million tonnes (MT) as against 4.76 MT in April-June 2020.

Revenue from ready-mix concrete increased four-fold to Rs 255.08 crore, as against Rs 62.23 crore.

For H1 2021 (January to June), ACC Ltd's consolidated net profit was up 90.59 per cent at Rs 1,132.04 crore as against Rs 593.97 crore in the year-ago period.

Revenue from operations was up 33.96 per cent in January-June 2021 to Rs 8,176.91 crore, from Rs 6,103.95 crore.

On the outlook, Balakrishnan said he strongly believes in the resilience of the Indian economy as it continues to navigate the impact of COVID-19.

"Demand is expected to recover supported strongly by Government's increased spending on large scale infrastructure projects which augurs well for the cement sector. We believe we are well poised to capitalize on the growth momentum in the ensuing period," he said.

Sharing updates on COVID-19, ACC said it has encouraged its employees, their families and communities to actively participate in the vaccination drive.

"Adequate infrastructure and medical support are made available to ensure safety of our employees. Our team continuously monitors the situation and takes proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of our employees and communities," it said.

Shares of ACC Ltd on Monday settled at Rs 2,150.65 on the BSE, up 1.01 per cent from the previous close.

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India's securities regulator and customs authorities are investigating some for non-compliance of rules, MoS Finance told parliament on Monday.

It was not immediately clear when the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), or the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) launched the investigation.

The minister, Pankaj Chaudhary, did not name which were involved. Enforcement Directorate is not carrying out any investigation into Adani Group, he added.

Shares of companies, which operate airports and ports, power generation and transmission, coal and gas trading, closed between 1.1%-4.8% lower on Monday.

" is investigating some with regard to compliance with Regulations. Further, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is investigating certain entities belonging to the Adani Group," Chaudhary said.

Meanwhile, Adani Group said it has not not received any communication or information requests from recently.

We have always been transparent with all our regulators and have full faith in them. While we have always been fully compliant with applicable SEBI regulations, we have made full disclosure to SEBI on specific information requests from them in the past. However, we have not received any communication or information requests recently.

"With regard to DRI matter, it issued a show cause notice to Adani Power, about 5 years back. Subsequently, DRI passed an order in favour of Adani Power confirming that there is no over-valuation of equipment. The department has approached the Tribunal and the matter stands sub judice now. Adani Group is a responsible corporate citizen and strongly believes in compliance of applicable laws and adheres to prudent corporate governance framework," the conglomerate said in a statement.

Stocks of companies controlled by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani last month recorded their biggest-ever declines in the week ending June 18, after Indian newspaper Economic Times reported the accounts of three Mauritius-based foreign investors in Adani companies had been frozen.

Shares in the six Adani companies have fallen between 12.9%-44.9% in the five weeks after the Economic Times report.

The stocks have cumulatively lost over $37.6 billion in just over a month after the Economic Times report, even after Adani rejected the article as "blatantly erroneous."

A spokesman for the Adani group did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

($1 = 74.6060 Indian rupees)

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Private equity company will acquire a controlling stake in technology startup Simplilearn Solutions for $250 million.

Simplilearn was founded in 2010 by its Krishna Kumar, the companys chief executive office. The company has earned profits for the last four years and offers more than 100 programmes to help early to mid-career professionals acquire skills in cloud computing, data science, artificial intelligence, digital Marketing, and other fields.

The pandemic has only accelerated the need for digital skills and the industry has demonstrated absolute readiness for upskilling online. Hence, this is the most opportune time to take the next big leap in our journey to build the worlds largest digital skilling company," said Kumar.

Blackstones will enable Simplilearn to develop partnerships with businesses and universities, he said.

The company collaborates with IIT Kanpur, Caltech CTME, MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, UMass Amherst and the Isenberg School of Management, Purdue Online, Jagdish Sheth School of Management. It also works with such as IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook and KPMG.

This is Blackstones first private equity in Asia in a consumer technology company. Simplilearn is a differentiated player in the digital skilling space with premium content created in partnership with marquee university and industry partners, said Amit Dixit, head of Asia for Private Equity.
Homegrown FMCG major India on Monday said its Non-Executive Chairman has undergone a successful surgery in London for treating a case of aneurysm.

Burman (52) is recuperating, India said in a regulatory filing, adding the surgery was successful and his health is improving.

"Doctors are constantly monitoring his condition and have advised him to take rest," it added.

Aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.

Burman, who started his career at Dabur's Industrial Engineering Department taking charge for induction of machinery, method improvements, manpower reduction and improving product packaging, is responsible for the company's foray into processed foods business with the setting up of Foods Ltd.

He became the CEO of Dabur Foods in 1999 and led the company's foray into processed foods business with a range of ethnic cooking pastes and chutneys and packaged fruit juices.

In July 2007, he stepped down as the CEO of Dabur Foods when the company was merged into Dabur India Ltd and was then appointed the vice chairman of Dabur India Ltd.

He took charge as the chairman of Dabur India Ltd in 2019.

He is an MBA from the University of Cambridge and also holds an MSc degree in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University, US.

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The insurance regulator should hold life insurers accountable only on expense management limits, much like the concept of total expense ratio (TER) in the mutual fund industry, instead of having various rules monitoring their investments and expenditures, said Deepak Parekh, Chairman,

In the annual general meeting of HDFC Life, Parekh said, Today, life insurers can only sell policies at their branches and through employees. They cannot, for example, sell NPS under the national pension scheme or health indemnity covers such as mediclaims. Worldwide, both pension and are very much part of life insurance as they protect people risk.

Hence, allowing life insurers to distribute products such as health indemnity and NPS would help improve the much-needed insurance reach across our country, he added.

Incidentally, the insurance regulator had set up a committee to study the feasibility of allowing life insurance companies to offer indemnity-based health insurance, which currently is being done by general and standalone health insurers only.

Before 2015, life insurance companies were allowed to sell indemnity-based products, as well as benefit-based products. But in 2015, the regulator decided that to allow life insurance companies to sell benefit-based products, but not indemnity-based products.

Parekh further said, insurers, now, have to go above and beyond their regular commitments and offer complementary and value-added services including need of the hour products and services like hospital tie-ups, online doctor consultations, pharmacy discounts, telehealth services, and more.

Due to the second wave of the pandemic, Parekh said, the Indian life insurance industrys business growth has once again taken a hit. But, from the second quarter (Q2FY22) onwards, business is expected to pick up as governments across various states lift restrictions in a phased manner.

We are operating in an extremely challenging and dynamic environment and would need to invest in technology, skilling and distribution, amongst to stay ahead of the curve, he said.

Commenting on the economy, Parekh said, the overall impact of the second wave of the pandemic on Indias economy is expected to be milder and largely restricted to the June quarter. And, the economy is expected to grow at 8-10 per cent in FY22, albeit on a low base.
on Monday said its aluminium vertical has invited partnerships from cement producers like ACC, UltraTech Cement and JK Cement to use its by-products for manufacturing low-carbon cement.

In a national workshop conducted with global industry experts, the company expressed its interest for long-term collaboration with cement industry players on opportunities of using fly ash, a by-product in thermal power generation, and bauxite residue in cement manufacturing.

" aluminium business...invites partnerships from cement producers for using its by-products for manufacturing low-carbon cement," the company said in a statement.

The cement industry, which is exploring viable solutions to produce cement more sustainably, is the perfect circular economy partner for Aluminium, it said.

"Long-term strategic collaborations, such as between Vedanta and India's key cement producers, will not only eliminate significant volumes of industrial waste from the system, but also provide the trifecta of quality, sustainability and cost benefits for the cement industry.

"We hope the Indian cement producers come forth to work with us on this innovative solution, which is a true win-win scenario for the industry and environment," Rahul Sharma, CEO (aluminium business) of Vedanta, said during a webinar.

Fly ash and bauxite residue, the two most voluminous by-products generated by the aluminium industry, can be used in cement and concrete manufacturing, providing cement manufacturers significant benefits in terms of quality output, cost and sustainability.

Fly ash can partially replace cement in concrete (or be used to produce blended cement), significantly improving durability and workability of cement. With a 30-33 per cent blending ratio, fly ash can help save 270 kg of carbon emissions for every tonne of cement produced.

Bauxite residue can be added to the raw mix in clinker manufacturing to replace virgin bauxite, improving its hydraulic properties and strength.

Owing to high concentration of iron oxide and alumina, bauxite residue is a better substitute for laterite, used in clinker manufacturing. Moreover, the residual caustic in bauxite residue helps in controlling the emission of sulphur when used directly, making it a better fit for the purpose. Both fly ash and bauxite residue being industrial wastes themselves, come with significant cost and energy advantages as well.

Vedanta Aluminium's technical workshop was attended by over a hundred executives from the cement industry.

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The Monday sought response of the and ED on bail pleas of alleged middleman Christian Michel James, who is lodged in jail in connection with alleged related corruption and money laundering cases.

The accused has challenged the trial court's order denying him the relief.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and (ED) and asked them to file replies to the petitions seeking bail in both cases and listed the matter for further hearing on September 21.

James has challenged the June 18 order of the trial court refusing to grant the relief to the British national, who was extradited from Dubai in 2018, noting that the stage was not fit to grant him bail.

Advocate Aljo K Joseph, representing James, said the accused was in custody for over two years and eight months and he be released from the jail on bail.

The trial court, while dimissing the bail pleas had said that considering the overall facts and circumstances, serious nature of accusations, gravity of offence and the conduct of the accused, it does not consider it to be a fit case for grant of bail.

The trial court had also taken strong note of the British High Commission directly communicating to the court about James without moving an application, saying it was not permissible.

It had noted that the British High Commission had sent a letter addressed to the court stating that medical condition of accused Christian Michel James and his pre-trial detention of two and half years may be taken into account when his bail application is considered.

In his bail applications in both the and ED cases, the accused had said he was not required for the purpose of investigation, and expressed willingness to cooperate with the probe.

The applications had said that the accused never sought to evade the process of law, and that no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody.

The pleas had claimed James made no attempt to tamper with documentary evidence or to obstruct the judicial process in any other manner.

The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.

James extradited from Dubai, was arrested by the ED on December 22, 2018.

On January 5, 2019, he was sent to judicial custody in the ED case. He is also lodged in judicial custody in another case registered by the in connection with the scam.

James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the CBI. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

The ED, in its charge sheet filed against James in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.

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Union Home Minister on Monday lashed out at the opposition and international organisations for suggesting that the government was involved in surveillance of phones of politicians, journalists and others, saying it was a "report by disrupters for obstructers" who want to derail India's development trajectory with their conspiracies.

In a hard-hitting statement, he questioned the timing of the "selective leaks" on the eve of the Monsoon session and said they have been amplified by a few whose only aim is to do whatever is possible to humiliate India on the world stage.

"The timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions Aap Chronology Samajhiye!," he said, referring to opposition parties stalling proceedings in Parliament on Monday.

"This is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers. Disrupters are global organisations that do not like India to progress.

"Obstructers are political players in India who do not want India to progress. People of India are very good at understanding this chronology and connection," he said.

The home minister said he wanted to assure the people of India that the Modi government's priority is clear ' Welfare' - and it will keep working to achieve that no matter what happens.

Opposition parties on Monday criticised the government over the alleged phone-tapping of prominent personalities in the country using Israeli Pegasus spyware and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee probe.

An international media consortium reported Sunday that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

The government, however, had dismissed the allegation of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people, saying it "has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever".

Shah said those who intend to derail India's progress are peddling the same old narratives about the country.

"To see the rudderless Congress, jump on to this bandwagon is not unexpected.

"They have a good past experience in trampling over democracy and with their own house not in order, they are now trying to derail anything progressive that comes up in Parliament," he said.

The home minister said the facts and sequence of events are for the entire nation to see and the disrupters and obstructers will not be able to derail India's development trajectory through their conspiracies.

"People have often associated this phrase with me in a lighter vein but today I want to seriously say - the timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions Aap Chronology Samajhiye!," he said.

Shah said the Monsoon Session of Parliament started on Monday and in what seemed like a perfect cue, late last evening a report appeared and it has been amplified by a few sections with only one aim - to do whatever is possible to humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about the nation and derail India's development trajectory.

The home minister said the people of India have high hopes from the current monsoon session as key bills for the welfare of farmers, youngsters, women and the backward sections of society are lined up for debate and discussion.

No less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is ready to discuss all topics, he said.

Shah said just a few days ago the Council of Ministers was expanded with great emphasis given to women, SC, ST and OBC members.

"But there are forces unable to digest this. They also want to derail progress. This merits the question - to whose tune are these people dancing, who want to keep showing India in poor light? What pleasure do they get to time and again show India in a bad light?" he asked.

The home minister said when the prime minister rose in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to introduce his Council of Ministers, which is a well-established norm, the Congress-led opposition was in the Well of both Houses.

"Is this their respect for Parliamentary norms? The same behaviour continued when the IT Minister was speaking about the issue," he said.

The opposition parties created a ruckus over the alleged phone tapping issue in both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon session, forcing repeated adjournment of proceedings.

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The government on Monday



announced that no public congregation will be allowed in the state on in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Health Minister Keshab Mahanta urged the people to celebrate the festival at their homes.

Prayers at mosques will be allowed with a maximum of five persons, he said.

ul-Adha will be celebrated in the state on Wednesday.

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The commonly prescribed antibiotic for COVID-19, azithromycin, is no more effective than a placebo in preventing the viral disease among non-hospitalised patients, and may in fact increase their chance of hospitalisation, a study has found.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, included 263 participants who all tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, within seven days before entering the study.

None of the participants were hospitalised at the time of enrolment.

The researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Stanford University in the US randomly selected 171 participants to receive a single, 1.2 gramme oral dose of azithromycin and 92 received an identical placebo.

At day 14 of the study, 50 per cent of the participants remained symptom free in both groups.

By day 21, five of the participants who received azithromycin had been hospitalised with severe symptoms of COVID-19 and none of the placebo group had been hospitalised.

"Among outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment with a single dose of oral azithromycin compared with placebo did not result in a greater likelihood of being free of symptoms at day 14," the authors wrote in the study.

The researchers concluded that treatment with a single dose of azithromycin compared to placebo did not result in greater likelihood of being symptom-free.

"These findings do not support the routine use of azithromycin for outpatient SARS-CoV-2 infection," said study lead author Catherine E. Oldenburg, an assistant professor at UCSF.

"The hypothesis is that it has anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent progression if treated early in the disease. We did not find this to be the case," Oldenburg said.

Azithromycin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is widely prescribed as a treatment for COVID-19 around the world.

Most of the trials done so far with azithromycin have focused on hospitalised patients with pretty severe disease, the researchers said.

"Our paper is one of the first placebo-controlled studies showing no role for azithromycin in outpatients," Oldenburg added.

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The Mahila Morcha on Monday held a protest here against increasing instances of crimes against women and deteriorating law and order in the state.

Mahila Morcha state president Alka Mundra led the protest march from the BJP's state headquarters to the civil lines railway crossing.

state president Satish Poonia addressed the workers at the party office and called upon them to continue to hold the Gehlot government accountable on the issues of women atrocities and rising crime.

Mundra alleged that during the Congress rule, crimes against women are increasing continuously and women are not safe.

She alleged that there has been a 30 per cent increase in rape incidents in the last six months.

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The Delta variant, first detected in India is around 40 to 60 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant found first in the UK and the current vaccines are effective against the mutation, N K Arora, co-chair of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium.

The Delta-plus variant is still being studied for its transmissibility, virulence, and vaccine escape characteristics and, a health ministry press statement quoting Arora said.

The cases may go up if a new, more infectious variant comes. In other words, the next wave will be driven by a virus variant to which a significant proportion of the population is susceptible, Arora said.

The Delta Plus variantsAY.1 and AY.2have so far been detected in 55-60 cases across 11 states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.

He added however, that any future waves will be controlled and delayed if more people get vaccinated and follow COVID-Appropriate Behaviour effectively.

He said that it was difficult to say that the disease caused due to Delta Variant is more severe because the age profile and the deaths during the second wave in India were quite similar to that seen during the first wave.

INSACOG has expanded its network from 10 laboratories in the beginning of the pandemic to 28 labs now and a capacity to sequence 50,000 samples per month from 30,000 earlier.

Arora said that the entire country has been divided into geographical regions and each lab is given the responsibility of one particular region.

We have formed 180-190 clusters with around four districts in each cluster. Regular random swab samples and samples of patients who develop severe illness, vaccine breakthrough infections, and other atypical clinical presentations, are collected and sent to regional laboratories for sequencing, he said.

Talking about the Delta variant first identified in October 2020 in India, Arora said it was primarily responsible for the second wave in the country, accounting for over 80 percent of new Covid-19 cases.

The variant emerged in Maharashtra and travelled northwards along the western states of the country before entering the central and the eastern states. Though there is a significant dip in the number of cases in most parts of the country, some regions are witnessing a high-test positivity rate particularly in the north-eastern parts of the country and several districts in the southern states, most of these cases could be due to the Delta variant," Arora added.
India on Monday reported a net reduction of 995 in active cases to take its count to 421,665. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 3.26 per cent (one in 30). The country is seventh among the most affected countries by active cases. On Sunday, it added 38,164 cases to take its total caseload to 31,144,229 from 31,106,065  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 499 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 414,108, or 1.33 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 1,363,123 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Sunday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 406,481,493. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 30,308,456  or 97.32 per cent of total caseload  with 38,660 new cured cases being reported on Monday.

Now the seventh-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 269,853 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 3.26% of all active cases globally (one in every 30 active cases), and 10.09% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 406,481,493 vaccine doses. That is 1305.15 per cent of its total caseload, and 29.16 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (45206160), Maharashtra (44077778), Gujarat (33304868), Rajasthan (33105922), and Karnataka (30125361).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Delhi (554765), Kerala (539059), Gujarat (521428), Uttarakhand (512829), and J&K (451142).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 24 days.

The count of active cases across India on Monday saw a net reduction of 995, compared with the net reduction of 1,365 on Sunday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Maharashtra (3064), Kerala (262), Manipur (229), Mizoram (107), and Sikkim (52).

With 38,660 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.32%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.33%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.71%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Maharashtra (2.04%). The rate in as many as 15 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 39,159  499 deaths and 38,660 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 1.27%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 565.3 days, and for deaths at 574.9 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (13956), Maharashtra (9000), Andhra Pradesh (2974), Odisha (2215), and Tamil Nadu (2079).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (95.54%) and Maharashtra (96.24%).

India on Monday conducted 1,463,593 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 445,422,256. The test positivity rate recorded was 2.6%.

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 (16.94%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.63%), Maharashtra (13.66%), Sikkim (12.78%), and Kerala (12.51%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are, Sikkim (16.65%), Manipur (15.6%), Nagaland (11.52%), Kerala (10.69%), and Meghalaya (8.76%).

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 (1218027), J&K (810457), Kerala (707941), Karnataka (545913), and Uttarakhand (530963).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6214190), Kerala (3160937), Karnataka (2883947), Tamil Nadu (2535402), and Andhra Pradesh (1940096).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 9000 new cases to take its tally to 6214190.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 13956 cases to take its tally to 3160937.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 1708 cases to take its tally to 2883947.

Tamil Nadu has added 2079 cases to take its tally to 2535402.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 2974 to 1940096.

Uttar Pradesh has added 25 cases to take its tally to 1707847.

Delhi has added 51 cases to take its tally to 1435529.
The Delhi Cabinet on Monday decided to implement the 'One Nation One Ration Card' (ONORC) scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered implementation of the ONORC scheme across the country by July 31.

All the beneficiaries would get ration free of cost in a phased manner through e-PoS devices on biometric authentication at all fair price shops (FPS) across Delhi.

"Migrant beneficiaries under national portability having proper ration cards and who have been identified under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) in their parent state would also get ration free of cost under this plan. The has decided to continue the distribution of ration free of cost up to November 2021," an official statement said.

Under the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme, persons holding a ration card under the National Food Security Act can collect their monthly quota of food grain from any FPS across the country.

The portability depends on e-PoS machines, which use Aadhaar-linked biometric authentication to verify the identity and entitlement of beneficiaries.

To ensure hassle-free distribution, fair price shops have been directed to mandatorily display a board detailing this entitlement to all beneficiaries, the statement added.

Delhi had suspended the use of e-PoS in early 2018 following complaints of poor network leading to authentication failures and exclusion of genuine beneficiaries.

Food and Supply Minister Imran Hussain said, The had earlier provided an entitled ration free of cost to the NFS beneficiaries for May-June 2021. Now the government has decided to continue the distribution of ration free of cost up to November 2021. Now we have implemented ' policy' which will benefit migrants living in Delhi to get ration free of cost."



In April, the Delhi food department had rolled out the Centre's ONORC scheme in Seemapuri on a pilot basis.

In June, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had rejected the Delhi government's proposal for the launch of its flagship "doorstep delivery of ration" scheme citing a lack of clearance from the Centre and an ongoing court case involving the scheme.

"If the beneficiaries have any grievance about the non-receiving of ration, they can make a complaint to the respective assistant commissioner, food supply officer and food supply inspector. They may also contact the helpline number 1967 and other grievance redressal portals, including PGMS, the minister 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.)
With 2,77,870 doses left in Delhi's Covid vaccine bank on Monday morning, the vaccine stock will last for less than a day, according to a bulletin issued by the city government.

Out of these, 2,05,630 doses are of Covaxin and 72,240 are of Covishield.

However, only 20 per cent of the Covaxin stock can be used for the first dose since Covaxin stock is limited and has irregular delivery cycles, the bulletin said.

Only 11,358 doses were administered on July 18, out of which 7,050 were first doses and 4,308 were second doses.

The capital's current vaccination capacity is 47,605 doses per day.

As many as 93,57,482 vaccine doses have been administered in the national capital till date, including 22,16,010 second doses.

(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 clinical parameters of former chief minister Kalyan Singh are being closely monitored by expert consultants at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here, the hospital said on Monday.

In a statement issued here, the SGPGIMS said, "After he (Kalyan Singh) complained of respiratory discomfort on Saturday evening, oxygen therapy was started. He was put on non-invasive ventilation on Sunday evening due to respiratory worsening."



The senior faculty of Critical Care Medicine (CCM), cardiology, nephrology, neurology and endocrinology are keeping a close watch on all the aspects related to his health, it said.

Director Professor RK Dhiman is supervising the treatment on a daily basis, the statement read.

The 89-year-old Singh, who is also a former governor of Rajasthan, was admitted to the ICU of the hospital on the evening of July 4 due to an infection and reduced consciousness level.

Earlier, he was undergoing treatment at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences here.

(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.)
Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi



Vijayan on Monday said that his government has formulated projects worth Rs 600 crore to make public spaces in the state disabled friendly.

Public spaces like government offices, tourist destinations and public transport will be made disabled friendly,a state government release quoted him as having said.

The chief minister said that his government's aim was to make Kerala one of the best disabled friendly places in the world.

As part of this, the government had sanctioned Rs 100 crore in the last budget and a number of schemes are being formulated and implemented to bring the physically and mentally challenged into the mainstream, he said.

He also said that the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR) in Kallettumkara is the best therapy center in India and was well-equipped to provide treatment and allied services to the differently abled.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Monday ordered for the release of Manipuri activist Erendro Leichombam, on or before 5 p.m. Monday. Leichombam was booked under the Security Act (NSA) for a Facebook post criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cure for Covid.

A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah said a person cannot be kept in jail even for a day for such an act. Justice Chandrachud said: "He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We will order his release today".

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for his part, requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday. However, the bench did not budge and said the court will grant interim relief today.

The bench said: "We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith subject to interim directions of this court and subject to further orders".

The court directed its registrar judicial to communicate the order to Central Jail for release of the activist before 5 p.m. on Monday. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that he would press for compensation at the next hearing.

The plea was filed in by Leichombam's father, L. Raghumani Singh, stating that the detention of the activist is a reprisal for his criticism against BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid. "Erendro, a Manipuri political activist, has been preventively detained solely to punish him for his criticism of (BJP) leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid," said the petition.

The plea contended that it is a shocking instance of misuse of preventive detention law to stifle completely innocuous speech, which is fully constitutionally protected.

Leichombam was initially arrested on May 13 for his Facebook post on the complaint of BJP leaders. On May 17, the day he was granted bail by the local court, the district magistrate Imphal West District, detained him under the stringent NSA, which is a preventive detention law. The plea said he has already spent 45 days in custody for an "innocuous piece of speech".

--IANS

ss/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 38,164 fresh cases reported

India reported 38,164 fresh infections on Monday, taking the cumulative caseload to 31.1 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 499 more deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 414,108. The active caseload is at 421,665, while the total recoveries have surged to 30.3 million. As many as 40.6 million vaccine shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 1.3 million were given on Sunday. Read more





SC questions Kerala's move to lift Covid curbs ahead of Bakrid

The government gave in to pressure and relaxed lockdown curbs for three days for the celebration of Bakrid which falls on July 21. The Supreme Court on Monday gave the Pinarayi Vijayan government less than 24 hours to explain its reasons for the move. The top court said any incident which directly affected lives would be viewed sternly and result in prompt action. Covid cases remain elevated in the state. Of 425,000 active Covid cases in the country, accounts for 125,000. Read more



No trace of mRNA vaccine in breast milk: Small study

New research has found no trace of mRNA Covid vaccine in human milk, a report in The Indian Express said. The study, which appears in JAMA Pediatrics, analysed the breast milk of seven women after they received mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna in the United States. It found no trace of the vaccine, offering the first direct data of vaccine safety during breastfeeding. This early evidence that the vaccine mRNA is not transferred to the infant could allay concerns among those who have declined vaccination or discontinued breastfeeding, the report said. Read more





Maharashtra: SC dismisses plea against order quashing cap on treatment cost for non-Covid patients

The Supreme Court declined to intervene in a Bombay High Court order against the governments directive to regulate rates charged by private hospitals for non-Covid patients, a media report said. The court said states do not have the power to issue such notifications. The judges observed that patients went to private hospitals due to a lack of infrastructure in government facilities. Non-Covid patients are bound to move to private hospitals when you dont have the necessary infrastructure, the bench said. Read more





How Kashmiris are being convinced to take Covid shot

Health workers in Jammu and have been trying to overcome vaccine hesitancy with reference videos of doctors and enlisting religious leaders to talk about the positives of vaccination. But, the winning argument seems to be that the government has inoculated army men too with the same vaccine, a report in ThePrint said. The Indian government has vaccinated all its defence personnel, including the Army with the vaccine. Will they ever inject their force with a medicine that will make them sterile or kill them. Can any country afford to put its defence force at stake? If they have taken it, why cant you?. Read more
The government on Monday denied claims that it had used spyware Pegasus to compromise the phone data of some persons but The Wire, the news portal which was a part of the Pegasus project that investigated possible snooping using the Israeli spyware in many countries, published fresh data that revealed IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw himself was on a long list of people who might have been victims.

The entire Opposition walked out soon after the ministers statement and both houses of Parliament were adjourned. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the report was by disrupters for obstructers.

It was Vaishnaw who led the government defence that there was no truth in The Wire report. The basis of this report is that there is a consortium which has got access to a leaked database of 50,000 phone numbers. The allegation is that individuals linked to these phone numbers were being spied upon, Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha, adding that this was not true because the report itself conceded that the mere presence of a phone number on the database did not mean the phones were infected with spyware, which could only be established after technical analysis.

The minister added the report had appeared a day before the monsoon session -- this was not a coincidence. They had appeared earlier as well and had been refuted. And India had robust systems to prevent illegal surveillance, he said.

But within minutes of his statement, The Wire, in the second part of its revelations from the international collaborative investigation, said spyware was found in the smartphones of key opposition strategist Prashant Kishor and a host of other political leaders, including Vaishnaw himself.





ALSO READ: Decoded: The stealth with which Pegasus spyware infects phones, listens in

Pegasus is sold by Israeli company NSO Group to vetted governments around the world.

The Wire does not directly say the phones of those on the list were hacked. It says those on the leaked database of numbers -- believed to be selected by clients of NSO Group as potential targets for surveillance -- include Congress leader and at least two ministers in the Narendra Modi government: Vaishnaw (inducted as a minister of railways, communications and electronics, and information technology on July 7), and minister of state Prahlad Singh Patel. The list reveals that several people associated with the functioning of elections were also selected for potential surveillance. This includes Ashok Lavasa, the only election commissioner to fault the BJP for violations of the model code of conduct in the lead-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.



The records also include a founder of the key election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Jagdeep Chhokhar, who was put on the list at around the same time as Lavasa.

The leaked data has also revealed that over 11 phone numbers belonging to the Supreme Court staffer and her close relatives who accused former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment in April 2019 were selected as targets for surveillance.

The list also includes someone who has been a key part of Indias battle against Covid-19, the virologist Gagandeep Kang. She was selected for potential surveillance in 2018, when she was helping deal with the fight against the Nipah virus.

Vaishnaw in his statement, which was repeatedly interrupted by leaders of the Opposition, said this degree of snooping by the government was just not possible.





ALSO READ: Pegasus row: 'Aap Chronology Samajhiye,' says Shah on snooping allegation

In India, there is a well-established procedure through which lawful interception of electronic communication is carried out for the purpose of security, particularly on the occurrence of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety, by agencies at the Centre and States. The requests for these lawful interceptions of electronic communication are made as per the relevant rules under the provisions of section 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Each case of interception or monitoring is approved by the competent authority. These powers are also available to the competent authority in the State Governments as per the IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009. There is a very-well established oversight mechanism in the form of a review committee headed by the Union Cabinet Secretary. In case of a State Government, such cases are reviewed by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary concerned. The law also provides an adjudication process for those people who are adversely affected by any such incident. The procedure, therefore, ensures that any interception or monitoring of any information is done as per due process of law, he said.

Opposition leaders including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner Janata Dal (United) said they were shocked and shaken at the revelations. The Congress demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah be sacked and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must be investigated and alleged that the government can now listen to bedroom conversations.





ALSO READ: Illegal surveillance

This is clearly treason and total abdication of  security by the Modi government, more so when the foreign company could possibly have access to this data, a Congress statement said.

Interestingly, Ravishankar Prasad, recently removed as IT minister, had his own twist. The last time the reports surfaced, he defended the government. On Monday he said, The NSO, which is the manufacturer of Pegasus, has clearly said that its clients are mostly Western nations. So why is India being targeted in this matter? What is the story behind this? What is the twist in the tale?

Opposition leaders, including those of the highly vocal Trinamool Congress, have vowed they will not let the story die down. The matter will come up again on Tuesday, when Parliament meets.
Maharashtra's caseload climbed to 62,20,207 on Monday after 6,017 people tested positive for the infection, the lowest since February 22, while the death toll jumped to 1,27,097 as 66 patients succumbed to COVID-19, a health department official said.

The fresh COVID-19 deaths were the lowest in the last one week. The official said as many as 13,051 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, pushing the number of recovered cases to 59,93,401. The state now has 96,375 active COVID-19 cases. Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate is 96.35 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent, the official said. Significantly Hingoli, Wardha and Bhandara districts of did not report any new infection in the last 24 hours. According to the official, Mumbai reported 403 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 7,31,561, while the death toll increased to 15,716 with 14 fresh fatalities. A total of 1,092 new COVID-19 cases and 24 fatalities were reported in the Mumbai circle - that includes the city and its satellite towns - taking the tally to 16,27,032 and the death toll to 33,284. The official said 202 people tested positive in Pune municipal limits, pushing the tally to 5,00,690, while the death toll rose to 8,600 after one more patient succumbed to the infection in the city. The wider Pune region reported 1,658 new COVID-19 cases and 17 fatalities, taking the tally to 14,66,915 and the death toll to 27,413. The Kolhapur region reported 2,443 new COVID-19 cases and 16 fresh fatalities, according to the health department. The Nashik region witnessed 543 new cases, while the daily infection count was 208 in the Latur region. The official said Nagpur, Akola and Aurangabad regions reported 26, 24 and 23 new COVID-19 cases, respectively. According to the official, out of 4,56,48,898 COVID-19 tests done so far in the state, 1,67,646 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. Currently, 5,61,796 people are in home quarantine and 4,052 in institutional quarantine across the state, he said. The highest number of active cases at 15,768 are in Pune district, followed by Thane and Mumbai at 13,632 and 10,422, respectively. According to the health department, of the total 59,93,401 recovered patients, the highest at 10,42,911 are from Pune district, followed by Mumbai and Thane at 7,03,066 and 5,64,399, respectively. figures for are as follows: Total cases 62,20,207; new cases 6,017; total deaths 1,27,097; total recoveries 59,93,401; active cases 96,375; total tests 4,56,48,898.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least two phone numbers of top Congress leader were reportedly selected for surveillance through Pegasus spyware, the Guardian --- part of the global media consortium that led an investigation into how the Israeli spyware was used to target journalists, activists and govt officials worldwide -- reported.

Those selected included not only Gandhi but some of his staff members and close friends, the investigation revealed.

Other top targets in India included political advisor Prashant Kishor, who helped Mamata Banerjee win Bengal elections, Gagandeep Kang, a professor at the Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory of Christian Medical College, Vellore, and one of India's leading medical scientists, former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa, founder of key election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) Jagdeep Chhokhar, and several others. In the case of Prashant Kishor, a forensic analysis reportedly showed his phone was compromised as recently as July 14.

Also on the list was the personal secretary to Vasundhara Raje Scindia, when she was the BJP's chief minister in Rajasthan, and Sanjay Kachroo, who worked as an officer on special duty (OSD) for Smriti Irani in her first years as a Union minister in the Modi government from 2014-2015, it said.

Other junior politicians linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's leader, Pravin Togadia are other individuals whose numbers figure in the database.



The leaked data also includes Hari Menon, the India head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and at least one other foundation employee, who were selected in mid 2019.

Another big name in the list was India's newly-appointed IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and another union minister, Prahlad Singh Patel. Interestingly, earlier during the day, Vaishnaw, dismissed media reports on the use of Pegasus software to snoop on journalists. He said the allegations levelled just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament are aimed at maligning Indian democracy.

In a suo motu statement in Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said that with several checks and balances being in place, "any sort of illegal surveillance" by unauthorised persons is not possible in India.

The Wire news portal, in the second part of its revelations from the international collaborative investigation called the Pegasus Project, reported that the phone number of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and 11 phone numbers belonging to the Supreme Court staffer and her close relatives, who accused former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment in April 2019, were selected as targets for surveillance.

Releasing the fresh tranche of investigation, The Wire said at least two mobile phone accounts used by former Congress chief were listed as potential targets by "an official Indian client of the Israeli surveillance technology vendor, NSO Group".

The forensic inspection of a cross-section of phones drawn from this list by Amnesty International's technical lab has confirmed the presence of Pegasus spyware in as many as 37 instruments, 10 of which are in India.

Gandhi's phones are not among those examined as he no longer has the handsets he used at the time that his numbers appear to have been selected for targeting - from mid-2018 to mid-2019, the report said. In the absence of forensics, it is not possible to conclusively establish whether Pegasus was deployed against Gandhi, it said.

Gandhi told The Wire that he had received suspicious WhatsApp messages in the past one of the known vectors for a spyware hack and frequently changed numbers and instruments so as to make it a little harder for them to target him.

Asked for his reaction to the news that he had been placed on a list of potential targets for hacking, Gandhi told The Wire, "Targeted surveillance of the type you describe whether in regard to me, other leaders of the opposition or indeed any law-abiding citizen of India is illegal and deplorable."

"If your information is correct, the scale and nature of surveillance you describe goes beyond an attack on the privacy of individuals. It is an attack on the democratic foundations of our country. It must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible be identified and punished," the former Congress chief said.

Such was the apparent interest in Gandhi that the numbers of five of his social friends and acquaintances were also placed on the list of potential targets, the report said.

The Congress, in its statement, alleged the government was the "deployer and executor of the snooping and spying racket through Israeli surveillance software Pegasus".

Randeep Surjewala, the party's main spokesperson, claimed that the government is listening to the bedroom conversations of people.

"Prime Minister and Home Minister are involved in snooping on Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, journalists and even Union ministers. Before a probe, Amit Shah should resign and an inquiry should be conducted against Modi," Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Congress leader took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter using the hashtag "Pegasus".

The BJP, meanwhile, hit out at the Congress over its attack on the central government, and claimed that there is not a "shred of evidence" to link either the ruling party or the Modi dispensation with the matter.

Addressing a press conference, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also questioned the credentials of those behind the story, alleging that The Wire, the news portal which broke it in India, had been earlier associated with stories which have been found to be "incorrect" while Amnesty International has a declared "anti-India" agenda in many ways.

On Sunday, the global consortium led by the Washington Post, the Guardian, and number of other media organisations revealed that Israeli spyware was used to allegedly compromise 300 mobile phone numbers in India. These included numbers of two serving Union ministers, three Opposition leaders, one constitutional authority, current and former heads of security organisations, administrators and 40 senior journalists and activists.

The Post reported that more than 1,000 phone numbers in India appeared on the list. However, the consortium could only verify the identities of the people associated with more than 300 of the numbers in India.

The data was accessed by the non-profit journalism organisation Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International and shared with the global media consortium as part of the Pegasus project.

The spyware that infiltrated phones is called Pegasus. It unlocks critical information of the targets mobile phone without even any inducement from the user. The spyware developed by NSO Group, an Israeli firm says, it sells the spyware exclusively to government agencies to combat terrorism and other serious crimes.
More than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of business persons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies, an international media consortium reported on Sunday.

The government, however, dismissed allegations of any kind of on its part on specific people, saying it "has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever".

Asserting that "India is a robust democracy that is committed to ensuring the right to privacy to all its citizens as a fundamental right", the government dismissed the media report as an attempt to playing "the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury".

The report was published by The Wire news portal from India as also 16 other international publications including Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde, as media partners to an investigation conducted by Paris-based media non-profit organisation Forbidden Stories and rights group Amnesty International into a leaked list of more than 50,000 phone numbers from across the world that are believed to have been the target of through Pegasus software of Israeli company NSO Group.

The Wire reported that forensic tests conducted as part of the media investigation project on a small cross-section of phones associated with these numbers revealed clear signs of targeting by Pegasus spyware in 37 phones, of which 10 are Indian.

The report came just a day before the start of the of Parliament and could see the matter being raised in two houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, beginning tomorrow. Some opposition leaders are also expected to give notices for adjournment or debate on this issue.

The Wire said the numbers of those in the database from India include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of businesspersons, as also a sitting judge.

Responding to the reports, the government referred to its reply given to the media consortium and said similar claims were made in the past as well regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp by India and those reports also had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp in the Indian Supreme Court.

"This news report, thus, also appears to be a similar fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions," the government said.

It further said that there is a well-established procedure through which "lawful interception of electronic communication is carried out in order for the purpose of national security, particularly on the occurrence of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety, by agencies at the Centre and States" and the procedure ensures that any interception, monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource is done as per a due process of law.

NSO Group, the Israeli company which sells Pegasus worldwide, says its clients, are confined to vetted governments, believed to number 36, according to The Wire.

Forbidden Stories, which accessed the data, stated that it comprises records of phone numbers selected as targets by NSO clients, a claim the company formally denied while conceding that its clients might have used these numbers for other purposes.

A majority of the numbers identified in the list were geographically concentrated in 10 country clusters: India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The leaked data includes the numbers of top journalists at big media houses like the Hindustan Times, India Today, Network18, The Hindu and Indian Express, The Wire said.

The mobile phone of a former Delhi University professor was also allegedly targeted, while the database also included at least nine numbers belonging to eight activists, lawyers and academics arrested between June 2018 and October 2020 for their supposed role in the Elgar Parishad case.

The Wire, however, added that the mere presence of a phone number in the leaked data does alone not reveal whether a device was infected.

"Indeed, it is not possible to know whether their phones were targeted by Pegasus spyware... without digital forensic analysis," it said.

The government, in its response, said India is committed to ensuring the right to privacy to all its citizens as a fundamental right and for that, it has also introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to protect the personal data of individuals and to empower users of social media platforms.

The commitment to free speech as a fundamental right is the cornerstone of India's democratic system, it said.

"We have always strived to attain an informed citizenry with an emphasis on a culture of open dialogue. However, the questionnaire sent to the Government of India indicates that the story being crafted is one that is not only bereft of facts but also founded in pre-conceived conclusions," it said, referring to the queries it had received from the media consortium.

"It seems you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury. Considering the fact that answers to the queries posed have already been in the public domain for a long time, it also indicates poorly conducted research and lack of due diligence by the esteemed media organizations involved," the government said in its response to the global media collective that worked on 'Project Pegasus'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Monday refused to entertain a plea challenging denial of permission by the government on the ground of COVID-19 situation to hold annual pilgrimage by warkaris' of Sant Namdev Maharaj Sansthan' and other organisations to Lord Vitthal temple at Pandharpur in the state.

As per practice, pilgrims called as warkaris', along with over 250 Palki' undertake the pilgrimage by foot from their respective natives places to the Lord Vitthal temple at Pandharpur.

Considering the pandemic situation in mind, the state government has put restrictions including the fact that now 10 palki' can be taken to the temple.

The plea said the state government has arbitrarily denied the permission which has violated the fundamental rights of devotees.

"You know the pandemic. You know the situation in the country. And, you want that there should be no restrictions. Sorry, we cannot do this," a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy said.

Sant Namdev Maharaj Sansthan', in its plea, said the pilgrims from Maharashtra, Chattishgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kamataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana will face a lot of hardship in completing their wari' (pilgrimage) , which normally starts froth their home to the Temple of Lord Vitthal, since the has allowed only 10 palki' to perform the ritual.

"The Violation of Article 14, 19(1) (d), 21 and 25 of the Constitution. The State of has arbitrarily denied the permission to perform the Vari. The wari is an age-old tradition. Last year in the wake of Corona the warkaris' themselves had not pressed. But this year, people are more aware about the disease and would follow the protocol".

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Children over the age of 12 who are at higher risk of getting ill if they catch COVID-19 will be offered a vaccine, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Parliament on Monday.

Based on advice by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the vast majority of children in the who are at low risk from the deadly virus will not be offered the vaccine for now.

However, some healthy children over 12 who live with other vulnerable people can have the vaccine, as well as those on the cusp of turning 18. Overall, around 370,000 children will be eligible for a vaccine and will be offered the Pfizer/BioNtech jab.

Young people aged 12 to 15 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down's Syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, as well as people who are household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, will be eligible for vaccination soon, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19, said in a statement which was relayed to the House of Commons by Zahawi.

Today's advice does not recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at this point in time. But the JCVI will continue to review new data, and consider whether to recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at a future date, Javid's statement added.

The minister described the COVID-19 vaccines as a wall of defence, which have saved almost 37,000 lives and prevented around 11.7 million infections in England alone.

The latest decision sets the UK in marked contrast with some other countries such as the US and Canada which have mass vaccinated children aged 12 to 17.

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UK set for big reopening as cases soar most in the world

The United Kingdom is set for a mega reopening as legal restrictions expire on Monday after almost over a year of lockdowns, fatigue and restlessness of the pandemic. However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his colleague Rishi Sunak are facing an intense backlash over their attempt to evade the isolation after close contact with an official who had tested positive earlier. The reopening was hailed as a moment in the pandemic where there is going back back from here and was supposed to herald freedom for the country. Despite hospitalisations being low, a positive sign, the Delta variant is sweeping England with massive 40,000-plus cases reported over the past few days. Doubts also remain over how keen the public will be to make use of all the freedoms. A poll showed 60 per cent of Britons are feeling increasingly nervous about the curbs lifting. Read here





Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 190,441,654

Global deaths: 4,089,175

Vaccine doses administered: 3,636,444,004

Nations with most cases: US (34,080,007), India (31,144,229), Brazil (19,376,574), France (5,929,929), Russia (5,884,593).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center



surpasses US in vaccinations after initial lag

From just a 3 per cent vaccination rate in May, a slow start caused by delayed procurement and distribution hurdles, has fully vaccinated nearly 49 per cent of its population against the deadly coronavirus, overtaking the US, where vaccine rate stands at 48.5 per cent. This sets the stage for Prime Minister Trudeau's plan to relax restrictions by September if the current inoculation trend holds. Although vaccinations are ramping up faster now in than in the US, Canadas slower start has placed it behind the US in reopening its economy. Canadas lockdowns were also generally stricter and longer-lasting. Read here





Indonesias daily infections higher than India and Brazil

has reported more daily Covid-19 infections than India and Brazil as the Delta strain sweeps across South-East Asia, placing intense pressure on health systems. One of the worst-hit in the second wave, the country reported 51,952 cases and 1,092 deaths. More than 72,400 people have died, according to official records. Most countries in the region are experiencing their worst outbreaks since the pandemic began, fuelled by the emergence of more aggressive variants and a lack of vaccines. Read here





spends just fraction of US and Europe on post-Covid economy

Joe Biden has outlined a massive plan, worth almost $2 trillion dollars to get the economy going post pandemic by building infra and tackle climate change in the next decade. European Union spending $2.1 trillion, a sum that includes a package. By contrast, is creating a mere $18 billion fund to promote decarbonisation over 10 years, an approach that may threaten its global competitiveness. One reason for this cautious approach might be Japan's constrained national budgets that are crafted largely on a year-by-year basis at the expense of funding long-term goals. Japan's deficits, financed by government bonds, are another limiting factor. Read here
The has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch an enquiry into an email, sent from the official address of the to a taxpayer seeking adjournment of the case under e-proceedings.

The court order follows the petitioner, Three C Homes, which filed a writ petition challenging the assessment order issued by tax authorities.

It contested that the department issued the tax order despite adjournment being granted by them till June 14. The grant had apparently come from the email address @incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. However, the assessing officer denies the claim and said the communique was not sent from the department.

As the allegation pertains to a sensitive server belonging to the Ministry of Finance/Department of Income Tax, and involves a senior official of the I-T Department holding a sensitive post, this Court directs the central agency  the  to enquire as to whether the email dated 31st May, 2021, had been issued to the petitioner or not, and if so, by whom, a division Bench of Justices Manmohan and Naveen Chawla said in a ruling dated July 16.

The issue began on May 31 when the taxpayer sought adjournment and extension of time to submit their reply. They said the Resolution Professional was unable to access various records owing to the lockdown in Uttar Pradesh. On the same day, they got an email from the mentioned ID granting adjournment till June 14. However, they received the Assessment Order (June 1), on June 2. Subsequently, the petitioner challenged the order, stating that adjournment had been granted.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has earmarked 64 per cent of the defence capital budget for this year for acquisitions from domestic companies, the MoD said in Parliament on Monday.

This is an increase of six per cent from the last financial year, which was the first time a distinction was overtly made between domestic and overseas defence expenditure.

In line with the governments initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat, it has been decided to earmark an amount of Rs 71,438 crore for domestic capital procurement out of the total allocation of Rs 111,463 crore for capital acquisition, said the MoD in a written reply to a question from a member.

The figure of Rs 71,438 crore that the MoD has earmarked for domestic capital procurement does not actually go in full to domestic firms. For example, when the MoD signed a contract in January with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL,) worth Rs 45,696 crore for 83 Tejas Mark 1A fighter aircraft, just about half that figure would be spent in India.

The MoD also stated: During last three financial years, i.e. 2018-19 to 2020-21, 102 contracts have been signed with Indian vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment such as aircrafts, missiles, tanks, bullet proof jackets, guns, navy vessels, radars, and networks, etc.

In that same period, The government has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to 119 defence proposals, worth Rs 215,690 crore approximately, under the various categories of capital acquisition, which promote domestic manufacturing as per the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), stated the MoD.

The DAP categories that promote domestic manufacturing are: Buy (Indian  Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured), Buy (Indian), Buy and Make (Indian), Buy and Make, Strategic Partnership Model, and Make categories.

Amongst the indigenous defence projects the government laid claim to were: The 155 mm Dhanush artillery gun, the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, Akash surface to air missile system, Scorpene submarine, the destroyer INS Chennai, and the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette. Many of these procurements originated well before the tenancy of this government.

The MoD also laid claim to the SRIJAN portal that it launched on August 14, 2020, to promote indigenisation of spares and components. As on date, 10,929 items, which were earlier imported, have been displayed on the portal for indigenisation. The Indian industry has shown interest for 2,890 displayed items so far. Defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) are interacting with these industries to facilitate indigenisation, said the MoD.

1,776 components and spares have been indigenised in 2020-21 as a result of efforts by DPSUs, OFB, and service headquarters, via their own processes of indigenisation, stated the MoD in its reply.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' has fetched over Rs 30.80 crore as revenue since it began in 2014, with the highest of over Rs 10.64 crore earned in 2017-18, was informed Monday.

The 'Mann Ki Baat' programme is broadcast at 11 am on the last Sunday of each month through various channels of the All India Radio and Doordarshan.

"Prasar Bharati has broadcast 78 episodes of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme till date on its All India Radio and Doordarshan network and also on social media platform," Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told in a written reply to a question.

This programme is also broadcast by approximately 91 private satellite TV channels on Cable and DTH platforms across the country, he said.

According to data shared by the ministry in its reply, the programme fetched Rs 1.16 crore as revenue in 2014-15, Rs 2.81 crore in 2015-16, over Rs 5.14 crore in 2016-17 and over Rs 10.64 crore in 2017-18.

It generated Rs 7.47 crore revenue in 2018-19, Rs 2.56 crore in 2019-20 and Rs 1.02 crore in 2020-21.

"As India's most popular televised radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat' has substantial audience following," the minister said.

As per the audience data measured by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of Television Channels, the cumulative reach of viewership of the programme has been estimated to range from approximately 6 crore to 14.35 crore during 2018 to 2020, he added.

"The main objective of 'Mann Ki Baat' programme of the prime minister is to reach to the masses across the country through the radio, the minister said.

The programme also provides every citizen the opportunity to connect, suggest, and become part of participatory governance through the prime minister's radio address, he added.

The minister said Prasar Bharati produces 'Mann ki Baat' leveraging existing in-house resources with no additional expenditure.

"In-house staff is leveraged for production and existing translators engaged on assignment basis for language versions," he noted.

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Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for sale of 27 mineral blocks have been issued by four states, including Jharkhand and Odisha, was informed on Monday.

While Odisha has issued Notice Inviting Tender for 11 mineral blocks, Madhya Pradesh has issued NIT for 10 blocks.

NIT has been issued for four mineral blocks in Rajasthan and one block in Jharkhand.

Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Currently, Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for of 27 mineral are issued by four states, namely, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Jharkhand."



The minister further said "114 mineral blocks are auctioned by various State Governments."



He added that various steps have been taken to reduce the imports of coal.

These include launch of commercial mining to increase availability of coal through non-Coal India (CIL) mining leases, increase in availability of the dry fuel through greater allocations of coal under different windows conducted by the coal behemoth, and reduction in floor price for different categories of non-power consumers by CIL.

CIL accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.

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Thirty-nine posts of chairman and directors are vacant at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

Union Minister gave the information in response to a written question in the House.

"At present, eight posts of chairman at and 21 posts of chairman at NITs are vacant. Further, five posts of directors in and five posts in NITs are vacant. The nomination and selection of chairman and other posts is a continuous process," Pradhan said.

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The percentage of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at tertiary level in India is higher compared to developed nations like the US, UK, Germany and France, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

The information was shared by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in response to a written question.

While in India the female share of graduates in STEM was 42.72 per cent in 2016, that of the United States was 33.99 per cent, Germany 27.14, United Kingdom 38.10, France 31.81 and Canada 31.43 per cent.

The trend continued in 2017 and 2018 when the percentage of in STEM in India was 43.93 and 42.73.

To a question seeking details of the number of STEM graduates over the last three years and whether there are more men than in STEM, Pradhan shared the All India Survey on Higher (AISHE) data for past three years which revealed that while the number of men have decreased from 12.48 lakh in 2017-18 to 11.88 lakh in 2019-20, the number of women grew from 10 lakh to 10.56 lakh during the same period.

"The government under Department of and Technology has taken several steps to increase the participation of women in STEM for higher This includes implementation of women exclusive schemes like 'Knowledge Involvement Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN)' to encourage women in the field of and technology.

"The 'mobility' programme has been introduced to address relocation issue of working women scientists. Further 'Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) was launched to provide opportunities to Indian women scientists, engineers and technologists to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in the US for duration of 3-6 months," Pradhan said.

"The Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE) provides support to develop research infrastructure and state-of-the-art research facilities in women universities and to help enhancing women's participation in research and development activities in and technology domain," the minister added.

The minister also shared a set of World Bank data which showed that at least till 2016 there are more Indian women graduate in STEM compared to the US, UK, Germany and France, among others.

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The countrys top have once again moved the against attempts to make their sensitive inspection reports public under the Right to Information Act.

The inspections are done by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and not even the employees of the banks, except the top management, are allowed to see it. But a 2015 ruling by the telling the to make the reports available under the RTI Act changed all that.

Banks, and even the central government, have challenged the ruling in various ways.



State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and IDFC Bank filed a petition against a notice, in what could be a last-ditch attempt by the Indian banking system to keep confidential information under wraps. The notice was given to the under Section 11(1) of the RTI Act seeking third-party disclosure requirements.

It is important to recall here that the allowed making such reports public as a result of the order in 2015. While the Apex court had originally asked for the full report, but subsequently, it was agreed that not the entire report would be made public, but the relevant portions on bad debts, and borrowers etc. Nevertheless, even such information can disclose much information about the borrowers, which violates various client confidentiality clauses of banks, the lenders have argued.

In April this year itself, the Supreme Court had dismissed one such attempt by the Central government and 10 In early July, the court had again spurred Punjab National Bank against such a request.

In its original ruling in 2015 ruling, the SC had chastised the for trying to keep the inspection reports confidential.

RBI has no legal duty to maximize the benefit of any public sector or private sector bank, and thus there is no relationship of trust between them. RBI has a statutory duty to uphold the interest of the public at large, the depositors, the countrys economy, and the banking sector, the Supreme Court had ruled.

In April this year, the SC refused to recall its order as there was no such provision.

RBI has to act with transparency and not hide information that might embarrass the banks and that it is duty-bound to comply with the provisions of the act and disclose the information sought, the SC ruled on April 21.

In their latest filing, SBI argued that banks are driven by the trust and faith of their clients that should not be made public. Private banks, such as HDFC Bank argued that RTI Act is applicable for government departments, and the act doesnt apply for private banks.

Besides, the banks argued that privacy is a fundamental right, and therefore should not be violated by making clients information public.

The court is scheduled to hear the case on July 22.
Financial creditors, including banks, realised Rs 2.45 trillion from approved resolution plans for 394 corporate insolvency resolution cases under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code as on June 30, Minister of State for Pankaj Chaudhary said. Creditors got Rs 2.37 trillion through approved resolution plans of top 100 CIRPs, which is over 36 per cent of the admitted claims.

About 4,540 cases were admitted for the corporate insolvency resolution process under until June 30, 2021, Chaudhary said in response to a query in Lok Sabha.

In a separate response, the minister said, the separate framework for resolution of systemically important financial service providers other than banks, has led to approval of a resolution plan that will help in realising Rs 37,167 crore.

However, in many cases under the IBC, the haircut taken by the lenders reached 80-90 per cent. As per publicly available data, 240 corporate debtors that have been liquidated till December 2020, had outstanding claims of Rs 33,086 crore, with assets valued at Rs 1,099 crore.

The lawmakers were also informed that recovery by banks as a percentage of their gross non-performing assets dipped in FY21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) recovered Rs 4.18 trillion during the last three financial years, with recovery as a percentage of their gross NPA increasing from 13.1 per cent in FY18 to 15.1 per cent in FY19. The recovery increased to 15.8 per cent in FY20 to drop to 12.8 per cent in FY21 in the backdrop of the pandemic.

Strong fundamentals to attract foreign investments

Indias strong fundamentals and market size will continue to attract market-seeking greenfield investments, Minister said.

Quoting the World Investment Report 2021, Sitharaman in a written reply to Lok Sabha, said FDI inflows into India rose by 25.4 per cent to reach $64 billion in 2020, from $51 billion in 2019, becoming fifth largest recipient in the world in 2020, up from eighth position it held in the previous year.

However, the announced greenfield projects in India contracted by 19 per cent in 2020, she said. This decline is significantly lower than the 44 per cent decline in developing economies, she added.

"As has been witnessed in overall FDI inflows, India's strong fundamentals and market size will continue to attract market-seeking greenfield investments," she said.

Shift in divestment stance

The governments divestment plan has changed over the years, and scope of minority stake sales has declined, said Minister of State for Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad.

Going forward, privatisation would be the primary mode for divestment receipts, Karad said in response to a query.

As on July 17, the government has mopped up Rs 7,645 crore in receipts in the current financial year.

Several transactions are expected to be completed during the year, Karad said. The initial public offering (IPO) of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is also planned to be completed during the year, he said.

Disputed tax of Rs 99,765 crore settled under Vivad se VIshwas

Over 132,000 declarations involving disputed tax of Rs 99,765 crore have been filed under the 'Vivad se Vishwas' dispute resolution scheme. Declarations received under the scheme cover around 28.73 per cent of the pending direct tax disputes, MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said.
Ahmedabad-based Light has got $10 million (Rs 75 crore) in funding from European Impact Investors Incofin (a Belgian firm), Nordic Initiative (Norwegian) and Triple Jump (Dutch). This is Triple Jumps first investment in Indian

The three funds follow an investment strategy aimed at creating social or environmental impacts in addition to financial gains.

This is a very important milestone. The investment will boost our expansion plans in states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, said Rakesh Kumar, chief executive officer of Light.

Light reported in FY21 a portfolio growth of 30% to Rs 623 crore with 0.9% NPA. This investment strengthens our balance sheet and will enable further expansion of our loan book to over Rs 1000 crore, said Aviral Saini, chief financial officer at Light.

The Series-A funding round was led by Incofin. We are truly impressed with the management team and their commitment to the impact space over the last 11 years, said Aditya Bhandari, partner & co-regional Director, Incofin.

Light Microfinance started in 2009 and by March 2021, the company was catering to 2.17 lakh borrowers. It has a workforce of over 1400 people across 68 districts.
A Tokyo court on Monday doled out the first sentences in related to Carlos Ghosn's arrest and escape, imprisoning U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor for two years and his son Peter for one year and eight months for helping the former Nissan Motor Co Ltd chairman flee to Lebanon in 2019.

"This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of serious crime, to escape overseas," Hideo Nirei, the chief judge, said while explaining the judgement. "One year and a half has passed, but there is no prospect of the trial being held."

Wearing dark suits and flanked by four guards, the two remained silent during their 20-minute appearance at the Tokyo District Court.

Nirei said the elder Taylor played a "leading role" in the escape by escorting Ghosn onto the jet, while his son had taken care of his luggage and provided him with a key to a hotel room where he changed clothes.

The two men, who had faced up to three years in prison, pleaded guilty and made a tearful apology to the court last month, saying they regretted their role in smuggling Ghosn out of hidden in a box aboard a private jet from Japan's Kansai airport at the end of 2019.

Prosecutors said the Taylors received $1.3 million for expenses and as payment, with another $500,000 for legal fees.

A Turkish court in February convicted Turkish company MNG and two pilots for their role in Ghosn's escape, sentencing the pilots to four years and two months in jail.

The Taylors were arrested in the United States in May 2020, but did not arrive in until March because their lawyers sought to prevent their extradition, arguing that they could not be prosecuted for helping someone "bail jump" and that they could face relentless interrogation and torture.

Suspects in Japan are interrogated without their lawyers present and are often denied bail before trial.

Ghosn remains a fugitive in his childhood home of Lebanon, which doesn't have an extradition treaty with Japan.

In Japan he faces charges he understated his compensation in Nissan's financial statements by 9.3 billion yen ($85 million) over a decade and enriched himself at his employer's expense through payments to car dealerships in the Middle East.

Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive charged with helping Ghosn hide his compensation, is also on trial in Tokyo, with a judgment expected next year. Both Ghosn and Kelly deny the charges.

The Taylors have 14 days to appeal the verdict and sentence.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly and Eimi Yamamitsu; Editing by Tom Hogue and Gerry Doyle)

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Fifteen diplomatic missions and the representative in urged the on Monday to halt their military offensives just hours after the rival Afghan sides failed to agree on a ceasefire at a peace meeting in Doha.



A delegation of Afghan leaders met the Talibans political leadership in the Qatari capital over the weekend but the Taliban, in a statement late on Sunday, made no mention of a halt to violence.



This Eid al-Adha, the should lay down their weapons for good and show the world their commitment to the peace process, the 15 missions and the representative said. The statement was supported by Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the EU delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Britain and the US and Natos senior civilian representative.

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said it's new



office here will hire over 2,000 employees by 2023, a press release from the investment banker said on Monday.

The company on Monday announced the opening of its new office here as part of its commitment to expand its global centre for engineering and business innovation and in India, a press release from said.

"In adherence to local government guidelines, operations commenced remotely in March 2021 and currently have about 250 employees...By the end of 2021 it is expected that the office will grow to 800 employees of which about 70 per cent employees will be new hires. By 2023 the size of office could reach as many as 2,500 employees," it said.

The new facility was inaugurated by Telangana IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao.

Chairman and chief executive officer David M Solomon said the new office will serve as a crucial innovation hub for a wide range of Goldman Sachs' businesses and enhance its reputation as a global firm.

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The U.S., U.K. and their allies formally attributed the Microsoft Exchange hack to actors affiliated with the Chinese government and accused Beijings leadership of a broad array of malicious cyber activities, escalating last weeks tensions between the White House and

The group of nations said Monday that the Chinese government has been the mastermind behind a series of malicious ransomware, data theft and cyber-espionage attacks against public and private entities, including the sprawling Microsoft Exchange hack earlier this year.

The Chinese Government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held account if it does not, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Monday in a statement.

The White House said that it was joining with European nations to expose the scale of Chinas activity and will take steps to counter it.

President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House on Monday that the investigation isnt finished but that the Chinese government bears responsibility.

My understanding is that the Chinese government, not unlike the Russian government, is not doing this themselves, but are protecting those who are doing it and maybe even accommodating them being able to do it, Biden said.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that responsible states dont harbor cyber criminals.

These contract hackers cost governments and businesses billions of dollars in stolen intellectual property, ransom payments and mitigation efforts, all while the MSS had them on its payroll, Blinken said, referring to Chinas Ministry of State Security.

Economic Loss

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that the cyberattack was conducted from and resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies. The activities were linked to the hacker groups Advanced Persistent Threat 40 and Advanced Persistent Threat 31, according to an EU statement on Monday.

The group of nations attributing the attack to includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO, marking the first condemnation by the North American-European alliance on Chinas cyber activities, the senior Biden administration official said.

ALSO READ: Work from home fuelling cyber attacks, says global financial watchdog

Mondays announcement will add to the range of issues -- including economic, military and political -- the U.S. and China have been at odds over. Those tensions intensified last week when the administration warned investors about the risks of doing business in Hong Kong with an advisory saying Chinas push to exert more control over the financial hub threatens the rule of law and endangers employees and data.

The U.S. also charged four Chinese nationals affiliated with the Ministry of State Security with a campaign to hack into computer systems of dozens of companies, universities and government entities in the U.S. and abroad between 2011 and 2018. The indictment, which was unsealed Monday, alleges that the hackers targeted, among other things, Ebola vaccine research.

Biden has called competition with China one of the defining challenges of the century. Chinas leaders were surprised by the administrations decision to leave in place tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump, and were infuriated by its support for reopening a review of how the Covid-19 pandemic started -- and whether it leaked from a lab in Wuhan.

With the report Monday, the U.S. aims to show how Chinas Ministry of State Security uses criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including for its own personal profit.

In some cases, we are aware that PRC government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransomware operations against private companies that have included ransom demands of millions of dollars, the White House said in a fact sheet.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs didnt immediately reply to a request for comment outside of office hours. In March, the ministry dismissed allegations that China-based government hackers were behind cyberattacks on Microsoft Exchange servers, accusing the company of making groundless accusations, and saying that tracing the source of cyberattacks is a highly sensitive political issue. China has long insisted that it is not a perpetrator but a victim of cyberattacks.

50 Tactics

As part of the announcement, the National Security Agency, the and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation detailed more than 50 tactics Chinese state-sponsored cyber hackers used when targeting U.S. and allied networks, including spearphishing emails with malicious attachments, exploitation of public-facing applications and drive-by compromise.

The agencies also provided advice and technical mitigations to confront threats, such as installing patches to protect against system vulnerabilities, strengthening login and password requirements and storing critical information on air-gapped systems.

Among the threats is state-sponsored cyber extortion, also known as ransomware attacks, in which the Chinese government has demanded millions of dollars from private companies in exchange for digital keys that allow victims to regain access to their computer networks, the official said.

Microsoft Corp. welcomed the global effort to attribute the attacks and called for future accountability.

Attributions like these will help the community ensure those behind indiscriminate attacks are held accountable, said Tom Burt, corporate vice president, Customer Security & Trust. Transparency is critical if were to combat the rising cyberattacks we see across the planet against individuals, organisations and nations.

Microsoft has previously attributed the hack to Chinese actors the software giant called Hafnium. The U.S.s assessment appears to support Microsofts conclusions, attributing the hack to MSS-affiliated actors with a high degree of confidence, according to the fact sheet.

The attack against Microsofts Exchange email servers exploded over the course of two weeks between late February and early March. Microsoft first released software patches on March 2 to fix the critical vulnerabilities exploited in the hack. The attack exposed tens of thousands of victim email systems, including those of health-care facilities, manufacturers, energy companies and state and local governments.

Until now, most ransomware attacks had been attributed to Eastern European and North Korean operators. Now, the U.S. is accusing the Chinese government of not only leading malicious cyber operations, but also of hiring mercenaries, according to the official. The claim accuses China of not only sponsoring espionage, but also supporting and possibly endorsing the work of cyber criminals executing these attacks.

Due to the breadth of victims around the world, the formal attribution came only after the U.S. had attained a high confidence level on the source of the hack, and the announcement could be made in concert with allies, the official added.
Washingtons point man in talks aimed at ending decades of war in made a brief visit on Monday to as relations between Islamabad and Kabul reached a new low.



Zalmay Khalilzads visit came just hours after withdrew its ambassador from late Sunday after the diplomats daughter was brutally attacked last week. The US envoy met with Pakistans army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa but nothing was immediately known of their discussions.



Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad from Qatar where the Taliban and Afghan government representatives have held two days of talks that ended late Sunday, with a promise by the warring sides to meet again.



Amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours, Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Haneef Atmar and assured him of taking all steps to arrest the culprits involved in the kidnapping of 26-year-old Silsila Alikhil, the daughter of Afghanistans ambassador Najibullah Alikhil.



The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is fully aware of the diplomatic norms, and security of the Afghan embassy and consulate in has been enhanced, Radio Pakistan quoted Qureshi as saying.



Pakistan all-weather friend China, too, strongly condemned the abduction and assault of Silsila.
The and its allies accused China on Monday of a global cyberespionage campaign, mustering an unusually broad coalition of countries to publicly call out Beijing for hacking.



The US was joined by Nato, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada in condemning the spying, which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said posed a major threat to our economic and national security. Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of Justice charged four Chinese nationals  three security officials and one contract hacker  with targeting dozens of companies, universities and government agencies in the and abroad.



The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese officials have previously said China is also a victim of hacking and opposes all forms of cyberattacks.



While a flurry of statements from Western powers represent a broad alliance, cyber experts said the lack of consequences for China beyond the US indictment was conspicuous. Just a month ago, summit statements by and warned China and said it posed threats to the order.



Adam Segal, a cybersecurity expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, called Mondays announcement a successful effort to get friends and allies to attribute the action to Beijing, but not very useful without any concrete follow-up.

Some of Mondays statements even seemed to pull their punches. While Washington and its close allies such as the and Canada held the Chinese state directly responsible for the hacking, were more circumspect.



merely said that its members acknowledge the allegations being levelled against Beijing by the US, Canada, and the Reuters
on Monday declined to comment on speculation that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited Beijing for an emergency briefing on a recent deadly targeting Chinese workers in the country's northwest but said the two countries are sure to find out the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice.

During a media briefing here, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian parried questions about rumours of Qureshi's unannounced visit to Beijing on Sunday "for some kind of briefing", saying he has "no information to offer".

had rushed a special team to to probe the July 14 blast in a shuttle bus in which 13 people, including nine Chinese engineers, were killed in Dasu area of Upper Kohistan district of the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where a Chinese company is building a 4320-mw dam on the Indus river.

Differing perceptions between the two close allies whether it was a terrorist attack or a gas explosion that hit the vehicle also added to Beijing's anxieties.

Islamabad initially attributed the incident, which resulted in highest number of Chinese casualties in so far, to a gas explosion but reversed it later and backed China's assertion that it was a stating that traces of explosives were found.

" is highly concerned and strongly condemns the bus accident in on July 14. The explosion is currently under investigation. A cross-departmental Joint Working Group of China is working intensively with the Pakistani side in the relevant work. China and Pakistan are sure to find out the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice," Zhao said.

Observers say that the uneasy Islamabad-Kabul ties over Pakistan's close relationship with the Taliban were exasperated by the bus in Dasu which had caught Beijing totally unawares.

In his media briefing, Zhao also denied reports that the Dasu power project was part of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"There are still many people who believe that the Dasu project is under the CPEC. I can clarify here that this project is not under the framework of CPEC, but it is an economic cooperation project between China and Pakistan, he said.

He also said the work at the project has been halted after the bus blast and denied that the Pakistani employees working at the project site were terminated over security concerns.

"In fact, this problem did not exist. After the blast, the construction (of the project) was put to a halt, with efforts put to the treatment of the wounded and other follow up measures, including more efforts" to find out the security loopholes and strengthen the protection measures, Zhao said.

"The project will resume when conditions are ready. The contracts of the Pakistani workers were not terminated, they are still working, he said.

Playing down the bus blast incident, Zhao said, "this was an isolated case. China believes that Pakistan is fully capable of ensuring the safety of Chinese personnel in Pakistan, and the safety of Chinese assets in Pakistan.

About the progress of the probe into the bus blast incident, Zhao said the relevant departments in Pakistan are looking into the incident and have briefed China on the initial investigation.

Technical experts have jointly inspected the scene and the case is undergoing further investigation, he said, adding that 27 Chinese personnel who were wounded in the blast received the best medical treatment in Pakistan.

One severely wounded has received brain surgery and is under medical observation.

China is concerned about the safety of thousands of its workers who are working in different projects of the CPEC which connects China's Xinjiang province with the Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan province.

The projects have sparked resentment, particularly among separatist groups who say there have been few benefits for local people.

There have been previous attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, including a deadly suicide blast in April at a luxury hotel in Balochistan where the Chinese ambassador was staying for which the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility. The envoy was not present at the hotel at that time.

(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.)
Shares of hit a new high of Rs 1,199 on the BSE after they rallied 18 per cent on the back of heavy volumes in intra-day trade on Monday in an otherwise weak market. At 01:11 pm, the stock was trading 14 per cent higher at Rs 1,157 as compared to a 1.3 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. The trading volumes on the counter jumped three-fold, with a combined 2.34 million equity shares having changed hands on the NSE and BSE.

In the past one month, the stock of has zoomed 65 per cent, as against a 0.20 per cent rise in the Sensex. The company reduced its net debt to Rs 180 crore as on March 31, 2021, from Rs 1,623 crore as on March 31, 2020. The reduction in debt was led by lower sugar inventory and significantly lower fertiliser subsidy outstanding. A judicious approach to capex and working capital across businesses also led to lower net debt.

is a diversified company with interests in agri-value chain (urea, sugar, seeds and trading of agri-inputs) and the chloro-vinyl chain (chlor-alkali and PVC). Apart from these, the company is involved in certain other related businesses to take advantage of vertical integration, such as Fenesta Building System (UPVC doors and windows), cement (produced at its integrated Kota plant) and PVC compounding (50:50 JV with Axiall Inc., USA).

On June 29, 2021, rating agency had upgraded term loan and fund based facilities of DCM Shriram to AA+ from AA with a stable outlook. The rating revision factors in the significant decline in DCM Shrirams net debt levels, driven by the improvement in the working capital cycle of the fertiliser and sugar segment, leading to net debt/OPBDITA of 0.1x times as on March 31, 2021, and the likelihood of the same remaining comfortable going forward.

The clearing of subsidy backlog in the fertiliser segment due to the release of additional subsidy by the government of India in FY2021 and diversion of sugar towards ethanol production leading to lower sugar inventory will lead to lower working capital requirements.

The company has completely exited the bulk fertiliser sales under the Shriram Farm Solution (SFS) business and is focussed on selling value-added products, which has also resulted in improved profitability and moderation in the working capital cycle. As a result of all these factors, the overall working capital requirement and working capital debt has come down and is expected to remain lower than the past years which should lead to better capitalisation and coverage ratios.

The rating upgrade also factors in the improvement in the cost structure of the company driven by the commissioning of the 66 MW power plant at Kota in FY2020 and further improvement expected post commissioning of the 120 MW power plant in Bharuch in FY2022.

Going forward, the revenues, profits and cash accruals are expected to grow owing to anticipated improvement in the Electro Chemical Unit (ECU) realisations of chlor-alkali business, healthy performance of the sugar segment and increasing scale and profitability of the SFS business of the company, ICRA said in its rating rationale.
Shares of declined 3 per cent to Rs 1,475 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Monday after the lender reported lower than expected performance for the quarter ended June (Q1FY22). The bank posted a 16.1 per cent jump in Q1 net profit to Rs 7,729.6 crore as the banks asset quality deteriorated and provisions increased. The countrys largest private-sector lender's profit stood at Rs 6,659 crore in the same period last year (Q1FY21).

The net interest income (NII) of the lender rose 8.57 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in Q1FY21 to Rs 17,009 crore, driven by growth in advances at 14.4 per cent and a net interest margin of 4.1 per cent. In the same period, the other income of the lender was up 54.3 per cent YoY at Rs 6,228.5 crore. posted a moderate operating performance due to a fall in net interest margins (NIMs) by 10 basis points (bps) quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to 4.1 per cent.

The asset quality of the bank deteriorated slightly at the end of the June quarter. Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of the bank stood at 1.47 per cent as opposed to gross NPAs of 1.32 per cent at the end of the March quarter and 1.36 per cent as of June 30, 2020. Net NPAs of the bank stood at 0.48 per cent of the advances portfolio.

"The cost to income ratio (C/I) ratio came down to 35 per cent from 37.2 per cent QoQ due to low business activity. Provisions were elevated at Rs 4,830 crore. As a result, profit after tax was slightly below estimate. The bank currently holds floating provisions worth Rs 1,451 crore and contingent provisions of Rs 6,596 crore. Loan growth moderated sequentially at 1.3 per cent to Rs 11.47 trillion while deposit accretion was decent at 13.2 per cent YoY to Rs 1.34 trillion," ICICI Securities said in a note.

continues to deliver better growth in advances, led by healthy trends in Commercial and Rural Banking loans. The banks operating performance remains broadly in line, though the margin has been under pressure owing to continued embargoes, Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in a result update.

The brokerage further said the asset quality has deteriorated marginally due to disruptions in collections on account of the second Covid wave. The bank continues to make additional contingent provisions to further strengthen its balance sheet. Total restructured book increased to 0.8 per cent of loans (versus 0.6 per cent of loans), however, overall stress formation remains under control. Lifting of restrictions by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) remains a key monitorable in the near term, it said.
The market regulator and customs authorities are investigating for non-compliance of rules, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

While the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is investigating some of the companies with regard to compliance with regulations, the (DRI) is probing certain entities belonging to the of Companies under laws administered by it", Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply to a question.

He, however, added that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was not probing these companies.

Chaudhary said the accounts of three of the six Mauritius-based funds that invested most of their money in firms were frozen in 2016 over the issuance of Global Depository Receipts (GDR) by certain listed firms. The funds included Albula Investment Fund, Cresta Fund, and APMS Investment Fund. No freeze was, however, ordered for their holding in other firms.

Sources told Business Standard that was looking into the holding structure of the three funds, while the DRI was investigating Adani Power and other group firms in connection with the over-invoicing of imported coal and power plant equipment.

While the minister cited the probe, a clarification was earlier issued by the National Securities Depository (NSDL) that these accounts were not frozen in the case of Adani companies.

In a statement later in the day, Adani Group said it had cooperated with Sebi in the past, and that it was yet to receive any further communication or information requests.

We have always been transparent with all our regulators and have full faith in them. While we have always been fully compliant with applicable Sebi regulations, we have made full disclosure to Sebi on specific information requests from them in the past. However, we have not received any communication or information requests recently," the statement said.

With regard to the DRI matter, it issued a show-cause notice to Adani Power, about five years back. Subsequently, the DRI passed an order in favour of Adani Power, confirming that there is no over-valuation of equipment. The department has approached the tribunal and the matter stands sub judice," it added.

The DRI is currently investigating two separate cases against Adani companies. The one against Adani Power, where it had issued a show-cause notice in 2014, is with the DRIs adjudicating tribunal. The DRI notice had come after it investigated three Adani Group companies involved in the import of power generation equipment. The DRI had alleged significant overvaluation of the imports. Subsequently, it had issued two more show-cause notices to other group firms, alleging similar overvaluation in their transactions.

The overvaluation of power equipment allows firms to make a case for artificially raising tariffs before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission or state regulatory commissions. Ultimately, this affects consumers, who have to pay a higher cost for power.

The second case that is against a few Adani companies is for alleged invoicing of coal imports between 2011 and 2015. The matter went to the Supreme Court, which in January 2020 had stayed the Bombay High Court order quashing the letters rogatary sent by the DRI to its foreign counterparts to get judicial assistance in the matter involving alleged overvaluation of Indonesian coal imports.
Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange traded 217 points lower at 15,720, indicating a gap-down start for the benchmark indices on Monday.

Here are the top stocks to track in today's session:

Results Today: ACC, HCL Technologies, HDFC Life, Indian Bank and Mastek are among 25 firms slated to post their June quarter numbers today.

HCL Tech's Q1 performance is likely to be impacted due to supply-side challenges amid the second Covid-19 wave. The net profit could rise in the range of 6-11 per cent year-on-year on a 14 per cent growth in revenue (rupee terms). The company could give a specific guidance range for FY22 at around 1213 per cent - moving away from a generic 'double-digit' projection mentioned earlier, according to Edelweiss Securities. READ HERE



Listing Today: Shares of Clean Science and Technology and GR Infraprojects would list on bourses on Monday. Both issues are commanding a strong premium of over 55 per cent in the grey market, signalling a strong listing. Clean Science IPO was subscribed 93 times while GR Infra 103 times.

HDFC Bank: The lender reported a 14.36 per cent growth in its consolidated net profit at Rs 7,922 crore as against Rs 6,927 crore posted in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Although, the June quarter profit declined when compared with the preceding March quarter's Rs 8,434 crore. Its managing director and chief executive Sashidhar Jagdishan Bank said the bank has complied with 85 per cent of RBI's asks on technology, and the ball is now in the regulator's court on when to lift the ban on issuing new credit cards.

RIL, Just Dail: Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries said it will acquire 40.95 per cent stake in for Rs 3,497 crore, bolstering its digital play in the rapidly growing online commerce market in India.

United Spirits: Recovery Officer Debt Recovery Tribunal on Friday offloaded shares worth over Rs 716 crore in United Spirits Ltd, through an open market transaction.

Airtel, Vodafone Idea: Shares of telecom service providers Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea would hog the limelight in as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the AGR case later in the day.

LIC Housing Fin: The housing finance arm of state-run Life Insurance Corp, LIC Housing Finance, said stock exchanges are examining its proposal of preferential allotment of shares to the parent company. In June this year, LIC Housing Finance had informed that LIC will infuse equity capital of about Rs 2,334.70 crore in the subsidiary by picking up an additional stake.

Central Bank of India: The state-owned lender will seek shareholders' approval in its ensuing annual general meeting (AGM) next month to set off accumulated loss of over Rs 18,724 crore from the share premium account of the bank.

Bank of Maharashtra: The bank closed its qualified institutional placement (QIP) on Friday in which it raised about Rs 404 crore by allotting over 17 crore shares to eligible investors.

L&T Finance: The company reported 20 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 178 crore for June quarter 2021-22, mainly driven by rural demand for farm equipment as against Rs 148 crore profit in the year-ago period.

Tata Power: The company has joined hands with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to provide end-to-end electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the latter's retail outlets at multiple cities and major highways across the country.

Kirloskar Group: Five firms of Kirloskar group -- Kirloskar Oil Engines, Kirloskar Chillers, Kirloskar Pneumatic, Kirloskar Ferrous Industries and Kirloskar Industries -- led by brothers Atul and Rahul on Friday announced a 'refresh' exercise of their respective businesses, with an eye on evolving from engineering-led firms into customer-focussed solution providers.

Rossari Biotech: The company will buy Tristar Intermediates for Rs 120 crore value .

Prism Johnson: India Ratings has assigned A+ (stable) to the companys long-term issuer rating, NCDs, term loans, fund-based limits. It has assigned an A1+ rating to its non-fund-based working capital limits, unsecured short-term loans and commercial paper programme. It has assigned an AA- rating to its term deposit programme.

Jindal Stainless (Hisar): India Ratings has upgraded the credit rating of the company's long-term bank facilities from 'A' to 'A+' and short-term facilities from 'A1' to 'A1+'.

Spandana Sphoorty Financial: The company approved the issuance of secured non-convertible debentures up to Rs 290 crore on a private placement basis.
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Shares of Clean Science and Technology were currently trading at Rs 1589.95 per share, at a premium of 76.66% compared with the issue price of Rs 900 per share.

The scrip was listed at a price of Rs 1784.40 per share, at a premium of 98.27% to the initial public offer (IPO) price.

The stock has hit a high of 1784.40 and a low of 1555.05 so far. On the BSE, 7.54 lakh shares of the company were traded in the counter.

The IPO of Clean Science and Technology received bids for 114.92 crore shares as against 1.23 crore shares on offer. The issue was subscribed 93.41 times.

The non-institutional investors category was subscribed 206.43 times. The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) category was subscribed 156.37 times. The retail individual investors category was subscribed 9 times.

The issue opened for bidding on Wednesday, 7 July 2021, and closed on Friday, 9 July 2021. The price band for the IPO was set at Rs 880-900 per share.

The offer comprised of offer for sale (OFS) aggregating up to Rs 1,546.62 crore by existing shareholders, including promoters Ashok Ramnarayan Boob, Krishnakumar Ramnarayan Boob, Siddhartha Ashok Sikchi and Parth Ashok Maheshwari.

Ahead of the IPO, the company finalized allocation of 51,55,404 equity shares to anchor investors at Rs 900 per share, aggregating to Rs 463.98 crore.

Clean Science and Technology manufactures functionally critical specialty chemicals such as performance chemicals- mono methyl ether of hydroquinone (MEHQ), butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA), L-ascorbyl palmitate and anisole. The firm is among the few companies globally focused entirely on developing newer technologies using in-house catalytic processes, which are eco-friendly and cost competitive.

The company has two manufacturing facilities in India with 11 production lines (including three lines for catalyst production and regeneration), which had a combined installed capacity of 29,900 MTPA (metric tonnes per annum) as of 31 December 2020, and capacity utilization rates of 71.94% for Fiscal 2021. As majority of our sales are through exports, both facilities are strategically located at Kurkumbh (Maharashtra), which is in proximity to the JNPT port. Each facility has an on-site R&D unit, quality control department, warehouse, and effluent treatment system that treats effluent, to make facilities zero liquid discharge facilities. The company has also recently set-up a unit at the third facility adjacent to its existing facilities at Kurkumbh (Maharashtra), and have recently been allotted land for the construction of a fourth facility at Kurkumbh (Maharashtra). The captive solar plants meet part of its power requirements at facilities, which improves cost efficiencies and results in better utilization of resources.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 198.38 crore and total income of Rs 512.43 crore for the year ended 31 March 2021.

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HDFC Bank fell 2.52% to Rs 1483.40 after the bank announced its first quarter earnings on Saturday (17 July 2021).

The private sector bank reported 16.08% rise in standalone net profit to Rs 7,729.64 crore on 6.73% increase in total income to Rs 36,771.47 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21. Profit before tax (PBT) for the quarter ended 30 June 2021 at Rs 10,306.2 crore, grew 15.3% over corresponding quarter of the previous year. Tax expense increase 13.05% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,576.55 crore during the quarter.

Net interest income for the quarter ended 30 June 2021 grew to Rs 17,009 crore from Rs 15,665.40 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2020, driven by advances growth of 14.4%, and a core net interest margin of 4.1%.

The bank's continued focus on deposits helped in the maintenance of a healthy liquidity coverage ratio at 126%, well above the regulatory requirement.

Operating expenses for Q1 FY22 were Rs 8,160.4 crore, an increase of 18.1% over Rs 6,911.5 crore in Q1 FY22. The cost-to-income ratio for the quarter was at 35%.

Pre-provision Operating Profit (PPOP) at Rs 15,137.0 crore grew by 18% over the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Provisions and contingencies for the quarter ended 30 June 2021 rose by 24.14% to Rs 4,830.8 crore (consisting of specific loan loss provisions of Rs 4,219.7 crore and general and other provisions of Rs 611.1 crore) as against Rs 3,891.5 crore (consisting of specific loan loss provisions of Rs 2,739.8 crore and general and other provisions of Rs 1,151.7 crore) for the quarter ended 30 June 2020. Total provisions for the current quarter included contingent provisions of approximately Rs 600 crore.

During the quarter, the country was hit by a "second wave" of COVID-19, with a significant surge in cases following the discovery of mutant coronavirus strains. While there was an improvement towards the end, business activities remained curtailed for almost two thirds of the quarter. These disruptions led to a decrease in retail loan originations, sale of third-party products, card spends and efficiency in collection efforts. The lower business volumes, coupled with higher slippages, resulted in lower revenues, as well as an enhanced level of provisioning.

The total credit cost ratio was at 1.67%, as compared to 1.64% for the quarter ending 31 March 2021 and 1.54% for the quarter ending 30 June 2020.

Gross non-performing assets aggregated to Rs 5,485.80 crore as on 30 June 2021 as against Rs 4,554.82 crore as on 31 March 2021 and Rs 3,279.96 crore as on 30 June 2020.

Gross non-performing assets were at 1.47% of gross advances as on 30 June 2021 as against 1.32% as on 31 March 2021 and 1.36% as on 30 June 2020.

Net non-performing assets were at 0.48% of net advances as on 30 June 2021 as against 0.40% as on 31 March 2021 and 0.33% as on 30 June 2020.

The bank held floating provisions of Rs 1,451 crore and contingent provisions of Rs 6,596 crore as on 30 June 2021. Total provisions (comprising specific, floating, contingent and general provisions) were 146% of the gross non-performing loans as on 30 June 2021.

Total deposits as of 30 June 2021 were Rs 1,345,829 crore, an increase of 13.2% over 30 June 2020. CASA deposits grew by 28.1% with savings account deposits at Rs 426,132 crore and current account deposits at Rs 185,669 crore.

Total advances as of 30 June 2021 were Rs 1,147,652 crore, an increase of 14.4% over 30 June 2020. As per the bank's internal business classification, retail loans grew by 9.3%, commercial and rural banking loans grew by 25.1% and other wholesale loans grew by 10.2%. Overseas advances constituted 3% of total advances.

The bank's total Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) as per Basel III guidelines was at 19.1% as on 30 June 2021 (18.9% as on 30 June 2020) as against a regulatory requirement of 11.075%.

Amongst the bank's subsidiaries, HDFC Securities (HSL) recorded 94.9% rise in profit after tax to Rs 260.6 crore on a 67.3% rise in total income to Rs 457.8 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

As on 30 June 2021, the bank held 96.3% stake in HSL. The retail broking firms had 215 branches across 147 cities / towns in the country.

HDB Financial Services (HDBFSL) reported 2.86% YoY increase in net income to Rs 1,655.80 crore in Q1 FY22. Pre-provision Operating Profit (PPOP), however, declined by 15.30% YoY to Rs 643.60 crore during the quarter. Provisions and contingencies for the quarter were at Rs 472.4 crore as against Rs 453.5 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2020. Net profit declined by 43.88% to Rs 130.6 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 232.7 crore in Q1 FY21. As on 30 June 2021, gross NPA based on the approach used for NBFCs was 7.75% as against 2.86% on 30 June 2020 and 3.89% as on 31 March 2021.

HDBFSL's total loan book was Rs 57,390 crore as on 30 June 2021 as against Rs 56,613 crore as on 30 June 2020. Liquidity coverage ratio was healthy at 242%, well above the regulatory requirement.

HDBFSL is a non-deposit taking non-banking finance company (NBFC) offering wide range of loans and asset finance products to individuals, emerging businesses and micro enterprises. As on 30 June 2021, HDFC Bank held 95.1% stake in HDBFSL.

Separately, HDFC Bank informed that its board has approved issue of foreign currency denominated Perpetual Debt Instruments as Basel III compliant Additional Tier I capital (AT-1 Bonds) to foreign (global) investors outside India, on an unsecured basis, on a public or a private placement basis, along with a proposed listing of the AT1 Bonds and other related activities in the course of the financial year 2021- 22, subject to market conditions and applicable approvals.

HDFC Bank is one of India's leading private banks. As of 30 June 2021, the bank's distribution network was at 5,653 branches and 16,291 ATMs / cash deposit & withdrawal machines (CDMs) across 2,917 cities / towns.

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HDFC Life Insurance Company reported 33% fall in standalone net profit to Rs 302.35 crore on 0.7% rise in total income to Rs 14,604.30 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

Net premium income during the quarter increased by 31.7% YoY to Rs 7,538.48 crore. However, income from investments (net) declined by 20.4% to Rs 6,963.56 crore in the first quarter.

Profit before tax in Q1 FY22 stood at Rs 306.73 crore, down 32% over Q1 FY21. The Value of New Business (VNB) increased by 40% to Rs 408 crore in Q1 FY22 as against Rs 291 crore in Q1 FY21.

Assets under Management (AuM) increased by 30% to Rs 1,81,272 crore in Q1 FY22 compared with Rs 1,39,975 crore in Q1 FY21.

The company's networth has improved 18% to Rs 8,778 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 7,448 crore in Q1 FY21.

Vibha Padalkar, MD & CEO, said: Against the backdrop of disruption in business on account of localised lockdowns, and surge in cases during the second wave, we recorded 22% growth and market share of 17.8% in private sector in terms of Individual Weighted Received Premium (WRP). We clocked 40% growth in terms of value of new business and we achieved a New Business Margin of 26.2% in Q1.

Our product mix continues to remain balanced and our annuity business witnessed strong growth of 61% in this quarter. In comparison to Q1 of last fiscal, the Company clocked higher renewal collections, with 13th month persistency improving from 87% to 90%.

In the quarter gone by, we witnessed a steep rise in death claims, with peak claims in wave 2 at around 3-4 times of the peak claim volumes in the first wave. We paid over 70,000 claims in Q1. The gross and net claims provided for amounted to Rs 1,598 crore and Rs 956 crore, respectively. Based on our current claims experience, we have set up an additional reserve of Rs 700 crore to service the claims intimations expected to be received.

Our endeavour is to promptly settle every bonafide claim. Our Profit after Tax stands at Rs 302 crore (33% lower than Q1 FY21), on the back of higher claims reserving towards heightened claims intimation expected in Q2 and Q3. The strength of our balance sheet and back book surplus has enabled us to absorb the shock of heightened claims, whilst continuing to deliver growth.

With signs of the second wave receding, over the past month, we have seen a gradual pick-up in economic activity, across parts of the country. We see greater customer engagement and an increased interest in life insurance policies.

On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit declined 40.2% to Rs 269.55 crore on 0.6% rise in total income to Rs 14,605.87 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

HDFC Life Insurance Company is a life insurance entity promoted by HDFC, India's leading housing finance institution and Standard Life Aberdeen, a global investment company.

The scrip fell 2.77% to end at Rs 678.60 on the BSE today.

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Rattanindia Enterprises hit an upper-circuit of 5% at Rs 55.40 after the Rajasthan government announced incentives for adoption of electric vehicles in the state.

RattanIndia's RevoltMotors, India's market leader in electric motorbikes, welcomed the Rajasthan Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 announced by the state.

In the backdrop of other states recently coming up with incentives for adoption of electric vehicles, Rajasthan alsoannounced its EV policy whereby customers of electric two wheelers will get incentives based on battery capacity of vehicle. With battery capacity of 3.24KWh these incentives for Revolt bikes work out to Rs 10,690 per bike. This includes refund of State GST amounting to 2.5% of the vehicle cost.

These incentives areover and above the FAME II incentives of for EV manufacturers recently announced by the Central Government which amounts to Rs 48,000 per bike in case of Revolt. Combining these incentives it would mean incentives of atleast Rs 58,690 per bike sold by Revolt in Rajasthan. While Rs 48,000 will be paid directly by Central Government to Revolt, Rs 10,690 will be paid directly into the bank account of the customer.

The implementation of Rajasthan Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 will make EV motorcycles more affordable and accessible to consumersin the state. More than 20 states are currently in the process of coming out with their EV incentive policies. These incentives by Rajasthan follows suit on incentives by various state governments to encourage EV adoption in their states.

On a consolidated basis, RattanIndia Enterprises reported a net loss of Rs 0.22 crore in Q4 March 2021 compared with net loss of Rs 157.18 crore in Q4 March 2020. Net sales stood at Rs 0.10 crore in Q4 March 2021.

RattanIndia Enterprises is the flagship company of Rattanindia Group for its new age growth businesses. The company has forayed into electric mobility space through Revolt Motors to democratize clean commute using next-gen mobility solutions. The company is completely focused on providing world class electric mobility products which are affordable and accessible to every Indian.

The scrip hit an all-time high at Rs 55.40 in early trade today.

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The benchmark indices were trading with steep losses in early afternoon trade, dragged by weakness in financial stocks. The Nifty held above 15,800 mark.

At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, dropped 426.39 points or 0.80% at 52,713.67. The Nifty 50 index skid 117.40 points or 0.74% at 15,806.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.02% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.31%.

The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 1,837 shares rose and 1,342 shares fell. A total of 174 shares were unchanged.

Economy:

Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian reportedly said on Friday that the country's economy will start witnessing a growth of 6.5% to 7% from fiscal 2023 onwards, helped by various reforms undertaken by the government so far and also as COVID-19 vaccination drive progresses. Mr. Subramanian expects the impact of the second wave not to be very significant.

Politics:

The monsoon session of the Parliament will begin today (19 July) and it will conclude on 13 August 2021. The government has listed 17 new bills for introduction in the session. Apart from the new bills, the legislations to be introduced in Lok Sabha include three bills to replace existing ordinances.

The government and the opposition are likely to discuss raging issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers' protest, fuel prices hike and vaccination strategy.

The report about phones of at least 40 journalists hacked using Pegasus is also expected to come up during the session. Telephone numbers of some 40 Indian journalists figure in a "leaked list of potential targets for surveillance" and forensic tests were said to have "confirmed that some of them were successfully snooped upon by an unidentified agency using Pegasus software", the media reported on Sunday.

Coronavirus Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 19,04,26,864 with 40,89,030 deaths. India reported 4,21,665 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 4,14,108 deaths while 3,03,08,456 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

India on Monday, 19 July 2021 reported 38,164 new COVID-19 cases and 499 deaths, as per health ministry's updated data. The active cases in the country now stand at 4,21,665.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, spurted 5.48% to 12.3475. The Nifty 29 July 2021 futures were trading at 15,818.55, at a premium of 12.55 points as compared with the spot at 15,806.

The Nifty option chain for 29 July 2021 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 30.60 lakh contracts at the 16,000 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 36.7 lakh contracts was seen at 15,000 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Financial Services index slipped 1.52% to 16,627.75. The index skid 1.76% in two sessions.

HDFC Asset Management Company (AMC) (down 2.87%), HDFC Bank (down 2.78%), Shriram Transport Finance Company (down 2.72%), Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services (down 1.82%) and Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) (down 1.77%) declined.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) rose 0.32%. L&T Construction, the construction arm of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), has won a slew of 'significant' orders in India and abroad for its various businesses. The power transmission & distribution business has won an order to construct a 220kV transmission line associated with system strengthening in the Ladakh region. The design and execution of this system involves traversing avalanche prone, hilly terrains and ice loading of conductors. Another turnkey order has been received for urban power distribution in Ayodhya city under the Integrated Power Development Scheme.

Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar hit an upper circuit of 5% at Rs 20.15. Punjab National Bank (PNB) offloaded 2,27,12,389 equity shares, or 2.004% stake, of Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar between 29 June 2021 and 15 July 2021. Post transaction, PNB has decreased its stake in Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar to 9.23% from 11.23% held earlier. The deal was executed as an open market sale.

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Tata Steel Ltd is quoting at Rs 1279.5, up 0.08% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 263.08% in last one year as compared to a 43.09% gain in NIFTY and a 155.09% gain in the Nifty Metal.

Tata Steel Ltd is up for a fifth straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 1279.5, up 0.08% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.96% on the day, quoting at 15771.3. The Sensex is at 52587.77, down 1.04%. Tata Steel Ltd has added around 15.67% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Tata Steel Ltd is a constituent, has added around 5.23% in last one month and is currently quoting at 5391.3, down 0.35% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 49.94 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 105.34 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark July futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 1281, up 0.15% on the day. Tata Steel Ltd is up 263.08% in last one year as compared to a 43.09% gain in NIFTY and a 155.09% gain in the Nifty Metal index.

The PE of the stock is 13.58 based on TTM earnings ending March 21.

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The on Monday hit out at the over its attack on the central government over the Pegasus snooping row, and claimed that there is not a "shred of evidence" to link either the ruling party or the Modi dispensation with the matter.

Addressing a press conference, senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also questioned the credentials of those behind the story, alleging that The Wire, the news portal which broke it in India, had been earlier associated with stories which have been found to be "incorrect" while Amnesty International has a declared "anti-India" agenda in many ways.

Those who broke the story themselves said that the presence of a particular number in the database does not confirm that it is infected with Pegasus, he said while questioning the timing of the story coming as it did a day before Parliament's Monsoon session began on Monday.

He also brushed aside a question on the Congress' demands for Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation and probe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and accused the opposition party of hitting a "new low" in making baseless allegations in a manner that was bereft of any political propriety.

With the "shrinking and losing", the entire row is timed to disrupt Parliament and build a baseless agenda, he said.

Prasad said, "The strongly refutes and condemns the baseless and bereft of political propriety comments levelled by against the BJP. This is a new low in the political discourse of a party that has ruled India for over 50 years."



He added, "Our IT Minister confirmed today that for lawful interceptions of electronic communication can only be made as per relevant rules under provisions of Sec 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 & Sec 69 of Information Technology Act 2000. Any form of illegal surveillance isn't possible with checks & balances in our laws & robust institutions," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister on Monday lashed out at the for creating a ruckus and preventing him from introducing newly- inducted Union ministers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, saying such a "negative mindset" has never been seen in

As the Prime Minister rose in Lok Sabha to introduce the new ministers, members created an uproar by raising slogans.

Dismayed over the disruption, Modi said, it should make everyone proud that several women, many people belonging to the SC and ST community have taken oath as ministers.

"It seems some people cannot digest that more women, SC, ST and OBC community members are becoming ministers", Modi said, and noted that several new ministers are children of farmers and also belong to OBC communities,



In Rajya Sabha also, the Prime Minister could not introduce the newly-inducted ministers as several slogan-shouting members trooped into the well of the House to protest over various issues.

The Prime Minister slammed the Opposition over it, echoing the views expressed by him in Lok Sabha.

"It is a matter of pride that people from rural India, who come from ordinary families have taken oath as ministers. But some people don't want ministers to be introduced. They also have an anti-women mindset since they do not want women ministers to be introduced to the House," he said.

"Such a negative mindset has never been seen in Parliament," Modi said in Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Monsoon session, the Prime Minster said the Opposition should ask the sharpest and toughest of questions in but asserted that the government should also be allowed to respond to them in a cordial environment.

The Prime minister's appeal comes at a time when the Opposition is raring to corner the ruling dispensation over a host of issues, including handling of the second wave of COVID-19, rise in fuel prices, farmers' stir and an international media consortium report which has claimed that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including that of two serving ministers, could have been targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware.

Modi said he wants meaningful discussions in over the COVID pandemic which has gripped the entire world.

The Prime Minister said he has requested all the floor leaders to take some time out on Tuesday evening when he would like to give detailed information regarding the pandemic.

"We want a discussion in the House as well as outside the House with all the floor leaders. I am constantly meeting the chief ministers and all kinds of discussions are happening in different forums. So I also want to meet the floor leaders as House is going on and it will be convenient and we can talk about it (the pandemic) face-to-face," he said.

Hoping that the session is productive and dedicated to meaningful discussions, Modi said the government is fully prepared to give the answers that the people of the country want.

"I urge all MPs and political parties to ask the toughest and sharpest of questions but they should also allow the government to respond in a cordial environment as democracy is strengthened by conveying the truth to the people," Modi said adding that this enhances the trust of the people and improves the pace of development.

Talking about the vaccination programme going on in the country, Modi said it was moving forward at a fast pace and also urged MPs to cooperate in following all COVID protocols.

"Vaccine is given in 'baahu' (arms), and those who take it become 'Baahubali'. The only way to become Baahubali to fight against coronavirus is to get vaccinated," Modi said.

Over 40 crore people have become 'Baahubali' in the fight against coronavirus, the prime minister said the inoculation programme is being taken forward rapidly.

Noting that the pandemic has engulfed the whole world, Modi said he wants that there should be a meaningful discussion regarding the pandemic on high priority.

All practical suggestions given by MPs can usher in newness in the fight against the pandemic, if there are some shortcomings, they can be rectified, and everyone can move forward together in this fight, he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
was adjourned for the day after witnessing multiple disruptions as several members trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans and protesting over various issues.

Meanwhile, was adjourned without transacting much business on the first day of Parliament's as the Opposition, protesting over a host of issues, disrupted proceedings through the day.

The House met at 3.30 pm after repeated adjournments with Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw making a statement amid the din on the Pegasus affair and terming media reports about snooping on a number of people as an attempt to malign the Indian democracy.

Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till Tuesday soon after the minister ended his statement.

As soon as the Upper House reassembled at 3:00 pm, members entered the Well of the House and started raising slogans against the government.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh, however, tried to conduct the business amid the din.

Leader of Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to initiate a discussion under Rule 267 (suspension of rules) but was not allowed by the deputy chairman.

Harivansh noted that the matter cannot be revisited as Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had already given his decision on it which cannot be reviewed.

Amid the din, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021. The Bill seeks to replace an over-nine-decade-old law governing lighthouses.

Subhash Chandra Singh (BJD), Banda Prakash (TRS), Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar (TDP) and GK Vasan (TMC -M) supported the Bill.

As the Opposition parties continued with the sloganeering, the deputy chair adjourned the House for the day.

The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021 seeks to provide for a fresh framework to establish and manage vessel traffic services besides use of the term marine aids to navigation instead of lighthouse to enable further use of modern forms of aids to navigation.

The House witnessed three adjournments before the deputy chair adjourned it for the day.

In the morning, when the House assembled on day one of the Monsoon Session, the proceedings were adjourned for an hour as a mark of respect to departed sitting MPs Raghunath Mohapatra and Rajeev Satav.

No sooner did the House reassembled around 12.25 pm, opposition members started raising slogans as Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu was making his opening remarks about the expectations from the current session amid the Covid pandemic.

Amidst the sloganeering, the chairman asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce the newly-inducted ministers to the House.

However, the protesting members kept raising slogans and the prime minister could not introduce the ministers. Several opposition members trooped into the well of the House.

Chairman Naidu had to adjourn the proceedings till 2 pm.

As soon as the House reassembled at 2:00 pm, there were again uproarious scenes, and the House was adjourned till 3:00 pm by Deputy Chairmen Harivansh.

Expressing anguish over the conduct of the protesting opposition members, Modi questioned their mentality behind not allowing him to introduce women, Dalit and scheduled tribe MPs who have been made ministers.

Modi said that when the new Union ministers belonging to rural background and the children of the farming community were being introduced to the House, some opposition party members were not happy.

He said a large number of MPs including women, Dalit and those belonging to scheduled tribes have been made Union ministers, but some opposition members do not want to hear their names and give them the due honour.

"What is this mentality? he wondered.

The prime minister further said it was for the first time that the House was witnessing "such a mentality".

As the opposition members continued their uproar, Modi laid the list of newly-inducted ministers on the table of the House.

Meanwhile, the Chairman did not allow the 17 notices by different opposition parties to suspend the scheduled business of the House and take up the matters raised by them.

He said it was not feasible to take 17 issues in one go, and assured the members that all the important matters would be taken up in due course of time.

But the assurance did not pacify the opposition members, forcing Naidu to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

The new Leader of the House and Union minister Piyush Goyal said it was a tradition since the times of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru that new ministers are introduced to the House.

Goyal condemned the "behaviour" of the opposition members and said such a conduct would be harmful for the democratic traditions of the country.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fintech startup on Monday said it has acquired TERA Finlabs, a Bengaluru-based startup that provides technology, risk and capital solutions to enable embedded financing solutions for businesses.

TERA Finlabs is an Indian subsidiary of UK-based digital lender, GAIN Credit.

The company, however, did not disclose the financial details of the transaction.

"This acquisition of TERA Finlabs is aligned with Razorpay's strategy of financially supporting as many MSMEs as possible by building core-competencies in capital solutions, credit underwriting, and data-driven risk management capabilities.

"TERA will provide its entire technology stack, risk management capabilities, and onboarding solutions to create and enable a credit line for Razorpay's merchant network," a statement said.

Capital along with TERA Finlab's technology capabilities will be able to service the credit needs of over 10,000 businesses in India by next year, the statement said.

had forayed into the business-to-business (B2B) small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) lending space with the launch of Razorpay Capital in 2019.

This is Razorpay's third acquisition in less than three years. Previously, Razorpay had acquired Thirdwatch - an Artificial Intelligence-driven company that helps reduce Return-to-Origin or RTO fraud losses in e-commerce - in 2018, and Opfin - a payroll management software company - in 2019.

Razorpay CEO and co-founder Harshil Mathur said in India, banks are wary of providing business loans to and new SMEs due to the risks attached to new revenue models of

"Through our lending platform, Razorpay Capital, we have been striving to solve these cash flow challenges, making it easier for businesses to get finance and grow. And progressing in that journey, an acquisition such as this fits perfectly with our vision of developing tailor-made affordable credit solutions for the underbanked small businesses across industries so that they can digitally transform and disrupt," he added.

Mathur pointed out that the team at TERA FinLabs comes with exceptional domain knowledge in credit underwriting and risk management, and Razorpay sees immense value in

TERA Finlabs core lending infrastructure capabilities.

"MSMEs were an underserved market for a long time. However, in the last 16 months, they have started to show rapid growth with their adoption of digital. And this has created an opportunity for significant disruptions in the lending sector - Embedded Credit is one such innovation that I'm certain will transform this space," Pradeep Rathnam, co-Founder and CEO of TERA Finlabs, said.

TERA Finlabs' robust end-to-end platform will enable new businesses to build a scalable and profitable credit business, he added.

Razorpay - which is backed by investors like GIC, Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital India and MasterCard - has been witnessing a 40-45 per cent growth month-on-month. It has achieved USD 40 billion TPV (Total Payment Volume) and currently powers payments for over 8 million businesses, Airtel, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, Cred, ICICI Prudential and others. It aims to reach 200 million customers by 2021.

(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 Monday said its founder will take on the role of Chairman Emeritus and Strategic Advisor to the company's board.

Nadar, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Director of the company, on completing 76 years of age, has tendered his resignation as the MD as well as the Director with effect from close of business hours on July 19, according to a regulatory filing.

"In order to continue to benefit from his vast knowledge, experience, and wisdom in an advisory role, the Board of Directors in its meeting held today, after considering the recommendations of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee, has approved the appointment of Shri as the 'Chairman Emeritus and Strategic Advisor to the Board' for a term of five years with effect from July 20, 2021," it added.

The payment of remuneration or providing any facilities under this role will be subject to the approval of the shareholders.

The company has appointed C Vijayakumar - President and CEO of the company - as the Managing Director with the title of CEO and MD for five years with effect from July 20, it added.

In July last year, Nadar had stepped down from the Chairman's role and his daughter, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, succeeded him. Roshni was the first woman to chair a listed Indian IT firm. is a pioneer of the computing and IT industry in India.

In 1976, he founded the HCL Group that started off as a technology hardware company, manufacturing the country's first indigenous computers and then evolved into a more comprehensive software services global organisation.

Under Nadar's leadership, HCL is credited with the first 'Made in India' IT product innovations with the first 8-bit microprocessor-based computer in 1978 and world's first fine-grained multi-processor UNIX installation in 1989, among others.

HCL played a key role in supporting India's telecom revolution through the creation of the largest mobile distribution network with Nokia.

In 1994, he established the philanthropic organisation, Shiv Nadar Foundation. As of March 2021, the Shiv Nadar Foundation had invested around USD 988 million to create institutions of transformational education that are nurturing India's next generation of leaders.

In a separate regulatory filing, said it has appointed former IBM executive, Vanitha Narayanan, to the Board of Directors. Narayanan, as an Additional Director on the board, will hold office as an Independent Director. Her appointment is effective July 19.

In 2020, Vanitha retired after a career spanning three decades at IBM where she held multiple key roles leading large businesses in geographies like US, Asia-Pacific and India. These roles included serving as Managing Director and Chairman of IBM India and other leadership positions in the global communications and telecommunications industries.

"I am pleased to welcome Vanitha to the board of HCL and appreciate her decision to become a part of the HCL family.

"... her deep knowledge and understanding of the evolving marketing and technology landscape will be a great asset to HCL's focus on driving growth. Her experience of viewing evolution and innovations in technology from a multi-geography lens will add value to HCL as we expand our footprints globally," Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra said.

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New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Growing importance of DNA evidence in sexual crimes is being called out by experts on 'International Criminal Justice Day', as courts decide to take a scientific approach in expediting justice.

Till now, there hasn't been any data released by the Government agencies regarding the reduction in the backlog of rape cases. However, India is bringing in new measures aimed at strengthening investigations into sexual assault, as well as reducing a backlog of cases awaiting DNA testing.

According to, Dr. Pinky Anand, Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India, "Many courts in India are now able to quickly deliver concrete and effective judgments in cases of sexual offences and murder, especially rape because of the veracity and absolute nature of DNA evidence."

Time and again Indian courts have relied on DNA evidence for reaching decisions in such matters, more so when the witnesses become hostile. Be it in the case of Priyadarshini Mattoo or the famous Nirbhaya rape case the courts have delivered their judgment with the help of DNA evidence.

Highlighting success of Gudiya rape and murder case, she commented, "Infact, the most recent Kotkai gangrape and murder case of 16 year old Gudiya was solved with the help of DNA testing. This should be treated as a model case for the future investigations."

In this case, the suspect, a 25 year old Anil Kumar was narrowed down by the CBI based on his DNA samples which matched with the evidence collected. The evidence in this case included liquor bottles, semen samples, blood samples, clay from the crime scene and other such evidences. The accused has been convicted by the Trial Court (and sentenced with imprisonment for life) on the fact that the DNA from a blood sample of accused matched with the semen on the clothes of the victim.

Dr. Anand further affirms that, "Medical evidence though corroborative in nature, it still has a pivotal role in criminal jurisdiction as sometimes it becomes difficult to judge the integrity, admissibility and relevance of the ocular evidence."

Rising incidence of heinous crimes like rape have made it compelling for the government to scale DNA capabilities and infrastructure in the country. This will not only help reduce backlogs and pendency of cases but it will also speed up the justice delivery system, through DNA profiling.

DNA evidence is most conclusive in building conviction in such cases and it is being widely applied by most countries in overall crime investigation. By now, over 70 countries have already implemented the national offender DNA database, restricting repeat offence.

Stating the importance of DNA database, Dr. Vivek Sahajpal, Assistant Director, Himachal Pradesh FSL said, "In order to come up to the level of evolved countries we need to have a Criminal DNA database as well, such as CODIS in USA and NDNAD in UK." In India, the DNA Bill (currently pending before the Lower House of the Parliament) brings in a ray of hope. DNA profiling will go a long way in identifying the deceased (in case of missing persons or disasters) and track down repeat offenders based on the data available in the DNA data bank.

Talking of protocols used for effective DNA evidence 'collect' and 'test' in crime investigation, Dr. Sahajpal added, "I would like to emphasize that the first line responders should be well trained for proper collection and preservation of the physical evidences. There has been some improvement in this regard owing to the outreach program to train the first line responders for proper collection and preservation of DNA evidence. We have also developed an in-house protocol that speeds DNA isolation from compromised samples (over-loaded FTA cards) and by using this technique we are able to report a case within 4 hours. We have shifted from the conventional methods of DNA isolation to a fully automated one, which saves time and labour."

To that effect, the Government has built more labs specializing in examining DNA evidence in sexual assault cases, and has issued new guidelines to help ensure that investigators do not contaminate evidence. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, has issued guidelines for investigators of sexual assault cases emphasizing the proper handling of samples like vaginal swabs, condoms, pubic hair and clothes. Special Labs have also been set up all over the country dedicated to investigations of sexual assault against women, which will be able to provide forensic examination of 50,000 cases per year.

Delhi FSL recently reiterated its commitment to safety of women and children. It plans to further expand its DNA capacity to expedite investigations in POCSO & GBV cases so that criminals can be punished at the earliest. Goa state government has decided to set up a DNA division at the Goa Science Laboratory (GFSL) to strengthen its investigation and prosecution machinery. Responding to an alarming rise in the number of child rape cases, the state government had recently told the Supreme Court that it would be setting up facility for DNA analysis in Goa on priority basis. The high court is also monitoring the progress.

Tim Schellberg, President, Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs stated, "The Gudiya case gives a glimpse of the true potential of forensic DNA technology. During their investigation, the CBI found that the DNA of the suspects initially arrested did not match the reference DNA from the crime scene and the victim's body.

They were let off and investigators started over by questioning thousands in the area and collected & tested samples from 250 people for DNA analysis. Using advanced DNA forensic techniques that allow lineage matching, they were able to trace the perpetrator's family village where a DNA sample from his mother further confirmed that he was the culprit.

It was later found that he was a proclaimed offender. In countries with DNA databases it is routine to find matches with unknown suspects and repeat offenders. Imagine the number of cases that can be solved and prevented when India establishes and runs a national database."

DNA forensics has had an unprecedented impact on the international criminal justice system. It has propelled investigations forward and made charging alleged perpetrators easier. It can now provide focus or direction to an investigation, help develop a case theory, and clear suspects or those wrongfully convicted with more certainty. As a result, the criminal justice community worldwide has become highly reliant on DNA analysis.

Driving the public awareness mission on use of DNA forensic evidence in crime investigation, Arneeta Vasudeva, National Head, Public Relations & Influence, Ogilvy India said, "The 'International Criminal Justice Day', is a moment to reflect on the criminal happenings and the importance of obtaining justice for victims of serious crimes. As the world navigates through the Covid-19 pandemic and as we continue to deal with the challenge of rising number of rape cases, the fight for justice continues. DNA profiling has become one of the most important evidences for detection of crimes like rape and murder. It simplifies and eases not just the process of investigation but often forming clinching evidence in cases where conviction would otherwise have been difficult."

The demand for DNA forensic testing has more than doubled in last two years, as the law enforcement agencies, forensics and judiciary are now fast moving towards adoption of DNA technology, world's best crime fighting weapon! The numbers are still a fraction of the cases where DNA evidence may be extremely imperative. Given the high rate of heinous crimes and size of population, DNA testing in our country should probably be 200 times of the current estimated number of 20,000+ cases per year.

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)

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Kim Blaszak is pictured in front of the new Lake City High School gymnasium/community center. To her left is the original bell that hung in the high school bell tower when it was located on Huron Street. Blaszak said while they\'ve made a lot of changes to the district in recent years, it was important for them to always acknowledge the traditions and history of the school.
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It took BMW some time to come up with their very own ultra-large SUV. While the other members of the so-called German Big Three have been ...
Emerald Isle commissioners voted Tuesday to spend up to $10,000 to study the feasibility of moving the channel to and from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission boating access facility to address safety and erosion concerns voiced by residents. (Contributed photo)
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Photo: CTV Vancouver

Starting on Monday, B.C.s care homes will have more relaxed mask rules.

This marks the third change in rules for long-term care homes since the pandemic began.

Seniors advocates told CTV Vancouver the new rules are a step in the right direction, but there are some peculiarities.

We know some people are still being asked to wear masks even though theyve been doubly vaccinated and we know that some staff are not, said Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of Canage, a seniors advocacy organization.

Its just really the numbers of people who have been outside and exposed, said Mike Klassen, Vice President of the BC Care Providers Association.

The criteria say that if (staff) have not been vaccinated or not fully vaccinated, then they are going to be required to continue to wear a mask within the care homes and theyre going to have to be rapid tested up to three times a week, assuming that theyre working full time.

The previous rules required family members to schedule a visit ahead of time, and a time limit on how long they could stay.

The new rules allow for more flexibility, but you can only visit if someone is present to sign you in.

Some (facilities) are talking about going from 11 to seven which provides the time for families to come in, do the screening, and then be able to go into the room and meet with their loved ones."

-with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: The Canadian Press A portrait of the late NDP Leader Jack Layton sits in flowers at a makeshift memorial outside Toronto City Hall on August 26, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Family and friends of former federal NDP leader Jack Layton will host a virtual event next month to mark the 10th anniversary of his death.

The event -- announced Sunday, on what would have been his 71st birthday -- will involve a concert on Aug. 22 with appearances by Steven Page, William Prince, Donovan Woods, Raffi, Rupi Kaur, David Suzuki, Sarah Harmer and Tim Baker.

It is part of the Layton Legacy project, which aims to bring people together and support social justice and reconciliation activism while celebrating the late politician's message of love, hope and optimism.

The project was launched in June with an announcement revealing that applications had opened for a new academic scholarship and two new awards to be given out in Layton's name.

Layton led the NDP to its best showing ever in the 2011 federal election, sweeping Quebec to vault the party from its perennial third- or fourth-place finish into official Opposition status.

Just a little over three months after that historic electoral breakthrough, Layton, who had previously battled prostate cancer, died after being diagnosed with a new cancer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2021.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version erroneously reported the event will be held on what would have been his 71st birthday. In fact, the event will be held on the 10th anniversary of his death, but was announced on what would have been his 71st birthday.
Photo: CTV News

Mounties patrolling B.C.'s marine border say a recent search of an Alaska-bound fishing vessel led to a weapons seizure and an arrest.

Members of a BC RCMP Federal Shiprider crew were on patrol in the Haro and Juan de Fuca straits on June 23 when they saw a 54-foot custom fishing vessel near Moresby Island.

Officers boarded the vessel and directed it a nearby harbour on South Pender Island for inspection by the Canada Border Services Agency, police said.

CBSA officers found prohibited firearms and parts, as well as unrestricted firearms.

Police also say one of the men on the boat was wanted in the U.S. for felony drug-related charges.

The weapons and parts were seized, and the occupants of the vessel were ordered to pay $4,200 in Customs Act fines.

"The crew were allowed to withdraw their application to enter Canada and subsequently returned to the United States," Mounties said in their release.

"Shiprider escorted the vessel back to U.S. waters where it was intercepted by American authorities, who subsequently arrested the man on his outstanding warrant."

-With files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: Can-Am

BRP Inc. is preparing to resume production of side-by-side vehicles following a weekend fire in the storage yard of its Juarez 2 facility in Mexico.

The Quebec-based recreational products company says a fire Saturday in the facility's storage yard destroyed some units representing about six days of production.

All employees on site were evacuated and there are no reported injuries or damage to the facility.

BRP says it expects to receive clearance from authorities mid-week.

Chief executive Jose Boisjoli says he doesn't anticipate any material impact on its business from the disruption.

He says the incident will delay some side-by-side deliveries.

Cameron Doerksen of National Bank Financial says the loss of more than 1,000 vehicles will be covered by insurance.

Still, he said the production setback is another challenge faced by BRP and the powersports industry as a whole that has been gripped by semiconductor shortages over the past year.

"The Juarez 2 plant is expected to restart production by mid-week, but the loss of production units and the short plant shutdown will exacerbate the already challenging production conditions (upwards of 10 days of lost production at Juarez 2 due to this incident)," he wrote in a report.

He said retail dealers have been impacted by exceptionally low inventories that are less than a quarter of pre-pandemic levels.

BRP is building a new plant in Juarez that will open later this year to ramp up production and begin to alleviate low inventories.

"Although the fire is a clear setback for BRP, we do not believe it changes the fundamentals of the company, which remain strong supported by still solid demand for powersports products, low dealer inventories that will drive restocking demand through fiscal 2023, and our expectation that BRP will continue to gain market share through the introduction of new products."

Doerksen said the fire could impact the company's full-year guidance but BRP's wide range for normalized profits of between $7.75 and $8.50 per diluted share already reflected some uncertainty around production-related issues.
Photo: Symvivo

A Burnaby company is receiving advisory services and research and development funding of up to $4.57 million from a federal agency to help develop an orally administered COVID-19 vaccine.

Symvivo Corporation announced that the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program will help support the clinical advancement of bacTRL-Spike, the company's orally administered vaccine candidate for the prevention of COVID-19 and the expansion of the bacTRL platform towards additional vaccine targets.

"This is an important step in the development of orally administered vaccines for COVID-19 and other important infectious diseases, both now and for the future. We are extremely excited to continue this essential work with support from NRC IRAP," said Alexander Graves, CEO of Symvivo Corporation, in a statement.

The funding follows a previous NRC IRAP-funded R&D project enabling the development and initial clinical assessment of Symvivo's bacTRL-Spike vaccine candidate which has met the required scientific and technical thresholds for advancement.

BacTRL-Spike is the company's oral DNA vaccine candidate for the prevention of COVID-19.

Unlike traditional vaccines that are delivered by intramuscular injection, bacTRL-Spike is taken orally, providing the potential for individuals to self-administer the vaccine.
Photo: The Canadian Press The United States border crossing is seen on March 18, 2020 in Lacolle, Que.

Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9, joined by the rest of the world Sept. 7, federal officials announced Monday as the country prepares to lower border barriers that were erected to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Officials say the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived beginning the second week of August for eligible travellers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada.

The move comes two weeks after the Canada Border Services Agency began waiving quarantine rules for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It remained unclear Monday if or when the Biden administration plans to reciprocate for visitors to the U.S.

"This preliminary step allows for the government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures ahead of Sept. 7, 2021, and recognizes the many close ties between Canadians and Americans," the government said in a news release.

Children under 12 who are accompanied by fully vaccinated and eligible family members will also be exempt from quarantine, provided they wear a mask in public places and avoid indoor group settings.

All travellers will still be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result and proof of vaccination prior to arrival by way of the ArriveCAN smartphone app or web portal, but post-travel test results will no longer be necessary.

Canada Border Services Agency officials will also be subjecting random travellers to a mandatory molecular test upon arrival.

"This strategy allows the government of Canada to continue monitoring variants of concern in Canada and vaccine effectiveness," the release said.

"Using these layers of protection, the government of Canada can monitor the COVID-19 situation in Canada, respond quickly to threats and guide decisions on restricting international travel."

As of Aug. 9, airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton will also be added to the list of Canadian cities where international flights are permitted to land. Air travellers will no longer be required to spend the first three nights of their quarantine at a government-approved hotel.

"However, all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements."
Bangladesh cement export revenue fall

19 July 2021

Bangladesh's cement industry has earned export revenue of US$7.26m in the last fiscal year (July 2020-June 2021), compared to US$9.14m in the year-ago period, a fall of 20.6 per cent YoY. The figure also includes a minor amount of salt, stone and related products, according to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

Bangladesh exports 90 per cent of its cement to India. An increase in local consumption and high cost of exports attributed to lesser export, a research house reported.

The export value for cement decreased by 27.4 per cent, underperforming compared with the government target set for the period due to an increase in local consumption and continued measures to stop COVID-19 spreading. The government had set an advanced export target for the cement industry at US$10m for FY20-21 (July 2020-June 2021), compared to US$9.14m for the previous fiscal year.

However, the country's total export earnings from the rest of the merchandise shipments witnessed a 15.10 per cent growth in the 12MFY20-21. Aggregate export earnings stood at US$38.75bn, against US$36.67bn in the corresponding period of the last fiscal, according to the EPB data. The government had set an export-earning target of US$41bn from goods in the FY20-21. Export earnings in the previous fiscal year totalled US$33.67bn.

Published under
Dr. Bryan Johnson, who is stepping down as superintendent of Hamilton County Schools on Aug. 17, has taken a position with U.S. Xpress.

Dr. Johnson will be the chief of staff, a new position, for the freight company.

The County School Board voted Thursday to begin accepting applications from Hamilton County School administrators who want to apply for interim superintendent. The interim would not be eligible to be chosen for the permanent superintendent, officials said.
When Southern Airways Flight 49 landed at Chattanoogas Lovell Field on November 10, 1972, it was one stop on a bizarre hijacking plot by three individuals, Melvin Cale, Louis Moore, and Henry D. Jackson Jr., that had started earlier in Birmingham, Alabama at 7:20 p.m.

The Douglas DC-9 originally was scheduled to fly from Memphis, Tennessee to Miami, Florida with intermediate stops in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama and Orlando.

Armed with handguns and hand grenades, the unorganized hijackers required the pilots to fly to multiple sites in the United States and Canada.

After making a ransom demand for $10 million in cash and threatening to crash the plane into the nuclear reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the plane landed at Chattanooga to pick up a reduced amount of $2.5 million.

With the money, 31 passengers and three crew members, the jet headed to Havana, Cuba.

Unfortunately, dictator Fidel Castro did not welcome them with open arms and did not accept them into his country.

After leaving Cuba, additional problems happened to the hijackers. They originally wanted to fly to an alleged safe haven of Algeria, but the planes limited range could not cross the ocean to that destination.

Upon returning to America, a stop was made to refuel at the Orlando Jetport at McCoy Air Force Base in Florida.

The FBI shot out two of the craft's four main tires and it was forced to fly back to Havana.

Landing again at that venue resulted in the hijackers being removed at gunpoint.

Put on trial the three individuals served eight years in a Cuban prison and were then extradited back to the United States where they received additional 20-25-year sentences.

Although the Chattanooga stop was a small part of the incident that lasted over 30 hours, traveled to three countries and four thousand miles, it had (and still does) a lasting effect on air travel.

As a result of the hijackers threat to blow up the nuclear reactor at Oak Ridge, this led to the regulations that require all United States airline passengers to be physically screened, beginning on January 5, 1973.

Cuba did return the airplane crew, passengers and ransom money to the United States but development of the security procedures and inconvenience to the traveling public remains to this day!

* * *

Jerry Summers



(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com)
Sam Venable is a longtime pal of mine, ever since we worked together at the old News-Free Press many years ago. He left us to become an award-winning columnist in his hometown at the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Hes always had a good nose for news and with his incredible ability as a storyteller, the cold case the Hamilton County District attorney solved and brought to light last month was of special delight for Sam. If memory serves right, Sam covered the sensational downfall of Gov. Ray Blanton.

Neal Pinkstons find was enthralling to Sam because it held several gems that only if we had known 42 years ago, Blanton would have served a lot more jail time than the 22 months he was in prison for mail fraud, conspiracy, and extortion for selling liquor licenses.

In 2012, the website RealClearPolitics named Blanton one of the ten most corrupt politicians of all time.

He died of liver failure at age 66 in 1996 after serving as the states governor from 1975 until 1979, when he was succeeded by Lamar Alexander.

Hollywood did a movie on the scandal, entitled Marie, for whistleblower Marie Ragghianti, chairwoman of the state's Board of Pardons and Paroles, who Blanton fired when she refused to release prisoners who, as was later determined, had bribed state officials in exchange for obtaining pardons. Marie was played by Sissy Spacek and Morgan Freeman played Charles Traughber, who was the chairman of the Parole Board under Blanton. (Ragghianti later sued and won a $38,000 judgment against the state).

In yesterdays Knoxville News-Sentinel, Venables column was a good one:

* * *

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER DOESNT FEEL RIGHT IN THIS CASE

By Sam Venable

(NOTE: This column appeared in the Sunday, July 18, 2021, edition of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.)

You may have missed it, but an event of historical significance occurred last month in Chattanooga.

After re-studying a 42-year-old murder, investigators in Hamilton County now believe theyve finally put pieces of the puzzle together. And did they ever come up with a blockbuster.

It involves the corrupt administration of Tennessee Gov. Ray Blanton during the mid-to-late 1970s.

For those just tuning in, the slime oozing out of Nashville back then was the stuff of legend. Hollywood eventually made a movie out of the fiasco  Marie, named after Marie Ragghianti, the insider who blew the whistle on her dishonest boss.

Were talking cash bribes for liquor licenses and clemency for prisoners. A state paving contract with his familys business. The sale of surplus state vehicles to political cronies.

And as impossible as it seems in todays fiercely partisan political climate, consider what happened toward the end of Hizzoners first term: Worried there was no limit to Blantons shenanigans, leaders of his own Democrat party engineered a plan to usher him out of office three days early and inaugurate a freshly elected Republican, Lamar Alexander.

(Principle above party; what a concept! Too bad Alexander didnt do the same decades later.)

Fast forward to a press conference on June 9, 2021, when authorities claimed they have linked Blantons administration to a contract murder.

In 1979, Chattanooga businessman Samuel Pettyjohn was shot, execution-style, shortly after testifying to a federal grand jury about the cash-for-clemency scandal. (The informer Pettyjohn was working undercover for the FBI.)

Based on what theyve uncovered, investigators say the hit was carried out by Ed Alley, a convicted felon. His fee, estimated to be $25,000-$50,000, was paid by a third party on behalf of the Blanton administration.

All of this was explained by Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston. Im very sure. Im proof positive, he told The Associated Press when asked about his confidence in the findings.

Dont expect any arrests, however. Everyone directly involved in the crime is dead and has been for some time. Mike Mathis, supervisor of the departments cold case unit, said the only upshot is a legal closing.

That, and a dollar, will buy you a large coffee at McDonalds.

If only wed known at the time is the standard lament for this kind of revelation.

Families want answers.

Cops want answers.

The courts want answers.

History wants answers.

Its interesting to wonder, 42 years down the pike, if only wed known at the time is being lamented about the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

* * *

Believe me, this was a heck of a discovery. Yet some want to know if Pinkstons wife is paid by the state or the county? Please 

royexum@aol.com
There are three applicants to be interim superintendent of the Hamilton County Schools.

They are Dr. Nakia Towns, Dr. Zac Brown and Dr. John Tharp.

Dr. Towns serves as deputy superintendent after initially being chief of staff to former Supt. Bryan Johnson.

Dr. Brown became the principal of The Howard School in July 2013 and assistant superintendent of the Hamilton County Department of Education in July 2016. He has served as principal of East Ridge High School from 2010 to 2013 and as assistant principal at Hixson High School from 2008 to 2010.

Since May 2018, Dr. Tharp has served as executive director for the Harrison Bay Learning Community in Hamilton County Schools. He has been an executive director, teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent and university professor during his career.

The County School Board meets later today to make a choice and to begin the process to find a permanent superintendent.

Dr. Johnson last week had the surprise announcement that he was resigning.

Dr. Towns sent this letter to the school board:

The purpose of this letter is to express my sincere interest and willingness to serve as Interim Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools (HCS).

In contemplating if I should submit my name for consideration, I thought about how I could best give back to this community for the wonderful support and encouragement that has come my way. Colleagues in HCS, many of whom I now consider dear friends, as well as countless community members have gone out of their way to show me kindness and grace during these unprecedented times. As Chairman Wingate so beautifully articulated at the last Board meeting and as Dr. Bryan Johnson has so exquisitely modeled, the superintendent role, when done right, is ultimately an act of service to our community.

So, I can think of no better way to show my deep gratitude to the children, families, and staff of HCS than to offer my service in support of a smooth transition while the board selects Dr. Johnson's successor. After the year we've endured, I am committed to ensuring that our community experiences a return to normalcy and consistency as we start the new school year. Our teachers and school leaders must be able to focus on welcoming all children back onto campus without the potential stress and distraction that comes from uncertain or unfamiliar leadership.

For family and personal reasons, I will not apply for the permanent superintendent position. Therefore, my service as interim would not conflict with Board Policy 5.801. I understand and acknowledge the Board's direction that whomever is named Interim Superintendent shall not be eligible to apply for the permanent position. Since my relocation to Hamilton County in August 2017, I have lived in Ooltewah, which is in District 9. If selected, I look forward to working closely with all Board members, including the member who will represent me as part of the Ooltewah community.

For the Board's review, I have enclosed my current resume which details my contributions to the Future Ready 2023 plan, highlighting key initiatives that I collaborated on with teaching and learning, finance, operations, and student supports. I am also including three letters of professional reference from Mayor Jim Coppinger, Dr. Bryan Johnson, and HCEA President, Jeanette Omarkhail, written earlier this year to support my application for superintendent in other communities.

I think these letters highlight the skills and abilities I will leverage to facilitate an orderly transition that sustains the momentum of the last four years. I thank the Board and the community for affording me the incredible growth opportunity that I have experienced during my time in HCS. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Deputy Superintendent. I am so grateful for every day that I get to engage in meaningful work, supporting my passionate belief that every child deserves access to an excellent public school education.

I appreciate your time and thoughtful consideration as you select the Interim Superintendent. Please dont hesitate to contact me should you require any additional information. Sincerely, T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D.

Dr. Brown sent this letter to the school board:

It is with great enthusiasm that I wish to apply for the position of interim superintendent at Hamilton County Schools. I am confident that my experience, training, and desire to elevate the academic standards of the countys schools match your requirements. Furthermore, Hamilton County school system possesses a culture and team that I would be honored to serve.

I possess strong leadership skills and a diverse range of educational experiences, which have contributed greatly to the success of the various projects, programs, and other initiatives with which I have been involved. I am well versed in all facets of education, from student-centric curriculum planning to budgeting and administrative leadership. I am also extremely passionate about blending academia with cost-effective management to optimize administrative leadership efforts that yield positive educational outcomes. Finally, I could bring my comprehensive understanding of Hamilton County Schools Future Ready 2023 strategic plan to your team.

Three examples of my key accomplishments are as follows:

 I have worked effectively with a diverse multicultural student population within the school system and the community.

 I boosted student performance on the TCAP; teacher attendance; and the number of students enrolled in AP classes.

 I significantly reduced dropout rates. I have attached my resume for your consideration. If you would like to discuss how my training and experience fit with your requirements and how our partnership could benefit Hamilton County Schools, please contact me via phone or email. Thank you for your time.

I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Zac Brown, Ed.D

Dr. Tharp sent this letter to the school board:

I am writing to apply for the Interim Superintendents position with the Hamilton County School District. The strengths and diversity of our district are impressive and I am excited to express my interest in partnering with the Board to lead HCS. It is a great time in the county as the community provides support in our continued push to be a high performing school district for the region and state of Tennessee.

Hamilton County Schools is known for teacher innovation and the community for its support for the schools. We have improved student learning outcomes dramatically these past few years and we most recently kept student learning on track during the Covid-19 global pandemic. It was a collaborative approach to the work that led us through our challenges with teaching and learning during the pandemic and we are well-prepared for moving back to in-person learning for the new school year.

As Interim Superintendent, we will work collaboratively to address our students and staff's emotional and social needs in these unprecedented times, while moving all students forward, regardless of socioeconomic status. Together with the school and district staff, families and the community we will explore education best practices as well as newly evolving legal precedent to establish and follow the protocols necessary to provide students, faculty, and staff with a safe learning environment as all students and staff transition back to schools.

We have a blueprint for success with our strategic plan and its five areas: accelerating student achievement, future ready students, great teachers and leaders, engaged community, and efficient and effective operations. We will work together to keep our momentum moving forward to become the best school district in the state. We will remain transparent with open lines of communication. We will continue on this path so that the Board can focus on finding a permanent leader.

My family and I are committed to Hamilton County as I serve in leadership roles as Executive Director of the Harrison Bay Learning Community and Principal of Red Bank Middle School, my daughter is a student at Ooltewah High School, and my wife is a school volunteer. My experience includes serving as a superintendent in Wisconsin, Assistant Superintendent in Williamson County Schools, Tennessee, supervisor of principals in Hamilton County, and most recently serving as a principal during the toughest school year ever- this past year. We worked together as administrators, teachers, parents, and students in navigating our way through the pandemic and we succeeded. I have also served as a classroom teacher and school administrator in North and South Carolina.

Thank you for your time in reading and considering my application and again, I am excited to express my interest in working with the Board in this position and look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Dr. John Tharp
Local officials working with the homeless said they "have not been as successful as they hoped" in finding housing for the homeless despite receiving $6 million in COVID funds.

The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC) received the funds to support rapid re-housing and shelter for those experiencing homelessness in Chattanooga and the 10 surrounding rural counties of Southeast Tennessee.

Officials said, "Although COVID response funding provided rental assistance, the money cannot be used to build affordable housing and the current supply of available, affordable housing units is nearly non-existent. Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition wants to partner with landlords, property owners, contractors, and builders to find solutions to the affordable housing crisis.

"In partnership with Hamilton County Health Department and Blue Cross Blue Shield, the local homeless response systems COVID response has been successful in vaccinating the homeless population, with over 700 people vaccinated to date. However, the hope to effectively end homelessness with this unprecedented funding opportunity has not been realized due to the lack of affordable housing."

Executive Director of the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition Wendy Winters said that affordable housing is the only answer to homelessness. She said, We get calls all the time from people that have noticed the increase in homelessness in our community. They tell us something needs to be done, but the only solution is more affordable housing units. We have rental assistance dollars to make sure that those experiencing homelessness can maintain their housing once they get it, but we need the units first.

Justin Wolfe with Nooga Strong Construction owns several properties in Chattanooga and 14 affordable housing units in Knoxville.

He said zoning restrictions and supply prices "are the main two components of why affordable housing is impossible to find. Theres no financial reason to build a single-family unit thats smaller than 1,600 square feet. Contractor grade housing materials cost roughly $130 per square foot if youre building a 1,200 square foot home and that doesnt include the price of the land.

He said his personal connection to the cause is what drives him to be part of the solution. I have a family member with a mental health issue who is homeless. Theres no place for her to go. I have lived in affordable housing units growing up and I own units in Knoxville, so I know we can have the best of both worlds. We need a government subsidizing option to make it feasible for contractors to get involved.

The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition is looking for partners that can provide housing. In return, they can offer landlord incentives in the form of double deposits, sign-on bonuses, and support services.
Sergeant Tim Foster wasnt looking to start a side business as he patrolled the town of Signal Mountain, doing his part to keep it safe. Named one of the safest places to live on Protect Americas list of Top 10 Burglary Safe Zones in Tennessee, this community can credit Sgt. Foster and the other officers for that. Perhaps he was checking the outskirts of a large building one night for suspicious activity, or maybe he thought he heard an unusual noise from the unadorned structure. Either way, the plain white storage facility peaked his interest. Sgt. Foster tracked down the owner, which was difficult as there was no signage or address at the site.

After a few conversations, Sgt. Foster ended up with a five-year lease on the storage facility that needed a bit of refreshing. Excited about the possibilities, he set to work creating a logo and registering his new business, Foster Storage. Clearly proud of adding a storage facility in the community, Sgt. Foster boasts 20 storage units that vary in size from 5- by 30-feet to 5- by 10-feet and parking spaces, as well.

His Instagram account, Foster Storage, already had over 4,000 followers before the grand opening on April 1. Busy pressure washing and designing signage in preparation, Sgt. Foster has more plans for this property and will make sure it presents its best self to the community. He plans to do a good bit of painting and sprucing up over the summer, and will add security cameras, as well. You might think his dog, Varya, would take care of any security issues, but her bark is worse than her bite. A big sweetie, the Fosters never intended of adding a big dog to their family, only agreeing to foster the pit/lab mix. But they all feel in love with the dog that temporarily joined them a few years ago from McKamey. Historically, agencies dont have good luck placing dogs with pit bull in them, so the Fosters feel even better about their loveable rescue that loves playing at Greenway Farms with other dogs. She does not really like chasing the ball, but loves chasing the dog thats chasing the ball! Tim laughed.

His wife, Heather, is on board with the new venture, as are his children, Addison, a rising eight-grader at SMMHS, and Christopher Bryant, who works in logistics.

Foster Storage is easy to find at 1302 Taft Highway. You can admire the nice new sign that marks the spot, and be sure to shake the hand of the owner, Sgt. Tim Foster, and not just for leasing a storage unit.

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Ferris Robinson is the author of three childrens books, The Queen Who Banished Bugs, The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds, and Call Me Arthropod in her pollinator series If Bugs Are Banished. Making Arrangements is her first novel. Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity is a collection of true tales about mans best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a free pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.






Tekelia C. Kelly, a STEAM teaching artist at the Tennessee Arts Commission, has been chosen as one of a select group of teachers to attend the 2021 Tennessee Arts Academy, Inspiring Learning, Changing Lives.The Academy, the nation's premier summer teacher training institute for K12 arts education, will officially open on July 11. Normally hosted on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, this years event will be a virtual learning experience. More than 325 K-12 public and private school teachers from across the state will participate in the weeklong session. 2021 marks the Academys 35th anniversary.The Academy core faculty consists of 20 nationally recognized professors, academic instructors and artists assembled from leading universities, schools and arts institutions from throughout the United States.They will teach a diverse range of classes in music, theatre, visual art and dance as well as special classes in arts leadership and administration. An additional 60 presenters will offer single focus classes during the six-day event."There will be many special moments throughout the week, starting with TAAs opening performance on July 11 by the highly acclaimed classical saxophonist, Steven Banks," officials said. "Other major highlights of the week include a speech on Monday to the TAA participants by noted composer and pianist Gabriela Lena Frank, followed on Tuesday with a presentation by the celebrated contemporary American artist Beverly McIver. On Wednesday, Broadway script writer, Hollywood screenwriter and author Rick Elice (Jersey Boys) will address the participants. A high spot of the week will occur on Wednesday night when Broadway star Aaron Lazar hosts Bravo! A Virtual Evening with Stephen Sondheim and Friends: Honoring Americas Arts Teachers. The show will feature interviews with Stephen Sondheim, along with tributes in word and song to Sondheim from Vanessa Williams, Stephen Colbert, Kate Baldwin and many others. Rounding out the week will be a performance on Thursday by Ballet Memphis company members and a presentation on Friday of three scenes from recent Cumberland County Playhouse productions. Three virtual art exhibitions including Through the Achromatic Lens: Gary Chapman, featuring work by professional artist Gary Chapman; The Best of the Best Tennessee Student Art Exhibition; and Connections: Tennessee Art Education Association Member Exhibition, a juried show composed of Tennessee educator artwork, will complete the Academys special event offerings."Because arts instructors often have higher than normal class loads, the teachers and administrators who annually attend the Academy directly reach anywhere from 150,000 - 200,000 students the following school year in classrooms all across the state. The Tennessee Arts Academy has impacted over three million Tennessee students and trained more than 7,500 teachers in its 35-year history. The Academy's advanced curriculum, cutting-edge methodology and unique philosophical perspective maximize participants' learning experiences. With renewed energy and knowledge, Tennessee Arts Academy educators are better equipped and motivated to raise achievement standards and affect positive and lasting change for Tennessee students, providing them with the necessary skills to become creative and productive members of our work force and society."
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 2020 "Crime in Tennessee" publication, which details the volume and nature of crime, as reported by the states law enforcement agencies.

The report compiles data submitted to TBI through the Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS).

Among the reports findings:

A total of 506,558 Group A (typically the most serious) offenses were reported in 2020, decreasing 5.0% from 2019.

136,407 Group A arrests were made in 2020, of which 6.8% were juveniles.

The crime rate per 100,000 for Group A offenses was 7,355.5.

There was a total of 18,167 DUI arrests in 2020, a decrease of 7.1% from 2019.

The states 2020 crime data was undeniably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as workplaces, schools, and other community venues were closed. The data analysis and the numerous graphs and charts in this years publication illustrate the sharp decline in reported crime.



The TIBRS program continues to serve as a model for the nation and remains successful because of the continued cooperation by Tennessees law enforcement community, said TBI Director David Rausch. TBI remains committed to this effort and will continue to provide the training and technical assistance necessary to collect the most accurate and comprehensive crime statistics for Tennessee and its citizens.

The full report is now available on TBIs website, tn.gov/tbi.
Curtis 50 Cent Jackson  who goes by 50 Cent  operates under a variety of labels and nicknames. Over the years, fans have become used to calling him 50, Fif, or Fiddy and avoid calling him by his government name. But the rapper-turned-mogul joked about how former talk show host Sharon Osbourne is the one who gave him one of those nicknames.

50 Cent attends the Power Book III: Raising Kanan New York premiere at the Hammerstein Ballroom on July 15, 2021 in New York City | John Lamparski/FilmMagic/Getty Images

50 Cent says Sharon Osbourne dubbed him Fiddy

While doing his promotional rounds for Power Book III: Raising Kanan, 50 Cent spoke to Britains On Demand about the spinoff series and his namesake. When the host was unsure whether to address him as Mr. Cent, 50, Curtis, or Fiddy, he jumped in and said Sharon Osbourne is behind the moniker, Fiddy.

You know, Sharon changed my name  Sharon Osbourne. She said, Fiddy Cents. Is it 50 or Fiddy? and I was like, Whichever one makes you happy, said 50 Cent while imitating her British accent. Hes been sticking to this story for at least six years, and during one past visit to The Talk, even mentioned collaborating with Osbournes husband, Ozzy Osbourne.

50 Cents stage name came from a notorious street robber

Longtime fans know 50 Cents backstory and how he came up in Jamaica, Queens. He was a young and hungry hustler who wanted to break into the rap game and was once signed to Jam Master Jays label. Under the late DJ/producers wing is where he honed his craft and chose his stage name: 50 Cent.

Pulled from a New York stick-up kid named Kelvin Martin who was known in the streets as 50 Cent, he thought it was catchy. He wrote about it in the book, From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens.

I wasnt going to run with the attitude of telling people that I had actually taken the name from the real 50 Cent. I just felt it was something an insider would get and the rest of the world would just think it was catchy, Fif wrote.

The real 50 Cent was a stickup kid from Brooklyn who used to rob rappers. He had passed, but he was respected on the streets, so I wanted to keep his name alive. Other rappers were running around, calling themselves Al Capone and John Gotti and Pablo Escobar. If I was going to take a gangsters name, then I wanted it at least to be that of someone who would say Whats up to me on the street if we ever crossed paths.

He added that he liked the name because its memorable. I liked 50 Cent because it seemed like something that people would remember  even a little kid is going to remember 50 Cent, especially when he starts to learn how to count money.

50 Cent made the distinction between Curtis and 50

So as not to confuse anyone between his two personas, 50 Cent made it clear that Curtis Jackson is his formal name, one derived from his maternal grandfather. He once told Stephen Colbert, Curtis Jackson is my grandmothers child Thats when I clean up.

Theres definitely a difference between the two, and most fans can figure that out. Check out 50 Cent next as he narrates Power Book III: Raising Kanan on Starz.

RELATED: Black Mafia Family: Everything We Know So Far About 50 Cents New Series
David Pascoe from Below Deck Mediterranean revealed his deckhand days may soon be in the past as he is seeking more of a land-based life. He recently chatted with Showbiz Cheat Sheet from aboard a smaller yacht but said hes planning to wrap up sea life and trade it for a position on land. Id definitely like to stay within the industry, definitely through the boats, he explained. But just to be based in one place, ideally back home and just to be there.

David Pascoe took some heat for telling Lloyd Spencer he was from Plymouth during Below Deck Med

Pascoe referenced an Instagram post where he touched on a moment in the show when he told Lloyd Spencer he was from Plymouth. The post referenced some backlash he received for telling Spencer he was from Plymouth because he also shared during the episode hed also lived in Italy and traveled the world.

Below Deck Mediterraneans David Pascoe | Laurent Basset/Bravo

The fact of the matter is I spent the first years of my life living in Italy, my childhood and early adulthood consisted of moving houses/caravans on the regular in Devon and I was very rarely grounded, he shared along with a photo. At some point I began working/traveling all over the world and furthering my general gypsy nature.

I dont know if you saw my Instagram, Pascoe told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, referring to the share. So that was an interesting one in that so I said I was from Plymouth. And I had a few messages from people from Plymouth saying, Youre not really from Plymouth, are you?'

David Pascoe is ready to finally put down some roots

I moved around my entire life, he said. And I was never settled anywhere. So now Im a bit older and I want to be settled somewhere. I want to, you know, want to have a family. I want to settle down. So its just stepping away gradually, gradually, gradually and hopefully reaching it at the end.

Some say nice guys finish last  we say that they're fan faves on #BelowDeckMed!  Catch all-new episodes Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo, or get your #Yachtie fix early on @peacockTV! pic.twitter.com/gIzd5ycrmA  Bravo (@BravoTV) July 14, 2021

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterraneans David Pascoe Says Working for Captain Sandy Was Brilliant

Pascoe isnt the only yachtie who prefers yacht life on land. Deckhand Bobby Giancola from Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 1 and 2 continues to work in the industry, but as a yacht dealer. Hannah Ferrier and Anastasia Surmava from Below Deck Mediterranean also stepped away from working on boats and now have a yacht training academy.

Adopting a dog may be David Pascoes future too

Pascoe envisions land life with a dog someday too. Definitely down the line, dogs are a huge responsibility, he remarked. But 100% I would love a little dog. And beach walks and a swim. It will be wonderful.

Me when the boss asks if I'm working hard or hardly working. #BelowDeckMed pic.twitter.com/XBr1iVKtRX  Bravo (@BravoTV) July 13, 2021

Pascoes Instagram features photos with a few dogs, who he said are his mothers. Bella, the little brown one, shes going very, very strong, he said. Shes my mums dog so I see her almost every time Im home. But always dogs  nothing against cats! He laughed. He recently took a swim with an adorable beagle named Leo, who rocked a cute doggy life vest.

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterraneans Lloyd Spencer Teases Several Injuries This Season (Exclusive)

Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT. New episodes will be available on Peacock one week early on Mondays.
Was Angelina Jolies celebrity adoption of son Maddox legitimate? Hes now almost 20 years old, but questions surrounding the way he became Jolies son have arisen. Now, documentary filmmaker Elizabeth Jacobs is taking a closer look at the Cambodian adoption of Maddox at seven months.

Maddox wasnt his given name at birth

Angelina Jolie attends the World Premiere of Disneys Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in Los Angeles, California. | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Before Maddoxs highly publicized adoption by Angelina Jolie, he was known as Rath Vibol, the name given to him by his birth parents in Cambodia. But according to Radar Online, there is still some question as to whether or not his birth parents are still alive, something that Jolie has denied.

Jacobs feels it doesnt entirely add up. Shes zeroing in on the possible unethical adoption practices of Lauryn Galindo, through whom the stars first adoption unwittingly went. Child welfare workers in the country believe that Jolies child Maddox may actually have been sold for the shocking sum of $100. His birth mother was reportedly crushed by poverty.

Jacobs goal is to find out the truth surrounding Galindos so-called baby recruiters and their practice of taking advantage of disadvantaged families.

Angelina adopted Maddox while still married to ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton

Born Rath Vibol, Maddox was adopted by Jolie while she was still married to ex Billy Bob Thornton. The two made a joint statement after the adoption of Maddox was formalized, but it wasnt long before they fell out and separated. Maddoxs brush with being Thorntons son never materialized, though. Moneyball star Brad Pitt ultimately adopted him.

The Maleficent star did share with Vanity Fair that she shared an instant connection with the first child she adopted. Speaking about her experiences visiting orphanages in Cambodia, she said, I didnt feel a connection with any of them. They then said, Theres one more baby. I cried and cried.

His adoption is now being questioned

Angelina Jolie attends Maleficent Mistress of Evil in Rome (Italy), 2019 | Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

The circumstances surrounding his adoption are now being re-examined.

According to Radar, the head of Licadho, a human rights agency, strongly question Jolies adoption back in 2002. Im sure that this child [Maddox] was not a real orphan and was not abandoned, said Kek Galibru.

For the filmmaker involved, its personal. Her documentary, The Stolen Children, is a deeply probing look at Galindo and her involvement in the adoptions of Maddox and hundreds of other children, as well. Jacobs plans to head to Cambodia herself to get answers about her adoption, along with others. Apparently, her adoption by American parents also went directly through Galindo.

According to Radar, upwards of a thousand adoptions from Cambodia went through Seattle International Adoptions, the agency owned by Galindo and her sister, Lynn Devin. Thats 50% of the adoptions in Cambodia between the late 1990s and early 00s.

Now, with Jolies complex divorce from Pitt still ongoing, shes being publicly forced to re-examine her trust in Galindo. Given that Maddox and Pitt have also struggled to connect for the past several years, its one more complication in an already frustrating dynamic.

RELATED: Surprising THings You Never Knew About Maddox Jolie-Pitt
Matt Damon broke a family rule to star in his latest film Stillwater. The 50-year-old actor has a rule with his family  he and wife Luciana Barroso are parents to four daughters  that theyre never apart for more than two weeks at a time. After a family meeting Damon

Matt Damon had a family meeting before agreeing to star in Stillwater

Matt Damon | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Damon shared in a July 2021 interview with CBS Sunday Morning that he had a family meeting before accepting the starring role in Stillwater. In the movie, which was filmed before the coronavirus pandemic began, Damon plays an oil rig worker from Oklahoma who travels to France to get his estranged daughter (Abigail Breslin) out of prison when shes falsely accused of murder.

The Oscar winner told the outlet he sat down with his wife and their four daughters Lucy, Isabella, Gia, and Stella to say hed have to break their family rule that they dont spend more than two weeks apart to star in Stillwater. It was the first movie for which they violated the rule, Damon said, adding that it was really tough.

Damon continued, saying that he went into Stillwater knowing his children see how much he enjoys his work.

I like that they know that I love my job, he said. They know its time-consuming and a lot of work, and that it fills me up.

The actors taking a brief break from acting to get his family settled in New York

RELATED: Why Matt Damon Once Said He Has a Tough Time Finding Movies to Star In

Now that Stillwaters done and nearing its premiere date Damons taking some time to get his kids ready for school in the fall. Theyre getting settled in New York City and the actors well aware of the fact that his daughters have access to a lot more than he or Barroso did as kids.

Look  theyre growing up with a lot more stuff than their mom or I ever had, he said. So we keep an eye on that.

Damon went on to admit that he does worry but hes also reminded of a lesson he learned as a student at Harvard University.

I think when I got to Harvard, I met a lot of kids who are very wealthy, he said before adding that some of them were in a lot of pain there. Their parents werent there for them, you know, like, at all. And I remember thinking Oh, I get it,  like, that money doesnt solve anything.

Parenthood has made Matt Damons job a lot easier

RELATED: George Clooney Was Really Depressed Gaining Weight for Syriana, Matt Damon Says

Damons daughters rarely see their fathers work  they refuse to watch Good Will Hunting  but the actor insists being a father has made his job a lot easier.

I think I get choked up easier now ever since I had kids, he said. Its like, my job has become a lot easier, because I dont have to try. I dont have to reach for any emotions, whether its joy or whether its pain. Its all just nearby because the stakes are so much higher when you have kids.

Stillwater premieres on July 30, 2021.
To fans of the iconic Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, Shenae Grimes-Beech will always be Darcy, the profoundly religious and judgmental missionary who always spoke her mind. However, American audiences might best know her for her work on an updated 90210, where she spent five years as Annie Wilson.

Shenae Grimes-Beech | David Livingston/Getty Images

Eight years after she left the latter, Grimes is still a legend in the teenage television drama community, and while she took a step back to raise her family, her work remains essential to a new generation of fans.

Introducing: Shenae Grimes

According to IMDb, Grimes, who added the Beech to her name upon marrying her husband Josh in 2013, got her to start doing bit parts on several shows. Her big break came on a hit series that is not known as a jump-off for aspiring actors, Biography.

Playing fellow Canadian Shania Twain in recreations of her teenage years, this may not have been a star-making turn, but it helped get her foot in the door and also secured her a part as Twains best friend in a 2005 television movie about her life.

Grimes stuck with low-profile television roles, taking whatever commercials and guest spots were on the docket. During that time, she befriended other up-and-comers throughout the industry and forged one friendship that gave her the role of a lifetime as Darcy on the new reboot of Canadas hit Degrassi franchise.

She spoke about this with The Star Scoop in 2006:

Its a funny story how I got into acting at all, its because of Jake Goldsbie, who is on Degrassi. I was a huge fan the first season, and he was in an acting class of mine, so I asked him for his autograph, and he set me up with his agent, and a couple years later, I auditioned, and I got the part. Ive been working my way up into a bigger role ever since.

She never looked back.

Shenae Grimes-Beech makes her name

Degrassi, which featured another young actor named Aubrey Graham, was a teenage drama that was not afraid to shy away from drugs and sex and seedier adolescent mishaps. As Fandom notes, Darcy entered the scene in season four, went from a privileged, religious zealot to a fleshed-out character with whom fans could sympathize due to relatable struggles of the teenage experience.

This got the attention of 90210s producers, who were looking to bring Degrassi sentiments to an extension of an already massive property. It worked. According to Fandom, Grimes spent five years and 114 episodes as Annie Wilson. The series made her teenage drama royalty, as American audiences who already watched Degrassi followed her, and a new wave of fans was quick to follow.

Fandom notes that Annie was an aspiring actor who moved from Kansas with hopes of achieving the fame that so many other transplants in the area also sought. A far cry from Darcy, Annie is a likable, seemingly bubbly personality. However, as the show played out, she became embroiled in the types of drama that have long been a staple of the genre. Grimes remained in Beverly Hills until 2013, but her career did not stop there.

Life after graduation

Grimes married Josh not long after 90210 left the air. However, her career remained in full swing. Two years earlier, she appeared in Wes Cravens Scream 4, her most prominent movie role to date. While movie success eluded her, she remained a small-screen staple thanks to series like The Detail.

Now a mother, Grimes spends most of her time at home, but she still makes time to talk about her life and career before this. Now, she and Josh take to YouTube as vloggers while doing creative freelance work on the side.

Its rare for someone to reach one major teen drama, let alone two, but Grimes showed that it was not impossible. Whether her current hiatus is permanent or short-lived, shes matured from early teendom to adulthood while remaining true to herself. As such, fans appreciate the breadth of material she gave them during her most formative years.

RELATED: Laugh Now Cry Later: Drakes Friendships With Athletes Go Way Back Before His New Music Video
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Chief Cadmus Delorme on July 6 watch dancers during a ceremony celebrating the signing of a transfer of control over children in care to the community, in Cowessess First Nation, Saskatchewan. Cowessess is also the site of a former residential school where, the month before, ground-penetrating radar detected a potential 751 unmarked graves.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland moves to speak during a July 14 ceremony at the U.S. Armys Carlisle Barracks, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The disinterred remains of nine Native American children who died more than a century ago while attending a government-run school in Pennsylvania were headed home to Rosebud Sioux tribal lands in South Dakota after a ceremony returning them to relatives.
First IRF summit led by civilians not governments pulls off bipartisan participation as attendees welcome news on next ambassador.

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Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

Former IRF ambassador Sam Brownback speaks at the 2021 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington.

One word floated forebodingly between parentheses throughout promotional material for the 2021 International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit:

Invited.

Following the names of Nancy Pelosi, Antony Blinken, and Samantha Power, it indicated uncertainty if the key Democratic stalwarts would participate.

As the approximately 1,200 registered attendees arrived, the distributed official program still did not include the current House speaker, secretary of state, or USAID administrator.

However, Mike Pompeo, Blinkens predecessor at the US State Department, had a keynote address from the stage.

There were a lot of questions heading into this summit, with a lot of hesitancy from the Biden people, summit co-chair Sam Brownback told CT. But we worked hard to make it bipartisan.

Unlike the previous two ministerial meetings held in Washington, DC (and a third held virtually in Poland), this years IRF gathering was organized by civil society, not governments.

Brownback, the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom during the Trump administration, was now a private citizen. He partnered with Katrina Lantos Swett, former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, who was appointed by former Democratic senator Harry Reid.

Brownback chased the Republicans, and Lantos Swett the Democrats. Their friendship, Pam Pryor, senior advisor to the summit, told CT, is the gold standard in bipartisan cooperation.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

In the end, Lantos Swett was relatively successful. Unable to appear in person, Pelosi, Blinken, and Power all provided prerecorded remarks.

The summit demonstrates our ironclad commitment to international religious freedom, stated Pelosi, which transcends party and politics.

The executive branch agreed.

The US is committed to advance human rights, stated Blinken, and religious freedom is a vital component of our diplomacy.

As did the leader of a key implementing organ, the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The fight for international religious freedom is not just a reflection of who we are as Americans, but of strategic national interest to the United States and a key foreign policy objective, stated Power. The Biden-Harris administration is dedicated to its protection and advancement, at home and around the world.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

Brownback felt vindicated.

He and Lantos Swett balanced Republican and Democratic IRF supporters in Congress, such as Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in the House of Representatives and Chris Coons (D-DE) and James Lankford (R-OK) in the Senate. They brought together advocates both right and left of center, such as Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and Zeenat Rahman of the Inclusive America Project.

And between the 81 convening partners, every major religion of the world was represented.

All of this together convinced the new administration that this is a broad movement, and that they wanted to be a part of it, Brownback told CT.

And they are.

While scheduling did not permit Pelosi, Blinken, and Power to appear on stage, in-person proof was provided by Melissa Rogers, executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

She also provided the news that summit participants were waiting for and chatting about in the hallways.

Bringing warm greetings from President Joe Biden, she said he would appoint the next IRF ambassador in the coming weeks.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

While both George W. Bush and Barack Obama tarried as presidents in making their nominations, Trump took only six months. Biden is approaching the same mark.

Rogers also said the administration would maintain the momentum from previous ministerials and support the 2022 ministerial hosted by the United Kingdom in London. (Brazil has been scheduled to host in 2021.)

Your work is vital, and you hold us accountable, she said to the audience. There is so much common ground on religious freedom, and so much good we can all do together.

At the summit, however, this depended on the avoidance of domestic politics, said Peter Burns, the events executive director. Over two months the organizing committee solidified 10 panel discussions, organized by topicnot regionin order to be as broad as possible.

China, Nigeria, and Pakistan were nonetheless frequent targets throughout. Various participants highlighted Uyghur Muslims as monitored by malign technology, Nigerian Christians as victims of genocide, and Ahmadi Muslims as subjects of legal structures of discrimination.

Positive examples were also highlighted. An ecumenical prayer service brought together Mideast Christians. Philanthropy multiplied the concept of covenantal pluralism. And Kazakhstan signed a new agreement to educate both its clerics and its police on religious freedom and the rule of law.

Tony Perkins and Samantha Power are at the same event, saying the same things, differently, said Burns. Its really cool.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

But with such high-level political participation, partisan talking points were inevitable.

Pompeo criticized Biden for prioritizing climate change over religious freedom. He called the summit a God-driven continuation of Trumps work. And he celebrated the United Arab Emiratess opening of an embassy in Israel.

Rogers highlighted Bidens reversal of Trumps restrictions on Muslim and African immigration. She emphasized the importance of LGBT rights within the panoply of religious freedom. And Power called out Israel within her list of violating nations.

More substantive was the debate over the place of religious freedom within human rights overall.

Oppression always begins against religious freedom, said Pompeo, leads to the loss of other civil and political rights, and can even come to include genocide.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

Democrats emphasized a nesting approach.

The freedoms to speak freely, to assemble freely, and to advocate your cause to political leaders are interdependent, said Power. Religious freedom cannot exist without them.

David Saperstein, the Jewish rabbi who preceded Brownback as IRF ambassador, tried to balance the perspectives from the stage.

You cannot have freedom of religion if you do not have freedom of speech, press, and association, he said. But conversely, you cannot have these rights without freedom of religion and conscience.

Image: Hailey Sadler / IRF Summit

Overall, the attendance and sponsorships titled rightward, and Pompeos address solicited more robust applause than those from Democratic leaders. But Saperstein reminded everyone of 1998, when the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) moved through Congress without a single dissenting vote.

IRFA was needed because religious freedom was a forgotten stepchild in the human rights movement, he said. Twenty-three years later, what we did worked.

And for this, Brownback was pleased.

Having previously told CT that the last ministerial felt like Christmas, he was asked if this gathering felt like Easter.

No, more like Pentecost, he replied, after a brief pause.

The spirit here is very peaceful, very pleasantand very broad.
Many have said a societys measure is how it treats the poor, or the least of these, or the marginalized. The prophets measured ancient Israel by how it treated the widows and orphans and foreign residents (often translated as aliens Exodus 22:21). The emphasis given to justice, or what we today call social justice, in our Old Testament brings to the surface a core biblical value. Israels emphasis contrasts, at times dramatically, with other ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

Compassion, which translates a Greek term that describes visceral, emotional response to a person in need, characterizes Jesus. Here are examples in Matthew:

Matt. 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt. 14:14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. Matt. 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way. Matt. 18:27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. Matt. 20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him.

The term describes the following complex: a person in need is seen, the visceral response by Jesus is noticed by those around him, Jesus does something to relieve the person from pain. Feeling their pain is not enough: until the visceral response turns into action it is not compassion.

Compassion for the needy requires compassion for survivors of sexual and power abuse. There are many in our churches today who are wounded survivors. Some are sitting silently in their pain; some are participating without anyone knowing their pain; some are engaged in efforts for other survivors; they are all sensitive to survivors. Some have been wounded because they shared their wounds.

We are called to follow Jesus into care for survivors and to being survivor-sensitive communities of faith that provide safety and healing for survivors. Here are some texts for us to consider today, and these texts from the New Testament can provoke us to deeper concern and care for the survivors in our midst.

I begin with a programmatic statement about the core mission of Jesus:

Matt. 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Here the ones for whom Jesus shows compassion and care are suffering alone, they have been mistreated by the shepherds of Israel, and they are described like abandoned sheep who are bloodied, bruised, and broken.

These verses follow the sketch of Jesus mission we find in Matthew 4:23-25 and 9:35, which describe the core mission of Jesus: teaching, preaching, and healing. He does the first two in the Sermon on the Mount (chps. 5-7) and healing is found in ten episodes in chps. 8-9. Jesus mission shapes itself toward healing the survivors of pastoral abuse. Chapter ten records the mission of the twelve, which is described as extending the very mission of Jesus. Find the lost sheep he tells his apostles.

They too are to care for the survivors and wounded. Which is what we find in that magical parable called the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:31-46. Sounding like a prophet of Israel, like Amos, Jesus tells his listeners that the final judgment will be based on how they treated the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, those without sufficient clothing, the sick, and the imprisoned (25:35-36). In other words survivors of various forms of injustices and persecutions and misfortunes. Think about it: the final judgment analyzes how you and I responded to the survivors of our world.

Jesus told a parable that digs its heels into our hearts, the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). It begins with a variant on what I call the Jesus Creed. A canon lawyer (scribe) probes Jesus about the right religion. How do I gain eternal life? Jesus responded by asking what the Torah teaches. The canon lawyer says love God, love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus says A plus answer. Then the canon lawyer opens the door to his corrupted heart because solid theology and good hearts arent necessary correlations. He wants to know now but one thing: who is my neighbor? Hes asking about exceptions. (By the way, get someone else to ask your questions of Jesus.)

Jesus answers with the parable. The core idea of the parable is the priests and assistant priests  go ahead and explore your ecclesial offices: popes and cardinals and archbishops and bishops and priests, pastors and deacons and elders and professors --  to resume, the core idea is that the knowledgeable crowd knows what the Torah teaches so well they find a reason to walk around and right by a wounded survivor on the path. They legitimated their lack of compassion, their inaction, their non-compassion by their exegetical and canonical expertise.

So Jesus takes a Nobody (in the priests eyeballs), a Samaritan  socially excluded, religiously inferior, degraded from the perspective of temple categories  and shows up the priest and assistant priest. The Samaritan did what Jesus did: he showed compassion for the wounded survivor, he tended to him, he cared for him, he absorbed resources for him  that is, he extended the mission of Jesus to the survivors he met along his path. There are always Samaritans around showing up the religious authorities.

Which is why Jesus younger brother said,

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (James 1:26-27).

Take those words to heart: religion that is pure and undefiled before God is the kind that shows compassion for survivors.

Which is why his older brother then said, Go and do likewise (Luke 10:37).

Even today.
Children should be seen as a blessing not an environmental burden, Jim Daly says in response to Sussexes award

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Children should be seen as a blessing and not a burden on the environment, says Jim Daly of Focus on the Family in response to a group that awarded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, among others, for committing to have no more than two children or none at all.

On World Population Day, the London-based group Population Matters, which pushes for abortion rights and population control, awarded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Change Champions award for "choosing and publicly declaring their intention to limit their family to two" and " ... for taking this enlightened decision, and for affirming that a smaller family is also a happy family."

The group also awarded five other individuals and three groups for "promoting reproductive rights, defending the environment and enlightening the public."

Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, a Chrisitan and socially conservative public policy organization, told The Christian Post in an emailed statement on Friday that parents shouldn't view their children from a secular lens that demeans humanity.

Family formation is a very personal decision between husbands and wives. We believe strongly that children are not a burden on the environment, but a blessing on so many levels, Daly said.

My wife and I also had only two children  should we get an award too? But my greatest regret is that we didnt have more  a truth which makes our two boys smile, he added.

Each of the nine winners of the Population Matters award was given a "uniquely designed" award and about $690 (500) to donate to a cause of their choice.

Two months after the Sussexes' first child was born, Harry interviewed primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall for Vogue magazine where they discussed the environment, responsibility and climate change.

It was during that interview when he publicly expressed his desire to have no more than two children in order to leave something better for the next generation.

... But Ive always wanted to try and ensure that, even before having a child and hoping to have children, the prince said.

Not too many! [Laughs], Goodall replied.

Two, maximum! But Ive always thought: this place is borrowed. And, surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation, Harry said in the interview.

Population Matters claims that when people in high-consuming countries like the U.K. have bigger families, there is a hugely disproportionate effect on the planet due to the amount of emissions consumed and produced.

While the group awarded the Sussexes for publicly drawing the connection between family size and the environment, and the hope that the attention they bring will contribute to "a long term discussion about family size, they criticized the couple's own impact on the environment.

Harry and Meghan have been frequently criticized for their extensive travel on private jets while advising the public to reduce their carbon footprint. In response to the criticism, Harry previously said he has unique circumstances," and private travel across the globe is essential to "ensure that my family are safe.

Population Matters reiterated that the award is a reflection of something very positive they have done, not an endorsement of some of their other choices.

When probably the most famous couple in the world say they choose to stop at two, they help to popularize and normalize that choice, Population Matters said in a statement. "We know in the U.K., for instance, that about a quarter of all people want to have more than two children. Everyone is entitled and has a right to the family size they choose, and that should never be limited by anyone else.

The award is not for having two children, it is for publicly stating that they are limiting their family to two children, and identifying the environment as one of the factors in that decision, the group added. In so doing, they have stimulated a much needed debate on this subject.

The couple, who married on May 19, 2018, have a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on May 6, 2019, and a newborn daughter, Lilibet Lili Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on June 4.
Christian man attacked by machete wielding brother who plotted to kill him for leaving Islam Family warned convert not to listen to gospel music or say Jesus is Lord

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A man who comes from a family of devoted Muslim sheiks in eastern Uganda is recovering from a machete blow to his head after his brother struck him as punishment for putting his faith in Christ and listening to gospel music.

The victim, identified as 39-year-old Abudlawali Kijwalo from Kibuku Districts Nankodo area, survived the attack, which took place on June 27, but will need further treatment, the doctors said, according to Morning Star News.

Kijwalo, who is from a family of hajjis (pilgrims to Mecca), was grazing his cattle when his brother, identified as Musoga Murishid, attacked him, the victim recalled, adding that family members had warned him against listening to gospel music or claiming that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Savior.

Are you still a Muslim, or you are now a Christian? Murishid asked him. I am for Christ, Kijwalo responded. His brother then took out a machete strapped beneath his long robe and struck him on the head and walked away, believing his brother would have died from the blow.

A village elder witnessed the attack and arranged for Kijwalo, who was bleeding heavily, to be taken by motorcycle to the nearest hospital in the town of Kasasira.

Kijwalo, who lacks money for medical bills and food, has taken refuge at an undisclosed site, the persecution news outlet said.

While most people in Uganda are Christian, some eastern and central regions have higher concentrations of Muslims.

The Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project shows that about 11.5% of Ugandas population is Muslim. Muslims in Uganda are primarily Sunni. Armed attacks and murders of converts are not uncommon in the region.

Radical Islams influence has grown steadily, and many Christians within the majority-Muslim border regions are facing severe persecution, especially those who convert from Islam, a Voice of the Martyrs factsheet explains.

Despite the risks, evangelical churches in Uganda have responded by reaching out to their neighbors; many churches are training leaders how to share the Gospel with Muslims and care for those who are persecuted after they become Christians.

Last month, a 38-year-old mother of three was attacked by her Muslim father and other relatives with a blunt object and forced her to drink poison in her pastors house in eastern Uganda, where she had been taking refuge since her conversion to Christianity following a miraculous healing.

The father of the woman, identified as Hajat Habiiba Namuwaya from Namakoko village in Nangonde Sub-County of Namutumba District, and her other relatives arrived at her pastors home on the morning of June 20, the victim recalled from her hospital bed, Morning Star News reported at the time.
'Devastated' freshman's COVID-19 vaccine medical exemption denied by BYU despite rare disorder

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Brigham Young University-Hawaii has crushed a rising freshmans plan of attending her dream university this fall because she has not received the COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons.

Olivia Sandor, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, always dreamed of attending Brigham Young University-Hawaii. That was until the school mandated that students receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, she fears a life-threatening medical condition could make it dangerous for her to do so.

The 18-year-old shared her story on both Instagram and TikTok as more people have come forward, including many more unvaccinated students at the private institution operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sandor was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS] in February 2019, which she says was caused by another vaccine. GBS caused the healthy teenager and dancer to become paralyzed from the waist down for over a month, leading her to believe she would never walk again.

Sandor was healed of her paralysis from GBS as she laid in a hospital bed thanks to what she considers an act of God. However, she says that because of her condition she is "not able to be vaccinated" because it could cause "permanent paralysis, and possibly death if it spread up my body."

"This is not a choice for me," she maintains.

When BYU-Hawaii announced the mandatory vaccination for all students in June, Sandor met with her board of medical providers to write a medical exemption form only to be denied the exemption weeks later.

How? Why? Was this a joke? I was devastated to say the least, Sandor shared.

Sandor said that all of her medical providers strongly advised against vaccination due to the condition.

This is obviously something I dont want to mess around with," she said. "So with that being said, me and my family took that response and went to a higher authority.

Sandor and her family got in touch with the president of BYU-Hawaii, who said her case would be re-reviewed by the medical board.

Her case for the vaccine medical exemption was denied once again.

Again, I was devastated, but at the same time, I felt peace, Sandor shared on Instagram.

I may have worked so hard to get there, but now I know that wasnt the Lords plan for me," she continued. "Im proud to say I did everything I could to fight it. I brought it to every authority I could. Do I understand why they denied me? No. Do I think its okay that they did that? No. Do I think its humane? No, but I do know that the Lord has something better in store for me.

Sandor reportedly lost $200,000 in scholarships just to attend BYU-Hawaii.

After Sandors statements racked up over 160,000 likes on TikTok and over 32,000 likes on Instagram, BYU-Hawaii shared a post on Instagram saying that questions and comments concerning the COVID-19 vaccination policy should be directed toward the school to help mainstream communication in light of recent events on social media.

The Christian Post reached out to BYU-Hawaii for a comment regarding Sandor's case. A response is pending.

The conservative student organization Turning Point USA shared Sandors story and the stories of others at BYU-Hawaii who are unable to attend the university because of their vaccination status. The organization calls the schools policy anti-science and anti-student.

TPUSA has started a No Forced Vax campaign to help students who are being forced to choose between receiving the vaccine or their ability to attend school.

Analysis of data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System shows that 100 people reportedly developed GBS after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. An FDA official told Health that of the 100 cases, 95 were labeled serious and required hospitalization. At least one person died.

However, the GBS/CIDP Foundation International cautioned that the VAERS system is a "passive reporting system." Past studies have shown that some patients who were initially reported as having GBS were later determined to suffer from another disorder.

"As this time, the FDA states there is not enough information to establish a causal relationship between the J&J vaccine and cases of GBS," the foundation warned.

"The FDA has reiterated its stance that the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine clearly outweigh the known potential risks of the vaccine. The GBS/CIDP Foundation supports this stance."

The foundation also notes that over 100 million adults in the U.S. received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and "no increased incidence of GBS has been found after those vaccinations."

"No data exists to advise patients who have had GBS in the past to avoid the Covid 19 vaccines including the J&J vaccines," the foundation adds. "If a patient has received any of the vaccines and developed symptoms of weakness, numbness, or gait difficulty he or she should seek immediate care."

Dr. Robert Malone, a pioneer for mRNA vaccine technology, has cautioned adolescents about being vaccinated as many public and private universities are mandating vaccines for the next school year. Reports have emerged linking the vaccine to heart inflammation and other health problems.

Malone appeared on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight last month to discuss his concerns about the vaccine for those who are not at as high of a risk for COVID-19, like children and young adults.

"[O]ne of my concerns are that the government is not being transparent with us about what those risks are," Malone said on the show. "And so, I am of the opinion that people have the right to decide whether to accept vaccines or not, especially since these are experimental vaccines."

The COVID-19 vaccines have not yet received full FDA approval, are still in experimental stages and are administered under emergency use authorization.

The CDC is tracking cases of heart inflammation associated with the mRNA coronavirus vaccine.

The CDC released an update last week called Reported Adverse Events, which lists anaphylaxis, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, myocarditis and pericarditis and even death as adverse but rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.
Drowning in a cesspool of profanity

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While at the grocery store this week, a woman was ahead of me in the checkout line using the word, Mother F&*#@%. To the left of me, in another line, was a different woman on her cell phone. I could overhear her saying to someone, F&$# this, and F*#@ that. I felt that I was drowning in a cesspool of profanity.

Recently, my wife said she was in the checkout line at Walmart, and a man was using such language without any inhibitions. Not being the kind of person to hold back, Kim said to him, Sir, would you please not use that language? There are children present. To which the man defiantly replied, No! His companion then backhanded him on the arm and said to, Cut it out. That was the end of it.

Someone says, Well, its no big deal. The F-bomb is just a word. No, it isnt. Outside of using the Lords name in vain, its one of the foulest words in human discourse. It takes something sacred, the most intimate act of human bonding (sex between a married couple, man and wife), lowers it to a lewd act of fornication, and then inappropriately applies it to expressions of frustration, anger, confusion, disillusionment, malice, etc. Typically, whenever employed, its used senselessly. Its just a filthy, nasty, dirty word, which makes for a coarse existence.

Except for one point, I agree with Bob Greene of the Field Newspaper Syndicate, who once wrote about swearing in our society. He said:

Obscenity, the open use of which used to be a mark of lower social strata, has somehow become acceptableAnd yet, I am offended  not out of a sense of morality or prudishness  but because foul language use casually in public comes close to the idea of a violation of privacy. I know that there are some around who feel assaulted by itcertain language is an assault on the senses. Those who disagree are probably saying, after all, its only words. But words are vehicles; they convey messages. And to some people, the use of profanity is a message of ugliness and aggressiveness, and a disrespect for civil behavior. This practice is usually defended under the name of freedom. But whose freedom is it? If the language of ugliness becomes so much a part of our society that it is impossible to escape no matter where one turns, then who is really free and who isnt?

Where do I disagree with Greene? He said he wasnt offended out of a sense of morality. It is a matter of morality. Jesus indicated that filthy talk is indicative of the need for a heart cleansing. He said, A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh (Luke 6:45).

Do you need to ask Christ into your heart to clean up the filth coming out of your mouth? The heart can be like a septic tank spilling over or bubbling up into our speech.

A 1970 New York Profile reported that the late Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame used to be well known for his swearing. I used to cuss the prettiest youve ever heard, he once admitted. But various other sources say he overcame it after he accepted Christ into his heart.

To qualify whats been said here, it should be noted that Christians sometimes slip up and curse too. You can be sure whenever a Christian does this, he or she is not following the Lord closely at that moment.

One time I was in an office building, and a secretary had a sign on her desk that read, I love Jesus, but I cuss a bit. I guess she thought a little profanity now and then was kind of cute, but it isnt. The fact is, cursing is sinful!

The Bible admonishes, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers (Ephesians 4:29).

We should take the use of unseemly language seriously. The Scriptures instruct a sinning believer, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

Lets review. A filthy mouth is indicative of a foul heart. Using profanity, regardless of those who suggest otherwise or the excuses made for it, is no small thing. It makes for a vulgar, loutish, crass life and culture. Christ can deliver us from the power of such sins by regenerating our hearts. Profane words should especially never be in the mouth of a believer. But when it does happen, the follower of Christ should take it seriously, confess it as sin, and trust the Lord to forgive and take it away.

These days its almost impossible to escape the hearing of some potty-mouth. A verbal sewer and its pervasive stench permeate the air. Sadly, our society has been lowered to this. Nevertheless, it shouldnt ever come from you and me. To paraphrase Colossians 4:6, Our conversation always needs to be full of grace, tasty, and delightful to people who hear us.
Illinois pastor accused of sexually violating church member but remains in pulpit

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A week after he was charged with sexually violating a church member while going to the congregant's home to fix a refrigerator, Antwon M. Funches Sr., the leader of the historic St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Freeport, Illinois, remains in the pulpit.

"He was my pastor that I trusted dearly," Funches alleged victim and church member who was not identified due to privacy reasons said in an order of protection filed against him cited by WREX. "I didn't deserve to be violated."

The victim alleged that Funches "sexually violated" him or her while traveling to the parishioner's home to fix a refrigerator on June 18. Freeport Police records show that the pastor was arrested on July 8.

Freeport Police were not able to immediately provide a copy of Funches arrest record, but The Roys Report reports the order of protection against the pastor instructs him to stop contacting the parishioners family and to stop spreading rumors in the church.

Funches posted a $750 bond on July 9 and was recorded preaching in his pulpit on July 11 and again on Sunday.

In both appearances, Funches, who is expected in court for a hearing on Aug. 12, did not mention anything about the arrest but focused his messages on inspirational Scriptures, including Romans 8:28.

The verse states: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

The St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church website states that Funches formerly served as a board member of the FSD 145 School District and currently serves as vice president of the Freeport Fellowship and Ministers' Alliance, a board member of Amity Daycare & Learning Center, and Community Liaison to the City Manager of Freeport.

When The Christian Post reached out to the office of Freeport City Manager Randy Bukas, a spokesperson distanced the office from the pastor.

Oh, I would say thats taking it a little far, the spokesperson, who asked not to be named for this report, said after the description from the churchs website was highlighted. That is definitely not the case. We were not aware that that was up there. That might be his thinking, but thats definitely not the position of the city or the city manager.

Pointing to the arrest and the allegations, the spokesperson said, That is not our issue. Its a police issue.

When asked if Funches was still a member of its board, a representative of Amity Daycare & Learning Center told CP that "we have no comment at this time.

Calls made to Funches church and home went unanswered Monday.

The allegation against Funches comes almost five years after he was appointed the 15th pastor of the 110-year-old church.



Rev. Funches is a family man and believes ministry starts at home. He is married to his childhood sweetheart and wife of 19 years, Allison Nicole (Simpson), the church notes.

The pastor is also a father of five and has three grandchildren.

Since becoming a part of the Freeport community, Pastor Funches has become a pillar and a voice of reason, advocating for justice, egalitarianism, and quality education and housing in this community, the church website explains.

Funches was previously a Cook County Sheriffs officer from 2002 to 2009. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit major heroin and cocaine deals and providing security for drug deals shortly before officially leaving the sheriffs office.
'We will kill you like goats': Pastor, family receive death threat as he helps Christians flee Fulani

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A pastor and humanitarian worker in Nigerias Kaduna state has reportedly received a handwritten death threat for insulting the Islamic Fulani tribe. The threat warns that We will kill you like goats and your family. We know your house, your church and even your family.

Pastor Gideon Agwom Mutum found a two-page letter near his car parked at his house at about noon last Monday, the United Kingdom-based persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported.

The anonymous letter alleges that Mutum, who assists villagers displaced by armed Fulani assailants increasing attacks on farming communities in Kaduna State, insulted the Fulani tribe in the media.

The letter threatens to destroy a school the pastor constructed in Pasakori village in Kaura local government and hunt Kaduna journalist and activist Steven Kefas, who was arbitrarily detained for 150 days in 2019.

We are coming. Nigeria is our land. Southern Kaduna is our land, the letter reads.

The day the letter was sent, armed assailants targeted communities in Zangon Kataf local government area for the sixth day in a row, left 33 people dead, 215 homes destroyed and four churches razed to the ground, according to the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union.

According to the Relief and Intervention Committee of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, the assailants were identified as Fulani herdsmen by victims.

Mutum is the founder and director of Nehemiah Camp in Kafanchan in the Jemaa local government area.

CSW Founder Mervyn Thomas said it is unacceptable and inexcusable that attacks on Zangon Kataf LGA continued for six consecutive days without interception, indicating a comprehensive failure of both security and governance.

The security crisis in Nigeria, and particularly in southern Kaduna, has gone on for so long that stemming it now seems beyond the capabilities of the state and federal authorities," Thomas warned. "It urgently requires concerted efforts by the international community to assist Nigeria in combatting it wherever possible, whilst also holding the government to account for its failure to assist targeted communities.

The U.S.-based persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern designates Fulani radicals as the fourth-deadliest terror group globally, which has surpassed the Boko Haram terrorist group as the greatest threat to Nigerian Christians.

Many believe that the attacks are motivated by jihadist Fulanis desire to take over farmland and impose Islam on the population and are frustrated with the Muslim-dominated government that is believed to be enabling such atrocities, ICC warned in May.

The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law estimated in May that as many as 1,470 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first four months of 2021, the highest estimate in the first four months of a year since 2014. The number also surpasses the estimated number of Christians killed in 2019. The report estimated that as many as 300 people had been killed in Kaduna in the first four months of 2021.

In the first four months of this year, the organization estimates that at least 2,200 Christians were abducted. Kaduna state recorded the highest number of abductions (800).

The Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria as the third-most affected country by terrorism and reported over 22,000 deaths by acts of terror from 2001 to 2019.

Advocates, including U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner Gay Bauer, have warned that Nigeria will move relentlessly toward a Christian genocide if action is not taken. The U.S. State Department recognizes Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" for tolerating or engaging in severe violations of religious freedom.

Islamic extremism, notably carried out by groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in northeast Nigeria, has led to thousands of deaths and millions displaced in recent years.
'Heartbreaking': Texas church cancels kids event after 80 test positive for COVID-19 at youth camp

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A Texas church network has announced that it is canceling a childrens camp event after around 80 participants of an earlier youth camp event tested positive for COVID-19.

South Texas District Church of the Nazarene, which is made up of around 100 congregations, had originally scheduled its Kids Camp for July 19-23.

However, the church group posted a statement on its Facebook page announcing the cancellation. It cited over 80 COVID cases that can be traced directly to our STX Youth Camp held last week, July 5-9.

That number has grown daily for six consecutive days. That number includes several who were vaccinated and still became ill with the COVID virus, explained STDC.

As much as we believe in the great value of Kid's Camp, we do not want to see a similar situation happen next week that will negatively impact our churches and families.

The statement went on to add that the positive cases caused many difficulties for member churches and forced many pastors to quarantine rather than preach on Sunday.

This is heartbreaking for so many of us. Our camps provide a place for God to do amazing things in the lives of every child and adult who attends. May the Lord help us to speak His love and truth into their lives in other ways in this season, the STDC continued.

Please pray for the speedy recovery for every person from our Youth Camp that has become sick with the COVID virus. Please pray that the spread of the virus will slow, even cease, so that our churches and friends are able to minister and live freely.

Terri Barnett, director of childrens ministry at Bryan Church of the Nazarene, told local media outlet KBTX that she was really glad that our district took it upon themselves to make the hard decisions.

I struggled, was going back and forth watching the positive cases, said Barnett. My pastor and I both were concerned obviously, and didnt want to disappoint the kids but also wanted to keep everyone safe.

We just wont have to worry so much about it. We can mitigate some of the risk factors so more people are vaccinated, and that more people have taken on some responsibility to get that done.

Earlier this month, Bruce Wesley, lead pastor of Clear Creek Community Church, a multi-campus megachurch headquartered in League City, Texas, confirmed that around 120 people who attended a student ministry camp tested positive for COVID-19.

More than 125 people reported to the church that they tested positive for COVID-19 after camp. And all who were sick came home and exposed their families to COVID, explained Wesley in a statement posted on Independence Day.

Im aware of a number of families where everyone got sick after camp and obviously, thats horrible. That breaks our hearts.
17 AGs back Arkansas law banning puberty blockers, trans surgeries for minors: 'Protect kids'

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More than a dozen state attorneys general have come to the defense of an Arkansas law banning the use of puberty blockers on children with gender dysphoria amid a legal challenge, arguing that states have an obligation to protect kids.

Led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas filed an amicus brief in federal court last Tuesday.

They asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas to reject the ACLU's motion to block Arkansas Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act. The law, the first of its kind to be passed in the nation, prohibits physicians from providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and elective cosmetic gender surgeries to children under 18.

Additionally, the measure prohibits state tax dollars from funding such practices and allows insurance companies to deny coverage for sex reassignment surgeries.

The legislation was passed by the Republican-led state legislature in March. But Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed the measure when it reached his desk. The legislature overrode the veto, enabling the SAFE Act to become law.

Shortly after, the progressive legal nonprofit ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of four Arkansas families seeking to invalidate the law. The complaint argues that the law "denies adolescents medically necessary treatment and prevents parents from obtaining medically necessary care for their children."

Although the ALCU claims that the law prohibits "doctors from treating their patients in accordance with the well-established standards of care," the attorney's general's friend-of-the-court brief argues that the lawsuit is "misleading" and ignores "risks such experimental treatments pose."

"They ignore the fact that children cannot fully understand the long-term risks associated with the procedures," the brief argues.

"They threaten that Arkansas's law will result in increased suicides even though the research does not support such a claim. And they assert that the State's protection of its children is 'animus' against transgender youth, even though, among other problems with the statement, most of these children will not identify as transgender as adults since their dysphoria will have resolved naturally so long as they can be protected from Plaintiffs' preferred experiments."

The brief was filed over a month after the ACLU first asked the court to rule in favor of Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and the other defendants seeking to uphold the SAFE Act.

The attorneys general argue that states have been forced to step in to protect children because children with gender dysphoria are being given "puberty blockers, then cross-sex hormones, then surgical interventions such as 'chest reconstruction surgery' ... to 'masculinize' ... a girl's chest ..."

The plaintiffs argue that not taking such measures can result in debilitating anxiety and depression, self-harm, and suicide, the brief explains.

States have been forced to step in to protect kids from experimental treatments, the brief argues. "Because the medical establishment has abandoned the field to the political zeitgeist, which labels dissenting opinions as animus (or worse) and closes its ears to the tragic and growing chorus of detransitioners who feel betrayed by the adults who should have been caring for them."

The peculiar vulnerability of children, specifically their inability to make critical decisions in an informed, mature manner, is listed as a justification for state action.

The attorneys general warned that cross-sex hormones and other medical interventions to address gender dysphoria could lead to irreversible, lifelong consequences." They include "complications such as infertility, loss of sexual function, increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, bone-density problems, risk of altered brain development, social risks from delayed puberty, and mental health concerns.

The document cited the decision by the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital at Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden "to change course and prohibit the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in minors except in clinical trial settings."

A statement from the hospital contends that these treatments are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis."

The attorneys general maintained that the evidence that does exist shows that most cases of gender dysphoria resolve naturally by adulthood.

At the end of the day, it was the responsibility of the Arkansas legislature to determine the best way to protect children suffering from gender dysphoria and other forms of gender-related psychological distress. The medical uncertainty in the field does not relieve that responsibility, but only heightens it, the brief reads.

Based on the evidence, the legislature determined that the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical interventions are still experimental in nature and that the risks of such procedures outweigh their benefits. That determination does not discriminate against children suffering from gender dysphoria, but seeks to protect them.

The Biden administration believes that Arkansas law is unconstitutional.

In a court filing in support of the ACLU's lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice asserted that federal law bars the State of Arkansas from singling out transgender minors for specifically and discriminatorily denying their access to medically necessary care based solely on their sex assigned at birth."

Such action, the Justice Department argues, would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The consequences of allowing minors to undergo medicalized gender transitioning have received heightened attention in recent weeks. The CBS news magazine program 60 Minutes profiled detransitioners who underwent some form of gender transitioning as minors only to regret their decision later in life.

A mainstream media outlet giving a platform to detransitioners outraged transgender activists, who accused the program of doing harm to the transgender community by reporting on the transgender debate from that particular angle.

Journalist Lesley Stahl defended the production.

"Their point is that they were not getting proper healthcare," Stahl said in a follow-up segment. "That was their point and that's the point we wanted to emphasize: that these were young people that were not getting proper healthcare advice."

LGBT activists also slammed the American Bookseller Association for promoting the book Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier, which highlights the rapid acceleration in the number of girls seeking to undergo gender transition surgery in addition to the long-term consequences associated with such procedures.

In response to the outcry, the ABA apologized for promoting a book that goes against ABAs ends policies, values and everything we believe and support, describing their previous action as inexcusable.
'Let them die': Va. PTA official resigns after speech criticizing opponents of CRT, progressive ideas

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A top official with the Virginia Parent Teacher Association has resigned after seemingly wishing death to parents who oppose the teaching of critical race theory and other progressive ideas.

Michelle Leete, the vice president of training for the Virginia PTA, had said let them die at a rally held last Thursday in Fairfax County in response to protesters opposed to CRT and other progressive proposals.

Although Leete later clarified that she meant to say she wanted right-wing ideas to die rather than people themselves, the Virginia PTA nevertheless announced Saturday that it had requested and received Leete's resignation.

While not speaking within her role within Virginia PTA, we do not condone the choice of words used during a public event on Thursday, July 15, 2021, the Virginia PTA explained in a statement.

As the commonwealths largest nonpartisan, volunteer child advocacy organization, Virginia PTA upholds values of respect, collaboration, and accountability.

The Fairfax County Parents Association posted the statement to its Twitter account, arguing that Leetes rhetoric is deeply disappointing.

It evinces a deep lack of concern for children & parents, particularly where the wellbeing of children & families clash with political considerations, tweeted the FCPA.

There is so much work to be done to help children, particularly from the harm done by the [School board's] decisions this year. We had hoped to work with many of these [community] leaders to get that done, but have been rejected at every turn. No matter, we will continue to fight for the kids.

Leetes comments came during dueling protests held last Thursday when the Fairfax County Public School Board adopted pro-transgender policies.

These policies included allowing transgender students to access restrooms and lockers that corresponded with their preferred gender identity rather than biological sex.

The approved policies also required that official lists of students, including yearbooks and newspapers, refer to them by their chosen pronouns, according to The Washington Post.

In addition to the controversy over transgender issues, other demonstrators last Thursday included opponents of inserting critical race theory materials into public schools.

Leete also serves as the first vice president for the Fairfax County NAACP, which came to Leete's defense.

"The Fairfax County NAACP is aware of the false narrative in the media regarding our 1st Vice President, related to a recent rally in support of Fairfax County Public School students," a statement reads. "Fairfax County NAACP does not condone or support violence of any kind, whether we agree with an individual's ideas or not. We believe in peaceful demonstrations and activism in order to achieve social justice and equity. But we will always stand in opposition to anti-diversity and anti-equity rhetoric, and any ideas or policies that further an inequitable agenda."

The Fairfax NAACP further argued that those speaking out against proposed policies "represent a way of thinking that is anti-children."

"We believe that these archaic ideals should be left in the past so we can create a safer, more inclusive environment for our students and teachers," the statement added. "We respect and appreciate opinions different than ours but urge civil conversations, free from racist, derogatory insults or obscenities."

The Fairfax NAACP contends that in the days following the rally, the organization received "many hate-filled emails, phone calls, and social media posts, which have been laced with racial epithets, vile language and threats."

"These messages only highlight the fact that racism and sexism are alive and well, and those who practice it will use any minor infraction or misspoken word to justify their own prejudices and actions," the statement continues.

Critical race theorists draw their origins back to the 1970s when the racial civil rights gains from the 1960s appeared to slow down and even backslide in certain areas.

According to Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancics 2001 book, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, CRT rejects incrementalism and step-by-step progress and questions the very foundations of the liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law.

The CRT movement has often supported hate speech laws and college speech codes, which in turn have been frequently struck down by the courts for their infringement on the First Amendment.

CRT has been criticized by many, especially conservatives, under the accusation that the movement wrongly vilifies the United States and is more racially divisive than informative.

School boards across the U.S. have debated proposals to add CRT-inspired materials to the curriculum, with some state legislatures advancing measures to ban CRT from classrooms.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for his states recently approved ban. The Republican argues that the woke class wants to teach kids to hate each other, rather than teaching them how to read, but we will not let them bring nonsense ideology into Floridas schools.

As the Governor of Florida, I love this state, and I love my country. I find it unthinkable that there are other people in positions of leadership in the federal government who believe that we should teach kids to hate our country, stated DeSantis last month.

We will not stand for it here in Florida. Im proud that we are taking action today to ensure our state continues to have the greatest educational system in the nation.
UMC conference seizes assets of Georgia megachurch trying to leave denomination

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A regional body of the United Methodist Church has seized control of the assets of a Georgia megachurch trying to leave the mainline Protestant denomination.

The leadership of the UMC North Georgia Conference unanimously voted to approve the seizure of assets belonging to Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, a Marietta-based congregation with approximately 10,000 members.

In April, Mt. Bethel voted to begin a process of discernment for leaving the UMC due to the conferences decision to remove its senior pastor from his position and what they viewed as the overall direction of the denomination.

An announcement Monday explains that the conference undertook the measure out of love for the church and its mission, citing exigent circumstances for the decision.

Given this determination, all assets of the local church have transferred immediately to the Conference Board of Trustees of the North Georgia Conference, the statement reads.

These conference agencies have taken action to preserve the legacy of the Mt. Bethel church and its longstanding history of mission and ministry.

The regional body quoted from the UMC Book of Discipline. The book lists that among the responsibilities of the Conference Broad of Trustees is to intervene and take all necessary legal steps to safeguard and protect the interests and rights of the annual conference anywhere and in all matters relating to property and rights to property whether arising by gift, devise, or otherwise, or where held in trust or established for the benefit of the annual conference or its membership.

The Trustees will assume management of the church, the announcement continues. Employment, instruction, activities, and worship at the church and Academy will continue, but under the direction and control of the Conference Board of Trustees.

In response, Mt. Bethel UMC posted a denunciation of the decision on their FAQ page, taking issue with the claim by North Georgia Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson and the conference of there being exigent circumstances."

The church pointed to examples of the contrary, including them having a vibrant and growing congregation, financial stability and adhering to Book of Discipline rules regarding clergy.

Despite an unresolved formal complaint, Mt. Bethel has agreed to accept appointed clergy under protest given that said proposal has been approved by the North Georgia Conference and is now official, stated the church.

Mt. Bethel has not violated the Discipline by hiring its preaching pastor, nor has it allowed uncredentialed use of the Pulpit. Moreover, any prior unauthorized or uncredentialed use of the Pulpit could not constitute future exigent circumstances now that Mt. Bethel has accepted the appointment of Senior Pastor Dr. Steven Usry.

The church's website reports that the bishop's claim of "exigent circumstances" has been "refuted in complaints that are presently under review by a higher authority within the Southeast Jurisdiction College of Bishops of the United Methodist Church."

"As such, her actions are in disobedience to the order and discipline of the UMC," the FAQ page argues.

On April 18, the Mt. Bethel Administrative Council voted unanimously to enter into the disaffiliation process after the conference reassigned lead pastor, Jody Ray, to another position.

In the UMC, pastors are typically assigned to churches for one year at a time, with the likelihood of being assigned to a different congregation or another role happening on an annual basis. Ray served with Mt. Bethel for over five years but was reassigned to an "evolving conference position having to do with racial reconciliation."

Given the recent actions of our bishop and the direction of the United Methodist denomination, both the leadership and members of Mt. Bethel Church strongly believe it is time for us to part ways with the denomination, a church spokesperson told The Christian Post in April.

We believe this process could be accomplished in a matter of months if the Bishop and the North Georgia Annual Conference are willing to enter into an amicable and orderly disaffiliation.

Mt. Bethel also filed a complaint against the North Georgia Conference before the UMC Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops, accusing the conference of interfering with the church's ministerial efforts.

The conference has defended the decision to reassign Ray, providing CP with a copy of a pastoral letter by the bishop justifying the action.

The reassignment of a pastor is not done out of spite. The placement of a pastor is not done as a form of punishment. The reassignment of a pastor is not designed to persecute, wrote Bishop Haupert-Johnson.

Instead, the process is begun with the goal of matching the gifts and graces of a particular pastor with the ministry needs of a particular congregation and community in a particular season.
BLM under fire for praising Cuba, condemning US as Cubans protest communist regime

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Black Lives Matter is under fire for praising Cubas government and criticizing the United States as the island country is in political upheaval and Cubans are demanding freedom after years of communist suppression.

Thousands of outraged Cubans have protested in the streets for days as they fight for freedom from a communist regime and struggle with food shortages and price surges.

Black Lives Matter blamed this on the United States, which led to criticism of the activist organization.

Black Lives Matter condemns the U.S. federal governments inhumane treatment of Cubans, and urges it to immediately lift the economic embargo, BLM stressed in a statement released Wednesday.

This cruel and inhumane policy, instituted with the explicit intention of destabilizing the country and undermining Cubans right to choose their own government, is at the heart of Cubas current crisis."

BLMs statement was slammed on social media by many, including Republican Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, R-Texas., the son of a Cuban immigrant. He called the statement shameful.

... The group Black Lives Matter (funded by major players in corporate America) was founded by avowed Marxists and  as millions of Cubans risk their lives to rise up for freedom  BLM stands with  the communist dictatorship, Cruz tweeted.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, a Cuban American, also criticized BLMs praise of the communist regime in Cuba.

The extortionist ring known as the Black Lives Matter organization took a break today from shaking down corporations for millions & buying themselves mansions to share their support for the Communist regime in #Cuba," Rubio tweeted.

The extortionist ring known as the Black Lives Matter organization took a break today from shaking down corporations for millions & buying themselves mansions to share their support for the Communist regime in #Cubahttps://t.co/xir94EIJ4X  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 15, 2021

Hillel Neuer, a Canadian-born international lawyer and executive director of United Nations Watch, accused BLM of siding with the oppressor, pointing out how in Cuba, a repressive regime is firing on peaceful protesters.

In Cuba, a repressive regime is firing on peaceful protesters.



In America, the organization Black Lives Matter @Blklivesmatter just sided with the oppressor. https://t.co/AkL9pLBSMGhttps://t.co/HHRJhg6naspic.twitter.com/XShBJwA4go  Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) July 15, 2021

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley stated how BLM is supporting Cubas brutal & oppressive dictatorship.

BLM claimed the U.S. has forced pain and suffering on the people of Cuba since the 1960s by cutting off food, medicine and supplies.

BLM also alleged the people of Cuba are being punished by the U.S. government because the country has maintained its commitment to sovereignty and self-determination, saying U.S. leaders tried to crush this Revolution for decades.

The organization also praised Cuba for showing solidarity with "oppressed peoples of African descent" and "protecting Black revolutionaries."

The activist organization said the American government instigated suffering for the island country of around 11 million people due to the economic embargo, which restricts commercial activities between the U.S. and Cuba.

President John F. Kennedy imposed the embargo in February 1962 in response to actions by the Cuban government.

Now, we look to President Biden to end the embargo, something Barack Obama called for in 2016, BLM said. This embargo is a blatant human rights violation and it must come to an end.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel recognized the government was partly to blame for the country's dire situation but also blamed the U.S. for its cruel embargo, NBC News reported.

The Biden administration has failed to denounce Cubas oppressive communist regime in the wake of the protests.

It really is powerful to see that those protestors as they walk down the streets of Havana, theyre waving American flags, Cruz said on Fox News on Thursday.

The same thing the protesters in Hong Kong were waving because the American flag across the globe is a symbol of freedom, and the American leadership ought to be standing with those who are oppressed and standing up for freedom."

The protests in Cuba are not about mismanagement.



They are about the people in Cuba fighting for freedom.#SOSCubapic.twitter.com/ekLFwoqRVw  Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) July 15, 2021

Cruz called on the Biden administration to call out the evil communist dictatorship of Cuba.

The people protesting in the streets in Cuba are not protesting mismanagement, Cruz tweeted. They're not chanting manage better. They're chanting libertad. They're chanting freedom. But Biden & Harris are unwilling to speak plainly and say the communist dictatorship in Cuba is evil.

Rubio warned there would be a bloodbath [in Cuba] 90 miles off our shores if the U.S. does not mobilize an international response.

In the past, some have voiced concern about the BLM co-founders past admittance that she and another co-founder are trained Marxists."
Investigators to question New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over sexual harassment allegations

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will face questioning on multiple allegations of sexual harassment on Saturday, according to a recent report.

Former federal prosecutor Annemarie McAvoy told NBC's New York affiliate WNBC that investigators will "probably talk to him about what they've learned thus far. See what his reaction is."

You do try to get as much information beforehand, so it would make sense this is going toward the tailed. But they may still go back and talk to some of the women again based on what he tells them, she added.

Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi said in a statement quoted by NBC that "the governor doesnt want to comment on this review until he has cooperated, but the continued leaks are more evidence of the transparent political motivation of the attorney generals review.

In February, former Cuomo staffer Lindsay Boylan posted an essay online detailing allegations that the governor engaged in sexual harassment against her and other female personnel.

These allegations include a reported plane trip in October 2017 in which Cuomo sat too close to her and made a crude remark. On another occasion, she alleges that he kissed her on the lips.

Cuomo has created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected, wrote Boylan.

His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face consequences.

Cuomo's Press Secretary Caitlin Girouard released a statement soon after the essay was published, claiming that Boylan's allegations are quite simply false."

In Ms. Boylan's latest blog post, she opens up with a story about a plane trip in October 2017  [however], there was no flight where Lindsey was alone with the Governor, a single press aide, and a NYS Trooper, stated Girouard.

The statement did not specifically address other accusations by Boylan, including the claim that Cuomo would go out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs or that he once gave her an unwanted kiss on the lips.

Cuomo has also faced allegations of mishandling the states response to the COVID-19 pandemic by placing people who tested positive for the virus in nursing homes.

Critics believe that the move led to hundreds if not thousands of deaths, as reports indicate that the Cuomo administration did its best to downplay the severity of the situation.

At a press conference in March, New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay announced his intention to file impeachment proceedings against Cuomo.

Barclay said there had been one bombshell after another regarding the governor, namely the sexual harassment allegations and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

We had the AG report, came out saying that the governor was underreporting nursing home deaths by as much as 50%, Barclay added at the time.

We had that secret political meeting where he had his top aides say they werent reporting the nursing home deaths because theyre worried about a Department of Justice investigation.

We had the bullying and the harassing of sitting members of the state Legislature, he continued. Then we had five courageous women come forward to talk about their abuse, sexual harassment, and other abuse at the hands of the governor.
Senate unanimously passes bill banning all products from Xinjiang over China's Uyghur genocide

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A measure to ban all products from Chinas Xinjiang province, known for its crimes against humanity and ongoing Uyghur Muslim genocide, unanimously passed the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., will ensure goods produced using forced labor imposed by the Chinese Communist Party in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region will not enter the United States market.

The message to Beijing and any international company that profits from forced labor in Xinjiang is clear: no more, Rubio said in a statement. We will not turn a blind eye to the CCPs ongoing crimes against humanity, and we will not allow corporations a free pass to profit from those horrific abuses.

Merkley said the Senate sent a clear message that the U.S. will not be complicit in the Uyghur Muslim genocide by Chinas government.

Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang are being forced into labor, tortured, imprisoned, forcibly sterilized, and pressured to abandon their religious and cultural practices by the Chinese government, Merkley said in a statement.

No American corporation should profit from these abuses. No American consumers should be inadvertently purchasing products from slave labor, the Democrat continued.

The senators called for the House to act quickly to pass the legislation. The bill must pass the House of Representatives before it goes to the White House.

Once this bill passes the House and is signed by the President, the United States will have more tools to prevent products made with forced labor from entering our nations supply chains, Rubio said. We cannot afford any further delay, and I call on my colleagues in the House to promptly send this bill to the President.

Congressional aides said they expect the measure to receive support in the House since the lower chamber unanimously passed similar legislation last year, Fox News reported.

Rubio also authored the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020, which was the first piece of Uyghur human rights legislation to be signed into law in the world. The law imposes sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in Xinjiang and requires various reports on the topic.

China is engaged in mass internment, forced labor, forced sterilization and persecution of minority Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Province. Estimates have suggested that as many as 1 million to 3 million Uyghur and other ethnic Muslim minorities are imprisoned in Chinese internment camps where they are said to undergo brainwashing to make them more culturally Chinese.

These abuses were declared a genocide and crime against humanity by the U.S. government under the Trump administration in January and reaffirmed by the Biden administration after taking office.

Many have called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to the CCPs human rights abuses and oppression of Uyghur Muslims. International human rights activists have also criticized the Chinese government for its religious freedom violations targeting Christians, Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetan Buddhists.

Former Vice President Mike Pence called on President Joe Biden to call for the Winter Olympics to be moved out of Beijing during a U.S.-China relations speech at the Heritage Foundation on Wednesday.

President Biden should make a clear and unequivocal demand that the 2022 Winter Olympics be moved from Beijing unless China comes clean on the origins of COVID-19 and immediately ends persecution of the Uyghur people, Pence said.

The Olympics should only take place in countries that respect fundamental human rights and the well-being of mankind, he continued.

In April, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said an Olympics boycott was not being discussed by the Biden administration.

The U.S. State Department lists China as a country of particular concern for its systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of human rights and religious freedom.

Former U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner Johnnie Moore said the world largely ignored the dire situation in the Uyghur province, which has only exacerbated over time.

This is not the time to give the Chinese Communist Party one inch. , Moore, an evangelical author, public relations executive and president of Congress of Christian Leaders, said in April. This issue is an issue that sits alone in its severity and its impact, and we speak with one concerted voice on [its severity].
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My Faith Votes recently had the opportunity to speak withHans von Spakovsky to discuss the For the People Act (H.R.1.) and the impact it continues to have on election integrity even though the bill failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a Republican filibuster in the evenly divided Senate. Hans, a senior legal fellow at theHeritage Foundation, is an authority on a wide range of topics including civil rights, civil justice, and the First Amendment.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. You can watch the full conversation with Hans von Spakovskyhere.

While the bill in question is called the For the People Act (H.R.1.), it appears to actually be a federalization of elections. Would this ultimately be good for America?

No, this bill is not at all good. In my 20 years in Washington, this is the worst election bill Ive seen in Congress.

There are several parts to it. First of all, the election administration provisions are a complete federalization of the process. They are intended to get rid of every safety protocol that states have in the election process.

Then, the second section proposes changes to federal campaign finance laws that are intended to essentially restrict the First Amendment activities of individuals and groups. There are also assorted provisions included, like a public funding program for people running for Congress. This upsets me because it means that your tax money might get used to subsidize a political campaign for candidates you would never vote for.

This bill sounded helpful in some situations where, for instance, a voter who is immobile could have someone else assist them. But what does this look like in practice, and where are the opportunities for voter fraud?

Getting a ballot delivered is not a problem. In every state, you can mail your ballot back, a member of your family can deliver it and, in many states, a designated caregiver can deliver it as well. Thats not what liberals want though. They want third party strangers to show up at your door and be able to deliver your ballot, and thats problematic.

The danger of absentee ballots is they are the only kind of ballot that is filled out outside of the supervision of election officials and poll watchers. Thats why you dont want to give people who have a stake in the outcome of the election the ability to go to peoples doors and pick up their ballots.

Joe Manchin was the only Democratic senator who did not sign this bill. He recently submitted potential changes to the bill, and they dont all sound like a bad idea. For instance, he has proposed making Election Day a public holiday to give people an opportunity to have time off from work to vote. What do you think of that kind of measure?

I dont have a problem with making Election Day a national holiday, but those who think that will somehow increase voter turnout are likely mistaken. If you look at surveys done by the U.S. Census Bureau after elections, the number of people who say they didnt vote because they couldnt get to a polling location is a tiny fraction. In almost every state, you have weeks in which you can vote with an absentee ballot. The majority of states now have early voting weeks before Election Day.

On the other hand, Manchin is proposing automatic voter registration, and thats not a good idea. This would mean that whenever you go to a state agency, you are automatically registered without being asked. The problem with that is its going to lead to multiple registrations for the same person in the same or different states and potentially the registration of non-citizens or felons who dont have the right to vote.

Let's talk about the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (S.4263). This bill also addresses voting, but it comes at the situation from a different angle than the For The People Act. We discussed federal takeover of elections previously, and this bill would keep lawmaking in the states. However, it still is essentially a federal takeover because of this concept known as preclearance. Can you explain this further?

H.R.4. is basically the backup bill the Democrats have come up with after failing to pass H.R.1. In essence, what it would do is give the federal bureaucracy lawyers within the civil rights division of the Justice Department veto authority over changes in voting laws and rules by the state legislators  this is whats called preclearance.

Requiring preclearance means that a law passed by a state legislature, like a voter ID law, would not become effective unless it has been submitted to the U.S. Justice Department to be precleared. In essence, the bill gives federal bureaucrats veto power over the state lawmakers and the voters of a particular state. Its unprecedented, and its a very bad idea.

To date, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act pose one of the most severe threats to election integrity and our democratic process. They would cost people of all faiths, backgrounds and party affiliations their rights to free and credible elections.

AtMy Faith Votes, we encourage you to stand for both high voter participation and election integrity. We have simple tools to help you protect elections at the local, state and federal levels of government. VisitElection Integrity Now to learn more.
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As the nation emerges from the set of political, health, and economic crises it has wrestled with over the past year, and as children head back to school in the fall, a battle is heating up: the fight for Americas schools.

Recognizing the growing battles within education, the Associated Press published an article last Friday titled Tears, politics, and money: School boards become battle zones. The article highlights debates in school board meetings across the country over new curriculum, how racism and American history will be taught, mask mandates, and transgender issues. How some of these fiercely debated questions are resolved will affect the trajectory of our schools and, ultimately, our nation.

Christian parents face questions even more fundamental than any of these. Namely, what is their responsibility when it comes to their childrens education? And does it matter if said education reflects a biblical worldview?

A quality education is a good thing to desire for ones children. Desiring good things for ones children is not a uniquely Christian trait; it is a human onea reflection of the heavenly Father earthly parents are meant to resemble. Jesus was addressing a large crowd when he said:

Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Mat. 7:9-11, ESV)

Desiring a quality education for ones children is not a uniquely Christian trait, but Christian parents ought to combine this excellent desire with another onethat their children would learn to embrace a biblical worldview.

The process of building a biblical worldview begins in the home. However, this process is also either helped or hurt by what happens in the classroom. A persons worldview is not merely shaped by how they spend their Sundays or whether they learn good habits and spiritual disciplines. It is also shaped when they are being taught history, science, literature, and math. Therefore, Christian parents should care deeply about what their children are being taught and who is teaching their children. Childrens worldviews are constantly being shaped, and not necessarily by a biblical one.

Lets briefly consider the state of worldview in America. According to George Barnas Americas Worldview Inventory, a persons worldview (the lens through which they see and understand the world) is solidified by age 13. Although someones worldview may change or adjust throughout their life, the overwhelming majority of Americans have their worldview in place before high school, with little to no change afterward. Barnas research shows that today only six percent of American adults hold a biblical worldview. Even more troubling is the finding that only 21 percent of those who regularly attend evangelical churches have a biblical worldview (despite 81 percent thinking they do).

Christian parents must consider these numbers. Simply put, most Americansincluding those who attend churchdo not have a biblical worldview. This means that most of our childrens educators are not teaching from a perspective informed by biblical truth. Even those with good intentions will not be able to help our children see how Scripture answers the most fundamental questions we face.

God has clearly outlined parents responsibility for their children. When Moses was passing down the law of God to the people of Israel at Mount Siani, God commanded parents:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deut. 6:6-7)

By issuing these commands to parents, God made them ultimately responsible for educating and instilling a biblical worldview in their children. For a variety of reasons, parents may choose to delegate some of this responsibility. If and when they do, they should be careful to do so wisely.

For some parents, ensuring their children are taught a biblical worldview might mean homeschooling them. For other parents, it might mean finding a Christian school that instructs its students from a biblical worldview and enrolling their children there. And for others, it could mean being intentionally involved in the local public school system. This involvement might look like discussing and supplementing the public school curriculum at home with your children, attending school board meetings and speaking up when appropriate, running for and serving on the school board, or even working as a teacher or principal. Regardless of what form it takes, Christian parents should be intentionally involved in their childrens education.

Active parental involvement in the education of their children is a theme found throughout Scripture. For example, parents are advised to Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). The apostle Paul wrote, Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Furthermore, the apostle John embodied the attitude all Christian parents and teachers ought to have when he wrote, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 1:4).

Whether parents choose to homeschool their children, enroll them in private school, or send them to public school, they have a responsibility to raise their children in the Lord and will be held accountable for how they steward the blessing of children (Jesus gives a sobering warning in Matthew 18:5-6). What are our children learning? More importantly, what kind of people are they becoming because of their education? What virtues are they learning to cherish and embody? These considerations are at the heart of discipling our children because what happens in the classroom does not stay in the classroomit shapes hearts and minds. Christian parents must be active participants in their childrens education as an act of obedience to God and out of love for both God and their children.

Originally published at Family Research Council: https://www.frcblog.com/2021/07/duty-parents-education/
Pastor is key suspect in assassination of Haitian president, but many say hes innocent

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Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a 62-year-old Haitian-born American pastor and medical doctor who has lived in the United States since the late 1970s, has been named by local authorities as one of the key suspects in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. However, the pastor, along with many who know him, says he is innocent.

Its obvious hes being framed, Sanons brother, Jean Sanon, told DailyMail.com from his home in West Palm Beach, Florida.

An unnamed source told CNN that Sanon was arrested over the weekend during a police raid in a hilltop neighborhood in the capital Port-au-Prince, a stone's throw away from the residence of acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who currently leads the country.

Police found boxes of ammunition and holsters for rifles and pistols, 24 unused shooting targets, a cap labeled "DEA" and four Dominican Republic license plates inside a complex with a sign that said "International Medical Village" on the door.

The source told CNN that during the raid, Sanon told police he had no knowledge of the attack on Moise and he had no idea the building held the weapons found by police. He further stated that he was a Christian pastor and the property was not his.

Leon Charles, head of Haitis National Police, told reporters on Sunday that Sanon and several Colombians arrived in Haiti in June with political objectives. He explained that the plan was just to arrest Moise, but "the mission then changed."

The late Haitian president was assassinated in an attack on his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince at about 1 a.m. local time on July 7, the BBC reported. Magistrate Carl Henry Destin told Le Nouvelliste newspaper that Moise died at the scene, his body riddled with 12 bullet wounds. He further noted that the president's office and bedroom were ransacked and he was found lying on his back covered in blood.

Some 26 Colombians and two other Haitian-Americans have also been arrested in connection with Moises assassination after a gun battle in Haiti following the attack.

"When we the police blocked the progress of these bandits after they committed their crime, the first person that one of the assailants called was Charles Emmanuel Sanon, Charles said. "He contacted two other people that we consider to be the masterminds of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

A recent letter to Julie Chung, acting assistant secretary for the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, signed The People of Haiti and cited by DailyMail.com, complained about the dangers of Moises leadership and lobbied for Sanon to replace him.

Our own democracy has now been taken. We are no longer free but instead are controlled by the authoritarianism of Jovenel Moise, the letter said.

Moise was killed as he pursued an aggressive agenda that included rewriting the countrys constitution  a move not supported by the U.S. and some local religious leaders, The New York Times reported. Critics feared that he was setting the country down a path toward authoritarian rule and threatening the nation's democracy.

The late president had been known to use gangs to repress political opponents, according to the U.S. government. Last year, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned two senior Haitian officials for allegedly planning the 2018 La Saline massacre, The Wall Street Journal reported. In that massacre, civilians, including children, were taken from their homes and executed in the streets. Their bodies were then burned and dismembered, the U.S. Treasury said.

Sanon, through a website called Haitianlivesmatter.com, had been calling for Moises removal from office and the institution of himself as interim leader. A letter to Chung, acting assistant secretary for the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, warned that if the late presidents administration was also allowed to organize pending elections, the process would not be fair.

Haitians are thoroughly convinced that even IF elections were ever organized by the current administration, these elections would not be fair and therefore they would compound the current crisis, it said. Thus, as you say, Haiti is paralyzed': no elections cause chaos, but, fair elections organized by the current administration are widely believed to be unrealistic. Therefore ... Haiti needs a transitional government to restore Haiti's democracy and freedom.

Joseph Sanon, another of the pastors brothers, did not dispute that his brother was pushing for political change. He said, however, that the pastor is not a killer and defended him as a godly man.

It would be good for the truth to come out. It would be good for there to be more information to know exactly whats going on, Joseph Sanon told DailyMail.com. We are praying, asking the Lord to show us. I want to know the truth. I'm desperate to know it.

According to The New York Times, Pastor Sanon filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida in 2013, a move that would have made it challenging to hire mercenaries to carry out the attack on the late Haitian president.

Parnell Duverger, a retired adjunct economics professor at Broward College in Florida, attended about 10 meetings on Zoom and in-person with Sanon and other experts to discuss Haitis future government. He told The New York Times that he believed the pastor would become the next prime minister of Haiti, but stressed he couldnt see him as an assassin.

At the time of the meetings he was, we all believed, going to become a prime minister, the 70-year-old Duverger told the publication. I keep asking myself, there must be something wrong with me for being so naive. I believed him. I believed that because I believed a new transitional government was needed in Haiti.

The Rev. Larry Caldwell, a Florida pastor who once worked with Sanon to set up churches and medical clinics in Haiti, also told The Associated Press that he did not see the pastor as a killer.

"I know the character of the man," Caldwell said. "You take a man like that and you're then going to say he participated in a brutal crime of murder, knowing that being associated with that would send him to the pits of hell? ... If there was one man who would be willing to stand in the breach to help his country, it would be Christian."
I launched Great.com with a mission to build a completely remote organization that leverages technology to connect talented teams from across the world with one common goal: make as much money as possible so we can donate 100% of it. When I set out on this task three years ago, it seemed insane to a great many (if not most). But now, as the global workforce shifts digitally and advancing technologies make it easier to work from home, its an idea that seems far more achievable.

Ive learned much about remote teams over the last three years  from goal-setting and building accountability to developing a company culture online  and have grasped, among many lessons, that the flexibility of remote work can be a double-edged sword. Many entrepreneurs are readjusting strategies to build business, and are likely exploring a remote-first approach, so lets dive into that model and address some of the questions, obstacles and opportunities it presents.

What are fully-remote businesses?

As the name suggests, such a business operates completely online. These organizations have no physical location  their teams interact with each other and customers digitally.

A fully-remote business relies on technology to run its operations and is completely dependent on digital solutions.

What do you need to run one?

First, you will need a digital infrastructure  both consumer-facing and internally. Building it will require the right technology, along with developing scalable systems.

The entrepreneur J.J. Hebert has been managing MindStir Media remotely for more than 12 years, and he and his team have adapted to the digital workforce by finding software solutions like Basecamp and Salesforce that streamline internal and external activities. Technology is at the heart of all of those interactions, he writes in a May, 2021 Entrepreneur article, one that goes on to include tips on home office ergonomics and ways of setting clear boundaries separating work and home life.

As I looked to build Great.com as a completely remote business, I knew that we would be innately dependent on technology. While this may seem daunting, I actually found it liberating. Technology is meant to solve problems, and applying it vigorously while developing a business from the ground up can mean potentially fewer organizational framework problems.

I came from the traditional workplace, so knew some of its limitations  especially as they relate to communication and project management, and prioritized these two areas specifically when developing our remote infrastructure. To help with communication, I wanted to arrange frequent video calls, for example. Most of our employees are from different parts of the world and had never met each other before; visually interacting with each other is important for developing rapport across the team. Zoom has become the solution, and weve held weekly virtual meetings for the last three years using that portal.

Just like any business, a fully-remote company needs infrastructure to help manage processes, workflows and organizational tasks  and tech can make all this easier. It can actually give such businesses a leg-up over the traditional workforce model, because remote employees are already dependent on technology and potentially more adaptable and less resistant to new solutions.

Related: 3 Smart Tips for Successfully Managing Remote Teams

Can fully-remote businesses eliminate silos?

When thinking about whether a remote-first business is the future you seek, ask why that structure solves specific problems. To answer this question, you need to dive into one of the biggest challenges of running a business. Silos within an organization are essentially departments that operate independently and do not share information with each other. For example, many businesses have sales and marketing departments; while you might think its obvious that these two divisions would work together, many times they do not. The marketing team might be pushing one product and the sales team another, leading to a disconnect in messaging and poor customer experiences.

Suhail Arfath from Hloov  a data, technology and services company with a mission of delivering carbon-neutral infrastructure  recently wrote in Entrepreneur about the digital transformation happening within the construction industry, and how, if a digital-first approach is to work, the first thing that needs to be done is democratize data across the supply chain. He further pointed out that nearly 96% of the data collected in this sector is left unused  vital information, not least because it provides context and insight that can be used to make better strategic business decisions.

Fully-remote businesses in and of themselves do not eliminate silos, but they can make it easier to share information across departments. Moreover, digital businesses also tend to collect more data, which means more insight.

Related: 4 Warning Signs Your Team Is Working in Silos, and How to Destroy Them

How do you build accountability in a remote team?

A fully-remote operation is not all positive  there are disadvantages, too, and one of the biggest is building accountability. Johannes Larsson, CEO of Financer, has a team of 45 remote employees. When asked about accountability, he explained that, The main reason why our team performs so well is that they're interested in getting results and actually providing value, adding that the key to his companys success is finding people who want to work remotely and who thrive in that environment. As it relates to a fully remote structure, such an environment usually features autonomy, flexibility and metric-based goals.

I think Larssons take on accountability within remote teams is incredibly important because it hinges on finding the right staff members for specific situations.

This sounds nice, but how do you put it into practice?

First, look for employees who align with your vision. Ive been transparent about my 50-year vision for Great.com to every employee, and look for people who share my passion for driving genuine change in the world. I also dont shy from discussing the negatives of our company and industry with every potential hire. Too often, businesses hide their warts from new employees, only to reveal them after the hiring process.

Accountability is a huge hurdle for the fully-remote workforce, but finding the right people can go a long way to mitigating this issue.

Related: Accountability: The Crucial Inner Work that Leads to Success

Is fully-remote business the future?

Its impossible to say with any certainty whether society will move to a predominantly remote workforce, but theres no denying the value that many businesses have recognized from adopting some level of remote engagement. From decreased overhead and improved employee morale to agile solutions and more flexibility, remote employees are proving their worth. If youre considering the move to a fully-remote business, just know that youre not alone.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
(Bloomberg) -- Oil was the biggest loser in a broad market selloff after OPEC+ agreed to boost crude supply as a resurgent virus shook investor confidence in the global economic recovery.

Futures in New York fell 7.5% on Monday, the largest decline since September. OPEC and its allies agreed to monthly supply hikes of 400,000 barrels a day. At the same time, the spread of the delta variant is stoking a risk-off mood in broader markets and threatening oil demand with fresh mobility restrictions around the world. The dollar also rose, reducing the appeal of commodities priced in the currency.

West Texas Intermediate for August delivery dropped $5.39 to settle at $66.42 a barrel in New York

The demand story has really taken a big hit here, and on the supply side, were getting more barrels of crude, said Ed Moya, senior markets analyst at Oanda Corp. The momentum behind this move could get ugly.

Oil prices have been volatile over the last two weeks while OPEC+ remained in a dispute over adding supplies to the market. The deal was struck this weekend after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reached a compromise on UAEs demand for a more generous output limit. OPEC+ will now face a new set of challenges next year as rival supplies grow, said Toril Bosoni, head of IEAs oil industry and markets division, in an email.

As supplies from other producers not part of the deal rebound, and demand falls seasonally, stocks could see renewed builds early in the year, she said.

Countries around the world are also dealing with surges in new cases of Covid-19 as the highly contagious delta variant drives up infections. Indonesia surpassed India and Brazil in daily case numbers. U.S. infections are outpacing the global rate of increase, and the U.K. on Saturday reported the most cases since January.

Weve got risk aversion firmly in place and its all triggered by the spread of the delta Covid-19 variant, said Moya of Oanda Corp. Theres this fear that youre not going to have that strong economic recovery we were all hoping for in the second half of the year.

The delta strain may make oil volatile in the near term, but the deal between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies would support a constructive view on prices, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said. The market is still very tight, despite the addition of supply, said Ed Morse, head of commodities research at Citigroup Inc. in a Bloomberg Television interview.

The agreement spans more than a year and covers millions of barrels of production, but it also remains flexible. The alliance will continue to hold talks every month from September, including a review of the market in December.

Thats a fair bit of time before global oil supplies are back to pre-pandemic levels, said Stewart Glickman, energy equity analyst at CFRA Research. It doesnt feel like a glut to me.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
The world's largest breakdancing competition is freestyling its way to Houston.

Red Bull BC One is set to return to Warehouse Live on Saturday, August 14, per Culture Map's Craig D. Lindsey, and will feature appearances from Texas native and first-ever Red Bull BC One World champion Omar "B-Boy Omar" Davila and Houston's beloved street artist Donkeeboy.

BLACK LIVES MATTER: Reginald Adams opens up about 'Absolute Equality' and the role of Juneteenth in Galveston

Davila will serve as a Houston cypher judge, while Donkeeboy will host a city-wide art tour to show off some of his most popular murals. The event will consist of a variety of workshops, all leading up to the big freestyle street dance competition.

In a recent interview, Davila admitted that he had no idea how big Red Bull BC One would become on the international stage.

"It was a surreal feeling. Obviously, you never get into anything competitive with the attitude that you want to lose. But I was with a good friend, Ronnie, and we were both from the United States but on opposite brackets," he shared with Red Bull's Caitlin White.

"We both felt that this is a culture that started in the United States, and we were in a one-of-a-kind international competition, so we had to win. At that moment I was naive to what Red Bull BC One would end up becoming on the international stage and how big this thing would get."

CHECK IT OUT: Here are 8 art and culture exhibits in Houston that are absolutely worth a visit

Tickets are available for purchase on EventBrite, and streams of the competition will be available 24 hours after the event via VOD on the Red Bull BC One YouTube, Facebook, and Red Bull TV channels.

The winner of the Houston cypher will advance to the Red Bull BC One National Final, which will take place in Orlando, Florida from August 20-22.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia on Monday after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach the country's quarantine rules.

Hopkins traveled to Australia to appear in a reality television program and was in a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney before filming was to start.

Her flight to Australia last week created outrage after the government halved the number of Australian citizens and permanent residents allowed to return home each week to 3,000 to try to reduce the risk of COVID-19 leaking from hotel quarantine. More than 34,000 Australians who want to come home remain stranded overseas.

Australias two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are under lockdown to contain a coronavirus outbreak caused by the more contagious delta variant.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said Hopkins would be deported after boasting on Instagram her intention to flout quarantine rules.

Its appalling that this individual behaved the way that she did and she will be leaving, Andrews said.

We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that, Andrews added.

Hopkins left on a commercial flight from Sydney's airport early Monday afternoon, a government official said on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to make the information public.

Hopkins, who has also gained notoriety for her anti-Muslim and anti-immigration comments, described pandemic lockdowns as the greatest hoax in human history.

Her social media following was expanded by then-President Donald Trump who often retweeted her before Twitter permanently banned her in June last year for breaching the platform's hateful conduct policy.

In a since-deleted Instagram video from her hotel room, she said that she planned to frighten staff who brought meals to her door by confronting them naked and without a mask.

People in quarantine are not allowed to open their hotel room doors until 30 seconds after their meals have been delivered and must wear masks while their doors are open.

Andrews described Hopkins comments as shameful.

The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling, Andrews said. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and its just unacceptable behavior."

Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the program Big Brother VIP in which Hopkins was to appear, said on Sunday her contract was cancelled.

Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine, the companies said in a joint statement.
Johnson Controls, an international company specializing in fire, HVAC, and security equipment for buildings, is investing in multiple community college programs producing workers for their industry. Locally, the company has chosen Lone Star College as one of the programs that will be receiving scholarship funds for its students.

Over the next five years, Johnson Controls has pledged $15 million to expand to expand community college associate degree and certification programs in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, fire and security and digital building automation systems in the United States.

For this first year, the money is going to 10 programs in eight states where the company has a significant customer base as well as employee presence.

We know that we have an obligation to make sure that we are leaving a positive impact and a positive footprint especially where our people are, said Grady Crosby, president of the Johnson Controls Foundation. Johnson Controls has also been committed to supporting and training and developing the next generation of technicians that are going to further enable environments and ecosystems around the country to be environmentally friendly and continue to help our communities pursue zero-carbon goals.

Lone Star College, which will be receiving $100,000 for the next academic year, is the only college in Texas that will be receiving funds this coming school year. That said, Johnson Controls has a significant presence in Texas with 29 different locations and over 2,600 employees.

One of the biggest obstacles for our students are the financial barriers to education, so they are providing $100,000 this academic year to award to students in need, said Nicole Robinson Gauthier, executive director Lone Star College Foundation. At the beginning it helps them with their books and their supplies, and their PPE to get them ready for classroom work. Along the way it helps students with financial need with tuition and fees in the program.

The scholarships will be concentrated in the HVAC and electrical technology programs at Lone Star College because those programs are where Johnson Controls focuses their efforts regionally. Just before the last semester of the program, some students will leave once theyve gotten the certifications they need to work, but wont finish to get the associates degree. Funds from Johnson Controls will be used to help get students through that last semester to finish the degree, which Gauthier said will give them more opportunities in the long-run.

The funds will be used for 128 scholarships over the academic year. Some of those scholarships might be given to the same person more than once.

Beyond the scholarship funding, Gauthier said the college system is excited to be able to partner with Johnson Controls to bring their own experts and technicians into the classrooms.

Having those mentors and having those real-world experiences will really bridge the gap from the theory to the workplace, Gauthier said.

The ultimate goal, Gauthier said, is to build a long-term partnership that helps both the school and Johnson Controls meet their goals.

We really believe that our greatest gift to any community is really our talent, our people, our employees in each market place, Crosby said. For this community college program our employees are going to serve as volunteer educators, if you will, so they will provide students with some counseling and some real-world experiences.

The mentoring aspect of the partnership will stick around even after the current five-year scholarship timeline ends.

People cant be what they cant see, Crosby said. We want people in communities to be able to see our people at Johnson Controls and understand that were helping people build skills in very desired jobs and career choices that are life and generational family sustaining.

The initial 10 schools will have the opportunity to renew the scholarship money for the next four years. In the coming years, Johnson Controls plans to expand the program to more schools, adding 10 more colleges each year until there are around 50 participating schools. Each school would get grants based on their need.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  Ben & Jerrys said Monday it was going to stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are inconsistent with our values.

The announcement was one of the strongest and highest-profile rebukes by a well-known company of Israels policy of settling its citizens on war-won lands. The settlements are widely seen by the international community as illegal and obstacles to peace.

The move by the Vermont-based ice cream company drew swift reproach from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former leader of the West Bank settlement movement who called it an immoral decision and I believe that it will turn out to be a business mistake, too.

The company informed its longstanding licensee  responsible for manufacturing and distributing the ice cream in Israel  that it will not renew the license agreement when it expires at the end of next year, according to a statement posted on the Vermont-based company's website.

The Ben & Jerry's statement cited the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.

The company did not explicitly identify those concerns, but last month, a group called Vermonters for Justice in Palestine called on Ben & Jerrys to end complicity in Israels occupation and abuses of Palestinian human rights.

How much longer will Ben & Jerrys permit its Israeli-manufactured ice cream to be sold in Jewish-only settlements while Palestinian land is being confiscated, Palestinian homes are being destroyed, and Palestinian families in neighborhoods like Sheik Jarrah are facing eviction to make way for Jewish settlers? the organizations Ian Stokes said in a June 10 news release.

In a Monday statement, the organization said Ben & Jerry's actions did not go far enough.

By maintaining a presence in Israel, Ben & Jerrys continues to be complicit in the killing, imprisonment and dispossession of Palestinian people and the flaunting of international law," said the Vermont group's Kathy Shapiro.

The Israeli foreign ministry called Ben & Jerry's decision a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups" and the company was cooperating with economic terrorism.

The decision is immoral and discriminatory, as it singles out Israel, harms both Israelis and Palestinians and encourages extremist groups who use bullying tactics, the ministry said in a statement. It also called on Ben & Jerry's to withdraw its decision.

While Ben & Jerrys products will not be sold in the settlements, the company said it will stay in Israel through a different arrangement. But doing so will be difficult. Major Israeli supermarket chains, the primary distribution channel for the ice cream maker, all operate in the settlements.

Founded in Vermont in 1978, but currently owned by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, Ben & Jerrys has not shied away from social causes. While many businesses tread lightly in politics for fear of alienating customers, the ice cream maker has taken the opposite approach, often espousing progressive causes.

Ben & Jerry's took a stand against what it called the Trump administrations regressive policies by rebranding one of its flavors Pecan Resist in 2018, ahead of midterm elections.

The company said Pecan Resist celebrated activists who were resisting oppression, harmful environmental practices and injustice. As part of the campaign, Ben & Jerrys said it was giving $25,000 each to four activist entities.

Aida Touma-Sliman, an Israeli lawmaker with the Joint List of Arab parties, wrote on Twitter that Ben and Jerrys decision Monday was appropriate and moral. She added that the occupied territories are not part of Israel and that the move is an important step to help pressure the Israeli government to end the occupation.

The West Bank and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the two territories  roughly 500,000 in the occupied West Bank and 200,000 in east Jerusalem.

Israel treats the two areas separately, considering east Jerusalem as part of its capital. Meanwhile, Israel considers the West Bank as disputed territory whose fate should be resolved in negotiations. However the international community considers both areas to be occupied territory. The Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of a future independent state, with east Jerusalem as their capital.

Israel in recent years has become a partisan issue in Washington, with many Democrats  particularly of the party's progressive wing  growing increasingly critical over a number of Israeli policies, including settlement construction, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus close ties with former President Trump. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been an outspoken critic of Israel.

The BDS movement  shorthand for a grassroots, Palestinian-led movement that advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses  applauded Ben & Jerry's decision as a decisive step towards ending the company's complicity in Israel's occupation and violations of Palestinian rights, but called upon the company to do more.

We hope that Ben & Jerry's has understood that, in harmony with its social justice commitments, there can be no business as usual with apartheid Israel, a statement read.

The Israeli government says the BDS movement masks a deeper aim of delegitimizing or even destroying the entire country.

The Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing the roughly 500,000 Israelis living in West Bank settlements, said theres no need to buy products from companies that boycott hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens because of the place they choose to live. It said Ben & Jerrys decision brought a bad spirit to such a sweet industry and called on Israelis to buy locally produced ice cream this summer.

Ben & Jerrys move on Monday may not be the final chapter in the saga. Airbnb announced in 2018 that it would stop advertising properties in Israeli settlements. Several months later, after coming under harsh criticism from Israel and a federal lawsuit by Israeli Americans who owned property in the settlements, the company reversed its decision.

___

Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont, and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Los Angeles bomb technicians overloaded a containment chamber with homemade fireworks last month during a detonation, likely causing a catastrophic explosion that injured 17 people and rocked a neighborhood, the police chief said Monday.

Chief Michel Moore said five members of the departments bomb squad have been removed from field duties as the investigation continues. They could face discipline.

The explosion  which damaged dozens of homes, businesses and vehicles just days before July Fourth  was highly unusual, officials say, because such containment chambers are designed to withhold blasts. The bomb technicians overloaded it above the safety rating, however, even as authorities are investigating if the detonation device had a defect.

The incident has prompted the Los Angeles Police Department and FBI to review police protocols regarding the detonation of explosives. The Police Department is now requiring a captain to sign off on detonations, in addition to the two bomb technicians and a supervisor who are already required.

Residents in the neighborhood have called for accountability and asked why some people were still in their homes, despite a door-to-door evacuation order. Fireworks are illegal to sell or possess in Los Angeles and in unincorporated areas of the county.

Moore announced the preliminary findings of the investigation during a media briefing Monday. The Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter and other organizations will have their own news conference on Tuesday to demand more answers and reparations for the residents who were hurt in the blast. Some victims have filed legal claims  the precursor to lawsuits  against the city.

The explosion came after police had spent the day disposing of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of commercial-grade fireworks that were found in a South Los Angeles home following an early-morning tip. Those fireworks were detonated at an off-site location.

Police arrested resident Arturo Ceja, 26, on suspicion of possessing a destructive device. Police believe the fireworks were bought in Nevada and taken to Los Angeles to sell in the neighborhood for use on the Fourth of July.

Ceja was released on $500,000 bail and is due back in court in October. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Officers also found homemade fireworks at the home that were leaking and the bomb squad decided to detonate them in the neighborhood  believing they were too unstable to transport elsewhere. They examined them by X-ray and robotics and loaded them into the detonation chamber, officially called a total containment vessel.

The bomb technicians  without using a scale, as is allowed by Los Angeles police procedures to avoid additional handling of the unstable devices  estimated the weight of the homemade explosives and a counter-charge to be about 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms) in a standard flash powder measurement. That measurement is not the same as an item's physical weight and is instead calculated as a TNT equivalent because explosives have different concentrations and therefore have varying explosive weights."

They arrived at 16.5 pounds by estimating that the smaller explosives  there were 280 of them  each weighed about a half an ounce (14 grams) in that standard measurement. The bomb technicians estimated that the 44 larger explosives  which were about the size of a soda can with a fuse  had about 1.5 ounces (42.5 grams) worth of flash powder.

Federal authorities who weighed the remains after the blast calculated that the weight was actually more than 42 pounds (19 kilograms) in the standard measurement. The smaller explosives were actually 1.37 ounces (38.9 grams) and the larger ones were about 5 ounces (142 grams).

The detonation chamber's maximum capacity is 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) for multiple uses or 25 pounds (11 kilograms) for a single use, Moore said. The LAPD has not publicly identified the manufacturer of the detonation chamber, despite repeated requests.

The truck-mounted chamber used during the June 30 explosion had been in service for a decade and this was its 42nd time in use.

Nine police officers and a federal agent were among the injured. One officer was taken to the hospital and is now recovering at home.

The department is also looking at the practices of bomb squads nationwide to see if its standards are up-to-date. If the Los Angeles bomb squad is found to have been following the police department's protocol but, in fact, the department's procedures turn out to be inaccurate, Moore said the technicians will not be disciplined.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Walker Robins, Merrimack College

(THE CONVERSATION) Israels former ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, made waves in May 2021 when he publicly suggested that Israel should prioritize its relationship with American evangelicals over American Jews.

Dermer described evangelicals as the backbone of Israels support in the United States. By contrast, he described American Jews as disproportionately among [Israels] critics.

Dermers comments seemed shocking to many because he stated them in public to a reporter. But as a historian of the evangelical-Israeli relationship, I didnt find them surprising. The Israeli rights preference for working with conservative American evangelicals over more politically variable American Jews has been evident for years. And this preference has in many ways paid off.

Christian Zionism in the Trump era

American Christian Zionists are evangelicals who believe that Christians have a duty to support the Jewish state because the Jews remain Gods chosen people.

During the Trump years, Christian Zionists were crucial allies for former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. They helped Netanyahu lobby Trump for the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, as well as the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Iran Deal  the international nuclear arms control agreement with Iran.

These evangelicals also backed Trumps recognition of Israels 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, as well as cuts of more than US$200 million to American funding for the Palestinian Authority in 2018.

Coming after this string of policy victories for the Israeli-evangelical alliance, Dermers comments made sense.

However, the alliances future may be in doubt. Recent polling shows dramatic declines in support for Israel among young American evangelicals. Scholars Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin found that between 2018 and 2021, rates of support fell from 69% to 33.6% among evangelicals ages 18-29.

While these polls speak most immediately to the current context, they also underline a larger historical point: Evangelical support for Israel is neither permanent nor inevitable.

Southern Baptists and Israel

The Southern Baptist Convention  long the denominational avatar of white American evangelicalism  offers an example of how these beliefs have shifted over time, which I examine in my book Between Dixie and Zion: Southern Baptists and Palestine before Israel.

Southern Baptists are broadly supportive of Israel, and have been for much of the past half-century. Baptist leaders like W.A. Criswell and Ed McAteer helped organize Christian Zionism in the U.S. The Southern Baptist Convention itself has passed a number of pro-Israel resolutions in recent decades.

More recently, Southern Baptist support for Israel was highlighted when the Trump administration invited Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, to lead a prayer at the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in 2018.

However, Southern Baptists were not always so unified in support for Israel, or the Zionist movement that led to its creation. This was evident only days after the establishment of Israel in 1948, when messengers to the conventions annual meeting repeatedly and overwhelmingly voted down resolutions calling for the convention to send a congratulatory telegram to U.S. President  and fellow Southern Baptist  Harry Truman for being the first foreign leader to recognize the Jewish state.

Zionism was Gods plan  unless it wasnt

This seems shocking today, after years of seemingly unanimous evangelical support for Israel. However, as I document in my book, Southern Baptists had diverse views on Zionism and the Palestine question in the decades leading up to Israels birth. While some did argue that support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine was a Christian duty, others defended the Arab majoritys rights in the Holy Land.

During this era, the Southern Baptist Convention published books, pamphlets and other materials reflecting both sides. In 1936, its press published a work by missionary Jacob Gartenhaus, a convert from Judaism to evangelical Christianity, arguing that to be against Zionism was to oppose Gods plan. The following year, however, the press published a mission study manual by J. McKee Adams contending that by every canon of justice and fair-play, the Arab is the man of first importance.

Adams was one among a coterie of professors at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary who spoke out against what they sometimes derided as Christian Zionism  then an unusual term.

Even evangelicals who believed the Bible anticipated the return of Jews to Palestine disagreed on whether the Zionist movement was part of Gods plan.

The influential Baptist leader J. Frank Norris of Fort Worth, Texas, who broke away from the mainstream Southern Baptist Convention in the 1920s, argued in the 1930s and 1940s that Christians had a duty to God and civilization to support the Zionists.

But there was no widespread sense that being a Baptist  or an evangelical Protestant  entailed support for Zionism. John R. Rice, a prominent disciple of Norris, rejected his mentors arguments outright. The Zionist movement is not a fulfillment of the prophecies about Israel being restored, Rice wrote in 1945. Preachers who think so are mistaken.

Regarding the political question of whether Arabs or Jews should control Palestine, most evangelicals were unconcerned. The Southern Baptists focused on other priorities in the Holy Land, such as the growth of their missions in Jerusalem and Nazareth. Even those Baptists who supported the establishment of a Jewish state did not organize politically around the issue.

The future of Christian Zionism

In the decades after the establishment of Israel, however, motivated evangelical and Jewish activists  as well as the Israeli government  worked to stitch together the interfaith relationships, build the institutions and spread the ideas underpinning todays Christian Zionist movement. These efforts have been remarkably effective in making support for Israel a defining element of many evangelicals religious and political identities.

However, as the latest polling of young evangelicals shows, there is no guarantee this will be permanent. This diverse and globally connected generation of evangelicals has its own ideas and priorities. It is more interested in social justice, less invested in the culture wars and increasingly weary of conservative politics.

Young evangelicals remain to be convinced of Christian Zionism. And they very well may not be.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/evangelical-support-for-israel-is-neither-permanent-nor-inevitable-164209.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  California will hold a recall election Sept. 14 that could remove first-term Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. The date was set by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat and Newsom ally, after election officials certified that 1.7 million valid petition signatures had been turned in to qualify the election for the ballot. Republicans are hoping for an upset in a heavily Democratic state where the GOP hasnt won a statewide election since 2006. The election will be watched nationally as a barometer of the public mood heading toward the 2022 elections, when a closely divided Congress again will be in play. Heres how it works:

WHAT IS A RECALL ELECTION?

California is one of 20 states that have provisions to recall a sitting governor. The state law establishing the rules goes back to 1911 and was intended to place more power directly in the hands of voters by allowing them to remove elected officials and repeal or pass laws by placing them on the ballot. Recall attempts are common in the state, but they rarely get on the ballot and even fewer succeed. However, in 2003, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis was recalled and replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

WHY IS THERE A RECALL DRIVE AGAINST NEWSOM?

The answer is simple and complicated.

The simple part: Californians grew angry during the pandemic. Whipsaw stay-at-home orders by Newsom, crushing job losses from business closures, shuttered schools and the disruption of daily life soured just about everybody. Many of lifes routines were cut off at some point if not altogether, whether trips to the beach or lunches at a favorite burger joint.

The complicated part: In a state with nearly 40 million people there are many grievances, from Californias wallet-sapping taxes to a raging homelessness crisis. As governor, Newsom is a ready target for that resentment.

He is also being hit by fallout from a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal at the state unemployment agency while weathering a public shaming for dining out with friends and lobbyists at an exclusive restaurant last fall, while telling residents to stay home for safety.

HOW DOES THE ELECTION WORK?

Voters will be asked two questions: First, should Newsom be removed, yes or no? The second question is a list of replacement candidates from which to choose. If a majority of voters approve Newsoms recall, the candidate who gets the most votes becomes governor. If Newsom is recalled, it's likely his replacement could be elected with just a fraction of the votes. With dozens of candidates dividing those ballots it's possible a winner could get 25% or less.

WHAT REPLACEMENT CANDIDATES HAVE ENTERED THE RACE?

There are 41 names on the preliminary list of qualified candidates. The 21 Republican candidates include Kevin Faulconer, the former San Diego mayor; businessman John Cox, who was trounced by Newsom in 2018; former Sacramento-area Congressman Doug Ose; Caitlyn Jenner, a reality TV personality and former Olympian; and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley. But the field remains unsettled: Conservative talk show host Larry Elder, a Republican, is challenging a state decision to reject his candidacy. The secretary of state's office says Elder filed incomplete tax returns that are required to run, but he denies that and is promising a court challenge. I'm going to win this, Elder says of the dispute.

Meanwhile, Faulconer says hes filing a lawsuit against the Democratic Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, after the office blocked him from identifying himself on the ballot as the retired San Diego mayor. His campaign says regulations dont prohibit use of the word. In a similar dispute over ballot language earlier this month, Newsom lost a bid to list his Democratic Party affiliation on the ballot, after his campaign missed a deadline.

There are eight Democrats, nine independents, two Green Party members and one Libertarian. No Democrat with political stature decided to run on the replacement list. Ballots start going out in the mail next month.

WHAT ARE CANDIDATES PROMISING?

Faulconer has proposed ending the state income tax for individuals making up to $50,000 and households up to $100,000 as part of a plan to make the state more affordable for the middle class. Cox has sought to gain attention by campaigning with a 1,000-pound Kodiak bear, which he said represented the need for beastly changes in the state. Elder has been promising to bring a fresh eye and common sense to Democratic-dominated Sacramento. Kiley has said he would immediately end the pandemic state of emergency, which would automatically wipe out all state and local orders issued under it.

WHAT IS NEWSOM SAYING ABOUT THE RECALL?

For months, Newsom steered around questions about a possible recall election, saying he wanted to focus on the coronavirus, vaccinations and reopening schools. But in March, he launched an aggressive campaign strategy, fundraising, running ads attacking the recall and doing national TV and cable interviews. He has acknowledged that people were anxious and weary after a difficult year dealing with the virus and restrictions.

Newsom, who was elected in a 2018 landslide, sees the recall as an attack on Californias progressive policies. Democrats say the effort to remove him is being driven by extremists and supporters of former President Donald Trump. The recall is backed by state and national Republicans, but organizers argue they have a broad-based coalition, including many independents and Democrats.

The governor spent much of 2020 on the defensive. But he has benefitted from a record state budget surplus that allowed him to tour the state to announce vast new spending programs, including $12 billion to fight homelessness; checks up to $1,100 for millions of low and middle-income earners who struggled during lockdowns; and $2.7 billion to pay for all of the states 4-year-olds to go to kindergarten for free.

HOW PRECARIOUS IS NEWSOMS HOLD ON HIS JOB?

In the depths of the pandemic, Newsoms popularity was tumbling and he appeared imperiled, with widespread unrest over long-running school and business closures. Many business owners were infuriated by what they saw as Newsoms heavy-handed restrictions that had some open and close several times. Others rebelled against mandatory mask-wearing rules.

But a reopened economy and the astounding windfall of tax dollars helped him recover his standing. Recent polls have shown him surviving the recall, although those same surveys reveal signs of an unsettled public. Independent voters, for example, tend to view Newsom's job performance skeptically, and most say the state is going in the wrong direction.

When Newsom fully reopened the state on June 15 virus cases were near record lows. But since then, cases have been rising, mainly among the unvaccinated. Los Angeles County re-imposed a mandatory mask order when people are indoors at public places, even if they're vaccinated. California also is requiring K-12 students to wear masks when they go back to classrooms for the next school year. Such an order could hurt Newsom, especially among those who felt he didn't do enough to reopen classrooms last year.

Still, Newsom is aided by the fact California is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the country. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1, and the party controls every statewide office while dominating the Legislature and congressional delegation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A Wisconsin man who cast two absentee ballots in the 2020 presidential election has been charged with four felonies, making him the second person in the battleground state to face charges stemming from the election.

Former President Donald Trump has wrongly claimed there was widespread fraud in Wisconsin, a state that President Joe Biden won by just under 21,000 votes.

Charges of election fraud are exceedingly rare in Wisconsin, but there typically are a handful after every major election. The crime of election fraud is a felony.

The latest charges, filed in June, come in one of 27 cases referred by Wisconsin election officials to prosecutors out of more than 3 million ballots cast. No other charges have been brought from that group, and district attorneys have said they are not pursuing charges in 18 of those cases. The other eight are either still under review, or the district attorney did not provide an update Monday.

Trump continues to make claims that the election was stolen, targeting Wisconsin and other key swing states such as Arizona. In that state, an Associated Press investigation found 182 cases where problems were clear enough that officials referred them to investigators for further review. So far, only four cases have led to charges, including those identified in a separate state investigation. No one has been convicted.

In Wisconsin, the numbers are even smaller. But Republicans have ordered a review by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired three retired police investigators to look into claims of irregularities.

In the latest fraud case filed in St. Croix County, 64-year-old Michael Ray Overall claims that his voting twice was unintentional, according to the criminal complaint filed June 16. Overall, reached by phone on Monday, said he has not hired an attorney and reiterated that his voting twice was a mistake.

Hell no, he said when asked if he intended to vote twice.

He declined to say who he voted for in the presidential election.

Overall registered to vote in St. Croix County in 2007 but sold his house in 2019 and changed his address on his driver's license to Beloit in May 2020.

According to the complaint, Overall requested an absentee ballot from St. Croix County in western Wisconsin on Oct. 5, 2020. It was mailed to a Rockford, Illinois, address. A week later, on Oct. 12, he signed the absentee ballot using a Star Prairie, Wisconsin, address, which is in St. Croix County. The ballot was received before the election.

On Oct. 13, just a day after he signed that absentee ballot, Overall registered to vote using a Beloit, Wisconsin, address, using a vehicle title as proof of residence, the complaint said. On Oct. 27, Overall voted absentee in person at a voting location in the Town of Beloit, in Rock County.

Overall said he was told by an election official in Rock County that his absentee vote there would cancel out his request for the St. Croix County absentee ballot, which he said he remembered filling out but not returning.

I've got memory problems, Overall said Monday. I can't even remember what day it is.

The investigator recommended charging Overall with election fraud because he had moved from St. Croix County in 2019 and changed his driver's license address, but presented an old driver's license when applying for the absentee ballot there.

He faces one charge of voting by a disqualified person; one charge of providing false information to an election official; one charge of registering to vote in more than one place; and of voting more than once. Each charge is a Class I felony punishable by a $10,000 and up to 3 1/2 years in prison, or both.

Overall is due in court for his initial appearance on Aug. 5.

His case comes after a Florida man was charged with election fraud in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, in March. Luke Aaron Frazier, 36, unsuccessfully tried to obtain an absentee ballot for the November 2020 election by falsely claiming he was a resident of the village of Radisson. His case was not among the 27 others that local elections officials forwarded to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, as state law requires.

Frazier is scheduled to be in court on Aug. 31 for a status hearing.
BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP)  A man has been convicted of vehicular homicide after prosecutors say he hit a car while driving around 120 mph (193 mph) during a Facebook livestream showing him speeding.

A jury in Adams County found 44-year-old Bryan Kirby guilty Thursday in the 2018 crash, District Attorney Brian Mason said Monday. He was also found guilty of reckless manslaughter and leaving the scene of fatal accident.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A Black Minnesota state lawmaker who rose to prominence after the fatal shooting of his friend Philando Castile came under increasing pressure to resign Monday, after old domestic abuse allegations surfaced as he was already dealing with fallout over an acrimonious traffic stop.

Legislative Republicans threatened to file an ethics complaint against John Thompson, who became an outspoken activist on police accountability and later turned to politics after Castile was shot to death by a police officer in 2016.

Thompson used his position to argue for policing changes that would shield people of color from unfair treatment. But the domestic abuse allegations, first reported by KMSP-TV on Friday, were the last straw for top Democrats after a tumultuous couple of weeks.

First, Thompson's residency in his St. Paul district was called into question after he claimed he had been racially profiled during a traffic stop July 4. Then, he went on trial last week on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing police for his alleged conduct during a confrontation that led to a lockdown at a suburban hospital in 2019, before he ran for office.

By Saturday, top Minnesota Democrats had had enough. State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler called on Thompson to quit, saying his continued presence was jeopardizing the very causes he championed.

Representative Thompson ran for office to advance progressive policies, but his recent actions, and unacceptable reports of abuse and misconduct, have become an impediment to that work, Hortman and Winkler said. Within minutes, several other top Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, also called for Thompson to step down.

Thompson has refused to resign and has insisted he lives in his district. His attorney, Jordan Kushner, on Sunday denied the abuse allegations and disputed the authenticity of the police reports cited in news reports. He suggested they were fabricated by police who have despised Thompson since his obscenity-laced speech during a demonstration last August outside the home in suburban Hugo of Lt. Bob Kroll, who was then head of the Minneapolis police union. Thompson, noting the violence after last summer's death of George Floyd, talked of burning Hugo down and struck at pinatas depicting Kroll and his wife, a WCCO-TV anchor.

Kushner called the police reports "a product of the campaign to silence an American African man who speaks out against powerful and abusive interests, and not the product of any effort to uncover truth.

On Monday, the top Republican in the Minnesota House, Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, called on Hortman to explain by Wednesday what she intends to do about Thompson. If Hortman fails to act, he said, House Republicans will move ahead with ethics complaints.

That panel, made up of two Democrats and two Republicans with one alternate from each party, was already scheduled to meet Friday to consider a different ethics complaint against Thompson. GOP state Rep. Eric Lucero filed it late last month after Thompson, during a contentious floor debate over policing legislation, denounced Lucero by saying, I know you're a racist. GOP lawmakers allege in the complaint that Thompson's conduct violated House rules on decorum.

Thompson's unraveling might not have happened if it weren't for his own statements during a memorial July 6 on the fifth anniversary of Castile's death. At the memorial, Thompson disclosed that St. Paul police had pulled him over for a missing front license plate  what he called a pretextual stop" of the kind he fought to end as a legislator.

Im still being profiled. ... You can still get driving-while-Black tickets in the state, Thompson said.

It soon emerged that Thompson was driving on a Wisconsin license and had never had one from Minnesota, which he was legally required to have to drive if he was a Minnesota resident. Thompson has yet to provide public proof that he lives in his St. Paul district.

Amid the furor over the traffic stop, Thompson's trial last week began on the misdemeanor obstruction charge that predated his election campaign and previously attracted little attention. He's accused of interfering with a police officer at a suburban hospital in 2019 as a crowd gathered following a family friend's suicide attempt. Thompson alleged that police and hospital staff overreacted because the people in the crowd were Black.

Then on Friday, KMSP-TV reported on four cases involving domestic abuse allegations involving Thompson between 2003 and 2010. In a 2003 incident in Superior, Wisconsin, Thompson was accused of striking his girlfriend in the face in a supermarket parking lot in front of her 5-year-old daughter. He eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges of disorderly conduct and fleeing police. In 2004, he allegedly attacked the same woman at her suburban St. Paul apartment.

Prosecutors declined to file charges in that incident or two others, in St. Paul in 2009 and 2010, in which he allegedly made threats during arguments with women and took out his penis in front of them and children who were present. Through Kushner, Thompson denied all of the abuse allegations.

Democratic state Rep. Cedrick Frazier, an African American freshman who emerged this year as a leading voice in the House on police accountability, deflected a question on whether Thompson could politically survive the allegations and the loss of Democratic support, saying it's up to Hortman, the House speaker.

But Frazier said Thompson deserves due process via the ethics committee and from voters. He said the Legislature needs citizen lawmakers who bring a variety of life experiences that can guide policy and help improve people's lives.

None of us come to this job as perfect, as not having any type of blemishes and not having any type of life lived coming into this work, Frazier said.

___

Follow Steve Karnowski on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skarnowski
RABAT, Morocco (AP)  A Casablanca court on Monday convicted prominent journalist and activist Omar Radi on charges of espionage and sexual assault and sentenced him to six years in prison.

His colleague, Imad Stitou, was convicted of participation in rape and sentenced to 12 months in prison, with six months suspended.

Radi, an investigative journalist jailed since his arrest in July 2020, has denied any wrongdoing. Rights groups say the charges against Radi were politically motivated, and his case has raised concerns about media freedoms in Morocco.

Radi was the subject of an Amnesty International report in June 2020 that said Moroccan authorities had unlawfully spied on the journalist through his phone by using sophisticated surveillance software. The Moroccan government disputed the claim.

Radi was among 189 journalists around the world identified as being on a list of allegedly targeted clients of Israeli-based NSO Group, a hacker-for-hire using military-grade malware for potential spying on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents, a global media consortium reported this week.

The Paris-based journalism non-profit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International shared the information with 16 news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The United States has voiced its concerns about treatment of some journalists by the North African kingdom. Another journalist, Soulaimane Raissouni, was recently sentenced to five years in prison.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said that media freedom is foundational to prosperous and secure societies and governments must ensure that journalists can safely perform their essential roles without fear of unjust tension, violence or threats. The case of Raissouni and others, including Radi, were being watched, Price said, and we have raised these concerns with the Moroccan government and we will continue to do so.

Morocco, a major U.S. ally, quickly took issue with the U.S. stance. Its Ministerial Delegation for Human Rights said the State Department knowingly obscured the point of view of the complainants and their defense, going so far as to deny their very status of victim. The statement said it was astonished at the focus on the professional status  journalist  and his allegations.

The Casablanca court ordered Radi and Stitou to pay the equivalent of more than $22,300 to the victim of the alleged sexual assault.
BANGKOK (AP)  Myanmars military-installed government and those seeking to topple it on Monday marked the 74th anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung San, the father of the countrys recently ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The separate commemorations by the contending groups were a reminder of the tragic political turmoil that has marked much of the countrys history, including dysfunctional parliamentary rule, armed struggle by ethnic separatists and military repression. It also highlights the complicated relationship of Suu Kyi and the military to her father, whose legacy they both claim.

There were protest marches Monday in several cities across the country commemorating Aung San, six Cabinet colleagues and two other officials who were killed at a Cabinet meeting less than six months before Britain formally handed independence to Myanmar, then called Burma. Aung San was 32 years old when he died. A political rival, former Prime Minister U Saw, was tried and hanged for plotting the attack.

The protests, generally brief to avoid confrontations with security forces, also paid tribute to those who have lost their lives protesting the February military takeover that ousted Suu Kyi and her elected government. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 919 protesters and bystanders have been killed by the security forces, though the government calls that figure an exaggeration.

In Yangon, some neighborhoods heard a cacophony of car horns at 10:37 a.m., the time of the 1947 attack. About a decade ago, pro-democracy activists revived a tradition in which factories sound their sirens and public activities stop for a minute in memory of the nine martyrs.

An official memorial ceremony was held, as every year, at Martyrs Mausoleum in Yangon, near the foot of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda. The service this year was low key, attended by neither Suu Kyi, who is under arrest, nor Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who took over as the countrys leader.

Religious Affairs Minister Ko Ko was the highest-ranking official in attendance. Toe Aung, a Yangon city official, laid a wreath on behalf of Suu Kyis family.

Suu Kyi, 76, has not been seen in public since the takeover apart from one photo shown on state television in May taken inside a court at the start of criminal proceedings against her. The legal actions are seen as a calculated move by the military to permanently remove her from politics.

The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper had a rare front-page graphic with an illustration of the memorial, a photo of Aung San and a quote from him.

Inside, an editorial said Aung Sans speeches remain relevant today and suggested his words justified the military's steering of the country.

The summary of his speeches means: All the people should be disciplined and united, and the motherland Myanmar must be prosperous, the editorial concluded. So, lets march along a straight path to the goal without derailment.

The military used to bask in the reflected glory of Aung San, who led the independence army as well as negotiated freedom from the British.

But after Suu Kyi rose to prominence in a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was crushed by the military, she was more closely identified with her fathers legacy. She has been seen as sharing her fathers charisma, fierce nationalism and stubborn streak.

Suu Kyi became the main nemesis of military rule, winning the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her nonviolent struggle for democracy but also spending 15 years in house arrest for her activities.

In the 1990s, the military government then in power began to chip away at Aung Sans image.

State-run newspapers abandoned their practice of printing commemorative biographical sketches of Aung San along with other slain leaders, together with excerpts of the independence heros speeches. Lower-ranking officials attended the Martyrs Day ceremonies and Aung Sans image was replaced on currency.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Two more Texas lawmakers who left their state to hobble efforts to pass new voting restrictions have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising to five the number of infected people in the delegation.

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio said in a statement Sunday that he had tested positive. "I am quarantining until I test negative, and I am grateful to be only experiencing extremely mild symptoms, he said.

A person familiar with the delegation said the number of infected members had risen to five. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter and requested anonymity.

More than 50 Texas lawmakers traveled to Washington on Monday aboard a private charter flight. A caucus official has said all had been vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says breakthrough infections  vaccinated people becoming infected  are rare.

After a photo showed them maskless on the plane, Republicans and others criticized the lawmakers for traveling without masks. But federal pandemic guidelines dont require masks to be worn on private aircraft.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who had met last week with members of the Texas delegation, went to the Walter Reed military hospital on Sunday for a routine doctors appointment, a White House official said. No other information was released, and the White House did not respond to questions about Harris visit.

After some of the lawmakers tested positive for the virus, Harris spokesperson said Saturday that Harris and her staff were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and added that Harris and her staff were fully vaccinated.

The Democrats fled the state to deny the Republican-controlled Legislature the necessary quorum to pass the voting laws.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  A new prime minister supported by key international diplomats will take charge of Haiti, an official said Monday  a move that appeared aimed at averting a leadership struggle following the assassination of President Jovenal Moise.

Ariel Henry, who was designated prime minister by Moise before he was slain but never sworn in, will replace the country's interim prime minister, Haiti Elections Minister Mathias Pierre told The Associated Press.

It wasnt immediately clear how quickly Claude Joseph, who has been leading Haiti with the backing of police and the military since the July 7 assassination of Moise, would step down.

Negotiations are still in course, Pierre said, adding that Joseph would go back to being minister of foreign affairs. There was no immediate comment from Joseph.

In an audio recording, Henry referred to himself as prime minister and called for unity, saying he would soon announce the members of what he called a provisional consensus government to lead the country until elections are held.

I present my compliments to the Haitian people who have shown political maturity in the face of what can be considered a coup. ... Our Haitian brothers gave peace a chance, while leaving the possibility that the truth could one day be restored," Henry said.

Now it is up to all the national leaders to walk together in unity, towards the same goal, to show that they are responsible.

The political turnover followed a statement Saturday from a key group of international diplomats that appeared to snub Joseph as it called for the creation of "a consensual and inclusive government.

To this end, it strongly encourages the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government, the statement from the Core Group said.

The Core Group is composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the U.S., France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

On Monday, the U.N. issued a statement calling on Joseph, Henry and other national stakeholders to set aside differences and engage in constructive dialogue on ways to end the current impasse.

The U.N. added that Joseph and Henry made significant progress in the past week and that it supports dialogue to find minimal consensus for holding fair legislative and presidential elections.

Monique Clesca, a Haitian writer, activist and former U.N. official, said she doesn't anticipate any changes under Henry, whom she expects to carry on Moise's legacy. But she warned Henry might be viewed as tainted because of the international backing that preceded his taking power.

There is not only a perception, but the reality that he has been put there by the international community, and I think thats his burden to carry, she said.

What were calling for is for Haitians to really say this is unacceptable. We do not want the international community stating who ought to be in power and what ought to be done. It is up to us.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the Biden administration welcomes reports that Haitian political actors are working together to determine a path forward in the country.

We have been encouraging, for several days now, Haitian political actors to work together and find a political way forward, she said.

Earlier, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said the U.S. would continue to work with Joseph after noting he was the incumbent in the position and was serving as acting prime minister before the assassination.

On Monday, Price urged all political actors in Haiti as well as the civil society and private sector to work together in the interest of the people, adding that the U.S. is standing with them.

We have always said, and we continue to believe, that the decision of who should lead Haiti belongs to the Haitian people," he said. Political gridlock has taken a tremendous toll on the nation of Haiti, and its vital for the countrys leaders to finally come together to chart a united, inclusive path forward.

The Core Group statement was issued hours after Moise's wife, Martine, arrived in Haiti on Saturday aboard a private jet clad in black and wearing a bulletproof vest after being released from a hospital in Miami. She has not issued a statement or spoken publicly since her return to Haiti as the government prepares for the July 23 funeral that will be held in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Other events to honor Moise are planned this week in the capital of Port-au-Prince ahead of the funeral.

Moise designated Henry as prime minister shortly before he was killed, but he had not been sworn in. The neurosurgeon was previously minister of social affairs and interior minister. He has belonged to several political parties including Inite, which was founded by former President Rene Preval.

The upcoming change in leadership comes as authorities continue to investigate the July 7 attack at Moise's private home with high-powered rifles that seriously wounded his wife.

Authorities say more than 20 suspects directly involved in the killing have been arrested. The majority of them are former Colombian soldiers, most of whom Colombian officials say were duped. Another three suspects were killed, with police still seeking additional ones, including an ex-Haitian rebel leader and a former Haitian senator.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  A 46-year-old man struck by a vehicle in Providence while crossing the street has died, police said Monday.

Phetsamone Ratsabout had been was attempting to cross the street at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when he was struck by an SUV. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence where he was pronounced dead.
Military-grade spyware licensed by an Israeli firm to governments for tracking terrorists and criminals was used in attempted and successful hacks of 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, human rights activists, business executives and two women close to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to an investigation by The Washington Post and 16 media partners.

The phones appeared on a list of more than 50,000 numbers that are concentrated in countries known to engage in surveillance of their citizens and also known to have been clients of the Israeli firm, NSO Group, a worldwide leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry, the investigation found.

The list does not identify who put the numbers on it, or why, and it is unknown how many of the phones were targeted or surveilled. But forensic analysis of the 37 smartphones shows that many display a tight correlation between time stamps associated with a number on the list and the initiation of surveillance, in some cases as brief as a few seconds.

Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty International, a human rights group, had access to the list and shared it with the news organizations, which did further research and analysis. Amnesty's Security Lab did the forensic analyses on the smartphones.

The numbers on the list are unattributed, but reporters were able to identify more than 1,000 people spanning more than 50 countries through research and interviews on four continents: several Arab royal family members, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists, and more than 600 politicians and government officials - including cabinet ministers, diplomats, and military and security officers. The numbers of several heads of state and prime ministers also appeared on the list.

Among the journalists whose numbers appear on the list, which dates to 2016, are reporters working overseas for several leading news organizations, including a small number from CNN, the Associated Press, Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Le Monde in France, the Financial Times in London and Al Jazeera in Qatar.

The targeting of the 37 smartphones would appear to conflict with the stated purpose of NSO's licensing of the Pegasus spyware, which the company says is intended only for use in surveilling terrorists and major criminals. The evidence extracted from these smartphones, revealed here for the first time, calls into question pledges by the Israeli company to police its clients for human rights abuses.

The media consortium analyzed the list through interviews and forensic analysis of the phones, and by comparing details with previously reported information about NSO. Amnesty's Security Lab examined 67 smartphones where attacks were suspected. Of those, 23 were successfully infected and 14 showed signs of attempted penetration.

For the remaining 30, the tests were inconclusive, in several cases because the phones had been replaced. Fifteen of the phones were Android devices, none of which showed evidence of successful infection. However, unlike iPhones, Androids do not log the kinds of information required for Amnesty's detective work. Three Android phones showed signs of targeting, such as Pegasus-linked SMS messages.

Amnesty shared backup copies of data on four iPhones with Citizen Lab, which confirmed that they showed signs of Pegasus infection. Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto that specializes in studying Pegasus, also conducted a peer review of Amnesty's forensic methods and found them to be sound.

In lengthy responses, NSO called the investigation's findings exaggerated and baseless. It also said it does not operate the spyware licensed to its clients and "has no insight" into their specific intelligence activities.

NSO describes its customers as 60 intelligence, military and law enforcement agencies in 40 countries, although it will not confirm the identities of any of them, citing client confidentiality obligations. The consortium found many of the phone numbers in at least 10 country clusters, which were subjected to deeper analysis: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Citizen Lab also has found evidence that all 10 have been clients of NSO, according to Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow.

Forbidden Stories organized the media consortium's investigation, titled the Pegasus Project, and Amnesty provided analysis and technical support but had no editorial input. Amnesty has openly criticized NSO's spyware business and supported an unsuccessful lawsuit against the company in an Israeli court seeking to have its export license revoked. After the investigation began, several reporters in the consortium learned that they or their family members had been successfully attacked with Pegasus spyware.

Beyond the personal intrusions made possible by smartphone surveillance, the widespread use of spyware has emerged as a leading threat to democracies worldwide, critics say. Journalists under surveillance cannot safely gather sensitive news without endangering themselves and their sources. Opposition politicians cannot plot their campaign strategies without those in power anticipating their moves. Human rights workers cannot work with vulnerable people - some of whom are victims of their own governments - without exposing them to renewed abuse.

For example, Amnesty's forensics found evidence that Pegasus was targeted at the two women closest to Saudi columnist Khashoggi, who wrote for The Post's Opinions section. The phone of his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, was successfully infected during the days after his murder in Turkey on Oct. 2, 2018, according to a forensic analysis by Amnesty's Security Lab. Also on the list were the numbers of two Turkish officials involved in investigating his dismemberment by a Saudi hit team. Khashoggi also had a wife, Hanan Elatr, whose phone was targeted by someone using Pegasus in the months before his killing. Amnesty was unable to determine whether the hack was successful.

"This is nasty software - like eloquently nasty," said Timothy Summers, a former cybersecurity engineer at a U.S. intelligence agency and now director of IT at Arizona State University. With it "one could spy on almost the entire world population.  There's not anything wrong with building technologies that allows you to collect data; it's necessary sometimes. But humanity is not in a place where we can have that much power just accessible to anybody."

In response to detailed questions from the consortium, NSO said in a statement that it did not operate the spyware it licensed to clients and did not have regular access to the data they gather. The company also said its technologies have helped prevent attacks and bombings and broken up rings that trafficked in drugs, sex and children. "Simply put, NSO Group is on a life-saving mission, and the company will faithfully execute this mission undeterred, despite any and all continued attempts to discredit it on false grounds," NSO said. "Your sources have supplied you with information that has no factual basis, as evidenced by the lack of supporting documentation for many of the claims."

The company denied that its technology was used against Khashoggi, or his relatives or associates.

"As NSO has previously stated, our technology was not associated in any way with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi. This includes listening, monitoring, tracking, or collecting information. We previously investigated this claim, immediately after the heinous murder, which again, is being made without validation."

The company added: "NSO Group will continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action based on the results of these investigations. This includes shutting down of a customers' system, something NSO has proven its ability and willingness to do, due to confirmed misuse, done it multiple times in the past, and will not hesitate to do again if a situation warrants."

Thomas Clare, a libel attorney hired by NSO, said that the consortium had "apparently misinterpreted and mischaracterized crucial source data on which it relied" and that its reporting contained flawed assumptions and factual errors.

"NSO Group has good reason to believe that this list of 'thousands of phone numbers' is not a list of numbers targeted by governments using Pegasus, but instead, may be part of a larger list of numbers that might have been used by NSO Group customers for other purposes," Clare wrote.

In response to follow-up questions, NSO called the 50,000 number "exaggerated" and said it was far too large to represent numbers targeted by its clients. Based on the questions it was being asked, NSO said, it had reason to believe that the consortium was basing its findings "on misleading interpretation of leaked data from accessible and overt basic information, such as HLR Lookup services, which have no bearing on the list of the customers targets of Pegasus or any other NSO products  we still do not see any correlation of these lists to anything related to use of NSO Group technologies."

The term HLR, or Home Location Register, refers to a database that is essential to operating cellular phone networks. Such registers keep records on the networks of cellphone users and their general locations, along with other identifying information that is used routinely in routing calls and texts. HLR lookup services operate on the SS7 system that cellular carriers use to communicate with each other. The services can be used as a step toward spying on targets.

Telecommunications security expert Karsten Nohl, chief scientist for Security Research Labs in Berlin, said that he does not have direct knowledge of NSO's systems but that HLR lookups and other SS7 queries are widely and inexpensively used by the surveillance industry - often for just tens of thousands of dollars a year.

"It's not difficult to get that access. Given the resources of NSO, it'd be crazy to assume that they don't have SS7 access from at least a dozen countries," Nohl said. "From a dozen countries, you can spy on the rest of the world."

Pegasus was engineered a decade ago by Israeli ex-cyberspies with government-honed skills. The Israeli Defense Ministry must approve any license to a government that wants to buy it, according to previous NSO statements.

The numbers of about a dozen Americans working overseas were discovered on the list, in all but one case while using phones registered to foreign cellular networks. The consortium could not perform forensic analysis on most of these phones. NSO has said for years that its product cannot be used to surveil American phones. The consortium did not find evidence of successful spyware penetration on phones with the U.S. country code.

"We also stand by our previous statements that our products, sold to vetted foreign governments, cannot be used to conduct cybersurveillance within the United States, and no customer has ever been granted technology that would enable them to access phones with U.S. numbers," the company said in its statement. "It is technologically impossible and reaffirms the fact your sources' claims have no merit."

Apple and other smartphone manufacturers are years into a cat-and-mouse game with NSO and other spyware makers.

"Apple unequivocally condemns cyberattacks against journalists, human rights activists and others seeking to make the world a better place," said Ivan Krstic, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture. "For over a decade, Apple has led the industry in security innovation and, as a result, security researchers agree iPhone is the safest, most secure consumer mobile device on the market. Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life and are used to target specific individuals. While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data."

Some Pegasus intrusion techniques detailed in a 2016 report were changed in a matter of hours after they were made public, underscoring NSO's ability to adapt to countermeasures.

Pegasus is engineered to evade defenses on iPhones and Android devices and to leave few traces of its attack. Familiar privacy measures like strong passwords and encryption offer little help against Pegasus, which can attack phones without any warning to users. It can read anything on a device that a user can, while also stealing photos, recordings, location records, communications, passwords, call logs and social media posts. Spyware also can activate cameras and microphones for real-time surveillance.

"There is just nothing from an encryption standpoint to protect against this," said Claudio Guarnieri, a.k.a. "Nex," the Amnesty Security Lab's 33-year-old Italian researcher who developed and performed the digital forensics on 37 smartphones that showed evidence of Pegasus attacks.

That sense of helplessness makes Guarnieri, who often dresses head-to-toe in black, feel as useless as a 14th-century doctor confronting the Black Plague without any useful medication. "Primarily I'm here just to keep the death count," he said.

The attack can begin in different ways. It can come from a malicious link in an SMS text message or an iMessage. In some cases, a user must click on the link to start the infection. In recent years, spyware companies have developed what they call "zero-click" attacks, which deliver spyware simply by sending a message to a user's phone that produces no notification. Users do not even need to touch their phones for infections to begin.

Many countries have laws pertaining to traditional wiretapping and interception of communications, but few have effective safeguards against deeper intrusions made possible by hacking into smartphones. "This is more devious in a sense because it really is no longer about intercepting communications and overhearing conversation.  This covers all of them and goes way beyond that," Guarnieri said. "It has raised a lot of questions from not only human rights, but even national constitutional laws as to is this even legal?"

Clare, NSO's attorney, attacked the forensic examinations as "a compilation of speculative and baseless assumptions" built on assumptions based on earlier reports. He also said, "NSO does not have insight into the specific intelligence activities of its customers."

The Pegasus Project's findings are similar to previous discoveries by Amnesty, Citizen Lab and news organizations worldwide, but the new reporting offers a detailed view of the personal consequences and scale of surveillance and its abuses.

The consortium analyzed the list and found clusters of numbers with similar country codes and geographical focus that align with previous reporting and additional research about NSO clients overseas. For example, Mexico has been previously identified in published reports and documents as an NSO client, and entries on the list are clustered by Mexican country code, area code and geography. In several cases, clusters also contained numbers from other countries.

In response to questions from reporters, spokespeople for the countries with clusters either denied Pegasus was used or denied that their country had abused their powers of surveillance.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office said any surveillance carried out by that nation is done in accordance with the law.

"In Hungary, state bodies authorized to use covert instruments are regularly monitored by governmental and non-governmental institutions," the office said. "Have you asked the same questions of the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany or France?"

Moroccan authorities responded: "It should be recalled that the unfounded allegations previously published by Amnesty International and conveyed by Forbidden Stories have already been the subject of an official response from the Moroccan authorities, who have categorically rejected these allegations."

Vincent Biruta, Rwanda's foreign affairs minister, also denied the use of Pegasus.

"Rwanda does not use this software system, as previously confirmed in November 2019, and does not possess this technical capability in any form," Biruta said. "These false accusations are part of an ongoing campaign to cause tensions between Rwanda and other countries, and to sow disinformation about Rwanda domestically and internationally."

Some expressed outrage even at the suggestion of spying on journalists.

A reporter for the French daily Le Monde working on the Pegasus Project recently posed such a question to Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga during an interview about the legal requirements for eavesdropping:

"If someone asked you to tape a journalist or an opponent, you wouldn't accept this?"

"What a question!" Varga responded. "This is a provocation in itself!" A day later, her office requested that this question and her answer to it "be erased" from the interview.

In the past, NSO has blamed its client countries for any alleged abuses. NSO released its first "Transparency and Responsibility Report" last month, arguing that its services are essential to law enforcement and intelligence agencies trying to keep up with the 21st century.

"Terror organizations, drug cartels, human traffickers, pedophile rings and other criminal syndicates today exploit off-the-shelf encryption capabilities offered by mobile messaging and communications applications.

"These technologies provide criminals and their networks a safe haven, allowing them to 'go dark' and avoid detection, communicating through impenetrable mobile messaging systems. Law enforcement and counterterrorism state agencies around the world have struggled to keep up."

NSO also said it conducts rigorous reviews of potential customers' human rights records before contracting with them and investigates reports of abuses, although it did not cite any specific cases. It asserted that it has discontinued contracts with five clients for documented violations and that the company's due diligence has cost it $100 million in lost revenue.

"Pegasus is very useful for fighting organized crime," said Guillermo Valdes Castellanos, head of Mexico's domestic intelligence agency CISEN from 2006 to 2011. "But the total lack of checks and balances [in Mexican agencies] means it easily ends up in private hands and is used for political and personal gain."

Mexico was NSO's first overseas client in 2011, less than a year after the firm was founded in Israel's Silicon Valley, in northern Tel Aviv.

In 2016 and 2017, more than 15,000 Mexicans appeared on the list examined by the media consortium, among them at least 25 reporters working for the country's major media outlets, according to the records and interviews.

One of them was Carmen Aristegui, one of the most prominent investigative journalists in the country and a regular contributor to CNN. Aristegui, who is routinely threatened for exposing the corruption of Mexican politicians and cartels, was previously revealed as a Pegasus target in several media reports. At the time, she said in a recent interview, her producer was also targeted. The new records and forensics show that Pegasus links were detected on the phone of her personal assistant.

"Pegasus is something that comes to your office, your home, your bed, every corner of your existence," Aristegui said. "It is a tool that destroys the essential codes of civilization."

Unlike Aristegui, freelance reporter Cecilio Pineda was unknown outside his violence-wracked southern state of Guerrero. His number appears twice on the list of 50,000. A month after the second listing, he was gunned down while lying in a hammock at a carwash while waiting for his car. It is unclear what role, if any, Pegasus's ability to geolocate its targets in real time contributed to his murder. Mexico is among the deadliest countries for journalists; 11 were killed in 2017, according to Reporters Without Borders.

"Even if Forbidden Stories were correct that an NSO Group client in Mexico targeted the journalist's phone number in February 2017, that does not mean that the NSO Group client or data collected by NSO Group software were in any way connected to the journalist's murder the following month," Clare, NSO's lawyer, wrote in his letter to Forbidden Stories. "Correlation does not equal causation, and the gunmen who murdered the journalist could have learned of his location at a public carwash through any number of means not related to NSO Group, its technologies, or its clients."

Mexico's Public Security Ministry acknowledged last year that the domestic intelligence agency, CISEN, and the attorney general's office acquired Pegasus in 2014 and discontinued its use in 2017 when the license expired. Mexican media have also reported that the Defense Ministry used the spyware.

Today's thriving international spyware industry dates back decades but got a boost after the unprecedented 2013 disclosure of highly classified National Security Agency documents by contractor Edward Snowden. They revealed that the NSA could obtain the electronic communications of almost anyone because it had secret access to the transnational cables carrying Internet traffic worldwide and data from Internet companies such as Google and giant telecommunications companies such as AT&T.

Even U.S. allies in Europe were shocked by the comprehensive scale of the American digital spying, and many national intelligence agencies set out to improve their own surveillance abilities. For-profit firms staffed with midcareer retirees from intelligence agencies saw a lucrative market-in-waiting free from the government regulations and oversight imposed on other industries.

The dramatic expansion of end-to-end encryption by Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple and other major technology firms also prompted law enforcement and intelligence officials to complain they had lost access to the communications of legitimate criminal targets. That in turn sparked more investment in technologies, such as Pegasus, that worked by targeting individual devices.

"When you build a building, you want to make sure the building holds up, so we follow certain protocols," said Ido Sivan-Sevilla, an expert on cyber governance at the University of Maryland. By promoting the sale of unregulated private surveillance tools, "we encourage building buildings that can be broken into. We are building a monster. We need an international norms treaty that says certain things are not okay."

Without international standards and rules, there are secret deals between companies like NSO and the countries they service.

The unfettered use of a military-grade spyware such as Pegasus can help governments to suppress civic activism at a time when authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide. It also gives countries without the technical sophistication of such leading nations as the United States, Israel and China the ability to conduct far deeper digital cyberespionage than ever before.

Azerbaijan, a longtime ally of Israel, has been identified as an NSO client by Citizen Lab and others. The country is a family-run kleptocracy with no free elections, no impartial court system and no independent news media. The former Soviet territory has been ruled since the Soviet Union collapsed 30 years ago by the Aliyev family, whose theft of the country's wealth and money-laundering schemes abroad have resulted in foreign embargoes, international sanctions and criminal indictments.

Despite the difficulties, roughly three dozen Azerbaijani reporters continue to document the family's corruption. Some are hiding inside the country, but most were forced into exile where they are not so easy to capture. Some work for the Prague-based, U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which was kicked out of the country in 2015 for its reporting. The others work for an investigative reporting nonprofit called the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, which is based in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, and is one of the partners in the Pegasus Project.

The foremost investigative reporter in the region is Khadija Ismayilova, whom the regime has worked for a decade to silence: It planted a secret camera in her apartment wall, took videos of her having sex with her boyfriend and then posted them on the Internet in 2012; she was arrested in 2014, tried and convicted on trumped-up tax-evasion and other charges, and held in prison cells with hardened criminals. After global outrage and the high-profile intervention of human rights attorney Amal Clooney, she was released in 2016 and put under a travel ban.

"It is important that people see examples of journalists who do not stop because they were threatened," Ismayilova said in a recent interview. "It's like a war. You leave your trench, then the attacker comes in.  You have to keep your position, otherwise it will be taken and then you will have less space, less space, the space will be shrinking and then you will find it hard to breathe."

Last month, her health failing, she was allowed to leave the country. Colleagues arranged to test her smartphone immediately. Forensics by Security Lab determined that Pegasus had attacked and penetrated her device numerous times from March 2019 to as late as May of this year.

She had assumed some kind of surveillance, Ismayilova said, but was still surprised at the number of attacks. "When you think maybe there's a camera in the toilet, your body stops functioning," she said. "I went through this, and for eight or nine days I could not use the toilet, anywhere, not even in public places. My body stopped functioning."

She stopped communicating with people because whoever she spoke with ended up harassed by security services. "You don't trust anyone, and then you try not to have any long-term plans with your own life because you don't want any person to have problems because of you."

Confirmation of the Pegasus penetration galled her. "My family members are also victimized. The sources are victimized. People I've been working with, people who told me their private secrets are victimized," she said. "It's despicable.  I don't know who else has been exposed because of me, who else is in danger because of me."

The fear of widespread surveillance impedes the already difficult mechanics of civic activism.

"Sometimes, that fear is the point," said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, who has researched Pegasus extensively. "The psychological hardship and the self-censorship it causes are key tools of modern-day dictators and authoritarians."

When Siddharth Varadarajan, co-founder of the Wire, an independent online outlet in India, learned that Security Lab's analysis showed that his phone had been targeted and penetrated by Pegasus, his mind immediately ran through his sensitive sources. He thought about a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government who had displayed an unusual concern about surveillance when they met.

The minister first moved the meeting from one location to another at the last moment, then switched off his phone and told Varadarajan to do the same.

Then "the two phones were put in a room and music was put on in that room  and I thought: 'Boy, this guy is really paranoid. But maybe he was being sensible,'" Varadarajan said in a recent interview.

When forensics showed his phone had been penetrated, he knew the feeling himself. "You feel violated, there's no doubt about it," he said. "This is an incredible intrusion, and journalists should not have to deal with this. Nobody should have to deal with this."

Priest reported from Ankara, Istanbul and Washington, Timberg from Washington and Mekhennet from Berlin. Michael Birnbaum in Budapest, Mary Beth Sheridan in Mexico City, Joanna Slater in New Delhi, Drew Harwell and Julie Tate in Washington and Miranda Patrucic from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in Sarajevo contributed to this report.

Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty International had access to a list of phone numbers concentrated in countries known to surveil their citizens and also known to have been clients of NSO Group. The two nonprofits shared the information with The Washington Post and 15 other news organizations worldwide that have worked collaboratively to conduct further analysis and reporting over several months. Forbidden Stories oversaw the Pegasus Project, and Amnesty International provided forensic analysis but had no editorial input.

More than 80 journalists from Forbidden Stories, The Washington Post, Le Monde, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Die Zeit, the Guardian, Daraj, Direkt36, Le Soir, Knack, Radio France, the Wire, Proceso, Aristegui Noticias, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Haaretz and PBS Frontline joined the effort.
WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP)  A January home explosion in southeast Iowa that killed one person and injured another was caused when vapor from a gas leak was ignited when someone in the home lit a cigarette, officials report.

Washington County fire officials have determined a gas leak filled a confined space in the home on Jan. 4 before the cigarette was lit around 4 a.m., television station KCRG reported. The explosion injured 68-year-old George Carpenter and another person in the home. Carpenter died three days later at a hospital from his injuries.
Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty International had access to a list of phone numbers concentrated in countries known to surveil their citizens and also known as clients of NSO Group, an Israeli firm that is a leader in the field of spyware. The two nonprofits shared the information with The Post and 15 other news organizations worldwide that have worked collaboratively to conduct further analysis and reporting over several months. Forbidden Stories oversaw the Pegasus Project, and Amnesty International provided forensic analysis but had no editorial input.

The reporters of the Pegasus Project found that NSO's Pegasus spyware, meant be to licensed to governments for tracking terrorists and criminals, was used in attempted and successful hacks of 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, human rights activists, business executives and the two women closest to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Below are the responses from countries named in the project to questions from reporters:

Azerbaijan:

Awaiting response.

Bahrain:

Awaiting response.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office:

Hungary is a democratic state governed by the rule of law, and as such, when it comes to any individual it has always acted and continues to act in accordance with the law in force. In Hungary, state bodies authorised to use covert instruments are regularly monitored by governmental and non-governmental institutions.

Have you asked the same questions of the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany or France? In the case you have, how long did it take for them to reply and how did they respond? Was there any intelligence service to help you formulate the questions?

Please be so kind and publish our reply in full, without any modification.

Indian government:

India is a robust democracy that is committed to ensuring the right to privacy to all its citizens as a fundamental right. In furtherance of this commitment, it has also introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to protect the personal data of individuals and to empower users of social media platforms.

The commitment to free speech as a fundamental right is the cornerstone of India's democratic system. We have always strived to attain an informed citizenry with an emphasis on a culture of open dialogue.

However, the questionnaire sent to the Government of India indicates that the story being crafted is one that is not only bereft of facts but also founded in pre-conceived conclusions. It seems you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury.

Considering the fact that answers to the queries posed have already been in public domain for a long time, it also indicates poorly conducted research and lack of due diligence by the esteemed media organizations involved.

Government of India's response to a Right to Information application about the use of Pegasus has been prominently reported by media and is in itself sufficient to counter any malicious claims about the alleged association between the Government of India and Pegasus.

India's Minister of Electronics & IT has also spoken in detail, including in the Parliament, that there has been no unauthorised interception by Government agencies. It is important to note that Government agencies have a well established protocol for interception, which includes sanction and supervision from highly ranked officials in central & state governments, for clear stated reasons only in national interest.

The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever.

In the past, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp by Indian State. Those reports also had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp in the Indian Supreme Court.

This news report, thus, also appears to be a similar fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions.

In India there is a well established procedure through which lawful interception of electronic communication is carried out in order for the purpose of national security, particularly on the occurrence of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety, by agencies at the Centre and States. The requests for these lawful interception of electronic communication are made as per relevant rules under the provisions of section 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act ,1885 and section 69 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2000.

Each case of interception, monitoring, and decryption is approved by the competent authority i.e. the Union Home Secretary. These powers are also available to the competent authority in the state governments as per IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009.

There is an established oversight mechanism in the form of a review committee headed by the Union Cabinet Secretary. In case of state governments, such cases are reviewed by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary concerned.

The procedure therefore ensures that any interception, monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource is done as per due process of law.

Israel:

The State of Israel regulates marketing and export of cyber products in accordance with the 2007 Defense Export Control Act. Control lists are based on the Wassenaar Arrangement, and include additional items. Policy decisions take into account national security and strategic considerations, which include adherence to international arrangements. As a matter of policy, the State of Israel approves the export of cyber products exclusively to governmental entities, for lawful use, and only for the purpose of preventing and investigating crime and counterterrorism, under end use /end user certificates provided by the acquiring government. In cases where exported items are used in violation of export licenses or end use certificates, appropriate measures are taken.

Israel does not have access to the information gathered by NSO's clients.

Kazakhstan:

Awaiting response.

Mexico:

Awaiting response.

Moroccan government:

The Moroccan authorities do not understand the context of the referral by the International Consortium of Journalists "Forbidden Stories", requesting "the responses and clarifications of the Moroccan Government on the digital surveillance tools of NSO Group."

It should be recalled that the unfounded allegations previously published by Amnesty International and conveyed by Forbidden Stories have already been the subject of an official response from the Moroccan authorities, who have categorically rejected these allegations.

The Moroccan authorities are still waiting, since 22 June 2020, for material evidence from Amnesty International.

Rwanda, from Vincent Biruta, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation:

Rwanda does not use this software system, as previously confirmed in November 2019, and does not possess this technical capability in any form. These false accusations are part of an ongoing campaign to cause tensions between Rwanda and other countries, and to sow disinformation about Rwanda domestically and internationally. This is libel, and enough is enough. The questions related to the ongoing terrorism trial of Paul Rusesabagina and his 20 co-accused have been extensively addressed by the court. For any future inquires related to cybersecurity, please contact the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA).

Saudi Arabia:

Awaiting response.

United Arab Emirates:

Awaiting response.
MADRID (AP)  Authorities in southern Spain's city of Marbella say they have ruled out terrorism as the motive for a driver plowing a car into a sidewalk filled with outdoor restaurants and injuring at least 10 people Monday.

While most of the injured were seen at a local hospital, two people had to be taken to a bigger facility in Malaga, the provincial capital, including a woman with serious injuries, the National Police said in a statement.
Military-grade spyware leased by the Israeli firm NSO Group to governments for tracking terrorists and criminals was used in attempted and successful hacks of 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, human rights activists, business executives and the two women closest to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to an investigation by The Washington Post and 16 media partners led by the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories.

Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, a human rights group, had access to a list of more than 50,000 numbers and shared it with the news organizations, which did further research and analysis. Amnesty's Security Lab did forensic examination of the phones.

Here are key takeaways from the investigation:

1. Phones identified from a sprawling list: Thirty-seven targeted smartphones appeared on a list of more than 50,000 numbers that are concentrated in countries known to engage in surveillance of their citizens and also known to have been clients of NSO Group, a worldwide leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry, the investigation found. The list does not identify who put the numbers on it, or why, and it is unknown how many of the phones were targeted or surveilled. But forensic analysis of the 37 phones shows that many display a tight correlation between time stamps associated with a number on the list and the initiation of surveillance attempts, in some cases as brief as a few seconds.

2. Politicians, journalists, activists found on list: The numbers on the list are unattributed, but reporters were able to identify more than 1,000 people spanning more than 50 countries through research and interviews on four continents: several Arab royal family members, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officials - including cabinet ministers, diplomats and military and security officers, as well as several heads of state and prime ministers. The purpose of the list could not be conclusively determined.

3. Company says it polices its clients for abuses: The targeting of the 37 smartphones would appear to conflict with the stated purpose of NSO's licensing of the Pegasus spyware, which the company says is intended only for use in surveilling terrorists and major criminals. The evidence extracted from these smartphones, revealed here for the first time, calls into question pledges by the Israeli company to police its clients for human rights abuses. NSO Chief Executive Shalev Hulio said Sunday that he was "very concerned" by The Post's reports. "We are checking every allegation, and if some of the allegations are true, we will take stern action, and we will terminate contracts like we did in the past." He added, "If anybody did any kind of surveillance on journalists, even if it's not by Pegasus, it's disturbing."
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Garth Heutel, Georgia State University; Givi Melkadze, Georgia State University, and Stefano Carattini, Georgia State University

(THE CONVERSATION) In 2008, as big banks began failing across Wall Street and the housing and stock markets crashed, the nation saw how crucial financial regulation is for economic stability  and how quickly the consequences can cascade through the economy when regulators are asleep at the wheel.

Today, theres another looming economic risk: climate change. Once again, how much it harms economies will depend a lot on how financial regulators and central banks react.

Climate changes impact on economies isnt always obvious. Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, identified a series of climate change-related risks in 2015 that could shake the financial system. The rising costs of extreme weather, lawsuits against companies that have contributed to climate change and the falling value of fossil fuel assets could all have an impact.

Nobel Prize-winning U.S. economist Joseph Stiglitz agrees. In a recent interview, he argued that the impact of a sharp rise in carbon prices  which governments charge companies for emitting climate-warming greenhouse gases  could trigger another financial crisis, this time starting with the fossil fuel industry, its suppliers and the banks that finance them, which could spill over into the broader economy.

Our research as environmentaleconomists and macroeconomists confirms that both the effects of climate change and some of the policies necessary to stop it could have important implications for financial stability, if preemptive measures are not undertaken. Public policies addressing, after years of delay, the fossil fuel emissions that are driving climate change could devalue energy companies and cause investments held by banks and pension funds to tank, as would abrupt changes in consumer habits.

The good news is that regulators have the ability to address these risks and clear the way to safely implement ambitious climate policy.

Climate-stress-testing banks

First, regulators can require banks to publicly disclose their risks from climate change and stress-test their ability to manage change.

The Biden administration recently introduced an executive order on climate-related financial risk, with the goal of encouraging U.S. companies to evaluate and publicly disclose their exposure to climate change and to future climate policies.

In the United Kingdom, large companies already have to disclose their carbon footprints, and the U.K. is pushing to have all major economies follow its lead.

The European Commission also proposed new rules for companies to report on climate and sustainability in their investment decisions across a broad swath of industries in its new Sustainable Finance Strategy released on July 6, 2021. This strategy builds on a previous plan for sustainable growth from 2018.

Carbon disclosure represents a crucial ingredient for climate stress tests, evaluations that gauge how well-prepared banks are for potential shocks from climate change or from climate policy. For example, a recent study by the Bank of England determined that banks were unprepared for a carbon price of US$150 per ton, which it determined would be necessary by the end of the decade to meet the international Paris climate agreements goals.

The European Central Bank is conducting stress tests to assess the resilience of its economy to climate risks. In the United States, the Federal Reserve recently established the Financial Stability Climate Committee with similar objectives in mind.

Monetary and financial policy solutions

Central banks and academics have also proposed several ways to address climate change through monetary policy and financial regulation.

One of these methods is green quantitative easing, which, like quantitative easing used during the recovery from the 2008 recession, involves the central bank buying financial assets to inject money into the economy. In this case, it would buy only assets that are green, or environmentally responsible. Green quantitative easing could potentially encourage investment in climate-friendly projects and technologies such as renewable energy, though researchers have suggested that the effects might be short-lived.

A second policy proposal is to modify existing regulations to recognize the risks that climate change poses to banks. Banks are usually subject to minimum capital requirements to ensure banking sector stability and mitigate the risk of financial crises. This means that banks must hold some minimum amount of liquid capital in order to lend.

Incorporating environmental factors in these requirements could improve banks resilience to climate-related financial risks. For instance, a brown-penalizing factor would require higher capital requirements on loans extended to carbon-intensive industries, discouraging banks from lending to such industries.

Broadly, these existing proposals have in common the goal of reducing economy-wide carbon emissions and simultaneously reducing the financial systems exposure to carbon-intensive sectors.

The Bank of Japan announced a new climate strategy on July 16, 2021, that includes offering no-interest loans to banks lending to environmentally friendly projects, supporting green bonds and encouraging banks to disclosure their climate risk.

The Federal Reserve has begun to study these policies, and it has created a panel focused on developing a climate stress test.

Lessons from economists

Often, policymaking trails scientific and economic debates and advancements. With financial regulation of climate risks, however, it is arguably the other way around. Central banks and governments are proposing new policy tools that have not been studied for very long.

A few research papers released within the last year provide a number of important insights that can help guide central banks and regulators.

They do not all reach the same conclusions, but a general consensus seems to be that financial regulation can help address large-scale economic risks that abruptly introducing a climate policy might create. One paper found that if the climate policy is implemented gradually, the economic risks can be small and financial regulation can manage them.

Financial regulation can also help accelerate the transition to a cleaner economy, research shows. One example is subsidizing lending to climate-friendly industries while taxing lending to polluting industries. But financial regulation alone will not be enough to effectively address climate change.

Central banks will have roles to play as countries try to manage climate change going forward. In particular, prudent financial regulation can help prevent barriers to the kind of aggressive policies that will be necessary to slow climate change and protect the environments our economies were built for.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/the-next-big-financial-crisis-could-be-triggered-by-climate-change-but-central-banks-can-prevent-it-161726.
A. Fill the pool and build pickleball courts. That makes sense next to the tennis courts already there.

B. Refurbish the pool and deed it back to the Beverly Hills Civic Association.

C. Do away with the pool and build a fountain to bring people and families to the park.

D. Fill the pool and construct a pavilion to enhance the community.

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The ban on flights from India was introduced on April 22, 2021.

Canada extends India flight ban until August 21 The ban on flights from India was introduced on April 22, 2021.

Canada extends India flight ban until August 21 The ban on flights from India was introduced on April 22, 2021.

Canada extends India flight ban until August 21 The ban on flights from India was introduced on April 22, 2021. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canada is extending its flight ban on India.

The restrictions will roll over for one more month until August 21.

On April 22, 2021, Canada introduced a travel ban on both India and Pakistan due to concerns on rising cases of COVID-19 variants. All passenger and business flights from the two countries were suspended.

The ban was initially in place for 30 days but it was extended once for Pakistan and then lifted last month on June 21.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced it is easing travel restrictions on fully-vaccinated tourists beginning in August.

Canada has also lifted other travel restrictions over the past month. As of late June, all Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) Holders (i.e., newly approved immigrants) are now allowed to travel to Canada and complete their landings. In addition, Canada now exempts fully-vaccinated travellers from needing to quarantine.

The relaxed travel rules come amid Canadas recent success in fighting COVID-19. The country now enjoys one of the highest vaccination rates in the world with some 80 per cent having received one shot and over 40 per cent being fully vaccinated. In addition, case counts last week were in the 400-per-day range compared with a peak of over 9,000 per day in April 2021. This has also allowed provinces across the country to reopen and reduce their social distancing requirements.

India is by far Canadas leading source country of new immigrants and international students. In recent years Indians have accounted for 20 per cent of new permanent residents and 30 per cent of new students.

Canada is pursuing its most ambitious immigration targets ever. Beginning this year, it is seeking to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants annually to support its post-COVID economic recovery.

A growing share of Canadas new immigrants are former international students. Canadian government research shows former students tend to integrate successfully into the countrys labour market. As such, Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other skilled worker programs offer advantages to international students such as extra points and dedicated pathways.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

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In the thirteen years since it was founded, Harvard Universitys Nieman Lab has developed a reputation for thoughtful explorations of digital trends in journalism and incisive critiques of how reporters and editors go about their business.

The Labs founder, Joshua Benton, and Harvard, are now facing scrutiny of their own. A former journalism professor has filed a defamation suit, claiming she lost her job after Benton outed her on Twitter as the author of several controversial, right-wing comments. Last month, US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin greenlit her lawsuit, which means Benton and others at Nieman Lab could be facing depositions, discovery, and a trial.

The dispute began in May 2018, when Benton wrote a Twitter thread about someone who was using the name truthseeker to comment on a Nieman Lab story that examined whether people who buy into fake news tend to be delusional about other matters. Thanks to his administrative access on Disqus, Nieman Labs commenting platform, Benton determined that the account was linked to Francesca Viola, a longtime assistant professor of broadcast journalism and media law at Temple University. He also managed to find truthseekers more noxious comments from other sites.

Viola lost her teaching position a year later.

Violas initial commentthe one that triggered Bentonwas fairly tame. I am a journalism professor at a major east coast university, she began, before criticizing the piece as an article designed to insinuate that  conservative media that dont tout the democrat party talking points are disseminating fake news. I will no longer use Neiman as a source.

Before long, Benton surfaced comments that truthseeker had posted elsewhereranging from lambasting the Drudge Report for being too liberal, to surfacing conspiracy theories about Seth Rich, the Democratic National Committee employee who was murdered in an apparent robbery. I watch Hannity and he is absolutely right about this Seth Rich thing, Viola wrote on another site. The DNC is corrupt, and like Hillary will do anything to preserve power even murder. The DNC had him killed. She also engaged in unfounded election theories: The reason Trump won is because more people voted for him than your girl. And save your breath on the tired refrain that Hillary won the popular vote because of some illegal votes cast in California. Yawn.

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One truthseeker comment that Benton found, responding to a 2017 Gateway Pundit piece about a Muslim protest at Trump Tower, was especially abhorrent: Scum. Deport them. They hate us. Get rid of them.

The reaction to Bentons tweets was swift and devastating, according to Violas suit. She became a social pariah at Temple, and several colleagues demanded that she be fired. Viola was also ostracized during faculty meetings. Viola was also bombarded by dozens of harassing and disturbing emails, phone calls and messages.

Shortly after Benton identified Viola, David Boardman, the dean of Temples media and communication program, stated, we are troubled by the content. He also noted that people in the Temple community are entitled to exercise free speech within constitutional parameters.

Benton received criticism, from conservative pundits like Mike Cernovich, but also from mainstream journalists. Stephen Fowler, of Georgia Public Broadcasting, wrote: Posting someones name/title because you can see their email on the backend because they made a questionable comment seems in poor taste and just as questionable. Temples own student news site backed Violas right to say what she thought: We dont believe she should be removed for her alleged comments, although we condemn them.

And Bentons actions seemed at odds with Disquss own policies, which state that user information is for moderation purposes only and adds that distribution of personal identifiable information is prohibited.

After several days of backlash, Benton posted an apology: By revealing such details without making an effort to contact her and seek confirmation and explanation, and otherwise adhere to rigorous reporting methods, the tweets did not meet Niemans journalistic standards. I apologize and regret my error in judgment. He did not delete the original tweets.

In her suit, Viola acknowledged writing most of the posts. But she denied being behind the anti-Muslim screed. That was critical to Sorokins decision to allow the libel and defamation part of Violas suit to proceed. The former professor has plausibly alleged that Benton may have been negligent in his failure to verify that she was the author, the judge wrote. He also took note of how Benton managed to discover and reveal her identity. Viola wrote her comments based on the promise that her user information would be used for moderation purposes only, which was violated when Benton posted her information on Twitter, Sorokin wrote. (The Harvard Crimson, a student-run news site, reported on the ruling earlier this week.)

So, if Viola didnt write the anti-Muslim comment, who did? Her suit offers no explanation, and she didnt return requests for comment. Harvard attorney Bradley Abruzzi declined to discuss the case.

Violas suit raises a host of issues. There is the traditional one: that reporters should always contact people theyre criticizingon Twitter or in other media. And there are those issues that apply to the digital age, in particular, exposing the identity of an anonymous commenter. The post that Viola added to the Nieman articlewhich was in response to another critical commentwasnt personal or racist. Theres often little good that comes from a journalist taking on a commenter; if the post is especially repugnant, it can be removed.

More fundamentally, the Nieman Lab chose to use Disqus, a platform that allows for anonymized accounts. By contrast, a site like WSJ.com tethers comments to subscribers accounts and requires that people use their real names. There are valid arguments for either side. Allowing people to hide their identities can enable more robust discussions and provide an outlet for those who have reason to fear repercussions. But requiring people to reveal their identities reins in much of the crazy stuff that infects discussion boards. The main thing is, an administrator cant have it both ways, promising anonymity and then using special access to expose someones identity.

Newsrooms have been struggling with these debates since they went online. Comments usually appeal to a tiny fraction of readers; an NPR study from a few years ago found that only .06 percent of its unique users bothered to post. The Philadelphia Inquirer cut back comments last February, noting that they had been hijacked by a small group of trolls who traffic in racism, misogyny, and homophobia.

Theres no shortage of places where people can say what they want about news storiesanonymously or by name. News organizations have found that comment boards often bring out the worst in our readers. Judging from this episode, they can also lead journalists astray.

Editors note: CJR corrected a previous photo that showed Wesleyan University instead of Harvard University.

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Bill Grueskin is on the faculty at Columbia Journalism School. He has previously worked as founding editor of a newspaper on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, city editor of the Miami Herald, deputy managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, and an executive editor at Bloomberg News. He is a graduate of Stanford University (Classics) and Johns Hopkinss School of Advanced International Studies (US Foreign Policy and International Economics).
In 2017, Laurent Richard, a French journalist, launched Forbidden Stories, a project that would aim to amplify and continue the work of murdered, or otherwise threatened, reporters around the world. There is danger all the time. There is danger on the computer, there is danger on the devices, there is legal danger, Richard told me at the time. The best protection for this dangerous mission is a collaborative aspect. If we are together we are stronger. In 2018, Forbidden Stories worked with news organizations around the world to dig into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese investigative journalist; in 2019, the group exposed the environmental damage done by mining companies on three continents, and the harassment faced by reporters investigating it. Last year, Forbidden Stories produced the Cartel Project, which picked up on the work of Regina Martineza journalist who covered crime and corruption for Proceso, in Mexico, before she was murdered at her home, in 2012and highlighted threats to Mexican reporters more generally, including that of digital surveillance: at least ten journalists, including Jorge Carrasco, who worked on the Panama Papers and is now Procesos top editor, had had their phones targeted with Pegasus, a potent spyware tool marketed by an Israeli firm.

Yesterday, Forbidden Stories and sixteen media partnersincluding the Washington Post, PBS, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and outlets in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Mexico, India, Hungary, and Lebanondropped a new project focused much more closely on the danger on the devices, and on Pegasus, in particular. The group was able to review a leaked list containing more than fifty thousand phone numbers that state clients of NSO Group, the developer of Pegasus, marked for possible surveillance in countries around the world, including numbers belonging to at least a hundred and eighty journalists, as well as activists, businesspeople, and politicians, up to and including heads of state. The provenance of the list remains murky, and its not clear how many of the phones that appear on it were actually compromisedbut an analysis by Amnesty Internationals Security Lab confirmed the infiltration or attempted infiltration with Pegasus of thirty-seven listed phones, as well as a close correlation between those attacks and timestamp data on the list. By sharing access to this data with the other media organizations in the Forbidden Stories consortium, Richard and his colleague Sandrine Rigaud write, we were able to develop additional sources, collect hundreds of documents, and put together the harrowing evidence of a surveillance apparatus that has been wielded ferociously against large swaths of civil societyoutside of all legal restrictions.

ICYMI: Cubas internet and journalism blackouts

NSO Group has pushed back sharply on the reporting of Forbidden Stories and its partners in the Pegasus Project. The company has always maintained that it only licenses Pegasus for state actors to use against terrorists and other serious criminals, that it does not have insight into clients use of the software, and that it has moved to revoke access in cases where it has been shown to be abused. (It has also claimed that it takes human rights into account when licensing Pegasus to governments, despite its clients including repressive regimes such as Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia; Forbidden Stories reports that Israels defense ministry pushed NSO to sell to the Saudis, a dynamic that NSO has denied.) In response to the Pegasus Project, NSO pledged to investigate the new claims of abuse. The company also, however, cast doubt on the projects reporting, including the authenticity of the list of numbers. Your sources have supplied you with information that has no factual basis, NSO said. NSO Group is on a life-saving mission, and the company will faithfully execute this mission undeterred.

The journalists identified by the Pegasus Project as possible targets for surveillance work in twenty countries, many of which are known for their repressive (often increasingly so) climates for independent journalism. At least forty journalists in India were named as possible targets, including Siddarth Varadarajan and other reporters associated with The Wire, and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, whose phone was hacked in 2018, while he was investigating the finances of a man who, prior to his death, was once Indias richest. In 2019, Szabolcs Panyi, an investigative reporter at Direkt36, in Hungary, was targeted with Pegasus. (Varadarajan and Panyi both contributed to the Pegasus Project.) An NSO client that appears to be the government of Morocco selected thirty-five journalists as possible targets, including Taoufik Bouachrine, a newspaper editor who is serving a prison sentence on rape charges that his supporters say were politically motivated; his wifes number was also listed as a possible target, as were the numbers of at least five of his accusers, two of whom retracted their testimony. It had already been reported that Omar Abdulaziz, a friend of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, was targeted with Pegasus prior to Khashoggis murder by the Saudi state, in 2018. The Pegasus Project found that other people close to Khashoggi were targeted, too, including, in the days after the murder, Hatice Cengiz, his fiancee. (NSO has denied any link to Khashoggis killing.)

As the Pegasus Project shows, spyware seems to be allowing authoritarian regimes to expand the scope of their repression overseas. The projects analysis found that the phone of Hicham Mansouri, another Moroccan journalist, was infected with Pegasus more than twenty times this year, even though he now lives in exile in France; the phone of Edwy Plenel, a French journalist with Mediapart, was compromised in 2019, right around the time he visited Morocco to attend a conference, during which he criticized the Moroccan government. According to The Guardian, an NSO client that appears to be the government of the United Arab Emirates selected several foreign journalists as possible surveillance targetsincluding Roula Khalaf, the editor in chief of the Financial Times; Gregg Carlstrom, a Middle East reporter at The Economist; and Bradley Hope, an investigative reporter, then of the Wall Street Journal, who co-wrote a book about corruption in Malaysia that implicated a senior Emirati royal. Other possible targets on the list include reporters who have worked for the New York Times, CNN, the Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, and Agence France-Presse.

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When Carrasco, the Mexican journalist who worked on the Panama Papers, was targeted with Pegasus, in 2016, the attack took the form of a weird text message asking him to click through on a linka mode of delivery that naturally strikes at least some targets as suspicious. Since then, Pegasus has become much more sophisticated; now it can compromise phones without the need for the target to click on a link, often exploiting a devices hidden bugs in ways that can go completely unnoticed by its owner. Once installed, the spyware can access your messages, your location data, even your phone microphone and camera. The ramifications are truly chillingas Khadija Ismayilova, an Azerbaijani journalist who was targeted, put it, Weve been recommending each other this tool or that tool, how to keep our phones more and more secure from the eyes of the government, but I realized that there is no wayunless you lock yourself in an iron tentthere is no way that they will not interfere into your communications. Fighting back, it seems, requires the opposite of the iron-tent approachthe conviction that strength can be found in journalistic numbers, rather than working alone. As Richard has believed since the birth of Forbidden Stories, collaboration is a great shield against danger, however it manifests.

Below, more on press freedom around the world:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: New details on the friction Trump caused inside Facebook

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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
BERLIN (AP) The death toll from flooding in Western Europe climbed above 180 on Sunday after rescue workers dug deeper into debris left by receding waters. Heavy rain fueled new floods in southeastern Germany and Austria, though not on the scale of last weeks devastating onslaught.

Police put the toll from the hard-hit Ahrweiler area of western Germanys Rhineland-Palatinate state at more than 110 and said they feared the number may still rise. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germanys most populous, 46 people were confirmed dead, including four firefighters. And Belgium has confirmed 27 casualties.

Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived Sunday in Schuld, a village located on a curve of the Ahr river that was devastated by the flooding, to see the damage for herself. Her visit comes after Germanys president went to the area on Saturday and made clear that it will need long-term support.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he will propose a package of immediate aid at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, telling the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that more than 300 million euros ($354 million) will be needed. And he said that officials must start setting up a rebuilding program which, from experience with previous flooding, will be in the billions of euros.

Pope Francis offered a prayer for the flood victims and for support of the efforts of all to help those who suffered great damage.

I express my closeness to the populations of Germany, Belgium and Holland, hit by catastrophic flooding, he said in his first public appearance to the faithful in St. Peters Square after major surgery. May the Lord welcome the deceased and comfort the family members.

Officials in the Ahrweiler area asked people not to make any more donations in kind for now. Police said the overwhelming willingness to help had left storage facilities for clothes and food full.

Although rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, storms and downpours have persisted in other parts of western and central Europe. There was flooding Saturday night in the German-Czech border area, across the country from where last weeks floods hit, and in Germanys southeastern corner and over the border in Austria.

About 130 people were evacuated from their homes in Germanys Berchtesgaden area after the Ache River swelled. At least one person was killed. The railway line to Berchtesgaden was closed.

A flash flood swept through the nearby Austrian town of Hallein late Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties. Further west, parts of the town of Kufstein were flooded. Heavy rain and storms caused serious damage in several parts of Austria.

Climate scientists say the link between extreme weather and global warming is unmistakable and the urgency to do something about climate change undeniable.

Scientists cant yet say for sure whether climate change caused the flooding, but they insist that it certainly exacerbates the extreme weather that has been on show around the world.

About the photo: A damaged castle, left, is seen in Erftstadt-Blessem, Germany, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Due to strong rainfall, the small Erft river went over its banks causing massive damage. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a judges ruling that sided with a Florida lawsuit challenging U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pandemic regulations for cruise ship operation.

The one-paragraph decision by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was filed at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, just minutes before a Tampa judges previous ruling was set to take effect.

The judges issuance of a temporary stay keeps the CDC regulations regarding Florida-based cruise ships in place while the CDC appeals the June decision by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday.

The lawsuit, championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, claims that the CDCs multiple-step process to allow cruising from Florida is overly burdensome, harming both a multibillion-dollar industry that provides some 159,000 jobs and revenue collected by the state.

A spokeswoman for DeSantis did not immediately respond Sunday to an email and a text message seeking comment. In court filing, attorneys for Florida urged the 11th Circuit to reject the CDC request to keep its rules intact for now.

The equities overwhelmingly favor allowing the cruise industry to enjoy its first summer season in two years while this Court sorts out the CDCs contentions on appeal, Floridas lawyers argued.

The CDC first flatly halted cruise ships from sailing in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which had affected passengers and crew on numerous ships.

Then the CDC on Oct. 30 of last year imposed a four-phase conditional framework it said would allow the industry to gradually resume operations if certain thresholds were met. Those included virus mitigation procedures and a simulated cruise to test them before embarking regular passengers.

Merrydays decision concluded that the CDC cant enforce those rules for Florida-based ships and that they should merely be considered nonbinding recommendations or guidelines. Several cruise lines have begun preliminary cruises under those guidelines, which the Tampa judge agreed with Florida are too onerous.

Florida persuasively claims that the conditional sailing order will shut down most cruises through the summer and perhaps much longer, the judge wrote in June, adding that Florida faces an increasingly threatening and imminent prospect that the cruise industry will depart the state.

The 11th Circuits brief decision did not include any opinions from the judges, which the panel said would be released later. The decision noted that one appeals judge dissented.

Disney Cruise Lines held its first simulated sailing under CDC rules Saturday when the Disney Dream departed from Port Canaveral, Florida. The passengers were volunteer Disney employees.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A local government in Georgia agreed Tuesday to pay $500,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a Hispanic man who died in a struggle with police officers 2017.

Columbus Council members met in closed session and approved the settlement with the family of Hector Arreola, news outlets reported.

Council decided that it was in the best interest of everyone involved, to include the Arreola family, the law enforcement personnel involved, the citizens of Columbus, Georgia, Mayor Skip Henderson told WRBL-TV after the vote. It gives us an opportunity, maybe to begin some healing on this.

Council member Walker Garrett, an attorney who made the motion to settle the suit, said the settlement is unrelated to any criminal case that a district attorney might pursue against the officers.

We think that the judge had made a pretty emphatic statement about the fact that there was precious little evidence to warrant a murder charge in this instance, Garrett said. We are focused now on the civil aspect, and it allows the family to begin the healing process.

An attorney for the Arreola family, Mark Post, released a statement saying the family considers the civil case closed, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.

The Arreola family is pleased that this matter has been resolved and hopes that this resolution can provide a measure of healing for the community, Post said.

Arreolas father, Rodrigo Arreola, signed the settlement agreement July 9. It says $490,000 will go to the guardian of Hector Arreolas young child, and $10,000 will go to his estate, as managed by Rodrigo Arreola.

The agreement maintains the police officers did nothing wrong, and says the city offered the settlement without the officers consent. The officers expressly deny any and all liability, responsibility and potential liability, and the settlement shall not be construed as an admission of liability, the agreement states.

NAACP leaders in Columbus have likened Arreolas death to that of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Columbus NAACP branch President Wane Hailes has said Arreola said 16 times that he couldnt breathe as an officer sat on him for more than two minutes while Arreola was handcuffed.

The officers were put on administrative leave during an investigation, but have returned to duty.

In June, U.S. District Judge Clay Land ruled that he would not halt the wrongful death lawsuit against officers Michael Aguilar, Brian Dudley and Aaron Evrard, despite their concerns that the district attorney is seeking to indict them on criminal charges. Land said he doesnt believe they can be successfully prosecuted for a crime.

The officers sought a postponement in the civil case after Muscogee County District Attorney Mark Jones named private attorney Christopher Breault as a special prosecutor investigating Arreolas death. Jones said he hoped Breault would be ready to present the case for possible indictment during the current court term, which ends in August.

The officers attorneys argued the criminal investigation hampered their defense in the civil suit, saying they could testify if they werent compelled to use their Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.

Arreola died during an arrest for disorderly conduct. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations initial autopsy report found that he died from methamphetamine toxicity. But the agency amended the report last year to say Arreola died by homicide. The amendment changed the cause of death to sudden cardiac death following a struggle with law enforcement including prone position restraint complicating acute methamphetamine toxicity.

The lawsuit alleged the cardiac arrest resulted from brain damage caused by the force the officers used in restraining him.

Land wrote that the statute of limitations has run out on all possible state charges except murder, and that the evidence he has seen shows its unlikely that prosecutors could prove that officers acted with premeditated malice or that they killed Arreola while committing a separate felony. Those are the grounds for murder under Georgia law.

Jones last month said he respects Lands ruling, but that the criminal case should be heard by a grand jury.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Danae Songy, left, with Mike and Wanda Agee. Songy is stepping up to the general manager position after Mike Agee left to go take a position at a radio station in Washington, D.C.
The side effects impact people differently. Some experience none, some have slight flu-like symptoms that last for a day or two. Most people have a sore arm after both shots and often the side effects show up after the second dose. The side effects are usually minor and go away in a couple of days.
Clinton, IA (52732)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  The presence of the dreaded coronavirus Delta variant among some returning overseas Filipinos should not hinder repatriation efforts, a Cabinet official said on Monday

Labor officials explained that a number of Filipinos are appealing for help to go home because they have no means to stay longer in their host countries.

"Marami rami tayong kababayan na nakatengga ngayon sa UAE (United Arab Emirates). We are coordinating with the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) para makapag charter pa kami ng mas maraming flights para sa kanila," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said in a virtual briefing.

[Translation: There are a lot of Filipinos that are waiting in the UAE. We are coordinating with the DFA so we can charter more flights for them.]

"Tuloy pa rin ang repatriation sa kanila hindi pwedeng ihinto natin," he said.

[Translation: We cannot stop our repatriation efforts]

Rolly Francia, Labor Information and Publication Service director, pointed out the urgency to bring stranded Filipinos home.

"Kawawa naman mga stranded na OFWs dahil wala nang sweldo, expired na ang contract, mag expire na ang visa," he said.

[Translation: Stranded OFWs will suffer from having no salary, expired contracts and visas if we stop repatriating them]

Bello said proceeding with repatriation activities will ease the burden on government offices abroad.

"Kung ihihinto natin mapupuno ang ating shelters. Habang nandoon sila kailangan natin tulungan ang mga OFW," Bello said.

[Translation: If we will stop our repatriation program, our shelters will be filled, and we will continue to assist them]

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Arriola announced new repatriation flights schedules for OFWs in the UAE.

There will be two flights on July 27 and 30, and four more flights on August 5, 12, 19 and 16.

The government so far repatriated 3,000 overseas Filipinos from the UAE, the Foreign Affairs department said.

The government imposed a travel ban on the UAE and seven other countries until July 31.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  Senators want to include financial assistance for Filipinos and industries gravely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in next year's national budget, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said.

"Parating na kasi po ang ating national budget. At excited na rin po ang mga senador na i-take up sa committee level ang ating panukala for the General Appropriations Act," bared the lawmaker in a virtual briefing on Monday.

[Translation: Our national budget (for 2022) is coming up. And the senators are excited to take up at the committee level our proposals for the General Appropriations Act.]

"Gusto na naming ilagay po doon 'yung mga pangangailangan ng ating taumbayan [We want to include there our countrymen's needs] when it comes to ayuda [cash aid] and of course, assistance to the different industries," added Zubiri, referring to tourism, the hotel and restaurant industry, and micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sectors.

Zubiri said they will be discussing the 2022 national budget this August and September, where they will be conducting hearings to increase the government's funding for financial assistance packages for industries severely hit by the health crisis.

The lawmaker bared they're also discussing the proposed Bayanihan 3, noting that "it's on the table." He added that they are still consulting with the Cabinet and the executive whether there are enough funds for it.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  Five years ago, then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte made a promise that sounded too good to be true.

"I will not promise you heaven, but I will try to stop corruption. In three to six months, I will stop corruption in government," Duterte said in a debate held before the May 2016 polls.

Some would argue this was wishful thinking. But Filipinos wanted change and they were willing to take a chance with Duterte.

"This is the first time that somebody mentioned a deadline 'no? It makes it even more believable," University of the Philippines political science professor Dr. Jean Franco said.

Duterte, however, would soon find out things are easier said than done.

Major scandals under Duterte's watch

In 2017, a shipment of shabu from China worth 6.4 billion slipped past the Bureau of Customs.

Of the main players in the incident, only one customs broker and two other Filipinos faced charges while the Chinese middlemen remain at large.

"Kung hindi incompetent ang mga tao sa Customs, corrupt sila," Senator Richard Gordon said during a Senate inquiry into the incident.

[Translation: People at the Customs department are either incompetent or corrupt.]

Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon was exonerated by the Justice department and ultimately by Duterte himself.

A similar incident happened in 2018, under former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Isidro Lapena's watch as the new Customs chief.

The biggest shipment of shabu yet  worth 11 billion  again eluded Customs agents.

Two years later in early 2020, all eyes turned to the Bureau of Immigrations and its so-called pastillas scheme, where Chinese nationals were supposedly allowed to enter the country without background checks.

According to one senator, the pastillas scheme masterminds netted some 40 billion while running the modus.

Also in 2020, in the thick of the health crisis, an anti-fraud legal officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) resigned due to alleged widespread corruption in the agency.

"Naniniwala po ako na ang perang winaldas at ninakaw ay humigit kumulang 15 billion," former Philhealth anti-fraud legal officer Thorsson Keith said in Senate hearing.

[Translation: I believe the money that was wasted and stolen was around P15 billion.]

Reappointment of officials linked to scandals

The rigodon of officials tainted with corruption would continue in the Duterte administration despite his pronouncements that they would be booted out with even just a whiff of it.

Former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon was appointed to the Office of the Civil Defense after he resigned.

His successor in Customs, former PDEA Director General Isidro Lapena became TESDA chief following the P11 billion shabu scandal.

Another example is Jose Garbriel "Pompee" La Vina, one of Duterte's staunchest supporters and his social media director during his presidential campaign.

La Vina would be reappointed three more times after he was fired as Social Security System commissioner for allegedly abusing government funds.

Then there's Melissa Avancena Ardanas, cousin of Duterte's partner Honeylet.

She was fired as commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor due to alleged excessive foreign trips, only to be appointed assistant secretary at the Human Settlements department months later.

Despite favoring certain people mired in corruption controversies, Duterte's approval ratings remain high.

"People only lose trust in their presidents when the president himself or herself has been accused of corruption. That's what happened with Erap and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, di ba?" Franco explained.

Task force vs. corruption

In 2017, Duterte created the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission via an executive order.

Since then, the PACC claims its investigations have resulted in the firing of almost a thousand government officials and employees.

It has tagged the Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Customs as the top three most corrupt agencies.

But critics say the commission barely scratches the surface.

"Ang corruption po kasi extends beyond presidential appointees hanggang sa mababang empleyado, hanggang sa elected officials and private persons, which under the law PACC has no jurisdiction," PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: Corruption extends beyond presidential appointees, reaching even lowly employees up to elected officials and private persons, which under the law PACC has no jurisdiction.]

The President has also formed a task force led by the Department of Justice to go after corrupt officials in the "entire government."

"Apart from my usual responsibilities as SOJ, this new assignment is the toughest I have ever received from the President," Guevarra said of the assignment.

The DOJ has so far filed graft charges against a congressman and some Public Works officials for favoring a certain contractor.

Duterte's Ombudsman

There are pending complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for major corruption scandals in the past years.

The Ombudsman has suspended around 80 Immigration officials as it investigates the alleged pastillas scheme.

PhilHealth officials, including the agency's former president Ricardo Morales, are also facing complaints.

Investigations are still ongoing, and it usually takes the ombudsman's investigators at least a year to decide whether or not there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court.

Generally, the number of cases filed at the anti-graft court started to go down when Duterte's appointee, former Supreme Court Justice Samuel Martires, took over in 2018.

Martires has been criticized for implementing policies that go against his mandate as ombudsman.

He has moved to stop lifestyle checks and told prosecutors to review which cases they could drop.

Martires also restricted public access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth saying the document had been weaponized against government officials.

"When governments lack transparency or openness, especially on public documents then it lends itself to a corrupt environment," Franco said.

Duterte's resolve

In his speeches, the President would announce the firing or demand the resignation of officials accused of corruption.

This past year during his weekly address, Duterte would even read off from the latest dishonor list from the PACC.

But even he knows it's a losing battle. He practically threw in the towel two years ago.

"I have identified the enemy who dumped us into this quagmire we are in. I have met the enemy face to face and sadly, the enemy is us," Duterte said in his 2019 State of the Nation Address.

Duterte has vowed to fight corruption until the end of his term.

But with less than a year to go before he leaves Malacanang, and with the problem still entrenched in some of the government's most corrupt agencies, Duterte has clearly failed to fulfill a major campaign promise.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19)  A number of Foodpanda drivers in Davao City are now facing a 10-year suspension after the food delivery giant got wind of their planned silent protest against the app's earnings policy, a leader of a riders' group in Davao claimed Monday.

In a phone interview, Edmund Carillo, president and co-founder of the Davao United Delivery Riders Association Inc., said Davao-based riders were planning to take a "rest day" as a show of protest against the low income they have been getting since mid-2020.

The group leader, however, stressed details of this planned silent protest were not finalized when Foodpanda suspended an initial 30 accounts on July 13. The suspension is in effect until 2031.

In a notice to affected riders seen by CNN Philippines, Foodpanda said the planned "no-show" on July 14, 15, and 16 was considered a violation under the Freelance Agreement with the company.

Over 300 delivery riders staged a protest in the city on July 15 in response to the decision of Foodpanda, Carillo said.

"July 13 suspended, initial na tinanggalan 30 accounts. Paunti unti tumaas nung nagrally na," he said.

[Translation: An initial 30 accounts got suspended on July 13. The number gradually increased when we staged the rally.]

Carillo said 43 riders were suspended while some were already reinstated as of Monday.

Carillo said they have long approached Foodpanda about the concern on wage policy, yet no action had been taken.

Smaller incomes seen despite boom in food delivery services

While food delivery companies have been booming amid the pandemic, Carillo said the same cannot be said for the riders of Foodpandafrom earning an average of 55 per delivery, the number has been cut down to almost half since 2020.

He said riders in the city have been calling for transparency in Foodpanda's earnings policy as their fees are now lower from pre-pandemic operations.

When he applied as a rider in August 2018, Carillo said earnings per day were based on 60-40 computationwhere the delivery driver got the bigger pay.

Another change in the policy happened before the pandemic: a rider used to earn 55 per delivery regardless of the distance.

However, when the pandemic started early last year, Foodpanda riders in Davao City were greeted with a new system where the firm based rider's fees on the distance covered.

But Carillo stressed Foodpanda failed to discuss the rate per distance. He also noted Foodpanda has been using a "ruler system", measuring only the distance between the vendor and the customer.

"'Yung sa sahod, hindi nila nilabas 'yung computation," he said.

[Translation: As for the salary, they did not release the computation.]

A copy of one of Carillo's bookings sent to CNN Philippines showed he earned 27. He said some bookings were as low as 23.

From a take-home income of 1,600 to 1,800 per day, Carillo said they're now earning less, ranging from 500 to 800, and yet they still have to deduct payment for gas, food, and mobile data. Sometimes, riders go home to their families with no profit at all.

Ang mensahe lang namin kay Foodpanda, sana magbigay naman po sila ng due process sa mga riders nila. Parang isang pindutan lang, kung gusto nila tanggalin yung isang driver, pindot lang sa computer at tanggal na agad, said Carillo.

[Translation: Our message to Foodpanda is that they give due process to their riders. It seems that with just one click, they can simply fire a driver whenever they want.]

In a separate statement, the food delivery firm said difficult actions such as offboarding a small number of riders who have violated their agreement are needed to ensure their platform remains reliable for all its users.
Penn State University Police is investigating a criminal trespass and criminal mischief incident reported from a fenced-off construction site on Park Avenue at Porter Road near Beaver Stadium, according to a release.

The suspect was seen trespassing between 2:51-3:06 a.m. on July 12, the release said.

The suspect allegedly broke a glass door on a bulldozer and was last spotted at 3:40 a.m. crossing Park Avenue, according to the release.

Penn State is encouraging anyone with information to contact University Police at 814-863-1111, and anonymous tips can be submitted here.

MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE
Bisexual people make up more than half of the United States LGBTQ population, according to a Gallup poll. As this percentage continues to grow, so do some of the unique challenges bisexual people face, according to The New York Times.

A recent NYT article focusing on the difficulties bisexual people face highlights several of these challenges in addition to reports from various organizations on the growing number of discriminatory behaviors toward bisexual people in the United States.

From persisting stigmas to dating experiences, Penn State students and members of the State College community who identify as bisexual discussed several themes within the NYT article, the consequences of being open about their sexual orientations and the impacts this has on their own lives.

Mental health

Michael Accardo, the sexual and gender diverse services coordinator for Penn States Counseling and Psychological Services, said while LGBTQ people can often face challeneges that effect their mental health, bisexual people can experience this in addition to unique difficulties that can exacerbate mental health struggles.

While he said he has always felt comfortable with his sexuality, Bailey Roberts said he has experienced pressures to suppress it as well. Roberts, a sommelier based in State College, said he has experienced times when his mental health has spiraled after having to hide parts of himself.

Roberts said part of the reason he felt suppressed was due to an unhealthy relationship where he felt unable to fully express himself and truly be authentic.

Having struggled with his mental health since a young age, Roberts said he has been able to find support partially through therapy. Roberts said having a therapist has given him a chance to talk through feelings and emotions family and friends may not be able to fully comprehend.

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Talking openly about being bisexual with a mental health professional sometimes felt stressful, but the benefits far outweighed this stress, Roberts said.

As part of his journey in figuring out he was bisexual, Roberts said being open and honest with his therapist  despite how awkward or stressful it may seem  has been a lifeline for him.

I have had issues where its hard being honest with my therapist because there is this moment of, Is she going to judge me? Roberts said. There is certain help, though, that comes from having a therapist  I would not be where I am today without [therapy].

Subconciously knowing since she was a kid that she wasnt straight, Ngozi Nwokeukwu said she has only recently come to better understand her own sexual orientation and now identifies as bisexual.

Nwokeukwu (senior-telecommunications) said coming to realize she was bisexual has been a positive marker in her mental health journey. She said being open and honest with not only herself but those around her has allowed her to become more self-aware and focus more on self-love.

Carter Celgin, who identifies as bisexual and asexual, said while they are comfortable with their identities now, there have times where they have questioned if they are bi enough.

Celgin (sophomore-theatre design and technology) said because their attraction to men is not always as strong as their attraction to women, they sometimes have questioned whether they are truly bisexual.

Due to stigma that can be found within both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ spaces, Accardo said bisexual people can face distinctive pressures regarding their identities and stigmas that other LGBTQ people dont experience, which in turn can affect mental health.

Dating

The tokenization and festishization of bisexual people from LGBTQ , heterosexual and cisgender people is a prevalent phenomenon that remains a major issue in the dating scene, several people said.

Paige, a student at Penn State, said he and his partner are currently in a healthy relationship, but dating before was a challenge due to the way people approached his bisexuality.

In previous romantic relationships, Paige said he encountered people treating him as a token to prove their own sexual desires and saw how people fetishize bisexual people.

And he is not alone.

Using online dating platforms, Celgin said they encountered the fetishization of bisexual people firsthand. For example, Celgin said they have seen couples on dating apps who are unicorn hunters, which are couples who seek out polyamorous relationships exclusively with bisexual people, typically also exclusively with those who identify as women.

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Celgin said they have also felt unseen as a nonbinary, bisexual person when it comes to dating scenes.

Having to list themselves as a woman on dating apps due to the restrictive nature of the apps, Celgin said they had to label themselves as a woman seeking women to find others. This has resulted in feeling not properly seen by even those within the LGBTQ community, Celgin said.

Identifying as pansexual, Muggs Leone said that while they are newer to the dating scene, they have already faced certain struggles. Leone (sophmore-pyschology) said dating within queer and non-queer spaces both have their own challenges.

Within queer spaces, Leone said they have noticed an emphasis on sexual relationships over romantic ones, especially on platforms such as Grindr, a social networking app for gay, bi, trans and queer people, accoridng to its website.

In non-queer spaces, or on platforms less associated with queer communities, Leone said they have encountered people who are not willing to see beyond binary structures and do not engage with people who arent straight and cisgender.

As a fem, nonbinary person, there are a lot of cis-straight people who arent really into that, which is valid, but it can get frustrating, Leone said. They have a very binary idea of what a relationship should look like It's trying to be respectful of what they want but still frustrating when they have these expectations.

Representation

In various media portrayals of queer characters and stories, the focus is often not on bisexual relationships, Julian Mintz said.

Whenever there are bisexual characters, Mintz (graduate-physics) said they have noticed how these characters will often be portrayed in relationships that are strictly same-sex. Mintz said they believe these portrayals are often not representative of real life and instead glaze over the characters bisexuality.

Common themes found in the few media depictions of bisexual people include promiscuity and sexual deviance, Nwokeukwu said.

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While this is not always the case, Nwokeukwu said she believes the hypersexualization of bisexual people can harm the way people think of themselves.

It seems like a lot of media outlets arent showing the complexities of being bisexual without describing them as people who are slutty or bad, Nwokeukwu said. It feels like being bi has become one-dimensional.

Beyond harming those who are not sexually active, Nwokeukwu said she believes the stereotypes that do focus on hypersexualization harm those who engage more frequently in sexual relationships as well.

Nwokeukwu said she believes there is nothing wrong with falling into that stereotype, but instead, what is wrong is the demonization of bisexual people who are hypersexualized by unauthentic media portrayals.

These stereotypical media portrayals harm the way bisexual people  especially bisexual youth  think about themselves and evolve, Nwokeukwu said. Going forward, she said she hopes bisexual representation is able to start covering a larger spectrum of bisexuality and move beyond outdated and untrue tropes that harm the community.

Moving forward

For bisexual people everywhere, the current stigma that exists can take an extreme toll on mental well-being, Accardo said. They said they believe it will be a responsibility for everyone  not exclusively bisexual people  to create real, tangible change.

Accardo said they believe a focus of communities and universities should be on creating programming that centers on bisexual representation and gives students more opportunity to see themselves in the world they live in.

Its up to all of us, when we have the energy, to take on the advocacy role, Accardo said.

There are various resources at Penn State and beyond, Accardo said. The Bisexual Resource Center, the Jeffrey A. Conrad Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, the Centre LGBTQA Support Network and CAPS are all just some of the resources bisexual students and members of the State College community are able to access if they have questions, concerns or just need someone to talk to.

At the end of the day, what matters is pushing forward through hardships and finding solidarity with other bisexual people, Nwokeukwu said. Whether someone is open about being bisexual or not ready to come out, she said bisexual people are valid in who they are as people.

There is no such thing as a perfect bisexual, Nwokeukwu said. No matter what stigma or stereotypes you follow, no matter if you're still closeted, no matter if youre sexually repressed or sexually out there, no matter if you are recovering  you are still a valid person. You are human and deserve human rights.

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A federal judge upheld Indiana University's decision Monday to require on-campus students to receive vaccinations.

According to the New York Times, the ruling appears to be the first upholding a vaccine mandate made by a university.

Indiana University announced in May all students, staff and faculty would need to be vaccinated before the beginning of the fall semester, and those who did not comply would be barred from campus activities and have their class registrations canceled.

Indiana University allowed exemptions for religious objections, allergies, medical deferrals and virtual attendance.

Despite this, eight student plaintiffs argued the vaccination requirement violated their right to bodily integrity and autonomy, the New York Times reported, and the coronavirus vaccine should not be part of the normal vaccinations required by the university.

James Bopp Jr., the lawyer who represented the students, said he would appeal to the Supreme Court if necessary, and the appeal would be paid for by America's Frontline Doctors, a conservative organization.

Judge Damon R. Leichty of the U.S. District Court of Northern Indiana cited the 14th Amendment in his ruling, saying that it allowed the university to "pursue a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interest of public health."
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Amnesty International has revealed that NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance as a service company, has created and sold a nasty iMessage attack that can be used to spy on journalists, activists, and political representatives using their iPhones.

A zero-click hack attack

What makes this latest attack particularly dangerous is its exploitation of zero-click vulnerabilities, meaning targets dont even need to read or open the iMessage carrying the hack. Amnesty says all iPhones and iOS updates are vulnerable to the exploit, which gives attackers complete access to the devices messages, emails, media, microphone, camera, calls and contacts.

Apple prides itself on its security and privacy features, but NSO Group has ripped these apart," Danna Ingleton, deputy director of Amnesty Tech, said in a statement. "Our forensic analysis has uncovered irrefutable evidence that through iMessage zero-click attacks, NSOs spyware has successfully infected iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. Thousands of iPhones have potentially been compromised.

Bill Marczak, a research fellow at academic research lab Citizen Lab, has found evidence to suggest NSO Group continues to develop its spyware product. He calls this a MAJOR blinking red five-alarm-fire problem with iMessage security.

You can read Amnestys full technical details concerning its investigation into the exploit here.

Who is under attack?

Amnesty has identified at least 180 journalists in 20 nations who were targeted, including in Azerbaijan, Hungary, India and Morocco. The list even includes the editor of the Financial Times.

The report also claims to have found evidence that Pegasus was used by Saudi operatives to target family members of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. NSO Group denies this, though it is unclear how it would know this for certain, given it also claims to have no access to the data of its customers targets.

It says its own internal investigation confirmed its tech wasnt used against Khashoggi. I suppose it comes down to how deeply you trust a private company that sells surveillance as a service.

Who do you trust?

Amnesty doesnt think much of the rebuttal. NSO claims its spyware is undetectable and only used for legitimate criminal investigations, said Etienne Maynier, a technologist at Amnesty Internationals Security Lab. We have now provided irrefutable evidence of this ludicrous falsehood."

The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media," said Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International. "It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice."

As you might expect, Apple has responded to the news. Security engineering chief Ivan Krstic said in a statement: "Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals.

Apple's privacy war needs you

All of this is true, of course. Apple continues to improve security across all its platforms and its position on privacy is crystal clear  it wants privacy baked in across its ecosystem.

Apple CEO Tim Cook warned in 2018:

We see vividlypainfullyhow technology can harm rather than help. Platforms and algorithms that promised to improve our lives can actually magnify our worst human tendencies. Rogue actors and even governments have taken advantage of user trust to deepen divisions, incite violence, and even undermine our shared sense of what is true and what is false.

Despite Apples work, the latest revelations show that well-financed state actors of various stripes can find ways through its walls. But as fresh attacks are identified the company seems to do a reasonable job of blocking them.

Meanwhile, repressive governments in a multitude of hues continue to try to force tech firms to create security back doors in their products. There are clear arguments against this: human rights and democratic dialogue will erode while significant financial, ransomware, and infrastructure attacks would be enabled as information on those designed-in vulnerabilities inevitably spreads.

Surveillance-as-a-service

NSO Group is an interesting illustration of this. The company invests in identifying vulnerabilities that it should, as a responsible entity, disclose. Instead, it uses these to undermine platform security, then sells those tools to international clients at a profit with what seems to be minimal oversight.

I see this as a triumph for surveillance capitalism. The company argues that it only deals with legitimate government agencies and firmly denies Amnestys recent claims.

However, in the wake of the Snowden revelations and the socially corrosive impact of abuse of social media in the form of Cambridge Analytica and others, alongside the rapid expansion of the entire surveillance as an unregulated private service industry, one cant help but wonder what constitutes a legitimate government agency?

And what happens when governments change?

Amnesty Internationals Callamard instead says: The Pegasus Project lays bare how NSOs spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril.

We need to take back control

In statements that should be a chilling echo for privacy advocates, she adds: These revelations must act as a catalyst for change. The surveillance industry must no longer be afforded a laissez-faire approach from governments with a vested interest in using this technology to commit human rights violations.

Apple seems to agree. Apple's Craig Federighi, senior vice president for software engineering, has said: Never before has the right to privacy  the right to keep personal data under your own control  been under assault like it is today. As external threats to privacy continue to evolve, our work to counter them must, too.

My take?

Tools such as those sold at a profit by NSO will enable more criminal and terrorist activity than they prevent.

The battle to secure the internet and to protect users and their privacy has never seemed so critical, particularly as wider society handles the twin threats of pandemic and climate change.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.
Singapore non-profit body Big at Heart launches project to thank COVID frontliners

A Singapore-based non-profit organisation has stepped in with a novel initiative to honour COVID frontline workers with 'gratitude cards'.

The organisation Big at Heart works towards the causes of women, children and marginalised communities in need through volunteering, events, donations-in-kind and fundraising. Photo courtesy: BAH

"The National Day Gratitude Card Project initiative is a gesture of our love, gratitude and support to the frontline workers who have been fighting at the forefront of COVID for us for the last 18 months. They have also faced discrimination and exclusion. Sometimes even xenophobia and racism. Yet stood strong between us and the pandemic, " Big at Heart said.

Big at Heart has collaborated with SG Together to show its appreciation for frontline workers in Singapore.

"We need your help in creating up to 30,000 Thank You cards that should be sent by August 2," the non-profit organisation said. "We had organised a virtual workshop where participants learnt to make 2 types of artistic cards."

Big at Heart said that the card recipients are public health workers, hawkers, food delivery riders and safe distancing ambassadors.

"Let your messages be towards them. Also keep them brief, kind and neutral. The messages will be vetted by the Big At Heart team. Any cards that have messages that are inappropriate or not suitable to the context may be eliminated. The right of vetting stays with us as organisers, " it said.

The organisation Big at Heart works towards the causes of women, children and marginalised communities in need through volunteering, events, donations-in-kind and fundraising.
07/19/2021

Photo (c) Prostock-Studio - Getty Images Cars and trucks are not the only things in short supply in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As consumers who have shopped for furniture lately will know, delays in receiving a new couch or sectional are getting longer.

That may seem surprising because showrooms at furniture stores seem to be full of merchandise. However, most stores dont sell their floor samples. They take your order and send it to the factory or importer.

Thats where the delays begin. Supply chain issues that developed during the pandemic still havent been straightened out. The backup doesnt just affect the shipment of the finished product; it also affects the materials that go into making the furniture.

USA Today reports that there is a shortage of foam. The shortage reportedly began early this year when a major winter storm shut down all five U.S. foam-producing plants  four in Texas and one in Louisiana. Since foam is a major component in most couches, fewer of them are rolling off the assembly line, creating major delays. Keelin, of Nashville, Tenn., discovered that when he purchased a sofa at Crate and Barrel.

We ultimately decided to go with the lounge sofa in a stock fabric because they told us it was in stock and would only be three to four weeks to deliver and the other companies told us it would be more likely 10 weeks, Keelin wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. We are at three months and still don't have our couch that was in stock with stock fabric."

Universal problems

All major furniture retailers are dealing with the same set of problems. One national retailer advertises a sofa on its website with an estimated delivery window of 22 to 24 months. According to Fortune, La-Z-Boy delivery times are estimated to be five to nine months.

Another reason for the shortages and shipping delays is a significant increase in demand. Consumers began buying new furniture last year when they began spending so much time at home. That buying trend has continued even though vaccinations have allowed for a return to a more normal life.

Because of the shortages at retail furniture stores, a growing number of consumers are turning to consignment and second-hand stores. But even these stores are having trouble keeping sofas and chairs in stock.

"Anything for the outdoors is super popular and has been for a while," said Natalie Angelillo, vice president of community and communications at OfferUp, a second-hand shopping app.

Angelillo told KING-TV in Seattle that seasonal demand for patio furniture may be traced back to restaurants that were limited to outdoor seating last year. She says many of these businesses purchased large quantities of available inventory that havent been replaced.
Roger was born in Van Couver Washington on April 25,1946. He passed away July 19, 2021at his residents at Country Meadows Nursing Home. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister and brother. Survived by sons Jason Schafer, Jeff Schafer and his wife Jennifer, Daughter Becky Chreene an
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) may restructure its talc activities into a new business that could enter bankruptcy, per a Reuters report. The news surfaced amid negotiations with plaintiffs' lawyers associated with the ongoing baby powder litigation.

Should the company follow through on the plan, those plaintiffs that have not settled could face lower payouts and protracted delays amid bankruptcy proceedings. Plaintiffs would have few legal avenues to block the move due to Texas' so-called divisive merger."

Reuters noted, "Future payouts to plaintiffs would be dependent on how J&J decides to fund the entity housing its talc liabilities."
John Currier, 71, passed away after a long illness at Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville. John is survived by his wife, Jane (Clozza), of almost 44 years. He was the father of Janelle Currier and (the late) Jared Currier. He was the youngest brother of James Currier and Robert (Judith) 
On Monday, the US, EU, UK, NATO and other allies publicly attributed the cyberattacks that compromised thousands of organizations earlier this year through Microsoft Exchange zero-day vulnerabilities to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS). The DOJ also charged four suspected MSS officers for supervising and coordinating a cyberespionage group tracked in the security industry as APT40.

According to the indictment, the APT40 group operated out of a company called Hainan Xiandun Technology Development that was used as a front by the Hainan State Security Department (HSSD), an arm of MSS in the province of Hainan. The company worked with local universities to recruit computer hackers and linguists to use in cyberespionage campaigns around the world.

Between 2011 and 2018, APT40 targeted organizations from numerous industries including aviation, defense, education, government, healthcare, biopharmaceutical, maritime, transportation and academia with the goal of stealing trade secrets and other confidential business information that would give Chinese state-owned enterprises an economic advantage. This included information on submersibles, autonomous vehicles, chemical formulas, commercial aircraft servicing, genetic-sequencing technology, as well as infectious-disease research related to Ebola, MERS, HIV/AIDS, Marburg and tularemia.

APT40's attack campaigns were global and some of its identified victims were based in the United States, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Three of the Chinese nationals charged in the indictment unsealed Monday, Ding Xiaoyang, Zhu Yunmin, and Cheng Qingmin, are alleged to be HSSD intelligence officers who were directly involved in supervising APT40's hacking activities. A fourth individual, Wu Shurong, is accused of creating some of the malware programs used by the group, hacking into computers belonging to foreign governments and also playing a supervisory role at the Hainan Xiandun front company.

"As alleged, the charged MSS officers coordinated with staff and professors at various universities in Hainan and elsewhere in China to further the conspiracys goals," the DOJ said. "Not only did such universities assist the MSS in identifying and recruiting hackers and linguists to penetrate and steal from the computer networks of targeted entities, including peers at many foreign universities, but personnel at one identified Hainan-based university also helped support and manage Hainan Xiandun as a front company, including through payroll, benefits and a mailing address."

APT40 tools and techniques

APT40 made heavy use of spear-phishing emails with malicious attachments and links to gain initial access into its victims' networks, but also used compromised VPN credentials and drive-by attacks from compromised websites that exploited vulnerabilities in popular software. To set up its attacks, especially the spear-phishing campaigns, the group set up fake social media profiles and typosquatted domain names that resembled those of legitimate organizations. After obtaining access to email accounts within an organization, the hackers sometimes used them to spearfish other employees of the same organization or at related organizations.

The APT40 hackers used a variety of open-source tools and custom malware programs for lateral movement, persistence and data theft. Some of these tools were also shared and used by other Chinese cyberespionage groups as well and include BADFLICK/Greencrash, China Chopper, Cobalt Strike, Derusbi/PHOTO, Gh0stRAT, GreenRAT, jjdoor/Transporter, jumpkick, Murkytop, NanHaiShu, Orz/AirBreak, PowerShell Empire and PowerSploit.

The group used IP anonymization services like Tor to access infected systems and compromised accounts. Stolen data was exfiltrated to accounts on legitimate services such as Dropbox and GitHub, sometimes employing steganography -- concealing data inside other files -- to avoid detection.

According to a joint advisory by CISA and the FBI published Monday, APT40 also used protocol tunneling techniques and multi-hop proxies and its command-and-control servers used typosquatted domains. The goal was to make it harder for network defenders to detect the malicious activity.

The two organizations recommend security best practices such as:

Timely patch and vulnerability management

Using compensating controls for flaws that can't be immediately patched

Strengthening credential requirements

Enforcing multi-factor authentication

Auditing remote authentications from trusted networks

Logging the use of administrative commands

Enforcing the principles of least privilege

Scanning internet-facing applications for unauthorized access

Monitoring server disk use for significant changes

Logging and monitoring DNS queries

Monitoring Windows event logs and administrative network share mappings

The advisory also contains a list of indicators of compromise associated with known APT40 activity.

China's pattern of malicious cyber activity

In a press release Monday, the White House said that "PRCs pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace is inconsistent with its stated objective of being seen as a responsible leader in the world," blaming the Chinese government not only for hiring hackers for cyberespionage operations, but also its unwillingness to address the criminal activities of those contract hackers who also perform unsanctioned operations.

"As detailed in public charging documents unsealed in October 2018 and July and September 2020, hackers with a history of working for the PRC Ministry of State Security (MSS) have engaged in ransomware attacks, cyber enabled extortion, crypto-jacking, and rank theft from victims around the world, all for financial gain."

The US government and its allies have also attributed, with a high degree of confidence, the cyberattacks exploiting Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities earlier this year to MSS-affiliated cyber operators. Those attacks led to the compromise of over 30,000 organizations and led to the FBI taking the unprecedented step of obtaining a court order that allowed the agency to remotely clean the deployed malware from the infected servers of private entities.

"The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)  which is a part of GCHQ  assessed that it was highly likely that a group known as HAFNIUM, which is associated with the Chinese state, was responsible for the activity," the UK's NCSC said in a press release Monday. The Microsoft Exchange attacks were likely meant to enable large-scale espionage, the agency added.

The NSA and CISA also released a separate advisory that covers not only APT40 techniques, but TTPs associated with all Chinese state-sponsored cyberespionage activity tracked by the agencies.
hartfordphoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Almost 100 new laws came into effect in Connecticut on July 1. Among these laws are the legalization of recreational marijuana as well as a statewide ban on plastic bags.

While some laws will affect residents lives starting now, others won't be enacted until a future date. Tristan's law for ice cream truck safety, for example, has given truck drivers a deadline of May 2022 to make safety changes to their vehicles.
HONG KONG (AP)  U.S. businesses operating in Hong Kong should reassess their operations and decide if the risks of operating there are worth the reward, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press.

Tara Joseph said companies in Hong Kong are caught in the middle of antagonisms between the U.S. and China. Her remarks followed an advisory issued by the U.S. government on Friday warning businesses about risks in the former British colony.

Relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated amid a trade war and mounting tensions over Chinese moves to curb political dissent in Hong Kong. The Biden administration cited Hong Kong's shifting legal landscape and tightening control by the communist ruled government in Beijing as growing risks.

The business landscape has certainly become more complex than it used to be, were definitely in a new normal as far as business goes here, Joseph said.

What is concerning overall, not just with this advisory, would be a constant tit-for-tat between U.S. and China when it comes to Hong Kong . . . (which) in many ways is caught right in the middle, she said.

The U.S. government advisory said operating in Hong Kong could lead to reputational and legal damage and data privacy risks.

Hong Kong authorities slammed it as unfounded fear-mongering, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy and double standards.

Beijing has been walking back freedoms promised for 50 years to Hong Kong when Britain handed the colony over in 1997. The imposition of a sweeping national security law last June has led to the arrests of more than 100 pro-democracy supporters, including Jimmy Lai, whose Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper was forced to close after authorities arrested at least seven of its staff and froze millions of dollars in assets.

Over the past year, Hong Kong authorities have amended electoral laws, arrested most of the citys most prominent pro-democracy activists and banned large-scale protests citing public health risks from the pandemic, despite months of few coronavirus infections. Those moves have drawn criticism from the U.S. and other Western governments.

China has hit back, saying Hong Kong matters are part of Chinas internal affairs and other governments should not interfere.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong represents U.S. business interests in the city. It has doubled down on that commitment, buying a new office to facilitate its work, the organization said last week.

Joseph said the Biden administration's advisory might influence the perspectives of U.S. companies not already operating in Hong Kong. But the city remains an important hub for doing business with mainland China.

Hong Kong has a separate customs territory and ostensibly an independent judicial system, though the recent trend to designate many issues as falling under the National Security Law has experts worried that the city's famed rule of law" is being undermined.

Right now, rule of law is what makes businesses really tick here in an international environment. Commercial law at this point seems very sound and thats very important to the business community, said Joseph.

But any signs of that being unwound or any real changes taking place there could cause a lot of concern, she said.

Joseph said she hoped Hong Kong would manage to maintain those global standards.

So anything that takes away from that can make it harder for Hong Kong to maintain its role, but we hope that there will be an increased understanding and a recognition that its a win-win for people to maintain their businesses here and for Hong Kong to maintain its position as a gateway, she said.
WEST HAVEN  The site of the longstanding and iconic Beach Street eatery Chicks Drive-In has been sold, according to an attorney involved with the sale.

Vincent Amendola, an attorney who represents the estate of Joseph Chick Celentano, said a deal was reached for new ownership on Friday evening.

Its really a piece of West Haven folklore; Chicks Drive-In was there forever, it was really an establishment, Amendola said.

According to Amendola, the purchase was for $1 million.

The eatery ran for 65 years serving split hot dogs, lobster rolls and fried seafood on the citys shoreline. It closed in 2015, four months after Celentanos death. His sons, Joseph and Michael, said it had been their fathers wish that the restaurant close upon his death.

According to the Secretary of the States website, the property was purchased by Amico Group LLC. Principal Stefano Coletta could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Other principals of the ownership group are Michael DelVecchio and Christopher Marone.

Marone told New Haven Biz that while restaurant use has been discussed, no final decisions have been made about use of the site.

Officials with the City Clerks office said they had not received the deed as of Monday afternoon.

Amendola said he worked for Celentano in 1967 by cutting grass outside the restaurant, going on to work for the drive-in for several summers before reconnecting with Celentano to provide him with legal support once he began practicing law.

Come the summertime, every night youd see many fisherman with their lanterns fishing down the beach and oftentimes they would come across a street to get a cup of coffee or bring in a little trophy they caught, he said. It was really a neat place growing up as a kid. Theres a lot of fond memories for a lot of West Haven people in that place.

Alan Olenick, director of the West Haven Chamber of Commerce, said he believes the sale reflects the growing economic revival of the citys shoreline.

I think people are looking to invest, certainly in West Haven, I think for a variety of reasons, he said. People are finding bargains here in housing and on the commercial side, and were still affordable as far as development goes.

With the recent sale of the nearby Savin Rock Plaza strip mall and the state approving an incentive for a private developer to continue building a planned outlet mall on First Avenue, Olenick said the entire area of the city is beginning to grow again.

Mayor Nancy Rossi said the city is getting more interest from developers now, with several setting their sights on the old Debonair Motel on Beach Street.

I think West Haven is turning the corner, she said.

This story includes reporting my Mark Zaretsky. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Connecticuts COVID-19 positivity rate continued to tick upward over the weekend as did the number of people hospitalized, a trend observed across much of the country with vaccination efforts hitting a wall and a more contagious variant of the virus making up majority of new cases.

Data released by the state Monday showed a daily positivity rate in Connecticut of 1.53 percent  the highest since May 13  and an additional six hospitalizations since Friday, bringing the total number of patients hospitalized to 50. The states seven-day positivity rate is the highest its been since May 19.

Health officials say the vast majority of those getting sick and dying are unvaccinated. Los Angeles County became the first major county in the nation to reinstitute its indoor mask mandate, even for those who are vaccinated, in hopes of combatting a spike in cases there, largely due to the highly contagious delta variant.

Gov. Ned Lamont has so far said he does not plan to put in place any new restrictions in Connecticut. But the governor continued to urge residents to be cautious, with about 30 percent of those eligible still not fully vaccinated.

It just reminds you that we still have to be careful. We still have to be able to think fast. We still have to be agile and move on our feet, the governor said Monday at an unrelated news conference in New Canaan.

He said there has not been a decision made on masks in school in the fall.

If there is a large outbreak among unvaccinated groups, it increases the exposure of the vaccinated who are at low, but not zero risk, and creates more possibility that some of them, particularly those that are immunocompromised and may not have had a vigorous response to vaccine, getting ill and possibly requiring hospitalization, Tom Balcezak, chief clinical officer at Yale New Haven Health, said in an emailed statement Monday.

Vaccine distribution and instituting safety protocols in schools such as requiring masks are two of the major reasons Lamont requested his emergency powers, set to expire Tuesday, be extended to Sept. 30, which the General Assembly granted last week. Lamont said Monday that his administration will decide whether to mandate masks for school children in the near future.

Things are changing pretty fast. There is such variability. New Canaan is 99 percent vaccinated. Other places are 45 percent, so we have to figure out what it is. Obviously if youre not vaccinated we strongly say you ought to wear that mask. No question about it and that means all those K-through-8 kids, they should. Whether we mandate it or not we have to figure it out in the next little bit, the governor said.

In addition to vaccinations, Dr. Asha Shah, director of infectious diseases at Stamford Health, said its also critical that we do not cast aside public health measures like masking and social distancing.

These efforts protect people that are not able to get vaccinated like children, and those who are immunocompromised, Shah said Monday in an emailed statement.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidance Monday recommending that children older than age 2 wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

Staff writers Amanda Cuda and Ken Dixon contributed to this report.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
The Israeli surveillance giant NSO Group and companies linked to it or its founders have spent millions of dollars in hopes of wooing their way into the U.S. market, hosting demonstrations for government intelligence officials and hiring Washington's most prominent names despite pledges that its phone-hacking tool can't be used inside the United States.

The company's attempts to secure U.S. contracts appear to have been unsuccessful, with federal and local law enforcement agency representatives saying in emails and interviews that they balked at its Pegasus spyware tool's million-dollar price tag.

But an influential network of Washington consultants, lawyers, lobbyists and other prominent personalities have earned money from the company, its parent company or its founders, a Washington Post review of government and company filings shows. Those beneficiaries include some of the most powerful members of the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations.

Among those who've received payments from NSO or related companies are former chiefs of the Homeland Security and Justice departments, as well as Washington's most prestigious law and public-relations firms, the public filings show.

These political heavyweights have defended NSO's spy tool as an invaluable weapon against terrorists and human traffickers, and they have worked to soften the public image of a company accused in a federal lawsuit of helping spy on allies of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi before his grisly murder in 2018. Reuters reported last year that FBI agents were investigating NSO's role in targeting Americans, though the FBI has not confirmed that report. The agency declined to comment for this article.

In a statement to The Post, NSO said it had retained "top U.S. counsels" to help support its "life-saving mission" but declined to name its government customers or answer questions about its pursuit of contracts inside the United States.

The company said its "products, sold to vetted foreign governments, cannot be used to conduct cybersurveillance within the United States, and no foreign customer has ever been granted technology that would enable them to access phones with U.S. numbers."

NSO, however, continues to look for opportunities in the United States. In Justice Department foreign-agent filings last month, the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman said it had signed a six-month contract, at $75,000 a month, to advise NSO on "potential business partners," "U.S. government procurement regulations" and "assistance with education of government officials about NSO's technology." Two law firm employees on the account, Brian Finch and Nicole Steinberg, advise clients on the Safety Act, a DHS program offering "liability protections to sellers of qualified anti-terrorism technologies." The firm and the two attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.

NSO began pitching U.S. intelligence and police officials on its hacking tool as early as 2014, launching a side company, Westbridge Technologies, with filings in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, state business records and internal emails show.

An early pitch, by company co-founder Omri Lavie, was made in June 2014 to the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to emails revealed through a Freedom of Information Act request and first reported by the tech news site Motherboard. The DEA found it too expensive, and records searches show no contract was signed. The agency declined to comment.

In the years afterward, Westbridge crossed the country in hopes of striking deals with the San Diego and Los Angeles police departments, pitching demos and sending brochures that said it could secretly turn smartphones into an "intelligence gold mine."

A San Diego police sergeant told the company in a 2016 email that while it sounded "awesome," the department couldn't afford "such a large-scale project." Officials at that agency and the LAPD told The Post that the tool was never purchased or used.

NSO had better luck recruiting major U.S. political figures to help secure contracts.

Between 2015 and 2017, NSO's parent company, OSY Technologies, and a previous owner, Francisco Partners, paid roughly $100,000 to Michael Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and future national security adviser to Donald Trump, for what Flynn said was "consulting" work in financial disclosure forms he filed with the Office of Government Ethics in 2017. The filings offered no other details of the work, and NSO did not respond to a question about Flynn's work. Flynn did not respond to requests for comment.

In late 2018, Lavie paid $170,000 to another member of Trump's orbit, Jeff Miller, to lobby members of Congress on "immigration and naturalization" issues, a federal disclosure filing shows. The Republican operative was paid by Lavie Management Co., which is also named on the deed for Lavie's $4 million New Jersey mansion. NSO did not respond to a question about the payment, and Miller did not respond to requests for comment.

In 2019, after a Saudi dissident filed a lawsuit in Israel accusing NSO of helping surveil Khashoggi before his death, the company embarked on a VIP spending spree in hopes of cleaning up its reputation, announcing it had hired three senior advisers to help the company "continue its work to assist governments in fighting serious crime and terrorism": Tom Ridge, the United States' first homeland security secretary; Gerard Araud, France's former ambassador to the United States; and Juliette Kayyem, a Department of Homeland Security official under President Barack Obama.

Criticism over that role led Kayyem, now a CNN national security analyst, to back out as a contributor to The Post's opinion section. Kayyem said she had worked to help ensure NSO's spy tool "protected and respected" human rights and told The Post this month that she only served as an adviser on company policies and conducted no government work. (All three no longer work with the company, citing short-term contracts.) Ridge and Araud did not respond to requests for comment.

The company also hired SKDK, a public relations firm widely used in Democratic campaigns, to defend its "commitment to an ethical business framework." The firm's co-founder, Anita Dunn, was a communications director for Obama's White House and now works as a senior adviser to President Biden. The firm, which worked with NSO for less than a year in 2019, declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

NSO's parent, OSY, which is headquartered in Luxembourg, also paid Obama's homeland security secretary, Jeh Johnson, to review the company's new Human Rights Policy. Johnson, a partner at the elite law firm Paul, Weiss, gave his stamp of approval, saying it appeared to be "substantially aligned" with United Nations principles. An official U.N. expert was less celebratory, saying it did not address the "legacy of harm perpetuated as a result of NSO Group's failure to ensure that its technology is used responsibly." Johnson declined to comment.

When WhatsApp sued NSO on accusations that it had helped hack 1,400 of the messaging app's users, NSO enlisted another influential law firm, King & Spalding, to lead its legal defense. Among the company's advisers: Rod J. Rosenstein, Trump's deputy attorney general from 2017 to 2019, during which he decried the "lawless" attack on Khashoggi and oversaw the FBI. Rosenstein did not respond to requests for comment.

Q Cyber Technologies, which NSO says it is a subsidiary of, has also benefited from the legal services of Dan Jacobson, whom the Biden administration in March named general counsel for the Office of Administration, financial disclosure filings show. A White House official said Jacobson has no current involvement with the company. The White House and the law firm did not respond to requests for comment.

Q Cyber also signed a $120,000-a-month contract in late 2019 with Mercury Public Affairs, a firm that employs former members of Congress as lobbyists for companies such as the U.S. subsidiary of Hikvision, a Chinese surveillance giant the Biden administration has accused of supporting China's military.

In Justice Department filings in January, Mercury said it provided Q Cyber "strategic consulting" and "crisis management" services related to ongoing or future litigation or regulatory action. Mercury listed dozens of NSO-related emails and interviews with journalists in the last half of 2020, including from Ian McCaleb, a Mercury managing director who once worked for the Justice Department's criminal division. Mercury and McCaleb did not respond to requests for comment.

Westbridge is registered as an active U.S. federal contractor, though no contracts can be found in government spending data. Its Maryland branch was dissolved in 2019, and its Virginia branch has only one name on its business filing: Adam Hanasky, a lawyer who said he is no longer associated with the firm.

Much about NSO's U.S. presence, however, remains a mystery. NSO's parent OSY said Westbridge lost $30,000 in 2016 and 2017 but made a total of $700,000 in profit in 2018 and 2019, according to business records in Luxembourg. The filings could not be independently confirmed and do not say where the money came from.

NSO said in a statement that Westbridge is "part of the NSO group." But Stephen Rodriguez, who said he joined Westbridge as chairman of the board last month, said the company has no current involvement with NSO and works with other companies owned by Novalpina Capital, the London-based private equity firm that owns a majority stake in NSO.

Westbridge and NSO, he said, are both subsidiaries of OSY but operate as separate companies. Westbridge, he said, is now used to "support Novalpina business development in North and South America" around cybersecurity, public safety and defense contracts.

- - -

The Pegasus Project is a collaborative investigation that involves more than 80 journalists from 17 news organizations coordinated by Forbidden Stories with the technical support of Amnesty International's Security Lab.
BANGKOK (AP)  Officials in Thailand further tightened coronavirus restrictions on Monday in response to an alarming rise in cases and deaths that is stressing the countrys health care system.

City officials in Bangkok, the capital, ordered a range of establishments to close completely from Tuesday for two weeks or until further notice. They include museums, cinemas, amusement parks, fitness centers and swimming pools. Beauty parlors and barber shops may operate but must limit the numbers of customers, and public parks can stay open until 8 p.m.

Restaurants have already been limited to takeout service since June 28.

Violations of the citys regulations are punishable by up to a years imprisonment and a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($3,040).

Bangkok and other provinces that have been the most severely affected by the current virus surge, which includes ones neighboring the capital and three in the far south, already ban gatherings of more than five people, require residents to remain at home from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., and forbid unnecessary travel.

Other provinces can set their own rules.

Health authorities on Monday announced 11,784 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the confirmed total to 415,170 since the pandemic began last year. There were 81 new deaths, raising the total to 3,422. More than 90% of the cases and deaths have occurred during the wave of the virus that began in April.

The sharp rise in cases has caused a severe shortage of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, prompting the authorities to allow patients to isolate at home and in community centers, and giving them access to antigen test kits that were previously limited to the medical community. The situation has been exacerbated by a shortage of vaccines that has resulted in only about 5% of the population being fully inoculated.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has ordered a halt to all domestic flights operating from the most severely affected provinces effective Wednesday. Exceptions are allowed for flights to destinations that are part of a plan that allows vaccinated travelers from abroad to stay for two weeks on popular islands such as Phuket and Samui without quarantine confinement.
Thank you for tuning in to episode 115 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by our friends at CUES. CUES is the leading talent development solutions provider to the credit union industry.

My guest on todays show is Lauren Culp, our very own Publisher & CEO here at CUInsight.com. In this episode, we chat about all things leadership: insights and tips for first time CEOs, leading through a global crisis, and successfully working with your board.

In terms of the board relationship, Lauren shares tools to help CEOs recognize the needs of the board and grow strong relationships while understanding their differences. She believes that a great leader should keep in contact with the board regularly, so much so that meetings become mostly a formality.

While it is not difficult to find purpose in the credit union industry, Lauren maintains purpose by asking herself, What can I continue to do to make a measurable impact? She believes that the pandemic has given leaders a unique way to stay connected to both members and the mission. We discuss the evolving importance of digital experience and ease of use in delivering on the credit union cornerstone of stellar member service. Lauren believes that challenging the status quo and anticipating member needs is critical to our industrys success.

As we wrap up the show, Lauren shares insights for new CEOs and debunks a few leadership myths. We journey through Laurens non-traditional career path and learn about where she draws inspiration. Lauren shares activities she enjoys outside of the office that keep her recharged and who she thinks of now when she hears the word success. Enjoy my conversation with Lauren Culp!

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Lauren:

Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight

lculp@cuinsight.com

www.cuinsight.com

LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | The CUInsight Network podcast

Show notes from this episode:

A big shout-out to our friends at CUES, an amazing sponsor of The CUInsight Experience podcast. Thank you!

After listening to our show, check out the CUES podcast here.

The CUES podcast features a wide variety of industry leaders, and cross-industry experts discussing their perspectives on credit union topics and trends.

Register for Mini-Con Series: GROW and catch the replay of past sessions here.

Shout-out: Brian Lee, Landings CU

Shout-out: David Miller

Shout-out: Peloton

Shout-out: Tesla

Shout-out: Julie Ferguson, JRF Consulting Services

Follow Julie on Instagram here.

Shout-out: Filene Research Institute

Shout-out: ACCOSCA, Kenya

Place mentioned: Bonaire

Place mentioned: Denver, Colorado

Shout-out: Google

Shout-out: Facebook

Shout-out: Amazon

Shout-out: Lauren MacVay, True North FCU

Place mentioned: Juneau, Alaska

Shout-out: CUNA GAC

Shout-out: The Daily Skimm

Shout-out: Morning Brew

Shout-out: John Pettit

Shout-out: Robbie Young

Shout-out: Courtney Scott

Shout-out: Linda Lafortune

Shout-out: Madison, Wisconsin

Shout-out: Nespresso

Shout-out: Michelle Obama

Shout-out: Jill Nowacki

Book mentioned: The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter by Michael Watkins

Book mentioned: What Your Customer Wants and Cant Tell You: Unlocking Consumer Decisions with the Science of Behavioral Economics (Marketing Research) by Melina Palmer

Playlist mentioned: Lewis Capaldi Radio

Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Julie Ferguson, Melina Palmer, Jill Nowacki (episodes 4, 18, 37, 64, 82, 101, & 113)

In This Episode:

[02:25]  Lauren and Randy catch up on what the last two years were like. Lauren shares how she felt about being a first-year CEO.

[04:36]  What does Lauren want to say to anyone who hopes to be a CEO?

[05:54]  To communicate well with your board members, talk their language, and know what is valuable to the individual members.

[07:48]  Lauren finds pockets of time to allow herself to think strategically; this way, she is not in a reactive mode all day.

[10:03]  Work and life can coexist.

[11:51]  Lauren explains how the concept of a wolf pack is related to her life and career.

[14:50]  Purpose is built into the culture of Credit Unions, so Lauren finds purpose to be a natural extension of her efforts.

[17:25]  Lauren emphasizes that people should focus on interacting as humans, instead of treating it as worker bee to worker bee.

[19:06]  From a team perspective, Lauren is proud of the growth, strategy, and community of the talent shes encountered.

[21:02]  For engaging an audience, virtual methods of connecting arent going anywhere.

[22:40]  What are Laurens observations of the current credit union industry?

[24:34]  Sometimes people cant tell you what they want, you have to tell them what they want.

[26:05]  Lauren originally had a childhood dream to be a librarian. She started working in credit unions to get tuition reimbursement for college.

[28:26]  Lauren likes how connected CUInsight is to the credit union community. Shes inspired to connect digitally and grow together.

[30:12]  Lauren is constantly inspired by how the team is testing and iterating new ideas.

[32:17]  Lauren is always open to hearing different perspectives from her team.

[34:00]  Natural-born Leader is a phrase that Lauren feels people should be careful of using. She says that the phrase can make it easy to misunderstand the intentionality and hard work of leadership.

[35:37]  Lauren talks about how she incorporates physical activity, like exercising, to bring balance to her life.

[37:10]  When she thinks about it, Lauren is proud that she did not do life the traditional way.

[39:41]  Lauren shares that she stole chalk in 3rd grade, and she tells us the sweet reason why.

[41:43]  What books are Lauren reading lately?

[44:27]  Dont ever be afraid to challenge the status quo.
SHAWNA KAY RODENBERG

SalonJUNE 26, 2021The only time I saw Brother Sam in person, he was marching like a soldier as he preached, with sweat running like tears from his temples and the Bible a heavy brick in his right hand.It was 1978, I was five, and my family had traveled to Lubbock, Texas, for a Body Convention, which was what we called the semi-annual gatherings of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of members of The Body, or Body of Christ, an expansive network of charismatic communities created almost singlehandedly by Brother Sam.My family lived on a Body Farm, a mostly off-grid outpost on the northern shore of Lake Superior, where I grew up singing, clapping, hollering and dancing in the Tabernacle aisles as shamelessly as King David. In our insular community, Holy Spirit-led practices like speaking in tongues, visions, prophecies, laying on hands and faith healing, altar calls, mass conversions, river baptisms and even demon deliverance were as commonplace as eating or sleeping or, for us children, playing with smooth stones in the frigid stream at the edge of the woods. Back then, if you had asked me if church scared me, I would have been confused by the question, and I would have said no. In retrospect, I was scared all the time.If this were a face-to-face conversation, you might stop me here, as many have. "So, you grew up in a cult," you might say, hoping to preface any further conversation with a caveat that my religious experience had to have been uniquely harrowing, an aberration of wholesome, mainstream American Christianity. After all, unlike The Body, most denominations and church networks don't ask parishioners to sell their possessions and tithe half, or even all of their savings. Most pastors don't nudge their congregations as Brother Sam did into the wilderness, and demand that they pare their lives down to the most ascetic essentials  plain clothes, plain food, no TV, no holidays, no toys. Perhaps most importantly, most people in 2021 don't believe in spiritual warfare reminiscent of the Dark Ages; they are not warned by their spiritual leaders that they are under assault by demons and the Devil at every turn. If you're a Christian, you'd probably want to put as much distance as possible between The Body and whatever church you belong to. If not, you'd need reassurance that my experiences with religion are extraordinary  the stuff memoirs are made of.But, only a couple years ago, Franklin Graham, son of "America's Pastor," Billy Graham, declared any criticism of former president Donald Trump to be the work of demonic powers. The following year, one of the president's closest evangelical advisors, Paula White, publicly commanded "all satanic pregnancies to miscarry." Polling in recent decades indicates that around half of all Americans continue to believe that the Devil and demonic possession are very real, and though some recent numbers suggest that figure may be lower among Democrats, the percentage of Americans who believe in the Devil rose from 55 percent in 1990 to 70 percent in 2007  as of 2018, even Catholic exorcisms appear to be on the rise. Around half of all Americans believe the Bible should influence U.S. laws, and 68 percent of white evangelical Protestants believe the Bible should take precedence over the will of the people. In other words, if you find yourself talking to an American Christian, chances are they have been reared in the fear of making a wrong move, of choosing the wrong side, and believe that doing so could have nightmarish results in this life and the next. Chances are that fear is so deeply ingrained that it no longer registers as fear. Fear is simply the lens through which they view the world.I had a friend in college who liked to call me Jonestown after she heard my story. But she'd grown up in Kentucky like I did after my family left communal life, and the longer I knew her, the more I came to understand that the preachers of her childhood were virtually interchangeable with Brother Sam, that the only difference between her church and mine was devotion, the degree of commitment to doctrine. In my church, we were instructed to live out our beliefs one step at a time, then another, then another, but they were the same beliefs my friend had. Long after my family "left" The Body, whether we were holding home church, attending Body Conventions, or going to regular services in Pentecostal, Baptist and Methodist churches, I was 19 and in college before I encountered a single person who challenged the doctrine I was raised in, and I've since had similar experiences in urban Virginia, rural New Hampshire, and suburban Indiana where I now live. Classifying American Christians into the imaginary phyla of cults and not-cults, of dangerous, fringy, irregular churches and a safe, mainstream, religious majority is a terrible mistake and just as dangerous as extremism itself.In fact, religious extremism has been if not the then a national norm for the duration of my lifetime. In my experience, you only need press most Christians for a few minutes before you encounter many of the "strange and sinister" beliefs that are supposed to be a marker of cults. This is why unlearning religious extremism in America is so difficult, and often takes a lifetime  akin, I imagine, trying to be sober in a brewery. If more than three quarters of all American evangelicals believe we are living in the End Times described in the Bible, then it is not only probable but inevitable that some of those believers will take action and remove themselves and their families from the corrupt, materialistic, Babylonian world. Likewise, if the Bible was written by the finger of God, as I was taught, then questioning it  in fact, questioning anything about the church and church leaders, from the authenticity of teachings by men like Brother Sam to the sincerity of whichever right-leaning politicians are being praised in the pulpit, might render a believer vulnerable to unseen "powers and principalities" that circle above us like vultures, eager for our destruction.Samuel Drew Fife III was an ordinary man who wielded extraordinary power over his followers. His parents were blue collar Floridians, and like many veterans of the Second World War, he returned home to them from battle emotionally and spiritually cored, nursing an existential void that must have made the task of assembling an ordinary life for himself feel impossibly daunting. Understandably, only something as grand and incomprehensible as God could have matched the breadth of that void, shoring up the shaken world in fervent black-and-white certainty. Such was the experience of millions in the wake of the wars of the 20th century  this is the rock upon which Latter Rain and subsequent Charismatic churches were built.In 1957, in a Baptist seminary in New Orleans, Sam would learn how to weaponize his own fear and cast himself as a savior of souls in the spiritual battle he imagined raging around him, and demons were an important part of this education. In 1960, he submitted a graduate thesis to Tulane University that described his personal anointing with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the "rain" of the Later Rain, and detailed his successful deliverance, as he saw it, of Jane Miller, a mentally ill mother of six, from her demons. Many people with mental illness, after hearing tapes of Jane's deliverance sessions, would flock to Brother Sam for healing. I grew up listening to those and other similar tapes, and eventually, more than a decade after Brother Sam's death, when Jane Miller tried to deliver me from my own demons at a Body Convention in Chicago, it felt like he was present throughout the ordeal. After all, he had delivered Jane, and she was delivering me.In 1971, just as my father was returning from Vietnam, Billy Graham delivered a message in Dallas, Texas, called "The Devil and Demons," and in the same year, Brother Sam began preaching the End Times that were already a staple of Billy's Crusades. Both men, and many, many other preachers like Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson, and Jim Bakker, all technically outside the Body, and Buddy Cobb, John Henson, and Doug McClain, all inside The Body, saw the polluted, diseased, war-torn world as proof that a Great Tribulation was fast approaching. All taught the very biblical duality-laden concepts of demonology, of believer/nonbeliever, of us/them. And nearly all would fall from grace, charged with numerous crimes from fraud to solicitation to sexual misconduct to kidnapping, though believe me when I say that those falls never mean an end but a beginning, a new flush of pastors, rebranded, contemporized, fortified now by social media, and every bit as eager to wield fear as a weapon in the endless crusade for power.Maybe I grew up with the Jane Tapes, but millions of Americans cut their teeth on similar messages from countless other pastors, mainstream or not. Not every extreme form of Christianity ends with cyanide Kool-Aid in Guyana. The rapid growth and clout of QAnon is another potential outcome, proof that a legion of pastors have spent decades nudging faithful Americans in the direction of paranoia, conspiracy theories and ultimately the dismantling of a government they insist is on the wrong side. If between 15 to 20 percent of Americans believe the government is controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, and that an apocalyptic storm will soon sweep away the evil elites and restore "rightful leaders" to power, America's pastors are why. The Body became The Move became the IMA, or International Ministerial Association: corporate, benign and dull as toast to the untrained eye, but still holding conventions in Lubbock and elsewhere, still raising up a generation, at this very moment, to believe what I believed for so long, to understand the world beyond the shelter of the church as hostile, malevolent and scary  a worldview I still wrestle with from time to time.Even decades after my last Body Convention, when I began working as an ER nurse, every time I was assigned a patient with hallucinations of demons or The Devil, I had to exorcise myself of the belief in them. I often passed the hours of those shifts in a kind of extended adrenaline surge. I remember one patient in particular who had attacked her husband with a chainsaw and saw demons in the corners of the locked hospital room where I was caring for her. "There he is!" she kept whispering, pointing behind me, her eyes registering a presence there, her expression shifting dynamically from glare to terror and back to glare. I had to concentrate not to feel the presence, too, to slow my breathing and repeat to myself, "She's just sick, that's all. Just sick, like any other patient."SHAWNA KAY RODENBERGShawna Kay Rodenberg is the author of "," out now from Bloomsbury. She holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and her reviews and essays have appeared in Consequence, Salon, the Village Voice, and Elle. In 2016, Shawna was awarded the Jean Ritchie Fellowship, the largest monetary award given to an Appalachian writer, and in 2017 she was the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer's Award. A registered nurse, community college English instructor, mother of five, and grandmother of two, she lives on a hobby goat farm in southern Indiana.
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Ransomware Gang REvil Is Cancelled

A number of websites for a Russian-linked ransomware gang that has been accused of attacks on hundreds of businesses worldwide has now gone offline. The cyber crime group has collected tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments in return for restoring computer systems it has hacked.

A payment website and REvil s group blog now do not work and this may perhaps be a result the group being focused upon by various Russian government authorities. This coincides with growing pressure by the US on Russia over cyber crime.

Ransomware sites can be unreliable, and it was unclear whether the site's disappearance was a momentary fluke or whether the hackers had downed tools or been removed from the internet by someone else. Both the group's payment portal and its blog, which named and shamed their victims who refused to pay the ransoms they demanded, were unreachable.



US President Joe Biden said he raised the issue with Vladimir Putin during a phone call after discussing the subject during a summit with the Russian president in Geneva last month. Mr Biden told reporters that he had spoken with President Putin and "made it very clear to him...we expect them to act" on information before the US would potentially attack the operators.

The news comes just days after White House press secretary Jen Psaki made it clear during a news conference that the US would take action against the groups if Russia did not.

The timing of has sparked speculation that either the US or Russian officials may have taken action against REvil, although officials have so far declined to comment and cyber experts say sudden disappearances of groups are not necessarily uncommon.

The development comes after a series of high-profile ransomware attacks which have hit major US businesses this year for which the FBI hold REvil - also known as Sodinokibi - of being behind.

The group is considered prolific and recently targeted IT firm Kaseya and hundreds more businesses worldwide. It is not clear what led to the websites of the ransomware-as-service group going down. Visitors to the sites, which had recently been active, were greeted with messages saying, A server with the specified hostname could not be found.

Reuters: BBC: CNBC: Yahoo: NDTV:

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Mr. Charles Henry Payne, age 72, of Chatsworth passed away July 18, 2021, at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga TN. Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Wade and Nola Payne: brother, Raymond Bryson Payne, sister. Delores Dianne Queen. He is survived by his wife, Judy Belinda Payne:
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Andrea Doria's foghorn will sound again, thanks to Kennett Square man
It's a sight I feared I might never see again. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, bare faced in public.

But there they were  the next king of the UK and his mask-hating wife  with their faces on full display as they mingled with members of the public INSIDE Exeter Cathedral.

Once such an engagement would not be noteworthy.

Today it meant the world.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were sending us all a bold message: The government and our politicians might be paralysed with indecision but, while the law allows us, we MUST get back to normal.

So on Freedom Day they gloriously returned to duty mask-free.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla with their faces on full display as they mingle with members of the public inside Exeter Cathedral today

As leaders at Westminster blustered and attempted to score cheap political points, Charles and Camilla were delighted as they reunited with their public at close proximity for the first time in 16 months.

Perhaps it should be no surprise that the Royal Family would provide the most sensible example to the rest of the country at such a significant moment in our modern history.

After all, they've stepped up at every perilous moment for Britain over the course of this pandemic.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's decision to rip off the masks and return to normal was a much-needed beacon of common sense - in stark contrast to the government's own catastrophically confused response that has seen the Prime Minister locked up in his own country home, a victim of his own ridiculous NHS contact tracing programme.

Because aside from the royals' example and the joyous pictures of young people returning in their droves to nightclubs, Freedom Day has felt hollow.

And for that we can blame Track and Trace that is damning the country to chaos and carnage, just as our leaders told us we should be learning to live with coronavirus given the success of our world-beating vaccine programme.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday) bottled it by pressing ahead with Freedom Day but leaving the Track and Trace scheme in place for another month

I'm not ashamed to say I've never switched on the godforsaken biosecurity app, well aware that it's a 40 billion white elephant mucking up people's lives rather than genuinely stopping the spread of Covid.

Sadly, Boris bottled it by pressing ahead with Freedom Day but leaving the Track and Trace scheme in place for another month, effectively wiping out many of the benefits of scrapping lockdown.

Let's hope that during his completely futile ten days locked away from his advisers and his fellow citizens at Chequers, he realises the system must be ditched immediately if we are to have any hope of a path back to normality.

Nothing about it adds up. Despite predictable soaring cases, hospitalisations and deaths are at a tiny fraction of the rate of previous waves, with the case-fatality rate having been reduced 12-fold.

The vaccines work, even against the fast-spreading Delta variant. Hence Freedom Day.

it's so refreshing to see Charles and Camilla urging Brits to follow them back towards normality

But if all the numbers show that the vaccines succeed in keeping people out of ICUs why are still continuing to treat Covid-19 as a lethal plague?

Those subjected to the dastardly test and tracers are prisoners in their own home for 24 hours a day over the course of ten days.

How idiotic for folk who have been double vaccinated, have natural immunity thanks to a previous Covid infection or who have tested negative on a so-called gold standard PCR test.

Even the biggest doom merchant scientific advisers find it hard to make a case for the NHS being overwhelmed during what is an inevitable exit wave of the virus, largely spreading like wildfire through the young who mostly have no idea they're infected until being tested.

It's completely schizophrenic. Either Covid is still a mortal threat, in which case we should still be in lockdown, or it isn't. In which case we need to start treating it as just another respiratory disease, like flu.

But at the moment, we have the worst of both worlds.

Aside from the royals' example and the joyous pictures of young people returning in their droves to nightclubs (Astoria in Portsmouth is pictured), Freedom Day has felt hollow

No wonder one anonymous Cabinet minister upped the rhetoric today, saying the UK is no longer facing a 'pingdemic' but rather 'ping-mageddon'.

Supermarkets, restaurants, nightclubs, theatre productions, factories and offices are all being shut down due to the number of staff being forced to isolate.

If a test and release scheme was considered good enough for the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak before their mortifying u-turn, then why the hell is it not allowed for the rest of us?

Sadly, if you want to know why the government doesn't have the guts to follow its own logic, just turn on the TV.

Rather than pointing out the ludicrous nature of the current restrictions and emphasising the lack of deaths and hospitalisations compared to previous waves, the broadcast media is once again upping the hysteria.

The lead headline on a Sky News bulletin earlier today was: 'Freedom Day but for how long?'

What the hell?

When did the media elite agree that our freedoms are the government's to take away?

It's beginning to look, as I have feared for the past 16 months, like we've been fundamentally changed by the pandemic.

Many privileged folk don't want to have to mix with people who they consider to be the great unwashed and are more than happy with a work from home world in their posh houses.

But, despite what much of the media might tell you, the most irresponsible now are the people who insist normality must not resume.

They are changing our culture and society unnecessarily in a whole load of inexplicable ways.

That's why it's so refreshing to see Charles and Camilla urging Brits to follow them back towards normality.

Camilla had spoken for the silenced majority last week when she, pointing to her fashionable muzzle, admitted she 'can't wait to get rid of these' things during a public engagement.

And, while it has been largely ignored by the mainstream media, experts are increasingly questioning the efficacy of masks, which I believe have become a sign of virtue signalling rather than virus control.

Dr Colin Aston, a scientist advising Sage on ventilation, said over the weekend that face coverings are simply 'comfort blankets' not backed up by science, with gaps of up to 500,000 times the size of viral Covid particles.

He told The Daily Telegraph: 'The small sizes are not easily understood but an imperfect analogy would be to imagine marbles fired at builders' scaffolding, some might hit a pole and rebound, but obviously most will fly through.

A Covid viral particle is around 100 nanometres, material gaps in blue surgical masks are up to 1,000 times that size, cloth mask gaps can be 500,000 times the size.'

So Charles and Camilla were absolutely right, both morally and scientifically, to rip their masks off today.

I'm delighted they'll continue to do so in all settings not mandated by the law.

As a Palace source said before their unmasked visit: 'This will be the first time in 18 months that we are seeing a return to normality. We'll be looking forwards, not backwards.'

It's clear the Royal Family know all too well the importance of reclaiming normality before it's too late.

Now it's time for the Prime Minister to do the same.
There was something horribly familiar about the up-close-and-personal video Boris put out from Chequers on Sunday afternoon.

My first thought was that there's a touch of the Blair Witch Project about it. The dishevelled, slightly manic, appearance. The hint of blind panic in the eyes.

Then the penny dropped. Boris's Madman In The Attic act was an action replay of his father Stanley's appearance in the Bush Telegraph box on I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here!

Boris initially thought he could play his joker  an exclusive pilot testing scheme which allows a select few, including those who work in Downing Street, to dodge quarantine

Boris has certainly been hoist with his own petard. He's having to self-isolate because he was pinged after coming into contact with Sajid Javid, who celebrated his appointment as Health Secretary by testing positive for Covid

Back in 2017, Johnson Senior turned up on ITV's Australian jungle reality show. For the uninitiated, the Bush Telegraph is a section of the programme in which contestants share their most intimate thoughts and fears with viewers. Stanley confessed that he was suffering from a severe case of cheese and wine withdrawal.

On Sunday, it was Boris's turn. He was self-isolating at his country residence after being pinged by the Test and Trace app.

For some reason, he decided it would be a good idea to film a message to the nation on his mobile phone.

Perhaps he was bored. Perhaps, like his dad, he was craving a chunk of mature cheddar and a bottle of burgundy. Maybe he's contracted ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

If he's already climbing the walls of the spare bedroom at Chequers, he has no one to blame but himself.

Boris has certainly been hoist with his own petard. He's having to self-isolate because he was pinged after coming into contact with Sajid Javid, who celebrated his appointment as Health Secretary by testing positive for Covid.

Talk about throwing yourself into a new job. Contracting the virus you've been hired to eradicate is dedication above and beyond the call of duty.

Boris initially thought he could play his joker  an exclusive pilot testing scheme which allows a select few, including those who work in Downing Street, to dodge quarantine.

But he thought better of it  or was persuaded otherwise  when it became glaringly obvious this would only fuel allegations that there's one set of rules for ministers and another for all the rest of us.

So up the wooden steps to Bedfordshire trudged Boris, despite the fact that he's not only had both jabs, he's had Covid and is brimming with antibodies.

Of course, the sensible thing to do would be to scrap the whole Test and Trace nonsense, which is crippling the economy and causing millions of perfectly healthy people to stay away from work.

But having blown the thick end of 40 billion setting it up, they were always going to use it come hell or high water.

So we've ended up with the absurdity of the Prime Minister holed up in the box room at Chequers on the very day the country was supposed to regain its freedom. Rather than delivering the Churchillian speech he had planned, Boris has been reduced to communicating via Zoom and Twitter. Once again, he's managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Government's inconsistent, muddled handling of our route out of lockdown has resembled an elaborate game of snakes and ladders. Just when we think we've climbed out of the abyss, we start slithering backwards again.

If he's already climbing the walls of the spare bedroom at Chequers, he has no one to blame but himself

Yesterday was so-called 'Freedom Day'. Yet because of the pingdemic, businesses all over the country were forced to close and essential services were disrupted by a desperate shortage of staff ordered to stay at home by the app.

Ministers have already dropped self-isolation rules for health and social care workers to prevent the NHS collapsing. Test and Trace has been posing a greater threat to NHS services than Covid itself.

Why not just abandon the whole, disastrous shooting match?

That, however, would require leadership. And leadership is something that is sadly lacking right now.

Boris is still being buffeted every which way by 'the science'.

Despite his best intentions, the road to freedom remains littered with potholes and in some respects is simply lockdown by another name. As John Junor, late of this parish, used to ask: Who's in charge of the clattering train?

While he cowers in self-isolation, it's apparent that Boris isn't even in control of his own immediate destiny, let alone that of the nation. He needs to get a grip.

Those of us who are eternally grateful to Boris for securing Brexit and seeing off the Corbyn menace take no pleasure in tipping a bucketload of warm ordure over him.

But our patience is wearing thin. Even his close colleagues have no idea what he's going to do next. Imagine, for instance, being one of his hapless ministers sent out on the morning media round.

They confidently tell broadcasters one thing, only to be overruled by the Prime Minister a couple of hours later. Half the time he doesn't even keep his official spokesman in the loop.

For now, this might seem to be a media/Westminster fixation. But as a result of the Test and Trace fiasco, it's beginning to cut through outside the Bubble.

Boris's USP has always been his carefully cultivated buffoonery and colourful use of language. Now, though, both are bordering on self-parody. As I wrote here recently, it's one thing playing the fool, quite another taking us for fools.

In Sunday's hostage video, Boris looked as if he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. Less artfully arranged mop-top, more Worzel Gummidge.

And consider his bizarre 'levelling up' speech last week, when he drivelled on about 'yeast, the magic sauce, the ketchup of catch-up'. Complete gibberish.

Boris's former sidekick Dominic Cummings has compared him to a 'shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to another' and says he's not fit to be Prime Minister.

Of course, Cummings was thoroughly discredited when he broke lockdown rules and drove to Barnard Castle 'to test his eyesight'. Even though Boris defended him at the time, the two men fell out spectacularly. So there's an ocean of bad blood there.

But Cummings has been closer to Boris than anyone apart from Carrie. And just because it's Cummings saying it, that doesn't mean it isn't true.

From the outside looking in, there's something about Boris's recent erratic behaviour which resembles the last days of Donald Trump, described in compelling detail in a new book by Michael Wolff.

Now he's entered his Madman In The Attic phase, we can only wonder what lies ahead. Will BoJo recapture his mojo, or has he had enough already?

As he peers through the window of his self-imposed prison cell, is he thinking to himself: I'm The Prime Minister . . . Get Me Out Of Here!

The latest bright idea from the road pricing lobby is that vehicles should be fitted with a meter which charges motorists according to the number of times the wheels go round.

Has it occurred to them that would mean cars with bigger wheels would pay less than, say, Minis?

The cheapest mile-for-mile option would be to buy one of those giant Lamborghini tractors, like Jeremy Clarkson.

You say you want a revolution . . .

Who's the Daddy, Mummy?

Apple has unveiled a pregnant man emoji in a nod to the trans agenda. Complete with moustache, it looks a bit like Ned Flanders, Homer's next-door neighbour in The Simpsons.

There's also a 'bearded person' option, which allows users to choose between a male or female face.

The only place you used to see a bearded woman was in a circus. But we must move with our enlightened times.

Apple has unveiled a pregnant man emoji in a nod to the trans agenda. Complete with moustache

There is, however, nothing new about the pregnant man. As long ago as 1970, Saatchi & Saatchi created a pregnant man poster for the Family Planning Association, with the slogan: 'Would you be more careful if it was you who got pregnant?'

It caused quite a sensation at the time. Back then no one would ever have suggested that men could give birth.

Fast forward 50 years and anyone these days who suggests otherwise is likely to be cancelled on Twitter, hounded out of their job and arrested for committing a 'hate crime'.

Bring on the bearded lady!
The British public have abided by every rule imposed on them since the first lockdown back in March 2020. For the past 18 months, we have patiently waited for the freedom we were told a successful vaccination programme would bring.

A vaccination programme that turned out to be world-leading, protecting us all from serious illness and death. A vaccination programme that was hailed as an example for other countries to follow.

But no one is following us now. In fact, other countries are powering away. Over the past 18 months, tens of millions of us made sacrifices  agreeing to be separated from our loved ones, some of whom we would never see again.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle speaks at a news conference at Heathrow Airport in London, Britain, May 17, 2021

No wonder were all so confused by the constant changes in the Governments approach. It feels like one set of rules apply in one area of life and another set of rules in another

My inbox remains full of emails from customers who still cannot travel to see their family and friends, take a holiday or do business because of the restrictions imposed on their freedom. All of our lives have been put on hold  lives, that, according to the Governments Freedom Day, we should now be able to continue, sensibly assessing risk for ourselves.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly praised the UKs vaccine rollout as an enabler for Global Britain  a way of putting the UK back on the map and taking economic advantage of the great progress weve made.

As Freedom Day approached, the Government indicated that it was up to us now to take personal responsibility for our actions, assessing the risk ourselves and acting sensibly. But the decisions in relation to travel are the exact opposite  the goalposts are constantly shifting, leaving none of us with the certainty we need to plan our lives and our businesses.

No wonder were all so confused by the constant changes in the Governments approach. It feels like one set of rules apply in one area of life and another set of rules in another.

The vaccination programme should have given us the confidence to get back in the air, but we remain largely in a holding pattern thanks to the lack of transparency in decision-making.

Countries have been on the green list, off the green list, moved without notice to the amber list  and then, on Friday, another last-minute change saw France become the only country on the amber list to have to follow the original rules pre-July 19. Meanwhile, our European neighbours are way ahead.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly praised the UKs vaccine rollout as an enabler for Global Britain  a way of putting the UK back on the map and taking economic advantage of the great progress weve made

Livelihoods depend on the travel industry which directly supports 1.5million British jobs and a much wider import and export industry  one the UK depends upon

Travel bookings in Germany are currently at 60 per cent of 2019 levels and in France 48 per cent. In the UK they are 16 per cent  the lowest of all the European markets.

FIgures like these show just how impossibly difficult our customers are finding the rapid and inexplicable changes in rules for travel.

The reality is that life is not returning to normal and our freedom to travel is curtailed. We have every reason to have faith in the vaccines ability to combat coronavirus variants. Scientists say the vaccine data is encouraging and they are able to prevent serious illness, hospitalisation and death against the South African Beta variant.

We and our customers deserve a transparent and consistent way forward to plan with certainty. If not now, when will individuals be trusted to take personal responsibility?

Livelihoods depend on the travel industry which directly supports 1.5million British jobs and a much wider import and export industry  one the UK depends upon.

Global Britain is stalling. If we want it to take off, get us on the runway.

Sean Doyle is chairman and chief executive of British Airways
No matter what your plans are for the school holidays - be it hitting the beach or whiling away the hours in the park with family and friends - its important that everyone from parents to tiny tots stay safe in the sunshine.

Why? Because only 30% of people think sun protection is necessary for the amount of sun exposure they have, leading to fears of a likely rise in skin damage cases. The UK may not be Majorca, but the suns rays are still harmful wherever you are - especially for kids!

To make sure were all protected, we reveal why keeping you and your little explorers protected in the sun is so important, and talk to a consultant dermatologist who shares her five simple tips for a safe but fun summer.

Too hot to handle

School's out AND sun's out! Make sure all the family can have a summer to remember by staying safe in the sunshine

After over a year confined to our homes and some truly abysmal weather, were finally promised scorching sunshine - and just as the schools break up for the summer, too.

Its definitely weather worth celebrating. However, nearly a fifth of Brits intend to use less or no sun protection in order to catch up on all the tanning weather theyve missed out on so far.

This is just one of the many concerns raised in Garnier Ambre Solaires Sun Care Census*, a study of over 15,000 people across Europe which highlights a deliberate decline in sun protection use, triggering concerns among experts that there will be a significant spike in skin damage this year.

While a bit of sunshine is good for mind, body and soul (not to mention being a brilliant source of vitamin D), it pays to be careful - particularly when it comes to our little ones.

Garnier Ambre Solaire: Protecting families Garnier Ambre Solaire has been the expert in suncare innovation for over 85 years. They are the only suncare brand with research recognised by the British Skin Foundation, and the majority of their Kids Sensitive Advanced formulas offer maximum 5* UVA protection. Since 2006, Garnier Ambre Solaire has been supporting ECL - the Association of European Cancer Leagues - to help raise awareness on the dangers of excessive sun exposure and to educate the youngest on the importance of protecting their skin from sun damage. Visit Boots today to explore the range and make sure your little explorers can play safely outside this summer.

Prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to dehydrated, crinkly skin, sun spots and even premature signs of ageing, namely wrinkles.

None of these are ideal, but worryingly theyre only the minor consequences of letting ourselves bake without protection.

Burnt skin, along with an increased risk of various skin cancers, are all risks we expose ourselves to when we dont play it safe in the sunshine. And our young children are even more vulnerable as their skin is more sensitive.

For your own wellbeing as well as to set an example to growing children, it pays to be sensible when it comes to sunshine. In fact, wearing some form of sun protection every day regardless of how sunny it is is a great way of ensuring skin is cared for - and will help it stay youthful and glowing for years to come.

The message is clear - regardless of age, we need to protect ourselves from the sun's rays.

To give you a helping hand with your little explorers, consultant dermatologist Doctor Mary Sommerlad, an expert in sun protection, is on hand to share her top tips for keeping your children safe in the sun all summer long.

No. 1: Care with the best

It's better to be safe than sorry with children's skin, particularly when it comes to toddlers and babies.

For this reason, Doctor Mary always recommends using the highest possible SPF.

'Always look for high factor sun creams which have broad spectrum protection and a high UVA rating.

'An SPF of 20 will give you 20 times the protection from sunburn as you would have if you didnt have any sunscreen on. For instance if you normally burn within 10 minutes of being exposed to sunlight, SPF 20 will give you 10 minutes times 20.

'Therefore, I always recommend going for high SPF, for example SPF 50+, so look for that when youre looking for protection from sunburn for children and for yourself. Also try to use products designed with children in mind as their skin may be sensitive to some ingredients found in adult products.'

Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Advanced Range is hypoallergenic - a caring way to keep kids safe throughout the holidays.

No. 2: Be prepared

From limiting exposure to direct sunlight to using high SPF sun cream, such as Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Advanced Range, there are lots of ways to stay safe in the sun without impacting on your summer fun

Sun cream is most effective when it's applied before skin is exposed to the sun. In fact, Doctor Mary suggests applying it at least 20 minutes before heading outdoors.

'Sunscreen should be evenly applied to all sun exposed areas about 20 minutes before going outside. The face and arms are easy to remember but dont forget the ears, backs of the neck and feet if your child is in sandals.

'You can make the process of applying sun cream fun and relaxed for children by seeking out formulations that glide on easily so its not difficult to rub on.

'Let them do their tummy or arm while you do the rest of the body (and don't forget to go over the bit your child did just to ensure even coverage!).'

Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Advanced Range is available in cream, spray or trigger lotion, or a mist, offering plenty of options for getting sun cream on excitable children quickly and effectively.

No. 3: Check the date

It's all well and good slathering the family in sun cream - but make sure it's in date!

'Remember that sun cream has a shelf life and if you are using a product that is out of date it may not adequately protect your skin from the sun.

'Always check the packaging but the majority of sun creams should be replaced within 12 months of opening.'

This also applies to the Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Advanced Range.

No. 4 - Cover up!

Hats and UV-protective clothing are great ways to boost your child's sun protection while they're out and about playing this season

As effective as sun cream is, it's not enough to protect childrens skin from sun damage.

'Ensure your children also have physical protection from the sun. T-shirts, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats and full body swimsuits with UV-protection are ideal for our little water babies!'

No. 5 - Seek shade when it's sunniest

And finally, the best kind of sun protection is to keep out of it entirely - well, at least for the part of the day where it's at its strongest.

'Make sure children are in the shade and avoid being out when the sun is strongest, usually between 11am and 3pm.'

This will minimise their exposure to harmful rays, as well as minimising their risk of heat stroke during especially hot weather.

Explore the full Garnier Ambre Solaire range to help protect you and your little ones this summer.

*Survey was conducted by Opinion Matters, among a sample of 15,324 respondents in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark and Finland (Aged 16+). 18th  29th March 2021.
Having consideration for others around you is not only a matter of principle, it also makes life a lot smoother for everyone, but is seems some people just haven't got the memo.

Constative.com has rounded up a selection of snaps of selfish acts from around the world that will make your blood boil at the acts of rudeness and entitlement on display.

In one jaw-dropping act of entitlement, a doctor parked across the path in the hospital car park in Europe, blocking the route of air ambulance staff who had to squeeze around the vehicle with a patient on a stretcher.

At a restaurant, believed to be in the US, a customer sat eating candy and throwing wrappers on the floor for the staff to pick up, while shoppers ran riot at a store in Ireland, leaving the rails looking like they'd been hit by a hurricane.

Meanwhile, a passenger on the London Overground no doubt didn't make any friends with fellow travellers by waving a dead fish around.

Concrete proof of rudeness! Constative.com has rounded up a selection of snaps of selfish acts from around the world that will make your blood boil, including this driver - believed to be from Germany , who cut through wet concrete

Hope Santa wasn't warching: Employees at this store in an unknown location would have had quite the clear up job after these children ran riot

Not a very sweet gesture! At a fast foot restaurant in the US, this man decided to throw his candy wrappers on the floor rather than putting them in the trash

When retail is not therapy: This clothing store, believed to be in Ireland, was left in total disarray by selfish shoppers who threw garments on the floor for staff to pick up

Pet peeve: One US shopper with no consideration tried out a grooming brush on their dog and then put it back on the shelf full of hair

Instagram is more important! This influencer ignored the fact the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto was closed for safety reasons because they wanted to get a snap for social media

Unfairly maligned: These teenage girls in London seemingly came in for unwarranted criticsm for not giving up their seats for an older woman, when there was an empty one she could have used beside them

Not delivering: This courier company left a homeowner in the US with ruined flowers by plonking down a heavy box on top of the pot

Not well bread! One ill-mannered woman squished the produce other shoppers night want to buy by kneeling on loaves to browse the shelves

At this hospital in Europe, a selfish driver - who turned out to be a doctor - blocked the route of air ambulance paramedics by parking on the path

Not appropriate funeral attire! This sunbather decided not to move out of the way, despite being surrounded by mourners

Politeness frozen out! This woman seemingly had no regard for the comfort of other customers when she kept the doors open on a cold day, while taking a phone call

Parked their manners at home: This driver's parking fail blocked access for a wheelchair user in the US trying to get back in their vehicle

A decorator in Bolsover, Derbyshire got his own revenge on a pub landlord who allegedly only paid him 3650 of the 1,150 they'd agreed on for the task

Too far to walk? Despite being right by a bin, this UK parkgoer couldn't be bothered to throw away their coffee cup and paper plate

Bad game! A spectator at the State Mutual Stadium in Floyd County, Georgia, dangled their bare feet over the seats right near other spectators' heads

A successful day's fishing! This proud angler no doubt put off other passengers by danging a a fish around on the train in London

Should have stayed at home! This moviegoer decided to watch their own film on a mobile device, despite the one on the big screen

Talk about bad grace! This diner left a tip for their server in the US, but with ketchup smeared all over the table for them to wipe up

Tone deaf? Bringing a bell to a restaurant to demand attention is one way to ensure you get served last
From a regretful one-night stand to a full-blown affair, people have shared their experiences of sleeping with a flatmate in online confessions.

People from around the world took to anonymous US-based secret-sharing app Whisper to reveal what it was like when their flatmate became more than a friend.

One woman said she first discovered she was bisexual when she slept with her female roommate, while another admitted she had sex with the man she lives with, even though he has a girlfriend.

Meanwhile one man from the US said he now has fantasies about a threesome after having sex with both his flat mate and her girlfriend.

Here, FEMAIL shares some of the most eye-opening stories...

Still bitter? This man seems unable to get over the fact that his wife slept with his roommate

Life changing: A woman first knew she was bisexual after sleeping with her female roommate

Strange arrangement: This person from Union, Michigan, went to extreme lengths

I'd do it again! This woman from Ashland City, Tennessee, has no regrets about what she did

Friends with benefits? This woman from the US hopes for a future with her roommate

Betrayal: A woman from Lexington, Illinois, went behind her friend's back with her roommate

The other woman: A relationship is on the line for this couple from Tanglewilde-Thompson Place, Washington

The more the merrier? A man from Detroit, Michigan, wants to set the wheels in motion

More than friends? This person felt sure they had ruined their chance with their roommate

No regrets: The risk of crossing the line paid off for this person from Alvescot, Oxfordshire

Unsure: This person from Grand Chute, Wisconsin, didn't know what to make of their dalliance

Advice please! Help is required for this woman from Anchorage, Alaska, after her night of passion

Desperate: This brief story was written by one person who resorted to having sex to pay the rent
So, hows it going, Englanders? Feeling freer? Unshackled, even? Is the mask off, are your toes in the sand? Perhaps youre propping up the bar at your local, spilling warm beer and opinions?

For me, it is another manic Monday. I dare say, I will be at home.

If Im honest, I feel ambivalent about todays much-postponed Freedom Day. Not because Im worried about Covid and rising cases  Im quite worried, but also double-vaccinated and feel I can make my own risk assessments  but because Ive hardly been under house arrest these past months. However, I am guessing that for a populist such as Boris, Desperately-hoping-things-can-begin-to-get-Back-to-Normal Day is not that catchy.

You may feel differently, and I respect that. I am sympathetic to what a dire period this has been.

Patricia Nicol reveals a selection of the best books on freedom including Papillon by Henri Charriere (pictured left) and Charles Dickenss Great Expectations (pictured right)

If, for you, these past 16 months have felt like being under lock and key, then todays book choices about escape and regaining freedom are for you.

First, Papillon, by Henri Charriere. This semi-autobiographical international blockbuster was one of the Ambre Solaire-stained staples of the bookshelf of any 1970s and 1980s villa rental. It is the tale of a French criminal wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to hard labour at the penal colony of Devils Island, from which he escapes.

Steve McQueen played Papillon in the film. But only last week I discovered the novel had been translated into English by Patrick OBrian of Master And Commander fame.

Womens charities have spoken about what a terrifying period lockdown has been for those in abusive relationships. Anne Brontes The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall tells the story of Helen Graham, whos fled to Yorkshire with her son from a violent, drunken, dissipated husband.

When first encountered in Charles Dickenss Great Expectations, fugitive convict Abel Magwitch is a frightening figure. But he shows great kindness to Pip  the child who brought him food and tools, and did not betray him.

These are escapist reads, even if you have FOGO (Fear of Going Out).
Haydn Gwynne, 63, came to fame in 1990s newsroom satire Drop The Dead Donkey. Her stage performances include Billy Elliot, The Audience and City of Angels, and she plays Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in C4 comedy The Windsors. She lives in London and has two sons, aged 23 and 20.

You dont realise how young you are when youre young  or all the opportunities you have. You have so much anxiety about the life decisions you need to make, you just cant see the currencies that you have. Not just your looks and beautiful young skin, but that this really is a time to have a go at things.

Recently, I saw a letter I wrote to my sister when I was in my early 20s, which turns into this outpouring of grief about the worry Ive left it too late to become an actor. Now from the vantage of middle age, I wish I could have seen myself with adult eyes.

Haydn Gwynne, 63, (pictured) who lives in London, claims you don't realise how young you are when you're young or all the opportunities you have

I never went to drama school. I was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades: good academically, sporty, quite musical. After studying at Nottingham University, I moved to Rome for five years, teaching English as a foreign language then lecturing at Rome University. But aged 26 I returned to London and told my parents I wanted to be an actor. It was such a relief.

Reading the letter it was weird to see that young Haydn worrying about time flying. I showed it to my sons and they were struck by how it echoed their own anxieties. My younger son was worrying about changing his course to one he thought would look better to employers, and I thought: Do the thing that gives you more joy, surely?

Right now Im in a transitional time. Covid meant my sons lived at home again, but a new freedom is on its way. You think: If Im not being a mother, what is the point of me? On the plus side, now I can be totally present at work, do a touring theatre job and have a drink with young colleagues I admire.

They can enjoy the experience you have in life. I also feel a responsibility to look out for them. As an older woman, I realise it is up to us to step into the matriarchal role in life and at work. If youve lost the significant matriarchs in the family  in my case, my mother and my elder sister, who died far too young of cancer  you think: Well, maybe now its time for me to be that grown-up.

HAYDN stars in Copenhagen at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, Surrey, until Saturday (rosetheatre.org).
With more customers turning to LED light therapy treatments to improve their skin, CurrentBody has partnered with global beauty expert Wayne Goss to launch the ultimate at-home skincare package.

The LED Essentials 'skincare in a box' contains eight carefully selected products for a complete salon-quality treatment at home.

The priciest inclusion is CurrentBody's LED Light Therapy Face Mask, which currently retails for $490 (AUD) on sale and uses a combination of red and infrared light to boost circulation, smooth texture and stimulate the production of collagen, making skin look plumper and younger.

Having the package at home could save you money on expensive salon treatments which cost as much as $200 a session - so is it worth it?

CurrentBody has partnered with global beauty expert Wayne Goss to create an LED Essentials kit, which includes eight salon-quality products

The most expensive inclusion is CurrentBody's LED Light Therapy Face Mask, which currently retails for $490 (AUD) on sale (pictured left)

Having the package at home could save you money on expensive salon treatments which cost as much as $200 a session - so is it worth it?

Using the LED mask - which is made from a flexible silicone that allows the light to penetrate deep into the face - five times a week for 10 minutes has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines by 35 percent in just one month.

Safe for all skin types, the multi-award winning mask is pain-free and moulds to the face, which makes it comfortable to wear while you potter around the house.

The award-winning mask is also adored by Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan, Kaley Cuoco, Suki Waterhouse and other celebrities.

The kit also includes a hydrogel mask, hyaluronic acid serum, clarifying clay mask, daily AHA tonic, daily foaming cleaner, an eyebrow razor and eyebrow precision removal tool

Of the collection, beauty pro Wayne Goss (pictured) said: 'I am bringing you The LED Essentials as one of the hottest trends in accessible at-home beauty.'

In addition to the LED facial mask, the kit also includes a hydrogel mask, hyaluronic acid serum, clarifying clay mask, daily AHA tonic, daily foaming cleaner, an eyebrow razor and eyebrow precision removal tool.

Of the collection, Wayne said: 'I am bringing you The LED Essentials as one of the hottest trends in accessible at-home beauty. I hope you love the collection we have put together.'

The treatment package would be ideal for those in New South Wales and Victoria who are currently in lockdown due to Covid-19.

What's included in the kit? The original LED Mask - LED Light Therapy Mask The hydration booster - Hydrogel Mask The LED must-have - Hyaluronic Acid Serum The complexion refiner - Clarifying Clay Mask The glow tonic - Daily AHA Tonic The everyday essential - Daily Foaming Cleanser The quick-fix brow tool - Eyebrow Razor The on-the-go hair removal tool - Eyebrow Precision Advertisement

The award-winning mask is also adored by Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (pictured), Kaley Cuoco, Suki Waterhouse and other celebrities

The pain-free mask claims to transform skin by banishing acne, redness and wrinkles in as little as four weeks. Pictured: A customer transformation

CurrentBody launched in the UK in 2009, long before LED treatments became a staple in cosmetic clinics.

The brand quickly established itself as an industry leader in home light therapy devices, including the LED silicone face mask.

Designed to be used after cleansing and applying your normal skincare products, it's light enough to carry in your handbag to take on holidays or for a quick glow-up at a friend's place.

Independent reviewers say slotting the mask on for just 10 minutes a few times each week will visibly improve the tone and texture of skin over time, meaning you can cancel those recurring professional treatments that might be blowing your budget.

Independent reviewers say slotting the mask on for just 10 minutes three to five times a week will visibly improve the tone and texture of skin

The mask is made from a flexible silicone that allows the light to penetrate deep into the face

Having CurrentBody's LED Light Therapy Mask (pictured) at home could save you big money on pricey salon treatments, but at $630 (AUD), is it really worth the investment?

British model and actor Suki Waterhouse (pictured) credits the mask for 'saving' her skin

Beauty website We Are Body Beautiful said it was 'officially the easiest home anti-aging device trial we've ever done'.

The device has earned a cult following and a host of A-list fans including model Adwoa Aboah and actor Suki Waterhouse, who credits the mask for 'saving' her skin.

British model and activist Adwoa Aboah (pictured), who is famous for her flawless complexion, is a fan of the award-winning mask

The 29-year-old revealed she uses it two to three times a week and says 'I always mention this mask when people ask me what I think are the core components for good skin'.

Makeup artists to the stars use the mask on their celebrity clients before red carpet events.

Mulligan's makeup artist Georgie Eisdell posted on Instagram saying it 'smooths, calms and firms' skin in just 15 minutes.

'I cannot live without out it,' she added.

Big Bang star Kaley Cuoco's makeup artist Jamie Greenberg agreed, saying skin almost instantly looks 'brighter, better and smoother'.

Best Actress nominee Carey Mulligan used it to make her skin glow ahead of the 2021 Oscars earlier this year.

To mark its launch in Australia, the mask has been reduced from its normal price of $630 to $480.

The discount will run for a limited time only, so get in quick if you're looking for salon style results from the comfort of your couch.
A celebrity-loved beauty gadget has been flying off shelves since its launch, with one product sold every 10 seconds.

Beauty fans of the Swedish brand Foreo, which sells its iconic skincare tools in Australia, claim the product has 'shaved years off their face'.

Delivering a 'full supercharged facial' in just six minutes, the cleansing device, with prices ranging between $149 to $395, promises to leave the complexion glowing after removing 99.5 per cent of dirt, oil, sweat and dead skin cells.

Since launching its world-famous LUNA devices - two-in-one facial massager and cleanser - in 2013, the skincare brand has stood the test of time after one product was sold every 10 seconds in 2020.

Beauty brand Foreo is so popular, it sells one of its gadgets every 10 seconds globally

Delivering a 'full supercharged facial' in just six minutes, the cleansing device, with prices ranging between $149 to $395, promises to leave complexion glowing after removing 99.5 per cent of dirt, oil, sweat and dead skin cells

Despite the global coronavirus pandemic, the company saw more than 30 per cent increase in online sales - as women increasingly turn to DIY skincare treatments at home during lockdown.

And it's not hard to see why it's become the must-have gadget of the year.

The facial gadgets have received near-perfect reviews online, with hundreds raving about the product for leaving a youthful glow.

'I bought this amazing Foreo 3 and I'm in shock - my skin looks 10 times better and with some glow my skin is thankful that I use this every day and night - I love it. Don't doubt buying it - just give it a try, you won't regret it,' one wrote.

Another said: 'What a good result on my skin. I feel no more dead and dull skin, my face is fresh every time I use it.'

And one added: 'I never used anything but my hands when cleansing my face until I found this. I use it morning and night with cleanser and it really deep cleanses. I honestly cant believe I lived my life without it before finding it.'

A celebrity-loved beauty gadget has been flying off shelves around the world, with one product sold every 10 seconds

Despite the price tag, many insisted it's a beauty product worth investing in for your daily skincare regime.

'Foreo is totally worth the investment. Since using it, my chin area, which tends to break out has cleared up and my skin is looking healthier in general. I love this product and highly recommend it if you're into skincare,' one wrote.

Another said: 'Worth every cent! My sensitive dry skin is under control now thanks to this holy grail. I use it once every night with my cream cleanser. On days where a pimple starts, this Foreo helps to prevent it from growing. Love it so much.'

In eight short years, the company has gone from zero to a multi-billion, picking up 225 awards globally, opened a further 20 hubs and offices around six continents and climbed the ladder to become the world's number one skincare brand.

Since launching its world-famous LUNA devices - two-in-one facial massager and cleanser - in 2013, the skincare brand has stood the test of time after one product was sold every 10 seconds in 2020

'When we launched in 2013, all we had was an amazing groundbreaking product on our hands and a dream. Turns out, that's all you need to succeed,' Foreo CEO Boris Trupcevic said.

'Today, FOREO is present in over 80 countries with 3,000 powerful employees and recognised as a golden standard by 30million customers worldwide and this is something truly worth lauding as FOREO celebrates its eight birthday.'

The beauty-tech brand has since spoken to hundreds of its earliest customers to get their feedback, ensuring they are still using the device today.

'It was truly an emotional moment to hear stories about how our LUNA became a part of their lives,' he said.

'What really made it special is that they all expressed their products still function flawlessly even after eight years of use and still look as beautiful and clean as the new ones.'
This is the moment a doting boyfriend surprised his high-school sweetheart with a romantic marriage proposal on her birthday - by hiding a sign in the boot of her new car.

Gissel Santos from Jersey City, New Jersey, had no idea about the plan her boyfriend Leonardo Vargas, 23, had in store for her on her 21st birthday.

In order for Gissel not to expect a thing, the mechanic told his girlfriend they would be heading to a restaurant for the big day on May 31.

Gissel Santos, 21, from New Jersey, had no idea about the big surprise her high-school boyfriend Leonardo Vargas, 23, had in store for her on her 21st birthday (pictured together)

However, in the first shock of the day, he led her to her family home where she was met by all her family and friends for a surprise party.

As she enjoyed her party, Leo told Gissel that he had got her a present, and lifted up the metal garage door to reveal a gray Kia, wrapped in a big red bow.

The mechanic had purchased the car for her two months earlier, leaving his girlfriend overwhelmed as she put her hands to her face and started to cry happy tears, leaning in for a loving embrace.

In order for Gissel not to expect a thing, the mechanic told his girlfriend they would be heading to a restaurant for the big day on May 31 and instead led her to her own surprise party

Next, the mechanic told Gissel that he had got her a present and revealed a gray Kia, wrapped in a big red bow with a sign reading 'Will You Marry Me' in the boot

As she turned around, Leo was already down on one knee presenting her with a diamond ring, with friends and family capturing the romantic proposal on video

But Leo wasn't finished with his surprise just yet, and after his girlfriend had finished inspecting her new ride, he asked her to pop open the boot and take a look inside.

There, Gissel was presented with a message: 'Love Is Sweet. Gissel Will You Marry Me.'

As she turned around, Leo was already down on one knee, with friends and family capturing the loving moment on video.

Gissel and Leo met in high school, when she was 15 and he was 17, and they are planning to marry sometime in 2023.

Gissel (pictured) beams as she shows off her shiny engagement ring while siting in her new car
BBC detective drama Baptiste returned to screens last night - and viewers think they already have an idea of who might be involved in the crime.

The series, a spin-off of The Missing, sees grizzled private detective Julien Baptiste (French actor Tcheky Karyo) volunteer to help the British ambassador to Hungary Emma Chambers (Killing Eve's Fiona Shaw) find her husband and children after they apparently disappear from their hotel in the mountains.

By the end of the first episode, viewers learned that Chambers' husband and at least one of her two teenage sons had died after they were ambushed in the woods by a gun-toting attacker with a distinctive neck tattoo.

BBC detective drama Baptiste returned to screens last night - and viewers think they already have an idea of who might be involved in the crime. Fans have questions over the intentions of British embassy worker Nadeem, played by Line Of Duty's Ace Bhatti (right)

Bhatti will be best known to BBC1 viewers as Line of Duty's Rohan Sindwhani, pictured, who was painted as untrustworthy before ultimately being revealed as a secret supporter of AC-12

The suspicion that surrounded Sindwhani in the police drama was difficult for some viewers to shake and they took to Twitter to share their early predictions Nadeem might be involved

Although exactly what happened remains unknown, and the fate of the second teenager has not been revealed, fans have been quick to point the finger at Chambers' colleague Nadeem, played by Ace Bhatti.

Bhatti will be best known to BBC1 viewers as Line of Duty's Rohan Sindwhani, who was painted as untrustworthy and obstructive before ultimately being revealed as a secret supporter of AC-12.

But the suspicion that surrounded Sindwhani in the police drama was difficult for some viewers to shake.

One wrote: '#Baptiste Never trusted him in Line of Duty & looking suspicious again???'

Nadeem appeared to be helping Baptiste and his investigation, joining the French detective to view hotel webcam footage that provided a crucial lead in the case (pictured)

However some questioned if he just wanted to remain close to the investigation for his own nefarious reasons. Above, his blood pressure monitor beeped loudly, which seemed like an important detail

Baptiste fans took to Twitter to urge others not to trust the shady character (pictured)

Another posted: 'Julien dear Ted Hastings will tell you never trust this guy #Baptiste #LineofDuty.'

A third added: 'If you are trusting the Line Of Duty Guy then you need to assess your life choices. #Baptiste.'

Nadeem appeared to be helping Baptiste and his investigation, joining the French detective to view hotel webcam footage that provided a crucial lead in the case.

However some questioned if he just wanted to remain close to the investigation for his own nefarious reasons.

This time Baptiste is called in to help British Ambassador Emma Chambers (played by Killing Eve and Fleabag's Fiona Shaw), pictured together, whose husband (Stuart Campbell) and two teenage sons disappear from their hotel room in Hungary

Baptiste chased after a man suspected to be involved in the murder and abduction of Chambers' family

The episode jumped between the time of the initial disappearance and investigation, and 14 months in the future, by which point Baptiste and Chambers had fallen on hard times.

The detective, struggling to cope with the death of his daughter, imprisonment of his son, and the investigation, had been driven to drink and ended up divorced from his wife.

Meanwhile Chambers, who is using a wheelchair in the future, remains in turmoil following her personal loss - but refuses to give up hope of finding her missing son.

The episode jumped between the time of the initial disappearance and investigation, and 14 months in the future, by which point Baptiste and Chambers had fallen on hard times

Chambers, who is using a wheelchair in the future, remains in turmoil following her personal loss - but refuses to give up hope of finding her missing son

Although Baptiste was originally intended as a triology, writers Harry and Jack Williams confirmed this will be the last time the detective is seen on our screens.

'I think we began to worry that it would become a formula,' Harry said. 'Do we suddenly make him just another cop?

'When we wrote it we started to realise that if we did this, we wouldnt get to do another one. Its about doing the right thing for the character and not going "Hey, well be back next year with more crazy adventures." Its something great, that we all love and were proud of.'

Baptiste continues on Sunday at 9pm on BBC1. All six episodes are available to stream on iPlayer.
Meghan Markle could be faced with an 'awkward' reunion with the Royal Family if her daughter Lilibet gets christened in Windsor, a royal expert has claimed.

According to royal insiders, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet Diana could follow in the footsteps of older brother Archie and be christened in St George's Chapel in Windsor with the Queen present.

However, royal expert Russell Myers has warned that it will be 'definitely awkward' as tensions are still running 'very high within the family'.

'It will be definitely awkward,' he said, speaking to Today. 'Meghan isn't flavour of the month with the family. Certainly, the family have always said they will be much-loved members of the family.

Meghan Markle could be faced with an 'awkward' reunion with the Royal Family if her daughter Lilibet gets christened in Windsor, a royal expert has claimed. Pictured, during the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview in March

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle when they have announced on February 14, 2021, they are expecting their second child, Lilibet

A view of the Quire in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Lili's brother, Archie, was christened by the Archbishop amid unprecedented secrecy at the chapel in 2019.

'However, we're still talking about the fallout of the Oprah Winfrey interview, Emmy or no Emmy nomination.

'The tensions are still running very, very high within the family, indeed.'

A source previously told the Daily Mail: 'Harry told several people that they want to have Lili christened at Windsor, just like her brother Archie.

'They are happy to wait until circumstances allow.'

The reunion would come in the aftermath of Harry and Meghan Markle's explosive two-hour CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey which aired in March, where the royal made reference to his relationship with William amid reports the brothers had fallen out in the wake of Megxit.

Prince Harry told the talk show host: 'As I've said before, I love William to bits. He's my brother. 'We've been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we're on different paths.

Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex at Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on 11 March 2019

During the interview, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said racism drove them out of Britain and claimed their son Archie was denied the title of prince because he is mixed race.

Meghan also claimed that Kate Middleton left her in tears during a row over bridesmaid dresses and Prince Harry accused his father Prince Charles of refusing to take his calls when the pair moved to the US last year.

Russell Myers went on to suggest that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly wanting to give Lilibet Diana a royal christening shows an attempt from the royal couple to keep their royal connection.

'Looking at the details, it looks as though they do want some continuity for their family life,' he said.

'Of course, their son Archie was christened at Windsor Castle before they jetted off to set up their new life in the United States.

'However, when you're looking at it as well, what do Harry and Meghan have at the moment?

'They definitely want to keep their royal connection and this will be a sure-fire way to make sure everyone is talking about them in the royal way.'
A teenager has revealed how she has been left barely able to walk after suffering from Covid Toes for months.

Sofia, 13, from Clackmannanshire, Scotland, has never tested positive for coronavirus but has struggled with severe pain in her feet since October.

Inflammation of the toes caused by Covid-19 can lead to red or purple skin, swelling and chilblain-like blisters. The symptom typically develops within a week of getting infected and goes naturally within a fortnight - but can last significantly longer.

In the months since, Sofia has been left too unwell to go to school, unable to wear shoes and now relies on a wheelchair for long walks.

But despite the severity of her symptoms, Sofia and her mother Gaby felt the ailment wasn't being taken seriously, with the mother-of-three telling the BBC: 'At the start, I don't think she was believed. You know your children better than anyone else and you've got to fight their corner.'

Sofia, 13, from Clackmannanshire, Scotland, has never tested positive for coronavirus but has struggled with severe pain in her feet since October

The 13-year-old has been left in so much pain she is too unwell to go to school, unable to wear shoes and now relies on a wheelchair for long walks (pictured)

Sofia was a keen dancer and active teenager before she was struck down with the ailment.

She revealed: 'Before this, I was singing, dancing and just running around the place.'

However since October, she has been debilitated by Covid Toes, chilblain-like lesions which appear on toes after a Covid-19 infection.

She said: 'My feet swell up, I get blisters all over them and they go from pink to purple really quickly.'

The family have tried everything to improve Sofia's condition - from medications and creams to steroids

Sofia said she is unable to walk for long due to bumps and blisters on her feet which she has suffered from for months

'Covid toes' that turn purple from the disease can last for MONTHS after beating the virus, scientists claim 'Covid toes' is just one of many skin manifestations reported in patients. Dr Faheem Latheef, a consultant dermatologist and skin allergy specialist, said normally skin symptoms are caused by the body's immune system, not the virus itself. 'The main reason is a hypersensitive immune reaction,' he told MailOnline in April. 'It's the body's reaction to something it perceives as foreign.' Researchers at King's College London called for skin rashes to be considered as the fourth key symptom of Covid-19 in July, after a cough, fever and loss of taste and smell. Using data from the COVID Symptom Study app from around 336,000 regular UK users, researchers discovered that 8.8 per cent of people reporting a positive coronavirus swab test had experienced a skin rash as part of their symptoms. This compares with 5.4 per cent of people with a negative test result, showing it is more common in those who have the coronavirus and therefore must be caused by it. Dr Adil Sheraz, a consultant dermatologist and spokesperson told MailOnline in April: 'A variety of skin manifestations have been seen in Covid-19 positive patients. 'However we are uncertain whether these are directly related to the virus itself or to the complications of the infection. 'If you develop a new rash then please speak to your GP or dermatologist. Almost all dermatologists are offering virtual consultations and even face to face in urgent cases. A diagnosis of Covid-19 should not be made from just the presence of a rash.' Advertisement

She added: 'I get lumps on the bottom of them which makes it really hard to stand up for long.

'I can't wear any other shoes apart from flip-flops.

'Any other shoes touch my feet and it is too sore on them.'

And despite doctors predicting the ailment is Covid Toes, Sofia has never tested positive for the virus.

She said: 'All the antibody tests and Covid tests have been negative, but everyone still thinks its long Covid.

'It's kind of scary because I don't really know what's happening.

'The doctors never really said how long it was last for so I'm quite scared to be honest.'

Meanwhile Gaby said she had tried everything to improve her daughter's condition - from medications and creams to steroids.

Scientists previously revealed how 'Covid toes' that turn purple from the disease can last for at least five months after survivors beat the infection.

In some people, the skin problem has become a manifestation of 'Long Covid', lasting for months after patients have fought the virus off.

Dermatologists who conducted research in October feared the cases they have seen are 'just the tip of the iceberg', and that it is in fact a common presentation of the virus.

Previous research estimates that around one in 12 people with coronavirus develop some kind of skin complaint, and experts have repeatedly called for health chiefs to recognise it as an official symptom.

Researchers at King's College London called for skin rashes to be considered as the fourth key symptom of Covid-19 last year, after a cough, fever and loss of taste and smell.

Their research found characteristic skin rashes and 'Covid fingers and toes' can occur in the absence of any other symptoms and affects around 8.8 per cent of patients.
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Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles went mask-free today during a visit to Exeter Cathedral - the first stop on their three-day tour of the South West.

The Prince of Wales, 72, and the Duchess of Cornwall, who turned 74 on Saturday, were all smiles as they chatted to crowds and were greeted by lord lieutenant Julian Tagg.

Once inside the cathedral, Charles and Camilla spoke to members of its choir, none of whom were wearing masks.

Camilla looked stylish in a navy blue dress adorned with colourful feathers, while the prince donned a pale grey suit with a jazzy tie emblazoned with zebras and his orange-rimmed Serengeti sunglasses.

The royal couple will visit several sites in Devon today, beginning in Exeter to celebrate it becoming a UNESCO City of Literature.

The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles kicked off their three-day tour of the South West with a visit to Exeter Cathedral today

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles went mask-free today during a visit to Exeter Cathedral - the first stop on their three-day tour of the South West

Camilla looked stylish in a navy blue dress adorned with colourful feathers, teamed with tan court shoes as she spoke to members of the choir

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pictured departing Exeter Cathedral this morning

The couple were all smiles as they chatted to crowds that had gathered for their visit and were greeted by lord lieutenant Julian Tagg

Yesterday it was revealed that Charles will only wear a mask when Government advice dictates that he should do so. Camilla is also known to dislike masks

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets and chats to unmasked members of the public during a visit to Exeter Cathedral

The royal couple looked delighted to be able to interact with the public again without the requirement for face coverings

As Charles is patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development appeal, the place of worship was the first stop on their list, followed by Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City Community Trust and the Met Office.

While outside they spoke to the crowds, where Charles jokingly asked if they were all waiting to get into the Cathedral. Caroline Connolly, who is on holiday from Northern Ireland, spoke to the prince and said their encounter was 'so unexpected'.

'He seemed very nice,' she added. 'He asked if he was holding us all up and we were all waiting to go into the Cathedral. Such a thrill.'

Inside Charles and Camilla learned about the restoration of the grand building before meeting community groups that work closely with the prince's passion for the environment. The Bishop of Exeter said of their visit: 'It's been a triumph.'

Founded in 1050, the Cathedral continues to offer daily Christian worship and choral music, alongside its roles as a community hub, heritage destination and venue for concerts and events.

It is home to an extensive library and archive, housing important treasures such as the Exeter Book, a famous dark age poetry book written on parchment thought to be the world's oldest surviving book of English literature.

Joe Milne, the cathedral's stonemason, told Devon Live: 'We showed [Charles] the clay maquettes which are basically grotesques that will hang in the Cathedral.

'He seemed really interested. I've met him before when I was a student at Weymouth college and he's always interested in historical objects.'

Following their visit to the cathedral, the couple made their way to Exeter's new bus station where they met with transport workers, council leaders and 'Net Zero Heroes' involved in Exeter City Council's ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030

Charles was treated to a tour of a restored vintage bus from 1961 and Stagecoach's latest model by veteran bus driver Mike Prowse

The Prince of Wales stood beside the number 3 Devon General bus which has been restored during his and Camilla's tour of the South West

The Prince of Wales during a visit to St Sidwell's bus depot in Exeter to meet with transport workers and the 'Net Zero Heroes'

Charles unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit to Exeter Bus Station today during his and Camilla's tour of the South West

The Prince of Wales admires punnets of strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants on a stall during a visit to St Sidwell's bus depot in Exeter

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales departing Exeter Cathedral, where choir members said goodbye outside

Duchess of Cornwall is presented with a bunch of posys by the youngest member of the Cathedral's choir on her departure from Exeter Cathedral

As Prince Charles is patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development appeal, the place of worship was the first stop on their list

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall views some of the Cathedral's historic treasures including the Exeter Book during a visit to Exeter Cathedral

The visit celebrates the city's designation as a UNESCO City of Literature and launch of The Royal College of Nursing's Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme in England

The Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall meet Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Trish Oliver during a visit to Exeter Cathedral

The Prince of Wales meets with young people dressed in uniform from Devon Nursing Cadets during a visit to Exeter Cathedral

Camilla views some of the cathedral's historic artefacts (left) while Prince Charles chats to young people from Devon Nursing Cadets

Camilla Parker Bowles is seen particularly admiring one of the cathedral's historic artefacts - a religious robe on a mannequin

The Prince of Wales, dressed in a grey suit, observes a gargoyle statue with a wry smile during a visit to Exeter Cathedral today

Lightbulb moment? Prince Charles, wearing his trusty thistle beside a silver pin, is seen stood beneath a circular light fitting at Exeter Cathedral

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales sign the visitors book during a visit to Exeter Cathedral

The Duchess of Cornwall clutches her posy of flowers, given to her by members of the choir, as she departs Exeter Cathedral today

Prince Charles will also launch the new Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme.

Following their visit to the cathedral, the couple made their way to Exeter's new bus station where they met with transport workers, council leaders and 'Net Zero Heroes' involved in Exeter City Council's ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Charles unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit, and was treated to a tour of a restored vintage bus from 1961 and Stagecoach's latest model by veteran bus driver Mike Prowse.

Mark Hodgson, managing director of Co Cars, showed the prince the new Co Bikes station, which houses electric bikes that are environmentally friendly.

For the first time in months, the royals' trip was made public in advance; during the pandemic, visits have been kept secret to prevent crowds congregating.

It coincided with Freedom Day, which saw almost all legal Covid restrictions including social distancing and compulsory mask wearing lifted across England today.

Yesterday it was revealed that Charles will only wear a mask when Government advice dictates that he should do so.

Prince Charles will also launch the new Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme while in Devon (pictured on a tour of some of the Cathedral's historic treasures by The Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter)

Keen reader Camilla, who recently launched a book club, admires the array of children's literature on offer as she picks up a candle

An animated Duchess of Cornwall speaks with Exeter Cathedral staff during their visit on day one of their South West tour

Founded in 1050, the Cathedral continues to offer daily Christian worship and choral music, alongside its roles as a community hub, heritage destination and venue for concerts and events. Pictured: the Cap of Maintenance at Exeter Cathedral

A Palace source told The Mail on Sunday: 'This will be the first time in 18 months that we are seeing a return to normality. Well be looking forwards, not backwards.

'This is the first time the Prince has been to a location inside and wont be wearing a mask because it's a large area where people will be social distancing and it will be the first day of the new rules.

'When the rules state that a mask should be worn, then the Prince will wear one but not otherwise.'

The Duchess of Cornwall is known to dislike wearing a mask - despite owning an array of colourful options.

This is the first time the Prince has been to a location inside and wont be wearing a mask because it's a large area where people will be social distancing and it will be the first day of the new rules, according to a Palace source

The Duchess of Cornwall is known to dislike wearing a mask - despite owning an array of colourful options. During a visit to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff earlier this month, she told a student: 'I cant wait to get rid of this!'

For the first time in months, the royals' trip was made public in advance; during the pandemic, visits have been kept secret to prevent crowds congregating

During a visit to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff earlier this month, she told a student: 'I cant wait to get rid of this!'

However, Freedom Day has been branded 'disaster day' by stricken businesses today as self-isolating Boris Johnson faces fresh demands to dump farcical test and trace rules to quell the 'pingdemic'.

The PM is marking the grand unlocking alone at Chequers after performing a comical U-turn from initially saying he and Rishi Sunak would dodge quarantine despite having met Health Secretary Sajid Javid - who has tested positive.

But the lifting of almost all legal restrictions have merely fuelled fears about spiking cases bringing the economy grinding to a halt, as more and more people are doomed to house arrest.

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Exeter Cathedral in Devon to hear about restoration work and meet with community groups

Experts estimate around 1.7million people are still self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace.

Many firms say their sites are having to open with reduced hours or shut completely because up to a quarter of staff are off as a precautionary measure - with scientists warning the situation could spiral as the UK faces up to 200,000 cases a day.

Freedom Day came as daily cases hit 50,000 - a result of the rapidly spreading Delta variant - and rising hospitalisations.
Princess Olympia of Greece has jetted off to Athens with her family and her handsome British aristo beau.

The 24-year-old socialite, who grew up in Chelsea and is Prince Charles's goddaughter, took in the sights with her four brothers and their parents, Crown Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.

Joining them is her dashing boyfriend Peregrine Pearson, son and heir of the 4th Viscount Cowdray, whose family has a reputed 224million fortune.

Perry's father owns a significant chunk of the Pearson media empire as well as the 16,500-acre West Sussex estate which is home to Cowdray Park polo club, where Princes William and Harry have played.

Loved up: Princess Olympia with her dashing boyfriend Peregrine Pearson, son and heir of the 4th Viscount Cowdray, whose family has a reputed 224million fortune

Family holiday! Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, 54, who is based in New York, has jetted off to Athens with his designer wife Marie-Chantal and their five children. Pictured, Pavlos and Marie-Chantal with daughter Olympia and sons (left-right) Constantine Alexios, Aristidis-Stavros, Odysseas and Achileas

Preferring to stay out of the spotlight, Perry's Instagram account is private and he rarely makes public appearances with Olympia.

But the couple, who have been dating for a year, couldn't resist documenting their Greek getaway and radiant Olympia shared a snap of them together on Instagram.

Olympia's grandfather is King Constantine, a relation of Prince Philip, who was exiled from Greece following the 1967 coup. The family continue to use their royal titles decades after the abolition of the monarchy.

Typically stylish, Olympia opted for a flirty brown and white polka dot sundress with thin straps for the day out with her family and her boyfriend.

Daddy's girl: Typically stylish, Olympia opted for a flirty brown and white polka dot sundress with thin straps for the day out with her family. Pictured, with her father Pavlos

Brotherly love: Olympia shared this photo of two of her brothers chatting at a casual restaurant

For his part, Perry looked handsome in a light blue linen shirt and shorts.

Olympia, who has a close relationship with all four of her brothers, posted snaps of her siblings exploring the city and chatting happily over a relaxed meal at an outdoor restaurant. She also posted a photo of a romantic sunset over the city.

Proud mother Marie-Chantal also posted a handful of snaps on Instagram, including one of the whole family together.

Pavlos and Marie-Chantal spend most of their time in New York but usually head to Europe for the summer.

Olympia has already enjoyed a stop in London, where she no doubt spent time with Perry.

Strike a pose! Olympia stopped for a picture with model Isabelle Massenet, who has also joined the family on holiday. It is thought she is dating Olympia's brother Achileas of Greece, 20

Romance: Olympia shared this photo of the stunning sunset in Athens over the weekend

She also caught up with her uncle Prince Philippos of Greece, Princess Diana's godson, and his wife Nina.

Philippos, a New York-based hedge fund analyst, and Nina, posed with Olympia outside Somerset House in London, where Philippos' brother Nikolaos' photography is being shown as part of the London Design Biennale.

Nina and Philippos married in December in a tiny private ceremony in the glitzy Swiss ski resort of St Moritz, with just their fathers King Constantine, 80, and Thomas Flohr, 60, present due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In May the couple celebrated their nuptials with a second low-key wedding hosted by Vogue writer Alice Naylor- Leyland and her husband Tom at their home of Stibbington House in Cambridge, with the pair decorating their home with white balloons and blue flowers for the occasion.
The widower of late Emmerdale star Leah Bracknell has found love again two years after his wife's death from lung cancer.

Jez Hughes, 47, from East Sussex, was married to the actress best known for playing Zoe Tate until her death from lung cancer at aged 55 in September 2019.

He told friends he's been in a relationship with Precious Dunlop since April, with the loved-up pair enjoying trips together and describing themselves as a 'power couple' on Instagram.

Jez told friends he's been in a relationship with Precious Dunlop since April, with the loved-up pair enjoying trips together and describing themselves as a 'power couple' on Instagram.

A source told The Sun: 'Jez's friends are delighted for him and have wished them both well. It's been such a heartbreaking time losing Leah, but he is back in a happy place and is enjoying life once more.'

Precious describes herself as a 'shamanic practitioner'. She runs her own company called company Spirit Yourself.

She runs drumming circles, fire ceremonies, sweat lodges, womens circles, shamanic sound baths and healings among other rituals

Leah and Jez married in a small ceremony in 2018. Last year, Jez appeared on Loose Women where he suggested the couple have a long distance relationship because she resides in another Shaman world.

He said: 'Her spirit is as alive now as ever...She is in a different world. We did long distance previously.

'Now it's more distant but that isn't to say death is a defining end. I understand that we move onto different realms and places.'

Jez Hughes, 47, was married to the actress best known for playing Zoe Tate until her death from lung cancer at aged 55 in September 2019. Pictured together

Leah, who also had roles in A Touch of Frost, The Royal Today and DCI Banks, was diagnosed in September 2016 after rapid weight gain around her abdomen and breathlessness prompted her to seek medical help.

While undergoing treatment, the media personality married her long-term partner Jez in a quiet ceremony at a grade II listed Georgian building in Horsham, West Sussex.

Jez has previously said he felt 'deep sorrow and pain' when she passed away: 'Grief is like a monster who brings along a lot of their mates like anger and pain. It's like being physically assaulted, the pain.'

He said with time the pain he experienced got a little easier to deal with, explaining: 'The places in between the grief get longer. You feel normal and laugh and smile, living life again which brings up other stuff like guilt.

'It can just hit you suddenly, going from completely normal and then it just hits you.

'Over time you go back to a sense of normality so when you're sucked back into the grief it's almost harder.'

He continued: 'Grief is about finding beauty, life can be cruel and cancer is cruel. Being on a grief journey is finding the beauty within that.

'I think that's what Allie did in facing cancer, she found beauty and laughter and love.'

Jez is reportedly 'delighted' to have found love with Precious (pictured)

He also revealed he watches old episodes of the soap to feel connected to his wife, saying: 'It helps me connect with her. Yes that is before I knew her but obviously it meant so much to her.

'It feels important to connect with that part of her. There's moments, if there's an emotional scene in the programme I know those moments, I know those facial expressions, that touches somewhere deep inside me.'

Before her death, Leah described how she had an 'attitude of gratitude' during her cancer battle.

She was often vocal about her cancer treatment, sharing her experiences in a blog and through interviews.

In the months leading up to her death she wrote 'The Cancer Rebel's Manifesto for Life' to 'reject the notion of being a victim'.

In it, she said: 'I rebel against the fear of cancer, against pity from others and myself, against being defined by cancer, and against being bullied by cancer.'

In her final interview in August 2019, she said that she wouldn't 'let herself live in fear' adding that she was 'just going to have a good life.'
A prostitute who was trafficked to the UK from Brazil has told of the horrors she faced while working in brothels across the country.

Sex worker Sylvia was flown to Britain in search of a better life after being offered a flight by a female pimp she had met online, but soon became the victim of a violent human trafficking network.

Appearing in Channel 4 documentary Taken: Hunting the Sex Traffickers, Sylvia said she was working 16 or 17 hours a day, seven days a week and being forced to have sex for as little as 20.

Sylvia, who has now escaped to Brazil after seven years in the clutches of the network, said women were often robbed at knifepoint but were too scared to call the police, and recalled the horrific memory of being raped by a man who was HIV positive.

A prostitute who was trafficked to the UK from Brazil has told of the horrors she faced while working in brothels across the country on Channel 4 documentary Taken: Hunting the Sex Traffickers

'There were a lot of customers and of course you hurt because if you have ten customers in a day you will be hurt and it happens almost all the time', said Sylvia.

'I used to work in these houses, they pay like 20 to have sex with someone for 15 minutes, it's crazy, it's unbelievable...You will suffer for the money.'

She recalled the constant fear of being robbed, and having to take medication reduce the risk of HIV infection after she was raped by a man who paid for 15 minutes worth of sex.

'In London when I started to work I heard from many, many girls that they were in houses these guys just came and robbed them they had knives, there were like five or six guys.

Sex worker Sylvia was flew to Britain in search of a better life after being offered a flight by a female friend, but soon became the victim of a violent human trafficking network. She has now escaped to Brazil after seven years in the clutches of the network

'They do this because they know we will not call the police because they know we work in brothels which is not legal.

'One time I was in Oxford working and some random guy called me. He just paid for 15 minutes and he just took the condom off and he raped me. He left and he was sending me texts like 'Oh I have HIV'. He was saying horrible things to me in the texts.'

Speaking of the medication she took to reduce the risk of infection, Sylvia added: 'I was taking this it makes me feel really sad. Because I wanted to forget but I couldn't'.

How many victims of modern slavery remain in Britain today? The number of suspected modern slavery victims in the UK hit a record of more than 10,000 in April 2020. Some 10,627 potential victims of trafficking, slavery and forced labour were identified in 2019 compared with 6,986 in 2018, the Home Office data found. The figures have been rising each year and are now the highest in a decade, after 546 were recorded in 2009. The data looked at the number of potential victims of modern slavery who were identified and referred for support under the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The 'upward trend in referrals' is thought to be 'partly as a result of increased awareness of modern slavery and the NRM process', the Home Office report said. The majority (6,564) claimed they were exploited in the UK only, and a quarter (2,762) said it had been only overseas. A third were women or girls (3,391), who were most commonly referred for sexual exploitation. Some 43 per cent of referrals (4,550) were for children - where criminal exploitation was the most common form, driven by a rise in the identification of so-called county lines drugs gangs. According to the figures, 27 per cent of people referred were UK nationals (2,836) with Albanians (1,705) and Vietnamese (887) being the second and third most common nationalities. Advertisement

The documentary follows police investigating an Organised Crime Group (OCG) trafficking women from South America, and the team sought help from Bristol investigator DCI Dale Morgan.

Morgan said: 'My job focused on, for lack of a better word two pimps and three sex workers. The three sex workers were all Brazilian. One of the the pimps was a Brazilian female who was linked to the Brazilian sex workers.

'All of them arrived on tourist Visas so they don't have the right to work here, they don't have work permits. 'One of the girls met a pimp online who said get she would get a plane ticket to the UK, she did.

'She met the pimp's driver at the airport that drove her to the brothel in Maidenhead and she was worked in about three or four brothels, where in text messages she said 'I am being worked like a slave'.

Sylvia said men create a 'stereotype' of Brazilian woman as 'amazing and sexy' and says that she struggled to leave sex work because she became 'dependant' on the money she was receiving.

'My dream is to just go somewhere totally different and there you will work and have lots of money and you can live a perfect life and you can do things you could never before. Just leave this place and have a better life.

'You create a dependence with this money, and it's really hard to get out because it seems like you don't know how to do anything else. My mum was like 'You don't need to go [to the UK], you can stay here'. But she couldn't help. It just seems so hard you know?'

Shedding light on why it's so difficult for trafficked women women to escape their captors, D.S Scanlon said: 'Trafficking is about criminals looking for people who are vulnerable and then looking to move them somewhere by telling them life is going to be better if you come with us.

'That vulnerability they're looking for, it can take many forms. It can be that conditions are so appealing where they are.

'For example if they're doing sex work on a street in Brazil, then they are happy to come and do sex work in a relatively controlled environment in the UK, that doesn't mean they're not exploited and that doesn't mean bad things won't happen to them here'.

The documentary details the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) investigation into Mark Viner who last year was jailed for more than five years for trafficking women from Brazil to the UK to work in a brothel.

The documentary details the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) investigation into Mark Viner who last year was jailed for more than five years for trafficking. Pictured L-R; Detective Constable Liz Pemberton, Detective Sergeant Gareth Scanlon, Detective Inspector Peter Brown

D.S Scanlon said: 'The people we're looking at here, you wouldn't look at them in the street and say they're a member of the OCG, they're traffickers....He lives around the world, he lives an expensive lifestyle, he's got hardly any legitimate income.'

The first episode begins with a covert police unit being given an anonymous tip off accusing Viner and his partner Lezlie Davies of leading the organised crime group behind the trafficking.

Using large-scale surveillance teams and undercover officers the police gather evidence on Viner, Davies and associate Rosana Gomes, by watching their every move.

The brothel operated out of a penthouse in Cheltenham where the trafficked women would be given profiles, which needed to be authenticated with a picture of the woman holding a copy of the day's paper at an identifiable location.

In June last year Viner (pictured) admitted to two counts of human trafficking and one count of keeping a brothel. He was sentenced to five years behind bars

Footage showed Viner photographing two women next to a post pox holding a copy of a newspaper before returning to the house.

Their surveillance also revealed Viner was travelling to and from the UK frequently and was raking in as much as 4,000 a week with 'hardly any legitimate income'.

Further investigations into his finances revealed that daily deposits of between 50 and 100 were being made from various South American women and that the criminal was making as much as 1.2 million a year.

In June last year Viner admitted to two counts of human trafficking and one count of keeping a brothel. He was sentenced to five years behind bars.
A black model based in New York City says she left Saks Fifth Avenue in tears last week after a sales associate ignored her, had a bad attitude, and generally discriminated against her when she went in to shop for wedding shoes.

Erica Wiltz shared the 'traumatizing and dehumanizing' on TikTok, explaining that she'd visited the luxury department store to find a pair of Jimmy Choo heels to wear with her wedding dress.

But rather than leave the store tottering a few inches higher, Erica felt small by the time she walked out, and accused a sales associate in the shoe department of declining to acknowledge her presence, making her feel 'invisible,' and refusing to answer her questions.

Speaking out: A black model based in New York City says she left Saks Fifth Avenue in tears last week after a sales associate ignored her and generally discriminated against her

Online: Erica shared the 'dehumanizing' on TikTok, explaining that she'd visited the luxury department store to find a pair of Jimmy Choo heels to wear with her wedding dress

Erika is set to say 'I do' in New Orleans next month and was getting ready for her final wedding dress fitting when she popped into the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship to purchase a pair of heels.

She said she was wearing a 'classic' all-black outfit with a Prada bag for the shopping trip, describing her look as 'chic' and 'put-together.'

She filmed herself waiting in a seemingly empty shoe department while the lone sales associate helped other customers.

'Patiently waiting and watching them help everyone else,' she wrote.

But, she said in a viral video that's reached one million viewers, she ultimately 'had to demand help' before he assisted her, and she 'left in tears' without making a purchase.

Replying to commenters, Erika didn't strictly say that she believed racism was the cause of her treatment, but she said he was 'discriminatory' and 'judged' her, leaving her 'heartbroken.'

'People have no idea how traumatizing and dehumanizing it is,' she said.

'It's wrong to discriminate against people, whether it was classism, racism, whatever it was,' she added.

In a follow-up video, Erika shared more details of the experience, explaining: 'My final fitting for my wedding dress was supposed to be today, so they said please come in with the show that you're wearing for the hem.'

Rude: She said she waited patiently while the sales associate helped other customers, but he never acknowledged that she was there

Bye: When he finished helping the last customer before he, she said, he just walked away

When she finally had to get his attention to help her, she says he had an 'attitude'

'I decided to go to Saks because I love going there, I've always had great experiences, and I wanted a Jimmy Choo wedding shoe. It was my dream to have a Jimmy Choo wedding shoe,' she went on.

'So I show up and I'm all joyful and enthusiastic about picking out my wedding shoe. So I'm in the Jimmy Choo section, and I'm watching the salesperson help someone else, who happened to be a white woman, but whatever, I wasn't thinking this at the time.

'So he's all in her face,' she recalled, 'and really being super attentive and just attending to her so carefully. They were taking a while but I was patient. I didn't say anything, I just kept looking at my wedding dress on my phone, holding it up to shoes ... just waiting.

She briefly wandered off to other shoe sections before coming back, making it clear she was waiting.

'He never acknowledged me, never said, "I'll be right with you," but it was clear that I was waiting. I left, came back, patiently waiting, all that,' she said.

'After he's done with the lady, and she closes out and everything, he never acknowledges my existence, I'm completely invisible, and he walks away,' she said.

'Until you experience that, you can't say s*** about that experience. Because that is the lowest a human could possibly feel,' she said.

'People have no idea how traumatizing and dehumanizing it is,' she said

'It's wrong to discriminate against people, whether it was classism, racism, whatever it was,' she added

Even at this point, she assumed the man would come back out to help her, but he didn't. Finally, she called out to him.

'Excuse me, can I please get some help?' she asked.

Though he finally helped her, she said he had a lot of 'attitude' and was 'very dry' and didn't want to answer any of her questions.

'The complete opposite of service he was giving to the woman before me,' she remarked.

'So obviously, I wasn't going to give him a sale,' she concluded.

A spokesperson for Saks told DailyMail.com that the company 'deeply regrets' the experience that Erika had in its store, adding that it always 'strives to ensure that every customer experience reflects out commitment to inclusivity, equality and respect for all'.

In a statement, the spokesperson added that the store is currently in communication with the model in order to better 'understand and resolve the situation'.

'We strive to ensure that every customer experience reflects our commitment to inclusivity, equality and respect for all,' the spokesperson shared.

'We deeply regret that Ms. Wiltz did not feel that she received the high quality service we aim to deliver and, as such, are engaging directly with her to understand and resolve the situation.

'Our team remains committed to treating everyone with respect and to ensuring Saks Fifth Avenue is a welcoming environment for all.'

This isn't the first time that Saks has been publicly accused of racism by black customers  and in fact, employees have also made charges.

Previously: In 2018, eight men who had worked at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City filed a lawsuit against the store

In 2018, eight men who had worked at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City filed a lawsuit against the store.

Attorney Derek Sells says the four black, two white, and two Hispanic men were subjected to a hostile work environment and then fired.

The suit, filed in New York, said the men 'were each forced to endure a pervasive pattern of discrimination and retaliation' and that 'their respective managers deliberately targeted them because of their race and/or age.'

Sells said managers for the men engaged in a range of actions including making it difficult to get customers from store foot traffic, using abusive language, not allowing promotions to happen, and letting younger, white colleagues get away with harassing behavior, all with the intention of moving toward a younger, whiter workforce.

Some of the plaintiffs said that even when they made sales targets, managers would find other metrics to evaluate them poorly.

ome of the plaintiffs had worked at the store for several years, Sells said, and the atmosphere changed to become more hostile after Hudson's Bay Co. acquired Saks in 2013.

An example, he said, was the computer system used to register customers' information.

The men in the suit claim the system was faulty and would generate error messages when they tried to input information, and they made repeated complaints to their managers without anything getting fixed.

Sells said the men would then be evaluated poorly for not registering enough customers, while younger, white employees were either helped with workarounds for the problem or not evaluated the same way.

Thomas Bisky, then 68, one of the two white plaintiffs, said he had been told in fall 2017 that he had been having his best sales quarter yet.

But Bisky, who had been working for Saks since 2011, was still given a warning for not registering enough customers.

He said he received no support to fix the error message problem despite making repeated complaints, and was terminated in January.

'It was quite clear to me that they wanted to get me out of there because I was of a certain age,' he said.

In March of this year, three black men who visited a Saks Fifth Avenue store in San Francisco said they were racially profiled, detailing how police detained them for hours despite doing nothing wrong.

They told KTVU that they were only at the store for about a half hour when police arrived, drew their guns, yelled profanities, and told them to get on the ground.
Prince Harry is set to release a tell-all Megxit memoir that could contain several bombshell allegations and revelations that will no doubt rock the Royal Family

Prince Harry has once again sent shockwaves of fear through the Royal Family after it was revealed that he is planning to release a tell-all memoir about his life in the Monarchy and his bombshell decision to quit his royal duties.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, has secretly working on the memoir for the past year and has since sold the book to publishers at Penguin Random House for an undisclosed amount.

His book marks the first time that a senior royal has written this kind of tell-all, and the news of its existence comes amid an ongoing, and increasingly-bitter, rift between Harry and Meghan, and the rest of the Royal Family.

Thus far, few details about the book's exact contents have been shared, however Penguin Random House issued a statement in which it revealed Harry's book will provide an 'intimate and heartfelt' look into his life.

'In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him,' the blurb reads.

'Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, on that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous and uplifting human story.'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already rocked the Royal Family to its very core with a series of very damaging allegations about the Monarchy, many of which were made during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.

The Duke then added more fuel to the fire during his mental health-focused Apple TV+ special, The Me You Can't See, with Oprah, 67, which premiered in May.

But the embittered Harry will no doubt have plenty more to share in the pages of his book - which is currently due to be published in late 2022 - and which will no doubt plunge the Royal Family into further controversy.

So what bombshell revelations can be expected from the Duke's upcoming tell-all - and will Harry choose to name and shame the people involved?

Naming and shaming? Prince Harry could identify the royal who he and Meghan claimed made comments about 'how dark' their son Archie's skin would be when he was born

The identity of the royal who made remarks about Archie's 'dark' skin

One of the most damaging allegations to come out of Harry and Meghan's primetime interview with Oprah Winfrey was the couple's claim that a senior member of the Royal Family questioned 'how dark' their son Archie's skin would be.

Meghan claimed during the sit-down that member of 'The Firm' had 'several' conversations with Prince Harry about the color of their son's skin when she was pregnant, saying: 'All around this same time, we have in tandem the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title and also concerns and conversations as how dark his skin might be when he's born.

'That was relayed to me from Harry from conversations that family had with him.'

She refused to identify the person in question, saying only that it 'would be really damaging to them' if their name was to be revealed.

The allegation sparked a furious controversy - with many demanding to know exactly who had made the comments.

After the interview aired, Oprah revealed that Harry had made clear to her that the comments were not made by the Queen or her late husband Prince Philip. She did not share any other details about their identity.

However, given the increasingly acrimonious relationship between the couple and the rest of the Royal Family, Harry may well choose to name the person involved in his memoir - which would no doubt spark a furious backlash, and could well prompt an investigation into that royal's behavior.

The truth behind Harry's bitter rift with his brother Prince William

There has been plenty of speculation about what exactly caused the fall-out between Harry and his older brother William, 39, with the former giving little information away during recent interviews - only telling Oprah that there is 'space' between the two of them and that they are on 'different paths'.

'We've been through hell together, we have a shared experience, but we were on different paths,' he said.

The rift between the brothers has certainly been made all the more severe by Harry and Meghan's decision to repeatedly blast the Monarchy in such public forums and it is understood the relations between the siblings are at their lowest point.

Father-of-three William was said to have been left 'reeling' by Harry's comments to Oprah - as well as his younger brother's decision to share private details about a conversation between the brothers with CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King, who revealed to the world on live TV that the chat was 'not productive'.

Bitter row: Harry may choose to open up about his ongoing rift with his brother Prince William, which has become increasingly severe in the wake of the younger sibling's decision to quit royal life

However it is understood that tensions between the once-inseparable Harry and William began long before the former sat down in front of a camera to air his grievances about The Firm to the world.

The widening rift between the brothers has been the subject of much speculation - and is even the subject of a book, Battle of Brothers, by royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey, who claimed that the feud began long before Harry even met Meghan.

According to Lacey, signs of tension between Harry and William began in the early 2000s, when the younger sibling found himself at the center of a drugs scandal and then, months later, became embroiled in furious controversy after he was pictured wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party.

Lacey's book suggests that Harry felt abandoned by his brother during this time and this resulted in a serious rift between the siblings.

However, it has been widely reported that their most recent rift began amid 'bullying' accusations against Meghan, who is alleged to have pushed several staff members at Kensington Palace into quitting - claims that she has vehemently denied.

Lacey has claimed that William approached Harry to discuss a 'dossier of distress' that had been compiled about Meghan's behavior - however that conversation quickly turned into a bitter row, which became so heated that William 'threw Harry out'.

Harry's decision to step down as a senior member of the Royal Family and move to the US with his wife and son only served to worsen the rift between the brothers - neither of whom have ever addressed the fall-out in any detail.

Although Harry hinted at the rift in his interview with Oprah, his book could well offer much more detail about his relationship with his brother - and finally bring to light the Prince's views on what exactly sparked the fall-out in the first place.

An attack on Charles' parenting: How did the Prince of Wales cause Harry 'genetic pain and suffering'

Another shock allegation made by Prince Harry during his interview with Oprah was his claim that his father had 'stopped taking his calls' during the build-up to Megxit - before 'cutting him off financially' when the Sussexes moved to the US.

Harry claimed that his brother and father are both 'trapped' in the Royal Family, before revealing that he and Charles were not on speaking terms after his father stopped picking up the phone, adding: 'There's a lot to work through there. I feel really let down.'

The Duke claimed that he'd had 'three conversations' with the Queen and 'two conversations' with Charles about his desire to step down as a senior royal, but insisted that his father 'stopped taking his calls' after that second chat.

According to Harry, Charles refused to continue speaking with his son about his plans for Megxit after he 'took matters into his own hands' out of concern for his own mental health, and that of his wife and son.

'It's really sad that it's gotten to this point, but I've got to do something for my own mental health, my wife's, and for Archie's, as well, because I could see where this was headed,' he said.

'I feel really let down because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, [and] Archie's his grandson.

'But at the same time - I will always love him - but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship.

'But they only know what they know, or what they're told.'

Much like William, Charles has never addressed his relationship - or rift - with Harry, however it may be that the Duke of Sussex has plenty more to say on the matter, and he could well choose to once again blast his father's behavior, this time in the pages of his book, rather that in a TV interview.

The book could also provide Harry with the opportunity to address his upbringing, something that he touched upon briefly during an appearance on Dax Shepherd's mental health-focused podcast, Armchair Expert, when he blasted his father's parenting, suggesting that it left him with 'genetic pain and suffering'.

During the interview, Harry claimed that Charles had 'suffered' because of his upbringing by the Queen and Prince Philip, and that the Prince of Wales had then 'treated me the way he was treated', calling it 'genetic pain'.

''I don't think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody, but certainly when it comes to parenting, if I've experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, I'm going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don't pass it on, basically,' he said.

'It's a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway so we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say, "You know what, that happened to me, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen to you."'

Meghan v. Kate: What really happened between the two women to cause such acrimony?

In the opening minutes of her interview with Oprah, Meghan made a shock claim about her relationship with Kate Middleton, accusing the Duchess of Cambridge of making her cry in the lead-up to her wedding to Prince Harry.

Rumors of a row between Meghan and Kate, 39, made headlines around the world after the couple's royal wedding in May 2018 - however it was initially reported that the argument over a flower girl's dress had left the Duchess of Cambridge in tears, and not the other way around as Meghan told Oprah.

The Duke of Sussex could address reports of a rift between his wife and Kate Middleton - who Meghan accused of making her cry in the lead-up to the couple's May 2018 wedding

A source said at the time: 'Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional.'

When asked about the fall-out, Meghan insisted that 'the reverse happened', saying: 'I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding.

'And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologized.

'And she brought me flowers and a note, apologizing. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.'

Meghan added that it was 'shocking' that the 'reverse of that would be out in the world'.

Harry has never addressed the rumors and reports about a fall-out between his wife and his sister-in-law, however his new book could well mark the first time that he chooses to voice his own opinions about the relationship between the two women.

He may also choose to speak out about speculation that Meghan did not feel she received enough 'support' from Kate in her early days within the Royal Family, something that has been claimed by several sources over the years.

Harry's return to London: How the Duke was perceived during reunions with his family in the wake of bombshell Oprah interview

In the wake of his bombshell TV and podcast interviews, Harry has returned to the UK to reunite with his family on just two occasions.

The first reunion took place in April, when the Duke of Sussex flew to London to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, who was in hospital recovering from surgery when Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview first aired.

His second trip home took place earlier this month, when he traveled to the UK in order to unveil a statue in honor of his late mother Princess Diana.

On both occasions, there was a great deal of speculation about the reception that Harry might have received from his relatives, many of whom are said to be incredibly upset and angry over the public bashings dished out to the Monarchy by Harry and Meghan over the past year.

Although the Duke is said to have met privately with his brother William, his father Charles, and his grandmother the Queen during these trips, Harry himself has never spoken out about what it was like to reunite with the royals following the furious controversy that arose from his numerous interviews.

Before Harry traveled back to London to unveil his mother's statue on July 1 - which would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday - it was reported that the brothers had been exchanging friendly text messages about England's performance in the Euro

True or false? After Harry and Meghan announced the name of their daughter Lilibet, a briefing war broke out between the Sussexes and the Palace over whether they sought permission

Did Harry and Meghan really ask the Queen's permission before naming their second child Lilibet?

The Sussexes' decision to name their daughter Lilibet after the Queen's childhood nickname sparked furious debate - and much backlash - with many questioning whether they had sought permission from the Monarch before announcing their second child's moniker publicly.

In the days after Lilibet 'Lili' Diana's birth, a briefing war broke out between the couple and the Palace, after senior Buckingham Palace sources told the BBC's royal correspondent Jonny Dymond that the Queen was 'never asked' for her opinion on the couple's choice of name.

However, Harry hit back within 90 minutes of the BBC's report being published through a statement from his and Meghan's close friend Omid Scobie that insisted the Queen was the first person the Duke called after the birth of his daughter.

Omid, who wrote the bombshell Finding Freedom biography of the couple, also claimed the Sussexes would not have used the name Lilibet unless the Queen had supported the move.

Harry, who together with wife Meghan announced they were expecting a girl during their interview with Oprah in March, took things a step further mere hours after his rebuttal of the report, threatening the BBC with legal action through law firm Schillings.

Notice of the legal action was followed by a carefully-worded statement that raised more questions than answers over whether the Queen did give permission or if the couple simply informed her of their intentions in a fait accompli.

The statement insisted that the BBC report was wholly wrong and read: 'The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.

'During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.'

Meghan's 'bullying' controversy: Harry's take on claims his wife made several Kensington Palace staff members quit - and who they are

Days before Meghan and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah was due to air, The Times published an article in which it claimed that the Duchess of Sussex had been accused of 'bullying' several members of staff at Kensington Palace.

The Times reported that a complaint had been lodged against Meghan in October 2018 by a senior member of staff at the Palace - the Sussexes' former communications secretary Jason Knauf.

Knauf is said to have made the official complaint following an allegation that the Duchess 'drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member'.

The article said that Knauf seemingly acted to make Buckingham Palace aware of the need to protect staff who claimed they were coming under unbearable pressure from Meghan. It further claimed that Harry 'pleaded' with him not to pursue the allegations.

In his email Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff.

The Times quoted from his email, which is alleged to have said: 'I am very concerned the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable.'

He added: 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y.'

However, soon after the report was published, Harry and Meghan hit back in a statement issued by their lawyers, who accused Buckingham Palace of 'using' The Times to 'peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about the Duchess of Sussex just days before the couple's CBS interview was due to be broadcast.

Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'.

The statement added that the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment but senior royal sources told MailOnline that complaints being made by ex-staff members were not in any way being orchestrated by the palace or members of the Royal Family, who were at the time focused on Prince Philip's health problems in hospital.

During their interview with Oprah, both Harry and Meghan accused the Palace of failing to 'protect' them against the media, with the latter saying: 'I think that was really hard to reconcile because it was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that not only was I not being protected but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family, but they weren't willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.'

However, the couple did not address the 'bullying' allegations specifically during their interview - which is understood to have been taped before the accusations were publicly reported - and the book would therefore give Harry the perfect forum to air his opinions on the scandal publicly for the first time.

Suffering: Meghan told Oprah that she had struggled with suicidal thoughts, and that she had asked the Palace for help, only to be told 'that it wouldn't be good for the institution'

Which 'senior' staff member knew that Meghan was struggling with suicidal thoughts?

Meghan's confession to Oprah that she had battled suicidal thoughts during her time within the Royal Family was one of the more shocking revelations to come out of the interview - particularly given that the Duchess of Sussex alleged that her pleas for help were ignored by the Monarchy.

The Duchess of Sussex said that she 'couldn't be left alone' and that she told her husband she 'didn't want to be alive anymore' before claiming the Buckingham Palace HR department ignored her plea for help because she wasn't a 'paid employee'.

She said she didn't want to tell Harry at first because of the loss he had suffered as a result of his mother's death, but she did and he 'cradled me'.

Meghan said she begged a senior member of the royal to assist her get help for mental health issue but she was left to suffer alone.

Describing how she considered ending her life believing it 'was better for everyone', Meghan said: 'I knew that if I didn't say it, that I would do it. I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. I remember how he just cradled me.

'I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that 'I've never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere'. And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution'.

The couple has never gone into further detail about who Meghan spoke to while struggling with her mental health issues - and which person or persons inside the Palace told her that she couldn't seek professional help.

However Harry also laid into his family, claiming their 'lack of support and understanding', the couple's mental health problems and fears 'history repeating itself' with Meghan like his mother Diana, who died in 1997.

Who expressed jealousy of Prince Harry and Meghan after their return from their Australia tour in 2018?

If Harry chooses to use his book as an opportunity to name and shame the people who have come under attack from the Sussexes, then he may well take the chance to call out the members of the Royal Family whose attitudes towards the couple 'changed' in the wake of their official tour of Australia in 2018.

The Duke hinted that certain royals were jealous of his wife following the success of the couple's trip - and the incredibly positive reaction that Meghan received during their tour.

'You know, my father, my brother, Kate and and all the rest of the family, they were really welcoming,' he said of his wife's introduction into the royal family. 'But it really changed after the Australia tour, after our South Pacific tour.'

He continued: 'It was the first time that the family got to see how incredible [Meghan] is at the job.'

Prince Harry hinted the Royal Family became envious of Meghan during the couple's tour of Australia, saying that their attitudes towards the couple 'changed' in the wake of the trip

The comments echoed the way in which The Crown portrayed his father Prince Charles as growing jealous of Diana's popularity during their own tour of Australia in 1983

Oprah then drew parallels between Harry's accusations and scenes from the most recently series of The Crown in which Charles is seen growing increasingly jealous of Princess Diana and the incredibly positive reception she received as the couple took part in their own tour of Australia in 1983.

She asked Harry whether his and Meghan's tour of Australia 'brought back memories' of his parents' trip, saying: 'Your father and your mother went there, and your mother was bedazzling. So, are you saying there were hints of jealousy [from the rest of the royal family]?'

Harry refused to confirm whether he thought other royals were envious of Meghan, but said: 'I just wish that we would all learn from the past'.

'But to see the... to see how effortless it was for Meghan to come into the family so quickly in Australia and across New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, and just be able to connect with people...'

He did not disclose whether the 'changes' in attitude he was referring to applied to the entire Royal Family, or whether he was commenting on the behavior of specific people - something that may well be brought to light in his as-yet untitled memoir.

Harry's real feelings about the Royal Family's treatment of his late mother Princess Diana

The Duke made expressly clear his fears about 'history repeating itself' in regards to Princess Diana's death and Meghan's treatment at the hands of the media, telling Oprah during their Apple TV+ series that his mother was 'chased to death while in a relationship with someone who wasn't white'.

Diana died in 1997 alongside Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed, who she had been dating for several months.

Although an inquest ruled that Princess Diana and her partner died as a result of the 'grossly negligent' driving of Henri Paul, who was three times over the drink-drive limit at the time of the crash, Harry said he felt there were clear parallels between himself and his mother, particularly after he began dating a person of color.

'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white,' he said. 'And now look what's happened.

Harry has slammed the media's treatment of his mother on a number of occasions, telling Oprah during their Apple TV+ show that he believes Diana was 'chased to death', however he has not often spoken about his views on the Princess of Wales' experiences within the Royal Family, or her treatment by the Monarchy

'You want to talk about history repeating itself, they're not going to stop until she dies. It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing.

'And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.'

Harry admitted he wished he had called out racism when he first started dating Meghan, but said he would no longer accept it.

'My biggest regret is not making more of a stance earlier on in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism when I did,' he said.

Harry also admitted during the series that he turned to alcohol and drugs to help him cope with the trauma of his mother's death, saying: 'I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.'

However the Duke has not yet spoken out in great detail about his mother's experiences within the Royal Family, or her treatment at the hands of the Monarchy - much of which has been compared in great detail to Meghan's statements about her life in the Palace.

Several parallels were pointed out between Meghan's sit-down with Oprah and the interview that Diana did with BBC journalist Martin Bashir in 1995.

But Harry has remained fairly tight-lipped about his own views on the way in which his mother was treated by the Monarchy, both during her marriage to Prince Charles and in the years after they separated.

The book's blurb notes that his tell-all will touch upon the 'losses' that have 'helped to shape him', suggesting that his mother's life and death will be featured in some capacity - providing him with the chance to speak out about her experiences in the Royal Family.
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Prince Harry's explosive memoir about the royal family will only 'further damage' his relationship with his brother and father, an expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, has been secretly working on a book for nearly a year which he has since sold to Penguin Random House.

It will tell the story from his childhood growing up in palaces, to his time in Afghanistan and his decision to leave the royal family in 2020. Sources close to Prince Charles said Harry's father was 'surprised' at the news and that the royals had not been warned that a book was in the offing until the news broke tonight.

Speaking to FEMAIL, royal expert Robert Jobson said the book will only 'lead to conflict' and will be 'hugely damaging to the House of Windsor and Monarchy as an institution.

The author, who wrote bestseller 'Prince Philip's Century', added that Harry is already 'rich and famous' and the book serves no purpose but to 'cause damage'.

Prince Harry's explosive memoir about the royal family will only 'further damage' his relationship with his brother and father, an expert has claimed. Harry is pictured with his brother Prince William for the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace earlier this month

'As night follows day, this was always going to happen,' he told FEMAIL.

'It will become an international bestseller, but at what cost to the monarchy? There will be nowhere to hide'.

He also compared Harry to his great-grandfather's brother Edward, who abdicated so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

'It is not the first time an "exiled" senior royal has written a memoir, the former King Edward VIII wrote one.

'His book "A King's Story: The Memoirs of HRH the Duke of Windsor, KG" was published to a media storm in the 50s. It caused a sensation.

'But this is bound to cause mayhem amongst the House of Windsor.

'If Harry, which seems inevitable, goes into detail about mental health issues involving his wife and alleged racism at the heart of the royal family, it will be hugely damaging to the House of Windsor and the Monarchy as an institution.

'Harry is already hugely rich and famous so apart from damaging his family - which a book like this will inevitably do, I am not sure what he is trying to achieve. Whatever he says will lead to conflict.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, has been secretly working on a book for nearly a year which he has since sold to Penguin Random House.Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge National Service to mark the Centenary of the Armistice, at Westminster Abbey in 2018

'No wonder there is a rift between the royal brothers and problems with his father.

'How can any bridges be built when he is doing this? '.

The brothers have been separated by a rift that began in March 2019 when William reportedly threw Harry and Meghan out of Kensington Palace over the alleged bullying of staff, with the Sussexes breaking up their joint foundation and setting up a new office at Buckingham Palace.

The claims emerged in Robert Lacey's book Battle of Brothers, published before Harry and Meghan went on Oprah to accuse the Royal Family of racism and claim they were abandoned when the Duchess of Sussex was suicidal and six months pregnant.

Harry also said his brother and father were 'trapped' by the institution of monarchy, and that feels 'really let down' by his father Charles.

In a series of astonishing claims, Harry revealed the Prince of Wales cut off contact with him in the wake of his decision to step away from the royal family.

Harry also said his brother and father were 'trapped' by the institution of monarchy, and that feels 'really let down' by his father Charles. Duke of Cambridge, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Duchess of Cornwall , Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Sussex (R) depart Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Commonwealth Service in 2020

He told how, during his time in Canada, his father refused to answer his calls as tensions within the family rose and their relationship soured.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, added to FEMAIL that Harry uses media appearances as a 'form of therapy'.

'It's not being published globally until late 2022. I do think that it is very important that an accommodation should be reached between the royal family and the Sussexes between now and then.

'He is donating the proceeds to charity. It is however worth remembering that the knowledge he is writing it, and that it could be explosive and that it will be widely read worldwide, is something members of the royal family will be bearing in mind when dealing with the Sussexes between now and then.

'The Sussexes problem is they keep going public. Harry has an extraordinary habit of getting headlines - Oprah, James Corden, celebrity podcasts, AppleTV and he sees these appearances as a kind of therapy.

'It's very difficult when you're dealing with the Sussexes, that you don't know what's coming next. It might not be published until 2022.

'It's so far in the future, it's a potential lever if they want something from the royal family.

A statement from the publisher states: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him'

The first draft of the manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written with the deadline in October

'He's exorcising his demons, and he doesn't see it as disruptive at all. He sees it as becoming a new person - escaping being trapped like Charles and William.

Prince Harry has been working with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer

'But he's still sixth-in-line to the throne, a significant royal even if he's not a working royal.

'He wants an audience to understand how he can become a new him, and we don't know that will be yet.

'Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?

'A lot of his Oprah interview didn't pass a fact check, and it's difficult for the outside world to tell what is true, which is a big concern.

'They still see themselves as victims , my hope is that it's constructive and won't lead to further revelations that will damage his family

'It appears it was written before the rift was healed - so it could be extraordinary.

'He's saying the book is written from the perspective of 'the man he's become', and this is certainly what he feels at the moment.

'It's hard to see exactly what Harry and Meghan want and we might not know until we see what in the memoir is going to include and what might embarrass his father and what's going to be about their time as working royals.

'He has talked a lot about healing, but what do the Sussexes want from the royal family?'

Harry has been working with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer and the first draft of the manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written with the deadline in October.

The proceeds of the deal are likely to be worth millions and, although the exact financial terms were not disclosed, Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House.

He has himself confirmed: 'I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become. I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.

'I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I've learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that's accurate and wholly truthful.'

The proceeds of the deal are likely to be worth millions and, although the exact financial terms were not disclosed, Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House.

Experts have told DailyMail.com that Harry will have been given 'at least' a $20million advance for the memoir with millions more to be made in sales.

Dozens of royal experts were shocked by the news, with some calling for Harry to be stripped of his titles.

Royal editor at the Daily Mirror, Russell Myers wrote: 'After recent events I'm sure a few of Harry's family and friends would have something about to say about the man he has become'.

Richard Palmer, royal correspondent at the Daily Express simply reacted to the news with 'blimey' while Queen's biographer Angela Levin wrote: 'Wow and wow again'.

REVEALED: Prince Harry's memoir ghostwriter is Pulitzer-winning author behind Andre Agassi's Open and Nike co-founder's Shoe Dog - as experts say Harry will have been paid a $20million advance 'at least' and could earn millions more

The author ghostwriting Prince Harry's new book is J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer-winning journalist and writer who previously worked with Andre Agassi and the co-founder of Nike on their own money-spinning memoirs.

Harry has been working on the book for the last year and a first draft is due by October. Penguin Random House has purchased the rights, Page Six reports.

It's unclear how much exactly he's being paid for it but Penguin Random House previously paid the Obamas $65million for their dual deal.

Experts tell DailyMail.com that Harry will have been given 'at least' a $20million advance for his memoir, with millions more to be made in sales.

It is unclear if Meghan has plans for her own memoir.

Prince Harry's new memoir will be ghost-written by Pulitzer-winning journalist and author J.R. Moehringer, an L.A. Times reporter turned author

Moehringer's previous books include Andre Agassi's biography, Open, and Nike co-founder Phil Knight's Shoe Dog. Page Six first reported that he was working with Harry on his book.

Moehringer has not commented on the partnership and it is unclear how it came about. His agent did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Monday.

He lives in Berkley, California, around 300 miles from Harry and Meghan's Montecito compound.

Before ghost-writing, Moehringer worked as a reporter for The New York Times and L.A. Times.

Moehringer with Samuel L. Jackson and producer Bradley Fischer. In 1998, Moehringer wrote an article for The LA Times about the 1950s boxing legend Bob Bombardier Satterfield, who he'd discovered was sleeping on park benches. The article was turned into a movie starring Jackson titled Resurrecting The Champ

Moehringer's previous books include Andre Agassi's biography, Open, and Nike co-founder Phil Knight's Shoe Dog. Page Six first reported that he was working with Harry on his book.

He describes his 'big break' as an article in 1997 for the Times about the 1950s boxer Bob 'Bombardier' Satterfield, who he'd discovered was sleeping on benches in L.A.

The article he wrote - Resurrecting The Champ - became a movie later starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Moehringer's own memoir, The Tender Bar, told the story of his New York upbringing and how he spent it in a bar.

He was a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for his story on Satterfield and he was awarded the prize for his story on Gee's Bend, a river town in Alabama.

The story also appeared in The Los Angeles Times.
Britons are celebrating 'Freedom Day' today as Covid restrictions have been lifted after more than a year of lockdown.

Millions will head to restaurants with groups bigger than six while others are heading to nightclubs and bars for the first time since 2019.

Restaurants, pubs, and cafes are also cashing in on the day, with many offering too good to miss deals.

From a free pint at Young's Pubs to a 99p Big Mac and a free dessert at TGIs, FEMAIL reveals the top deals to get your hands on today...

McDonald's is celebrating 'Freedom Day' tomorrow by reducing the price of the McMuffin and the Big Mac to just 99p for one day for customers using the My McDonald's App

99p BIG MACS

The fast food chain is reducing the price of its McMuffin and Big Mac to just 99p for one day only. The offer will be available to all customers who use the My McDonald's App.

From 11am the Big Mac will then be available at a reduced price of 99p for one day only, saving you 2.50 on lunch or dinner.

50% OFF AT REAL GREEK

The Real Greek, the UK's only group of truly authentic Greek restaurants, is offering 50 per cent off its main menu to celebrate the restrictions easing today.

Enjoy the likes of Santorini Fava, Halloumi popcorn, lamb meatballs and souvlaki for half-price.

The Real Greek, the UK's only group of truly authentic Greek restaurants, is offering 50 per cent off its main menu to celebrate the restrictions easing today. Enjoy the likes of Santorini Fava, Halloumi popcorn, lamb meatballs and souvlaki for half-price.

FOOD HUB

Fancy staying in? If you're one of the millions that's self-isolating, Foodhub, one of the UK's leading food ordering apps, is offering 10 per cent off.

Simply input the code FREEDOM10 at the checkout to get 10% off and enjoy a tasty treat at your feet.

FREE PIZZA AT DOMINO'S

To celebrate what the pizza company are calling 'FreeDom Day', it is offering 480 free 20 vouchers to its customers.

Pizza lovers looking to be one of the lucky winners will need to reply to a Domino's kick-off tweet with a really good reason why they need one.

Fans will have to get creative to be in with a chance to win a voucher - the wackier the response the better

To celebrate what the pizza company are calling 'FreeDom Day', it is offering 480 free 20 vouchers to its customers.

FREE DESSERT AT TGI FRIDAYS

Another app-based offer, customers can get any dessert free of charge from the TGI Fridays App.

The menu includes the likes of cookie dough sundae, New York cheesecake, Brownie and Chocolate Fudge cake.

FREE PINT AT YOUNG'S

Young's pubs are giving away 30,000 free pints from today until 25th July via their app.

To be in with a chance to get your hands on one, make sure you've downloaded and registered to the Young's On Tap app and head to the 'Your Treats' section.

Young's are offering free pints (left) while TGI's are offering free desserts (right)

2 PINTS AT WETHERSPOON

If you're not near a Young's, you can head to your local Wetherspoon for a 2 pint.

Ales from local breweries at 770 pubs have been slashed.

25% OFF AT BEEFEATER

If you fancy a steak or roast for dinner, head to Beefeater, who are offering 25 per cent off food.

All you need to do is sign up to its restaurant newsletters will also be able to get the deal. It's also available to Blue Light Card and Defence Privilege Card holder.

If you fancy a steak or roast for dinner, head to Beefeater, who are offering 25 per cent off food. All you need to do is sign up to its restaurant newsletters will also be able to get the deal. It's also available to Blue Light Card and Defence Privilege Card holder.

50% OFF AT TRADE COFFEE

Trade, an award-winning independent group of coffee shops and eateries, is unveiling its first dinner and cocktail menu at their Essex Road site. This be will introduced alongside an exciting offer  50% off food, from 19th  25th July.

From Smoked Celeriac with Wild Garlic Capers and Oat Beurre Blanc to indulgent Cherry & Custard sandos, the menu is playful, unique and made up of seasonal and eclectic, globally inspired small plates. All are priced reasonably for inclusive dining, alongside a deliciously innovative cocktail list (created by Head Bartender Caroline-Astrid Mathon, ex The Ned).
Nearly one-third of employees at New York City hospitals have still not gotten COVID-19 vaccines, city data show.

Figures from the state Health Department reveal only 70 percent have completed their vaccine series since the shots were rolled out in December 2020.

Of the five boroughs, Manhattan has the highest percentage of vaccinated workers with 76 percent having received their shots.

Queens has fared second best with more than two-thirds of health care workers, or 67 percent, being vaccinated.

However, almost 40 percent of hospital staff in the remaining three boroughs have either refused the COVID-19 vaccine or not gotten it yet.

Through July 14, 61 percent of workers have been vaccinated in the Bronx, 62 percent in Brooklyn (Kings County) and 64 percent in Staten Island (Richmond County).

Currently in New York City, at least 69 percent of cases of active COVID cases are of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Only 70 percent of hospital workers in New York City are vaccinated, trailing the statewide rate of 74 percent

Manhattan has the highest vaccination rate at 76 percent among hospital workers. The Bronx has the lowest rate at only 61 percent.

Health care workers were among the first people to have the vaccine made available to them in the state back in December 2020.

Just one hospital in the state, NYPresbyterian-Health, has set a requirement for all employees to get vaccinated - giving them until September 1.

According to state data, nearly 74 percent of adults in New York state and 70 percent of adults in the city have received at least one shot.

This means that health care workers in the state are meeting the city average, but falling behind the rest of the state.

Across the state, 74 percent of health care workers are vaccinated.

'It is distressing that so many health care workers are not getting vaccinated,' Richard Gottfried, Health Committee Chairman and representative of Manhattan in the state assembly, told the New York Post.

'It's important to protect themselves, to protect their patients, and to keep the health care system running. They should be setting an example for everyone.'

Hospital workers are at an increased risk of catching and transmitting COVID-19 due to their interactions with sick patients at hospitals.

Even when someone themselves does not work around COVID patients, they could still catch the virus from others around the hospital.

Because of this, it is key that health care workers get vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is why they were given high priority in the vaccine rollout.

A surge in cases among health care workers can also reduce a hospitals ability to treat patients, exacerbating potential problems.

Because of this, multiple hospital systems around the country have instituted vaccine mandates, forcing all employees to get the jabs in order to keep their jobs.

NY-Presbyterian made the decision to set a September 1 deadline in June.

'The stakes in this matter are high, and the evidence is clear that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most important and responsible action we can take as NYP team members for the safety and well-being of our patients and visitors, our communities, and ourselves,' hospital leadership wrote in a memo to staff obtained by Gothamist.

NewYork-Presbyterian hospital is the only one of the cities 11 hospitals to have set a vaccine mandate, giving employees until September 1 to get the shots

The hospital, like many others, already requires employees to get vaccinated against the flu, measles, rubella and varicella.

Other hospital systems around the country have put similar mandates in place, but not without backlash.

In Houston, Houston Methodist hospital was sued by over 100 employees after setting an early June deadline for employees to get vaccinated.

The lawsuit was thrown out, as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission previously ruled that employers were allowed to set these types of mandates.

1199SEIU, the largest health care union in the nation representing over 450,000 members, has vowed to opposed these types of measures.

'We are not in agreement with a mandate of the COVID-19 vaccine,' George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU, said in a statement earlier this month.

'A hard-handed approach will not work and will only create greater frustration for the healthcare heroes who have been battling this pandemic every day for the last 15 months.

'We agree that vaccination is an important tool to help us move forward, but mandating vaccination is not, nor will it ever, be the answer.'
The nation's top infectious disease expert said he agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) new guidance that all children above age two regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status should wear masks in the fall.

In an appearance on CNN's At This Hour on Monday afternoon, Dr Anthony Fauci said the recommendations are 'a reasonable thing to do because a 'substantial proportion of the population' is unvaccinated.

'When you have a degree of viral dynamics in the community, and you have a substantial proportion of the population that is unvaccinated, that you really want to go the extra step, the extra mile, to make sure that there's not a lot of transmission, even breakthrough infections, among vaccinated individuals,' he said.

'For that reason, you can understand why the American Academy of Pediatrics might want to do that. They just want to be extra safe.'

This is much stricter than the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month that recommended masks should be worn only indoors and among those who are not fully vaccinated.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidance on Monday saying that all students above age 2 and staff in schools should wear masks regardless of vaccination status. Pictured: Students wearing face masks at St Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, California, November 2020

Dr Anthony Fauci told CNN on Monday the new guidelines are 'a reasonable thing to do' due to vaccines not being approved for children under age 12

Children are less likely to get sick than adults (above) and make up 14% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. but just 0.1% of all deaths

Fauci said the recommendations are a 'variance' from the CDC's guidelines, but noted that the federal health agency 'always leaves open the flexibility' for cities and school districts to decided for themselves.

'So, I think that the American Academy of Pediatrics, they're a thoughtful group, they analyze the situation and if they feel that that's the way to go, I think that's a reasonable thing to do,' he told CNN.

'But...that does lead to some sort of confusion sometimes when people see an organization making one recommendation, in general, for the whole country and then local groups, local enterprises, local organizations, in order to get that extra step of safety, say something different. And you're right, that does indeed cause a bit of confusion.'

Although children can contract COVID-19 and pass it on to adults, they are much less likely to fall severely ill and die.

Currently, children under age 18 make up 14 percent of all cases to date and just 0.1 percent of all Covid-related deaths in the U.S., according to the AAP.

Polls suggest that parents are 50/50 about vaccinating children with a recent CDC report suggesting 56 percent of parents of 12-to-17-year-olds plan to vaccinate their children.

COVID-19 vaccines are only available for Americans aged 12 and older.

However, Pfizer-BioNTech says it plans to file for emergency use authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine among children ages five to 11 by the fall with hopes it will be approved in the winter.

Because this means millions of children will not be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines when the new school year starts, the AAP says that all children - and staff - should wear masks unless they have a medical or developmental condition.

The organization says universal masking is recommended because not only will this reduce transmission, but because there is no system to monitor vaccination status among students, teachers and staff.

The AAP also echoed the CDC's school guidance including increased ventilation, regular testing, promoting hand hygiene and quarantining those who have symptoms.

'There are many children and others who cannot be vaccinated,' said Dr Sara Bode, chair-person elect of the AAP Council on School Health Executive Committee, in a statement.

'This is why it's important to use every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from COVID-19. Universal masking is one of those tools, and has been proven effective in protecting people against other respiratory diseases, as well.

'It's also the most effective strategy to create consistent messages and expectations among students without the added burden of needing to monitor everyone's vaccination status.'

When the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in March 2020, schools quickly closed and pivoted to remote learning.

However, online learning took toll on mental health issues with kids feeling increasingly lonely and isolated.

'We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers -- and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely,' said Dr Sonja O'Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health, in a statement.

'The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it's not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health.

'Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone.'
Theres a rush of warm air as Teresa Brevini opens the incubator, kept at a blood-warm 37c, in the corner of the laboratory. She lifts out a tray of Petri dishes and tilts them to give me a better view

Theres a rush of warm air as Teresa Brevini opens the incubator, kept at a blood-warm 37c,

in the corner of the laboratory. She lifts out a tray of Petri dishes and tilts them to give me a better view. Just visible are pinhead-sized specks, suspended in a drop of clear fluid.

It would take a microscope with magnification 200 times greater than the naked eye to see that these arent just specks of dust: they are miniature human organs, or organoids.

These function in the same way as full-scale organs, but measure no more than a few millimetres.

The ones Teresa is handling in this Cambridge laboratory are mini bile ducts, thin tubes that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine to help with digestion.

Teresa also has gut organoids in the incubator, while down the corridor a different team is developing brain organoids.

In fact, around the world, miniatures of everything from lungs to kidneys are being coaxed gently to life. And because they function just as organs do, they are perfect for research.

In May, scientists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna announced that they had managed to develop an organoid heart the size of a sesame seed. It rhythmically beats and pumps just like a human heart, and the plan is to use it to help with the development of drugs.

A few weeks earlier, researchers from Boston University in the U.S. announced that they had developed gut organoids to test new treatments for Covid.

These tiny organs have also helped to reveal why so many Covid patients first developed gut-related symptoms, such as diarrhoea. When scientists infected gut organoids with the virus, it was found that it easily replicated in the gut lining.

Meanwhile, some of the organoids reared here, at the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, were used in December for the first time for a different purpose: to repair a human organ, a liver.

So what are 'organoids'? Inside each of the wells of this dish (below) are organoids, miniature human organs  in this case, bile ducts. As small as a pinhead, these are fully working versions of real bile ducts, which play a key role in liver function and digestion. These mini bile ducts actually started life as gallbladder cells, but after being placed in a soup that was carefully designed to recreate the environment in which bile ducts exist, they were transformed. At around three weeks old, the bile duct organoids are able to work in just the same way as a fully grown bile duct. These could then simply be injected into place to help repair damaged bile ducts  or used to line a bile duct-shaped collagen skeleton (bottom), for instance to help children who have been born without bile ducts. In this case, the skeleton would be implanted surgically. Inside each of the wells of this dish (below) are organoids, miniature human organs These could then simply be injected into place to help repair damaged bile ducts  or used to line a bile duct-shaped collagen skeleton Advertisement

The breakthrough opens the door to the possibility of growing organoids as spare parts for organs damaged by disease or injury.

Until now, we have tried to fix what has gone wrong, but now it looks like we can offer replacement parts  it is a big change, says Dr Fotios Sampaziotis, a hepatologist and clinical lecturer at the University of Cambridge, who led the experiment with a team from Addenbrookes Hospital.

The development means there could be a safer, easier option for patients whose only hope of survival previously was a transplant.

We can put the organoids in place with an injection, without the need for surgery, says Dr Sampaziotis. And we could give them earlier, before the patient is seriously ill.

A future use as donor organs

The Cambridge breakthrough, published in the journal Science in February, also offers the chance to repair organs once deemed unsuitable for organ donation.

Despite the fact that there is a severe shortage of organs, some donated organs arent used because they are not healthy enough for transplantation, says Dr Sampaziotis. With this new method you could take an organ you wouldnt normally transplant, refurbish it and then use it.

It is hoped that in future the process can be scaled up, so an organoid can be used directly as a donor organ. Currently thats not feasible, as they lack a blood supply and tissue to connect them to the body. In some cases, it may mean using a scaffold of collagen, for example, to help provide the correct organ shape for the organoids to grow around.

The organoid bile ducts that Teresa is handling are only a few days old, but they react just like a mature bile duct, swelling in the presence of hormones, pumping out water and repelling bile acid. Under the microscope, you can see they have the same tube-shaped structure as a bile duct. Yet a few days ago, these were just a cluster of cells from the gallbladder.

They were placed in a nourishing soup, designed to recreate the environment a bile duct normally inhabits (and containing, for example, hormones and bile acids), to grow, and within days they became mini bile ducts.

As well as having to be kept blood-warm, the mini organs must be fed on the soup to keep them from starving. Teresa, a PhD student, has to top up this liquid every two days with a pipette.

I even came in at Easter and on Christmas Day to make sure they didnt miss a feed, she says brightly.

They work just like the real thing

The ability for organoids to function in the body like real organs is no distant dream.

One of the latest organoid developments is tear glands, which, when exposed to adrenaline in test tubes, were actually able to produce tears, reported the journal Cell Stem Cell in March.

This work was overseen by Hans Clevers, a professor at the Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research in the Netherlands, in whose laboratory the very first organoid was developed just over a decade ago.

Organoids are being investigated in Japan as a way to repair the damage caused by inflammatory bowel disease, and, elsewhere, to repair defective salivary glands.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, gut organoids made with rectal cells from children with cystic fibrosis, a disease that affects the lungs and digestive system, are already routinely being used to see if patients will benefit from the drug ivacaftor.

The treatment can be hugely effective, but works in only 5 per cent of patients and is expensive (it costs around 300,000 a year).

So far, this kind of work has involved laboratory or animal studies, but then at midnight one night last December, Dr Sampaziotis received a call which led to the first use of organoids on a human organ. He was told that a liver unusable for transplant due to diseased bile ducts had become available, and so had a theatre in which to perform the experiment.

Until now, we have tried to fix what has gone wrong, but now it looks like we can offer replacement parts  it is a big change, says Dr Fotios Sampaziotis, a hepatologist and clinical lecturer at the University of Cambridge, who led the experiment with a team from Addenbrookes Hospital

With the liver connected to a mechanical blood pump (to take on the work of the heart), he injected a quarter of a teaspoon of organoids, suspended in the growth medium, into the bile ducts. 

Diseased bile ducts account for around one-third of the 1,000 or so adult liver transplants carried out in the UK each year, and 70 per cent of those required in children.

With younger patients, typically the cause is that they were born without bile ducts; in adults, they can become damaged by inflammation.

Because there is no treatment, we lose up to a third of patients  who are typically men in their forties  within six years of their first symptoms, says Dr Sampaziotis.

Diseased or damaged bile ducts are also why a lot of donated livers are unusable.

Within 24 hours of the organoid injection, the function of the donor liver started to improve. Spellbound by the results, Dr Sampaziotis hardly left the theatre for the next 72 hours, only occasionally sleeping on a chair.

He could tell the organoids were working as the volume of bile going through the ducts was increasing.

When the team later examined the liver ( once the experiment had run its planned 100 hour course) they could see where the organoids  which had been dyed red  had physically repaired the damaged ducts.

The idea of being able to repair an organ without surgery, just with a simple injection, is extraordinary  but now well within reach.

We would pass a camera on a small tube into the small bowel, find the bile duct and inject, says Dr Sampaziotis. It would take 30 minutes.

Once injected, the organoids instinctively perform a sort of self organisation to find the closest bile duct cell and line up to close any gaps, he explains. And once in place they arent going to move around the body.

'Accident' that led to breakthrough

They may be making their presence felt now, but organoids emerged only thanks to one of those serendipitous moments that transform medicine almost by mistake.

In 2008, Toshi Sato, a post-doctorate student in the laboratory of Professor Clevers, was tasked with adding a variety of growth factors to a Petri dish of stem cells from the gut to see if it sped up their growth.

At the time, Toshi was quieter than usual as he had recently broken a piece of equipment in the laboratory, Professor Clevers told Good Health. I remember walking into the lab and saying, Toshi, are they growing? And he casually said, Yes.

But when I looked down the microscope, there wasnt just a cluster of cells, we had a structure. The cells had organised themselves to become mini guts.

We later dubbed them organoids. I remember thinking, Wow, this is the basis for research for the next 50 years. 

Initial experiments used stem cells  master cells that can become other types of cells and normally help to perform running repairs on organs.

We grew organoid pancreases and stomachs early on using these stem cells, but by making alterations to the growth medium, we began to realise we could grow every organ apart from the heart and brain, says Professor Clevers.

That is because there dont appear to be any stem cells in either of these organs.

Yet organoid technology can now use different types of cells to grow mini hearts and brains. This includes embryonic stem cells, taken from embryos fertilised in a Petri dish. This remains controversial. It is also possible to make artificial versions of stem cells, although its a slower process.

You take any human cells  such as cells from a hair shaft. You play a trick with the DNA by adding different genes which you zap into the cells, and in so doing you reprogramme them, says Professor Clevers.

The Cambridge team didnt use stem cells at all, but cells from the gallbladder, which are flexible and can, with treatment, be made to behave like bile duct cells.

The growth medium is key, and this will differ according to the organoid being created. As well as vitamins, minerals and antibiotics (organoids lack a protective immune system), every organ has its own preferred menu of growth factors: breast tissue organoids prefer oestrogen, while lung organoids need air, so are grown on the surface of liquid.

The Cambridge team experimented using various growth factors. The cells grew  but in their original form as gallbladder cells, says Ludovic Vallier, a professor of regenerative medicine at the University of Cambridge, who co-led the work.

Then they added bile, which we know influences very strongly the way cells work, says Professor Vallier. It worked: the gallbladder cells became bile duct cells.

While the Cambridge team has shown how organoids can help repair damage, in the world of cancer research another group is taking samples of tumours and growing cancer organoids to improve drug treatment.

We know some cancers respond to chemotherapy but some dont, and sometimes we dont understand why, says Dr Hayley Francies, a principal staff scientist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in London. Its possible organoids can help.

One drawback is that developing the organoids relies on taking a biopsy of a tumour, which can be super invasive, she explains. There is work looking at whether its possible to generate a bladder tumour from a urine sample  and for other cancers, using blood samples.

Another potential problem is time, she adds, explaining that to grow enough organoids to test a range of drugs could take months  which a patient might not have.

How cells can cut animal testing

Another field where mini organs could transform current practice is drug development and testing.

At the moment, drug testing is time-consuming and relies for a major part on animal models, and then you have to extrapolate what that could mean for a human, says Professor Vallier. Thats one reason that 70 per cent of trials fail in the first stage of testing. Organoids offer an intermediate stage, so there would be less testing on animals  and safer testing on humans.

A broader issue is ethical. When Henrietta Lacks, an American mother of five, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951 at the age of 31, neither she nor her family were told that a sample of her cancer had been taken and stored in a laboratory. While most cell samples soon died, hers kept on dividing and growing. A line of cells was developed from the sample - known as HeLa cells, these are the most widely used human cell line in medical research, involved in many medical breakthroughs including the polio vaccine (and even to test our sensitivity to products such as cosmetics).

Henrietta Lack died in the year she was diagnosed, but it wasnt until the early 70s that her family found out by chance that copies of her cells were being mass produced  by then theyd been used countless times.

Dr Francies says her case shows caution is needed when using patients cells to develop organoids, but insists stringent protocols are now in place.

Currently for the Cambridge team, a big hurdle will be scaling up the production process to make it possible to produce organoids in significant quantities, concedes Professor Vallier.

But more immediately, organoids are to be used in human safety trials (using donor human livers), in the next few months. 

Professor Vallier believes that if the trials go to plan, the treatment will be an option within five to ten years. We have already shown its safe and possible in human organs, he says.

Meanwhile, the progenitors of organoids continue with their own groundbreaking research: Dr Toshi Sato is now in Tokyo working on a way to use organoids to help children with a rare bowel disorder.

And Professor Clevers is developing organoids of the conjunctiva  the cells the line the inside of the eyelids. Scarring as a result of a range of conditions, from infections to autoimmune disorders, is a common cause of blindness.

And then? I look around to see what tissue hasnt been turned into an organoid yet, and then have a go, he says.
Public companies issued the lowest ever number of profit warnings this spring, according to a respected industry tracker.

Only 32 listed firms said their earnings were set to be worse than forecast in the second quarter, EY-Parthenon research found, indicating businesses are bouncing back from Covid.

Bouncing back: EY has been tracking profit warnings for 22 years and said this was the smallest number reported in a quarter

EY has been tracking profit warnings for 22 years and said this was the smallest number reported in a quarter.

It is in stark contrast to the first three months of 2020 when they hit a record high of 301.

The global economy has picked up rapidly since a string of vaccine announcements in November  and in the UK growth has soared since Covid restrictions began to relax in April after a third lockdown.

But EY-Parthenon's Alan Hudson said firms could soon be hit with more challenges, as the strong global recovery has also pushed up many raw material prices.
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Just weeks after an alarming number of unmarked indigenous graves were found in Canada, a DailyMail.com investigation has discovered similar travesties at an Oregon gravesite that is part of a Native American boarding school.

The small graveyard, known as the Chemawa Cemetery, was part of the school for indigenous children located just north of Salem, Oregon, and is believed to contain not only unmarked graves but graves that are marked with Anglicized names - not the children's true indigenous names.

DailyMail.com visited the cemetery and saw grave markers with 'Anglo' sounding names like, Daniel Boone, James Flemming, Alice Hayes, Angle Adams, Frank Howard, Benny (no last name), George, Rosie and Burns.

Several areas in the cemetery had no grave markers at all, just empty spaces. The markers may have been moved or stolen.

'Anything is a possible,' Marsha Small, a doctoral student at Montana State University, told DailyMail.com.

Small has used ground penetrating radar and magnetometry beneath the Chemawa Cemetery where she discovered 222 sets of remains, more than the 208 the federal government had documented.

'There could well be several unmarked indigenous bodies buried at the Chemawa Cemetery,' she told DailyMail.com.

DailyMail.com visited the the Chemawa Cemetery north of Salem, Oregon and saw grave markers with 'Anglo' sounding names like, Daniel Boone, James Flemming, Alice Hayes, Angle Adams, Frank Howard, Benny and more

A small graveyard, known as the Chemawa Cemetery, that is part of the school for indigenous children, is believed to contain the unmarked graves of children

Several areas in the cemetery had no grave markers at all, just empty spaces. The markers may have been moved or stolen

Marsha Small, a doctoral student at Montana State University, told DailyMail.com she discovered 222 graves from the late 1800s to early 1900s, many of which were marked with Anglicized named like Jennie Dick

Some of the markers were missing last names, like Benny who passed November 13, 1918. The Anglicized names and lack of last names make it impossible for family members to identify their loved ones

'It was an atrocity for the United States to take away these children's native names so their parents and ancestors could never find them,' Small said

Small believes there are likely many unmarked indigenous graves at the Oregon cemetery, but believes it doesn't compare to the hundreds that were discovereed in Canada last month

Last June, unmarked graves were discovered by Canada's Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia, Canada. Then a few weeks later 751 unmarked graves were found at the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan.

Small believes the number of possible unmarked indigenous graves at the Oregon cemetery is nowhere near the number recently discovered in Canada.

But that's small comfort to the American Indian families who have tried to locate the remains of their children over the years.

Marsha Small (pictured) told DailyMail.com she used ground penetrating radar and magnetometry beneath the Chemawa Cemetery where she discovered 222 sets of remains

The Oregon cemetery is part of the Chemawa School, an off-reservation boarding school run by the Bureau of Indian Education, within the Department of the Interior.

It's the oldest continuously operated residential boarding school for Native American students in the U.S. and one of only four off-reservation schools still in existence - the others are the Sherman Indian School in Riverside, California, Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau, South Dakota, and Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

DailyMail.com has not yet been able to verify that these schools too have cemeteries with graves that are ither unmarked or marked inappropriately.

According to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition there were 367 schools in 29 states, 73 remain open today, and 15 are still boarding but on Indian reservations.

The Chemawa School opened in 1880 originally as an elementary school for both boys and girls, becoming a fully accredited high school in 1927. At the peak of its enrolment in 1926, the school had 1,000 students.

Today the school serves 9-12 graders and has approximately 425 students, primarily from the tribes of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

The focus of teaching at the time of its founding was vocational and agricultural training, dairy farming, and animal husbandry. At one time the 40-acre school boasted 70 buildings on its grounds including a library, hospital, dormitories, barns and other buildings relating to vocational programs.

Most of the older buildings have been demolished and the school moved to the present campus in the 1970's. The Chemawa cemetery, which opened in 1886, may be the only part of the old campus that still is intact, according to published reports.

With high mortality rates in the late 1800's early 1900's almost every native school had its own cemetery.

The Chemawa School opened in 1880 originally as an elementary school for both boys and girls, becoming a fully accredited high school in 1927. Today the school serves 9-12 graders and has approximately 425 students, primarily from the tribes of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

At the peak of its enrolment in 1926, the school had 1,000 students. This undated photo shows the boys of the Chemawa school after it was moved to Salem in 1885

This photo from 1897 shows students in front of the girls' dorm at the Chemawa School. The focus of teaching at the time of its founding was vocational and agricultural training, dairy farming, and animal husbandry

Small said she foound that that other than the first row of graves, the markers and the locations of the remains don't match up at Chemawa.

'There may be several unknown indigenous bodies buried in the cemetery, but I don't think it's in the hundreds.'

Her radar technology could only penetrate the soil about three to four feet into the ground leading her to speculate more remains could be buried deeper.

'Right now, there are more questions than answers,' said Small, who intends to return to the cemetery in September to continue her research. 'It's not about numbers, finding one unmarked indigenous grave is one too many.'

How Native American boarding schools stripped children of their indigenous names, banned traditional foods and barred them from speaking in native tongue The purpose of the Natvie American boarding school was to culturally assimilate native boys and girls to the European American culture mostly by forcibly removing them from their families, converting them to Christianity, and teaching them English. They were punished for speaking their native language and stripped of their traditional clothing. They were given new 'white' names and surnames. Traditional native foods were forbidden to be served and the native children were taught how to use knives, forks and spoons. When indigenous students first arrived at these boarding schools they were forced to change out of their tribal clothing and their hair was cut. Punishment was harsh and swift. There are reports that students had their mouths washed out with soap for speaking their native language and locking them up with only bread and water for other rule violations. They often suffered physical, emotional, spiritual, sexual abuse. Many of the children never made it back home, dying from disease, abuse and more. It's estimated there may have been 40,000 children who died in or because of these institutions. If the indigenous people resisted the school, the Native American agents on the reservation would often withhold rations or send in agency police to enforce the policy. In the more extreme cases, police were sent onto the reservation to take children away from their parents. Reportedly, Navajo police officers avoided taking 'prime' children and would take children assumed to be less intelligent, those not well cared for or those physically impaired. In 1860, the Bureau of Indian affairs established the first boarding school on the Yakima Reservation in Yakima, WA. By 1885, 106 Native American schools had been established. In 1879, Col. Richard Henry Pratt, established the most well known of the off-reservation boarding schools, the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Pratt's motto was, 'Kill the Indian, save the man.' Pratt believed that off-reservation schools established in white communities could accomplish this task by immersing Native Americans into the mainstream of American life. Carlisle was the only off-reservation boarding school built in the East; all others were built in the West. In 1891, the government issues a 'compulsory attendance' law that enables federal officers to forcibly take Native American children from their homes and reservations. By 1900, there were 20,000 children in Native American Boarding Schools and by 1925 that number tripled to 60,000. By 1926, nearly 83 percent of Native American school-age children were in the system, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. In 1973, 60,000 American indigenous children are estimated to have been enrolled at Native American Boarding Schools. In 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act passed giving indigenous parents the legal right to deny their children's placement in off-reservation schools. As a result many large Native american boarding schools closed in the 1980's and early 1990's. By 2007, the number of Native Americans in boarding schools declined to 9,500. By June 2021, almost 1,000 children were found in unmarked graves at two defunct indigenous boarding schools in Canada. Advertisement

What haunts Small is that many of the native children who were buried in the cemetery had their names Anglicized - and that is the name that often shows up on the grave marker.

'It was an atrocity for the United States to take away these children's native names so their parents and ancestors could never find them,' added Small.

'Many of these kids were ripped from their homes and taken far away to a boarding school, they were then victimized again by being buried in a graveyard some of them thousands of miles from their homes under a different name.

The original grave markers at Chemawa were replaced in 1960 using a 1940 plat map. By 1960 the cemetery had fallen in disrepair, overgrown with bushes and weeds and most of the grave markers that were originally made of wood were gone.

The markers placed on the graves were accurate as far as the 1940 plat map, but who knows how accurate the plat map was, added Small. 'How are the natives supposed to locate their ancestors when the names and the dates on the markers are incorrect?' she asked

The students at Chemawa School came from several different tribes from across the Northwest and as far away as Alaska. Small said at least 50 tribes are represented in the cemetery

With high mortality rates in the late 1800's early 1900's almost every native school had its own cemetery. Several of the students died from illness, yellow fever, tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza and the pandemic of 1918

The markers placed on the graves were accurate as far as the 1940 plat map, but who knows how accurate the plat map was, added Small.

'How are the natives supposed to locate their ancestors when the names and the dates on the markers are incorrect?' she asked.

Milton 'Tee' Sahme, 44, a member of the Simnasho Tighe tribe, who is a water protector and activist, said his aunt attended Chemawa in the early 1920s as a young child. She died in 2002

'Obviously a native isn't going to be named Daniel Boone, so how would one start to look for their ancestors if the names are incorrect? You couldn't even begin to look.'

At the time AT WHAT TIME??? JUST 1918?

several of the students died from illness, yellow fever, tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza and the pandemic of 1918. The students came from several different tribes from across the Northwest and as far away as Alaska. Small said at least 50 tribes are represented in the cemetery.

Small said the only way to have a better picture of what lies beneath the ground is to have an archaeological survey, but believes that it will most likely never happen and would never recommend it.

'You would have to go to each of the individual tribes of the people who are buried in the cemetery and get their permission, but you don't know all of the tribes that are represented in cemetery so you really can't ask for permission, it's a Catch-22 situation. And being Northern Cheyenne I can't say what another tribe should do.'

In the meantime, Small said she is going to come back out and do more research and to hopefully find answers for the ancestors of the deceased.

'This work needs to be done by a native, it's not to be done for publicity or by some big corporation, it needs to be done with reverence and respect.

Small isn't the only person who believes there could be several indigenous unmarked graves at Chemawa.

Milton 'Tee' Sahme, 44, a member of the Simnasho Tighe tribe, who is a water protector and activist, said his aunt attended Chemawa in the early 1920s as a young child. She died in 2002.

Sahme said, 'My aunt used to tell us about the horror stories at Chemawa Indian Boarding School. She said that she had to change her first name from Tunastunmi to 'Nettie', he thinks because it was too hard for them to pronounce her first name.'

Sahme (picturede standing over a grave) said, 'My aunt used to tell us about the horror stories at Chemawa Indian Boarding School. She said that she had to change her first name from Tunastunmi to 'Nettie', he thinks because it was too hard for them to pronounce her first name'

Another worker Gene Hiebert, 58, a member of the Tlingit tribe from Alaska who worked as a truant officer at Chemawa from 1983-2000, said he brought his 14-year-old daughter Aurora to the cemetery 'to show her where some of her ancestors are possibly buried'

Aurora Hiebert, 14, watches on as her dad tends to a marker stone in the Chemawa Cemetery. Her father said, 'It's saddens me that we may have ancestors in this cemetery but don't know their burial location'

Sahme said his aunt told him that 'they couldn't speak their native language, or they would get their mouths literally washed out with soap. If they tried to use sign-language, they would get their hands struck by a wooden ruler. They were often whipped for talking, etc. They were locked in closets as punishment, it was horrible.'

Sahme also believes not only in the Chemawa Cemetery but in the adjacent lots that housed the hospital and old school there could be hundreds of unmarked graves.

'You had kids that were forcibly taken from their homes, it's only natural that some of them ran away and possibly died along the way, there is a train track, a river and a slew where they could have drowned. I'm sure if you look hard enough in the area you'll find remains.'

Sahme added that he is saddened by what happened to the children buried at Chemawa and recently lead a prayer run to the cemetery, 'to try to bless the kids and put them at peace.'

'In the native culture children are our future. This kids who are buried here in marked and unmarked graves didn't get the chance to go home. There was no closure in death, they didn't get that.'

Another worker Gene Hiebert, 58, a member of the Tlingit tribe from Alaska who worked as a truant officer at Chemawa from 1983-2000, said he brought his 14-year-old daughter Aurora to the cemetery 'to show her where some of her ancestors are possibly buried.'

'It's saddens me that we may have ancestors in this cemetery but don't know their burial location.'

Preston McBride, a Dartmouth College Scholar told Reuters he has documented over 1,000 deaths at just four of the over 500 schools Native boarding schools that existed in the United States. He said, 'It's quite likely that 40,000 children died either in or because of these institutions.'

Small added, 'it's my life's work to bring some sort of resolve for these children and their ancestors.'

Current Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has ordered a Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative requesting an investigation of the loss of human life and the lasting consequences of residential boarding schools and to identify the children who attended and their tribal affiliations, as well as the location of known and possible student burial sites located near school facilities.
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Radical preacher Anjem Choudary today protested his innocence after his ban on speaking in public was lifted following the end of licence conditions imposed after his release from prison.

The 54-year-old extremist was jailed five years ago after being convicted of inviting support for the Islamic State terror group, and left Belmarsh high-security jail in South East London on licence in 2018.

Choudary, who is from Ilford, East London, was freed automatically halfway through a five-and-a-half year sentence, and he held a press conference at a small park near his home this afternoon.

He told reporters: 'I don't agree about the law criminalising people for expressing their opinions. I don't think a Muslim in the media with the profile I have could ever have a fair trial anyway in Britain.

'The jury would inevitably be biased. The judges, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police, none of them could really be fair. I am an innocent man, I believe I was a prisoner of faith. If not exonerated in this life.

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary speaks to the media in Ilford, East London, today as he protests his innocence

Choudary, 54, who is from Ilford, East London, spoke to members of the media this afternoon

'I don't believe I supported any prescribed organisation and I believe on top of that that if you live in a society where you have so-called freedom and democracy these things should never be criminalised anyway.'

A string of more than 20 strict licence conditions which Choudary has been subject to since his release expired yesterday, it is understood.

As well as being prohibited from speaking in public, his internet and mobile phone use was restricted and he was banned from being in contact with people who may be suspected of extremist-related offences without prior approval.

He had to wear an electronic tag and abide by a night-time curfew, only attend pre-approved mosques and stay within a set area, as well as adhere to other standard requirements, like having regular meetings with probation officers.

Choudary said today: 'I don't think I've ever incited violence' and said he did not encourage people to join ISIS. He continued: 'I don't think I did anything wrong according to divine text.

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary walks along the street in Ilford, where he held a press conference this afternoon

Choudary speaks today after restrictions on him speaking in public following his release from prison came to an end

'I could have been charged with anything, I could have been charged with carrying out 9/11 and 12 people on the street who have been subject to the propaganda from the media are never going to find someone like me innocent because they have already been conditioned, they have already have preconceived ideas.

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary speaks to the media in Ilford, East London, this afternoon

'You are already tried in the media before you come to the courts and therefore I don't believe that someone like me can ever have a fair trial. So don't read too much into the fact that I've been convicted on this fact or that fact.'

He added: 'I don't think I ever praised anybody who carried out any attack.'

As he spoke an Asian man walking by shouted: 'You're a fraud! You're a fraud! He doesn't represent me.'

When asked about what he would do now, he confirmed he did not have plans to speak publicly, adding: 'I'm a family man, I have children so I'm going to go on and, inshallah, exercise some of my freedom with my children, maybe go some places I couldn't before. I'm just going to get used to my freedom.'

Police and MI5 were thought to be among a host of bodies involved in monitoring him under the system known as multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa).

Separate measures saw his name added to a UN sanctions list, which meant he was banned from travelling and had assets frozen.

Once a leading figure in the now-banned group al-Muhajiroun (ALM), the former solicitor had previously stayed on the right side of the law for years  despite being seen as a radicalising influence.

From the 1990s, the father-of-five was a prominent figure in ALM, which also operated under a number of other names.

Over 20 years he voiced controversial views on Sharia law while building up a following of thousands through social media, demonstrations and lectures around the world.

While there has been no suggestion Choudary organised any attacks, others previously linked to ALM include Michael Adebolajo, one of the murderers of Fusilier Lee Rigby, and Khuram Butt, the ringleader of the London Bridge terror attack.

Anjem Choudary (centre, in white) speaks outside Conway Hall in London in June 2009

During his teenage years the Fishmongers' Hall attacker Usman Khan also took an interest in Choudary's views.

Muslim convert Lewis Ludlow, who plotted a terror attack on Oxford Street, attended a demonstration led by Choudary and the ALM group.

But former head of counter-terror policing Mark Rowley previously said Choudary was not 'some sort of evil genius', dismissing him as a 'pathetic groomer' during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'I think we have to be careful not to overstate his significance,' he added.

Whether counter-terror police and MI5 will continue to track Choudary or consider him a person of interest has not been confirmed. But ALM is expected to remain of considerable interest.

Former head of counter-terror policing Mark Rowley (pictured in 2018) previously said Choudary was not 'some sort of evil genius', dismissing him as a 'pathetic groomer'

Other measures available to security services and police which could be considered in such instances are Tpims (Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures). They are seen as the strictest monitoring tool available to use against people suspected to be involved in terrorism or who present a threat, but cannot be prosecuted or deported.

A Tpim notice  which can be in place for up to two years  can involve conditions like an enforced curfew, tagging, having to stay away from certain locations and restrictions on overseas travel.

A senior security source said: 'Disruptive measures  including jail terms and licence conditions  have had a substantial impact on the ability of ALM to propagate their toxic ideology.

'While the group cynically preys on vulnerable individuals, its spokespeople have hidden behind their cult-like status while encouraging others to commit acts of violence. The group breeds on propaganda, and should be starved of the oxygen of publicity it relies on to spread hatred.'
Clive Palmer has ramped up his anti-vaccination campaign and distributed flyers containing Covid-19 misinformation to vulnerable Aboriginal communities.

The yellow flyers have been dumped in letterboxes in regional towns across New South Wales including Bathurst, in the Central Tablelands, and Broken Hill, in the Far West region.

'URGENT COMMUNICATION - open sealed section to view!' is written across the front in bold letters.

They contain misleading information that 300 deaths have been linked to the Covid-19 vaccines.

Broken Hill mayor Darriea Turley said she was shocked to receive the flyer in her mail.

Clive Palmer has ramped up his anti-vaccination campaign and distributed flyers containing Covid-19 misinformation to vulnerable Aboriginal communities

'URGENT COMMUNICATION - open sealed section to view!' is written across the front in bold letters

'I looked at it and was just shocked,' she told Sydney Morning Herald. 'I thought to myself: "How could he put lives at risk?"'

Bathurst has an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 5.4 per cent while Broken Hill has a population of 11.2 per cent - nearly four times the national average.

Letters have also cropped up in Sydney suburbs, including Roseville - with one resident claiming they have received two in as many weeks.

The Indigenous community is considered a priority group in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout and have been eligible to receive the jab since the start.

Broken Hill resident Elaine Gillett slammed the flyers for their discouraging message.

'Yes people are entitled to a view, but you can't push it down somebody's throat,' she said.

'People are confused enough, they don't need to read something they get out of their letterbox.'

The flyers contain misinformation that 300 deaths have been linked to Covid-19 vaccines since the rollout.

It is a misrepresentation of data collected by the Therapeutic Goods Administration that has been investigating people who were vaccinated and happened to recently die.

The medical regulatory authority has reviewed 377 reports of deaths - but found only four were linked to the vaccine and its rare side effects. The others were unrelated.

Some of the flyers have been found inside ALDI catalogues - though the supermarket has denied any involvement.

'ALDI does not support the anti-vaccination movement or promote any rhetoric surrounding it,' a spokesperson said.

'We are regretful and frustrated our brand has been associated with such materials.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Palmer for comment.

The yellow flyers have been dumped into letterboxes in regional towns across New South Wales including Bathurst, in the Central Tablelands, and Broken Hill, in the Far West region

Flyers were also sent out earlier this year slamming both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines

The flyer, which was sent in June, claimed there had been 210 deaths and 24,000 adverse reactions to the vaccines

It is not the first time Mr Palmer's campaign has come under fire from the public and medical health authorities.

Flyers were also sent out earlier this year slamming both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines.

In June, the TGA accused the billionaire of spreading 'misleading information' about Covid-19 vaccinations.

The TGA became concerned about a radio ad that claimed more than 200 deaths have occurred in Australia because of adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccinations.

The TGA said in a statement it had found only one case where an individual with vaccine-related thrombosis or any other related condition had died.

'Such misinformation, in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, poses an unacceptable threat to the health of Australians,' the TGA said in a statement on Tuesday.

'Public figures have a responsibility to be factual and to not undermine our health through spreading misleading information.

'The head of the TGA, Adjunct Professor John Skerritt has written to both Mr Palmer and the CEO of the Grant Broadcasters Radio network to remind them of this responsibility.'

Vaccine hesitancy has also gripped parts of the New South Wales north coast with businesses displaying 'No Mask, We Don't Ask' signs in their storefront windows

Business owners in Mullumbimby have set up signs on their store fronts telling customers no questions will be asked if they're not wearing a mask

A sign declaring 'No Forced Injections' hung on the outside of a building on the main street of Mullumbimby on February 16

Vaccine hesitancy has also gripped parts of the New South Wales north coast with businesses displaying 'No Mask, We Don't Ask' signs in their storefront windows.

Eden's Landing Health Foods, at Mullumbimby, said on its sign the store owner would assume the customer had an exemption if they were not wearing a face mask.

'We don't do judgments, shaming or discrimination here, so please know you will be warmly welcomed and respected however you show up,' it read.

Anti-vaxxers in the area have been reportedly confronting residents who have been wearing face masks.

Ballina Greens member Tamara Smith said there was a worrying absence of health campaigns to dispel anti-vax attitudes.

'On the contrary, the mixed messages coming from the Prime Minister about various vaccines have amplified and made that hesitancy much worse,' she said.

In February, Mullumbimby business owners were seen rolling out anti-vax signs on their storefront.

The Indigenous community is considered a priority group in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout and have been eligible to receive the jab since the start (pictured, nurse conducts Covid-19 swab in Fairfield, south-west Sydney)
Three high school football pals have been found dead and two more are in a critical condition in hospital after suffering suspected carbon monoxide poisoning believed to have been caused by a generator in a travel trailer at a country music festival.

Five men in their late teens and early twenties were found unresponsive inside the trailer at the Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Saturday after a concerned friend told police they had not heard from them in some time.

They were identified as Dawson Brown, 20, Richie Mays Jr, 20, and Kole Sova, 19, MLive.com reported.

'My heart is breaking for these families and the ones still fighting for their lives,' said Mays' mother, Amy Satterthwaite, referring to two more friends who were at a hospital.

Dawson Brown (left), 20, and Kole Sova (right), 19, were among three men who died of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a country music festival in central Michigan on Saturday. All three victims were friends and played on the high school football team at Michigan Center High School

Richie Mays Jr, 20, was also name as one of the victims who died at the festival on Saturday

Authorities are also investigating a fourth death at the festival, unrelated to the suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.





Melissa Donna Havens, 30, was found dead at the three-day music festival on Saturday morning, according to Michigan State Police.





The cause of Havens' death has not been determined, and an autopsy and toxicology test will be carried out, police said.





They are seeking a man who was allegedly seen with her in the hours before her death. He is described as black, in his 30s, with short black hair, a short beard and wearing a gray hoodie.

Five men were found unresponsive inside a travel trailer during a country music festival in Brooklyn, Michigan over the weekend in what police are investigating as a carbon monoxide exposure, officials said. Three of the men died and two were rushed to hospital. Investigators are also probing the death of a 30-year-old woman whose body was found nearby. Jason Aldean (above) performed at the festival at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday

Melissa Donna Havens, 30, was found dead at the festival on Saturday morning, according to Michigan State Police

The man being sought was seen with Havens less than 24 hours after her body was found, according to investigators.

Brown, Mays and Sova graduated from Michigan Center High School in Michigan Center.

Brown, who was Sova's cousin, had a landscape and lawn business that employed two people. He also wore a tattoo that read 'Live a life that outlives you.'

Brown was the oldest of three chidren. He is survived by his parents and his younger siblings - sister Taum, 15, and brother Braylon, 13.

During his high school football playing days, he was known as 'Touchdown Dawson Brown,' a moniker coined by his grandfather.

Mays had talked about selling insurance. His mother, Amy Satterthwaite, said that her son planned to become a millionaire by 25.

Richie Mays Jr and Kole Sova are pictured above during their playing days on the high school football team at Michigan Center High School

Brown, who was Sova's cousin, had a landscape and lawn business that employed two people. He also wore a tattoo that read 'Live a life that outlives you.'

Mays had talked about selling insurance. His mother, Amy Satterthwaite, said that her son planned to become a millionaire by 25

Kole Sova is pictured left with his brother, Brady Sova. Kole Sova was a three-sport star athlete who graduated at the top of his class

'The really hard, saddest thing out of this is just whats not going to happen for these boys whose futures were so bright,' Koles father Jerry Sova told MLive.com.

Sova was a three-sport star athlete who graduated at the top of his class. He worked at the Jiffy Mix plant in Chelsea and had taken college classes.

Jerry Sova said he was told that all three of them died in their sleep, meaning they did not suffer.

'So I want people to know that,' he said.

'I think that'll help, help the community heal a little bit. I think that's important.'

According to the family, Mays' grandfather suggested that the boys place the generator at the back of the camper. But the generator was instead placed at the front because Mays didn't want to disturb girls who were sleeping in a nearby tent.

Jake Haskell, 20, a friend of the three who was also at the festival, said that many other campers had the same set-up. The death of the three is considered a 'freak accident.'

Lenawee County Central Dispatch responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. at Woodstock Township campgrounds.

First responders administered CRP, but three of the men, all in their early 20s, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The other two men were transported to a hospital and remain in critical condition while being treated for acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

The male victims have not yet been named by officials.

According to police, exposure to the carbon monoxide is believed to be from a generator which was located very near to the trailer.

Officials have stressed the importance of keeping generators and exhausts from running vehicles away from camping areas, tents and travel trailers.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas which is produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane or charcoal or other fuel, and inhaling too much of it can be deadly.

When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, your body replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide.

Poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream and often leads to serious tissue damage, or even death.

Three of the men were pronounced dead after medical staff administered CPR

Faster Horses Festival is a three-day event that included performances from Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and Kelsea Ballerini. Pictured in this photo Thomas Rhett performs at the 2021 Faster Horses Festival

Fast Horses Festival was a three-day event that was held this year at the Michigan International Speedway, which is located some 80 miles west of Detroit.

The festival included performances from Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and Kelsea Ballerini. It ended on Sunday.

DEATH INVESTIGATION: Detectives from the First District Special Investigation Section are investigating a death of a 30 year old female from Croswell, MI at Faster Horses Festival in Cambridge Township, Lenawee County.  MSP First District (@MSPFirstDist) July 17, 2021

Faster Horses Festival was a three-day event that included performances from Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and Kelsea Ballerini. Pictured in this photo Kelsea Ballerini performs at the 2021 Faster Horses Festival

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A top doctor claims Sydney's beaches should stay open as the city's coronavirus outbreak worsens, despite being packed with exercising residents.

NSW recorded 105 cases on Sunday as Sydney and surrounding regions entered their fourth week of lockdown.

But stay-at-home orders haven't stopped hundreds of Sydneysiders from flocking to the beach to get their daily dose of exercise and fresh air.

As residents in three local councils in Sydney's south-west complied with strict new orders to stay in their neighbourhoods, there were different scenes in the eastern suburbs and the northern beaches on the weekend.

Pictured are joggers along a packed Bondi promenade

The promenades along Bondi and Manly beaches were packed with people exercising and walking their dogs while enjoying the winter sunshine.

But former federal deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth wasn't worried about the busy scenes seen at beaches, citing a low risk of transmission.

'I didn't have an issue with what we saw over the weekend,' he told the Today show on Monday.

The numbers of Covid cases who were in the community while infectious are showing no signs of slowing down, despite being the key to lockdown being lifted.

But Dr Coatsworth said the risk of the virus of being transmitted while exercising outdoors was far less than at a packed stadium of fans at a sporting match or concert.

Thousands of AFL and rugby union fans were ordered to isolate for 14 days after they were deemed as close contacts of an infected case at separate matches in Melbourne in recent days.

Surfers and swimmers were keen to hit the water, despite being the middle of winter. Pictured is Manly Beach on the northern beaches on Saturday

'I think we've got to be moderate about this. Of course the Delta strain does transmit outdoors but only in very close circumstances,' Dr Coatsworth said.

'There was a Trans music festival in the Netherlands, of course 20,000 people in close proximity listening to dance music and of course, in that sort of situation, you may get transmission.

'But if you're walking past someone during your morning exercise, that is not going to be an issue.'

Many at the packed Sydney beaches weren't wearing masks, despite reiterated pleas from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and health officials to take one with them whenever people leave the house.

Dr Nick Coatsworth says there is little risk of Covid being transmitted during exercise. Pictured are swimmers hitting the water at Manly Beach on Saturday

Former Bachelorette Georgia Love was among those shocked at the scenes at Sydney's beaches.

'Bondi right now, where masks nor social distance seem to matter,' she captioned a short clip of the packed scenes.

One TikTok user shared contrasting footage between a packed Bondi and deserted train stations and shopping strips in Sydney's south-west.

The water at Bondi and Manly was just as busy with hordes of surfers and swimmers braving the chilly temperatures.

'When everyone decides to be a surfer during lockdown at Bondi,' a video of up to a dozen surfers riding the same wave was captioned.

'It's crazy busy in the water in the middle of winter.'

'Bondi right now, where masks nor social distance seem to matter,' Georgia Love tweeted on Sunday

But Dr Coatsworth said the scenes in Bondi and Manly on the weekend shouldn't be compared with other parts of Sydney.

'If people want to exercise in south-west Sydney, the eastern suburbs or the north, I believe they're more than entitled to,' he added.

'I think that, of course, the risk of transmission outdoors is exceptionally low and as long as people are following the rules, as stipulated by the NSW Government, it doesn't matter where they are in Sydney.

'They should allowed to follow those rules and I'm sure the police will exercise appropriate leniency when reminding people about what those restrictions actually are.'
Sydneysiders have rushed to defend New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian after she was photographed picking up a coffee without a mask - with many claiming she had done nothing wrong.

Photos published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday morning showed Ms Berejiklian and her high-flying barrister partner, Arthur Moses, waiting to collect their drinks outside a Sydney cafe on Sunday.

The state leader was pictured holding her face mask in her left hand and standing only seven metres from the cafe's front door. The newspaper said she only put the mask on when she saw a photographer nearby.

Ms Berejiklian on Saturday night changed public health orders in the city to force locked-down Greater Sydney residents to wear a mask when standing 'near' a cafe.

The order states anyone 'outdoors next to or near food and drink premises or retail premises in Greater Sydney' must wear a fitted face covering.

But a spokesman for the premier though said the photos were misleading as they were taken from 'different angles' and wrongly implied she had broken health orders.

KIIS FM radio host Kyle Sandilands also accused the publication of 'having a whinge' and said Ms Berejiklian had not broken any rules.

'They're having a whinge because they say she's got no mask on,' he said on Monday morning.

'But she's drinking a latte and so is the boyfriend - I think that's alright.'

The premier's spokesman earlier said it was 'regrettable' photographer was following her around in her own neighbourhood.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defended not wearing a face mask as she went out for coffee on Sunday morning -claiming she has not broken any lockdown rules

'To follow the premier around in the area where she lives to obtain photos of her with a friend during their private time is one thing which, whilst uncomfortable for the Premier, is regrettably accepted as part of holding public office,' the spokesman said.

'It is wrong and unfair to suggest or imply that she has broken a health order based on photos taken at different angles when she clearly has not.

'The premier is always mindful of her obligations under the health orders and always seeks to maintain an appropriate social distance outdoors.

'Where that is not possible she always wears a mask.'

Other Sydneysiders rushed to defend the NSW premier.

One said on Facebook: 'She's following the health order. No problem here'

Another said: 'She said to have it in yourself. You only had to wear it when in a queue. Daily Telegraph are you seriously doing this? I wouldnt want her job for anything!!'

Poll Did Gladys do anything wrong? Yes No Did Gladys do anything wrong? Yes 895 votes

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Others questioned how she was expected to drink the coffee while wearing the mask.

One said: 'Just wondering what the story is? Bit hard to drink a coffee with a mask on.'

Another said: 'How can any person drink hot coffee while wearing a full face mask?'

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the premier has broken any social distancing restrictions.

Ms Berejiklian has said repeatedly NSW authorities have not found any cases of transmission during outdoor exercise.

Kyle Sandilands said the publication was 'having a whinge' and defended the premier's decision not to wear a mask as she waited for her coffee

Former federal deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth on Monday said he wasn't worried about the busy scenes seen over the weekend at Bondi Beach, citing a low risk of transmission.

'I didn't have an issue with what we saw over the weekend,' he told the Today show on Monday.

He said the risk of the virus of being transmitted while exercising outdoors is far less than at a packed stadium of fans attending a sporting match.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic and ex-Labor leader Bill Shorten questioned whether photographer were essential workers during the lockdown, which has been extended for another two weeks until July 30. However, all media covering the pandemic and providing information are defined as essential workers.

A spokesman for the premier said Ms Berejiklian was following rules and that it was 'regrettable' she was followed and photographed from different angles

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Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour questioned Ms Berejiklian's trip when his electorate are being forced to follow even tougher lockdown restrictions

The state government has not defined what work is 'essential' during the lockdown, but on Saturday tightened rules around which retail stores could stay open.

Only essential retail such as supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to remain open as of 11.59pm on Saturday.

Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour questioned Ms Berejiklian's trip when she has repeatedly told his electorate not to go outside unless their reason is 'absolutely essential'.

The Canterbury-Bankstown LGA is one of three government areas in Sydney's south-west where the Delta variant is spreading the most rapidly; only essential healthcare and emergency services workers can leave those regions for work.

'I don't begrudge her getting a coffee but her rules are don't leave the house unless it's absolutely essential,' he told the Today show.

'It just send the wrong message and that's what is riling my community up'.
Jennifer Emmi, 43, a well known Colorado animal rights attorney and media personality, has pleaded guilty to seven felonies and four misdemeanors connected to her alleged attempt to hire a hitman to kill her estranged husband's girlfriend

A TV animal rights attorney has pleaded guilty to a string of charges after attempting to hire a hitman to kill her estranged husband's girlfriend.

Jennifer Emmi, of Evergreen, Colorado, had been locked in a divorce battle with ex Donnie Emmi last year when she attempted orchestrate a hit on his girlfriend, who had worked as an au pair for the family.

Emmi, 43, was arrested in January, two months after she allegedly offered 28-year-old ranch hand Timothy Lindsey $100,000 to carry out the killing.

She entered guilty pleas to seven felonies and four misdemeanors on June 28, her lawyer has said.

Her felony charges included solicitation to commit second-degree murder, menacing, heat-of-passion strangulation, attempting to influence a judge, violation of a bail bond, retaliation against a witness and stalking.

She also pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, reckless driving, tampering and two counts of child abuse against her children.

Under the conditions of her plea deal, the judge seeing her case will dismiss 11 other felony counts and 12 other misdemeanor charges, People Magazine reported.

Emmi, who is also known as Jennifer Edwards, was arrested in late January for allegedly asking ranch hand, 28-year-old Timothy Lindsey, in November to help kill her ex-husband Donnie Emmis girlfriend, who worked as an au pair for the family

After her arrest, legal documents alleged she had threatened her estranged spouse and children prior to the murder-for-hire plot.

In January 2020, she allegedly held a knife to her husbands neck as he held one of the couple's three young children.

Legal documents detailing the allegations her husband made against her , which were obtained by Fox News, state: 'While Donnie's back was to Jennifer, he felt someone grab the hood part of his hooded sweatshirt... At the same time, he felt his hair being pulled. Then, he felt a piece of cold metal come across his neck and press into it.''

The following month, Jennifer is alleged to have grabbed one of her three children 'by the neck' to 'strangle' her.

'I didn't think I was going to live,' the young child is quoted as telling investigators in the affidavit.

Donnie was additionally 'fearful' that Jennifer would 'commit a murder/suicide and kill him, the kids and herself',

The murder-for-hire arrest followed a six-month investigation by the sheriff's office that involved undercover meetings, blackmail and extortion attempts

Emmi, who set up the Animal Law Center in Colorado, is currently behind bars in Jefferson County on a $3 million bond

After her arrest, legal documents alleged she had threatened her estranged spouse Donnie and their children prior to the murder-for-hire plot

According to the legal documents, Donnie claims Jennifer 'threatened to kill one of their children by driving into a tractor trailer'.

Donnie alleges that Jennifer was suffering from substance abuse issues and was taking 'several medications for a condition called optic neuritis'.

Her attorney disputed the claims made in the affidavit.

Emmi and Donnie had been locked in a divorce battle when she contacted Timothy Lindsey about murdering Donnies girlfriend, who has not been publicly named.

Emmi was allegedly recorded in a series of telephone calls asking if Lindsey knew anyone who could 'get rid' of the woman.

She is said to have provided the girlfriend's name and workplace, the affidavit states.

Lindsey 'played along' telling Emmi it would cost her about $100,000.

The pair are also alleged to have discussed whether the killing should happen at his Evergreen ranch or somewhere else.

'Jennifer responded that the money would not be a problem,' Lindsey told investigators, according to CBS4.

Emmi is alleged to have suggested that both the au pair and her husband could be killed because, 'if there was a car accident or something, no one would know,' according to the affidavit, then later said the plan was 'on hold'.

The ranch hand said he believed the animal rights attorney was serious.

When investigators accessed Emmi's computer, they say she had searched for 'how to get rid of the other woman for good.'

Lindsey then notified Donnie and went to the police.

Emmi is alleged to have asked a man who worked at her Evergreen ranch to 'take care' of her husband's girlfriend

The affidavit also alleges Emmi researched witnesses, judges, prosecutors and investigators involved in her case, sometimes keeping handwritten notes with personal information on those people and their families.

She also allegedly researched whether law enforcement could track her phone and bought devices meant to block tracking.

Emmi founded The Animal Law Center, established a nonprofit ranch in Evergreen to accentuate the bond between humans and animals, and has been regularly interviewed by local media outlets about various animal cases.

She will be sentenced on August 16.
Four Afghan witnesses will give evidence in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial next week as the security circumstances in their war-torn country deteriorates.

The witnesses, who are all in Kabul, will need to ready to give their testimony through an interpreter based in Canada from 4.45am local time.

Nine newspapers will call the Afghans to support their allegations that Mr Roberts-Smith engaged in war crimes during his deployments in Australia's longest war.

The Federal Court heard the rest of the trial could be delayed by up to two months due to Covid-19 and may eventually have to be moved to Adelaide or Canberra.

Barrister Bruce McClintock SC, for Mr Roberts-Smith, said there was 'real damage' being done to his client while the trial was suspended.

Mr Roberts-Smith, 42, is suing Nine newspapers at the Federal Court trial in Sydney over media reports alleging he was involved in war crimes, murders and bullying in Afghanistan

Many of Nine's - and some of Mr Roberts-Smith's - witnesses will be coming from Perth, where the Special Air Service is based. Mr Roberts-Smith is pictured in Afghanistan

'The stress on my client and the anguish this is causing is very, very great,' Mr McClintock told Justice Anthony Besanko.

'His life is in effect on hold until this case is over.'

Mr McClintock said many of the former Australian soldiers to be called by both sides had their own 'personal issues' due to their service in Afghanistan.

'Their mental health is declining,' he said. 'It is imperative we would say to get this case on as soon as possible.'

Australia's most decorated soldier is suing Nine newspapers over allegations he committed war crimes including murder while serving with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan.

The trial was suspended on June 29 after a month of hearing because of Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown and the inability of interstate witnesses to give evidence.

Last week Mr McClintockraised the possibility of the trial being moved from Sydney to Adelaide or Perth if Covid-19 lockdowns and border restrictions continued.

On Monday, he suggested Canberra and Adelaide as possible venues, however a barrister for the Commonwealth said such a move could take two months.

Mr Roberts-Smith is pictured receiving his Victoria Cross for gallantry from then Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce in 2011. He also holds the Medal for Gallantry

Mr McClintock said last week he expected 20 people would need to be physically present in the Sydney court room to hear the Afghans' evidence.

'These people are accusing my client - or at least one of them is - of a murder,' Mr McClintock said.

Mr McClintock had told Justice Besanko that safely fitting 20 people into a Sydney court room would be difficult under social distancing rules.

'That carries real risk, Your Honour,' Mr McClintock said. If one person in the hearing was exposed to the virus everyone else would have to self-isolate.

Nine prepared an affidavit outlining the deteriorating circumstances in Afghanistan as coalition forces led by the United States withdraw from the country.

The trial has previously been told Nine will call evidence from 21 current and former SAS members as well as several Afghan villagers. Other notable witnesses set to testify include Mr Roberts-Smith's ex-wife Emma Roberts. The former couple is pictured together

Mr McClintock said on July 14 it seemed unlikely Taliban insurgents would soon launch an assault on the nation's capital and that for now, 'Kabul seems relatively safe'.

Many of Nine's - and some of Mr Roberts-Smith's - witnesses will be coming from Perth, where the Special Air Service is based.

Mr McClintock said Western Australia had 'traditionally' been slow to open its borders to other states that had been in lockdown.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing three newspapers over media reports alleging he was involved in war crimes and bullying in Afghanistan.

The 42-year-old is also suing the outlets over a claim he assaulted his mistress, a woman known as Person 17, in a Canberra hotel room.

The newspapers claim Mr Roberts-Smith was complicit in and responsible for the murders of six unarmed Afghans.

Nine alleges Mr Roberts-Smith killed insurgents who had been captured and none of the killings was the result of decisions made in the heat of battle.

The former SAS corporal's legal team argues their client is a victim of a lying campaign by journalists and failed soldiers jealous of his stellar military career and Victoria Cross

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald which ran this front page investigation into allegations of war crimes committed in Afghanistan on the weekend of June 9 and 10, 2018

The landmark trial was in its fourth week when it was paused shortly after Mr Roberts-Smith stepped out of the witness box.

Before Nine could open its defence case barrister Nicholas Owens SC flagged that crucial SAS witnesses were unavailable due to border rules in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria.

The trial has previously been told Nine will call evidence from 21 current and former SAS members as well as four Afghan villagers.

Notable witnesses set to testify for Nine include federal Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, a former SAS captain, and Mr Roberts-Smith's ex-wife Emma Roberts.

The trial was expected to run for 10 weeks before the COVID-19 disruption complicated matters.

Mr Roberts-Smith denies all the claims against him while the news outlets defend them on the basis of truth.

The former SAS corporal's legal team argues their client is a victim of a lying campaign by journalists and failed soldiers jealous of his stellar military career and Victoria Cross.
Oxford dons should stop 'throwing tantrums' over statues and focus on fighting today's inequalities, Oriel College's only African tutor warned today, calling their never-ending protests a 'dazzling sign of Western privilege'.

Dr Marie Kawthar Daouda  a Sorbonne-educated academic from Morocco  said she was 'perplexed' over the fuss surrounding the keeping of a statue of Cecil Rhodes at the college.

Dr Daouda added anti-Rhodes virtue signalling shows students that even respectable academics cannot see a statue without throwing a tantrum. She called the fuss a dazzling sign of Western privilege.

Just last month her left-wing colleagues still demanding the removal of the statue - saved in May - said they would give lectures to Oriel College's 300 undergraduates, but deny them the chance for in-depth discussion in small groups or one-to-one sessions until the monument to the colonialist is toppled.

Critics said the row about the centuries old statue at Oriel was at the heart of Britain's culture wars led by a 'woke Taliban' who are bent on 'sitting in judgement of history and trying to assert moral authority over the past'.

Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Dr Daouda said fellow academics should be promoting equality by 'raising awareness about placeswhere there is still much more work to be done than under the dreaming spires'.

Dr Daouda said: 'I would be glad to see less emotivity in the way some members of the university deal with Rhodes and with the whole race craze in general.' She added that patriarchy in Victorian Britain was 'in many ways still better than the conditions girls and women currently endure in several African countries'.

Dr Marie Kawthar Daouda  from Morocco  said she was 'perplexed' over the fuss surrounding the keeping of a statue of Cecil Rhodes at the college

At the height of Black Lives Matter protests last summer, 'Rhodes Must Fall' protests sprang up outside Oriel

Mass protests were sparked and Oriel was accused of racism when it decided the statue should stay

Rhodes, a 19th century industrialist and imperialist who donated a huge sum to Oriel in his will, supported apartheid-style measures in southern Africa.

Rhodes Must Fall: A timeline of events that saw the Oxford University statue saved (for now) The monument, which was the target of BLM protests last year, needs to be taken down along with a plaque to the colonialist in the city, the commission claimed March 2015: Students at University of Cape Town begin protest to remove statue. April 2015: After a vote by the university's council, the statue is removed May 2015: A vote is held at Rhodes University, South Africa, to change the name of the university. The vote is defeated. January 2016: Vote held by Oxford students in Oxford Union, not affiliate to Oxford University, vote to remove the statue. January 2016: Leaked report reveals the university faces huge funding loss if it removes the statue. June 2020: The Rhodes Must Fall campaign is thrown into the spotlight among growing anti-racism protests by the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of American George Floyd. It gains particular attention following the toppling of a statue to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol. May 2021: Oriel College said they had decided not to remove the monument due to 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes Advertisement

At the height of Black Lives Matter protests last summer, 'Rhodes Must Fall' protests sprang up outside Oriel.

Dons said his statue was a 'source of shame'. But in May, Oriel's governing body ruled it will not be removed, which the Department of Politics and International Relations condemned.

Oriel College's said they had decided not to remove the monument due to 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes

It came after a long-running campaign demanding the removal of the British imperialist's monument.

An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes' legacy was set up in June last year in the wake of BLM protests after the governing body 'expressed their wish' to remove the statue from outside the college.

A majority of members on the Commission supported the college's original wish to remove the Rhodes' statue.

But Oriel College said in May: 'In light of the considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel's governing body has decided not to begin the legal process for relocation of the memorials.'

The Rhodes Must Fall campaign then accused Oriel College of 'institutional racism'

The campaigners - who staged protests last summer over the statue of the British imperialist - are urging the college 'to reconsider their position immediately' as they pledged to continue their fight.

The college said in a statement: 'The Commission backed the College's original wish (made in June 2020 and reaffirmed again by the College yesterday), to remove the statue, whilst acknowledging the complex challenges and costs presented by its removal in terms of heritage and planning consent.

'The governing body has carefully considered the regulatory and financial challenges, including the expected time frame for removal, which could run into years with no certainty of outcome, together with the total cost of removal.'

The College said it will instead focus its time and resources on 'improving educational equality, diversity and inclusion amongst its student cohort and academic community'.

Lord Mendoza, provost of Oriel College, said: 'It has been a careful, finely balanced debate and we are fully aware of the impact our decision is likely to have in the UK and further afield.

'We understand this nuanced conclusion will be disappointing to some, but we are now focused on the delivery of practical actions aimed at improving outreach and the day-to-day experience of BME students.

'We are looking forward to working with Oxford City Council on a range of options for contextualisation.'

Robert Poll from Save Our Statues said: 'I am saddened but not surprised to hear the verdict of the Commission, which was a foregone conclusion from the start,' Pictured: A protest in Oxford last June

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson tweeted: 'Sensible & balanced decision not to remove the Rhodes statue from Oriel College, Oxford - because we should learn from our past, rather than censoring history, and continue focussing on reducing inequality.'

Meanwhile, Dr Samir Shah, vice-chair of think tank Policy Exchange's History Matters Project, said: 'Oriel has rightly decided not to spend time on a fruitless effort to change the past, but to plough resources into trying to change the future, especially for ethnic minority young people.'

A statement from the Rhodes Must Fall campaign said: 'No matter how Oriel College might try to justify their decision, allowing the statue to remain is an act of institutional racism.

Government warns Oxford students could win compensation after protesting dons REFUSED to tutor them in Cecil Rhodes statue row Last month the government warned that Oxford students could win compensation if they are affected by a planned teaching boycott by 150 rebel academics protesting over the Cecil Rhodes statue, as Jacob Rees-Mogg said, 'We must not allow this wokeness to happen'. Left-wing dons say they will still give lectures to Oriel College's 300 undergraduates, but deny them the chance for in-depth discussion in small groups or one-to-one sessions until the monument to the colonialist is toppled. Proponents of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign claim the small statue high up on Oriel's main building 'glorifies colonialism', but the college last month decided it would stay following a backlash from donors. Today a No 10 spokesman said universities had a duty to provide good-quality teaching and that the Government would expect 'appropriate action' to be taken if that was disrupted. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg also weighed into the row, describing the academics concerned as a 'useless bunch', adding: 'We must not allow this wokeness to happen.' Advertisement

'The morality of the decision of whether to remove the statue above High Street has been subsumed into a cost-benefit analysis, one that does not take into account the human cost of letting the statue remain.

'Pretending that this is a choice made due to financial costs is a slap in the face with the hand of white supremacy, fed by the value system of profit before humanity, the same value system that justified enslavement.'

The campaigners added: 'We are disappointed at the refusal to listen to not only the voices of the people who have called for the removal of the statue of Rhodes for many years, but their own governing body and the recommendations of the independent commission.

'We will continue to fight for the fall of this statue and everything it represents.'

Councillor Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council, said: 'I am personally deeply disappointed that Oriel College have chosen today to backtrack on their previous decision to remove the Rhodes statue and ignore the views of the commission on this crucial part of their work.

'For people in our city this was the most important action that Oriel College could have taken to show an acknowledgement of the discrimination of the past and they have failed to act.

The inquiry was launched by Oriel last June as the Black Lives Matter movement picked up steam.

Its findings were expected in January but have faced delays due to the Covid pandemic and the huge number of submissions to the commission.

The Guardian reported earlier the inquiry has said the statue should be ripped from the wall and a King Edward Street plaque should be taken away.

It wanted Oriel's governing body to issue a statement sharing the college's view on its relationship with Rhodes.

The newspaper reported college material should be rewritten to match its thoughts towards the mining magnate

A further recommendation by the commission was for Oriel to fund two fellowships in courses on Rhodes' legacy.

And it wanted the college to open scholarships for people from southern Africa and bring in an annual warts and all lecture on Rhodes.

Robert Poll from Save Our Statues told MailOnline: 'I welcome the decision by Oriel College not to remove the statue of Rhodes.

'It recognises two important facts: that our heritage is protected by planning law, and that the people do not want to see it destroyed.

'Over a thousand people wrote to the commission and the majority were in favour of keeping the statue.

'We must stop sitting in judgement of history and trying to assert moral authority over the past. Calls to remove statues only inflame tensions and sow division. Let this be the last call for a statue to fall.'

General Secretary of the Free Speech Union Toby Young added: 'This is a victory for common sense over the woke Taliban.

'We cannot cleanse our past of historical figures whose views we now find distasteful and the attempt to do so, by pulling down statues and renaming buildings, is a hallmark of a totalitarian society.

'The Rhodes Must Fall movement has caricatured Rhodes as an evil racist, determined to oppress black and brown people, but that is over simplistic.

'He was a member of the Liberal Party, he funded the newspaper in South Africa that became the mouthpiece of Nelson Mandela's ANC and he created a scholarship programme that was open to all, regardless of ethnicity, saying 'no student shall be qualified or disqualified for election to a Scholarship on grounds of his race'. By the standards of his time, he was actually pretty woke.

'I hope this sensible decision encourages other institutions to stop self-flagellating themselves about their own links with 'problematic' historical figure and instead treat their statues and busts as an opportunity to learn more about the past.

'Cancelling the dead in a frenzy of moral indignation is not the best way to understand our rich and complex history.'
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Hooded anti-lockdown protesters have marched through the streets and clashed with cops who arrested four in Sydney's south-west in an open revolt against crippling Covid-19 restrictions on Sunday.

And on Monday morning, the fear continued, when locals started a run on banks, with long queues forming outside several banks in the Chester Hill area as worried residents lined up to withdraw cash as uncertainty grows about the length and severity of the lockdown in the weeks ahead.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian tightened lockdown rules for 810,000 residents in the local government areas of Fairfield, Liverpool, and Canterbury-Bankstown on Saturday due to disproportionately high case numbers of the highly infectious Indian Delta variant in those areas.

On Sunday, 79 of the 105 new cases came from the three locked-down local government areas - but the figures didn't stop dozens of furious residents from taking to the streets claiming the south-west was 'unfairly targeted' by the strengthened rules.

Protesters directed their anger at Ms Berejiklian chanting 'freedom, freedom', 'no to the vaccine', 'no more lockdown ' and 'f**k off Gladys' as they marched through Paul Keating Park about 5pm on Sunday.

Footage uploaded to TikTok showed a series of men hiding their identities behind hoodies with black bandanas over their faces and a woman holding a sign saying: 'Not every1 is on Centrelink. We need work' (pictured)

Fiery photos show men, women, and teenagers marching with a megaphone, and mostly without face masks, coming up against police who tried continually to quell the demonstration.

Footage uploaded to TikTok also showed a series of men avoiding the camera while hiding their identity behind hoods and hoodies with black bandanas over their faces as those around them chanted 'no more lockdown'.

A woman is also seen holding a sign saying: 'Not every1 is on Centrelink. We need work.'

In one image, cops confronted group members as others crowded around filming the altercation with their phones.

A series of men were avoiding the camera while hiding their identity behind hoods (pictured) and hoodies with black bandanas over their faces as those around them chanted 'no more lockdown'

Police arrested four men during Sunday's Bankstown protest. Pictured here, police talk to a man who's obscuring his identity with a hood and a bandana over his face

Long queues former outside banks in Chester HIll in Sydney's south-west on Monday morning as worried locals rushed to withdraw their savings (pictured)

Another showed a small parade of people marching through the park behind chanting men.

Its disgusting man. Were locked up,' one told Daily Mail Australia. 'Were like f***king peasants here mate. Honestly, its disgusting. Something needs to be done about this.

'Everyones against everyone, man. Its f***king disgusting. I had the police asking me to help disperse people. I said were here for the right purpose, weve got masks on and everything. Were trying to do our best.

Police told Daily Mail Australia four men were arrested during the demonstration.

'About 40 people gathered at a park when officers attached to South West Metropolitan Operations Support Group who were already at the location attempted to disperse the group,' it said.

Pictured: Police trying to reason with a protester in Bankstown at an anti-lockdown protest on Sunday afternoon

Pictured: A group of demonstrators in Bankstown, in Sydney's west, marching against lockdown on Sunday afternoon

Pictured: Demonstrators marching in Bankstown against restrictive lockdown rules in Sydney's west on Sunday afternoon

'Four men, aged 20, 23, 27, and 32, were arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station where they are expected to be charged.'

A TikTok video of part of the parade got a mixed reception on social media with some praising those taking part but many ridiculing the reaction so soon into Sydney's second major lockdown.

'It's obvious that you people have been leading the princess life,' one posted . 'It's only been two weeks. Stay home, so we don't have to be in it for long.'

Others said demonstrations like this were more likely to cause an extension to the lockdown rather than shorten it.

'All you're going to get in an extra five weeks,' one user wrote. The person who shot the video @muzzi agreed. 'OMG I swear I think that too,' he posted.

Pictured: Police in face masks watching an anti-lockdown protest in Sydney's west on Sunday. Demonstrators took to the streets in Bankstown

Pictured: Men and women marching in Bankstown on Sunday afternoon, claiming the lockdow in Sydney's west is 'unfairly targeted'

The 810,000 people living in those regions were told they cannot leave their suburbs even for work unless they're employed in healthcare, aged care or emergency services until at least July 30.

Any essential employees who are permitted to leave their suburbs for work are subject to the same restrictions previously in place, including taking a Covid test every three days.

Local leaders have already slammed the police blitz in her area to enforce Covid lockdown restrictions, instead advocating for more health workers.

'We need the health response rather than the police response,' Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller told the Today show.

The mayor said people in her council were mostly complying with Covid restrictions and deploying the army in addition to higher police visibility would be 'overkill'.

'[People] are very concerned that we're being singled out,' Ms Waller said. 'We know from previous lockdowns [that people complied].

'If we got an extra hundred health workers in our local area giving out the vaccines, rather than this, I think we'd get a better outcome.'

Pictured: A police clash with anti-lockdown protesters at a demonstration in Sydney's west on Sunday afternoon

An extra 100 police officers patrolled the Liverpool, Fairfield, and Canterbury-Bankstown councils on Friday in a crackdown on people breaching lockdown restrictions.

Officers have urged people to follow stay-at-home directives, and warned that they would fine anyone who breaches the rules up to $1,000.

In total, 240 PINs were issued on Saturday, with 53 of those $200 infringements for failing to wear a fitted face covering.

Another 23 people were charged with failing to comply with Public Health Orders..

On Sunday, Ms Berejiklian said announcing the harsh restrictions on the three councils was 'the most difficult day' she's had in her role as premier.

'Yesterday was a very, very difficult day for everybody, for everybody. And I am not embarrassed to say that in public life, yesterday was probably the most difficult day I've had,' she said.

One Bankstown local told Daily Mail Australia the new restrictions would result in him being out of work for at least two and struggling to cover the rent on his truck

A female protester is handcuffed by police at the rally in Paul Keating Park in Bankstown (pictured) on Sunday

But she felt it was the only way to keep people safe and reduce the risk of transmission after the data proved they're 'still not managing to get the curve of transmission to come down'.

'I can't remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Not a single one of these decisions was taken lightly.'

One Bankstown local said the protesters were furious that already severe lockdown restrictions in the south-west were going to be toughened.

'People have lost their jobs and lost their freedom. I'm a truck driver how am I going to rent my truck? Or feed my family,' the 38-year-old, who asked to go by his initial M, told Daily Mail Australia.

A no-nonsense cop has been praised for the way he handled lockdown protests in Bankstown, empthasing with residents and telling them that he, too, is struggling with government directives

One Bankstown local said the protesters were furious that already severe lockdown restrictions in the southwest were going to be toughened. Pictured: People during the protest

He said those in Sydney's southwest felt they were being unfairly targeted by the government.

'When Bondi got the virus why didn't they close those areas off?' he said.

'We're not allowed to go there but they can come here. If the government is really so concerned why don't they lock everyone down the same?'

Locals in Sydney's south-west are furious that they are enduring a police-enforced lockdown while residents in Sydney's eastern suburbs are dealt with far more leniently. See here is Bondi Beach on Monday as fitness fans make the most of the winter sunshine

Footage also emerged showing a police officer saying he was also 'sick of lockdown' but pleaded with attendees to abide by the rules.

'We are sick of this lockdown rubbish. But this rubbish here [the protests] doesn't help,' the cop said.

He warned that the likely outcome of protesting would be increased public scrutiny and a deployment of even more police officers to contain crowds and civil unrest in the coming days.

'The government has put in rules that we have to enforce... we're as over it as you are,' he continued.

'I understand your frustrations, I've got family that are struggling as well. It's rubbish.'
A New South Wales government website taking applications for financial assistance for small businesses during the Covid lockdown has crashed.

The Service NSW page for the $15,000 2021 COVID-19 business grant crashed about 11am Monday, just hours after launching.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet warned the government was bracing for systems to be overwhelmed when the link became accessible from midnight.

Businesses impacted during Sydney's Covid lockdowns can register at Service NSW from Monday for tax-free cash bonuses of between $7,500 and $15,000.

By late Monday morning, the site was down and replaced by a message which apologised for any inconvenience caused.

'We're receiving unprecedented demand for the 2021 COVID-19 business grant. We're working through the demand and ask that you kindly come back to complete your transaction this afternoon.

The government has assured nobody will 'miss out' by returning at a later date to apply.

A New South Wales government website taking applications for financial assistance for small businesses during the Covid lockdown has crashed

On Sunday, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet announced small business owners would be entitled to grants of between $7,500 to $15,000

Businesses impacted during Sydney's Covid lockdowns can register at Service NSW from Monday to see what they qualify for. Pictured: A quiet street in Fairfield where most shops have been forced to close during the current outbreak on Sunday

Mr Perrottet previously said he was pre-empting an influx of applications and warned that the system could be overwhelmed in the initial stages.

'Obviously there is a significant demand right now and many people contacting the Service NSW centres, so please be patient,' Mr Perrottet said.

'We have reallocated our resources right across government to make sure we are able to get to your queries and get your applications processed.'

Mr Perrottet said each application will be processed as quick as possible, and he hopes that businesses will begin receiving the cash within just four days.

All small business owners have been urged to take the time over the coming days to see if they qualify for any lockdown lifelines.

The Treasurer said there would be something for everyone who has found themselves worse off as a result of the government's efforts to stem the spread of the Delta variant of Covid.

'There are a range of initiatives available to help small businesses with cashflow, rent costs, electricity and the like,' he said.

'If you contact Service NSW, you will be able to obtain what support packages are available to you. Please access that grant program.'

The money will be available to NSW businesses that make more than $75,000 and up to $50 million, and have a total annual wages bill of below $10 million.

One Bankstown local told Daily Mail Australia the new restrictions would result in him being out of work for at least two and struggling to cover the rent on his truck

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the relief package, which totals $4billion, in an attempt to sweeten the crushing news that lockdowns would be tightened across Sydney.

On Sunday, Ms Berejiklian admitted announcing the harsh restrictions on the Fairfield, Canterbury and Liverpool local government areas was 'the most difficult day' she's had in her role as premier.

Authorities are reporting disproportionately high daily cases in those areas, with 79 of the 105 cases on Sunday hailing from the three locked-down local government areas.

Locals who already accessed the system by Monday morning urged others to 'get around it', saying it was a 'really straight forward process'.

Individuals who find themselves out of work can also claim a weekly payment of $600 during the lockdown in a separate package that was announced last week.

Mr Perrottet urged any workers who have been struggling to log onto Service NSW to see what benefits they're eligible for during the pandemic.

What is the $15,000 relief package? In an attempt to ease the financial burden of lockdown on small businesses, Ms Berejiklian has announced a relief package of $15,000. Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said businesses could start applying for the tax-free grants of between $7,500 and $15,000 from Monday, 'There are a range of initiatives available to help small businesses with cashflow, rent costs, electricity and the like,' he said. The applications will be available on Service NSW and are expected to be processed within five days, but Mr Perrottet warned there could be delays on Monday as people rush to see if they qualify. 'If you contact ServiceNSW, you will be able to obtain what support packages are available to you. Please access that grant program.' Mr Perrottet said over $4 billion had been directed by the NSW Government to where it is needed most to help families and businesses. 'From the outset of the pandemic we've always said we would do whatever was necessary to protect people and jobs and this suite of measures will do exactly that,' he said. 'These programs will provide timely and targeted support for businesses to help them with much needed cash flow, maintain employees and provide relief for business expenses, for which no other government support is available. The 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant will be available to NSW businesses that have a turnover of more than $75,000 and up to $50 million, and have a total annual wages bill of below $10 million. Businesses can expect to start receiving funds from the Business Support Grant from the end of July. Eligible businesses for the 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant will receive:  $15,000 for a decline in turnover of 70 per cent, or more;  $10,500 for a decline in turnover of 50 per cent, or more;  $7,500 for a decline in turnover of 30 per cent, or more The grant can be used to cover the costs of; utilities, wages and rent financial, legal or other advice to support business continuity, planning marketing and communications activities to develop the business, the cost of perishable goods that can no longer be used and any other activities to support the operation of the business. Eligible businesses with a turnover from $75,000 and up to $50 million who keep all their staff on the books will also be entitled to tax-free fortnightly payments of 40 per cent of their weekly payroll. A minimum payment of $1,500 per week will be paid fortnightly, with a maximum payment of $10,000 per week. Advertisement

One Fairfield resident who accessed the payment said it took just five hours for his application to be processed and the money to land in his bank account.

But he warned others who are looking to apply on Monday that they'd need a Centrelink number before they could proceed.

Ms Berejiklian felt locking down southwest Sydney was the only way to keep people safe and reduce the risk of transmission after the data proved they're 'still not managing to get the curve of transmission to come down'.

'Yesterday was a very, very difficult day for everybody, for everybody. And I am not embarrassed to say that in public life, yesterday was probably the most difficult day I've had,' she said.

The 810,000 people living in those regions were initially told they cannot leave their suburbs even for work unless they're employed in healthcare, aged care or emergency services until at least July 30.

Pictured: A group of demonstrators in Bankstown, in Sydney's west, marching against lockdown on Sunday afternoon

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Any essential employees who are permitted to leave their suburbs for work are subject to the same restrictions previously in place, namely receiving a negative Covid test every three days.

'I can't remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Not a single one of these decisions was taken lightly.'

Among those employees told they're no longer essential were construction workers, many of whom have now had to lock up job sites and lapse contracts.

Hundreds of outraged southwest Sydneysiders have since taken to the streets to protest the orders.

One Bankstown local said demonstrators were furious that already severe lockdown restrictions in the southwest had been toughened.

'People have lost their jobs and lost their freedom. I'm a truck driver, how am I going to rent my truck? Or feed my family,' the 38-year-old, who asked to go by his initial M, told Daily Mail Australia.

New South Wales recorded 105 cases of Covid on Sunday, with 27 out in the community for their entire infectious period

He said those in Sydney's southwest felt they were being unfairly targeted by the government.

'When Bondi got the virus why didn't they close those areas off?' he said.

'We're not allowed to go there but they can come here. If the government is really so concerned why don't they lock everyone down the same?'

M said the ban on construction work was particularly devastating for him and many of his friends.

'Now I'm out of work for two weeks. Whose going to pay my rent or the $800 school fees for my two kids. Is the government going to pay that?'

'I have two elderly parents and I can't even visit them to make sure they're looked after.'
Former U.S Surgeon General Jerome Adams has said the CDC's guidance that masks could be ditched indoors for those that have been vaccinated may have been premature in the face of the Delta variant, and has called on the agency to reverse its stance.

Adams, who served nearly four years as Surgeon General under the Trump Administration, admitted on Twitter that he and Fauci 'famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks' at the start of the pandemic.

And he warned the CDC had made a similar mistake in May when it advised that mask restrictions could be dropped.

It comes as nearly every state has witnessed a rise in infections in the last week and CDC data shows the Delta variant is responsible for about 60 percent of these cases.

Adams tweeted: 'Last year Tony Fauci and I famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call at the time, but now regret it.'

'Im worried the CDC also made a similarly premature, misinterpreted, yet still harmful call on masking in the face of [the] delta variant.'

In May, the CDC announced fully vaccinated individuals no longer needed to wear masks indoors or outdoors, nor do they need to socially distance either.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky praised the guidance at the time as a major step toward normalcy.

But on Sunday, Los Angeles County reinstated indoor mask wearing mandates despite vaccination status as the Delta variant threatens to halt progress against the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

Former U.S Surgeon General Jerome Adams (pictured) sparked a national conversation over the weekend when he said COVID-19 mask guidances are 'premature' or 'wrong' as potentially dangerous new variants continue to spike.

Former US Surgeon General Jerome Adams called on the CDC to reinstate its mask recommendations for the vaccinated in areas with rising infection rates, saying that differing local and federal guidelines were sowing confusion

The reinstatement of indoor mask wearing in LA came after the county saw a 700% increase in its positivity rate over the past month, according to health officials, with the unvaccinated accounting for all hospitalizations.

The spread of the highly contagious Delta strain, which originated in India, has already pushed new infections up to 26,306 nationwide, an increase of 69.3 percent on a seven-day moving average compared to one week earlier.

Nearly every state witnessed a rise in infections in the last week and CDC data shows the Delta variant is responsible for about 60 percent of these cases.

Adams is calling for the CDC to admit they're wrong and 'hit the reset button,' in regards to mask guidelines.

'Now you have health officials, cities & counties (eg LA County), & likely soon states issuing guidance in direct conflict w/ the mask guidance @CDCgov issued a month ago,' Adams wrote. 'The sooner CDC says we were wrong, & hits the reset button, the better. Trust me- I know more than anyone.'

According to Adams, the emerging data on COVID-19 suggests CDC should be advising individuals to 'vax it AND mask it in areas with rising cases and positivity,' until numbers begin to decline.

'CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature, & wrong. Let's fix it,' he wrote.

But he also defended the decision to advise against wearing masks at the start of the pandemic.

He added: 'I still firmly believe Dr. Fauci and I made the absolutely best decision we could at the time. Limited info on the virus, limited supplies, and health care colleagues at extreme risk. That doesnt mean in hindsight we werent wrong. You admit it, and move on.'

On Friday, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced that his department would not be enforcing the new mask mandate, saying that his department lacked resources.

He said forcing the vaccinated and those who had already contracted Covid-19 to wear masks was not backed by science and contradicted CDC guidelines.

'Last year Tony Fauci and I famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call at the time, but now regret it,' Adams tweeted Saturday. Pictured in this photo Dr. Anthony Fauci in an appearance on CBS's 'Face the Nation.'

Both deaths and infections have spiked across the country as fears mount that the new variant could halt progress against the virus

'The underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance,' Villanueva said in a statement.

In California, cases of the delta variant made up 48.8% of all new cases recorded in the state in June, compared to just 6% in May.

The imposition of LA's indoor mask mandate came as health officials from eight Bay Area counties also recommended that vaccinated and unvaccinated residents wear masks indoors.

They said their recommendation was made 'out of an abundance of caution' as an 'added layer of protection for unvaccinated residents.'

Unvaccinated people are of particular risk to contracting the delta variant, health experts say, as CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned that the current outbreak is becoming 'a pandemic of the unvaccinated' as most cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among people yet to take the shot while the nation's vaccination rollout has stalled.

'The Delta variant is spreading quickly, and everyone should take action to protect themselves and others against this potentially deadly virus,' Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Moss said.

'The highly infectious Delta variant is now the predominant strain in Contra Costa County,' Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said. 'While vaccines remain our best tool against COVID-19, masking in indoor and crowded outdoor settings will help us curb the spread of this latest wave of infection.'

HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO GET COVID-19 AFTER BEING FULLY VACCINATED? So-called 'breakthrough' COVID-19 cases occur when people contract the disease 14 days or more after receiving their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson one-shot jab. Clinical trials have shown that Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine is 95% effective in preventing symptomatic disease and the Moderna vaccine is 94.5% effective. Meanwhile, real-world data showed the Pfizer jab is 91% effective against all disease for at least six months and the Moderna vaccine is 90% effective. This means that fully vaccinated people are between 90% and 95% less likely to develop COVID-19 than unvaccinated people. In addition, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine trials showed 72% efficacy in the U.S., meaning those who got the one-shot jab are 72% less likely to contract the disease. When comparing fully vaccinated people who did and did not get sick, the risk is even lower. The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that 10,262 of at least 133 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 later contracted the disease. This translates to 0.00716% of people who have completed their vaccine series have gone on to test positive. It also represents the true odds of getting COVID-19 after full vaccination: less than 0.01%. What's more, fully vaccinated people who test positive have mild illnesses, and are very unlikely to be hospitalized or die. The CDC states that 99.5% of all deaths occur in unvaccinated people. That means, if the figure applies to the 3,165 Americans who've died in July 2021 so far - as of July 13 - about 3,150 deaths would be among unvaccinated people and 15 deaths among fully vaccinated people. Advertisement

Perhaps most concerning is the spread of cases despite high vaccination rates in the Bay Area.

In San Francisco, for instance, 83% of its residents over 12 have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 76% of its population over 12 fully vaccinated.

Still, cases are on the rise, with a seven-day rolling average of 58 new cases recorded a day last week compared to a low of 10 in mid June.

'Unfortunately, even though we have very high rates of vaccination and the excellent protection that affords, we are still seeing our case rates rise,' Santa Clara County Assistant Health Officer Dr. Sarah Rudman told CBS SF Bay Area.

She said the variant had become a particular problem among the county's unvaccinated population, and that recommending everyone wear masks was to ensure the unvaccinated continue wearing masks.

Similar concerns have risen elsewhere in the country, with the delta variant projected to make up every new case in New York City by next month, and as America looks to the United Kingdom, which is several weeks ahead in its battle against the Delta variant and is grappling with daily infections doubling within the space of a week.

Based on the rate with which the strain became dominant in the UK, then made up 100 percent of cases and set off a dramatic spike in cases and deaths, the US may well be just weeks away from reaching a similar crisis point.

New York City, which last year was the virus epicenter of the world, could see cases accelerate six-fold and deaths multiply by seven between now and the end of August if the spread of the variant mirrors that on the other side of the pond.

Delta spread quickly throughout the UK and had become the dominant strain by May 21, when 60.6 percent of all new cases in the two weeks preceding it were identified as the B1.617.2 variant.

Just six weeks later, on the week ending July 2, 100 percent of all UK cases were the Delta variant.

New York City has a lag on the UK when it comes to the prevalence of the strain.

It became dominant by the week ending July 3, accounting for 69 percent of all new cases just as people jetted in and out of the city for the July 4 weekend.

This means if New York City follows the same pattern as the UK, the Big Apple is on track for the Delta strain to make up 100 percent of all new cases by August 14.

And this threatens to set off a new wave of the virus, just one month after New York state lifted all remaining coronavirus restrictions in June.

The spread of the Delta variant sent cases and deaths surging once again in the UK and plunged the country into yet another lockdown.

As the number of U.K. cases shoots higher with the Indian Delta COVID variant taking hold, New York City cases also are beginning to move higher - and they threaten to spike just as the U.K.'s numbers have as the Delta variant becomes an increasing share of the city's infections

Still, with vaccine rates high in both the U.K., deaths have not spiked higher even as COVID cases have; New Yorkers and Americans can hold onto some hope that deaths won't spike, either, though in areas of the country with low vaccination rates, there is some worry

In the six weeks between May 21 - when it became the dominant strain - and July 2 - when it accounted for 100 percent of new cases, COVID-19 infections surged a staggering 1,124 percent from 2,290 to 25,750.

Deaths also almost quadrupled from 7 to 27 within the same timeframe, with the nation's vaccine rollout credited with limiting the fatality rate.

Cases and deaths have continued to climb in the two weeks since, with daily infections more than doubling to 54,674 and another 41 people dying Saturday.

Hospitalizations also spiked 30.4 per cent to 740 on July 13  the latest date data is available for and the highest number of daily admissions seen since March 2, when 834 patients were recorded.

In the last week alone, cases jumped by more than two thirds with the UK on track to pass 100,000 new daily infections in two weeks' time and experts warning a new lockdown could be needed by September.

Based on the trends seen in the UK, New York City could be on track for a similar surge in cases and deaths over the coming weeks and months.

If infections surge at the same rate between Delta becoming dominant and 100 percent saturating the city, the number of cases in the Big Apple could climb from 192 recorded on July 3 to around 2,158 on August 14 when the strain makes up all new cases.

By the end of August, cases could have reached around 4,338 - more than six times the 640 recorded on July 14, when the last data is available for.

Deaths are also likely to spike from 5 on July 3 to around 19 on August 14 and 34 by the end of August, as the rate of fatalities accelerates.

New York may, however, have a head start in its fight against the more contagious strain as it reached US soil later than the UK - meaning more Americans may be fully vaccinated before it reaches saturation point.

The UK has been racing to beat the spread of the strain by vaccinating as many people aged 18 and over as possible while the US has approved the vaccine for anyone aged 12 and over.

Currently, the UK and New York City are roughly on a par when it comes to the vaccine rollout, with 53 percent and 49 percent of the populations fully vaccinated, respectively.

Nearly every state and the District of Columbia have seen infections rise in the last week

The next six weeks will then be crucial to ramping up the vaccination rates in the Big Apple to protect New Yorkers from the dominant strain as it takes hold.

But, the vaccine rollout in the US has stalled nationwide and the states with the lowest rates of inoculation are among those seeing the biggest resurgence of the virus.

The White House said Friday that Florida accounted for one in five new cases of COVID-19 this week.

There is also some uncertainty around how effective the vaccines are against the more contagious Delta variant.

A new report from Israel on Friday found the Pfizer two-dose vaccine is 'weaker' against the strain than hoped, providing 64 percent protection against infection from the variant as of June 6.

Israel once led the entire world in the vaccine race, vaccinating 61 percent of its population with Pfizer but now the country is dealing with a surge in cases driven by the Delta variant.
One million Pfizer doses have touched down in Australia as the nation's sluggish vaccine rollout ramps up.

A shipment of 800,000 doses landed in Sydney on Sunday night with another 200,000 split between Perth and Melbourne.

The federal government has secured earlier supply of its 40million Pfizer vaccines, bringing in 1million a week from now until at least the end of August.

A DHL plane landed at Sydney Airport on Sunday night containing 800,000 Pfizer vaccines

Airport staff unload the Pfizer vaccines after they arrived at Sydney Airport on Sunday night

Aussies over 40 are eligible for a Pfizer jab, with under 40s expected to get the call up in late September or early October.

'September, early October is likely but if we can bring that forward, we will,' Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday.

Some 18,000 Australians under 40 have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine which is available for over 18s but only recommended for over 60s due to a low risk of serious blood clots in younger people.

Only 13.59 per cent of Aussie adults have had two doses of a Covid vaccine, compared with 48.6 per cent of Canadians, 48.4 per cent of Americans and 68.3 per cent of Britons.

Covid-19 taskforce boss Lieutenant General John Frewen said more GPs will be given the Pfizer doses to speed up the rollout.

A shipment of 800,000 doses (pictured) landed in Sydney on Sunday night with another 200,000 split between Perth and Melbourne

The federal government has secured earlier supply of its 40million Pfizer vaccines, bringing in 1million a week from now until at least the end of August. Pictured: Vaccines are unloaded

'By the end of the month we'll have 1,300 GPs that can administer Pfizer,' he said.

On July 8, the government announced a deal with Pfizer to bring in at least a million vaccines a week from July 19, meaning more than 4.5million jabs will arrive in August.

Previously only three million doses were expected in August and 4.5million were due in September.

It comes as 12million Australians are stuck in lockdown due to recent outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne.

Victoria recorded another 13 community-acquired cases of coronavirus on Monday, with all of them linked to existing outbreaks.

The number of coronavirus exposure sites across the state has ballooned to more than 270.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is widely expected to extend the state's five-day lockdown, which is due to end at midnight on Tuesday.

Pictured: A plane of 100,000 Pfizer vaccines landed in Perth on Sunday night

It comes as 12million Australians are stuck in lockdown due to recent outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne (pictured on Sunday)

NSW recorded 98 new cases on Monday as Sydney enters another week of lockdown.

Construction work across Sydney has been shut down for a fortnight, leaving hundreds of thousands of people out of work.

Business and union groups have warned the restrictions will cost the economy more than $700 million a week, in addition to earlier forecasts.

But authorities argue the construction shutdown is needed to help stop the spread of coronavirus, given the high number of cases recorded among people infectious while in the community.

NSW reported 105 cases on Sunday and the death of a woman in her 90s, the fourth fatality in the latest outbreak.

At this stage, Sydney's lockdown is due to end on July 30.

With AAP
Underwater drones could soon protect Royal Navy sea graves from looters, the First Sea Lord has said.

In recent years, Second World War shipwrecks have been plundered by illegal scrap-metal salvagers.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, head of the Royal Navy, said that while the underwater graves were protected by law theyre not protected by physical presence everywhere.

Admiral Radakin and the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited a US military forensic laboratory to wok on identify the remains from past conflicts

He told The Daily Telegraph: My aspiration would be that in the future... well be using technology to cover either specific war graves, or to cover these large maritime protected areas. The way [we] will cover large tracts of the ocean will be a mixture of surface drones and underwater drones.

The wrecks of HMS Electra, HMS Exeter and HMS Encounter  sunk off the coast of Indonesia in 1942  were found to have been looted five years ago.

The ships claimed over 200 lives and should have been protected as war graves.

Admiral Radakin and the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited a US military forensic laboratory to wok on identify the remains from past conflicts.

Around 300 British soldiers from the Korean War and 81,700 US military personnel from the Second World War.

But forensic anthropologist and archaeologist Dr Denise To said she is confident her team could identify some of the British soldiers who went missing from the 1950-1953 conflict.

Ministry of Defence undated handout photo of the MADFOX, un-crewed surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

The remains of some soldiers have been transferred to her Pearl Harbour laboratory for identification.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he will see if the Ministry of Defence could assist in the work in any way.

All wrecked Royal Navy ships are protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Comments sparked fury among Australians leading to her visa being revoked

Says she breaks quarantine rules by answering hotel door naked without a mask

Katie Hopkins is facing deportation from Australia after she 'joked' about deliberately flouting rules while staying in hotel quarantine.

The former Apprentice star, 46, is set to be thrown out of the country 'imminently' after having her visa revoked for a series of 'shameful' social media posts.

Hopkins had flown in to Australia to make an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother after finishing her mandatory 14-day quarantine.

But during her stay in a Sydney hotel room, she described Covid lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in human history' and joked about breaching restrictions.

In an Instagram Live video the joked about deliberately breaking Covid rules by opening her door naked and mask-free to the workers who deliver her food.

'The police officer who checked me in told me, when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door' she says while breaking out into hysterics.

The divisive commentator then claimed she would flout the rules by frightening workers and answering the door without waiting - while completely naked and maskless - in the hopes of provoking police.

Time to go: Katie Hopkins' visa has been cancelled after the British media personality, 46, shared her plans to flout Australia's strict quarantine rules. Pictured here in July 2017

'I'm very pleased she'll be leaving': Australia's Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described Hopkins' comments as 'shameful' in an interview with ABC News Breakfast on Monday

While the Hopkin laughed off Australia's Covid lockdown restrictions and quarantine rules, other hotel guests were outraged at her behaviour and mounted a huge backlash.

Channel Seven, who broadcast Celebrity Big Brother, soon ripped up her contract over the comments.

Now Hopkins is expected to be forced out of Australia 'imminently' following an urgent review by the Federal Government.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described Hopkins' comments as 'shameful' in an interview with ABC News Breakfast on Monday.

'The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appealing. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown,' Ms Andrews said.

'And it's just unacceptable behaviour, so personally I'm very pleased she'll be leaving.'

She also explained how a notoriously controversial commentator such as Hopkins had been granted a visa in the first place, given that applicants must pass a character test before they can enter the country.

Ms Andrews said Hopkins had been allowed into the country above the quarantine cap with the support of the NSW State Government, on the basis that she would provide some sort of 'economic benefit' to the country.

Dumped: A Seven Network spokesperson announced on Sunday, 'Seven and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP'

'She should have been absolutely ashamed of her own behaviour [but] I don't know whether she will be': Ms Andrews went on to condemn Hopkins' behaviour in an interview with Channel Nine's Today Show on Monday

'There are very well established processes and procedures for people to enter this country and many decisions are made on the basis of economic benefit,' she said.

Ms Andrews went on to condemn Hopkins' behaviour in an interview with Channel Nine's Today Show on Monday, telling hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon: 'I think her behaviour is absolutely appalling.

'She should have been absolutely ashamed of her own behaviour [but] I don't know whether she will be.'

Ms Andrews continued: 'Quite frankly I hadn't even heard of her before I found out what he had been up to, and I actually don't want to ever hear about her again.

'She just needs to leave the country quickly.'

Ms Andrews praised the Australian Border Force for dealing with Hopkins' visa revocation swiftly over the weekend.

She also acknowledged that many Australians were outraged Hopkins had received a spot in hotel quarantine, as the current cap on international arrivals means tens of thousands of Australians are stuck overseas and unable to return home.

At 5am Saturday Hopkins posted an Instagram story describing 'a game' where she answers her hotel quarantine room door naked and without a mask

'I think we should have been looking to increase our hotel quarantine caps back to where they were and potentially beyond as soon as possible, because there are many Australians who want to come home,' she said.

Hopkins is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration.

The news comes after Hopkins was officially dumped from the upcoming Australian series of Celebrity Big Brother.

A network spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP.

'Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.'

WHO IS KATIE HOPKINS? Katie Hopkins is a well-known media personality and commentator in the UK. The 46-year-old mum-of-two rose to fame on The Apprentice in 2007 and soon became an outspoken household name, writing in several newspapers. She came runner-up in the UK's Celebrity Big Brother, becoming popular among some for her no-nonsense attitude, and loathed by others for her controversial comments. Hopkins is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration. She once had a popular radio show on UK station LBC, but stepped away after writing on Twitter that a 'final solution' was needed to deal with terrorists. Many thought this was a reference to the Holocaust. She was permanently banned from Twitter in June 2020. Advertisement

On Sunday, the hosts of The Project slammed Seven for its decision to hire Hopkins.

Jan Fran, a comedian and regular panelist on the show, said: 'What was someone expecting when they did hire Katie Hopkins to do this? She's a troll. She courts controversy. They knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house.'

'It's telling she changed her mind because she's flouted COVID restrictions, not because of the heinous things that she's been saying for years and years.'

Fran went on to express disgust over Hopkins' use of the term 'Final Solution', which is used to refer to the mass murder of Europe's Jews during the Holocaust.

Her co-host Peter van Onselen agreed: 'They want controversy but maybe didn't think it would lead as far as this.

'She will go back to the UK and complain about us and build her brand locally off what we've done even though what we've done is the right thing.'

'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000?' Lisa Wilkinson chimed in, joking.

'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'.

Hopkins, who recently flew to Sydney on a 'critical skills' visa ahead of her appearance on Seven's all-star season of Big Brother, caused public backlash over the weekend after claiming she was planning to deliberately flout restrictions while staying in hotel quarantine.

At 5am on Saturday, Hopkins took to Instagram live to post a speech where she 'called out' the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne.

During the video, Hopkins openly mocked the 14-day hotel quarantine rules revealing she planned to deliberately break them by opening her door completely naked and mask-free to workers who deliver her food.

'The police officer who checked me in told me, when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door,' she says while breaking out into hysterics. 'I can open the door but I can only do it in a face mask.'

However, on Sunday, Hopkins denied she broke quarantine rules in Sydney, writing on Instagram.

'WARNING: EXTREME HUMOUR. I have never broken quarantine,' she wrote in her caption.

'My whole heart goes out to Australians and this brilliant country known for sense of humour. Families MUST be reunited.

'Auzzies [sic] need the dignity of work and lockdown is the Greatest Hoax in Human History. Do not give up my darlings. Bring Australians home,' she added.

Hopkins often makes posts mocking mask mandates and lockdowns on Instagram since being banned from Twitter in June last year for 'hateful conduct'

Suspended: Hopkins' Twitter account was suspended in June last year after violating the platform's policy on 'hateful conduct'

Outspoken: 'In terms of hypocrisy I see that- with politicians locking people down - but I've never been an advocate for that,' she said in the video

Hopkins often takes to Instagram to publish a myriad of posts mocking lockdowns and mask mandates.

In a video uploaded to the social media platform on Friday, filmed from her hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins described lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in history'.

'You are living through the greatest hoax in human history, they are trying to take everything from you, and one of the very best and most powerful weapons we have is a sense of humour, and someone like me is probably a massive thorn in their sides,' she said.

While Hopkins is yet to speak out about being axed from Celebrity Big Brother Australia, she shared a bizarre video on Instagram mocking the COVID-19 crisis.

'This is important - we've just heard that there's been a new variant, Delta plus, and you have to be very, very afraid of it,' she said, adding that 'VIPs' didn't need to worry but 'if you're a pleb like me, you must be very afraid'.

She then lifted up a sanitary towel in the air, she offensively added: 'all politicians are about as useful as a tampon on a tranny.'
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Holidaymakers headed to Ibiza today despite the island joining the amber list overnight as tourists on the holiday island paid up to an extra 1,000 in a mad dash to get back from the Balearics to the UK before 4am.

Despite many facing a ten-day quarantine when they come back if they don't have both jabs, scores jetted to the Mediterranean from Glasgow and other airports this morning.

Friends Poppy and Shannon, both 20, were on the same Jet2 flight and facing the prospect of quarantining when they return next week. Neither of them has received even a first dose of vaccine yet - but that was not going to stop heading for the sun any longer.

Poppy said: 'I'm not even caring, I just want to be in the sun. I've had so many holidays booked that have been cancelled.'

Shannon added: 'With all the right information we've been totally fine to just book it - there's always safe ways to go about it. We've been waiting two years and had Ibiza booked twice so we're finally getting to go away.'

British favourites Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca were all upgraded to the amber list amid surging infection numbers across the archipelago - which were visited by 3.8million Britons a year before the pandemic.

Holidaymakers have since been paying inflated fees of up to 1,000 a head in a bid to avoid being subject to a ten-day quarantine upon their return if unvaccinated after the travel rules changed today, arriving at airports across the country just before midnight and into the early hours.

Double-jabbed people and those under 18 will still be able to return from the islands quarantine free.

Friends Poppy (left) and Shannon, both aged 20 and from Glasgow, head towards the departure gate at Glasgow Airport after checking in for their flight to Ibiza despite the the island going amber today

Holidaymakers check-in for the 7.15am Jet2 flight to Ibiza at Glasgow Airport as Scotland moves to Level Zero.

Travellers at Palma Airport in Majorca (pictured) yesterday told The Times that they had paid hundreds and even thousands of pounds extra for flights and Covid antigen tests in order to return early from their holidays and beat the deadline

Tourists have been paying up to 1,000 to get from the Balearics to the UK before the islands go on the amber list overnight. Pictured: Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport from Ibiza on one of the last flights before the deadline

Tourists pictured returning to the UK from Ibiza before the 4am deadline after the Balearics were upgraded to the amber list

Passengers on the first flight from Glasgow to the Balearics on Monday expressed few concerns about quarantining when they get back despite the islands moving to the UK's amber travel list.

As Scotland moved to Level 0 of its coronavirus restrictions, one of those at Glasgow Airport for the 7.15am Jet2 flight was Jacqui Sutherland.

Under the new guidance, people who are fully vaccinated or under 18 and are arriving from an amber list country do not have to self-isolate - but adults and children over 12 must still take tests before travelling and on their second day after arriving.

Ms Sutherland, heading to Ibiza for a week with her partner, told the PA news agency: 'We booked when it was on the green (list) and then we did kind of wonder what to do when it moved to amber.

'But because we're double-vaccinated we don't have to quarantine.

'My friend is a travel consultant and said that if anything happens they will send flights out to bring you home before it went on to the red.

'That's why we booked when it was green because if it went to amber we were still OK... a wee bit of a worry but we're going to go anyway because at the moment it's all good.

'Both my girls have only got one vaccine so they're just not going at all because it's too much of a risk.'

Friends Poppy (left) and Shannon, both aged 20 and from Glasgow, head towards the departure gate. They are unvaccinated but are unwilling to cancel another holiday

Another couple who have had both vaccine doses, Laura Salway and Crawford Rae, travelled down from Elgin and stayed at a nearby hotel overnight ahead of their nine nights in Ibiza.

Ms Salway told PA: 'Because it's just changed I think we'll be pretty safe, we've had both (doses), we've got all of our paperwork in order.

'I can't see them changing it again - although that's going to be famous last words now... It's quite plain sailing actually - I thought (checking in) would be more difficult.

'It's all quite quiet. We stayed over the road because we came down from Elgin and it was quiet over there as well - it's not the usual but I thought there'd be more people going to Ibiza.'

Travellers at Palma Airport in Majorca yesterday told The Times that they had paid hundreds and even thousands of pounds extra for flights and Covid antigen tests in order to return early from their holidays and beat the 4am deadline.

Those making a mad dash back included father and son Miller and Cameron Fitzgerald, from Leicestershire, who paid more than 1,000 to get back.

Miller told the publication: 'Cameron has had his first jab but has his driving test booked so didn't want to quarantine.

'I paid 600 for the [covid] tests and 400 for the flights. I wasn't too surprised that it changed because it's been pretty chaotic. So we just had to be ready. There's no doubt that what should have been a cheap holiday hasn't been.'

Holidaymakers have since been paying inflated fees in a bid to avoid being subject to a ten-day quarantine upon their return if unvaccinated. Pictured: Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport from Ibiza on one of the last flights before the deadline

Double-jabbed people and those under 18 will still be able to return from the islands quarantine free. Pictured: Tourists returning to the UK from Ibiza before the 4.00am deadline after the Balearics were upgraded to the amber list

Most of the UK tourists on the islands are young adults - many of whom have not yet been offered their second jab.

Thousands of others who have not yet left have been forced to cancel their holidays altogether.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps previously showed no sympathy for the thousands of Britons who could be affected by the sudden change to the travel list, telling them that uncertainty was a 'fact of life'.

He said the reason the Balearics had been demoted to the amber list was because Covid case rates there had more than doubled.

Earlier this week industry experts warned the decision over the Balearic Islands would cause 'disarray' for thousands of holidaymakers and be a blow to travel firms.

Virginia Messina, senior vice president for the World Tourism Trade Council, told MailOnline: 'This will throw summer holidays into disarray for tens of thousands of people.

'Businesses given the lifeline of holidays to the Balearics will also be left floundering as bookings collapse and customers clamour for refunds, piling on further financial pressure. There may be some good news with Croatia and Bulgaria moving up the scale and being added to the green list.

'But the overall impact is one of confusion, which will only deter more Brits from holidaying abroad as the summer season slips away.'
In spring 2019, NSO group hired SKDKnickerbocker - of which White House senior adviser Anita Dunn is the managing director.

The private Israeli firm that allegedly developed a spyware used to hack journalists, politicians and activists had previously launched a public relations crusade led by SKDKnickerbocker, of which White House senior adviser Anita Dunn is the managing director.

NSO group hired SKDKnickerbocker in spring of 2019 to coordinate its public relations efforts and save its reputation after lawsuits alleged that its software was being used to spy on journalists and political dissidents.

Targets included friends of Saudi-born Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi before his murder by a Suadi hit squad in 2018.

The use of the software, called Pegasus and developed by Israel's NSO group, was reported on by the Washington Post, the Guardian, Le Monde and other news outlets who collaborated on an investigation into a data leak.

The leak was of a list of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of NSO since 2016.

One of those targeted was Khashoggi's wife Hanan Elatr. Her phone - as well as that of a second female associate - was allegedly targeted before his death.

The Washington Post was one of the first outlets to break the story, publishing a 4,000-word dive into the spyware and its influence.

However, the article failed to include any information about NSO's ties to President Joe Biden's senior adviser.

The private Israeli firm that allegedly developed a spyware used to hack journalists, politicians and activists had previously launched a public relations crusade led by SKDKnickerbocker, of which White House senior adviser Anita Dunn is the managing director. Above, Dunn is pictured (center) with then-candidate Biden in October 2020

One of those targeted was Hanan Elatr, left, the wife of Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by a Saudi hit squad in 2018. Her phone - as well as that of a second female associate - was allegedly targeted before his death

New York Times reporter Kenneth P. Vogel made the connection in a series of tweets posted on Sunday night.

He wrote: 'The Israeli firm NSO GROUP was behind the spyware used to hack journalists & human rights activists, a @WashingtonPost investigation reveals. Not included in the story: NSO GROUP paid @SKDK (BIDEN adviser ANITA DUNN's firm) for advice until late 2019.'

He adds, 'NSO GROUP also paid BEACON GLOBAL STRATEGIES (a firm started by JEREMY BASH, an MSNBC analyst who served as CIA & Pentagon chief of staff under OBAMA) until early 2020, @NSOGroup told me last [year]. It said @SKDK & Beacon Global 'provided communications & business strategy advice'

NSO began selling its smartphone spyware to governments in 2011 and has always kept its operations under lock and key. According to a Fast Company article published in March 2019, when one of the outlet's reporters called an NSO office in 2017, a representative said they didn't speak to journalists and hung up.

But the company fell under scrutiny in 2019 after a number of lawsuits from people alleging that NSO was using its spyware against them.

One of the lawsuits came from Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident who claimed his phone was targeted by Pegasus shortly before his friend, the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, was assassinated by government agents, Fact Company reported.

To defend its reputation, NSO began speaking to journalists on the record, offering on-camera interviews, managing a more accessible website and launching promotional Google ads. And SKDKnickerbocker was pulling all the strings, according to a 2019 report in The Intercept.

SKDKickerbocker, a Washington D.C.-based firm, had previously been known to represent Democratic politicians and human rights organizations.

However, many felt that hiring SKDKnickerbocker was only exacerbating the company's alleged offenses. 'Simply hiring a PR company to clean up their image without actually changing anything wouldn't just be a failure to take responsibility, it would be an insult to the people who are demanding real answers and redress. Instead of focusing on their PR, it's time NSO Group, its owners, and its entire industry address the real harms which are being caused around the world,' Edin Omanovic, who leads the state surveillance program for Privacy International, told The Intercept in April 2019.

Vogel also pointed out that this isn't the first time Anita Dunn's work with SKDKnickerbocker has come into question. Following Dunn's confirmation in the Biden administration, he re-tweeted a post made by Max Moran, a research director at the political watchdog group Revolving Door, that lists Dunn's previous clients.

Vogel added, 'Some of ANITA DUNN's private sector work does not exactly align with progressive sensibilities,' in response to Moran's tweet, which reads, 'This is extraordinarily bad news,' and explains that Dunn has done PR recently for Harvey Weinstein, the Keystone XL pipeline, hedge funds after the 2008 recession, Charter school lobbyists and NYC landlords/real estate groups lobbying against rent protections.

Meanwhile, Dunn is planning to leave the White house senior adviser 'very shortly' for unrelated reasons, Politico's Ryan Lizza in a July 2 interview.

Dunn initially planned to serve only on Biden's campaign, but later joined in a temporary position. She previously served on President Barack Obama's campaign and in his administration. Dunn told Politico that her position was always meant to be temporary, as she planned to return to SKDKnickerbocker once Biden's transition was complete. She is reportedly still planning to return to the PR firm.

The Pegasus software was sold by Israeli firm NSO to clients who used it to hack the phones of journalists, activists and politicians, reports say

In the coming days, the news outlets with access to the NSO data leak said they will release more details about other people of interest targeted by the spyware, noting that not all of the numbers on the list were subsequently hacked.

Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for media organizations around the world including Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America, the Guardian said.

The use of the software to hack the phones of Al-Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.

The list also included the number of a Mexican freelance journalist who was later murdered at a carwash. His phone was never found and it was not clear if it had been hacked.

The Washington Post said numbers on the list also belonged to heads of state and prime ministers, members of Arab royal families, diplomats and politicians, as well as activists and business executives.

The list did not identify which clients had entered the numbers on it. But the reports said many were clustered in 10 countries - Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The leak was of a list of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of NSO since 2016

The Guardian wrote that the investigation suggests 'widespread and continuing abuse' of Pegasus, which NSO says is intended for use against criminals and terrorists.

Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit organization, initially had access to the leak, which they then shared with media organizations.

NSO, a leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry, has previously pledged to police for abuses of its software.

It called the allegations exaggerated and baseless, according to The Washington Post, and would not confirm its clients' identities.

Citizen Lab reported in December that dozens of journalists at Qatar's Al-Jazeera network had their mobile communications intercepted by sophisticated electronic surveillance.

Amnesty International reported in June of last year that Moroccan authorities used NSO's Pegasus software to insert spyware onto the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.
A former Victorian education department bigwig has been jailed for just under four years over a conspiracy to defraud more than $500,000 from the public school system.

Nino Napoli and his cousin Carlo Squillacioti were the subject of a long-running investigation by the state's anti-corruption watchdog IBAC.

Over almost seven years, Napoli submitted 72 false invoices worth more than $500,000 to the education department for companies connected with his family.'

Former education department bigwig, Nino Napoli (pictured) has been jailed for just under four years over a conspiracy to defraud more than $500,000 from the public school system

Squillacioti used his mechanic's workshop to participate in the scam, issuing invoices for printing work for the department that his business could never have carried out.

Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud as well as conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Napoli, who climbed his way through the ranks for 38 years until he was in charge of a $5 billion departmental budget, personally pocketed $95,000 from his schemes between 2007 and 2014.

He spent some of it on a $2000 toupee, an ipad, boxes of wine and a flatscreen television.

Napoli also provided inside information to a string of companies he was connected to, helping them tender for department jobs at low prices and sometimes even submitting the tenders himself.

A former finance head of the Victorian Education Department, Nino Napoli (pictured) was in charge of a $5 billion departmental budget, personally pocketing $95,000 with help from his cousin, Carlo Squillacioti

During their sentencing hearing earlier this month, which had been suppressed and can only now be publicised, Judge George Georgiou described Napoli's desperate efforts to cover his tracks when he learned IBAC was on his trail.

He related how IBAC had secretly recorded Napoli arranging with a school principal to create a paper trail that would cover up his rorts, telling the principal: "We have to get your story right or I am shot - gone".

Napoli also tried to get his own son involved in the cover-up despite his objections, telling him "it's not like you've robbed a bank".

But the certified accountant had kept a spreadsheet recording his dodgy dealings.

As the IBAC net tightened, he told his co-defendants the document had to be destroyed, because "it puts us in f***ing jail".

Judge Georgiou said Napoli's offending involved "an egregious breach of trust," and he had a sense of entitlement that stemmed from his high-ranking work.

He described how Napoli had developed a new funding model that linked money to students' individual needs.

"You were very much the architect ... it was the fact you knew this system so well that enabled you to exploit the system as you did," Judge Georgiou said.

He said Napoli had "undermined the trust that citizens of this state place in public servants to expend taxpayer funds honestly," and noted he would have to live with the prospect of the state of Victoria suing him for exemplary damages.

Napoli was initially hit with 164 separate charges following IBAC's investigation, but admitted just two under a plea deal with prosecutors.

He's been sentenced to three years and 10 months' jail, with a non-parole period of 23 months, while Squillacioti has been jailed for two years and five months, with a non-parole period of 15 months.
Australia's biggest home lender is promising no one will be evicted from their home until February 2022 as lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne shut down workplaces.

The Commonwealth Bank made the announcement as construction sites across greater Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains were banned on Monday from doing any work until at least July 30.

Chief executive Matt Comyn declared the bank would have a moratorium on foreclosures until 'at least' February 2022, after three weeks of lockdowns failed to bring down daily Covid case numbers.

'We believe extending our freeze on any foreclosures will give those customers who are again impacted by COVID-19 more time to get back on their feet, and reassurance that they can remain in their home this Christmas and into next year,' he said.

Australia's biggest home lender is promising no one will be evicted from their home until February 2022 as lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne shut down workplaces. The Commonwealth Bank made the announcement as construction sites across greater Sydney (pictured is Marsden Park), Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains were banned on Monday from doing any work until at least July 30

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Saturday that non-essential shops - apart from supermarkets, grocers, chemists and petrol stations - have been banned from trading, jeopardising the cash flow of small business owners.

Under the Commonwealth Bank moratorium, owner-occupier borrowers who have paid their mortgages on time every month will be allowed to stay in their home until February next year should they struggle to meet their repayment obligations.

Until the end of this month, residents of south-west Sydney within the Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown council boundaries are banned from leaving their local government areas unless they are health care or emergency services workers.

Melbourne's five-day lockdown was due to end on Tuesday but Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is set to extend that.

Ms Berejiklian revealed on Monday it may take health officials until October to vaccinate 80 per cent of NSW.

Chief executive Matt Comyn declared the bank would have a moratorium on foreclosures until 'at least' February 2022, after three weeks of lockdowns failed to bring down daily Covid case numbers

Only 13.59 per cent of the eligible Australian population are so far fully immunised.

'We are trying to get out of this as soon as we can, but there's no doubt everyone across Australia will need some level of restriction as we get vaccination rates higher,' she said.

A continuation of restrictions and inadequate government support is set to make life harder for home borrowers and small business operators paying off a mortgage.

Even with a moratorium, borrowers face higher interest costs later as the date they pay off their loan is delayed.
The Danish cartoonist whose depiction of the Prophet Mohammed sparked outrage around the Muslim world has died aged 86.

Kurt Westergaard passed away in his sleep after a long period of ill health, his family told newspaper Berlingske.

The illustrator was behind 12 drawings published by conservative daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten under the headline 'The Face of Mohammed', one of which sparked particular anger.

The cartoons went almost unnoticed initially, but after two weeks, a demonstration against them was held in Copenhagen, and then ambassadors from Muslim countries in Denmark lodged a protest.

The anger then escalated into anti-Danish violence across the Muslim world in February 2006.

The violence linked to the cartoons culminated in a 2015 massacre that left 12 people dead at the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris, which had reprinted the cartoons in 2012.

Westergaard had been working at Jyllands-Posten since the mid-1980s as an illustrator, and according to Berlingske the drawing in question had actually been printed once before but without sparking much controversy.

During the last years of his life Westergaard, like a number of others associated with the cartoons, had to live under police protection at a secret address.

In early 2010, Danish police caught a 28-year-old Somalian armed with a knife in Westergaard's house, where he was planning to kill him.
Five witnesses will give evidence in court after police hit a male friend of TV star Larry Emdur's daughter with a restraining order - but the case has been derailed by Sydney's Covid lockdown.

Police in the city's east hit businessman Rickie Volpatti with a provisional apprehended domestic violence order (AVO) last July, on behalf of his one time 'beach buddy', graphic designer Tia Emdur.

Mr Volpatti had been planning to fight the AVO - which bans him from going within 100m of the 22-year-old's home or workplace - at a long-awaited hearing on Monday morning.

But the city's Covid restrictions saw the case pushed back until April 2022 with Magistrate Ross Hudson appearing to question its future.

TV personality Larry Emdur's daughter Tia (left) had an AVO taken out on her behalf by NSW Police last year. Rickie Volpatti, who according to social media profiles worked for a landscaping business, has been banned from approaching Ms Emdur on a provisional basis

Legendary Morning Show host Larry Emdur with his daughter, the youngest of his two kids, in a social media happy snap

A court previously heard that Ms Emdur has given police a recorded statement known as a Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief or 'DVEC'

Magistrate Hudson told police prosecutors 'this may be a matter you just put an asterisk on', in an apparent reference to the case dragging on for almost two years.

When the hearing is eventually held, three witnesses are expected to give evidence for Ms Emdur and two for Mr Volpatti, the court heard.

Mr Volpatti was hit with standard provisional AVO conditions banning him from assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Ms Emdur, or destroying her property.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Volpatti is accused of doing any of that and police have laid no charges against him.

Last year, a court heard Ms Emdur has given police a recorded statement known as a Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief or 'DVEC'.

In such statements, alleged victims are filmed telling their version of events in their own words.

The AVO was taken out on Ms Emdur's behalf in July 2020 but a hearing won't be held until next April. On right, Mr Volpatti relaxes in a spa with a glass of red wine in a social media image

Mr Kolpatti and Ms Emdur appear to have been mates - attending the beach together in a social media snap last summer.

An image of Mr Volpatti from Ms Emdur's social media accounts on a beach trip

However, one friend told Daily Mail Australia last year he was unaware of any romance between the pair.

Ms Emdur is the youngest of Morning Show host Larry's two children. She has an older brother, Jye.

Comedic TV personality Larry, 56, has described his daughter as one of his 'favourite people in the world'.

Ms Emdur previously made headlines for buying a $1million property with her parents as a 19-year-old.

The family is known to have an extensive property portfolio.

It was previously reported that Ms Emdur aspires to become a fashion designer.
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A stun gun, pepper spray, knives and mace have been recovered by police after violent clashes between Antifa and Proud Boys during a transgender rights protest outside a Los Angeles spa Saturday, which saw 40 people arrested, police said.

The Los Angeles Police Department said they found the weapons outside the Wi Spa in Koreatown where transgender rights activists and far-right protestors clashed over the spa's trans-inclusive policy allowing trans women to use womens facilities.

The protests stemmed from a video that circulated online earlier this month, in which an irate customer complained to the staff at Wi Spa about a transgender woman's exposed genitalia in the women's section of the spa.

The video sparked controversy after the spa defended its policy of allowing transgender customers into women-only facilities.

Transgender rights activists and far-right protestors clashed over the spa's trans-inclusive policy allowing trans women to use womens facilities

A stun gun, pepper spray, knives and mace have been recovered by police after protests outside the spa

Officers fired rubber bullets to disperse the unruly crowd. A video shows one person being hit in the stomach

LAPD released this statement on Twitter along with pictures of what was confiscated

On Saturday, Los Angeles Police Department fired non-lethal projectiles to disperse the unruly mob, which became violent when Antifa members joined the trans rights demonstration and clashed with Proud Boys outside the spa.

Thirty nine of the arrests were for failure to disperse, LAPD told DailyMail.com

One person was arrested for carrying a prohibited item at Saturday's protest, which marked the second weekend of violent protests this month within the streets surrounding Wi Spa.

LAPD said in a statement on Twitter on Saturday night that smoke bombs and other projectiles were thrown at officers trying to break up the crowd.

The Los Angeles Police Department said they found the weapons outside the Wi Spa in Koreatown

Antifa members joined the trans rights demonstration and clashed with Proud Boys outside the spa

Police declared an unlawful assembly in front of the spa in Koreatown around 11am

Detective Meghan Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the LAPD, said no officer was injured and no protester was transported to hospitals

Videos emerged showing police in full riot gear pushing protesters back with batons

Videos emerged on social media showing police in full riot gear pushing protesters back with batons. Another video shows an officer firing a rubber bullet at someone from close range.

Other video shows buildings covered in graffiti.

A Guardian reporter covering the protest said that she was shoved to the ground and attacked by a protester she was trying to interview.

'Just got thrown to the ground by right-wing anti-pedophile protesters as a crowd converged on me and chased me,' reporter Lois Beckett said on Twitter with a video of the assault. 'They threw water at me and screamed about Jesus and said to grab my phone. Police would not let me through the police line but after I got thrown on the ground they did.'

The free-for-all scene that played out in downtown LA stemmed from a video that was posted on Instagram earlier this month of an irate customer complaining to Wi Spa staff that a transgender woman was in the women's section of the spa.

VIDEO WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Several weapons were discovered on the ground at a transgender rights protest that took place outside a Los Angeles spa Saturday, where 40 people were arrested, police have confirmed. Pictured in this photo, Wi Spa in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, Ca

Earlier this month, a transgender woman allegedly disrobed at the spa, infuriating another customer who filmed herself complaining about incident, which some suspected to being fake, Slate reported

The video sparked controversy after the spa defended its policy of allowing transgender customers in its facilities, including its hot tubs (pictured).

'Cubanaangel' wrote this post to go with the Instagram video that was posted earlier this month. It's gained traction in recent weeks and sparked outrage and the protest on Saturday

The Instagram user - 'cubanaangel' - ranted to staff for over three minutes.

'Wi Spa allows a man into women's wet spa section where all the women are naked, mothers with their young daughters and teens,' 'cubanaangel' wrote.

'The Wi Spa allowed the man access just because he calls himself a woman. This man was naked exposing his testicles and penis slinging left to right in front of young girls, teens and grown women. What is our world coming to.'

Suspicion about the authenticity of the video was raised after people noted that the video cuts out as the woman marches downstairs to confront this person shes allegedly seen, but never shows the trans woman.

Police grew to suspect a hoax after failing to find witnesses who saw a trans woman at the spa, and Wi Spa claims none of their trans clients had scheduled appointments that day.

On Saturday, police declared an unlawful assembly in front of the spa in Koreatown around 11am, when demonstrators against transgender access to the spa's facilities clashed with counter protesters.

Detective Meghan Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the LAPD, said no officer was injured and no protester was transported to hospitals.
Children aged 12 to 15 could be vaccinated in Australia late this year or early next year in a bid to battle the Delta strain of Covid-19.

Australia's drug regulator, the TGA, is currently assessing an application from Pfizer to have its jab approved in the country for that age group.

The vaccine has already been approved for children over 12 in countries such as the US, Canada, Germany, Japan, France and Italy.

A health worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to a minor at a vaccination centre in Santiago, Chile on June 23

Trials for children under 12 are ongoing to determine safety and dosage, with results due in a few months and a decision in the US expected in early 2022.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said vaccinating teenagers was crucial to securing freedom.

Previously she said the state wants 80 per cent of adults jabbed - meaning 10million doses would have been administered - before removing restrictions, but now she wants children included in the threshold.

'Vaccination in relation to the Delta strain won't necessarily just mean adults, which is where the 10 million jabs came from,' she told reporters on Monday.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant explained why the Delta strain has changed the equation.

'We are seeing more infections from children spreading, which is not the characteristic we had observed with previous strains,' she said.

'It means we need to rethink our role of vaccinating children. It is pleasing to see in some countries overseas that we have vaccines that are licensed for use in children, and I know the regulator, the TGA, is continually considering the vaccine.'

A health worker wears a protective face mask and gloves as she gives a Pfizer/BioNTech covid-19 jab to a teenager in Warsaw, Poland on June 26

Asked when children could be vaccinated in Australia, Dr Chant said: 'When we have more vaccine supplies and we have done the hard work of vaccinating the adult population.'

Every Australian adult is expected to be offered a vaccine before the end of the year, meaning children could be offered jabs late this year or early next year.

Meanwhile, one million Pfizer doses have touched down in Australia as the nation's sluggish vaccine rollout ramps up.

A shipment of 800,000 doses landed in Sydney on Sunday night with another 200,000 split between Perth and Melbourne.

The federal government has secured earlier supply of its 40million Pfizer vaccines, bringing in 1million a week from now until at least the end of August.

Airport staff unload the Pfizer vaccines after they arrived at Sydney Airport on Sunday night

Aussies over 40 are eligible for a Pfizer jab, with under 40s expected to get the call up in late September or early October.

'September, early October is likely but if we can bring that forward, we will,' Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday.

Some 18,000 Australians under 40 have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine which is available for over 18s but only recommended for over 60s due to a low risk of serious blood clots in younger people.

Only 13.59 per cent of Aussie adults have had two doses of a Covid vaccine, compared with 48.6 per cent of Canadians, 48.4 per cent of Americans and 68.3 per cent of Britons.

Covid-19 taskforce boss Lieutenant General John Frewen said more GPs will be given the Pfizer doses to speed up the rollout.

A shipment of 800,000 doses (pictured) landed in Sydney on Sunday night with another 200,000 split between Perth and Melbourne

The federal government has secured earlier supply of its 40million Pfizer vaccines, bringing in 1million a week from now until at least the end of August. Pictured: Vaccines are unloaded

'By the end of the month we'll have 1,300 GPs that can administer Pfizer,' he said.

On July 8, the government announced a deal with Pfizer to bring in at least a million vaccines a week from July 19, meaning more than 4.5million jabs will arrive in August.

Previously only three million doses were expected in August and 4.5million were due in September.

It comes as 12million Australians are stuck in lockdown due to recent outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne.

Victoria recorded another 13 community-acquired cases of coronavirus on Monday, with all of them linked to existing outbreaks.

The number of coronavirus exposure sites across the state has ballooned to more than 270.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is widely expected to extend the state's five-day lockdown, which is due to end at midnight on Tuesday.

Pictured: A plane of 100,000 Pfizer vaccines landed in Perth on Sunday night

It comes as 12million Australians are stuck in lockdown due to recent outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne (pictured on Sunday)

NSW recorded 98 new cases on Monday as Sydney enters another week of lockdown.

Construction work across Sydney has been shut down for a fortnight, leaving hundreds of thousands of people out of work.

Business and union groups have warned the restrictions will cost the economy more than $700 million a week, in addition to earlier forecasts.

But authorities argue the construction shutdown is needed to help stop the spread of coronavirus, given the high number of cases recorded among people infectious while in the community.

NSW reported 105 cases on Sunday and the death of a woman in her 90s, the fourth fatality in the latest outbreak.

At this stage, Sydney's lockdown is due to end on July 30.

With AAP
1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones has come under fire after comments she made in 2019 about Cuba being among the 'most equal' countries in the world because of its socialist government resurfaced online.

Hannah-Jones appeared on a podcast with Ezra Klein of Vox and The New York Times in 2019 and was asked for her thoughts on places around the world that had a 'viable and sufficiently ambitious integration agenda'.

She replied that she thought Cuba to be among the most 'equal' and 'multiracial' country in the western hemisphere due to its socialist society.

'The most equal multi-racial country in our hemisphere, it would be Cuba,' she said.

Her remarks were dragged back into the spotlight this weekend as Cuba is roiled by protests against its communist regime, with activists crying for freedom and expressing anger over rising prices, goods shortages, and poor health care amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Critics sounding off on social media panned Hannah-Jones for her perceived ignorance on the state of the island nation.

1619 Project writer Nikole Hannah-Jones said she believes Cuba is the most equal country in the western hemisphere

Hannah-Jones' 2019 remarks were dragged back into the spotlight this weekend as Cuba is roiled by protests against its communist regime, with activists crying for freedom and expressing anger over rising prices, goods shortages, and poor health care amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Police arrest a protester in Havana on Sunday

Thousands of Cuban Americans in Miami have taken to the streets in the past week to show solidarity with the island. Pictured: Protesters at the Rally For Democracy in Miami on Sunday

'Cuba has the least inequality between black and white people anyplace really in the hemisphere,' Hannah-Jones said on the podcast.

'I mean, the Caribbean, most of the Caribbean it's hard to count because the white population in a lot of those countries is very, very small.

'A lot of those countries are run by black folks. But in places that are truly at least biracial countries, Cuba actually has the least inequality.

'And that's largely due to socialism - which I'm sure no one wants to hear.'

The rediscovered remarks sparked disbelief among many commenters online.

'This is the person Progressives want teaching history to your kids,' tweeted conservative talk show host Jason Rantz.

'Founder of 1619 project & outspoken (idiot) communist, says Cuba has the least inequality between Black & White people. Shes correct, because theres no democrat party to ensure everyone is divided. Also, communism is an equal opportunity oppressor,' wrote Jonathan T. Gilliam, an ex-Navy Seal turned author.

'Crazy!' declared senior writer for the Houston Chronicle Cindy Horswell.

'Then lets send her there! And she can live her dreams!!!' wrote Ken Hebden.

'Yep, youre either equally poor or you are the rich oppressor. One day in Cuba and shed realize shes one of the poor, oppressed masses begging for her freedom,' tweeted Danielle Kriner.

The rediscovered remarks sparked outrage among some commenters on Twitter

Please go to Cuba and stay in Cuba - Nicole Hannah Jones. The anti-American factions in our own country fail to understand the horrors of Communism, stated Mercedes Schlapp, a Senior Fellow for ACU Foundation penned.

'Note to Nikole: Cuba has "equality" because everyone is equally desperately poor,' explained one Twitter account.

'I think one should be required to live in the country one believes is superior for a year before endorsing it as preferred location over one's own country,' suggested Twitter user Jerry.

'They just allow anyone to be thought leaders these days,' wrote another social media user.

'1619 project creator says Cubas dictator government is a model for other countries. The woman Nikole Hannah-Jones is that crazy! She wants America to be like Cuba, a communist country Cuban ppl are protesting for their freedom & are tired of tyranny. This is all u need to know,' tweeted Steve.

'Why don't she move to Cuba then ??? Let her see how the people are treated, for awhile, then see what she thinks !!!' added Alabama Lady.

WASHINGTON D.C. - Hundreds of protesters plead for liberty for Cuba in front of the White House in solidarity with the Cuban people. Protesters demanded US intervention to free Cuba

VATICAN CITY - Cubans stand in St. Peter's Square to pray with the Pope

MIAMI-A women shouts from her car while holding a Nicaraguan flag during a protest showing support for Cubans demonstrating against their government, At Versailles Restaurant

Hundreds of people headed to Washington DC this weekend to protest outside the White House after a week of unprecedented protests on the Communist-led island this past week.

The protests in the nation's capital came as Raul Castro joined thousands at a government-organized rally in Havana on Saturday to denounce the US trade embargo and reaffirm their support for Cuba's 'revolution.'

The Havana rally came after thousands of Cubans have protested shortages of basic goods, curbs on civil liberties, and the government's handling of a surge in COVID-19 infections in the past week.

Meanwhile, demonstrators in Washington on Saturday carried signs reading 'Freedom for Cuba' while calling on President Joe Biden to help the suffering Caribbean nation.

Amanda Velazquez, a protester from Miami, told WPLG that Cubans are 'suffering through a system that completely failed them and oppressed them for 60 years.'

'With this many people get together and chant someone has to listen,' Velazquez said. 'We are trying to tell Biden we are here in your front door on our knees to help us to help our people.'

Lillian Fonseca, a protester from Hialeah, told the outlet: 'If military won't be able to intervene because I understand that's not a possibility, at least if we can give them free WIFI.'

In the wake of the protests, the Cuban government had cut off internet access on Sunday. Internet connectivity was restored on Wednesday though access to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter remained blocked on cellular networks.

WASHINGTON D.C. - Marisol protests the lack of freedom and a worsening economy in her homeland of Cuba while in front of the White House on Sunday

NEW JERSEY - People wave Cuban flags on their car during a protest showing support for Cubans

WEST PALM BEACH - Joe Yoko prepares to take part in rally at West Palm Beach city hall to support anti-government protesters in Cuba

The 2019 podcast is not the first time that Hannah-Jones has spoken out in support of the communist regime.

More than ten years prior, Hannah-Jones wrote an op-ed where she noted the many overlooked accomplishments that had been made in Cuba including what she touted as a high literacy rate in the country, low HIV infection rate and 'model' universal health care system.

She claims the Cuban revolution led to the 'end of codified racism' and brought about universal education and access to jobs for black Cubans.

WEST PALM BEACH - People take part in a rally at West Palm Beach city hall to support anti-government protesters in Cuba on Sunday

HAVANA: Cubans participate in a rally to support the government of President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana this weekend

HAVANA: People carry images of Cuba's former President and First Secretary of the Communist Party Raul Castro during a rally in Havana, Cuba this weekend

Demonstrators use candles to spell out SOS in solidarity with protests in Cuba outside the White House. The protests come amid demonstrations in Cuba over the lack of food, the pace of Covid-19 vaccinations and the government

The 1619 Project is a project spearheaded by The New York Times that looks into the effects of slavery on US history.

Hannah-Jones, a New York Times reporter won the Pulitzer Prize for the 1619 Project which 'reframed' American history to focus on when the first Africans arrived to Virginia as slaves.

But the 2019 series of essays has come under withering criticism for portraying American history as fundamentally racist and also containing historical inaccuracies and generalizations.

She tweeted at the time: 'You do not produce a project like this and not expect pushback. History, in general, is contested. Historians debate, disagree and interpret differently the same set of facts. Historians also produce history from a vantage point. This project unsettled many. I think that is good.'

WASHINGTON D.C.: A woman holds a sign with the Cuban flag calling for 'FREEDOM FOR CUBA'

WASHINGTON D.C.: A man holds a sign that reads 'THE REGIME IS KILLING HUMANS FOR SPEAKING' at an protest outside the White House this weekend

WASHINGTON D.C.: A man is pictured draped with the Cuban flag outside of the White House
It's the billion-dollar problem causing serious issues for Australian children and raising alarms for policy-makers.

A new study by the Women and Infants Research Foundation and the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance has put the annual cost of premature births at $1.4 billion.

A quarter of the cost identified in the study, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, comes from the educational assistance needed for children who were born premature.

The cost of premature births in Australia has been released in a new study, costing a whopping $1.4 billion (stock)

While many preterm births are unplanned or unavoidable for medical reasons, experts are concerned by a dramatic rise in avoidable 'early-term' births.

They say it's translating to more school-aged children having learning problems and behavioural issues.

'A good proportion of them, their origin will be found in the labour wards of your obstetric hospitals eight or 10 years earlier,' the Perth-based foundation's chief scientific director John Newnham told AAP.

While extremely preterm babies have the greatest expense, it's the early-term births - those between 37 and 39 weeks - that have increased the most.

Recent federal government data indicates roughly half of all annual elective caesarean sections performed before 39 weeks did not have a stated medical or obstetric indication.

'That is obviously unacceptable,' Professor Newnham says.

'It is causing serious alarm at government level and is now being addressed.'

Experts have indicated that a significant and unacceptable rise in elective caesareans is contributing to the bill, as government data shows that about half of all elective births before 39 weeks did not have a valid reason (stock)

Part of the solution lies with correcting what Prof Newnham describes as an entrenched belief - among both doctors and parents - that 37 weeks is the safe threshold.

The fetal brain, he says, puts on half of its weight after 35 weeks, meaning any delivery before 39 weeks risks causing later-life problems.

'For most babies, they will have a normal outcome regardless. We're talking about a percentage only,' he says.

'But if you deliver all babies at 37 rather than 39 weeks, eight years later a class of 30 children will have two extra children with behavioural disorders.'

Around eight per cent of babies in Australia are born prematurely each year.

Being born too early is a leading cause of disability in Australia and has been linked to cerebral palsy, deafness and blindness.

The data also showed that a quarter of this bill is allocated to education needed for parents of children born prematurely (stock)

But it can, in some cases, be prevented.

Premature births reduced by eight per cent in WA within the first year of a prevention program led by the Women and Infants Research Foundation.

The program included targeted education for expecting mothers but also sought to educate medical practitioners on identifying risk factors such as a shortened cervix.

The success of the WA program has since been replicated elsewhere, including in the ACT.

A $13.7 million funding injection in this year's federal budget will help the foundation to roll out the program across the country in coming years.

Prof Newnham, the 2020 Senior Australian of the Year, reckons it's a fantastic opportunity.

'It's a terrific challenge because there are not that many things left in medicine where a public health program based on education and health promotion can have such dramatic improvement in the lives of so many people,' he said.
The NSW health minister has snapped at a reporter as he jumped to the defence of Gladys Berejiklian for not wearing a mask during coronavirus lockdown.

The NSW Premier came under fire at a heated press conference on Monday after a photo of her was splashed across the front page of a Sydney newspaper.

The Daily Telegraph photo showed Ms Berejiklian holding her face mask in her left hand as she and her new boyfriend, barrister Arthur Moses, waited to collect their coffee outside a Sydney cafe on Sunday.

This was hours after she changed public health orders in the city to force locked-down Sydney residents to wear a mask when standing near food shops.

Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) came under fire at Monday's press conference after she was pictured a day earlier not wearing a mask while standing near a cafe

Reporters grilled NSW chief health Kerry Chant for further clarity about the new mask rules and one asked how they could be enforced.

The question prompted health minister Brad Hazzard to jump in to lash out at the media and defend his boss.

'Seriously James. Taking an opportunity to have a go at the premier's private life by getting a photo when she was more than double where we are from you now is just silly,' he fired back.

He added the 'majority' of media were 'very good' over the the last 18 months during the pandemic before going on to clarify the new restrictions.

'We know that the health orders are given as a guide to help the community get through what is a very difficult time,' he said.

'Some of them are precise and some of them are not as precise as perhaps you would like, but common sense must prevail.'

Mr Hazzard then aimed another potshot at the reporter who asked the question.

'I heard now nearly 12 months ago a comedian, not a journalist, said why are we looking for the loopholes rather than just making it work?' he said.

'Common sense says stay away from people as far as possible, if you are nine metres away, that is more than adequate.

'Actually if we are talking about 1.5m social distancing and you need something you could work on James, then work on 1.5m.'

NSW recorded 98 cases on Monday, 20 in the community the entire time they were infectious while 37 were not yet linked to the known cluster.

Health minister Brad Hazzard (in background) snapped at a reporter while jumping to defend NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian

Ms Berejiklian said the number of cases active in the community while infectious was the number she was 'really keen to nudge' lower.

'We need to get ahead of that number in order to reduce the number of cases in the community to zero,' she said.

Mr Hazzard wasn't the only one to jump to the premier's defence.

Ms Berejiklian was inundated with support from fellow Sydneysiders on social media, while KIIS FM breakfast radio host Kyle Sandilands also believes Ms Berejiklian had not broken any rules.

'They're having a whinge because they say she's got no mask on,' he told listeners.

'But she's drinking a latte and so is the boyfriend - I think that's alright.'

But the saga divided the public across the country in a Daily Mail Australia poll, where more than 50 per cent believed Ms Berejiklian did the wrong thing.
A porn star was kicked out of a conservative event targeted at high schoolers after complaints from outraged parents.

Brandi Love, 48, attended the 'Student Action Summit' with Turning Point USA in Tampa, Florida Saturday, and posed for photos in front of exhibits and a 'save America' tour bus.

But was suddenly kicked out after backlash from parents and Christian organizers.

But Love is capitalizing on the attention by selling t-shirts poking fun at one of the conference's founders.

She is selling shirts with the slogan 'I triggered Charlie Kirk' on her Only Fans website.

Kirk founded the pro-Trump organization in 2012 when he was 18-years-old. He has served as TPUSA's executive director since.

Brandi Love, 48, attended the 'Student Action Summit' with Turning Point USA in Tampa, Florida Saturday, but was suddenly kicked out after backlash from Christian organizers

Love initially arrived at the Tampa Convention Center as an enthusiastic VIP guest

Love decided to exploit the incident by creating a t-shirt with the words ,'I triggered Charlie Kirk,' offering it for sale on her Only Fans website.

Love initially arrived at the Tampa Convention Center as an enthusiastic VIP guest, posting numerous photos of herself on Twitter with the caption, 'It's good to be around so many young conservatives. Gives me some hope!'

But Christian conservatives immediately began criticizing her attendance on social media, slamming the organization's decision to allow an adult film star to attend an event targeted at 15 and 16-year-olds.

Many complained Love's presence clashed with conservative values, while others pointed out that minors were in attendance.

The adult film star posed for photos in front of exhibits at the conservative conference

Christian conservatives slamming the organization's decision to allow an adult film star to attend an event targeted at 15 and 16-year-olds

Many complained Love's presence clashed with conservative values, while others pointed out that minors were in attendance. Within hours, Love received an email from organizers that she was no longer invited to be part of the event

Brandi Love (left) was taking a jab at Charlie Kirk, (right) who founded the TPUSA in 2012, when he was 18-years-old

Within hours, Love received an email from organizers that she was no longer invited to be part of the event.

'We regret to inform you that your SAS 2021 invitation has been revoked,' an email from the organization read, according to an image Love posted on Twitter. 'This decision is final. This revocation does not impact application to future events, and we hope that you will consider applying again in the future.'

Love tweeted that she had just seen Kirk, Dan Bongino, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), and Kat Timpf 'speak about freedom, censorship, how inclusive the 'movement' is' only to be 'thrown out.'

She followed up adding, 'The Republican Party is broken.'

Its good to be around so many young conservatives. Gives me some hope! pic.twitter.com/jxotnfQ6F9  Brandi Love  (@brandi_love) July 17, 2021

All checked in!



Stats so far:



Anti Adult Haters: 1

Kid Rock Conservatives: 12 pic.twitter.com/Hp7rf4JcPe  Brandi Love  (@brandi_love) July 17, 2021

Love (pictured) initially arrived at the Tampa Convention Center as an enthusiastic VIP guest, posting numerous photos of herself on Twitter with the caption, 'It's good to be around so many young conservatives. Gives me some hope!'

In a statement to Newsweek, TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet addressed Love's attendance by saying: 'As a matter of policy, TPUSA does not allow adult entertainers, influencers, or brands to participate in its events designed for minors.'

'This was not a decision intended to be unkind to anyone, but in the interest of the student attendees in attendance, and their thousands of concerned parents, Kolvet added.

This isn't the first time TPUSA has faced criticism.

Last December, TPUSA was condemned by conservatives when the event's sponsor, Bang Energy, had its 'Bang Girls' blast free cash into the crowd of college and high school students.

'Folks, we are trying to get that thing [money cannon] rolling,' Bang Energy CEO Jack Owoc said before cash was dispensed at the conference centered on fighting socialism.
Author and journalist Michael Wolff ridiculed Brian Stelter on his own show on Sunday, telling the CNN correspondent that he is 'full of sanctimony' and calling him a 'media hall monitor' who believes he has a 'monopoly on the truth.'

Wolff appeared on Stelter's Reliable Sources to discuss the details of his newest book, 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency'.

But he launched an attack on the media  and Stelter in particular  who he says take a holier-than-thou approach in covering issues related to the Trump presidency.

The exchange began when Stelter recalled how Wolff slammed the media and CNN during his last time on the show, four years ago, before publishing his first book, 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.'

The CNN host says, 'You came on and you called me ridiculous and you bashed the media and then the next day Trump called you . . . is that how you got access, by coming on CNN and making fun of us? I'm just curious.'

Wolff says his agreement predated that appearance and that Trump often calls people after seeing them on television.

He adds, 'But I don't want you to think that what I said at that point was in any way inauthentic. I think the media has done a terrible job on this. I think you, yourself . . . well you're a nice guy, you know, you're full of sanctimony.

'You become part of one of the parts of the problem of the media. You come on here and you have a . . . monopoly on truth.

'You know exactly how things are supposed to be done. You know, you are one of the reasons why people can't stand the media.'

Author Michael Wolff HUMILIATES CNN's Brian Stelter...on his own show!



MUST SEE! pic.twitter.com/y2KfmVFQPM  Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) July 18, 2021

Author and journalist Michael Wolff ridiculed Brian Stelter on his own show on Sunday and called the CNN host 'full of sanctimony'

Wolff (pictured) appeared on Stelter's Reliable Sources to discuss the details of his newest book, 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency'

During the discussion, Wolff gave a rant about how the media  and Stelter (pictured) in particular  have a holier-than-thou approach to covering the news

Stelters bursts into laugher and says, 'You're cracking me up,' before Wolff adds, 'It's your fault.'

The 'Reliable Sources' host asks Wolff what he should do differently and Wolff pauses before he says, 'Don't talk so much, listen more. People have genuine problems with the media. The media doesn't get the story right. The media exists in its own bubble.'

Stelter agrees before Wolff continues, 'That last segment that I just had to listen to of all the people saying the same old stuff. Also, you're incredibly repetitive. It's week after week. You're the flip side of Donald Trump. It's fake news and you say virtuous news.'

Stelter interrupts and says, 'No, we just figure out what is real.'

Wolff says back, 'Yeah, figuring out what is real is not so easy, Most people don't want to turn to Brian Stelter to tell us what's real. I'm sorry.'

Stelter starts laughing again and says, 'Well, why'd you bother coming on CNN a few times this week?'

Wolff sighs and says, 'You know, I'm a book salesman.'

After the exchange, Stelter tweeted a clip of it with the caption, ' 'Reliable Sources' at its most META: The guest gave an in-depth media critique of . . . me. Thanks for the conversation, @MichaelWolffNYC! Let's not wait four years to do it again . . .'

He also shared one tweet by political journalist and CNN alumnus Chris Frates, who shared the exchange and wrote, 'Folks on the right sharing this as a takedown of @brianstelter are missing the most important part of the exchange. After @MichaelWolffNYC tells Brian he's part of the problem, Brian asks what he should do differently + then listened to the answer. That's journalism.'

Stelter, 35, has hosted Reliable Sources since 2013. Before his tenure at CNN, he worked for The New York Times for about six years.

Wolff, 67, just published his third book about former President Donald Trump. The first was published in 2018 and titled, 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.' The second was published in 2019 and called 'Siege: Trump Under Fire.' His latest book, 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency,' will be released on July 27.
Low-rating ABC Radio presenter Fran Kelly has declared Sydney should have gone into lockdown much sooner than it did despite the cost to livelihoods and the economy.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed a lockdown on June 26, that allowed all shops to open.

But with daily new Covid cases continuing to hover above 100 after three weeks, restrictions have been tightened with construction workers banned from attending building sites as of Monday.

Non-essential shops - apart from supermarkets, fruit and vegetable sellers, grocers, chemists and petrol stations - on Saturday were banned from trading until at least July 30.

Despite the cost to livelihoods Kelly, who was paid $255,000 in 2013 and would be on substantially more now to host the low-rating Radio National Breakfast program, said the lockdown should have been earlier and stricter.

ABC presenter Fran Kelly (pictured) has declared Sydney should have gone into lockdown much sooner than it did despite the cost to livelihoods. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed a lockdown on June 26, that allowed shops to open

Poll Did Gladys Berejiklian lock down too late? YES, TOO LATE NO, SHE NEEDED TO TRY DAMNED IF SHE DID, DAMNED IF SHE DIDN'T Did Gladys Berejiklian lock down too late? YES, TOO LATE 40 votes

NO, SHE NEEDED TO TRY 24 votes

DAMNED IF SHE DID, DAMNED IF SHE DIDN'T 47 votes Now share your opinion





'I think most people in Sydney think it should have,' she told the ABC's Insiders host David Speers on Sunday morning.

'The extent of it, the construction industry, and all the tradies has really shocked people, I think, and added a little element of panic to the initial assessing of this new information.

'People have been really frustrated in Sydney that this lockdown hasn't gone harder earlier.'

Without citing any opinion polls, Kelly claimed a majority of Sydney residents had regarded the moderate, earlier restrictions as 'mock down' and 'lockdown lite' even though most school lessons have gone online since July 12.

'Most people, quite angry, that shops, non-essential shops, are still open yet the Premier everyday says they've got the settings right,' she said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is putting the cost of the lockdown in Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains at $700million a week but AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver estimates $1billion worth of economic activity is being lost every seven days, in a bid to contain the more contagious Indian Delta strain.

Without citing any opinion polls, Kelly claimed a majority of Sydney residents and described the moderate, earlier restrictions as 'mock down'. On Saturday, protesters in Bankstown expressed their disgust at the stricter lockdowns in the city's south-west

Kelly made the tone deaf comments after a convoy of truck drivers on Saturday staged a protest against construction work bans by driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (pictured) and the Anzac Bridge with horns blaring

To put that into perspective, the weekly $1billion cost of lockdown would be enough to fund the ABC's entire budget for a year.

Kelly's Radio National program had a miserable 3 per cent share of Sydney breakfast listeners in June - less than a quarter of news-oriented 2GB host Ben Fordham's 13.3 per cent score, GfK survey data showed.

She made her Insider comments after a convoy of truck drivers on Saturday staged a protest against construction work bans by driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Anzac Bridge with horns blaring.

Simultaneously in Sydney's south-west - where 810,000 locals have been hit with harsher restrictions than elsewhere - scores of protesters flooded a community park in Bankstown.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is putting the cost of the lockdown in Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains at $700million a week but AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver estimates $1billion worth of economic activity is being lost every seven days, in a bid to contain the more contagious Indian Delta strain. Pictured are boarded up shops at Fairfield

The protesters directed their anger at Ms Berejiklian chanting 'Freedom, Freedom', 'No to the vaccine', and 'P*** off Gladys' as they marched through Paul Keating Park.

The rally organised over social media was expected to attracted a thousand strong crowd but police outnumbered them at 3pm.

During the Premier's daily 11am media conferences, Ms Berejikian has since June 26 faced daily calls from journalists demanding to know why she didn't impose Stage Four lockdowns that closed non-essential shops, a policy which Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews favours.

Simultaneously in Sydney's south-west - where 810,000 locals have been hit with harsher restrictions than elsewhere - scores of protesters flooded a community park in Bankstown

On Sunday, 79 of the 105 new cases came from the Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas - but the figures didn't stop dozens of furious residents from taking to the streets claiming the south-west was 'unfairly targeted' by the strengthened rules.

Those who lose 20 hours or more of work will be eligible for $600 a week while those who lose eight to 20 hours of work can claim $375.

While the NSW government is offering $10,000 hardship payments, for many businesses that is insufficient to cover leasing costs and paying suppliers.
Three missing children were found safe in Tucson overnight following a deadly shooting rampage that has left one person dead and four others injured, including EMTs, and a house fire where a charred body was also found.

The Tucson Police Department confirmed early Monday morning that the children associated with the fire-ravaged home have been located, but officials have not yet revealed any additional details.

The shooting spree began on Sunday afternoon in a park, continued at the already-chaotic scene of a house fire and ended with police shooting the suspect in a standoff in Tucson.

It's not immediately known if there is a connection between the shootings and the house fire.

'This is both a highly tragic, really horrific incident with many unknowns at this time,' Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said during a press conference.

The 35-year-old suspect opened fire on an ambulance crew at around 3:45pm in Quincie Douglas Center, Magnus said.

A gunman killed a man and injured three first responders in a rampage close to a house fire in Tucson, Arizona Sunday afternoon. The gunman was shot and is in 'very critical condition'

A window is seen shattered in an ambulance after a gunman shot and wounded two EMTs in Tucson on Sunday amid the rampage

'This is a highly tragic, really horrific incident, with many unknowns,' said Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus. The police has yet to identify the gunman or his connection to the house fire

The driver of the ambulance operated by American Medical Response, a 20-year-old man, was shot in the head, and an EMT in the passenger seat, a 21-year-old woman, was shot in the chest and arm.

The man is in critical condition and the woman is stable. Despite her injuries, she was able to summon help and give a description of the gunman and the silver SUV he was driving to the police.

The suspect had flagged the ambulance crew down and pointed them in the direction of the nearby residential fire before shooting them, according to a statement from the Tucson Police Department.

The unidentified suspect then drove to the scene of a house fire in the 2100 block of East Irene Vista and opened fire on neighbors and firefighters trying to douse the flames, Magnus said.

One neighbor, a 44-year-old man, was shot in the head and died, and a bullet grazed another neighbor in the head.

A fire department captain, a 17-year veteran, was shot in the arm and was released from the hospital overnight.

A 'badly burned' body was found inside the home that was on fire, and 'two or three' children who lived there are missing, Magnus told KVOA.

The shootings spanned three locations, including the already-chaotic scene of a house fire

Police found the unidentified remains of a victim inside the home, while between 'two and three' children that live at the house are still missing

A paramedic riding in the ambulance was able to summon help, despite having been shot

Officials are asking the public's help in finding the children.

A police officer responding to the scene encountered the suspect a couple blocks from the burning home, Magnus said.

The gunman rammed his SUV into the officer's vehicle near Campbell Avenue and Irene Vista Road and shot at the officer as soon as he stepped out of his patrol vehlcle, officials said.

The officer, an eight-year veteran who was not injured during the exchange, returned fire and shot the suspect, leaving him in 'very critical condition.'

While at the scene of the house fire, the gunman killed a neighbor and shot a firefighter

City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero called for thoughts and prayers for Sunday's victims

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero thanked the police and fire departments for their work in a series of tweets Sunday night.

'I ask our entire Tucson community to join me in thinking about and praying for the victims of this afternoon's fire and shooting by Silverlake Park, including first responders from AMR and the Tucson Fire Department. This was a horrific and senseless act of violence,' she tweeted.

'Thank you to the men and women at @Tucson_Police, @TucsonFireDeptand all of the first responders and neighbors who courageously responded to the scene, knowingly putting themselves in danger.'
Crew members potentially infected with Covid-19 have disembarked their cargo ship in Fremantle to be tested by West Australian health officials.

The BBC California left Egypt on June 8 and has since visited three ports in Indonesia.

Seven of the 14 crew members aboard became unwell on or about July 12. The captain has asked for the crew to be medically assessed.

An Indonesian cargo ship (pictured) has docked in Fremantle Port, WA after half of its 14 crew members became unwell on about July 12

The ship docked at Fremantle Port on Monday, allowing crew members to disembark in small groups so they could be tested inside a shed.

They were met by health workers and police, clad in personal protective equipment, and returned to the ship a short time later.

Premier Mark McGowan is set to address the media later on Monday.

The crew members (pictured leaving the ship to be tested) of the BBC California became unwell after leaving Egypt on June 8 and stopping at multiple ports in Indonesia

He had flagged on Sunday that a specialist medical team would board the vessel to assess the crew.

'We are assuming Covid-19 is on board this ship, so every precaution will be taken,' he said.

The sick crew members are six Filipinos and one Russian, with the rest from Bulgaria, the Ukraine and Russia.

They are isolating in separate cabins and do not currently require medical help.

But Mr McGowan said there was a risk of a sudden deterioration in their health, which could lead to a maritime emergency.

'I would have liked this ship to return immediately to Indonesia but this wasn't possible considering the number of ill crew members on board,' he said.

'If all the crew get sick and can't operate the ship, can't function out on the high seas ... who knows what could happen.'

Crew members disembarked the ship, escorted by heavily protected medical workers and police, before being tested and returned to the ship

WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Sunday that a specialist medical team will board the ship to treat unwell crew members

He said WA had successfully dealt with about 10 similar situations since the start of the pandemic.

'We cannot allow the virus in through international shipping,' Mr McGowan said.

The BBC California operates under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda.

WA recorded no new Covid-19 cases on Sunday.

The state has seven active cases, of which six are in hotel quarantine and one remains in a stable condition in a Perth hospital.
Ghosn is a fugitive living in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan

Michael Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison and Peter was sentenced to one years and eight months

A former Green Beret and his son who smuggled fugitive Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a speaker box while he was awaiting trial have been sentenced to a combined 44 months in prison in Tokyo.

Michael Taylor, 60, and his 28-year-old son Peter Taylor were extradited by US authorities after being accused of orchestrating Ghosn's audacious escape.

The US Army Special Forces veteran was sentenced to two years in prison, while Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

The pair had pleaded guilty to charges that, in December 2019, they illegally helped Ghosn escape from western Japan's Kansai airport hidden in a speaker box aboard a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon where there is no extradition treaty with Japan.

Michael Taylor and his son Peter (both pictured), have admitted smuggling fugitive Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a speaker box

Michael Taylor, 60, and his 28-year-old son Peter Taylor were extradited by US authorities after being accused of orchestrating Ghosn's (pictured) audacious escape

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

'This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas,' he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japan's criminal justice system.

Michael Taylor, pictured in a booking photograph from 2012 on unrelated charges, was sentenced to two years in prison

Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was 'broke,' denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses.

But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

The father and son, both wearing dark suits and flanked by guards, stood before the court in silence.

Michael Taylor had begged the judge to allow him to return to the U.S. to see his disabled father.

He also told the court regretted helping Ghosn flee Japan and said the former Nissan chairman should have stayed to face trial for alleged financial misconduct.

'I deeply regret my actions and sincerely apologize for causing difficulties for the judicial system and for the Japanese people,' he said in a quavering voice.

Michael Taylor and his son Peter this month pleaded guilty to charges that, in December 2019, they illegally helped Ghosn escape from western Japan's Kansai airport hidden in a speaker box (pictured) aboard a private jet to Lebanon

The escape plan On the day of the escape in December 2019, Michael Taylor flew into Osaka on a chartered jet with another man, George-Antoine Zayek, carrying two large black boxes and pretending to be musicians with audio equipment, authorities said. Meanwhile, Ghosn, who was free on bail, headed to the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and met up with Peter Taylor, who was already in Japan, authorities say. The elder Taylor and Zayek met up with the two others at the Grand Hyatt and shortly after, they split up. Peter Taylor hopped on a flight to China while the others got on a bullet train and went back to another hotel near the airport in Osaka where Taylor and Zayek had booked a room. They all went in; only Ghosn's rescuers were seen walking out. 'There were dozens of people in the carriage, but I was wearing a cap, a facemask and sunglasses. You'd have had to be a real expert to recognise me under all that,' Ghosn wrote in a book published last year. Authorities say Ghosn was inside one of the big black boxes that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe. At the airport, the boxes passed through a security checkpoint without being checked and were loaded onto a private jet headed for Turkey, officials said. Ghosn told the BBC recently about the experience, describing the half-hour in the box waiting for the plane to take off as 'probably the longest wait I've ever experienced in my life'. Advertisement

He replied yes when the prosecutor asked whether he believed Ghosn should have stayed in Japan.

The Taylors' defense lawyer, Keiji Isaji, sought a speedy trial. Many Japanese trials last for months, if not years.

The maximum penalty in Japan for helping a criminal is three years in prison. Prosecutors had demanded a sentence of of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for his son.

The Taylors' defense had argued for suspended sentences for the two, who spent 10 months in custody in the U.S. before their extradition.

But Nirei said the time they were held before and during trial would not count as time served, saying they were not directly related and should be treated differently. 'There is a limit to how much we can consider,' he said.

Michael Taylor, a private security specialist who in the past was hired by parents to rescue abducted children, told the court a cousin of Ghosn, who is his wife's sister in law, helped persuade him to take the job.

He also said he felt sympathy for Ghosn and his wife Carole after they told him that Ghosn could be held in Japan for up to 15 years.

The couple, he said, told him jumping bail in Japan was not a crime.

The Taylors' lawyers in the United States waged a months-long battle to prevent their extradition, arguing they could not be prosecuted for helping someone 'bail jump' and that they could face relentless interrogation and torture.

But the Massachusetts men, who had been locked up at a suburban Boston jail since their arrest in May, had failed to convince US officials and courts to block their extradition to Japan.

At the time of his escape, Ghosn was out on bail while awaiting trial on charges, which he denies, that he understated his compensation in Nissan's financial statements by 9.3 billion yen ($84 million) over a decade and enriched himself at his employer's expense through payments to car dealerships.

He managed to slip past authorities onto a private jet, transit in Turkey and land in Lebanon.

The escape was hugely embarrassing for Japanese authorities, who termed it 'one of the most brazen and well-orchestrated escape acts in recent history'.

An image from security camera video shows Taylor, center, and George-Antoine Zayek at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey in December 2019

This graphic shows details of Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan in December 2019

US Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor (right with his son Peter when he was much younger) said said he regretted helping Ghosn flee Japan and said the former Nissan chairman should have stayed to face trial for alleged financial misconduct

On the day of the escape in December 2019, Michael Taylor flew into Osaka on a chartered jet with another man, George-Antoine Zayek, carrying two large black boxes and pretending to be musicians with audio equipment, authorities said.

Meanwhile, Ghosn, who was free on bail, headed to the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and met up with Peter Taylor, who was already in Japan, authorities say.

The elder Taylor and Zayek met up with the two others at the Grand Hyatt and shortly after, they split up.

Peter Taylor hopped on a flight to China while the others got on a bullet train and went back to another hotel near the airport in Osaka where Taylor and Zayek had booked a room. They all went in; only Ghosn's rescuers were seen walking out.

'There were dozens of people in the carriage, but I was wearing a cap, a facemask and sunglasses. You'd have had to be a real expert to recognise me under all that,' Ghosn wrote in a book published last year.

Authorities say Ghosn was inside one of the big black boxes that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe. At the airport, the boxes passed through a security checkpoint without being checked and were loaded onto a private jet headed for Turkey, officials said.

Ghosn told the BBC recently about the experience, describing the half-hour in the box waiting for the plane to take off as 'probably the longest wait I've ever experienced in my life'.

Ghosn denies wrongdoing and remains a fugitive in his childhood home, Lebanon, where he was questioned last month by French investigators over a series of alleged financial improprieties.

Among the allegations are improper financial interactions with Renault-Nissan's distributor in Oman, payments by a Dutch subsidiary to consultants and lavish parties organised at the Palace of Versailles.

The questioning took place with his defence team and a Lebanese prosecutor present. Ghosn was heard as a witness as he would need to be in France to be formally indicted.

Others involved in the Ghosn case have faced legal proceedings, including his former aide at Nissan, Greg Kelly, who is also on trial in Tokyo for his alleged role in underreporting the tycoon's income. He also denies the charges.

Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive charged with helping Ghosn hide his compensation, is also standing trial in Tokyo. He also denies the charges.

A verdict in Kelly's trial, which began in September last year, is not expected until next year. More than 99 per cent of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions. Upon conviction, the charges Kelly faces carry the maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

And a Turkish court has sentenced two pilots and another employee of a small private airline to four years and two months in prison for their role in Ghosn's escape.

Ghosn switched planes in Turkey on his way to Lebanon, and the three Turks were charged with involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle a migrant.

Over the years, Michael Taylor has been hired by parents to rescue abducted children, gone undercover for the FBI in a sting on a Massachusetts drug gang and worked as a contractor for the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. And this isn't the first time he has found himself in legal trouble.

In 2012, federal prosecutors alleged Taylor had won a US military contract to train Afghan soldiers by using secret information passed along from an American officer.

When Taylor learned the contract was being investigated, he asked an FBI agent and friend to intervene, prosecutors charged. Taylor spent 14 months in jail before agreeing to plead guilty to two counts.
Former President Donald Trump has claimed that vaccination rates are falling because the public does not trust the Biden administration, the mainstream media and the results of the 2020 presidential election.

In a statement on his 'Save America' website, the former president wrote: 'Joe Biden kept talking about how good of a job he's doing on the distribution of the Vaccine that was developed by Operation Warp Speed or, quite simply, the Trump Administration.

'He's not doing well at all. He's way behind schedule, and people are refusing to take the Vaccine because they don't trust his Administration, they don't trust the Election results, and they certainly don't trust the Fake News, which is refusing to tell the Truth.'

The vaccination effort appears to have stalled in recent weeks, with 520,000 vaccines now being administered a day, compared to an April peak of 3.38million.

The Biden Administration hoped to have at least 70 percent of American adults partially vaccinated against COVID by Independence Day - a goal they missed by three percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Former President Donald Trump said on Sunday that fewer people are getting vaccinated because they don't trust the Biden administration, he wrote in a statement on his website

The new cases come as the country's vaccination effort has stalled

Trump and conservative media outlets have criticized President Biden for not giving Trump credit for creating the vaccine through Operation Warp Speed, however many Trump supporters have refused to get the vaccine.

The Trump administration established Operation Warp Speed in April 2020 to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID vaccines. The public-private partnership has been lauded by people on both sides of the aisle.

However, the first time Trump encouraged his followers to get the vaccine was in March, after it was revealed he and Melania Trump got the COVID vaccine in January.

But Biden is not placing the blame on Trump for missing his administration's goal. The president publicly called out Facebook on Saturday for 'killing people' and allegedly allowing anti-vaccination misinformation to spread on its platform.

A source from the Biden administration said that the White House has been asking for 'months' for help fighting what it called disinformation, according to Fox News.

Despite its puffed-up statements, Facebook hasn't done enough to stamp out untruths, the administration official said.

The Trump administration established Operation Warp Speed in April 2020 to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Above, Trump arrives Sunday at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

Trump and conservative media outlets have criticized President Joe Biden for not giving the former president credit for creating the vaccine through Operation Warp Speed. Above, Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive Sunday at the White House

Facebook has defended itself against U.S. President Joe Biden's assertion in a lengthy corporate blog post by Guy Rosen, a company vice president.

In the post, he wrote, 'The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden's goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed.'

The disagreement has bubbled over after the Indian Delta variant has ripped across the world - and now is showing up in U.S. data, which accounts for as many 97 percent of infections in some states, even as polls show, many of the unvaccinated believe the negative information that's circulating about the shots - information the White House says is false.

Many still refuse to get the vaccine, despite the virus spreading among unvaccinated people

On Sunday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that 99.5 percent of new COVID-19 deaths are happening among unvaccinated people, and expressed concern that the issue could quickly become worse.

'I am worried about what is to come because we are seeing increasing cases among the unvaccinated in particular. And while, if you are vaccinated, you are very well protected against hospitalization and death, unfortunately that is not true if you are not vaccinated,' Murthy said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union.

Covid-19 cases in the U.S. are up by about 70 percent and hospitalizations are up by 36 percent over the past week, according to the CDC. And at least 38 states have seen a 50 percent increase in cases.

A total of 43 states and the District of Columbia have documented an increase in average daily cases over the past two weeks, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.

Of those states, at least 15, most of them in the South, have seen their numbers of infections at least double across a 14-day period.

Even states with high vaccination rates, such as California, Illinois, New York and Vermont are seeing cases rise.

The U.S. is now recording an average of 23,000 COVID-19 cases per day, which is the highest figure seen since late May, the analysis found.

Covid-19 cases in the U.S. are up by about 70percent and hospitalizations are up by 36percent over the past week, according to the CDC

A total of 43 states and the District of Columbia have documented an increase in average daily cases over the past two weeks, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University

In response to the rise in cases and drop in vaccination rates, the Biden administration is planning to ramp up efforts to combat vaccine misinformation in areas where vaccination rates are lagging and COVID cases are rising

In response to the rise in cases and drop in vaccination rates, the Biden administration is planning to ramp up efforts to combat vaccine misinformation in areas where vaccination rates are lagging and COVID cases are rising, according to a report.

The Democratic National Committee is considering working with SMS companies to vet texts and send messages directly to Americans to stop the spread of inaccurate information, Politico reported Monday.

The party organization is also reportedly considering employing 'aggressive' fact-checkers to monitor communications in a plan drawing furious pushback from conservatives.

The report did not specify how the DNC, an outside party organization, would work with companies that handle text messages.
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The former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that most unvaccinated Americans will contract the Indian 'Delta' Covid variant and it will be the 'most serious virus of their lives'.

In an appearance on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, Dr Scott Gottlieb, said that about 75 percent of the population - about 50 percent of whom have been vaccinated and 25 percent of whom have had the virus - are no long susceptible to COVID-19 but at least one quarter still are.

He said that those who haven't been vaccinated, or don't have antibodies from a previous infections, are risking severe illness and hospitalization.

'This virus is so contagious, this variant is so contagious that it's going to infect the majority - that most people will either get vaccinated or have been previously infected or they will get this Delta variant,' Gottlieb told host John Dickerson.

'And for most people who get this Delta variant, it's going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital.'

Gottlieb's comments come as the average number as the U.S. recorded 12,048 new cases on Sunday with a seven-day rolling average of 31,919, a 210 percent increase from the 10,293 average recorded three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, as infections rise, daily COVID-19 vaccinations continue to decline, with the seven-day rolling average falling below 500,000 per day from a high of 3.5 million in April.

The surge has been blamed on the spread of the Delta variant in states with low vaccination rates such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri.

The variant has been ravaging the UK, with the country recently recording more than 50,000 new cases in a day for the first time since January.

Ex-FDA chief Scott Gottlieb warned on Sunday that 'most' unvaccinated Americans will contract the Covid 'Delta' variant and it will be the 'most serious virus of their lives'

The U.S. recorded 12,048 new cases on Sunday with a seven-day rolling average of 31,919, a 210 percent increase from the 10,293 average recorded three weeks ago

Daily COVID-19 vaccinations continue to decline with the seven-day rolling average falling below 500,000 per day from a high of 3.5 million in April (above)

Gottlieb estimates that about 97 percent of hospitalizations, along with most deaths, are among the unvaccinated population.

He stressed that cases likely being undercounted and that the Delta variant is far more widespread than believed - but that it won't lead to a rise in deaths because the most vulnerable citizens have been vaccinated.

'I think at this point, we're probably undercounting how many infections are in the United States right now, because to the extent that a lot of the infections are occurring in younger and healthier people who might be getting mild illness, they're not- probably not presenting to get tested,' he said on Face the Nation.

'And to extent that there are some breakthrough cases either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases and those who have been vaccinated, they're not presenting to get tested because if you've been vaccinated, you don't think that you have the coronavirus, even if you develop a mild illness.'

Gottlieb added that most businesses and organizations are not doing regular or routine screenings, so many mild illnesses are going undetected.

'So, the people who tend to be getting tested right now are people who are getting very sick or people who are developing telltale symptoms of COVID like loss of taste or smell,' he explained.

'And that's only about 15 or 20 percent of people who will become infected. '

He said that states with high vaccination rates will not have much as much Delta spread due to 'a wall of immunity' compared to states in the South and Midwest with lower vaccination rates.

'If you're in parts of the country where vaccination rates are low and there hasn't been a lot of viruses spread and that's a lot of parts of the rural south, I think it's much more vulnerable,' Gottlieb told Face the Nation.

'I think people who live in those communities, especially if you live in communities where the prevalence is already high, I think it's prudent to take precautions

Missouri saw average cases rise by 111% from 1,053 per day to 2,227 per day in the last two weeks

Arkansas cases have risen from an average of 530 per day two weeks ago to 580 per day on Thursday, a 10% increase

In Louisiana, COVID-19 cases have increased by 25% from 619 per to 776 per day over the last 14 days

Missouri continues to be one of the nation's COVID-19 epicenters with average cases rising by 111 percent from 1,053 per day to 2,227 per day in the last two weeks.

Tge state's vaccination rate is behind the national average with 46 percent of residents having received received at least one dose, and 40 percent fully vaccinated.

Comparatively, 55.8 percent of the U.S. has received at least one dose and 48.3 percent are fully vaccinated.

In nearby Arkansas, cases have risen from an average of 530 per day two weeks ago to 580 per day on Thursday, a 10 percent increase, the DailyMail.com analysis found.

Only 35.1 percent of the population is fully vaccinated as infection double every 10 day according to Dr Cam Patterson, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

In nearby Louisiana, cases have risen by 25 percent from 619 per to 776 per day over the last 14 days.

Louisiana has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates of the country with about 36 percent fully vaccinated, CDC data show.

Los Angeles County is recording more than 10,000 cases a week for the first time since March as the test positivity rate reaches 3.5%

But it's not just places with low vaccination rates. Los Angeles County is recording more than 10,000 coronavirus cases a week for the first time since March, according to the Los Angeles Times.

An analysis from the newspaper found the county is recording 101 coronavirus cases per week from every 100,000 residents, an increase from 12 per 100,000 a week in mid-June.

Additionally, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County have doubled in the last three weeks from 255 on June 28 to 528 recording on Saturday, which is a figure not seen since April, according to The Times.

It's why in Sunday, Los Angeles County became the first to scrap its reopening and require masks again as the Delta variant spreads.

Between December 7, 2020 and June 7, 2021, unvaccinated people have accounted for 98.7 percent of CVODI-19-related hospitalizations 99.8 percent of deaths due to the virus, LA County officials say.

Although vaccinated people are protected from severe diseases, increased community transmission increases the likelihood of rare 'breakthrough' infections.

'By increasing the virus in the community, you increase the chances that people who are vaccinated will get infected, and therefore spread it to unvaccinated people,' Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told The Times.

Gottlieb seemed to agree with this move and recommended that people in certain areas begin wearing masks.

'Quality of mask is going to make a difference with a variant that spreads more aggressively like Delta does, where people are more contagious and exude more virus,' he said.

'Trying to get N95 masks into the hands of vulnerable individuals in places where this is really epidemic I think is going to be important, even in cases where they're vaccinated, if they want to add another layer of protection.'

The former FDA chief, a Republican nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017, sits on the board of Covid vaccine maker Pfizer.

In the UK, daily COVID-19 cases rose by 16 percent on Monday as the Delta variant continues to ravage the country.

Figures from the Department of Health show 39,950 infections were recorded in the last 24 hours up from the 34,471 recorded last Monday.

Additionally, there were 19 Covid-related deaths reported, which is more than triple the six victims reported seven days prior.

Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that gloomy warnings of 200,000-plus daily cases and tens of thousands more deaths at the peak this autumn seemed 'a bit over the top'.

He suggested infections could actually start to drop on Thursday, if England's Covid crisis plays out in the same way Scotland's did following the surge of cases during Euro 2020.
The mother of two removalists who travelled to regional NSW while infected with Covid has mysteriously died in her home after also contracting the virus.

Health authorities confirmed on Monday that a woman in her 50s died after contacting Covid, making her the fifth person in NSW to die from the Delta variant outbreak which has so far infected 1,340 people.

Emergency services were called to the Thursday Place address in Green Valley about 9.15am

Her sons, Roni and Ramsin Shawka, 27, were identified along with Maryo Shanki, 21, and a fourth man, 49, as the removalists who travelled to regional NSW with Covid.

Three people who were living and isolating in the home, which is in Sydney's Covid 'epicentre' in the southwest, were ordered to their cars after police made the grim discovery.

The trio, one woman and two men, were told to 'quarantine' as investigations into the woman's death continued.

They were split between three cars where they waited from 9.30am until 3.30pm for the victim's body to be removed from the home.

Roni Shawka and Ramsin Shawka (pictured with family) moved to Australia from Iraq and live in Sydney's west

Relatives were forced to wait in their cars to avoid potentially spreading Covid as emergency services investigated the scene of the woman's death

Family members (pictured) were ordered to spend six hours inside their cars 'quarantining' as the woman's death was investigated

Pictured: The removal truck the brothers used to perform their work, parked up the side of the house

Daily Mail Australia understands the mother tested positive to the virus after her sons, but wasn't experiencing any symptoms.

Three generations of the Shawka family reportedly moved into the sprawling five-bedroom home in November 2019 and were all living together when one of them was infected with Covid.

The virus spread rapidly throughout the household and by the time Roni and Ramsin learned they'd been infected, they were already in Orange, three-and-a-half hours from Sydney, for work.

When they returned home, they were each charged with breaching public health orders.

Roni Shawka, 27, (pictured with partner) says he did not know he had Covid when he and a team of removalists drove to regional NSW

A woman and two men who were locked down inside the home were ordered to their cars, where they were instructed to 'quarantine' as investigations into her death continued

Police take down their tape at the house where the woman who died of Covid after spending close to nine hours at the scene

Three family members who lived in the house were ordered to sit in their cars for six hours as investigations took place

White vans lined the street well into the afternoon as authorities in personal protective equipment came and went.

All the while, the woman's devastated relatives were ordered to remain inside their cars to lessen the risk of them transmitting the virus.

At one stage, authorities were using a speaker phone to communicate with the trio, who were all wearing face masks even inside the cars.

After about six hours in their cars, they were instructed they could return to the house.

The entire street was declared a crime scene at about 9.30am and two police cars remained by 5pm.

Following the grim discovery, residents in nearby houses were reportedly told the entire street has been placed under 'hard lockdown' as investigations into the death continue.

Three generations of the family are believed to have moved in to the home just last year and were all living together when one of them was infected with Covid

The entire street was made a crime scene about 9.30am on Monday, and police remained at the address by 5pm

One neighbour told Daily Mail Australia cars were being turned away and nobody knows if they're able to come and go, even for essential reasons.

'It's a bit scary being so close,' the woman said. 'You see it on television... They were all pleasant and said hello to everyone.'

Daily Mail Australia understands locals have been told further directives from NSW Health are imminent.

A report is being prepared for the coroner and inquiries are continuing.

The four-man removalist crew were already in Orange when NSW Health called to inform Roni that he had tested positive to the highly contagious Indian Delta strain.

Officers were called to the address on Monday morning to perform a welfare check on the woman

The street is blocked off as investigations continue

Police allege the crew kept driving to Molong, further west, to finish off their delivery before being escorted home by cops after two more of the men tested positive.

The twins and Shanki have now been charged with breaching public health orders and are set to face Orange Local Court on August 30.

But Roni, who moved to Australia from Iraq, says they are not to blame and he had not known he was Covid-positive.

'Of course I feel very bad, I feel very bad for what I have done, but it's not my fault. I was driving and he called me from the health department, he told me to stop working and go home, I was already in Orange,' Roni told the Daily Telegraph.

Ramsin Shawka, 27, (pictured with partner) was also part of the removalist team and has since tested positive

White vans came and went as authorities in PPE inspected the house

Emergency services were called to an address in Thursday Place in Green Valley on Monday afternoon, where they found the woman, who is believed to be in her 50s.

'I gave them the number of my boss, I told them my language is not very good. I did not kill someone I was doing my work, I swear to god I didn't know I was positive.'

The men face $11,000 fines each and up to six months in jail.

The removalists, who work as third-party contractors for a large western Sydney firm, drove to Figtree near Wollongong on Thursday for a job.

Their employer Aram Yousif then told them they must get tested for Covid-19 under new restrictions brought in by the NSW government.

The new measures require 'essential workers' from Fairfield, Liverpool and the Canterbury-Bankstown areas to undergo regular tests if they are to leave their Local Government Areas - now the epicente of Sydney's outbreak which has climbed to 1,242 infections.

After getting tests under these rules, workers only need to isolate if they have symptoms, something all of the men say they didn't experience.

Having got their tests, the removalists left Sydney again at 4am the following day, driving down the M4 from West Hoxton to Molong, stopping at South Bowenfels and Orange.

The map shows were the men travelled to while they were infected with coronavirus

Emergency services were called to the Thursday Place address in Green Valley about 9.15am to perform a welfare check

At 9.36am Roni Shawka's phone rang, but with the language barrier proving challenging, he told the NSW Health worker to contact his boss Mr Yousif.

Mr Yousif received the call which instructed him to tell Roni he needed to isolate in the cabin of their removal truck.

He claims there was no mention about what should happen to the other men, who were not showing any symptoms.

'These guys have not broken any rules. We just followed the instructions, we have not done anything wrong by the public  but whatever a court decides we will accept,' he said.

Shortly after they left the job in regional NSW, Ramsin Shawka and Maryo Shanki also returned returned positive tests.

At this point, NSW Health ordered a police escort to usher the group back to western Sydney.

Any relatives who were locked down inside the home were ordered to their cars, where they were instructed to 'quarantine' as investigations into her death continued
A long list of busy shopping centres in Sydney's Covid-hit southwest have been declared exposure sites, with several Coles, Woolworths and an IGA all added to the soaring list.

NSW Health also flagged a butchery in Lakemba and The Plaza shopping centre in Bonnyrigg.

It comes as the state recorded a further 98 new locally acquired cases on Monday, brining the total number of infections since the outbreak began last month to 1,340.

Two thirds of today's new cases were centred around Sydney's southwest in the Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown Local Government areas where stay-at-home restrictions have recently been tightened.

Woolworths in Sydney's Fairfield Heights (pictured) was among the supermarkets flagged by NSW Health

Pictured: A Sydney nurse wearing protective gear conducts a Covid test at Rushcutters Bay on July 13, 2021

Latest NSW Covid exposure sites Anyone who attended the following venue on the times listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result. Summer Hill Cafe Juliet 1-11 Hardie Avenue. Thursday 8 July 11:30am  12pm Lakemba Paradise Grocery 117 Haldon Street. Sunday 11 July 4:45pm  5:05pm Lakemba Al Sultan Butchery 130 Haldon Street. Wednesday 14 July 8am  8pm Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. Rose Bay Coles Rose Bay 694 Old South Head Road. Tuesday 13 July 6pm  7pm Bonnyrigg Heights BP Bonnyrigg Corner of Cowpasture Road and North Liverpool Road. Thursday 15 July 6:20pm  6:30pm Bonnyrigg Priceline Pharmacy, Bonnyrigg Plaza Shop 20/100 Bonnyrigg Avenue. Tuesday 13 July 1pm  2pm. Wednesday 14 July 10:15am  10:30am. Thursday 15 July 12pm  12:30pm Bonnyrigg Bonnyrigg Plaza 100 Bonnyrigg Avenue. Wednesday 14 July 10:15am  10:30am. Thursday 15 July 12pm  12:30pm Bonnyrigg Fruit World, Bonnyrigg Plaza 100 Bonnyrigg Avenue. Tuesday 13 July 12:45pm  2pm Smithfield 7-Eleven Smithfield 320 Polding Street. Friday 16 July 7:20am  7:45am Double Bay Romic Moore Property Level 1, Suit 5, 9-11 Knox Street. Tuesday 13 July 6am  6pm. Wednesday 14 July 6am  6pm. Thursday 15 July 6am  6pm Summer Hill Romeo's IGA Shop 5/1-11 Hardie Avenue. Thursday 8 July 11:40a  12pm Seven Hills Donut King, Centro Seven Hills Shop 9, Corner of Prospect Highway and Federal Road. Monday 12 July 7am  4pm. Tuesday 13 July 7am  4pm. Wednesday 14 July 7am  4pm. Thursday 15 July 7am  5pm North Parramatta Chemist Warehouse 202 Church Street Thursday 15 July 10:30am  11am Fairfield West Coles Fairfield West 368 Hamilton Rd Thursday 15 July 3:30pm  4:30pm Fairfield Heights Woolworths Fairfield Heights 186 The Boulevarde. Thursday 8 July 6pm  7pm. Saturday 10 July 12:40pm  12:55pm Bonnyrigg Woolworths, Bonnyrigg Plaza 100 Bonnyrigg Avenue. Monday 12 July 10am  10:30am Advertisement

Of major concern to contact tracers are two venues in Lakemba and a cafe in Summer Hill.

Anyone who visited the Paradise Grocery store on July 11 from 4:45pm  5:05pm is considered a close contact and must immediately get tested and self isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

The same applies to the Al Sultan Butchery in Lakemba, for anyone who attended on July 14 from 8am to 8pm.

NSW Health have also warned diners at the popular Cafe Juliet in Summer Hill, they are considered close contacts if they visited on Thursday July 8 between 11:30am to 12pm.

The same warning has also been given for Summer Hill Romeo's IGA for Thursday July 8 from 11:40am to 12pm.

The Plaza shopping centre in Bonnyrigg was among the new venues issued with public health alerts this afternoon, with shoppers at the Priceline Pharmacy and Fruitworld grocery store issued warnings for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.

Shoppers who visited the complex at the times flagged by NSW Health are considered casual contacts and must immediately get tested and self isolate until they receive a negative result.

Shoppers at the Coles supermarket in Rose Bay (pictured) was issued a public health alert for Tuesday July 13 from 6pm to 7pm

The popular Lakemba Butcher Al Sultan (pictured) was declared a Covid exposure site for July 14 between 8am to 8pm

The Plaza at Bonnyrigg (pictured) and several stores within it have been flagged as Covid exposure sites

Two Coles and two Woolworths supermarkets, scattered across Sydney were included in Monday's exposure site drop, potentially sending hundreds of staff and shoppers into isolation.

Fairfield Heights Woolworths was issued alerts for Thursday July 8 and Saturday July 10, while Bonnyrigg Woolworths at The Plaza was flagged for Monday July 12.

Fairfield West Coles was also hit with an exposure listing for Thursday July 15 and Rose Bay Coles in the eastern suburbs was flagged for July 13.

It was not the only venue in the eastern suburbs to be effected with Double Bay Romic Moore Property Level 1 issued alerts for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.

Of the 98 new cases, 37 so far remain unlinked to any known clusters or contacts, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned Sydneysiders to stay at home to slow the spread of infections.

There were 20 cases who were active in the community for their entire contagious period and another 17 for part of the time they were infectious.

Ms Berejiklian said 67 infections - more than two-thirds of the new cases - were found in Sydney's south-west.

There are 82 patients in NSW hospitals suffering from Covid-19, of which 24 are in intensive case and seven are being ventilated.

'That 20 number is the one we want to nudge,' she said. 'The closer we get that number to zero, the sooner we can end the lockdown.'

Greater Sydney is now entering its fourth week of strict stay-at-home restrictions to stem the spread of the outbreak which began in the city's eastern suburbs last month.

Ms Berejiklian said families across Sydney - particularly in the south-west where transmission is highest - needed to stay at home if the city had any chance at coming out of lockdown.

Pictured: A Sydneysider walks along Bondi Beach on Monday morning as the city enters a fourth week of lockdown

New South Wales has recorded 98 local cases of Covid-19 overnight - including 37 unlinked infections

'You need to be extra, extra careful about workplaces and about your own family members who don't live in your household,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Workplaces not only spread the virus to colleagues but potentially spread the virus to other communities.'

Ms Berejiklian from Monday ordered all construction to pause for two weeks across Sydney, but she said high transmission levels were still being recorded in workplaces across the city.

She admitted meanwhile she may not be able to fully dial back NSW's strict restrictions until October - when 80 per cent of the state's population is expected to be vaccinated against the virus.

'Until we get vaccination rates at a level that will protect the community we will have to live with some level of restriction,' she said.

'I think that is accepted and we are looking forward to those extra doses that are coming by the end of September.

'So by the end of October they will be a much higher rate of vaccination.'
Every child in the UK could be offered a Covid jab by the end of the year, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested today.

No10 is set to unveil plans to immunise Britons aged 12 to 16 who have underlying health conditions or live with a vulnerable family member.

The plans will also see 17-year-olds who are months away from their 18th birthdays offered a vaccine.

But ministers will stop short of opening the rollout up to all healthy youngsters until more safety data is collected in places like the US, where it is already happening.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  which advises No10 on the inoculation drive  will also review data from ongoing trials of Pfizer's jab in children as young as two.

Mr Zahawi said the Government had niggling concerns about the 'very rare' cases of heart inflammation in some young people given the Pfizer and Moderna jabs.

It comes as all Covid restrictions are lifted in England today, though Boris Johnson has urged caution as the outbreak across the country is spurred on by the more contagious Indian 'Delta' variant.

He will be spending Freedom Day in isolation  along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak  because they were both identified as close contacts of Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for the virus at the weekend.

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are still reviewing whether all children should be given the vaccine, while the Daily Telegraph said the committee is 'leaving the door open' for the move

Experts in the UK are waiting for the results from clinical trials and from countries like the US who are already vaccinating children, before deciding whether to follow suit

What is the evidence on vaccinating children? Covid is very rarely severe or fatal in children. Just one in 500,000 under-18s are at risk of dying from the virus, researchers at leading UK universities found this month. That means any vaccine given to youngsters has to be very safe because the risk-harm benefit from them catching the virus is so low. The fact that older people have a higher chance of being hospitalised or dying from the virus outweighs the side effects the vaccine could have on them. But as children are less affected from the virus, some side effects could be riskier to them than the virus itself. Since the vaccine rollout has been expanded to children in countries including the US and Israel, there have been reports of an extremely rare reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, while pericarditis is when the protective layer around the heart gets inflamed. There are no specific causes of the conditions but they are usually triggered by a virus. The UK is expected to wait for more data from clinical trials and other countries immunising children before making a decision to offer all youngster the jab. The US, Israel and France are already giving the vaccine to over-12s. In addition to safety concerns, children's bodies and immune systems behave differently, meaning they might have different treatment needs. Youngsters may need different doses or needle sizes depending on their height, weight and age - which is why most children are only vaccinated after safety has been well-documented in the adult population. Advertisement

Vaccinating children against Covid remains a contentious topic because most youngsters are at such low risk from the virus itself and the jabs carry a tiny risk of serious side effects.

Immunising youngsters would purely be to protect the adult population and keep schools open.

Almost 750,000 children had to self-isolate last week because they came into contact with a possible Covid case.

The JCVI is expected to advise the Government to only jab children between 12 and 16 who have underlying conditions themselves or live with someone who does, as well as 17-year-olds within three months of their next birthday.

The committee is waiting for evidence from children receiving both doses in the US and in trials before recommending all healthy children be injected.

But they will 'leave the door open' for a wider rollout among children after they review safety data from trials later this year, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Any children who get the jab are expected to get the Pfizer jab, which the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency previously approved for over-12s.

Pfizer is currently trialling its jab on children aged between two and 11, while AstraZeneca is testing its jab on six to 17-year-olds.

Results from the trials are expected to be published around November.

It is still unclear if the AstraZeneca vaccine will be given to children in the UK  it is already restricted in adults under 40 due to its very rare links to deadly blood clots.

Mr Zahawi told Sky News this morning: 'The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation have just delivered their advice, we'll consider it.

'In fact, after my morning round, we have the Covid O (committee) and then I'll deliver a statement to Parliament.

'But suffice to say they have looked very closely, especially at children who are more vulnerable to serious infection from Covid, children who live with adults who are more vulnerable to serious infection from Covid and, of course, 17-year-olds who are close to becoming 18  so three months from their 18th birthday  and we will take that advice before I make a statement to Parliament later today.'

Pressed on why the Government was not looking to jab all children, Mr Zahawi added: 'The JCVI are continuing to review that.

'There is new emerging data of children vaccinated in America and elsewhere with a first dose, not yet enough data with a second dose, so they want to look at all the data.

'There is a very rare signal around something called myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart.

'On balance, I think the JCVI are coming down on the side of continuing to review all children, healthy children, but wanting to protect the vulnerable children first.'

British health chiefs already warn Pfizer and Moderna's coronavirus vaccines may cause heart damage.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency insists the complication  inflammation of the heart muscle which can damage the organ over time  is still 'extremely rare' and 'typically mild'.

Data from the US  where cases of myocarditis have been spotted  suggests the complication is most common in boys and young men.

Professor Helen Bedford, a childrens health expert at University College London, said: 'To recommend a vaccine for any population group there needs to be careful weighing up of the risks of the disease and benefits and risks of vaccinating.

'Healthy young people and children, become seriously ill with Covid extremely rarely, so there would be few direct benefits for them of vaccination but it would contribute to increasing population immunity.

'There may be a stronger case for vaccinating those with existing serious health conditions.

'Before recommending vaccination for all children and young people we therefore need to be very clear about of the safety of the vaccines in this group.

'Although there is now good trial data and experience of vaccinating very large numbers of adults and the vaccines have been shown to be safe, we cannot automatically assume this applies to children.

'More information is needed from trials and experience of using these vaccines in young people and children before the programme is rolled out further.'

It comes as Professor Neil Ferguson, dubbed 'Professor Lockdown' after his grim modelling of the first wave initiated the first shutdown last March, warned yesterday that herd immunity will be impossible without vaccinating children.

Herd immunity is when so much of a population is immune to a virus, either through vaccination or previous infection, that the disease starts to decline.

Professor Ferguson told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show yesterday: 'We're already seeing very high numbers of cases in teenagers, and we won't be able to reach herd immunity without significant immunity in basically people under 18.'

He also warned daily figures could reach 200,000 infections and 2,000 hospitalisations.

Professor Ferguson said: 'We'll know it's worked when case numbers plateau and start going down, we know then hospitalisations and deaths will take some more weeks.

'The best projections suggest that could happen any time from, really, mid-August to mid-September. So, we will have to be patient.

'It'll also take us three weeks before we know the effect of Monday, of relaxing restrictions, and what that will do to case numbers. So, it's going to be quite a period of time.'
Three shock new coronavirus cases have emerged in Adelaide, prompting officials to bring in strict Level Four restrictions, which will see mandatory masks and thousands of non-essential businesses forced to close.

An 81-year-old Adelaide man sparked the city's first Covid scare in months after testing positive following a trip to Argentina with his daughter, who has now also been confirmed to have the virus.

A close contact also tested positive on Monday afternoon - a man in his 50s.

The surprise cases prompted Premier Steven Marshall to bring in tough new restrictions, including a ban on indoor dining and mandatory masks indoors.

Private gathering at home will be capped at 10, non-essential retail will close and all gyms and contact sport will stop.

Masks are required at indoor public locations, and working from home is strongly encouraged.

The restrictions begin at midnight and are set to continue until Friday, but Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said 'this is not a lockdown'.

'We need to restrict movement in the community,' he said.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall (pictured) announced the new restrictions on Monday

LEVEL FOUR RESTRICTIONS IN ADELAIDE: Level four restrictions will begin at midnight on Monday and remain in place until Friday in the Adelaide areas. - Private gathering at home will be capped at 10. - Density for licensed premises back to one per 4 sqm or 25 per cent capacity. - Non-essential retail will close. - All gyms and contact sport will stop. - Masks are required inside public spaces, and on public transport. - There will be restrictions on dancing and singing. - Personal care services (beauty salons and hairdressers) will close. - Shisha sharing at Shisha bars banned. - Working from home is strongly encouraged. Advertisement

Mr Marshall said: 'We've only got one chance to get this right. We are very concerned. We are treating this as the Delta variant. We are going to go hard and go early.'

The elderly man turned up at South Australia's Modbury Hospital on Sunday night with virus symptoms, despite quarantining in NSW for 14 days on his return to Australia.

He also spent a further 10 days in a NSW hospital after injuring himself in a fall while in quarantine before returning to SA on July 8.

The Adelaide hospital's emergency unit was closed and put into lockdown while deep cleaning took place.

The infected man turned up at South Australia's Modbury Hospital (pictured) over the weekend with virus symptoms, despite quarantining in NSW for 14 days on his return to Australia

Pictured: Health workers perform tests at the Covid-19 testing facility in Victoria Park, Adelaide

EXPOSURE SITES IN ADELAIDE: Modbury: Commonwealth Bank - Tuesday July 13, 10:00am-11:15am and Wednesday July 14, 10:30am12:15pm St Agnes: Aldi - Tuesday July 13, 10.20 am to 11.30 am Hindmarsh: Gaganis Bros - Friday July 16, 1:00pm2:30pm Golden Grove: OPSM - Saturday, July 17, 3pm3:45pm Golden Grove: Shopping Centre on Saturday, July 17 between 3pm-4.45pm Golden Grove: The Grove News Agency on Saturday, July 17 between 3.30pm-3.45pm St Agnes: Shopping Centre on Tuesday, July 13 between 10.30am-11.30am Anyone who was at Wigley Reserve in Glenelg on Friday, July 16 between 12.30pm-1.15pm should monitor for symptoms and seek testing if they present. Advertisement

His daughter initially tested negative but has since tested positive, and is in quarantine.

Sixteen of his close contacts are in quarantine, and five so far have tested negative.

The man had received one vaccine dose while in Argentina, but it was not known what type, said Mr Marshall.

Health authorities are now scrambling to determine where he caught the virus.

SA chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said everyone's movements need to be restricted until contact tracers can work out where the man and his daughter went while infectious.

'What we do not have yet is all the people she and her father have come across over the past week,' she said.

'That's why we have this time to restrict movement for people here in South Australia. We don't have time. We ask the South Australian community to reduce movement while my team can do the contact tracing.'

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens previously said it was very likely South Australians would be hit with higher Covid-19 restrictions.

SA Health have identified a range of exposures sites in the city's north-east and ordered anyone there at these times to isolate for 14 days, notify them and get tested on days one, five and 13.

South Australia has now closed its borders with NSW, Greater Brisbane and Victoria amid fresh outbreaks.
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Britain's Covid death rate is now 16 times lower than it was during both the first and second waves because of vaccines, analysis shows.

Infections are currently running at about 45,000 a day across Britain, with 40 deaths being registered every 24 hours on average.

But the last time cases hit this level  when the second wave began to spiral out of control in late December  there were as many as 640 daily fatalities.

One of the Oxford University researchers who helped design AstraZeneca's jab today credited the vaccines for keeping the death rate so low. Sir Andrew Pollard warned deaths would inevitably rise over the coming weeks in line with cases but insisted that they won't reach levels seen during the darkest days of January's peak.

Experts have warned today's Freedom Day will only cause infections to spiral further, although the hot weather and school holidays should help stem the spread of the virus.

'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, a key member of SAGE, yesterday warned that infections may hit 200,000 a day in the coming weeks.

He admitted he would consider the final loosening of restrictions a success if cases stayed below half this level, and daily hospitalisations peak at around 1,000. But the Imperial College London epidemiologist said No10's top experts were clueless as to just how bad the crisis could become.

Infections are currently running at about 45,000 a day (yellow line shows cases increasing since May) but deaths are still flat at about 40 a day (pink line shows fatalities in the third wave). For comparison, the last time cases hit this level when the second wave began to spiral out of control (orange line) there were more than 600 daily deaths

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard (left) said it was thanks to the vaccines that deaths had plunged to far lower levels. But 'Professor Lockdown' and top SAGE adviser Neil Ferguson (right) warned they were likely to tick upwards in the coming weeks. He said easing restrictions would be a success if cases remained below 100,000

Department of Health data shows hospitalisations are currently more than four times below the level they hit when Covid was rife during December.

There are 614 admissions a day on average across Britain, compared to 2,800 on December 28 when cases also stood at almost 50,000.

Deaths and hospitalisations lag several weeks behind cases, which are the first warning sign that the UK could run into trouble.

But evidence shows the current surge is not leading the NHS to face as serious pressure as it did during the first and second waves because of vaccines.

Many of the hospital admissions are in younger or vaccinated people which means their illness is often more mild - and their hospital stay shorter - than in previous waves.

SAGE does not expect hospital capacity to reach the 36,000 peak seen in January, and probably no more than half that, even in a worst-case scenario.

However, Professor Ferguson admitted that even large levels of daily admissions could cause 'major disruption' to the NHS, forcing hospital bosses to cancel thousands of vital operations.

Office for National Statistics data shows deaths are running five per cent below the five-year average, with Covid behind around just one per cent of all fatalities.

'Professor Lockdown' says Britain might have to shut down again in months One of the UK's top epidemiologists refused to rule out a new lockdown before Christmas yesterday. Speaking ahead of restrictions being eased in England, Professor Neil Ferguson said he 'can't be certain' whether the country will need to reimpose restrictions again this winter. But the SAGE adviser admitted that in a worst-case scenario 'there may be a need to basically slow spread to some extent' to ease pressure on the NHS But appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, he said that it was possible 2,000 people would be hospitalised a day, and 200,000 new daily cases. He also warned, however, that it would be three weeks before the impact of Freedom Day is known. Prof Ferguson said: 'We'll know it's worked when case numbers plateau and start going down, we know then hospitalisations and deaths will take some more weeks. 'The best projections suggest that could happen any time from, really, mid-August to mid-September. So, we will have to be patient. 'It'll also take us three weeks before we know the effect of Monday, of relaxing restrictions, and what that will do to case numbers. So, it's going to be quite a period of time.' Advertisement

For comparison, at the height of the second wave the virus was linked to more than 40 per cent of all deaths.

Sir Andrew, the director of the Oxford vaccine group, said death rates from Covid will remain low because of the jabs.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The effectiveness of vaccines against severe disease and hospitalisation and death remains extremely high against the variants which are around here in the UK.

'I think with that information, we can be very confident that the rates will remain low  but they are going to rise, and we know that.

'The modelling predicts that there will be an increase in cases as we have been hearing over the last few days.

'Of course were seeing it, that there are more people getting infected, and that will unfortunately translate into an increase in hospitalisations and deaths.

'But it will be far lower than we have experienced in previous waves.'

More than 45.2million Britons  or 87.9 per cent of adults  have got one dose, while 35.9million  or 68.3 per cent  have received both jabs.

Britain's roll-out has relied on the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, both of which are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death.

The Prime Minister ordered the lifting of the remaining restrictions in England today, after warnings from ministers this could lead to cases spiralling to 100,000 a day.

But experts say the 'real question now' is whether they will surge to double this number and hit 200,000 a day.

It is thought the bout of warm weather  allowing people to socialise outdoors  and the school holidays will help keep surging infections at bay.

Cases have already started to fall in the country's hotspot of South Tyneside, raising hopes that the end may be in sight for the worst-hit areas.

Professor Ferguson told Andrew Marr yesterday: 'Success would be keeping hospitalisations at around 1,000 and case numbers, maybe peaking a little over 100,000 a day and then slowly declining.'

But he said: 'It is likely to be a slow decline because we will be seeing contract rates increase with this relaxation, and yet we're still vaccinating people, people are getting immunity through being infected as well.

'We have the relaxation on Monday, but significantly we also have school holidays.

'We've seen a lot of transmission among teenagers, and those contact rates will probably tick down.'

It comes as Mr Johnson and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak spend the first day of freedom in self-isolation after being exposed to a top minister who had the virus.

The pair were forced into a humiliating U-turn yesterday, after announcing they would not be taking advantage of a Government scheme that would allow them to replace self-isolation with daily lateral flow tests.
A one-year-old baby has been rescued after floating nearly a mile out to sea off Tunisia in a rubber ring while her parents were 'distracted'.

The incident happened just after 5p.m. on Saturday off a beach in Kelibia, on the country's north east coast, local media reported.

Video shows the moment of the rescue after Civil Protection officers were called to save the child, who was unharmed after her ordeal.

Government sources told radio station Shems FM that the girl had likely been blown out to sea by strong winds.

Her parents are thought to have been 'momentarily distracted; at the time.

A one-year-old baby has been rescued after floating nearly a mile out to sea off Tunisia in a rubber ring while her parents were 'distracted'. In a video, taken from a jet ski, the little girl, sitting in a pink inflatable ring, is being pulled towards the vehicle by a lifeguard. The camera then pans up to show how far the infant has drifted out

The child floated out to sea after her parents became distracted, but was rescued within a mile of the shore

In the footage, taken from a jet ski, the little girl, sitting in a pink inflatable ring, is being pulled towards the vehicle by a lifeguard.

The camera pans up to show the cost in the distance, revealing just how far the infant had drifted out.

Together, the man in the water and the man on the jet ski lift the crying child onto the jet ski and clip her in before speeding off to the safety of the shore, rubber ring in tow.

Together, the man in the water and the man on the jet ski lift the crying child onto the jet ski and clip her in before speeding off to the safety of the shore, rubber ring in tow

A Facebook user shared the video, writing in a post: 'Bravo and watch your children while swimming'.

Authorities also urged parents to be vigilant and not to take risks during expected weather changes in the area, Shems FM reported.

Social media users thanked God the child was rescued safely but questioned what her parents had been doing that she was able to drift so far out.
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Strong winds and dry weather continue to fuel the massive Bootleg Fire in southeast Oregon, which is now the largest of the 80 wildfires burning in the US.

The fire, which started July 6, has scorched more than 303,000 acres - an area larger than that of New York City - and is just 25 percent contained as of Monday morning.

John Flannigan, an operations section chief of the 2,100-person force battling the blaze, said dangerous weather forecasted in the coming days threatens to exacerbate fire conditions.

'Weather is really against us,' Flannigan said. 'It's going to be dry and air is going to be unstable.'

The Bootleg Fire has burned more than 300,000 acres in Oregon. It is the largest of 80 wildfires nationwide

The Bootleg Fire is more than 100 square miles larger than New York City, about triple the size of Detroit

Smoke from the fire was seen from space through the NASA Earth Observatory satellite on Sunday

More than 2,000 firefighters are working around the clock to contain the fire. As of Monday the blaze is 25 percent contained

Smoke and heat from the inferno is creating pyrocumulus clouds - also known as fire clouds. They can create their own weather systems and thunderclouds, causing lightning that can spark additional fires

How wild fires can create the 'fire-breathing dragon of clouds' putting rescue workers in huge danger Pyrocumulus clouds - literally translated as 'fire clouds' - look like giant, dirty-colored thunderheads that sit atop a massive column of smoke coming up from a wildfire. When air over the fire becomes super-heated, it rises in a large column. As the air with more moisture rises, it rushes up the smoke column into the atmosphere, and the moisture condenses into droplets. That's what creates the 'fire clouds' that look much like the thunderheads seen before a big thunderstorm. These clouds, however, hold more than just water, as ash and particles from the fire also get swept into them. Larger fire clouds - known as pyrocumulonimbus clouds - are especially dangerous and have been dubbed the 'fire-breathing dragon of clouds'. The clouds can spawn a 'fire tornado', and also generate their own dry lightning which can spark more blazes further away from the existing fire. The clouds also cause dangerous hot winds that can quickly spread blazed, and cause embers to fall on fire crews and nearby dry land. Advertisement

'With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts,' the National Weather Service in Sacramento, California, said on Twitter.

So far, firefighters have made progress on Bootleg's western flank, containing 25 percent of the blaze, more than three times what was contained Saturday.

Authorities also expanded evacuations to 2,000 residents of the rural area.

Early on, the fire was doubling in size almost daily.

An initial review Friday showed the Bootleg Fire destroyed 67 homes and 117 outbuildings overnight in one county.

Authorities were still counting the losses in a second county where the flames are surging up to four miles a day amid dry and blustery conditions.

The blaze is threatening 5,000 buildings that include homes and smaller structures in a rural area just north of the California border, said Holly Krake, a public affairs officer for the US Forest Service.

Active flames are surging along 200 miles of the fire's perimeter, she said, and it's expected to merge with a smaller, but equally explosive fire by nightfall.

'We're likely going to continue to see fire growth over miles and miles of active fire line,' Krake said. 'We are continuing to add thousands of acres a day, and it has the potential each day, looking forward into the weekend, to continue those three- to four-mile runs.'

A total of 71 active large fires and complexes of multiple fires have burned nearly 1,553 square miles in the US, mostly in Western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have swept the region, making wildfires harder to fight.

Climate change has made the American West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

The blaze was most active on its northeastern flank, pushed by winds from the south toward the rural communities of Summer Lake and Spring Lake.

Paisley, to the east of the fire, was also at risk. All the towns are in Lake County, a remote area of lakes and wildlife refuges with a total population of about 8,000.

In the Pacific Northwest, firefighters say they are facing conditions more typical of late summer or fall than early July.

Experts with the US Naval Research Laboratory said in a news release Friday that they are seeing a 'record number' of these fire-induced clouds in North America this summer, including in Oregon, Montana and in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

A large pyrocumulus cloud rose from the Bootleg Fire on Sunday. Officials fear the clouds could bring lightning that may ignite new fires

The Bootleg Fire has devastated the area and forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate

A tree stump burns during the Bootleg Fire

Officials in Montana said firefighter Dan Steffensen was seriously burned when flames overtook a crew fighting a blaze in northern California.

A second firefighter escaped the fire without injury to call for Steffensen's aid.

He was flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

The Western US and Canada are bracing for yet another heat wave with temperatures expected to reach 106 degrees Fahrenheit in Montana and dry conditions that will continue to fuel raging wildfires.

During what will be the fourth heat wave in five weeks, at least 16 million people will swelter in triple-digit temperatures, with the most intense heat in the central and northern Rockies.

Firefighting teams from California have sent eight strike teams/task forces, including 40 engines and firefighting crews, to help with the wildfire response in neighboring Oregon

A firefighter starts his shift in Bly, Oregon, as the Bootleg Fire continues to expand at an astonishing rate

Flames from the Bootleg Fire illuminates smoke at night near Bly, Oregon

The heat wave is expected to peak today and will hit areas where multiple wildfires have flared up, worrying firefighters who are working round the clock to extinguish fast spreading flames.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, told the Wall Street Journal that the way heat waves are coming one after another with no time in between this year is unprecedented and has exacerbated drought and fire conditions.

'There really is no historical precedent for this magnitude of recurrent, record-breaking heat in the same part of the western US,' Swain said. 'We've known for a long time this is where things were headed because climate change is dramatically increasing the likelihood of unprecedented, extreme heat events like we're seeing right now.'
Mark McGowan has conceded the eight 'heavily infected' sailors berthed in Western Australia may need to be brought onshore and treated in hospital if their Covid symptoms deteriorate.

The BBC California cargo ship docked in Fremantle on Monday morning after half the crew members complained of symptoms consistent with coronavirus on July 12.

It is believed the sailors contracted the virus after docking at three ports in Indonesia, where the daily number of Covid deaths in excess of 1,000.

An Indonesian cargo ship (pictured) has docked in Fremantle Port, WA after half of its 14 crew members became unwell on about July 12

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has conceded the eight 'heavily infected' seafarers berthed in Western Australia may need to be brought onshore and treated in hospital if their Covid symptoms deteriorate

The high-risk ship left Indonesian waters on July 11 and was later given permission to dock at Fremantle by West Australian authorities, so all 14 crew members could be medically assessed.

This morning police and health workers in hazmat suits escorted the crew off the vessel and into a nearby shed to get tested.

A short time later they returned to the ship which operates under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda.

'Every precaution is being taken to ensure the safety of Port workers and the Western Australian community,' Premier McGowan said.

'We cannot allow the virus in through international shipping.

'If they can be managed onboard the ship, they will be managed onboard the ship.'

Pictured: A crew member from the cargo ship BBC California is seen whilst it docks in the port of Fremantle, 20km south of Perth on Monday

The crew members (pictured leaving the ship to be tested) of the BBC California became unwell after leaving Indonesia

But in the case of a maritime emergency and a sudden deterioration in their health, he conceded the sick sailors from the Filipinos, Bulgaria, Russia and the Ukraine would need to be taken onshore to hospitals in Western Australia.

'I would have liked this ship to return immediately to Indonesia but this wasn't possible considering the number of ill crew members on board,' Mr McGowan said.

'If all the crew get sick and can't operate the ship, can't function out on the high seas... who knows what could happen.'

The International Transport Worker's Federation have heaped praise on the BBC California's captain for 'doing the right thing' and requesting medical assistance from the Western Australian government.

'He has put the health and wellbeing of his crew first and foremost,' a spokesperson told the West Australian.

The union also commended the WA Government for 'its handling of this matter.'

WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Sunday that a specialist medical team will board the ship to treat unwell crew members

Pictured: A crew member from the cargo ship BBC California is seen returning to the ship after being tested in the port of Fremantle, WA

'The ITF is concerned however, that crews working on ships may be treated differently depending on how many potential infections are on board at any given time,' the spokesperson said.

'The ITF supports the principle that all seafarers have a right to medical assistance where ever and whenever it is needed. It is enshrined it the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and Australia is a signatory to the MLC.'

Since the Covid pandemic reached Australian shores in early 2020, Western Australia has successfully dealt with 10 similar Covid outbreaks on seafaring vessels.

The remaining six crew members, who have not tested positive, remain in separate cabins and are currently isolating.
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The Met Office has issued its first ever extreme heat warning as parts of the UK are set to swelter in 91.4F temperatures until Thursday with further advice over travel chaos, power cuts and 'adverse health effects'.

Thunderstorms and showers are expected to hit the south of the country tonight and will stay for the next few days interspersed with more boiling weather.

Parts of Sussex have already seen heavy rain and thunderstorms taking place this afternoon as the Met Office has warned there could be up to 50mm of rainfall before 7pm tonight.

The heat warning - which is similar to those issued when heavy rain or snow is forecast - covers a large part of Wales, all of south-west England and parts of southern and central England, and will remain in force until the end of Thursday.

It is the first time the warning has been issued since the Met Office said last month that it would launch weather warnings for extreme heat after a record-breaking number of heatwave deaths were recorded in England last summer.

Temperatures are expected to reach 91.4F in some western areas later this week, with mid to high 80s expected elsewhere.

Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said: 'This type of warning is issued when temperatures are unusually warm for a particular location, with the threshold different in certain areas of the country.

'Really it's to raise awareness that extreme heat can have an impact on things like your wellbeing, power supply and transport so people should take action.

'Good things to do include staying out of the sun during the afternoon when it's the hottest period of the day, closing curtains to keep living rooms cool, staying out direct sunlight and drinking plenty of water.'

Hordes of people flock to the beach in Bournemouth to soak up the scorching hot sun on Monday

Sunbathers and visitors flock to the beach to enjoy the scorching hot morning sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset

Public Health England (PHE) also issued a heat-health alert, warning members of the public to take measures to stay cool and look out for vulnerable people.

The Met Office launched a new Extreme Heat National Severe Weather Warning at the start of June 2021, with warnings to be issued based on the impacts of extreme heat.

Amber and red warnings can now be issued to inform the public of potential widespread disruption and adverse health effects.

Forecasters said the amber warning comes as the forecast continues to signal for unusually high temperatures for western areas in particular, as well as continuing high nightime temperatures creating potential impacts for health.

Extreme heat can have health consequences, especially for those who are particularly vulnerable, and it can impact infrastructure, including transport and energy, as well as the wider business community.

Dr Owen Landeg, Scientific and Technical Lead at PHE, said: 'Everybody can be affected by high temperatures and most people are aware of good health advice for coping with hot weather.

A woman enjoys the sunshine on Freedom Day on a busy beach in Bournemouth as temperatures skyrocket

Sunworshippers flocked to the beach today as the temperature hits 32C in Lyme Regis, Dorset

Two women enjoy drinks in the sun on Freedom Day on a busy Bournemouth beach without a cloud in the sky

A couple sunbathe in the scorching temperatures on Bournemouth beach today

A couple set up camp on a sunny and sandy Bournemouth beach on the hottest day of the year so far

'However, it's important to keep checking on those who are most vulnerable such as older people and those with heart or lung conditions.

'As we experience the first hot weather episode of the year, it's important for everyone to remember to adapt their behaviours. This is particularly important during the pandemic with many people self-isolating.'

The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England, also said people should think carefully before travelling to beaches, parks and other public places.

During hot weather, there is often increased traffic near coastal areas, increased use of open water by the public, and an increase in wildfire risk.

Met Office chief operational meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: 'The high temperatures are going to continue through a large part of this week.

'Many areas will continue to reach heatwave thresholds but the amber extreme heat warning focusses on western areas where the most unusually high temperatures are likely to persist.

A paddleboarder is out on Monday morning at Bournemouth beach ready for another hot day, and the first day of freedom

Records were set in both England and Wales on Sunday, and the mercury is forecast to climb even higher on Monday. Pictured: Sunrise in Dorset

Beachgoers have already set up camp on Bournemout beach ready for another heatwave day

A woman enjoys a drink while sitting on a camping chair in a bikini on the hottest day of the year so far in Bournemouth

'There's a continuing risk of isolated thundery downpours late in the afternoons but most areas will stay dry until later in the week.

'Temperatures should begin to fall for most areas heading into the weekend, with some more unsettled conditions looking to develop.'

Chief operational meteorologist at the Met Office, Steven Ramsdale, said: 'The high temperatures are going to continue through a large part of this week. Many areas will continue to reach heatwave thresholds but the amber extreme heat warning focuses on western areas where the most unusually high temperatures are likely to persist.

'There's a continuing risk of isolated thundery downpours late in the afternoons but most areas will stay dry until later in the week. Temperatures should begin to fall for most areas heading into the weekend, with some more unsettled conditions looking to develop.'

Records were set in both England and Wales on Sunday, and the mercury is forecast to climb even higher on Monday.

In England on Sunday, 88.88F (31.6C) was recorded in Heathrow, overtaking Saturday's record-breaking 86.54F (30.3C) recorded in Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire.

Three children were treated for sunburn across 'fairly large areas of their bodies' over the hottest weekend of the year in Britain.

And five people died in separate drowning incidents across England as the country experienced the hottest weekend of the year so far.

Emergency services are urging sunseekers and bathers to stay safe after the bodies of three teenagers, a man of an unknown age and a man in his 50s were pulled from rivers and lakes.

Yesterday the mercury hit 88.9F (31.6C) in Heathrow, west London, and 86F (30.2C) in Cardiff.

Estela Romero, 18, (left) and Lara Katlandur, 18, enjoy the hot weather on St Annes beach in Lancashire

The pair had fun prancing around on the beach on the hottest day of the year so far on St Annes beach in Lancashire

Sun lovers flock to the beach on the hottest day of the year so far on Bournemouth beach

Sunbathers flock to the beach to enjoy the scorching hot morning sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset

Hordes of people flocked to Lyme Regis in Dorset to enjoy the good weather and seaside

And Swansea's Morriston hospital saw three children admitted to the Welsh centre for burns and plastic surgery over Friday and Saturday.

The Swansea Bay NHS care board said: 'Our burns centre has been treating a lot of children with serious sunburn and staff fear a further surge in cases in the coming days.

How to survive the heat Stay cool indoors  many of us will need to stay safe at home this summer so know how to keep your home cool Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler and remember it may be cooler outdoors than indoors Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm Walk in the shade, apply sunscreen regularly and wear a wide brimmed hat, if you have to go out in the heat Avoid exercising in the hottest parts of the day Make sure you take water with you if you are travelling If you are going into open water to cool down, take care and follow local safety advice If you or someone else feels unwell with a high temperature during hot weather, it may be heat exhaustion or heatstroke Advertisement

'Please remember to be sun safe. Just a few minutes applying a high-factor sun screen could save you and your child a lot of pain and suffering.'

It comes after parents were urged to use sun cream on their children yesterday.

The Met Office's warning states that people in the danger areas can expect:

Adverse health effects are likely to be experienced by those vulnerable to extreme heat

The wider population are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses

More people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents

Some changes in working practices and daily routines likely to be required

An increased chance that some heat-sensitive systems and equipment may fail, leading to power cuts and the loss of other services to some homes and businesses

Some delays to road, rail and air travel are possible, with potential for welfare issues for those who experience prolonged delays.

Doctors are calling on parents to protect their kids from the blazing sun as temperatures soar across Britain.

A spokesman for the Welsh centre added: 'We have seen three children admitted in the last two days with sunburn to fairly large areas of their bodies.

'As you can imagine, it's quite painful and could have been avoided if they had applied protection.'

Two women sunbathe on towels in the scorching weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset today

People enjoy the weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far

A woman plays volleyball in the sea with friends as she enjoys the hot sunny weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset

Sunlovers have flocked to the beach in Bournemouth to celebrate the sunny weather in Dorset

A woman paddles in the shallows of the sea in Bournemouth in Dorset on the hottest day of the year so far

Hordes of people have taken to the sun-filled beach in Bournemouth in Dorset on the hottest day of the year so far

Families and friends have taken to the beach in Bournemouth on Freedom Day to enjoy the scorching weather

Bournemouth beach is packed with tourists and locals soaking up the scorching hot weather on what is the hottest day of the year

Sun lovers brought parasols and tents to keep themselves shaded and cool on the hottest day of the year on Bournemouth beach

Couples and friends are seen soaking up the glorious sunshine on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far on Bournemouth beach

A woman applies sun screen to protect herself from the scorching rays on Bournemouth beach

Sunbathers enjoy the scorching hot morning sunshine on the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset on freedom day as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted

Hordes of sunworshippers have taken to the beach in Lyme Regis to soak up the scorching sunshine in Dorset

Sunbathers and visitors flock to the beach to enjoy the scorching hot morning sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset on freedom day as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted

Drowning death toll rises to SEVEN on hottest weekend of the year A seventh person has been confirmed to have died in separate drowning incidents across England over what was the hottest weekend of the year so far - while two others died from a heart attack and 'heat stroke'. The latest victim was today revealed to be a 29-year-old man who drowned after 'accidentally getting out of his depth' in the surf near Blackpool on Saturday. The RNLI and coastguard launched a frantic five-hour search for the stricken swimmer when he suddenly went under the waves at around 3.25pm and failed to resurface. It was later confirmed that the victim, from Bolton, had been at the seaside enjoying the warm weather with a group of friends. The death follows a string of tragedies across England with bodies being recovered from rivers, quarries and a quay. It was also revealed this afternoon that a man's body was recovered from a disused quarry in Dove Holes, Buxton, Derbyshire on Sunday evening. Derbyshire police said they were called to the Victory Quarry at around 7pm last night, following reports that someone had entered the water and 'found himself in difficulty.' The force said firefighters and paramedics also attended the scene but 'despite extensive search and rescue efforts, the man's body was recovered from the water shortly before 11pm.' Authorities also revealed Monday that another man was pulled from a lake in Sheffield late on Sunday evening, several hours after going missing. Reports of a man coming into difficulty had been made at the Crookes Valley Park at 7.31pm, before emergency services located a body at just before midnight. Specialist search teams did everything in their power to find him, a police spokesman said. The tragic news emerged after four other people had already been confirmed to have lost their lives in separate drowning incidents around the country. Emergency services had urged sunseekers to stay safe after the bodies of three teenagers and a man in his 50s were pulled from rivers and lakes. One of the teenagers, who drowned in the river Eden, was named today as 16-year-old Mohammad Abdul Hamid. The force confirmed that the body of the teenager had been found near Stony Holme at around 11.45am. It was also revealed Monday that a man collapsed and died after reportedly suffering from extreme 'heat stroke' while playing football in Tower Hamlets yesterday. Although paramedics arrived within seven minutes, the unnamed man died at the scene. Not 24 hours earlier, cricketer Maqsood Anwar, 45, died from a suspected heart attack while bowling in 81F weather. He had earlier experienced chest pains but decided to play on in soaring temperatures in Barry, south Wales. Teammates rushed to call 999 but tragically the father-of-two, known by friends as 'Max', could not be revived. Later on Sunday Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a teenager had died after getting into difficulty while swimming in Salford Quays. A huge rescue operation was launched after witnesses reported a 19-year-old man was struggling in the water at about 4.40pm. Police, fire and ambulance crews rushed to the scene and boats were used to search the quays for the missing teenager. After hours of searching, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the 19-year-old man had died. Advertisement

Dr Zoe Lee added: 'Our advice to parents is to encourage their children to play in the shade as much as possible, wear hats and long sleeves, and apply regular applications of sun cream to the skin.

'It's also important to apply sun cream regularly and to keep hydrated.'

As the summer heatwave continues Tom Morgan, meteorologist at the Met Office, said:

'Temperatures are expected to increase even further on Sunday, reaching highs of 33C in the south of the UK.'

He added an extended hot spell of weather is expected to last for much of the week ahead, adding:

'It's going to mean that people are really going to feel the effects of the heat as we go through this week.'

Yesterday in England, 86.5F was recorded in Coton In The Elms, Derbyshire, surpassing the 85.4F recorded in south-west London on June 14.

The year's highest temperatures so far were also recorded in Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales, at 85.2F, and in Threave, in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland, at 82.7F.

And across England yesterday three people died after being rescued from water.

A 19-year-old man was pulled fro the Salford Quays in Greater Manchester and died.

The body of a man in his 50s was rescued from the River Ouse in the York. And a teenage girl was recovered from Ducklington Lake in Witney, near Oxford, but died later.

Overnight temperatures peaked at 68F in parts of the UK last night, leaving some Britons waking up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

And the warm weather is set to continue this week, though snap thunderstorms could also be on the way, experts predict.

It comes as temperatures are expected to reach 82.4F today in the warmest parts of the UK, including London and the south west. Most of the rest of the country is set for 80F temperatures throughout today.

However, while temperatures remain hot, rain could be on the way - bringing a bit of light relief from the sweltering heat.

According to the Met Office: 'Today will be a mainly dry day with long periods of sunshine once any early cloud burns back to the coast.

'Low chance of isolated heavy showers in the afternoon, mainly in the west. Very warm or hot inland, cooler near coasts.'

Tuesday may also come with more showers, though the warm weather is set to continue throughout the week, with potential thunderstorms on the way.

The Met Office said temperatures could climb to a maximum of 32C in London and the South East of England on Monday, adding that there is a low chance of isolated heavy showers in the afternoon.

The long range forecast for next weekend suggests spells of rain or showers are likely for many areas, with temperatures easing back closer to normal.

Forecasters also warn that some heavy rain or thunderstorms are possible.

Tens of thousands of people headed for beaches over the weekend with roads busy on coastal routes.

Top ways to stay safe in the heat include drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol, keeping out of the sun between 11am to 3pm, walking in the shade, and applying sunscreen and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

People are also urged to avoid physical exertion in the hottest parts of the day.

Chloe Brimicombe, a PhD heatwaves researcher at the University of Reading, said: 'We're likely to see increased hospital admissions over the next few days, due to heat stress - a build up of body heat as conditions prevent people from cooling down, even at night - and other heat-related health issues.

'Vulnerable people do die. Outdoor workers can get long-term kidney disease. We can also see a rise in air pollution, which affects people's lungs.'

Saturday had marked the hottest day of the year for all four nations, and the hottest day since records began for Northern Ireland with 31.2C (88.16F) recorded in Ballywatticock, in County Down, beating the previous highest temperature of 30.8C (87.44F), which was reached on July 12, 1983 and June 30, 1976.

Beachgoers leave a whopping 70 tonnes of litter at one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts over weekend A whopping 70 tonnes of litter was left by 500,000 visitors to one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts this weekend. As temperatures soared to 81F (27C), hoards of tourists caused road closures, traffic mayhem, and left mounds of rubbish behind on Bournemouth beach. The local authority said that about half a million people flocked to the resort across Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the sun and cool off in the sea. However, a major litter picking operation was in place to keep the seaside resort clean, with 70 tonnes of rubbish picked up and taken away. A record breaking 1,300 parking tickets - 78,000 in cash terms - were also dished out to inconsiderate motorists whose cars choked the seafront from posh Sandbanks to Bournemouth. The road to the excluisve Sandbanks peninsula had to be closed after the car park filled up by 9am on both Saturday and Sunday. Councillor Drew Mellor, leader of BCP Council, said: 'We were pleased to welcome so many people to our area. Hotels were at capacity and it was great to see our restaurants and bars so busy. 'Disappointingly, we were faced with significant numbers of illegal parking. 'We issued a record number of penalty charge notices, and our parking colleagues did a fantastic job, but we recognise that irresponsible parking impacts most on our residents and businesses along our coastline. 'Waste services were also put under pressure to keep on top of the litter and feedback about this service has been excellent from both visitors and businesses.' As well as towing away cars, offiicials removed over 100 tents which had been pitched illegally on the sandy beach. Advertisement
A single mother-of-two with just weeks to live has been left devastated after she raised 50k for last chance treatment abroad - but has now been told she isn't safe to fly.

Lauren Olive desperately hoped to travel to Mexico to undergo pioneering therapy after the NHS said she had exhausted all options available in the UK.

The 28-year-old from Malvern, Worcs, was first diagnosed with stage three, metastatic triple negative breast cancer in November 2019.

Heartbreakingly, when she discovered a pea sized lump on her breast 10 months earlier in January, she was misdiagnosed with tonsillitis, which she suffered from persistently.

Lauren thought her tiredness was due to having young children and the stress of a recent divorce.

Lauren also began to break out with vitiligo - an autoimmune disease that causes patchy skin colour and the real reason behind the lump was missed.

But sadly in November 2019 the cancerous lump had grown to 4cm, was Grade 3 and she was told she had just 12 months to live.

Last month, Lauren received the crushing news that the incurable cancer had spread rapidly to her bones and to prepare her children that she has only two months left to live.

Single mother Lauren Olive, 28, with her children Penny, seven, and Arthur, four

Lauren Olive, 28, has stage 3 cancer and just 12 months to live and had been seeking treatment

Lauren Olive with her children Arthur, four, and Penny, seven is in a race against time

The cancer is also on Lauren's liver, pelvis and on her spinal cord.

Refusing to give up, family and friends fundraised relentlessly to raise 50k for life- saving alternative therapy abroad.

But this week after hitting their target, Lauren received another blow as her GP has now said it isn't recommended that she flies.

Lauren is now searching for alternative treatments closer to home in a last ditch attempt to survive and see her two children, Penny, seven, and Arthur, four, grow up.

She said: 'I will do anything to get into another trial, I have to be here for my children.

'I've now been told I can't fly due to risk of blood clots.

'I am absolutely devastated after the incredible support I have received and the donations from strangers, to have the money and know there is treatment out there for me but I can't access it, I just can't take it in.'

Lauren had hoped to visit an oncology clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, which offers alternative therapies not available on the NHS.

Lauren had raised 50k for life- saving pioneering alternative therapy abroad in Mexico

She had done a number of fundraising activities to try and get the money together

Lauren had exhausted all treatment options available on the NHS so sought help abroad

She begged: 'My only option now is to find anyone who knows of any other treatment I can try.

'I am begging anyone who reads this if they know of anything, anywhere, please contact me.

'I am running out of time and I do not want someone to have to tell my children mummy is no longer here.'

She added: 'I have told them that I have cancer but I have told them I am trying my hardest to get better - and I am. I will do anything to be here for them.

'I am trying to protect them but sadly they know more than I would have liked, but I constantly tell them how much I love them and I am spending every moment I can making happy memories with them.

'It is so scary to think my time with them could soon end, I don't want their happiness to end.'

Lauren has already undergone a double mastectomy and reconstruction and added: 'There had been a reduction on my liver of 77 per cent and on my spine and sternum and breasts but a rapid spread on the bones.

'I am angry, had it of been caught in January it could have been dealt with when it was much smaller, before it spread.

One person donated 17,000 anonymously to the fund to try and help Lauren be treated

Her GP has now said it isn't recommended that she flies over a possible blood clot risk

'But I just want to thank my family of Malvern-Wells, I've been overwhelmed with the support of the local community and my friends.

'One person donated 17,000 anonymously, I wish I could thank them personally, I want them to know how much it means to me.

'I am so grateful for all the fundraising people have done for me.

'I want to thank my mum and sisters for being there for me and thank Glen and Ash, Ash and Beth, Martin and Sharon and the boys. I am so grateful for their fundraising efforts.

'And to my military girls thank you for looking after me in Sandbanks - and Gemma Blackhall.

'I am trying to stay upbeat, I have to. I am spending as much time as possible with my children but I can feel my body giving up.

'I feel like I'm dying now and I have to survive for them.

'I am desperate. Please help save my life.'

To donate to Lauren's fundraising, visit: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/laurensfundraising
A million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have landed in Australia, with the government needing to claim another 15 million doses to get everyone jabbed by the end of the year and eradicate lockdowns forever.

The much-needed shipment arrived in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth from Singapore overnight on Monday in what was the largest jab delivery to enter the country in a single week.

The nation's two largest cities are currently in lockdown due to fresh outbreaks - NSW recorded 98 new cases on Monday, and Victoria recorded a further 14.

A DHL plane landed at Sydney Airport on Sunday night containing Pfizer vaccines

Airport staff unload the Pfizer vaccines after they arrived at Sydney Airport on Sunday night

Another million doses will arrive every week between now and August, injecting about 4.5 million doses into the arms of willing Australians.

So far, only 13 per cent of the national population have been fully vaccinated.

AstraZeneca is approved for people over the age of 16 is being created at a rate of about one million per week.

But residents are hesitant due to the very small risk of a rare blood clotting disorder associated with the jab, and a lot of doses have been shipped offshore.

The federal government has secured earlier supply of its 40million Pfizer vaccines, bringing in 1million a week from now until at least the end of August. Pictured: Vaccines are unloaded

A shipment of 800,000 doses (pictured) landed in Sydney on Sunday night with another 200,000 split between Perth and Melbourne

Lieutenant General John Frewen, who is in charge of the nations' vaccine rollout, said on Monday: 'We're still on track to have every Australian who wants a vaccine to be able to do so by the end of the year.'

'By the end of the month we'll have 1,300 GPs that can administer Pfizer.'

To give two jabs to even half the population by the end of December, the government would need to procure about 16 million doses of either vaccine.

At this rate, there would need to be at least three million vaccines produced every month until the end of December.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) initially told Australians they would be at the 'front of the queue' for jabs

Pictured: People waiting to be called in for their vaccination at a mass coronavirus vaccination hub at the Showgrounds in Melbourne on July 19

Aussies over 40 are eligible for a Pfizer jab, with under 40s expected to get the call up in late September or early October.

'September, early October is likely but if we can bring that forward, we will,' Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday.

On July 8, the government announced a deal with Pfizer to bring in at least a million vaccines a week from July 19, meaning more than 4.5million jabs will arrive in August.

Previously only three million doses were expected in August and 4.5million were due in September.
JK Rowling today called out a Twitter troll who tweeted a death threat at her by saying failed attempts to cancel her over comments she made about trans issues have left critics with 'only one place to go'.

An account entitled 'Sam (Egocom Arc)' told the author last night: 'I wish you a nice pipe bomb in mailbox [sic]'. Ms Rowling bravely hit back and hailed her publishing success despite a barrage of social media hate.

She wrote: 'To be fair, when you can't get a woman sacked, arrested or dropped by her publisher, and cancelling her only made her book sales go up, there's really only one place to go.'

An account entitled 'Sam (Egocom Arc)' told the author last night: 'I wish you a nice pipe bomb in mailbox [sic]', prompting her to bravely hit back

Ms Rowling had in recent days been sent porn by zealots in the latest bid to punish her for speaking out on transgender issues.

The 55-year-old author has faced ongoing accusations of transphobia after publishing a blog post in which she argued that biological sex is real.

She also took issue with an article referring to 'people who menstruate', posting the withering tweet last June: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?'

Earlier this year New Zealand book festival Wairarapa reportedly dropped a Harry Potter-themed event due to the comments.

She has been branded a 'TERF' - or Trans-exclusionary Radical Feminist - by some transgender activists.

Meanwhile, last year critics claimed the author could 'end up in the dock' due to Scotland's sweeping new hate crime laws.

However, Ms Rowling is still achieving spectacular literary success, with her Cormoran Strike series - written under the penname Robert Galbraith - recently hitting a record of 100,000 audio downloads.

Today the literary legend was praised for hitting back against the troll, whose account now appears to have been suspended.

Dr Jessica Taylor wrote: 'I'm absolutely disgusted. I'm so sorry. You shouldn't be the target of their hatred and rage. No woman should. I'm just appalled. I can't imagine the personal impact on you x'

Ms Rowling (pictured) had in recent days been sent porn by zealots in the latest bid to punish her for speaking out on transgender issues

Ms Rowling was praised for hitting back against the troll, whose account now appears to have been suspended.

A second user wrote: 'Tragic. It's sad when people say disgusting things like this because they disagree with someone. I don't always agree with @jk_rowling but I'd never wish her harm or anyone for that matter.'

Ms Rowling's representatives declined to issue a statement on the death threat, while Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.

Another Twitter user called on social media companies to remove anonymity for users in order to crack down on similar abuse.

The same demand was made by Piers Morgan after black England players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were abused by racist trolls after missing penalties in the Euros final against Italy.

At least four people have now been arrested under the Malicious Communications Act, which carries a maximum 12-month sentence - including Savills estate agent Andrew Bone, 37, who branded the trio 'n*****s'.

In 2019, Brexit-supporting troll Jarod Kirkman, 51, was sentenced to 10 months in jail for sending death threats and racist messages to seven politicians, including former Conservative cabinet minister Nicky Morgan and Labour's David Lammy.

Last June, Rowling sparked controversy when she questioned the use of the phrase 'people who menstruate' instead of the word 'woman' and went on to insist that the concept of sex is real

Some messages, sent through the MPs' websites, had the subject lines 'Brexit traitor' and 'Brexit loser' with menacing email addresses such as MPdeadpoliticianwalking.com and Putinfsb.ru.

Kirkman emailed Heidi Allen, of the Independent Group, saying: 'Your days are f****g numbered b****. Will it be polonium or novichok? Either way you will never know, expect it soon.'

Threats to kill can be prosecuted under separate legislation, the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which can see offenders locked up for 10 years. Judges give higher sentences for threats that specifically state a method of killing.

Rowling was accused of transphobia last year when she reacted to an online article entitled 'Opinion: Creating a more equal post COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.'

''People who menstruate'. I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?' the award-winning writer tweeted to her 14.2million followers.

Some Twitter users branded the screenwriter's remarks 'anti-trans' and 'transphobic', as transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming individuals can also menstruate.

JK Rowling pictured with Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in 2001. All three publicly criticised her for her comments

The writer stood by her tweet and later wrote: 'If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction.

'If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth.'

Her comments led to a massive backlash with criticism coming from Harry Potter stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Eddie Redmayne.

But she was backed by celebrities including Harry Potter star Ralph Fiennes, who branded the 'level of hatred' directed at the author 'disturbing'.

Shockingly, a hashtag calling for the author's death was the number one trending tag on Twitter in October last year.

Following the original tweet, Rowling posted a 3,663 word essay on her personal website revealing she was sexually assaulted in her twenties.

It told of the domestic violence she allegedly suffered in her first marriage to Portuguese journalism student Jorge Arantas, which she described as 'violent'.

The author has denied claims of transphobia and insisted she 'respects every trans person's right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them'.
An economist is suing the University of Cambridge after it retracted a job offer, claiming it was over his belief 'big banks are a cancer on society'.

Professor Richard Werner, world-renowned for his research and work in economic theory, applied for a job at Cambridge in January 2018.

But after being offered the job he was told it had been withdrawn that September.

Prof Werner claims he discovered there had been conversations regarding 'reputational issues' about his appointment and concerns over his 'unorthodox views'.

He has now filed an employment tribunal claim for discrimination, believing he was refused the job due to his beliefs and his Christianity.

The full case will be heard later this year following a preliminary hearing at which a judge ruled Prof Werner's view 'big banks are a cancer on society' qualified as 'a philosophical belief', in the same way as a religion.

Prof Werner says his offer of employment was withdrawn due to Cambridge's objection to this belief.

At the preliminary hearing, Judge Isabel Manley concluded the economist's belief was 'genuinely held', 'more than an opinion', 'weighty and substantial', 'has a level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance', and was 'worthy of respect in our democratic society'.

Professer Richard Werner, economist, is suing the University of Cambridge after it retracted a job offer, claiming he was discriminated against due to his belief that 'big banks are a cancer'

Prof Werner was at Southampton when he applied for the post of director at the Cambridge

The judge added: 'Having weighed all these matters up I am satisfied that that the belief that 'big banks are a cancer on society' can amount to a philosophical belief and a tribunal can now consider whether [Prof Werner] can show facts from which they could conclude that the action taken was because of that philosophical belief.'

Prof Werner made his name when he came up with 'quantitative easing' while serving as economic adviser to the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance in Tokyo in 1995.

He then hit headlines in 2019 when he resigned from the University of Southampton and sued the Russell Group institution, claiming he was discriminated against for being German and Christian.

He was awarded more than 2.5million in that case by a Southampton employment tribunal when the university's lawyers failed to attend, but after they realised their mistake they appealed and the original judgement was set aside. A full tribunal on that matter is due to be heard later this year.

Prof Werner had been working at Southampton when he applied for the post of Director at the Cambridge Centre of Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR)

The application form which he submitted was very lengthy and included either extracts or a summary of many of his writings.

Following this, Prof Werner was interviewed in May 2018 by six professors and, after some discussion, in June he was made a conditional offer for the agreed start date of 'no later than 1 October 2018'.

He was awarded more than 2.5million by the University of Southampton after a tribunal

It was said Cambridge's offer was conditional upon 'references which it regards as satisfactory' as well as passing any probationary period and documents showing the right to work in the UK.

There were then further discussions between Prof Werner and Professor Colin Lizieri, the Head of the Department of Land Economy.

The tribunal heard there were some concerns about funding for the CCHPR and also some concerns about the direction in which the university believed Prof Werner might take the centre.

An email dated 29 August 2018 was shown to the tribunal which had been disclosed to Prof Werner. He claimed it showed the university had concerns that 'might indicate discriminatory motives'.

One potentially relevant important part of this reads: 'There are other reputational issues as it has emerged that he has some unorthodox views (these did not emerge in the CV or in academic searches, nor in his references) that, had we known about them, we would probably not have made the offer - given that it was a somewhat leftfield appointment, albeit the consensus of the interview panel.'

The tribunal heard Prof Werner had written accepting the offer on 2 August 2018 and met again with Prof Lizieri. Various discussions ensued on a number of issues relating to the post.

But on 14 September 2018, Professor Lizieri wrote to say he was 'not satisfied that we have reached agreement on a number of issues' and the university was 'no longer in a position to proceed with the appointment and are therefore withdrawing the offer of employment'.

Prof Werner, who had left Southampton University after 14 years, brought the new tribunal claim on 24 January 2019. The 53 year old currently works at De Montfort University in Leicester.

The preliminary hearing was told Prof Werner's assertion about big banks being a cancer on society was a 'shorthand' for a longer philosophical belief which is linked to his religion but is also a 'world view' shared by the likes of the former Bank of England Governor, Lord Mervyn King, Sir Vince Cable and Lord Adair Turner.

He added: 'As banking systems get more and more concentrated, their allocation powers increase, while accountability decreases.

'Fewer people have more and more power. Also, more and more individuals and small firms are cut out from bank funding: big banks prefer to focus on big deals with big customers and automated computer systems and call centres leave an increasing number of individuals and small firms without good banking services.

'Big customers are increasingly non-bank financial institutions such as private equity funds, hedge funds and other financial sector firms

and those borrowing from banks for asset purchases.'

Judge Manley described the matter as 'a challenging case to determine' but added: '[Prof Werner] is passionate about this and has written extensively about it.

'It is clearly thought out and based on an assessment of data. I accept that it is more than a scientific based belief and it has some connection to the claimant's wider view of the world encompassed in his Christianity.

'As for whether the stated belief is about a 'weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour', I accept that, given the central importance the banking system has on everyone's lives, the 2008 crash alone indicating such importance, it is indeed weighty and substantial.

'I do not consider that it is only relevant to that particular area, namely banking.'

A date is to be set for the full hearing.
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Today, as the bulk of coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England, thousands of Londoners used the Underground network to get to work.

Holloway Road station, in North London, is one stop which will have been thronged with commuters using the escalators this morning.

But their commutes could have been entirely different if a project embarked on more than a century earlier  which saw an experimental spiral escalator built in a lift shaft at the station  had succeeded.

The fascinating device, which was set to open to the public in 1907, was built to a working standard but passengers were never able to use it, due to fears about its safety.

Just five years later, the first escalator of the kind that is ubiquitous today was installed at Earl's Court station. Its success meant that, over time, it replaced lifts on the network.

Now, a new TV documentary, which airs tonight on Yesterday, tells how, after the project failed, London Underground staff believed the escalator had been lost forever  before a part of it was found in a lift shaft in 1988.

The remaining piece is now held at the London Transport Museum's depot in Acton, West London.

The spiral escalator's inventor, Jesse Reno, was nearly bankrupted by the failure of his project. The American had unveiled the world's first 'inclined' escalator  the kind we know today - in 1896.

Today's episode of Secrets of the London Underground, which is presented by Tim Dunn and transport historian Siddy Holloway, also tells the story of how the Elgin Marbles were kept for safe-keeping during the Second World War at the now-closed Aldwych Station.

The stop, on the Strand, was also used as an air raid shelter during the Blitz. After it closed in 1994, it was also used as a film set for several high-profile productions including Sherlock, Mr Selfridge and V for Vendetta.

A new documentary delves into the story of how an experimental spiral escalator was built at North London's Holloway Road Underground station in 1906. Above: Workers are seen next to the contraption shortly after it was built

Secrets of the London Underground, which airs tonight on Yesterday, tells how, after the project failed, London Underground staff believed the escalator had been lost forever  before a part of it (above) was found in a lift shaft in 1988. It is now held at the Transport Museum's depot in Acton, West London

Reno's escalator was installed at Holloway Road station, which is still open and serves passengers on the Piccadilly line

Reno's ambitious design at Holloway Road was made up of a double spiral which would have allowed passengers to go up and down at the same time.

It meant that, unlike a lift, there would have been no waiting.

The spiral escalator's inventor, Jesse Reno, was nearly bankrupted by the failure of his project

The two spirals were installed around a central core. The outer spiral was for going upwards, whilst the inner one was intended to take passengers down to platforms.

Like a ski lift, it ran continuously at a speed of around 100 feet a minute. The journey from the base of the lift shaft to street level took an estimated 45 seconds. It is believed to have handrails on both sides.

Reno had financed the project himself and so when it failed, he ended up in severe financial difficulty.

The spiral escalator was dismantled in 1911 and was believed to have believed to have been lost until its rusting remains were found at the bottom of the lift shaft in 1988.

It was not until 1993 that the parts were recovered by the London Transport Museum. Experts then restored a large section of it and it is now at the museum's Acton depot.

Parts of it, including the patterned tread intended to provide grip for commuters, is seen up close in tonight's documentary.

Five years after Reno's failed attempt, the Underground's first escalators were installed at Earl's Court station.

However, the public were initially terrified of using the machines and so William 'Bumper' Harris  disabled man who had lost his leg in an accident  was invited to demonstrate the machines' safety by riding them.

Today, there are more than 400 passenger escalators on the London Underground which are used by millions of commuters every year.

Tonight's show also reveals the fascinating history of Aldwych station. The station was opened in 1907 and was initially named Strand  due to its location.

Aldwych was connected to nearby Holborn by London's shortest branch line, which was less than 1,800feet long.

Opened in 1907, the station was never popular with passengers and, when its original Otis lifts needed to be refurbished at a cost of 3-4million in 1994, it was decided to close the stop entirely.

It was not until 1993 that the parts of the spiral escalator were recovered from the lift shaft at Holloway Road by the London Transport Museum. Experts then restored a large section of it and it is now at the museum's Acton depot

Five years after Reno's failed attempt, the Underground's first escalators were installed at Earl's Court station. Above: An image of the

However, the public were initially terrified of using the machines and so William 'Bumper' Harris  disabled man who had lost his leg in an accident  was invited to demonstrate the machines' safety by riding them

The lifts, which date from 1906, are now the only surviving ones of their type on the whole London Underground network.

Today, Aldwych's platforms are used to trial new signs and other innovations before they're installed on the wider network.

Posters dating from the Second World War can still be seen on the walls.

In September 1940, the British Museum made use of a platform which had been bricked up at both ends during the First World War so it could be used by the National Gallery to keep items safe.

The Elgin marbles were taken from the museum to the space on wooden carts. They remained there for safe-keeping until 1948.

Today's episode of Secrets of the London Underground, which is presented by Tim Dunn and transport historian Siddy Holloway, also tells the story of how the Elgin Marbles were kept for safe-keeping during the Second World War at the now-closed Aldwych Station. Above: The marbles being wheeled through the station in September 1940

The precious pieces were loaded onto wooden carts before being wheeled onto a disused platform which had been bricked up to create a storage space

In September 1940, the British Museum made use of a platform which had been bricked up at both ends during the First World War so it could be used by the National Gallery to keep items safe

Aldwych also kept Londoners safe during the Blitz  when German planes dropped thousands of bombs on the capital from September 1940 until May 1941. Above: Londoners sheltering on both the platform and tracks at Aldwych, which was closed during the war

Shelterers sleep along the walls of the passageway leading from the lifts to the platform at a London Underground station, probably Aldwych, in November 1940

Photos show men in suits carefully maneuvering the marbles through Aldwych's passageways. The marbles remained at Aldwych until 1948, when they were wheeled out and put back in the British Museum, in Bloomsbury.

The decision to put the marbles below ground was a good one - the British Museum suffered considerable bomb damage, including to the very space - the Duveen Gallery - where the Greek artefacts had been on display.

The treasures, which are officially known as the Parthenon Marbles, were taken from Athens by the Earl of Elgin - the then ambassador to Greece - in 1812.

In 1816, they were installed at the British Museum, where they have remained ever since, despite repeated calls for them to be returned to Greece.

Aldwych also kept Londoners safe during the Blitz  when German planes dropped thousands of bombs on the capital from September 1940 until May 1941.

Whilst stations' use as shelters was initially discouraged, terrified city-dwellers who had been bombed out of their homes insisted on being allowed to use the spaces.

Secrets of the London Underground airs at 8pm tonight on UKTV channel Yesterday.

Aldwych was opened in 1907 and was initially named Strand  due to its location. Above: The remaining frontage of the former station
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Keir Starmer raged at 'chaotic and incompetent' Boris Johnson today as a senior minister bluntly admitted the PM did not 'get it right' over his abortive bid to dodge self-isolation rules.

The Labour leader branded the PM 'hypocritical' for initially trying to use a pilot scheme to escape quarantine with daily testing after coming into contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid - a confirmed positive case.

He said Mr Johnson only executed a comical U-turn after being 'busted' for flouting restrictions causing misery for millions of ordinary Britons and bringing businesses grinding to a halt.

The bruising attack came as No10 refused to say exactly when Mr Johnson was 'pinged' by tracers, amid speculation he might have been avoiding self-isolation for around 24 hours before finally following the standard system. The premier has tested negative and does not have symptoms, but will anchor a press conference from his Chequers country residence this evening.

Earlier, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was forced to deny the government is taking the public for 'fools' this morning as he was sent out to defend the shambles while Mr Johnson languishes at his Chequers country residence - where he must stay until next Monday.

'We make thousands of decisions, and of course we don't get every decision right,' Mr Zahawi told ITV's Good Morning Britain

The PM announced yesterday morning that he and Rishi Sunak (pictured on a visit earlier this year) would use a pilot scheme to escape quarantine with daily testing despite having come into contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid - a confirmed positive case

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was was forced to deny the government is taking the public for 'fool' this morning as he was sent out to defend the shambles

No10 admits PM has not ordered minister to use the NHS app Boris Johnson has not ordered his ministers to download the Covid-19 app, Downing Street said. There is 'no set requirement' for members of the Government to use the app, but they are encouraged to do so. A 'pingdemic' is sweeping the country as cases rise and their contacts are traced by the app, with business chiefs warning of crippling staff shortages. Asked whether ministers were expected to have the app active, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We think that the app is a really important tool and we would encourage everyone to use it.' While 'there is no set requirement', the spokesman said 'we would encourage everyone to download the app - those that haven't already, a significant number already have - and to use it'. The Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are among those isolating after being identified as contacts of Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for Covid-19. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Johnson should insist on his ministers using the app following reports some had deleted it. In a letter to the Prime Minister, he said: 'If a member of the Government refuses to post proof online that they use the Covid-19 tracing app, you should sack them on the spot. No app, no job - simple as that.' Advertisement

'This has been an extraordinarily challenging time.'

Asked whether the Government had made an error over the pilot scheme, Mr Zahawi said: 'Of course, and as soon as the Prime Minister realised that this would be wrong, he came out very clearly and said ''We will self-isolate, that's the right thing to do''.'

Mr Johnson is facing more questions today over the exact sequence of events, after he was mocked last night for a video in which he claimed using the pilot scheme had only been considered 'briefly'.

Downing Street released a statement at 8am yesterday declaring that they would take advantage of the scheme, and Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick then confirmed the news on the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

However, No10 then issued a further statement at around 10.30am saying that the PM would self-isolate, while Mr Sunak tweeted to announce he would obey the quarantine.

Mr Javid tested positive on Saturday morning, but it is not clear when Mr Johnson was notified. If he was contacted on Saturday his 'brief' consideration of using the pilot scheme could have lasted a day, and potentially exposed staff.

The PM's official spokesman said he did not know 'specifically' when Mr Johnson discovered Mr Javid had tested positive for coronavirus.

The official also could not confirm what day or time Mr Johnson was contacted by NHS Test and Trace, merely insisting he was at Chequers at the time.

The spokesman refused to say whether Carrie Johnson is with her husband in Buckinghamshire as well but did reveal Mr Sunak is quarantining in his flat above 10 Downing Street.

'We do abide by the regulations and ministers have been taking the requisite precautions,' the spokesman said.

'It is down to NHS Test and Trace to decide what constitutes a close contact  there are broad guidelines but they may take other things into account.

'The Chancellor, Prime Minister and Health Secretary, as you would expect, have a number of meetings which can last more than an hour certainly, so obviously Test and Trace have taken that decision, but it is not for me to comment on how they came to that decision.'

In a speech this afternoon, Sir Keir said: 'Let's be clear: Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak only went into isolation because they were busted.

'We've seen once again their instincts on show: one rule for them, another rule for the rest of us.

'The Government needs to publish all the details of how ministers deem themselves eligible for this scheme at a time when the public have not had the same access to it.'

Sir Keir, who said he was still using the Covid app and kept the contact tracing feature turned on, said that 'many businesses and individuals have struggled to do the right thing and follow the rules'.

He said: 'They would have benefited from this policy.'

And the Labour leader added: 'There are hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced to miss family events, close businesses and go without pay because they have done the right thing, and yet ministers have played the system.

'Children sent home from school after positive cases in their bubble, NHS staff working overtime to cover staff absences, and businesses struggling to run a normal level of service due to their employees self-isolating.

'These people deserve an immediate answer from ministers about the Cabinet's participation in this scheme.'

Speaking from Labour's headquarters in London, Sir Keir said: 'This cannot go on.

'The public need clear leadership at this time, not this hypocritical way of trying to do things that just undermine confidence in the rules and puts lives at risk.

'We can't afford to get this wrong. The price we'll all pay is too high.

'So I call on the Prime Minister to join me in urging everyone, including his ministers and his mates, to continue to follow the rules on self-isolation.'

He said Labour would not back the lifting of all measures and would keep mandatory mask-wearing, guidance to work from home where possible, and the implementation of ventilation plans, if the party were in power.

And he said: 'The Government urgently needs to change course, drop plans to lift all restrictions and rebuild public faith in the isolation system they have undermined at the same time.'

There is also confusion over whether Transport for London was part of the pilot. No10 pointed to the organisation's staff being covered by the exemption yesterday, but it suggested that was not the case.

Mr Zahawi appeared unaware of the situation in interviews this morning, speculating that TfL might have been on the scheme previously and dropped out.

Freedom Day officially went ahead today despite the muddle.

But the lifting of almost all legal restrictions has merely fuelled fears about spiking cases bringing the economy grinding to a halt, as more and more people are doomed to house arrest.

Experts estimate around 1.8million people are still self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace.

And many firms say their sites are having to open with reduced hours or shut completely because up to a quarter of staff are off as a precautionary measure. The Road Haulage Association has warned of impending chaos in supply chains, with chief executive Rod Mackenzie telling the FT: 'Far from freedom day being freedom day, it's going to be disaster day.'

In a key concession today, frontline NHS workers will be exempted from the rules to prevent hospitals having to cancel operations because of staff shortages.

But this morning vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi appeared to dash hopes that the exemption could be ditched for the double-jabbed before August 16, as well as suggesting that the sensitivity of the app will remain the same for the time being.

Iceland supermarket boss Richard Walker accused the Government of 'squandering the advantages' of its successful vaccination programme by forcing double-jabbed people to self-isolate, adding: 'We're behaving like it's the dark days of March 2020'.

A YouGov poll for The Times found that a majority of the public does not support Freedom Day going ahead

Humphrey Cobbold, the CEO of PureGym, which has more than 1.1million members in 287 sites, said: 'We've been talking internally about living in the United Pingdom and it's become a huge challenge for individuals and businesses', adding his staff are 'being pinged all the time'.

He added: 'Up to 25 per cent of our staff in some areas have been asked to self-isolate. Through flexibility we've been able to keep sites open so far but it's been a really close call. I think there is a different way to react to the pings for the double vaccinated and using lateral flow tests that would keep the economy functioning'.

Greene King pub boss Nick MacKenzie said: 'It's a problem and it could get worse. It is disruptive to the business. We had to close 33 pubs in the past week because of a lack of staff and across the industry we think it is one in 5 who have been affected by this and therefore it is causing us a real issue on a daily basis. We are having to have shorten hours in certain circumstances.'

He added: 'We need clarity from government on how the app works and we need to move to a test and release scheme where people can take a lateral flow test every day and get back to work and some sort of normality'.
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Usage of London's transport and roads network failed to rise on Freedom Day today despite the UK's rail network as a whole having its busiest Monday since the pandemic began as Covid restrictions lifted in England.

Transport for London said Tube travel was at 38 per cent of normal demand today and unchanged from last week, with 790,000 entries and exits compared to a pre-pandemic baseline of 2.1million. Bus travel was at 68 per cent of normal, and down 4 per cent in a week, with 900,000 boarding taps compared to a 1.31million baseline.

The fall is bus usage is partially a result of schools getting towards the end of term, and the summer is generally quieter across the network. Transport bosses in the capital added that staff observed face mask compliance at around 85 per cent this morning, which is roughly at the same kind of level as has been seen in recent weeks.

Congestion on the capital's roads was at 41 per cent during rush-hour this morning - which was roughly in line with the 8am figure last Friday (40 per cent), according to data from location technology firm TomTom.

But it was down on last Thursday (49 per cent), Wednesday (52 per cent) and Tuesday (48 per cent) - while it was also well below the peak congestion level on Saturday of 51 per cent at 1pm. The congestion levels suggest many Britons are still working from home despite the Government lifting its official working from home guidance.

Meanwhile the Trainline website reported more bookings for travel this Monday than any other Monday in the last 16 months, with the number of tickets sold for this week up 26 per cent on two months ago.

The most popular station to travel to this week is London Euston, followed by Kings Cross, Edinburgh, Manchester Piccadilly, London Paddington, York, Liverpool Lime Street, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham New Street.

Face masks are no longer mandatory on trains in England, but TfL has made them compulsory for its services including the Underground, Overground and buses following a plea from Mayor Sadiq Khan.

It comes amid a 'pingdemic' with an estimated 1.7million people now self-isolating, many of whom have been pinged by the NHS Covid-19 app, which has been affecting staffing on train services on some routes.

Among the train companies affected by isolating staff in recent days have been West Midlands Railway which has warned of delays after its number of staff having to self-isolate has quadrupled in recent weeks.

Further to this, rush-hour commuters on the London Underground today faced delays on the Metropolitan and Central lines this morning due to a series of train cancellations after many drivers were pinged.

Commuters walk along a platform after arriving at London Bridge train station today during the morning rush hour

Commuters travel on a London Underground Jubilee line train towards Westminster at about 8.10am this morning

Commuters stand on board a Piccadilly line train on the London Underground this morning as they wait for the doors to close

Commuters walk across London Bridge this morning as the Government's official working from home guidance is dropped

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan stands at Bond Street station on the London Underground today as the face mask rule remains

Congestion on the capital's roads was at 41 per cent during rush-hour this morning - which was roughly in line with the 8am figure last Friday (40 per cent), according to TomTom. But it was also down on last Thursday (49 per cent), Wednesday (52 per cent) and Tuesday (48 per cent) - while it was also well below the peak congestion level on Saturday of 51 per cent at 1pm

Emma Gibson, director of transport watchdog London TravelWatch, told MailOnline today: 'Many people returning to public transport as part of the final phase of unlocking will want to avoid busy routes and times.

'So it's really important that train companies and TfL provide the best possible, localised travel information about the busyness of their train or bus, so that people can make informed choices about when they feel most comfortable to travel.'

It comes as a survey for Autoglass found 17 per cent of drivers were now using their cars more often to avoid commuter crowds, with 47 per cent expecting to use their vehicles more frequently in the next two months and only 7 per cent saying they would drive less.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has appealed to people to exercise their new freedoms with caution as most mandatory lockdown restrictions in England are finally lifted.

Social-distancing rules which, in one form or another, have governed people's lives for over a year finally ended this morning at one minute past midnight.

Face masks are no longer mandatory in shops and on public transport, limits on gathering have gone and the work from home guidance has ended.

Nightclubs, theatres and restaurants can fully reopen, while pubs are no longer restricted to table service only.

Commuters look at their phones on a Jubilee Line train at 8.50am in London this morning on so-called 'Freedom Day'

Commuters stand on board a Jubilee line train at London Bright station this morning as Covid-19 rules are relaxed

Passengers travel on the Jubilee line this morning as masks remain mandatory on all Transport for London services

Commuters get on a Jubilee line train at 8.43am this morning at Canning Town station in East London

Commuters travel on the Jubilee line this morning as some Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed in England today

A busy platform at London Bridge station on the Jubilee line this morning on what has been dubbed 'Freedom Day'

But with Covid-19 cases continuing to soar and renewed warnings about the pressure on the NHS, there was no mood of celebration in Government.

Mr Johnson is spending so-called 'freedom day' self-isolating at his official country residence at Chequers after being 'pinged' by NHS Test and Trace following a contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who subsequently tested positive for the virus.

Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who also met Mr Javid on Friday, initially tried to get round the requirement to quarantine by saying they would join a daily workplace testing programme being trialled by the Cabinet Office.

However they were forced into a hasty U-turn amid widespread public anger at their 'special treatment' while tens of thousands of people were being forced to miss work or school and stay home.

Mr Johnson will self-isolate until July 26, which will include the final Prime Minister's Questions before the Commons goes into recess, and the two-year anniversary of him entering No 10, which is on Saturday.

With new cases of the virus already having passed the 50,000-a-day mark, some scientists have expressed concern at the ending of restrictions while the Delta variant is spreading so rapidly.

Meanwhile in Scotland, where restrictions have been eased but not lifted, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also emphasised the need for caution.

The whole of the country has dropped to the lowest level of its five-tier system with social-distancing reduced to just one metre, although face coverings remain mandatory in shops and on public transport.

Ms Sturgeon said talk in England of 'freedom day' was 'not sensible' and that it was important to ease up on restrictions gradually.

It follows a series of rule changes in Wales which came in on Saturday, while in Northern Ireland regulations are expected to ease from July 26.
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Scientists have been left puzzled over No10's 'bizarre' decision to put France on an amber-plus travel list, pointing to data showing travellers to Spain and Greece may pose more of a risk.

Ministers lifted the 10-day home quarantine rules for fully vaccinated Brits returning from countries on the amber list today. But the self-isolation rules won't apply to France, which was slapped in a stricter tier amid fears over the 'persistent presence' of the Beta variant.

Experts were baffled over why France was singled out, given its outbreak isn't spiralling anywhere near as quickly as it is in the other holiday hotspots of Spain and Greece  where the vaccine-resistant strain is understood to be more prevalent.

Data collated by European health chiefs show the South African variant, as it is also known, was behind just four per cent of all cases in France last week.

For comparison, its prevalence was five times higher in neighbouring Spain, where it made up slightly more than a fifth of all new infections. The variant was also more common in Greece (13.4 per cent).

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the data suggests France 'does not have a problem with Beta'. He told MailOnline the move was 'bizarre' because Spain and Greece 'seem to have rather more cases than France'.

Other academics tracking the pandemic said they 'would not be surprised' if the two nations were stuck on the tougher amber-plus list. Travel experts have also predicted Spain and Greece are likely to be next on the chopping block for summer holidays.

Thousands of Brits are currently in Spain and Greece  with both currently on the amber list. Current Covid travel restrictions mean fully vaccinated people don't need to quarantine when they get back to England from today.

Experts were baffled over why France was singled out, given its outbreak isn't spiralling anywhere near as quickly as it is in the other holiday hotspots of Spain and Greece  where the vaccine-resistant strain is understood to be more prevalent. Data collated by European health chiefs show the South African variant, as it is also known, was behind just four per cent of all cases in France last week. For comparison, its prevalence was five times higher in neighbouring Spain, where it made up slightly more than a fifth of all new infections. The variant was also more common in Greece (13.4 per cent)

Just 4.2 per cent of all cases in France were caused by the Beta variant in the week ending July 4. Alpha (18.6 per cent), Delta (69 per cent) and Gamma (5.8 per cent) were all found to be more common. During this period, France sequenced 1,466 of the 16,182 cases it recorded

In the week ending July 4, Spain recorded nearly five times as many cases of the Beta variant (21 per cent). But the Alpha (35.3 per cent) and Delta (36.1 per cent) strains were still more dominant. During this week, Spain sequenced just 124 of the 73,833 positive tests it recorded

Greece recorded more than three times more Beta variant cases than France in the week ending July 4 (13.4). The Delta (41.4 per cent) variant is the most dominant in the country, followed by Alpha (25.6 per cent). On this week, Greece sequenced 567 of the 5,059 positive tests it recorded

What are the rules for people returning to England from abroad? AMBER LIST Take a Covid-19 test in the three days before you arrive in Britain

Book and pay for day two and day eight Covid-19 tests  to be taken after arrival in England

Quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days, and complete a passenger locator form

From July 19, if you are vaccinated, you won't need to quarantine in England - but you will need to take a test before arriving back in the country, and then another on day two after your return For arrivals returning from an amber list country, before arriving in England, you must take a private PCR or lateral flow test in the three days before the service on which you will arrive in England departs. For example, if you travel to England on Friday, you can take the test on or after Tuesday and will need to have the negative result available before boarding on Friday. Before you arrive in England, you must also book and pay for day two and day eight Covid-19 tests, to be taken after your arrival in England. But under the Test to Release scheme you can choose to pay for a private Covid-19 test on day five. If the result is negative (and the result of your day two test result was negative or inconclusive), you can end your quarantine. From 4am on July 19, you will not need to quarantine on arrival in England or take a day eight Covid-19 test, as long as you are fully vaccinated. This means that you have had your final dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before the date you arrive in England. If you are not fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme, you will have to quarantine on arrival and take both the day 2 and day 8 tests. If you arrive in England before 4am on July 19, you must follow the current rules, even if you have been fully vaccinated. RED LIST You can only enter England if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK

Take a Covid-19 test in the three days before you arrive in Britain

Book a quarantine hotel package, including two Covid-19 tests, and fill out a passenger locator form If you have been in a country or territory on the red list in the last ten days you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK. You must also take a Covid-19 test in the three days before you arrive and book into a quarantine hotel. The rate for one adult in one room for ten days (11 nights) is 1,750, while the additional rate for one adult (or child over 11) is 650, and for a child aged 5 to 11 it is 325. While in the quarantine hotel you must also take two Covid-19 tests. GREEN LIST Take a Covid-19 test in the three days before you arrive in Britain

Book and pay for a day two Covid-19 test, which will be taken after your arrival in England

Complete a passenger locator form Before arriving in England, you must take a private PCR or lateral flow test in the three days before the service on which you will arrive in England departs. You cannot take an NHS test abroad with you to use on yourself before you return. If you are returning to the UK within three days, you can use the result of a Covid-19 test that you take in the UK before you travel - but this must be from a private test provider and not the NHS. Advertisement

He said: 'There was jump in sequenced Beta cases in the week ending June 27, but this was likely an artefact due to very few tests being sequenced.

'So maybe someone looked at data from just that week.'

Alex Taylor, a British journalist who lives in France, suggested No10 looked at infection data from Reunion, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, around 5,700 miles from Paris, where the Beta strain is dominant.

Announcing the decision on Friday night, the Department of Health and Social Care said the move followed the 'persistent presence' of Beta cases in France.

Professor Hunter said: 'There may be other reasons unclear to me for the move but I am surprised.

'Spain and Greece seem to have rather more of the Beta variant than France, so thats bizarre.

'I personally cannot see a real or valid public health reason for doing it. Even if the Beta reduces protection given by the vaccine, the jab still prevents severe cases and deaths.

'I can't see any value of having France or any other country on the amber-plus list solely on the prevalence of variants. In terms of controlling infectious variants, the horse is gone.

'I think the Government has taken a reasonable approach up to now.

'But if you go to France or Spain, you are more likely to be positive than the guy who checks your passport.'

Dr Simon Clarke, a cellular microbiologist at the University of Reading, said the decision 'came out of nowhere' and 'no one was expecting it.'

He said: 'It is most reliable to look at infection rates and I have heard suggestions that other countries will be added.

'Anywhere with infection rates similar or higher, I would not be surprised if they were added.'

Professor James Naismith, a senior researcher in structural biology at the University of Oxford, said: 'The Beta variant is of concern since it has more potential to infect vaccinated individuals.

'The Beta variant is already in the UK but it has been out competed by the Delta variant. It surprises me with Delta cases so high in UK other countries allow UK tourists to visit.

'Travel bans can at best buy time, that is all.

'As Israel showed and the UK is showing, even high vaccination levels do not completely stop delta spread.

'Vaccination does dramatically reduce death and illness. Delta in an low vaccinated countries will result in a catastrophe.

'As the UK has unlocked, Delta and presumably Beta, have the opportunity spread more quickly.'

Despite the questions around why the Government added France to the amber-plus list, experts said they may have seen different data that is not accessible to the public.

Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shows France sequenced 0.09 per cent of all positive cases in the most recent week.

Of the cases sequenced, just 4.2 per cent were linked with the Beta variant. Alpha (18.6 per cent), Delta (69 per cent) and Gamma (5.8 per cent) were all found to be more common.

For comparison, Britain sequences 10.5 per cent of all cases and spotted Alpha (1.2 per cent) and Delta (98.8 per cent) in the seven days up to July 7, but recorded no new Beta cases.

Meanwhile, Spain and Greece have sequenced just 0.17 per cent of cases and 0.11 per cent of cases in the last seven day period.

Experts now fear Spain, Greece, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands could join the amber-plus list.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency told i there will likely be further changes to the amber-plus list as countries see higher infection rates.

Tim White, a data analyst, warned that Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands could be at risk, in addition to Spain and Greece.
'Arrogant' Sydneysiders in glitzy beachside suburbs have been warned their beloved beaches and scenic coastal walks could be shut down if locals continue to flout Covid lockdown laws.

Targeted coastal operations were carried out by high-visibility police patrols at Bondi, Manly and other areas on Monday, to make sure social distancing rules were being adhered to, with cops admitting they have considered closing the beaches.

Footage taken on the city's Northern Beaches at Manly even showed mums with prams being spoken to by police and warned to mask up.

NSW recorded 98 cases on Monday as Sydney and surrounding regions entered their fourth week of gruelling lockdown.

In last year's lockdown, all Sydney beaches and even the popular Bondi to Coogee coastal walk in the east were closed and taped off, but this year have so far remained open - leading to huge amounts of people seen enjoying the winter sun.

Minister for Police and Emergency services, David Elliot was angry after receiving reports and seeing photos of the crowded beach area's (Bondi beach pictured) in Sydney's east

Pictured: Mums with prams are spoken to by police and warned to mask-up in Manly on Monday

Although there is very little evidence of outdoor transmission of coronavirus in Australia, government health advice is to wear a face mask in crowds when social distancing is not possible.

Gladys Berejiklian said earlier this month that not one of the state's cases had been transmitted while exercising outdoors, with exercise one of the essential reasons Sydneysiders can leave the home.

Photos from Bondi and Manly showing huge maskless crowds by the beach caused uproar over the weekend, with many in the western suburbs crying foul.

In the Covid-ravaged Local Government Areas of Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown and Fairfield, lockdown restrictions are harsher than anywhere else and police have descended on the area in recent weeks dishing out fines for residents and businesses deemed to not be following the rules.

But those in the area say the same strict policing strategy is not being applied to others living in more affluent suburbs.

Minister for Police and Emergency services David Elliot was furious after receiving reports of promenades along Bondi and Manly beaches packed with people exercising and walking their dogs while enjoying the winter sunshine.

He warned that if the situation doesn't get under control those areas will have to close as they did during the first Covid wave in 2020.

'Arrogant' Sydneysiders in glitzy beachside suburbs have been warned their beloved beaches and scenic coastal walks could be shut down if locals continue to flout Covid lockdown laws (pictured, crowds at Bronte Beach in Sydney's east on Monday)

Targeted coastal operations were carried out by high-visibility police patrols at Bondi, Manly and other areas on Monday, to make sure social distancing compliance was being adhered to (pictured, police on bikes conduct Covid compliance patrols in Bondi)

'I can't believe the good people of Fairfield have responded with an A-plus and the people of the eastern suburbs seem to think Covid won't infect them,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'It's like they are living on another planet. It's not only selfish but it is arrogance of the highest order.'

But Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos says she's fed up with all the Bondi-bashing and says most people are just trying to do their daily essential exercise lawfully.

'We only have an area of just 8sq/km and we've got 75,000 people,' she told Nine News.

'So we are very highly densely populated and our open spaces are where people go to recreate.'

Eastern suburbs residents flocked to beaches for their daily dose of exercise over the weekend, as Bondi (pictured) and Manly were captured with hundreds of people outside

Police are pictured speaking to a young mother and her child at Bondi Beach in Sydney

Former federal deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said he's not worried about the busy scenes seen at beaches, citing a low risk of transmission.

'I didn't have an issue with what we saw over the weekend,' he told the Today show on Monday.

But Dr Coatsworth said the risk of the virus of being transmitted while exercising outdoors was far less than at a packed stadium of fans at a sporting match or concert.

Thousands of AFL and rugby union fans were ordered to isolate for 14 days after they were deemed as close contacts of an infected case at separate matches in Melbourne in recent days.

'I think we've got to be moderate about this. Of course the Delta strain does transmit outdoors but only in very close circumstances,' Dr Coatsworth said.

'There was a Trans music festival in the Netherlands, of course 20,000 people in close proximity listening to dance music and of course, in that sort of situation, you may get transmission.

'But if you're walking past someone during your morning exercise, that is not going to be an issue.'

But Dr Coatsworth said the scenes in Bondi and Manly on the weekend shouldn't be compared with other parts of Sydney.

'If people want to exercise in south-west Sydney, the eastern suburbs or the north, I believe they're more than entitled to,' he added.

'I think that, of course, the risk of transmission outdoors is exceptionally low and as long as people are following the rules, as stipulated by the NSW Government, it doesn't matter where they are in Sydney.

'They should allowed to follow those rules and I'm sure the police will exercise appropriate leniency when reminding people about what those restrictions actually are.'
Public schools in Texas are one step closer to no longer being required to teach about the various civil rights movements in U.S. history after the state Senate voted 18-4 to drop the requirements on Friday.

Senate Bill 3 would allow teachers to exclude lessons about Martin Luther King, Jr., the history of Native Americans, Cesar Chaves, Susan B. Anthony and other important figures and documents from their class curriculums.

The bill is now stalled as the Texas House cannot vote on it due to the group of 51 'runaway' Democrats currently in Washington, D.C. The lawmakers fled the Lone Star state in order to block a 'restrictive' voting reform bill proposed by conservatives.

Texas Senate Bill 3 would allow for not only the Fugitive Slave Acts and Indian Removal Act to be no longer required in classes, but also the writings of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson that relate to race

The bill also allows teachers to bypass lessons around the Chicano movement, Brown vs. the Board of Ed, the Emancipation Proclamation and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech

The works of Abigail Adams and Dolores Huerta would also no longer be a requirement, as well as the women's suffrage movement and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, above, defended Senate Bill 3, saying students should 'not be indoctrinated by the ridiculous leftist narrative that America and our Constitution are rooted in racism'

Senate Bill 3, authored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, drops more than two dozen teaching requirements and comes after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill to ban teachers from discussing critical race theory and the 1619 Project, academic frameworks that explore the history of racism in the U.S.

"Our classrooms should be places for fostering a diverse and fact-based discussion of various perspectives," said Hughes. "They're not for planting seeds for a divisive political agenda."

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, said in a statement that the bill 'will make certain that critical race philosophies including the debunked 1619 founding myth, are removed from our school curriculums statewide.'

'Parents want their students to learn how to think critically, not be indoctrinated by the ridiculous leftist narrative that America and our Constitution are rooted in racism,' he added.

Last week, several students and teachers from across the state testified against passing Senate Bill 3.

Members of the Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition joined the testimony to speak out against the passing of Senate Bill 3 on Friday

The coalition advocates for improving the state of public education in Texas. Members came from across the state to voice their opinions on the dropping of more than a dozen requirements from classroom curriculums that deal with the nation's civil rights movements.

Grateful to be here with these incredible educators to oppose #SB3. Our students deserve for us to #TeachTheTruth.@EdsInSolidarity pic.twitter.com/UC6yFVVupl  Samantha Greenleaf (@SMGreenleaf) July 15, 2021

Morgan NAILS it outlining many of the ways #SB3 is hurtful to kids, including that it will result in gaslighting by trying to convince kids their experiences arent real. At no point in history has controlling thought and suppressing free speech been helpful. @MorganICraven pic.twitter.com/umq2j2OT7E  Alycia Castillo (@alycia_castillo) July 15, 2021

The ACLU of Texas also spoke out against the bill on Twitter.

'Teachers should not be censored from educating students about our history, no matter how inconvenient elected officials find it to talk about race,' the ACLU wrote in a statement.

Last week, the Texas Senate also passed bills that would strip away requirements in which students learn white supremacy is 'morally wrong' and ban medically induced abortions after seven weeks into a pregnancy, the Texas Tribune reports.
Labour MP David Lammy slated Facebook for vile racial abuse then three weeks later earned 2,870 from the social media giant for speaking at an event.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, 49, railed against the Mark Zuckerburg-owned company in a weekend boycott of all platforms in April.

And on Friday he endorsed online an article claiming the government had been hypocritical about racism and needed to tackle social media harder.

But he was today accused of 'lacking credibility' after a MailOnline audit of MPs register of members interests showed he was being paid by Facebook.

It showed Mr Lammy received 2,870 from the company for speaking at an event on May 22.

Today both his local constituency and Parliament offices refused to explain exactly what the speech entailed. Mr Lammy asked for the enquiry to be texted to him when he spoke briefly on the phone but has not replied.

There was also no trace of any mention of it on Mr Lammy's own social media platforms, where he is a prolific poster.

Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke told MailOnline: It just seems to be another example of do as I say, not as I do.

Labour MP and campaigner David Lammy, 49, is the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice

The register of members' financial interests list the payment from Facebook to Mr Lammy

The Facebook-funded speech happened three weeks after he savaged the firm online

My question would be what credibility do you have if you do something like this?

How can you make a credible argument against social media if you take nearly 3,000 from it?

I think in these circumstances if you take a platform to speak against an organisation, you cant go and then take money from it.

The money came via the Highbury-based Speakers Corner, a bureau which represents famous figures and hires them out for functions and panels.

Documents suggested Mr Lammy had been paid the money on June 30 last year.

It seems the engagement may have been postponed by the pandemic as the papers state the event happened on May 22, 2021.

Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke, left, said the payment by Facebook, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, right, raised questions for the Labour MP

The sum - which is more than most people's monthly salaries - was for two-and-a-half hours' work.

Less than a month ago Speakers Corner had proudly posted a testimonial from a customer that had used Mr Lammy.

It said after the glowing reference from 'Trainline.com Limited': 'Always delighted when we receive great feedback from our clients, especially when empowered by incredible speakers like David Lammy.

'To learn more about David, one of the leading agenda setters in the fields of social activism and diversity, please visit his page.'

Mr Lammy had been accused of spreading fake news on social media after sharing a four-year-old video back in 2019.

In the clip, filmed at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester in 2015, Boris Johnson was pelted by plastic balls by protesters and is ushered through a metal arch by uniformed police officers.

As 2019's Tory Conference got underway in the city, the MP for Tottenham posted the footage with no reference to its age, tweeting: 'Boris Johnson as popular as ever.'

Presenter Piers Morgan, who has clashed with Mr Lammy online previously, retweeted the post at the time to say: 'That video is from 2015, so this is not only fake news, but also a very hypocritical way for a Labour MP to respond to a politician being attacked in this way.

'If it was one of your colleagues, Mr Lammy, you'd go nuts.'

An hour after posting the Tweet Mr Lammy backed down and deleted the post but stopped short of apologising.

Speakers Corner did not elaborate on the nature of the speech or event Facebook paid for.
The Press Council considered whether its Standards of Practice were breached by articles published in Daily Mail Australia headed 'Cross-dressing serial killer, 75, wants YOU to pay for his sex change surgery when he's released from jail  and he looks almost certain to get his way' on 20 October 2020 and 'Notorious cross-dressing serial killer who bludgeoned his fiancee to death with a piece of wood walks free after 23 years in jail  despite her brother's pleas for him never to be released' on 12 November 2020.

The October article reported 'A cross-dressing serial killer set to be freed from jail wants a taxpayer-funded sex change upon his release'. The article quoted the brother of one of the murder victims saying: 'It's disgusting to think this man will be out and trying to use taxpayers' money to have a sex change'.

The article went on to report that the 'NSW State Parole Authority said there is nothing it can do in its power to prevent the convicted murderer from having the surgery' and included the comments from the NSW Attorney General saying that he 'had sought legal advice on applying for a continuing detention order to keep Arthurell behind bars.'

The November article reported that the person had been released from prison and 'came out as a transgender while in custody and told authorities he hopes to have a sex change and live the remainder of his life a woman'. The article said 'he has been referring to himself as a female and asked all prison workers to treat him as a woman inside jail'. The article quoted the brother of one of the murder victims saying there 'wouldn't be a member of the (parole) board that would like this person living in their neighbourhood, let alone living as a neighbour'.

In response to complaints, the Press Council asked the publication to comment on whether the articles complied with the Council's Standards of Practice, which require publications to take reasonable steps to ensure that factual material is presented with reasonable fairness and balance, and that writers' expressions of opinion are not based on significantly inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts (General Principle 3); and to avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice, or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest (General Principle 6).

The Council noted that complaints expressed concern that the prominent references to the planned 'sex change' suggest that gender affirming surgery is not medically necessary; that the gender treatment itself is as abhorrent as the crimes committed; and that the references to being transgender were prejudicial, given that it was not a relevant factor at the time the crimes were committed.

In response, the publication said it is in the public interest to report on the release into the community of a convicted multiple murderer and to report the views of the brother of one of the victims. The publication noted that the October article reported that the brother had a very strong opposing view to the person using tax-payers' dollars to have gender affirming surgery.

The publication said the articles are factual and neither article states nor suggests that the gender affirming surgery was not necessary or that it is as abhorrent as the crimes described. The publication said that referring to the person's transgender status is a significant fact to both articles as it allows its readers to understand the history of the case.

The publication said it was reported at the parole hearing that the person had identified as a woman and that she wanted to commence gender affirming surgery.

Conclusion

The Council recognises the importance of allowing the brother of a murder victim to express his robust personal views on the release of the prisoner. However, in relation to the October article, the Council considers that the headline's prominent reference to gender affirming surgery being at the cost of the 'taxpayer,' together with the comments in the article stating that the parole board is powerless to stop the surgery, diminishes the importance of the surgery. The Council considers the headline and comments in the article unfairly imply that such surgery is either not medically necessary or that such surgery should not be paid for by Medicare. The Council considers this unfairness is compounded by an absence of any balancing comments, either in support of why such surgery is medically necessary treatment, or in support of rights of released prisoners to access public health care. Accordingly, the publication has failed to present factual material with reasonable fairness and balance in breach of General Principle 3.

The Council considered there was a public interest in the public being informed about the prisoner's release given the seriousness of the crimes committed. However, the Council does not consider there was sufficient public interest in the prominent references to the person's transgender status, which was not reported to have a connection with the crimes for which the person was convicted. The Council considers the prominent references to the person being transgender could lead some readers to conclude this was somehow connected to the crimes and could contribute to substantial prejudice against transgender people. Accordingly, the Council concludes that the publication breached General Principle 6.

The Council considers in relation to the November article, that the publication on balance took reasonable steps to ensure the presentation of factual material in the article was reasonably fair and balanced, and concludes the publication complied with General Principle 3. The Council also accepts the strong public interest in reporting on the release of the prisoner and concludes that the publication complied with General Principle 6. The Council acknowledges the publication amended the article after receiving the complaint to remove the irrelevant and potentially prejudicial references to the person's transgender status.
School leaders today raised fears over parents keeping their children at home for the final days of term to avoid their summer holidays being cancelled by self-isolation.

Mothers and fathers across Britain are said to be desperate to avoid having to stay at home if they are pinged by the NHS Covid-19 app or contacted by Test and Trace.

But headteachers have urged parents to ensure their children still attend if they are not ill or self-isolating despite accepting holidays were important after a 'torrid year'.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, described the situation as a 'grim end to a highly-disrupted academic year'.

It comes as an estimated 1.7million people across the country are currently self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the app or contacted by NHS Test and Trace. It is only a legal requirement to isolate if you are contacted, and not if you are pinged.

A teacher and pupils wear face masks at a school in London in March this year (file picture)

Geoff Barton (left), general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, and Justine Roberts (right), the chief executive of Mumsnet, have spoken about the situation

Mr Barton told MailOnline today: 'We are concerned about parents keeping children at home over the last days of the summer term to avoid the risk of them being asked to self-isolate and this interfering with family holidays.

'We are not casting blame on parents because we understand the importance of holidays after such a torrid year but we would encourage attendance where children are not ill or self-isolating.

Number of children being home-educated in UK 'rises by 75%' The number of children registering for home education in the UK rose by 75% in the first eight months of this school year, according to an investigation by the BBC. The broadcaster received Freedom of Information (FoI) responses from 153 of the 205 county councils and unitary authorities in Great Britain, and all of Northern Ireland, which submitted results as a whole. It found that in north-west England - an area badly hit by Covid cases during the pandemic - numbers were 92% up on the previous two-year average. Increasing numbers of families have switched to home-educating their children full-time amid the pandemic, removing them from the school register and notifying the local council, the BBC found. More than 40,000 pupils were formally taken out of school in the UK between September 2020 - when schools fully reopened - and April 2021, compared with an average of 23,000 over the previous two years, the figures suggest. Some parents and councils - including in former hotspot Bolton - told the BBC the increase is down to 'Covid anxiety'. In December, an Ofsted report found the number of children being home-schooled had risen during the current school year. Almost three-fifths of schools told inspectors they had at least one pupil whose parents had removed them from school to be home-educated since the start of the autumn term. School leaders said some parents have told them they only want to home-educate temporarily and that their children would return once 'the pandemic is over'. In October, the watchdog suggested anxiety among parents about Covid-19 had driven the increase. Ofsted found that misinformation and myths - often from social media - about the different approaches taken to prevent transmission of the virus had been causing confusion and parental anxiety. There was a 75.6 per cent rise in home education between September 2020 and April 2021, compared with the averages for the same school terms over the previous two school years, the BBC figures suggest. Every nation and region of the UK saw at least a 50 per cent rise, based on the councils that responded. For some, the rate was much higher. The figures from 153 councils do not account for children taken off the register after the end of April 2021, or who have since returned to the classroom. Advertisement

'Schools are currently coping with very significant levels of pupil absence not only for Covid-related reasons but more generally. We are also hearing of more schools having to close because of spiralling Covid rates.

'It is a grim end to a highly-disrupted academic year, and it is essential that the government better supports schools and colleges in the autumn term to minimise further educational disruption.'

Business leaders and MPs have piled pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end the 'pingdemic' farce bringing Britain to its knees.

They spoke out as he had to perform a humiliating U-turn and self-isolate following contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who has tested positive for Covid.

Justine Roberts, the founder and chief executive of Mumsnet, told MailOnline: 'If the Mumsnet forums are any guide, the self-isolation system is creaking at best, with many taking their children out of school early and others saying they will press on with desperately-needed holidays in the UK even if their child gets a notification to isolate.

'To quote one user, 'Nobody is isolating because of school or nursery contacts around here, and nobody is chasing them up.'

'Meantime others - particularly pregnant women or those with clinically vulnerable family members - are aghast at how quickly the system appears to be breaking down.'

From today, key NHS workers will be exempted from the quarantine rule to help avoid hospitals cancelling operations because of staff shortages.

Last month BBC News reported that a father had removed his son from Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, Northumberland, to avoid him having to self-isolate if a classmate got Covid-19.

It comes as Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary revealed he would turn the NHS Covid app off because it is 'complete rubbish'.

The chief executive of the Dublin-based airline group said the app is creating too much 'caution'.

Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak had announced yesterday they would take part in a pilot scheme to avoid quarantine.

This sparked accusations of 'one rule for them and another rule for everybody else'. The backlash saw Downing Street carry out a U-turn inside only three hours.

Mike Cherry of the Federation of Small Businesses questioned why a system to avoid self-isolation was open to politicians.

'Small firms have been struggling to get across mixed messaging regarding the reopening for weeks now, and this is no different,' he said.

'Thousands of small businesses will now be left wondering why the testing pilot is only open to those at the top of government and a handful of big corporates and organisations but not them.'

The CBI said there was an urgent need 'to allow double-jabbed individuals not to self-isolate if they have been informed by NHS Test and Trace that they have come into contact with a Covid-positive individual'.

The British Retail Consortium called for pinged store staff to be able to continue to work if they had a negative test result.

James Bielby, of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, said: 'Food supply chain workers are key workers and, unlike Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak, their workplace doesn't close down for the summer.

'They're needed not only to keep shelves and storerooms stocked, but also to drive the economic recovery of the hospitality sector which the Prime Minister and Chancellor are depending on.'

Former prime minister Tony Blair said the self-isolation system was 'not rational'. Its chaotic results have led to hospitals postponing operations, factories cancelling shifts, disruption to rail services and fears of food shortages.

The boss of Marks & Spencer, Steve Rowe, warned a staff exodus could force the chain to reduce opening hours.

Last night the Government said that from today fully vaccinated frontline NHS and social care workers who are a contact of a positive case would be allowed to work in exceptional circumstances.

They will have to take a PCR test and daily lateral flow tests for the duration of the period they would otherwise have been in isolation.

The Adam Smith Institute yesterday estimated more than 1.7million people were isolating across the UK and warned the figure could reach 5.2million in a month.

** Have you taken your child out of school? Please email: tips@dailymail.com **
Russia said on Monday it had successfully tested a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, a weapon President Vladimir Putin has touted as part of a new generation of missile systems without equal in the world.

The defence ministry said in a statement that the missile had been fired from the Admiral Gorshkov, a warship located in the White Sea.

It travelled at around seven times the speed of sound before hitting a ground target on the coastline of the Barents Sea more than 220 miles away, it claimed.

Pictured: A new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched by the frigate Admiral Gorshkov of the Russian navy from the White Sea, in the north of Russia on July 19, 2021

The target was hit in the Zircon's first state trial and the missile's 'tactical and technical characteristics were confirmed', reported state-owned RIA Novosti and Defence Ministry TV channel Zvezda.

Russia plans to fit the Tsirkon missile system to its submarines and surface ships.

Putin announced an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018 in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield.

The following year, he threatened to deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines that could lurk outside U.S. territorial waters if the United States moved to deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe.

Washington has not deployed such missiles in Europe, but Moscow is worried it might amid rising tensions between the two global superpowers.

Putin has said the Zircon missile would be capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles).

Pictured: A map showing where the missile was fired from a roughly where it struck, over 200 miles away on the coast of the Barents Sea, north of Russia

Some Western experts have questioned how advanced Russia's new generation of weapons is, while recognising that the combination of speed, manoeuvrability and altitude of hypersonic missiles makes them difficult to track and intercept.

An earlier test launch took place in October, on Putin's birthday. Russia's leader hailed it as a 'big event' for the country.

'Equipping our armed forces - the army and the navy - with the latest, truly unparalleled weapon systems will certainly ensure the defence capability of our country in the long term,' Putin said at the time.

The new small-sized hypersonic missiles are seen as modernising Russia's non-nuclear defences.

Russian President Putin (pictured on Friday) announced an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018 in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield

Experts say they will ensure Russia's 'leading position in this field of high-tech type of weapons' and offer 'irresistible blows' to highly-protected targets.

'A ramjet engine was developed specially for the new super-high-speed rocket,' reported Izvestia.

The launch came the day after TASS news agency had suggested a delay in state trials of the missile until August, although they had been scheduled for July.

Tests of the Zircon from submarines and land are due soon.

The missile is on track to go into service next year, deployed first from the stealth-technology Admiral Golovko frigate.

A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles.

But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles.

The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy.

Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets.

Putin has said the Zircon missile would be capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles)

The Zircon adds to Russia's already considerable missile arsenal. It already has the Avangard missile system with a hypersonic glide vehicle which Putin claims strikes 'like a meteorite' and is unstoppable by any defence system.

It is capable of travelling at 20 times the speed of sound, rising outside Earth's atmosphere, and hitting anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes.

There is also the Dagger - hypersonic nuclear-capable missile which operates at ten times the speed of sound.
An asylum seeker has been found dead at a hotel near Heathrow airport, police have today confirmed.

The man, believed to be 24 and from Sudan, was found dead just before 1am on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza hotel, West Drayton.

The hotel, which is to the north of the airport, is used by the Home Office to accommodate asylum seekers. Around 400 people are currently housed there.

Police say the man's death is not being treated as suspicious.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We are truly saddened to hear of the death of an individual in asylum accommodation. The health and wellbeing of asylum seekers will always be our priority.

An asylum seeker has been found dead at a hotel near Heathrow airport, police have today confirmed. Pictured: The Crowne Plaza Heathrow near West Drayton

The man, believed to be 24 and from Sudan, was found dead just before 1am on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza hotel, near Terminal 4. Pictured: A library image of The Crowne Plaza near Heathrow Airport

'We are working closely with a range of organisations to ensure immediate support and assistance is provided to people living in the accommodation who have been affected by this tragic death and await further information from the Metropolitan police as to the findings of their ongoing investigation.'

A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: 'Shortly before 1am on Sunday, 18 July police were notified by the London ambulance service about reports of a person deceased at an address on Stockley Road, West Drayton.

'Officers and paramedics attended and a man in his 20s was pronounced dead at the scene.

'The man's death is not being treated as suspicious and steps are being taken to inform his next of kin.'

According to the Guardian, the man had crossed the Channel from Calais, where he had lived under a bridge for several months.

He had arrived in the UK four months ago and claimed asylum. He was being accommodated in the hotel while the Home Office reviewed his request, it is understood.

The Home Office has used the 100-a-night Crowne Plaza to accommodate asylum seekers for at least a year.

Taxpayers are spending a fortune to put up more than 400 immigrants at the four-star Crowne Plaza hotel just two miles from the UKs biggest airport

An 8ft fence was erected around the perimeter of the Crowne Plaza last summer.

Each room has a double bed, an en-suite bathroom and flatscreen TV. Staff leave three basic meals outside rooms each day while dining areas and leisure facilities are closed. Housekeepers clean the rooms once a week.

In May, a High Court judge ordered the Home Office to move a human trafficking victim out of the 'prison-like' hotel.

A judge said the man, who had escaped from torture in Kuwait, was not a suitable environment for a trafficking victim.

The Home Office said at the time that it had tried to rehouse the man to a new hotel in Leicester but he was unable to make the journey due to a chronic back injury.

The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year how at least 20 hotels across Britain are being used to house migrants who had crossed the Channel as part of a 4 billion, ten-year contract between the Home Office and outsourcing firms.



In December, the Guardian revealed how twenty-nine asylum seekers had died in Home Office accommodation over the previous 12 months.

The figure is five times as many as those who lost their lives crossing the Channel over the same period.

Yesterday, up to 100 migrants were brought ashore by Border Force officers after crossing the English Channel.

Emergency teams intercepted around seven boats before the group of migrants were brought into the port of Dover in Kent.

The Home Office had, as of last night, not confirmed exactly how many made the 21-mile crossing, but it is believed from pictures to be up to 100.

More than 7,400 migrants have made the dangerous Channel dash to reach the UK by small boat so far this year, according to official figures.
A shopkeeper who attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding was one of 12 subpostmasters cleared by the Court of Appeal today after being wrongly convicted in the Post Office IT scandal.

Hasmukh Shingadia, 62, from Upper Bucklebury in West Berkshire, owns a convenience store in the area which the Duke and Duchess used to visit.

He was accused by the Post Office of stealing 16,000 and pleaded guilty because he was 'made to feel' he had to.

Mr Shingadia was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence in 2011 but has since had it quashed.

Hasmukh Shingadia (pictured with his wife Chandrika outside their Spar shop), 62, from Upper Bucklebury in West Berkshire, owns a convenience store in the area which the Duke and Duchess used to visit

He told the Reading Chronicle: 'I was in all the newspapers as the royal wedding guest who was a thief and a fraudster so today is massive for me and my family, but also of course the other subpostmasters who have had their convictions quashed,' he said.

'I'd seen Kate Middleton grow up and I remember her being in my shop on the day the radio was saying she was to marry William. Being a guest at the wedding meant the press focused on my case in court.

'It was an awful time for us when I was convicted. My mother had died the previous year, Id had cancer and undergone surgery to remove a sarcoma, and my daughters were only young at the time and they had people telling them at school that their dad was a thief.'

In April, 39 former subpostmasters who were convicted and even jailed for theft, fraud and false accounting had their names cleared - some after fighting for nearly 20 years.

On Monday, three senior judges overturned the convictions of a further 12 people who were convicted based on evidence from the faulty IT system used by the Post Office from 2000.

Hundreds of innocent Post Office staff were blamed for losses in branch accounts caused by serious flaws in the Fujitsu-developed Horizon computer system which was in use between 1999 and 2015.

The Court of Appeal has cleared 12 more former subpostmasters who were wrongly convicted of offences as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal. Pictured: Former Post Office workers celebrating in April after their convictions were overturned

Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of postmasters were sacked or prosecuted after money appeared to go missing from their branch accounts (file image)

Rather than admit the IT system was defective, the Post Office concealed evidence of the glitches and instead forced its own staff to plead guilty to crimes they knew they had not committed, lawyers representing the 42 who sought to get their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal said.

Many postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for theft, fraud and false accounting, while others were hounded out of work or forced to pay huge sums of 'missing' money. The scandal blighted their lives, as former staff lost their homes and marriages, and suffered ill health as a result.

What was the Horizon computer system and how did it go wrong? Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of postmasters were sacked or prosecuted after money appeared to go missing from their branch accounts (file image) Horizon, an IT system developed by the Japanese company Fujitsu, was rolled out by the Post Office from 1999. The system was used for tasks such as transactions, accounting and stocktaking. However, subpostmasters complained about defects after it reported shortfalls - some of which amounted to thousands of pounds. Some subpostmasters attempted to plug the gap with their own money, even remortgaging their homes, in an attempt to correct an error. Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of subpostmasters were sacked or prosecuted due to the glitches. The ex-workers blamed flaws in the IT system, Horizon, but the Post Office denied there was a problem. In case after case the Post Office bullied postmasters into pleading guilty to crimes they knew they had not committed. Many others who were not convicted were hounded out of their jobs or forced to pay back thousands of pounds of 'missing' money. The Post Office spent 32million to deny any fault in their IT system, before capitulating. However, the postmasters and postmistresses said the scandal ruined their lives as they had to cope with the impact of a conviction and imprisonment, some while they had been pregnant or had young children. Marriages broke down, and courts have heard how some families believe the stress led to health conditions, addiction and premature deaths. Advertisement

One former postmaster, Martin Griffiths, killed himself after he was falsely suspected of stealing 60,000, while some have since died and 'gone to their graves' with convictions against their names.

Lord Justice Holroyde and two other judges quashed the convictions of Robert Ambrose, Hasmukh Shingadia, John Armstrong, Timothy Brentnall, Jerry Hosi, Gurdeep Singh Dhale, John Dickson, Abiodun Omotoso, Malcolm Watkins, Sami Sabet, Carina Price and Rizwan Manjra.

Their appeals were unopposed by the Post Office, and the judge said the court would give full reasons in writing at a later date, but that they should be cleared as soon as possible in the circumstances.

In a statement after the ruling, Post Office chairman Tim Parker issued a grovelling apology for 'the impact on the lives of these postmasters and their families that was caused by historical failures'.

The Post Office had spent 32million to deny any fault in Horizon before capitulating and has since paid a 58million settlement to 557 postmasters following an acrimonious High Court battle. It now faces a further 2,400 claims under a new compensation scheme.

But lawyers representing the former postmasters claimed the Post Office 'still appears to care little about the people whose lives it has destroyed' and called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce a 'judge-led public inquiry', with the power to summons witnesses, into the prosecutions of postmasters.

The Communication Workers Union called for criminal investigations into senior Post Office figures who 'oversaw the criminalisation of hundreds of postmasters' and called for former CEO Paula Vennells, who is said to have known that Horizon could cause money to appear to be missing, to be stripped of her CBE.

Nick Read, Post Office chief executive, said: 'The quashing of historical convictions is a vital milestone in fully and properly addressing the past as I work to put right these wrongs as swiftly as possible, and there must be compensation that reflects what has happened.'

In a statement, Helen Pitcher, chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) - which referred the 42 subpostmasters' convictions to the Court of Appeal - said: 'This has been a serious miscarriage of justice which has had a devastating impact on these victims and their families.

'Every single one of these convictions has clearly had a profound and life-changing impact for those involved.

'Six convictions had already been quashed which had been referred to Southwark Crown Court.

'The Post Office has rightly acknowledged the failures that led to these cases and conceded that the prosecutions were an abuse of process.

Former subpostmasters Janet Skinner (left) and Tracy Felstead (right) outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London, ahead of their appeal against a conviction of theft, fraud and false accounting in March

'We sincerely hope that lessons will be learned from this to prevent anything similar happening elsewhere in the future.'

From wrongful imprisonment to strokes and even suicide: How the Horizon IT scandal devastated victims' lives Welsh postmaster jailed for nine months 'fell off the ladder' after conviction - before picking himself up and seeking challenge to Post Office prosecution Noel Thomas was jailed for nine months in 2006 after he was accused of stealing 48,000 Noel Thomas was jailed for nine months in 2006 after he was accused of stealing 48,000 while he was working for the Post Office in Gaerwen on Anglesey. He told the BBC that he admitted to the charge because he never reported discrepancies he noticed, but insisted he did not take the money and blamed the Horizon computer system. 'I want everyone to have their name cleared and to get to the bottom of what has happened and where the money has gone to,' Mr Thomas told BBC Newyddion 9. 'Thirteen years after jail, I must admit it was hard but I gradually got my confidence back through family, friends and work colleagues. 'Yes, I do feel bitter, and not just for myself - the Post Office have been coming and telling people that they have taken money, that they are a thief.' Family of postmaster who killed himself after being wrongly accused of theft demand Post Office bosses are held accountable Martin Griffiths, 59, took his own life in 2013 after he was falsely suspected of stealing money from Post Office Father-of-two Martin Griffiths, 59, took his own life in 2013 after he was falsely suspected of stealing money from a Post Office in Ellesmere Port, where he had worked for around 20 years. Mr Griffiths was one of hundreds of postmasters who were suspected of false accounting and theft, with some fired or wrongfully convicted, after amounts appeared to vanish from their tills. The family of Mr Griffiths said he delved into his own savings and those of his parents to pay back around 60,000 he was wrongly suspected of taking from the branch. The turmoil lasted for four years, between 2009 and 2013, and had a huge impact on the father-of-two's physical and mental health, his family said. In 2013, Mr Griffiths parked his car on the A41 in Ellesmere Port after leaving a note for his loved ones and took his own life. His family have called for a stricter line of review from the Government and asked for a judge-led enquiry to get to the bottom of the injustices behind the scandal. Postmaster caught up in major IT scandal which saw many falsely accused of accounting fraud suffered a STROKE after he was hounded for 65,000 Peter Murray said he suffered a series of breakdowns and a stroke after he was hounded for 65,000 Peter Murray said he suffered a series of breakdowns and a stroke after he was hounded for 65,000. The 53-year-old, from Wallasey in Merseyside, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He said he was suspended without pay and forced to take out loans and borrow from friends to make monthly repayments to the Post Office. He paid 1,000 a month before learning that he was among many sub-postmasters to face false accusations. 'It left me completely devastated,' added the father of three. 'It caused absolute havoc for my family, I have had several nervous breakdowns. It made me feel like a convict, but I'm not going to let it beat me.' Wife finally clears name of her postmaster husband after he died while still facing false Post Office claim he had stolen 46,000 Marion Holmes, 78, won justice for her late husband, Peter Holmes, who was a respected postmaster in Jesmond, Newcastle, before the Post Office Horizon scandal 'destroyed' his good name Marion Holmes, 78, won justice for her husband, Peter, who was a respected postmaster before the Post Office Horizon scandal 'destroyed' his good name. Ex-police officer Peter Holmes had successfully run a sub Post Office in Jesmond, Newcastle, for 13 years, before his world came crashing down due to issues with the Horizon computer system. When more than 46,000 went missing from his books in 2008, Peter found police at his door and shocking criminal accusations made against him. He was forced to admit four counts of false accounting in order to for prosecutors to drop charges of theft of the money, which could have seen him sent to prison. In fact, Peter was one of a number of people wrongly prosecuted by the Post Office over errors its own system had made. Family of one postmaster said he died a broken man after being forced to clean graves as punishment for a crime he did not commit Julian Wilson (pictured with his wife Karen) was shattered by injustice and exhausted by his attempts to clear his name Julian Wilson was shattered by injustice and exhausted by his attempts to clear his name, they said. He died in 2016, at the age of 67, of bowel cancer. His wife Karen says the disease had it roots in the trauma he endured and the all-consuming campaign for redemption. For years the Post Office had stubbornly insisted its IT systems  called Horizon and designed by a company called Fujitsu  never lied, calling them 'robust'. Last year, following a court case brought by 557 postmasters, Mr Justice Fraser branded Horizon not 'remotely robust'. He added: 'This approach by the Post Office has amounted, in reality, to bare assertions and denials that ignore what has actually occurred. 'It amounts to the 21st century equivalent of maintaining that the earth is flat.' Advertisement

At a hearing in March, the court heard subpostmasters' lives were 'irreparably ruined' as they lost their jobs, homes and marriages after they were prosecuted by the Post Office, which knew the Fujitsu-developed system had 'faults and bugs from the earliest days of its operation'.

Hundreds of people who ran Post Office branches were convicted of various offences during the period of time the system was being used.

The court is also considering appeals brought by a further 18 subpostmasters on Monday and is likely to issue directions as to how their cases should progress.

Solicitor Neil Hudgell, of Hudgell Solicitors - who represented the 12 cleared on Monday as well as 33 former subpostmasters who have cleared their names so far - said in April: 'Each and every subpostmaster walked out of the Royal Courts of Justice and down the steps with their heads held high... completely exonerated and found to be entirely innocent by the courts.

'Now we want to make sure we deliver the same outcome for every other family affected by this. The work goes on.'

Three Court of Appeal judges castigated the Government-owned Post Office in April for hounding its own staff before squandering public money trying to cover up the scandal.

Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of postmasters were sacked or prosecuted after money appeared to go missing from their branch accounts.

Post Office bosses were told glitches in the Fujitsu-developed Horizon computer terminals in branches may be to blame but pursued prosecutions anyway.

In 2019, the Post Office paid a 58million settlement to 557 postmasters following an acrimonious High Court battle, which found the Horizon accounting system contained 'bugs, errors and defects'.

And last year, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) referred the cases of 42 former subpostmasters - many of whom went to prison - to the Court of Appeal.

The Treasury is braced for payouts that could total hundreds of millions as many of the 685 sub-postmasters who were convicted could claim damages.

'The scandal, labelled the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history, has already cost the taxpayer 254million in legal fees and compensation.

Campaigners have demanded that police investigate Post Office bosses and Paula Vennells, who presided over the scandal as chief executive from 2012 to 2019, has faced calls to be stripped of her CBE.

Tory peer Lord Arbuthnot said: 'It wasn't until November last year we discovered the Post Office had known for many, many years that their entire prosecution process was riddled with deception, something they then tried to cover up with their shredding of documents.

'It is high time the police began to take a serious look at whether the Post Office management have been perverting the course of justice.'

In total there are believed to be 3,000 postmaster victims who lost their livelihoods, were bankrupted and fell into ill-health after being chased for 'missing' cash.

The Prime Minister has launched an independent inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal and the police are investigating two Post Office IT experts, which could result in charges of perjury.

Last year a judge said the Post Office's computer experts knew about problems in its IT system in 1999  15 years before the company stopped prosecuting postmasters.

But despite the gravity of the case, not a single Post Office boss, civil servant or minister has been sacked.

Paula Vennells, 62, who ran the company between 2012 and 2019, is accused of covering up the fiasco and dragging hundreds of postmasters into the costly court battle.

She has been forced to resign from a series of prestigious roles but has held on to her CBE for 'services to the Post Office and charity'.

The Post Office earlier said:

'Our priority is to fairly resolve the applications... as soon as possible.'

Mr Furey said the CWU wanted the Post Office's former CEO Paula Vennells to be stripped of her CBE.

Ms Vennells was the chief executive during the period where hundreds of postmasters were blamed for losses from branch accounts because of errors in the Horizon computer system.

An ordained priest, she joined the Post Office in 2007 and was promoted to CEO in 2012. She is said to have known that money could appear to be missing from the accounts.

After leaving the Post Office, she landed roles as an adviser to the Cabinet Office and chairman of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. She was given a CBE in 2019 for services to the Post Office and to charity.

The married mother-of-two kept the 4.5million she earnt during her Post Office tenure, and receives 140,000 a year advising supermarket chain Morrisons and homeware retailer Dunelm.

In June last year, she was forced to step back from the Church of England's ethical investment advisory group due to the furore over the scandal.

In evidence to the Commons business committee she sought to shift the blame for the IT scandal, insisting she did not approve prosecutions of her staff and was misled by computer experts. She was accused of treating postmasters 'with contempt and derision'.

Lord Justice Holroyde said the Court of Appeal had concluded that, in those three cases, 'the reliability of Horizon data was not essential to the prosecution case and that the convictions are safe'.

In the Court of Appeal's written ruling, Lord Justice Holroyde said Post Office Limited (POL) 'knew that there were problems with Horizon'.

The judge added: 'POL knew that subpostmasters around the country had complained of inexplicable discrepancies in the accounts.

'POL knew that different bugs, defects and errors had been detected well beyond anything which might be regarded as a period of initial teething problems.

'In short, POL knew that there were serious issues about the reliability of Horizon.'

Lord Justice Holroyde continued: 'Yet it does not appear that POL adequately considered or made relevant disclosure of problems with or concerns about Horizon in any of the cases at any point during that period.

'On the contrary, it consistently asserted that Horizon was robust and reliable.

'Nor does it appear that any attempt was made to investigate the assertions of subpostmasters that there must be a problem with Horizon.

'The consistent failure of POL to be open and honest about the issues affecting Horizon can, in our view, only be explained by a strong reluctance to say or do anything which might lead to other subpostmasters knowing about those issues.'

The court's written ruling also said: 'These pervasive failures of investigation and disclosure went in each case to the very heart of the prosecution.

'Whatever charges were brought against an individual appellant, and whatever pleas may ultimately have been accepted, the whole basis of each prosecution was that money was missing from the branch account: there was an actual shortfall, which had been caused by theft on the part of the subpostmaster, or at best had been covered up by false accounting or fraud on the part of the subpostmaster.

'But in the 'Horizon cases', there was no evidence of a shortfall other than the Horizon data.

'If the Horizon data was not reliable, there was no basis for the prosecution.

'The failures of investigation and disclosure prevented the appellants from challenging, or challenging effectively, the reliability of the data.

'In short, POL as prosecutor brought serious criminal charges against the subpostmasters on the basis of Horizon data, and by its failures to discharge its clear duties it prevented them from having a fair trial on the issue of whether that data was reliable.'

Allowing 39 of the appeals on the grounds that those subpostmasters' prosecutions were 'an affront to the conscience of the court', Lord Justice Holroyde said: 'Throughout the period covered by these prosecutions POL's approach to investigation and disclosure was influenced by what was in the interests of POL, rather than by what the law required.'

The judge said there was 'clear evidence of systemic failures by POL over many years', with the same failures occurring in 'case after case, year after year'.

He added: 'POL as prosecutor knew that the consequences of conviction for a subpostmaster would be, and were, severe ... many of these appellants went to prison.'

The judge continued: 'Those that did not suffered other penalties imposed by the courts; all would have experienced the anxiety associated with what they went through; all suffered financial losses, in some cases resulting in bankruptcy; some suffered breakdowns in family relationships; some were unable to find or retain work as a result of their convictions - causing further financial and emotional burdens; some suffered breakdowns in health; all suffered the shame and humiliation of being reduced from a respected local figure to a convicted criminal; and three ... have gone to their graves carrying that burden.'

The Post Office conceded that 39 of the 42 appellants' appeals should be allowed, on the basis that 'they did not or could not have a fair trial'.

But it had opposed 35 of those 39 cases on a second ground of appeal, which is that the prosecutions were 'an affront to justice'.
Mia Peers (pictured), 20, has been jailed for five years for hiding a gun for her boyfriend

A young mother who starred in the Channel 4 show Educating Greater Manchester has been jailed for five years for hiding a gun and ammunition for her boyfriend.

Mia Peers, 20, was arrested after confessing to her mother that she had been given the self loading pistol and five 9mm bullets when she was held at knifepoint by gangsters looking for the weapon last year.

Officers arrived at Peers' home in Little Hulton, Salford, on November 28 to find the teen, who was 19 at the time, sobbing in her kitchen before she showed them the stash inside a drawstring bag under the stairs.

The youngster had shot to fame in the 2017 fly on the wall documentary after discovering she was pregnant aged 15 whilst sitting her GCSEs. She later had a daughter.

Now 20, Peers is currently pregnant with her second child and will be detained in a mother and a baby unit at Styal women's prison in Cheshire after she gives birth later this year. Her first born little girl, aged four, is now living with her grandmother.

Peers was handed the drawstring bag by her unnamed partner who told her to hide it and 'not ask any questions' and 'not let anyone go near it.'

Manchester Crown Court heard she was suspicious but did not realise the bag contained a firearm until a week later when she was at a friend's house with two other children and armed masked men burst into the property.

They held knives to the throat of Peers and demanded they hand over the gun, before fleeing empty handed when they realised they had targeted the wrong house.

Detectives later interviewed her over the attack but she failed to tell them about the package and when she returned home she looked inside the drawstring bag and found the gun.

She told her mother who in turn told the police.

Jane Dagnall prosecuting said: 'She told the officers exactly where the bag was and she told the police how it came to be under the stairs and told them she was too scared to tell them about it initially.'

Tests revealed the serial number of the pistol had been erased and it had been adapted to fire semi and automatic rounds.

Peers pictured after following arrest after confessing to her mother that she had been given the self loading pistol and five 9mm bullets to hide for her boyfriend

Peers as a school student on the Channel 4 show Educating Greater Manchester, which aired back in 2017

Peers pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition and was given a mandatory minimum of five years jail under UK gun laws.

She had changed address several times since the incident, living with friends, for her own safety.

Her lawyer Jacob Dyer said: 'She was in shock following the attack and then told her mum about the weapon.

'Clearly she was in fear of the consequences for her. She was extremely vulnerable to exploitation and there was some sort of infatuation with her partner.

'These are exceptional circumstances. A custodial sentence would be a tragic outcome for her.'

But Judge Timothy Smith said: 'The intention of Parliament is to deter gun culture and deter the use of guns and gun violence in areas where there is gun culture and where it is prevalent.

'This is prevalent in areas of Manchester where there is organised crime and when these guns are on the street they are used to kill and inflict injuries of the utmost severity.

'They are used to impose terror on others and to enforce criminal activity.

'Those who engage in these acts need a safe place to store their weapons.

'Those who are looking for refuge for these guns look for people exactly like you - and that is just the reason why there has to be a deterrent.

Peers back in 2017, showing viewers of Educating Greater Manchester an ultrasound image of her baby girl

Peers' lawyer Jacob Dyer said 'she was extremely vulnerable to exploitation and there was some sort of infatuation with her partner'

'It's harsh for somebody in your position, but that's the consequence of a deterrent sentence and it is not something that is arbitrary or disproportionate.

'This is one of those sentencing exercises that troubles the court because of your particular circumstances.

'You are young, you have no previous convictions but the person who brought the gun was somebody you were aware had a reputation of some type but you didn't ask any questions.'

Educating Greater Manchester followed the students of Harrop Fold School in Little Hulton.

Peers appeared on the programme when she was 15, back in 2017.

She held up baby scan pictures and was seen telling teachers she did not want to sit one of her exams due to the pain of being pregnant.

She later gave birth, sat all her exams and subsequently studied hairdressing at Salford City College.

At the time her mother Nicola said: 'Whatever Mia decided we were always going to support her decision about the baby.

'But I always wanted her to go to school and do her exams.'

'I have said from day one that everyone will pass judgement but you have to show people yes, you were 15 and got pregnant.

'But you carried on with school, did your exams and did the best you could. She wasn't the first and she definitely won't be the last. She is a fantastic mum.'
Clinics in Paris are offering fake coronavirus passports to customers who have not received a jab for as little as 250, a new investigation has revealed.

Under controversial new measures introduced by President Emmanuel Macron, proof of vaccination is required to travel long distances, and will soon be needed to enter bars, restaurants and cafes.

The report by the Parisien newspaper came as two Covid-19 vaccination centres were ransacked by protesters over the weekend.

The paper reported that low-paid French health service staff were making more than 4,000 a month through the fraudulent documents.

'Certain vaccination centres, flagships of the fights against Covid-19 are now plagued by corruption,' the paper said on Monday.

Proof of a double vaccination and negative test result is becoming essential for anyone who wants to travel out of France, including to countries such as the UK.

The official passes are meant to prove that a person is fully vaccinated, and can take the form of a printed document, or an entry on France's Anti-Covid App.

But Le Parisien reports that it found numerous centres in the greater Paris area selling fakes after pretending to jab people.

Clinics in Paris are offering fake coronavirus passports for as little as 250, a new investigation has revealed. Pictured: A mass protest against the new rules in Paris on Saturday

The report by the Parisien newspaper came as two Covid-19 vaccination centres were ransacked by protesters over the weekend. Pictured: A marquee hosting a vaccination centre in the town of Urrugne that was targeted in an arson overnight on Saturday

The words 'New Genocide' were sprayed onto the wall along with other graffiti at a vaccination centre in Lans-en-Vercors, Isere on Friday night

Proof of a double vaccination and negative test result is becoming essential for anyone who wants to travel out of France, including to countries such as the UK. Under controversial new measures announced last week, vaccine passports are also required to enter bars, cafes and restaurants [Stock image]

The paper said it had found numerous centres in the greater Paris area that were pretending to jab people and selling the fake passports.

This is despite the risk of three years in prison and a fine equivalent to 38,000 if found guilty of assisting in the trafficking of forged official documents.

'Armed with a hidden camera, we were able to benefit from a health passport for 300 euros (250), without ever having received the slightest injection,' Parisien investigators report.

They point out that a regular two-jab vaccination schedule should take more than three months, with 12 weeks between injections and then a further fortnight before someone is considered fully vaccinated.

But the investigators managed to overcome such delays by illegally offering cash, while not getting vaccinated at all.

Money was handed over in a curtained-off area of a clinic in the northern Paris suburbs, where the jab was meant to be administered, and placed 'under the table where the needles and sterile pads are'.

Le Parisien has not named the clinic, or the staff involved, but it has produced a video of the transaction, and wrote that the centre 'is not the only one to have established an underground economy.'

Urrugne mayor Philippe Aramendi told Le Monde that he was certain the fire at a marquee hosting a vaccination centre in the town was started deliberately

'Vaccine = genocide' and 'Think of your children' were graffitied on a vaccine centre in Isere. Furniture, syringes and compresses were also ransacked from the facility

A week ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a TV address that coronavirus vaccination passes would be compulsory for bars, cafes and restaurants because of the rapid spread of the Delta Variant across France

The announcement sparked protests across France, with large crowds gathering to demonstrate in 137 locations at the weekend. Pictured: A protest outside the Louvre in Paris on Saturday

A protester wears a t-shirt bearing the image of a crossed-out syringe during a demonstration in Paris on Saturday

Crowds gather on Saturday to protest against the strict new measures, many demonstrators waved French flags and chanted: 'Freedom'

It states that 'caregivers' are also producing fake passports at the Sainte-Anne Centre, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

In June, one nurse was fired for 'falsely vaccinating' and issuing certificates for up to 10 people a day,' the paper reports.

Another health centre nurse said he was now involved in trafficking fake passes 'at a rate of 250 euros (215) per person', and that 'I made about 5,000 euros (4,300) last month'

A spokesman for France's General Directorate of Health said the Health Ministry was 'monitoring the subject (of vaccine fraud) very closely and has already alerted regional health agencies and vaccination centres in order to strengthen their vigilance and identify possible suspicious acts.'

A week ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a TV address that coronavirus vaccination passes would be compulsory for bars, cafes and restaurants because of the rapid spread of the Delta Variant across France.

He also said there would be 'compulsory vaccinations' for all health workers, who risk fines if they do not comply.

The announcement sparked protests across France, with large crowds gathering to demonstrate in 137 locations at the weekend.

The weekend also saw attacks on two vaccination centres, one in Isere in southeastern France and one in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques in the country's southeast corner.

The Isere centre, located in Lans-en-Vercors, was vandalised overnight on Friday, the mayor of the town told Le Monde, saying the municipal building in which the centre was housed is now 'completely out of order'.

Furniture, syringes and compresses were ransacked from the facility, which was tagged with graffitied phrases including 'Vaccine = genocide' and 'New Genocide'.

Equipment stored in garages under the building was also damaged, mayor Michael Kraemer told the paper, adding that the town was paying the price for the implementation of 'certain major national policies'.

A protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty waves a flag during a demonstration in Paris on Saturday as another holds a sign emphasising that it should be an individual's choice whether or not to get vaccinated

Pictures of world leaders bearing Adolf Hitler moustaches are seen in Paris, where protesters described a 'health dictatorship'

Macron's measures have angered many people who feel they infringe on individual freedoms. Pictured: Protesters in Paris on Saturday

A protester holds a placard reading: 'health dictatorship' and wears a yellow Star of David, marking themselves out as a non-vaccinated person in an apparent reference to the stars Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II

In the Pyrenees-Atlantiques, a marquee hosting a vaccination centre in the town of Urrugne was targeted in an arson overnight on Saturday, according to a prosecutor in the city of Bayonne, which has opened an investigation.

Urrugne mayor Philippe Aramendi told Le Monde that he was certain the fire was started deliberately.

'I was called at 3 am and it was found that flammable product had been spilled around the marquee. Fortunately, the firefighters quickly contained the flames and the marquee was only partially destroyed, ' he said.

Bastille Day also saw large protests, with hundreds of cafe owners, hospital workers and parents, some chanting 'Liberty! Liberty!', taking to the streets of Paris to rebel against Macron's controversial plans to tackle the nation's surging coronavirus cases.

Large crowds were confronted by riot police, who fired tear gas to try to disperse the advancing group. Protesters and police kicked the tear gas canisters at each other, and cyclists calmly weaved through the crowd.

On Friday, the UK Government announced that travellers arriving to the UK from France will have to quarantine for up to 10 days, even if they have had both Covid jabs.

This was in response to the spread of the Beta Variant in France, even though rises are mainly limited to the overseas island of Reunion, which is 5,000 miles from Paris.

On Saturday, France recorded 12,532 new infections, with 22 deaths registered on Friday.

Hundreds of protesters chanting 'Liberty!' marched through Paris to rebel against Macron's controversial plans on Bastille Day
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The last surviving pilot from the RAF's 'Dambusters' squadron, who was awarded France's highest honour after carrying out 30 operations against enemy targets in the Second World War, has died at the age of 100.

Squadron Leader Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman helped to demolish Germany's Arnsberg railway viaduct with a 22,000lb Grand Slam bomb in March 1945.

He also took part in a raid which aimed to destroy the German battleship the Tirpitz in October 1944, after it had been damaged by bombs a month earlier.

And, in April 1945, he was part of the team which tried to bomb defeated Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest', which sat atop a rocky outcrop in southern Germany.

The last surviving wartime member of the famous squadron is now 99-year-old Squadron Leader George Leonard 'Johnny' Johnson, who was an air gunner.

Their squadron is most famous for the daring 'bouncing' bomb attacks on the Mohne and Eder Dams in the industrial heart of Germany in 1943.

The raids, which saw drum-shaped bombs bounce off the water before exploding against the dam walls, were carried out by daring Lancaster bomber pilots.

The operation has gone down in history as being among the most successful aerial assaults of the Second World War.

Johnson is the last remaining member of the Dambusters mission, which was codenamed Operation Chastise.

Tributes have been paid to Squadron Leader Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman, the last surviving member of the RAF's 'Dambusters' squadron, who has died aged 100. He took part in 30 operations with 617 Squadron during the Second World War, including two targeting the German battleship the Tirpitz

His squadron (pictured above during the war) is most famous for the daring 'bouncing' bomb attacks on the Mohne and Eder Dams in the industrial heart of Germany in 1943

Goodman, who was awarded France's Legion d'Honneur in 2017, volunteered to join the RAF aged 18 at the outbreak of war in September 1939.

Selected to train as a pilot, he proved so skilful that in 1942 he was posted to Canada to work as a flying instructor.

He later requested a return to the UK and, after retraining, became the first pilot without operational experience to be posted to Bomber Command's 617 Squadron.

His first taste of action came in August 1944, when he took part in an attack on the city of Brest.

Then, in October 1944, he took part in an unsuccessful second raid on the Tirpitz, after the battleship had been heavily damaged by bombs a month earlier.

Goodman volunteered to join the RAF aged 18 at the outbreak of war in September 1939

The aim of the second mission was to destroy the ship entirely.

The ship was finally sunk in a raid in November that year.

The raid on the Arnsberg viaduct in March the following year saw Goodman drop one of the RAF's 'Grand Slam' 22,000lb bombs, which were used on more than 40 targets in total.

The 42ft-long Arnsberg viaduct crossed the Ruhr, in northern Germany. The Grand Slam raids helped to speed up Germany's defeat in the final months of the Second World War.

In April 1945, Goodman was part of 617's final operation of the war: to bomb Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest' in southern Germany.

Goodman was initially demobbed in 1946 but, with the urge to service his country still strong, he then served in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force's 607 Squadron, where he flew Spitfires from RAF Hendonnow.

He then re-joined the regular RAF in 1948, when the Soviet Union blockaded access to the sections of Berlin which were under Western control.

The aggressive blockade led to British and American planes dropping thousands of tonnes of food and other supplies to German citizens.

The raid on the Arnsberg viaduct in March 1945 saw Goodman drop one of the RAF's 'Grand Slam' 22,000lb bombs, which were used on more than 40 targets in total. Above: a Grand Slam bomb dropping from a Lancaster towards the Arnsberg viaduct

Benny eventually retired as a squadron leader in 1964 having logged over 3,500 hours on 22 different aircraft types.

He continued to hold a private pilot's license into his 90s.

In 2017, France awarded him the Legion d'Honneur - their highest honour.

Maggie Appleton MBE, CEO of the RAF Museum, said: 'So many of us will be mourning Benny while celebrating his outstanding contribution during the Second World War and his faultless RAF Service.

In October 1944, Goodman took part in an unsuccessful second raid on the Tirpitz, after the battleship had been heavily damaged by bombs a month earlier. Above: the battleship is seen with smoke rising from it after the September 1944 raid

'The RAF Museum has been fortunate to call Benny a friend.

'He supported us in sharing the incredible story of Jewish servicemen and women during the war and the brave airmen who were in a particularly perilous situation should they have been captured.

'Benny was a special man who lived a long and fruitful life and brought joy and inspiration to many.

'He will be sadly missed by his friends at the RAF Museum, but we will ensure that his stories live on to inspire generations to come.'

In March last year, Goodman was honoured at an exhibition for Jewish war veterans.

The Dambusters mission saw a squadron of Lancaster bombers fly into the heart of Nazi Germany on the night of May 16-17, 1943. Above: An aerial photograph of the damage to the dam

On the night of May 16 1943, 19 Lancaster bombers, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson (pictured centre with other surviving members of the raid), set off for Germany with the aim of destroying the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe dams

The Dambusters mission saw a squadron of Lancaster bombers fly into the heart of Nazi Germany on the night of May 16-17, 1943.

Drawing on hand-picked crews from Britain, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, the squadron's mission was to damage several dams in Germany's Ruhr valley that provided a vital source of power to the country's industrial region

The last surviving wartime member of the famous squadron is now 99-year-old Squadron Leader George Leonard 'Johnny' Johnson, who was an air gunner

The bouncing bombs themselves were developed by aircraft engineer Barnes Wallis.

What made it so dangerous was that, to be successful, the Dambusters had to fly at a height of 60ft, so the specially-adapted mines they were carrying - codenamed Upkeep - would bounce over the water before hitting the dams' walls and sinking 30ft.

The mines would then explode, causing the dams' walls to be breached and releasing millions of tonnes of water into the valleys below.

The Dambusters trained by flying over the Derwent reservoir and dam in the Lake District.

On the night of May 16 1943, 19 Lancaster bombers, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, set off for Germany with the aim of destroying the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe dams.

The bombs they were carrying weighed four tonnes each.

Their mission was hailed a success after two of the dams, the Eder and the Mohne, were breached, releasing 300 million tonnes of water. The parapet of the Sorpe dam was damaged, although there was no breach.

The breaches damaged 92 Nazi factories and destroyed a further 12. Overall, 133 Allied aircrew took part - 90 from the RAF, 29 from the Royal Canadian Air Force, 12 from the Royal Australian Air Force and two from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

A total of 53 servicemen lost their lives and another three were taken captive. The squadron's bravery earned it 33 decorations, including the Victoria Cross for Wing Commander Gibson.

It was also credited with providing a major boost for the morale of troops, and in 1955 led to the film The Dam Busters, starring Sir Michael Redgrave.
The software was heavily criticised after some people were 'pinged' through their wall and told to isolate when a neighbour tested positive

The NHS Covid app won't be tweaked despite an outcry for the software's sensitivity to be dialled down amid fears it is causing a 'pingdemic'.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the 'right thing to do' was to leave the app as it is and instead relax isolation rules for the fully vaccinated as planned next month.

Boris Johnson's official spokesman also claimed the app was working as expected and would not be watered down.

The software was heavily criticised after some people were 'pinged' through their wall and told to isolate when a neighbour tested positive.

The Government has already announced that, from August 16, double-jabbed Britons will not need to quarantine when they are 'pinged', as long as they test negative for the virus.

But there is growing pressure for that date to be brought forward due to concerns the app will cause major disruptions over the next month now that lockdown curbs have been lifted and cases are still soaring.

The PM's spokesman said: 'We recognise that with high cases that also means a high number of people being required to isolate and that does present significant challenges to businesses.

'We need to strike the right balance between protecting lives and livelihoods. That's why we believe it is entirely right that people asked to do so do isolate because we know it prevents onward transmission and eases pressure on our NHS which is facing a significant challenge.'

He said the Government would 'constantly review' issues around critical workers and critical infrastructure.

Asked whether the app was working as expected and so would not be tweaked, the spokesman said: 'That's correct.'

Experts estimate around 1.7million people are currently self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace, including the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Unlike those people contacted by phone, it is not a legal requirement to self-isolate after being pinged by the app. But Downing Street today made it clear it expects people to do so.

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are still reviewing whether all children should be given the vaccine, while the Daily Telegraph said the committee is 'leaving the door open' for the move

This number could rise to 5million by the end of this month, according to analysis by MailOnline.

Double-jabbed NHS staff can return to work if they test negative for the coronavirus continuously for a week, under new rules brought in today to avoid more operations being cancelled due to staff shortages.

But industry bosses have warned of food shortages and widespread public transport disruptions over the next month due to the app, while councils say waste bins could lie on the streets for weeks.

Pingdemic pass for NHS staff Critical frontline NHS and social care staff will be able to avoid self-isolation to go to work from today if they are double-jabbed, the Government announced last night. Ministers were under intense pressure to intervene as the 'pingdemic' took its toll on hospitals, with some forced to call off operations because of staff shortages. Healthcare workers who have been in contact with a positive case will now, in exceptional circumstances, be able to return to work after they have had a negative PCR test. They must then take daily lateral flow tests, and should wear PPE properly throughout their day at work. It will apply to staff who have either been 'pinged' by the NHS Covid-19 app or contacted by NHS Test and Trace. Staff who are permitted to go to work will remain under a legal duty to self-isolate as a close contact but will be considered to have a 'reasonable excuse' to attend work if their absence could result in harm. Decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis and only after a risk assessment by the organisation's management, the Government said. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said last night: 'As we learn to live with this virus, it's important that we ensure frontline staff can keep providing the best possible care and support to people up and down the country. 'The Government has backed healthcare services at every turn through this global pandemic and these new rules will fortify our collective defences against this awful virus, by allowing fully vaccinated frontline NHS and social care staff to continue to work when needed.' Advertisement

Ministers ordered an urgent review of the NHS app following concerns it was bringing the system into disrepute by ordering too many people to self-isolate.

Whitehall sources told the Mail the app's 'sensitivity' could be reduced to cut the numbers being asked to isolate unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, Government advisors have also suggested the 'consequences' of being pinged could be amended.

Asked what could be done to change the app during a round of interviews this morning, Mr Zahawi shot down hopes that the August 16 date could be brought forward.

He also suggested the app wouldn't be made less sensitive.

He told Sky News: 'I think the right thing to do is to continue to clinically advise people, with that sensitivity, that they have come into contact with people who have tested positive.

'The difference now so that we've got almost 88 per cent of people with one dose and 68 per cent of people with two doses.

'So we can take decisions like we've just done with NHS and social care staff, we can make decisions that on August 16 anyone who is double vaccinated doesn't need to then isolate if they are pinged and don't test positive for Covid.

'Those changes are happening because of the vaccination programme.'

The loosening of isolation rules have been brought forward for critical frontline NHS and social care staff, who from today will be able to avoid self-isolation to go to work if they are double-jabbed.

Ministers were under intense pressure to intervene as the 'pingdemic' took its toll on hospitals, with some forced to call off operations because of staff shortages.

Healthcare workers who have been in contact with a positive case will now, in exceptional circumstances, be able to return to work after they have had a negative PCR test.

They must then take daily lateral flow tests, and should wear PPE properly throughout their day at work.

It will apply to staff who have either been 'pinged' by the NHS Covid-19 app or contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

Staff who are permitted to go to work will remain under a legal duty to self-isolate as a close contact but will be considered to have a 'reasonable excuse' to attend work if their absence could result in harm.

Decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis and only after a risk assessment by the organisation's management, the Government said.

The lifting of almost all legal restrictions have merely fuelled fears about spiking cases bringing the economy grinding to a halt, as more and more people are doomed to house arrest.

Many firms say their sites are having to open with reduced hours or shut completely because up to a quarter of staff are off as a precautionary measure - with scientists warning the situation could spiral as the UK faces up to 200,000 cases a day.

The Road Haulage Association has warned of impending chaos in supply chains, with chief executive Rod Mackenzie telling the FT: 'Far from freedom day being freedom day, it's going to be disaster day.'

Large numbers of Tube passengers were pictured with faces uncovered this morning on Freedom Day, despite London Mayor Sadiq Khan's decision to continue enforcing their use across the capital's transport network

Shoppers in a London Tesco not wearing masks today. All the major supermarkets are asking customers to continue doing so

British children as young as TWO may get Covid vaccines Every child in the UK could be offered a Covid jab by the end of the year, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested today. No10 is set to unveil plans to immunise Britons aged 12 to 16 who have underlying health conditions or live with a vulnerable family member. The plans will also see 17-year-olds who are months away from their 18th birthdays offered a vaccine. But ministers will stop short of opening the rollout up to all healthy youngsters until more safety data is collected in places like the US, where it is already happening. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  which advises No10 on the inoculation drive  will also review data from ongoing trials of Pfizer's jab in children as young as two. Mr Zahawi said the Government had niggling concerns about the 'very rare' cases of heart inflammation in some young people given the Pfizer and Moderna jabs. It comes as all Covid restrictions are lifted in England today, though Boris Johnson has urged caution as the outbreak across the country is spurred on by the more contagious Indian 'Delta' variant. He will be spending Freedom Day in isolation  along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak  because they were both identified as close contacts of Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for the virus at the weekend. Advertisement

Iceland supermarket boss Richard Walker accused the Government of 'squandering the advantages' of its successful vaccination programme by forcing double-jabbed people to self-isolate, adding: 'We're behaving like it's the dark days of March 2020'.

Humphrey Cobbold, the CEO of PureGym, which has more than 1.1million members in 287 sites, said: 'We've been talking internally about living in the United Pingdom and it's become a huge challenge for individuals and businesses', adding his staff are 'being pinged all the time'.

He added: 'Up to 25 per cent of our staff in some areas have been asked to self-isolate. Through flexibility we've been able to keep sites open so far but it's been a really close call. I think there is a different way to react to the pings for the double vaccinated and using lateral flow tests that would keep the economy functioning'.

Greene King pub boss Nick MacKenzie said: 'It's a problem and it could get worse. It is disruptive to the business. We had to close 33 pubs in the past week because of a lack of staff and across the industry we think it is one in 5 who have been affected by this and therefore it is causing us a real issue on a daily basis. We are having to have shorten hours in certain circumstances.'

He added: 'We need clarity from government on how the app works and we need to move to a test and release scheme where people can take a lateral flow test every day and get back to work and some sort of normality'.

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak had announced yesterday they would take part in a pilot scheme to avoid quarantine after coming into close contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for Covid at the weekend.

But amid widespread outrage from politicians, business leaders and the public they humiliatingly caved in within hours and revealed they would join the legions of people self-isolating - in the PM's case Chequers until July 26, his country estate in Buckinghamshire.

They had faced accusations they were accessing a 'VIP lane' that was not available to workers who are having to isolate, bringing some businesses and public transport to the brink of collapse.

There was confusion about how Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were contacted after the PM tweeted that he had been 'pinged', seemingly referring to the app.

But his official spokesperson said he had been contacted through the Government's Test and Trace programme.

The difference between the two is that those alerted by the app have to follow a voluntary isolation period, whereas those directly contacted by tracers are legally obliged to quarantine.
Tesco staff will patrol the carparks outside their stores to ensure dogs are not being left inside cars as the UK heatwave continues to sweep across the nation.

Employees at the supermarket chain, which has joined forces with the RSPCA, will help identify dogs that have been left behind inside shoppers' vehicles as the country continues to face the extreme heat.

The move comes as Britain prepares for temperatures to soar to 89.6F (32C) today - just a day after mercury levels exceeded 86F in both England and Wales.

Staff at Tesco, who have joined forces with the RSPCA, will patrol the carparks outside their stores to help identify dogs that have been left behind inside shoppers' vehicles. (Stock image)

As part of the initiative, staff at the supermarket giant have been trained in what to look for if they find a dog is in trouble and will also know what to do if a canine shows signs of a heatstroke.

A Tesco spokesperson told Birmingham Live: 'We're working with the RSPCA & all of our colleagues in store have received training to ensure animal welfare is protected.

'Our colleagues regularly patrol our car parks & are given guidance on what to do if they spot a dog unattended in a car.'

What should you do if you see a dog in a car during hot weather? The RSPCA says you should try and establish if the dog is showing any signs of heatstroke such as heavy panting or drooling. Other signs of heatstroke include lethargy and vomiting. If the dog is showing signs of heatstroke, the charity says dial 999 immediately. If police are unavailable and the situation becomes critical, you must be careful before taking the decision to smash the window as this could be considered criminal damage and you may have to defend your actions in court. Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do and why. Take pictures or videos of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident. Advertisement

Last year dog welfare experts at Nottingham Trent University found leaving dogs in parked cars can be dangerous all year round, even in the winter when outside temperatures are relatively low.

During the study, scientists monitored internal temperatures of cars in the UK, without dogs inside them, every day for two years.

They found temperatures exceeded 77F (25C) in every month of the year  high enough to cause overheating in breeds with flat faces, such as bulldogs and pugs.

The study used data loggers to continuously record internal temperatures of four vehicles at 15-minute intervals over the two-year period.

They found internal car temperatures exceeded 95F (35C) between April and September, which is hot enough to cause overheating in all dog breeds.

Temperatures rose to this level on almost a third of all days from May to July.

The team also found the highest internal temperatures in vehicles occurred between 4pm to 5pm.

Most dogs are comfortable at temperatures between 59F and 77F, but this is dependent on breed, coat length, fitness and other factors, the researchers said.

'Our work shows an even bigger risk to leaving dogs in parked vehicles than previously thought,' said study author Dr Anne Carter, a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University's School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.

'We known that some dog owners are already not heeding the warning message about the risk of leaving their dog in the vehicle.

Dog welfare experts at Nottingham Trent University last year found leaving dogs in parked cars can be dangerous all year round. (Stock image)

'People assume the risk is only midday during the summer, when in fact cars can reach potentially dangerous temperatures all year round, with late afternoon the hottest time period.

'As heatstroke can be fatal in dogs, public awareness campaigns should consider launching in April or earlier, and also potentially include warnings about the increased risk to dogs in cars in the late afternoon.'

The latest move comes as both England and Wales recorded the hottest day of the year on Sunday, beating records set on Saturday, and forecasters predict it could be even warmer throughout the week up to Thursday.

In England, 88.88F was recorded in Heathrow, overtaking Saturday's record-breaking 86.54F recorded in Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire.

Wales recorded 86.36F in Cardiff, compared with 85.28F reached in Usk, Monmouthshire, on Saturday.

As the temperatures continue to soar, Public Health England and the Met Office are working together to ensure that people stay safe in the hot conditions, urging the public to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and assist anyone who is more vulnerable to the heat.
Dominic Raab accused China of 'systematic cyber sabotage' today as Western allies took aim at Beijing over a string of attacks on Microsoft Exchange servers.

The Foreign Secretary said the UK and allies including the United States had identified state-backed groups responsible for hacks on computer networks around the world.

The onslaught took place in early 2021, affecting more than a quarter of a million servers worldwide.

Joe Biden's White House directly accused China of being behind it today, accusing it of acting for financial gain.

Beijing is using 'criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including to their own personal profit,' a senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call last night.

The EU Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and NATO also joined in the condemnation of Beijing as cyber hacks surge around the world.

Mr Raab said: 'The cyber attack on Microsoft Exchange Server by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour.

'The Chinese Government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held to account if it does not.'

Dominic Raab today demanded China stops its 'systematic cyber sabotage' as state-backed groups were blamed for Microsoft Exchange attacks

The Foreign Secretary said the UK and allies had identified those responsible for the attempts to gain access to computer networks around the world

The Joe Biden administration led a worldwide condemnation of China for state-sponsored ransomware attacks

The US accused China of hiring contract cyber hackers for financial gain; above Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China

Warnings were issued by authorities in the US and Europe in March about weaknesses found in Microsoft's Exchange software, and the tech giant issued a patch to close the vulnerability.

The loopholes being exploited allowed an attacker to take over any reachable Exchange server, without the need to know any valid account credentials, making internet-connected Exchange servers especially vulnerable.

One such attack was said to be on the Norwegian Parliament.

The security holes in mail and calendars systems were thought to have been used by at least ten different hacking groups are involved, according to cyber-security firm ESET.

The hackers were believed to have installed malware to open backdoors to email systems, allowing them to read emails or see contacts within that organisation with ease.

A group known as Hafnium is believed to have compromised Microsoft Exchange, allowing it further access into the IT networks of victims, with at least 30,000 organisations around the world confirmed to have been hit.

Officials said the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is 'almost certain' that the compromise was initiated and exploited by a Chinese state-backed actor and it is 'highly likely' that Hafnium is associated with the Chinese state.

NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said: 'The attack on Microsoft Exchange servers is another serious example of a malicious act by Chinese state-backed actors in cyberspace.

'This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable, and alongside our partners we will not hesitate to call it out when we see it.'

The UK is also attributing the Chinese ministry of state security (MSS) as being behind activity known by cyber security experts as 'APT40' and 'APT31'.

The APT40 group has been blamed for activities including targeting maritime industries and naval defence contractors.

APT31 has been accused of targeting government entities, including the Finnish parliament, and political figures.

Cybersecurity experts claimed in March that at least 10 hacking groups used a flaw in Microsoft's email software to break in to targets around the world

ESET found exploits on 5,000 servers in 115 countries - with the majority in the US, UK and Germany, as seen by the darker areas of this graph denoting the percentage of exploits found

The European Union joined the UK in blaming the attacks on hackers based in China, although it did not explicitly link them to the Chinese state.

EU high representative Josep Borrell said: 'The compromise and exploitation of the Microsoft Exchange server undermined the security and integrity of thousands of computers and networks worldwide, including in the member states and EU institutions.

'It allowed access to a significant number of hackers that have continued to exploit the compromise to date.

'This irresponsible and harmful behaviour resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies, and has shown significant spill-over and systemic effects for our security, economy and society at large.'

A Nato statement said the alliance 'is determined to employ the full range of capabilities, as applicable, at all times to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, in accordance with international law'.

Microsoft's corporate vice president Tom Burt said: 'Attributions like these will help the international community ensure those behind indiscriminate attacks are held accountable.

'Governments involved in this attribution have taken an important and positive step that will contribute to our collective security.

'Transparency is critical if we're to combat the rising cyberattacks we see across the planet against individuals, organisations and nations.'.
President Joe Biden on Monday said China was worse than Russia on cyber crime because they are 'accommodating' hackers while the Kremlin is not.

Earlier in the day, the Biden administration led a worldwide condemnation of China for state-sponsored ransomware attacks, accusing Beijing of a 'pattern of malicious cyber activities' that poses a 'major threat to U.S. and allies' economic and national security.'

The administration also announced it has determined that China was behind the April hack of the Microsoft Exchange Servers, which affected thousands of users and American businesses. The cyber criminals hit more than 30,000 servers in the US alone and hundreds of thousands worldwide.

'My understanding is that the Chinese government, not unlike the Russian government, is not doing this themselves but are protecting those who are doing it and maybe even accommodating them being able to do it. That may be the difference,' Biden told reporters at the White House.

The U.S. has struggled to respond to the surge of cyber attacks against private companies, including the ransomware of Colonial Pipeline and JBS meat supplier  both of whom were targets of Russian-based cyber criminals. Prices of gas and meat went up in the aftermath with both companies paying millions in ransom against the advice of the U.S. government.

But, despite the concern, the U.S. and its allies are taking no formal actions against China but, instead, is raising awareness of its activity. Russia was subject to U.S. sanctions for its malicious cyber activity.

When asked why China wasn't being punished, Biden said: 'They're still determining exactly what happened. Investigation is not finished.'

He said he was getting a briefing on the matter Tuesday.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that the administration is not 'holding back' and said there could more concrete actions to come.

'We are not differentiating,' she said when asked about the differences in how China and Russia were being handled by the White House.

'We are not holding back. We are not allowing any economic circumstance or consideration to prevent us from taking actions where warrant. And also we reserve the option to take additional actions were warrant as well. This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia,' she added.

A senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call Sunday night that the U.S. was first trying to put the spotlight on China's activities.

'We're at that first important stage of bringing awareness,' the official said.

'The U.S. and our allies and partners are not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC [People's Republic of China] accountable,' the official added.

Some Republicans called for action on the part of the Biden administration.

'The only thing bad guys understand is strength. The Biden Administration has failed to hold Chinese cyber actors accountable for their acts of aggression by imposing costs to deter or disincentivize the CCPs [Chinese Communist Party's] actions globally. The CCP is the greatest threat to U.S. interests and economic security for the next 50 years and its time the Biden Administration start treating them as such,' said Republican Rep. John Katko, the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, in a statement.

President Joe Biden said China was worse than Russia on cyber crime because they are 'accommodating' hackers while the Kremlin is not.

China is doing the ransomware attacks for its own financial gain, the White House charged, using contractors to do their cyber dirty work.

Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, told DailyMail.com: 'As we have seen with the Chinese Communist Party and the weak effort by the Biden Administration to hold Russia accountable, words mean nothing without strong actions to back them up.

'It is extremely important we continue to work with our allies and partners to counter the CCP and Russias aggressive cyber actions. I urge the Biden Administration to build upon this joint international effort and let Russia and the CCP know we are serious when it comes to protecting our national and economic security from the threats posed by our adversaries'.

China is using 'criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including to their own personal profit,' the senior administration official said.

The United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and NATO joined in the condemnation of Beijing as cyber hacks are surging around the world.

China is using cyberattacks as a way to advance its economy and become the dominant global superpower, the Justice Department has previously charged.

On Monday, the Justice Department made public that a federal grand jury in San Diego, California, indicted four Chinese nationals who hacked into the computer systems of dozens of victim companies, universities and government entities in the United States and abroad between 2011 and 2018.

The indictment 'alleges that much of the conspiracy's theft was focused on information that was of significant economic benefit to China's companies and commercial sectors, including information that would allow the circumvention of lengthy and resource-intensive research and development processes,' the DoJ said in a statement. It does not appear related to the Microsoft hack.

The US and its allies accused China's Ministry of State Security of hiring contract cyber operators to conduct ransomware operations against private companies that include financial demands and millions of dollars.

Those companies include managed service providers, semiconductor companies, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), universities, and medical institutions, according to the Biden administration.

These hackers are using a range of criminal activities - including cyber-enabled extortion, crypto-jacking, and theft from victims around the world - for their financial gain.

China has previously denied all hacking allegations.

But the senior administration official said the White House was concerned about the 'aggressive behavior' coming out China and has discussed the matter with senior officials in the Chinese government.

'What we found really surprising and new here was the use of criminal contract hackers to conduct this unsanctioned cyber operation and really the criminal activity for financial gain. That was really eye-opening and surprising for us,' the official said.

As part of its strike back, US government agencies exposed more than 50 tactics techniques and procedures Beijing is using to conduct these acts along with suggestions to mitigate them.

In Microsoft's case, the company said four vulnerabilities in its software allowed hackers to access servers. Both the company and the White House encouraged users to update their systems with the fixes. Microsoft publicly linked the hack to China in March.

Monday is the first time the government has done, saying it has a 'high degree of confidence' that Beijing was behind it.

Additionally, there was at least one American company had been targeted for a 'large' ransom by Chinese hackers who asked for millions, the administration revealed, but declined to provide further details.

The U.S. accused China of hiring contract cyber hackers for financial gain; above Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China

Ransomware attacks are surging worldwide

Russia has garnered the most attention for cyber hacking.

REvil - a Russian-based group of cyber hackers  earlier this month instigated the single, largest global ransomware attack on record when it crippled hundreds of companies worldwide.

REvil was able to breach Kaseya, a Miami-based IT firm, and use their malware protection product to target, it claims, up to 1 million different businesses in at least 17 different countries. Kaseya provides services to more than 40,000 organizations.

The senior administration official said the Chinese government's use of contract hackers made it unique from Russia where many of the hackers operate independent of the government. The 'criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct,' the official said.
Health department workers have begun a 'doses to doors' Covid-19 vaccination campaign in North Carolina's Mecklenburg County, the state's second-most populated county, where fewer than half of its estimated 1.14 million residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Those 12 or older are able to receive the Pfizer vaccine, while those 18 and older can get the Johnson & Johnson jab, as per the vaccines' regulations.

Officials say the program allows for residents to get the shot without having to worry about travel.

Mecklenburg County in North Carolina is going door-to-door to help deliver COVID-19 vaccines and fight vaccine disinformation

However, the program has received mixed reviews after President Joe Biden announced the initiative this month.

'In North Carolina, they started the doses to doors vaccine campaign, you better say away from my property or you'll get a dose alright!!!,' one Twitter user wrote.

Robert Dawkins of Action NC, a nonprofit providing volunteers for the program, explained why the organization got involved.

'We're not confrontational, it's not like you have to get the shot,' he told WBTV. 'But our job is to dispel rumors and things.'

Volunteers canvassed communities in the counties with lower vaccination rates, providing them information on the immunizations.

County residents also were able to schedule at-home vaccine appointments online.

The seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths is starting to spike again

There have been more than 34 million coronavirus cases in the United States

New infections are also starting to rise sharply

A similar program has been launched in Randolph County, Georgia - a primarily black, rural county some 140 miles south of Atlanta and near the Alabama state line.

The remote county of about 7,000 residents has little access to information compared to many others, and there are barriers to getting the vaccine.

For example, many vaccine appointments can be booked online, but around one-third of Randolph County residents don't have internet access, according to CNN.

Many also do not have access to information on the vaccines, are skeptical of their effectiveness or believe misinformation about the safety of the vaccines.

'If they still say that they want to wait and see, I listen, but it's kind of baffling, because I always ask: "What are you waiting for? To see how well things are going to go? We already know that. They go well when people are protected,"' Joyce Barlow, a nurse who is taking part in the program, told CNN.

Barlow and her team are going into local communities to deliver information about the vaccines to people and even offer them the shots.

The Milwaukee Health Department in Wisconsin is taking on a similar initiative because less than half of Milwaukee County's estimated 943,000 residents are vaccinated.

'It's very important that we get out here and educate the people in this community about COVID and the dangers of it,' said Marcus Austin, a man volunteering for the program in Milwaukee, said in a press conference.

Not everyone is embracing the door-to-door programs and South Carolina and Missouri have rejected starting such programs.

South Carolina Gov Henry McMaster said last week that door-to-door vaccination efforts would 'further deteriorate the public's trust' in the vaccines

'The prospect of government vaccination teams showing up unannounced or unrequested at the door of "targeted" homeowners or on their property will further deteriorate the public's trust,' South Carolina Gov Henry McMaster wrote in a letter on Friday.

Only 45 percent of South Carolinians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, placing them among the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates.

Missouri is currently facing the largest COVID-19 surge in the country.

In the past two weeks, cases have grown by 38 percent from 938 cases per day two weeks ago to 1,298 per day as of Tuesday.

Only 46 percent of residents of Missouri have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

'I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!' Gov. Mike Parson tweeted last week.
The Biden administration transferred Abdullatif Nasser, 56, from Guantanamo Bay prison to his home in Morocco on Monday

The Biden administration on Monday transferred a detainee out of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility for the first time, sending a Moroccan man back home five years after he was recommended for discharge.

Abdullatif Nasser, 56, was cleared for repatriation by a review board on July 11, 2016 but remained at Guantanamo for the duration of the Trump presidency.

Military intelligence accused Nasser of being a former Taliban fighter who fought the U.S. invading forces in 2001 in the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan. He was never charged with a crime.

The Periodic Review Board (PRB) process determined that Nasser's detention no longer remained necessary to protect U.S. national security, the Pentagon said Monday in a statement.

A senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call on Monday that of the 39 remaining prisoners, 10 have been recommended for transfer.

'At the present moment 10 detainees have been recommended for transfer by the periodic review board,' the official said, adding 'the administration is very focused on getting them transferred.'

The two officials on the call would not give a timeline for when these transfers will happen or an estimate on when they plan to shutter Guantanamo for good.

Of the remaining population at the facility, the second administration official revealed, 17 are eligible for the PRB process, although it has not been conducted yet. Another 10 are involved in military review process and two have been convicted.

The PRB recommended authorization for Nasser's repatriation to Morocco six months before Donald Trump took office, but the process couldn't be completed before the end of the Obama administration, it said.

The transfer of Nasser could suggest President Joe Biden is making efforts to reduce the Guantanamo population.

The board review specifically focuses on determining if an inmate were released, would they pose a continued significant threat to the security of the U.S. It was determined Nassar, and the 10 other inmates already cleared, would not.

The transfer on Monday is the first prisoner Joe Biden has released from the detention facility during his presidency. Nasser was cleared for released in July 2016, but remained in the facility through Trump's presidency

Biden intends to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Here protesters hold up photos of prisoners still being held there on June 14, 2021. So far, 10 of the 39 remaining detainees have been cleared by the periodical review board to be released

Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama supported the prisoner transfer process, but it stalled under President Donald Trump.

Trump said even before he took office that there should be no further releases from 'Gitmo,' as Guantanamo Bay is often called.

'These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield,' he said at one point.

Only one detainee left Guantanamo during the Trump years  A confessed Qaeda terrorist who was repatriated to Saudi Arabia to serve out a prison sentence imposed by a U.S. military commission.

The possibility that former Guantanamo prisoners would resume hostile activities has long been a concern that has played into the debate over releases. The office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a 2016 report that about 17 per cent of the 728 detainees who had been released were 'confirmed' and 12 per cent were 'suspected' of re-engaging in such activities.

But the vast majority of those re-engagements occurred with former prisoners who did not go through the security review that was set up under Obama. A task force that included agencies such as the Defense Department and the CIA analyzed who was held at Guantanamo and determined who could be released and who should continue in detention.

The U.S. thanked Morocco for facilitating Nasser's transfer back home.

'The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries national security interests,' the Pentagon statement said. 'The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdoms willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.'

The U.S. military prison is located on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in south east Cuba.

Nasser initially got news he was going to be released in the summer of 2016, when one of his lawyers called him at the detention center and told him the U.S. had decided he no longer posed a threat and could go home.

He thought he'd return to Morocco soon: 'I've been here 14 years,' he said at the time. 'A few months more is nothing.'

U.S. forces delivered Nasser to Moroccan government custody early Monday morning.

His Chicago-based attorney, Thomas Anthony Durkin, said Nasser's family in Casablanca pledged to support him and give him work at his brother's swimming pool cleaning business, according to The New York Times.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a May interview the administration will 'bring some focus' to the issue in coming months

Durkin called the last four years of Mr. Nasser's 19-year detention 'collateral damage of the Trump administration's and zealous Republican war-on-terror hawks' raw politics.'

'If this were a wrongful conviction case in Cook County, it would be worth $20 million,' he said in a statement on the matter.

'We applaud the Biden administration for causing no further harm.'

Nassers journey to the Cuban prison was a long one. He was a member of a nonviolent but illegal Moroccan Sufi Islam group in the 1980s, according to his Pentagon file. In 1996, he was recruited to fight in Chechyna but ended up in Afghanistan, where he trained at an al-Qaida camp. He was captured after fighting U.S. forces there and sent to Guantanamo in May 2002.

An unidentified military official appointed to represent him before the review board said he studied math, computer science and English at Guantanamo, creating a 2,000-word Arabic-English dictionary. The official told the board that Nasser 'deeply regrets his actions of the past' and expressed confidence he would reintegrate in society.
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Riot police moved into Westminster this afternoon after officers were attacked by anti-vaccination protesters as traffic was brought to a standstill amid violent scenes in front of the Houses of Parliament.

Eleven people were arrested as thousands of maskless demonstrators chanted 'shame on police' and 'arrest Boris Johnson' in the 86F (30C) heat, with others urging officers to remove their masks, shouting: 'Take it off, take it off.'

Dramatic video footage showed punches were thrown as bottles hurtled towards police on Freedom Day as Covid-19 restrictions were eased across England despite the Government still urging caution.

Anti-lockdown campaigner and actor Laurence Fox arrived to meet the protesters this afternoon, saying: 'It'll be a hard job shifting this lot, the coppers are going to have - be interesting to see how they deal with it.'

He added: 'It seems that a small number of people don't sense that it's Freedom Day.' Fox left soon after and was seen at home rolling a cigarette, saying he did not understand what was at the heart of the 'disorganised' protest.

The demonstrators, who are beginning three days of each, moved from Parliament Square onto the road and up to the gates of the Palace of Westminster, blocking the road as officers urged them to move out of the way.

Among the protesters was Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a regular feature at anti-lockdown demonstrations since the pandemic began 16 months ago.

Police in riot gear hold back protesters trying to reach Whitehall from Parliament Square in Central London this afternoon

Dramatic video footage showed punches were thrown as bottles hurtled towards police on Freedom Day as Covid-19 restrictions were eased across England despite the Government still urging caution

Anti-vaccination protesters clash with police during a demonstration in Westminster this afternoon

Police and anti-vaccination protesters clash during a demonstration in Parliament Square this afternoon

Police officers were attacked by anti-vaccination protesters this afternoon as they tried to hold them back

A woman is led away by police as anti-vaccination protesters hold a demonstration in Parliament Square today

Demonstrators scuffle with police during the anti-vaccination protest at Parliament square in London this afternoon

A demonstrator is handled by police during an anti-lockdown protest in Parliament Square this afternoon

Demonstrators scuffle with police during the protest outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster this afternoon

A demonstrator scuffles with police during the anti-lockdown protest at Parliament Square in London this afternoon

Demonstrators gather during the anti-vaccination protest at Parliament Square on 'Freedom Day' this afternoon

Demonstrators scuffle with police during the protest at Parliament Square today which is in its first of three days

Anti-vaccination protesters gather at Parliament Square in Westminster this afternoon

Demonstrators scuffle with police during the anti-vaccination protest at Parliament Square in London this afternoon

Anti-lockdown campaigner and actor Laurence Fox arrived to meet the protesters this afternoon, saying: 'It'll be a hard job shifting this lot, the coppers are going to have - be interesting to see how they deal with it'

Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with anti-vaccination protesters in London today

One police officer was seen to put a lock on a gate at the entrance to Parliament while those outside held signs with anti-vaccination and anti-police messages.

Scotland Yard said 11 people had been arrested. The force tweeted: 'A number of officers continue to respond to a demonstration in Parliament Square, Westminster. Eleven people have been arrested for a variety of offences.

'Our policing operation continues, sadly officers have been met with hostility while engaging with crowds.'

Earlier, the force had said: 'We are responding to a demonstration in Parliament Square this afternoon. A group have blocked the road which is causing traffic disruption.

'Officers are on scene, speaking with those taking part in the protest and looking to ease congestion as soon as possible.'

A demonstrator is taken away by police during the anti-vaccination protest at Parliament Square this afternoon

Police and anti-vaccination protesters during a demonstration in Parliament Square this afternoon

Anti-vaccination protesters hold a demonstration in Parliament Square this afternoon

Protesters confront a police line and shout towards the Houses of Parliament this afternoon

Video footage showed bottles hurtling towards officers in Westminster this afternoon

A protester shouts and holds up signs with a boy at Parliament Square during the protest this afternoon

Protesters blocking the roads shout slogans towards the Houses of Parliament from Parliament Square today

Anti-vaccination protesters hold a demonstration in Parliament Square in Westminster this morning

Anti-vaccination protesters sit in the road as they hold a demonstration in Parliament Square this afternoon

It comes as Boris Johnson appealed to people to exercise their new freedoms with caution as most mandatory lockdown restrictions in England are finally lifted.

Social-distancing rules which, in one form or another, have governed people's lives for over a year finally ended this morning at one minute past midnight.

Face masks are no longer mandatory in shops and on public transport, limits on gathering have gone and the work from home guidance has ended.

Nightclubs, theatres and restaurants can fully reopen, while pubs are no longer restricted to table service only.

Police were seen urging the demonstrators to move out of the road in 84F (29C) heat today

Anti-vaccination protesters hold a demonstration in Parliament Square today as they hold up placards

Protesters confront police outside the Houses of Parliament during the demonstration today

An activist gets into a tussle with police during the anti-vaccination demonstration today

The demonstrators stage a protest at Parliament Square in Westminster this afternoon

Protesters shout towards the Houses of Parliament during the demonstration in London today

Protesters confront a police line at the Houses of Parliament during today's demonstration

A demonstrator holds a sign up during the protest in Parliament Square this morning

A protester wearing a Matt Hancock mask calls for the former health secretary to be arrested

Activists hold signs with anti-vaccination and anti-police messages in Westminster today

A woman walks through Parliament Square where the demonstration is happening today

Demonstrators gather during the anti-vaccination protest at Parliament Square in London this afternoon

But with Covid-19 cases continuing to soar and renewed warnings about the pressure on the NHS, there was no mood of celebration in Government.

Mr Johnson is spending so-called 'freedom day' self-isolating at his official country residence at Chequers after being 'pinged' by NHS Test and Trace.

This follows a contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who subsequently tested positive for the virus on Saturday.

Meanwhile businesses have warned of shortages on the shelves as the number of people off work after being pinged by the NHS Covid app continues to rise.
Victoria's Secret is scrubbing the 'Angels' from more than half of its stores, starting with the midtown Manhattan flagship that houses a museum to the models.

The iconic 'Angels' have graced catwalks as the company's ambassadors since their debut at the fourth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1998.

But they will soon no longer be featured in photos and videos around the Fifth Avenue shop, which has been closed since last March due to the pandemic.

A museum featuring images and memorabilia from previous Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows will no longer fill the store's third floor.

Angels Devon Windsor (left) and Alessandra Ambrosio on the VS Fashion Show runway

Victoria's Secret flagship Fifth Avenue store has been closed since last March due to Covid-19

The company is swapping out the 'Angels' for more 'inviting' images at half of its 1,400 stores. Above, a store in Prague's international airport pictured in 2015

The change comes amid allegations of misogyny and sexual harassment at the 44-year-old lingerie company that have caused top-level personnel shake-ups.

Moves toward size inclusive models and mannequins also precipitated the scrubbing of the 'Angel' trademark.

'The word angel is retired but that doesn't mean the women we worked with as angels are retired,' VS creative director Raul Martinez, who was nabbed from magazine publisher Conde Nast in December, told the NY Post.

'We did have conversations with the former angels. It was an honest conversation.'

About half of the company's 1,400 stores are swapping out the Angel look for an image that is 'more inviting for women to enter,' Martinez said.

The company closed 223 of its brick-and-mortar stores last year, though online sales have helped the retailer stay afloat.

'We are moving from what men want to what women want; We are going from a look to a feeling, from excluding most women to including all women, from mostly unattainable to grounded in real life,' CEO Martin Waters said in a recent earnings call.

A New York Times story published last year included explosive allegations against former L Brands chief marketing officer Ed Razek, who was accused of being inappropriate with models.

L Brands is the parent company of Victoria's Secret.

'This abuse was just laughed off and accepted as normal. It was almost like brainwashing,' said former PR employee Casey Crowe Taylor.

Heidi Klum, 48, was an 'Angel' for 13 years. 'About time, is all I can say,' she said of the company's plan to ditch the 'Angel' brand

'And anyone who tried to do anything about it wasnt just ignored. They were punished.'

Leslie Wexner, the CEO of L Brands who stepped down last year, has faced backlash for his association with financier Jeffrey Epstein, to whom he allowed vast power over his financial decision-making before his demise amid charges of sex trafficking.

At one point, Epstein is said to have flaunted his role as a Victoria's Secret 'recruiter' to entice women to meetings and harass them.

Martinez said that at least three 'Angels' continue to work with the brand: Taylor Hill, 25, Grace Elisabeth, 24, and Helena Christensen, 52.

Heidi Klum, 48, spent 13 years modeling underwear and angel wings for Victoria's Secret.

'About time, is all I can say. About time,' she said of her former employer's rebranding during an interview on Australian television on July 11.

'As a model, you go there, you are happy to have a job. When you are not the company, you do what you are told. But finally, looking at this now, I'm like, about time.'

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which grew into a televised extravaganza featuring performances by famous musicians, was cancelled in 2019.
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The Ukrainian ex-lap dancer wife of a millionaire Briton killed while trying to hail a cab during their first wedding anniversary celebrations has denied organising his murder and instead claimed she would have been financially better off with him alive.

Ganna Ziuzina, now called Julianna Moore, had been blamed by Barry Pring's family after the wealthy 47-year-old IT consultant died in a Kiev hit and run on February 16, 2008.

The death was initially treated as a road accident but re-classified as a murder investigation after the family first raised concerns in 2011.

An inquest ruled in January 2017 that he had been unlawfully killed after being tricked into standing on the wrong side of the road - but Miss Moore had that inquest verdict quashed in March 2017, sparking the second inquest in Bristol which started on Monday.

Ms Moore, now 42, told the inquest: 'My life would be much better with Barry than without him. I don't know why anyone would suggest I would like to kill him to get some money.

'My life and financial means would be much more comfortable having Barry than not. If I wanted money, would it not just be easier to divorce and get 50 per cent of assets? It does not make sense.'

Ms Moore, who had previously been dubbed the 'Black Widow', said media reports that her husband, from Cullompton, Devon, was a millionaire did not take into account his mortgages.

She said: 'I knew about the large mortgages he had. Whatever media was blowing that there was millions or whatever or inheritance, it's not true.'

She also denied accusations she had 'hypnotised' Mr Pring or that he was 'besotted' with her and said she found the allegations 'hurtful'.

'Barry was a grown-up man,' she said. 'He was very strong willed. He had his own ideas about life. He wasn't a man that could easily fall under the spell. He was a very strong willed person.'

It comes after Barry's family told the inquest that Ms Moore had been 'stone cold' when she delivered the heartbreaking news about his death before branding her 'callous with no emotions'.

Barry Pring, who met his wife on a dating website, had been attempting to flag down a taxi to return home when he was struck down by an unknown driver in Kiev in 2008. A second inquest will try to find the cause of death after an unlawful killing was quashed by his wife Ganna Ziuzina in 2017 (pictured together on their wedding day in 2007)

Ms Moore had left Barry by the roadside to return to a restaurant to pick up a glove she had left behind.

Barry was then run over by a VW Jetta on the hard shoulder of a four-lane motorway after the meal with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

When she returned to the scene Barry was deada and the car, which had earlier been stolen, never stopped. The driver has never been traced.

The couple met online after the ex-lap dancer posted and advert and they married in 2007.

Mr Pring's mother Irene told the inquest in Bristol yesterday that her daughter in law was 'very cold' and learned of her son's death from her younger son Shaughan, who had been contacted by phone from the Ukraine by Ms Moore.

She then became suspicious about the incident and hired an private investigator, adding when they were together: 'She was not loving or caring towards him at all'.

Shaughan Pring said: 'It was just a gut feeling that something did not fit comfortably. It was the way I was informed of the death, it was cold, callous with no emotions. It was stone cold'.

Ganna, who has since changed her name to Julianna Moore, had left Barry by the roadside to return to the restaurant to pick up a glove she had left behind.

Ganna Ziuzina, who has changed her name to Julianna Moore, pictured posing in a corset and with what appears to be a pistol, always denied any involvement with her late husband's death

The couple had only been married a year (pictured together in 2007) when Barry was killed in a hit and run

The family began to have suspicions about Mr Pring's death almost as soon as they were told. 'We became suspicious about what happened the night Barry died and we hired a private investigator and solicitor in the Ukraine to find out what happened,' Mrs Pring said at the inquest.

'It would appear the initial accident was not investigated as thoroughly as it should be and the police did not appear to be suspicious about the circumstances of what happened.

'Our investigation told us the car that was in collision with Barry was on false plates and had been stolen from a car park near to the apartment which was rented for Anna by Barry before they got married.'

The couple met online after the Ukrainian placed an online advert.

'I did not know then how they had met but I assumed he must have met her on his travels,' Mrs Pring said.

'Barry told us Anna's parents were poor and she was embarrassed to take Barry home to meet them.

'Her English was perfect, and Barry relied on her totally when he was in the Ukraine as he could not speak the language.

'I now know that Barry had started renting a flat for Anna. What he did not tell us was that he had met Anna on the internet after she had placed an advert.'

Mrs Pring said she and her late husband Basil had learned of her son's intention to marry Ms Moore just a few days before the ceremony in Ukraine in January 2007.

She described meeting Ms Moore for the first time in the summer of 2007 during a visit to Devon.

'I was quite surprised to see how cold she was towards Barry. You would have thought they had been married for years and not newlyweds. She was not loving or caring towards him at all,' she said.

'You would never have guessed they had been apart for months. There did not seem to be a spark between Anna or Barry and was very one-sided.'

The Prings initially suspected his brother had been murdered for his assets but the High Court hearing in 2019 brought by Miss Moore resulted in the family releasing a statement that she had not murdered him.

Irene and Shaughan Pring, the mother and brother of Barry Pring, who gave evidence at his second inquest after it opened on Monday. They are pictured together after the first inquest in 2017

Mrs Pring said when she saw the couple again at Christmas, Ms Moore was 'very cold' towards her son.

His family previously said they have fought for 'justice' for more than a decade after long suspecting foul play. But they formally withdrew the murder allegations after a High Court hearing in 2019.

The latest inquest opened on Monday in Bristol and heard from members of Barry's family about the nature of his marriage.

Brother Shaughan Pring told the coroner he first had suspicions after receiving a phone call from Miss Moore informing him about his brother's death.

He said: 'My initial concern was for Miss Moore but afterwards I was sat at my desk shaking my head dealing with shock at what I had just heard.

Ganna Ziuzina  now known as Julianne Moore  denies being behind the hit-and-run killing of her British businessman husband

'It was just a gut feeling that something did not fit comfortably. It was the way I was informed of the death, it was cold, callous with no emotions. It was stone cold.

'Thinking about Barry, he was extremely careful and travelled extensively. He was not a big drinker and over the dozens of times I had been out I had never seen him not in control of himself.

'I had a gut feeling that things weren't right. I spoke to a friend and lawyer Peter Clifford who said it was possible that my brother had been murdered for his assets.'

The coroner heard that Shaughan had changed the locks to his brother's London flat to protect his assets after hearing of his death and the family hired a private investigator to examine the circumstances.

Shaughan also recovered his brother's laptop and briefcase from the flat to 'pour over emails' between the couple.

He said that the family had all met Miss Moore when she come over the previous Christmas and she seemed 'nice and polite.'

He added: 'We were aware he was going to visit Miss Moore in February for their wedding anniversary and I believe a birthday, it was going to be a double celebration.

'He said it would be a short trip but didn't specify how long for. I first heard when Miss Moore called me on February 17 and she told me, 'I've got some bad news, you better prepare yourself.' My first thought was that Barry had done something stupid.

'She went on to explain they were waiting for a taxi when he was hit and killed. She did say they had gone to a restaurant but did not say where and said they were a little drunk.

'My initial concern was for Miss Moore and I was in total shock and screamed at the top of my voice.

'In the first call she said she stood right next to Barry and I just visualised him stepping off the pavement in the city and something hit him.

'In the second conversation she said she had forgotten her glove and walked back to the restaurant to collect her gloves and then heard a loud thud or bang.'

Shaughan initially suspected his brother had been murdered for his assets but the High Court hearing in 2019 brought by Miss Moore resulted in the family releasing a statement that she had not murdered him.

The inquest heard those findings were not relevant to the latest inquest, which would fully examine the circumstances around Barry's death.

Barry, who is understood owned three properties in London and a flat in Kiev was worth around 1.5m.

The inquest, which is scheduled to last five days, continues.

Ms Moore has always denied any involvement in her husband's death.

At a 2017 inquest in Exeter she was accused by his family of being behind the hit and run.

She took legal action and a verdict that her husband was unlawfully killed was quashed at the High Court.

Eight weeks after the inquest verdict, Moore claimed costs and received 40,000 from the coroner's office.

Her husband's family were also ordered to pay her 25,000 .

The Pring family then brought a High Court action in a bid to prove she played a part in the businessman's death and stop her inheriting his fortune.

However they eventually withdrew their claims in 2019 and were believed to have reached a settlement with Moore.

Had they been able to prove she was involved in his death they planned to use a 'forfeiture rule' that stops killers from getting victims' cash. Pring died without leaving a will.
Love Island star Jack Fincham appeared in court today to deny driving while high on cocaine and Valium.

The 29-year-old was stopped by police driving his 30,000 Mercedes around a mile from his home in Swanley, Kent, Sevenoaks Magistrates Court heard.

Prosecutors claim Fincham was found to have 239 micrograms of benzoylecgonine  a by-product of cocaine  per litre of blood. The limit is 50 micrograms.

They say he also had 632 micrograms of diazepam - the chemical name for the sedative valium - per litre of blood when the limit is 550.

Jack Fincham - seen arriving at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court this morning with his stepfather, Fraser McManus - was spotted by police in his 30,000 Mercedes near his home in Swanley

Fincham was seen arriving at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court today with his stepfather, Fraser McManus, who came to support him.

The celebrity, who arrived at at court just after noon, had to wait until 2.45pm for his case to be heard.

His two-year-old white Mercedes C200 AMG was stopped on the B2173 on January 4, according to the charge sheet.

He has been charged with two counts of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

Fincham, wearing a black t-shirt and khaki chinos, pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Explaining the offences, prosecuting Pietro Matarazzo said: 'Police have stopped Mr Fincham. They have done a roadside drug test. They have analysed the swab which has come back with these readings.'

He said police officers could give evidence by live link if called in a trial which could last a day and a half.

The prosecutor said body worn camera footage may be presented as evidence.

Defending Connor Johnstone said: 'Mr Fincham denies any cocaine consumption.'

He said Fincham, attending court by postal requisition, would be called as a witness to give evidence himself.

An expert witness may also give evidence for the defence to comment on the length of time it took for a preliminary test result to be returned.

Chairwoman of the bench Louise Bright gave both parties 28 days to submit further evidence.

Fincham, from Swanley, Kent who gave a thumbs up to the chief magistrate before leaving the dock shortly after 3pm, was granted unconditional bail to appear at Maidstone Magistrates' Court at 10am on December 9.

Ms Bright said: 'As I understand this will go to a district judge.'

The reality personality this week split from his Towie girlfriend, Frankie Sims

The reality star split from his Towie girlfriend, Frankie Sims, earlier this week.

It was revealed on Friday that the celebrity couple, who started dating in April, were said to have parted ways after falling out.

Insiders told OK!: 'Jack and Frankie have split. They've had a couple of rows and have unfollowed each other on Instagram.'

News of the break-up comes a day after Mr Fincham's ex and fellow Love Island victor Dani Dyer was left heartbroken when she split from her partner Sammy Kimmence after he was sentenced to three years in prison for a 34k fraud on Wednesday.

In May, Jack and Frankie confirmed their romance, sharing romantic snaps after being spotted passionately embracing after a night out.

Prosecutors claim he was found to have 239 micrograms of benzoylecgonine  a by-product of cocaine  in his blood, as well as 632mg of sedative valium

They later shared a photograph from their first ever date, on April 11 at Jin Bo Law Skybar in London.

When their romance went public, there were concerns Ms Sims' feud with her love rival Chloe Brockett, 20, would reignite as it was rumoured at the time that she had been dating Jack in recent months.

However Ms Brockett insisted that she's completely fine with her nemesis Ms Sims and her ex striking up a romance, when she took to Instagram to reassure fans there are 'no bad feelings' and to wish the new couple 'all the best'.
Haiti's President Jovenel Moise made desperate pleas for 10 minutes to a police commissioner and another officer to get them to mobilize law enforcement and save his life before he was assassinated in his home, a new report says.

The 53-year-old president was shot dead in his bedroom when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince in Haiti in the early hours of July 7.

Almost two weeks after his death, investigators are still trying to determine how a group of Colombian mercenaries responsible for the killing were able to get past the three police checkpoints and security layers that lead to Moise's house, which is in a walled-off compound.

Now, questions are also mounting as to why it took so long for authorities to respond after the president pleaded for help in multiple phone calls before his death.

Three unnamed people who received calls from inside Moise's home in the moments before the assassination have told the Miami Herald that the he had begged for police to 'mobilize people'.

Jovenel Moise, 53, was shot dead in his bedroom when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince in Haiti in the early hours of July 7

Moise first called for reinforcement 1.34am when he called a police commissioner, according to the sources.

'They are shooting by the house. Mobilize people,' the president told the commissioner.

When his security detail failed to show up, Moise then called a National Police officer, asking: 'Where are you? I need your assistance, now. My life is in danger. Come quick; come save my life,' Moise told the officer.

The officer told the news outlet that he heard the sound of an assault rifle before the phone call ended. He immediately deployed a three-car convoy to the president's home.

The police commissioner who received the initial phone call from Moise said he made four phone calls over a 14-minute stretch as he made his way to the president's home.

The first call he made at 1.35am was to Dimitri Herard, who was head of security for the president. Herard told him he was deploying help.

The commissioner said he then called a supervisor for the security team on duty at 1.38am but did not receive an answer.

He called the commander of a specialized tactical unit called Counter Assault Team at 1.47am and the Haiti Police chief Leon Charles at 1.50am.

Charles had already deployed a convoy to the president's home, according to the sources.

The sources told the Miami Herald that Moise was still alive at 1.45am, according to phone logs.

When the officer who received a call from Moise arrived with his convoy, he said Herard was standing in the middle of the road with several palace guards.

He said Herard and the guards drew their weapons, which is standard practice, but lowered them when they realized they were officers.

Dimitri Herard, Moise's head of security, is among the five senior National Police officers who have been detained in connection with the assassination. Accounts from those who spoke to Moise have led to questions about what Herard did and who he contacted the night of the assassination

Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to Haiti on Sunday after being treated in a Miami hospital. She was shot multiple times when her husband was killed

Herard is in charged of the the first security layer leading to the President's home.

The second is manned by the Counter Assault Team and the third, which is closest to the president, is the Presidential Security Unit.

After encountering Herard, the officer and several others then drove up towards the president's home but were stopped by a vehicle with several armed Haitian national police officers allegedly inside.

The officer said he then saw a group of heavily armed men - since identified as the Colombians - wearing white t-shirts carrying assault rifles and they shouted: 'DEA operation, get back.'

The group started advancing on them and Herard told his officers to get back, according to the officer who spoke to the president.

After the Colombians retreated, an officer was finally able to go inside the president's home where he found his body slumped in his bedroom.

Moise's wife was found shot in a hallway. The couple's two children were uninjured and were helping their mother when officers arrived.

The accounts from those who spoke to Moise have led to questions about what Herard did and who he contacted the night of the assassination.

It has also prompted questions over what happened to the president's security team.

There were 24 officers assigned to Moise's security detail but police have so far refused to say how many were on duty the night of the assassination.

None of Moise's security detail were shot or injured during the ordeal.

Footage circulating online purportedly taken by a neighbour of the president shows men with rifles arriving outside the property

Security forces inspect at the site after an attack at the residence of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on July 7

The multi-national investigation, which involves the FBI, has seen the arrest of 18 Colombians and two Haitian Americans believed to be involved in the attack. Three Colombian mercenaries have been killed and five remain on the run.

Herard, Moise's head of security, is among the five senior National Police officers who have been detained in connection with the assassination.

More than 20 members of the president's security detail have also been sanctioned and are still being interrogated.

There is still no clear indication yet of who ordered the killing and why.

Haitian authorities believe central figures and suspects in the investigation met in Florida and the Dominican Republic in the months before the assassination to discuss how they could rebuild the country after Moise was out of power, the New York Times reports.

The Pentagon has since admitted some of the Colombians were once trained by the US military.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Ken Hoffman confirmed Thursday a 'small number' of the suspects had participated in US military training and education programs while serving in the Colombian military.

Officials have not revealed how many ex-soldiers were trained by the US, their identities or what the training involved.

The latest suspects identified in the sweeping investigation included a former Haitian senator, a fired government official and an informant for the US government.

Late last week, the Haitian National Police announced the arrest of two more people in connection with the assassination: Gilbert Dragon, a former police superintendent, and Reynaldo Corvington, who is accused of providing shelter to the assassins.

Suspects in the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise are shown to the media in Port-au-Prince, Haiti last week

Weaponry, mobile phones, passports and other items are being shown to the media along with suspects in the assassination

Those arrests come just three days after Christian Emmanuel Sanon, 63, who is accused of organizing the assassination plot, was taken into custody.

Police said Sanon, who was ties to Florida, entered the country last month on a private plane 'with the intention of taking the Haitian presidency'.

Sanon allegedly recruited the Miami-based CTU Security, which is registered in Florida as the Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy LCC.

CTU Security, which is owned by Venezuelan businessman Antonio Intriago, has been accused of recruiting the Colombians that police believe are behind the attack.

Leon Charles, head of the Haiti's National Police, last week accused Intriago of traveling to Haiti numerous times as part of the assassination plot and of signing a contract while there, but provided no other details and offered no evidence.

'The investigation is very advanced,' Charles said.

Charles has said that CTU Security used its company credit card to buy 19 plane tickets from Bogota to Santo Domingo for the Colombian suspects allegedly involved in the killing.

One of the Colombians who was killed, Duberney Capador, photographed himself wearing a black CTU Security polo shirt.

Nelson Romero Velasquez, an ex-soldier and attorney who is advising 16 families of the Colombians held in Haiti, said last Wednesday that the men all served in the Colombian military's elite special forces and could operate without being detected, if they had desired.

He said their behavior made it clear they did not go to Haiti to assassinate the president.

A Miami security professional believes Intriago was too eager to take the job and did not push to learn details, leaving his contractors in the lurch.

Intriago, who immigrated from Venezuela over a decade ago and participated in activities in Miami opposing the leftist regime in his homeland, did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.

He likes to be around powerful people and has posted photos on social media showing himself with them, including Colombian President Ivan Duque.

Duque's office on Monday disavowed any knowledge of Intriago, saying Duque was in Miami while campaigning for the presidency in February 2018. He posed for photographs with some of those in attendance, but Duque did not have any meeting or any ties with Intriago, the Colombian president's office said.
Real estate tycoon turned self-proclaimed pauper Mohamed Hadid goes on trial this week in a lawsuit over his controversial Los Angeles mega-mansion that could cost him millions in damages if he loses.

The illegally-built 'monstrosity' should have been torn down by now thanks to a demolition order made almost two years ago by a judge who declared the half-built house to be a 'clear and present danger' to the community around it.

But why hasn't LA Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan's order been carried out?

Because nobody is able or willing to pay for it.

Hadid claims he doesn't have the $5million estimated cost of the demolition and a buyer who had offered $9million to purchase the property - and knock it down - recently backed out of the deal.

That has left the City of Los Angeles holding the bag - and facing a court motion demanding that the City should bring in the wrecking ball and tear the huge structure to the ground now - because of the threat it poses to the nearby homes it teeters above.

Mohamed Hadid, father of supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid, will go on trial this week over his disaster Los Angeles mega-mansion that was illegally built

A judge ordered Hadid's home to be torn down out of safety concerns, saying it was a nuisance and a danger to the public

Jury selection is under way Monday for the expected 4-5 week-long trial of Hadid - father of supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid - in the civil lawsuit brought by his neighbors in ritzy Bel Air who are seeking millions in damages from the maverick developer to compensate them for what they call the 'nightmare' - and the massive legal fees - that his giant, hilltop house has put them through.

Opening statements are likely to begin Friday.

Hadid claims he doesn't have $5million to pay for the demolition and a buyer who offered $9 million to purchase the property and knock it down backed out

After Hadid, 72, said he didn't have the $5 million to pay for the demo and tried (unsuccessfully) to declare bankruptcy, Judge Karlan ordered the house - which stands on a 53,000 square foot lot - to be sold.

LA developer Bruce Lifton offered $9 million for it, including the cost of demolition.

But before the deal could be sealed, LA City's Department of Building and Safety, revealed for the first time only last month that in addition to tearing down the building, the retaining walls that held back hundreds of tons of earth supporting the house, would also have to be removed, adding $1.5 million to the cost of demo.

Lifton said no, sending an email to Douglas Wilson - the receiver Judge Karlan appointed to oversee the demo - saying, 'Everyone put your pencils down. The deal is dead,' according to recently-filed court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.

Now, Wilson is putting the house and land up for auction in an effort to find another buyer to pay the demolition cost. And with would-be auction buyers being offered 70 days to submit a bid, then an escrow process added, that means demo won't be able to start for several more months.

The loss of Lifton - the only serious buyer to show interest in the slowly deteriorating building site - prompted an angry reaction from long-suffering neighbors who blasted LA City for screwing up the $9 million deal that could have rid them of the house - dubbed the Starship Enterprise for its size - looming over them once and for all.

Their lead lawyer in the lawsuit, Gary Lincenberg, filed a motion last week 'requiring the City to demolish the structure at 901 Strada Vecchia (the address of Hadid's mega-mansion).'

'The City's conduct has created a situation in which there are no funds available to the receiver to demolish the structure that has been declared an imminent danger,' said Lincenberg in court papers.

'The City allowed the dangerous, non-compliant structure at 901 Strada Vecchia to be built. The City failed to ensure that the structure was safe. The City did nothing to ensure that Hadid would pay for the demolition.

'The City's conduct contributed to the only serious potential buyer pulling out of the transaction.'

Judge Karlan ordered the home to be demolished almost two years ago and declared the half-built house to be a 'clear and present danger' to the community around it. Pictured: Judge Karlan inspecting Hadid's mansion in Bel Air

It's believed a heavy downpour could cause a massive landslide and send Hadid's property sliding down to the homes below

Gigi and Bella Hadid's father faces $60 million in losses over his condemned Los Angeles mega-mansion

Lincenberg blasted LA's Department of Building and Safety, saying it's mission is 'to protect the lives and safety of the residents and visitors of the City of Los Angeles.

'In order to fulfill its mission, the City of Los Angeles must demolish the dangerous structure at 901 Strada Vecchia now, before the structure fails and puts the entire community at risk.'

Lincenberg pointed out that according to expert opinion, piles supporting the house - which were not sunk deep enough into the hillside to comply with local building codes - 'will fail in the event of a 24-year earthquake or a 10-20-year rain event,' bringing the house crashing down the hillside, endangering the lives of local residents in nearby homes.

Attorney Gary Lincenberg filed a motion last week 'requiring the City to demolish the structure at 901 Strada Vecchia (the address of Hadid's mega-mansion)'

'No one can predict exactly when a building wth structural problems will fail,' he added. 'But the recent condominium collapse in Florida tragically showed what can happen when life safety risks are not expeditiously abated.

'Likewise, no one can predict exactly when an earthquake will hit the Los Angeles area (or whether a rainy season will be particularly strong).

'But given the massive weight of this criminally built structure, hanging over an illegally graded steep hillside, there is an enormous risk to further delaying demolition while figuring out the best way to pay for it.

'It is critical that demolition begin before any piles fail. With no buyer on the horizon and the receiver concerned that a time-consuming auction will not fetch a price sufficient to fund the demolition, the City should be ordered to perform its public safety duty and demolish the mansion.'

Hadid declared last October that he's broke - facing $60 million in losses over the headline-making mega-mansion that he once hoped to sell for $100 million.

The Palestinian-American developer also contended that he owes $15 million in court judgements against him, he's had to 'drastically downsize' from a 48,000 square foot home to a more 'modest' one, he's made no money from the caviar and champagne products that carry his name, and his famous daughters' eyewear line - also using the Hadid brand - has gone belly up.

Hadid - who was criminally prosecuted over Illegal construction of the huge house - claimed in his written declaration, 'The stigma of the project and the impact on my life over the past six years that Joe Horacek (one of the neighbors suing him) has harassed me have been personally devastating.

'My reputation is tarnished and my ability to go out and borrow other money is fractured at best. I am 72 years old and do not have the millions of dollars needed for the demolition of Strada Vecchia.

'I may have ''paper assets'' but there are substantial loans against everything I own, thus I have no liquidity with which to fund the demolition of 901 Strada.'

The neighbors' legal team scoffed at his poverty-pleading statements, calling them 'blatantly and intentionally deficient' and adding, 'Hadid is now concealing his finances to avoid being called to task.'

Hadid puts most of the blame for his troubles on 'nightmare neighbor' Joe Horacek (pictured in front of his home with Hadid's home in the background), who he says became 'obsessed' with the case

Neighbors have been fighting for years for the demolition of the property because of all the alleged unapproved construction. The development of the home has also been an eyesore to nearby residents and now a danger due to heavy Los Angeles rain

Lincenberg pointed out that according to expert opinion, piles supporting the house - which were not sunk deep enough into the hillside to comply with local building codes - 'will fail in the event of a 24-year earthquake or a 10-20-year rain event'

Hadid has tried several legal moves to try to stop or delay his dream project from becoming a pile of rubble and dust.

First he filed chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming that he 'couldn't afford' the $5 million cost of the demo. That was dismissed.

Then he filed an appeal against Judge Karlan's order to tear down the giant house. That too was denied.

In May last year he launched a desperate bid to save his building project by asking California's Supreme Court to send the case back to Judge Karlan's court.

But the state's highest court torpedoed his efforts, refusing even to hear the case.

Then, in a last-ditch move, Hadid's lawyers filed a second appeal - this time against Judge Karlan's decision to appoint a receiver to oversee destruction of the house.

He lost that appeal as well.

Hadid's mammoth house was originally permitted for 15,000 square feet but it grew to more than 30,000 square feet with much of that additional construction illegal.

He ignored orders from Los Angeles City to stop building and in December 2015, in an almost-unprecedented move, the city decided to prosecute him criminally.

He pleaded no contest to three criminal charges involving illegal construction and in July 2017 he was told he would serve a 180-day jail sentence if he didn't reduce the size of the house and bring it into compliance with city building codes - or demolish it - within the three years of probation the judge also imposed.

In addition, he was fined $3,000, ordered to pay $14,191 in fees to LA city, and serve 200 hours of community service. Hadid's probation period for that criminal case ended in July 2020 and his lawyers have since managed to have his three misdemeanor convictions expunged from his record under California court regulations.
Lawmakers dropped President Joe Biden's plan to help pay for a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package by increasing the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection powers on evaders.

Republican Senator Rob Portman said on CNN Sunday the provision was dropped because 'we did have pushback.' Republicans are said to be concerned about the amount of power it would give the IRS.

It was a stumble in negotiations as Biden's economic agenda faces a major test in the Senate this week.

Democrats are pushing Republicans to come to the table on the bipartisan infrastructure plan, which focuses on highways, airports, water ways and other tradition projects. It needs at least 10 GOP votes if it's too advance in the Senate.

The White House is backing Democrats on Capitol Hill who are pushing for vote.

'Remember that a month ago, a bipartisan group of senators stood outside of the White House with the president to announce an agreement on infrastructure framework,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday.

'There's been a lot of progress since then, a lot of late nights, a lot of coffee drinking, and an important legislating,' she added. 'The American people have waited a long time. The American people are ready to see progress, and we believe it's time for progress to happen in time for this legislation to move forward.'

Psaki noted the White House would defer to Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill on final timing of any votes.

Republican Senator Rob Portman said lawmakers removed President Joe Biden's plan to help pay for a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package by increasing the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection powers on evaders

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said a deadline for a Wednesday vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill

There is a chance the IRS provision could be placed in a reconciliation bill being worked out among Democrats that contains $3.5 trillion in 'human' infrastructure programs such as free pre-K and community college, expanded paid family and medical leave and climate change.

Both pieces of legislation are being finalized with questions remaining on how they will be paid for.

Biden proposed beefing up the budget of the IRS and ramping up its enforcement powers to help the agency crack down on wealthy individuals and powerful corporations who try to evade paying taxes.

Administration officials believed they could collect at least $700 billion over the next 10 years. The IRS estimates it only collects 84 per cent of the money its owned in taxes each year, which results in a loss of $406 billion per year. That amount is a combination of $458 billion not paid and $52 billion not collected from those who are delinquent, according to the watchdog group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

'In terms of IRS reform, or IRS tax gap, which is what was in the original proposal, that will no longer be in our proposal. It will be in the larger reconciliation bill, we are told. And that's the two tracks here,' Portman, one of the bipartisan negotiations, said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday.

The clock is ticking toward Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's Wednesday deadline for both pieces of legislation.

On Monday, Schumer will file cloture, a legislative procedure that sets up the Wednesday vote for the bipartisan package. But it's unclear if the legislation will be finalized by that date and several Republican senators said they won't vote for it without the bill's text.

And some Republican senators are calling for more time.

'Unless Senator Schumer doesn't want this to happen, you need a little bit more time to get it right,' Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said on Fox News Sunday.

Portman said the same.

'Chuck Schumer, with all due respect, is not writing the bill. Nor is Mitch McConnell, by the way. So that's why we shouldn't have an arbitrary deadline of Wednesday,' he said. 'We should bring the legislation forward when it's ready.'

President Joe Biden proposed beefing up the budget of the IRS and ramping up its enforcement powers to help the agency crack down on wealthy individuals and powerful corporations who try to evade paying taxes

The group of 11 Republicans and 11 members of the Democratic caucus reached a deal on a broad framework last month with the White House but paying for the $1 trillion project remains a sticking point.

Without the IRS provision, lawmakers will have to scramble this week to come up with other options.

Schumer also set a Wednesday deadline for Democrats to come to an agreement on what will make up their $3.5 trillion bill and how it will be paid for. Senate Democrats will try and pass this measure without a single GOP vote, through a process called reconciliation which allows them to skip the usual 60 vote thresh hold to move legislation forward.

A top priority of President Biden's, the bill needs all 50 Senate Democrats on board, including moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin, who has questioned all the legislation will be fully funded.
Chicago's gun violence crisis continued over the weekend with at least 11 people killed and dozens more injured - including nine children.

Between Friday and Sunday night officers responded to 44 shooting incidents with a total of 56 victims and 11 deaths, Chicago police said Monday.

Officials reported 56 shooting victims and 11 deaths. The ages of the deceased range from 26 to 38.

Among the wounded are nine individuals under the age of 18, police said.

It comes as Chicago has weathered a devastating surge in gun crimes so far this year - with shootings up nearly nine percent over 2020.

The violence has led to fevered calls for city officials to take action as many blame Mayor Lori Lightfoot for failing to adequately address the crisis.

Chicago police battled another weekend of extreme gun violence across the city (5000 block of West Ohio St. pictured above) that left at least 11 dead and 56 injured, including 9 children

This comes just weeks after Chicago saw one of its highest crime weekends of the year and officials released data indicating a rise in criminal activity from last year

The juvenile shooting victims over the latest violent weekend included four teenage girls who were struck in a drive-by attack and an eight-year-old boy who was shot while riding in a car.

Officials say the girls were hurt were among six people who were shot and wounded as they were standing outside of a house party in the South Austin neighborhood Saturday night.

The youngest of the girls was 12 years old. She was shot in the hand. A 15-year-old girl suffered a graze to the head as a bullet flew while while two other teenage girls, aged 14 and 13, received bullet wounds to their buttocks.

A 19-year-old woman was shot in the back and listed in fair condition. A 25-year-old man also received treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital in the city with gunshot wounds to his buttocks.

So far, no arrests have been made.

Four teenage girls were among the six struck in a drive-by attack Saturday night that took place outside a party (pictured above) in the city's South Austin neighborhood

The youngest of the girls was 12 years old. She was shot in the hand. A 15-year-old girl suffered a graze to the head as a bullet flew while while two other teenage girls, aged 14 and 13, received bullet wounds to their buttocks

In another incident, an eight-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man were injured after someone in a black sport-utility vehicle fired shots at their moving vehicle, MSN reports.

The man was shot in the back and the child in the left leg. Both are said to be in stable/good condition.

The shooting took place in South Chicago. Authorities have not provided information on the suspect at this time.

According to Yahoo News, Chicago has seen a record number of violent crime incidents this year.

As of July 7, there had been more than 2,021 shootings in 2021, 164 more than in 2020. The city had also reported 364 shooting deaths at this time, an increase of 5 more than last year.

During a press briefing Monday, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said the department is seeing a rise in drive-by shootings. He compared the current drive-by rates to those of the 1980s.

Halfway through 2021, police are already seeing an increase in the number of shootings and homicides from the previous year (chart based on data released June 25, 2021)

Brown also announced the launch of the city's Gun Investigations Team.

According to Brown, the team was launched Sunday with the explicit mission to conduct investigations into the gun traffickers and purchasers.

50 officers will be tasked with running investigations aimed to stop guns from hitting the streets originally. They will also be tasked with tracing recovered guns infiltrating the illegal pipeline of guns.

Brown says that Chicago police is on track to recover more than 12,000 illegal guns this year. Authorities have already recovered 6,600 guns to date.

The new team was launched just days after Mayor Lightfoot announced a $1 million reward fund for information that leads to the seizure of illegal firearms.

The fund was created to incentivizes citizens to report the presence of illegal guns in their community. Payouts will be provided to those who have tips that lead to arrests and convictions.

'Were setting up a structure for people to provide tips  anonymous, if you so desire  to point us to the presence of illegal firearms,' Lightfoot told the Chicago Sun Times on Thursday.

She hopes this will help law-abiding Chicagoans to reclaim their streets from violence and criminals.

According to Brown, citizens who contact the Gun Investigations Teams can expect a 'timely response at any hour of the day'.

He also adds that 'payouts will be significant'.

Chicago police are expected to provide the city's latest crime statistics during a press briefing on Monday

Meanwhile, Mayor Lori Lightfoot (left) is facing backlash for her leadership as some community leaders and members argue that she has expressed a 'complete lack of commitment' towards combating violence in Chicago

Meanwhile, Mayor Lightfoot remains under fire as crime surges throughout the city.

Earlier this month, officials revealed that Lightfoot allowed two of her top aides to take time off just before the the city was gripped by violence over the Fourth of July weekend which saw more than 100 people shot and at least 17 killed.

Their absences came despite Lightfoot's promise to have 'all hands on deck' to address a sudden surge in shootings across the city prior to that weekend.

Police officers were even made to work 12-hour shifts during over Independence Day weekend to increase their street presence.

At that time, Southwest Side Alderman Raymond Lopez said the city's leadership was 'disconnected,' arguing that officials showed a 'complete lack of commitment toward addressing the violence'.

Similarly, Alderman Anthony Napolitano called the city a 'war zone' following the holiday weekend and ripped Lightfoot as responsible.

Lightfoot's office reiterated that the mayor's team was 'fully engaged' during what has statistically been the most dangerous weekend in Chicago.

DailyMail.com reached out to Lightfoot's office for comment on the latest string of violence and has not yet heard back.
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Britain's daily Covid cases rose by just 16 per cent today, as an expert hailed the small rise as a 'remarkably good' sign that the outbreak may already be starting to slow.

The Department of Health's usual update showed there were 39,950 infections across the UK in the past 24 hours, up on the 34,471 recorded last Monday.

There were also another with another 19 Covid deaths registered today, which was more than triple the six victims reported a week ago but still 16 times lower than at the same point in previous waves.

Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that gloomy warnings of 200,000-plus daily cases and tens of thousands more deaths at the peak this autumn seemed 'a bit over the top'. He suggested infections could actually start to drop on Thursday, if England's Covid crisis plays out in the same way Scotland's did following the surge of cases during Euro 2020.

Nationally, there are currently 45,000 new infections every day across Britain, on average, and the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) expects this to reach at least 100,000 in August or September.

'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson  whose frightening modelling of the first wave spooked ministers into the initial shutdown  has warned that daily cases could rise to 200,000 this autumn, which would dwarf the 68,000 at the height of the second wave in January.

Experts said it was 'murderous' to go through with Freedom Day in England today despite surging infections.

SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward, from University College London, claimed that 'tens of thousands' more people could die from Covid in the coming months if people are not cautious with their new freedoms.

The epidemiologist told Sky News: 'We are heading into the biggest wave of Covid infection we have ever seen and, even though the vaccine will substantially reduce the number of deaths and hospitalisations, it's still likely that we will see somewhere in the low tens of thousands of deaths even if we are cautious.

'And that could move into the mid and high tens of thousands of deaths if we just went back to normal activity.'

Professor Gabriel Scally, a public health expert at the University of Bristol and member of Independent SAGE, told MailOnline that reopening England today even though the metrics are trending in the wrong direction was 'madness'.

He said: 'You don't need a crystal ball to guess what's going to happen here, we've seen over the past few weeks what direction we're heading in as a country.

'The UK has had the highest number of cases in the world on some days and for weeks has had more infections than the rest of Western Europe put together... I was in a briefing the other day and someone described it [Freedom Day] as being murderous.

'All it [Freedom Day] will do is accelerate the epidemic further, I think it's madness, it's an extraordinary decision to do it now.'

There are concerns that there could be major disruptions as a result of millions of people isolating due to the 'pingdemic' caused by the NHS Covid app, now that lockdown curbs have been lifted and cases are still soaring.

Experts estimate around 1.7million people are currently self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the app or contacted by Test and Trace, including the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak. This number could rise to 5million by the end of this month, according to analysis by MailOnline.

Meanwhile, just 100,000 people in England are living in areas where there were virtually no new Covid cases last week, according to MailOnline analysis which lays bare how the Indian variant has engulfed every corner of the country.

Infections are currently running at about 45,000 a day (yellow line shows cases increasing since May) but deaths are still flat at about 40 a day (pink line shows fatalities in the third wave). For comparison, the last time cases hit this level when the second wave began to spiral out of control (orange line) there were more than 600 daily deaths

HOW CASE RATES HAVE CHANGED IN THE UK FROM MAY 4 (LEFT) TO JULY 13 (RIGHT): Britain has quickly become an epicentre of the pandemic since May after the Indian variant was seeded in the country. Yellow areas show places which have an infection rate between 0 and 9 per 100,000; green shows rates between 10 and 49; blue is 50 to 99; dark blue represents 200 to 399; purple equates to a rate of between 400 and 799; black shows the worst-hit regions with rates above 800 per 100,000

More than 1,000 people partied at the Astoria Nightclub in Portsmouth, which opened its doors at one minute past midnight for the first time since last year

Revellers get back on the dancefloor at Powerhouse nightclub in Newcastle at the stroke of midnight, wasting no time to enjoy their first taste of clubbing since last March

Sun-seekers enjoyed the heatwave on Bournemouth beach today as all legal lockdown restrictions were lifted in England

Large numbers of Tube passengers were pictured with faces uncovered this morning, despite London Mayor Sadiq Khan's decision to continue enforcing their use across the capital's transport network

Iceland and Greene King SHUT shops and pubs as food supplies struggle with 1.7m in quarantine Freedom Day was branded 'disaster day' by stricken businesses today as self-isolating Boris Johnson faces fresh demands to dump farcical test and trace rules to stop the country becoming the 'United Pingdom'. The PM is marking the grand unlocking alone at Chequers, where he will host a 'virtual' press conference at 5pm after performing a comical U-turn from initially saying he and Rishi Sunak would dodge quarantine. He has tested negative for coronavirus so far and is not displaying symptoms, according to No10. But the lifting of almost all legal restrictions has been overshadowed by fears about spiking cases bringing the economy grinding to a halt, as more and more people are doomed to house arrest. Experts estimate around 1.7million people are still self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace. Firms including Iceland and Greene King have warned of serious problems, with some companies having to reduce hours or shut sites completely because up to a quarter of staff are off - as scientists warn the situation could spiral as the UK faces up to 200,000 cases a day. The Road Haulage Association has warned of impending chaos in supply chains, with chief executive Rod Mackenzie telling the FT: 'Far from freedom day being freedom day, it's going to be disaster day.' In a key concession today, frontline NHS workers will be let off the rules to prevent hospitals having to cancel operations because of staff shortages. No10 has also indicated that they are looking at get-outs for other key workers such as in the food industry. But ministers have ignored calls from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and others by saying the double-jabbed will not be exempted before August 16 - as well as making clear the sensitivity of the app will not be reduced. Advertisement

Department of Health data shows only 11 out of 6,791 neighbourhoods (0.2 per cent) had three or fewer new infections in the week ending July 13, compared to more than 1,000 in March before the Delta strain took off.

The Government suppresses numbers when they drop below three to conceal the identities of infected residents who could be singled out. Nearly 150 areas have 'extraordinarily' high rates of above 1,000 per 100,000.

The UK posted 54,000 cases on Saturday and 47,000 on Sunday, giving it the highest number of cases of anywhere in the world over the weekend, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Separate data shows around one in six areas in England are now reporting their highest rate of new Covid cases since comparable records began last summer, when mass testing was first introduced.

But some experts have said they expect infections to start falling next week through a combination of natural and vaccine-acquired immunity.

Professor Hunter said there were already signs that the epidemic had slowed down, following a 'Euro 2020 surge' blamed on groups getting together to watch England.

He told MailOnline: 'If you look at Scotland, its cases are still going down and they started to drop 12 days after the national team were knocked out of the Euros.

'We're not yet 12 days out from the final (when England played Italy at Wembley on July 11) but I'm expecting a reduction in cases when we get there  between Thursday and Sunday.'

Professor Hunter expected to see cases rise from now until then but said he was surprised that infections only rose by 16 per cent today, adding that it was 'remarkably good' and signalled the outbreak could slow even quicker.

But he caveated: 'It's obviously only one day's data.'

Day-to-day counts can fluctuate heavily following the weekend. And the effect of Freedom Day won't be seen in the figures for several days.

...but the Covid death rate is still 16 TIMES lower than it was during the first and second waves Britain's Covid death rate is now 16 times lower than it was during both the first and second waves because of vaccines, analysis shows. Infections are currently running at about 45,000 a day across Britain, with 40 deaths being registered every 24 hours on average. But the last time cases hit this level  when the second wave began to spiral out of control in late December  there were as many as 640 daily fatalities. One of the Oxford University researchers who helped design AstraZeneca's jab today credited the vaccines for keeping the death rate so low. Sir Andrew Pollard warned deaths would inevitably rise over the coming weeks in line with cases but insisted that they won't reach levels seen during the darkest days of January's peak. Experts have warned today's Freedom Day will only cause infections to spiral further, although the hot weather and school holidays should help stem the spread of the virus. 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, a key member of SAGE, yesterday warned that infections may hit 200,000 a day in the coming weeks. He admitted he would consider the final loosening of restrictions a success if cases stayed below half this level, and daily hospitalisations peak at around 1,000. But the Imperial College London epidemiologist said No10's top experts were clueless as to just how bad the crisis could become. Advertisement

In another glimmer of hope, Britain's Covid death rate is now 16 times lower than it was during both the first and second waves because of vaccines.

Infections are currently running at about 45,000 a day across Britain, with 40 deaths being registered every 24 hours on average.

But the last time cases hit this level  when the second wave began to spiral out of control in late December  there were as many as 640 daily fatalities.

One of the Oxford University researchers who helped design AstraZeneca's jab today credited the vaccines for keeping the death rate so low.

Sir Andrew Pollard warned deaths would inevitably rise over the coming weeks in line with cases but insisted that they won't reach levels seen during the darkest days of January's peak.

Experts have warned today's Freedom Day will only cause infections to spiral further, although the hot weather and school holidays should help stem the spread of the virus.

'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, a key member of SAGE, yesterday warned that infections may hit 200,000 a day in the coming weeks.

He admitted he would consider the final loosening of restrictions a success if cases stayed below half this level, and daily hospitalisations peak at around 1,000.

But the Imperial College London epidemiologist said No10's top experts were clueless as to just how bad the crisis could become.

Department of Health data shows hospitalisations are currently more than four times below the level they hit when Covid was rife during December.

There are 614 admissions a day on average across Britain, compared to 2,800 on December 28 when cases also stood at almost 50,000.

Deaths and hospitalisations lag several weeks behind cases, which are the first warning sign that the UK could run into trouble.

But evidence shows the current surge is not leading the NHS to face as serious pressure as it did during the first and second waves because of vaccines.

Many of the hospital admissions are in younger or vaccinated people which means their illness is often more mild - and their hospital stay shorter - than in previous waves.

SAGE does not expect hospital capacity to reach the 36,000 peak seen in January, and probably no more than half that, even in a worst-case scenario.

However, Professor Ferguson admitted that even large levels of daily admissions could cause 'major disruption' to the NHS, forcing hospital bosses to cancel thousands of vital operations.

Office for National Statistics data shows deaths are running five per cent below the five-year average, with Covid behind around just one per cent of all fatalities.

SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward (left), from University College London, claimed that if the public abuse their new freedoms then 'tens of thousands' more people could die in the coming months. Professor Gabriel Scally, a public health expert at the University of Bristol, told MailOnline that opening England today was 'madness'

Flash point in the aisles as Asda and Sainsbury's shoppers claim they've had 'abuse' for wearing facemasks while others refuse to wear the Asda and Sainsbury's shoppers today claimed to have received 'abuse' for continuing to use face masks as others refused to wear them - but 85% of Tube, train and bus passengers kept theirs on. Face coverings are no longer required by law, although official national guidance is to continue wearing them in crowded public places. There was a mixed picture across the country today, with pictures from the Tube showing carriages of commuters defying London Mayor Sadiq Khan's order to carry on wearing masks on public transport in the capital. However, Transport for London put the overall compliance rate at 85%. Meanwhile, Twitter users claimed to have received abuse in supermarkets for wearing face coverings, with one writing: 'This morning already had two #nomaskers in @sainsburys petrol station in my face, I'm immunosuppressed and in the car was my daughter who has Down syndrome and has had heart surgery.' A second added: 'Already had abuse in Asda this morning for wearing a mask for fucks sake what's so difficult about respecting people's boundaries.' It came as anti-maskers took to Twitter to declare a boycott of shops still enforcing the requirement, which includes all major supermarkets and hardware store B&Q. Advertisement

For comparison, at the height of the second wave the virus was linked to more than 40 per cent of all deaths.

Sir Andrew, the director of the Oxford vaccine group, said death rates from Covid will remain low because of the jabs.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The effectiveness of vaccines against severe disease and hospitalisation and death remains extremely high against the variants which are around here in the UK.

'I think with that information, we can be very confident that the rates will remain low  but they are going to rise, and we know that.

'The modelling predicts that there will be an increase in cases as we have been hearing over the last few days.

'Of course we're seeing it, that there are more people getting infected, and that will unfortunately translate into an increase in hospitalisations and deaths.

'But it will be far lower than we have experienced in previous waves.'

More than 45.2million Britons  or 87.9 per cent of adults  have got one dose, while 35.9million  or 68.3 per cent  have received both jabs.

Britain's roll-out has relied on the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, both of which are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death.

The Prime Minister ordered the lifting of the remaining restrictions in England today, after warnings from ministers this could lead to cases spiralling to 100,000 a day.

But experts say the 'real question now' is whether they will surge to double this number and hit 200,000 a day.

It is thought the bout of warm weather  allowing people to socialise outdoors  and the school holidays will help keep surging infections at bay.

Cases have already started to fall in the country's hotspot of South Tyneside, raising hopes that the end may be in sight for the worst-hit areas.

Professor Ferguson told Andrew Marr yesterday: 'Success would be keeping hospitalisations at around 1,000 and case numbers, maybe peaking a little over 100,000 a day and then slowly declining.'

But he said: 'It is likely to be a slow decline because we will be seeing contract rates increase with this relaxation, and yet we're still vaccinating people, people are getting immunity through being infected as well.

'We have the relaxation on Monday, but significantly we also have school holidays.

NHS Covid app sensitivity WON'T be changed despite ongoing 'pingdemic' The NHS Covid app won't be tweaked despite an outcry for the software's sensitivity to be dialled down amid fears it is causing a 'pingdemic'. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the 'right thing to do' was to leave the app as it is and instead relax isolation rules for the fully vaccinated as planned next month. Boris Johnson's official spokesman also claimed the app was working as expected and would not be watered down. The software was heavily criticised after some people were 'pinged' through their wall and told to isolate when a neighbour tested positive. The Government has already announced that, from August 16, double-jabbed Britons will not need to quarantine when they are 'pinged', as long as they test negative for the virus. But there is growing pressure for that date to be brought forward due to concerns the app will cause major disruptions over the next month now that lockdown curbs have been lifted and cases are still soaring. The PM's spokesman said: 'We recognise that with high cases that also means a high number of people being required to isolate and that does present significant challenges to businesses. 'We need to strike the right balance between protecting lives and livelihoods. That's why we believe it is entirely right that people asked to do so do isolate because we know it prevents onward transmission and eases pressure on our NHS which is facing a significant challenge.' He said the Government would 'constantly review' issues around critical workers and critical infrastructure. Asked whether the app was working as expected and so would not be tweaked, the spokesman said: 'That's correct.' Experts estimate around 1.7million people are currently self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace, including the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Unlike those people contacted by phone, it is not a legal requirement to self-isolate after being pinged by the app. But Downing Street today made it clear it expects people to do so. Advertisement

'We've seen a lot of transmission among teenagers, and those contact rates will probably tick down.'

Meanwhile, Freedom Day was branded 'disaster day' by stricken businesses today as self-isolating Boris Johnson faces fresh demands to dump farcical test and trace rules to stop the country becoming the 'United Pingdom'.

The PM is marking the grand unlocking alone at Chequers, where he will host a 'virtual' press conference at 5pm after performing a comical U-turn from initially saying he and Rishi Sunak would dodge quarantine. He has tested negative for coronavirus so far and is not displaying symptoms, according to No10.

But the lifting of almost all legal restrictions has been overshadowed by fears about spiking cases bringing the economy grinding to a halt, as more and more people are doomed to house arrest.

Experts estimate around 1.7million people are still self-isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS Covid app or contacted by Test and Trace.

Firms including Iceland and Greene King have warned of serious problems, with some companies having to reduce hours or shut sites completely because up to a quarter of staff are off - as scientists warn the situation could spiral as the UK faces up to 200,000 cases a day.

The Road Haulage Association has warned of impending chaos in supply chains, with chief executive Rod Mackenzie telling the FT: 'Far from freedom day being freedom day, it's going to be disaster day.'

In a key concession today, frontline NHS workers will be let off the rules to prevent hospitals having to cancel operations because of staff shortages. No10 has also indicated that they are looking at get-outs for other key workers such as in the food industry.

But ministers have ignored calls from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and others by saying the double-jabbed will not be exempted before August 16 - as well as making clear the sensitivity of the app will not be reduced.

Iceland supermarket boss Richard Walker accused the Government of 'squandering the advantages' of its successful vaccination programme by forcing double-jabbed people to self-isolate, adding: 'We're behaving like it's the dark days of March 2020'.

Humphrey Cobbold, the CEO of PureGym, which has more than 1.1million members in 287 sites, said: 'We've been talking internally about living in the United Pingdom and it's become a huge challenge for individuals and businesses', adding his staff are 'being pinged all the time'.

He added: 'Up to 25 per cent of our staff in some areas have been asked to self-isolate. Through flexibility we've been able to keep sites open so far but it's been a really close call. I think there is a different way to react to the pings for the double vaccinated and using lateral flow tests that would keep the economy functioning'.

Greene King pub boss Nick MacKenzie said: 'It's a problem and it could get worse. It is disruptive to the business. We had to close 33 pubs in the past week because of a lack of staff and across the industry we think it is one in 5 who have been affected by this and therefore it is causing us a real issue on a daily basis. We are having to have shorten hours in certain circumstances.'

He added: 'We need clarity from government on how the app works and we need to move to a test and release scheme where people can take a lateral flow test every day and get back to work and some sort of normality'.

Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak had announced yesterday they would take part in a pilot scheme to avoid quarantine.

But amid widespread outrage from politicians, business leaders and the public they humiliatingly caved in within hours and revealed they would join the legions of people self-isolating - in the PM's case Chequers until July 26, his country estate in Buckinghamshire.

They had faced accusations they were accessing a 'VIP lane' that was not available to workers who are having to isolate, bringing some businesses and public transport to the brink of collapse.
A popular Woolworths, Coles and Aldi have been added to a late-night list of Sydney's ever-growing exposure sites as a Covid-infected shopper puts a bottle shop 500km from the city on high alert.

New South Wales Health has added 17 new virus-exposed venues late on Monday night, including a bottle shop in Coffs Harbour on the state's Mid-North Coast.

Multiple alerts were issued for Covid-hit ravaged suburbs in south-west Sydney, including a popular Woolworths and a petrol station.

It comes as NSW recorded 98 local cases of Covid-19 overnight - including 37 unlinked infections - as Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned Sydneysiders to stay at home to slow the spread of infections.

New South Wales Health has added 17 new virus-exposed venues late on Monday night, including a the Hoey Moey bottle shop in Coffs Harbour (pictured)

A popular Woolworths (pictured in Belrose) Coles and Aldi have been added to a late-night list of Sydney's expanding exposure sites

Anyone who attended the Hoey Moey Bottleshop in Coffs Harbour on Thursday July 15 from 3:55pm to 4:10pm has been urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days.

The same advice applies for shoppers who visited the Free Choice in the Fairfield Forum on Saturday July 17 from 9am to 4pm or the Ampol Foodery in Padstow on Tuesday July 6 from 3:45pm to 4:00pm.

A JB Hi-Fi, a Vodafone and an Optus store in Wetherill Park were also exposed to a Covid-infected shopper on Thursday July 15.

Also declared Covid-19 exposure sites was a Coles in Mt Druitt, a Woolworths in Belrose, a busy Aldi in Liverpool and a 7-Eleven in Burwood.

The Fairfield Forum Market was also visited by an infected shopper on Friday July 16 from 10am to 12pm, as well as the Woolworths in Fairfield Heights on July 17 and the Metro Petroleum on July 15.

Shoppers who attended these venues are considered casual contacts and are urged to get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received.

The 7-Eleven in Burwood in Sydney's inner west (pictured) was visited by a Covid-positive shopper on Saturday July 10 from 3:25am to 3:35am

17 NEW EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days regardless of the result: Padstow: Ampol Foodery, Tuesday July 6 from 3:45pm to 4pm Coffs Harbour: Hoey Moey Bottle shop, Thursday July 15 from 3:55pm to 4pm Fairfield: Free Choice Fairfield Forum, Saturday July 17 from 9am to 4pm Tier 2 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times is considered a casual contact and should urgently get tested, then isolate until a negative result is received: Burwood: 7-Eleven, Saturday July 10 from 3:25am to 3:35am Belrose: Woolworths Glenrose Village, Saturday July 10 from 8:30am to 8:40am Liverpool: Aldi, Monday July 12 from 9:15am to 9:45am Mt Druitt: Coles Mt Druitt Westfield, Monday July 12 from 8:20am to 9:20am and Tuesday July 13 from 1:25pm to 2pm Smithfield: All Parts Auto, Wednesday July 14 from 8:15am to 9:15am Wetherill Park: JB Hi-Fi Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:45pm to 3:10pm Wetherill Park: Vodafone Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:40pm to 3pm Wetherill Park: Optus Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:30pm to 3:10pm Parramatta: Chemist Warehouse, Wednesday July 14 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm and Thursday July 15 from 10:30am to 11am Crows Nest: newsXpress, Thursday July 15 from 12:35pm to 12:45pm Fairfield: Metro Petroleum, Thursday July 15 from 2:15pm to 2:25pm Fairfield: Fairfield Forum Market, Friday July 16 from 10am to 12pm Fairfield Heights: Woolworths, Saturday July 17 from 12pm to 12:30pm Wallsend: Coles Express, Saturday July 17 from 2:45pm to 3pm Advertisement

Of Monday's newly-acquired cases, 20 were active in the community for their entire contagious period and another 17 for part of the time they were infectious.

In a worrying sign the city's outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta variant is still spiralling out of control, NSW Health said 37 of the cases have not yet been linked to known cases.

Ms Berejiklian said 67 infections - more than two-thirds of the new cases - were found in Sydney's south-west.

There are 82 patients in NSW hospitals suffering from Covid-19, of which 24 are in intensive case and seven are being ventilated.

'That 20 number is the one we want to nudge,' she said. 'The closer we get that number to zero, the sooner we can end the lockdown.'

Greater Sydney is now entering its fourth week of strict stay-at-home restrictions to stem the spread of the outbreak which began in the city's eastern suburbs last month.

USE DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA'S TRACKER TO FIND THE LATEST EXPOSURE SITES NEAR YOU

An infected shopper visited the Mt Druitt Coles in Westfield on Monday July 12 from 8:20am to 9:20am and Tuesday July 13 from 1:25pm to 2pm

Monday's new cases mean NSW health officials have now found 1,340 Covid-19 infections since that cluster began on June 16.

Sydney is now suffering through its biggest Covid outbreak of the entire pandemic with more cases in a month than the entire first wave.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has repeatedly warned the Indian Delta variant of the virus posed the greatest threat the state has faced thus far.

She again warned 'this strain is unlike anything we've ever seen' just 24 hours after admitting she 'can't remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent.'

Ms Berejiklian from Monday ordered all construction to pause for two weeks across Sydney, but she said high transmission levels were still being recorded in workplaces across the city.

The raft of new exposure sites comes as NSW recorded 98 local cases of Covid-19 overnight - including 37 unlinked infections (pictured, Woolworths in Glenrose Village in Belrose)

She admitted meanwhile she may not be able to fully dial back NSW's strict restrictions until October - when 80 per cent of the state's population is expected to be vaccinated against the virus.

'Until we get vaccination rates at a level that will protect the community we will have to live with some level of restriction,' she said.

'I think that is accepted and we are looking forward to those extra doses that are coming by the end of September.

'So by the end of October they will be a much higher rate of vaccination.'

As well as 67 cases in Sydney's south-west, 11 were found in the city's west and another eight were detected in central Sydney.

Sydney is now suffering through its biggest Covid outbreak of the entire pandemic with more cases in a month than the entire first wave

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were 47 cases recorded in the south-western Fairfield LGA, which continues to experience the state's highest rate of transmission.

She said she wanted to see increased levels of testing not only in Sydney's south-west but also in northern and south-eastern parts of the city.

The areas of concern for increased testing are Lakemba, Punchbowl, Fairfield, Bankstown, Liverpool, Cumberland, Guildford, Wollongong, Blaney, Parks, Coffs Harbour, Crows Nest, St Leonards, Georges River, Bayside and Sutherland Shire.

'We need to make sure that we are not complacent and think this is just an issue in south-west Sydney - far from it,' Dr Chant said.

'Every time we leave our house we have to be vigilant in terms of who we interact with.'
Dan Abrams and Adrienne Bankert will join Nexstar's NewsNation to host two new shows, one in the morning and one in the evening, the network announced on Monday.

Abrams will host Dan Abrams Live, a nightly live show where he will dissect the day's news, and Bankert will host Morning in America, a daily, three-hour show from 7am until 10am which the network hopes will rival Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning. Both shows begin on September 27.

Abrams is the Chief Legal Affairs analyst for ABC News, and host of The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets the Law on SiriusXM radio. He will continue in these roles.

His previous show, Live PD, was one of cable TV's highest rated programs before being canceled last year. A network source tells DailyMail.com: Many of Dans Live PD personalities will be regular guests on his new show.

Abrams is also the founder of of Abrams Media whose digital properties include Mediaite. Abrams Media attracts 20million unique visitors per month across its digital properties.

A NewsNation source told DailyMail.com that Abrams contacted the network after growing tired of how politicized mainstream media has become.

Dan Abrams and Adrienne Bankert will join Nexstar's NewsNation to host two new shows, one in the evening and one in the morning, the network announced on Monday morning.

'Dan was frustrated with partisan news and called Nexstar Networks President Sean Compton and said, "let me help you build NewsNation." Compton and Michael Corn immediately started negotiations with him.'

Corn is the former Executive Producer of Good Morning America who is now running the NewsNation newsroom.

In a statement, he said: 'Joining NewsNation is a welcome, natural fit for me. Too much of cable news is polluted by partisanship with shows focused on indoctrinating viewers, unabashedly cheering for one side or another.

'We are committed to presenting independent-minded analysis and opinion on politics, media, and the most important stories of the day, exposing hypocrisy on all sides so viewers can make up their own minds.

'Always fact based, sometimes surprising, but never agenda drivenyou might call it a cable news show for the rest of us.'

Adrienne Bankert will host Morning in America, a daily morning show that will air between 7am and 10am starting September 27.

Bankert previously worked as a correspondent for ABC News. She was also a member of the Good Morning America production.

She said: 'Im excited to bring a relatability to morning news that connects with the audience like never before.

'This show will be a conversation, putting stories in context and getting behind the headlines. And we are going to have fun. Even if people wake up on the so-called "wrong side of the bed," I want them to turn on the TV and be not only more informed, but feel better, even happier watching us.

NewsNation launched last year to take on mainstream media with unbiased reporting

'I believe we are called to a higher standard at NewsNationto offer a variety of viewpoints across America and give dignity to every voice.

'Thats what youll find on Morning in America five days a week.'

NewsNation launched in September last year to take on mainstream media amid a swell of public frustration over how politicized news reporting had become.

It has struggled to attract viewers and ranked 99th in the Nielsen ratings in the week ending July 4 with an average of 33,000 viewers.

A network source told DailyMail.com the numbers reflected the wider trend of declining audiences across all media networks.

'CNN and FOX can underestimate us all they want, remember when they launched, they were the ones laughed at.'

According to the most recent ratings, CNN is down 57 percent, Fox News is down 42 percent and MSNBC is down 37 percent.

Fox News is the most watched cable news channel, with Tucker Carlson's show consistently number one.

Live PD was canceled by A&E in the wake of George Floyd's murder last year. At the time, A&E said they were canceling the show 'to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them.'

The show drew criticism for filming the arrest of Javier Ambler, a black man who died in police custody after being tased. The footage never aired.
The Australian government has taken a bold step in its ongoing diplomatic spat with China, naming the communist state as the party responsible for a series of 'malicious' cyber attacks.

Scott Morrison in June last year shocked the nation by outlining how an un-named 'state-actor' had targeted banks, universities, hospitals, transport networks, electricity grids, and the military, as part of a lengthy cyber-warfare campaign against Australia.

China-watchers and security experts pointed the finger squarely at Beijing, with insiders claiming the cyber invasion was payback for Australia's decision to ban Chinese state firm Huawei from the national 5G network in 2018 over national security concerns.

At the time, the Prime Minster and Australia's intelligence agencies did not directly accuse the authoritarian power of being behind the hacking scandal.

But on Monday night, in a joint statement co-ordinated with the US, UK, European Union, New Zealand, Canada and NATO, Beijing was named and shamed for shadowy tactics here and around the globe.

Scott Morrison (pictured) in June last year shocked the nation by outlining how an un-named 'state-actor' had targeted banks, universities, hospitals, transport networks, electricity grids, and the military, as part of a lengthy cyber-warfare campaign against Australia

The Australian government has taken a bold step in its ongoing diplomatic spat with China and it's President-for-life Xi Jinping (pictured), naming the communist state for the first time as the party responsible for a series of 'malicious' cyber attacks

'Today, the Australian Government joins international partners in expressing serious concerns about malicious cyber activities by China's Ministry of State Security,' a joint statement by Defence Minister Peter Dutton, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and the Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews.

'In consultation with our partners, the Australian Government has determined that China's Ministry of State Security exploited vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange software to affect thousands of computers and networks worldwide, including in Australia.

'These actions have undermined international stability and security by opening the door to a range of other actors, including cybercriminals, who continue to exploit this vulnerability for illicit gain.'

The explosive statement goes on to say that the Australian Government is aware and seriously concerned that China's Ministry of State Security is hiring 'contract hackers' to carryout intellectual property crimes on behalf of the Beijing.

'Australia calls on all countries  including China  to act responsibly in cyberspace,' the statement said.

'China must adhere to the commitments it has made in the G20, and bilaterally, to refrain from cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets and confidential business information with the intent of obtaining competitive advantage.'

Insiders claimed Beijing's cyber invasion was payback for Australia's decision to ban Chinese state firm Huawei from the national 5G network in 2018, over national security concerns. Pictured: Chinese netizens are pictured at an internet cafe in Guangdong Province, China

How are the attacks carried out? The Australian Cyber Security Centre has identified the actor utilising various spearphishing techniques. This spearphishing has taken the form of: Links to credential harvesting websites Emails with links to malicious files, or with the malicious file directly attached Links prompting users to grant Office 365 OAuth tokens to the actor Use of email tracking services to identify the email opening and lure click-through events Source: Australia Cyber Security Centre Advertisement

Scott Morrison's government decided to call out China to 'highlight the significant risk they can pose to Australia's national security or to international stability'.

They say the cyber attacks can 'undermine business confidence' and stagnate 'inclusive economic growth' - a key talking point of Chinese diplomats at international conferences.

While critical infrastructure and information intelligence remains Australia's most heavily protected cyber assets, experts warn that trust in democratic institutions is our most vulnerable target.

They say the real goal of authoritarian powers such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran is to overwhelm the west with paranoia and distrust in governments, media, science and independent judiciary.

'While the nominal targets of this attack are unidentified, the deeper target is the institutional trust that enables Australia's open democratic system to function,' Flinders University national security analyst Dr Zac Rogers told news.com in the wake of last year's attacks.

'The threat of an enemy at the gates can pale in comparison to the damage done by the monster under the bed.

'The irony of the age of information would be that it could herald the end of influence.'

Australia has seen a 60 per cent rise in ransomware attacks over the past year, with damages estimated to cost the economy about $1.4billion.

There were 291 Australian entities targeted with malware attacks in the year to April 2019.

In the following 12-months that figure shot up to 459.

Chinese troops marching during a military parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China

The Australian Government is seriously concerned that China's Ministry of State Security is hiring 'contract hackers' to carryout intellectual property crimes on behalf of the Beijing. Pictured: Chinese students working on laptops at Shanghai University

The Australian Federal Police recently set up Operation Orcus to combat the spate of online attacks against Australia by rogue regimes like Russia and China.

'Australia's cyber security posture is strong, but there is no room for complacency given the online threat environment is constantly evolving,' the joint statement said.

'Protecting Australia from malicious cyber activity  be it by state actors or cybercriminals  requires a continuous improvement approach to cyber security practices across all levels of society including government, business and households.'

'The Australian Government will continue to work with international partners and the private sector to strengthen cyber security.'

The Joe Biden administration led the worldwide condemnation of China for state-sponsored ransomware attacks

The UK's foreign secretary Dominic Raab demanded China stops its 'systematic cyber sabotage' as state-backed groups were blamed for Microsoft Exchange attacks

The disclosure comes as Canberra's diplomatic relationship with Beijing continues to sour.

Communist Party officials were outraged when Mr Morrison's government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020.

The call for transparency was met with an array of arbitrary bans and tariffs on key Australian exports including barley, wine, beef, cotton, seafood, coal and timbre.

Intelligence officials attributed a major cyber attack on the Australian parliament last year, as part of Beijing's campaign to intimidate or bully Australia as tensions over trade foment.

Cybersecurity experts claimed in March that at least 10 hacking groups used a flaw in Microsoft's email software to break in to targets around the world
The daughter of Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was abducted and tortured in Islamabad on Friday.

Silsila Alikhil, the 26-year-old daughter of Najibullah Alikhil, was abducted while she was on her way home in the Pakistani capital and held for around five hours.

The abduction comes days after Afghanistan's vice-president Amrullah Saleh accused Pakistan of providing 'close air support' for the Taliban as the Islamist insurgents continued their offensive in the war-torn country.

'The abduction of the Afghan ambassador's daughter and her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured,' Mr Saleh tweeted on Sunday.

In a separate tweet late on Sunday, the Afghan foreign ministry said senior diplomats have been recalled to Kabul while the attack is investigated.

Silsila Alikhil, the 26-year-old daughter of Najibullah Alikhil, was abducted while she was on her way home in the Pakistani capital and held for several hours

The young woman was abducted in the middle of the afternoon in the Pakistani capital, held for several hours and brutally attacked.

She was left with rope marks and other injuries, and is currently under medical care.

The Afghan foreign ministry statement said it is recalling its senior diplomats 'until all security threats are met including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of the abduction'.

Pakistan's foreign ministry called Kabul's decision 'regrettable' and said that it hoped the decision would be reconsidered.

However, the Afghan Ministry of External Affairs said the diplomats would not return until their security had been assured by Islamabad, and the assailants were found and punished.

Pakistan has opened an investigation into the Friday attack.

Pakistan's past investigations of attacks on women have been criticised after police and even prime minister Imran Khan have blamed the victims, citing the clothes they wore or that they were travelling alone.

Earlier this year, after a woman was raped in front of her two children on a road, a senior police officer chided her for travelling by herself and at night.

Pictured: Najibullah Alikhil, Afghan ambassador in Pakistan whose daughter was abducted and tortured on Friday. The Afghan foreign ministry said on Sunday senior diplomats have been recalled to Kabul while the attack is investigated

Ms Alikhil's abduction comes as the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan rapidly deteriorates.

Last week, Mr Saleh claimed the Pakistani military had warned Afghanistan that they would be 'faced and repelled' by Pakistan's Air Force if they tried to attack the Taliban in Spin Boldak to retake the key border crossing between the two countries.

The Taliban's offensive across Afghanistan comes after U.S. troops withdrew from the country after almost 20 years of presence following the 9/11 attacks.

'Pakistan air force has issued official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force,' Saleh tweeted on Thursday.

'Pak air force is now providing close air support to Taliban in certain areas.'

Pictured: Private security stand guard outside the Afghan embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, 19 July 2021 after senior diplomats were recalled from the country

He added: 'Afghan aircrafts as far as 10 kilometres from Spin Boldak are warned to back off or face air to air missiles. Afghanistan is too big to be swallowed.'

Pakistan strongly denied the claim, with a foreign ministry statement saying the country 'took necessary measures within its territory to safeguard our own troops and population'.

'We acknowledge Afghan government's right to undertake actions on its sovereign territory,' Pakistan's foreign ministry added.

But Saleh dismissed Pakistan's denials as false and said on Friday: 'On Pakistani denial: For over twenty years Pakistan denied the existence of Quetta Shura [militant organisation with Taliban leaders] or presence of Taliban terrorist leaders in its soil.

'Those familiar with this pattern, Afghan or foreign, know exactly that issuing a statement is just a pre-written paragraph.'

Afghanistan's vice-president Amrullah Saleh last week accused Pakistan of providing 'close air support' for the Taliban

The war of words comes as Afghan forces clashed Friday with Taliban fighters in Spin Boldak after launching an operation to retake the key border crossing with Pakistan.

Dozens of wounded Taliban fighters were being treated at a Pakistan hospital near the border after fierce overnight fighting, AFP correspondents at the scene reported.

'We have suffered one death and dozens of our fighters have got injured,' Mullah Muhammad Hassan, who identified himself as a Taliban insurgent, told AFP near Chaman in Pakistan, about five kilometres (three miles) from the border.

Reuters news agency said Friday one of its photographers had been killed in the Spin Boldak fighting, citing an Afghan army commander.

Danish Siddiqui, an Indian national, was part of a team that shared a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 and had been embedded with Afghan special forces, the agency said.

Amrullah Saleh claimed the Pakistani military had warned Afghanistan that they would be 'faced and repelled' by Pakistan's Air Force if they tried to attack the Taliban in Spin Boldak to retake the key border crossing between the two countries. Pictured: Afghan security forces

'We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region,' Reuters President Michael Friedenberg and Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni said in a statement.

'Danish was an outstanding journalist, a devoted husband and father, and a much-loved colleague. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.'

Siddiqui told Reuters he had been wounded in the arm by shrapnel earlier on Friday while reporting on the clash. He was treated and had been recovering when Taliban fighters retreated from the fighting in Spin Boldak.

Siddiqui had been talking to shopkeepers when the Taliban attacked again, the Afghan commander said.
Former President Trump dismissed his Vice President Mike Pence for lacking 'courage' and called Mitch McConnell, Republican leader in the Senate, a 'knucklehead' as he picked over the last days of his presidency in an interview for a new book.

He also claimed the Jan. 6 rioters were a 'loving crowd' as he held court for two-and-half-hours at his Mar-a-Lago estate with the authors of 'I Alone Can Fix It,' which will be published on Tuesday.

It comes amid a slew of fresh accounts of the last days of Trump's time in office.

On Monday, Secret Service agents were also captured wheeling paintings of Trump with the signature 'I am who I am' into Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.

He said McConnell had 'no personality' and lacked a killer political instinct for failing to eliminate the filibuster, which would have allowed them to force through a Republican agenda.

'Hes a stupid person,' he said, according to an excerpt published in Vanity Fair. 'I dont think hes smart enough.'

Ten portraits of Donald Trump arrived at Trump Tower in New York City with the words 'I am who I am' on them. Secret Service helped wheel the prints on a trolley into the entrance

A string of recent books has lifted the lid on President Trump's last days in office, describing his fury at officials who did not support his attempt to overturn the 2020 election result

Former President Trump held court at his Mar-a-Lago estate for two-and-a-half hours in March, offering his thoughts on the 2020 election, his potential running mates in 2024 and the performance of key allies. Trump dismissed Sen. Mitch McConnell as a 'knucklehead' for failing to eliminate the filibuster, which would have allowed him to push through a Republican agenda

He faulted McConnell for not persuading Sen. Joe Manchin, the moderate Democrat from West Virginia, to switch parties.

'I tried to convince Mitch McConnell to get rid of the filibuster, to terminate it, so that we would get everything, and he was a knucklehead and he didnt do it, he added.

Trump also made familiar claims about the individuals he believed failed him in fighting harder to overturn the election result.

The book is published by Penguin Press on July 20, the latest in a string of accounts about the last days of the Trump presidency

In his eyes, Pence lacked the bravery to do the right thing.

'Had Mike Pence had the courage to send it back to the legislatures, you would have had a different outcome, in my opinion,' he told authors Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.

His vice president was obliged to stand up if he saw evidence of fraud, he said.

'I think that the vice president of the United States must protect the Constitution of the United States,' he added.

'I dont believe hes just supposed to be a statue who gets these votes from the states and immediately hands them over. If you see fraud, then I believe you have an obligation to do one of a number of things.'

He also reprised an argument used by his supporters that Vice President Thomas Jefferson overrode concerns that House and Senate tellers raised about Georgia's electoral college votes in 1800 - which historian say was a minor discrepancy that does not compare with the 2020 election.

'So I said, "Mike, you can be Thomas Jefferson or you can be Mike Pence,"' said Trump.

'What happened is, I had a very good relationship with Mike Pencevery goodbut when you are handed these votes and before you even start about the individual corruptions, the people, the this, the that, all the different things that took place, when you are handed these votes...

Aides say Trump and Pence speak frequently since leaving office but admit they will never 'see eye to eye' on the events of Jan. 6 when the vice president resisted the president's pressure not to certify the results of the 2020 election

In the interview, Trump said he hoped his supporters would march to the Capitol to protest outside and blamed U.S. Capitol Police for ushering them inside. 'They were hugging and kissing,' he said. 'You dont see that. Theres plenty of tape on that'

'Right there you should have sent them back to the legislatures.'

Aides to both men say they have talked frequently by telephone since leaving office but admit they will never agree on how the events of Jan. 6 unfolded.

The interview was conducted at Trump's Florida residence in March, as diners began arriving for dinner.

He was occasionally interrupted by members of Trump World, such as his eldest son's girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle or Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham, stopping by to say hello.

And, as he has done in more recent appearances, he played down the violence on Jan. 6 when asked what he hoped his supporters would do when he urged them to march on the Capitol.

'I would venture to say I think it was the largest crowd I had ever spoken [to] before,' he said.

'It was a loving crowd, too, by the way. There was a lot of love.

'Ive heard that from everybody. Many, many people have told me that was a loving crowd.

'It was too bad, it was too bad that they did that.'

Under pressure to answer the question, Trump said he wanted his supporters to demonstrate outside the Capitol building but not enter.

'In all fairness, the Capitol Police were ushering people in,' he said.

'The Capitol Police were very friendly. They were hugging and kissing.

'You dont see that. Theres plenty of tape on that.'

He also made no secret of his interest in running again in 2024, running through a list of possible VP picks.

He again expressed his disappointment in Pence and all but dismissed the former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

'Chris has been very disloyal, but thats okay,' he said. 'I helped Chris Christie a lot. He knows that more than anybody, but I helped him a lot. But hes been disloyal.'

He reserved special ire for his former ambassador to the United Nations, who had recently criticized his attempts to overturn the election in interviews with Politico.

'Nikki Haley wants to come here so badly,' he said. 'She did a little nasty couple of statements...

'She has been killed by the party. When they speak badly about me, the party is not happy about it.

'Its pretty amazing. Theres not been anything like this.'
A judge has ordered a New Jersey woman to remove four of six pro-Trump banners hanging on her fence because they displayed profanity, including one showing the former president extending two middle fingers over the words 'f*** Biden.'

While the 2020 election between Trump and Joe Biden was decided in November and certified in Janaury, Roselle Park resident Andrea Dick refused to believe the results and hung up the banners.

Municipal Court Judge Gary Bundy ordered Dick - and her mother, Patricia Dilascio who owns the property - to take down the flags or face a daily fine of $250.

Andrea Dick, above, says her posters are meant to support President Donald Trump over the 2020 election

One of the posters depict President Donald Trump holding up two middle fingers above the words 'f*** Biden'

Officials in Roselle Park, New Jersey, said residents are not allowed to put up posters featuring offensive language or gestures. They added that the posters were being displayed near an elementary school

While Dick's attorney, Michael Campagna, said that Dick was protected under the First Amendment, Bundy said 'freedom of speech is not simply an absolute right,' NJ.com reported.

'It is clear from state law and statutes that we cannot simply put up the umbrella of the First Amendment and say everything and anything is protected speech.' the judge added.

In his ruling, Bundy upheld that the signs were in violation of local ordinances that prohibit public obscenity.

Signs that read, 'Don't blame me, I voted for Trump,' and 'Socialism Sucks, Biden Blows,' could remain.

Roselle Park officials had sent Dick a letter on June 2, ordering her to remove the banners or face a fine of $500 a day.

Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello, a Democrat, told NBC that the major concern lies with where Dick's house is located.

'It's within spitting distance of an elementary school, so it makes it particularly problematic,' Signorello said. 'You can put up political signage whenever you want, but when it's political signage couple with sexual innuendo, offensive gestures, that's where we draw the line.'

Dick said the messages were her way of showing support for Trump.

"I have until next Thursday to decide. Then they're going to hit us with a $250 a day fine. It could be up to $500 but they're starting off at $250. If I don't take them down it's at the judge's discretion to bump it. And my mom could do 90 days in jail," Dick told New Jersey 101.5.

It's not the first such case, according to Newsweek.

In early July, Dwayne Colethe mayor of Munford, Tennesseesaid a city resident flying a profanity-laced flag against Biden would continue to display it. The flag read, "F**k Biden and f**k you for voting for him." Cole said the flag was protected by free speech laws, but a similar yard sign would violate municipal laws and have to be removed.

In March, a Jackson, Michigan, resident began flying a similarly profane flag. While some courts dislike adults exposing kids to profanity, the non-sexual context of the f-word upon the flag may keep judges from interpreting the message as obscene, Northern Kentucky University law professor Ken Katkin told The Washington Examiner.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, a man named Jim Greenawalt flew the same flag from his own front porch and was allowed to keep it up due to freedom of speech, YourErie.com reported. Both Greenawalt and the Munford man have no plans of removing their flags.

A lawyer told the aforementioned website that Greenawalt's flag is legal as long as it doesn't impede municipal functions or incite violence through hate speech.
Coles, Woolworths and Aldi on high alert as infections in the community spread

Now 1,340 Covid-19 infections linked to Sydney outbreak which began in June

Australia's two biggest cities face many more days of lockdown uncertainty, with Covid outbreaks growing at a relentless pace and the future of both New South Wales and Victoria's restrictions still unknown.

While the nation had until recently maintained a firm grip on coronavirus cases, Sydney's growing cluster - with 98 new cases on Monday - is now a major concern, as is the outbreak gripping Victorians for the fifth time.

Victoria recorded 16 new Covid-19 cases on Monday prompting Premier Daniel Andrews to announce his state's hardline restrictions would not be lifted as intended at 11:59pm on Tuesday night.

New exposure sites published on Monday night, including a busy Bunnings in Melbourne and a bottle shop 500km from Sydney in Coffs Harbour, are unlikely to make health officials confident the outbreaks are getting under control.

South Australia is also experiencing enhanced Covid restrictions from midnight on Monday after three new cases were recorded - including an 81-year-old man who had recently been in NSW hotel quarantine after flying home from Argentina.

A vast list of new exposure sites was revealed for New South Wales on Monday night, as infectious Covid cases continue to unknowingly visit shops and cafes (pictured, a woman walks in Bondi on Monday)

In NSW, 17 new exposure sites were added to the ever-growing list of high-risk sites on Monday night, including a bottle shop 500km from the city (pictured, the Hoey Moey bottle shop in Coffs Harbour)

'There is an ongoing challenge for all of us, but we will not be ready to lift these restrictions at midnight tomorrow night,' the Victorian premier said on Monday.

'To do so, would not be the right thing to do. I know this is not the news people want to hear but we have to do the right thing.'

The new cases came after 54,839 tests were conducted and 14,758 vaccine doses administered in the last 24 hours. There are now 81 active cases in Victoria.

While Victorians wait with baited breath for an update on Tuesday morning, Sydneysiders are entering their fourth week of strict stay-at-home restrictions to stem the city's outbreak of the highly-contagious Indian Delta variant.

The lockdown, initially intended for just a week, has been extended until at least July 30, with businesses crippled and residents losing patience.

Sydney's growing cluster - with 98 cases on Monday - is now a major concern, as is the outbreak gripping Victorians for the fifth time (pictured, police speak to a woman in Bondi on Monday)

Of the 98 new cases recorded in NSW on Monday, 20 were active in the community for their entire contagious period and another 17 for part of the time they were infectious (pictured, Gladys Berejiklian)

Of the 98 newly-acquired cases, 20 were active in the community for their entire contagious period and another 17 for part of the time they were infectious.

'That 20 number is the one we want to nudge,' Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

'The closer we get that number to zero, the sooner we can end the lockdown.'

NSW Health said 37 of the cases have not yet been linked to known infections, with 67 - more than two-thirds of the new numbers - found in Sydney's south-west.

Of the remaining cases, 11 were found in the city's west and another eight were detected in central Sydney.

There are 82 patients in NSW hospitals suffering from Covid-19, of which 24 are in intensive case and seven are being ventilated.

South-west Sydney (pictured, Bankstown on Monday) continues to be the new epicentre of the city's outbreak

Victoria recorded 16 new Covid-19 cases on Monday prompting the premier to announce the hardline restrictions would not be lifted as intended at 11:59pm on Tuesday night (pictured, Dan Andrews)

Ms Berejiklian said families across Sydney - particularly in the south-west where transmission is highest - needed to stay at home if the city had any chance of coming out of lockdown.

'You need to be extra, extra careful about workplaces and about your own family members who don't live in your household,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Workplaces not only spread the virus to colleagues but potentially spread the virus to other communities.'

The premier has ordered all construction to pause for two weeks across Sydney, but she said high transmission levels were still being recorded in workplaces.

VICTORIA EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT Tier 1 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure: Richmond: Burnley Street Apartment, Tuesday July 13 to Saturday July 17 from 12:00am to 11:59pm Port Melbourne: 3 Point Training, Thursday July 15 from 5:25pm to 7:00pm Prahan: Goodlife Health Club, Wednesday July 14 from 12:45pm to 2:25pm Windsor: Upton Girl, Wednesday July 14 from 8:30am to 9:05am Tier 2 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear: Fitzroy: Charles Street Apartment, Wednesday July 14 to Sunday July 18 from 12:00am to 11:59pm Fitzroy: Eastern Hill Lotto, Friday July 16 from 1:45pm to 2:20pm Fitzroy: HealthSmart Pharmacy, Friday July 16 from 3:30pm to 4:15pm Fitzroy: Co Ba Cafe, Friday July 16 from 2:08pm to 2:45pm Fitzroy: Courtyard 55 Cafe, Friday July 16 from 1:35pm to 2:10pm Richmond: Tanner Street Apartment from Friday July 16 to Sunday July 18 from 12:00am to 11:59pm Richmond: Appleton Street Apartment from Tuesday July 13 to Saturday July 17 from 12:00am to 11:59pm Mildura: Solunar, Monday July 12 from 11:30am to 4:00pm Dandenong South: Bunnings, Tuesday July 13 from 7:45am to 8:15am Dandenong South: Swift Way Takeaway, Monday July 12, Tuesday July 13 and Thursday July 15 from 6:40am to 7:15am Advertisement

USE DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA'S TRACKER TO FIND THE LATEST EXPOSURE SITES NEAR YOU

In Melbourne, a busy Bunnings, a popular takeaway and a suite of popular cafes were declared Covid exposure sites, as the city's list of high-risk sites continues to spiral.

The late night additions, which include four apartment blocks, two gyms and a pharmacy came after Mr Andrews promised Victorians would have an update on the extended restrictions on Tuesday morning.

An urgent health alert has been issued to anyone who visited 3 Point Training in Port Melbourne on July 15 from 5:25pm to 7:00pm or the Goodlife Health Club in Prahan on July 14 from 12:45pm to 2:25pm.

Any person who visited the Tier 1 sites has been urged to immediately get tested and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.

Shoppers who visited Bunnings in Dandenong South on July 13 from 7:45am to 8:15am should also get tested urgently and isolate until a negative result is received.

The same advice applies for those that visited the Swift Takeaway store in the same suburb on July 12, July 13 or July 15 from 6:40am to 7:15am.

Those who visited the Swift Takeaway store in Dandenong South on July 12, July 13 or July 15 from 6:40am to 7:15am should get tested (pictured, left) as well as those who went to Solunar (right) in Mildura

Anyone who dined at Solunar in the regional town of Mildura on July 12 from 11:30am to 4:00pm has also been exposed to a Covid positive patron.

Two popular cafes in Fitzroy were also attended by a positive case of Covid-19 on July 16, Co Ba Cafe and Courtyard Cafe 55.

The HealthSmart Pharmacy in Fitzroy was also exposed to the virus on July 16 from 3:30pm to 4:15pm as well as the Eastern Hill Lotto on the same day and suburb from 1:45pm to 2:15pm.

Four apartment blocks have also been added to the ever expanding list of high risk sites in the inner-city suburbs of Richmond and Fitzroy.

The raft of new exposure sites came after the Victorian premier vowed the lockdown would last only as long as it needed to.

'I do not want to be in a situation where we failed to extinguish this and these chains of transmission, only to open an event, for it to be closed again a short time thereafter. That is not right,' he said.

Testing has been ramped up in Victoria (pictured at Melbourne's Albert Park Lake on Monday) in light of the new outbreak

The state premier said he was confident about plunging the state into lockdown sooner rather than later - like Sydney - claiming the outbreak could have been much worse.

'I'm confident we will face that reality open as opposed to closed which is where Sydney finds itself now and for the foreseeable future,' he said.

'We wish them well. There is no sense of criticism. If they have a problem, the whole country has a problem and that is why I wish them well in their efforts.'

Back in NSW, 17 new exposure sites were added to the ever-growing list of high-risk sites on Monday night, including a bottle shop 500km from the city.

Anyone who attended the Hoey Moey Bottleshop in Coffs Harbour on Thursday July 15 from 3:55pm to 4:10pm has been urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Anyone who attended the Hoey Moey Bottleshop in Coffs Harbour (pictured) on Thursday July 15 from 3:55pm to 4:10pm has been urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days

Also declared Covid-19 exposure sites on Monday night was a Coles in Mt Druitt, a Woolworths in Belrose (pictured), a busy Aldi in Liverpool and a 7-Eleven in Burwood

The same advice applies for shoppers who visited the Free Choice in the Fairfield Forum on Saturday July 17 from 9am to 4pm or the Ampol Foodery in Padstow on Tuesday July 6 from 3:45pm to 4:00pm.

A JB Hi-Fi, a Vodafone and an Optus store in Wetherill Park were also exposed to a Covid-infected shopper on Thursday July 15.

Also declared Covid-19 exposure sites were a Coles in Mt Druitt, a Woolworths in Belrose, a busy Aldi in Liverpool and a 7-Eleven in Burwood.

The Fairfield Forum Market was also visited by an infected shopper on Friday July 16 from 10am to 12pm, as well as the Woolworths in Fairfield Heights on July 17 and the Metro Petroleum on July 15.

Shoppers who attended these venues are considered casual contacts and are urged to get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received.

USE DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA'S TRACKER TO FIND THE LATEST EXPOSURE SITES NEAR YOU

NSW EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days regardless of the result: Padstow: Ampol Foodery, Tuesday July 6 from 3:45pm to 4pm Coffs Harbour: Hoey Moey Bottle shop, Thursday July 15 from 3:55pm to 4pm Fairfield: Free Choice Fairfield Forum, Saturday July 17 from 9am to 4pm Tier 2 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times is considered a casual contact and should urgently get tested, then isolate until a negative result is received: Burwood: 7-Eleven, Saturday July 10 from 3:25am to 3:35am Belrose: Woolworths Glenrose Village, Saturday July 10 from 8:30am to 8:40am Liverpool: Aldi, Monday July 12 from 9:15am to 9:45am Mt Druitt: Coles Mt Druitt Westfield, Monday July 12 from 8:20am to 9:20am and Tuesday July 13 from 1:25pm to 2pm Smithfield: All Parts Auto, Wednesday July 14 from 8:15am to 9:15am Wetherill Park: JB Hi-Fi Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:45pm to 3:10pm Wetherill Park: Vodafone Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:40pm to 3pm Wetherill Park: Optus Stockland, Thursday July 15 from 2:30pm to 3:10pm Parramatta: Chemist Warehouse, Wednesday July 14 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm and Thursday July 15 from 10:30am to 11am Crows Nest: newsXpress, Thursday July 15 from 12:35pm to 12:45pm Fairfield: Metro Petroleum, Thursday July 15 from 2:15pm to 2:25pm Fairfield: Fairfield Forum Market, Friday July 16 from 10am to 12pm Fairfield Heights: Woolworths, Saturday July 17 from 12pm to 12:30pm Wallsend: Coles Express, Saturday July 17 from 2:45pm to 3pm Advertisement

The new cases recorded on Monday mean NSW health officials have now found 1,340 Covid-19 infections since the cluster began with an infected limo driver from Bondi on June 16.

Sydney is now suffering through its biggest Covid outbreak of the entire pandemic with more cases in a month than the entire first wave.

Ms Berejiklian has repeatedly warned the Indian Delta variant of the virus posed the greatest threat the state has faced thus far.

She again warned 'this strain is unlike anything we've ever seen' just 24 hours after admitting she 'can't remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent.'

The premier admitted meanwhile she may not be able to fully dial back NSW's strict restrictions until October - when 80 per cent of the state's population is expected to be vaccinated against the virus.

Anyone who visited Bunnings in Dandenong South (pictured) on July 13 from 7:45am to 8:15am has been asked to get tested urgently and isolate until a negative result is received

'Until we get vaccination rates at a level that will protect the community we will have to live with some level of restriction,' she said.

'I think that is accepted and we are looking forward to those extra doses that are coming by the end of September.

'So by the end of October they will be a much higher rate of vaccination.'

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she wanted to see increased levels of testing not only in Sydney's south-west but also in northern and south-eastern parts of the city.

We need to make sure that we are not complacent and think this is just an issue in south-west Sydney - far from it,' Dr Chant said.

'Every time we leave our house we have to be vigilant in terms of who we interact with.'

The new cases recorded on Monday mean NSW health officials have now found 1,340 Covid-19 infections since that cluster began on June 16

Sydney is now suffering through its biggest Covid outbreak of the entire pandemic with more cases in a month than the entire first wave (pictured, police speak to locals at Bondi Beach on Monday)

Meanwhile it emerged a family of tourists who travelled from NSW to a Queensland holiday island have been moved into quarantine.

A family of six who had been in contact with an infected person in Victoria were also escorted by police off Hamilton Island, in Queensland's Whitsundays, on Sunday.

It was revealed they had left Victoria just before the state was plunged into a snap-five day lockdown on Friday.

They are considered to be close contacts of a Covid-19 positive case in Victoria.

The group were taken back to mainland Queensland and two of the family members were placed into 14-day private quarantine.

The remaining four have been taken to Prosperine Hospital where they will be tested before they are reunited with their family in isolation.

All the new cases recorded in Victoria are linked to the current outbreaks of the Delta variant in the state, which originated in New South Wales (pictured, an eerily quiet Melbourne)

Pictured: Health workers perform tests at the Covid-19 testing facility in Victoria Park, Adelaide

In Adelaide, officials have brought in strict Level Four restrictions after three shock new coronavirus cases emerged.

From midnight Monday, face masks will be mandatory thousands of non-essential businesses forced to close.

An 81-year-old Adelaide man sparked the city's first Covid scare in months after testing positive following a trip to Argentina with his daughter, who has now also been confirmed to have the virus.

A close contact also tested positive on Monday afternoon - a man in his 50s.

The surprise cases prompted Premier Steven Marshall to bring in tough new restrictions, including a ban on indoor dining and mandatory masks indoors.

Private gathering at home will be capped at 10, non-essential retail will close and all gyms and contact sport will stop.

Masks are required at indoor public locations, and working from home is strongly encouraged.

The restrictions are set to continue until Friday, but Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said 'this is not a lockdown'.
Nine alleged members of Brazil's most violent gang were filmed fleeing from a police station after digging a tunnel out of their cell.

The brazen escape took place approximately 3am Sunday when the inmates believed to be part of the Primeiro Comando da Capital gang managed to break free from the police precinct in Campina da Lagoa.

The suspects reportedly had dug hole inside one of the cells and then excavated a tunnel which led them to the station's courtyard area.

Surveillance video showed the detainees jumping off the top of a wall before they ran down a road.

Still image from a surveillance at a police station in Campina da Lagoa, Brazil, shows three of the nine detainees during Sunday shocking escape. So far, only one of the inmates, identified as Robson Bueno has been captured

The police station escape plot involving nine prisoners included breaking apart the jail cell's floor. The detainees were able to move through a tunnel that led them to the precinct's courtyard, where they climbed over a wall. Only one of the nine inmates has been captured

One of the escapees - identified as Robson Bueno - was recaptured hours later.

Bueno was apprehended by the Civil Police while he was hiding out at a former girlfriends home on Sunday afternoon, according to Brazilian online news portal G1.

Seven of the prisoners still on the run were identified as Jose Rahmen; Lourival Masiero; Francisco Vaz; Savio Borges; Givanildo Paulo; Carlos Ferreira; and Edson dos Santos.

The name of the nine escapee was not released.

Eight of the nine men who were being held at a police precinct in Parana, Brazil, before escaping Sunday. Jose Rahmen; Francisco Vaz; Savio Borges (pictured left to right, top row) and Edson dos Santos; Carlos Ferreira; Givanildo Brito (pictured left, second from left, second from right, bottom row) remained on-the-run as of Monday. Robson Bueno (right, bottom row) was arrested Sunday afternoon

Most of the detainees who escaped from the police station were said to be members of the notorious Primeiro Comando da Capital (First Command of the Capital), considered by the Brazilian government to be the largest criminal organization in the country

The escape tunnel led the detainees to a section of the police station's courtyard

The small jail, built to hold a capacity of 15 inmates, had 35 detainees before the shocking escape.

Most of the fleeing inmates were identified as members of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (First Command of the Capital), considered by the Brazilian government to be the largest criminal organization in the country.

The faction, which was founded in 1993 at the Taubate Penitentiary, reportedly has 20,000 members and also has a presence in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Paraguay, and the United States.
The New Jersey federal judge whose son was shot dead by a misogynistic lawyer who held a grudge against her said she forgives the killer on the first anniversary of the shooting.

Judge Esther Salas offered her forgiveness to Roy Den Hollander in an interview on Monday - one year after the vengeful 72-year-old lawyer posed as a Fed-Ex delivery driver, rang the doorbell of her family home and fatally shot her son Daniel, 20, on July 19, 2020. Hollander also shot Salas' husband, who survived.

'Love is light, and it's so true,' Salas told Good Morning America. 'You can't walk around with that burden of resentment, hate It's like an anchor it holds you down.'

Salas said it was the people still alive in her life that inspired her to forgive Hollander - who killed himself a day after the shooting.

'I think it's my faith, and I realize at some part it's important to forgive,' she said. 'It helps you be open to the love that people want to give you.'

New Jersey federal Judge Esther Salas said Monday that she forgave her son's killer, exactly one year after he was fatally shot at their family home

FULL INTERVIEW: @RobinRoberts talks exclusively to Federal Judge Esther Salas and her husband one year after their family was attacked, and their son brutally murdered. https://t.co/TK0dfsBaGK  Good Morning America (@GMA) July 19, 2021

Lawyer Roy Den Hollander, 72, who described himself as an 'anti-feminist' (left) shot and killed Salas' son Daniel, 20, (right) on July 19, 2020. He is believed to have held a grudge against Salas over a lawsuit

Among those loved ones was her husband, Mark Anderl, who was shot three times and critically injured that day.

Salas revealed that Anderl had crawled outside the house to the couple's porch in an attempt to get a view of Hollander's license plate.

'That was the first sign that this guy was not going to stop,' Salas said of her husband, who she said had a rocky road to recovery at points.

Anderl described how he had made the decision to leave his son as the two lay injured.

'I knew Daniel was not going to make it, just from being with with him I could tell,' he recalled.

Daniel Anderl with his father Mark. Mark was also shot three times and critically injured last year

Salas said she would do continue to dedicate her life to her son's memory

Anderl said he had at points 'passed over' while injured and met his son. 'I knew he was in a state of grace so I was happy,' he said.

Salas said Hollander was seeking to attack her because he was angry over the pace of his lawsuit against the male-only military draft filed in New Jersey in 2015 that was assigned to her court.

On the day of the murder Salas was in the basement with Daniel, who was her only child, cleaning up after his birthday festivities.

'Lets keep talking; I love talking to you, Mom,' he said to her before the doorbell rang and Daniel ran upstairs to answer.

By the time Salas reached the upstairs floor, Hollander had fled.

Mark Anderl recalled the day of the shooting. 'I knew Daniel was not going to make it, just from being with with him I could tell,' he said

Mark was seriously wounded but would recover

He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a car in the Catskills on July 20, a day after ambushing the Salas family.

Salas said that while she can never move on from the death of her only child, she can move forward.

Everything I do from this moment on is for Daniel,' she said. 'He sacrificed his life for his father and me.

In particular, Salas said she is pushing to pass the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act, which is intended to protect the personal records of judicial judges from those who might hold a grudge against them.

She said the idea came after it was revealed that Hollander had assembled a running dossier on her life from publicly available information.

'That should be a grim reminder of what will happen if we do not do something to protect our judiciary,' she said.

In December, she pushed the Senate to pass the Judicial Security and Privacy Act, also known as Daniel's Law, and revealed details of the dossier in an essay she penned in the New York Times.

Hollander went to Salas' home in New Brunswick, New Jersey posing as a Fed-Ex delivery man and opened fire. Salas was unharmed in the attack

'He stalked my neighborhood, mapped my routes to work and even learned the names of my best friend and the church I attend. All of which was completely legal,' she said.

'This access to such personal information enabled this man to take our only child from my husband, Mark, and me,' she added.

Following Daniels death Salas has 'vowed to do everything I can to make similar tragedies less likely.'

She learned how easy it was to access the personal information of judges on the internet, where a judges address can be purchased cheaply online as well as photos of their home and vehicle license plates.

Salas said: 'He stalked my neighborhood, mapped my routes to work and even learned the names of my best friend and the church I attend. All of which was completely legal'

She championed Daniels Law in New Jersey, which passed in November, and prohibits the distribution of the personal information, such as home addresses and phone numbers, of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement personnel.

The federal bill would protect judges' personally identifiable information from being sold by data brokers and allow judges to redact personal information on federal government internet sites.

It would also prevent the publication of personal information by other businesses and individuals unless there's pertinent news media interest or public concern.

It was blocked in the Senate in December, over concerns it did not extend the same protections to congressional lawmakers, but House and Senate versions of the bill were reintroduced on Wednesday.

'For judges and their families, better security is a matter of life and death,' Salas said.

'Federal judges must be free to make their decisions, no matter how unpopular, without fear of harm. The federal government has a responsibility to protect all federal judges because our safety is foundational to our great democracy,' she added.

On July 11, just eight days before the Salas attack, Hollander is believed to have killed men's rights lawyers Marc Angelucci (above) in Los Angeles, who had led a separate lawsuit against the male-only draft

Hollander, a New York defense attorney, is believed to have launched a killing spree against his enemies in the law field, prompted by a cancer diagnosis.

He led a lawsuit against the male-only draft in Salas' court but withdrew as the lawyer in the case last year following his cancer diagnosis, according to the Desert Sun.

She never ruled against Hollander but he complained in online ramblings that she dragged her heels in making a decision in the case.

On July 11, just eight days before the Salas attack, he is believed to have killed men's rights lawyers Marc Angelucci in Los Angeles, who had led a separate lawsuit against the male-only draft.

Salas said Hollander harbored grudges against other judges and lawyers.

He allegedly had a list of at least 12 other targets found in his car, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomeyer.

'Too late, I learned that he had often described himself as "anti-feminist." In a self-published memoir, he described me as "a lazy and incompetent Latina judge appointed by Obama,"' Salas said.
Healthy children won't be offered a Covid vaccine because the risk of the virus does not outweigh the chance of side effects from the jab, health chiefs ruled today.

Only 370,000 children aged 12 to 15 with underlying conditions or who live with someone who does will now be called up for a jab.

This includes youngsters with severely weakened immune systems and learning difficulties, as well as those who live with immunosuppressed adults.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said the risk of Covid to healthy children was so small it did not outweigh the risk of heart inflammation posed by jabs.

Eligible children will be offered the Pfizer vaccine because there was enough safety data from trials and rollouts in the US and Israel.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid accepted the advice and asked the NHS to put it into action as soon as possible. But he said the JCVI will continue to review evidence and may change its mind in the future.

Britons aged 17 who are within three months of their 18th birthday will also be urged to get a vaccine in the coming weeks.

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the JCVI, said he expects uptake to be above 90 per cent in the newly eligible groups.

It comes as all Covid restrictions were lifted in England today, with daily cases hitting 39,950 and 19 people dying form the virus.

Children aged 12 to 15 with severe neurodisabilities, Down's syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities can now get the Covid jab. Additionally, youngsters who live with people who are immunosuppressed should get the vaccine, the JCVI said

The JCVI said there was a risk of heart inflammation in about one in 20,000 after a dose of Pfizer's vaccine.

It ruled against recommending the vaccine to healthy children because the risk of dying from the virus for them is about one in a million.

The wider benefits in controlling the pandemic by preventing transmission to adults were 'highly uncertain', the group concluded.

It added that the risks of long Covid to children were still not known - because the condition is so poorly understood and most studies into it rely on self-reported data.

Healthy Britons aged 17 and within three months of their 18th birthday are now eligible for the vaccine for practical reasons to speed up the programme.

Otherwise, only youngsters between 12 and 15 with severe mental disabilities, Down's syndrome, severe learning disabilities or who are immunosupressed will be offered a jab.

Teens who live with adults with serious underlying health conditions will also be eligible. Those aged 16 and 17 with other severe underlying conditions are already eligible.

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs this afternoon: 'The JCVI considered not just the health impacts, but the non-health impacts as we asked them to do so, like how education is disrupted by outbreaks in schools.

'I should reassure the house that the number of children and young people who have had severe outcomes from Covid is extremely low with a hospitalisation rate during the second wave between 100 and 400 for every million.

'When we look at the small numbers who were hospitalised, most of them had severe underlying health conditions.

'The steps we are taking today mean we will be offering even more vulnerable people the protection that a vaccine brings. And we will all be safer as a result.'

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs this afternoon that the vaccine rollout will now be expanded to 370,000 children with underlying in England, as well as those living with people at-risk

What is the evidence on vaccinating children? Covid is very rarely severe or fatal in children. Just one in 500,000 under-18s are at risk of dying from the virus, researchers at leading UK universities found this month. That means any vaccine given to youngsters has to be very safe because the risk-harm benefit from them catching the virus is so low. The fact that older people have a higher chance of being hospitalised or dying from the virus outweighs the side effects the vaccine could have on them. But as children are less affected from the virus, some side effects could be riskier to them than the virus itself. Since the vaccine rollout has been expanded to children in countries including the US and Israel, there have been reports of an extremely rare reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, while pericarditis is when the protective layer around the heart gets inflamed. There are no specific causes of the conditions but they are usually triggered by a virus. The UK is expected to wait for more data from clinical trials and other countries immunising children before making a decision to offer all youngster the jab. The US, Israel and France are already giving the vaccine to over-12s. In addition to safety concerns, children's bodies and immune systems behave differently, meaning they might have different treatment needs. Youngsters may need different doses or needle sizes depending on their height, weight and age - which is why most children are only vaccinated after safety has been well-documented in the adult population. Advertisement

Mr Javid said the recommendation means more vulnerable young people at greatest risk from this virus can now benefit from vaccines.

'I have accepted their expert recommendations and I have asked the NHS to prepare to vaccinate those eligible as soon as possible.

'Covid-19 vaccines have saved almost 37,000 lives and prevented around 11.7million infections in England alone.

'They are building a wall of defence and are the best way to protect people from serious illness. I encourage everybody who is eligible to get their jabs as soon as they can.'

Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of the JCVI, said: 'The primary aim of the vaccination programme has always been to prevent hospitalisations and deaths.

'Based on the fact that previously well children, if they do get Covid-19, are likely to have a very mild form of the disease, the health benefits of vaccinating them are small.

'The benefits of reducing transmission to the wider population from children are also highly uncertain, especially as vaccine uptake is very high in older people who are at highest risk from serious Covid-19 infection.

'We will keep this advice under review as more safety and effectiveness information becomes available.'

There has been extremely rare reports myocarditis  an inflammation of the heart  and pericarditis  when the protective layer around the heart becomes inflamed  in young people who got the vaccine.

Data from the US  where cases of myocarditis have been spotted  suggests the complication is most common in boys and young men.

Young people aged 16 and 17 who have underlying health conditions have already been offered the jab.

Covid is rarely severe or fatal in children, with just 30 dying from Covid in the UK in the first year of the pandemic - many of whom will have had underlying health conditions.

The committee is waiting for evidence from children receiving both doses in the US and in trials before recommending all healthy children be injected.

But they will 'leave the door open' for a wider rollout among children after they review safety data from trials later this year, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Pfizer is currently trialling its jab on children aged between two and 11, while AstraZeneca is testing its jab on six to 17-year-olds.

Results from the trials are expected to be published around November.
A dog breeder who became a drug dealer to repay money he borrowed for the safe return of stolen pedigree puppies has been jailed for nine-and-a-half years.

Jamal Fournillier featured in a BBC Panorama programme earlier this year about the fight against 'county lines' gangs supplying crack cocaine and heroin.

But a court heard he only resorted to dealing class A drugs after the theft of highly valuable puppies during a break-in at his breeding business.

Jamal Fournillier featured in a BBC Panorama programme, pictured, earlier this year about the fight against 'county lines' gangs supplying crack cocaine and heroin

Judge Catherine Moore also told Fournillier she found him to be 'ambitious and devoted' to both his breeding enterprise and his dogs, and that he had been 'highly concerned' about the fate and welfare of the 'very young' puppies

Concerned for their fate, he borrowed 6,000 'at short notice' for the dogs' safe return, only to be left with a debt to repay.

The 27-year-old's subsequent involvement in drugs supply to pay it off was included in an episode of the investigative series titled 'Drugs, Cops and Lockdown'.

Broadcast in May, it focused on Kent Police's Operation Raptor team as it tackled drug operations in north Kent during the country's first pandemic lockdown.

Fournillier, a former catering student, was arrested in February last year following raids at two properties at which the drugs were discovered along with 3,000 cash.

Police caught him red-handed as he tried to flush some of his illicit stash down the toilet.

Officers also found further drugs in an airing cupboard, an antique, but potentially-lethal, handgun hidden in a sock in an unzipped man bag, and corresponding ammunition.

Fournillier's claim he did not realise it was a real firearm was disputed by the court, but it was accepted he had simply acted as a custodian.

Judge Catherine Moore also told Fournillier she found him to be 'ambitious and devoted' to both his breeding enterprise and his dogs, and that he had been 'highly concerned' about the fate and welfare of the 'very young' puppies.

However, on passing sentence at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, on Thursday she said his resulting actions had 'the hallmarks of professional-level crime' above street-dealing.

Fournillier, from Gillingham, Kent, admitted two charges of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, one of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate.

The court heard he has four previous convictions for eight offences, all drug-related, but none associated with dealing since 2013.

Alex Rose, defending, said that but for the 'quite exceptional circumstances' of the puppies being taken, Fournillier would not have resorted to such criminality.

'He had set up a legitimate business breeding and selling dogs, and he had no financial motivation to commit these offences until the criminal act of the burglary and the dogs being stolen led to his desperation and destitution, and turning to someone for money who was likely to bring him back into offending,' he told the court.

'He made a terrible mistake under quite exceptional circumstances, which he bitterly regrets and is remorseful for. He knows better than most the damage that drugs cause.'

The court heard one of the three properties used by Fournillier to spread his illegal stash, including the gun, was the home of a single mum who herself was arrested and charged.

However, legal proceedings against her were later discontinued after Fournillier pleaded guilty.

Jamal Fournillier became involved in drug dealing to pay off a loan he took out to retrieve his stolen pedigree puppies

But Judge Moore said he had shown 'little or no regard' for the woman's child by leaving the weapon, capable of killing two or more people at a time or in rapid succession, easily accessible on an open shelf.

'The offending is particularly grave because it involves not only the supply of class A drugs but also the possession of a firearm loaded with ammunition and capable of causing very serious or fatal injury,' she added.

'Class A drugs are a scourge of our society and the use of them has a devastating effect on lives and on our communities.

'Your offending may have stemmed from the loss of your puppies but you were motivated to make money.'

Detective Constable John Carless of Kent Police said: 'Fourneillier admitted to using the properties, which were not his, to store and hide the drugs, cash and gun. Luckily the firearm was found and seized by officers as it could have had dire consequences if it had got into the wrongs hands.

'Fourneillier was a key player in coordinating drugs out of London to be brought and sold onto vulnerable people across Maidstone and Medway. His sentence is lengthy and reflects the level of criminality he was prepared to go to.'
Three members of one Atlanta family have been arrested and charged with child abuse stemming from a viral Instagram Live video that showed a 12-year-old boy with the word 'gay' shaved into his hair being slapped and berated.

The incident took place on June 17, and the boy in the video, who is known only as Tyler, was removed from his family's home the next day by the Georgia Division of Family and Children.

Following a month-long police investigation by the Atlanta Police Department's Special Victims Unit, officials arrested on Friday Lorkeyla Spencer, 19; Brittney Mills, 35, and Jordan Richards-Nwankwo, on charges of first-degree cruelty to children.

A 12-year-old boy is seen being berated and abused by relatives in Atlanta in an Instagram Live video from June 17. Video shows the word 'gay' shaved into the victim's head

Police in Atlanta on Friday arrested L to R) Lorkeyla Spencer, 19; Brittney Mills, 35, and Jordan Richards-Nwankwo, on charges of first-degree cruelty to children

Richards-Nwankwo also faces an additional count of battery involving family violence for allegedly striking the victim, as seen in the Instagram video. He was released after posting $50,000 bond on Sunday.

Spencer and Mills remained jailed on $40,000 bond each as of Monday morning.

'Were very pleased with these arrests but we are pleased with feedback that we got from members of the community assisting in this and how quickly they were able to jump on it,' Sgt. John Chafee, with the Atlanta Police Department, told Fox 5.

The incident began unfolding on June 17, when a video was uploaded to Instagram Live showing Tyler, seen in a red T-shirt with a partially shaved head, being verbally and physically abused by members of his family, allegedly including his mother and siblings.

The video was later reported by Gaye Magazine, an LGBTQ+ outlet.

In the video, the man believed to be the child's older brother berates him for saying 'gay s***' and slaps him on the head. He also grabs him by the neck and pushes him

'You think I cut this in your head for no reason?' the male suspect, believed to be Tyler's older brother, can be heard asking the boy, referring to the word 'gay' shaved into the left side of the child's head. Tyler seems frightened in the video, with his eyes cast down and his arms crossed on his chest in a protective stance.

The man, identified by the police as Richards-Nwankwo, then appears to slap Tyler on the head and berates him for saying 'gay a** s***' while the family are standing on a porch.

The 18-year-old slaps the boy a second time, grabs him by the neck and forcefully pushes him, sending the victim flying against a railing, then slaps him again while threatening to beat him up.

While police have not disclosed how the victim was related to the suspects, in a follow-up video defending his family, Tyler identified two of them as his brother and sister.

He assured Instagram Live viewers that he was 'good' and insisted that his siblings were not abusing him, but rather showing him the 'right thing to do.'

Some commenters expressed concern that the boy was speaking under duress after hearing a woman's voice in the background urging him to speak.

Atlanta police launched an investigation after learning of the video showing the boy's abuse, which has gone viral and sparked a backlash from the local LGBTQ+ community.

After the video went viral and came to the attention of the police, the boy was removed from his home by child protective services

In a follow-up video, the boy, known as Tyler, defends his family, saying his brother and sister were not abusing him

'The behavior in this social media post was difficult to watch and is absolutely unacceptable,' police stated. 'We are appreciative of the number of people who flagged this case with us and for those who provided information on the location where it took place.

'Our investigators worked hard to identify those involved and to gather the evidence needed to place each behind bars and we are thankful for their work.'

Activist and city council candidate Devin Barrington-Ward told 11Alive he reached out to Tyler and his family because what he saw in the video broke his heart.

'As a Black queer man, I have experienced some of the same homophobia and some of the same abuse by the hands of people that I love as a child,' he said. 'If you saw that and you didnt see anything wrong with that, youre part of the problem.'

Barrington-Ward revealed that he told the young boy that he was loved. He also spoke to Tyler's mother, who reportedly told him about the challenges of being a single mother of eight raising 'a young black queer child in poverty,'

A GoFundMe campaign that has been launched to support Tyler has drawn more than $10,000 in donations as of Monday afternoon.
Questions surrounding the circumstances of Jeffrey Epstein's death behind bars have been reignited in a new book

Questions surrounding the circumstances of Jeffrey Epstein's death behind bars have been reignited in a new book, including whether the pedophile's cellmate - a convicted quadruple murderer - could have played a role.

In her book Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, journalist Julie K. Brown takes a deep dive into her years-long investigation of Epstein's underage sex trafficking operation and discusses theories surrounding his death.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was found hanged in his secure New York federal jail cell on August 10, 2019.

His death was ruled a suicide, however it has been the subject of rampant speculation from theorists who believe his high-profile connections made him an obvious target for murder.

In an excerpt of her book, Brown outlines different accounts about whether or not Epstein's cellmate, former police officer Nicholas Tartaglione, may have attempted to kill him or facilitated his suicide.

Tartaglione, who was facing the death penalty for federal murder and drug charges, reportedly refused to cooperate with authorities after Epstein's death.

In her book Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, journalist Julie K. Brown explores questions about the role Epstein's cellmate, former police officer Nicholas Tartaglione (pictured), may have played in his death

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was found hanged in his secure New York federal jail cell on August 10, 2019. Although New York's chief medical officer deemed Epstein's death 'suicide' the circumstances surrounding the incident continue to trouble conspiracy theorists

A noose Epstein allegedly made out of bedsheets is seen in his jail cell

According to Brown's book, there are a series of 'suspicious events' surrounding Epstein's death, including surveillance video of the incident disappearing and Tartaglione allegedly having access to an unsanctioned cell phone.

'Prison officials said it was inadvertently destroyed. Tartaglione had an illegal cell phone, but the government wasn't releasing its contents. To this day, authorities have never released a report on their investigation into the event,' Brown recounts in the book.

Brown also questions the prison's decision to house a sex offender and quadruple murder together.

'For reasons that remain unexplained to this day, the Metropolitan Correctional Center had bunked a hulking accused quadruple murderer with a sixty-six-year-old nerd with an egg-shaped penis who happened to be the nation's most famous child molester,' she wrote.

Tartaglione's lawyer has previously stated that the ex-cop was friendly with Epstein and did not play any role in his death.

Tartaglione's lawyer has previously stated that the ex-cop (above) was friendly with Epstein and did not play any role in his death

The lawyer has also theorized that Tartgalione was being set up in response to complaints he filed about alleged inhumane conditions at the facility.

Although New York's chief medical officer deemed Epstein's death 'suicide' the circumstances surrounding the incident continue to trouble conspiracy theorists.

In 2019, sources familiar with the medical examiner's report told the Washington Post that Epstein had suffered a broken hyoid which is a type of fracture associated with both suicidal hanging and homicidal strangulation.

However, experts say a broken hyoid is more commonly related to homicides than suicides.

'If, hypothetically, the hyoid bone is broken, that would generally raise questions about strangulation, but it is not definitive and does not exclude suicidal hanging,' Jonathan Arden, the president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, told the newspaper.

Other theorists, including former President Donald Trump and several FOX Business hosts, argued that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are connected to Epstein's death.

This theory stems from decades-old theories linking the family to dozens of suspicious deaths, Insider reported.

While conspiracists claim they have 'incriminating evidence on the family,' the claims remain unsubstantiated at this time. Additionally, Bill Clinton's spokesperson has publicly said the accusation is 'ridiculous' and 'not true'.

In her book, Brown reports that there are a series of 'suspicious events' surrounding Epstein's death, including surveillance video of the incident disappearing and the fact that Tartaglione allegedly having access to an unsanctioned cell phone. Caution tape is seen outside Epstein's prison cell after his death

Additional theorists have attempted to connect Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women, to Epstein's death.

One of Trump's accusers claimed he attacked her at one of Epstein's parties, prompting several conspirators to believe that Epstein may have 'had dirt' on the former president.

In addition to evaluating Epstein's death, Brown's book is also expected to highlight the evidence that brought him to justice and expose the 'powerful people and broken system that protected him'.

Brown wrote and published a series of stories surrounding the Epstein case in November 2018, revealing how as many as 80 victims of Epstein were pressured to keep quiet about crimes that took place when they were as young as 13 and 14 years old.

Her award-winning series also alleged that Epstein was given lenient treatment by prosecutors who agreed to drop more serious federal sex trafficking charges, allowing the wealthy financier to plead guilty to state-level prostitution offenses.

'Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story' is set to be released on Tuesday.
Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan tested positive for COVID, his office announced Monday, even though he has been fully vaccinated.

Buchanan, 70, was tested after 'experiencing very mild flu-like symptoms and is quarantining at home in accordance with CDC guidelines,' his office said in a statement.

He was vaccinated earlier this year.

'I look forward to returning to work as soon as possible,' Buchanan said in the statement. 'In the meantime, this should serve as a reminder that although the vaccines provide a very high-degree of protection, we must remain vigilant in the fight against COVID-19.'

There has not been a positive COVID case among a member of Congress since January 30th, when Rep. Lori Trahan of Massachusetts tested positive, according to GovTrack.us, a website that tracks congressional data.

Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, 70, tested positive for COVID, his office announced Monday, even though he has been fully vaccinated

It's unclear where Buchanan may have contacted the disease. The date of his vaccination was not given but the Office of the Attending Physician on Capitol Hill started dispensing the vaccine to lawmakers in late December.

Lawmakers in the House have been working in their districts since July 4th. They are scheduled to return to Washington D.C. on Monday for votes.

The chamber is still using proxy voting under its COVID procedures. But it has relaxed its rules on face mask wearing.

It's unclear where Buchanan may have spent his district work period. His office didn't immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries.

Buchanan has been in Congress since 2017. His district encompasses Sarasota, Fla., a popular vacation destination due to its location on the Gulf of Mexico.

COVID cases and hospitalizations in Florida have spiked as the Delta variant gains steam. The Delta variant is more contagious than other strains. The current vaccines are effective against it.

Last week, 45,603 new COVID cases were identified in Florida, an average of 6,515 new cases per day, according to data released by the states health department Friday afternoon.

Floridas new case positivity rate jumped to 11.5%. It had been 7.8% the week prior and 5.2% the week before that. Before that, it had been under 4% for five straight weeks.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients called out Floridas high numbers on Friday, saying that about 20% of the nations new cases last week came out of that state.

Of Floridas eligible population - ages 12 and older - 59% of people are vaccinated, according to state officials.
This is the astonishing moment police cart away the driver who mowed down and injured 10 people as they enjoyed the Costa del Sol sunshine on Monday.

Officers were filmed sprinting towards a waiting patrol car and carrying the barefooted Spaniard blamed for the incident face-down with his hands and legs immobilised.

One of the four policemen could be heard shouting 'Clear the way' as he tried to ensure they got the 30-year-old to a police station in the resort of Marbella in the aftermath of the drama as soon as possible.

The extraordinary detention occurred after the unnamed driver, who was at the wheel of a white car thought to be a white Suzuki SX4, was overpowered and cuffed shortly after the 3.15 p.m. drama.

A police spokeswoman said officers arrested the car's driver and are investigating the incident, which saw the car mount the pavement and run people down.

Police and paramedics rushed to the premises, which is in an area of the centre of town near the beachfront which is full of cafes and eateries and is hugely popular with tourists.

Online videos from the scene of the crash, one of the main thoroughfares in the coastal resort city, showed ambulances and police officers while waiters cleaned up or assisted people on the ground.

The incident took place in the mid-afternoon as the area was brimming with customers having lunch, said Raul Morote, whose family owns several restaurants on the popular avenue.

'The car was zigzagging and sweeping away everything,' Morote told AP. He added he could see about a dozen people being assisted on the spot by emergency crews, many of them with blood covering their legs.

El Espanol newspaper reported the driver was a young local man who was in the car with his parents and police were not treating the accident as terrorism-related.

Some reports suggested the unnamed 30-year-old Spanish man was suffering from mental health issues.

Pictured: A woman lies on the ground after being involved in the car crash in Marbella on Monday that saw a car plough through a crowd of people, injuring at least five

Pictured: The car (left and right) that plowed through the crowd in Marbella on Monday. A video appeared to show the man sitting dazed in the car as it was surrounded by witnesses to the crash

Pictured: The car that drove through the crowds of bar-goers in Marbella on Monday

Pictured: Bystanders try to help a person who was involved in the crash in Marbella on Monday

While most of the injured were seen at a local hospital, two people had to be taken to a bigger facility in Malaga, the provincial capital, including a woman with serious injuries, the National Police said in a statement.

A video appeared to show the driver sitting dazed in the car as it was surrounded by witnesses to the crash, as people around ran to try and help the injured or contact the emergency services.

Another video showed the trail of destruction left by the car, with chairs smashed and scatters and people - some covered in blood - seen sitting on the floor.

The bar is in a street called Avenida Miguel Cano, near the spot where holidaymakers start tours of the Marbella in horse-drawn carriages.

A spokesman for Spain's National Police said this afternoon: 'We can confirm the arrest of the driver of the vehicle.

'He is a Spaniard aged 30. A terrorist motive has been ruled out as the cause of the incident. Investigations are ongoing to clarify fully the cause.

'Two of the casualties have been taken to another hospital in Malaga. One has considerable injuries.'

Several ambulances and at least one fire engine was shown in pictures from the scene, where the car had appeared to crash into a shop front.

Fully-vaccinated British holidaymakers are now spared quarantine when they return to the UK from Spain.

The new rule came into effect on Monday.

Online videos from the scene of the crash (pictured), one of the main thoroughfares in the coastal resort city, showed ambulances and police officers while waiters cleaned up or assisted people on the ground

Pictured: The scene in Marbella on Monday from above showing the crashed car (left) and emergency service vehicle lining the street (right) following the crash

Police and paramedics (pictured) rushed to the premises, which is in an area of the centre of town near the beachfront which is full of cafes and eateries and is hugely popular with tourists

A chef at a snack food bar who witnessed the horror incident said: 'He careered into people sat on several tables on the pavement. Four Arab women who were on holiday in Marbella were among the injured.'

Jorge Martin, manager at the Casa Blanca bar where most of the casualties were enjoying terrace drinks and food, said: 'I helped some of the injured.

'I would say anything between six and 10 people were hurt. I couldn't really tell you where they came from. We're talking cuts, broken bones and probably head injuries.

'It was a very distressing situation. I know someone has been arrested but I'm not in a position at this stage to say what exactly happened and whether the driver meant to mow down people or it was an accident.'

Pictured: Stills from a video showing the trail of destruction left by the car, with chairs smashed and scattered

Another worker at a cafe-bar opposite, who declined to give her name, added: 'The police and ambulance were at the scene very quickly.

'The first emergency vehicle was arriving as I put down the phone after dialling 999.

'People were screaming and shouting and there was a lot of bystanders running in every direction because at first no-one really knew what was going on and whether it was a terrorist attack.

'Others jumped on the driver before the police got to him and held him while back-up arrived. 'I saw an older man and woman get out of the car he was in.

'It happened around 3.15pm. The vehicle involved was a white Suzuki, I think it was a Suzuki SX4.'

The man at the wheel of the car is believed to have tested negative in drink and drugs tests after he was removed from the scene.

Well-placed sources said they were investigating whether he was suffering psychiatric problems.

A spokesman for Spain's National Police confirmed: 'Officers are investigating at the scene together with town hall-employed local officers to try to clarify the causes. 'Several people have been injured in the incident.'

In 2017, an extremist Islamist cell killed 16 people and injured 140 others in two consecutive attacks by driving vehicles into groups of bystanders in Barcelona and the nearby coastal town of Cambrils.
A swinging police constable posted a pornographic picture of his manhood on a partner swapping website - and bedded a vulnerable woman he met on duty.

PC Andrew Bell, of West Yorkshire Police, uploaded one image to the Fab Swingers website of himself in uniform, with his warrant card, and another of his naked torso and penis.

The 39-year-old officer also engaged in a sexual relationship with a 'vulnerable' woman whom he met when she reported her partner for controlling and coercive behaviour.

Today an independent panel at a police misconduct hearing in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, found gross misconduct proven against him and said he would have been sacked if he had not already resigned.

Its panel found Pc Bell to have breached professional standards of behaviour for authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.

The hearing was told that the pictures on the swingers' website were discovered after they were seen and reported in an anonymous message from a member of the public in June 2020.

Details of PC Bell's behavior was aired at a police disciplinary hearing today (file pic)

PC Bell, who did not attend Monday's hearing, previously admitted that the Fab Swingers account was his and that both the photographs were of himself.

Mike Percival, a solicitor for West Yorkshire Police, said: 'He repeatedly said that he was ashamed, embarrassed and disgusted by his behaviour.'

In the separate allegation, PC Bell went to the woman's house in the course of his duties following her report of being in a controlling and coercive relationship.

The panel heard that the woman told the officer her partner had encouraged her to record sexual acts and images and publish them on the internet.

She also told him that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and felt her partner exploited that condition.

Mr Percival told the hearing that PC Bell gave the woman his Instagram account details and, within a short period of time, began an intimate personal relationship, lasting around four to six weeks.

The hearing was told that PC Bell uploaded pictures of himself to the Fab Swingers site

During that time, he sent images of himself masturbating to the woman and received intimate images in return.

The woman later spoke about the relationship to a mental health professional, who initiated a referral to West Yorkshire Police.

Mr Percival said: 'He said he could not condone what he had done or provide any sort of defence. He accepted what he'd done looked atrocious.'

He added: 'He couldn't justify any of what he'd done, he was genuinely appalled and guilty.'

The solicitor told the panel the woman had been left 'feeling uneasy' and 'with the feeling of being taken advantage of' by the relationship.

Marcus Waite, chair of the panel, said: 'We are satisfied on the balance of probabilities the breaches of professional standards of behaviour do amount to gross misconduct.'

Mr Waite said the misconduct was 'of such seriousness, with such grave aggravating features' that PC Bell would have been dismissed without notice if he was still employed by the force.

He said: 'It would have been the only justifiable and proportionate outcome.'

PC Bell's name will be placed on the police barred list.

The panel said they were not persuaded that professional standards of behaviour for orders and instructions had been breached.
Israeli firm NSO Group says it will investigate its foreign government clients for 'abuses' of its Pegasus spyware after a damning Amnesty International report revealed on Sunday that it had been used to target some 50,000 phones - including those of journalists, public officials and Arab royals.

NSO Group sells Pegasus to government clients with the purported purpose of investigating terrorism and crime.

The Amnesty International report, along with another by a consortium of global media outlets, claimed that it was actually being used by governments to spy on journalists, officials, royals and individuals including murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi's widow.

The journalists targeted included Ben Hubbard, the New York Times' Beirut Bureau Chief, and Azam Ahmed, the Times' Mexico Bureau Chief, along with other journalists based in India, the Morocco, Mexico and Azerbaijan.

Others include reporters working for the Associated Press, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and CNN but many have not been named. 189 journalists were targeted.

NSO released a statement via its US-based lawyer, Clare Locke, to say it had nothing to do with any misuse of Pegasus.

Its CEO, Shalev Hulio, told The Washington Post: 'Every allegation about misuse of the system is concerning me.

The list includes some the 50,000 phone numbers that were exposed to the malware. The malware doesn't require users to click on it for it to work

NSO Group CEO Shalev Hulio, told The Washington Post : 'Every allegation about misuse of the system is concerning me'

'It violates the trust that we give customers. We are investigating every allegation  and if we find that it is true, we will take strong action.'

Amazon Web Services has disabled its network on Tuesday. It's unclear if that means it can still operate.

'When we learned of this activity, we acted quickly to shut down the relevant infrastructure and accounts.'

The Amnesty report says NSO switched to use Amazon's CloudFront - a CDN - in 'recent months'.

Amnesty started investigating the group in 2018 after learning one of its staffers had been targeted.

It compiled a list of 50,000 phone numbers that were exposed to the malware. It's unclear if all were compromised or if the numbers are just a list of potential targets.

A spokesman for AP, which had two journalists targeted, told DailyMail.com: 'We are deeply troubled to learn that two AP journalists, along with journalists from many news organizations, are among those who may have been targeted by Pegasus spyware. We have taken steps to ensure the security of our journalists devices and are investigating.'

The New York Times said: 'Azam Ahmed and Ben Hubbard are talented journalists who have done important work uncovering information that governments did not want their citizens to know.

'Surveilling reporters is designed to intimidate not only those journalists but their sources, which should be of concern to everyone.'

The journalists targeted included Ben Hubbard, the New York Times' Beirut Bureau Chief (left) and Azam Ahmed, the Times' Mexico Bureau Chief (right) along with other journalists based in India, the Morocco, Mexico and Azerbaijan.

Hanan El Atr, the widow of murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, was also targeted, according to the data

Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf was also among those whose phones were targeted

In a statement through lawyers Clare Locke, NSO said: 'NSO does not operate the systems that it sells to vetted government customers, and does not have access to the data of its customers targets.

'NSO does not operate its technology, does not collect, nor possesses, nor has any access to any kind of data of its customers.

NSO Group claims it is on a 'life-saving mission' to combat terrorism

'Due to contractual and national security considerations, NSO cannot confirm or deny the identity of our government customers, as well as identity of customers of which we have shut down systems.'

It also said its software had 'nothing to do' with Jamal Khashoggi's murder, despite Amnesty International claiming it has proof his widow's phone was hacked using Pegasus after his death.

'NSO Group is on a life-saving mission, and the company will faithfully execute this mission undeterred, despite any and all continued attempts to discredit it on false grounds,' it said.

Foreign governments including India, Rwanda and Morocco have all denied using the software to collect data on targets.

Others targeted include several Arab royal family members, 65 Business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists including a 'small number from' CNN, the Associated Press, Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Le Monde in France, the Financial Times in London and Al Jazeera in Qatar.

Some of the reporters are named Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf, Siddharth Varadarajan and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta from Indian news site Wire Omar Radi, a Moroccan journalist, Mexican freelance journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto and Azerbaijani investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

In 2019, NSO Group reportedly contracted the SKDK - a PR firm run by Anita Dunn, one of President Biden's advisers.

She did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries about the scope of her work with the firm.
An ex-military policeman hailed a hero for helping victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack has died following a road collision.

Darron Coster used his training from 22 years in the Royal Military Police (RMP) to assist casualties in the City Room foyer where the bomb was detonated at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.

He is the second Manchester Arena attack hero to die in a week, days after the sudden passing of bomb paramedic Liam Waring.

On Monday, Sir John Saunders, the chairman of the public inquiry into the attack, said they had received the 'very sad news' that Mr Coster died last week.

Darron Coster, hailed a hero for helping victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack, has died following a road collision

Mr Coster, who retired from the RMP in 2008, told the inquiry earlier this year he had served tours of Northern Ireland, so was familiar with the aftermath of bomb explosions and had basic first aid training.

He had gone to pick up his son and his son's friends after the concert that night.

Mr Coster made several laps of the room in assisting people.

He used a man's belt and a woman's handbag strap as tourniquets to stem the bleeding of a couple who had suffered leg injuries, and then helped a young man with serious facial and torso injuries.

Sir John said: 'At the end of last week we had the very sad news that Darron Coster had died last Wednesday July 14 following a road traffic collision.

'As you will recall Darron gave evidence to the inquiry on April 15 of this year.

'Darron Coster worked for the Royal Military Police for 22 years, retiring in 2008. He then worked in planning and organising security for military events.

'On May 22 2017 he went to pick up his son and two others from the Ariana Grande concert. He had arranged to meet them at the bottom of the concourse steps.

'He was waiting there when the explosion took place. Having texted his son to make sure that he and his friends were safe he went and did what he could to help in the City Room. He assisted those who were injured.

Ex-serviceman Darron Coster was picking up his son and his son's friends after the Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017, and was waiting outside when the bomb went off (stock)

Sir John added: 'Because of his training in Northern Ireland he had experienced explosions in the past. He knew how to help those who had suffered blast injuries. He applied improvised tourniquets to some of the more seriously injured.

'He encouraged other uninjured people who didn't have his medical skill to sit with the injured, talk to them and give to them what assistance they could.

'He remained in the City Room doing what he could in that vital first half-hour to an hour and then went to find his son.

'I described him at the conclusion of his evidence as a hero for what he did on the night of May 22 2017 and I don't think that anyone could or would disagree with that description.

Mr Coster helped victims for half an hour to an hour, using a man's belt and a woman's handbag strap as tourniquets (stock)

'His former commanding officer has been in touch with the inquiry since his death. He described how very proud his former colleagues and his family are of him,' Sir John said.

'He, this commanding officer, says that 'lead by example' is the motto of the Royal Military Police and the commanding officer remarks that is what Darron did on that dreadful night.

'I am sure that we would all agree with that.

'He leaves a wife Alison and a son Charlie and the thoughts of all us connected to the inquiry are with them as they try to cope with his loss. His actions on May 22 will live on in the memories of many.'

Liam Waring died after suffering cardiac arrest while on paternity leave celebrating the birth of his first child last week

Paramedic Liam Waring died suddenly after suffering cardiac arrest while on paternity leave celebrating the birth of his first child last week.

Mr Waring was working a night shift on the evening of the Manchester Arena attack and was part of the mutual aid support sent by North West Ambulance Service.

He had become a father for the first time when he suddenly became ill last month and suffered 'traumatic cardiac arrest'.

Colleagues from East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) rushed to his aid but nothing could be done to save him.

His devastated family have now paid tribute to a 'gentle giant' who was the 'kindest and most generous person' and 'always had a smile on his face'.

In a statement, his wife Jade, daughter Bonnie, siblings Gemma and Leighton, and parents Ann and Alex said: 'As a family we are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of Liam, beloved husband, father, son, brother and uncle.

'Liam was the kindest, most generous, and he would like to think, funniest person you could hope to come across.

'His friends often described him as a gentle giant; he cared deeply about those that meant the most to him and loved to make people laugh.

'Liam was very rarely found without a smile on his face, even in the most serious of circumstances.'
Chinese officials have reposted a video calling on Japan to be relentlessly nuked if it intervenes militarily in Taiwan.

The footage - originally created by a military comment channel on Xigua, China's equivalent of YouTube - calls for Japan to be bombed into submission if it sends 'even one troop' into Taiwan.

It was first posted online two weeks ago where it garnered millions of views before being taken down, but was then reposted by the official account of the CCP in Baoji, a major city in China's northern province of Shaanxi.

It has now been removed from that channel too, but had remined up for several days garnering hundreds of thousands of views and mostly-supportive comments.

Chinese officials in the city of Baoji reposted a video created by military observers suggesting that Japan should be nuked into submission if it interferes militarily in Taiwan

It comes amid simmering tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan, a self-governing island off the Chinese coast which has never been ruled by the Communist Party.

The heat around Taiwan has turned up a notch after Beijing passed a draconian security law allowing it to crack down on dissent in Hong Kong, which also enjoyed a degree of autonomy, in June last year.

In response, an annual military white paper published by Japan last week said that possible attempts by China to 'reunify' Taiwan would be a top security threat to the country and may force Tokyo to act.

If Beijing seeks to assert more control over the island-state, then it would post an 'existential threat', the paper said - a careful choice of words as Japan's pacifist constitution only allows leaders to engage in war in self-defence.

In the case of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Japanese forces may have to join US troops in mounting a joint defence, deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso added.

The wording of the paper and Mr Aso's comments prompted a furious response from Beijing, with Global Times newspaper editor Hu Xijin - a mouthpiece for the state - saying that Japan's military will be 'destroyed' if it intervenes.

It comes after Japan last week identified Chinese attempts to assert control over self-governing Taiwan as a top threat to the country which could prompt a military response

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who has become known for his brash and outspoken manner, added: 'Japan has for some time... leveled unreasonable accusations against China's normal national defense construction and military activities, made irresponsible remarks about China's legitimate maritime activities, and exaggerated the so-called China threat.'

Amid those tensions, Xigua channel Six Army Strategies - a military observer group not affiliated with actual Chinese military leadership - posted a video online proposing a new nuclear strategy towards Japan.

When China first developed nuclear weapons in 1964, it adopted a policy of 'no first use' - meaning the weapons could only be used in self-defence after China was attacked by an enemy also using nuclear weapons.

But the Six Army Strategies video proposed creating a 'Japan exemption' to that rule, meaning that Japan could be nuked even if it does not deploy atomic bombs first.

China has a 'no first use' policy which means it can only use nukes in self-defence, but the video argues and exception should be made for Japan

'When we liberate Taiwan, if Japan dares intervene by force, even if it only sends one soldier, one plane or one ship, we will not only return fire, but also start a full-scale war against Japan,' the commentary says.

'We will use nuclear bombs. We will continue to use nuclear bombs until Japan offers its second unconditional surrender.'

Since Japan is the only country to have been nuked, such a deterrent would prove 'doubly effective', the video suggests.

'This video is what many people of our country think,' wrote one of the top-voted commentors before the video was deleted.

'Good! I fully support this! The day of revenge is coming!' said another,

A third added that China should instead fire conventional missiles at Japan's nuclear reactors, allowing the resulting explosion to 'take care of business.'
NHS medics have warned routine surgery could grind to a 'standstill' again if Covid ICU admissions approach levels of previous waves.

Currently there are more than 500 Covid patients in intensive care, double the number last month. But this is still an eighth of the 4,000 in January.

There are more than 615 general admissions each day, of which a small number become seriously ill. Admissions have tripled in just over a month.

Intensive care doctor Charlotte Summers, an honorary consultant at Cambridge University, said if ICU capacity numbers get into the thousands then routine care could be put on the backburner once again.

There are a record 5.3million people on the waiting list for routine surgery due to the pandemic, and officials have warned this could rise to 13m by the end of the year.

Dr Summers said that every Covid patient admitted to ICU stays for about two weeks. This disrupts care for other patients  such as those needing hip replacements and heart surgery  who also need the beds for their operation.

SAGE modelling warns daily hospitalisations could spiral to 2,000 in August or September, on the back of extremely high transmission following Freedom Day, which has raised concerns that ICUs could be stretched again.

In a glimmer of hope, however, official figures suggest that the rate of growth in hospital admissions is already slowing.

There are early signs that Covid hospitalisations may be slowing. NHS England data shows the rate of growth was at 50 per cent week-on-week in early January. But it has now dropped to below 40 per cent

Dr Charlotte Summers warned surging hospitalisations with the virus would once again disrupt care for most patients. It comes as Boris Johnson throws off most remaining restrictions in England today

Dr Summers told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Patients with Covid who come to intensive care and receive mechanical ventilation on average stay about 20 days if they survive and 14 days if they don't.

'This is much longer than patients who have undergone elective surgery (operations planned in advance).

Covid cases rise just 16 per cent in a week Britain's daily Covid cases rose by just 16 per cent today, as an expert hailed the small rise as a 'remarkably good' sign that the outbreak may already be starting to slow. The Department of Health's usual update showed there were 39,950 infections across the UK in the past 24 hours, up on the 34,471 recorded last Monday. There were also another with another 19 Covid deaths registered today, which was more than triple the six victims reported a week ago but still 16 times lower than at the same point in previous waves. Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that gloomy warnings of 200,000-plus daily cases and tens of thousands more deaths at the peak this autumn seemed 'a bit over the top'. He suggested infections could actually start to drop on Thursday, if England's Covid crisis plays out in the same way Scotland's did following the surge of cases during Euro 2020. Nationally, there are currently 45,000 new infections every day across Britain, on average, and the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) expects this to reach at least 100,000 in August or September. 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson  whose frightening modelling of the first wave spooked ministers into the initial shutdown  has warned that daily cases could rise to 200,000 this autumn, which would dwarf the 68,000 at the height of the second wave in January. Advertisement

'So, every patient we admit who comes to us due to Covid impacts on the delivery of elective surgery on far more than one patient.'

She said at the peak of the second wave in January they had just over 6,000 Covid patients in intensive car, sparking major disruption.

'If that happens again elective surgery... will once again come to a standstill, and that's unacceptable.'

Patients receiving routine surgery are admitted to intensive care for monitoring, to ensure they are not suffering ill effects from their operation.

The NHS says most are only in there for a few days, but some may end up staying for months.

Dr Summers added that hospitalisations were still rising because the vaccine had only weakened the link between cases and admissions rather than completely broken it.

She said leaving cases to surge to more than 100,000 a day - a number routinely touted by Government - would put hospitals under strain because 'a small proportion of a very large number is still a very large number'.

Scientists have always said the jabs are not perfect, although they do drastically reduce the risk of serious disease, hospitalisation and death - even from the Indian variant.

Hospitalisations have risen over recent days to more than 600 per day. But there are now early signs they may be falling.

They were rising 50 per cent week-on-week in June. But on the latest date, July 17, they ticked up by just 36 per cent after 622 were recorded.

Covid cases also rose by just 16 per cent today compared to last week, in another sign the third wave may be slowing down.

The glimmer of hope comes as Boris Johnson throws off most remaining restrictions in England today making face masks optional and allowing night clubs to reopen.

But the Prime Minister and his Chancellor Rishi Sunak remain in self-isolation amid the unlocking after a top minister tested positive for the virus.

They were forced into an embarrassing U-turn yesterday after it emerged they planned to dodge stay-at-home requirements using a daily testing scheme.
A teen suspect has been arrested in northeast Brazil for allegedly shooting dead twin sisters and filming the gang-related executions on an Instagram livestream.

The 18-year-old victims, identified as Amalia Alves and Amanda Alves, were found dead on the side of a road behind a housing complex in Pacajus, Ceara, last Wednesday morning, hours after they were killed.

Video footage captured the twin teenage mothers kneeling next to each other on the dirt street.

Both apparently were forced to hold up their hair in a bun before Mateus Abreu, 17, fired a shot behind each of their heads.

While authorities have not provided a motive for the executions, newspaper Jornal de Brasilia reported that the twin sisters were killed because they were aware of incidents involving local drug dealers.

Amanda Alves and her 18-year-old identical twin sister, Amalia Alves, were executed in Ceara, Brazil, last Wednesday. The gruesome murders were captured on video as the suspects lived streamed it on Instagram. The teenage mothers were forced to kneel on a dirt road behind a housing complex in the Ceara city of Pacajus and were shot multiple times. A 17-year-old suspect identified as Mateus Abreu, who is seen in the video firing at the Alves sisters, was arrested Wednesday

The Ceara Civil Police has been able to arrest only one suspect, 17-year-old Mateus Abreu (pictured), for the double murder of 18-year-old identical twin sisters Amanda Alves and Amalia Alves.

The twin sisters, each of whom leaves a child behind, were forced to kneel and hold their hair before they were executed

Abreu then fired two more shots at one of the girls and subsequently stood over the other victim and pumped four more bullets at her.

Neighborhood residents alerted the police after discovering the bodies at the location where they were assassinated.

Amanda Alves leaves behind a three-year-old daughter. Amalia Alves was a mother to a six-month-old son.

Abreu was arrested by the Ceara Civil Police later Wednesday.

Brazilian newspaper Diario do Noreste reported that the teen suspect had seven prior arrests for unlawful possession of a gun, theft and intentional bodily injury in 2020 and this year.

Amanda Alves, of Ceara, Brazil, was executed during a live Instagram broadcast last Wednesday. Her 18-year-old sister, Amalia Alves, was also shot dead. Amanda Alves leaves behind a three-year-old daughter

Amalia Alves, an 18-year-old from Ceara, Brazil, was a mother to a six-month-old son
Polls predicting the outcome of the 2020 presidential race - and numerous state races as well - suffered from the worst errors in four decades, according to a new survey.

But experts say the reason why is a mystery.

Public opinion surveys significantly overestimated President Joe Biden's margin of victory over Donald Trump, according to a study of 529 national presidential race polls and 1,572 state-level presidential polls conducted by the American Association for Public Opinion Research.

Days after Americans went to the polls, the final results showed Biden winning more than 81 million votes while Trump won just over 74 million.

Projections leading up to the November election overstated Biden's margin over Trump by 3.9 percent in the popular vote and 4.3 percent in state polls.

A poll from YouGov placed Biden a whopping 11 points ahead of Trump just a week before Election Day.

Biden ended up beating Trump in the November election by 4.4 percent of the popular vote.

Pollsters suggested that Trump referring to polls as 'fake news' and politicizing the results may have contributed to the errors and fewer responses among Republican voters, but they wouldn't say this was the main reason.

A study of nearly 3,000 state and national level polls found that most projections significantly underestimated Trump's performance in the 2020 election

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Polls conducted in the two weeks before Election Day were off by 5 percentage points on the state level.

Support for Trump exceeded expectations in almost every state by more than three percent on average.

In contrast, support for Biden was projected to be one point higher than he ended up winning.

Joe Biden was predicted to lead Donald Trump by ten points nationally by 52 per cent to 42 per cent, according to an average of late polls, but in fact leads by 51 per cent to 48 per cent, with counting still ongoing. Pollsters had predicted an average of a ten-point lead for Biden (pictured) heading into election day - a lead which largely evaporated as results rolled in

The same polls were widely criticized in the weeks after the election after Trump outperformed expectations.

AAPOR came to its conclusion after examining nearly 3,000 different surveys on the state and national level.

But the task force of 19 election and political science experts is at a loss when it comes to why so many polls underestimated Trump.

'Identifying conclusively why polls overstated the Democratic-Republican margin relative to the certified vote appears to be impossible with the available data,' the report states.

What is 'social desirability bias' and why does it affect the polls? Social desirability bias is the name some pollsters have given to the effect that keeps Trump supporters quiet when asked who they are voting for. Simply, it means that people are more likely to give the answer they think the person asking them wants to hear, rather than what they actually think. While this could be true of any question, it is exacerbated in the case of Trump because of abuse that Trump supporters are often subjected to, pollsters say. Robert Cahaly, pollster for the Trafalgar Group, said the abuse has worsened between 2016 and this year. 'In 2016, the worst being said about Trump voters is that they were 'deplorable',' he said. Now 'people [are] getting beat up for wearing the wrong hat, people getting harassed for having a sticker on their car. People just do not want to say anything.' Fellow pollster Arie Kapteyn said this effect can be measured by asking people who they are voting for, then asking them who they think other people are voting for. Asking people who they will vote for in 2020 returned a solid 10 point lead for Biden, he said. But asking them who other people will vote for cut that in half. This is because it leaves people free to speculate about how popular they think a candidate is, without implicating themselves. Advertisement

The failure to find answers makes it difficult to offer solutions on improving accuracy in the next election.

'It is unclear whether the problems polls faced in 2020 will persist in 2022 or 2024, and what happens in 2022 may be uninformative for knowing if there are longer-term issues,' the report states.

Congressional and gubernatorial polls suffered an even bigger discrepancy with overestimating Democrats' performance.

National-level polls even projected Democrats making gains in the House - but they lost 13 seats.

AAPOR task force chair and Vanderbilt University professor Josh Clinton ruled out the possibility of some Trump voters lying to pollsters as a reason for the discrepancy.

The report also failed to find significant underrepresentation of any groups, ruling that out as a cause for error.

'That the polls overstated Biden's support more in whiter, more rural, and less densely populated states is suggestive (but not conclusive) that the polling error resulted from too few Trump supporters responding to polls,' the report states. 'A larger polling error was found in states with more Trump supporters.'

Adding to experts' confusion, Clinton said polling issues detected in 2016 - which correctly predicted Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote - seemed to improve in 2018.

Polls in 2016 failed to account for voters' education levels, according to a similar survey on that election cycle. That issue was seemingly solved in subsequent polling, leading the task force to rule that out as a possible cause for error.

Clinton said it's uncertain whether the historic levels of error are related to Trump or issues with polling in general.

'If the polls do well in 2022, then we don't know if the issue is solved,' Clinton told the Washington Post. 'Or whether it's just a phenomenon that's unique to presidential elections with particular candidates who are making appeals about "Don't trust the news, don't trust the polls" that kind of results in taking polls becoming a political act.'




Ben & Jerry's said it will stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are 'inconsistent with our values.'

The announcement on Monday by the Vermont-based ice cream company was slammed by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former leader of the West Bank settlement movement who called it 'an immoral decision and I believe that it will turn out to be a business mistake, too.'

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also slammed the decision, tweeting that: 'Now we Israelis know which ice cream NOT to buy'.

The company informed its longstanding licensee - responsible for manufacturing and distributing the ice cream in Israel - that it will not renew the license agreement when it expires at the end of next year, according to a statement posted on the Vermont-based company's website.

The Ben & Jerry's statement cited 'the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.'

The company did not explicitly identify those concerns, but last month, a group called Vermonters for Justice in Palestine called on Ben & Jerry's to 'end complicity in Israel's occupation and abuses of Palestinian human rights.'

'How much longer will Ben & Jerry's permit its Israeli-manufactured ice cream to be sold in Jewish-only settlements while Palestinian land is being confiscated, Palestinian homes are being destroyed, and Palestinian families in neighborhoods like Sheik Jarrah are facing eviction to make way for Jewish settlers?' the organization's Ian Stokes said in a June 10 news release.

Ben & Jerry's said it will stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are 'inconsistent with our values'

The Ben & Jerry's statement cited 'the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners'. The Israeli foreign ministry called Ben & Jerry's decision 'a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups' and the company was cooperating with 'economic terrorism'

In a Monday statement, the organization said Ben & Jerry's actions did not go far enough.

'By maintaining a presence in Israel, Ben & Jerrys continues to be complicit in the killing, imprisonment and dispossession of Palestinian people and the flaunting of international law,' said the Vermont group's Kathy Shapiro.

The Israeli foreign ministry called Ben & Jerry's decision 'a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups' and the company was cooperating with 'economic terrorism.'

'The decision is immoral and discriminatory, as it singles out Israel, harms both Israelis and Palestinians and encourages extremist groups who use bullying tactics,' the ministry said in a statement. It also called on Ben & Jerry's to withdraw its decision.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid upbraided Ben & Jerry's, calling its decision a 'shameful surrender' to anti-Semitism.

While Ben & Jerry's products will not be sold in the settlements, the company said it will stay in Israel through a different arrangement. But doing so will be difficult. Major Israeli supermarket chains, the primary distribution channel for the ice cream maker, all operate in the settlements.

The announcement on Monday by the Vermont-based ice cream company was slammed by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former leader of the West Bank settlement movement who called it 'an immoral decision and I believe that it will turn out to be a business mistake, too. Former Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu also slammed the decision

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also slammed the decision, tweeting that: 'Now we Israelis know which ice cream NOT to buy'

Founded in Vermont in 1978, but currently owned by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, Ben & Jerry's has not shied away from social causes. While many businesses tread lightly in politics for fear of alienating customers, the ice cream maker has taken the opposite approach, often espousing progressive causes.

Ben & Jerry's took a stand against what it called the Trump administrations regressive policies by rebranding one of its flavors Pecan Resist in 2018, ahead of midterm elections.

The company said Pecan Resist celebrated activists who were resisting oppression, harmful environmental practices and injustice. As part of the campaign, Ben & Jerry's said it was giving $25,000 each to four activist entities.

Aida Touma-Sliman, an Israeli lawmaker with the Joint List of Arab parties, wrote on Twitter that Ben and Jerrys decision Monday was 'appropriate and moral.' She added that the 'occupied territories are not part of Israel' and that the move is an important step to help pressure the Israeli government to end the occupation.

The West Bank and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the two territories - roughly 500,000 in the occupied West Bank and 200,000 in east Jerusalem.

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops in the West Bank. The West Bank and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the two territories - roughly 500,000 in the occupied West Bank and 200,000 in east Jerusalem

Founded in Vermont in 1978, but currently owned by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, Ben & Jerry's has not shied away from social causes. Founder Ben Cohen, left, and Jerry Greenfield, right, join Jane Fonda at a climate change protest in Washington DC in 2019

Israel treats the two areas separately, considering east Jerusalem as part of its capital. Meanwhile, Israel considers the West Bank as disputed territory whose fate should be resolved in negotiations. However the international community considers both areas to be occupied territory. The Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of a future independent state, with east Jerusalem as their capital.

Israel in recent years has become a partisan issue in Washington, with many Democrats - particularly of the party's progressive wing - growing increasingly critical over a number of Israeli policies, including settlement construction, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus close ties with former President Trump. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been an outspoken critic of Israel.

The BDS movement - shorthand for a grassroots, Palestinian-led movement that advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses - applauded Ben & Jerry's decision as 'a decisive step towards ending the company's complicity in Israel's occupation and violations of Palestinian rights,' but called upon the company to do more.

'We hope that Ben & Jerry's has understood that, in harmony with its social justice commitments, there can be no business as usual with apartheid Israel,' a statement read.

The Israeli government says the BDS movement masks a deeper aim of delegitimizing or even destroying the entire country.

The Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing the roughly 500,000 Israelis living in West Bank settlements, said 'there's no need to buy products from companies that boycott hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens because of the place they choose to live.' It said Ben & Jerry's decision 'brought a bad spirit to such a sweet industry' and called on Israelis to buy locally produced ice cream this summer.

Ben & Jerry's move on Monday may not be the final chapter in the saga. Airbnb announced in 2018 that it would stop advertising properties in Israeli settlements. Several months later, after coming under harsh criticism from Israel and a federal lawsuit by Israeli Americans who owned property in the settlements, the company reversed its decision.
embattled Wall Street billionaire Leon Black countered allegations on Monday that he intimidated and sexually assaulted a Russian model, saying instead that he was the victim of an extortion scheme

Wall Street billionaire and Jeffrey Epstein associate Leon Black has admitted to having an affair with a Russian model but furiously denied her claims that he raped and intimidated her - saying that she tried to extort him by threatening to go public with their relationship.

Guzel Ganieva, 38, branded Black, 69, a 'violent, sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her before coercing her into signing a non-disclosure agreement in a defamation lawsuit exposed exclusively by DailyMail.com last month.

Black, the married co-founder of Apollo Global Management, responded to the lawsuit in a scathing filing on Monday in which he branded Ganieva's case 'a work of fiction'.

Black said he and Ganieva had engaged in a consensual affair starting in 2008 until 2015 - when he claims she extorted him by threatening to take their relationship public if he did not pay her $100million.

While he did not meet her initial demand, in exchange for her silence Black said he agreed to forgive $1million in loans he made to her, and to make $100,000 monthly payments for 15 years - amounting to $18million total.

Former model Guzel Ganieva accused Black of being a 'violent, sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her then coerced her into signing an NDA

Black, 69, resigned his position as head of Apollo on March 22, just days after Ganieva went public with her claims that Black had 'abused' her 'for years.'

Black has denied that his resignation had anything to do with the series of tweets posted by Ganieva, which came after he was already under scrutiny for standing by pedophile financier Epstein for years.

His 52-page response to her lawsuit filed on June 1 includes text message exchanges between the two, and accounts of conversations based off of recordings he said he secretly made.

He said he had lavished Ganieva with millions of dollars in gifts including a Steinway piano, acting classes at Columbia University, a $40,000 commissioned portrait of her, rent for an Upper East Side apartment among many others, according to the suit.

In 2015, however, Black alleges that Ganieva had threatened to go public about their relationship, which led to him broaching a non-disclosure agreement with the Russian model.

Black is seen with his wife Debra Black in 2017

Ganieva asserted that the NDA had a vastly different goal. She claims it was reached after she alleged that on July 6, 2014, Black raped her when she was sick at home and so weak she could barely walk.

Her suit claims: 'Never a match for his physical size and strength on this day in particular Ms. Ganieva knew what fate was in store.'

It goes onto claim that, after he had finished, Black stated, 'Now I have f**** you,' before walking out leaving Ganieva naked and unable to move.

The following year Black allegedly offered 'forgiveness' on Ganieva's loans, made in 2011 and 2013 for $480,000 each, on condition that she sign the NDA.

'Disgustingly he used his extreme power and wealth to coerce her into signing a non-disclosure agreement in October 2015 because he knew what he had done to her was shocking, evil and exposed him to potential criminal charges,' she alleges.

Black dispute's Ganieva's side of the encounter, and in the suit includes text messages from before and after the alleged rape.

According to his suit, Black was aware Ganieva was ill, but that on July 2 she told him that she was feeling better, and on July 6 she texted him: 'This is love. I need you...'

When he agreed to stop by, he says she asked for a bottle of wine.

After the encounter Black says Ganieva texted him again, saying: 'It was very nice to see you last night...I love you and thank you!!!! Xoxoxoxoxo and more love.'

Ganieva (left at an event in 2011) branded Black a 'violent, sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her before coercing her into signing a non-disclosure agreement in a defamation lawsuit exposed exclusively by DailyMail.com last month

Ganieva is pictured (left) with pals Natane Boudreau and Claudia Mason in 2011

Ganieva initially went public with her allegations against Black in a series of tweets on March 17. Black claims her account was made for the sole purpose of defaming him

Black stepped down from his role as CEO of Apollo after he was revealed as a longtime associate of pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Black (right) was with Epstein at a screening of the film Capote in 2005

In particular, Black's filing claims that Ganieva, 'nevernot once, in a series of in-person meetings during her extortion campaign, or at any other timeclaimed sexual or physical abuse of any kind.'

'In short, Mr. Black is guilty only of extremely poor judgment in entering into an affair with Ganieva in the first instance,' the suit reads.

Other accounts disputed by Black includes claims that Ganieva left the country with her son, shortly after the alleged rape to distance her from him.

He says her student visa had expired, and on the day of her departure sent him flowers and a text saying: 'I love you and miss you already.'

Ganieva also accused Black of constantly belittling her, forcing her to walk behind him in public. He allegedly criticized her clothing and make-up and she claims that he 'berated' her for refusing to agree to threesomes with other women.

Standing 6ft 5 tall and weighing in at 300lbs Ganieva alleges that Black also physically intimidated her by clenching.

Black, however, alleges that he had asked little in return in their relationship, even going so far as to help her secure job interviews, despite her being 'underqualified,' and 'unprepared.'

He says in his suit that he believes her sudden shift in tone regarding their relationship in 2015 was likely due to her failing to gain legal status in the UK.

Ganieva initially went public with her allegations on March 17 with a series of tweets in which she said she was 'bullied, manipulated, threatened, and coerced,' and revealed the existence of the NDA.

She had created the Twitter accounted that month, and Black's suit alleges that it had been 'set up for the sole purpose of publishing the defamatory tweets.'

'When I refused his sexual advances I was bullied, manipulated, threatened and coerced. Similarly, under duress I was forced to sign an NDA in 2015,' she wrote, claiming, 'I am breaking my silence now because I do not want this type of predatory behavior to continue happening to other women.'

Black countered in his suit that the NDA had come at Ganieva's suggestion, and that she happily signed it, texting him afterward: 'Thank you for everything. Talk soon.'

Black filed his 52-page countersuit on Monday

That month Black had stepped down from his role at Apollo after he described his decision to give Epstein a 'second chance' as, 'a terrible mistake.'

Black denied his resignation had anything to do with Ganieva's tweets.

In an article published by Bloomberg on April 8, Black said, 'Any allegation or any other inappropriate behavior towards her is completely fabricated.'

He went onto to claim, 'The truth is that I have been extorted by Ms. Ganieva for years and I made substantial monetary payments to her, based on her threats to go public concerning our relationship, in an attempt to spare my family from public embarrassment.'

The lawsuit filed on Ganieva's behalf by Widgdor Law describes this statement as malicious and 'right from the playbook of scores of wealthy and powerful men facing similar accusations.'

Comparing Black to Harvey Weinstein, Bill O'Reilly, Paul Haggis and Alan Dershowitz and Russell Simmons all of whom accused their own would-be accusers of attempted 'shake downs' the suit dismisses his claims as false and defamatory.

Ganaieva in her suit alleges that, 'like a master chess player Black was many moves ahead of Ms. Ganieva from the moment he met her.'

Black allegedly 'picked her out of a crowd' in March 2008 while attending an International Women's Day event in New York City.

The single mother, then in her twenties, had recently moved from Russia to the United States. According to her case, 'It was easy work for Black to convince Ms. Ganieva to dine with him at La Grenouille where he planned to tell her exactly how he could help with her future.'

Black allegedly gained Ganieva's trust so that he could betray it while Ganieva was flattered and naive as to his intentions.

The suit states, 'Naively Ms Ganieva believed that Black was not interested in her sexually, simply because she told him that their relationship would not be sexual.

'Black, however, is a ruthless planner and a man that gets what he wants.'

The billionaire, however, disputes this, saying in his suit that, 'Ganieva apparently saw a golden ticket in Mr. Black, and persistently sought him out following their initial meeting,' and that she, 'quickly began pressing him for substantial payments of money and gifts.'
The UN has demanded closer regulation of surveillance tech following extensive phone-hacking revelations.

Activists, journalists and politicians around the world have been spied on using cellphone malware developed by a private Israeli firm, it emerged Sunday.

The use of the software, called Pegasus and developed by Israel's NSO group, was exposed in a data leak containing 50,000 phone numbers that belong to people targeted by NSO's clients since 2016.

Among those clients are some of the world's most-repressive government regimes, including Hungary, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

But Hungary and Morocco have both denied using Pegasus spyware.

UN Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Monday that the reports about the Pegasus spyware 'confirm the urgent need to better regulate the sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology and ensure strict oversight and authorisation'.

UN Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Monday that the reports about the Pegasus spyware 'confirm the urgent need to better regulate the sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology and ensure strict oversight and authorisation'

Bachelet described the revelations as 'extremely alarming', saying they 'seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology.'

She recalled that the UN had repeatedly flagged the dangers of authorities using surveillance tools to hack phones and computers of legitimate journalists, activists and political opponents in the name of public safety.

'Use of surveillance software has been linked to arrest, intimidation and even killings of journalists and human rights defenders,' she added, also warning that broad use of such technologies could lead to self-censorship.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said surveillance measures can only be justified 'in narrowly defined circumstances, with a legitimate goal' such as 'investigations into serious crimes and grave security threats.'

'If the recent allegations about the use of Pegasus are even partly true, then that red line has been crossed again and again with total impunity.'

Bachelet said companies involved in developing and distributing surveillance technologies should ensure their technologies are not used to violate human rights.

Meanwhile Hungary and Morocco have both denied using Pegasus spyware.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denied Monday media reports that Budapest used software to infiltrate the smartphones of journalists and other public figures.

'The government has no knowledge of this type of data collection,' Szijjarto told a press conference, adding that Hungary's intelligence agency did not use the Pegasus software 'in any way'.

Morocco also 'categorically rejects' claims its intelligence services had used Israeli spyware Pegasus to monitor critics at home and abroad, a government statement said today.

Rabat said it had 'never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices' and denied it had 'infiltrated the phones of several national and international public figures and heads of international organisations through computer software'.

One of those targeted was Hanan Elatr, the wife of Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured together before Khashoggi was assassinated inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018)

Roula Khalaf (pictured), who became the Financial Times' first female editor last year, was selected as a potential target throughout 2018. Analysis of the data suggests Khalaf's phone was selected as a possible target by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while she was deputy editor at the Financial Times

Pegasus: How powerful spyware used to hack journalists works Pegasus is a powerful piece of 'malware' - malicious computer software - developed by Israeli security firm NSO Group. This particular form of malware is known as 'spyware', meaning it is designed to gather data from an infected device without the owner's knowledge and forward it on to a third party. While most spyware is limited in scope - harvesting data only from specific parts of an infected system - Pegasus appears much more powerful, allowing its controller near-unlimited access to and control over an infected device. This includes accessing contact lists, emails, and text messages, along with stored photos, videos and audio files. Pegasus can also be used to take control of the phone's camera or microphone to record video and audio, and can access GPS data to check where the phone's owner has been. And it can also be used to record any new incoming or outgoing phone calls. Early versions of the virus infected phones using crude 'phishing' attacks in which users are conned into downloading the virus on to their own phones by clicking on a malicious link sent via text or email. But researchers say the software has become much more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities in common phone apps to launch so-called 'zero-click' attacks which can infect devices without the user doing anything. For example, in 2019 WhatsApp revealed that 1,400 people had been infected by NSO Group software using a so-called 'zero day' fault - a previously unknown error - in the call function of the app. Users were infected when a call was placed via WhatsApp to their phones, whether they answered the call or not. More recently NSO has begun exploiting vulnerabilities in Apple's iMessage software, giving it backdoor access to hundreds of millions of iPhones. Apple says it is continually updating its software to prevent such attacks, though human rights group Amnesty says it has uncovered successful attacks on even the most up-to-date iOS systems - carried out this month. NSO Group says that Pegasus can also be installed on devices using wireless transceivers located near the target, or can be booted directly on to the device if it is stolen first. Advertisement

A joint investigation by several Western media outlets said Sunday that numerous activists, journalists, executives and politicians around the world had been spied on using the software developed by Israeli firm NSO.

One of those targeted was Hanan Elatr, the wife of Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by a Saudi hit squad in 2018.

Her phone - as well as that of a second female associate - was allegedly targeted before his death. The leak appeared to confirm Saudi involvement in the murder.

Another key figure on the list was Roula Khalaf, who became the Financial Times' first female editor last year, and according to The Guardian was selected as a potential target throughout 2018.

Analysis of the data suggests Khalaf's phone was selected as a possible target by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while she was deputy editor at the Financial Times.

The data was initially leaked to human rights group Amnesty and not-for-profit group Forbidden Stories, which helps promote the work of persecuted reporters.

It was then shared with a consortium of other newspapers, including the likes of the Washington Post whose journalists were targeted.

If a number appears on the leaked list, then it means that phone was targeted for hacking - though it cannot be conclusively proved whether the hack was successful.

However, Amnesty did confirm that at least 15 people on the list were successfully hacked after they handed over their phones to the group to be examined.

Among those confirmed cases were Siddharth Varadarajan and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, of Indian news site Wire, who have worked on stories about the Indian government spreading disinformation online.

Omar Radi, a Moroccan journalist who has published repeated exposes of government corruption, was also among those successfully hacked.

The data also shows that the phone of Mexican freelance journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto was also selected a month before he was murdered by gun-wielding attackers at a car wash. His phone was never found and it was not clear if it had been hacked.

Another was award-winning Azerbaijani investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who was confirmed to have been hacked in 2019.

For years, she has reported on a network of corruption surrounding president Ilham Aliyev who has ruled since 2003.

As a result of her work, she has long been the target of a harassment and intimidation which has included a hidden camera being installed in her home and a 2014 arrest on alleged tax evasion and 'illegal business' offences.

'I feel guilty for the sources who sent me [information], thinking that some encrypted messaging ways are secure. They did it and they didn't know my phone was infected,' Ismayilova told The Guardian.

'My family members are also victimised, people I've been working with. People who told me their private secrets are victimised. It's not just me.'

Devices that are successfully hacked by Pegasus are effectively turned into 24-hour monitoring devices, allowing whoever sent the virus to keep constant tabs on them.

Hackers are given full access to all the phone's data, including previous text messages and contact lists, along with stored audio, video and photo files.

They are able to take over the phone's camera to record video, turn on the microphone to record audio, and can record any new calls made or received.

Hackers can even access the phone's location data to see where the owner has been and potentially who they met with.

The revelations also appeared to confirm Saudi Arabia's involvement in the murder of Khashoggi, who until his killing in 2018 was a Saudi Arabian journalist, author, columnist for The Washington Post and critic of the Saudi regime, an NSO client.

Based on leaked data and forensic analysis of phones, media outlets have found new evidence that the shows the company's spyware was use in an attempt to monitor people close to the journalist before and after his death.

In one instance, a person close to Khashoggi was hacked four hays after his murder, according to forensic analysis of her device confirmed by multiple organisations.

The investigation suggests Saudi Arabia and its close ally the UAE attempted to use NSO's technology to after Khashoggi's death to monitor both his known associates and the Turkish investigation into his murder.

The phone of Istanbul's chief prosecutor was even selected for possible surveillance.

Intelligence agencies in the US have already confirmed that Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for ordering the murder of Khashoggi.

Among the numbers on the list are journalists for media organisations around the world including Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America.

The use of the software to hack the phones of Al-Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research centre at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.

The Washington Post said numbers on the list also belonged to heads of state and prime ministers, members of Arab royal families, diplomats and politicians, as well as activists and business executives.

The list did not identify which clients had entered the numbers on it. But the reports said many were clustered in 10 countries - Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Guardian wrote that the investigation suggests 'widespread and continuing abuse' of Pegasus, which NSO says is intended for use against criminals and terrorists.

A successful Pegasus hack would given NSO customers full access to all data stored on the targeted device.

By hacking a journalist's phone, for example, the customer could view their confidential sources, their address book, listen to their calls, track their movements precisely and even record their conversation by remotely activating the microphone.

Varadarajan, who was hacked in 2018 while he was investigating how the Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi was using Facebook to spread disinformation among Indian citizens, told The Guardian he felt 'violated'.

The phone number of Indian Journalist Siddharth Varadarajan, pictured in 2020, was among those on the Pegasus list. Varadarajan and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, of Indian news site Wire, have worked on stories about the Indian government spreading disinformation online

Azerbaijani investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova was confirmed to have been hacked in 2019. She has reported on a network of corruption surrounding president Ilham Aliyev who has ruled since 2003

Mexican freelance journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto (pictured) was also selected a month before he was murdered by gun-wielding attackers at a car wash in 2017. His phone was never found and it was not clear if it had been hacked

'This is an incredible intrusion and journalists should not have to deal with this,' he said. 'Nobody should have to deal with this, but in particular journalists and those who are in some way working for the public interest.'

Also included on the leaked records was a UK-based phone number belonging to American investigative journalist Bradley Hope, who at the time of his number being selected was working for the Wall Street Journal.

In 2018, Hope and his colleague Tim Wright contacted parties that would be named in their book about the 1MDB corruption scandal involving theft of $4.5bn from the state of Malaysia.

The released Pegasus records show that around the same time, one of NSO's government clients began selecting Hope's phone as a potential surveillance target, with his number being included on the list until the spring of 2019.

'I think probably the number one thing that anyone targeting my phone would want to know is: who are my sources?' Hope said to The Guardian. 'They would want to know who it is that is providing this insight.'

Since then, Hope said that he regularly changes his mobile device, updates the operating system, and does not take his phone into high-risk countries such as the UAE, believed to be the government that selected him as a target.

Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit organisation, initially had access to the leak, which they then shared with media organisations.

NSO, a leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry, has previously pledged to police for abuses of its software.

It called the allegations exaggerated and baseless, according to The Washington Post, and would not confirm its clients' identities.

Citizen Lab reported in December that dozens of journalists at Qatar's Al-Jazeera network had their mobile communications intercepted by sophisticated electronic surveillance.

Amnesty International reported in June of last year that Moroccan authorities used NSO's Pegasus software to insert spyware onto the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.
Nadina Liu, 28, claimed she was treated like Royalty by the five cabin crew as she stretched out on the front row premium seats of the Boeing 787-800 jet last Saturday

A mother-of-two was shocked to find that she was the only passenger on board her Ryanair flight home from Spain.

Nadina Liu, 28, claimed she was treated like Royalty by the five cabin crew as she stretched out on the front row premium seats of the Boeing 787-800 jet last Saturday.

She had no idea that she was the only passenger on the 189-seat plane until moments before she boarded her flight from Alicante to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Mrs Liu who had been on holiday to Benidorm with two friends for five days, said: I got to the boarding gate and found nobody else there.

I got a bit worried thinking I had gone to the wrong gate, so I asked the woman on the desk if I was in the right place for the Liverpool flight and she said I was.

She then added, By the way, you are the only person on the flight. I thought she was joking, but it turned out she was serious.

It was a lovely feeling being on the plane by myself with the five cabin crew to look after me. It felt a bit like a private jet, although I have never been on one before.

She believes that other passengers booked on the flight may have delayed their return home until Monday or later to avoid having to quarantine for ten days

Mrs Liu had paid only around 50 for her two and a half hour flight several months ago, including the charge to take her hand luggage in the cabin.

She believes that other passengers booked on the flight may have delayed their return home until Monday or later to avoid having to quarantine for ten days.

The new rules for Freedom Day meant that any doubled jabbed adults or children under 18 returning from amber-listed countries including Spain no longer have to isolate.

But anyone flying home before midnight would have had to quarantine under the old rules.

Mrs Liu said she was not affected by the change as she has only had one jab so far, meaning that she would still have had to quarantine even if she had flown home later.

Mrs Liu paid only 50 for her two and a half hour flight several months ago, including the charge to take her hand luggage in the cabin

She had originally booked a Ryanair flight home for last Saturday morning until the budget airline contacted her three weeks ago and asked her if she was able to transfer to an evening flight.

Mrs Liu who lives in Litherland, Merseyside, with husband Martin, 32, and children Lexi, eight, and Jamie, five, said: I was happy to agree, and assumed they were cancelling the earlier flight due to all the problems with covid.

I had gone out to Alicante with my friends on the same flight, but they were staying for ten days and I had only booked a five day break so I could get home to my family.

I work from home as a test and trace call agent, so it was not going to be much of a problem for me to quarantine.

I had the seat number 18A, but when I got on the flight, I was told that I could sit where I wanted so I picked a seat with more space at the front.

The five cabin crew were really friendly and one of them told me that it was the first time she had been on a plane with one passenger in her 15 years with Ryanair.

They just told me to make myself at home and to ask them if I wanted anything at all. They all found it quite funny and treated me like Royalty

There was the usual pre-flight safety demonstration, but it was performed just for me as I was the only passenger.

The cabin crew included a young lad who was in training and the others were showing him how to do things like opening and closing the door.

One of the pilots came and said hello before take off, so it was all very personal and a great level of service.

Mrs Liu said she bought a can of Heineken, a packet of M and Ms sweets and a cup of tea during the flight.

She added: They didnt bother pushing a trolley along and just fetched me anything when I asked for it.

She had no idea that she was the only passenger on the 189-seat plane until moments before she boarded her flight from Alicante to Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Apart from there being no other passengers, it was just like a normal flight, with the usual tannoy messages from the flight deck.

I chatted to the crew a bit and kept myself occupied scrolling through my phone. We even got in about ten minutes early at 10.40pm instead of 10.50pm.

I went down the steps on my own to the tarmac, and I had a member of staff who met me and led me into the terminal to show me the way.

I heard from the Ryanair people that the original flight which I had been on had flown half-full with 73 people on board.

So I am a bit mystified about why they changed my booking to the later flight, although I am not complaining.

Ryanair has been approached for comment.
A mother pleaded 'please make sure my baby is safe' shortly before her partner fatally attacked their four-month-old daughter, a court has heard.

Jordan Lee, 29, is accused of murdering his daughter Willow Lee after flying into a violent rage while looking after her.

Willow was found seriously injured at the family's home in Blackpool, on December 3.

She was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and later transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where she died three days later on December 6.

David McLachlan QC, prosecuting, told a jury at Preston Crown Court that they were dealing with a 'very sad case'.

A mother pleaded 'please make sure my baby is safe' shortly before her partner fatally attacked their four-month-old daughter, a court has heard. Pictured: Four-month-old Willow Lee

The court heard that in the days before Willow was allegedly attacked she'd been unwell but a doctor who examined her believed there wasn't anything seriously wrong.

On the day itself - December 3 - Willow's mother Jade Bell gone to work and left her in the care of her partner Lee.

All appeared to be well at first, said Mr McLachlan, but 'matters took a turn for the worse' when the defendant's brother, Daniel Lee, who also lived at the address, messaged Jade at 1.18pm.

'He's seriously not fit to be a father,' he wrote. 'I feel sorry for Willow.'

'Alarm bells' started to ring for Jade, the court heard, and she responded saying 'What's happened?' and 'Is Willow OK?'

But according to Daniel Lee, Mr McLachlan said. that everything 'wasn't OK' and he sent a message to Jade saying how Willow had been crying all day and his brother was 'getting really angry and shouting at her.'

Jordan Lee, 29, is accused of murdering his daughter Willow Lee at their family home in Blackpool after flying into a violent rage while looking after her

Daniel Lee attempted to calm things down and offered to look after Willow - prompting his brother to pick her up by the ankle and say 'here you go' before putting her back down again.

Their neighbour Samatha Holmes was also said to have become concerned by Willow's crying and had heard bangs and shouts including 'Shut the f*** up or I will', 'It's done now there's nothing we can do about it', and 'Get her in that f****** chair.'

Mr McLachlan said Jade sent further messages to Daniel Lee saying she was 'worried' that her partner was looking after Willow.

And she begged him: 'Please, please make sure he doesn't hurt her in any way' and 'Please make sure my baby is safe Dan.'

Lee had messaged Jade that 'everything was OK now' as Willow was asleep after she'd tried to 'calm the waters', he court heard.

The little girl was rushed to the Blackpool Victoria Hospital (pictured) and later taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where she sadly died three days later, on December 6

But 'matters again seemed to take a turn for the worst', around 5pm said Mr McLachlan.

Daniel Lee heard his brother shouting: 'Will you shut up.'

He again offered to look after Willow so his brother would 'calm down'.

Snapchat recordings, taken by Daniel Lee, showed Willow crying before there was 'thud', said Mr McLachlan, and Willow stopped crying.

'The prosecution say that this is the significant moment that led to her loss of life a few days later,' he said.

'Jordan Lee was heard to say, "Willow, Willow, what's the matter?"'

He then ran upstairs with Willow in his hands and showed her to his brother, who could see she was 'unresponsive and her head was floppy.'

Lee, who denies a charge of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, maintained in police interviews that Willow had been 'really ill' and had been 'crying most of the day' but her injuries had been caused by her rolling off the sofa

Paramedics were called to the home and Lee told them and Jade that Willow had 'fallen off the sofa.'

But the court heard how Willow had suffered a severe and traumatic injury to her head, causing a bleed to the brain, as well as bruises to the left hand side of her face.

A post-mortem found her brain injury was consistent will being forcibly shaken and the degree of force required was considerable - equivalent to a high-speed car accident or a fall from a multi-storey building.

A pathologist found the bruising to her face was consistent to the 'gripping, squeezing or twisting' of Willow's ear and would have caused 'immense pain'.

Her father was arrested and initially charged with attempted murder bit this was was later charged to murder after Willow's death.

Lee, who denies a charge of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, maintained in police interviews that Willow had been 'really ill' and had been 'crying most of the day' but her injuries had been caused by her rolling off the sofa.

He said she'd been injured due to his 'lack of care' while he played on his X-Box but he denied been violent towards her, saying that's 'the one thing I couldn't' do.'

The trial is expected to last two weeks.
A Florida man who breached the US Senate chamber carrying a 'Trump 2020' campaign flag was sentenced on Monday to eight months in prison, making him the first among hundreds of accused rioters facing prosecution to be incarcerated.

Tampa crane operator Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, apologized and said he was ashamed of his actions on January 6.

Speaking calmly from a prepared statement, he described being caught up in the euphoria as he walked down Washingtons most famous avenue, then followed a crowd of hundreds up Capitol Hill and into the Capitol building.

'If I had any idea that the protest ... would escalate [the way] it did ... I would never have ventured farther than the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue,' Hodgkins told the judge. He added: 'This was a foolish decision on my part.'

In this file image from US Capitol Police video, Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, Florida, front, stands in the well on the floor of the US Senate on January 6. Hodgkins was sentenced on Monday to eight months in prison

A clean-shaven Hodgkins, left, is seen leaving court on Monday following the sentencing hearing

Prosecutors had asked for Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying in a recent filing that he, 'like each rioter, contributed to the collective threat to democracy' by forcing lawmakers to temporarily abandon their certification of Joe Bidens 2020 election victory over President Donald Trump and to scramble for shelter from incoming mobs.

Assistant US Attorney Mona Sedky said that, while Hodgkins didnt engage in violence himself, he walked among many who did  in what she called 'the ransacking of the Peoples House. And as he walked by smashed police barriers, he could see the smoke of tear gas and the chaos ahead of him.

'What does he do?' she asked the court. 'He walks toward it. He doesnt walk away.'

She added that Hodgkins was in the midst of a mob that forced lawmakers to seek shelter and some congressional staffers to hide in fear, locked in officers as hundreds swept through the building. Those in fear for their lives that day will, she said, 'bear emotional scars for many years  if not forever.'

Hodgkins, pictured in the US Senate chamber on January 6, pleaded guilty in June for one count of obstructing an official proceeding

Hodgkins apologized for his actions during the riot and said he felt ashamed

In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Randolph Moss said that Hodgkins had played a role, if not as significant as others, in one of the worst episodes in American history. Still he chose to give Hodgkins a year less in prison.

'That was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a protest,' Moss said. 'It was  an assault on democracy.' He added: 'It left a stain that will remain on us  on the country for years to come.'

Addressing thee defendant directly, Moss said: 'Although you were only one member of a larger mob, you actively participated in a larger event that threatened the Capitol and democracy itself.

'The damage that was caused that way was way beyond a several-hour delay of the vote certification. It is a damage that will persist in this country for several decades.'

Hodgkins took a selfie in the US Senate after breaching the building while dressed in a 'Trump 2020' shirt

Hodgkins' sentencing could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial.

He and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies.

Under an agreement with prosecutors, Hodgkins pleaded guilty last month to one count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop lesser charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

Video footage shows Hodgkins wearing a 'Trump 2020' T-shirt, the flag flung over his shoulder and eye goggles around his neck, inside the Senate. He took a selfie with a self-described shaman in a horned helmet and other rioters on the dais behind him.

His lawyer pleaded with Judge Randolph Moss to spare his client time in prison, saying the shame that will attach to Hodgkins for the rest of his life should be factored in as punishment.

The lawyer argued in court papers that Hodgkins actions werent markedly different from those of Anna Morgan Lloyd  other than Hodgkins stepping onto the Senate floor.

Patrick Leduc, lawyer for Hodgkins, told reporters on Monday his client was a law-abiding citizen who 'for just one hour on one day lost his bearings'

The 49-year-old from Indiana was the first of roughly 500 arrested to be sentenced. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and last month was sentenced to three years of probation.

Hodgkins was never accused of assaulting anyone or damaging property. And prosecutors said he deserves some leniency for taking responsibility almost immediately and pleading guilty to the obstruction charge.

But prosecutors also noted how he boarded a bus in his hometown of Tampa bound for a January 6 Trump rally carrying rope, protective goggles and latex gloves in a backpack  saying that demonstrated he came to Washington prepared for violence.

Hodgkins remained in the Senate chamber for 15 minutes and snapped a selfie, which later went viral.

'I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am truly remorseful and regretful for my actions, not because I face consequences but because of the damage that day's incident caused and the way this country that I love has been hurt,' the Florida man said during his sentencing.

Patrick Leduc, Hodgkins lawyer, described his client to reporters outside court as an otherwise law-abiding American who, despite living in a poorer part of Tampa, regularly volunteered at a food bank. He noted that Hodgkins is an Eagle Scout.

His actions on January 6 'is the story of a man who for just one hour on one day lost his bearings ... who made a fateful decision to follow the crowd,' the attorney said.

Leduc appealed to the public to extend some 'forgiveness' and 'grace' to Hodgkins.

'Paul Hodgkins loves this country,' Leduc argued. 'Hes not my enemy. Hes just a man who screwed up.'
Joe Biden insisted on Monday that Facebook 'isn't killing people' and instead blamed them for allowing 12 people to spread the majority of online vaccine misinformation in a climbdown from remarks he made to reporters on Friday.

'Facebook isn't killing people,' Biden clarified during remarks on economic recovery at the White House on Monday.

'These 12 people are out there giving misinformation, anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it,' he continued. 'It's killing people. It's bad information.'

'My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally,' Biden said, 'that they would do something.'

Biden also assured 'we are not in a battle with Facebook.'

Last week, when Biden was asked if he had a message for Facebook, he responded: 'They're killing people. I mean it really. Look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. And they're killing people.'

Facebook pushed back against that in a statement released Saturday, lashing out at the administration for 'blaming a handful of American social media companies' for the declining vaccination rate.

'While social media plays an important role in society, it is clear that we need a whole of society approach to end this pandemic,' Facebook's vice president of integrity, Guy Rosen, wrote in a corporate blog post.

The White House's top public health official also said on Sunday morning that Facebook was 'costing' American lives by not combating misinformation.

President Joe Biden did a u-turn on Monday by saying 'Facebook isn't killing people' and pleading that CEO Mark Zuckerberg 'instead of taking it personally... do something' to combat misinformation surrounding the coronavirus vaccine

Vaccination rates in the U.S. have sharply declined since the jab was opened to all adults earlier this year. Minority and poor communities, as well as southern states and more Republican areas, are experiencing heightened hesitancy surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine

'We know that health misinformation harms people's health. It costs them their lives,' Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told CNN. 'I have seen that as a doctor over the years, as patients have struggled with health misinformation.'

'And here's the key thing to remember,' he added when speaking with State of the Union host Dana Bash, 'health misinformation takes away our freedom and our power to make decisions for us and for our families. And that's a problem.'

'The platforms have to recognize that they have played a major role in the increase in speed and scale with which misinformation is spreading.'

Murthy's comments come after Facebook officials defended the platform on Saturday when President Biden accused social media misinformation of 'killing people.'

On Thursday, Murthy also issued an advisory calling health misinformation an 'urgent threat.' He provided a 22-page 'confronting health information' pamphlet.

The deflection in blame also follows the administration missing Biden's July 4 deadline to administer at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to 70 per cent of American adults  and have 160 million fully vaccinated by the mid-summer holiday

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy doubled-down on the administration scapegoating the plateauing vaccination rate by saying social media isn't doing enough to combat misinformation. 'We know that health misinformation harms people's health. It costs them their lives,' Murthy said on Sunday

Murthy also defended the administration lifting mask requirements for vaccinated people after receiving criticism for acting too quickly now that case loads are rising in areas where rates are low and other ares where variants are running rampant.

'What's driving the rise of infections actually is the Delta variant,' Murthy asserted.

'But, with that said, I think the CDC guidance around masks was intended actually to give flexibility to individuals and to localities, recognizing that,' he explained.

The surgeon general said it's now in the hands of local governments and private entities to decide how they want to handle certain aspects of dealing with the pandemic moving forward, including if they want to require masks  even for immunized individuals.

'When you see places like L.A. County and other parts of the country, where you see counties making decisions about masks that may be different from other counties, that's okay,' Murthy said. 'They're doing that based on what's happening in their communities, based on vaccination rates and case counts.'

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the vaccine matter on Sunday, claiming Biden is 'not doing well at all' in vaccination mobilization and gaining the trust of Americans.

'He's way behind schedule, and people are refusing to take the Vaccine because they don't trust his Administration, they don't trust the Election results, and they certainly don't trust the Fake News, which is refusing to tell the Truth,' he wrote in a statement.

The vaccination rate has plateaued around the 68 per cent mark in adults. Children under the age of 12 have still not been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to get the vaccine, which is still under emergency use authorization rather than gotten full approval from the federal agency.

Vivek said while he has praised social media privately for their efforts, he has a message for them: 'It's not enough.'

'We're still seeing a proliferation of misinformation online,' he told CNN.

Rosen defended the platform and lashed out at the administration after Biden used social media as a scapegoat for the decline in vaccination rates.

'The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19,' he wrote in the lengthy post.

'President Biden's goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed.'

'At a time when COVID-19 cases are rising in America, the Biden administration has chosen to blame a handful of American social media companies. While social media plays an important role in society, it is clear that we need a whole of society approach to end this pandemic. And facts  not allegations  should help inform that effort.

'The fact is that vaccine acceptance among Facebook users in the US has increased. These and other facts tell a very different story to the one promoted by the administration in recent days,' Facebook wrote in a defensive posting.

Still, a source from the Biden administration said Saturday that Biden publicly lambasted the platform after the White House has been asking for 'months' for help fighting what it called disinformation, according to Fox News.

President Biden last week accused Facebook of 'killing people' by allowing misinformation to circulate on its platform. The social media giant, headed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg (left), hit back on Saturday

The platform defended itself against Biden in a lengthy corporate blog post from Guy Rosen, vice president of integrity at Facebook

Despite its puffed-up statements, Facebook hasn't done enough to stamp out untruths, the administration official said, according to Fox.

'They've been withholding information on what the rules are, what they have put in place to prevent dangerous misinformation from spreading [and] how they measure whether it's working,' the officials said.

The disagreement has bubbled over after the Indian Delta variant has ripped across the world - and now is showing up in U.S. data, as cases rise in many places, even as polls show, many of the unvaccinated believe the negative information that's circulating about the shots - information the White House says is false.

'For people in the US on Facebook, vaccine hesitancy has declined by 50%; and they are becoming more accepting of vaccines every day.

'Since January, vaccine acceptance on the part of Facebook users in the US has increased by 10-15 percentage points (70%  80-85%) and racial and ethnic disparities in acceptance have shrunk considerably.

'Increased vaccine acceptance has been seen on and off Facebook, with many leaders throughout the US working to make that happen,' the posting continued. 'We employed similar tactics in the UK and Canada, which have similar rates of Facebook usage to the US, and those countries have achieved more than 70% vaccination of eligible populations. This all suggests there's more than Facebook to the outcome in the US.

'Since the beginning of the pandemic we have removed over 18 million instances of COVID-19 misinformation,' Facebook explained.

'We have also labeled and reduced the visibility of more than 167 million pieces of COVID-19 content debunked by our network of fact-checking partners so fewer people see it and  when they do  they have the full context.'

Tension between the social media platform at the Administration had been brewing.

On Friday, a Facebook official said similar to NBC: 'In private exchanges the Surgeon General [Vivek Murthy] has praised our work, including our efforts to inform people about COVID-19... The White House is looking for scapegoats for missing their vaccine goals.'

The Biden Administration hoped to have 70 percent of American adults partially vaccinated against COVID by Independence Day - a goal they missed by three percent.

The Commander-in-Chief has voiced his frustration about vaccine misinformation proliferating on social media, saying it is stopping millions of Americans from getting the jab.

Earlier this week, the White House confirmed it had stepped up COVID-19 misinformation tracking as it tried to tackle slowing rates of vaccination.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki explicitly singled out Facebook saying that influential anti-vaxxers 'remain active' on the site 'despite some even being banned on other platforms'.

'You shouldn't be banned from one platform and not others for providing misinformation,' she stated on Thursday.

Facebook's statement in full: 'Moving Past the Finger Pointing' Guy Rosen  Facebook's Vice-President of Integrity By Guy Rosen, VP of Integrity At a time when COVID-19 cases are rising in America, the Biden administration has chosen to blame a handful of American social media companies. While social media plays an important role in society, it is clear that we need a whole of society approach to end this pandemic. And facts  not allegations  should help inform that effort. The fact is that vaccine acceptance among Facebook users in the US has increased. These and other facts tell a very different story to the one promoted by the administration in recent days. Since April 2020, we've been collaborating with Carnegie Mellon University and University of Maryland on a global survey to gather insights about COVID-19 symptoms, testing, vaccination rates and more. This is the largest survey of its kind, with over 70 million total responses, and more than 170,000 responses daily across more than 200 countries and territories. For people in the US on Facebook, vaccine hesitancy has declined by 50%; and they are becoming more accepting of vaccines every day. Since January, vaccine acceptance on the part of Facebook users in the US has increased by 10-15 percentage points (70%  80-85%) and racial and ethnic disparities in acceptance have shrunk considerably (some of the populations that had the lowest acceptance in January had the highest increases since). The results of this survey are public and we've shared them  alongside other data requested by the administration  with the White House, the CDC and other key partners in the federal government. The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. President Biden's goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed. Graph showing rise in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the US In fact, increased vaccine acceptance has been seen on and off Facebook, with many leaders throughout the US working to make that happen. We employed similar tactics in the UK and Canada, which have similar rates of Facebook usage to the US, and those countries have achieved more than 70% vaccination of eligible populations. This all suggests there's more than Facebook to the outcome in the US. Now vaccination efforts are rightly turning to increasing access and availability for harder-to-reach people. That's why we recently expanded our pop-up vaccine clinics in low-income and underserved communities. To help promote reliable vaccine information to communities with lower access to vaccines, we are using the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index. This is a publicly available dataset that crisis and health responders often use to identify communities most likely to need support, as higher vulnerability areas have had lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage. We have been doing our part in other areas, too: Since the pandemic began, more than 2 billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook. This includes more than 3.3 million Americans using our vaccine finder tool to find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine and make an appointment to do so.

More than 50% of people in the US on Facebook have already seen someone use the COVID-19 vaccine profile frames, which we developed in collaboration with the US Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC. From what we have seen, when people see a friend share they have been vaccinated, it increases their perceptions that vaccines are safe.

We're continuing to encourage everyone to use these tools to show their friends they've been vaccinated. For those who are hesitant, hearing from a friend who's been vaccinated is undoubtedly more impactful than hearing from a large corporation or the federal government. And when we see misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, we take action against it. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have removed over 18 million instances of COVID-19 misinformation.

We have also labeled and reduced the visibility of more than 167 million pieces of COVID-19 content debunked by our network of fact-checking partners so fewer people see it and  when they do  they have the full context. In fact, we've already taken action on all eight of the Surgeon General's recommendations on what tech companies can do to help. And we are continuing to work with health experts to update the list of false claims we remove from our platform. We publish these rules for everyone to read and scrutinize, and we update them regularly as we see new trends emerge. The Biden Administration is calling for a whole of society approach to this challenge. We agree. As a company, we have devoted unprecedented resources to the fight against the pandemic, pointing people to reliable information and helping them find and schedule vaccinations. And we will continue to do so. Advertisement

Facebook is blasting back against President Biden after he accused the company of 'killing people' by allowing misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine to circulate on its platform

But Facebook is not letting Biden control the narrative, pushing back in a series of statements shared with NBC.

'We will not be distracted by accusations which aren't supported by the facts,' a spokesperson declared.

'The fact is that more than 2 billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which is more than any other place on the internet. More than 3.3 million Americans have also used our vaccine finder tool to find out where and how to get a vaccine. The facts show that Facebook is helping save lives. Period.'

A Facebook official then added the scathing claim that Biden was simply looking for scapegoats to explain why he failed to meet his goal to have 70 percent of the country vaccinated.

President Biden claimed the company was 'killing people' because it was not properly monitoring or removing misleading posts about the COVID-19 shots

The war of words marks a new development in the relationship between Facebook and the Biden Administration.

The social media company was last year accused of siding with Biden in the run-up to the presidential election after it 'reduced the distribution' of a damning New York Post article about Biden's son, Hunter Biden.

The bombshell story featured emails uncovered on Hunter's laptop which pertained to his dealings with the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. The New York Post accused Facebook of censoring the article, but the social media giant claimed it may have been dubiously sourced and needed further fact-checking before it could be widely shared.

For conservatives, the action amplified their belief that Facebook and other Big Tech companies had a strong liberal bias.

But, some liberals have conversely accused Facebook of failing to adequately fact-check conservatives and of allowing Russian disinformation to circulate unabated on the platform.

Back in 2019, Facebook CEO dined with Mark Zuckerberg, however the relationship between the pair subsequently soured.

Trump was been suspended from Facebook following the January 6 riots, and his ban still remains in effect.

Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, was asked repeatedly about how the White House could justify flagging social media posts about COVID-19 to Facebook

Fox News' Peter Doocy accused the administration of spying on people's Facebook profiles, one of series of tough questions in a noisy briefing room on Friday

Earlier this week, Jen Psaki said Facebook should currently be doing more to combat misinformation about the vaccine.

A surge in cases, caused by the Indian 'Delta' strain of COVID-19, are concentrated among people who have not been vaccinated, triggering a fresh push to ensure that accurate information is available.

'Our point is that there is information that is leading to people not taking the vaccine and people are dying as a result. We have a responsibility as a public health matter to raise that issue,' said Psaki on Thursday.

It followed the announcement a day earlier that the Biden administration had been flagging problematic posts - a move some said was a violation of both privacy and freedom of speech rights.

'We are in regular touch with the social media platforms and those engagements typically happen through members of our senior staff and also members of our COVID-19 team  given as [Surgeon General Vivek] Murthy conveyed this is a big issue, of misinformation, specifically on the pandemic,' Psaki said on Thursday.

The admission triggered Republican condemnation.

Sen. Josh Hawley accused the White House of imposing a COVID speech code.

'I think it's really scary to have the federal government of the United States, the White House, compiling lists of people, organizations, whatever, and then going to a private company that, by the way, is a monopoly, Facebook, and saying, 'You need to censor. You need to do something about this.'' he told Fox News.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote a long Twitter thread condemning the practice.

'If you don't find it deeply disturbing that the White House is 'flagging' internet content that they deem 'problematic' to their Facebook allies for removal, then you are definitionally [sic] an authoritarian.'

Dan Gainor, of Media Research Center, also ripped into Psaki and the White House by tweeting 'being anti-vaccine is part of free speech. @PressSec is against freedom.'

John Cooper tweeted an emoji of two red light sirens and said, 'Jen Psaki says the Biden administration is actively flagging what they deem 'disinformation' about the pandemic to Facebook for censoring. What could go wrong??'

Many people have pointed out that the Wuhan lab leak was once considered a laughable, looney conspiracy theory until the last couple months when more evidence came to light that supported this COVID-19 origin theory.

However Psaki has insisted that the Administration is not forcing Facebook to take any posts down.

'We don't take anything down,' she said. 'We don't block anything.

'Facebook, and any private sector company, makes decisions about what information should be on their platform.'

'Obviously there are steps they have taken. They're a private sector company,' she said.

'There are additional steps they can take. It's clear that there are more that can be taken.'

However, Psaki's pointed comments about the social media giant gave the American public insight into reported tensions between Facebook and the White House.

A source familiar with the conversations between the Biden administration and Facebook representatives told CNN that White House officials believe Facebook isn't 'taking this very seriously, or they are hiding something.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Politico reported that Biden-allied groups - including the Democratic National Committee - planned to fact-check more aggressively.

Part of the plan is working with SMS carriers to dispel misinformation about vaccines sent in text messages or social media messages.

'When we see deliberate efforts to spread misinformation, we view that as an impediment to the country's public health and will not shy away from calling that out,' White House spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Politico.

The impact of unvaccinated populations were spelled during the White House COVID-19 briefing on Friday, which revealed the surge in cases.

'We are seeing outbreaks of cases in parts of the country that have low vaccination rates because unvaccinated people are at risk,' said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who called it a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated.'

The result, she added, was likely to be deaths that could have been prevented.

'The good news is that if you are fully vaccinated, you are protected against COVID hospitalization and death and are even protected against the known variants, including the Delta variant circulating in this country,' she said.

'If you are not vaccinated, you remain at risk.'
Police have shot dead a man with psychiatric problems suspected of beheading a 13-year-old boy and mutilating his body in southern France, a prosecutor said on Monday.

Police made the grisly discovery of a body and severed head on Sunday evening in an apartment in the town of Tarascon.

The flat was rented by a 32-year-old man with a psychiatric disorder who was shot dead by police, local public prosecutor Laurent Gumbau told AFP.

Gumbau said that an investigation into the disappearance of a boy from a care home in the city of Marseille, 100km (60 miles) to the east, had led police to the address in Tarascon.

Police have shot dead a man with psychiatric problems suspected of beheading a 13-year-old boy and mutilating his body in Tarascon, southern France (stock)

Police entered the address after receiving a tip from a man who said he believed he saw a bag containing human body parts inside.

Officers found a partially eaten decapitated body in a bag with satanic objects inside the property.

'The body found may be that of the minor,' Gumbau said, adding that strips of flesh had been ripped from a shoulder, fuelling suspicions of cannibalism.

Gumbau said that it was 'impossible at the current time to confirm the cannibalism hypothesis.'

The man, who had previous convictions for acts of violence, fled the apartment over the rooftops, according to neighbours.

The police eventually located him at another location in Tarascon three hours later and shot him dead, the prosecutor said.

He added that the suspect did not appear to have been armed at the time of his death and that he had not been formally identified as the killer of the person whose body was found in the apartment.

A police oversight body is investigating the circumstances of his killing and an autopsy has been ordered on both bodies.
An Indiana construction worker was rescued over the weekend after finding himself trapped in 18-foot-deep trench filled with water up to his shoulders for four hours following a collapse.

Dustin Leake, 35, told reporters he was lucky to be alive following a 'freak' accident on Saturday that nearly cost him his life.

Leake, a veteran construction worker, said he could barely breathe or talk throughout the harrowing ordeal.

'You know a lot of people get a life or death scare that lasts 40 seconds,' he recounted. 'Mine lasted four hours. Four hours. I was scared for my life.'

Indiana construction worker Dustin Leake, 35, is lucky to be alive after a freak accident that took place at a work site in Noblesville on Saturday

Leake and his brother were pumping water out of a trench to prepare it for a sewer pipe installation, when the trench caved

Leake was stepping off a ladder when the ground beneath his feet gave way, plunging him into this muck

According to a statement from the Indianapolis Fire Department, a work crew from Millennium Contractors had been on site at 159th Street and Old Pond Road for about three hours on Saturday morning, pumping water out of a trench to prepare it for a sewer pipe installation, when the trench caved it.

Leake has worked for Millennium Construction for the last 14 years

Leake, who has worked for the construction company for 14 years, found himself in a hole filled with muddy water 18 feet underground the moment he stepped off a ladder and onto what he mistakenly thought was firm ground.

His brother, Devin Leake, also a construction worker, was at the site and witnessed the collapse.

'The ground came out from underneath of me and before I knew it I was pinned up against the plate,' Dustin told Fox 59 after his close call.

Firefighters from Indianapolis and the suburb of Noblesville worked in shifts for the next four hours to stabilize the trench to prevent Leake from drowning while digging gravel out from under him.

Dustin said he felt the waterlogged ground was sucking him in and he had difficulty breathing.

'I couldnt breathe and I couldnt talk and you know I just started slowing my breaths down,' he said. 'Theres a steel plate I was going under and I was starting to roll under and it was crushing me.'

Firefighters from multiple departments responded to the scene and took part in the complex rescue operation

It took firefighters four hours to pull the trapped worker to safety before he drowned or was crushed by the weight of the wet debris in the ditch

Vacuum trucks were used to pump 25,000 galloons of water from the ditch over a period of four hours

Kevin Jones, Special Operations Chief for the Indianapolis Fire Department, credited Devin with keeping his brother calm during the arduous four-hour rescue.

'They would talk to each other and kind of regroup and get back in the right mindset for us to be able to help,' Jones said of the Leake brothers.

Devin told the station there were moments when he thought his brother would not make it out alive.

'I thought he was gonna get buried,' he said of Dustin. 'I thought he was gonna get buried alive.'

First responders used vacuum trucks to remove over 25,000 gallons of water from the hole, allowing them to ultimately pull Leake to safety at around 2pm after four hours.

Just after 2pm on Saturday, Leake emerged from the hole, having survived in the water for four hours

Leake was able to climb a ladder to the surface, after nearly being crushed in the trench

Leake was airlifted to a hospital in a good condition. He is pictured being transported

Dustin Leake (left) and his brother, Devin (right), speak to a Fox 59 reporter about the rescue

Video and still photographs taken at the scene show the mud-caked construction worker emerging alive from the trench with the help of firefighters.

Recalling the moment he was able to climb a ladder out of the hole, Dustin said he sensed instant relief.

Leake was airlifted to Methodist Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.

'The extraordinary teamwork displayed and efforts of all involved today  gave Dustin the best chance at a good outcome,' stated the Indianapolis Fire Department.

Dustin expressed gratitude to all the firefighters who took part in the complex, multi-agency rescue operation, and said he would like to reunite with them in order to thank them in person for saving his life.

'They were awesome, beyond awesome,' Dustin said.
U.S. residents will once again be able to cross the border into Canada for the first time in over a year this August.

Canadian officials announced on Monday they will start allowing fully-vaccinated U.S. residents and permanent citizens back into the country for non-essential travel on August 9, as the threat from the COVID-19 pandemic begins to fade.

Visitors from other countries would also be allowed into the country on September 7, provided Canada's COVID rates remain low.

'With rising vaccination rates and fewer cases in Canada, we can begin to safely ease border measures,' Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statement.

The border between the United States and Canada has been closed since March 2020

Canadian Minister of Health Patty Hajdu announced on Monday that the country will begin lifting its travel restrictions as COVID rates decline across the nation

Americans who would like to travel to Canada would have to provide Canadian officials with a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of their flight departure or arrival at a border crossing, the Washington Post reports.

They would also be required to upload proof that they are fully-vaccinated to a Canadian governmental app at least two weeks before their departure.

Officials said they would not require follow-up tests from people who are fully-vaccinated, unless they are subjected to random testing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Fully-vaccinated Americans will also be allowed to bring their unvaccinated children under the age of 12 into the country, but they will not be able to enter group settings like camps or daycares.

Traffic on the Peace Bridge between New York and Canada has been sparse

More than 1 million cars crossed over the border from Canada to the United States every month before the pandemic, but that number had decreased to just over 100,000 last year

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and United States President Joe Biden have been meeting once a month to determine whether to expand the border closure. They are expected to discuss it again on Wednesday

The 5,500-mile border between the United States and Canada has been closed since March 2020, with officials from both countries extending the travel ban every month as the pandemic continued.

But over time, pressure grew within the two countries to re-open the border, which saw more than one million cars pass from Canada into the United States every day before the pandemic, Bloomberg reported.

Last year, though, that number decreased to just over 100,000.

In Canada, tourism officials have said that the travel restrictions have cost them about $20 billion Canadian in revenue last year, and in the United States, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs $1.5 billion in economic impact.

Earlier this month, Rep. Bill Huizenga, of Michigan, led 75 House members in sending a letter to president Joe Biden, calling for the border to be reopened.

In the letter, obtained by the Holland Sentinel, asked the United States president 'to begin taking science-based, data-driven steps to safely reopen international travel.'

The Centers for Disease Control reports that 56 percent of the American population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Canadian health officials report that 68 percent of its total population has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine and 43.7 percent are fully vaccinated

Then just last week, the Michigan State Senate passed a resolution calling on both Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end the travel ban, the Holland Sentinel reports.

'The ongoing bans on travel between the U.S. and Canada are having a huge effect on both nations' economies and on hardworking people throughout Michigan,' the resolution stated.

'The bans are hurting our economy by limiting trade and tourism with our closest ally and economic partner,' it said. 'They're also hurting Michigan families who are currently unable to visit loved ones in Canada.

'And it's all completely unnecessary.'

Canadian health officials report that as of Friday, 68 percent of its total population has received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, and 43.7 percent are fully vaccinated.

In the United States, meanwhile, 56.1 percent of the total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Monday, with 48.6 percent fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It remains unclear whether the United States will begin to allow travelers from Canada. Officials from the two countries are set to decide Wednesday whether to renew their shared border restrictions for another month.
Tekashi 6ix9ines bodyguards allegedly chased down a fan who tried to shoot cell phone video of the rapper in New York, pursuing him for 20 blocks with SUVs before breaking his phone and pointing a Taser at him.

The office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr announced indictments on Monday against five members of the rap stars personal security detail, including a retired NYPD detective.

The bodyguards allegedly pursued the fan using SUVs that were outfitted with emergency lights and sirens.

The former detective, Daniel Laperuta, has also been charged with falsely claiming to police that the fan threatened the bodyguards with a weapon.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Monday announced indictments against five bodyguards employed by rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine (pictured above in February). Tekashi 6ix9ines bodyguards allegedly chased down a fan who tried to shoot cell phone video of the rapper in New York last year, pursuing him for 20 blocks with SUVs before breaking his phone and pointing a Taser at him.

One of those indicted is Daniel Laperuta, 44, a retired NYPD detective who is alleged to have fabricated claims that a fan of Tekashi 6ix9ine threatened him and other members of the rapper's security detail with a firearm. Laperuta is seen above on Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court

Another bodyguard, Egardo Cortez, is pictured above in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday

Cortez's cousin, Christian Cortez, also made an appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday

'A celebrity entourage is not a police department, and Manhattan is not the Wild West,' said Vance.

'As alleged, these highly-compensated vigilantes caravanned through the streets of Harlem with sirens flashing in order to track a man down and steal and break his phone.

'Along the way, a retired NYPD Detective tried to cover up their conduct by lying to his former colleagues and repeatedly claiming the victim had threatened to shoot them.

'False reports  especially about firearms  can carry devastating consequences and fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the actual police response.'

Manhattan prosecutors say that on August 9 of last year, a 34-year-old man and his girlfriend spotted Tekashi 6ix9ine, whose legal name is Daniel Hernandez, while driving in Harlem.

Laperuta, who is retired from the NYPD, allegedly flashed an official department Member of Service card. He is pictured in his uniform as an NYPD cop

Laperuta, a resident of Central Valley, New York, has been charged with robbery in the first and second degrees; criminal impersonation in the first degree; and falsely reporting an incident in the third degree

Egardo Cortez (right) and his cousin, Christian Cortez (left), have been charged with felony counts of robbery and criminal impersonation

Christian Cortez (sitting down at the table) is alleged to have pointed a Taser at the fan who was chased down by the rapper's security detail. Egardo Cortez (seen standing behind his cousin) is alleged to have wrestled with the fan as he tried to retrieve his stolen cell phone

Christian Cortez (left) and Egardo Cortez are residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office

The rapper, who in 2019 was sentenced to two years in prison for taking part in a drive-by shooting as a member of a gang, was surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguards.

When the bodyguards saw the man trying to record video of the rap star, they shouted at him and began to chase him as he drove away, according to the Manhattan DAs Office.

The bodyguards who were in three different SUVs pursued the man for some 20 blocks. The SUVs were equipped with emergency flashing lights and sirens normally seen on police vehicles and ambulances.

The fan who was chased then saw a marked police car and motioned for the officer to help, but Laperuta, who is retired from the NYPD, allegedly flashed an official department Member of Service card.

Laperuta is then alleged to have told the officers that the fan had threatened him and other members of Tekashi 6ix9ines security detail with a gun.

According to Vances office, the bodyguards boxed in the fans car at the corner of 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard, forcing him to pull the car over.

Another bodyguard, Sammy Sprouse, is alleged to have approached the fans car, opened the drivers side, door, unbuckled the seat belt, and pulled his arm, knocking the phone out of his hand.

The image above shows Tekashi6ix9ine with bodyguards in Philadelphia in September 2018. There is no suggestion any of the men in this picture are the men who have been indicted

Tekashi 6ix9ine pled guilty in Feb 2019 to conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery. The crimes took place during the time he spent as a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods

The rapper, whose legal name is Daniel Hernandez, is seen above in a New York court in October 2018. He testified against his fellow Nine Trey gang members in order to get a reduced sentence

The 26-year-old rapper was released early from prison in April 2020 and remained under house arrest for the last four months of his two-year sentence

Kristian Fuhse, another member of the security detail, is alleged to have then stomped on the phone.

The fan quickly got out of his car and tried to retrieve his phone. He wrestled with another member of the rappers entourage, Egardo Cortez, according to prosecutors.

Laperuta is then alleged to have approached the fan and the other bodyguards with his hand on his holstered gun.

Moments later, another bodyguard, Christian Cortez, pulled out a Taser and aimed it at the fan, it has been alleged.

An unmarked police car arrived at the scene soon afterward, prompting the bodyguards to quickly get back into their SUVs and flee, according to the criminal complaint.

Anthony 'Harv' Ellison (left) was sentenced last November to 24 years in prison for kidnapping Tekashi6ix9ine at gunpoint in July 2018

Laperuta is then alleged to have gone to the NYPDs 28th Precinct to file a formal complaint against the fan. He once again is alleged to have claimed that the fan threatened the bodyguards with a gun.

When an NYPD lieutenant cast doubt on the plausibility of Laperutas claims, Laperuta is alleged to have withdrawn his complaint and left the precinct.

Laperuta, a resident of Central Valley, New York, has been charged with robbery in the first and second degrees; criminal impersonation in the first degree; and falsely reporting an incident in the third degree.

Sprouse, Christian and Egardo Cortez, and Fuhse have all been charged with robbery and criminal impersonation.

If convicted, they could face up to 25 years in state prison.

Tekashi 6ix9ines security detail has made headlines in recent years.

Nearly two weeks after the alleged incident with the fan, the rapper and four of his security guards were seen on a New York City subway maskless - this despite rules mandating riders wear face coverings to guard against COVID-19.

Earlier this year, the rapper was sued by a California-based private security firm alleging that he failed to pay a $75,000 bill for services provided.

A hospital photo of Tekashi69's injuries after he was kidnapped and robbed. He claimed he escaped by jumping out of his captors' vehicle

Tekashi 6ix9ine hired bodyguards from the Metropolitan Patrol three months after he was kidnapped, beaten, and robbed of almost $800,000 in jewelry and cash.

Last November, Anthony Ellison, 33, was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for his role in the kidnapping.

Ellison was also sentenced for the slashing of another man that left him permanently disfigured.

WHAT ARE NINE TREY GANGSTA BLOODS? Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods is a violent of the United Blood Nation gang, which is itself a set of the Bloods. operating on the East Coast, the Nine Trey has been linked to numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn. The leadership structure of Nine Trey is divided into two parts: the Prison Lineup, which consists of incarcerated members, and the Street Lineup, which consists of members who are not incarcerated. Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gangs narcotics business involving sales of heroin, fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana. Advertisement

After his own arrest, Tekashi 6ix9ine pleaded guilty and became a cooperator.

At Ellisons trial last year, the rapper testified about his involvement with the gang, the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.

He described the kidnapping, saying Ellison and another man forced him into a stolen car at gunpoint.

He said the men drove him around, stopping sometimes to beat and taunt him as he begged for his life.

The men ultimately took him to his Brooklyn home, where they stole a bag full of jewelry before driving him a few blocks away and releasing him, he said.

In 2018, Tekashi 6ix9ine had a multiplatinum hit song, Fefe, with Nicki Minaj, which peaked at No. 3 on the pop charts, and Stoopid, featuring imprisoned rapper Bobby Shmurda.

In April of 2020, Tekashi 6ix9ine began serving home confinement for the last four months of a two-year prison term he was given for his role in a drive-by shooting in New York that he committed when he was with the gang.

Weeks later, he released a new video, Gooba.

The rapper declined to enter the witness protection program, insisting that he could pay for his own private security detail.

The decision is considered risky given the fact that the gangs that he testified against at trial in order to get a lighter sentence may seek revenge.
Asia Argento stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival the same day that a new in-depth documentary about her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain's life and tragic suicide was released.

The documentary - Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain - describes Argento as a presence that 'upended' the final season of Bourdain's Parts Unknown after the chef became 'addicted' to her.

It was released on Friday - the same day that Argento was photographed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in an elegant, all-black Givenchy gown. She was there to support her 80-year-old father Dario Argento who stars in Gaspar Noe's new film, Vortex.

The Italian actress has yet to comment on the documentary publicly, and despite the film featuring dozens of interviews with Bourdain's close friends about his life and 2018 suicide, Argento was not interviewed for it.

Asia Argento stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday in an elegant, all-black Givenchy gown

Argento, who was dating Bourdain at the time of his death, was not interviewed for a new documentary about Bourdain's life and 2018 death. She posted this photo for Bourdain's birthday last month

Argento was at the festival to support her 80-year-old father Dario Argento, who stars in Gaspar Noe's new film Vortex

The Italian actress stepped out the same day that Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain was released. She has yet to comment on it publicly

Argento can be seen in photos from the red carpet smiling and hugging her father in the form-fitting gown as she showed off her tattoos down her arms and on her chest.

The documentary - Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain - was released on Friday

She took to Instagram over the weekend to praise her actor and filmmaker father, writing, 'My dad is a great man... I was so proud to be there with my dad and Gaspar, so much that when the audience finally clapped in standing ovation for a time that seemed endless I couldn't hold back the tears.'

No mention was made of the documentary that delves into Bourdain's 2018 suicide at a hotel in France at the age of 61.

But last month, Argento paid tribute to the late chef for his birthday, posting a series of photos of the pair and a touching caption.

'Celebrating the most extraordinary man I have ever met. Missing you every day,' Argento wrote. 'Cherishing each moment we shared in our life together. I feel your presence and your strength. You shine so bright within me. I love you my A. Happy birthday.'

It's unclear the status of Argento's love life today, but she had been dating paparazzo Fabrizio Corona after Bourdain's death. Earlier this year she posted a selfie showing him kissing her cheek, with the caption, 'We can't explain it to you.'

And in January she posted another photo showing her kissing the same heavily-tattood man.

Argento and Bourdain's relationship is the focus of the last part of the documentary as it paints the picture that the celebrity chef had become 'addicted' to the Italian actress.

It also addresses how paparazzi photos emerged just five days before Bourdain's death of Argento embracing a male friend and holding hands in Rome.

The documentary does not blame Argento for Bourdain's suicide but some reviewers have suggested the film comes 'dangerously close to exploiting the scenario'.

It's unclear the status of Argento's love life today, but she had been dating paparazzo Fabrizio Corona after Bourdain's death. Earlier this year she posted a selfie showing him kissing her cheek, with the caption, 'We can't explain it to you.' And in January she posted another photo showing her kissing the same heavily-tattood man

The documentary suggests that Argento 'upended' the final season of Parts Unknown after Bourdain brought her in to direct an episode in Hong Kong. Argento, Bourdain and cinematographer Christopher Boyle are pictured in Hong Kong Together

The documentary does not blame Argento for Bourdain's suicide but some reviewers have suggested it comes 'close to exploiting the scenario'

Morgan Neville, the director of the film, told the Wall Street Journal that Bourdain and Argento's relationship was like 'quicksand' so he only wanted to touch on it briefly.

'You can make a whole film just about that and that was not the film I wanted to make. It gets really complicated and in a way that to me is not ultimately enlightening,' he said.

'What I included was a fraction of what was there. So if people think there's a lot, let me tell you, there is very little compared to what's there. I feel like I showed tremendous restraint, even though people may not know that. And I think I was very fair with having seen all the facts. I'm very comfortable with what I did.'

Neville said the film was heavily vetted by his lawyers, including in Italy, and also CNN's legal team given CNN Films is an executive producer, in case Argento - or someone else - objected to how they had been portrayed.

'I went out of my way to make sure I put the quote in from (TV director) Michael Steed saying, 'Tony killed Tony, you know, 60-year-old men don't normally kill themselves because they broke up with somebody'.

'I'm not saying she caused his suicide. Suicide is a private and I think selfish act.

'I was merely trying to paint a picture, I think accurately, of the different factors in his life that were going on, and there were many of them. The impression of him really over the last year was him just being much more manic and much more depressive.'

Those in the film describe how Bourdain started to fall in love with Argento after they met while shooting an episode of Parts Unknown with her in Rome in late 2016.

Argento and Bourdain's relationship is the focus of the last part of the documentary as it paints the picture that he had become 'addicted' to her

The film features a scene of the pair in Rome filming the series.

Eventually, Bourdain made the decision to stop filming Parts Unknown and bring the popular series to and end.

Bourdain and the crew were heading to Hong Kong to shoot when the director got sick and the celebrity chef brought in Argento to direct the episode.

The documentary details how the crew believe she 'upended' the entire process.

Bourdain fired his longtime ad award-winning cinematographer Zach Zamboni after he clashed with Argento.

'When Tony fired Zach, it was a huge red flag,' producer Helen Cho says in the film. 'Because if he's going to do that to someone like him, anyone in the inner circle is essentially disposable.'

That episode, as well as two others featuring the Italian actress, was eventually pulled by CNN after Argento was publicly accused of sexually assaulting a boy when he was 17.

The documentary details how crew members that were with Bourdain in France before he took his life said that the chef was angry when the tabloid photos emerged of Argento holding hands with a man in Rome.
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday formally prohibited federal prosecutors from seizing the records of journalists in leak investigations, with limited exceptions, reversing years of department policy.

The new policy largely codifies the commitment Garland made in June, when he said the Justice Department would abandon the practice of seizing reporters' records in leak investigations.

It aims to resolve a politically thorny issue that has long vexed Justice Department prosecutors trying to weigh the media's First Amendment rights against government's desire to protect classified information.

Attorney General Merrick Garland's directive Monday reverses years of department policy

Reporters communications were targeted during President Donald Trump's tenure as the Department of Justice looked into leaks to the media

But the memo makes clear that federal prosecutors can, in some cases, seize journalists' records, including if the reporters are suspected of working for agents of a foreign power or terrorist organizations.

There is also an exception for situations with imminent risks, like kidnappings or crimes against children.

Garland was moved to act following an outcry over revelations that the department during the Trump administration had obtained records belonging to journalists at The Washington Post, CNN and The New York Times as part of investigations into who had disclosed government secrets related to the Russia investigation and other national security matters.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr was among those targeted, saying last month, 'To say I was dumbfounded would be such a vast understatement.'

'I have no idea, what they were looking for, apparently a leak investigation,' she continued.

The whole effort was shrouded in secrecy, with CNN's general counsel David Vigilante put under a gag order so he could only speak about the government's efforts to the network's president, lawyer's a CNN's corporate parent and attorneys working at an outside law firm, CNN said.

Under Trump's second attorney general, Bill Barr, renewed attention was paid to the leak investigations

'In secret court proceedings last year they went after 30,000 of my emails and phone records. And not just my work email, my work phone, but they went after my personal accounts, my personal emails, my personal phone ... they wanted all of it,' Starr told CNN's Brianna Keilar Monday morning. 'And I wasn't even allowed to know about it.'

Starr said Vigilante had to appear before a 'secret court' for records from 2017.

Starr said as a Pentagon correspondent she was covering U.S. actions in a number of places including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and North Korea.

The New York Times journalists targeted - Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, Eric Lichtblau and Michael S. Schmidt - were writing about how FBI Director James Comey had handled politically charged investigations during the 2016 presidential election cycle.

The three Washington Post reporters - Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller, and former Post reporter Adam Entous - were writing about Russia's role in the 2016 election.

Others whose records were obtained were members of Congress and their staffers and former White House counsel Don McGahn.

Garland's announcement came after President Joe Biden said he would not allow the Justice Department to seize journalists' phone records and emails, calling the practice 'wrong.'

Since then, Garland and other senior Justice Department staffers have met with representatives of news media organizations, with both sides agreeing on the need for new department policies.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr (right) spoke out in June about the Trump administration's effort to secretly gain access to 30,000 of her emails. She appeared on New Day with Brianna Keilar (left)

Garland has also said he would support federal legislation to add additional protections for journalists.

The move was immediately praised by media advocates.

'The attorney general has taken a necessary and momentous step to protect press freedom at a critical time,' said Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. 'This historic new policy will ensure that journalists can do their job of informing the public without fear of federal government intrusion into their relationships with confidential sources.'

Leak investigations have long challenged department officials, resulting in policy changes in the last decade as well as pushback from media groups against government encroachment into their work.

President Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, announced revised guidelines for leak investigations after an uproar over actions seen as aggressively intrusive into press freedom, including the secret seizure of phone records of Associated Press reporters and editors.

Jeff Sessions, President Donald Trump's first attorney general, announced in 2017 a leak crackdown following a series of disclosures during the investigation into Russian election interference.

Under Trump's second attorney general, Bill Barr, renewed attention was paid to the leak investigations.
The husband of Bollywood star and Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty has been arrested for allegedly producing and broadcasting porn in India.

Raj Kundra, 45, was arrested on Monday in Mumbai by police who said they have 'sufficient evidence' that he is a 'key conspirator' in a porn production ring.

It is alleged that Kundra lured a woman into making a porn film with him, using the promise of getting her an acting job.

An investigation was launched on February 3 after a woman complained to the police about being forced to do the movie under the false pretences, according to the Press Trust of India.

It is just the latest scandal to hit Kundra, who was banned from all cricket-related activities in 2015 following claims of match fixing during his time as owner of the Rajasthan Royals alongside wife Shilpa, with whom he has two children.

Shilpa, a hugely successful Bollywood actress in her own right, shot to fame in Britain during the 2007 series of Celebrity Big Brother when she was racially abused by Jade Goody and other contestants.

The actress eventually won the series, and then reconciled with Jade during the British reality star's battle with cervical cancer the following year.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's (left) husband Raj Kundra (right) was arrested on Monday by Mumbai Police for 'key conspirator' role in a pornography-related case

Shilpa, a famous Bollywood actress in her own right, shot to fame in the UK in 2007 when she won Celebrity Big Brother after being racially abused by Jade Goody and other contestants

Kundra allegedly set up the film company with his brother, registering it in the UK to evade Indian cyber laws.

He reportedly left the company and has denied any wrongdoing.

Publishing or transmitting 'obscene' material including porn is illegal in India under a 2015 law and punishable by up to seven years in jail.

Model-actress Poonam Pandey has also reportedly filed a case against the businessman and his colleagues, claiming they illegally used her content.

Kundra and his colleagues deny the claims and say they haven't received any notice until now.

Police apprehended nine people last week after actors were reportedly 'forced' to shoot naked scenes for porn films, which were then released or streamed on apps.

Back in 2007, Shilpa shot to fame on the fifth series of Celebrity Big Brother and became embroiled in a race row with the late Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and S Club 7 star Jo O'Meara.

Jade had entered the house with her mother Jackiey Budden and boyfriend Jack Tweed, with Jackiey quickly embroiled in arguments with multiple other housemates including Shilpa - claiming she was 'unable to pronounce' her name.

Jackiey was quickly evicted but friction between Jade and Shilpa continued, before the former made several racially-charged comments including claiming to be unable to pronounce Shilpa's name.

Shilpa was subjected to taunts about her name and Indian culture during the explosive show, which sparked a national debate about racist language

Kundra, a businessman, has been in trouble with police before - in 2015 he was banned from all cricket-related activities after a team he owned was accused of match fixing

Jade was evicted shortly afterwards in a match-up against Shilpa, who received 83 per cent of the public vote.

She left the house without an audience due to the public backlash and the number of complaints Ofcom had received about her remarks - around 45,000.

Shilpa ultimately went on to win the series.

Channel 4 initially tried to downplay the row as 'girly rivalry' and a 'cultural clash', but was forced to issue an apology for 'editorial misjudgments' after an Ofcom ruling.

The episode sparked a national debate about what is considered racist language, with one newspaper running the headline 'Beauty v Bigot'.

Jade initially tried to defend herself against allegations of racism but ultimately conceded that she had been in the wrong, before agreeing to go on Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss as a way of making amends.

But just two days into filming, Jade was diagnosed with cervical cancer and flown home for treatment.

She and Shilpa reconciled during her public cancer battle during which she underwent chemotherapy, and even visited her a few days before her death.

Jade passed away in March 2009.

Last year, Kundra and wife Shilpa welcomed their second child via surrogate.

The couple announced their baby joy via Instagram, with Shilpa telling fans that the newborn has 'completed our family'.

She shared the first picture of her daughter Samisha, who arrived on 15 February, to social media.

Shilpa and husband Raj married in 2009. The are also parents to son Viaan Raj who was born in May 2012, three years after the couple tied the knot.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed Monday's rare Senate field hearing held by Democrats in Georgia as a 'partisan circus' and a 'silly stunt.'

Local elected officials and voters appeared at the hearing to condemn a new voting law that they say is an attempt to make it harder for minorities to vote and strengthen Republicans' grip on power.

Republican senators did not travel to Georgia to take part.

McConnell said: 'Democrats fake outrage may have driven jobs and opportunities out of the state of Georgia, but Im sure Georgians will appreciate that Democrats are bringing their own partisan circus to town instead.

'This silly stunt is based on the same lie as all the Democrats phony hysteria from Georgia to Texas to Washington D.C. and beyond - their efforts to pretend that moderate, mainstream state voting laws with more generous early voting provisions than blue states like New York are some kind of evil assault on our democracy.'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said: 'Democrats fake outrage may have driven jobs and opportunities out of the state of Georgia, but Im sure Georgians will appreciate that Democrats are bringing their own partisan circus to town instead.'

Democratic members of the Senate Rules Committee travelled to Georgia for a rare 'field hearing' at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to discuss the state's new voting law

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, (D-OR), speaks along with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) (L) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as they press their case on voting rights

Monday's hearing comes as the issue of voting rights divides America in the wake of former President Donald Trump's allegations of fraud in the 2020 election.

A slew of Republican-controlled states has moved to tighten identification requirements, reduce the use of mail-in ballots and early voting hours, among other measures.

The hearing was held in a conference room at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta.

'We are here today in Atlanta to shine a spotlight on what has been happening in Georgia and in states around the country to undermine the freedom to vote,' said Amy Klobuchar, chair of the Senate Rules Committee.

Democrats are trying to gain attention for their own voting and elections heal, the For the People Act, which remains blocked by Republican opposition and Democratic division about whether to change Senate rules to get it passed.

The federal bill would create minimum voting standards in the U.S., such as same-day and automatic voter registration, early voting and no-excuse absentee voting.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, left, D-Minn., swears in witnesses during a Senate Rules Committee field hearing on voting rights at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Monday, July 19, 2021

The bill would also change various campaign finance and ethics laws.

Republicans, however, see it as a Democratic power grab and say the changes amount to a federal takeover of elections, which are administered in the U.S. at the state and local level.

No Republicans attended the hearing, and they did not provide witnesses.

'Congress must take action on voting rights, and we have no time to spare,' U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, said in his testimony before the committee.

'We Americans live in a great house that democracy built, and right now that house is on fire.'

Much of Monday's hearing focused on a GOP-backed elections bill that was signed into law by Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this year.

The law adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot and results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta.

Several lawsuits have been filed over the law, including one by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Republicans condemned the hearing accusing Democrats of launching a stunt to push their political power grab

'We desperately need your help,' state Sen. Sally Harrell, a Democrat from metro Atlanta, told the senators during the hearing.

'Where you live shouldn't determine how hard it is to vote or whether or not your vote counts. This is the time to take action, to pass national voting standards, and I implore you to do so.'

But Georgia Republicans insist many of the measures are already in use elsewhere.

Kemp used the same line as McConnell on Monday, describing the hearing as a publicity stunt and said the measures were 'common-sense measures.'

'It doesn't matter if it's the DOJ, the DNC or the Senate Democrats, we aren't backing down,' he told reporters on a conference call.

'We're going to continue to fight for the truth and we're going to stand up for secure, accessible and fair elections.'

Other Republicans kept up a barrage of criticism.

Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, said they Democrats would have been better off probing New York's chaotic mayoral election.

'Instead of holding a field hearing in Georgia to baselessly attack commonsense election integrity provisions, Senate Democrats should go to their leader Chuck Schumers hometown of New York City, which is completely incompetent at running elections,' she said.
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A teenage pilot conducted a successful emergency landing on a bridge in New Jersey after the small plane he was flying experienced engine trouble.

Officials say Landon Lucas, 18, managed to land the banner plane without injuring himself or others or causing damaging the aircraft.

Crews responded to reports of an emergency landing on the Route 52 causeway between Ocean City and Somers Point around 12.38pm Monday, FOX 29 reports.

Lucas, a Paramount Air Service pilot, was flying near the Steel Pier in Atlantic City when he started having engine troubles.

A teenage pilot conducted a successful emergency landing on a bridge in New Jersey (as pictured above) after the small plane he was flying experienced engine trouble

Landon Lucas managed to land the banner plane without injuring himself or others or causing damaging the aircraft

Lucas (pictured above) is a pilot with Paramount Air Service. He was flying near the Steel Pier in Atlantic City on Monday when he started having engine troubles

He was trying to get to Ocean City Municipal Airport when he saw a gap in the westbound traffic heading towards Somers Point and decided to make the emergency landing.

Lucas released the banner into the ocean before landing the plane.

Witnesses told NJ.com they the plane was flying low to the ground for over an hour before Lucas landed it.

'We were sitting at a window seat at Oves on the Boardwalk about 11.11am when my husband looked up and said that plane is in trouble,' Sharon Lyons Wardlow told the news outlet. 'It was low to the beach, traveling slow, with the banner hanging down.'

As of 2pm, crews were working to remove the wings and tow the plane away.

Police say this incident remains under investigation.

According to a Facebook post shared by his mother, Lucas got his pilot's license last March on his 17th birthday.

The teen, originally from Wyoming, announced on April 30 of this year that he had officially become a commercial pilot.

Lucas is currently serving as a Banner Tow Pilot at Cape May Aerial Ads, per his social media profiles.

He was trying to get to Ocean City Municipal Airport when he saw a gap in the westbound traffic heading towards Somers Point and decided to make the emergency landing

Witnesses say the plane was flying low to the ground for over an hour before Lucas landed it
The Biden administration is flying 2,500 Afghan interpreters to the US to be housed at Fort Lee in Virginia as US troops pull out and the Taliban continues to wreak havoc across the country.

The small group includes people who have already begun applying for special immigrant visas will be temporarily housed at the military base outside of Richmond, Virginia.

'These are brave Afghans,' State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday, 'who have completed thorough SIV security vetting processes.'

'They will be provided temporary housing and services as they complete the final steps,' he told reporters.

Roughly 700 Afghan interpreters and their families will be temporarily housed at Fort Lee military base, State Department spokesman Ned Price confirmed Monday

Afghan interpreters and their families who aided the US in its 20-year war will be allowed to stay at the base while they finish the application process.

This first group of 700 interpreters and their families is just a small number of the estimated 18,000 SIV applicants and 53,000 family members waiting to leave Afghanistan.

Many of them are facing threats to their lives as the Taliban gains more territory amid ongoing clashes with US-backed Afghan troops.

Many interpreters who helped the US military over its 20-year conflict in Afghanistan are facing increasing threats to their lives as the Taliban gains ground. Afghan government security forces in the country have set up check points (seen here) to search people and vehicles ahead of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha

An Afghan security official stands guard at a checkpoint on July 19 to ensure peoples' safety amid increasing conflicts between government troops and the Taliban

Around 300 Afghan translators are believed to have been murdered since 2014, according to nonprofit No One Left Behind (pictured at a June 25 protest at the US embassy in Kabul)

The initial evacuation will likely be carried out by civilian chartered planes rather than military aircraft.

Dubbed Operation Allies Refuge, the effort will be spearheaded by the US Air Force.

Around 300 Afghan translators are believed to have been murdered since 2014, according to nonprofit No One Left Behind.

The White House promised to begin evacuating Afghans by the end of July, as President Biden's self-imposed September 11 deadline for a full military withdrawal approaches.

Biden said Afghan interpreters and their families could be evacuated 'to third countries' if they wanted to in remarks defending the US withdrawal last week

Biden said the interpreters and their families could be evacuated 'if they wish to leave by taking them to third countries' in remarks defending the US withdrawal last week.

The administration will prioritize evacuating those who have already begun applying for their SIV, a process which could take up to 800 days.

However, the normally drawn-out process has faced even more delays over the last year due to State Department backlogs, a lack of translators to help process paperwork and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Taliban announced last week that it had seized a strategic border crossing with Pakistan. Taliban representatives (pictured here on July 18) have been meeting with the Afghan government for peace talks in Qatar

Biden's new evacuation plan comes amid an escalation in violence between US-backed Afghan troops and the Taliban.

The extremist group announced last week that it had seized a strategic border crossing with Pakistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted a video purporting to show Taliban fighters in the town of Spin Boldak along the border.

Residents of the Pakistani border town of Chaman reported seeing the Talibans signature white flag flying just across the boundary line and Taliban fighters in vehicles driving in the area.
Harrowing footage has revealed the 'distressing' deaths of thousands of former racehorses who are taken for slaughter - sometimes at just two years old.

Some of the sports most successful horses were covertly filmed being put down in conditions far from what their previous owners kept them in.

Video taken at Drury and Sons abattoir in England includes the deaths of two horses that belonged to shamed trainer Gordon Elliott, who was suspended from the sport after being pictured sitting on a dead horse.

In a clip from a BBC Panorama investigation that aired tonight, Elliott's former horses High Expectations and Kiss Me Kayf are seen being offloaded at the English abattoir following tiring road trips from Ireland.

Harrowing footage has revealed the 'distressing' deaths of thousands of former racehorses who are taken for slaughter - sometimes at just two years old

The next day they are seperately taken into a 'kill room' before being shot and killed. Experts watching the footage said that the animals were visibly scared.

Campaign group Animal Aid, who placed the hidden cameras in the abattoir and recorded over four days, witnessed the deaths of 261 horses, ponies and thoroughbreds.

Other clips of horses being taken for slaughter however involve several methods that are believed to be in breach of welfare rules, including being shot in front of each other and from a distance.

The animal's ages ranged from around two to ten years old. The life expectancy of a thoroughbred however can be as long as 25 to 30 years.

It comes after the investigation revealed that at least 4,000 racehorses have been dispatched to the slaughterhouse in Britain and Ireland since 2019.

Three of them, including High Expectations, had been trained by shamed trainer Gordon Elliott, the suspended three-time Grand National winner, at his stables in Ireland.

Pictured, race horse High Expectations, who had been trained by shamed trainer Gordon Elliott, the suspended three-time Grand National winner, at his stables in Ireland

Elliott was banned from racing in Britain in March after he was photographed sitting on a dead horse, holding a mobile phone to his ear and making a victory sign.

Dene Stansall, horse racing consultant at Animal Aid  the campaign group which set up hidden cameras at the Drury and Sons abattoir in England for the BBCs Panorama investigation  said: We wanted to see what was actually happening there. When we looked at the footage, we were absolutely astounded at the sheer volume of young thoroughbreds.

The covert cameras were filming at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020 and captured dozens of former racehorses, mostly from Ireland, being slaughtered.

Elliott told Panorama the three horses had retired from racing due to injury and were not under his care or ownership when they were killed.

None of those animals were sent by me to the abattoir, he said.

The investigation found rules meant to protect horses from a cruel death appeared to be ignored at the abattoir. Regulations state every effort should be made to ensure a rapid death and horses should not be killed in sight of each other.

But the footage revealed that on 91 occasions, horses were shot from yards away, and animals were shot together 26 times over four days of filming. After watching the footage, equine expert Professor Daniel Mills said: It doesnt look like the horse is even stunned. You can see its turning its head. It seems to have got some control actually over its head and neck.

Taking a shot from a distance at a horse, to me, thats completely out of order. If youre going to euthanise a horse, youve got to get a bullet in the right place.

If thats representative of how theyre being killed, then weve got a really serious problem.

He added: The regulations are that an animal should not be slaughtered in sight of another.

A gunshot going off is going to be startling, seeing another horse suddenly drop, these are all going to be very distressing for a horse in this situation.

Many of the horses had travelled more than 350 miles by road and sea and were suffering career-ending injuries.

Veterinary expert Dr Hannah Donovan, who also reviewed the footage, told Panorama: The 350 miles potentially carrying an injury is not a humane process. This is unnecessary suffering.

Elliott was banned from racing in Britain in March after he was photographed sitting on a dead horse, holding a mobile phone to his ear and making a victory sign

The bottom line is these horses, if they are to be euthanised, could and should be euthanised at home.

Drury and Sons said: We take great care to maintain high welfare conditions and do not accept any form of animal abuse. All horses are humanely destroyed and on occasions where issues do occur, we take swift action to review and rectify.

Horse Racing Ireland said it placed great importance on the welfare of horses in the industry. It did not respond to questions regarding the number of racehorses being slaughtered.

The British Horseracing Authority said it had demonstrated a clear commitment to improving already high standards of care for racehorses... before, during and after racing.

It added that it would consider carefully any issues raised.

nPanorama: The Dark Side of Horse Racing, is on BBC One at 8.30pm tonight.
Newly released documents by the FBI show the agency's early investigations into James 'Whitey' Bulger's dealings as a loan shark, including that he at one point 'slapped around' an informant in late 1974

Newly released FBI documents show that murdered Boston mobster James 'Whitey' Bulger was being investigated for loan sharking, and had on at least one occasion beat an informant over late payments in the months before he struck a deal with the agency in 1975.

The dealings were revealed in a 300-page trove of heavily redacted FBI documents on the notorious mobster recently released on the agency's website through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Bulger, who in 2013 was found guilty of 11 murders and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, was found brutally murdered in his cell with his eyes gouged out in October 2018 at age 89, a day after he was transferred to a federal penitentiary in West Virginia.

His family is suing the Federal Bureau of Prison for $200million in his death.

The documents revealed the FBI's early investigations into Bulger through wire taps, body recording devices and reports on his dealings as a Boston-area loan shark.

The bureau reported that on November, 1974 its mole was 'in fear for his life' after having received threats from various sharks, including Bulger, demanding he make so-called, 'juice payments,' or otherwise suffer consequences.

Details of the investigation are outlined in roughly 300 pages of newly declassified, albeit heavily redacted FBI documents

The agency had instructed that he withhold the back payments from five separate 'hoodlum groups' to further draw out the criminals.

Despite feeling threatened, the agency instructed its mole to continue withholding the loan payments, and to start wearing a recording device, saying, 'The Boston office feels that this matter should be continued in order to obtain additional incriminating evidence on major organized crime figures.'

Another report states that on December 10, 1974, Bulger and another shark being investigated were secretly taped having 'highly incriminating' telephone conversations with the mole.

Bulger was the notorious leader of the Winter Hill Gang in the 1970s. He is pictured in 1953 after one of his arrests

He was eventually arrested in 2011 and convicted in the murder of 11 people

Then, in a reported dated Dec. 19, 1974, the agency says Bulger and other suspects had threatened the mole with 'bodily harm,' and that he 'was on one occasion "slapped around" and told to pay his debts.'

The Boston Herald originally filed the FOIA request for the documents in August, 2019.

Months later in 1975 Bulger, who at the time and for decades after was in control of South Boston's Winter Hill Gang, was recruited by FBI agent John 'Zip' Connolly.

Connolly would later tip Bulger off in 1994 that the FBI was close to indicting him, allowing him to flee.

He would remain on the run for 16 years until he was arrested in Santa Monica, California in 2011 along with his girlfriend Catherine Grieg.
Authorities in Florida have arrested a woman who they say pretended to be a utility worker along with a male accomplice in order to steal $25,000 worth of jewelry from the home of a 81-year-old widow

Police in Miramar arrested last week Rachel Demitro, 49, on charges that include burglary and grand theft from a person 65 or older.

Demitro also faces additional counts of larceny from a person 65 or older, unarmed burglary and contributing to the delinquency of a child stemming from another heist, in which officials say she and her suspected accomplice in that crime, 58-year-old Bob Ely, robbed an elderly couple in Margate on July 15.

Diane Reeves, 81, is pictured talking to a burglary suspect pretending to be a power company worker at her Miramar, Florida, home on June 25

In the video, the male suspect says he needs Reeves to follow him outside so he could show her the new location of her water meter

Reeves, who is a widow, told the suspect he looked 'scary,' but ultimately followed him

Ely has been arrested on charges related to the Margate burglary, but he has not yet been formally named a suspect in the Miramar crime.

Rachael Demitro, 49, is suspected of entering Reeves' home and stealing $25,000 worth of the woman's jewelery

On June 25, a man who claimed to work for Florida Power & Light knocked on Diane Reeves door and asked her to go into the backyard with him, as seen on video recorded by the victim's doorbell camera.

He wanted to show show her where they would be moving her water meter.

Reeves appears weary at first, telling the bogus worker: 'you look kind of scary in those sunglasses and hat.'

The unidentified thief laughs and removes his accessories to put Reeves at ease, asking her: 'is that better?'

She went into the backyard but started to question why they were moving meter to a spot further away from her house, police said.

The male suspect told the homeowner to wait and he would send his partner to speak to her.

Demitro then showed up, spoke to Reeves and again asked her to wait in the yard. After 10 minutes, Reeves went back into the house and realized she had been robbed.

The items stolen include a charm bracelet Reeves mother gave her in 1961, her wedding ring and a pocket watch Reeves bought for her late husband. The watch has an inscription that reads 'Chuck loves Diane,' according to the Miramar Police Department speaking to Orlando Sentinel.

Reeves said the thieves got away with her engagement ring and wedding band, along with a charm bracelet Reeves mother gave her in 1961

'In my heart, I dont hold hate,' Reeves told Local10 prior to Demitro's arrest, 'but Id like to see these people stopped,'

On July 15, Demitro and Ely were arrested by Broward County sheriff's detectives after the pair allegedly robbed a Margate couple of cash and jewelry.

According to a press release from the sheriff's office, the pair parked in a homeowner's driveway, and Demitro asked the man to follow her to his backyard, claiming she had to survey the area for future yard work being done by a neighbor.

Bob Ely, 58, has been charged with burglary and larceny stemming from another theft that took place on July 15, but he has not yet been named a suspect in the Miramar incident

'The homeowner told detectives it was very hot outside, and he kept trying to go back inside his home,' the release stated. 'However, the woman continued to distract him with conversation.'

When Demitro left, the homeowner discovered that money had been stolen from his safe, and a wooden jewelry box containing all his wifes jewelry had been taken.

Sheriff's detectives who had been staking out Demitro and Ely in connection with a series of distraction burglaries throughout the South Florida area followed their silver SUV and detained them.

Inside the vehicle, detectives found the stolen wooden jewelry box. They recovered all the valuables, some of which were being worn by Demitro, and returned it to the victims, according to the sheriff's office.

The authorities noted that a child was present in the couple's SUV during the robbery.

Demitro and Ely remained in Broward County jail as of Monday after having their bonds set at $22,000 and $35,000, respectively.
Boris Johnson wanted to meet the Queen at the start of the pandemic despite signs Covid was spreading in Downing Street, it was claimed last night.

In a fresh assault on his ex-boss, Dominic Cummings said he had to persuade the PM not to have his weekly audience with the monarch in case he gave her the fatal virus.

In an hour-long interview with the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg, he said: 'I said "what are you doing?" and he said "I'm going to see the Queen", and I said, "what on earth are you talking about, of course you can't go and see the Queen".

'[The PM] said, "ah, that's what I do every Wednesday, sod this, I'm gonna go and see her".'

The former chief adviser alleged he warned the PM that there were already people in No 10 who were isolating and told him: 'You might have coronavirus.'

Boris Johnson wanted to meet the Queen at the start of the pandemic despite signs Covid was spreading in Downing Street, it was claimed last night (pictured: Dominic Cummings in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg)

In a fresh assault on his ex-boss, Dominic Cummings said he had to persuade the PM (pictured right) not to have his weekly audience with the monarch in case he gave her the fatal virus

He added: 'I just said, 'if you... give her coronavirus and she dies what are you gonna do, you can't do that, you can't risk that, that's completely insane'.

'And he said, he basically just hadn't thought it through, he said, "yeah, holy s***, I can't go".'

Mr Cummings also claimed the PM was reluctant to tighten restrictions last autumn because 'the people who are dying are essentially all over 80'.

WhatsApp messages suggested the PM was sceptical of the need for a new national lockdown  as 'hardly anyone under 60 goes into hospital'.

In a message to aides on October 15, Mr Johnson said he no longer bought into 'all this NHS overwhelmed stuff'  although just two weeks later he announced a four-week national lockdown.

'I must say I have been slightly rocked by some of the data on Covid fatalities. The median age is 82  81 for men 85 for women,' the message read. That is above life expectancy. So get Covid and live longer. Hardly anyone under 60 goes into hospital (4 per cent) and of those virtually all survive.

Cummings claimed he told Boris Johnson that 'of course he couldn't go and see the Queen' at the start of the pandemic (file photo)

The former chief adviser alleged he warned the PM that there were already people in No 10 who were isolating and told him: 'You might have coronavirus'

'And I no longer buy all this NHS overwhelmed stuff. Folks I think we may need to recalibrate. There are max 3m [million] in this country aged over 80. It shows we don't go for nationwide lockdown.'

In his first TV interview since leaving No 10, Mr Cummings claimed the PM 'put his own political interests ahead of people's lives for sure'.

He said Mr Johnson's attitude last autumn was a 'weird mix' of 'partly "it's all nonsense and lockdowns don't work anyway" and partly "well this is terrible but the people who are dying are essentially all over 80 and we can't kill the economy just because of people dying over 80".'

He added: 'Lots of people heard the Prime Minister say that, the Prime Minister texted that to me and other people.'

Mr Cummings also claimed that Mr Johnson repeatedly said 'we should never have done the first lockdown'.

Mr Cummings also claimed the PM was reluctant to tighten restrictions last autumn because 'the people who are dying are essentially all over 80'

In his first TV interview since leaving No 10, Mr Cummings claimed the PM 'put his own political interests ahead of people's lives for sure'

WHAT THE PM POSTED TO HIS STAFF 'I must say I have been slightly rocked by some of the data on Covid fatalities. The median age is 82  81 for men, 85 for women. That is above life expectancy. So get Covid and live longer. Hardly anyone under 60 goes into hospital (4 per cent) and of those virtually all survive. And I no longer buy all this NHS overwhelmed stuff. Folks I think we may need to recalibrate. There are max 3m in this country aged over 80. It shows we don't go for nationwide lockdown.' Advertisement

He said: 'After the first wave passed and after he came back to work, initially his view was essentially, "thank goodness we did do that", but very quickly, as the Telegraph and various parts of the media and Tory Party started screaming, he then basically reverted and said "actually the whole thing was a disaster, we should never have done it, I was right in February, we should basically just ignore it and just let the thing wash through the country and not destroy the economy and move on".'

Mr Cummings left Downing Street in November following a power struggle and has since been highly critical of the Government's handling of the pandemic.

Last night Downing Street denied that the incident where the PM and Mr Cummings discussed visiting the Queen took place.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

A Downing Street spokesman told the BBC: 'Since the start of the pandemic, the Prime Minister has taken the necessary action to protect lives and livelihoods, guided by the best scientific advice.

'The Government he leads has delivered the fastest vaccination rollout in Europe, saved millions of jobs through the furlough scheme and prevented the NHS from being overwhelmed through three national lockdowns.

'The Government is entirely focused on emerging cautiously from the pandemic and building back better.'

The interview will be shown on BBC2 tonight at 7pm.

Mr Cummings left Downing Street in November following a power struggle and has since been highly critical of the Government's handling of the pandemic
Joan Le Mesurier provoked more gossip, innuendo and moral outrage than any woman throughout the golden age of British comedy.

Married to one of televisions best-known actors  John Le Mesurier, the beloved Sergeant Wilson of Dads Army  she caused a scandal when she plunged into an affair with her husbands closest friend and Britains most famous comic, Tony Hancock.

Even at the height of the Swinging Sixties, this was brazen behaviour. It divided everyone who knew and worked with the stars.

Some believed that Joan, who has died aged 90, was Hancocks best and only hope of beating the alcoholism that was destroying his career. To others, she was a shameless sexual adventuress, the Siren of East Cheam  that mythical district of shabby South London that was the setting for Hancocks Half Hour.

After Hancocks suicide in 1968, she was harangued in a London club by a well-known character actor who called her a tart and a trollop for hurting lovely John with that b*****d Tony Hancock.

The usually placid Le Mesurier overheard and reacted with fury: How dare you speak to my wife in that way? What do you know of others feelings? Ill knock your teeth down your throat! Joan recounted the story in her memoir of her husband, though she never revealed the boorish actors identity.

Many were astonished that Le Mesurier took her back, but he remained devoted to her until his death in 1983.

The three-way friendship and love affair was unconventional from the outset. Le Mesurier met Joan, who was nearly 20 years younger than him, when he was married to matronly actress Hattie Jacques  and it was Hattie who encouraged him to fall in love.

Married to one of televisions best-known actors  John Le Mesurier (top), the beloved Sergeant Wilson of Dads Army  Joan Le Mesurier (bottom) caused a scandal when she plunged into an affair with her husbands closest friend and Britains most famous comic, Tony Hancock

It was a strange courtship, Joan said. We were such an ill-matched pair. He made me laugh a lot, in spite of his being almost permanently depressed.

Le Mesurier had a lot to be depressed about in 1964. After 15 years of marriage to Hattie and two children, he loved her deeply but he couldnt match either her successful career or her zest for entertaining. A regular in Hancocks Half Hour, the biggest comedy show on radio, and then in the Carry On movies, Hattie loved to keep an open house. Theatre friends dropped in at all hours of the day and night to drink and carouse.

Le Mesurier increasingly kept himself out of the way, spending nights propped up against a piano leg at Ronnie Scotts jazz club, blissed out on music and whisky.

When Hattie once reproved him for staying out for two days, he excused himself with a murmur: You know, its so hard to keep track of time if theres no daylight.

But when one of Hatties party pals, a hard-drinking chancer named John Schofield, moved in, Le Mesurier realised the marriage was over.

He began to booze more heavily. One night at Peter Cooks Establishment Club in Soho, listening to the Dudley Moore Trio, his eye was caught by a flirtatious woman who said she was a secretary.

Moore asked for requests. The young woman suggested an obscure, pre-war number called Whats New?

How does a slip of a girl like you know an old song like that? Le Mesurier wondered. The slip of a girl was Joan Malin, whose own marriage was on the rocks.

The fact that Joan was taken to the Establishment Club by one of Hatties circle, and introduced to Le Mesurier by another, makes it probable that the meeting was arranged deliberately by his clever wife.

At any rate, Joan was soon a frequent visitor to Hatties parties. She was encouraged to dance with John, talk with John and do whatever else came naturally.

In 1964, the affair came to a head while Le Mesurier was filming Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines on location in Kent. Joan had taken her young son, David, to stay with her parents, who ran a fish-and-chip shop in Ramsgate.

John told her hed moved out of his family home. Will you please, please come and live with me? he said.

Everyone who knew them was thrilled. John and Hatties son, 12-year-old Robin, wrote them a letter: Dear Daddy and Joan, I am really so glad that you are getting married, because I love you very much. I know that Kim [his brother] and I will like it a lot.

The three-way friendship and love affair was unconventional from the outset. Le Mesurier met Joan, who was nearly 20 years younger than him, when he was married to matronly actress Hattie Jacques  and it was Hattie who encouraged him to fall in love (Le Mesurier and Hancock are pictured together)

On a Friday in May, 1965, John and Hatties marriage was dissolved at the same time, and in the same courtroom, as Joans marriage to her husband, Mark. As Hattie left, she blew a kiss to Joan, and the four of them met afterwards to celebrate with champagne.

Newspaper reports, though, accused Le Mesurier of adultery and captioned a photo of Joan as the other woman.

Among their friends, none was more delighted than Tony Hancock. He knew Hattie first, working with her on radios Educating Archie, and was soon a fixture at her eternal parties.

Hancock was 12 years younger than Le Mesurier but felt a natural rapport: the lugubrious, fatalistic John was like Eeyore the donkey, to his own well-meaning but slightly dim Pooh Bear. Le Mesurier drank steadily, Hancock drank compulsively. When he and his first wife, Cicely, bought a country mansion, Hancock threw a house-warming where guests were given pint mugs filled with neat vodka on arrival.

Not long after that, Hancock and Cicely suffered a drunken car accident. He was concussed and his face was badly bruised. From then on, he was unable to remember lines, and relied on prompts on cards, taped up around the studio.

With his confidence and his timing both damaged, his career began a long slide. Le Mesurier did everything he could to urge his friend to get a grip  and introduced him to his pretty, sympathetic girlfriend, Joan.

The trio spent an evening in a Surrey pub, swapping jokes and stories. At the end of the night, Hancock told his friend: Youve got to keep this one, Johnny.

A year later, when Joan next saw the star, he was a wreck. His marriage to Cicely was over and he had remarried, to his agent Freda Freddie Ross  a resilient and doggedly loyal woman who had soaked up the worst of his excesses for years.

Somehow, despite his reputation for drunken absences and volatile tempers, Freddie had landed her husband a gig standing in for Bruce Forsyth, as host of Sunday Night At The London Palladium.

In 1964, the affair came to a head while Le Mesurier was filming Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines on location in Kent. Joan had taken her young son, David, to stay with her parents, who ran a fish-and-chip shop in Ramsgate (pictured: Joan with her sons Kim and David)

Joan and John went backstage, to find Tony huddled in a bathrobe, his hands shaking uncontrollably. If this is what show business does, she said, Id rather be a lavatory attendant.

Show business did worse than that. Hancocks brutal treatment of Freddie had been an open secret for years among fellow performers. One night in 1965, she tried to stop him from reaching for a bottle and he hit her across the face with the heel of his hand, breaking her nose.

Hancock checked into a clinic. Freddies press release said he was being treated for nervous exhaustion. He walked out a week later, telling reporters: I must have had a touch of sunstroke or something.

The truth was, Freddie later said, that he couldnt have a wine gum without it ending up as a bottle of vodka before the day was out.

After her attempt at suicide, Freddie left him. One night, Hancock called Le Mesurier, pleading for him and Joan to help him. They invited him to stay, and for a week Joan nursed him as he lay on their sofa.

Then she persuaded him to try an alcohol cure again. She drove him to the clinic in Highgate, and they sat in the car eating biscuits, afraid to go inside. How romantic, he said. Our first meal alone together.

It was the beginning of their affair. When he emerged from the private hospital, he returned to the Le Mesurier flat  but John was away, filming in Paris.

Hancock opened some wine and kissed Joan longingly. Im Johns best friend and Im in love with his wife, he declared. What are we going to do?

Lets sleep on it, she replied.

I knew I was falling for him and just couldnt fight it, she said. In one single night, Tony had become the centre of my life and his happiness was my first priority.

His intensity and demands for sex frightened us both slightly and we tried to cut down a bit.

 Im going to draw an imaginary line down the middle of the bed, over which no t**s, a***s or w*****s must stray, he said. But it didnt work, and I was no help at all  I found him irresistible.

Le Mesurier (right) had a lot to be depressed about in 1964. After 15 years of marriage to Hattie Jacques (left) and two children, he loved her deeply but he couldnt match either her successful career or her zest for entertaining

When Le Mesurier returned home, Joan confessed. He didnt get angry, she said. It would have been so much easier if he had. He just walked up and down, hugging himself, and then he wept.

Le Mesurier understood why she loved Hancock. He tried to tell himself that it was for the best, that his dearest friend needed Joan more than he did.

But he was worried for her. His first wife, during the war and before Hattie, had been a violent alcoholic. He feared Hancock could be dangerous to Joan.

The web of relationships was so complex that Le Mesurier found himself confiding in Joans first husband, Mark. Tony is my best friend, the actor kept saying. I brought him to my house. And he walked off with my wife. Thats the bit I find very difficult to accept.

Joan left him, and moved into a bungalow with Hancock in Broadstairs, Kent. But she spoke to her husband frequently, and the reports she made worried him.

Part lover, part patient, Tony was paranoid and jealous, and seemed to regard her nine-year-old son as competition for her attention. She was nurse, jailer and bodyguard.

After trying to throw a coffee table through the French windows, he drank himself into a coma and ended up back in the Highgate clinic. Le Mesurier listened to the stories, murmuring: My poor darling, how awful for you. On one occasion, temporarily sober, Hancock booked a hotel in Paris. His first wife, Cicely, warned her not to go: He always drinks a lot there. Dont let him near the brandy. He turns into a killer on the stuff. But Joan didnt have the heart to refuse the holiday.

The warnings proved true: he was more vicious than shed ever experienced. Shaken and bruised, she stuck by him and helped him through delirium tremens on their return. It was the summer of love, 1967.

In a lucid moment, Hancock told her to go back to her husband. Theres some part of me thats capable of harming you, even killing you, he said.

Le Mesurier took her back gladly, as if I had been on some heroic mission, she said. He turned a blind eye when she spent nights away. Never a passionate man, he realised that she still found Hancock sexually irresistible.

After Hancock's death, Joan (second from right) became hysterical and then plunged into a depression, recovering in Spain. By the time she returned home, Le Mesuriers life had changed. Hed taken a role in an ensemble comedy called Dads Army and it was now the biggest show on TV (pictured: Joan with Dad's Army actors Ian Lavender, Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams)

But he was relieved when Hancock took a job in a sitcom on Australian TV in 1968  and heartbroken when a call came through before dawn to say the star had killed himself. He was just 44.

In a note written just before he died, Tony told Joan: I loved you more than I thought possible.

When she heard the news, Joan became hysterical, then plunged into depression. She spent weeks with a cousin in Spain, recovering. Hattie called her, pleading for her to be reconciled with John.

By the time she returned home, Le Mesuriers life had changed. Hed taken a role in an ensemble comedy called Dads Army and it was now the biggest show on TV. Aged 55, long after he had given up on being anything more than a bit-part comic actor, he was a star. But his life had been upended too many times. His own steady drinking was catching up with him, and his health was shaky.

For the next 15 years, Joan cared for him faithfully and their marriage was gradually repaired. He died, aged 71, from cirrhosis.

But Joan never ceased loving Hancock, and in 1989 told the story of their wild, destructive affair in a book called Lady, Dont Fall Backwards. The book was filmed, with Maxine Peake as Joan and Ken Stott as Tony, for BBC1 in 2007.

Freddie Ross, Hancocks long-suffering ex-wife, was unimpressed: Why doesnt she do a book and a film about her life with John Le Mesurier? she said. She lived with him a lot longer than Tony.

Its a good question. The answer may be that Joan loved John Le Mesurier deeply  but her passion for Tony Hancock was far more intense.

Thats the fatal difference.
A text message pinged onto the mobile telephone of Hanan Elatr one day in November 2017, while she was working as a flight attendant for the Dubai-based Emirates airline.

Purportedly from her sister, it contained a link to an internet site, plus a brief line saying that the sibling thought the site might be of interest.

Hanan does not remember how she responded, or even whether she clicked onto the link. But by then it was too late anyway.

Wheels had almost certainly been set in motion that would lead  11 months later  to her journalist husband, Jamal Khashoggi, being tortured and brutally murdered by a group of bonesaw-wielding thugs at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul.

Khashoggi, whose work had upset the Middle Eastern kingdoms autocratic Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, is one of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of public figures who appear to have been successfully targeted via a shadowy piece of phone-hacking software named Pegasus.

Jamal Khashoggi (pictured with his wife Hanan) is one of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of public figures who appear to have been successfully targeted via a shadowy piece of phone-hacking software named Pegasus

The product, designed by an Israeli security firm called NSO Group, can be used by clients  who are believed to include the Saudi regime  to secretly hijack a mobile phone by transforming it into a highly-invasive surveillance device.

It acts as a sort of Trojan Horse, secretly gaining access to a phones operating system by hiding away in the background of a normal-looking text, WhatsApp, or other message.

Unbeknown to the devices owner, an infected handset can then transmit video footage  and audio using its microphone  straight back to NSO Groups clients in real-time.

It will also constantly access location data, showing exactly where the phones owner is at any time, along with every photograph and video on the device, plus the contents of the targets email, social media and other messaging accounts.

In an age when billions of human beings run their entire lives from a pocket-sized electronic device, it is quite simply one of the most powerful spying tools ever invented. Which is also why Pegasus has become so controversial.

Yesterday, Amnesty International claimed that it had obtained a leaked list of 50,000 mobile phone numbers connected to individuals allegedly regarded as people of interest to NSOs various clients in the past five years.

Further reporting by a consortium of news outlets has identified 1,000 people on the leaked document. They came from 50 countries and  significantly  many of them appear to have been selected for intimate surveillance by some of the worlds most corrupt autocracies.

The list includes several heads of state, along with more than 600 politicians and government officials, plus 65 company executives and a host of religious leaders, academics, trade union officials, and charity workers.

In 2020, Pegasus was identified as a likely culprit for the leak of intimate photos of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, who had been revealed the previous year to be conducting an extra-marital affair with a TV host called Lauren Sanchez

The product, designed by an Israeli security firm called NSO Group, can be used by clients  who are believed to include the Saudi regime  to secretly hijack a mobile phone by transforming it into a highly-invasive surveillance device

Or, to sum up: it names exactly the sort of people your average despot wants his security services to keep an eye on.

Although its unclear exactly how many of those listed on the document were successfully targeted, cyber-security experts employed by Amnesty were able to examine 67 handsets belonging to targeted individuals.

Thirty-seven contained traces of Pegasus activity. A total of 23 had been successfully penetrated and another 14 showed signs of penetration attempts.

Among them were friends and family members of Khashoggi. His wife Hanan, whom he married four months before his death in an Islamic ceremony in the U.S. state of Virginia, was targeted twice: once in November 2017, and once the following April.

During that period, she was talking daily to her journalist husband and, despite their globe-trotting existences, met regularly, planning their rendezvous via a variety of encrypted messaging apps in an apparently failed effort to evade surveillance by the Saudi authorities.

Its possible that Pegasus software was also used to secretly hijack the murdered reporters own phone, though that handset remains in the hands of the Turkish authorities.

Jamal warned me before that this might happen, Hanan told The Washington Post yesterday. It makes me believe they are aware of everything that happened to Jamal through me.

Also hacked was the second woman in Khashoggis complex private life: his fiancee Hatice Cengiz, who was unaware of the existence of Hanan and had accompanied him to Istanbul at the time of his murder.

Hanan does not remember how she responded, or even whether she clicked onto the link. But by then it was too late anyway (pictured: Saudi journalist Khashoggi)

NSO has hired Cherie Blair as an external adviser who had been working to help incorporate human rights considerations into NSO activities by ensuring its technology is not being misused

Her phone was infected with Pegasus spyware in Turkey around four days after the atrocity, according to analysis by Amnesty. She also said she was not surprised she had been hacked, telling reporters: I was thinking this after the murder. But what can you do?

The leaked document also reportedly contains numbers for two Turkish officials involved in investigating Khashoggis murder, which according to the UN was carried out on the orders of Mohammed Bin Salman.

There were details, too, of Jamals close friend Wadah Khanfar, the former director general of the Al Jazeera television network, plus his son Abdullah Khashoggi, Azzam Tamimi, a Palestinian-British activist and friend, and Madawi Al-Rasheed, a London-based scholar who helped found an opposition party of Saudi expatriates following his killing.

It also contained a phone number for Irfan Fidan, the chief prosecutor from Istanbul who later formally charged 20 Saudi nationals over the killing.

It should be stressed that NSO has vigorously denied having anything to do with Khashoggis death, and denies carrying out dirty work for corrupt governments. I can tell you very clear. We had nothing to do with this horrible murder, its chief executive, Shalev Hulio, told an interviewer.

While he stopped short of saying that the list of phone numbers was a fake, he suggested it had been misinterpreted, saying it depicted the innocent gathering of data for business purposes rather than surveillance.

In a statement, the firm added that it only sells technology to governments approved by Israel, in order to help them target terrorists and break up paedophile rings and sex or drug-trafficking.

It claims its software has helped save thousands of lives and described yesterdays reporting as being full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.

Be that as it may, a striking number of individuals on the leaked document are on the hit list of questionable regimes.

For in recent years, many of them have been the subject of curious scandals in which embarrassing and often highly-personal material has somehow ended up online.

Take Fatima Movlamli a leading activist against Ilham Aliyev, the kleptocratic Azerbaijani dictator and goose-hunting chum of Prince Andrew. In 2019, when she was just 18, a series of intimate photographs of her leaked via Facebook. She is one of six opposition activists who appear to have been targeted.

In India, 300 people were on the list, including various trade unionists opposed to its right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, such as the leading political rival Rahul Gandhi.

In India, 300 people were on the list, including various trade unionists opposed to its right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi (pictured), such as the leading political rival Rahul Gandhi

In Hungary, whose far-Right Prime Minister Viktor Orban is waging a war against opposition news outlets, a selection were listed as possible targets. In Mexico, 25 journalists appear on the list. Sinisterly, they include Cecilio Pineda Birto, who was shot dead while his vehicle was going through a car wash in 2017.

His name had appeared on the Pegasus list a few weeks earlier, making it quite possible that his location was identified using the software  although NSO said it could also have been discovered via other means. Mexico, where hundreds of potential targets of Pegasus seem to hail from, provides a useful case study in the thorny ethical conundrums that surround the surveillance product, which is believed to have 45 customers, most of whom are governments.

Initially used by the security services, its believed to have done at least some good, and played a central role in identifying the hideout of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the notorious drug cartel chief who was arrested in late 2016.

Lately, however, the technology appears to have fallen into the wrong hands. Fifty people close to Mexican President Andres Obrador  who is waging a war on drugs  may have been targeted for surveillance, along with proponents of a sugar tax which is unpopular with the countrys corrupt elite.

Opponents of the technology also believe it poses a severe threat to democracy by allowing unscrupulous governments not only to spy on opposition politicians but also to hinder journalists working on unflattering stories.

To that end, the list of people targeted for surveillance includes Roula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, plus journalists from CNN, The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and The New York Times.

Fifty people close to Mexican President Andres Obrador (pictured)  who is waging a war on drugs  may have been targeted for surveillance

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of its business model, NSOs operations have proven to be very lucrative.

Founded in 2010, it was sold to a private equity firm in 2014 for $130million. Five years later, it was sold back to its founders for a cool $1 billion.

Earlier this year, it was reportedly being lined up for a $ 2billion stock market flotation in Tel Aviv.

However, as its profile has grown, so too have objections to some of its methods, culminating in a series of hostile lawsuits.

In 2019, WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook sued NSO in San Francisco, accusing it of exploiting a flaw in the popular encrypted messaging service to target some 1,400 users.

In 2020, Pegasus was identified as a likely culprit for the leak of intimate photos of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, who had been revealed the previous year to be conducting an extra-marital affair with a TV host called Lauren Sanchez.

The firm was sued in 2018 in both Israel and Cyprus by a collection of journalists who claim to have been hacked.

And earlier this year it was named in a High Court lawsuit by Ghanem al-Masarir, a Saudi human rights activist based in London, who claims the Middle Eastern countrys security services used Pegasus to track his location before employing agents to assault him in Knightsbridge in August 2018.

In every case, NSO has denied wrongdoing and is contesting the claims.

And in a bid to prove itself to be whiter than white, it has hired Cherie Blair  whose former clients included the autocratic regimes of Kazakhstan and the Maldives  as an external adviser who had been working to help incorporate human rights considerations into NSO activities by ensuring its technology is not being misused.

She was proudly named in a Transparency and Responsibility Report published by the firm only last week.

Quite how transparent and responsible she has actually made the firm behind the spy in our pocket will doubtless become clear over the coming days.
Former Vice President Mike Pence is hitting the speaking circuit once again less than a year after leaving office, but his reception has been lukewarm at best - and furious at worst.

'There are some Trump supporters who think he's the Antichrist,' an Iowa GOP official told Politico after Pence's first trip to the state since the election.

A recent Conservative Political Action Conference poll showed the ex-VP with just 1 percent of support for a possible 2024 run.

And while Iowa Republicans gave him a warm welcome Friday - calling him a 'man of faith,' Republicans in other parts of the country have been less friendly.

A recent CPAC straw poll found Mike Pence with no more than 1 percent of support (pictured here in Iowa on July 16)

At a June Faith and Freedom Coalition event in Florida, Pence was heckled and called a 'traitor' by crowds who were furious he didn't stop the certification of the presidential election on January 6.

The 62-year-old former Indiana governor defended his actions in late June, claiming at an event in California that 'The Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority before the joint session of Congress.'

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon said supporters of the ex-president 'understand Pence betrayed them' and so he's now 'being shunned and erased from the MAGA movement' as a result.

A nationwide survey conducted by Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio showed Pence more favorably with 15 percent in a poll that does not include another Donald Trump campaign.

He would fall second behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who polled at 39 percent without a Trump 2024 bid.

A wide-ranging poll of a potential 2024 Republican primary field without Donald Trump found Pence (left) to be a distant second behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right)

In a poll with Trump included, Pence's support falls to single digits, according to Politico.

'It's just, where would you place him?' a Republican operative who formerly worked for Iowa Governor Terry Branstad questioned in a separate Politico report. 'With Trumpsters, he didnt perform when they really wanted him to perform, so hes DQd there. Then you go to the evangelicals, they have plenty of other choices.'

A former official in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses described Pence's unique position.

'Hes got to justify to the Trumpistas why he isnt Judas Iscariot, and then hes got to demonstrate to a bunch of other Republicans why he hung out with someone they perceive to be a nutjob,' Strategist Sean Walsh said in the report.

Former President Donald Trump still ranks at the top of Republican voters' choices for a 2024 candidate, according to Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio

Pence admitted earlier this year he would never 'see eye to eye' with Trump on the January 6 Capitol assault that saw him evacuated from the building as the ex-president's supporters chanted 'Hang Mike Pence'

On his own part, Pence has been careful not to speak in extreme terms when it comes to his former boss.

He said earlier this year that he and Trump might never 'see eye to eye' on the January 6 insurrection, when the then-vice president had to be evacuated from the Capitol as angry rioters supporting the ex-president chanted 'Hang Mike Pence.'

However, Pence also said he 'couldn't be more proud' to have served with the populist leader.

For now, his recent messages appear to be less focused on Trump and more on criticizing the Biden-Harris administration.

'I came here today to say, after 177 days of open borders, higher taxes, runaway spending, defunding the police, abortion on demand, censoring free speech, canceling our most cherished liberties, I've had enough,' he said in Des Moines last week, adding that the time has come 'to stand up and fight back against the agenda of the radical left.'
Press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the White House would 'welcome' a PSA from former President Donald Trump as the Indian Delta variant of COVID-19 ravages unvaccinated areas within the United States.

She didn't enthusiastically endorse the idea, but was asked at the press briefing if President Joe Biden would consider calling Trump and enlisting his help in getting more Americans vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The press secretary reiterated that studies show that the 'most trusted voices are local officials - doctors, medical experts, civic leaders, clergy from time to time.'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday's press briefing that the White House would 'welcome' a COVID-19 vaccine PSA featuring former President Donald Trump when asked if President Joe Biden would call Trump and ask

Psaki also said, 'We don't believe that requires an embroidered invitation to be a part of,' when asked if President Joe Biden would reach out to former President Donald Trump and have him shoot a pro-COVID-19 vaccine PSA

'And that is where we've really invested our funding and our resources,' she continued.

She also noted that other ex-presidents have gotten involved.

'We've seen almost every former president play a role in putting out a PSA, making sure people understood in the country that the vaccine is safe and effective,' Psaki said.

In March, former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama along with their spouses participated in a vaccination PSA.

Trump was the only living president not to participate.

'We don't believe that requires an embroidered invitation to be a part of,' Psaki said of the effort.

'But certainly any role of anyone who has a platform where they can provide information to the public that the vaccine is safe, it is effective, we don't see this as a political issue, we certainly welcome that engagement,' she added.

On Sunday, Trump released a statement mocking Biden for not being able to Americans vaccinated faster.

'Joe Biden kept talking about how good of a job he's doing on the distribution of the Vaccine that was developed by Operation Warp Speed or, quite simply, the Trump Administration. He's not doing well at all,' the statement read.

'He's way behind schedule, and people are refusing to take the Vaccine because they don't trust his Administration, they don't trust the Election results, and they certainly don't trust the Fake News, which is refusing to tell the Truth,' Trump continued.

Trump continues to falsely claim the election was stolen from him.

The Biden administration fell short of the goal to have 70 per cent of Americans with at least one shot in their arms by July 4.

Some prominent conservatives haven't made Biden's job easier, by suggesting the government is playing 'big brother' after the White House announced plans to go door-to-door in some communities to pass out vaccine info.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this month in Dallas, Texas, the crowd cheered and applauded when a speaker noted that the government was falling short of its vaccination goal.

And polling on the issue shows how politics has bled in - with just 6 per cent of Democrats saying they're unlikely to get vaccinated, compared to 47 per cent of Republicans who said the same thing, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll from early July.

While Trump was an anti-masker during his time in office, he's consistently touted his administration's vaccine effort, Operation Warp Speed.

At the same time, he and former first lady Melania Trump got their COVID-19 vaccine doses in private, instead of on-camera like the Bidens and Vice President Kamala Harris.
A surfer had a terrifying ordeal with a great white shark after he was knocked from his board in a frightening collision at a popular beach.

The man was surfing at Chickens break at Salmon Beach, 500m off Rottnest Island near Perth on Monday when he had a scary ordeal with the three-metre predator.

The surfer was not injured and managed to swim ashore before alerting authorities.

A surfer has had a terrifying encounter with a three metre Great White Shark (stock image)

'(Fisheries) Shark Operations Manager confirmed the details and commenced shark incident response with Rottnest Authority Rangers,' Fisheries WA said.

Salmon Beach will be closed between Parker Point and Green Island until at least 3pm on Tuesday.

The shark sighting was reported just after a 2.5m bull shark was spotted in the Swan River in Perth near the Narrows Bridge.

There were also unconfirmed sightings of a shark at Perth's Leighton Beach earlier in the morning, Surf Life Saving WA said.
Katie Hopkins has made a parting shot at Australian authorities, telling them they 'cannot silence the truth' after she was deported for 'joking' about breaching quarantine rules.

The former Apprentice star, 46, was today deported from Australia after mocking hotel quarantine rules and calling Covid lockdowns the 'greatest hoax in human history.'

But in a huge backlash from Australians, the commentator had her 'critical skills' visa torn up by the federal government and was handed a $1,000 (536) fine for answering the door of her room in quarantine naked and without a face mask in violation of quarantine rules.

Before she boarded a Singapore Airlines flight from Sydney at 3pm, Hopkins told supporters: 'See you in the morning, my lovelies.

'You may "deport" the Hopkins, but you cannot silence the truth. We will fight to TAKE BACK our freedoms.'

Bitter: Far-right provocateur Katie Hopkins has tried to claim her humiliating deportation from Australia as a victory, telling her supporters on Instagram she will never be 'silenced' after being sent back to the UK for joking about breaching hotel quarantine in Sydney

Deported: Controversial British commentator Katie Hopkins (pictured), 46, boarded a Singapore Airlines flight from Sydney at 3pm on Monday

Hours earlier she'd been deported from Australia after 'joking' about breaching hotel quarantine rules and calling Covid lockdowns the 'greatest hoax in human history.'

Australia has enforced strict border closures since the start of the pandemic, with tickets into the country rationed and all arrivals forced to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in their city of arrival along with repeat testing before being allowed in.

Sydney and Victoria state are also in lockdown with 25 million Australians under stay-at-home orders in response to outbreaks of the highly-infectious Delta strain.

Victoria extend its lockdown beyond the initial Tuesday end date and NSW will be shut down until at least July 30.

It is not clear when exactly Victoria will be allowed to resume normal life, with a further announcement due tomorrow.

Hopkins had flown in to Australia last week and was placed into 14-day isolation in Sydney ahead of an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

But during her stay in a hotel room, she shared an Instagram Live video in which she joked about deliberately breaking Covid rules by opening her door naked and mask-free to the workers who deliver her food.

Controversial: Hopkins did not wear her mask properly as she went though security at Sydney Airport

Hopkins had flown in to Australia last week to appear on Celebrity Big Brother after finishing her mandatory 14-day quarantine. She is pictured leaving the country

How Katie Hopkins rose to fame on BBC's The Apprentice to become a media personality Katie Hopkins is a well-known media personality and commentator in Britain who rose to fame on The Apprentice in 2007 and soon became an outspoken household name, writing in several newspapers. The 46-year-old mother-of-two finished as runner-up in the 15th series of the UK's Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, becoming popular among some for her no-nonsense attitude, and loathed by others for her controversial comments. Hopkins is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration  and in recent months has criticised the Black Lives Matter movement as well as Covid-19 lockdowns. She once had a popular radio show on LBC, but stepped away after writing on Twitter that a 'final solution' was needed to deal with terrorists. Many thought this was a reference to the Holocaust. Hopkins also lost a libel case against food blogger Jack Monroe which saw her pay out 24,000 in damages after suggesting they backed the defacing a war memorial during a protest in London. Donald Trump once described her in 2015 on Twitter as a 'respected columnist' after she backed the former US president's claims that parts of London had become so radicalised that people were scared to visit. Hopkins was permanently banned from Twitter in June 2020. Advertisement

'The police officer who checked me in told me when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door,' she said while breaking out into hysterics.

Hopkins said she was 'lying in wait' to 'spring [the door] open and frighten the s*** out of them and do it naked with no face mask.'

After the comments sparked huge backlash, Channel Seven dropped Hopkins from the show and her visa was cancelled.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said on Monday morning: 'I hadn't heard of her before and I don't want to hear about her ever again.

'I thought it was just shameful, the fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling,' she told the ABC.

'It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and it's just unacceptable behaviour.'

Some 12 million Australians in Victoria and Greater Sydney are in lockdown over an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant which began on June 16.

Under one of the toughest Covid border policies in the world, Australia has banned tourists and is only allowing 3,035 people a week to enter the country via 14-day hotel quarantine, leaving 40,000 Aussies stranded overseas.

But foreigners with critical skills visas are not always included in the cap because they are deemed to bring 'economic benefit' to the country.

'There are very well established processes and procedures for people to enter this country and many decisions are made on the basis of economic benefit,' Ms Andrews said.

Critical skills visas are for sectors 'critical to Australia's economic recovery' including financial technology, large scale manufacturing, film, media and television production and emerging technology.

The minister said her department approved Hopkins' visa at the request of the New South Wales government.

'It was the State Government that came to us with an application to bring in this individual to effectively increase the economic opportunities in that particular State,' she said.

Facing criticism that celebrities are being prioritised over Australians seeking to return, Ms Andrews said the federal government wants to increase the arrival cap which was halved last month at the request of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia state governments.

Hopkins (pictured at Sydney Airport) was told to leave the country after she joked about breaching quarantine rules

Hopkins wore sunglasses as she walked into the international terminal on Monday afternoon

Ms Andrews praised the Australian Border Force for dealing with Hopkins' visa revocation swiftly over the weekend.

'As soon as we found out about her behaviour and the fact that she was out there openly flaunting our quarantine system here, we took pretty strong action as quickly as we possibly could to get that visa cancelled, and to make sure she would be leaving country,' she said.

Hopkins rose to fame after starring on The Apprentice in the UK in 2007 and is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration.

Channel Seven confirmed she has been booted from Celebrity Big Brother.

A spokesman told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP.

'Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.'

Leaving Australia: Hopkins carried her own luggage into the Airport after being dropped off by quarantine staff

On Sunday, the hosts of Channel 10 show The Project slammed Seven for its decision to hire Hopkins.

Jan Fran, a comedian and regular panellist on the show, said: 'What was someone expecting when they did hire Katie Hopkins to do this? She's a troll. She courts controversy. They knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house.'

Fran went on to express disgust over Hopkins' use of the term 'Final Solution', which referred to the mass murder of Europe's Jews during the Holocaust.

Her co-host Peter van Onselen agreed: 'They want controversy but maybe didn't think it would lead as far as this.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said of Hopkins: 'I hadn't heard of her before and I don't want to hear about her ever again'. Pictured: Hopkins at Sydney Airport

'She will go back to the UK and complain about us and build her brand locally off what we've done even though what we've done is the right thing.'

'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000?' Lisa Wilkinson chimed in, joking.

'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'.

It was at 5am on Saturday that Hopkins took to Instagram live to post a speech where she 'called out' the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne and threatened to answer her hotel door naked.

Hopkins (pictured at Sydney Airport) has criticised lockdowns and mask wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic

On Sunday she denied she broke quarantine rules in Sydney, writing on Instagram that it was just a joke.

'WARNING: EXTREME HUMOUR. I have never broken quarantine,' she wrote in her caption.

'My whole heart goes out to Australians and this brilliant country known for sense of humour. Families MUST be reunited.

'Auzzies [sic] need the dignity of work and lockdown is the Greatest Hoax in Human History. Do not give up my darlings. Bring Australians home,' she added.

Hopkins often makes posts mocking mask mandates and lockdowns on Instagram since being banned from Twitter in June last year for 'hateful conduct'

Australia's response to Covid-19 has been praised by scientists including top US medic Dr Anthony Fauci, who called the country a world leader on 'containment and management of emerging variants'.

The country, which is geographically isolated and enjoys a low population density, has used border closures and snap lockdowns to reduce community transmission to zero.

Australia has suffered only 914 deaths due to Covid-19, compared with 129,000 in the UK and 608,000 in the US.

Hopkins described her antics as a 'game' but other travellers stuck in hotel quarantine were outraged by her behaviour.

Posting to the Facebook group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' one user wrote: 'This is abhorrent...some people are racing against time with the quarantine trying to get to family members. This is really cruel and sick.'

'Anyone else who has just returned home like me, too ashamed to admit how ashamed I am of my own country right now?' wrote another traveller.

'What has happened to Aussie spirit, our heart, mates looking after mates, the Govt caring about its own people. Has it been lost over the last few years?

'It makes my blood boil that so many fellow Aussies are stranded and cannot get home yet we can waste seats and hotel rooms on actors etc.'

Members of the closed group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' vent their outrage

Questioned: Many travellers in quarantine questioned why Hopkins was allowed to fly into the country while Australians are stranded overseas

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who famously threatened to euthanise Johnny Depps dogs when he sneaked them into Australia in 2015, said Hopkins should be sent home.

He told ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws.

'If you want to do that, pack your bongos and get out of the country.'

Acting Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Giles criticised the decision to grant Hopkins a visa in the first place.

'Now that Ms Hopkins is in Australia, she has begun broadcasting from what described as 'VIP Quarantine', and has explained how she is opening up her hotel door naked and without a face mask in a deliberate attempt to breach hotel quarantine rules.' Mr Giles said.

'This is grossly disrespectful to frontline workers who are only trying to keep us safe.'

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws'

Hopkins often takes to Instagram to mock lockdowns and mask mandates.

In a video uploaded to the social media platform on Friday, filmed from her hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins described lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in history'.

'You are living through the greatest hoax in human history, they are trying to take everything from you, and one of the very best and most powerful weapons we have is a sense of humour, and someone like me is probably a massive thorn in their sides,' she said.

In the bizarre video, she said: 'We've just heard that there's been a new variant, Delta plus, and you have to be very, very afraid of it.

She then lifted up a sanitary towel in the air and added: 'All politicians are about as useful as a tampon on a tranny.'
Sir Sean Connery was reluctant to take part in campaigning for Scottish devolution if it landed him with a higher tax bill

Sir Sean Connery was reluctant to take part in campaigning for Scottish devolution if it landed him with a higher tax bill, newly released files reveal.

The James Bond actor, who died aged 90 last year, was a staunch supporter of independence and voiced political broadcasts for the Scottish National Party.

But the National Archives files reveal that the star  who spent much of his time in the US, Spain and the Bahamas  was worried he could be liable to pay more tax if he remained too long in the UK during the 1997 devolution referendum campaign.

The files reveal the Blair governments attempts to recruit the actor, who was knighted in 2000, to the cause.

On June 4, 1997, Peter Mandelson wrote to Mr Blairs chief of staff, Jonathan Powell about getting Sir Seans support.

Lord Mandelson wrote: Sean Connery is very keen to promote a yes vote on the referendum on devolution in Scotland.

But he is concerned that his scope to help will be badly constrained by the residency rules which mean that he is liable for tax if he spends more than 90 days in the UK in any year.

Lord Mandelson, one of the key architects of New Labour and now a peer, added: He sees this as iniquitous to him personally, and claims that other individuals and indeed ethnic groups (he mentioned the Arabs) are not subject to the same strictures.

The memo reveals that an unknown writer had crossed out the word yes and scribbled shurely yesh on the file  a reference to Sir Seans accent.

Sir Sean eventually agreed to join the campaign after being persuaded by SNP leader Alex Salmond that devolution was a stepping stone to independence for Scotland.
A 'health and social care levy' costing 1 per cent of our incomes could help fix England's broken care system, Jeremy Hunt said last night.

The proposal from the former health secretary came as Boris Johnson failed to rule out the prospect of tax rises to pay for his long-awaited social care plan.

Mr Hunt said his idea  which would raise 6billion a year  could also help tackle the backlog of NHS treatments caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the new premium would assist in fixing the care system without breaking Tory manifesto pledges not to raise income tax or National Insurance.

Yesterday, when asked at a press conference whether the 2019 manifesto commitment not to raise income tax or national insurance remained in place, the Prime Minister sidestepped the question. He said the problem of social care had 'bedevilled governments for at least three decades'.

'All I can say is we've waited three decades, you're just going to have to wait a little bit longer,' he said. 'I'm sorry about that, but it won't be too long now, I assure you.'

A 'health and social care levy' costing 1 per cent of our incomes could help fix England's broken care system, Jeremy Hunt said

It had been hoped that Mr Johnson would be in a position to outline his long-awaited social care reforms this week, before the second anniversary of him making his promise on the steps of Downing Street in 2019.

But he and the Chancellor have had to self-isolate after Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, tested positive for Covid, and it is now considered unlikely that the plans will be published before the autumn.

The Prime Minister is in favour of a lifetime cap on the amount individuals have to contribute towards their care costs, set at around 50,000.

But Damian Green, Theresa May's former deputy, said this arrangement would benefit families with large homes in the South because they would not have to spend as great a proportion of their income to reach their cap.

Mr Green suggested a cap set at 30 per cent of a person's assets  ensuring those with larger homes pay more before the state steps in.

It is understood Treasury officials are considering this idea as a way to bring down the cost of the reforms, at the same time as trying to be more equitable across all regions.

The Daily Mail has been campaigning for an urgent solution to the care crisis.

In a thread on Twitter, Mr Hunt said there was a growing realisation in Downing Street that 'with the Covid backlog we'll never get the NHS back on its feet without social care reform'. He said tax rises would be needed because 'given post-pandemic public finances, 7-plus billion is likely to be too much for any chancellor to find down the back of a Treasury sofa'.

The proposal from the former health secretary came as Boris Johnson failed to rule out the prospect of tax rises to pay for his long-awaited social care plan

The former health secretary rejected two ideas to raise the money  further increases in council tax and charging pensioners national insurance.

He said the latter would not be feasible because it does not raise much money and breaches the manifesto promise. Mr Hunt added: 'Then there is a new levy, perhaps set at around 1 per cent of income. This could raise 6billion-plus immediately, actually more than the social care system needs or could cope with right away.

'But there is somewhere that does need that funding right away. The NHS Covid backlog is now the most serious for two decades. We are seeing thousands of people waiting two years for surgery for the first time in two decades. That is going to require a big short-term increase in capacity.

'So the attraction of a health and social care levy is it would fund the NHS backlog in the short term and desperately needed improvements in the social care system in the medium and longer term.'
An asthmatic teacher who claimed pupils' aerosols worsened her ill-health yesterday won 78,000 in compensation.

Alison Grant-Ryder, 62, was diagnosed with late-onset asthma which led to her being off work from Maelor School in Wrexham, North Wales, an employment tribunal heard.

After almost three decades there she was sacked in 2019 due to her sickness record.

However, she successfully claimed for unfair dismissal, and yesterday won a payout covering loss of earnings and injury to feelings.

The tribunal heard in 2013 Mrs Grant-Ryder, of Penley, had noticed her classroom floor was beginning to rise and split.

Alison Grant-Ryder, 62, who claimed pupils' aerosols worsened her ill-health yesterday won 78,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal from Maelor School in Wrexham, North Wales

Months later she had her first asthma attack at work and an ambulance was called.

Another classroom then used by her suffered from damp.

Deodorants and hairsprays were banned at school. But in 2016 the drama teacher had her first of many asthma attacks triggered by pupils' aerosols, the hearing was told, leading to her spending more time off.

The tribunal ruled that the decision to dismiss her 'was based upon an inadequate consideration of her prognosis'.

'There was, in our judgment, an inherent unfairness in dismissing the claimant when there was evidence that the cause of her long history of multiple, short-term absences was under control and had been for at least a year,' the tribunal panel declared.

The comprehensive school also contravened the Equality Act 2010 by failing to comply with the duty to take reasonable steps 'to avoid the disadvantage to the claimant arising from a physical feature, namely the use of aerosols within classrooms.'

Mrs Grant-Ryder, of Penley, won compensation including for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.

The NASUWT union, which backed the claim, said it was 'very pleased'. The school was approached for comment.
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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said on Monday morning that he was 'ready' for his flight to space as he appeared in a series of interviews with his Blue Origin crewmates 24 hours before their scheduled lift-off from west Texas.

Bezos will fly up to 66 miles above the surface of the Earth on the fully autonomous rocket and capsule New Shepard, sending him 13 miles higher than billionaire rival Sir Richard Branson who flew to space on Sunday, July 11.

It is the first space flight that will include a paying passenger - 18-year-old Oliver Daemen whose Dutch billionaire father paid an undisclosed amount for his fare.

Bezos will also be joined by his brother Mark and 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk - who will be the oldest person to go to space.

The crew appeared in their astronaut uniforms at 'Launch Site One' in Van Horn, Texas, for a string of interviews on Monday morning where he said they were neither afraid nor nervous about the flight that would set a precedent for 'commercial air travel'.

'We'll be building a road to space for the next generation to do amazing things and those amazing things will improve things here on Earth. I could have done this flight as CEO of Amazon and it would have been fine. We really believe this flight is safe. I did have friends say, "why not wait for the second or third flight, why do you have to go now?"

'But we know the vehicle is safe and if it's not safe for me then it's not safe for anyone. But we've taken this one step at a time, our mascot is the tortoise... we are ready,' he told CNN.

Speaking to Good Morning America shortly afterwards, Bezos said the 'real goal' was to establish reusable space vehicles that will take people to space 'again and again' and allow the next generation to use space resources to improve life on Earth.

'What we're hoping to do is build the road to space so future generations, maybe Oliver, and people of his generation will be able to do amazing things in space if we get good as reusable vehicles. The big thing Blue Origin is doing is making these vehicles reusable and in an operable way so that they can go over and over again, more like commercial airliners. If we can get to that stage, then the things the next generation will do - how to benefit Earth with everything in space - that will be amazing. That's the real goal.'

It will be the first human flight launched by space company, Blue Origin, and will take off tomorrow, July 20, from 'Launch Site One' in Van Horn, Texas, with a live stream of the event starting at 12:30 BST.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said on Monday morning that he was 'ready' for his flight to space as he appeared in a series of interviews with his Blue Origin teammates, 24 hours before liftoff. He was joined by his brother Mark, 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk - who will be the oldest person to go to space - and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, whose private equity boss father paid for his flight after an anonymous bidder who'd spent $25million on a seat had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict.

The team will fly aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket on Tuesday at 9am EST, 2pm GMT. They will float in zero gravity space for 10 minutes before returning to Earth

Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark fist bump in excitement on Monday morning as they prepare for their flight to space on Tuesday morning

Bezos is shown with Oliver Daemen and his brother in a simulated version of the capsule inside New Shepard, which they will use tomorrow

'It's so exciting. Tomorrow morning this crew is going to go to space.

'But I don't know what it's going to mean for me. Everyone who's gone to space says it changes them in some way and I am just really excited to see how it's going to change me.

TEAM BLUE ORIGIN: MARK BEZOS, AVIATION HERO WALLY FUNK AND A DUTCH TEEN WHOSE DAD PAID FOR HIS FLIGHT Oliver Daemen, Wally Funk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Bezos Mark Bezos, 53 The Amazon founder's brother has a private equity firm HighPost Capital and is also a volunteer firefighter. Bezos said they are the 'closets of friends' and have spent their whole lives talking about going to space. The pair also have a sister, Christina, who is not taking part in the mission. He said he was 'awestruck' to have been asked by his brother to join him on the flight. 'What a remarkable opportunity, not only to have this adventure, but to be able to do it with my best friend. Wally Funk, 82 Funk was one of 13 women who passed NASA's astronaut training program in the 1960s. Then a 21-year-old pilot, she was the youngest of the 13 women who passed the same rigorous testing as the Mercury Seven male astronauts in NASA's program that first sent Americans into space between 1961 and 1963, but were denied the chance to become astronauts themselves because of their gender. Funk was one of 13 women who passed NASA's astronaut training program in the 1960s. At 82, she will be the oldest person to go to space on Tuesday. She said in an interview about the mission: 'I didn't think I'd ever get to go up!' She was also the first female flight instructor at a U.S. military base and the first woman to become an air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. Oliver Daemen, 18 Oliver Daemen, 18 Daemen is the son of financier Joes Daemen, the founder and CEO of Dutch private equity firm Somerset Capital Partners, who paid for the seat and chose to let fly Oliver instead. 'I am super excited to go to space,' Oliver said in a video message. 'I've been dreaming about this all my life and I will become the youngest astronaut ever because I'm 18 years old. I am super excited to experience zero G. Oliver will be the 'first paying customer' Blue Origin said in an email, flying to the edge of space, alongside Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Mary Wallace 'Wally' Funk and two other passengers. The company said Oliver 'has been fascinated by space, the Moon and rockets since he was four'. A Blue Origin spokesperson told DailyMail.com they are not disclosing the price paid for Oliver's seat, but confirmed he participated in the auction. Advertisement

'People say they see the thin rim of Earth's atmosphere and it teaches them how fragile and precious is and it teaches them boundaries... I don't know what it's going to do but I am excited to find out.

'I am not nervous. We've had 15 successful flights. I am excited but I am not nervous,' he said.

To prepare for the historic launch, on the 52nd anniversary of the first moon landing, they had to test every aspect of the rocket 'far beyond operational testing' to ensure it is both robust and safe.

All four of the crew to travel aboard New Shepherd are at Launch Site One ready for the trip, with Bezos warmly welcoming Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen to the facility in a video uploaded to his Instagram account.

The rocket has been successfully flown 15 times, but this will be the first with humans on board.

On Monday, Funk - who was the youngest woman to pass NASA's training in the 1960s aged 21 - said: 'I had a lot of training those weeks before in 1960... not only in America but I went to Russia and trained with the cosmonauts.

'Not until about two or three weeks after my training was I told that I did better than the men.

'I feel like I am 24! It's great. I love being here!'

She said she was most looking forward to doing 'summersaults in space.'

Bezos joked: 'We've been training with Wally here in west Texas and I can tell you, she is still doing better than the men. She can outrun all of us.'

Oliver Daemen's private equity boss father paid for his flight.

It's unclear how much but he was the runner-up in an auction in which the winner paid $28million for the seat, before having to drop out.

He said on Monday morning: 'I don't think I've realized yet how special it is to become the youngest person ever. It's such a opportunity.. .also to be an example for other kids that it is able now. Blue Origin has made the opportunity for more and more people to go. It's so amazing, I still can't believe it.'

Mark Bezos said he was 'thrilled' to have been asked by his brother to join him on the flight.

'Jeff and I have gone on a lot of adventures together. He's my best friend. I was just, over the moon so to speak. It was remarkable.

'I'm so excited to be there to support him, and representing our mom, dad and sister Christina. It is just an absolute thrill.'

There won't be anywhere nearby to watch the launch in person, but Bezos said they will stream the 10 minute trip, including four minutes of zero gravity, on the Blue Origin website.

New Shepard will fire its engines to get off the launch pad and get the capsule up to the edge of space. They will experience forced three times normal levels which will pin them to their seats.

It will take three minutes to get high enough for the rocket booster to fall away, leaving the capsule to arc above the Earth and put them in a weightless environment.

That will give them three to four minutes to float about the cabin and enjoy the curving Earth through the large windows, before they have to get back into their seats as gravity pulls them back down to the Earth.

Parachutes will slow their plunge, taking it to a gentle landing in the Texas desert where a recovery crew will collect them.

Bezos  who has an estimated personal worth of $186.2 billion (131.5 billion)  is one of a number of billionaire entrepreneurs fueling what has been dubbed the 'new space race', with each pumping billions of dollars into their respective start-ups with the aim of creating cheap, commercialized space travel.

He founded Blue Origin in September 2000 and is currently funding the company to the tune of about $1 billion per year through the sale of his shares in Amazon.

His launch into space is the culmination of more than two decades of work for Bezos, that will see him blast into space on the first crewed flight of his New Shepard rocket ship.

Blue Origin named the New Shepard program after astronaut Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly into space 60 years ago.

The flight will mark a huge milestone in the mission to send paying customers to the edge of space, and continue a rapid expansion of the space tourism industry.

'Ever since I was five years old, I've dreamed of traveling to space,' Bezos posted to his Instagram account, adding that he want to go on the flight because 'it's a thing I've wanted to do all my life. It's an adventure. It's a big deal for me.'

His brother added: 'I wasn't even expecting him to say that he was going on the first flight.

'And then when he asked me to go along, I was just awestruck. What a remarkable opportunity, not only to have this adventure, but to be able to do it with my best friend.'

He will be joined in the automated Blue Origin capsule by two others, in addition to his brother, Wally Funk and student Oliver Daemen.

Daemen is an 18-year-old from the Netherlands, and will become the youngest astronaut ever and the first paying space tourist on a US commercial space flight.

While Richard Branson won the race to be the first billionaire space firm founder in space, Blue Origin are taking up the first paying passenger in Daemen, whose father made the second highest bid in a ticket auction.

Bezos and his younger brother Mark on Monday morning. Mark said he was awestruck and 'thrilled' to have been asked by his brother to join him on the flight. The pair describe themselves as best friends and say they've talked about going to space their whole lives

Ready for liftoff: Oliver, whose father paid an undisclosed amount for his fare after someone else dropped out after forking out $28million, said he was an 'example for other kids now' that space travel is possible. Wally Funk trained in the 1960s to be an astronaut before the women's space program was canceled. She said she was better than the male astronauts then, and Bezos said she can still 'outrun' the rest of the crew

The sign outside of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin operations in West Texas on July 19, 2021 in Van Horn, Texas

The gate to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin operations in West Texas on July 19, 2021 in Van Horn, Texas. Mr. Bezos is scheduled to lift off from the launch pad at 8am local time (9am EST/2pm GMT) on Tuesday in Blue Origin's sub-orbital New Shepard rocket in the first human spaceflight for his company

Oliver took the seat on the July 20 flight after the anonymous winning bidder decided to fly on a future New Shepard mission instead, due to undisclosed scheduling conflicts, Blue Origin said.

'I am super excited to go to space,' Oliver said in a video message.

Sir Richard Branson's message to 'the next generation of dreamers' after returning from space I have dreamt about this moment since I was a child, but nothing could have prepared me for the view of Earth from space. It was magical. I was honored to test the incredible customer experience onboard Virgin Galactic's spaceship VSS Unity as part of this remarkable crew of mission specialists - and now astronauts. How you feel when you look down on Earth is impossible to put into words, it's just indescribable beauty. I can't wait for you all to get up there. My mission statement, which I wrote inside my spacesuit, is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality - for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone. I said a message to all children while I was in space: I was once a child with a dream looking up to the stars. Now I'm an adult in a spaceship looking down to our beautiful Earth. To the next generation of dreamers: if we can do this, just imagine what you can do. Having flown to space, I can see even more clearly how Virgin Galactic is the spaceline for Earth. We are here to make space more accessible to all and turn the next generation of dreamers into the astronauts of today and tomorrow. Imagine a world where people of all ages and backgrounds, from anywhere, of any gender, of any ethnicity have equal access to space. They will in turn, inspire us all back here on Earth. If you've ever had a dream, now is the time to make it come true. Welcome to the dawn of a new space age. Advertisement

'I've been dreaming about this all my life and I will become the youngest astronaut ever because I'm 18 years old.

'I am super excited to experience zero G.'

The auction gift has allowed Club for the Future to donate $1 million each to 19 non-profit organizations, which are all supporting living and working in space.

The other passenger on the flight will be aviation pioneer Mary Wallace 'Wally' Funk, one of the last surviving members of the Mercury 13 mission.

At the age of 82, Funk will become the oldest person to launch into space and surpass former Senator John Glenn who took a space shuttle flight in 1998 at the age of 77.

Mercury 13, or the First Lady Astronaut Trainees, were a group of 13 women pilots who were qualified to go to space, but were excluded due to their gender.

While in training, Funk scored higher than Glenn - who was one of the Mercury 7 astronauts chosen to fly on Project Mercury in the 1960s - on some astronaut testing.

In a video for Blue Origin, Funk recalled: 'They told me that I had done better and completed the work faster than any of the guys.

So I got ahold of NASA, four times. I said I want to become an astronaut, but nobody would take me. I didn't think that I would ever get to go up.'

She said people told her 'Wally, you're a girl, you can't do that. I said guess what, doesn't matter what you are, you can still do it if you want to do it.'

The launch site for Blue Origins first human flight will be in a remote location north of Van Horn, Texas, where the firm has launched New Shepard for previous flights.

The July 20 launch - which coincides with the anniversary of the moon landing - will be the first test of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket with people on board, kicking off the company's space tourism business.

On Monday, Blue Origin received approval Monday from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to carry humans on the New Shepard rocket into space on July 20.

New Shepard, which stands 60 feet tall, was specifically designed for Blue Origin's space tourism venture and has successfully completed 15 test launches, with the latest on April 14.

The capsule that rides atop New Shepard seats six passengers and is equipped with reclining seats.

Each of the seats has a window that are said to the 'the largest to fly into space.'

Cameras line the interior, allowing travelers to share their memories that are truly out of this world.

Jeff Bezos (left) welcomes auction runner-up Oliver Daemen (centre) to Launch Centre One in Texas ahead of the trip

Wally Funk (left) takes a hat from Jeff Bezos (centre) as they prepare for the first crewed Blue Origin flight on July 20

The crew of four will fly above 80 miles to pass the Karman line abord the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket from Texas

The two Bezos brothers - seen here in a video posted to Jeff's Instagram - will be part of a crew of six on New Shepard

The crew is set to travel 62 miles above Earth's surface, where they will experience weightlessness due to the zero gravity and see the curve of the planet with the darkness of space as the backdrop.

It is not clear how long they will spend just beyond the edge of space, but Blue Origin has stated in the past that paying customers will spend as much as 10 minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth.

The billionaire space race is fueled by optimism that space travel will become mainstream as nascent technology is proven and costs fall, fueling what UBS estimates could be a $3 billion annual tourism market by 2030.

Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, as well as Musk's SpaceX, have also discussed using their rockets to link far-flung global cities.

UBS says that long-haul travel market could be worth more than $20 billion, though several barriers such as air-safety certification could derail the plans.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said: 'Putting the world's richest man and one of the most recognized figures in business into space is a massive advertisement for space as a domain for exploration, industrialization and investment.'

This undated handout photo obtained May 19, 2021, courtesy of Blue Origin, shows the interior of the Blue Origin Crew Capsule

Virgin billionaire Richard Branson successfully flew to space on July 11 on SpaceShip Two Unity 22. He went 53 miles above Earth's surface - 13 miles less than Bezos plans to travel on Tuesday

Branson is shown floating in zero gravity on board Unity after reaching the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, U.S. July 11, 2021

Elon Musk's SpaceX is leading the billionaire space race. He has already sent two crews of astronauts to the international space station, including those who flew on May 2 (above). He is yet to go to space himself

The announcement from Bezos comes two months after Musk trolled him on Twitter, joking that he 'can't get it up (to orbit)', after Blue Origin filed a protest against NASA for giving SpaceX a $2.89billion contract to build a lunar lander.

The pair have also sparred publicly over their competing satellite plans. In January Musk again took aim at Bezos on Twitter, accusing the Amazon founder's Project Kuiper of trying to 'hamstring' his Starlink venture.

HOW JEFF BEZOS IS SPENDING BILLIONS OF HIS OWN MONEY TO BUILD BLUE ORIGIN AND WIN THE BILLIONAIRE SPACE RACE Amazon founder and outgoing CEO Jeff Bezos entered the space sector in 2000, two years before SpaceX was formed by Elon Musk. Based in Kent, Washington, it originally focused on sub-orbital spaceflight services, building cheaper, more reliable and reusable launch vehicles. They are gradually moving from suborbital to orbital flight in an incremental way and will launch humans to space on July 20. Bezos will be on that first crewed flight along with his brother Mark, the winner of the auction, and three members of Blue Origin staff. The firm currently has two launch vehicles, the suborbital New Shepherd, named for the first American in space, Alan Shepherd, and New Glenn, named for John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth. Bezos has announced they are also working on New Armstrong, after the first man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, although no details have been revealed. Advertisement

SpaceX is due to launch the world's first all-civilian space mission on September 15. Called Inspiration4, it will go further than either Virgin Galactic or Blue Origin by soaring into orbit around the Earth.

It will feature a four-person team, launched on a Crew Dragon spaceship atop a Falcon 9 rocket, under the command of billionaire CEO of Shift4 Payments Jared Isaacman.

The other three on-board will be Sian Proctor, a community college educator in Arizona, Chris Sembroski, a former Air Force missileman from Washington, and Hayley Arceneaux, a physician assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee.

Dubbed Inspiration4, its mission is designed primarily to raise awareness and support for the pediatric cancer centre, which successfully treated Arceneaux for bone cancer when she was a child.

Virgin Galactic, meanwhile, is aiming for commercial operations aboard its VSS Unity spacecraft to begin next year, following testing and several months of downtime for maintenance and other upgrades.

The company is expected to charge more than $250,000 for new reservations but has not announced final pricing. Bezos is expected to charge about $200,000 for a ticket with Blue Origin.

The two Bezos brothers will be part of a crew of six on New Shepard, along with the highest bidder from the public auction. The remaining places will be taken by Blue Origin staff.

According to the company's website, the highest bid from the public for the exclusive spot is $28 million, although the winning bidder decided to delay and go on a later flight.

Blue Origin touts itself as a means to provide cheaper access to space through the use of reusable rockets  specifically the New Shepard, which has already flown 15 times.

This is similar to the mission of SpaceX, which has already moved on to orbital and larger format rockets and successfully launched astronauts to the space station.

The Blue Origin New Shepherd rocket's sole mission is to take tourists to space, who would travel inside a sleek, white capsule atop the vehicle.

The capsule is designed with the iconic Blue Origin feather across the exterior and inside are six reclining seats that mirror those inside a helicopter.

Blue Origin's grand plans are to send tourists who pay vast amounts of money 62 miles above Earth's surface as they float in orbit.

At this altitude, passengers will experience weightlessness due to the zero gravity and see the curve of the planet with the darkness of space as the backdrop.

This is similar to the mission profile of Virgin Galactic, which, instead of launching its spaceship from the ground on a large rocket, flies up 44,000ft on a mothership, is released and then fires rockets to travel up to about 60 miles altitude.

Bezos has bigger ambitions for Blue Origin, with the New Glenn rocket currently scheduled for launch in 2022, it is a two stage launch vehicle enabling heavier lift launches to orbit and even reach the moon.

The firm are also working on New Armstrong, named after the first man to walk on the Moon, but haven't unveiled any specific details about the rocket.

Speculation is that it will have a larger profile than New Glenn, able to carry more.

Unlike Musk, whose very public goal is to make humanity a multi-planetary species with bases on Mars by 2050, Bezos is a supporter of larger space stations with artificial habitats, which could be one of the reasons for the rumoured development of the larger New Armstrong rocket.
While Apple touts the security and privacy of its iPhones, shocking new evidence indicates malware deployed by authoritarian regimes around the world was easily able to overcome even the most current security defenses.

In a damning new report, Amnesty International and Paris-based Forbidden Stories, which publishes the work of threatened journalists, claim they found so-called 'zero-click' attacks running this month on a fully updated iPhone 12 running iOS 14.6, Apple's most recent upgrade.

Unlike other forms of malware, zero-click attacks don't require any interaction from the victim.

The report found Pegasus, a spyware program developed by Israeli company NSO, on an unnamed Indian journalist's iPhone XR this month running on iOS 14.6.

The malware was also found this month on an activist's iPhone X with the same upgrade.

'These most recent discoveries indicate NSO Group's customers are currently able to remotely compromise all recent iPhone models and versions of iOS,' the report indicated, adding that 'thousands of iPhones have potentially been compromised.'

Amnesty and Forbidden Stories say they have reported their findings to Apple, 'who informed us they are investigating the matter.'

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A new report from Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories reveals iPhones are vulnerable to attacks by Pegasus spyware, which can be disguised in a text message from a contact and requires no interaction from the victim

In an independent review, Citizen Lab confirmed NSO's Pegasus spyware was deployed on an iPhone 12 Pro Max running iOS 14.6.

It also identified zero-click iMessage attacks installing Pegasus on an iPhone SE2 phone running iOS 14.4 and an iPhone SE2 device running iOS 14.0.1, Bleeping Computer reported.

The Washington Post reports that an iPhone 11 belonging to Claude Mangin was among those compromised.

Mangin is the French wife of Naama Asfari, a Saharawi activist working for self-determination in Western Sahara who has spent 10 years jailed as a political prisoner in Morocco.

While Apple has long touted the iPhone's superior security compared to Androids, 34 out of 37 phones that were infected with Pegasus were iPhones

The spyware attack 'made no sound. It produced no image. It offered no warning of any kind as an iMessage from somebody she didn't know delivered malware directly onto her phone  and past Apple's security systems,' the Post reported.

Mangin had believed using Apple smartphones would keep her safer from hackers, but Pegasus also showed up on an iPhone 6s she borrowed after learning her main phone was compromised.

The findings are a major blow to Apple's reputation for superior security compared other smartphones.

According to the report, Amnesty's Security Lab examined 67 smartphones whose numbers were among the 50,000 that appeared on the leaked list and found 'evidence of Pegasus infections or attempts at infections' in 37 of them.

Of those, all but three were iPhones23 showed signs of a successful Pegasus infection and 11 showed signs of attempted infection.

While its not entirely clear how Pegasus conducts its 'zero-click' attacks, experts believe functions including Photos, WhatsApp, iMessage and Apple Music are vulnerable and can give the program access to victims' location, videos and photos, messages, contact list and more

Amnesty investigators said the relatively little evidence of attempted 'zero-click' attacks on Android phones is mostly likely because Android's records 'are not comprehensive enough to store the information needed for conclusive results,' the Post reported.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Apple said Pegasus attacks 'are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users.'

'For over a decade, Apple has led the industry in security innovation and, as a result, security researchers agree iPhone is the safest, most secure consumer mobile device on the market,' the company said.

'Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals.'

Nevertheless the firm promised to continue 'to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data.'

Apple recently boosted iMessage security with a feature called BlastDoor, which isolates and 'unpacks' suspicious messages before they can retrieve user data or damage the core operating system.

BlastDoor was developed by Apple 'after several security researchers had pointed out in the past that the iMessage service was doing a poor job of sanitizing incoming user data,' ZDNet reported, citing numerous instances in recent years where both researchers and hackers exploited bugs in iMessage to take remote control of an iPhone 'just by sending a simple text, photo, or video to someone's device.'

'We have seen Pegasus deployed through iMessage against Apple's latest version of iOS, so it's pretty clear that NSO can beat BlastDoor,' Citizen Lab's Bill Marczak told The Guardian. 'Of course, developing security features is still important. Each new measure raises the cost to hack devices, which can price out less sophisticated attackers.'

Pegasus was found on iPhone 12s with iOS 14.6, the most recent upgrade. Its believed authoritative regimes are using the spyware to track journalists, activists and rival politicians

Other points of entry for Pegasus may be through WhatsApp, Apple Music and Photos, Apple Insider reported.

Processes called "bh" have been linked to Pegasus installations and evidence shows, in some cases, an Apple process for the Photos app called 'mobileslideshow' was used before a 'bh' process was deployed.

Devices that are successfully hacked by Pegasus are effectively turned into 24-hour monitoring devices, allowing whoever sent the virus to keep constant tabs on them.

Hackers are given full access to all the phone's data, including previous text messages and contact lists, along with stored audio, video and photo files.

They are able to take over the phone's camera to record video, turn on the microphone to record audio, and can record any new calls made or received.

Hackers can even access the phone's location data to see where the owner has been and potentially who they met with.

NSO Group, a private Israeli firm, maintains Pegasus is made available to law enforcement and military and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records in order to track terrorists and other criminals.

Apple recently boosted iMessage security with a feature called BlastDoor, which isolates and 'unpacks' suspicious messages before they can retrieve user data or damage the core operating system

But among the numbers on the list are journalists for media organizations around the world including Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America.

The Washington Post said phone numbers also belonged to heads of state and prime ministers, members of Arab royal families, diplomats and politicians, as well as activists and business executives.

The list did not identify which clients had entered the numbers on it, but the report said many were clustered within 10 countriesAzerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In a response, NSO criticized the report as 'full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.'

NSO criticized a new report by Amnesty International that its spyware program Pegasus was being used to track journalists and activists, calling it 'full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories'

'Our technologies are being used every day to break up pedophilia rings, sex and drug-trafficking rings, locate missing and kidnapped children, locate survivors trapped under collapsed buildings, and protect airspace against disruptive penetration by dangerous drones,' the company said.

'Simply put, NSO Group is on a life-saving mission, and the company will faithfully execute this mission undeterred, despite any and all continued attempts to discredit it on false grounds.'

NSO stipulated it would nonetheless 'continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action.'

After a year of flight control system development and mechanical design and then 6 months build, we're really happy to... Posted by JetPack Aviation on Friday, July 16, 2021
Sensational radio images of jets pouring from a supermassive black hole have helped astronomers confirm 'little' black holes act the same way as the largest ones.

The Event Horizon Telescope, a global network of radio telescopes, captured details of the giant black hole at the heart of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A.

The same team were the first to directly image a black hole when they photographed the gargantuan stellar phenomenon Messier 87 in 2019.

The team, including astronomers from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, pointed radio telescopes at the massive jets of plasma coming from the centre of galaxy Centaurus A, which is about 13 million light years from the Earth.

The data shows the jet launched by the back hole is brighter at the edges than the centre, something also seen in other black hole jets, but never so pronounced.

They say that the new images and data gathered will allow future, high resolution direct imaging of the black hole itself, using future space-based telescopes.

Authors also found that their observations match what would be expected form Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity and suggest that the largest supermassive black holes are 'scaled up versions' of smaller black holes.

Study authors compared jets from the black hole in Centaurus A to that coming from the much larger black hole of M87 and found they behaved in a similar way

CENTAURUS A: RADIO GALAXY 13 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY The radio galaxy Centaurus A is 13 million light years from the Earth. It is in the constellation of Centaurus and only visible from the southern hemisphere and low northern hemisphere latitudes. It was first discovered in 1826 by Australia-based Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. The galaxy is one of the closest radio galaxies to the Earth and so its active galactic nucleus has been studied widely in various resolutions. There is debate over whether it is a lenticular galaxy or a giant elliptical galaxy. Advertisement

At the centre of Centaurus A lies a black hole with the mass of 55 million suns, right between the mass of the Messier 87 black hole at six and a half billion suns, and Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way at about 4 million suns.

The supermassive black hole at the centre has been extensively studied, in part due to the relativistic jet emitted and visible in X-ray and radio wavelengths.

Compared to all previous high-resolution observations, they have now capture the jet at a tenfold higher frequency and sixteen times sharper resolution.

The 'resolving power' of the telescope is so high that they could pinpoint the origin of the jet to the centre of the black hole itself.

A magnification fact of one billion.

Supermassive black holes residing in the centre of galaxies like Centaurus A are feeding off gas and dust that is attracted by their enormous gravitational pull.

This process releases massive amounts of energy and the galaxy is said to become active. Most matter lying close to the edge of the black hole falls in.

However, some of the surrounding particles escape moments before capture and are blown far out into space at speeds approaching the speed of light.

These jets, one of the most mysterious and energetic features of galaxies, are born from this escaping particles.

Astronomers have relied on different models of how matter behaves near the black hole to better understand this process.

They don't know exactly how jets are launched from the central region of a galaxy or how they extend over scales larger than their host galaxies without dispersing.

The EHT aims to resolve this mystery and learn more about black holes, as well as why the edges of the jets appear brighter than the central areas.

'Now we are able to rule out theoretical jet models that are unable to reproduce this edge-brightening,' said Matthias Kadler from the University of Wurzburg in Germany.

The jets coming from Centaurus A are so large that when viewed from a radio telescope they cover an area of the sky as large as the moon

Studying the jet from Centaurus A allowed the team to predict exactly where the black hole will be, which can be used by space based observatories to directly image the phenomenon

KEY FINDINGS: LARGE BLACK HOLES BEHAVE SIMILAR TO SMALLER BLACK HOLES High-resolution radio observations of a jet of plasma emitted from a supermassive black hole match predictions expected from Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. They made this discovery down to a scale of less than a lightday. These findings suggest that black holes behave similarly over a wide range of masses. Astronomers turned their radio telescopes toward Centaurus A, the nearest active galaxy to Earth with a strong plasma jet. The first direct image of a black hole was at the centre of M87, with a mass of over 6 billion times the sun. Galaxy Centaurus A is less massive than M87 and its supermassive black hole accumulates only a fraction of the material as the one in M87. Centaurus A bridges the gap between the behemoth black hole in M87 and the one in the Milky Way galaxy. Peering down to 0.6 lightdays away from the black hole, the authors found that the jet appears as a hollow bi-cone with bright edges. They observed that the overall geometry and properties of the jet bear a striking resemblance to those of the jet in M87, as well as to jets launched by smaller black holes. This finding supports the idea that massive black holes are scaled-up versions of their lighter counterparts. Advertisement

'Its a striking feature that will help us better understand jets produced by black holes,' the TANAMI leader and professor for astrophysics explained.

With the new EHT observations of the Centaurus A jet, the likely location of the black hole has been identified at the launching point of the jet.

Based on this location, the researchers predict that future observations at an even shorter wavelength and higher resolution would be able to photograph the central black hole of Centaurus A.

This will require the use of space-based satellite observatories, as data from Earth telescopes aren't high enough resolution.

'The new results show that the EHT provides a treasure trove of data on the rich variety of black holes and there is still more to come, says Heino Falcke, EHT board member and professor for Astrophysics at Radboud University.

To observe the Centaurus A galaxy the EHT collaboration used Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), the technique used to image the black hole in M87.

An alliance of eight telescopes around the world joined together to create the virtual Earth-sized Event Horizon Telescope. The EHT collaboration involves more than 300 researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America.

The first image of a black hole - the orange doughnut - in the supergiant elliptical galaxy M87, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope in 2019, revealed remarkable consistency with predictions based on Einsteins theory of general relativity.

It remains unclear whether matter in the vicinity of a less massive black hole or a black hole that accumulates matter less vigorously behaves differently than in M87.

Michael Janssen and colleagues turned their radio telescopes toward Centaurus A, the nearest active galaxy to Earth with a strong plasma jet.

This galaxy is less massive than M87 and its supermassive black hole accumulates only a fraction of the material as the one in M87.

Peering down to 0.6 lightdays away from the black hole, the authors found that the jet appears as a hollow bi-cone with bright edges.

They observed that the overall geometry and properties of the jet bear a striking resemblance to those of the jet in M87, as well as to jets launched by black holes of stellar masses.

This finding supports the idea that massive black holes are scaled-up versions of their lighter counterparts.

The findings have been published in the journal Nature Astornomy.
By uprooting carbon trapped in the soil, wild pigs release some 4.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide across the globe each year, a study has warned.

This is the equivalent of the carbon emissions of 1.1 million cars, said experts from the Universities of Queensland, Australia, and Canterbury, New Zealand.

In their study, the researchers combined predictive population models with advanced mapping techniques to determine the impact of wild pigs on the climate.

The team simulated 10,000 maps of potential wild pig densities across five continents based on existing data on the animals' numbers and distribution.

They then modelled how much soil would be disturbed by these pigs based on previous studies into foraging damage across various climatic conditions.

The findings, the team said, highlight the impact that invasive species like wild pigs can have and the need for better controls to manage the their populations.

Wild pig populations are typically managed using approaches like hunting, baiting, deploying traps and installing barriers to stop their spread into new areas.

By uprooting carbon trapped in the soil, wild pigs release some 4.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide across the globe each year, a study has warned. Pictured: a wild pig

The team simulated 10,000 individual maps of potential wild pig densities across five continents (as pictured) based on existing data on the animals' numbers and distribution

'Wild pigs are just like tractors ploughing through fields, turning over soil to find food,' said paper author and spatial ecologist Christopher O'Bryan of the University of Queensland.

'When soils are disturbed from humans ploughing a field or, in this case, from wild animals uprooting, carbon is released into the atmosphere.'

'Since soil contains nearly three times as much carbon than in the atmosphere, even a small fraction of carbon emitted from soil has the potential to accelerate climate change,' he explained.

According to Dr O'Bryan, the world's growing populations of feral pigs may pose a significant threat to the climate.

'Our models show a wide range of outcomes, but they indicate that wild pigs are most likely currently uprooting an area of around 36,000 to 124,000 square kilometres [1390047,877 square miles], in environments where they're not native.'

'This is an enormous amount of land  and this not only affects soil health and carbon emissions, but it also threatens biodiversity and food security that are crucial for sustainable development.'

The findings, the team said, highlight the impact that invasive species like wild pigs can have and the need for better controls to manage the their populations. Pictured: wild pigs

'Invasive species are a human-caused problem, so we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for their environmental and ecological implications,' said paper author and environmental scientist Nicholas Patton of the University of Canterbury.

'If invasive pigs are allowed to expand into areas with abundant soil carbon, there may be an even greater risk of greenhouse gas emissions in the future.'

'Because wild pigs are prolific and cause widespread damage, they're both costly and challenging to manage.'

'Wild pig control will definitely require cooperation and collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and our work is but one piece of the puzzle, helping managers better understand their impacts.'

'It's clear that more work still needs to be done, but in the interim, we should continue to protect and monitor ecosystems and their soil which are susceptible to invasive species via loss of carbon.'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Global Change Biology.
The makers of a luxury vehicle billed as a 'flying motorcycle' that can travel upwards of 300mph have completed flight testing their first prototype and are ready to take preorders.

Jetpack Aviation envisions its Speedera jet-powered, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraftas both a pleasure craft and a mission vehicle well-suited for medical teams and fire and rescue operations.

The company's P1 prototype has an aluminum chassis and was tethered during recent flight testing in Southern California, where it hit several benchmarks that 'demonstrated the Speeder's ability to take-off, climb, hover, yaw and perform slow transitions into forward flight,' Aerospace Testing International reported.

The Speeder can reach an altitude of up to 15,000 feet and will ultimately be capable of producing a maximum thrust of 1,200 pounds.

With cargo on board, an automated Speeder could hit speeds of 300 mph, though a manned version would be slower so the pilot could safely see and breathe.

The cost of the Speeder was initially reported at $380,000, but that's likely to increase, according to Jetpack Aviation CEO David Mayman.

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Jetpack Aviation cleared the first testing hurtle for the P1 prototype of its Speeder, a jet-powered, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft than will be able to go 300mph

The Speeder is small enough to be transported in a trailer and doesn't need charging before taking off.

And unlike a jetpack, there's not a lot of prep work needed to launch: 'You'd just hop on and fly,' New Atlas reported.

JA is already working on its next iteration, the P1.5, which will use a smaller frame with carbon-fiber body panels.

It will look closer to the final production model and will fly without a tether.

Like Jetpack Aviation's JB-10 and JB-11 jetpacks, the 'flying motorcycle' is powered by mini-turbojet engines. But it will move faster, support up to two passengers and carry heavier loads

The next experimental model, the P2, will have a fully-formed body and small removable wings.

While Speeder prototypes use four engines, the final production model will have up to eight.

JetPack Aviation has received backing from venture capitalist Tim Draper, an early investor in Elon Musk's Tesla and SpaceX, CNBC reported.

Right now the Speeder can be powered by jet fuel, diesel or kerosene, but Mayman is committed to adopting zero-net carbon fuel moving forward.

The company has already nabbed attention with its JB-10 and JB-11 jetpacks, among the only ones on Earth powered by min-turbojet engines.

The Speeder operates on a similar principle, but will move faster, carry heavier loads, and support up to two passengers.

While the Speeder will be available for commercial sale, CEO David Mayman sees it has having a lot of potential with the military, medical teams and fire and rescue operations

It will also be electronically self-stabilized, according to New Atlas, with servo-controlled nozzles 'that can quickly vector the thrust from each jet in 360 degrees to make lightning-quick balance corrections and execute maneuvers.'

The tether used in trials isn't holding the vehicle up, Mayman insists, it's just making sure it doesn't suddenly drop or fly off course.

'Right now we've verified it can take off, climb, do turns. It can hold itself in a stable hover using LiDAR. Nice and accurate,' he told NS. 'It does slowly drift a bit at the moment, maybe a foot over five minutes, but you can give it a decent shove with a pole and it'll wobble and then come right back to where it was.'

Mayman says his goal is to make the Speeder modular, with different types of frames and propulsion setups to serve the different customers. Pictured: An eight-engine 'go-kart' configuration for the Speeder

Mayman says his goal is to make the Speeder modular, with different types of frames and propulsion setups to serve the different needs of customers.

'We've got potential end users in the US Marine Corps that want to be able to fly, say, 300 miles . To do that, you'd need a large wingspan of 15-17 feet,' he said.

'Sometimes, you'll just want to fly the chassis, so it's got to be modular and field-adaptable. For really long-range work, it's possible to use a wet wing with a bladder full of additional fuel in it.'
Climate change has dramatically altered the Swiss Alps by transforming glaciers into nearly 1,200 new lakes since 1850  and 1,000 of them still exist today.

A team of scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) combined aerial photo data of the massive mountain range and years of data on glaciers in Switzerland to determine the inventory of lakes.

The analysis also revealed 180 of the existing lakes had only been created from 2006 through 2016, when 18 new bodies of water appeared each year.

This, Eawag said, is 'visible evidence of climate change in the Alps.'

'On the one hand, we were surprised by the sheer numbers and on the other by the marked acceleration in formation,' Daniel Odermatt, Head of the Remote Sensing Group at the aquatic research institute Eawag, said in a statement:

'At the beginning of the project, we expected a few hundred glacial lakes. Now there are over a thousand, and 180 have been added in the last decade alone.'

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Climate change has dramatically altered the Swiss Alps by transforming glaciers into nearly 1,200 new lakes since 1850  and 1,000 of them still exist today. Pictured is Steisee, Canton of Berne

The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 745 miles across eight European countries of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland.

However, this mighty mountain range has fallen victim to climate change, which has melted massive glaciers into nothing more than pools of water.

According to the scientists, glaciers lost a full two percent of their volume last year alone.

A quarter of the newly formed lakes have either shrunk or disappeared altogether.

The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 745 miles across eight European countries of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland. Pictured is the Aletsch Glacier above Bettmeralp

The analysis also revealed 180 of the existing lakes had only been created from 2006 through 2016, as 18 new bodies of water appeared each year on average. Pictured is Griesseeli, Canton of Uri, between Clariden and Klausenpass

For the study, the team recorded the location, elevation, shape and area of the 1,200 lakes at different times, along with the type and material of the dam, surface drainage and recorded development of the lake.

The assessment showed that there was an initial peak in glacial lake formation in the Swiss Alps between 1946 and 1973, when nearly eight new lakes appeared on average each year.

From there a brief decline was observed, but then picked up again between 2006 and 2016, when 18 new lakes appearing each year on average, while the water surface swelled by over 4,300 square feet annually.

Pictured Michael Pluss, technician at Eawag's department Surface Waters, installs a thermistor chain on Lake Stei (Canton Bern, at the Susten Pass). Through automatic series of measurements of water temperature at various depths over several years, the researchers are gaining a better understanding of the general development of high-alpine lakes and their seasonal fluctuations

The comprehensive inventory was made possible by large troves of data gathered from the Switzerland's glaciers since the mid-19th century.

In total, the researchers were able to draw on data from seven periods between 1850 and 2016.

For each of the 1,200 lakes formed since 1850, the scientists recorded the location, elevation, shape and area of the lake at the different times, as well as the type of material of the dam and surface drainage.

Scientists warned that the growing number of glacial lakes increases the risk of such outbursts and thus the danger of flood waves for the settlements below. Pictured is Griesseeli, Canton of Uri, between Clariden and Klausenpass

Based on this information, researchers can estimate hazards, including the risk of a sudden emptying in the event of a dam failure.

Eawag warned that the growing number of glacial lakes increases the risk of such outbursts and thus the danger of flood waves for the settlements below.

'The new inventory is a valuable basis for the calibration and further development of satellite-based remote sensing,' said Odermatt.

'It also provides a good starting point to monitor and analyze the impact of climate change on glacial lakes.'
Ronald Koeman insists Lionel Messi is a 'prime candidate' and the favourite to win this year's Ballon d'Or award after yet another stunning season for club and country.

Messi, who is currently a free agent, has won the coveted prize on six separate occasions  the most in history  with a seventh potentially taking him two clear of nearest rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

He is once again in the frame for the award after finally winning international silverware with Argentina this summer, which saw him lift the Copa America in Brazil.

Ronald Koeman (right) believes Lionel Messi (left) is the favourite to lift this year's Ballon d'Or

Messi, who is currently a free agent, has already won the coveted prize on six occasions

And while he was only able to lift the Copa del Rey with Barcelona in a poor campaign for the club, Koeman believes his goalscoring exploits for club and country in a difficult season only enhance his chances of winning the award.

'He is vitally important. For what he brings to the team, he's the captain and an example,' the Barca boss told the club's official website. 'His goalscoring has been brilliant despite a difficult start.

'He has shown time and again he is the best in the world. I know how much he wanted to win the Copa America and he has done it at last.

'Messi is the prime candidate for the Ballon d'Or after a great season and, for me, he is the favourite.'

Messi scored four goals during the Copa America as he captained them to glory this month

Koeman is confident the Argentine will re-sign with the club after seeing his last contract at the Nou Camp expire on June 30.

And with the Catalan side on the verge of tying him down to a new deal, the Dutch boss will be counting on Messi's goals from next season and beyond.

Messi scored 38 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona last season, including 30 in LaLiga, which saw him win the league's top-scorer Pichichi award for an eighth time  the most in history.

His 14 assists also saw him take Barca to a third-place finish while they managed to not go trophyless despite the well-documented fallout of the club's board earlier on in the campaign.

The 34-year-old managed to carry his typically sublime form onto the international stage, where his four goals and five assists in seven matches saw him win the Copa America and the Player of the Tournament award to go with it.

Messi scored 38 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona last season

Now, after a gruelling season, Messi is taking some time off with his family, including his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and three sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, in the United States and he is expected to return to Barcelona later this month to sign a new five-year contract.

As Sportsmail revealed last week, the contract will see Messi take a 50 per cent pay cut to remain with the club he has been with since 2000 - amassing 778 games and scoring 672 goals.

He will now stay at the Nou Camp until he is 39 and will help the club with their cost cutting following warnings from LaLiga president Javier Tebas who says their spending must continue to be reduced drastically before Messi can be registered.
A married Everton player has been arrested on suspicion of child sex offences.

The experienced international star, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been suspended by his club while police investigate the allegations.

He was arrested last Friday by Greater Manchester Police before being released on bail.

Detectives raided his near 2million home earlier this month in search of evidence.

A spokesman for his club Everton said: 'We can confirm we have suspended a first-team player'

Everton made its statement on its official website and gave no further details on the situation

A source said: 'Several items were seized by cops. He was questioned in relation to very serious offences.'

The player returned to his home on Friday night after being allowed to leave the police station where he was questioned.

News of the arrest has shocked the Premier League. The competition's next season is set to start in under four weeks time.

The source added that the news had 'stunned the dressing room' and that the player had since 'gone to ground' after being suspended.

A married Everton player was arrested last Friday on suspicion of child sex offences

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: 'Officers arrested a man on Friday 16 July 2021 on suspicion of child sex offences. He is on police bail pending further enquiries.'

A spokesman for his club said: 'We can confirm we have suspended a first-team player pending a police investigation.

'The club will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time.'

On Monday night, the player's agent declined to comment.
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Gorgeous images of night skies around the world have been captured by photographer Morteza Safataj - and some of the sensational snaps took a year to plan.

Safataj has shot photos across Iran and scouted the perfect Milky Way locations to make the night sky pop across national parks in Texas, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and California.

Originally from Iran but now a US citizen, Safataj creates and balances shadows in the foregrounds of his photos, which make the backdrop of the starry skies seem all the more theatrical.

Moment of reflection: Gorgeous views of night skies around the world have been captured by photographer Morteza Safataj. The skilled photographer can be seen in the foreground of this shot, taken in Arizona

LEFT: The Milky Way over a field of Texas wildflowers. RIGHT: A stunning capture of Joshua Trees in California taken while Safataj was on a road trip

A long-exposure shot of the night sky above a valley close to the city of The Dalles in Oregon. Safataj's friend drove his truck on the highway four times in order to get the perfect shot of the car-light trace

The perfect shot can be captured in 30 minutes, but pre-production can take weeks.

Safataj said: 'Finding the spot, aligning the Milky Way with the perfect foreground is a matter of days and weeks.

'I first searched on the internet to find unique spots in nature and then calculated to see when the Milky Way aligned with the scenery a year in advance.

'Then I plan the trip for the next year and go to the spot during the day and scout the area to find the perfect composition using a night sky application that shows where, and at what time, the Milky Way will be visible.

Strike a pose: One of Safataj's friends does a spot of late-night yoga amid a unique rock formation in the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico with the Milky Way shimmering above

A stunning composition of the night sky, in which the Milky Way and the moon can be seen, taken at Big Bend National Park in Texas

Golden shot: The Milky Way puts on an incredible show over a salt lake between the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan in Iran

This shot was taken at Badab-e Surt, Iran's terraced hot springs. Safataj says of his night sky photography: 'With today's technology we are able to capture night sceneries that we would never see with the naked eye'

'After a day of scouting I will get back to the spot during the night and start taking the perfect photo.

'Imagine with all these plans and scouting the weather turns out to be cloudy, and then I have to come back to the location another night or even another year.'

Safataj revealed that despite the potential frustrations, he finds night sky photography exciting.

He said: 'One thing that inspired me was the challenge of capturing the landscape in low light under the night sky.

'With today's technology we are able to capture night sceneries that we would never see with the naked eye.

'Combining the technology with my artistic vision enabled me to show some part of the beauty of our planet earth under the Milky Way galaxy that most people won't get a chance to see.'

A local photographer drove this dirt road in the Valley of the Gods, Utah, to allow Safataj to shoot the vehicle's bright lights and add another magical element to the scene

Safataj ventured out to snap a starry night sky in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, after a fresh blanket of snow

LEFT: Safataj often shoots at Big Bend National Park in Texas, which he has called one of the 'largest, darkest, most remote parks'. Here the Milky Way really comes alive. RIGHT: The Milky Way over Mount Sabalan, an inactive stratovolcano in Iran

A windmill silhouetted against a glittering night sky at Big Bend National Park in Texas. Safataj says of his work: 'Combining technology with my artistic vision enabled me to show the beauty of our planet earth under the Milky Way galaxy that most people won't get a chance to see'

Along with night skies, weddings are another one of Safataj's specialities - he runs a wedding photography business. Pictured, a long-exposure photo taken at Big Bend National Park in Texas

Houston-based Safataj puts his stunning photos on his Instagram account - @safatajphoto - where he has 36.5k followers.

His favourite photo is one he took of the Milky Way over Rowena Crest Viewpoint in Oregon.

Safataj, who is the co-founder of a wedding photography studio and is the Director of Photography at a marketing agency, said: 'I spent a few days exploring Oregon's night sky. I'm glad that for the majority of the nights, the sky was clear.

'I had a great experience that night. Scouting different locations the whole day helped me shoot the best possible compositions.

'That night, my friend drove his truck on this highway four times in order to get the best car-light trace.'

To see more of Safataj's work visit his Instagram and Facebook pages.

It's not always stars and galaxies. Safataj snapped this electrifying thunderstorm over Lake Urmia in Iran

The ultimate selfie: Safataj shot this mesmerising self-portrait while exploring Vedauwoo, an area of unique rock formations located in southeastern Wyoming

The night sky glitters above the Rio Grande River at Big Bend National Park in Texas, while Safataj can be seen setting up his photography gear

These cross-shaped silhouettes make for a haunting photo at Terlingua Cemetery in West Texas

Houston-based Safataj puts his stunning photos on his Instagram account - @safatajphoto - where he has 36.5k followers. Above, Safataj shot the Perseids, which Nasa describes as 'the best meteor shower of the year', while in Meshgin Shahr in northwest Iran
Friends feared former Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger's life was on a 'downard spiral' before he was charged with possessing methamphetamine - the deadly drug ice.

A chiseled Adonis on the outside, Pledger allegedly set off alarm bells late last year while in Sydney filming Channel 7's The All New Monty: Guys & Gals.

A glorified strip show, Pledger appeared to relish his time getting his gear off on camera for his adoring fans.

Pledger's Home and Away character Mason Morgan (left) was killed off in the 2019 season finale. He was caught by uniformed police allegedly in possession of meth.

Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger appeared in Channel 7's The All New Monty: Guys & Gals last year

Pledger quit Home And Away in 2019 after deciding he wanted to pursue a career in music. He is pictured here with his former co-star Olivia Deeble

His Home And Away character had been killed off in 2019 and Covid had seen Pledger reinvent himself as an Instagram star and part-time music producer.

In October, he made headlines when he announced a new love interest and Pledger was reportedly 'the most happiest' he'd been in a long while.

But last month the 28-year-old raised eyebrows when he revealed a lot more than he bargained for while filming himself in the shower.

Pledger briefly exposed his manhood in the raunchy clip.

He had been showing off his jacked physique before stepping out naked and preening in front of the bathroom mirror.

While laughed off at the time as a playful mishap, Daily Mail Australia has been told those closest to Pledger held deep concerns for his welfare.

On Wednesday, Pledger appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on two counts of drug possession.

Police had arrested him on February 19 in Prahran - just outside of Melbourne's CBD - where he was allegedly found with a little over half a gram of meth and 30 Diazepam tablets.

Pledger appeared in court via videolink with his cat

Pledger in Channel 7's The All New Monty: Guys & Gals

LIFE AND TIMES OF HOME AND AWAY HUNK 2002: Aged 8, Pledger starred in short film Lamb. 2004: Appears in science fiction children's series Silversun. 2011: Pledger joined the cast of Neighbours as student Noah Parkin in a recurring role. 2014: Pledger appeared in the Nine Network television film Schapelle - on the life of drug runner Schapelle Corby. 2015: Pledger joins Home and Away as Mason Morgan. 2019: His character is killed off and he announces a new career in music. Advertisement

He asked the magistrate to 'be gentle' on him during a bizarre court appearance which saw him suck from a vape and stroke a black cat.

A source close to Pledger, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia this week the actor had been struggling since leaving Home And Away in 2019.

'Orpheus has been exerting this problematic behaviour for a while, since he relocated back to Melbourne after his character was killed off,' the source said.

This increasingly unpredictable and worrisome behaviour continued with his split from his partner late last year, sources said.

Pledger had appeared in court before Magistrate Hugh Radford via videolink from his loungeroom- due to Victoria's ongoing Covid-19 threat.

Dressed in a black t-shirt and wearing dark spectacles, Pledger's cat could be seen wandering past as he asked for his matter to be adjourned to allow him to seek legal advice.

Pledger contested details of his alleged offending be released to the media.

'Well, seeing as though I don't have counsel present, I would like to keep things out of the media until the matter is resolved,' he told the magistrate.

Sources claim they have been worried about Pledger's since his character was killed off in 2019

'That well may be your wish,' Mr Radford replied, 'but the issue is ... if we were in normal times, the media is quite entitled to sit at the back of the court ... so I don't believe I could restrict them from at least obtaining a copy of the charges.'

A despondent Pledger reluctantly accepted the magistrate's call, before pleading for mercy.

'Be gentle, your honour,' he said.
She can currently be seen on the big screen in the pandemic-era blockbuster F9.

But Jordana Brewster took a break from the hustle and bustle of fame on Sunday for a low-key lunch with her two young boys.

The 41-year-old actress was spotted leaving the Brentwood Country Mart in a lovely floral-print smock dress with sons Julian, seven, and Rowan, five, in tow.

Sunday outing: Jordana Brewster, 41, looked flawless in a floral-print smock dress while visiting the Brentwood Country Mart for lunch with her sons Julian, seven, and Rowan, five

Jordana's sunny outfit featured puffy long sleeves and was ruched around her slim midriff.

The dress appears to be a favorite of the Fast & Furious franchise star, as she previously wore it on another trip to the Brentwood Country Mart late last month.

The short dress highlighted her toned and tanned legs, and she stayed comfortable in tan sandals with silvery straps.

The Faculty actress accessorized with a large brown handbag, plus brilliant blue earrings and tortoiseshell sunglasses.

She wore a black mask on her way back to the car and would have had to wear in indoors, as Los Angeles Country reintroduced its indoor mask mandate amid rising Covid-19 cases and the spread of the deadlier and more contagious Delta variant.

Accessorized: She paired her summery dress with silvery flip flops and a brown handbag

Doting parent: She helped Rowan into her SUV while Julian stood behind and munched on some candy

Jordana held held Rowan's wrist as they headed to their vehicle.

He wore a smart white button-up shirt with a modest pattern, plus khaki shorts and black flip flops.

Julian lagged behind his mother while snacking on some candy.

He wore a navy blue polo shirt and jean shorts with gray crocs, along with a black mask that he'd pulled under his chin while munching.

After they were finished, Jordana helped get her boys buckled up in her SUV before heading out.

MIA: Seemingly missing from the actress' outing was her boyfriend Mason Morfit, whom she has dated for a year. They first met two years before the dissolution of her marriage; seen June 26

Seemingly missing from the actress' outing was her boyfriend Mason Morfit.

The two lovebirds have been romantically linked for roughly a year and are often spotted out together.

Prior to coupling up with the venture capitalist, she was in a long-term relationship with her now-estranged husband, Andrew Form.

The former couple initially met on the set of the 2006 feature The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, in which she starred.

The two moved quickly, and they went on to announce their engagement the year that the slasher prequel was released.

Brewster and Form eventually tied the knot during a 2007 ceremony that was held in The Bahamas.

Despite welcoming their two sons, the couple eventually separated, and the Dallas actress filed for divorce from Form last summer.

Former flame: Prior to becoming involved with the entrepreneur, Brewster was married to producer Andrew Form; seen at the 2018 premiere of A Quiet Place

Last month, she penned an essay for Glamour in which she opened up about her relationship failures and her new love Mason.

'Most of why my marriage didnt work was not my ex-husbands fault. He loves work. He loves being on set, on location. I knew this from ages 27 to 32, but it became a problem for me once the kids were older. I wanted a partner,' she wrote.

'So, toward the beginning of the pandemic, Andrew and I decided to separate. The combination of being apart for most of the year for many years and growing apart emotionally took its toll.'

She recounted how she met Mason at a lunch two years before which was attended by her then-husband. Once they had separated, the memory of their single meeting was so tantalizing that she decided to visit him to see if there were any sparks.

'Four days after I separated from Andrew, I was on a plane to San Francisco to visit this man I had met only once but who had stayed on my mind. I knew hed been separated for two years. I wanted to see him, to confirm whether the image Id built up in my mind matched reality. What I got was far more than I expected.'
A tabloid magazine has claimed Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell are expecting their second child, just four months after welcoming daughter Grace Warrior.

Bindi, the 22-year-old daughter of late conservationist Steve Irwin, is said to be 'walking on air' after learning of her pregnancy, Woman's Day reported on Monday.

The article states her break from social media last month was to 'hide her pregnancy' - although she claimed at the time she was logging off to focus on her mental health.

Unverified claims: A tabloid magazine has claimed Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell are expecting their second child, just four months after welcoming daughter Grace Warrior

'Bindi and Chandler knew they wanted a bunch of kids and they feel there's no reason to wait,' a source told the publication.

Bindi is apparently convinced she's having a baby boy this time around, the insider claimed, and will honour her late Crocodile Hunter father by naming him Steve.

Another source alleged the young couple are considering a move to Oregon - where Bindi's mother Terri hails from - in pursuit of a more 'peaceful life'.

'It has the added benefit of being a coast-to-coast flight for Chandler's parents, who deserve to know Grace. Chandler wants his daughter to have dual citizenship, and living in America would help that along,' they said.

Speculation: Bindi, the 22-year-old daughter of late conservationist Steve Irwin, is said to be 'walking on air' after learning of her pregnancy, Woman's Day reported on Monday. Pictured in her daughter Grace's nursery earlier this year

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Australia Zoo for comment.

The Irwin family feud was blasted wide open last month, after Bindi spoke about her strained relationship with her grandfather Bob, 82, in a scathing Facebook post.

She sensationally claimed Bob - who is Steve's father - had shown 'no interest in spending time with me or my family'.

Rift: The Irwin family feud was blasted wide open last month, after Bindi she spoke about her strained relationship with her grandfather Bob, 82, (pictured) in a scathing Facebook post

Public post: When one fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather Bob, Bindi gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship (pictured)

'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 claimed.

Bindi went on to allege that Bob had 'returned gifts I've sent after he opened them' and ignored any letters sent from her.

'From the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,' she continued.

'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.'

She went on to say that her mother Terri Irwin still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but claims they have received no reply.

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he returned from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week,' she added.

'We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing.

'I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all care for your own mental health. I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.'

Dispute: Following her harsh post, members of Bob's inner circle fired back at Bindi. Pictured: Terri Irwin with her children, Bindi and Robert, alongside Bob Irwin Snr (right) at a memorial for the late Steve Irwin at Australia Zoo in Queensland on September 20, 2006

Following her harsh post, members of Bob's inner circle fired back at Bindi.

Bethany Wheeler, another granddaughter of Bob's by marriage, declared on Facebook: 'The time has come to speak up.'

Ms Wheeler, whose stepmother Mandy is Bob's daughter, defended her grandfather's character, calling him 'one of the most genuinely beautiful humans on this planet' who has 'never spoken out or put down anybody'.

Amanda French, a family friend who co-wrote Bob's 2016 autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter, also accused Bindi of assassinating her grandfather's character.

'To read the sad comments online today has sickened me, and people who are closest to him,' Ms French wrote on Facebook.

She described Bob as 'kind, gentle, generous and extremely f**king introverted'.
On Sunday night, Tara begged farmer Matt Trewin to come back to the show to again compete for his heart.

But as she tries to return to Farmer Wants A Wife, another bride is set for a shock departure, according to New Idea.

One of Farmer Will's three remaining women - Jessica, Jaimee and Kristina - will leave the 39-year-old's farm in Longwood, Victoria, in an upcoming episode.

Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone: One of Farmer Will's (pictured) three remaining women will leave the 39-year-old's farm in Longwood, Victoria, in an upcoming episode

In the episode, Will returns from a yabby-catching date with two of the women to find the third has absconded without telling anyone.

'I don't think she would've just packed up and left,' says the confused cattle farmer.

However, after reaching the woman on the phone, he admits: 'All I know is that she is safe and no longer here.'

'I'm incredibly lucky with the girls I have here,' he adds of the two remaining women.

Who will depart? In the episode, Will returns from a yabby-catching date with two of the women to find the third has absconded without telling anyone. Pictured: Will with [L-R] Jessica, Kristina and Jaimee

Meanwhile, another contestant, Tara, dramatically quit the show last Wednesday after the object of her affection, Matt Trewin, kissed another woman during a date at a watering hole.

However, by Sunday the Farmer Wants a Wife 'frontrunner' shocked viewers when she begged the beef and fodder farmer to let her back into the competition.

The 25-year-old blonde admitted she made a 'really big mistake' and 'lost sight of the bigger picture'.

Regrets: Farmer Wants a Wife's Tara (pictured), 25, admitted she made a 'big mistake' by leaving - as she asked farmer Matt Trewin to let her BACK on the show on Sunday's episode

Dressed in a plunging red frock, an emotional Tara pulled Matt, 26, aside to confess.

'I lost sight of the bigger picture of what could come out of this,' she began.

'I do obviously get scared of showing my emotions and my feelings, and I have to be vulnerable in this now, and I've always been scared of being vulnerable because that's when you get hurt.'

While he understood, Matt said that the farmers and the contestants 'come into this knowing what we're here for' and confessed to having put his 'heart on the line'.

Confessional: 'I lost sight of the bigger picture of what could come out of this,' she told Matt (right), 26. 'I do obviously get scared of showing my emotions and my feelings,' Tara continued

Still in the running to capture his heart: While he understood, Matt said that the farmers and the contestants 'come into this knowing what we're here for' and confessed to having put his 'heart on the line'. Despite his remarks, he chose to allow Tara back on the show

Despite his remarks, he chose to allow Tara back on the show, leaving the other ladies less than impressed.

In a piece to camera, Tara said that she knew she was 'making a really big mistake by leaving'.

'I didn't allow myself to probably fully feel all of the emotions that I should have been feeling, because I was kind of hiding them. I was so worried about stepping on other people's toes,' she continued.

Tara dramatically walked away from the farm on Wednesday's episode after Matt kissed Tara's competitor Alex during a steamy watering hole date.

Gone: Tara (right) dramatically walked away from Matt's farm on Wednesday night's episode

Catalyst: The split occurred after Matt kissed another woman (pictured) during a steamy date at a watering hole

After learning of the passionate clinch, Tara told Matt, 'I think I need to go home.'

Following her exit, Matt admitted to being a 'bit speechless to be honest'.

'What really hurt the most was watching her drive away. That's when I realised you don't know what you've got until it's gone,' he said.

So close: The shock departure came after Matt opened up about his personal heartbreak on a date with Tara on an episode the previous week

The shock departure came after Matt opened up about his personal heartbreak on a date with Tara on an episode the previous week.

Matt spoke about his late father's battle with cancer during a heart-to-heart with the blonde.

He said he was a proud fourth-generation farmer, and wanted to ask Tara if she'd be happy moving to his farm in Orbost, regional Victoria.

'It tears you apart': Matt admitted he was still 'torn apart' as he spoke to Tara about his late father's heartbreaking cancer battle

'You know, I'm the fourth generation now on the farm, on the family farm... and I reckon I couldn't give that up,' he told her.

Tara said she understood Matt would want someone to move to his farm, and reassured him moving wasn't an obstacle.

Matt went on to speak about his father's death, saying 'life will never be the same'.

'So recently dad has passed away with cancer. Life's never going to be the same,' he began.

'It tears you apart, losing your best friend, let alone your father. Yeah, it's heartbreaking, but I know he'd be super proud watching over me.'

Heart-to-heart: Matt said he was a proud fourth-generation farmer, and wanted to ask Tara if she'd be happy moving to his farm in Orbost, regional Victoria

Matt said he was 'very attracted' to Tara but wanted her to 'open up a bit more'.

He revealed that when he's with Tara, he gets a 'warm fuzzy feeling' inside - which is what his parents used to tell him he'd feel when falling in love.

'There's feelings there and that fuzzy warm feeling there... I'm getting that fuzzy warm feeling dad used to talk about,' Matt confessed.

'Dad said, 'When I met your mother I was blown away and had this fuzzy feeling'.

'He said, 'You'll know one day when you get it'... I think I'm in the same boat here.'

Farmer Wants a Wife continues Monday at 7pm on Channel Seven
He will celebrate his 53rd birthday in the coming months.

But Hugh Jackman proved he's still young at heart as he put on an animated display while stepping out in New York City on Thursday.

The X-Men star, 52, threw the peace sign to onlookers before getting into his car.

The Greatest Showman! He may soon be turning 53, but Hugh Jackman proved he's still young at heart on Thursday as he put on an animated display while stepping out in New York City

Hugh looked stylish in navy pants and a matching jumper as he clutched a jacket.

The actor teamed his ensemble with a pair of comfortable black boots and covered his face with a surgical mask.

Before getting into a waiting car, Hugh had a chat to a security guard standing at the front of the building.

Friendly: Before getting into a waiting car, Hugh had a chat to a security guard standing at the front of the building

Hugh returned to the United States earlier this month after a short stint in Australia.

He enjoyed just a week and a half of freedom in Sydney after completing 14 days of hotel quarantine.

He is believed to have cut short his visit to his home city after an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta strain of Covid led to another lockdown.

Style: Hugh looked stylish in navy pants and a matching jumper as he clutched a jacket

The Greatest Showman star has lived in NYC with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, and their children, Oscar, 21, and Ava, 16, since 2008.

Last year, Hugh revealed he was homesick for Australia after a lengthy lockdown in New York due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Deborra-Lee and the couple's children had initially been in Melbourne when Covid-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2019.

But they returned to the U.S. just four days later in order to keep the family together.
She is an ethereal beauty who regularly walks the runways of Fashion Weeks the world over, and has appeared in films alongside Harrison Ford and Will Smith.

And Amber Valletta was a vision in white on Sunday, when she was seen in athleisure wear heading to the gym in Los Angeles, California.

The supermodel and actress, 47, sported a long sleeve white crop top that showed off a sliver of her taught midriff.

Fresh-faced beauty: Amber Valletta was a vision in white on Sunday, when she was seen in athleisure wear heading to the gym in Los Angeles

She paired this with pale white-pink sweatpants from Nike.

On her feet, the Hitch star walked along in red and white ASICS trainers.

She shouldered a black person carried a pink water bottle.

The runway star smiled subtly in the sunshine, showing off her alabaster complexion and fresh face without a speck of makeup.

Hint of abs: The supermodel and actress, 47, sported a long sleeve white crop top by Eterne that showed off a sliver of her taught midriff

The mother of one previously made a splash in Paris, France earlier this month, when she was seen at Paris Fashion Week.

The 5ft10in beauty was gorgeous at the Louis Vuitton Foundation dinner on July 5, wearing a stunning metallic butterfly top and black slacks.

And the day before, she dominated the runway during the Off-White Fall/Winter 2021/2022 show.

For that runway, Amber wore a pale blue leather blazer and skirt set.

Stunner: The mother of one previously made a splash in Paris, France earlier this month, when she was seen at Paris Fashion Week

The accessories that came with her ensemble included stunning electric blue pumps and matching earrings along with a fabric handbag.

Valletta, who shares 20-year-old son Auden McCaw with her volleyball player ex-husband Christian McCaw, made her screen debut in the 2000 Robert Zemeckis thriller What Lies Beneath opposite Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer.

She has backed away from much acting in recent years, appearing in various television series including Hot In Cleveland, Legends and Revenge in 2015.
He just achieved his first number one single in his native Australia after collaborating with Justin Bieber on the the hit song ' Stay'.

And the rapper The Kid Laroi, real name Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard, celebrated the milestone by going sailing with his girlfriend Katarina Deme over the weekend.

Katarina shared a number of photos of the pair on the boat, basking in the sunshine together.

The love boat! The Kid Laroi went sailing on a yacht with his stunning girlfriend Katarina Deme over the weekend just days after landing his first No. 1 single in Australia with his Justin Bieber collaboration 'Stay'

The rapper looked every inch the rising star in a black shirt along with a dark pair of sunglasses and a trendy tie-dye hat.

Meanwhile, his stunning girlfriend wore a plunging pink top and mini skirt.

Superstar: The rapper looked every inch the rising star in a black shirt along with a dark pair of sunglasses and a trendy tie-dye hat

The Tik-Tok star finished her ensemble with a pair of sunglasses and a tie-dye hat.

It comes after the rapper finally landed his first No. 1 single on Australia's ARIA charts. His new collaboration with Justin Bieber, titled Stay, topped the chart.

The 80s synth-pop song was produced by Perth-based hitmakers Michael 'Finatik' Mule and Isaac 'Zac' De Boni.

Pretty in pink! Meanwhile, his stunning girlfriend wore a plunging pink top and mini skirt

Immediately after its release, Stay topped multiple Spotify charts around the world and is currently climbing up the Australian iTunes charts.

In the music video, the teen pop star and Bieber dance in an empty station. It's cut in with scenes of a melodramatic Laroi racing through Los Angeles.

The rapper previously said he wanted to showcase his home country's rap scene to the world.

Stylish: The Tik-Tok star finished her ensemble with a pair of sunglasses and a tie-dye hat

'I don't think America is completely switched on to how big [and] great the Australian music scene and culture is, but I think that's kind of my job to shed light,' he told Triple J last month.

The Waterloo-born star said he's long dreamed of putting Sydney's rap scene on the map 'the way Drake did with Toronto'.

Born in Canada, rapper Drake often gushes about his home city of Toronto in his music, and even boasts a number of Toronto-themed tattoos.
She enjoyed a surfing trip earlier this month for the Fourth of July weekend.

But Cindy Crawford was looking forward to a much more relaxed afternoon by the water on Sunday when she shared a soothing snap of herself at her pool.

The 55-year-old supermodel highlighted her age-defying figure while reclining on a lounge chair in a flowing robe.

Lazy Sunday: Cindy Crawford, 55, showed off her age-defying figure while lounging by the pool on a sunny day in a white robe on Sunday

Cindy's white pool attire appeared to be decorated with pale pink designs, and she had it hiked up to showcase her long legs.

Her long brunette locks rested gently on her shoulders, and she had a large floppy red hat seated next to herself on the chair.

The mother of Kaia Gerber was staying cool at a cliffside pool overlooking the Pacific, with a grassy hill and trees behind her that provided some shade.

'Sunday,' she captioned the photo while adding a sun emoji.

Special occasion: Cindy spent some time by the water earlier this month while celebrating the Fourth Of July. 'So grateful to be American, even with all her imperfections ,' she wrote

Cindy most recently spent some time by the water earlier this month while celebrating the Fourth Of July.

She looked elegant from the deck of a boat with an American flag just behind her in her in a photo she shared to Instagram on the holiday.

'Happy 4th! So grateful to be American, even with all her imperfections ,' she wrote.

The following day she posted some snaps of herself beaming in a wetsuit top and bikini bottoms as she caught some waves on a surf board.

She joked in the caption that her surf instructor Raimana Van Bastolaer, who was riding a board next to her in the photo, 'can get anyone up  even me!'

Behind the scenes: Missing from her most recent posts was her husband Rande Gerber, a noted bar, nightclub and restaurant owner, as well as a co-founder of George Clooney's Casamigos tequila

Missing from the superstar model's most recent posts was her husband Rande Gerber.

Rande, her second husband, is a noted entrepreneur who owns several bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

He and his partners George Clooney and Mike Meldman also co-founded the popular tequila brand Casamigos back in 2013.

In 2017 the brand was sold to Diageo for $700 million, with the possibility of the trio receiving an extra $300 million in the future if the brand continues to sell well.

Happy family: The happy couple are parents to two children: Presley, 22, and Kaia, 19; seen in 2018 in London

The happy couple are parents to two children: Presley, 22, and Kaia, 19.

Kaia, who has followed in her mother's footsteps as a successful model, has been expanding into acting in recent years.

Following small roles in 2016 and 2017, she booked her largest part to date in the new anthology series American Horror Stories, a spin-off of the similarly named American Horror Story from creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.

The first two-part episode was released on July 15, with Kaia playing a murderous character in the second part.

She's already established a relationship with the long-running series, and she'll next be graduating to a role in the flagship show for its upcoming season, subtitled Double Feature.
Professor T

Rating:

Baptiste

Rating:

The strangely named Detective Inspector Rabbit was not a happy man. Hed been sidelined, insulted and upstaged by an eccentric amateur who was being proved right about everything.

That sort of humiliation has been happening to world-weary coppers since the days of Sherlock Holmes.

Its a grand tradition, which didnt make DI Rabbit (Andy Gathergood) feel any better on the debut of Professor T (ITV).

This is bullocks, he muttered (or words to that effect). A dangerous thing for any character to remark in a new show. An unkind reviewer might take it out of context.

Ben Miller, best-known as the uptight DI Poole on Death In Paradise, is convincingly testy as a criminology lecturer at Cambridge University

Unkind and unfair, because Professor T is not a bad show. Its derivative and predictable, slow and old-fashioned, but none of that makes it unwatchable.

Whether we overlook its faults depends on the cast. Ben Miller, best-known as the uptight DI Poole on Death In Paradise, is convincingly testy as a criminology lecturer at Cambridge University.

Ex-student Lisa Donckers, now a Detective Sergeant (Emma Naomi), ropes him into her investigation of a series of rapes on campus. Hes reluctant, but agrees to help because he carries a torch for her boss  his old girlfriend (Juliet Aubrey).

The show is a remake of a Belgian original, which partly explains why it feels dated. Thats exacerbated by the university setting, echoing Morse, Grantchester and a stack of others.

Professor Jasper Tempest doesnt listen to opera or drive a vintage car (though he probably will, given time). He prefers to solve cases by sitting on the roof and gazing out across the spires.

The show is a remake of a Belgian original, which partly explains why it feels dated. Thats exacerbated by the university setting, echoing Morse, Grantchester and a stack of others

All of this could be lifted from any classic detective series from decades ago. What really made the first episode seem out of touch, though, was the choice of crime.

Since the appalling murder of Sarah Everard as she walked home earlier this year, and the national wave of revulsion that followed, it feels callously inappropriate to continue depicting such attacks as the standard fare of cosy crime serials.

But here we saw three young women, all ambushed by a man in a balaclava brandishing a knife, as they returned to their rooms. Two were raped and the third was killed as she tried to escape.

It makes the case trivial to have it solved by a part-time sleuth with the usual tics and awkward mannerisms while the police watch in admiration.

All except DI Rabbit, of course. Why the writers have given him a silly name is hard to guess, unless its a nod to Matt Berrys Victorian detective, DI Eli Rabbit. If so, thats a bad omen. Channel 4 cancelled his Year Of The Rabbit after one series.

Itll take more than the first episode to assess the return of Baptiste (BBC1), starring that mesmerising French-Turkish actor Tcheky Karyo.

Initial signs, in a complex opener that revealed both the beginning and the aftermath of a murder hunt, are that this is crime drama at its addictive best.

Fiona Shaw, so good at upper-middle class career women who are clueless with their own families (exactly as she is in Killing Eve), plays the British ambassador to Hungary.

She wakes up one morning to find her husband and two sons have vanished. In a parallel timeline, 14 months later, she wakes up, hauls herself into a wheelchair (how she comes to be paralysed we dont yet know) and drives to Paris with a tattooed hostage in the boot of her car.

There she finds detective Julien Baptiste  a broken drunkard. Its a typically brilliant piece of stage setting by writers Jack and Harry Williams.

I cant wait for the rest and hope to review it more fully next week.

Bad breath of the weekend: As Antiques Roadshow (BBC1) visited Kenilworth Castle, Fiona Bruce told us that Elizabeth I loved desserts. At one meal, 300 sugary dishes were served to satisfy her sweet tooth. No wonder her gnashers were bad.
Friday marked one year since Irena Srbinovska met Locky Gilbert's mother Brenda on The Bachelor.

And on Monday the reality TV lovebirds celebrated their official one-year anniversary in gushing Instagram posts.

Marking one year since declaring their love for each other in the 2020 season finale, the pair paid tribute to each other with loved-up captions.

Time flies: On Monday, reality TV lovebirds Locky Gilbert and Irena Srbinovska celebrated their official one-year anniversary in gushing Instagram posts

Locky's tribute read: 'One year ago today, my life changed. Would I say for the better? Absobloodylutly.'

'I couldnt be more happier with you in my life' he continued. 'Its been a ride so far and I cant wait for many more years to come.

'I love you bub and will love you for the rest of my life.'

Meanwhile, Irena, 31, penned: 'From the moment I met you I knew in my heart that you were the person I had been waiting for all my life.'

It must be love: Locky's tribute read, 'One year ago today, my life changed. Would I say for the better? Absobloodylutly'

She added: 'They say that love will find you in the most unexpected ways and it did. You took me by surprise, this big and strong guy that was caring and gentle.

'Thank you for the most incredible first year together. One that we will treasure for the rest of our life.'

Irena concluded: 'Its been hard and difficult at times but we have triumphed. I love you and cant wait for forever with you @locklangilbert.'

Living their best lives: Irena, 31, penned: 'From the moment I met you I knew in my heart that you were the person I had been waiting for all my life'

The sweet posts come after Irena last week acknowledged one year since meeting Gilbert's mother Brenda in the lead-up to the Bachelor finale.

On Friday, the nurse shared a post on Instagram celebrating the milestone occasion in her relationship with the former Australian Survivor star.

Irena shared a photo from her meeting with Locky's mother, which took place in the Hunter Valley last year, and praised her in the caption.

Another milestone moment: On Friday, Irena marked one year since meeting her boyfriend's mother in the lead-up to the Bachelor finale

'This time last year I met this amazing lady! The incredible woman that raised my special person,' she said, lauding Brenda.

Irena went on to reveal she had another meeting with Locky's nearest and dearest that failed to make it to air.

'What you didn't see was that his two best friends couldn't make it due to Covid lockdowns, so we did a Zoom chat instead,' she said, adding that she wished it had aired because it was important to her man.

'A year ago today': The nurse shared a photo from her meeting with Locky's mother, which took place in the Hunter Valley last year, and praised her in the caption

Grateful: Irena said of Brenda, 'This time last year I met this amazing lady! The incredible woman that raised my special person'

Irena also spilled another on-set secret: she was wearing thermals under her two-toned frock during her meeting with Brenda and subsequent call with Locky's mates.

'Let's just say it wasn't the thermals that made me sweat! The boys asked me some tough questions,' she said, referring to her Zoom chat with her beau's pals.

It seems Irena has been rather sentimental over the last few weeks as she celebrated one year since first smooched boyfriend Locky Gilbert on The Bachelor.

Telling all! Irena also revealed she was wearing thermals under her two-toned frock. She said in the caption: 'Let's just say it wasn't the thermals that made me sweat! The boys asked me some tough questions,' referring to her Zoom chat with Locky's best friends that was cut from finale

Memories: It seems Irena has been rather sentimental over the last few weeks as she celebrated one year since first smooched boyfriend Locky Gilbert on The Bachelor

Last month, she shared a steamy image of the pair in their passionate clinch.

In a subsequent post, Irena addressed her fans' burning question about their anniversary, noting: 'our anniversary is [The Bachelor] finale which is July 18th'.

Since finding love with each other on the reality show, Locky and Irena have enjoyed travelling around and exploring Australia together.
Today host Allison Langdon has come out swinging against the Federal Government for allowing controversial British commentator Katie Hopkins into the country.

Hopkins, 46, who recently flew to Sydney on a 'critical skills' visa ahead of her appearance on Channel Seven's Celebrity Big Brother, had her visa revoked on Monday after she posted a video on Instagram claiming she planned to deliberately flout restrictions while staying in hotel quarantine.

Hopkins had been allowed into the country above the quarantine cap with the support of the NSW State Government, on the basis that she would provide some sort of 'economic benefit' to the country.

'It's not good enough, is it?' Today host Allison Langdon (L) came out swinging against the Federal Government on Monday for allowing far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins (R) into the country when thousands of Aussies are desperately trying to return home

Speaking to Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on the Today show, Langdon questioned why Hopkins had been granted entry into the country in the first place, pointing out how the decision reflects poorly on the Australian government.

'The optics of this are really bad. When you just halved the number of international arrivals into this country, you still have families separated, you have tens of thousands of Aussies stuck overseas who can't afford a flight home,' Langdon said.

'I read over the weekend, one of many stories, a woman about to undergo breast cancer treatment. Her husband, because he is not Australian, can't get into the country, and then we see this woman arrive here.'

'The optics of this is really bad': Speaking to Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews (R) on the Today show, Langdon questioned why Hopkins had been granted entry into the country in the first place, pointing out how the decision reflects poorly on the Australian government

'It's not good enough, is it?' she concluded.

Responding to Langdon, Ms Andrews acknowledged that many Australians were outraged Hopkins had received a spot in hotel quarantine.

'I think we should have been looking to increase our hotel quarantine caps back to where they were and potentially beyond as soon as possible, because there are many Australians who want to come home,' she said.

'That's not fair': Meanwhile, KIIS FM's Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson (L) condemned Hopkins' behaviour on their breakfast radio show on Monday

Hopkins' Australian visa was revoked on Monday, hours after Channel Seven ripped up her Celebrity Big Brother contract for 'joking' about breaking quarantine rules.

The far-right commentator was given her marching orders after an urgent review by the Federal Government into her comments about Sydney's Covid-19 lockdown.

Hopkins had uploaded an Instagram Live video from what she claimed was a Sydney hotel room on Saturday during her mandatory 14-day quarantine, and described Covid lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in human history' and joked about breaching restrictions.

'I'm very pleased she'll be leaving': Australia's Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described Hopkins' comments as 'shameful' in an interview with ABC News Breakfast on Monday

Meanwhile, KIIS FM's Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson condemned Hopkins' behaviour on their breakfast radio show on Monday.

'Just because she doesn't believe that the lockdown are required... a lot of people don't, some people do, some people don't... you can't just break the rules,' Sandilands said.

'And just because you don't believe it, that's not fair to the person you're doing that to,' added Henderson, noting how Hopkins' selfish actions would have impacted hotel quarantine staff.

She continued: 'It's just not fair, because the person who she does that to, they will probably have to go into a 14-day lockdown.'

Meanwhile, the Home Affairs Minister described Hopkins' comments as 'shameful' in an interview with ABC News Breakfast on Monday.

'The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appealing. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown,' Ms Andrews said.

'They knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house': Appearing on The Sunday Project, Jan Fran (pictured) said Channel Seven was courting controversy - and it has spectacularly backfired

'And it's just unacceptable behaviour, so personally I'm very pleased she'll be leaving.'

Ms Andrews confirmed Hopkins would be deported 'imminently'.

The news comes after Hopkins was officially dumped from the upcoming Australian series of Celebrity Big Brother, known as 'Big Brother VIP'.

A network spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP.

Comments: 'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000?' Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) chimed in, joking. 'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'

'Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.'

On Sunday, the hosts of The Project slammed Seven for its decision to hire Hopkins.

Jan Fran, a comedian and regular panelist on the show, said: 'What was someone expecting when they did hire Katie Hopkins to do this? She's a troll. She courts controversy. They knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house.'

'It's telling she changed her mind because she's flouted COVID restrictions, not because of the heinous things that she's been saying for years and years.'

At 5am Saturday Hopkins posted an Instagram story describing 'a game' where she answers her hotel quarantine room door naked and without a mask

Fran went on to express disgust over Hopkins' use of the term 'Final Solution', which is used to refer to the mass murder of Europe's Jews during the Holocaust.

WHO IS KATIE HOPKINS? Katie Hopkins is a well-known media personality and commentator in the UK. The 46-year-old mum-of-two rose to fame on The Apprentice in 2007 and soon became an outspoken household name, writing in several newspapers. She came runner-up in the UK's Celebrity Big Brother, becoming popular among some for her no-nonsense attitude, and loathed by others for her controversial comments. Hopkins is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration. She once had a popular radio show on UK station LBC, but stepped away after writing on Twitter that a 'final solution' was needed to deal with terrorists. Many thought this was a reference to the Holocaust. She was permanently banned from Twitter in June 2020. Advertisement

Her co-host Peter van Onselen agreed: 'They want controversy but maybe didn't think it would lead as far as this.

'She will go back to the UK and complain about us and build her brand locally off what we've done even though what we've done is the right thing.'

'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000?' Lisa Wilkinson chimed in, joking.

'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'.

At 5am on Saturday, Hopkins took to Instagram live to post a speech where she 'called out' the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne.

During the video, Hopkins openly mocked the 14-day hotel quarantine rules revealing she planned to deliberately break them by opening her door completely naked and mask-free to workers who deliver her food.

'The police officer who checked me in told me, when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door,' she says while breaking out into hysterics. 'I can open the door but I can only do it in a face mask.'

However, on Sunday, Hopkins denied she broke quarantine rules in Sydney, writing on Instagram.

'WARNING: EXTREME HUMOUR. I have never broken quarantine,' she wrote in her caption.

'My whole heart goes out to Australians and this brilliant country known for sense of humour. Families MUST be reunited.

'Auzzies [sic] need the dignity of work and lockdown is the Greatest Hoax in Human History. Do not give up my darlings. Bring Australians home,' she added.

Australia's response to Covid-19 has been praised by scientists including top US medic Dr Anthony Fauci, who called the country a world leader on 'containment and management of emerging variants'.

The country, which is geographically isolated from the European and American epidemics and enjoys a low population density like New Zealand, has imposed tougher border measures than most, including the UK - and imposed snap lockdowns to reduce community transmission.

Dumped: A Seven Network spokesperson announced on Sunday, 'Seven and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP'

While Hopkins laughed off Australia's Covid lockdown restrictions and quarantine rules, the mother-of-three claimed in 2017 that she isn't 'anti-vaccine', saying all her children were up to date with their flu-jabs.

Despite her amusement at her own antics, which she described as 'a game', other travellers stuck in hotel quarantine were outraged by her behaviour.

Posting to the closed Facebook group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' one user wrote: 'This is abhorrent...some people are racing against time with the quarantine trying to get to family members. This is really cruel and sick.'

Members of the closed group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' vent their outrage

Questioned: Many travellers in quarantine questioned why Hopkins was allowed to fly into the country while Australians are stranded overseas

'Anyone else who has just returned home like me, too ashamed to admit how ashamed I am of my own country right now?' wrote another traveller.

'What has happened to Aussie spirit, our heart, mates looking after mates, the Govt caring about its own people. Has it been lost over the last few years?

'...It makes my blood boil that so many fellow Aussies are stranded and cannot get home yet we can waste seats and hotel rooms on actors etc.'

Another person said: 'We'll not get in to why it was deemed necessary for her to enter the country, when an Australian citizen could have had her quarantine space.'

Hopkins often makes posts mocking mask mandates and lockdowns on Instagram since being banned from Twitter in June last year for 'hateful conduct'

However, a Home Affairs spokeswoman told news.com.au that Ms Hopkins did not take the place of Australians desperate to return to their home country.

'These travel exemptions were approved based on support by the NSW Government as they met the critical skills category for inwards travel,' she said.

'These travellers did not take the place of returning Australians as their travel was above the hotel quarantine caps.'

Hopkins' entry to Australia had even drawn the attention and criticism of MP's.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws.

'If you want to do that, pack your bongo and get out of the country.'

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws'

Acting Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Giles openly criticised the Prime Minister's decision to provide her with a visa into the country.

'Now that Ms Hopkins is in Australia, she has begun broadcasting from what described as 'VIP Quarantine', and has explained how she is opening up her hotel door naked and without a face mask in a deliberate attempt to breach hotel quarantine rules.' Mr Giles said.

'This is grossly disrespectful to frontline workers who are only trying to keep us safe.'

Suspended: Hopkins' Twitter account was suspended in June last year after violating the platform's policy on 'hateful conduct'

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews also earlier said on Sunday that she had personally asked Australian Border Force to investigate whether or not Hopkins had breached any hotel quarantine rules.

'It is despicable that anyone would behave in such a way that puts our health officials and community at risk,' Ms Andrews said.

'I have directed Australian Border Force to immediately consider the facts of this matter and urgently review whether this individual is complying with the requirements of her visa.'

Controversial: In a video uploaded to the social media platform on Friday, filmed from her hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins described the lockdown as 'the greatest hoax in history'

Hopkins often takes to Instagram to publish a myriad of posts mocking lockdowns and mask mandates.

In a video uploaded to the social media platform on Friday, filmed from her hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins described lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in history'.

'You are living through the greatest hoax in human history, they are trying to take everything from you, and one of the very best and most powerful weapons we have is a sense of humour, and someone like me is probably a massive thorn in their sides,' she said.

While Hopkins is yet to speak out about being axed from Celebrity Big Brother Australia, she shared a bizarre video on Instagram mocking the COVID-19 crisis.

'This is important - we've just heard that there's been a new variant, Delta plus, and you have to be very, very afraid of it,' she said, adding that 'VIPs' didn't need to worry but 'if you're a pleb like me, you must be very afraid'.

She then lifted up a sanitary towel in the air, she offensively added: 'all politicians are about as useful as a tampon on a tranny.'
Ryan Serhant was head of a winning team on Sunday's episode of Celebrity Family Feud, while Yara Shahidi and her squad lost their matchup.

The 37-year-old real estate broker captained the Million Dollar Listing New York team as they went up against Josh Flagg, 35, and the Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles squad.

Ryan was joined by Bravo co-stars Kirsten Jordan, Tyler Whitman, Steve Gold and Fredrik Eklund as they competed for a $25,000 donation to the American Cancer Society.

Team captain: Ryan Serhant was the captain of the winning Million Dollar Listing New York team on Sunday's episode of Celebrity Family Feud on ABC

They went up against Flagg, Tracy Tutor, Josh Altman, James Harris and David Parnes who were playing for Los Angeles Jewish Home.

Ryan and Flagg squared off at the podium for the first fill-in the blank question offered by host Steve Harvey, 64.

Steve asked them to fill-in the blank about Susan who had hair so thick on her legs that Flagg said she 'waxes it', but only to receive a red X for the wrong answer.

Ryan answered that she 'shaves' her thick leg hair and his team played through, but got three wrong answers giving MDL:LA a chance to steal.

Good effort: Yara Shahidi and her grown-ish squad lost their matchup to Good Trouble

Bravo stars: Show host Steve Harvey was flanked by Tyler Whitman, Steve Gold, Fredrik Eklund and Kirsten Jordan from MDL:NY and MDL:LA cast members Tracy Tutor, Josh Flagg, Josh Altman, James Harris and David Parnes

The winners: Million Dollar Listing New York went up against their Los Angeles counterparts

For charity: Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles was playing on behalf of Los Angeles Jewish Home

Flagg gave the answer 'conditions it' but it wasn't on the board and MDL:NY won the round.

Kirsten and Tracy both wearing all-pink outfits faced off next and MDL:LA ended up winning the round to make it a tight match.

Tyler and Altman went up against each other with points doubled and were asked to name a wild animal that would be fun to cuddle if it did not kill you.

The host: Steve looked typically sharp while hosting the ABC show

Pink power: Kirsten and Tracy wore all-pink outfits during their face-off

Power brokers: Tracy has been a star on MDL:LA, while Kirsten just joined MDL:NY

Friendly competition: The New York and Los Angeles cast members had fun on the ABC show

Altman beat Tyler to the buzzer and gave the number one answer of 'bear'.

Flagg when it was his turn answered 'shark' and got the team its second X.

'Who the hell wants to cuddle with a shark?,' Tracy asked.

Bad answer: Flagg when it was his turn answered 'shark' and got the team its second X

MDL:NY stole their points after Ryan answered 'gorilla' prompting Steve and James to square off.

Steve gave the top answer as point values were tripled and MDL:NY hung on for the win.

Tyler and Steve represented MDL:NY in the Fast Money round and Steve scored 124 points out of the necessary 200 points, before Steve came out and got them to 201 point and the $25,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Top answer: Steve gave the top answer as point values were tripled and MDL:NY hung on for the win

Fast money: Tyler and Steve represented MDL:NY in the Fast Money round and Steve scored 124 points out of the necessary 200 points, before Steve came out and got them to 201 point and the $25,000 for the American Cancer Society

Winning team: Fredrik smiled while on the way to winning $25,000 for charity

Yara, 21, had a starring role as Zoey Johnson on black-ish and the spin-off grown-ish follows her character as she goes to college and begins her journey to adulthood.

She was captain of the grown-ish team that included Chloe Bailey, 23, Trevor Jackson, 24, Francia Raisa, 32, and Diggy Simmons, 26, as they went up against the Freeform spin-off Good Trouble.

It was a tight match that had to be decided by a one-answer sudden death round after neither team after several rounds reached 300 points.

Lead role: Yara, 21, had a starring role as Zoey Johnson on black-ish and the spin-off grown-ish follows her character as she goes to college and begins her journey to adulthood

Team captain: The actress was captain of the grown-ish team

Solid squad: The grown-ish team included included Yara, Chloe Bailey, 23, Trevor Jackson, 24, Francia Raisa, 32, and Diggy Simmons, 26, as they went up against the Freeform spin-off Good Trouble

Cierra Ramirez, 26, was captain of the Good Trouble team that included Maia Mitchell, Zuri Adele, Sherry Cola and Emma Hunton.

Francia and Emma represented the spin-off of The Fosters in the Fast Money round.

Good Trouble won the sudden death before going on to win $25,000 for Dignity And Power Now.

Fan favorite: Chloe flashed her cute smile while wearing a white top

Two tone: The actress kept it simple in a black-and-white outfit
She announced she was expecting her first child with her husband, Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale, back in March.

And AFL WAG Jules Neale showed off her growing baby bump during a stroll in Brisbane on Sunday.

The blonde beauty, who recently hit the six-month mark in her pregnancy, took the couple's beloved dog for a walk.

Growing and glowing! AFL WAG Jules Neale shows off her growing baby bump as she went for a stroll in Brisbane on Sunday

She dressed comfortably for the light exercise in a pair of tight leggings and a baggy sweater.

The stunning wife of the 2020 Brownlow winner was glowing makeup free and tied her golden locks back into a no-fuss ponytail.

Lachie was absent after the Lions played Richmond on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Lachie and Jules proudly announced that they were expecting a baby girl back in March.

Activewear: She dressed comfortably for the light exercise in a pair of tight leggings and a baggy sweater

'Can't wait to meet you baby girl,' the Brisbane Lions midfielder wrote in the caption, alongside a baby emoji and a pink ribbon.

Jules also shared the same picture on Instagram, affectionately calling their unborn child 'Baby Neale.'

She wrote in the lengthy caption: 'We have dreamt about meeting you for a long time now little one.

'The road to you was long and trying but I wouldn't change it for the world. It has changed me.

Glowing: The wife of the 2020 Brownlow winner was glowing makeup free and tied her golden locks back into a no-fuss ponytail

Baby makes three! Jules announced she was expecting her first child with her husband, Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale, back in March

'The journey to you has made me realise I am stronger than I ever thought I could be and I can do anything with your dad's support.

'You were definitely worth the wait and I am so ready to hold you in my arms and be your mumma baby girl,' she added, before sending 'extra love' to other women trying to conceive saying: 'You are so strong, I see you, I am you.'

Jules also shared a short video on her Instagram Story of a cute baby dress for her unborn daughter, and wrote: 'My heart cannot deal with this level of cuteness.'

The couple's friends and family congratulated the couple on their exciting news, including Jessie Murphy, the wife of AFL star Marc Murphy, who wrote: 'Congratulations you two.'

Cute! Jules posted pictures of her growing baby bump on Instagram last week and wrote: '3 months to go baby girl'

Brisbane Lions player Archie Smith commented: 'Congrats you two,' while retired netball star Nat Medhurst said: 'Massive congrats to you guys.'

Lachie and Jules tied the knot in November, 2018, in Perth.

He switched teams from Fremantle to the Lions after seven seasons in order to settle down in Brisbane with Julie shortly after they wed.

He explained at the time that a move to Brisbane had been difficult for Julie, who had built a hairdressing business 'from scratch' and had to give it up to build a relationship across the country with him.

The couple's exciting baby news comes after Lachie suffered an injury in a game against the Geelong Cats last week at GMHBA Stadium in Victoria.
Former Love Island Australia will soon welcome her first child.

And the 26-year-old reality star flaunted her blossoming baby bump on Sunday while dressed in black lingerie.

Influencer Natasha revealed she had been suffering from 'lightning crotch' as she counts down the arrival of her bundle of joy.

She's blossoming! Love Island Australia's Natasha Webster flaunted her growing baby bump in lingerie over the weekend after announcing her pregnancy

Lightning crotch refers to sharp or shooting pain in the vagina, rectum, or pelvis. It usually occurs during pregnancy.

The pain comes on suddenly and can stop someone in their tracks.

'I have been getting it these last few days, after talking to the midwife it's perfectly normal,' she explained.

'But I did do some research on Dr Google and one article said that it usually happens 4-6 weeks before the baby is due!'

Ouch: Influencer Natasha revealed she had been suffering from 'lightning crotch' as she counts down the arrival of her bundle of joy. Lightning crotch refers to sharp or shooting pain in the vagina, rectum, or pelvis. It usually occurs during pregnancy

Natasha looked the epitome of an organised mother-to-be as she sat in her nursery which was fully equipped with a cot and rocking chair.

Natasha announced back in March she was expecting a child. She shared a stunning photos alongside a photo of a grey plush toy and balloons.

'We are so excited to announce that I'm PREGNANT. Our little bundle of joy is arriving in spring,' she wrote.

Natasha's shocked fans flooded the post to congratulate the mother-to-be.

'Whattttttttt TASHA! Congratulations to you both how beautiful!!!' one wrote. 'Omg!!! What!! congratulations beautiful that's soooo exciting,' another said.

Another wrote: 'OMG fabulous news Tash! I didn't even know you had a boyfriend!!'

Announcement: Natasha shocked fans by announcing she's expecting her first child with her boyfriend in March

Natasha replied to the fan, explaining: 'Thank you! Yes I do but I kept him hidden.'

She was eliminated from Love Island Australia early on in the first season, after failing to form a connection with any of the male contestants.

At the start of the series, Natasha had openly expressed her desire to find a man who owns a boat, and also hinted at 'spending two nights' with pop star Justin Bieber.

Exciting: Natasha's shocked fans flooded the post to congratulate the mother-to-be

'I was lucky enough to party with Justin. I'm not allowed to say anything. A girl doesn't kiss or tell,' she said in her introductory video.

Natasha added that she prefers dating 'doctors, surgeons and millionaires' because they can afford the finer things in life.

Since appearing on the show, she has kept her love life out of the public eye. She mostly shares images of herself on her Instagram account.
British far-right commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia after her visa was cancelled.

Ms Hopkins was brought to Australia by Network Seven to join its reality television program Big Brother.

But she was dropped from the show after deliberately disobeying safety protocols in hotel quarantine.

British far-right commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia after her visa was cancelled. Ms Hopkins was brought to Australia by Network Seven to join Big Brother VIP

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described the behaviour as shameful and has since cancelled her visa.

"We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that," Ms Andrews said on Monday.

"I am hoping that will happen imminently."

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described the behaviour as shameful and has since cancelled her visa

Ms Andrews said the commentator's antics - flouting quarantine rules and potentially putting staff and police at risk - were a slap in the face to people going through lockdowns and Australians stranded overseas.

The minister appeared to blame the NSW government for Ms Hopkins coming to Australia, with her visa granted on the basis of economic benefit.

But the federal government is ultimately responsible for issuing visas.

Questions have been raised over how Ms Hopkins was allowed into the country.

She has described migrants as cockroaches, labelled Islam repugnant and called for a "final solution" in response to a terror attack.

During a round of television interviews, the home affairs minister was repeatedly pressed on how Ms Hopkins was deemed a person of good character.

"Well, she's clearly not someone that we want to keep in this country for a second longer than we have to," Ms Andrews said.
She's rocked numerous shaggy hairstyles in recent months.

But Willow Smith was ready for a change while filming a concert film released over the weekend on Facebook.

The 20-year-old musician shocked her fans at the end of the 48-minute concert film and documentary hybrid by getting her hair buzzed off on stage after a performance of her 2010 single Whip My Hair.

Time for a change: Willow Smith, 20, capped off a Facebook concert film posted this weekend by getting her afro shaved on stage after wrapping up a performance of her 2010 single Whip My Hair

Willow's concert film was released on Friday to mark the release on her fourth studio album, the EP-length collection lately i feel EVERYTHING.

In addition to behind-the-scenes footage, she's scene performing multiple cuts from the LP, including collaborations with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.

The performances were done primarily on sound stages with new sets built for each one, and the daughter of Will Smith wrapped up her virtual concert in what looked like a basement or a garage.

She sang her 2010 single Whip My Hair, which initially helped her to step out of the shadow of her famous parents.

But at the end of the song, she sat down on a stool as another person came up to her with electric clippers and began to shear off her thick afro.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: The video featured staged performances and behind-the-scenes interviews. After the last song, Willow sat on a stool as another person started to shear her hair

Multitasker: Even as she was getting her hair cut, Willow kept on rocking out on her black guitar, which she cradled in her lap

Even as she was getting her hair cut, Willow kept on rocking out on her black guitar, which she cradled in her lap.

Once her impromptu stylist was finished, they stepped back to reveal Willow's sleek new close-cropped look.

'I'm thinking about shaving my head during the Whip My Hair performance,' she said earlier in a behind-the-scenes section. 'This is gonna be my third time in my life shaving my head. I'm always shaving my head at monumental times in my life, when things are really changing. And this is definitely one of those moments.'

She's no stranger to dramatic public haircuts, and the first time she shaved her head was in 2012 amid her Whip My Hair tour.

'It was the perfect way to rebel,' she told People in 2019.

The most recent time she cut off all her hair was in March of 2020, when she allowed herself to be locked in a glass case for 24 hours as part of a performance piece for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

'I feel like I was just shedding a lot of history and emotional baggage,' she said on a subsequent episode of Red Table Talk, the Facebook talkshow she stars on with her mother Jada Pinkett Smith and grandmother Adrienne Banfield-Jones. 'Six, seven, years of emotion, I just let it go.'

New music: Willow's concert film was released on Friday to mark the release on her fourth studio album, the EP-length collection lately i feel EVERYTHING

Persuasion: Willow shaved her hair back sometime earlier this month, and she talked her mother Jada Pinkett Smith into shaving her own head last week

The concert appears to have been previously recorded, as Willow first debuted her shaved head on Instagram on July 5.

Her new hairdo seems to have inspired her mother Jada to try the shaved look for herself.

The motherdaughter duo snuggled up in a cute photo from earlier this week as the Matrix Reloaded star unveiled her new hair, which was shaved even closer than Willow's buzz cut.

'Willow made me do it because it was time to let go BUT  my 50s are bout to be Divinely lit with this shed,' Jada gushed on Instagram.

Her daughter was more philosophical, writing, 'A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.'
Georgia Love has come under fire after criticising Sydneysiders for not wearing masks outdoors.

The former Bachelorette, who now works as a reporter for Channel Seven in Melbourne, was shocked at the busy scenes at Sydney's beaches over the weekend, tweeting a video of crowds along with the caption, 'Bondi right now, where masks nor social distance seem to matter.'

'Well, this is unnecessary,' Sky News journalist Laura Jayes responded to the tweet.

Lockdown smackdown: Georgia Love has come under fire after criticising Sydneysiders for not wearing masks outdoors

The news anchor continued, 'Of the more than 1000 cases in NSW - none have been proven to have transmitted outdoors. The infection is spreading in homes, workplaces, shops'.

Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell then chimed in, adding, 'And posting random videos from a different city wouldnt you just concentrate on your own lockdown?'

Pell's criticism is especially notable given both he and Love work for Channel Seven.

Not impressed: The former Bachelorette, 32, was among those shocked at the packed scenes at Sydney's beaches

Michelle Stephenson, the National News Director for Nova, also criticised Love for 'using camera angles that trick the eye' in the footage of the crowded boardwalk.

Love clapped back, 'Not sure what camera tricks you think are being used here?'

'But I will also put on the record this is not my video, it was sent to me, and that filming in a public place is entirely allowed without receiving consent from individuals,' she concluded.

Difference of opinion: 'Well, this is unnecessary,' Sky News journalist Laura Jayes (pictured left, with Peter Stefanovic) responded to the tweet

Pile on: Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell (pictured with Sam Armytage and David Koch) then chimed in, adding, 'And posting random videos from a different city wouldnt you just concentrate on your own lockdown?'

Internal feud: Pell's criticism is especially notable given both he and Love work for Channel Seven, with the former reality TV star now serving as a reporter for the network

The social media skirmish comes after a top doctor claimed Sydney's beaches should stay open as the city's coronavirus outbreak worsens, despite being packed with exercising residents.

NSW recorded 105 cases on Sunday as Sydney and surrounding regions entered their fourth week of lockdown.

But stay-at-home orders haven't stopped hundreds of Sydneysiders from flocking to the beach to get their daily dose of exercise and fresh air, which is currently allowed as part of the stay at home orders.

As residents in three local councils in Sydney's south-west complied with strict new orders to stay in their neighbourhoods, there were different scenes in the eastern suburbs and the northern beaches on the weekend.

The footage: 'Bondi right now, where masks nor social distance seem to matter,' Georgia tweeted on Sunday

Trick photography? Michelle Stephenson, the National News Director for Nova, also criticised Love for 'using camera angles that trick the eye'

The promenades along Bondi and Manly beaches were packed with people exercising and walking their dogs while enjoying the winter sunshine.

But former federal deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth wasn't worried about the busy scenes seen at beaches, citing a low risk of transmission.

'I didn't have an issue with what we saw over the weekend,' he told the Today show on Monday.

The numbers of Covid cases who were in the community while infectious are showing no signs of slowing down, despite being the key to lockdown being lifted.

But Dr Coatsworth said the risk of the virus of being transmitted while exercising outdoors was far less than at a packed stadium of fans at a sporting match or concert.

Thousands of AFL and rugby union fans were ordered to isolate for 14 days after they were deemed as close contacts of an infected case at separate matches in Melbourne in recent days.

Surfers and swimmers were keen to hit the water, despite being the middle of winter. Pictured is Manly Beach on the northern beaches on Saturday

'I think we've got to be moderate about this. Of course the Delta strain does transmit outdoors but only in very close circumstances,' Dr Coatsworth said.

'There was a Trans music festival in the Netherlands, of course 20,000 people in close proximity listening to dance music and of course, in that sort of situation, you may get transmission.

'But if you're walking past someone during your morning exercise, that is not going to be an issue.'

Many at the packed Sydney beaches weren't wearing masks, despite reiterated pleas from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and health officials to take one with them whenever people leave the house.
HBO is prepping to start filming on their massive TV series adaptation of the popular video game series The Last Of Us, which could be the network's biggest show yet.

Filming got under way last week in the town of Fort McLeod in Alberta, Canada, with local IATSE 212 union president Damian Petti confirming, 'it's the largest project shooting in Canada' at the moment.

While Petti said he, 'can't confirm the official budget numbers,' he said, 'This project well exceeds the eight figure per episode mark,' which could make it a more expensive show than their juggernaut fantasy series Game of Thrones.

Biggest show: HBO is prepping to start filming on their massive TV series adaptation of the popular video game series The Last Of Us, which could be the network's biggest show yet

Bigger than Thrones: While Petti said he, 'can't confirm the official budget numbers,' he said, 'This project well exceeds the eight figure per episode mark,' which could make it a more expensive show than their juggernaut fantasy series Game of Thrones

'The Last of Us which commences photography this week is indeed a monster. It has five art directors and employs an army of hundreds of technicians,' Petti said.

'It has had six months of prep and shoots (in Alberta) for 12 months,' Petti added of the production.

He added the show filming in Fort McLeod will have, 'a multiplier effect on our economy in terms of its impact.'

Monster: 'The Last of Us which commences photography this week is indeed a monster. It has five art directors and employs an army of hundreds of technicians,' Petti said

'There are hundreds of related businesses benefitting from the plethora of work,' he continued.

The Last Of Us has been confirmed to have a 10-episode first season, with Petti's comments indicating the budget for the first season alone would be at least $100 million.

Though Petti adding that this show 'well exceeds the eight figure per episode mark' could mean the show might cost anywhere between $100 million to perhaps $150 million, if each episode is budgeted at $15 million.

Work: 'There are hundreds of related businesses benefitting from the plethora of work,' he continued

When taking those numbers into consideration, the show is starting out in a place that is more expensive than the costly final seasons of Game of Thrones.

While the pilot alone was rumored to cost between $5 million and $10 million (with two separate pilot shoots involving actors who were re-cast), the first season was said to cost between $50 million and $60 million for 10 episodes.

The final season of Game of Thrones is believed to have cost $15 million per episode, though it only spanned six episodes for a cost of $90 million.

Thrones: When taking those numbers into consideration, the show is starting out in a place that is more expensive than the costly final seasons of Game of Thrones

The Last Of Us has another Game of Thrones connection, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ella, who both starred on the hit fantasy series.

The story takes place, 'twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed,' following Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.

'What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival,' according to the show's description.

Connection: The Last Of Us has another Game of Thrones connection, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ella, who both starred on the hit fantasy series
Javier Bardem's mother, Pilar, passed away at the age of 82 on Saturday.

The actress was well known for her work in both Spanish films and television series and was the recipient of numerous awards for her efforts over the span of her life.

Her 58-year-old son Carlos shared a Tweet on Sunday where he was seen standing alongside his sister Monica, 57, and younger brother as they held up numerous photos of their mother.

Rest in peace: Javier Bardem's mother Pilar, who worked as an actress for several decades passed away on Saturday at the age of 82; she is pictured in 2016

The actor also penned a message directed at his numerous fans who had sent him their condolences following his mother's passing.

The statement read: 'We bid farewell to my mother with a heart full of love. With tenderness and a smile on the mouth. And with the soul overflowing with gratitude for the thousands and thousands of messages of affection, respect and admiration for Pilar Bardem. Thank you for this wave of love.'

The late actress' death was initially announced by Carlos on Saturday, and he made the news public through a Tweet.

Making it known: The news about the performer's passing was initially announced in a tweet that was shared to her son Carlos' account; she is seen with her son Javier at the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2005

Showing thanks: The actor wrote a lengthy message in the post's caption where he noted that he was grateful for the 'wave of love' that his family received following his mother's passing

The message began with: 'We want to share the news that Pilar Bardem, our mother, our example, has died.'

Bardem elaborated on his initial statement and wrote that the performer's loved ones were present when she passed away and thanked her fans for sending their kind thoughts.

'She departed in peace and without suffering, surrounded by the love of her family. We know the love and admiration many felt for her, both in Spain and beyond, for her work as an actress and as a fighter who always stood in solidarity. We appreciate with all our heart the love toward our mother,' he wrote.

On Sunday, Deadline reported that the actress had passed away from 'complications from lung disease not related to COVID-19.'

Loss: Carlos also wrote that his mother had passed away 'in peace and without suffering, surrounded by the love of her family'

Numerous tributes poured out from her loved ones and former costars, including her daughter-in-law Penelope Cruz, with whom she worked in several films.

The 47-year-old actress wrote that she was thankful for Bardem's 'wisdom' and 'humor' and noted that she 'will always carry you in my heart.'

Antonio Banderas, who worked with the performer in 1990's Contra el Viento, shared an image of her to his Instagram account and expressed that 'Spanish theater is losing a great actress' in his post's caption.

Tributes: Several of Bardem's former castmates, including Antonio Banderas and her daughter-in-law, Penelope Cruz, wrote messages directed at the late actress on their respective Instagram accounts

Bardem, whose full name was Maria del Pilar Bardem Munoz, was born on March 14th, 1939, in Seville, Spain.

Her parents were the celebrated actors Rafael Bardem and Matilde Munoz Sampedro, and her brother Juan Antonio went on to become a director in his own right.

The actress' first major performance came in 1965's El Mundo Sigue, which was helmed by Fernando Fernan Gomez.

Starting strong: Bardem's first major performance came in the 1965 film El Mundo Sigue; she is pictured in 2006

She went on to take on starring roles in various Spanish film and television projects over the following decades.

In 1995, she was given the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Dona Julia in the noir drama feature Nadie Hablara de Nosotras Cuando Hayamos Muerto.

Bardem was also well-known for her outspoken political beliefs and for campaigning for various causes throughout her life.

Multiple interests: The performer enjoyed a lengthy career as an actress and was known for her outspoken political beliefs; she is pictured in 2020

In 2003, she opposed the deployment of Spanish troops to Iraq, and she was notably ejected from Spain's parliament for wearing a shirt featuring an anti-war message.

The performer also experienced two bouts with cancer throughout her lifetime and recovered both times.

Bardem is survived by her three children.
He has been famously outspoken and unapologetic about having a multitude of babies with three different women... all within the last seven months.

And Nick Cannon was seen posing with two of those four tots over the weekend, when he showed up on former partner Abby De La Rosa's Instagram in a series of professional portraits alongside newborn twins Zion and Zillion Cannon.

The comedian and television host, 40, smiled ear to ear in the snaps, which saw the proud parents and twin boys reclining on a fuzzy white backdrop.

In one snap, Nick and Abby, 30, kissed their little ones, who were both dressed in black onesies that said 'Hey' and 'Hi there'.

The babies were born on June 16th, mere days before Nick welcomed another son, Zen, with his rumored current girlfriend Alyssa Scott.

And just last December, the former America's Got Talent MC welcomed his second child with former girlfriend Brittany Bell, a daughter named Powerful Queen.

Fertile father: Two of Nick Cannon's four newborn babies were born in mid June, days before he welcomed another son, Zen, with his rumored current girlfriend Alyssa Scott (pictured)

Cannon and Bell, a 33-year-old model, are also parents to a little boy named Golden, who is four years old.

And in addition to those five children, Nick is of course dad to another set of twins, ten-year-old Moroccan and Monroe, with his ex-wife Mariah Carey.

And the ever-fertile entertainer insists that none of the pregnancies were accidents.

His eldest children: Nick is of course dad to another set of twins, ten-year-old Moroccan and Monroe, with his ex-wife Mariah Carey

'I don't have no accident,' said Cannon during his Power 106 radio show on Wednesday, adding that 'there's a lot of people that I could've gotten pregnant that I didn't.'

He continued: 'The ones that got pregnant are the ones that were supposed to get pregnant.'

Earlier in the broadcast, the Wild 'n Out host joked to his cohost that he was 'like a seahorse out here. That's just the way I'm procreating.'

These two make seven total: Last December, the former America's Got Talent MC welcomed his second child with former girlfriend Brittany Bell, a daughter named Powerful Queen

Nick previously joked about not wanting to use contraceptives in a 2017 Howard Stern interview, so he may not be opposed to even more children in the future.

After speaking about his battle with the autoimmune disease Lupus, he said, 'I'm probably gonna die sooner than most people... so let's f*** all night! So why wear condoms? I might not be here tomorrow!'

The TV host was diagnosed with the disease in 2012 and was hospitalized for it in 2016.

And in an interview with The Sun from June, Nick's father James suggested his son's many children were partly due to his anti-abortion beliefs.
Matt Damon said that his daughter Isabella refuses to watch his films - because she could be entertained.

The 50-year-old A-lister, appearing on CBS Sunday Morning, said, 'She doesn't want to see any movies that I'm in that she thinks might be good - she just likes to give me s***.'

The Boston native said Isabella did not watch his Oscar-winning efforts in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting and 'refuses to see it,' also critiquing his efforts in the 2016 action-adventure film The Great Wall.

The latest: Matt Damon, 50, appearing on CBS Sunday Morning, said that his daughter Isabella refuses to watch his films 'that she thinks might be good'

'My daughter said, "Hey remember that movie you did, The Wall?"' he said. 'I said, "It was called The Great Wall."

'She goes, "Dad, there was nothing great about that movie."'

The star of classics such as Saving Private Ryan and The Departed said that Isabella 'keeps [his] feet firmly on the ground.'

Damon who shares four daughters with wife Luciana Barroso - Alexia, 22, Isabella, Gia, 12, and Stella, 10 - said that he's grateful his kids are aware of his passion for performing: 'I like that they know that I love my job; they know it's time-consuming and a lot of work, and that it fills me up.'

Gratitude: Damon said that he's grateful his kids are aware of his passion for performing

Looking ahead: Damon said he is set to stay in New York City this autumn to accommodate his kids' school schedules

Damon said he is set to stay in New York City this autumn to accommodate his kids' school schedules.

'They're growing up with a lot more stuff than their mom or I ever had, so we keep an eye on that,' he said.

Damon said he has concerns about spoiling his kids, recalling his interactions with wealthy students as a student at Harvard.

'Some of them were in a lot of pain there,' he said. 'Their parents weren't there for them, you know, like, at all. And I remember thinking, "Oh, I get it" - like, that money doesn't solve anything.'

Damon chat with the outlet amid promoting his latest film Stillwater, which he received a standing ovation for after its screening at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month

Out and about: Damon was snapped in Cannes, France earlier this month

Damon chat with the outlet amid promoting his latest film Stillwater, which he received a standing ovation for after its screening at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month.

Damon told the outlet that he gets 'choked up easier' as a parent.

'Ever since I had kids, my job has become a lot easier, because I don't have to try,' Damon said. 'I don't have to reach for any emotions, whether it's joy or whether it's pain, because it's all just nearby because the stakes are so much higher when you have kids.'

Stillwater, which costars Camille Cottin and Lilou Siauvaud, is slated to come out July 30.
The man who portrayed Port Arthur mass murderer Martin Bryant has won the Best Actor award at the annual Cannes Film Festival.

The film Nitram, about the events of Australia's worst massacre that killed 35 people, was accused early of possibly glorifying the killer.

But critics were stunned by the intimate family drama about mental illness that exploded into the headlines in 1996.

The man who portrayed Port Arthur mass murderer Martin Bryant has won the Best Actor award at the annual Cannes Film Festival

The film ends in the seconds before Bryant starts shooting at the former convict colony.

With the memory of the massacre still raw, actor Caleb Landry Jones, 31, said 'it was very evident that people were going to be angry'.

'Some people probably pegged the film to be a certain kind of movie,' he said.

'But it is a very sensitive piece and very respectfully made.'

Being Texan helped with his role: 'The film is in many ways about the Australian male. I found a lot of similarities with Texas. So I knew what that was.'

He spent three months trying to get under Bryant's skin.

'I really worked on the dialect for two months in Texas. But I arrived a month before we began shooting and if it wasn't for that I think I would have failed miserably,' he said.

As he accepted his award, Jones said: 'I can't do this, I am going to throw up.'

'Thank you to the jury ... f**k. Thank you Justin ... f**k. I can not do this. I am so sad that I can not do this. Thank you so much. Thank you so much!'
Farmer Wants a Wife has been accused of pulling the wool over viewers' eyes by filming scenes in 'fake' locations and paying actors to pose as 'locals'.

According to Woman's Day magazine, a viewer who lives in Orbost, the small Victorian town where Matt Trewin's farm is located, claims they've never even seen the so-called 'local date destinations' featured in recent episodes.

After watching Matt enjoy a rendezvous at his 'local pub' on last Wednesday's episode, the frustrated viewer wrote to Instagram: 'I live in Orbost and I can tell you that the pub on tonight's episode is definitely not the pub in Orbost.'

Allegations: According to Woman's Day magazine, a viewer who lives in Orbost, the small Victorian town where Matt Trewin's farm is located, claims they've never even seen the so-called 'local date destinations' featured in recent episodes. Pictured: Host Natalie Gruzlewski

The resident went on to allege that the picturesque winery where Matt took front-runner Tara on a date 'wouldn't be within 100km of Orbost either'.

Elsewhere, the same viewer accused producers of bringing in paid actors to 'liven up' the pub scene, claiming that none of the 'locals' featured in the episode were 'Orbost people'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven for comment.

Hmm: A viewer who lives in Orbost, the small Victorian town where Matt Trewin's (left) farm is located, claims they've never even seen the so-called 'local date destinations' featured in recent episodes. Pictured: Matt on a date with Tara

So where was it filmed, then? After watching Matt enjoy a date at his 'local pub' on last Wednesday's episode, the frustrated viewer wrote to Instagram: 'I live in Orbost and I can tell you that the pub on tonight's episode is definitely not the pub in Orbost.' Pictured left is the 'Orbost' pub featured on FWAW. Right is the pub in Orbost, known as the Commonwealth Hotel

It comes days after farmer Sam Messina slammed claims he's actually a truck driver and using his brother's land for the show.

Additionally, the 24-year-old was accused of having a secret girlfriend during filming.

In a post shared to Instagram on Friday, he wrote at length: 'I want to address the criticism and rumours that are currently circulating regarding my time spent on @farmeraustralia and my life outside of the show.

Artistic licence? The disgruntled resident alleged that the winery where Matt took Tara on a date (pictured) 'wouldn't be within 100km of Orbost either'

Denial: It comes days after farmer Sam Messina (pictured) slammed claims he's actually a truck driver and using his brother's land for the show

Clarification: In a post shared to Instagram on Friday, he wrote at length: ''The farm you see in the show is a family farm. I have a partnership with my brother and I never once claimed that it is explicitly mine. I would hate to take that away from my brother'

'The farm you see in the show is a family farm. I have a partnership with my brother and I never once claimed that it is explicitly mine. I would hate to take that away from my brother.

'I split my time between the farm and nearby Orange, where I took Mackenzie for our date. My brother and sister-in-law are great people, but you don't always want to be the third wheel.

'I'm just like every other person out there - sometimes two incomes are needed to pay the bills. I drive trucks as a second income and that's never been a secret.

'Life is still going on while filming is happening. On the few days we had off, I still had to attend to work and life commitments and it was pretty challenging.'

He went on to write: 'I never had a girlfriend while filming. I went on this show to experience life and love and form new connections. I could never do that to someone and I could never do that to myself. It's not in my nature.'

Truth: He added: 'I'm just like every other person out there - sometimes two incomes are needed to pay the bills. I drive trucks as a second income and that's never been a secret'
Former Quizmania host and comedian Nikki has just turned 40.

And to celebrate the milestone, the blonde beauty has flaunted her incredible figure by stripping down to her underwear.

Nikki posed for a mirror selfie on Monday, wearing nothing but a sporty bra, underwear and a pair of cowboy boots.

'If the Hemsworths can get their t*ts out then so can I': Comedian and TV presenter Nikki Osborne marked her 40th birthday on Monday by showing off her incredible figure in lingerie

'This is 40,' she captioned the post.

'I've already booked in for my first two jabs. Of Botox. If the Hemsworths can get their tits out then so can I.'

She then went on to speak about ageing in an positive way, adding: 'Ladies, don't fear hitting your prime. Forty motherf*******rrrr!'

New life: Nikki has made a new life for herself in Queensland as a way of escaping the brutal lockdowns which have gripped Victoria

It comes after Nikki made a new life for herself in Queensland as a way of escaping the brutal lockdowns which have gripped Victoria.

Nikki previously told The Courier Mail in September she was relocating her family to Queensland due to Melbourne's poor 'quality of life'.

Nikki, her husband Jamie Starr and their children Will and Teddy, arrived in Brisbane that same month after receiving a border pass.

Upheaval: In September, the I'm a Celebrity star told The Courier Mail she was relocating her family to Queensland due to Melbourne's poor 'quality of life' and 'depressing' Covid lockdown

Nikki, who was raised in Queensland and lived in Victoria for 15 years, said life in Victoria under stage-four restrictions was 'depressing'.

'It's really depressing down here. All our friends' businesses are going bust and all my industry mates can't work... it's depressing watching your kids staring at a screen or a wall,' she said at the time.

They spent two weeks in mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrived in Queensland, and Nikki received some backlash over her decision to flee Victoria.

Wasted no time: The blonde bombshell, her husband Jamie Starr (left) and their children Will and Teddy, arrived in Brisbane that same month after receiving a border pass

Nikki addressed the trolls in an Instagram post in October.

Alongside a photo of herself and her family dining at a restaurant, she wrote: 'I've copped a lot of flack for relocating my family during Covid-19, but the smiles that have returned to my family's faces outweighs any of the nastiness.

'Do what's right for you. That is all.'
Megan Fox was pictured taking her kids on a trip to Color Me Mine in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

The 35-year-old appeared to be enjoying her time with her children at the painting studio while being accompanied by her boyfriend, Machine Gun Kelly, who appeared preoccupied with a phone call.

The Transformers actress shares her sons Noah, Bodhi and Journey, aged eight, seven and four, with her estranged husband, Brian Austin Green, from whom she separated last year.

Family outing: Megan Fox was accompanied by her boyfriend, Machine Gun Kelly, while taking her children to Color Me Mine in Los Angeles on Saturday

Fox was dressed in a light gray sleeveless shirt that conformed tightly to her chest and midsection during the outing.

She paired her top with a slightly loose-fitting and distressed pair of blue jeans as well as a set of white sneakers.

The Jennifer's Body star accessorized with two silver necklaces as she spent time with her children and boyfriend.

Her gorgeous brunette locks gracefully fell onto her chest and back as she made her way out of the painting studio.

Casual ensemble: The Transformers actress sported a light gray sleeveless top and a pair of slightly distressed blue jeans during the family's outing

Kelly, 32, appeared to be taking it easy during the outing, as he wore a t-shirt that featured a Rolling Stones logo on the front and flannel sleeves.

The rapper added to his eye-catching ensemble with a pair of checkered trousers with multiple red circles on both pant legs.

His long blonde hair fell downward towards his face, and he also wore a set of platform Converse sneakers.

Fox, her children and the hitmaker, born Colson Baker, all wore matching facial coverings to keep themselves protected from COVID-19.

The actress and the songwriter first met on the set of the upcoming feature Midnight in the Switchgrass, in which they will appear.

Before she met the rapper, the performer was in a long-term relationship with Green, 48, to whom she was initially linked in 2004.

They first announced that they had become engaged two years after their first meeting and eventually tied the knot in 2010.

The former couple went on to welcome their sons in 2012 and 2014, respectively, and Fox served as a stepmother to Green's older son Kassius.

Former couple: Fox shares her three children with her estranged husband, Brian Austin Green; they are pictured in 2019

Longtime couple: The two were initially romantically linked in 2004 and went on to tie the knot in 2010 before welcoming three children

The couple separated in 2015 when the actress filed for divorce for a second time, although they ended up reconciling the following year and went on to add their youngest son to their family.

Fox called off the proceedings in 2019 only to file to end her marriage last year.

She went on to appear in the music video for his 2020 single My Bloody Valentine, sparking rumors that they had been getting closer following her separation from Green.

Kelly later confirmed that he was in a relationship with the actress last June, and they went Instagram official the following month.

Costars: The performer met Kelly during the filming of the upcoming feature Midnight in the Switchgrass; they are seen at the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards

During an interview with Nylon, Fox spoke about the moment where she came to realize that she was meant to be with the rapper.

Specifically, she recalled: 'I looked into his eyes [and] I felt the most pristine, most gentle, most pure spirit. My heart shattered immediately and I just knew that I was f***ed.'

The performer went on to note that her boyfriend had a certain quality that made him irresistible and that she was especially taken with his personality.

'The intensity of merging with him is just overwhelming, and the threat it poses is so powerful but so beautiful that you have no choice to surrender with reverence and with gratitude,' she said.
She recently found love one year after appearing on Married At First Sight.

But Connie Crayden, 28, was greeted by less happy news on Monday, when she learned that Victoria's Covid-19 lockdown would be extended.

The reality TV star posted a glum, makeup-free selfie to her Instagram Stories, along with the sarcastic comment: 'Lockdown being extended coolcoolcooolcooooooool.'

Taking it hard: Loved-up MAFS star Connie Crayden, 28, was greeted by less happy news on Monday, when she learned that Victoria's Covid-19 lockdown would be extended

She added: 'To the ones who are still financially suffering from the last 4 lockdowns that rely on a week-to-week pay yet still expected to pay rent and bills. I feel you.'

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the state's hardline restrictions would not be lifted as intended at 11.59pm on Tuesday.

'There is an ongoing challenge for all of us, but we will not be ready to lift these restrictions at midnight tomorrow night,' he said at a press conference on Monday.

Mr Andrews stopped short of saying for how long the restrictions would be extended and revealed an update would be provided by Tuesday morning.

New love: The former reality star shared a tribute to her new mystery boyfriend last month

The bad news comes after Connie last month revealed she was officially off the market when she shared a sweet tribute to her new boyfriend on Instagram.

Connie shared a gallery of loved-up photos of the pair together, which were combined to celebrate her mystery man's birthday.

'Happy Birthday To My Greatest Love,' she wrote throughout the Stories.

In the first image, the couple are seen smiling ear-to-ear as they appear to be enjoying a beach date.

Taken: Connie revealed she was officially off the market as she shared a sweet birthday tribute to her new boyfriend on Instagram

'Happy Birthday To My Greatest Love,' she wrote throughout the Stories

Another photo saw the Melbourne-based student planting a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek while cuddling him in what appeared to be her kitchen.

Connie has only shared one previous picture of her boyfriend in mid-March.

She has previously been linked to airline worker David Holder, former Bachelor Matt Agnew and even Bryce Ruthven, who appeared on this year's season of MAFS.

Rise to fame: Connie (left) appeared on Married At First Sight's seventh season in 2020, where she wed stranger Jonethen Musulin (right)

Connie appeared on Married At First Sight's seventh season in 2020, where she wed stranger Jonethen Musulin.

She called it quits with her TV groom at their final vows ceremony.

She delivered an empowering speech about self-love, and thanked her 'husband' for helping her to become a strong, confident woman.

During a March 2020 appearance on Today Extra, Connie confessed she had 'called it quits on the friendship' a few months after filming in December.
She ditched her career as a V8 Supercars driver to become one of Australia's most successful subscription-based adult stars.

And on Monday, Renee Gracie lifted the lid on some of the weirdest requests she's received from her subscribers since her drastic career change 18 months ago.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 26-year-old - who has raked in 'close to $4million' working in the adult industry - revealed some fans have offered money for a sample of her urine.

Fancy that! On Monday, V8 Supercars driver-turned-porn star Renee Gracie lifted the lid on some of the weirdest requests she's received from her subscribers over the last 18 months

'I get people asking to bottle [my urine] up and send it to them,' she candidly admitted. 'I do weeing videos, but I don't do it on anybody.'

Renee went on to say she's currently in the process of figuring how she could safely - and hygienically - transport the urine for those in the market for it in future.

'I'm still considering how to do the bottle option, as I would hate for it to spill...' she said.

Renee says she's also received 'armpit video request'.

'I've also had a few armpit video requests, which has been weird,' she explained.

How bizarre: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 25-year-old - who has raked in 'close to $4million' from making adult content in 18 months - revealed some had asked her for a sample of her urine

Renee began posting cheeky photos of herself on OnlyFans in late 2020, but soon started sharing explicit videos after earning $3,000 in her first week.

Now, 18 months later, she proudly admits she's made close to $4million in the adult industry.

'I'm pretty comfortable, let's put it that way!' she said.

Renee hit headlines in July, after it was revealed she had been banned from every popular social media platform for her racy content.

Soared to success: Renee began posting cheeky photos of herself on OnlyFans in late 2020, but soon started sharing explicit videos after earning $3,000 in her first week

She now has a 'back-up' Instagram account with 29,000 followers, after her previous 700k follower-strong page was removed.

Renee recently reached out to Donald Trump's team in the hopes of joining his class action lawsuit against Facebook, Twitter and Google, which the former president initiated over similar bans.

'There would be girls in my position who lost their pages and didn't have other things going on, and were solely relying on advertising through their Instagram,' she added.

'That's the whole point - it doesn't matter who you are or what you do, everyone has a right to use these platforms.'
He was crowned the winner of MasterChef Australia during filming for the reality cooking show back in May.

But that victory wasn't even the biggest milestone in Justin Narayan's life that week, as the 27-year-old youth pastor married his long-term partner Esther Smoothy just days after the taping.

According to Woman's Day, the reality star exchanged vows with his girlfriend of two years in Perth.

Newlyweds! MasterChef winner Justin Narayan married his girlfriend of two years Esther Smoothy, according to Woman's Day. The couple pictured here in May

Justin rated the event above his MasterChef win, calling the nuptials 'the best day of my entire life'.

The ceremony was held on the Swan River in Perth's Midland and was attended by his fellow MasterChef 2021 alums Pete Campbell, Brent Draper, Minoli De Silva and Amir Manoly.

In an interview with the magazine, Justin revealed the couple wanted kids 'straight away' and that with his $250,000 prizemoney from the show he planned to buy a property.

It comes after chef initially said in an interview with News.com he was looking to invest in his cash after he updates his kitchen at home.

Killer view: The ceremony was held on the Swan River in Perth's Midland and was attended by his fellow MasterChef 2021 alums Pete Campbell, Brent Draper, Minoli De Silva and Amir Manoly

Changing his tune: Narayan previously said he had plans to update his kitchen with his $250,000 winners' prize money before investing the rest, but now says he will use it to buy the couple a home

'I need to get some more work done in the kitchen and go from there,' he explained at the time.

'I'll try and make some smart investments, and I'll start to create some online content. But I need experience in the kitchen to work towards opening up my own place.'

Although he isn't rushing to open his own restaurants, he said the idea is 'on the cards for sure'.

Narayan was elated after scooping the top prize, beating out fellow finalists Kishwar Chowdhury and Pete Campbell.

On the cards! Although he isn't rushing to open his own restaurants, he said the idea is 'on the cards for sure'

Winner's grin: Justin won the title of this year's MasterChef during the show's nail-biting finale on Tuesday

'I feel incredibly honoured and humbled to have that title and to be able to win this competition,' the stunned cook said on the night.

'I'm genuinely going to take a week to process this and let it sink in, and then I'll, like, write you an email, let you know how I feel.'

A gracious Justin congratulated both Kishwar, 38, and Pete, praising them for making it through to the final.

Delicious victory: He took home a whopping $250,000 in prize money, along with the coveted MasterChef trophy

'First of all, I would like to commend Kish and Pete for being the most incredible people to cook with,' he began.

'Kish, you're an incredible cook and you should be so proud.'

Addressing Pete, 36, Justin said he thought of him as a 'big brother', after the two men formed a close friendship throughout the competition.

Grateful: An emotional Justin thanked his proud parents, and said he was 'very grateful for everything you guys have sacrificed and given to me to be here, to have these opportunities'

'Pete, I look up to you in so many ways, you're like my big brother. I definitely wouldn't be here today without your encouragement, without your support,' he added.

Although he didn't take out the top spot, Pete won $30,000 for coming in second, while Kishwar, who placed third in the competition, won $20,000.

An emotional Justin then turned and thanked his proud parents, and said he was 'very grateful for everything you guys have sacrificed and given to me to be here, to have these opportunities'.

Runner-up: A gracious Justin congratulated both Kishwar Chowdhury and Pete Campbell (pictured), praising them for making it through to the final

'First of all, I would like to commend Kish and Pete for being the most incredible people to cook with,' he began. Pictured, finalist Kishwar Chowdhury

Awkwardly, Justin needed to be reminded by judge Jock Zonfrillo to thank his fiancee.

Esther was standing right beside him during the finale.

'You are so incredibly beautiful, and I love you very much, and I'm sorry for not planning the wedding for the last six months, but I think I can pay for it now,' he joked.
Hamish Macdonald's departure from the ABC was a forgone conclusion, a TV expert revealed on Monday.

David Knox, editor of TV Tonight, tells Daily Mail Australia exclusively that he believes Macdonald faced an 'uphill battle' as the host of the network's Q&A.

'This year's ratings for Q+A have struggled since it moved to a Thursday night timeslot,' he said on Monday.

Gone: Hamish Macdonald's (pictured) departure from the ABC was a forgone conclusion, a TV expert revealed on Monday. David Knox, editor of TV Tonight, tells Daily Mail Australia exclusively that he believes Macdonald faced an 'uphill battle' as the host of the network's Q&A

'Personally I thought he was a good choice to freshen up the show given the ABC is in a constant chase to lower the average age of its audience.

'If we look to last year, when he also hosted, the numbers were quite good. But that too is impacted by early interest around the pandemic, so there are always various factors at play.

'Abandoning its Monday night timeslot meant Macdonald had an uphill battle no matter how good he was.'

Knox adds that owing to the flagging ratings, Q&A may soon face the chop - and predicts who may take over as host in the meantime.

'The big question now is whether Q+A will be renewed for 2022 at all,' Knox told Daily Mail Australia.

'I'd tip ABC having rotating presenters with the likes of David Speers, Stan Grant, Virginia Trioli and others just to see the year out.'

Concerns: 'Abandoning its Monday night timeslot meant Macdonald had an uphill battle no matter how good he was,' Knox told Daily Mail Australia on Monday

It comes after news that Macdonald has quit the ABC less than 18 months after taking over as Q&A host - and almost a month since he last fronted the show with flagging ratings.

The 40-year-old broadcaster represented generational change when he replaced baby boomer Tony Jones, who had hosted the current affairs panel program since its debut in 2008.

Macdonald took over hosting duties in February 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic but Covid social distancing rules meant the show for much of last year lacked a studio audience.

Out: It comes after news that Macdonald has quit the ABC less than 18 months after taking over as Q&A host - and almost a month since he last fronted the show with flagging ratings

Ratings fell in 2021 as the program was shifted from Monday nights to 9.35pm on Thursdays, with viewer numbers in April dropping to just 224,000, less than half the 600,000 level of 2012.

The ABC announced his departure on Monday with a statement praising his 'outstanding 18 months with the national broadcaster'.

With Sydney in lockdown since June 26, Melbourne-based ABC journalists David Speers and Virginia Trioli have filled in as Q&A presenters so the program could have a small studio audience.

Before the lockdown, Stan Grant was occasionally hosting the show in NSW.

Macdonald, who hasn't hosted Q&A since June 24, said he was 'enormously grateful for the opportunity I've been given'.

Slump: Ratings fell in 2021 as the program was shifted from Monday nights to 9.35pm on Thursdays, with viewer numbers in April dropping to just 224,000, less than half the 600,000 level of 2012

'I'm really excited to be moving on to a new opportunity, and working more with the ABC in the future,' he said.

Veteran TV producer Robert McKnight said viewers didn't like the revamped Q&A hosted by Macdonald.

'The writing was on the wall from the very beginning. Viewers didn't connect with the new format or host and numbers started falling,' he said on TV Blackbox.

Just before he started hosting Q&A, Macdonald was an occasional presenter on Ten's The Sunday Project, but he has continued filling in for Fran Kelly on the ABC's Radio National Breakfast program and fronting occasional stories for 7.30.

Most Q&A episodes have been filmed at the ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney, inviting criticism that it is too focused on inner-city viewers with cosmopolitan, left-wing views, reflected in the audience routinely jeering conservative panelists.

Grateful: Macdonald, who hasn't hosted Q&A since June 24, said he was 'enormously grateful for the opportunity I've been given'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison refused to appear on Q&A ahead of the May 2019 election and he hasn't made a single appearance during Macdonald's time hosting the show.

Former Liberal PM Malcolm Turnbull however has made several appearances, with his moderate views favouring more ambitious action on climate change more in keeping with the Q&A audience sentiment.

Australia's international border closure in March 2020 meant Q&A was also unable to have big name international celebrity guests to liven up the show, often dominated by politicians reciting boring talking points.

Macdonald, who was born and raised at Jindabyne in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains, took a different approach to hosting Q&A, sitting on the left of the screen instead of in the middle of the panel as Jones did.

Unlike his predecessor 26 years his senior, he allowed guests to ask questions of each other and refrained from using the phrase 'I'll take that as a comment' for audience members delivering long speeches.

Duties: Macdonald (pictured with his boyfriend Jacob Fitzroy) took over hosting duties in February 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic but Covid social distancing rules meant the show for much of last year lacked a studio audience

Jones finished hosting Q&A in 2019 after his wife Sarah Ferguson was named as the ABC's next Beijing correspondent, a role that had to be reneged after Communist China harassed foreign journalists.

Like Jones, Macdonald has also worked as a foreign correspondent.

The ABC media release noted the timeslot change had been a challenge.

'Macdonald had steered Q&A through challenging times during the initial coronavirus lockdown as well as guiding the program through the first timeslot change in its 13-year history to 8.30pm Thursdays,' it said.

The ABC's news director Gaven Morris hinted Macdonald would be offered future freelance roles with the national broadcaster.

'Hamish has long been a part of the ABC family and we look forward to continuing that relationship when opportunities arise,' he said.
Chris Hemsworth was enjoying a day off on Saturday.

The actor, 37, headed out to the small town of Bangalow in Byron Shire, with his twin sons, Tristan and Sasha, both seven.

The Thor star dressed down in a navy blue, hoodie, which he wore zipped up against the winter chill.

Family time: Chris Hemsworth was enjoying a day off on Saturday. The actor, 37, headed out to the small town of Bangalow in the Byron Shire, with his twin sons, Tristan and Sasha, both seven. All pictured

He added a pair of slate grey shorts, and shielded himself from the sun with a cap and sunglasses.

The star popped into a local cafe to get some coffee and food, as well as boxes of candy for the kids.

While he waited for his order, Chris looked on fondly as his children played on the walkway, before the family headed home.

Treats: The star popped into a local cafe for coffee, as well as boxes of candy for the kids

Sweet: While he waited for his order, Chris looked on fondly as his children played on the walkway, before the family headed home

Reading up on a new role? He was carrying a book during the outing

Chris and his wife Elsa Pataky moved to Bryon Bay with their children, daughter India Rose, eight, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, seven, in 2014.

They live in the suburb of Broken Head, a 20-minute drive from central Byron, in a mega-mansion estimated to be worth $30million.

They spent years renovating their home, which sits on 4.2 hectares of land, with the help of Sydney-based MCK Architects - but the development faced some resistance from locals, who compared it to a multi-storey car park or shopping centre.

Dressed down: The Thor star dressed down in a navy blue, hoodie, which he wore zipped up against the winter chill

Casual: He added a pair of slate grey shorts, and shielded himself from the sun with a cap

Sun safe: Chris donned a pair of dark sunglasses to protect against the sunny weather

The property features a 50-metre infinity pool, a large Indigenous mural, two bars and a gym complex including steam, sauna and massage rooms.

The family have lately been spending weekdays in Sydney, with Chris shooting the upcoming Mad Max sequel, Furiosa.

Directed by George Miller and produced by Doug Mitchell, Furiosa will be the largest movie ever filmed in Australia, adding 850 local jobs and injecting at least $350million into the local economy.

Locals: Chris and his wife Elsa Pataky moved to Bryon Bay with their children, daughter India Rose, eight, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, seven, in 2014

The film is slated for release in 2023, and will star Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role.

Elsa, 45, has been shooting her new action movie Interceptor in Sydney, for streaming service Netflix.

The actress recently told The Sydney Morning Herald that there are downsides to moving from the laid-back seaside enclave of Byron Bay to the big smoke.

She said: 'It's a whole new experience... I can't dress down as much as I do in Byron Bay  we hope to get back there on the weekends.'

In and out: The family have lately been spending weekdays in Sydney, with Chris shooting the upcoming Mad Max sequel, Furiosa

At work: Elsa has been shooting her new action movie Interceptor in Sydney, for streaming service Netflix

Elsa added that the couple's three children will be schooled in the city for the time being.

The actress went on to say that living in Australia has been the right decision for the previously LA-based family.

'Byron has been beautiful. We made the right decision in 2014 to leave LA and come to Australia  it's been great for the kids to be in nature, enjoy animals and go horse riding,' she said.

Luckily the move to Sydney is only temporary, while the pair work on their separate projects in Sydney.
Bridgerton has had to stall filming series two again, following another positive COVID-19 case on set - causing Netflix 'an expensive headache'.

Due to a previous case, shooting had only just resumed again - but a day after cast and crew returned to the period drama things are once again on ice.

The likes of Phoebe Dynevor and Jonathan Bailey have had to cease work while various members of the production isolate.

That's a cut: Netflix are having 'an expensive headache' over delays on Bridgerton series 2... after ANOTHER covid case was detected and filming was delayed again

'The demand for the second series is huge, so to stop filming again is a real headache,' a source told The Sun. 'This could lead to proper delays and it will be extremely costly for them.

'Shooting such a big production is expensive at the best of times, let alone when you've got sets staying empty and actors who can't work.

'Filming was stopped immediately as soon as the new positive case was detected but they had only just got back on set.

'They have a rigorous testing regime, so it's hoped the case was found quickly enough and that no one else on set got it. But a lot of people are now isolating.

Backstage drama: Due to a previous case, shooting had only just resumed again - but a day after cast and crew returned to the period drama things are once again on ice

On pause: The stars have had to cease work while various members of the production isolate

'Filming will start again once it is deemed safe but for now it has been paused indefinitely.'

The series had been shooting at Wrotham Hall in Hertfordshire when the news was delivered concerning the new covid case.

The show is known for its glamourous ballroom and crowd scenes, as well as very intimate moments between the amorous characters.

With social distancing in place until so-called Freedom Day this week, testing among the cast and crew has been necessary for close-contact sequences.

Hold that thought: The series had been shooting at Wrotham Hall in Hertfordshire when the news was delivered concerning the new covid case

This will prove disappointing for those eager to watch season two - with over 82 million people tuning in to the raunchy show on Netflix when it hit screens last Christmas.

Three more series have already been greenlit, based on the books by Julia Quinn.

The first case last week is said to have worried Netflix bosses who are about to start work on another one of their grand productions, The Crown.

A TV insider told The Sun that the vast cast and crew needed for the period dramas has caused 'a logistical nightmare in terms of trying to keep staff safe, prevent an outbreak or contain one when it's been identified.

Inconvenient: The first case last week is said to have worried Netflix bosses who are about to start work on another one of their grand productions, The Crown

'It's also a headache for producers because removing cast or crew and putting them into isolation means they have to be replaced at short notice, and that's not always possible.

'Netflix have gone to great lengths to ensure all the relevant measures are in place on Bridgerton... That doesn't bode well for filming of The Crown.'

Back in January, show star Phoebe Dyvenor expressed her concerns about filming series two amid the pandemic.

'I can't imagine how it would be possible to film under these circumstances,' she told Deadline.

Apprehensive: Back in January, show star Phoebe Dyvenor expressed her concerns about filming series two amid the pandemic

'There are so many extras and so many crew members, and it's a very intimate show. It just baffles me how we would film it under COVID rules unless there was a vaccine beforehand.'

Production for season two of raunchy hit Bridgerton was first seen getting underway at the historic Old Naval College at the University of Greenwich in May.

Bridgerton is Netflix's most-watched series ever, as more than 82million households tuned in to watch after its release on Christmas Day last year.

The first season focused on the romance between Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe, and Simon, Duke of Hastings, the role which Rege-Jean Page bade farewell to in April to the dismay of his many fans.

Romance: The first season focused on the romance between Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe, and Simon, Duke of Hastings, the role which Rege-Jean Page bade farewell to in April

Bridgerton has been renewed for a second, third and fourth season with Netflix, and the next season is based on Julia Quinn's second Bridgerton novel The Viscount Who Loved Me.

The second season will shift the focus to Daphne's brother Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who will go on the hunt for a suitable bride when he meets sisters Kate (Simone Ashley) and Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sheffield, renamed Sharma for the show.

While he tries to pursue Edwina he finds himself becoming attracted to Kate instead, despite the fact they are often at odds with each other.

A release date has yet to be announced.
Priyanka Chopra has unveiled a new tattoo.

The actress slipped into a plunging swimsuit while spending her 39th birthday sunbathing in London, on Sunday, and revealed her left upper arm inking to her Instagram followers.

Priyanka shared multiple photographs of herself enjoying the sunshine as included shots where she lay out with her arms above her head, leaving the new tattoo of a map on display.

New ink! Priyanka Chopra unveiled a new tattoo as she slipped into a plunging swimsuit while spending her 39th birthday sunbathing in London, on Sunday

The Quantico star looked sensational in the tie-front swimwear, which featured eye-catching cut-out sections.

The wife of Nick Jonas accessorised with a statement gold chain necklace and delicate earrings as she made the most of the UK heatwave.

And although Priyanka's gorgeous Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue Panda made an appearance in her photos, it was her new tattoo which was most notable.

The former Miss World also had the words 'Daddy's Little Girl' inked on her right-hand wrist in her father Ashok's handwriting.

There it is! She revealed her new left upper arm inking to her Instagram followers

Wow! The Quantico star looked sensational in the tie-front swimwear, which featured eye-catching cut-out sections

At the end of last month, Priyanka showed off new tattoos on her ankle in the form of paw prints to honour their three dogs.

Her husband, Nick Jonas, shared an Instagram Story featuring their feet which showcased the fresh ink dedicated to their three pooches while tagging them as they each have their own Instagram pages.

The A-list couple share three pets: Chihuahua Diana, German shepherd Gino, and Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue Panda.

Last August, the power couple revealed that they added Panda to the family in a cute snap with Priyanka petting Gino as Nick cradled the new addition.

Diana - who Priyanka owned prior to her relationship with Nick - also made an appearance in the bottom of the frame via Photoshop.

Show off: The wife of Nick Jonas posted shots of herself lay out with her arms above her head, leaving the new tattoo of a map on display

Stylish: The wife of Nick Jonas accessorised with a statement gold chain necklace and delicate earrings as she made the most of the UK heatwave

'Welcome to the family Panda! Panda is a Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue and we're already in love [heart emoji],' Nick wrote on his post.

While his wife wrote: 'Our new family portrait! Welcome to the family, Panda! We adopted this little rescue (soon he won't be so little) just a few weeks ago.

'We can't be sure but he seems to be a Husky Australian Shepard mix.... and those eyes... and the ears!!!' she noted, before mentioning that Diana had to be added in after the fact.

'BTW @diariesofdiana wasn't around for our little photoshoot, but we couldn't leave our #1 girl out...so...we made it work!'

Dog mom: Last month, Priyanka showed off new tattoos on her ankle in the form of paw prints to honour the three dogs she shares with her husband, Nick Jonas
She was recently caught passionately kissing her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland in his car.

And actress Zendaya's recent poolside Twitter post caused her 19million followers to crack some jokes after supposedly spotting her latest beau in the background.

The 24-year-old captioned the now-deleted shot with, 'Out here living my best life,' but it didn't take long for eagle-eyed fans to rush to their keyboards to jest about Tom's position in the water.

Glowing: Zendaya jokingly clapped back at an eagle-eyed fan who claimed to have spotted boyfriend Tom Holland 'drowning' in the background of her sultry pool photo

Having fun: The 24-year-old captioned the now-deleted shot with, 'Out here living my best life,' but it didn't take long for eagle-eyed fans to rush to their keyboards to jest about Tom's position in the water

Drawing the focus away from her glowing makeup look and wavy walnut locks in the snap, one follower wrote: 'Tom is drowning.'

It didn't take long for the former Disney Channel star to jokingly clap back, writing: 'This ain't about him.'

After the post came to light, speculation arose that a fan had Photoshopped the comment.

A week after they confirmed their romance, Zendaya talked about getting the opportunity to make a third Spider-Man film with Holland and the rest of the cast to E!'s Victor Cruz.

Eagle-eyed: Drawing the focus away from her glowing makeup look and wavy walnut locks in the snap, one follower wrote: 'Tom is drowning'

Clapback: It didn't take long for the former Disney Channel star to clap back, writing: 'This ain't about him'

'We were all just absorbing and taking the time to just enjoy the moment, being with each other and being so grateful for that experience,' she said of Spider-Man: No Way Home  which is set for release in December.

'It's pretty special to have grown up all together,' she said of the last five years, adding that it has been a little 'bittersweet' because 'we don't know if we're gonna do another one.'

And keeping it in the Marvel family, Tom threw his support behind the highly anticipated Black Widow film on July 9. 'Been waiting ages for this film and it was worth the wait. This film is so awesome!!! So exciting and so funny,' he said in an Instagram post.

Experience of a lifetime: 'It's pretty special to have grown up all together,' Zendaya told E! of the franchise, adding that it has been a little 'bittersweet' because future franchise films are currently not known; pictured 2018

Romance confirmed! The pair had denied romance rumors since 2017, but they seemed to seal their relationship with a kiss on July 1, before escaping to Santa Barbara for a romantic get away

Happy days: On his birthday she paid tribute to him by writing 'pretty glad you were born'

Though their time on-screen may be coming to and end following three Spider-Man films, their relationship is just starting to heat up.

Tom had previously said however that dating in the public eye was something he 'worried about most,' in his career.

Both had maintained over the last four years that they were just really good friends, before they sealed things with a kiss on July 1, ahead of a romantic weekend getaway to Santa Barbara.

The look of love: Zendaya and Tom Holland finally confirmed they were an item when they were spotted passionately kissing in his car during a Los Angeles outing recently

In 2017 she told Variety: 'He's literally one of my best friends. This past how many months we've had to do press tours together. There's very few people that will understand what that's like at 20 years old.'

And he told GQ in April that Zendaya had 'helped him a lot' with fan encounters. 'I used to come across sometimes as a bit of a dick to fans, mainly as I was always so surprised that they'd want a picture with me or signature or whatever.

'Zendaya spotted this and quickly told me that this sort of reaction was going to be more aggro than just smiling and taking the picture. She totally changed the way I am able to be more comfortable in public,' he revealed.
In June, Apple TV+ bosses announced the service would be releasing Liaison - its first French language original.

And Eva Green, 41, was hard at work helping the show come to fruition on Sunday as she was spotted filming scenes on the South Bank in London at sunset.

The Paris native was dressed all in black as she joined a group of fellow actors in playing out a break-in of the Tate Modern art gallery before a police chase ensued.

French connection: Eva Green, 41, dressed all in black as she filmed scenes for Apple TV+'s French language series Liaison on the South Bank in London at sunset on Sunday evening

Eva smiled as she chatted to a member of the crew during a break from filming, wearing a long half-sleeved black coat which finished at her knee.

Keeping the look simple, she wore a black top with a scoop neck.

The actress wore a pair of matching black trousers and polished boots with her hair clipped back and her tresses in slight disarray.

BAFTA award winner Eva will headline the upcoming series alongside fellow French actor Vincent Cassel, 54.

Ready for action: The star smiled as she chatted to a member of the crew during a break from filming, wearing a long half-sleeved black coat which finished at her knee

Liaison has been described as 'a high-stakes, contemporary thriller exploring how the mistakes of our past have the potential to destroy our future'.

The plot looks at how 'espionage and political intrigue play out against a story of passionate and enduring love'.

The project is being directed by Emmy award-winning Stephen Hopkins, 62.

The cast includes Peter Millan, Gerard Lanvin, Daniel Francis, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Stanislas Merhar, Laetitia Eido, Bukky Bukray, Eriq Ebouaney and Thierry Fremont, although their character names are yet to be confirmed.

New project in the works: BAFTA award winner Eva will headline the upcoming series alongside fellow French actor Vincent Cassel, 54 (pictured)

Filming for the programme began last month when Eva was spotted performing in front of cameras near Tower Bridge in London.

Eva currently has three films in pre-production, including a two-part French adaptation of The Three Musketeers which she is set to star in alongside Vincent Cassel and Romain Duris.

She is also listed to be in pre-production stages for A Patriot, a sci-fi thriller starring Charles Dance and Helen Hunt, but film producers pulled the plug on this project in 2019.

In June last year it was revealed that Eva was poised to sue film company White Lantern $1million over the decision.

The film star was due to begin shooting A Patriot over seven weeks in the summer of 2019.

But after filming in Dublin was repeatedly postponed, film company White Lantern Film (Britannica) Ltd shut down the production, according to documents filed by the actress.
Stacey Hampton lashed out at critics on Monday after they slammed her decision to check into a hotel with her two young sons amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 27-year-old former Married At First Sight star clapped back at a critic who sent her a private message on Instagram ordering her to 'stay home'.

Responding to the message, Stacey said she was supporting local businesses, and ordered the woman to 'grow up'.

Hitting out: Stacey Hampton lashed out at critics on Monday after they slammed her decision to check into a hotel with her two young sons amid the coronavirus pandemic

'Why do I have to stay home when I can stay at a hotel in my city and support employees?' she wrote.

Stacey then shared a screenshot of their correspondence and added: 'The only thing [redacted] loves is harassing people because she's salty she can't go to a hotel room with her kids.'

The former reality star is a single mum to sons Kosta, five, and Kruz, four.

Fight club: The 27-year-old former Married At First Sight star clapped back at a critic who sent her a private message on Instagram ordering her to 'stay home'

Despite exchanging barbs, Stacey wasn't deterred, and shared a photo of Kosta and Kruz posing with her designer luggage.

'We out,' she wrote on Instagram Stories, before sharing the photo to her main grid and adding, 'Vacay looks good on us'.

In a separate post on Instagram Stories, Stacey admitted: 'I'm really enjoying calling people out.'

Packing it in: Despite exchanging barbs, Stacey wasn't deterred, and shared a photo of her sons Kosta and Kruz posing with her designer luggage

Stacey previously shrugged off a hefty fine she was issued after failing to comply with COVID restrictions.

She was ordered to pay a total of $1,676 - including a $1,000 fine plus court fees - during a closed hearing at Adelaide Magistrates Court last month.

No conviction was recorded, and two similar charges were dropped.

'Why do I have to stay home when I can stay at a hotel in my city and support employees?' she wrote in response

The former reality TV star, from Ingle Farm in Adelaide, has until July 20 to pay the $1,676.

Stacey was charged in May 2020 with three counts of failing to comply with a direction after travelling interstate when she should have been self-isolating.

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia at the time, she played down the incident as 'a little hiccup' with her essential worker paperwork.
Monday night's episode of Farmer Wants A Wife saw contestant Rachael Smith leave the series after failing to find a romantic connection with Andrew Guthrie.

During their final date together, the 30-year-old social worker from the New South Wales' Central Coast asked Andrew if his feelings towards her had developed.

To her disappointment, Andrew said that while he felt a strong connection with her, he considered her more of a friend and didn't see a future with her.

It's over! Farmer Wants A Wife star Rachael Smith, 30, quit the show on Monday night after Andrew Guthrie admitted he didn't have a romantic connection with her. Both pictured

'Most of the time we hang out, all we're doing is laughing and cracking jokes and that's awesome... I think anyone would be lucky to have you in their life,' he said.

Andrew went on to explain that over the last week he felt that his feelings were more friendship than relationship based

'I guess I have started to think this is more of a friendship than a romantic connection,' he confessed.

Truth: While on their final date together the 30-year-old social worker from the New South Wales' Central Coast asked Andrew if his feelings towards her had developed

Sad: To her disappointment, Andrew said that while he felt a strong connection with her, he considered her more of a friend

A visibly upset Rachael explained that she needed a minute to compose herself.

Rachael then decided to leave the farm after learning Andrew's feeling.

'I do really like him, but he just sees me as a mate,' said Rachael explaining this wasn't her first unreciprocated love. 'I'm feeling a bit heartbroken.'

Heartbroken: 'I do really like him, but he just sees me as a mate,' said Rachael explaining this wasn't her first unreciprocated love. 'I'm feeling a bit heartbroken.'

Farmer Wants a Wife is considered to be one of the most successful reality dating shows, generating nine marriages, one long-term relationship and 23 babies.

Alongside Andrew, the other farmers searching for love are Will Dwyer, Matt Trewin, Sam Messina and Rob Campbell.

Natalie Gruzlewski has returned as host, and previously told Seven's The Morning Show that more than one farmer will find love this season.
She founded her own swimwear brand, Swim Society, in 2019.

And Montana Brown was proving to be her own best advertisement as she showed off her toned stomach to her 1.3million Instagram followers while frolicking in the sun during her Mykonos getaway.

Plugging a turquoise bikini, the reality star, 25, smiled towards the sun as she soaked up her daily dose of vitamin D from the luxury boutique Kouros Hotel.

Sun kissed: Montana Brown [pictured] showed off her toned stomach in Mykonos as she sizzled in the sun in a turquoise bikini

Montana was sure to showcase every inch of her flawless figure including her perky cleavage and incredibly taut abs.

The former Love Island star added a caption on the images reading: "Its a god damn heatwave out here #kouroshotelmykonos.'

Capital FM DJ Will Manning gushed in the comments, 'Ok!!!!!'

Fellow influencer Elma Pazar posted a string of heart-eyed emojis.

Sizzling: Plugging a turquoise bikini from her very own range, the 25-year-old smiled towards the sun as she soaked up her daily dose of vitamin D from the luxury boutique Kouros Hotel

Showing affection: Capital FM DJ Will Manning gushed in the comments, 'Ok!!!!! and fellow influencer Elma Pazar posted a string of heart-eyed emojis

It comes after Montana, along with a string of other Love Islanders consisting of Malin Andersson, Olivia Attwood and Cara De La Hoyde-Massey, were criticised for accepting cash to say they use a controversial contraceptive app.

They had been plugging the 80-a-year Natural Cycles app on Instagram with the ad hashtag.

The app has also been featured on a raft of other influencers' pages like TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh.

Say cheese: It comes after Montana, along with a string of other Love Islanders consisting of Malin Andersson , Olivia Attwood and Cara De La Hoyde-Massey, were criticised for accepting cash to say they use a controversial contraceptive app

#AD! Montana made it clear her post plugging the app back in March was paid

Natural Cycles is similar to the fertility awareness method, taking your temperature daily to pinpoint ovulation.

But experts say touting hormone-free contraception as somehow better than traditional methods is 'questionable', with one adding: 'It's not quite the same as advertising a certain brand of makeup.'

Montana made it clear her post plugging the app back in March was paid, although it is not known for sure whether the other girls received money.

Montana's post shows her smiling and holding a thermometer on a beach with the caption: 'My mood when I can use natural cycles instead of putting hormones in my body.'

Backlash: Other fellow Love Islanders, such as Olivia Attwood [pictured], have been criticised for accepting cash to say they use a controversial contraceptive app

Reality favourites: The app has also been featured on a raft of other influencers' pages like TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh [pictured]

MSI contraceptive nurse Simphiwe Sesanes said: 'Natural Cycles is effectively just an app version of what women have been doing for years with a diary and a thermometer. It will fit some lifestyles but may be unsuitable for many others.'

Back in 2018 the Advertising Standards Agency upheld a complaint against Natural Cycles because of an ad it felt suggested 'the app was a reliable method of contraception which could be used in place of other established birth control methods, including those that were highly reliable in preventing unwanted pregnancies'.

The ASA confirmed they had recently had two complaints made about Natural Cycles ads, but didn't uphold them.

However in 2017, Swedish health officials raised concerns after 37 women at one of the country's biggest hospitals were said to have sought a termination after all allegedly fell pregnant using the app.

Malin Andersson [pictured] is among those plugging the 80-a-year Natural Cycles app on Instagram with the ad hashtag
He once sold his portrait of Bob Dylan for a whopping 1.1million.

And Pierce Brosnan, 68, has now revealed his plans for an exhibition of his art.

The James Bond star took to Instagram on Sunday to share a number of pieces with his 1.6m followers, writing: 'I do ponder at times whether to show the work slowly practiced since one dark night in 1987 when I first began to paint.

Man of many talents: Actor Pierce Brosnan, 68, has revealed his plans for an exhibition of his art, sharing a picture of himself posing alongside one of his works on Instagram on Sunday

'However as my darling wife Keely says, you're only going to paint so many in your life time. So come year's end I shall have my first art show in LA...if not now when? Time to let them go.'

The star posted 10 of his creations on the social media site, posing alongside one of the paintings as he rested his face in his hand just like the subject of his piece.

The Irish screen legend had swept his salt and pepper hair back off his face and trimmed his beard so he looked smart for the photo.

He wore a navy blue top and matching scarf as he posed alongside the painting which could easily be mistaken for a Picasso.

Creative: The star posted 10 of his creations on the social media site with one image showing a man wearing a necklace made of Swiss cheese as he stood on an island beneath the moon

Deep thinker: Pierce told his fans: 'I do ponder at times whether to show the work slowly practiced since one dark night in 1987 when I first began to paint'

Pierce posted a range of his other pictures on Instagram, but let the art do the talking as he stepped aside.

One image showed a man wearing what appeared to be a necklace made of Swiss cheese as he stood on a tropical island beneath the moon.

Another showed a man in a purple jumper with a multi-coloured face as he stood against a monochrome background.

Meanwhile, another work showed a person standing with their hand close to their very detailed heart, showing all the parts from the ventricles to the valves.

Open heart: Another work showed a person standing with their hand close to their very detailed heart, showing all the parts from the ventricles to the valves

Artistic aspirations: Pierce spoke about his passion for art in an interview last year and shared his plans to have an exhibition in Santa Monica, California

Body of art: In another piece, Pierce appers to have painted some simple instructions on how to insert an earplug, with a basic but graphic display of the process

And in another piece, Pierce appears to have painted some simple instructions on how to insert an earplug, with a basic but graphic display of the process.

Pierce spoke about his passion for art in an interview last year and shared his plans to have an exhibition in Santa Monica, California.

He revealed that his wife, Keely, 56, had a documentary aired at the Cannes Film Festival, and when organisers discovered Pierce was a painter, they asked him to auction an artwork for amFAR - a charity supporting AIDS research.

Life of colour: Pierce shared a number of pictures online with his fans including this colourful piece which he painted at home

Soothing art: Pierce took up painting in 1987 when his late wife, Cassandra Harris, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer

In an interview with Parade magazine, Pierce said: 'I'd done a painting of Bob Dylan, who is a great hero of mine.

'It sold for $1.4million (1.1million) and Keely and I just danced into the night. If it could be like that all the time, I definitely would give up the acting game.'

Pierce took up painting in 1987 when his late wife, Cassandra Harris, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Their daughter Charlotte died of the same disease in 2013 at the age of 41.

A new profession? Pierce has previously said he would quit acting if he could make millions from his art, admitting: 'I definitely would give up the acting game'

Artistic: Pierce previously sold a portrait of his idol Bob Dylan for $1.4million (1.1million) and is pictured with the portrait here in 2018

Sweet: Pierce's wife Keely has been very supportive of his art and he has praised her for 'directing' his life for 25 years (pictured in January 2020)

He also praised his second wife Keely for 'directing' his life for 25 years. The couple have two children - Dylan, 23, and Paris, 19.

Along with Dylan and Paris, Pierce is also father to son Sean, 36, by Cassandra and is also the adoptive father of Charlotte and Christopher Brosnan, Cassandra's two children by her first husband Dermot Harris, whose brother was Richard Harris of Harry Potter fame.

Pierce has often been vocal about how Keely saved him from depression following his personal tragedies, describing her as a strength 'I wouldn't be able to live without.'

Pierce is now a proud grandfather of three - Charlotte's children Isabella, 21, and Lucas, 14, as well as Sean's daughter Marley May, four.
She's the Bondi A-lister who loves to snap a selfie at the drop of a hat.

And on Monday, Pip Edwards decided to be make the most of her time in lockdown as she set up her own at-home studio to flaunt her latest P.E Nation designs.

The 41-year-old designer took to Instagram to share a series of selfies as she rocked a matching tracksuit from her latest collection, alongside ankle boots.

Sitting pretty: Pip Edwards, 41, (pictured) gave her new 'at-home selfie set-up' a whirl on Monday as she endeavours to remain fashionable in Sydney's lockdown

In one mirror selfie, Pip can be seen sitting on a white plastic chair while holding her iPhone up to take the picture.

'New at home selfie set up,' she wrote before tagging her label.

In the second image, the fashionista stands in front of her new mirror, giving it a test run.

Her own best advertisement! The Bondi-based designer decided to be make the most of her time in lockdown and set up her own at-home studio to flaunt her latest P.E Nation designs

It comes just days after Pip showed off her 'comfy' pyjamas by luxury label Sleeping With Jacques worth a whopping $788.

In a post on Instagram Stories on Thursday, Pip snapped a photo of herself wearing the label's Bon Vivant Robe, which sells online for $489.

She paired it with the brand's Velvet Bottom pants, which retail for $299.

Expensive taste: In a post on Instagram Stories last Thursday, Pip showed off her 'comfy' pyjamas by luxury label Sleeping With Jacques worth a whopping $788

Pip rounded out her stylish designer ensemble with a pair of fluffy leopard-print crossover slippers.

Pip and her son Justice, 12, are just two of the millions of Sydneysiders currently suffering through lockdown.

Residents are only being asked to leave their home for essential goods.
Naomi Campbell was spotted in public with her newborn daughter for the first time during a low-key outing in New York on Sunday.

The supermodel, 50, stunned fans when she announced at the end of May that she'd welcomed a baby girl by sharing a picture on social media however has remained tight-lipped about further details of the birth.

Looking typically chic, Naomi sported an oversized white shirt with loose-fitting black bottoms with a thick green stripe extending the length of the leg as she walked through the streets in style while pushing the pram.

Glam mum! Naomi Campbell was spotted in public with her newborn daughter for the first time during a low-key outing in New York on Sunday

Naomi stunned fans with the news that she had welcomed a baby daughter, with sources later claiming the child was born with the help of a surrogate.

She looked to be taking to motherhood swimmingly as she strutted through the streets with her pram in tow while looking chic.

In her initial announcement, Naomi shared the news that she had become a mother for the first time after welcoming a baby girl.

Shortly after, the supermodel told fans she was 'honoured and humbled', amid claims she's set to raise her daughter with her 'secret American boyfriend'.

Heading off: The supermodel, 50, stunned fans when she announced at the end of May that she'd welcomed a baby girl by sharing a picture on social media however has remained tight-lipped about further details of the birth

Shock: Naomi stunned fans with the news that she had welcomed a baby daughter, with sources later claiming the child was born with the help of a surrogate

Strutting her stuff: She looked to be taking to motherhood swimmingly as she strutted through the streets with her pram in tow while looking chic

The model is said to have welcomed her baby via a surrogate, with unearthed pictures of the star taken three weeks before her baby's arrival showing her out in New York City - where she now lives.

Naomi revealed that she has 'never felt so much love like I have over these past few weeks' in a sweet Instagram post.

The new mum looked radiant as she took to social media last month to thank fans for all their 'well wishes' while surrounded by dozens of stunning flowers.

Naomi penned: 'Never have I felt so much love like I have over these past few weeks, I am so thankful for the love that you've poured into me and my daughter.

Heading off: She looked to be taking to motherhood swimmingly as she strutted through the streets with her pram in tow while looking chic

Strutting her stuff: She looked radiant as she strutted her stuff through the streets

New mom: Naomi announced at the end of May that she'd welcomed a baby girl by sharing a picture on social media

'Thank you all for the Warm messages of support and birthday wishes. Despite the challenging year we've all had, there has been so many blessings that I am beyond grateful and thankful for.

'By Gods Grace we are almost at the light at the end of the tunnel, strength and perseverance Love, Naomi.'

Only recently, Naomi revealed she was listening to Bob Marley during the 'special moment' she became a mother for the first time.

The model shared the candid detail about her daughter's birth on her YouTube series No Filter, saying: 'Music is like... In my most special moments, you know I just became a mum, I had Bob Marley playing. That's my roots, you know? It's my roots.'

Sports sensation: She paired a New York Yankees baseball cap with her Nike trainers

Elegant: She strutted her stuff while sporting the trendy ensemble

A vision: Motherhood seemed to be suiting Naomi who strutted out in style

The outing comes just days after Naomi paid tribute to her close friend Gianni Versace as she marked the 24th anniversary of his death on Thursday - by posting an image of her daughter in a Versace ensemble.

The fashion designer was murdered outside his palatial beachfront home in Miami on July 15 in 1997. 'I love you Gianni Versace,' wrote the supermodel as she shared a photo of her baby girl in a Versace print baby grow .

And her daughter looked cosy in the multi-coloured Versace onesie as she lay in her cot. Naomi acted as Gianni's muse and the pair developed an extremely close friendship while working alongside one another in the fashion industry.

Speaking to Vogue Italia in a previous interview, Naomi revealed Gianni had saved her life multiple times.

A vision: She looked sensational on the outing with her beloved girl

Tribute: The outing comes just days after Naomi paid tribute to her close friend Gianni Versace as she marked the 24th anniversary of his death on Thursday - by posting an image of her daughter in a Versace ensemble

Icons: Naomi acted as Gianni's muse and the pair developed an extremely close friendship while working alongside one another in the fashion industry (pictured in 1995)

The supermodel revealed: 'I can hear him in my mind, telling me dont do this, get out of this situation. And I obey. I owe it to him that I am still alive.'

Naomi was one of the high profile models dubbed Gianni's Girls as they exclusively walked the catwalk for him.

She told Vogue: 'He was the first to recognise our individuality and to pay us accordingly.

'He was also the first to introduce the concept of exclusivity: you flew to Milan or Paris, and you would walk only for him.'

'I owe it to him that I am still alive': Naomi revealed to Vogue Italia in a previous interview that Gianni had saved her life multiple times (pictured in 1995)

Gianni was killed outside his Miami mansion by Andrew Cunanan, a former male prostitute-turned-serial killer.

Andrew shot and killed the 50-year-old renowned couturier on the front steps of his gilded mansion on July 15, 1997.

Curious tourists pose every day for pictures outside the imposing wrought-iron gate where Versace was shot twice in the head at point-blank range.

Eight days after the assassination, Andrew , who also was wanted for the murders of four other gay men from Minnesota to New Jersey, killed himself with the same gun he used to slay Versace.
They spent June together in London.

But on Sunday, Simon Cowell's girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43, showed off her slender figure in a classic black swimsuit while on the beach in Barbados.

The New York socialite looked sensational in the chic one-piece as she enjoyed a glass of rose wine during a stroll across the sand.

Wow! On Sunday, Simon Cowell's girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43, showed off her slender figure in a classic black swimsuit while on the beach in Barbados

Lauren oozed effortless glamour with a glass of drink in hand, while wearing a Valentino straw hat and dark sunglasses.

She further accessorised with a gold chain necklace as well an elegant gold watch and bangle.

The mother-of-two took a dip in the sea whilst wearing her alluring swimsuit, showing off her toned physique as she cooled off from the heat of the day.

Lauren shares youngest son Eric, seven, with music mogul Simon, 61, and is also mum to Adam, 15, whose father is her ex-husband Andrew Silverman.

Gorgeous: Lauren oozed effortless glamour with a glass of drink in hand, while wearing a Valentino straw hat and dark sunglasses

Stunning: The New York socialite looked sensational in the chic one-piece as she enjoyed a glass of rose wine during a stroll across the sand

Heaven: The mother-of-two took a dip in the sea whilst wearing her alluring swimsuit, showing off her toned physique as she cooled off from the heat of the day

Stylish: Lauren further accessorised with a gold chain necklace as well an elegant gold watch and bangle

Their latest Caribbean holiday comes after Simon vowed to do everything he can to ensure he makes a full recovery following breaking his back.

Simon was left bedridden for months after a devastating electric bike accident at his Malibu home in August last year.

The record executive now walks for several hours a day and holds business meetings at 9AM so that he no longer lives like a 'vampire'.

Catch-ups: Lauren chatted to a male friend while walking along the beach

Up and about: Rather than lying on a sunlounger, Lauren spent her time swimming or walking with her glass of wine

Fun with friends: The socialite chatted with a gal pal while wading through water

Sensational: Lauren defied her years as she showcased her toned frame in the swimwear

Toned: Lauren topped up her tan as she stretched out her toned arms

Of his new fitness regime, a source told MailOnline: 'Simon said how he hasn't worn trainers as much as this in 20 years.

'He feels fitter than ever before and is keeping to a normal routine rather than being on the phone until into the early hours of the morning.'

Simon told Extra in February of the horror bike incident: 'I nearly smashed my spine to pieces!'

The X Factor boss also admitted he 'couldn't have got through' it without his girlfriend Lauren and son Eric, who sweetly called him 'iron man' when he first saw his dad with metal rods and screws in his back following surgery.

Happy lady: Simon Cowell's girlfriend flashed a wide smile during her day at the beach

Chic: Lauren tucked her raven tresses into a neat bun at the nape of her neck

Care free: Lauren threw her white towel off to the side as she continued to enjoy her wine

Holiday mode: Lauren looked completely relaxed as she caught up with a friend

Hot stuff! In a bid to keep cool under the Caribbean sun, Lauren waded through the sea

Simon met Lauren when she was still married to millionaire property developer Andrew Silverman.

Their affair became public  and Simon's life changed  at the end of July 2013 when news broke of Lauren's pregnancy.

In 2015, Simon told Mail on Sunday Event magazine: 'I'm not proud of the circumstances, I can't hold my head up about it.'

And of the pregnancy, he admitted: 'This was not something I planned. But I remember going to the first scan with Lauren.

'I called him Tad because he looked like a tadpole. Something just kicked in. I felt unbelievably protective of both of them. I just absolutely wanted him. I just hadn't known that before.'

Sundowners: And day fell to night, the New York socialite wrapped a towel around her waist
Kim Kardashian and her estranged husband Kanye West reportedly reunited this past weekend as they visited a museum in San Francisco with their four children.

Kim, 40, and Kanye, 44, visited before opening hours the teamLab: Continuity exhibition at the Asian Art Museum with their children North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, on July 17, a museum source told E!.

'They were excited to be there, and everyone seemed to be getting along great between Kim and Kanye,' the source said.

Friendly exes: Kim Kardashian and her ex Kanye West reportedly reunited this past weekend as they visited a museum in San Francisco with their four children

'They were there for the kids as the museum is a very family friendly environment, and this specific exhibit brings out the childlike wonder in us all. By all accounts they were gracious, appreciative, and had a great time!'

The exhibition they viewed is an immersive digital experience where 'movement-sensitive artworks fill entire galleries and are hyper-responsive to human activity, transforming visitors into participants,' according to a press release.

The famous exes were 'very low key' as they went about the museum.

The family of four explored the museum with their security guards keeping an eye on them. Their nannies, however, did not join them.

Split: Kim filed for divorce from Kanye after seven years of marriage earlier this year

Kim filed for divorce from Kanye after seven years of marriage earlier this year, following a difficult year which saw the rapper seemingly grapple with his mental health.

The A-listers started dating in 2012, became engaged in 2013, and married in Florence in 2014.

While Kim has yet to start dating anyone since the split, Kanye has begun a blossoming romance with Russian model Irina Shayk, who appeared in his 2010 music video for Power.

The way they were: The A-listers started dating in 2012, became engaged in 2013, and married in Florence in 2014

While Kim is said to have grappled with divorcing Kanye, sources say she now believes she did the right thing.

'Kim is doing great,' a source told People last month. 'She was really struggling around the time she filed for divorce.

'She was very upset about it and really didn't want to file. She has come a long way since she filed for divorce, though. She's very happy and convinced that she made the right decision.'

Family time: The estranged couple enjoyed a day at the museum with their kids

And despite their split, the duo are said to be 'getting along' with one another.

One insider previously told People: 'Kim and Kanye are getting along. They have both stayed true to their commitment to make the best situation for the kids.

'Kim is very happy that they have managed to keep things calm. She thinks Kanye is a good dad. She wants him to be able to spend as much time with the kids as he wants.'
Amy Childs was seen brushing off news holiday-goers in Ibiza will now have to quarantine on their return to the UK, following a change in restrictions.

The TOWIE star, 31, is currently enjoying a break away on the White Isle - which used to be listed as a green country, but was added to the amber list at 4am on Monday.

Government advice now states that arrival to the UK from Ibiza will require a 10-day quarantine if not fully vaccinated, but it looks like Amy was in no rush to jet home before the early morning deadline and remained unfazed about the prospect of isolating as she shared glam selfies by the pool.

'Had the best day': Amy Childs wasn't fazed by the prospect of quarantining on her return from Ibiza after restrictions changed in the early hours of Monday and instead shared glam selfies on Instagram

The reality star was seen reminiscing over her visit to beach club Nikki Beach on Sunday and told her Instagram followers she'd had the 'best day'.

Amy looked gorgeous as she shared busty selfies that saw her posing on her cabana bed while enjoying some shade from the sunshine.

She was seen sporting a very low-cut black swimsuit that left little to the imagination and wasn't without her usual glamour, as she teamed her poolside attire with her hair in perfect styled curls.

Rocking a full face of make-up, Amy finished off her look with a chic pair of large aviator shades.

Sun-soaked: She told fans she'd had the 'best day' at Nikki Beach as she brushed off news Ibiza has been added to the amber list and requires isolation on return to UK if not fully vaccinated

Suggesting she is continuing her holiday despite the new rules, Amy tagged herself at Nikki Beach Ibiza and revealed: 'Had the best day at @nikkibeachibiza yesterday.'

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Amy for comment.

Ibiza was originally on the green list of countries, with current government restrictions stating travel back from those countries - including Australia, New Zealand, Croatia and Malta - does not require quarantine on arrival to the UK.

Travellers are required to take a Covid-19 test before heading back to England and must book a Covid test to be taken on day two after their arrival.

They only need to quarantine if their test result comes back as positive.

The Balearic islands, including Ibiza, moved onto the amber list of countries at 4am on Monday 19 July - named Freedom Day as it saw legal restrictions lifted across the country.

Holiday mode on: Amy has been holidaying on the White isle with her two children and documenting her trip on social media for her followers

Reunion: While in Ibiza, Amy enjoyed a catch up with Celebs Go Dating star Wayne Lineker

Travel restrictions still apply and amber list countries require those returning to the UK to take a Covid test before their return and to book and pay for day two and day eight tests during their isolation period.

On arrival to England, travellers must quarantine for 10 days if they are not fully vaccinated.

If you have received both doses of the vaccine, you are not required to quarantine but must take a test two days after your arrival.

However, different rules apply to France which is also on the amber list - it was confirmed that those returning from France must quarantine for 10 days, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Amy, meanwhile, is holidaying in Ibiza with her two children, daughter Polly, four, who she shares with ex Bradley Wright, and son Ritchie Jr, from her relationship with former partner and businessman Ritchie.

She reportedly jetted off overseas to 'heal herself', following her split from ex-boyfriend Tim, who she had been dating for over a year.

All over: Amy headed overseas to 'heal herself' following her split from ex-boyfriend Tim

Amy had previously described Tim as 'The One' and he was seen referring to the Essex star as his 'gorgeous girlfriend' on social media just weeks before news of their break up surfaced.

A source told MailOnline: 'Amy and Tim are both heartbroken. They really hoped to make the relationship work, but the romance between them fizzled out.'

The insider revealed Amy has headed overseas to 'heal' her broken heart, adding: 'The breakup is still raw, so Amy is taking some time for herself in Ibiza, where she can have some space to get over things.'

Amy confirmed her relationship with Tim in April 2020, sharing a now-deleted picture alongside the caption: 'When you finally meet the right one for you, it suddenly becomes clear why everyone else was so wrong... I love you.'

And last month, Tim dedicated an Instagram post to Amy in honour of her 31st birthday, writing at the time: 'Happy Birthday to my gorgeous girlfriend. Love you so much.'

The former couple had been living together at her Brentwood home during lockdown, with Tim becoming part of the family as he spent time with Amy's kids and her cousin and TOWIE co-star Harry Derbidge, 27.

Mum-of-two Amy first met Tim last year after appearing on E4 reality series Celebs Go Dating.
The cast of Gossip Girl were transformed into high-society teenagers as they continued filming the hit HBO Max reboot on Monday.

Zion Moreno, 26, Whitney Peak, 18, Savannah Smith, Jordan Alexander, 23, Emily Alyn Lind, 19, and Eli Brown, 21, were spotted looking every inch the cool, upper class New Yorkers as they shot scenes on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

The group were spotted huddled together at the top of a staircase, their attention focused on something in the distance.

Too cool for school! The cast of Gossip Girl were transformed into high-society teenagers as they continued filming the hit HBO Max reboot on Monday

Their expressions ranged from curious to annoyed, with Jordan going through an array of moods as she stood at the center of the group, looking the most bothered.

Jordan, who plays Julien Calloway, looked every inch the trendsetter in her baggy blue plaid trousers and Christian Dior handbag on her arm.

Rebelling slightly against the typical school uniform, she wore her tie loosely around her neck and her white button down untucked from her trousers.

In contrast to Jordan, Zion, who plays Luna La, looked every inch the mini socialite in her chic plaid coat, suede ankle boots, and perfectly styled raven hair.

What's going on? Their expressions ranged from curious to annoyed, with Jordan going through an array of moods as she stood at the center of the group, looking the most bothered

Something bother you? Jordan scowled as she looked towards the distance

Savannah was also every bit the fahsionista with her pleated skirt, bright red jacket, Louis Vuitton handbag and Dolce & Gabbana Jacquard-knit sock boots.

Whitney, who plays newcomer Zoya Lott, embraced her inner skater girl as she stepped out with her board in hand.

Emily, who plays Audrey Hope, sported a dark blue coat, white cardigan, and black boots and tights.

Open book: Emily, who plays Audrey Hope, sported a dark blue coat, white cardigan, and black boots and tights as she stepped out with a paperback in hand

Having a wheel-y good time! Whitney embraced her inner skater girl on set

New Yorkers: Zion and Savannah looked every bit the socialites in their fancy attire

Last but not least was Eli Brown, who was looking smart in a jean jacket, tan slacks, and sharp boots.

Gossip Girl premiered on HBO Max on July 8, and became the streamer's most-watched original series during it's debut weekend, according to Deadline.

A reboot of the wildly successful CW series of the same name, the Gossip Girl reboot premiered on Thursday with a shocking reveal.

For its entire six season run, the original CW show's central mystery revolved around who was behind a blog that dished out the scandalous secrets of the privileged teenagers attending an exclusive private school in Manhattan.

However, viewers of the HBO Max reboot learned the identity of Gossip Girl in the first episode.

The show's eponymous blogger was revealed to be a group of the high school's teachers, led by Kate Keller (Tavi Gevinson).
Vogue Williams looked incredible as she attended her ROCO children's wear launch event in London on Monday.

The media personality, 35, was joined at the event by some of her celebrity pals including Ferne McCann and Katie Piper.

Vogue showcased her sense of style in a cream midi dress with a sweetheart neckline and a cut out detail.

Stunning: Vogue Williams looked incredible as she attended her ROCO children's wear launch event in London on Monday

The garment also featured a pleated hemline and a leg split while Vogue added height to her frame with a pair of heels.

The radio presenter styled her blonde locks into loose waves for the event and completed her look with a silver necklace.

Ferne, 30, opted for a laid back look, sporting a white shirt which she tied into a knot, highlighted her toned midriff.

The former TOWIE star also wore a bright green mini skirt and added to her outfit with black heels.

Launch: The media personality, 35, was joined at the event by some of her celebrity pals including Ferne McCann and Katie Piper

Trendy: Vogue showcased her sense of style in a cream midi dress with a sweetheart neckline and a cut out detail

Ferne styled her blonde tresses into a bob and completed her look with a navy handbag.

Katie, 37, looked sensational in a bright orange blazer which she paired with matching trousers.

The star also sported a pair of tan heels and diamond earrings.

Former Miss England Georgia Jones was also in attendance for the event, sporting a white short-sleeved shirt with beige shorts.

Pals: Former Miss England Georgia Jones was also in attendance for the event, sporting a white short-sleeved shirt with beige shorts

Looking good: Ferne, 30, opted for a laid back look, sporting a white shirt which she tied into a knot, highlighted her toned midriff

Radiant: Katie let her locks fall loose down her shoulders and carried a brown handbag

Pose: Vogue's garment also featured a pleated hemline and a leg split while Vogue added height to her frame with a pair of heels (pictured with Katie and Nicki Shields, right)

Guest: Kate Lawler attended the event alongside her daughter Noa, five months

Flawless: Kate donned a white midi dress and a pair of red and white heels

Vogue's appearance comes after she ruled out ever appearing on Made In Chelsea - the show that propelled her husband Spencer Matthews to fame.

Chatting to MailOnline, the Irish TV and radio host who has been married to Spencer, 32, since 2018, said that the veteran structured reality series - which has been on the air since 2011 - is not her thing.

Asked whether she would appear alongside Spencer if he was ever asked back, she insisted: 'Not in a million years, never ever ever, no way, 100 percent not!

'And I think that Spencer would say no more than I would! It was great for him at the time but we are at completely different times in our lives. I don't even think we would do our own show again...'

All smiles: Ferne also wore a bright green mini skirt and added to her outfit with black heels

Career: Vogue's appearance comes after she ruled out ever appearing on Made In Chelsea - the show that propelled her husband Spencer Matthews to fame (pictured with Lilah Parsons, left, and Kate, right)

Honest: Vogue, who has been married to Spencer, 32, since 2018, said that the veteran structured reality series - which has been on the air since 2011 - is not her thing

Candid: Asked whether she would appear alongside Spencer if he was ever asked back, she insisted: 'Not in a million years, never ever ever, no way, 100 percent not!'

Sensational: Lilah donned a white off the shoulder floral mini dress from Forever New

Casual: George also donned a pair of white sandals and a gold necklace

Glamour: Lilah styled her brunette tresses into loose waves

The couple had their own show - Spencer, Vogue and Wedding Two - as well as a follow up series - Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too - which charted their nuptials and the birth of their son Theodore, who is now two.

They have since welcomed daughter Gigi, 11 months old, but it seems another show is off the cards.

The couple also host a podcast together, but Vogue says she's 'lucky to even get that out of him' as he is so busy with his non-alcoholic drinks venture, CleanCo.

'He isn't interested in that anymore - doing TV. He works full time on CleanCo. He is at the office every day!' she said.

Vogue added: 'I think that Spencer would say no more than I would! It was great for him at the time but we are at completely different times in our lives. I don't even think we would do our own show again...'
Sarah Jessica Parker is put her best foot forward while on her way to shoot the Sex And The City reboot And Just Like That... on Monday.

The actress, 56, embraced her character Carrie Bradshaw's quirky style in a flouncy fuchsia CH Carolina Herrera shirt dress with a studded belt which she wore in the first movie.

SJP had a bit of a fashionista moment as she stopped her strut across the New York City sidewalk to check on her vintage Manolo Blahnik heels.

Pretty in pink: Sarah Jessica Parker stunned in pink while shooting the Sex And The City follow up series And Just LIke That... in NYC on Monday

Feet first: SJP had a bit of a fashionista moment as she stopped her strut across the sidewalk to check on her classic black stilettos

Continuing her accessories, the Divorce actress donned a delicate diamond necklace and silver bangles.

She tucked her beachy blonde tresses behind her ear before waving at onlookers and slipping into a restaurant where the day's shoot was taking place.

Sarah Jessica was joined by longtime castmates Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis inside.

Nixon, who plays lawyer Miranda Hobbes on the series, looked sharp for the lunchtime scene, sporting a plaid suit and crystal glasses.

Meanwhile Davis went with a prim white maxi dress with a preppy nautical print, perfectly fit for her character Charlotte York Goldenblatt.

Showstopper: The actress, 56, embraced her character Carrie Bradshaw's quirky style in a flouncy fuchsia CH Carolina Herrera shirt dress with a studded belt

Touch up: She wore her blonde locks in beachy waves, getting a brief touch up before cameras rolled

Lunch date: Sarah Jessica was joined by longtime castmates Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis inside

The ladies looked engrossed in their conversation, possibly talking about relationship problems between Carrie and leading man Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth.

Leaked scripts reveal that SJP's character wasn't always 100% sure about marrying her on/off suitor, according to a leaked script obtained by Page Six.

In the scene, Carrie is dining out with a few of her best friends, including Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson), Miranda and Charlotte.

Bradshaw, who's now in her 50's and hosts a podcast, seems to say she isn't in a good place: 'I was taping the podcast, I was washing my hair.

'Yes, I wasn't eating or sleeping, but at least I felt good about my marriage. Now I'm just one of the wives he was taking care of?'

Rough patch? A leaked script for the series revealed that Carrie was having issues with her husband Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth (above)

Love: Carrie and Big were married at the New York Public Library after plans failed for an elaborate luxury wedding in the first Sex and the City movie

Carrie and Big were married at the New York Public Library after plans failed for an elaborate luxury wedding in the first Sex and the City movie.

Noth admitted he was 'hesitant' to reprise his Mr. Big role for the revival and felt as though he gave the character his all, but was swayed to come back after a little pep talk from producers.

'It was a little bit of a sort of creative negotiation because I didn't really feel I had anything to offer in that role again,' he told Yahoo! Finance Live. 'It kind of felt like I had done it.

'But [executive producer] Michael Patrick King is just an incredible writer and has incredible creative ideas. And once we got together and talked about the potential of what we could do with the character, I was all in.'

Chris played the commitment-phobe financial adviser while SJP portrayed the sex columnist in the series which first debuted in 1998.
Till Death star Megan Fox admitted she only agreed to be in her new movie Midnight in the Switchgrass in order to meet co-star Machine Gun Kelly.

'It was definitely a vehicle - I'll be honest - for me to meet Colson,' the 35-year-old mother-of-three dished in the July edition of Who What Wear.

'I knew he was gonna be in the movie, but the universe was just like, "Go do this. There's something about this experience that'll be really rewarding for you."'

Calculated: Till Death star Megan Fox admitted she only agreed to be in her new movie Midnight in the Switchgrass in order to meet co-star Machine Gun Kelly (pictured in 2020)

Megan and her 31-year-old beau portray FBI agent Rebecca Lombardi and a sex trafficker in producer Randall Emmett's directorial debut, which hits US theaters this Friday.

'When I met [MGK], I knew instantly that this is a soul I've travelled with before, that this was a soulmate connection, and that there was a purpose here,' Fox gushed.

'There was my logical brain chiming and being like, "This will never work for 101 reasons."'

The only hurdle was the pop-punk rocker's (born Colson Baker) influencer girlfriend Sommer Ray, who was staying at his hotel in Puerto Rico during the shoot.

The 35-year-old mother-of-three dished in the July edition of Who What Wear: 'It was definitely a vehicle - I'll be honest - for me to meet Colson. I knew he was gonna be in the movie, but the universe was just like, "Go do this. There's something about this experience that'll be really rewarding for you"'

Hitting US theaters this Friday! Megan and her 31-year-old beau (R) portray FBI agent Rebecca Lombardi and a sex trafficker in producer Randall Emmett's (2-R) directorial debut, which hits US theaters July 23

Fox gushed: 'When I met [MGK], I knew instantly that this is a soul I've travelled with before, that this was a soulmate connection, and that there was a purpose here'

Meanwhile, the Tennessee-born beauty separated from the father of her three children - Brian Austin Green - in November 2019 and officially filed for divorce from him on November 25.

In the accompanying Who What Wear video, Megan took a hilarious walk down fashion memory lane and reviewed some of her earlier red carpet ensembles.

Back in 2007, Fox attended the Juno premiere wearing a Motley Crue T-shirt, 'crazy' low rise jeans, Louboutin wedges, and 'some weird a** belt from Kitson.'

'Started from this to this': The only hurdle was the pop-punk rocker's (born Colson Baker) influencer girlfriend Sommer Ray, who was staying at his hotel in Puerto Rico during the shoot

Separated: The Tennessee-born beauty separated from the father of her three children - Brian Austin Green (L) - in November 2019 and officially filed for divorce from him on November 25

'Everyone wanted me to look like a movie star, so that I could land this role [in Jennifer's Body written by Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody],' the crystal and astrology enthusiast recalled.

'Correct me [Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee] if I'm wrong, but I feel like I wore this T-shirt and then someone extended an invitation from Tommy Lee for him to "teach me drums."'

Megan coyly smiled: 'You know what I'm saying? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I remember it.'

'Everyone wanted me to look like a movie star': In the accompanying Who What Wear video, Megan took a hilarious walk down fashion memory lane and reviewed some of her earlier red carpet ensembles

'That zipper is one inch!' Back in 2007, Fox attended the Juno premiere wearing a Motley Crue T-shirt, 'crazy' low rise jeans, Louboutin wedges, and 'some weird a** belt from Kitson'

The crystal and astrology enthusiast recalled: 'Correct me [Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee] if I'm wrong, but I feel like I wore this T-shirt and then someone extended an invitation from Tommy Lee for him to "teach me drums." You know what I'm saying?' (pictured Friday)

Coincidence: Ironically, Machine Gun Kelly (L) went on to portray the 58-year-old rocker (R) in the hair metal band's 2019 Netflix biopic, The Dirt

Ironically, Machine Gun Kelly went on to portray the 58-year-old rocker in the hair metal band's 2019 Netflix biopic, The Dirt.

Fox described her sense of style as 'Hot Topic meets middle America' so it was big transformation for her to hire stylist Maeve Reilly last fall.

'She basically threw away my entire closet, which was garbage anyway,' laughed the Transformers alum.

New look! Fox described her sense of style as 'Hot Topic meets middle America' so it was big transformation for her to hire stylist Maeve Reilly last fall
Olivia Wilde looked as if she was ready to get back to business when she landed in Los Angeles on Monday.

The Tron: Legacy actress, 37, wore a white hoodie, ripped jeans and sneakers as she made her way out of LAX airport while looking at her cell phone.

This comes just over a week after the ex partner of Jason Sudeikis was seen in the arms of her new boyfriend, Harry Styles, when in Italy.

Making calls: Olivia Wilde looked as if she was ready to get back to business when she landed in Los Angeles on Monday. The Tron: Legacy actress, 37, wore a white hoodie, ripped jeans and sneakers as she made her way out of LAX airport while looking at her cell phone

The cover girl wore her blonde hair down and had on Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses as she carried a black travel bag.

The Don't Worry Darling director also wore a black face mask.

On Saturday evening at midnight California residents were asked to wear a face mask when indoors as the Delta variant of COVID-19 has mushroomed reportedly thanks to people who refuse to vaccinate.

Casual customer: The cover girl wore her blonde hair down and had on Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses as she carried a travel bag. The Don't Worry Darling director also wore a face mask

The Booksmart director was seen over a week ago alongside Styles, 27, in Italy.

During their romantic Tuscan getaway, the lovebirds were seen with their arms wrapped around each other as they kissed aboard a luxury yacht.

The pair were first linked as a couple while working together on her latest film Don't Worry, Darling last year. She directed and he starred.

Olivia, meanwhile, shares two children with her ex-partner Jason Sudeikis.

Lovebirds: It was the first time the actress and filmmaker was seen since being spotted alongside Styles, 27, last week in Italy

The 45-year-old actor, who this week was seen at the West Hollywood premiere of the second season of his acclaimed show Ted Lasso, recently addressed his autumn 2020 split from Olivia publicly for the first time.

In an interview with GQ, Jason clarified he had separated from Olivia in November 2020, and admitted not even he had complete clarity on their break-up.

Jason also shared it had been a difficult year for him, saying he had decided to rebound like an 'Avenger' after hitting 'rock bottom.'

Speaking of the breakup, he said: 'I'll have a better understanding of why in a year. And an even better one in two, and an even greater one in five, and it'll go from being, you know, a book of my life to becoming a chapter to a paragraph to a line to a word to a doodle.'

Olivia shares two children with ex-partner Jason Sudeikis: The 45-year-old actor, who this week was seen at the premiere of the second season of his acclaimed show Ted Lasso, recently addressed his autumn 2020 split from Olivia publicly for the first time
Far-right provocateur Katie Hopkins has tried to claim her humiliating deportation from Australia as a victory, telling her supporters she will never be 'silenced' after being sent back to the UK for joking about breaching hotel quarantine in Sydney.

The reality star and anti-lockdown campaigner, 46, shared a selfie to Instagram at about 5am Tuesday (AEST), and captioned it: 'See you in the morning, my lovelies.

'You may "deport" the Hopkins, but you cannot silence the truth. We will fight to TAKE BACK our freedoms.'

Hours earlier she'd been deported from Australia after 'joking' about breaching hotel quarantine rules and calling Covid lockdowns the 'greatest hoax in human history.'

Bitter: Far-right provocateur Katie Hopkins has tried to claim her humiliating deportation from Australia as a victory, telling her supporters on Instagram she will never be 'silenced' after being sent back to the UK for joking about breaching hotel quarantine in Sydney

The controversial British social commentator boarded a Singapore Airlines flight from Sydney at 3pm on Monday after her 'critical skills' visa was torn up by the Federal Government and she was fined $1,000 (536) for answering the door of her room in quarantine naked and without a face mask in violation of quarantine rules.

Australia has enforced strict border closures since the start of the pandemic, with tickets into the country rationed and all arrivals forced to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in their city of arrival along with repeat testing before being allowed in.

Hopkins had flown in to Australia last week and was placed into 14-day isolation in Sydney ahead of an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

Deported: The controversial British commentator, 46, boarded a Singapore Airlines flight from Sydney at 3pm on Monday

Controversial: Hopkins did not wear her mask properly as she went though security at Sydney Airport

Hopkins had flown in to Australia last week to appear on Celebrity Big Brother after finishing her mandatory 14-day quarantine. She is pictured leaving the country

But during her stay in a hotel room, she shared an Instagram Live video in which she joked about deliberately breaking Covid rules by opening her door naked and mask-free to the workers who deliver her food.

'The police officer who checked me in told me when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds until I can open the door,' she said while breaking out into hysterics.

How Katie Hopkins rose to fame on BBC's The Apprentice to become a media personality Katie Hopkins is a well-known media personality and commentator in Britain who rose to fame on The Apprentice in 2007 and soon became an outspoken household name, writing in several newspapers. The 46-year-old mother-of-two finished as runner-up in the 15th series of the UK's Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, becoming popular among some for her no-nonsense attitude, and loathed by others for her controversial comments. Hopkins is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration  and in recent months has criticised the Black Lives Matter movement as well as Covid-19 lockdowns. She once had a popular radio show on LBC, but stepped away after writing on Twitter that a 'final solution' was needed to deal with terrorists. Many thought this was a reference to the Holocaust. Hopkins also lost a libel case against food blogger Jack Monroe which saw her pay out 24,000 in damages after suggesting they backed the defacing a war memorial during a protest in London. Donald Trump once described her in 2015 on Twitter as a 'respected columnist' after she backed the former US president's claims that parts of London had become so radicalised that people were scared to visit. Hopkins was permanently banned from Twitter in June 2020. Advertisement

Hopkins said she was 'lying in wait' to 'spring [the door] open and frighten the s*** out of them and do it naked with no face mask.'

After the comments sparked huge backlash, Channel Seven dropped Hopkins from the show and her visa was cancelled.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said on Monday morning: 'I hadn't heard of her before and I don't want to hear about her ever again.

'I thought it was just shameful, the fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling,' she told the ABC.

'It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and it's just unacceptable behaviour.'

Some 12 million Australians in Victoria and Greater Sydney are in lockdown over an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant which began on June 16.

Under one of the toughest Covid border policies in the world, Australia has banned tourists and is only allowing 3,035 people a week to enter the country via 14-day hotel quarantine, leaving 40,000 Aussies stranded overseas.

But foreigners with critical skills visas are not always included in the cap because they are deemed to bring 'economic benefit' to the country.

'There are very well established processes and procedures for people to enter this country and many decisions are made on the basis of economic benefit,' Ms Andrews said.

Critical skills visas are for sectors 'critical to Australia's economic recovery' including financial technology, large scale manufacturing, film, media and television production and emerging technology.

The minister said her department approved Hopkins' visa at the request of the New South Wales government.

'It was the State Government that came to us with an application to bring in this individual to effectively increase the economic opportunities in that particular State,' she said.

Facing criticism that celebrities are being prioritised over Australians seeking to return, Ms Andrews said the federal government wants to increase the arrival cap which was halved last month at the request of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia state governments.

Hopkins (pictured at Sydney Airport) was told to leave the country after she joked about breaching quarantine rules

Hopkins wore sunglasses as she walked into the international terminal on Monday afternoon

Ms Andrews praised the Australian Border Force for dealing with Hopkins' visa revocation swiftly over the weekend.

'As soon as we found out about her behaviour and the fact that she was out there openly flaunting our quarantine system here, we took pretty strong action as quickly as we possibly could to get that visa cancelled, and to make sure she would be leaving country,' she said.

Hopkins rose to fame after starring on The Apprentice in the UK in 2007 and is known for her contentious views on race, sex, class, obesity and migration.

Channel Seven confirmed she has been booted from Celebrity Big Brother.

A spokesman told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP.

'Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.'

Leaving Australia: Hopkins carried her own luggage into the Airport after being dropped off by quarantine staff

On Sunday, the hosts of Channel 10 show The Project slammed Seven for its decision to hire Hopkins.

Jan Fran, a comedian and regular panellist on the show, said: 'What was someone expecting when they did hire Katie Hopkins to do this? She's a troll. She courts controversy. They knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house.'

Fran went on to express disgust over Hopkins' use of the term 'Final Solution', which referred to the mass murder of Europe's Jews during the Holocaust.

Her co-host Peter van Onselen agreed: 'They want controversy but maybe didn't think it would lead as far as this.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said of Hopkins: 'I hadn't heard of her before and I don't want to hear about her ever again'. Pictured: Hopkins at Sydney Airport

'She will go back to the UK and complain about us and build her brand locally off what we've done even though what we've done is the right thing.'

'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000?' Lisa Wilkinson chimed in, joking.

'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'.

It was at 5am on Saturday that Hopkins took to Instagram live to post a speech where she 'called out' the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne and threatened to answer her hotel door naked.

Hopkins (pictured at Sydney Airport) has criticised lockdowns and mask wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic

On Sunday she denied she broke quarantine rules in Sydney, writing on Instagram that it was just a joke.

'WARNING: EXTREME HUMOUR. I have never broken quarantine,' she wrote in her caption.

'My whole heart goes out to Australians and this brilliant country known for sense of humour. Families MUST be reunited.

'Auzzies [sic] need the dignity of work and lockdown is the Greatest Hoax in Human History. Do not give up my darlings. Bring Australians home,' she added.

Hopkins often makes posts mocking mask mandates and lockdowns on Instagram since being banned from Twitter in June last year for 'hateful conduct'

Australia's response to Covid-19 has been praised by scientists including top US medic Dr Anthony Fauci, who called the country a world leader on 'containment and management of emerging variants'.

The country, which is geographically isolated and enjoys a low population density, has used border closures and snap lockdowns to reduce community transmission to zero.

Australia has suffered only 914 deaths due to Covid-19, compared with 129,000 in the UK and 608,000 in the US.

Hopkins described her antics as a 'game' but other travellers stuck in hotel quarantine were outraged by her behaviour.

Posting to the Facebook group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' one user wrote: 'This is abhorrent...some people are racing against time with the quarantine trying to get to family members. This is really cruel and sick.'

'Anyone else who has just returned home like me, too ashamed to admit how ashamed I am of my own country right now?' wrote another traveller.

'What has happened to Aussie spirit, our heart, mates looking after mates, the Govt caring about its own people. Has it been lost over the last few years?

'It makes my blood boil that so many fellow Aussies are stranded and cannot get home yet we can waste seats and hotel rooms on actors etc.'

Members of the closed group 'Australians in quarantine facilities' vent their outrage

Questioned: Many travellers in quarantine questioned why Hopkins was allowed to fly into the country while Australians are stranded overseas

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who famously threatened to euthanise Johnny Depps dogs when he sneaked them into Australia in 2015, said Hopkins should be sent home.

He told ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws.

'If you want to do that, pack your bongos and get out of the country.'

Acting Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Giles criticised the decision to grant Hopkins a visa in the first place.

'Now that Ms Hopkins is in Australia, she has begun broadcasting from what described as 'VIP Quarantine', and has explained how she is opening up her hotel door naked and without a face mask in a deliberate attempt to breach hotel quarantine rules.' Mr Giles said.

'This is grossly disrespectful to frontline workers who are only trying to keep us safe.'

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on ABC's Insiders: 'I'm the one who wanted to send home Johnny Depp's dogs home so I have no problem sending home someone who wants to flout our laws'

Hopkins often takes to Instagram to mock lockdowns and mask mandates.

In a video uploaded to the social media platform on Friday, filmed from her hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins described lockdowns as 'the greatest hoax in history'.

'You are living through the greatest hoax in human history, they are trying to take everything from you, and one of the very best and most powerful weapons we have is a sense of humour, and someone like me is probably a massive thorn in their sides,' she said.

In the bizarre video, she said: 'We've just heard that there's been a new variant, Delta plus, and you have to be very, very afraid of it.

She then lifted up a sanitary towel in the air and added: 'All politicians are about as useful as a tampon on a tranny.'
Amelia Hamlin was seen modeling cowgirl cool this weekend.

The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin wore a short green strapless dress with brown cowgirl boots as she walked around downtown Montauk in the Hamptons on Long Island.

The budding model was with her boyfriend Scott Disick, 38, as they stopped to get Italian ices. She added five heart emojis to her post making it clear she is in love with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians vet.

Hamptons day: Amelia Hamlin was seen modeling cowgirl cool this weekend. The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin wore a short green strapless dress with brown cowgirl boots as she walked around downtown Montauk in the Hamptons on Long Island

These boots were made for walking: The shoes looked heavy and warm; she added several bracelets and a cross necklace

Long Island was where Disick grew up before moving to Los Angeles for Kourtney Kardashian, so the couple was no doubt visiting the Lord's old stomping grounds.

They were seen in downtown Montauk and by the shore before getting into the car to pick up Italian ices.

Last week they were seen in the Hamptons with his kids he had with Kourtney: sons Mason, 11, Reign, six and daughter Penelope, nine.

Life's a kick: The budding model was with her boyfriend Scott Disick, 38, as they stopped to get Italian ices. She added five heart emojis to her post making it clear she is in love with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians vet.

Scotty's funky vibe: He added camo slacks with colored sneakers and a white shirt

She sure is in love! Hamlin added five red hearts, four white emojis, one red heart face emoji and three fire emojis

'Great night just a little smelly for reign out on these old docks,' Disick wrote on the inside of the image, which explains why Reign was holding his nose shut with his left hand.

In the photo, Disick was dressed in camouflage sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

He also donned a pair of white and blue Nike sneakers and had his short cropped hair still dyed platinum blonde and shaved ultra stubbly on the sides.

The model splurges on a treat: Hamlin opted for a pink Italian ice from Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream

Disick, 38, also shared a photo of his daughter Penelope sitting on top of a Mercedes SUV, which is likely the rental car he's using while visiting The Hamptons .

The nine-year-old looked adorable checking out her phone, while dressed in pink sweatpants, a matching sweatshirt, and slip-on shoes.

Three days earlier, Hamlin, 20, teased her 985,000 Instagram fans and followers by sharing a series of snaps of herself while out getting ice cream with Disick.

The ocean: THe beauty also shared this image of the waterfront with a pier in the distance

Beach club looks very VIP: There was a building with outdoor tables for dining

She can't quit this hat: The catwalk expert was seen again with her Deep Funk And Divine Intervention cap from Hollywood

Some of the shots showed Amelia taking some licks of her tasty sweet treat, while another showed the couple seemingly walking away from the ice cream shoppe, with their backs to the camera.

'They had some friends over a couple of nights, hosted a few dinners and pool days with the kids,' a source said of their time in The Hamptons, according to Fox News.

That insider said Disick took his lady and their kids out of a rented boat for a relaxing day out on the ocean.

Cosmopolitan magazine is reporting that the couple are planning on living at the rented home for the entire summer.

Scott and Amelia are reportedly using their time with the children as an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other even better.

'She's learning a lot, it's definitely a whole new world for her, but she loves being around them and is grateful she gets to have this experience,' an insider said of Hamlin.

Summer holiday: Disick and Hamlin enjoyed a moment by a 'smelly' dock with the reality star's son Reign, six, during their vacation in The Hamptons on Friday

'She thinks they are amazing and is really good with them. Her and Scott love planning fun activities with them.'

Scott shares all three children with ex partner Kourtney Kardashian, who he spit from in 2015 after over a decade together.

Back on July 8, when Penelope turned nine, Hamlin took to one of Disick's Instagram photos to share a happy birthday message to her 'little peesh.'

Sweet treat: Hamlin also shared some photos taken during their vacation in The Hamptons, including this series taken when the couple went out for ice cream on Tuesday

Summer nights: Disick and Hamlin are seemingly seen walking away from the ice cream shop in one of the photos

"Happy birthday to the best facialist in town," Hamlin wrote in the caption along with a pink heart emoji.

The proud father celebrate her birthday, with the caption: 'My life my love my everything. You have changed my life forever Peep. I love you too much!!!!!! And will never stop loving you each and every day for the rest of your life and will protect you till the day I die. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PENELOPE.'

The couple, who have been criticized for the 18-year gap between them, have been dating since November 2020.


Farmer Wants a Wife star Demi de Lange was booted off the show on Monday.

And the 25-year-old has now taken a subtle dig at farmer Sam Messina, 24, saying the show was 'mentally draining' and he was a 'hard one to deal with'.

The blonde beauty told Perth Now that just before she was sent home by Sam, she emotionally 'withdrew' from it all and 'went quiet'.

Ouch: Farmer Wants a Wife star Demi De Lange has taken a swipe at farmer Sam Messina after he booted her off the show on Monday, saying he was a 'hard one to deal with'

'It was just mentally draining for me, because you know, he was a hard one to deal with,' Demi told the publication.

'Eventually I went quiet. I got to be quiet near the end.'

Referring to Sam's lack of effort, the FIFO worker and personal trainer added: 'In a way he, you know, he reminded me of guys I didn't want to be with, in some ways.'

Scathing: Referring to Sam's lack of effort, the FIFO worker and personal trainer told Perth Now: 'In a way he, you know, he reminded me of guys I didn't want to be with, in some ways'

Several women left Farmer Wants a Wife on Monday's episode, including fan favourite Rachael Smith, who was matched with farmer Andrew Guthrie.

During a heart-to-heart, she asked Andrew if he had strong feelings for her, but he awkwardly told her he considered her a friend.

'I guess I have started to think this is more of a friendship than a romantic connection,' he confessed.

Gone: Several women left Farmer Wants a Wife on Monday's episode, including fan favourite Rachael Smith, who was matched with farmer Andrew Guthrie

A visibly upset Rachael explained that she needed a minute to compose herself.

She then decided to leave the farm after learning Andrew's true feelings.

'I do really like him, but he just sees me as a mate,' said Rachael, explaining this wasn't her first unreciprocated love. 'I'm feeling a bit heartbroken.'
While post-production work continues on Warner Bros.' The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, the studio is putting together their next DCEU movie, Batgirl.

The casting process is under way, with actresses such as Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced and Leslie Grace expected to test for the role, via Deadline.

The site also mentioned Haley Lu Richardson as a name being discussed, though it's possible she may have backed out before the testing process started.

Batgirl casting: The casting process is under way, with actresses such as Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced and Leslie Grace expected to test for the role, via Deadline

Casting: While post-production work continues on Warner Bros.' The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, the studio is putting together their next DCEU movie, Batgirl

Warner Bros. is in the midst of firming up the testing deals for these and other actresses, though some have already passed.

The movie will follow Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham City police commissioner James Gordon, who becomes a costumed superhero.

The character was first introduced in 1961, created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff, initially named Betty Kane.

Hero: The movie will follow Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham City police commissioner James Gordon, who becomes a costumed superhero

The most iconic version of the character, Barbara Gordon, was introduced in 1967, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino, at the request of Batman TV series producer William Dozier, who wanted a character that could be introduced in the comics and the TV series simultaneously.

Yvonne Craig played Batgirl in the third and final season of the original Batman TV series, with Alicia Silverstone last portraying her in the 1997 film Batman & Robin.

Bad Boys For Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will direct from a script by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee), which was praised by producer Kristin Burr (Cruella) back in May.

Alicia's costume: Yvonne Craig played Batgirl in the third and final season of the original Batman TV series, with Alicia Silverstone last portraying her in the 1997 film Batman & Robin

'With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham,' Burr said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

'Christinas script is crackling with spirit. Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy, which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Batproject. And Im just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool,' she added.

It was also revealed in May that this Batgirl project will debut exclusively on HBO Max, making it one of the biggest DCEU properties to debut on the streamer.

Fun ride: 'With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham,' Burr said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter

Deutch has The Outfit in post-production, slated for release in 2022, starring alongside Dylan O'Brien and Mark Rylance.

Merced stars alongside Jason Momoa in the upcoming Netflix movie Sweet Girl, which debuts on August 20.

Grace is coming off her feature film debut in the Warner Bros. musical In the Heights.

Coming soon: Deutch has The Outfit in post-production, slated for release in 2022, starring alongside Dylan O'Brien and Mark Rylance

Coming soon: Merced stars alongside Jason Momoa in the upcoming Netflix movie Sweet Girl, which debuts on August 20
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Nine Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and four Master of Design (MDes) students showcased the culmination of their work at the UW in the Henry Art Gallery from May 29 to June 27. The exhibitions were also made available online to include the work of two graduating Master of Art History students.
Vybz Kartels protege and Dancehall artist Sikka Rymes has landed an endorsement deal with the Italian luxury fashion label Off-White.

According to the Jamaica STAR, the value of the deal is said to be worth six figures.

Off-White is a super cool urban brand that represents culture and diversity for the youth, so it made sense and fits in with my style of music as an international artiste, Sikka told the STAR. I like to be just as diverse in my work and representation of my Jamaican roots as the brand is with their clothes.

The designer Virgil and the team reached out to me with the idea of doing the collab for their summer collection and Ive always loved what Off-White does as a brand, so I was happy to work with them.

As part of the partnership, Rymes has released the single Off White to promote the brands summer collection.

The single has been doing well and I am happy for the chance to have put my skills to work on a project for this brand, he said.

Off-Whites CEO Virgil Abloh, who founded the company nine years ago, said Sikka Rymes has a sound like none other.

Theres a magic energy to the music, the production and the presentation of his artistry. It has been organic and easy to work with him, he said.

Sikka added, Its just the start for my brand. Sikka Rymes is a diverse artiste and I aim to do a lot more work internationally. As you know, Ive been travelling a lot and want to share my music and talents with a wider audience. I have a film company and a record company, so its always a great thing to be able to work with such legendary brands and people from across the world in ways that extend beyond just the music.
WASHINGTON (AP)  About 2,500 Afghans who worked for the U.S. government will be evacuated to a military base in Virginia along with their families pending approval of their visas, the Biden administration said Monday as the administration rapidly moves to complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Members of Congress have expressed alarm about the fate of Afghans who worked for the U.S. over the past 20 years, particularly as the Taliban have stepped up military operations against the Afghan government, seizing control of major portions of the country as U.S. troops withdraw.

The Afghans will be temporarily housed at Fort Lee, a sprawling Army base south of Richmond starting next week, according to a Defense Department notice sent to Congress. The administration announced earlier this month that it would soon begin relocating Afghan visa seekers under an initiative known as Operation Allies Refuge.

The group includes 700 Afghans who worked for the U.S. and roughly 1,800 family members.

These are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service to the United States has been certified by the embassy in Kabul, and who have completed thorough security vetting processes, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to say when the first applicants would arrive at Fort Lee but said they are expected to stay only several days before being resettled by the State Department and refugee assistance groups. Kirby said it is possible the Pentagon will offer additional domestic military bases for similar use depending on the pace of relocations.

Monday's announcement came amid growing concerns for the safety of Afghans who served as translators and in other support roles for American troops and diplomats during the long war.

The group to be housed at Fort Lee make up just a small portion of the number of Afghans seeking refuge in the United States. Roughly 20,000 have expressed interest in applying for Special Immigrant Visas to move to the U.S., but only about half are far enough along in the vetting process to be considered for relocation.

An additional 4,000 applicants and family who have completed most of the application process but have yet to clear security screening will be sent to non-U.S. locations to await adjudication of their visas, Price said. Our plan is to take them to locations outside of the United States where they will be safe and where they will be provided accommodation during this processing period, which can last a number of months," he said.

___

AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed.
President Donald Trumps commerce secretary misled Congress about why he sought to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, according to an investigation from the Office of Inspector General, but Trump's Justice Department decided not to prosecute.

The watchdog agency's probe showed that Wilbur Ross misrepresented the reason for adding a citizenship question to the census questionnaire during two appearances before House committees in March 2018, according to a letter sent last week to congressional leaders by Inspector General Peggy Gustafson.

It is a federal crime to make false statements before Congress. The results of the inspector general's investigation were presented to the Justice Department during Trump's administration, but department attorneys declined prosecution in January 2020.

The Department of Justice on Monday declined to comment. No one answered the phone Monday at a Palm Beach, Florida number listed for Ross nor responded to an emailed inquiry.

The Supreme Court eventually blocked adding the query ahead of the 2020 census, but critics say that by pursuing the citizenship question, the Trump administration sought to suppress participation by noncitizens and minorities in the nation's once-a-decade head count.

According to critics, the citizenship question was inspired by the late Republican redistricting expert Tom Hofeller, who had previously written that using citizen voting-age population instead of the total population for the purpose of redrawing of congressional and legislative districts could be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.

The inspector general probe was launched in 2019 at the request of Democratic congressional leaders who said they were concerned that the Trump administration had hidden the role of the Republican redistricting expert while trying to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire. The Commerce Department oversees the Census Bureau, which compiles and crunches the numbers used to determine political power and the distribution of federal funds.

The inspector general's report confirmed the conclusions of a congressional investigation about the Trump administrations illegal efforts" to add a citizenship question to the census, said U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Lying to Congress is unacceptable, and the IG did the right thing by referring Secretary Rosss conduct to the Justice Department," said Maloney, D-NY. It is appalling that the Trump Administration subjected an undertaking as important as the decennial census to brazen political manipulation."

The inspector general investigation was unable to establish that Hofeller played a major role in the attempt to add the citizenship question to the census form, Gustafson's letter said.

During his congressional testimony, Ross testified that the Department of Justice requested adding the citizenship question to the census form in late 2017 for the purpose of enforcing federal voting rights law. But the inspector general probe said that misrepresented the full rationale" since Wilbur's staff had been communicating with the Department of Justice many months before the request was made.

The evidence suggested that the Commerce Department requested and played a part in drafting the Department of Justice request, the inspector general probe found.

A memorandum Ross sent to Commerce Department officials said he had been considering adding the citizenship question soon after Trump appointed him to lead the department, according to the probe.

During the first meeting on Monday of a panel of experts studying the quality of the 2020 census data, Bob Bell, a statistical researcher at Google, said the impact of the efforts to add a citizenship question on the 2020 census form was something that would need to be evaluated. The panel of statisticians, historians and sociologists was convened by the Committee on National Statistics at the request of the Census Bureau.

Acting Census Bureau director Ron Jarmin told panel members that the pandemic, as well as the challenging political environment" caused by fallout from the attempt to add a citizenship question, gave people good reasons to have concerns about data quality.

There was an environment of intrigue around the census that previous censuses didnt have," Jarmin said.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the decision not to prosecute Ross was made by the Department of Justice during the Trump administration, not the Biden administration.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
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New Delhi: The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned projects in Bihar and Kerala for the development of rural circuits in the country, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy informed Parliament on Monday.

In a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Reddy in a written statement said that the Swadesh Darshan Scheme is planned for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.

"Recognising the potential of rural tourism in the country, the ministry has identified rural circuit as one of the thematic circuits for development under this scheme and is aimed at leveraging tourism as a force multiplier for revitalising the rural economy and for giving both domestic and international tourist glimpse of the rural aspects of the country," he said.

Reddy also said that the projects for development of tourism-related infrastructure, including rural tourism projects or proposals, are identified for development under the circuit in consultation with the state governments/Union Territory administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilisation of funds released earlier.

"Based on the above criteria, the ministry has sanctioned projects for development of rural circuits in the country under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in Bihar and Kerala," he said.

In Bihar, the Rs 44.65 crore project of developing the Gandhi Circuit: Bhitiharwa Chandrahia-Turkaulia was sanctioned in 2017-18.

In Kerala, the development of Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism project at a cost of Rs 80.37 crore was sanctioned in 2018-2019.
New Delhi/Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday ruled out scope for talks with Karnataka over the Mekedatu dam issue.

Based on the Centre's assurances, his government is confident that Karnataka cannot go ahead in its initiative and legal options would also be pursued in the dam matter, Stalin told reporters in the national capital after calling on President Ram Nath Kovind.

Stalin said the Tamil Nadu government has decided to commemorate the centenary of the Assembly, set up in 1921 and known then as the Madras Legislative Council, which was the first elected body of the then Madras Presidency.

The Chief Minister said he requested the President to preside over the commemoration of the centenary of the first elected House of people which he accepted and the event would also see the unveiling of the portrait of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in the Assembly.

Kovind also has agreed to lay the foundation stones for a library in Madurai, and in Chennai, a government hospital and a pillar to commemorate 75 years of independence, he said, adding, the President said he would give his appointment for the proposed event in a couple of days.

Asked if he took up any Tamil Nadu related issues with Kovind like the NEET or release of the seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts, he replied in the negative.

On the issue of convicts, Stalin said he wrote to Kovind seeking their release as soon as he assumed office in May as the Chief Minister.

"The matter is in court, we have to pursue legal measures and we will continue to raise our voice (seeking their release)," he said.

On Karnataka exerting pressure on Centre over the Mekedatu dam issue, Stalin said he had sought steps against the neighbouring state's bid to build a reservoir across Cauvery when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

Also, days ago when a delegation of parties represented in the Tamil Nadu Assembly met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, he had assured that Karnataka cannot go ahead (as it had not fulfilled conditions for preparation of Detailed Project Report).

Asked on Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's assertions that the dam would be built, Stalin said the government is confident that the initiative cannot progress based on the assurances of the Prime Minister and Jal Shakti Minister. "The matter is also in the Supreme Court. We will face it legally."

Whether Tamil Nadu would take part in talks over the Mekedatu issue if Karnataka chose to invite its neighbour, Stalin said, "there is no scope for talks, this has been made clear by our (Water Resources) Minister (Duraimurugan)."

If he would convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of the other riparian state of Kerala and the union territory of Puducherry, he said presently, there was no necessity for it.

According to the state Assembly portal, the Madras Legislative Council was set up in 1921 under the Government of India Act 1919.

The council's term was for three years and it had 132 members of which, 34 were nominated by the Governor and the rest were elected. It met for the first time on January 9, 1921 at Fort St. George in Chennai, then known as Madras.

The council was inaugurated by the Duke of Connaught, a paternal uncle of the King of England, on January 12, 1921 on the request made by the Governor Lord Wellington. The Governor addressed the Council on February 14, 1921.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that rebel MP Raghuramakrishna Raju took payment from Andhra TV channels and was in touch with TD chief Chandrababu Naidu "as part of a bigger conspiracy (the TD) hatched against the YSRC government to spread hatred (among the public) against it."

The apex court had directed the state government to file a counter affidavit while hearing the case. The APCID booked the case against Raju and two Telugu TV channels, citing charges of sedition.

The Bar and Bench website recently carried a story on this. It said that the AP government has, in its affidavit filed before the apex court, alleged that money was exchanged between the rebel MP and the TV channels in furtherance of the conspiracy. It further said, In fact, in one instance, an amount of one million Euros appears to have been transferred by chairman of a TV channel to RRKR.

(It is) clear that all the strings were being pulled by @JaiTDP and Chandrababu Naidu. The timing of the calls, the chats and the documents shared between @Raghu Raju and @ncbn as well as Nara Lokesh, clearly point to a bigger conspiracy against the elected government.

The Jagan-led YSRC government stated in its affidavit that "while freedom of speech is sacrosanct and the press has an essential role to play in a democracy, it cannot be permitted to spread hatred and create disaffection against the government.

The state government submitted to the apex court: Though the media agencies should work to safeguard public interests, they entered into a plot and telecast interviews with the MP, promoting hatred and these even caused violence.

The government also alleged that the telecasts of the press conferences of Raju were done by these media outlets not as part of their job but to make political and financial gain.

It further submitted to the court that based on evidence collected in the case, the petitioners (TV channels) took part in the plot to create hatred among social groups and even conspired to defame the democratically elected government.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore for implementing Dalita Bandhu scheme in Huzurabad to extend Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to each family covering nearly 21,000 Dalit families. (Photo:Twitter@TelanganaCMO)

HYDERABAD: Funds are flowing like water from the government treasury in Hyderabad to the bypoll-bound Huzurabad Assembly constituency. Proposals worth Rs 665 crore were submitted to the state government by ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leaders who include MLAs, MLCs, municipal, Zilla/Mandal Parishad, gram panchayat leaders over the past four weeks for taking up various development works in the constituency.

Of this, the government already sanctioned Rs 365 crore, while the balance Rs 300 crore is under various stages of approval. This apart, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore for implementing Dalita Bandhu scheme in Huzurabad to extend Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to each family covering nearly 21,000 Dalit families.

Ever since Etala Rajendar was sacked from the state Cabinet on May 2 which led to Rajendar quit MLA post as well as the TRS on June 12, the TRS leadership laid special focus on Huzurabad constituency as well as undivided Karimnagar district with an aim to retain the seat in the upcoming bypoll expected sometime in September.

After Etala's exit, the government-sanctioned Rs 310 crore to Manair River Front project in Karimnagar, Rs 35 crore for development works in Huzurabad town and Rs 30 crore for Jammikunta municipality in the constituency.

Laying of roads in villages and towns, new dividers in towns, junction widening and beautification works are going on in full swing across the constituency.

This apart, proposals worth Rs 300 crore have been submitted to the government for construction of new community halls, women self-help groups buildings, function halls and CC roads. These proposals are under various stages of approval and funds are expected to be sanctioned by this month-end.

The government is seeking fresh applications to avail TRS government's welfare schemes such as Aasara pensions and ration cards to get Rs 1 per kg rice. The Chief Minister on Sunday announced that he would launch the Rs 2,000 crore Dalita Bandhu scheme in Huzurabad on a pilot basis very soon.

He is expected to shower more sops on Huzurabad constituency during his visit. Official sources in the finance department say that around Rs 3,000 crore will be spent on this constituency alone in the next two months including Dalita Bandhu scheme and other development programmes.
Vijayawada: In a major setback to the Andhra Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed by it against the quashing of criminal cases on alleged insider trading in land transactions in Amaravati.

A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheswari heard the SLPs filed by the AP government against the high court judgment on January 19. It observed that private sale transactions could not be criminalised and the concept of the offence of insider trading was essentially an offence found in the stock market, related to selling and buying of securities and bonds. It cannot be applied to the offences booked under IPC and also cannot be read into section 420 or any provisions of it, the apex court said.

However, the bench observed, IPC Section 418 will not attract in the present case. No loss was caused to any person or to the sellers and there was no cheating by the buyers. Neither by a law nor by a legal contract were the buyers obliged to disclose any facts. In any case, such an issue was neither argued before the high court nor were there any pleadings in this regard in this petition. Nor has this ground been taken.

So this argument is noted only to be rejected. There was no relationship between the buyer and the seller for which the buyer was bound to protect the seller.

The court also observed that the high court need not have gone into the facts of the matter and should have left it to the investigating agency. It was the responsibility of the trail court to find out whether any criminal act was involved in such land deals.

The apex court said, As regards the submission that the high court ought not to have gone into the facts of the case and arrived at factual findings, we find that without considering the facts of the case, the question whether any criminal case is made out could not have been decided.

Then, in no case can the court go into the question as to whether the FIR is to be quashed or not. Even considering the law laid down in Bhajan Lal, in a petition for question, the court has to see the averments in the FIR to determine if a criminal case is made out or not. There is no perversity or illegality in the findings recorded by the high court.

The AP government filed five sets of SLPs against the buyers of properties, challenging the judgments of the high court.

The buyers purchased land from third parties during 2014-15. The FIRs were registered on 16, 2020 based on a complaint dated September 7, 2020. The main allegation was that the buyers were having the knowledge that the capital city would be developed at the location where the land was purchased, resulting in its value to go up; and they purchased the land without disclosing it.

AP governments senior counsel Dushyant Dave argued that the IPC section 418 read with section 55 (5) dealing with transfer of property act would be attracted in the case as the AP HC overlooked it. He submitted that the value of the lands is 20 times more than what was paid. As poor farmers were involved in this, their interests needed to be protected, he said.
HYDERABAD: In a sudden development, senior IPS officer and secretary of Telangana Social and Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions

(TSWREIS) R.S. Praveen Kumar announced his voluntary retirement from

the service on Monday, six years prior to his superannuation.

His sudden resignation triggered speculations that the Centre wants Praveen Kumar to be repatriated to the police department immediately as he has been discharging non-IPS duties for the past 10 years since 2011 when he was appointed as secretary of residential schools in Undivided AP. The Centre reportedly asked the state government to transfer him immediately else it would be forced to take action.

Praveen was reportedly upset at this and decided to quit the service on his own. However, his resignation also triggered 'political speculation' that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is all set to field him as its candidate for upcoming Huzurabad bypoll.

Praveen Kumar, though controversial for his recent anti-Hindu pledge, is hugely popular among the Dalit communities. Speculation is also rife that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao wants to utilise his services in TRS for effective implementation of his newly-launched Dalita Bandhu scheme. The scheme is being launched by the Chief Minister soon from Huzurabad itself.

Rumour mills are abuzz that the TRS leadership feels that he would be

the best candidate to take on Etala Rajendar. Praveen Kumar has great

credibility as an honest official and his anti-Naxal activities have endeared him to large sections of the society.

Praveen Kumars close relative Metuku Anand is an MLA from Vikarabad. For the last two days, Metuku Anand is said to have met Chandrashekar Rao at least twice and discussed several issues. The name of Praveen Kumar may have come up during the discussion, sources say.

However, Praveen Kumar dismissed reports on contesting Huzurabad bypoll. Speaking to the media, he said, "I have no intention to contest Huzurabad bypoll. I cannot comment on my political entry at this stage."

The unexpected resignation of Praveen Kumar, fondly known as Gurukul hero and Swaeroes hero, who led the trailblazing tribal and social welfare residential institution movement in undivided Andhra Pradesh earlier and Telangana now, came as a big shock to thousands of students and staff in gurukul institutions across the state.

After 26 years of serving the motherland as an IPS officer, I have applied today for voluntary retirement to pursue my passion for social justice and equality with more vigour at my own pace. I thank you all for standing by me throughout my career. (sic), the 1995 batch additional director general of police rank officer announced on Twitter. He said he had mailed his resignation letter to chief secretary Somesh Kumar.

The Telangana social welfare residential schools led by Praveen Kumar hit the national headlines, when one of its students Malavath Poorna from Nizamabad became the youngest girl in the world to scale Mount Everest on May 25, 2014, at the age of 13 years and 11 months.

Bollywood director Rahul Bose made a biopic on this girl, titled Poorna in 2017, which received critical acclaim. The students of social welfare institutions have been excelling in academics, on par with any other corporate colleges. Every year, several students are securing seats in MBBS, IITs, NITs, besides getting admissions in prestigious institutions like Delhi University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences etc.
The appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief despite a simmering tension between him and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh came in handy to the Opposition to raise a "failed" Chief Minister charge on Amarinder even as Congress sought to give an "all is well" message, calling for unity in the party.

While it remains to be seen how the party unit divided into camps in the state reacts to the development in the coming days, the CM has been maintaining that he will abide by "any decision taken by Sonia Gandhi".

Senior party leader from the state and former Union law minister Ashwani Kumar said, "the decision of the Congress High Command to appoint Sidhu as the new party chief in Punjab should now be gracefully accepted by all in the interest of party unity. This is a time to be united."

"There are no victors or losers. Reconciliation is the way forward. This is a time to be united. All Congresspersons will, hopefully, have a role to play in fighting an ideological battle," he said in a statement that appeared aimed at soothing the frayed tempers in the CM's camp over the decision.

He said all congresspersons will, "hopefully" have a role to play in fighting an ideological battle and underlined that Singh and Sidhu will need to pull together and called for "magnanimity on both sides".

Also Read | Navjot Singh Sidhu appointed Punjab Congress chief

"Or is necessary to ensure that no one feels diminished. Sometimes, and in a complex political situation, perfect solutions are impossible. We know that in politics a person is as important as the purpose one serves. The voice of the silent majority that defines the conscience of the party is in favour of unity and should be heeded," he said.

Youth Congress President B V Srinivas hoped Sidhu's leadership will continue to spearhead the state and nation to achieve greater heights.

Opposition parties in Punjab Shiromani Akali Dal and AAP sought to fish in the troubled waters of Congress. AAP state chief Bhagwant Mann said the only agenda for all the Congress leaders was to occupy the seat. "Someone is fighting to save the chair and another one is trying to grab that chair. People of Punjab have made up their minds to teach a lesson to Congress in the 2022 assembly polls."

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal slammed the move as another "drama" of Congress by replacing its failed CM as he mocked Sidhu saying he is known more for theatrics rather than administrative roles.
Released: July 16, 2021

Delaware County issued a reminder to County property owners that they have until 4:00 p.m. on August 2, 2021, to file an appeal of their 2022 property tax assessments. Next years tax bills are the first due under the County-wide reassessment ordered in 2017 by the Delaware Court of Common Pleas. In 2020, Tyler Technologies, a national company that performed the first and only previous countywide reassessment for Delaware County more than two decades ago, assessed every property using a combination of property records and visual inspections.

Since the courts first ordered a reassessment in 2017, three things have been true: the reassessment must be revenue neutral for the County, local governments and school districts; individual properties may see their levies rise or decrease even as the overall tax amount remains flat; and there would be ample opportunity to appeal the new valuations, said Delaware County Councilwoman Christine Reuther. We are proud that Delaware County is the only county in the region to not raise taxes last year, and the County is adding additional staff to make sure that every property owner has an opportunity to appeal their new assessment if they believe it is incorrect.

The goal of the court ordered reassessment was to more equitably distribute the tax burden based on July 1, 2019, property values. Under Pennsylvania law, no taxing authority  neither the County nor local school boards  may increase the total amount of taxes collected through an assessment. Individual assessments may change, however, as the value of individual properties rise or fall. The County Council in 2017 (none of whom are still serving) hired Tyler Technologies to perform the updated assessment.

Property owners can appeal their 2022 tax year assessment by submitting the short County property tax assessment appeal form by 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 2. For the second year in a row, County Council has waived fees for assessment appeals.

Go to https://delcopa.gov/treasurer/boa.html and scroll down to the link to the 2022 appeals form. If you do not have access to the Internet or a printer, you can pick up a copy of the form at the Countys Assessors Office at Government Center or call the Assessors Office at 610-891-5127 and ask that one be sent to you. There is no cost to appeal the 2022 assessment. To find out more about the updated assessments, please visit the FAQ on the Countys website at https://delcopa.gov/treasurer/pdf/TaxReassessmentAppealsfaq.pdf

It is important that anyone who believes their propertys revised valuation is incorrect to file an appeal. It is possible that the outside vendor didnt have complete information for some properties, made a mathematical error or grouped a given property with an inappropriate group of neighboring properties when it looked at comparable sales data, said Reuther. We want everyone to be paying their fair share, and not a penny more, and we need property owners to help the County, local municipalities and school districts get it right.
Its horrible. We cannot take work  were turning away work. We cant get people to staff events. Were leaving dollars on the table.

 Scott Walsh, owner of J Scott Catering, Queen of Hearts Catering, WizWit Catering and Common Good Pizza and Tap

Pull Quote
In 2011, Chris Evans made his Marvel Studios debut as "Captain America" and was welcomed by Robert Downey Jr and Samuel L Jackson. (July 19)
A local councillor has written to the Chair of the NI Affairs Committee at Westminster urging him to abolish UK citizenship fees for people from commonwealth countries.

It follows recommendations by the committee to scrap British Naturalisation Fees for Irish nationals.

A report published by the NI Affairs Committee said it is unfair to require an Irish citizen, who has lived and made their home in the UK for a considerable period, to pay a fee of 1,330 to become a British citizen.

And advised the British Government to amend its citizenship renunciation process for the people of NI on the premise of fairness and sensitivity and recognition that some people may wish to align their choice of an Irish-only identity with their citizenship.

The committee examined the compatibility of UK nationality rules with the Good Friday Agreement.

The Good Friday Agreement states, British and Irish Governments must recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both.

It looked at the high-profile court case between the British Government and Northern Ireland resident Emma DeSouza.

Ms DeSouza challenged the Government's position that she was a British citizen through automatic conferral as she always identified as Irish-only and held a passport accordingly.

The NI Affairs Committee report recommended that the British and Irish governments meet to resolve inconsistencies.

It states: Citizenship issues will not be addressed to the satisfaction of all traditions whilst the Home Office treats Ireland and the rest of the world as an amalgam.

Instead, we need bespoke, granular solutions.

Abolishing the fee for Irish citizens to naturalise as British would be a start. The need to complete the Life in the UK test seems irrelevant and offensive, and attendance at the citizenship ceremony should be optional.

We agree in principle and in practice that a person of Northern Ireland should have to renounce proactively their deemed British citizenship if they wish to assert only Irish citizenship.

On the premise of fairness and sensitivity, however, the process of renouncing British citizenship for those people of Northern Ireland who wish to do so should also be straightforward.

The Home Office would be well advised to start from a deep understanding of and sensitivity to history, and a realisation that one size fits all cannot work.

DISCRIMINATORY

SDLP Councillor and founder of NW Migrants Forum, Lilian Seenoi Barr, has welcomed these proposals and says they will serve to regularise the situation of many who live on the island of Ireland.

However, she believes the recommendations should be widened to include Commonwealth citizens - a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries from Africa, Asia, Caribbean and Americas, Europe and the Pacific.

She fears the move will be seen by many citizens from Commonwealth countries as 'profoundly unfair and discriminatory' given the complex history that the UK shares with its fellow commonwealth members.

Cllr Seenoi Barr added that it fails to consider the 'shared, complex history and personal ties' between UK and the Commonwealth countries.

She has lived in Northern Ireland for many years, pays taxes, but had to pay to take the life in UK test in Belfast whilst she lives in Derry, 1350 for UK citizenship and 80 for a British passport.

The SDLP councillor said NI Affairs Committee Chair, Simon Hoare, spoke of 'respect and acceptance of our identities being a cornerstone of the Good Friday Agreement'.

She has urged the conservative MP to amend his proposal to take greater consideration of the merit of granting similar concessions to the tens of thousands minority ethnic people who live, work and pay their taxes in this country.

In Conclusion Cllr Seenoi Barrs letter states: "I look forward to the day that leaders like you would see fit to afford every resident of the North of Ireland, regardless, of their country-of-origin equal treatment within the law.

To do so would avoid singling out a group of people who contribute to the UKs economy and avoid creating another hierarchy of valued and less valued members of this society."

The high fees that children or their parents are expected to pay to secure British citizenship have been controversial for many years.

Earlier this year, in a landmark ruling, the Court of Appeal held that Home Office fees of 1,000 for children to register as British citizens are unlawful.

The Home Office charges 1,012 for a child to register for citizenship.

But, the process costs around one third of that at 372. The Home Office has said the profit is used to fund other areas of its work.
Ayushmann Khurrana reveals his first look from Doctor G; feels honored to portray a doctor on-screen

Back in December last year, Bollywoods heartthrob Ayushmann Khurrana announced his next film Doctor G, a campus comedy-drama. According to reports, the actor will be playing the role of a gynaecologist in this film. Well, Ayushmann headed to Bhopal last week to take the film on floors. Much to our delight, the Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan actor decided to give his fans a special treat today morning. He unveiled his first look from Doctor G along with the caption: Doctor G taiyyar ho kar nikle hain. Ab hogi shooting! #DoctorGFirstLook. The actor is sporting glasses and a white lab coat while holding a Gynaecology book in his hands.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk)

In a chat with ETimes, Ayushmann opened up about the film and shared, The subject of Doctor G is very close to me. Considering the lockdown restrictions, we all have been waiting to start the film and we are glad that the day has finally arrived. Its an honour to portray a doctor on the screen for the first time. I am truly excited to start shooting the film also because its going to allow me to relive my memories of being a student and living the hostel life. Im looking forward to collaborating with my director Anubhuti.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk)

The actor is collaborating with Junglee pictures for the third time for this project, after the very successful Bareilly Ki Barfi and Badhaai Ho. Also starring Rakul Preet Singh and Shefali Shah, the film is being directed by Anubhuti Kashyap. Well, Ayushmanns first look, which reminds us of Daniel Radcliffe from Harry Potter, has left us intrigued. But we would love to know your thoughts on his new avatar! Tell us what you think.
EXCLUSIVE- Fukrey 3: Director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba shares update on the film, reveals release date

One sequel we had excitedly been waiting for is hands down Fukrey 3. Fukrey became a sleeper hit upon release and thankfully enough, the second part kept our hopes just as high. We all want to know when is Fukrey 3 coming out. Now, director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba revealed when the film would be releasing.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Handsome samrat (@pulkitx.fantasy)

When asked about Fukrey 3, Mrigdeep Singh Lamba said that the film would definitely release by next year. But would it be the first half or the second half. Mrigdeep revealed, "Pata nahi. See the thing is, if we start shooting by the end of the year, then we will know where we are heading. We don't know yet, but once things settle down, we'll know what's the plan."

However, Mrigdeep Singh Lamba was quick to add that his new web series, Chutzpah would thankfully be hitting the web this week on the 23rd of July. Talking about the series, where he is the creator, Mrigdeep added, "I am equally excited about Chutzpah because it is a passion project. I'm happy that we made the right decision by getting Simar (Simarpreet Singh) to direct this. We wanted a younger perspective to the show and that's what he brought in. I know people are excited about Fukrey 3, I am too, but I am excited about Chutzpah as well. I hope people will love it and give it the same love and acceptance that they've given Fukrey."

Fukrey 3 was about to go on floors from April, but the plan was delayed due to the pandemic and the subsequent restrictions imposed to carb it.
Looop Lapeta: Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin starrer may take the digital route; deets inside

After leaving us in awe with her spectacular performance as Rani Kashyap in Haseen Dillruba, the versatile and very beautiful Taapsee Pannu is all set to blow us away with another unique character in her upcoming film Looop Lapeta. Co-starring Chhichhore star Tahir Raj Bhasin, the film is the official Hindi remake of German film Run Lola Run. Well, back in March this year, the team had announced that the comic thriller will arrive in theatres on 22nd October this year. However, makers are now considering an OTT premiere.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee)

In an interview with Pinkvilla, producer Atul Kasbekar was quoted saying, Given the circumstances that we are in, its likely that we will look for an OTT premiere. It's not locked in stone yet, but if there are huge films like Toofaan, Haseen Dillruba, and so on releasing on OTT, then now it's cool to be one or the other. He went on to state that the film will rewrite a lot of chapters and he hopes that Looop Lapeta will set a technical benchmark, just like the original.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee)

Kasbekar further shared that there are three people with whom he would not hesitate to work on as many projects as he can in a lifetime. He stated, They are Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu and Shreya Dhanwanthary. They bring a lovely energy to the set, are always on time, always smiling and hard working. Its an absolute joy to collaborate with them.

As audience, would you be happier with a digital premiere of Looop Lapeta or a big screen release?
Pooja Hegde announces her foundation All About Love; aims to give back to society in whatever way possible

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, the Pan-India actress, Pooja Hegde took to reaching out and helping the society through her foundation - All About Love. Talking about her foundation to a leading publication, Pooja said, All About Love is just a small way of giving back to society. I am extremely grateful to the people for putting me in a position where I can make a difference to someone's life today."

She added, "Its a gift I dont take for granted. I hope to inculcate a culture of giving back to society in whatever way possible, big or small. Ive always believed that the most powerful emotion is love and that any service done with love will go a long way in changing the world we live in.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pooja Hegde (@hegdepooja)

Even before announcing her foundation, Pooja had already started the work of helping those in need through her foundation. She has been involved in charity where she helped in paying medical bills of child cancer patients, supported a family whose breadwinner was in a coma.

Her foundation had also donated money to a children's hospital in Mangalore for the children with artificial limbs. In this difficult time, she also organised one month's rations for 100 daily wage workers and their families as Pooja looks forward to helping those people, whose lives will transform completely with some support.

On the work front she has a major countrywide lineup with films like Cirkus with Ranveer Singh, her next with Salman Khan, Pan-India film, Radhe Shyam with Prabhas, Acharyaa with Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan, Beat with Thalapathy Vijay and Most Eligible Bachelor.
The Department of Health Services (DHS) will co-host visits to home lead abatement projects to raise awareness of childhood lead poisoning and what can be done to prevent it. One of the major sources of lead poisoning in children is lead-based paint, found mostly in homes built prior to 1978. The Lead-Safe Homes Program works with local partners to abate lead hazards in eligible properties. Every county in the state has homes built before 1978 with potential lead hazards.

There is no safe blood lead level for children and lead poisonings is preventable, said DHS Lead Policy Advisor Brian Weaver. When landlords and homeowners work with our Lead-Safe Homes program today, they help protect the health of future generations of children.

Lead is a neurotoxin that impacts a child's brain and can cause adverse health effects both physical and behavioral, including impaired growth, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Parents of young children can talk with their doctor, local health department or WIC clinic staff to learn more about the risk factors and how to prevent their child from being poisoned.

In 2019, over 3,100 children under the age of 6 met the definition of lead poisoned in Wisconsin, defined as having blood lead levels of 5 mcg/dL or more. No part of the state is safe from lead poisoning. Every county in Wisconsin has had a lead poisoned child under the age of 6. The highest rates in 2019 were in the cities of Milwaukee, Watertown, and Racine, and the counties of Rusk, Vernon and Sheboygan.

A blood-lead test, available at local health departments, WIC agencies, and health care clinics, is recommended for children who may have been exposed to lead paint. Children living in Milwaukee and Racine should have a blood lead test three times before age 3. Families living outside of Milwaukee and Racine should have their children tested if they have one or more of these risk factors:

Live in or visit a house built before 1950 or in a home built before 1978 with recent or ongoing renovations,

Have a sibling or playmate with lead poisoning

Is enrolled in Medicaid or WIC.

If a child living outside of Milwaukee and Racine is at risk, they should be tested at around 12 months and 24 months of age or between the ages of 36 and 72 months if there is no record of a previous test.

The DHS Lead Policy Advisor is visiting homes with active lead abatement projects to highlight the work of local public health departments, community partners, and contractors who work together to prevent childhood lead poisoning. These events will feature local stakeholders and elected officials. Each community event will begin with a 5 to 10-minute welcome in front of the house or apartment building enrolled in the Lead Safe Homes program.

Tours will take place throughout the state starting July 20 and will run through October:

Appleton  July 20, 2021 10-11:00 a.m.

Wausau  July 27, 2021, 10-11:00 a.m.

La Crosse  August 3, 2021, 10-11:00 a.m.

Janesville  week of October 25

Milwaukee  week of October 25

More information about the Lead Safe Homes program can be found on the DHS website.
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By SAM METZ

Associated Press

CARSON CITY, Nev.  Farmers, environmentalists and small-town business owners gathered at the Hoover Dam on Thursday to call for a moratorium on building pipelines and dams along the Colorado River that they say would jeopardize the 40 million people who rely on it as a water source.

They're pushing for the moratoriums as parts of the U.S. West are gripped by historic drought and hotter temperatures and dry vegetation provide fuel for wildfires sweeping the region. Federal officials expect to make the first-ever water shortage declaration in the Colorado River basin next month, prompting cuts in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico.





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A Louth Senator has welcomed the Governments moves to launch a new strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based violence across the country.

Local Fianna Fail Senator Erin McGreehan welcomed the move, saying that a whole of society approach is needed to tackle the issue.

The only way this State can tackle Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence is through a whole of Government approach and indeed a whole of society attitude, said Senator McGreehan.

I look forward to this much waited for Government Strategy and more importantly I look forward to the actions that will come from this Strategy.

Currently, the Department of Justice will lead the development of the strategy, with a report to be published at the end of the year.

According to the Government, this strategy will improve services and supports for victims of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence.

Over the duration of this pandemic the world has seen a devastating increase in Domestic Violence  no modern society with any morals in any way should have any tolerance towards any type of violence. We need to stamp it out and provide supports for the victims, said Senator McGreehan.

Domestic violence a lot of the time is about control. That control is taken away by providing a safe place to the victim to move on, and then continued supports to that victim and family they will feel better able to move on.

There needs to be proper deterrents for the abuser and we also need as a society to work to always empower the victim.
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People look at a new historical marker remembering former Rep. John Lewis after it was unveiled Friday, July 16, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. Earlier this year, Nashville's Metro Council renamed a large portion of Fifth Avenue to Rep. John Lewis Way.
In this photo provided by the Brattleboro (Vermont) Fire Department, floodwaters wash out a bridge and trap a car on Aekly Road in West Brattleboro on Saturday.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A CORK TD is imploring the Government to reverse what he has described as a dangerous initiative to allow English Language Education (ELE) schools to resume in-person classes from tomorrow.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry raised the issue in the Dail following concerns expressed by some in the sector.

On Monday, ELE schools received confirmation from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science that in-person classes are permitted to resume from July 19.

The Department said the decision follows extensive planning by the sectoral stakeholders of the Covid-19 working group for the ELE sector to prepare for the safe resumption of limited, small group, in-person provision to cater exclusively for the needs of the sectors existing cohort of students.

Mr Barry said ELE schools should only reopen when there is a higher rate of vaccination within society and only when students have been given at least a months notice.

English language students are, generally speaking, between the ages of 20 and 40.

The overwhelming majority are unvaccinated.

Many English language teachers are likewise unvaccinated.

Govt are putting profit before people in English Language Schools. Join the protest on Monday to fight back against this sudden, unsafe, & highly disruptive decision! pic.twitter.com/Wn74zQye6p  Mick Barry TD (@MickBarryTD) July 14, 2021

One school that Im aware of with 28 teachers has two that have been fully vaccinated to date, he said.

Bad and all as this situation is, it is even worse for the English language Stamp 2 students.

These are the 10,000 English language students from outside of the EU.

The law states that these students must attend 85% of classes if they are to be allowed to remain in the State.

Failure to reach the 85% threshold means that they are liable to expulsion - to deportation from the country, he continued.

Mr Barry said there is a bitter irony in that many of these students work in the hospitality sector poised for a further reopening later this month.

They will be forced to give up their jobs or face the possibility of expulsion from the State, Mr Barry said.

'COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE'

Whilst ELE schools have been given the option to remain closed, to provide blended learning or to continue operating wholly online, Mr Barry claimed that those that choose to reopen will be at a competitive advantage.

That will place pressure on the unopened colleges to follow their unhealthy example and to and open up, he said.

Trade Union Unites English Language Teachers branch is to hold a protest in Dublin on Monday highlighting its opposition to the Governments decision.

Richie Browne, Regional Coordinating Officer for Unite, said its members have many concerns about the decision.

Our members employed in the English language teaching sector have numerous concerns about this decision by the Department; one of the main ones being that most teachers and their students are in younger age groups and are still unvaccinated.

These concerns were raised with the governments working group, of which Unite English Language Teachers branch is a member, but they dont appear to have been taken into account in any way, he said.

Meanwhile, the English Language Students Union of Ireland (ELSU) said the Governments decision to permit in-person classes to resume is particularly unfair to Stamp Two visa students.

Following notice given late on Monday afternoon by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Science and Innovation, some schools had sent their Stamp Two visa students emails by Tuesday some saying you must return to face to face classes to meet your study visa requirements'.

The ELSU has warned that this will lead to a situation where thousands of frontline workers, many of whom are caregivers or working in the hospitality sector, would be forced to quit their jobs and relocate back to where their classes are, with less than a weeks notice, unless the Governments decision is reversed.

Most students and teachers feel more comfortable remaining online until everyone has had a chance to be vaccinated, the union stated.

A spokesperson for the Department said that the resumption of in-person activity is subject to there being no deterioration in the public health situation nor changes to public health advice/measures that would impact on this activity.

The resumption of in-person activity is a key stepping stone on the pathway to recovery for the ELE sector in Ireland.

The Department looks forward to continued productive engagement with stakeholders to support the development of further plans which will enable the return of international student recruitment and the full re-opening of the sector in due course."
CORK County Council has detailed the progress made across the county in relation to housing in 2020 amid the many challenges posed by Covid-19.

According to the County Councils Annual Report for 2020, the income from housing rent for the year amounted to 19 million with a further 1.3 million collected in respect of RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme) properties.

The collection rate for the county was 100% for the year.

In 2020, a total of 674 houses were allocated to successful applicants which included allocations to units provided by Approved Housing Bodies, to NARPS (National Asset Residential Property Services) properties and to the council's own social housing stock.

Administration of the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) continued countrywide during 2020 with 853 tenants transferred to HAP.

According to the Councils Annual Report, the total number of active tenancies at the end of 2020 was 3,722 while a total of 756 property inspections were carried out in the county during 2020.

However, the HAP inspection programme was severely impacted by Covid-19.

Construction programme

While construction was disrupted as a result of Covid-19, Cork County Council stated that it continued to progress its construction programme during 2020 with the Part 8 process completed in respect of 42 units during the year.

50 units were delivered through the Councils own build programme in 2020 while 191 units were delivered through the turnkey model and 13 units through the Part V process.

A number of construction projects were onsite at the time and will deliver a total of 379 units while a further 435 dwellings were at various stages of the approvals process.

Refurbishments and upgrades

Across the county, a total of 140 vacant properties were refurbished in 2020 and of these, 135 council properties were repaired through the continuation of a funding stream made available by the Department of Housing.

The total value of the works undertaken was 2.5m.

In 2020, works to assist disabled persons were carried out on a total of 69 local authority houses. These included 64 minor works projects and five extensions.

Throughout 2020, the Council received 1,009 applications for housing adoption grants for older people and people with a disability.

It paid out a total of 3,863,336 in grants under the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme.

Meanwhile, a total of 190 properties benefited from an Energy Efficiency Upgrades during the year.

These consisted of 55 properties under the Phase 2, Energy Efficiency Improvement measures, which includes the provision of external wall insulation, new windows and door, attic insulation and Heat Pumps.

The remaining properties were vacant with a total value of the works undertaken coming to 1.3m.

An SEAI Scheme, Housing Strand 2020, upgrading 10 properties in Sarsfield Terrace, Youghal was also completed. This saw the properties retrofitted with external insulation, loft insulation, ceiling dry lining, and air to water heat pumps with an overall project value of 200,000.

In year one of the Traveller Accommodation Programme, which runs for the period of July 2019 to 2024, the Council said it provided 11 standard Local Authority or Approved Housing Body lettings to Traveller families.

Exceeding its targets, a further 13 households were provided with accommodation through the HAP scheme.

As of the end of 2020, Cork County also received 500 applications for Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans. In 2020, 24 loans were either advanced or part advanced with a total loan value of over 4.3million.
BEECHER CITY  Dry weather and a clear sky set the stage for a special ceremony in Beecher City Saturday.

Members of the Rolling Thunder organization rolled into town to dedicate a Chair of Honor they placed at the Beecher City Area Veterans Memorial. The chair honors prisoners of war and missing in action.

Rolling Thunder Chapter Three Illinois President Tony Mongo Schmidt served as master of ceremonies.

We are a diverse group of like-minded individuals with 90 chapters across the United States committed to the POW/MIA and veterans rights issues, Schmidt said.

Rolling Thunders membership is made of males and females, veterans, non-veterans, bikers and non-bikers. He said even though many members are veterans and ride motorcycles, neither of those are a prerequisite for becoming a member of Rolling Thunder.

Please make no mistake about it, Rolling Thunder never has been nor ever will be a motorcycle club, Schmidt said.

Rolling Thunder is a nonprofit organization.

We all volunteer our time and effort because we believe in our mission. And that mission is to publicize POW and MIA issues. Were here to educate the public to the fact many American prisoners of war and missing in action were left behind from all past wars, he said.

Rolling Thunder has a goal of correcting the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind, he said.

That is why we ride, drive, walk, stand, sit and speak for those who do not have a voice of their own, Schmidt said. It allows us to tell our POWs and MIAs youre not forgotten.

Among several Rolling Thunder activities is the POW/MIA Chair of Honor Program.

The POW/MIA Chair of Honor Program is where we provide a Chair of Honor to local veterans organizations or towns who wish to have one that can be placed out for all to see, Schmidt said.

There was a moment of silence when members of Rolling Thunder Chapter Three Illinois unveiled the newly installed Chair of Honor.

Chapter Three members brought their own color guard with flags representing all of the branches of military service. Also, members of Eva Casstevens American Legion Post 535 of Beecher City made a salute to the new memorial and lined up in front of the Chair of Honor to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Schmidt recognized many of the POW/MIAs from Effingham County.

One can only imagine what these heroes endured as a prisoner of war or while missing in action. Only the God in Heaven knows for certain of their demise, he said.

He also mentioned the namesake for the Beecher City American Legion post who was neither a POW or MIA. She was killed in action during World War I.

Geneva E. Casstevens was a nurse deployed to a military hospital in Knotty Ash near Liverpool, England, Schmidt said.

Beecher City Village President Rita Felty noted Schmidt and Rolling Thunders contribution to the community during the ceremony.

It was a rainy day three months ago when someone knocked on my door I didnt even know, Felty said. They took the time to pull into my driveway and ask about this memorial.

Felty said they asked if they could place a Chair of Honor in the Beecher City Area Veterans Memorial.

I got the information from him and I turned it over to our American Legion who got in contact with Rolling Thunder, Felty said.

I just want to say from the Village of Beecher City, thank you, she added.

Ron Bates, representing the Beecher City American Legion, recognized the organization as well.

On behalf of Eva Casstevens Post 535, I want to thank Rolling Thunder, Bates said.

Beecher City was the 49th Chair of Honor Chapter Three, which has 129 members, has placed in Illinois since it started the chair program eight years ago. The chapter has their regular meetings at the Olney VFW.

Toldeo native and Rolling Thunder Chapter Three Illinois member Marlene Van Matre of Mahomet helped research the history of POW/MIA in Effingham County. She said quite a few things stood out in her research.

It was amazing some of the things I found out like how proficient they were in such a short period of time to get things done in World War II. But, we lost so many lives after they completed their bombing missions. Many flying back to refuel never made it back and had to ditch in the ocean just because they didnt have enough fuel on board, she said.
Drew Williams, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at Herrin Hospital, pauses outside of one of the ICU rooms at the end of his 12-hour shift on June 30, 2021, in Herrin, Ill.
Dr. David Chalk, left, and Melissa DeClue, right, along with other Mercy Hospital Washington staff, surround a newly installed lamp during the Living Light Celebration July 2 at the hospital. The lamp was installed as a tribute to the COVID-19 patients treated at the hospital in the past year.
Cavendish denied record but wins green jersey

Mark Cavendish has finished the Tour de France - tied on the record for the most stage wins in race history.

He couldn't claim the final sprint in Paris as this year's edition came to an end on Sunday, sitting level on 34 wins with Eddie Merckx.

The Manx cyclist did have the consolation of winning the green jersey, though.

Tadej Pogacar took the yellow jersey for the second year in a row.


Scotty Lee Kyle, 61, of Decatur, died Monday, July 19, 2021, in Decatur-Morgan Hospital. Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Spry Funeral Home in Athens. Visitation will be 6 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be at Myers Cemetery.
AT&T is set to provide voice, data and messaging services to Dish 's Boost Mobile, Ting and Republic Wireless customers for the next 10 years. Dish plans to pay AT&T at least $5 billion as part of the deal, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

To serve customers of both companies, AT&T may be able to use parts of the wireless spectrum to which Dish holds licences, as The Wall Street Journal notes. Before now, T-Mobile provided services to the nearly 9 million customers of Dishs mobile brands.
Robots are credited with boosting efficiency in some industrial use cases. But, as a major UK grocery service just found out, that doesn't mean they're not accident-prone like humans. Ocado  which competes with Amazon Fresh  has been forced to cancel orders for some customers after a robot collision sparked a fire at its warehouse in south-east London. The incident appeared to involve three bots on the grid and led to the evacuation of its Erith customer fulfilment center, the company said.

Ocado revealed that the fire triggered the site's sprinkler system, but was contained by its mitigation measures. Nonetheless, the London Fire Brigade was called to the scene to deal with the blaze, the company added. In all, Ocado said the damage was limited to just 1 percent of its grid, adding that it would take a week for the facility to resume operations.

The UK company's south-east London warehouse contains 3,000 robots that move at 13 feet per second when fetching grocery orders. Ocado also licenses its automation platform to others including Kroger in the US, which recently deployed the system at its 375,000-square-foot customer fulfillment center in Monroe, Ohio.

Based on the proximity of the droids and the speedy nature of their task, it's a miracle more clashes haven't occurred. As detailed in a recent CNN report, the bots  described as "washing machines on wheels"  move within five millimeters of each other on a grid-like system to collect items. Ocado even told the news publication "we basically play chicken with them: they go on a collision course only to divert at the last moment."
2021-07-16

Maeci

On Wednesday, as part of her visit to the Palestinian Territories, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Marina Sereni had a working lunch, in Ramallah, with Palestinian Authority Deputy Foreign Minister Amal Jadou, with whom she discussed political developments on the ground and opportunities for further expanding bilateral cooperation between Italy and Palestine.

In Ramallah, Vice Minister Sereni also met several political figures and a group of young Palestinian civil society representatives. On the occasion of the Italian Design Day, the Vice Minister attended the inauguration of the exhibition dedicated to Vico Magistretti and Palestinian designer Victor Ghattas, in the presence of Minister of Culture Atef Abu Saif, at the Arab American University in Ramallah. Finally, Vice Minister Sereni had a meeting with UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, from whom she received an update on the current condition of Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.

On Thursday, the Vice Minister met with the Palestinian Minister of Health, Mai al-Kaila, to discuss ways to further increase Italy's support to the Palestinian health system and address the challenges posed by Covid-19. Finally, a meeting with the Mayor of Ramallah, Musa Hadid, President of the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (Apla), focused on further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between the municipalities.
Feature Article

Students across the US learn about plasma research in new program managed by PPPL

DOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Ever since Victor Flores was 5 and moved to the U.S. from Mexico, he has been crazy about science. First, he was passionate about astronomy and then he figured out that astronomy was really based on physics. Ever since then he's been focused on physics and is majoring in the subject at the University of California-Irvine, where he;s a rising senior.

That;s why when Flores found a research program that would allow him to do plasma science and fusion research with a working scientist through a new program called the Plasma and Fusion Undergraduate Research Opportunities (PFURO), he jumped at the chance. Not only will the research opportunity will likely help him get into graduate school, it's also pure joy for someone like him, he said.

"I'm really enjoying doing science; it's one of my favorite things to do, just doing science and challenging the mind. It's a great opportunity," Flores said. "I'm really grateful to be able to do the program and work with nationally-ranked scientists. I'm excited to see how the work evolves."

Flores is one of eight students participating in a PFURO pilot program sponsored by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science and administered and managed by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and the U.S. Fusion Outreach Team.

"We're very excited about this pilot year of PFURO," said Arturo Dominguez, senior program leader in PPPL's Science Education Office who is a co-leader of the program. Dominguez said PFURO is modeled on and is "a complement" to the DOE's Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI), which each year brings hundreds of undergraduates to national laboratories for a summer of hands-on research. "It's a way of supporting the universities and other institutions that don't get the benefit of these fantastic SULI students," he said.

One mission of the program is to "reach out to the different pillars of FES," Dominguez said. In addition to the scientific challenge of developing fusion energy as a source of electric energy, the other research areas include fusion materials and technology, general plasma science, including astrophysical plasmas, and high energy density plasmas, which give rise to astrophysical phenomena such as exploding supernovas and has applications to inertial confinement fusion, accelerator physics and other research fields.

Tapping into innovation at universities

The idea came out of the U.S. Fusion Outreach Team, which Dominguez chairs along with Professor Steffi Diem, a plasma physicist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a co-leader of PFURO. Diem spent a summer doing research at her university as part of the National Undergraduate Fellowship (NUF), a DOE program that ended several years ago. She said she likes that PFURO offers a diverse group of students research opportunities at universities all over the country. "The PFURO program gives students an opportunity to explore the innovative fusion energy and plasma science research happening at universities that can potentially lead to groundbreaking discoveries or new directions for our field."

Dominguez and Diem along with 11 other reviewers from the Outreach Team had the difficult task of selecting eight students from some 240 applicants. "Not surprisingly, we got an incredible cohort," Dominguez said. The students are working remotely on research projects at institutions that range from large programs at MIT and the University of Wisconsin to smaller schools like Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City.

The students joined the SULI students and other summer interns at the remote two-week Introduction to Fusion Energy and Plasma Physics course that kicked off all the internships. PFURO students from as far away as Juneau, Alaska, met for a remote get-together in mid-June where they got to know each other and talked about the activities they've gotten into during the COVID-19 pandemic ranging from learning Japanese to learning how to crochet.

An unexpected benefit of working remotely

Flores is working from his parents' home in Anaheim, California, more than 2,600 miles from Johns Hopkins University where his advisor, Maria Pia Valdivia Leiva, has her laboratory. One of the unexpected benefits coming from having to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic is that it provides research opportunities to students who might not be able to travel, Diem said. "Not everyone has the means to just up and move for the summer," she said. "By providing these research opportunities that are remote, you're opening your doors to a wider group of people that are able to do these research experiences."

Flores is working with Valdivia Leiva and her team on research to develop an X-ray diagnostic device for fusion plasmas, a project funded by the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration. Flores will design an experiment in which he will develop a computer model to simulate the diagnostic to analyze instabilities in the plasma. "I was pleasantly surprised that my proposal was accepted and even more surprised to get a student like Victor," Valdivia Leiva said. "He's really wonderful."

Izzy Thomas recently graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles where he majored in mathematics and minored in physics. Thomas did his honor's thesis on modeling black holes and PFURO offered him the chance to do astrophysical research. "I've always been interested in plasma because I like astrophysics," Thomas said. "There's a part of me that's also drawn to renewable energy and plasma is an intersection of both."

Socializing and learning about grad school online

Thomas said he enjoyed the two-week plasma and fusion workshop that started off the program. He also values the chance to get to know other students and graduate students on an online chat program set up by Deedee Ortiz, PPPL's Science Education program manager. "This year has obviously been very isolating for everyone," Thomas said. "It's really great to have two graduate student mentors whom I can speak to about graduate school and the community and what it's like to be a grad student."

Thomas is working with Lorin Matthews, a physicist at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, 1,400 miles away. Matthews is associate director of the Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER) where she and a team of about a dozen people are studying meteorites that could hold clues to the formation of planets. They are focusing on meteorites called chondrites that contain pellet-sized inclusions called chondrules. Thomas will use his mathematical skills to analyze images of the lab simulations to reconstruct a three-dimensional dust pile and calculate the porosity of the chondrule rims.

"Izzy brings some interesting background because he already has some expertise with image analysis from his previous research," Matthews said. "He's learning a lot about planet formation and porosity, how that's related to geology and our branch of physics. He's getting coding experience, as well as image analysis experience, and is learning new techniques. He's getting to see how it comes together in the labs and numerical models and putting it all together. He also interacts with graduate students and research faculty and builds networks there."

Hands-on experience

The experience has given Thomas his first real-life experience on an experiment even if he is participating remotely. "I've never worked on an experimental program before, so that's been really interesting to see those methods, versus theory and observation," he said. "It's definitely helping me to get a sense of what I might like to do in graduate school."

Valdivia Leiva said she hopes PFURO grows next year. "I would love to see this program expand," she said. "I think it's very valuable to the community but also it's a way we can not only train the future workforce but also get our fields and our sciences out there."

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PPPL, on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, N.J., is devoted to creating new knowledge about the physics of plasmas -- ultra-hot, charged gases -- and to developing practical solutions for the creation of fusion energy. The Laboratory is managed by the University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit energy.gov/science.
New research has found marine seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration are not impacting the abundance or behaviour of commercially valuable fishes in the tropical shelf environment in north-western Australia.

The research is the first of its kind to use dedicated seismic vessels to measure the impacts of the survey's noise in an ocean environment, with the eight-month experiment conducted within a 2500 square kilometre fishery management zone near the Pilbara coast.

It involved using multiple acoustic sensors, tagging 387 red emperor fish and deploying more than 600 underwater cameras to track and measure fish behaviour before and after firing seismic air guns into the ocean.

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Principal Researcher and project leader Dr Mark Meekan said the large-scale experiment measured the short-term and long-term effects of seismic airguns on the community of commercially important species in the region, such as red emperor (Lutjanus sebae).

"What makes this research unique and robust is we used an actual seismic vessel in a real ocean environment and some of the most advanced technologies to track and measure possible impacts," he said.

"Commercial fishers are concerned seismic survey noise could change the abundance and behaviour of key fish species - this research directly sought to determine if commercially valuable fish leave the area or hide when exposed to the seismic noise.

"The results reveal there were no short-term or long-term effects on the abundance, behaviour and movement of bottom-living fishes.

"This suggests seismic surveys have little impact on commercially valuable fish species in this environment."

AIMS acoustic scientist and co-author Dr Miles Parsons said Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) were deployed to document the movements, feeding patterns and abundance of the entire benthic fish community.

Red emperor fish - an important target of fisheries - were tagged and tracked via an array of acoustic telemetry receivers to understand their movements.

"It was surprising to find no changes in the key behaviours we were assessing after the fish were exposed to seismic blasts," he said.

This research fills in a key knowledge gap in the effect of seismic exploration on fisheries in the area, which is necessary for managers, marine industries, and policy makers to make informed decisions about its sustainable use.

"The magnitude and extent of this study also means the results provide valuable knowledge on potential impacts in other environments, not just in Australia, but internationally."

The research experiment is part of the North West Shoals to Shore Research Program. The program also investigates impacts on pearl oysters, with this study still in progress.

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The research was a collaboration between AIMS, University of Western Australia, Curtin University, University of Tasmania and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

The research paper 'Large-scale experiment finds no evidence that a seismic survey impacts a demersal fish fauna' is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

AIMS' North West Shoals to Shore Research Program is supported by Santos as part of the company's commitment to better understanding Western Australia's marine environment.

Images and vision:

Download: https:/ / cloudstor. aarnet. edu. au/ plus/ s/ FaqqI5Jh1Bf0jG7

Media contact:

Principal Researcher and project leader, Dr Mark Meekan: 0429 101 812

Media Officer, Molly Knapton: media@aims.gov.au; 0448 887 697
The case of a patient who experienced two facial palsies - one after the first and another after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine - strongly suggests that Bell's palsy (facial nerve palsy of unknown cause) is linked to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, doctors write in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

They describe the first case to be reported in the medical literature of two separate unilateral facial nerve palsies, where muscles on one side of the face become weak or paralysed, occurring shortly after each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

"The occurrence of the episodes immediately after each vaccine dose strongly suggests that the Bell's palsy was attributed to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, although a causal relationship cannot be established," the authors say.

Single episodes of unilateral facial nerve palsies were reported in the initial clinical trials of the three major COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford/Astra Zeneca), and there have been subsequent case reports.

In phase 3 trials, four cases of facial palsy of unknown cause (Bell's palsy) were reported in volunteers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine compared with none in those who received the placebo vaccine, and three cases were reported in volunteers who received the Moderna mRNA vaccine compared with one in the placebo group. Three cases of facial nerve palsy were also reported in volunteers who received the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine during clinical trials, and there were three cases in volunteers who received the placebo vaccine.

This case report describes a 61-year-old Caucasian man with no previous history of facial nerve palsy who experienced an episode of Bell's palsy on the right side of his face five hours after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and a more severe episode of Bell's palsy on the left side of his face two days after receiving the second dose.

The patient had a high BMI, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Both doses of the vaccine were administered to the left arm.

The patient attended the emergency department after the first episode, unable to close his left eye properly or move the left side of his forehead and was diagnosed with Bell's palsy. Routine bloods and a CT head scan showed nothing of concern and he was discharged with a course of steroids, and the facial nerve palsy completely resolved.

The patient received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six weeks after the first, and developed a more severe left-sided facial nerve palsy two days later. The symptoms included dribbling, difficulty swallowing and inability to fully close his left eye. He went to the emergency department, where he was again prescribed a course of steroids. He was also referred to the emergency ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) clinic, which continued the steroids and referred him to ophthalmology.

The authors report that his symptoms have greatly improved and the patient is almost back to normal. "The patient has been advised to discuss future mRNA vaccines with the GP on a case-by-case basis, taking into account risk versus benefit of having each vaccine," they say.

Bell's palsy is believed to be related to facial nerve inflammation and swelling due to build up of fluid (oedema) caused by a virus. In 2004 the inactivated intranasal influenza vaccine was shown to significantly increase the risk of Bell's palsy and was discontinued. Increased incidence of Bell's palsy has also been seen following administration of other influenza and meningococcal vaccines, although a causal link has not been established.

Although most cases of Bell's palsy spontaneously recover with time, the symptoms can cause significant temporary disability, affecting facial expression and ability to eat and drink. Risk factors include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, pregnancy, pre-eclampsia and upper respiratory disease.

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Externally peer reviewed? Yes

Evidence type: Single case report

Subjects: People
New Curtin University-led research has called into question existing health advice that mothers wait a minimum of two years after giving birth to become pregnant again, in order to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm and small-for-gestational age births.

The research found that a World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation to wait at least 24 months to conceive after a previous birth may be unnecessarily long for mothers in high-income countries such as Australia, Finland, Norway and the United States.

Lead researcher Dr Gizachew Tessema from the Curtin School of Population Health said because the WHO advice was based on limited evidence from resource-limited countries, it was necessary to investigate whether the 15-year-old recommendation was relevant for higher-income settings.

"We compared approximately 3 million births from 1.2 million women with at least three children and discovered the risk of adverse birth outcomes after an interpregnancy interval of less than six months was no greater than for those born after an 18-23 month interval," Dr Tessema said.

"Given that the current recommendations on birth spacing is for a waiting time of at least 18 months to two years after livebirths, our findings are reassuring for families who conceive sooner than this.

"However, we found siblings born after a greater than 60-month interval had an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes."

Dr Tessema said just as the current WHO recommendations are not age specific, the study's results were not necessarily equally applicable to parents of all ages.

"Our next step with this research is to identify whether intervals between pregnancies affect the risk of adverse birth outcomes among women of different ages," Dr Tessema said.

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Dr Tessema is a perinatal and reproductive epidemiologist and conducted the study with senior author Professor Gavin Pereira, who are both from the Curtin School of Population Health and the new Curtin enAble Institute.

The international study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, UK Medical Research Council, Research Council of Norway and National Institutes of Health.
Computer vision has progressed much over the past decade and made its way into all sorts of relevant applications, both in academia and in our daily lives. There are, however, some tasks in this field that are still extremely difficult for computers to perform with acceptable accuracy and speed. One example is object tracking, which involves recognizing persistent objects in video footage and tracking their movements. While computers can simultaneously track more objects than humans, they usually fail to discriminate the appearance of different objects. This, in turn, can lead to the algorithm to mix up objects in a scene and ultimately produce incorrect tracking results.

At the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in Korea, a team of researchers led by Professor Moongu Jeon seeks to solve these issues by incorporating deep learning techniques into a multi-object tracking framework. In a recent study published in Information Sciences, they present a new tracking model based on a technique they call 'deep temporal appearance matching association (Deep-TAMA)' which promises innovative solutions to some of the most prevalent problems in multi-object tracking. This paper was made available online in October 2020 and was published in volume 561 of the journal in June 2021.

Conventional tracking approaches determine object trajectories by associating a bounding box to each detected object and establishing geometric constraints. The inherent difficulty in this approach is in accurately matching previously tracked objects with objects detected in the current frame. Differentiating detected objects based on hand-crafted features like color usually fails because of changes in lighting conditions and occlusions. Thus, the researchers focused on enabling the tracking model with the ability to accurately extract the known features of detected objects and compare them not only with those of other objects in the frame but also with a recorded history of known features. To this end, they combined joint-inference neural networks (JI-Nets) with long-short-term-memory networks (LSTMs).

LSTMs help to associate stored appearances with those in the current frame whereas JI-Nets allow for comparing the appearances of two detected objects simultaneously from scratch--one of the most unique aspects of this new approach. Using historical appearances in this way allowed the algorithm to overcome short-term occlusions of the tracked objects. "Compared to conventional methods that pre-extract features from each object independently, the proposed joint-inference method exhibited better accuracy in public surveillance tasks, namely pedestrian tracking," highlights Dr. Jeon. Moreover, the researchers also offset a main drawback of deep learning--low speed--by adopting indexing-based GPU parallelization to reduce computing times. Tests on public surveillance datasets confirmed that the proposed tracking framework offers state-of-the-art accuracy and is therefore ready for deployment.

Multi-object tracking unlocks a plethora of applications ranging from autonomous driving to public surveillance, which can help combat crime and reduce the frequency of accidents. "We believe our methods can inspire other researchers to develop novel deep-learning-based approaches to ultimately improve public safety," concludes Dr. Jeon. For everyone's sake, let us hope their vision soon becomes a reality!

###

Reference

Authors: Young-Chul Yoon (1), Du Yong Kim (2), Young-Min Song (4), Kwangjin Yoon (3), and Moongu Jeon (4)

Title of original paper: Online multiple pedestrians tracking using deep temporal appearance matching association

Journal: Information Sciences

DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. ins. 2020. 10. 002

Affiliations:

(1) Robotics Lab, Hyundai Motor Company

(2) School of Engineering, RMIT University

(3) SI-Analytics Company, Ltd.

(4) School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, GIST

About the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) is a research-oriented university situated in Gwangju, South Korea. As one of the most prestigious schools in South Korea, it was founded in 1993 and aims to create a strong research environment to spur advancements in science and technology and to promote collaboration between foreign and domestic research programs. With the motto, "A Proud Creator of Future Science and Technology," GIST has consistently received one of the highest university rankings in Korea.

Website: http://www. gist. ac. kr/

About the authors

The first author, Young-Chul Yoon, is a researcher at the Robotics Lab of Hyundai Motors. This research was performed while he was pursuing a master's degree on multi-object tracking at GIST EECS under the supervision of Dr. Moongu Jeon. His research won 3rd prize from the CVPR2019 multi-object tracking challenge among 36 competitors.

The corresponding author, Dr. Moongu Jeon, is a full professor at GIST. His main research interests are in artificial intelligence, machine learning, visual surveillance, and autonomous driving. He has published over 200 technical papers in these research areas.
George Mason faculty Michelle Williams leads program evaluation determining feasibility of See, Test, & Treat Program to addresses barriers and improve health outcomes for cervical, breast, and oral cancer among under-served women in Mississippi

Evidence shows that early detection and treatment of cancer can significantly improve health outcomes, however women in Mississippi, particularly in underserved populations, experience the worst health outcomes for cervical, breast, and oropharyngeal cancer.

A new publication from Michelle Williams, associate professor at George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health, published in the Journal of Cancer Education evaluates the feasibility of offering free, same-day cancer screening and health education to reduce disparities of "preventable cancers." Williams evaluated the effects of providing access to free mammograms, Pap tests and pelvic exams, and oral cancer exams on participants' knowledge about cancer, self-efficacy for obtaining healthcare, and intentions to change their health behaviors.

Williams and colleagues evaluated an implementation of the See, Test, & Treat Program, an evidence-based program developed by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation which they adapted for use with uninsured and underserved women in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. See, Test, & Treat participants were educated about cancer screenings during their consultation with providers. Important features of the See, Test, & Treat program were that participants received screening results within 2 hours and participants who received abnormal results were able to schedule a follow-up appointment at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) before leaving. In addition, upon arriving at the screening site waiting room, participants could choose from a variety of health activities, including demonstrations of healthy cooking, yoga, and Zumba.

"Cancer screenings are a valuable tool for the early detection of cancer - however uninsured and underserved women may lack access to life-saving routine screenings. Evaluating the implementation of this program helps show that it is feasible to provide access to free cancer screenings to vulnerable populations and to provide screening results in the same day," said Williams.

The majority of participants reported that they attended the See, Test, & Treat Program because they wanted free cancer screening and they could get the test results back the same day. The majority of participants reported that the program had a positive effect on their knowledge of cancer screenings and their self-efficacy for seeking regular check-ups. In addition, participants reported that the health education activities had a significant effect on their understanding of the cancers for which they screened as well as health, nutrition, and exercise.

Follow-up appointments were made for all participants who received abnormal test results, including 18 women who received abnormal mammogram results. 15 of the 18 women obtained a diagnostic mammogram, three of whom required biopsies. All the biopsy results were benign. Two of the women who received the oral cancer exams had abnormal results and both were referred for treatment. None of the 44 Pap tested were abnormal, however 14 women were diagnosed with trichomonas and referred for treatment.

Overall, the program was positively received by the participants and successfully provided uninsured and under-served women with free cancer screening and health education. When asked about what they enjoyed most about the program, participants identified the convenience of same day screening results and that the staff treated them with respect. One participant reported that the staff "didn't make me feel like someone who didn't have health insurance." Limitations of the evaluation approach include the lack of long-term follow-up because the evaluation survey was completed anonymously. William seeks to include an interview and follow-up survey of all participants in future iterations of the program.

Participants learned of the program through advertising disseminated through channels such as churches, healthcare centers, and social media. Childcare was made available for participants with young children. The American Cancer Society guidelines were used to determine eligibility for the breast and cancer screening. 72 women met the eligibility requirements, 53 women were screened, and 52 participants completed the evaluation survey.

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Williams initially led the program evaluation while at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMCC) Cancer Center and Research Institute and will continue her evaluations at George Mason University. The program evaluation is funded by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation.

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia's largest and most diverse public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. For more information, visit https:/ / www2. gmu. edu/ .

About the College of Health and Human Services
Ishikawa, Japan - Powering everything from smartphones to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have evolved markedly with advances in technology and revolutionized our world. The next step in the progress of technology is developing even better batteries to power electronic devices for longer durations. One promising technique for increasing battery performance involves the atomic substitution of positively charged ions or "cations" in the cathode material. However, doing so systematically for different substituent cations to determine the ideal ones experimentally is complex and expensive, leaving us with simulations as the only viable option for narrowing down the choices.

Several studies have reported an improved battery life and thermal stability based on their findings using a simulation-based approach. However, such improvements have, in turn, lowered the discharge capacity of the battery, which is the amount of energy that a battery can supply in a single discharge. As a result, an extensive search must be performed for the cation substituent that enhances the discharge capacity.

Against this backdrop, a team of scientists led by Prof. Ryo Maezono from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) conducted an extensive screening of different cations for partial substitution of nickel in a nickel-based LIB with the intent of enhancing the battery discharge capacity.

"The discharge capacity can be determined using the discharge profile, which is the voltage change during the charge-discharge process," explains Prof. Maezono. "We used first-principles calculations to evaluate the discharge profiles of materials that, in turn, determines their discharge capacities. However, these calculations are computationally costly, so we integrated other methods to narrow down the candidates for cation replacement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that successfully predicts cation substitution to increase battery capacity." The groundbreaking study has been published in a recent issue of The Journal of Physical Chemistry C.

A prominent strategy for successfully predicting the discharge voltage profile is the "strongly constrained and appropriately normed" (SCAN) functional. However, due to the large computing costs involved, such methods are impractical for extensive screening. So, the team began by using relatively inexpensive techniques such as density functional theory and cluster expansion to identify suitable candidates for cation replacement and then applied SCAN functional to the inferred candidates to assure reliability and accuracy in voltage predictions.

The screening process revealed that the highest discharge capacity was obtained when nickel was partially substituted with platinum and palladium in nickel-based LIB. These results were consistent with the experimental data, validating the proposed methodology.

While Prof. Maezono emphasizes the need for additional research, he is optimistic about the future of their low-cost screening process. "Our findings indicate that substituents such as rhenium and osmium offer high discharge capacities. However, these elements are rare and costly, and putting them to practical use would be challenging. Further study is needed to achieve the same effect with less substitution, multiple element substitution, or anion substitution," he says. "Having said that, our novel computational technique will accelerate the search for optimal materials that improve battery performance at lower costs, allowing us to replace the bulk of our current electricity sources with carbon-free alternatives."

Hopefully, such advances will bring humankind one step closer to becoming an environment-friendly species in the near future!

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Reference

Title of original paper: "High-Throughput Evaluation of Discharge Profiles of Nickel Substitution in LiNiO2 by Ab Initio Calculations"

Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c11589

About Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Founded in 1990 in Ishikawa prefecture, the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) was the first independent national graduate school in Japan. Now, after 30 years of steady progress, JAIST has become one of Japan's top-ranking universities. JAIST counts with multiple satellite campuses and strives to foster capable leaders with a state-of-the-art education system where diversity is key; about 40% of its alumni are international students. The university has a unique style of graduate education based on a carefully designed coursework-oriented curriculum to ensure that its students have a solid foundation on which to carry out cutting-edge research. JAIST also works closely both with local and overseas communities by promoting industry-academia collaborative research.

About Professor Ryo Maezono from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Dr. Ryo Maezono has been a Professor at the School of Information Science at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) since 2017. He earned his PhD from the University of Tokyo in 2000 and worked as a researcher at the National Institute for Materials Science in Ibaraki, Japan from 2001 to 2007. His research areas include material informatics and condensed matter theory using high-performance computing. He is a senior researcher with 101 papers and 1519 citations to his name.

Funding information

This research received financial support from HPCI System Research Project (Project ID: hp190169), MEXT-KAKENHI (JP16H06439, JP17K17762, JP19K05029, JP19H05169, JP19H04692, and JP16KK0097), FLAGSHIP2020 (Project Nos. hp190169 and hp190167 at K-computer), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR-AOARD/FA2386-17-1-4049; FA2386-19- 1-4015), and JSPS Bilateral Joint Projects (with India DST).
BOSTON - Lymph nodes are critical to the body's immune response against tumors but paradoxically, cancer cells that spread, or metastasize, to lymph nodes can often avoid being eliminated by immune cells. Recent experiments by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Boston University School of Medicine provide insights on the details behind this immune evasion, which could help scientists develop strategies to overcome it. The findings are published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

"We know that lymph nodes are often the first place cancer spreads as it progresses. We also know that our immune system can attack and kill cancer cells," explains senior and co-corresponding author Timothy P. Padera, PhD, an investigator in Radiation Oncology at MGH and a 2021-2026 MGH Research Scholar. "One of the perplexing questions that has been at the core of the recent work in my lab is how can organs that generate our immune responses--lymph nodes--permit cancer cells to survive and take them over instead of attacking them? This was the driving motivation behind this study."

By analyzing patient tissue from breast, colon, and head and neck cancers, combined with animal models of breast cancer lymph node metastases, Padera and his colleagues showed that immune cells called T cells are abundant in metastatic lymph nodes but fail to penetrate tumors that have spread to such nodes. The team measured increased physical forces, known as solid stress, in lymph nodes with metastatic cancer. "We hypothesized that solid stress in lymph node tumors can impair both blood flow and the T cell trafficking capacity of blood vessels in lymph nodes," says lead and co-corresponding author Dennis Jones, PhD, an assistant professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine.

The scientists then developed a device to compress lymph nodes in order to simulate the gradual growth of lymph node metastases. When they applied compressive force to lymph nodes, there was a clear link between physical force and disruption of T cell entry into lymph nodes. "Our findings indicate that as cancer cells grow in the lymph node, they reorganize and alter the lymph node, disabling critical functional responses of the immune system," says Padera. "By understanding how cancer cells are disabling lymph node function, we hope to fight back to help the lymph nodes generate anti-cancer immune responses, which will help fight cancer cells everywhere in the body."

Alleviating solid stress with the blood pressure drug losartan boosted the numbers of blood vessels and T cells in lymph node metastases, suggesting that alleviating solid stress is a potential strategy to improve T cell entry into tumors.

"Our work now leads to many important additional questions," says Jones. "Does losartan treatment combined with immunotherapy cause the eradication of metastatic cancer cells in lymph nodes by T cell killing? And further, does this lead to a strong systemic anti-cancer immune response that helps clear the cancer from the entire body?" Jones notes that finding the answers to these questions could lead to new treatment strategies for patients with metastatic cancer.

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Padera is an associate professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School. In addition to Jones and Padera, co-authors include Zixiong Wang, Ivy X. Chen, Sue Zhang, Rohin Banerji, Pin-Ji Lei, Hengbo Zhou, Victoria Xiao, Cecilia Kwong, Jan Willem M. van Wijnbergen, Ethel R. Pereira, Benjamin J. Vakoc, Peigen Huang, and Hadi T. Nia.

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Massachusetts General Hospital Executive Committee on Research, the Mass General Research Institute Research Scholars Program, and the METAvivor organization.

About the Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The Mass General Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with annual research operations of more than $1 billion and comprises more than 9,500 researchers working across more than 30 institutes, centers and departments. In August 2020, Mass General was named #6 in the U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals."

About Boston University School of Medicine
An MSU-led team is developing an inexpensive biopolymer dressing to heal injuries like diabetic foot ulcers that affect millions of patients all over the world

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Tens of millions of patients around the world suffer from persistent and potentially life-threatening wounds. These chronic wounds, which are also a leading cause of amputation, have treatments, but the cost of existing wound dressings can prevent them from reaching people in need.

Now, a Michigan State University researcher is leading an international team of scientists to develop a low-cost, practical biopolymer dressing that helps heal these wounds.

"The existing efficient technologies are far too expensive for most health care systems, greatly limiting their use in a timely manner," said Morteza Mahmoudi, an assistant professor in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the Precision Health Program. "An economically accessible, practical and effective technology is needed."

To develop that new technology, Mahmoudi tapped into years of experience and expertise, having studied advanced materials to heal heart tissue, fight infections and support immune systems. But the team also kept an eye on cost, working to develop a product that could be made available to as many patients as possible, even in resource constrained markets.

"My goal is always to make something that works and is practical," Mahmoudi said. "I want to see my research become clinical products that help patients."

With his latest work, published July 19 in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, Mahmoudi is getting closer to that goal. He's working with partners in the United Kingdom who have started a company to oversee the development and approval of the new technology.

"We are building an experienced and expert team in the U.K. who will be able to efficiently commercialize the dressing," Mahmoudi said. "The company has just won a very competitive Eurostar grant to accelerate product development."

Working with his collaborators, Mahmoudi conducted a small pilot trial of the wound dressing with 13 patients with chronic wounds, all of whom were cured, he said.

Patients with advanced chronic wounds -- those which do not respond to traditional therapies -- are estimated to number over 45 million globally, making this one of the world's most pressing and urgent health care needs, Mahmoudi said.

The United States is home to about 5% of this population, yet more than 90% of the sales of "active" wound care technologies happen in the U.S. That essentially means that the rest of the world is left out, Mahmoudi said.

Venous leg ulcers and pressure ulcers associated with immobility in older and paralyzed patients are also major causes of chronic wounds, but perhaps the best-known examples of this type of injury being diabetic foot ulcers. Worldwide, there are more than 400 million people living with diabetes, and some studies have estimated that up to a quarter of those patients will develop foot ulcers within their lifetime.

Even with the high level of care available in the U.S., more than 30% of patients who develop a diabetic foot ulcer will die within five years of its onset. For reference, that percentage is higher than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.

Diabetic foot ulcers also illustrate many of the reasons why chronic wounds can be so challenging to treat.

Patients with diabetes can be dealing with restricted blood flow and other factors that slow their immune response, compromising the body's ability to heal the wound on its own. They can also have nerve damage that dulls the wound's pain and can delay patients from seeking treatment. When wounds heal more slowly and stay open longer, bacteria have more opportunities to cause infections and lead to serious complications. Put bluntly, there's a lot going wrong in a chronic wound.

"Chronic wounds are some of the most complicated things doctors have to treat," Mahmoudi said. "If you want to make a dressing that works, it has to address all those problems. And in order to be relevant to the majority of patients in the world, it has to be easy to use, practical and inexpensive as well."

There are many technologies available to support healing in chronic wounds, but those that can stimulate tissue regeneration are typically derived from harvested natural tissues. This is complex and expensive, resulting in products that cost upwards of $1,000, putting them out of reach for many patients and health care systems.

To attack those problems, Mahmoudi drew on a wealth of experience in developing new materials for biomedical applications. By designing a product that can be manufactured from readily available biopolymers, production costs can be kept low, and the team could add various other materials to lead to improved healing.

The team starts with a flexible framework of nanofibers -- exceedingly thin threads -- of natural polymers, including collagen, a structural-support protein found in our skin and cartilage. The framework provides a three-dimensional scaffold that fosters cell migration and the development of new blood vessels, essentially replicating the function of the extracellular matrix, the natural support system found in healthy, living tissue.

"It's important that the physical and mechanical properties of the dressing are really close to that of skin," Mahmoudi said. "In order to heal, the new cells have to feel like they're at home."

To that framework, the team can incorporate proteins, peptides and nanoparticles that not only spur the growth of new cells and blood vessels but also fight off bacteria by encouraging a patient's own immune system to join the charge. (The team's experiences on these elements were documented in earlier publications in Nature Nanotechnology and Trends in Biotechnology).

The dressing also degrades over time, meaning that nobody would have to change or remove it and potentially aggravate the wound site. And at roughly $20 apiece, Mahmoudi believes that the dressings -- if and when approved by regulatory agencies -- will be affordable to even resource-strapped health care systems faced with treating these serious wounds.

Although there are many existing wound care products, Mahmoudi is optimistic that the new dressing will stand out thanks to its low cost, high performance and another piece of research he did years ago.

For this previous project, though, he wasn't developing any new technology. He was interviewing hundreds of health care workers around the U.S., asking them what they wanted and needed in a wound dressing.

"We developed this dressing to solve the problems they were having. One of the clinicians told me, 'When you see too many products on the market, that means none of them works,'" said Mahmoudi, a Spartan driven to make things that work.

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More than 20 researchers joined Mahmoudi on this project, representing about 15 different research institutions, including Harvard Medical School; Emory University; Georgia Tech; Rutgers State University; McGill University; University of Siegen in Germany; and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Scientists at Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, and the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder have been awarded almost $2 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a virtual reality teaching tool called Polar Explorer. In this web-based, immersive environment, undergraduate students will explore polar environments in the Arctic to learn about permafrost from their laptops, desktops, or mobile devices.

"The real-time transformation of the Arctic affects everyone, but most of us can't travel there to witness these changes," said Deborah Huntzinger, associate professor in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University (NAU) and principal investigator (PI) leading the project. "Polar Explorer will take students deep into thawing permafrost and to the edge of Arctic shorelines to learn about how the region is changing in an immersive, accessible way." She is joined by co-PI Michelle Mack and artist Victor Leshyk from the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at NAU, Ariel Anbar and Chris Mead from the School of Earth and Space Exploration and Center for Education Through Exploration (ETX) at Arizona State University (ASU), Lisa Thompson from Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, and Kevin Schaefer from the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB).

The team is zeroing in on the Arctic because climate warming is altering this region rapidly in ways that affect climate, infrastructure, and public health around the globe. Over the past three decades, the Arctic has warmed at twice the rate of the rest of the world and permafrost has started to thaw. Thawing permafrost releases enormous amounts of previously frozen greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, accelerating the pace of climate change. Permafrost thaw can also threaten the food security and clean water of local residents, lead to the erosion of landscapes, the collapse of buildings and roads, and increased risk of wildfires. These impacts make it important for the general public to understand how the Arctic is changing and why these changes have significant consequences for people around the world. But the remoteness and inaccessibility of the Arctic makes teaching students about permafrost and its consequences challenging.

The team hopes Polar Explorer will change that.

Using virtual learning technology pioneered by ASU's ETX Center, students will be able to visit scientifically-accurate landscapes and interact with them as if they were physically there -- regardless of a student's socioeconomic background, physical ability, or level of academic preparation. Polar Explorer will be an adaptive learning environment built around a series of immersive virtual field trips (iVFTs). For example, to examine the connections between carbon and permafrost, students will travel (virtually) to the Carbon in Permafrost Heating Experimental Research site in Healy, Alaska, where NAU researcher Ted Schuur has been studying permafrost for over a decade. Starting in the cabin where Schuur's research team lives during the summer, students will hear neighborhood sled dogs howl. At the field site, they will measure carbon dioxide emissions, examine carbon dioxide and temperature data output in real time, and make other virtual measurements to compare permafrost thaw depths in plots that were warmed versus those that were not.

"Polar Explorer will put students in the field, so they are not just reading about the dramatic changes we observe in the Arctic, but experiencing them," said Schaefer, a research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Each student navigating the iVFTs within Polar Explorer will have a unique experience, receiving personalized feedback appropriate to their needs while working towards the same learning outcomes as their peers. The team, with help from NAU's Center for Science Teaching and Learning, will test Polar Explorer in undergraduate courses at NAU before making it free and available to all college-level students with access to the internet and a modern web browser.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for outcome-driven, distance learning resources for teachers at all levels, and Polar Explorer meets that need, said Thompson, a research scientist at the Arizona Geological Survey. "Intelligent tutoring systems have been tested in undergraduate science classes at NAU, ASU, and around the nation and world," she said. "We have the technology, and now is an important time to bring the rapidly changing Arctic to student's devices."

"What's particularly exciting about this project is the opportunity to study how iVFTs help students to learn difficult concepts such as working across multiple scales and understanding transdisciplinary connections," said Mead, an assistant research scientist at ASU. "These skills are inherent to polar science, and they are absolutely critical for preparing students to solve the challenges of the 21st century."

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A suite of International Space Station scientific experiments soon journey back to Earth aboard the 22nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission for NASA. Scientists on the ground look forward to having their experiments back within hours, an advantage that could provide better results. Dragon undocks from the space station July 7.

The combination of a spacecraft redesign allowing for faster unloading of research and the splashdown location near NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida makes it possible to return time-sensitive experiments to scientists much faster. In addition, Kennedy's Space Station Processing Facility is home to world-class laboratories offering tools and workspace to collect data and analyze samples. Scientists can look at experiments immediately, before gravity has a chance to fully take effect, and follow up with more in-depth analysis at their home labs.

"Being able to run ground controls and process flight samples at the same place using the same hardware cuts down on the variability," says Nathaniel Szewczyk, a researcher at Ohio University and a principal investigator for one of the returning investigations, MME-2.

That consistency is key, notes Luciana Rinaudi Marron, a co-investigator at Colgate-Palmolive for the Oral Biofilms in Space study. "Running analyses on all the samples at the same time eliminates a lot of variability of having different people prepping and analyzing samples at different places. It really helps eliminate sources of error."

Explore some of the quick-turn around experiments returning to Earth aboard the Dragon capsule:

Keeping things cool

Lyophilization-2 examines how gravity affects freeze-dried materials. Formulating pharmaceuticals using lyophilization, or freeze-drying, improves their stability and shelf life and could enable long-term storage of medications and other resources on future long-duration space missions. On Earth, the process leads to formation of layers with structural differences, and this investigation looks at whether gravity is the cause.

These materials will be frozen on the space station and brought down frozen. According to principal investigator Jeremy Hinds of Eli Lilly and Company, timing in this process is critical. "I need to receive them in that frozen state. If they melt, all the information captured in the freezing process is gone. Extended time allows anything like heat or humidity to change the physical state of the material. We want the best outcome we can get from this experiment, and timing is a critical piece."

Results ultimately may lead to improved freeze-drying processes for the pharmaceutical and other industries. "It is important to do the freeze-drying technique off of Earth," Hinds adds. "If we find that conducting the process in space gives us a performance benefit, for example, that could be key to a future drug."

Studying worms to improve health

MME-2 tests whether a series of drugs to improve cell energy and muscle efficiency can improve overall health in space and the role of a specific molecule in the changes in human health observed during spaceflight. The ESA (European Space Agency) investigation uses C. elegans worms and expands on previous experiments that used this model organism to study genetic changes in space. Many health changes seen in space resemble those experienced with aging on the ground, and these drugs also could lead to new therapeutic targets to study on Earth.

Open wide

Oral Biofilms in Space studies how gravity affects the structure, composition, and activity of oral bacteria in the presence of common oral care agents. Findings could support development of treatments to fight oral diseases such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis and provide insight into how microgravity affects the microbiome of other surfaces in the body. Maintaining oral health is key on future long-duration space missions to the Moon or Mars, and the project could lead to treatments for oral diseases on Earth.

"We are looking at the molecular mechanism of disease and how our oral care products are able to intervene. Any molecular work is time sensitive, because you are looking at metabolites and nucleic acids and they degrade over time. So, the quicker we get them, the less degradation occurs," says co-investigator Harsh Trivedi.

Quick turnaround also allows investigators to modify an experiment, learning from the first round to plan for the next, adds co-investigator Carlo Daep. "We are glad to get the samples back from the same craft that took them up. It will be exciting to see what turns up."

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Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), working in an international team, have developed a new method for complex X-ray studies that will aid in better understanding so-called correlated metals. These materials could prove useful for practical applications in areas such as superconductivity, data processing, and quantum computers. Today the researchers present their work in the journal Physical Review X.

In substances such as silicon or aluminium, the mutual repulsion of electrons hardly affects the material properties. Not so with so-called correlated materials, in which the electrons interact strongly with one another. The movement of one electron in a correlated material leads to a complex and coordinated reaction of the other electrons. It is precisely such coupled processes that make these correlated materials so promising for practical applications, and at the same time so complicated to understand.

Strongly correlated materials are candidates for novel high-temperature superconductors, which can conduct electricity without loss and which are used in medicine, for example, in magnetic resonance imaging. They also could be used to build electronic components, or even quantum computers, with which data can be more efficiently processed and stored.

"Strongly correlated materials exhibit a wealth of fascinating phenomena," says Thorsten Schmitt, head of the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group at PSI: "However, it remains a major challenge to understand and exploit the complex behaviour that lies behind these phenomena." Schmitt and his research group tackle this task with the help of a method for which they use the intense and extremely precise X-ray radiation from the Swiss Light Source SLS at PSI. This modern technique, which has been further developed at PSI in recent years, is called resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, or RIXS for short.

X-rays excite electrons

With RIXS, soft X-rays are scattered off a sample. The incident X-ray beam is tuned in such a way that it elevates electrons from a lower electron orbital to a higher orbital, which means that special resonances are excited. This throws the system out of balance. Various electrodynamic processes lead it back to the ground state. Some of the excess energy is emitted again as X-ray light. The spectrum of this inelastically scattered radiation provides information about the underlying processes and thus on the electronic structure of the material.

"In recent years, RIXS has developed into a powerful experimental tool for deciphering the complexity of correlated materials," Schmitt explains. When used to investigate correlated insulators in particular, it works very well. Up to now, however, the method has been unsuccessful in probing correlated metals. Its failure was due to the difficulty of interpreting the extremely complicated spectra caused by many different electrodynamic processes during the scattering. "In this connection collaboration with theorists is essential," explains Schmitt, "because they can simulate the processes observed in the experiment."

Calculations of correlated metals

This is a specialty of theoretical physicist Keith Gilmore, formerly of the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the USA and now at the Humboldt University in Berlin. "Calculating the RIXS results for correlated metals is difficult because you have to handle several electron orbitals, large bandwidths, and a large number of electronic interactions at the same time," says Gilmore. Correlated insulators are easier to handle because fewer orbitals are involved; this allows model calculations that explicitly include all electrons. To be precise, Gilmore explains: "In our new method of describing the RIXS processes, we are now combining the contributions that come from the excitation of one electron with the coordinated reaction of all other electrons."

To test the calculation, the PSI researchers experimented with a substance that BNL scientist Jonathan Pelliciari had investigated in detail as part of his doctoral thesis at PSI: barium-iron-arsenide. If you add a specific amount of potassium atoms to the material, it becomes superconducting. It belongs to a class of unconventional high-temperature iron-based superconductors that are expected to provide a better understanding of the phenomenon. "Until now, the interpretation of RIXS measurements on such complex materials has been guided mainly by intuition. Now these RIXS calculations give us experimenters a framework that enables a more practical interpretation of the results. Our RIXS measurements at PSI on barium-iron-arsenide are in excellent agreement with the calculated profiles," Pelliciari says.

Combination of experiment and theory

In their experiments, the researchers investigated the physics around the iron atom. "One advantage of RIXS is that you can concentrate on a specific component and examine it in detail for materials that consist of several elements," Schmitt says. The well-tuned X-ray beam causes an inner electron in the iron atom to be elevated from the ground state in the core level to the higher energy valence band, which is only partially occupied. This initial excitation of the core electron can cause further secondary excitations and trigger many complicated decay processes that ultimately manifest themselves in spectral satellite structures. (See graphic.)

Since the contributions of the many reactions are sometimes small and close to one another, it is difficult to find out which processes actually took place in the experiment. Here the combination of experiment and theory helps. "If you have no theoretical support for difficult experiments, you cannot understand the processes, that is, the physics, in detail," Schmitt says. The same also applies to theory: "You often don't know which theories are realistic until you can compare them with an experiment. Progress in understanding comes when experiment and theory are brought together. This descriptive method thus has the potential to become a reference for the interpretation of spectroscopic experiments on correlated metals."

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The international team has published its work in the journal Physical Review X.

Text: Barbara Vonarburg

Additional information

Physicists observe the splitting of an electron inside a solid

http://psi. ch/ a7kA

About PSI

The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large, complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own key research priorities are in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether PSI employs 2100 people, thus being the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget amounts to approximately CHF 400 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, with the other members being the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, as well as Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research).

Contact

Dr. Thorsten Schmitt

Head of the Spectroscopy of Novel Materials Group

Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 37 62, e-mail: thorsten.schmitt@psi.ch [German, English]

Dr. Keith Gilmore

Institute for Physics and IRIS Adlershof, Theoretical Solid-State Physics

Zum Groen Windkanal 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany

Telephone: +49 30 2093 66370, e-mail: keith.gilmore@physik.hu-berlin.de

Dr. Jonathan Pelliciari

Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source II

P.O. Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA

Telephone: 001 631 344 6223, e-mail: pelliciari@bnl.gov

Original publication

Description of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in correlated metals

Keith Gilmore, Jonathan Pelliciari, Yaobo Huang, Joshua J. Kas, Marcus Dantz, Vladimir N. Strocov, Shigeru Kasahara, Yuji Matsuda,Tanmoy Das, Takasada Shibauchi, and Thorsten Schmitt.

Physical Review X, 19.07.2021

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.11.031013
INDIANAPOLIS -- Most of the six million people in the U.S. who live with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias rely on informal caregivers, usually family or friends, to help manage their medications. Researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and University of Wisconsin have received a grant to create an application to support those caregivers.

"Caregivers are often under-trained, under-resourced, and under-supported to perform medication management. It can lead to significant burden, stress and even inappropriate medication use," said Richard Holden, PhD, a co-leader of the project. "To this point, technology has not been leveraged to help this population. Using participatory user-centered design, we plan to create an application that makes this potentially complex undertaking a little easier for them and leads to better medication adherence and safety." Dr. Holden is a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute and a professor and chair of health and wellness design at IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The app is called Helping the Helpers, and the project employs the three phases of participatory user-centered design. The team will start by interviewing and assessing the needs of the caregivers. Then those caregivers will work with the team to create the app with features and functionality that will benefit them. As co-designers, the caregivers will take part in all the design activities and will have equal say in the final product as members of the research team. The final phase will more widely test the app to see if caregivers can and will use it.

"This type of support is lacking for these caregivers, and technology provides an ideal way to reach them," said Nicole Werner, PhD, co-leader of the project and an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "But an application is useless if these caregivers can't or won't use it. That's why we are involving them in the design process from the very start, so we can create something that effectively addresses the struggles they and others like them are facing."

"User-centered design is the industry gold standard process for designing products," said Dr. Holden. "Any time technology is used, it must address end users' needs. We are grateful for the National Institute on Aging's support of this user-centered design approach."

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This research is supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging, grant R21AG072418.

Other research scientists involved in the project are Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH of Regenstrief and IU School of Medicine and Aaron Ganci, MFA from IUPUI's Herron School of Art and Design. Noll Campbell, PharmD of Regenstrief and Purdue University College of Pharmacy is consulting.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About Regenstrief Institute

Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the Regenstrief Institute is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health. A key research partner to Indiana University, Regenstrief and its research scientists are responsible for a growing number of major healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interoperability of electronic health records to improving patient-physician communications, to creating models of care that inform practice and improve the lives of patients around the globe.

Sam Regenstrief, a nationally successful entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible for everyone. His vision continues to guide the institute's research mission.

About IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

The Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to disease prevention, wellness, and teaching with an emphasis on robust, reproducible, and transparent research. One of the largest schools of public health in the United States, it offers top-ranked programs in a wide range of health-related fields. As a school of public health accredited with the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), it has proudly built on its historic foundation in health and wellbeing to take on the complex health challenges of today.

About University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering

The UW-Madison College of Engineering is among the nation's top engineering schools, consisting of eight degree-granting departments and one of the nation's oldest and largest continuing education programs for professional engineers. The college develops the leaders, knowledge and technologies that improve lives now and create a better future. It draws upon the strength and collaborative spirit of one of the top research universities in the world.

About Richard J. Holden, PhD, M.S.

In addition to his role as a research scientist at Regenstrief?Institute, Richard J. Holden, PhD, M.S., is the chief healthcare engineer for the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science and the Dean's Eminent Scholar, professor and inaugural chair of Health & Wellness Design at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

About Nicole Werner, PhD

Nicole Werner, PhD, is the Harvey D. Spangler Associate Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, associate director, Wisconsin Institute for Healthcare Systems Engineering, and Care Research Technology and Small Business Liaison Leader of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Dementia Care Core.
HOUSTON - (July 19, 2021) - Rice University computer scientists will take full advantage of new technology to sequence the genome of a single cell and decode mysteries contained in tumors.

Luay Nakhleh, recently named the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Rice's Brown School of Engineering, has been awarded a four-year, $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant to analyze the genomes in colonies of single cancer cells to find not only the mutations at the root of the disease but also how they evolve from cell to cell as the tumor grows.

Nakhleh, also a professor of computer science and of biosciences, and his team will use single-cell DNA data provided by colleagues at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. They expect to reveal evolutionary trees of cancer mutations that could eventually help refine treatment for patients.

Cancer is caused by mutations including single nucleotide variants and copy number aberrations in a cell, but complications often arise when that cell's offspring develop mutations of their own.

"I do a lot of work in evolutionary biology that has nothing to do with cancer," Nakhleh said. "But our approach to this problem is evolutionary in the sense that we're looking at cells we know evolved from an ancestral cell.

"Because they come from one individual cell, they give rise to an evolutionary tree structure," he said. "This is very exciting because we can apply our expertise in computational evolutionary biology to this specific problem."

Nakhleh said the cells in a tumor typically incorporate a variety of mutations. "In a group of cells with mutational signatures, you see a sort of clustering: one group of cells has five specific mutations, another group has seven and so on," he said.

"Cancer biologists want to understand what role this plays in treatment outcomes for patients, and it's been very hard to do," Nakhleh said. "Now that we're getting single-cell resolution, we can identify mutations on a larger scale and map them onto an evolutionary tree. That will help us know the order in which the mutations happened."

He noted some cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancers, could be triggered by mutations years before the disease can be diagnosed. "The evolution of these genomes can help us start to understand what leads a person to develop cancer. If we know the genetic risk factors, we can be more proactive."

Nakhleh said single-cell genome techniques remain a bit error-prone, but the ability to get distinct sequences from many cells in a tumor at once will allow the researchers to infer mutation trees. They would then scale this data to incorporate the whole genomes of thousands of cells to build open-source models and, ultimately, tools for early cancer detection and treatments.

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Jeff Falk

713-348-6775

jfalk@rice.edu

Mike Williams

713-348-6728

mikewilliams@rice.edu

Read the abstract at https:/ / www. nsf. gov/ awardsearch/ showAward?AWD_ID= 2106837 .

This news release can be found online at https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ 2021/ 07/ 19/ scientists-seek-details-of-cancers-evolutionary-tree/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related materials:

Nakhleh Lab: https:/ / www. cs. rice. edu/ ~nakhleh/

Department of Computer Science: https:/ / cs. rice. edu/

George R. Brown School of Engineering: https:/ / engineering. rice. edu/

Image for download:

https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 07/ 0719_NAKHLEH-1-WEB. jpg CAPTION: Luay Nakhleh. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
An international team anchored by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration, which is known for capturing the first image of a black hole in the galaxy Messier 87, has now imaged the heart of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A in unprecedented detail. The astronomers pinpoint the location of the central supermassive black hole and reveal how a gigantic jet is being born. Most remarkably, only the outer edges of the jet seem to emit radiation, which challenges our theoretical models of jets. This work, led by Michael Janssen from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn and Radboud University Nijmegen is published in Nature Astronomy on July 19th.

At radio wavelengths, Centaurus A emerges as one of the largest and brightest objects in the night sky. After it was identified as one of the first known extragalactic radio sources in 1949, Centaurus A has been studied extensively across the entire electromagnetic spectrum by a variety of radio, infrared, optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray observatories. At the center of Centaurus A lies a black hole with the mass of 55 million suns, which is right between the mass scales of the Messier 87 black hole (six and a half billion suns) and the one in the center of our own galaxy (about four million suns).

In a new paper in Nature Astronomy, data from the 2017 EHT observations have been analyzed to image Centaurus A in unprecedented detail. "This allows us for the first time to see and study an extragalactic radio jet on scales smaller than the distance light travels in one day. We see up close and personally how a monstrously gigantic jet launched by a supermassive black hole is being born", says astronomer Michael Janssen.

Compared to all previous high-resolution observations, the jet launched in Centaurus A is imaged at a tenfold higher frequency and sixteen times sharper resolution. With the resolving power of the EHT, we can now link the vast scales of the source, which are as big as 16 times the angular diameter of the Moon on the sky, to their origin near the black hole in a region of merely the width of an apple on the Moon when projected on the sky. That is a magnification factor of one billion.

Understanding jets

Supermassive black holes residing in the center of galaxies like Centaurus A are feeding off gas and dust that is attracted by their enormous gravitational pull. This process releases massive amounts of energy and the galaxy is said to become 'active'. Most matter lying close to the edge of the black hole falls in. However, some of the surrounding particles escape moments before capture and are blown far out into space: Jets - one of the most mysterious and energetic features of galaxies - are born.

Astronomers have relied on different models of how matter behaves near the black hole to better understand this process. But they still do not know exactly how jets are launched from its central region and how they can extend over scales that are larger than their host galaxies without dispersing out. The EHT aims to resolve this mystery.

The new image shows that the jet launched by Centaurus A is brighter at the edges compared to the center. This phenomenon is known from other jets, but has never been seen so pronouncedly before. "Now we are able to rule out theoretical jet models that are unable to reproduce this edge-brightening. It's a striking feature that will help us better understand jets produced by black holes", says Matthias Kadler, TANAMI leader and professor for astrophysics at the University of Wurzburg in Germany.

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Future observations

With the new EHT observations of the CentaurusA jet, the likely location of the black hole has been identified at the launching point of the jet. Based on this location, the researchers predict that future observations at an even shorter wavelength and higher resolution would be able to photograph the central black hole of Centaurus A. This will require the use of space-based satellite observatories.

"These data are from the same observing campaign that delivered the famous image of the black hole in M87. The new results show that the EHT provides a treasure trove of data on the rich variety of black holes and there is still more to come", says Heino Falcke, EHT board member and professor for Astrophysics at Radboud University.

Background information

To observe the Centaurus A galaxy with this unprecedentedly sharp resolution at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, the EHT collaboration used Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), the same technique with which the famous image of the black hole in M87 was made. An alliance of eight telescopes around the world joined together to create the virtual Earth-sized Event Horizon Telescope. The EHT collaboration involves more than 300 researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America.

The EHT consortium consists of 13 stakeholder institutes: the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, the East Asian Observatory, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique (MPG/CNRS/IGN), Large Millimeter Telescope, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, MIT Haystack Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Radboud University and the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.

TANAMI (Tracking Active Galactic Nuclei with Austral Milliarcsecond Interferometry) is a multiwavelength program to monitor relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei of the Southern Sky. This program has been monitoring Centaurus A with VLBI at centimeter-wavelengths since the mid 2000s. The TANAMI array consists of nine radio telescopes located on four continents observing at wavelengths of 4 cm and 1.3 cm.
The oil industry, pharmaceutical companies and bioreactor manufacturers all face one common enemy: bubbles. Bubbles can form during the manufacturing or transport of various liquids, and their formation and rupture can cause significant issues in product quality.

Inspired by these issues and the puzzling physics behind bubbles, an international scientific collaboration was born. Stanford University chemical engineer Gerald Fuller along with his PhD students Aadithya Kannan and Vinny Chandran Suja, as well as visiting PhD student Daniele Tammaro from the University of Naples, teamed up to study how different kinds of bubbles pop.

The researchers were particularly interested in bubbles with proteins embedded on their surfaces, which is a common occurrence in the pharmaceutical industry and in bioreactors used for cell culture. In an unanticipated result, the researchers discovered that the protein bubbles they were studying opened up like flowers when popped with a needle. Their findings are detailed in a study published in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on July 19.

"What really strikes me is that even after all these years of research, bubble physics keeps surprising us with unexpectedly beautiful phenomena," Suja said.

Bursting the bubble

Bubbles can pop in a variety of ways, depending on their physical and chemical properties. One important property is called viscoelasticity.

"Most materials that surround us are actually not perfectly liquid like water or olive oil. They're not perfectly elastic either, like a pencil eraser. They're somewhere in between," explained Fuller, who is the Fletcher Jones II Professor in the School of Engineering and co-led the study with Professor Pier Luca Maffettone from the University of Naples.

This "in-between" state is called viscoelasticity, and the researchers found that, unlike conventional soap bubbles, viscoelastic bubbles that have both liquid- and solid-like properties deform and pop in shapes that mimic a blooming flower.

But as Tammaro notes, "With our eyes it's not possible to see how the hole opens up when a bubble pops, so we just see a bubble that vanishes."

So the researchers used high-speed cameras operating at 20,000 frames per second, over 300 times faster than a human eye, to capture and study the phenomenon.

"While working on my thesis on bubble coalescence in biologic drug formulations, I decided to look at bubble rupture through a high-speed camera that we had in our lab," Kannan said. "When we did that, we saw that this bubble, which had proteins at its surface, actually exhibited a very different mechanism of rupture compared to what we traditionally expect."

In the lab, the researchers soaked a metal ring in a solution of proteins with viscoelastic properties. They then carefully inflated bubbles on this ring using a highly controlled flow of air. Once the bubbles were large enough, they made contact with a suspended needle and popped.

As the video shows, when the bubbles reach the needle, the surface peels away like petals. This peeling happens because the viscoelastic properties at the surface allow the solution to have more solid-like characteristics than common soap bubbles. Kannan likened this special bubble bursting to a popping balloon, which also peels away like a flower.

Investigating bubble physics

Once the flowering phenomenon had been sufficiently observed, the researchers began to develop analytical models of the popping. Using current knowledge of bubble dynamics and mathematical models, the team presented a set of promising computational reproductions of the bubble flowering in their paper.

By studying bubble formation and bursting, the team hopes to eventually learn how to reduce bubble generation and popping in real-world applications. They predict that their findings will have applications in fields from medicine and vaccine production to oil transportation.

"It is really important to see how generalizable this is, and how the flowering is different for other systems," Kannan concluded.

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Army-funded research identified a new material that may lead to lightweight armor, protective coatings, blast shields and other impact-resistant structures.

Researchers at the U.S. Army's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Caltech and ETH Zurich found that materials formed from precisely patterned nanoscale trusses are tougher than Kevlar and steel.

In experiments, the ultralight structures, called nanoarchitectured materials, absorbed the impact of microscopic projectiles accelerated to supersonic speeds.

"Increasing protection while simultaneously decreasing the weight that soldiers carry is an overreaching theme in our research," said Dr. James Burgess, ISN program manager for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory. "This project is a really good example of such efforts where projectile energy absorption is nanostructured mechanism based."

The research, published in Nature Materials, found that the material prevented the projectiles from tearing through it.

"The same amount of mass of our material would be much more efficient at stopping a projectile than the same amount of mass of Kevlar," said Dr. Carlos Portela, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, the study's lead author.

The researchers calculate that the new material absorbs impacts more efficiently than steel, Kevlar, aluminum and other impact-resistant materials of comparable weight.

"The knowledge from this work...could provide design principles for ultra-lightweight impact resistant materials [for use in] efficient armor materials, protective coatings, and blast-resistant shields desirable in defense and space applications," said co-author Dr. Julia R. Greer, a professor of materials science, mechanics, and medical engineering at Caltech, whose lab fabricated the material.

Nanoarchitected materials are known to feature impressive properties like exceptional lightness and resilience; however, until now, the potential for additional applications has largely been untested.

"We only know about its response in a slow-deformation regime, whereas a lot of their practical use is hypothesized to be in real-world applications where nothing deforms slowly," Portela said.

To help fill this vital knowledge gap, the research team set out to study nanoarchitected materials undergoing fast deformation, such as that caused by high-velocity impacts. At Caltech, researchers first fabricated a repeating pattern known as a tetrakaidecahedron--a lattice configuration composed of microscopic struts--using two-photo lithography, a technique that uses a high-powered laser to solidify microscopic structures in photosensitive resin.

To test the tetrakaidecahedron's resilience to extreme, rapid deformation, the team performed experiments at MIT using the ISN-developed laser-induced particle impact array. This device aims an ultrafast laser through a glass slide.. As the laser passes through the slide, it generates a plasma, an immediate expansion of gas that launches the particles toward the target.

By adjusting the laser's power to control the speed of the microparticle projectiles, the researchers tested microparticle velocities within the supersonic range.

"Some experiments achieved twice the speed of sound, easily," Portela said.

Using a high-speed camera, the researchers captured videos of the microparticles impacting the nanoarchitected material. They had fabricated material of two different densities. A comparison of the two materials' impact response, found the denser one to be more resilient, and microparticles tended to embed in the material rather than tear through it.

To get a closer look, the researchers carefully sliced through the embedded microparticles and nanarchitectured target. They found that the struts below the embedded particle had crumpled and compacted in response to the impact, but the surrounding struts remained intact.

"We show the material can absorb a lot of energy because of this shock compaction mechanism of struts at the nanoscale, versus something that's fully dense and monolithic, not nanoarchitected," Portela said.

Going forward, Portela plans to explore various nanostructured configurations other than carbon, and ways to scale up the production of these nanostructures, all with the goal of designing tougher, lighter materials.

"Nanoarchitected materials truly are promising as impact-mitigating materials," Portela said. "There's a lot we don't know about them yet, and we're starting this path to answering these questions and opening the door to their widespread applications."

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The U.S. Army established the MIT Institute for Nanotechnologies in 2002 as an interdisciplinary research center to dramatically improve the protection, survivability and mission capabilities of the Soldier and of Soldier-supporting platforms and systems.

In addition to Army funding through the institute, the U.S. Office of Naval Research and the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship supported the research.

Visit the laboratory's Media Center to discover more Army science and technology stories

As the Army's national research laboratory, ARL is operationalizing science to achieve transformational overmatch. Through collaboration across the command's core technical competencies, DEVCOM leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more successful at winning the nation's wars and come home safely. DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. DEVCOM is a major subordinate command of the Army Futures Command.
Analysis of children and young people's proximity to woodlands has shown links with better cognitive development and a lower risk of emotional and behavioural problems, in research led by UCL and Imperial College London scientists that could influence planning decisions in urban areas.

In what is believed to be one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers used longitudinal data relating to 3,568 children and teenagers, aged nine to 15 years, from 31 schools across London. This period is a key time in the development of adolescents' thinking, reasoning and understanding of the world.

The study, published in Nature Sustainability, looked at the links between different types of natural urban environments and the pupils' cognitive development, mental health and overall well-being.

The environments were divided into what planners call green space (woods, meadows and parks) and blue space (rivers, lakes and the sea), with green space separated further into grassland and woodland. Researchers used satellite data to help calculate each adolescent's daily exposure rate to each of these environments within 50m, 100m, 250m and 500m of their home and school.

After adjusting for other variables, the results showed that higher daily exposure to woodland (but not grassland) was associated with higher scores for cognitive development, and a 16% lower risk of emotional and behavioural problems two years later.

A similar but smaller effect was seen for green space, with higher scores for cognitive development, but this was not seen for blue space. The researchers note though that access to blue space in the cohort studied was generally low.

Examples of other explanatory variables considered included the young person's age, ethnic background, gender, parental occupation and type of school, e.g., state or independent. The level of air pollution might have influenced adolescents' cognitive development, but researchers did not feel these observations were reliable or conclusive, and these require further investigations.

It is already estimated that one in 10 of London's children and adolescents between the ages of five and 16 suffer from a clinical mental health illness and excess costs are estimated between 11,030 and 59,130 annually for each person. As with adults, there is also evidence that natural environments play an important role in children and adolescents' cognitive development and mental health into adulthood, but less is known about why this is.

The results of this study suggest that urban planning decisions to optimise ecosystem benefits linked to cognitive development and mental health should carefully consider the type of natural environment included. Natural environments further away from an adolescent's residence and school may play an important role too, not just their immediate environment.

Lead author, PhD student Mikael Maes (UCL Geography, UCL Biosciences and Imperial College London School of Public Health) said: "Previous studies have revealed positive associations between exposure to nature in urban environments, cognitive development and mental health. Why these health benefits are received remains unclear, especially in adolescents.

"These findings contribute to our understanding of natural environment types as an important protective factor for an adolescent's cognitive development and mental health and suggest that not every environment type may contribute equally to these health benefits.

"Forest bathing, for example (being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of a forest), is a relaxation therapy that has been associated with physiological benefits, supporting the human immune function, reducing heart rate variability and salivary cortisol, and various psychological benefits. However, the reasons why we experience these psychological benefits from woodland remain unknown."

Joint senior author Professor Mireille Toledano (Director, Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing and Investigator, MRC Centre for Environment and Health and Principal Investigator of the SCAMP study, Imperial College London) said: "It's been suggested previously that the benefits of natural environments to mental health are comparable in magnitude to family history, parental age and even more significant than factors like the degree of urbanisation around you, but lower than your parents' socio-economic status. Sensory and non-sensory pathways have been suggested as potentially important for delivering cognition and mental health benefits received from exposure to nature.

"It's critical for us to tease out why natural environments are so important to our mental health throughout the life course - does the benefit derive from the physical exercise we do in these environments, from the social interactions we often have in them, or from the fauna and flora we get to enjoy in these environments or a combination of all of these?"

Joint senior author Professor Kate Jones (UCL Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, UCL Biosciences) said: "One possible explanation for our findings may be that audio-visual exposure through vegetation and animal abundance provides psychological benefits, of which both features are expected in higher abundance in woodland. Even though our results show that urban woodland is associated with adolescent's cognitive development and mental health, the cause of this association remains unknown. Further research is fundamental to our understanding of the links between nature and health."

To arrive at the findings, researchers analysed a longitudinal dataset of 3,568 adolescents between 2014 and 2018, whose residence was known, from the Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) across the London metropolitan area. They assessed adolescents' mental health and overall well-being from a self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) - covering areas such as emotional problems, conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems - and the KIDSCREEN-10 Questionnaire taken by each adolescent for SCAMP.

Limitations of the study include an assumption that living or going to school near natural environments means more exposure to them, which may not always be the case due to how easily they can be accessed by a child or young person or how usable they are.

Also, a considerable proportion of the participants (52.21%) were in the group whose parents had a managerial/professional occupation, so adolescents in less favourable socio-economic groups may be underrepresented and pupils requiring special needs may be differently affected compared with their peers. Crime rates, which may have influenced the results too, were not taken into account.

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The study was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council, the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research, and involved researchers from UCL, Imperial College London and Birkbeck, University of London.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, several reports have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 spillover events have occurred from humans to animals, as evidenced by the transmission of the virus between keepers and tigers and lions in the Bronx Zoo in New York. However, to date, the full range of animal species that are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear. Typically, such information could be obtained by experimentally infecting a large variety of animal species with SARS-CoV-2 to see if they are susceptible. However, in order to reduce and refine such animal experiments, the researchers at the University of Bern and at the IVI set out to answer this question using a different, and more animal friendly approach.

Building an in vitro zoo

The authors used their knowledge on advanced in vitro cell culture models for the human respiratory tract, to create a large collection of similar models from various domesticated and wildlife animal species. For this the team isolated airway epithelial cells (AEC) from tracheobronchial tissue from deceased animals and created a cell biobank from different animal species that can be used to establish well-differentiated AEC culture models to determine whether these animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Because the cells are isolated from deceased animals and the number of isolated cells can be increased in a petri dish, the researchers do not have to perform any animal experiments. To date, the cell biobank contains primary cells from 12 different animal species; rhesus macaque, cat, ferret, dog, rabbit, pig, cattle, goat, llama, camel, and two neotropical bat species. "Our collection is unique, and thus far we are the first that have used such a large collection of advanced in vitro cell culture models from various domesticated and wildlife animal species to assess their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection", says Ronald Dijkman from the Institute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK) at the University of Bern.

Rhesus macaques and cats as potential spillback reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2

In these experiments, the researchers found that the in vitro results agreed well with previously published studies using animal experimentation to assess the susceptibility of different animals to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using whole viral genome sequencing, the researchers also observed that SARS-CoV-2 replicated in the in vitro models of monkey and cats, without the need for the virus to adapt. These findings suggest that certain species of monkeys and cats may be particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. "Our findings, together with the reports from previously documented spillover events, indicate that close surveillance of these animals and other close relatives, whether they live in the wild, captivity or households, is necessary", says Dijkman.

This information can be used by the responsible authorities such as the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance at the human - animal interface. Specifically, it helps them to establish and tailor early detection surveillance programs to monitor animals that can act as potential spillback reservoirs for SARS- CoV-2. Dijkman added, "This will benefit the general public since it will help prevent new SARS- CoV-2 variants from developing in animal reservoirs and potentially being reintroduced into the human population, to which the current vaccines may not be protective."

Implementing the 3R (Replace, Reduce, Refine) principles in coronavirus research

The findings of the study also show that advanced in vitro cell culture models of cells lining the airways from different mammals can be used as an alternative method, circumventing traditional in vivo experimental constraints, to evaluate and provide insight into the host spectrum of SARS-CoV- 2. "Our study shows that there is a lot of potential to replace, reduce and refine animal experimentation in the near future, and I hope that for basic fundamental research questions our results will convince researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and drug administration agencies to use advanced biologically relevant in vitro models prior to conducting animal experiments", says Dijkman.

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This work was supported by the European Commission (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "HONOURS"), the Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF (Special call on Coronaviruses), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV).
UC Riverside is leading a new, $1.26 million project to bring calculus classes to life for students who are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math subjects.

"Calculus has been taught in the same linear fashion for over a century," said curriculum developer and UCR associate math professor David Weisbart. "It hasn't really been re-imagined until now."

Introductory calculus classes are traditionally taught as an abstract set of rules and formulas. This new course will use new technology and learning strategies featuring real-life scenarios to help students see how they can apply what they learn.

"We want to bridge students' intuitive thought process and precise mathematical calculations," Weisbart said. "I want them to know that symbols on paper have meaning and relate to what we see in the world, and to view manipulating symbols as a proxy for performing physical experiments."

During his own days as a student, Weisbart struggled until he found a way to view mathematical ideas as part of his creative self-expression. "As an instructor, I have found that I am not alone in this need. That is why our program will be tailored to students' individual interests," he said.

Students will be able to choose from a variety of homework sets and worksheets based on their interests. It will also feature learning technology that adapts as students master the concepts.

Part of the innovation is Weisbart's partnership with assistant UCR education professor Kinnari Atit in developing a spatial reasoning aspect to the curriculum. Spatial reasoning is the ability to perceive spatial information such as the measurements, shapes, position, and motion of things. For example, navigating your way thought a dense forest requires spatial perception and awareness.

An electronic textbook to accompany the course will be free and accessible to the public. This removes a significant barrier to participation for lower-income students, since freshman textbooks can run several hundred dollars.

Short video tutorials will be a key feature of the e-book, featuring a diverse cast of actors solving practical problems. For example, the actors could be an employee and a supervisor in a commercial laboratory where students might one day hope to work. The book will also be written with English language learners in mind. The book is being created with the support of UCR XCITE's instructional design team.

California community college partners on this project include Saddleback and Yuba colleges. The co-principal project investigators from these schools, Carrillo Bryan and Dylan Noack, both graduated from UCR with Ph.D. degrees in math. Both were also mentored by Weisbart.

"I'm very proud that UC Riverside developed our students into colleagues who have become leaders in the community colleges," said Yat Sun Poon, project leader and professor in UCR's Department of Mathematics.

When the curriculum and textbook are completed in 2024, UCR will host workshops for educators interested in learning how to run the program. Co-PI Cathy Lussier, assistant professor of teaching, will lead the trainings. Poon anticipates a great deal of interest from the full spectrum of higher education institutions in California.

California's Learning Lab, an initiative of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research in partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges, funded the project. "I believe they did so because the state recognizes the importance of a population better able to use calculus," Poon said.

The subject has particular relevance to the pandemic the world is living through today, Poon explained.

"Blood clotting, the movement of fluids, the spread of airborne disease -- all these things are studied with calculus," Poon said. "Calculus is about understanding and managing how things change over time."

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Although people in early 2020 hoarded toilet paper, washed their hands incessantly, and wouldn't leave home, 11 months later the public pushed the envelope on COVID-19 safety precautions and ignored warnings as time went on, a new University of California, Davis, study suggests.

Researchers in the Department of Communication examined people's reactions and expressions of anxiety about news articles on Twitter. Additionally, they investigated reactions to fear-inducing health news over time, despite the steadily rising COVID-19 death toll, said Hannah Stevens, a doctoral student in communication and lead author of the paper.

The paper, "Desensitization to Fear-Inducting COVID-19 Health News on Twitter: Observational Study," was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Infodemiology on July 16. The researchers examined how COVID-19 news articles shared to Twitter were first met with anxiety-ridden tweets early in the pandemic, during a coinciding spike in instances of panic-buying, extreme social distancing and quarantine measures. Despite the increased death toll, those behaviors then gave way over time to less concerned responses to COVID-19 news, along with increases in societal risk-taking during that time period.

"COVID-19 has made an indelible mark on history, and now it's time to consider what went wrong so we can do better in communicating more effectively during future health crises, and even now, as the delta variant becomes more widespread," said Stevens. "First and foremost, we need to understand how and why scary health news lost impact over time, despite the rapidly increasing death toll."

The authors set out to test the hypothesis that early fear-based health messages in news reports significantly motivated individuals to take actions to control the threat, yet over-exposure to the same messages desensitized people -- or made them less likely to feel anxious over time.

During a period of 11 months, the team used a computerized methodology to analyze linguistic anxiety levels in hundreds of COVID-19 news articles on Twitter, along with the anxiety levels in corresponding user tweets. They then correlated the findings with the COVID-19 death toll in the United States.

"Our study shows a need to delve deeper into how to re-sensitize the public and motivate them to take action in the face of an ongoing emergency. Testing the effectiveness of various health-risk communication strategies could quite possibly mean the difference between life and death in the future," Stevens said.

"If another health crisis occurred today, or COVID-19 takes another turn for the worse, it is essential for public health officials to consider that they are communicating to a desensitized public. I hope that this paper can be an impetus to get that discussion started."

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Co-authors of the paper are Laramie D. Taylor, chair and professor of communication, and Yoo Jung (Erika) Oh, doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication.
Three decades ago, child development researchers found that low-income children heard tens of millions fewer words in their homes than their more affluent peers by the time they reached kindergarten. This "word gap" was and continues to be linked to a socioeconomic disparity in academic achievement.

While parenting deficiencies have long been blamed for the word gap, new research from the University of California, Berkeley, implicates the economic context in which parenting takes place -- in other words, the wealth gap.

The findings, published this month in the journal Developmental Science, provide the first evidence that parents may talk less to their kids when experiencing financial scarcity.

"We were interested in what happens when parents think about or experience financial scarcity and found evidence that such strain could suppress their speech to their children," said study senior author Mahesh Srinivasan, a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley.

"Our results suggest that parenting training may not be sufficient to close the academic achievement gap without addressing the broader issue of income inequality," Srinivasan added.

The study's preliminary results lend credence to the developmental and educational benefits of such poverty-cutting government programs as the federal American Rescue Plan's Child Tax Credit and other supplemental cash payouts for needy families.

"Existing interventions toward eliminating the word gap have often focused on improving parenting skills," Srinivasan said. "But our findings suggest that relieving parents of their financial burdens, such as through direct cash transfers, could also substantially change the ways they engage with their kids."

In the first experiment, researchers sought to observe how parents would interact with their children (in this case, 3-year-olds) after the parents were asked to describe times in which they had recently experienced scarcity. A control group of parents were instead asked to describe other recent activities.

Of the 84 parents in the study, those in the experimental group who described their experiences of financial scarcity spoke less to their 3-year-olds during laboratory observations than parents who reflected on other forms of scarcity (like not having enough fruit), or parents who had not been asked to recollect experiences of resource insecurity.

The second experiment used existing data collected via LENA technology, tiny "talk pedometer" devices worn by children that record their conversations and count the words they hear and say.

As the researchers predicted, analyses revealed that parents engaged in fewer conversational turns with their children at the month's end, a time that typically coincides with money being tight as parents await paychecks or other sources of income.

"Because we had recordings from the same parents at different times of the month, we could essentially use parents as their own controls," said study lead author Monica Ellwood-Lowe, a Ph.D. student in psychology at UC Berkeley.

"This allowed us to really pinpoint differences in their speech patterns when they were more or less likely to be experiencing financial strain, independent of any of their own personal characteristics."

The term "word gap" was coined in the early 1990s when University of Kansas researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley tracked verbal interactions in the homes of 42 families to study early language development in the children's first three years.

Each day, the researchers recorded an hour of conversation in each household, then counted all the words the children heard during those recording times.

The results were detailed in their 1995 book, Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children, and in a 2003 follow-up article, "The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3."

While some have questioned Hart and Risley's methodology, their basic finding has been replicated many times, prompting calls for approaches to narrow the disparity. Enter Srinivasan and his research team:

"It struck us that what was missing from the conversation about the word gap was the possibility that poverty, and the many difficult experiences associated with it, could itself affect parents' speech," Srinivasan said.

Preliminary findings support the researchers' hypothesis but also call for a deeper dive into the relationship between money worries and parents' verbal engagement with their children, he said.

"This research doesn't mean that children whose parents are struggling financially are doomed to have smaller vocabularies," Ellwood-Lowe said. "The takeaway here is really just the importance of making sure parents have the resources they need to parent."

"If you are worried about putting food on the table tonight, or scraping together money for that medical bill, or figuring out where to enroll your child in school now that you have been evicted from your neighborhood, you may be less likely to narrate the color of the sky to your child as you ride together on the bus," the study concludes.

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Politicians may have good reason to turn to angry rhetoric, according to research led by political scientists from Colorado--the strategy seems to work, at least in the short term.

In a new study, Carey Stapleton at the University of Colorado Boulder and Ryan Dawkins at the U.S. Air Force Academy discovered that political furor may spread easily: Ordinary citizens can start to mirror the angry emotions of the politicians they read about in the news. Such "emotional contagion" might even drive some voters who would otherwise tune out of politics to head to the polls.

"Politicians want to get reelected, and anger is a powerful tool that they can use to make that happen," said Stapleton, who recently earned his PhD in political science at CU Boulder.

He and Dawkins, an assistant professor, published their results this month in the journal Political Research Quarterly.

The researchers surveyed roughly 1,400 people online from across the political spectrum, presenting them with a series of mock news stories about a recent political debate. They discovered that when it comes to politics, anger may lead to more anger. Subjects who read about an enraged politician from their own party were more likely to report feeling mad themselves than people who didn't. Those same steaming partisans also reported that they were more likely to get involved in politics, from attending rallies to voting on Election Day.

"Anger is a very strong, short-term emotion that motivates people into action," said Stapleton. "But there can be these much more negative implications in the long term. There's always the potential that anger can turn into rage and violence."

Tempers rising

Anger and politics in the U.S. have long gone hand-in-hand--the nation's second president, John Adams, once referred to Alexander Hamilton as a "bastard brat of a Scotch peddler." But Stapleton and Dawkins' findings come at a time when American politics has grown especially divisive.

According to the Pew Research Center, in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, "around nine-in-ten Trump and Biden supporters said there would be 'lasting harm' to the nation if the other candidate won." That anger boiled over with deadly results when a mob of supporters of then-President Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Stapleton, who is not related to the Colorado political family, wanted to find out just how contagious those kinds of emotions could be. He will start a position as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame in the fall.

"Most political science research to date has focused on what we do when we feel an emotion like anger, rather than how our emotions affect other people," Stapleton said.

Fighting words

To find out how the emotions of politicians might rub off on their supporters, he and Dawkins ran an experiment. The duo wrote a series of news stories about a debate on immigration policy between two candidates for an open Congressional seat in Minnesota. Unbeknownst to the study's subjects, neither the candidates nor their debate were real.

In some cases, the faux politicians used language that tipped into outrage (although it might still look tame in the current political landscape). "When I look at our borders, I'm enraged by what I see," as an example. In other cases, the soap boxers stuck to more neutral language.

The team's results are among the first to show what many Americans have long known--that political anger can be a powerful force.

"We report being angrier after seeing our fellow partisans being angry," Stapleton said. "When the other side is angry, it doesn't seem to affect us much at all."

If Democrats read about a fellow Democrat getting mad, for example, they often reported feeling angry themselves. In contrast, blue voters who encountered neutral information or saw an angry quote from a Republican didn't experience the same swings in emotion.

The study also brought a twist: The people who were the most susceptible to those shifts weren't the die-hard partisans on either side of the aisle. They were more moderate voters.

"The really far left and right are already so amped up," Stapleton said. "But these weakly-aligned partisans who are notoriously less likely to participate in elections were more susceptible to changing their emotions."

For Stapleton, the results carry an important lesson for ordinary voters: When watching the news, people should pay attention to how politicians may try to appeal to or even manipulate emotions to get what they want. But, he added, anger is only part of the picture. In a previous study, he and his colleagues discovered that optimistic people are much more likely to be politically active than pessimists.

"Anger is one way we can get people to vote and get engaged in politics, but it's not the only way," he said. "It doesn't have to be all doom and gloom."

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Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) launched a new online tool that could more quickly advance medical discoveries to reverse progressive hearing loss. The tool enables easy access to genetic and other molecular data from hundreds of technical research studies involving hearing function and the ear. The research portal called gene Expression Analysis Resource (gEAR) was unveiled in a study last month in Nature Methods. It is operated by a group of physician-scientists at the UMSOM Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) in collaboration with their colleagues at other institutions.

The portal allows researchers to rapidly access data and provides easily interpreted visualizations of datasets. Scientists can also input their own data and compare it to other datasets to help determine the significance of their new finding.

"It saves scientists a huge amount of time," said study corresponding author Ronna Hertzano, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at UMSOM and founder of the gEAR. "Instead of relying only on identifying mutations in genes for hearing loss, researchers can easily identify which cells express any gene in the ear, and how this expression changes, for example, as a result of noise exposure or in processes of regeneration in other species."

Dr. Hertzano and her team recently added data from the BRAIN initiative to a specialized domain of the gEAR portal to provide access to those performing neuroscience studies to better understand brain function and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. The portal is free and available to any researcher seeking access.

Users of the portal can do a variety of applications depending on their needs. They can access the dataset uploader and add their dataset into gEAR to view their data in a private setting. This enables them to see their findings in the context of other public data before posting their results online or submitting their paper for publication. Once a manuscript is published, a permalink can be included in the manuscript which links readers directly to a curated view of that dataset.

"The gEAR portal currently includes over 800 datasets, which we carefully reviewed before inputting," said Dr. Hertzano. "We currently have more than 1,200 registered users and over 80 citations in research studies. We are expecting a large increase now that our methods paper is published." She and her colleagues did a soft launch of the portal a few years earlier and publicized its existence via discussions with colleagues and user workshops at scientific meetings.

The Hearing Restoration Project, a non-profit research consortium funded by the Hearing Health Foundation, provided initial support of gEAR in an effort to better understand the mystery of hair cell regeneration - why hair cells in the ear regenerate in certain animals but not in humans. Our hair cells do not naturally regenerate when they die off due to aging, excess noise, or exposure to certain potent medications like chemotherapy drugs for cancer. For this reason, hearing loss is usually permanent and cannot be reversed. The consortium uses genomic analyses to compare molecular processes in species that do not regenerate hair cells. "The gEAR team closely interacts with the consortium researchers who also serve as our focus group, providing priceless feedback and suggestions," Dr. Hertzano said.

Understanding how the expression of certain genes plays a role in hair cell regeneration - and how enzymes and other proteins mediate that process - could lead to new treatments to reverse hearing loss by triggering a regeneration of these cells.

"By enabling rapid access to enormous datasets, the gEAR portal can serve as a valuable hub for community building around common research areas," said Claire M. Fraser, PhD, the Dean's Endowed Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Director of IGS. "Having access to data in large repositories is not enough. What's essential is that gEAR curates and organizes the data into an accessible format so it can be used to address important scientific questions."

Study lead author Joshua Orvis, Lead Bioinformatics Software Engineer at IGS and study co-author Yang Song, PhD, Bioinformatics Analyst II at IGS, were instrumental in the development of gEAR. Researchers from the University of Maryland, College Park, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, University of Iowa, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Bar-Ilan University in Israel also contributed to this study.

"The gEAR portal is a beautiful example of the value of close collaboration of clinicians, biologists, and engineers to bridge the gap in technology and make the critically important 'omic' data generated across the world immediately accessible to biologists in a meaningful format," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

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The gEAR portal's development has been funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), part of the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF).

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 45 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $563 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 student trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu
A potentially life-saving treatment for heart attack victims has been discovered from a very unlikely source - the venom of one of the world's deadliest spiders.

A drug candidate developed from a molecule found in the venom of the Fraser Island (K'gari) funnel web spider can prevent damage caused by a heart attack and extend the life of donor hearts used for organ transplants.

The discovery was made by a team led by Dr Nathan Palpant and Professor Glenn King from The University of Queensland (UQ) and Professor Peter Macdonald from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

Dr Palpant, from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), said the drug candidate worked by stopping a 'death signal' sent from the heart in the wake of an attack.

"After a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is reduced, resulting in a lack of oxygen to heart muscle," Dr Palpant said.

"The lack of oxygen causes the cell environment to become acidic, which combine to send a message for heart cells to die."

"Despite decades of research, no one has been able to develop a drug that stops this death signal in heart cells, which is one of the reasons why heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the world."

Dr Palpant tested the drug candidate, a protein called Hi1a, using beating human heart cells exposed to heart attack stresses to see if the drug improved their survival.

"The Hi1a protein from spider venom blocks acid-sensing ion channels in the heart, so the death message is blocked, cell death is reduced, and we see improved heart cell survival."

There are currently no drugs in clinical use that prevent the damage caused by heart attacks.

Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's Professor Macdonald said this incredible result had been decades in the making.

"This will not only help the hundreds of thousands of people who have a heart attack every year around the world, it could also increase the number and quality of donor hearts, which will give hope to those waiting on the transplant list," said Professor MacDonald.

Professor MacDonald, who is also a senior cardiologist at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, added: "The survival of heart cells is vital in heart transplants -- treating hearts with Hi1a and reducing cell death will increase how far the heart can be transported and improve the likelihood of a successful transplant.

"Usually, if the donor heart has stopped beating for more than 30 minutes before retrieval, the heart can't be used - even if we can buy an extra 10 minutes, that could make the difference between someone having a heart and someone missing out. For people who are literally on death's door, this could be life-changing."

The discovery builds on earlier work by Professor King, who identified a small protein in the venom of the Fraser Island (K'gari) funnel-web spider that was shown to markedly improve recovery from stroke.

"We discovered this small protein, Hi1a, amazingly reduces damage to the brain even when it is given up to eight hours after stroke onset," Professor King said.

"It made sense to also test Hi1a on heart cells, because like the brain, the heart is one of the most sensitive organs in the body to the loss of blood flow and lack of oxygen.

"For heart attack victims, our vision for the future is that Hi1a could be administered by first responders in the ambulance, which would really change the health outcomes of heart disease."

"This is particularly important in rural and remote parts of Australia where patients and treating hospitals can be long distances apart - and when every second counts."

Also, this could help for the transfer of donor hearts for cardiac transplantation - allowing these donor hearts to be transported over longer distances and therefore increasing the network of available donors and recipients.

The protein has been tested in human heart cells, and the team are aiming for human clinical trials for both stroke and heart disease within 2-3 years.

The Heart Foundation's General Manager of Heart Health and Research, Bill Stavreski, welcomed the findings.

"About 57,000 Australians have a heart attack every year, and many result in permanent damage to the heart muscle, leading to heart failure, disability and reduced quality of life - while more investigation is needed, this research may lead to a new way of reversing this damage in heart attack survivors."

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This research was published in Circulation and funded by The University of Queensland, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation of Australia, NSW Government and the St Vincent's Clinic Foundation.

This study was carried out by Dr Meredith Redd (Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ) and Dr Sarah Scheuer (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute).
By uprooting carbon trapped in soil, wild pigs are releasing around 4.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually across the globe, the equivalent of 1.1 million cars.

An international team led by researchers from The University of Queensland and The University of Canterbury have used predictive population models, coupled with advanced mapping techniques to pinpoint the climate damage wild pigs are causing across five continents.

UQ's Dr Christopher O'Bryan said the globe's ever-expanding population of feral pigs could be a significant threat to the climate.

"Wild pigs are just like tractors ploughing through fields, turning over soil to find food," Dr O'Bryan said.

"When soils are disturbed from humans ploughing a field or, in this case, from wild animals uprooting, carbon is released into the atmosphere.

"Since soil contains nearly three times as much carbon than in the atmosphere, even a small fraction of carbon emitted from soil has the potential to accelerate climate change.

"Our models show a wide range of outcomes, but they indicate that wild pigs are most likely currently uprooting an area of around 36,000 to 124,000 square kilometres, in environments where they're not native.

"This is an enormous amount of land, and this not only affects soil health and carbon emissions, but it also threatens biodiversity and food security that are crucial for sustainable development."

Using existing models on wild pig numbers and locations, the team simulated 10,000 maps of potential global wild pig density.

They then modelled the amount of soil area disturbed from a long-term study of wild pig damage across a range of climatic conditions, vegetation types and elevations spanning lowland grasslands to sub-alpine woodlands.

The researchers then simulated the global carbon emissions from wild pig soil damage based on previous research in the Americas, Europe, and China.

University of Canterbury PhD candidate Nicholas Patton said the research would have ramifications for curbing the effects of climate change into the future.

"Invasive species are a human-caused problem, so we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for their environmental and ecological implications," Mr Patton said.

"If invasive pigs are allowed to expand into areas with abundant soil carbon, there may be an even greater risk of greenhouse gas emissions in the future.

"Because wild pigs are prolific and cause widespread damage, they're both costly and challenging to manage.

"Wild pig control will definitely require cooperation and collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and our work is but one piece of the puzzle, helping managers better understand their impacts.

"It's clear that more work still needs to be done, but in the interim, we should continue to protect and monitor ecosystems and their soil which are susceptible to invasive species via loss of carbon."

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The research has been published in Global Change Biology (DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15769).
Research conducted at the Sharon Eccles Steele Center for Translational Medicine (SCTM) at the University of Utah's John A. Moran Eye Center explains why people carrying a block of genetic variants strongly associated with the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may develop the disease and identifies a potential therapeutic pathway for slowing or even reversing disease progression.

AMD is a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and the leading cause of blindness for Americans aged 55 and over. Following more than 15 years of research that has employed an extensive repository of donated human ocular tissues, scientists found that HtrA1 protein normally increases with age in the eye at the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE)-Bruch's membrane interface, helping to maintain the normal function of this region. The RPE is a cell layer that delivers nutrients to and removes waste from the retina's light-sensitive photoreceptor cells.

These new data show this is not the case in individuals with AMD-associated risk variants located on chromosome 10. These variants were found to impair expression of the HTRA1 gene by the RPE, resulting in an approximately 50 percent reduction of HtrA1 protein levels at the RPE-Bruch's membrane interface during aging. The failure to produce adequate levels of HtrA1 protein disrupts this key region of the eye and is associated with AMD-associated pathologies, including the deposition of abnormal deposits and the development of abnormal blood vessels.

These findings, coming from the laboratory of SCTM Executive Director Gregory S. Hageman, PhD, represent the first explanation of the essential role of HtrA1 in maintaining ocular health and contradict literature previously published by others. They are anticipated to inform the development of novel therapies for chromosome 10-directed AMD.

These research data will appear the week of July 19, 2021, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS): "Chromosome 10q26-Driven Age-related Macular Degeneration is Associated with Reduced Levels of HTRA1 in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium."

Lead author Brandi L. Williams, PhD, said her team found significantly reduced levels of HTRA1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the RPE and secreted HtrA1 protein at the RPE-Bruch's membrane interface. Reduced HTRA1 expression was found to be risk allele-specific, but only in the RPE and not in the neural retina or choroid. Notably, the team also narrowed a large genetic region of AMD-associated chromosome 10 to a much smaller causal region, which likely directs the reduced expression of HTRA1.

"Our findings are significant because they suggest that HtrA1 normally maintains the integrity of the RPE-Bruch's membrane interface during the aging process by, in essence, turning over extracellular material and preventing abnormal deposits--including basal laminar deposits--from accumulating between the RPE and Bruch's membrane," said Williams. "Earlier unpublished SCTM studies documented a significant association between chromosome 10 and the formation of basal laminar deposits. Viewing HtrA1 as protective runs contrary to what one might expect because elevation of HtrA1 protein is thought to be a contributing factor in some diseases such as osteoarthritis."

Access to a unique repository of more than 8,000 pairs of donated human eyes was essential to this study since there are no animal models that accurately mimic the biology of chromosome 10-directed AMD. This critical resource allowed the SCTM team to compare HTRA1 expression in eyes derived from donors with and without chromosome 10-associated risk genotypes.

"We were able to generate these exciting results thanks to our eye donors and their families," said Hageman. "We are so extremely grateful for their precious gifts."

The SCTM team conducted a number of difficult and time-consuming experiments to reach their groundbreaking conclusions, which contradict previously published literature reporting either no difference or elevated levels of HtrA1 in human ocular tissues or blood. Hageman pointed out that "those particular studies employed too few samples and the analyses were performed using neural retina and white blood cells, rather than RPE-Bruch's membrane, which is the primary site of AMD pathogenesis."

"Unfortunately, data generated by prior studies have led to the development and testing of therapies--some of which are currently in human clinical trials--designed to reduce overall levels of HtrA1, an approach that may exacerbate AMD progression," said Hageman. "Our team has been tireless in its pursuit of accuracy, conducting many extremely difficult experiments to generate these data. They persevered year after year, and I couldn't be more excited about the data and the scientific acumen of this talented team."

Williams said the research will have a broad impact.

"These data should be important to the entire field and to patients with this devastating disease," she said, "especially in light of developing therapeutic technologies to correct genes by excising the defected region and repairing it."

SCTM scientists and clinicians are now focused on the development of a therapy for chromosome 10-directed AMD. They have also developed a potential therapy for individuals at risk for AMD due to abnormal genes lying on chromosome 1. Together, chromosomes 1 and 10 account for more than 50 percent of genetic risk for developing AMD.

This is Hageman's second publication in PNAS related to the major genetic underpinnings of AMD. In 2005, a landmark paper revealed that genetic variants and haplotypes in the Complement Factor H and related genes on chromosome 1 predispose individuals to AMD.

"When Dr. Hageman started his AMD-related research nearly 30 years ago, he was a marine biologist who decided to shift gears and investigate AMD at a time when this horrible, blinding disease was simply accepted as something no one could do anything about," said Randall J Olson, MD, Moran Eye Center CEO and Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. "He didn't accept that. I didn't accept that. Thus, we created the SCTM as a unique academic model designed to quickly turn discoveries into therapies through partnerships with philanthropists and industry as well as national and international scientific collaborators."

A major gene expression study conducted as part of a research and development collaboration with Allergan in 2014 employed various ocular tissues and blood cells from over 700 donors and patients, generated about 9.2 billion data points, and revealed new insights relating to the biology of gene-directed AMD.

"It's clear our approach is working," said Olson, "and that Dr. Hageman and his team have greatly advanced and continue to advance our knowledge about AMD and to develop treatments for it."

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The SCTM team of authors are: Brandi L. Williams, Nathan A. Seager, Jamie D. Gardiner, Chris M. Pappas, Monica C. Cronin, Cristina Amat di San Filippo, Robert A. Anstadt, Jin Liu, Marc A. Toso, Lisa Nichols, Timothy J. Parnell, Jacqueline R. Eve, Paul L. Bartel, Moussa A. Zouache, Burt T. Richards, and Gregory S. Hageman.

The research was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01 EY014800, R24 EY017404); charitable donations made to the Sharon Eccles Steele Center for Translational Medicine; and an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, NY, to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah.

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Neff

Elizabeth.Neff@hsc.utah.edu

801-585-3730 (office)

Learn more about the SCTM at https:/ / medicine. utah. edu/ ophthalmology/ research/ centers/ sctm/

About the John A. Moran Eye Center

The John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah serves as the largest ophthalmology clinical care and research facility in the Mountain West, with more than 60 faculty members and 10 satellite clinics. Physicians provide comprehensive care in all ophthalmic subspecialties, making the Moran Eye Center a major referral center for complex cases with over 145,000 patient visits and about 7,000 surgeries annually. Moran supports 15 research laboratories, and its Sharon Eccles Steele Center for Translational Medicine works to turn lab discoveries into therapies quickly through public-private partnerships. CEO and Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Randall J Olson, MD, leads more than 500 employees working to achieve the Moran Eye Center's vision that no person with a blinding condition, eye disease, or visual impairment should be without hope, understanding, and treatment.
Jessica Gannon, a recent graduate in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, will continue her education and research as a doctoral student in biomedical engineering through Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University's School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences.

Video: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v= C9t790rX3Qw&t= 67s

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program award, Gannon will examine alternative treatments for pancreatic cancer. She is one of six graduate students in the College of Engineering who received the prestigious fellowship this year. The research fellowship program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements.

In the Therapeutic Ultrasound and Noninvasive Therapies Laboratory, Gannon studies a form of focused ultrasound known as histotripsy in the context of treating pancreatic cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, according to recent studies.

"I was ecstatic to receive this prestigious award," said Gannon, who also minored in biomedical engineering. "I am beyond grateful to have this opportunity where I can continue to conduct the research I am extremely passionate about, while being supported by the NSF. My research allows me to continue the fight against cancer, to which my father unfortunately lost his life. During my doctoral studies, I hope to develop focused ultrasound as a noninvasive ablation modality as an alternative treatment option for pancreatic cancer."

Coined at the University of Michigan laboratory where Eli Vlaisavljevich, assistant professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics and Gannon's mentor, completed his graduate studies, the term "histotripsy" combines "histo," which means "tissue," and "tripsy," which means "breakdown." Histotripsy uses high-pressure ultrasound pulses to create bubble clouds in a process called cavitation. As they rapidly expand and collapse, these clouds disintegrate targeted cells and tissue.

As a form of cancer therapy, histotripsy uses ultrasound imaging to monitor treatments in real-time, making it noninvasive with minimal side effects. Thus far, histotripsy has shown promising results in clinical studies for liver cancer.

It is particularly tough to access the pancreas and treat for cancer because of its position in the body, behind the stomach. There are limits to targeting cancerous tumors even with noninvasive treatments, such as histotripsy, because of its location. Gannon's research aims to overcome the current limitations of targeting pancreatic cancer with focused ultrasound through real-time experiments.

Gannon's father had always wanted to attend Virginia Tech and was able to live his dream vicariously through her, she said, before he passed away at the end of Gannon's freshman year. After attending a STEM high school in New Jersey, she already knew engineering was the field for her, but this experience fueled her passion to find solutions - through engineering - to help people.

In high school, Gannon had the opportunity to learn computer-aided design and work on other projects related to engineering. Through her class projects, Gannon realized she had always enjoyed breaking down a complex system into its components to learn more about them and understand how each piece works together to function flawlessly, she said. More than this, she recognized that she was one of only a few women in the classroom and wanted to change that. These two discoveries led Gannon to choose engineering as her career.

Mechanical engineering would be her major, but she wasn't yet sure where she would study. After touring many schools, Gannon said she immediately felt that Virginia Tech was the one for her when she stepped foot on campus.

"Virginia Tech was the only school I could envision myself becoming an engineer," Gannon said. "I knew I could bridge the gap between engineering and people here. I struggled to bridge that gap in my STEM-focused high school but knew, in almost an instant, I could combine my aptitude for math and science with my love of people here."

During her first year, Gannon was part of Bioactivity, an interdisciplinary biomedical engineering design team that focuses on finding solutions to real-world medical problems. That year, the team was working on a lifting device for emergency medical technicians, assisting them in lifting and moving bariatric patients. Many medical workers hurt their lower backs or other areas because of lifting, so the team created an assist lift medical device. At the time, Gannon said their device could lift up to 170 pounds.

Bioactivity was designed to give students hands-on learning, with the assistance of an engineering faculty member as a mentor when needed. Students do most of the problem-solving, designing, and creation of devices on their own, Gannon said, though the professors are more than willing to help, if asked. Vlaisavljevich was the team's mentor.

As a sophomore, Gannon looked to Vlaisavljevich for help with her application for the Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship. They talked about research ideas, her desire to work in a lab, and her interest in medical device development and pancreatic cancer. He gave her a tour of the lab while explaining his research. When he mentioned that he not only does cancer research, but his research is specific to pancreatic cancer, Gannon said the alignment in interests felt almost unreal. She was awarded the Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship, though she was given the opportunity to work in Vlaisavljevich's lab whether or not she won the award. That was the beginning of her research on this topic.

Gannon's recent NSF award will allow her to continue this research as she pursues her Ph.D. following her graduation in spring 2021. Her work will add in a partnership with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine to test her methodology on large animal models.

"We are extremely excited that Jessica will be continuing her graduate studies here at Virginia Tech," Vlaisavljevich said. "As an undergraduate student, she has already made important contributions to our research developing histotripsy for multiple clinical applications, including performing the first-ever study to demonstrate histotripsy as a possible treatment for pancreatic cancer. Jess has thrived in this interdisciplinary research environment.

"This NSF fellowship will provide Jess with an opportunity to perform fundamental studies developing histotripsy as the first completely noninvasive, nonthermal, and nonionizing treatment method for pancreatic cancer as she pursues her long-term goal of improving treatment options for patients suffering from this devastating disease. The fellowship will also allow her to continue growing into a leader in the field and expand on the many outreach activities that she is passionate about engaging in to support the broader community."

Gannon aims to go into industry after completing the doctoral program, and to launch her own startup to develop medical devices. Ultimately, Gannon said she would love to return to Virginia Tech, a place that has given so much to her, and pay it forward by teaching the next generation of engineers.

"Whether I am in a lab, office, or classroom, I will always aspire to connect with people through engineering," Gannon said. "I look forward to continuing to bridge the gap between people and my discipline through the biomedical field in the years to come, especially in the advancement of pancreatic cancer therapies in honor of my father."

In addition to receiving the Clare Boothe Research Award in 2019, Gannon received the Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellowship Award in 2019 and the MAOP Summer Research Internship and Paul E. Torgersen Leadership Scholarship in 2020. She was named an Outstanding Senior by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2021.

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Monday, July 19, 2021

Was General Edward Lansdale in one of the pictures of the three tramps?

Allegation #9 : General Edward Lansdale was in Dealey Plaza on the afternoon of the assassination, and can be seen in one of the "tramp" photos. (Prouty has made this statement at several public conventions, and repeats it during the interview.)

Here is the "tramp" photograph in question:

The man with his back to us is supposedly General Edward Lansdale.

Here is are some excerpts from Prouty's interview with the ARRB :

Wray: Let me ask you a couple of other questions about the assassination. I didn't read this in your book; I've sort of heard this indirectly from other researchers, that you are quoted -- or alleged by other researchers -- that you have ... they cite you as having said that Lansdale was in Dealey Plaza.

Prouty: Yeah, the picture ... it's in Garrison's book.

Wray: This is the photograph ... which photograph are you referring to? --

Prouty: Tramps picture, chronologically, number one. You know; have you seen -- you've seen the series. The first one, he's going by the garage -- the iron door of the garage there, at the corner of the building, and right after the shooting, with police in front, and policemen in back; and they don't have handcuffs on. He says [sic], "I don't understand that." We were looking at the pictures, and I said, "Geez -- the police uniforms aren't the same thing." We were just critiquing the photographs. And these were big press photographs, 8 x 10's, clear ... [it was] the first time I had seen him. And I didn't tell Dick, because I wasn't sure ... but the guy walking past the tramps -- the tramps are going this way, (indicating a direction to his right), with the police and everything else -- and walking past them, by himself, is one man. And he's not looking at them ... he's just walking right along. And I thought, "That's strange. One of the greatest events in the world, and the guy isn't even looking at the police." And then I looked at him more carefully, and [it was a man] I'd known for years. It was Lansdale. So, I got a copy of that set from Sprague [researcher Richard E. Sprague]. And I took that photo, without the others, and I sent it to a few selected people. And I got answers back -- like, one of them, it was most interesting -- said in the first sentence, 'What the he -- and I didn't say who was in it; I just said, 'Look at this tramps thing. Have you ever seen the police take these guys in [with] no handcuffs on, and different uniforms. Doesn't that indicate some kind of role-playing, instead of the real situation? Something's wrong down there in Dallas." His first sentence was "By God, what's Lansdale doing there?" Just like that. He saw like I ... we knew the guy very well ... you sit in the same goddamn office with a guy, you know him.

When the ARRB asked who this person might be, Prouty demurred:

Wray: Do you recall who that person was that made that statement?

Prouty: No. That's a personal mater. A personal letter.

Lansdale was a neighbor of Prouty's. Perhaps they discussed this:

Barger: Did you have the opportunity ever -- you had mentioned that Lansdale had been a neighbor of yours until his death -- did you ever have that opportunity, or decide to take the opportunity, to discuss this with Lansdale, or ask him about it at all?

Prouty: No, I figured it's his business. Because my idea -- now this is nothing more than personal -- he was very good at the 'C and D' role. He was very good at the scenario role. So I figured, if he's there, he's on duty. And if he's on duty, [then] he's doing a scenario. Well, the scenario were the tramps. [sic] See? I mean, any other guy ... the tramps were never picked up by anybody. I mean, what a silly thing to run in the middle of the show. But that's what they were doing. You see, it's to distract ... and Howard Hunt has had to admit he was there ... it's the same kind of -- and I'm quite sure others were there. Well, that's a paid business. But: who puts them in the business on that day at that place? Now, that's beyond any ... I just don't know. But there's no question about the guy.

What about other people?

Wray: Do you know of anyone we could talk to, to confirm this independently?

Prouty: Well, people that knew him.

Wray: But you're talking there about looking at the photograph again.

Prouty: Yeah.

Wray: Do you know anyone who was an associate of Lansdale around that time ... I would guess what I'm talking -- what I'm asking here is someone who could confirm that he was away from office, or might have been aware of his activities, who might be able to describe them to us?

Prouty: Well, you have ... you have Oliver Stone's book that came out right after the movie --

Wray/Barger: Yes.

Prouty: -- called, "The Book of the Film"? It's in there. All the details. Lansdale was in Ft. Worth in the same hotel that Kennedy was in a week later; he was there a week before Kennedy was there. That's on the record ... See, he had retired his role as [an] Air Force officer in October of '63. But he was still working -- when I was a banker in Arlington, I'd see him going in and out the CIA building across the street ... later in the sixties. So he must have stayed on duty with the CIA. And I used to see him at social ... we never talked business, but ... or wives knew each other ... but we didn't talk business.

Perhaps there are some documents about Lansdale's role?

Wray: Are you aware of any documents that might exist that would somehow describe Lansdale's role in this? Or speculate of such documents? Where we might find them, or ...

Prouty: You would never find them. They would not ... whenever you get into that kind of thing -- like, when I would be told .... I'd be called into see General Cabell, and General Cabell and I would go and see Mr. Dulles, and Mr. Dulles would tell me what he wanted done, and I'd go back. End. No notes, nothing. We didn't do it with that kind of work. No documents all over the place. In fact, I worry about it ... I'll be frank with you fellows, because this is a business you're in. I worry about the validity of documents you find, because I don't think they ever exited, frankly. I mean, I did too much of this stuff myself ... I had secretaries that I trained carefully on exactly what to do with the documents as soon as I got done with them. They never even saw the files.

Wray: Would there even be records like travel orders, or anything like that, or would those have been melted routinely?

Prouty: Well, they seemed to ... this material that Stone put together -- which I was surprised to see, because I didn't know he was that interested in it -- there must have been records, he picked them ... of course, he was on a -- supposedly, anyway, a personal vacation. He was going out to see his son, or something like that. Or a fiend in Arizona, and he never got there. But he got as far as Texas, that kind of stuff. I mean, you've seen it; you've read the book, I'm sure. Well ... I was surprised when I saw that except [that] I'd seen him in the picture, so I figured he must have stayed in the same hotel.

Result or conclusion by ARRB: Prouty relies on an unofficial source (Oliver Stone's book) to "prove" Lansdale's presence in Dallas the week before the assassination, and has no corroboration whatsoever of Lansdale's presence in Dallas that day. While a search of travel records from Lansdale's office or his personnel file might verify or disprove this allegation, the small likelihood of successfully finding such records, as well as the relative unimportance of these records, the fact that finding them might not clarify much of anything, and the limited amount of time and resources that ARRB has remaining would indicate that these records are not worth checking out. No action is recommended.

As you can see, Prouty did not convince the ARRB.

Prouty did convince Oliver Stone.

In JFK, Mr. X [Prouty] talks about his boss General Y, and you briefly see his desk nameplate which reads "M/GEN. E.G."

A still from the film JFK showing the nameplate of General Lansdale.

Here is the scene from JFK: The Documented Screenplay:

Jim Garrison: ... and your General?

X: ... got promoted to two stars, but he was never military, you know, always CIA. Went to Vietnam, lost his credibility when we got beat over there, retied, lives in Virginia. I say hello to him when I see him at the supermarket ...

Jim Garrison: Ever ask him?

X: You never ask a spook a question. No point. He'll never give a straight answer. General Y still thinks of himself as the handsome young warrior who loved this country but loved the concept of war more.

Jim Garrison: His name?

X: Does it matter? Another technician. But an interesting thing -- he was there that day in Dealey Plaza. You know how I know? (Jim shakes his head) That picture of yours. The hoboes .... you never looked deep enough...

General Y in photo: The idea for this scene has its roots in a story Col. Prouty has told many times that his former colleague, celebrated CIA man General Edward G. Lansdale, is seen from the back in one of the "hobo" photos. We decided to check on Lansdale's movements in November, 1963. What we found among Lansdale's papers at the Hoover Institute piques our curiosity even more.

Lansdale was "retired" from the Air Force in October 1963. He then went to visit his son in Arizona, driving by way of Texas. He wrote to a friend in San Antonio, saying he'd stop by on the way; by November 14, he still hadn't arrived at the friend's house. Among the papers from this period was a claim check from the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, the hotel that the presidential entourage stayed at the night before the assassination. There was no identifying mark on the claim check and we could not track down the guest records of the hotel (which had many different owners since 1963). Lansdale was furious with J.F.K. for two reasons: (1) he did not get the hoped-for-ambassadorship to Vietnam and subsequently taken off the Vietnam project to work on Operation Mongoose and (2) his good friend, South Vietnamese Ngo Dinh Diem, had been killed in a CIA-sanctioned coup in early October. He had masterminded assassination plots for the CIA, could he have done it in Dallas? Of course, we don't know, but it is fascinating to find out he was in Texas that very week.

FLASHBACK TO one of the hobo pictures. Next to the freight entrance of the Book Depository, Y, in a dark suit, is nonchalantly walking past the hoboes, his back to us. The camera closes in on Y.

X: (voice-over) I knew the man 20 years. That's him. The way he walked ... arms at his side, military, the stoop, the haircut, the twisted left hand, the large class ring. What was he doing there? If anyone had asked him, he'd probably say "protection," but I'll tell you I think he was giving some sort of "okay" signal to those hoboes -- they're about to get booked and he's telling 'em it's going to be okay, they're covered. And in fact they were -- you never heard of them again.

Jim Garrison: ... some story ... the whole thing. It's like it never happened.

X: It never did (he smiles tartly)

The irony of the last two lines!

Oliver Stone's fact checkers were unable to find any evidence that Lansdale was in Dallas. He actually just went to visit his son.

I guess he combined business and pleasure, right? Kill JFK while visiting the family. Makes sense, no?

Prouty claims that General Victor Krulak is one of the people who also believed that Lansdale is in the ph oto . My friend, Rob Clark, has found an audio recording of Krulak (with conspiracy theorist Harrison Livingstone) in which he denies Lansdale was in Dealey Plaza. (go halfway through the audio)

Lansdale was the mastermind of the assassination. Here is an excerpt from a letter Prouty sent to Harold Weisberg:

And here is page 283 of Prouty's book, JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy:

These weren't tramps. They were "dangerous presidential killers."

But wait, there's more!

Here is a gem from the Harold Weisberg Archive. It's a letter from assassination buff Jack White and an article with material from Prouty . Lansdale wasn't the only military bigshot in Dealey Plaza, Lucien Conein (an army lieutenant and CIA covert officer) was there as well:

No shortage of insanity in this article:

"... In keeping with our work, Lansdale's and mine, I have a good idea of what he was doing in Dallas. It is a most professional and demanding type of work. He was using certain of his highly trained MONGOOSE people to perform roles in Dallas and he was orchestrating the whole thing. In such a capacity he may or may not have had a thing to do with the shooting team. They are always "faceless", highly professional and from out of the country. He simply created the "smoke screen" under which the professionals worked. In fact, the actual smoke screen on the Grassy Knoll, the Umbrella Man, the Tramps, and other such events are among the things he would have been directing. The phoney [sic] police and Secret Service men would have been his actors. Ed was very good at such things and had a world-wide reputation for it. Note: people have noted that Ed had eyeglasses on in the photo. They are more likely his ear-pieces for radio transmission. The cops are wearing normal (hearing) devices."

The man in the photo does have eyeglasses. I have yet to see a picture of Lansdale with glasses. So Prouty's solution is that they are really "ear-pieces for radio transmission."

Here is a picture of Edward Lansdale from 1963:

Here is Prouty's paragraph on Conein:

"...It is my belief (unverified to date with other associates) that the fellow in the white hard-hat who is shown in the Altgens photo, the man almost in line with a pole and to the left of the Depository door rea, with his arms folded over his chest and staring, not at the President, but at the shooter in the Dal-Tex building, is Lou Conein. He, (E. Howard) Hut and Lansdale frequently worked together on major projects and we know they were in Dallas."

The only problem was that Lucien Conein was in Vietnam during 1963.

Bonus Material :

Cecil B. Currey's book, Edward Lansdale: The Unquiet American, has this footnote on page 384:

"Prouty later book, The Secret Team: The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World, gives an indication of his view of Company activities. He did not hold Lansdale in high esteem. In turn, Lansdale had his own view of Prouty. "I continue to be surprised," Lansdale once wrote, "to find Fletcher Prouty quoted as an authority. He was my 'cross to bear' before Dan Ellsberg came along. Fletch is the one who blandly told the London Times that I'd invented the Huk Rebellion, hired a few actors in Manila, bussed them out to Pampanga, and staged the whole thing as a press agentry to get RM {Magsaysay] elected. He was a good pilot of prop-driven aircraft, but had such a heavy dose of paranoia about CIA when he was on my staff that I kicked him back to the Air Force. He was one of those who thought I was secretly running the Agency from the Pentagon, despite all proof otherwise." He elsewhere commented on Prouty's "whacky imagination" and lamented that "I sure pick 'em, huh?" See letters Edward Lansdale to C.T.R. Bohannan, 2 March, 2 July 1975, Bohannan Collection."

Previous Relevant Posts on Fletcher Prouty

Fletcher Prouty Talks to the ARRB

A summary document of his interview with the ARRB

Transcript of Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB

Fletcher Prouty and Army Intelligence in Dallas

Another summary document from the ARRB about Prouty's allegations and army intelligence.

Was Fletcher Prouty an Antisemite?

Prouty had some very unsavory relationships with antisemitic groups.

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part One

Was Fletcher Prouty's Trip to Antarctica Unusual?

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Two

Regarding Christchurch, New Zealand and The Christchurch Star

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Three

Regarding the 112th Intelligence Corps (INTC) Group and/or the 316th INTC Detachment

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Four

Did Prouty Keep the notes from his supposed phone call about army intelligence?

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Five

Prouty's experience with military presidential protection duties

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Six

Flagrant failure by the Secret Service to take minimum precautions?

Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Seven

Did Lee Harvey Oswald participate in a covert program in Indonesia in 1958?

Previous Relevant Posts on the Tramps

J im Garrison Discusses the Three Tramps

Jim Garrison holds a conference in New Orleans with his investigators and a few "buffs" and the tramps come up for discussion.

The Three Tramps

An overview of the three tramps and the Garrison investigation.

Did Leander D'avy see Oswald with the Three Tramps?

A witness comes forward who saw Oswald with the three tramps in New Orleans!

Was Fred Crisman Behind the JFK Assassination?

Was Fred Crisman one of the three tramps?
From: William S. Bike -- Historical Commentator Chicago , IL Monday, July 19, 2021

Liberals and conservatives alike have been calling President Joe Biden a new Franklin Delano Roosevelt--a president proposing programs that are so big and bod that, if enacted, they will transform the American way of life. See what William S. Bike, author of the book Winning Political Campaigns, has to say. Buy William S. Bike's latest book, The Forgotten 1970 Chicago Cubs: Go and Glow, at www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/97814671490827.


WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden said Friday that social media companies are killing people by failing to police misinformation on their platforms about COVID-19 vaccines.

Bidens comments came a day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared misinformation about the vaccines a threat to public health, and as U.S. officials advised that deaths and serious illness from the virus are almost entirely preventable because of the vaccines.

Biden, asked if he had a message for platforms like Facebook where false or misleading information about the coronavirus vaccines has spread, told reporters, Theyre killing people.

The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated," he said.

Speaking Thursday, Murthy said misinformation about COVID-19, deemed an infodemic by the World Health Organization, was deadly.

Misinformation poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nations health, Murthy said during remarks Thursday at the White House. We must confront misinformation as a nation. Lives are depending on it.

Given the role the internet plays in spreading health misinformation, Murthy said technology companies and social media platforms must make meaningful changes to their products and software to reduce the spread of false information while increasing access to authoritative, fact-based sources.

Too often, he said, the platforms are built in ways that encourage, not counter, the spread of misinformation.

We are asking them to step up, Murthy said. We cant wait longer for them to take aggressive action.

Facebook spokesperson Dani Lever responded: "We will not be distracted by accusations which arent supported by the facts. The fact is that more than 2 billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which is more than any other place on the internet. More than 3.3 million Americans have also used our vaccine finder tool to find out where and how to get a vaccine. The facts show that Facebook is helping save lives. Period.

Twitter posted on its platform, As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves around the world, well continue to do our part to elevate authoritative health information.

___

AP writer Barbara Ortutay in New York contributed to this report.
PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has appointed a former longtime Arizona Public Service lobbyist and a retired Microsoft executive to oversee Arizona's three universities.

Ducey announced Monday he's picked Jessica Pacheco and Bob Herbold to fill two vacant seats on the Arizona Board of Regents.

Pacheco was vice president of external affairs for APS parent company Pinnacle West Capital Corp., before leaving last year to start a public affairs firm. She oversaw the utility's lobbying, political activities and public image when it controversially spent millions to elect favored regulators.

Herbold had a long career with Proctor & Gamble and Microsoft before retiring in 2001 as chief operating officer of the software giant. He now runs a foundation that provides scholarships to graduates studying engineering and computer science, according to the governor's office.

The Board of Regents oversees Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. Pacheco and Herbold replace Karrin Taylor Robson, who left to enter the Republican primary for governor, and Kathryn Hackett King, whom Ducey appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court.
JJ Trevino

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the man shot and killed at a Medical Center-area apartment as 25-year-old Malcolm Ray Everett.

According to San Antonio police, a 43-year-old man said he shot Everett in self-defense during an altercation around 2 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of the Addison Apartments, located at 2810 Babcock Road.
A San Antonio activist was one of nine arrested last Thursday during a protest advocating for voter rights inside the Hart Senate Office Building on U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C.

Kimiya Factory, 22, was among a group of protesters who showed up at the building that houses Senate offices to push for the end of the filibuster, which would allow Democrats to pass voting rights legislation. The U.S. filibuster allows either party to kill legislation. The Democrats do not have the two-thirds majority needed to end it.

"I'm so proud of this historical moment," Factory said in describing how the two dozen Black men and women from around the country marched in the building singing their ancestral songs. "We were calling on our ancestors to help us get out our message."

On ExpressNews.com: Abbott says Texas election bill 'doesn't disenfranchise' voters

Walking hand in hand, wearing shirts that read "Protect our voting rights" and chanting "Let the people vote," the protesters made their way into the building despite warnings from security that they risked arrest.

In a statement from U.S. Capitol Police, officials said the nine were arrested for illegally demonstrating in a prohibited area on Capitol Grounds.

Seven women and two men, including U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, were charged with civil disobedience.

Lisa Krantz /Staff photographer

Beatty described their efforts as "good trouble" and was smiling as she was taken away in handcuffs, Factory said. Those who were arrested were in good spirits despite the circumstances, according to Factory.

They were bailed out by activist advocacy groups after only a few hours.

"We were happy about what we did, we were fighting for our Black and brown communities to be able to vote," she said. "This is important work we have to do right now, especially for Texas."

Texas House Democrats last week broke quorum in an effort the thwart the Republicans' election bill they say is restrictive and will keep people from voting. Most of the Texas House Democrats are in Washington, D.C., urging national leaders to pass a voting rights bill.

It was Factory's first arrest, but she said she would go to jail again if it means standing up for what's right. Among those who were arrested with her were elderly women who have been demonstrating for years.

"For them, this was just another day in Washington, and I was so honored to be getting to sit and talk with them," Factory said. "They made me realize that if they can still fight, then I could do it too."

Factory is known in San Antonio for her activism efforts with the Black Lives Matter Movement, the homelessness issues facing the city and more.

"There is not one word I can use to describe how happy I am about it, Texas really needed to be represented in D.C.," Factory said. "Now, I'm excited to bring the fire back to Texas and get with the organizations on the ground, putting in the work."

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
This is the first of three articles exploring the two men vying to dominate the commercial space industry and the two Texas towns where they are launching their spacecraft.

Along the southern beaches and western mountains of Texas, two of the worlds richest men are launching rockets.

Geography, wealth and an obsession with space have fueled the enterprises of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. But other than murals depicting their skyward-gazing faces in Brownsville and Van Horn, respectively, the two have little in common.

These are egos engaged, said John Logsdon, who founded George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute. There are individual aspects to this competition. It transcends normal business.

PRIORITIZING SPACE: TexSpace debuts to solidify Houston as Space City

Musk, 50, founded SpaceX in 2002. His more than 14,800 tweets have created a loyal fan base as he shares technical insights, answers direct questions and publishes random thoughts and memes.

Bezos, 57, founded Blue Origin in 2000. His Instagram is a more careful curation of family photos, celebrity selfies and information on his companies and causes.

SpaceX recently launched five Starship prototypes outside of Brownsville  the first four of these spacecraft exploded spectacularly. Success was measured by how much the company learned. Musk celebrated the first failure, Mars, here we come!!

Blue Origin had one partial failure out of 15 New Shepard rocket system launches north of Van Horn. On the first New Shepard launch, the rocket did not land in a gentle, upright position, but the capsule did land safely.

If New Shepard had been a traditional expendable vehicle, this would have been a flawless first test flight, Bezos said.

SpaceX has been fast and aggressive, not afraid to butt heads with regulators. Blue Origin has moved slowly and methodically. Theres an underlying rivalry, yet both companies are strengthening the states commercial space industry. Texas is increasingly known for more than just NASAs Johnson Space Center.

And theyre working toward the same lofty goal: giving more people access to space.

Now Playing: Video: Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle

Ive never thought of it as anything other than a healthy competitive spirit, said Phil Smith, a space industry analyst at the analytics and engineering firm BryceTech, and not unlike the kinds of competition that occurred with railroads, newspapers and that sort of thing in ages past.

There is an important distinction between the two companies. SpaceX has developed a tried-and-true rocket, the Falcon 9, that has launched satellites and NASA astronauts into Earths orbit. Blue Origin is still developing a rocket that could push payloads into orbit, and its suborbital New Shepard system has not yet launched people.

Thats set to change July 20, when Blue Origin sends its first crew on an 11-minute journey to space and back.

Its a simpler mission than flying people to the International Space Station. But this New Shepard flight will have its own accolade  its sending the boss into space. Bezos is flying with his brother Mark, 82-year-old female aerospace pioneer Wally Funk and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, the son of Joes Daemen, who founded Somerset Capital Partners investment firm based in the Netherlands. Daemens seat was purchased for an undisclosed amount.

FINALLY GOING TO SPACE: Wally Funk of the 'Mercury 13' will join Jeff Bezos on landmark Blue Origin space flight

He was almost the first billionaire to ride his own creation into space. But shortly after Bezos announced his July 20 flight, Virgin Galactic said its billionaire founder, Richard Branson, was headed into space. Branson took his flight from New Mexico on July 11.

Musk was there to cheer him on. Blue Origin originally released an aggressive tweet about how New Shepard would fly higher, but Bezos later congratulated Branson on Instagram.

Cant wait to join the club! Bezos said.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Gulf Coast vs. wide-open West Texas

In Texas, SpaceX and Blue Origin are using the states waterfront property and wide-open spaces to chase much different goals.

Its an accident of geography, Logsdon said.

SpaceX is developing and testing a system that could carry people to Mars. Its location on a South Texas beach means SpaceX can launch over water  away from most people  and to the east, where the Earths spin provides a boost. SpaceX also might launch from former oil rigs converted into ocean spaceports.

Blue Origin is targeting the suborbital space tourism market. There is plenty of uninhabited West Texas land to launch and then come back down.

Blue Origin has not said what it will cost to go into space. It held an auction for a seat on its first flight, and the winning bid was $28 million. This is being donated to Blue Origins foundation, Club for the Future, thats dedicated to STEM education. The highest bidder later opted for a subsequent flight due to scheduling conflicts. Daemen, who had a seat on the second New Shepard flight, was moved to the first flight.

PRACTICE RUN: Blue Origin gets crew dress rehearsal before launch from West Texas

The two companies compete more directly outside of the Lone Star State. They were among four companies, including Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance, to compete for a contract to launch national security missions.

SpaceX went into the competition with two flight-proven rockets: the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. Blue Origin proposed using its New Glenn rocket, which has not yet launched.

SpaceX has a pretty strong ground to justify its confidence, Smith said.

The Space Force, which became the sixth branch of the military in 2019, awarded contracts to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance in 2020.

United Launch Alliance, which has a proven track record with its Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, is planning to use its Vulcan Centaur rocket. The Vulcan Centaur has not yet launched. But when it does, it will use BE-4 rocket engines provided by Blue Origin.

Folks in government like to see the activity and the competition, said Brendan Curry, chief of Washington operations for the Planetary Society, a nonprofit that seeks to get more people engaged with space. If the federal government has a need for a space service and you have competition between a variety of players, you know at the end of the day it should work out ideally best for the taxpayer.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

More recently, SpaceX and Blue Origin have gone head-to-head for a NASA contract to land astronauts on the moon. A third company, Dynetics, also was being considered.

SpaceX proposed using Starship for NASAs human landing system. Blue Origin designed a lander in partnership with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper.

NASA was expected to select two companies, but it ultimately chose just SpaceX. Congress didnt provide enough funding to support two landers.

Blue Origin is protesting this decision, and it has found a sympathetic ear in Congress. When the Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act in June  a bill designed to keep America technologically competitive, particularly with China  there was a provision that would authorize $10 billion for NASA to select a second human landing system.

It is unclear if the legislation will get lost among other national priorities or if the desire to stay abreast of China will carry this bill through the house, Curry said.

The Human Landing System program needs competition, not the delay of starting over, Blue Origin said May 27 on Twitter.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Some people love to hate  both of them

Feisty tweets are a new style for Blue Origin, which until recently had been quiet about its operations.

And SpaceX, which was initially more open, now is moving in the opposite direction, said Greg Autry, a clinical professor of space leadership, policy and business for Arizona State University. The company has grown to a point where its technology and national security missions could attract the attention of foreign adversaries.

SpaceX is, for very practical reasons, becoming less accessible, Autry said, and Blue is getting smarter about the value of public exposure.

Public perception of the billionaire founders also affects the companies.

Both are recognized as technology innovators. Theyre also extremely wealthy. According to Bloomberg, Bezos was the worlds richest man as of July 15 and Musk was the second-richest man.

Bezos also is viewed as someone who makes lavish purchases, including a superyacht, Logsdon said. He had a high-profile divorce, and Amazon gets criticized for its treatment of warehouse workers. More than 155,000 people have signed a petition titled Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth.

Musk has created a quirkier image. Hes become kind of a folk figure, Logsdon said, thats mainly positive.

TEXAS RESIDENT: Elon Musk confirms that he has moved to Texas

People like how Musk interacts with fans on Twitter. He jokes and feels more approachable than the typical billionaire.

Elons gone through the trouble to make them love him, said Autry, who also is launching an ASU executive masters program in global space management, where Bezos chose to be super secretive about his company to the point where it really irritated people in the space community early on.

Musks prolific use of Twitter also has gotten him into trouble. In 2018, Musk (who is also Teslas CEO) said he was considering taking the electric vehicle company private. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Musk with securities fraud; this was settled with Musk agreeing to step down as Teslas chairman and to pay $20 million. Tesla also paid $20 million to settle its charge.

Still, SpaceX has a cult-like following that Blue Origin lacks. This can be seen on Louis Balderas LabPadre YouTube channel, which provides 24/7 livestream video of SpaceX in South Texas. His channel has 190,000 subscribers; ads and contributions from global SpaceX fans have doubled Balderas income.

His eight South Texas cameras have captured the companys launches, explosions and exponential growth.

It could be at 3 oclock in the morning and absolutely nothing going on, but a crane starts coming down the highway, Balderas said. Oh my God, theres a crane coming. What kind of crane is it? Wheres it going and how tall is it? People freak out on the littlest thing. They count cars. When theres nothing else going on, they count cars.

More people are traveling to the Brownsville area to see SpaceX. Someone even stayed in town for weeks driving Uber and waiting for a launch, said Ramiro Gonzalez, director of government and community affairs for the city of Brownsville.

You can tell theres a lot of excitement, Gonzalez said.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Who are they?

The enthusiasm is not ubiquitous.

In April 20 comments sent to the Army Corps of Engineers, Sidney Maddock highlighted Blue Origins ability to launch and land rockets that dont explode. She also noted that Blue Origin is not located near valuable wetlands.

The recent successful activities of Blue Origin launching a rocket into space demonstrate that there are practicable alternatives for rocket launch activities that do not involve fill of valuable wetlands, wrote Maddock, an independent contractor who has done non-breeding piping plover research for agencies, universities and environmental organizations.

If there were an explosion with a Blue Origin launch similar to what occurred multiple times at Boca Chica with SpaceX, the Blue Origin rocket debris would not be falling in valuable habitats used by the threatened piping plover and other shorebirds and waterbirds, Maddock said.

GROWTH: SpaceX gives notice on expansion plans in South Texas

SpaceX initially sought at least $36 million in state and local tax subsides  $31.3 million for its launch site in South Texas and $5 million for its rocket engine testing facility in McGregor  and potentially millions more in property tax relief, records show.

Blue Origin said it did not receive any incentives or tax breaks.

"They never asked," said Culberson County Auditor Mark Cabezuela.

Cabezuela and Van Horn Mayor Becky Brewster said Blue Origin was a welcome newcomer to their community  but also a secretive one. Signing tax-incentive agreements with the city or county would require disclosing financial information that Blue Origin probably prefers to keep to itself, they said.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

In the case of SpaceX, which did not respond to a request for comment, its unclear exactly how much in tax incentives Musk's company ended up receiving. SpaceX backed out of some deals or failed to provide proof that it met its job-creation requirements, officials said.

The reason we never paid out anything to SpaceX is because they never provided (enough) documentation, said Raudel Garza, manager and chief executive officer of the Development Corporation of Harlingen Inc., which had agreed to pay SpaceX $450,000 if it could show at least 10 percent of its new hires were Harlingen residents.

The largest incentive pledged to SpaceX was $13 million from the states Spaceport Trust Fund. Gov. Greg Abbott's office didn't answer questions about how much has been spent by the trust fund, and it declined to immediately provide payment documentation to the Houston Chronicle after the newspaper filed an open records request for the information.

Brewster doesnt pay too much attention to SpaceX, though she has seen its explosions on the news. She prefers how Blue Origin is developing New Shepard north of her community.

I tend to be a little bit more cautious, Brewster said.

As a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek, shes excited to see people launch into space. Others in the community also have become ardent Blue Origin fans. Local business owner Vance Cottrell hears the word SpaceX and responds, Who are they?

Of course, Twitter is full of Blue Origin mockery. Nice carnival ride. How long before you achieve orbit? @mobileheath said May 18.

But both companies are flying and will continue to fly, helping to make Texas the state of space.

John Tedesco and Mike Morris contributed to this report.
Traders Village was the place to be Sunday and, for some, it was the place to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Despite the sweltering heat, crowds of people came out for some shopping, live music, rides and ice cold drinks. Many still wore cloth masks or plastic face shields.

Raul Ortega, 71, got the Johnson & Johnson shot at the pop-up clinic sponsored by San Antonio Metropolitan Health District during a regular visit with his wife, Mary, to the open-air flea market on the citys southwest side.

Ortega, a San Antonio nurse and Vietnam veteran, had been waiting it out, keeping a close eye on side effects from the three vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic, ultimately deciding that the single-dose Johnson & Johnson was the way to go. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require two doses.

Ive been a nurse for too long, and Ive seen everything, he said. The new delta variant spreading is one of the reasons I decided its time to get it.

On ExpressNews.com: COVID-19 hospitalizations doubled in San Antonio

Health officials are targeting parts of the city with low vaccination rates for its pop-up vaccine clinics. The idea is to go where the people are. This week, the health department plans to offer shots at the San Antonio Zoo, Madison, LEE and Churchill high schools and several churches.

Public health officials say the delta variant is spread more easily than previous versions of the coronavirus and are warning those who havent gotten the jab not to wait any longer.

Mary Ortega, 68, was vaccinated with Pfizer back in March when her son signed her up for an appointment. She said she was relieved when her husband decided to get the vaccine.

Im happy, now the whole family is protected, she said, adding that even her 14- and 16-year-old granddaughters are now fully vaccinated.

Raul Ortega has joined the 62 percent of Bexar County residents who have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

Robin Jerstad / Robin Jerstad

As of this weekend, Texas positivity rate is over 10 percent  a level that Gov. Greg Abbott had identified as a red flag earlier in the pandemic, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

The positivity rate refers to the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive for the virus. The seven-day average for new confirmed cases in the state was 2,119, which is nearly triple what it was on July 1.

Daily confirmed new cases and hospitalizations are rising fast, but are still below winter peaks.

There are more than 230 people  either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated  hospitalized with COVID-19 in San Antonio, according to Dr. Bryan Alsip, University Health chief medical officer.

On ExpressNews.com: 'COVID is not going to go away': San Antonio's COVID positivity rate nearly doubles in one week

Two hours into the vaccine clinic at Traders Village, only seven shots had been administered.

Rosa Rojas, a health program specialist with Metro Healths immunization department, said they were there not only to give out shots, but to answer questions about COVID-19.

Today was very busy, she said. A lot of people have questions and want to have conversations about the different types of vaccines.

One man visited the Metro Health booth multiple times throughout the day to ask questions. He wasnt sure if he was ready and decided to ask his doctor about it, Rojas said.

Rojas, who spoke to people in both English and Spanish, said several already immunized people asked whether boosters or another shot will be necessary.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there are no need for boosters, yet.

COVID-19 vaccines have shown to be highly effective at keeping people from getting infected, even with the more transmittable variants, such as Delta. For those who still get the virus, being vaccinated means their effects will most likely be mild.

We tell them that the vaccines prevent deaths and protect the population, Rojas said.

Sometimes the staff has to combat myths, such as people requiring hospitalization after receiving the vaccine, Rojas said.

The odds of having a severe reaction to the vaccine is somewhere between 2.5 and 11 cases per 1 million doses, according to the CDC. To protect against side effects, the CDC requires vaccine sites to observe patients for 15 minutes after receiving a shot. Those with a history of reactions are asked to wait 30 minutes before leaving.

Thats why its good that we have a nurse here to talk to them and share the truth, Rojas said. It can be discouraging, but were here to inform those who are hesitant and get them accurate information.

Traders Village shopper Rebecca Padilla, 41, said that the new variant and the rise in cases, she had finally convinced her husband to get a vaccine.

We were already hit with COVID last year, Padilla said, explaining that she went in for testing before breast cancer surgery and discovered that she was positive. So was her husband and one of their two small children. They hadnt had any noticeable symptoms.

After discovering that only Johnson & Johnson was available, they decided to wait and visit the vaccine clinic on the Robert B. Green Campus, she said, which accepts walk-ins. Her husband wanted to get Pfizer, she said.

laura.garcia@

express-news.net
Leading up to the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridges opening, Phil Hardberger had concerns about whether the $23 million wildlife project would be a hit with San Antonians.

The citys human residents werent the only ones he was worried about.

There was a little bit of worry of, What if we build it and (animals) dont cross it? the former mayor said. It would be like a big cocktail party that you give, and its 7:30 and only one person has come.

Turns out the bridge has been drawing in San Antonios wildlife  and the city has the photos to prove it.

I can see now that they are coming. We have photographic evidence, Hardberger said. The scientists said it would work, and it did work.

The citys Parks and Recreation Department has documented four species of wildlife on the land bridge: Virginia opossum, cottontail rabbit, white-tail deer and coyote. The animals have been spotted at night with the use of hidden cameras.

Tracking the animals is part of the departments five-year study evaluating wildlife use of the bridge.

The bridge, which was completed in December, connects the northern and southern sections of Phil Hardberger Park, divided by the six lanes of Wurzbach Parkway.

The goal was to give animals a way to safely cross over Wurzbach, avoiding the highway traffic speeding past the park and cutting the risks of animal-related vehicular collisions.

On ExpressNews.com: Where's the bridge?  Five months after opening, Hardberger Park Land Bridge is a crowd-pleaser

When developing the plans for the bridge, the city referred to a study done by the Natural Resources Conservation program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department

The study recommends animals crossings be a minimum of 164 feet wide at the base and 26 feet wide at the center  the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge is 165 feet wide at its base and 150 feet wide at its center. Its currently the largest land bridge in the U.S. designed for animal and pedestrian use, according to park officials.

When crossing the land bridge, the sounds of traffic are muffled, letting visitors  human and animal  forget theyre in the middle of a city and not out in the country.

A massive steel structure supports tons of soil as well as native plants and trees chosen to attract wildlife and provide food and shelter.

A material called geofoam, which resembles Styrofoam, creates varying elevations across the bridges surface to give the appearance of hills and mimic the topography of the rest of the park.

Two water bubblers on each side of the bridge provide animals with a year-round water source. Two wildlife blinds placed next to them allow visitors to spy on any wildlife taking a sip.

In addition to four-legged creatures, birds also have been spotted during the day by the water bubblers in the savannah area of the park.

We have a birding group that comes out and does a bird survey once a month, and theyve seen an increase in the number of birds and the number of species of birds, said Denise Gross, executive director of the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy. To me, thats a positive indication of what we can expect with the land bridge.

Bird-watching duo Margie Zumbehl and Babs Gore visit parks every Tuesday. The two longtime friends recently visited the land bridge to check out the bird population while getting some exercise.

We had not been here since they opened up the (water bubblers), so we were interested in seeing how it looked, Zumbehl said.

The two were lucky enough to spot a yellow-headed blackbird perched high in a tree while they looked through one of the wildlife blinds on the bridge.

We have never seen that bird before, Gore said.

On ExpressNews.com: How to meet the needs of birds this spring and summer in San Antonio

While park officials are now certain that animals are coming to the bridge, its unclear whether they are actually using it to cross over Wurzbach.

According to Casey Cowan, park naturalist for the Parks and Recreation Department, the purpose of the five-year study is to figure out how animals are using the bridge, including whether theyre using it to cross over, hanging out on the bridge or just coming up to it and then turning around.

However, the bridges vegetation and topography often obscure any view of wildlife from the cameras, making it difficult to prove whether the animals went from one side of the bridge to the other. Cowan said this led the department to change tactics.

You would get a lot of missed images and a lot of animals that had got (on the bridge) and maybe you didnt get it when it came back, Cowan said. So, what we landed on was looking at the activity level within each section of the bridge  and then well be able to imply that if the activity is not significantly different between each section, the bridge is being used in its totality.

The wildlife evaluation is still in its very early stages, Cowan said. So far, most animals have been spotted at night.

Animals may be less motivated to use the bridge during the day, while it is also in use by people, Cowan explained. The park already attracts at least 1,000 visitors a day, according to park officials, many of whom are visiting the bridge.

Cowan hopes that as the vegetation gets more established and construction is finally completed, more animals will visit  maybe even bobcats, which Cowan said might be waiting for more cover.

Id like to see animals that are native to the park. Id like to see them all, but I suspect maybe we wont see bobcats for a while because they are so cryptic and elusive. They might not want to be around the smell of humans so much, Cowan said.

gabriella.ybarra@express-news.net
The claim: There were no guns whatsoever in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6  former President Donald Trump

In a Fox News interview, Trump went on to describe the events of Jan. 6 by saying that people with no guns walked down to the Capitol, that the buildings doors were open, and that there was a lovefest between the Capitol police and the insurrectionists.

PolitiFact rating: False. Court records and news reports show that many insurrectionists were armed, and several were charged with having firearms on Capitol grounds or stashed nearby while in Washington, D.C. In addition, rioters had weapons other than firearms and used them during the attack.

Discussion

Court documents, video evidence and news coverage directly contradict Trumps characterization of the riot.

Many of those involved in the attack were armed, and several had guns that police later seized.

The event was far from a lovefest: Five people died, including a Capitol Police officer, and more than 140 officers were injured in the days events. Video evidence shows both police officers and rioters being injured in the brawls. Rioters called for hanging then-Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Damage to the Capitol is estimated at $1.5 million and included ransacked offices, broken windows and doors, broken and stolen photography equipment, ruined statues, murals and furniture.

YOU CANT STOP US: FBI timeline depicts roles Texans played in Capitol siege

A review of the case files of approximately 430 defendants who were arrested and charged in connection with their actions at the Capitol shows that several of the defendants were found by police to have taken firearms with them into the Capitol. Some were charged with having firearms on Capitol grounds, while others stashed them away while in Washington.

They included:

Lonnie Coffman of Alabama: Police found multiple firearms and weapons in Coffmans possession. Coffmans pickup, which he had parked in the vicinity of the Capitol on the morning of Jan. 6, was packed with weaponry including a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun, each loaded, according to court documents. In addition, the truck held hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, a crossbow with bolts, machetes, camouflage smoke devices, a stun gun and 11 Molotov cocktails.

Court records and video surveillance footage show that Coffman, who had ties to militia groups, parked the vehicle near the Capitol at 9:15 a.m. that day. The documents say that after he got out of his pickup at 9:20 a.m., he joined a crowd of people who walked directly to the Capitol building.

He was detained later that evening as an unnamed woman was driving him back toward his truck. Police questioned Coffman and searched him, finding two more handguns on his person. None of the weapons was registered, documents state.

Guy Reffitt of Texas: Reffitt was charged with bringing a handgun onto Capitol grounds. Court documents showed that Reffitt, reported in court documents to be a member of the militia group Three Percenters, told his family he brought his gun with him and that he and others stormed the Capitol.

Christopher Michael Alberts of Maryland: Alberts brought his handgun onto Capitol grounds, according to a police report. An officer saw that Alberts had a gun on his hip and alerted fellow officers. When Alberts tried to flee, officers detained him and recovered the loaded handgun along with a separate magazine.

The total number of people who carried firearms with them that day may not ever be fully accounted for because the majority of those involved in the siege were not arrested on-site but were tracked down by law enforcement days, weeks and months later.

Its also worth noting that the definition of armed is not legally limited to guns  it refers to any weapon used for defense or offense and used as a means of protection. Other items used as weapons Jan. 6 included bats, crutches, flagpoles, skateboards, fire extinguishers and chemical sprays.

Politifact reached out to Trumps team to ask for evidence behind his statements but did not hear back.
FAIRFIELD  The Pequot Librarys 127-year-old roof is fully restored  a big undertaking that sought nearly $1.5 million in donations to complete.

The library began working on restoring the roof in 2020 after a 2019 study by architecture firm Pirie Associates, of New Haven, listed the structure as an urgent priority.

General contractors Kronenberger and Sons Restoration, a company that specializes in historic building restoration, began the construction about 10 months ago and completed it this summer. A ribbon cutting was held on July 14 at the library to welcome the new roof.

The outstanding support of the Southport-Fairfield community has been tremendously inspiring, said Stephanie J. Coakley, the librarys executive director. Pequot Librarys dedicated patrons and business supporters as well as the Town of Fairfield generously helped us care for one of Fairfields most revered public buildings and for that we will be forever grateful.

During the comprehensive conditions assessment plan, which was supported by the State Historic Preservation Office, the study identified repairing the historic roof not only to preserve the entire structure, but also to protect the librarys special collections of rare books, manuscripts and archives, the library said.

The original red-tile roof was built in 1893, four years after the Pequot Library was founded by Southport residents Virginia Marquand Monroe and Elbert B. Monroe. The librarys building was designed by American architect Robert H. Robertson and opened to the public in 1894.

It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architects recognized the library with a Connecticut Treasures Award in 2018.

Its history will again be celebrated in due time. A time capsule was placed in the attic eaves during the construction, which included letters to future library staff and supporters as well as mementos from this last year. The time capsule is to be opened in 2071 to commemorate the new roofs 50 year anniversary.

Kronenberger and Sons Restoration is no stranger to old roofs. It has worked on many historic buildings, including the Stowe House, Mark Twain House and Center Church in Hartford, Gillette Castle in East Haddam, and the Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme.

We were honored to guide the renovation that burnished this exquisite architectural gem; its robust texture, color, and detail are a perfect reflection of the unique treasures found within, said Laura Pirie, with Pirie Associates, which directed the entire roof repair and restoration.

Pirie Associates has extensive experience in historic renovation projects of its own, including the Amos Bull House and Butler McCook Carriage House for Connecticut Landmarks Headquarters.

We would like to acknowledge the team of talented architects and engineers that gave this building the attention it deserved, Pirie said. As well, Pequot Library leadership and community should be commended for taking the long view, investing in and preserving this beautiful and historically significant structure for future generations.

This project wasnt without its challenges though.

The actual construction of the project entailed replacing the Ludowici tiles to keep the longevity and historical integrity of the building.

The layout of the historic roof also consisted of four different intersecting shapes, as well as dormers, gables, pyramids and chimneys functioning to make the exterior watertight. The roofs original underlayment also had to be replaced, along with gutters and flashing.

The total $1.6 million project also supported restoring the upper-tier of stained-glass windows in the auditorium and strengthening the foundational elements beneath the front steps and portico.

While the library receives a percentage of its annual general operating budget from the town, Pequot was responsible for raising the money to cover the remaining operating costs and the full percentage of its capital expenses.

The roof funding caused some controversy during the budget process, as the town discussed giving $100,000 to the library for the project. Town officials were on both sides of the fence. Some worried it set a bad precedent for funding a nonprofits capital project, while others believed it was a unique funding opportunity.

Ultimately all three town boards approved the $100,000 to garner the private match.

The bulk of the projects funding came from donations and library fundraisers though.

A total 355 gifts helped support the librarys fundraising campaign with more than 200 donors participating in the Sponsor-a-Tile program in the last six months, according to a news release.

The Southport Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring unique and historic buildings and property in Southport, and the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit program also helped fund the project.

The library is seeking grant opportunities for other areas of needed capital improvements identified in the conditions assessment report.

Visit www.pequotlibrary.org to learn more about the library. For information call 203-259-0346 ext. 115. Follow Pequot Library on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
LONDON (AP)  Businesses in England warned Monday that a pingdemic of people receiving notifications on their phones telling them to self-isolate because of contact with coronavirus cases threatens to lead to widespread staff shortages and mayhem across the economy just as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Though many businesses, notably nightclubs, have cheered Monday's lifting of all remaining lockdown restrictions on social contact, they are increasingly grappling with staff shortages as the National Health Service's test and trace app informs people to self-isolate for coming into close proximity with someone who has tested positive for the virus. Supermarket chain Iceland and pub owner Greene King are two firms that have had to close certain sites as a result of the self-isolation requirements.

There are also warnings of shortages of goods in supermarkets, cuts in production at factories and potential transport chaos, as illustrated by Saturday's closure of the Metropolitan Line on the London Underground, due to key staff being pinged.

Mike Lynch, general secretary of The Rail, Maritime and Transport union warned that so-called Freedom day could "very easily collapse into chaos day.

Hundreds of thousands of people are having to self-isolate for 10 days after being informed by the National Health Service's test and trace app that they have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 26 million people have downloaded the app in England and Wales.

Two of those self-isolating are Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, who were both pinged after coming into contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who subsequently tested positive for the virus. The pair initially tried on Sunday to get round the requirement to quarantine by saying they would join a daily workplace testing programme, before an outcry prompted a change of heart.

It's clear where the numbers are going. More than 520,000 people were pinged in the week to July7 and told to self-isolate, a tenfold increase on the previous month. With daily infections rising sharply and set to at least double from current rates to 100,000 this summer, the number of people being pinged by the app will inevitably grow, potentially to more than 1 million a week.

That's going to cause untold disruption to businesses trying to recover after 16 months of lockdown duress and many executives are calling on the British government to, at the very least, reform the self-isolation rules.

Weve been talking for a while internally about living in the United Pingdom and it has become a huge challenge for individuals and businesses, Humphrey Cobbold, chief executive of PureGym, told BBC radio.

Up to 25%, in some areas, of our staff have been asked to self-isolate; weve been able, through flexibility and sharing of labor, to keep sites open so far but it has been a very close call in certain circumstances, he added.

The Confederation of British Industry is urging the government to immediately exempt double-jabbed people from the self-isolation requirement rather than wait until Aug. 16 when the rules are set to be changed. It also wants those who have not had two doses to be offered a route out of their self-isolation via daily testing.

With restrictions being lifted and cases rapidly increasing, we urgently need a sure-footed approach from government, creating confidence to secure the recovery, the lobby group's president, Karan Bilimoria, said. Against the backdrop of crippling staff shortages, speed is of the essence."

There's anecdotal evidence to point to people taking matters into their own hands by deleting the app or at least turning off Bluetooth when they go into areas, such as hospitals or restaurants, where they could potentially come into close proximity with someone who may have COVID. Charlie Mullins, the founder of Pimlico Plumbers, has even recommended people delete the app.

One potential implication of the big spike in cases  for much of the spring, daily cases in the U.K. hovered around the 2,000 mark  is that it may overwhelm the whole effort to track contacts of those infected with the virus.

I dont imagine track and trace will function for much longer, said James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at from the University of Oxford Neither it or the app were designed for 100,000 cases in a highly vaccinated population.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at:

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
President Biden is projecting a tougher tone on Cuba as the world watches the governments violent crackdown on the most widespread and fervent uprisings across the island nation in more than six-decades of communist control.

After a few days of tepid statements on the protests, late last week the president surprised some in his party by labeling Cuba a failed state that represses its people and communism a universally failed system.

But Bidens next steps will be far trickier with the Democratic Party split and pushing him in different directions, and his own wildly shifting positions on Cuba policy in recent years providing few clues for a logical path forward.

Biden on Thursday suggested his administration is looking into ways to reinstate Internet access to the people after the Cuban government shut it down, but he didnt say when or how that would occur and previewed no additional steps.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki put little meat on those bones Friday, noting only that restoring Internet access to Cuba is something we would love to be a part of but referring all questions about how and when that might occur to the State Department.

A more forceful U.S. government message came from Julie Chung, the acting assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere. In a tweet Friday, Chung labeled the Cuban government a dictatorship that is showing it wants revenge, not order with reports of protesters being killed or brutally beaten by police.

She also encouraged party and military apparatchiks there to denounce the violence and turn on the current government.

Its not too late to take a stand against violence and repressions, she added.

The inconsistent signals from the administration has created an opening for Republicans who have pressed Biden for more leadership and called for a variety of actions, from traveling to Miami to deliver a Reagan-esque tear down that wall speech to urging immediate meetings of the Organization of American States (a regional forum for policy and decision-making in the Western Hemisphere) and the United Nations.

[Democrats] could miss a golden opportunity for the president to make history, seize this moment and reject his partys recent wrong moves on Cuba, Jason Poblete, an international human rights and national security attorney and the son of Cuban immigrants, told RealClearPolitics.

Florida two most prominent Republicans, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio, along with several GOP House members last week pressed the Biden administration to quickly deploy a special type of high-altitude communications system that would enable Cuban citizens to access the Internet unfettered by the repressive government.

We need Biden to step up and make this happen, DeSantis, a top GOP contender to challenge Biden in the 2024 presidential election, said Thursday. The one thing that communist regimes fear the most is the truth.  Mr. President, nows the time to stand up and be counted.

Others are urging Biden to harness the power of the U.S. presidency to call out the regime and urge the Western world to denounce repression and embrace democratic change. Biden should lose his fear of his left flank [and] have a Tear-Down-this-Wall moment, tweeted Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

He should really channel his inner Ronald Reagan, if he can, Gonzalez later told RCP.

Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who is challenging Rubios reelection, also expressed solidarity with the Cuban protesters last week and reiterated the urgent need for the Biden administration to ensure that the Internet can remain a lifeline to connect the Cuban people to their families in the U.S. On Wednesday the Cuban government restored the Internet, but it remained unreliable in some places.

The pressure campaign on Biden to build on his Thursday comments will continue this week. Nearly 300 Cuban Americans departed Florida on six buses Friday, headed to Washington where they will press Biden to more aggressively denounce the regime and encourage an uprising. They plan protests at the Cuban Embassy and the White House over the next few days. The contingent includes several former Cuban political prisoners, among them Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, known as Antunez, who was a State of the Union guest of then-Speaker John Boehners during President Obamas efforts to normalize relations with Havana.

Were not going to allow the Biden administration to laugh at the sacrifice, pain, and tears of the Cuban people, Antunez told a gathered crowd in Spanish as the group boarded buses, the Miami Herald reported.

Biden is also getting a disjointed earful from congressional Democrats as well. While Demings pushes for efforts to reinstate Internet access, Rep. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, predictably blamed the unrest on the U.S. embargo on Cuba and called on Biden to lift it.

Even the House and Senate committees on foreign relations are pushing Biden in different directions. House Foreign Affairs, chaired by Rep. Gregory Meeks, is calling on the president to send more humanitarian aid and vaccines to Cuba while Sen. Bob Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants who leads the Senate committee counterpart, is arguing that now is not the time to loosen U.S. policy  that the Cuban regime would misuse humanitarian aid.

This is the moment that could change the course of history, the New Jersey Democrat told CNN earlier this week. We support the people of Cuba in their quest for freedom.

Eric Farnsworth, who has led the Washington office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society since 2003, views this moment as the opportunity of a lifetime to push for change in Cuba. But while he believes the administration needs to wholeheartedly back the Cuban people, Farnsworth argues the United States cannot inject itself too strongly into the unrest because the matter must be viewed by the world as an issue between the Cuban people and their oppressors.

Others say Bidens messaging needs to become more coherent and persuasive to key allies  after an easily avoidable bungling of the U.S. response for most of the critical first days of the protests.

The messaging on this has been terrible  and its shocking to people like myself because its not as if what youre seeing play out in Cuba was unexpected, said Poblete. This is a scenario that the U.S. government has studied for years, and theres been numerous contingency plans crafted for just this moment.

For instance, during the Trump administration, some at the State Department were pushing to assemble humanitarian aid at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay military base to respond to any type of uprising, according to a former senior official. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo never signed off on positioning the aid but was aware of the push as part of a Cuba-contingency plan if such an uprising  which the world is watching now  were to take place.

The U.S. government should be proactively airlifting massive amounts of aid and positioning it at Guantanamo Bay for distribution, Poblete argued.

Tracking Bidens Stance

Just how far Biden will be willing to go to support a move to democracy is difficult to say considering his shifting stances in recent years.

During his decades-long Senate career, Biden supported tightening the U.S. embargo on Cuba by voting in favor of the Helms-Burton Act. He said little during Obamas second-term rapprochement with Cuba besides one isolated moment in 2015 when he undermined the policy while considering a run for president.

Ninety miles to our south, there is talk of a state visit by our outgoing president," he said. "But we don't need a glorified tourist to go to Havana in support of a failed Cuba. We need an American president to go to Havana in solidarity with a free Cuban people, and I am ready to be that president.

On the campaign trail last year, however, he promised to unwind the Trump administrations tighter restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba but then reconsidered after losing the Florida vote in the 2020 election. Trump won the electoral-vote-heavy state for a second time with big gains in the Miami area, a traditionally Democratic stronghold where roughly seven in 10 residents are Latino and a vocal contingent of Cuban American voters condemned the Democratic Partys leftward lurch toward socialism.

Instead of immediately ending Trumps policies upon taking office, Biden kept them in place while launching a months-long review expected to end in August.

Back in April, Juan Gonzalez, Bidens National Security Council director of Western Hemisphere affairs, was asserting that the presidents policy on Cuba would not duplicate Obamas, that a process of rapprochement would be gradual.

Joe Biden is not Barack Obama in policy towards Cuba, he said, pointing to the Cuban governments ongoing oppression, which he argued has grown worse over the last 20 years.

By the end of June, however, Gonzalez, speaking in Spanish, said that the administration planned to renew remittances  the practice of Americans transferring money to their Cuban relatives -- and allow Americans to once again travel to Cuba.

Farnsworth observed that when Democrats got the results in [Florida] in November, they were sobering  and it was Democrats in Florida who were asking the president to be careful not to throw open the doors to full liberalization, which I dont think the presidents instincts would take in that direction any way.

Washington learned a lot of lessons during the Obama years about Cuba  including placing too much trust in the Cuban government to make reforms. Former Secretary of State John Kerry last year expressed disappointment in the regimes failure to improve its record on human rights after Obamas rapprochement. That record became frighteningly worse when the U.S. discovered in early 2017 that its diplomats in Cuba were experiencing sonic attacks.

That is a huge impediment to our changing any sort of our posture toward the island, Farnsworth said.

The ground has now shifted far more dramatically on Cuba with Biden last week ruling out renewing remittances  at least in the short term  because of what he said was the high likelihood of the regime confiscating them or taking big chunks while the nation remains in turmoil.

As the administration continues to evaluate its next steps, Psaki on Thursday said its important that we are not doing anything to pad the pockets of the authoritarian regime. This is a big shift from the Obama administrations policies because many of us make the argument that a lot of Obama policy did pad the pockets of the regime, said Eddy Acevedo, a veteran Republican foreign-policy hand in Washington.

Along with more trade and travel restrictions that Trump put in place, Acevedo recalls that the previous administration carefully dedicated funds and prioritized pro-democracy efforts in Cuba. During this time, the U.S. Agency for International Development directed an additional $3 million to help more families of Cuban political prisoners and to counter human rights abuses, including human trafficking and exploitation of Cuban doctors.

The message here is that we can support Cuban civil society, and they need this kind of support now more than ever, Acevedo said. The Biden administration also could use the help of other countries to confront the different challenges in the region.  We need that regional leadership. We need the Canadians with us, the Brazilians, the Chileans, the Colombians. We need regional leadership and solidarity with the Cuban people.

Getting Canada and Spain to take a stronger stand in support of the Cuban people should be a goal, but trying to rally Latin America countries is a taller order, Farnsworth said. Mexico last week threw its support behind the Cuba government amid the first few days of protests and called for an end to the U.S. trade embargo with Havana.

Theres a history here of using Cuba as a foil to the United States  theres fear of organizing the left-wing supporters in your own country against your government, he said.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican and daughter of Cuban immigrants, said on Fox News Sunday that blaming the embargo for the islands problems is an old communist trick that only sympathizers, such as Ocasio-Cortez, are buying into now. She pointed out that Cuba trades with the rest of the world, and that even though theres an exemption from the U.S. embargo for agriculture, the Cuban government does not fully utilize that exemption.

The reality is they use everything that they get when they do business with other countries for the regime; they use it to reward the people in the ruling class. It never gets to the people, she said.

During the George W. Bush years, the U.S. government flooded the island with cellphones, providing them directly to Cuban citizens without getting approval from the Castros, knowledgeable sources told RCP. When the Obama administration came in, officials were trying to work with the regime to greatly expand Internet access  but doing so likely allowed the Cuban government more control to shut it down during uprisings such as the unprecedented protests now taking place.

One very specific thing Biden can do, as the White House last week promoted its role in flagging COVID vaccine misinformation on Facebook and Twitter, is to compel social media companies to shut down the Cuban governments Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Why is [Cuban President] Miguel Diaz-Canel still on Twitter? Farnsworth asked. Why cant we use these regulatory actions to compel these companies to shut down these accounts?

Doing nothing but condemning communism is not a good option either for Biden.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla already has hinted that the U.S. could risk another mass exodus of Cuban migrants by making its recent statements in solidarity with the protesters. A senior White House official quickly pushed back on that, saying the U.S. is preparing for such a migration and slamming Rodriguez for even suggesting it. That statement of the Cuban foreign minister  threatening a mass migration reflects a lack of care for Cubans who would risk their lives to come to the United States, the official said.

But with the level of illegal crossings at the southern U.S. border at a 21-year high, there is real concern about the chaos such a boatlift could create. The least Biden can do is try to engage diplomatically with major U.S. allies to get everyone to sing from the same song sheet in denouncing the governments violent crackdown on the protesters, observers say.

If the international community is clear and speaks with a loud voice that this behavior from the Cuban regime is not just unacceptable but will not be tolerated, even by the French and others who have traditionally run interference for Cuban internationally, then the regime is at least going to take notice and presumably will trim itself at least until the lights are turned down and the temperature has receded a little bit, Farnsworth said.

But other advocates, including Rubio and Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, would like to see regime change in Havana. Both lawmakers are of Cuban descent, and they argue that pushing for shifts around the edges in Cuba would be missing the seminal moment taking place just 90 miles from our shore right now.

America has a unique role in the world, a role to provide leadership, a role to speak the truth at times of inflection, Cruz said last week. At times when people are risking their lives for freedom, the leadership of America matters.
The Byrds' classic "Turn! Turn! Turn!" didn't sound like anything else on the radio when it hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1965.

For starters, the lyrics came from the Book of Ecclesiastes, noting "there is a season, and a time for every purpose, under Heaven. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to plant, a time to reap. A time to kill, a time to heal. A time to laugh, a time to weep."

What critics failed to realize, said Byrds co-founder Chris Hillman, was that covering the Pete Seeger classic was a logical move for musicians steeped in American roots music. Songs about struggle, glory, sacrifice and faith were common in early 60s folk concerts.

"Where did all of our music come from? Blues and gospel. ... White church, Black church, the music all came from church," said Hillman, in a recent interview. "With the Byrds, we went right to that well. We didn't think twice about it. We didn't say, 'We can't do a Christian song.'"

Hillman's musical roots became more obvious as the Byrds ventured into what many started calling "country rock," especially with the landmark "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album in 1968. Bluegrass, country and gospel themes played a larger role as Hillman began writing songs for the Byrds and his later bands.

While the Byrds put him in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it was Hillman's grassroots connections that made history, according to the legend who produced his "Bidin' My Time" solo project in 2017. The late Tom Petty said: "Chris was a true innovator  the man who invented country rock. Every time the Eagles board their private jet, Chris at least paid for the fuel."

That musical and spiritual journey is clear in Hillman's recent autobiography, "Time Between," with its mix of rock lore and personal reflections. Rather than offering a tell-all about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, Hillman focuses on lessons he learned along the way and his love for the musicians who, flaws and all, helped him.

Hillman grew up near San Diego in an interfaith home  Jewish and Presbyterian  in which strong values were important, but not organized religion. Then his father's suicide rocked their world and forced the family's move to Los Angeles. That's where Hillman's emerging bluegrass skills led to an unlikely audition, at age 19, with the folk group that became the Byrds. The rest is music history.

Eventually, Hillman's demons attacked his life and music. By the late 70s, he notes in the book: "I couldn't outrun or bury my own pain. My long-held internal anger was reaching its highest point as my father's suicide continued to haunt me. ... I was making choices that contributed to my restlessness and unhappiness. So much of that self-destructiveness, I now realize, was rooted in anger."

In one 1977 song, "Clear Sailin'," he sang: "Yes, I've turned my back on you Jesus, and I hope you understand. Seems like everybody's got an answer and nobody's got a plan. 'Cause I felt buried, buried alive. Satan, I sure know your sign, and this feeling deep inside makes me wanna shrivel up and die. And I still find myself asking why."

Hillman wasn't a Christian at that time but found it natural to use religious language when asking big questions, since that was normal in bluegrass and country culture. At the same time, he was surrounded by talented Christians, including pedal-steel maestro Al Perkins, Eagle Bernie Leadon, songwriting partner Steve Hill and Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, who had become an evangelical Christian. Hillman also met music-business professional Connie Pappas, who he married in 1979. After becoming an evangelical, Hillman joined his wife in Orthodox Christianity in 1997.

"Time Between" opens with a scene connecting these themes, when their California home was threatened by a 2017 brush fire. With minutes to pack, Hillman grabbed two beloved musical instruments, family photos, crucial papers, the family dog, Daisy, and Orthodox icons from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai.

"I think that I had to go through all of those steps," said Hillman. "There was the old, 'If only I hadn't done that or I hadn't have done this, one time ...' Yes, but I think God put me in each of those places, and each time, I had to learn and to move forward so I could get to where I am now."

Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.
A new guide designed to help farmers understand and talk about climate change has launched after research shows that most producers think there is too much jargon used in the topic.

'A-Zero: A farmers guide' addresses the challenge that the current use of obscure environmental language is unhelpful for the farming industry.

Developed by the Princes Countryside Fund, it worked with farmers to translate 50 sustainability terms into language which is more accessible.

New research by charity found that eight in ten UK farmers (81 percent) want to do more to tackle the climate challenge.

However, a lack of understanding of critical sustainability terms is preventing many from taking action.

The research indicated that three in four farmers (77%) say they have little or no understanding of the term natural capital, while 61% say the same about net zero, and 64% for zero carbon.

As well as de-mystifying these terms, the guide also offers practical examples as to what these terms mean on farm.

This translation can support farmers in identifying areas they may need to address on their own farms, to help them play their part in the climate challenge.

Prince Charles, patron of the Princes Countryside Fund, said to The Telegraph: Everyone needs to play their part in helping to tackle climate change, but to do so we need to share the same goals and speak the same language.

"That's why I am delighted that this guide helps to translate terminology and unjumble jargon so farmers, and all of us, can play our part."

Keith Halstead, executive director of the Fund said: "HRH The Prince of Wales called for more accessible language to be used to enable everyone, including the agricultural industry.

"This guide is an important next step, particularly for our smaller family farms, to encourage engagement with important sustainability and environmental schemes."

The A-Zero guide is available for farmers to view and download online.
Welsh farmers have called for more action as 10,000 cattle in the prime of their productive lives continue to be culled every year due to bovine TB.

Farmers are playing their part in combatting the disease through cattle-based measures, however wildlife reservoirs of disease are still going unaddressed, farmers say.

It comes as the BBC recently published a news article which highlighted the emotional strain that bovine TB is causing producers in the country.

In the article, Vale of Glamorgan farmer Abi Reader explained that her farm had been locked down with TB for three years.

Last month, First Minister Mark Drakeford said increases in TB were down to farmers moving infected cattle, something Ms Reader said was 'cruel' and was 'like sticking the knife in and then twisting it'.

Responding to the BBC article, NFU Cymru said the disease continued to place an 'enormous emotional and financial strain' on farming families.

Although there has recently been some marginal improvements in terms of the disease picture in Wales, around 10,000 cattle continue to be culled every year in Wales due to tuberculosis," a union spokesman said.

"We need comprehensive measures to be put in place if we are to ensure the continuing downward trend in incidence."

NFU Cymru pointed to policy in England, which has seen an average reduction in the incidence of bovine TB of at least 40% in areas that have completed at least four years of badger control operations.

And just across the Welsh border in Gloucestershire, there has been a 66 percent decline in new bovine TB breakdowns.

"Evidence from around the world highlights that all successful eradication bovine TB programmes are based around tackling the disease in cattle and wildlife," the NFU Cymru spokesman said.

In areas of Wales (e.g. North West Wales) where the disease is not endemic in the cattle or wildlife populations, then we firmly believe that cattle testing and control measures are vital to prevent the disease spreading.

"However, in some parts of Wales we know from Welsh government surveys that around one in five badgers are suffering from this disease."

He added: "We need to tackle this disease wherever it is causing suffering to ensure that we can return as quickly as possible to a situation where we have healthy cattle and wildlife populations."

In light of the comments made by the First Minister last month, NFU Cymru President John Davies has written to Mr Drakeford to request a meeting to discuss bovine TB.
The UK and Australia trade deal could set the bar for future agreements and may be something that others will look to emulate, NFU Cymru has said to the Welsh Affairs Committee.

The union's president John Davies appeared before the House of Commons committee as part of a session looking at the implications of the free trade deal for Wales.

The UK and Australia reached an agreement last month which includes a 15-year cap on tariff-free imports despite concerns from farmers over lower-standard goods.

The free trade agreement marks the first major trade deal negotiated by the UK since it left the European Union.

Giving evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee, Mr Davies said that the UK had to be 'really careful' as the agreement could set the bar for future trade deals.

Referencing last year when there was serious carcass imbalance due to the pandemic, he spoke of how even a small increase in imports of certain cuts of meat had the potential to create imbalance problems on the domestic market once again.

In terms of production standards, Mr Davies said that when it came to systems and scales of production, Australia was very different compared to the UK.

For example, over half the cattle in Australia were on feed lots consisting of over 10,000 animals, he warned the committee.

And when it came to antibiotic usage, the levels used in Australia were significantly higher, with Australian farmers also having a greater range of plant protection products available to them than UK producers.

Mr Davies also took the opportunity to speak about the work of the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC), re-iterating the unions desire to see the governments response to the TACs report of March 2021.

Additionally, he expressed his eagerness to see the Statutory Trade and Agriculture Commission established and, in a position, to critically examine the detail of the Australia deal and future trade agreements.

Mr Davies said that while there would be competition, farmers in Wales were in a strong position and had an opportunity to produce high quality protein from grass-based systems.

Speaking after the meeting he said: I am grateful to the committee for the opportunity to appear before them.

"My key messages are all around the need to ensure that Wales farmers are able to compete on a level playing field and I hope that that message has been heard loud and clear."

It comes as MPs who sit on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (EFRA) called for 'proper parliamentary scrutiny' on future trade agreements.

And the NFU has also urged the government to issue 'urgent answers' on the UK-Australia trade deal amid fears over lower-standard agri-imports.

President Minette Batters said: We continue to maintain that a tariff-free trade deal with Australia will jeopardise our own farming industry and could cause the demise of many, many beef and sheep farms throughout the UK.

"This is true whether tariffs are dropped immediately or in 15 years time," she added.
A total of 41 people in Britain were killed in agriculture during the past year, including two children and seven members of the public.

Almost twice as many people were killed on farms in England, Wales and Scotland compared to the previous year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says.

The picture is similar in Northern Ireland where farming accounted for 5 of the 13 workplace fatalities in 2020/2021.

The latest Fatal Injuries in Agriculture report, issued by the HSE, comes as Farm Safety Week gets underway today (19 July).

Adrian Hodkinson, acting head of agriculture at the HSE, said the causes of farming accidents and incidents were 'well known'.

When we investigate life-changing farm workplace incidents we find, time and time again, that risks are not being removed or managed," he added.

"The things to stop them are usually straightforward: putting on handbrakes; fastening lap belts in cabs; getting ATV training and helmets; putting cows and calves in fields without footpaths; stopping things before trying to fix or unblock them and so on.

"It is far too common for people to accept risk is an inevitable part of the job  this isnt the case, the guidance is easily available to manage the risks and prevent injury."

Mr Hodkinson said it was 'not acceptable' that the British agricultural industry continued to fail to manage risk in the workplace.

"We need everyone to play their part to change their own behaviours, do things the right way and call out poor practices whenever they are seen," he said.

Throughout this week's Farm Safety Week, organisers the Farm Safety Foundation will highlight the issue of risk-taking, cost-cutting and tiredness on farms.

The charity will be meeting farmers who have experienced this first-hand and exploring what can be done to address it.

In a recent survey carried out by the foundation, it found that many farmers need to be more aware of tiredness and realise how long hours can cause farming risks.

Almost seven in ten (69%) of those surveyed identified tiredness as a major risk with most having taken, or seen others take, risks due to being tired.

Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation manager, said todays HSE report was a 'desperately disappointing read with some very sober statistics'.

"The fact that farming has a fatality rate almost 20 times the GB industry average is shocking and shameful," Ms Berkeley said.

"41 people lost their lives on our farms over the past year including 2 children  this is 18 more than the previous year and we cant become immune to the impact that these deaths have on farming families and communities.

"We cant just accept that farming is a dangerous occupation. We have to redouble our efforts to drive a change."
The world-renowned Upsall, Britain's oldest Beef Shorthorn herd, is due to be sold at a highly-anticipated auction taking place early next month.

The countdown has started to a keynote native cattle reduction sale of pedigree Beef Shorthorns from the Upsall herd, near Thirsk, at CCM Skipton Auction Mart on 7 August.

The 55-strong headcount comprises 19 maiden heifers free from the bull from last years crop of calves, a trio of two-year-olds run with the bull, 16 cows with calves at foot outfits and a single 15-month-old bull.

The Upsall herd was established over 110 years ago and has for six decades been in the hands of fourth generation family member, the Hon Gerald Turton.

It continues to be managed on the 2,000 acres estate at Upsall Castle Farms by long-time Scottish stockman George McCulloch and his wife Maureen.

Over four generations the Turton family have successfully bred a cow which is easy calving, thrives on poor grazing in all weathers and which is combined with a quiet temperament.

A more recent programme of improvement has been to make the herd naturally polled, with four out of the last seven stock bulls used homozygous for the polling gene and this work remains ongoing.

The long-established cow families at Upsall are recognised by breeders worldwide and, within the last 25 years notably, Loch Awe Lysander (P) and Uppermill Recto (P) have added to this depth of breeding.

Prior to this, the search for outcrosses and original Beef Shorthorn bloodlines has led all over the world and this brought an early introduction to EBV recording prevalent in the large Beef Shorthorn communities in other countries at the time.

The Australian bull, Mandalong Super Elephant, from the 1970s, crossed well with daughters of another Australian bull, Broughton Park Thunder, and one daughter, Clipper X699, was mother to the influential Firefox of Upsall.

During the last ten years Upsall have sold bulls to arguably some of the finest Beef Shorthorn herds in the UK and Ireland.

Herd health is of paramount importance at Upsall and the entire herd is Level 1, BVD free and vaccinated, IBR free and has been Neospora Risk Level 1 for four years.

The sale comprises a solid cross-section of the principal cow families, many of which are classified, while amongst the male calves are a number of potential rising stars.

Noteworthy is Clipper X1169, sold with her Mandalong son, as is Secret X1009, with a Nelson of Upsall son which is full brother to a bull to be released in Spring 2022 by Upsall.

Sapphire X1120 sells with a promising bull calf by King David, while also expected to create considerable interest is a full sister to this bull calf which sells in the yearling heifers.

The consignment of yearling heifers is described as one of the best batches of heifers to come to the market from Upsall, the pedigree of each revealing the considered thought attached to the breeding of each generation.

Also among them is a King David daughter, X693 of Upsall, whose grand dam Urymaid of Upsall stood female supreme and national champion heifer at the 2016 Great Yorkshire Show, while the dam won the North of England Shorthorn Club Calf Show at Thirsk a year later.

Jeremy Eaton, Skipton Auction Marts general manager said: The Upsall decision to reduce numbers represents an opportunity for established breeders and newcomers to the breed to secure some of the finest bloodlines available.

"There is little doubt that this draft from Upsall creates an opportunity not to be missed.
Welcome to our pick of the news from Fethiye and around Turkey.

Curated from various news sources.

NEWS

Fate of Turkeys oldest theatre near the sea remains uncertain

Nine years have passed since the restoration of the ancient Telmessos theatre in Fethiye was put out to tender in June 2012, work that was planned to be completed in 600 days.

Two years have passed since Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, visited Fethiye before the local elections and spoke to reporters about the significance of the theatre saying, The work was cancelled due to a problem with the tender. The theatre is significant for us for two reasons, restoring the theatre is important in terms of including it in tourism and, more importantly, the ancient theatre is located in the very centre of Fethiye, the only one located by the sea. Next year, we will include the ancient theatre in Fethiye into the restoration program.

Although 2 years have passed since this statement, the ancient theatre still stands idle in the centre of the city.

During a visit to Fethiye in February this year, the Mugla Governor discussed the situation with Fethiye Mayor, Alim Karaca and agreed to raise the subject of the restoration of the theatre, Fethiye castle, and Amintas tomb to make an area attractive to tourists and make these historical sites easily accessible.

Fethiye Municipality Council held an evaluation meeting after the Fethiye Municipalitys 2020 annual report in April and have included the ancient theatre in a statement to AK Party Fethiye District President Turgay Ozturk to be brought to the table again saying,

The restoration of Telmessos Antique Theater, located opposite Fethiye Pier, was interrupted due to legal problems with the contractor company. A solution needs to be reached on this issue in the near future so the restoration can be completed and open to visitors.

Source: https://gercekfethiye.com/turkiye-nin-denize-yakin-en-eski-tiyatrosunun-akibeti-belirsizligini-koruyor/39146/

Scorching temperatures across Turkey

Citizens, residents and visitors have experienced scorching heat this week as temperatures rose 4 to 6 degrees above seasonal norms in western and southern Turkey, and 6 to 10 degrees above the whole country at the weekend.

The temperature forecast map published by the General Directorate of Meteorology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, showed a significant increase in temperatures day by day in Mugla and its districts. The forecasts also warned of the temperature in Fethiye rising above 40 degrees at the weekend, with an increase in the humidity rate.

Heat warnings were issued asking people to be careful and stay hydrated.

Source: https://gercekfethiye.com/kavurucu-sicaklar-geliyor/39059/

Water and drought alarm in Mugla





The General Directorate of Meteorology announced a severe drought in some parts of Mugla in recent months. The increase in temperatures at the beginning of the year has caused a decrease in underground and surface water resources in the province. Accordingly, in Mugla, which is the province with the second-highest rainfall in Turkey, precipitation decreased by 80 per cent in the last three months of this year compared to last year. 88 drinking water wells have completely dried up.

MUSKI General Manager Baki Ulgen said, Mugla is an important agricultural province besides being a centre of tourism. Since 74 per cent of annual water consumption in Turkey is used in agricultural irrigation, it is of great importance to save water by using drinking and utility water efficiently to alleviate the effects of the drought.

This year, more than ever, we need to protect our water resources and save more than ever before.

Source: https://gercekfethiye.com/mugla-dasuvekuraklikalarmi/39057/

Water for wild animals in Fethiye

The Directorate of Cleaning Affairs sent out teams with water tankers to provide water for the wild animals in the area during this hot weather.





Source: Fethiye Belediyesi

These flamingos in Konya werent so lucky

Thousands of flamingos die in drought in central Turkey

Thousands of baby flamingos have died at Turkeys Lake Tuz in the past two weeks from a drought that environmentalists said was the result of climate change and agricultural irrigation methods.

Drone footage of the large saline lake in Turkeys central province of Konya showed dead flaminglets lying partially buried in dried mud. Lake Tuz is home to a flamingo colony where up to 10,000 flaminglets are born every year.

Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Bekir Pakdemirli said around 1,000 birds were thought to have died but denied that agriculture was to blame.

With less water and increased concentration ratio in the water, we observed deaths of flaminglets that were unable to fly, he said.

I want to stress that there is no direct or indirect connection between this incident and the wells in the area or the agricultural irrigation.

Pakdemirli said the necessary measures had been taken, without elaborating.

In 2000, Lake Tuz was declared a specially protected area, a designation that aims to protect biological diversity, natural and cultural resources.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/thousands-flamingos-die-drought-central-turkey-2021-07-15/

Turkey resumes major train lines, including popular Eastern Express

Turkeys mainline trains, which were suspended in March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, started operating again this week with 12 different routes into the countrys Anatolian hinterland, offering passengers a unique experience from north to south and east to west.

Covering one of the longest routes in Turkey and offering over 24 hours of train travel, the Eastern Express resumed its services from the eastern province of Kars on July 13.

The overnight passenger train operated by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), runs 1,310 kilometres between Ankara and Kars railway stations.

The newly resumed lines also included the Southern Express (also known as the Kurtalan Express), the Lake Van Express, the Pamukkale Express, the 9th of September Express, the Ankara Express, the Euphrates Express, the Erciyes Express, the Aegean Express, Konya Blue, Izmir Blue and the Lakes Express.

With the restarting of such train journeys, domestic tourism is expected to gain momentum in many cities and towns with historical, natural and cultural richness.

Sources: Daily Sabah/Hurriyet Daily News

SPORT

Fethiyespor

Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor updates

Fethiyespor are in the TFF 3. League 3. Group in the 2021-2022 Season.





Training continues for Fethiyespor

Fethiyespor continues training for the new season with sessions increased to morning and evening. Morning sessions take place in the gym/salon and evening sessions at Fethiye Sehir Stadium.









Team updates

Fethiyespor signed a contract with 20-year-old midfielder Berkin Taskn, who played for Altnordu last season.

Fethiyespor signed a contract with left-back player Erdinc Karakas who played for Esenler Erokspor last season.

Fethiyespor signed a contract with striker Ibrahim Koca, who played for Kahramanmarasspor last season

Fethiyespor player, Ali Han Tuncer, has returned to the team after completing his military service. Tuncer joined the team for training on Saturday evening.





Cemal Sener, also completed his military service and joined the team for morning training on Sunday.





30-year-old winger Anl Gir, who was the top scorer of the group, has signed a contract with Kutahyaspor.

Gr, who was absent from the team due to injury in the last weeks of the last season, played 30 matches, 29 of which were in the first 11, scored a total of 19 goals, one of which was in the cup, and had the best season of his career

For more information about Fethiyespor please visit:

www. fethiyespor.org

Fethiyespor Yabancilar on Facebook

You can also follow Fethiyespor on Twitter and Instagram

Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates

The British Pound bought 11.73 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 12.04 TL.

The US Dollar bought 8.52 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 8.66 TL.

The Euro bought 10.06 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 10.28 TL.

Source: FxexchangeRate.com

Weather Forecast

Heres your weather forecast for the week ahead.

Source: Living Earth

Todays featured image The Xanthos river at Saklkent by Lyn Ward.

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There is no stopping Khiladi Kumar from his passion for acting and work. Last year he was the first actor to shoot post the lockdown, setting an example for others to follow. This weekend too he did something similar.



According to reports on an online portal, Akshay Kumar shot for Bachchan Pandey in Mumbai over the weekend. The city was under heavy rainfall during the period and though it seemed to be doubtful to continue the shoot, Khiladi Kumar made sure he reached the set on time and shot for the film in a secure bio bubble. Even heavy rains didnt hamper the schedule. Now isnt he truly a thorough professional.

Akshay Kumar earlier this year had shot for a large portion of the film in Jaisalmer. Till last week, Akshay Kumar was shooting for Aanand L Rais Raksha Bandhan. The actor is known to jump from one project to another and keep churning out blockbusters back-to-back.

Bachchan Pandey as of now is slated to release on January 26th, 2022. The film also stars Kriti Sanon and Jacqueline Fernandez. Akshay Kumar will play the role of a dreaded gangster and the first look shows him in an intense avatar.


Actress Shilpa Shetty Kundras husband and businessman Raj Kundra has been arrested by the Crime Branch in a shocking turn of events. A case was filed against Raj and his associates in February 2021, blaming them for creating pornographic content and pushing actors to make nude videos.





View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare)





Now the case has picked up pace and businessman Raj Kundra has been arrested. The Mumbai Police Commissioner confirmed the news and told a top news agency, Businessman Raj Kundra has been arrested by the Crime Branch in a case relating to creation of pornographic films & publishing them through some apps. He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this. Keep watching this space for more updates on the case.


Vidyut Jammwal's production house, Action Hero Films has joined forces with National Award-winning filmmaker Sankalp Reddy for a first-of-its-kind espionage thriller titled, IB 71. The venture is Vidyut's maiden film as a producer.

Starring Vidyut in the role of an Intelligence Officer, the joint production is based on a true incident and shrouded in secrecy as it recounts the tale of how the Indian Intelligence Officers outwitted the entire Pakistani establishment and gave the Indian armed forces the required advantage they needed to face a two-front war.

Vidyut Jammwal said, Some of the most interesting episodes in Indian history have inspired IB 71. With this film, Action Hero Films pursues the endeavour to unravel a riveting story envisaged by gifted writers. I have full faith in Sankalp Reddy's vision as a filmmaker."



Vidyut plays an Intelligence Officer in the film.The makers bring a story that celebrates unsung heroes who want no credit for their contribution to the country.

Talking about the project, director Sankalp Reddy said, IB 71 is about what goes on before a triumph and a very different kind of heroism is at play in its story. These are the themes that I connected with when the story was narrated to me. Im very happy that the producers have shown tremendous belief in my vision. This film is truly special for me.
A new Juniper Research study has found that 53% of the world's population will access digital banking services in 2026; reaching over 4.2 billion digital banking users, from 2.5 billion in 2021. The research identified increased digital transformation efforts as enabling banks to function effectively during the pandemic; justifying the benefits of digital banking and fostering further user growth.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005001/en/

Juniper Research's Digital Transformation in Banking Readiness Index analysed 30 leading Tier 1 banks on their innovation in terms of digital features, investment and innovation, as well as on their agility in terms of size, profitability and brand strength, in order to evaluate their digital transformation readiness and highlight their respective positioning. It identified the leading group of banks for digital transformation: 1. Bank of America 2. HSBC 3. JPMorgan Chase 4. BBVA 5. DBS Bank (Graphic: Business Wire)

The new research, Digital Banking: Banking-as-a-Service, Market Transformation Forecasts 2021-2026, identified that China will be the largest digital banking market over the next 5 years; accounting for almost 25% of digital banking users in 2026. The research recommends that banks better integrate their many offerings into a single, consistent digital experience, to better compete with diverse competition.

For more insights, download the free whitepaper: Why Banking-as-a-Service Is Driving Banking Innovation

Leading Banks Positioned in Juniper Research's Digital Transformation Readiness Index 2021

Juniper Research's Digital Transformation in Banking Readiness Index analysed 30 leading Tier 1 banks on their innovation in terms of digital features, investment and innovation, as well as on their agility in terms of size, profitability and brand strength, in order to evaluate their digital transformation readiness and highlight their respective positioning.

It identified the leading group of banks for digital transformation:

Bank of America HSBC JPMorgan Chase BBVA DBS Bank

Bank of Americaoffers an ever-expanding digital platform, including the Erica chatbot, and has recorded significant upticks in digital usage and engagement during the pandemic. JPMorgan Chase has experimented with blockchain and made acquisitions, such as that of wealth manager Nutmeg in the UK to boost its offerings. HSBC has launched innovative new solutions, such as HSBC Kinetic for small businesses in the UK, with BBVA launching initiatives including cryptocurrency tradingandDBS Bankhaving high levels of digital engagement.

Research co-author Damla Sat noted: 'These banks have progressed with well-planned and executed digital transformation strategies, and other banks need to build similarly broad and revolutionary roadmaps, or be left behind by more agile competitors.'

Digital Banking market research: https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/fintech-payments/digital-banking-trends-report

Download the whitepaper: https://www.juniperresearch.com/document-library/white-papers/why-banking-as-a-service-is-driving-banking-innovation

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005001/en/

Contacts:

Sam Smith, Press Relations

T: +44(0)1256 830002

E: sam.smith@juniperresearch.com
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today noted that Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd. (NYSE:PSTH) CEO Bill Ackman issued the following letter.

July 19, 2021

Dear PSTH Shareholder,

Yesterday, our board of directors unanimously determined not to proceed with the Universal Music Group transaction, and to assign our share purchase agreement to Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) and affiliates ("PSH and affiliates" or "Pershing Square"). Pershing Square has also agreed to assume the Vivendi indemnity agreement and our UMG transaction costs.

In light of these developments, PSTH is withdrawing its Redemption Tender Offer and related Warrant Exchange Offer.

Our decision to seek an alternative initial business combination ("IBC") was driven by issues raised by the SEC with several elements of the proposed transaction in particular, whether the structure of our IBC qualified under the NYSE rules.

We and our counsel had multiple discussions with the SEC attempting to change its position on the issues that it had identified. Ultimately, our board concluded that it was in the best interest of shareholders to assign the UMG stock purchase agreement to Pershing Square (which is specifically permitted under the terms of the agreement with Vivendi) as it did not believe PSTH would be able to consummate the transaction in light of the SEC's position. Management and the board believe that greater shareholder value can be created by working expeditiously to identify a new merger partner.

PSTH has 18 months remaining to close a new transaction unless extended by the vote of our shareholders. In light of our recent experience, our next business combination will be structured as a conventional SPAC merger.

While we are disappointed with this outcome, we continue to believe that the unique scale and favorable structure of PSTH will enable us to find a transaction that meets our standards for business quality, durable growth, and a fair price. We are highly economically and reputationally motivated to consummate a successful transaction. We will, however, only complete a deal that meets our high standards.

Our share price has fallen by 18% since the transaction was announced on June 4th. While we believe our shareholders recognize UMG's extraordinary attributes including its attractive growth characteristics, business quality, and superb management team, we underestimated the reaction that some of our shareholders would have to the transaction's complexity and structure. We also underestimated the transaction's potential impact on investors who are unable to hold foreign securities, who margin their shares, or who own call options on our stock.

While management and the board clearly understood that the intricacies of our transaction structure could affect its attractiveness in the short term, we believed that substantial shareholder value would have emerged over the intermediate to long term from the sum of the parts that were created in the transaction, namely: (1) UMG, (2) PSTH RemainCo, and (3) warrants on Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, Ltd. Furthermore, we expected that the transaction's structural issues would largely be resolved by the end of this year.

While PSTH shareholders will not receive UMG stock, UMG will become a public company when it is listed on Euronext Amsterdam in September.

None of us anticipated this outcome. Yet, despite the inability of PSTH to consummate the UMG transaction, our counterparty was not left at the altar. Pershing Square will be fulfilling PSTH's commitment to Vivendi. Pershing Square intends to be a long-term UMG shareholder, and will endeavor to work with UMG management to help create value for all stakeholders.

We are devoting our full resources to identifying and consummating a new transaction for the benefit of PSTH shareholders. We remain extremely grateful for your patience and support.

Sincerely,

William A. Ackman

Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or buy or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities. This communication is not a recommendation to buy, sell or exchange any securities, and it is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. Information about PSTH and certain of the matters discussed in this press release is available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this release. You should carefully consider these and the other risks and uncertainties described in PSTH's annual report on Form 10-K and other documents PSTH has filed with the SEC. Those filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and PSTH assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. PSTH does not give any assurance that PSTH will achieve its expectations. The inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by PSTH or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.

About Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd., a Delaware corporation, is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with a private company. PSTH is sponsored by Pershing Square TH Sponsor, LLC (the "Sponsor"), an affiliate of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., a registered investment advisor with approximately $14 billion of assets under management. www.PSTontine.com

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American domiciled companies.

Category: (PSH:Investments)

This announcement contains Inside Information as defined under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005031/en/

Contacts:

Media

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Company Plans to Commence New Pivotal, Randomized Phase 3 Study Evaluating T-Guard Versus Ruxolitinib in Patients with Grade III or IV Steroid-refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Second Half of 2021



Positive Results Expected to Support Both FDA and EMA Regulatory Submissions

NIJMEGEN, the Netherlands, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xenikos B.V., a privately-held biotechnology company that develops innovative immunotherapies for treating patients with severe immune disease and post-transplant rejection, today announced that it has reached agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the design of its pivotal randomized Phase 3 clinical study (BMT CTN 2002) to evaluate T-Guard versus ruxolitinib for the treatment of patients with Grade III or IV steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT). The primary endpoint will be Day 28 Complete Response (CR), which is the strongest surrogate for long-term survival in patients with SR-aGVHD. The study is expected to enroll 246 patients from several European countries and the US. Xenikos expects to commence this Phase 3 study in the second half of 2021. The study is being done in collaboration with the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN), a US National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program focused on HSCT and other cell therapies.

"Severe acute GVHD remains a major threat to successful outcomes in allo-HSCT, and we are in desperate need of new agents. On behalf of patients, I am grateful to the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network, the National Institutes of Health and Xenikos for supporting this first of kind trial in this vulnerable population," said Gabrielle Meyers, Protocol Co-chair, Associate Professor of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, US.

Gerard Socie, Protocol Co-chair, Professor of the Department of Hematology-Transplantation at the Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France, stated "Allo-HSCT remains the only curative therapy for several malignant and non-malignant hematologic diseases, but GVHD still represents a substantial obstacle to its ultimate success. High dose steroids are the only available first-line treatment option for acute GVHD, but for those patients who fail first-line steroid therapy, novel effective therapies are urgently needed. T-Guard's mechanism of action appears to be fundamentally different from other agents used in the field and has the potential to provide great added value, especially if it avoids long-term immunosuppression."

Assuming a positive outcome from the new Phase 3 study, Xenikos expects the data from this study to support the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) in the US based on Day 28 data from the first 150 patients. If the full 246-patient trial results show superiority of T-Guard over ruxolitinib, this will support the submission of a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in the EU.

"Our conversations with the FDA and EMA have enabled us to finalize the Phase 3 study design along with the appropriate safety and efficacy endpoints," said Ypke van Oosterhout, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Xenikos. "We look forward to commencing the new Phase 3. Over 75 hospitals in 11 countries will participate in this study and preparations are well on track to open the study for patient enrollment in the second half of 2021."

Corporate Objectives for 2021-2023

Initiate new Phase 3 study evaluating T-Guard versus ruxolitinib in patients with SR-aGVHD following allo-HSCT in the second half of 2021.

Complete safety run-in phase of Phase 3 study mid 2022.

Complete futility analyses portion of the Phase 3 study during the first half of 2023.



Details of the New Randomized Phase 3 Study

This Phase 3 study is expected to enroll 246 Grade III or IV SR-aGVHD patients across 75 transplant centers across the US and Europe and will be conducted in collaboration with the BMT CTN. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either T-Guard or ruxolitinib. Participants on the T-Guard arm will receive a 1-week course of treatment with T-Guard as 4-hour infusions every other day. Each dose consists of 4mg/m2 Body Surface Area (BSA). Participants on the ruxolitinib arm will receive 10mg of ruxolitinib twice daily for a minimal period of 56 days. The primary endpoint of the study is CR rate on Day 28. Secondary objectives include: overall survival at Days 60, 90 and 180, duration of complete response (DoCR), time to CR, overall response rate at Days 14, 28 and 56, GVHD-free survival, and incidence of infections.

At the beginning of the study, there will be a safety run-in phase where the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will evaluate 12 patients from each of the two treatment arms (~24 patients total). This trial will include an interim analysis for futility after 23 participants on the T-Guard arm (~46 across both treatment arms) become evaluable for the primary endpoint. A second interim analysis will be performed once 150 participants on combined arms have reached Day 28 and 100 participants on the combined arms have reached Day 180.

About the Prior Phase 3 Study

Following successful completion of Phase 1 and Phase 1/2 clinical studies, in 2019 a US-based, single-arm Phase 3 study was initiated to evaluate T-Guard for the treatment of SR-aGVHD in patients following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (NCT04128319). That study was put on hold by the FDA in February 2020 because the first three patients died within the first 30 days of the study. An in-depth investigation was conducted by the FDA and found no reason to stop further development of T-Guard. However, the FDA advised Xenikos to design a new randomized Phase 3 study which evaluates T-Guard against a comparator treatment (ruxolitinib) to serve as a safety benchmark and which includes a safety run-in phase. Eligibility for the new Phase 3 trial aligns with the trials of ruxolitinib in SR-aGVHD patients.

Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Following allogeneic stem cell transplantation, most patients have a high risk of developing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). With GVHD, the donor's immune cells attack the patient's cells. Acute GVHD occurs early after transplantation and can be relatively mild or quite severe, even life-threatening, if not treated. Although GVHD can often be treated successfully with steroids, few options are available if the disease progresses or becomes resistant to steroid treatment, and the long-term survival of patients with steroid-refractory acute GVHD (SR-aGVHD) is less than 20%, highlighting the urgent need for effective new therapies.

T-Guard: Helping Reset the Body's Immune System

T-Guard is designed to safely and swiftly reset the body's immune system in life-threatening T cell?mediated conditions, including transplant-related rejection, acute solid-organ rejection, and severe autoimmune disease. T-Guard consists of a unique combination of toxin-conjugated monoclonal antibodies that target CD3 and CD7 molecules on immune cells. Preclinical and early clinical testing have shown that T-Guard can specifically identify and eliminate mature T cells and NK cells with tolerable treatment-related side effects. Importantly, T-Guard's action is short-lived, thereby significantly reducing the patient's vulnerability to opportunistic infections compared to currently available therapies. In a Phase 1/2 study, just one week of T-Guard treatment induced a remarkably high complete response rate and a doubling of the 6-month overall survival rate as compared to institutional historical controls in patients being treated second-line for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). These results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (Groth, et al. Nov 2018). T-Guard has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in both the EU and the US, and a randomized Phase 3 registration trial evaluating T-Guard for the treatment of SR-aGVHD is expected to commence in the second half of 2021.

About the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN)

The BMT CTN conducts rigorous multi-institutional clinical trials of high scientific merit, focused on improving survival for patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation and/or receiving other cellular therapies. The BMT CTN has completed accrual to 44 Phase II and III trials at more than 100 transplant centers and enrolled over 14,304 study participants.

BMT CTN is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute, both parts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and is a collaborative effort of 20 Core Transplant Centers/Consortia, the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match and the Emmes Company, LLC, a clinical research organization. CIBMTR is a research collaboration between the NMDP/Be The Match and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

The BMT CTN 2002 study is being led by Drs. Mehdi Hamadani, Protocol Officer, Scientific Director of CIBMTR, Medical College of Wisconsin; John Levine, Protocol Co-chair, Director of BMT Clinical Research, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine; Gerard Socie, Protocol Co-chair, Head of Hematology- Transplantation, Hopital Saint-Louis; and Gabrielle Meyers, Protocol Co-chair, Associate Professor of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University.

More information about the BMT CTN can be found at www.bmtctn.net.

About Xenikos

Xenikos develops innovative immunotherapies based on conjugated antibodies. This novel therapeutic approach helps reset the immune system in patients who have a severe immune disease or have developed post-transplantation rejection. A randomized Phase 3 registration trial evaluating the Company's flagship product, T-Guard for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) is expected to begin in the US and Europe in the second half of 2021.

Contacts

Corporate:

Xenikos B.V.

Ypke van Oosterhout, CEO

media@xenikos.com

Investors/Media:

Argot Partners

Sam Martin/Carrie McKim

+1 212 600 1902

xenikos@argotpartners.com
ATHENS, Greece, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GrillEye by G&C, the manufacturer of the Top Grilling and Smoking thermometers, launches the first Instant, Ultra-Precise Smart Thermometer for your Grill or Smoker, worldwide.

Temperature determines the flavor, tenderness, moisture and safety of meat, and GrillEye Max measures it in the most accurate way!

With GrillEye Max, the user only needs to:

Insert the GrillEye Iris probe into the meat Select preference of doneness

Once it has reached the desired temperature, it will send a notification informing the user that "Your food is waiting for you!", no matter how far away he or she is from the pit.

GrillEye welcomes everybody around the globe to the world of Unattended Perfection, where everything is easy and delicious, allowing the user to save time and money every day.

This is GrillEye Max, the device that allows everyone to prepare the best food for their beloved, without losing a moment with them.

GrillEye Max sets New Standards in Thermometers as it is the first worldwide:

Instant , with readings from 2 seconds

, with readings from 2 seconds Ultra-Precise , with measurement accuracy of 0.1C/0,18F and display resolution to 0,1

, with measurement accuracy of 0.1C/0,18F and display resolution to 0,1 Truly Smart Thermometer that comes with amazing extra features, and can control up to 8 probes at the same time

It works with the GrillEye Iris probes that are

FDA certified for maximum safety and

certified for maximum safety and NIST certified for ultra-precise measurements

With GrillEye Max, there is no guessing. Food safety and superior taste come as a standard.

GrillEye invites everybody, to the Live Presentation of how GrillEye Max is set to provide a whole new Grilling & Smoking experience, held on July 26th. Live at grilleye.com

The time that the event will take place, is announced on grilleye.com based on the local time of the website visitor.

About GrillEye

Here at GrillEye we are passionate about making your life easier.

We constantly redefine innovation by developing pioneering, useful and easy to use products for people around the world.

Join us, and Grill towards the Future, today!

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1575894/GrillEye_Smart_Thermometer.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1575933/GrillEye_Max_Burger.jpg

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6JYmPj0ewU

Contact:

Isadora Fraser

ifraser@gcdis.com

+30 2108004995
Press Release

Nokia extends 5G installed base with Taiwan Star Telecom expansion deal

The deal will see Nokia enhance the mobile operator's 5G footprint across Taiwan and continue Nokia's long-standing partnership

Network expansion deal will provide better coverage and performance to Taiwan Star Telecoms' 5G subscribers

19 July 2021

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced that it has been selected by Taiwan Star Telecom (TST) to extend its 5G footprint across the country. Nokia is a long-term partner of TST and will provide equipment from its latest 5G AirScale portfolio which will support TST's 5G standalone (SA) network with seamless integration and a fast deployment time.

Nokia will supply equipment from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio to meet a variety of deployment scenarios. This includes its enhanced, next-generation AirScale Indoor (ASiR) system for retail and office environments. The compact, flexible indoor system is designed to simply and seamlessly upgrade to 5G NR via plug-and-play with minimal on-site work.

TST will also utilize the EN-DC functionality available on Nokia's AirScale radios. EN-DC allows devices to connect simultaneously to 5G and LTE networks, transmitting and receiving data across both air-interface technologies. This means devices can achieve a higher throughput than when connecting to 5G or LTE alone. TST's 5G SA network enables the full potential of 5G unlocking new services such as Voice over 5G New Radio (VoNR) for enhanced call services. Nokia's 5G portfolio ensures a simple migration path and a fast deployment for TST to support its requirements.

TST launched 5G services last summer utilizing the 40 MHz of bandwidth in the 3.5GHz band it had previously secured. Early deployment saw 80 percent covered in densely populated areas last year with 100 percent in Taiwan expected to be covered by 2023. TST's 5G subscriptions reached 5 percent of its total mobile users last year with a target of reaching 20 percent by the end of this year. TST is a growing brand in a competitive market. The network expansion is crucial to providing better coverage and performance to their 5G subscribers and increase market share.

Cliff Lai, President of Taiwan Star Telecom said: "It is imperative that our customers receive the best possible 5G services in terms of performance and coverage. Our continuing partnership with Nokia will see us expand and enhance our 5G offering ensuring they receive best-in-class experiences."

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks, Nokia, said: "We are delighted to continue our journey with Taiwan Star Telecom as their 5G vendor. This is an important project that will see us support their expanded delivery of 5G services to even more areas across the country."

Resources:

Activate massive 5G capacity with Nokia AirScale

AirScale baseband | Nokia

AirScale Active Antennas | Nokia

AirScale Radio | Nokia

Single RAN | Nokia

About Nokia

We create technology that helps the world act together.

As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive world.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks fell on Monday amid worries over the spread of the highly contagious versions of the coronavirus. British medical officials announced on Friday that fully vaccinated travelers arriving in England from France must continue to quarantine because of the threat posed by the Beta variant. The benchmark CAC 40 index dropped 70 points, or 1.1 percent, to 6,390 after ending half a percent lower on Friday. Banks BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale lost 1-2 percent. Travel-related stocks were losing ground, with airline Air France KLM declining 3.5 percent. Total Energies shares were down about 1 percent, tracking a fall in oil prices after the OPEC+ group of producers overcame internal divisions and agreed to boost output. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks fell sharply on Monday as worries about the fast-spreading Delta variant coronavirus overshadowed investor optimism about England's reopening. Almost all legal restrictions will end from today, including an order to work from home. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was self-isolated after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who had tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. Although No 10 initially said that he would continue to work by participating in a pilot scheme, he later announced that he would be self-isolating as required. Finance minister Rishi Sunak will also self-isolate after being in close contact with Javid. The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 111 points, or 1.6 percent, to 6,896 after closing 0.1 percent lower on Friday. Travel-related stocks succumbed to selling pressure after Britain announced that it is lifting planned mitigation measures against the spread of coronavirus for visitors from France, due to the continued presence of a beta variant of coronavirus first spotted in South Africa. Carnival lost 7.5 percent, easyjet slumped 5.1 percent and British Airways-owner IAG gave up 4 percent. Online shopping giant Ocado tumbled 3 percent after a robot malfunction at a warehouse in in South-East London caused a conflagration that took around 100 firefighters 14 hours to put out. Derwent London fell over 2 percent. The company said it has exchanged contracts to sell its freehold interest in Angel Square, Islington to Tishman Speyer for 86.5 million pounds before costs. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
FREYR Battery (NYSE: FREY, or "FREYR"), a developer of clean, next-generation battery cell production capacity, has reached a final investment decision ("FID") by the FREYR Board of Directors to proceed with the construction of the Customer Qualification Plant ("CQP") and first battery cell production line in Mo i Rana, Norway.

The FID comes after completing the tender processes and allows for the award of contracts for key production equipment supply. Preparatory work on the facility is already ongoing with a targeted start of initial operations in the second half of 2022. The CQP production line is based on 24M Technologies Inc.'s ("24M") SemiSolid lithium-ion battery technology and is designed with flexibility and capacity to meet anticipated demand for samples from targeted customer segments over time.

The CQP enables implementation of the 24M technology, testing of materials and battery cells and the supply of samples to potential customers across all targeted market segments. It will further support product optimisation and meeting specific customer requirements in the conditional offtake agreements that FREYR plans to negotiate, and is thus strategically important in securing final offtake agreements for the planned development of up to 35 GWh of cost competitive and clean battery cell production capacity by 2025 in Mo i Rana. FREYR is also targeting 8 GWh capacity in operations by 2025 via joint ventures in Norway and/or the Nordic region.

"The qualification plant will become the first lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facility at industrial scale in Norway, supporting the core tenets of our strategy of speed, scale and sustainability," said Tom Jensen, the CEO of FREYR. "The rapid development of initial production capacity supports ongoing customer dialogues as it will validate and improve technology, materials and cell designs as we prepare for commercial production at our planned Gigafactories. The plant will also provide us with an arena for training and development to ensure high-quality operations for the entire battery cell factory portfolio," said Einar Kilde, EVP Projects in FREYR. The customer qualification plant is the first of a total of five factories that the Company is planning to build within the area of Mo Industrial Park.

FREYR has an ambition to accelerate the decarbonisation of transportation and energy systems, and utilize Norway's inherent advantages, including access to renewable energy, low electricity prices, Norway's highly skilled workforce and the closeness to rapidly growing markets in Europe and the US. On July 9, FREYR completed a business combination with Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. raising equity funding for FREYR's battery cell manufacturing development strategy.

About FREYR Battery

FREYR plans to develop up to 35 GWh of battery cell production capacity in Norway and an additional 8 GWh via joint ventures in Norway and/or the Nordic region by 2025 to position the company as one of Europe's largest battery cell suppliers. The facilities will be located in the Mo i Rana industrial complex in Northern Norway, leveraging Norway's highly skilled workforce and abundant, low-cost renewable energy sources from hydro and wind in a crisp, clear and energized environment. FREYR will supply safe, high energy density and cost competitive clean battery cells to the rapidly growing global markets for electric vehicles, energy storage, and marine applications. FREYR is committed to supporting cluster-based R&D initiatives and the development of an international ecosystem of scientific, commercial, and financial stakeholders to support the expansion of the battery value chain in our region. For more information, please visit www.freyrbattery.com.

Forward-looking Statements

The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, including, without limitation, regarding the development, timeline, capacity and other usefulness of FREYR's CQP and planned Gigafactories, the development and commercialization of 24M SemiSolid technology, FREYR's manufacturing capacity relative to other market participants, and the development of customer and supplier relationships are forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside FREYR's control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to the following: (i) FREYR faces significant barriers in its attempts to scale and commercialize the SemiSolid lithium-ion battery platform cell technology and related manufacturing processes, which may not be successful, (ii) FREYR may encounter substantial delays in the development, manufacture, regulatory approval, and launch of FREYR's battery cells and building out of the CQP or other planned plants, which could prevent FREYR from commercializing products on a timely basis, if at all, (iii) FREYR's licensing strategy relies heavily on 24M's process and technology, and any disagreements with 24M may impede FREYR's ability to maximize the benefits of its licensing strategy, (iv) FREYR may not be able to engage target customers successfully and convert such contacts into meaningful orders in the future, (v) FREYR may not be able to establish supply relationships for necessary components and materials which could prevent or delay the introduction of FREYR's product and negatively impact its business, and (vi) substantial increases in the prices for FREYR's raw materials and components, some of which are obtained in volatile markets where demand may exceed supply, could materially and adversely affect FREYR's results of operations, financial conditions and negatively impact FREYR's prospects. FREYR cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information about factors that could materially affect FREYR is set forth under the "Risk Factors" section in documents filed by FREYR from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, FREYR disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and projections could different materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.

Source: FREYR Battery

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005302/en/

Contacts:

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Jeffrey Spittel, Vice President, Investor Relations

jeffrey.spittel@freyrbattery.com

Tel: (+1) 281-222-0161

Harald Bjrland, Investor Relations

harald.bjorland@freyrbattery.com

Tel: (+47) 908 58 221

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hilde Rnningsen, Director of Communications

hilde.ronningsen@freyrbattery.com

Tel: (+47) 453 97 184
170 Pages Market Research Survey by Fact MR, A Market Research and Competitive Intelligence Provider, Highlights Key Factors Enabling Armour Steel Plate Market Growth

NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A Fact.MR survey offers insights into chief growth drivers and restraints impacting armour steel plate market overall growth trajectory. The report also divulges compelling insights into demand outlook in terms of protection type and application. It also studies key strategies adopted by vendors to increase sales in armour steel plate market.

Fact.MR: The global armour steel plate treatment outlook remains positive as Fact MR projects the market to exhibit growth at 4% CAGR between 2021 and 2031.Increasing research and development activities and growing defense expenditure have propelled sales in 2020, and the market experienced year-on-year growth at 2.8% CAGR reaching valuation of US$ 1.3 Bn in 2021.

Defense sectors across globe are focusing on strengthening their armed forces and governments are increasing their budget allocation on defense expenses and other security cases. For instance, in 2020, demand for armor steel plate in Russia grew by 2.4%. The COVID-19 pandemic affected market in Russia and still it managed to attain 340 KT.

Consumption of armour steel plates for bullet-proof vehicle and cash-in-transit trucks is increasing at a high pace. Rising inclination towards effective and efficient product design is set to drive the market of armour steel plates.

Manufacturers are focusing on developing hard, high-strength steel plates to offer improved resistance against high-velocity metal projectiles. As a result, these steel plates are considered highly suitable for various applications, specifically in the defense sector.

An armour steel plate is a hard commercial ballistic steel that undergoes quenching and tempering process. This characteristic of armour steel plates offer flexibility for application in various military and commercial/non-military purposes.

Some of the leading companies are focusing on expanding their global presence via strategic collaborations. For instance, in June 2020, Bisalloy Steels announced signing of a memorandum of understanding with Axiom Precision Manufacturing and K-TIG to collectively develop a sovereign capability in welding for the Australia defence sector.

"Rising inclination towards personal armored vehicles for safety and protection are creating opportunities for armour steel plates sales. With leading companies focusing on technologies developments to offer greater strength and resistance, the demand in the market is expected to surge in the coming years, "said a Fact.MR analyst

Request a report sample to gain comprehensive insights at

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=4659

Key Takeaways:

Europe is most lucrative market accounting more than 40% of global armour steel plate consumption.

is most lucrative market accounting more than 40% of global armour steel plate consumption. The U.S is contributing 95% of North America market share and is expected to remain dominant regions through forecast period.

market share and is expected to remain dominant regions through forecast period. Russia accounts over 24% of global armour steel plate sales owing to its increasing investment in military power.

accounts over 24% of global armour steel plate sales owing to its increasing investment in military power. The market in South Korea is expected to expand at 4% CAGR in coming years.

is expected to expand at 4% CAGR in coming years. By protection type segment, airborne ballistics is estimated to gain 84 BPS and reach valuation of US$ 1.4 Bn by 2031.

by 2031. Revenue from bulletproof vehicles is anticipated to rise at 4.3% CAGR in forecast period.

Growth Drivers:

Rising security concerns are increasing demand for armour steel plates.

Demand for armour steel plates is increasing for use in submarines.

Rising production of bulletproof jackets will fuel demand for armour steel plates.

Key restraints:

Stringent government regulations on certifications and compliance requirements are hampering growth of armour steel plate sales.

Availability of alternative cheap steel imports are impeding demand outlook.

Trade imbalance on a global level may create a deficit as the market, adversely affecting substantial amount of excess steel production.

Request for Armour Steel Plate Market customization at

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=4659

Competitive Landscape

Key players are focusing on investments, acquisitions, and portfolio expansion. For instance,

In December 2019 , ArcelorMittal completed acquisition of Essar Steel India Limited (ESIL) to expand market in India .

, ArcelorMittal completed acquisition of Essar Steel India Limited (ESIL) to expand market in . In September 2020 , Bisalloy Steel signed distribution agreement with CRAS Solutions for distribution of Bisalloy Products in the Turkey market.

Key players operating in the global armour steel plate market include

SIJ Acroni

Algoma

Arcelormittal

Astralloy

Bisalloy

Champak Steel & Engg. Co.

& Engg. Co. Chapel Steel

CMC Impact Metals

Essar Steel India Limited

EVRAZ

GRUPA COGNOR

Lagaar Industries Ltd.

Masteel

Shahalloy

SSAB

Swebor

ThyssenKrupp

More Insights on the Armour Steel Plate Market:

Fact MR provides an unbiased analysis of the armour steel plate market, presenting historical demand data (2016-2020) and forecast statistics for the period from 2021-2031. The study divulges compelling insights on the global armour steel plate market, with a detailed segmentation on the basis of:

Protection Type

Airborne Ballistic Armour Steel Plates

Blast and Explosion Armour Steel Plates

Application

Armour Steel Plates for Battle Tanks

Armour Steel Plates for Bulletproof Vehicles

Armour Steel Plates for Bulletproof Jackets

Armour Steel Plates for Cash-in-transit Trucks

Armour Steel Plates for Security Booths

Armour Steel Plates for Sentry Boxes

Armour Steel Plates for Submarines

Key Questions Covered in the Armour Steel Plate Market Report

The report offers insight into armour steel plate demand outlook for 2021-2031

The market study also highlights projected sales growth for armour steel plate between 2021 and 2031

Armour steel plate market survey identifies key growth drivers, restraints, and other forces impacting prevailing trends and evaluation of current market size and forecast and technological advancements within the industry

Armour steel plate market share analysis of the key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others

Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Chemicals & Materials Domain

Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) Market - Over the last few years, the global advanced high strength steel (AHSS) industry has exploded. This is due to automakers' increased demand for high-strength, high-efficiency materials. End users are turning to manufacturers of advanced high strength steel to get effective and lightweight materials due to increased pressure from many government and regulatory organizations to reduce the weight of automotive components and manage emissions.

Seamless Steel Pipes Market - Steel pipes made by hot rolling are likewise in high demand throughout the world. Due to their numerous advantages over older piping methods, such as ERW (electric resistance welding) pipes, demand for seamless steel pipes has gradually increased over the last half-decade. In addition, rising demand for oil and gas, chemicals, and associated products is fueling overall market expansion. Insights on major variables fueling market growth for the next 10 years were just provided in a report by Fact.MR.

Long Steel Market - Long steels are chosen over flat steel in the construction industry due to the product's high tensile strength and ductility. Long steels are chosen over flat steel in the construction industry because of their high tensile strength and ductility. In the long run, construction applications are expected to provide a boost to the long steel industry. Between 2020 and 2030, the global long steel market is expected to increase at a double-digit CAGR in absolute terms. The long steel market has benefited from increased demand from building, railways, and industrial uses.

About Fact.MR

Market research and consulting agency with a difference! That's why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. We have offices in US and Dublin, whereas our global headquarter is in Dubai. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have on our expertise. Spanning a wide range - from automotive & industry 4.0 to chemicals and materials & retail, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analyzed. Reach out to us with your goals, and we'll be an able research partner.

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BENTONVILLE (dpa-AFX) - Walmart will pay $125.15 million in damages to settle a lawsuit that charged the retail giant on three claims of disability discrimination against a long time employee suffering from Down syndrome. An eight-member jury in Green Bay, Wisconsin found that the retailer failed to accommodate Marlo Spaeth and then fired her in July 2015 because of her disability.



'The substantial jury verdict in this case sends a strong message to employers that disability discrimination is unacceptable in our nation's workplaces,' said EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows.



The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Walmart in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The lawsuit was filed after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement with Walmart through EEOC's voluntary conciliation process.



The jury awarded Spaeth $150,000 in compensatory damages and $125,000,000 in punitive damages after deliberating for three hours following the four-day trial.



According to the lawsuit, Walmart changed Spaeth's longstanding work schedule and caused her significant difficulty. Spaeth had worked for the company for approximately 16 years and had consistently received positive performance evaluations from her managers.



When she requested her start and end times be adjusted by 60 to 90 minutes and to be returned to her prior schedule, Walmart failed to act on the request and instead fired her from the Walmart Supercenter in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.



The jury also found that Walmart also turned down Spaeth's later request to be rehired because of her disability or because of their need to accommodate her disability.



These alleged conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on an employee's disability.



'Employers, no matter how large, have an obligation under the law to evaluate the individual circumstances of employees with disabilities when considering requests for reasonable accommodations,' said Chicago District Director Julianne Bowman.



The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

WALMART-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
- Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for pulp and paper packaging markets

- Pulpex is the world's first widely recyclable, brandable paper bottle

- The eco-friendly paper bottle is designed to hold a wide range of liquids

WILMINGTON, Del., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is joining forces with Pulpex Limited and its global consortium partners to collaborate on the ongoing evolution of the Pulpex eco-friendly paper bottle.

Pulpex is a new world-leading sustainable packaging technology company established by venture management firm Pilot Lite and spirits producer Diageo. The company has developed the world's first widely recyclable PET-free paper bottle made from sustainably sourced pulp.

As a technology partner, Solenis will provide chemical solutions to optimize the PET-free paper bottle, including surface treatments to enhance its functional and visual properties. The Pulpex technology allows for embossing, debossing, labeling and direct printing with food-safe coloured pigments and dyes to fit brand needs.

Richard Brooks, Global Packaging Director for Consumer Packaging at Solenis said: "This collaboration with Pulpex is another indicator of our commitment to new, sustainable and innovative technologies to the food and beverage paper packaging market. The partnership will enable Solenis to serve the growing eco-friendly paper bottle market while maintaining our commitment to environmental sustainability."

Scott Winston, CEO, Pulpex, said: "Solenis is well known as a leader of process and functional chemistries with over a century of service to the pulp and paper industry. The company's technical know-how and its wide spectrum of solutions will help us deliver eco-friendly paper bottles that meet the brand and functional needs of our consortium partners."

Pulpex consortium partners are working to develop branded paper bottles across several categories, including alcohol and non-alcohol beverages; liquid foods; homecare, personal care and consumer healthcare products; and lubricants. Pulpex is also working towards adding the capability of holding hot-fill and carbonated beverages by the end of 2022.

About Solenis

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. The company's product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets and minimize environmental impact. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 41 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of approximately 5,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company. For additional information about Solenis, visit?www.solenis.com.

About Pulpex

Pulpex Limited is a sustainable packaging technology company that offers the world's first patented, customisable, single-mould paper bottle made from sustainable pulp that can be recycled curbside. Pulpex Ltd is a collaboration between Pilot Lite Group and Diageo PLC. Pilot Lite is a pioneer and international leader in venture management who directly invest in and convert corporate IP into free-standing, revenue-generating businesses. Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.pulpex.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1575860/Pulpex_bottle_crop_v2.jpg
Business combination with Extensa Group

Leasinvest Real Estate (the "Company") announced on 12 May 2021 its intention to become an integrated real estate group through a business combination with Extensa Group ("Extensa") and giving up the REIT (GVV/SIR) Status.

On 19 July 2021, the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "EGM") approved all decisions submitted to it, including the contribution in kind of the shares in Extensa and the shares in Leasinvest Real Estate Management NV ("LREM"), the former manager of the Company, by Ackermans & van Haaren. The contributions represent a combined contribution value of EUR 293,433,036 and were contributed in exchange for the issue of 4,075,458 new shares in Leasinvest Real Estate to Ackermans & van Haaren. This resulted in a capital increase of EUR 44,819,454.77 from the Company.

The contribution of the shares in Extensa is part of the Company's intention to transform the Company into a listed mixed real estate player through a business combination with Extensa, which invests in real estate on the one hand and develops real estate on the other hand to either sell or hold in portfolio.

This new business model implies a number of fundamental changes from the framework in which the Company operated in the past. The EGM has therefore decided to voluntarily waive the status of public regulated real estate company (and the associated tax regime). In addition, the EGM has decided to transform the Company into a public limited company with (collegiate) board of directors under the CCA.

For more information on the new structure, we refer to the press releases published on 12 May and 18 June 2021and)

In the context of the application for admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels of the shares issued as a result of the aforementioned contributions to the Company's capital, a prospectus should be drawn up to be approved by the FSMA. The prospectus is expected to be made available on 21 July 2021 on the Company's website (https://leasinvest.be/en/investor-relations/prospectus/).

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF 19 JULY 2021

Minutes of the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of 19 July 2021

The minutes of the EGM held on 19 July 2021 are available on the Company's website. On the occasion of this EGM, the following items on the agenda were approved by the shareholders of the Company:

- the Company's voluntary waiver of its licence as a public regulated real estate company (GVV/SIR) in accordance with Article 62, 2 of the Law of 12 May 2014 on regulated real estate companies (the "GVV/SIR Act") and the associated amendment of the articles of association (including the statutory purpose (henceforth "object")) of the Company in order to bring the articles of association in line with the decision to this renunciation and with the provisions of the CCA;

-conversion of the Company into a public limited company with a (collegiate) board of directors under the CCA and associated amendment of the articles of association;

-dismissal of LREM as statutory manager of the company and appointment of the members of the board of directors of the Company: Brain@Trust BV (permanently represented by Marcia De Wachter), Dirk Adriaenssen, Starboard BV (permanently represented by Eric Van Dyck), SoHo BV (permanently represented by Sigrid Hermans), Colette Dierick, Wim Aurousseau, Granvelle Consultants & C BV (permanently represented by Jean-Louis Appelmans), Jan Suykens, Piet Dejonghe and Michel Van Geyte and the recording of their remuneration for the exercise of their respective board mandate and/or mandate on a company committee;

-contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM and 100% of the shares in Extensa;

- replacement of the authorisation on authorised capital (taking into account, among other things, the new capital, the waiver of the GVV/SIR status and the provisions of the CCA) and the authorisation to acquire, pledge and dispose of its own securities;

- introduction of the double voting rights (loyalty voting right) in accordance with Article 7:53 of the CCA.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Following this extraordinary general meeting, a board of directors of the Company took place, appointing Mr. Jan Suykens as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mr. Michel Van Geyte as managing director of the Company. In addition, the various Committees were set up, which are now composed as follows:

The nomination and remuneration committee:

Mr. Jan Suykens; SoHo BV, permanently represented by Mrs. Sigrid Hermans; Starboard BV, permanently represented by Mr. Eric Van Dyck.

The audit committee:

SoHo BV, permanently represented by Mrs. Sigrid Hermans; Brain@Trust BV, permanently represented by Mrs. Marcia De Wachter; Mr. Piet Dejonghe.

The Corporate Governance Charter was also amended in view of the waiver of the GVV/SIR status, the transformation into an NV with a collegiate board of directors under the CCA and the other changes that the aforementioned EGM entailed. This adapted Charter can be found on https://leasinvest.be/en/about-us/corporate-governance/

PUBLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 15 OF THE LAW OF 2 MAY 2007

On 19 July 2021, the EGM approved the following contributions in kind:

- a capital increase by contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM with a contribution value of EUR 3,300,000 in exchange for the granting to the transferor, Ackermans & van Haaren, of 45,833 shares, where the capital was increased by an amount equal to the total number of new shares to be issued multiplied by the (exact) fractional value of the existing shares (whereby the outcome of this calculation is then rounded up to the euro cents), so that the amount of the capital increase is EUR 504,043.98; and

- a capital increase by contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in Extensa with a contribution value of EUR 290,133,036 in exchange for the granting to the transferor, Ackermans & van Haaren, of 4,029,625 shares, increasing the capital by an amount equal to the total number of new shares to be issued multiplied by the (exact) fractional value of the existing shares, so that the amount of the capital increase is EUR 44,315,410.79.

In addition, in accordance with Article 7:53 of the CCA, the EGM introduced the double voting rights (loyalty voting right). The paid-up shares registered continuously in the register of registered shares in the same shareholder for at least two years shall confer a double right to vote. The remaining shares entitle to one vote. On the date of this press release, 1,802,817 shares1 in the Company confer double voting rights.

As a result of the completion of these transactions, the Company shall disclose the following information in accordance with Article 15 of the Transparency Act, as of 19 July 2021:

Total capital: 109.997.148,34 EUR

Total number of securities with voting rights: 10.002.102

Total number of voting rights (= denominator): 11.804.9191

This state of the number of voting rights (denominator) serves as a basis for the purposes of notifications under the transparency regulation (i.e. notifications in the case of (a/o) the achievement, exceeding or under-crossing of statutory or legal thresholds).

In addition to the legal thresholds, Article 12.2 of the Company's Articles of Association provides, in accordance with Article 18, 1 of the Transparency Act, an additional notification threshold of 3%. No outstanding options or subscription rights have been issued that entitle to shares.

The Company will disclose monthly on its website and via a press release the total capital and evolution of the total number of voting securities and the total number of voting rights, insofar as those data underwent a change during the previous month.





For more information, contact



Leasinvest Real Estate



MICHEL VAN GEYTE

Chief Executive Officer

T: +32 3 238 98 77

E: michel.van.geyte@leasinvest.be (mailto:michel.van.geyte@leasinvest.be) On LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE NV



Leasinvest Real Estate NV is a mixed real estate investor and developer.



The total value of the investment portfolio is approximately EUR 1.4 billion, distributed among the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (45%), Belgium (42%) and Austria (13%).



Leasinvest is one of the largest real estate investors in Luxembourg.



The total value of the development portfolio is approximately EUR 0.3 billion and is distributed among the Sites of Tour&Taxis and Cloche d'Or, on which mixed developments (residential and offices) are ongoing and on which new subprojects will be launched in the coming years.



The Company is listed on Euronext Brussels and has a market capitalisation of  678 million (value 19 July 2021).



This announcement contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" or may be considered such. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believe," "estimate," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "plan," "continue," "ongoing," "possible," "predict," "intend," "pursue," "try," "would" or "will," and include statements from the Company about the intended results of its strategy. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve risks and uncertainties, and readers have been warned that none of these forward-looking statements warrant any guarantee of future results. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. The Company makes no commitment to provide updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements unless legally required.







1 204 of the 1,802,817 shares in the Company that give the right to double voting rights in principle are held by a subsidiary of the Company. The voting rights attached to these 204 shares have therefore been suspended.





Attachment
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2021) - Aranjin Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ARJN) (the "Company" or "Aranjin Resources") is pleased to provide an update on its proposed acquisition of the highly prospective Sharga Copper Project (the "Sharga Project" or "Project") previously announced by the Company on May 19, 2021.

The completion of the acquisition remains on track. The Company has received conditional approval of the acquisition from the TSXV Venture Exchange ("TSXV") and is in the process of satisfying the conditions stipulated by the TSXV approval letter. Closing the acquisition is subject to final approval of the TSXV.

The proposed US$1.5 million unsecured convertible debenture financing to be used to fund the cash portion of the acquisition consideration remains on course. The debenture will have a term of 12 months and bear interest at a rate of 15% per annum to be accrued and paid at maturity in cash, or at the option of the Company, in common shares. The principal amount of the debenture will be convertible at any time during the term into common shares of the Company at a price of $0.055 per share. In addition, the Company has agreed to grant the debenture holder a 1% net smelter returns royalty over the Sharga Project. The financing will be completed concurrently with the completion of the acquisition. The financing remains subject to TSXV approval.

On behalf of the Board

Matthew Wood

Chairman

Aranjin Resources Ltd.

+976 7732 1914

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/90653
GREENSBORO, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2021 / Today, Market America Worldwide , a global e-commerce and product brokerage company and owner of the global and award-winning e-commerce site SHOP.COM , officially launched Sezzle's top-rated 'Buy Now, Pay Later' online payment platform on SHOP.COM. Not only is this convenient online payment option available to all U.S. consumers, but it has also been made available to the company's U.S.-based distributors, known as UnFranchise Owners.

'While a lot has happened over the past 15 months, what has remained the same is our company's unwavering commitment to offering the most relevant options with the most benefits to all of our online shoppers -- 24/7. Today, we add Sezzle's Buy Now, Pay Later online payment platform, allowing our customers the ability to buy what they need today and divide the total cost of their order into four interest-free payments over a six-week period. Together with Sezzle, Market America Worldwide focuses on our customer's immediate product needs by providing the highest rated and most customer friendly online payment platform available,' said Marc Ashley, President & COO of Market America Worldwide.

Sezzle, a publicly-traded financial technology company, is growing in popularity with its 'Buy Now, Pay Later' online payment option, as millions of shoppers opt for the convenience of paying in four easy installments, over six weeks, with zero interest. Among similar buy now, pay later platforms, Sezzle is gaining traction as the most user-friendly, trusted and performance-driven pay later solution for online retailers. Sezzle routinely earns 4.9 Trustpilot scores among consumers - and with a ~90% approval rate for new applicants, merchants understand that offering Sezzle leads to higher conversions, sales and larger baskets. Sezzle is a bridge to millions of shoppers who prefer an interest-free option over interest-bearing and fee-bearing credit cards. Sezzle enables users to budget responsibly and helps thin-file credit builders improve their credit scores and increase their buying power by offering financial education and payment reporting. The latter is a 'Sezzle Up' feature that provides on-time payment histories to the major credit bureaus.

'We're excited to launch Sezzle's Buy Now, Pay Later solution on SHOP.COM , bringing our top-rated payment option to all Market America Worldwide customers, including its UnFranchise Owners. Sezzle brings value by increasing average order values and basket sizes while opening the door for millions of SHOP.COM shoppers to access Sezzle's barrier-breaking, next generation of payments,' said Veronica Katz, Sezzle's Chief Revenue Officer.

As Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM now offers Sezzle's 'Buy Now, Pay Later' online payment option, it joins a number of well-known e-commerce sites, such as Target and GameStop , to name a few. Future plans include making the 'Buy Now, Pay' Later platform available to online shoppers on the multitude of Market America Worldwide's e-commerce platforms, including Isotonix.com, Motivescosmetics.com, Lumieredevie.com and GetLayered.com, just to name a few.

About Market America:

Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM is an award-winning global e-commerce and product brokerage company that specializes in one-to-one marketing and is the creator of the Shopping Annuity. Its mission is to provide a robust business system for entrepreneurs while providing consumers a better way to shop. Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., and with offices across the globe, Market America Worldwide was founded in 1992 by Founder, Chairman & CEO of Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM JR Ridinger. Through the company's primary, award-winning shopping website, SHOP.COM, consumers have access to millions of products, including Market America Worldwide exclusive brands and thousands of top retail brands. SHOP.COM ranks 19th in Newsweek magazine's 2021 Best Online Shops, No. 52 in Digital Commerce 360's (formerly Internet Retailer) 2021 Top 1,000 Online Marketplaces, No. 79 in Digital Commerce 360's 2021 Top 1,000 Online Retailers and No. 11 in the 2021 Digital Commerce 360 Primary Merchandise Category Top 500. The company is also a two-time winner of the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics and was ranked No. 15 in The Business North Carolina Top 125 Private Companies for 2020. By combining Market America Worldwide's entrepreneurial business model with SHOP.COM's powerful comparative shopping engine, Cashback program , Hot Deals, ShopBuddy , Express Pay checkout, social shopping integration and countless other features, the company has become the ultimate online shopping destination.

For more information about Market America Worldwide: MarketAmerica.com

For more information on SHOP.COM, please visit: www.SHOP.COM

About Sezzle Inc.

Sezzle is a rapidly growing fintech company on a mission to financially empower the next generation. Sezzle's payment platform increases the purchasing power for millions of consumers by offering interest-free installment plans at online stores and select in-store locations. Sezzle's transparent, inclusive, and seamless payment option allows consumers to take control over the spending, be more responsible, and gain access to financial freedom. When consumers apply, approval is instant, and their credit scores are not impacted, unless the consumer elects to opt-in to a credit building feature, called Sezzle Up.

This increase in purchasing power for consumers leads to increased sales and basket sizes for the more than 34,000 Active Merchants that offer Sezzle.

For more information visit Sezzle.com.

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CONTACT:

Market America Worldwide

336-605-0040

marketamerica@marketamerica.com

SOURCE: Market America Worldwide

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/656159/Market-America-Worldwide-Launches-Sezzles-Top-Rated-Buy-Now-Pay-Later-Online-Payment-Platform-on-Its-Top-100-E-Commerce-Site-SHOPCOM
Sofinnova Partners, a European life sciences venture capital firm based in Paris, London and Milan, closed its medtech acceleration fund, at 63m ($75m USD).

Sofinnova MD Start III enables Sofinnova MD Starts pioneering team of serial entrepreneurs to further support clinicians in transforming innovative ideas into medical realities through the development of therapeutic medical devices.

The fund leverages Sofinnova MD Starts acceleration model, with its combination of early-stage financing and company building, which has been demonstrated through the creation of 10 medtech companies and over 25m deployed to date. Recent investments include two pre-clinical stage companies such as:

Moon Surgical, developing an assistance platform for minimally invasive surgery, and

Gradient Denervation Technologies, developing an endovascular device to treat pulmonary hypertension.

Last month, a significant milestone was announced with the acquisition of preCARDIA, a company created and accelerated through MD Start II to develop an innovative solution for patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

The funds team is led by Antoine Papiernik, Chairman and Managing Partner, and Anne Osdoit, Partner.

FinSMEs

19/07/2021
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Samsung first introduced their large format MicroLED display, called The Wall, back in December 2019 in India. Since then, Samsung has updated the technology with various upgrades and now they have released their 2021 The Wall TVs in markets globally.

The 2021 models of The Wall can be configured up to a massive 1000-inch panel, with an 8K resolution at a 120Hz. Another supported configuration is up to a 16K resolution with a 15,360 x 2,160-pixel arrangement. The models have new wireless docking connections and a bezel-less design, and it can be installed in various positions such as concave, convex, ceiling, hanging, inclined and L-type.

Powering the display is a new Micro AI Processor which comes with a whole host of AI upscaling and deep learning technologies to provide the best picture quality possible. Other features include 1,600 nits peak brightness, Ultra Chroma technology, Micro HDR and Micro Motion features.

The Samsungs 2021 The Wall is available in select markets around the globe starting today.

Commenting on the launch, Hyesung Ha, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics said:
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Paxton, IL (60957)

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DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WALA) -- The 88th Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo wrapped up Sunday on Dauphin Island.

The fishing tournament attracting thousands of people for the three day event, causing a boom for many businesses on the island.

According to one convenience store owner their sales doubled, almost tripled their normal amount due to a combination of anglers, spectators and tourists.

Small business, Lighthouse Bakery said they too saw a massive influx of customers.

"We've definitely seen some extra flow of people and customers, said owner of Lighthouse Bakery, Christa Jones, "they've been coming in later in the day then we're used to seeing, so we made sure we made a lot extra for everybody."

Jones says they're typically busy on the weekends, but not only did the rodeo bring in more customers, she was also in charge of feeding organizers and volunteers at the rodeo, making her shop even busier.

"We did a large catering for the Jaycees and all the volunteers over there, said Jones, "we fed 200 people this morning on top of doing our regular Sunday morning rush."

Covid caused a smaller event last year, with many restrictions in place but this year, it was "all systems go".

"Its great to be back to how things are supposed to be and keep life going and more normalcy and regular life happening again," said Jones.

Jones said she can't thank people enough for coming down to support the Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo as well as small businesses like hers, on the island.

Fun fact: the Guinness Book of World Records has proclaimed the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo the largest fishing tournament in the world.
MOBILE, Ala. --According to court documents, a Mobile doctor, who was accused of manslaughter, has filed a motion asking for permission to leave Alabama for a family vacation on July 22.

His hearing will be held this Monday, July 19, 2021.

According to the documents, Jonathan Nakhla wants to travel to South Carolina for a family vacation. It says he plans to stay with in-laws and that he won't operate a car.

The State has also filed a motion to deny Nakhla's request.

Nakhla is accused of driving under the influence, which led to a crash that killed local medical student Samantha Thomas in August 2020.
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA)  Laura Allen was among the people who line up early for a COVID-19 vaccine shot. Since she is a health care worker and her husband is a firefighter, both were eligible in the first wave.
GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina)-. The family of the one-year-old boy who died at an Upstate daycare on Monday held a press conference on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in front of Bumblebee Daycare and Learning Center to update the community on the situation.
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FILE - In this Jan. 11, 1961 file photo, then Marine Lt. Col. John Glenn reaches for controls inside a Mercury capsule procedures trainer as he shows how the first U.S. astronaut will ride through space during a demonstration at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Research Center in Langley Field, Va. Glenn's birthplace and childhood hometown in Ohio are celebrating what would have been the history-making astronaut and U.S. senator's 100th birthday with a three-day festival from July 16 through July 18, 2021. (AP Photo/File)
French worker union Solidaires Informatique has filed a complaint against Ubisoft and some of its current and former employees for creating a workplace culture that enabled "institutional sexual harassment."

As reported by Kotaku, which received a translated statement from a union member, the complaint has been filed with the Bobigny criminal court on behalf of Solidaires Informatique and two former Ubisoft workers.

It targets Ubisoft as a legal entity for "maintaining and reinforcing a system where sexual harassment is tolerated because it is more profitable for the company to keep harassers in place than to protect its employees."

The complaint also calls out former employees including editorial vice president Tommy Francois, who was terminated with cause in August 2020 following a misconduct investigation, and other executives like Cecile Cornet and Serge Hascoet, both of whom resigned in July 2020 after facing accusations that aligned with their respective positions.

Current Ubisoft chief exec and co-founder Yves Guillemot is name-checked in the complaint for allegedly turning a blind eye and allowing abusers to operate with impunity. "We believe that as a manager, he was necessarily informed," said Maude Beckers, the lawyer representing the victims behind the complaint. "He must answer for the company's HR policy."

Commenting on the complaint, Ubisoft told Kotaku that it doesn't have any "further details" at this time. Under two weeks ago, however, the Assassin's Creed publisher indicated that the "occurrence of inappropriate behavior by employees" could impact its ability to hire and retain staff.

In an extensive report published last year that was based on the testimonies of over a dozen former and current Ubisoft employees, Gamasutra found that the allegations of abuse ran deep at the French company, suggesting those in high-profile roles had allowed a system of misconduct to take root and flourish.

Although Ubisoft has taken steps to address its toxic workplace culture, including the creation of a five point plan designed to protect employees moving forward, some of those accused of misconduct have simply been given new roles in the company.
Stockholm, 19 July 2021: Leading global esports platform Challengermode will be the home of this years "PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Autumn Showdown" as well as the "Winter Challenge" - organized by PUBG Finland. This partnership will provide all PUBG players with the opportunity to compete in high-level tournaments and win prize money, with Challengermodes streamlined and automated tournament solution enabling PUBG Finland staff to focus on their high-level event production.

PSL will be hosting tournaments on Challengermodes platform with prizes of 500 EUR every week. Each tournament will consist of a massive open qualifier on day 1, where the best teams advance into the second day to win a share of the prize pool. The top 4 teams each week will also qualify for a special Monthly Final with a larger prizepool of 1000 EUR up for grabs. All matches will be played with the SUPER scoring system with which PUBG players are familiar.

Winners of the Monthly Finals will also secure a spot in PSL Season 10, where the best EMEA-teams will compete for a 15 000 EUR prize pool over seven rounds of non-stop PUBG action. Any players engaging with PSL through the Challengermode platform will also be able to unlock even more competitions to compete in weekly subscriber-only tournaments that boast their own prize pools and guarantee top-level competition.

Phil Hubner, CBDO of Challengermode: Tournaments like the PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Autumn Showdown & Winter Challenge are at the very heart of what Challengermode supports as a business. The grassroots and amateur levels of competition in the esports space are the industrys lifeblood and giving players the opportunity to play in a professional environment and compete for prizes is essential to its growth and continued success. It has been rewarding to see our platform's automation and scalability be put to the best possible use with PUBG Finland, as it helps them make esports more accessible to all.

Matti Korvenmaa, Development Manager at PUBG Finland: "PUBG Finland and PSL have always been about creating new opportunities and finding optimal ways of exploring them. When we saw Challengermodes latest developments on their platform, we immediately knew that they have taken technological leadership amongst PUBG esport platforms. They enable us to do things which simply were not possible for us before. For tournament organizers they provide unmatched features together with important high-level support for our staff, which can now focus on core elements of our operations instead of technical details."

Contenders can sign-up on the Challengermode platform, with the first round taking place today. All Weekly tournament finals and monthly finals will be broadcast. Challengermode will also be hosting the PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Winter Challenge, beginning on 27/09/2021, with a winner being crowned on 06/11/2021.



-Ends-



For more information, please contact: [email protected]



About Challengermode:

Challengermode is a Swedish technology company founded in 2014, with the mission to make esports truly accessible for gamers. Challengermode is building a platform that provides the fundamental online esports infrastructure for all relevant stakeholders within the ecosystem. With 2.5billion people world-wide playing computer games and hundreds of millions of people watching professional esports tournaments monthly, Challengermode's platform  which hosts millions of competitions yearly  is the place for regular gamers to congregate, practice or compete in esports. Its best-in-class tech automates complex tournament infrastructure through game integrations and allows gamers to easily play in competitions, tournaments and leagues across any device or console, while enabling community building and monetization at scale for organizers of all kinds.
An Independence man was arrested on a murder charge on Monday for allegedly killing a Corvallis resident at a rodeo style event south of Albany on Sunday night.

Pedro Martinez-Carrillo, 19, turned himself into the Linn County Sheriff's Office on Monday and was lodged in the Linn County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder, according to a news release.

Martinez Carrillo is being held without bail, according to the jail website.

The shooting occurred in the 3200 block of Old Highway 34, and was reported at 10:11 p.m.

When Linn County Sheriff's Office deputies responded, they found Hector Cisneros, 24, deceased.

The location of the shooting is a private residence with acreage, and a rodeo-type event with hundreds of people was being held when a disturbance broke out that led to Cisneros death, according to a news release.

On Monday morning, detectives interviewed several witnesses at the scene. More individuals came to give statements throughout the morning. Several men gathered around a SUV hugging each other.

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All in just one week.

The Supreme Court set the deadline to get the maps by Sept. 27. Any lawsuits against the maps would go directly to the Supreme Court.

The anger displayed by DeFazio and Schrader, the two Democrats who criticized Kotek, was largely due to a possible nightmare scenario for the duo.

If the unbalanced pair of panels couldnt come up with a plan or if Brown rejected it, the fallback would split the fate of redistricting in two.

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, who gave Democrats the states official job of election referee after four years under Republicans, would handle the legislative maps.

As a former Democratic state senator from Portland, Fagan is no neophyte on the political ramifications of the new districts.

But the congressional maps would go to a special five-judge panel who not only would have to rejigger the five existing congressional districts but shoehorn in a sixth one the state was awarded on the basis of its growth.

That could submarine DeFazio and Schraders implicit desire to have their increasingly competitive districts given a larger chunk of Democratic votes to make re-election safer.
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Lost Evansville airman's remains return 70 years after plane crash

Anthony Wahl Members of the United States Air Force Honor Guard remove the casket of U.S. Air Force Airman Second Class Edward J. Miller, who died in a plane crash in 1952 in Alaska, during a public graveside service with full military honors at Maple Hill Cemetery in Evansville on July 17.

EVANSVILLE

Airman 2nd Class Edward J. Miller was finally laid to rest Saturday, July 17, at Maple Hill Cemetery in his hometown.

Millers sisters Dorothy Wheaton and Nancy Cox were in attendance as were other family members and hundreds of Evansville residents.

Miller died in 1952 after the plane he was in crashed into a glacier in an Alaskan blizzard, killing Miller and the other airmen aboard the craft.

Anthony Wahl Members of the United States Air Force Honor Guard carry the casket of U.S. Air Force Airman Second Class Edward J. Miller during a public graveside service with full military honors at Maple Hill Cemetery in Evansville on July 17.

Numerous military service members and Evansville police saluted as Millers casket was placed in front of his family during the burial.

The service was supposed to occur in 2020 but was rescheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Millers sister Doloris McCutcheon died.

Capt. Christopher Schilling, a chaplain in the Air Force, spoke at the service.

Today is a day that Dorothy and Nancy and all of you in their family have been waiting for for a long time, Schilling said. The loss of their brother almost 70 years ago and the grief that the Miller family has carried in their hearts for all of these years. Todays service will not release that grief that they carry. As we all know, when we lose someone we love, we feel that absence in our hearts and our lives forever.

Edward Miller, Evansville's long-lost Airman, is coming home An Evansville man lost almost 70 years ago in a U.S. Air Force plane crash in the mountains in Alaska will return home. The Gazette examines the discovery of Edward J. Miller, lost in 1952, his remains now found by military searchers.

Schilling said now that Miller has finally been returned home to Evansville, the Miller family can take another step toward healing. He then read the Leo Marks poem The Life That I Have.

Schilling said he spoke with Wheaton and Cox prior to the Saturday service and asked them more about their brother and the memories they have of him. The sisters told Schilling about their brothers warm personality, his ability to always have fun and how he would help their father on the family farm. One of the sisters most cherished memories with their brother was playing competitive games of Monopoly and musical chairs.

These memories for Dorothy and Nancy are almost at a standstill in their minds as if it was yesterday, unfading to the passage of time, Schilling said. They are a precious connection to a brother, whom they love and lost young.

Toward the end of the service, Schilling led the crowd in The Lords Prayer, read the poem Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye and ended with a prayer for Millers family and loved ones.

The U.S. flag that was draped over Millers casket during the burial service was folded and given to Wheaton by an Air Force technical sergeant.

Lost Evansville airman's remains return home Close

Bill Hurtley, the director of Ward-Hurtley Funeral Home that led the service, was pleased with how the day went.

Everythings gone perfect. Better than we thought it would, Hurtley said. Yesterday was really impressive. Today went well and the weather cooperated. The family is really happy. It took a lot of coordination from a lot of different places.

There was a procession through Evansville on Friday to the funeral home.

Gov. Tony Evers ordered flags to half-staff in honor of Miller on Saturday, July 17.

According to the Rock County Sheriffs Office, Miller wasnt the first local servicemember whose remains were returned to the county from the wreckage of that 1952 plane crash.

Airman 1st Class George M. Ingram was returned to Beloit in a similar ceremony in July 2016.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
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Tiverton, ON, July 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westario Power Inc. and Bruce Power are teaming up to explore opportunities to deliver projects focused on removing and offsetting carbon emissions.

The two companies recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding which could pay dividends for residents of Grey, Bruce and Huron counties, including potential incentives to encourage the adoption of Electric Vehicles, which would lower carbon emissions and help Canada reach its Net Zero 2050 target.

Were excited to be collaborating with Westario and look forward to a partnership that expands clean energy use and involves residents and visitors coming to Grey, Bruce and Huron counties; the Clean Energy Frontier, said Mike Rencheck, President and CEO of Bruce Power.

Earlier this year, Bruce Power announced a carbon offset program that will fund grassroots Net Zero initiatives that will both remove and offset carbon emissions. The initiative is part of the companys commitment to produce Net Zero emissions from its site by 2027, while also playing a lead role in enabling a Net Zero Canada by 2050.

Jenny Alfandary, President and CEO of Westario Power, said she is confident that the partnership can achieve transformative results for our community.

This partnership is a tangible sign of Westario Powers focus on investing in community prosperity through innovation, Alfandry said. We power peoples lives and collaborating with Bruce Power to adapt to our changing world will help enhance the vitality of the communities that we proudly serve.
Pune, India, July 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The increasing advancement and transformation in technology is a key factor boosting the virtual reality in the healthcare market, says Fortune Business Insights in a report, titled  Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Component (Hardware, Software, and Content), By Application (Pain Management, Education and Training, Surgery, Patient Care Management, Rehabilitation and Therapy Procedures and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026. The global virtual reality in the healthcare market size stood at USD 1.56 Billion in 2018 is expected to reach USD 30.40 Billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 42.4%.

Request to Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/virtual-reality-vr-in-healthcare-market-101679

List of Prominent Companies Operating in the global Virtual Reality in the Healthcare Market Are:

Google

Samsung

Atheer, Inc.

InTouch Technologies, Inc.

Augmedix, Inc.

Firsthand Technology Inc.

Microsoft

Medical Realities Ltd

Mindmaze

Psious

Facebook Technologies, LLC.

Amazon.com, Inc.

EchoPixel, Inc.

Surgical Theater, Inc.

Osso VR, Inc.

Hologic Inc.

Orca Health, Inc.

3D Systems, Inc.

Daqri

The Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2018 to 2026 Forecast Period 2018 to 2026 CAGR 42.4% 2026 Value Projection USD 30.40 Billion Base Year 2018 Market Size in 2018 USD 1.56 Billion Historical Data for 2015 to 2017 No. of Pages 120 Segments covered Component, Application Area, and Geography Growth Drivers Substantial Investments of Organizations in Healthcare VR to Optimize the Healthcare Cost Increasing Use of Smart Wearable Devices is Primarily Driving the Demand for Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market growth are rapid adoption of VR amongst the healthcare professionals, benefits offered by VR in healthcare applications, growing investments, and funding to develop innovative healthcare based VR. Pitfalls & Challenges High Initial Capital Investments to Impede the Market Growth

According to the report, the virtual reality in healthcare market, by application is segmented into pain management, education and training, surgery, patient care management, rehabilitation and therapy procedures and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The pain management segment is expected to witness high demand owing to the effectiveness of VR in pain management. Virtual reality helps the patients to soothe the pain to some extent, especially during skin grafting, open surgeries and bandaging a burn. Furthermore, the education segment will hold significant share owing to the VR technology, which offers an immersive experience.

Browse Complete Report Details with Table of Content and Figures:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/virtual-reality-vr-in-healthcare-market-101679

The report persistently analyses the standpoint of the market with the latest market developments. It also delivers a comprehensive study of the market dynamics by aiming at the factors boosting growth opportunities. Moreover, it marks and highlights regional analysis and shares ideas that impact the market. It also provides information regarding industrial development and offers insights on the same.

Increasing Use Of VR In Smart Wearables Will Enable Growth

The rising technological advancements and proliferation in wearable devices is expected to create growth opportunities for the virtual reality (VR) in the healthcare market. Wearable technology has improved the approach of society towards their health and fitness. Wearable devices integrated with the virtual reality will enable interaction between the patient and the doctor in any area. Furthermore, the deployment of the 5G communication system is a vital factor for the IoT and augmented reality and virtual reality in healthcare applications integrated with the wearables. These factors together are expected to boost virtual reality in the healthcare industry. In addition, the rapid adoption of VR among healthcare professionals will accelerate the growth of the market. The benefits offered by VR in healthcare applications will fuel demand among healthcare professionals. Moreover, the increasing investments for the development of innovative healthcare based VR will encourage the growth of the market.

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https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/virtual-reality-vr-in-healthcare-market-101679

Launch of Amazon Care Will Augur Healthy Growth

The launch of amazon care, a virtual primary care clinic is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities owing to its virtual and in-person care. For instance, Amazon launched Amazon Care, a virtual primary care clinic. This primary care clinic offers an option for nurses to visit employees in the home. It provides both virtual and in-person care. Furthermore, the advancements in medical training simulators by 3D systems is expected to promote the growth of the market. For instance, 3D Systems announced advancements to its line medical training simulators by utilizing enhanced virtual reality environments. These functionalities allow users to practice surgical methods within a virtual operation theatre for a realistic and immersive training session to enable adequate surgical preparation and learning.

Quick Buy - Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/101679

Table of Content:

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Approach Sources

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities Emerging Trends

Key Insights Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players

Global Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecasts By Component (Value) Hardware Software Content By Application (Value) Pain Management Education and Training Surgery Patient Care Management Rehabilitation and Therapy Procedures Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) By Geography (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa Latin America

Competition Matrix

Company Profile

Continued...!!!

Speak to Analyst:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/virtual-reality-vr-in-healthcare-market-101679



Browse Related Reports:

3D Printing Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By Technology (FDM, SLS, SLA, DMLS/SLM, Poly jet, Multi Jet Fusion, DLP, Binder Jetting, EBM, CLIP/CDLP, SDL, LOM), By Application (Prototyping, Production, Proof of Concept, Others), By End User (Automotive, Aerospace, and Defense, Healthcare, Architecture and Construction, Consumer Products, Education, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

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Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Services (Electronic Design & Engineering, Electronics Assembly, Electronic Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, and Others), By Industry (Automotive, Communications, Computer, Consumer Electronics, Industrial, Healthcare, Commercial Aviation, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Video Conferencing Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Solution and Services), By Conference Type (Telepresence System, Integrated System, Desktop System, and Service-based System), By Deployment (Cloud, On-premises), By Enterprises Size (Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Large Enterprises), By Application (Small Rooms, Huddle Rooms, Middle Rooms, and Large Rooms), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

About Us:

Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

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Pune, India, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global woodworking machinery market size is expected to experience exponential growth by reaching USD 6.05 billion by 2028 while exhibiting a CAGR of 3.9% between 2021 and 2028.This information is published by Fortune Business Insights in its latest report, titled, Woodworking Machinery Market, 2021-2028. The report further mentions that the market stood at USD 4.53 billion in 2020. Factors such as the increasing adoption of precision engineering is expected to boost the adoption of advanced woodworking machinery globally. For instance, in 2019, Biesse Group automated its 5-axis heads, a woodworking machine in its production line, to significantly reduce travel time and improve the machine precision on assembly lines.

Request To Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/woodworking-machinery-market-105106

List of the Companies Profiled in the Global Market:

Biesse Group (Italy)

HOLYTEK INDUSTRIAL CORP. (Taiwan)

SCM Group (Italy)

Durr Group (Germany)

Gongyou Group Co., Ltd. (China)

IMA Schelling Group GmbH (Germany)

Michael Weinig AG (Germany)

CKM (Taiwan)

Cantek America Inc. (U.S.)

KTCC WOODWORKING MACHINERY

Oliver Machinery Company (U.S.)

RS WOOD S.R.L. (Italy)

SOCOMEC S.R.L. (Italy)

Solidea Srl (Italy)

Nihar Industries (India)

Leabon Machinery (China)

SOSN (China)

A L Dalton Ltd. (U.K.)

Report Scope & Segmentation -

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021-2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 3.9 % 2028 Value Projection USD 6.05 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 4.53 Billion Historical Data for 2017-2019 No. of Pages 120 Segments covered Type; Application; and Region



Growth Drivers Increasing Adoption of Precise Engineering to Aid Market Growth



Pitfalls & Challenges Health Hazards in Machinery Manufacturing Units is Hampering the Market Growth





COVID-19 Impact: Market to Exhibit -0.4% CAGR in 2020

According to a survey conducted by the Wood Component Manufacturers Association (WCMA), the impact of the pandemic is likely to be long-term and the manufacturers should be open to explore new product options. This is attributed to the disrupted supply chain, halted or suspended manufacturing activities, and reduced workforce due to the lockdown imposed by several government agencies to curb the spread of the disease. Owing to this, the market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of -0.4% in 2020.

Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market.







Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/woodworking-machinery-market-105106





Market Segmentation:

We have divided the market based on type, application, and region.

On the basis of type, the global market for woodworking machinery is segmented into lathe, planer, saw, and others. Moreover, based on type, the lathe segment is expected to experience exponential growth owing to the increasing demand for CNC lathe machines to speed up manufacturing processes. Based on application, the market is bifurcated into furniture, construction, and others. Lastly based on region, the market is categorized into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, South America, and North America.

What does the Report Include?

The global market for woodworking machinery report included an in-depth analysis of the key aspects such as leading companies, product/service types, and leading end-use industries. Besides this, the report offers insights into the market trends and highlights the key industry developments. Additionally, the report encompasses several factors that will impact the market growth in the forthcoming years.

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Adoption of Precision Engineering to Favor Growth

The growing demand for high-quality and safe products is propelling manufacturers to adopt advanced manufacturing processes. The companies are focusing on adopting precision engineering to produce quality products in less time. Moreover, this type of manufacturing process reduces human error risk and further leads to reduced overhead costs. For instance, major manufacturers such as IMA Schelling Group GmbHefficiently adopt advanced woodworking machinery processes to offer precision saws and panel saw series. Therefore, the growing adoption of advanced precision engineering is expected to contribute to the global woodworking machinery market growth in the forthcoming years.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Europe  The region is expected to hold the largest global woodworking machinery market share in terms of revenue during the forecast period. This is attributable to the presence of established woodworking machinery manufacturers in the region. Europe stood at USD 1.84 billion in 2020.

North America  The market in the region is expected to showcase exponential growth backed by the increasing utilization of timber in the construction industry between 2021 and 2028.

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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE:

Product Innovation by Eminent Companies to Intensify Industry Competition

The global market for woodworking machinery is experiencing considerable competition from the players operating in the market. These players are focusing on developing advanced digitization tools by adopting technologies such as the industrial internet of things (IIoT). Moreover, the adoption of strategies such as merger and acquisition, partnership, and facility expansion by other companies to maintain their stronghold is expected to favor market growth.

Industry Development:

June 2020 - SCM Group announced the inclusion of DMC system flexible abrasives modular center in its product range for wide belt sanders. The company reports that the modular center includes a hand scraping unit to achieve superior wood manufacturing finishing levels.

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Table Of Content

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Approach Sources

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Trends Impact of COVID-19 Short-term Impact Long-term Impact

Competition Landscape Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Porters Five Force Analysis Global Market Share Analysis and Matrix, 2020

Value Chain and Sales Channel of Global Woodworking Machinery Market

Key Market Insights and Analysis, By Segments

Profiles of Key Players (Would be provided for 10 players only)

7.1. Overview Key Management Headquarters etc. Offerings/Business Segments



Key Details (Key details are subjected to data availability in public domain and/or on paid databases) Employee Size Past and Current Revenue Geographical Share Business Segment Share Recent Developments

Annexure / Appendix Global Woodworking Machinery Market Size Estimates and Forecasts (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2017-2028 By Type (Value) Lathe Planer Saw Other (Rip Saw, Etc.) By Application (Value) Furniture Construction Others (Shipbuilding, etc.) By Region (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South America



TOC Continued!

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Palletizer Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Technology (Robotic, Low Level or Floor Level and High-Level), By Product Type (Bag, Case, Bag, Pail and Others), By Application (Food & Beverage, Cosmetic & Personal Care, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Others (Chemical, Automotive, etc.) and Geographical Forecasts, 2020-2027

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Metal Cutting Tools Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product (Machining Centers, Lathe Machines, Boring Machines, Grinding Machines, Milling Machines, & Others), By Application (Automotive, General Machinery, Precision Machinery, Transport Machinery, & Others), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027

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Kennett Square, PA, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Good Gaming, Inc. (OTC Pink: GMER) (the "Company") today announced a correction to its press release issued on July 7, 2021, regarding its up-listing to the OTCQB Venture Market.

In the course of its OTCQB application process, the Company received an electronic correspondence from OTC Markets, which it misconstrued. As a consequence, the company inadvertently believed it had satisfied all relevant requirements to accomplish the up-listing. In fact, the company was granted OTCIQ Access by OTC Markets after completing the necessary verifications.

Although the company has filed its OTCQB application with OTC Markets and believes it is in the final period of review, it has not yet been up-listed to the OTCQB Venture Market. The company is hopeful that the up-listing will occur in the following weeks and will issue an updated press release at such time.

About Good Gaming:

Good Gaming is an innovative brand leading the gaming industry across multiple segments in the space since 2008. Beginning with our roots as a collaborative space for gamers to share their knowledge, we went on to establish ourselves as one of the leaders in hosting Hearthstone tournaments. In 2016, we expanded our reach to include establishing multiple Minecraft servers with some of the most popular versions of Prison and SkyBlock, then developing our completely custom-developed NFT DeFi crypto game, MicroBuddies, in 2021. The Good Gaming advantage comes from our development team's close relationship with the player communities of all of our games. The constant communication and resulting feedback further expand our proprietary content, and we continue to be influencers in the realm. Good Gaming continues to find exciting and innovative ways to branch across the gaming industry. As a staff and community our goal is to cement our place as a fun and collaborative place for ALL gamers to enjoy.

For more information about Good Gaming please visit our website:

https://www.good-gaming.com

We invite everyone to join our corporate supported social media platforms to engage with one another, receive reliable up-to-date accurate information, and communicate in our Good Gaming, Inc. and MicroBuddies communities.

Visit us on our social media platforms:

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/GoodGMER

https://www.facebook.com/GoodGamingMC

Twitter

https://twitter.com/microbuddies

https://twitter.com/GOODGMER

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/goodgmer/

Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/MicroBuddies/

Telegram Group

https://t.me/microbuddiesio

Telegram Channel

https://t.me/MicroBuddies

Discord

https://discord.com/invite/MicroBuddies

Safe Harbor

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Good Gaming Inc., its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Good Gaming Inc.'s ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. More information about the potential factors that could affect the business and financial results is and will be included in Good Gaming, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Public Relations and Shareholder Information:

Joseph M. Vazquez III

Phone: (888) 245-3005

Email: infinityglobalconsulting@gmail.com
Targets more than $3bn annual revenue by 2025, through organic growth and M&A



Announces Paul Coutts, former Group CEO of Singapore Post, will join EV Cargo as COO

Internal promotions to support global growth, innovation and sustainability



HONG KONG, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Headquartered in Hong Kong, EV Cargo, a leading global freight forwarding, supply chain and technology company, today outlines ambitious plans for growth and expansion. EV Cargo, which manages supply chains for the worlds leading brands, is targeting to grow from its current base of $1.4bn and surpass $3bn of revenue by 2025 through organic growth and M&A. With an active pipeline of acquisition candidates and well-developed M&A capabilities, EV Cargo plans to build on its strong existing geographic footprint in Asia and Europe, as well as expand into the USA.

With ongoing opportunities and challenges across global supply chains, EV Cargo continues to invest in building a global team positioned for growth and resilience. Following several recent appointments, including Virginia Alzina as Chief Sustainability Officer and board directors Gary Edwards and Rupert Myer, industry veteran Paul Coutts will join EV Cargo as COO on 1 September 2021 and is expected to be based in Singapore. Paul joins from Singapore Post where, as Group CEO, he has overseen the transformation of the 160-year-old Singapore listed company into an innovative global business and pioneer in eCommerce logistics. Prior to SingPost, Paul was Global CEO of Toll Global Forwarding, having previously held top leadership positions at major global logistics and postal companies. With more than 35 years of experience in senior executive level positions in the Logistics Industry, Paul has extensive operational and commercial experience across the logistics spectrum.

As part of its commitment to providing growth opportunities for its people, EV Cargo has announced several internal promotions. Michael Conroy, CEO of EV Cargos Palletforce Express Division for the past 13 years, has been appointed CEO of EV Cargo UK, a newly created role. Michael has managed and overseen over $140m worth of investment from EmergeVest and grown the earnings tenfold to be the clear market leader. Previously, he was part of the successful management team to turnaround the fortunes of ANC Express, which was subsequently sold to FedEx for $169m. The EV Cargo UK structure also includes Ross Eggleton being promoted from Executive Vice Present, Business Development to COO, UK.

EV Cargo has a long-standing commitment to technology and innovation, with an industry-leading digital capability. As part of a planned succession, EV Cargo Technology CEO Craig Sears-Black has taken on a new role of Executive Vice President, Growth & Innovation, and Duncan Grewcock has been promoted to CEO of Technology. Given the important links between EV Cargos Global Forwarding and Technology businesses, Clyde Buntrock, CEO of Global Forwarding will have an expanded role with Technology reporting to him on a global basis. Clydes distinguished logistics career spans more than 25 years and he has contributed significantly to EV Cargos leadership position in global freight forwarding and international supply chain management.

EV Cargo is also pleased to announce that Andy Humpherson, CEO of EV Cargo Solutions, will expand his role to include owned fleet transport, while Wendy Dean joins as Executive Vice President of People. The newly created role focuses on people, culture, and EV Cargos diversity and inclusivity programme.

Heath Zarin, Founder and CEO of EV Cargo, said: EV Cargo is on target to surpass $1.5bn of annual revenue and continues to provide excellent service to our customers during an incredibly challenging time for global supply chains. Thanks to years of hard work by some of the brightest people I have ever worked with, EV Cargo enters this next phase of development from a position of strength, as we power the global economy by providing technology-enabled supply chain services.

We are all very excited about our plans for growth and expansion and I am thrilled that we have managed to assemble such an incredible team of people. I would like to welcome the most recent addition to our senior leadership team, Paul Coutts, who will join us in September from Singapore Post. It is also my pleasure to congratulate Michael Conroy on his promotion to CEO of EV Cargo UK, Clyde Buntrock on his expanded responsibilities and the entire EV Cargo team on our continued success.

Notes for editors

About EV Cargo:

Headquartered in Hong Kong, EV Cargo is a leading global freight forwarding, supply chain and technology services company with over $1.4bn in revenue. EV Cargo powers the global economy by managing supply chains for the worlds leading brands, with a vision to transform logistics into a technology industry.

EV Cargo was created in 2018 by Hong Kong-based growth-oriented private equity investment group EmergeVest, facilitating a step-change in value creation via a sizeable, scalable and diversified logistics-technology company, well-positioned for future growth. Now a global leader, EV Cargo is driving the transformation of logistics into a technology industry, underpinned by its core values of growth, innovation, and sustainability as a signatory to the UN Global Compact.
TORONTO, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: RPX) (Red Pine or the Company) is pleased to report on drill progress at the Wawa Gold Project, including the discovery of new mineralized zones, extension of the Minto Mine South deposit and additional evidence of the continuity of the Surluga resource down plunge.



Highlights of the 2021 drilling program (Tables 1 and 2, Figure 1)

Discovery of a new mineralized structure near the Surluga Mine Shaft containing 3.31 g/t gold over 4.91 metres including 14.70 g/t gold over 1 metre.

Discovery of a shear zone with networks of mineralized veins above the Surluga Deposit containing 3.99 g/t gold over 4.00 metres including 12.80 g/t gold over 1.00 metre.

Discovery of a down-dip extension of the Minto Mine South vein in SD-21-297A 75 metres down-dip of its last know location (assays are pending).

Successful intersection of the Jubilee Shear Zone in SD-21-296A and SD-21-297A showing the continuity of the structure 440 metres away from the current boundary of the resource (assays are pending).

Following the consolidation of the Wawa Gold Project by Red Pine just over three months ago, the Company entered into an extremely competitive marketplace for drill contractors. These conditions have resulted in a longer ramp-up in drilling productivity than originally planned; however, we are pleased with the changes made by our drilling contractor to achieve expected drilling standards.

Red Pine commenced the 2021 exploration program with one drill, and we are pleased to announce that we now have three drills on site with two operating and the third awaiting confirmation of a drill crew. The Company aims to catch up on its drilling plans and be in a position to accelerate the program through 2021. These additional drills should result in a consistent flow of drilling results both from the main deposits at Surluga and Minto Mine South, and from the high priority new target areas at Darwin Grace and the Hornblende Shear once we commence the respective drilling.

The exploration team also progressed surface exploration activities on and adjacent to the recently acquired War Eagle claims, as well as on the southern extension of the Grace Shear Zone. Assays remain pending from these activities.  Quentin Yarie, President and CEO.

Figure 1- 2021 Drill Holes Completed

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10049c81-3163-41cc-ae4a-40be26d80b07

Diamond Drilling

As part of its on-going 2021 exploration drilling program, Red Pine has completed four drill holes, two of which were abandoned at shallow surface on account of too much deviation at the collar of the holes, which would have resulted in the drill holes missing their intended targets in the Jubilee Shear Zone. Two of the completed holes were testing an under-explored area of the Jubilee Stock between the Hornblende and Jubilee Shear Zone near the Surluga mine shaft. The other two drill holes were testing the down-dip extensions of the Minto Mine South and Surluga deposits. Assays remain pending for the lower part of SD-21-296A and for the entirety of SD-21-297A.

Exploratory drilling below the Surluga deposit, near the shaft and workings of the historic Surluga Mine resulted in the discovery of new zones of mineralization between the Jubilee and the Hornblende shear zones of variable width and grade content. The geometry and continuity of these zones are not constrained. Drilling in the southern extension of the Surluga deposit led to the discovery of the potential down-dip extension of the Minto E Shear Zone in which Red Pine obtained significant drilling results in 2017 that included 31.20 g/t gold over 1.02 metres in SD-17-99. Additional drilling will however be necessary to confirm the association between the zone discovered in SD-21-296A and the Minto E Shear Zone.

The Jubilee Shear Zone was successfully intersected in both holes SD-21-296A and 297A, confirming the extension of the structure 440 metres away from the current boundary of the Surluga Deposit resource. Hole SD-21-297A also discovered the extension of the Minto Mine South vein 75 metres down-dip of the current boundaries of the Minto Mine South Deposit resource.

Table 1  Significant drilling intersections from the 2021 drilling program

Hole From

(m) To (m) Length

(m)* True

Width (m) Visible

gold Gold (g/t) Zone SD-21-294

18.6 19.6 1.00 yes 3.95 Tension vein 22.82 23.88 1.06 1.08 Tension vein 44 45 1.00 yes 1.05 Tension vein 152.3 153.3 1.00 1.23 Shear zone 190.87 195.78 4.91 3.31 Shear zone Including 194.78 195.78 1.00 14.70 SD-21-295 199.5 200.79 1.29 2.06 Shear zone SD-21-296A

94.9 98.9 4.00 yes 3.99 Shear Zone

(Probably Minto E) Including 97.9 98.9 1.00 yes 12.8

Table 2 - Coordinates of the reported holes

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m) Status SD-21-294 668150 5316944 353 322 69 332 Completed SD-21-295 668150 5316944 353 333 55 335 Completed SD-21-296 668546 5315425 361 291 73 42 Abandoned because

of deviation SD-21-296A 668546 5315425 361 291 73 687 Completed SD-21-297 668546 5315425 361 280 76 72 Abandoned because

of deviation SD-21-297A 668546 5315425 361 280 76 705 On-going

Surface Exploration

In parallel to its diamond drilling program, Red Pine conducted a prospecting and surface mapping program on and within the surroundings of the War Eagle claims acquired in April 2021. In addition, Red Pine also prospected the southern extension of the Grace Shear Zone and other showings of the property with limited or little recent exploration work conducted.

Field mapping and prospecting on and around the War Eagle claims identified numerous shear zones with visual indicators suggesting the presence of gold mineralization. This includes quartz shear veining, pyrite and arsenopyrite mineralization, and areas of strong biotite or white micas alteration. Field mapping was also successful at confirming the southern extension of the Grace Shear Zone 125 metres along strike of the southernmost extension of the underground workings of the Darwin-Grace mine.

On-site Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures

Drill core samples were transported in security sealed bags for analyses at Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario. Individual samples were labelled, placed in plastic sample bags and sealed. Groups of samples were then placed into durable rice bags and then shipped. The residual coarse reject portions of the samples remain in storage if further work or verification is needed.

Red Pine has implemented a quality-control program to comply with best practices in the sampling and analysis of drill core. As part of its QA/QC program, Red Pine inserts external gold standards (low to high grade) and blanks every 20 samples in addition to random standards, blanks, and duplicates.

Qualified Person

Quentin Yarie, P.Geo. and Chief Executive Officer of Red Pine and the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the news releases technical information.

COVID-19 Precautions

Red Pine has developed and implemented compliant precautions and procedures according to guidelines for the Province of Ontario. Protocols were put in place to ensure our employees and contractors safety, thereby reducing the potential for community contact and spreading of the virus.

About Red Pine Exploration Inc.

Red Pine Exploration Inc. is a gold and base-metals exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "RPX".

For more information about the Company, visit www.redpineexp.com

Or contact:

Quentin Yarie, President and CEO, (416) 364-7024, qyarie@redpineexp.com

Or

Tara Asfour, Investor Relations Manager, (514) 833-1957, tasfour@redpineexp.com

1National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Wawa Gold Project, Brian Thomas P.Geo. Golder Associates Ltd, effective July 16, 2019.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release contains forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland and Labrador, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF), Canadas Ocean Company, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Robotics as a Service (RaaS) contract from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (formerly Nalcor Energy) for the Marine Inspection of Strait of Bell Isle Submarine Cable. This cable provides power to Newfoundland from Labrador. This $598,871 contract was the result of a recent competitive tender issued by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (formerly Nalcor Energy). Under the contract, Kraken will deploy its KATFISH towed SAS sonar system including our Automatic/Remote Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) deployed on the R/V Ocean Seeker. This contract will be executed in Q3, 2021.



Contract Details and Kraken Service Equipment

The Strait of Bell Isle (SOBI) cable crossing design consists of three (3) HVDC cables installed in three (3) HDD cable conduits on each side of the SOBI that protect the cable from icebergs. Each cable is routed along the seabed between the conduit exits on the seafloor from Shoal Cove to Forteau Point, Newfoundland and Labrador. Under the contract, Kraken will survey the three cables along the crossing. Each cable route is approximately thirty-one (31) kilometres long with twenty-seven (27) kilometres laying on the seabed and four (4) kilometres protected by cable conduits. Krakens Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) technology will provide NALCOR with ultra-high 3cm resolution seabed imagery and 3D 25cm resolution bathymetry.

The R/V Ocean Seeker is based out of the Kraken facilities in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The Ocean Seeker is a state of the art 72-foot high-speed Catamaran Survey vessel which holds the Kraken KATFISH, Tentacle Winch, and ALARS (see Figures 1-3). Due to the KATFISHs ability to process SAS data in real-time, data will be instantly viewable onboard the vessel during the survey and any cable or rock berm anomalies identified will be geolocated providing the ability to collect additional data as needed. During these survey operations, the Ocean Seeker will perform 12-hour daily operations of the SOBI submarine cables.

Kraken has tested and validated a robust positioning solution consisting of a tightly integrated Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) solution, based on iXBlue GAPS USBL (on vessel) and iXBlue PHINS C3 INS (on KATFISH). The iXBlue GAPS USBL acoustically tracks the position of the KATFISH, and automatically provides position updates to the iXBlue PHINS C3 INS installed in the KATFISH, via Ethernet communication (over the fiber optic tow cable). The vessel is positioned using a Hemisphere A222 with RTL corrections.

The KATFISH Navigational System includes a sophisticated Fiber-Optic Gyro (FOG) based INS, aided by a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and Depth Sensor integrated into the KATFISH towbody and a FOG-aided USBL positioning system integrated on the tow vessel.

LINKS

www.krakenrobotics.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/krakenrobotics

Twitter www.twitter.com/krakenrobotics

Facebook www.facebook.com/krakenroboticsinc

YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMyaMQnneTeIr71HYgrT2A

Instagram www.instagram.com/krakenrobotics

ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC.

Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX.V:PNG) (OTCQB: KRKNF) is a marine technology company dedicated to the production and sale of software-centric sensors, subsea batteries and thrusters, and underwater robotic systems. The company is headquartered in Newfoundland with offices in Canada, U.S., Germany, Denmark, and Brazil. Kraken is ranked as a Top 100 marine technology company by Marine Technology Reporter.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:



Joe MacKay, Chief Financial Officer

(416) 303-0605

jmackay@krakenrobotics.com

Greg Reid, Chief Operating Officer

(416) 818-9822

greid@krakenrobotics.com

Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations

(647) 955-1274

sean@sophiccapital.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8dcd5e5e-cfcc-47c1-8bbe-ec481ee51fae

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb6a51aa-81c0-4d82-9ef0-5deb92cfa394

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02b7f379-7533-4fd0-a9a7-661cbd590674
Dublin, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Animal Genetics Market 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The publisher has been monitoring the animal genetics market and it is poised to grow by $1.84 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The report on animal genetics market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.



The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the growing consumption of animal-derived food products and growing demand for genetic testing services to reduce livestock diseases.



The animal genetics market analysis includes solution segment and geographic landscape. This study identifies the growing focus on research and development in animal genomics as one of the prime reasons driving the animal genetics market growth during the next few years.

The report on animal genetics market covers the following areas:

Animal genetics market sizing

Animal genetics market forecast

Animal genetics market industry analysis

The publisher's robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading animal genetics market vendors that include Animal Genetics Inc., AquaGen AS, Aviagen Inc., Cooperatie Koninklijke CRV u.a., Genetic Veterinary Sciences Inc, Genus Plc, Hendrix Genetics BV, Neogen Corp., Topigs Norsvin Holding B.V., and Zoetis Inc. Also, the animal genetics market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage all forthcoming growth opportunities.



The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.



The publisher presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. It presents various market facets by identifying the key industry influencers. The data presented is comprehensive, reliable, and a result of extensive research - both primary and secondary. The market research reports provide a complete competitive landscape and an in-depth vendor selection methodology and analysis using qualitative and quantitative research to forecast the accurate market growth.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

Market Overview

2. Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

3. Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

4. Five Forces Analysis

Five Forces Summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

5. Market Segmentation by Solution

Market segments

Comparison by Solution

Live animal - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Genetic testing services - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Genetic materials - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Solution

6. Customer landscape



7. Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Asia - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

ROW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

8. Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

9. Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Animal Genetics Inc.

AquaGen AS

Aviagen Inc.

Cooperatie Koninklijke CRV u.a.

Genetic Veterinary Sciences Inc

Genus Plc

Hendrix Genetics BV

Neogen Corp.

Topigs Norsvin Holding B.V.

Zoetis Inc.

10. Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tsc9f6
Portland, OR, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global network optimization services market generated $3.04 billion in 2020, and is estimated to garner $9.78 billion by 2028, witnessing a CAGR of 16.1% from 2021 to 2028. The report provides a detailed analysis of changing market dynamics, key segments, value chain, regional scenario, top investment pockets, and competitive landscape.

Advancements in network infrastructure and demand for VoIP Services across enterprises drive the growth of the global network optimization services market. However, considerable leaps in WAN and RAN optimization technology hinder the market growth. On the other hand, surge in the number of production facilities that improve the control of the establishment of network and information technology solutions & services present new opportunities in the coming years.

Download ample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/12080

Impact of Covid-19 on Network Optimization Services Market (Pre and Post Analysis)

There has been increase in demand for network optimization services from government agencies and policymakers to implement AI systems, big data analytics, and data analysis software to monitor the spread in real-time, make predictions, and classify Covid-19 treatment drugs.

Many businesses opted for a work from home culture and they employed best measures to ensure optimal performance and security of their network infrastructure due to increase in network threats such as data breaches and hacking.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Network Optimization Services Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/12080?reqfor=covid

The report offers detailed segmentation of the global network optimization services market based on service, application, organization size, industry vertical, and region.

Based on service, the implementation segment accounted for the highest market share in 2020, contributing to more than two-fifths of the total share, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the consulting segment is expected to witness the largest CAGR of 18.1% from 2021 to 2028.

Based on application, the WAN optimization segment held the largest market share, accounting for around half of the global network optimization services market in 2020, and is expected to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue during the forecast period. However, the RAN optimization segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 18.2% from 2021 to 2028.

For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/12080

Based on region, North America contributed to the highest share in 2020, holding nearly two-fifths of the total market, and is estimated to continue its lead position by 2028. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to portray the fastest CAGR of 17.9% during the forecast period.

Leading players of the global network optimization services market analyzed in the research include Solarwinds, Huawei, Cisco Systems, ZTE, Nokia Corporation, Citrix, Infovista, Fatpipe Networks, Circadence, and Netscout Systems.

Official Press Release: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/network-optimization-services-market.html

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About Allied Market Research:

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New York, New York , July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Stream Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK: GSFI) ("the Company") ( https://greensolarutility.com ), an emerging leader in the solar utility and finance space, which recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Chuck's Vintage ( https://chucksvintage.com) , an iconic brand and retail location renown among celebrity elite and fashion enthusiasts alike, that has opened a new retail location in New York City at 173 East 91st Street, Basement, New York, NY 10128 as of 5/21/2021, and was featured in the New York Posts renowned Page Six.

GSFI recently announced that it will be a sponsor for the Polo Hamptons Polo Match and Event also announced that it will be in good company, with the other sponsors of the Match & Event.

The company is featured in the latest issue of Social Life featuring Jennifer Lopez. The magazine is the premier luxury publication for the Hamptons.

A July 24, the event, will be hosted by fashion icon, Christie Brinkley, and includes BMW North America, Turks & Caicos Tourism and Sothebys Realty and more.

The Company and its staff are ready and in-place to promote both Solar and Chucks Vintage to an audience composed of fashionistas, journalists, celebrities, buyers and potential partners for both the Companys divisions.

This match and event are produced each summer in the Hamptons by Social Life Magazine, the Luxury Magazine for the Hamptons, the top luxury publication in the world-renowned Hamptons. The Polo Match & Cocktail Party, held in Bridgehampton, 900 Lumber Lane, on July 24, 2021

CEO James DiPrima said: The clientele attending will include some of the worlds most important influencers and the owners of international trend setting fashion houses and as a sponsor, the Companys representatives will have the opportunity to gain new inroads for the company in both the Chucks Vintage and the Companys cutting-edge solar technologies.

About Chucks Vintage:

Chucks Vintage provides its clients an all access pass to historical fashion. Accessories, garments and complete ensembles from a bygone era, lest we forget its beauty. It seems only fitting that Chucks Vintage would open its doors during a pandemic that is most closely associated with the plague that befell Los Angeles in 1924. In these times of uncertainty, and ever-changing business regulations and restrictions, Chucks Vintage is doing its best to provide clients with a white glove experience.

Established in 2006, Chuck's Vintage is a store unlike any other; a true American original. The moment you step over the threshold at 16618 Marquez Ave, Pacific Palisades 90272, you find yourself amid abundant treasure. The selection of vintage denim has to be seen to be believed. The blue jeans in her store range from Strongholds found in the California Gold Rush mines to World War II-Era Levi's, Lees, and Wranglers, as well as 1960's ladies high-waisted and groovy deadstock Levi's bells. Come to Chuck's for the denim, but stick around and complete your look with the founder's sampling of vintage American workwear: rugged military and work boots, buttery leather bomber jackets, and soft, perfectly worn-in vintage 70's rock tees. Classic American Cool.

Chuck's Vintage was founded by GSFI former CEO Madeline Cammarata (fka Madeline Harmon), who hailed from an illustrious background in fashion. Her career began as a fashion model, where she was soon discovered by the iconic and provocative fashion photographer Helmet Newton, launching Cammarata to the runways of Europe. Returning to the US, Madeline found a powerful niche in the high fashion world of denim, where she was instrumental in providing fabric development for powerful brands like 7 For All Mankind and provided thousands of pieces to celebrity and business elites from Steve Jobs to Morrisey and everywhere in between.

About Green Stream Finance, Inc.

Green Stream Finance, Inc., a solar utility and finance company with satellite offices in Malibu, CA and New York, NY, is focused on exploiting currently unmet markets in the solar energy space, and is currently licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, and Canada. The Company's next-generation solar greenhouses constructed and managed by Green Rain Solar, LLC, a Nevada-based division, utilize proprietary greenhouse technology and trademarked design developed by world-renowned architect Mr. Antony Morali. The Company is currently targeting high-growth solar market segments for its advanced solar greenhouse and advanced solar battery products. The Company has a growing footprint in the significantly underserved solar market in New York City where it is targeting 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of rooftop space for the installation of its solar panels. Green Stream is looking to forge key partnership with major investment groups, brokers, and private investors in order to capitalize on a variety of unique investment opportunities in the commercial solar energy markets. The Company is dedicated to becoming a major player in this critical space. Through its innovative solar product offerings and industry partnerships, the Company is well-positioned to become a significant player in the solar space.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Green Stream Finance, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Green Stream Finance, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

All Inquiries Contact:

+1 (424) 280-4096

president@greenstreamfinance.com

SOURCE: Green Stream Holdings Inc.

Websites: https://chucksvintage.com and https://greensolarutility.com

Instagram: chucksvintageoriginal

Phone number: (646) 669-7007

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (EnWave) announced today that it has signed a Commercial License Agreement (the License) with a leading Colombian dairy company (the Colombian Dairy Company) for the production of shelf-stable dairy snacks in Colombia. The Colombian Dairy Company has also purchased a 10kW Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) machine to initiate commercial production of all-natural cheese snacks.



The License grants the Colombian Dairy Company the exclusive right to produce crunchy, shelf-stable cheese snacks in Colombia pursuant to meeting certain minimum royalty and machine purchase order requirements. These new products will complement the Colombian Dairy Companys broad, existing portfolio of established dairy brands that are currently being sold throughout South America. The Colombian Dairy Company intends to develop and commercialize nutritious, REV dried dairy snacks for the Colombian grocery market and has longer term ambitions to expand distribution into Ecuador and Venezuela, among other South American markets.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5ed4ea4-2932-4f1c-8a49-c804e797d45a

The use of REV to create shelf-stable, value-added dairy products has been proven in over a dozen markets globally. This License marks the inaugural launch of REV dried cheese snacks into the Colombian market and is EnWaves second royalty-bearing license agreement granted to produce dried cheese snacks in South America.

EnWaves scalable and reliable REV technology can be used to produce shelf-stable fruit and vegetable products that are among the best in nutritional value, taste, texture and colour. EnWave has signed 45 royalty-bearing commercial license agreements with companies that are bringing innovative new products to market using EnWaves patented dehydration technology.

About EnWave

EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed a Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV)  an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV technology, shortening the time from harvest to high-quality, marketable cannabis products.

REV technologys commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWaves strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV technology. It has signed over forty royalty-bearing licenses to date in twenty countries worldwide. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market, and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese brand.

EnWave has introduced REV as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV platforms:

nutraREV which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture, and colour; and, quantaREV which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying.



More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net .

EnWave Corporation

Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA

President and CEO

For further information:

Brent Charleton, CFA, President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616

E-mail: bcharleton@enwave.net



Dan Henriques, CPA, CA, CFO at +1 (604) 835-5212

E-mail: dhenriques@enwave.net

For Media Inquiries:

Email: media@enwave.net



Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management's expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing, are forward-looking statements. All third-party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third-party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release
Fort Mill, SC, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fort Mill, SC based Superior Scale Inc. (SSI) is pleased to bring their industrial weighing scales and rental equipment to local businesses. Representing the top ranks of the industry in both South Carolina and North Carolina, Superior Scale Inc. is keen to show new customers why their weighing services and solutions are held in such high regard.

Superior Scale attributes much of their success to their ability to service a wide variety of customers in virtually any weighing-related capacity they may need. The company has performed industrial weighing services for customers from the following industries: food & beverage, vehicle & transportation, shipping & freight, concrete & asphalt, chemical, pharmaceutical & laboratory and more. According to their team, a customer can always expect to approach their representatives and have a satisfactory weighing solution ready by the end of their consultations. Superior Scale is confident that they can rise to meet any challenge no matter the commercial niche a customer may occupy.

Furthermore, the company recognizes that each business has unique needs, and no solution can be deployed on a universal basis. As such, this has the effect of making it difficult for certain customers to decide which weighing products best fit their requirements, especially if they occupy a relatively unknown industry and are just beginning to expand. Fortunately, SSI employs a fully-fledged team of experts who are accustomed to learning everything about a customers operations and systematically developing a solution that suits both their application and budget.

Your time is extremely valuable to you, observes Superior Scale, so we make it our business to minimize how long you have to spend locating the tools you need. Our team has worked with countless customers from innumerable fields, and they have delivered on every occasion. When you approach Superior Scale for assistance, you can expect us to be with you at every step of the process, from helping you develop a solution that meets your operational needs to tailoring our products and services in order to stay within budget. Our foremost goal is always your satisfaction. Learn more here: https://superiorscales.com/products/.

The scales offered by Superior Scale come in several varieties, from forklift/pallet scales and floor scales to analytical balances, load cells, truck or rail scales and more. The company sells and supports products from many top manufacturers, including Rice Lake Weighing Systems, A&D Weighing, Avery-Weigh-Tronix and so on. SSI asserts that any recommendations they make will take each manufacturers individual strengths into account in order to comply with customer requirements.

Alternatively, customers may elect to rent scales and similar equipment rather than make an outright purchase, which can also be an inexpensive way to test the companys solutions before adopting them completely. On the other hand, Superior Scale acknowledges that certain enterprises may only require scales or laboratory balances at infrequent intervals, making their purchase an unnecessary investment. However, this does not mean they should have to make do with substandard equipment. SSI is extremely competent at managing, calibrating and servicing the equipment they sell, and this expertise carries over to their rental options as well. As such, they can provide a full array of scales and balances from grams to 200,000 pounds.

Superior Scale highlights several benefits to renting  in addition to foregoing the initial investment of making a purchase, customers also do not have to concern themselves with maintenance costs or ongoing storage for equipment that does not see much use. SSI has also built a platform that allows customers to receive virtually the same support they would if they owned the equipment, including on-site training (as needed), the ability to request servicing and so on. Equipment may be rented for as long as necessary as well. Learn more here: https://superiorscales.com/rentals/.

Notably, all customers should be aware that the company maintains standard business hours but is willing to accommodate jobs after hours in certain situations. Customers are welcome to contact Superior Scale Inc. for more information on this and any other concerns they may have. They may also visit the companys official website to learn more about their products and services or request a quote. Similarly, they may stay up to date with the companys latest news and announcements through their preferred social media platforms.

###

For more information about Superior Scale Inc., contact the company here:



Superior Scale Inc.

Steve Daniels

(803) 548-3320

info@superiorscales.com

2118 Carolina Place Dr

Fort Mill, SC 29708
MIAMI, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MIAMI BREEZE Car Care Inc., a Florida-based car care company, is proud to announce Romain Grosjean as its first-ever, brand ambassador. Romain Grosjean is a former Formula One driver and now an IndyCar driver. He is synonymous with style, and his dynamic career, both on and off the race track, fully embodies the MIAMI BREEZE brand and its values.



The French/Swiss-man is a passionate supporter of Miami Breeze, and will help deliver our messaging to motorsport fans across the globe. Romain will wear Miami Breeze branding during his 2021 IndyCar racing program and will use his social media reach to promote our products and brand.

Miami Breeze has nailed the new car smell. Its seriously impressive and Im proud to help spread the message! said Romain Grosjean. I feel a natural connection with MIAMI BREEZE. To me, MIAMI BREEZE is not just a car care product, or a new car scent. MIAMI BREEZE is the ultimate necessity of every car owner.

Romain is the perfect personification of MIAMI BREEZEs vision in making our product a Lifestyle, said Wolfgang Ruecker, co-founder and CEO of MIAMI BREEZE. We share a belief that everyone should have access to new car scent at all times. This is the reason we created the MIAMI BREEZE range and we are delighted to welcome him to our MIAMI BREEZE family.

Romain  recent IndyCar driver, a former Formula One pilot, trained chef, husband, father, philanthropist and a mentor  is a popular IndyCar driver and personality in Formula One. The sports global fans have twice voted him their favorite driver. Romain has a devoted and growing social media following of more than 3 million people across Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch and Facebook.

Romain will begin appearing on behalf of MIAMI BREEZE across media platforms starting this month.

ABOUT MIAMI BREEZE

MIAMI BREEZE is a new, US-based brand that develops, manufactures and sells advanced, high-end automotive care products. It has developed a breakthrough product that provides a long-lasting new car scent. The companys products are formulated and made in Germany - the center of the luxury automotive world.

MIAMI BREEZEs goal is to make sure users receive a high-quality product, which cleans and protects all parts of the vehicle, including leather, vinyl, plastic, dashboard, seats, and much more. It also gives the automobile a perfect, fresh, like-new car scent!

To learn more about MIAMI BREEZE, please visit miami-breeze.com or follow

@miamibreeze.carcare on Facebook, and @miamibreeze_carcare on Instagram.

For further information, please contact:

press@miami-breeze.net

Miami Breeze Car Care Inc.

848 Brickell Ave. PH 5

Miami, FL 33131 U.S.A

https://miami-breeze.com/

SOURCE: MIAMI BREEZE

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e22ab520-be62-4e86-8280-9ebd485eb47c
San Antonio, TX, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavors, a nonprofit organization that supports the needs of vulnerable people in crisis, has secured its first corporate donation to benefit the Veteran clients of the soon-to-open Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center. Dallas-based Energy Transfer has committed $250,000 to help fund the Veteran Wellness Center's fitness center.

Designed to be inclusive for all levels of ability, the fitness center's equipment accommodates those who depend on wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility aids as well as those who don't.

Fitness is so important for the mind-body connection," Dr. Jill E. Palmer, LCSW, Acting Chief of Behavioral Health for Endeavors, said. "Being able to move more, exercise, and get a cardio workout several times a week can decrease depression and anxiety and support recovery, to name a few benefits. The Veteran Wellness Center's fitness center will help our Veterans and their family members realize their goals and choose wellness every day at their fitness level.

According to Energy Transfer's Vice President of Corporate Communications, Vicki Granado, the company has a long history of giving back to organizations that support Veterans. "Recognizing and supporting our countrys Veterans has always been important to Energy Transfer and to our employees across the country. We are especially honored to be able to support the Veteran Wellness Center, an amazing facility in San Antonio that will provide unmatched services for Veterans and their families.

Granado, along with several other employees from Energy Transfer joined Endeavors employees at the Veteran Wellness Center for a formal check presentation on Wednesday, July 14th.

In addition to the fitness center, the Veteran Wellness Center will provide integrated behavioral health driven by the vision to restore and improve quality of life and reduce suicides through the Endeavors Wellness Model.

The Veteran Wellness Center complements services already provided at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, San Antonio. These services include mental health care for Veterans, active duty service members, and their families regardless of role or discharge status.

This is a huge step in improving the wellbeing of Veterans and their families, and we couldnt do it without the help of community partners like Energy Transfer," said Endeavors' Chief of Development and Communications, Traci Gomez. This naming opportunity is a wonderful way for Energy Transfer to impact our Veteran community positively, and we are thankful to them for their generosity. We hope others will join Energy Transfer in contributing to naming opportunities for this amazing new building.

The grand opening for the Veteran Wellness Center is scheduled for November 11, 2021. Charter memberships are now available to Veterans, active duty military, their families, and the general public. To learn more about the Veteran Wellness Center, please visit endeavors.org/vwc

About Endeavors

Endeavors is a longstanding national non-profit that provides an array of programs and services in support of children, families, Veterans and those struggling with mental illness and other disabilities. Endeavors serves vulnerable people in crisis through innovative personalized services. For more information, please visit www.endeavors.org.

Attachments
A legendary piece of crypto art titled "CryptoMother" - also known as the Crypto Mona Lisa - will soon be auctioned on the NFT STARS marketplace. The iconic painting is part of a collection called "Art of Blockchain", whose owner, having rejected many lucrative offers over the years, has now decided to put this piece of history back on the market.

Sydney, Australia, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The painting embodies the values of the new era of decentralized finance and represents the mother, protecting all blocks in the network. But what makes this Crypto Mona Lisa a truly unique artwork is that its the only piece of art autographed by the creator of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin. The auctioning of the painting and its NFT is scheduled for 30th July.

A Masterpiece Takes Talent. Spice With Fame, Rich Backstory and Vitalik's Signature - Now You Have a True Legend!

"CryptoMother" is an icon of the crypto industry. Just like a real mother, she protects every block in the network and guides crypto enthusiasts in their decision-making. She is the high power that safeguards the passionate minds of the crypto industry and keeps an eye on the overall order and their well-being.

"CryptoMother" - Where Traditional Fine Art Meets NFT. "CryptoMother" is both a non-fungible token and oil on canvas painting (100  100 cm). Both manifestations of the artwork will be auctioned on the NFT STARS marketplace. The seller will cover the cost of shipping the artwork to the winning bidder.

"CryptoMother" is both a non-fungible token and oil on canvas painting (100  100 cm). Both manifestations of the artwork will be auctioned on the NFT STARS marketplace. The seller will cover the cost of shipping the artwork to the winning bidder. A Well-Known Masterpiece That Has Traveled the World. The artwork was first presented to the public at a blockchain conference in 2017 and since then, the physical painting has been exhibited at various crypto and blockchain conferences around the world - from Russia and the United Arab Emirates to multiple European countries.

The artwork was first presented to the public at a blockchain conference in 2017 and since then, the physical painting has been exhibited at various crypto and blockchain conferences around the world - from Russia and the United Arab Emirates to multiple European countries. Crypto Mona Lisa with Vitalik Buterins Signature. The Crypto Mona Lisa has gained admirers from all over the world and the most famous of them is Vatalik Buterin. The creator of the Ethereum network saw the painting at a blockchain conference and autographed it, making "CryptoMother" the only piece of art to be signed by the revered programmer.

The Crypto Mona Lisa has gained admirers from all over the world and the most famous of them is Vatalik Buterin. The creator of the Ethereum network saw the painting at a blockchain conference and autographed it, making "CryptoMother" the only piece of art to be signed by the revered programmer. A Painting Worth Millions. Since its first appearance in 2017, "CryptoMother" has attracted a lot of attention from digital art collectors, all vying to get hold of this painting for their own collections. In 2018, a millionaire from the United States offered the current owner $6 million for the artwork but was declined on ideological grounds. That year and for many to follow, "CryptoMother" remained unattainable to digital art lovers. Thats all changed now - Crypto Mona Lisa is finally entering the NFT market.

Since its first appearance in 2017, "CryptoMother" has attracted a lot of attention from digital art collectors, all vying to get hold of this painting for their own collections. In 2018, a millionaire from the United States offered the current owner $6 million for the artwork but was declined on ideological grounds. That year and for many to follow, "CryptoMother" remained unattainable to digital art lovers. Thats all changed now - Crypto Mona Lisa is finally entering the NFT market. "CryptoMother" - the Centerpiece of the "Art of Blockchain" Collection. "CryptoMother" is the centerpiece of the "Art of Blockchain" collection consisting of 5 NFT works of art and their original oil paintings - "CryptoMother"; Miss Coin; CryptoFather; Ethereum; and Bitcoin. The "Art of Blockchain" symbolizes the merge of contemporary art with modern science and honors important milestones and figures of the blockchain industry. All 5 pieces in the collection will be auctioned on the same day - 30.07.2021. If a buyer manages to purchase "CryptoMother" together with the rest of the collection, he will become the owner of the most unique assemblage of artwork whose value, in both the traditional fine art and NFT worlds, cannot be overestimated.

"CryptoMother" is the centerpiece of the "Art of Blockchain" collection consisting of 5 NFT works of art and their original oil paintings - "CryptoMother"; Miss Coin; CryptoFather; Ethereum; and Bitcoin. The "Art of Blockchain" symbolizes the merge of contemporary art with modern science and honors important milestones and figures of the blockchain industry. All 5 pieces in the collection will be auctioned on the same day - 30.07.2021. If a buyer manages to purchase "CryptoMother" together with the rest of the collection, he will become the owner of the most unique assemblage of artwork whose value, in both the traditional fine art and NFT worlds, cannot be overestimated. Charity. Another important fact to note is that the current owner of the Art of Blockchain has stated that part of the auction proceeds will be donated to a charity organization determined by the buyer.

Protecting the Network in the Midst of the London Fork - Perfect Timing for "CryptoMother"

For a long time, the owner of this artwork rejected all offers from potential buyers. They explained that the decision to keep the painting and to display it at conferences was taken because of its significance and the value it represents. The owner was placing special value on the piece and wasnt interested in chasing money.

The Crypto Mona Lisa's release back to the market coincides with Ethereum's London Hard Fork, which is expected to be launched on 4th August 2021. The painting marks a turning point in the history of the network and celebrates the improvements and innovations to come.

Ethereum made a huge impact on the evolution of the crypto ecosystem, inspiring and empowering many developers to launch a plethora of dApps and services. "CryptoMother" appeals to the parallels between the importance of the network for the whole blockchain ecosystem and the role of the mother guarding over all crypto enthusiasts.

NFT STARS, the team organizing the auction, expects to hit several records with its "Art of Blockchain" drops. Each piece in the collection is unique in its own right, however, when properly appreciated together, the "Art of Blockchain" represents the core values and aspirations of the crypto community.

Learn more about the NFT STARS marketplace from the company's official pages: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Telegram | Facebook | Medium | YouTube.

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Green Bay, Wis., July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schneider (NYSE: SNDR), a premier provider of trucking, intermodal and logistics services, announced plans today to build The Grove, Schneiders innovation center, on the companys main campus in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.

The Grove is not only an investment in Schneider but also the community, said Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke. It is a representation of our commitment, willingness and capability to continue to adapt, change and thrive.

The over 20,000 square-foot building will house the newest collaboration and visualization technologies allowing Schneider associates to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation and user experience technologies and drive forward new business processes to transform the company.

Schneider associates have always excelled at exploring new possibilities and developing new ideas with customers, suppliers and other innovators, said Schneider Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Shaleen Devgun. The Grove will expand on that. It will be a unique place for us to focus on disruptive innovation and rethink how we do things.

The Grove will be located on land south of Schneiders existing headquarters building in Ashwaubenon. The buildings proximity to the main campus will make it easy for customers, vendors and fellow innovators to move between buildings and keep the spirit of innovation alive and well in northeast Wisconsin.

Construction begins this fall, with the facility opening in late 2022.

Note to the media: Schneider Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Shaleen Devgun and Vice President of IT Strategy, Planning and Architecture Brian Stuelpner are available for in-person interviews today (Monday, June 19) between 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Please contact Kara Leiterman at 920-370-7188 to set up an interview. Renderings of The Grove are available for download on schneider.com/news/media-kit. Click on Images and scroll down to The Grove.

About Schneider

Schneider is a premier provider of transportation and logistics services. Offering one of the broadest portfolios in the industry, Schneiders solutions include Regional and Long-Haul Truckload, Expedited, Dedicated, Bulk, Intermodal, Brokerage, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management, Port Logistics and Logistics Consulting.

With $4.6 billion in annual revenue, Schneider has been safely delivering superior customer experiences and investing in innovation for over 85 years. The companys digital marketplace, Schneider FreightPower, is revolutionizing the industry giving shippers access to an expanded, highly flexible capacity network and provides carriers with unmatched access to quality drop-and-hook freight  Always Delivering, Always Ahead.

For more information about Schneider, visit Schneider.com or follow the company socially on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: @WeAreSchneider.

Source: Schneider SNDR

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Alexandria, VA, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of a continued effort to support and improve evidence-based care in free and charitable clinics, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, in conjunction with Heart to Heart International (HHI) and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), today announced product-based grants to six clinics across the U.S. through the Point of Care, Enhancing Clinical Effectiveness (PoCECE) program.

PoCECE is a multi-year initiative that began in 2017, providing organizations caring for underserved and vulnerable populations in the U.S. with essential point of care diagnostic testing tools, allowing clinicians to evaluate patients on site and get diagnostic test results before they leave the clinic. The program is funded by BD, totaling more than $1 million in cash and product donations to date  including $360,000 in cash and $14,000 in product for 2021  and implemented by HHI in conjunction with the NAFC. With this years grant to the six selected clinics, over 18,000 patient visits are expected to be positively impacted through the enhanced diagnostic capabilities.

Each grant consists of a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment-waived point-of-care test system consisting of instruments, reagents and quality control to perform the following tests: Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, Macroscopic Urinalysis, Microalbumin, INR, Hemoglobin A1c, Strep A, HIV, Rapid Hepatitis C, Pregnancy, Flu A & B, and RSV. The grants also include technical support consisting of standard operating procedures, equipment setup and configuration, competency training and documentation.

This program and partnership with BD and NAFC fit wholly within Heart to Heart Internationals mission to improve health access for people in need across the United States, says Kim Carroll, HHI CEO. By utilizing these laboratory tools, clinics can deliver timely lab results and are ultimately able to positively impact the diagnoses and health care for thousands of people in underserved communities throughout the country.

Jennifer Farrington, Senior Director of Social Investing at BD and Vice President of the BD Foundation said, The recipients of this years grant are actively working to make an impact on their communities  most notably for those patients that may not otherwise have reliable access to health care services. Our collaboration with HHI and NAFC has been essential in providing funding and resources to these hard-working clinics and rewarding their dedication to health care.

Nicole Lamoureux, NAFC President and CEO said, The NAFC is thankful for the continued support of BD and HHI as this program helps grantees improve access to care as they continue to address the health disparities and social determinants of health issues facing their communities. More than 2 million medically underserved people receive health care at the 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics throughout the country, and a large percentage of those patients are dealing with chronic diseases that require laboratory testing for diagnosis and monitoring. This program allows grantees that operate with limited resources to enhance their onsite capabilities and, in turn, improve health outcomes for their patients.

The Free and Charitable Clinics that will receive the 2020/2021 PoCECE grant are:

Centre Volunteers in Medicine  State College, PA

Heart Ministry Center/Porto Medical Clinic  Omaha, NE

Community Care Clinic of Rowan County  Salisbury, NC

Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley  Elkin, NC

Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires  Great Barrington, MA

People's Health Clinic  Park City, UT

Previous grant recipients are:

Clarkston Community Health Center Inc. (CCHC)  Clarkston, GA (2019)

Center for Healing & Hope  Goshen, IN (2019)

The Health Hut  Ruston, LA (2019)

Community Free Clinic, Inc.  Hagerstown, MD (2019)

Free Clinic of Meridian  Meridian, MS (2019)

St. Mary's Health Wagon  Wise, VA (2019)

St. Vincent de Paul Medical & Dental Clinic  Phoenix, AZ (2018)

Hope Health Clinic  LaGrange, KY (2018)

HealthFinders Collaborative, Inc.  Faribault, MN (2018)

Clinic with a Heart  Lincoln, NE (2018)

Ubi Caritas Health Ministries  Beaumont, TX (2018)

Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services  Goochland, VA (2018)

Community Health Services of Union County  Monroe, NC (2017)

Free Clinic of Franklin County  Rocky Mount, VA (2017)

Downtown Clinic  Laramie, WY (2017)

###

About BD

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/ and Twitter @BDandCo.

About Heart to Heart International

Heart to Heart International is a global health organization. Since its founding in 1992, HHI has delivered medical aid and supplies worth $2 billion to more than 131 countries, including the United States. HHI responds to crises and natural disasters both domestically and internationally by supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers. HHI broadens access to healthcare with medical education opportunities and laboratory standards training in the U.S. and in Haiti and also works with U.S. safety-net clinics to increase their capacity by providing medical equipment, supplies and volunteers that are vital to operations. The organization is a Charity Navigator 4-Star charity, a BBB Accredited charity, and is on the "Philanthropy 400". HHI is a founding member of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD) and is a member of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). For more information on programs and ways to get involved, visit hearttoheart.org & find HHI on Facebook.

About National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c (3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care and strives to be a national voice promoting quality health care for all. For more information about the NAFC, please visit www.nafcclinics.org.

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Toronto, CANADA, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FreshBooks, a Canadian cloud accounting software with paying customers in 100+ countries, announced that it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ontario government to share data and insights regarding small business recovery trends. The MOU will help small businesses and entrepreneurs by using FreshBooks data to help identify weaknesses and gaps in government programs to support timely and impactful decision making and policy development. The data, which is representative of FreshBooks extensive business owner base in Ontario, will be anonymized and aggregated before being shared with the provincial government.

Access to timely, quality data makes all the difference when it comes to making good decisions both in government and in business. Were glad to share our lens and insights, and play an important part in this next phase of small business recovery, said Paul Cowan, Chief Marketing Officer, FreshBooks. Were eager to provide this valuable line of sight for Ontarios policymakers into whats happening in the small business sector.

Recent insights from FreshBooks data include:

COVID-19 has exacerbated the stressors that small business owners face, especially for women-owned businesses. Women-owned businesses in Canada took nearly twice as long to recover from the financial setbacks brought on by COVID-19 than businesses owned by men.

Some industries have experienced significant growth, for example the Construction and Trades industry which saw a 10% increase in new clients compared to other industries, others have had a tougher time navigating the pandemic.

Ontario-based businesses saw revenues decline by over 10%, on average, during the start of the provinces most-recent stay-at-home order which began at the start of April.*

FreshBooks data-sharing partnership with the Ontario government is meant to provide advocacy and support, and aims to shine a light on how small businesses are affected by policy change and seismic events. In September 2020, the company also launched its Your Voice program, a virtual, lunch-time roundtable series connecting FreshBooks customers directly with policymakers from all areas and levels of politics. The series provides a forum for small business owners to share their views and experiences first-hand with those who have the ability to make changes that impact their lives and businesses.

Earlier this month, FreshBooks rolled out the ability for Canadian customers to pay for their subscriptions in Canadian currency along with clear and transparent pricing plans. Following its built-for-owners philosophy, these new service offerings aim to meet the growing demand and unique needs of Canadas small business ecosystem. Learn more about the newly launched Canadian pricing page: https://www.freshbooks.com/en-ca/pricing.

*This data point was calculated using proprietary data from FreshBooks during the period of April 5th, 2021 and May 31st, 2021. It analyzes the Total Revenue metric for full-time and part-time businesses in Ontario.

About FreshBooks

FreshBooks is changing the way business owners manage their books. Its owner-first accounting platform, loved by businesses in over 100 countries, takes an easy-to-use approach to managing finances, billing, payments, and client engagement. FreshBooks, known for its 10x Stevie award winning customer support, serves customers of all sizes from offices in Canada, Croatia, Mexico, Netherlands, and US.

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Gloucester - Edmund P. Noble Jr., 68, of Gloucester, passed away Saturday evening, July 17, 2021, at his home. He was the husband of Faye (Paris) Noble. Born in Gloucester, he was the son of the late Edmund and Barbara L. (Goss) Noble. He was raised and educated in Gloucester and graduated f
TOPEKA [mdash] Melvin J. Petersheim, 81, of Topeka, died on Thursday. Visitation after 2 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday at the Lynn Miller residence, 6765 W. 300 S. Topeka. Funeral services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday also at the Lynn Miller residence.
The city of Moscow is planning to bring back river public transport after an absence of 16 years. Water transport first appeared in the city in 1923. In 1960s it was in great demand. In 2006 regular water transport on the Moskva River stopped runningonly leisure trips remained. 49 bridges span the river and its canals within the citys limits.





Landsat view of Moscow and Moskva River. February 2021

The Mayor of Moscow supports the implementation of the project and it will be launched in stages. As a first step, electric river trams will start shuttles regularly in 2022, and their number on cruise will gradually increase.

The carrying capacity of each route will be 15-16 thousand passengers per day; this will be another important element of Moscow transport and a convenient alternative to a personal car.





Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin inspects the model of the future Moscow passenger electric ship.

The future river vessels will be 100% electricthe same as Moscows city electric buses. The Moscow vessels will be spacious: about 22 meters in length, each with 42 seats, two of which are for people with disabilities. The cabin will have information screens, USB charging, Wi-Fi, places for scooters and bicycles, as well as comfortable seats and tables for working with a laptop.





One of mandatory terms for the supplier is a service contract; repair and maintenance remains with the manufacturer 24/7 for 15 years. It will give confidence that the manufacturer fully understands its responsibility and will produce reliable transport for the daily transportation of Muscovites and guests of the city.

All terms and requirements will be spelled out in the technical specification for the production of electric vessels. Moscow plans to launch the competition in September of this year.

Passengers will be able to pay for the trip with a Troika card, a bank card or using a biometric system. Single travel tickets holders will be able to travel on the ship at no additional cost.

A difficult challenge is the development of berths. Careful reconstruction and improvement of their availability will be required. For example, the transfer of surface transport stops or the creation of new pedestrian routes are necessary for the maximum convenience of future passengers. Some of the berths are equipped with charging stations for fast charging of vessels. Testing the first charging spot at one of the berths of route N 1 is already planned.
Support local journalism

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free.

Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.


Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

GREEWICH  First Selectman Fred Camillo is urging all residents to consider helping the American Red Cross by donating blood in the next two weeks.

Rising trauma cases, organ transplants and elective surgeries are depleting the blood supply across the country, Camillo said in a statement. The Red Cross urgently needs blood donors of all types, especially type O, and platelet donors to overcome this severe blood shortage, he said.
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP)  Three young men who likely died from carbon monoxide exposure while camping near a country music festival in Michigan were pals who played high school football together.

They were identified as Dawson Brown, 20, William Mays Jr., 20, who was known as Richie, and Kole Sova, 19, authorities said.

My heart is breaking for these families and the ones still fighting for their lives, said Mays' mother, Amy Satterthwaite, referring to two more friends who were at a hospital.

The deaths Saturday probably were caused by carbon monoxide from a portable generator that was operating too close to their travel trailer, Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier said Monday.

The victims likely were asleep and never knew what happened, Bevier told The Associated Press.

The other men, Rayfield Johnson and Kurtis Stitt, both 20, remained in critical condition, he said.

They were at a campground across the road from the Faster Horses Festival, a weekend country music show, at Michigan International Speedway, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Detroit.

"Our hearts are broken for the families, friends and loved ones," festival organizers said on Facebook.

Brown, Mays and Sova graduated from Michigan Center High School in Michigan Center, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) west of Detroit. Brown had a landscape and lawn business. Mays had talked about selling insurance. Sova worked at the Jiffy Mix plant in Chelsea and had taken college classes.

Classmates, friends and relatives gathered Sunday at Sova's home to share their sorrow, MLive.com reported.

They had a good life, Sova's father, Jerry Sova, said. I think it is important to focus on that, too.

Separately, state police were investigating the death of Melissa Havens, 30, of Croswell, at the festival Saturday. The cause and manner of her death still weren't publicly disclosed.
GREENWICH  The recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in town is something of concern, town Director of Health Caroline Baisley said Monday.

We started to see the spike in the latter part of June, which I began to be concerned about, Baisley said. It started around June 25, but Id seen some incline over the last six weeks and weve seen a total of 43 cases (in town) over the last six weeks.

According to the town of Greenwich, 18 new coronavirus cases were reported between July 9 and July 16.

Cases are also on the rise in the state and across the world after a dramatic decrease in early summer, she said.

Some of the cases in Greenwich involved family transmissions, due to close contact and large summer gatherings, Baisley said. But what stands out among the new cases is that they are not just among those who are not vaccinated, she said.

The issue here is were seeing breakthrough cases, which is for someone who has been fully vaccinated, Baisley said. Then they have been in contact with the COVID virus, most likely a variant of the virus itself, and have come down with symptomatic COVID-19. Were seeing this nationwide. This is not just occurring in Greenwich, Connecticut. Its happening everywhere in the United States.

But Dr. Gavin McLeod, head of infectious diseases at Greenwich Hospital, said the state has not seen a major increase in cases of COVID-19 and said the vaccines have shown to be effective against the variants.

In other parts of the country, there have been increases, especially in the states where theres poor vaccination rate, McLeod said. He said the states tracking for the Delta variant shows that it is here, but it hasnt yet manifested in cases for the Yale New Haven Health System, which he says is an encouraging sign that the vaccine protects against this strain.

On Monday, Greenwich Hospital reported it had no COVID-positive patients. The last COVID-19 patient at the hospital was there July 13. Since the start of July, it has not had more than two people admitted with the virus.

Pandemic of the unvaccinated

Baisley stressed that a person who is fully vaccinated is protected from the virus and its variants causing a severe illness or hospitalization, but it does not mean a person cannot get the virus. The federal Centers for Disease Control have issued the same warnings.

You can still get the virus, she said. Right now we have the very strong Delta variant of the virus circulating.  It might not be a dominant strain, but of course its getting there. Its circulating and the more it circulates, the more people may get exposed to it whether they are vaccinated or unvaccinated.

The unvaccinated people have a higher risk of any virus in experience. That we do know and the CDC has called it a pandemic of the unvaccinated, she said. Theyre more at risk than anyone, but you dont want to get the virus even if you are vaccinated. Even a mild case of COVID-19 is not good.

Baisley said there has been no sequencing to link the Delta variant, which is easier to spread and potentially more damaging, to Greenwich. But she said she does not think it was the form of the virus that was seen last spring that people who are fully vaccinated are catching.

There are other variants, including one called Alpha that has been identified in Greenwich. she said. Its just a matter of time before Delta is the dominant strain, as it is in other countries, Baisley said.

Masks and vaccines

On Monday Baisley urged people to wear masks in large groups or when around others who might not be vaccinated. And, if someone has not yet done so, to become fully vaccinated, she said.

As of Friday, 68.14 percent of Greenwich residents had received one shot of the vaccination and 62.08 percent were fully vaccinated, she said. Doses of the vaccine are available in local pharmacies for those in need, Baisley said.

There is evidence of a summer lull of people not getting vaccinated, but she predicted that would change closer to the fall.

People need to be fully vaccinated, she said, and just one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is not good enough for full protection. Anyone who needs a second dose does not need to start over, Baisley said. Just make an appointment for the second dose, she said.

Baisley said she still wears a mask. She urged residents to follow the states recommendations, which are posted at www.greenwichct.gov under her departments section. The website also includes a list of places to get the vaccine and advises all people to wear masks when in large groups.

Of course you dont have to wear one, but the recommendation for consideration is that if youre in a very large crowd where social distancing isnt even a prayer, you probably need to wear one, Baisley said. Is it a regulation? No. Is it a recommendation? Yes, and its a wise recommendation.

McLeod pointed to the CDC regulations that masks are not needed outdoors but said people should wear masks when in a large crowd, such as at a concert or a sporting event.

I dont think its something where you have to be extra concerned at this point, he said. It does show the Delta variant is blocked by people who have received both doses of the vaccine. I think the people who should be concerned are the people who are not vaccinated.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
Introduction

We'll readily admit that 3D printing is not our primary field on interest here at GSMArena. That being said, we are all passionate tech nerds and with plenty of varied interests. Ask around the office and you can get solid, in-depth information on anything from cars and fridges to drones and single-board computers and everything in-between, both size and complexity-wise. You get the point.

When CREALITY reached out asking if we wanted to check out their HALOT-ONE (CL-60) Resin 3D printer (for a fair and unsponsored review), we just couldn't pass up on the opportunity as 3D printing has been an area of interest of mine for quite some time.

I have been doing Fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing for over a year now as a hobby on and off and have owned a total of three 3D printers - my current Monoprice Select Mini V2, which is the only one I could reasonably keep with limited home space and before that Prusa i3, which replaced my original Ender 3. So, my baby steps into 3D printing as a whole were done on one of Creality's 3D printers from the ever-popular Ender line and in a poetic turn on events, I am about to venture into Resin 3D printing on another Creality product.

So, tl;dr - I am well-versed in 3D printing tech and have what I would call above-average practical experience with traditional FDM printing.

I had plenty of theoretical knowledge on resin printing, but zero experience so I approached reviewing the Creality HALOT-ONE from the point of view of a novice and someone who's more accustomed to FDM 3D printing. And this might just be the perfect profile of most first-time resin 3D printer afficionados.

Resin 3D printing? What is it and is it better than FDM?

If you are already in the know, feel free to skip to the next part, but many of you might still appreciate a crash course.

What most people associate 3D printing with is Fused deposition modeling (FDM). This is the type of printing where you typically have a printer head that heats up and extrudes filament, like PLA on onto a base layer by layer and line by line. This is facilitated by 3-dimensional motion from a combination of the printer head and the printer base. Simply put - you add three-dimensional lines one by one, starting from the bottom and then layering everything to the top.

Resin 3D printing is a totally different process. Instead of hard filament that gets melted down, it uses resin as its raw material, which comes in liquid form. This liquid is basically composed of a mixture of different monomers and oligomers - short chains made mostly of carbon atoms and a few functional groups. Left in this state, they will remain in liquid form. The goal is to create longer chains using these monomers and oligomers which will eventually form the hard-plastic material for our 3D prints. This hardening or curing is achieved by precisely introducing UV light into areas of the liquid resin, hardening it and then moving on to the next layer. On a purely mechanical level, the process typically involves a base plate that is upside down and submerged in a pool of resin and as the printing progresses, gets pulled up layer by layer.

Before we go over the different sub-types of resin 3D printing, a major note to make is that resin can be harmful to you and the environment. Working with resin (even the increasing number of eco-friendly options) requires taking precautions.

You should not allow direct skin and especially eye contact with resin in its liquid state. Once cured, it becomes a lot safer and even benign to handle, but should still not be ingested or used to store food and drink. The curing process itself also involves some fumes so you better ensure proper air extraction.

The printers, themselves typically take great care to contain said fumes, like the plexiglass dome covering the Creality HALOT-ONE. Still, you should only use a resin 3D printer in a well-ventilated area and not breathe in the fumes. Don't go outside though, since the resin is UV-reactive and does not play well with sunlight. So, to sum up - gloves, goggles, good airflow or even a mask and don't skip the user manual.

If you have used or researched traditional FDM 3D printing, this is about the time that this whole resin thing starts to sound a bit too much with all the extra precautions.

What do you stand to gain over FDM? Well, the biggest potential benefit of resin 3D printing is likely going to be resolution and quality. Even with a cheaper, non-pro grade LCD printer, like the HALOT-ONE, you can get significantly better and finer details than with a similarly-priced FDM printer.

Another quick tl;dr then - if you are looking to print things like miniatures for board games, highly detailed models, or production-quality parts, then an SLA/DLP/LCD resin printer is the best choice for its better resolution. For larger-scale models and things like rapid prototyping - a traditional FDM extrusion printer is typically better. They also tend to offer larger building areas on average than resin units.

Finally, we can't just toss in a trio of abbreviations like SLA/DLP/LCD without offering at least some basic explanation. Stereolithography (SLA) is kind of the original and oldest resin-based 3D printing technology, which is why SLA is sometimes used to denote resin 3D printing as a whole. It uses an actual laser beam, directed by mirrors called galvanometers to cure the resin.

The laser cures a spot by spot and then area by area, which can be a bit slow. Relatively speaking, of course, to tech like Digital Light Processing (DLP). You might have heard this exact abbreviation In relation to video projectors. It is, in fact, the same tech, just tweaked for better and more controlled UV exposure. Instead of a guided laser, a DLP projector generates the UV light by flashing onto an entire layer of resin at a time, selectively solidifying the part using thousands of minuscule mirrors called DMDs (digital micromirror devices) that direct the projection of light.

The latest and trendy tech is Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). It is quite similar to DLP in that it cures resin one layer at a time, but does not use mirrors. This is part of the reason why it is typically cheaper to manufacture, which has allowed for resin 3D printer prices to drop down to FDM levels in the non-professional space.

Creality HALOT-ONE is based exactly on LCD tech and part of the reason why it even exists and at such a price that it is even relevant for us to be testing it as a hobbyist/non-professional tool, rivaling FDM printers in the first place.

The topic of underlying tech goes way beyond this brief introduction and is quite fascinating. We won't be delving any deeper, since we really should get to some actual bits about the HALOT-ONE in particular. However, as one final note - the HALOT-ONE uses a monochrome LCD module, as opposed to a color one. You can google the particular benefits if you like and delve into LCD sub-pixel aperture ratios, degree of polarization and UV transmission percentages. The important things about the use of monochrome tech, however, boil down to decreased layer exposure times and faster prints, as well as a longer lifespan for the LCD panel itself.

HALOT-ONE specs and features overview

The Creality HALOT-ONE (CL-60) is actually the smaller and slightly toned-down version of the HALOT-SKY (LC89) flagship. It carries over a lot of its features, which, admittedly, Creality could have done a better job describing or at least translating in English.

Creality HALOT-ONE (CL-60) specs at a glance:

Dimensions: 221x221x404mm, 7.1kg (Package: 295*295*545mm, 8.8kg); fully-assembled out of the box.

221x221x404mm, 7.1kg (Package: 295*295*545mm, 8.8kg); fully-assembled out of the box. Z-axis type: single slide rail, with T-type screws and coupling

single slide rail, with T-type screws and coupling Light source: 120W, self-developed integral light source system with over 80% illumination uniformity. 6 light sources, 3800uw/cm2 output.

120W, self-developed integral light source system with over 80% illumination uniformity. 6 light sources, 3800uw/cm2 output. Technology: 5.96-inch, 2K (2560 x 1620 pixel) monochrome LCD display.

5.96-inch, 2K (2560 x 1620 pixel) monochrome LCD display. Bed leveling: manual.

manual. Print size: 127x80x160mm.

127x80x160mm. Performance: 0.01-0.05mm axis precision; 0.01-0.2mm layer size; 1-10s/layer curing speed; 60mm/h curing speed; 1-4s layer printing speed.

0.01-0.05mm axis precision; 0.01-0.2mm layer size; 1-10s/layer curing speed; 60mm/h curing speed; 1-4s layer printing speed. I/O: Wi-Fi, full-sized USB Type-A x1 and USB Type-B x1.

Wi-Fi, full-sized USB Type-A x1 and USB Type-B x1. Printing material: 405nm wavelength UV resin.

405nm wavelength UV resin. CPU: 64-bit 4-core CPU/GPU, based on ARM Cortex-M4 cores.

64-bit 4-core CPU/GPU, based on ARM Cortex-M4 cores. UI: 5-inch touch screen with simple visual interface, with OTA firmware update support; Linux kernel.

5-inch touch screen with simple visual interface, with OTA firmware update support; Linux kernel. Other features: Activated carbon air filtration and cooling system; Creality Box slices software provided from manufacturer, mobile app support; 110-240v power support.

We'll go over some of Creality's highlights, but from a purely practical standpoint, we have to say that the HALOT-ONE is surprisingly compact.

Measuring 221x221x404mm, it technically takes up less desk space than my current, daily-driver Monoprice Select Mini v2 FDM printer. Though, not particularly light at 7.1kg.

One of my biggest and very few issues with the Select Mini is its build volume of 120x120x120mm. That is just too small and I have had to cut and join many of my prints. The HALOT-ONE advertises a maximum print size of 127x80x160mm, which is not too much of an adjustment for me, personally, but is objectively small. Resin 3D printing is a whole other ballgame, meant for higher detail in smaller models so you may not need the bigger size but it's still an important consideration.

Performance, resolution, accuracy and uniformity on an LCD resin 3D printer like the HALOT-ONE mostly come down to the quality and precision of the UV light source. We already mentioned this particular model uses a monochrome LCD panel, which has its benefits over standard color ones. Plus, the 5.96-inch panel has a resolution of 2560*1620 pixels, which is quite respectable. This gives a print granularity of about 50 microns, which is par for the course for the popular budget resin 3D printers on the market.

As far as the actual light source, passing through said LCD, the HALOT-ONE has a 120W, self-developed integral light source system, which promises an impressive above 80% illumination uniformity. There are a total of six light sources in the HALOT-ONE (half of what the HALOT-SKY has at 12), capable of outputting 3800uw/cm2.

Creality is also proud of its z-axis control system. The linear guide tail is widened and thickened compared to previous designs and uses t-type screws, which combined promises micron-grade precision. Layer thickness can be as little as 0.01mm up to 0.2mm, which is quite precise, indeed, and just as precise as on the higher-end HALOT-SKY model.

The thermal management system of the HALOT-ONE is also a highlighted selling point, which includes a custom-made heat-sink, a cooling fan and an activated carbon air filtration system, which should help in safeguarding the user from the resin fumes.

Finally, Creality is also proud of its integrated 5-inch touchscreen for controlling the operation of the HALOT-ONE, alongside what it calls a simple interface with "strong control sense". We'll get to that in a bit.

Like most 3D printers, you can either load up ready printing files to a storage medium and just plug it into the HALOT-ONE via the full-size USB Type-A port. Or you can hook it up to a computer and control it that way, using Creality's slicer/controller software.

The HALOT-ONE also has a mobile app for convenience and Wi-Fi to go along with that. The latter can also be used to receive OTA firmware updates straight on the machine. We appreciate the nifty little convenience features.

Packaging, build quality

Resin 3D printing has a bit of a learning curve to it, no way around it. There are certain things Creality and the HALOT-ONE do great in respect to easing the user into the process, but also some glaring omissions.

Let's start with the better aspects, like the packaging and provided accessories. The HALOT-ONE ships pretty much fully assembled and in a very sturdy package. There is plenty of dense foam both on the outside of the machine, as well as on the inside, keeping the sensitive bits, like the vertical rail safe. Nothing can move around, which is great to see.

The only "assembly" that needs to be done is to screw the building plate into its place, which is done with a big and convenient wheel for tightening and untightening.

The resin vat is also held in place securely by two screws with the same style of bid and is easy to turn with gloves on plastic bits. This is very much appreciated for the sheer convenience it provides once everything starts getting covered in resin.

Most of the parts on the HALOT-ONE, especially those you interact with, are incredibly solid and made of thick heavy metal. That includes the vat and the building plate.

The only real complaint we have with the otherwise stellar build quality of the unit is the fact that the lip on which the transparent top cover is meant to rest on top of is quite slim and does not provide a secure fit. It doesn't slide off or anything, but we would have still appreciated a tighter fit. Even so, once on, the top lid does its primary job of keeping the nauseous printing fumes well contained.

We guess the activated carbon air filtration system is also helping in this regard. The small fan, actually moving the air around is a bit loud. Then again, the other moving parts on the HALOT-ONE are virtually silent and overall, it makes less noise than most traditional FDM 3D printers.

Initial setup and learning curve, accessories, other things necessary for printing

There are plenty of additional goodies packaged in with the HALOT-ONE. Naturally, you get a power cord (standard PC PSU plug) and a user manual.

Beyond that, Creality also provide a nice and thick brush, mostly for keeping things like the glass surface of the printing area clean. Then there is a metal spatula, meant for scraping ready prints off of the build plate. You also get a few paper funnel/filters, which can come in handy when handling slightly older or contaminated resin.

That's a good example of Creality making the extra effort for convenience. The same can be said about the set of Allen wrenches included in the box. You technically just need the one to level your build plate, but Creality has been nice enough to also supply the ones necessary for some basic disassembly of the HALOT-ONE. There is even a detailed schematic of the main control board on the machine inside the manual, which is admirable in terms of repairability potential.

The bottom of the resin vat is made of a clear plastic material, which is susceptible to eventual damage, so it's great that there is a spare on in the box.

Last, but not least, there is a 16GB USB flash drive in the box, which contains software and the user manual and can also be used to load up ready print files and take them from a PC to the printer. Again, we appreciate the added convenience.

One of the promo videos for the HALOT-ONE does show a couple of other in-box goodies, like a plastic spatula and some gloves, as well as a cover for the resin vat, which would be particularly nifty. We aren't sure which set of accessories is final, though.

As far as initial setup goes, technically, you just need to remove the packaging, screw in the build plate, which did come well pre-leveled from the factory on our unit, pour some resin in the vat and start your first print. Our unit even had one print file pre-loaded in its internal memory. It was a massive 16-hour print, but still, technically, you are just a few easy steps away from printing.

Even so, we can't say Creality offered enough and adequate beginner information overall. This seems to often be the case with Creality products in my personal experience. One of the reasons I replaced my Ender FDM printer was the sheer amount of extra research and tinkering it required. It is a truly powerful piece of kit that offers great value for its price, but falls a bit short in terms of ease of usability.

The same tradeoff seems to be present on the HALOT-ONE, as well. Granted, this is not going to be an issue for an experienced user, but does make the HALOT-ONE quite difficult to tackle as a beginner. Let us elaborate.

First and foremost, we feel like there needs to be more information on proper resin handling in the manual. As things currently stand, these are the only two particular pieces of guidance featured in the manual.

Resin is a skin irritant, definitely use gloves, but also, most guides and sources agree that you should not breathe in the fumes, which the manual fails to mention.

It is also a good idea to use some eye-protective gear since getting resin in your eyes would be really bad.

Then there is the question of storing and cleaning the resin. There is practically no info on that in the manual. Most sources seem to agree that you can leave the resin in the printer, without direct exposure to UV for a few hours to a couple of days safely and continue printing.

Beyond that, you can return the unused resin in the specialized metal container it comes in, but sifting it through is definitely recommended.

The funny thing is that the guys at Creality clearly know all this and even provide nifty filtering funnels in the box, it's just the manual that falls short of providing instruction about it.

Same goes for cleaning. There is only one mention of isopropyl alcohol in the manual and it's inside the footnotes.

In reality, you need to get plenty of the stuff to clean any resin from surfaces, especially the plastic bottom of the resin vat. Plus, you need to ideally rinse the prints themselves. You ideally need high-percentage (90%) isopropyl alcohol, which reinforces the need for protective gear even more.

Beyond criticizing Creality for not including enough info in the HALOT-ONE manual, it should also be noted that resin 3D printing requires a lot more in the way of preparation, consideration and materials to do properly and safely. By the time you gear-up, you will, definitely be spending a lot more than the sticker price of the printer, which is not necessarily the case with traditional FDM printing. This should be taken into consideration by prospective buyers.

You also need a proper space to install and use the HALOT-ONE. Ideally, a well-ventilated room, without any direct sunlight. Also, you probably don't want to move the machine around too much after the initial setup, since it is pretty much guaranteed to be dirty with uncured resin in some way after its very first use. No matter how hard you scrub with the isopropyl alcohol, resin will remain and you should always be careful around it while it is in liquid form.

By the way, you should also not dispose of liquid resin by dumping it down the drain. At least cure it first. Once cured with UV for an adequate amount of time, resin prints are perfectly safe to handle without gloves.

Clearly, once you actually start printing with resin, all sorts of hidden considerations and specifics start creeping up. We maintain that Creality could be doing a better job of explaining and communicating all of these in the manual.

Then again, as far as the actual HALOT-ONE hardware and design is concerned, it does a great job of minimizing the dangers and hassles of dealing with resin.

There is also a potential argument to be made that Creality also offers separate washing/curing machines, like the UW-01 and UW-02, which are sort of complementary pieces of equipment that you can do without, but do make for a more complete and streamlined experience for more in-depth users.

Operating the HALOT-ONE: app and software, on-board UI

Despite having plenty of functional differences, most 3D printers tend to require the same basic set of steps to operate. First, you need to make or obtain a 3D model. These usually come in an STL file format and can be obtained fairly easily nowadays, even if you aren't particularly versed in CAD. Thingiverse is a great resource and Creality also have their own repository, named Creality Cloud.

That 3D model then goes into a program called a slicer, which is responsible for "slicing" the model and offering a few other preparation steps and ultimately generates a file of instructions, layer by layer, for what the printer is supposed to do.

The HALOT-ONE, in particular, takes cxdlp files with instructions. These can either be delivered via a USB stick and the Type-A port on the printer, a USB connection to a CP, with a cable or wirelessly.

Creality actually offers its own slicer for the HALOT ONE, called the HALOT BOX. You can also use a different, compatible software of your choice, but should be prepared for plenty of tweaking to get it properly working. We personally stuck with the default settings for the purposes of this review. HALOT BOX is actually quite easy and straightforward to use and is very user-friendly.

It already comes pre-loaded with all the settings needed to communicate with HALOT devices and generate compatible cxdlp files.





HALOT BOX slicer

We won't dig too much into the available options, but all the basics seem to be covered. You can scale, reposition and rotate freely. Also, clone models. HALOT BOX can also automatically generate supports for your prints. These are a whole topic in themselves and do have resin printing specifics to consider, like printing things at a higher angle to get better results. But, that's beyond the scope of this article.

We will, however, note that HALOT BOX exhibited some bugs specifically with support generation. Creality did send us a newer version of the software, with mostly all of these cleared up, though, which we count as an overall positive, since the company seems serious about its software support.





HALOT BOX slicer

Beyond that, HALOT BOX can automatically hollow-out parts, to save on some material. Unlike FDM printing, there is no infill percentage with resin printing. You can also use a drill tool to manually punch some holes.

There is a Creality mobile app available as well, called Creality Cloud, which looks truly impressive. However, we never actually managed to connect our HALOT-ONE to it. Our best guess is that there is some sort of support update in the pipeline, since all signs seem to hint that the HALOT-ONE should ultimately be supported by the app.



Creality Cloud mobile app

On the surface, Creality Cloud looks more like a social network than anything else, with user posts and comments, a profile and messaging. However, it is so much more. You can browse through a massive collection of models and not just download them. The app actually allows access to a cloud-based version of the popular Cure 3D slicer, so you can edit the model, just like you would on a PC and ultimately slice it up and even send it to your printer and monitor the printing progress.

That is already amazingly powerful, but the repository actually goes one step beyond, not just offering 3D models and the slicer, but also pre-sliced gcode files from other users, organized by the type of printer they use.



Creality Cloud mobile app

Finally, the HALOT-ONE itself has a nifty, clean and straightforward UI of its own that you can use on the built-in 5-inch touchscreen. We won't be going through all of the options, but some highlights include the cleaning feature, which attempts to melt any resin you might have stuck to the bottom of your vat, as well as the leveling feature, which is not fully-automatic and does require you to adjust the bolts on the print head, but is still easy to do.

There is also the Device binding menu, which requires you to have the HALOT-ONE connected to the same Wi-Fi first and then generates a QR code you need to scan inside the app. The HALOT-ONE also supports over-the-air updates, which are done from the settings menu.



HALOT-ONE UI

As far as actual printing goes, the UI is admittedly a bit light on options. You can just browse files from both the internal storage (sent over from the PC or app) and a connected flash drive, select a file and then start the print. After that, you can only pause or cancel the print. No other options are available and there is no notification for when the printing ends. To be fair, this is usually the case of most 3D printers.

Plus, it does give you a nice preview of the 3D model from two vantage points, which is convenient. And its estimate for printing time is much more accurate than the one provided by the HALOT BOX slicer software.

Results, quality, ease of use and other considerations

The primary reason to delve into resin 3D printing is undoubtedly the fine detail, resolution and quality you can get out of them, compared to the more popular FDM printers.

Most people seem to pick up resin printing to print intricate things, most notably figurines. We can confirm that despite its lower price tag, in relative terms, of course, the Creality HALOT-ONE produces prints with amazing quality and fine detail.

We printed some test models, many of which with sub-mm details and the HALOT-ONE basically breezed through them all. Mind you, there is the occasional defect you will probably notice in our prints, but most of these were due to errors on our end.

While on the subject, you should be particularly careful when scraping off a ready print from the print bed, since it is susceptible to chips and damage. The entire surface of the print can also easily chip before it is cured.

If you want quality results, a dedicated UV light for curing is great to have.

Anyone familiar with FDM 3D printers and their limitations will also be very impressed by how clean and uniform all of the surfaces are. Particularly torturous things, like overhands and aggressive angles, as well as pointy bits also look amazing coming out of the HALOT-ONE.

Look at the incredibly fine mesh on the skull figure and how consistent it is all around. My FDM Monoprice Select Mini V2 printer straight up cannot do these details, no matter how much I tune the settings.

The benefits are pretty clear then. But the real question is, do they outweigh the negatives, or rather, the hustle of resin 3D printing? Mind you, these are not specific to the Creality HALOT-ONE, but simply come par for the course with resin printing in general.

Still, in no particular order, you can't just "set and forget" a print on the HALOT-ONE. Well, technically, you can, but the fumes it outputs alone are something to take precautions against if you are not around.

Plus, it is a lot harder to keep an eye on the quality of the success of the print as it is printing, since most of the time the model is dunked inside the vat. This is particularly annoying when you have a 10-hour print of a figurine going and you have to wait the full 10 hours to discover that you only got the tip of the guy's weapon printed, due to some error during the preparation stages. Speaking from experience here.

And even when a print is absolutely 100% successful, finishing it properly is another job in itself. Sure, you might have to take some extra steps to make FDM prints look their best as well. But with a resin 3D printer, at the minimum, you need to gear up with gloves, protective glasses and all, separate the print and then clean it off in isopropyl alcohol. This already takes a few minutes and then you still need to cure it before you can safely handle it.

My point being that with my FDM printer, I can plop a streaming camera next to it, start a print before I go to bed, check on it once or twice to see the first layer adhered to the print bed properly and then check the camera again literally when I wake up. I know it is not best practice, but the process is a lot less involved overall.

That also goes for having the printer set up and ready to go all of the time. With an FDM printer, you can literally have the spool of filament there all of the time and you are basically a preheating process away from printing all of the time.

Leaving resin in the vat beyond say a couple of days will easily ruin it. In fact, after opening a bottle of resin, you can't keep it for too long either. And if you have kids or pets around, you almost always have to clean up after a print, which often means tossing perfectly good resin and always involves heaps of time with wasted materials and unpleasant odors. But, we're going on an unnecessary tangent here.

Final thoughts

The Creality HALOT-ONE is a great machine that comes from Creality - a reputable name in the 3D printing space. It is a great example of the slightly newer breed of significantly cheaper resin printer, based on LCD technology. It manages to be affordable and delivers on most of what it promises, especially in practical terms.

It is definitely not the most refined or user-friendly machine out there. The manual can use a lot of work, some of the features are cryptic and the companion software, while solid in its core, still needs some extra care and attention to get just right and make really, properly functional.

To be fair, however, most of the serious hurdles we faced with the HALOT-ONE were mostly related to resin 3D printing as a whole. All Creality can do to address those is to provide more information to accommodate beginners right off the gate. Their actual product is already excellently crafted from premium materials and works very well out of the box.

Bottom line - you really need to know what you are getting yourself into with resin 3D printing and have a good reason to get on board instead of just settling with the massively easier, traditional FDM printing.

If you are aware of all the special aspects and precautions and don't mind a bit of tinkering to get the most out of your tools, the Creality HALOT-ONE is a splendid and affordable machine you should consider. You can currently get it for $199 from the official Creality store on sale, down from a regular listed price of $259. It is also available on Amazon, with the same sale currently ongoing.
The Huawei P50 series finally got an oficial launch date. An event will take place on July 29, where well see the start of a new era of mobile photography, according to Richard Yu, CEO at Huawei.

The date was just a rumor up until now, but thanks to the official Weibo page of the company, we know it was the real thing. Reports are the Huawei P50 will arrive with an LTE-only version of the Snapdragon 888 chipset, but weve heard nothing on the Pro or the eventual Pro+.

We do expect to see them appear with Kirin 9000 and eventually switch to SD888 once the bottleneck in chip production is dealt with.

While specs are still scarce at this point, we know the P50 series will arrive with HarmonyOS 2.0. A listing revealed the phone will come with 66W fast charging, while rumors pointed to a 1-inch camera sensor by Sony, as well as a 1/1.18 sensor for the ultrawide shooter. There are still 10 days until the announcement, and hopefully, well learn more along the way.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
University of Guam students Monita Paul and Lourdes Mafnas won the U.S. Department of States Critical Language Scholarship, which furthers their study of a foreign language.

The program supports the study of 15 critical languages and provides fully funded, group-based language instruction and enrichment experiences.

Students spend eight to 10 weeks abroad, although most of this years institutes will be offered virtually.

Mafnas, an environmental science graduate student, said she applied for the program because it looked like an amazing opportunity to explore another culture.

Even if she wasnt able to study abroad this year, Mafnas said she believed the program opened doors.

She plans to study the Indonesian language remotely through the Universitas Negri Malang in Malang, Indonesia.

I am hoping to form a deep and sustained connection with the teachers and students that I have had the amazing opportunity of learning from. All of the students and teachers I have been in contact with have been so kind and willing to help, Mafnas said. It is largely because of their support that I have been able to learn so much.

Biology student Paul enrolled in the program to communicate with family members. She is studying the Bangla language through the American Institute of Indian Studies in Kolkata, India.

I am of Bengali heritage, specifically from my fathers side of the family, but I am unable to read, write, or even speak the language fluently, Paul said.

I am looking forward to coming out from the program with the ability to communicate with my fathers side of the family. Im also hoping to use the experience and knowledge I gain for my future career in the medical field.
On the day when Guam learned of its 143rd COVID-19 fatality, the governor and public health officials said the island was about 2,000 COVID-19 doses shy of reaching herd immunity.

The 75-year-old woman who died at Guam Regional Medical City Sunday night was vaccinated, according to a Monday evening announcement from the Joint Information Center. She had underlying health conditions and tested positive on July 7.

Earlier Monday, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said she plans to further ease pandemic restrictions when at least 80% of the islands adult population  about 96,000 people  are fully vaccinated, receiving all required doses of vaccine. As of Monday, only 93,958 adults, or 78.27%, were fully vaccinated.

I am faced with the harsh reality that we may fall short of our aggressive goal, Leon Guerrero said Monday. I am not lifting any more restrictions until we get to the 80%.

When restrictions are eased, the island will remain in the heightened Pandemic Condition of Readiness 3, the governor said, because Guam still is seeing positive cases and hospitalizations. She said she will continue to mandate the wearing of masks.

We can still achieve our goal, the governor said, if thousands of residents who received their first vaccine dose, but who are late getting their second dose, are fully vaccinated by Wednesday. Every shot counts.

According to the Department of Public Health and Social Services, 4,727 people, mostly men, are past-due for their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose three weeks later in order to be fully effective, and the Moderna vaccine requires a second dose four weeks later.

According to Public Health, 3,857 people who received a first vaccine dose are at least three weeks overdue for their second dose.

You need both shots to receive the optimum protection, the governor said, adding Public Health has started to call residents who are overdue for their second shots.

Public Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Felix Cabrera said it is important for residents to receive all required vaccine doses because it offers greater protection against the COVID-19 delta variant, which first was found in India. He said the variant now is responsible for 58% of all positive cases in the United States, resulting in increased hospitalizations.

He said those fully vaccinated with Pfizer are 96% protected against becoming severely ill from the delta variant. A single dose provides only 33% protection he said. Those fully vaccinated with Moderna are 85% protected against severe illness, he said.

Although Guam might fall short of the Liberation Day vaccine goal, Cabrera noted that the Liberation of Guam started July 21, but took several weeks to complete. This fight will continue to go on, he said.

Wednesdays Vax and Win drawing will be the last for the governments vaccination campaign, which encouraged residents to be fully vaccinated for a chance at winning cars, cash and other prizes.

The governor said she does not plan to offer additional incentives. The most important incentive is protecting your life, she said.

One new case of COVID-19 was identified out of 650 tests performed Friday through Sunday, according to JIC. There have been a total of 8,478 officially reported cases of COVID-19 with 143 deaths and 62 cases in active isolation.
The Judiciary of Guams outlook for 2022 was potentially more challenging than the previous years under the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Justice F. Philip Carbullido told lawmakers during a budget hearing on Monday.

With the eviction on moratoriums lifting as some 20,000 island residents remained unemployed and without the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, the judiciary was expecting a spike in cases related to economic hardships, he said. While judges had been tackling a backlog of cases caused by the pandemic, the lifting of social distancing requirements would mean more facilities opening to court proceedings.

The judiciary requested a total of $35,166,186 from the legislature for fiscal 2022, a 0.78% increase from the fiscal 2021 budget. According to officials, their actual rewarded budget was cut an average of 14.57% from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2021.

According to finance administrator of the courts Kristina Baird, the judiciary has been deferring hiring and maintenance and equipment replacements in order to continue operations. Some personnel were having to fill in two or three roles at times, she stated, and judiciary employees were not taking the leave they were allowed. Proper staffing was a prerequisite for checks and balances at the judiciary, such as regular internal audits, she said.

Inadequate funding had forced the judiciary into the uncomfortable position of having to prioritize which statutory mandates it was able to meet, leaving some unfulfilled, Baird said.

She cited the needs required to meet a single mandate, ensuring the right to timely resolution of disputes, which the judiciary estimated required 30 support personnel for every officer of the court. That would take 470 employees, and they were operating with 377. The agency requested funding to bring that number up to at least 408.

According to Carbullido, the request was made annually, but unanswered.

Among deferred improvements, Baird said, were technology upgrades. The agencys case management system is 10 years old and still uses the Windows 7 operating system.

Electronic MonitoringIn addition to the over $35 million requested, the agency also asked for about $580,000 to pay for an electronic monitoring program for the probation division. Without it, Baird said, funds for the service would expire by the end of the year, and only those who were able to pay for the service could use it.

The system was put in place in 2019, and was used on about 60 clients, Baird said. The Department of Corrections had to pay about $130 a day to house pretrial detainees Baird said. Given the judiciarys intention to serve about 100 clients per month, it could save DOC about $4.75 million a year.

Environmental enforcement During the budget hearing for the Department of Agriculture, Director Chelsa Muna-Brecht told lawmakers that individuals issued citations by conservation officers were often not having their cases adjudicated by the courts. That resulted in the failure to collect fines or enforce penalties, she said.

Sen. Joanne Brown raised the matter to judiciary officials on Monday.

Personally, on my docket, I have not seen a violation of illegal fishing or hunting in my courtroom for a very long time. And I think many of the judges can probably speak to that as well, presiding judge Alberto Lamorena said.

The question was better addressed to the Attorney Generals Office, he said, as the the court was not the one to initiate cases, Lamorena told Brown.

Northern Satellite

According to Carbullido, there was a plan developed for a permanent Northern Court Satellite. The judiciary is currently renting a space at the Dededo Mall, but had developed a blueprint for a four-courtroom building at the request of Sen. Joe San Agustin.

Carbullido said CHamoru Land Trust land was being eyed for the permanent courtroom.
In 1945, a year after Guams liberation in 1944, Agueda Igelsias Johnston started the first Liberation Day celebration.

There were issues getting the first party organized, but her influence with Navy and Army commands at the time helped, Johnston said in an interview with Pacific Daily News in 1975.

The gathering was held in an old school building and transportation and a cake were supplied by the military.

After the war, she worked with island leaders and found sponsors for the celebration, said Johnstons granddaughter, Linda Taitano Reyes.

She was a real go-getter, Reyes said.

Pacific Historic Parks Regional Director for Guam and Saipan, Cindy Rapadas, emphasized Johnstons role in starting the celebration and making it a tradition.

She pushed for the day of liberation to be celebrated annually. She said it was important for people to remember why liberation happened and to celebrate it, because it was such an important part of their life at the time and still is, Rapadas said.

Museum of Guam Curator Michael Lujan Bevacqua wrote in a Pacific Daily News article in 2019 that Guams first Liberation Day event was very different than what it has become.

It was a much more religious ceremony with a procession and prayer gatherings to remember loved ones who had passed away and give thanks. It was also a time to reflect and focus on what the people of Guam went through during the war.

Rapadas said that over the years, Liberation Day celebrations have lost a bit of the history and the holidays importance.

I think perhaps COVID-19 and the lack of the carnival and the parade has now brought us back to the reasons why it happened, Rapadas said.
Sen. James Moylan is calling for an emergency session of the legislature for the consideration of an expansion to the RISE Act.

Moylan wrote both Speaker Therese Terlaje and Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero to request that they call for a session on Bill 75, introduced in March, which would expand payments through the RISE Act from $800 to $1,000 for qualified applicants and from $1,600 to $2,000 for joint filers. An emergency session would bypass the public hearing requirement for the bill.

The senator has also introduced amendments that would eliminate the $30 million cap on funding that could be made available through the program, and eliminate the requirement for verification from an applicants mayors office, among other things.

But residents currently applying for their payouts will not be receiving money through the RISE Act, which lapsed into law without Leon Guerreros signature in December of last year, but through the governors All RISE program, which was implemented through executive order in March.

Leon Guerrero expanded the program to include GovGuam and federal employees back in May, but did not increase the $30 million pool of funds available to pay out the program. The Department of Revenue and Taxation will issue the payments on first-come, first-served basis, until the money runs out. Moylan said that, along with that oversight, the expansion of eligible applicants was putting a strain on village mayors offices that had to process applicants.

While Bill 75, if passed, would not affect the governors All RISE program, she had followed the provisions of the original law in implementing it, Moylan said. He was hopeful that it would incentivize the administration to act on the matter, and bypass an emergency session entirely by changing the program through executive action.

With Pandemic Unemployment Assistance expiring in less than two months, and the school year about to begin, it was important not to have residents fighting with one another to get their payments, he said.

He was confident that his colleagues in the legislature would support the measures.
Former Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez is the president and CEO of Guam Visitors Bureau, permit czar, and chairman of the Governors Economic Strategy Council. Send comments or questions to GVB at communityrelations@visitguam.org.




Haiti - FLASH : Details of the funeral of President Jovenel Moise in Cap-Haitien





The Circumstantial Departmental Commission which participates in the planning of the funeral of President Jovenel Moise, assassinated in his private residence on February 7 between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34238-haiti-flash-monitoring-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html is made up of the Departmental Delegation of the North, the Town Hall of Cap-Haitien, the Vice-Delegations, other members of the Territorial Collectivities and of the Civil Society of the North.



The Commission is planning the following activities in Cap Haitien :



Wednesday July 21, 2021 :

Day of tribute to the late President of the Republic, Jovenel Moise, with wreaths of flowers;



Opening of a condolence register in the 19 Town Halls of the Department of the North from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.



Thursday July 22, 2021 :

Patriotic mass sung in the Notre-Dame Basilica from 9:00 a.m.



This mass will be followed by a march and a patriotic vigil from 6:00 p.m.



Friday July 23, 2021 at the SOS Village :

The funeral of President Jovenel Moise will be sung at 10:00 a.m. in the private residence of the Moise Family located in the locality called Village SOS.



"The Town Hall of Cap-Haitien invites the population of the North in general and the Capois in particular, all political tendencies combined, to pay a final tribute to the 58th President of the Republic of Haiti, an authentic son of the Far North.



Rest in peace !"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34238-haiti-flash-monitoring-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34175-haiti-assassination-of-president-moise-international-reactions-part-1.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Mexico : More than 2,000 illegal Haitian migrants arrive in Tapachula





More than 2,000 Haitians have arrived in Tapachula, in the far southeast of the State of Chiapas in Mexico, a border town with Guatemala, after illegally crossing the border in their attempt to reach the United States.



In the streets of Tapachula several hundred Haitian families are looking for an immigration procedure that allows them to stay legally in our country. Others throng in long lines for treatment, breaking health protocol against the spread of Covid-19, by not respecting healthy distancing, the use of masks and antibacterial gel.



Most seek temporary refuge with the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR) fleeing Haiti due to violence and poverty.



This significant flow of migrants forced the COMAR authorities to temporarily suspend the procedures due to the disorder and announced a new process for the crowds.



"We are launching a new mechanism to help people for the good purpose of avoiding crowds. Now people can request their appointment electronically to avoid having to move around, sleep in the streets and be hungry..." said Alma Cruz, delegate of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance in Tapachula, Chiapas. A decision that was welcomed by some of the migrants...



Recall that according to the Mexican immigration authorities, since the beginning of the year, more than 35,600 migrants have entered Mexico illegally in search of procedures for a legal stay. 72% of them received care in Chiapas and about 9,000 were of Haitian origin.



See also

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33586-haiti-flash-nearly-a-thousand-haitians-escape-military-controls-and-enter-mexico.html



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Why President Moise wad assassinated ?

"Why President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, 2021, 7 months before the end of his mandate on February 7, 2022? He asked the Government to carry 3 projects:



- Electricity ;

- Elections;

- Referendum.



Who were bothered by the outcome of these 3 projects ?" wonders Mathias Pierre, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of electoral matters and relations with political parties.



"Moise in the Pantheon des Martyrs" dixit Gary Bodeau :

"Jovenel Moise joins the Father of the Fatherland, the Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines in the Pantheon of the Martyrs. Defenders of the oppressed, they were cowardly murdered. Like Toussaint Louverture, Jovenel forged the way forward. May we walk there until the final victory," Ex-Deputy Gary Bodeau (BOUCLIER)



Invitation : Vigil of Homage to Moise in Washington

On Wednesday July 21, 2021, the Embassy of Haiti in Washington D.C. invites you to a vigil to pay tribute to the 58th President of the Republic of Haiti Jovenel Moise, following his tragic assassination on July 7, 2021.

Location: 2311 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.

Washington D.C., 20008 Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Dress Code: Dark

For flower or wreath gifts, the color white is recommended.



Funeral of the President

As part of the activities related to the Funeral of President Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34266-haiti-flash-details-of-the-funeral-of-president-jovenel-moise-in-cap-haitien.html assassinated on July 7 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34238-haiti-flash-monitoring-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html, the Town Hall of Cap-Haitien asks the Capoise community to clean or paint the facades of their houses, to show usual hospitality to foreigners who will stay in the Cite Christophienne during the period and to collaborate with the National Police of Haiti in order to guarantee public safety in the historical and tourist capital of the country.



Taiwan pays special attention to Haiti

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Sunday, July 18, that relations with diplomatic allies Eswatini (a small monarchy landlocked in South Africa) and Haiti are stable despite ongoing political turmoil in both countries. Additionally, MOFA said that as Haiti's long-term ally, Taiwan is paying close attention to the situation following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34238-haiti-flash-monitoring-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Editor: Imagine my surprise this morning when I assumed my usual spot on the front
Editor's note: This story talks about the first powwow held at Great Northern Fair. See other stories about the fair in previous editions of Havre Daily News and at http://www.havredailynews.com, and see more photos of the last few days of the fair on Page A8.

Northern Winz Hotel & Casino's Powwow at this year's Great Northern Fair has been a success by all accounts, drawing a greater-than-expected crowd despite the heat and giving people a chance to see an in-person powwow in the area for the first time in nearly 17 months.

Loni Taylor of the Chippewa Cree Business Committee said she was pleasantly surprised by how well-attended the event was, even at midday during a very hot week.

She said the event had proceeded without logistical or technical hangups and and it was great to see the participants showing off their styles.

Russell Standing Rock, who master-of-ceremonied much of the event, also said the event went better than he expected, and he hopes it will become a symbol of healing for the Chippewa Cree Tribe, and an expression and exchange of culture between them and the rest of Hill County.

He said events like this can open doors between communities and he's grateful to Northern Winz, the Hill County Fair Board, and those who donated to the event for helping to make all of this happen.

Among those honored during the powwow's second grand entry Saturday were Rocky Boy's veterans, who Standing Rock said served their countries honorably.

"Many (served) voluntarily, many were made to enlist in the armed forces," he said. "Many have not returned to our homeland, many have returned in boxes, nonetheless we honor these veterans for the years they have served."

He thanked veterans of the U.S. Army Andrew Windy Boy, who lead the procession with the crooked staff, as well as Rocky Boy Veterans Center Board President John Gardipee, who bore the American Flag during the procession. He also thanked Gardipee for his work spearheading the creation of the Rocky Boy Veterans Association.

Another man who has seen war in Iraq and Afghanistan Standing Rock honored was Director of Rocky Boy Veterans Center and a founding member of the tribe's American Legion Post Chauncey Parker. He bore the Canadian Flag during the event.

Northern Winz General Manager Jazz Parker, also a veteran, along with Great Northern Fairgrounds manager Frank English were also honored for their work putting things together for the event along with Northern Winz Marketing Director Ree OldBull Gaming Commissioner Rebekah Jarvey and the rest of the casino's team.

The organizers all thanked the attendees, the town of Havre and each other for their work as well.

One participant, Ontaria Arrow-White, a student at Idaho State University and Miss Shoshone-Bannock, said she was there representing her tribe and is glad to be back at in-person powwows after many months of doing online powwows.

She said online powwows, despite involving the added complication of video and audio equipment, have been a worthwhile endeavor, but this return to form is welcome.

"I'm very glad to be back in person, being able to see a lot of old friends and family," Arrow-White said.

Arrow-White said she's impressed by how well the powwow has gone and she's glad to have had a chance to go to a Montana powwow after almost three years away.

She said her position as Miss Shoshone-Bannock requires her to be an ambassador, role model and leader for her tribe and part of that is going to powwows held by other tribes including those as far away as Wyoming and Arizona.

She asked that people stay safe, wear masks, wash their hands, socially distance, and most importantly get vaccinated, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Another participant, Joan Alexis of Vernon, British Columbia, said she was also impressed, not just by the quality of the powwow, but the quality of the fair which she said had a surprising number of rides given the low price of admission compared to fair's back home.

"I'm really enjoying myself," Alexis said. "You guys' live music and powwow is amazing."

Healing in a dark time

While Standing Rock said the lack of powwows in the area over the past year has not been a huge problem for him personally, it did clearly affect the Rocky Boy community in a negative way, compounded by the general stress of living with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've been devastated by COVID-19, you, me, everybody," he said.

He said people view these powwows as a method of healing, and their absence has been acutely felt in the wake of the tribe losing many of its elders to the pandemic.

"The people out here are hurting, I'm hurting," he said. "I've lost family, I lost people who led me in ceremony. I lost those people and my community is devastated."

He said the Native Americans and First Nations' people at the powwow haven't just been affected by COVID-19 but continue to face the continuing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Native Americans and First Nation people, especially women, go missing at extremely high rates compared to any other races or ethnicities in the U.S. and Canada and face staggeringly high rates of homicide, abuse and sexual violence, many times that of white women.

This disproportionate rate of violence has been attributed to a number of issues, including the historical legal inability of tribes to prosecute on their own reservation when the perpetrator is non-Native, confusion regarding jurisdiction between tribal, state and federal law enforcement, and a lack of resources on the part of tribal police departments, as well as the general economic and social marginalization of Native Americans and First Nation people.

Accurate statistics on missing persons cases can be difficult to obtain due to the lack or resources of tribal police departments, as well as frequent errors by non-Native police departments, misclassifying Native Americans as another race.

Standing Rock said many people at the powwow have been personally affected by the issue.

But this wasn't the only thing participants were praying for.

Alexis said her husband is a firefighter dealing with the more than 300 wildfires going on in that area of Canada at the moment and she came to pray for him, his fellow firefighters, as well as all the creatures and land affected by the flames.

"I wasn't going to dance," she said, "but because my people are going through such a hard time ... and part of our territory comes into the states, I decided to put my jingle dress on and pray for the fires and the animals and the water."

She said the fires have caused many communities to evacuate including the town of Lytton which was all but burnt to the ground, the smoke choking out the sun.

She she prays for rain in her home as well as the U.S. which is also facing severe drought conditions and a dangerous fire season, which appear to be more and more common.

"My husband, he's been firefighting for over 30 years, and he said it used to be every five years, now it's down to two," she said.

On top of the wildfire crisis she also came to pray for the hundreds of Native American and First Nation children recently discovered, and still being discovered, in unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools in Canada.

Residential schools like the ones where these graves were found, some of which were run by the Roman Catholic Church, were part of a century-long campaign of forced assimilation which the Historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada concluded was cultural genocide.

The residential school system was in place until 1996 and many people still living today feel the effects of that system, including Alexis, whose father was made to attend one such school where bodies were found and helped start the movement to uncover the truth of what happened to them.

"My dad went to that school, and he saw some of those kids getting buried but nobody believed him," Alexis said. "All of our elders knew but the government buried it well."

She said people in her generation, including a friend of hers who's a few years younger than she is, have scars that haven't faded, a result of the physical violence inflicted upon them at the hands of these institutions.

She said this system of cultural erasure and violence has affected generations of Native people and the echoes of it are still seen today in the form of harassment, physical violence and threats of child apprehension by Canadian law enforcement.

Alexis said that same friend endured threats by law enforcement to take her children away for peacefully protesting for the rights of First Nations people, an abuse of power that happened less than two years ago on the Wet'suwet'en nation's ancestral lands during a series of protests against a natural gas pipeline being built in the area.

This also bares echoes of the "sixties scoop" in which indigenous children were taken from their parents, often under flimsy pretenses, and put into the foster care system and adopted out to non-Native families for the purposes of cultural erasure, a practice which began in the mid-1950s and persisted until the 1980s.

This is another area of history Alexis knows quite a bit about, but she said she didn't want to spend the whole day recounting such horrors.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Dancers perform Saturday during the powwow at Great Northern Fair.

She said despite all of this the powwow has been a time of happiness and celebration, and she hopes to be back next year.
Havre Police Department

A 6:32 a.m. Friday report that the 16th Avenue water station did not have power was referred to Havre Public Works.

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A Havre area caller asked Friday at 12:07 p.m. to speak with an officer about a vehicle that was reported stolen last year.

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A theft, forgery or fraud was reported by a caller at a Second Street business Friday at 2:19 p.m.

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A Third Avenue caller reported Friday at 6:22 p.m. that her car had eight bullet holes in it. Police Capt. Aaron Wittmer said the windows of the vehicle had been shot out with a BB gun and they have a juvenile suspect at this time.

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William James Gopher of Box Elder, 46, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, strangulation of a partner or family member, partner or family member assault, no vehicle insurance, obstructing a peace officer or other public servant, operating a vehicle with fictitious plates and kidnapping, after a caller on Washington Avenue reported at 10:32 p.m. Friday seeing a white suburban with occupants who were screaming "help me."

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Katelynn Marie Smith of Havre, 22, was arrested on a charge of driving without a valid driver's license and on two Justice or City court warrants after a vehicle stop at Kennedy Avenue and 11th Street West Friday at 11:50 p.m.

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A 4:46 a.m. Saturday caller reported being followed by a Dodge pickup truck.

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A 16-year-old boy from Dodson was arrested on charges of DUI, minor in possession, seat belt violation and following too close, and the following people were each issued a summons on individual charges: Colton James Thomas of Idaho Falls, Idaho, 22, unlawful transactions with children; Maci Rose Myers of Floweree, 20, MIP and obstructing a peace officer or other public servant; Tabitha Davey of Havre, 20, MIP; Reubin Knute Swenson, 19, MIP; Zarek Gerard Jones of Hays, 18, MIP; Peyton Allen Jones of Malta, 18, MIP; and a 16-year-old from Dodson, MIP, all after a vehicle stop on Fifth Street at 4:49 a.m. Saturday.

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Officers investigated a report of a man passed out behind the steering wheel at a First Street West business at 5:25 a.m. Saturday.

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A Third Street caller reported at 6:03 a.m. Saturday that the back window was busted out of a Ford Explorer.

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A Lincoln Avenue caller reported Saturday at 12:02 p.m. that someone had been bitten by a dog.

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A caller at a First Street West business reported Saturday at 1:19 p.m. that a phone was stolen.

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Bradley Duane Buskirk of Renton, Washington, 58, was arrested on a charge of partner or family member assault after a Ninth Avenue caller reported Saturday at 7:40 p.m. that she was accosted.

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At 5:28 a.m. Sunday, a Fifth Avenue caller reported someone was pounding on the door.

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Toni Rae Cochran of Laredo, 42, was issued a summons on criminal contempt charges related to a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation reported Sunday at 8:27 a.m.

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Taira Charnae Molina of Havre, 20, was arrested on a charge of MIP and on a Justice or City court warrant after officers were called at 9:35 a.m. Sunday to assist another agency in the county.

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A caller at Second Avenue West and Second Street reported Sunday at 10:04 a.m. a piece of equipment popped a tire on a parked vehicle.

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Officers were asked by someone at the police station at 9:13 p.m. Sunday to provide assistance.

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Officers were asked by Rocky Boy Police Department at 12:28 a.m. today to assist with a blood draw kit at the hospital.

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Darren James Pepin of Havre, 55, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant after a caller at a First Street Northeast residence asked at 4:03 a.m. today to have someone escorted from an apartment.

Hill County Sheriff's Office

Joshua James Arkinson of Box Elder, 36, was arrested on a state District Court warrant at Hill County Detention Center Friday at 2:02 p.m.

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Deputies investigated a theft, forgery or fraud reported on Fifth Avenue North Friday at 6:24 p.m.

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Deputies responded to a 10:32 p.m. Friday request to assist another agency on Washington Avenue.

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Lukas James Harmon of Alta Loma, California, 27, was arrested on charges of DUI, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after a vehicle stop on 16th Avenue Saturday at 1:39 a.m.

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Deputies assisted at a vehicle crash on Warrick Road reported at 3:03 a.m. Saturday by transporting two occupants in a single-vehicle crash to the hospital.

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Vincent Morin of Harlem, 27, was issued a summons on a charge of driving with a suspended or revoked driver's license while deputies were investigating suspicious activity in North Havre Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

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A Sunday 4:55 p.m. report of a silver vehicle in the ditch along U.S. Highway 87 between mile markers 94 and 95 was referred to another agency.

Havre Fire Department

Emergency medical technicians responded to two calls Friday, six Saturday, six Sunday and two early this morning.

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Firefighters responded to a 7:30 a.m. Saturday call to the 100 Block of 34th Avenue West, but simply reset the alarm panel after finding that the alarm was triggered by cooking smoke.

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Firefighters responded to a report of a gas smell on the 100 Block of Fifth Street at 12:23 p.m., no gas was detected and the scene was turned over to NorthWestern Energy.

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Firefighters also reset an alarm panel at a 1300 Jefferson Avenue location after a 5:41 a.m. Sunday fire alarm malfunction.

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Havre Firefighters responded along with Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department to a grass fire near a power pole at mile marker 103 on U.S. Highway 87 at 11:18 p.m Sunday. The fire was contained to less than acre and the scene was turned over to Bear Paw and NorthWestern Energy.

Havre Animal Shelter

The shelter this morning held three 4-week-old kittens, five 11-week-old kittens, one 6-week-old kitten, three 3-week-old kittens and one cat all of unknown gender, four female cats and eight male cats. A 10-week-old kitten and a 11-week-old kitten both of unknown gender were being held separately.

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The shelter also held, a male 10-month-old mixed-breed puppy, a male St. Bernard dog, a male and a female 11-month-old mixed-breed puppies and a 6-month-old mixed-breed puppy.
A TEENAGER who joined a mounted army unit last year met the Queen while performing at her first ever Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Millie Cooke, who is a gunner in the Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, was among the scores of riders who took part in the daily gun display and musical drive which closed the event on all five days between June 30 and July 4.

The 18-year-old, of Caversham, and her colleagues would charge at speed into the main arena at 7.30pm every evening, then split into groups and ride around in formation while periodically crossing paths.

They were accompanied by a band of musicians from the unit, which has a total of about 120 members.

Those in the gun team were towing QF 13-pounder field guns dating back to the First World War which were initially fired six times, and then a seventh after a brief wait which made onlookers jump.

The operators had to jump off their horses to let the guns off so Millie, who rides in detachment, was tasked with taking two in rein from her own mount and leading them a safe distance away so they didnt get spooked.

The Saturday display was watched by the Queen, who attends the show annually to see her own Highland and fell ponies competing in a separate event.

Also in the audience on the Friday was Millies mother Zoe Bowen, who was proud to see her daughter in action as she had struggled with severe dyslexia in school before joining the forces.

Mrs Bowen said: They started preparing about two weeks beforehand, including a lot of practising out in the rain, and it was so exciting to see her galloping out in front of everyone.

Afterwards, she said she absolutely loved it  she said it had been the best week of her life and I was so pleased for her.

Her Majesty met Millie while touring the units stables a few days earlier, when the young trooper was tending to her sub-sections Irish draught horses including her own mount Tennessee.

She smiled and gave an encouraging comment, which Millie couldnt make out because of background noise but she acknowledged it and smiled back.

Mrs Bowen, who lives with Millies stepfather Ross Bowen, said: We have no idea what she actually said  Millie said it sounded like hello, darling but we both know it cant have been that!

She was working by herself but isnt high-ranking enough to have a full conversation with the Queen, although she was very thankful for the recognition and proud to have met her even briefly. She was very friendly and took a real interest in the horses because thats very much her thing.

Millie passed out into the unit last December, when she was presented with the Regimental Sergeant Majors Coin for best performance in her group during induction, and was among a small number of troopers who took part in the Duke of Edinburghs funeral at Windsor in April.

She was pressed into action with an urgent text requiring her to return to Woolwich barracks immediately and didnt ride but was tasked with grooming the horses, including clipping their manes and polishing their hooves.

Millie now also mounts the Queens Life Guard in London, which the Kings Troop carries out every summer when the Household Cavalry goes away for training.

The guard leaves Hyde Park barracks every morning and passes through Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill and The Mall before the changing of the guard ceremony is conducted on Horse Guards Parade.

Millie, whose first shift fell on the day before the horse show, hopes one day to join the gun team and get a framed photograph of herself in action to show those who doubted her potential.

She changed secondary schools several times because she struggled to follow classes before settling at Langtree School in Woodcote, which encouraged her to take up riding at Checkendon Equestrian Centre.

She quickly showed an aptitude so applied to join the Army after chatting with recruiters at a horse show and then underwent several months training in physical fitness and more specialist skills.

Millie had to pass several assessments including one in which she vaulted onto a horse from the ground then rode in formation leading two others without riders.

Mrs Bowen said: Its going to take a while before she can join the troops gun team because shes got to wait for the right opportunity but shes enjoyed everything about it so far.

I went up to see her in London the other day and she was leaving Whitehall just as the Prime

Minister was arriving so I wasnt sure who to photograph!

Its so wonderful to see her flourishing in a job after leaving education when she was so young. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Army still hasnt been able to put her through GCSEs or get her driving licence but that doesnt matter because shes learnt so many other valuable skills.

A lot of her friends went on to college and were also hoping to get into the equestrian world but are struggling because its so competitive.

Millie said: The Royal Windsor show was one of the best things Ive ever done since I took up riding. I was really encouraged by the audience who were cheering us on and I felt nervous on the first night even though there was hardly anybody there. It was incredible to know the Queen was watching and I was proud that we gave our best performance that night.

It was an added pressure to have her watching but you honestly forget once you hear the noise of the crowd.

She enjoys mounting the Queens Life Guard, which she will do for another fortnight or so, as tourists often stop to take photos and videos.

She said: I could see one person was filming me for a TikTok video though I had to keep a straight face and not look at them. That can be difficult because Im a naturally smiley person but I just stare at a monument in the distance to maintain my focus.

Im still really happy with my decision to join the Kings Troop - its been very different from what I expected but Ive enjoyed it so much.
AN author from Whitchurch has published a book on the history of nuclear accidents.

Before Chernobyl by Nick Brazil chronicles the disasters which have unfolded since the first documented one in 1942, when a Nazi experimental reactor in Leipzig began leaking.

The 189-page book looks at the American test explosion at Bikini Atoll in the Fifties, in which 22 Japanese fishermen were unexpectedly killed, two hydrogen bomb explosions in the former Soviet Union and the 1979 Three Mile Island incident.

It also covers more recent disasters, including a Cruise missile detonation which claimed the lives of five Russian scientists in 2019.

Mr Brazil, 75, who lives in Hardwick Road and is also a keen photographer and film-maker, says many people are unaware of these as they werent as well publicised as the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.

He has had a life-long interest in the subject as nuclear weapons were often in the news when he was a child and he feared the consequences of them being used in war.

He carried out initial research online before reading up in greater depth in history books.

Mr Brazil said: Ive always had a fascination with nuclear disasters and originally planned to give an illustrated talk about them but it wasnt really suitable for dinner events.

I then started writing a little while before the lockdown and Im really pleased with how the book has sold. One scientist who bought a copy said they couldnt put it down.

Ill never forget seeing a nuclear explosion on the front of the Daily Express when I was eight, which had the headline this is it. That was the Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb, the biggest ever to that point, and we all grew up living under its shadow.

The book costs 10, plus 3 postage. To order a copy, email nicholasbrazil@

btinternet.com
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Provo, UT (84601)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
St. Joseph, MI (49085)

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Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 77F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday observed what she touted as a "ghostly" and "surreal" scene in a wrecked village. She vowed for swift financial assistance. As the fatalities recorded from the flooding rose beyond 180, she also pledged for redoubled political targeting on mitigating climate change. The German chancellor toured Schuld, which is a tight curve of the Ahr River in Western Germany. It has numerous damaged buldings due to Wednesday's rapidly rising floodwaters. Dozens still remain missing, and rescuers still search for survivors.

In the advent of the Western Germany flooding, the train station has been reduced to debris; and uprooted trees are lining the riverbank. In Heimersheim, hundreds still have no power as police officials on Sunday rummaged through the wreckage left by receded water in the search for bodies.

Merkel Says the Devastation Was Indescribable

According to Merkel, "It is shocking -- I can almost say that the German language doesn't have words for the destruction that's been wrecked," reported Opoyi. She recognized that the incident is an aftermath of the abrupt climate changes occurring resulting from actions by man.

Heavy rain triggered new floods in southeastern Austria and Germany. However, it is not on the scale of the onslaught in the previous week. Police officials put the toll from the hard-hit Ahrweiler in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Western Gemany at over 110. According to them, they feared the toll could still climb.

According to Zinat Hamsoro, 41, who resides in Heimersheim where it is typically peaceful, she had been forced to climb a hill near their area. "It happened so fast, and we weren't warned. The city council posted a warning message on its Facebook page, but by then it was too late," reported NBC News.

Read Also: Western Europe Flooding: Hundreds Missing, at Least 69 Dead

Despite the Schuld mayor indicating no person was killed or wounded in their area, other places were unlucky. The fatalities in Ahrweiler stood at 112, reported Times Union.

Merkel called out the world leaders to take remarkable action to curb climate change. She underscored that global warming results to fatal natural crises to transpire frequently.

In Germany's most populous state North Rhine-Westphalia state, 46 fatalities were recorded, including four firefighters. Belgium has recorded 27.

As Merkel toured the damage in Schuld on Sunday, she met with survivors who lost their homes prior to traveling to Adenau where she held a news conference.

According to Merkel, officials will work to set the situation right again in Schuld. They added her Cabinet will approve a medium-term and immediate financial assistance program on Wednesday.

The leader stated there should be hurried action. She added they have to be faster in addressing climate change.

Merkel's visit comes after German president went to the area on Saturday and remarked it will necessitate long-term support.

Merkel will step down as German Chancellor later this 2021.

Related Article: Russia Denies Entry to 2 European Airlines for Planning Not To Pass Belarus Air Space on the Way to Moscow

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Myanmar's crisis continues to grow as the military junta has forced medical workers to care for COVID-19 patients and injured residents, hunted by authorities who staged a coup early in the year.

Many residents have also been queueing up to purchase oxygen as the country's supply dwindles while the military is accused of hoarding the oxygen supplies to prioritize its officials. One resident, 21-year-old student Phoe Thar, has been spending the last week trying to get oxygen cylinders from other homes and filling them up.

Myanmar's Struggles

Thar is among a group of volunteers who line up the tanks outside charities to be filled and returned to their owners. The efforts aim to support struggling citizens amid the coronavirus pandemic and the chaos of the military coup and its rise to power.

Thar and his team, who are funded by donors from social media, are part of a growing collective that bypasses the authority and helps Myanmar citizens respond to crises. In an interview, Thar said the number of people who needed oxygen made it a struggle for him and his team.

On Sunday, COVID-19-related deaths in the country was at 231, while it was at 233 on Saturday. However, medical and funeral services said that the actual death toll was higher and revealed that crematoriums were overloaded, Reuters reported.

With the spread of the Delta variant, the official death toll in Myanmar has risen to nearly 5,000 this month, an increase of 50%. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leader, appealed to volunteers to work with authorities at a meeting on the coronavirus emergency.

Read Also: How South Africa Riots Triggered With Former President Zuma's Imprisonment, Relation to Gupta Brothers

The official said that others were not willing to volunteer because of fears of the military, but he reassured them that they would not be harmed and that cooperation was crucial to beating the pandemic.

Many critics have argued that a number of residents have lost their lives because of the restrictions the military junta has imposed. While accused of hoarding oxygen supplies, it has also limited private oxygen suppliers, Yahoo News reported

Coronavirus Pandemic

The number of confirmed cases in Myanmar has soared to 7,089 on Wednesday as the military junta faces accusations of hoarding crucial oxygen supply. Over the weekend, the country has recorded 6,194 infections in just 24 hours.

The World Health Organization has a tally of 4,536 COVID-19 deaths in Myanmar, which is expected to be severely underestimated because of the lack of testing in the region. The country's health care system has continued to spiral out of control since the military's February coup.

Thousands of residents are forced to line up for hours in hopes of getting oxygen supply to their loved ones suffering from the disease. The lines are sometimes in defiance of lockdown orders, which prompts military troops to use violence to disperse the crowd and get them to go home.

Military officers reportedly fired at a line of people earlier this week in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Activist groups and doctors within the region said they documented more than 200 attacks on health workers and facilities, leaving at least 17 people killed, ABC reported.



Related Article: FDA Grants Priority Review to Pfizer Vaccine; Full Approval Could Have an Impact on Vaccine Mandates

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On Sunday, former President Donald Trump stoked anti-vaccine sentiment, even connecting it to his false claims about the election result. Even though the vaccinations were produced under Operation Warp Speed during Trump's presidency, there has been a lot of attention on Trump supporters being hesitant or simply refusing to obtain Covid-19 vaccines.

The former president said people are refusing to take the vaccine because they don't believe Joe Biden's administration, they don't trust the election results, and they certainly don't trust the false press, which refuses to report the truth.

Trump's remarks with Covid-19 vaccine, Biden's goal

Trump has made a few comments encouraging people to get vaccines, but most of his recent statements have just reiterated his usual unsubstantiated claims and election conspiracies. He has mentioned vaccinations in numerous recent remarks, but he has not made it a priority to actively encourage his skeptics to get vaccinated.

President Joe Biden's administration failed to reach its vaccination goal of 70 percent of people receiving at least one shot by July 4, prompting the former president's remarks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 161 million individuals are completely vaccinated; and 68 percent of adults have had at least one shot.

Trump has praised his administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, citing projects like Operation Warp Speed, which saw vaccine production and distribution happen in record time. While he has urged people to be vaccinated, many of his supporters have opted for caution when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccine, as per The Washington Examiner.

According to statistics obtained by Pew Research in March, over 56 percent of Republicans indicated they planned to get inoculated or were already vaccinated. Democrats, on the other hand, were 27 percent more likely than Republicans to indicate they want to get the vaccination. A total of 10,121 panelists were asked to participate in the study.

Despite Trump's positive attitude on vaccines, there appears to be a significant divergence between his position and those of others in the Republican party. In April, Republican Senator Ron Johnson questioned why the Biden administration was making such a "huge effort" to have everyone vaccinated.

As Covid-19 cases rise across the country owing to the extremely infectious Delta variant, the Biden administration is scrambling to vaccinate more Americans. In the last week; at least 38 states have seen a 50 percent rise in new cases, with the variant spreading fastest among unvaccinated populations.

Read Also: Facebook Responds to Accusations of Joe Biden That It Kills People Through Covid-19 Vaccine Misinformation

Biden administration blames social media's misinformation

On Sunday, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy noted that unvaccinated persons account for 99.5 percent of new Covid-19 deaths; and he voiced fear that the problem might soon worsen. The Biden administration has placed part of the responsibility on social media firms, claiming that the quick dissemination of misinformation online is to blame for Americans' refusal to be vaccinated.

Biden stated on Friday that the quantity of misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms is "killing people" and that the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. In response, Facebook released a statement claiming that 85 percent of its users had or planned to receive vaccinations and that the administration was searching for scapegoats for missing their vaccine goals, Newsweek reported.

Trump once again credited his administration's Operation Warp Speed with the vaccine development, accusing President Joe Biden of being "far behind schedule." His detractors have accused the former president of spreading anti-vaccine sentiments, although he has previously advocated for vaccination.

Per RT, some were more appreciative of Trump's speech and fought back against the outrage, claiming that the remarks were similar to those made by Vice President Kamala Harris during her campaign last year, as well as other liberal commentators at the time.

Under a vice presidential debate in October, Harris expressed reservations about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, which was authorized during Trump's presidency. "If Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I'm not taking it," Harris said, adding that she would believe physicians assuring her the vaccination is safe.

Related Article: Donald Trump Confirms Running in 2024 Election, Attacks Biden, Big Techs in His Speech



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A nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure spending bill proposal that aims to support the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) crackdown on tax dodgers has been removed from the table as Republicans counter the legislation.

On Sunday, Republican Senator Rob Portman announced the news, saying that fellow Republican lawmakers have pushed back against the bill. The official, who was involved in negotiating the bill, said many of his colleagues disagreed with the need to expand the IRS' reach.

Massive Infrastructure Bill

Over the years, Republicans have accused the agency of unfairly targeting conservatives. Another factor for the decision regarding the IRS provision was Democrats supporting a separate $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill. Lawmakers intend to pass the legislation through the Senate using special budget rules and without Republican support.

Portman said the various factors caused a stir because the $1 trillion proposal was generally agreed to be the bipartisan, negotiated infrastructure package that would get support. The removal of the provision is the latest in a series of signs that show the continued mutual disagreement between Republicans and Democrats in passing bills.

Read Also: Stimulus Checks Up to $3,200 Back Pay Will Be Released to About 60 Million American Children This Week; Here's How

The senator said that lawmakers had planned to meet on Sunday to discuss alternatives to the IRS provision. Initially, a bill that would target taxpayers who dodged income taxes received bipartisan support. However, outside groups later came forward and criticized it as a means for the IRS to invade the privacy of Americans in managing their personal finances, the Associated Press reported.

The change means that United States President Joe Biden's priority of having the IRS collect more taxes from citizens will be delayed. However, some lawmakers are saying that the bill could be passed elsewhere, potentially in a separate spending package supported by Democratic lawmakers.

Lawmakers will have before midweek to replace the IRS provision if they want to complete the infrastructure package. For the past several weeks, Republicans and Democrats have been in negotiations regarding an infrastructure deal that would include funding for roads, bridges, and broadband. But the cost of the bill has been the most difficult for both sides to agree on as they are hesitant to increase the federal deficit.

IRS Spending Bill

In the past few years, the federal deficit has increased to historic levels due to tax cuts and spending amid the coronavirus pandemic. But officials said that the plan would get all of its funding with new revenue, the Wall Street Journal reported.

If it passed, the infrastructure deal would have given a $40 billion budget to the IRS after it has faced decades of cuts. The financial support would have given the agency's enforcement division to collect unpaid taxes. Recently, the IRS conducted research that discovered the annual tax gap between 2011 and 2013 has reached $441 billion. The Treasury Department also conducted an analysis that found the deficit to be as high as $584 billion in 2019.

Last week, the Senate left the infrastructure bill with a lot of uncertainties, despite Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushing the deal forward on Wednesday by advancing a floor vote, Politico reported.



Related Article: Witness Directly Implicates Donald Trump in Tax Scheme; Trump Organization Indicted 5 Days After Interview

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A popular online petition seeking $2,000 monthly stimulus payments for "every" American continues to gain traction, with the total number of signatures reaching 3 million. Most Americans are still unemployed, and many have suffered significant financial hardship as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the economy is improving and unemployment is reducing, millions of Americans feel the federal government should issue a fourth stimulus check or recurring monthly payments to help families and individuals. The Change.org petition asking that every American be paid $2,000 per month has exceeded 2.63 million signatures as of early Saturday afternoon.

Americans urge for more stimulus checks

The petition's current objective is to collect 3 million signatures, and scores of members of Congress have already expressed support for more stimulus funding. Following President Joe Biden's inauguration in January, Democrats pushed through an extra COVID-19 relief package in March, which distributed $1,400 third stimulus checks.

Meanwhile, more than 80 Democratic members of Congress have openly stated their support for giving Americans more stimulus checks. Many people have endorsed the Change.org petition's request for $2,000 per month direct payments. Since last spring, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and other prominent progressives have encouraged their legislative colleagues to approve recurring payments to Americans, as per Newsweek.

Multiple factors appear to be working against more stimulus checks. The economy's recovery from COVID-19 is gaining traction, as demonstrated by the better-than-expected 850,000 jobs gained in June.

The Biden administration has shifted its focus to other important issues, such as the huge infrastructure bill. Perhaps most striking, the Democratic-controlled Congress' new $3.5 trillion budget proposal includes another round of relief payments.

Read Also: IRS Sends 4 Million Tax Refunds Who Overpaid on Unemployment Benefits; Are You One of the Recipients?

The ongoing relief assistance amid the pandemic

One argument against further stimulus checks is that the government already helps those who are trying to make ends meet and cope with debt while the pandemic's impacts persist. In the previous week alone, more than $20 billion in stimulus money was disbursed.

The IRS started distributing direct payments to families with children on Thursday as part of a beefed-up child tax credit. The most recent pandemic relief package, which President Joe Biden signed in March, included a one-year increase in the credit's maximum per-child amount from $2,000 to $3,600.

Biden has suggested extending the increased child tax credit until at least 2025, and top Democrats such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi want the move to be permanent. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), around 35 million households will receive the first child tax credit payments, totaling over $15 billion. The IRS has launched a helpful website for parents to check their eligibility and track their payments.

The IRS began issuing a new batch of 4 million refunds to Americans who were unemployed last year on Wednesday. Officials estimate that the returns are worth an average of $1,265, amounting to a total of $5.06 billion.

The IRS says it will continue to issue refunds for unemployment taxes paid throughout the summer. You'll get your refund automatically if you've previously filed your taxes and are entitled for one. However, because the IRS is dealing with a 35 million tax return backlog, refund delays are conceivable.

Emergency rental aid of $46.6 billion has been made available at the state and local levels for renters who have been unable to afford the cost of housing. Renters who qualify may be eligible for up to 18 months of the rent reduction.

The extent of assistance varies by state. Some states provide tenants up to $4,600 per month if they qualify. Others are offering lump-sum payouts of up to $25,000 in some cases. You must demonstrate that you are in need to receive rental help.

Homeowners who are facing foreclosure due to their inability to make their mortgage payments can also apply for stimulus aid. The COVID aid measure passed in March established a $10 billion homeowner help fund, with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico receiving at least $50 million. You can apply through your state's or territory's housing agency, according to MoneyWise via MSN.

Monthly stimulus checks will help struggling families

The IRS's distribution of child tax credit is the first of six new monthly stimulus checks that will be distributed to an estimated 35 million American families. There will be one every month from now until December. On Thursday, the IRS provided the following key facts regarding the first wave as per BGR:

Direct deposit payments should already be in the bank accounts of the recipients. Paper checks, on the other hand, will take a few days to arrive in the mail.

Payments were provided to qualified households who submitted income tax returns in 2019 or 2020.

These IRS stimulus payments are made regularly. If a family is qualified for the funds, they are not required to do anything.

When it comes to eligibility, there isn't much to it. The stimulus checks are based on the number of children in a family. " Each payment is up to $300 per month for each kid under the age of six," the IRS stated in a Thursday summary of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package passed in March.

Alternatively, payments of up to $250 per month for each kid aged 6 to 17 will be made. Unless they unenroll, anybody who receives a payment this month will receive a payment every month for the remainder of 2021, according to the IRS press release.

Related Article: Stimulus Checks Up to $3,200 Back Pay Will Be Released to About 60 Million American Children This Week; Here's How

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Kim Jong Un's official media has advised the youth to think carefully before embracing "street" words from South Korea. If North Korean young people imitate the fashion style, haircuts, and slang of the South, they risk being arrested or executed.

North Korea's official newspaper issued additional cautions against copying South Korean fashions, haircuts, and music. It's part of a broad new law aimed at eradicating any foreign influence through hefty punishments.

Kim Jong Un's official media announces additional cautions to young people

The newspaper Rodong Sinmun recently issued a warning to millennials about the risks of adopting South Korean pop culture. It emphasized the superiority of North Korea's Pyongyang dialect and the need for proper usage by young people.

The North Korea has recently attempted to eradicate South Korean slang, such as a lady referring to her spouse as "Oppa," a term that literally means "older brother" but is commonly used to refer to a lover.

Anyone found with substantial volumes of South Korean, American, or Japanese media now faces the death penalty. Those who are found watching it will be sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Despite the dangers, foreign influence continues to infiltrate the North, with highly sophisticated smuggling rings operating to smuggle in forbidden media. Some defectors from North Korea have stated that viewing South Korean dramas influenced their choice to flee.

Read Also: Pakistan Deadly Bus Blast That Killed 13, Mostly Are Chinese, Is Suspected as Anti-China Terrorist Attack

North Korea urged for increased discipline

Kim Jong Un, who was educated in Switzerland, is fully aware that K-pop or Western culture may easily penetrate the younger generation and have a detrimental influence on its socialist system, Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, told the Korea Herald.

As a result of the impact of worldwide sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic, the government has called for increased discipline and ideological teaching, particularly for young people. Per Korea Times, as part of its attempts to block the inflow of outside culture that may affect its people's beliefs, North Korea reenacted legislation in December that toughens the penalties for possessing movies recorded in South Korea.

Kim Jong Un vowed to kill K-pop enthusiasts last month after calling the music a "vicious cancer" that is ruining the country. Music, movies, and television shows from South Korea have been smuggled across the border; and North Korea's leader is concerned that this would affect the country's youth and that it has an impact on his rule.

Kim has now cracked down on the culture, which he claims is contaminating his country's fashion style, haircuts, words, and behaviors. Anyone found smuggling music, shows, or movies into the nation might be sentenced to death.

Those who talk, write, or sing in a South Korean style will be sentenced to two years of hard labor, according to the law. Internal files were smuggled out of the nation by Daily NK, a Seoul-based news site, leading to the punishments.

According to reports, Kim Jong Un has warned that a "severe change" is coming in North Korea's youths' "ideological and mental status." It comes after the North Korean leader reportedly shaved his mullets and banned the retro haircut, as well as skinny jeans, in a strike at Western decadence, as per The Sun.

Related Article: Kim Jong Un, Family Spotted Enjoying Party Boat with Waterslides Amid North Korea's Food Crisis



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Queen Elizabeth II may speak with Prince Charles to persuade him to ensure that Prince Edward inherits their late father's title when she dies. Prince Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999; and the Queen and Prince Philip indicated that if Prince Charles became king, they intended their youngest son to be given the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

After his father's death in April, the Prince of Wales inherited the title, which will automatically transfer to the throne whenever he succeeds Her Majesty. However, there have been questions raised in recent days over whether the Earl of Wessex would be given the title after Prince Charles becomes king, with one expert saying that the Queen may need to "have a word" with her eldest to ensure that she and Philip's wishes are followed.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's wish

Since Prince Philip's death in April, Prince Charles has acted as the family's de facto leader because he is the monarchy's most senior male member. While the Queen has resumed her usual duties following the traditional two-week mourning period, the Prince of Wales has taken on an increasing amount of responsibilities. He also assisted Her Majesty in establishing a strategy to deal with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit from royal responsibilities in March 2020, alongside eldest son Prince William.

According to a former advisor to the Queen, the Prince of Wales is likely to hand over his role as Duke of Edinburgh to his younger brother. Although it has long been assumed that the title will be passed down to Prince Edward, Dickie Arbiter, the Queen's former press secretary, has stated that it will take a few years, The Sun reported.

The Earl of Wessex has awaited his late father's title for more than two decades, but Prince Charles has reportedly refused to issue it as part of his attempt to trim down the monarchy. However, it was reported this week that Prince Charles is reconsidering his decision; and a source added, "It won't go to Edward."

Read Also: Prince William, Prince Harry Coincidentally Linked to Two Sisters, But Fergie Says Diana Would be Proud of Their Wives

Ex-Royal secretary commented on the issue

Dickie Arbiter, a former Buckingham Palace press secretary, has now chimed in on the argument. He further stated that Prince Charles is merely waiting and has no intention of defying his parents' wishes.

Reports regarding the title, according to Prince Charles, are "speculation." He will only be able to make such judgments once he has ascended to the throne.

"All stories of this nature are speculation and no final decisions have been taken," a representative for the prince told People. Following Megxit and Prince Andrew's withdrawal from public life, Prince Charles intends to reduce the number of senior royals engaged in public service.

Only Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, together with the Wessex, might be senior royals in a slimmed-down version. Others may be encouraged to seek alternative sources of income, and they may lose their highly desirable titles and patronages as a result.

Queen Elizabeth's favorite child

According to a royal biographer, the Queen's favorite child is Prince Edward, not Prince Andrew. Despite his appearance as a bit wet and irritating, royal biographer Matthew Dennison claims that the monarch's blue-eyed kid is her youngest, the Earl of Wessex, 57.

He said that the Queen and the late Prince Philip, who died in April at the age of 99, always favored their youngest child, as evidenced by an incident in 1987 when Edward was 22.

Per Daily Mail, Prince Edward was always his parents' favorite, although he appeared to be a little wet and irritable to the rest of us. According to royal expert Ingrid Seward, Prince Edward is the monarch's favorite child, citing Prince Philip's unexpected reaction to his son's choice to leave the Royal Marines.

Related Article: The Reason Why Prince Charles May Deny Father's Title Duke of Edinburgh to His Brother Edward



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Law enforcement authorities on Friday arrested a Kentucky man for his involvement in a brutal torutre and murder case that occured in Louisville last September.

Daniel E. Rosselot, 36, of Maysville was allegedly involved in the torture and killing of 35-year-old Jeremy Lind in the 1400 block of Clara Avenue in the Taylor Berry neighborhood.

According to police reports, Lind and his girlfriend were kidnapped at gunpoint at 1 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 27, 2020. The suspect, who was accompanied by two people, forced the victims to strip naked and eat dog food.

Brutal Crime

At one point, the suspects cut off Lind's tongue and subjected him to brutal torture. Rosselot and his accomplices also wrapped the severed tongue in foil, shoved it into the victim's mouth, and watched as he choked to death, as reported by Crime Online.

Lind's girlfriend, whose identity was not released by the police department, was forced to watch the torture and murder. She was also forced to clean up her boyfriend's blood following his death.

According to police reports, the suspects kept Lind's girlfriend alive with the aim of selling her to human traffickers. However, she escaped later that day. The suspects hid Lind's body in a shed before dumping it into an alley behind Lentz Avenue where police found it three days later.

It is unclear what the motive for the crime is. However, the couple had stolen items out of a vehicle a few days before the murder, according to WDRB.

Read Also: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Warns Young People to Face Jail or Execution If They Use Slang, Trendy Fashion from South

In a citation, Rosselot has admitted to holding the victims against their will. He also admitted to striking the victim using a weapon, as well as wrapping Lind's corpse with a tarp with the help of an accomplice.

Rosselot has been charged with complicity to murder, two counts of complicity to first-degree unlawful imprisonment, complicity to abuse of a corpse, and complicity to tampering with physical evidence. He has since pleaded not guilty and was appointed a public defender, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

Another Torture

In January, police officials have arrested Robert Lee Smothers, 40, and Samantha Lee Johnson, 32, in connection to the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Lind. However, Jefferson District Judge Jennifer Wilcox in March dropped all charges against the suspect, noting that they no longer believe he was accomplice in the brutal slaying, as reported by the Courier Journal.

Darren Wolff, Smother's appointed counsel, said his client was identified by two witnesses as the perpetrator of the crime. But it was later discovered that law enforcement officers only showed the witnesses a single photograph of Smother, instead of an array of photos.

Police officers later arrested James Douglas Branham, 39, who admitted that he was paid to kidnap and torture the victims.

Rosselot's two accomplices are expected to face similar charges, including complicity to abuse of a corpse, complicity to second-degree assault and complicity to tampering with physical evidence.

Johnson and Branham were held on a $1 million bond. Both suspects are set to have pretrial hearings on August 2. Rosselot, who was granted a $25,000 bond, is expected to be back in court on July 26.



Related Article: Witness Directly Implicates Donald Trump in Tax Scheme; Trump Organization Indicted 5 Days After Interview

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Authorities reported Saturday that at least three people died while attending a weekend country music festival in southern Michigan, including two people who are severely injured from carbon monoxide poisoning inside a camper trailer.

The same exposure had left two additional in serious condition at a hospital, according to the Lenawee County sheriff's office. The males were all in their early twenties.

Carbon monoxide poisoning in a music festival

During the Faster Horses Festival at Michigan International Speedway, 80 miles west of Detroit, a worried pal phoned 911 about 1:30 p.m. after not hearing from them. They were sleeping at a campground in Woodstock Township, just outside the event grounds.

Inside the trailer, first responders discovered five unconscious men in their early twenties. Three people were declared dead at the site, and two others were brought by ambulance to a local hospital in serious condition for treatment of severe carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities are also looking into a fourth death in the festival. Melissa Havens, 30, of Croswell, died in a separate incident, according to state police. Havens, whose body was discovered early Saturday, was subjected to an autopsy and toxicological testing. She was spotted with a guy within 24 hours of her remains being discovered, and detectives were asking for the public's assistance in identifying him.

The man was described as Black, in his 30s, had a short beard and short black hair, and was wearing a gray hoodie. Havens' death was not made public, nor was the manner in which he died.

Thousands of people flocked to the Michigan International Speedway, 80 miles west of Detroit, for the event. The last band was set to perform on Sunday evening. Organizers did not immediately reply to a request for comment from USA TODAY, and as of Sunday morning, there was no mention of the fatalities on the music festival's social media.

Read Also: Man Charged With Hate Crime After Stabbing a Boston Rabbi Eight Times

How can carbon monoxide poison a person?

On their festival fact sheet, the organizers discuss the usage of generators at campsites, stating that generators are permitted except in the infield. However, the clearance comes with a condition.

To avoid breathing carbon monoxide, first responders also emphasized the need of keeping generators away from camping sites, tents, travel trailers, and other similar structures, as well as exhaust emissions from running cars. Officials claim, however, that anyone attending the music event this weekend is not at risk.

Per Daily Mail, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas generated when gasoline, charcoal, wood, propane, or other fuels are burned, and breathing too much of it can be fatal. When there is too much carbon monoxide in the air, your body substitutes carbon monoxide for oxygen in your red blood cells. Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when the gas builds up in your bloodstream, causing significant tissue damage or even death.

According to People, the 2021 Faster Horses Festival is the greatest gathering in Michigan since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, with over 40,000 individuals in attendance. Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, and Jason Aldean are the headliners for this year's festival.

Related Article: Missing Wisconsin Couple: Case Now Considered Homicide as Police Think Son Lies





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Russia tested a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which hit a ground target off the shore of the Barents Sea at a range of more than 350 kilometers (217 miles).

According to Admiral Gorshkov, the missile was launched from a ship in the White Sea. In a speech made in March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that hypersonic missiles were part of a new generation of Russian weaponry that could reach nearly any place on the globe while avoiding the US-built missile shield.

Russia's nuclear weapon development

The Admiral Gorshkov warship was seen launching a cruise missile at a target on the Barents Seashore in northern Russia, according to footage released by the Russian defense ministry. In a state of the nation speech in February 2019, Putin disclosed the new weapon's development, claiming it could kill targets at sea and on land with a range of 1,000 kilometers and a speed of Mach 9.

The defense ministry has stated that the Zircon would be installed on both warships and submarines, SCMP reported. In October last year, the missile underwent numerous recent tests, with Putin describing one of them as a great event not just in the life of military forces but for all of Russia.

The Sarmat intercontinental missiles and the Burevestnik cruise missiles are two weapons that Russia has boasted of creating to bypass existing defense systems. Western experts have connected a catastrophic incident at a test facility in northern Russia in 2019 - which resulted in a significant increase in local radiation levels - to Putin's 2018 announcement of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

The Zircon will be tested from submarines and on land soon. The missile is expected to enter service next year, with the Admiral Golovko frigate serving as the first to fire it.

Read Also: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Warns Young People to Face Jail or Execution If They Use Slang, Trendy Fashion from South

How Putin's aim to improve Russia's missiles threaten other countries

According to The Sun, the missile's main purpose is to destroy enemy ships, and sources claim that its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. However, there are unsubstantiated rumors that it has a real range of 1,200 miles.

The design and development of the missile system took place in complete secrecy. Foreign spies have attempted to steal its secrets, according to Putin. It is one of a handful of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying, including the 188-tonne Sarmat, often known as Satan-2 in the West and the largest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, which is set to go into service next year after testing in the autumn.

The first Zircon test launch of the missile from the Gorshkov took place in early October and was viewed as Putin's 68th birthday present. In November and December, there were further test launches. In March, the missile was launched four times from the Admiral Gorshkov ship in the Arctic, and military officials stated each time it "struck the bullseye."

The threat of nuclear Armageddon was more frightening, but also more obvious, during the Cold War. Landing a nuclear bomb on top of the opposing superpower's nuclear missiles means destroying them in their armored silos. However, a new class of fast, stealthy, difficult-to-defeat conventional weapons, like hypersonic cruise missiles capable of speeds exceeding Mach 5, are more than simply destructive combat weapons. They highlight the possibility of a surprise attack on an opponent's nuclear strike force with non-nuclear weapons, as per National Interest.

According to arms control expert James Acton, co-director of the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace's Nuclear Policy Program, these new conventional weapons increase the chances of nuclear war. Late last year, Acton co-authored a report on nuclear entanglement with Russian and Chinese experts.

Related Article: Joe Biden Urges Russia's Vladimir Putin to Act as US Defends People, Infrastructure Against Cyberattacks





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As the encounters with China and Russia ramps up in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, UK special forces will be expected to focus on higher risk missions. This comes as more countries are having run-ins with the two countries. Specialists may have to advise local forces in dealing with them.

British military said that their expertise is needed to counter Russian and China forces. Both regimes are getting more advanced, but the People'sLiberation Army(PLA) is almost getting there as a military force to reckon with. But Russia is not easy to deal..

Most armed groups that don't have the training to deal with either of these two countries will have little chances to counter any movement from them.

Special Forces needed in complex operations

According to Commander Totten, who joined the British Marines in 1998, special forces will be allowed to deal with more difficult missions like operations against the Kremlin and Beijing.

"It takes real specialist expertise, so we will allow them to have more time and people to address those and we can conduct some of the tasks, such as maritime counterterrorism for example, or partnered operations, where it is difficult, where there is a higher risk," added Commander Totten, according to the Express.

Read Also: Los Angeles Class Nuclear Attack Submarine: Cold War Warrior That Fights On Since 1982

Brigadier Totten is the commander of the commando force with 4,000 members from the Royal Marine who will be having special unit roles, cited the Head Topics.

He added that the elite soldiers in the special forces will be scattered in small groups and strategically spread all over the world. Their function will be special military advisors for anti-terrorist activities. This unit will be important to anti-Russian and China advisers.

There's no specific mention of tasks from the marine commander. But he added that it might be maritime training of aggrieved nations who are bullied by the Chinese.

Though he did not confirm it, Royal Marine special ops might end up in the eastern part of the Suez, or hotspots in the Indo-Pacific as well. Places like these will be crucial to defend in times of crisis.

The commander said that the Arctic and ice caps will be places of concern when Russia and China might use these sea routes.

Totten stated that there will be a huge shift to these places that were once ignored like the Antarctic and Northern poles which will be needing forces stationed there.

The commander is concerned about what will happen to these areas if there were no special ops around should a crisis arise. It was the first verification of the UK over the need for SOFs to be ready so they are available to deal with modern-day threats.

Last one out

The announcement of the special unit of Totten comes after knowing that a meager number of troops will stay in embattled Afghanistan. The US and other coalition troops are leaving while Brit troops shall remain longer in the area.

Remaining British troops will be UK special ops or Special Air Services (SAS) who will train Afghans troops to fight, reported the Telegraph.

Related Article: Russia's Newest Submarines Pose a Greater Threat to US Coasts, Says American General

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This is a normal scene in Jasper County throughout the year. Jasper County Ambulance Service first responders helping an accident victim and assisting other emergency services agencies. The accident victim on the stretcher is Cletus Westendorf, 68, of Wheeler, who lost control of his pickup truck due a medical condition while driving west on Illinois Route 33 shortly after 8 p.m., July 15, near Illinois Drive. The truck drove through a ditch and then traveled across Illinois Drive before stopping in a crop field. The Jasper County Sheriffs deputies drove the truck back to the roadway. He was taken to HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital by ambulance. A group of county residents spoke in support of the ambulance service at Thursdays county board meeting, noting the dedication and professionalism of the ambulance service.
Multimedia Video Journalist

Buffalo native trying to get her news on! Im a Multimedia Journalist here at Your Hometown Stations and I love what I do. Have a cool story idea? Im in! Just email me at ashelton@wlio.com or message my Facebook page.
Pipeline

16 July 2021

The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) ("St. Joe") today announces plans for a Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. St. Joe intends to build the hotel on its property near West Hewett Road just north of US Highway 98.

Plans call for the four-story hotel to feature 107 guest rooms including some one-bedroom suites. The amenities are planned to include a pool, a fitness center and an outdoor lounge with a fire pit. All Home2 Suites by Hilton hotels provide guests with free WiFi and complimentary breakfast. The planned location for the hotel is less than one mile from the iconic Scenic Highway 30A corridor and in close proximity to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and the area's white-sand beaches.

Once complete, the planned hotel will be managed by St. Joe. The Company owns or operates five hotels and with this planned Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel, it will have an additional six hotels under development or construction. Upon their completion, these projects will bring St. Joe's hotel portfolio to 1,170 rooms.

St. Joe intends to break ground on the planned Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel later in 2021 and anticipates a 2023 opening.
Appointment

19 July 2021

PROVision Partners ("PROVision"), a leading global strategic growth, marketing, technology, and commercial services advisory firm to the travel and hospitality industry, announces the appointment of Trevor Warner as a Senior Advisor. Warner is the founder and President of Warner Consulting Group, a leading IT asset management company in the hospitality industry.

With over 20 years of experience in hospitality technology consulting, Warner's expertise has aided hotel brands in making informed technological decisions that ultimately deliver stronger operational and financial impacts. He is a member of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG).

At PROVision, Warner will help lead and deliver expert advisory services and results, lending his hospitality consulting expertise to provide PROVision clients with technology assessments, global business development and strategic marketing initiatives.
Appointment

19 July 2021

Nobu Hotel Chicago proudly announces the appointment of Rhonda Drury to Director of Sales and Marketing. A Chicago native with 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Drury is poised to lead sales and marketing at Nobu Hotel Chicago, part of the thriving global luxury brand Nobu Hospitality and the first Midwest location.

Drury joins Nobu Hotel Chicago from Cambria Hotels, where she most recently served as Sales Operations Manager. Her prior experience in Chicago has made an impact through a variety of roles at National Restaurant Association, theWit Hotel, Travistock Restaurant Collection, The Mid-America Club, Fitzpatrick hotel Group and The Drake Hotel. She is a graduate of Loyola University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management.

In her new role, Drury is responsible for implementing a marketing plan designed to achieve the desired positioning for Nobu Hotel as well as managing the sales and marketing budget that supports the hotel's revenue goals. Drury, a strategic thinker and proven sales leader, brings an expertise in researching and developing new business opportunities to Nobu Hotel Chicago. She has a passion for mentoring others and growing sales teams.
Appointment

19 July 2021

Radisson Hotel Group Americas today announced Paul Adan has been appointed Managing Director of Latin America and the Caribbean. In this newly created role, Adan will lead the company's Development and Operations teams across the region. He will be focused on executing the growth strategy in the region, along with supporting the operational excellence and overall success of franchised hotels throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Adan has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, primarily focused on development efforts and growing brands across Latin America with companies like Hilton, Sol Melia, NH Hotels, and CBRE. He joins Radisson Hotel Group Americas from Marriott International where he most recently served as a Regional Vice President of Development for Latin America and the Caribbean. During this time, Adan was responsible for all development efforts in Central and South America, where he had a strong track record of success in growing a portfolio of brands with both managed and franchise deals.
Appointment

19 July 2021

Lotte Hotels Corporation announced today that Jim Petrus has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lotte Hotels and Resorts Americas, effective immediately. Petrus is a 30 plus year industry leader who has held senior roles in Blackstone/BRE Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Hyatt Hotels. Petrus' appointment builds upon the luxury South Korean brand's commitment to creating unique and compelling experiences for guests in the Americas.

Lotte Hotels & Resorts entered the North American market in 2015 with the acquisition of Manhattan's iconic Lotte New York Palace hotel and further expanded its footprint in 2020 with the opening of Lotte Hotel Seattle. Lotte plans to open more than 20 hotels over the next 5 years, targeting key gateway cities, tech centers and resort destinations in the Americas. Lotte currently has 34 properties totaling 11,200 rooms with an additional 3 properties in the pipeline. Lotte Hotel brands include Signiel, their 6-star brand; L7, their lifestyle brand; and Lotte Hotels, their signature brand.

Prior to joining Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Petrus was with Blackstone/BRE Hotels and Resorts where he was Senior Vice President of Asset Management- Hawaii Hotels and Resorts. Petrus also held several key roles with Starwood Hotels and Resorts within the St. Regis brand including Global Brand Leader and Senior Vice President of Operations. Prior, he held several senior level positions with Hyatt Hotels. Throughout his career, Petrus has also held numerous civic and industry leadership roles. Petrus is a graduate of the hotel school at Michigan State University.
Press Release

19 July 2021

45% of General Managers are women with focus on home-grown talent

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IHG Hotels & Resorts has strengthened its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) by investing further in female leaders in Thailand  with 45% of General Manager roles now held by women.

With the majority of these positions going to home-grown talent, IHG has continued to deliver on Journey To Tomorrow, its 10-year action plan of clear commitments to drive change for its people, communities and planet.

Globally, 38% of the companys senior leaders are women, and it has increased its female leadership pipeline in Thailand as part of its 2030 DE&I commitments to drive gender balance and a doubling of under-represented groups across all levels of its business.

Clive Murray, Regional General Manager, Bangkok City Thailand, said: IHG is greatly invested in diversity, equity & inclusion and we are extremely proud that almost half of our General Managers in Thailand are female, and the majority of them are home-grown talent.

Our business is more globally connected and interdependent than ever before, and it requires a culture where we draw upon different ideas and experiences to succeed. Having a diverse leadership team in Thailand enables us to drive growth, deliver exceptional experiences for our guests and owners, and be the type of organisation that people aspire to work for.

IHG has implemented a host of initiatives to support its female leaders, including RISE, a 12-month global mentoring programme that aims to increase the number of women in General Manager and other senior positions. RISE participants get access to a dedicated mentor and sponsor, matched to their needs and expertise, have access to learning modules, career development workshops and have the opportunity to lead a Lean-In circle in their hotel. RISE inspires confidence in its participants, helps to grow their networks, and provides them with a range of opportunities for personal and professional growth. Some 50% of participants in South East Asia and Korea have advanced into a new opportunity with some moving into General Manager roles.

Juthamas Sakulpisut (Khun Judy), RISE graduate and mentor and General Manager of Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11, said: My advice to aspiring female leaders is to never doubt yourself and always believe you are capable of so much more. Take risks and go for it. IHGs initiatives such as RISE provide aspiring female leaders with great support in the form of a dedicated mentor to provide guidance, and a sponsor to advocate career growth and success.

The senior leadership team at IHG continually challenges me, gives me confidence in my roles and supports my career aspirations and, as a RISE mentor, I now support young women to achieve their goals and dreams, too."

IHGs other DE&I initiatives include conscious inclusion training for its corporate teams and hotel General Managers, and a global network of local DE&I councils, which represent its regions and markets through giving its people a voice and providing them with advice, direction and support.

Nattareutai Thanapoomikul (Khun Aimmy), South East Asia & Korea DE&I Council Member and pre-opening General Manager of Holiday Inn Resort Samui Bophut, said: Being a woman in hospitality has its challenges, but thankfully IHG provides dedicated opportunities through which we can bring out the best in ourselves. These include the RISE programme, Lean-In Circle  which encourages women to meet in small groups  and our DE&I councils.

These initiatives have nurtured my leadership capabilities and allowed me to achieve my dream to become a successful leader. As a member of the South East Asia and Korea DE&I council, I can impact change, and I want to inspire others to do more and become the best versions of themselves they can be. IHG is definitely the right place to pursue our dreams.

In March, International Womens Day focused on Women in Leadership, highlighting the crucial role that women in senior positions play in closing the gender gap.

As Kate Gerits, Regional General Manager, Thailand Central and South and General Manager of Holiday Inn Pattaya, explained:

The beauty of the travel and hospitality industry is that we have the opportunity to work in different countries and experience a very diverse workplace, with employees and guests from all over the world. This brings about a culture that values and celebrates differences. We have female leaders across our hotels with varied skillsets and experiences, and thats fantastic as theyre the type of role models who inspire the next generation of leaders.

IHG has hotels and offices in more than 100 countries and 350,000 colleagues representing a wide variety of nationalities, cultures, religions, abilities and backgrounds. Caring for its people, communities and planet has been at the heart of IHGs business for many years and, through Journey To Tomorrow, it will continue to strengthen its culture of inclusion and focus on attracting, building and retaining talent in all markets, to champion a diverse culture where everyone can thrive.
Opinion Article

19 July 2021

Sri Lankas tourism sector has become a mainstay of the economic development in the country in the past decade, contributing over 10% to the countrys GDP and 11% of the total employment in 2019 as per WTTC. Having realized the potential of the tourism sector as a chief economic propellant, the Sri Lankan government, over the past several years, has focused on facilitating its growth through effective policy measures and massive infrastructure development. For instance, upgrading the Colombo airport is a major step to improving infrastructure that has helped increase the number of flights into the country. Hotel development in the country has also seen significant growth from 113 classified hotels with 9,377 rooms in 2010 to 156 classified hotels with 14,232 rooms in 2020, as per the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

However, the country has just scratched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to achieving the full potential of the tourism sector, as most of the growth so far has been concentrated on the main tourist destinations such as Colombo, Kandy, and Bentota, etc. There are several unexplored destinations in the country that can offer a plethora of attractions and varied experiences to tourists but are lagging as they still lack last-mile connectivity and good infrastructure facilities. Going forward, the holistic development of the tourism sector in the country should be the focus of all the key industry stakeholders. Sri Lanka can take a leaf out of other tourism-focused countries and adopt some of their best practices in its own growth journey.

One of the most prominent examples is the Maldives, a remote archipelago that has become a tourist hotspot in the last five decades. Tourism in the country began in the early 1970s with just three resorts and has today grown to over 130 resorts and several safari vessels, hotels, and guesthouses that hosted over 1.7 million tourists in 2019. Infrastructure development, improved air connectivity, foreign investments, decentralizing tourism from Male to other islands, developing accommodations to attract a wider segment of tourists, and targeted marketing, while ensuring the preservation of the ecosystem, have led to the country earning the reputation of being a tourism success story, attracting tourists all year round. Mauritius is another popular destination, with tourism as the major pillar of economic growth. In the past thirty years, the expansion of the luxury tourism sector, economic diversification, policy formulation, and robust marketing has helped in the growth of the tourism sector in the country.

Furthermore, large-scale infrastructure development in tandem with the growth of tourists in destinations like Dubai and Singapore has made them the most sought-after tourist destinations for leisure as well as business travelers. The addition of new attractions and landmarks, availability of branded hotels along with standard accommodations, widespread connectivity, and growth-conducive travel and tourism policies, have largely contributed to the development of tourism in these places.

Sri Lanka has not yet been able to attract its fair share of tourists, though it offers several unique tourist experiences  beautiful landscapes from beaches, rainforests, tea plantations, wildlife parks, to historical sites, temples, and even casinos and spas  a key competitive advantage over singular experience destinations like Maldives and Mauritius, which are predominantly known for their beaches. Holistic development of existing and new tourist destinations, with focused infrastructure expansion, improved connectivity to major feeder markets, policy initiatives to facilitate the development of hotels and alternative accommodation, and ensuring sustainable growth of tourism are some of the factors that can help Sri Lankan tourism achieve its next growth frontier.

Additional Contributor to this article: Kavya Jain, Intern at HVS ANAROCK
Opinion Article

19 July 2021

Have you ever walked past a bubble tea shop and noticed hordes of young people queuing up outside  even in a pandemic  and asked yourself what all the fuss is about? Time to explore what makes this Taiwanese beverage so popular among its drinkers and such a viable business for its vendors. Interview with Roberto Panto, CEO of the quantum leaping Swiss brand, MYO Bubble Tea.

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Bubble Tea: what, how and where did this drink trend originate?

Although it feels like a relatively recent drink trend, bubble tea has been a popular drink in Asian countries since the 80s. Somewhere between a fancy beverage and a snack, this crazy concoction seems to have grabbed the attention of the average young teenager thanks to its variety of colours, flavours and textures. Especially geared to the youth market, the drink has now gained enormous popularity throughout Australia, the States and Europe, and is showing no signs of stopping with new Bubble stores popping up on every street corner around the world.

This often technicoloured drink is based on a Taiwanese recipe of blending a hot or cold tea base with the choice of milk, fruit and fruit juices, then adding the signature bubbles  soft and chewy tapioca pearls that sit at the bottom. Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root that is gluten-free and quite bland in flavour, but great in texture.

Bubble tea is served in transparent cups with a fat straw so that you can draw up the tapioca balls (also known as pearls or boba) and chew them as you swallow the tea. The bubble in the name refers to both the tapioca balls and the many bubbles created by the vigorous shaking involved in the blending process.

Rumour has it that a teahouse called Chun Shui Tang in Taichung (Taiwan) began serving iced tea. The companys product development manager, Ms. Lin Hsiu Hui, was bored in a staff meeting one day and decided to drop her Taiwanese dessert, fen yuan (a sweetened tapioca pudding) into her Assam iced tea and drink it. It was so good that they decided to add it to the menu, where it soon became the franchises top-selling product. Soon after seeing the success of this drink at one teahouse, concessions all over Taiwan started adding tapioca pearls and different fruit flavours to their iced teas, and so began bubble tea as we now know it!

A Swiss Bubble Tea success story

After extensive travels through Asia, fledgling businessman Roberto Panto started his bubble tea venture from a pop-up stand at the communal swimming pool of Morges (a small town in the French-speaking canton of Vaud) in August 2019. All the drinks were prepared by hand with two crates of produce hed ordered from Taiwan via France. True to what hed suspected about this tasty, colourful and enticing drink, the people came flocking with queues over 30 meters long. By the second weekend, hed run out of produce and was turning customers away. Come autumn, he had set up his own brand, MYO Bubble Tea, and was importing both the equipment and the ingredients from Taiwan with a view to running his own fixed spot bubble stores AND franchising his knowhow to other vendors wanting to try out this incredibly catchy business.

Two years later, Roberto has over 10 franchises in French-speaking Switzerland and is due to add another five within the next three months, (his phone rings during our interview with a bubble franchise enquiry from Val-de-Travers near Neuchatel). In order to cope with the explosion in demand for bubble tea, he has surrounded himself with a highly motivated team dealing with the logistics from Asia, training franchisees, quality control, social media, etc. He supplies his franchising clients with everything from raw materials to the machines needed to start and operate a bubble shop, including logos, banners, flyers, signage, loyalty & menu cards, in exchange for a franchising fee.

RP: My aim is to transmit the bubble tea know-how and the best recipes possible. The franchising scheme is an easy concept and the formula remains exactly the same for every vendor (similar to the Starbucks or McDonalds model). Franchisees can choose between three different kinds of partnerships: turnkey concept store; shop-in-shop or buy the finished drink. Whatever the deal is, as long as there's good product, a strategic selling point, active social media and a willingness to work hard, a bubble tea business can only succeed.

Bubble Tea facts and best practices according to Roberto Panto

Clientele: Children (36%); young adults 15-25 (32%); adults +25 (32%).

Best location: Near schools, colleges, play areas, shopping malls and town centers.

Best times: Lunchtimes, after school, Saturdays.

Practicalities: Always get the shop ready two hours before opening time to slowly cook the tapioca, fill up the tea urns and warm up the sealing machines.

Tapioca: It should always be cooked very slowly for a minimum of 2 hours in order to become caramelized and soft but still chewy.

Best menu: Bubble tea menus should always be as interactive and DIY as possible with regards to the taste, texture and colour combinations. Customers should be made to feel that they are in charge of coming up with their own tailormade recipe.

Social media: Each Bubble tea should be visually exciting and instantly 'Instagrammable'. Encourage your customers to tag their bubble tea post back to the point of sale.

Eco-friendly: Cardboard straws and 100% biodegradable or recyclable plastic cups. The younger generations are especially sensitive to issues concerning the environment. A bubble tea establishment risks being less popular if these measures are not followed.

Innovation: In August were launching a newly-patented cup insert, MYO POKET, which separates the pearls from the tea inside the cup. It will enable bubble tea brand to manufacture a bubble tea with several months of shelf life which can be stored in the refrigerators of retailers like COOP or convenience stores. Its a new business model that will enable these brands and their selected franchisees to manufacture a ready-to-drink version of bubble tea with a perfect taste and texture to delight consumers whenever and wherever they want. We plan to sell our solution to our competitors both in Switzerland and abroad.

General advice to Bubble Tea entrepreneurs

RP: My advice to anyone thinking of setting up a bubble tea store is to start off small, but always after having researched how to source the best ingredients. It is the quality of all the raw materials and the location of the store that will ultimately make the biggest difference to success and revenue. A first independent venture can be started with around 20K CHF. A franchised version can be started up at hardly any extra cost as long as the franchiser believes in the potential end result.

Another great tip is to think about how to split the activity between selling bubble teas and a compatible food sidekick, e.g. Poke bowls, sushi, cupcakes, sandwiches. Bear in mind that the peak sale of bubble teas is tied to specific times of day, so it's good to have a secondary activity on the side that stays more or less consistent throughout.

In order to keep consumers excited about your brand, you should regularly propose special deals and seasonal recipes (like the MYO Granita which we've just launched and expect to be a big hit this summer). Although bubble tea is a great domain for invention and variety, it's also important to stay true to the original recipes. No matter what innovative colourful fruit jelly cocktail variations you might come up with, never abandon the Taro, Matcha or Original classic favourites that add credibility and authencity to your menu and establishment.

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Thailand plans to use more Chinese-made vaccines to fill the gap in supply from AstraZeneca Plc, with the country kicking off a world-first mixed dose regime amid an unprecedented flareup in its Covid outbreak.

Thai health officials began administering Astra vaccine on Monday as the second shot to recipients of Sinovac Biotech Ltd.s first jab to boost the defense against the more contagious delta variant thats seen driving daily caseload to as high as 20,000 by next month. Under the revised vaccine regime, Thailand will use five million Sinovac shots per month, according to Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control.

Thailand is chasing additional vaccine deals, after Astra, which was seen as the primary supplier for its national rollout, conveyed its inability to meet targets set by the government, citing the Anglo-Swedish drugmakers export commitments. The government is also working to procure more shots from manufacturers such as Pfizer Inc., according to Opas.

Authorities are trying to ramp up vaccinations to reduce hospitalization and death rates as the surge of new infections overwhelms the nations public health system. The country reported 11,784 new cases on Monday, the highest single-day increase since the pandemic began, even as the countrys hotspots entered the second week of the most stringent containment measures in more than a year.

Thailands latest vaccine strategy is a departure from its original plan of solely relying on Astra vaccine, which is being locally produced by Siam Bioscience Ltd., to administer 10 million shots per month. With two-thirds of local Astra output slated for exports, Thailand is expected to receive only about five million doses per month, forcing officials to find ways to bolster its supplies, including discussions of limiting exports.

The government has been working on assumptions based on the best case scenario and underestimated the situation. They didnt have plans to reduce any risks or anticipate any uncertainties, said Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a lawmaker from the opposition Move Forward party. Deaths and economic losses could have been avoided with better planning and management.

Officials had earlier limited the use of Sinovac shots to its health-care and front-line workers, but later expanded it for regions with outbreaks or with plans to reopen for tourists. To date the country has administered 14.2 million doses, enough to cover about 10% of its population. Of the total doses, Sinovac made up 53%, followed by AstraZeneca at 44% and Sinopharm at 3%, according to Health Ministry data.
LONDON (AP)  The British government sought Monday to prevent Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from gaining access to nearly $2 billion of gold held by the Bank of England as the U.K. Supreme Court started hearing a case that hinges on the question of who should be considered the Latin American nations president.

Britain told the court that its recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido as president is clear and longstanding, and therefore he is the person authorized to decide how the gold held by Britains central bank should be used. The governments statement came after a lower court said the U.K.s recognition of Guaido was ambiguous.

The U.K. government has the right to decide who to recognize as the legitimate head of a foreign state, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement. The U.K. recognizes Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela and consequentially he is the only individual recognized to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state.

Maduro has demanded access to the gold to help his cash-starved nation fight the coronavirus pandemic. But the Bank of England has refused to hand it over, citing the British governments recognition of Guaido.

Guaido has sought to preserve the gold stash at the Bank of England to keep it out of the hands of the Maduro government, which it contends is illegitimate and corrupt.

Guaido, who was the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly, challenged Maduros claim to the presidency, arguing that his 2018 election was rigged and invalid. Guaido says he is the countrys interim president under provisions of the constitution that allow the head of the legislature to take power until free elections can be held.

Countries including the U.S. and the U.K. have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, although China, Russia and many others haven't and Maduro holds effective power within Venezuela.

The battle over the gold is being fought out between two competing governing boards of the Central Bank of Venezuela, one appointed by Maduro and the other by Guaido.

Guaido, who is represented by the law firm Arnold & Porter, is arguing there is nothing ambiguous about the U.K. actions.

Maduros lawyers argue that he's still president of Venezuela and that the U.K. has recognized this by continuing diplomatic relations with his government.

Leigh Crestohl, a lawyer representing the Maduro board, said the U.K. governments position threatens the attractiveness of the City of London and the Bank of England as a secure place for foreign assets.

International observers to this case may be surprised by the possibility that a unilateral statement of political recognition by the U.K. government can dispossess a foreign sovereign of assets deposited in London without any recourse in the English court, Crestohl, a partner at the London-based law firm Zaiwalla & Co., said in a statement. This is all the more so where that recognition ignores the reality on the ground.
When will China overtake the U.S. to become the worlds biggest economy?

Few questions are more consequential, whether its for executives wondering where long-term profits will come from, investors weighing the dollars status as global reserve currency, or generals strategizing over geopolitical flashpoints.

In Beijing, where theyve just been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, leaders are doing their best to present the baton-change as imminent and inevitable. The Chinese nation, President Xi Jinping said last week, is marching towards a great rejuvenation at an unstoppable pace.

Early in the Covid-19 crisis, when China managed to control infections and maintain growth even as the U.S. suffered hundreds of thousands of deaths and a crunching recession, many were inclined to agree. More recently, an unexpectedly fast U.S. recovery has illustrated just how much uncertainty remains around the timing of the transitionand even whether it will happen at all.

If Xi delivers on growth-boosting reforms, and his U.S. counterpart President Joe Biden is unable to push through his proposals for renewing infrastructure and expanding the workforce, forecasts from Bloomberg Economics suggest China could grab the top spotheld by the U.S. for well over a centuryas soon as 2031.

But that outcome is far from guaranteed. Chinas reform agenda is already languishing, tariffs and other trade curbs are disrupting access to global markets and advanced technologies, and Covid stimulus has lifted debt to record levels.

The nightmare scenario for Xi is that China could follow the same trajectory as Japan, also touted as a potential challenger to the U.S. before it crashed three decades ago. A combination of reform failure, international isolation and financial crisis could halt China before it reaches the top.

Another possibilityenticing to the skepticsif Chinas official GDP data is exaggerated, the gap between the worlds biggest and second biggest economies may be larger than it appears, and closing at a slower pace.

Throughout this report, we refer to the nominal dollar level of GDPwidely viewed as the best measure of economic strength. On the alternative purchasing power parity measurewhich takes account of differences in cost of living and is often used to measure quality of lifeChina has already claimed the top spot.

Over the long haul, three factors determine an economys growth rate. The first is the size of the workforce. The second is the capital stockeverything from factories to transport infrastructure to communication networks. Finally theres productivity, or how effectively those first two can be combined.

In each of these areas, China faces an uncertain future.

Start with the workforce. The math is straightforwardmore workers means more growth, and fewer workers means less. Here lies Chinas first challenge. Low fertilitythe legacy of the one-child policymeans that Chinas working-age population has already peaked. If fertility stays low, its projected to shrink by more than 260 million over the coming three decades, a drop of 28%.

Aware of the risks, China has changed course. Controls on fertility have been relaxed. In 2016, the limit was raised to two children. This year, the government announced that three were allowed. Meanwhile, plans to increase the retirement age could keep older workers in their jobs for longer.

Even if reforms succeed, it will be hard for China to offset the impact of the demographic drag. And they might not succeed. Rules arent the only thing holding families back from having more children: theres also the high cost of things like housing and education. The reason I havent bought three Rolls Royces is not because the government wouldnt let me, wrote one netizen in response to the three-child news.

The outlook for capital spending isnt quite so bleakno-one expects the number of railroads, factory robots or 5G towers to shrink. But after years of breakneck growth in investment, there are plenty of signs that it now brings diminishing returns. Overcapacity in industry, ghost towns of empty buildings, and six-lane highways snaking into sparsely populated farmland all illustrate the problem.

With the labor force set to shrink, and capital spending already overdone, its productivity that holds the key to Chinas future growth. Boosting it, most Western economists think, requires action such as abolishing the creaking hukou system (which ties workers to their place of birth), leveling the playing field between state-owned giants and nimble entrepreneurs, and reducing barriers to foreign participation in the economy and financial system.

Beijings industrial planners have their own blueprintand China has a long track record of successful growth-enhancing reforms. With China only about 50% as efficient as the U.S. in how it combines labor and capital, theres still lots of room to improve.

By 2050, Bloomberg Economics projects Chinas productivity will have caught up to 70% of the U.S. levelputting it in the typical range for countries at a comparable level of development.

Will China be able to deliver on the promiseboosting growth not with more workers and never-ending investment, but with smarter workers and more advanced technology? Unfortunately for Beijingand in contrast to the elaborately choreographed celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Communist Partynot all the determinants of future growth are under their control.

Global ties are starting to fray. A recent Pew survey found 76% of Americans had an unfavorable opinion of Chinaa record high. They arent alone. The blame game over the origins of Covid, mounting concern about human rights in Xinjiang, and Hong Kongs draconian National Security Law have all helped to darken the global view of Chinas rise.

If ties with the U.S. and its allies continue to fray, the cross-border flow of ideas and innovations that has done so much to accelerate Chinas rise will start to dry up. Beijing is already getting a sneak peak at what that might look like. Europe is backing away from a major investment agreement, and India closing the door to Chinese technology.

An elaborate exercise by economists at the International Monetary Fund found that in an extreme scenario, with China and the U.S. dividing the world into separate spheres of influence, Chinas 2030 GDP could take an 8% hitrelative to a base case where ties stay stable.

A combination of stalling domestic reforms and international isolation could bring another extreme scenario into play: financial crisis.

Since 2008, Chinas credit-to-GDP ratio has rocketed from 140% to 290%with the Covid stimulus contributing the latest leg up. In other countries, such a rapid increase in borrowing has heralded trouble ahead.

Drawing on Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoffs study of financial crises, Bloomberg Economics estimates that a Lehman-style meltdown could push China into a deep recession followed by a lost decade of close to zero growth.

There are also widespread doubts about the reliability of Chinas official growth numbers. The countrys own leaders have acknowledged the problem. GDP data is man-made, current Premier Li Keqiang said when he was the head of Liaoning province. For a more reliable read, he preferred to look at the numbers for things like electricity output, rail freight and bank loans.

A study by economists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Chicago suggested that between 2010 and 2016, Chinas true GDP growth was about 1.8 percentage points below what the official data suggested. If China is in fact already on a slower growth path, overtaking the U.S. becomes harder.

Not on Bidens Watch

Thats not going to happen on my watch, Biden said when he was asked about Chinas ambition to take the global top spot. Because the United States is going to continue to grow.

For the U.S., as for China, the path to faster growth lies through expanding the workforce, upgrading the capital stock and innovating on technology. Bidens infrastructure and family plans represent trillion-dollar down-payments on doing just that. By lifting U.S. growth onto a faster track, they could delay Chinas ascendency.

Drawing all these strands together, Bloomberg Economics has constructed scenarios for the outcome of the U.S.China economic race.

If everything goes right for Chinafrom domestic reforms to international relations  then it could start the next decade neck-and-neck with the U.S.and then accelerate into the distance.

Its in Xis interest for the world to see that as the inevitable path. If political leaders, business executives and investment managers are convinced China is poised for pre-eminence, they have a strong incentive to get on the bandwagonturning Beijings prophecy of success into a self-fulfilling one.

And Xi has the logic of development on his side. Chinas 1.4 billion population is four times larger than that of the U.S. GDP per capita is currently less than 20% of the level in the U.S. It would only have to converge a little more for China to claim the top spot. Chinas past development success, as well as that of Asian neighbors Japan and South Korea, suggest that shouldnt be too tall an order.

But as the checkered history of the Chinas last hundred years shows, development is not pre-destined. At the 100-year anniversary the focus understandablyis on the successes of the last forty years. In the earlier decades, the Partys record on delivering growth wasto say the leastmuch less impressive. As Xi casts off the constraint of term limits and prepares for a third term as President, some fear a return of the leadership dysfunctions that blighted the earlier period of Communist rule.

If doubts start to creep in, another path is possible. Stalled reforms, fraying global ties, shrinking workforce and financial crisis could keep China indefinitely in second place.

Methodology

Bloomberg Economics has forecast potential growth rates for China and the U.S. using a standard growth accounting framework, adding up the contributions of labor, capital, and total factor productivity. Within that framework, we explore base case, upside, and downside scenarios for China taking account of a number of factors:

Chinas reforms. In our base case we assume Chinas total factor productivity will rise from about 50% of the level in the U.S. today to about 70% in 2050. In our upside scenario, TFP rises to 85% of the level in the U.S. In the downside scenario it only reaches 55%.

Decoupling. We model the impact of decoupling based on the relationship between globalization, bilateral trade linkages, and productivity. Our base case assumes China loses 5% of the gains from globalization  equivalent to a partial breakdown in U.S. ties. Our downside scenario assumes China loses 13% - equivalent to breaking all ties with the U.S. In our upside scenario, ties with the U.S. remain intact.

Fertility. In our base case and downside scenario, we assume the U.N.s low fertility trajectory (about 1.25 births per woman). Our upside scenario assumes the U.N.s medium fertility path (about 1.75 births).

Pension age. Chinas legal retirement age is expected to be raised to 65 (from 60) for men and to 60-65 (from 50-55) for women. The base case assumes a phased lifting, ending in 2030. The upside scenario assumes the change is completed by 2025. In the downside scenario, its completed in 2040.

In addition, we explore two more extreme scenarios:

Financial crisis. We layer a 2030 financial crisis on top of our downside scenario - drawing on estimates of the impact on growth from Reinhart and Rogoffs study.

Data exaggeration. Drawing on a 2019 study by academics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Chicago, we assume Chinas official growth rate has been overstated by about 1.8 ppt since 2010, and that potential growth has moved onto a correspondingly slower path.

For the U.S., in addition to our base case, we identify an upside scenario where increase in immigration, infrastructure spending, and innovation shift the economy onto a slightly faster growth path.
As a shortage of microchips keeps new-vehicle lots in Houston barren, consumers in a pinch are turning to used models, driving demand so high that many used cars are selling for more than their newer counterparts.

A study of the Houston market by auto research firm iSeeCars found that the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger top the local list of lightly used models going for much higher prices than new versions  nearly $8,000 more (23 percent) on average than the new Challengers $34,286 price tag, and $5,000 more (14 percent) for a new Charger, which costs $36,615 on average.

With the chip shortage restricting supply as demand eclipses levels set before the pandemic, some are willing to pay a premium for a used model they can get today rather than wait for weeks for a new one.

Nationally, iSeeCars identified 16 cars with used car prices that are higher than their new counterpart, including the Kia Telluride, the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Toyota Tacoma.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Sales of new vehicles rebounded in March

The bottom line is you have a whole contingent of people who want cars that didnt 15 months ago, said Karl Brauer, executive analyst for iSeeCars. Plus the chip shortage. Thats why prices have shot up.

Because dealership groups such as Chris Gillmans Team Gillman Auto Group arent getting enough new vehicle inventory to keep up with demand, theyre also not taking in nearly as many used vehicles in trades, Gillman said. That means theyre not getting enough used cars, which they in turn send to auction. And so the used market is missing that source of inventory.

Dealers are not sending cars to the auction, and since theyre not sending them to auction that is inflating the value of the cars, Gillman said.

Once new vehicle inventory starts coming in again, he and other dealers will start trading and sending used models to auction again. When that happens, consumers who bought at inflated prices will see the value of their vehicle drop and they will likely owe more to the bank than what their vehicle is worth.

Its going to create a negative equity position for a customer buying a used car, Gillman said.

He said he normally has around 500 new vehicles on the lot at Team Gillman Subaru North, but now he has around 30. Even so, the market right now is as strong as its ever been.

Im preselling cars into next month, he said. The car sits on the lot for maybe a day or so and then its gone.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Microchip shortage hits Houston businesses: 'No one is meeting demand'

Other models selling significantly above their newer versions in the Houston market include the GMC Sierra 1500, which according to iSeeCars is selling for $4,724 more than new; the Chevrolet Colorado, selling for $1,736 more; and the Ram Pickup 1500, selling for $2,145 more.

The study defined new cars as models from this year or last, and lightly used as cars from model years 2020 or 2019 with fewer than 3,000 miles. According to the study, a lightly used Ford F-150 is selling for around $1,500 more than new, which cost around $51,000. Lightly used versions of the Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Gladiator are also selling for more than new models.

Its a strange moment for the auto industry, Brauer said. Used cars as appreciating assets is not a normal thing.

The average lightly used car cost 3 percent less than the newer model last month, a far narrower gap that in November, when consumers saved 11 percent by opting for lightly used models, according to iSeeCars.

It varies from model to model, Brauer said. In general, there are not enough new cars in pretty much every category and every vehicle type.

Still, the shortage has not yet affected the monthly volume of new vehicle retail sales in the Houston region, according to the June TexAuto Facts Report published by InfoNation, Inc., a Houston-based auto data firm. Local dealers sold 21,606 new vehicles last month in retail sales to Houston consumers, down 15 percent from the 25,289 sold the month before.

The month-to-month decline should instead be attributed to seasonal lows, said Daniel McDowell, InfoNations president and owner. June is normally a slow month for the local auto market, he said. Last months performance still exceeds by 21 percent the 17,794 retail units local dealers moved in June 2019.

McDowell said retail volume will likely show more of a dip this month.

I don't think we can sustain this level of new vehicle sales, he said, noting Chrysler just announced it is paring back assembly lines because of the chip shortage. Its just starting to impact all new car manufacturing across the board, now.

amanda.drane@chron.com

Twitter.com/amandadrane
Texas colleges and universities are at best mediocre when it comes to value for money, according to a new study.

SmartAsset, a financial technology company, created a college education value index that incorporates tuition, retention rates, student aid, living costs and average starting salaries. Texas schools offer a return on investment that rates a C+ when compared to universities in other states.

Rice University ranked highest in Texas with a score of 73.07 on a 100-point scale. The Houston-based, private university has the highest tuition, but also offered the largest average scholarships and grants, and its students graduated to an average salary of $72,400 a year.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Investment in workforce, education and transportation sets San Antonio apart

A distant second was the University of Texas at Austin, with a score of 66.45. Longhorns average $62,100 a year after graduation. The University of Houston came in third at 57.68 with earnings of $57,500, thanks to low tuition.

The rest of the Texas Top Ten ranged from Texas A&M with 57.21 down to Texas State University, which scored 46.87.

Nationally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was at the top with a 100. The school retains 99 percent of its students, average scholarships and grants cover most of the tuition and the average starting salary is $88,300 a year. Thats a great deal, for those who can get it.

Most fascinating, though, is that Princeton is the only Ivy League school to make SmartAssets Top Ten best value for money. The schools average awarded scholarships and grants are more than the cost of tuition, and average salaries are $77,300. But even that only warrants sixth place.

California has the most schools in the Top Ten, including the California Institute of Technology at No. 2, Stanford University at number three and Harvey Mudd College at number four. Most of the universities in the Top Ten have strong engineering and technology programs.

The SmartAsset analysis offers several insights. The most obvious is that science, technology, engineering and math studies, often called the STEM fields, are the most valuable.

If you sort Texas schools by salary, rather than best value for money, STEMs importance becomes more apparent. Rice and UT Austin still top the list, but Texas A&M and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio move into third and fourth place.

Parents of young children should study these rankings the most, because frankly, if their child has not excelled in STEM subjects by the time they are choosing a college, its too late. Third grade math scores are highly predictive, and students who didnt take Algebra II by their junior year will not catch up.

We should all worry about Texas students historically dismal performance in math. The dramatic drop in statewide math scores due to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic should make us terrified for the states future.

The percentage of students in grades three through eight who did not meet state standards in math increased to 37 percent in 2021 from 21 percent in 2019, the results of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness showed.

While low-income students fared worse than their peers, the largest decline was seen in districts with a higher percentages of students learning virtually, my colleague Hannah Dellinger reported.

This means probably 800,000 or more students fell below in math than usual, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said.

Texass leaders like to brag about the hundreds of people who move to the state every day as a sign of our states economic success. But in fact, its a sign of our dependency on outside talent because our education system is so poor.

Texas ranks near the bottom of almost every measure of educational success, and our thriving economy has yet to reduce the poverty rate.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Ending racism would add trillions to US economy

While Texas has some great schools, there are not nearly enough of them for 29 million people. About 10 percent of the nations children live in Texas, but the state only has nine Tier 1 research universities and 170 institutions of higher education.

Rice only accepts 9 percent of applicants, while UT Austin enrolls only 38.5 percent. Thousands of Texans go to Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma every year because Texas lacks capacity, and those schools offer full-ride scholarships to good students. You can see their billboards all over the state.

Texass economic future depends on an educated workforce capable of performing the jobs of the future. Government plays a role in education, from pre-K to our public universities.

If we want our state and its people to thrive, we need to offer better value at our institutes of higher education, and we must ensure young Texans are prepared to learn.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Exxon Mobil said Monday it has chosen Kathryn Mikells as its new chief financial officer.

The Irving oil giants board of directors elected the former executive with Diageo, United Airlines and Xerox as the companys senior vice president and CFO, effective Aug. 9. Mikells will replace longtime Exxon employee Andrew Swiger, who will retire Sept. 1 after more than 43 years with the company.
Oil prices tumbled Monday after OPEC said it would end pandemic-related production cuts next month, just as a more contagious coronavirus variant threatens to send economies back into lockdown.

West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. crude benchmark, plunged 8 percent to settle in New York at $65.79 a barrel. Less than two weeks ago, oil prices were hovering around $75 a barrel, and there was speculation that oil could hit $100 a barrel next year as demand recovers from the pandemic.

However, crude collapsed after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries on Sunday agreed to increase its production by 400,000 barrels per day each month starting in August until it recovers the 5.8 million barrels it cut at the start of the pandemic last year. The decision comes as the Delta variant of the coronavirus is raging across many countries, threatening new rounds of economic lockdowns and travel restrictions that would stifle petroleum demand.

Although the OPEC deal broke a weekslong impasse and headed off worries of the alliance breaking up, the decision raises the prospect of more crude coming online as demand falters.

OPEC: Rig count inches up as oil markets await OPEC decision

Oil supply growth is emerging as a major market concern, said Matthew Eversman, associate director for crude and fuel oil markets at S&P Global Platts.

Rising COVID-19 cases in the United States and Europe, largely attributed to the Delta variant, could put the brakes on the reopening, raising questions of stymied or reverse product price trends," Eversman said.

While OPEC's deal outlines its production growth well into 2022, the cartel is unlikely to go through with its plans unless demand recovers to soak up the supply growth, said Bill Farren-Price, director of intelligence at Austin-based energy firm Enverus,

"They are sending a signal to U.S. shale producers that they remain in the driving seat  able to swing production higher and lower on a monthly cycle," Farren-Price said.

On Monday, growing concerns about the Delta variant rippled across financial markets as investors sold off stocks in the energy and travel sectors. Wall Streets S&P 500 index fell 1.6 percent, the biggest daily decline since mid-May.

Oil stocks led Mondays slump, with the S&P 500 energy sector falling 3.6 percent. Exxon Mobil stock fell 3.4 percent to $55.35, Chevron stock fell 2.7 percent to $95.97, and Occidental Petroleums stock fell 4.3 percent to $24.82.

Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, said the market's moves Monday illustrates that the pandemic remains a concern for the oil and gas industry.

"Vaccines are the only way we get back to normal for an industry that relies on people going back to work and school," Sommers said. "As long as the our economy recovers from COVID, (oil and natural gas) demand will come back."

Correspondent Daniel Graeber contributed.
On April 1, 2020, AT&T announced that it had hired Jason Kilar to be CEO of its entertainment subsidiary WarnerMedia.

Kilar was an inspired choice for the Dallas-based communications conglomerate, previously serving as an executive at online retailer Amazon and at video-streaming company Hulu. Yet, given what has since transpired, it seems appropriate that Kilars hiring and illustrious pay package were announced on April Fools Day.

Beyond the $5 million in annual pay that Kilar earned under the agreement, AT&T agreed to pay him $48 million in company stock which would vest in equal installments over four years.

Jason is a dynamic executive with the right skill set to lead WarnerMedia into the future, said John Stankey, then AT&Ts president and chief operating officer. (Stankey replaced Randall Stephenson as AT&Ts CEO on July 1, 2020.)

Well, the honeymoon appears to be over.

On HoustonChronicle.com: ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance tops the list of highest-paid Houston public company executives

On May 17, just a little over a year since Kilar joined WarnerMedia, AT&T revealed that it would spin off the division and merge it rival Discovery Inc. Later that day, word got out that Kilar had hired a legal team to negotiate his departure.

Thanks to Kilars $48 million stock award, he was the highest paid corporate executive in Texas last year, with total compensation of $52 million, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence. (Because those shares vest over a period of four years, however, he will likely sacrifice a significant portion of them if he leaves early.)

No one else came close. The runner-up, Donald Horton, chairman of eponymous homebuilder, D.R. Horton, earned $20 million less.

The average compensation among the 50 top-earning Texas-based executives of publicly traded companies in 2020 was $15.8 million, ranging from Kilars $52 million pay package down to $9.2 million for Jeff Bray, CEO of Mr. Cooper Group, one of the largest home loan servicers in the country.

Joining Kilar at the top of the list were both Stankey and Stephenson  AT&Ts current and former CEOs. Stephenson ranked third in the state, with total compensation of $29 million, while Stankey ranked eighth, earning $21 million in his first year as CEO of the telecommunications company. (AT&Ts former chief financial officer, John Stephens, who retired in March 2021, also made the top 50, ranking 16th with total compensation of $16.1 million.)

Looks can be deceiving

It's worth noting that a ranking such as this can in some cases be deceiving, as it doesnt discriminate between occasional large, lump-sum awards of cash or stock on the one hand and ordinary annual compensation on the other.

A related challenge is that, oftentimes, the value of incentive-based awards of stocks and options depend on the future performance of a companys stock, explained Wes Hart, managing director in the Houston office of compensation consultant Pearl Meyer.

If we can't figure out how to show realized pay to people, said Hart, we can at least all agree that what is shown in a companys regulatory filings is potential pay as opposed to actual pay, and there's going to be some flex with the stock price over time.

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

This is particularly true in the case of Jayson Adair, CEO of Copart, a global provider of online vehicle auction and remarketing services to automotive resellers such as insurance and rental car companies. Adair ranked fourth last year in terms of total compensation, earning $25.5 million. But in the year before that, excluding fringe benefits, he earned just $1.

Since April 2009, Copart has compensated Adair, one of its largest shareholders, under an all-equity compensation program, the company explained in its latest proxy report. The 51-year-old CEO received three lump-sum options awards since then, with last years being the latest. In every other year, he earned a $1 salary.

It's an effective, yet unusual way to achieve alignment between Coparts executives and its shareholders.

Copart believes that stock options are the most effective means to align stockholder returns and realized executive compensation, the company explained in its latest proxy report. Management receives no actual financial benefit from a stock option unless, and realizes a benefit solely to the extent that, the underlying stock price increases above the option exercise price.

Yet corporate performance is not the only driver of stock performance. Under Adairs leadership, Coparts capital allocation strategy plays into his compensation. The company has aggressively repurchased its own shares over the past decade and a half, reducing its outstanding share count by roughly a third from a peak of 375 million shares in 2007 to 240 million today. At the same time, the share price has risen from $7.67 in May 2009, just after Adair joined the company, to trade at close to $140 last week, a 1,725 percent increase.

Another notable name near the top of the list with anomalous pay last year is Kevin Thompson, former president and CEO of SolarWinds Corp., an Austin-based software company. SolarWinds disclosed in December that its software had been breached in an attack attributed to hackers in Russia and was believed to have affected more than 250 businesses and federal agencies.

Thompson tendered his resignation to the SolarWinds board on Dec. 7, which the board publicly disclosed in a regulatory filing two days later. It was five days after that, in turn, that SolarWinds revealed in a separate regulatory filing that it had been the victim of a cybersecurity attack.

SolarWinds has been advised that this incident was likely the result of a highly sophisticated, targeted and manual supply chain attack by an outside nation state, the company noted in its disclosure.

Thompsons 2020 payment reflected these developments, as his impending departure led the company to accelerate the vesting schedule on all of his outstanding awards of restricted stock, equating to shares worth a total of $23.9 million.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Nexstar Media Groups Perry Sook, Denburys Christian Kendall, AT&Ts Stankey, Dell Technologies William Scannell, and Valero Energy Corp.s Joseph Gorder.

Just outside the Top 10 is the sole female among the 50 highest-paid Texas-based executives, Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of Bumble, a dating app that empowers its female members to make the first move. Herd earned $19.7 million in 2020, ranking her 11th.

Herd also happens to be the youngest executive on the list, at only 30 years old. Thats roughly half the median age of 58 among the others.

Bumble raised $2.2 billion in its initial public offering in February, exceeding expectations and valuing the firm at more than $7 billion. Since opening for trading on Feb. 11 at $76 per share, however, Bumble has since seen its stock price lose nearly a third of its value and is currently trading around $50 per share.

Employee concerns

A major concern among corporate watchdogs is the ratio of corporate leaders pay to the typical employee at their company. The highest-paid CEOs in Texas tend to earn from 100 to 300 times their median employee.

An obvious outlier in this regard is Rick Wessel, CEO of FirstCash, a Fort Worth-based company that operates pawn shops in the United States and Latin America.

Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox

Wessel earned $10.5 million last year, exceeding the median employee compensation of $6,723 by a multiple of 1,560. In FirstCashs case, however, as the company explained in its latest proxy report, the median employee used for the purpose of calculating the ratio was a full-time store employee located in Latin America, where employee wages are significantly lower than in the U.S.

On the other end of the spectrum is Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies. Dell earned a comparatively meager $930,416 last year after voluntarily forgoing his base salary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, his pay in 2020 was just 14 times the median employee of Dell Technologies.

Ultimately, despite last years challenging economic environment, its clear that Texas highest-paid corporate executives weathered the storm with little sacrifice.
Will Chip Gaines finally get a haircut?

Joanna Gaines revealed on SiriusXMs The Hoda Show with Hota Kotb that her husband has been growing out his hair during the pandemic to raise money for charity. The former HGTV celeb couple recently launched Magnolia Network lifestyle TV network.

Were just about done, and were going to shave it and were going to have a big auction because there (are) people that are very opinionated about this hair , said Joanna Gaines. So the more money we raise, the shorter its going to go, and all the funds are going to go to St. Jude, and Im gonna do some Locks of Love type thing and donate the hair on the back end of it.

Gaines also shared details of her mothers story of emigrating from South Korea; she came to the U.S. at age 19.

Through the lens of all that shes been through, the hardship, the fight, I think for her, I think for both of us, its that thing of like, Mom, you set me up well. You set me up well because of the way you fought for this, your passion, now I get to kind of live in that wake, she told Kotb.

HOUSTON RAPPER: Megan Thee Stallion is the first rapper to cover Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue

Kotbs show airs noon-1 p.m. Mondays on SiriusXMs Today Show Radio channel 108. Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
Hundreds of visitors descended on The Woodlands from July 15-17 for the 20th anniversary fete of The Woodlands Financial Group, the largest private insurance company in Texas which is owned by township board chairman Gordy Bunch.

Bunch is founder and CEO of TWFG, the largest privately owned insurance company in Texas and the No. 10 in the nation. The festivities and most of the estimated 500-600 guests were centered at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and other area hotels.

The companys festivities  albeit smaller  have been hosted in The Woodlands in the past, an effort Bunch said shows he is committed to the community by bringing people to the community who stay in hotels, eat at restaurants and shop in local stores  all activities that benefit hotel occupancy tax and sales tax revenue.

This year, a record of more than 600 people attended, in part Bunch said due to not having a convention in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and also the acquisition of a California insurance company in 2020.

(Our) 20th Year National Convention was the first major event attended by our 600 agents, carriers, vendors and guests since the onset of COVID-19, Bunch said on Monday. (The) convention highlights included local restaurant dine arounds, exotic car driving demos (and an) awards banquet acknowledging our top performers for 2019 and 2020 that was topped off by (our) TWFGs Got Talent contest.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Authorities seek tips in Woodlands Lakeside Park bathroom fires

Bunch, who was first elected to the township board in 2012 and is in the middle of his fifth consecutive term in office, founded The Woodlands Financial Group in 2001 with a $10,000 investment.

Now, the firm occupies a large office suite in The Woodlands Mall where Bunch and his management team lead a $1 billion private insurance company with offices across the nation. TWFG is the largest privately-owned insurance firm in Texas and the 10th largest such firm in the nation.

Started with $10,000

Bunch founded The Woodlands Financial Group in 2001 with help of his wife Michelle, who is still on the companys board of directors. The companys family feel grew in 2015 when Bunch hired his brother, Alex, who plays a large role in the business and day to day operations as well as created the companys first logo.

The mutli-specialty insurance firm has more than 140 full-time employees under the TWFG brand along with what Bunch described as thousands working under 1099 contracts. The firm is licensed in all 50 states, but has offices in 24 states with most sites in Texas, California and Louisiana. In 2020, the company significantly expanded with the purchase of a California-based insurance company.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The Woodlands officially restarts incorporation efforts

In an email, Bunch said the multi-day celebration of his company was in his view both a financial boost to The Woodlands, especially The Waterway Square and Town Center business districts, but also what he described as family values on display at the growing insurance company.

(Our) dine arounds brought private dining to several local restaurants. Our guests were hosted primarily at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott which sold out this weekend with our overflow guest staying at other The Woodlands hotels, Bunch added. I was told this was the best revenue weekend since COVID-19 shut down our local economy last March. I hope this kick starts a trend improving out hometowns economic rebound. Being a locally-owned business, (we) wanted to do (our) part to help in our local economy recover.

That financial impact was not ignored by local officials from Visit The Woodlands, the nonprofit arm of the township that acts as a convention and visitors bureau.

During a May meeting of the township board, Nick Wolda, who is both president of Visit The Woodlands as well as the communications manager for The Woodlands Township, personally thanked Bunch for hosting the celebration and bringing more than 600 guests into the township, noting it would boost hotel occupancy and sales tax revenue.

Township Chairman Gordy Bunch could choose to host his event or conference anywhere in the world, but chooses The Woodlands, supporting our convention and tourism efforts, Wolda said in an email on Monday. Conventions and groups like The Woodlands Financial Group bring big business to our local economy and are revitalizing The Woodlands after a tough year.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Officials in The Woodlands warily watch rise in short-term rentals

Bunch said cash prizes were handed out for the costume contest, noting that the show, was part of the family feel of the days-long celebration.

Saturday we bought out the Main Event to host all of our guests for Family Day which included our agents, staff, children and other family members, he added. I believe it is important to include the extended family in our events and want an opportunity for multiple generations to connect and build relationships with each other.

jeff.forward@chron.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The arrests one year ago Wednesday of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four associates in connection with an alleged $60 million bribery scheme have rocked business and politics across the state, and events over the last year suggest a federal probe's tentacles only continue to grow.

Here is a look at where things stand in what then-U.S. Attorney David DeVillers described as the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history:

___

THE PLAYERS

Householder, a Republican, has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. He was removed from the speakership last year, reelected to office in November despite the felony racketeering charges he faces, then expelled from the chamber last month in an historic vote.

His longtime political adviser Jeff Longstreth, lobbyist Juan Cespedes and Generation Now, a dark money group accused of taking millions in bribes, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Former Ohio Republican Chair and lobbyist Matt Borges has pleaded not guilty, admitting in a separate campaign finance probe that he spent the money but insisting legally so. Longtime Statehouse lobbyist Neil Clark died by suicide in Florida in March.

DeVillers, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump, resigned in February to allow the new president to pick a successor. Democratic President Joe Biden has yet to nominate DeVillers' permanent replacement.

___

THE POLICY

The legislation at the heart of the scandal, House Bill 6, included a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear power plants operated at the time by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. The federal criminal complaint said the conspiracy to pass the bill had partial roots on a flight FirstEnergy provided to Householder and his son to Trumps January 2017 inauguration.

Soon after the trip, $1 million from FirstEnergy began flowing to Generation Now, controlled by Householder, in $250,000 increments. That cash and more were used to elect Householder-backed candidates and win him the speakership, prosecutors say.

Step two was passing the bill, titled the Ohio Clean Air Program, in July 2019. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed it within hours. Step three was FirstEnergy spending around $38 million to finance a campaign to prevent a repeal referendum from reaching the ballot.

State lawmakers have since rescinded the nuclear bailout and another provision of HB 6 guaranteeing FirstEnergys three Ohio utilities revenue equal to what they earned in 2018, a year of weather extremes. Majority Republicans blocked calls to repeal the entire bill, which they said was voluminous and contained some good energy policy.

___

THE POWER COMPANIES

FirstEnergy has undergone a reckoning since DeVillers announcement. Company officials say FirstEnergy is cooperating with investigations by the Justice Department, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Company officials also have said FirstEnergy has spoken with federal prosecutors about a deferred prosecution agreement.

Six top executives have been fired, including CEO Chuck Jones.

The company faces two sets of consolidated lawsuits by shareholders, one that seeks a court compelling the companys board of directors to implement reforms. The other set of lawsuits claims the company defrauded investors.

FirstEnergy's CEO and President Steven Strah, who succeeded Jones, has said the company has made significant reforms in the last year.

Officials from Columbus-based electric utility AEP in June disclosed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcers have subpoenaed documents related to subsidies it has received from the energy bill for two aging coal plants partly owned by the company.

AEP officials initially testified against the bill but later added its support when the coal plant subsidy was added to the legislation. The bill requires nearly all electric customers in the state to subsidize the coal plants. Previously, only Ohio customers of the AEP, Duke and AES paid the subsidy, which amounted to $114 million last year.

___

THE PUCO

The dismissal of Jones, who initially denied any wrongdoing by the company, appeared to be tied to a $4.3 million payment that FirstEnergy made in January 2019, purportedly to end a longstanding consulting contract with a person soon to be appointed Ohios top utility regulator.

There has been no dispute the regulator was Sam Randazzo, a seasoned utility lawyer and lobbyist, who DeWine appointed chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in February 2019.

Randazzo resigned from the commission in November after FBI agents searched his Columbus townhome, the same day FirstEnergy revealed the payment. Language in a separate lending document filed by the company that month suggested Randazzo helped the company after he became PUCO chair.

DeWine appointed former Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Jenifer French, a Republican, to succeed Randazzo as chair in March. French has pledged to restore public trust in the commission through improved transparency.

___

THE POLITICS

DeWine, up for reelection next year, has faced some political pushback for disregarding cries of alarm from consumer and environmental advocates and a group of fellow Republicans over Randazzo's deep ties to FirstEnergy.

The governor has defended his decision to appoint the utility law expert.

DeWine reassigned Laurel Dawson, the chief of staff who oversaw the Randazzo selection process, in a May staff shuffle described as unrelated. The governor's top lobbyist, Dan McCarthy, is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who was president of one of the dark money groups implicated in the alleged bribery scheme. McCarthy has said his actions were legal and he has no indication he is a target of the probe.

Still, Ohio Democrats have seized on the ongoing investigation in their efforts to reverse Republicans' dominance in state politics next year, which is complete. The party controls every statewide office, both chambers of the state Legislature and the Ohio Supreme Court, with many of those seats up for grabs.

In May, Democratic state Reps. Allison Russo and Bride Rose Sweeney re-introduced an anti-corruption bill aimed at shedding light on dark money and other political spending in the state.

The next month, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, the mayor of Dayton, unveiled a four-point plan to combat corruption and restore ethics in Ohio."

Within weeks and with political pressure mounting, a monthslong legislative stalemate over whether to remove Householder was broken. The effort to expel Householder was ultimately championed by two Republicans.

___

Gillispie reported from Cleveland.
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  A former Albanian deputy interior minister has been arrested on corruption accusations, authorities said Tuesday.

A statement from the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime said Rovena Voda, deputy interior minister from 2017 until 2020, was put under house arrest over allegations she was bribed to favor a person seeking a position as a public official.

No more details were given.

Newly formed judicial institutions established to address corruption in post-communist Albania, which is widely seen as hurting the countrys democratic, economic and social development, are this year filing suits or putting under arrest many former senior officials.

A former prosecutor general was the first high-ranking person to be sentenced earlier this year, and many judges and prosecutors have been dismissed for alleged corruption and illegally earning property and money.

The judicial reform, which was approved in 2016 with the involvement of the United States and the European Union, introduced a vetting process for judges and prosecutors to prove their properties were legally acquired and that they met anti-corruption and professional standards. Hundreds failed the vetting and were fired.

Albania, a NATO member since 2009, is looking forward to beginning full membership negotiations with the 27-member European Union later this year.
STAVANGER, Norway (AP)  On the 10th anniversary of Norways worst peacetime slaughter, survivors of Anders Behring Breiviks assault worry that the racism which nurtured the anti-Islamic mass murderer is re-emerging in a nation known for its progressive politics.

Most of Breiviks 77 victims on July 22, 2011, were teen members of the Labor Party  idealists enjoying their annual camping trip on the tranquil, wooded island of Utoya, in a lake northwest of Oslo, the capital. Today many survivors are battling to keep their vision for their country alive.

I thought that Norway would positively change forever after the attacks. Ten years later, that hasnt happened. And in many ways, the hate we see online and the threats against people in the Labor movement have increased, said Aasmund Aukrust, then-deputy leader of the Labor Youth Wing who helped organize the camp.

Today hes a national lawmaker campaigning for a nationwide inquiry into the right-wing ideology that inspired the killer.

Aukrust ran from the bullets flying through the forest then lay hidden for three terrifying hours while he saw friends murdered nearby. A vocal proponent of properly reckoning with the racism and xenophobia in Norway, Aukrust has been the target of online abuse, including receiving the message that we wish Breivik had done his job.

The victims of the Utoya massacre came from towns and villages throughout Norway, turning a personal tragedy into a collective trauma for many of the countrys 5.3 million inhabitants. Survivors were joined by a shaken population who were determined to show that Norway would become more  not less  tolerant and reject the worldview that motivated the killer.

A decade later, some survivors believe that collective determination is waning.

What was very positive after the terror attacks was that people saw this as an attack on the whole of Norway. It was a way of showing solidarity, said Aukrust. But that has disappeared. It was an attack on a multicultural society. And though it was the act of one person, we know that his views are shared by more people today than they were 10 years ago.

Breivik struck at Labor Party institutions he believed were aiding what he called the Islamization of Norway. Dressed as a policeman, he landed on Utoya, shooting dead 69 members of the youth wing and injuring scores more. He had earlier murdered eight people in a bomb attack at government buildings in Oslo.

It wasnt random that it was our summer camp that was attacked. The hatred was against us because of our values of openness and inclusiveness, said Sindre Lysoe, a survivor from Utoya who is now the general secretary of the Labor Partys Youth Wing.

After Utoya, it was too hard for many people to go back to politics. For me and for society, it was very important to raise up again and fight back through more of the good work we knew we could do, he said. Before 22 July, politics was important, afterwards it became about life and death.

After hearing about the Oslo bombing on the darkest day of all of our lives, he remembers his friends telling each other they were in the safest place on earth. Within minutes, the gunfire and screaming began on the island. Today Lysoe spends a lot of his time warning young people about the dangers of right-wing extremism.

In the years following the attack, Norways security police, the PST, continued to rank Islamists as more likely to carry out domestic terrorism than right-wing extremists.

But after the New Zealand mosque attacks in 2019 killed 51 people, and a copycat attempt by Norwegian shooter Philip Manshaus just outside Oslo later that year in which the killers sister died, Norways security police changed its annual assessments. It now ranks the two forms of extremism at the same danger level.

As we progressed into 2013 and 2014, European migration and IS became the prisms that we saw terror through. Norway went back to a narrative of extremism being largely foreign, said Bjoern Ihler, who escaped the bullets by swimming in frigid waters around the island to safety.

There is a failure in self-reflection. We are missing the fact that Anders Breivik and Manshaus were Norwegian, but also so were a lot of the extremists throughout the last decade that should have been caught by our social system, he said.

Since the July 22 attacks, Ihler has become an expert in countering radicalization, founding the Khalifa-Ihler Institute for Peace Building and Counter Extremism, advising European Union and chairing a panel at the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

Planning the attack from his mothers home in Oslo, Breivik tapped into an online ecosystem that demonized Islam and cast in doubt Europes Christian future. Ihler, who has spoken with scores of reformed extremists, says these internet echo chambers need to be exposed to different voices.

Regardless of ideology, the reasons they went into radical environments are all somewhat similar. Its about finding identity and a space where you find belonging. Whether it is Islamists or far-right extremists, the fundamental problem they have is living in environments with diversity, he said. The tricky part is helping them build comfort with that diversity.

Ihler still believes in the power of traditional Norwegian values such as democracy and rehabilitation in solving societal problems.

Breivik struck at all of these, testing not only the countrys commitment to tolerance and inclusiveness but also to nonviolence and merciful justice. Yet he still benefits from a justice system that favors rehabilitation over vengeance.

While his sentence can be extended if he is still considered dangerous, Breivik is serving his 21 years in a three-room cell with access to a gym and computer games, luxuries that would be unthinkable even for minor criminals in other countries.

It is right that he is treated humanely, said Ihler. We dont want to go down the same route of violence. We need to keep on showing people that there are better ways of dealing with the issues we have.
BERLIN (AP)  German officials defended their actions ahead of last week's severe floods that caught many towns by surprise and killed 196 people in Western Europe, but they conceded that more lessons can be learned from the disaster.

As floodwaters receded Monday, authorities continued searching for more victims and intensified their efforts to clean up a sodden swath of western Germany, eastern Belgium and the Netherlands.

So far, 117 people have been confirmed dead in the worst-affected German region, Rhineland-Palatinate, while 47 were killed in the neighboring state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and at least one in Bavaria, parts of which saw heavy rain and flooding over the weekend. The death toll in Belgium was 31.

Authorities said they were likely to find more victims among destroyed homes.

Weather officials had forecast the downpours that led to even small rivers swelling rapidly, but warnings of potentially catastrophic damage didn't appear to have made it to many people in affected areas  often in the middle of the night.

Federal and state authorities faced criticism from some opposition politicians over the disaster, which comes as a national election looms in September. But Interior Minister Horst Seehofer dismissed suggestions that federal officials had made mistakes and said warnings were passed to local authorities who make decisions on disaster protection.

I have to say that some of the things Im hearing now are cheap election rhetoric, Seehofer said during a visit to the Steinbach Reservoir in western Germany, where authorities say they no longer fear a dam breach. Now really isnt the hour for this.

Seehofer underlined that message during a visit Monday to Bad Neuenahr, in the worst-hit area, but said authorities will have to draw lessons once the immediate relief phase is over.

Wherever we can improve anything  in alarms, in equipment ... we must do so, he said. We owe that to the families who have been affected, and above all to the victims.

The head of Germany's civil protection agency said the weather service had forecast relatively well" and that the country was well-prepared for flooding on its major rivers.

But, Armin Schuster told ZDF television Sunday night, half an hour before, it is often not possible to say what place will be hit with what quantity of water. He said 150 warning notices had been sent out via apps and media.

He said we will have to investigate" where sirens sounded and where they didn't.

Officials in Germany's Rhineland-Palatinate state said they were well-prepared for flooding, and municipalities were alerted and acted.

But the state's interior minister, Roger Lewentz, said after visiting the hard-hit village of Schuld with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday that we, of course, had the problem that the technical infrastructure  electricity and so on  was destroyed in one go.

Local authorities tried very quickly to react," he said. But this was an explosion of the water in moments. ... You can have the very best preparations and warning situations (but) if warning equipment is destroyed and carried away with buildings, then that is a very difficult situation. Cellphone networks also were knocked out by flooding.

Broader questions about Germany's emergency warning system had arisen after a nationwide test in September 2020, the first in 30 years, largely failed. Sirens didn't sound in many places, or had been removed after the end of the Cold War, and push alerts from the national warning app arrived late or not all.

Schuster, the head of the civil protection agency, noted that a program to reform civil protection was launched earlier this year, including a drive to encourage local authorities to install more sirens. Germany doesn't have a text messaging system for disaster warnings, but Schuster told Deutschlandfunk radio it is exploring the possibility.

As local communities face the huge task of rebuilding smashed homes and infrastructure such as bridges and water systems, Merkel's Cabinet is set to draw up a package of immediate and medium-term financial aid Wednesday.

At the Steinbach Reservoir, North Rhine-Westphalia state governor Armin Laschet said the dam was designed for a risk that might occur once in 10,000 years.

This was exceeded in the last few days, he said. It was a likelihood nobody had foreseen.

___

Associated Press writer Frank Jordans at the Steinbach Reservoir contributed.
Metro Video Services

A man suspected of killing two people at a northwest Houston hotel died Sunday night after a shootout with police, according to the agency.

Around 11:08 p.m., a man called police and said he would shoot officers and others when they responded to a motel in the 3400 block of Antoine Drive, police said.
Tricia Golding watched as tens of thousands of Purple Martins descended Sunday on a row of oak trees, the swallows wings fluttering against the setting sun.

Thousands of birds soared, swirled and swooped onto the tree branches in a cacophony of chirps. It looked like a scene straight out of Alfred Hitchcocks seminal film, The Birds.

Its like its raining birds, said Golding, a Fulshear resident. Ive never seen this.

Every summer, the Purple Martins, the largest of the swallows in North America, flock to Texas as they make their long journey south for the winter. And each summer, hundreds of aviary enthusiasts flock to roosting sites across the country to watch these migratory birds dance in the dusk sky.

Houston, in particular, is a popular stop for the Purple Martin as one of the last waypoints before their long journey across the Gulf of Mexico into South America. As many as half a million Purple Martins gather each night in Houston. When they depart each morning, meteorologists can see the flocks forming a ring on their weather radar.

The Purple Martins named for the males purple feathers  over the past decade have favored two primary roosting locations in Houston: the Costco near Willowbrook Mall, and the Fountains Shopping Center in Stafford. Thats where they rest each night from late July through October before making their way south.

The swallows fly from as far north as Canada seeking warmer weather and abundant food in Texas. They can eat more than 1,000 flying insects a day, including dragonflies, flies and wasps. Unfortunately, they dont have an appetite for mosquitoes, which fly too low to the ground for the soaring swallows.

Their 6,000-mile journey is treacherous  at least a third of the swallows wont make it, said Mary Anne Weber, the education director for the Houston Audubon Society. Purple Martins can fall prey to American hawks and Brazilian monkeys. Housing development and wildfires have sapped them of their natural habitats. Their average lifespan in the wild is between two and five years.

There are so many dangers they face during migration, Weber said. Scientists estimate half of all birds that migrate south dont make it back next spring.

Global warming is also having an effect on the Purple Martins. Warmer summers mean these birds are staying in North American longer, making their migration south later in the year. Their numbers in Houston will peak at the end of August and the first week of September.

Although the Purple Martin is not considered an endangered species, there is growing concern they may end up on the list. Purple Martins that live east of the Rocky Mountains only nest in man-made bird houses, and there are fewer birdhouses being built along their route. There has been a 37 percent decline in the Purple Martins numbers since the 1960s, Weber said.

Naturally, they live in holes and tree cavities, but thats getting harder to find these days, Weber said. They really rely on people for housing.

About 10 people gathered Sunday near Willowbrook Mall to catch sight of the birds. The Audubon Society of Houston, which has 1,000 members and owns 17 bird sanctuaries in the region, organizes Purple Martin watch parties and distributes fliers to local businesses informing them of the migrations.

Since the pandemic, theres been growing interest in birdwatching as Houstonians couped up at home sought new hobbies, Weber said.

Joe Dellinger has been coming out nearly every summer to witness the Purple Martins since the 1990s. The 60-year-old west Houston resident and avid photographer brought his Fujifilm camera to capture the sight.

Its nice, Dellinger said. Its like fishing. You can just enjoy the scenery.

Tricia Golding, who came out for the first time to the Purple Martin watch event with her husband Chuck, said shes seen thousands of Sandhill Cranes, but they were nowhere near as numerous as the Purple Martins. She stood in the parking lot in front of a fitness store, just taking in the scene.

Id be excited too if I were going to Cancun, Mexico, she said.
Tabitha Davis remembers this area being called the dead end.

Now, rooftops poke at the sky behind gates and fences where empty fields and trees once stood. Planes growl overhead on their descent to nearby Hobby Airport, offering a hint of whats inside: Sterling Aviation High, a 237,000-square-foot, 4-year-old campus that features early college and aviation magnet programs that Davis will lead as principal.

Over the last five years, the school has seen enrollment increase to 1,642 students during the 2020-21 academic year from 1,142 students in 2015-16, according to Houston ISD demographics. Meanwhile, the number of students transferring out of the attendance zone has decreased, while the number of students transferring in has ticked up as the area has grown. Nearly 94% of Sterling students come from families considered low income.

And as Houston ISD prepares to welcome students back in the fall, Davis anticipates enrollment will near 1,800 students, roughly 100 of whom will be a part of the schools aviation program that teaches skills ranging from flying an aircraft to the business of aviation.

Whatever a student wants to do, whatever they want to be, there is an opportunity at HISD, Davis said as she stood in front an observation deck that is in the process of being built out to replicate an air traffic control room. When you look at us, not only as a campus, but as being part of this organization that is really doing phenomenal things for kids, I mean that is what I am most proud of as a district employee.

Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The aviation programs history extends decades.

When Roger Thompson walked into Sterling High as a flight instructor in August of 1992, the aviation program was much smaller. Students were mostly taught to be pilots and a few became licensed pilots each year, he said.

We went from about 30 students, maybe, to about 250 at one time, I think, the 73-year-old said. They would bus them in from all over the district if they were interested in being part of the program.

Soon school leaders from other states visited in hopes of replicating the program.

Davis said there appears to be no comprehensive record of the schools alumni, such as how many students were enrolled in the aviation program each year and how many graduated as pilots.

By 2011, however, Thompson felt interest in magnet programs had dwindled and decided to retire.

The program at Sterling almost disappeared.

The districts school board had hired a group to audit the districts magnet programs, which led to a recommendation that Sterling, and 13 other high schools, lose its magnet label and funds as the aviation sciences program was not drawing sufficient interest.

Outside the schools auditorium, a display was set up to tout the success of the program.

If we lose funding then what hope is there for our future? a 17-year-old student told The Chronicle at the time.

Enrollment at the school was also tanking, according to district figures, dipping below 1,000 students at one point.

The program survived, though.

Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

A new campus was included in Houston ISDs 2012 bond program, the last one the district held, and opened in 2017. The campus features a hangar  with a single-engine Cessna 172 parked inside on a recent morning  as well as flight simulators and engines for students to learn.

Although Thompson has not visited the new building, he said he still holds many fond memories of the unique program  some funny, some frightening and some a little bit of both.

There is the time a student had an engine problem after taking off from Hobby Airport and safely landed in an open field near Pearland.

Or the young woman who decided to take up flying during her senior year and earned her license before graduating.

At a fair of sorts for high schools a few years ago, Freddie Hess saw a table with an educator telling students about the school that could teach them how to fly.

Thats how I knew I wanted to go to Sterling, Hess said.

Hess graduated in 2020 and is now a sophomore in college in a professional flight with maintenance program, which will eventually enable him to fly commercial airplanes.

And he is still flying.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
A rally in support of immigrant youth who participate in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, called the DACA program, is slated to take place Monday morning outside the downtown U.S. District Court building, following a ruling last week to block new applicants.

The protest, organized by United We Dream, will take place at 10 a.m. at 515 Rusk St. DACA recipients, first-time program applicants and allies are expected to speak.

DACA is a federal program for undocumented immigrants, also known as Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. as children. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen issued a ruling Friday saying the Obama administration did not have the legal authority in 2012 to create the program, which provides work permits for some immigrants and protects them from deportation. Under the ruling in favor of Texas and eight other states who appealed the program, current recipients are still allowed to renew their DACA status.

SEWING: America is filled with Dreamers like Houston project manager, who is now paying it forward

Federal officials tried to end the program during the Trump administration, but were overruled in a June 2020 Supreme Court case where Chief Justice John Roberts called the attempt to cut off DACA arbitrary and capricious.

Since Trump first tried to end DACA in 2017, DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth have lived court case to court case, at the whims of politicians who have been hellbent on detaining and deporting our communities, Greisa Martinez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream, said in a statement. Judge Hanens decision to side with Republicans who have continuously targeted our communities is a continuation of the attacks that defined the Trump administrations anti-immigrant, white nationalist agenda and put the lives of hundreds of thousands of immigrant young people on the line.

More than 100,000 people in Texas are currently enrolled in DACA, according to the Center for American Progress. One-third of them arrived in the country before age 5.

gwendolyn.wu@chron.com

twitter.com/gwendolynawu
I'm on my laptop, transcribing interviews, when Jon Shapley slams on the brakes. He is driving us along Texas 54, the remote road that connects Van Horn to Blue Origins launch site.

I just saw a tarantula crossing the road, he says. Should we turn around to see it?

YES!

Shapley whips the car around. And then, just as we approach the tarantula, a truck squishes it.

Tarantulas and space arent related, per say, but for this series of articles we just had to have a tarantula photo.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Shapley and I were working on three stories dubbed Battle of the Billionaires. It was going to be about two very different communities  humid versus dry, beaches versus mountains  with one thing in common: a billionaire had chosen their community to launch rockets.

We started in Brownsville, home to Elon Musk and SpaceX. And when I say home, I mean that literally. On Twitter, Musk said his primary home is in Boca Chica Village.

This was confirmed when we spoke to Rob and Sarah Avery, the couple who live next door to Musk when he's in town. It might also explain why a Tesla tailed us around Boca Chica Village, slowly following us from house to house as we knocked on doors.

Other Teslas were parked on the street or in the driveways. Details are important in stories like this, and Shapley noticed that the Teslas werent their usual sleek selves. The electric vehicles were covered in bugs and dirt.

He was photographing one vehicle and had been sitting in front of it, taking pictures of the bugs, when the car turned on. The people inside were giving us a signal: It was time to move along.

Our time in Brownsville was great; Shapley and I ate lots of tacos. And more importantly, we talked to lots of excited students, business owners and real estate agents optimistic about the city's potential. SpaceX could be a game changer.

But we also met homeowners who were being displaced, fishers who couldnt easily access Boca Chica Beach due to road closures and environmentalists who were concerned about the wildlife refuge and state park next door to the SpaceX launch facility.

Now Playing: Video: Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle

Our goal was to show the good things created by SpaceX and the conflict. We spoke to more people than I could squeeze into the article, and I am so very grateful for the time they gave us.

Shapley and I got a week at home before it was time to visit Van Horn, where Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is located.

Van Horn is significantly smaller. After we interviewed someone in town, we often saw them again at the post office or a restaurant we chose for lunch. We became regulars at Boots and Scoops, where we met sources and stopped in for coffee and ice cream.

Similar to Brownsville, people in this community were generous with their time and their stories. We spoke to a student who met Blue Origin employees in high school and is now studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. I learned that Mayor Becky Brewster shares my love of Star Wars and Star Trek. She told us about the towns promise and its problematic water system.

And oh, did I envy Larry Simpson, the former newspaper owner who had an exclusive interview with Bezos. Not many reporters get one-on-one time with Bezos.

But we still needed a tarantula photo. Because details are important.

I returned to transcribing and Shapley resumed driving. Then he saw the unbelievable. There was a second tarantula crossing the road.

Shapley pulled over and got on the tarantulas level  meaning he was on his belly in the middle of the highway.

I kept watch for oncoming traffic as he took pictures and video of our eight-legged friend.
They finally found the voter fraud.

Our long, national nightmare is over. Order is restored. Democracy is saved. President Biden, call up a moving company and start packing your bags. Donald Trump, start measuring the drapes in the Oval Office.

Texans, we finally got our moneys worth out of Attorney General Ken Paxtons beefed-up voter fraud unit that spent more than 22,000 hours sniffing out cases and, as of March, had prosecuted just 16.

Just when Republicans had started to hedge a bit on their claims of widespread fraud, and stress that even one case was worth a slew of new voting restrictions, the heavens opened and delivered exactly one case. Miracle, thy name is Hervis Rogers.

His crime? The 62-year-old Black man from Houston voted in the March 2020 Democratic primary just a few months shy of completing felony parole and getting his voting rights restored.

The horror.

The true horror is how desperately the apostles of the Big Lie are trying to keep the voter fraud myth alive despite any evidence that its a real problem in our society in need of legislative remedy.

Over the past year, the Big Lie that began with Trump claiming widespread voter fraud cost him the popular vote has become more than a nefarious attempt to undermine the peaceful transfer of power. It has created pressure on Republicans to substantiate the false narrative and to show their primary voters that they did something to deliver our elections from imagined evil.

Of course, instances of actual voter fraud do exist, although the chances of it occurring are slimmer than getting struck by lightning. But at this point, the stakes are so high to prove the alleged danger it poses to our democracy that the term voter fraud has been stretched beyond recognition. In Texas, it now encompasses just about any nontraditional attempt to vote for someone who likely will not vote to protect GOP hegemony.

Twenty-four-hour voting? Fraud. Mail-in ballots? Fraud. Secure drop-boxes? Fraud. Early voting on Sunday morning? Fraud. Red state turning blue? Fraud.

And yes, fraud includes one mans mistaken belief that his voting rights had been restored before they actually were.

Before he became known as the face of voter fraud in Texas, Hervis Rogers was known as a patriot. He had become something of a national sensation after waiting in line to vote at Texas Southern University for six hours until 1 a.m. on Super Tuesday 2020.

I figured like it was my duty to vote I wanted to get my vote in to voice my opinion. And I wasnt going to let nothing stop me. So I waited it out, Rogers told CNN.

Now, thanks to Paxton, Rogers seven minutes of fame could send him back to prison for the rest of his life. Paxton charged Rogers in Montgomery County earlier this month with two counts of casting his ballot illegally, where he was held in custody on a $100,000 bond before The Bail Project bailed him out.

Rogers was still on parole for a 1995 burglary conviction  for which he served nine years of a 25-year sentence  when he voted in the 2020 primary and November 2018 general election. His vote in the March elections came less than four months before his parole was set to expire, and his voting rights set to be fully restored. In Texas, convicted felons are barred from knowingly voting until their sentence is complete, including probation and parole.

Violating that law is a second-degree felony  on par with far more dangerous crimes such as aggravated assault or aggravated kidnapping  and carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, possibly longer for Rogers since he has a prior conviction.

I prosecute voter fraud everywhere we find it! Paxton gleefully tweeted after Rogers arrest.

Clearly, Rogers is nothing more than lighter fluid for the fading embers of the Big Lie, of which Paxton is a true believer having filed an unsuccessful lawsuit to overturn the general election.

Consider that Paxton brought these charges against Rogers more than a year after the Harris County Attorneys Office informed the voter registrars office of the allegations against him. Rogers face was plastered on TV and circulated on social media for days. If he intended to vote illegally, he did a poor job of covering his tracks. This was hardly a complex case that required tedious sleuthing by Paxton. Since 2015, at least 72 percent of election fraud cases brought by Paxton have been against Black and Latino defendants.

So why indict Rogers now? Easy: The Texas Legislature is back in session to consider new restrictions on voting access and they need a poster boy.

But Rogers prosecution is hardly symbolic. Paxton intends to win this case, as evidenced by his forum shopping  charging him in mostly white, conservative Montgomery County, as opposed to Harris County where Rogers lives and voted. It wouldnt be the first time Paxton pulled this stunt, as he tried last year to indict a Harris County Democratic election official in Montgomery County on charges that he had obstructed a poll watcher.

The tragedy of Rogers predicament is he clearly thought he was doing the right thing. He served his time, registered to vote, and performed his civic duty with aplomb.

Indeed, even Texas lawmakers recently acknowledged the unfairness of such a circumstance when the House agreed to include a provision in last sessions voting bill to make sure those with felony convictions are notified about temporary restrictions on their voting eligibility in Texas. The inspiration for the reform was Crystal Mason, a Tarrant County woman who is appealing her voter fraud conviction for casting a provisional ballot in 2016 while on federal supervised release because she didnt know the rules.

Is this petty criminalization of democratic participation what Americans want when they cry for election integrity?

Surely not. Most folks simply want their own ballot to be counted  just once  and handled fairly, not tossed out or tampered with or unduly influenced in some way. And they want the same for every other eligible voter.

They want real fraud to be prevented. And Texas has plenty of laws to do that. Unfortunately, we also have laws such as the one used to prosecute Rogers that can be weaponized by irresponsible politicians and prosecutors for reasons that have nothing to do with integrity.

Texas lawmakers should pass the bill preventing malicious prosecutions like the one Paxton is attempting. The target, after all, isnt just Rogers. Its anyone who hears the story and begins to associate a sacred civic duty with prison, begins to fear that a simple mistake at the ballot box could cost him the very freedom he is voting to preserve.
Houston, MO (65483)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Houston, MO (65483)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Ariel Hyatt on what you need to get great music PR [INTERVIEW]

In this interview, Andre Calilhanna of the Disc Makers Blog sat down to chat with Ariel Hyatt, founder of Cyber PR and recent author of The Ultimate Guide To Music Publicity on what it takes to get great PR for your music.

Guest post by Andre Calilhanna of the Disc Makers Blog

Disc Makers Blog manager, Andre Calilhanna, sits down for a Zoom interview with Ariel Hyatt, founder of Cyber PR and author of the new book, The Ultimate Guide To Music Publicity.

Andre Calilhanna: So, I started reading your book and the first question I had seems to be the same question you had when you entered into this field, which is, What is PR?

Ariel Hyatt: The definition of PR has changed pretty dramatically in the 25 years since I dove in. PR used to mean the relationship between a person and all of the journalists out there. A publicist was the access point.

But now PR has become so many other things because we have social media. Publicists are very valuable and you can use them in your career, but the truth is PR is now any communication that goes from you out into the world, because now anything can result in tastemaker PR. If someone shares music that you created on their Instagram story, thats a form of PR. So, I like to define PR as anything that is communication from you going out into the world thats public-facing.

Andre: Thats interesting, because I always thought there was a distinct difference between public relations (PR) and marketing. Are you saying thats blending a bit now? Is there less of a distinction?

Ariel: I think there is a little bit less of a distinction. If youre going to talk about PR meaning someone who is a tastemaker  a blogger, playlister, podcaster, journalist, etc.  the thing thats fascinating about PR in todays world is you can pretty much get to all of those people on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. That, of course, was not the case 25 years ago because the Internet didnt exist.

Creating the perfect pitch

Andre: One of the first things we ever posted on the Disc Makers Blog was from you about writing and creating the creating the perfect pitch. And for everything that has changed over the last 25 years, that seems like one of the things that hasnt changed  the need for having a defined pitch. I wondered if you thought the same and how important those elevator pitches are.

Ariel: Theyre so important and its really interesting, because artists who have nailed a really strong elevator pitch/15-second pitch, those are the ones who can successfully articulate who they are in a way that is so crucial and important.

If youre at a party, if youre meeting a booking agent, if youre anywhere and someone asks, What does your band sound like? or What does your music sound like? you have a succinct answer that gives the person a very clear sense of what your music sounds like. If you can do that, you are leaps and bounds ahead of the artist who says, Well, were kind of rocky, poppy, jazzy salsa. You cant confuse people with too many genres or too many comparisons. People need something that is concise  and it will also help you define your brand.

And theres a strange phenomenon going on in the business  and its in social media too: choose three fun words and an emoji. Well, you cant choose three fun words and an emoji when youre talking to someone, so there is a distinction between something cool that you might post on Instagram versus how you define yourself in a 15-second pitch.

And I find it kind of annoying when Im researching bands or a band wants to work with us  if you find four or five witty words that dont actually describe what the music sounds like or what musical bucket to put you in, its going to be hard for members of the media to understand what youre all about.

You have to have a story

Andre: Ideally, what does a band have to have together when they come to you for them to have success with whatever it is theyre hiring you to do?

Ariel: You have to have a story. Four dudes meeting in college coming together and forming a band is not a memorable story. So the first thing you want to think through is, What is your hook? And a hook doesnt have to be a huge, dramatic thing, like if you watch The Voice or American Idol, the hook is often something that has you sitting on your couch crying they survived cancer, there was a divorce, their house burned down in a fire and now they sing  you dont have to go in that direction.

A hook just has to be something that people walk away from you remembering. So you want to have a bio with that moment, that hook. You also want to have great music that is well-thought-out, well-produced, mastered; you want to have a release schedule of some sort, you can work with your publicist to figure out the best times to release your music. Dont come to someone in the industry with a pre-set schedule because that may not work with what theyre doing.

You also want to have really good visuals, photos  and multiple photos  because in todays social media world, the same press shot used over and over is going to be tired very quickly. And then you want to have a brand thats shored up. So aside from the moment, the hook  the signature story  what is your brand portraying online on your socials? Are you funny? Are you witty? Are you political? Are you direct? Are you mysterious? Whatever it is, that should carry across your social channels and make very clear to anyone who is trying to understand who you are.

Be flexible with your music PR

Andre: Im assuming a PR campaign is going to be promoting something specific  a tour, an album, a single  right? Im not just coming to you because I have a band and I want people to know about me. I should have something I want to be promoting, correct?

Ariel: Correct, and especially now, in a singles-based world, you want to have some singles coming out, not just, heres 12 tracks dropping. Thats really hard to publicize.

Andre: Lets say I have 12 songs. Ive got an albums worth of material, should I come to you and say, How do I make the most of this with a release schedule, dropping a single every three or four weeks, for the first three or four singles? How much should I have planned in advance and how much do I rely on you to tell me how to get the most mileage out of it?

Ariel: Thats a hard question to answer because theres no hard and set rule for what to do. Yes, you absolutely want to be consulting with your publicist or anyone youre hiring. You dont want to come to them and say, heres what were doing, because youre coming to them for their expertise. But yes, one strategy certainly can be you have 12 tracks and you release one every three to four weeks. That is obviously a year-long endeavor and you probably wont be hiring a publicist for a year because that can get expensive, so you might want to work with them and say, which three tracks do you think are the strongest and will work best with your contacts?

Let the publicist give you the reasons why they think those three tracks are the best and what their plan would be for those tracks. Then, after you get their feedback, you can say, Im going to release four tracks, then the PR will start, then well do three tracks together, then Ill do three more tracks after. That could be one way to go. Buts its really important to be malleable. Because, sometimes you can release a track with the plan to have something dropped every three to four weeks, and a track just bricks  or what if something is a smashing success and its blowing up on Spotify and its being picked up on media? You dont want to truncate that marketing time if you can get a few more weeks out of it. So being flexible with your PR is smart.

Part 2 of the interview is coming soon, but you can get Ariels new book, The Ultimate Guide to Music Publicity: Proven Strategies For Getting Featured In Blogs, Playlists, & Traditional Media, right now to learn everything you need to know about music PR.

Get your eBook eBook directly from Ariel (Disc Makers readers get $2 off) or purchase your print copy on Amazon.

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How Alfie Templeman used Spotify Canvas to strengthen his connection with fans

Nothing makes a fan happier than acknowledgement from the artists they love and, thanks to new marketing tools like Spotify Canvas, artists like Alfie Templeman have fresh resources at their disposal to help foster this connection.

Guest post by Timothy Cornwall of Spotify for Artists

The young British synth pop artist and his AWAL teams creative use of the short looping visuals spotlighted fans while promoting his track Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody.

Whether youre taking a selfie with a supporter in the streets or giving a shoutout to an audience member from the stage at a show, for fans, nothing feels as good as being acknowledged by the artists they love.

This kind of recognition not only demonstrates artists appreciation for fans but it can also deepen their connection with them. But not every meaningful interaction needs to be IRL and in-person to be effective; with social media and some of the tools available to Spotify for Artists users like Canvas  the short looping visuals you can add to each of your tracks on Spotify  artists and their teams can make meaningful connections with fans that both celebrate them and include them in the artists story.

Teenage synth pop sensation Alfie Templeman and his team at AWAL UK are well aware of the power of visuals and fan interaction. This spring, Templeman released his single Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody to prime fans for the subsequent release of his mini-album, Forever Isnt Long Enough.

As part of the promotion of the single, Templeman and his AWAL UK crew encouraged fans to submit illustrations of themselves via social media for inclusion in a series of six Wheres Waldo/Wheres Wally-style Canvases for the Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody track. When the short looping visuals came to life on Spotify, they featured the fan-submitted self-portraits alongside hidden illustrations of Templeman and his co-stars in the Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody music video  puppet couple, Brian and Suzie. Fans were encouraged to spot themselves among all the drawings in the Canvas, screenshot it tag Templeman and share the image on social media.

Spotify for Artists spoke with Alfie Templeman; Tom Prideaux, Project Manager at AWAL; and Jen Ewbank, AWALs Senior Director of International Marketing, to learn more about this clever promotion and engagement strategy.

Alfie Templemans Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody Canvas collage

Spotify for Artists: What inspired this approach to creating a Canvas for Everybodys Gonna Love Somebody? Whose idea was this originally?

Tom Prideaux: After the video director, Tommy Davis, delivered the video concept for the song, we fell in love with the puppets immediately. They matched Alfies fun and energetic personality and we knew we wanted to integrate them into the broader campaign. In the video we see Brian trying to find his love interest, Suzie, and so the Canvas idea was born from trying to continue that narrative. Originally, it was going to be Brian and Suzie hidden within an existing Wheres Wally (or Wheres Waldo) image but that threw up too many potential copyright challenges so we needed to create our own environment. To make this more exciting and engaging for fans we decided to ask them to submit their own drawings for a chance to be included within these Canvases alongside Brian, Suzie, and Alfie. It was a team effort between Alfie, Jen Ewbank [Senior Director of International Marketing, AWAL], and myself.

Alfie, what role did you play in coming up with this concept? Talk about how it reflects your music.

Alfie Templeman: Well, Im always for fan interaction and was thinking of a way we could play a game with them. Wed just made a music video where myself and my puppet friend, Brian went searching for his lost puppet girlfriend Suzie. Then it hit me, lets make a Canvas where theres Suzie  and Brian  and Alfie! Oh, and lets make it so every other person is a fan who gets to submit their own drawings into the Canvas!

TP: I think Alfies music is incredibly fun and its brilliant because hes able to be a serious musician without needing a serious attitude. This was a fun idea that allowed his fans to feel closer to him as well as each other.

Were you into Wheres Wally? when you were a kid? Did you know that its Wheres Waldo in the States?

AT: Yes, I grew up with Wheres Wally! I used to read them as a lil munchkin in lower school  or as you guys call it, elementary school.

Talk about the timeline for this campaign. When did the call to fans first go out? How long did it take to compile images? How long did it take to make the Canvas? Who designed it and animated it?

TP: The stage that actually took the most time was realizing that we were approaching this the wrong way by trying to create a like-for-like version of a Wheres Wally environment. As soon as we landed on this being a fan-led creative it all came together incredibly quickly. Holly Glanvill at [marketing agency] Blackstar helped build the initial form that fans would need to submit their drawings to within a day, ensuring we had the appropriate rights to include the drawings in the Canvas. We had posted the form on a Monday evening and by Tuesday midday we had over 250 submissions! We closed the form by Wednesday with over 350 submissions. I compiled all of the images and cut out 300 of them within 48 hours. We worked with Matt Pilcher and the F-That [creative agency] team who are both brilliant and speedy to help style and deliver the final animated Canvases within a couple of days.

What does a Canvas like this do for the relationship between artist and fan?

TP: We know that Alfies fans are heavy Spotify users and were confident they explore a lot of the features, including Canvas. We took the approach of if Im a fan, what would I like [to see]? and being able to see your own drawing of your own face on a new Alfie Templeman single, that could be quite cool? Whilst we encouraged fans to share screen grabs and tag Alfie once they had found themselves, I think there was a lot of organic sharing too. Fans were excited to be included on one of their favourite artists songs on Spotify and knowing that over one million unique people are listening to Alfies music and potentially seeing that Canvas every month is a nice badge of honor.

What has the feedback from fans been like?

AT: The fans love it! They really enjoy not only trying to find the three characters but also themselves. I think they like being a visual part of a song that gets a good bunch of plays every day. Other people can acknowledge the drawings they created.

Jen Ewbank: We tried to be as inclusive as possible when it came to involving all of Alfies fans by making the call to action for submitting drawings in multiple languages eight in totalacross his socials. As a result, fans from all over the world felt seen and we saw a broad spread of submissions with nearly 50% from Latin American countries!

How did you go about choosing the images that make the cut? How many images of fans made the final Canvas?

TP: On the submission form we had asked fans to let us know where they were drawing from so that A) we could identify where Alfies super engaged fans are and B) so we could represent Alfies global fanbase when deciding what drawings to include. We made sure all parts of the world where we had submissions were represented! We also tried not to discriminate based on the quality of the drawings so that it didnt feel like an exclusive club. Overall, 300 fans made it into the Canvases!

What did you and the team learn from doing this campaign?

TP: A key outcome from running this campaign was discovering how capable so many of Alfies fans are at creating. We hadnt activated them in this way before but its certainly opened the doors for more co-creation and collaboration in the future!

JE: It was a great test case for us to see which of Alfies fans were the most engaged from a territory perspective. We assumed that many of his U.K. fans would partake, but were taken by surprise at the fantastic response from fans in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. It also helped us identify the territories where more work is required to engage fans there going forward.

Finally, how are Brian and Suzie doing?

AT: I think [theyre] doing pretty good since I last spoke to them. Ever since pubs opened back up over here, Brian seems to be going a bit crazy on the G and Ts which Suzie isnt too pleased about  but the good thing is that theyre safe and sound in their little apartment!

Spotify for Artists helps you to develop the fanbase you need to reach your goals.

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Christian Stovall of Hidden Mountain Farm speaks to Ag Commissioner John Lebeaux about the many miles he has to travel in order to tend to his sheep. There was a lunch reception at Cantina 229 with food donated by Guido's. The commissioner with Berkshire Grown Program Manager Jordan Archey Some happy Hidden Mountain Farm goats. Off The Shelf Farm chickens. Home for them is where the chicken feed is. PreviousNext

Agricultural Commissioner Visits Southern Berkshire Farms

NEW MARLBOROUGH, Mass.  Farming is hard enough without having to worry about losing the very land you farm.

"This year, I've just been hearing a lot...about the lack of access to land, not really related to the pandemic. It just seems to have come up more and more," Executive Director of Berkshire Grown Margaret Moulton said during a tour of Southern Berkshire farms with Agricultural Commissioner John Lebeaux. "So we're trying to give them a sense of what it means to be a farmer without a farm, particularly for a newer younger farmer who doesn't have the wherewithal to buy."

On Tuesday, Lebeaux toured four South County farms to hear their struggles with land availability and having to lease land rather than owning. He visited Colfax Farm in Alford, Indian Line Farm in Egremont and Hidden Mountain Farm, and Off The Shelf Farm in New Marlborough opened its pastures to the tour.

Lebeaux said these sorts of farming issues are not new.

"We particularly see it in areas where there's demand for vacation homes, that really pushes it and certainly Southern Berkshire County lends itself to that," Lebeaux said after speaking to the local farmers. "Today was more of a learning exercise to hear about how folks are managing, renting land, or however they're getting to grow on it. But everyone wants some degree of certainty, whether it's ownership or a long-term lease, and we're hopeful that we can promote that in some way, shape, or form. So today, it's information gathering, and then we'll see if we can implement that into some policies."

Each year, nonprofit advocacy organization Berkshire Grown holds this farm tour to bring light to agricultural issues important to farmers in the area. This year's tour was inspired by Colfax Farm. Owner Molly Comstock farms on a land trust with an expiring lease.

Moulton said this challenge comes in different forms and some farmers utilize different plots of land in some instances free of charge. Although there are savings because some farmers do not have to buy or lease, travel often eats into profit. There is also always a lingering insecurity.

Hidden Mountain Farm produces grass-fed lamb and registered Border Leicester breeding stock. The farm raises between 50 to 100 lambs annually and uses an intensive rotational grazing system.

Owner Christian Stovall has a home base on his family's property, which is about 15 acres. He said it is "not nearly enough land to run a whole business out of." There are about 25 miles between his southernmost location on the Connecticut border to his North Egremont location on the New York border. He has to drive between four towns to access all of his sheep's locations, clocking in at about 2,000 miles of transportation a month.

"Definitely the big challenge is finding people that are excited about grazing and having sheep on their land," he said. "Educating them, and being able to keep an ongoing relationship that's actually set in stone."

Stovall said he wished to have his livestock in close proximity and markets himself by talking to people who have been in the area for a long time in hopes of finding larger plots of land in close proximity to one another.

"What it really comes down to is if my grazing was concentrated, and I could meet more people in New Marlborough and Monterey towns that are really connected right here and close. It would make my life a lot easier," he said.

In the future, Stovall would like to breed more of his own ewes, find a landowner that would allow his Maremma sheepdog Benson to be on the property with the lambs, and secure more serious lease agreements.

Owners of Off The Shelf Farm Anna Houston and Rob Perazzo also spend a lot of their workday traveling to plots of farmland. Houston said that for them, leasing means that everything they do is impermanent and mobile.

For them, there are positives and negatives to the impermanent agreement.

The duo has a positive leasing agreement with property owners in New Marlborough and are happy to work with them as landlords. But they do acknowledge that they don't own the land and if it were to be unavailable to them, they would be in a tough situation.

Houston added that Off The Shelf began without a mortgage, which she believes has been a huge part of their success.

They have 75 grass-fed lambs, 750 pasture-raised meat chickens, and 3,000 pasture-raised egg-laying hens all fed with rotational grazing. The farm gets about 1,300 eggs a week and distributes 75 percent of them to Southern Berkshire County, Walden Local Meat Co. in Boston, and Eataly in New York City.

"It's pretty amazing, the insatiable demand for eggs," she said. "You would not have known it; we didn't know it when we started."

Houston said she and Perazzo dream about someday having a permanent agreement where a formal farmstand can be constructed and open to the public.

"It would be so much more efficient if everything was just right together," she said. "And we want to have people come to the farm and have a retail space and just do way more than what we're doing as far as like engaging with the community."

An additional issue that affects both Hidden Mountain Farm and Off The Shelf Farm is the need to transport water to their locations, which is done with a large tank on the back of a truck.

But leasing land does works for some farmers like those who own Indian Mountain Farm, which was also on the tour. Elizabeth Keen said her family farm is also located on a land trust, but it works for her.

Understanding Colfax Farm's predicament, the land trust, that her farm is on, is reportedly taking the lead on trying to find a location for Comstock.
Paige Fillio Joins SVMC ExpressCare

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) welcome Physician Assistant Paige Fillio to SVMC ExpressCare and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians.

Fillio earned her master's degree in physician assistant studies from Westfield State University in Massachusetts in 2021. She received her bachelor's in allied health and biology from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Fillio has worked as a scribe in the Emergency Department at SVMC since 2015. She served for a part of that time as a quality assurance specialist for the scribe program and as chief scribe. She has also worked in the Emergency Department and Urgent Care at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

ExpressCare is newly relocated to 120 Hospital Drive. It shares space with the Respiratory Evaluation Center, which features negative-pressure air exchange throughout. The new facility also has a dedicated parking area, a larger waiting area, larger and more exam rooms. As always, the practice offers X-ray and blood draw.

Open 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. seven days a weekincluding holidays, except Thanksgiving and ChristmasExpressCare is a walk-in clinic located at 120 Hospital Drive in Bennington. No appointment is necessary. ExpressCare offers care for minor illnesses and injuries to patients of all ages. COVID-19 vaccinations are available for everyone over the age of 12. For more information, call 802-440-4077.
New Zealand west coast hit by heavy floods after month of rain falls in one weekend

by Tess McClure

July 19,2021 | Source: The Guardian

New Zealands west coast has been hit by severe flooding, with a local state of emergency declared and thousands evacuated from their homes.



The latest floods arrived in the aftermath of heavy rains and storms over the past two months that prompted states of emergency in Canterbury and Wellington.



In parts of the west coast, around 300mm of rain fell over a single weekend  around a months average rainfall concentrated into two days. The heavy rain caused slips, rivers to break their banks, and more than 2,000 residents to be evacuated.



While no single flooding event can be directly attributed to the climate crisis, scientists have long warned that global heating would increase the number and likelihood of extreme weather events, including flooding, wildfires and heatwaves. As the atmosphere gets warmer, it holds more moisture, which in turn leads to heavier rainfall.



On Sunday, the government announced $600,000 in emergency aid to the affected districts. While it is too early to know the full cost of the damage, we expect it to be significant  a big cleanup and recovery effort lies ahead, the acting minister for emergency management, Kris Faafoi, said.



The agriculture minister, Damien OConnor, announced financial support for farmers, saying that the scale of impact is beyond the communities ability to cope.



While flood waters are now receding, cleanup of the region is expected to take some time. In most cases it will take months, rather than weeks, to completely restore your home(s) the West Coast District Health board said in a release to local residents.



Faafoi said on Sunday that about 1,000 people were still out of their homes in Westport.



The extreme weather comes as other parts of the world are reeling from flooding, including Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, London, Edinburgh, and Tokyo. The floods across western Germany and Belgium have killed at least 180 people. In the same period, the western US and Canada have been hit by unprecedented extreme heatwaves, which led to hundreds of deaths.



Internationally, the recent floods have been prompting a political reckoning over climate change. Asked whether climate change had contributed to the disastrous floods in Europe, the prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, said that was without a doubt the case.



In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the country had to up the pace in the fight against climate change.

 2021 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
German Chancellor Merkel calls Europe flooding 'terrifying,' as death toll nears 200

July 19,2021 | Source: VOA News

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday the recent flooding in Europe is terrifying and promised swift financial assistance for one of the hardest hit regions in her country.



"The German language can barely describe the devastation that's taken place, she said as the death toll reached 184 across Europe, including 157 in Germany.



As rescue workers continued their search for missing people, a district in Bavaria in southern Germany was hit by flash flooding that killed at least one person. Roads turned into rivers, with vehicles swept away by the rapid currents and wide swaths of land buried in mud near the border with Austria.



We were not prepared for this," said Berchtesgadener Land district administrator Bernhard Kern. He said the situation deteriorated "drastically" late Saturday, leaving little time for emergency services to act.



In the worst-hit Ahrweiler district south of Cologne, about 110 people have been killed, with more bodies expected to be found there as flood waters recede, police say.



The floods began Wednesday and have mainly hit the states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and parts of Belgium, where the death toll stands at 27. Entire communities have been left without power or communications.



Merkel said governments have to become better and faster in their efforts to tackle the impact of climate change. Several days ago, Europe outlined a package of steps toward "net zero" emissions by the middle of the century.



The German government said it is offering $354 million in immediate relief and billions of euros to fix collapsed houses, streets and bridges, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag.



"There is huge damage and that much is clear: those who lost their businesses, their houses, cannot stem the losses alone," he said.



Belgium is planning a national day of mourning on Tuesday. Water levels were falling there on Sunday and the clean-up operation was under way. But military troops were sent into the eastern town of Pepinster, where a dozen buildings collapsed, to search for more victims.



Belgian authorities said the supply of clean drinking water was also a big concern.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
A battle on the Gulf pits the Coast Guard against Mexican red snapper poachers

by John Burnett

July 19,2021 | Source: NPR

It's the hidden U.S.-Mexico border war.



For years, Mexican fisherman have crossed into U.S. waters to illegally catch high-priced red snapper. It has become a multi-million dollar black market, the Mexican cartel is involved, Texas fishermen are outraged, and the federal government can't seem to stop it.



The U.S. Coast Guard on South Padre Island has a one-of-a-kind mission among the 197 stations along the nation's seacoasts. Their chief enforcement activity entails bouncing across the swells of the lower Texas Gulf in pursuit of wily Mexican fishing boats filled with plump, rosy fish destined for seafood houses in Mexico City and Houston.



These are the red snapper poachers.



"United States Coast Guard! Stop your vessel! Stop your vessel!" yells a Coastie in his bullhorn as the 900-horsepower fast-pursuit boat pulls alongside the Mexican lancha. Four Mexican fishermen tried to outrun it but thought better and throttled down. The fishermen are handcuffed, their catch is confiscated and the boat is towed back to the Coast Guard station.



Scenes like this, captured on Coast Guard video, have become more and more common. Interdictions of illegal fishing boats have soared from nine seizures in 2010 to 148 incidents last year, with 547 Mexican fishermen detained and released without charges.



Coast Guard commanders, commercial fishermen, marine biologists, and federal officials told NPR that the large-scale, illegal harvesting of red snapper is doing great harm to the Gulf.



"They'll come into U.S. waters, they'll fish, they'll grab as much snapper as they can, and they'll go head back south before we can detect 'em. The average catch they'll have onboard is 1,000- to 3,000-pounds of snapper," says Lt. Commander Dan Ippolito, commanding officer of Coast Guard South Padre Station. Last year his station seized 37 tons of marine life from Mexican lanchas.



Fishermen, Coast Guard personnel and scientists regularly come across gill netting and trot lines that can be 3-miles-long, attached to floating buoys. They're both illegal in this part of the Gulf because they kill marine life indiscriminately.



"We find red snapper, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins," said First Class Petty Officer Erin Welch. "It's incredibly physically taxing on the crew. We have to utilize everybody that's onboard to be able to pull this up."



Michael Walker, of SaltWalker Sport Fishing Charters, pulled up a gill net a few years ago.



"It had about a dozen dead sailfish in it," he said, "and I don't know how many mackerel, little sharks, big sharks."



In 2011, game wardens encountered a nearly three-mile-long gill net that contained approximately 3,000 juvenile sharks, according to Lt. Leslie Casterline, game warden for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.



The poachers also illegally harvest shark, cut off their fins and sell them in a separate black market that supplies soup-makers in Asian cultures.



"Removing apex predators from ecosystems causes cascading effects," says Greg Stunz, a marine biologist. "Sharks are at the top of the food web, and when you remove those predators it can cause the entire ecosystem to become out of balance."



It is widely suspected among Texas fishermen and law enforcement that the Gulf Cartel is helping the snapper poachers buy new boats.



"A poor fisherman, you know, [pays] $3,000 for a lancha, $5,000 to $10,000 for a motor. How can he afford to lose that? Is he making that much or is it a bigger operation?" asks Michael Walker, the charter captain who sees a lot from the helm chair of his 45-foot deep sea fishing boat.



The DEA in Houston confirms that the Gulf Cartel has, for years, used Playa Bagdad as a staging ground to run drugs north in fishing boats. And it's on the rise. A DEA agent wrote in an email to NPR that "based on intelligence, coupled with recent seizures of cocaine, we've identified an uptick with drug trafficking organizations utilizing maritime smuggling of narcotics along the South Texas coastal waterways."



NOAA is again taking stock of Mexico's efforts to curtail illegal snapper poaching. The agency declined to make an official available to interview because of the forthcoming biennial Report to Congress on IUU fishing, expected in September.



Mexico wants to remain in NOAA's good graces. If Mexico were to be decertified, it would lose part of the lucrative US seafood market and US port privileges for Mexican vessels. A spokeswoman for the Mexican Embassy wrote in an email to NPR: "The Mexican government has followed up on the cases of vessels reported by the State Department and is in communication with NOAA in order to have a favorable result regarding certification in September."



In a final twist to the story, Mexico exported 7,500 tons of red snapper to the U.S. last year, for a value of $50 million, with the lion's share of the profits made by wholesalers.



NOAA suspects some of those fish were caught illegally in U.S. waters, iced down in Mexico, and sold back to seafood lovers in Texas.

 2021 npr

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
Support small fishermen in Hawaii by making it easier to buy fresh off the boat

by Rick Gaffney

July 19,2021 | Source: Honolulu Civil Beat

The pandemic changed many things in Hawaii, including access to fresh fish. The swift departure of hundreds of thousands of tourists and the consequent closure of many hotels and restaurants eliminated the bulk of the demand for fresh fish literally overnight.



One major fish wholesaler resorted to curbside sales at Pier 38 in Honolulu Harbor just to keep the lights on, and some large commercial fishing vessel owners shut down to avoid their extensive costs of operation.



Creative solutions for distribution quickly surfaced. Community Supported Agriculture  direct purchasing between consumer and farmer  began flourishing in communities across the state, offering a model for fisheries. Local IA on Oahu, a self-described community supported fishery, provided a direct link for fresh, locally caught seafood.



Roadside fish sales proliferated on all the islands, and fresh fish retailers who could keep their doors open while meeting COVID-19 restrictions engaged long-standing relationships with fishermen to assure that preferred local seafoods were available.



A new app called FishLine  created specifically to help consumers find fresh fish directly from fishermen at no cost to either  also surfaced. FishLine was introduced on the Big Island by the Hawaii Fishing and Boating Association.



Some savvy consumers also learned that simply hanging around the launch ramp in fishing communities stretching from Kukuiula on Kauai to Honokohau on Hawaii island, particularly in the late afternoon, could often reward them with very fresh fish for dinner and a new relationship with a fisherman, all for asking, What did you catch today?



While theres been no formal measurement of the resurgence of fishermen giving away portions of their catch to family, neighbors and friends  or of the growth of a trade, barter and casual exchange economy, particularly on the neighbor islands  anecdotal evidence suggests many small-boat fishermen in rural parts of the state essentially revived the Hawaiian cultural practice of sharing ones catch.



The pandemic gave us a short course in how kanaka maoli survived in the days before the arrival of Captain Cook, when resident population numbers were little different from those today, and there were zero imports.



Such a system of direct connection between the people catching fish and the people eating that fish benefits more than just the individuals involved. It benefits the ocean itself.



Thats because short of buying direct from a small boat fisherman whos employing only a handful of hooks to catch fish, it is very hard to know for certain if the fish you are buying was caught in nearby waters in a sustainable manner.



The opposite extreme is unwittingly buying part of a catch that represents a haul of tons of pelagic fish (along with the possibility of tons of bycatch) landed by local longliners who employ thousands of hooks and continue to catch species that are threatened by over-harvesting.



Hawaiis industrial longline fleet significantly changed Hawaiis fresh fish industry, and largely consolidated it in the port of Honolulu.



Prior to 1988, Hawaiis commercial fleet was more diverse. It berthed its boats and delivered fish at ports across the state. It included many more small boats, employed more people in the support industries and spread its economic benefits more broadly. More fishermen sold direct to restaurants, fish markets, stores and other retailers, diversifying both the availability and economic impact of their catch.



As the daily market demand for tons of tuna and swordfish disappeared when the pandemic blossomed, and many workers were told to go home, folks who knew how to fish turned to the sea to feed their families and friends, to trade for fresh produce and generate some pocket money.



We had come full circle since the days before the growth of a cash economy in the early 1800s, and the later industrialization of our fishing fleet. For the first time in over 200 years, you could barter or buy fish from a fisherman hauling his boat out on a launch ramp, or returning to his slip in a harbor, or even just some guy down the street, in nearly every community in Hawaii.



And I think thats a good thing. Spread the wealth, share the economic benefits, reduce the carbon footprint, stop relying on indentured labor on longliners to deliver two-week-old fresh fish to a controlled auction that contributes to fish prices too high for many to afford and creates a rapacious demand for fish increasingly threatened by nationally subsidized over-harvesting.



There is something to be said for supporting sustainable small-boat fisheries, and fishermen in your home community, rather than big box stores and national supermarket chains that are often more concerned with the bottom line than the health of the fishery.

 2010-2020 Honolulu Civil Beat Inc. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Illegal fishermen linked to decreasing fish in Lake Naivasha, Kenya

by Antony Gitonga

July 19,2021 | Source: The Standard

The daily catch in Lake Naivasha has dropped by more than 60 per cent in the last month.



There are fears the catch could drop further in the coming days with the Department of Fisheries blaming the current low figures on cold weather.



Fishermen have attributed the current crisis to a rise in illegal fishing and the use of undersized nets.



The Kenya Coast Guards Services has officially launched patrols in the troubled lake, arresting tens of youths involved in the illegal trade.



Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association chairman David Kilo said fishermen are feeling the full effect of the illegal trade.



Kilo said the drop in the daily catch has mostly affected tilapia.



This is one of the darkest moments for the fisheries sector in Naivasha, he said.



Kilo further attributed this to fishing in the breeding zones, failure to restock, and lack of support by the county government.



In the past fishermen contributed towards restocking, only for the illegal fishermen to reap where they never planted and hence the current drop, he said.



Kilo went on, adding that the lake should be given time to breathe and that a major clean-up exercise is needed to clear all dead nets.



Naivasha sub-county fisheries officer Nicholas Kagundu said the daily catch has dropped, but linked it to the current cold weather.



Kagundu said it is normal for the size of the catch to reduce with a drop in temperatures, adding that fishermen should expect changes in the coming months.



Illegal fishing has played a part in the drop in fish, but the main cause is the cold weather which has forced various species to hibernate, he said.



Naivasha sub-county commissioner Mutua Kisilu confirmed the operations by the Coast Guards Services despite opposition from the youth.



He said a multi-agency security team had been formed to patrol the lake to deal with the increasing number of illegal fishermen.



We shall not be cowed by the youth who are protesting against the ongoing crackdown, he said.

 2021 The Standard Group PLC

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
Search continues for 42 West Kalimantan fishermen after 17 boats sink off Indonesia

July 19,2021 | Source: Antara

Search efforts continued for 42 fishermen who went missing on Tuesday evening (13/7/2021) after 17 fishing boats sank in the West Kalimantan waters off Indonesia owing to bad weather, according to an official.



A total of 17 fishing boats with 134 fishermen aboard sank after being hit by huge waves, Yopi Hariyadi, Head of the Pontianak Search and Rescue (SAR) Office, said here on Sunday.



"Of the total, eight boats have been found, and nine others remain missing," he noted.



He reported that 77 fishermen survived, 42 remained missing and 15 died, including five victims who have not been identified.



The latest missing boat was MV CSSK with three crew members aboard, which left to fish on July 11, and was last seen on July 13, off Lemukutan Island, Bengkayang District. The boat was missing and the crew could not be contacted, he said,



The search efforts on Sunday was conducted with the support of the Indonesian Army's personnel to look for the 42 missing fishermen, he added.



The search was focused on coastal areas as the victims were most likely stranded on the coast, the official said.



"Today (Sunday) we are being assisted by 20 search boats from various agencies.The search is divided into four sectors, and is supported by the Pontianak Supadio Air Base which deploys one Super Puma Helicopter and one Maritime aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Navy," Haryadi said.



He assured that the search for victims was carried out maximally by sea, air, and the coastal land.

 www.antaranews.com Copyright  2021

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
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Name: Erik Bailey

Company: Anaqua

Job title: Chief Information Officer

Date started current role: June 2019

Location: Boston, MA

Erik Bailey is CIO of Anaqua, an innovation and IP management software company, where hes responsible for the companys global IT management and cloud hosting operations. Hes a successful senior technical manager with over 25 years experience in systems implementations, client support and quality assurance.

What was your first job? My very first job was in high school, working for a consulting firm in downtown Boston. This was in the late 80s, and the culture was to wear suits to the office, so there I was as a high school junior and senior, donning a suit and heading into Boston after school during the school year, and full-time during winter and summer breaks! I was responsible for development (in C) of a charting tool for survey responses (3D bar charts, pie charts, etc.), completely from scratch. The kicker was that the output needed to be PostScript (the printer language), so it was a great opportunity to work with a language that very few people then (and now!) have ever used. PostScript is a Lisp-like language where 1 + 1 is written as 1 1 +, and I still have syntax like Helvetica findfont setfont embedded in my brain! This was a fantastic opportunity for me and set the stage for much of the rest of what I have done with my career.

Did you always want to work in IT? It was always a given that I would be in software engineering to some degree. I taught myself BASIC on a Heathkit H-89 when I was about 10 and have never stopped! (I also did a lot of other electronics work with Heathkit tools, including building our own TV.) From Pascal, C, and Emacs Lisp in high school - as well as friendly Core War competitions with my friends - to corporate work in Visual Basic, C++, Java, C#, HTML, Classic ASP, ASP.NET, and SQL, I have always had my toes in technology. I was a staple on BBS systems (including a stint as a sysop on the PC Magazine CompuServe board), and Ive been on the ARPAnet/Internet continuously since the mid-80s (when I was in high school). IT has always fascinated me, since I love to build things (Legos were an important part of my childhood), and the opportunity to work in a field that I love has been fantastic!

What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? I graduated from Brown University in 1992 with an Sc.B. in Cognitive Science, which is the study of the mind and brain. My primary focus was visual perception, but it was a multidisciplinary concentration with roots in psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics, and computer science. I wrote my own learning neural network in C, had a deep understanding of language and how the brain parsed and interpreted it, and my senior project was an interactive computer-based experiment looking at the effects of dynamic occlusion on both speed and accuracy of judging the relative speeds of objects coming toward the viewer on a screen. If memory serves, I was able to fulfill the Lisp requirement by showing my advisor a defect-tracking system I had written in Emacs Lisp a few years prior, while an intern at Thinking Machines Corporation (a massively parallel supercomputer company).

Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. The first decade of my career was in professional services, building enterprise client/server and web applications for major corporate clients (at Cambridge Technology Partners and AGENCY.COM). In addition to deepening my technical skills (including working with technologies and platforms such as Visual Basic, C/C++/C#, Java, ASP, ASP.NET, Windows, Unix, Mac, Oracle, Sybase, and SQL Server), I managed many of the projects (including multi-million dollar applications) and led many of the facilitated design sessions.

These experiences were foundational toward my work at Anaqua and formed the basis of how I work with clients, internal teams, key stakeholders, and peers. In particular, a focus on client satisfaction (not just initially, but down the road) is imperative. This Dilbert strip from 1996 perfectly illustrates everything I am against, and I always strive to focus on ensuring that the building remains standing long after it has been built: https://dilbert.com/strip/1996-12-20.

A concrete example of this was the next stage in my career, when I transitioned from professional services to in-house. One of my last projects at AGENCY.COM (prior to the Boston office being closed due to the financial downturn of the early 2000s) was to work with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to build a major new website focused on healthcare quality. After successfully PMing this large project (8 full-time staff for nearly a year, plus additional content and creative staff as needed), I was fortunate to be invited to join IHI full-time. This was an example of living these values, where the website was not just something I built, but something I *owned*. The mission and vision of IHI, led by Dr. Don Berwick, were deeply inspiring and empowering  a laser focus on Quality. While this happened to be in the healthcare field, the lessons and principles are applicable across the board, and I use them daily. An example is the Model for Improvement  a cyclical process known as PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) where you first define your potential improvement (Plan), then implement it (Do), then see what impact it had (Check), and then move forward based on that information (Act). And it doesnt stop there  you go right back into your next Plan cycle and do it all over again. This is the spirit of *Continuous* Improvement, and it has guided all of my actions since that point. Additionally, at the annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care, all IHI staff members pitched in together (regardless of role or title) to put on a conference for over 6,000 attendees  this really demonstrated the were all in this together mentality that is absolutely critical in todays fast-paced business world.

My first major role at Anaqua was to manage and oversee a complete technical refresh of the ANAQUA IP Management software, during the period between 2006 and 2012. After managing the Engineering team, I led the global Client Support team for five years. During this time, we onboarded over 100 new clients, expanded our service offerings to clients (including the launch of our Zendesk ticketing portal, now used globally across multiple business units), improved our metrics gathering and reduce our ticket backlog, and increased the team size from under 10 to over 20 (most of the growth being outside the US). In my current role as CIO, I have been able to leverage all of my past experience (engineering, client management, and support) toward enhancing Anaquas level of service to not only our external clients (industry leaders like adidas, BASF, Hogan Lovells, Honda, IBM, Michael Best, NVIDIA and more) but also internal business units.

What business or technology initiatives will be most significant in driving IT investments in your organisation in the coming year? Anaqua would not exist without technology and we are all aware of that. From the companys founding, we adopted the mindset of a software company, even though there are numerous service offerings in our catalogue, we always view ourselves as a technology company first. As such, our technology initiatives align with our CEOs top priorities mentioned below.

What are the CEO's top priorities for you in the coming year? How do you plan to support the business with IT? We are aggressively growing in 2021, both in terms of internal headcount as well as our client roster. To accommodate this growth requires constant re-evaluation and optimisation of our processes  whether that is multi-cloud (meeting our clients where they want to be), more rigorous security certifications (both corporate and staff), upgrading all of our hosted clients to the latest versions of the ANAQUA application, or implementing new technologies (including hosted offerings such as SQL Server as a Service). My goal for each year is to be able to look back on the preceding 12 months and feel good about what we accomplished, and I fully expect that in December 2021 that not only will indeed be the case but also that we will have accomplished something that we couldnt even dream of at the start of the year.

Does the conventional CIO role include responsibilities it should not hold? Should the role have additional responsibilities it does not currently include? Every organisation is going to be different in how it defines the CIO role and its responsibilities. Size, maturity of the company, and the industry that company plays in all will create different demands on the role. At Anaqua, weve struck a good balance with the CIO role. It can be broken down into three distinct (but related) areas. First, I manage the Internal IT team, providing desktop and internal server support for our global workforce. Second, I manage our Cloud Operations team, providing the foundation for the SaaS applications that form the core of Anaquas business. And third, I am the overall IT and Security face of the organisation, in terms of working with clients and prospective clients on security and technology assessments and other key areas that must be assessed and validated before making a major decision (in our case, how and where to host the critical data supporting the organisations intellectual asset portfolios).

Are you leading a digital transformation? If so, does it emphasise customer experience and revenue growth or operational efficiency? If both, how do you balance the two? I dont think theres any moment in time when businesses collectively are *not* doing a digital transformation! The methods to achieve that goal (and the terminology, such as BPR from the early 90s) change over time, but the end goal is always the same  do more (and faster!) with less. At Anaqua, we work with our clients to transform the way that they work with their Intellectual Property portfolios (primarily, but not exclusively, patents and trademarks). While many of our clients were on an IP Management System prior to ours, some were tracking their assets simply with spreadsheets or other less sophisticated tools.

Regardless of previous method, we do indeed strive for a transformation, and it needs to be balanced between customer experience and operational efficiency. I dont see revenue growth as a factor here. By using our tools and improving the other two factors, costs are contained, and revenue can also potentially grow, especially from a licensing perspective.

The user experience drives everything; everyone is familiar with the too many clicks problem, and it requires careful implementation of a solid information architecture (coupled with an appealing and streamlined graphical design) to ensure that customer experience and operational efficiency go together rather than in opposition to one another. Following a lead user model, where we rely on our customers as the experts to help us shape the product to their needs, we then use our product and engineering expertise to build what is needed. Our Citation Matrix feature is a perfect example of this, where senior members of two major clients came together for a series of workshop sessions to design what has become a core feature of the Patent module of our AQX product. Finally, we work with our clients to bring them to the Cloud and away from their on-premise systems (whether commercial or homegrown), showing the proven track record of lower TCO through streamlined operations and significant efficiencies.

Describe the maturity of your digital business. For example, do you have KPIs to quantify the value of IT? Everything Anaqua does is digital. Our roots are as a software company (not as a services company, although we do have many services which are a critical component of our business) and that underlies everything we do. Innovation is key for success in our industry; if the product remained the same for more than a few months at a time it would pose a risk to the business. Accordingly, we invest heavily into R&D to ensure, not only that we introduce new features that our clients need, but also that we steadily improve the quality of our software. As our client base grows year-over-year, we need to ensure that support and other areas of the business that arent directly revenue-producing dont grow at the same rate, but rather at a slower rate (increased quality and a more robust feature set translates into fewer support tickets and therefore more efficiency per client).

Recent certifications and assessments such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 have formalised and refined our IT processes, and we closely track metrics such as ticket volume (both internal IT as well as customer support), cloud hosting operational costs, and efficiencies of our hosting model (clients per server, for example).
Danish Siddiqui, an Indian photojournalist with Reuters news agency, was killed in crossfire while covering a fierce battle between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants in Kandahar province on Friday, July 16. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association (AIJA) and the Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU) condemn the killing and urge for support for media in the deteriorating climate in Afghanistan as US troops withdraw and fighting between the Afghan army and Taliban militants intensifies.

Candles are placed by journalists next to the portrait of Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui as a tribute in Kolkata. Credit: AFP

Siddiqui was a veteran photojournalists and a member of the Reuters photography team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for their images of the Myanmar Rohingya crisis. The 41-year-old, who was chief photographer for Reuters in India, was on a reporting assignment ahead of the US force withdrawal from Afghanistan on September 11.

Reuters reported that Siddiqui was embedded with a convoy of Afghan forces that was ambushed by Taliban militants near a key border post with Pakistan, according to reports. It is unclear how many others died in the attack. Afghan special forces were fighting to retake the main market area of Spin Boldak when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer were killed.

"We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region," Reuters President Michael Friedenberg and Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni said in a statement. "Danish was an outstanding journalist, a devoted husband and father, and a much-loved colleague. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time."

Reports said Taliban fighters seized the border area on July 14, the second-largest crossing on the border with Pakistan. The capture of the border crossing is seen as a decisive objective for the Taliban. With foreign troops withdrawing after 20 years of conflict, Taliban militants are retaking territory across the country, sparking fears of a potential civil war.

The International Federation of Journalists remains gravely concerned about the wellbeing of local journalists amid a rise in threats and attacks on local media outlets as well as journalist reporting for international media.On July 14, the AIJFA reported that Fazlullah Erfan, the editor-in-chief of Gag-e-Islah radio programs, was seriously injured in an explosion targeting a police vehicle in Jalalabad. The AIJA reported to the IFJ that most journalists left the city during the fighting.

AIJA last week also reported Taliban threats to at least eight media outlets including Badghis National Radio and Television, Private TV Obur, Radio Hanzaleh, Radio Simim, Ghazali Radio, Radio Nariman, and Baghis Voice Radio.

IFJ has received a number of appeals for assistance to flee the country as freelance journalists report their lives being in increasing danger and employers failing to act.

In the wake of the Siddiquis killing, Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani reiterated the countrys commitment to freedom of speech and protection of free media and journalists.

Thirty-three journalists were killed in Afghanistan between 2018 and 2021, the United Nations said in a report this year.

Siddiqui is survived by his wife and two young children.

The AIJA said:We condemn the killing of journalist DanishSiddiqui and express condolence to the family members of Siddiqui and the entire media community. The AIJA is deeply concerned to the killing and injuries on civilians, especially media personnel and calls on the warring parties to prevent explosions and clashes in civilian areas.

The ANJU said: Unfortunately the environment for media and journalists in different part of Afghanistan is getting worse day by day. Therefore, local and International media should do their best to protect their journalists and staffers.

The IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said:The IFJ is gravely concerned at the situation in Afghanistan for media workers right now and expresses deepest condolences to Danish Siddiquis family at this terrible time. We call on both the Taliban and the military to respect and ensure the safety of media reporting on the ground.
Imperial Valley News Center

Woman Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Elder Fraud Scheme

New York - A Long Island woman pleaded guilty Monday to participating in a scheme to mail fraudulent prize notices that led recipients, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, to believe that they could claim large cash prizes in exchange for a modest fee. None of the victims who submitted fees, which in total exceeded $30 million, received a substantial cash prize.

According to court documents, Lorraine Chalavoutis, 64, of Greenlawn, New York, conspired to mail fraudulent prize notices to thousands of victims throughout the United States between December 2010 and July 2016. The mailings appeared to be personally addressed to thousands of individuals whose names were on consumer lists obtained by Chalavoutis and her primary co-conspirators, Shaun Sullivan and Tully Lovisa. Chalavoutis created various shell companies for the purported senders of the mailings, and hid her co-conspirators involvement in the business by using straw owners. Lovisa and Sullivan both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and are awaiting sentencing. In separate cases, several other defendants have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with the scheme.

Those who knowingly facilitate fraud schemes, including individuals who play administrative roles in setting up and maintaining the criminal operations, bear responsibility for the harm caused to victims, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting elderly and vulnerable Americans and to prosecuting individuals who perpetrate and knowingly enable such schemes.

With todays plea, Chalavoutis has admitted her role in a nefarious and fraudulent scheme to enrich herself by tricking elderly and vulnerable victims into believing they had won a cash prize that they could collect after paying her modest fees, said Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Kasulis for the Eastern District of New York. Protecting the community from those who commit fraud to deliberately prey on the false hopes of the vulnerable remains a priority of this office and the Department of Justice.

Todays plea is an example of the coordinated efforts of law enforcement to bring those to justice who prey on vulnerable adults through the distribution of bogus solicitations, luring the unsuspecting prize winner to send money in an effort to steal not only their money, but in many cases their independence, said Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, New York Division.

Chalavoutis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Civil Divisions Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Imperial Valley News Center

Florida Department of Children and Families Agrees to Pay $17.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability in Connection with SNAP Quality Control

Washington, DC - The Florida Department of Children and Families (FDCF) has agreed to pay to the United States $17,500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act in its administration of the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Until 2008, SNAP was known as the Food Stamp Program.

SNAP provides important benefits to help families in need, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Departments Civil Division. This settlement is an example of the departments commitment to ensuring that taxpayer funds are spent appropriately so that the public can have confidence in the integrity of vital programs like SNAP.

While it is shocking these claims where submitted by the Florida Department of Children and Families, the state agency entrusted with assisting vulnerable and needy individuals, I commend the agency for correcting its conduct, cooperating with our investigation, and resolving its liability for its past actions, said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Harrington for the Eastern District of Washington. Together with our partners in the Justice Departments Civil Division and the USDA, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who misuse and wrongfully obtain SNAP funding.

We appreciate the commitment and investigative assistance provided by our partners at the Department of Justices Civil Division and the U.S. Attorneys Office throughout this multi-state investigation, said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the USDA, Office of Inspector General (OIG). We also wish to note the technical assistance provided by our colleagues in the Office of Audit at OIG. During the investigation, conducted by OIGs Northeast Regional Office, we worked together to address the concerns of employees of multiple states and others who alleged that the integrity of the SNAP quality control process was weakened by third-party consultants and/or the implementation of methods that injected bias into the quality control process. These concerned individuals reported that cases were not being treated in a consistent manner, and that certain advice from consultants and/or the implementation of certain methods resulted in identified errors being diminished rather than used to improve eligibility determinations. The settlements reached to date send a strong message regarding the governments commitment to work across agency lines to protect the integrity of SNAP.

Under SNAP, USDA provides eligible low-income individuals and families with financial assistance to buy nutritious food. Since 2010, SNAP has served on average more than 45 million Americans per month and provided more than $71 billion annually.

Although the federal government funds SNAP benefits, it relies on the states to determine whether applicants are eligible for benefits, to administer those benefits and to have appropriate quality control processes in place. To ensure that these quality control processes serve as an accurate check on eligibility decisions, USDA requires that these processes be free from bias and accurately report states error rates in awarding benefits.

The USDA reimburses states for a portion of their administrative expenses in administering SNAP, including expenses for providing quality control. It also pays performance bonuses to states that report the lowest and the most improved error rates each year, and can impose monetary sanctions on states with high error rates that do not show improvement.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that beginning in 2010, FDCF implemented improper policies and practices to reduce its SNAP error rate. Specifically, the United States alleged FDCF injected bias into its quality control process that resulted in FDCF submitting false quality control data and information to USDA, for which it received unentitled performance bonuses for fiscal years 2011 and 2012. In addition to its payment of $17.5 million, FDCF has also agreed to forego payment of an additional $14.7 million in unpaid bonuses that USDA awarded for fiscal years 2013 and 2014.

The United States has previously settled allegations of improper manipulation of SNAP quality control findings with state agencies in Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, Louisiana, Alaska and Mississippi, as well as with Osnes Consulting and its owner, Julie Osnes, who the government alleged advised and encouraged many of these agencies to engage in such manipulations. Including this settlement, the United States has now recovered over $60 million in connection with this investigation of the SNAP program.

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Washington, with investigative support from the USDA-OIG. The investigation arose out of a nationwide audit of SNAP Quality Control processes by the USDA-OIG.

The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Don Williamson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler Tornabene of the Eastern District of Washington.
Imperial Valley News Center

United States Files Complaint and Reaches Agreement on Stipulation with Limetree Bay Terminals LLC and Limetree Bay Refining LLC Relating to Petroleum Refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Washington, DC - Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a complaint in federal court in the U.S. Virgin Islands against Limetree Bay Terminals LLC and Limetree Bay Refining LLC (jointly Limetree Bay) alleging that the companies St. Croix petroleum refinery presents an imminent and substantial danger to public health and the environment. In a stipulation filed simultaneously with the complaint that acknowledges that the refinery is not currently operating and that Limetree Bay does not intend to restart the refinery at the present time, Limetree Bay has agreed to a number of requirements, including the following:

Complete all corrective measures that are necessary to eliminate any imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment posed by the refinery or refinery process units before the refinery or any refinery process unit restarts;

Notify the United States and the court no fewer than 90 days before restarting the refinery or any refinery process unit;

Install hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (S02) monitors at nine monitoring sites prior to restart of the refinery or any refinery process unit; and

Submit a plan for EPA approval to purge hydrocarbons from refinery process units and other equipment at the refinery as part of the process of indefinite shutdown. The hydrocarbon purging plan will include the operation of ambient air monitoring.

Todays action shows the Department of Justices commitment to enforcing the Clean Air Act and protecting American communities from harmful air pollution, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division.

EPA is committed to ensuring that Limetree Bays activities and operations comply with laws that protect public health, said Acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan for the EPA. Todays action and stipulation further strengthen our work to protect communities near this refinery by securing a binding commitment from the company that any restart of operations or initiation of long-term shutdown activities, such as purging gases, must receive EPAs prior approval. These actions advance EPAs commitment to environmental justice and to protect clean air for those living in vulnerable and overburdened communities.

Since February of this year, the refinery experienced multiple major incidents resulting in significant air pollutant and oil releases. Many residents in the surrounding St. Croix community reported becoming sickened by some of the releases.

Following four incidents at the refinery, EPA issued an administrative order (EPA Order) to Limetree Bay Terminals LLC and Limetree Bay Refining LLC on May 14. The EPA Order issued under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act required Limetree Bay to cease refinery operations; conduct an environmental compliance audit and process area audits of the refinerys flare system, delayed coking unit, and sulfur recovery unit; and submit a corrective measures plan to address the audits findings.

Under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act, the EPA Order remains effective for 60 days unless the United States files a complaint seeking longer-term relief. By filing todays complaint, the EPA order is automatically extended by 14 days. The complaint seeks an injunction requiring Limetree Bay to comply with the requirements of the EPA order, to take all measures necessary to eliminate the imminent and substantial endangerment before restarting refinery operations including complying with the corrective measures plan, and other appropriate relief.
A quarter of a century ago, Peace Coffee was ahead of its time.

The Minneapolis-based coffee company has prioritized fair pay for coffee farmers since its founding in 1996, when few national coffee brands were focused on fair agriculture, trade and farming policies.

"For a long time, Peace Coffee was a bunch of weirdos," says CEO Lee Wallace, adding that early in her career, she felt like she was one of few mission-driven leaders focused on values before profit. "It's great to see our ideas become more mainstream."

Wallace has been Peace Coffee's CEO since 2006, but didn't found the company. Mark Ritchie, who later served as Minnesota's Secretary of State from 2007 to 2015, launched the business through a nonprofit called the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) after visiting coffee farmers in Mexico. Ritchie saw an opportunity to set up a supply chain between Mexico and Minnesota that paid farmers fairly, letting them set the price of coffee themselves.

By 2006, Peace Coffee had reached $1 million in annual revenue, at which time Wallace joined the company to help scale it into a national brand while maintaining its focus on fair trade policies. Under Wallace's leadership, the company joined the Carbon, Climate and Coffee Initiative with other like-minded coffee roasters. Companies that participate in the initiative invest 3 cents per pound of coffee purchased to help farmers adapt to climate change, through projects like replanting abandoned plots to create test farms and hosting conferences for farmers to exchange tools and techniques. By the end of 2021, Peace Coffee will have contributed more than $165,000 through the initiative.

After transitioning the business to a certified B-Corp in 2017, Wallace purchased Peace Coffee from IATP in 2018. The company generated more than $10 million in annual sales last year and has purchased more than 10 million pounds of coffee from small-scale farmer cooperatives in more than 12 countries.

These days, Wallace doesn't feel so alone in her goals as a mission-driven CEO. "The pond has gotten much bigger," Wallace says. "Instead of preaching, we're singing in a choir."

Here are three of Wallace's tips for marketing a mission-driven company.

Keep packaging simple.

Peace Coffee's best marketing investment to date was a 2018 package redesign, according to Wallace. The unclear nature of the company's prior packaging meant people had to work too hard to figure out what was in the bag, she says. Now it leads with the basics: It's caffeinated, it tastes good, and it's fair trade. Other details and initiatives went to the website in case consumers wanted to learn more. Wallace suggests studying the packaging of larger brands in your industry for packaging inspiration. "Don't be ashamed to go and study the brands that have deeper pockets," Wallace says.

Make purchases fun for the customer.

When it comes to communicating the mission, Wallace says keep it light. For example, she could talk to customers about the struggles of coffee farmers and climate change, but that's not the message that goes to consumers because it's overwhelming.

"We try to be fun, playful, and accessible, and let people know that they're doing good things by buying this product," she says. "We'll take care of the hard work."

Focus on a singular mission.
Prince Harry is writing an intimate and heartfelt memoir, his publisher has announced.

The book, expected to be published around the world in late 2022, will be an accurate and wholly truthful account of his life, the Duke of Sussexs publisher said.

The intimate and heartfelt book will provide a definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him, Random House added in a statement.

Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous, and uplifting human story, the statement said.

Harry said he was writing his memoir not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.

I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story - the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned - I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think, he said.

On Instagram, the publisher shared an additional quote by Prince Harry stating: Im writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.

Harry and his wife Meghan stepped down from royal duties in early 2020 and are living in California with their two children.

The pair sent shockwaves through the British monarchy in a March interview with Oprah Winfrey when Meghan accused a member of the royal family of raising concerns about how dark their sons skin might be and said her life as a royal had left her on the brink of suicide.

Harry said he had feared history would repeat itself after his mother, Princess Diana, died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was chased by paparazzi.

Buckingham Palace said at the time that the royal family were saddened to hear how challenging the couples lives had been, and Prince William said the family was not racist.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House.

Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said, "All of us at Penguin Random House are thrilled to publish Prince Harry's literary memoir and have him join the world-renowned leaders, icons, and change-makers we have been privileged to publish over the years.

"Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness.

"It is for that reason we're excited to publish his honest and moving story."

Last month, Meghan published the picture book The Bench through Random House Books for Young Readers.
A new John Wick series has landed a more expensive budget than the first two films.

Totalling $60m (43.7m), the show has also found its main director.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Albert Hughes, who along with his brother, Allen, co-directed acclaimed films Menace II Society and Dead Presidents in the Nineties before parting ways, has signed on to direct two of the three episodes of the spinoff.

Based on the John Wick series of action movies, which star Keanu Reeves, The Continental is a prequel set forty years before the films and follows a young man named Winston who will go on to become the character played by Ian McShane in the Wick films..

Each episode will be a feature length 90 minutes and have a budget of $20m (14.5m) apiece, totalling a massive $60m (43.7m), larger than many movies and indeed the first two Wick films.

The creative forces behind the film series, namely Reeves, director Chad Stahelski, writer Derek Kolstad and producer David Leitch are all involved with the show.

Keanu Reeves (Getty)

Whilst The Continental has yet to be cast, John Wick 4 is currently filming and welcomes new stars such as Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins and Army of the Dead star Hiroyuki Sanada to its universe.

The fourth instalment is due to be released on 27 May 2022. A fifth film has already been announced to follow.

The Continental is set to air on Starz in the US, but a launch date has yet to be confirmed.
A debate over the lyrics to Bruce Springsteens 1975 anthem Thunder Road may have finally been settled.

For 46 years, there has existed some confusion over whether Springsteen sings Marys dress sways or Marys dress waves in one of the songs most well-known lines.

Finally, thanks to Springsteens long time manager and producer, the issue has been settled.

Jon Landau, in conversation with The New Yorker, has confirmed the actual lyrics to the song.

The word is sways, Landau said. Thats the way he wrote it in his original notebooks, thats the way he sang it on Born to Run in 1975, thats the way he has always sung it at thousands of shows, and thats the way he sings it right now on Broadway.

Fans have long debated the actual lyrics of the track because of a misprint on the liner notes in the initial 1975 release.

It is a mistake that has been replicated in the decades since, also appearing on official lyric sheets on Springsteens website.

(Getty Images)

The Boss himself has also refused to be drawn on his lyrics in the past, preferring to let fans interpret as they wish.

Landau confirmed: Any typos in official Bruce material will be corrected. The website has since been amended to reflect this.
Nicolas Cage, after starring in a series of critical and commercial flops is surprised by the positive reaction his new film.

It was very nice to have an enthusiastic response. Its a little surprising but very nice. The Oscar winner and one man meme machine told The Hollywood Reporter.

Cage has been the subject of much of the positive press the film has received with reviewers describing his role in Pig as his best performance in years and the movie itself as a mournful fable of loss and withdrawal, art and ambition. A drastic change from his recent work which has struggled to top 10 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Hollywood star was also questioned on the comparison between his new movie and Keanu Reeves John Wick series, but he refuted any similarities, stating I couldnt think of a movie further from John Wick than Pig.

Pig, which follows Cage as a chef trying to rescue his prized truffle hunting hog from gangsters, looks at the connection between humans and animals. He cited this as one of the reasons he agreed to do the film, stating: I understood the profound connection we can have with our animal brothers and sisters. I know I rely heavily on my friendship with my cats.

(Getty Images)

Cage also detailed why he preferred doing independent films like Pig rather than Hollywood blockbusters, such as The Rock and Con Air, from which he made his name.

I do think theres a cult of fear in the studio system thats a little stifling, he said, adding: I dont feel that when Im making an independent movie.

The prolific Cage, who has over 100 credits to his name, will also be seen this year in Prisoners of the Ghostland and Willys Wonderland.
A botched liposuction led to the death of a Chinese social media influencer after she suffered a two-month-long battle with a serious skin infection because of the procedure.

Xiao Ran, as she was known online, had a following of 130,000 on the Chinese social media platform Weibo and posted fashion and lifestyle-related content. The influencers second name was reported to be Dai. The 33-year-old received surgery 2 May to remove fat from around her waist and belly as well as to enlarge her breasts, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

Two days after the surgery at a clinic in the eastern province of Zhejiang, she complained about severe body pain and was reportedly fighting medical shock, a condition that can be the result of a lack of blood flow, after which doctors found she was suffering from multiple organ failure.

She was diagnosed with a skin tissue infection and a flesh-eating disease called necrotising fasciitis, which occurs when bacteria enter the body through a break in the skin. According to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this bacterial infection spreads quickly in the body and can cause death.

Following the diagnosis, she spent two months in an intensive care unit at a hospital and underwent two surgeries as part of the treatment against the bacterial infection, but was declared dead on Tuesday last week.

Dais family has since raised questions over the qualifications of the junior doctor who performed the liposuction procedure. Rules set out by the state health authorities demand that surgeries involving the removal of 2,000ml of fat or more should be done by a senior doctor.

Responding to the allegations, the health commission of Hangzhou city said the clinic must suspend its business practices and compensate the victims family.

Huayan Medical Cosmetics lacked proper understanding of the surgery before carrying it out, had incorrect practices during the operation and did not provide timely treatment following the surgery. Its mistakes have caused the death of the victim , the commission said in a statement quoted by SCMP.

This isnt the first time in China that a death has been reported from liposuction, a cosmetic surgical procedure where excess fat deposits in the body are removed. Earlier in October last year, a 21-year-old woman in Changzhou city of eastern Chinas Jiangsu province died while in the middle of a breast and nose augmentation surgery, according to SCMP.
An Indian minister has said that she will be charging INR 100 [0.97] for each selfie she clicks with those asking.

The ruling Hindu, nationalistic Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister in Madhya Pradesh in India, Usha Thakur, said that taking selfies is a time-consuming process and hence she would now be charging money from supporters seeking selfies with her.

Ms Thakur has said that taking selfies delays her. She added that the money she collects from selfies shall go to Prime Minister Narendra Modis PM Care Fund.

She told the media: A lot of time gets wasted clicking selfies, and often we get late by hours for our programmes. From the (party) organisational point of view, we thought any person clicking a selfie (with her) should deposit 100 in the treasury of the BJPs local unit.

The state minister for tourism and culture, Ms Thakur, also said that she would only accept books as gifts instead of bouquets. She was quoted as saying in the media: As far as welcoming people with flowers is concerned, we all know Goddess Laxmi resides in them. So none other than Lord Vishnu, who is unblemished, can accept flowers. So, I dont accept flowers. She added: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said one should offer books instead of flower bouquets.

This isnt the first time Ms Thakur has come up with an unprecedented policy. During the deadly second wave that swept through India, Ms Thakur also appealed to people to perform Yagya to purify the environment to get rid of the Covid-19 virus, the Hindustan Times reported. [Yagya means a ritual sacrifice.]

Ms Thakur, however, was spotted several times without a mask. She claimed she would not contract coronavirus because she follows a Vedic lifestyle that includes reciting Hanuman Chalisa [a Hindu Sanskrit prayer] and performing Yagya with cow dung cakes.

JP Dhanopia, the opposition party Indian National Congresss Madhya Pradesh spokesperson took a potshot at her for her statements. He was quoted in Hindustan Times saying: BJP has now emerged as a party of businessmen as they see profit and loss in everything. A party worker, who works on the field and helps an MLA in winning the election, now has to give money to take a picture with the same MLA. He added that such an attitude was going to prove costly for these leaders in the upcoming election.

The BJP spokesperson responded by saying: A politician also has a right to crack a joke.

In 2015, Ms Thakurs colleague Kunwar Vijay Shah also proposed that those seeking selfies must donate INR 10 for a cause.
Silsila Alikhil, the daughter of Afghanistans ambassador to Pakistan, was briefly abducted and severely tortured by unknown assailants on Friday in Islamabad, said the Afghan government.

Ms Alikhil, 26, daughter of envoy Najibullah Alikhil, was on her way home when she was abducted, the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that she is currently undergoing treatment. She was kidnapped on her way home in a rented vehicle, according to news agency Reuters.

Ms Alikhil was tortured by the unknown assailants for several hours and has swellings over several parts of her body, according to several other reports.

After being released from the kidnappers captivity, Ms Alikhil is under medical care at the hospital, the ministry spokesperson said.

Mr Alikhil has lodged a formal complaint over the kidnapping.

In the wake of her abduction and torture, Pakistans foreign ministry said security has been tightened for the ambassador and his family. After she was released, the Afghan envoy to Pakistan also condemned the attack on his daughter and said she was now feeling better.

Mr Alikhil and other senior diplomats were called back to Kabul until all the security threats are removed, the Afghan foreign ministry said.

The ministry also strongly condemned the heinous act and said that it was deeply concerned over the safety and security of diplomats, their families, and staff members of the Afghan political and consular missions in Pakistan.

Pakistans interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Sunday dubbed the kidnapping to be an international conspiracy.

There has been no kidnapping. I want to tell the entire nation, this is an international racket, an international conspiracy, the minister was quoted as saying to Geo News.

While the Afghan ministry of foreign affairs is following the matter with the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan, we urge the Pakistani government to identify and prosecute the perpetrators at the soonest time possible, the ministry spokesperson added.

Mr Ahmed claimed to have footage of Ms Alikhil getting out of a taxi at a shopping mall in Rawalpindi city, adding that she took a third taxi to reach Daman-e-Koh, a tourist destination near neighbouring city Islamabad.

The only gap (in the investigation) that we are facing is that how was she able to arrive at Daman-e-Koh from Rawalpindi, he added.

Two days after Ms Alikhil was abducted, a large group of Afghans protested outside the Pakistan embassy in national capital Kabul, raising slogans against the Pakistani establishment for failing to protect the Afghan ambassadors daughter.

Imran Khan, Pakistans prime minister advised its officials to treat the kidnapping incident as top priority and has urged law enforcement agencies to catch the culprits within 48 hours.

Pakistans ambassador to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, was also summoned by the Afghan foreign ministry on Saturday afternoon, reports said. The ministry expressed strong protest against the grave incident.

This incident adds yet another layer to the already thorny issue of the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both countries have traded charges of allowing militants and insurgents to carry out activities in their soil.

While Afghanistan blames Pakistan for giving Taliban operatives a safe haven in their country, Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of allowing militants to use their land to carry out attacks on its soil.
A Tory MP has labelled a 550,900 bonus for the chief executive of Southern Water ridiculous after the company was recently fined 90 million for dumping sewage illegally.

Ian McAuleys total renumeration, including salary and other benefits, is closer to 1 million and was revealed in the companys Annual Report.

Ashford MP Damian Green told the BBC he was very angry about the sum of money. He added: Getting a bonus when your company is being fined 90m is ridiculous.

Earlier this month Southern Water pleaded guilty to 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges - the equivalent to one pipe leaking continuously for seven years.

Tonnes of sewage polluted rivers and coastal waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex between 2010 and 2015, a court heard.

Passing sentence, the Honourable Mr Justice Johnson said, of the formal 51 guilty pleas, that the companys behaviour had been shocking.

Bosses deliberately painted a misleading picture of compliance to the Environment Agency, which brought the criminal prosecution, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

And some of the dumping hit conservation sites, causing major environmental harm to shellfish waters.

The criminal prosecution follows a 126 million penalty on SouthernWater in 2019 as a result of the companys regulatory failings over the same period.

At the time Mr McAulay said the company was deeply sorry for the historical incidents that led to the sentencing and fine.

The company was also ranked as one of the worst water companies for environmental performance in an annual report from the Environmental Agency.

The missive from the government agency has found that none of the nine English water and sewerage companies had achieved all the environmental expectations set out for them for 2015 to 2020.

But Southern Water and South West Water were the worst for environmental performance, with the Environment Agency warning their performance in looking after the environment has been unacceptable.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: The fine covers 2010 -2015 while Ian McAulay joined in 2017 with a mandate to transform the company.

As the transformation continues and at his own request Ians base salary has remained unchanged at 435,000 for the last three years.

He also requested a reduction in bonus range two years ago and this was implemented.

His bonus reflects the progress made in the business as well as reflecting the challenges the business faces and areas where targets were not achieved. 

Additional reporting by PA
Though they were hunted to extinction in the medieval period, wild boar have made a comeback in the UK after escaping from farms in the 1980s and 90s, and are now established in several parts of the country.

Meanwhile, US populations of boar have surged in recent decades, while boar introduced into countries including Uruguay and Brazil during the 20th century and Australia during the 18th century, are considered a problematic invasive species.

But new research by researchers from The University of Queensland in Australia and The University of Canterbury in New Zealand, suggests wild boar are releasing around 4.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year around the world.

This is roughly the equivalent emissions from 1.1 million cars, they said.

The research team used predictive population models alongside new mapping technology to estimate the carbon footprint of wild boar across five continents.

Dr Christopher OBryan said the planets ever expanding population of wild boar could represent a threat to the climate.

Wild pigs are just like tractors ploughing through fields, turning over soil to find food," he said.

When soils are disturbed from humans ploughing a field or, in this case, from wild animals uprooting, carbon is released into the atmosphere.

Since soil contains nearly three times as much carbon than in the atmosphere, even a small fraction of carbon emitted from soil has the potential to accelerate climate change.

Our models show a wide range of outcomes, but they indicate that wild pigs are most likely currently uprooting an area of around 36,000 to 124,000 square kilometres, in environments where theyre not native.

Dr OBryan added: This is an enormous amount of land, and this not only affects soil health and carbon emissions, but it also threatens biodiversity and food security that are crucial for sustainable development.

A wild boar with its piglet - known in the UK as humbugs due to their stripes which resemble the boiled sweets of the same name (Getty)

The research team used existing models providing wild boar numbers and locations, and the team then simulated 10,000 maps to suggest potential global wild boar density.

They then modelled the amount of soil area disturbed from a long-term study of wild pig damage across a range of climatic conditions, vegetation types and elevations, from lowland grasslands to sub-alpine woodlands.

The team simulated the global carbon emissions from wild boar soil damage based on previous research in the Americas, Europe, and China.

Nicholas Patton from the University of Canterbury said the results from the research suggested greater action was needed to tackle the spread of wild boar around the world.

Invasive species are a human-caused problem, so we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for their environmental and ecological implications, he said.

If invasive pigs are allowed to expand into areas with abundant soil carbon, there may be an even greater risk of greenhouse gas emissions in the future.

Because wild pigs are prolific and cause widespread damage, theyre both costly and challenging to manage.

Wild pig control will definitely require cooperation and collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and our work is but one piece of the puzzle, helping managers better understand their impacts.

Its clear that more work still needs to be done, but in the interim, we should continue to protect and monitor ecosystems and their soil which are susceptible to invasive species via loss of carbon.

Previous research undertaken in the Forest of Dean  a wild boar stronghold in the UK  has suggested the boars rootling can boost biodiversity, knocking back plants like bracken and allowing wildflowers to grow and letting some species of butterfly benefit.

However, without any natural predators in the UK anymore due to the loss of the wolf, boar are culled to keep numbers down.

According to a 2020 estimate there are believed to be around 4,000 boar in the UK. Meanwhile in France there are around 700,000.

The research is published in the journal Global Change Biology.
 Close UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

The Met Office has extended its first ever amber warning for extreme heat until Friday as the UK continues to sweat in temperatures pushing 30C.

England reached its hottest temperature of the year on Tuesday  32.2C recorded at Heathrow Airport.

The heat warning on Wednesday and Thursday of this week applies to parts of southern and central England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Fridays extreme heat warning applies only to Northern Ireland, where the Met Office said temperatures both by day and night will increase ... leading to public health impacts.

While much of England is set to sizzle, scattered thunderstorms are forecast to return, with heavy rain set for this weekend. As of Wednesday morning, the Environment Agency had 17 flood alerts in place throughout parts of London, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
It was one of the hardest decisions of Shamss life: marrying off her 16-year-old daughter to someone double her age, so the girl didnt starve. A year later and the Syrian refugee is facing the same predicament with her younger daughter. Shams, 54, cant feed her either, or send her to school.

The mother of eight said it goes against everything she believes in. Just before the war in Syria erupted in 2011 she allowed her 21-year-old daughter, who was in her third year of university, to get married on the condition that she was allowed to finish her studies. Education for her girls was everything.

I have to push the younger ones into marriage because we couldnt afford for them to be at home, she said, her voice cracking, as she sat in her ramshackle tent in Arsal, Lebanon, near the border with Syria.
Marks & Spencer may be forced to reduce its opening hours due to the rise in the number of staff having to self-isolate after being pinged by the NHS Test and Trace app.

The latest NHS statistics show that more than 500,000 alerts telling people to self-isolate were sent out to people in the week ending 7 July, which is a 46 per cent increase on the previous week.

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow  48, 161 new cases were recorded in the UK on Sunday  retailers have warned that supply chains could soon face disruption as more and more staff are unable to go to work.

M&Ss chief executive Steve Rowe told The Times that the number of staff who are having to self-isolate is increasing week on week.

Our Covid cases are roughly doubling every week and the pinging level is about three to one of Covid cases, so were seeing that growing exponentially, he said.

Estimating that at least 20 per cent of all retail sector staff will be absent at some point within the next month, Rowe said the supermarket is considering reducing its opening hours.

If theres shortages well have to manage it by changing hours of stores, reducing hours. Where the industry will see the pain is in the supply chain, because logistics runs tight anyway to be efficient, he said.

His comments come a day before Iceland announced that it is having to close some of its sites because more than 1,000 staff members are self-isolating.

The retailers chief executive, Richard Walker, told the BBC on Monday that the absences account for four per cent of its total workforce. It has also reduced the opening hours of some stores.

The concern is that as this thing rises exponentially as weve just been hearing. It could get a lot worse a lot quicker, he said.

To offset the absences, Iceland is hiring additional employees. In fact, weve just announced employing an additional 2,000 people on top of that to give us a deeper pool of labour, because so many people are now getting pinged, Walker added.

Some industry groups have called for the government to change the guidelines so that those who have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine do not need to self-isolate when pinged by the app.

However, the government has insisted that isolation requirements for anyone who has been in contact with someone who has the virus will remain in place until August 16.

One such group, the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has warned that the situation will worsen now that all social distancing restrictions have been lifted.

We are already seeing a serious impact on retail operations as a result of staff having to self-isolate and this will only get worse right across the economy, as cases are already rising fast and the final restrictions are eased, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC told The Independent.

Given the effectiveness of the current vaccine roll-out programme, the government should pull forward the August 16th date so that people who are fully vaccinated or have a negative test are not forced to needlessly quarantine when they are contacted by track and trace, she said.

The government had previously hinted at reducing the sensitivity of the app, with transport secretary Grant Shapps suggesting that it could be tailored to align with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions on Monday.

However, Downing Street has now confirmed that no changes to the app will be made. When asked whether the app is working as it should be, prime minister Boris Johnsons official spokesman told reporters: Thats correct.
The number of bottles of prosecco exported to Britain has fallen by nine per cent due to red tape caused by Brexit, according to industry figures.

Coldiretti, the major organisation representing Italian farmers, confirmed that the UK has been overtaken by the US in prosecco exports, but remains ahead of France and Germany.

The sparkling Italian wine fell to just 26 million bottles in the first quarter of this year, it added.

The principal problems for people exporting to the United Kingdom concern customs procedures and increased transport costs due to delays and stepped up controls, it said.

The situation risks encouraging the arrival of counterfeits and imitations, helped by deregulation, and its no accident that English pubs have been caught selling fake prosecco.

As the UK is engulfed by a heatwave, one woman has issued a stark warning not to leave bottles of prosecco in hot cars after hers exploded leaving her with a pricy cleaning bill.

Jessica McCance from Birmingham uploaded a video to TikTok on Sunday showing a broken prosecco bottle on the passenger seat, which was saturated with the fizzy tipple, while shards of glass had penetrated the inner lining of the roof.

Describing it as the most expensive bottle Ive ever not had, she cautioned others to learn from my mistake and never leave a bottle of prosecco in a hot car.

A quote from a repair company revealed that she was looking at a bill of nearly 2,500 to fix her car.

After shopping around for a more competitive deal, she added: I've spoken to so many and all of them say it's not repairable.

Sparkling wine can react badly with extreme heat due to the second fermentation process they go through.

Hot weather can increase the pressure on the cork, which may then explode, while bottles with screw tops could result in an exploding glass bottle.

To avoid a messy and expensive bubbles explosion, make sure you keep your fizz chilled this summer.
As of Monday, nightclubs have the green light to open, limits on social distancing, such as how many friends you can meet with, have been lifted, and there is no longer a legal requirement to wear masks in public spaces  although companies like Transport for London, Sainsburys and Waterstones have asked their customers to continue wearing them.

The highly-anticipated 19 July date has commonly been referred to as Freedom Day. The use of the term first came about shortly after Boris Johnson laid out his four-step roadmap for easing England out of lockdown in February. He described his plan as a roadmap towards reclaiming our freedoms, as a one way road to freedom and the best way to restore freedoms.

Since then, many - in particular many anti-lockdown campaigners - have referred to the new re-opening date as Freedom Day. The term has been criticised as insensitive, when lockdown restrictions were put in place in order to protect the NHS and save lives, in a pandemic that has so far killed 128,708 people in the United Kingdom alone.

However, as pointed out by the author of The Good Ally, Nova Reid, the term Freedom Day is problematic for another reason - due to its starkly different origin and meaning.

Many users have since commented and thanked Reid for raising awareness of the issue, with some writing that they had been unaware of its meaning.

Heres where the term Freedom Day comes from and why using it can cause offence.

What is the origin and meaning of the phrase Freedom Day?

In American history, Freedom Day was first observed on 1 February 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment, formally abolishing slavery. However, this was not ratified across all US states until later that year.

For this reason, the US recognises Juneteenth as the national Freedom Day. It observes the anniversary of 19 June 1865, when the US army proclaimed freedom for slaves in Texas, the last state to abolish slavery.

The phrase also holds significance in South Africa, where Freedom Day takes place on 27 April to commemorate the first elections after the end of the apartheid.

Apartheid was a system of institutionalised racial segregation which ranked the countrys population by skin colour. White members of the public had the highest status, followed by Asians and then Black African people. It started in 1948 and went on until 1994.

Under South Africas apartheid regime, Black people had to carry identification papers at all times, and their movement was restricted to certain areas. They were also forcibly removed from their homes in rural areas when the government redesignated the land as white and sold it at a lower price to white farmers.

The 1994 elections were the first where anyone of voting age, from any race, was allowed to vote. Under apartheid, Black South Africans had no voting rights.

Why is using Freedom Day to describe 19 July offensive?

As Reid explained in her post, using the term Freedom Day may cause offence to Black people as it suggests that the social restrictions brought in during the pandemic amount to the trauma Black people suffered throughout history.

It implies that we have been oppressed and that our basic human rights have been stripped from us, and I think there is a small minority of people who genuinely believe that is the case but it isnt, Reid told The Independent.

Its especially offensive when you think about the people who were actually enslaved, and were given their freedom for the first time, and finally knew how it felt to not be the property of another human being she adds.

While she sympathised that the pandemic has been incredibly difficult for most, has taken a toll on wellbeing, and that many people have lost their loved ones, Reid said the use of the term Freedom Day is utterly abhorrent and poor taste.

Appropriation is one thing, but appropriating Black trauma is a whole other level of [white] supremacy that I cant get my head around, Reid said.

How do other people feel about the phrase?

Reids post has received more than 1,000 likes so far, with many users both thanking her for educating them on why the phrase is offensive and sharing their views.

One user, who grew up in South Africa, said the phrase had also made them uncomfortable.

100 per cent this, I was born in and grew up in South Africa and I only associate Freedom Day with my vote against apartheid. I absolutely cannot abide by this government. [White] supremacy at its prime appropriating black trauma, they said.

Another said they had already felt uncomfortable with the use of the term Freedom Day given the devastating impact of the virus on peoples health and families.

I didnt know about the historical origins but already felt uncomfortable with the terminology given the infection situation and its impact on vulnerable people, they said.

A third person wrote: Thank you for teaching us this Nova. I hadnt made this connection at all - always learning. Its the insidious racism and erasure in action that you teach us about. It felt uncomfortable anyway but now with this context its abhorrent.
The US and Kazakhstan are seeing a surge in bitcoin mining operations after crackdown on the process in China, reveals new data on global energy consumption for the process.

Bitcoin mining is a digital process which generates new units of the virtual currency by solving complex mathematical equations and requires energy-intensive computer operations.

Months before the crackdown on cryptocurrency mining in China in May, experts had noted that infrastracture development for the process in the country came to a standstill in anticipation of an official ban.

According to new data from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), the fraction for the total combined computational power used to mine and process bitcoin transactions  known as the hashrate  had declined in China from about 76 per cent in September 2019 to 45 per cent in April 2021.

During this period, the hashrate for the US rose from about 4 per cent to 17 per cent, while that of Chinas neighbour Kazakhstan rose from 1.4 to 8.2 per cent making its bitcoin mining operations the third largest in the world.

The analysis, according to CCAF, was based on data from four bitcoin mining pools across the world that represent between 32 and 37 per cent of the total hashrate over the examined period.

According to Peter Wall, chief of crypto mining company Argo, many Chinese bitcoin miners are moving equipment and setting up operations in the US.

The hashrate in Canada has also grown from 1 per cent in September 2019 to 3 per cent in April this year.

Experts say the mass exodus of cryptocurrency mining out of China following the countrys crackdown on the process since May 2021 could only make the US share of the mining market only bigger.

A majority of the new equipment manufactured from May 2020 through December 2020 was shipped to the U.S. and Canada, Mike Colyer, CEO of digital currency company Foundry, told CNBC News.

However, only 1.4 per cent of Kazakhstans energy supply comes from renewable sources and most of its electricity is produced from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, while renewables contribute to about 11 per cent of US electricity.

Despite this shuffle, more than half of mining operations worldwide have stopped operating and the entire global network of miners who were using 132 terawatt-hours of energy in mid May, used only 59 TWh early July.

According to Michel Rauchs from CCAF, while gains noted in other countries before the Chinese crackdown could be an indicator, further data and insights are needed to confirm this exodus.
From Monday, coronavirus restrictions will be eased across England bringing an end to social distancing laws and compulsory mask wearing, although Boris Johnson has urged people to continue exercising caution when out in public and near those you do not normally see.

Although the prime minister has said he expects that people still wear face masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, such as public transport, and to keep thinking of others, there has been criticism over explicit safety provisions for those classed as clinically vulnerable once the mandate has lifted and is replaced with only guidance to do so.

Government advice for the clinically vulnerable recommends avoiding people who have not had both doses of the vaccine - around 36,000,000 people have had both doses, accounting for 68 per cent of the UKs adult population - and only meeting others outdoors if possible. They should also ask friends and family to take lateral flow tests before visiting and go to supermarkets and other shops at quieter times of the day.

The guidance advises to limit contact with people they do not usually meet, particularly if the number of Covid-19 cases are high. On Sunday, the UK reported 48,161 new Covid-19 cases.

Health charities have said that the lifting of restrictions supplemented only by this guidance is removing protective measures for the estimated 3.7 million people who are classed as clinically vulnerable.

For many, the lifting of restrictions will make them feel like they have less freedom rather than more, Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of Asthma UK and the BLF told The Independent. The new guidance means the burden of staying well has fallen squarely on them and many will feel they cant participate in the same daily activities as they did before.

According to a survey carried out by Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation (BLF), nearly all people with lung conditions said they think mask-wearing should continue unless people are medically exempt.

Gemma Peters, CEO of Blood Cancer UK said: The overwhelming feeling from our community is of anxiety...lots of them have told us its been great to start getting back to normal over the last couple of months. But the reason many have felt able to do this is because people [around] them have been keeping their distance and wearing masks.

With cases on the rise and restrictions lifting, we spoke with clinically extremely vulnerable people on how they feel about 19 July.

Rebecca Magnus, 33

In a post-Covid world, there is no place for the clinically extremely vulnerable. It is survival of the fittest

Since April, Ive enjoyed the small freedoms Ive had after many bleak and difficult months. Popping into shops, supporting local businesses, going into galleries and museums when theyre quiet, seeing family and friends outside, taking part in society in small, joyful ways. That changes from 19 July.

From Monday, I dont feel clinically safe going into shops, cafes, public transport, cultural spaces, really any enclosed space unless essential or urgent. We cant rely on the kindness of others to protect our lives; we need the legal protections offered by the current mandates or shielding provisions to help us protect our health with the bare minimum clinical and societal support in place.

There has been no consideration at all of clinically extremely vulnerable people in their re-opening plans

My very real fear is that we will pay the price for government recklessness with our lives. I feel that people will die needlessly, and their deaths are a deliberate political choice, because they have chosen to take away all legal protections and provisions at the point theyre needed most.

There has been no consideration at all of clinically extremely vulnerable people in their re-opening plans and their muddled, ill-considered and out-of-touch communications reflect that. Through their words and actions, the government is saying that in a post-Covid world, there is no place for the clinically extremely vulnerable. It is survival of the fittest and we are not fit to survive.

Mita Mistry, 47

I dont want to stop living my life but at the same time, Im going to have to reinvent and create my own measures to protect myself and be extra vigilant.

Ive had both Covid-19 vaccines but that doesnt mean Im not at risk of getting the virus, I can still get it. Ive got a compromised immune system, so to have all these restrictions lifted all of a sudden when cases are rising is quite worrying. Also, the guidance is very unclear and just seems a bit irresponsible. If youre a clinically vulnerable person, how are you supposed to know if somebody has been double jabbed? And even if they have, they still might have Covid-19.

Theres still so much uncertainty that the safest thing for anybody, whether youre clinically vulnerable or not, would be to put your own measures in place because this government is not giving us clear guidance. I dont think they are protecting clinically vulnerable people.

I will still be social distancing even though they are removing the restrictions. I will still be very careful going into public spaces, wearing masks and washing my hands because I dont really feel that the threat of the virus has truly gone away just yet. I dont want to stop living my life but at the same time, Im going to have to reinvent and create my own measures to protect myself and be extra vigilant.

Taylor Jones*

We have religiously stuck to the rules up until now, and as a thank you from the government we are now just collateral damage.

Me and my wife, who is clinically vulnerable, feel like we have been thrown under a bus and we feel more at risk than ever. Freedom Day is anything but. We have religiously stuck to the rules up until now, and as a thank you from the government we are now just collateral damage.

Whilst the numbers have been low, we have enjoyed seeing people outside after a year of only talking to them over FaceTime. We have also just started swimming again and thats been such a treat. With low numbers of positive cases, social distancing and masks we have felt safer. But with rising cases, and no masks, we wont feel safe doing anything inside public places. Apart from going on park walks and other outside activities when its quiet, its going to be just like shielding again.

We feel like we have been thrown under a bus and we feel more at risk than ever

We have three children who have been amazing [throughout the pandemic] and have just taken everything in their stride. But we now worry about the end of school bubbles, and no more masks in school seems crazy when [children] are unvaccinated.

Billy Tidman, 24

The bare minimum is not good enough in this situation and many more people will continue to get Covid-19 and suffer the consequences alone.

I am supposed to be going back to work at the tail end of August for an office job. I have had both vaccines but not sure on how I will cope if Im honest. I wear a mask everywhere I go but seeing people not bother to is a huge concern for me.

I think the social-distancing rule has been a farce, with hardly anyone keeping to it. My [local] shopping centre recently was packed full of people not wearing masks or keeping their distance.

I do not feel the government have done enough. They have not asked from the perspective of those who are clinically extremely vulnerable. The bare minimum is not good enough in this situation and many more people will continue to get Covid-19 and suffer the consequences alone.

*This name has been changed to protect their privacy.
Microsoft said Thursday it has blocked tools developed by an Israeli hacker-for-hire company that were used to spy on more than 100 people around the world, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics and political dissidents.

Microsoft issued a software update and worked with the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto to investigate the secretive Israeli company behind the hacking efforts. Citizen Lab said the company goes by several names including Candiru, which according to legend is a parasitic fish found in the Amazon that attacks human private parts.

Microsoft said people targeted in precision attacks by the spyware were located in the Palestinian territory, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Armenia, and Singapore. Microsoft did not name the targets but described them generally by category.

Citizen Lab said Candiru's spyware infrastructure included websites masquerading as advocacy organizations such as Amnesty International and Black Lives Matter.

The reports by Microsoft and Citizen Lab shine new light on an opaque and lucrative industry of selling sophisticated hacking tools to governments and law enforcement agencies. Critics say such tools are often misused by authoritarian governments against innocent people.

A world where private sector companies manufacture and sell cyberweapons is more dangerous for consumers, businesses of all sizes and governments, Microsoft said in a blog post.

Attempts to reach representatives of Candiru were unsuccessful.

Microsoft said the business model for companies such as Candiru is to sell its services to government agencies, which then likely choose the targets and run the operations themselves.

Citizen Lab published parts of what it said were a leaked proposal by Candiru for hacking services that offered a la carte hacking options. For 16 million euros ($18.9 million), the company would allow the customer to monitor 10 devices simultaneously in a single country. For an extra 5.5 million euros ($6.5 million), 25 additional devices could be monitored in five more countries.

Citizen Lab said Candiru's spyware targets computers, mobile devices and cloud accounts.

Thursday's disclosure by Microsoft was part of what the company said was a broader effort to "address the dangers" caused by hacker-for-hire companies. Microsoft is supporting Facebook in its lawsuit against NSO Group, which is also based in Israel and is perhaps the most prominent private offensive spyware company.

Facebook filed a federal civil suit in 2019 allegedly that NSO Group targeted some 1,400 users of Facebook's encrypted messaging service WhatsApp with highly sophisticated spyware.
Military-grade spyware leased by an Israeli firm  NSO Group  may have been used by authoritarian governments across the world to hack the cell phones of journalists, lawyers, activists and politicians, new leaked data suggests.

An investigation led by the Paris-based nonprofit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, who shared the data with several media partners, has identified 50,000 people of interest who may have been targeted with NSO spyware known as Pegasus, which the company says is supposed to be used against criminals and terrorists.

Forbidden Stories called this a new global weapon to silence journalists and claims that at least 180 journalists around the world have been selected as targets by clients of the cyber surveillance company NSO Group. These include reporters, editors and executives at the Financial Times, CNN, The New York Times, France 24, The Economist, the Associated Press and Reuters.

Among the list were also two women who were close to the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the investigations revealed.

And the consortiums analysis of the leaked data identified at least 10 governments believed to be NSO customers who were entering numbers into a system: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

NSO Group denied that the 50,000 were targeted with Pegasus spyware and said that the investigation published late on Sunday was full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories. It did not deny that some of the data was genuine, but said the numbers may have been used by its clients for other purposes.

Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices without the user knowing that the spyware has been installed  it can be installed without a click  and helps secretly activate the phones microphone, extracts messages, photos, emails and call log details.

A specific numbers presence on the list of 50,000 does not necessarily reveal whether a device was infected with Pegasus or subject to an attempted hack, noted the Guardian, one of the media partners given access to the leaked list. However, it added, the consortium believes the data is indicative of the potential targets NSOs government clients identified in advance of possible surveillance attempts.

The consortium sought to verify the list by contacting a number of those involved and running forensic checks on their phones. Amnesty International Security Labs forensic analyses found results that were consistent with past analyses of journalists targeted through NSOs spyware, including the dozens of journalists allegedly hacked in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and identified by Citizen Lab in December of last year.

Claudio Guarnieri, director of Amnesty Internationals Security Lab, said: There are a bunch of different pieces, essentially, and they all fit together very well. Theres no doubt in my mind that what were looking at is Pegasus because the characteristics are very distinct and all of the traces that we see confirm each other.

In India, the investigation revealed that at least 40 Indian journalists as well as opposition leaders, two serving government ministers and a sitting Supreme Court justice were selected as targets of an NSO client that appears to be the Indian government, according to the analysis of the leaked data.

The Indian government issued a lengthy statement on Sunday in which it neither confirmed nor denied being a client of NSO Group, but rejected the suggestion that it had ever illegally intercepted data and called the right to privacy a fundamental right. The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people have no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever, it said.

According to NSO Groups Transparency and Responsibility report, released in June 2021, the company has 60 clients in 40 countries around the world. And the company maintains that Pegasus is not a mass surveillance technology, and only collects data from the mobile devices of specific individuals, suspected to be involved in serious crime and terror.

The consortium said it would publish more details of the identities of individuals whose numbers were included on the leaked list in the coming days.
Clinically vulnerable children who face an increased risk from Covid-19 are to be vaccinated, the government has confirmed  though health officials have decided against a universal rollout for all under-18s.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that children aged 12 to 15 with severe neurological conditions, Downs syndrome, immunosuppression or multiple or severe learning disabilities should receive two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

This recommendation extends to 17-year-olds who are within three months of their 18th birthday, and children as young as 12 who live with an immunosuppressed individual.

The UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last month authorised use of the Pfizer vaccine in children aged 12-15, concluding that it is safe and effective to use in this age group. Israel, France and the US have also begun rolling out the Pfizer vaccine in children.

Despite this, the JCVI has recommended that the vaccine should not be administered to all under-18s due to limited data on the safety profile of the jab in children.

Although some experts have welcomed the latest guidance, others have warned that it is entirely irresponsible to leave young children unvaccinated and exposed to the virus.

The vaccines watchdog, which offers advice to Downing Street, is taking a cautious approach as it waits for more clarity on links between the jab and the rare cases of heart inflammation that have been reported among younger, typically male recipients.

The incidence of this side effect is around one in 20,000 people, though this is a broad estimate.

Until more data on the short-term and long-term outcomes of vaccine-induced heart inflammation is available and has been evaluated, a precautionary approach is preferred, the JCVI said on Monday, adding that the benefits of vaccinating fit and healthy children are small given their low risk from Covid-19.

Evidence shows that the virus rarely causes severe disease in children who do not have underlying health conditions. Fewer than 30 children have died from the disease as of March 2021.

A recent study found that some 5,830 children and young people have also been admitted to hospital since the beginning of the pandemic.

The researchers said children under 18 face an approximately one in 50,000 chance of being admitted to intensive care with Covid-19.

Its expected that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children aged as young as 12 will now be vaccinated in the next few weeks.

Under current JCVI guidance, those aged 16 to 18 can already receive a vaccine if they are clinically vulnerable or at high risk of Covid-19 due to underlying health conditions.

The decision to vaccinate 12- to 17-year-olds living with immunosuppressed individuals has been taken to offer greater protection to those people who may not be able to generate a sufficient response from the vaccines.

The JCVI is keeping its guidance under review and will adjust it accordingly to the data it receives over the coming weeks.

Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of the JCVI, said: The primary aim of the vaccination programme has always been to prevent hospitalisations and deaths. Based on the fact that previously well children, if they do get Covid-19, are likely to have a very mild form of the disease, the health benefits of vaccinating them are small.

The benefits of reducing transmission to the wider population from children are also highly uncertain, especially as vaccine uptake is very high in older people, who are at highest risk from serious Covid-19 infection.

Its understood that supply constraints have not been factored into the JCVIs decision-making, with an abundance of doses available for the UKs ongoing rollout.

Helen Bedford, a professor of childrens health at University College London, said that we need to be very clear about the safety of the vaccines in 12- to 17-year-olds before rolling them out among this age cohort.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA UK news in pictures 12 July 2021 A local resident puts love hearts and slogans on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the vandalised mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of a cafe on Copson Street, Withington in Manchester Getty Images UK news in pictures 11 July 2021 England's Bukayo Saka with manager Gareth Southgate after the match Pool via Reuters UK news in pictures 10 July 2021 Australias Ashleigh Barty holds the trophy after winning her final Wimbledon match against Czech Republics Karolina Pliskova Reuters UK news in pictures 9 July 2021 England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst stands on top of a pod on the lastminute.com London Eye wearing a replica 1966 World Cup final kit and looking out towards Wembley Stadium in the north of the capital, where the England football team will play Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday PA UK news in pictures 8 July 2021 Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka during the women's singles semifinals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London AP UK news in pictures 7 July 2021 The residents of Towfield Court in Feltham have transformed their estate with England flags for the Euro 2020 tournament PA UK news in pictures 6 July 2021 A couple are hit by a wave as they walk along the promenade in Dover, Kent, during strong winds PA UK news in pictures 5 July 2021 Alexander Zverev playing against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the Gentlemen's Singles on Court 1 on day seven of Wimbledon at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club PA UK news in pictures 4 July 2021 Aaron Carty and the Beyonce Experience perform on stage during UK Black Pride at The Roundhouse in London Getty for UK Black Pride UK news in pictures 3 July 2021 Englands Jordan Henderson celebrates after scoring his first international goal, his sides fourth against Ukraine during the Euro 2020 quarter final match at the Olympic stadium in Rome AP UK news in pictures 2 July 2021 Dan Evans serves against Sebastian Korda during their mens singles third round match at Wimbledon Getty UK news in pictures 1 July 2021 Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London AP UK news in pictures 30 June 2021 Dancers from the Billingham Festival and Balbir Singh Dance Company, during a preview for the The Two Fridas, UK Summer tour, presented by Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company, inspired by the life and times of female artists Frida Kahlo and Amrita Sher-Gil , which opens on July 10 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens in Durham PA UK news in pictures 29 June 2021 A boy kicks a soccer ball in front of the balconies and landings adorned with predominantly England flags at the Kirby housing estate in London AP UK news in pictures 28 June 2021 Emergency services attend a fire nearby the Elephant & Castle Rail Station in London Getty UK news in pictures 27 June 2021 People walk along Regent Street in central London during a #FreedomToDance march organised by Save Our Scene, in protest against the governments perceived disregard for the live music industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic PA UK news in pictures 26 June 2021 A pair of marchers in a Trans Pride rally share a smile in Soho Angela Christofilou/The Independent UK news in pictures 25 June 2021 Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena PA UK news in pictures 24 June 2021 A member of staff poses with the work 'The Death of Cash' by XCopy at the 'CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art' auction at Bonhams auction house in London EPA UK news in pictures 23 June 2021 Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London Bank of England via Reuters UK news in pictures 22 June 2021 Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne's "Iron Throne" statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO's release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022 AP UK news in pictures 21 June 2021 Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 20 June 2021 Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall aBhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice PA UK news in pictures 19 June 2021 England appeal LBW during day four of their Womens International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground PA UK news in pictures 18 June 2021 Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland's Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw Getty UK news in pictures 17 June 2021 Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 16 June 2021 A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 June 2021 Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is being treated for back problems common with the breed, in the hydrotherapy pool during a facility at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home's in Battersea, London, to view their new hydrotherapy centre PA UK news in pictures 14 June 2021 Scotland's David Marshall in the net after Czech Republic's Patrik Schick scored their second goal at Hampden Park Reuters UK news in pictures 13 June 2021 Raheem Sterling celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring Englands first goal of the Euro 2021 tournament in a match against Croatia at Wembley Reuters UK news in pictures 12 June 2021 Oxfam campaigners wearing costumes depicting G7 leaders pose for photographers on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth, Cornwall EPA UK news in pictures 11 June 2021 Members of the Vaxinol team, who are commercial, industrial and residential cleaners specialising in disinfection and decontamination, use electrostatic spray systems to deep clean the Only Fools Bar in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 10 June 2021 A woman walks her dogs as the incoming tide begins to wash away the heads of G7 leaders drawn in the sand by activists on the beach at Newquay, Cornwall AP UK news in pictures 9 June 2021 Adam Chamberlain, 45, general manager of Big Tree pub in Sheffield, has put up over 500 flags, taking 36 hours, in preparation for Euro 2020, which kicks off this weekend Tom Maddick / SWNS UK news in pictures 8 June 2021 REUTERS UK news in pictures 7 June 2021 A pedestrian wearing a face covering walks over Westminster Bridge near the Houses of Parliament in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 6 June 2021 Isobel Salamon, founder of the Edinburgh Cinema Club, poses alongside the Leith Trainspotting murals in Quality Yard, Leith, Edinburgh, for the programme launch of the Cinescapes Festival which starts on July 4 with a Trainspotting 1 and 2 double bill PA UK news in pictures 5 June 2021 A long exposure photograph captures the rotation of the earth as the stars blur into circles over Knowlton church ruins in Dorset Nick Lucas/SWNS UK news in pictures 4 June 2021 Balloonists take flight during the opening of the Midlands Air Festival in Alcester, Warwickshire PA UK news in pictures 3 June 2021 Members of the Household Cavalry during the Major General's annual inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London PA UK news in pictures 2 June 2021 Hannah Vitos of the Blenheim Art Foundation, poses for a photograph next to artist Ai Weiwei's Gilded Cage (2017) sculpture in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Britain Reuters

More information is needed from trials and experience of using these vaccines in young people and children before the programme is rolled out further, she said.

However, Dr Stephen Griffin, a virologist at the University of Leeds, said he was dumbfounded by the JCVIs guidance, arguing that it was vital to vaccinate children in order to cut community transmission and increase the likelihood of reaching the population immunity threshold.

If were ever going to get through this, were going to need to generate some approach to population immunity otherwise well continue to have these waves of infection, he said.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, said that immunising children will also protect them from developing long Covid, as well as help stem the spread of the virus in the population and thus the further generation of variants.

Data from the Office for National Statistics has shown that 9.8 per cent of children aged 2-11 years, and 13 per cent of those aged 12-16 years, have reported at least one lingering symptom five weeks after a positive diagnosis.

Dr Griffin meanwhile challenged the JCVIs insistence that there is not enough real-world evidence on the safety of the vaccines in children.

America, Israel and elsewhere  millions of doses have gone into kids, he said. I dont get that. Yes its right to be concerned about myocarditis and pericarditis [heart inflammation]  of course it is  but its such a low incidence.

If theyre going to leave young children exposed to this virus, I think thats entirely irresponsible. It is not a benign virus.
The U.S.'s top general in Afghanistan on Tuesday gave a sobering assessment of the country's deteriorating security situation as America winds down its so-called forever war.

Gen. Austin S. Miller said the rapid loss of districts around the country to the Taliban  several with significant strategic value  is worrisome. He also cautioned that the militias deployed to help the beleaguered national security forces could lead the country into civil war.

Miller told a small group of reporters in the Afghan capital that for now he has the weapons and the capability to aid Afghanistans National Defense and Security Forces.

But he said only a political solution will bring peace to the war-tortured nation.

It is a political settlement that brings peace to Afghanistan. And its not just the last 20 years. Its really the last 42 years, he said.

Miller was referring to not only the U.S. war but that of Russia s 10-year occupation that ended in 1989. That conflict was followed by a brutal civil war fought by some of the same Afghan leaders deploying militias against the Taliban. The civil war gave rise to the Taliban who took power in 1996 .

American officials have said the entire pullout of U.S. troops will most likely be completely finished by July 4. But Miller refused to give any date or time frame, referring only to the Sept. 11 timeline given by President Joe Biden in April when he announced the final withdrawal of the remaining 2,500-3,500 American troops.

Meanwhile, the Taliban have been over-running districts in rapid succession, many of them in the north of the country, which is dominated by Afghanistan's minorities. The north is also the traditional stronghold of many former mujahedeen leaders that have been a dominant force in Afghanistan since driving the Taliban from power in 2001 together with the U.S.-led coalition.

Several of the districts have been on key roads and one on the border with northern Tajikistan The Taliban have issued statements saying hundreds of Afghan security forces have surrendered, most of them going to their homes after being videod receiving transportation money from the Taliban.

Miller said there's multiple reasons for the collapse of districts, some the fatigue of the troops and their surrender, psychological defeat and military loss. But he said escalating violence risks the country falling into a deadly civil war.

As we start talking about how does this all end? The way it must end for the Afghan people is something that revolves around a political solution, said Miller. Ive also said that if you dont reduce the violence, that political solution becomes more and more difficult.

He refused to say where the U.S. and its NATO allies were in the withdrawal process.

Miller said his time as the head of the U.S.'s military mission in Afghanistan was coming to an end, without giving a date,

He wouldn't speculate on the legacy of America's longest war, saying it will be for history to decide.
Anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police during a demonstration outside parliament on the same day that Covid restrictions in England were eased.

Video showed an angry confrontation between crowds of predominantly men and police near Downing Street on Monday afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police said 11 people had been arrested for a variety of offences, adding that sadly officers have been met with hostility while engaging with crowds.

Police were earlier forced to close roads in Westminster after a group of demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition to coronavirus curbs and vaccines on so-called Freedom Day.

Protesters chanted arrest Boris Johnson and shame on police while holding signs saying say no to the Covid vaccine and vax passport = digital slavery.

An officer was seen to put a lock on a gate at the entrance to parliament during the protest.

Demonstrators gesture at police officers during a protest against lockdowns and Covid-19 vaccines in Parliament Square (Getty Images)

The timing of the demonstration raised eyebrows, coming on the same day that almost all of the coronavirus rules were dropped by the government, despite warnings from health experts about the impact on the spread of the virus.

Social-distancing rules ended at one minute past midnight on Monday, while face masks are no longer mandatory in shops and on public transport and limits on gathering have been removed.

A Twitter user remarked: Anti Lockdown protest outside Westminster on Freedom day when all Covid restrictions end. Some people cant take yes for an answer.
Secret Ministry of Defence (MoD) papers appearing at a Kent bus stop is down to an individuals mistake, an investigation has found.

The investigation found no evidence of espionage and concluded that there has been no compromise of the papers, which included documents relating to the likely reaction of the Russians to the passage of the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender through waters off the coast of Crimea and to the UK military presence in Afghanistan.

The papers were found by a member of the public and handed to the BBC. The broadcasting company said that 50 pages of classified information had been found in a soggy heap behind the bus stop.

MPs had been told that the leak was the result of a mistake by one individual who reported the loss to the MoD.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told MPs: We are confident that we have recovered all the secret papers.

He added: The investigation has found no evidence of espionage and has concluded there has been no compromise of the papers by our adversaries.

The individual has since been removed from sensitive work and has already had their security clearance suspended pending a full review.

Mr Wallace said: The investigation has independently confirmed the circumstances of the loss, including the management of the papers within the department, the location at which the papers were lost and the manner in which that occurred.

These are consistent with the events self-reported by the individual.

He added: For security reasons, the department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss or on the identity of the individual.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Priti Patel must halt the imminent deportation of up to 50 Zimbabwean nationals due to the deteriorating political and human rights situation in the country, 75 cross-party politicians have said.

A letter to the home secretary, signed by MPs and peers from all major parties, warns that a charter flight to Harare, due to fly on Wednesday, must be urgently halted and a moratorium on all removals to Zimbabwe imposed until its government ends their gross human rights violations.

There are also fears over the public health implications of the flight amid reports of a Covid case in Brook House immigration removal centre, where many of those due to be deported are being held.

Concern has been mounting about the mass deportation after it emerged last week that Zimbabwean nationals were being rounded up for removal, among them many people who have been in the country for decades and those who have British children.

It followed a meeting that took place between Zimbabwes foreign affairs ministry and the British embassy on 23 June, during which it was agreed that a flight would be chartered from London to Harare for the purposes of returning Zimbabwean nationals with no right to remain in the UK.

The letter to Ms Patel, coordinated by Lord Jonathan Oates, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Zimbabwe, states that it is clear from the engagement the group has had with Zimbabweans, including senior opposition politicians and activists, that the political and human rights situation has continued to deteriorate in the country.

The Zimbabwean government is systemically oppressing its political opponents, denying freedom of speech and committing gross human rights violations. These violations include subjecting political opponents, including MPs, to illegal detention, sexual assault, torture and murder, it states.

The letter demands to see any assessment the Home Office has carried out into the political and human rights situation in Zimbabwe, as well as who the Home Office took evidence from in conducting such an assessment.

Bryan Micheriwa, one of the Zimbabwean men in Brook House, told The Independent that an individual on his wing had tested positive but had not been moved to an isolation unit, and that the other detainees had not been provided with PPE.

The 52-year-old, who has been in the UK for 20 years and has three British children, said: They havent moved him to isolation. Hes allowed out at different times to us, but hes still touching all the same doors and everything.

The officers have all started wearing PPE. Theyre protected, but we havent been given anything. We dont even have masks in the wing. We arent being tested. Its very worrying. I feel scared - its Covid. I lost my dad and my uncle to Covid.

Mr Mucheriwa, who spent a year in prison a decade ago for drug offences in 2010, which he says he committed because he needed to put food on the table, said he also felt terrified of being sent back to Zimbabwe, adding: Its not safe.

David Pountney, senior solicitor at the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, said one of his clients who is due to be deported had also reported that there was a Covid case in Brook House.

Once again we see the very high risk of spreading the disease by locking people up in detention centres. People are scared to be removed to Zimbabwe already. The fear of being removed with the risk of being Covid positive as well is truly frightening, the lawyer said.

Exporting Covid to poor countries does nothing to help prevent the spread of the pandemic.

A notice from the British Embassy in Harare, seen by The Independent, states that it was agreed during a meeting between the UK and Zimbabwe on 23 June that 100 people would be identified for deportation, but that through attrition, due to a number of factors, this would become no more than 50.

It adds: We agreed the Embassy would share names with the Ministry as they were gathered but that some of those indicated might not actually travel.

The notice states that the flight would focus on foreign national offenders (FNOs) and (if capacity allowed) some immigration offenders.

Despite this admission that some of those on board may not have criminal records, the document states that the embassy would share proactive and reactive communication lines to Zimbabweans about the flight, including that the returnees would have criminal records.

Detention Action director Bella Sankey said: It doesnt get dirtier than this, sending 50 Black British residents to a regime known to torture dissidents and adopting a joint media strategy with the persecuting state.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.
A cabinet minister has insisted the government isnt taking anyone for fools as he struggled to defend Boris Johnsons decision to dodge an instruction to self-isolate  before a humiliating U-turn.

The remarks from Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, came after the prime minister and the chancellor Rishi Sunak dropped their plans to sidestep 10 days quarantine by signing up to a pilot scheme trialling daily testing.

Both had been contacted by test and trace after Sajid Javid tested positive for Covid-19, but their attempt to exempt themselves while hundreds of thousands have been told to self-isolate in recent weeks sparked an immediate political backlash.

Despite an official statement being issued by No 10 on Sunday at 8am  stating that Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson would be participating in the pilot scheme allowing them to avoid isolation  Mr Zahawi insisted multiple times that the prime minister only considered whether to join the scheme.

A second statement was not issued by Downing Street announcing the U-turn that both the PM and chancellor would no longer be participating in the pilot for almost three hours.

The prime minister considered whether they would subscribe to the pilot scheme, but actually rightly opted for self-isolation, Mr Zahawi claimed on BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

He added: And then he [PM] quite rightly wanted to make sure he sends a very clear message to the nation.

Challenged on whether the government was taking people for fools, Mr Zahawi replied: Nobody is taking anyone for fools. Every decision the prime minister has had to make throughout this pandemic has been tough.

Ive been very closely involved since November when I took up this job as vaccines minister  the mobilisation, the largest in peacetime history, of the NHS, the armed forces, the volunteers, has demonstrated how we can come together.

Quizzed on whether other cabinet ministers had avoided self-isolation, Mr Zahawi said: Anyone who has come into contact with the health secretary [Mr Javid] whether cabinet ministers or civil servants, who have been contacted by NHS track and trace, are isolating following those rules.

However, Mr Zahawis comment that the prime minister only considered avoiding the rules appeared to be contradicted just moments later by his cabinet colleague Kwasi Kwarteng in a separate interview on LBC radio.

The business secretary said: He [Mr Johnson] looked at the situation and made the right decision. The second decision.

The first decision he reviewed and he said he would isolate like everyone else  I think he has done the right thing. I don't think it was damaging.

Speaking on Sunday, Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak had been busted in an attempt to escape the consequences of the rules they had imposed on others.

Yet again the Conservatives fixed the rules to benefit themselves, and only backtracked when they were found out, he said. They robbed the bank, got caught and have now offered to give the money back.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described the initial decision as Barnard Castle on steroids, in reference to Dominic Cummings lockdown-breaching trip to Durham. Im glad Johnson U-turned, right decision, he added.

But the fact he thought he could get away with it in the first place shows the utter contempt he has for the British people.
Britain's Brexit chief has said the agreement he negotiated with the EU to resolve the Northern Ireland problem contains a serious "contradiction".

Speaking at a parliamentary committee on Monday afternoon Lord Frost said it was a "matter for debate" what key parts of the agreement actually meant.

And he claimed the EU was already "arguably" letting the UK breach parts of the deal.

On Wednesday the minister is set to unveil the governments proposed changes to the Northern Ireland protocol. Lord Frost will explain the plans in a statement to parliament to be delivered alongside the release of a new policy paper.

"One of the difficulties with the protocol is that it's quite a purposive document, and a lot of its provisions have to be read with other provisions to sort of work out precisely what they mean," Lord Frost told a session of the European Scrutiny Committee on Monday ahead of the announcement.

"For example, the contradiction between the provision saying the union customs code must apply, and the provision that says that you must do your best to reduce checks at Northern Ireland ports: quite what the correct interpretation of those two things is is obviously a matter for debate.

"So I think the issue is that certainly arguably, the way the EU is allowing us to run some of these arrangements is arguably not consistent or only partly consistent with that sort of balance.

Lord Frost personally led the team that negotiated the agreement with European Commission officials in Brussels.

During the 2019 election Boris Johnson claimed the agreement was "oven ready" also describing it as "a very good deal" and a "reasonable, fair outcome".

But since attempting to implement the deal, the British government now says parts of it must be changed to better suit British businesses in Northern Ireland.

The protocol has led to shortages of some goods in the territory and the situation is expected to worsen when grace periods end. The EU says it should be implemented as agreed.

The Reuters news agency reports that the government is planing to threaten to deviate from parts of the Brexit deal unless the European Union shows more flexibility over the Northern Ireland issue.

Asked whether the UK might trigger Article 16 of the agreement, which would effectively terminate parts of it, Lord Frost told the committee that "all options are on the table".

Repeating his concerns about the treaty, he added: "We all know that the protocol isn't sustainable in the way it's working at the moment.

"I think the only way it can be made sustainable is if we can find a way to either hugely reduce or eliminate the barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, goods moving in that direction. We need to, as we go forward, and try and find a way of achieving that, so as to reduce the burdens.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. 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Evans serves against Sebastian Korda during their mens singles third round match at Wimbledon Getty UK news in pictures 1 July 2021 Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London AP UK news in pictures 30 June 2021 Dancers from the Billingham Festival and Balbir Singh Dance Company, during a preview for the The Two Fridas, UK Summer tour, presented by Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company, inspired by the life and times of female artists Frida Kahlo and Amrita Sher-Gil , which opens on July 10 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens in Durham PA UK news in pictures 29 June 2021 A boy kicks a soccer ball in front of the balconies and landings adorned with predominantly England flags at the Kirby housing estate in London AP UK news in pictures 28 June 2021 Emergency 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The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO's release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022 AP UK news in pictures 21 June 2021 Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 20 June 2021 Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall aBhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice PA UK news in pictures 19 June 2021 England appeal LBW during day four of their Womens International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground PA UK news in pictures 18 June 2021 Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland's Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw Getty UK news in pictures 17 June 2021 Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 16 June 2021 A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 June 2021 Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is being treated for back problems common with the breed, in the hydrotherapy pool during a facility at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home's in Battersea, London, to view their new hydrotherapy centre PA UK news in pictures 14 June 2021 Scotland's David Marshall in the net after Czech Republic's Patrik Schick scored their second goal at Hampden Park Reuters UK news in pictures 13 June 2021 Raheem Sterling celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring Englands first goal of the Euro 2021 tournament in a match against Croatia at Wembley Reuters UK news in pictures 12 June 2021 Oxfam campaigners wearing costumes depicting G7 leaders pose for photographers on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth, Cornwall EPA UK news in pictures 11 June 2021 Members of the Vaxinol team, who are commercial, industrial and residential cleaners specialising in disinfection and decontamination, use electrostatic spray systems to deep clean the Only Fools Bar in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 10 June 2021 A woman walks her dogs as the incoming tide begins to wash away the heads of G7 leaders drawn in the sand by activists on the beach at Newquay, Cornwall AP UK news in pictures 9 June 2021 Adam Chamberlain, 45, general manager of Big Tree pub in Sheffield, has put up over 500 flags, taking 36 hours, in preparation for Euro 2020, which kicks off this weekend Tom Maddick / SWNS UK news in pictures 8 June 2021 REUTERS UK news in pictures 7 June 2021 A pedestrian wearing a face covering walks over Westminster Bridge near the Houses of Parliament in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 6 June 2021 Isobel Salamon, founder of the Edinburgh Cinema Club, poses alongside the Leith Trainspotting murals in Quality Yard, Leith, Edinburgh, for the programme launch of the Cinescapes Festival which starts on July 4 with a Trainspotting 1 and 2 double bill PA UK news in pictures 5 June 2021 A long exposure photograph captures the rotation of the earth as the stars blur into circles over Knowlton church ruins in Dorset Nick Lucas/SWNS UK news in pictures 4 June 2021 Balloonists take flight during the opening of the Midlands Air Festival in Alcester, Warwickshire PA UK news in pictures 3 June 2021 Members of the Household Cavalry during the Major General's annual inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London PA UK news in pictures 2 June 2021 Hannah Vitos of the Blenheim Art Foundation, poses for a photograph next to artist Ai Weiwei's Gilded Cage (2017) sculpture in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Britain Reuters

"We've said this a few times before, and it remains the core of the problem, that the boundary between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is is too dissuasive, too complicated, or too chilling of identity in various ways and that's that's what's got to be solved, I think, in terms of direction of travel.

"So we're keeping obviously all options on the table. That's, that's clear. And I think that will remain the case after we have made that statement because we need to remain flexible to events.

"I think if we can, it's obviously more likely to produce a durable outcome if you can proceed by agreement, and it remains to be tested, I think on the basis of the discussions we've had so far as to whether it really is possible or not."
Full vaccination will be a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues with large crowds from the autumn, Boris Johnson has said.

Despite allowing nightclubs to open up at midnight without any restrictions, the prime minister has subsequently decided that new requirements will come into force by the end of September.

I should serve notice now that by the end of September, when all over-18s will have had their chance to be double-jabbed, were planning to make full vaccination a condition of entry into nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather, Mr Johnson said. Proof of a negative test will no longer be enough.

The prime minister also used his Monday press conference to suggest that mandatory Covid passports could be brought in sooner  if nightclub owners fail to ask for some form of certification voluntarily.

I dont want to have to close nightclubs again, Mr Johnson said. But it does mean nightclubs need to do the socially-responsible thing and make use of the NHS Covid pass  We do reserve the right to mandate such certification.

The government has faced huge criticism about allowing nightclubs to become a new source of Covid transmission, after thousands of people danced the night away at Freedom Day parties.

Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, warned that nightclubs were the perfect mixing vessel for the virus to spread and to even generate new variants potent spreading grounds.

The government is currently asking nightclubs to check whether customers have been vaccinated or have a negative test result. But there is no legal requirement for them to do so  and most say they wont.

Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser, made clear there were significant concerns about nightclubs creating super spreader events, allowing the virus to grow more quickly.

Right the way across the world weve seen that nightclubs and events where lots of people gather indoors are a potential for super-spreading events, he told the Downing Street press conference.

Its been seen in Holland and Israel, where nightclubs opened and you saw a big increase in cases. So I think theres no question that that is an environment in which spreading is easier.

Sir Patrick added: I expect with the opening of nightclubs well continue to see an increase in cases and outbreaks related to specific nightclubs.

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi also told MPs in the Commons that proof of a negative test will no longer be enough to gain entry to clubs or large events from the autumn.

By the end of September everyone aged 18 and over will have the chance to receive full vaccination, he said. So at that point we plan to make full vaccination a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather.

Tory MP Jeremy Hunt, chair of the health select committee, questioned why the government was waiting until the end of September to implement the plans.

Why are we waiting until then  giving more weight to the concerns of people who want to go to nightclubs than the additional extra cases waiting two months is likely to cause  at a time when that growth in new cases is of such a concern?" Mr Hunt asked in the Commons.

Mr Zahawi replied: We will work with the industry to make sure we get this right now in terms of working with them with the Covid pass, and of course in September, while we collate the evidence.

 Nightclubs open their doors for first time since start of Covid

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), described the plans as an absolute shambles. He responded to the latest announcement by saying: So, freedom day for nightclubs lasted around 17 hours then.

Either mandate it or dont mandate it, Mr Kill said on certification. This is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on us.

Labour MP Justin Madders, shadow health minister, said: You can forgive [nightclub owners] from not knowing where they stand from one week to the next. This is about the fourth U-turn on Covid vaccine passports.

He said the plan to wait until September to implement new rules lacked logic, adding: It just doesnt make any sense at all.
Six people, including four children, were wounded in a drive-by shooting on Saturday in Chicagos Austin.

The incident happened when the six people, who were attending a house party, were standing on the sidewalk in the 5000 block of West Ohio Street, police said.

A dark-coloured SUV pulled up and the occupants of the vehicle opened fire, police said.

The victims were standing with a group on the sidewalk and were attending a party when occupants in a dark-coloured SUV fired shots, ABC News quoted the police as saying.

A 12-year-old girl suffered from a gunshot wound to the hand and was taken to a hospital. Others included a 15-year-old girl who sustained a graze wound to the head. A 14-year-old and a 13-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to the buttocks.

Two adults were also injured in the shooting. A 19-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to the back while a 25-year-old man arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. He was treated and released, the police said.

No arrests have been made yet, but police said its investigating the incident.

Neighbours said that it sounded like multiple rounds of shots were fired. A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, told ABC7 Chicago that it's a war zone in the neighbourhood and it shouldn't be there.

He said: It's bad, it's really bad.

A woman in the same neighbourhood said she heard multiple gun shots. Then I did hear the running [and] the shouting, so I just got up to check and see what was what. And the next thing I saw was police everywhere, she was quoted as saying in the report.

In a violent weekend, eight people have been killed in shootings across Chicago since Friday night and at least 47 people have been wounded, according to Chicago Sun Times.

An 8-year-old boy was injured in a shooting in Auburn Gresham on Sunday. The boy was with a 28-year-old man in the 2000 block of West 83rd Street when someone in a black SUV opened fire, police said.

The man was hit in the back, but he has been treated and released, according to the police.
The convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein allegedly met his first underage victim at a summer arts camp in Michigan to which he donated large sums of money, a new book says.

The camp was once attended by celebrities like Felicity Huffman, Norah Jones, Jewel, and Josh Groban, according to an excerpt from Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story by Julie Brown, an investigative reporter at the Miami Herald.

Epstein reportedly built himself a lodge on the campus of the Interlochen arts camp, located in the Michigan area with the same name.

Brown writes that Epstein used his vast wealth to prey on young girls. He would frequently visit the camp with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently embroiled in a sex-trafficking case for allegedly acquiring underage girls for Epstein. She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Maxwell and Epstein reportedly befriended a 13-year-old girl at the camp in 1994.

The girl had just lost her father, a classical music conductor, so she was still grieving and vulnerable, Brown writes in an excerpt of the book, Fox News reported. The camp maintains that theyve never received a complaint about Epstein, and the woman, who is now living in California, has not spoken publicly.

In a sworn deposition, Epsteins former butler, Alessi, mentioned that the girl often visited Epsteins Florida mansion and in later years, her name appears on the flight logs of his plane, Brown added.

Brown noted that an unidentified woman filed a lawsuit in January 2020 that included allegations of a similar camp meeting with Epstein when the woman was 13 years old.

The woman said she was sitting alone on a bench between classes when Epstein and Maxwell approached her, telling her that they were arts patrons who wanted to give talented young artists like her scholarships, Brown writes.

The woman who filed the lawsuit alleged that the pair started asking her about her background. Epstein then asked for her phone number. He later contacted the girls mother, saying he helped young talent. He invited both to his Palm Beach, Florida mansion.

Over the next several months, Epstein and Maxwell tried to groom the thirteen-year-old girl. He told her to call him her godfather, and Maxwell befriended her like an older sister, the suit claims, Brown writes. They took her to the movies, went shopping, and invited her to spend more and more time at the estate. Soon, the sexual comments started.

Epstein reportedly paid for the girls music lessons and also sent funds to her mother.

Browns book, to be published on Tuesday, states that Epstein abused the girl for years. Ms Maxwell allegedly scolded her if she tried to reject Epsteins advances. He allegedly moved both the girl and her mother to an apartment in New York and paid for the girl to go to private school.

In 1999, when she was eighteen, she finally left him and moved away to start a new life. For a while, Epstein repeatedly called and berated her for not appreciating him. But soon, the calls stopped. By then Epstein had moved on to new, younger prey, Brown writes.

Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide. Ms Maxwell has been in jail since July 2020 and is facing charges of enticement of minors, sex trafficking of children, and perjury.

She has pleaded not guilty and denies all the allegations against her. Her trial is scheduled to begin in November.
Two former Maine police officers were sentenced to prison for beating porcupines to death while on duty.

The shocking behaviour was reported to Rockland police bosses in August by another officer and both were fired from their jobs in September.

Addison Cox, 28, and Michael Rolerson, 31, pleaded guilty in Knox Superior Court to misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and night hunting, according to court documents.

Rolerson told investigators from the Maine Warden Service that he had killed eight of the spiky rodents, which he believed were a nuisance that caused damage, according to The Bangor Daily News.

He was sentenced to 270 days in jail, with all but 20 days suspended.

He was also fined $1,000, placed on probation for six months, and must give up his Maine Criminal Justice Academy Credentials.

Rolserson will serve his prison sentence in January, court documents state.

Cox admitted that he had killed three of the animals and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with all but 10 suspended.

He was also fined $1,000, cannot apply for a law enforcement job for six months, and must complete 100 hours of community service.

Cox will serve his prison sentence on weekends, according to court papers.

Prosecutors asked for a heavier sentence for Rolerson as the was the senior officer and had killed more of the animals.

District Attorney Natasha Irving said that prosecutors had agreed to reduce the charges to misdemeanors, partly because both men were military veterans who had seen active duty.

Rolserson had previously told investigators that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving as a Marine in Afghanistan.

Both men are now receiving treatment from the Veterans Administration.

That was a mitigating factor, that they both experienced war zones. Ultimately I want them never to hurt another living thing again, said Ms Irving.

And she added: I think that addressing the mental health component, I think thats a really important part of it.
Police in Costa Rica are celebrating the nation's second largest drug bust after authorities nabbed 4.3 tons (907kg) of Colombian cocaine.

Though it's one of the nation's largest busts, it's not the only time law enforcement has intercepted drugs passing through the country. The increase of busts has led government and law enforcement officials to fear that the nation is becoming a transit country in the Colombian drug trade.

According to Reuters, the cocaine was hidden in a shipping container loaded with ceramic floor tiling. The container was loaded onto a commercial ship which arrived at the Costa Rican port of Moin after shipping out of Turbo, a port in Colombia.

The nation's security minister, Michael Soto, said that this year his nation has intercepted nearly 40 tons of marijuana and cocaine.

In 2020, the nation seized almost 57 tons of cocaine, a 56 per cent increase from the previous year.

Last week, Panamanian and US authorities seized an additional 5.4 tons of Colombian cocaine that was on its way to Costa Rica.

Authorities found 81 sacks of cocaine and another 147 were found in a wooded area near where the smugglers were arrested.

As with the previous case, the cocaine was on its way to Costa Rica for further shipping, likely to North American and European buyers.

The cocaine was worth approximately $185m, and accounted for more than 13 million doses of the drug.

In March, Costa Rica attempted to crack down on a specific organisation specialising in moving Colombian drugs through its borders. Law enforcement carried out approximately 40 raids across the country, all targeting the organisation in an attempt to shut them down permanently.

Walter Espinoza, the director of Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Organisation, spoke with Reuters but did not reveal the name of the syndicate that has been smuggling drugs into the nation.

Law enforcement in Spain and France also secured more than five tons of cocaine that had links to the group, suggesting the syndicate is operating in at least four countries.

According to Mr Espinoza, the syndicate became a power player in the world of international drug trafficking by cutting out costly intermediaries and using its own agents to deal directly with Colombian drug manufacturers.
Haitis interim prime minister Claude Joseph will step down, a top official confirmed today.

The move comes in the wake of the 7 July assassination of president Jovenel Moise, who was fatally shot when assailants armed with assault rifles stormed his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

Elections minister Mathias Pierre said negotiations are still ongoing, but that Ariel Henry, who Mr Moise had designated to replace Mr Joseph a day before he was killed, will lead the country.

The assassination of Mr Moise put the already troubled nation into chaos, coming amid a surge in gang violence and continued poor economic performance, leaving it the poorest country in the Americas.

The expected change in leadership follows a statement Saturday from a key group of international diplomats that appeared to snub Mr Joseph as it called for the creation of a consensual and inclusive government.

To this end, it strongly encourages the designated prime minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government, the statement from the Core Group said.

The Core Group is composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the US, France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organisation of American States.

The statement was issued hours after Mr Moises wife, Martine, arrived in Haiti on Saturday aboard a private jet clad in black and wearing a bulletproof vest.

She has not issued a statement or spoken publicly as the government prepares for the 23 July funeral that will be held in Port-au-Prince.

Additional reporting by agencies
About two dozen Americans at the United States embassy in Vienna have fallen ill with the mysterious Havana syndrome, US and Austrian officials say.

In coordination with our partners across the US Government, we are vigorously investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents among the US Embassy Vienna community or wherever they are reported, a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.

As first reported in The New Yorker , over 20 American diplomats, intelligence officers, and other officials in the Austrian capital have experienced symptoms of the syndrome, which typically include headaches, tinnitus, and balance and memory problems. The most serious cases have included permanent brain damage.

The illness was first reported in 2016 by American embassy workers in Havana, Cuba . Since then, over 130 US government and military personnel have been stricken, including in China, Syria, Russia, and even within the United States, not far from the White House.

The high number of cases reported in Vienna now makes it the second-most affected city, after Havana itself. In a statement, Austrias foreign ministry said it is working with the US government to get to the bottom of the incidents.

We take these reports very seriously and, according to our role as the host state, are working with the US authorities on a joint solution, the countrys Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs said. The security of diplomats dispatched to Austria and their families is of utmost priority for us.

The cause of the syndrome is still officially unknown, but US officials suspect its not a naturally occurring illness. A report commissioned by the State Department, which was leaked to The New York Times last year, said the most likely source was directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy.

That language implies that the energy is being deliberately targeted at people using some sort of device, though the report was vague about how or by whom. Public officials briefed on the matter have been more blunt.

Theres a mysterious, direct energy weapon that is being used, Senator Susan Collins told CNN after a briefing by CIA officials in May. And it is causing, in some cases, permanent traumatic brain injury.
A Mississippi police officer has been killed in an off-duty car crash, only a day after she completed her police academy training.

Katie Cash, 33, was a passenger in a vehicle that left the road and flipped over in a highway accident on Saturday night, reports WLOX-TV .

The driver and passengers, including Ms Cash, werent wearing seatbelts. Ms Cash was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Chief Mike Prendergast posted a statement on the Pascagoula Police Department Facebook page, paying tribute to the new officer.

He said: The Pascagoula Police Department is asking everyone to keep Waveland PD in their thoughts and prayers as Officer Katie Cash lost her life in an off-duty traffic accident last night. Officer Cash, 33 years old and mother of two girls, just graduated the police academy on Friday, July 16th, 2021. Please keep her family and loved ones in your thoughts as they grieve this tragic loss.

The page was quickly flooded with condolences.

In a separate statement Mr Prendergast added: We will release more information as it becomes available however right now your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated.

Mr Prendergast told the WLOX-TV: It was her dream, she told me, to be a police officer, adding: I said heres your chance.

Wavelands Mayor, Mike Smith, told the channel that the community was offering support to Officer Cashs family and colleagues.

The city is wrapping their arms around the Waveland Police Department and going to the family of Katie. We want to let them know that if theres anything they need then were here for them. They dont have to go through this alone, said Mr Smith.

Both the city of Waveland and Bay St Louis lowered flags to honour the officer.
CNN has poached MSNBC host and NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Kasie Hunt in a huge bet on streaming.

Ms Hunt announced live on-air on 16 July that she was leaving MSNBC and promised an update on her next step in the coming weeks.

She didnt reveal at the time that shes joining CNN to focus on content for streaming, as reported by variety.com/2021/tv/news/kasie-hunt-departure-nbc-news-msnbc-1235021493/">Variety.

The gamble by CNN president Jeff Zucker involves trying to hire dozens of people to help the WarnerMedia outlet win the streaming wars, two people with knowledge of behind the scenes moves told Variety.

One person with knowledge of the deal told the magazine that Ms Hunt was offered an annual salary of between $1m and $1.5m, something that NBC News was unable to compete with.

When she signed off, Ms Hunt expressed gratitude to MSNBC and gave a shoutout to Morning Joes Mika Brzezinski for always insisting that you should know your value and the production staff who make this show happen.

The unnamed source told Variety that Ms Hunt could appear online during moments of great importance, such as during presidential elections.

She started working at NBC News in 2013. After a stint as an off-air producer, she began appearing on a Sunday night MSNBC programme entitled KasieDC.

She later took over the early morning slot on weekdays at the cable news channel. She has appeared regularly on NBC Nightly News as well as Meet The Press, and at times filling in for Chuck Todd as the host of MTP Daily.

She also co-anchored significant political events on NBC News Now, the streaming channel, along with Mr Todd.

All of the big TV News divisions have started to shift resources towards streaming as younger audiences get their news from social media platforms such as Twitter and smartphone news alerts.

CBS News was quick out of the gate with CBSN, which is collaborating with the local news stations of its parent company to produce special reports starring local news anchors at events of great interest such as the Miami condo collapse.

MSNBC has announced that anchors Mika Brzezinski and Nicolle Wallace are developing content for the Peacock streaming service operated by NBCUniversal.

ABC has connected its broadcast and streaming operations with staffers moving in between linear programming and online efforts.

Fox News is pushing additional content towards its Fox Nation streaming outlet with primetime stars like Tucker Carlson.

CNN has held back as its competitors pushed ahead, according to Variety, but executives have been reviewing streaming ideas in recent months, which has included testing pilots with possible new anchors. Current anchors and correspondents could also be given the chance to work on projects that match with their passions and special interests.

A possible subscription service wouldnt necessarily be restricted to video content. Newsletters and other formats are also under discussion.

A source told Variety that Ms Hunts NBC co-workers were shocked at the news of her departure. A conference call among NBC News Washington bureau staff included tributes to Ms Hunt, and some colleagues became emotional, the person familiar with the matter told Variety.

Ms Hunt announced her departure from her hosting duties on the news channel while ending 16 Julys edition of Way Too Early as she handed over to Morning Joe.

Ms Hunt told viewers: Got a little bit of bittersweet news for me this morning, this is going to be my final broadcast with all of you. Ive really loved spending most of the last year with you.

She started hosting the show in September 2020.

She closed with some highlights of the job, like the interaction with viewers when they sent in photos of their pets and children.

Most of all, thank you to all of you for getting up way too early with us this Friday morning, and all the other mornings that youve been here as well, she told the audience.

The host repeated the news to her followers on Twitter: Some personal news, as they say  thank you to all of the viewers, reporters, lawmakers and everyone else whos gotten up extra early to help make @WayTooEarly better. I loved doing this show. More soon! #WayTooEarly.

The Independent has reached out to CNN for comment.
Skeletal human remains have been found in the search for a missing woman during the cleanup of a homeless camp at Los Angeles Venice Beach.

Authorities say that during the cleanup, police officers responded to a report that a woman was being held against her will in a tunnel near the beach.

Officials say that the woman was not there but found a checkbook and drivers license belonging to 32-year-old Kolby Story, who has been missing since December.

Authorities then conducted a search of nearby Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and Ballona Creek area and found skeletal remains.

Those remains have been processed and sent to the Los Angeles County Coroner for formal identification. LAPD have not confirmed who the remains belong to.

The womans family and friends were involved in the search along with police officers on horseback, and K-9 units from the California Office of Emergency Services.

Meanwhile, authorities cleared out homeless encampments with city sanitation workers removing abandoned belongings.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the area and could face a recall campaign, reported that 188 people had been moved from the Venice Boardwalk into shelters.

Mr Bonin launched the Encampment to Home programme in June, which is designed to clear the historic boardwalk of temporary shelters.

The LA City Council is spending $5million on the project, which provides temporary housing in motels before participants move into permanent housing.

Last month LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva sent deputies to clear some homeless people from the area, despite not having any jurisdiction in Venice Beach.

Earlier this month LA City Council approved an ordinance that would ban homeless camps from sidewalks and many other parts of the city.

California is now home to more than a quarter of the countrys homeless population, according to federal data.
President Joe Biden took aim at his GOP critics during a speech centered on the economy, while touting his administrations own accomplishments ahead of the six-month anniversary of his inauguration.

During an address from the White House on Monday that occurred a day before the halfway point of his first year in office, the president took credit for Americas recovery from a massive economic slump brought on by Covid-19 and related state restrictions on public life.

Weve gone from 60,000 jobs [created] per month to 60,000 jobs [created] every three days, Mr Biden said.

Thats the fastest growth at this point, Im told, of any administration in history, he continued.

He also mocked his Republican critics, though not by name, for predicting economic chaos or the establishment of a socialist stronghold were he to be elected over former President Donald Trump.

Addressing those predictions, Mr Biden said: Before I took office there were a lot of folks making some pretty bold predictions about how things would turn out.

Folks, it turns out capitalism is alive and very well. Were taking steps to make sure it works the way it needs to, he added.

The moment was the second time in just a few days that Mr Biden has publicly identified himself as a capitalist, the first being when he called communism a failed system during a press conference while talking about recent unrest in Cuba.

The president won election last year after defeating a large field of primary opponents including his most serious challenger, Sen Bernie Sanders, who famously identifies as a democratic socialist.

The primary was seen as a battle between two ideological sides of the Democratic Party, though it has done little to quell Republican criticism of the party, which by and large paints most, if not all, Democrats as socialists.

During Mondays speech, Mr Biden also issued another push for the passage of his next economic package; two bills forming an infrastructure plan, one of which has support from a number of GOP senators while the other is set to pass through the budget reconciliation method if it can attain sufficient Democratic support.

Our economy has come a long way over the last six months, said Mr Biden, adding: It cant slow down now.
President Joe Biden is set to host King Abdullah II of Jordan during one of the most difficult moments of the Jordanian leader's 22-year rule and at a pivotal time in the Middle East for Biden.

Abdullah arrives Monday afternoon at the White House Last week a Jordanian state security court sentenced two former officials to serve 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the king uncovered earlier this year that involved Abdullah's half-brother.

Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the meeting will be an opportunity to discuss the many challenges facing the Middle East and showcase Jordans leadership role in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He also chaffed at the Trump administration's pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords  deals with Bahrain the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital, and his administration has even offered praise for the Trump-brokered accords  a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration's policy-making.

Biden officials plan to stress to Abdullah that the accords are not an end run" on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the situation in Syria  more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan  and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, the official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is the first Arab world leader to meet face-to-face with Biden. The president is set to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House next week, and Biden has invited Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, to visit later this summer.

Abdullah is also set to have a working breakfast Monday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet Tuesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Oval Office meeting with Biden is also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallahs U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.

They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the kings half-brother. Biden, who has known Abdullah for years, was quick to publicly express strong U.S. support for Jordan" and praise the king's leadership after details of the coup attempt were unveiled in April

Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein are expected to join Abdullah for the White House visit. First lady Jill Biden is to host the queen for tea at the White House.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised its Covid-19 warning level for the UK to very high, the highest rating on the agencys scale measuring the amount of Covid-19 within a country.

In an advisory updated on Monday, the agency warned Americans not to travel to the UK, adding that if they must travel then it is advisable to be fully vaccinated first.

The new warning comes as the UKs rate of new Covid-19 cases has exploded since early June, and is approaching highs previously seen during the worst of the second wave last winter.

Because of the current situation in the United Kingdom, even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants, the CDCs website warned on Monday.

The so-called Delta variant is believed to be the main strain driving new cases in both the US and UK. In the UK, the rate of new cases per day has soared past 40,000 and now approaches 50,000, even as nearly 7 in 10 have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 jab.

In the US, vaccinations have reached 56 per cent of the population, who have received one dose, while just under 50 per cent have received both doses. Vaccine hesitancy is seen as the driving factor blunting the rate of vaccinations across the US, but particularly in conservative communities.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meanwhile, is stuck is self-isolation after coming into contact with his health minister, Sajid Javid, who despite being vaccinated tested positive for Covid-19 in recent days.

Vaccinated individuals are still able to contract the virus, but endure much milder symptoms on average and rarely require hospitalisation if infected with the disease.

Travellers returning to the US are required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result or proof of recovery from the disease within the past few months before boarding a flight, per CDC rules, even if they have received two doses of a vaccine.
While Fox News has come under fire for some of its on-air personalities undermining the US effort to get Americans vaccinated against the coronavirus, two of its anchors recently urged viewers to go and take the shot.

Monday on Fox's morning show "Fox & Friends," host Steve Doocy discussed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which is almost entirely concentrated among unvaccinated Americans.

Well, heres the thing. And one of the CDC officials said yesterday, look, the pandemic right now is really just with people who have not been vaccinated. 99 percent of the people who died have not been vaccinated. What they are trying to do is make sure that all of the people who have not been vaccinated get vaccinated," he said.

He then addressed Facebook, which has been slow - and in some cases reluctant - to remove anti-vaccination disinformation from its social media platform.

Unfortunately, and this is one of the reasons apparently that Joe Biden and the administration came out last week, the administration very frustrated," he said. "They have not been able to get Facebook to get rid of some of the disinformation. The disinformation is online: The vaccine is killing lots and lots of people or it changes your DNA or there are little microchips. None of that is true.

"Fox & Friends" cohost Ainsley Earhardt discussed the frustration from the Biden administration that rampant anti-vaccination disinformation was contributing to some Americans' refusal to take the shot, after which Mr Doocy directly addressed the viewers, urging them to take the vaccine.

"If you have the chance, get the shot, it will save your life," Mr Doocy said.

Later on the show, a Fox News medical commentator Marc Siegel was asked to comment on the efficacy of the vaccine.

"The vaccine works extremely well even against the delta variant, preventing infection in 90 percent of cases," Mr Siegel responded.

The direct encouragement for viewers to take the shot stands in stark contrast to the views expressed by the network's popular pundits, specifically Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham.

Mr Carlson, whose show is the highest rated in the country, is often filled with conspiracy theories, including those about the white nationalist "great replacement" and accusations that the NSA is spying on him. He has also dabbled in anti-vaccination conspiracy, claiming the Biden administration was trying to "force people to take medicine they don't want or need."

The pundit also suggested that people who don't take the vaccine will "wind up on a government list."

Another pundit who frequently dabbles in conspiracy theory, Jeanine Pirro, claimed that the Biden administration's planned effort to go door to door to encourage Americans to take the vaccine was actually "about confiscating your gun," a claim that is utterly without merit.

Ms Ingraham suggested that the door-to-door effort was "creepy" and has frequently pushed that some Americans have "natural immunity" to the coronavirus - an assertion not backed up by science - and was personally involved in Donald Trump's endorsement of hydroxychloroquine to treat the virus. That drug was ultimately found to be ineffective at battling the virus.

The irresponsible parading of conspiracy theories regarding the virus are particularly damaging coming from Fox News pundits, as nearly 60 per cent of the network's audience is made up of people over the age of 65, who are especially at risk from the virus.

A Media Matters analysis of the network's coverage regarding the vaccine found that between 28 June and 11 July, the network aired 129 segments about the shot. Of those segments, 57 per cent included claims that either "undermined or downplayed immunization efforts."

The network has made some efforts to promote the vaccine outside of its "Fox & Friends" hosts comments on Monday.

The network debuted a vaccine-focused PSA in February with a group of its hosts encouraging Americans to "keep up the fight" against the virus. Another Fox News host, Larry Kudlow, has also frequently mentioned on his show that he took the vaccine and impressed upon people the importance of taking the vaccine.

Skyrocketing vaccinations is the single best stimulus of all, and the skyrocketing vaccinations will reopen virtually the entire economy," Mr Kudlow said in March. "We are on our way. Herd immunity is coming this spring.
Michael Wolff, the man behind three books about the Trump administration, told CNN that Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch hates Donald Trump but loves the money the former president brings his cable news channel.

CNNs Brian Stelter asked Wolff on Sunday why Fox News is still so attached to Mr Trump if Mr Murduch despises him.

I think that there are two worlds going on here, Wolff said. Theres Rupert Murdochs world, which is all-powerful, but ... its actually not quite all-powerful.

The author added that the Fox News network has moved its business model to an old Trump model.

Thats where the money comes from ... Would Rupert Murdoch have an alternative to that, that would supply that much money? Rupert hates Donald Trump, hates him, but Rupert loves money. Those are two warring things.

This has created an enormous tension in the Murdoch family, Wolff told CNN. People in the Murdoch family dont speak to each other, partly over the issue ... of Fox News and Donald Trump. One of the reasons that Murdoch sold most of the assets on his company is that his children could not come to any kind of agreement about who would ultimately run the company, partly because of this tension over Fox News.

Wolff writes in Landslide that Mr Murdoch personally approved of Fox News calling Arizona for President Joe Biden during the election, which was an indication of Mr Trumps impending defeat.

F*** him, Mr Murdoch reportedly said according to Wolff. Fox News has denied these allegations.

Former Fox News politics editor Chris Stirewalt, who left the network after the election, said on Saturday that he faced murderous rage from Trump supporters for defending Fox News calling Arizona for Mr Biden. He also pushed back on Wolffs reporting.

If you want to know how false the Michael Wolff claim is, you can find the clip on air. When our on-air colleagues reported our call they were genuinely surprised, Stirewalt said on his podcast Ink Stained Wretches.

The thing about Wolff  if all you do is say, Come and tell me anything you want to tell, and I read the one White House book, and its very transparent at certain points where you can tell whos dishing on who. But you grant anonymity to people unnecessarily and then let them lie to you, he added.

Wolff said former Trump spokesman Jason Miller confirmed his reporting.

At any rate, the Rupert Murdoch thing is, I reported that at that point the decision desk got in touch with Lachlan Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch called his father, his father said to go with this report, obviously including quite a fetching obscenity directed at Trump, Wolff told CNN.

How do I know this? Ill give you the background here. The fact is that I am Rupert Murdochs biographer who was given enormous access to him. I am well-sourced throughout the company and throughout his family, so, therefore, I know that this happened. My sources are extremely good and without a doubt on this point.
The leader of the right-wing Proud Boys organisation has pleaded guilty to two criminal charges filed against him in Washington DC, one of which stems from an incident in which he and others from his group stole a Black Lives Matter banner from a historic Black church and burned it.

Enrique Tarrio pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of property, according to a statement from the US attorneys office, as well as one charge stemming from being caught in possession of a high-capacity firearm magazine, which are illegal in the District.

Tarrio was initially arrested and hit with the charges in January, just two days before other members of the Proud Boys and supporters of former President Donald Trump violently stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of Mr Trumps election defeat.

Upon arriving in DC, Tarrio was apprehended over his participation in a December incident in which the banner was stolen from a historic Black church, the Asbury United Methodist church, and then burned by Mr Tarrio and others. At the time, prosecutors debated over whether to charge Mr Tarrio with a hate crime.

The two charges both carry maximum sentences of up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The Proud Boys are a right-wing organisation primarily made up of white men who sometimes clash with left-leaning protesters, especially those affiliated with Black Lives Matter, at demonstrations. The group came to popularity under the Trump administration after being founded in 2016 by one of the co-founders of Vice News.

A Florida native, Mr Tarrio is ordered to remain outside of Washington DC while he awaits sentencing.
The Texas Senate has voted to axe requirements that public schools teach certain materials about the KKK, the civil rights movement and womens suffrage, among others.

A current requirement, that students learn: the history of white supremacy, including but not limited to the institution of slavery, the eugenics movement, and the Ku Klux Klan, and the ways in which it is morally wrong would be dropped if the bill is passed.

The bill is widely considered to be part of a Republican campaign against Critical Race Theory, which looks at the impact of race and racism in US institutions. While the theory was not mentioned specifically in the legislation, it is currently a flashpoint in US cultural and political debates.

Last month, Texas Gov Greg Abbott signed legislation that outlined how state schools can educate students about race and racism and forbade schools from teaching that individuals bear responsibility for actions committed by people in the past because of their race, according to The Hill.

That bill included a section requiring that students are taught historical documents related to the civic accomplishments of marginalized populations.

The section included the Chicano movement, womens suffrage and equal rights, the history of white supremacy, including but not limited to the institution of slavery, the eugenics movement, and the Ku Klux Klan, and the ways in which it is morally wrong, Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from a Birmingham Jail and I Have a Dream speech among other writings.

Those requirements are not included in the new bill passed by the Texas Senate last Friday, but language limiting how race can be discussed in classrooms is retained.

The bill says teachers should cover those topics "from diverse and contending perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective" to the best of their ability.

What were doing with this bill, were saying that specific reading list doesnt belong in statute, state Sen Bryan Hughes, the bills author, said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Democrats, including state Sen Judith Zaffirini, have condemned the measure, saying teachers hands will be tied.

She said, "How could a teacher possibly discuss slavery, the Holocaust, or the mass shootings at the Walmart in El Paso or at the Sutherland Springs church in my district without giving deference to any one perspective?", reports Bloomberg.

The legislation now awaits consideration in the House.
Two more Texas Democrats who travelled from Austin to Washington DC in an attempt to delay the passage of Republican-backed voting laws have tested positive for Covid-19, according to the Texas House Democratic Caucus.

The number of delegation members to have tested positive for coronavirus has now gone up to five. Three were reported to have contracted the virus on Saturday. However, all the infected members are fully vaccinated.

In light of some positive Covid-19 tests over the weekend, the House Democratic Caucus has decided to go beyond CDC guidance and provide daily rapid tests for all Members and staff in Washington DC for this week, the Caucus said in its statement.

Though the statement did not include the names of the infected members, representative Trey Martinez Fischer came forward to confirm that he had tested positive for the virus.

In a statement, he said that while he tested negative for the infection on Friday and Saturday, his rapid antigen test on Sunday turned out to be positive. He added that he is experiencing extremely mild symptoms.

Earlier on Saturday, representative Celia Israel said she tested positive for the virus. She was one of the three other positive cases in the delegation.

More than 50 Texas lawmakers had arrived in Washington on Monday on a private chartered plane. The group, however, received backlash after several lawmakers posed for a picture on board without wearing a face mask.

The members of the Caucus met vice president Kamala Harris, as well as members of Congress, including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin.

The vice presidents office denied the risk of exposure to Ms Harris and her staff as they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and therefore do not need to be tested or quarantined.

Though Ms Harris on Sunday visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre hospital, her visit was in connection to a previously scheduled appointment and was not related to the recently reported coronavirus cases, said her office.

The Democratic lawmakers fled to DC in a bid to prevent Republicans from passing what has been deemed as a more restrictive new voting law. The bill aims to add new identification requirements for mail-in ballots, prohibit drive-through and 24-hour voting locations and empower partisan poll watchers.

The State House in Austin reconvened on Tuesday but the missing Democrats meant that under its rules there were not enough members present to conduct business.

Additional reporting from the wires
Donald Trump is reportedly telling his dinner guests that he plans to run for president again in 2024, despite playing coy about his Oval Office ambitions in public.

Rolling Stone reported that Mr Trump has told at least three people he's had dinner with in the past few months that he is planning a 2024 run. A former senior official at the Republican National Committee spoke with Rolling Stone about the exchanges.

"I have three friends who've had dinner with him in the last couple of months. All three reported that his current plans are to run for president in 2024," the official said. "Now, whether he does or not is a different issue. We've still got three years to go. But he's telling people that."

The official claims that the first two dinners took place in late spring, and the third occurred sometime within the last two weeks.

The individual who dined with Mr Trump at the third dinner reportedly said that they were "not 100 per cent sure Trump wants to run but he likes being in the conversation, he wants to freeze the field, and he wants his name out there."

Another former adviser to Mr Trump who regularly talks with the former president's inner circle said that they were aware of similar conversations. They said Mr Trump has been indicating since May that he was leaning towards another run, and that recent signs also suggest a second campaign.

"All the people I talk to who deal with him directly think as of now he is running," the source said.

Mr Trump has remained a popular potential candidate among the Republican base, with more than half of the respondents in a recent survey saying they would support him in a primary if he were to run. The closest candidate to Mr Trump in terms of support if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, himself a Trump loyalist.

The former president has already started rallying again, ostensibly to offer his support to various Republicans he hopes to see wins in the midterms. These rallies are also very likely a means for Mr Trump to keep his name front and centre in Republican politics.

Despite Mr Trump's likely self-serving interests in his endorsement rallies, it is unlikely any of the candidates he's backing are complaining. Mr Trump and his chosen candidates have a symbiotic relationship; they receive the coveted Trump seal of approval, and he gets more face time and more coverage in the national news.

Mr Trump has been extremely protective of his endorsements, at one point pitting a group of Ohio candidates vying for a soon-to-be vacated Senate seat against each other during a dinner meeting. Mr Trump reportedly asked the candidates to explain why they should get his endorsement over any of the others.

The former president's campaign has also been vigilant in shutting down candidates who appear to mislead voters into believing they have Mr Trump's backing. Jason Miller, one of the former president's aides, has been tracking down candidates making false endorsement claims on social media and making it clear that Mr Trump has not given his blessing.

This is another way Mr Trump can keep his position as the true leader of the Republican party secured. By treating his seal of approval like a holy anointment, Mr Trump can influence state races, earn favours with lawmakers, and keep himself propped up as the ultimate authority in the party  a helpful position to hold in the event he decides to run again in 2024.
A pair of Colorado lawyers who filed a lawsuit questioning the results of the 2020 election may face disciplinary measures as a federal judge calls them "propaganda" outlets for Donald Trump.

The lawyers, Gary Fielder and Ernest John Walker, filed a federal lawsuit just before Christmas on behalf of 160 million Americans alleging that a vast conspiracy to steal the 2020 election from Mr Trump occurred, blaming Dominion Voting Systems, Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg, his wife Priscilla Chan, and various elected officials from four states for the alleged malfeasance.

The lawyers sought $160bn in damages, according to a report in The Washington Post.

The case - like virtually all of the lawsuits alleging voter fraud in the 2020 election - was dismissed.

However, a federal judge is now considering punishing the lawyers for filing a frivolous claim.

Federal Magistrate Judge N Reid Neureiter criticised the lawyers during a hearing on Friday, claiming they had allowed themselves to be used as a "propaganda tool" by the former president.

"Did that ever occur to you? That possibly, [you're] just repeating stuff the president is lying about?" the judge asked.

The lawyers responded that they truly believed that the election had been stolen and that they did not trust elected officials and election authorities who repeatedly affirmed that the election was legitimate.

The judge repeatedly questioned the attorneys about how much - if any - independent investigation they conducted to confirm that Mr Trump's claims were legitimate, noting that even members of the former president's administration like former Attorney General William Barr had publicly confirmed there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

He said that assertions like Mr Barr's and those made by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency should have been a "red light for you, at least a flashing yellow light" and that they should have been investigated further before proceeding with a lawsuit.

Neither of the lawyers recanted their stances, and said they would file the case again given their current understanding. They called the judge's question over their independent research "ludicrous" and insisted they "took this case seriously."

The judge did not buy the argument, pointing out that grievance alone does not warrant legal action, and saying that the lawyers did not produce "one iota" of evidence in their case.

Many people have been influenced by the outgoing officeholder saying the election was stolen. They sincerely believe everything that is stated by the outgoing officeholder, Judge Neureiter said. Of course theyre going to think and feel and have genuine emotions about this ... How does that a federal lawsuit make, the fact that the people felt aggrieved somehow?

The pair tried to pass off their lawsuit as a public service, arguing that they saw the potential for an insurrection brewing ahead of 6 January, and thought their case would be a sort of pressure valve release to show those who questioned the 2020 election that their concerns were being heard.

The hearing in which the arguments were made was held to determine whether or not the judge will sanction the attorneys. However, it does not appear the judge has made a final decision on that matter.

Other lawyers have faced similar disciplinary actions for wilfully taking part in the former president's attempt to overturn the election result through lawsuits.

Another federal judge in Michigan questioned a group of nine lawyers - including conspiracy theorists and pro-Trump lawyers L Lin Wood and Sidney Powell - for nearly six hours. The hearing was also meant to determine whether or not the lawyers should be punished for pushing frivolous lawsuits aimed at overturning the 2020 election.

The sanctions hearing come in the wake of another Trump loyalist, Rudy Giuliani, losing his licence to practise law in both New York and Washington DC.

Mr Giuliani was found to have "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements" that posed a threat to the public by judges in New York.

Lawyers found to have violated the law by pushing frivolous lawsuits can be required to pay their opponents legal fees or given other financial penalties, and can also face disbarment.

Two of Mr Trump's most vocal supporters, Mr Giuliani and Ms Powell, are also facing a multi-billion dollar defamation brought by Dominion Voting Systems for repeatedly lying about the company and its voting software.
The White House is formally accusing China of an attack on Microsoft that compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide.

The massive attack on Microsofts Exchange email server software allowed hackers to gain access to sensitive data belonging to businesses, local and state governments and some military contractors, reports NPR. An unidentified American company was also hit with a demand for a ransom.

Until now, the United States has not publicly blamed Beijing for the cyberattack, holding off for investigators to find direct evidence linking hackers to the Chinese government.

A senior Biden administration official said the attacks posed serious economic and national security threats, and that the US was joined by the EU, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO in condemning Beijing for the attacks.

"The United States has long been concerned about the Peoples Republic of Chinas irresponsible and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace," said the official, adding:

"Their operations include criminal activities, such as cyber-enabled extortion, crypto-jacking and theft from victims around the world for financial gain. In some cases, were aware of reports that PRC government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransomware operations against private companies that have included ransom demands of millions of dollars.

The official said the matter had been raised with China, although no sanctions against the state have been brought: "The first important piece is the publicly calling out the pattern of irresponsible malicious cyberactivity, and doing it with allies and partners."

The Associated Press reported that previously, a spokesperson for Chinas Foreign Ministry said Beijing "firmly opposes and combats cyber-attacks and cyber theft in all forms" and called accusations that China was responsible for such attacks groundless.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said that former President Donald Trump shouldnt need an embroidered invitation to encourage people to get vaccinated.

During a press briefing on Monday, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked Ms Psaki if President Joe Biden would ever call President Trump and say I need your help, lets cut a PSA [Public Service Announcement] and tell people to go [get vaccinated]?

What weve seen in our data is that the most trusted voices are local officials, doctors, medical experts, civic leaders, clergy from time to time, and that is where we have really invested our funding and our resources, Ms Psaki replied.

Weve seen almost every former president play a role in putting out a PSA, making sure that people understood in the country that the vaccine is safe and effective. We dont believe that requires an embroidered invitation, the press secretary added.

Ms Psaki made a similar statement in March when she said: If former President Trump woke up tomorrow and wanted to be more vocal about the safety and efficacy of the campaign  of the vaccine, certainly wed support that. But also, I think whats important to note is that, as I noted, 81 per cent of Republicans said they would trust their own doctor or healthcare provider, and thats an important place to invest.

Every other living former President  or most of them, if not all of them  has participated in public campaigns, Ms Psaki added during the press briefing on 15 March. They did not need an engraved invitation to do so. So he may decide he should do that. If so, great. But there are a lot of different ways to engage, to reach out, to ensure that people of a range of political support and backing know the vaccine is safe and effective.

Also in March, every living former president except Mr Trump took part in a vaccine PSA. Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter all encouraged Americans to get vaccinated.

 Former presidents take part in vaccine PSA

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Trump  who got his own vaccination in private in January  pushed the idea that getting vaccinated is a partisan issue. He said: Joe Biden kept talking about how good of a job hes doing on the distribution of the Vaccine that was developed by Operation Warp Speed or, quite simply, the Trump Administration.

Hes not doing well at all, Mr Trump continued. Hes way behind schedule, and people are refusing to take the Vaccine because they dont trust his Administration, they dont trust the Election results, and they certainly dont trust the Fake News, which is refusing to tell the Truth.

Republicans touted the vaccines against Covid-19 as a great success when Mr Trump was in office but during the beginning of the Biden presidency started to question them, at times spreading misinformation. This comes as the Biden administration is trying to overcome vaccine hesitancy mostly located in Republican areas and amid concern at the growing spread of the dangerous Delta variant.

According to a CBS poll from early June, 52 per cent of Republicans said they were fully or partially vaccinated. Among Democrats, that figure was 77 per cent. Among Republicans, 29 per cent said they wouldnt get vaccinated, while the same was true for five per cent of Democrats.
Britain and its international partners have accused China of being a global threat carrying out systematic cyber sabotage on a massive scale, using criminal hacking groups for spying, data theft, blackmailing businesses and targeting political opponents.

Just one attack, on Microsoft Exchange email services, affected a quarter of a million servers worldwide, ranging from government departments and security installations to commercial concerns and civic society organisations.

The organised hacking last March was one of an increasing number of hacking missions instigated by Beijing, according to a newly formed alliance of states that publicly identifies Beijing as being responsible for aggressive cyber warfare in its first joint statement, and warns that it will be held to account over its aggressive actions.

The group formed by the US and other Nato member states, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Japan has agreed to pool resources to counter the offensive through sharing intelligence and technology.

The attacks, the allies charge, are carried out by criminal hacking groups with the active backing of Chinas Ministry of State Security. Their wide-ranging and expanding activities include not just espionage, but extortion by spreading ransomware and cryptojacking.

The state-sponsored blackmail means that the Chinese government is complicit in demanding millions of dollars from private companies in exchange for digital keys that allow victims to regain access to their computer networks, say western security officials.

The British government has named a number of hacking groups as being backed by Beijings State Security Ministry for political and commercial intelligence gathering, to destabilise states and use clandestine means in pursuit of foreign policy.

Responsible states do not indiscriminately compromise global network security nor knowingly harbour cyber criminals  let alone sponsor or collaborate with them Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) identified APT40 and APT31, HAFNIUM, TEMP.Periscope, TEMP.Jumper. Leviathan, Judgement Panda, Zirconium and Red Keres as responsible for the attacks. As well as the Micrsoft infiltration, they had targeted defence contractors in Europe and US, political figures critical of Beijing, the parliament in Finland, elections in countries neighbouring China, and opponents of Beijings Belt and Road programme  a strategy seen as promoting Chinese hegemony through debt dependency.

In the US, the National Security Agency, FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency published details of more than 50 tactics Chinese state-sponsored hackers use when targeting western networks, including spearphishing emails with malicious attachments and exploitation of public-facing applications.

The accusations against the Chinese government came on the same day that indictments were unsealed in Washington showing that the US administration has charged four Chinese nationals affiliated with the Ministry of State Security with a campaign to hack into computer systems of dozens of companies, universities and government agencies in the US and abroad between 2011 and 2018. The documents allege that Ebola vaccine research was among the hackers targets.

The British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said: The Chinese government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held account if it does not.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said: Responsible states do not indiscriminately compromise global network security nor knowingly harbour cyber criminals  let alone sponsor or collaborate with them. These contract hackers cost governments and businesses billions of dollars in stolen intellectual property, ransom payments, and cybersecurity mitigation efforts, all while the MSS ( Ministry of State Security) had them on its payroll.

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, added that the cyberattack was conducted from China and resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies.
Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, well known for drawing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, has died after a long illness at the age of 86.

In 2005, Westergaard became known for the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad he made for the conservative Jyllands-Posten newspaper where he was working since the early 1980s. Islam forbids the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad and many Muslims consider it offensive.

The cartoons resulted in protests in Denmark with the national government getting complaints from many Muslim-majority countries. Subsequently, in 2006, there were protests in several Muslim countries including attacks on the Danish embassies.

According to Berlingske on Sunday, Westergaard died at the age of 86 after a long illness.

He received several death threats in his lifetime, after which he went into hiding. But subsequently, he chose to live openly in Aarhus in Denmark.

The cartoonist was also a target of several assassination attempts and, in 2008, the intelligence agency of Denmark arrested three people who were allegedly planning to murder him. In 2010, the police in Denmark shot a Somali national with a knife trying to break into Westergaards house.

Though the cartoonist had to live with security at a secret location for years, in 2008, he told Reuters news agency of having no regrets about his cartoons. Westergaard said that the caricatures had led to important discussions.

I would do it the same way (again) because I think that this cartoon crisis in a way is a catalyst which is intensifying the adaptation of Islam. We are discussing the two cultures, the two religions as never before and that is important, he had said.

Following the news of his death, Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician, posted a photo on Twitter. The great Kurt Westergaard died. He was a brave man. An example for all of us. Rest In peace my friend! #KurtWestergaard, he tweeted.
While the latest update of the UKs travel traffic light system added a few holiday options to the mix, with Croatia and Bulgaria upgraded to the green list, the majority of the worlds countries remain stuck on amber.

Although recreational international travel became legal again on 17 May, holidays were previously only enticing to destinations the government designated as green - a scant collection of just 29 countries and territories, which came with the lightest restrictions for travellers arriving back in the UK.

Most places are on the amber list, prompting harsher restrictions for returning travellers. However, from 19 July, fully vaccinated Brits and those under 18 can swerve quarantine when returning from amber countries.

But now that travel is opening up further, will an amber country let you in? Heres what we know so far.

Am I legally allowed to travel to an amber country on holiday?

Yes  at least, from the British side of things. While the government previously advised against holidaying in any country not on the green list, recreational international travel is no longer illegal in the UK. And, from 19 July, the government is lifting its advisory not to holiday in amber list countries.

However, the destination youre planning on travelling to will have its own rules regarding who can enter the country. The amber list only refers to the restrictions travellers face when theyre entering the UK  the classification has no bearing on the outbound travel requirements. Your destination might need proof that your trip is essential, or may only be letting in its own citizens or residents at present: check the latest entry regulations on the Foreign Office (FCDO) destination pages.

What restrictions do I face when I come back?

From 19 July, unvaccinated travellers aged 18 and over entering the UK from an amber list country face three tests and a stint in quarantine. First up, before travellers are allowed to depart for the UK, they must show a negative Covid test result. This can be a lateral flow or rapid antigen test, as well as a PCR.

They must have pre-booked a package of two PCR tests to be taken upon their return, scheduled for day two and day eight from the day they arrive into the UK. Travellers are required to quarantine at home for 10 days, although in England they have the option to pay for an extra test on day five which, if negative, allows them to cut short their self-isolation under the governments test to release scheme.

However, fully vaccinated British adults who have had their second dose 14 days prior and children under 18 can avoid the quarantine requirement from 19 July. Instead, they will face the same lighter restrictions as green list arrivals - one pre-departure test, and a PCR within two days of entering Britain. Northern Ireland is introducing the same rules on 26 July.

The only country currently exempt from this is France - although its on the amber list, travellers arriving from there must still quarantine for 10 days upon entry into the UK, a move prompted by fears about the Beta virus variant.

Which amber countries will let in British tourists?

As the amber list comprises all but 89 of the worlds countries (60 are on the red list, 29 on the green list), it would be tricky to look at them all; well focus instead on key amber tourist destinations.

Even if a countrys borders are open to British holidaymakers, the levels of restriction still vary wildly: they might require proof of vaccination or a negative test, or a period of quarantine (not ideal for tourists).

Testing or proof of vaccine

Many European amber destinations will let in Brits so long as they can show theyve had both jabs or have taken a Covid test with a negative result within a certain timeframe before arrival, often 72 hours. However, the type of Covid test required (and the timeframe) varies from country to country.

Spain was formerly flying the banner for no-restrictions entry to British holidaymakers. However, following a surge in cases of the Delta virus variant, as of 2 July it has stipulated that UK travellers must present a negative Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination.

Greeces current rules state that arrivals from the UK must provide one of the following: proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within the 72-hour period before arrival into Greece; proof of a negative Covid-19 rapid antigen test taken within the 48-hour period before arrival into Greece; proof of two Covid-19 vaccinations completed at least 14 days before travel; or proof of recovery from Covid-19. Travellers with one of the above are exempted from the need to self-isolate on arrival to Greece.

The UK has been moved to Cyprus Red category, effective 8 July. The move means that, while British travellers are still permitted to enter the country quarantine-free, they must submit to another PCR test on arrival, in addition to one 72 hours prior to departure. The second test must be paid for by the traveller; it costs 30 at Larnaca airport and 32 at Paphos airport, and the results are available within three hours on the digital platform covid-testcyprus.com. Children under 12 are exempt from testing, as are Britons who can prove theyve had two jabs of the Covid vaccine.

On 15 June, direct flights between the UK and Morocco resumed. You will need to provide proof that you have been fully vaccinated against Covid, with the second dose administered at least two weeks prior to travel, or a negative PCR test result before boarding your flight or ferry to Morocco. The result must show that the PCR test was undertaken no more than 48 hours before arrival. For travel by ferry, you will also need to take a test during the journey. Children under the age of 11 years old are exempt from the PCR testing requirement for entry into Morocco. However, its worth noting that the FCDO advice states: Demonstrating your vaccination status from the UK is not formalised for entry into Morocco, so you should follow alternative advice for entry.

Must be fully vaccinated

Portugal was originally on the UKs hallowed green list but got knocked off at the last review in early June. Only Brits who are fully vaccinated are welcome in without being subject to a 14-day quarantine; however, children under 18 are exempt from quarantine if they are travelling with a fully vaccinated adult. All travellers, apart from children under 12, must have proof of a negative Covid test to travel to or through mainland Portugal. The test can be: a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), including RT-PCR, taken within 72 hours of travel; or an Antigen tesa that meets the performance standards set out in the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Tests, taken within 48 hours of travel.

As of 30 June, Malta requires all arrivals from the UK to present proof of full vaccination. This must show that you received a full course of vaccination at least 14 days prior to your arrival. Children aged 5-11 can travel if they are accompanying their vaccinated parents/legal guardian and must show evidence of a negative PCR test dated within 72 hours before arrival. Children under 5 do not need a test. Children aged 12-18 will only be able to travel if they have proof of full vaccination.

Arrivals to France from the UK must justify an essential reason to enter the country unless they are fully vaccinated. All unvaccinated travellers from the UK, including children aged 11 and above, will need to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure. Theyll also be required to self-isolate for seven days on arrival, before taking another PCR test. Exit from this self-isolation period is subject to a negative test result. Double jabbed visitors and accompanying minors under 18 need not have an essential reason for travel or self-isolate, but those aged 11 or over still need evidence of a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure, or a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours of departure. Arrivals entering the UK from France must quarantine for 10 days, even if fully vaccinated.

Poland introduced a seven-day quarantine for British travellers, even if they have presented a negative Covid PCR test upon arrival. However, if you are fully vaccinated, you are exempt from quarantine on arrival in Poland, but must present evidence of your vaccination at the border and 14 days must have passed since your final dose.

From 7 July, the UK was downgraded to a high-incidence area in Germany, meaning you can enter Germany from the UK if you are fully vaccinated for any travel purpose. Otherwise, you can only visit from the UK if you are a German citizen, resident, or their spouse/partner/child under 18; serve in an important role; or have an urgent need to travel. Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age are allowed to enter Germany if they present proof of a negative test result and travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent.

Quarantine

From 7 April, entry to Italy from the UK was no longer restricted to Italian residents and those with absolute necessity. However, new restrictions were introduced on 21 June due to the rise in the Delta virus variant: those travelling from the UK must self-isolate for five days upon arrival, at the end of which they must take a rapid antigen or molecular swab test and test negative for release. In addition, if you wish to fly, you must present the airline with a negative Covid-19 rapid antigenic or molecular swab test taken no more than 48 hours before travel. Children under the age of 6 do not need to test or self-isolate.

Wont let Brits in

Austria announced that Brits are banned from entering due to rising concerns over the Delta variant of the virus. Austrias list of permitted entrants from the UK is limited to residents, EU/EEA citizens, Swiss citizens and others with an essential reason, such as work or education.

The US still isnt admitting British travellers after a ban was originally introduced at the beginning of this year. It remains unclear when this might lift.

The Canadian authorities are barring entry to Canada, including at its border with the US, to most foreign nationals, including British nationals.
Denmark has classified most of the UK as a red region in its latest travel update.

As of 4pm on 17 July, only Wales remains an orange area.

Only travellers with a worthy purpose may enter Denmark from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

They must also take a PCR test 72 hours prior to entry; take another test on arrival; and self-isolate on arrival for 10 days (with the option to test to release after four days).

These restrictions apply regardless of the travellers vaccination status.

Unvaccinated arrivals from Wales must submit to the same rules, but fully vaccinated Welsh travellers can enter Denmark for all purposes, without the need to self-isolate.

Two weeks must have passed since their second dose and the vaccine must be one approved by the European Medicines Agency.

Denmark will accept the NHS Covid Pass app or NHS letter as proof of vaccination.

The UK currently classifies Denmark as an amber country, meaning returning travellers face 10 days quarantine and must take three Covid tests.

However, as of 19 July, fully vaccinated Brits whove had their second dose at least 14 days prior and accompanying under 18s may forgo self-isolation when returning from nearly all amber countries (barring France).

The UKs downgrade in Denmark follows Bulgarias decision to ban British travellers.

The country announced that the UK would be added to its red zone list, along with Cyprus, Spain, Fiji and Kuwait, just days after it was boosted onto the UKs green list.

Bulgarias health minister, Stoicho Katsarov, issued the order on Friday 17 July, with changes coming into effect on 19 July  the same date that Bulgaria officially went green.

The move from the government in Sofia coincided with the Foreign Office lifting its warning against all but essential travel to Bulgaria.

People from red zone countries are not allowed into Bulgaria barring a handful of exemptions, such as medical professionals and seasonal workers.
Dubai will remain on the UKs red list, following the governments latest update to its travel traffic light system on 14 July.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) city-state attracted a record 16.7 million tourists in 2019, with British holidaymakers the third most popular visitors after Indian and Saudi travellers.

Brits returning from red countries are subject to the harshest rules, and must pay for an 11-night package at a mandated quarantine hotel, at a cost of 1,750 per solo traveller.

While it was hoped that some destinations might move from red to amber in the latest reshuffle, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both beloved by British travellers, remain stuck on red.

The red list has now grown to 60 countries, with Indonesia, Cuba, Myanmar and Sierra Leone demoted in Wednesdays announcement.

But why is Dubai on the red list and will it move to amber any time soon?

Heres everything you need to know.

Why is Dubai on the travel red list?

The Dubai Marina skyline (Getty Images)

While most places end up on the red list due to spiralling Covid infection rates and/or a high prevalence of virus variants of concern, some destinations, such as the UAE, are classified as red purely because they are international aviation hubs.

With thousands of travellers passing through the UAE daily on connecting flights, the UK government has argued it would be nigh on impossible to determine whether arrivals had originated from a red list country.

When will Dubai come off the red list?

Its difficult to speculate, although its unlikely that Dubais red status will change anytime soon due to it being such a major transport hub.

The UK government is reviewing the traffic light system every three weeks, with the next announcement expected to take place on 4 August.

What is the current state of Covid-19 in Dubai?

An aerial view of Dubai Palm Jumeirah island, United Arab Emirates (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Infection rates in the UAE are actually decreasing, with 1,528 new infections reported on average each day.

To date, there have been 1,880 coronavirus-related deaths in the country since the start of the pandemic.

The country has vaccinated around 82 per cent of its population and is one of the top ranked nations for vaccine rollout globally.

According to Dubai Tourism, the emirate welcomed more than 1.7 million visitors between July and December 2020, and a further two million visitors in the first five months of 2021.

What have the authorities said about Dubai?

In April, Grant Shapps told an online ConservativeHome event that this issue was one of transit.

He said: We are not restricting UAE because of levels of coronavirus in the UAE.

The specific issue in the UAE is one of transit. Its because they are a major transit hub.

The Joint Biosecurity Centre can work wonders studying all this detail, but eventually you get to the point where they are having to make too many assumptions about where people are travelling to/from.

And that is specific issue we have with the UAE as opposed to prevalence or some other reason.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and chairman of the executive council of Dubai, said: Dubais ability to implement a rigorous precautionary protocol regime has made the city one of the worlds safest destinations for travellers.

Elsewhere, Issam Kazim, chief executive of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said in May that the destinations red status was a frustration.

The UK was our number three market pre-Covid. Its not actually dropped that much, but it has dropped to number five for us. Its not where it was and we want it to get back and to be growing as well, he told Travel Weekly.

I know that also from a UK perspective, they [the government] has been very candid. They have said that its not about Dubai in general thats the issue, it was more about the transit and so on.

I think there are different ways for that to be tackled and I dont think that we should stop tourists who are looking forward to visiting Dubai from visiting, he said.

But he added: At the end of the day, everyone is doing it for the right reasons. Everyone is trying to ensure that the remain as safe as possible for their people and for the responsibilities that they have.
Ireland today became the only hassle-free overseas destination for vaccinated travellers from Great Britain.

The republic has lifted its requirement for testing and self-isolation for visitors from England, Wales and Scotland  providing they have completed a course of vaccination.

If you have valid proof of vaccination, no travel-related testing or quarantine will be necessary, the government says .

Until midnight, arrivals from Great Britain had to provide a negative PCR test result, and quarantine for at least five days.

The move coincides with Ireland joining the European Unions digital Covid pass scheme.

It remains compulsory for all international arrivals to complete an Irish passenger locator form, but this is a simple online document that takes only a few minutes.

Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area (CTA), along with the four nations of the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Travel from the CTA has never required testing or quarantine.

Tourism Irelands chief executive, Niall Gibbons, said: You have to be honest about this things: there wont be sing-songs in the pubs, there will be a warm welcome, but its going be a different summer in 2021. But a summer of reconnection friends and family, I think.

The organisation estimates that six million people in Great Britain have family connections with Ireland.

The mid-morning British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Dublin was around two-thirds full, mainly with people on family visits.

Stena Line, which sails from Holyhead to Dublin and Fishguard to Rosslare, says it has space available.

Simon Palmer, communications manager for the ferry firms Irish Sea operations, said: There is a still a lot of uncertainty with passengers who dont quite seem to be able to believe they can travel freely to and from Ireland again. So while bookings are up, they are not at the peak summer levels we normally receive.

However, international travel takes a bit of time to organise, particularly for families, so we fully expect that once more people realise travel to Ireland is operating again, we will soon see an increase in passengers, pets and packed cars.

Also today, capacity on public transport in Ireland has increased from 50 per cent of normal levels to 75 per cent.


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SES Government Solutions (SES GS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES, today announced it was awarded a contract of USD 14.5 million to support Thule Air Base in Greenland with critical communications capabilities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005023/en/

SES Government Solutions Wins USD 14.5 Million Contract to Support Thule Air Base (Photo: Business Wire)

The SES GS solution leverages C-band technology, which is highly resilient to weather effects, and provides a dedicated reachback beam leveraging single hop connectivity directly to the user site. The SES GS solution also provides redundancy at all levels, to include antennas, uplink and downlink telemetry, ground infrastructure, and restoration capabilities. This award is an example of the companys proven track record of providing reliable services in harsh climate conditions in the Arctic, while ensuring the mitigation of physical antenna degradation.

We are proud to provide satellite communications support for this critical mission, said President and CEO of SES Government Solutions, Brigadier General Pete Hoene, USAF (retired). Thule Air Base is the Department of Defenses northernmost installation, and this program continues to serve as a great example of the importance of our capability to deliver the critical intelligence data to military decision makers.

SES GS has been the sole provider of commercial satellite communications to Thule Air Base for over 20 years. It has extensive experience overcoming the challenging conditions of operating in Arctic locations, including the extreme cold-weather environment, unpredictable weather patterns, near-horizon location, and logistical challenges.

SES operates the worlds only global satellite fleet of both geostationary and non-geostationary (NGSO) satellites, with expanded capabilities to be deployed in 2022 with the upcoming launch of the next-generation O3b mPOWER constellation.

SES combines its operational experience with its GEO and NGSO global capabilities to deliver multi-band, multi-orbit communications to customers remote locations like Thule, where resilience and reliability are non-negotiable.

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About SES Government Solutions

SES Government Solutions (SES GS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions. SES GS operates under a proxy board allowing them to provide services through contracts with the U.S. Government, including classified work. SES GS is exclusively focused on meeting the satellite communications needs of the U.S. Government. Leveraging more than four decades of experience in the government SATCOM market, SES GS offers robust and secure end-to-end satellite communications solutions. Further information can be found at www.ses-gs.com.

About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the worlds only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the worlds leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SESs video network carries over 8,400 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005023/en/
Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she speaks while meeting with Democratic members of the Texas State Legislature at the American Federation of Teachers building near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 13. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
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As the next digital pandemic, cyber risks are increasingly becoming a problem for insurers themselves, according to an industry expert.

With a lack of controls at [an] insurer, [you] could have catastrophic damages to an entire portfolio, said Jack Kudale, founder and CEO of Cowbell Cyber, an insurtech and managing general agency that provides cyber insurance and related services to small and medium-sized businesses.

Kudale, speaking during a CEO panel discussion at the 2021 Global Insurance Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 29, referred to cyber risks as the next digital pandemic.

Insurers themselves are now targets. It is imperative that not only we protect with modern technology and innovation needed in this market, but you also protect your own infrastructure, because cyber criminals are looking for crown jewels, and where else would you go if not an insurer itself that is insuring cyber risks, Kudale added.

Panelist Jessica Snyder, president and CEO of GuideOne Insurance, agreed.

We just went through our own internal cyber risk internal assessment, Snyder said. [Ransomware criminals] can take over data centers and encrypt how to get to backups  This is a real issue our industry needs to be concerned about.

Snyder said that GuideOne, a specialty insurer for churches, spends about 6% of its total budget on cyber issues, focused on areas such as general protection, dual authentication and other related employee training. But these efforts, she said, are just table stakes. Insurers dont understand at this point the true costs behind cyber risk, she added.

We are insuring parts where we truly dont understand what the cost is, Snyder said. This is a huge issue we CEOs need to be on top of, to be aware of what is out there and what the threats are.

Both executives comments come in the wake of a massive ransomware attack against Chicago-based insurer CNA earlier this year. The company reportedly paid a $40 million ransom to end the incident.

Colonial Pipeline also was slammed with a massive ransomware attack in May, impairing oil deliveries on much of the U.S. East Coast. The company paid a $4.4 million ransom to get the pipeline operating again, reports said.

Kudale said that ransomware threats will stay with the insurance industry for a long time, though he admitted that frequency and severity will be very different as we make progress. He agrees that third-party or supply chain risks for businesses are the next big cyber risk. The critical issue, he said, is how to proactively patrol to ensure cyber security but also understand the nature of those risks. Prevention detection remains the most important action, he said.

Topics Carriers Cyber Fraud
While greener buildings are important to reducing global carbon emissions, the buildings offer much more than that. Green buildings bring people together in natural common areas, foster positive impacts of plant life and natural light, deliver healthier environments and help minimize each buildings carbon footprint.

These features are important considering that buildings account for almost 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), a nonprofit promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainable solutions.

From small townhouses to downtown skyscrapers, U.S. buildings use on average about 40% the countrys total energy consumption. It is estimated that the manufacture, transport, and assembly of building materials such as wood, concrete, and steel account for another 8% of energy use and about 30% of the electricity buildings use is derived from coal-burning power plants.

The building sector could play a dramatic role in stabilizing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, and the next generation of buildings could provide numerous benefits such as improved affordability, health, safety, and resale value. The EESI says government policies can help encourage or require buildings to be energy efficient and use renewable energy.

The insurance industry also plays a role, of course. It faces challenges in assessing the risks of new and often untested building materials and methods, as well as in backing the efficiency and sustainability promises green materials makers and contractors may make to buyers.

Many U.S. home buyers and businesses already understand the value of going green.

There are a wide range of green features that buyers feel are desirable, noted Paul Emrath, Ph.D., vice president of surveys and housing policy research at the National Association of Home Builders. Energy efficiency, though, tops the list of what they most want.

The majority of home buyers prefer green options such as passive solar design (60%) and durable materials (66%) into their homes. Buyers are also willing to invest in features that help lower their utility bills, with the average buyer willing to pay as much as $9,292 more upfront for a home to save $1,000 annually on utility costs, according to the NAHB.

On the commercial side, more building projects are incorporating renewable energy in design. Architects are looking for ways to either use or create solar, wind, or hydropower, as well as ways to tighten up building energy efficiency overall.

Applied Underwriters

Insurance firm Applied Underwriters is one such commercial party. The carrier is currently building a 260,000 sq. ft. headquarters in the Heartwood Preserve, a large urban development in Omaha, Nebraska. Heartwood Preserve includes the Greenway system preserve that will permanently secure 80 acres of open space, eight miles of trails, thousands of trees and 13 iconic water basins that will feature important works of land art while also mitigating flood-risk, according to Bart Emanuel, national director of Development and Construction at Applied Underwriters.

Justin Smith, chief underwriting officer at Applied Underwriters, told Insurance Journal that while his company decided not to pursue the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED certification process, the new building is designed to include many innovative green technologies aimed at reducing energy consumption and providing employees with a nicer place to work.

For example, the new Applied building will have windows equipped with a high-tech coating that darkens them, increasing the windows reflective index when the sun is out lessening the need for air conditioning. The product, View G4 Smart Glass, uses electrochromic technology to intelligently adjust tint in response to the sun to increase or decrease access to daylight.

Smart glass products are becoming a significant sustainability trend throughout the commercial construction sector. Some estimates show that buildings using smart glass windows are able to save up to 30% on energy costs.

While energy use reduction is an important feature for green properties, a post-pandemic world could drive a new focus for the green construction sector, according to Michael Heffernan, executive vice president at insurance broker Alliant, an experienced construction and real estate development expert. Research suggests that after the pandemic, developers will be focusing on building resilience.

This concept of build resilience is really where youre making decisions around effective resources and the investment choices for individual business units, or products and service lines, that are correlated to green technology or green building, Heffernan said. Developers are all running conceptualized scenarios that have some sort of COVID-pandemic modeling built into it for the next crisis.

He said developers are looking for buildings that are able to perform better than what was experienced during the last 18 months. Sustainable design spaces are becoming less and less of a novelty and more of an absolute necessity so that building structures are future-proof; that now means that these are pandemic-proof as well, Heffernan said.

According to the broker, this might mean buildings with components that address air quality control, or that modify a buildings elevator capacity or synchronization. Other considerations might include how to congregate people in emergency situations within a building, or how to configure ingress-egress paths to maximize and create the most efficiencies.

Everything is being geared around how human beings will be safe or safer when theyre inside buildings when theres something like a global pandemic situation like we just encountered, he said.

Not Keeping Pace

While green insurance coverages are not new to the property/casualty insurance market, Heffernan worries that some in the insurance industry have not kept up with the tech innovations and risk exposures generated by green technologies.

I think that the green building insurance enhancements that are available in the marketplace came out sort of hot and heavy when LEED certification was the new thing, maybe 10-15 years ago, he said. The insurance industry recognized that this was an opportunity, so they created endorsements to address that particular segment of a newer evolving risk.

In Heffernans view, new insurance products are needed to keep up with the rapid innovation trends on green technologies. I think its fair to say that the insurance industry has not kept pace with the risks that are presenting themselves on the daily, he said, adding, that there is a lot of room to innovate and to customize coverages that are specific to a segment.

New insurance products are worth investing in because the green industry will only continue to grow, he added. The global green buildings market is anticipated to grow at a healthy 14.3% compound annual growth rate from 2020 to 2027 and North America will remain the driving force of this trend, according to a May 2021 report by Market Research Future.

Its here to stay and the insurance industry is going to have to catch up, he added.

That is not to say there arent insurance markets doing green construction well today.

Theres probably seven or eight key markets that I think are probably ahead of the curve with innovative products and solutions around green building, he said. He named Allianz, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Chubb, Zurich, Starr and QBE as key players in the green building space.

The innovation is always way ahead of us and so the issue from an insurance standpoint is that most underwriters will say, Wait a minute, this is unproven technology. Insurance markets do not like products that have not been tested, he said.

Red Flags

A new technology is often a red flag for an underwriter and a challenge to insure.

Theres so many new products coming into the market that are green technologies, or smart technologies; its really difficult to keep up and understand what the risks are, he said.

Examples include products that promise to meet certain energy efficiency levels. If a green building is built with certain technologies that tout energy efficiencies or even energy output but doesnt end up performing as guaranteed by the builder, monetary damages could be imposed, he said. There are things like liquidated penalties, monetary damages, that could be imposed upon a contractor for agreeing in a contract to build a building at a certain [LEED] certification level at a guaranteed price. But then during the building process, that cost increases beyond the budget or beyond predicted costs.

Performance guarantees associated with what we call liquidated damages, where in a contract, your consultants and/or builder may tell you as an owner that if you build a Platinum certified LEED building, the consultant and/or builder will guarantee that the building will perform at such a level, he said.

Then five years later, the owner finds out the building doesnt provide the outputs that it was pledged to provide. Well, then the owner may turn around and say, I made an investment to get the Platinum. You told me I was going to save X amount of dollars on power output. It hasnt proven to be that and now Im filing a claim for the difference between say a Silver and Platinum certification level, which is $10 million.

There are plenty of concerns like these that could become insurability issues, he said.

He cites another recent example: the collapse of the construction firm Katerra Inc., which filed for bankruptcy protection last month. Large investments from SoftBank Group Corp. and others helped Katerra grow fast but that growth proved difficult for the company as it faced building delays and issues in trying to perfect its modules, which include prefab parts and modular construction units.

Katerra is a perfect example of this discussion around technology, insurance and insurability, and sustainability, Heffernan said. Katerra, on the front end, had a great idea. They basically tried to integrate their experiences in technology into how they would bring a home to market. A lot of it had to do with prefabrication and using different materials, like cross laminated timber instead of wood, and other things that were very innovative.

However, that innovation wasnt yet proven, Heffernan said. I think they realized pretty quickly that people build homes and structures in a certain way, for a certain reason. And while their concepts may have sounded great on paper, they didnt play out in real application anywhere near what they were modeling or predicting.

Its an example of overstretching, Todd Germano, managing director of North America of Optio, the group company that includes Cove Programs, Ascent and Bay Risk, told Insurance Journal in June. That expansion was problematic for them, and now they have to go through a reorganization.

Astute underwriters want empirical data to evaluate new, innovative green technologies, Heffernan said. They want to know that all the things that the technology or product is promising will actually happen.

For companies like Applied Underwriters, pursuing construction with energy efficient technologies and a greener environment for its employees is more about corporate responsibility than certification. I think the key point for us is that its about the reality of greenness and not checking a box for LEED certification points. Smith said that Applied looked in-depth at pursuing the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED certification process but made a corporate decision against it.

Ultimately as an insurance person, theres so much good stuff that the U.S. Green Building Council is doing, he said. But they are missing some important things, he added. Theyre focusing on energy costs essentially, and the water cost of a building in the normal course of operation and thats very important. But if you come from an insurance background, you dont think about the normal course of operation. You think about all the things that could go wrong.

An insurer might worry about what happens if the building burns down or gets swamped by a hurricane. Youre effectively going to have to rebuild the whole thing and thats unfortunate, he said., arguing that the LEED process overlooks some key issues. Such as the buildings location. To me, choosing an appropriate location with respect to catastrophe peril, that should be part of the LEED certification process because its just lunacy to see a LEED certified buildings going up in a flood plain, or in other places where its not sufficiently fire protected and its in a wildfire zone, he said. I think if those kinds of considerations accounted for say 20-25% of LEED certification, I would be happy.

Topics Construction
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has vetoed legislation regarding auto body insurance claims that he said would ultimately burden consumers.

While I recognize the stated intent of this bill is to protect consumers, and there are portions of this legislation that I could support, overall the legislation will add costs without adding commensurate benefits to consumers, McKee wrote in his veto message Friday.

McKee said the legislation would have added two types of costs that insurers would be required to pay to auto body shops when repairing an insurance-covered vehicle. He said the terms are not defined and there are no clear limitations of when the costs might be appropriate.

The legislation also have declared an insurer guilty of an unfair claims practice for refusing to compensate an auto body shop for their documented charges for paint, body and refinishing materials if they reflect automotive industry-recognized costs, the Providence Journal reported.

McKee wrote that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ranks the state seventh in the nation for highest auto insurance premiums.

As we look to restart our economy after the pandemic, we cannot implement measures that may drive costs even higher for consumers and small businesses, he wrote.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Claims Auto
The families of five Maryland newspaper employees killed in a mass shooting in 2018 and most of the surviving employees who were in the Capital Gazette newsroom during the attack have filed two lawsuits alleging a parent company did not do enough to prevent the attack.

The lawsuits were unsealed Thursday, according to The Baltimore Sun, which was also named as a defendant. The lawsuits had been filed June 24 along with a request to keep them sealed while the gunmans trial played out.

A jury on Thursday found Jarrod Ramos, who had a long-running grudge against the Annapolis newspaper, criminally responsible for his actions, rejecting defense attorneys mental illness arguments. Ramos had already had pleaded guilty to all 23 counts against him in 2019 but pleaded not criminally responsible  Marylands version of an insanity plea.

Had Defendants taken reasonable steps to protect The Capital and its employees, Ramos would have been detected and stopped prior to entering The Capitals newsroom, and he may never have attempted the assault at all, one of the complaints alleged, calling the assault a preventable tragedy.

James Ulwick, a Baltimore attorney representing the Sun and parent Tribune Publishing Co., declined comment to the Sun on the substance of the lawsuits. Baltimore Sun Media acquired the Capital Gazette newspapers in 2014.

In court documents, attorneys for the Sun wrote that they denied the allegations and believe that the facts will show they acted reasonably.

We recognize and share the continued grief of the victims family members, friends and colleagues, Tribune spokeswoman Renee Mutchnik said in a statement. The five lives lost in this senseless attack always will serve as a reminder of the important role that independent journalism provides for communities across America.

The Capital Gazette was not included in the lawsuit, the Sun reported.

Ramos grudge against the newspaper began after an article it published about his guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of harassing a former high school classmate in 2011. He filed a lawsuit against the paper in 2012, alleging he was defamed, but it was dismissed as groundless. His appeals failed.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Maryland
As calm begins to return to South Africa following days of violent riots that caused billions of rand in damage, questions are being asked about who will foot the bill.

While some claims will be assessed by heavyweight insurers such as Old Mutual Group Ltd. and Santam Ltd., the bulk of the burden will fall to one company little known outside the country: Sasria Insurance Ltd.

Sasria, a state-owned firm with 8.5 billion rand ($591 million) in assets under management, was founded shortly after the Soweto uprising of 1976, when at least 176 people died in demonstrations led by school children against the apartheid government. The frequency and scale of political protests that followed prompted private insurers to stop offering cover to vulnerable businesses, and Sasria was crated to fill the void.

Read more: Uninsured South African Businesses, Wrecked by Civil Unrest, Struggle to Recover

This weeks anarchic looting and destruction of all manner of buildings in two key provinces has thrust the company back into the spotlight. Formal estimates of the scale of the damage have yet to be calculated, but executives at Business Unity South Africa said Thursday the number of affected firms may extend into the thousands.

We are well capitalized and have adequate reinsurance in place that gives us the comfort that we can facilitate these claims, Sasrias executive manager for insurance operations, Fareedah Benjamin, said in an interview. The insurer has three times its regulatory minimum capital requirement, she said.

The violence has its origins in demonstrations against the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, but those sensing an opportunity to enrich themselves transformed the demonstrations into a looting spree, the government has said. At least 117 of people have died and authorities have made almost 1,500 arrests to date.

Listed companies to have reported the extent of their exposure include foods maker Tiger Brands Ltd., which said it lost 150 million rand of stock, and clothes retailer Mr Price Group Ltd., which saw 109 stores entirely cleaned out and hundreds more closed. But the rampage also swept up countless smaller businesses, many in under privileged parts of the coastal city of Durban and Johannesburg, the economic hub.

We anticipate that in about two months time, we will have a clearer picture once all claims have been reported and investigations and quantification have been completed, Sasria said in a statement Friday.

Sasria is not disputing the merits of claims related to the riots, only watching out for cases of fraud, Benjamin said. The company has centralized all applications so its most experienced handlers are able to process them quickly.

Many people and companies with Sasria policies may not even realize it, as commercial firms often include it in their own cover. All insured individuals have it alongside about 90% of businesses, Benjamin said.

Santam is monitoring the situation and in touch with Sasria about claims, the company said in an emailed statement. Old Mutual has put special measures in place to expedite payments, it said.

The private property-and-casualty insurers may find they still have exposure even with the Sasria safety net, said Warwick Bam, head of research at Avior Capital Markets.

Business interruption policies could be triggered due to supply-chain disruption, lost production and store closures due to the risk of looting and violence, he said.

Sasria collected 2.4 billion rand in gross written premiums and paid out 991 million rand in claims last year. In addition to covering public unrest, Sasria is also exploring options for COVID-19 insurance as South Africa battles rising infections and disruptions to its vaccine program.

Photograph: Debris inside a supermarket following rioting in the Soweto district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 15, 2021. Photo credit: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Carriers Claims
The death toll from flooding in Western Europe climbed above 180 on Sunday after rescue workers dug deeper into debris left by receding waters.

Police put the toll from the hard-hit Ahrweiler area of western Germanys Rhineland-Palatinate state at more than 110 and said they feared the number may still rise. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germanys most populous, 45 people were confirmed dead, including four firefighters. And Belgium has confirmed 27 casualties.

Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to visit Schuld, a village near Ahrweiler that was devastated by the flooding, later Sunday. Her visit comes after Germanys president went to the area on Saturday and made clear that it will need long-term support.

Read more: Germany Reels from Flood Catastrophe; Insurers Expect Costly Claims for 2021

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he will propose a package of immediate aid at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, telling the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that more than 300 million euros ($354 million) will be needed. And he said that officials must start setting up a rebuilding program which, from experience with previous flooding, will be in the billions of euros.

Although rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, storms and downpours have persisted in other parts of western and central Europe. There was flooding Saturday night in the German-Czech border area, across the country from where last weeks floods hit, and in Germanys southeastern corner and over the border in Austria.

Some 65 people were evacuated in Germanys Berchtesgaden area after the Ache River swelled. At least one person was killed.

A flash flood swept through the nearby Austrian town of Hallein late Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties.

Heavy rain and storms caused serious damage in several parts of Austria.

Climate scientists say the link between extreme weather and global warming is unmistakable and the urgency to do something about climate change undeniable.

Scientists cant yet say for sure whether climate change caused the flooding, but they insist that it certainly exacerbates the extreme weather that has been on show around the world.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Europe Flood
The proportion of women on the board at 200 of Britains top financial firms has risen to nearly a third in the five years since the government launched an initiative to improve gender balance in the sector, a report on Monday said.

Since the launch of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter in March 2016, the number of women on the board at the companies had risen to 32% from 23%, think tank New Financial said in a review of the charters impact.

Female representation on executive committees, meanwhile, had increased to 22% from 14%, it added. Based on the current rate of change, women would reach parity in the boardroom in 2029 and on executive committees in 2033.

While female representation is moving in the right direction, there is still a long way to go, said Yasmine Chinwala, partner at New Financial and co-author of the report.

If the industry is to maintain the pace of change in the next half decade, it will have to take on the tougher challenges.

Among them are the need to build a pipeline of female talent, ensure accountability is taken across the organization and to develop more women in revenue-generating roles.

Over the next five years, we need to move from talk to action, from working in isolation to working together, and move from a narrow perception of gender diversity to encompass women from every walk of life and every part of society, said Amanda Blanc, chief executive at British insurer Aviva.

(Reporting by Simon Jessop; editing by Steve Orlofsky)
TransRe has reorganized its global underwriting structure and promoted key leaders in the areas of Regional Markets, North America, Global Portfolio Management, Europe and Asia Pacific. In addition, it has restructured its casualty/liability and its professional liability teams.

Paul McKeon, has been promoted to president, Regional Markets. In his new global role, McKeon will lead TransRes underwriting and market operations. The Regional Markets teams that are reporting to McKeon will continue to be responsible for executing local market strategies, deal underwriting, marketing and client/broker development.

As part of this change Kyle Rhodes has been promoted to president, North America. Rhodes most recently led TransRes Asia Pacific region. Andy Taylor has been promoted to lead TransRes International team which includes the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. In his new role, Taylor (who has been CUO of International for the past three years) will lead the strategic direction of TransRes European and Asia Pacific business units and provide support and oversight to ensure consistency of approach and decision making. Taylor will report to McKeon.

Jorge Beltran continues to lead the reinsurers Latin American region. Rhodes, Taylor and Beltran will all report directly to McKeon.

Elizabeth Geary is promoted to president, Global Portfolio Management. In her new global role, Geary will lead a team focused on underwriting portfolio analysis, including delivering technical insights to support our local teams and their clients and brokers.

The underwriting portfolio management team reporting to Geary will include Lisa Moser, global property leader; Brian Finlay, global professional liability leader, and Keith Trigg, global casualty leader. Geary will also retain her current role as CUO for North America, supporting Rhodes and his team.

As announced in April, Paul Bonny was promoted to executive vice chairman reporting directly to Ken Brandt, president & CEO of TransRe. McKeon and Geary will also report directly to Brandt.

Louise Rose has been promoted to president, Europe. Rose will continue to lead TransRes London operations as CEO of TransRe London and will also have TransRes Continental European team report to her.

Jonathan Hewitt will continue as CEO of TransRe Europe S.A. and will report directly to Rose.

Rob Saville has been promoted to president, Asia Pacific. Saville opened TransRes Singapore branch office in 2013 and succeeds Kyle Rhodes who led the team as CEO from 2019 until his promotion to president, North America (as highlighted above).

In their new roles, Rose and Saville will report to Andy Taylor.

In another announcement about its Asia Pacific business unit, TransRe said Fiona Au has been promoted to chief operating officer, Asia Pacific. Au joined TransRe in 2008 as the Hong Kong branchs lead Actuary. In 2018, Au was promoted to Hong Kong branch manager, where she oversaw all underwriting and technical operations. In Aus new role as COO, she will continue to manage the Hong Kong branch, as well as all technical support across the Asia Pacific region. Au will report directly to Saville and will remain in Hong Kong.

Casualty/Liability and Professional Liability Teams

TransRe also announced it has restructured its casualty/liability team as well as its professional liability team to better position the company to take advantage of market opportunities, deliver improved insight and service.

Keith Trigg has been promoted to global casualty leader. Trigg joined TransRe in 2001. Since then, he has assumed roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as UK general liability leader, and global leader of the GL Product Committee. In this newly created portfolio management role, Trigg will report to Liz Geary, president of Global Portfolio Management. In addition, Trigg will continue to manage the UK General Liability book of business, in which role he will continue to report to Doug Murray.

Brian Finlay has been promoted to Global Professional Liability leader. Finlay joined TransRe in 2005 and has assumed roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as manager of the US D&O/E&O treaty department. In this newly created global role, Finlay will report to Liz Geary, president of Global Portfolio Management.

Danny Hojnowski has been promoted to take over Finlays role as U.S. D&O/E&O Treaty department manager. Hojnowski joined TransRe in 2006 and is a product of TransRes management development program. He has worked in both facultative and treaty since joining TransRe. In his new role, Hojnowski will report to Kyle Rhodes.

TransRe announced the retirement of Nick Tzaneteas. Tzaneteas joined TransRe in 1993 and has been instrumental in developing TransRes professional liability portfolio, as well as guiding multiple teams through challenging cycles of the market. TransRe said the company has greatly benefited from Tzaneteas experience, technical expertise and leadership over his tenure.

TransRe said these leadership changes reflect the changing business environment in which the company operates, and positions it to maximize opportunities. The company said that all promotions are from within, reflecting the strength and depth of talent at TransRe.

Source: TransRe

Topics Underwriting Leadership
Two Chinese state investors plan to sell a combined 98.78% of their stakes in Dajia Insurance Group, the revamped entity of embattled Anbang Insurance Group, for 33.6 billion yuan ($5.19 billion), according to an auction filing on Friday.

China Insurance Security Fund Co Ltd., the state rescue fund for the insurance sector which is controlled by the Ministry of Finance, aims to auction all of its 98.23% stake in Dajia for 33.38 billion yuan.

China Petrochemical Corp is auctioning its 0.55% stake in Dajia for 186.9 million yuan, according to an auction statement filed to the Beijing Financial Assets Exchange.

The auction will end by Aug. 12.

The move marks the latest development in the restructuring and divestiture of Anbang, which appears to have stalled since February 2020, when the countrys top banking and insurance watchdog said Dajia was close to a decision on a batch of strategic investors and would remain privately owned. (https://reut.rs/3xZNeGN)

The Chinese government took control of Anbang Insurance Group in February 2018 as part of its sweeping campaign to reduce systemic financial risk after an asset-buying spree by a handful of private-sector conglomerates.

It finished running Anbang in 2020, and handed over Anbangs management to Dajia, a newly established entity that took over Anbangs assets.

Dajia currently has total assets of 21.1 billion yuan and total liabilities of 584.6 million yuan, the filing showed. In 2020, it posted a net profit of 2.9 billion yuan, the filing added. ($1 = 6.4785 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by William Zhang, Cheng Leng and Emily Chow; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Topics China
A Wisconsin jury said Walmart must pay more than $125 million after finding against the company in a federal disability discrimination lawsuit.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said the eight-member jury in Green Bay returned a verdict of in favor of EEOC on the three claims of disability discrimination against Walmart. The company was ordered to pay $125,150,000.

The EEOC said the jury found that the retailer failed to accommodate Marlo Spaeth, a longtime employee with Down syndrome, and then fired her in July 2015 because of her disability.

The EEOC presented evidence that a change Walmart made to Spaeths longstanding work schedule caused her significant difficulty. When she requested her start and end times be adjusted by 60 to 90 minutes and to be returned to her prior schedule, Walmart failed to act on the request and instead fired her.

Spaeth had worked for the company for approximately 16 years and had consistently received positive performance evaluations from her managers, according to evidence presented at trial. The jury also found that Walmart turned down Spaeths later request to be rehired because of her disability or because of their need to accommodate her disability.

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on an employees disability. The EEOC filed its lawsuit (EEOC v. Walmart Stores East LP, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 17-cv-70) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process.

The jury awarded Spaeth $150,000 in compensatory damages and $125,000,000 in punitive damages after deliberating for three hours following the four-day trial.

The case was tried by Trial Attorneys Leslie Carter and Carrie Vance, along with Supervisory Trial Attorney Justin Mulaire. Lectric Chandler provided paralegal support at trial.

Source: EEOC

Topics Wisconsin
The United States on Friday took a new stab at Russias cybersecurity industry, restricting trade with four information technology firms and two other entities over aggressive and harmful activities  including digital espionage  that Washington blames on the Russian government.

A Commerce Department posting said the six entities were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April, which targeted companies in the technology sector that support Russian intelligence services.

Their addition to the Commerce Departments blacklist means U.S. companies cannot sell to them without licenses, which are seldom granted.

The announcement follows Aprils sanctions, which were aimed at punishing Moscow for hacking, interfering in last years U.S. election, poisoning Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and other alleged malign actions  allegations the Kremlin denies.

They come as the United States is responding to a drumbeat of digital intrusions blamed on Russian government-backed spies and a spate of increasingly disruptive ransomware outbreaks blamed on Russian cybercriminals.

The entities added to the blacklist are Aktsionernoe Obshchaestvo AST; Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Pasit; Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Pozitiv Teknolodzhiz, also known as JSC Positive Technologies; Federal State Autonomous Institution Military Innovative Technopolis Era; Federal State Autonomous Scientific Establishment Scientific Research Institute Specialized Security Computing Devices and Automation (SVA); and Obshchestvo S Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostyu Neobit.

Era is a research center and technology park operated by the Russian Ministry of Defense; Pasit is an IT company that did research and development in support of Russias Foreign Intelligence Services malicious cyber operations; SVA is a Russian state-owned institution that also supported malicious cyber operations; and Russia-based IT security firms Neobit, AST and Positive Technologies have clients that include the Russian government, according to the United States.

Positive Technologies said the Commerce Departments announcement had no new information and that the company engaged in the ethical exchange of information with the professional information security community and had never been involved with an attack on U.S. infrastructure.

The other entities either did not immediately respond to requests for comment or could not be reached.

The restrictions against the Russian technology industry have been in the works for months. The same day that the Treasury sanctions were announced, then-Assistant Attorney General John Demers told reporters that officials were in the process of evaluating dozens of Russian companies for possible referral to the Commerce Department.

Demers said investigators would be looking at a known connection between a particular company and the Russian intelligence services as they evaluated whether a company was a risk. Non-Russian companies that had back office operations in Russia would also be examined, he said.

The United States adds entities to the Commerce Departments trade blacklist that it says pose a risk to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington and Anton Zverev in Moscow; editing by Howard Goller and Dan Grebler)

Topics USA Cyber InsurTech Tech
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stood by federal guidance that those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer needed to wear masks, while blaming social media companies for fueling vaccine misinformation.

Murthy told CNNs State of the Union that allowing vaccinated individuals to forgo masks also gives communities the flexibility to revert to mask mandates based on new infections and vaccination rates, as Los Angeles has done.

Nationwide, new U.S. COVID-19 cases surged 70% this week compared with the prior seven days to an average of 30,000 new infections a day, fueled by the Delta variant. Deaths rose 26% week-over-week to an average of 250 lives lost a day, mostly in unvaccinated patients.

Murthy said that social media companies have fueled false narratives about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, echoing President Joe Bidens comments that social media companies were killing people.

There have been positive steps taken by these technology companies, Murthy said. But what Ive also said to them publicly and privately is that its not enough.

Facebook defended itself against Bidens assertion in a post on Saturday, saying that it promoted authoritative information about vaccines and acted aggressively against health misinformation on its platforms.

Democratic Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar told CNNs State of the Union that she was looking into ways to hold social companies legally responsible for vaccine misinformation and suggested some might even need to be broken up.

I am a fan of using anti-trust so we can get true competition against the dominant platforms, Klobuchar said.

Ken McClure, the mayor of Springfield, Missouri, blamed misinformation as part of the driving force behind poor vaccination rates in his community which has experienced a huge spike in COVID-19 cases.

I think were seeing a lot spread through social media, McClure told CBSs Face the Nation. I think we as a society and certainly in our community are being hurt by it.

(Reporting by Joel Schectman and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Cyber risk is becoming increasingly relevant to insurer credit ratings, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings.

Overall, S&P said it has noted more credit-relevant cyber events in the last six months than in the previous six years.

S&P cited the Colonial oil pipeline attack in the U.S. in late spring as an example of the disturbing trend. The pipeline attack hampered oil deliveries on much of the U.S. East Coast for days, highlighting the growing sophistication and ramifications of cyber attacks as they evolve, S&P said.

Even since the Colonial attack, there have been attacks on rated entities involving the insurance sector in Asia, a European truck lease provider, a French distressed debt purchaser and a global food company, S&P noted. All involved ransomware demands and highlighted attackers ability to choose targets without regard to geography or sector.

S&P said robust cybersecurity remains vital and should focus on mitigating or preventing attack in areas including internal governance and IT software.

S&P added that prompt remedial action, active detection, C-suite support and a better understanding of risks from supply chains or third-party providers are also important.

Source: S&Ps Cyber Risk in A New Era: The Increasing Relevance of Cybersecurity.

Topics Carriers Cyber
IIAT

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) elected Gaylon Brown of TexCap Insurance in Dallas to serve as chair for 2021-2022 during IIATs annual business meeting on June 25, 2021.

Brown is CEO and Managing Partner of TexCap Insurance in Dallas. He began his insurance career with Millerman & Millerman Insurance Agency (M&M). Brown became a partner at M&M in 1975, which was later sold to Brook Crawford & Associates in 1992, and subsequently to Hilb, Rogal & Hamilton (HRH) in 1994. Brown served as executive vice president of HRH until his resignation in October 2005, at which time he helped found TexCap Insurance.

Brown has served on many insurance company advisory boards, state and local associations, and committees. He is a past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas

Josh Andrajack of Boley-Featherston in Wichita Falls will serve as vice chair for 2021-2022.

Andrajack spent the first decade of his career as a commercial lender for a community bank in Wichita Falls. He joined Boley-Featherston Insurance in 2008 and became a partner in 2016. In July 2021, Andrajack completed the buyout of the firms third generation of ownership to become the controlling shareholder and president. His focus areas include oil and gas, and construction insurance, as well as the procurement of new market territories in Boley-Featherstons expansion across the state.

Mark Bridges of INSURICA in Amarillo will serve as IIATs chair-elect for 2021-2022.

Bridges is a third-generation insurance agent who started his insurance career in Fort Worth in 1994 at a regional insurance company before moving into the agency force in 2002. In 2004, he moved to Amarillo to open an office for his familys insurance agency, DFB. In 2009, Bridges was recognized as IIATs Young Agent of the Year.

Over the past 17 years, Bridges has helped grow the agency organically and through acquisition to become one of the largest independent agencies in Texas. In 2017, DFB merged with INSURICA, based out of Oklahoma City. Bridges is now the Texas regional president for a division of INSURICA approaching $42 million in commission revenue with more than 200 employees and 11 branch offices.

At the June meeting, Kyle Dean, with Dean & Draper in Houston, and Christy Ross, with C A Ross Insurance Agency in San Angelo, were elected to IIATs board of directors.

Dwight W. Andrus Insurance

Dwight W. Andrus Insurance Inc. added David D. Pettiette Jr. as a producer in the Employee Benefits Department in its Shreveport office.

Since joining the team, Pettiette focus has been on installing strategies for employers to develop robust employee benefit programs. He specializes in both fully insured and self-funded plans, that are cost-effective but also offer key benefits to recruit and retain top talent. Pettiette enjoys targeting a variety of industries to allow for an enhanced client experience to facilitate new employee benefit solutions.

Prior to joining the Dwight Andrus team, Pettiette enjoyed a career in the oil and gas industry that spanned nearly a decade before transitioning to a Shreveport insurance firm about five years ago.

Founded in 1945, Dwight Andrus Insurance is a 76-year-old, fourth generation, independent insurance retail brokerage firm with its headquarters located in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Topics Louisiana
Suspended Georgia Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck improperly took money from the private insurer he led and used it to buy campaign signs when the Republican ran for office in 2018, a witness testified Friday in Becks trial.

The testimony came as federal prosecutors continue to build their case that Beck embezzled from the Georgia Underwriting Association, an insurer Beck managed before he took office as the states top insurance regulator in 2019.

Beck is accused of improperly diverting more than $2 million from GUA, an insurer of last resort that covers property owners unable to buy insurance on the regular market. He is on trial after he was indicted in 2019, months after taking office, on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns. No one else has been indicted.

Georgia Underwriting Association Assistant Plan Manager Josh Mosley testified Friday that Beck directed him to use Georgia Arson Control program funds to pay a $4,271 invoice for 1,500 signs for Becks insurance commissioner campaign. Those signs were delivered to Becks Carrollton home. Georgia Arson Control offers rewards to people who report arson and provides grants to fire investigators. Its associated with GUA.

Mosley said that after investigators began circling, Beck asked him to call the sign company representative and get her to remember that she donated the signs to his campaign as an in-kind donation.

She said she did not remember, Mosley testified. She did not agree.

Earlier testimony alleged Beck siphoned off other money by providing invoices to GUA contractors who in turn billed GUA and sent money back to Beck or entities he controlled. WAGA-TV reports Matthew Barfield, a cousin of Beck, testified Wednesday and Thursday that he was paid 10% of Green Technologys fees to create invoices for the company. He said at times he would meet Beck at a McDonalds or other locations to hand over checks and bank bags full of cash to Beck.

Green Technology Services was supposed to be gathering data to help underwriters determine the risks of properties it insured, but Barfield testified he did no such work. Green Technology was also supposed to be backed by a wealthy individual who was providing reinsurance to GUA, but Barfield said he wasnt that person and that no one else was associated with the company.

Despite the testimony, Barfield told the television station in an interview after court that he wasnt suspicious.

Jims never gave me any reason to not trust him and I never thought anything else about it, Barfield said.

Carrollton radio station owner Steve Gradick testified Thursday that he created a company called Paperless Solutions and billed GUA for services that Beck told others included chasing down policyholder emails. Gradick said he passed the money to a bank account for the Georgia Christian Coalition, which Beck headed, after Beck told him GUA directors wanted to revitalize the political group. But prosecutors say that Beck used the money from that account for his own purposes.

Earlier testimony from Steve and Sonya McKaig alleged that Beck directed them to include invoices for tens of thousands of dollars per month from Green Technology in the invoices that the husband and wife sent to GUA for services they provided. Sonya McKaig testified that Beck directed her to communicate with him through a personal email, cut checks for Green Technology and send them back to Beck in an envelope marked personal and confidential.

Mosley said that after Beck left, GUA didnt pay the questionable vendors any more.

The trial continues next week. Becks defense has yet to present its case. Lawyers argued Tuesday as the trial opened that Beck hadnt hurt the association but instead turned it from losses to profits. They argue that Beck was an innovator and that even if his methods were unconventional, theres no proof he meant to hurt the association. They also suggested Beck or someone associated with him provided valuable data, even if witnesses were unaware.

Mosley agreed during cross-examination Friday that third-party data about properties could be expensive.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Mergers Georgia Arson
It is no secret that the electric grid in the U.S. (and other countries) is not only fragile but failing. For example, extreme weather in Texas earlier shut down millions of homes and businesses.

As the U.S. Congress accelerates the negotiations around a massive infrastructure bill, which as part of the economic recovery could be as large as $2 trillion, it is mission-critical to upgrade the American power grid as a fundamental part of supporting the growth of manufacturing and industrial innovation, advancement of smart cities and schools, and delivering broadband and other services to rural communities.

The U.S. electric power grid delivers power to millions of people and places, with a massive and surprisingly fragile network of transmission and distribution lines. The current administration and some members of Congress are proposing an unprecedented investment in the power grid, as well as with sustainable energy microgrids and other alternatives.

As one way to address complexities associated with an intelligent edge associated with the grid, ZEDEDA, provider of orchestration solutions for the distributed edge, announced significant advances in three key areaspartnerships, industry consortiums, and a developer programthat position open collaboration as a key enabler for the industrial market, including companies looking to address the macro trends in the energy space.

ZEDEDA will provide its zero-trust, cloud-based orchestration solution for distributed edge computing to help Google Cloud customers securely scale deployments of any edge application, including AI/ML, on a choice of hardware. This is in response to the growth of cloud infrastructure in industrial markets for centralized data storage and management, cross-facility analytics and visibility, and hyperscale compute capabilities to augment workloads deployed at the edge.

Additionally, together with joint edge application partners like Dianomic, customers will be able to drive new efficiencies through insights derived from edge environments. While the solution is horizontal in nature, the partnership is placing an initial focus on the energy space with target edge assets, including wind turbines, solar farms, and more.

We see a number of edge use cases for multiple industries, including energy, that can be addressed with this Google Cloud partnership, said Said Ouissal, ZEDEDA founder and CEO. Our zero-touch provisioning and simplified lifecycle management enable businesses to start realizing business value with Google Cloud together with a choice of edge hardware and applications.

As high-speed connectivity grows, organizations with presences at the network edge stand to benefit from low-latency access to business applications and cloud capabilities that can help modernize business processes, manage data, and more, said Tanuj Raja, Global Head, Strategic Partnerships at Google Cloud. Were excited that ZEDEDA will make its edge orchestration capabilities available with Google Cloud, helping enable greater access to these applications and capabilities for customers across industries.

ZEDEDA also announced it has added partnerships to support energy customers facing key challenges such as digitizing legacy infrastructure, remotely monitoring critical assets, and balancing the grid with unpredictable renewable energy sources, including an ongoing collaboration with Agora.

New partnerships include:

Juniper Networks: a joint offering for secure-edge computing with Junipers Session Smart Router and the vSRX Virtual Firewall secure networking capabilities on top of ZEDEDAs zero-trust edge orchestration foundation. Together, ZEDEDA and Juniper provide customers with the simplicity of cloud orchestration and the flexibility of either backhauling data to the cloud or keeping it on-prem.

Dianomic: an edge application platform for Industrial IoT use cases. ZEDEDAs edge orchestration solution simplifies the secure deployment of Dianomics FogLAMP platform and management of the underlying hardware.

IOTA Foundation: a key collaborator for Project Alvarium, focused on facilitating trust in interconnected ecosystems through its feeless Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). IOTA is leading a number of decentralized, innovative projects in the energy space.

We are pleased to be working with ZEDEDA to provide advanced solutions for the energy sector, said Karen Falcone, Sr. Director of Enterprise Marketing at Juniper Networks. Combining our broad networking experience, including software-defined capabilities with the Juniper Session Smart Router and the vSRX Virtual Firewall with ZEDEDAs Zero Trust architecture, provides customers with a robust security foundation for any mission-critical use cases within the energy vertical and beyond.

Together, Dianomic, ZEDEDA, and Google deliver a complete Industry 4.0 edge stack built on an open-source foundation, said Tom Arthur, CEO at Dianomic. The energy industry faces new challenges as its generation and storage systems become massively distributed. Combining Dianomics FogLAMP for edge application development and data acquisition with ZEDEDAs secure orchestration solution and Googles state-of-the-art ML and cloud services delivers a robust and flexible foundation for edge computing challenges in industrial use cases.

ZEDEDA is also increasing focus with Advantech as a strategic hardware partner for the energy space due to its broad portfolio of edge computing offerings, including models with C1/D2 certification for critical environments and new NVIDIA Jetson-enabled boxes to power edge AI.

We are always looking for new and innovative ways to make edge computing solutions easier, more efficient, and more secure for customers in an industry that is seeing tremendous change, said Jeff Brown, Sr. Sales Director for Advantechs Industrial IoT Group. Working with strategic, domain-focused partners such as ZEDEDA and Dianomic allows us to do just that. Advantech has one of the broadest hardware portfolios in the market, and our expansive Class 1, Division 2 product line allows for reliable, rugged solutions in remote and hazardous locations. We are thrilled to be a part of this ground-breaking group thats putting digital transformation into the hands of the energy industry.

ZEDEDA also announced a recent win with PVHardware. The company is using ZEDEDAs orchestration solution to deploy and manage edge hardware and applications that aid in tracking the sun to maximize power generation.

As we looked to leverage edge computing to help maximize power generation, we needed a solution to securely scale deployments in solar plants, including the ability to remotely manage the overall deployment lifecycle, said Ivan Arkitpoff, CTO at PVHardware, ZEDEDA provided us with a solution that makes it easy to deploy hardware and applications in the field and perform fail-proof updates from the cloud without having to send a technician out to the plant.

ZEDEDA also joined several industry consortiums to drive standards via open source:

LF Energy, a Linux Foundation project, is seeking to accelerate the energy transition of the worlds power and transportation systems through open-source technology. As a member, ZEDEDA will work with the LF Energy community to integrate EVE-OS into its reference architecture.

The OSDU Forum, part of the Open Group and focused on developing an open, standards-based foundation to accelerate innovation in the energy space. ZEDEDA and Dianomic are assisting in building a proof-of-concept for OSDUs edge computing reference architecture leveraging EVE-OS and Fledge from LF Edge, with more open-source efforts to be integrated over time.

Project Alvarium, an emerging project within the Linux Foundation, is focused on enabling data confidence through the concept of trust fabrics. ZEDEDA is collaborating with Dell, the IOTA Foundation, Intel, and other industry leaders to formally launch the project, with energy being an initial focus vertical.

ZEDEDAs capabilities enable zero-touch deployments of IOTA and Project Alvarium, creating scalable connective fabrics at the edge, said Mat Yarger, Head of Smart Mobility at the IOTA Foundation. This can enable a peer-to-peer utility of data in the energy sector, which has massive implications to address critical problems with grid management and oversight. It will also allow new business models around electric vehicles and smart grids to thrive, as well as the realization of new asset structures. All with trust being ingrained in how these systems operate.

Arti Loftus is an experienced Information Technology specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the research, writing, and editing industry with many published articles under her belt.Edited by Luke Bellos
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Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
The UK has accused the Chinese government of being behind systematic cyber sabotage following a hacking attack which affected a quarter of a million servers around the world.

The attacks, which took place in early 2021, targeted Microsoft Exchange servers.

Officials said the attack was highly likely to enable large-scale espionage, including acquiring personal information and intellectual property.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the cyber attack by Chinese state-backed groups was part of a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour.

The Chinese Government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held account if it does not, he said.

Officials said that at the time of the attack, the UK quickly provided advice and recommended actions to those affected and Microsoft said that by end of March, 92% of customers had patched against the vulnerability.

A group known as Hafnium compromised Microsoft Exchange, allowing it further access into the IT networks of victims, with at least 30,000 organisations around the world confirmed to have been hit.

Officials said the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is almost certain that the compromise was initiated and exploited by a Chinese state-backed actor and it is highly likely that Hafnium is associated with the Chinese state.

NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said: The attack on Microsoft Exchange servers is another serious example of a malicious act by Chinese state-backed actors in cyberspace.

This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable, and alongside our partners we will not hesitate to call it out when we see it.

The UK is also attributing the Chinese ministry of state security (MSS) as being behind activity known by cyber security experts as APT40 and APT31.

The APT40 group has been blamed for activities including targeting maritime industries and naval defence contractors.

APT31 has been accused of targeting government entities, including the Finnish parliament, and political figures.

UK Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat told the PA news agency: The Chinese states continued use of cyberattacks is deeply concerning.

We should be particularly alarmed by the NCSCs judgment that it is almost certain that the Chinese MSS was behind the attack on Finlands parliament in 2020.

Today highlights the need for us to ensure we are working with our allies to build resilience and protect our openness in the face of irresponsible state actors.

He added: This is an appalling demonstration of the reality of the kind of relationship Beijing is seeking.

Win-win in Beijing means winning openly and, if not, trying to steal a victory.

Joe Bidens White House also blamed the Chinese state for being behind the cyber attacks.

A statement from the US Government said Chinas pattern of irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace is inconsistent with its stated objective of being seen as a responsible leader in the world.

The European Union joined the UK in blaming the attacks on hackers based in China, although it did not explicitly link them to the Chinese state.

EU high representative Josep Borrell said: The compromise and exploitation of the Microsoft Exchange server undermined the security and integrity of thousands of computers and networks worldwide, including in the member states and EU institutions.

It allowed access to a significant number of hackers that have continued to exploit the compromise to date.

This irresponsible and harmful behaviour resulted in security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies, and has shown significant spill-over and systemic effects for our security, economy and society at large.

A Nato statement said the alliance is determined to employ the full range of capabilities, as applicable, at all times to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, in accordance with international law.

Microsofts corporate vice president Tom Burt said: Attributions like these will help the international community ensure those behind indiscriminate attacks are held accountable.

Governments involved in this attribution have taken an important and positive step that will contribute to our collective security.

Transparency is critical if were to combat the rising cyberattacks we see across the planet against individuals, organisations and nations.
An RNLI lifeboat crew, the Irish Coast Guard, and some brave members of the public helped rescue a family of five from a burning boat in Galway this afternoon.

The RNLI lifeboat crew at Lough Derg were called into action by Valentia Coast Guard following a mayday call from a 38ft cruiser that had caught fire close to Castle Harbour, the lakes northernmost point.

A family of five were on board at the time the fire broke out.

As the lifeboat crew prepared to launch, they were informed by the Coast Guard that three of the people on the boat had been safely evacuated with the help of local vessels.

At 12.16pm in calm conditions, the RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Keith Brennan and crewmembers Eleanor Hooker, Joe ODonoghue and Doireann Kennedy on board.

The burning boat at Lough Derg in Galway. Picture: Liam Burke/ Press 22

Lough Derg RNLI deputy Aoife Kennedy relayed information to the crew from Valentia Coast Guard that the remaining two people had been safely evacuated from the burning vessel.

Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Rescue 115 was also tasked to the incident, as was the Killaloe Coast Guard Search and Rescue Boat, firefighters from nearby Portumna, Co Galway, paramedics and local gardai.

When the RNLI Lough Derg team arrived at 12.35pm, firefighters were still battling the blaze.

The family who had been on the stricken vessel had all been evacuated to safety with the help of local vessels. None sustained any major injuries.

Firefighters tackling the blaze on the boat. Picture: Liam Burke/Press 22

The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat and the Killaloe Coast Guard boat both monitored the scene and requested that all vessels and jetskis maintain a safe distance from the burning boat, in case the fuel onboard was ignited by the blaze

At 1.30pm, firefighters managed to put out the main fire.

However, the vessel was still smouldering, and because its anchor line had been burned away, it was drifting through a navigation channel on the lake.

At 2.14pm, the casualty vessel was relocated to Carrigahorig Bay, where firefighters continued to pump water and foam to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.

Valentia Coast Guard thanked Lough Derg RNLI and the Killaloe Coast Guard for their actions, and both were stood down.

"Always be alert to the dangers of fire on a boat," said Lough Derg RNLI deputy Aoife Kennedy.

"And always carry a means of communication so that you can call the emergency services for help."
Travellers have been reassured they will be able to travel using EU Covid passports and that a helpline established to assist them will be restored.

International travel to the EU and a number of other countries reopened on Monday for those who are fully vaccinated, have negative tests or have recovered from the virus.

However, there have been teething problems, with some prospective holidaymakers saying they have yet to receive their certs.

A helpline set up to help with issues over the EU Digital Covid Certificate and to ask for a recovery cert has also seen heavy traffic and long waits.

Dylan Gilhooly and Leah O'Driscoll wearing face masks and holding their Covid Vaccine certs in Dublin Airport so they can travel to Lanzarote. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

Hildegarde Naughton, junior minister at the Department of Transport told the Irish Examiner work was ongoing to restore the helpline and that travellers will not be unduly affected.

"Today is the reopening of international travel, and there have been issues with the helpline. I can assure you the Government is working very hard to get that system back up and running as quickly as possible.

"This was the number one ask from the aviation sector that we can reopen international travel as safely as possible, adhering to public health guidance."

She said she would continue to work with the aviation sector on reopening and that the Government would continue to support companies.

"I have constant engagement with the airlines and the airports and what we're doing is continuing to assess and review what's needed to support the sector.

"It's one of the hardest-hit sectors as a result of Covid-19. As part of our economic recovery plan, there's specific mention of supports for the aviation sector.

Patricia Harte with Victoria aged 9, Harrison aged 11, Georgina aged 14 and Andrew Smith from Kimmage wearing face masks and holding their Covid Vaccine certs in Dublin Airport so they can travel to Crete. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

"But their number one ask over the last couple of months was to reopen international travel and to do so as safely as possible so that's what we're endeavouring to do  working with them so that those supports will continue to be assessed."

Ms Naughton said she does not currently foresee any extra measures for those arriving from the UK.

In England, many Covid measures, including mask-wearing, end on Monday, with tens of thousands of daily cases already being seen. Ms Naughton said while this was being constantly reviewed, no measures are being proposed as yet.

"We're going to be constantly working with public health in relation to assessing all measures around international travel.

"Extra measures may need to be put in place but for today, what we're saying if you're fully vaccinated and fully recovered, is you can come here from the UK.

Mabel Rush, Rachel Quinn, Alex O Dwyer, Sophie Gibbons and Eithne Cunney all wearing face masks and holding their Covid Vaccine certs in Dublin Airport so they can travel to Crete. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

"It really is up to all passengers that you would go on to reopen EU websites to find out what the requirements are of the country you're travelling to and then when you're coming back to Ireland.

"If you've got your digital Covid cert or a recovery cert, obviously there's no need to quarantine but we're asking passengers to give themselves plenty of time now in advance of when they're travelling.

"Many of the checks are going to be on departure at the airport you're departing from. That was the key recommendation from the European Commission, in order to try and minimise the traffic through the airports, right across Europe. So what we have to do is constantly monitor this to make sure that we can reopen the economy and international travel as safely as possible."

The helpline number is 1800 851 504.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is set to meet with the European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic.

Mr Donaldson is expected to set out his partys opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol during their virtual meeting on Monday morning.

The post-Brexit device was negotiated to avoid a hard border with Ireland by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the EUs single market for goods.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic (EC/PA)

Unionists in Northern Ireland are strongly opposed to the additional checks on goods arriving into the region from Great Britain demanded by the Protocol, arguing it undermines the constitutional status of the United Kingdom.

Last week the DUP set out seven tests on the Protocol.

They include a promise of no checks on any sort of goods being sent to Northern Ireland from Great Britain and compatibility with the Act of Union which says all parts of the UK should be on equal footing when it comes to trade.

Mondays meeting comes after Northern Irelands leading supermarkets wrote to Mr Sefcovic and the UKs Brexit minister David Frost calling for urgent action over trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Many of the additional checks under the terms of the Protocol have not been enforced under a grace period.

The supermarkets welcomed extensions to grace periods but said much more needs to be done before the end of September if there is not to be significant disruption to supply and an increase in cost for Northern Ireland consumers.

The letter urged the UK and EU governments to enter discussions with British retailers, visit their supply chains and distribution centres, and host joint talks between government technical officials and retail supply chain experts to find a working solution.

It warned that without swift, decisive and co-operative movement on this issue there will be disruption, and called on Mr Frost and Mr Sefcovic to help us to minimise this disruption and allow us to continue to provide the people of Northern Ireland with choice and affordability.
Thai police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons on Sunday to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters who held a rally in Bangkok, despite coronavirus restrictions banning gatherings of more than five people.

The demonstrators were demanding prime minister Prayuth Chan-ochas government step down, insisting the budget of the monarchy and the military be cut during the pandemic, and calling for the importing of mRNA coronavirus vaccines that have yet to be brought to Thailand on a large scale to fight a growing surge of the virus.

The rally came as Thailand recorded its largest single-day jump in virus infections  nearly 11,400  and as fresh restrictions were announced such as the shutdown of most domestic flights.

Many parts of the country, including Bangkok, are already under some form of lockdown, which includes restrictions on gatherings and business operations as well as a curfew at night.

Police use water cannon to disperse protesters as they march to Government House in Bangkok (Anuthep Cheysakron/PA)

As infections and deaths climb and as more people face economic suffering, disapproval of the governments handling of the pandemic has grown.

Criticism of Mr Prayuths government for failing to secure early and adequate vaccine supplies is widespread.

Thailand mostly relies on two vaccines, including Chinas Sinovac jab, which some studies indicate is less effective against the Delta variant that is currently wrecking havoc across South-East Asia.

Thailands other main vaccine is AstraZeneca, which a Thai company owned by the countrys king has been producing, but only since June and in smaller than expected quantities.

Sundays rally was led by Free Youth, a student protest group that drew tens of thousands to its protests last year, when it had three main demands: that Mr Prayuths government step down, the constitution be amended to make it more democratic and the nations monarchy become more accountable.

If we dont come out now, we dont know how long we shall survive and whether we will have a chance to do it again Jutatip Sirikhan, Free Youth

Jutatip Sirikhan, one of Free Youths main activists, charged in a phone interview with The Associated Press that many people have died from Covid-19 because of the lack of transparency and mismanagement of Mr Prayuth and his Cabinet.

Thailand has recorded a total of 403,386 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 3,341 related deaths since the pandemic started. More than 90% of cases and deaths have occurred since April this year. This weekend daily virus deaths rose above 100 for the first time.

If we dont come out now, we dont know how long we shall survive and whether we will have a chance to do it again, she said of the virus and the protests.

The protesters started gathered at the capitals Democracy Monument in the early afternoon, where organisers distributed N95 masks, medical gloves, sanitiser spray and raincoats before attempting to go to Government House, which hosts the prime ministers offices.

Organisers also handed out mock corpses in white burial shrouds representing Covid-19 victims, which were later placed on the ground atop an image of Mr Prayuth at an intersection near Government House and set alight.

The eerie figures also evoked images of the bodies of several Thai activists who had apparently been kidnapped in 2019 from where they lived in exile in neighbouring Laos.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Bangkok before the police took action (Anuthep Cheysakron/AP)

In an effort at avoiding the spread of infection, many of the protesters drove cars or rode motorbikes, instead of marching as they had in previous protests.

Around 1,500 riot police were deployed, along with water cannon trucks.

Deputy National Police Spokesman Kissana Pattanacharoen acknowledged that the authorities used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters after several warnings were given.

Reports of injuries were not complete, but the citys Erawan Medical Centre emergency services said two people were sent to the hospital from the protests, which the organisers called to an end before nightfall.
From the Archive Who Killed Gen. Aung San?

The author of Who Killed Aung San? talks about his book. Myanmar prepares to mark 74 years since his assassination on Martyrs Day this week.

Kin Oung is the author of the book Who Killed Aung San? He is the son of Tun Hla Oung, the deputy inspector general of police, CID department, who was credited with the rapid capture and arrest of U Saw and his men after the assassination of Gen. Aung San in 1947. He is also the son-in-law of Justice Thaung Sein, who played a vital role in bringing the assassins to justice.

Kin Oung spoke to Kyaw Zwa Moe, editor of The Irrawaddys English-language site, in 2010, just before the 63rd anniversary of Martyrs Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the assassination of nine heroes of Burmas independence movementincluding Gen. Aung Sanon July 19, 1947, just six months before Myanmar, then Burma, won independence from Britain.

Gen. Aung San, the father of detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is also considered the father of Burmese independence, and led the fight for colonial liberation from Britain, which had ruled Burma since 1885.

The Irrawaddy republishes the interview today to mark Myanmars 74th Martyrs Day.

Were the British thought to be involved in the assassination of Aung San?

Aung San wanted independence and wanted the Burmese to be wealthy. He also wanted the Burmese and ethnic nationals in hill areas to be united and friendly. Then some British companies got involved because it was important for them to stay on in Burma and for Burma not to gain its independence. Aung Sans ideology was close to socialism and he gave some speeches about it and hinted that nationalization should take place for the sake of the Burmese people. But whether they [the British] had an intention to kill Gen Aung San and his ministers is unclear.

So Aung San could potentially have united the whole country and seemed to be a left-wing leader who sympathized with socialism. Were these the two main factors that caused him to be assassinated? Were there other factors?

Among the British there were differing points of view. Its possible that some British companies financially supported the ambitious politicians who disliked Aung San. But British governments, first [Winston] Churchills and then [Clement] Attlees, were not able to provide such support. The government could not give openly, but the British companies could give clandestinely. They did provide financial support to U Saw [a rival of Aung San who plotted to kill him]. At that time, Maung Maung Gyi, the brother of U Saw, was in London. U Saw would take as much as they were willing to give. And there was a black market after the war.

At that time I was in Burmas navy and knew such things well. People tried to sell or trade everything they gotjust like you see high-ranking officials of the current military government involved in the businesses of opium, jade and so on. In those days some smuggled in even small items such as flint. What I mean is people did business in whatever was accessible to them. As for British military officers, they had to send their weapons to Singapore because Burma was soon to be given independence. They also sold their machine guns, tommy guns and other weapons. So U Saw bought them.

Were Maj C.H.H Young, a British commander of No.1 BEME, and Maj Lance Dane the core suppliers of weapons and ammunition? Some said Lance Dane was not a core supplier and U Saw got weapons from Young.

The police might have heard this from my father, who was deputy police commissioner at the time. But the military intelligence men detected these facts in many ways, and they became known by U Nu, U Kyaw Nyein and Aung San. They informed the British governor, but he did nothing. Many weapons had been lost.

They informed the British governor after they received information that U Saw had obtained many weapons?

Yes, the governor was informed by my fathers department. They knew something would be happening due to the loss of weapons. At that time, U Nu and U Kyaw Nyein also received information that something was in the works.

It was reported that Aung San was not actually assassinated by the weapons that Young supplied. Reports said other weapons were used to assassinate him and his colleagues. Is this correct?

There were four assassins. Three of them used tommy guns. The youngest assassin, Yan Gyi Aung, used a Sten gun. After the assassination, the weapons were taken to India and thoroughly examined.

What was discovered?

They found that the weapons had come from the British army, and they found out who sold them. Young was arrested. But later, the suppliers were secretly freed.

How did British leaders regard Aung San and other Burmese leaders?

Churchill was the war-time prime minister. When U Saw asked for dominion status, Churchill told U Saw to ask him again after the war. But Churchill was defeated in the election and succeeded by Attlee, a socialist. If Churchill had kept power, Burma wouldnt have gained its independence.

Churchill said something about Aung San after he was assassinated.

He said that Aung San, his 30 comrades and the Thakhins were rebels who fought against the British, so why should he contact and help them? Churchill meant they didnt need to help Burma because it had fought against the British. Lord Mountbatten, however, favored Burma. After the war these issues needed to be debated, and there were debates in the British House of Commons about how to handle Burmese affairs. Nothing would have happened if Lord Mountbatten was not there. He helped Burma a lot. He told Aung San that he must give up his military position if he wanted to be a politician. Then Aung San resigned from the military.

What is your opinion of U Saw?

U Saw was very ambitious and selfish. Although he was an uneducated person, he achieved a high position due to his political ambition. Probably some British in the government liked him and used him.

U Saw went to London together with Aung San to make an agreement with Prime Minister Attlee. Was his refusal to sign the agreement due to envy of Aung San or policy disagreements?

As you know, an agreement must consist of many points, so one can easily find fault and withdraw. U Saw tried to find fault in the Nu-Attlee agreement and then the Aung San-Attlee agreement. Thakhin Ba Sein as well. Thakhin Tun Oak accused Aung San of killing a village headman and attempted to have him jailed.

What do you think would have happened in Burma if Aung San and his cabinet ministers had not been assassinated?

It would have been much better. He was not a god. He himself said that he was not a god. U Nu was the only person who listened to him when he said that U Kyaw Nyein, Thakhin Than Tun, U Ba Swe and Thakhin Soe needed to be controlled.

Was it possible for Aung San to get along with those men who needed to be controlled or those who opposed him?

The military respected him. There were people who admired him. Although our navy was small, we had many well-trained and well-disciplined men. As did the air force. The air force and navy supported him. Our men knew all about them. Communists started organizing the military personnel, but well-disciplined personnel could not be organized. Those personnel supported Aung San. Karen and Kachin army personnel also supported Aung San.

Do you see any significant differences between Aung San and his daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?

His daughter returned to Burma for her ill mother. When her mother died, she decided to lead the people in their struggle for democracy. She resembles her father. She has a good nature and is intelligent as well. People like what she has spoken and done. I say she is very smart and wise.
Burma Around 5,000 Sagaing Villagers Flee Myanmar Junta Raid

A house torched by junta troops in Pa Lai village. / CJ

Over 5,000 residents from three villages in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, fled their homes after junta raids on Sunday.

Shootouts occurred outside Pa Lai village on Sunday evening when resistance fighters used homemade rifles against large numbers of advancing junta troops.

They came with informants. At first, there was only a truck of them but more troops followed in smaller vehicles. We were outnumbered and they fired artillery at the village. All the villagers have fled into the forest, said a Pa Lai villager.

Junta troops set a National League for Democracy ((NLD) supporters house in Pa Lai on fire. The two-story building, along with four silos and harvesters, was destroyed. The financial loss was estimated at more than 100 million kyats (US$61,000), said another resident.

About 16km from Shwebo, Pa Lai is a large village with a population of more than 3,000. Nearby villages Kantha and Gontan have a combined population of over 2,000.

All the villagers fled. We cant yet return because they are stationed at a monastery in the village. Some houses were damaged by shelling. I dont know yet if anyone was injured, said a resident.

Junta troops also reportedly ransacked the house of a former NLD chairman in Kantha village and detained three villagers. Personnel have also reportedly raided villages adjacent to Kantha and Gontha.

We are still in the forest and having troubles. Some of us are elderly and children. They are raiding one village after another. I heard a woman was shot by a sniper. I dont know if she died. Many of us ran as soon as they entered the village. All the villagers followed after they started firing artillery, said a villager.

Four residents were killed in a shootout between a neighborhood watch group and junta troops in Seik Khun village on Saturday.



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Burma Australian Adviser Detained by Myanmar Junta at Risk of COVID-19

Australian professor Sean Turnell and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon in 2012. / Sean Turnells Facebook

The family of detained Australian economic adviser Sean Turnell has called again for his immediate release by the Myanmar military regime, saying that his health is at tremendous risk with coronavirus surging in the countrys prisons.

Turnell, a key adviser to ousted State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained at Yangons Insein Prison for over five months.

The Delta variant has reached Insein [prison] and my husband has experienced cold and flu symptoms for a few weeks, Turnells wife Ha Vu wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

Insein Prison is one of three jails where the junta has imposed a lockdown after COVID-19 outbreaks. Senior National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders U Nyan Win and U Han Tha Myint recently caught coronavirus while detained in Insein, but the number of infected detainees remains unknown.

Moreover, Ha Vu said that Turnell was desperate to see his father who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

He [Turnells father] doesnt have long to liveSean knows thisand he is devastated. He is very anxious for whatever the misunderstanding might be to be resolved quickly, she said.

Our family urges the authorities to let Sean Turnell return home to Australia as soon as possible. So that Sean can be with his father for the rest of his fathers life. It is the right thing to do, you know that, she added.

She pleaded with the regime to release Turnell saying please act on humane grounds, compassionate grounds and, more importantly, on the ordinary grounds of a son to his father, a husband to his wife and a beloved relative to his family.

Turnell has served as one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis top economic policy advisers for several years. He is also director of research at the Myanmar Development Institute, a leading economic thinktank focused on building government capacity.

He was arrested days after the military seized power in a Feb. 1 coup, after claiming that the 2020 general election was marred by voter fraud. The NLD won a landslide victory in that election, which outside observers judged to be free and fair.

In March, junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said Turnell was being investigated and faced two possible charges by the junta over allegations that he tried to flee Myanmar after the military takeover with secret financial information. The offenses carry imprisonment terms of five and seven years respectively.

His family and the Australian government have repeatedly called for Turnells release. The junta said that they have been allowed to speak with Turnell.



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Burma Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Misses Myanmars Martyrs Day Ceremony

The head of the Yangon City Development Committee laying a wreath on behalf of General Aung San's family.

Detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not present at Mondays Martyrs Day ceremony marking the assassination of her father General Aung San and his colleagues on July 19, 1947.

Instead, a department head of the Yangon City Development Committee laid a wreath at the Martyrs Mausoleum in Yangon for Gen. Aung San as Myanmar marked the 74th anniversary of his death.

The families of other assassinated martyrs U Ba Win, Thakhin Mya and Ko Htwe did not attend the ceremony either. Event organizers laid wreaths on their behalf. The families of U Ba Cho, Mahn Ba Khaing, Sao San Tun, U Ohn Maung and U Razak were present at the event.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained by the military since they seized power in a Feb. 1 coup.

However, she was allowed to attend previous Martyrs Day ceremonies while she was detained under house arrest by the previous military regime between 1989 and 2010.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended last years ceremony together with detained President U Win Myint. But this year, Religious Affairs and Culture Minister U Ko Ko attended on his behalf.



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Burma Obituary: Unacknowledged Godfather of Myanmars Democracy Movement Dies of COVID-19

U Nay Min / Ari Porat

U Nay Min, the Yangon-based rights lawyer and indefatigable democracy campaigner, has died of COVID-19 aged 75.

Few people in Myanmar will know his name, particularly not Generation Z. Yet ironically, at a similar moment of revolutionary fervor, this courageous activist seized the hour as demonstrators took to the streets against the dictatorship and at a pivotal moment in his countrys history, he changed it forever.

U Nay Min came to me like a gift from God. A cub reporter, Id been sent to Burma  as Myanmar was then known  by BBC World Service Radio on an undercover assignment in July 1988. Tensions were at boiling point and people were too afraid to talk to a foreign reporter.

Enter U Nay Min.

With a fearlessness that was his hallmark, under the noses of the countrys ubiquitous Military Intelligence agents, he sought me out at my hotel and offered to arrange clandestine interviews with dissident student leaders.

U Nay Min went further. Having consulted the astrologers for the most auspicious date, he primed the students to tell me their revolution would start at eight minutes past eight on the eighth day of the eighth month of 1988, just weeks away.

The tapes were smuggled out in British diplomatic bags, sent to BBC headquarters in London and broadcast back on the Burmese Service. Zero hour had been announced to a people desperate for change and at the appointed minute, the 1988 revolution began.

U Nay Min was the mastermind of this seminal big bang moment, which resonates loudly today as the Civil Disobedience Movement again braves military repression on the streets.

Unlikely spin doctor

In a time before Twitter and Facebook, U Nay Min realized the value for Burma of getting the brutality of the military into the international headlines.

In truth and with decades of hindsight, I salute his manipulation of an inexperienced reporter for the greater good.

Beyond students, U Nay Min introduced me to a disgruntled army officer who described the human rights abuses perpetrated by the military, for example using villagers in the ethnic nationalities areas to walk in front of troops as human mine detectors.

When the people of Burma heard these stories directly from a serving officer, hatred of the army grew further and international outrage against the Tatmadaw (Myanmars military) also mounted.

U Nay Min was an unlikely but artful spin doctor, who understood far better than the butchers with the guns the power of the mass media to turn world opinion.

After a week I left Rangoon (now Yangon) in haste for neighboring Bangladesh on the advice of the British Embassy, who saw me as a diplomatic incident waiting to happen.

Undeterred, U Nay Min tracked me down in Dhaka and sent me news by telephone on an almost hourly basis, using the codename Eastern Star.

Journalists across the country had joined the general strike and were reporting in to him, sidestepping state control of the media. Eastern Star had become the most powerful opinion-maker in the land and used his newfound power to maximum effect.

During the twice-daily broadcasts by the BBC Burmese Service, the country came to a virtual standstill, as 44 million people hung on every word of reports that U Nay Min had fed me.

But within weeks he was arrested, given an eight-year sentence, held in solitary confinement and badly tortured. Such was his commitment to the power of truth telling, that on his release, Eastern Star called me in London to give me more information.

He was rearrested and imprisoned for another eight years.

Buddhist conviction

When I returned to Yangon in 2013 for the first time since those events, I made my peace with U Nay Min. It was hard for him. The military told him I had betrayed him to them.

He was gracious and with true Buddhist conviction confessed he must have been a bad person in a previous life.

He was at one with his past, but exasperated by the lack of political movement in the country and frustrated by the militarys decision to revoke his lawyers license, which thwarted his raison detre: protecting the vulnerable and advocating for the voiceless.

Hed devoted much of his life as a lawyer to defending Burmas minorities, particularly the countrys Muslims, on one occasion risking his life to write a protest letter to the hated dictator, General Ne Win.

Last week, when we heard hed contracted COVID-19, we arranged for fresh oxygen to be taken to U Nay Mins bedside. The tank he was already using had a faulty valve and though we fixed it, the damage had been done and he passed away in the middle of the night.

My only consolation is that U Nay Min would probably have seen this as a fitting end, dying in a final act of solidarity with the most disadvantaged around him.

Rest in peace, U Nay Min. Yours was a life of sacrifice, lived for others. May your foresight, courage and commitment never be forgotten, particularly in Myanmar, a country whose fate you shaped and where your legacy lives on in Generation Z.

Eastern Star may have been extinguished, but your light still shines and always will.

Chris Gunness is Director of the London-based Myanmar Accountability Project, which fights cases in national courts for the victims of human rights abuses committed by Myanmar security forces.



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Analysis The Myanmar Generals Who Have Relentlessly Persecuted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Are Worse Than Her Fathers Assassin

Above - U Saw (far left), Aung San (center) and Ne Win (far right); Below - Than Shwe (far left), Aung San Suu Kyi (center), Min Aung Hlaing (far right).

General Aung San died a national hero when he was assassinated by his political rival Galon U Saw on July 19, 1947. More than 70 years after his death, the generals who call him the father of Myanmars army are desperate to get rid of his daughter.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also became a national icon when she led Myanmars democracy struggle against the military dictatorship in 1988. She, however, has met a fate worse than her fathers, being subjected to three decades of oppression at the cruel hands of the generals.

Myanmar was the most developed democracy in Southeast Asia in the years that followed independence. Thanks to the mismanagement of military dictator General Ne Win, who ruled the country under a one-party dictatorship from 1962 to 1988, Myanmar was reduced to being one of the least developed countries in the world.

The pro-democracy uprising in 1988 gave birth to a democratic icon. Addressing a mass rally of 500,000 people at the western gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda on Aug. 26, 1988, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, then 43, rose to lead Myanmars struggle for democracy.

In her 30-minute speech, she stressed the need for unity to achieve democracy. She appealed to the armed forces to become a force in which the people can place their trust and reliance. The armed forces are meant for this nation and people and they should be such a force having the honor and respect of the people, she said.

Her speech was touching, but not to the military. On Sept. 18, 1988, dictator Ne Win summoned army chief General Saw Maung and military intelligence chief Major General Khin Nyunt to his office, and ordered them to stage a coup. That evening, Myanmar found herself under military rule again.

The two military leaders used every dirty trick in the book to oppress Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy. It held multiparty democratic elections in 1990 as it had promised. But 10 months before the vote, it put Daw Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest on July 20, 1989.

The NLD secured a landslide victory in the 1990 poll, winning in more than 90 percent of constituencies, but the military refused to hand over power. It went further and forced the NLD to expel Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, threatening to disband it if it did not do so. The party expelled her in 1991 while she was under house arrest.

She spent a total of 15 years under house arrest from 1989 to 2010, interspersed with brief periods when she was released. Away from her family, she was confined at her residence in Yangon. Military dictator Senior General Than Shwe met her three times during those years, but only to reduce international pressure on his regime.

In the years when she was free, the military regime was always happy to disrupt her pro-democracy campaign trips. In November 1996, military-backed thugs attacked her car on the Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, one of the mains roads in Yangon, in broad daylight. The car was badly damaged.

In June 1998, thugs beat youths attending a biweekly reading session at her residence. She was struck in the back and her left shoulder was bruised when she intervened.

The worst such case was the attempted assassination of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in 2003, carried out at the instruction of Than Shwe. In what has become known as the Depayin (also Tabayin) Massacre, thousands of regime-backed thugs armed with swords, spears and sharpened bamboo sticks attacked Daw Aung San Suu Kyis motorcade in Kyee Village, on the outskirts of Sagaing Regions Depayin Township, on May 30, 2003.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, her driver and some other NLD members managed to escape the massacre, but she was again put under house arrest.

She was released in 2010, and was elected to the Lower House in the 2012 by-election. Her party won a landslide in the 2015 general election, and less than a month later, she was invited to meet then dictator Than Shwe, whom she greeted as uncle. The details of their discussions have never been disclosed.

As the military-drafted 2008 Constitution bars her from becoming the countrys president, she led her NLD government in a de facto capacity for the next five years as the State Counselor. The NLD government attempted to amend the Constitution to reduce the role of the military in Myanmars politics and transform the Myanmar military into a standard army, angering military chief Min Aung Hlaing, Than Shwes handpicked successor.

The NLD won an even greater landslide victory in the 2020 election and while international observers said the voting was generally free and fair, Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, claiming the poll was marred by fraud.

Detained in an unknown location in Naypyitaw, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi now faces up to 75 years in jail on multiple charges.

In her 30-year-long struggle for democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has battled military leaders Ne Win, Saw Maung, Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt and Min Aung Hlaing. Unquestionably, what they have done to her is far more evil than the actions of Galon U Saw, who was sent to the gallows for killing Gen. Aung San.



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The Martyrs Mausoleum, the venue in Yangons Bahan Township where members of the public gather annually on July 19 to pay tribute to their assassinated leaders, was unusually deserted on Monday as Myanmar marked 74 years since the 1947 assassination of her independence hero, Gen. Aung San, and his colleagues.

Last year, the gatherings were muted due to coronavirus-related social distancing measures and the mausoleum was cordoned off. But this year, the military regime, which seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, has blocked all the main roads leading to the site, as the whole country is under coronavirus lockdown.

Only armed junta soldiers were seen on Monday at the four corners of the Secretariat Building, the site where Gen. Aung San and his cabinet members were assassinated. On this day in previous years, the site was teeming with large crowds of people paying their respects.

Bogyoke Aung San Museum, Gen. Aung Sans last residence in Bahan before his assassination, was also quiet this year. Only patrolling junta trucks were seen on Natmauk Street, where the museum is located.
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FILE - Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, speaks at "Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World" on May 2, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. Harry is writing what his publisher is calling an intimate and heartfelt memoir. Random House announced on Monday, July 19, 2021, that the book, currently untitled, is expected to come out late in 2022.
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.
A funeral service for Bill Slider, of Jacksonville, is scheduled at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at 4 p.m. Reverend Ernest Higginbotham and Jeff Slider will officiate. He will be laid to rest at Pierce's Chapel Cemetery in Jacksonville. Visitation wil
Evan Robinson-Johnson covers issues residents face on a daily basis, from smoky skies to housing insecurity. Originally from New England, he has settled in east Jackson and avoids crowds by rollerblading through the alleyways.
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Opinion Columnist

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Susan covers the towns of Somers and Ellington. She joined the JI in May 2021 and graduated from Skidmore College. She recently completed docent training for the Wadsworth Atheneum and hopes to start giving tours some time next year.
A year ago, on 16 July 2020, the Vatican issued new (but non-binding) guidelines telling bishops to report cases of clerical sex abuse to civil authorities even where local laws dont require it, as is the case in some countries, and in some American states. Since his election in 2013 Pope Francis has vowed to tackle such crimes in the Catholic Church, which span decades across the world. But United Nations Special Rapporteurs say the Catholic Church is still obstructing justice and must step up its measures to take on this scourge.

A UN statement on June 21 revealed that four Special Rapporteurs had written to the Holy See (Vatican diplomatic representation) in April this year urging accountability for perpetrators, reparation for victims, more transparency and an end to obstructive practices. The letter was kept confidential for 60 days to allow Church authorities to respond, but they have not done so.

Fabian Salvioli, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, says in an interview with Justice Info that he still does not rule out a response, since these are not simple allegations. But if there is no reply, he added, then the silence is very loud.

Salvioli signed the letter along with UN Special Rapporteurs on the sale and sexual exploitation of children (Fatima Singhateh); torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (Nils Melzer); and on the rights of persons with disabilities (Gerard Quinn).

Justice Info has written to the Holy See requesting a response to their letter, but has not received a reply.

UN pressure since 2014

Its great that Special Rapporteurs have addressed the impunity that reigns in most clergy abuse cases globally, says Victor Sande-Aneiros, a researcher on this issue at the London-based NGO Child Rights International Network (CRIN). The more UN bodies and experts that address the issue, the more attention and visibility it gets.

But he also says that the Holy See has a history of shrugging off these calls for justice. Not only has it not responded to the Special Rapporteurs, but it continues to deny responsibility for abuse perpetrated at the hands of individual priests, arguing that its not liable, as well as when its committed abroad by saying it doesnt have jurisdiction.

This is not the first time that the UN has spoken out on child abuse in the Catholic Church, but with four Special Rapporteurs signing the latest letter, Salvioli says this is the first time it has issued a cross-cutting call. Their letter follows up on an April 2019 communication by previous UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and exploitation of children Maud de Boer-Buquicchio and her press release in December that year, in which she expressed similar concerns.

The latest letter also makes reference to a 2014 report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which said the Holy See had not recognised the scale of the crimes committed by members of the clergy, had not adopted the necessary measures to tackle the problem, and was continuing policies and practices that perpetuated impunity and allowed abuses to continue.

The Vatican is a signatory to both the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child and on Torture. The committee monitoring implementation of the Convention on Torture also noted in 2014 that concordats (conventions between the Holy See and a particular state that define their relationships on certain matters) and agreements that it has negotiated with other states were obstructing the pursuit of justice against suspected perpetrators of child sexual abuse.

This is just the tip of the iceberg

An exclusive map published by Justice Info in September 2020 gives an overview of this unprecedented justice issue, as well as transitional justice measures that some countries are starting to put in place to deal with it. CRIN published a 2014 report on child sex abuse in the Catholic Church to coincide with the UNs first review in nearly 20 years of the Vaticans child rights record.

There are tens of thousands of victims across the world, with crimes going back decades and perhaps centuries. The UN Special Rapporteurs gathered complaints from victims and victims groups, documentation from within the UN and many sources around the world. Their letter makes reference to commissions of inquiry in Germany, Belgium, France, Canada (Truth Commission on Church-run indigenous schools), Chili, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, revealing thousands of cases and many more victims.

Asked to give a figure for the total number of cases recorded, Salvioli would say only that the number is enormous and this is just the tip of the iceberg, as it is still difficult for victims to speak out and new cases are still being uncovered. He points to the recent discoveries of mass graves in Canada containing the remains of nearly 1,000 pupils at former Church-run indigenous schools and says it is possible there may be more. He called for a full investigation.

Perpetrators in these cases can be found at all levels of the Church, says Salvioli. Crimes include many forms of sexual abuse against children and handicapped minors, as well as forced adoptions.

Recommended reading Sexual abuse in the Church: map of justice worldwide

No information on Vatican-run trials

While UN experts recognise that the Vatican under Pope Francis has taken some welcome steps in the right direction, they say it is still obstructing justice, notably by transferring abusive clergy to other jurisdictions, concluding agreements with states that limit their ability to prosecute suspected perpetrators, and lobbying against removal of statutes of limitation for these crimes.

The Special Rapporteurs also noted the announcement of first prosecutions before the Vatican Criminal Court for sexual abuse and cover-up. But Salvioli says they have no further information. I want to see the results of those trials and the possibility of participation for victims, he told Justice Info. And I want to see what are the penalties, what are the reparations for victims before I can give a conclusion on whether those trials are upholding international standards or not. The Special Rapporteurs letter calls for the Vatican to transmit full information on this, along with all other measures it may be taking to tackle child sexual abuse in the Church.

Given the Churchs obstruction of justice, Sande-Aneiros of CRIN says the situation raises the question of accountability of states where the Catholic Church is present. If more countries had the courage to investigate the large-scale abuse of children in the Church, we wouldnt need to wait for the Vatican to respond.

Asked which countries are doing the most, Salvioli says there has been progress, and each countrys approach is different. He welcomed the report of Canadas Truth Commission and apologies offered by the Canadian Prime Minister, but said this was not yet enough because there also needs to be justice and reparation.

Obstruction of justice as a deliberate and systematic attack

While victims testified before the Canadian Truth Commission, the whole truth remains hard to get. Its so difficult because usually perpetrators are silent, and that is common with perpetrators of crimes against humanity, says Salvioli.

Whether the intent and scale of sexual abuse in the church constitutes a crime against humanity is actually a controversial debate among jurists. In current international criminal law, it would have to qualify as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack, Salvioli notes. He points out that it does not qualify as such under the Statute of the International Criminal Court, but perhaps in the future it could be seen as a crime against humanity.

Salvioli does not believe that child sex abuse is a deliberate and systematic attack by the Church, but, he says, obstruction of justice is  at least up to now.
Prince of Wales recalls first parachute

The Prince of Wales recalled his first parachute landing in Dorset nearly 50 years ago, Initially it was inverted and my legs were on the rigging line.

Charles, 72, showed a new color to the parachute regiment at a ceremony held at Merville Barracks in Colchester, Essex.

On July 29, 1971, he was 23 years old when he landed from Andover to Studland Bay in Dorset. At that time, he received training as a jet pilot during a four-month internship in the Royal Air Force.

In 1977, he was appointed as a colonel of the parachute regiment, and in 1978 he asked to participate in the parachute training course of the British Royal Air Force Britz Norton.

Speaking to soldiers, veterans and family members on Tuesday, he said: I can hardly believe that I have been your colonel for 44 years, and it has been almost 50 years since I landed on a parachute for the first time. At first, my legs were inverted. The rigging line entered Studland Bay in Dorset, where I was pulled out of the water by the Royal Marines.
According to Al Jazeera, the delegation of the Afghan government and the Taliban stated in a joint statement on Sunday that after two days of fruitless talks in Doha, they will meet again and plan to speed up peace talks.

Negotiators of the opposing parties, who have been in Doha since Saturday, stated that the two sides are committed to continuing high-level negotiations until a settlement is reached.

The statement added: We will work hard to provide humanitarian assistance throughout Afghanistan.

Al Jazeeras Osama bin Javad reported in Doha: The two sides proposed a fiercely competitive draft. They finally agreed to talk to each other and speed up the negotiation process. They agreed to speed up the negotiation.

Javaid added that the details have not yet been discussed.

Short-term decline

The two sides have met intermittently in the capital of Qatar for several months, but they have barely achieved significant success. As the Taliban fighters have made tremendous progress on the battlefield, the discussion seems to have lost momentum.

Senior representatives of the Kabul government, including Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Commission for National Reconciliation, flew in for two-day intensive talks as the U.S. military is about to complete the withdrawal.

Before the talks on the second day, the supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Ahunzada, stated that although these groups have achieved lightning victories on the ground, the Islamic emirate strongly supports a political settlement.

However, the Qatari mediator of the talks said at the end of the two days that the two sides only agreed to work to prevent civilian casualties, which is a far cry from the ceasefire agreement reached before.

The two sides agreed to continue high-level negotiations until a settlement is reached. To this end, they will meet again next week, said Mutlaq al-Qahtani, the Qatar counter-terrorism envoy who oversaw the Doha talks.

Complex military operations

Taliban leader Ahunzada said his organization is still committed to formulating a solution to end the war, but criticized opponents of the organization for wasting time.

The Taliban used the final stage of the withdrawal of American and other foreign troops from Afghanistan to launch a series of lightning offensives across the country.

It is believed that the organization now controls about half of the countrys 400 regions, several important border crossings, and besieged a series of important provincial capitals.

A spokesperson for the Afghan Security Forces stated that pro-government fighters conducted 244 operations, killing 967 enemy combatants, including the main commander.

So far, we have regained 24 areas, and our goal is to retake all territories We are ready to defend our country, Ajmal Omar Sinwari told reporters.

The Taliban have long appeared to be united, operating under an effective command system, and carrying out complex military operations, despite rumors of division within its leadership.

But the question remains about the degree of control the Taliban leaders have over local commanders and whether they can persuade them to comply with the potential agreement signed.

Although a few days before Eid al-Fitr, the statement of the Taliban leader apparently did not mention a formal call for a ceasefire.

Over the years, the Taliban announced a series of short truces during Islamic holidays, which initially inspired hopes for greater reduction in violence. However, the organization has been criticized for using a temporary ceasefire to provide supplies and reinforcements to their fighters, allowing them to launch a violent attack on the Afghan security forces after the truce expires.

Rosalind Jordan of Al Jazeera said in a speech in Washington, D.C.: The understanding of the United States has always been that reaching such a large-scale peace agreement between the Taliban and the civilian-led government of Kabul takes time and is very difficult.. Thats why you Will see all these repeated talks.

She added that although the U.S. military left Afghanistan earlier this month, the country remains an important foreign policy issue for the United States.

When it comes to the short-term foreign policy of the United States, it is still very concerned, and Afghanistan is a very important part of it, she explained, adding that the US delegation has been visiting neighboring countries to discuss ways. They can support Afghanistans prospects of prosperity and development and escape from civil war.

After the invasion after the September 11, 2001 attack, a military alliance headed by the United States has been stationed in Afghanistan for nearly two decades.

People are increasingly worried that if there is no important coalition air support, the Afghan army will be overwhelmed, which will lead to the complete military takeover of the Taliban or the start of a multilateral civil war in a country that has been flooded with weapons after nearly four years of fighting.
Fire helicopter rescued 3 people trapped on the rocks in Mission Trails Park

San Diego (CNS)  On Sunday, a fire helicopter rescued three people trapped on a rock in Mission Trails Regional Park near Mission Gorge Road in East County.

Dave Pilkerton, the battalion commander of the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department, said the incident was reported at 3:08 pm on Sunday, and firefighters arrived in Junipero, East County at 3:16 pm No. 8300, Father Serra Trail.

Pilkton said that a rescue helicopter lifted the three men from the rock at about 3:30 pm and placed them near the fire truck. The three were dehydrated and firefighters provided them with water.

Except for dehydration, they were not injured.

Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.





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San Diego-Sheriffs officials said on Sunday that a woman was found dead after a fire broke out in a mobile home park in San Diego, but her grandson was able to escape.

According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, a fire was reported on a trailer at Sweetwater Lodge near Jamacha Avenue in Spring Valley before 10pm on Saturday night.

When the firefighters arrived, the mobile home had been engulfed by flames. After hearing that someone was still trapped inside, they started search and rescue work while fighting the flames, San Miguel Fire Brigade. Chief Roddy Blunt said.

The 14-year-old boy told the sheriffs investigators that his grandmother had been sleeping in the trailer. Authorities said that when firefighters rushed to her and contained the fire, they found her dead.

The officer of the sheriff said that the boys family was contacted to take care of him, and he was eventually taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation treatment, out of caution.

A neighbor told a photographer of the 619 news media that he and his partner did their best to reach the woman, but they could not enter the burning building.

He was yellinggrandma, grandma, grandma, neighbor Abel Machado said when he recalled the boy standing outside the burning trailer calling for help. The young teenager told Machado that his grandmother had been sleeping in the fired secret room.

We kicked the front door, and black smoke came out. We ran to the back and kicked the door, and black smoke came out. My partner, Gio, he started to yank the window and then pop it out, but Black smoke came out again and it was impossible to get in. This is impossible. We tried to do what we could.

As a precautionary measure, nearby residents were evacuated, but the fire did not spread to any other mobile homes. The sheriffs bomb and arson investigators are investigating the cause of the fire.
OSID, Calif.  On Saturday, a resident of OSID had an unforgettable meeting with three half-sisters, who recently found out that they were related to them after undergoing a DNA test.

Patti Raney Lovvorn, 72, said she also discovered that her father was not her real biological father.

I found my real family. My father died a few years ago, but I have three half-sisters, Lovevaughan said.

On Saturday, Lovvorn flew to Massachusetts, where she was born in 1948, to meet them for the first time.

They are younger than me and have twins, she said.

When they picked her up at the airport, someone saw Lovvorn in the T-shirts of her three half-sisters and jumped up and down happily.

When I found out that this was happening, she contacted me and she was very accepting because I didnt know it was going to happen, and she didnt know, Lovvorn said. It just clicked, and we clicked very well, and I said,Im going to see her now.'
More than 80% of the 301 crew members performing anti-piracy missions in African waters have been confirmed to be infected with the virus.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated in the worst coronavirus outbreak in history that after the military confirms the worst coronavirus outbreak in history, South Korea will be airlifted from a warship involved in anti-piracy operations in African waters. Dozens of crew members. army.

Yonhap News Agency quoted JCS as saying on Monday that a total of 247 crew members from the 301 Qinghai Force tested positive.

It added that the department reported six cases of COVID-19 for the first time last week, which led to the testing of the entire crew for the virus.

Most of the sailors are quarantined on the ship, Munmu the Great, although 16 people have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

After the government sent two transport planes to pick them up, all crew members are expected to return home on Tuesday.

The destroyer is part of an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Hormuz and will be driven home by a replacement team of sailors. The crew usually rotates every six months.

This outbreak is the worst since the military reported its first case of COVID-19 in February last year, as people have increasingly criticized the military for dealing with the disease in its ranks.

No one in the unit was vaccinated because they left South Korea before the country started the vaccination campaign.

Yonhap News Agency quoted an official from the Ministry of Defense as saying: We will review and supplement military guidelines on the management of overseas troops, including how to deal with infectious diseases.

Yonhap said the infection appeared to have started after the ship docked at an African port at the end of June to load supplies.

One day after the destroyer left the port, a sailor developed cold symptoms. He was not tested for COVID-19 and was not quarantined.

About a week later, after a dozen other people developed similar symptoms, the authorities used a rapid test kit for COVID-19 testing instead of a more accurate PCR test, which found that they were all negative. Officials said the first cases were confirmed only when six of the samples were sent for PCR testing.

According to the ministry, of the approximately 1,300 soldiers on overseas missions, approximately 73% are now fully vaccinated.
The Office of the Official Language Commissioner said it will investigate the process of nominating the Governor after receiving hundreds of complaints from Canadians that the latest nominee, Mary Simon, does not speak French.

The office stated that it has received more than 430 complaints and considers many of them to be admissible.

Simon is an Inuit and was educated at the Federal Day School in Nunavik, where she had no opportunity to learn French when she was a child.

She promised to study hard in the post of governor. Many French-speaking countries questioned why she had not done so during her nearly 20 years of work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Commissioner Raymond Theberge stated that he was not surprised by the number of complaints.

I expect a lot of complaints, because for many Canadians, the issue of official language and language duality is very important, he said. Complaints continue.

Teberg said his office recognizes Simons personal qualities, her contribution, but the question is: do we set a precedent for the nomination of senior Canadian officials in the next few years?

Theberge stated that the investigation will not personally investigate Simon, but will examine the procedures used to nominate the governor.

The official language law applies to federal agencies, Teberg said. It does not apply to individuals. The investigation will investigate the Office of the Privy Council. It will not investigate Mrs. Simon, but the process that led to her nomination.

Simon will be appointed Governor of Canada on July 26. She will be the first aboriginal to hold this position.
The former president who was jailed for contempt of court faces separate charges of corruption caused by arms sales in 1999.

The prolonged corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma. His imprisonment on separate charges triggered several days of Fatal riots and robberies Across the country, it has been restored.

On Monday, Zuma almost appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, where he faced 16 charges of fraud, corruption, and extortion. These charges were the same as buying fighter jets and patrol boats from five European arms companies when he was Vice President in 1999. Related to military equipment.

This 79-year-old man is defendant Accepted bribes from one of the companies, the French defense giant Thales, which was charged with corruption and money laundering.

The trial began in May, but Zumas legal team tried to drop the charges and faced multiple delays and delays.

On Monday, the former presidents legal team requested that the trial be postponed again, arguing that the defendant had the right to appear in person. Zuma had previously appeared in court at the beginning of the trial and acquitted him.

On June 29, the former president was convicted of contempt of the Supreme Court of South Africa on charges of violating an order of the Constitutional Court and testified by a judicial team that conducted a separate investigation of corruption during his presidency.

A week later, his imprisonment triggered widespread violent protests, looting and arson in his hometowns of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, resulting in the looting of commercial areas and the death of at least 200 people.

A large number of police appeared

On Monday, fearing that the resumption of the trial would trigger further violent protests, armored vehicles and heavily armed soldiers and police were stationed outside the courtroom. Such protests eased over the weekend.

People worry or think that Zumas supporters will use this hearing today as an opportunity to show their support for the former president, Al Jazeeras Bernard Smith reported in Pietermaritzburg.

Thats why there are a lot of police and army stationed. A parkthe place where they usually gather is also blocked.

Despite this, Smith reported that there were almost no demonstrations at the beginning of the lawsuit.

People cant even get very close to (the court). This country is also experiencing a very serious COVID outbreak and is under lockdown, which may discourage some people, he said.

Zuma is a veteran of the struggle against white minority rule. He served as President of South Africa from 2009 to 2018, and then resigned under pressure from his political party, the African National Congress (ANC). Because of the decline in public support, the public feels about corruption allegations. anger.

Zuma, once known as the President of Teflon, and his supporters have repeatedly denied censorship of his actions and denied that it has caused the current unrest.

His lawyer is currently seeking to overturn his 15-month prison sentence.
After discussing the topic of wind farms in the latest episode, COUNTRYFILE viewers lashed out at the hypocrisy of the BBC program.

The host Charlotte Smith submitted a special report on the impact of offshore wind farms on the English countryside.

4 BBCs Countryfile has come under fire for investigating a new wind farm project in Norfolk, which is expected to become one of the largest wind farm projects in the world Credit: Alami

Smith interviewed a series of people for the show, including a farmer. He took the government to the High Court on the matter because he was worried about the governments impact on the environment.

Offshore wind farms, for some clean, green energy futures, Smith began her report.

For others, there is a stain on the horizon, and there will be more stains-19 places along the coast have been designated for wind farms.

Now, if the government gives them all the approvals, they will help generate enough electricity to power every household in the country by 2030.

But the new front is being drawn around their environmental impact, not offshore but inland.

The speaker went to Norfolk, where the Vanguard wind farm is located, which will become one of the largest wind farms in the world and will be managed by a Swedish company.

If the wind farm is approved, the company will need to build 105 landing sites, which are cables at the intersection of ocean and land.

The landing site will then provide energy for 386 substations that load electrical loads onto the national grid.

Farmer Ray Pearce was dissatisfied with the construction plan and sued the British government to the High Court for defense.

You will lose agriculture for a long time, he told Smith.

You will also promote climate change by producing hundreds of kilometers of cables. If we are a cliff, then this is the wrong approach.

Smith retorted: Some people will argue that you dont want this in your backyard.

Its about the government taking a strategic view of this sustainable energy, Lei responded.

Countryfile viewers were shocked by this section and pointed out the benefits of renewable energy.

Quel surprises, Nimbys hypocrisy, the highest level. #windfarms #countryfile #ClimateCrisis #renewableenergy, one Twitter user wrote.

Another added: I dont believe this argument about offshore wind farms based on trenches required for cables. Of course, not ideal but much better than using fossil fuels and nuclear energy? Unlike HS2 or road expansion, trenches can be restored. And return the land? #countryfile, another wrote.

The third person wrote: @countryfile Offshore Wind Farm. Its just not in front of his house. #??File.

4 Host Charlotte Smith went to Norfolk to investigate the matter Credit: BBC

4 She talked to different people affected by the new wind farm to understand their views on this issue Credit: BBC

4 Including farmer Ray Pearce, who took the government to court on this issue Credit: BBC
Federal officials are expected to release the long-awaited update announcement regarding the reopening of the Canadian border this morning.

The government closed its borders to foreign travelers in March 2020 and imposed strict measures on non-essential workers, but Ottawa hinted that now that COVID-19 cases are declining and vaccination rates are rising, it is willing to relax these regulations.

Later last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised this issue during a phone call with the governors.

The Prime Minister pointed out that if our current positive vaccination rates and public health conditions continue, Canada will be able to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September, the call said.

He noted that discussions with the United States on the reopening plan are ongoing, and said that we are expected to allow vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents to enter Canada for non-essential travel from mid-August.

The Cabinet Secretary is expected to announce it at 1:30 pm Eastern Time.

Since the beginning of this month, fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents can skip the 14-day quarantine requirement.
After a senior colleague in the Toronto office of the Immigration and Refugee Commission reportedly praised we had a good time with slaves, a federal employee broke the silence about her experience of being black in public service.

In an interview with CBC News, Monica Agard stated that the board failed to take action or acknowledge the psychological harm that racist remarks caused to her as a black woman even after she filed a formal notice of the matter.

To make matters worse, she said, just a few months after the so-called comment was posted, the same employee continued to be Agards direct supervisor until she objected, and he was reassigned about a week later.

In my heart, I believe there is some potential racial tone in this, because why do you want to make such a comment? Agard told CBC News.

These comments themselves are clearly racist.

Questions raised when a colleague becomes a supervisor

Her experience is just one of more and more stories of black civil servants who say they have been silently facing discrimination in their ranks for decades, whether it is poor treatment or promotion.

Agard said that apart from the comments themselves, the lack of action by the immigration committee doubted the damage.

Watch | Federal employees speak out about their experience of becoming black in public service:

After a senior colleague in the Toronto office of the Immigration and Refugee Commission reportedly praised we had a good time with slaves, a federal employee broke the silence about her experience of being black in public service. 0:43

She said: I saw that they didnt see me as a person. Its not enough to sayI will deal with this because its serious.

She said that in November 2019, when a more senior employee passed by and broke into the conversation, Agard had worked in the public service for 30 years and she had been talking about their workload with a colleague at her desk.

We need to go back to the good times when we had slaves, she claimed the senior employee said.

I feel like Im about to collapse, Agad wrote in an official notice this spring, adding that she asked the employee to stop or she would appeal to him.

The Immigration and Refugee Commission stated that it takes allegations of this nature very seriously. The board stated that it is aware of Agads allegations and that her case is under review but cannot comment on the specific details of protecting the integrity of the procedure. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Your man is not the only slave, she said, and walked away.

Agard did not file a complaint at the time of the incident-she said that after the earlier complaint against the same person was closed for no reason, she lost confidence in the system and she did not raise the issue to become her superior until he was ready.

Fight for Mental Health Funds for Black Federal Employees

In December last year, more than a dozen current and former federal employees filed a class-action lawsuit with the federal government, naming more than 50 departments and agencies, and demanding compensation of approximately US$900 million. The lawsuit has not yet been certified, but Agad has signed up as a member.

When the lawsuit was filed, the Secretariat of the Canadian Ministry of Finance, which used the Federal Public Service, stated that it could not comment on these allegations because the lawsuit has been submitted to the court for trial.

Earlier this month, the claim was updated: a motion was filed in federal court to provide current and former black employees with a temporary mental health fund of at least $100 million, and the plaintiff said they needed immediate trauma support. I once faced a job in the public service sector.

Racial justice advocate Nicholas Marcus Thompson was one of 12 current and former federal employees who filed a class action lawsuit against Ottawa last year. If certified, it can cover thousands of black employees, and its federal public service can be traced back to 1970. (Paul Bockwood/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Nicholas Marcus Thompson said: The damage that black workers have faced and will continue to face is real and continuing We cant wait, you know, the four-year lawsuit will be resolved. 

Racial justice advocate Thompson was one of 12 current and former federal employees who filed a class action lawsuit last year. If certified, it can cover thousands of black employees, and its federal services can be traced back to 1970.

Some of our class members shared that they had had suicide attempts. They considered ending their lives because it became very challenging and it was very difficult to go to work every day, Thompson told CBC News.

Federal employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program and the Public Service Health Care Program, which provide workers and their families with subsidies of up to $2,000 per year. But Thompson said these resources are insufficientusually short-term, and counselors lack the life experience of specifically addressing the trauma faced by black employees.

Like all organizations, the board has more work to do

The Immigration and Refugee Commission stated in an email to CBC News that it takes allegations of this nature very seriously. The board stated that it was aware of Agads allegations and that her case was under review but could not comment on the specific details of protecting the integrity of the procedure.

IRB spokesperson Line-Alice Guibert-Wolff said: Racism and discrimination in any form are unacceptable and fundamentally incompatible with IRBs core values ??of civilization, fairness and respect, and our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. An ongoing commitment to work culture.

A manager so daring to make such comments It shows the privileges white people enjoy in public service. Nicholas Marcus Thompson

Guibert-Wolff said: Like all organizations, the board has more work to do to ensure that the experience of all its employees is consistent with the organizations values, adding that it has established a new office of ombudsman and a new office in 2020. Mandatory training, and it is continuing to develop a diversity and inclusion strategy.

In an email to CBC News, the Canadian Treasury Secretariat stated that the amendments to the Public Service Employment Act received Royal Assent on June 29-just before the motion filed earlier this month. day. The board stated that the amendment reaffirmed the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce and strengthened regulations to address potential biases and obstacles in staffing.

The Secretariat also stated that it is studying the motions raised in the lawsuit and hopes to resolve the concerns raised through further discussions with the plaintiff.

The Canadian government is committed to creating a healthy, supportive and respectful workplace. A healthy workplace is essential to the physical and mental health of all public service personnel because it enables them to fully utilize their diverse talents, skills and energy. They provide services to Canadians, spokesperson Martin Potvin said.

Activists say signs of bigger problems

Thompson said that although Agads experience was heartbreaking, it was a sign of greater problems within the service.

He said: For a manager to make such a comment not only in front of an employee but also in front of another employee, it shows the privileges white people enjoy in public service.

At the same time, Agad, who is still an employee of the Immigration and Refugee Commission, said it is important for her to speak out for the benefit of other black employees who may be struggling.

All these people from different fields of service have similar stories. They have not progressed, been respected, and deprived you of your dignity and self-worth.

Sometimes when you suffer, you think you are suffering alone, she said in tears. Together is always stronger.

For more stories about the experience of black Canadiansfrom anti-black racism to success stories in the black communitycheck out Becoming Black in Canada, a CBC project that Canadian blacks can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
In the past few months, I wrote something about SB-519, California Senator Scott Wiener (Scott Wiener) introduced a bill earlier this year aimed at legalizing a large number of psychedelic drugs-from psilocybin to ketamine to LSD (you can read these Post Here, Here, with Here). SB-519 has passed the California State Senate and is now (hopefully) passing a general vote and passing Congress before being signed into law by Governor Newsom.

When SB-519 was first proposed, I very much doubted whether it had any chance of success, because in the past three years, despite many attempts, the California legislature failed to even pass the CBD bill. However, the passage of SB-519 through certain parts of the Senate and Parliament seems to indicate that the bill may have a chance of success.

If you have not read my previous post, please remember that SB-519 is Is not The legalization bill but the decriminalization bill may be the reason why it has received attention in the first place. Legalization is different from decriminalization because legalization usually results in a regulated market, while decriminalization usually reduces or eliminates penalties, and nothing more.

In other words, SB-519 will not cause psychedelic pharmacies, but if people use or possess psilocybin, for example, this may eliminate a lot of punishment. That said, keep in mind that the California legislature is much more conservative than you might think, so some changes have been made to the bill to limit its breadth.Recently, the bill was Fix Increasing the personal ownership limit-those who possess more than the limit may still be subject to more severe penalties.

If SB-519 is passed, there may be more changes between now and signing.

With SB-519 winding its way through the legislature, marijuana is the latest Report California activists submitted a petition to the state calling for the initiation of the voting process for psilocybin legalization Measures that will be used in the 2022 elections. This initiative is called the California Cyrosibin Initiative 2022 (CPI), and it is legalized by California and submitted to the California Attorney General.

The scope of CPI is extremely broad, much broader than the legalization law of psilocybin in Oregon, and even wider than the cannabis law in California. It will allow unlimited ownership, use by anyone over 21, planting on private property, etc.

The law will grant the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) very limited regulatory authority, but clearly stipulates that, except for those evaluating normal non-psilocybin products, no license or taxes may be imposed on psilocybin.The law will allow companies in agricultural production areas on land approved by the CDFA to start producing psilocybin on January 1, 2023, and any Companies with a sellers license can start selling psilocybin products to people 21 and older (this may include a large number of companies). There will also be labeling requirements that are no different from the cannabis labeling requirements (but still more limited than the cannabis labeling requirements).

This is just a short summary, but as you can see, CPI goes further than any type of legalization bill on psilocybin and even marijuana that I have seen. Unless it is modified, I think this chance of success is very slim. But we must wait and see. At the same time, let us have high hopes for SB-519.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia called on the President of Serbia to keep a distance from the recent controversial remarks made by the Serbian Minister of Interior calling for uniting the Serbian world.

The task of this generation of politicians is to form a Serbian world that unites Serbs wherever they live, Serbian Interior Minister Alexander Vulin said at a meeting celebrating the anniversary of the socialist movement on Sunday.

To form aSerbian World, Serbia needs to be economically successful, well-led, and have an army that can protect Serbia and Serbs, no matter where they live, Vulin said.

Serbian President Alexander Vucic also attended the meeting.

Late on Sunday night, Vulin reiterated on the Serbian broadcaster Pink TV that he believes all Serbs should be united under one country, the Serbian news website Danas ReportHe said that in order to build political unity, all Serbs need to unite and respect Belgrades decision.

Many people in the region found his remarks shocking because previous attempts to unify the Serbs led to wars and conflicts.

In response to Mondays controversial remarks, Bosnian Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic called on Vucic to reprimand Wu Lin.

president @avucic Need to be strong

Reprimanded his minister, Vulin, for his recent remarks. Failure to do so indicates that Serbia supports the policy of undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement, which is an ominous threat to the aggression and genocide 26 years ago! -Bisera Turkovic (@BiseraTurkovic) July 19, 2021

Turkovic wrote on Twitter: Failure to do so will only confirm that Serbias official national policy is to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement and the goal is to merge parts of Bosnia into Serbia.

[Its] An ominous threat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which suffered aggression and genocide 26 years ago! Turkovic wrote on Twitter.

From 1992 to 1995, with the financial and political support of Serbia, Serb forces and Serbian paramilitary forces led an ethnic cleansing campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the goal of forming a Greater Serbia.

In July 1995, according to the decision of the International Court of Justice, these attacks resulted in a genocide against Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica.

The Dayton Peace Agreement signed in December 1995 formally ended the war, but they divided Bosnia into two entities-the Federation led by Bosnia and Croatia and the Serbian Republic led by the Serbs.

Today, most Serbs live in the Bosnian Republika Srpska entity. The Republika Srpska borders Serbia to the east.

Such remarks led the Serbian president to issue a statement claiming that Serbia wants peace and good-neighborly friendship with Bosnia, Turkovic said.

At the meeting, Wulin also stated that it is important to support Vucic to protect this Serbia in the next election, because no one else should be the president of all citizens of Serbia and all Serbs.

Many politicians condemned Wu Lins remarks, including Vojslav Jankovic, a member of the main board of the Serbian Democratic Party.

The Serbian World policy is a continuation of the disastrous policies of the 1990s. This policy has led to the destruction of the country, society and countless family tragedies.

The abuse of national sentiments for pre-election purposes is the shameful political motherland of this regime.https://t.co/ntobPg4oq5 -Vojislav Jankovic (@VojislavJankovi) July 18, 2021

TheSerbian World policy is a continuation of the disastrous policy of the 1990s. This policy has led to the tragedy of the country, society and countless families, Jankovic wrote on Twitter.

The abuse of national sentiments for pre-election purposes is the shameful political basis of this regime.

Predrag Boskovic, a parliamentarian from neighboring Montenegro, wrote on Twitter: Unfortunately, [Serbias] The neighbors felt the consequences of this politics in the cruelest way-through huge casualties, material damage, and an economy that lags behind modern civilization. 

Whenever ?? has such a policy, it is smaller, poorer, and more isolated. Unfortunately, through the huge human sacrifice, material destruction and economic backwardness of modern civilization, all neighboring countries have felt the consequences of this policy in the cruelest way. pic.twitter.com/i6MazL7POf -Predrag Boskovic (@pedjabosskovic) July 19, 2021

Ivan Vukovic, the mayor of Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, quoted Wu Lins comments on strengthening the army and wrote on Twitter: The Serbian Police Minister publicly threatened.

Reaction? Vukovic asked, adding a hashtag to the official Twitter account of the Montenegrin government.

The Bosnian political scientist Jasmin Mujanovic referred to Vulins call for the Serbian world as the Greater Serbia ideology of reactivating former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

Mujanovic said on Twitter: It is now the official foreign policy of Serbia.

Serbias provocative interior minister reiterated that Belgrades generational goal is the unity of all Serbs. That is to restart Milosevics Greater Serbia as Serbian World. Irredentism is now Serbias official foreign policy. https://t.co/hY5RBE9Zci -Jasmin Mujanovic (@JasminMuj) July 18, 2021

Late Monday, the Bosnian website Klix reported that Wulin responded to Turkovic, stating that Serbia would unite peacefully if conditions permit, comparing it to the unification of Germany.

He called on Turkovic to keep his distance from the statements made by two Bosnian politicians with his party, claiming that they would recognize the Kosovo state.
Unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam (Mohammed Nijam) waited for the ferry from the capital of Bangladesh among hundreds of traveling companions. He knew he was at risk of contracting the coronavirus, but he felt that he would stay in another blockade imminent The risks in Dhaka are even greater.

Even if I dont have a job, I have to pay rent every month, he said, adding that his landlord has been annoying him for money, even if he is only struggling to support himself.

I would rather go to my home in my village and live the life God allows me to live.

Nijam is one of tens of millions of Bangladeshis shopping and traveling this week, and the government allowed Islamic Eid al-Fitr during the controversial 8-day suspension during the countrys strict coronavirus lockdown.

Before Dhaka Eid al-Adha, people are shopping in the market [Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP]

Health experts criticized the moratorium, warning that it could exacerbate the continued surge caused by the highly contagious variant of Delta, which was originally discovered in neighboring India.

Benazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former head of the governments health bureau, said: ICU beds are already in short supply, and our health care providers are exhausted.

Therefore, if the situation worsens and more patients come to the hospital for treatment, it will be almost impossible to deal with the crisis.

As the virus spread, almost all parts of Bangladesh were ordered to be closed on July 1, from markets to mass transportation. Soldiers and border guards patrolled the streets. Thousands of people were arrested and imprisoned for violating the blockade.

However, even with the new restrictions, the number of deaths from the virus still hovered at around 200 people per day, and the number of people infected per day is still around 11,000, both of which are considered underestimated. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.

Despite warnings from experts-only 4 million of the countrys 160 million people have been fully vaccinated-the government announced that from July 15 to 23, all restrictions will be lifted and everything will be reopened so that people can celebrate This holiday. Usually good for the economy.

However, under any circumstances, people must be vigilant, wear masks, and strictly abide by health instructions, a government policy statement said.

Government officials did not respond to criticism of the move.

An official from the Department of Public Administration who issued the suspension order mentioned the policy statement to the Associated Press when asked for comment. There was no response to phone calls and emails to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health.

Fahad Hussein, a junior minister of the Ministry of Public Administration, told local media on Saturday that the blockade needs to be relaxed because many businesses revolve around holidays.

As a result of the capital, hordes of people flooded into shopping centers and markets for holiday shopping, while others crowded into ports and bus stations trying to reach their rural hometowns.

Super Spread Incident

During the last major Islamic holiday in May, an estimated 10 million of Dhakas 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families.

There may be a similar number this week, especially because many people like construction worker Nijam may wish to wait for the next lockdown of their village.

During the disputed eight-day lockdown, millions of Bangladeshis are shopping and traveling [Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP]

Among the people shopping in Dhaka New Market is Shah Alam, a dental technician.

Because the government has relaxed the situation for a few days, we will go to the market to buy the necessary goods, Alam said. We are working hard to comply with health and safety guidelines.

Health expert Ahmed (Ahmed) said that he believes that the main risk of the suspension of the lockdown is that people from cities will spread the virus to their villages and those who carry the virus. When they pack into the market for shopping, especially in the bull market, the number Millions of people will buy animals there to sacrifice for Eid.

He said: From remote villages to cities, hundreds of thousands of bull markets may be arranged across the country, and cattle sellers and other people engaged in this business are mainly from rural areas and may carry the virus.

According to his estimates, 30-40 million people will gather in mosques or open spaces across the country to pray on Wednesday.

The Eid al-Fitr congregation will become a super-spread event, he said.

He said that for a country where nearly 1.1 million people have been infected and nearly 18,000 people have died from the pandemic, the month after the holiday will be a critical moment.

We may actually not be able to avoid catastrophic situations, he said.
Hours after the Doha meeting failed to reach an agreement on a ceasefire, 15 diplomatic missions called for an emergency end of the offensive.

15 diplomatic missions and NATO representatives in Kabul joined forces to urge the Taliban to stop military offensives across Afghanistan. Doha Peace Conference Unable to reach agreement on a ceasefire.

In the past two days, a high-level delegation of Afghan leaders met with Taliban political leaders in the capital of Qatar, but a statement issued by the Taliban late on Sunday did not mention stopping the escalating violence in Afghanistan.

This Eid al-Fitr, the Taliban should always lay down their weapons and show the world their commitment to the peace process, 15 missions and NATO representatives said, referring to the Muslim holiday in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

The joint statement was supported by senior civilian representatives from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, and NATO.

The joint statement said: The Talibans offensive is in direct contradiction with their support for a negotiated settlement.

It has caused the loss of innocent Afghans, including continued targeted killings, civilian displacement, looting and burning of buildings, destruction of important infrastructure, and destruction of communication networks.

In the past few Eid al-Fitr holidays, the Taliban called for a temporary ceasefire and expressed their hope that the Afghans can spend it in peace.

There was no such announcement this time because the Taliban quickly acquired territory in an almost unprecedented battle across the country.

After 20 years of fighting, foreign troops have almost completely withdrawn, expanded across the country, occupied hundreds of areas, seized key border crossings, and surrounded the provincial capital. The organization has gained confidence.

Statements issued by 15 delegations on Monday also condemned human rights violations, such as efforts to close schools and media institutions in areas recently occupied by the Taliban, which the Taliban had previously denied.
When hundreds of Jewish pilgrims went to the Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate religious holidays, the Israeli police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the worshipers of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Tensions and Jews made a pilgrimage to the highly sensitive mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, the third holiest site in Islam, also known as the Temple Mount by the Jews, and was condemned by the Palestinians.

The right-wing nationalist prime minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, supports the countrys decision to allow Jews to visit the site.

According to the Israeli police, in the early hours of the morning, Palestinian young people began to throw stones at the police force in Temple Mount Square, and the police force dispersed them.

There are no official reports of arrests or injuries.

The European Union mission in the Palestinian territories stated in a tweet that it was concerned about the ongoing tensions and urged against incitement.

It also called for respect for the status quo of the site and urged Israeli, religious and community leaders to urgently quell this explosive situation.

The incident took place on the Jewish festival of Tisha Bav, which marked a day thousands of years ago. According to tradition, two Jewish temples on the Temple Mount were destroyed.

The holy site is located in East Jerusalem. Israel occupied and annexed the holy site in 1967, but it is managed by the Muslim Waqf organization, which allows limited access for Jews.

A spokesperson for a Jewish group encouraging such visits told AFP that 1,679 pilgrims were in the mosque compound on Sunday morning and afternoon.

Waqf stated in a statement published on the official Palestinian website Wafa that Waqf condemned violations and attacks carried out by Jewish fanatic groups under the support and political cover of the Israeli government, claiming that Israel intended to start a religious war.

The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of allowing pilgrims to invade, thereby undermining the security and stability of the region.

The newly sworn-in Prime Minister Bennett is from the religious right in Israel but leads a coalition that includes a left-wing coalition and a political party made up of Israeli Palestinian citizens. He said he instructed Jews to visit the Temple Mount in an organized and safe manner. , While maintaining order on the scene.

In the second statement following the condemnation of Waqf and PA, Bennett emphasized that the freedom of worship on the Temple Mount will also be fully reserved for Muslims and pointed out the upcoming Eid al-Adha.

Two years ago, when Jewish and Muslim holidays coincided, the violence at the scene injured dozens of Palestinians and resulted in the arrest of 7 people.
Experts say that if George goes to boarding school, Princess Charlotte will miss her elder brother, but she is a little leader

Royal experts said that if George goes to boarding school, Princess Charlotte will miss her brother.

But they added that the independent and outgoing six-year-old princess is a little leader and would end up doing well without her brother by his side.

As George turns 8 later this month, and William is the same age he was when he left London for boarding, there is growing speculation that the young prince can follow family traditions.

Both George and Charlotte are currently attending school in Thomas Battersea until they are 13 years old.

But Prince William and Prince Harry moved to Berkshires Luther Grove School at the age of eightand then studied at Eton College.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania will work nationwide to learn more about why cancer patients and survivors in black and Hispanic communities are more likely to develop heart disease, and how to address this discrepancy.

Penn Medicine announced on Monday that its Center of Excellence in Cardiac Oncology Translation has received US$2.9 million from the American Heart Association to fund the project, which will be conducted by 30 researchers across the country over the next four years.

Due to insufficient evidence in cardiac oncology, the team hopes to define how the sociological structure of race and genomic ancestry is associated with cardiotoxicity in breast and prostate cancer and determine its cardiotoxicity, said Dr. Kevin Volpp, director of the University of Pennsylvania Center. Health incentives and behavioral economics.

Using a range of innovative methods, such as gamification and digital health, we hope to provide new ways to bridge the historically underserved black and Hispanic cancer survivor care gap, Volpe added.

According to statistics, of the approximately 17 million cancer survivors alive today, nearly half have been diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer. Pennsylvania Medicine.

In Philadelphia, A 2016 study by Drexel University It shows that black women and men have higher cancer death rates than the citys white and Hispanic communities, especially in breast and prostate cancer. A possible contributory factor: According to the 2016 publication in The Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Hispanic/Latino men in the United States. Prostate Cancer FoundationThey account for more than one-fifth of all new cancer diagnoses, with nearly 14,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths each year.

Hispanic/Latino men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer also seem to be more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age and have a higher-risk disease, the foundations website says. In addition, a study based on California cancer registry data showed that Hispanic/Latino men with high-risk local disease are less likely to receive guideline definitive treatment than non-Hispanic white men.

As part of the research, the researchers are collaborating with Mehari School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.  The nations largest private historically black academic health science center  Create summer courses for medical students of color. Through the training of diverse health professionals and training courses that emphasize empathy, cultural humility and competence, those involved in the project believe that it will make care more equitable in the long run.
Russia successfully tested Vladimir Putins deadly hypersonic missile at a speed of 6,100 miles per hour, able to dodge all Western defenses and destroy the city.

Arrived in a few days Russia begins the final test deadly Zircon-or Tsirkon In the White Sea.

2 Putins new hypersonic missile successfully tested Credit: East2West

The video showed that the frigate Admiral Gorshkov fired weapons at a land target at a speed of Mach 7.

According to RIA Novosti and the Ministry of Defense TV channel Zvezda, in the first national test of zircon, a target more than 220 miles away was hit, and the missiles tactical and technical characteristics were confirmed.

No more details about the White Sea trial were immediately provided.

The speed of zircon or Tsirkon can exceed 6,100 mph, which has been recognized by the Moscow state-controlled television station as Vladimir PutinThe weapon of choice for destroying coastal cities in the United States in the event of an atomic bomb conflict.

The leaders of the Kremlin said that zircon with a Mach 8 capability was really unparalleled in the world, while the Russians boasted that it was unstoppable for Western defense.

The launch was carried out after the TASS news agency recommended that national testing of the missile be postponed to the day after August, although they were originally scheduled for July.

Zircon tests from submarines and land are about to expire.

The missile is expected to be put into service next year, first deployed from the Stealth Technology Admiral Golovko frigate.

One of the key uses of the missile is to destroy enemy ships. It is reported that its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles.

But there are unconfirmed reports that its true range is about 1,200 miles.

The design and development of the missile system is carried out under high secrecy.

Putin warned that foreign spies were trying to steal his secrets.

It is one of many hypersonic missiles being deployed by Russia, including the 188-ton Salmat missile-known as the Satan-2 in the West. It is the largest beast in Russias nuclear arsenal and will be set in the fall. It will be tested and will enter service next year.

The first zircon test firing of the Gorshkov missile took place in early October and was regarded as a gift for Putins 68th birthday.

More tests followed in November and December.

As early as March, the weapon was launched four times on the frigate of Admiral Gorshkov in the Arctic, and military sources said that all of them hit thebulls.
As a teenager, Thabani and Thobani Mlwando would wake up in their two-bedroom house every day before dawn to help their mother grow yam and sweet potatoes, which she would sell in the town.

They barely make ends meet, and in a rare good day, she can only earn 200 South African Rand (14 US dollars).

Births are only three minutes apart, Thabani is the oldest, and the Mlwando twins are inseparable.

They are best friends. You cant tell a secret without others knowing, said their aunt Welile Ntima, who helped their single mother raise twin boys.

She smiled tearfully and said: Tabani takes his role as the twin brother very seriously.

The night after the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma, protests that led to robbery, riots and violence swept parts of his hometown of KwaZulu-Natal.

At around 8pm on July 8, 23-year-old Thabani and his twin brothers and a group of their friends heard about the robbery of a local grocery store in Songzhen, where one of them served as a car guard and decided Walk there.

The men stood in front of the store, stunned by the chaos of people grabbing food and electrical appliances for free, and running out unabated.

Tabani picked up a bottle of cold drink from the floor, but when he looked up, his brother and his friends had ventured into chaos.

Just after midnight, the group of people covered in blood, upset, and frantically returned to their residence-without him.

Tabani was shot and killed.

Looking for answers

His aunt was still shocked by the loss. She said: We dont know what happened to him. We are still looking for answers. People say this is the security of the store because he is stealing things. We are very poor, but I am so poor. Even prostitution will pay for his bail. Why do we kill our children?

At least 117 people were killed in the large-scale riots that lasted for 9 days.

The destruction felt by families and communities who lost children as young as 14 years old is spread across the country.

Sino Ngema is a community activist who joined the volunteer cleanup team at the Pinetown grocery store. He said: I cant believe that a young man died here because of a bottle of cold drink, only 20 rand (1.40 US dollars)). A boy who was shot in Alexandra is standing near the mall. This is not fair.

As the government tried to reach a consensus on the causes of the civil unrest, community leaders blamed poverty, severe inequality and rising unemployment.

Thapelo Mohapi of Abahlali Base Mjondolo, the largest poor inter-people organization in post-apartheid South Africa, said: We have always said that peoples anger will develop in multiple directions. We know that people see opportunities to avoid sleeping hungry, and they seize them. Lived this opportunity.

He continued: If you look closely, those arrested for robbery are unemployed, poor and hungry.

Thousands of people arrested

According to reports, about 2,500 people have been arrested for riot-related property damage, theft and robbery.

The civil strife mainly hit communities filled with informal settlements, inadequate housing and inhumane living conditions.

Mohapi hinted that this is a clear sign of the problem.

He said: The pandemic requires one person to wash hands and keep clean, but many communities in towns and informal settlements have only one public toilet, one water pipe, and no electricity, he said.

South Africa has experienced three waves of coronavirus.

In May 2020, during the first blockade, the South African government provided 350 rand (24 U.S. dollars) in social assistance to unemployed citizens and refugees.

In April 2021, the government terminated the grant, saying it could not afford it, causing damage to many people.

Mohapi said this is just one example of the many ways the government continues to fail and forget marginalized groups.

He said: After all the strict lockdowns, the poorest of the poor have been the most affected.

There is no doubt that these protests are the result of the socio-economic situation in this country. This will not be the last time such a thing has happened.

Environmental activist and sociology scholar Mpho Ndaba has similar views.

Ndaba said: The national blockade highlights the extent to which most blacks in South Africa suffer from poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to food and adequate nutrition.

So, although we can recognize the political opportunism of some people [protests], We must also take into account the fact that people are hungry and unable to obtain basic needs. 

On July 13, a video of a young boy returning from a shopping mall carrying a clothing retailers bag went viral on social media.

The soft-spoken child from the town of Voslorus in Johannesburg took away socks, a bag of underwear, a pair of shoes and clothes.

South Africans worked together to find him, and a family and friend quickly organized a fundraiser, and the donations raised exceeded 50,000 rand (3,430 US dollars).

Thandi Makhosi, 34, an unemployed mother of three children, said she donated 200 rand (14 US dollars). She said: I dont have much, but no child should be subjected to this kind of violence because of basic needs. . It broke my heart. He may have been killed.

Kayla Forster, a 28-year-old accountant who donated 1,000 rand (US$69), said that when she saw the video, it truly reflected the nature of these protests.

He took what he needed. The mall is so big, he can take anything, she said.

Then we talked about poverty as usual. It is shocking that people live in such a terrible environment. I am embarrassed by this government.

Ndaba insisted that things could not return to normal.

The concept ofrebuilding South Africa (a word popular by the president since the riots) simply means returning to the status quo where poor blacks are still in an unstable position, he said.

We need a newnormality that includes key structural interventions.
On July 6, the Knesset failed to update the Citizenship and Entry Law that prohibits Palestinian family reunification. This is good news. However, due to all the wrong reasons, the suspension of the law was realized.

The core of this apartheid law is racism. It not only prohibits Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza from obtaining Israeli citizenship or residency after marrying Israeli Palestinian citizens, but also prohibits them from moving to Israel to live with their Palestinian spouses. Together.

The Citizenship and Entry Law was first introduced in 2003 and was originally enacted as a temporary measure to help ensure safety. Avraham Poraz, the former Minister of the Interior who oversaw the Liberal Party Meretzs 2003 legislation passed, recently pointed out that the law was passed when buses exploded across the country.

Polaz is not an honest person. He is very clear that it is very important to make the law a temporary security measure to prevent Palestinian terrorists from emigrating to Israel, because the prohibition in the law is contrary to Israels Basic Law on Human Dignity and Freedom and is likely to be affected. abolition. If it is made permanent, it will be decided by the Supreme Court.

Demographic Engineering

Foreign Minister Yail Rapide is much more honest in this regard, so he did not hesitate to reveal the true motivation for updating the law every year. He recently told the media that the Citizenship and Entry Law is one of the tools designed to ensure the Jewish majority in the State of Israel, adding: Israel is a Jewish nation-state, and our goal is to have a Jewish majority. 

He knows that laws like this play a vital role in population projects, preventing Israeli parties from the left-wing Labor Party to the right-wing Likud from parties that consider Palestine as a population threat.

Just to give a few opinions: in the ten years from 1993 to 2003, approximately 130,000 Palestinians, including children, obtained Israeli citizenship or residency through family reunification. This means that in the past two decades, the law has not only succeeded in depriving Palestinians of citizenship and residency rights in the West Bank and Gaza, but also effectively tore apart thousands of Palestinian families, often keeping children away from one of them. family. His parents.

Laws like this can be made legal in Israel because race rather than citizenship is the main determinant of the distribution of rights, power and resources. In addition, race is the representative of nationality, so the government will not register citizens as Israelis, but instead register them as Jews or Arabs. This is key because it enables the Israeli government to distinguish between citizens and provide first-class citizens for Jews and second-class citizens for Arabs.

Considering that more than 80% of the Knesset agrees to these distinctions and therefore also supports the Citizenship and Entry law, one might ask why Prime Minister Naftali Bennett did not pass it?

Calling and humiliating

the reason is simple. Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu was removed from power after 12 years as prime minister and was afraid of imprisonment on corruption charges. He instructed all opposition party members to vote against their own laws. It has received enthusiastic support since its first launch.

His goal is to show the Israeli Jewish public that the new prime minister who prides himself on being more right-wing than his predecessor cannot even get the necessary votes to extend the Citizenship and Entry Law for another year.

Netanyahus goal is not to really hinder citizenship and immigration laws, but to create a wedge within the coalition. Therefore, in order to increase Bennetts embarrassment, Netanyahus men also proposed to legislate a basic immigration law that cannot be overturned and will be used as a permanent measure to prevent Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza from gaining access to citizenship. The new Israeli opposition leader knows that such a law is unacceptable to the Ram party of Bennetts clumsy coalition and hopes that it will undermine the government.

The twisted irony of the whole saga is that former Prime Minister Netanyahu is using the same type of calling and humiliating strategy deployed by human rights organizations. However, although the goal of human rights organizations is to eliminate governments that violate the basic human rights of the people in the territories under its control, Netanyahu is mobilizing a name and shame strategy to embarrass the new government for failing to pass the apartheid law. .

Those who cannot carry out the crime of apartheid, including those who separate their spouses and children from their parents, are not worthy to continue to be in power in his evil world.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Courtesy of W Aspen

Centuries of colorful history pepper Aspens pastalmost as vibrant as the mural found in the main lobby of the new hotel. Joining the fabric of community that is Aspen, W Aspen + The Sky Residences at W Aspen is a modern-day stay in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Nods to the history of the area can be felt throughout the property; mineshaft elements down a hall, a large silver nugget suspended in the lobby and even details such as canary art sculptures in the room harken to a bygone era of Wild West silver mining. Now, contemporary artwork and sleek designs intertwine for a unique mountain experience. Upon entering the lobby, a stepped design element announces that guests are in for a distinctive stay. On closer inspection, the carpeting itself is a topographical map and a 2nd-floor living room boasts dining space, nugget-design-element-turned-DJ-booth, and an outdoor terrace with cozy fireplaces. A ski-in-ski-out property, the mountain is steps from the terrace and an excellent place to hang out summer and winter.

Tiered lobby entrance with silver 'nugget' that doubles as a DJ booth.

11 luxury residences are in 2- and 3-bedroom floorplans. Want a private chef to cook dinner for you and your guests in the beautiful open kitchen? No problem. Want to sprawl out in the 70s era inspired living room? Go ahead. Special to the Sky Residences is an Owners Deck on the roof, away from the hotel pool. Complete with its own hot tub, grill and firepit, the quiet escape is only available to owners and renters of the Sky Residences.

Living Room dining area on the 2nd floor.

Wet Deck is one of the most popular spots on property, with a pool overlooking the mountains and valley, hot tub, bar, lounge areas and fire pits, guests and the public are able to enjoy the experience. Sipping on my Watermule cocktailmade from Absolut Vodka, fresh watermelon and ginger beer, I watch as a hummingbird buzzes by some flowers in the planter. The Colorado sunshine and light mountain breeze are a perfect combo for a rooftop pool area. Bites are available all day and include salads, a seafood cocktail, burger, chicken salad wrap and grilled cheese sandwich. Dont forget the truffle fries or ranch potato chips as a snack to go with your craft beers or specialty cocktail.

Courtesy of W Aspen

The rooms at W Aspen continue the mining and mountain motif in thoughtful and clever ways. Artwork and textures speak to the area, and a bar disguised as an old wood burning stove allow for mischievous yet elegant design elements. Centrally located, the W Aspen is in the heart of everything youd want to do in town. Walking or biking to nearly all of Aspens best-of-the-best are minutes from your room. Or, conversely, stay in and enjoy the most comfortable and well-lit mineshaft ever introduced to Aspen.

For rates and reservations, visit www.marriott.com

Courtesy of W Aspen

Stunning kitchen space at the Sky Residences.

Courtesy of W Aspen

70s inspired decor and finishes at the Sky Residences.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Wet Deck pool and hot tub.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Views of the mountains from Wet Deck.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Wet Deck bar and lounge areas at W Aspen.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Enjoy the mountain views and cozy ambiance found at W Aspen.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Contemporary rooms with thoughtful design elements.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Sleek bathrooms at W Aspen + The Sky Residences at W Aspen.

Courtesy of W Aspen

Nestled up against the foot of the mountain, W Aspen + The Sky Residences at W Aspen is a prime location and stay in Colorado.
BATON ROUGE  State health officials are reporting a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases across Louisiana, with the highest number of diagnoses since last winters surge. The majority of new COVID-19 cases are people who have not gotten the vaccine.

The good news, according to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Medical Director Dr. Larry Simon, is that the vaccines are very effective at preventing death, hospitalization and severe cases of COVID-19.

Now that millions of people have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, we have real-world proof that it provides strong protection against the virus, even the more infectious Delta variant, Dr. Simon said. But, to really protect our community, we need more people to roll up their sleeves.

The Delta variant, first detected in India late last year, spreads faster and is more contagious than other strains of COVID-19. Federal and state health officials advise Delta is a serious threat to states like Louisiana, where the COVID-19 vaccination rate lags the national average.

We can see, in Louisiana, nationwide and around the world, that there is a direct connection between areas where COVID-19 cases are surging and where there are low vaccination rates. Getting your shot is the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from this deadly virus, Dr. Simon said.

If you have held off on getting the COVID-19 vaccine because youre concerned or have questions, you should talk to your healthcare provider and get advice on whats best for you. Do not just wait to see what happens because Delta is already causing COVID-19 outbreaks, and the sooner you get the vaccine, the sooner youre building up your immune protection, he added.

Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine

At this time, anyone age 12 and older can get a COVID-19 vaccine. Health officials advise that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and that getting the jab is the most effective way to prevent getting sick with the virus or spreading it to others.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized three types of COVID-19 vaccines for patients:

Pfizer (two doses), which is available to anyone 12 and older

Moderna (two doses), which is available to anyone 18 and older

Johnson & Johnson (one dose), which is available to anyone 18 and older

If youve gotten one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, follow up and get the second dose as soon as you can. That will make sure you get the highest possible protection from COVID-19, Dr. Simon said. And, keep in mind that it takes two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or after the single dose of Johnson & Johnson for your body to build up immunity. Be cautious about avoiding exposure to the virus during that two-week period.

Other things to know about the COVID-19 vaccine:

You wont pay anything out of pocket for your vaccine. Members of individual and employer health insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid can get any FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine for $0. This no-cost coverage is included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which also allows uninsured patients to get the vaccine for $0. Blue Cross will cover the vaccines administration without any member cost-share (deductible, copay or coinsurance) on most health plans. If you have questions about vaccine coverage on your health plan, contact Customer Service at the number on your member ID card.

You can call the State of Louisianas Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-453-0774 for help scheduling an appointment. The hotline staff can help you find vaccine locations near you or connect you with clinicians who can answer your vaccine questions. Or, visit the Louisiana Department of Healths website to see a list of vaccine locations. You can search by parish to find a vaccine site near you, and you can see which types of vaccine are being given at different locations.

You can get free rides to and from your vaccine appointment. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation is sponsoring ride share programs statewide, and many community organizations offer similar programs. If you do not have a vehicle, are unable to drive or need transportation assistance, call 211 to get connected to programs in your area.

You can enter to win cash prizes up to $1 million after one dose. Through the State of Louisianas Shot At A Million program, anyone 18 and older who has gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can enter to win cash prizes, building up to a $1 million grand prize. Children 12-17 years old who have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine can enter to win scholarships. Registration is open through July 31.

If you live with children younger than 12 or others who cannot get the vaccine because of medical issues, its important to keep taking other precautions to prevent the virus, Dr. Simon said.

Wash your hands often, and isolate if you feel sick, he said. Try to avoid crowded areas where there may be lots of unvaccinated people, especially indoors. If youre going to be in crowded areas, you can wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth and keep at least six feet between yourself and others. We know from the past year that these steps help us avoid getting or spreading COVID-19, and they are very important to do for our loved ones who cannot get the vaccine.

Blue Cross has created interactive graphics for its social media that encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone can share or post these graphics to their personal social media and are asked to use the hashtag #GetTheFactsGetTheVax when doing so. Find and download the graphics at www.bcbsla.com/covid19. Blue Cross has also produced Spanish versions of the social graphics, which are available to download and share.

Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube page to see short videos on the COVID-19 vaccines and other health topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. You can connect with Blue Cross on social media for regular updates. Blue Cross posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and now, TikTok.

For information on what Blue Cross is doing in response to COVID-19, visit www.bcbsla.com/covid19.
JEANERETTE, La. - Wayne Blue Burns, a Grammy winner and acclaimed bass guitarist, will donate his bass guitar to the Jeanerette Museum (500 Main St.) on Aug. 11, 2021, at 11 a.m. The event is open to the public.

Name any instrument and he can play it and being a Grammy winner proves it, said Elridge Little, a drummer and childhood friend of Burns since the 1960s.

Wayne Burns was born in Jeanerette and is the son of the late Frank and Vera Burns. He has played and traveled with various bands since the age of 14, including in all 50 states, as well as countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

Burns has performed with Ernie K. Doe, The Larks, Betty Wright, Buckwheat and Hitchhikers, Lil Buck Senegal, Jude Taylor, and Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas. Burns' proudest moment came in 1982 when he played bass for Clifton Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band and won the Grammy for the master-piece album Im Here.

Burns is married to Pearlie Senegal Burns and they have three children, Wayne, Jr., Jill Burns Bruno and Umea Burns. Burns is deeply grateful for all the opportunities and experiences he has enjoyed in the music industry. He is thankful to all the people in all the cities and countries that have welcomed him and his bass guitar.

"I'm elated for the museum to receive the donation from a living legend," said Mona Stansbury, secretary of the museum's board. Mr. Burns guitar will be displayed in the museums music room.

The TECHE Project, the non-profit organization which represents the 135-mile Bayou Teche National Water and Paddle Trail, recently installed 16 information kiosks for the Bayou Teche and Lower Atchafalaya River communities in St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes. David L. Dahlquist, Erin Bass and Breann Bye provided content research, narrative, and graphic design services. The kiosk exhibit in the Jeanerette City Park inspired Burns to make his significant donation to the Jeanerette Museum.

For more information, contact Jeanerette Museum at (337) 276-4408 or visit their website.
According to St.Mary Parish Sheriff's Office, LA 182 Bridge over the Atchafalaya River was closed in both directions due to a traffic incident on the Berwick side on Sunday July 18, 20221. The bridge will be closed until further notice pending inspection by Louisiana DOTD.

The Highway 182 Bridge over the Atchafalaya River was closed during the morning commute on Monday morning. DOTD crews will be coming in to perform repairs and inspection.

Sheriff Blaise Smith advises motorists to plan ahead and expect some delays. Also, with the ongoing construction on the Highway 90 Bridge, motorists are advised to slow down and leave space between themselves and the vehicle in front of them.
Lafayette, LA - Humana and the companys philanthropic arm, The Humana Foundation, have committed more than $750,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank for the Makin Groceries Mobile Market, which will deploy to four locations around the Greater Lafayette Area every week. The market will sell nutritious food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, at very affordable prices in at-risk communities.

We call these neighborhoods food deserts, said Mobile Market Manager Kristen Wesley. Residents and working families often only have corner gas station markets and fast-food sites to choose from. So, were bringing the grocery store to them every week.

Food deserts are not unique to South Louisiana, and this local initiative is designed to replicate the positive nationwide results that Feeding America, whose network of food banks includes Second Harvest, has had with mobile grocery stores.

Wesley said, It helps our communities in so many ways. As much as possible, we source the produce and other offerings directly from local farmers and food producers. So, as we are helping to expand grocery options for so many, the program will also offer vital support to local farms as well.

We want the communities we serve to know that we care about their health as well, and we will also offer cooking demonstrations and education about nutrition, added Wesley. The Makin Groceries Mobile Market is about meeting people where they are, bringing resources directly into local communities.

The Mobile Market team can accept EBT/SNAP benefits (food stamps,) as well as credit/debit cards. Team members will also help residents stretch their dollars even further by connecting them with other Second Harvest resources in the area.

Humana and The Humana Foundation have supported the Second Harvest Food Bank for more than a decade, providing nearly 634,000 meals across South Louisiana. In the past three years alone, Humana employees in Louisiana have provided more than 500 hours of volunteer time to sort food and work in Second Harvests Community Kitchen to help feed neighbors in need.

Our work with Second Harvest is part of Humanas Bold Goal to help improve population health by addressing the social determinants of health, which are nonmedical risk factors, such as life circumstances and environments, that can affect a persons health and well-being, said Humana Louisiana Medicare President Matt Berger. We are grateful for this opportunity to again work together with Second Harvest to help improve health outcomes in Lafayette.

Humana has historically had a strong commitment to our many community partners in the state of Louisiana, said Humana Medicaid Regional President Tony Mollica. The Makin Groceries Mobile Market initiative builds upon our longtime relationship with Second Harvest, and we look forward to working together in Lafayette to help address population health needs by providing an accessible, affordable option to fresh, nutritious food.

The Humana Foundation is proud to be a partner in bringing access to healthy, affordable produce to rural parishes in the Acadiana region, said The Humana Foundation Director of Strategy Advancement Dr. Brandy Kelly Pryor. Food security is integral to whole person health, and we know that these mobile markets will make a meaningful impact on the health of the communities they serve.

There are no shortcuts to solving hunger, and this is a long-term project for us, according to Second Harvest Regional Director Paul Scelfo. Across Acadiana, 1 in 5 families is at risk of hunger, and 1 in 3 children live in poverty. So many hard-working families find themselves traveling many miles just to get to a decent grocery store, something most of us take for granted. And its even harder for seniors with limited mobility or no transportation options, added Scelfo.

The Makin Groceries Mobile Market will rotate between locations four days every week:

Mondays

9am- Fightingville Fresh | 315 West Simcoe St., Lafayette, LA

1 pm- Martin Luther King, Jr. Center | 309 Cora St., Lafayette, LA

Tuesdays

9am- Macon Street Development | 300 Macon Rd., Lafayette, LA

1 pm- Irene Street Development | 1101 Irene St., Lafayette, LA

Wednesdays

9am- Martin Luther King, Jr. Center | 309 Cora St., Lafayette, LA

Thursdays

9am- C.O. Circle Development | 115 Kattie Dr., Lafayette, LA

1 pm- True Vine Ministries | 1555 West Willow St., Scott, LA

To learn more, please visit https://no-hunger.org/mobilemarket/

There are no income or paperwork requirements for people to shop the low-priced offerings at the Market, said Wesley.

We continue to support hundreds of local food pantries in community centers, churches, and other partners which offer food assistance at no cost. Our Mobile Market program will add options for those residents who are lacking one of the simplest conveniences in life: Shopping for groceries close to home from a market and people they trust.

To learn more about Second Harvest Food Bank, volunteer, or donate, visit www.no-hunger.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Acadia Parish  Louisiana State Police Troop I was notified of a two-vehicle fatal crash on Louisiana Highway 95 at the intersection with Louisiana Highway 1097 about 4 miles north of Duson on July 17, 2021, shortly before midnight. The crash claimed the lives of 44-year-old Dawn Bernard of Carencro and 53-year-old James Bellard of Church Point.

The preliminary investigation revealed Bernard was traveling east on LA 1097 in a 2017 Honda Accord. As Bernard approached the intersection with LA 95, she failed to yield at a stop sign. The Honda entered the intersection and was struck by a northbound 2006 Ford F-350 driven by Bellard. After the collision, both vehicles came to rest off the roadway.

Bellard, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Seatbelt use on behalf of Bernard is unknown at this time. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

A toxicology sample was collected from both drivers and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
I just didnt expect it. They label these as luxury Plaza apartments. I dont know about you, but living in 90 degrees in your own home is not luxury," said Abby Kerber.
Burger King employees have it their way, a fuel tanker truck catches fire after hitting a highway median, and a cleaning fairy accidentally spends two hours scrubbing the wrong home. These are the must-watch videos of the week.

A whopper of a resignation

A Burger King manager and eight staff members quit at the same time due to what they described as poor working conditions, but not before leaving a message to upper management on the restaurant's marquee.

Fuel tanker bursts into flames on highway

A truck driver escaped with minor injuries after his fuel tanker hit a highway median and burst into flames in Troy, Michigan. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, with the tanker carrying more than 14,000 gallons of gas and diesel fuel.

Boutique mistakenly emails job applicant saying she's 'not that cute'

A job applicant's TikTok went viral after she shared an email accidentally sent to her by a Michigan boutique saying she was "not that cute."



Big talent from the big screen

Actor Michael Winslow, who showcased his sound effect skills in the 1980s "Police Academy" movie franchise, stepped into the spotlight once again on "America's Got Talent." Winslow credited his son for encouraging him to enter the competition, where he received praise from all four judges.

An unforseen clean

A TikToker who cleans homes for extra money went to what he thought was his friend's condo and found a key under the mat. What he didn't know was that the place he'd spend the next two hours cleaning belonged to total strangers.

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The Biden administration is planning to relocate a group of Afghans who have applied for special immigrant visas (SIV) to Fort Lee, a US army post in Virginia as early as this week, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Members of Congress have been notified of this plan, according to sources familiar with the conversations.

This will be the first group of SIV applicants to be relocated from Afghanistan, as part of the Biden administration's effort to relocate thousands of Afghan interpreters and translators who worked for the United States throughout its nearly two-decade military campaign in the country.

The Biden administration is calling this effort "Operation Allies Refuge," an indirect reference to the fact that these interpreters and translators fear their safety and that of their families as the US completes its military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the pace of Taliban gains accelerates and violence continues.

It is unclear exactly how many Afghans will be flow into Fort Lee, but these Afghans are far along in the extensive vetting process required in order to get visa approval, sources said.

Later on Monday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price confirmed that a pool of visa applicants who are "closest to completing" the process will be relocated to Fort Lee.

"These are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service to the United States has been certified by the embassy in Kabul and who have completed thorough SIV security vetting processes," he said at a press briefing.

"They will be provided temporary housing and services as they complete the special immigrant process. We expect to begin the first relocation flights before the end of July," Price said.

He said that the Department of Defense had agreed to house the applicants and their families at the request of the Department of State.

"Approximately 2,500 and family members are currently eligible to finish special immigrant processing in the United States and we'll certainly provide more details as they become available," Price said.

This is a small portion of the overall SIV applicants -- about 20,000 Afghans have applied for visas. in the SIV pipeline. About half of those 20,000 are in the very preliminary stages of the process, meaning "approximately 10,000 of these applicants need to take action before the US government can begin processing their case," the spokesperson said.

The other Afghan applicants who are further along in the process but have not been approved through the security vetting process will go to US military bases overseas or to third countries, the spokesperson said.

Last Wednesday Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said relocation flights for Afghan nationals and their families who are in the pipeline to receive a special immigrant visa will begin "at the end of this month."

Kirby said the Defense Department is still "examining possibilities" where Afghan nationals and their families could potentially go.

"We're still examining possibilities for overseas locations to include some departmental installations that would be capable of supporting planned relocation efforts with appropriate temporary residences and supporting infrastructure," Kirby said.

"As we've said before, the locus of our efforts right now is in helping identify possible locations," he added.

President Joe Biden announced this month that the military drawdown from Afghanistan would be finished by the end of August, and US Central Command said July 13 that the US had completed "more than 95% of the entire withdrawal process."

The President vowed "to make sure that we take on the Afghan nationals who work side-by-side with US forces, including interpreters and translators."

"Our message to those women and men is clear: There is a home for you in the United States if you so choose, and we will stand with you just as you stood with us," he said.

The administration has faced criticism from bipartisan lawmakers and advocates for not doing enough to protect the Afghans who helped the US and now fear their lives are in danger as the Taliban gains ground and the US nears full withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho  A student from Jacksonville received a full-tuition scholarship at the end of June to attend medical school in preparation to serve as a Navy physician.

Stephen Christensen was awarded $350,000 from the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which pays all tuition, a monthly stipend of more than $2,3000, and a $20,000 signing bonus in return for a three or four-year commitment to serve as a Navy physician. Physicians serve as Commissioned Naval Medical Officers.

Cmdr. John Hiltz, Commanding Officer of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest, traveled to Idaho from Seattle to present the big check to Christensen in front of friends and family. The presentation ceremony took place at Veterans Memorial Park in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.

It is such a distinct privilege to be able to recognize and celebrate Stephens selection as a future Navy physician," said Cmdr. Hiltz. "In a competitive process, his genuine calling to serve others stood out. To see the pride in the eyes of his friends and family only validated our selection, and I look forward to serving with him.

Christensen said that he is the first in his family to obtain a college degree, but he'll be continuing his familys legacy of naval service.

I decided to join the Navy due to a desire to serve my country, be a part of a team, and because of a family history of service in the branch, said Christensen. My grandfather entered the Navy after college as an officer and did his training in San Diego where he met my grandmother. He was stationed in Japan in 1956 which is where my father was born. My parents told me my great-great-grandfather served as the camp commandant of San Diego Harbor during World War II.

Christensen plans to attend Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and will be commissioned as a Navy officer once he graduates. He recently finished his undergraduate studies at Northwest Nazarene University.

I know joining the Navy will push me out of my comfort zone, show me new places, and give me a platform to reach unique people," said Christensen. "This next chapter in life, simply put, excites me. I get to wake up every day knowing that I have a goal to strive for and a bright future with the Navy.
MEDFORD, Ore.  The U.S. Forest Service is bringing in additional resources to southwest Oregon in the off-chance that thunderstorms in the forecast bring lightning west of the Cascades  an intuition shared by state and local agencies that recently staged multi-state strike teams in Jackson County.

According to officials with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, predicted weather patterns are expected to draw some "monsoonal moisture" into southern Oregon early this week, creating the threat of thunderstorms and a heightened risk of lightning starts.

"Although the lightning activity predicted for early this week is expected to occur east of us, we are prepared for the worst, and hoping for the best," said Assistant Fire Staff Mike McCann.

USFS cited the extreme behavior seen on other fires in the region, with spread difficult to control and fire behavior threatening both firefighter and public safety.

As a result of these conditions and a lack of available resources in the Pacific Northwest  many of them tied up on major events like the Bootleg Fire  USFS has called in firefighting resources from outside of the region to help.

As of Monday, officials said that they had 15 additional engines on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, with three more en route. Some are coming from as far away as Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, and Alaska. The Alaskan engine will have to travel on a barge during its journey onto the mainland and south.

A Type 2 initial attack crew, a dozer and water tender are also available to respond. USFS said that these resources will be staged at ranger district offices across the forest.

Much of the federal resources for southern Oregon are tied up on incidents like the Jack Fire and the Bootleg Fire, including the RRSNF's complement helicopters, air attack, two engines, the Siskiyou Rappel crew, and the Rogue interagency Hotshot Crew.
BEATTY, Ore.  A property owner in eastern Klamath County was charged after allegedly shooting a gun near fire crews working on the Bootleg Fire, according to the Klamath County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded on Sunday to a call near the 31000-block of Godows Springs Road for reports that someone was shooting near the firefighters. The deputies, accompanied by Forest Service law enforcement officers and troopers from Oregon State Police, made contact with the property owner, who was ultimately charged with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing with a Firearm.

"Residents who have returned to previously evacuated areas should understand that fire crews and damage assessment teams will be in the area for many weeks and should exercise extreme caution with firearms," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "KCSO will continue regular patrols in the fire area to deter potential looting."

KCSO did not identity the property owner or provide any further insight into how the incident occurred.

Areas both around and within the Bootleg Fire's perimeter have been reopened to residents in some cases, but are not open to the general public. Property owners that have returned are asked to minimize their travel and stay away from where fire crews are still working on the active fire.
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Openness and transparency in government got a rare win last week when Gov. Tony Evers vetoed legislation that likely would have kept the public from knowing about allegations of misconduct or sexual harassment by members of the Legislature or their staffs.

The proposed legislation would have created a new legislative service agency call the Legislative Human Resources Office  and there is probably some merit to that concept.

But lawmakers tainted that original idea by giving the proposed office a blanket exemption from reporting on any legislative misdeeds and being accountable to the public. The language in the bill said the office shall at all times observe the confidential nature of records, requests, advice, complaints, reviews, investigations, disciplinary actions, and other information in its possession relating to human resources matters.

That exemption, of course, covers about everything under the sun. Or in this case everything legislators dont want to see come to light and never see the sun.

As Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council noted, No other state or local body gets to entirely withhold any records related to human resources and there is no clear reason why the Legislature should have been treated any differently.
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 54F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 54F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Thanks to the marvels of medicine, newly vaccinated Americans are returning to life as normal and partying like its 2019. Doctors, who are emerging from the pandemic as national heroes, would like to turn back the clock even furtherto the halcyon days of 20th-century medicine.

But doctors, unlike their maskless and freewheeling patients, will be disappointed with what the future holds.

Trying to turn back the clock

Physicians have had a rough century, so far. In addition to battling Covid-19, doctors have spent the past two decades fighting the health care industrys fiercest players and losing, badly.

Power in the industry now belongs to health insurance companies, major drugmakers, and hospital tycoons. Physicians feel beaten up, burned out, and abused by a system so overrun with regulations that clinicians now spend more time filling out paperwork than helping patients.

Doctors long for the last century. Back then, they were paid well, revered by everyone, and largely left alone to practice as they please. As the war against Covid-19 winds down, doctors believe now is the time to demand a return to the glory days when physicians ruled medicine. To get there, doctors want more money, respect, and autonomy. Theyll get none of that because our nation cant afford to give it to them.

A cruel reality

Nearly half of Americans are struggling with financial hardship amid the economic fallout of the pandemic. The nations uneven recovery has 35% of small businesses worried about surviving the summer. Meanwhile, the federal government now owes foreign lenders $28 trillion ($85,000 per American).

Soon, reality will set in for physicians: Any solution that depends on giving doctors more dollars or fewer responsibilities will be a nonstarter. Twentieth-century medicine is dead and, with this loss, doctors will experience the five stages of grief.

Doctors and the five stages of grief

The first stage is denial, a coping mechanism thats hardwired into the mind of every doctor. Its a necessary, and sometimes helpful tool for dealing with the often gruesome, tragic, and painful realities of practicing medicine.

But this same psychological defense leads physicians to dismiss the role they play in the growing unaffordability and declining quality of health care in the United States.

Examples abound. American doctors prescribe 99% percent of the worlds hydrocodone, contributing to more than 500,000 opioid deaths in the 21st century. In addition, 200,000 Americans die each year from medical errors, 500,000 families go bankrupt from medical bills, and 30% of all medical treatments are shown to add little or no clinical value.

Research shows that the U.S. has the most expensive and least effective health care in the developed world. To reverse course, doctors will be expected to more closely follow evidence-based guidelines and adhere to safety checklists (giving them even less autonomy than they have now, not more).

Anger in the medical profession is pain turned inside out. It is how doctors externalize feelings of fear, hurt, or guilt.

All over social media, doctors post all-caps indictments of Americas broken health care industry. Physicians didnt create the idiotic system, nor the management that fuels the dysfunction! said one physician commenter.

Doctors are suffering from all theyve lost. But like the American tourist who yells louder and louder at locals who dont speak English, physicians act as if repeating the same words at higher decibels will change the responses of insurers and hospital administrators.

It wont because the problem isnt the volume. Its that doctors are speaking a different language. No matter how loudly physicians yell for higher salaries and fewer patients per day, their demands dont make economic sense to those on the receiving end.

Bargaining is an attempt to negotiate a better outcome. Some doctors have already begun this step.

During Covid-19, a poll found 53% of independently practicing physicians worried their practices wouldnt survive COVID-19. As solo practices struggle to survive, more than 70% of all physicians work for a hospital or medical groupa means to gain bargaining power with insurers and increase financial security. But as economic pressures intensify in the post-pandemic era, all doctors will feel the pinch.

Small to medium-sized businesses cant afford the projected 5.5% annual increases in health care costs. State governments, which must balance their budgets, wont be able to increase Medicaid payments. Nowadays, politicians from both sides of the aisle see the futility of pushing for any health care plan that would raise taxes.

So, rather than bargaining for a bigger slice of the pie as they did prior to the pandemic, physicians will find themselves bargaining for less of a reduction.

Depression follows failed attempts at bargaining and is an increasingly familiar feeling for doctors. According to national studies, roughly 15% of physicians struggle with depression, while 20% report having had suicidal thoughts.

The causes of depression and suicide among physicians are multifactorial, deriving from workplace stresses, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and systemic obstacles that make their jobs difficult to perform.

Against the nations lingering economic problems and the health care industrys ongoing belt-tightening, these anxieties will only grow in both prevalence and severity. Doctors are trained to hide emotions and repress pain. Therefore, the heightened period of depression to come will be the most dangerous part of the grieving process for physicians.

Acceptance of the need for systemic and cultural change is the ultimate destination for doctors. Like the twin snakes that coil around the staff of the Caduceus, medicines systemic and cultural problems are intimately intertwinedneither functions independent of the other.

After decades of battling and blaming the health care system, doctors will find it hard to accept that they must play an integral role in solving medicines cost and quality problems. In physician culture, this will feel like surrender.

But acceptance is not about feeling good in the face of loss. It is about acknowledging reality and deciding to move forward, despite the discomfort. Acceptance will require doctors to embrace new norms and more realistic expectations.

Theyll need to abandon the fee-for-service reimbursement model, which drives them to over-test, overtreat and overcharge patients. Theyll need to collaborate and coordinate patient care to improve medical outcomes and lower costs. And theyll need to embrace more efficient and effective approaches to medical care delivery.

Robert Pearl is a plastic surgeon and author of Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors and Patients. He can be reached on Twitter @RobertPearlMD. This article originally appeared in Forbes.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Matt Damon's teenage daughter refuses to watch any of his movies that might show off his acting ability, he says.

In promoting his new film, "Stillwater," the 50-year-old actor shared that his 15-year-old daughter Isabella refuses to watch "Good Will Hunting" because she thinks he may be good in it.

She also likes to give him crap about his career, Damon said.

"My daughter said, 'Hey remember that movie you did, "The Wall?" I said, 'It was called "The Great Wall,"'" he told "CBS Sunday Morning." "She goes, 'Dad, there was nothing great about that movie.'

"She keeps my feet firmly on the ground."

Despite the teasing, Damon -- who in his latest film plays an Oklahoma oil rig worker whose daughter gets into trouble in France -- is happy Isabella and his other children understand how passionate he is about his work.

"I like that they know that I love my job," Damon said. "They know it's time-consuming and a lot of work and that it fills me up."

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A Utah man convicted of murdering his wife on an Alaskan cruise after she demanded a divorce has been found dead in his prison cell.

According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Corrections, 43-year-old Kenneth Mazanares was found unresponsive in his cell at Lemon Creek Correctional Center on the morning of July 14.

Prison officers and medical staff performed life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead shortly after emergency responders arrived at the scene.

Foul play is not suspect, the release said.

Manzanares was sentenced to 30 years in prison last June. He pleaded guilty in February 2020 to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Kristy Manzanares aboard the Emerald Princess cruise ship off the southeast coast of Alaska.

According to a news release from the US Department of Justice, the couple from Santa Clara, Utah, argued the night of July 24, 2017, while on the cruise with their daughters and extended family members.

She said she wanted a divorce and told her husband to disembark the vessel at Juneau and go home to Utah, the news release said. Kenneth Manzanares told the two daughters to leave the room, and they went into the adjoining room with relatives, the news release said.

After hearing screams from the room, the girls went to a connected balcony and saw their father straddling their mother on the bed striking her on the head with his fists, according to the release.

Security and medical personnel arrived and tried to save Kristy Manzanares, but were unsuccessful. The release said Kristy Manzanares died of blunt force trauma to her face and head.

The case fell under federal jurisdiction because the killing occurred while the ship was in US waters. Manzanares has been in custody since his arrest.

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There have been about two dozen reports of symptoms of mysterious health incidents similar to the "Havana syndrome" among US diplomats, intelligence officials and other government personnel in Vienna since the beginning of the year, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

These new reports demonstrate that these mysterious incidents are ongoing, despite commitments from President Joe Biden's top national security team to double down on investigating the matter.

The New Yorker first reported on the rising reported cases in Vienna.

A handful of the impacted personnel have had to be medevacked from Vienna and are now receiving medical assistance in the US, the sources said.

"In coordination with our partners across the U.S. Government, we are vigorously investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents (UHI) among the U.S. Embassy Vienna community or wherever they are reported," a State Department spokesperson said. "Any employees who reported a possible UHI received immediate and appropriate attention and care."

The State Department has established a team of medical experts that can respond to reports of possible events globally and created an interagency triage tool that standardizes the assessments of these incidents across the various agencies, the spokesperson said.

This summer the department also implemented a pilot baseline program "to collect pre-incident information on our employees in the event of a reported incident," the spokesperson said. That program is optional for US diplomats, multiple diplomats told CNN.

It is unclear what the State Department is doing to protect the current US personnel in Vienna from future potential attacks, and there are some frustrations about not enough being done at the department to protect their workforce. US diplomats who were not aware of these reported incidents told CNN that these attacks could impact where they decide they want to serve, particularly for diplomats who have children.

There have also been reported incidents of cases in other places around the world, but Vienna is the only place where there is a current cluster of cases, the sources said.

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SALEM, Ore. -- Gov. Kate Brown is urging Oregonians who need help with current and future rent to apply immediately for rental assistance.

According to Brown, a historic amount of rental assistance is now available in Oregon.

Housing is a basic human need, which is why I have continued to work with the Legislature and our congressional delegation to devote state and federal resources to ensure that Oregonians who have been hardest hit by the rent impacts of the pandemic have a warm, dry, safe place to live," Brown said in a news release.

Qualified Oregonians can apply for rental assistance through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) to help pay back current and future rent. Oregonians may still qualify to receive assistance even with Oregon's eviction moratorium expired.

To apply, visit the Oregon Rental Assistance website.

On May 19, 2021, Gov. Brown signed Senate Bill 282 into law, a bill that extended the repayment period for residential rent accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill gives renters until Feb. 28, 2022 to repay all rent accrued between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

On June 25, 2021, Gov. Brown also signed Senate Bill 278, which provides a 60-day safe-harbor period from eviction for nonpayment of rent to tenants who provide their landlords with proof that they have applied for rental assistance.

Tenants who receive an eviction notice should consult with a lawyer as quickly as possible. For more information on the end of Oregon's eviction moratorium and protections for Oregon's renters, visit Oregon Law Help. No cost or low cost legal services may be available.

Renters can also contact 2-1-1 or 211info.org to be linked to their local program administrator.
LEBANON, Ore.  A Lebanon man pleaded guilty Monday to six felony charges in a decades-long tax evasion scheme.

Robert Lund failed to pay more than $1.7 million in personal income taxes dating back to 2001.

According to court documents, Lund moved to Oregon in the 1980s after several years as an employee with Hewlett Packard and started a private computer consulting company. His clients included large businesses, school districts and health care companies throughout the US.

In 1993, Lund reportedly paid $30,000 to an offshore trust promoter to hide his profits from the Internal Revenue Service. When the IRS audited him, they found he owed nearly $3 million in taxes and penalties.

Lund then stopped filing tax returns altogether and created several limited liability companies and trusts to conceal his income and assets, the U.S. Attorneys office said.

A known tax protester attorney from Georgia assisted Lund, and Kyle Weeks later surrendered his law license and was convicted for filing false tax returns.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Lund dodged the IRS over many years, going to extraordinary lengths, including transferring properties, claimed to not be a U.S. citizen and applied for and received food stamps and Medicaid benefits, claiming to be a part-time handyman. He stole about $70,000 in public benefits.

Lund reportedly used his untaxed profits to buy 90 acres of land outside Eugene, where he built an almost million-dollar 7,000-square-foot home. He also added a private landing strip as he is a small aircraft pilot. On top of these purchases, Lund bought the former city hall and post office building in Albany, a trailer park with multiple rental units, and two rental houses.
EUGENE, Ore.Cami, an emotional support dog whose owner died on July 4th, is heading back home Sunday to Texas.

Texas native James Northcott, also known as Trey, was Camis best friend. They lived together in Eugene for about three months.

Trey passed away suddenly from a pulmonary embolism. He went to take a nap and never woke up.

According to his sister, Cami took care of him, and without him now, she's left without a home.

Susan Cox, Treys mother, said they are glad that Cami was there by his side all the way up to his last breath.

Emergency came, and they said they really worked hard on him, but it was too late, but Cami was there to see it all, and we are really, really glad she was with him, Cox said. I just hope the last few months of his life were the best there in Oregon."

Cami was placed in the Greenhill Humane Society temporarily while the family was looking for ways to get her back home, but they were starting to lose hope. Flying wasn't an option since she exceeded the weight limit for dogs to ride in the cabin.

Danielle Stewart, president and founder of Apollo Support and Rescue, offered to bring Cami back home.

"They shared the story and said, Hey aren't you going up to the Pacific Northwest for dog adoptions, and I said, I sure am, Stewart said. So, she shared the story with me, and it immediately touched my heart."

Stewart travels from Texas to the Pacific Northwest once a month with a van full of abandoned dogs and gives them to local shelters.

She just so happens to be making a trip to Eugene this week, and now, Cami has a ride home.

"I do this every month-- dogs get home, and I put them in the arms and these amazing families, Stewart said. But to know that I am going that extra mile to complete Camis story to bring her home to Texas makes it all worthwhile."

Cox told KEZI that Trey suffered from mental health and substance addiction--his family said he often tried to run away from his problems and would seek adventure.

That explains his nickname --Crocodile Dundee.

According to Trey's sister, he was always let down. It was his furry friend Cami who stood by his side.

Cox is speaking out to advocate for addiction recovery and enlighten others about people who are struggling with substance abuse.

"If someone is disabled mentally or has addiction issues, that isnt who they are, Cox said. Who they are at the core of them is pure love, pure spirit, and they are just conditioned by the world we live in. He was a beautiful spirit."
OAKRIDGE, Ore. --- On Sunday, residents hosted a 'flag wave' for 15-year-old Ben Davidson, who's been waving both the American and the Blue Lives Matter flags as he walks up and down East First Street.

This was in response to comments made by Oakridge United Methodist Church's pastor Ross Spencer. The event was hosted outside of the church, during the church's normal service hours.

Dozens of community members were seen rallying at the event.

RELATED: OAKRIDGE CHURCH UNDER FIRE OVER STATEMENT ABOUT BOY WAVING BLUE LIVES MATTER FLAG

He gave a sermon implying that Ben was influenced to carry these flags by his parents, saying the boy, who was also campaigning for Former President Donald Trump was unaware of what he is standing for.

"He should not have done that," Ben said.

While many of Spencer's comments were political in nature, several neighbors expressed their complaints with the child.

They said he's been heard screaming vulgar and threatening language at people. They also claimed he's been disturbing the peace by consistently soliciting honks from passing cars.

Spencer has since apologized about his comments. However, Ben's father said he doesn't feel as though an apology was necessary. He said he supports everyone's right to the freedom of speech.

Not everyone feels the same way.

Michelle Yates said she believes Spencer should address the community in-person.

"I would love to see this pastor come out with his congregation face-to-face say 'please forgive us we were wrong,'" Yates said. "Spreading hatred from the pulpit which should be a place of love. Why doesn't it include patriots?"

Ben, who was in attendance at Sunday's festivities, appeared to be pleased by the turnout.

"It makes me smile so hard I almost cried," he said.

A sign outside of the church said they would typically hold a service, but church members never arrived. It's unclear if the service was cancelled in connection to the event.

KEZI 9 News reached out to the church for comment but did not hear back.
WINSTON, Ore.  A Winston man and former Douglas County commissioner is dead after a two-vehicle crash on Highway 138E on Monday.

Oregon State Police said troopers and emergency personnel responded to milepost 33 at about 12:30 p.m.

According to the investigation, a driver was headed west on the highway in a Subaru Forrester and was trying to turn left when the vehicle was hit by a Honda motorcycle that was also headed west.

OSP said Joseph Laurance, 71, who was operating the motorcycle, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead. The other driver was not injured.

The Glide Fire Department and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted state police.

Douglas County commissioners extended their condolences to Laurance's family in a statement on Monday. Laurance served as commissioner in position #2 for eight years from January 2007 to 2014.
By Tausi Nakato

Leaders in Busoga Sub-region have welcomed the move by the government to turn Busoga University into a public institution.

The Minister for East African Affairs and Kamuli Woman MP, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, tweeted that an agreement had been reached with the government to take over the university.

Thanks to @Kaguta Museveni, Archbishop Kaziimba, Busoga Diocese, the dream of Bishop Bamwoze (RIP) lives on, an agreement was concluded for the government to take over Busoga University, citizens get ready for multiplier effect, food, accommodation, stationary, she posted on her Twitter account on Saturday.

The universitys licence was in 2017 revoked by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) on grounds that the institution lacked qualified staff, taught uncredited courses and awarded fake degrees to more than 1,000 students, mainly South Sudanese.

Mr Frank Nabwiso, the former Kagoma County MP, welcomed the development saying: Busoga, up to today, has been one of three Sub-regions including Karamoja and Bunyoro without a public university, which was looking very funny.

He added: The killing of Busoga University means Bamwozes dream had died with him. But when the government says it has taken over, it has in a way resurrected Bamwoze as one of the founders. It is a victory for the Church of Uganda as a whole, he said.

Mr Peter Okocha Kasolo, the Jinja City Mayor, said: We have seen areas like Gulu and Mbarara develop because of the public universities there. I urge others to support our university by taking our children there. I will personally upgrade from there, he said.

Read more: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/busoga-welcomes-govt-takeover-of-university-3478388
By Ritah Kemigisa

The ministry of health has confirmed giving covid-19 vaccines to businessman Hamis Kiggundu as an act of kindness to support the COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the country.

In a statement released this morning, the ministrys spokesperson Emmanuel Aineybona denies selling vaccines to the city businessman, insisting that all vaccines administered in Uganda are free of charge.

According to Ainebyona, Kiggundu only volunteered to mobilize eligible people among the business community for vaccination, adding that this act is not linked to the Shs530m donation he recently made towards the covid-19 fight through the Office of the Prime Minister.

Ainebyona says similar vaccination outreach exercises have been carried out at various office premises.

He says this is all part of the ministrys plan to allocate more vaccines to Wakiso District where there was a low vaccination turnout.
By Ivan Ssenabulya

Preparations for this years Eid-al-Adhaby the Muslims are in high gear.

This is a festival of sacrifice, to remember an act of faith and obedience by Abraham who honoured God and expressed willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmail.

Family members also share gifts and express love and support to those in need.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among donated goats and rice to Muslim MPs and staff ahead of Tuesdays Eid feast.

The items were delivered by Zombo, district Woman MP Esther Afoyochan who is also a Commissioner of Parliament.

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days.
By Ivan Ssenabulya

Uganda continues to record a steady decline in new Covid-19 infections with the latest figures indicating a significant drop from 417 yesterday to 265 cases as of today.

This is according to figures released by the ministry of health from tests carried out on July 17th 2021, which puts the cumulative Covid-19 cases at 90,600.

The ministry has also confirmed 39 new deaths bringing the cumulative number of deaths to nearly 2,400.

Uganda currently has 939 active cases on admission at various health facilities after the recovery of 68,241 people since March 2020, when the pandemic was first confirmed in the country.
By AFP Ex-president Jacob Zuma returned to court on Monday for the resumption of a long-running graft trial, testifying from jail as proceedings unfolded online in a bid to avert more of the deadly unrest that swept South Africa after he was sentenced in a separate case.

Security forces threw a cordon around the High Court in the southeastern city of Pietermaritzburg, capital of Zumas home region of KwaZulu-Natal, where loyalists have previously gathered in rowdy shows of support.

The measures were later eased to allow street access after the area was deserted.

Zuma, 79, faces 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering related to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.

He is accused of taking bribes from one of the firms, French defence giant Thales, which has been charged with corruption and money laundering.

The trial started in May after numerous postponements and delays, as Zumas legal team battled to have the charges dropped.

An emotionless Zuma made a virtual appearance from prison in the nearby town of Estcourt, sitting on a black office chair in a white-walled room, clad in a black suit, white shirt and red tie.

He had proclaimed his innocence when he appeared in person for the opening in May. Thales has also pleaded not guilty.

On June 29, Zuma was separately found guilty of contempt of South Africas top court for snubbing graft investigators probing his time as president. He was jailed on July 8.

Seeking another delay

South Africa then plunged into chaos, with looting and rioting erupting in KwaZulu-Natal, before spreading to the economic hub of Johannesburg, claiming more than 200 lives.

The total bill could reach 50 billion rand ($3.4 billion), according to consultancy Intellidex.

The unrest, which fell back at the weekend, was widely seen as at least partially in response to Zumas imprisonment.

The trial is resuming virtually to avoid more disruption, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told AFP, although other court cases are also being heard online due to the pandemic.

But Zumas legal team claims the online format is unconstitutional and has applied for the trial to be adjourned.

Read more: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/zuma-s-graft-trial-resumes-online-without-support-crowd3478702
Today (Monday) marks the ninth annual Farm Safety Week in Ireland and the UK, an initiative led by the Irish Farmers Association here and by Yellow Wellies UK.

The message for this year is: Rethink Safety, which aims to encourage a deeper awareness of everyday risks on farms and the practical steps needed to reduce risk.

Farm Safety Week (FSW) is supported by several agencies, including the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee members.

This years Farm Safety Week features video testimonial from farm accident survivor Eileen ODriscoll in west Cork and the impact on her life.

Eileen farms with her husband Padraig in Skibbereen and suffered a livestock-related injury in 2015.

Her accident happened on Mothers Day of that year when Eileen and her husband were checking their suckler herd. She suffered multiple fractures and needed to be airlifted to Cork University Hospital by the Toe Head and Glandore Coastguard.

Her farm accident impacted her B&B business significantly, and she required months of intensive rehabilitation.

The video also features first responders who discuss the challenge of coming to the aid of somebody whos had an accident.

IFA President Tim Cullinan said Farm Safety Week is an important part of the annual calendar. It focuses on how farm families can continually improve their approach to farm safety.

The messages from this week should be carried forward by everybody working on farms, to keep themselves safe. The impact of COVID-19 on peoples mental well-being cannot be underestimated. We would encourage everybody to seek support and resources to maintain a resilient and positive approach to their work, he said.

Patricia Murray, Senior Psychologist with the HSA, highlights the warning signs and what we can all do to make a positive difference to our mental well-being.

Now more than ever, the stress of juggling many different tasks, rushing to meet deadlines and working in isolation are challenging most of us. When were stressed or tired, we dont pay attention to details. We make more mistakes, which can have devastating consequences.

Take short breaks regularly, even for five minutes, build enjoyment into the working day to alleviate the build-up of stress. Get support and help from local networks and plan for activities you find stressful to reduce the risk. Re-framing a dreaded task by imagining how someone else might do it can often help.

FBD Risk Manager Ciaran Roche said now is the time to challenge ourselves to work more safely and stop taking risks. Time is a precious commodity on farms, but its vital that farmers do take the time to review working practices and ask if there are any practical safety measures they could implement to make the farm a safer place.

This Farm Safety Week, we urge farmers to take time to assess their working environment, equipment and practices, and to put control measures in place to eliminate unnecessary risks, he said.

The Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, said Teagasc strongly supports Farm Safety Week. Its a time to highlight the risks associated with farming and encourage farmers to put measures in place to reduce these risks and make their farms safer places to work.

This year, we are particularly aware of the mental and physical toll that COVID-19 has had on all aspects of society. I urge all farmers to keep positive mental health and well-being at the top of their agenda, he said.

For more on Farm Safety Week 2021, visit
Residents along the Ballyragget road (N.77) were left scratching their heads recently as county council engineers and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) officials declared that the realignment of the road from Henebrys Cross to Georges Tree is 'not a priority'.

Following questions raised by Cllr David FitzGerald, officials stated that the 6.4 kilometres of twisting and undulating road across North Kilkenny is not on their list of roads to be straightened before 2040 despite locals confirming that there have been six fatalities and over thirty accidents along this road in previous years.

Arising from statements by the TII that level of accidents didnt justify the overhaul of the road, local resident, Paudie Brennan confirmed that he has assisted victims in multiple crashes over the years.

According to his records, five individuals have lost their lives since 1995 with a further death going back to 1972. These figures are underlined by over 30 accidents over the years with at least one incident requiring the air ambulance.

Council and TII officials have pointed out that there have been improvements to the road surface and signage along the route in recent years. Despite these modifications, the number of accidents and dangerous events have been on the increase in recent years due to increased traffic volumes and speed.

This exceptionally twisting road does not provide any overtaking area and the undulating surface has seen many cars leave the road surface in wet and icy weather says Cllr FitzGerald.

By speaking with locals, I have discovered that the Council and TII road accident and incident data for this section of road is incorrect and misleading.

As the N.77 is part of the national road network, the responsibility for funding the realignment of road falls to the TII whose decisions are based on Garda and Local Authority data.

Clearly a significant number of accidents have not been recorded according to Mr Brennan.

Ive pulled numerous cars out of ditches and come to the rescue of accident victims over the years.

Locals have questioned the TIIs decision to spend millions on upgrading the road from Ballyragget to the Ballinaslee which passes the Glanbia plant while the road from Ballyragget to Kilkenny City section remains unaltered.

Cllr FitzGerald has submitted Mr Brennans accident data to the Council engineers, TII and the gardai as part of a request to reassess the Conahy section of the N.77 to seek the inclusion of this project.

With the updated data, Cllr FitzGerald is seeking funding to redesign the road and to begin discussion with landowners for any land that is needed to facilitate the realignment.
A version of this article first appeared in the "Reliable Sources" newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.

Scores of journalists from seventeen news outlets worked together to expose evidence of industrial-scale spying that targeted journalists, activists, politicians, and business executives.

And the revelations are only just beginning.

The consortium began to publish its findings on Sunday. The stories indicate that numerous members of the media were "possible candidates for surveillance," as The Guardian put it. Forensic tests affirmed the presence of spyware on some phones.

More will be coming out in the days ahead. The participating news outlets are dubbing this the "Pegasus Project," teeing off the name of the spyware, Pegasus, which is ostensibly licensed by NSO Group to track terrorists and major criminals. How has the spyware been used? Has it been abused? Those are two of the key questions.

First things first...

How did this investigation begin? Washington Post executive editor Sally Buzbee explained it in a letter from the editor on Sunday afternoon. "The project was conceived by Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, which, along with Amnesty International, a human rights group, had access to records that formed the basis of our reporting: a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers concentrated in countries known to surveil their citizens and also known to have been clients of NSO Group," Buzbee wrote.

"Although the purpose of the list could not be conclusively determined, it is a fascinating document," Buzbee wrote. "Out of the more than 1,000 identities that could be confirmed, there were at least 85 human rights activists, 65 business executives, several members of Arab royal families, 189 journalists, and 600 government officials and politicians, spread across more than 50 countries."

Amnesty's Security Lab was able to examine 67 smartphones. "Of those, 23 were successfully infected and 14 showed signs of attempted penetration," WaPo reported. "For the remaining 30, the tests were inconclusive, in several cases because the phones had been replaced."

WaPo interviewed some of the affected individuals, including Siddharth Varadarajan, co-founder of The Wire, a nonprofit news outlet in India. "This is an incredible intrusion, and journalists should not have to deal with this," he said after learning that his phone was infected. "Nobody should have to deal with this."

Who's on the list?

Here's what WaPo reported: "Among the journalists whose numbers appear on the list, which dates to 2016, are reporters working overseas for several leading news organizations, including a small number from CNN, the Associated Press, Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Le Monde in France, the Financial Times in London and Al Jazeera in Qatar."

There's a whole lot of uncertainty associated with this, as Devan Cole noted in a story for CNN.com. But Amnesty's secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, came out swinging. "The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media. It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice," Callamard said Sunday.

I was also struck by this line in the WaPo story: "After the investigation began, several reporters in the consortium learned that they or their family members had been successfully attacked with Pegasus spyware."

"Out in the open..."

CNN has not independently verified the findings of the Pegasus Project probe. The seventeen participating outlets are Forbidden Stories, The Washington Post, Le Monde, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Die Zeit, The Guardian, Daraj, Direkt36, Le Soir, Knack, Radio France, The Wire, Proceso, Aristegui Noticias, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Haaretz and PBS "Frontline."

For an overview of the findings thus far, "Frontline" is running a live blog linking to major stories from the other partners.

Here's the key quote from Dana Priest, one of the bylines on the WaPo report, who is also featured in a "Frontline" report. "For the first time," Priest said, "we've been able to give readers a sense of just how enormous the private and unregulated spying business has become. It's been a unique, and actually thrilling, experience to work with so many foreign journalists to pool our sources and resources to bring this difficult story out in the open, where it should be."

NSO Group's response

Quoting from Devan Cole's story: "In a lengthy statement to CNN on Sunday, NSO Group strongly denied the investigation's findings, saying in part that it sells its 'technologies solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments for the sole purpose of saving lives through preventing crime and terror acts.'"

NSO Group also said it "does not operate the system and has no visibility to the data." It said it will continue to investigate "all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action based on the results" of such investigations...

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Just as in a summer blockbuster, there are superheroes and supervillains of sex. The most powerful hero is arousal  the warmth we generate when we touch, the fantasy that turns us on. It's the mechanism by which we climb the peaks of pleasure. But like a classic movie standoff, arousal often never gets a chance to shine, thanks to its nemesis: anxiety.

"Anxiety hits the soft spot of vulnerability, making it hard to be present and aroused," explained California-based sex therapist Jean Pappalardo. "Anxiety about sex and intimacy may start as a 'yield' sign and eventually become a 'stop' sign. It can be paralyzing."

By anxiety, therapists mean feelings of fear, nervousness, and worry that can interfere with daily life.

There are any number of reasons why you might feel anxious about or during sex, but at their core, they usually involve "spectatoring"  a sense of being more concerned about the performance of sex than the actual act of it. Spectatoring prevents us from being in the moment and letting go.

In my experience, people spectate around all sorts of concerns: Will I function the way I feel I should? Am I a good lover? Is this pleasurable for my partner? Am I meeting my partner's expectations? How does my body look? How do I compare? Am I going to be expected to do something I'm uncomfortable with because I know my partner wants it?

These concerns can often be traced back to something in our sexual history. One woman I worked with had been told that she wasn't a good kisser. One of my male patients was mocked for being uncircumcised. Such triggering events initially led to anxiety, which in turn impaired sexual function. Now, the anxiety itself triggers performance issues for these patients, often creating a vicious circle.

Other people may find that heightened anxiety outside the bedroom  whether the result of an anxiety disorder or life's general stresses  can impede what goes on inside the bedroom.

"People who struggle with anxiety often have a hard time relaxing, so their ability to tune into their sexual sensations and allow arousal to happen is compromised," said Deborah Fox, a sex therapist in Washington, DC. "They put so much energy into managing their anxiety that takes them away from enjoying themselves  including the spiciness of sex."

How anxiety manifests in your body

Anyone who has experienced anxiety is likely familiar with its most obvious symptoms: Your heart races, you breathe more heavily, you experience "butterflies in the stomach," which often show up as digestive woes. Chronic anxiety can be more insidious, making itself known in the form of irritability, depression and low libido. It can affect sexual arousal and function in other ways, too.

"For people with penises, anxiety can affect blood flow leading to the inability to achieve or maintain an erection," said sex therapist Kristen Lilla, who practices in Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin. "For people with vaginas, anxiety can cause you to tense, tightening the vaginal muscles, and upon penetration can cause pain. It may also cause you to struggle with orgasm."

In the moment, anxiety can hijack your body and mind in ways that stop you from being in the flow of sex. Many of my male patients have so-called psychological erectile unpredictability, meaning it only happens during partnered sex. Men with this problem tell me they're afraid of it happening again and that fear spirals, leading to panic during sex, which releases the stress hormone adrenaline and redirects of the blood away from the genitals. In short, the anxiety around impairment of sexual function leads to the actual occurrence of the function.

It's this link to adrenaline that has led urologist Dr. Paul Gittens, one of the nation's leading sexual medicine physicians, to urge a shift in the way we view  and label  erectile issues.

"Adrenaline is an anti-erection chemical and is the main driver in the fight-or-flight response," Gittens said. "When men have had failed attempts at sex, or they have developed anxiety and stress because of previous failed attempts, adrenaline kicks in and contributes to erectile dysfunction by shifting the blood away from the penis. The term 'psychological erectile dysfunction' puts the blame on the man. I prefer to call it 'adrenaline-medicated erectile dysfunction.'"

Whatever the cause of sexual anxiety, there are ways to address it  and to have a fulfilling sex life.

Recognize the problem

People with anxiety around sex tend to use avoidance as a coping mechanism. But this approach only compounds the issue. "Outside of the bedroom, sexual anxiety puts a lot of stress on the relationship. It can creep into other parts of the relationship, and suddenly you are fighting about things you don't normally fight about," said Pappalardo.

One of my patients worries he'll lose his erection during sex or won't be able to finish. He worries so much about it that he avoids initiating sex and even holding hands or telling his girlfriend she looks pretty because he's terrified that she'll interpret it as an invitation to have sex.

As a result, his girlfriend feels undesired, which is actually far from the case  he desires her all the time. He just believes that the sex is doomed to fail. And because he thinks talking about sex is inherently shameful, he never tells her the real reason he's not approaching her.

Talk about it

Lots of people find talking about sex uncomfortable, but communication is key  and seeing a professional may help facilitate those conversations.

"When couples come to me with anxiety, I tell them to speak about what happened in their lovemaking session outside of it; there is often less charge outside the bedroom," said sex therapist Tara Galeano, founder of Colorado's Boulder Sex Therapy. "I ask them to agree on what they will do when one or both experience anxiety, make a plan, and write it down."

Stay in the moment

Simply put, mindfulness means being in the moment without judgment.

"Mindfulness is the perfect counter to sexual anxiety since it thwarts worries about impending ills by inviting you to become fully present in the here and now," explained sexologist and professor Yvonne Fulbright. "Rather than thinking that there's a right or wrong way to feel or think at any given moment, you practice acceptance in this state of simply being, ultimately lowering stress levels. Instead of being preoccupied with the past or future, your awareness is dedicated to simply being 'there.'"

One way to foster mindfulness it to practice breathing exercises as a part of foreplay, said Fulbright: Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale for six counts. "Doing so helps lovers to transition from their busy lives to a more enjoyable, easygoing space, and bring attention to the moment."

Focusing on the sensations in your body can also help.

"When you pay attention to something, you are recruiting the cortex, the part of our brain associated with thinking and processing information, which doesn't sound or feel very sexy," said sex therapist Joanne Bagshaw, who teaches at Montgomery College in Maryland. "But when you shift your attention to the sensations in your body, you're able to experience these sensations without judgement, because you're recruiting a different part of your brain."

If you find yourself overthinking during sex, try fantasizing about sex while having it. Focusing on your fantasy and the sensations within your fantasy will help you stay out of your head and in your body during sex.

Take the pressure off

Don't worry about an erection or orgasm  consider even taking that off the table completely for a while. "When you are focused on either or both, it makes it less likely that you will actually get an erection or have an orgasm," said Florida-based sex therapist Rachel Needle. "While I am a big fan of the orgasm, great sex doesn't have to involve having one."

Don't let anxiety overtake arousal. With some work, you can ensure that your sex life has a happy ending.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
AUSTIN, Minn.  A woman accused of whipping her children with a cell phone charging cord is sentenced.

Sharnaye Latrice Scroggins, 31 of Austin, was arrested in November 2019 after the Austin Police Department said Scroggins whipped three of her children with a phone charging cord, leaving scars. One child also claimed to have been punched in the eye, leaving it bruised and swollen, while another child claimed to have been beaten with a spatula.

Scroggins was charged with three counts of malicious punishment of a child and three counts of domestic assault. She eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault and was sentenced Monday to one years of supervised probation. Scroggins was also fined $200.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The Minnesota Court of Appeals has handed another victory to the sheriff in a dispute over salary with Freeborn County.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Monday that a district court judge was acting properly in setting Kurt Freitags salary at $113,952 after Freeborn County commissioners voted to pay him $97,020.

The dispute began in November 2019 when Sheriff Freitag submitted a 23 percent salary increase. County commissioners rejected that in favor of a smaller pay hike. Freitag appealed that decision, as permitted under state law, and a Freeborn County District Court judge ruled the countys decision was arbitrary.

Freeborn County appealed that ruling and the Minnesota Court of Appeals overruled the district court judge, staying the judge clearly erred in calling the countys decision arbitrary. Freitag then appealed that decision, and the Minnesota Supreme Court sided with Freitag and stated the appeals court had inappropriately substituted its judgment for the district courts. The Minnesota Supreme Court said there was reasonable evidence to support the district courts decision.

The case was then sent back to the Minnesota Court of Appeals to determine if the district court had been correct in setting Freitags new salary at $113,952. The appeals court has now ruled that decision was based on statutory and other valid factors and upheld Freitags salary increase.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  Some southeast Minnesota residents are honored at the states Outstanding Refugee Awards.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services held the award ceremonies Monday at the Minnesota History Center.

Receiving the Civic Engagement Wards, which recognizes individuals who make their communities stronger through civic participation, were:

- Maylary Apolo of Austin, legal assistant at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

- Armin Budimlic of Rochester, executive director for the Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association

A Young Leader Award, which recognizes young people who have achieved great milestones and are making a difference in their communities, also went to:

- Abdikarim Hassen of Rochester, volunteer for Family Service Rochester

Few of us can relate to the experiences refugees have gone through but we can certainly recognize and, in the case of these awards, honor those who have persevered and made a better life not only for themselves but enriched Minnesota with their ideas, talents and work ethic, says Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead.

A total of 22 individuals received Outstanding Refugee Awards Monday, 10 from 2020 and 12 from 2021.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP)  Officials in Cedar Falls say a father and his young son were killed in a barn collapse.

Officials say the incident happened Friday evening when fire crews were called to a rural home for a report of traumatic injuries. Arriving crews found the bodies of the man and boy trapped in the collapsed barn.

Justin Stockdale, superintendent of Dike-New Hartford Community Schools, identified the victims in a letter to school patrons as Andy Kaufman and his son, Beckett Kaufman.

Stockdale said the boy was set to enter the fourth grade this fall. Officials had not released other details of the collapse by Monday morning.
BROWNSDALE, Minn.  A collision between a semi and a car injured one person Monday afternoon.

It happened around 1:20 pm at the intersection of Highway 56 and County Road 2 in Mower County. The Minnesota State Patrol says Michael Orwin Otterness, 72 of Spring Valley, was eastbound when his car collided with the northbound semi driven by Parker Reed Brumm, 25 of Rockford, IA.

The State Patrol says Otterness suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin for treatment. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

The Mower County Sheriffs Office and Brownsdale Fire Department assisted with this crash.
WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP)  Fire officials say a January home explosion in southeast Iowa that killed one person and injured another was caused when vapor from a gas leak was ignited when someone in the home lit a cigarette.

Television station KCRG reports that Washington County fire officials have determined a gas leak filled a confined space in the home on Jan. 4 before the cigarette was lit.

The explosion injured 68-year-old George Carpenter and another person in the home. Carpenter died three days later at a hospital from his injuries. Officials say they have not determined the source of the gas that led to the explosion.
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- A family was told they weren't allowed to board their plane at St. Louis Lambert International Airport - all because their child is autistic and can't wear a mask. The airline, however, said there's more to the story.

LaShaunda Jethro grew up in St. Louis. Her husband also grew up in the area, on the other side of the river in Fairview Heights, Illinois. They were in town this weekend with their 17-year-old son Trey, who is autistic and non-verbal.

Jethro told News 4 traveling to Lambert Airport was a breeze and they had no issues. However, when they went to board their flight home to Long Beach, California, it was a different story.

Iowa family denied flight after child with autism couldn't wear mask during layover in St. Louis Southwest Airlines said they were following the law when their employees stopped a boy with autism from flying at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

"Everyone was so nice, and you know, the ticket agent there even gave us pre-boarding and looked at my son and noticed. A lady from TSA saw us and said 'no you come here, we're gonna get him through,'" Jethro said.

That was before Jethro and her family got to the gate. Jethro said flying with her son is already challenging, and masking adds another level of difficulty.

"He will not keep a mask on his face. We have tried and tried, he just won't do it," Jethro told News 4.

The Jethros were flying Southwest. News 4 looked into the airline's policy and saw it does have exemptions for masking. This includes passengers with disabilities. You can read that policy here.

The policy states the passenger or guardian has to fill out a formal request for masking exemption, in addition to having a doctor's note.

"We get to the door of the plane and the flight attendant is like, 'no, he can't come on, he's gotta wear a mask'. I got my phone and pulled out the doctor's letter," Jethro said.

Jethro, who's a nurse practitioner herself, said she told flight attendants her son is fully vaccinated and tried to show them his vaccination card. After going back and forth with the airline, and after calling News 4, the Jethros were allowed to board.

However, when they sat down, flight attendants asked just the mother to get off. Jethro went back and forth again with the flight attendants asking why she had to be removed.

Southwest Airlines sent News 4 this statement:

"While boarding Flight 4238 this morning from St. Louis to Long Beach, there were concerns with documentation related to a Customer seeking a mask policy exemption for their child. Our Ground Operations Team and Flight Crew worked out a solution to allow the family to travel. However, once onboard, one of the members of the family was asked to deplane following a conversation with our Flight Attendants and for not complying with the federal mask mandate. Ultimately, our Flight Crews are responsible for the Safety, Security, and comfort of all Crew Members and Customers onboard. Once in the gate area, our St. Louis Team explained the situation and rebooked the Customers on a different flight."

The statement said Jethro was asked to deplane after a conversation with flight attendants and not complying with the mask mandate. News 4 talked with Southwest's spokesperson on the phone Sunday. He said Jethro wasn't wearing her mask at a point during the conversation with attendants, but couldn't disclose any more specifics.

Jethro said she always wears a mask. She told News 4 Sunday, she had a mask on that was too oversized and kept falling off, but said she continued to re-adjust and make sure it was covering her face. The airline's spokesperson disputes this as well.

"I'm just still so in shock and just amazed that this happened, and it's like what else can I do? I don't know what else to do besides call corporate. What do we need to do to make sure we're doing the right thing," Jethro continued.

Jethro told News 4 her and her family's belongings, including her son's needed medication, was on the flight to California. She said she believes it's already in Long Beach, but can't get ahold of anyone at the airport there. For now, the family of three is rebooked on a flight out of Lambert Airport Monday morning.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a four-part series that will explore the reassessment of work standards as well as turnover rates and retention challenges faced by local businesses. It will delve into what nearby counties, states and countries have tried to address the apparent workforce shortage.

MOUNT VERNON  A quick Google search on OhioMeansJobs or Indeed will pull up hundreds of job openings in the Knox County area, across multiple sectors.

Southside Diner in Mount Vernon lost a third of its usual 60-person staff during the pandemic, said shift manager Frank Winter.

A lot of people didnt come back after we reopened, Winter said.

In the beginning of April 2021, the diner announced it would be closed indefinitely on Sundays and Mondays because of staff shortages.

But, theres no shortage of customers, Winter said.

Taco Bell, located across the street from the diner on South Main Street, is also in need of employees. Josh Lester, the general manager, said he needs to hire 6 to 8 people and is looking for workers to fill positions during all shifts.

Its a smaller town, so as far as hiring goes, its hard, Lester said. Theres a lot of other places just like us. Competitive pay is obviously a thing.

Lisa Behrens, assistant manager of the Domino's Pizza store located along the same street, said her shop began offering $100 hiring bonuses in an attempt to attract more job applicants. Behrens recently hired three new employees but is still looking for additional help.

Signs that read hiring for all positions, $100 signing bonus and help wanted line the aforementioned street and several others in Knox County.

While some local businesses are receiving applicants to their job postings, many say they are not receiving the same number of applicants nor the same number of qualified applicants as they had before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

So, where are the workers?

During the height of the pandemic, several Knox County employers cited health concerns as reasons why workers left.

Knox Area Transit drivers, for example, had a front-facing role that left them at increased risk of infection, county administrator Jason Booth said.

While KAT had job openings during the height of the pandemic, many still remain, he said. KAT often hires full-time employees after they have worked part-time roles, and KAT drivers have had to work overtime because of the inability to fill part-time positions.

Others have attributed a lack of response to available jobs to pandemic-era federal unemployment benefits.

Ohioans were required to resume weekly work-search activities as part of future applications for unemployment payments beginning May 23, and Ohio ended pandemic-era federal unemployment programs on June 26.

"We're hoping to see more people come through our doors with the pandemic unemployment ending," said Brandy Booth, administrator at Opportunity Knox Employment Center.

It's too early to tell whether removed pandemic-era benefits will have a long-term impact on employment. Jobs have remained difficult to fill in places where jobless benefits were cut, indicating there is more at play.

There is no clear nor single explanation for the difficulty that some employers are having in hiring, according to Knox-area employers, job seekers, leaders and many economists.

As businesses open to pre-pandemic levels and unemployment benefits are removed, a disconnect between what employers are offering and what employees want remains.

Coming Tuesday: The workforce has reassessed work. More people have voluntarily quit their jobs than ever before, and not all people who lost jobs are seeking new ones.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivers a speech during the "Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities" conference in Tashkent, Friday. Courtesy of Presidential Office of Uzbekistan



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Uzbekistan hosted an international conference, discussing regional security, economic integration and the culture of Central and South Asia, from Thursday to Friday.



About 250 participants from 44 countries took part in the conference, including Afghanistani President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.



President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who initiated the conference, emphasized how Central and South Asian states serve as a bridge for the countries in the Middle East, Europe and China.



"Today the world has entered the era of global geopolitical transformations, which bring both challenges and new opportunities. In these conditions, the revival of mutual ties between Central and South Asia, where about 2 billion people live today, is an even more in-demand process," Mirziyoyev said.



"I think that the time has come, based on the huge historical, scientific, spiritual and cultural heritage of our peoples, the complementarity of economies and the availability of intellectual potential, to consolidate our joint efforts, which will undoubtedly have a powerful synergy effect."



Mirziyoyev also mentioned the importance of strengthening peace and friendship, trust and neighborliness, enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation and building an open and constructive policy to meet the common interests of all Central and South Asian states.



He presented some initiatives to achieve these goals, such as a railway connecting Termez, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul and Peshawar, along with measures to implement digital connectivity in trade, transit and border crossing.



An annual interregional forum was proposed by Mirziyoyev to discuss the current issues of enhancing the economic agenda items of deepening cooperation and investment interaction between the countries of the two regions.



Delegations from the C5+1 countries  or Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the U.S.  also adopted a jointed statement affirming their commitment to enhancing engagement through a regional diplomatic platform and strengthening connectivity.





Delegations from 44 countries participated in the "Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities" conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Courtesy of the Presidential Office of Uzbekistan
Military band members rehearse before the event marking the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China, on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, July 1. Reuters-Yonhap




German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and the governor of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, rear third left, are seen on a bridge in Schuld, during their visit in the flood-ravaged areas to survey the damage and meet survivors, Germany, July 18. AP-Yonhap



Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday she was horrified by the "surreal" devastation in the flood-ravaged region of western Germany, as the death toll in Germany and Belgium passed 190 with dozens of people still missing.



The veteran leader said the world must step up efforts to tackle the climate crisis, as global warming makes extreme weather events more likely.



"We must hurry," she said. "We have to be faster in the fight against climate change."



Wearing hiking boots and offering pandemic-safe fist bumps to rescue workers, Merkel walked through the village of Schuld in Rhineland-Palatinate state, one of the two hardest-hit regions in western Germany.



She listened to the accounts of residents where the swollen Ahr river swept away houses and left debris piled high in the streets.



Merkel, who is retiring from politics after September's elections, described the damage as "surreal" and pledged quick aid to rebuild.



"It is shocking  I can almost say that the German language doesn't have words for the destruction that's been wreaked," she said.





Water flows over a square in front of a house in Bischofswiesen, Germany, July 17. AP-Yonhap



At least 160 people have died since Wednesday in Germany's worst flooding in living memory, police said.



Merkel was accompanied by Malu Dreyer, premier of Rhineland-Palatinate which has recorded 112 fatalities.



As they navigated damaged roads together, the chancellor gripped the hand of Dreyer, who has multiple sclerosis, to support her.



At least 31 people have lost their lives in neighboring Belgium.



Heavy rainfall has also battered Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Austria in recent days.





Armin Laschet, center, governor of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the top candidate of the German Christian Democrats for the upcoming federal elections, laughs in Erftstadt while German President Steinmeier gives a press statement on the floods in Germany, July 17. AP-Yonhap.



Climate spotlight



The disaster has catapulted climate change back to the top of the agenda in Germany, ahead of September 26 polls that will mark the end of Merkel's 16 years in power.



Experts say that because a warmer atmosphere holds more water, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall.



Armin Laschet, the premier of flood-stricken North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) state and frontrunner in the race for the chancellery, said global warming should be tackled "faster and more consistently".



"The climate won't tolerate a delay," he said.



Laschet's campaign suffered a setback however after he was filmed laughing in the devastated town of Erftstadt in NRW on Saturday, while President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was giving a statement expressing his sympathies to grieving families.



Laschet later apologized, saying he had been deeply moved by the suffering of residents and his behavior in that moment "was not OK".





A man carries debris out of a house in Bad Muenstereifel, western Germany, July 18. AP-Yonhap



Weather warning criticism



The scale of the flood impact in Europe's top economy was gradually becoming clear, with damaged buildings being assessed and efforts under way to clear debris and restore gas, electricity and telephone services.



In some areas, police deployed speedboats and divers to retrieve bodies.



The clean-up is expected to take months, "even years", said Laschet.



The high death toll brought scrutiny to Germany's weather alert system and whether people in the risk zones were notified early enough.



The German association of cities and towns called for "significant reinforcements" to emergency preparedness and warning systems.



Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the Bild daily that lessons had to be learned.



"Did we take enough precautions to recognize these kinds of events in time?" he asked.



With the waters receding in Rhineland-Palatinate and neighboring NRW, attention shifted to Germany's Bavaria region where more rain was forecast later Sunday.



One person died in Upper Bavaria on Saturday after heavy downpours inundated basements and led rivers and creeks to burst their banks.



In the eastern state of Saxony, authorities reported a "significant risk situation" in several villages.



German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz pledged more than 300 million euros ($354 million) in emergency aid for people who lost homes and businesses, with the cabinet to approve a much larger reconstruction package on Wednesday.



The final bill is expected to run in "the billions" of euros, Scholz said.





Residents walk through rubbish and piled up furnishings from the destroyed houses and apartments in downtown Ahrweiler, western Germany, July 18. AP-Yonhap
By Yang Moo-jin





China and North Korea seem to be getting closer these days. The leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory messages on the 60th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance on July 11. In the message, they emphasized advancing the development of respective socialist causes and strengthening strategic communication, based on the friendship between the two sides that was forged in blood.



Intensifying U.S.-China competition is behind the close relationship between China and North Korea. China could be seen as using North Korea, which is a traditional ally and geopolitical buffer zone, to counter the U.S.'s pressure and containment strategies. The Biden administration has defined China as its sole competitor and made it clear that it will respond with the alliance network, while stressing value-oriented diplomacy that places democracy and human rights first.



North Korea is prepared to reinforce its relationship with China as leverage to deal with international sanctions, amid a protracted deadlock in relations with the U.S., while strengthening internal unity and striving for self-reliance, as it propagates a people-first policy internally.



Now, China is engaged in a strategic competition with the U.S., while North Korea is waging psychological warfare with America over the nuclear negotiations. Due to the growing need for mutual cooperation between China and North Korea, their close relationship is likely to continue for a while.



In terms of reliable control over the Korean Peninsula situation, China's growing influence in North Korea is of some use. China does not want military tensions and conflicts to erupt on the Korean Peninsula just in front of its doorstep. China will strongly oppose high-level North Korean provocations, such as nuclear tests and ICBM test launches, which provide a reason to strengthen the U.S. missile defense system and ROK-U.S.-Japan military cooperation. However, there is a limit to China's role of controlling military tensions, due to Beijing's passive stance and penchant for maintaining the status quo.



Although China is said to prefer dialogue to address problems involving the Korean Peninsula, Beijing appears to favor maintaining a balance of power by teaming up with North Korea and Russia rather than seeking active cooperation with the U.S. But due to this response, there is a great risk that a ROK-U.S.-Japan vs. DPRK-China-Russia rivalry will form.



The most desirable situation is for the North Korea issue to fall into the realm of U.S.-China cooperation and related nations to come together to pursue peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia. The Biden administration has pointed out the possibility of working with China on the issues of Iran, North Korea and climate change. To make the North Korea issue fall into the realm of U.S.-China cooperation, it is necessary to see denuclearization as a long-term process, as suggested by the Biden administration, and gradually take steps to achieve peace, improve relations and build trust.



During their summit in late May, the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. set conditions for resuming talks with North Korea by reaffirming the importance of diplomacy and dialogue with the North based on the previous inter-Korea and U.S.-DPRK agreements, such as the Panmunjom Declaration and Singapore joint statement. The U.S. should not put the blame on North Korea by saying that the ball is in its court. If it is difficult to ease sanctions first, the U.S. needs to present a roadmap for tangible progress, including the establishment of a peace regime and the improvement of the U.S.-DPRK relationship, which North Korea could negotiate.



Also, the U.S. should not limit China's role when it comes to North Korea issues by demanding it to join in the international sanctions. Rather, the U.S. should work with China to make it play a constructive role as an "honest broker" in resuming talks and promoting negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea. The Beijing Winter Olympics next February could provide important momentum for China to seek an active role in addressing the North Korea issues.



North Korea may be very aware of the fact that it is not possible to ensure its survival by relying on China only. North Korea has painful memories of China failing to consider its point of view and establishing diplomatic relations with South Korea when the Cold War ended in the 1990s. North Korea may have the long-term goal of improving its relations with the U.S., along with establishing an independent foundation for survival and prosperity. As such, a foreign policy of relying solely on China could be dangerous for North Korea.



Furthermore, North Korea must deviate from its rigid stance of resuming talks only after the U.S. first abandons its hostile policy. Since the U.S. has declared its desire for a diplomatic solution through a practical and phased approach, North Korea should return to the negotiating table, listen to the Biden administration's policy and try to achieve what it wants by proceeding with negotiations over incentives that the U.S. may suggest.





Yang Moo-jin (yangmj@kyungnam.ac.kr) is a professor at the University of North Korean Studies and vice chairman of the Korean Association of North Korean Studies. He is also a standing committee member of the National Unification Advisory Council and a policy consultant at the Ministry of Unification.


PORTLAND, OR (KPTV)  The Portland community is mourning after a mass shooting downtown early on Saturday left an 18-year-old woman dead and at least six others injured.

Laurie Palmer, the founder of Go Get Your Child, a community violence prevention coalition, said shes heartbroken to see this happen again.

What I want to say to the family is we never prepare for anything like this and I am saddened by your loss, your community is saddened by your loss, Palmer said.

Palmer also knew the woman who was killed.

I (have) been knowing her ever since she was a little girl, Palmer said. And shes a good girl and she did not deserve what she got and so I was saddened, I havent been to sleep all night.

Portland Police havent released the victims name yet and the family is asking for privacy as they grieve this tragic loss.

When stuff like this first happens everybody is traumatized, everybody wants to focus on what happened with the victim, Palmer said. But what we need to focus on is the living too and the family members that are left behind and are traumatized and they dont know how to deal with the trauma.

According to Portland Police, in just a 38-hour span, there were eleven shootings in Portland with 13 people either injured or killed. Palmer said those numbers are hard to swallow but shes not surprised to see gun violence in the city getting worse.

Theyre trying to solve all of this their selves and they cant because theyre law enforcement, she said.

Palmer said community members are still being left out of the conversation.

Let the community sit at the table with you when you are planning how you are going to deal with our community members, our family members and the community. I mean why have we not been called to the table? she said. You cant make rules for us unless youre talking to us and asking us what we need, you cannot do that and thats why its not going to work.

If you or a family member have experienced gun violence and need resources or help, Palmer said fill out the form and she and her team will get in contact with you.
UPDATE: JUNE 22 AT 9:08 A.M.

The Buffalo Pasture fire is currently 65 percent contained and burning 244 acres as of Monday, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Wildland Fire Management updated.

BIA said in a release the fire still has invisible flame smoldering underneath limestone canyon walls at its north and south extremities, and on the southwest ridge toward Little Bull Elk Canyon.

Type 3 incident commander trainee Tracy Spang said the cool winds on Sunday only rained enough to "make the roads less dusty", according to BIA's release. On Monday, crews set down a hose over the canyon walls to help with mop up underneath.

According to BIA, crews will mop up the south side of the fire to clear smoke 50-feet from the fireline Tuesday. On Monday, Mad River hotshots left for a new task, and the fire moved to a Type 4 management.

BIA reminds the public to be mindful of accidental fires due to vehicles or careless burning.

An RV caught fire in the West Dunmore fire at around noon on Saturday on the Camp 1 Road west of Dunmore, according to BIA. Two propane tanks exploded causing a two acre fire. Two BIA engines put out the fire with the help from Big Horn County Rural Fire. BIA said someone left something hot at the Pryor Dump resulting a small fire west of Pryor on Edgar Road Saturday night.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

UPDATE: JUNE 18 AT 11:18 A.M.

Additional crews have arrived at the Buffalo Pasture Fire.

An update from the Crow Agency says the Buffalo Pasture Fire has grown to 328 acres, and that damp mountain weather and time may help the fire from growing further.

The update says crews may enter the canyon bottom within a day once they can cool the fire edges to reduce risk to their escape route up the canyon sides.

On Thursday, a Type 2 IA crew from Oregon and two engines arrived to help Crow crews and three engines at spike camp in the tribal buffalo pasture.

A Crow squad and the crew from Oregon built line on the southwest and east side ridges Thursday.

We are softening it up, said Duty Officer, Randy Pretty On Top. Single-engine air tankers dropped retardant to slow fire spread to the northwest into the main Little Bull Elk Canyon, where the fire gained about five acres Thursday.

Around half of the over 50 person firefighting crew are part of the Crow crew, and the Mad River hotshot crew from Northern California is traveling up the mountain Friday morning.

In addition, students completing a rookie school Friday are graduating into firefighters who will assist at the incident Crow Agency reports.

UPDATE: JUNE 16 AT 1:33 P.M.

The Buffalo Pasture fire is currently a estimated 250 acres Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Wildland Fire Management (BWFM).

BWFM said in a release the heavy timber in the canyon created unsafe conditions for crews to dig line until the fire cools down substantially. Crews dropped fire retardant that reduced the speed of the initial run north toward Bighorn Lake, BWFM said.

The fire is climbing up the northeast and southwest canyon walls Wednesday--BWFM said limestone walls are holding in some of the fire.

The mountains at the Cowboy Camp near Windy Point are closed at this time--a spike camp will be at the Hunter's Cabin.

Crews haves requested a heavy and light helicopter, hotshot crew, water tender, local crew and camp crew to the fire. BWFM said air resource and elite crews have left to battle higher priority fires close by.

BWFM said the Crow Tribe is thinking about putting fire restrictions in place.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

CROW AGENCY, Mont. - A 100-acre fire is burning deep in the Little Bull Elk Canyon on the Crow Reservation Tuesday.

According to a release from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Wildland Fire Management (BWFM), the Buffalo Pasture Fire is located southwest of the road between Little Bull Elk Ridge and the buffalo pasture, and west of the old hunter's cabin and the new cabin.

There are 800 to 1000 tons of heavy timber per acre in the canyon forest that have not burned in many years; thus, BWFM said the fire will create a lot of smoke.

BWFM said flames are 100 to 150-feet high with heavy fuels on each side of the canyon's steep walls.

A four-person module and a heavy engine with three aboard is on their way to the fire.

Crews are going to work to prevent the fire from moving into the Black Canyon and protect the cabins on the pasture.

BWFM said the more than 15 people in the Black Canyon are safe at this time.

A Red Flag warning is in effect until 10 p.m. Tuesday with expected wind gusts of up to 35-miles-per-hour and a cold front later.
BILLINGS, Mont. - A house caught fire on Washington Street in Billings Monday.

Sergeant Spencer Wise with the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office told Montana Right Now someone from MET Transit reported the fire.

Billings Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Bentz told us there was a fire at the same location two days before coming from the attic. He said the second fire had a fire on the first floor and crews were able to extinguish it quickly.

Bentz said the in the second fire, there was a pile of clothing and stuff on fire in the hallway, but the flames were small. He said it is possible something rekindled from the last fire; however, fire crews are investigating whether this fire was related to the first fire.

The house has substantial interior damage from the first fire.

No people were inside the house at the time of the second fire.

Crews have the fire under control.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the following statement:

Its time to reopen the border between Montana and Canada, and its time to do it now, not weeks from now. Doing so is essential for Montana families, agriculture, jobs and tourism. While Im encouraged to see Canada finally make an official announcement about opening the border, it needs to be reopened fully and immediately, and I urge the Biden administration to respond and ensure this happens. President Biden allowing the northern border to remain closed while opening the southern border to illegal immigrants and drugs is beyond hypocritical and frustrating for Montanans.

U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement:

Trade and travel across the U.S. - Canadian border is critical for Montana families and for our economy, and this important milestone puts us one step closer to our economy returning to normal. Ive pushed both the Biden Administration and Canadian officials to find a way to reinstate nonessential crossings as quickly and safely as possible, and I look forward to the boost Montanas economy will receive once travel resumes on both sides of the border.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte released the following statement:

The Biden administrations decision to extend the closure of the northern border is out of touch and comes at the expense of hardworking Montanans. I urge President Biden to reconsider his misguided decision and fully reopen the border for trade and travel.
TRENTO, JUL 19 - A 78-year-old care home resident in Trentino was stabbed in the heart by her 87-year-old husband and died on Sunday. Maria Waschgler died in the home at Lana. Before retiring she had had a grocery store in the town outside Merano. Her partner, Karl Engelmayr, an Austrian who has lived for a long time in Alto Adige, has been arrested and charged with murder. The pair were sitting on a bench in the home's grounds when the man took a kitchen knife out of his pocket and stabbed her in the heart. The motive is not yet clear. (ANSA).
AOSTA, JUL 19 - A Turin appeals court on MPnday handed down 11 sentences for the presence of the Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta mafia in the northwestern region of Val d'Aosta, adjusting only three prison terms. The longest sentence, 12 years and eight months, was inflicted on Bruno Nirta, found to be one of the capi of the local 'Ndrangheta 'locale' or branch. A Turin lawyer, Carlo Maria Romeo, was sentenced to four and a half years. (ANSA).
ROME, JUL 19 - Italy must do more to uproot its mafias, President Sergio Mattarella said on the 29th anniversary of the Cosa Nostra assassination of anti-mafia magistrate Paolo Borsellino in a Palermo carbombing just two months after the assassination of his friend and colleague Giovanni Falcone. In a message, Mattarella said "the bomb attack at Via D'Amelio, 29 years ago, was conceived and implemented with brutal inhumanity. "Paolo Borsellino paid with his life for his rectitude and coherence as man of the Institutions. "With him died his bodyguards, Emanuela Loi, Agostino Catalano, Vincenzo Li Muli, Walter Eddie Cosina, and Claudio Traina. "The memory of that massacre, which marked Italian history so deeply, still arouses an unchanged emotion, and also renews the awareness of the need for a common commitment to uproot the mafias, to fight crime, and to break the connivances and complicities that favour the criminal presence". The president stressed that "Paolo Borsellino, and with him Giovanni Falcone, knew well that the fight against the mafia requires a strong collaboration between Institutions and society. "They exerted every energy for this." On 23 May 1992, Falcone, his wife Francesca Morvillo and police officers Rocco Dicillo, Antonio Montinaro and Vito Schifani were killed by a huge bomb detonated under their cars on the Palermo-airport highway by Giovanni Brusca, a mafia boss whose release from jail caused outrage last month. The assassinations were ordered by late capo dei capi Toto 'the Beast' Riina. (ANSA).
GENOA, JUL 19 - Genoese anarchists on Monday dedicated an arson attack on two power relay stations last night to Carlo Giuliani, a protester killed by a Carabiniere amid unrest at the Genoa G8 summit 20 years ago. Giuliani was shot dead by a Carabiniere he was attacking with a fire extinguisher a day before a night-time raid on a school used by protesters which earned Italy a condemnation for torture from a European court and which Amnesty International called the worst suspension of democracy in western Europe since WWII. Several police were punished for the police brutality at the July 2001 summit in the northwestern Italian city, which was marred by mayhem by extremists and, according to anti-globalists, agents provocateurs. But some of the officers in charge escaped punishment and were promoted. (ANSA).
This is an open dialogue, she said. We want to learn what people need and want.

City resident Mary Jo Fesenmaier said she would like to see parks categorized correctly and have that reflected in its name and use. For example, if a park is categorized as a community park, that might attract more tourists, while a park categorized as a neighborhood park might be better marketed to locals, she said.

Fesenmaier also stressed the need for more signage so people know where a park is located and what its intended use is.

Other residents stressed the importance of partnerships and collaborations.

City resident Amanda Rotondi said that she would like to see more partnerships between municipalities so that the parks can be used to their full extent and potential.

Some people also simply came because they were curious about the parks in the city.

Becky Binz, a park planner with MSA Professional Services, an organization that the city is partnering with for the creation of this new plan, said that the preliminary survey results reflect this confusion over where the parks are and what they are used for.
Representatives from Midwest Roofing submitted a bid of $40,480, while Humphrey's Contracting LLC in Lake Geneva submitted a bid of $52,375.

The city council did approve a bid from Humphrey's Contracting to replace the roof of the 1065 Carey St. building by a 7-1 vote with Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier voting "no."

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The company submitted a bid of $91,650 to work on the project, and Midwest Roofing & Construction submitted a bid of $100,020. Bids for both projects also were recommended by the finance committee.

Fesenmaier questioned the reasoning for hiring two different companies to work on the street department buildings when they are next to each other and made a motion to accept the bid of Midwest Roofing for the 1065 Carey St. building.

However, Fesenmaier's motion failed because of a lack of a second motion.

"I'm not comfortable using two different companies for buildings that are next to each other," Fesenmaier said.

Earle said he decided to bid both projects separately to see of the city could save money on the total cost of the projects.
More than a dozen states have passed education funding changes in the past year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Weve seen a lot of organizations starting to say the weighted student funding model is the way to go. The other reason were really driven by this is that we really like the idea of continued education reform and, in order to achieve that, the money has to follow the students, Sobic said. On both sides of the aisle there is still a reaction to parents struggling with the pandemic and what it did to education.

The Republican focus on education issues comes as the party seeks to rebuild after statewide losses in 2018 and 2020. The period coinciding with the presidency of Donald Trump saw suburban women flee the party, as evidenced by Democratic legislative gains in suburban Milwaukee.

Education was the most contentious issue in the recently passed 2021-23 state budget, with Republicans increasing funding for public schools by less than a tenth of what Evers had requested. Evers ultimately signed a Republican budget that pumped hundreds of millions of new dollars into the state funding formula, but because of state-imposed revenue limits, it effectively will lower property taxes rather than add money to district budgets.
Xiaomi will announce the prices of the Redmi Note 10T 5G smartphone in India tomorrow. It will be the first handset under the Redmi Note series from the Chinese brand, which will feature 5G connectivity. It's worth noting that the handset will be the latest addition in the Note 10 series, which also includes Note 10, Note 10S, Note 10 Pro and Note 10 Pro Max. Do note, the handset was recently launched in the Russian market. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10T 5G Smartphones Price Reportedly Leaked Ahead of Launch.

The Chinese phone brand has been teasing the handset for quite some time. The company has confirmed that it will come with Dimensity 700 SoC, 48MP triple camera, 90Hz refresh rate and 5000 mAh battery. The launch event of the Redmi Note 10T 5G will be streamed online via official YouTube channel and Mi.com. The launch event will commence at 12 pm IST.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10T 5G (Photo Credits: Redmi India)

As far as specifications are concerned, the Redmi Note 10T is expected to sport a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a resolution of 10802400 pixels. It is said to be powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC. The chipset is likely to be paired with 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage.

Join us as in solving the mystery of #FastAndFuturistic #RedmiNote10T5G with: Dual 5G SIM support Mediatek Dimensity 700 Processor 90Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate Gear up to experience the FUTURE @12 Noon on 20.07.21. Twitter for a special giveaway! https://t.co/ccr5futzIf  Redmi India - #RedmiNote10 Series (@RedmiIndia) July 19, 2021

For photography, there will be a triple rear camera module. The setup will consist of a 48MP shooter which will be assisted by a 2MP macro shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The phone is also expected to get an 8MP shooter for selfies and video calls. It is likely to be fuelled by a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support and will run on Android 11 with MIUI on top.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 19, 2021 11:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to visit Walter Reed Medical Center for her "routine" medical examination on Sunday. CNBC reported that the news was confirmed by a White House official, which was not named by the outlet, as the vice president took to Twitter to urge people to get vaccinated.

"This Delta variant is no joke. Get vaccinated," Harris underscored.

This Delta variant is no joke. Get vaccinated.  Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 18, 2021

It was not clear whether Vice President Harris' visit was connected to her meeting with Texas Democrats in the previous week, where three lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. New York Post also reported that it was not clear if the vice president is exhibiting symptoms of the notorious disease.

READ NEXT: Kamala Harris Backs Texas Democrat 'Fugitives' Who Fled to Washington to Block GOP Voting Restrictions

VP Kamala Harris Does Not Need Quarantine - Spokesperson Says

Initially, Vice President Kamala Harris' spokesperson clarified that she does not need to quarantine after meeting with the Texas democrats who tested positive for COVID-19, on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman to the vice president, Symone Sanders, noted that Harris did not come into close contact with the lawmakers who tested positive for the notorious disease.

"Based on the timeline of these positive tests, it was determined that the vice president and her staff present at the meeting were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive," Sanders emphasized.

Sanders explained that the situation did not require Harris to be tested for COVID-19, as well as to be quarantined. The spokeswoman also highlighted that the vice president and her staff were vaccinated against the notorious disease.

Apart from Kamala Harris, New York Daily News reported other members of the Congress also met with the Texas Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York. However, citing a statement of a senator from a different report, the outlet noted that Schumer and his staff did not meet with lawmakers who got infected with COVID-19.

3 Texas Democrats Tested Positive for COVID-19

Kamala Harris' visit to Walter Reed Medical Center came as three Texas Democrats tested positive for COVID-19, days after they met with the vice president in the previous week.

The three vaccinated lawmakers who got infected by the disease were among the nearly 60 lawmakers who fled the state last week to break quorum in the House, Austin American-Statesman reported. The outlet further noted that most members stayed in the same hotel.

One of the three members who got infected discovered the positive test result on Friday evening but was not exhibiting symptoms. The result prompted all the House lawmakers to undergo a rapid test. Two additional members tested positive on Saturday, with one exhibiting mild symptoms of the disease, said the Texas House Democratic Caucus Leadership official.

"The House Democratic Caucus is following all the CDC guidelines and protocols," Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Representative Chris Turner said. Turner noted that the incident was a reminder COVID is still present and necessary precautions are still needed despite the vaccinations.

The three Texas Democrats who tested positive for COVID-19 will receive a PCR coronavirus test and will isolate for at least 10 days.

READ NEXT: Kamala Harris' Former Staffers Say They Are 'Terrified' She Could Be the Next President

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Texas Democrats Travel to D.C., Meet With VP Kamala Harris in Attempt to Stop GOP Voting Legislation - From WFAA
A wildfire had spread in southeastern Oregon miles a day in windy conditions. This is just one of the several wildfires across the U.S. sources that are burning properties as firefighters struggle to control the spread of the wildfires.

Bootleg Fire had destroyed 67 homes and 117 outbuildings overnight in one county, while authorities were still tallying the losses in a second county where the flames had ravaged up to four miles a day, according to an Associated Press News report.

The wildfire has also forced 2,000 people to evacuate and threatened 5,000 buildings, including homes and smaller structures in a rural area just near the California border, according to fire spokeswoman Holly Krake.

Krake said that active flames are rampaging along 200 miles of the fires' perimeter. She added that it is expected to merge with smaller, yet equally explosive fire by nightfall.

Another spokeswoman for the firefighting operation, Sarah Gracey, said that erratic winds had created a dangerous condition for firefighters, according to The Guardian report.

Krake said that they are expecting the same conditions to continue and worsen in the weekend.

Wildfires had been harder to fight after dry conditions and heatwaves have swept around the region.

READ NEXT: California Wildfires Cause Power Outage to 361,000 Residents

U.S. Wildfires

The Bootleg Fire is now 22 percent contained. Meanwhile, the Elbow Creek Fire that started on Thursday already prompted an evacuation from nearby small, remote communities.

In California, firefighters are pointing fingers at lightning strikes for the fast-growing fire in California's Lake Tahoe tourist area, according to an AFP News report.

Tamarack Fire has grown expansively more than 20,000 acres with no containment so far. Communities have already been evacuated, such as the case for Markleeville, which is near the Nevada border.

The National Interagency Fire Center said the outlook was for areas with hot, dry, and unstable weather conditions, particularly in northern Minnesota, Pacific Northwest, and Northern Rockies.

Around 20,000 firefighters and support staff are trying to contain the raging wildfires across the Western states.

More than 2.5 million acres have already burned this year.

Wildfire Statistics

There was an average of 62,805 wildfires annually and an average of 7.5 million acres affected annually from 2011 to 2020, according to Congressional Research Service Fact Sheet.

Seventy percent of the nationwide acreage burned by wildfire was on federal lands in 2020. Most wildfires are human-caused.

However, the wildfires caused by lightning tend to be slightly larger and burn more acreage.

Wildfires in the West are larger and burn more acreage, with around 26,000 burned around 9.5 million acres in the West in 2020. This is compared with the 33,000 fires that burned just under 0.7 million acres in the East.

Glen MacDonald, a Geography professor at UCLA, said that we are at a bad start when it comes to wildfires, according to a USA Today report.

MacDonald added that last year was a record year for wildfires. He noted that wildfires will expand through summer through Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and California.

READ MORE: California Wildfire Smoke Causes Drop in Solar Energy Production

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WATCH: Raging wildfires take toll on Oregon firefighters - from Reuters






A Utah man sentenced to 30 years in jail for beating his wife to death during a cruise was found dead inside his prison cell in Alaska last week.

New York Post reported that the Alaska Department of Corrections had confirmed the death of Kenneth Manzanares.

READ NEXT: Oregon: 2 Dead, 6 Others Injured in Separate Portland Shootings

Utah Man Accused of Killing His Wife Found Dead Inside Prison Cell

Kenneth Manzanares was found unresponsive inside his prison cell around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14, New York Daily News reported.

The 43-year-old detainee accused of killing his wife has been detained at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau, Alaska.

Medical Staff and outside EMS reportedly worked on Manzanares for about 45 minutes, but to no avail. He was pronounced dead at around 7:42 a.m.

Police said the cause of his death appeared natural, adding that they did not suspect any foul play. The police further noted that the Utah man's death was not related to COVID-19.

In a statement, the Alaska Department of Corrections said that Kenneth Manzanares had been under their custody since July 2017.

The Utah man was convicted of second-degree murder in connection to the death of his wife, Kristy Manzanares, while aboard a cruise ship.

Officials underscored that Kenneth Manzanares' death is the seventh under the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections this year.

Kenneth Manzanares Sentenced to 30 Years In Prison

Early last month, Kenneth Manzanares was sentenced to at least 30 years of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.

He pleaded guilty in 2020 for fatally beating his wife on the Emerald Princess in front of their two daughters in 2017. U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson for the District of Alaska labeled the Utah Man's crime as a "chilling neglect for human life."

Manzanares' committed the crime, while on a family vacation aboard the Emerald Princess cruise ship off Southeast Alaska in 2017.

During the trip, Kristy Manzanares allegedly told Kenneth Manzanares that she wanted a divorce and he should get off the cruise ship once they reached Juneau.

The Utah man asked their two daughters to leave the room, but they rushed back inside the room when the daughters heard their mother's scream.

The Utah man allegedly stopped his daughters' from going inside the room, but the daughters went to the connected balcony and witnessed their father straddling their mother on the bed. They also saw their father hitting their mom with his closed fist in the head.

One of Kristy Manzanares' brothers also saw Kenneth Manzanares dragging the victim's body towards the balcony while grabbing her ankles and pulling her back to the cabin.

Medical personnel tried to resuscitate Kristy Manzanares at the time, but to no avail. The prosecutors said the victim died due to a blunt force trauma in the head and face.

READ MORE: Father Admits Beating 6-Year-Old Son to Death for Wetting His Pants, Interrupting Video Game

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WATCH: How to Leave an Abusive Relationship - From watchwellcast
An Oklahoma woman, who was on the "Most Wanted" list of the Tulsa Police Department, was arrested after commenting on the police department's Facebook post about her status as a fugitive.

Lorraine Graves was wanted as an accessory to the murder of Eric Graves, who was killed last March, according to a Law and Crime report.

On Wednesday, the police department posted on their Facebook page that Lorraine Graves is "charged with Accessory to Murder," with the detectives saying she was involved in the city's 10th homicides of 2021.

The police department then described Graves as a Black female, around 5'7 and 200 lbs. Hours after the police department's post, Lorraine Graves commented and asked about the reward money for any information that can lead to her arrest.

"What's where's the reward money at," the suspect wrote on the department's post. The following day, detectives with the Tulsa Police Department's Fugitive Warrants unit arrested Graves.

"Weekly Most Wanted arrested after commenting on our post about her," the department said in another Facebook post.

According to the detectives, they arrested the Oklahoma woman in north Tulsa, with a bond set at $500,000, KOCO News reported.

READ NEXT: Oklahoma Mom Beats, Stabs, Chokes, Bites Her 2 Young Children Who Told Dad About the Abuse

Lorraine Graves' Facebook Comment

Reports said that Lorraine Graves is a relative of Eric Graves, who initially gave detectives an interview. Police said two other suspects were already charged with murder for shooting and killing Eric at the St. Thomas Square Apartments.

The two other suspects were identified as Jayden Hopson and Gabriel Hopson, New York Post reported.

Lorraine Graves' comment had elicited some response from other Facebook users. One person said that the Oklahoma woman should not have commented as police can track her by using social media.

Another Facebook user said that it's not going to be funny when the Oklahoma woman gets processed. Another one asked if Graves gets her reward money after the news of her arrest circulated.

Graves' comment has since been deleted. However, the police department's post about the Oklahoma woman's capture has gone viral, with more than 1,200 comments, as of Sunday, July 18.

Eric Graves' Murder Case

A judge issued a warrant last week after a material witness failed to appear at a preliminary hearing in light of Eric's murder case. Wendell Alexander is sought for his eyewitness testimony in Eric's case, Tulsa World reported.

The police department had shared a photo of the said witness and asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers.

Alexander allegedly told detectives that he would be at the hearing on July 7. However, he failed to show up. Prosecutors wrote in the arrest warrant request that it was the only practical way to get a hold of the said witness.

Lorraine Graves was also subpoenaed for the same hearing, and she did appear. However, she told a victim-witness advocate that she would no longer cooperate in the investigation. The Oklahoma woman added that she no longer remembers anything she told detectives earlier.

Alexander was said to be in the room where the shooting occurred. He was also shot when the suspects opened fire.

The witness told detectives that Jayden was upset as the woman whom he was interested in liked Eric. The Hopsons pulled their guns on Eric, and Eric started shooting them as well.

Court documents also claimed that Lorraine Graves had effectively facilitated the discarding of the possible murder weapon when she later gave Gabriel a ride.

In addition, the Oklahoma woman also did not try to notify the police with the information she had about Eric's death before her family notified the authorities.

READ MORE: Dunkin' Employee in Florida Punches, Kills Elderly Customer Over Racial Slur Confrontation

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WATCH: 'Where's Reward Money' Wanted Woman Arrested After Commenting on Police - From News Today






An eight-year-old boy and four other teenage girls were among the victims in separate shootings across Chicago over the weekend.

WGN9 reported that more than 50 people across Chicago had fallen victim to gun violence from Friday until Sunday.

READ NEXT: Oregon: 2 Dead, 6 Others Injured in Separate Portland Shootings

Separate Chicago Shootings Victimize 8-Year-Old Boy and Four Teenage Girls

Authorities said the four teenage girls, with ages ranging from 13 to 19 years old, were shot on Saturday, July 17, at around 11:40 p.m., as they stand on a sidewalk in a group outside a party in Austin. One or more people were reported to come out of a dark-colored SUV and then started shooting.

Bullets struck six people, and four of them were the teenage girls. According to The Pantagraph, the teen girls suffered gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies. The 15-year-old suffered a graze wound to the head, while the 19-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the back.

The 13-year-old and the 14-year-old both suffered gunshot wounds to the buttocks. The four teenage girls were reportedly brought to different hospitals in fair condition. A 12-year-old girl also sustained a gunshot wound to her hand during the incident.

At around 1 a.m. Sunday, July 18, an eight-year-old boy was among the two people shot in the Gresham neighborhood.

The young boy was reportedly inside a moving vehicle with a 28-year-old man when someone with a black SUV opened fire at their car. They were both rushed to the Advocate Christ Medical Center.

Police said the man, who sustained a gunshot wound in the back, was already released from the hospital. The young boy who suffered an injury in his left leg had been listed to be in good condition.

Chicago Shootings Leave 8 Dead

Since Friday night, July 16, Chicago Sun-Times reported that the shootings in Chicago left at least eight people dead, with 47 others injured.

At around 6:50 p.m. on Friday, a man was shot to death at a drive-by in West Pullman. The 26-year-old victim was on the street when a vehicle pulled up, and someone from inside fired shots.

On late Friday night, a 29-year-old man, who was among a group of men standing outside the 700 block of North Lockwood Avenue, was shot in the head and back when three people suddenly approached them and fired shots.

In separate shooting incidents on Saturday, a man was fatally shot during an argument in East Garfield Park at around 1:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead in a hospital.

A shooting incident in the 7600 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue at about 11:25 p.m. killed a man and wounded a woman. Police said the pair was standing outside when someone in a black SUV fired shots.

On Sunday night, a 49-year-old man was fatally shot in the 7700 block of South Normal Avenue. While speaking to someone in a parked black-colored vehicle, someone inside fired shots.

Another man was shot to death at about 12:40 a.m. on Sunday in the 5100 block of South Marshfield Avenue. The 30-year-old victim was walking on the sidewalk when someone in a gray sedan fired shots.

Since 5 p.m. Friday, police said at least 55 people had been shot in Chicago, with 8 fatalities. Authorities noted that they have already arrested the suspects in three of the shooting incidents.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Unveils Strategy on Addressing Gun Violence

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WATCH: Biden Comments on Gun Violence - From ABC News
The Costa Rican police on Sunday recorded their second-largest drug bust ever and the biggest so far this year.

Authorities in the Central American nation seized 4.3 tons of cocaine which were originally produced by drug cartels in Colombia, Costa Rican authorities stated on Sunday.

According to U.S. News, the Security Ministry of Costa Rica said the Colombian shipment of cocaine was transported in a container loaded with ceramic floor tiling aboard a commercial ship. The shipment arrived at the port of Moin in Costa Rica and was discovered from the Caribbean port of Turbo in Colombia.

Moreover, Costa Rican Security Minister, Michael Soto mentioned in a statement that so far in 2021, they were able to seize almost 40 tons of marijuana and cocaine in the country. The security minister added that they were hoping to surpass the numbers that they have seized last year.

Meanwhile, the latest major cocaine busts, which happened in recent years, have stoked fears in Costa Rican authorities as their country became a crucial point for drug trafficking. Based on the recent busts, Costa Rica has become an important transit country for Colombian drugs headed toward Europe.

Also, Costa Rican officials were worried about the latest information as they were once considered as one of Central America's most stable nations.

In 2020, the Security Ministry said that Costa Rican authorities seized close to 57 tons of cocaine, which was 56% higher compared to 2019. Last year, they have also intercepted 14.5 tons of marijuana.

ALSO READ: U.S. Investigation Sheds Light On Guatemalan Soldiers' Role in Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel Drug Trafficking

Costa Rica-U.S. Anti-Narcotics Efforts

The U.S. Embassy reported last month that the 39.2 metric tons of drugs seized in Costa Rica were transported to North America for destruction.

Carried by a U.S. military aircraft, the drugs that had been seized over the last seven months from the San Jose area to Florida were delivered to the U.S. by a C-17 military transport plane.

The U.S. Embassy emphasized that the seizure of hundreds of kilos of narcotics in Costa Rica was a complete effort of numerous agencies. The embassy highlighted the cooperation of PCS or the Drug Control Police, the Air Surveillance Service, Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ), and the Coast Guard for their efforts in intercepting the drugs in the country, Tico Times reported.

The Charge d'Affaires of the United States Embassy, Gloria Berbena, stated that their cooperation in fighting against drug trafficking reflected the excellent relationship between both countries of Costa Rica and the U.S. Verbena added that they praised the excellent work of Costa Rican security services in the recent seizures. Since last year, the work done by the two countries reached the record, and it contributed to the safety in the hemisphere.

The U.S. Embassy said that the U.S. supported the installation of a drug incinerator in the Central American nation, which could eliminate the need for these flights in the future. However, until the incinerator would be put into operation, the U.S. would still be collaborating with the destruction of seized drugs.



RELATED ARTICLE: U.S. Coast Guard Seizes $15 Million Worth Cocaine in Puerto Rico; Offloads Drugs in Florida While Two Smugglers Taken Into Custody

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Written by Jess Smith

WATCH: A fishing boat full of cocaine leads to a global mafia bust - INTERPOL
After a 19-year-old woman was stabbed to death outside her family's Southern California apartment in February, the main suspect was finally arrested with the help of video sharing site TikTok.

Authorities immediately suspected the victim's ex-boyfriend, Victor Sosa, in Daisy De La O's death. However, Sosa was already in the wind before authorities figured it out.

According to ABC7 News, after they have heard the news about the immediate suspect, friends of the victim launched their own campaign on TikTok and Instagram. The friends of the murder victim posted the photo of Daisy to let social media users know about the story. Daisy's friends used the hashtag '#JusticeforDaisy' with photos of suspect Victor Sosa to locate him.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detectives tracked every lead to resolve the case. Lt. Charles Calderaro stated that the suspect, Victor Sosa was on the run, and detectives worked with several agencies to have his location.

While authorities were tracking the suspect, the TikTok video posted by Daisy's friends spread online. Someone recognized him from the friends' social media campaign and spotted him working at the Rosarito bar and nightclub 'Papas & Beer.'

Based on Lt. Calderaro, Papas & Beer was like a tourist-type restaurant bar in Mexico. Based on the information that the authorities have gathered, Sosa had been working in the bar for several weeks.

Susana Salas, the mother of the 19-year-old murder victim, stated that a tipster sent a message to a friend of Daisy that the suspect was just living his best life like he had done nothing in Rosarito, which is a resort town in Mexico. Salas added the suspect was a person with no conscience after he murdered her daughter.

The tips coming from TikTok were verified by California authorities and later on led to the arrest of Sosa on July 2. The murder suspect was brought back to Los Angeles, wherein he would face charges, but he pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.

Meanwhile, security footage from the apartment building on the night of the murder incident may play a role at the trial. Detectives believed that it showed Sosa dragging Daisy into the alley.

ALSO READ: TikTok Viral: Bride TikToker Receives Backlash for Asking Bridesmaids to Pay for Bachelorette Trip to Mexico

The Daisy De La O Murder Case

The mother of the victim, Susana Salas, was broken when she heard that her daughter was murdered. Salas shared that her daughter Daisy had broken up with her ex-boyfriend, 25-year old Victor Sosa, about a month before her murder, at least in part, due to some alleged physical abuse. Salas said Sosa texted her that February night and convinced her to come outside.

Salas remembered that Daisy told her that she would be back and promised not to be out for too long. The victim's mother stated that those were the last words of her daughter after she left and never came back.

The grandfather of the victim, Jose De La O, shared in an interview that he saw Victor Sosa peeking in through their apartment window that night before Daisy left.

Early the next morning, property manager Juan Tellez found Daisy's body covered by a roll of carpet.

On the other hand, Salas shared after the arrest of Sosa that she was afraid that her daughter was going to be another statistic. Salas wanted justice for Daisy and hoped that by telling her story to others, especially women, they would find the strength to leave abusive relationships.

RELATED ARTICLE: Caitlyn Loane: Rising TikTok Star Reportedly Took Her Own Life Days After posting Haunting TikTok Video

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WATCH: TikTok Instagram Campaign Launched by Murder Victim's Friends Leads to - News Today
On Monday, the administration of President Joe Biden turned over its first detainee out of Guantanamo Bay to the Moroccan government with security assurances.

Abdul Latif Nasser, a Moroccan man who had been held at the maximum-security prison since 2002, had been cleared for release in 2016 but was kept detained. Since his detainment, Nasser was not charged with any crime but stayed in prison for 19 years.

Transferring Prisoners Out of Guantanamo

According to The New York Times, Nasser's release is the first sign of President Biden's efforts to reduce the prison population of Guantanamo Bay by repatriating the prisoners to their countries. It was, however, promised that the men will remain under tight security measures.

The process of transferring prisoners was pioneered by the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama but was put on hold.

Following the transfer of Nasser, Guantanamo is down to 39 prisoners, with 11 of them having been charged with war crimes. The maximum-security prison, which is located at the U.S. naval base, held around 675 prisoners at its peak, especially in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Meanwhile, Biden's administration is yet to make more complex decisions about transferring prisoners. One of the prisoners in question is Mohammed al-Qahtani, a mentally ill man from Saudi Arabia who was reported to have been tortured in the facility. al-Qahtani is considered as the possible 20th hijacker during the 9/11 attack.

ALSO READ: VP Kamala Harris Visits Hospital for "Routine" Medical Examination After Meeting With COVID Infected Politicians

There are still 28 remaining prisoners in Guantanamo who have remained in the custody of the U.S as indefinite law-of-war detainees amid the armed conflict against Al Qaeda. The prisoners have been detained for almost two decades without any charges. Ten out of the 28 have already been recommended for transfer out of prison, given security arrangements.

In a statement, a senior official from the Biden administration expressed gratefulness to the Kingdom of Morocco for its support of their efforts to repatriate prisoners out of Guantanamo. The official also stated Biden's White House is dedicated to reducing the population of detainees in prison.

Repatriation of Nasser

Early on Monday, Nasser was transferred to the custody of the Moroccan government. According to his lawyer, Thomas Anthony Durkin, Nasser's family has vowed to support him in returning to society by helping him work at his brother's swimming pool cleaning business.

Based on military intelligence officials, Nasser was a former fighter of the Taliban who took part in a battle against U.S. focus who invaded the mountains of Tora Bora in late 2001.

On July 11, 2016, he was approved by a government panel for release with the condition that he will be sent back to his native country, Morocco.

According to Fox News, Nasser's release is only the start of Biden's goal to reduce the population of Guantanamo Bay. In February, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that it was Biden's intention to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

RELATED ARTICLE: Pres. Joe Biden's Administration Ordered by Texas Judge To Stop Granting New DACA Applications

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WATCH: Biden administration transfers its first detainee from Guantanamo Bay - HANS ZUCKERBERG
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The final touches are being put on the first of two big expansions by Dunnes Stores at its two stores in Portlaoise.

While some construction work was ongoing through the weekend, Dunnes had opened the extension to its Kyle Shopping Centre branch in Portlaoise's town centre.

Dunnes has moved into a space part of which was formerly occupied by a cafe to make more space for its homewares and clothing sections. MORE DETAILS BELOW LINK

Dunnes Stores Unlimited Company applied to Laois County Council in 2020 for permission to change use and amalgamate three vacant units and an adjoining service corridor with the existing Dunnes Stores to increasing the stores textile sales area from 2,295 sqm to 2,796.5 sqm.

Conditional permission was granted early in 2021.

The Kyle Centre was built during the Celtic Tiger era at the same time as the Laois Shopping Centre was redeveloped. Neither Centres have been slow to fully occupy. Dunnes is the anchor tenant in the Kyle Centre while Tesco is the anchor across the road in the Laois Shopping Centre.

The Kyle Centre expansion is the smaller of the chain's plans in Portlaoise. MORE ON THE OTHER Laois project below picture.

Meanwhile, work is continuing at the Irish chain's branch at its original premises in Portlaoise on the Mountmellick Road.

The company applied to Laois County Council as far back as 2017 to construct an 800 sqm extension and modification to Dunnes Stores Licensed Supermarket at the Green Rd / Mountmellick Rd in Portlaoise, to provide a new supermarket layout.

Work began on that project in 2021.

Dunnes also has outlets in Graiguecullen and Rathdowney.
As tension builds for a Laois native set to try and swim the Bristol Channel this Tuesday July 20, her elderly mother received a heartwarming visit from a local group.

Joan Fennelly is part of a five woman relay team, the Henley Mermaids, whowill attempt to swim the incredibly difficult Bristol Channel, and become the first ever all woman team to cross it. Read more here.

Their swim has been rescheduled from July 22 up to Tuesday after adverse sea conditions were forecasted.

Her mother Marie Fennelly from Mountmellick, got an uplifting visit last weekend from another strong female group, Yarnbombing Mountmellick.

They paid a lovely tribute to Joan (pictured below with her swim team)

"We don't normally like to crusade or get up on our soapbox, but for this Mountmellick woman, we gladly make an exception. Joan Fennelly, along with her band of fellow legends, The Henley Mermaids, are taking on the Bristol Channel this coming Thursday, starting around 5am. Not content with the English Channel (which they crossed in 2020), they intend to be the first all-female team to cross what has the second highest tidal range in the world. In fact, it has only been swum 20 times. So, this is BIG no matter what way you look at it.

They also ask everyone to donate to the charities chosen to benefit from the swim. So far over 4,200 has been donated to the Irish charities alone.

"Joan and her fellow mermaids are raising money for charities on both sides of the Irish sea. All of the charities relate to brain conditions. The Irish ones are Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, MS Ireland, Dublin Neurological Institute Mater Hospital, and Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland. So, you can see why we just have to row in behind these amazing women.

"This evening we went to visit her fabulous Mammy Mrs Fennelly (who happens to be a huge fan of our Yarnbombing installations and a knitter herself). We wanted to show our solidarity and let her know that we are all rooting for the mermaids.

"What we would ask you to do is to head to www.idonate.ie/.../11397529_henley-mermaids-team... and dig deep to support the women and the charities mentioned above. On the day of the swim itself, tune into their social media to cheer them on.

"One last thing, Joan told us that their identity is "that of a very tightly knit team made up of great friends, each bringing their own unique dynamic". We thought, now that sounds familiar! So, from one group of female friends who simply make stuff out of yarn, to our sisters across the sea making serious history, we say adh mor, may the waters be kind and the sun shine brightly to light your way."

Follow progress of the Henley Mermaids in their latest challenge on their own website here.
The death has occurred of Gerard Hannigan

Celbridge, Kildare / Stranorlar, Donegal



The death has occurred of Gerard Hannigan, Celbridge, Co. Kildare and formerly The Glebe, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal. Beloved son of Rosaleen and the late Paddy, much loved father of Paul, Graham and Yasmin, cherished brother of Brenda and Louis. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his mother, sons, daughter, grandchildren, aunt Claire, uncle Paddy his wife Pauline, nephews. nieces,and his many colleagues at ESB International.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Have Mercy His Soul

Remains reposing at The Glebe, Stranorlar from 7pm on Sunday July 18th. Funeral leaving from there on Tuesday July 20th at 1.40 pm for Requiem Mass in the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar at 2pm. Interment afterwards in Drumboe Cemetery.

Due to HSE and Government restrictions, the house and funeral is strictly private to the family,neighbors,friends and colleagues only please.

Anyone wishing to leave a message of sympathy for the family, may do so using the condolence section below.

The death has occurred of Dermot Mulhall

Leixlip, Kildare / Dublin



Mulhall, (Leixlip Park, Leixlip, Co. Kildare and formerly of Millmount Grove, Windy Arbour, Dublin 14 and Ex. South Dublin County Council. Corkagh Park), Died Suddenly, July 15th, 2021, at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

Dermot, beloved husband of Paula and dear father of Ciaran, Aisling and Adrian and grandfather of the late Jacob and brother of the late Owen.

Sadly missed by his loving family, grandchildren Chloe, John Jacob, Conor and Clara daughters-in-law Alison and Camila, brothers Paul, Con and Ger, sister Margaret, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

R.I.P.

Due to Government advice and restrictions regarding public gatherings a private family funeral will take place.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral but due to current restrictions cannot, may follow the funeral Mass on Wednesday 21st, July at 11.00am by clicking on the link below; https://churchmedia.tv/camera/our-ladys-nativity

Dermots funeral cortege will pass his home on Wednesday 21st, July at 12.00 noon approx. for any relatives, neighbours and friends who would like to pay their respects. Please maintain a social distance at all times.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral; but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave your personal message by selecting Condolences below or alternatively leaving a message at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com.

The death has occurred of Clive STOKES

Lakelands, Naas, Kildare



Peacefully, in the wonderful care of St Brigids Hospice after a long illness and surrounded by his loving family. Clive aged 38.

Beloved and cherished son of Patricia (nee Hill) and Tommy and much loved brother of Chris, Shane, Trevor and Gillian (Quinn). Sadly missed by his sisters-in-law Karen, Carol and Aimee, brother-in-law Shay, his dedicated god-mother Rosie, nieces and nephews, extended family and wide circle of devoted friends.

"Ar dheis De go raibh a anam."

Clive will be very sadly missed and forever loved by his heartbroken family.

Clives family would ask that over the coming days, those who knew Clive would take a moment to light a candle and say a prayer for him, just like Clive often did, in his memory.

Clives funeral cortege will leave his home at 9.30am on Tuesday morning to travel to the Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am. Those who would like to join the private Funeral Service remotely by webcam can do so by clicking on https://www.naasparish.ie/our-parish/naas-webcam or via the Naas Parish App on the webcam folder.

Friends and neighbours are welcome to line the route in a safe and socially distant manner as a mark of respect, or from the church as Clive makes his final journey to St. Corban's Cemetery.

Family flowers only please. Donations to Brain Tumour Ireland in lieu of flowers would be much appreciated.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions can not, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page below.

The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Behan

River Lawns, Kill, Kildare / Rathcoole, Dublin



Suddenly at his home.

Beloved son of the late Laurence and Kathleen, much loved and sadly missed by his brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in law, nieces, nephews, relatives and a large circle of friends.

Those who would liked to attend the funeral but cannot due to current restrictions may leave a message in the "Condolences" section below.





Funeral Arrangements Later
Inadequate water levels in the Grand Canal branch in Naas means that boats coming into the town have to queue for long periods.

Local councillor Seamie Moore wants additional water volumes to be sourced and provided for the Naas-Corbally branch.

He believes that this will be necessary if new marinas are to be developed as well as for boat flotillas and daily boat traffic into the canal harbour and to Corbally.

He said that while the canal is fed by a stream, hold ups occur and this can be seen as the boats pass through the locks en route to the harbour.

You dont really notice it unless there are a number of boats present, Cllr Moore told a Naas Municipal District meeting on June 8.

He also asked if the council could investigate the possibility of removing a bridge at Corbally and if the blockage created by the Newbridge-Naas Road would be removed as a prelude to opening the Corbally line.

KCC official Mairead Hunt pointed out that KCC is currently progressing greenways along the Royal Canal, Grand Canal and River Barrow.

Once the link from Naas to Sallins has been completed the Corbally branch will be examined with Waterways Ireland.

Ms Hunt said that while the link between Aylmer Bridge and Sallins will take about nine months from September next, there is no timeline for the greenway between Sallins and Naas to be completed.

Referring to the bridge structure, Ms Hunt said no enforcement action is open to the council because the structure has been in place for more than seven years.

She said the council can only act in cases where developments are of less than seven years

duration.
The death has sadly occurred of well-known Newbridge man Joe Wood.

The centenarian, who was a World War II veteran and former RAF man, had celebrated his 100th birthday last April. It is understood that he passed away suddenly last night.

The much-loved figure was originally from Barlborough in Derbyshire, and served in the Royal Air Force from 1941 to 1946.

Joe came to Newbridge in 2004 soon after his late wife, Waterford native Josephine passed away. He had no close family but many good friends in the town, and spent the last year isolating due to the Covid-19 regulations. He was also a regular visitor to the Whitewater Shopping Centre, where he was well-known to the local staff.

His friends threw him a socially-distanced birthday party in April to mark the occasion of his 100th birthday, and he also received a telegram from Queen Elizabeth.

The Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland paid tribute to Joe today, saying "Joe fell in love with an Irishwoman and with Ireland, and Ireland loved him back. He will be deeply missed by friends and the people of Newbridge and members of the Midlands Counties and Kildare Branch of the Royal British Legion".

Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised.
Ireland's auctioneer to Hollywood, Sean Eacrett in Laois, will be bringing the gavel down on his latest celluloid props collection, with Vikings and Game Of Thrones on Monday July 26 next.

International collectors will be poised to pounce online - scroll down to see the full list of items for sale and photographs of some stunning pieces!

The auction will feature thrones and costumes from the six season Amazon Prime and History Channel Norse series, and notably two other items of particular interest; giant candelabras from Game Of Thrones.

Sean is now synonymous with the auction of Irish film sets and props since it all started in 2016.

I was dealing with a client in the antiques world a few years ago, who mentioned that he was the production manager on Penny Dreadful, a series that was being filmed in Dublin at the time, he remembers, so I suggested that if he ever wanted to sell the props and costumes after filming to let me know, and it turned out he was up for it.

After the highly successful auction, Sean asked the client;

Why did you choose me?

The production manager replied; You were the only one that asked!

The first auction for Penny Dreadful, five years ago this month, was a total success, as has every other film or television auction since hosted by Sean Eacrett. Just about every series to be filmed in Ardmore or Ashford now offer their props and sets to Eacrett for international sale.

Every film auction has been a 100% sellout he says.

And that includes a massive warehouse of props from Into The Badlands auctioned last year during the final months of the first lockdown. Over six thousand colourful and intriguing props filled the massive conference centre of Killenard Hotel, County Laois, before all went under the online hammer.

These auctions also benefits the Irish film industry.

Basically I am selling the props sets and costumes for them at a commission. Otherwise they would have to be stored or sold cheaply

That first Penny Dreadful auction was this month five years ago and now Sean Eacrett is the go to film and tv props and set auctioneer in Ireland.

International film clients now include MGM, Showtime and AMC.

Productions include Into The Badlands, Penny Dreadful, Dracula Untold Vikings, Valhalla, and Ripper Street; all have completely sold out.

Online brings its own advantages attracting interest from all over the world The biggest buyer for the Into The Badlands series clicked on in Lithuania to buy two container loads of props; forty foot long each.

Sean was the first auctioneer house to use online bidding in 2005 and he now uses easylive.com and liveauctioneers.com.

It is now its de rigeur for most auction rooms to use online sites, its standard practise, he says.

Sean Eacrett is probably one of the few auction houses in Ireland who can handle the big scale events; he is happy to rent Punchestown or Killenard for the auction if needs be.

There are plenty of home filmed movies coming up that he has his eye on. Are you listening Disney in Enniskerry?!

The July 26th auction features props primarily from the six Vikings series filmed in County Wicklow, and two items of interest from Game Of Thrones

Some of these quite unusual objects would suit a pub or a collector.

Game Of Thrones

Lot 650 Pair of Tall Metal Candelabras, estimate 400-800 (below)

Vikings

Of the Vikings 120 lots, highlights include wooden thrones up to two metres tall.

Lot 506 King Ivors throne Season 4 of Vikings, est 300-500. (Below)

Lot 544 King Alfreds throne Vikings season 5 and 6; 300-500. (Below)

Lot 558: Flokis table; Vikings; est 200-400.

Lot 559 King Aelles throne; est 200-400.

Lot 530 Aslaugs Boat Chair; Season 2 of Vikings, est 200-400. (Below)

Lot 545 King Mikmaqs throne from season 6 of Vikings 2 x 2 metres ; est 200-400.

Lot 522 Odo of Pariss table, from Vikings. Est 200-400



(All hardwood with metal bandings.)

Lots 524 & 525: Flokis boat cabinet (2) 2 metres tall, Vikings, est 100-200 each.



Lot 509 A birthing table. (Looks like a sleigh.) Est 100-200.

All lots: Items from The Great Hall Of Kattegat, as filmed in Ashford County Wicklow including axes, cabinets chairs, chests and tables.

Highly decorative hardwood.

Vikings ran for six series, which were filmed in Ashford County Wicklow on a set which included an entire mock village called Kattegat.

The props up for auction online at Sean Eacrett might suit a Vikings buff, a movie fan or collector or even a commercial buyer in the hospitality industry.
There are 153 felling licences are yet to be approved in Leitrim this year.

The delay in the the granting of licences means many forestries are long overdue being cut. Doengal has the highest number outstanding in the region at 239. In Cavan there are 124, in Longford 51, in Roscommon 126 and in Sligo 131.

Charlie McConalogue told Dail Eireann last week, "The delays in issuing forestry licences is a pressing one which is impacting the sector significantly. Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett who has responsibility for the sector, we have devoted considerable efforts towards resolving it. The reasons for the current backlog are well known. The Department was obliged to make significant changes to the forestry licensing system due to European Court of Justice and Irish law rulings relating to the protection of European sites. This led directly to most forestry projects being screened in for Appropriate Assessment.

"This has been very challenging to implement and resulted in a requirement for much greater ecological input into licensing and to a delay in issuing licences, while new procedures were introduced and additional IT, ecology and inspectorate resources were put in place. Significant resources and investment have been devoted to implementing these new procedures and I have introduced a framework under Project Woodland towards resolving the entire licensing issue.

"There are 4,487 felling licences on hand, of which 1,764 are new Coillte applications received in March. I completely accept that this we need to address the number on hand, and the number of licences issued recently show that we are making some progress in this regard. Indeed, the number of private tree felling licences issued in June is the highest monthly figure for over five years. The Department has now issued 1,835 tree felling licences this year, 51% of which are to private individuals.

"This reflects recent improvements made to the system for the systems for the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Screening Determinations, Appropriate Assessment Reports and Appropriate Assessment Determinations. Currently, these improvements are only applied to private tree felling licence applications and our ecologists are working mostly on these felling applications in advance of the system being developed further to assist with forest road works and afforestation licence applications.

"Initiatives under Project Woodland will bring further improvements in licensing efficiency and output. There are recommendations with the Project Board, which oversees the Working Groups, for such initiatives, including proposals for a pre-application process and an environmental grant. A business system analyst is conducing a review of the licensing process. Furthermore, the Project Board Group has agreed that a regulatory review of the licensing system be carried out. and that an independent expert do this work.

"We are making progress and I am hopeful that further gains in efficiency will be possible due to these proposals."
LOUGH Derg RNLI was launched to assist a family of five onboard a cruiser on fire following a Mayday call on Sunday.

Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to help those on board a 38ft cruiser on fire, by Castle Harbour, Portumna, at the most northern end of Lough Derg.

When the lifeboat crew assembled at the station they were informed by Valentia Coast Guard that three people had been safely evacuated from the vessel.

At 12.16pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Keith Brennan, crew Eleanor Hooker, Joe ODonoghue and Doireann Kennedy on board. The lake was calm and visibility was excellent.

Aoife Kennedy, Lough Derg RNLI Deputy Launching Authority, relayed information from Valentia Coast Guard that the remaining two people had been safely evacuated from the burning vessel. Valentia Coast Guard contacted the lifeboat to request that volunteers check the wellbeing of the casualties.

Rescue 115, the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter based at Shannon was also in attendance, as was the Killaloe Coast Guard Search and Rescue Boat, based at Killaloe.

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 12.35pm. The fire on the casualty vessel had taken hold and fire firefighters from Portumna Fire Service were working to extinguish the fire. All five casualties were safe and unharmed and were being attended to by ambulance crew at Castle Harbour.

As there was significant risk to the many boat users close by with fuel onboard the vessel, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat and the Killaloe Coast Guard boat to monitor the scene and request that all vessels maintain a safe distance.

At 1.30pm, fire fighters had managed to put out the main fire, however the vessel was still smouldering and billowing smoke. The anchor line had burned and the vessel was now drifting into a main navigation channel.

At 2.14pm, the casualty vessel was relocated to Carrigahorig Bay, where fire fighters continued to pump water and foam to ensure the fire was fully out.

Valentia Coast Guard thanked Lough Derg RNLI and the Killaloe Coast Guard boat, and both were stood down.

Aoife Kennedy, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI, advises water users to "always be alert to the dangers of fire on a boat and always carry a mean of communication so that you can call the emergency services for help"
It doesnt take a lot to be kind, to listen, and to listen, not just with your ear, but with all your senses, says Caroline Hyland, the author of a new and illustrated book about dementia which she has called, Do you see what I see?

At the heart of the book is Carolines own experience of learning about dementia, a journey inspired by her grandmother, Kathleen Duhig of Sherins Cross, near Kilmallock and driven by her own fear of the disease.

I had an interest in finding out about it. It was a puzzle to me and something also I feared, she explains.

Everybody experiences it in a different way. Their journey through dementia is different, she continues. At least 64,000 people in Ireland are currently living with dementia but it also affects tens of thousands of family members and carers.

It is doesnt just affect older people, Caroline points out but adds: Whether older or young, we all have responsibility to support people. It is not just a health issue. It is a societal issue.

But, she says, a lot of people dont know what to say, how to act around someone with dementia. One outcome of this is that the persons circle gets smaller and smaller while their families can get isolated as well. We dont have to be medical people, scientists, to help people, Caroline insists.

For her, the key is acknowledging the person, not just reacting to the condition. Sometimes the wall of dementia comes up and that is all we see. There is a person behind that wall. T

hey should be treated with utmost respect for the person they are. Our job is to be detectives and find a way in. There is somebody in there. They still have a value in society. 

Listening with all our senses is important, she says, pointing out that just because somebody with dementia may not have words, that doesnt mean they arent responding.

Her book, which she has illustrated herself, is about raising awareness and also empowering people. Caroline is quick to point out that she is no expert but says that each illustration in the book is an accumulation of observations and conversations with people living with dementia and with those that support them.

The title, Do you see what I see, derives from having my own eyes opened to what someone with dementia might experience and their needs. As individuals there are practical things we can all do to help a person feel included and engaged in their community.

In his foreword, consultant gerontologist at Tallaght University Hospital, Professor Desmond ONeill, describes the illustrations as beautiful and thought-provoking.

A picture is truly worth a thousand words, and Caroline Hyland has developed a portfolio of beautiful and thought-provoking paintings with accompanying text which are a milestone in harnessing the power of art to better understand how the new world of the Now in dementia engages with not only the past but also the present and their relationships with those around them, he writes.

Caroline, who lives in Dublin, retains her links with Limerick through her uncles Jim and Phil Duhig who still live in East Limerick and her uncle, Canon Frank Duhig who is parish priest of Newcastle West. All proceeds from the book go to dementia charity.

It can be bought online at carolinehyland.com and costs 16 plus postage.
LIMERICK City and County Council been given permission to compulsorily acquire a former pub in Bruff which has been derelict for some time.

An Bord Pleanala has approved the application to CPO the former public house and over-the-shop accommodation at Neilan's Public House at Main Street in the village.

In his report, which has recently been published, planning inspector Hugh D. Morrison notes the property has been vacant for some time and is in a derelict state.

"Paintwork to the 'shop front' timber joinery comprised in the window, door, and door to the upper floors is weathered and faded. The pair of doors to the passageway are in a severe state of disrepair; The bottom portion of either door has been broken and boarded over in an ad hoc manner and these doors have been secured in the closed position by the attachment of further boards, again, in an ad hoc manner," he commented.

In its submission, the local authority said a notice under the Derelict Sites Act was issued in February 2018 after it received complaints concerning falling slates, vegetation, dumping, and vermin at the site.

It moved to CPO the property late last year.

Objecting to the CPO, the Personal Representative of the deceased owner of the site said it forms part of her Estate and is required to be available for the discharge of the deceaseds liabilities, bequests and legacies

She added there was agreement in principle for the sale of the property subject to the title being registered with the Property Registration Authority.

According to Mr Morrisons report, the objector also rejected the local authoroitys allegation of inaction by stating the Estate of the deceased is of limited means and that she, as the deceaseds Personal Representative, has been acting in a voluntary capacity to resolve issues arising from her demise.

Referring to the objectors submission, the inspector noted the deceased died a number of years ago and that no remedial works have been carried out since.

He also noted that as of June 1, the freehold interest had not been registered with the PRA.

I consider that an inordinate period of time is elapsing in seeking to achieve this precondition for the anticipated sale, he commented adding there was no information as to the use which the prospective owner of the property proposes for it and whether she would be in a position to remedy its dereliction.

Recommending that the councils application be approved by the board, Mr Morrison stated: On balance, I consider then that the compulsory acquisition of the subject building should be confirmed to ensure that the remedying of its derelict state can be expedited.

Members of the board adopted his recommendation at a meeting which took place at the end of last month.
LOCAL sun-worshippers have received a boost after Ryanair added a new service from Shannon to Gran Canaria.

At present, its actually warmer in Limerick then it is in the Spanish resort, with the temperature locally one degree hotter at 27 degrees.

But the budget airline will be kicking off its new route from Shannon from Saturday, August 7, operating once a week until the end of October.

Its the third new service announcement for the local airport.

Shannon group chief executive Mary Considine said: As we rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic this is a positive announcement for the region. Ryanair is a valued airline partner of Shannon and this latest announcement, following on from the new Corfu and Turin services, is great news.

We have been working closely with Ryanair as we look to an anticipated recovery in demand on foot of the rollout of the EU Digital Covid Certificates and the acceleration of the vaccination programme across Europe. These new services are part of Ryanairs commitment to reopen its Shannon base which is very welcome, she added.

On top of the new routes, Ryanair also serves Manchester and London in Britain, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Alicante and Malaga in Spain, Kanuas in Lithuania, and Faro in Portugal.

Polish services go to Krakow, Wroclaw and its capital Warsaw. While there is a Greek sunshine service to Corfu.

This all comes as Shannon re-opens to non-essential travel again in line with government guidance.
IF Darren could come and talk to us today, I think what he would say this: Dont let my tragic death destroy your life. Dont torture yourself.

With these words, Fr Richie Davoren strove to console the family and friends of Darren Whelan, the 23-year-old who lost his life following a tragic accident in Greece. Darren was on holiday with friends before taking up his first job as a civil engineer.

Speaking at Darrens funeral Mass this Monday in Kildimo, Fr Davoren said: The cruel reality of this most unfair and sudden end to Darrens life is not to be clouded over or smoke-screened with pious platitudes. Darren is gone from this world and that cruel, cruel reality is what your hearts and minds are trying to process.

Addressing Darrens very many young friends and relations, he continued: You should not have to experience this, so young in your life. But learn from it. Learn about the fragility, the preciousness of the gift of life which none of us spend too much thinking about in our early 20s. Learn from this awful sadness and let it form how you approach your life.

Darren, he continued, was by nature, an extrovert. He came alive in company. He enjoyed people when they were at their best because that was what brought out the best in him.

Earlier, the symbols brought to the altar were a celebration of Darrens life and interests: a ball for his love of sport; a hard hat in recognition of his hard work and achievements; toothpaste to remind people of his infectious smile; and all the rooms he lit up; keys to signify the many adventures Darren enjoyed; and a Guinness glass for all the good times gone by.

Fr Davoren spoke too about the two friends, Brian OMahony and Willie OMeara who were on holiday with him but unable to attend the funeral because of self-isolation. It was one of the bitter ironies that Darren booked a one-way ticket to Greece, he said. His plan was to extend the holiday as long as possible, he said, But it was a one-way ticket to somewhere else.

Darrens dad, Eddie, also thanked the two young men and wished them well in their lives to come, adding his hope that they would be able to move on from the incident.

What a character he was, he said of his son. He had a massive personality, a huge smile, full of roguery and carefree. He described Darren as thoughtful, someone who always gave 100% and someone who had friends everywhere.

We were blessed. We loved every second of every minute with you Darren. Take care, he said in farewell.

Earlier, in one of the most heart-breaking journeys they will ever make, twenty four friends walked alongside Darrens coffin from his Kildimo home to the local church. Along the main street in Kildimo, Darrens friends and colleagues from Kildimo/Pallaskenry GAA Club formed a guard of honour in farewell while neighbours and family friends also stood in sad solidarity.

Kildimo Pallaskenry parish priest Fr John Donworth, who led the concelebrated Mass alongside Fr Davoren and Fr Ed Austen of Loughill, welcomed the funeral cortege into the church saying: There is great sadness in the heart of all those who loved and knew Darren.

I am sure it was a big shock for his own age group, he added. Sadly life can be very fragile as this incident show. If it has shaken you to the core, dont keep it to yourself. Share it with others.

Following Requiem Mass, Darrens remains were brought to his dads home place of Loughill where he was buried.

Darren is survived by Eddie, by his mother Geraldine, brothers Eamon and Gavin, his grandmother Peg Carmody, aunts, uncles, other relations and many, many friends.

A GoFundMe campaign in Darren's memory has raised almost 60,000 for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Society, which helped the family.
Green Party TD Brian Leddin has today welcomed the news that contracts have been signed for the design of the Limerick-Scariff Greenway.

The project, being led by Waterways Ireland in conjunction with the ESB and Limerick and Clare County Councils, will result in a greenway stretching from Limerick City centre along the Shannon, over the Black Bridge near UL, and along the historic Errina Canal to Killaloe and onward to Scariff.



Im delighted to hear from Waterways Ireland that they have reached this important next stage in the project. Waterways Ireland are really ambitious for this project, and that ambition is shared by Green Party Minister Malcolm Noonan, who I brought down to Limerick and Clare last year to give him a tour of the proposed greenway route. This contract will bring the entire project to planning stage, including all the necessary environmental studies on what is a corridor of exceptional beauty. I expect that the whole project, including construction, will take approximately three years, said Brian Leddin TD.



Starting in Limerick City, the route will travel along the existing path along the Park Canal and the River Shannon, before crossing North over the Black Bridge near UL, which will be restored as part of this project. The greenway will travel along the Errina Canal north to Clonlara and OBriens Bridge, and then beside the Ardnacrusha Headrace and Lough Derg to Killaloe and onwards North to Scariff. This will be a greenway of over 40km in length showing the best of our natural and industrial heritage and will also be an important sustainable commuter route from East Clare into UL and the City, he continued.



This is a fantastic project that will make a real difference to the region. With many other greenway projects in train we will have an extensive, connected network linking all our cities and going through the most beautiful landscapes in the country. This will be great for tourism, great for locals and great for the rural economy, he concluded.
The Biden administration Monday plans to publicly blame hackers affiliated with Chinas main intelligence service for a far-reaching cyberattack on Microsoft Corp. email software this year, senior administration officials said, part of a global effort to condemn Beijings malicious cyber activities.

The U.S. government has high confidence" that hackers tied to the Ministry of State Security, or MSS, carried out the unusually indiscriminate hack of Microsoft Exchange Server software that emerged in March, one of the officials said. The official said that U.S. allies are also expected to join in the attribution of the hacking activity, which rendered an estimated hundreds of thousands of mostly small businesses and organizations vulnerable to cyber intrusion.

The announcement is the most significant action from the Biden administration to date concerning Chinas yearslong campaign of cyberattacks against the U.S. government and American companies, often involving routine nation-state espionage and the theft of valuable intellectual property such as naval technology and coronavirus-vaccine data.

The Justice Department made public Monday a grand jury indictment from May that charged four Chinese nationals and residents working with the Ministry of State Security engaged in a hacking campaign from 2011 to 2018 intended to benefit Chinas companies and commercial sectors by stealing intellectual property and business information. The indictment didnt appear directly related to the Microsoft Exchange Server hack.

Attributing the Microsoft hack to China will be part of a broader global censure of Beijings cyberattacks by the U.S., the European Union, the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. They will accuse the MSS of using criminal contractors to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including for their own personal profit," such as cyber-enabled extortion and theft, the official said.

U.S. authorities have accused China of widespread hacking targeting American businesses and government agencies for years. China has historically denied the allegations.

The Exchange Server hack was disclosed by Microsoft in March alongside a software patch to fix the bugs being exploited in the attack. Microsoft at the time identified the culprits as a Chinese cyber-espionage group with state ties that it refers to as Hafnium, an assessment that was supported by other cybersecurity researchers. The Biden administration hadnt offered attribution until now, and is essentially agreeing with the conclusions of the private sector and providing a more detailed identification.

The attack on the Exchange Server systems began slowly and stealthily in early January by hackers who in the past had targeted infectious-disease researchers, law firms and universities, according to cybersecurity officials and analysts. But the operational tempo appeared to intensify as other China-linked hacking groups became involved, infecting thousands of servers as Microsoft worked to send its customers a software patch in early March.

Also on Monday, the National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will jointly publish technical details of more than 50 tactics and techniques favored by hackers linked to the Chinese government, the official said. The release of such lists is common when the U.S. exposes or highlights malicious hacking campaigns and is intended to help businesses and critical infrastructure operators better protect their computer systems.

Cybersecurity experts have been pressing the Biden administration for months to respond to Chinas alleged involvement in the Microsoft email hack. Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch, with the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank, said the coordinated global condemnation of China was a welcome and overdue development.

The Microsoft Exchange hacks by MSS contractors is the most reckless cyber operation we have yet seen from the Chinese actorsmuch more dangerous than the Russian SolarWinds hacks," said Mr. Alperovitch, referring to the widespread cyber-espionage campaign detected last December that, along with other alleged activities, prompted a suite of punitive measures against Moscow.

Mr. Alperovitch criticized the lack of any sanctions or other responses beyond public statements being levied against China and said it raised questions about why Beijing appeared to be evading harsher penalties, especially compared with those slapped on Russia.

Failure to sanction any PRC-affiliated actors has been one of the most prolific and baffling failures of our China policy that has transcended administrations," Mr. Alperovitch said, referring to the Peoples Republic of China. Mondays public shaming without further punishment looks like a double standard compared with actions against Russian actors. We treat China with kid gloves."

The senior administration official said the Biden administration was aware that no single action was capable of changing the Chinese governments malicious cyber behavior, and that the focus was on bringing countries together in a unified stance against Beijing. The list of nations condemning China on Monday was unprecedented," the official said, noting it was the first time NATO itself had specifically done so.

Weve made clear that well continue to take actions to protect the American people from malicious cyber activity, no matter whos responsible," the official said. And were not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC accountable."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text

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The Philippines Coast Guard said it drove away a Chinese warship in the South China Sea, in another sign of tension between the two nations in the disputed waters.

In a statement Monday citing a July 13 report, the Coast Guard said it had sent a verbal challenge to Chinese warship spotted at Marie Louise Bank. The Chinese vessel eventually moved away from the area, the statement said.

The foreign vessel sent a radio message identifying itself as Chinese Navy Warship 189" and asked the Philippine ship tailing it to keep distance, the Coast Guard said.

The two nations vessels have been locked in a standoff in the South China Sea for months, after hundreds of Chinese ships swarmed disputed territory earlier this year. The Philippines has repeatedly protested the ships presence and has been backed by the US, while Beijing has said its actions were normal and legitimate.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press briefing Monday in Beijing that he was unaware of the matter and directed questions to other authorities.

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The U.S. is considering tighter sanctions on Iranian oil sales to China as a way to encourage Tehran to conclude a nuclear deal and raise the costs of abandoning stalled negotiations.

U.S. negotiators have been working with European and other international partners in Vienna since April to revive the 2015 deal that limits Irans nuclear program in exchange for an easing of broad sanctions. As those talks falter, the U.S. is running through options intended to induce Iran to keep negotiating or punish it if it doesnt, according to U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter.

One plan being drafted would choke off Irans swelling crude-oil sales to China, the countrys main client, through fresh sanctions targeting the shipping networks that help export an estimated one million barrels a day and bring critical revenue to Iran, the officials said.

The new steps would take place if nuclear talks fail, the officials said. The plan would involve the aggressive enforcement of current sanctions already banning dealings with Irans oil and shipping industry through new designations or legal actions, the officials said. In the past, the U.S. has, for instance, sanctioned the captain of a Syria-bound Iranian crude tanker and obtained the seizure of fuel cargoes Tehran was sending to Venezuela.

There is not much left to sanction in Irans economy," said one of the U.S. officials. Irans oil sales to China is the prize."

No decision has been made on proceeding, the officials said. There are risks that the effort could backfire, driving Iran to accelerate its nuclear program. Other options are also being considered, the officials said.

Those include a diplomatic campaign to persuade China, India and other major crude-oil buyers to cut imports of the commodity, non-oil trades, debt financing and financial transfers, a second official said.

Negotiations have stalled as Irans hard-line president-elect, Ebrahim Raisi, has said that Tehran wont agree to a deal without a comprehensive removal of U.S. sanctions, something Washington has said it wont do. Irans deputy foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, tweeted Saturday that talks must wait until next months inauguration of Mr. Raisi.

Irans nuclear program has made strides over the past year. According to estimates of European and U.S. officials, it could amass enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon within two to three months.

The U.S. is warning that while it is committed to the talks, the time to secure a deal under the 2015 accord is running out. This process is not indefinite," said Ned Price, spokesman for the State Department. There will come a point where our calculus will change."

Should that point come, the second official said, There are things that are relatively easy to doand things that would take more time."

Irans delegation to the United Nations in New York didnt return a request for comment.

The Trump administration exited the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in 2018, saying it didnt do enough to thwart Irans nuclear aspirations and curb its influence across the Middle East. The U.S. then reimposed widespread sanctions meant to coerce Tehran into signing a new nuclear and security deal by crippling Irans economy, including an embargo on its crude-oil exports.

Since Joe Bidens election as president, Irans crude-oil exports, most to China, has climbed, at times reaching 1.5 million barrels a day, according to the oil-shipping tracker TankerTrackers.com Inc., a U.S.-based online service that uses satellite imagery to follow deliveries. That volume is three times more than its low point of 500,000 barrels a day after President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions.

Republican lawmakers and others critical of the Biden administrations Iran policy have said an apparent lack of enforcement and the prospect of repealing most sanctions are weakening Washingtons diplomatic leverage and emboldening Tehran.

Biden administration officials said the U.S. is committed to enforcing sanctions. They point to several recently announced prosecutions and blacklistings of Iranians and their associates for alleged violations of oil-trade sanctions. The U.S., they said, also uses nonpublic actions to enforce sanctions such as issuing formal demarches to nations that have allowed imports.

Iranian officials and traders have become increasingly adept at evading sanctions, using cryptocurrency to avoid the banking system and carrying out covert ship-to-ship transfers at sea to conceal the origin of their cargo, according to Iranian oil traders and shipping trackers. They added that business people from China and other Asian countries are no longer shying away from buying Iranian oil since Mr. Biden came into power with the intent of rekindling ties with Tehran.

United Against Nuclear Iran, a New York group that campaigns against Tehrans nuclear program, says the number of foreign vessels involved in transporting the countrys oil has risen to 123 from 70 in November 2020. Almost half of such vessels are now flagged in Panama, which had deregistered ships involved with Iranian oil under pressure from the Trump administration, according to the group.

Meanwhile, the election of Mr. Raisi as president last month is adding complications to the talks, said an Iranian diplomat and an adviser to the president-elect. Mr. Raisi is keen on obtaining concessions on sanctions to revive the Iranian economy, they said. The change to a new administration, however, also means a new negotiating team with potentially different views on a prospective deal, they said.

Were in a transition period as a democratic transfer of power is under way in our capital," Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi said in his tweet Saturday. Vienna talks must thus obviously await our new administration."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text

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NEW DELHI : Officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO) had a meeting with those of Bharat Biotech and the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker's dossier for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of Covaxin is under review by the technical experts for consideration, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia said on Monday.

Dr Singh also informed that India has been offered 7.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine through WHO's COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program.

The WHO Regional Director said, "Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Sinovac and Sinopharm have been granted EUL by the WHO. For COVXIN, an expression of interest for EUL has been made to WHO by Bharat Biotech. WHO has already conducted a pre-submission meeting with the company following which a dossier has been submitted by Bharat Biotech to WHO in early July. The dossier is currently under review by the technical experts for consideration of EUL."

Cautioning about the possibility of the Delta variant of coronavirus becoming the most dominant COVID strain, Dr Singh said, "Delta variant has spread to over 100 countries, the way its spreading is likely to soon become the most dominant COVID strain globally."

"Among all variants of concern, Delta spreads most rapidly. The rapid spread means more cases, leading to more pressure on health systems and more deaths," she said. The WHO South-East Asia director noted that globally, COVID cases and fatalities were again on the rise.

"The more we allow the virus to spread, the more it will evolve, resulting in more variants. We need to ensure that public health and social measures are implemented continuously. The interventions proven to be effective even against the delta variant," she said.

Dr Singh also urged people to act 'urgently' to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and aggressively scale up vaccination especially of the vulnerable population for containment of the possible third wave.

"People are longing to go back to their normal lives which is understandable. However, we have to be reminded of the huge risk of letting our guards down. We witnessed that very recently and continue to do so globally even today. If we take the precautions, get vaccinated and leave no room for the virus to infect us, all of us together can contain the spread of the virus," she noted.

She further informed that for the past ten consecutive weeks, COVID cases have been continuously increasing in some Eastern Mediterranean, European and Southeast Asian countries.

Dr Singh also noted that cases are on a decline in India, Nepal, and Maldives. "However, the situation continues to be a concern,' she said.

"The pandemic isn't over anywhere. We must continue to strengthen our capacity. There is absolutely no room for complacency. We need to prevent another surge and scale up our response capacity along with our vaccination programmes," she added.

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Before tearing through the world, causing millions of deaths and upending life as we knew it, SARS-CoV-2 had to somehow make the jump from an animal host to humans  but how?

Though the exact pathway the virus took is hotly debated, data suggests that the original reservoir for the precursor virus to SARS-CoV-2 was likely bats.

"It's reasonable to believe that SARS-CoV-2 originated ultimately from bats because so many related viruses do circulate in bats," especially coronaviruses , said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases specialist and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. The related coronaviruses that previously caused epidemics, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, both evolved in bats and hopped over to humans through an intermediate species (camels in the case of MERS and civets in the case of SARS).

Related: Quick guide: COVID-19 vaccines in use and how they work

At the start of the pandemic, researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology posted the genome of another strain of coronavirus (RaTG13) that was previously found in horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus affinis), according to Nature . The genome of RaTG13 is 96% identical to that of SARS-CoV-2, and is still the most closely related coronavirus found to date.

But a 4% difference in genome means that it's been around 50 years since they last shared a common ancestor, which, in turn, suggests that there could still be an intermediate species involved, according to Nature.

Some of those differences are in key spots of the genome. For instance, the genes that code for the virus' spike protein, which the virus uses to bind to human cells  specifically the receptor binding domain, the location where the virus latches on to human cells  differ between RaTG13 and SARS-CoV-2, Adalja told Live Science. These critical differences explain "why SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that found its way into humans and caused the pandemic, and not RaTG13, Adalja said

The next-closest bat coronavirus (RmYN02) has a genome that's 93.3% similar to that of SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published June 2020 in the journal Current Biology . Related coronaviruses were also found in Shamels horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus shameli) that were sampled in Cambodia in 2010 and were recently analyzed, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report on the origins of the coronavirus that was published in February 2021. The genomes of these coronaviruses (RshSTT200 and RshSTT182) were 92.6% similar to that of SARS-CoV-2.

"The results suggest that the geographical distribution of SARS-CoV-2 related viruses is much wider than previously expected," according to the WHO report.

A closer look

Scientists don't yet know where, how and when SARS-CoV-2 evolved the changes needed to infect human cells. This process could have occurred in bats, or the virus could have hopped from bats to another species, such as pangolins, and further evolved there.

One study suggests that over a century ago, one lineage of coronavirus circulating in bats gave rise to SARS-CoV-2, RaTG13 and a Pangolin coronavirus known as Pangolin-2019, Live Science previously reported . The ancestor to the Pangolin-2019 virus likely diverged at that time from the other two; then in the 1960s or 1970s, this lineage once again split into two, creating the ancestor of RaTG13 and the ancestor of SARS-CoV-2.

Another more recent study published in the journal Cell found that a single mutation may have given the coronavirus the ability to infect human cells, but it's not clear when or in what animal the virus would have acquired this mutation, Science News reported .

Scientists found that pangolin coronaviruses have between 85.5% and 92.4% genomic similarity to SARS-CoV-2, according to another study published in Nature in March 2020 . That raises the possibility that pangolins may have been the intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2.

"Evidence from surveys and targeted studies so far have found most highly related viruses in bats and pangolins, suggesting they may be the reservoir of SARS-CoV-2," according to the WHO report. But "viruses identified so far from neither bats nor pangolins are sufficiently similar to SARS-CoV-2 to serve as the direct progenitor of SARS-CoV-2."

Minks and cats are also highly susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, which suggests that such animals may also serve as "potential reservoirs," according to the WHO report.

But surveys to look for such viruses in potential reservoir species are not conducted systematically, and "potential reservoir hosts are massively under-sampled," according to the report. In other words, the potential spillover host could be sitting right under our noses, and we just haven't tested enough to find it yet.

"It is a possibility that there may be an animal that's not been thought of" that served as the intermediate host for the novel coronavirus, Adalja said.

It's not easy to tease apart the origin of SARS-CoV-2, or any virus that spills over to humans. "When this virus jumped into humans it didn't announce it to the world," Adalja said. The virus is thought to have been first circulating in China in the Fall of 2019, which is also the start of the flu season. It's likely that the earliest cases of COVID-19 were assumed to be flu cases, meaning COVID-19 wasn't diagnosed until the coronavirus became more widespread, he said. What's more, "The Chinese government has not been transparent about those early days of the pandemic and has not allowed access to a lot of research that was going on," he added.

Because nobody has identified a virus thats 100% identical to SARS-CoV-2 in any animal, there is still room for researchers to ask about other possibilities," Arinjay Banerjee, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Saskatchewan, Canada, told The Associated Press . One of those possibilities is the "lab leak theory," which suggests that the virus didn't hop from animals to humans out in the world but accidentally spilled over from a sample to workers in a lab.

"I think it is a possibility," Adalja said. "We know that there were labs that were working with coronaviruses very similar, including RaTG13, and we know that biosafety concerns exist in all labs." This possibility needs to be fully investigated, and the Chinese government needs to be transparent, he added.

Still, with the current data, most experts support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 spilled over from animals out in the world, he said. Figuring out the origin will be important, in order to be better prepared for the next pandemic, he said. For example, if the virus did hop to humans from an intermediary animal, knowing which animal may help us reduce human interactions with it, he added.

"This is not the last coronavirus emergency that we're going to face," Adalja said. "Understanding and unraveling the early days of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is going to be really important to help us become more resilient to the next pandemic and to be much better prepared for emerging infectious diseases and zoonotic infections in the future."

Originally published on Live Science.
Pikas living at high altitudes in Asia eat yak poop to help them survive winter, a new study has found.

The small, rabbit-like animals, often compared to Pokemons Pikachu character, can't hibernate through winter when food is scarce, so they slow their metabolism and eat yak poop to get by on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, where temperatures fall to minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 30 degrees Celsius).

Animals adopt all sorts of unexpected strategies to survive, study first author John Speakman, a biology professor at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, told Live Science in an email.

"Lots of animals including rabbits and pika eat their own feces," Speakman said. Such poop eating, or coprophagy, can help animals absorb nutrients they couldn't digest initially from their food, Live Science previously reported . "But eating the feces of other species is relatively rare," he added.

Related: Photos of the pika, North America's cutest mammal

Pikas are a group of small mammals found in North America and Asia. They are often associated with Pikachu the Pokemon which has a similar name  although Pikachu's original design was actually inspired by a squirrel, according to the video game website Kotaku .

Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) live in high-altitude meadows up to about 16,400 feet (5,000 meters) above sea level. They don't hibernate or migrate to warmer climates during winter, so exactly how they survive the cold months had remained a mystery.

To answer this question, Speakman and his colleagues monitored plateau pikas for 13 years using various techniques such as filming the adorable creatures and implanting temperature-logging devices into the animals. Their findings were published Monday (July 19) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

To save energy, the pikas reduced their body temperature and limited physical activity such as foraging. At some of the study sites, pikas also ate the feces of domestic yak (Bos grunniens), a phenomenon the team captured on film.

Yaks are abundant on some parts of the plateau and their feces are likely easily digestible for pikas, having already passed through the yak's digestive system . Munching on yak poop may help pikas spend less energy than they would foraging for other food sources, according to the study. The dung may also contain otherwise scarce nutrients and water, which pikas also benefit from.

Pikas' penchant for yak feces may also explain why they are found in higher densities where yaks are more abundant, even though scientists think the two species compete with one another for food.

"We are currently studying what other benefits might accrue," Speakman said. "There are obvious potential costs as well, like exposure to gut parasites, so that's probably why it isn't a very common behavior."

Originally published on Live Science.
Deer, crocodiles and even a human are just some of the odd meals engulfed by pythons . How do they gorge on such giant fare? Python snakes don't dislocate their jaws (a common myth), but instead rely on the springiness of the tissues connecting their jawbones.

Unlike in mammals, python snakes have a lower jawbone that is split into two parts that move independently of each other; and they are not connected by a bone in the front. In addition, the so-called quadrate bone that attaches the lower jaw to the skull is not rigidly attached in snakes, giving a python lots of wiggle room for devouring enormous prey.

"The two mandibles are not joined at the front by a rigid symphysis, as ours are, but by an elastic ligament that allows them to spread apart," Patrick Gregory, a biology professor at the University of Victoria in Australia, told Live Science previously . Here's a look at hungry snakes in action.

Pelican for breakfast

(Image credit: FLPA / Alamy)

This African rock python (Python sebae) squeezed the life out of this white pelican in Kenya, before devouring the bird. Considered Africa's largest snake, these rock pythons can reach 20 feet (6 meters) in length and are known as powerful constrictors. In 2013, two boys were strangled to death by this snake in New Brunswick, Canada, National Geographic reported.

The snake has a stout, brown-gray body with two large, dark blobs running down its center, according to the Florida Museum.

A wallaby?

(Image credit: Ken Griffiths/Shutterstock)

An oliver python (Liasis olivaceus), which is endemic to Australia and can grow up to 13 feet (4 m) long, just snagged the meal of the year: a wallaby. Like other pythons, this one used constriction to immobilize its prey, before gulping it down.

Go big, or ...

A wallaby? How about a crocodile? This olive python took down one of the giant reptiles near Mount Isa, Queensland, where kayaker Martin Muller captured the feat in all its gory glory on May 31, 2019. In addition to being able to fit enormous meals through their specialized jaws, pythons also have several adaptations to help the snakes digest such beasts all at once. For instance, researchers found that Burmese pythons modify their metabolism post-meal and even increase the size of internal organs  including intestines, pancreas, heart and kidneys  in order to process the huge caloric intake, Live Science previously reported.

Too much to handle

(Image credit: Conservancy of Southwest Florida)

A Burmese python in Florida met its match with a white-tailed deer that was supposed to be lunch for the hungry snake. In April 2015, biologists found the 11-foot-long (3 meters) Burmese python engorged with a tummy-full of deer at the Collier-Seminole State Park in Naples. Once the scientists, from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida (CSF), moved the snake to an open area, things got ugly. The python literally lost its lunch, regurgitating the prey, which turned out to be a fawn weighing some 36 pounds (16 kilograms); that was more than the arguably hefty snake, which tipped the scales at 32 pounds (14 kg). The incident was the largest prey-to-predator weight ratio ever reported in Burmese pythons, Live Science reported .

Peering beneath the skin

(Image credit: Henrik Lauridsen and Kasper Hansen, MR Research Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark.)

To learn more about how Burmese pythons shuttle their prey through their bellies, researchers put the giant snakes through scanners. They used magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography to scan fasting pythons before and after ingestion of a rat. The post-meal scans, at , 16, 24, 48, 72 and 132 hours after ingestion, showed a gradual disappearance of the rat's body and an overall expansion of the snake's intestine; meanwhile, the python's gallbladder shrunk and its heart increased in volume by 25%, Live Science reported at the time in 2011.

Head-first

(Image credit: mjf795 via Getty Images)

A green tree python (Morelia viridis), which is native to New Guinea, consumes a mouse. The feasting snake is also sitting in its signature pose, with according to the Denver Zoo. "They coil their body around prey and each time the victim exhales, the snake tightens the coils eventually suffocating the prey animal. The snake then swallows the prey headfirst," the Denver Zoo said.

Oh, deer!

(Image credit: Paul Grace Photography Somersham via Getty Images)

An Indian python swallowed a spotted dear in Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. Once a python has suffocated its prey, there's still work to do, as the snake must move its oversized meal through its body toward the digestive system. To do so, the python will open its mouth to begin swallowing the animal whole. It uses rhythmic muscular contractions of its body to pull the prey farther down its throat and into the stomach, according to the San Diego Zoo. And what about breathing? How did this Indian python continue to breathe while devouring a deer? Turns out, it has a special tube that stays open at the bottom of its mouth, the zoo explained.

Snake strangulation

(Image credit: Joe McDonald via Getty Images)

Reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) are one of the world's largest snakes, according to Zoo Atlanta. And like other pythons, the giant reptile has several rows of sharp, S-shaped teeth that it uses to grab onto prey, like the mouse shown here, while coiling its might body tightly around the prey until all breathing ceases. In the wild, the reticulated python eats all kinds of birds and mammals, including large deer and boar, Zoo Atlanta said.

Backing in

(Image credit: Cortez Hunter / EyeEm via Getty Images)

In this close-up image of a hungry ball python (Python regius), you can see its lower jaw allows the mouth to stretch wide to fit a pudgy mouse, shown here in a zoo. In the wild in West and Central Africa, ball pythons rely on such rodents for survival. To catch their prey, ball pythons tend to pull back the head and neck before rapidly striking their meals. Next, the ball python either just swallows the prey or first immobilizes it with strangulation, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW), supported by the University of Michigan.

They get their name from their "balling" behavior, in which they form a tight ball with their bodies  with the head at the center  to protect themselves when threatened, ADW explained.

That's a big rat

(Image credit: Peter Righteous / Alamy)

Though the Australian black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) primarily eats other reptiles, mainly skinks, this individual took down a black rate (Rattus rattus). The python calls northern parts of Australia home, where it slithers through dry scrublands, savannas and damp forests, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web.

Originally published on Live Science.
Imagine a universe where you could point a spaceship in one direction and eventually return to where you started. If our universe were a finite donut, then such movements would be possible and physicists could potentially measure its size.

"We could say: Now we know the size of the universe," astrophysicist Thomas Buchert, of the University of Lyon, Astrophysical Research Center in France, told Live Science in an email.

Related: 10 wild theories about the universe

Examining light from the very early universe, Buchert and a team of astrophysicists have deduced that our cosmos may be multiply connected, meaning that space is closed in on itself in all three dimensions like a three-dimensional donut. Such a universe would be finite, and according to their results, our entire cosmos might only be about three to four times larger than the limits of the observable universe, about 45 billion light-years away.

A tasty problem

Physicists use the language of Einstein's general relativity to explain the universe. That language connects the contents of spacetime to the bending and warping of spacetime, which then tells those contents how to interact. This is how we experience the force of gravity. In a cosmological context, that language connects the contents of the entire universe  dark matter , dark energy, regular matter, radiation and all the rest  to its overall geometric shape. For decades, astronomers had debated the nature of that shape: whether our universe is "flat" (meaning that imaginary parallel lines would stay parallel forever), "closed" (parallel lines would eventually intersect) or "open" (those lines would diverge).

Related: 8 ways you can see Einstein's theory of relativity in real life

That geometry of the universe dictates its fate. Flat and open universes would continue to expand forever, while a closed universe would eventually collapse in on itself.

Multiple observations, especially from the cosmic microwave background (the flash of light released when our universe was only 380,000 years old), have firmly established that we live in a flat universe. Parallel lines stay parallel and our universe will just keep on expanding.

But there's more to shape than geometry. There's also topology , which is how shapes can change while maintaining the same geometric rules.

For example, take a flat piece of paper. It's obviously flat  parallel lines stay parallel. Now, take two edges of that paper and roll it up into a cylinder. Those parallel lines are still parallel: Cylinders are geometrically flat. Now, take the opposite ends of the cylindrical paper and connect those. That makes the shape of a donut, which is also geometrically flat.

While our measurements of the contents and shape of the universe tell us its geometry  it's flat  they don't tell us about the topology. They don't tell us if our universe is multiply-connected, which means that one or more of the dimensions of our cosmos connect back with each other.

Look to the light

While a perfectly flat universe would extend out to infinity , a flat universe with a multiply-connected topology would have finite size. If we could somehow determine whether one or more dimensions are wrapped in on themselves, then we would know that the universe is finite in that dimension. We could then use those observations to measure the total volume of the universe.

But how would a multiply-connected universe reveal itself?

A team of astrophysicists from Ulm University in Germany and the University of Lyon in France looked to the cosmic microwave background (CMB). When the CMB was released, our universe was a million times smaller than it is today, and so if our universe is indeed multiply connected, then it was much more likely to wrap in on itself within the observable limits of the cosmos back then. Today, due to the expansion of the universe, it's much more likely that the wrapping occurs at a scale beyond the observable limits, and so the wrapping would be much harder to detect. Observations of the CMB give us our best chance to see the imprints of a multiply connected universe.

Related: 5 reasons we may live in a multiverse

The team specifically looked at the perturbations  the fancy physics term for bumps and wiggles  in the temperature of the CMB. If one or more dimensions in our universe were to connect back with themselves, the perturbations couldn't be larger than the distance around those loops. They simply wouldn't fit.

As Buchert explained to Live Science in an email, "In an infinite space, the perturbations in the temperature of the CMB radiation exist on all scales. If, however, space is finite, then there are those wavelengths missing that are larger than the size of the space."

In other words: There would be a maximum size to the perturbations, which could reveal the topology of the universe.

Making the connection

This image from the Planck satellite reveals the cosmic microwave background, the oldest light in our cosmos. This CMB image shows temperature fluctuations that correspond to regions of slightly different density. (Image credit: ESA/Planck Collaboration)

Maps of the CMB made with satellites like NASA's WMAP and and the ESA's Planck have already seen an intriguing amount of missing perturbations at large scales. Buchert and his collaborators examined whether those missing perturbations could be due to a multiply-connected universe. To do that, the team performed many computer simulations of what the CMB would look like if the universe were a three-torus, which is the mathematical name for a giant three-dimensional donut, where our cosmos is connected to itself in all three dimensions.

"We therefore have to do simulations in a given topology and compare with what is observed," explained Buchert. "The properties of the observed fluctuations of the CMB then show a 'missing power' on scales beyond the size of the universe." A missing power means that the fluctuations in the CMB are not present at those scales. That would imply that our universe is multiply-connected, and finite, at that size scale.

"We find a much better match to the observed fluctuations, compared with the standard cosmological model which is thought to be infinite," he added.

"We can vary the size of the space and repeat this analysis. The outcome is an optimal size of the universe that best matches the CMB observations. The answer of our paper is clearly that the finite universe matches the observations better than the infinite model. We could say: Now we know the size of the universe."

The team found that a multiply-connected universe about three to four times larger than our observable bubble best matched the CMB data. While this result technically means that you could travel in one direction and end up back where you started, you wouldn't be able to actually accomplish that in reality. We live in an expanding universe, and at large scales the universe is expanding at a rate that is faster than the speed of light, so you could never catch up and complete the loop.

Buchert emphasized that the results are still preliminary. Instrument effects could also explain the missing fluctuations on large scales.

Still, it's fun to imagine living on the surface of a giant donut.

Originally published on Live Science.
An amateur treasure hunter on the Isle of Man discovered a Viking Age "piggy bank" hoard that contains a 1,000-year-old analog to today's Bitcoin.

The recently discovered hoard includes 87 silver coins, 13 pieces of cut, silver arm-rings, or "hack silver," and a handful of artifacts, according to a statement from Manx National Heritage, a charity and heritage agency on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.

The hoard has a "significant" amount of hack silver, much like the Glenfaba deposit, which was found on the Isle of Man in 2003, said Kristin Bornholdt Collins, an independent researcher and numismatist based in New Hampshire, who studies the Viking Age economy of both the Isle of Man and the Irish Sea region. This hack silver would have been weighed and possibly assessed for its quality during transactions, she said.

It's likely that hack silver was useful for international trade, because "it was practical for any size transaction and was decentralized, a currency without borders or political affiliation," Bornholdt Collins said in the statement. "In this sense, it was a modern-day equivalent to a cryptocurrency  we might even say it was something like the original 'Bitcoin.'"

Related: Photos: Roman-era silver jewelry and coins discovered in Scotland

Kath Giles, an amateur treasure hunter and former police officer, discovered the hoard with a metal detector in April. This is Giles' fourth historical discovery in three years, including a December 2020 hoard that included silver and gold Viking jewelry, according to Manx National Heritage .

After assessing the new hoard, Jayne Hughes, the Isle of Man coroner of inquests, declared it a "treasure." While this term may conjure images of fantastical wealth, the word "treasure" in this regard refers to artifacts that are at least 300 years old that include precious metals or at least two coins, according to the Isle of Man's Treasure Act of 2017.

Image 1 of 6 Allison Fox (left), Manx National Heritage curator of archaeology and Kath Giles (right), who discovered the hoard. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage) Image 2 of 6 A coin from the hoard with the profile of King Sihtric Silkbeard. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage) Image 3 of 6 Coins and pieces of hack silver that were discovered in the hoard. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage) Image 4 of 6 Coins with the profile of King Sihtric Silkbeard, the Norse king of Dublin from around 989 to 1036. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage) Image 5 of 6 An armlet from the hoard that was cut into pieces. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage) Image 6 of 6 Kath Giles used a metal detector to find the hoard. (Image credit: Manx National Heritage)

During an analysis of the hoard, Bornholdt Collins confirmed that the hoard included pennies that were minted in the Isle of Man, Ireland, England and what is now Germany. "Like our modern-day coins, many have an image of the monarch," Allison Fox, curator of archaeology at Manx National Heritage, said in the statement. The Irish and Manx coins have the profile of King Sihtric Silkbeard, the Norse king of Dublin from around 989 to 1036, while the other coins have King Cnut of England, Denmark and Norway, King Aethelred II of England and also a Holy Roman emperor, Otto of Saxony, Fox added.

On the flip side of some of the coins is a "long cross," a symbol that was used as a guide to cut the coins when only a half-penny was needed, Fox said. Meanwhile, the hack-silver chucks were "part of a flexible system of payment, where the value depended on the weight and purity of silver," she said. "It is expected that the coins and the hack silver have over 90% silver content."

The dates on the coins indicate that "money" was added to the piggy bank-like hoard over time, but especially around 1035, Bornholdt Collins said. "Though, for the most part, it is a direct reflection of what was circulating in and around [the Isle of] Man in the late 1020s [and around] 1030," she said.

Much like the Glenfaba deposit, the new hoard is similar to a "wallet containing all kinds of credit cards, notes and coins, perhaps of different nationalities, such as when you prepare to travel overseas, and shows the variety of currencies available to an Irish Sea trader or inhabitant of Man in this period," Bornholdt Collins added.

The earliest Viking Age precious metal hoards date to the 950s, making this hoard one of the later stashes from that era. The hoard is the fourth Viking Age hoard discovered on the Isle of Man in the past 50 years, Bornholdt Collins said.

The hoard is now on display in the new Viking gallery at the Manx Museum, but will soon travel to London, U.K., where the Treasure Valuation Committee will review it at the British Museum.

Originally published on Live Science.
Suborbital space missions are in the news as the founders of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin take their maiden flights. But what exactly does suborbital mean, and does the technology have uses beyond helping billionaires race each other to space?

Tomorrow (July 20), Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and the world's richest man, will blast off in the New Shepard rocket built by his private space company Blue Origin. This will be the firm's first crewed mission and will fly to an altitude of 62 miles (100 kilometers) before landing again at the same launchpad. Bezos was beaten to the edge of space by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who flew July 11 to an altitude of 53 miles (86 km) in a rocket-powered spaceplane built by his company Virgin Galactic.

Related: Photos: Blue Origin's New Shepard mission to space

More: Watch Bezos launch into space in this livestream

While impressive, both vehicles are very different from standard space rockets.

"The difference, in a nutshell, is that these suborbital flights do not have enough velocity to escape into orbit," said Stephan McCandliss, a professor of astrophysics at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.

Orbit refers to the situation where a spacecraft or satellite's sideways momentum creates a force that perfectly opposes the pull of Earth's gravity, so that it follows a curved path, constantly falling toward the planet but never getting any closer. When an orbiting spacecraft launches, it starts off vertical but then begins to tilt and pick up horizontal speed once it's through the thickest part of the atmosphere, so as to generate sufficient momentum to stay in orbit. Getting there is challenging though  the horizontal speed you need to remain in orbit depends on the altitude, but for a low-Earth orbit of 150 miles (240 km) it's around 17,000 mph (about 27,400 km/h).

"To sustain orbital motion, you have to be moving at almost 8 kilometers a second," McCandliss told Live Science. "In addition to that, you've got to get to the altitude and you have to punch through the atmosphere, and that all takes energy."

Any rocket without enough energy to reach orbit will instead follow a parabolic trajectory, looping up and then back down again,McCandliss said. But while such suborbital space missions might be short-lived, passengers will still get a mindblowing view of Earth and will also experience several minutes of weightlessness.

Image 1 of 4 New Shepards 15th launch (called mission NS-15) lifted off from Launch Site One in West Texas on April 14, 2021. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Image 2 of 4 The New Shepard booster is shown here as it landed after New Shepards successful mission to space, the 15th launch of the vehicle that took place on . April 14, 2021. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Image 3 of 4 The New Shepard booster on the landing pad after Mission NS-15's success on April 14, 2021. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Image 4 of 4 Another image showing the New Shepard crew capsule landing at a remote site in the West Texas desert after a successful mission to space on April 14, 2021. (Image credit: Blue Origin)

That's because the downward stretch of the trajectory is essentially a freefall, and gravity is acting on both passengers and the vehicle in the same way. "The simple explanation is that gravity is pulling you down and it's pulling the vehicle down just as much, so locally you feel like there's no gravity," said Steven Collicott, a professor of aeronautics at Purdue University in Indiana.

That's a big pull for thrill seekers, and both Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are hoping this market can help them sustain profitable space tourism businesses. But it also offers some interesting research opportunities, added Collicott.

Microgravity research is already carried out on the International Space Station, but flying an experiment there is hugely expensive, and equipment has to survive punishing G-forces and vibrations to get into orbit, Collicott said. In contrast, these new suborbital flights are a fraction of the cost and put far less strain on equipment.

"These tourist vehicles give us a much gentler ride to space and back," said Collicott. "So the tourism industry has created these really nice, low-cost research laboratories for us."

Suborbital flights could prove useful for experiments where researchers want to study phenomena that are normally overshadowed by the effects of gravity, such as sedimentation or coagulation of solid particles in fluids, Collicott said. He sees lots of potential for his own work trying to understand how fluids like fuel or human blood behave in low-gravity.

It could also be a cheaper way to test out spaceflight technology or experiments before they are sent on more expensive orbital or deep-space missions. For instance, it might be possible to do test runs of low-gravity emergency surgery techniques, Colicott said, or to make sure that all the fluids in a chemistry or biology experiment remain in the right place after the transition from rocket boost to zero-g.

The short duration of the weightlessness will be a limiting factor, Collicott said, but these flights also open up the prospect of researchers being able to fly with their experiments. "It just really opens up whole new fields of science that you really can't automate," he added.

These flights won't work for a lot of space scientists though, said McCandliss. He has been working with NASA for the last 30 years building sounding rockets, or instrument-carrying rockets that perform scientific experiments on suborbital flights. While these are more expensive and only single-use, they are able to reach altitudes of up to 435 miles (700 km).

Such heights are necessary for a variety of space physics experiments, including the kind of ultraviolet astronomy McCandliss studies. Even at 62 miles the atmosphere is still dense enough to interfere with electromagnetic signals and so they need to remain above this altitude for significant periods. "I would tell people, 'When you can hit [186 miles] 300 kilometers come talk with me,'" he said.

Nonetheless, McCandliss appreciates the efforts by the private space industry to increase access to space and thinks these companies are much like the early pioneers in maritime exploration or aviation.

"Some people look at this as being wasteful, but I view it as evolutionary," he said. "These are the sort of steps that you need to take if you want to have a more capable infrastructure for servicing space and dealing with space."

Originally published on Live Science.
By Samantha Silva

Flatiron. 288 pp. $26.99

- - -

The poor historical novelist. It's so difficult to measure up to the contemporary gold standard of the genre: Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" series. Her novels about Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to Henry VIII, are not only riveting stories, but they recast a controversial historical figure while contemplating the nature of power. So Samantha Silva has set herself a particularly difficult task by taking on another famous English historical figure in her new novel, "Love and Fury: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft," a woman often called Britain's first feminist.

Silva succeeds in making Wollstonecraft - the critic, novelist, translator, trailblazing feminist and the mother of Mary Shelley, the author of "Frankenstein" - a vibrant and forceful personality, full of both love and fury.

The novel opens at the end of Wollstonecraft's life, as she is about to give birth to the infant who will become Mary Shelley. At first, it is the baby whose health everyone is worried about, and the midwife, Mrs. B - in whose point of view the novel begins - suggests that Wollstonecraft tell the baby her own story, to "talk her into the world."

And so Wollstonecraft begins telling her life story to her "little bird."

The novel is structured around these two intertwining perspectives. Mrs. B. relates Wollstonecraft's last 11 days on earth as her health deteriorates. Though she has her own story, Silva mainly uses Mrs. B. as a foil to remind us how unusual Wollstonecraft was for her time - as an advocate for women's rights, a woman who'd already had a child out of wedlock and an equal in her marriage to the philosopher William Godwin.

As she sits in vigil, Mrs. B. happens upon their letters, eavesdrops on their conversation, and finally reads Wollstonecraft's work, marveling at one point at the way Wollstonecraft "turns feeling into thinking and thinking into feeling."

Yet her wonder at Wollstonecraft can sometimes seem heavy-handed, and Mrs. B - her story, the voice Silva gives her - is not as compelling as Wollstonecraft. It is in Wollstonecraft's own sections, when she relates her life in chronological order, that the story most comes alive.

And what a life she led! After a peripatetic childhood at the whim of a sometimes violent father (she is known to have lain across her mother's bedroom door to block her father's path), Wollstonecraft founded a girls' school in London. She socialized with William Blake, spent time in Paris during the French Revolution and wrote political works including "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" - books that Virginia Woolf described as "so true that they seem now to contain nothing new in them - their originality has become our commonplace."

This is a lot of life to cover in roughly 200 pages. The later sections of the novel can feel a little rushed, in part because the backdrop is so huge. The French Revolution, for instance, deserves more than the 25 pages Silva is able to give to Wollstonecraft's more than two years in France. (Mantel's 1992 novel about the French Revolution, "A Place of Greater Safety," runs more than 700 pages.)

But the earlier sections move more slowly, and Silva paints a convincing portrait of a girl finding her way in the world - learning to trust her own feelings of injustice, unearthing a world of intellect and ideas via a friend's father. As she matures, Wollstonecraft becomes more and more convinced that women needed to be educated - and treated - equally.

A short section in London, when the young writer decides to live by her pen and starts attending long nightly dinners at her publisher's house with leading intellectuals such as Blake and painter Henry Fuseli, is also exciting to read. As she begins making her views part of the public discourse, the men start calling her "Wollstonecraft," like she's one of the blokes.

These events reflect the "fury" of the title, but there is fury in Wollstonecraft's love, too. Early in life, she develops passionate friendships with female friends; in London, she falls in love with Fuseli; and the first love affair she consummates leads to two suicide attempts, before she falls in love with Godwin, Mary Shelley's father.

It's interesting to see Silva explore how her Wollstonecraft - so righteous in advocating "rational love" over sexual passion - adjusts her views as her own sexuality awakens too, and how, in the end, with Godwin, she seems to find both.

When reading this book, I kept remembering the statue of Wollstonecraft unveiled in London last autumn, to some praise and much derision. For me, it wasn't the fact the Wollstonecraft's statue was a nude that was problematic - surely she would have looked like Mary Poppins if she'd been dressed - but that her generic, everywoman figure is dwarfed by the swirling, treelike plinth she arises out of. The base is meant to signify the struggles of women. Would a historically significant man ever be depicted so naked and so small?

Thankfully, the Mary Wollstonecraft of "Love and Fury" is neither small nor generic, but vivid, flawed, larger than life. Silva gives us a Wollstonecraft who is not overshadowed by historical forces, but who is instead herself a force of nature - and history.

- - -

Carole Burns's "The Missing Woman and Other Stories" won the Ploughshares' John C. Zacharis First Book Award. She is the head of creative writing at the University of Southampton in England.
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Pearl Jam has announced two additional headlining performances this fall, and theyll be taking place at a familiar location. A week after appearing Sept. 26 at frontman Eddie Vedders three-day Ohana festival in Dana Point, Calif., the Seattle group will return for an encore weekend of the event at the same venue on Oct. 1-2.

Aside from a previously announced appearance on Sept. 18 at the Sea.Hear.Now festival on the beach at Asbury Park, N.J., the new Ohana performances will be Pearl Jams only other shows of 2021.

Whereas Pearl Jam will only be playing the third and final night of Ohanas first weekend, the group will headline both nights of the newly added encore weekend that follows.

The second weekend will have a somewhat pared-down lineup, mostly with artists that did not play the first weekend  one big exception being fellow Seattle favorite Brandi Carlile, a good friend of Pearl Jams members, who is second-billed on both weekends.

Exclusive to weekend two are such acts as Beck, Sleater-Kinney, Lord Huron, Margo Price, Amythyst Kiah, White Reaper and NHC, a supergroup of sorts featuring Janes Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Chris Chaney as well as Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Tickets for the Oct. 1-2 event go on sale this Friday. As previously reported, the full-scale Ohana the weekend prior features both Vedder solo and Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket, Kings Of Leon, Maggie Rogers, Black Pumas, Yola and many more.

In other Pearl Jam news, the group is expected to reschedule its pandemic-impacted 2020 North American tour dates for early next year, with all tickets to be honored for the new shows. The trek will belatedly come in support of Pearl Jams 2020 album Gigaton, its first in nearly seven years. A 2022 European tour will begin June 14-15 in Amsterdam.

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Very little is known about Bob Dylans upcoming streaming concert Shadow Kingdom  which premieres July 18th on Veeps  but a 30-second clip has been shared on Dylans social media channels that shines a little light on it. Its a tiny segment of his 1971 tune Watching the River Flow, which Dylan hasnt played live since 2014.

The black-and-white video shows Dylan performing the song in front of a well-dressed crowd at an undisclosed location. He appears to be on stage with at least some members of his regular touring band, but theyre wearing masks and its impossible to be sure from just this brief clip.

The words The Early Songs of Bob Dylan appear early on, suggesting this special will concentrate on older material, even though his most recent album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, came out in June 2020 and he has yet to play any of those songs in a live setting. A press release announcing the show last month said that Dylan would play renditions of songs from his extensive and renowned body of work created especially for this event.

Tickets for Shadow Kingdom are currently on sale via Veeps for $25. Ticket-buyers will have 48 hours to watch the show.

Veeps is a relatively new player in the world of streaming concerts; it was founded by Good Charlottes Joel Madden and Benji Madden. Theyve also booked live events featuring the Zombies, Freddie Gibbs, Chase Atlantic, and Beartooth.

Dylan hasnt played a show since he wrapped up the most recent leg of his Never Ending Tour at Washington, D.C.s the Anthem on December 8th, 2019. He had an extensive tour on the books for 2020, including a North American summer run with Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, but the shows were all canceled because of the pandemic. He has yet to announce any tour dates now that live music has returned, leaving Shadow Kingdom as the closest thing fans can get to experiencing a Dylan concert.

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After seeing the scholarship opportunity of a lifetime fade away due to the pandemic, Sylvia Mariana Perales has found success in Texas with the help of her family.

Perales, a 15-year-old dancer from Saltillo, Coahuila, has excelled in several international events such as the Youth American Grand Prix in 2018 in New York City. She won first place in the National Contest for Ballet Youth and Adolescents in Mexico City in 2019 to earn scholarships for schools like the Houston Ballet School.

Later that year, she participated in the International Festival of Ballet Dance in Veracruz, Mexico. Her performance earned her more offers from schools in Chicago and Houston along with the Ballettschule Theater Basel in Switzerland. Perales was going to attend the school in Switzerland, but the pandemic got in the way.

The year 2020 was certainly a hard one for me to decide and make any big plans to my achievements in many of the scholarships offered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Perales said. At first I did feel very bad about not being able to go because I had many plans and was very excited about achieving this and going to another country, but since it was not possible I started to comprehend that it was not the end of the world. My family has always told me that if something happens, it is because it was meant to be, so me letting this go was not as bad.

Her uncle, Francisco Pancho Farias in Laredo, helped Perales and her family continue her dreams. He said the pandemic costing the opportunity to go to Switzerland made her feel down for some time. However, thanks to the familys support, she feels much better and now she has her eyes set on a ballet school in Houston.

She had made some fundraisers, had her airfare and was ready to go, and thats when COVID hit and everything was put on hold, so she was not able to, Farias said. She doesnt show that she is disappointed about Switzerland as she has already put it behind her, but she is very optimistic and really excited about going to the Houston Ballet School.

Perales said the silver lining of the pandemic is it helped unite her family. It caused many people to slow down and appreciate what they have.

While we were in quarantine, my family felt that we had a lot of time to do other things, and we got together to make raffles, sell some things that belonged to me, made activities with the family to ask for their support as well, Perales said. My teachers from Saltillo also helped me and my family in these efforts and other activities that I believed help unite us as well.

Perales said her family in Laredo has also aided her in accomplishing her dreams. There have been several obstacles along the way including complications with her student visa.

This year I did travel to Laredo with the plan of then moving to Houston and accepting the summer scholarship for the Houston Ballet School, but we now had to interrupt the process due to issues related to my student visa so I could go to Houston, and I hope that gets fixed soon, Perales said.

As Perales waits for the visa process, she said she is getting a lot of help not just from family but also from a local dance instructor who invited her to practice at the Diana Rendon Dance Academy.

When I came to Laredo, I was just in the city waiting for the student visa process to go on and was not doing any classes nor practicing, and also because I did not have the vaccine yet, I was provided the opportunity to train and get classes in the dance studio by Diana Rendon, Perales said. The teacher also allowed me to teach their girls for a bit and offer them some educational information like about nutrition, how steps are made, how the body works and other issues that allowed me to not just wait in vain but rather share my own knowledge about the dance to other aspiring dancers as well.

Rendon said she had never seen such a dedicated dancer and at such an early age.

It was fabulous. She is a beautiful dancer, and I wish her all the best, Rendon said. We were so blessed to have her there in the studio, and I wish her the best and hope she makes it in a fabulous ballet company because the girls really liked her. Her technique is fabulous, her dedication, her discipline  her ways of doing things is rare for a 15 year old, because you dont see that. She is a child that wakes up, practices on her own and then goes back and comes to the studio and does a class and then doing more with her nutrition. It takes a lot, and she is really mature.

According to Rendon, all of the girls in her studio, even those who did not know any Spanish, loved the way she danced and thought. She said her future is more than assured if she continues the way she is going.

Perales said her sights are no longer set on Switzerland. She believes Houston is the best place for her studies.

My plans are to stay in Houston and finish my dance studies there until the age of 18 when I graduate so I can hopefully enter into an international company and work for them, Perales said.

Her aunt Cecilia Farias said her decision to go to Houston and finish her studies there is the best thing she can do to maximize her opportunities.

The life of a ballet dancer in Mexico is very difficult because in Mexico there is no direct support for the art as the only way to make it in the country is for individuals and families to support their own studies and expenses, Farias said. It has really been difficult for her and her family, but since this is what she loves and we have always supported her, we will make sure she accomplishes her goals.

Francisco Farias said he was excited about the Switzerland scholarship opportunity, but he believes her future is more assured working in an American school.

Perales began dancing ballet when she was only 4 years old, and she said her biggest inspiration and motivation to dance was her sister who showed her more about the dance and the way it is practiced. Even though she has faced obstacles early in her career, she will never give up her dream.

No matter what happens, people must enjoy everything that comes our way, and something else that keeps me going is something that God and my family showed me which is to never give up on anything, Perales said.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
Murals have been popping up all around the city from the downtown area to numerous parks as leaders have pushed the importance of beautifying the area. However, one well-known figure in the Gateway City has questioned why that trend hasnt been seen in one particular area.

Through social media and on the airwaves, Sammy The House Ramirez has been able to create a small social media push asking why there are no murals on Mines Road.

Its really just as simple as noticing that one park had a big abundance of murals and constantly unveiling new ones, Ramirez said. I literally just thought to myself, 'Hey, theres no murals on Mines Road.

Its not that I feel that the park shouldnt have any murals. Its just that I noticed that Mines Road didnt have any. I put my thoughts on video and on social media, and people started noticing the same thing I did.

After several weeks of posting consistently about the issue on social media, Ramirez got the attention of District VII councilmember Vanessa Perez.

Sammy the House is pointing out an observation and fact, Perez said. Im glad we have citizens that express their views and concerns regarding the state of our community and city.

Considering the push that Ramirez has started with his requests, Perez states that she is more than ready to engage in bringing a mural to the area she represents.

I am all for beautification and art, Perez said. Mines Road is lacking a public mural, and yes I would love to help bring one to the area.

According to Perez, the only mural that currently exists along the area is not a public one, as the Associations in La Bota Ranch recently commissioned a mural in the private La Bota Ranch community of the various birds that make up the names of the streets in the subdivision.

Although Ramirez understands that there are currently more pressing issues in the city, he does state that the idea of creating a mural in the area is something that would be a quality improvement for the future.

Ill be completely honest, I think theres more important things to be looking at. We can improve as a city in so many ways, Ramirez said. I just happened to let out a thought one day and people ran with it, so much so that people are making efforts to highlight all the other murals all over town. I dont know if theyre trying to take away attention from the fact that Mines Road has no murals, but if anything, Im happy that all the murals in town are being highlighted now.

Perez states that the process to get the potential mural approved by council is not too difficult, however, it is paramount to first have all of the details laid out first.

Its a matter of who, what, where, when, why and how, Perez said. So city staff and I have to get it all figured out before we take it to council for approval, if needed. It helps when we have the private community helping us with any of these steps. As far as council approval, we may need approval for a location or budget depending on the amount and/or source.

Although there is still no location set for where this potential mural could be, Perez does state that ideally it would be somewhere with high traffic where people could park and take pictures. She said her office is currently looking at a possible location of the underpass going toward the World Trade Bridge, but she states that in order to do that, they need to coordinate with TxDOT since its a state highway.

That potential location is one that Ramirez would be happy with as he states that it is where most people wait for traffic to go down. He added that Mexican truck drivers would be able to catch a nice glimpse of art before they head to Mexico.

But there is a possible hiccup.

It is possible, however, with the expansion set to begin soon, it doesnt make sense at this time to do it there, Perez said. The coordination and planning depends on the answers to some of the logistical questions we need to figure out.

Potential artists have contacted the councilmembers office to declare their interest in participating in the project. And Perez also has her own ideas on what she would like to see on the mural.

Artists have reached out expressing interest, but I have not gotten that far in the planning process, Perez said. I would love it to be something representing our unique culture, international relations and our role in the international trade industry.

Artist Abel Gonzalez recently created the new mural at the Outlet Shoppes at Laredo. And he states that he recently also got a job to do another for a private company inside their warehouse. And while this is not connected to the city, it is a sign that the trend continues to spread around the city.

Naturally, I love to be a part of this trend in our city and thank God for allowing me to plant that art seed to inspire other artists, Gonzalez said.

Im hoping thats a start to bring more murals to that area. ... Ive always been more comfortable and inspired to paint on big scale walls, and I love the challenge. It teaches me to get better.

According to Gonzalez, a mural on Mines Road should consider the main aspects of the location and also reflect the artists own creative skills and struggles.

Ramirez also states that due to the location of the mural, it must be something that shows the interconnection between both the U.S. and Mexico and show how both culture and commerce mix in this one setting.

Ramirez states that his idea began as one simple thing to get something done for an area of the city so trafficked, but he never expected it to grow enough to be acknowledged by officials from the city. And he believes that it would be an honor for him to serve in any way for the construction of the mural.

My little thought that I expressed has gotten people to think about their neighborhoods and their parks and appreciating all the artwork thats all over the city, Ramirez said. I would really hope that this will inspire more murals and not just in one area. Wouldnt it be great if Laredo was completely covered in beautiful artwork? Can you really find anything wrong with that? Beautiful colors and beautiful pictures that would be done tastefully? Theres so many empty canvases all over town. Why not put some beauty on them?

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
During a discussion this week between councilmembers regarding the boil water notice, officials shed light on different issues regarding the current boil water notice that put the Laredo Utilities Director in the spotlight. The topics of management, employee trainings and oversight were issues brought up by the citys leaders.

TCEQ Laredo Representative Arnaldo Lanese informed the councilmembers that after the 2019 boil water notice, the TCEQ had offered strongly recommended trainings to city utility staff to prevent a similar situation. However, to the added surprise of councilmembers and community members alike, the trainings were declined by the department.

Your plant operator told you, the director, that the information requested by the TCEQ was not needed? Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz asked Laredo Utilities Director Arturo Garcia Jr., who clarified that the operators said they didnt need the training and that he did not agree.

Another reason given as to why the utility staff did not take part in the training was over information requested by the TCEQ. Utility Assistant Director Mike Rodgers said that information was requested from the water plants to no avail for the past two years.

Lanese added that the trainings were to be hosted during the pandemic virtually, but there was no participation from Laredo utilities staff.

This insight into the utilities department process was exacerbated as the topic of a toxic work culture where employees dictate what they feel is right, regardless of director instruction.

District VII Councilmember Vanessa Perez then asked Garcia as to why he would not take advantage of the training, to which he replied it was due to a scheduling issue. However, Garcia said that while he did not take part in the training, he did try to coordinate a training so that his personnel would receive it and be empowered but it was unsuccessful.

Perez believes that had that training been taken by Garcia and the utility department staff, perhaps this boil water notice could have been avoided.

If we would have had this training timely, then maybe it would have prevented this, Saenz added.

Garcia responded that if the department had adopted the parameters and taken part of the training, this current incident could have been prevented.

I guess I dropped the ball on that situation as far as getting the information, making sure it got submitted to the state, Garcia said.

City Manager Robert Eads said that it is important to ensure licensed operators are hired to guarantee the flow of safe consumable water. He also elaborated on additional training after the 2019 incident in which training did take place, just not the TCEQs recommended training.

Regardless of who did or did not take part in the training, Perez spoke out about the issue of having an entire citys water supply in the hands of one superintendent. And councilmembers discussed the cultural issues of subordinates overstepping boundaries and telling directors what to do.

How do we have the lives of an entire community our size in the hands of one person, Perez said. If its the superintendent that has the certifications and he drops the ball, how is there nobody else in the chain to catch and make sure?  Who oversees him?

This is compounded by a culture where employee groups have had direct contact with city councilmembers, and through that connection, they control departments and sectors throughout the city, Saenz said.

He added that they think they know more than directors, and the issue must be rooted out.

You can set your metrics, your protocols, but if you have disturbing people there that think they can divert these protocols to suit their whims or egos, that is unacceptable. And it has been going on for years, Saenz said.

District IV Councilmember Alberto Torres said that some employees call councilmembers to promote their resistance against the directors resulting in directors standing back for fear of losing their jobs. District VIII Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa said that this is a hostile work environment and continue to be prevalent.

The issues did not end there, however.

TCEQ Border Area Director David Ramirez notified the mayor and councilmembers that as a director, he and the TCEQ had never seen a case that was prolonged over three agendas. He clarified that the case he spoke about was the 2019 Laredo boil water notice case.

It was discussed by the commission on May 19, 2021, and members of the council and city officials first found themselves confused as they were unsure of who had attended.

They then found out that the person sent was unfit to answer the questions asked by the commission.

As part of the May 19 TCEQ agenda, David Arredondo Jr. from the City of Laredo Attorneys Office was questioned by the commissioners to provide an explanation about the late boil water notice in 2019. He said the action predated his involvement with the city and that he was unaware of the discussion between the TCEQ and the city.

Respectfully Mr. Arredondo, I feel like the city may have sent the wrong person today, Jon Niermann, TCEQ chairman, said. I think we would like to hear from somebody more familiar with the history, and candidly, this is a very serious violation, and it is troubling that any supplier of public drinking water would wait for more than a week to warn its residents about potentially hazardous drinking water.

He continued to speak out about his disapproval about the citys missteps during the 2019 water incident. He believed it was wrong that the city believed its judgment over the water incident superseded the TCEQs.

For the June 9 TCEQ agenda, answering the May 19 question of why the 2019 boil water notice was late, City Attorney Rene Benavides said that the delay was not due to disregard to the TCEQs direction, but more due to the utilities departments understanding of the commissions rules.

He elaborated saying that the department attempted to bring chlorine levels back to TCEQ compliance after it was issued by having 24 hours to do so. After levels lowered during the second TCEQ water test, department staff believed that they would receive another 24 hours to address the issue.

At no time did the city intend to disregard that notice, they were simply trying to come into compliance within the 24 hours, misinterpreting the final or basis that the commission had given a boil water notice in, but it was not intentional, Benavides said.

Garcia said that he had attended and provided a comment. He said that he understood the situation and learned from the 2019 incident adding that the city would maintain good water quality and responding as quickly as possible in the future for any situation that would require the departments attention.

On June 30, the TCEQ commissioners returned to discuss the previous boil water notice, but no city officials participated. Among those that did, however, was Carlos Blanco from AGUAS!, where he said that steeper penalties had to have been handed to the city to ensure a similar boil water notice would not happen again.

According to the enforcement matter summary by the TCEQ, the penalty was $2,767. Blanco stated that slap-on-the-wrist punishments would allow the city to continue to move forward with little regard for improving the water system that especially affects the low-income demographic areas. Blanco concluded by demanding the City of Laredo take responsibility for their actions.

It is still unclear if both boil water notices will be discussed in the next TCEQ agenda, but as for now, issues continued to stack up following this most recent meeting. Garcia could not be reached for additional comments after the discussion.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration took a step toward its goal of shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center for terror suspects Monday, releasing into the custody of his home country a Moroccan who'd been held without charge almost since the U.S. opened the facility 19 years ago.

The transfer of Abdullatif Nasser was the first by the Biden administration, reviving an Obama administration effort that had been stymied by conservative opposition and the difficulty of resolving the remaining few dozen cases, including finding secure sites to send some of the detainees.

Rights groups have called the detentions and detention camp, opened under President George W. Bush after the 2001 al-Qaida attacks, a historic wrong by the United States. There were allegations of torture in early questioning, and challenges to the lawfulness of military tribunals there. The Bush administration and supporters called the camp, on a U.S. naval base in Cuba, essential to safely managing international terror suspects.

A review board had recommended repatriation for Nasser, who is in his mid-50s, in July 2016, but he had remained at Guantanamo under President Donald Trump, who opposed closing the site.

In announcing Nasser's transfer, the Pentagon cited the board's determination that his detention was no longer necessary to protect U.S. national security.

Nasser, also known as Abdul Latif Nasser, arrived Monday in Morocco. Police took him into custody and said they would investigate him on suspicion of committing terrorist acts  though he was never charged while in Guantanamo.

Nassers attorney in Morocco, Khalil Idrissi, said the years Nasser spent in Guantanamo were unjustified and outside the law, and what he suffered remains a stain of disgrace on the forehead of the American system.

The State Department said President Joe Biden's administration would continue a deliberate and thorough process aimed at reducing the detainee population at Guantanamo "while also safeguarding the security of the United States and its allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was considering all available options for safely transferring out the last detainees and shutting down Guantanamo.

That would mean succeeding where President Barack Obama had failed. Shortly after he took office in January 2009, Obama had pledged to close the detention camp within a year. Psaki at a White House briefing declined to set any timeline.

The Biden administration is also moving rapidly this summer to end U.S. military combat in Afghanistan, another lingering legacy dating back to the first weeks of the American retaliation against the al-Qaida plotters responsible for the 9/11 attacks and against al-Qaida's Afghan Taliban hosts.

Almost 800 detainees have passed through Guantanamo. Of the 39 remaining, 10 are eligible to be transferred out, 17 are eligible to go through the review process for possible transfer, another 10 are involved in the military commission process used to prosecute detainees and two have been convicted, a senior administration official said. The 10 eligible for transfer are from Yemen, Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

The administration didnt address how it would handle the ongoing effort to prosecute five men held at Guantanamo for the Sept. 11 attacks. Further complicating the effort to close the detention camp, the chief prosecutor of the alleged 9/11 conspirators earlier this month announced his retirement, raising questions about how the government would handle future trials.

It also has to deal with detainees that the Obama administration particularly struggled with, either because their home countries were not considered secure enough or because they were refused by third-party countries. About a third of the remaining prisoners are from the impoverished, warring country of Yemen.

The detention center opened in 2002. Bushs administration transformed what had been a quiet Navy outpost on Cubas southeastern tip into a place to interrogate and imprison people suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The Obama administration, seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had returned to the fight, set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat. It also planned to try some of the men in federal court.

But the closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the U.S., including for prosecution or medical care.

The prisoner transfer process stalled under Trump, who said even before taking office there should be no further releases from Gitmo, as Guantanamo Bay is often called. These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield, Trump said.

Under Trump, only one prisoner, a Saudi, was transferred to Saudi Arabia to serve the remainder of his sentence after he agreed to a plea bargain.

Under Obama, 197 were transferred to other countries, while 500 were transferred by Bush. Most of those still at the site are being held without charges.

The possibility that former Guantanamo prisoners would resume hostile activities has long been a concern that has played into the debate over releases. The office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a 2016 report that about 17% of the 728 detainees who had been released were confirmed and 12% were suspected of reengaging in such activities.

But the vast majority of those reengagements occurred with former prisoners who did not go through the security review that was set up under Obama. A task force that included the Defense Department and the CIA analyzed who was held at Guantanamo and determined who could be released.

The U.S. thanked Morocco for facilitating Nasser's transfer.

The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries national security interests, the Pentagon statement said. The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdoms willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

In a statement, the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Rabat said the National Division of the Judicial Police in Casablanca had been instructed to open an investigation into Nasser "on suspicion of committing terrorist acts. It didn't specify what those might be.

Idrissi, Nasser's attorney, said judicial authorities should not take measures that prolong his torment and suffering, especially since he lived through the hell of Guantanamo."

Nasser initially got news he was going to be released in the summer of 2016, when one of his lawyers called him at the detention center and told him the U.S. had decided he no longer posed a threat. He thought he'd be returned to Morocco soon.

Ive been here 14 years, he said at the time, five years ago. A few months more is nothing.

Nassers journey to the Cuban prison was a long one. He was a member of a nonviolent but illegal Moroccan Sufi Islam group in the 1980s, according to his Pentagon file. In 1996, he was recruited to fight in Chechnya but ended up in Afghanistan, where he trained at an al-Qaida camp. He was captured after fighting U.S. forces there and was sent to Guantanamo in May 2002.

An unidentified military official appointed to represent him before the review board said he studied math, computer science and English at Guantanamo, creating a 2,000-word Arabic-English dictionary. The official told the board that Nasser deeply regrets his actions of the past."

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AP writers Tarik El-Barakah in Rabat, Morocco and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP)  A jam-packed bus carrying mostly laborers traveling home for a major Muslim holiday rammed into a container truck on a busy highway in central Pakistan on Monday, police and rescue officials said. At least 33 people were killed and 40 others injured.

The bus, which was over passenger capacity, had left the city of Sialkot and was traveling on Taunsa Road in Punjab province. Its destination was the city of Dera Ghazi Khan, said senior police officer Hassan Javed. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, he said.

Rescuers transported the dead and injured to a nearby hospital. According to Sher Khan, who was in charge of the rescue team at the site, some of the injured were in critical condition. He said the bus driver was among the 33 killed in the accident.

Khan said the passengers were traveling to their home district of Rajanpur to celebrate the upcoming Eid al-Adha feast.

Injured passenger Haider Ali said the bus was overcrowded and some passengers were sitting on the roof at the time of the accident. However, police said they were still investigating whether some passengers were on the roof.

TV footage and photos circulating on social media showed rescuers trying to pull bodies from the badly mangled bus. In one image, some of the injured are seen sitting near the bus, waiting for medical help.

Pakistans Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry expressed his condolences on Twitter and advised public transport drivers to be more careful of the lives of the people they have been entrusted with.

When will we as a nation realize that the violation of traffic rules is fatal, he said.

Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws.
BLY, Oregon (AP)  The largest wildfire in the U.S. torched more dry forest landscape in Oregon on Sunday, one of dozens of major blazes burning across the West as critically dangerous fire weather loomed in the coming days.

The destructive Bootleg Fire just north of the California border grew to more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles.

Erratic winds fed the blaze, creating dangerous conditions for firefighters, said John Flannigan, an operations section chief on the 2,000-person force battling the flames.

Weather is really against us," he said. "Its going to be dry and air is going to be unstable.

Authorities expanded evacuations that now affect some 2,000 residents of a largely rural area of lakes and wildlife refuges. The blaze, which was 22% contained, has burned at least 67 homes and 100 outbuildings while threatening thousands more.

At the other end of the state, a fire in the mountains of northeast Oregon grew to more than 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) by Sunday.

The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, remote communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.

Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

In California, a growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders, the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada.

The Tamarack Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had charred nearly 29 square miles (74 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber as of Sunday morning. The blaze was threatening Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.

A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile (165-kilometer) Death Ride's website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.

Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fire's quick spread.

It happened so fast, Pennington said. We left our tents, hammock and some foods, but we got most of our things, shoved our two kids in the car and left."

About 500 fire personnel were battling the flames Sunday, "focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather with lightning possible through at least Monday in both California and southern Oregon.

With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts, the National Weather Service in Sacramento, California, said on Twitter.

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have swept the region, making wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

Firefighters said in July they were facing conditions more typical of late summer or fall.

Northern California's Dixie Fire roared to new life Sunday, prompting new evacuation orders in rural communities near the Feather River Canyon. The wildfire, near the 2018 site of the deadliest U.S. blaze in recent memory, was 15% contained and covered 39 square miles. The fire is northeast of the town of Paradise, California, and survivors of that horrific fire that killed 85 people watched warily as the new blaze burned.

Officials in Montana identified a firefighter who was seriously burned when flames overtook a crew fighting a small blaze there. Dan Steffensen was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital after the winds shifted suddenly on Friday, engulfing his fire engine near the Wyoming border. A second firefighter escaped without injury and called for help.

There were about 70 active large fires and complexes of multiple blazes that have burned nearly 1,659 square miles (4,297 square kilometers) in the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center said. The U.S. Forest Service said at least 16 major fires were burning in the Pacific Northwest alone.
ATLANTA (AP)  Congressional Democrats are exploring ways to include financial incentives for states to expand voting access as part of a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure bill, a key senator said Sunday.

Democrats have been struggling to get their marquee election reform bill passed in an evenly split Senate, where Republicans remain unified in their opposition and rules require 60 votes to advance most pieces of legislation.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota who chairs the powerful Senate Rules Committee, said in an interview that the priority continues to be passing the legislation known as the For the People Act, which would usher in minimum voting standards in the U.S. such as automatic and same-day voter registration, early voting and no-excuse absentee voting.

But Klobuchar noted that Democrats could also use the process known as reconciliation to advance financial incentives for states to adopt certain reforms. Election systems have been designated critical infrastructure on par with the nations power plants, banks and dams.

You can do election infrastructure in there because that is part of infrastructure, Klobuchar said. Its no substitute for the For the People Act, but it is something we can start working on immediately and are working on right now.

Pushing election-related measures into the infrastructure bill would be a high-stakes gambit with no guarantee of success.

Under the congressional budget process, certain measures regarding revenues, spending and the debt can be approved with a 51-vote threshold, which is why Democrats are pursuing it. The process allows them to bypass a near-certain filibuster from Republicans.

But theres a catch: The Senates nonpartisan parliamentarian can rule for the removal of any provision not directly related to the budget, or items whose budget impact is merely incidental to their intended policy changes.

In the end, Democrats would not achieve their goal of federal standards through the infrastructure bill alone but could incentivize some states to move in that direction.

Money with incentives has passed before. So lets see what we can get approved, Klobuchar said. But again, that is only part of it. Look, its not the whole thing, right? But its a tool you dont want to let go.

President Joe Bidens big infrastructure proposals are moving through Congress on various tracks  each potentially complementing or torpedoing the other. A bipartisan group of senators unveiled a nearly $1 trillion package of traditional infrastructure for roads, bridges, broadband and some climate change investments. The rest of Bidens ideas are being collected into the much broader multitrillion-dollar package that Democrats could approve on their own.

Republicans are unified against the larger infrastructure package and the election bill. The say the latter represents a Democratic power grab that amounts to a federal takeover of elections, which are administered at the state and local levels.

Republicans last month blocked an effort to debate the bill, and Democrats will have to decide whether they want to change Senate rules to ultimately pass the bill. At least two Democratic senators, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, have said they oppose eliminating the filibuster rule.

Klobuchar was in Georgia ahead of a rare field hearing of the Senate Rules Committee, which will be held Monday at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The hearing is part of a sustained push by Klobuchar and fellow Democrats to pass their election bill. They say federal voting standards are needed to counter a raft of new laws pushed by GOP lawmakers in several states, including Georgia, to tighten voting rules.

Her visit also included a Sunday event with voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams. The two were scheduled to meet at a polling place in suburban Atlanta, where voters waited in long lines during early voting last year.

Georgia Republicans have pushed back against claims that their bill, known as SB 202, suppresses voters, noting that the state offers many of the measures Democrats are seeking in the federal bill, such as early voting, no-excuse absentee voting and automatic registration.

A campaign spokesperson for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is up for reelection next year, called Sundays event and Mondays hearing nothing more than political theatre.

After failing spectacularly to pass an unconstitutional federal takeover of elections in Washington, Democrats are now using one P.R. stunt after another to rally support for their far-left and grossly unpopular agenda, said Kemp spokesperson Tate Mitchell. SB 202 led the country on enacting common-sense election reforms, and any honest look at the bill reveals that.

While some of the more controversial aspects of the Georgia bill were scrapped during the legislative process, what passed is notable in its scope and for newly expansive powers granted to the state over local election offices.

The bill also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot, results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta and bans the distribution of food and water by various groups and organizations to voters standing in line to cast a ballot. Several lawsuits have been filed over the law, including one by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Since its inception almost 75 years ago, success stories about thousands of students from all walks of life have been written at Laredo College. For many of them, including 22-year-old Daniela Gutierrez, success did not come easy.

Her educational journey at Laredo College began in high school when she was a dual-enrolled student, completing the Nursing Assistant Program. In 2017 upon graduating from high school, she enrolled at LC to obtain an associates degree.

Gutierrez said her favorite part of attending Laredo College was the extensive array of programs, organizations, clubs and other activities she could partake in and experience before finding what she was truly passionate about and enjoyed. She was part of the Learning, Excellence and Academic Preparedness in STEM Program, LC Honors Program, Associated Student Organization, Laredo College Opera Workshop, Spanish Poetry Contest and Womens Leadership Conference.

She is currently attending the University of Texas at San Antonio and is looking forward to studying abroad in Urbino, Italy next spring before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in architecture in the fall of 2022. She plans to continue her studies at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a Master of Science in sustainable design.

The architecture student noted that the time she spent at Laredo College was essential in facilitating a smooth transition to a university setting. This two-year period gave her time to grow as a person, build her confidence and become a more well-rounded person. She also established lifelong friendships and had great mentors, instructors, advisers and classmates.

Laredo College Vice President for Resource Development Dr. Nora Garza, whose division oversees the LEAPS Program, lauded Gutierrezs accomplishments inside and outside the classroom.

Daniela exemplifies the type of student who wants to make the most of her life and take advantage of all opportunities offered her, Garza said. She made the most of her time at the college and she was prepared for the university. We are so proud of her achievements thus far.

While keeping busy with the slew of clubs and organizations she was involved in at Laredo College, Gutierrezs kind demeanor, friendly smile and signature curly hair landed her an unexpected offer to become a student model to represent the college. Despite some initial hesitation and lack of modeling experience, her easy-going attitude and affinity for trying new things had her quickly embracing her new role. She became the new face of the institution during a pivotal time in which the college underwent an image makeover and name change.

Born in Nuevo Laredo, Gutierrezs parents moved to Laredo when she was only 2 years old. They hoped to provide their daughter with better opportunities in life. She struggled in school  particularly with reading and writing  and had to work harder than her native-speaking classmates to keep up with her school work.

Despite her hardships, Gutierrez said she is grateful for having the opportunity to live and go to school in the United States. She remembers those formative years as the reason behind her strength and self-reliance.

I dont feel like I have placed any kind of limitations on myself, she confidently said. My parents always taught me to be independent and do things for myself without expecting help from others. I feel like I am very independent because of my parents and my education. Education just opens doors. That is the biggest gift my parents have ever given me.

From her perspective, her modeling stint meant much more than just being a pretty face or adding one more activity to her already impressive resume. As an immigrant, becoming the new face of the college came with a greater responsibility of representation. This feat was a testament to how far hard work and perseverance can take someone despite constant obstacles.

In reminiscing about her life experiences, Gutierrez is incredulous and happy about how things have turned out, particularly her evolution from a shy girl who struggled in school and doubted her skills to an empowered, confident young woman fearlessly pursuing her goals. She credits much of that to the group of teachers and instructors who helped her flourish and push herself to be better.

In addition to her academic accomplishments and wide range of interests, Gutierrez is also an abstract artist who uses her art as an outlet for her creativity and to express life lessons she has learned over the years. She enjoys the duality between the carefree and eccentric side expressed through her artwork in stark contrast to the preciseness and elegance of her architectural projects.

I feel like the space that you are in brings out a type of emotion, she said. Everywhere we go, you can feel it in your heart. You can feel the energy. I think that is what drew me to architecture and art overall. I just want to express emotion through my paintings and through my projects in school.

As for her future, the budding artist said she looks forward to continuing to blend her two passions to enact change and give back to her community. Ultimately, she is determined to venture out into the business world as an entrepreneur by building low-income, sustainable housing for people in need.
SEOUL, South Korea  South Koreas prime minister has offered a public apology over a large-scale coronavirus outbreak on a destroyer on an anti-piracy mission off East Africa.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Tuesday the government is very sorry for failing to carefully take care of the health of our soldiers who are devoting themselves to the country.

The Defense Ministry says 247 of the destroyers 301 crew members have been infected. Its the largest cluster for South Koreas military since the pandemic began.

South Korea sent two military planes to bring back all 301 sailors.

On Tuesday, South Korea reported 1,278 new virus cases, taking the total caseload to 180,481, with 2,059 deaths from COVID-19. It was the 14th day in a row that South Korea has confirmed more than 1,000 new cases.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Olympic athlete tests positive in Tokyo days before 1st game

 Scientists, many Britons, apprehensive as Freedom Day arrives in England

 French Holocaust survivor denounces anti-vaccination protesters comparing themselves to Jews during Nazi era

 Bangladesh lifts lockdown to celebrate Eid al-Adha, exasperating experts

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  The United States has upgraded its travel warnings for Britain, Indonesia and three other destinations, advising Americans not to travel there due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

The CDC and the State Department issued revised advice to U.S. travelers Monday alerting them to the increased risk of contracting COVID-19 in Britain, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Fiji and the British Virgin Islands. Previously, all had been covered by a less severe advisory to reconsider travel.

The advisories are recommendations that are constantly under review and are not binding, although they may affect group tours and insurance rates.

The warning for Britain, for example, has fluctuated between Level 3, or reconsider travel, and Level 4, or do not travel, several times this year already.

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JACKSON, Miss.  Mississippis top public health official says the state is seeing a rapid increase in coronavirus infections.

Dr. Thomas Dobbs tweets that the 4th wave is here.

The Mississippi State Department of Health said Monday that 2,326 new cases were confirmed Friday through Sunday. That is largest three-day increase reported in the state since February.

Mississippi has one of the lowest coronavirus vaccination rates in the nation.

State Rep. Jeramey Anderson of Moss Point posted the Health Department numbers Monday on Twitter and lashed out at people who havent been vaccinated.

In the legislators words: Consequences of not getting vaccinated and poor mask wearing. Well Mississippi  you wanted it here it is. This is ridiculous and the deaths that will definitely follow were completely avoidable.

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TOPEKA, Kan.  The health department in the most populous county in Kansas is urging the countys public schools to require students and staff who arent vaccinated against the coronavirus to wear masks indoors when classes resume for the fall.

The guidance Monday from the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment in the Kansas City area came with confirmed cases of the faster-spreading delta variant continuing to rise across Kansas and fueling larger numbers of new COVID-19 cases.

The state reported Monday that confirmed delta variant cases increased 20% since Friday, up 158 to 950.

State data also show that Kansas averaged 440 new COVID-19 cases for the seven days ending Monday.

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HONOLULU -- Oahu restaurants and bars have the option to do away with social distancing if customers provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test.

But Hawaii News Now reports that many restaurant operators arent doing so because diners dont want to show their vaccination cards or present test results.

Restaurants say they are short-staffed already and it would be difficult for workers to check documentation. They also dont want employees to have to manage angry and confused customers who dont agree with the program.

Don Murphy, owner of Murphys Bar and Grill in Chinatown, says he noticed nearby restaurants asked patrons for vaccination cards but received backlash.

He said: They got eaten alive on social media. I dont want to put my staff through that.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations up sharply over the last month in Alabama but still far below when the pandemic was at its worst early this year, school officials have said vaccines wont be required in the fall and local systems can decide on their own whether to require masks or other precautions.

While the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that schools require face masks for children older than 2 and all adults, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey disagrees, an aide said.

Governor Ivey believes students need to be in the classroom without any type of mask requirement. She continues to encourage all eligible Alabamians to roll up their sleeves and get the vaccine to make COVID-19 a distant memory, spokeswoman Gina Maiola said Monday.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas hospitalizations due to the coronavirus jumped by 106 over the weekend as the state led the nation in new cases per capita.

The state Department of Health said virus hospitalizations increased to 787. Of those, 291 patients are in intensive care. There are 124 patients on ventilators. The states virus cases increased over the past three days by 2,552 to 365,132 total since the pandemic began. The state reported 15 new deaths.

The states surge in cases has been fueled by the delta variant and its low vaccination rate. Only 35% of the states population is fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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INDIANAPOLIS  A federal judge is allowing Indiana University to continue with its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all students and employees.

A ruling from a judge in South Bend rejects a request from eight IU students who sought to block the requirement while they pursued a lawsuit claiming that the universitys policy violates their constitutional rights by forcing them to receive unwanted medical treatment.

The judge wrote in a ruling dated Sunday that evidence IU has pursued a reasonable policy in the legitimate interest of public health for its students, faculty and staff.

An attorney for the students said he would appeal the ruling.

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SALT LAKE CITY  In Utah, where COVID cases are steadily increasing, experts are raising the alarm as the state plans to reopen schools without masks in less than a month.

About 38% of Utah kids ages 12 to 17 have gotten at least one shot, a number that compares well with other states, but is still far below herd immunity.

University of Utah professor of pediatric infectious diseases Adam Hersh says: I think its highly likely that well see substantial levels of in-school transmission outbreaks in schools, resulting in school closures, quarantines of large numbers of individuals. And an even greater disruption that we saw last year and even greater disruption at younger levels.

Utah is one of several states that ban individual school districts from implementing their own mask mandates, a law that passed after anti-mask activists took over a suburban Salt Lake City school board meeting in May.

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TORONTO  Canada announced Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7.

Canadian officials said the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived as of Aug. 9 for eligible travelers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said a date for the U.S. to allow fully vaccinated Canadians to cross the land border isnt yet known. Any Canadian can currently fly to the U.S.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  The Dutch government says it is donating 745,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to countries in need that have appealed to the Netherlands for help.

The government announced Monday that Tanzania and Namibia will be among countries to receive shots. The Dutch government will arrange transport of the vaccines.

Most people getting vaccinated in the Netherlands get either the shot made by Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna.

The government still has stocks of AstraZeneca in cold storage and is using very little of the vaccine. Earlier Tuesday, the health ministry announced that people who have had one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine can choose to have a second shot of Pfizer/BioNTech instead.

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MADRID  Spanish officials are celebrating that half of Spains residents, or roughly 24 million people, have been fully vaccinated already, although they say that a steep increase in contagion is sending worrying numbers of patients into hospitals.

The occupation rate in Spanish hospitals climbed on Monday to 5.4% of all beds tending COVID-19 patients and 11.4% of the intensive care unit beds. Although there is still plenty of room, admissions have increased 65% in regular beds and 45% in ICUs only in one week, according to an officiall with the Health Ministrys emergency coordination center.

Maria Jose Sierra said hospitalizations will likely continue increasing but officials expect they will remain proportionally much lower than in previous contagion waves due to the high vaccination levels.

The latest health ministrys data show that 50.7% of Spains 47 million residents were fully vaccinated by Monday and an additional 5 million are waiting for their second dose of the coronavirus jab.

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NEW YORK  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday he does not plan to reinstate a citywide mask mandate even as COVID-19 cases increase, opting instead to focus on vaccinating more residents.

There have been calls for New York City to follow the lead of Los Angeles County, which announced last week that it will require masks be worn indoors amid a sharp increase in virus cases.

But de Blasio insisted vaccinations are a better strategy for the nations most populous city.

Masks have value, unquestionably, but masks are not going at the root of the problem. Vaccination is, the mayor said during an livestreamed press briefing. So we do not intend a mask mandate. We do intend to double down on vaccination.

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LONDON  Anti-lockdown protesters scuffled with police and hurled bottles and outside Parliament in London on Monday, the day all remaining social restrictions were lifted in England.

Hundreds of demonstrators espousing a range of anti-mask, anti-vaccine and conspiracist views gathered in Parliament Square, chanting freedom, and moved into the road, blocking traffic.

A police officer put a lock on one of Parliaments gates as protesters chanted shame on police and arrest Boris Johnson.

The Metropolitan Police force said officers had been met with hostility and 11 people had been arrested.

As of Monday, there are no mandatory mask-wearing or social-distancing rules in England, though the government is still advising people to wear face coverings in crowded indoor spaces.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  With the delta variant causing a surge of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in southwestern Missouri, health officials have taken to going door-to-door in an effort to encourage vaccinations.

The Kansas City Star recently followed along as health officials knocked on doors in Springfield, handing out brochures. The effort was non-confrontational and the officials always took no for an answer, the newspaper reported, despite concerns raised by Gov. Mike Parson and other Republican leaders that the outreach would be heavy-handed.

Southwestern Missouri has seen an alarming rise in illnesses caused by COVID-19 in recent weeks. There was a tinge of good news Monday: The number of people hospitalized dipped slightly both in southwestern Missouri and across the state, according to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data.

After several days of more than 1,000 newly confirmed cases, the state reported 826 on Monday, bringing the total for the pandemic to 545,551. No new deaths were reported, keeping the total at 9,474.

Southwestern Missouri lags well behind the national average for vaccinations.

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ST PETERSBURG, Fla.  U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida said Monday he has tested positive for COVID-19 even though he was fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The congressmans announcement came as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a seasonal pattern affecting mainly Sun Belt states is largely to blame for a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Florida.

DeSantis opposes virus-related mandates, but says that nonetheless it is important for people to get vaccinated.

Buchanan said in a news release he got the test recently after experiencing very mild flu-like symptoms. The congressman said he is quarantining at home.

The congressmans announcement comes amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Florida and around the country. One statistic released by the White House estimated 20% of new cases last week occurred in Florida.

DeSantis told reporters Monday that the increase was expected in Florida in mid-summer.
As outrage swirled among University of Texas at Austin students last fall over the school's alma mater, The Eyes of Texas, and its early association with campus minstrel shows, President Jay Hartzell made a classic higher education decision: He organized a committee.

This one, he said, would include 24 Longhorn athletes, historians, professors and students who would investigate and chronicle the full history of The Eyes and recommend ways we can openly acknowledge, share and learn from it.

ICYMI: Texas hires 1st Black director of Longhorn marching band

But by the time the group released its final report in March, a new name had quietly been added to its ranks: Brad Deutser, a Houston consultant who helps organizations with everything from company culture to crisis communications and branding.

In fact, UT-Austin had hired Deutser and his company to two contracts worth up to $1.1 million to revamp the image of the alma mater, along with broader organizational projects including a new communication and engagement strategy for the university, and defining what it means to be a Longhorn, according to copies of the contracts obtained by The Texas Tribune through an open records request.

Ultimately, the committees report concluded the intent of the song was not overtly racist, and could not find primary documents that tied the phrase to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, as previously asserted by some members of the school community.

Deutsers involvement in the groups work was so significant that he was listed as a board member and "Special Advisor to the President and Committee Chair" in its final report. UT-Austin officials didn't respond to repeated inquiries seeking more information about Deutser's role. But the committee's chair, Richard Reddick, confirmed after this story's publication that Deutser's title meant he advised the committee chair, and was not a chair himself.

Brad Deutser relentlessly supported our work by interviewing hundreds of members of Longhorn Nation, participating in our committee work, and orchestrating many of the products of the committee such as the videos  a truly dedicated Longhorn, wrote Reddick, associate dean for equity, community engagement and outreach, in a letter accompanying the report.

Hartzell tasked the Eyes of Texas committee with researching and documenting the history of the song last November after a group of students and student-athletes demanded the school stop singing it in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. Students have raised issues with the songs origins, including that it premiered at a campus minstrel show where students likely wore blackface.

According to the contract, Deutser also was required to align Eyes of Texas History Committee findings with cultural imperatives and leverage results to build out desired culture and necessary understanding. He also was required to develop a communication strategy for the report.

Deutser, who is white, was also assigned to handle multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including to develop the plan to create a more welcoming campus and community. One particular task includes engaging with education leaders in Texas to understand perspectives of black high school students.

While Reddick was complimentary of Deutsers work with the Eyes of Texas committee, multiple student leaders who met with Deutser and other university administrators throughout the spring semester said they had different takeaways from the meetings they attended.

Some students characterized the meetings held after the universitys report was released as lectures where they felt Deutser tried to convince them of the schools position on the song, rather than foster a true dialogue or respond to student concerns. Other students said they were confused by his presence and felt like he didnt take their opinions seriously.

It was very much like he was trying to really convince us of what they thought, in terms of this is what the song means, Brianna McBride, a recent graduate who led the Black President's Leadership Council at UT-Austin, said.

RELATED: UT's Longhorn Band forced to play 'The Eyes of Texas' that's become a source of fierce division

Alcess Nonot, another recent UT graduate and former president of the UT Senate of College Councils, said she also attended some virtual meetings with Deutser after the Eyes of Texas report was released. She said hearing what the contract included now raises questions for her about the intent of those meetings.

It just sounds like his job was to make sure that everyone was happy, and like the arguing would just stop, she said. If the goal was for him to bring students together, I dont really know if that is what happened after the report was published.

Hartzell declared the song would remain last July  months before the committee's report was issued  while announcing a variety of diversity initiatives and changes to help make the campus a more welcoming place. The committee, he said, would allow the university to fully own, acknowledge and teach about its school song. The report ultimately confirmed the song debuted at a minstrel show, but could not find evidence directly linking the song to Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee, as was previously asserted by the songs opponents.

These historical facts add complexity and richness to the story of a song that debuted in a racist setting, exceedingly common for the time, but, as the preponderance of research showed, had no racist intent, the report states in its executive summary. The Eyes of Texas should not only unite us, but hold all of us accountable to our institutions core values.

Nonot said many students questioned the committee reports findings after another UT-Austin professor, Alberto Martinez, released a second report that provided additional information and analysis about the song not included in the universitys report. Martinez asserts that his research shows the phrase Eyes of Texas is inspired by a story former UT-Austin President William Prather read about Gen. Lee, and was specifically written for a minstrel show.

The Black President's Leadership Council, a group of leaders of Black student groups on campus, similarly slammed those meetings with university administration after Martinezs report raised questions about the thoroughness of the information in UT-Austins report.

On the day of the initial reports release, hours worth of meetings were called last-minute to address its findings, the council wrote in a March 31 letter to Hartzell and the board of regents. Given that those finds are incomplete, we spent those hours being gaslit, our intelligence being disrespected and our time being wasted.

In May, the Senate of College Councils wrote a letter to Hartzell and other university leaders calling on the university to abolish the song at all university events, pointing to that report as evidence.

There is no doubt that The Eyes of Texas has not only an explicitly racist past, but harmful effects in the present, the letter reads. No student should be made to feel unwelcome at UT, but The Eyes of Texas prevents many Black students from feeling valued, respected, or heard.

UT-Austin has stood by its own report publicly, understanding that others would review their work and arrive at their own conclusions, which is the nature of scholarship, according to a statement from spokesperson J.B. Bird. Yet Deutser was more critical of Martinezs report in at least one meeting with students, according to an audio recording obtained by the Tribune between Deutser and UT-Austin student tour guides this spring.

Deutser had met with the guides in April before they went on strike over a dispute regarding whether to remove a plaque with the Eyes of Texas lyrics from the university welcome center. In that meeting, Deutser called Martinezs report more of an opinion piece.

They didnt have access to the documents, they chose to ignore some documents. There is some information that overlaps exactly. But unfortunately, the facts dont support the story. This is a disgruntled employee who is suing the university, Deutser told the students. Its complicating it because, what does the media want? They want to pick up controversy.

READ ALSO: Students refuse to work, man pulls out gun as tensions rise at UT-Austin over 'The Eyes of Texas'

Martinez filed a lawsuit against UT-Austin and his former department chair in 2020 accusing the school of gender discrimination and retaliation after he released a report detailing pay inequity for Hispanic faculty.

Martinez denied to the Tribune that his research about the song is related to his grievance with UT-Austin.

According to the contracts, Deutser was helping the university from August through the end of 2020 with a maximum total compensation of $150,000. UT-Austin officials then signed an additional contract with Deutsers company in December to last throughout 2021 with a maximum payment of $900,000, including service fees and travel expenses.

The university has paid Deutser's company at least $400,000 so far, according to monthly invoices filed by his company and provided through an open records request.

Deutser and UT-Austin did not respond to multiple requests for an interview about the contract deliverables or how Deutser came to serve on the committee of volunteers.

Beyond his work with the Eyes of Texas committee, Deutser was also required to work on something called the Longhorn Way, which would define what it means to be a Longhorn, and develop a book and tools that will be incorporated into new employee and student orientations.

While the committee report on the song is complete, it remains to be seen whether students will accept its findings. Some UT-Austin students said they believe the return to in-person campus life during the fall semester will bring a renewed energy to the discussion throughout the rest of this year and beyond, especially as UT-Austin continues to implement its plan to become a more welcoming campus.

Nonot said moving forward, UT-Austin should tap the intellectual capital that already exists on campus without bringing in outside help.

We have really amazing faculty, Black faculty, [people of color] faculty that do [diversity, equity and inclusion] work and do it really well and teach students, Nonot said. I wish that the university would rely more on the resources that we already have so we can have those hard conversations.

Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.


Rebecca Merry

Warkworth-based law firm WRMK lawyers is offering two new $10,000 scholarships to support aspiring law students.

The successful applicants will have demonstrated academic ability and leadership or involvement in their local community.

They must also face significant financial need or have life circumstances that present barriers to studying at university.

The recipients will benefit from a $10,000 cash contribution, guaranteed paid work experience after their second year of study and a mentor from WRMK.

Applications are open to Year 13 students at Mahurangi College and Rodney College, as well as other Northland secondary schools.

WRMK managing director Rebecca Merry says there are students in the north who are determined, well-rounded individuals with the potential to have a rewarding career in the law, but who are held back by either their financial or personal circumstances.

Our scholarships are designed to help reduce those barriers, and provide these students with extra support to help them succeed, she says.

The scholarships are part of WRMKs Community Strategy, which focuses on youth and education, helping families fighting cancer and mental health.

Applications close on August 27.

Info: www.wrmk.co.nz/scholarships
The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) is the trade union for teachers and principals in primary and special schools across the island of Ireland. Following a challenging year for primary schools, their pupils and staff, INTO has published a pre-budget submission which sets out the investment needed to support recovery and improve educational outcomes.

In a series of meetings with all political parties recently, the union set out the deficiencies in our primary system that need to be tackled in the forthcoming budget.

We must reduce our class sizes

Irish primary class sizes remain the largest in the European Union. Too many pupils in Longford still learn in a classroom of 30 or more pupils, with one in five pupils nationally learning in such crowded environments. At the height of the pandemic, Ireland was the only EU country that had to plan for social distancing in supersized classes of thirty or more. Research shows that smaller classes enable teachers to give adequate and necessary time to each child in the classroom, which has a positive impact on learning outcomes.

Smaller classes support inclusion and diversity, whilst teachers cater to the range of individual learning styles in the room. The INTO calls on the government in Budget 2022 to reduce class size and make a commitment to better learning outcomes for Irish primary school children.

Heroic school leaders need support

At the heart of a strong school community is a well-supported school leader. Principals must be supported in their efforts to lead teaching and learning in our schools whilst they simultaneously carry out the range of administrative tasks assigned to the role. No school in the country would have been able to open during the pandemic without the incredibly hard work of school leaders.

Middle management posts allow schools to coordinate curriculum and school development and to facilitate a range of initiatives that provide a holistic education, including leading wellbeing initiatives in school, supporting special education and inclusion, co-ordinating digital learning and delivering environmental and physical education programmes. As a result of the recession, the number of middle management posts remains at 73% of what it was in 2009. Budget 2022 must begin the process of delivering the restoration of these assistant principal posts.

Teaching principals essentially do two jobs. They teach their class and also have to manage their entire school. Its a very difficult juggling act. During the pandemic, the government finally listened to calls from this union and provided for one day a week release from teaching duties to enable these principals to lead and manage their schools. INTO is calling for this weekly release day to be maintained in the coming years. This will be essential for teaching principals to manage an orderly, secure, and healthy school environment whilst catering to the educational needs within their own classrooms.

Every pupil deserves to be taught by a qualified teacher

Every child in a Longford primary and special school classroom should be taught by a qualified teacher every day. Nationwide substitute supply panels are essential to achieving this. A supply panel involves a base primary school hiring a full-time substitute teacher, who covers absences in their school and neighbouring schools, thereby guaranteeing every absence is covered. During the pandemic, the government introduced supply panels covering about two thirds of all primary schools in the country. Feedback from schools and parents has been overwhelmingly positive. Budget 2022 must guarantee the panels remain in future years and roll them out to all schools.

Schools should not have to fundraise for basic expenses

Its 2021, and primary schools in Longford still have to fundraise to cover basic expenses like lighting, heating and insurance. It is simply not good enough that the parents of Ireland have to contribute nearly 50 million every year to keep primary schools afloat. As the government has said repeatedly during the crisis, primary education is a national priority. It should therefore be fully, not partially, funded.

Longford primary schools receive significantly less funding than second and third level institutions. Primary schools receive a capitation grant of 1 per pupil per school day to cover their running costs. The standard capitation grant per primary school pupil has dropped from 200 in 2010 to 183 at present, in contrast to the current figure of 316 at post- primary level. This funding disparity is grossly unfair. The INTO requests that the government invests in our primary and special schools by restoring funding to pre-recession levels in Budget 2022.

INTO President Joe McKeown said:

As we move out of the pandemic, we need to invest in our primary schools as they play their role in the great national effort supporting their pupils, some of whom have sadly fallen behind. While it will be easy for Government to roll out short term sound bites, sustained support for the sector is the only proven method for ensuring pupils and schools are supported in the years to come. We have set out practical, pragmatic and costed proposals that will ensure class sizes in our primary schools align with our EU neighbours, bring an end to the requirement for school fundraising to cover basic needs and support our school leaders who stepped up admirably during the crisis.
A former Dublin senior county hurler and heroin addict has won his appeal to have conditions of a three-year jail sentence for robbing a post office in Co Longford varied.

The Court of Appeal agreed to an application by Alan Coyne (46) of Ballinaree Cottage, Edgeworthsown, Co Longford, to extend the time limit for him to pay compensation to his victims.

Coyne was sentenced to five years in prison with the final two years suspended at Longford Circuit Criminal Court in May 2020 after pleading guilty to the robbery of the post office in Ardagh, Co Longford on October 16, 2019 and three related charges.

The appellant stole cash worth 13,238 from An Post after threatening a female staff member as well as a female customer and delivery man with a small knife before driving off in the customers car after forcing her to hand over her car keys.

Coyne was apprehended after crashing the vehicle shortly after he was instructed to stop by gardai in a patrol car.

The sentencing judge, Judge Keenan Johnson, suspended part of Coynes sentence on several conditions including that he attend a residential drug treatment course within 18 months of his release from prison and pay 4,000 to each of his two victims within two years of his release, with 2,000 to be paid to each in the first 12 months.

Counsel for Coyne, John Shortt SC, claimed there was no issue with the severity of the sentence but the two conditions created undue hardship as there was an unrealistic prospect that their client could amass 8,000 in compensation at a time when he had to undertake a residential rehabilitation course which would not allow him to be in gainful employment.

The Court of Appeal heard that the course was likely to last 20 weeks.

Mr Justice George Birmingham, presiding with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, said it may have been ambitious and unrealistic to expect Coyne to be able to pay 4,000 compensation within the first year of his release, while also being required to attend a drug treatment programme.

The court agreed to vary the conditions to allow 2,000 to be paid to each of his victims in the first two years of his release with the remainder to be paid within a further 12 months.

Mr Justice Birmingham also observed that the sentence was considerably lenient before later adding it could be considered remarkable leniency.

Coyne, who played intercounty hurling for Dublin, had previously been free from his addiction for a number of years but had relapsed following the breakdown of a relationship after his partner had a miscarriage.

He has 35 previous convictions, including 25 for robbery, dating from 1998 to 2013.

Coyne, a former member of St Brigids GAA Club in Castleknock, claimed he had been under pressure to pay off a drug debt of 1,500 at the time he committed the post office robbery.


A van that the prosecution alleges was used by businessman Kevin Lunney's abductors may have come to Ireland by ferry from Holyhead less than one month before the offences, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

It is the prosecution case that a Renault Kangoo van with a registration plate ending in PXU was imported by Cyril McGuinness, now deceased.

Speed signs erected in Longford estates to target 'boy racers' Speed safety signs are being erected across residential estates in Longford town in a bid to clamp down on a rise in so-called boy racer culture.

In his opening speech at the beginning of the trial, prosecution counsel Sean Guerin SC said McGuinness organised the abduction and assault on Mr Lunney.

Shipping manager with Victor Treacy International, Laura Curran, today (Monday, July 19) told Mr Guerin that her company received a booking for a van with the same registration to travel from Holyhead to Dublin on the Swift sailing on August 27, 2019 at 16.45.

A phone number and visa credit card were used in making the booking and the name associated with the card was "C McGuinness", she said.

A 40-year-old man known as YZ, Alan OBrien (40), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, Darren Redmond (27), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 and Luke OReilly (67), with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan have all pleaded not (NOT) guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019.

Mr Lunney has told the court that he was bundled into the boot of a car near his home and driven to a container where he was threatened and told to resign his position as a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings.

His abductors cut him with a Stanley knife, stripped him to his boxer shorts, doused him in bleach, broke his leg with two blows of a wooden bat, beat him on the ground, cut his face and scored the letters QIH into his chest.

They left him bloodied, beaten and shivering on a country road at Drumcoghill in Co Cavan where he was discovered by a man driving a tractor.



Mr Justice Tony Hunt is presiding in the trial with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge David McHugh.
It is set to be another glorious week according to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for the coming week for Ireland.

Met Eireann says the week is going to be very warm or hot with plenty of sunshine.

A High Temperature Weather Advisory is in place until Friday. Met Eireann says that it will continue very warm until Friday, with day time temperatures into the high twenties and very humid at night with temperatures staying in the mid to high teens.

The full weather forecast for the coming week from Met Eireann is as follows.

Another very warm day on Monday with plenty of sunshine, albeit with patchy cloud at times. An isolated heavy shower may break out through the midlands during the afternoon or evening. Maximum temperatures generally ranging 24 to 28 or 29 degrees but slightly less warm in northern and eastern coastal areas with a moderate onshore east to northeast breeze.

Monday night: Warm and humid on Monday night with mostly clear skies but with cloudier conditions along the north coast. Temperatures dropping no lower than 14 to 17 degrees generally in light northeast breezes.

Tuesday: A very warm day on Tuesday with virtually unbroken sunshine. Maximum temperatures ranging 24 to 28 degrees generally but a few degrees less warm at the coast with sea-breezes developing. A warm and very humid night to follow on Tuesday night with temperatures overnight only falling back gradually reaching minima of 15 to 18 degrees around dawn.

High Temperature Advisory for Ireland 



All active warnings see here https://t.co/l8JdKfwZt9 pic.twitter.com/kuVPw1p3pf  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) July 17, 2021

Wednesday: Wednesday looks set to be a hot day with top temperatures ranging 25 to 29 degrees. There'll be lots of sunshine and just scattered cloud, mainly across the western half of the country. Uncomfortably warm and humid on Wednesday night with temperatures not falling below 16 to 19 degrees with light south or variable winds.

Thursday: Another very warm day is forecast for Thursday with sunshine and scattered cloud. Maximum temperatures of 25 to 29 degrees generally but a few degrees less warm along some coasts in light southeast winds. Uncomfortably warm and humid overnight with temperatures not falling below 16 to 19 degrees once again. There'll be clear spells but with the risk of a few heavy showers breaking out during the night in the south.

Friday: Warm sunshine for many on Friday but with some scattered showers or thunderstorms possible, especially across Munster where more general rain may push in during the day. Maximum temperatures of 22 to 27 degrees in moderate southeast winds.
Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Peggy Nolan officiated at the launch which took place last Thursday.

The 2km trail, established in 2018, covers 20 locations around Longford town starting off at the Market Square and taking visitors on an historic and sensory experience around the town, ending at the Convent of Mercy.

A short video showcasing the walking trail and its new audio guide, is available on the Longford Tourism YouTube Channel.

Thanks to support from Longford Community Resources Ltd and LEADER funding, the souvenir audio player means the trail is now available to explorers in four different languages: English, Irish, French and German.

To coincide with the launch, Longford Tourism held a competition with pupils in Scoil Eimear in Longford town. Each of the members of sixth class produced and presented excellent projects on County Longford to Longford Tourism.

Every pupil received a Souvenir Audio Player for the Longford Town Walking Trail and the winner of the competition, Colette from sixth class, won a voucher for a visit to the Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre in Granard.

Speaking at the launch Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Peggy Nolan thanked Longford Tourism and the staff of Scoil Eimear and the Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre in Granard for their support.

We should all be ambassadors for Longford, just like the pupils of sixth class in Scoil Eimear  congratulations to them all on their great work and to Longford Tourism for working so hard to promote our beautiful county town which has so much to offer as a tourism destination.

Chief Executive of Longford County Council Paddy Mahon said he was also delighted to see the beauty of our county town being showcased in such a positive way.

Longford Town has an abundance of beautiful and historic sites to visit and this audio player makes our lovely walking trail even more accessible to visitors and those living locally than ever before. Congratulations to Longford Tourism on this exciting addition to the local tourism offering.

Longford Tourism Officer Dympna Reilly explained, This trail is perfect for those interested in history. Being available in four languages, it is both ideal for school tours and visitors coming to Longford. I would like to encourage everyone to get out and explore County Longford.

Souvenir audio players are available to buy from Longford Tourism for 5 alongside a map and brochure for the trail. These will also be available from Longford Branch Library in line with COVID-19 public health guidelines.

For information on things to do in County Longford, visit www.longford.ie and find out all you need to know about accommodation, food and drink, activities, events and more.

Youll also find ready-made itineraries listed to help visitors plan ahead. Follow Longford Tourism on Social Media for further great ideas and activities. The local monthly events guide is also available on www.Longford.ie.
Health & Wellness

By Chris Boyle Published: July 19 2021

Over the course of weeks and months, a number of additional sites will demobilize as part of the strategic downscale based on demand.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that four mass vaccination sites will cease operations as part of the ongoing downscaling that will allow the State to focus on localized vaccination efforts. As part of the downscaling which followed the achievement of milestones that allowed the State to lift COVID-19 restrictions, the sites at The Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls, Plattsburgh International Airport, SUNY Polytechnic Institute - Utica, and Jones Beach will cease their operations following vaccinations on Monday, July 19. Additionally, the Governor announced the mass vaccination site at the New York State Fairgrounds will relocate from the Expo Center to the Arts & Home Center, effective Wednesday, July 14.

Over the course of weeks and months, a number of additional sites will demobilize as part of the strategic downscale based on demand, proximity to other vaccination sites, and other locally focused efforts. The transition reflects the State's plan to focus resources in areas where the vaccination rate is lower than the statewide average through collaboration with local stakeholders, community members and partners.

"As our vaccination efforts continue across the state, we are continuing to target communities that have lower vaccination rates and using every tool at our disposal to make the vaccine accessible to every New Yorker," Governor Cuomo said. "In line with this strategy, the downscaling of our mass vaccination sites is proceeding as planned and we are shifting resources to where they are most needed, so we can get more shots into people's arms and defeat this virus once and for all."

New Yorkers are encouraged to continue to utilize the Am I Eligible tool to make appointments and check on the availability of vaccine at State-run mass vaccination sites. All open sites continue to offer walk-in vaccinations for all eligible individuals.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Dashboard is available to update New Yorkers on the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and includes vaccination data by zip code. The New York State Department of Health requires vaccinating facilities to report all COVID-19 vaccine administration data within 24 hours; the vaccine administration data on the dashboard is updated daily to reflect the most up-to-date metrics in the state's vaccination effort.
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(Alliance News) - Property developer Derwent London PLC on Monday said it has agreed to sell its 126,200 square feet freehold interest in Angel Square, Islington to US real estate investor Tishman Speyer for GBP86.5 million.

Angel Square consists of three multi-let connected buildings around a central courtyard. Following a light touch refurbishment, the bulk of the property was let to Expedia Group Inc and The Office Group.

At December 2020 the total rent passing was GBP5.0 million per annum, however leases have since expired and the property will become vacant following the sale. The disposal price, net of costs, represents a substantial premium to its book value at December 2020, the company said.

"This disposal reflects the strength of investment demand for central London office properties. Proceeds will be reinvested into our high quality development programme. This will soon be expanded to include 19-35 Baker Street W1 and the now consented Network Building W1, which together total over 400,000 sq ft. The former is due to commence in the next few months and the latter in 2022," said Chief Executive Paul Williams.

Shares in Derwent London were down 1.0% at 3,427.00 pence each in London on Monday morning.

By Amrit Sahota; newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The UK government is coming under pressure from businesses and unions to tackle the growing worker self-isolation crisis amid warnings that Monday's so-called 'Freedom Day' will turn into "Chaos Day".

There are fears of transport problems on Monday morning because of the number of workers being pinged by the NHS Test & Trace app, as well as warnings of shortages of goods in supermarkets and cuts in production at factories.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will spend Freedom Day self-isolating after being pinged by Test & Trace following a meeting with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak a who also met Javid on Friday a initially tried to get round the requirement to quarantine by saying they would join a workplace testing scheme.

But after a furious outcry with accusations of hypocrisy at a time when staff shortages due to people being forced to self-isolate were threatening supply chains, the two men hurriedly agreed to do so.

The Confederation of British Industry called on the government to immediately allow double-jabbed individuals not to self-isolate for 10 days rather than wait until August 16.

CBI President Karan Bilimoria said: "With restrictions being lifted and cases rapidly increasing, we urgently need a surefooted approach from government, creating confidence to secure the recovery.

"This starts by immediately ending the self-isolation period of 10 days for people who are double-jabbed and providing a route out of isolation for those not yet fully vaccinated through daily lateral flow tests. Against the backdrop of crippling staff shortages, speed is of the essence.

"Mask wearing in enclosed spaces, especially transport, will help create confidence for both staff and customers, as will clarity around the future availability of free testing for employees."

The Rail, Maritime & Transport union said Saturday's closure of London Underground's Metropolitan Line due to key staff being pinged by track and trace showed how transport services were "on a knife edge."

General Secretary Mick Lynch told the PA news agency: "Many rail, bus and Tube services are already seriously understaffed which leaves them dangerously exposed.

"The government's botched handling of this latest phase of the pandemic, and the rank hypocrisy of the prime minister and his Chancellor who don't think the isolation rules apply to them, means that their Freedom Day could very easily collapse into Chaos Day."

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The government cannot watch from the sidelines as Covid runs riot.

"Ministers must urgently make wearing a mask a legal requirement on public transport and in shops, and they must toughen their vague and inadequate back-to-work guidance so workers have confidence their workplaces are safe.

"The chaos and confusion of the last few days will only grow without clear and consistent rules.

"It is reckless to gamble the safety of key workers, from bus drivers to supermarket staff, on individuals' sense of personal responsibility.

"If we want to stop Covid ripping through workplaces, people must be supported to self-isolate.

"That means providing decent sick pay to the level of the real Living Wage and making sure everyone can get it.

"With hundreds of thousands of workers being pinged every week this is more urgent than ever."

Roger Barker, policy director of the Institute of Directors, said: "Yet again the reopening of the economy is being impeded by poor communication and mixed messages.

"The latest guidance for businesses clearly states that, by law, businesses must not allow a self-isolating worker to come to work, but, at the same time, ministers are briefing the media that the app is merely advisory."

Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea said: "The government needs to get a grip. With infections and hospital admissions rising, tomorrow's jettisoning of the remaining restrictions doesn't bode well.

"Unfortunately, the freedom day genie is well and truly out of the bottle, but it's not too late for minsters to row back.

"The government must make mask wearing mandatory again, reimpose social distancing and give NHS staff the pay rise they've been waiting many months for."

Richard Walker, managing director of grocer Iceland, said: "We are in the unprecedented position of having to close stores due to staff absences a not because of Covid-19, but because of a broken and disruptive Track and Trace app.

"Staff absences rose by 50% last week and the trend is sharp and quick, not just affecting our own colleagues but those throughout our supply chains and logistics networks.

"We urgently need an overhaul of the rules around the Test & Trace app, ideally switching to a 'Test & Release' model which would come as a huge relief to employers, employees and customers and support the wider efforts to strengthen the economy."

By Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Compliance software giant Ideagen PLC on Monday unveiled two strategic acquisitions and noted a "strong pipeline" of more M&A targets.

Ideagen has over 6,000 customers in highly regulated industries, such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals, using its service to comply with regulations and manage risk.

The company acquired mobile application developer Advanced Digital Systems Inc, trading as Mi-Co, for GBP3.1 million on July 16.

North Carolina, US-based Mi-Co has 150 customers who are, similar to Ideagen, in highly regulated industries. These include agriculture, government and utilities.

Mi-Co's annual recurring revenue is GBP900,000.

It will continue to be sold on a stand-alone basis while its technology is deployed across the Ideagen portfolio to strengthen the compliance software's mobile capabilities.

Ideagen also acquired OpsBase Ltd, a UK-based health and safety compliance platform, for GBP1.9 million on July 9.

OpsBase's software is complete but in the early stages of commercialisation. Revenue for the year ended November 2020 was GBP100,000.

Ideagen's ownership of OpsBase will offer it expansion and new market opportunities.

Chief Executive Ben Dorks described both companies as "strategically compelling" despite being noting they are "relatively small" in financial terms.

Dorks said: "Both acquisitions underline our commitment to supporting customers operating in highly regulated environments with high quality software solutions across a range of platforms.

"They illustrate our flexible approach to M&A and our strategy of acquiring businesses that will drive Ideagen's organic growth. We also have a strong pipeline of further M&A opportunities."

Ideagen shares closed 0.4% higher at 262.00 pence each in London on Monday.

By Josie O'Brien; josieobrien@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - JKX Oil & Gas PLC on Monday said total production increased in the second quarter, boosted by operations in Ukraine.

Shares in JKX were up 3.8% at 28.02 pence each in London on Monday morning.

London-based JKX is an emerging market exploration and production company with a focus on eastern Europe.

Total production in the second quarter was 9,332 barrels of oil equivalent per day, up 2% from 9,117 boepd in the prior quarter. However, production for the half year was 9,225 boepd, down 11% year-on-year from 10,445 boepd.

The company saw a 7% increase in production from Ukraine quarter-on-quarter. This is partly due to IG149, a new well in the Ignativske field, drilled and brought into production in the period. The well has produced an average of 962 boepd since starting production on May 21, the company said.

The firm holds net cash of USD36.5 million, up from USD14.5 million a year ago. The company's oil and gas inventory also increased in value to USD4.4 million from USD1.7 million in the prior half year.

JKX said its Ukrainian subsidiary Poltava Petroleum Co is still contesting a court decision saying it owes royalties to a local tax authority. Poltava will not have to pay anything before a supreme court hearing, expected in late 2021.

Separately, JKX filed to collect the USD12.1 million owed by the Ukraine government in an international arbitration award. That will not be reflected in the accounts "until there is further clarity on the process for, and likely success of, enforcing collection," JKX said.

By Amrit Sahota; newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Taylor Maritime Investments Ltd - London based investor in dry bulk shipping - Plans to raise USD75 million through placing to fund acquisition of up to six Handysize vessels. Shares will fetch USD1.15 each in fundraise, 1.7% discount to USD1.17 closing price on Monday. Chief Executive Edward Buttery adds: "The Handysize segment is currently attractive with a strong charter market and demand. Drawing on our in-depth knowledge of the sector, we have an excellent pipeline of vessel acquisition targets priced below depreciated replacement cost and are well positioned to take advantage of these market conditions to deliver additional value to our shareholders."







Blackbird PLC - London-based cloud video editing platform - Says application to begin trading on OTCQX Best Market cleared by watchdog Finra. Will begin trading on market on July 28, making shares more widely available to North American investors.







Eagle Eye Solutions Group PLC - London-based marketing solutions provider - Says revenue rises 12% to GBP22.8 million from GBP20.4 million in year ended June 30. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation up 28% to GBP4.2 million from GBP3.3 million. "Eagle Eye has enjoyed a strong close to the year, delivering 27% growth in Q4 revenues as a result of the winning of enterprise customers," company says. "Eagle Eye enters FY 2022 with a considerably expanded underlying business and positive trajectory."







Supreme PLC - maker of fast-moving consumer goods - Launches Sealions vitamin and wellness supplements brand. Supreme adds: "Sealions will be focused on providing a high-quality range of affordable wellness products, offering customers a year's supply of vitamins (365 tablets) for GBP5 across a selected range, nearly 70% cheaper than some of the leading wellness brands."







Curtis Banks Group PLC - Bristol-based provider of self-invested personal pensions - Says performed in line with internal expectations in first half of 2021. Seeing "strong levels" of organic growth. "Curtis Banks has made a positive start to 2021, building upon the success of 2020 and the number of strategic initiatives we undertook. I am particularly pleased with how Dunstan Thomas has already shown that it can enhance our overall proposition and we look forward to additional material developments over the course of the year," Chief Executive Officer Will Self says.







Cornerstone FS PLC - London-based payments provider - Notes trading volumes up in first six months of 2021, tips revenue to rise 6% sequentially in period to GBP837,000, from GBP792,000 in second half of 2020, but down 4.0% from pre-virus levels. "Looking ahead, with the increased momentum in trading volumes, the board is confident of delivering revenue growth for full year 2021 compared with 2020," Cornerstone says.







Eqtec PLC - Cork, Ireland-based gasification solutions company - Says GBP15 million revenue target on track. "Those forecasts anticipated a heavily back-loaded year for financial close of key opportunities and deal closure remains the primary focus of the company," Eqtec says. Notes Agrigas 1 agricultural waste project in Greece progressing. Construction of North Fork Community Power forestry waste project in California progresses as gasification reactor and associated equipment installed.







Arc Minerals Ltd - company focused on exploring for copper and cobalt in Africa - Kicks off drilling at majority-controlled licenses in north-western Zambia. Diamond drilling begins at Fwiji target. "This year's programme will also focus on the Cheyeza and Muswema target areas where the drill target locations are to be finessed upon the completions of a high resolution airborne geophysical survey over these target areas," Arc adds. Also, Executive Chair Nick von Schirnding notes "number of discussions" underway with potential third parties over commercial transaction at Arc's Zambia copper licences.







Alba Mineral Resources PLC - London-based mineral exploration and development company - Completes phase to surface drilling at Clogau-St David's gold mine. Says 10 holes drilled. "The key objective of this second phase of surface drilling at Clogau-St David's was to prove up the continuity of the Main Lode extension we had identified during the drilling at the end of last year. We have now delivered emphatically on that aim, by intersecting the Main Lode extension on every one of the 10 holes we have drilled in this phase," Executive Chair George Frangeskides says.







Petro Matad Ltd - Mongolia-based oil exploration company - Launches open offer to raise USD2 million to provide shareholders who did not participate in USD10.4 million placing to invest in company. Says 42.6 million shares to be offered.







By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 7 PM CDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values near 110 expected. * WHERE...Portions of southeast and southern Mississippi and southeast Louisiana. * WHEN...From 9 AM to 7 PM CDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...This will be the first real bout of heat indices that high this Summer. Heat index readings near 110 will not be widespread but most locations will be close. Given the rain and clouds we have seen it has been relatively cool so many people may not quite be prepared for this heat yet. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. &&
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vigil sheds light on needs of the community
People have been dancing the night away in clubs in England for the first time in 18 months after almost all Covid restrictions were lifted.

Around 50,000 people a day are being diagnosed with coronavirus and some scientists are predicting that cases will soar.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary, Sajid Javid are self-isolating.

Most Covid restrictions were lifted at midnight in England, which means clubs are open, customers are not confined to tables in pubs or restaurants and although people are advised to wear a face mask in some places, they are not mandatory.

UK residents who were fully vaccinated in the UK dont need to self-isolate for 10 days after visiting Amber countries, except those returning from France, where there are concerns over the spread of the Beta variant of the virus.
Spain received more than 2.3 million passengers from international airports in June, which is 75.8% less than the same period in 2019, but its the best figure since the start of the pandemic.

The Balearic Islands received 664,013 international visitors in June, which is 28.4% of the national quota, according to Turespana.

The introduction of the European Union Digital Covid Certificate in Spain at the beginning of June and authorisation of non-essential travel from the UK had a positive impact on international passenger arrivals and marked the beginning of the summer season in better conditions than in 2020, said Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes.

The relaxation of the Covid restrictions and opening up of tourism led to a rebound in UK reservations in June.

In June, 156,341 passengers arrived in Spain from British airports, which is 232% more than in May.

579,059 of the tourists were from Germany and travelled mainly to the Balearic Islands; 247,752 were from France and travelled mainly to Catalonia and Madrid; 209,177 were from Italy and travelled mainly to the Balearic Islands and Madrid and 176,737 were from the Netherlands and travelled mainly to the Balearic Islands, Valencia and Andalusia.

In June, the Balearic Islands had the most international visitors with 28.4% of the total, followed by Madrid with 21.3% or 497,397; Catalonia with 15.6% or 364,092; Andalusia with 12.3% or 286,312; the Valencian Community with 11.4% or 266,596 and the Canary Islands with 9.6% or 224,538.

Palma airport had the highest volume of international passengers with 508,122, followed by Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas with 497,394, Barcelona with 349,755, and Malaga with 237,394.

53.1% of passengers who flew to Spain from international airports used low-cost airlines and the remaining 46.9% chose traditional airlines.
Since the early days of telephone service, new technology has continued to change the way in which people communicate. Likewise in April 1958, a changeover from the operator telephone service to a do-it-yourself dialing system heralded a new, contemporary age of telephone usage in Manistee.

When it was announced in 1956 that the Michigan Bell Telephone Company was constructing a new building on Oak Street, it was suggested that the large structure would soon be housing equipment for a brand new dialing telephone service in Manistee. After completing construction in August 1957, the dialing service became closer to reality as technicians and switchmen began the laborious task of installing all the necessary equipment in the new building.

Once the system was actually put into use, it would change the way in which people would call each other. So, instead of picking up the phone and asking the operator to connect you with the person at 119-W, the user could now, instead, dial two letters followed by five numbers.

As each area was assigned a specific name for their own dial exchange, Manistees was to become known as Parkview which would have callers first dial P and A, and then the rest of the assigned number. As months progressed, it was announced that the installation and changeover would take place at exactly 2:01 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, 1958.

After new telephones were issued and the April 1958 telephone directories began arriving in the mail, it was also announced that Michigan Bell would be retaining all of its 34 regular operators, as while the new dial exchange service covered an extended area, to Free Soil (H and O for Hopkins) and Onekama (which used T and U for Tuxedo), users still had to call the operator in order to place a long-distance call.

Throughout the first few weeks of April 1958, employees of Michigan Bell continued to check and test the newly installed equipment as the approaching deadline loomed.

While initially planned at an expected cost of $317,000 it was revealed by Michigan Bell that the entire project came in at $725,000. Altogether, the costly price tag included the purchase of land and construction of the new central dial office as well as all of the installation of outside and inside equipment. However, according to local manager John Courtney, more money was spent by the company in order to give Manistee the most up-to-date, trouble-free system anywhere.

Finally on April 19, 1958, a sneak preview of the dial exchange took place at the Manistee Armory when the first official telephone call was placed. Details of that inaugural call, which was witnessed by approximately 500 people, were published in the Manistee News Advocate on April 21, 1958:

The first call on the new dial system was placed shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday night over a special dial telephone hook-up at the National Guard Armory when Norman Synnestvedt, President of the Manistee County Board of Commerce, dialed the historic first call to Mayor Earl Swank.

The two were located on opposite sides of the vast Armory stage, and the call was beamed to an audience comprised of civic leaders and Manistee residents who accepted Michigan Bells invitation to attend pre-cutover ceremonies.

After the first dial call, John Courtney (local manager of Michigan Bell) presented the new system to Manisteeans on behalf of the company.

As the clock ticked away to 2:01 a.m. on April 20, 1958, Manistees telephone users stayed up late (or woke up early) in order to make their maiden calls to other people.

To say that April 20, 1958 was a busy day for telephone use in Manistee would be an understatement as the Manistee News Advocate revealed that a total of over 16,000 calls were placed by 10 a.m. alone.

That number tripled as the entire day of service yielded 56,467 calls.

By the early 1970s, long-distance dialing was introduced and by then the Parkview, the PA code, was changed to the numbers 7 and 2.

Even though newer technology, will always remain a permanent fixture in society, its still interesting to observe the technology of yesteryear and how it worked. Today, the rotary telephone, which was used to make the inaugural dial phone call in Manistee, is on permanent display at the Manistee County Historical Museum.

The phone doesnt text or tweet, and much like the memories of those early days of telephone usage, its sometimes full of static but it still works relatively well and rings really loud. Displayed on that phone is a small, faded plaque that is a reminder of that first dial telephone call in Manistee.

The plaque reads:

"Used by Norman Synnestvedt

Pres. B. of C.

To inaugurate dial service

in Manistee, Mich.

April 19, 1958"

Mark Fedder is the executive director of the Manistee County Historical Museum. He can be reached by email at manisteemuseum@gmail.com, or by phone at 231-723-5531.

OTHERS FROM THE ARCHIVES

Forgotten lumbermen? The life of Evan T. Davies

What will the sixth Manistee Forest Festival bring to Manistee?

What it was like strolling 'The Main' in Manistee in the 80s
Dicie Irene Hollan, 86, Red Oak, passed away on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at her home in Red Oak. Services will be on Friday, July 23, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the Leflore Baptist Church with the burial to follow in the Leflore Cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Doug Nixon. Services are under the dire
The state of computer science education has shifted drastically in recent years. Overwhelming demand for computer science programming and research has motivated many university computer science departments to examine how to meet the needs of undergraduates, and the transformative possibilities of interdisciplinary research, along with best practices in faculty hiring, and models for hybrid instruction post-quarantine.

During the Northwestern Computer Science conference Emerging Trends in Computer Science Education on June 28, computer science department chairs and faculty from institutions across the country met to examine these challenges. Panelists including Northwestern CS faculty and guests discussed the pros and cons of online and hybrid education, the value of jointly hired faculty, factors for successes in hiring teaching-track faculty, and methods to broaden computer science programming in undergraduate education.

This conference was an opportunity for dialogue to think collectively about the many challenges and opportunities computer science educators are facing together currently, said Samir Khuller, Peter and Adrienne Barris Chair and Professor of Computer Science. We are grateful for the rich discussions and panelists who contributed to this event. I look forward to the ways we can work together to improve computer science education in the future.

CS+X opportunities and challenges

In the opening session, panelists discussed the reality that computational thinking is ubiquitous and essential for everyone regardless of occupation. Computation is impacting every major aspect of society, and this embedding of computing focused faculty with dual appointments enables seamless collaboration across units. It is a primary motivation for CS+X programming  academic offerings that blend computer science concepts with diverse disciplines such as journalism, statistics, education, medicine, engineering, or business.

Michael Horn, associate professor of computer science at Northwestern Engineering, shared examples of Northwestern Engineerings CS+X PhD programs including Technology and Social Behavior and Computer Science and Learning Sciences. These programs provide deep training in computer science applied to an X discipline, can help develop research in niche topic areas, and build a strong sense of community among highly specialized scholars. Some challenges exist, however, including potential confusion around a students true home community and less freedom scheduling courses.

Nancy Amato, head of the computer science department and Abel Bliss Professor of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, noted similar challenges. Even so, CS+X undergraduate degree offerings are highly attractive to students. The major has been popular ever since UIUC approved its first CS+X degrees in 2013.

Computing in undergraduate education

Non-CS majors are also increasingly interested in gaining computer science skills such as programming, as noted in another panel session on computing in undergraduate education. Larry Birnbaum, professor of computer science at Northwestern Engineering, Susanne Hambrusch, professor of computer science at Purdue University, and Clayton Lewis, professor of computer science at University of Colorado Boulder, shared workshop insights from CUE.NEXT, a series of interdisciplinary, inter-institutional workshops supported by the National Science Foundation.

In order for CUE curriculum to be realized to its full potential, the panelists said its important to make sure faculty understand and support the needs of non-CS majors, define what aspects of computing are needed across multiple disciplines, and use competency-based assessment instead of traditional ranked-based grading.

Computer science is ripe for translation across disciplines, especially creative fields, said Leah Beuchley, associate professor of computer science at the University of New Mexico. During her talk, she spoke about a class where students created physical objects from code including jewelry, board games, and candles. Computer science is an intrinsically creative discipline, Beuchley said. We should embrace, celebrate, and strengthen its natural ties to the arts.

CS instruction post-quarantine

As CS educators plan to return to teaching in-person classes on campus, some are wondering whether instruction should go back to the way it was before lockdown.

The short answer is no, said Vincent St-Amour, assistant professor of instruction at Northwestern Engineering, and Kristin Stephens-Martinez, assistant professor of the practice of computer science at Duke University. Pre-quarantine instruction was not perfect, they argued, and neither was instruction during quarantine. Ideally, instructors should approach post-quarantine CS instruction using lessons learned during the pandemic.

During the pandemic, for instance, professors needed to adapt to new ways of teaching. St-Amour and Stephens-Martinez advocated keeping post-quarantine self-study resources, recording lectures (even in-person) so students can re-watch as needed, offering private and anonymous channels for questions, and prioritizing critical material and dropping what is less important.

Hiring faculty of instruction

To meet continued demand for more computer science courses, some departments are ramping up their recruitment of faculty of instruction.

Faculty of instruction primarily focus their time on teaching, advising, and curriculum development, whereas tenure-track faculty members primarily devote their energies to research, and teaching of upper-level undergraduate electives and graduate level courses. As part of Northwestern CSs growth initiative, the department announced in 2016 it would hire an additional 20 tenure-track faculty members and expand its teaching faculty to support rising enrollments. Since then, teaching track faculty have more than doubled in numbers: currently, the department employs ten faculty of instruction.

Teaching faculty positions come with unique expectations and career pathways. Although applications for teaching-track faculty positions are fewer than tenure-track faculty applications, the ease of hiring improves as the teaching-track community grows. Panelists on this session included Sara Sood, professor of instruction and Chookaszian Family Teaching Professor at Northwestern Engineering, Nate Derbinsky, associate teaching professor and assistant dean for teaching faculty at Northeastern University, and Christine Alvarado, teaching professor and associate dean for students at the Jacobs School of Engineering at University of California San Diego.

These roles didnt exist when we were finishing our PhDs, said Sood. Before this, if you really wanted to focus on teaching, you would go to a liberal arts college. But now that we have these roles, people can go down that small school path or choose to be at a bigger place and continue doing research or outreach. Beyond the core expectations of teaching, advising, and curriculum development, we all choose our own path.
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Aparshakti Khurana has already cemented his standing as one of the best-dressed men in Bollywood and even otherwise.

The style maverick has legions of fans who cop his every move, and for a good reason.

There was a time when Aparshakti stepped out wearing a dirty pair of shoes and then again when he wore a tattered sweatshirt and managed to rock the looks like anything.

Truly though, Khurana has set a league of his own in the fashion department and never fails to impress us with his style statements.

 Viral Bhayani

 Viral Bhayani

He has often pushed the sartorial envelope even for his airport looks. Even though dressed in simple outfits, Aparshakti still manages to turn heads. I mean, who can make a pair of plain old joggers look so damn cool?



He was recently seen at the Mumbai airport wearing the zaniest outfit and a super quirky pair of shoes that we couldn't help but check out.

 Farfetch

Aparshakti is seen wearing Off-White's Vulcanized low-top sneakers. These sneakers also have the iconic arrow design. Furthermore, the pair has zip tag detail and a sleek diagonal stripe print.



 Farfetch

The pair is not very OTT and yet, the undeniable detailing like the orange tape and zebra-crossing design on the outsole makes it stand out.



As for the price, these shoes cost as much as Rs 24,293. Mind you, this doesn't include the customs and import duties. So, you are easily looking at a pair worth almost Rs 30,000. But, that isn't so bad, if you ask us!

 Viral Bhayani

 Tom Ford

As for the other details of Apar's look, we like the graphic T-shirt he has gone for. Again by Off-White, the style looks dope, mainly because of the way it's paired. The oversized joggers by Abhishek Patni make the overall combination an excellent pairing.



As for accessories, he wore Tom Ford sunglasses.

The fact that he made his AirPod Max look like an accessory added a maximal effect. Lastly, let's not forget to appreciate his Nike Tie-Dye socks.

This serves yet another airport-style lesson.

 Viral Bhayani

Honestly, if there was an award for the best actor who knows how to jet off in style, Apar would have taken it home. But, all in all, a really cool pair of shoes and an outfit, we must say!


The Pegasus Spyware, which is sold by the NSO Group of Israel, may have been used to snoop on 300 Indians including two Cabinet ministers at the Centre. The spyware was also used to spy on three opposition leaders, a Constitutional authority, government officials, scientists and about 40 journalists, according to The Washington Post and Amnesty International that was part of a 17-member group of news organisations that worked on the Pegasus Project.

The list also included businessmen, activists, and those from the legal fraternity. A number registered in the name of a Supreme Court judge was also found in the database. It is unclear whether the judge was using the same number to communicate on WhatsApp and other messaging services.

 Reuters

The leaked database also included writers and correspondents working at the Hindustan Times, The Hindu, India Today, Indian Express and Network18. Details of journalists like Shishir Gupta, Siddharth Vardarajan, M.K. Venu, Sushant Singh, Rohini Singh, Muzamil Jaleel, Ritika Chopra and Swati Chaturvedi were also found in the list.



Whats weird is that the NSO Group says it only sells the Pegasus Spyware to vetted governments. This indicates that Pegasus was either used by a foreign government which could be a severe security breach or the Indian Government has been using the spyware to spy on its own citizens. It is reported that the NGO group has 60 government customers in 40 countries.

How Does Pegasus Work?

 Amnesty-International

Earlier versions of the Pegasus Project utilised a tactic called spear phishing where the user of the spyware would send the targeted device an SMS or email with a link. Once the recipient would click on the link, it would download the spyware on the device and start transmitting information to the attacker.



However, Pegasus has now evolved and can now execute something called a zero-click' attack. This means the spyware can infiltrate a device without any action from the target. WhatsApp revealed in 2019 that the Pegasus spyware can find its way into a device via a WhatsApp call and works even if the user did not answer the call.

According to The Guardian, the Pegasus Project has now begun exploiting vulnerabilities in Apples iMessage software, giving it backdoor access to hundreds of millions of iPhones. WhatsApp has sued the NSO Group in the US for hacking into its service, Apple says it is continually updating its software to prevent such attacks.

What is Pegasus Capable Of?

 Reuters

Once the Pegasus spyware has been planted on a device, it has the ability to see SMS, emails, photos and videos, and access contact lists and call records. It can also track the GPS location of the target and can be used to activate the camera and the microphone which essentially turns the targeted device into a surveillance tool.



Whats even more concerning is that Pegasus is impossible to detect. The Guardian says, more recent versions of Pegasus only ever inhabit the phones temporary memory, rather than its hard drive, meaning that once the phone is powered down virtually all trace of the software vanishes.

Source: The Washington Post
Services for Ms. Katherine Raye "Pete" Wilhite will be on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at graveside, at 10 a.m. with Bro. Dale Moore officiating. Interment will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Ms. Katherine was born on Sept. 14, 1931, to Henry and Veda Wilhite. She passed away on July 18, 2021. Before 
In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full
Ports and terminal operations in Durban and Richard Bay in KwaZula-Natal, South Africa have slowly begun to normalize while the country has prioritized recovery after recent civil unrest. Most participants held watchful attitudes and waited for a clearer direction in the market in the coming weeks.

Spot availability of cobalt hydroxide remained constrained, and no new offers were heard due to widespread violence in South Africa, sources said. Most suppliers warned their customers of possibility of force...
MANISTEE COUNTY  The Manistee County Board of Commissioners will discuss updates to the countys strategic plan during their regular monthly meeting on July 20.

Initially enacted in 2014, the previous plan expired in 2019. The strategic plan provides long-term guidance and establishes priorities for decision makers in the county.
MANISTEE  In a committed effort to expand its child abuse prevention efforts, the Manistee County Child Advocacy Center recently added a new role to its team.

Chelsea Medacco is serving as the outreach and prevention specialist. In this role, Medacco will support community-wide prevention and outreach efforts, including working to develop and deliver a body safety education program for area youth, according to a news release.

Medacco brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the MCCAC. Prior to joining the MCCAC team, she served for two years as the family advocate at the Brazoria County Alliance for Children, a childrens advocacy center in Texas. Most recently, she was the emergency services manager at Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters.

I have always felt passionately about making an impact on my community, especially when it comes to serving children, Medacco said in a news release. From my previous positive experiences working at a child advocacy center, I believe strongly in the mission and work of CACs and the ways that CACs support children and families who have experienced abuse.

The MCCAC serves children ages 3 to 18 in Manistee and Mason counties when there have been allegations of physical or sexual abuse, or when a child has been a witness to violence.

I am so happy to know that there is a child advocacy center providing essential services to children in our local community, and I am grateful to now be a part of this team," Medacco said.

In her outreach and prevention position, Medacco will look at the challenges facing Manistee and Mason counties in the areas of child abuse awareness, prevention and reporting, and she will develop and deliver customized trainings tailored to the needs of various audiences. The goals are to prevent abuse, to increase CAC referrals for child victims and to connect survivors with resources.

To learn more about the work of the Manistee County Child Advocacy Center, visit their website at manisteecac.com.

SEE ALSO:

Armory Youth Project Junior Achievement students donate to Manistee County Child Advocacy Center

Parkdale Auto donates to Manistee County Child Advocacy Center

'A bright spot in our year': Child Advocacy Center receives dollhouse to comfort children
SCOTTVILLE  Manistee and Mason county voters will be asked on Aug. 3 to consider an operations millage renewal for West Shore Community College.

The college will asking voters to approve an eight-year, 0.7062 mill renewal for general operating costs. The millage costs $0.7062 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation and would be active from 2022 through 2029. The millage would cost someone with a taxable value of $100,000 roughly $5.89 per month.

"Those funds help support our general fund. ... That's pretty much where all the normal operations for the college operate from," said WSCC president Scott Ward. "... We're an academic institution, so much of it goes toward instruction or the instructional support."

The West Shore Community College district encompasses all of Mason County, almost all of Manistee County and the northern tier of Oceana County.

The millage has been in place for decades and would therefore not cause a tax increase if approved.

"This brings in about $2.3 million a year. Our budget is approximately $13 million, so it's a pretty significant part of our budget," Ward said. "As we look at this, I think it's significant to recognize this millage brings in $2.3 million a year. Because we have the community college here, the federal money and state money we have flowing because the community does this investment  the state is providing $3.2 million a year on average and for federal funding we're averaging $2.3 million a year  so we're seeing other monies that flow into the community because of the voter support we've seen. For me, I think it's a fairly good return on the investment. The community is seeing that return from other funding come directly into the community."

The polls will be open Aug. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters should return their absentee ballots in person or via drop box. The location of the local election clerks offices and area drop boxes, as well as voter information for applicable elections, can be found at Michigan.gov/Vote.

Registered voters can vote early with an absentee ballot at their clerk office now through Aug. 2, or at their polling place on Election Day, Aug. 3.

For more election information, including the location of the local clerks office, area drop boxes and sample ballots, voters can visit Michigan.gov/Vote.

Michigan citizens have a number of options to vote, said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a press release. Whether its voting absentee by mail or at their local clerk, drop box or in person on Election Day, voters can be confident no matter how they choose to exercise their rights, the process will be safe and secure and their vote will be counted and their voices heard.

Ward said the millage supports WSCC's operations, which in turn allows the college to support the community through things like the dual enrollment program for high school students, career technical education on campus, work with area chambers of commerce and more.

"We've had good support overall for all the renewals. ... I believe through this community support we can support the other community entities and leverage the resources we have," he said. "... This kind of support helps with things like the career technical education  we have 500-600 high school students on campus daily for career technical education. That is such a cost savings for those school districts and the Manistee (Intermediate School District) and West Shore (Educational Service District) not having to own and operate their own facilities, which I think would be hard for them to actually manage on their own. There would have to be other supports."

Ward said he hopes to continue to enhance WSCC's involvement within the community.

"The word 'community' in 'community college' reflects who we are and what we do, as you can't be a community college without being involved in the community. ... My goal is to make those connections even more intentional," Ward continued. "They're always present because that's who we are as a community college, but sometimes it's not intentional  we're just involved because we're doing our work. I'm trying to make those intentional connections. I really see this millage as not just a support for this campus, but really a support for the whole community  all those entities we work with."
PARIS (AP)  A French Holocaust survivor has denounced anti-vaccination protesters comparing themselves to Jews who were persecuted by Nazi Germany during World War II. French officials and anti-racism groups joined the 94-year-old in expressing indignation.

As more than 100,000 people marched around France against government vaccine rules on Saturday, some demonstrators wore yellow stars recalling the ones the Nazis forced Jews to wear. Other demonstrators carried signs evoking the Auschwitz death camp or South Africas apartheid regime, claiming the French government was unfairly mistreating them with its anti-pandemic measures.

You cant imagine how much that upset me. This comparison is hateful. We must all rise up against this ignominy, Holocaust survivor Joseph Szwarc said Sunday during a ceremony commemorating victims of antisemitic and racist acts by the French state, which collaborated with Adolf Hitlers regime.

I wore the star, I know what that is, I still have it in my flesh, Szwarc, who was deported from France by the Nazis, said with tears in his eyes. It is everyones duty to not allow this outrageous, antisemitic, racist wave to pass over us."

Historian and former Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld also took aim at the analogy, stressing Monday that the yellow star was a symbol of death that excluded Jews from society and marked them for extermination, while vaccines, on the other hand, save lives." To equate the two, he told The Associated Press, is an odious comparison that serves to trivialize the yellow star.

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal lamented the absolutely abject comparisons of vaccine rules to Nazi atrocities, and he urged other political leaders to speak out.

Attal later stressed the need for vaccinations despite some increasingly radical pockets of resistance.

We are in a fourth wave, he said after a Monday evening Cabinet meeting, a day before a bill goes to parliament to make vaccination passes to access public spaces, including restaurants, obligatory. It enters into force Wednesday for cultural and recreational venues, and early August for restaurants, bars and other places  once the fast-track law is in place.

We won't cede to a dictatorship of images and outrageous words, the government spokesman said in reference to the anti-vaccination protesters.

The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism said the anti-vaccination protesters were mocking victims of the Holocaust and minimizing crimes against humanity committed during World War II.

Some commentators said political forces that are jockeying ahead of next years French presidential election manipulated the protesters.

Saturdays protests drew a mix of people angry at the government for various reasons, and notably, supporters of the far right. Prominent French far-right figures have been convicted in the past of antisemitism, racism and denying the Holocaust.

The government is introducing a bill Monday requiring a ll health care workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus and requiring COVID-19 passes to enter restaurants and other venues.

At a large protest in Paris on Saturday against vaccine rules, one demonstrator pasted a star on his back reading not vaccinated. Another, Bruno Auquier, a 53-year-old town councilor who lives on the outskirts of Paris, drew a yellow star on his T-shirt and handed out arm bands with the star.

I will never get vaccinated, Auquier said. People need to wake up, he said, questioning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Auquier expressed concern that the new measures would restrict his two childrens freedom and pledged to take them out of school if vaccination becomes mandatory.

Polls suggest most French people support the measures, but they have prompted anger in some quarters. Vandals targeted two vaccination centers in southwest France over the weekend. One was set on fire, and another covered in graffiti, including a reference to the Nazi occupation of France.

France has reported more than 111,000 deaths in the pandemic, and new confirmed cases are increasing sharply again, raising worries about renewed pressure on hospitals and further restrictions that would damage jobs and businesses.

The government ordered tougher border controls on visitors, and some regions have reinstated mask rules outdoors and ordered restaurants and bars to close early. Government spokesman Attal raised the possibility Monday of shutting down night clubs again, just days after they reopened.

Klarsfeld, whose father died in Auschwitz, pushed back against protesters demands for liberty and claims that the latest health measures were dictatorial, saying that dictatorships adopt repressive measures to serve their own ends, while republics sometimes adopt necessary measures for everyones good.

What freedom is it they seek? The freedom to be contagious? he asked.

In Germany last year, several people protesting virus restrictions put on Stars of David, prompting prominent German Jewish leader Josef Schuster to denounce a disgusting instrumentalization of the symbol.

In Russia, popular actor Yegor Beroyev wore a yellow star last month at an awards ceremony, speaking of waking up in a world where (COVID-19 vaccination) became an identification mark." He drew widespread criticism but also scattered support. He spoke after the Moscow mayor announced new coronavirus restrictions including for restaurants. Those restrictions only lasted three weeks.

___

Daria Litvinova in Moscow, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report.
At least three Midland residents were among those impacted when the Mackinac Bridge was shut down for three hours Sunday afternoon due to a bomb threat.

Colleen Milster, Derek Suro and Becky McMahan are safe and sound, but they were among the many motorists who were not allowed to cross the bridge until authorities deemed it to be safe and reopened the bridge shortly after 5 p.m.

We thought it was just bad traffic, Milster said. Sure enough, we got close to the actual bridge and they were steering all the traffic off into really the last exit before the bridge. They were just kind of telling us (the) bridge is closed, not much information.

Milster and her friends, Suro and McMahan, were southbound on I-75 returning home from a weekend trip to Drummond Island when they arrived at heavy backups at the bridge around 2 p.m. Sunday.

Although the Detroit News and other outlets reported that there had been a bomb threat related to the bridge, Milster said she and her friends were not given any information by authorities.

There was a guy who came around and he was just like, You need to leave, we can't tell you why. Not 'I don't know why,' but We can't tell you why,'" Milster said.

But Suro said he and his friends heard about the bomb threat from Suro's husband, who was in Midland at the time.'I was texting him and he was the one who actually told us there was a bomb threat, Suro said.

They joined other cars in a nearby park until that was evacuated, too.

All of a sudden, security came around there and told us we needed to vacate because of an emergency on the bridge, she said.

Milster said hotels and restaurants by the bridge were filling up quickly.

There's a huge backup of traffic (for) a lot of people in the U.P. trying to get home, I think, to the Lower Peninsula, and so lots of rooms are filling up and lots of places (are) pretty busy, she said.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority declined Midland Daily News request for comment but kept its Twitter account updated throughout the afternoon.

A tweet right before 3 p.m. Sunday read, Mackinac Bridge is Closed will update when reopen.

Later, around 5 p.m., the bridge authority tweeted, Law enforcement notified the MBA of a bomb threat on the bridge; MBA closed the bridge at 2:15 p.m. After an extensive search, nothing has been found. They are completing one more sweep and hope to re-open the bridge soon. MSP and Mackinaw City police are investigating.

A following post retweeted a Detroit News article saying the bridge had opened after the bomb threat.

A few minutes later, at 5:10 p.m., the Twitter account said, All clear on the #MackinacBridge. Please drive with care. Have a safe and pleasant trip!
HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP)  Neighbors performed live-saving measures on a Michigan sheriff who was injured at his Upper Peninsula home over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean was in critical condition at a hospital in Marquette, his office said in a written statement.
Redding, like most Danbury-area towns, was no stranger to having a transfusion of new residents populate its neighborhoods amid the ongoing pandemic and continues to see the change.

Between 2020 and 2021, the town reported about 342 property transfers and its grand list slightly grew even as real estate prices dropped, according to data the News-Times obtained from Redding. So far in 2021, the towns experienced an additional 199 property transfers, keeping with the booming trends.

Newcomers and soon-to-be Redding-ites have shared why they chose Redding among all that Connecticut has to offer. The reason why people flocked there has become clear. Its all about location and space.

Laurie Thompson and her husband Rob Commisso were living in Larchmont, New York and searching for a new place to call home before the pandemic struck. When theyd been considering Colorado, the pandemic set in and they realized it was too drastic a change for their family. Instead, they landed in rural Vermont, falling in love with it for a short time. But even in that rustic bliss, something was still missing.

We were thinking how can we combine this with still being close to our family and close enough to New York City, she said. One weekend house hunting trip and we decided to move here.

Our current house [in Redding] couldnt even exist in Larchmont because there isnt enough land or space, she added.

Laura Cole and Emily Fernandez, who both bought Redding homes and are soon moving from Washington D.C. and Indiana, said their decision came down to similar reasons.

We wanted to live somewhere that was within distance of cities but we really just needed more yard space and room to roam, Cole said.

While both families looked in other areas, they chose Redding because of its beauty and natural landscape. Though securing a home in Redding was wild with the fierce competition thats consumed the current real estate market, Cole said. Fernandez agreed.

We had seen a good dozen homes and were interested in others but they were off the market before we could see them, she said.

Several of these newcomers noted they had to move quickly on their home purchases, throwing in offers and signing off within a day.

Rose Villani, also moving to the town soon, remembered there were 17 offers in about 26 hours for one house she was interested in. She knew it would be competitive going into the process, but she didnt imagine it to be that fast-moving.

It was a little bit stressful, she said. Its kind of a crazy time.
Four individuals with last known addresses in towns in New Haven County were charged on a federal indictment for their alleged involvement in a tax fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said.

A grand jury in Hartford returned a five-count indictment on July 6 that charged Olga Aucapina, 51, and Diego Aucapina, 33, both last living in Woodbridge; Jairo Santiago Sarango Solano, 33, last living in Hamden; and Edwin F. Gutierrez, 43, last living in East Haven, in connection with the scheme, federal prosecutors said.

The indictment was unsealed after the defendants, who prosecutors said are Ecuadorian nationals, were arrested Friday .

All four individual are charged with conspiracy to commit theft of public money, conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims and conspiracy to commit money laundering, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

Olga Aucapina and Gutierrez also each face charges of theft of public money, federal prosecutors said in the statement.

Between May 2013 and April 2017, the four individuals allegedly conspired to file fake federal tax returns with the IRS in the names of other foreign nationals, prosecutors said.

The fake tax returns said the claimants lived in the United States, earned wages from companies in the U.S. and had federal income tax withheld from their wages, according to federal prosecutors. Prosecutors said the claimants never worked for or earned income from the listed companies, and there were no records to indicate those individuals were even in the U.S. during the years the fake tax returns were filed under their names, federal prosecutors said in the statement.

The IRS issued tax returns on the false claims; prosecutors said the returns were deposited into bank accounts controlled by some of the defendants, the statement said.

In total, prosecutors said, the IRS received at least 34 false tax returns for the 2012 to 2016 tax years. The agency paid out more than $103,000. Prosecutors said the four individuals used some of the money for personal use, and wired some back to relatives in Ecuador.
BRISTOL  A local man was sentenced last week to five years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico to Connecticut, prosecutors said.

Miguel Freytes, 42, of Bristol, was sentenced July 15 by Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Jan. 23, 2019, that charged Freytes and five others with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other related offenses. Freytes pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2020, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

The charges against them stemmed from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration's Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service into a drug trafficking organization that was sending USPS packages with kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and Massachusetts, federal prosecutors said.

Law enforcement officer intercepted and seized five packages mailed to addresses in Bristol, Meriden and Burlington, as well as in Worcester, Mass., between July and December 2018, prosecutors said. All five parcels contained multiple bricks of kilogram-quantities of cocaine.

Investigators set up surveillance of the delivery of the suspect packages and saw Freytes and others picking up, or trying to pick up, parcels that had been seized, prosecutors said.

Freytes and other members of the drug trafficking organization were arrested on Jan. 9, 2019. Prosecutors said about one kilogram of cocaine was found in Freytes home at the time of his arrest. Overall, law enforcement seized about 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics and more than $150,000 in cash during the investigation.

Freytes, who had been free on bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after sentencing.
It sometimes seems that the second 50 years after World War II are being spent correcting the mistakes of the first postwar half-century.

One was situating highways so they blocked cities from their waterfronts, as happened in Hartford and Middletown.

This year, Hartford celebrates the 40th anniversary of its effort to reconnect to the Connecticut River. Middletown has just initiated a riverfront revival plan.

In retrospect, it seems crazy for a city to wall off its river or harbor, given the myriad economic, aesthetic and recreational advantages of waterfront access. But early highway builders werent thinking about community impact, they were thinking about moving cars. Waterfront land was often the easiest to acquire.

Waterfronts were sadly, an all too common location for highways, since early highway building manuals recommended waterfront routes as expedient, said Ben Crowther of the Congress for the New Urbanism, a nonprofit that promotes walkable cities, in an email exchange.

Generally speaking, since waterfronts had already been put to industrial uses, routing highways along them was considered less contentious than in, say, a residential neighborhood. Thats not to say that people didnt also live along these waterfronts, just that they were lower-income communities, so highway builders could justify the routes publicly through lower cost of land acquisition. And these communities had little political capital to fight back, said Crowther, who heads a CNU initiative that helps cities remove aging highways and replace them with traditional city streets.

Having built the highways along waterfronts, it didnt take that long for cities to ask: What were we thinking?

Starting in the 1970s with the replacement of a six-lane highway along the Willamette River in Portland, Ore., with a boulevard and linear park, cities across the country began clawing their way back to their waterfronts: large cities such as Seattle and San Francisco, smaller cities such as Chattanooga and Savannah, and a host of others joined the movement. None appear to regret it.

Connecticuts newest waterfront reclamation project is Middletowns, where officials have announced a plan to readapt a 200-acre swath of underutilized land along the river south of Harbor Park as a new, mixed-use city district.

By contrast, Greater Hartfords Riverfront Recapture has methodically reconnected Hartford and East Hartford to the river since 1981, with plans to link to Windsor and Wethersfield as well. It can serve as a model for Middletown or for other urban revitalization projects.

A river there somewhere

The construction of I-91 and the I-91-I-84 interchange in the 1960s cut Hartford off from the Connecticut River so effectively that, it was said, children growing up a mile away didnt know the river was there.

To even see the river from downtown you needed to be in a tall building. One day in 1980, Travelers Cos senior executive C. Roderick Rory ONeill looked out the window of his Travelers Tower office and wondered why Hartford wasnt taking advantage of its riverine location.

Hed worked in Chicago, which glories in its lakeshore park system. Why not here?

In 1981, ONeill, lawyer Jack Riege and others formed a nonprofit, Riverfront Recapture Inc. In the ensuing four decades, it has turned a forgotten and forlorn asset into a vital part of the community. Riverfront, led for nearly 30 years by the gently persistent Joe Marfuggi, built parks and river walks on both sides of the river. Marfuggi and his troops got the state to lower the highway and then built a platform connecting downtown to the river, with a promenade across the Founders Bridge connecting to East Hartford.

Riverside Park just north of downtown was a truly scary place  ask a Hartford cop from that era  until Riverfront went to work. Now it has a playscape, boat launch, a community rowing program and a lovely boathouse that is a popular venue for meetings and receptions.

The rowing program is one of many, many activities, including fishing contests, river cruises, dragon boat races, raft races, fireworks, concerts, reunions and food fests that bring people to the river.

In the early years, Rory ONeill called the project the work of a generation, and he may have underestimated. Marfuggi, who died in 2018, believed it was the kind of project that would continue to evolve and, as he said, never be finished.

Not so far. Next year, Riverfront will build a two-mile river walk, to be named for Marfuggi, connecting Riverside Park with Windsor Meadows State Park in Windsor.

The next project after that, getting underway in the next year or so, will be the construction of a new park on the Hartford-Windsor line, which will include a 10-acre cove for recreational boating, said Mike Zaleski, Riverfronts president and CEO.

You shouldnt have to go all the way to Collinsville to rent a kayak, he said.

When the new river walk section is finished next year, the bike/pedestrian trail will stretch for about seven miles, from Windsor to the Charter Oak Bridge, with connections to East Hartford. Zaleski said he is in discussions with Wethersfield officials about extending the river walk south to Old Wethersfield, with potential connections to the Putnam Bridge.

Riverfronts recreational relevance was never clearer than during the pandemic. The parks normally draw just under 1 million people, Zaleski said. In 2020, that number dropped to only about 800,000  with none of the usual public events. Our parks were full, Zaleski said, people needed to get outside.

Riverfront was not a silver bullet, a one-time project that was guaranteed to save the city. Such projects often promise more than they can deliver. Rather, it was an incremental development, well-planned and executed over decades.

It is also  rare in Connecticut  a regional effort. Riverfront park maintenance is funded in part by the eight member towns of the Metropolitan District Commission. The connection to Windsor and eventually to Wethersfield will create bridge access to South Windsor and Glastonbury, meaning bicycle commuters from all of those towns will have clear sailing to downtown Hartford.

Finally, Riverfront has laid the groundwork for Hartford 400, a bold and river-centric plan announced earlier this year by the iQuilt project. If it goes forward, it will remove or cap the highways and bring development in Hartford and East Hartford right up to the river. It will radically change how we relate to the river, Zaleski said.

A first step toward that visionary project may have been the recent passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the $715 billion INVEST in America Act, the recurring federal transportation funding bill. The bill included a $16 million request by U.S. Rep. John B. Larson for the Greater Hartford Mobility Study, a 2-3-year study begun last year to analyze and address the regions mobility needs.

Larson is a strong supporter of the Hartford 400 plan. It is his fervent hope that the bill passes the Senate and that the subsequent study incorporates major features of the Hartford 400 plan.

Down River

Middletown is at the beginning of its riverfront development adventure, although plans and proposals for developing the large swath along the river have been kicking around for decades, said Mayor Ben Florsheim in a recent interview.

He said there were three obstacles to developing the large parcel and connecting it to downtown. For one, it is blocked by Route 9, a state highway. Also, there is a wastewater treatment plant on the site. Finally, theres the money to acquire the land and clean the site.

But things are looking up. The aging water treatment plant was recently decommissioned and will be demolished, not replaced, because the city has joined a regional wastewater treatment program based in Cromwell.

Last fall, voters approved a $55 million infrastructure bond, which includes money for the riverfront development.

Also, the state Department of Transportation has two projects underway to improve Route 9. Florsheim said he hopes to work with the state to incorporate a connection  possibly a pedestrian bridge  from downtown to the riverfront.

Also, the city is making improvements to Harbor Park, a smallish riverfront park just north of the proposed development site that is connected to downtown by a pedestrian tunnel. Finally, Florsheim said, there is a new tenant for the now-closed restaurant in the park.

With the stars lining up, city officials decided to move ahead. They recently brought in a team headed by the New York architecture and urban design firm Cooper Robertson, whose portfolio of more than three dozen waterfront projects includes Battery Park City in Manhattan, Stamfords Harbor Point and the South Boston waterfront.

There was considerable interest in the project; Cooper Robertson was selected from about 20 applicants. The river vistas, the proximity to downtown and Middletowns location between Boston and New York were part of the appeal, said Mike Aziz, Cooper Robertsons director of urban design.

The firm will begin a series of public meetings in the next few months. The city is committed to listening to anyone who wants to participate, said Aziz. The goal is to have a master plan ready in about 18 months.

The challenge, Florsheim said, is balance: how much commercial, how much residential, how much open space. He said he wants a lot of public access, the kind of place people will go not for any particular reason, just because it is a great place to be.

He said he is also talking to the adjacent towns of Cromwell and Haddam about extending a river walk north and south of his city, as Riverfront Recapture is doing.

The irony of a city blocking its waterfront is that the waterfront usually was the citys reason for being where it is. Middletown is such a city  it was built around its harbor. Florsheim believes the soul of the city is still there and reconnecting to it can be transformative.

The waterfront revivals in many other cities suggest he is right. The Wharf, a major mixed-use development that stretches a mile along the Potomac Rivers Washington Channel, has transformed the long-underutilized southwest waterfront of the nations capital.

When a 1989 earthquake badly damaged the elevated Embarcadero Freeway, which blocked downtown San Francisco from its harbor, the city chose not to rebuild it but to replace it with a boulevard. This freed up more than 100 acres of land for development, which in turn triggered a strong increase in housing, jobs and commercial development.

The removal of a highway that blocked Chattanooga from its riverfront has drawn millions of dollars in investment to the riverfront and helped spur a 30% growth in he citys population since 1990.

New England has seen a variety of waterfront revivals in recent decades, among them Burlington, Vermonts, lakefront; Portland, Maines, Old Port; and the revival of mill buildings along the formerly industrial canals in Lowell, Mass.

Whats the magic that drives these projects? It may not be all that complicated. Said Mike Aziz: People like to be near the water.
Amtrak aims to resume honoring certain tickets purchased by Shore Line East riders by September, according to a letter the rail service sent to U.S. Rep. Joe Courtneys office.

The national rail service stopped accepting, or cross-honoring, tickets purchased by riders on the New Haven-to-New London regional line last March, citing cuts to service during the pandemic and concerns about overcrowded trains.

That decision prompted complaints from constituents who said the more limited service made it difficult to commute to work in eastern Connecticut, according to Courtney, a Democrat from Vernon.

Courtney wrote a letter to Amtrak executives in June, calling the continued decision not to honor SLE tickets unacceptable, and urging the rail service to change course. Amtrak President Stephen Gardner responded in a letter last week, writing that Amtrak was working with state Department of Transportation officials to come up with a new plan to resume the service.

Courtneys office released both letters on Monday, along with a press release praising the decision.

We will work through the processes and procedures necessary to implement this public health protection measure with ConnDOT and will ensure that it is implemented in a safe and effective manner, Gardner said. Assuming a favorable outcome of these discussions, our goal is to implement this revised arrangement no later than September.

Before canceling the service, Amtrak honored monthly and multi-ride Shore Line East tickets on certain Acela and Northeast Regional trains running between New Haven and New London, allowing commuters more train options. Single-ride Shore Line East tickets were not accepted on Amtrak.

Amtrak continues to honor CTrail Hartford Line tickets between New Haven and Springfield, Mass.

The CTDOT has maintained constant, direct discussions with Amtrak and we look forward to finalizing a plan for the resumption of cross-honoring in the near future, the state DOT said in a statement.

The Connecticut DOT reimbursed Amtrak on a per-trip basis for Shore Line East riders who used Amtrak trains, according to Courtneys office. The national rail service owns the tracks east of New Haven, while the state operates the Shore Line East route.

My office has spoken directly with lots of workers in our region who told us they want to get back to work, but the lack of trains and SLE cross-ticketing were making the logistics impossible, Courtney said in a statement. For them and for our local businesses who rely on them, this is another important step forward.

Amtrak has yet to return to its full pre-pandemic service schedule, according to Gardners letter, and Northeast Regional trains are operating with fewer cars than normal.

Meanwhile, both Amtrak and state transit officials are examining whether to invest in a future expansion of rail service along the Northeast Corridor. Earlier this year, Connecticut lawmakers approved a $2.3 million study to examine extending the Shore Line East route to Westerly, R.I.

In his letter to Courtney, Gardner also referred to plans to add seven trains to the Shore Line East schedule that had been canceled during the pandemic. Those trains will begin operating July 26, according to the state DOT.

This expansion is expected to return SLE service to nearly pre-pandemic levels, resulting in more frequent peak-hour and off-peak service, which would address the primary complaints we have heard from the SLE riders, Gardner said.

Ridership along the Shore Line East route plunged as a result of the pandemic, though limited service and maintenance interruptions had contributed toward declining ridership in two of the three years prior to the pandemic. There were 660,477 trips along the line in 2019, according to the DOT.
LONDON (AP)  The British government has decided not to inoculate most children and teenagers against COVID-19 until more safety data on the vaccines become available.

Children as young as 12 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, as well as those who are household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, will be eligible for vaccination, the government said Monday.

The decision to hold off giving shots to most people under age 18 was based on the recommendation of an expert advisory panel. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization said the health benefits of universal vaccination dont outweigh the risks for most young people, who typically suffer only mild symptoms of the virus.

Until more safety data is available and has been evaluated, a precautionary approach is preferred, the JCVI said in a statement.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement that todays advice does not recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at this point in time.

"But the JCVI will continue to review new data, and consider whether to recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at a future date.

The decision not to vaccinate most young people puts the U.K. at odds with France and several other European countries, which have decided to vaccinate adolescents as young as 12.

Among hundreds of people at a Paris vaccination center Friday, scores were teenagers with their parents. The French government announced last week that it plans to set up vaccine drives at middle schools, high schools and universities in the fall.

In the U.K., children and teenagers who are eligible for inoculation will receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the only one British regulators have authorized for use in those under 18. The University of Oxford is still conducting trials of the safety and effectiveness in children of the vaccine it developed with AstraZeneca.

Aside from medical and scientific questions surrounding the use of COVID-19 vaccines by adolescents, many public health experts have raised questions about the morality of inoculating low-risk children at a time when many of the worlds most vulnerable people still lack access to vaccines.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who was instrumental in developing the AstraZeneca vaccine, told Parliaments science and technology committee last month that vulnerable adults elsewhere should be prioritized over children.

It is older adults, those with other health conditions, and health care workers who are looking after them, who absolutely have to be prioritized, he said.

The Oxford trial should help policymakers decide whether they want to extend mass vaccination programs to children at some point in the future as they seek to ensure schools are safe and combat the spread of the virus in the wider population, Pollard said.

The announcement came on what the government has dubbed Freedom Day, the day most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were removed throughout England. Bars and restaurants can now operate at full capacity and night clubs are reopening for the first time in 16 months.

The government decided to lift the restrictions because 88% of the adult population has now received at least one dose of vaccine and more than two-thirds are fully vaccinated. While infections are rising rapidly, the high level of vaccination means that fewer people are becoming seriously ill than during earlier waves of the virus.
All four crew members of a Navy MH-60 Knighthawk were safely recovered without injury over the weekend after their helicopter crashed on a California mountain Friday as they searched for a lost hiker.

The crew -- a pilot, co-pilot and two crewmen -- spent the night on the mountaintop where they crashed after a helicopter mission Friday evening was unable to retrieve them. The crashed helicopter was part of the Helicopter Search and Rescue Squadron from Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, known as the Longhorns.

The MH-60, call sign Longhorn 2, crashed at about 5 p.m. that day near Mt. Hogue, California close to the Nevada border and southeast of Yosemite National Park, the Navy said in a Saturday release. The crew was helping search and rescue teams from Mono County, California, as they tried to find the hiker missing in Inyo National Forest, south of Boundary Peak.

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The missing hiker was found alive Saturday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The Navy said the helicopter crashed in rugged terrain at about 11,700 feet above sea level. The crew were able to radio for help after the crash, but the first rescue attempt, by a helicopter also from NAS Fallon, was unsuccessful. It was clear that the crash survivors would have to stay there overnight for another rescue attempt in the morning, and the rescue team dropped supplies to them.

Another MH-60, Longhorn 1, took off from NAS Fallon Saturday morning, but was also unable to rescue the crashed crew, the Navy said. It stayed on scene to coordinate the rescue.

The Navy called in a California Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook from Mather Air Force Base, which dropped off its own search-and-rescue team that found the survivors, and left to refuel. The Chinook, which has better high-altitude performance than the Knighthawk, returned, and by about 2 p.m. the crew of the crashed helicopter was safely aboard.

-- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey.

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The U.S. has transferred a Moroccan man to his homeland from the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba --- the first of what could be as many as 10 releases in the coming months, senior White House officials said Monday.

Abdul Latif Nasir, 56, was repatriated to Morocco on Monday. He had been imprisoned since 2002 and was recommended in 2016 for a transfer by a Periodic Review Board, subject to security and treatment assurances, but the handover was not completed by the end of the Obama administration. It also did not occur under the Trump administration.

Senior White House officials said Monday that Congress was notified June 17 of the pending transfer, part of its effort to reduce the prison population at Guantanamo with the goal of ultimately closing the facility.

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"The transfer ... was certified by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the requirements as outlined in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2016 and Congress was notified appropropriately," an administration official said.

The Periodic Review Board process determined in 2016 that Nasir "no longer remained necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States," according to a Defense Department release.

Senior officials said that 10 more of the remaining 39 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have been recommended for transfer.

"For those detainees that have been recommended for transfer, the administration is very much focused on looking to pursue transfer," the official said, although she declined to provide a specific timeline for future repatriations.

According to the Associated Press, Nasser arrived in Morocco on Monday, where he was taken into police custody. Law enforcement officials said they would investigate him on suspicion of committing terrorist acts, although he was never charged while at Guantanamo.

The detention center was established in 2002 and at its heighth, held more than 800 persons, mainly those with suspected links to terrorism in the Middle East. A review board, made of officials from the Defense Department; Homeland Security; State and Justice Departments; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Office of Director of National Intelligence, was established in 2011 to consider the prisoners' status and prospects for transfer.

Nearly 200 prisoners were transferred under the Obama administration. President Donald Trump negated an executive order by President Barack Obama to close the prison, but did release at least one individual, a Saudi Arabian al-Qaida operative who was sent home to serve his remaining prison time, according to the Associated Press.

Nasser was a member of a nonviolent but illegal Moroccan Sufi Islam group in the 1980s, the Associated Press reported, citing Pentagon records. In 1996, he was recruited to fight in Chechnya but ended up in Afghanistan, where he trained at an al-Qaida camp, fought against the U.S. and was captured.

Senior officials said Monday that in addition to the 10 prisoners who have been recommended for transfer, 17 are eligible for periodic review boards, 10 are on trial via military commission and two have been convicted.

In a statement, the Pentagon thanked the Kingdom of Morocco for its cooperation in facilitating Nasser's transfer.

"The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries' national security interests," the Pentagon statement said. "The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdom's willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility."

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill requiring the Defense Department to submit a report on the facility, including its plans to close it.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Militia Officials: US Drone Destroys Militia Truck in Syria
WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden praised King Abdullah II of Jordan as a stalwart ally in a "tough neighborhood" as the two leaders huddled at the White House on Monday, a meeting that came at a pivotal moment for both leaders in the Middle East.

Last week, a Jordanian state security court sentenced two former officials to 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the king uncovered earlier this year that involved Abdullah's half-brother.

Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

"You have always been there, and we will always be there for Jordan," Biden said during an Oval Office appearance with Abdullah and his son, the Crown Prince Hussein.

Biden noted that he first met Abdullah when he was a U.S. senator and Abdullah was the crown prince.

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting any chance for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He also chaffed at the Trump administration's pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords -- deals with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. His administration has even praised the Trump-brokered accords -- a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration.

Biden planned to stress to Abdullah in private that the accords are not an "end run" on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Abdullah, for his part, praised Biden for "setting the standard" internationally in the battle against COVID-19. The U.S. delivered 500,000 vaccines to Jordan days ahead of the king's visit. The king also appeared to make clear that he was looking to reset the U.S. - Jordan relationship after a four bumpy years with Trump.

"You can always count on me, my country, and many of our colleagues in the region," Abdullah said.

The two leaders planned to discuss the situation in Syria -- more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan -- and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, an administration official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is the first Arab world leader to meet face-to-face with Biden. The president is set to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House next week, and Biden has invited Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, to visit later this summer.

Abdullah is set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting with Biden was also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallah's U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.

They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the king's half-brother. Biden, who has known Abdullah for years, was quick to publicly express "strong U.S. support for Jordan" and praise the king's leadership after details of the coup attempt were unveiled in April.

It's unclear if Biden raised the United States' long-standing call to extradite Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi, a Palestinian woman living in Jordan who is wanted by the U.S. on a charge of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals.

The Trump administration last year indicated it was considering withholding aid to Jordan in a bid to secure al-Tamimi's extradition. She was convicted in Israel of a 2001 bombing of a Tel Aviv restaurant that killed 15 people, including two American citizens. She has lived freely in Jordan since she was released in a Hamas-Israel prisoner swap in 2011.

Biden administration officials have previously made clear to Jordan that the extradition of al-Tamimi, who is on the FBI's most wanted list, is of "high-interest" to the United States, according to the administration official.

First lady Jill Biden hosted the queen for tea at the White House.
Active-duty service members now can get COVID-19 vaccines anywhere they are available without needing pre-authorizations, according to an update published Monday to the manual that dictates military health services.

Under normal circumstances, U.S. troops receive medical care from military hospitals and clinics unless referred to the private sector by their military providers.

A change to the Tricare manual waives the requirement that they get a referral and allows troops stationed in the U.S. or territories to get their coronavirus vaccines from any provider. The change does not apply to troops stationed overseas.

The move comes as the Defense Department tries to raise its vaccination rates. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday that 70% of active-duty troops have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

That rate is slightly higher than it was a week earlier, at 68.8%, but lower than the Pentagon's goal to have all service members vaccinated by mid-July.

Read Next: After Multiple Rescue Attempts, All Crew Safe Following Mountaintop Navy Helicopter Crash

The Pentagon has said it will not require troops to get the vaccines as long as they are under emergency-use authorizations. But officials said they are considering making them mandatory once the immunizations receive full FDA approval.

According to the Tricare manual, troops should not expect to pay for a COVID-19 shot if they get it through a provider other than the military health system. Defense health officials cautioned, however, that if they receive the shot as part of a primary or specialty care visit for a reason other than preventive care, they may incur a copay for that visit.

In the last month, the U.S. military has tallied more than 5,600 new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 203,758 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. The Army has had 72,812 cases; the Navy, 39,395; the Air Force, 33,531; the Marine Corps, 22,859; and the National Guard, 33,983.

Twenty-six service members, including 10 active-duty, eight Reserve and eight National Guard members, have died.

-- Military.com reporter Stephen Losey contributed to this report.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: The Military Faces of COVID-19: 5 Stories of Lives the Community Lost to the Virus
Two Republicans on Friday introduced a bill that would reimburse the National Guard the $521 million in costs it accrued while defending lawmakers after the pro-Trump Capitol assault in January, but does not include funding for other security measures that have appeared in previous legislation sponsored by Democrats.

The National Guard is less than two weeks from a virtual shutdown. If the force isn't reimbursed by Aug. 1, training events, schools and drills will be canceled until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

National Guard chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson on Thursday penned a memo obtained by Military.com to the directors of the Army and Air National Guard ordering them to pull back all unspent funds from all states, territories and the District of Columbia in an effort to keep the most critical parts of the force running.

"We must take prudent actions," Hokanson wrote. "We must also prioritize essential missions such as medical services, resiliency efforts, victim support, investigation of sexual assault, and active litigation."

The bill introduced by Defense Appropriations Subcommittee members Reps. Steve Womack, R-Ark., and Ken Calvert, R-Calif., would simply reimburse the Guard.

Read Next: National Guard Two Weeks from Collapse -- Stalling Promotions, Gutting Training, Canceling Drills, Leaders Warn

"This bill is a simple solution to a problem that shouldn't exist," Womack said in a statement. "Instead of partisan bickering and bloated spending packages that do not meet the definition of 'emergency,' it's time for Congress to do its most basic duty and provide our men and women in uniform with the funding they are owed."

Womack and Calvert's bill would face an uphill battle in the Democratically controlled House, especially given that in May, the House passed a $1.9 billion blueprint without a single Republican vote to reimburse the Guard.

That measure also included money for a controversial National Guard quick reaction force to be on standby in D.C. to respond to emergencies. It also included funding boosts for security measures and federal law enforcement.

"This emergency supplemental appropriation addresses the direct costs of the insurrection and strengthens Capitol security for the future," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement in May.

Meanwhile, a growing chorus of Republicans -- including Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee -- is calling for clean legislation that would exclusively fund the Guard and not come attached with unrelated items.

"We must come together and pass a clean supplemental to ensure the National Guard, which remained unnecessarily at the Capitol with your support, has the funds needed to train for and fulfill their mission," Rogers wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last week.

In the Senate, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the Appropriations Committee, proposed a $3.7 billion plan that, like the House measure, would pay back the Guard, but it also devotes billions of dollars to unrelated efforts such as new resources for combating the pandemic and support for Afghanistan refugees.

Leahy said Congress needs to act through a single bill.

"We did not budget for an insurrection, and I am glad that my Republican colleagues have joined the negotiating table on this urgent matter, but their proposal falls far short of the needs of the moment," he said in a statement. "A violent insurrection happened. A pandemic happened. And the President announced the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. These events created urgent needs that must be met now. A piecemeal approach is no way to govern, and I have been here long enough to know that a promise to do it 'later' is no promise at all."

Leahy's Republican counterpart on the committee, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., introduced a much slimmer $632.9 million bill that would fund the National Guard and cover additional costs the Capitol Police accrued related to the mob attack.

Some 27,000 Guardsmen deployed to the Capitol in January; the mission lasted until late May. Since then, most additional security measures, including a steel razor wire fence surrounding Capitol Hill, have been taken down.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

Related: Cash-Strapped National Guard Warns It Will Be Forced to Cancel Training, Ground Aircraft
Dr. Richard Thomas, a surgeon, dentist and retired Army two-star general, has submitted his resignation as president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, according to a letter he wrote colleagues last week obtained by Military.com.

Thomas, who has led the Bethesda, Maryland-based school since 2016, had been endorsed unanimously by the school's Board of Regents for a second five-year term after his current term was to end July 31.

But as he had yet to hear from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about his contract renewal and to "ensure a smooth transition," Thomas announced June 14 that he planned to resign, effective July 19.

"I have been proud to serve as your president and if the secretary decides that is best for the enterprise I will be honored to continue in this role, he wrote in his letter. But a smooth transition is critical given the broad scope of USU responsibilities and the scheduled re-accreditation.

Thomas said that the schools senior vice president, retired Rear Adm. Dr. William Roberts, will step up as interim president.

The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment by publication.

Read Next: Looking to Be Prepared for a War in the Atlantic, NATO Launches New Command

The end of Thomas' tenure at the 50-year-old school has been controversial: In December, then-Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs Thomas McCaffery moved to dismiss Thomas. McCaffery said that Thomas had mishandled charges that a subordinate disclosed the personal information of an adjunct faculty member found to have plagiarized several research papers in an effort to get him kicked out of multiple military medical organizations.

But advocates say the dismissal is linked to Thomas' fights against budget cuts for the university.

Politico reported that Dr. Jonathan Woodson, president of the university's board of regents who served as assistant secretary of defense for health affairs while Thomas was on active duty, wrote then-Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller late last year to address the issue.

"The relationship between Mr. McCaffery and Dr. Thomas has often been one of professional tension as a result of Dr. Thomas' dedication to mission and firm yet always ethical and enlightened defense of the University from those in the budget community who sought its closure," Woodson wrote in a Dec. 31 letter obtained by Politico. "The timing of the proposed actions, the significant inconsistencies in the letter and the draconian punishment proposed make me suspect other personal issues are involved."

Maryland Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, both Democrats, wrote Miller on Jan. 8 about the issue, urging him to review McCaffery's decision to fire Thomas.

The action, the senators said, "raises serious questions about its basis and whether it is retaliatory in nature."

"The fact that this action is taking place despite the strenuous objections of the President of the USU Board of Regents raises serious questions about its basis and whether it is retaliatory in nature," Van Hollen and Cardin wrote. "Dr. Thomas has served USU with distinction and integrity, and the United States is fortunate to have him in a position of leadership."

Before being named president of the university, Thomas served as deputy director of the Defense Health Agency.

In 2019, the Defense Department's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, or CAPE, office recommended that the university be scaled back or eliminated as part of an effort to reduce the budget and size of the military health system.

CAPE proposed a $90 million reduction in school operations and maintenance between 2021 and 2025 and also a $73.3 million reduction in research -- essentially cutting all basic research. It also proposed eliminating programs such as the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, and the Center for Deployment Psychology.

The cuts were included in President Donald Trump's fiscal 2021 budget request and made it into the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act, but were not included in the final bill.

Still, those programs did see declines in their budgets. President Joe Biden's proposed fiscal 2022 Defense Department budget requests $178 million for the school, an increase of $8 million from the previous year's request, including additional funds for several programs.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Defense Health Agency Says It Will Come Up $1.8 Billion Short on Cash Due to Pandemic
DAMASCUS, Syria  Israel carried out an aerial attack southeast of Syrias northern Aleppo province late Monday, a Syrian military official said.

The unidentified military official, quoted by the state news agency SANA, said Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles in the attack that occurred just before midnight. The targets are still being identified, the official said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor that has activists on the ground in Syria, said the Israeli strikes targeted weapons depots that belong to Iranian-backed militia operating in Aleppos Safira region. The group said the strikes were followed by loud explosions. The weapons depots were located inside Syrian military posts, the group said.

The attack took place on the eve of Eid Al-Adha, one of Islams holiest holidays.

Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked military targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. Last month, Israel reportedly carried out an attack on targets in central Syria.

Israel fears Iranian entrenchment on its northern frontier, and it has repeatedly struck Iran-linked facilities and weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah.
Most veterans now have access to the American Forces Travel website, which advertises discounted airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages. It also offers discounts on event tickets for things like sporting events, concerts or theater.

The travel website, a joint venture of Morale, Welfare and Recreation, or MWR, and online travel agency Priceline, offers customers discounts of up to 60% off regular prices on most travel and events. The site is available to active-duty troops, Guard and Reserve members and honorably discharged veterans, among others.

The website provides reservations at more than 60,000 hotels worldwide, reduced change fees on flight reservations, free cancellation on car rentals, and weekly cruise emails that give you early access to limited-time offers. Event tickets have no service charges, shipping fees or other hidden charges.

"Sixteen million veterans will now be able to access the American Forces Travel website, joining the 10 million active-duty, Guard and reserve service members, family members, DoD civilians, and other patrons who are already receiving the benefit," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia "Patty" Montes Barron. "We are committed to providing quality-of-life programs to our military community, which includes our honorably discharged veterans."

According to the press release making the announcement, Increasing the number of eligible customers will allow American Forces Travel to negotiate even larger discounts for travel in the future. The partnership between MWR and Armed Forces Travel also provides much needed funds for the MWR program and its quality-of-life programs on military installations across the world.

Registration is quick and easy, and all purchases come with Priceline's Best Price Guarantee.

For more information, or to purchase your travel or event tickets, visit the American Forces Travel website. Proof of eligibility is required.

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[July 19, 2021] Chinese Spirit City Yibin: building intelligent terminal industry, bringing over 200 companies abroad YIBIN, China, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from China News Service: When it comes to Yibin, a city of Sichuan, people may first think of Wulinagye. However, the city that used to make the liquor industry its economic pillar, now is seeking changes quietly. The 2nd China intelligent terminal Industry Developing Conference, the theme of which was "intelligence makes new industrial ecosystem, bringing success in new era", was held from July 9th to 13th in Yibin, Sichuan, indicating that intelligent terminal industry will be a new growth opportunity for the first city along the Yangtze River. During the conference, seven forums and one exhibition with the theme of "application scenarios drive upgradation of intelligent terminal industry" were held. Besides, six rounds of intensive contract signing and a few new product release ceremonies were also held. Building a complete production chain Yibin is speeding up to be a new base of intelligent terminal industry in west China, with its products exported to nearly 50 countries and regions like Hong Kong China, the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. In recent years, Yibin has attracted 231 projects with investment of over 60 billion RMB. Mobile phones are the main product of Yibin, along with key components and parts like chips, display modules, and shells, as well as other extensive intelligent terminal products. As for the structure of its industry, Yibin has formed a whole industry ecosystem, with supporting companies covering plan making, R&D, financial supply chain and national sales center. Its products range from computers, robots to smart medical treatment, education, home automation, intelligent wear, etc. With regional advantages, complete industrial bases and broad prospects, in the past few years, the intelligent terminal industry of Yibin has started from scratch. Its fast growth is closely related to the efforts of the local government. Yibin has built a complete policy system, providing companies with service from settling to operating and developing. With the service concept of "Lifelong baby-sitter, private butler, personal tailor", Yibin has organized special teams for each company to follow project approval, construction, production and operation. Presently, Yibin has become the only national pilot city of integration of production and education, and Sichuan's only pilot area of integration of university, education, research, industry and urbanization. Twelve universities and colleges in Yibin will provide talent security for development of the intelligent terminal development. Opportunities depict a blueprint of intelligent terminal Through this conference, the intelligent terminal industry of Yibin will enter a new development stage, building a bigger platform for communication, promoting over 200 famous companies to go to the whole country as well as the world. From 2017 to 2020, the revenue of industrial enterprises above designated size of intelligent terminal industry rose from 1.3 billion RMB to 32.87 billion RMB. The output of mobile phones rose from 4.28 million to 69.83 million. "Intelligent terminal has a broad range, with diverse products and rich business models. I look to further increase this industry," said Qin Xi, CEO of Shanghai Xinwei Technology Group, who has spent many years in intelligent terminal industry. During this conference, his company sped up settling down and developing in Yibin, focusing on key materials, interconnecting devices and chips for intelligent terminals. "Yibin's infrastructure, transportation, talent, and the industrial base of intelligent terminal attracted our company to settle here," said Liu Yan, vice chairman of the board of Tuowei Information, CEO of Haiyuntian Technology, who has witnessed fast changes in Yibin. The 2nd China intelligent terminal Industry Developing Conference attracted 74 companies to take part in, among which a few companies has been looking forward to settling down there. Now Yibin is depicting a blueprint of intelligent terminal. China's 14th Five Year Plan has started. Yibin will continue to support high-quality development of intelligent terminal industry. Yibin will take measures to attract leading enterprises to invest, cooperate to built industrial ecosystem, promote industrial agglomeration, build brand and develop market and build a industry demonstration base of national new industrialization (electronic information and intelligent terminal). View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chinese-spirit-city-yibin-building-intelligent-terminal-industry-bringing-over-200-companies-abroad-301336343.html SOURCE China News Service

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Acne can be a big problem for many people. It's not just about the way that it looks, but also how it feels to have acne on your face. But don't worry! There are plenty of ways to treat acne and get clear skin without having to wait for months or years. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of acne as well as treatments available, so you can get started today! Dont forget to use your Bajaj Finserv Health Card for affordable skin treatment.

Different Types of Acne

Comedones: Are the most common form of acne and often occur in people who have oily skin.



Are the most common form of acne and often occur in people who have oily skin. Papule: A small bump or cluster of bumps that is elevated on the skin surface. Papules can be red bumps that will come up to a whitehead before rupturing outwards to an inflamed area.



A small bump or cluster of bumps that is elevated on the skin surface. Papules can be red bumps that will come up to a whitehead before rupturing outwards to an inflamed area. Pustule: This is usually red in colour and inflamed, but it's not always accompanied by pus; when pus does emerge from these lesions, they're called pustules. Pustules are similar to papules except that they have pus in them and will often be larger.



This is usually red in colour and inflamed, but it's not always accompanied by pus; when pus does emerge from these lesions, they're called pustules. Pustules are similar to papules except that they have pus in them and will often be larger. Nodule: The lesion has been present for at least four weeks and typically feels like an enlarged lump under the skin with no visible head (Whitehead).



The lesion has been present for at least four weeks and typically feels like an enlarged lump under the skin with no visible head (Whitehead). Cyst: Cysts often only develop after nodular acne has been left untreated for a long period of time. Cysts are deep and painful and can be very hard to treat. Cystic acne tends to come up as a large, swollen lesion on the face.

Treatments For Acne

Here is a list of treatments that work for each type of acne, as well as some general tips on what you can do to keep your skin clear.

For Comedonal Acne - The most important thing in this case, and with any other type of acne really, is to keep your skin clean and healthy. You can use products with salicylic acid to help keep the pores unclogged, but these are only available by prescription.



The most important thing in this case, and with any other type of acne really, is to keep your skin clean and healthy. You can use products with salicylic acid to help keep the pores unclogged, but these are only available by prescription. For Papules - These bumps should be treated as soon as they appear so that you don't have a larger lesion on your face later down the road due to them not being treated early enough. They should also be popped or squeezed in order for pus to come out of the whitehead before it ruptures outward, causing more inflammation.



These bumps should be treated as soon as they appear so that you don't have a larger lesion on your face later down the road due to them not being treated early enough. They should also be popped or squeezed in order for pus to come out of the whitehead before it ruptures outward, causing more inflammation. For Pustules - The best way to treat this type is with topical antibiotics such as Clindamycin (which can cause stinging). Benzoyl peroxide can also work well at drying up existing lesions while preventing future ones from forming.



The best way to treat this type is with topical antibiotics such as Clindamycin (which can cause stinging). Benzoyl peroxide can also work well at drying up existing lesions while preventing future ones from forming. For Acne Nodules - These are the most severe type of acne and should be treated by a dermatologist in Delhi who can prescribe oral antibiotics such as Minocycline to help clear up this condition.

Acne: Treat Your Acne Differently To Get Clear Skin

The best way to deal with acne is by changing the way you treat it. There are many different types of acne, and they all need to be treated differently in order for them to disappear. Some treatments work better than others when it comes to treating certain types of acne as well; there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution that will work every time. There are many different types of acne treatments available in today's market, which can make things difficult when deciding what should be used on certain breakouts. The two main factors that you should keep in mind when treating acne are, the type of breakout and how severe it is.

Healthy Habits To Treat Your Acne

In order to have clear skin, it is important to develop healthy habits. The first step in developing good habits for your body and mind is by finding a routine that will work best with you. For some people, this could be working out four times a week at the gym; others prefer yoga as their daily workout. Once you find an activity that works well for you off of the mat or away from the treadmill, stick to it! It takes 21 days to form any habit, so don't give up if something isn't feeling natural right away.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a number of different types of acne treatments available today that can make it difficult to choose the right one. Acne is most commonly caused by oil production in your skin's sebaceous glands, and breakouts can be caused by many things, including diet or stress levels. Luckily for those who want clear skin, there are many ways to get rid of this issue, like using an over-the-counter product with benzoyl peroxide or going to the dermatologist!
While consumers are reeling under the ever-increasing prices of petrol, diesel and domestic liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, the Union government and State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) are earning higher revenues and profits, shows data submitted in the Lok Sabha. As on Monday, petrol continues to be sold for Rs101.84 per litre and diesel at the unchanged price of Rs89.87 a litre in New Delhi. In Mumbai, where petrol prices crossed the Rs100-mark for the first time ever on 29th May, the fuel price is at Rs107.83 per litre. Diesel price in the metro city is also at Rs97.45, the highest among metros. On 1st July, OMCs increased by Rs25 the prices of LPG refill cylinders. With this latest hike, LPG prices now have increased by Rs140 per cylinder in the past six months.

In a written reply, Rameswar Teli, minister of state in the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, says, in FY20-21 the Union government earned Rs3.45 lakh crore as central excise duty from petroleum products, like petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel (ATF), natural gas and cess on crude oil. For the previous two fiscal years, the government had earned taxes of Rs2.35 lakh crore in FY18-19 and Rs1.97 lakh crore in FY19-20.

According to the minister, prices of petroleum products in the country are benchmarked to international product prices. "Generally, the price of petroleum products in the country are higher or lower than other countries due to a variety of factors, including the prevailing tax regime and subsidy compensations by the respective governments, the details of which are not maintained by the government," he says.

Responding to a question about bringing fuel prices under the regime of the goods and service tax (GST), Mr Teli, says, at present there is no proposal to bring these goods under GST. He says, "Article 279 A (5) of the Constitution prescribes that the GST Council shall recommend the date on which the goods and services tax be levied on petroleum crude, high speed diesel, motor spirit (commonly known as petrol), natural gas and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), also as per the Section 9(2) of the CGST Act, inclusion of these products in GST will require recommendation of the GST Council. So far, the GST Council has not recommended inclusion of oil and gas under GST."

From 4 October 2017 t0 2 February 2021, the government had increased the central excise duty to Rs32.90 per litre from Rs19.48 per litre on unbranded petrol and to Rs31.80 per litre from Rs15.33 a litre for diesel, the data shared by the minister shows.

Out of the first 104 days till 13 July 2021 in FY21-22, State-run OMC increased prices of petrol on 39 occasions, while diesel prices were increased 36 times. Prices of petrol and diesel were reduced one and two times, respectively, during the same period. For the remaining days, there was no change in prices.

Due to the increase in fuel prices, three OMCs, Indian Oil Corp Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) are earning robust profit after tax (PAT). In fact, these three OMCs have increased their PAT by almost 60% to Rs51,542 crore in FY20-21 from Rs30,055 crore in FY18-19. FY19-20 was a lacklustre year for these OMCs as it could record a profit of just Rs6,633 crore, the data submitted in the Lok Sabha shows.

The Union government earns more money by way of dividend from the State-run companies. For example, during FY20-21, BPCL was the biggest contributor in paying dividend to the government. BPCL paid a dividend of Rs8,759.71 crore and was followed by IOCL with Rs5,817.95 crore dividend paid to the exchequer during past fiscal year.

Petrol prices in all metros have now crossed the Rs100 per litre-mark and OMC officials say that if international oil prices continue to firm up, rates may rise further.

With the government not supporting even cooking gas consumers in the time of rising prices, consumers are bearing the brunt of increase in both their transportation and cooking expenses during the difficult period of the pandemic.

While consumers focus has remained on petrol and field prices, the cooking gas price has gone almost unnoticed. It had risen sharply by over Rs100 a cylinder in February 2021 itself to Rs794 from Rs694 a cylinder. In February, LPG prices were revised thrice  Rs25 on 4th February, a Rs50 per cylinder hike on 15th February and another hike of Rs25 on 25 February 2021.

At present, a domestic cylinder weighing 14.2kg costs Rs834.50 in Delhi. In Mumbai and Kolkata too, the price is Rs834.50 per cylinder while in Chennai, one non-subsidised LPG cylinder costs Rs850.50.

On a positive note, global crude price has softened over the past few days with OPEC agreeing to pump more oil into the market from August. Also, as a new wave of COVID continues to build across the globe, the concerns on demand destruction is also being anticipated.

However, the Union government seems to be reluctant to let off the easiest route to garner more revenues either through excise tax or via dividend earned from OMCs, end consumers will have to keep paying higher prices for petrol, diesel and LPG used at home.
Insurance regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a penalty of Rs1 crore on D2C Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd for appointing agents and canvassers to bring in the insurance business. The insurance broker was also found guilty of running a website (renewbuy.com) with a different name and was issued a warning for the same.

D2C Insurance Broking was accused of using the brand name renewbuy for soliciting insurance online without visibly and clearly displaying the brokers name on the website.

IRDAI found this to be violating Para 1 of Schedule VII under Regulation 22 of IRDA (Insurance Brokers Regulations,) 2013. As per this regulation, a website developed by an insurance broker should carry its own name as licensed by the authority. The usage of any other name or linkage to another website is prohibited.

The case pertains to March 2017, when IRDAI had conducted an on-site inspection of the broker and sought a reply on its finding from the broker on 20 November 2017. The broker replied on 28 December 2017.

Later, on 18 October 2019 IRDAI issued a show-cause notice (SCN) to the broker. D2C Insurance Broking replied to the notice on 10 November 2019.

The broker submitted that its name, license number, the name of the principal officer and the licence certificate were made available under the About Us section of the RenewBuy.com website. It also claimed to have informed IRDAI about the domain name of their website as renewbuy.com through a letter dated 23 December 2014.

In its order, the insurance regulator said that the Broker was using a website carrying the name renewbuy for soliciting insurance business without visibly and clearly displaying the brokers name on the said website.

The regulator also noted that the broker could not submit any communication from IRDAI, which exempted it from complying with the regulatory provision. On the availability of relevant details on the About Us page of renewbuy.com, IRDAI said the same was not visible from the homepage of the website during the inspection.

The above indicates that the broker has knowingly failed to comply with the regulatory requirement and the broker is warned for the same, IRDAI says in its order.

IRDAI says it found that the insurance broker had either engaged their promoter company D2C Consulting Pvt Ltd, who used their own employees for canvassing insurance for the broker or engaged other entities like BizConnect and Bersavi India Pvt Ltd (through their promoter company) who employed canvassers and agents using a mobile app viz. renewbuy partners.

However, IRDAI said in its order that the broker employed agents or canvassers to bring in business in collusion with the promoter company D2C Consulting.

The broker also admitted during the personal hearing that it had engaged various unlicensed individuals and entities through D2C Consulting for bringing business and soliciting insurance business.

According to the IRDAI order, the broker was guilty of violating Para 3(b) of Schedule VI-A under Regulation 28 of IRDA (Insurance Brokers) Regulations 2013 from the year 2015-16 till the date of inspection. This regulation mandates that Every insurance Broker shall confirm that he doesnt employ agents or canvassers to bring in business.

IRDAI imposed a penalty of Rs1 crore on the broker for violation of Schedule VI-A under Regulation 28 of IRDA (Insurance Brokers) Regulations 2013.

The IRDAI also warned the D2C Insurance Broking for not having two qualified persons to solicit the insurance business.

The insurance regulator has allowed the broker to appeal to Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) in case it feels aggrieved by any of the decisions in this order.
The Indians in the snooping database include over 40 journalists, three major Opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of business-persons, The Wire reported.

Among the numbers in the Pegasus Project database is one that was registered in the name of a sitting Supreme Court judge. However, The Wire has not been able to confirm whether the number, which the judge gave up before it was added to the list, was still being used by him for WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging apps when the number was selected. "Until such time as we are able to establish the number's actual user during the period in question, we are withholding the name of the judge," it said.

The Wire and its partners said that they will also not be revealing the identity of any names that appear to be the subject of counter-terrorism.

A leaked database of thousands of telephone numbers believed to have been listed by multiple government clients of an Israeli surveillance technology firm includes over 300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers, including those used by ministers, Opposition leaders, journalists, the legal community, businessmen, government officials, scientists, rights activists and others, according to an investigation by The Wire and 16 media partners.

Forensic tests conducted as part of this project on a small cross-section of phones associated with these numbers revealed clear signs of targeting by Pegasus spyware in 37 phones, of which 10 are Indian. Without subjecting a phone to this technical analysis, it is not possible to conclusively state whether it witnessed an attack attempt or was successfully compromised.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) are investigating some companies of the Adani group, the Union government told the Parliament on Monday.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Pankaj Chaudhary, minister of state for finance, says, "SEBI is investigating some Adani group companies about compliance with SEBI regulations. Further, the DRI is investigating certain entities belonging to the Adani group of companies under laws administered by it."

"As far as investigation under the Income Tax Act, 1961 is concerned, disclosure of information regarding specific taxpayer is prohibited except as provided under Section 138 of the Act. No such investigation is going on in the enforcement directorate (ED)," the minister says.

Mahua Moitra, member of Parliament (MP) from Trinamool Congress has asked questions about investigations and details of the beneficial ownership of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) owning a stake in the Adani group companies.

The MP had asked, "Whether it is a fact that three funds namely Albula Investment Fund Ltd, Cresta Fund Ltd, and APMS Investment Fund Ltd are in the SEBI frozen list of May and 15th June but a clarification is issued by NSDL that these accounts are not frozen in the case of Adani companies and if so, the details thereof?"

Responding to this, Mr Chaudhary, the minister says, "In a matter pertaining to issuances of global depository receipt (GDR) by certain Indian listed companies, SEBI vide order dated 16 June 2016 had directed depositories to freeze particular beneficiary accounts of certain FPIs including Albula Investment Fund, Cresta Fund, and APMS Investment Fund. However, no order in respect of other beneficiary accounts of these three FPIs has been passed by SEBI."

Ms Moitra, the MP, has also asked the question whether people associated with the Monterosa Group, AlastairGuggenbuh1-Even, Eric Widmer, Martinde Quevain, Florian Linner are under investigation by the agencies.

However, the minister told her that none of these people is under any investigation.

Six companies of the Adani group are listed and traded on recognised stock exchanges in India. The holding of FPIs in these companies is based on day-to-day trading of shares and, thus, dynamic, the minister added.

Shares of Adani Enterprises Ltd ended Monday 1% down at Rs1,380.55, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd 2% down at Rs673.70, Adani Power Ltd 2.80% down at Rs102.30, Adani Transmission Ltd down 4% at Rs969, Adani Green Energy Ltd down 2.76% at Rs976.15 and Adani Total Gas Ltd down by 4.77% at Rs856.40 on the BSE. The 30-share Sensex closed Monday 1.1% down at 52,553 points.
Fire carnivals are back, bringing rides, entertainment, bingo, food and fireworks, along with being a fundraiser for the volunteer fire companies hosting the carnivals.
JENKINTOWN -- Starting in fall, Manor College will offer an Eastern Christian Catechetics Certificate, designed at educating catechists or lay people with a Bachelors Degree who want to specialize in the Eastern Christian Tradition.
CAMILLA, Ga.  The women came from all over rural south Georgia to have their baby delivered by Beatrice Borders, a Black midwife known as Ms. Bea.
While some may think National Hot Dog Day lands on July Fourth with the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest, it is this Wednesday. Here are some eateries celebrating National Hot Dog Day.

Midland will soon have a new hot dog food truck. N2O Hot Dogs Express will feature Venezuelan hot dogs, Texuelan and German food, according to the Facebook page. With hot dog recipes from around the world, the truck will be at the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Golf Course Road Church of Christ parking lot on Friday evenings. Visit here for more information.

McAlisters Deli is celebrating National Hot Dog Day by introducing a pretzel dog in partnership with Auntie Annes for a limited time. Auntie Annes kids pretzel dogs, sweet pretzel dough wrapped around a bite-sized hot dog, are available for a limited time at McAlisters Deli, according to a press release. The meal comes in a three-piece or five-piece with a choice of side and a mini chocolate chip cookie. The Kids Auntie Annes mini pretzel dogs start at $2.99.

Sonic Drive-In will offer $1 hot dogs all day on Wednesday.

Wienerschnitzel will offer five chili dogs for $5 on Wednesday. Hot dog enthusiasts can also enjoy the Texas BBQ Dog, Aussie Dog, Green Chile Chili Cheese Dog (made with Hatch green chiles) and more at Midlands location at 5313 Loop 250 Frontage Road.

Try a hot dog in a tortilla at Torchys Tacos. The Republican -- a jalapeno cheddar sausage, pico de gallo, cheddar jack cheese and poblano sauce on a flour tortilla -- is here to stay on the main menu. During the pandemic the Republican and Independent tacos were removed from the menu but the Republican is back. However, that doesnt mean it will stay the same. The chain is looking into creating a different Republican and Independent tacos.

This week, the Midland RockHounds will be play at home against Corpus Christi. The many food stands at the stadium also offer a peanut butter and jelly bacon hot dog. Enjoy a hot dog at the ballpark this week.

More food news

--Ally Cafe will have a Daou wine dinner Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Lions Den at Ally Outdoors. The five-course meal will feature summer butter lettuce salad, creamy lobster pasta, Sicilian flatbread, filet mignon oscar and old-fashioned apple dumpling. Tickets at $125 per person and can be reserved by calling Whitney at 817.733.1699.

--This Saturday, support the 3:11 Ministries Pints for Pencils back-to-school fundraiser event. Starting at 6 p.m. at Eccentric Brewing at 1402 Cotton Flat Road, there will be Pachuco Mobile Food Truck and live music with 12 craft beers on tap. Patrons can buy a $15 glass and have $5 beer fills all night long.

--The Midland Downtown Farmers Market will host a back-to-school drive this Saturday. The Rainbow Room will distribute backpacks to Permian Basin children in Child Protective Services and foster care in August. The supplies are being gathered for a fill the backpack work session at the end of July. Drop off school supplies to be donated to children. A Drop-off box will be located on the K Street curve in front of The Soap Company. Items that can be donated include backpacks, binders, colored pencils, composition notebooks, crayons, dividers, earbuds and headphones, erasers, folders, glue and glue sticks, hand sanitizer, highlighters, markers, notebook paper, pens and pencils, pencil pouches or boxes, rulers, scissors, spiral notebooks and tissues.
Jeff Bezos is headed to space. But first he has to pass through Van Horn, Texas.

A dot on the map along Interstate 10 between El Paso and San Antonio, Van Horn, population less than 2,000, considers Bezos a neighbor. From the towns main drag, its just a 40-mile drive to Blue Origins launch pad, where he intends to rocket into space for a few minutes in his Blue Origin spacecraft on July 20. As distances go in this part of Texas, thats next door.

A two-mile strip book-ended by 2 truck stops, Van Horn is about 100 miles from the nearest town and is, in fact, the only one in all of Culberson County, nearly 4,000 square miles of arid scrublands and mountain ranges, including Guadalupe Peak, the highest mountain in the state. Aside from Van Horn, theres only a nearby ghost town.

The few inhabitants of this vast patch of West Texas have typically sustained themselves through ranching, mining and irrigated farming. Next week its newest industry will take center stage when Bezos, the worlds richest man, and three other civilian crewmembers take off on Blue Origins space flight, headed some 60 miles above Earth. While Bezos takes to the skies, the towns citizenry will be wondering just how his space obsession may change their lives and fortunes  if at all.

The launch has been years in the making since Bezos acquired a sprawling parcel of land for his spaceport in 2005. The company completed the main launchpad for its New Shepard rocket in 2014 and has added other facilities for engine testing, rocket housing, and a training facility and lounge called Astronaut Village where Bezos will wait before boarding his spaceship.

Blue Origin has also been building in town: One 48-unit apartment building on the towns main street, along with 12 single-family houses. All of these have filled up with mostly well-paid, highly educated employees, mostly from out of state, including families who now call Van Horn home. Several have since joined the local school board and the town council and some have joined up as volunteer firefighters.

But Blue Origin has otherwise mostly kept the town at arms length. Few if any of the currently 275 full-time jobs at the spaceport have gone to townspeople, who say they dont know much about what goes on out at the launch site. And when they try to find out from engineers and rocket scientists whose paths they sometimes cross, theyre often told that Blue Origin staff are under nondisclosure agreements.

Almost anyone that works there is very closed-mouthed, says Jon Means, who runs the Means Ranch, south-east of Van Horn in Jeff Davis county. You ask them where they ate lunch and they'll hardly tell you.

Blue Origin, of course, isnt the only billionaire-backed space company to set up in Western states and sometimes alienate locals. Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. was accused of bullying residents into selling their houses in Boca Chica, Texas, on the border with Mexico. In New Mexico, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic persuaded the state to fund a $215 million spaceport where Branson took off on July 11, then safely glided back to a landing strip on the site less than an hour later.

Back in Van Horn, Means makes the trip into Van Horn regularly to buy groceries for his family and to fill up his truck with gas. He says hes got nothing against Bezos and Blue Origin  the space companys activities havent disturbed his cattle, for one thing  and he thinks over time county tax revenue from Blue Origin will benefit the town.

But thats pretty much where the space-age boom stops for Van Horn as Means sees it. If anything, Blue Origins presence has caused the citys annual budget to take a hit. Historically, Van Horn had been a low- and moderate-income town that qualified for state and federal grants to help pay for infrastructure like roads and new water tanks. Now, the influx of high-paid engineering staff has changed its demographics, making Van Horn ineligible for those grants.

Blue Origin says it has helped bring in more than $1 million for the community through grants to the benefit of the school district, food bank and town infrastructure. The company says it also has an agreement with the school district to support higher education and job skills funding.

City officials confirm that Blue Origin has written letters to support the towns attempts to get funding for various projects. And personnel from the spaceport have given classes on robotics at the local high school and engaged in tutoring.

For some locals, such measures bode well for the future. It used to be there's Van Horn here and Blue Origin over there, the citys mayor Becky Brewster says, explaining the two havent had much to do with each other since Bezoss space company first showed up. Theyre now starting to integrate. It's just going to get bigger, the launches are going to get more frequent.

Brewster and her family go way back. Before becoming Van Horn mayor last year, she had been a city administrator for 30 years until 2009. Her father, Okey D. Lucas, was also once the towns mayor. Its municipal park is named after him. Shes hopeful Blue Origin will do more than bring in space tourists and step up local infrastructure investments, including more housing.

Ron Buxton arrived in town five years ago to become pastor of the Van Horn Community Church. He also runs the towns only coffee shop and his wife works at one of the truck stops. When the couple arrived from El Paso, Buxton was also hopeful that Bezos and his spaceport would inject the town with new energy and keep younger people from moving away in search of jobs.

When I first got here I thought this town was going to take off. That it was going to be a boomtown, Buxton says. I don't get that impression anymore.

Even so, the towns people are ecstatic about the July 20 mission, Buxton says. Too bad the only way theyll get a close look is on their TVs. Highway 54, which leads to the launch site, will be barricaded at about 11 miles from the spaceports perimeter.
TORONTO (AP)  Canada announced Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7.

Officials said the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived as of Aug. 9 for eligible travelers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, who said he spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday, said the U.S. has not yet indicated any plan to change current restrictions at the land border. Canadians are able to fly into the United States with a negative COVID-19 test.

Asked in Washington if the U.S. would reciprocate, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, "We are continuing to review our travel restrictions. Any decisions about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. ... I wouldnt look at it through a reciprocal intention.

U.S. Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins, whose district includes Buffalo and Niagara Falls, said the U.S. has neglected to give reopening the northern border the serious attention it deserves, and there is no excuse.

Canadian officials also announced that children who aren't vaccinated but are travelling with vaccinated parents won't have to quarantine, but will have to avoid group activities including schools and daycare centers.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also said a ban on direct flights from India will be extended to Aug. 21 because of the delta variant. The situation in India is still very serious, he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that Canada could start allowing fully vaccinated Americans into the country as of mid-August for nonessential travel and should be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September.

Canada leads G20 countries in vaccination rates, with approximately 80% of eligible Canadians vaccinated with their first dose and over 50% of those eligible fully vaccinated.

This weekend, we even passed the U,S. in terms of fully vaccinated people, Trudeau said. Thanks to the rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, we are able to move forward with adjusted border measures.

Reopening to the U.S first is a recognition of our unique bond, especially between border communities," Trudeau said.

In the early days of the pandemic, the U.S. and Canadian governments closed the more than 5,500-mile (8,800-kilometer) border to nonessential traffic. With increasing vaccination rates and dropping infection rates, some were annoyed the two governments hadnt laid out plans to fully reopen the border.

Canada began easing its restrictions earlier this month, allowing fully vaccinated Canadians or permanent legal residents to return Canada without quarantining. But among the requirements are a negative test for the virus before returning, and another once they get back.

Pressure has been mounting on Canada to continue to ease the restrictions at the border, which have been in effect since March 2020. Providing exemptions for travel into Canada amid the pandemic is politically sensitive and Trudeau is expected to call a federal election next month.

Canadian officials have said they would like 75% of eligible Canadian residents to be fully vaccinated before loosening border restrictions for tourists and business travelers. The Canadian government expects to have enough vaccine delivered for 80% of eligible Canadians to be fully vaccinated by the end of July. The U.S. only allowed for exports of vaccines into Canada in early May.

Commercial traffic has gone back and forth normally between the two countries since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs $1.5 billion. Canadian officials say Canada had about 22 million foreign visitors in 2019  about 15 million of them from the United States.
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The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that college athletes can be compensated for their name, image and likeness (NIL). Although schools are not allowed to pay athletes to play sports, student-athletes can be paid by others. Student-athletes can accept money from businesses in exchange for allowing the businesses to feature them in advertisements or products. Athletes can use their status to promote their own public appearances, to start their own sports camps and teach lessons, to sell memorabilia, to make paid speaking engagements and to launch their own businesses. Do you think college athletes should be allowed to profit from their NIL? Choices are:

You voted:
For those leaving, or those just starting out in the 4-H program, the year has been about working hard, patience and family.

For many in the program, membership into the program is a tradition, with parents raising animals and passing down the love to their children.

For Mollie Allen, 18, of Jacksonville the upcoming year will be her final year in 4-H, but she said she is thankful for the time she has gotten to spend in the program.

Ive been in 4-H for 10 years and my family has been really involved, so it was a no-brainer for me to join, Allen said.

Taking after her mom who showcased rabbits, the Franklin graduate has shown rabbits all 10 years, while also showing hogs the past five.

Raising the hogs and training them has taught her valuable lessons, she said.

Its taught me hard work, dedication and most of all, patience, Allen said. Hogs are stubborn, so you have to be patient.

For 9-year-old Ryder Armstrong of Jacksonville, this is his first year in the program, but he too is following in a his family's footsteps.

4-H was something I knew I wanted to do, Armstrong said. My parents were both in 4-H. My mom was in East Side Jrs. and her leader was also Caroline Bartz. Her son, Todd, is who helped me along with my swine project this year.

This year Armstrong showed his pig, Throttle, as well as a project on tractor safety at the Morgan County Fair. His tractor project will be going to the Illinois State Fair.

Raising goats, a horse, donkey and ducks as well, Armstrong said he enjoys taking care of animals and 4-H is helping him learn about them and showcase them.

Being in 4-H helps me learn more about my animals and crops that I am growing, he said. I really like fishing and I learned a lot about the parts of a fish this year with my sport fishing project.

For Armstrong, the family ties to 4-H will be stronger next year as well.

The best thing about next year is my sister will be old enough to join East Side Jrs. with me. She already has her gilt (female pig) named and we will have fun practicing all this together, Armstrong said.

Allen said being a part of 4-H is something shell not forget anytime soon.

My favorite part would be all the life lessons and all the activities Ive gotten to participate in through 4-H, Allen said. I got to meet new friends that I might not have gotten to meet, got to do different activities, volunteer, got opportunities in the community.

The biggest thing Allen said she is going to miss as she moves on to college at Lincoln Land Community College next school year is the all the meet she got to surround herself with while in 4-H.

Ill miss the people and the atmosphere that comes with 4-H, Allen said.
A Springfield attorney who has been a longtime legal adviser to newspapers in Illinois has been appointed the next president of the Illinois Press Association.

Donald M. Craven has provided legal counsel to members of the Illinois Press Association and Illinois Press Foundation for nearly four decades. He was interim president and CEO of the association from 2009 to 2010, and again in 2017.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is not changing the norms at a contested site in Jerusalem to allow Jewish prayer there, his office said Monday, walking back comments that sparked angry reactions a day earlier.

Bennett, Israel's new premier, had raised concerns on Sunday when he said Israel was committed to protecting freedom of worship for Jews at the hilltop compound. Under a long-standing practice, Jews are allowed to visit  but not pray -- at the site, which they revere as the Temple Mount and which Muslims hold sacred as the home of the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Chicago has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently came under scrutiny for poor treatment of her staff. An email brought to light by The Chicago Tribune shows Lightfoot repeating herself like a petulant child. Her loss of temper is almost comedic. Whats more concerning and far more serious, however, is the sharp increase in violent crime Lightfoots city has seen this year.

Crime rates in Americas third-largest city have risen exponentially over the last year  a problem big cities across America are all facing. And while much attention has been given to the increase in violent crime rates in the U.S., another issue plaguing major metropolises has taken the backseat, as it always does: Property crime.

Its not usually considered a pressing issue, but recent evidence shows that property crime can destroy lives, close businesses, and hurt marginalized communities. As mayors all across America prepare for a summer surge in crime, they should certainly focus on abating violence, but they should be careful not to neglect the criminal property damage thats deeply affecting neighborhoods and communities.

Businesses are run by real people, and property damage like vandalism often hurts vulnerable small business owners the most. After a Black-owned business in Chicago was destroyed during the police protests-turned-riots last year, the family lamented that they had lost everything [they had] worked for in one day. Shatira Wilks, another woman of color, said she didnt know if [she] was going to cry when her Edible Arrangements store was destroyed in similar fashion.

Instances like these have happened all over the U.S. in 2020. While anecdotes about businesses like Wilks being robbed may tug at readers heartstrings, owners of damaged property are devastated. Nevertheless, theyre treated like second-class victims. This stems from a serious misconception that because businesses are insured, owners will be reimbursed for their losses. This is not the case. Not only does it take months to recoup insurance money, which can sink a business, but also, insurance claims are rarely fully filled.

For small business owners, particularly historically marginalized ones, setbacks from property crime can put an entrepreneur into bankruptcy. Unfortunately, police departments often treat property crime with a lighter hand.

For instance, last summer the Chicago Police Department arrested over a thousand individuals for disorderly conduct. Of those arrested, only a fraction faced serious charges. Mayor Lightfoot authorized 10 million dollars be given to small businesses affected by the violence, but then she asked private companies and independent philanthropists to help community businesses financially. That implies she knew the 10 million authorized would not be enough.

Unsurprisingly, small business owners in Chicago today say they are still reeling financially.

Chicago is not alone in dealing with this problem. Nearly every major American city can point to high-profile instances of businesses being targeted. In total, over 300,000 instances of property crime occur in New York, Houston, and Chicago alone. New York City, for instance, reports nearly 20,000 robberies every year  nearly 50 robberies every day. Thats a staggering number, and its a problem thats woefully underreported. With no political pressure on politicians, costly property damage keeps occurring.

The frequency of property crime is directly linked to policy decisions. For example, San Francisco recently changed their policing guidelines and stopped enforcing shoplifting valued under $900. In just a few months, there was a noticeable uptick in shoplifting. This policy culminated in a viral episode of brazen stealing that caught headlines last week.

While this should not surprise policymakers, it should concern them. In response to San Franciscos shoplifting problem, 17 Walgreens stores have closed and the company isnt planning on staying in the city. New York and Chicago are experiencing a similar wave of businesses leaving their inner cities. While high taxes and an unfavorable business climate is one causal factor for this exodus, the impact of criminality should not be downplayed.

Even companies in culturally liberal centers like Portland, Oregon, are complaining about unenforced property laws.

Despite the increased look at systematic problems, be it systemic racism or systemic voter fraud, property crime is seemingly treated like a series of isolated instances. This is a mistake. If politicians want to be serious about preventing systemic injustices, they should aggressively target property crime. If they refuse, they will end up driving away the community members they are supposed to help.

Sean-Michael Pigeon is the College Fix fellow at National Review and a contributor to Young Voices. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Australia deports commentator Hopkins for quarantine boast View Photo

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia on Monday after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach the countrys quarantine rules.

Hopkins traveled to Australia to appear in a reality television program and was in a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney before filming was to start.

Her flight to Australia last week created outrage after the government halved the number of Australian citizens and permanent residents allowed to return home each week to 3,000 to try to reduce the risk of COVID-19 leaking from hotel quarantine. More than 34,000 Australians who want to come home remain stranded overseas.

Australias two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are under lockdown to contain a coronavirus outbreak caused by the more contagious delta variant.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said Hopkins would be deported after boasting on Instagram her intention to flout quarantine rules.

Its appalling that this individual behaved the way that she did and she will be leaving, Andrews said.

We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that, Andrews added.

Hopkins left on a commercial flight from Sydneys airport early Monday afternoon, a government official said on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to make the information public.

Hopkins, who has also gained notoriety for her anti-Muslim and anti-immigration comments, described pandemic lockdowns as the greatest hoax in human history.

Her social media following was expanded by then-President Donald Trump who often retweeted her before Twitter permanently banned her in June last year for breaching the platforms hateful conduct policy.

In a since-deleted Instagram video from her hotel room, she said that she planned to frighten staff who brought meals to her door by confronting them naked and without a mask.

People in quarantine are not allowed to open their hotel room doors until 30 seconds after their meals have been delivered and must wear masks while their doors are open.

Andrews described Hopkins comments as shameful.

The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling, Andrews said. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and its just unacceptable behavior.

Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the program Big Brother VIP in which Hopkins was to appear, said on Sunday her contract was cancelled.

Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine, the companies said in a joint statement.

By ROD McGUIRK

Associated Press
Graft trial resumes for South Africas jailed ex-president View Photo

JOHANNESBURG (AP)  The corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma resumed Monday, more than a week after his imprisonment for contempt of court in a separate case set off rioting in parts of the country.

Zuma is accused of receiving bribes from the French arms manufacturer Thales related to the countrys controversial 1999 arms procurement contracts. The trial is taking place virtually, but Zumas lawyers are trying to postpone the proceedings so he can appear physically in court.

Zuma appeared on camera from the Estcourt Correctional Center in KwaZulu-Natal, the first time he has been seen publicly since he started serving his sentence on July 8. He wore a dark suit and a red tie.

Zumas lawyers argued the case should be delayed until Zuma can physically attend the trial in Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital. His lawyers said that because he is only able to attend the trial online, Zuma is being denied his right to consult with his legal team.

The state has characterized the claim as another attempt by Zuma to avoid answering serious allegations against him. The court is expected to rule on the postponement request Tuesday.

The former presidents imprisonment earlier this month triggered protests that escalated into widespread unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, Zumas home province, and in Gauteng, the province that includes Johannesburg, South Africas largest city. Zumas supporters forced the closure of strategic highways and rioters ransacked malls and shopping centers in poor areas. In KwaZulu-Natal warehouses and factories were looted and then burned by arsonists.

At least 215 people died in the rioting, many of them crushed during chaotic rampages in shops. More than 2,500 people have been arrested for theft and vandalism. Order was restored following the deployment of 2,500 army troops to assist police.

At the time he is alleged to have received the bribes, Zuma was a high-ranking official in the ruling African National Congress party and a provincial minister in KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma is alleged to have received the bribes through his former financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, who was convicted on related charges in 2005, sentenced to prison and later released on medical parole.

Zumas lawyers are also expected to press his application for the lead prosecutor in the case, Billy Downer, to recuse himself from the states legal team. Zumas lawyers have argued that Downer is biased against Zuma.

The corruption case is different from Zumas contempt of court conviction. Zuma had defied court orders to testify before a state inquest into allegations of corruption during his 2009-2018 presidency. The judicial inquest has heard damning testimony of widespread corruption during Zumas administration.

The Constitutional Court is considering his request to have his 15-month contempt of court sentence rescinded. Zumas lawyers have argued that the nations apex court made errors when convicting and sentencing him.

Assessing the damage done to South Africas economy by the unrest, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that the nation has already begun recovering from the violence.

But we are not only rebuilding our country after the destruction of the past week; we are rebuilding after the devastation of decades of dispossession and exploitation, Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation.

We need to fundamentally transform our economy and our society, deepening our efforts to create employment, lift millions out of poverty and ensure that the countrys wealth is shared among all its people, he said. The events of the last week are a stark reminder of how deep the problems are and how far we still have to go. These events must propel us to act with greater purpose and speed.

Ramaphosa also reiterated that the violence was not spontaneous but allegedly planned.

Those who lit the tinderbox of this unrest hoped to mobilize our people by exploiting their conditions of hardship. They were counting on citizens falling for crude propaganda designed to turn them not just against the state, but against each other, the South African leader said. What they were not counting on was the enduring ability of South Africans to unite in the face of a common threat.

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME and ANDREW MELDRUM

Associated Press
American father, son get Japan prison terms for Ghosn escape View Photo

TOKYO (AP)  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japans criminal justice system. Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was broke, denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses.

But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

The father and son, both wearing dark suits and flanked by guards, stood before the court in silence.

The Taylors defense lawyer Keiji Isaji sought a speedy trial. Many Japanese trials last for months, if not years.

The maximum penalty in Japan for helping a criminal is three years in prison. Prosecutors had demanded a sentence of of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for his son.

The Taylors defense had argued for suspended sentences for the two, who spent 10 months in custody in the U.S. before their extradition.

But Nirei said the time they were held before and during trial would not count as time served, saying they were not directly related and should be treated differently. There is a limit to how much we can consider, he said.

In December 2019, Ghosn left his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka. At a hotel there, he hid in a big box supposedly containing audio equipment, that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe, according to prosecutors.

Another man, George-Antoine Zayek, is accused in the escape, but has not been arrested.

Separately, Greg Kelly, a former top Nissan executive, is on trial in Tokyo on charges of falsifying securities reports on Ghosns compensation. Kelly, arrested at the same time as Ghosn, also says he is innocent.

A verdict in Kellys trial, which began in September last year, is not expected until next year. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions. Upon conviction, the charges Kelly faces carry the maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

By YURI KAGEYAMA

AP Business Writer
UK government backs Guaido claim in Venezuelan gold fight View Photo

LONDON (AP)  The British government sought Monday to prevent Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from gaining access to nearly $2 billion of gold held by the Bank of England as the U.K. Supreme Court started hearing a case that hinges on the question of who should be considered the Latin American nations president.

Britain told the court that its recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido as president is clear and longstanding, and therefore he is the person authorized to decide how the gold held by Britains central bank should be used. The governments statement came after a lower court said the U.K.s recognition of Guaido was ambiguous.

The U.K. government has the right to decide who to recognize as the legitimate head of a foreign state, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement. The U.K. recognizes Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela and consequentially he is the only individual recognized to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state.

Maduro has demanded access to the gold to help his cash-starved nation fight the coronavirus pandemic. But the Bank of England has refused to hand it over, citing the British governments recognition of Guaido.

Guaido has sought to preserve the gold stash at the Bank of England to keep it out of the hands of the Maduro government, which it contends is illegitimate and corrupt.

Guaido, who was the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly, challenged Maduros claim to the presidency, arguing that his 2018 election was rigged and invalid. Guaido says he is the countrys interim president under provisions of the constitution that allow the head of the legislature to take power until free elections can be held.

Countries including the U.S. and the U.K. have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, although China, Russia and many others havent and Maduro holds effective power within Venezuela.

The battle over the gold is being fought out between two competing governing boards of the Central Bank of Venezuela, one appointed by Maduro and the other by Guaido.

Guaido, who is represented by the law firm Arnold & Porter, is arguing there is nothing ambiguous about the U.K. actions.

Maduros lawyers argue that hes still president of Venezuela and that the U.K. has recognized this by continuing diplomatic relations with his government.

Leigh Crestohl, a lawyer representing the Maduro board, said the U.K. governments position threatens the attractiveness of the City of London and the Bank of England as a secure place for foreign assets.

International observers to this case may be surprised by the possibility that a unilateral statement of political recognition by the U.K. government can dispossess a foreign sovereign of assets deposited in London without any recourse in the English court, Crestohl, a partner at the London-based law firm Zaiwalla & Co., said in a statement. This is all the more so where that recognition ignores the reality on the ground.

By DANICA KIRKA

Associated Press
CA Secretary of State Logo View Photo

Sacramento, CA  A former state senator who represented Calaveras County is among the candidates on the list trying to recall Governor Gavin Newsom.

Republican Ted Gaines, who is now an elected Board of Equalization member, has entered the race. He is on the list of official candidates released by the California Secretary of States office over the weekend.

Click here to view. There is a mix of Republicans, Democrats, Green Party and No Party Preference entrants.

Gaines joins many others that earlier announced plans, like former Congressman Doug Ose, businessman John Cox, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner.

There are also two people with Calaveras County addresses on the list. They include Denver Stoner of Murphys and Diego Martinez of San Andreas, both Republicans.

One candidate who failed to make the list is conservative talk radio host Larry Elder. State officials say he submitted incomplete tax returns. Candidates must submit returns for the past five years to be eligible for the ballot. He announced last night that he plans to sue the state. The election is on September 14.
Auburn, CA Sierra Nevada Conservancy(SNC) was awarded $19 million dollars in grant funding under a new Immediate Action Wildfire and Forest Resilience grant program. The money will be used to fund projects throughout the state of California but notably in the Motherlode, it will include a Rim Fire Recovery project.

The Stanislaus National Forest will thin 684 acres of pine plantation in southern Tuolumne County near Groveland and Greely Hill. The areas of pine plantation selected for this project burned at low or moderate severity in the location of the 2013 Rim Fire footprint, leaving a high density of live trees and excessive amounts of ground and surface fuels. The goals for this project will be to improve forest structure and increase wildfire resilience, more resistance to drought conditions, and additionally more hardened to pest infestations.

The location is within the Wildland Urban Interface and is hoping to protect communities and public infrastructure from potential wildfires. SNF will be partnering with Yosemite Stanislaus and the Mule Deer Foundation to implement this project. Below is a map of the planned project area. For a detailed list of every project that the grant money will fund, click here.
Biden calls Jordan king a loyal ally in tough neighborhood View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden praised King Abdullah II of Jordan as a stalwart ally in a tough neighborhood as the two leaders huddled at the White House on Monday, a meeting that came at a pivotal moment for both leaders in the Middle East.

Last week a Jordanian state security court sentenced two former officials to 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the king uncovered earlier this year that involved Abdullahs half-brother.

Meanwhile, Biden, who has put much of his foreign policy focus on China and Russia in the early going, faces some difficult issues in the Middle East. He is dealing with stepped-up attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias at the same moment that his administration is trying to nudge Iran back to the negotiating table to revive the nuclear agreement that Donald Trump abandoned during his presidency.

You have always been there, and we will always be there for Jordan, Biden said during an Oval Office meeting with Abdullah and his son, the Crown Prince Hussein.

Abdullah had a difficult relationship with Trump, who he saw as undercutting any chance for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians with his 2017 declaration of Jerusalem as Israels capital. He also chaffed at the Trump administrations pursuit of what officials called the Abraham Accords  deals with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco that normalized relations with Israel but left out the Palestinians.

Biden has no plans to reverse U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. His administration has even praised the Trump-brokered accords  a rare instance of the Democratic administration speaking positively of the former administration.

Biden planned to stress to Abdullah in private that the accords are not an end run on finding the way to a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Abdullah, for his part, praised Biden for setting the standard internationally in the battle against COVID-19. The U.S. delivered 500,000 vaccines to Jordan days ahead of the kings visit. The king also appeared to make clear that he was looking to reset the U.S.  Jordan relationship after a four bumpy years with Trump.

You can always count on me, my country, and many of our colleagues in the region, Abdullah said.

The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria  more than 1 million Syrian refugees have fled the war-ravaged nation for Jordan  and a wobbly security situation in Iraq, an administration official said. At least eight drone attacks have targeted the U.S. military presence in Iraq since Biden took office in January, as well as 17 rocket attacks.

Abdullah is set to have a working breakfast Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris and to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting with Biden was also a chance for the king to spotlight his closeness to Biden following the attempted coup.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. Both men denied the charges and Awadallahs U.S. lawyer said his client alleged he was tortured in Jordanian detention and fears for his life.

They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the kings half-brother. Biden, who has known Abdullah for years, was quick to publicly express strong U.S. support for Jordan and praise the kings leadership after details of the coup attempt were unveiled in April.

Its unclear if Biden raised the United States long-standing call to extradite Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi, a Palestinian woman living in Jordan who is wanted by the U.S. on a charge of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals.

The Trump administration last year indicated it was considering withholding aid to Jordan in a bid to secure al-Tamimis extradition. She was convicted in Israel of a 2001 bombing of a Tel Aviv restaurant that killed 15 people, including two American citizens. She has lived freely in Jordan since she was released in a Hamas-Israel prisoner swap in 2011.

Biden administration officials have previously made clear to Jordan that the extradition of al-Tamimi, who is on the FBIs most wanted list, is of high-interest to the United States, according to the administration official.

Arnold Roth, whose 15-year-old daughter, Malki, was killed in the bombing, noted that Biden has spoken frequently of decency and dignity as paramount values in how hell run his administration. Roth and his wife, Frimet, wrote Blinken and other administration officials last month calling on the administration to press Abdullah for extradition. He said they received no response from the administration beyond acknowledgement that their letter was received.

I cant think of two words that more powerfully encapsulate what weve been deprived of in all of our dealings with the U.S. government, Roth said.

By AAMER MADHANI

Associated Press
Ben & Jerrys to stop sales in West Bank, east Jerusalem View Photo

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  Ben & Jerrys said Monday it was going to stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are inconsistent with our values.

The announcement was one of the strongest and highest-profile rebukes by a well-known company of Israels policy of settling its citizens on war-won lands. The settlements are widely seen by the international community as illegal and obstacles to peace.

The move by the Vermont-based ice cream company drew swift reproach from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former leader of the West Bank settlement movement who called it an immoral decision and I believe that it will turn out to be a business mistake, too.

The company informed its longstanding licensee  responsible for manufacturing and distributing the ice cream in Israel  that it will not renew the license agreement when it expires at the end of next year, according to a statement posted on the Vermont-based companys website.

The Ben & Jerrys statement cited the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.

The company did not explicitly identify those concerns, but last month, a group called Vermonters for Justice in Palestine called on Ben & Jerrys to end complicity in Israels occupation and abuses of Palestinian human rights.

How much longer will Ben & Jerrys permit its Israeli-manufactured ice cream to be sold in Jewish-only settlements while Palestinian land is being confiscated, Palestinian homes are being destroyed, and Palestinian families in neighborhoods like Sheik Jarrah are facing eviction to make way for Jewish settlers? the organizations Ian Stokes said in a June 10 news release.

In a Monday statement, the organization said Ben & Jerrys actions did not go far enough.

By maintaining a presence in Israel, Ben & Jerrys continues to be complicit in the killing, imprisonment and dispossession of Palestinian people and the flaunting of international law, said the Vermont groups Kathy Shapiro.

The Israeli foreign ministry called Ben & Jerrys decision a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups and the company was cooperating with economic terrorism.

The decision is immoral and discriminatory, as it singles out Israel, harms both Israelis and Palestinians and encourages extremist groups who use bullying tactics, the ministry said in a statement. It also called on Ben & Jerrys to withdraw its decision.

While Ben & Jerrys products will not be sold in the settlements, the company said it will stay in Israel through a different arrangement. But doing so will be difficult. Major Israeli supermarket chains, the primary distribution channel for the ice cream maker, all operate in the settlements.

Founded in Vermont in 1978, but currently owned by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, Ben & Jerrys has not shied away from social causes. While many businesses tread lightly in politics for fear of alienating customers, the ice cream maker has taken the opposite approach, often espousing progressive causes.

Ben & Jerrys took a stand against what it called the Trump administrations regressive policies by rebranding one of its flavors Pecan Resist in 2018, ahead of midterm elections.

The company said Pecan Resist celebrated activists who were resisting oppression, harmful environmental practices and injustice. As part of the campaign, Ben & Jerrys said it was giving $25,000 each to four activist entities.

Aida Touma-Sliman, an Israeli lawmaker with the Joint List of Arab parties, wrote on Twitter that Ben and Jerrys decision Monday was appropriate and moral. She added that the occupied territories are not part of Israel and that the move is an important step to help pressure the Israeli government to end the occupation.

The West Bank and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the two territories  roughly 500,000 in the occupied West Bank and 200,000 in east Jerusalem.

Israel treats the two areas separately, considering east Jerusalem as part of its capital. Meanwhile, Israel considers the West Bank as disputed territory whose fate should be resolved in negotiations. However the international community considers both areas to be occupied territory. The Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of a future independent state, with east Jerusalem as their capital.

Israel in recent years has become a partisan issue in Washington, with many Democrats  particularly of the partys progressive wing  growing increasingly critical over a number of Israeli policies, including settlement construction, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus close ties with former President Trump. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been an outspoken critic of Israel.

The BDS movement  shorthand for a grassroots, Palestinian-led movement that advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses  applauded Ben & Jerrys decision as a decisive step towards ending the companys complicity in Israels occupation and violations of Palestinian rights, but called upon the company to do more.

We hope that Ben & Jerrys has understood that, in harmony with its social justice commitments, there can be no business as usual with apartheid Israel, a statement read.

The Israeli government says the BDS movement masks a deeper aim of delegitimizing or even destroying the entire country.

The Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing the roughly 500,000 Israelis living in West Bank settlements, said theres no need to buy products from companies that boycott hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens because of the place they choose to live. It said Ben & Jerrys decision brought a bad spirit to such a sweet industry and called on Israelis to buy locally produced ice cream this summer.

Ben & Jerrys move on Monday may not be the final chapter in the saga. Airbnb announced in 2018 that it would stop advertising properties in Israeli settlements. Several months later, after coming under harsh criticism from Israel and a federal lawsuit by Israeli Americans who owned property in the settlements, the company reversed its decision.

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Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont, and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

By WILSON RING and JOSEF FEDERMAN

Associated Press
French president honors US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson View Photo

PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday made American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson a commander of the Legion of Honor, Frances highest award, for helping change the destiny of the United States and with it, the world.

Jackson, 79, who had gallbladder surgery this year and is being treated for Parkinsons disease, had visible difficulty walking. The founder of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition and two-time U.S. presidential candidate sat beside the podium as Macron spoke at a ceremony in Paris.

Hes a visionary with talent for uniting and leading people, whose moral and physical courage has helped him to overcome adversity and change the destiny of the United States, our oldest ally, and to change our world for the better, Macron said at the gathering at the presidential Elysee Palace.

Speaking in English, the French president called Jackson a great friend of France and very popular in our country, but not just in our country.

Macron recounted Jacksons life, from his childhood in segregated South Carolina to his work with Martin Luther King Jr. and his activism in Chicago. After draping a red ribbon with a medal around Jacksons neck. Macron clasped his hand amid applause from the small invited audience. Jackson did not make any remarks during the ceremony.

The civil rights leader has remained active despite his health problems. He has advocated for vaccinations against COVID-19 in Black communities with below-average inoculation rates.

Through Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH, the 1984 and 1988 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination also has continuing to advocate for voting rights. Last month, Jackson he was arrested and ticketed for obstructing traffic during a voting rights demonstration near the U.S. Capitol.

Macron described the world of institutionalized inequality that Jackson grew up in and that shaped his future as a civil rights leader. He recounted Jacksons failed bids for the presidency and said, You paved the way for those who came after.

Referring to Barack Obamas election as the first Black president of the United States, the French leader asserted that 2008 would definitely have been impossible without your fights and your contribution.

Macron also recounted a less-known story for which you never sought credit, Jacksons 1990 role in freeing French hostages. During the first Gulf War, citizens from several countries trying to stop the invasion of Kuwait were taken hostage by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Macron said Jackson negotiated the release of French citizens and thanks to you, they were safely returned to their families.

You are a brother to us, Macron said.
In step to shut Guantanamo, Biden transfers Moroccan home View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration took a step toward its goal of shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center for terror suspects Monday, releasing into the custody of his home country a Moroccan whod been held without charge almost since the U.S. opened the facility 19 years ago.

The transfer of Abdullatif Nasser was the first by the Biden administration, reviving an Obama administration effort that had been stymied by conservative opposition and the difficulty of resolving the remaining few dozen cases, including finding secure sites to send some of the detainees.

Rights groups have called the detentions and detention camp, opened under President George W. Bush after the 2001 al-Qaida attacks, a historic wrong by the United States. There were allegations of torture in early questioning, and challenges to the lawfulness of military tribunals there. The Bush administration and supporters called the camp, on a U.S. naval base in Cuba, essential to safely managing international terror suspects.

A review board had recommended repatriation for Nasser, who is in his mid-50s, in July 2016, but he had remained at Guantanamo under President Donald Trump, who opposed closing the site.

In announcing Nassers transfer, the Pentagon cited the boards determination that his detention was no longer necessary to protect U.S. national security.

Nasser, also known as Abdul Latif Nasser, arrived Monday in Morocco. Police took him into custody and said they would investigate him on suspicion of committing terrorist acts  though he was never charged while in Guantanamo.

Nassers attorney in Morocco, Khalil Idrissi, said the years Nasser spent in Guantanamo were unjustified and outside the law, and what he suffered remains a stain of disgrace on the forehead of the American system.

The State Department said President Joe Bidens administration would continue a deliberate and thorough process aimed at reducing the detainee population at Guantanamo while also safeguarding the security of the United States and its allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was considering all available options for safely transferring out the last detainees and shutting down Guantanamo.

That would mean succeeding where President Barack Obama had failed. Shortly after he took office in January 2009, Obama had pledged to close the detention camp within a year. Psaki at a White House briefing declined to set any timeline.

The Biden administration is also moving rapidly this summer to end U.S. military combat in Afghanistan, another lingering legacy dating back to the first weeks of the American retaliation against the al-Qaida plotters responsible for the 9/11 attacks and against al-Qaidas Afghan Taliban hosts.

Almost 800 detainees have passed through Guantanamo. Of the 39 remaining, 10 are eligible to be transferred out, 17 are eligible to go through the review process for possible transfer, another 10 are involved in the military commission process used to prosecute detainees and two have been convicted, a senior administration official said. The 10 eligible for transfer are from Yemen, Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

The administration didnt address how it would handle the ongoing effort to prosecute five men held at Guantanamo for the Sept. 11 attacks. Further complicating the effort to close the detention camp, the chief prosecutor of the alleged 9/11 conspirators earlier this month announced his retirement, raising questions about how the government would handle future trials.

It also has to deal with detainees that the Obama administration particularly struggled with, either because their home countries were not considered secure enough or because they were refused by third-party countries. About a third of the remaining prisoners are from the impoverished, warring country of Yemen.

The detention center opened in 2002. Bushs administration transformed what had been a quiet Navy outpost on Cubas southeastern tip into a place to interrogate and imprison people suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The Obama administration, seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had returned to the fight, set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat. It also planned to try some of the men in federal court.

But the closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the U.S., including for prosecution or medical care.

The prisoner transfer process stalled under Trump, who said even before taking office there should be no further releases from Gitmo, as Guantanamo Bay is often called. These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield, Trump said.

Under Trump, only one prisoner, a Saudi, was transferred to Saudi Arabia to serve the remainder of his sentence after he agreed to a plea bargain.

Under Obama, 197 were transferred to other countries, while 500 were transferred by Bush. Most of those still at the site are being held without charges.

The possibility that former Guantanamo prisoners would resume hostile activities has long been a concern that has played into the debate over releases. The office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a 2016 report that about 17% of the 728 detainees who had been released were confirmed and 12% were suspected of reengaging in such activities.

But the vast majority of those reengagements occurred with former prisoners who did not go through the security review that was set up under Obama. A task force that included the Defense Department and the CIA analyzed who was held at Guantanamo and determined who could be released.

The U.S. thanked Morocco for facilitating Nassers transfer.

The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries national security interests, the Pentagon statement said. The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdoms willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

In a statement, the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Rabat said the National Division of the Judicial Police in Casablanca had been instructed to open an investigation into Nasser on suspicion of committing terrorist acts. It didnt specify what those might be.

Idrissi, Nassers attorney, said judicial authorities should not take measures that prolong his torment and suffering, especially since he lived through the hell of Guantanamo.

Nasser initially got news he was going to be released in the summer of 2016, when one of his lawyers called him at the detention center and told him the U.S. had decided he no longer posed a threat. He thought hed be returned to Morocco soon.

Ive been here 14 years, he said at the time, five years ago. A few months more is nothing.

Nassers journey to the Cuban prison was a long one. He was a member of a nonviolent but illegal Moroccan Sufi Islam group in the 1980s, according to his Pentagon file. In 1996, he was recruited to fight in Chechnya but ended up in Afghanistan, where he trained at an al-Qaida camp. He was captured after fighting U.S. forces there and was sent to Guantanamo in May 2002.

An unidentified military official appointed to represent him before the review board said he studied math, computer science and English at Guantanamo, creating a 2,000-word Arabic-English dictionary. The official told the board that Nasser deeply regrets his actions of the past.

___

AP writers Tarik El-Barakah in Rabat, Morocco and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

By DINO HAZELL, ALEXANDRA JAFFE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER

Associated Press
Chief: Bomb squad caused Los Angeles fireworks explosion View Photo

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Los Angeles bomb technicians overloaded a containment chamber with homemade fireworks last month during a detonation, likely causing a catastrophic explosion that injured 17 people and rocked a neighborhood, the police chief said Monday.

Chief Michel Moore said five members of the departments bomb squad have been removed from field duties as the investigation continues. They could face discipline.

The explosion  which damaged dozens of homes, businesses and vehicles just days before July Fourth  was highly unusual, officials say, because such containment chambers are designed to withhold blasts. The bomb technicians overloaded it above the safety rating, however, even as authorities are investigating if the detonation device had a defect.

The incident has prompted the Los Angeles Police Department and FBI to review police protocols regarding the detonation of explosives. The Police Department is now requiring a captain to sign off on detonations, in addition to the two bomb technicians and a supervisor who are already required.

Residents in the neighborhood have called for accountability and asked why some people were still in their homes, despite a door-to-door evacuation order. Fireworks are illegal to sell or possess in Los Angeles and in unincorporated areas of the county.

Moore announced the preliminary findings of the investigation during a media briefing Monday. The Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter and other organizations will have their own news conference on Tuesday to demand more answers and reparations for the residents who were hurt in the blast. Some victims have filed legal claims  the precursor to lawsuits  against the city.

The explosion came after police had spent the day disposing of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of commercial-grade fireworks that were found in a South Los Angeles home following an early-morning tip. Those fireworks were detonated at an off-site location.

Police arrested resident Arturo Ceja, 26, on suspicion of possessing a destructive device. Police believe the fireworks were bought in Nevada and taken to Los Angeles to sell in the neighborhood for use on the Fourth of July.

Ceja was released on $500,000 bail and is due back in court in October. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Officers also found homemade fireworks at the home that were leaking and the bomb squad decided to detonate them in the neighborhood  believing they were too unstable to transport elsewhere. They examined them by X-ray and robotics and loaded them into the detonation chamber, officially called a total containment vessel.

The bomb technicians  without using a scale, as is allowed by Los Angeles police procedures to avoid additional handling of the unstable devices  estimated the weight of the homemade explosives and a counter-charge to be about 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms) in a standard flash powder measurement. That measurement is not the same as an items physical weight and is instead calculated as a TNT equivalent because explosives have different concentrations and therefore have varying explosive weights.

They arrived at 16.5 pounds by estimating that the smaller explosives  there were 280 of them  each weighed about a half an ounce (14 grams) in that standard measurement. The bomb technicians estimated that the 44 larger explosives  which were about the size of a soda can with a fuse  had about 1.5 ounces (42.5 grams) worth of flash powder.

Federal authorities who weighed the remains after the blast calculated that the weight was actually more than 42 pounds (19 kilograms) in the standard measurement. The smaller explosives were actually 1.37 ounces (38.9 grams) and the larger ones were about 5 ounces (142 grams).

The detonation chambers maximum capacity is 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) for multiple uses or 25 pounds (11 kilograms) for a single use, Moore said. The LAPD has not publicly identified the manufacturer of the detonation chamber, despite repeated requests.

The truck-mounted chamber used during the June 30 explosion had been in service for a decade and this was its 42nd time in use.

Nine police officers and a federal agent were among the injured. One officer was taken to the hospital and is now recovering at home.

The department is also looking at the practices of bomb squads nationwide to see if its standards are up-to-date. If the Los Angeles bomb squad is found to have been following the police departments protocol but, in fact, the departments procedures turn out to be inaccurate, Moore said the technicians will not be disciplined.

By STEFANIE DAZIO

Associated Press
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Washington's point man in talks aimed at ending decades of war in Afghanistan made a brief visit Monday to Pakistan as relations between Islamabad and Kabul reached a new low.

Zalmay Khalilzad's visit came just hours after Afghanistan withdrew its ambassador from Pakistan late Sunday after the diplomat's daughter was brutally attacked last week. The U.S. envoy met with Pakistans powerful army chief of staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa but nothing was immediately known of their discussions.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a long and troubled history, their relationship fraught with mistrust and suspicion. Each accuses the other of fomenting violence on its territory while also harboring its enemies. Pakistan also hosts nearly 2 million Afghans, refugees from four decades of war in their homeland, and many in Afghanistan have grown up as refugees in Pakistan before returning.

Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad from Qatar where the Taliban and Afghan government representatives have held two days of talks that ended late Sunday, with a promise by the warring sides to meet again.

It was the highest level of talks so far, aimed at jumpstarting a peace process that has stagnated for months while fighting inside Afghanistan soared as the U.S. and NATO complete their troop withdrawal.

Khalilzad had expressed hope that the sides would agree even to a temporary truce  to mark the most important Islamic holiday, Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice, which begins on Tuesday in most Muslim countries. Instead, the talks ended with a communique that offered little prospects of an end to fighting anytime soon.

It promised more high-level talks and offered promises of greater protection for Afghan civilians caught in the crossfire and for infrastructure.

Last week, Khalilzad attended an international conference in Uzbekistan that tried to find a resolution for the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan but the gathering did not produce a roadmap to end the fighting.

Pakistan is seen as key to peace in Afghanistan. The Taliban leadership is headquartered in Pakistan and Islamabad has used its leverage, which it says is now waning, to press the Taliban to talk peace.

In a statement following Khalilzad's visit, Pakistan said he met with the head of the powerful military and the head of the intelligence service known by its acronym ISI. He also met with Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said Pakistan gains nothing from continued fighting in Afghanistan.

Conflict and instability in Afghanistan was not in Pakistans interest as it would lead to serious challenges for Pakistan in areas of security and influx of refugees, Khan was quoted in the statement as saying.

Still, Kabul is deeply critical of Islamabads assistance to the Taliban, including hospital treatment for Taliban fighters wounded in battles in Afghanistan. In the most recent fighting in the town of Spin Boldak in southeastern Afghanistan, Taliban fighters were seen receiving treatment at a Pakistani hospital across the border in Chaman.

Senior Pakistani security officials had previously said that Khalilzad pressed Pakistan to push Taliban leaders to embrace a cease-fire or at least substantially reduce the violence in Afghanistan to allow a peace process to take root. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Pakistans military leadership has reportedly warned the Taliban  who have recently taken more and more territory amid battlefield wins against beleaguered Afghan forces  not to make a push on Kabul. Islamabad has also reportedly told the Taliban it will not recognize a government that comes to power by force.

Pakistan has also been deeply critical of Kabul saying it has allowed another militant group, the Pakistani Taliban  Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan  to find safety in Afghanistan from where they have launched a growing number of attacks targeting the Pakistan military.

While the two insurgent groups are separate, Afghan Taliban leaders have close ties with the Pakistani Taliban. Some analysts say Pakistan worries that if it pushed the Afghan Taliban too hard, they will in turn push the Pakistani Taliban to step-up their attacks.

In Kabul, the Afghan foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday saying it was recalling its senior diplomats from Islamabad over the assault on the ambassadors daughter. Silsila Alikhil, 26, was abducted in the middle of the afternoon in the Pakistani capital, held for several hours and brutally assaulted.

The ministry said the diplomats would not return to Islamabad until all security threats are met including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of the abduction.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Waiting among hundreds of fellow travelers to catch a ferry out of Bangladesh's capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was risking catching the coronavirus, but he felt it was even riskier to stay in Dhaka with another lockdown looming.

I have to pay rent every month even though I have no work, he said, adding that his landlord had been bothering him for money even as he was struggling just to feed himself. "I'd rather go to my village home and lead life as God lets me.

Nijam is among the tens of millions of Bangladeshis shopping and traveling this week during a controversial eight-day pause in the country's strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha. The suspension has been panned by health experts who warn it could exacerbate an ongoing surge fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first detected in neighboring India.

Already there is a scarcity of beds, ICUs, while our health care providers are exhausted," said said Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former chief of the governments Health Directorate. "So if the situation worsens and more patients come to hospitals, it will be near impossible to deal with the crisis.

With the spread of the virus rampant, most everything in Bangladesh was ordered shut on July 1, from markets to mass transportation. Soldiers and border guards patrolled the streets and thousands were arrested and sent to jail for violating the lockdown.

Yet even with the new restrictions, virus deaths still hovered around 200 each day and daily infections were still around 11,000, both thought to be undercounts. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.

Despite the warnings from experts  and with just over 4 million of the countrys 160 million people fully vaccinated  the government announced that from July 15-23, all restrictions would be lifted and everything would be reopened so people could celebrate the festival, which is normally a boon to the economy.

But, in all situations people must stay alert, use face masks and strictly follow health instructions, a government policy statement said.

Government officials have not responded to criticism of the move. An official with the Ministry of Public Administration, which issued the order pausing the lockdown, referred The Associated Press to the policy statement when asked for comment. Calls and emails to a spokesperson with the Health Ministry were not returned.

A junior minister from the Ministry of Public Administration, Farhad Hossain, told local media on Saturday that the lockdown needed to be eased as a lot of business revolves around the festival.

The result in the capital has been crowds of people jamming into malls and markets to do their holiday shopping and others thronging ports and bus stations as they try to make their way to their rural hometowns.

During the last major Islamic festival in May, an estimated 10 million of Dhaka's 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families. A similar number could travel this week, especially since many like Nijam, the construction worker, may be looking to wait out the next lockdown in their villages.

Among the huge crowd of people shopping at Dhakas New Market, was Shah Alam, a dental technician.

As the government has relaxed the situation for a few days, we are coming to markets to buy necessary goods," Alam said. We are trying to follow the health safety guidelines.

Ahmed, the health expert, said he sees the main risks of suspending the lockdown as people from the city spreading the virus to their villages and people spreading the virus while they pack into markets for their shopping, especially cattle markets where millions of people will buy animals to sacrifice for Eid al-Adha.

Maybe hundreds of thousands of cattle markets will be arranged throughout the country starting from remote village up to city, and the cattle sellers and others engaged in the business are mainly coming from rural areas, and possibly they will bring virus with them, he said.

According to his estimates, 30 million to 40 million people will gather for prayers in mosques or open fields across the country for the festival on Wednesday.

The Eid congregations are going to be a superspreading event," he said.

He said the month after the festival will be a critical time for a country that has already tallied nearly 1.1 million infections and nearly 18,000 deaths from the pandemic.

We may not actually avoid a catastrophic situation, he said.

___

Associated Press video journalist Al-emrun Garjon contributed to this report.
About half of the 12-15 year old population in most cities and towns may not be fully vaccinated when schools reopen in late August or early fall, according to data from the state Department of Public Health.

Achieving full protection from the coronavirus requires five weeks from the day of the first dose. Students who receive their first dose on July 20 and their second dose in August will be fully protected on Aug. 24, the week many schools reopen. But the window is closing for full protection, with less than half of the 12-15 year olds in most towns reportedly getting at least their first dose.

To be fully protected when city schools reopen on Sept. 1, a student would have to receive a first shot on July 28, and the second shot on Aug. 18, according to public health experts.

State Department of Public Health data show that 1,347 Meriden 12-15 year olds had received one shot of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine as of July 14. That represents 43.65 percent of the 3,056 adolescents in this group citywide. About 1,073 or 34.7 percent were fully vaccinated.

Given the roughly 2.25% weekly increase in those 12-15 years old who are considered fully vaccinated (the highest out of any age group), if this trend continues, just about 50% of those 12-15 in Meriden will have gotten the COVID-19 vaccination but will not be fully vaccinated, said Meriden Director of Health and Human Services Lea Crown. That happens 2 weeks after the last shot.

Mobile clinics, pharmacies

To boost its vaccination rates for those over age 12, college students and adults who havent been vaccinated, the city is using part of a vaccine equity grant from the state to open a multitude of COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinics at local school lunch sites and other locations over the next two months.

We hope to see an increase in numbers weekly, Crown said.

Meriden was one of 27 municipalities and local health departments selected to share in more than $13 million in federal grant money.

In Wallingford, the vaccination rate for the cohort is higher than Meridens with 49.12 percent of the 2,113 students receiving one dose and 893 or 42.26 percent fully vaccinated.

Southington reports 1,069 students or 46.12 percent had received first doses, and 911 or 39.3 percent were fully vaccinated.

The Plainville-Southington Health District, which covers Southington, Plainville and Middlefield, recently had a clinic at Lyman Orchards that some families attended, said Director Shane Lockwood. He is also checking appointments at local pharmacies and was pleased to see appointments booked every hour, he said.

We have been promoting that the vaccine is readily available at local pharmacies. Lockwood said in an email. We will work with the superintendents of school systems in the district as it gets closer to the school year so they can incorporate a message from the health district about the importance of the vaccine and where it is available in the superintendents back to school message.

The town of Cheshire has one of the highest vaccination rates in the area among the age group, with 53.41 or 958 of 1,793 students receiving a first dose, and 46.63 percent fully vaccinated, according to the state data.

Hesitancy, uptick

The data track closely with the adult population and the gap in vaccination rates between urban and suburban populations. Cities and some rural areas have lagged behind suburban towns in the numbers of vaccinated residents, leading to state and municipal outreach programs targeted for underserved areas.

State data also show vaccination rates for minority populations lagging behind the rate among whites.

Among 12-15 year old Hispanics statewide, 38.03 percent of 52,023 students had received at least one dose as of July 14, and 28.58 were reported to be fully vaccinated.

However, those who identify as mixed races are not included in specific categories, but tracked separately, so the vaccination rates could be higher.

But among those who identify as Black, 26.15 percent of those age 12-15, reported one dose of vaccine, and only 19.77 percent of 19,847 adolescents are reported to be fully vaccinated.

By contrast, 52 percent of 98,540 white students statewide age 12-15 have received one dose, and 45.47 percent are fully vaccinated.

But a recent uptick in COVID-19 infections in Connecticut and other regions of the U.S., and the easily transmissible delta strain, may spur parents to get their adolescents vaccinated.

Crown still encounters hesitancy from parents concerned about the vaccine and its side effects. Recognizing that the decision to vaccinate is very personal, Crown and her staff are providing answers, and referrals to the various vaccine clinics.

Our staff will be in attendance to answer questions, Crown said. Now, as vaccination has shifted from large mass vaccination sites to small, targeted opportunities, outreach is more important than ever to encourage vaccination.

Non-profits, school officials

In addition to Crowns staff, the department has also partnered with non-profit agencies Casa Boricua, New Opportunities, and the Salvation Army, to reach people in targeted census tract zones that have lagged other areas in vaccination rates.

In addition to her optimism over the weekly increases in the numbers of 12-15 year olds getting vaccinated, Crown also expressed confidence in the school districts mitigation strategies in place  throughout the entire pandemic  so that it never had to close a school, she said.

We will be working with MPS on fall protocols once that guidance is received from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the state Department of Education, Crown stated in an e-mail.

The city is offering back to school pop-up vaccine clinics in partnership with the Community Health Center which began July 12 for anyone age 12 and up. Mobile vaccine vans will be at the citywide school lunch sites throughout the remainder of July and August, along with other events and locations

The next clinic is scheduled for this Tuesday at the Hubbard Park Playscape from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Meriden clinic schedule:

July 20 and 27 at Hubbard Park Playscape, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 26 at Maloney High School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 28 at Israel Putnam Elementary School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 22, 29 at Lincoln Middle School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 24 at the Meriden Green, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Aug. 3 at National Night Out, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Aug. 5 & 19 at Lincoln Middle School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 7 at the Meriden Green, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Aug. 9 & 15 at Maloney High School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug.11 & 18 at Israel Putnam Elementary School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 13 & 20 at John Barry Elementary School, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 28 at Meriden Green, 8 a.m. to noon.

Aug. 28 at Hubbard Park, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

All minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @Cconnbiz
WASHINGTON (AP)  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pressuring lawmakers to reach agreement by next week on a pair of massive domestic spending measures, signaling Democrats desire to push ahead aggressively on President Joe Bidens multitrillion-dollar agenda.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday he was scheduling a procedural vote for next Wednesday to begin debate on a still-evolving bipartisan infrastructure bill. Senators from both parties, bargaining for weeks, have struggled to reach final agreement on a $1 trillion package of highway, water systems and other public works projects.

Schumer said he also wanted Democratic senators to reach agreement among themselves by then on specific details of a separate 10-year budget blueprint that envisions $3.5 trillion in spending for climate change, education, an expansion of Medicare and more.

The time has come to make progress. And we will. We must, Schumer said on the Senate floor.

The majority leader's plans were an attempt to push lawmakers to work out differences so Democrats can advance their plans to fortify the economy for the long term and help lower-earning and middle-class families while imposing higher taxes on wealthy people and large corporations.

There may be some last-minute discussion as to who, what mechanism is used to pay for each of these items, Biden said of the two measures during a White House press conference Thursday. But I believe we will get it done.

Lawmakers working on the smaller infrastructure package met Thursday to discuss the details, but chafed at Schumer's deadline. They indicated that substantial hurdles remain, including how to pay for the nearly $579 billion in new spending over five years that they agreed to with the White House. The rest of the money in the infrastructure proposal is a renewal of existing programs.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said senators differed over whether Schumer's timeline was helping the bipartisan effort. Warner said the White House is trying to work with senators on ways to pay for the new spending without raising corporate taxes or fees such as the federal gas tax.

We're still short on pay-fors," said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

It will take 60 votes to start debating the infrastructure measure because Republicans are expected to use a filibuster  procedural delays  to try killing it.

That means the chamber's 50 Democrats will need support from at least 10 Republicans. Democratic leaders hope a bipartisan deal on the widely popular projects on roads and other projects would attract enough Republicans to succeed. Yet bargainers have faced major hang-ups over which revenues they would raise to finance the infrastructure legislation.

One of the biggest revenue-raisers, bolstering IRS enforcement to bring in an estimated $100 billion over 10 years, has been a major discussion point in negotiations. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said the group was looking at alternative measures.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, predicted lawmakers will be able to craft a final bill, although he was unsure they will meet anybody's arbitrary deadline."

I appreciate the fact that the majority leader wants to have a vote as soon as possible. I dont disagree with that, but soon as possible means when its ready," Portman said.

Meanwhile, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., want Congress to approve a $3.5 trillion budget resolution before lawmakers begin a summer recess next month. Approval of that measure is crucial for Democrats because it would protect a subsequent bill actually providing that money for specific programs, probably this fall, from more GOP filibusters, meaning Democrats could pass it on their own.

The Democrats accord this week on their overall $3.5 trillion figure was a major step for a party whose rival moderate and progressive factions have competing visions of how costly and bold the final package should be.

But it's merely an initial move that leaves the toughest decisions for later. They must translate their plan into legislation with specific spending and revenue figures, then line up the needed votes to enact it, a process likely to grind right through autumn.

___

Associated Press writer Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.
Chris Perez paid a San Antonio spot for tapatios a visit over the weekend.

Perez got a bite to eat at La Maceta Tapatios after performing at Picks Bar with Grupo Metal on Friday. Perez was married to Tejano icon Selena at the time of her 1995 death and was the guitarist of her band, "Los Dinos." He's continued making music and performing since then.

La Maceta co-owner Amy Torres tells MySA she didn't expect to to see the San Antonio native pop up at their kitchen.

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"We were very surprised when [Pick's Bar owner] Jessica Marinez and Chris walked into the kitchen to greet us," Torres says. "He made us feel welcomed to engage in conversation with him."

Amy Torres says Perez complimented the style of chef Jessica Torres, calling her the "stylin' chef."

La Maceta is known for their tapatios, a rolled tortilla filled with beef and topped with cabbage and Mexican crema, but Perez was searching for a vegetarian option. He went to the right place. La Maceta has a vegetarian taco plate on their menu. It's six mini tacos filled with fresh avocado, tomato, cabbage, onion, and cilantro. Amy Torres says they hooked him up with a plate.

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Perez was "super appreciative" and took the time to snap photos with the La Maceta team, Amy Torres says.

La Maceta started in 2015 as a food truck bringing Del Rio flavors to the Alamo City. The La Maceta team officially took over the kitchen at Pick's Bar in April. Customers can try the food at the bar at 4553 North Loop 16014 West, Thursday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. or sellout.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Haiti's political future on Sunday grew murkier after the surprise return of first lady Martine Moise, who was released from a hospital in Miami where she was treated for injuries following an attack in which the president was assassinated.

Martine Moise did not make any public statements after she descended a private jet wearing a black dress, a black bulletproof vest, a black face mask and her right arm in a black sling as she mourned for President Jovenel Moise, who was killed July 7 at their private home.

Some experts  like many in this country of more than 11 million people  were surprised at how quickly she reappeared in Haiti and questioned whether she plans to become involved in the country's politics.

The fact that she returned could suggest she intends to play some role, said Laurent Dubois, a Haiti expert and Duke University professor. She may intervene in one way or another.

Martine Moise arrived just hours after a prominent group of international diplomats issued a statement that appeared to shun interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, the man currently running the country with the backing of police and the military.

Joseph's name was never mentioned in the statement made by the Core Group, composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the U.S., France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

The group called for the creation of a consensual and inclusive government, adding, To this end, it strongly encourages the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government.

Henry was designated prime minister a day before Jovenel Moise was killed. He did not respond to requests for comment.

The U.N., OAS and U.S. State Department did not offer further explanation when contacted.

Given the current state of Haitian politics, Dubois said he believes the arrival of Martine Moise could have an impact.

Shes obviously in a position to play a role ... given how wide open things are, he said, adding that the Core Group's statement is striking because it makes no reference to Joseph. One has to wonder whether the developments in the investigation have anything to do with this. Theyre all these puzzle pieces that are just changing moment to moment. Right now it seems very hard to figure out how to put these together.

Authorities in Haiti and Colombia say at least 18 suspects directly linked to the killing have been arrested, the majority of them former Colombian soldiers. At least three suspects were killed and police say they are looking for numerous others. Colombian officials have said that the majority of former soldiers were duped and did not know of the assassination plot.

Police in Haiti on Sunday identified another suspect in the case: Pierre Joseph Ashkard. Online records show he is a Canadian-based businessman who runs a medical business in Texas with Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian physician and pastor whom local authorities recently arrested and consider a key suspect.

A day after the killing, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said Joseph was the incumbent in the position and was serving as acting prime minister before the assassination: We continue to work with Claude Joseph as such, he said.

On July 11, a delegation of representatives from various U.S. agencies traveled to Haiti to review critical infrastructure, talk with Haitian National Police and meet with Joseph, Henry and Haitian Senate President Joseph Lambert in a joint meeting.

The deepening political turmoil has prompted dozens of Haitians to visit the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince in recent days to seek a visa or political asylum.

We can't stay anymore in the country, said Jim Kenneth, a 19-year-old who would like to study medicine in the U.S. We feel very insecure.
PARALIMNI, Cyprus (AP)  The only route to lasting peace on ethnically divided Cyprus is through the international communitys acceptance of two separate states on the east Mediterranean island nation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

Erdogan said that a permanent and sustainable solution to the countrys division can only be possible by taking into account that there are two separate states and two separate people.

The international community will sooner or later accept this reality," Erdogan told Turkish Cypriot lawmakers in Cyprus' breakaway north before celebrations to mark the 47th anniversary of a Turkish invasion that split the island along ethnic lines.

Turkey's 1974 invasion came in the wake of a Greek junta-backed coup that aimed at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and keeps 35,000 troops there.

In a 1983 resolution, the U.N. Security Council denounced the Turkish Cypriots' secessionist move as legally invalid and called for its withdrawal. The European Union has also ruled out a two-state deal. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said in Nicosia earlier this month that the 27 member-bloc which Cyprus joined in 2004 would never, ever" accept such an arrangement.

But Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots say a two-state deal is the only way to peace because nearly five decades of negotiations based on forging a federation have led nowhere. They fault Greek Cypriots' unwillingness to accept the realities" and see Turkish Cypriots as equal partners."

Cyprus' internationally recognized government seated in the island's Greek Cypriot south says there can be no deviation from a 1977 deal to reach a formal peace accord by negotiating a federation made up of a Turkish Cypriot and a Greek Cypriot zone.

But the majority Greek Cypriots object to Turkey's demand for a permanent military presence on the island amid fears that it would turn the island into Ankara's protectorate." They also push back against a Turkish Cypriot demand for veto rights, fearing Ankara's meddling in Cypriot internal affairs.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said Erdogan's remarks were an expected repeat of Turkey's unacceptable positions."

Cyprus' division has fueled tensions over hydrocarbon deposits in the eastern Mediterranean and continues to act as a major impediment to Turkey's already troubled bid to join the EU.

A fervent supporter of a two-state deal, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar also advocates for even closer ties to Ankara.

But many Turkish Cypriots object to what they see as Erdogan's heavy hand in their own matters as pat of his bid for absolute political and economic control of the north.

Lawmakers from two left-wing Turkish Cypriot parties, the Republican Turkish Party and the Communal Liberation Party which garnered a combined 30% of the vote in 2018 parliamentary elections boycotted Erdogan's address to parliament to underscore the point.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Greek Cypriots staged a protest against Erdogan's visit in Dherynia village near Varosha, an abandoned suburb of the town of Famagusta in the north that until recently had been off-limits and under strict Turkish military control.

Varosha had remained empty and barren since 1974, but Turkey and Turkish Cypriot authorities last year allowed access to the area. That enraged many of Varosha's Greek Cypriot residents who saw the move as a bid to pressure them into relinquishing their rights to their properties.

Protester Eleni Marangou said Turkish Cypriots also joined the protest to voice their wish for a peace deal reunifying Cyprus.

Famagusta residents haven't forgotten their town and are united in demanding it back as well as an agreement that reunifies our country," Marangou told the Associated Press. We want the powerful of this world to hear our voice."

___

AP journalist Ayse Wieting contributed to this report from Istanbul.
A new park on San Antonio's Eastside encourages area kids to "Be the Dream."

The DREAM Park and playground opened in an unused section of the Martin Luther King Park at 3503 Martin Luther King Drive, according to a news release.

"Because of their commitment to youth, our club kids, and all children on the East Side of San Antonio, will have a beautiful space to play for many years to come," says Ada Saenz, interim CEO for the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, in the release. "Dr. Kings legacy lives on in this community park and through the strong partnerships we have with our generous donors,"

Eastside Boys and Girls Club dreamed up the concept in collaborations with H-E-B and global brand giant Unilever. Both companies funded the project through their charitable initiatives: H-E-B's Be The Change and Unilever's Every Day U Does Good.

The Eastside Boys and Girls Club is part of the San Antonio branch of the national nonprofit. The organization provides after school and summer programs for kids and teens ages 6 to 18 years old.
Bookworms, this one is for you. Book-loving bar-goers? Tell your friends to get vaxxed.

Highly anticipated and already loved Alamo Heights shop Nowhere is finally open to the public as of Monday, July 19. The shop, owned by New York Times best-selling author and San Antonian Jenny Lawson, was first teased in late 2019.

Originally planned for an early March 2020 opening, Nowhere left off with a slight cliffhanger. The coronavirus halted that vision, forcing Lawson and her staff to shift to what has become very familiar now: curbside and online sales.

While the to-go options remain, masked customers can now peruse the rows and find their new read in person.

"It's been a dream for so long, and now it's hard to believe it's really happening," Lawson says. "We've had such amazing support from the community, and now we can finally open the doors and say thank you in real life."

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The built-in support comes from Lawson's loyal fanbase, which kept the bookshop up-and-running throughout the pandemic, general manager Elizabeth Jordan tells MySA. Lawson's published several books, such as "You Are Here," "Furiously Happy," and "Broken."

Jordan and her staff decided to open to the public when they became fully vaccinated and more comfortable with being around others.

Inside Nowhere, book lovers will find aisles of novels, a children's section, and a bar that won't open until the vaccination rate in San Antonio increases. Once the city reaches over 80 percent, the bar will serve coffee, wine, and beer. Customers can sit and read all day  just like Lawson intended when designing the space.

"It's been quite a journey, but we're all very excited," Jordan says. "The booksellers that we brought on are super enthusiastic, and I think it's going to be a great place for the community to hang out and talk about books. We'll eventually get to a place where people can hang out all day, but, for now, we're just thrilled to talk to people about books again."

The bookstore will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. While capacity is at 100 percent, Jordan is encouraging shoppers to not linger if Nowhere is crowded. Customers can find parking in the front and back of the store (I suggest parking in the back to avoid reversing onto on-coming Broadway traffic).

Find Nowhere at 5154 Broadway.
Texas Democrats aren't planning to return home to Austin just yet.

In fact, they intend to this week step up their protests against voting restrictions being considered by the Republican legislature in their home state. After fleeing Austin for Washington and denying quorum to their GOP colleagues, the Texas Democrats plan to hold a week-long virtual conference - based here in Washington - featuring influential civil rights activists and lawmakers.

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Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta will kick off the conference on Monday planned by the Texas House Democrats along with the Service Employees International Union and Mi Familia Vota, a national organization that aims to boost Latino voter turnout.

In continuing to agitate, Texas Democrats will serve as a major test of the power of others seeking to protest legislation in states like Michigan and Georgia where GOP-dominated state legislators aim to pass hundreds of election bills seen as making it harder to vote. They haven't been able to achieve a breakthrough on federal voting rights legislation, which doesn't have enough support to get through the 50-50 U.S. Senate, either.

Meanwhile, Texas Republicans have condemned their missing colleagues and threaten to arrest them when they return.

A coronavirus outbreak, however, is complicating the Texas delegation's activities: several members of the delegation tested positive for the coronavirus over the weekend, according to a source familiar with the situation. The breakthrough infections have prompted the lawmakers to hold the conference virtually.

Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, is currently in quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus on Saturday morning and is suffering from mild symptoms, despite being fully vaccinated, she told The Washington Post.

"Let this be a reminder that covid-19 is still very much among us, with infection rates on the rise and more contagious variants spreading nationwide," Israel said in a statement. "I urge anyone not yet vaccinated to do so as soon as possible to help stop the spread . . . More importantly, I hope this instance highlights the sacrifices we're willing to make for the cause of democracy. I would not change anything to protect the right to vote," Israel added.

Members of Congress from Texas - including Barbara Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, and Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, - will appear at the virtual conference later in the week. Castro was part of the group of Texas Democrats who broke quorum in 2003 to delay passage of redistricting bills in a Republican-controlled legislature.

The conference will highlight best practices for election administration and procedures including appearances by Democratic secretaries of state, local elections official and state legislators from states that have expanded voting rights, along with states that are currently fighting new voting restrictions.

"With this conference, we will help prepare our voting rights champions for the fight ahead and we will show them that they aren't alone in defending our democracy and fighting for us all," Hector Sanchez, the CEO of Mi Familia Vota, said in a statement. "With covid-19 protocols in place, this conference is the next step in our fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights act and the For the People Act."

As of June, 17 states have enacted 28 new laws that restrict access to voting, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center, and more restrictions are likely to become law as legislatures are still in session. Michigan Republican lawmakers recently announced a plan to push through

The Texans arrived in D.C. last week and have said they plan to remain in Washington through the first week of August, when the special legislative session ordered by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, is scheduled to expire. They've met with Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and other lawmakers.

RELATED: 3 Texas Democrats who fled election bill vote get Covid

Manchin discussed with the lawmakers the possibility of a federal bill that could neutralize some of the voting restrictions Republicans are trying to pass at the state level. But he remains staunchly opposed to changing or eliminating the filibuster, the Senate's 60-vote supermajority requirement.

"Forget the filibuster," Manchin told reporters after the meeting.

The state lawmakers have requested a meeting with President Biden, according to Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio. If a meeting is granted, Martinez Fischer said he believes that ending the filibuster is "worth a discussion" but doesn't expect the Texas delegation to call on Biden to publicly pressure senators to eliminate it.

"It's ultimately the Senate's prerogative," said Martinez Fischer. "The president served many years [in the Senate] and he's a creature of the institution. By golly, it doesn't need a tutorial. This lies in their lap and it's Leader Schumer's job to wrestle with this issue."
(Natural News) During a recent episode of The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast, investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson talked about how Big Tech  meaning platforms like Facebook and Twitter  are censoring factual and truthful information while propagating false information about the dangers and ineffectiveness of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines.

It has become extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find any truthful information about Chinese Virus injections online that has not already been curated to push a pro-jab narrative. Because of this, many are falling for the fake news that is being falsely portrayed by propagandists and pharmaceutical interests, Attkisson warns.

Attkisson has been in the business of truth-telling about vaccines for many years now. She has repeatedly covered the pseudoscience of vaccination, the poisons the shots contain, and the deceptive marketing campaigns that are used by Big Pharma to push them on the masses.

In the case of the Chinese Virus injection, none of the shots currently being peddled have gone through the normal safety testing channels. All of them have what is known as emergency use authorization (EUA), which means there is no science to back them, but the government has decided that they are the only possibly helpful remedy available.

This is, of course, false. There are many remedies, in fact, that help to mitigate a positive test result for the Fauci Flu, and yet the government refuses to acknowledge any of them.

Thats why were learning things in real time as we go, Attkisson says about the injections, noting that many more scientists are calling for an immediate halt on jab distribution unless and until legitimate science comes out to support their continued use.

The full podcast episode with Sharyl Attkisson is available for listening at this link.

Paper: 57 scientists from 17 countries say covid vaccines are dangerous

Attkisson further cited a paper authored by 57 scientists from 17 countries calling out Chinese Virus injections as dangerous. This study, published in the journal Authorea, demands answers from international health agencies, the government, regulatory authorities and vaccine manufacturers.

Despite progress on early multidrug therapy for COVID-19 patients, the current mandate is to immunize the world population as quickly as possible, the paper explains. The lack of thorough testing in animals prior to clinical trials, and authorization based on safety data generated during trials that lasted less than 3.5 months, raise questions regarding vaccine safety.

Given the high rate of occurrence of adverse effects that have been reported to date, as well as the potential for vaccine-driven disease enhancement, Th2-immunopathology, autoimmunity and immune evasion, there is a need for a better understanding of the benefits and risks of mass vaccination, particularly in groups excluded from clinical trials.

At this point, anyone still willing to get an injection who has not already gotten one is living in denial. It is incredibly ignorant to continue just trusting the government and taking its word on the matter when actual scientists and medical researchers are warning that getting jabbed is likely to cause problems  if not immediately then later on down the road.

Nefarious doesnt begin to explain this, wrote one commenter over at The Defender, claiming to be a nurse. I dont know one person who was vaccinated who did not have an issue from bed in a week to blood clots to autoimmune issues!

Another responded that people she knows who got the jab and developed serious side effects are bragging about it like a badge of honor, as if they cant hear themselves and how stupid they sound.

More of the latest news about the dangers and ineffectiveness of Chinese Virus injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The year is 2021. Government goons are going door to door in the United States, armed with guns and blood-clotting vaccines, that have all been declared a medical experiment. No, its not Orwells 1984 or September of 2001, its 2021. This is like terrorism, but its medical terrorism, and instead of flying planes into buildings and killing 3,000 people, theyre walking a team to your front porch, to slow-kill by the millions. Just as terrorists used planes on 9/11 as weapons of mass destruction, the Biden administration is using toxic vaccines, and over 9,000 people have already died from these Covid jabs, in case you havent seen that aftermath on the fake news networks.

Yes, Bidens depopulation goons are knocking on doors in America and theyre packing deadly vaccines. Some people have died from the Covid-19 inoculations literally just days after getting jabbed. People are suffering from blood clots in the lungs and brain. Some people are going deaf or blind.

The odds are scary, and we dont even know exactly how many people have died from the vaccines because that news is all filtered, banned and blacklisted by all social media, TV networks, newspapers and pharmas shill websites. Now, the Chinese Communist Partys insidious influence on the already highly corrupt vaccine industry has led armed US vaccine police (dressed as health authority volunteers) with spike protein bioweapons to your front door. What will be your reaction?

Terrorism at your door

Do not answer. Run your video phone the entire time, until they leave your premises. It doesnt matter if they can see you in the window. Dont talk. Do not open your door. It is your right. Would you answer if you knew they were terrorists with weapons of mass destruction as an offering to keep you safe? These people are trespassing, no matter what they say. These government-paid goons are coercing, no matter what they claim. Its solicitation of invasive, deadly medication. They dont have the right to ask you if youve been vaccinated. They dont have the right to try to sell you on it. Every medical choice you make is yours, not the governments.

This is Paul Revere letting you know the enemy is coming to your town, to your front door. Will you be shot on sight? This is a depopulation scheme being run by our own government. This is the shot that needs to be heard round the world. Wake up. Defend yourself and your rights.

Terrorism is always based on fear, just like in 2001, just like now

September 11th, 2001 wasnt about people from the Middle East hating capitalism so much they wanted to blow up our infrastructure. September 11th, 2001 was about terrorizing the American people so that the anti-constitutional Patriot Act could be passed. This enabled the US government to spy on every American and violate Constitutional rights of privacy. Today, the American people face a new invasion of privacy, thats planned and orchestrated to slow-walk us all into medical terrorism, also known as kill switch inoculations.

Realize that the evil doers are those who plan and orchestrate these events. They are those pushing vaccines, those who made them, and those who released the lab-made viruses. They are pushing fear. Selling it to you (for free) at your doorstep.

Terrorism is always based on fear, just like in 2001, and just like now. Your fears in 2001 were that more terrorists would hijack more planes, or trains, or buses, and blow them up or load them up with dirty bombs, which were biological weapons of mass destruction. Your fears in 2021 are based on a false narrative about a pandemic, and these biological weapons of mass destruction are disguised as the very holy grail thats supposed to save you from those fears. The fear of lab-made germs. Pathogens. Virus strains.

Its fear-based terrorism, and theyre coming to your front door to help you comply. They want to vaccinate you right there on your porch with the deadliest vaccine ever made. Its the Delta terrorists. Its the vaccine police. Run!

The 19 militants of 9/11/2001 were like ghosts. There was no proof they did what we saw on video on TV. In fact, we never even saw a plane fly into the Pentagon. No fire-proof black boxes were ever found. Thats why the vaccine industry is protected today. Every vaccine manufacturer has 100 percent immunity to lawsuits. Does that make you wonder?

You can never really catch the terrorists. The Bin Laden raid was a farce, and even a Navy Seal insider wrote a book about it. Osama CIA Goon Bin Laden had already died from kidney failure months or even years before that. Now theyre calling Americans terrorists if you voted for Trump or deny the plandemic vaccines. Its really just a war on truth, and we must all fight in it to continue winning and to stay alive.

If you really want to help beat back the War on Terrorism, then say no to these dirty, deadly Covid vaccines. Now, if for some reason, you already got jabbed with the blood-clotting Covid inoculations, and you are suffering from CoVax Syndrome, then report it to VAERS. Also, check out Pandemic.news for updates on these crimes against humanity and the upcoming vaccine holocaust.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org
(Natural News) In what many see as further proof that the FBI has gone completely rogue and must be shut down for good, a new report shows that the bureau used at least a dozen operatives to set up a small group of Michigan men in a plot to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last summer amid ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns.

The Epoch Times, citing a new court filing in the ongoing federal case, reported that a lawyer for one of the defendants noted that the government has identified at least a dozen FBI operatives involved in what was nothing more than an entrapment, since the subjects involved had no plans for Whitmer until they were essentially goaded into the plot by the bureau.

The sources were assisted by FBI agents working undercover, Scott Graham, representing defendant Kaleb Franks, said.

Kaleb is entitled to raise the alternative defense of entrapment. If a jury finds that Kaleb agreed with anyone to kidnap Governor Whitmer, the same jury could find that Kaleb was induced to participate by government agents, Graham wrote in a motion to filed with the federal judge hearing the case.

Kaleb is entitled to fully explore and present this defense. To do this, Kaleb needs access to the CHS files maintained by the government. These files are required by FBI and [Department of Justice] rules and will provide crucial information regarding entrapment issues that will not be available elsewhere, he added.

The Epoch Times continued:

Federal prosecutors last year charged Franks and five others with planning to kidnap Whitmer, a Democrat. Another seven men were charged on the state level.
(Natural News) After the Biden regime failed to reach the July 4th vaccination goals set forth by the globalists, Biden announced a new plan to send government workers to the homes of the unvaccinated to combat widespread vaccine hesitancy.

Now we need to go community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and often times door-to-door  literally knocking on doors to get help to the remaining people protected from the virus, Biden stumbled through the script.

The goal is to coerce, bribe and intimidate every man, woman and child to submit their mind to false authority so more people will relinquish their rights and give up their human dignity to a global genetic experiment that has turned out to be destructive and deadly. The principles of informed consent and medical privacy are under assault like never before, as governments continue to practice medicine illegally, deceiving the public with medical fraud.

And now, in the push for total vaccine obedience, the globalists are now blaming RUSSIA and RACISM for vaccine hesitancy. These messages have already appeared in the journal Nature. This propaganda is all part of the globalists desperate plan to manipulate and divide, as they continue on with their crimes against humanity.

Nature Journal claims unvaccinated people are aggressive, fueled by Russian disinformation

The Nature propaganda piece is titled, COVID vaccines: time to confront anti-vax aggression. The title automatically labels unvaccinated people as aggressive  gaslighting millions of peaceful Americans who are tired of being bombarded by vaccine propaganda, who are sick of being pushed around by vaccine coercion and so-called vaccine requirements.

The propaganda also blames Russian intelligence organizations for discrediting Western covid-19 vaccines. The article states, Investigations by the US State Department and the UK Foreign Office have described how Russian intelligence organizations seek to discredit Western COVID-19 vaccines. The article credits President Joe Biden for warning Russian media groups to halt their anti-vaccine aggression. This propaganda tactic was also used by Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany to socially ostracize a certain class of people and convince the public that they are undesirable traitors, a threat to the nation.

Nature Journal claims unvaccinated people are fueled by racism

The propaganda piece uses worn-out, race baiting tactics to paint anti-vaxxers as violent racists. The weaponized propaganda tries to turn the vaccine-compliant against their own family, friends and neighbors, so they will continue to support the segregation of the unvaccinated from society.

The propaganda states, Many far-right extremist groups that spread false information about last years US presidential election are doing the same about vaccines. The article accuses anti-vaccine groups with targeting Black communities, citing an anti-vaccine documentary that vilifies COVID-19 vaccine testing among African Americans. That documentary, titled Medical Racism was released in March 2021; it points out the simple fact that the vaccine industry targets Black communities. Imagine that: Anyone who points out the vaccine industrys flagrant act of medical racism and racial profiling is now accused of being the racist!

An NPR piece by Junaid Nabi tried to paint the unvaccinated as privileged whose vaccine hesitancy is a smack in the face to African children who dont have the same access to the vaccines.

Countries around the world are dehumanizing the unvaccinated, profiling and segregating them from public places. A June 28 Forbes article titled No Shot, No Service: Abu Dhabi to Ban Unvaccinated People from Most Public Places celebrates this segregation, vilifying the vaccine hesitant with terms like plague rat. Throughout history, this segregation and dehumanization never ends well. The perpetrators and co-conspirators of this evil, and the good men and women who stand idly by, will ultimately face spiritual affliction and wrath, and the smite of justice.

Sources include:

TheDailyBell.com

Nature.com

NPR.org

Forbes.com
(Natural News) With an increasing number of people becoming aware of graphene oxide being identified in covid vaccines, a company called INBRAIN Neuroelectronics demonstrates that graphene-based neuromodulation technology using AI-powered neuroelectronics is very real.

A March 30th, 2021 press release published by BusinessWire.com reveals the story:

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics Secures $17 Million in Series A Funding for First AI-Powered Graphene-Brain Interface

Funding enables company to advance first-in-human studies for its flagship product, a less-invasive neuromodulation device for treating neurological conditions using artificial intelligence and graphene electrodes

To be clear, we are not in any way claiming that INBRAIN is involved in covid vaccines. Rather, they state their technology is being used, for treating epilepsy and Parkinsons disease. The point of covering INBRAIN is to reveal that brain-controlling biocircuits based on graphene are, in fact, a very real technology.

So-called fact-checkers  which are nothing more than disinformation propaganda pushers  routinely claim that graphene isnt found in vaccines and that graphene biocircuits are a conspiracy theory. INBRAIN Neuroelectronics shows that the fact checkers are lying.

In fact, as INBRAIN says in their own press release, they are, aiming to establish the safety of graphene as the new standard of care for neurotechnology devices.

They also describe graphene biocircuits as a kind of platform that can be upgraded:

Less invasive and more intelligent neuroelectronic technologies like ours could provide safer therapies that are upgradable and adaptive in real time

If that sounds familiar, its probably because Moderna, creator of the mRNA covid vaccine, has described its technology as an operating system that can be updated and reprogrammed at any time, also.

At the INBRAIN Neuroelectronics website, the company describes itself thusly:

We are scientists, doctors, techies and humanity lovers, with the mission of building neuroelectronic interfaces to cure brain disorders. We use GRAPHENE, the thinnest material known to man to build the new generation of neural interfaces for brain restoration to help patients around the world.

It also quites Prof. A. Fasano, saying, Graphene is the next big thing in bioengineering materials, which are pillar components to the next gen of electrotherapies in the steadily growing field of neuromodulation.

The company highlights its technology as being able to read a persons brain, detect specific neurological patterns, and then control that persons neurology to alter their brain function. In their own words:

Our graphene-brain interfaces have the capability of reading at a resolution never seen before, as well as detecting therapy-specific biomarkers and triggering highly focal adaptive neuromodulation for increased outcomes in personalised neurological therapies.

Graphene is further described as, Thinnest known material to perfectly adapt stimulation to targeted brain anatomy.

Anyone saying that graphene isnt being used to control human neurology is either wildly ignorant of the state of modern neuroscience or is deliberately lying to you.

To clarify yet again, we are not stating that INBRAIN Neuroelectronics is engaged in any sort of nefarious agenda, nor that they are involved in covid vaccines. As with every technology, graphene-based biocircuits can be used for both good or evil, depending on the ethics and motivations of those who control the technology. There are no doubt very positive applications for this tech, but as with most technologies that were once touted as empowering humanity  television, vaccines, the internet, nuclear power, robotics, etc.  they all end up in the hands of lunatic, genocidal globalists who wield them as weapons against humanity.

In other words, there is no technology that madmen wont exploit to enslave humanity and increase their own power and control. Graphene biocircuits give power-hungry lunatics direct access to your brain, and according to many analysts (see below), vaccines provide the excuse to inject human victims with graphene-based substances that self-assemble into biocircuits in the human brain.

CLAIM: Covid vaccines contain high levels of graphene oxide, which is self-assembled into biocircuits by harvesting elements (such as iron) from human blood

As reported by Orwell.city, a group called La Quinta Columna has analyzed covid vaccines and has found that 98% to 99% of the non-liquid mass in the vaccine appears to be graphene oxide. Ricardo Delgado, speaking for La Quinta Columna, says:

A phenomenon that for a long time was denied, but today has been already proved. There are millions of videos of people going around the world. Videos about this phenomenon of, lets call it pseudo-magnetism acquired after inoculation, but it can also be acquired through other ways. So, once we conducted that basic epidemiological study, we started to wonder what materials or nanomaterials can cause magnetism in the body. And not only magnetism, but that could act as energy capacitors, because I have also measured in a multimeter an important charge

This is a phenomenon of electromagnetic induction in the metal that adheres near the inoculation area. In addition, we have found that the magnetism then moves towards the head. And this is very important. Surely for the purpose they may seek. In addition, a potential difference is measured with a multimeter: the person becomes a superconductor. That is, it emits and receives signals. And when we found the materials that can cause this type of alterations in the body, we began to talk about graphene. We suspected it was graphene oxide since it had all the characteristics that magnetized people expressed after inoculation.

Graphene is toxic, it is a chemical, a toxic chemical agent. Introduced in the organism in large quantities, it causes thrombi. It causes blood clots. We have all the scientific articles to back it up. It causes post inflammatory syndrome, it causes alteration of the immune system. And when the redox balance is broken, in the sense that there is less of the bodys own reserve glutathione than an introduced toxicant such as graphene oxide, it generates a collapse of the immune system and a cytokine storm. In other words, something very similar to the fashionable disease, isnt it?

See the video here:

Brighteon.com/eaff4c87-eb1d-4abd-9f6e-6edeebe6fe59

Delgado goes on to state:

And given that all the people who are inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine, which was the one we sent for analysis, as well as Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson&Johnson, Janssen, Sinovac, and all types of vaccines acquire magnetic properties, we suspect with many indications that they all contain more or less doses of graphene, of graphene oxide.

we know that precisely N-acetylcysteine or glutathione itself degrades graphene oxide. That is why we think that we probably hit directly on the causative or etiological agent of the disease.

In todays Situation Update podcast, I cover more details of this exotic nanotechnology, including self-assembling graphene biocircuit nanostructures, and how these may be building an antenna to receive commands or instructions from external electromagnetic fields.

If this is whats happening, it means global governments might be able to control the vaccinated masses by broadcasting signals from 5G cell towers. Although it sounds like science fiction, this technology has already been proven in experiments with mice, involving both SPIONs (Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles) for targeted tissue drug delivery as well as magneto proteins that achieve neuromodulation (brain control).

In todays podcast, I also discuss Elon Musks underground tunnels and underground cities / bases, as well as why I think globalists have knowledge of an extinction-level event that threatens the very survival of human civilization. Full details here:

Brighteon.com/378b3154-6cb8-4a59-97f1-ffbfe25d863e

Find a new podcast each weekday at the HR Report channel on Brighteon:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
(Natural News) A Georgia man has filed a lawsuit against Nissan accusing the automaker of permanently damaging his health and destroying his family and career.

What did Nissan do, exactly? According to the plaintiff, the companys green LEAF vehicle emitted so much electromagnetic radiation that it caused him to develop lifelong health problems.

The 2015 LEAF has a battery underneath the seat that the plaintiff says is a heavy emitter of low-frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation. Said radiation allegedly caused him to develop uncontrolled eye dilation, chest palpitations, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and sporadic hallucinations.

Towards the end of January 2017, the plaintiff had a difficult time to distinguish what was real and what was not, and as a result was terminated from his job, the plaintiffs lawyer says.

On January 25th, the plaintiff was hospitalized with inability to hear and speak. Going forward, the plaintiff kept suffering physical and mental symptoms and his marriage fell apart as his wife filed for divorce on April 15th, 2017.

Safe levels of EMF are considered to be 2 mG (milligauss) or less. However, the 2015 Nissan LEAF, according to the lawsuit, emits EMF at the following levels:

 Drivers floor  up to 9.2 mG, Top of the seat  up to 5.3 mG

 Passenger floor  up to 13.1 mG, Top of the seat  up to 4.9 mG

 Back row floor  up to 31.3 mG, Top of the seat  up to 4.5 mG

 Back row / top of the elevated floor panel at the center of the vehicle  up to 12.6 mG

Is your green vehicle killing you?

Prior to purchasing and driving his Nissan LEAF, the plaintiff says he was active and healthy. Everything changed after he started driving his green vehicle, which he says left him unable to work because of worsening physical symptoms.

The plaintiff says that working on a computer for more than two hours at a time causes his symptoms to become exponentially more several. It has taken him several years, he says, to get his life in sort-of order where he can function in a society.

In January 2017, the plaintiff had to be hospitalized for chest palpitations and facial tingling combined with pressures on his cheeks that felt like the cheeks were about to collapse into his face and breathing difficulties.

Ever since that time, the plaintiff says he has continued to suffer health setbacks due to chest pains, heart palpitations, low energy, insomnia, ringing in the ears, and facial tingling, all of which he says resulted from exposure to his Nissan LEAF.

In addition to seeking $10 million in damages from the company, the plaintiff also wants Nissan to pay another $990 million for gross negligence in the production of this dangerous vehicle.

With this money, the plaintiff plans to start a non-profit, public awareness entity to educate people around the world about the dangers of long-term exposure to low-frequency EMF radiation emitted by many unshielded electronic devices such as electric cars, cell phones, microwaves, high voltage powerlines  etc.

Tesla, by the way, is also producing dangerous vehicles. As we reported, Elon Musks green vehicles are driving themselves off the road or exploding randomly for no reason, putting peoples lives at risk.

One wonders what the EMF levels are in Teslas, and if they are comparable to those identified in the 2015 Nissan LEAF. Perhaps someone needs to conduct some tests on those cars as well to see if they, too, are killing people with dangerous radiation.

As for the Nissan LEAF case, it was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia: Josef Tater, v. Nissan North America, Inc.

More related news about the green deception can be found at Deception.news.

Sources for this article include:

CarComplaints.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Actively serving members of the New Zealand Defense Forces (NZDF) lamented that they have been pressured to get the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The troops revealed in a letter that unvaccinated uniformed staff members received unfair treatment and undue coercion due to the vaccine. The letter also alleged that some service members were even pressured to get inoculated under threat of reassignment or termination.

The service members letter obtained by New Zealand news website Stuff outlined the harassment unvaccinated NZDF troops faced. One instance had personnel explain to their commanding officers and other troops why they were not vaccinated  a violation of privacy laws. Another instance had personnel who refused the COVID-19 vaccine had their names listed down and pinned to the wall for other service members to see.

Even worse, some NZDF staff members who declined the COVID-19 vaccine for legitimate medical reasons felt pressured to get it. They added that if they did not accept the vaccine, they would be reassigned to a different unit or even terminated from the service.

The letter penned by lawyer Matthew Hague was addressed to New Zealand Defense Minister Peeni Henare. Hague represented the group of NZDF service members that voiced out their concerns on vaccine-related harassment. Through the letter, Hague implored Henare to intervene and ensure NZDF members received fair treatment.

The allegations outlined in the letter contradicted prior remarks by NZDF Chief Air Marshal Kevin Short. He earlier said the defense force would not be mandating people to get inoculated and would leave it to the individual to consent or not. However, Short noted that refusing the COVID-19 vaccine could have implications when it came to deployment.

My expectation is that everybody will be inoculated to allow them to do their role. The COVID-19 vaccine is now included within the baseline immunization readiness criteria, and therefore it is a requirement to deploy, he said.

Short also acknowledged that there were pockets of people within the NZDF declining the vaccine. He commented: While it is every service persons right to decline a vaccination, that choice does have consequences. Specifically, electing to not meet the baseline immunization readiness criteria will result in a review of an individuals future service.

NZ would hunt down the unvaccinated  and its troops are next

An NZDF spokesperson told The Epoch Times in a July 16 email that the force had been clear with its guidelines regarding vaccination. The NZDF has been very clear from the start of the COVID-19 vaccination program that the ability of personnel to deploy would be dependent on their vaccination status, they said. (Related: Members of the military plan to RESIGN if coronavirus vaccines are mandated.)

The spokesperson added that the NZDF encourages all its personnel  who have questions on the COVID-19 vaccine to talk to their doctor or trusted healthcare professional.

The NZDF spokespersons comments aligned with remarks by Henare from March 2021. In a media release, the defense minister said that the NZDF would vaccinate its entire military workforce against COVID-19.

NZDF personnel are required to maintain readiness for other tasks such as short-notice domestic or international deployments. The NZDF also operates at the border through running its own airports and [sea] port, and many personnel live and mix communally on camps and bases. For all these reasons, it makes sense to vaccinate the whole uniformed force, numbering about 9,500 personnel, Henare said.

Henare continued that the NZDF often has to respond to natural disasters in the Pacific region and it was important that this area should be protected from COVID-19. He said: Nobody wants to spread COVID-19 to countries in the Pacific that may be free of it. Vaccinating the deployable military force is a prudent move.

However, Hague argued there is no reason unvaccinated military personnel should not be allowed to carry on with their careers in the NZDF as those with medical waivers are already able to do so. Demanding uniformed staff get vaccinated against their will would breach the [New Zealand] Bill of Rights, he said.

Incidentally, the reports of unvaccinated NZDF members being intimidated emerged alongside reports of the New Zealand government hunting down unvaccinated citizens. New Zealand Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins said on July 6: Early next year, well be in the phase of chasing up people who havent come forward to get their vaccination, [people] who have missed their bookings and so on.

Hipkins continued: Of course, I want every New Zealander to come forward. [But] human behavior suggests that there will be some people that we have to actually really go out and look for. (Related: New Zealand promises to HUNT PEOPLE DOWN for not submitting to covid-19 vaccinations.)

MedicalTyranny.com has more stories about the discrimination faced by those refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Stuff.co.nz

Beehive.govt.nz

LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has really brought to light the prolific mind control operation that is Big Tech.

While it has been known for years that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have a vested interest in silencing the truth while spreading propaganda, all of this really manifested in an undeniable way after the Chinese Virus was unleashed upon the world.

Ever since the plandemic made its appearance, Big Tech platforms have gone rogue pulling down information and posts that contradict the official narrative that the Wuhan Flu is real, and that the only cure for it is to get injected with experimental mRNA chemicals.

The COVID pseudopandemic has seen internet censorship rise to an unprecedented level, writes Ryan Matters for Off Guardian. The controllers and their minions are scrambling to silence anyone who dares to question the efficacy of vaccines or the existence of Sars-Cov-2.

Lets recap: In the space of a few months, thousands of YouTube channels and millions of Facebook posts have been deleted. The former president of the United States Twitter account was removed, and, Greenmedinfo, a site that aggregates research on natural remedies, had both their Facebook and Instagram accounts deleted losing over half a million followers.

LinkedIn also deleted the account of Dr. Robert Malone after he questioned the safety of mRNA injections, which is ironic considering he played a pivotal role in the creation of mRNA technology in the first place.

Parler was also axed, while Google altered its search algorithms to filter out websites that present alternative viewpoints concerning the Fauci Flu. The same goes for Wikipedia, which is altering some entries and removing others to keep the false plandemic narrative alive for as long as possible.

As a search engine, Google decides what information you see and what information you dont, Matters warns. It goes without saying, but any tool with such power needs to be responsibly managed and repeatedly scrutinized.

Big Tech is a big threat to knowledge and truth

Dr. Robert Epstein actually conducted a study on Googles ability to control peoples minds, finding that one of the worlds most evil corporations has had profound influence in altering the results of elections.

Our research leaves a little doubt about whether Google has the ability to control voters, Epstein concluded.

In laboratory and online experiments conducted in the United States, we were able to boost the proportion of people who favored any candidates by between 37 and 63 percent after just one search session. [] Whether or not Google executives see it this way, the employees who constantly adjust the search giants algorithms are manipulating people every minute of every day.

Google is further slanted towards pushing pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other Big Pharma medicine at the expensive of natural herbs and other remedies from nature.

Wikipedia is also complicit in the racket, operating as a partner in crime to Googles misinformation adventures. The free, online encyclopedia routinely pulls down entries on behalf of paying clients who prefer that certain truths not be visible there.

One of Wikipedias most obvious slants involves healthcare, which always points users back to conventional Western medicine as the only proven and effective means by which to heal disease.

This writer and many others in the field of alternative medicine and natural healing have experienced Wikipedia bias personally when contributing well-documented, carefully researched articles to the site, only to have them be radically altered and deleted, by anonymous editors, then being banned from further editing or contributions, says Howard Strauss, the grandson of the late Dr. Max Gerson.

This is impossible to reconcile with a free flow of information.

More related news about Big Tech manipulation and mind control can be found at Propaganda.news.

Sources for this article include:

Off-Guardian.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Health Freedom Defense Fund (HFDF) has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in federal court over the ongoing mask mandate for travelers.

The suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of Tampa, Florida, lists the defendants as President Joe Biden, the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In a statement, the HFDFs President and Founder, Leslie Manookian, said: The CDC is not a nationwide police force. Americans must not be dictated to in this manner by anyone, let alone unelected, unaccountable technocrats at CDC.

In an interview with the Epoch Times, Manookian explained that Biden is part of the suit because he is the one who wrote the executive order mandating masks, while the CDC implemented it. The order in question was issued on January 21 and is known as Executive Order 13998, Requirement for persons to wear masks while on conveyances and at transportation hubs.

She said that the executive branch is not meant to create laws. Moreover, it is not being applied appropriately because people with legitimate exemptions are still being banned from flying on the part of the airlines. Airlines are telling passengers they will be fined and kicked off planes for noncompliance because it is a federal law, but she said there is no statute and it is not, in fact, federal law.

She also pointed to research showing that covering your airway reduces the flow of oxygen and increases carbon dioxide, affecting the brain and the body in negative ways. In addition, she pointed out that face masks can disrupt human interaction, saying that it makes us faceless animals.

The CDC cannot make laws for American citizens

George Wentz of the Davillier Law Group, who is representing the HFDF, said that he believes the lawsuit has a good chance of success given the overreach the CDC is engaging in. Wentz said that the CDC, whose leaders are not elected, simply does not have the power to make law for the United States.

He added: Were pushing back against federal overreach and were protecting the rights of American citizens to self-determine, to use their brains to act responsibly, which we believe they will if theyre free to do so.

In June, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction against a March 2020 order from the CDC that locked down the entire cruise ship industry. According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the federal government lacks the authority to lock down entire industries indefinitely.

The HFDF believes that the mask mandates are unjust, and their goal is to rectify what they perceive as health injustices through not only legal challenges but also education and advocacy.

Travelers injunction against CDC over mask mandate rejected

The watchdog group filed its lawsuit the day after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas rejected an air travelers emergency application for a preliminary injunction against the CDC for its mandate requiring the travelers to wear a face covering.

The traveler, Lucas Wall, said that generalized anxiety disorder prevents him from wearing a mask, and he was barred from boarding a flight from Orlando last month because of it. Since then, he has been stranded at his mothers house in The Villages retirement community. Justice Thomas, who oversees the appeals circuit that covers Florida, did not explain why he rejected the application. Wall is also suing airlines and federal agencies.

Mask mandates are one of those COVID-19 measures that are very tricky to navigate. Regardless of where you fall on the debate over the efficacy of masks, its hard to defend a measure put in place by unelected CDC workers that has the power to restrict peoples freedom of movement.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Edition.CNN.com
(Natural News) In early 2020, under a state of emergency, the government of Spain issued a strict and repressive lockdown supposedly to combat the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). On Wednesday, July 14, the Constitutional Court of Spain ruled that that lockdown was unconstitutional.

The court said the lockdown provisions that ordered Spains population off the streets except for unavoidable work commutes, short and necessary shopping trips and other essential travel was a violation of the Spanish Constitution.

The Constitutional Court came to this ruling after just two meetings between the judges. The conservative bloc within the court argued that the state of emergency enacted by the government last year not only imposed limitations on the fundamental rights of free movement and assembly between private citizens, but it suspended this right altogether.

In a brief statement broadcast by state-owned media outlet TVE, the court described how the vote on the ruling was split almost evenly down the middle. Six judges voted in favor and five voted against it.

According to TVE, the majority in the Constitutional Court ruled that there are certain circumstances when the Spanish government can temporarily take away the fundamental rights of Spanish citizens, including the freedoms of movement and assembly. But the governments state of emergency has no mechanism to do this and to limit movement and assembly during a state of emergency is therefore unconstitutional.

A stronger state of emergency, known as a state of exception, is necessary to uphold the limitations on peoples movement.

Leftist Spanish government reacts negatively to court ruling

The left-wing coalition government of Spain, led by Socialist Party Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reacted negatively to the Constitutional Courts ruling.

A government spokesperson said the prime minister and his cabinet respect the Constitutional Courts ruling but was surprised by its unprecedented nature. It added that the state of emergency and the limitations on the freedom of movement were absolutely essential to save lives.

Justice Minister Pilar Llop said that the government will uphold but does not share the decision. She added that the state of emergency saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

The home confinement rule declared under the state of emergency, along with the exemplary behavior of citizens, allowed us to stop the virus, said Llop. She added that many other European governments issued similar orders. (Related: Spain proposes national security law to allow government seizure of private property during any declared health crisis.)

A government spokesperson sustained that, without the state of emergency, the country would not have had enough time to stop the coronavirus and it wouldnt have been possible to maintain the necessary measures to stop its spread for more than a 60-day period.

Sanchezs government continues to assert that the state of emergency was in line with the constitution and the organic law that covers states of emergencies.

The Constitutional Court made its ruling in response to a lawsuit brought to it by Vox, a Spanish conservative political party. In response to the ruling, Vox leader Santiago Abascal called for socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to resign.

We cannot celebrate the decision because we have proof that the government was willing to break the law and tarnish the constitution, said Abascal.

A spokesperson from the government pointed out that Vox voted in favor of the state of emergency when it was presented for the first time by the government to parliament last year.

The state of emergency was declared on March 14, 2020, three days after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic. Sanchezs coalition government was able to win support from the conservatives, including from Vox party legislators, to pass the state of emergency.

But after the first six weeks of the lockdown, Vox withdrew its support after many Spaniards complained about not being able to go out even just to exercise.

Learn more about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in Spain and other parts of the world by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TimesUnion.com

English.ElPais.com
(Natural News) We have long maintained that only a fool who wants to lose a lot of money would ever bet against Donald Trump, no matter how crazy something he says may sound to you at first.

Thats because the man is always right. Not sometimes right, always right.

He was right about the Obama regime spying on him. He was right that fired FBI Director Jim Comey was dirty. He was right that the Russian dossier was fake. He was proven right when he said he never offered Ukraine a quid pro quo. He was right when he said he never said there were good people on both sides of a deadly encounter between neo-Nazis and Antifa in Charlottesville, Va.

And hes been proven right about his claims that there was massive voter fraud in the 2020 election  in Georgia, anyway, a state he is certain he won.

The Epoch Times reports:

A group seeking to ensure that elections are run fairly said this week that an in-depth analysis of mail-in ballot images obtained through a court order shows that the hand-count audit in Fulton County, Georgia, last year was riddled with massive errors and provable fraud.

The analysis turned up at least 36 batches of mail-in ballots, containing 4,255 votes, that were added redundantly to the audit results, according to Voters Organized for Trusted Election Results in Georgia (VoterGA). Nearly 3,400 were for Democrat Joe Biden.

We believe that there is massive audit errors, Garland Favorito, founder of the group, said in a press conference in Georgia.

Specifically, the audit team found seven ballot audit tally sheets they say were fabricated to depict phony vote totals. In one example, a batch that contained 59 ballot images for President Joe Biden and 42 for former President Donald Trump was reported officially as 100 votes for Biden and none at all for Trump.

The analysis revealed that 923 (60 percent) of the 1,539 mail-in ballot batch files contained votes that were incorrectly reported in the countys official 2020 election result, compared to the audit totals, VoterGA said, according to The Epoch Times.

In a press conference where the findings were announced, Favorito said he believes that elected officials in Fulton County have known about the fabrications for a long, long time but that they covered it up.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.), who is mounting a challenge to GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the official who recorded Trump during a phone call in December and then turned it over to The Washington Post, said that Raffensperger needs to step aside.

In Fulton County, there is now undeniable proof of voter irregularity if not outright voter fraud, he said, pointing to VoterGAs evidence.

But it gets better. Fox News host Tucker Carlson reported on the findings during his Wednesday show, adding more context to whats going on in Fulton County.

To kick off the segment, he noted that there was a strange incident at a warehouse in the county in May where more than 140,000 absentee ballots from the 2020 election cycle were being stored. He said the sheriffs deputies and private security personnel guarding it were called away from the building for some reason. Mind you, the building was double-locked and there were laser-motion sensors located inside the building.

When the security personnel and deputies returned, the 100-pound door was standing wide open. And while its not clear if anything was taken or replaced, Carlson observed: We do know that a lot of people might have had reason to try and get inside the warehouse. Depending on who you ask, the building contains evidence that either confirms or refutes the claim that voter fraud affected the outcome of the election in the state of Georgia.

USA Features News reported that Trump responded to the news of fraud coming out of the Peach State.

The news coming out of Georgia is beyond incredible, Trump said. The hand recount in Fulton County was a total fraud! They stuffed the ballot boxand got caught. We will lose our Country if this is allowed to stand!

Americans, if you still think that Trump was wrong about there being widespread vote fraud in the last election, you shouldnt.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

USAFeatures.news

BizPacReview.com
(Natural News) The Communist regime in Cuba is currently facing the most unrest from its citizens in decades, and thats a big deal because the regime doesnt take kindly to dissent.

Cubans sick and tired of more than 62 years of tyranny and poverty after being promised utopia by the great revolutionary Fidel Castro have taken to the streets, some even waving American flags right along with banners of their own country. They are angry, they are poor and they are more than a little disillusioned.

Frankly, this is a moment that is rare in human history: A people so sick of authoritarianism they are willing to risk it all to be free  just like our founding fathers (and, yes, the founding mothers who stood by their men). Its a moment born for American support; it screams out for recognition from the U.S. government, the supposed bastion and exporter of individual freedom and liberty.

And yet, weve heard mostly tepid, boilerplate responses from the leftists who run the Biden regime, and we can guess why: The Marxists running the show behind the scenes are of like mind with the Castro-founded government of Cuba. That, and the Biden leftists are scared witless that a horde of Cuban refugees and migrants flooding into America like those from Central America will trend towards the only major liberty-minded party left in America  the GOP.

Breitbart News has more:

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to blame communism for the current unrest in Cuba on Wednesday, when asked by Peter Doocy of Fox News whether communism was the reason that people might want to flee Cuba for the U.S.

The context of Doocys question was a previous query about a statement Tuesday by Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas that Cubans and Haitians should not come to the U.S. by sea  though the administration is making illegal entry easier through the southern land border with Mexico.

As the administration tries to figure out the root causes of migration to the country, dont we know that the reason people want to leave Cuba is because they dont like Communism? Doocy asked.

And so as youre trying to figure out, like, what the processes are for these people who want to leave Cuba, is he continued, as Psaki interjected.

Well, Im not sure what your question is, why are people leaving Cuba, or what is the process for them getting here? I can explain either of them, but you tell me, she said.

Sure, yeah. Do you think people are leaving Cuba because they dont like Communism? Doocy clarified.

Psaki just couldnt say the word, however.

I think weve been pretty clear that we think people are leaving Cuba, or not  leaving Cuba, or protesting in the streets, as well, because they are opposed to the oppression, to the mismanagement of the government in the country. And we certainly support their right to protest, we support their efforts to speak out against their treatment in Cuba, she said.

I will say, separately, an important question is also what happens when people are seeking protection, or what happens when they are attempting to flee. In the past, as I noted, weve had several humanitarian programs  But certainly, we have said many times, and I will reiterate here, that we support not just the role of the protest, and peaceful protests, we stand with the Cuban people in their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cubas authoritarian regime, she added.

The pandemic? What a lie.

Other critics believe that the Biden regime wont allow Cuban refugees into the country like it is allowing Central American migrants free access because Cubans wont vote for Democratic Party tyranny.

DHS Secretary Mayorkas does not want legitimate asylum-seekers fleeing Cuba to come to the US despite his family having done just that. Apparently he only wants people pretending to need asylum because those people will still vote for socialist Democrats! Donald Trump Jr. said.

The admin should just come out and say that theyll only allow in people who dont vote Republican, conservative author and The First TV host Dana Loesch added.

Cubans fleeing oppression and murder by their own government right now are the definition of *legitimate asylum seekers* But Democrats all of a sudden are anti-asylum, because a lot of Cubans vote Republican, The First TV host and radio talker Buck Sexton noted as well.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

DailyWire.com

NaturalNews.com
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Johnny L. Gardner, 56, of New Castle passed away the morning of July 22, 2021, at UPMC Jameson Hospital. Following his wishes, no calling hours or services are scheduled at this time.
Andrew Price, principal oboe for the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Bach, Beethoven and Brahms Society, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra and the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, will be one of the performers at a benefit concert for the Newbury Food Pantry, where Price volunteers.Courtesy photo
BRYAN EATON/Staff file photoWaiter/Waitress Race contestants Leanne Paparella of Anchor Stone Deck Pizza, left, and Hunter Scanlon of Mad Marthas Cafe race to the finish line along Liberty Street in Newburyport during the 2019 Yankee Homecoming event. The race is on again Aug. 2 on Liberty Street in front of The Daily News.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: RTI activist Venkatesh S, alias Maamaiah, who was brutally attacked by an armed five-member gang near his farmhouse in Tavarekere off Magadi Road on Thursday afternoon, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday afternoon.

The 43-year-old couldnt survive even after a surgery was performed to reattach his severed limbs.

His right arm and right leg had been severed in the attack. The gang members had escaped, leaving him in a pool of blood when passers-by rushed him to a nearby private hospital, from where he was taken to Hosmat Hospital, where he underwent a complicated surgery, that continued till the wee hours of Friday.

After the surgery, Venkatesh was in the ICU unit of the hospital and was kept under observation, especially due to severe loss of blood after the attack.

The activists brother, Govindraju S, told The New Indian Express that the doctors declared Venkatesh dead at 2.30 pm on Sunday after he failed to respond to the treatment.

His last rites will be performed at his Tavarekere farmhouse on Monday, after which the family plans to stage a protest in front of Tavarekere police station, for making neither any progress in the investigation nor any arrests, even after three days of the attack.

A senior police officer who is privy to the probe into the case  which has now become a case of murder  admitted that they had failed to achieve any breakthrough in the case so far, but said an arrest will be made in a couple of days.

Special teams have been sent to Tamil Nadu and Kerala as part of a manhunt launched by the police.

Police are investigating motives behind the attack and are probing into the RTI applications by Venkatesh to expose corruption in the government, besides his alleged financial dispute and an ongoing personal issue.

Govindaraju brought attention to Venkateshs recent RTI application over the construction of a building on government land, but the activist had failed to get the relevant documents, he said.

While the family members are sure the motive has to do with his RTI applications and that the police need to focus on that, the latter said preliminary investigations revealed no such links.

They are probing into financial and personal issues  which, according to the police, includes an extra-marital affair  to get to the plotters of the attack and those who carried it out.
Siddhanta Mishra By

Express News Service

Struggling to recover from the setbacks caused by the pandemic, here is a chilling fact for Delhiites. The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) is likely to receive over 20,000 complaints of violations this year. This will be a staggering 2.5 times the complaints the commission has received in the last 12 years.

The DCPCR is a statuary watchdog of the Delhi government in matters pertaining to child rights. With a vision of making the national capital child-labour free by 2023, it has been coming up with new initiatives as well as renewing energy into the existing set-up.

Anurag Kundu, who took over as chairperson of the DCPCR a year ago, launched a helpline number to address the issues of child distress at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in April this year. Any person can register his or her grievance, share information or seek information related to rights of children on this 24x7 helpline. In three months until June, the commission received more than 5,000 complaints. Of these, around 2,200 have been of the SoS category, demanding urgent attention.

SOUMYADIP SINHA

Af ter the commission launched the helpline keeping in mind the needs during the pandemic, there were so many calls related to lack of essential supplies such as ration, medical emergencies and cases of abandoned children. There were Covid testing related requirements, which needed urgent attention. During the past few months, our Juvenile Justice Act division, which deals with missing children, children with one or both parents expired, has witnessed an increase in the number of complaints, said Kundu.

This DCPCR helpline is operated by five persons. Their primary task is running the mechanism of registering complaints. Once a call is received, the operator asks a set of questions and decides which division of DCPCR the matter should be referred to. That division takes up the concern and forwards it to the concerned department in the Delhi government for timely perusal.

It would be fair to say that Delhi is performing better compared to other states in matters related to child rights. The state commission is very active in monitoring issues and streamlining the efforts of the government. One good step of the government has been to increase the pay of people working in the social welfare department, which will ensure better quality of work.

During the pandemic, the Delhi government took progressive steps to make the city children friendly said Satya Prakash, Chief Operating Officer at FXB India Suraksha, a social organisation. Kundu added that in the last three months, the DCPCR helpline has enabled the commission to reach out to more and more children and their families.

Jump in numbers

Going by the current trend, the commission will receive over 20,000 complaints from April 2021 to March 2022. This is a nearly 1300% jump from the average of the past three years and is 2.5 times of the tally of the last 12 years. This shows how the DCPCR has become accessible to ordinary citizens. It commands their confidence mentioned Kundu.

According to the DCPCR, SoS complaints were immediately catered to by a designated team of the commission and it was ensured that all these complaints were addressed within 24 hours. Around 85% of the SoS complaints were resolved in 24 hours, while the remaining 15% were resolved within 72 hours. The commission has been able to trace more than 2,029 children who lost either one or both parents due to Covid- 19. Of these, 67 lost both their parents, 651 lost their mother to the virus and 1,311 lost their father. Details of these children have been shared with the Department of Women and Child Development for necessary action on their part.

One of the major reformative steps taken by the Delhi government for ensuring long term results in better child care has been issuing guidelines on Group Foster Care under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, which was issued last month. The Women and Child Development department has also issued a notice inviting applications for fostering children. Now, children who are not adopted and are declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committees (CWC), are eligible for foster care, which is provided at shelter homes run by the government.

However, the state of these shelter homes in Delhi is not up to the mark and this was recently found out by the Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam himself, when he went on a surprise visit to one such place in Kamla Nagar and observed several issues. During the visit, it was seen that the shelter home was very congested and housed 78 children. The rooms were very small and suffocating and housing children way above their capacity, closed from all sides. The shelter was looking like a jail, said the minister.

Not in good shape

There are coolers at the shelter but they were not switched on during the day, the rooms were dirty and there was not enough staff, due to which the children had to clean their own rooms. There is no space for them to play outdoor games and the children are not allowed to go out. So they are confined indoors all the time in a suffocating environment. There appeared to be no means of recreation either. In Delhi, 75 per cent of the shelter homes are run by non-governmental organisation and the remaining are run by the department. DCPCR is the monitoring body for all these shelter homes informed an official.

As part of monitoring efforts, DCPCR is also supposed to conduct regular inspections of the home. The official informed that virtual inspections are conducted almost every week, but there was no news of physical inspection by the District Task Force.

Recognising the vulnerability of children during the pandemic, especially those who lost their parents or families, the Department of Women and Child Development has recently initiated a series of measures to strengthen its efforts towards protection and care of vulnerable children. One of these is the constitution of District Task Forces for each district to attend to the issues and grievances related to children affected by Covid-19. This task force has members from different bodies like District WCD office, District Child Protection Office, Chairman of Child Welfare Committee, SDM (HQ) as nominee of the DM, and a nominated member from the DCPCR. Currently, all districts of Delhi have DTFs.

The Delhi government is also planning to start its own JJMIS (Juvenile Justice Monitoring Information System), a first of its kind for Delhi. This would be a one stop online tracking centre for all the activities related to authorities under the JJ Act. Delhi would be the second state after Bihar to have the JJMIS system in place.

As the pandemic, job losses and reduced family income pushed children towards manual labour, it has become an important job of the commission to rehabilitate them. When it comes to the issues of eradicating child labour, the Delhi government has made progress. DCPCR facilitated the rescue of 331 child labourers in the year 2020-21, compared to a total of 202 children in the preceding three years. DCPCR has an incentive scheme also, to reward citizens and encouraging them to report.

Tackling child distress during Covid

One of the measures taken by the department of Women and Child Development to tackle the

vulnerability faced by children was the constitution of District Task Force in each district to attend

issues related to children who are affected by the pandemic.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A man drowned in a flooded underpass in southeast Delhi on Monday, a day of heavy rain that caused waterlogging and traffic snarls in many parts of the city.

As weary Delhiites resigned themselves to another rained out day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held out the promise of a better tomorrow with a world class drainage system soon.

People took to social media to upload videos of waterlogged streets, markets and colonies.

In some of the videos, people were seen wading through knee-deep water in Najafgarh and Narela markets.

Waterlogging was also reported on many road stretches, including ITO, Ring Road and Mathura Road, Pul Prahladpur underpass, Ring Road, areas near Pragati Maidan, Palam, Kirari, Rohtak Road and Dhaula Kuan.

The city woke up to incessant overnight rains on Monday morning having received 70 mm rain till 8.

30 am that caused waterlogging in several parts of the city.

The national capital is expected to continue receiving moderate rainfall with some isolated intense spells for the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday.

A 27-year-old man drowned while allegedly clicking selfies and filming a waterlogged railway underpass in southeast Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area on Monday, police said.

He has been identified as Ravi Chautala of Jaitpur, they said.

The police said local people told them that the victim had gone in the waterlogged underpass to click selfies and make videos.

"Information was received about the drowning of a person below railway underpass Pul Prahladpur.

Fire brigade and divers were called in to rescue him but later his body was recovered and he was identified as Ravi Chautala," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) R P Meena said.

Traffic police officials said the vehicular movement on the Pul Prahladpur stretch in southeast Delhi had to be shut due to waterlogging in the underpass.

A car got stuck after a road caved in Dwarka's Sector 18 due to incessant rain in the National Capital. It was later pulled out with the help of a crane. No injuries reported: Delhi Police#Delhi pic.twitter.com/GRjBfZLEXy  ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2021

"Waterlogging reported at Pul Prahladpur under railway bridge.

Traffic is diverted from MB (Mehrauli-Badarpur) Road towards Mathura Road, Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet.

A portion of a road caved-in in Dwarka's Sector-18 due to heavy rains following which a police constable's car submerged into it.

Chief Minister Arvind Kerjiwal announced that a "world class drainage system" will be developed across the city, adding that drainage systems like the one at Minto Road here will be replicated across Delhi and drains and sewers will be desilted regularly.

"Considering the monsoon, a review meeting with PWD, MCD, DJB, I&FC under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor was conducted on Delhi's drainage system.

"Minto Road type system will be developed at other (vulnerable) points in Delhi. Regular cleaning of drains and sewers will be ensured. We will develop a world class drainage system in Delhi," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi after the meeting.

According to municipal data, waterlogging was seen at around 37 locations in the SDMC areas, including Lajpat Nagar-2, Darya Ganj, RK Puram, Hauz Khas, Saket, Janakpuri, Tilak Nagar etc.

Nineteen tree uprooting incidents and six cases of wall collapse were reported in the area under SDMC jurisdiction.

According to the data from the North MCD, only seven complaints of waterlogging were recorded till Monday afternoon.

Not just road stretches, many low-lying areas, including colonies and markets, were inundated as well.

These include the Najafgarh main market, Narela DSIIDC market, Mundka industrial area, Dwarka, some parts of Sadar Bazar and Kamla Nagar markets, Sangam Vihar and Som Vihar among others.

The waterlogging led to heavy traffic snarls at many stretches in the city.

Traffic congestions were witnessed on Ring Road near Millennium Park, ITO, Sarai Kale Khan, Kilokri, near IP Flyover, Dhaula Kuan, Vikas Marg, Azadpur, Tikri Road, Rohtak Road, Mukarba Chowk, Apsara Border, Geeta Colony and the Yamuna bridge among others.

Commuters faced difficulties on their way to work due to these traffic snarls.

Mohit Tomar, who works in the income tax department, said it took him over one and a half hours to cross ITO.

"I reached ITO around 10.15 am from my home at Dilshad Colony and got stuck there for almost one and a half hours. Generally, the stretch takes around 10 minutes, but today, the traffic was heavy. I somehow managed to reach my office around 12.20 pm," he said.

Another commuter, Sunil Yadav, a legal officer at a private bank, said his commute to office usually takes 45 minutes but on Monday it took nearly one and a half hours.

"The major traffic was at Apsara border, Welcome and Seelampur flyovers," he added.

Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Traffic Police posted updates about waterlogged spots and traffic diversions.

"Water logging has been reported at Lampur underpass. Please avoid Lampur underpass & take alternate route via Narela Bawana flyover," it said in one such tweet.

Another tweet from the official handle of Delhi Traffic Police said, "Water logging has been reported at Ramdev chowk in Narela. Pl avoid Ramdev chowk."

Public Works Department (PWD) officials said waterlogging complaints were being dealt with on priority basis.

"Our field staff along with senior engineers are on the ground. Water is being removed from streets," an official said.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, on Sunday, July 18, 2021, advised Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt to look into the long-pending issue of unauthorised road closure by Local Military Officials (LMA) in the Secunderabad Cantonment area.

Not very long ago, Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao wrote to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the same issue.

The arbitrary road closure in the Secunderabad Cantonment area has been troubling residents over the years. In the past, many protests have been held to stop these road closures, but residents claim that it did not stop the LMA. The Vice-President referred to the issue when the newly-appointed Minister called on him at Upa Rashtrapati Nivas in New Delhi. He asked Bhatt to take steps to mitigate the hardships faced by the people.

In this context, Naidu also mentioned about the letters written by the Telangana government to Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh on the issue. The Minister assured the Vice-President that he would look into the matter and address the concerns of the people.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Mumbai and its adjoining locations Thane, Navi Mumbai were battered by heavy rainfall which threw life out of gear. Mumbai recorded over 250 mm of rain in just three hours (between midnight and 3 am), touching 305 mm by 7 am on Sunday, a meteorologist said.

At least 25 people died in rain-related incidents in Mumbai, with 17 casualties reported from Chembur alone in a wall collapse mishap on Sunday. In Chembur, a retaining wall collapsed resulting in the death of 17 people and injuring four others.

Seven were killed in Vikroli, while another lost life in Bhandup. An NDRF team rescued the trapped victims from the accident site before concluding the operation in Chembur. While the Maharashtra government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each of the victims, the PMO announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund.

ALSO READ | Mumbai rains: Water complex hit, boil drinking water, BMC tells citizens

A sum of Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting and directed the agencies to remain more alert.

There was more than 200 mm rainfall in the city that caused the accidents at few places in Mumbai. We have asked local authorities to evacuate and relocate the people who are staying at dangerous locations and the structures of these areas are declared dilapidated and dangerous, he added. In Mumbai, water logging incidents were reported at several locations.

In the southern part of the city, the waterlogging reported at Hindmata junction, Sion Road, Gandhi market, Wadala Church, Sakkar Panchayat Chowk, Nair hospital, Sangam Nagar, Wadala, and Mundke Buwa Chowk while in the eastern suburb, the waterlogging reported at eleven locations that include Shital Cinema, Shell Colony, RCF colony, Anjana Bai Nagar etc.

In Western suburbs, the waterlogging was reported at ten locations that include Nationa college, Bandra, Milan Suburbway, Wakola Bridge etc.
By Express News Service

Shefali Shahs new directorial, Happy Birthday Mummyji, will release on July 23 on Large Short Films. Written and directed by Shah, the short film talks about the lives of women going through similar situations.

The film is shot in Mumbai. It is Shefalis second directorial work after Someday. Sharing the poster of Happy Birthday Mummyji, Shefali wrote, Please shower your blessings on my baby HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMYJI as I take a big leap of faith in a new Direction.

Coming to you on 23/7/21 On large short films. Speaking about the short, Shah said in a statement, Its a story of a us, of everyone who is recognised by their relationships, family, home.

A choice we happily make. But at some point or the other, we all have felt the strong need to let go of all responsibilities. The COVID-led lockdown rubbed into our faces the strong sense of isolation, but what if there was a different take on it. Shahs upcoming releases as an actor are Darlings and Human.
Mukesh Ranjan By

JHARKHAND: Driven by a desire to save the rural youth of his state, Jharkhand, from various forms of addiction, Ravi Shankar Sahni, a former Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable, took a resolve some five years ago  Mujhe Kuch Karna Hai (I want to do something). And what he did, gave a new direction to the lives of these youngsters. He started training and guiding them so that they could join armed/paramilitary forces and serve the country.

Sahni started the initiative from Simdega district while he was on leave. It inspired several other serving personnel to join him and now, many of them belonging to the Army, the CISF, the Central Reserve Police Force, the Indo-Tibetan border Police and the state police are providing free tips to candidates appearing in recruitment drives conducted by these forces. The initiative has expanded to other adjoining places like Kolebira in Simdega and Ranchi. A new centre in Khunti will come up soon. More than 300 youths from Jharkhand have so far been successful.

The training given by Sahni and others has

helped more than 300 youths get recruited

in the Army and various paramilitary forces

According to Sahni, who took voluntary retirement last year, youths in the rural areas are interested in joining the armed forces, but are often unable to get through in the absence of guidance. Sahni aspires to take his initiative to every village. My objective is to prepare the youths so that they can do the state and the country proud. The initiative is at a nascent stage, but very soon I will take it to a level from where my students would be able to go to any field of their choice, said Sahni.

It all started in 2016 when Sahni was still employed with the CISF. Being a teacher before joining the force, he noticed that the youths in rural areas had potential but needed serious guidance to succeed in various fields. I started training youths at Albert Ekka Stadium in Simdega whenever I came home on vacations. Within a few months of training, one of my students, Rakesh Kumar, got selected in the Indian Army. It was a big morale booster for me. I took the idea further to Kolebira and Ranchi, he said.

There are now 10 people associated with the initiative, Sahni added. The new selectees further motivate other candidates whenever they are on their vacation. Old students also volunteer to take classes. One of Sahnis students, Prem Raj Lakra, who got selected for the Army in 2018 and had come home to Ranchi on leave, said the candidates were motivated by trained personnel of the armed forces.

Currently, more than 50 candidates have registered for the training camp and more are coming every day. Classes are conducted from 5 am to 8 am every day. Apart from physical training, the youths also take free exams every Saturday and Sunday so that they do not have to face problems while appearing in recruitment drives. Last year, more than 35 youths from this camp were selected during the recruitment drive conducted at Morhabadi Ground in Ranchi, said Lakra.

Students are happy that they are getting quality training for almost free. We get all kinds of guidance for the armed forces, from physical to medical and written tests. Preparatory exams are conducted every Sunday, said Satyam Kumar, a Class XI student of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Ranchi. A registration fee of Rs 200 is taken in the beginning and one can continue the classes till he gets selected, Kumar said, adding he wanted to join the Army.

NCC Cadets celebrate kargil diWas

Ahemdabad: National Cadet Corps (NCC) from Gujarat prepared 30,000 cards highlighting the sacrifice and valour of armed forces which were dispatched to Kargil district in Laddakh ahead of the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas to be observed on July 26. The event Ek Mai Sau Ke Liye is part of the campaigns fifth phase titled Kargil Ke Veeron Ko Gujarat Ka Aabhaar. These cards were dispatched in the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani from Gandhinagar. They will be handed over to the soldiers deployed in the Kargil sector from July 21 to 25, as a mark of gratitude from the cadets of Gujarat.

US hands over MH-60R copters to Indian navy

Washington: The US Navy handed over the first two MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) to the Indian Navy to strengthen the defence relations between the two countries. A ceremony was held at the Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego to mark the formal transfer of the helicopters. It was attended by Indias Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The MH-60R is designed to support multiple missions with state-of-the-art avionics. The Indian Navy is procuring 24 of these manufactured by Lockheed Martin under foreign military sales from the US government at an estimated cost of

$2.4 billion.

The morale booster success

Sahni started the initiative in 2016 when he was still a constable with the CISF. He began training youths at Albert Ekka Stadium in Simdega whenever he went home on vacations. Within a few months, one of his students got selected in the Army. It was a big morale booster for Sahni who then started training in Ranchi, too.
Rajesh Asnani By

RAJASTHAN: Asha Kandara, a mother of two kids, is simply extraordinary. She used to clean the streets of Jodhpur before she stunned everyone in the city a few days back when she cleared the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) exam. She is likely to be posted as a deputy collector. The Mayor and CEO of the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, where she worked as a cleaner, felicitated her at a special function. They tied a safa (Rajasthani turban) on her head, the entire office clapped and cheered for her as media crews vied for her sound bites.

Asha has come a long way; but what makes her story remarkable is that she has singlehandedly brought up her two children after separation from her husband nine years ago and completed her graduation. What made her task tougher is the fact that she comes from the Valmiki caste, one of the most backward castes in our society which has suffered centuries of discrimination.

Barely 17, she was married off, though she had completed her school education in 1997. In 2012, she went through divorce which left her with the responsibility of looking after her two children on her own. Asha completed her graduation in 2016 with her familys support, but found no decent job.

Asha vividly recalls how the idea of getting into the state civil services stuck on with her. Everywhere I went, people would taunt me by saying Are you a collector? I had no idea what a collector is. I finally Google-searched and found out what a collector really means. From then on, I decided to get into the civil services. Since I was well above the age limit for an IAS entry, I thought I would try for RAS as the exam does not mandate an age-limit for divorcee women, says Asha.

She appeared for the RAS entrance test three years ago, but 12 days after the exam, she got a job of a cleaner with the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation. While waiting for the exam result, she took the job of keeping the city streets clean. Her main task was to keep Paota Road, one of Jodhpurs most prominent streets, free from dirt.

Under the rules of the Jodhpur civic body, Asha had to be on job from 6 am to 2 pm every day. Her salary was `12,500, the only means to feed herself and her children. I realised no work is small or big. What matters is attitude. I ignored jibes and unkind remarks and kept myself busy with the job.

With no financial or moral support that is usually critical to crack the civil services exams, Asha relied on her hard work and effective time management. She met the RAS challenge with dedication and discipline. I used to get up at 5 am. After duty hours, I studied as much as possible. From using mobile online applications to getting notes from wherever I could, I studied as hard as my circumstances permitted, she said. Asha says her two children helped her a great deal in preparing for the exams.

Her 21-year-old daughter Pallavi is a now student of final year graduation and her 19-year old son Rishabh is studying in second year of college. They kept boosting her morale whenever she had doubts about her preparation. I felt I would not be able to clear the RAS exam since others were studying all day long. But my children always encouraged me and persuaded me to believe that success was around the corner, says the proud mother.

Asha hopes her success will inspire others, especially single women, to dream big. We should never underrate ourselves. If we do not realise our own strength, if we dont respect our own self, we cant get anything. Hard work always pays, she says.

Jodhpur residents are also delighted with Ashas hard-earned success. Mayor Kunti Dewra said: We are proud that a cleaner from our municipal corporation has become an RAS officer. Asha has always been a hardworking woman. We will be really happy if in future she comes and works as a senior officer in our corporation.

Over next two years, Asha will train at the Officers Training School in Jaipur before taking up her assignment as an RAS officer. She still dreams of getting into the IAS, which she can probably achieve after 15 years experience in the RAS.


Prakash Samaga By

Express News Service

UDUPI: Gabriel Nazareth, a 77-year old Catholic businessman from Shirva, has become an embodiment of communal harmony by building a temple dedicated to Lord Siddhi Vinayaka for his Hindu brethren. He spent Rs 2 crore to construct the temple, in memory of his parents -- Late Fabian Sebastian Nazereth and Sabeena Nazereth -- on his 15 cents of ancestral land, and gifted it to the Hindu community.

I always felt blessed by Lord Siddhi Vinayaka since the time I became a devotee of the deity 60 years ago. I completed by SSLC in 1959 and went to Mumbai in search of a job. I was just 14 years old then and was staying near Prabhadevi in Mumbai. A little further was the famous Siddhi Vinayaka temple where I paid obeisance to the lord every day, he told The New Indian Express.

Gabriel Nazareth

After some years, he started a metal dying workshop and became a successful entrepreneur, starting business units in three different places.

At the recently opened temple, a beautiful black coloured 36-inch Ganesha idol was installed. A house for the temple priest has also been built near the temple. The temple administration has been handed over to a three-member committee comprising engineer Nagesh Hegde and Gabriels friends Sathish Shetty and Ratnakar Kukyan.

Sathish Shetty said that Gabriel single-handedly built the temple without any donations due to his devotion for Lord Siddhi Vinayaka.

Gabriel, who came back to Shirva 12 years ago, decided to construct the temple here as he had wound up his business in Mumbai. Eight years back, he had renovated a Naga Bana (sacred grove) near Bantakal in Shirva. Though a bachelor, he has financially assisted more than 60 people to get married
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Opposition Congress in Assam on Monday urged the states BJP-led government to re-examine the valuation system of Class X and XII state board exams.

The appeal was made after the police unearthed a scam of awarding higher marks in lieu of money. Two persons were arrested from Kamrup district while four others were detained. The police said they would widen the scope of the probe following the suspicion that the racket had its links in other districts.

Congress leader Debabrata Saikia insisted the entire matter be given due importance by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the states Education department.

The party demanded the identification of all those associated with the fraud and punishment to them.

Keeping in mind the future of our students, the valuation system should be re-examined. Instead of valuation, we demand that a proper scientific system is adopted to take the students to the next level. I, therefore, request the Chief Minister to take proper corrective action and save the future of our children, Saikia said.

Earlier, the Congress had demanded that the state government follow the example of Karnataka and hold Class X and XII board exams by following Covid protocol, increasing the number of exam centres five to six times and using OMR Sheet for cutting down the time and a
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Monday sought response of the CBI and ED on bail pleas of alleged middleman Christian Michel James, who is lodged in jail in connection with alleged AgustaWestland scam-related corruption and money laundering cases. The accused has challenged the trial court's order denying him the relief.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) and asked them to file replies to the petitions seeking bail in both cases and listed the matter for further hearing on September 21.

James has challenged the June 18 order of the trial court refusing to grant the relief to the British national, who was extradited from Dubai in 2018, noting that the stage was not fit to grant him bail.

Advocate Aljo K Joseph, representing James, said the accused was in custody for over two years and eight months and he be released from the jail on bail.

The trial court, while dimissing the bail pleas had said that considering the overall facts and circumstances, serious nature of accusations, gravity of offence and the conduct of the accused, it does not consider it to be a fit case for grant of bail.

The trial court had also taken strong note of the British High Commission directly communicating to the court about James without moving an application, saying it was not permissible.

It had noted that the British High Commission had sent a letter addressed to the court stating that medical condition of accused Christian Michel James and his pre-trial detention of two and half years may be taken into account when his bail application is considered.

In his bail applications in both the CBI and ED cases, the accused had said he was not required for the purpose of investigation, and expressed willingness to cooperate with the probe.

The applications had said that the accused never sought to evade the process of law, and that no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody.

The pleas had claimed James made no attempt to tamper with documentary evidence or to obstruct the judicial process in any other manner.

The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. James extradited from Dubai, was arrested by the ED on December 22, 2018.

On January 5, 2019, he was sent to judicial custody in the ED case. He is also lodged in judicial custody in another case registered by the CBI in connection with the scam.

James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the CBI. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

The ED, in its charge sheet filed against James in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: The condition of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh is unstable, and doctors are closely monitoring him, the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) here said on Monday.

Singh's clinical parameters are being closely monitored by expert consultants at the hospital, it added.

"The condition of Singh is unstable. After breathing problem, he has been kept on non-invasive ventilation," the hospital said in a bulletin issued this evening.

Earlier in the day, the hospital issued a statement saying, "After he (Kalyan Singh) complained of respiratory discomfort on Saturday evening, oxygen therapy was started. He was put on non-invasive ventilation on Sunday evening due to respiratory worsening."

The senior faculty of Critical Care Medicine (CCM), cardiology, nephrology, neurology and endocrinology are keeping a close watch on all the aspects related to his health, it said.

SGPGIMS director professor R K Dhiman is supervising Singh's treatment on a daily basis, the statement read.

The 89-year-old, who is also a former governor of Rajasthan, was admitted to the ICU of the hospital on the evening of July 4 due to an infection and reduced consciousness level.

Earlier, he was undergoing treatment at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences here.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Lashing out at the opposition Congress and international organisations for alleging surveillance on politicians, journalists and others, Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday such "obstructers" and "disrupters" were only aiming to humiliate India at the world stage.

Asserting that they will not be able to derail India's development trajectory with their conspiracies, Shah, in a hard-hitting statement, said, People have often associated this phrase with me in lighter vein but today I want to seriously say - the timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions Aap Chronology Samajhiye!" The home minister said those against India's progress are peddling the same old narratives about the country.

"This is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers. Disrupters are global organisations that do not like India to progress. Obstructers are political players in India who do not want India to progress. People of India are very good at understanding this chronology and connection," he said.

Shah questioned the timing of the "selective leaks" on the eve of the Monsoon session and said they have been amplified by a few whose only aim is to do whatever is possible to humiliate India on the world stage.

"To see the rudderless Congress, jump on to this bandwagon is not unexpected. They have a good past experience in trampling over democracy and with their own house not in order, they are now trying to derail anything progressive that comes up in Parliament," he said.

Shah's reaction came after the Congress demanded his sacking and a probe into the alleged phone-tapping of prominent personalities in the country using Israeli Pegasus spyware and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee probe.

An international media consortium reported Sunday that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

The government, however, had dismissed the allegation of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people, saying it "has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever".

Opposition parties protested in Parliament on the issue and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee inquiry.

The home minister said he wanted to assure the people of India that the Modi government's priority is clear 'National Welfare' - and it will keep working to achieve that no matter what happens.

The home minister said the facts and sequence of events are for the entire nation to see and the disrupters and obstructers will not be able to derail India's development trajectory through their conspiracies.

Shah said the Monsoon Session of Parliament started on Monday and in what seemed like a perfect cue, late last evening a report appeared and it has been amplified by a few sections with only one aim - to do whatever is possible to humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about the nation and derail India's development trajectory.

The home minister said the people of India have high hopes from the current monsoon session as key bills for the welfare of farmers, youngsters, women and the backward sections of society are lined up for debate and discussion.

No less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is ready to discuss all topics, he said.

Shah said just a few days ago the Council of Ministers was expanded with great emphasis given to women, SC, ST and OBC members.

"But there are forces unable to digest this. They also want to derail national progress. This merits the question - to whose tune are these people dancing, who want to keep showing India in poor light? What pleasure do they get to time and again show India in a bad light?" he asked.

The home minister said when the prime minister rose in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to introduce his Council of Ministers, which is a well-established norm, the Congress-led opposition was in the Well of both Houses.

"Is this their respect for Parliamentary norms? The same behaviour continued when the IT Minister was speaking about the issue," he said.

The opposition parties created a ruckus over the alleged phone tapping and other issues in both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon session, forcing repeated adjournment of proceedings.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the Opposition for creating a ruckus and preventing him from introducing newly- inducted Union ministers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, saying such a "negative mindset" has never been seen in Parliament.

As the Prime Minister rose in Lok Sabha to introduce the new ministers, Opposition members created an uproar by raising slogans.

Dismayed over the disruption, Modi said, it should make everyone proud that several women, many people belonging to the SC and ST community have taken oath as ministers.

"It seems some people cannot digest that more women, SC, ST and OBC community members are becoming ministers", Modi said, and noted that several new ministers are children of farmers and also belong to OBC communities, In Rajya Sabha also, the Prime Minister could not introduce the newly-inducted ministers as several slogan-shouting opposition members trooped into the well of the House to protest over various issues.

The Prime Minister slammed the Opposition over it, echoing the views expressed by him in Lok Sabha.

"It is a matter of pride that people from rural India, who come from ordinary families have taken oath as ministers. But some people don't want ministers to be introduced. They also have an anti-women mindset since they do not want women ministers to be introduced to the House," he said.

"Such a negative mindset has never been seen in Parliament," Modi said in Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Monsoon session, the Prime Minster said the Opposition should ask the sharpest and toughest of questions in Parliament but asserted that the government should also be allowed to respond to them in a cordial environment.

The Prime minister's appeal comes at a time when the Opposition is raring to corner the ruling dispensation over a host of issues, including handling of the second wave of COVID-19, rise in fuel prices, farmers' stir and an international media consortium report which has claimed that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including that of two serving ministers, could have been targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware.

Modi said he wants meaningful discussions in Parliament over the COVID pandemic which has gripped the entire world.

The Prime Minister said he has requested all the floor leaders to take some time out on Tuesday evening when he would like to give detailed information regarding the pandemic.

"We want a discussion in the House as well as outside the House with all the floor leaders. I am constantly meeting the chief ministers and all kinds of discussions are happening in different forums. So I also want to meet the floor leaders as House is going on and it will be convenient and we can talk about it (the pandemic) face-to-face," he said.

Hoping that the session is productive and dedicated to meaningful discussions, Modi said the government is fully prepared to give the answers that the people of the country want.

"I urge all MPs and political parties to ask the toughest and sharpest of questions but they should also allow the government to respond in a cordial environment as democracy is strengthened by conveying the truth to the people," Modi said adding that this enhances the trust of the people and improves the pace of development.

Talking about the vaccination programme going on in the country, Modi said it was moving forward at a fast pace and also urged MPs to cooperate in following all COVID protocols.

ALSO WATCH |

"Vaccine is given in 'baahu' (arms), and those who take it become 'Baahubali'. The only way to become Baahubali to fight against coronavirus is to get vaccinated," Modi said.

Over 40 crore people have become 'Baahubali' in the fight against coronavirus, the prime minister said the inoculation programme is being taken forward rapidly. Noting that the pandemic has engulfed the whole world, Modi said he wants that there should be a meaningful discussion regarding the pandemic on high priority.

All practical suggestions given by MPs can usher in newness in the fight against the pandemic, if there are some shortcomings, they can be rectified, and everyone can move forward together in this fight, he added.*
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The percentage of women graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at tertiary level in India is higher compared to developed nations like the US, UK, Germany and France, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

The information was shared by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in response to a written question.

While in India the female share of graduates in STEM was 42.72 per cent in 2016, that of the United States was 33.99 per cent, Germany 27.14, United Kingdom 38.10, France 31.81 and Canada 31.43 per cent.

The trend continued in 2017 and 2018 when the percentage of women in STEM in India was 43.93 and 42.73.

To a question seeking details of the number of STEM graduates over the last three years and whether there are more men than women in STEM, Pradhan shared the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) data for past three years which revealed that while the number of men have decreased from 12.48 lakh in 2017-18 to 11.88 lakh in 2019-20, the number of women grew from 10 lakh to 10.56 lakh during the same period.

"The government under Department of Science and Technology has taken several steps to increase the participation of women in STEM for higher education. This includes implementation of women exclusive schemes like 'Knowledge Involvement Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN)' to encourage women in the field of science and technology.

"The 'mobility' programme has been introduced to address relocation issue of working women scientists. Further 'Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) was launched to provide opportunities to Indian women scientists, engineers and technologists to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in the US for duration of 3-6 months," Pradhan said.

"The Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE) provides support to develop research infrastructure and state-of-the-art research facilities in women universities and to help enhancing women's participation in research and development activities in science and technology domain," the minister added.

The minister also shared a set of World Bank data which showed that at least till 2016 there are more Indian women graduate in STEM compared to the US, UK, Germany and France, among others.
By PTI

MUMBAI/THANE: Two senior inspectors were placed under suspension and two assistant commissioners of police shunted out on Monday evening after a Marathi news channel telecast a sting operation showing bars in Thane's Naupada and Vartka Nagar areas operational amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier during the day, state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had said he had asked the state DGP to probe the issue and submit a report to him.

"If dance bars are found operational, then police officials will be punished," Walse Patil had warned.

A release by the Thane police commissionerate late in the evening said Naupada senior inspector Anil Mangle and Vartak Nagar senior inspector Sanjay Gaikwad had been suspended, while Naupada Division ACP Neeta Padavi and Vartak Nagar ACP Pankaj Shirsat had been transferred to the control room.

It said that Thane Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh had ordered an inquiry into the matter under additional commissioner of police (west).

A criminal offence has been registered against the concerned orchestra bars and the process to cancel their licenses permanently had started, the release said.

The Thane Municipal Corporation and state Excise have also been asked to take action against these bars, it said.
Even before he had been officially anointed the new Punjab president of the Congress, Navjot Singh Sidhu had started calling on party veterans to seek their blessings, indicating his promotion was a done deal. The decision to elevate and position him against popular Chief Minister Amarinder Singh barely eight months before the state polls shows how politics ought not to be done from Delhi. Amarinder is perhaps the only party leader in any state who could win elections on his own standing. This was why his name did the rounds earlier for national Congress president when Rahul advised the party to look outside the Gandhi family for leadership. Perhaps that ability to develop a bigger persona than the Gandhis had to be crushed, so maverick Sidhu came in handy for the demolition job.

But such machinations could easily backfire. Remember, Rajiv Gandhis humiliation of Anjaiah by sacking him as Andhra CM led to the Congress losing the state and the emergence of the TDP as an alternative powerhouse. Though the Andhra and Punjab situations are not similar as of now, the Amarinder camp could spin it as humiliation by a disconnected high command, if he doesnt get a decisive say in selecting candidates for the Assembly elections. Even if he doesnt, what would stop an ambitious opposition party like the AAP to weaponise the narrative? It was Amarinder who stopped the AAPs tilt at power the last time around; the CM may not have the same drive to do an encore after the creation of an alternative power centre. To be fair, age is not on Amarinders side. He is already 79, one reason why the Gandhis see Sidhu as the future of the party in Punjab. But the generational gap in leadership ought to have been addressed years ago. Look at it differently and age gets translated into hands-on experience in leading a troubled state.

Sidhu lit into Amarinders perceived proximity to the Badals and mishandling of issues like sacrilege and power purchase agreements to diminish him. Whatever somersault Sidhu now does to paper over mutual differences, the fact remains that the Congress messed up big time in a strategically important state where it was sure of retaining power till about a few months ago.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: In order to tackle the third wave, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has instructed officials to add medical infrastructure in hospitals, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said here at a media briefing on Sunday.

The CM has directed officials to make all necessary preparations, including increasing oxygenated beds, training doctors and identifying paediatricians in all the districts. He has also directed BBMP officials to identify low-lying areas which were getting inundated during rain, and prepare an action plan. A meeting regarding this will be held soon, Ashoka said.

Addressing BJP Yuva Morcha leaders on Sunday, he said, The BJP Yuva Morcha provides a lot of opportunities for budding leaders. It trains youths to become future leaders. The zilla panchayat and BBMP polls will act as exams for youths to reach out to voters. The BJP Yuva Morcha is a leadership development cell. I suggest every youth to have an understanding of what is happening around. For this, every leader needs to read newspapers in the morning and plan their activities.
Express News Service

MANGALURU: Timely intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) helped a woman and her six-month-old child board a Mangaluru flight from Kuwait on Saturday evening, which they had almost missed over some confusion regarding Covid protocol.

Aditi Sudesh Nayak and her son Shivansh reached the Kuwait International Airport at 4 pm on Saturday for their 5 pm Air India Express flight. But the airport staff refused to issue the boarding pass for Shivansh for not having a negative RTPCR report. Adithi and her husband, who had come to see them off, were in panic over the development as the hospital staff, where she got her RTPCR report, had told her that kids below two years of age dont require it for air travel.

The airport insisted that the kid must have the Covid report and gave them 20 minutes to arrange it. After all pleading went in vain, the couple contacted their relative Mohandas Kamath, an engineer in Kuwait, who took up the issue with Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Shobha Karandlaje.

The minister got in touch with the MEA officials and ensured that the kid faceed no problems in boarding the flight. It was nothing short of a miracle. All this happened within a matter of 15 minutes, said Kamath. He said that when he spoke to Karandlaje, she was not sure about it, but promised to give it a shot. But within 5 minutes, she gave a call that everything is clear and the kid can board the flight, said Kamath.

Adithi, who reached Mangaluru on Saturday late night, said that she and her husband were deeply worried when the airport officials refused to help them. I was begging them and was short of falling at their feet. After MEA officials contacted them, they came and took us to the flight, she said.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The long-awaited SSLC examinations for more than 8.76 lakh students in the state commenced on Monday with festive fervour across the state. The examinations will be held on two days -- with the core paper on Monday and language papers on July 22.

Across the state, examination centres set up a grand entry for students, with balloons, decorations and running lights in some places.

Transport department personnel even ran dedicated buses for SSLC students.

Dedicated buses were also arranged for Kerala students at Talapadi check post near Mangaluru. Students were seen waiting at the bus stand between rain showers.

In Sirsi, huge umbrellas were set up near the entrance for students and examination personnel checking and sanitising them.

Health workers in PPEs ran nasal swab tests for students who travelled from Goa to their exam centres.

Students in other places were checked for temperature and made to sanitise their hands upon entry. Scouts and guides teachers and students were seen at examination centres, helping maintain the safety protocols such as social distancing and hand sanitisation.

Students from VSM English School Rajajinagar, Bengaluru, who were at the examination centre said they were happy to write the exams as they can earn marks in their own right and pass. "We don't want to become COVID-19 pass," said a student.

A government school in Nanajanagoodu put up a banner welcoming students to 'Pariksha Habba' (examination festival) and decorated the premises. Examination staffers were seen welcoming the students with roses.



Loudspeakers were used to announce instructions on the premises of examination centres while students were seen in queues at a distance from each other.

Clear instructions were given to student to use blue or black dark pen for marking the answers on the OMR sheet.

Although three subjects were clubbed for the three-hour examination, marking (evaluation) for the subjects will be separate. Mathematics, science and social science have their own OMR sheets although held at the same stretch, said an examination staffer.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar also visited examination centres in Bengaluru and spoke to students before the commencement of the exam.

A maximum of 12 students were allowed to sit in each examination hall.
Express News Service

MANGALURU: A day after an audio clip purportedly of state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel went viral, Nalin described chief minister BS Yediyurappa as the soul of the saffron party and senior ministers KS Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shetter as its two eyes.

In the audio clip, the speaker was heard telling someone apparently over the phone that Yediyurappa will soon be replaced along with his cabinet colleagues Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shetter. He had also said that three names are doing rounds for the names of the chief minister post.

ALSO READ | BS Yediyurappa to step down as Karnataka CM in July end?

When reporters sought his reaction to the explosive audio clip before he left for Delhi for the parliament session, Nailn denied that the voice in the audio clip was his and added that he will write to the chief minister seeking an inquiry into it to bring out the truth. In the past, several such incidents have taken place in politics which is not right and hence there should an investigation

Asked whether there is any proposal to drop Eshwarappa and Shetter from the cabinet, he said: there is no discussion on changing leadership or any others (ministers). So the question is irrelevant. Yediyurappa is like soul of our party and Eshwarappa and Shetter are like its two eyes, he maintained.

To a query, he said he will definitely seek legal remedy for the issue. Asked whether he suspects the hand of BJP leaders or that of opposition parties behind the audio, he said the inquiry will bring out the truth.
Dhinesh Kallungal By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The expatriates stuck in Kerala who had hoped to return to the UAE to resume work and business after July 21 have got a jolt as Etihad Airways has extended flight suspension from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh until July 31.Earlier, the UAE had suspended flights from India including 13 other countries till July 21. Though Etihad has not formally announced the further extension of flight suspension, a message pops up if one searches for flights to the Gulf country from Kochi on its website that no flights are available till July 31. Usually, other airlines also follow Etihads decisions on flight operations to and from the UAE.

At present, most of the Gulf countries except Qatar and Bahrain have banned flights from India, upsetting the return plans of expats. Though some people have taken circuitous routes to reach their destinations in the Gulf, new Covid norms in the transit countries like Qatar, Armenia and Ukraine have upset the plans of the remaining persons stuck here who want to go back.

As there are no inbound flights from India to the UAE and other GCC countries, expats are now reluctant to come home during vacation. A senior officer of an airline said the chances are low for lifting the air travel restrictions, which started on April 24, even after July 31. First, Covid cases have been increasing here after a brief respite. Further, the UAE is looking forward to holding Dubai Expo, which was scheduled last year but got postponed to this October due to the rise in Covid cases.

As per our observation, the UAE is going with flight suspension eyeing this event as it cannot afford postponing it once again. But this has hit the expats who work in the UAE more, he said.We have taken this issue up with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Kerala chief secretary has written to the MEA secretary seeking steps to resolve it, said an official of NoRKA-Roots, the field agency of the department of non-resident Keralites.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has termed the state governments decision to ease lockdown restrictions in view of Bakrid an unwarranted and inappropriate measure during a medical emergency. It has also warned of approaching the Supreme Court if the state fails to withdraw the order easing curbs. In a statement, the national body of doctors also cautioned that a third wave of the pandemic may be inevitable if appropriate steps are not taken. Demanding the government to withdraw the order immediately, the IMA asked the state to enforce zero-tolerance against Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Even as the Covid test positivity rate (TPR) continues to remain above 10%, the state government has eased restrictions for three days from Sunday, allowing seamless functioning of shops in local body areas where Covid TPR is below 15%. It has also allowed the shops in areas under triple lockdown to open on Monday. In Kerala, Bakrid is celebrated on Wednesday.

When many northern states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have stopped, with a constructive sense of public safety, the traditional and popular pilgrimage yatras, it is unfortunate that Kerala had taken this decision which will pave way for mass gathering, said a joint statement issued by the IMA national president J A Jayalal and secretary-general Jayesh Lele.The IMA statement, while being critical of the state government, was in full praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary call to stop revenge tourism and cancelling religious celebrations and pilgrimages.

The state chapter of IMA had issued a statement on July 14 criticising the government for unscientific lockdown as it was causing more harm than good. It appeared that the stands of national and state units of IMA differed  the former favouring more restrictions and the latter for relaxation. However, an IMA representative in the state said its statement was against causing crowding.

Need a long-term strategy amid pandemic, says IMA

The lockdown strategy of the government to restrict the functioning of shops resulted in crowding. We wanted the shops to open on all days but at the same time the government should also ensure strict measures for social distancing and Covid control. A continuous lockdown is not feasible and we want a long-term strategy to live with the pandemic for a few more years, said IMA state general secretary Gopikumar P. The state continued to have the highest new positive cases and TPR among major states. The state along with Maharashtra contribute over 50% of the Covid cases in the country. While a section of health experts have termed the high plateauing of TPR as a result of the containment strategies adopted by the state, the inability to reduce it below 10% has become a concern for both state and Central governments.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Following grave charges leveled by Congress against the way the Telangana government auctioned Kokapets lands, scores of leaders including TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy were placed under house arrest, since wee hours on Monday.

While MP Revanth was about to leave New Delhi for attending Parliamentary sessions starting from today, others including former Minister, R Damodar Reddy, TPCC, general secretary, Vinod Reddy, All India Youth Congresss National General Secretary, M Anil Kumar Yadav, and NSUI state president, Balmoor Venkat were on their way to Kokapet, where a dharna was planned.

Meanwhile, senior leaders including Shabbir Ali, TPCC vice president, Vem Narender Reddy strongly condemned this and termed this as an autocratic way of stifling voices.

They pointed out that cops were engaged as the Congress had named scores of higher officials helping CM K Chandrashekhar Rao in his misdeeds and Revanth was about to register a complaint at the Union Home Ministry.
By Associated Press

LAHORE: A speeding bus carrying mostly laborers traveling home for a major Muslim holiday rammed into a container truck on a busy highway in central Pakistan on Monday, killing at least 33 people and injuring 40, police and rescue officials said.

The bus had left the city of Sialkot and was traveling on Taunsa Road; its destination was the city of Dera Ghazi Khan in eastern Punjab province, said senior police officer Hassan Javed. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, he said.

Rescuers transported the dead and injured to a nearby hospital. According to Sher Khan who was in charge of the rescue team at the site, some of the injured were in critical condition. He said the bus driver was among the 33 killed in the accident.

Khan said the passengers were traveling to their home district of Rajanpur to celebrate the upcoming Eid al-Adha feast.

TV footage and photos circulating on social media showed rescuers trying to pull out bodies from the badly mangled bus. In one image, some of the injured are seen sitting near the bus, waiting for medical help.

Pakistans Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry expressed his condolences on Twitter and advised public transport drivers to be more careful of the lives of the people they have been entrusted with. "When will we as a nation realize that the violation of traffic rules is fatal," he said.

Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: An Israeli firm accused of supplying spyware to governments has been linked to a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world, according to reports.

The NSO Group and its Pegasus malware -- capable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone, and harvesting its data -- have been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

Sunday's revelations -- part of a collaborative investigation by The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and other media outlets -- raise privacy concerns and reveal the far-reaching extent to which the private firm's software could be misused.

The leak consists of more than 50,000 smartphone numbers believed to have been identified as connected to people of interest by NSO clients since 2016, the news organizations said, although it was unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled.

ALSO READ | Phone numbers of over 40 Indian journalists leaked by Pegasus spyware

NSO has denied any wrongdoing, labelling the allegations "false."

On the list were 15,000 numbers in Mexico -- among them reportedly a number linked to a murdered reporter -- and 300 in India, including politicians and prominent journalists.

Last week, the Indian government -- which in 2019 denied using the malware to spy on its citizens, following a lawsuit -- reiterated that "allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever."

The Post said a forensic analysis of 37 of the smartphones on the list showed there had been "attempted and successful" hacks of the devices, including those of two women close to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018 by a Saudi hit squad.

Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Reuters, The Guardian said.

The use of the Pegasus software to hack the phones of Al Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.

Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based journalism nonprofit, and Amnesty originally shared the leak with the newspapers.

- Pocket spy -

The Post said the numbers on the list were unattributed, but other media outlets participating in the project were able to identify more than 1,000 people in more than 50 countries.

They included several members of Arab royal families, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists and more than 600 politicians and government officials -- including heads of state, prime ministers and cabinet ministers.

What is Pegasus spyware? 10 basic facts about 'snooping' row & the surveillance software involved

Many numbers on the list were clustered in 10 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Pegasus is a highly invasive tool that can switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, as well as e device, effectively turning a phone into a pocket spy. In some cases, it can be installed without the need to trick aaccess data on th user into initiating a download.

NSO issued a denial on Sunday that focused on the report by Forbidden Stories, calling it "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories," and threatening a defamation lawsuit.

"We firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," NSO said.

It said it was "not associated in any way" with the Khashoggi murder, adding that it sells "solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments".

Roughly three dozen journalists at Qatar's Al-Jazeera network had their phones targeted by Pegasus malware, Citizen Lab reported in December, while Amnesty said in June the software was used by Moroccan authorities on the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.

Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday highlighted in Parliament the police's failure to act upon the intelligence provided by India on the impending Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians, in 2019.

Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat linked to ISIS, carried out a series of blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing over 270 people and injuring more than 500 people on April 21, 2019.

Speaking in Parliament, Wickremesinghe said that Harin Fernando, a minister of his government at that time, had informed him after the attacks that Fernando's father had warned his sister not to attend the Easter Sunday mass as there could be trouble on that day.

"When the police did not act on Indian intelligence, would they have acted on Harin Fernando's information," Wickremesinghe said as he blamed the police for not acting upon the intelligence provided by India on the impending suicide bomb attacks in the island nation.

Last week, head of the Catholic church Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith urged the government to take action against Wickremesinghe for his failure as the then prime minister to prevent the attacks.

The Cardinal said that a presidential inquiry on the attacks initiated by then president Maithripala Sirisena had found him guilty for his failure to prevent the attacks.

Similarly, the inquiry faulted Wickremesinghe for his soft attitude towards the rising Islamic extremism in the island, the Cardinal said.

In a 10-page letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the church reminded that the commission of inquiry had recommended that criminal proceedings be initiated against former president Sirisena for the failure of his responsibilities.

The church stressed that it had been five months since the inquiry report came out, yet no action had been taken against Sirisena.

The church, demanding accountability for the intelligence failure, has expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of seriousness in the investigations to bring culprits to book.

The government denies any lethargy in investigations and says nearly 700 people have been arrested and the due legal procedures are in place.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and a church in the eastern town of Batticaloa when the Easter Sunday mass was in progress on April 21, 2019.

Three explosions were reported from three five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury in Colombo.
By AFP

KABUL: More than a dozen diplomatic missions in Afghanistan called Monday for "an urgent end" to the Taliban's ruthless military offensive, saying it was at odds with claims they want a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.

The statement -- signed by the US, EU, and more than a dozen other missions in Kabul -- follows another round of inconclusive talks in Qatar over the weekend between the Afghan government and the Taliban, that many had hoped would kickstart the ailing peace process.

"The Talibans offensive is in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement," it read.

"It has resulted in loss of innocent Afghan lives, including through continued targeted killings, displacement of the civilian population, looting and burning of buildings, destruction of vital infrastructure, and damage to communication networks."

For months, the two sides have been meeting on and off in the Qatari capital, but have achieved little, if any, notable success, with the discussions appearing to have lost momentum as the militants made enormous battlefield gains.

The sides released a joint statement late Sunday that said little more than they had agreed on the need to reach a "just solution", and to meet again "next week".

As the talks were underway, the Talibans supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada released his own statement saying he "strenuously favours" a political settlement -- even as the hardline Islamist movement continues its sweeping offensive across the nation.

Despite coming days ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, the Taliban leader's statement notably made no mention of a formal call for a ceasefire.

Over the years the Taliban has announced a series of short truces during Islamic holidays, initially spurring hopes for a larger reduction of violence.

However, the group has been criticised for using the temporary ceasefires to resupply and reinforce their fighters, allowing them to launch devastating onslaughts on Afghanistan's security forces once the truce expires.

With foreign forces in the last stages of a troop withdrawal due to be complete by the end of August, the Taliban have cut a huge swath across the country, capturing hundreds of districts, seizing key border crossings and encircling provincial capitals.
By AFP

Ireland dramatically loosened international travel restrictions on Monday, joining an EU-wide pandemic passport scheme weeks later than the rest of the bloc after a ransomware attack hobbled healthcare IT systems.

Passengers arriving from the EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are no longer required to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated, have recently recovered from coronavirus, or received a negative PCR test in the past 72 hours.

Previously all European arrivals were required to quarantine at home for up to two weeks, with the possibility of early release on receipt of a negative PCR test.

All EU member states were connected to a matching digital Covid certificate system on July 1.

The system uses a QR code to verify whether the bearer is vaccinated with an approved jab, recently recovered from coronavirus, or has received a negative test result.

Ireland's participation was delayed after its healthcare IT systems were paralysed by a ransomware attack in mid-May.

On May 14 the republic's health authority was forced to shut down its computer systems after what one government minister described as "possibly the most significant cybercrime attack on the Irish State".

Since then the Health Services Executive (HSE) has been clawing back control of its IT systems.

In a Sunday evening statement the Irish government said over 1.1 million travel certificates have now been emailed to residents, with an additional 600,000 sent by post.

ALSO WATCH:

"This represents another milestone on our road through recovery," the government said in a statement.

"However, if you are not vaccinated, the public health advice is that you avoid high risk activities - this includes international travel."

The government said the changes mean arrivals from other countries including neighbouring Great Britain will be able to skip quarantine if they provide proof of vaccination or recent recovery from the virus.

Ireland has suffered 5,018 deaths from coronavirus according to latest official figures.

Case figures are on the rise as the Delta variant has become more established in the country, which recently delayed the reopening of indoor hospitality to fend off increased infections.

However vaccine uptake is high. Government data show 5.1 million doses have so far been administered across the Republic, home to 4.9 million.

Nearly 80 per cent of adults in Ireland have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, the department of health said Monday.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday led allies in a fierce condemnation of China over allegedly "malicious" cyber activity, accusing it of criminal extortion, issuing ransom demands to private firms and threatening national security.

In comments likely to further strain worsening relations between Washington and Beijing, a senior US official said that China's "irresponsible behavior in cyberspace is inconsistent with its stated objective of being seen as a responsible leader in the world."

The United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO were united against the threat, the US official said, and would expose how China targets international cyber networks.

China's Ministry of State Security "uses criminal contract hackers to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally, including for their own personal profit," the official said.

ALSO READ | Microsoft Exchange email hack was caused by China, says US

"Their operations include criminal activities such as cyber-enabled extortion, crypto-jacking, and theft from victims around the world for financial gain.

"We're aware of reports that PRC (China) government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransom operations against private companies that have included ransom demands with millions of dollars."

Later on Monday, the US-led alliance was due to announce details of action against China over the alleged cyber misconduct, and to reveal 50 "tactics, techniques and procedures Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors use."

The official said US allies were sharing technical advice on how to confront China, as Beijing's cyber security behavior "poses a major threat to the US and allies' economic and national security."

- Not just Russia? -

The United States will also on Monday formally accuse cyber actors affiliated to China's Ministry of State Security of conducting the massive Microsoft Exchange Server hack disclosed in March.

The hack, which exploited flaws in the Microsoft Exchange service, affected at least 30,000 US organizations including local governments and was already attributed to an "unusually aggressive" Chinese cyber-espionage campaign.

"We have raised our concerns about both the Microsoft incident, and the PRC broader malicious cyber activity with senior PRC government officials," the US official said.

Accusations of cyberattacks against the United States have recently focused on Russia, rather than China.

ALSO READ | Pegasus spyware affair completely unacceptable if true: EU chief

Last week, Washington offered $10 million in rewards for information about foreign online extortionists as it stepped up efforts to halt the sharp rise in ransomware attacks.

US officials say that many of the attacks originate in Russia, although they have debated to what extent there is state involvement. Russia denies responsibility.

This year has seen a slew of prominent ransomware strikes that have disrupted a major US pipeline, a meat processor and the software firm Kaseya, which affected 1,500 businesses.

Some $350 million was paid to malicious cyber actors last year, a spike of 300 percent from 2019, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Details on the joint action against China were expected later Monday from the White House, the EU, NATO and others.

"The US and our allies and partners are not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC accountable," the US official said, adding, "This is the first time NATO has condemned PRC cyber activity.

"We're putting forward a common cyber approach with our allies, and laying down clear expectations of how responsible nations behave in cyberspace.
By PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal's new Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that he looks forward to working closely with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to strengthen the relations between the two neighbouring countries as well as the people-to-people contacts.

Prime Minister Modi immediately congratulated Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in the reinstated House of Representatives on Sunday, July 18, 2021.

In a tweet Modi said, "Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties."

Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 18, 2021

Responding to Prime Minister Modi's tweet, Deuba thanked his Indian counterpart for his congratulatory message and expressed his desire to work closely with him to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

"Thank you very much, Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji, for your congratulatory note. I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and people," Deuba tweeted late Sunday night.

Thank you very much, Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji, for your congratulatory note. I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and people. https://t.co/rJIElX1ytY  Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) July 18, 2021

Deuba, the 75-year-old President of the Nepali Congress won a trust vote in the reinstated lower House of Representatives and comfortably won it, averting a general election in the Himalayan nation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALSO READ: Newly-elected Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba wins vote of trust in Parliament

Deuba, who was appointed as the prime minister as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution on July 12 following Supreme Court's intervention, secured 165 votes in the 275-member House on Sunday.

A total of 136 votes were required for Deuba to win Parliament's confidence.

He had to seek a trust vote within one month after being appointed as prime minister.

However, in a surprise move, he sought a vote of confidence on the first day of the reinstatement of the House.

Deuba's failure to win the trust vote in the House would have led to dissolution of the House and snap polls within six months in Nepal, which is facing an unprecedented health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunday's outcome of the trust vote paves the way for Prime Minister Deuba to remain in office for next one and half year, until fresh parliamentary election is held, the Nepalese media reported.

Previously, Deuba has served as the prime minister on four occasions; first from 1995 to 1997, then from 2001 to 2002, again from 2004 to 2005, and from 2017 to 2018.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

On February 23, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls.

The bilateral ties came under strain under Prime Minister Oil after India opened an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal protested the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through its territory.

Days later, Nepal came out with a new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territories.

India reacted sharply to the move.

In June, Nepal's Parliament approved the new political map of the country featuring areas which India maintains belong to it.
By AFP

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday the spyware scandal involving an Israeli software firm and up to 50,000 smartphone numbers was "completely unacceptable" if true.

"This has to be verified, but if it is the case, it is completely unacceptable," she told reporters in Prague.

Media outlets including The Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde drew links Sunday between the Israel-based NSO Group, accused of supplying spyware to governments, and a list of tens of thousands of smartphone numbers, including those of activists, journalists, business executives and politicians around the world.

Von der Leyen, who was in Prague to present a Czech post-Covid recovery plan worth 7 billion euros ($8.2 billion) approved by the EU, slammed the alleged attack on journalists' phones.

ALSO READ | What is Pegasus spyware? 10 basic facts about 'snooping' row & the surveillance software involved

"Free press is one of the core values of the European Union," she said after meeting Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

The NSO Group and its Pegasus malware -- capable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone, and harvesting its data -- have been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

The leak consists of more than 50,000 smartphone numbers believed to have been identified as connected to people of interest by NSO clients since 2016, the news organizations said, although it was unclear how many devices were actually targeted or surveilled.

NSO has denied any wrongdoing.

Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in the Israeli hi-tech hub of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.
By Associated Press

BAGHDAD: A roadside bomb attack targeted a Baghdad suburb Monday, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens of others at a crowded market, Iraqi security officials said.

The attack took place in the Wahailat market in Sadr City, Iraq's military said in a statement. Two Iraqi security officials said at least 25 people were killed and dozens more wounded in the powerful explosion. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The blast happened a day before the Eid al-Adha holiday when the market was busy with shoppers looking for gifts and groceries. Piles of merchandise lay on the ground after the explosion. Shopkeepers recounted to security forces how the blast occurred as they salvaged what items they could.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the Islamic State group has claimed similar attacks in the area before.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi placed the commander of the federal police regiment responsible for the area of the market place under arrest, the military statement said. It also said an investigation was launched.

It was the third time this year that a bomb hit a market in the densely populated neighborhood in eastern Baghdad.

In June, 15 people were wounded when a bomb placed under a kiosk in another Sadr City market detonated. In April, at least four people were killed in a car bomb attack in Sadr City. That blast was caused by an explosive device attached to a parked car at the market.

Monday's attack comes two months ahead of federal elections slated for October 10. Large bomb attacks, once an almost daily occurrence in Baghdad, have slowed in recent years since IS was defeated on the battlefield in 2017.

Attacks persist, however. In January, over 30 people were killed in a twin suicide bombing in a busy commercial area in central Baghdad. It was the deadliest bombing in three years to strike Iraqs capital.
By PTI

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged caution as the legal lockdown restrictions come to an end in England on so-called Freedom Day, even as he remains in self-isolation after coming in contact with UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Johnson warned of the "extreme contagiousness" of the Delta variant of coronavirus, which continues to keep the infection rate in the country at very high levels.

Under Step Four of the government's four-step roadmap to end lockdown, COVID restrictions have now been replaced with guidance emphasising personal judgement and responsibility on face masks in indoor settings and caution in large gatherings.

"We're doing a big opening up, and that's quite right. If we don't do it now we'll be opening up in the autumn and winter months when the virus has the advantage of the cold weather. We'll lose the precious firebreak we get with the school holidays," said Johnson in a video posted on Twitter.

"If we don't do it now we've got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? This is the right moment. But we've got to do it cautiously. We've got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there. Cases are rising, we can see the extreme contagiousness of the Delta variant," he said.

He reiterated the message for everyone to come forward for their first or second doses, as the massive National Health Service (NHS) vaccination programme has very severely weakened the link between infection, hospitalisation and death.

"So please, please, please be cautious. Go forward into the next step with all the right prudence and respect for other people and the risks that the disease continues to present," he added.

He also used his video to clarify Sunday's U-turn by him and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who first announced they would be taking part in a pilot scheme to be able to continue working from Downing Street despite being contacted by NHS Test and Trace system to self-isolate following Javid's positive COVID-19 test.

"I've been asked to self-isolate by the Test, Trace and Isolate system after I've been in contact with somebody who has COVID, in this case of course the Health Secretary Sajid Javid," Johnson said.

"We did look briefly at the idea of us taking part in the pilot scheme, which allows people to test daily, but I think it's far more important that everybody sticks to the same rules and that's why I'm going to be self-isolating until Monday 26th July." he said.

Other Cabinet ministers and officials who have also been contacted by the NHS system since Javid's own self-isolation with mild symptoms of COVID-19 are also said to be in quarantine now.

ALSO WATCH:

It has led to businesses voicing concerns over what is being branded a "pingdemic", where vaccinated people are forced to self-isolate for 10 days after coming in contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19.

Ministers are being urged to bring forward the August 16 timeline for such cases to be able to get back to work following a negative COVID-19 test.

The government has already made an exemption for double vaccinated frontline medical staff and care workers to be able to get back to work following a negative test if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

"The government has backed healthcare services at every turn through this global pandemic and these new rules will fortify our collective defences against this awful virus, by allowing fully vaccinated frontline NHS and social care staff to continue to work when needed," said Javid.

The Opposition Labour Party has raised concerns over the removal of legal mask requirements and the recommendation to work from home where possible as "reckless" and warned of a "day of chaos" on the transport network as people returned to offices after months away.

"We're doing the right thing to get as close to normal as possible, as quickly as possible," said UK Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi.

Other parts of the United Kingdom have varying degrees of lockdown easing rules, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all still following mandatory face masks and limited household mixing rules.

Meanwhile in England, there were long queues outside nightclubs as they opened at midnight taking advantage of the new rules.

On Sunday, the UK recorded a further 48,161 coronavirus cases and 25 deaths.

This followed an excess of 50,000 cases recorded daily on both Friday and Saturday, the highest since mid-January.

Almost 88 per cent of adults in the UK have had a first dose of a COVID vaccine, and 68.3 per cent have had both, raising hopes that the infections will not lead to a rapid rise in hospitalisations and death.
By Associated Press

COLOMBO: The highly transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus is spreading rapidly across Sri Lanka and comprise around 30 per cent of the new cases reported in Colombo, the health authorities said on Monday, advising the government to stop relaxing travel restrictions.

Deputy Director-General of health services Dr Hemantha Herath told reporters that the Delta variant, first reported in India, has also spread to the southern districts of Galle, and Matara, as well as to the northern districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi.

"We have noticed that between 25-30 per cent of new cases reported from Colombo are of the Delta variant," Herath said.

The health officials said that about 35 cases of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been found in Sri Lanka so far.

ALSO READ | Both Covishield and Covaxin cut severity of Delta variant: Study

Sri Lanka is fighting the third wave of coronavirus.

More than 1,000 new COVID-19 infections are recorded daily, in addition to nearly 50 deaths.

The authorities have relaxed restrictions placed since early May.

Still inter-provincial travel remains in limbo until August 1.

The first detected five cases of the Delta variant came from Colombo on June 17.

The public health inspectors have advised the government against further relaxing travel restrictions.

Sri Lanka has recorded near 300,000 cases since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 with deaths nearing 3,700.

Over 256,000 people have recovered from the virus.

ALSO WATCH:
By PTI

KATHMANDU: The national flag carriers of Nepal and India have increased the number of weekly flights from two at present to six on the Kathmandu-Delhi route under the air bubble arrangement between the two countries, a media report quoted Nepal's civil aviation body as saying.

Currently, the services remain capped due to an air bubble arrangement between Nepal and India that allows one weekly flight in either direction amidst the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has been an increase in demand for tickets with an exponential rise in the number of outbound passengers from Kathmandu, mostly travelling for medical treatment, and passengers have been scrambling to get tickets on the route, the busiest and the most lucrative one for the airlines.

Raj Kumar Chettri, the spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, told the Kathmandu Post on Sunday that Nepal Airlines and Air India have been permitted to operate three flights a week each and will be effective from Monday.

While, as per the approved schedule, Air India will operate flights on the sector on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, while Nepal Airlines, which operates services every Wednesday, is yet to get the slot approval from India's civil aviation regulator, the report said.

In December last year, Nepal and India entered into an air bubble agreement, a dedicated flight service between the two countries following strict health and safety protocols set by the authorities of the respective countries.

"Both carriersNepal Airlines and Air Indiaapplied to raise their frequencies on Sunday after the government decided to increase the frequencies in the sector. We have approved their operating permits accordingly," said Chettri.

However, according to Chettri, under the air bubble arrangement, other airlines in India are still restricted to operate on the Kathmandu-New Delhi route.

India's low-cost carrier IndiGo and startup carrier Vistara have also applied to operate in Nepal.

Demand for tickets on the Kathmandu-Delhi route has been going off the charts, and airfares have been soaring due to the limited frequencies, the report said.

Travel agencies have reported that the price of a seat on a flight to Delhi has reached Rs 50,000, almost six times the normal cost because flights between the two neighbours have not been increased despite a massive surge in travel demand.

Flight frequencies on other international sectors have returned to near-normal levels, the report said.

Dim Prasad Poudel, managing director of Nepal Airlines, said they would immediately apply for the slot at Delhi airport once they receive the approval letter from the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority.

Shyam Raj Thapaliya, managing director of Osho World Nepal, one of the leading travel agencies in Nepal, said as most of the embassies based in Kathmandu have started issuing visas from New Delhi, travellers have to go to the Indian capital to get their entry permits, resulting in a travel rush.

"Many Nepalis are also travelling to Delhi for medical treatment," he said.

On April 29, the Nepal government announced a second lockdown.

It restricted domestic flights from midnight of May 3 and international flights from midnight of May 6 as the second wave of COVID-19 gripped the country.

While all international scheduled flights connecting Kathmandu have been ordered to halt, the government decided to continue with the two flights a week on the Kathmandu-Delhi route.
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Millions of Americans are jeopardizing their health, freedom and finances by not getting vaccinated and putting themselves at risk of the most infectious coronavirus strain yet, current and former federal health officials say.

"Most people will either get vaccinated, or have been previously infected, or they will get this Delta variant," Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

"And for most people who get this Delta variant, it's going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital," said Gottlieb, who was commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration during the Trump administration.

For those not fully vaccinated, "quality of mask is going to make a difference with a variant that spreads more aggressively, like Delta does, where people are more contagious and exude more virus," he said.

In research posted online, scientists examining 62 cases of the Delta variant found viral loads about 1,260 times higher than those found from 63 cases from the early epidemic wave in 2020.

The Delta variant is also sending younger and previously healthy people to hospitals -- the vast majority of which have not been vaccinated, say doctors in several states suffering surges.

"This year's virus is not last year's virus," said Dr. Catherine O'Neal, an infectious disease specialist at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"It's attacking our 40-year-olds. It's attacking our parents and young grandparents. And it's getting our kids," O'Neal said. She said her Covid-19 unit now has more patients in their 20s who were previously healthy.

"You have to get vaccinated," O'Neal said. "That's the only way to end it. Masks and mitigation, they're not going to take it. It's going to be vaccination."

Since February, 97% of cases and deaths related to Covid-19 in Louisiana were among people not fully vaccinated, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday.

Like with any vaccine, a small percentage of vaccinated people may get a breakthrough infection. But it's literally impossible to get Covid-19 from any of the vaccines used in the US because none of them have any coronavirus in them.

"Even if you do have a breakthrough infection -- which, again, happens in a very small minority of people -- it's likely to be a mild or asymptomatic infection," US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN on Sunday.

But most Americans are not fully vaccinated. As of Sunday, only 48.6% of Americans were fully vaccinated, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many Americans have not been vaccinated due to misinformation, which "takes away our freedom and our power to make (educated) decisions for us and our families," the surgeon general said.

Now, infections of the Delta variant have spread to all 50 states.

In Los Angeles County, the rate of new Covid-19 cases has increased 300% since July 4, the county health department said. Covid-19 hospitalizations have more than doubled from the previous month.

The surge in new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations prompted county officials to reinstate an indoor mask mandate.

'She was in the best shape of her life,' then died from Covid-19

Rachel Maginn Rosser recently lost her 63-year-old mother to Covid-19. Rosser, a nurse, said she believes her mom would still be alive had she been vaccinated.

"She was in the best shape of her life. She was working out five times a week with a personal trainer," Rossner said Saturday. "She loved to go out and have fun. She was a social butterfly. And she got sick, and it was just a slow decline from there."

Kim Maginn had a sore throat and fever for about a week, said her daughter Rosser, who lives in Arkansas. Maginn was "shocked" when she went to the doctor last month and found out it wasn't strep, but Covid-19.

Arkansas has one of the lowest vaccinations rates in the country, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And with Covid-19 patients filling up hospital beds, Rosser said she felt "helpless" because she wasn't able to visit her mother when she was in an intensive care unit.

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"I had to stay outside of her room and call her on her cell phone to talk to her," she said. "She looked really small in the bed. It was hard for her to talk because she was struggling to breathe."

Rosser said her mother didn't get vaccinated because she believed that since she hadn't already been infected, she wasn't going to get sick.

She said she pleaded for her mom to get vaccinated.

"I tried several different tactics. I laid all the facts out for her. I tried to plead to her emotional side of 'What would we do without you? Could you imagine our life without you?'" Rosser said.

"Part of me wishes I had tried harder. But she was really stubborn. She was stubborn, but she wasn't stupid. I think eventually I would have been able to convince her, but she got sick and she got Covid. And so there wasn't any more time to try and convince her."

Rosser said she hopes sharing her family's story will help encourage others who are vaccine hesitant to get vaccinated.

"This virus ... doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care if you're old or you're young, or you're healthy or you're not. Once you get it, it can be devastating to your family," Rosser said.

She encouraged people to "keep talking to their loved ones and keep trying to convince them because I wouldn't want anybody else to have to go through this."

Coronavirus has spread among children at camps

While the chances of children dying from Covid-19 are low, more children and teens are getting hospitalized with Covid-19 or suffering long-term complications.

There have been numerous instances of Covid-19 outbreaks at summer camps.

In Utah, officials are investigating Covid-19 cases at more than a dozen summer camps for children, said Aislynn Tolman-Hill, a spokesperson for Utah County's health department.

"We are hearing and know that there are MANY instances where symptomatic campers are sent home but not getting tested," Tolman-Hill told CNN in an email.

"This is obviously a huge concern. If we are not made aware of these situations, we cannot do contact tracing and notification of those exposed."

Local health records in Utah County showed less than 30% of children 12-18 are fully vaccinated. State law prohibits the Utah County Health Department from requiring camps to follow any coronavirus rules or procedures, Tolman-Hill said.

"All we can do is educate and advocate," she said.

In North Carolina, three out-of-state campers at Camp Daniel Boone Scout Camp in Haywood County tested positive for coronavirus, local health officials said.

The camp canceled its remaining sessions and notified health officials when the trio tested positive on July 14, according to a statement from Daniel Boone Council, Boy Scouts of America. The camp also informed everyone who attended camp during that time of their potential exposure.

The camp had been following its "COVID-19 Mitigation Plan," which was approved by county health officials, the statement said. Mitigation measures included a pre-event medical screening checklist, daily temperature checks, social distancing, a mask requirement for indoor and group settings and handwashing and sanitizing stations throughout the camp.

"These events bring to light that Covid-19 is still prevalent in our community," Haywood County Public Health Director Sarah Henderson said.

"It is not gone, and this is not over. We continue to see an uptick in positive cases as people gather in large groups and remain unvaccinated."

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The American Academy of Pediatrics released new Covid-19 guidance for schools on Monday that supports in-person learning and recommends universal masking in school of everyone over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status -- a stricter position than that taken this month by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The AAP believes that, at this point in the pandemic, given what we know about low rates of in-school transmission when proper prevention measures are used, together with the availability of effective vaccines for those age 12 years and up, that the benefits of in-person school outweigh the risks in all circumstances," the guidance says.

One of the main interventions put forward by the AAP is that all students over the age of 2 and all school staff should wear masks at school unless they have a medical or developmental condition that prohibits this.

Reasons for this recommendation include but are not limited to: a significant proportion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccination; masking protects those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 and reduces transmission; and potential difficulty in monitoring or enforcing mask policies for those who are not vaccinated.

"There are many children and others who cannot be vaccinated," Dr. Sara Bode, chair-elect of the AAP Council on School Health Executive Committee, said Monday in a statement.

"This is why it's important to use every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from COVID-19. Universal masking is one of those tools, and has been proven effective in protecting people against other respiratory diseases, as well. It's also the most effective strategy to create consistent messages and expectations among students without the added burden of needing to monitor everyone's vaccination status."

The AAP's recommendation on universal masking is different from guidance by CDC, which also prioritized in-person learning but advised that fully vaccinated students, teachers and staff don't need to wear masks at school.

AAP's more cautious mask guidance is understandable, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"When you have a degree of viral dynamics in the community and you have a substantial proportion of the population that is unvaccinated, you really want to go the extra step, the extra mile, to make sure that there is not a lot of transmission, even breakthrough infections among vaccinated individuals," Fauci told CNN on Monday.

The differing guidance could cause some confusion, Fauci acknowledged while noting the CDC's guidance allows for local states, cities and other agencies to make their own judgments.

"I think that the American Academy of Pediatrics (is) a thoughtful group. They analyze the situation, and if they feel that that's the way to go, I think that is a reasonable thing to do," he said.

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AAP and CDC align on need for in-person school

Aside from the masking guidance, the AAP and CDC agreed on the importance of in-person learning.

And the AAP "amplifies" the CDC's other recommendations on ventilation, testing, quarantining, cleaning and disinfection, the pediatrics group said in its statement.

The AAP also recommended that all eligible individuals get vaccinated; that adequate and timely testing resources are available; and that strategies that are developed can be revised and adapted depending on the situation in the community.

"With the above principles in mind, the AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for school COVID-19 plans should start with a goal of keeping students safe and physically present in school," the guidance says. "The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in 2020."

The discussion about masking and other Covid-19 protections on campus comes just weeks before some schools in the South are set to reopen for the school year.

When Covid-19 hit US shores last spring, most schools shut down in-person learning and moved to teaching online. But remote learning has highlighted inequities in education, hurt education for students of all ages and exacerbated a mental health crisis among children and adolescents.

"We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers -- and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely," Sonja O'Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health, said in the Monday statement.

"The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it's not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health. Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone."

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The long wait will soon be over for foreigners who have been banned from entering Canada for nearly 16 months.

Beginning August 9, fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents of the United States currently residing in the US will be permitted to enter Canada.

Non-essential travel into Canada has been banned since March 2020, something the Canadian government said was necessary to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

International travelers may also be allowed to enter Canada beginning September 7, provided the "COVID-19 epidemiology remains favorable," the Canadian government said in a statement Monday.

Entry to Canada will continue to be prohibited for all foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated.

All fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents must have received the full series of a vaccine -- or combination of vaccines -- accepted by the Canadian government at least 14 days prior to entering Canada, according to the statement.

Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Other vaccines, including those from China or Russia, will not be recognized by Canada. Officials say they are continuing to "look into it" and will announce policy changes accordingly.

Travelers must provide proof they have been vaccinated.

In a significant concession, unvaccinated minors younger than 12 entering Canada with vaccinated parents or guardians will not have to quarantine for 14 days.

In another change to policy, fully vaccinated travelers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected at the port of entry to complete a Covid-19 molecular test.

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All travelers coming into Canada, regardless of vaccine status, will need a negative PCR or molecular test within 72 hours of requesting entry.

The White House declined Monday to commit to reopening its northern border to Canadians, though.

"We are continuing to review our travel restrictions and any decisions about reopening travel will by guided by our public health and medical experts," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

"We take this incredibly seriously, but we look and are guided by our own medical experts. I wouldn't look at it through a reciprocal intention," Psaki said.

The White House has been under pressure from foreign allies to resume international travel after keeping bans in place from the previous administration.

It was a topic of discussion last week between President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who questioned why the restrictions remain in place.

After that meeting, Biden said he would be able to say more "in the next several days" about lifting travel restrictions for people coming from Europe.

The United States has set up working groups with allies in the United Kingdom and the European Union on reopening travel, but the results of those discussions haven't been clear.

The EU lifted travel restrictions for US citizens last month.

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Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
On March 13, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to be a global pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) betacoronavirus that shares 95% genomic sequence similarity with SARS-CoV-1, which was a coronavirus that spread throughout many countries in 2002. Scientists around the world are working tirelessly to develop effective vaccines to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous research has indicated that the spike (S) protein is an important target for emerging vaccines, as well as therapeutics. To date, most of the COVID-19 vaccines have been designed on the basis of the entire S antigen or a truncated form that can induce host immune responses and protect the body from viral infection.

Several vaccines, which have been based on either nucleic acid or adenovirus technologies, have received emergency use authorization in many countries around the world. Vaccinating the global population will require billions of doses.

Study: One or two dose regimen of the SARS-CoV-2 synthetic DNA vaccine INO-4800 protects against respiratory tract disease burden in nonhuman primate challenge model. Image Credit: Billion Photos / Shutterstock.com

INO-4800: a synthetic DNA vaccine

INO-4800 is a codon-optimized plasmid DNA vaccine that encodes the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Earlier in vivo studies have revealed that INO-4800 can elicit T and B cell responses against SARS-CoV-2. Scientists have found that this vaccine can also lower the viral replication upon the challenge of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-transduced mice.

Similarly, inoculation of INO-4800 in the rhesus macaque SARS-CoV-2 challenge model had shown induction of immunological memory cells which could lower the viral replication. For the development of vaccines and therapeutics, the nonhuman primates (NHP) model is extremely valuable, as these animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and develop symptoms similar to human beings with mild COVID-19.

How effective is INO-4800?

The Phase I clinical trial of the INO-4800 vaccine has demonstrated its safety and tolerability profile. In fact, this vaccine-elicited immune responses in 100% of the recipients and has been found to protect these individuals by inducing both SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies as well as cellular immune responses.

Currently, the INO-4800 vaccine is undergoing further evaluation in a Phase 2 segment of a Phase 2/3 study. The main aim of this clinical trial is to further evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the vaccine.

A new study published in Vaccine assesses the safety and efficacy of the synthetic DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800, delivered as a single or double dose regime. This vaccine was administered in the skin of the rhesus macaque using CELLECTRA-ID electroporation technology.

In this study, 12 rhesus macaques, including 6 males and 6 females, were vaccinated with the INO-4800 vaccine. One group received one dose of the vaccine injected on day 28, while the second group received one dose of the vaccine on day 0 and a second dose on day 28. The serum titers of SARS-CoV-2 S antigen reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were measured in all animals biweekly between days 0 and 56. The scientists reported that this vaccine triggered a functional T cell response, as SARS-CoV-2 S protein neutralizing antibodies boosted after the second dose.

Humoral responses in rhesus macaques vaccinated with INO-4800. Study outline (A). SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific IgG (B), RBD-specific IgG (C) and live virus-neutralising antibodies (D) measured pre- and post-challenge in serum from rhesus macaques that received 1 or 2 doses of INO-4800 or were unvaccinated (Control). Lines represent the geometric means.

The efficacy of INO-4800 after SARS-CoV-2 challenge

The vaccinated animals were then challenged with a high dose of SARS-CoV-2 Victoria01 strain (5X106 pfu) on the 56th day of their vaccination to assess the effectiveness of the vaccine.

No significant clinical symptoms were observed throughout the study. Nasal and throat samples were collected to measure the viral RNA and subgenomic RNA (sgmRNA) content via the reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. This analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between nasal viral loads and neutralizing and anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG titers on day 3, but not on day 1.

At the time of necropsy, researchers collected bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from each animal. Analysis of these samples showed an overall reduction in the levels of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA and sgmRNA in the vaccinated group. However, their levels varied depending on the day of necropsy.

RT-qPCR was also carried out on tissues collected at necropsy. This analysis revealed that in most of the tissues, except the lungs, the RNA levels of SARS-CoV-2 were below the limit of quantification. Estimation of the viral load in the lung tissues showed reduced viral load in the vaccinated animals.

Taken together, the RT-qPCR viral load data revealed a positive effect in reducing viral loads among the INO-4800 vaccinated rhesus macaques, even after being challenged with a high dose of SARS-CoV-2. Further, histopathological examination of lung tissue provided no indication of vaccine-enhanced disease in the vaccinated animals that were subjected to high virus load.

Conclusion

The authors of this study have conducted preclinical SARS-CoV-2 animal model studies to assess the INO-4800 vaccine. Their assessment reveals that a single dose of the vaccine has a positive impact on lowering the viral load in the lungs and no vaccine-enhanced disease was found.

As synthetic DNA vaccines can be developed at a faster rate than conventional vaccines, they could play an important role in containing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers in the United States have demonstrated early and persistent B cell abnormalities in patients with moderate or severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that may be largely driven by hypoxia.

Given that the B cell response is a crucial part of the host immune defense against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)  the causative agent of COVID-19  these deficits could have a significant impact on the disease course, says Kenneth Smith from the University of Cambridge and colleagues.

Hypoxia might contribute to B cell pathology in COVID-19 and in other hypoxic states, writes the team. Through this mechanism, it may impact on COVID-19 outcome, and be remediable through early oxygen therapy.

A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review.

Hypoxia and lymphopenia prominent clinical features in COVID-19

Hypoxia is a prominent but silent early feature of COVID-19, with patients often presenting at hospital with low blood oxygen saturation and respiratory failure.

Another early prominent clinical feature in cases of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 is pronounced lymphopenia, with significant reductions in B cell subsets.

This brought to mind the phenotype of mice with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-deficient B cells, in which Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs) are constitutively active, suggesting hypoxia might drive B cell abnormalities in COVID-19, write Smith and colleagues.

The B cell response is a vital component of the immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2, with B cell-induced antibodies contributing to protection from infection.

The prominent changes in B cell subsets that occur in symptomatic COVID-19 include an increase in plasmablasts and a reduction in memory B cells that correlate with disease severity and may persist for more than two months following symptom onset.

B cell abnormalities in COVID-19 may limit immune response to SARS-CoV-2

The B cell abnormalities that occur in moderate-to-severe COVID-19 may limit the efficacy of the immune response to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and predispose to reinfection or to secondary infection with other pathogens, the latter being a significant clinical problem in COVID-19.

Understanding the changes to B cell immunity caused by COVID-19, and the potential role of hypoxia as a mechanism underlying them, could therefore inform clinical management strategies, say the researchers.

Cells respond to hypoxia via the HIF isoforms: HIF-1 and HIF-2. In the presence of oxygen, these transcription factors are tagged for degradation by prolyl-hydroxylase enzymes (PHDs) and Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) E3 ubiquitin ligase. In the hypoxic state, reduced PHD activity leads to stabilization of HIF-.

B cell adaptation to hypoxia may be physiologically important. Germinal centers (GCs) are hypoxic, and mice with B cell-specific VHL deletion and thus constitutively active HIF show abnormal B cell development and reduced GC B cells, antibody class-switching and affinity-maturation, says Smith and colleagues.

What did the researchers do?

The team explored the potential impact of hypoxia on B cells in cohorts of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals recruited between March 31st and July 20th, 2020.

The participants were categorized by peak clinical severity into asymptomatic individuals, those with mild symptoms, patients who presented to hospital but never required oxygen supplementation, hospital admissions who required oxygen, and admissions who required assisted ventilation or died without ventilation.

Blood samples were taken from the participants on a weekly basis while they were inpatients and on a less frequent basis following discharge. The researchers compared absolute B cell subset numbers between COVID-19 patients and healthy controls.

What did they find?

Among asymptomatic individuals, an often non-significant increase in most B cell subsets was observed. Among those with mild symptoms, short-lived reductions in immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG memory B cells and in marginal zone-like (MZL) B cells were observed. In both of these groups, early increases in plasmablasts were seen, which then slowly declined.

By contrast, significant early reductions in many B cell subsets were observed in all more severe disease groups, including reductions in naive and transitional B cells, memory B cells and MZL B cells.

Most B cells subsets then exhibited some recovery, although transitional B cells continued to fall in cases of severe disease.

B cells in COVID-19

When the researchers performed a comparative analysis in mice with VHL-deficient B cells, they found a remarkably similar B cell dysregulation to that observed in patients with moderate-to-severe disease.

The researchers say this finding supports the possibility that signaling via HIF can contribute to B cell abnormalities that resemble those seen in COVID-19.

Next, the team found evidence of a hypoxia transcriptional signature that occurs in moderate-to-severe COVID-19, which single-cell analysis revealed to be particularly enriched in B cells.

Furthermore, when the researchers explored B cell immune response in mice housed in hypoxic conditions, they found that hypoxia contributed to the B cell defects that are also seen in COVID-19, including reduced marginal zone and germinal center B cells.

What did the authors conclude?

The team says the study shows that profound B cell abnormalities occur in patients with severe COVID-19 and provides evidence that the deficits may be largely driven by hypoxia.

B cell lymphopenia extends across all subsets, is present soon after symptom onset, and is often persistent, writes Smith and colleagues.

The researchers also say that the observation that hypoxia perturbs B cell immunity has implications in a wide range of clinical settings.

In COVID-19, these observations lead to the prediction that early and aggressive oxygen therapy may lead to improved immune responsiveness and thus clinical outcome, they conclude.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The July 2021 issue of IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica features six articles that showcase the potential of machine learning in its various forms. The applications described in the studies range from advanced driver assistance systems and computer vision to image processing and collaborative robotics.

Image Credit: IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica

Automation of technology has reshaped both the way in which we work and how we tackle problems. Thanks to the progress made in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years, it is now possible to leave several tasks in the hands to machines and algorithms.

To highlight these advances, the IEEE and the Chinese Association of Automation (CAA) decided to join forces, in the first issue of IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica. This journal is among the top 7% ones in artificial intelligence, control/systems engineering, and information systems (ranked by CiteScore), with high-quality papers on all areas of automation science and engineering. In the July 2021 issue, the journal features six articles covering innovative applications of AI that can make our lives easier.

The first article, authored by researchers from Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Department ASIM Lab, USA, delves into an interesting mixture of topics: intelligent cars, machine learning, and electroencephalography (EEG). Self-driving cars have been in the spotlight for a while. So how does EEG fit in this picture?

Sometimes drivers become distracted or fatigued without realizing it, increasing the risk of a traffic accident. Fortunately, cars can now be equipped with AI systems that sense and analyze the drivers EEG signals to constantly monitor their state and issue warnings when deemed necessary. This article reviews the latest EEG-based driver state estimation techniques. They also provide detailed tutorials on the most popular EEG decoding methods and neural network models, helping researchers become familiarized with the field. The authors explain, By implementing these EEG-based methods, drivers state can me estimated more accurately, improving road safety.

Next, a research team from Sichuan University, China, propose a new approach for image captioning, a task that is difficult for computers. The problem is that even though computers can now aptly recognize objects in a given image, it is tricky to describe the scene solely based on these objects. To tackle this, the researchers developed a global attention-based network to accurately estimate the probabilities of a given region in the image of being mentioned in the caption. This was achieved by analyzing the similarities between local visual features and global caption features. Using an attention module, the model can more accurately attend to the most important regions in the image to produce a good caption. Automatic image captioning is a great tool for indexing large images datasets and helping the visually impaired.

In the third article, scientists of Xidian University, China, attempt to bring collaborative robotics to the field of top-view surveillance. More specifically, they propose a detailed framework in which deep learning is used in top-view computer vision, contrary to most studies that focus on frontal-view images. This framework uses a smart robot camera with an embedded visual processing unit with deep-learning algorithms for detection and tracking of multiple objects (essential tasks in various applications, including crime prevention and crowd and behavior analysis).

In the fourth article, researchers from Guiling University, China, propose a new approach for producing super-resolution images based on features that a neural network can extract and use. Their method, called weighted multi-scale residual network, can leverage both global and local image features from different scales to reconstruct high-quality images with state-of-the-art performance. The authors say, Current imaging devices certainly cannot provide enough computing resources, and thus, we designed a fast and lightweight architecture to mitigate this problem.

The fifth article by researchers from the University of New South Wales, Australia, covers the complex topic of transparency and trust in humanswarm teaming. According to the authors, explainability, interpretability and predictability are distinct yet overlapping concepts in artificial intelligence that are subordinate to transparency. By drawing from the literature, they proposed an architecture to ensure trustworthy collaboration between humans and machine swarms, going beyond the usual masterslave paradigm. The researchers conclude, Human-swarm teams will require increased levels of transparency before we can begin to leverage the opportunity that these systems present.

Next, scientists from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China showcase yet another use of deep neural networks in the field of computer vision more specifically, in video anomaly detection. Existing models for automatically detecting anomalies in video footage try to predict or reconstruct a frame based on previous input and, by calculating the reconstruction error, determine if anything seems out of place. The problem with this approach is that abnormal frames are sometimes reconstructed well, leading to false negatives. The scientists tackled this problem by developing a cognitive memory-augmented network that imitates the way in which humans remember normal samples and uses both reconstruction error and calculated novelty scores to detect anomalies in videos. With verified state-of-the-art performance, the network can be readily applied in surveillance tasks, such as accident and public safety monitoring.

We are all very likely to witness artificial intelligence becoming pivotal in many real-life applications soon. So, make sure to keep up with the times by checking out the July 2021 issue of IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica!
Thought Leaders Professor Robert Ariens Professor of Vascular Biology University of Leeds

In our latest interview, we spoke to Professor Robert Ariens from the University of Leeds about his latest research into blood clots and how they can be prevented.

Please could you introduce yourself and tell us what provoked your research into blood clots?

I am a Professor of Vascular Biology at the University of Leeds and have been researching the field of thrombosis and hemostasis for more than 30 years.

One question I have wanted to answer for some time is: Why do certain clots embolise and cause pulmonary embolism (clots in the lungs) and others do not? Also, I wanted to know what, if anything, crosslinking of the building material of the clot (a protein called fibrin) by a transglutaminase enzyme called factor XIII had to do with this.

Blood clots in the lungs kill more than two thousand people each year in the UK alone yet how they form is still largely unknown until now. Why was this?

We knew that clots in the lungs can arise from clots in the deep veins of the legs or arms, by breaking off from the site of thrombosis in the limbs, and then traveling in the bloodstream to the lungs to block a vessel there and cause difficulties in breathing.

However, we did not know why certain clots break off and do this, while others do not.

Blood Clot. Image Credit: Tatiana Shepeleva/Shutterstock.com

What role does deep vein thrombosis play in blood clot formation?

Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in the large veins of the arm or leg. Veins are blood vessels that have valves to make sure the blood flows against the direction of gravity. Usually, the clot formation starts around the valves in these veins.

A combination of factors can contribute to clot formation, including prolonged immobility, endothelial cell (cells that line the blood vessel) dysfunction, and a procoagulant state (heightened blood clotting activity) due to genetic or environmental factors.

Can you describe how you carried out your latest research into blood clots?

First, we made a new model in which particular crosslinks induced by factor XIII do not occur since we genetically mutated the crosslinking sites. Then we developed a new model of pulmonary embolism using powerful new imaging methods to analyze embolization of the clots to the lungs.

We also used nanotechnology called atomic force microscopy to test the strength of individual fibrin fibers.

What did you discover? What role does the protein fibrin play in blood clots?

We found that when particular crosslinks induced into fibrin by factor XIII called gamma chain crosslinks do not occur, individual fibrin fibers are broken much more easily and at lower levels of stretch. Then we found that in the absence of these crosslinks, clots that form in the vena cava (central vein) break off much more easily and generate more emboli in the lungs.

The differences we observed were substantial, with an approximately 40% increase in lung emboli.

Fibrin. Image Credit: Juan Gaertner/Shutterstock.com

Why is research into blood clots of particular importance currently in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?

We know that patients with severe COVID-19 have a really high risk of thrombosis, with a particularly high risk of clots in the lungs.

If we can reduce pulmonary embolism, this may also greatly help patients with COVID-19.

How will your research help to identify new drugs that can target blood clots?

Now that we know the molecular mechanism that helps to prevent pulmonary embolism, we can make sure that this mechanism remains fully functional when we try to treat the clots with new anticoagulants or new clot-busting drugs called thrombolytics.

Do you believe that with continued research into blood clot formation we will be able to reduce the number of people dying from them each year?

I am convinced we can achieve this. Blood clots are a leading cause of death and debilitating disease worldwide.

We are now in a unique position to develop new drugs that prevent clots or break them down that can replace currently used drugs, which are not always effective and can cause a heightened risk of bleeding. Newer medications to be developed will be more effective and cause fewer side effects including bleeding.

What are the next steps in your research?

We are having clear ideas of which process we need to target to reduce thrombosis while avoiding deadly emboli.

Our next steps will be to generate candidate drugs to be tested in our models of thrombosis and thromboembolism.

Where can readers find more information?

About Professor Robert Ariens

Robert Ariens is a Professor of Vascular Biology, Wellcome Trust Investigator, and Head of the Department of Discovery and Translational Science, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine at the University of Leeds.

Ariens obtained a BSc in Biology from the University of Utrecht in 1990, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maastricht in 1997. He was President of the British Society for Haemostasis and Thrombosis (2016-2018) and President of the International Fibrinogen Research Society (2014-2018). He is a member of the JTH Editorial Board, and holder of a Hemker Visiting Chair, University of Maastricht.

Ariens was awarded the Outstanding Investigator Award by the International Fibrinogen Research Society, July 2012, and was Chair of the Factor XIII and Fibrinogen ISTH Subcommittee from 2002-2006. Research of the Ariens laboratory has a strong focus on mechanisms in thrombosis and hemostasis, with a particular interest in clot structure and function.

He has published extensively in the most influential journals of the field including Lancet, JCI, PNAS Blood, ATVB, Circulation, and JTH.
Survival for a baby born with a birth defect  otherwise known as a congenital anomaly  is dependent on where you are born, a new study reveals.

Survival for a baby born with a birth defect depends on where you are born. Image Credit: University of Birmingham

Babies born with birth defects involving the intestinal tract have a one in 20 chance of dying in a high-income country compared to one in five in a middle-income country and two in five in a low-income country

Scientists from 74 countries (full list in Notes to Editors) examined the risk of mortality for nearly 4,000 babies born with birth defects in 264 hospitals around the world.

Gastroschisis, a birth defect where the baby is born with their intestines protruding through a hole by the umbilicus has the greatest difference in mortality with 90% of babies dying in low-income countries compared with 1% in high-income countries. In high-income countries, most of these babies will be able to live a full life without disability.

Professor Justine Davies, one of the UK study leads from the University of Birmingham said: The differences in life or death for babies born with these highly treatable conditions in high, middle, or low-income countries is tragic. It reflects the general lack of attention and investment given to surgery care in low- or middle-income countries. Most people living in high income countries take for granted that they can access high quality care if they or their children have a surgically treatable condition, but this is not a reality for most people in the world.

Principal Investigator Dr Naomi Wright has devoted the last four years to studying these disparities in outcome.

Geography should not determine outcomes for babies who have correctable surgical conditions. The Sustainable Development Goal to end preventable deaths in newborns and children under 5 years old by 2030 is unachievable without urgent action to improve surgical care for babies in low- and middle-income countries. Dr Naomi Wright, Principal Investigator

The researchers are calling for a focus on improving surgical care for newborns in low- and middle-income countries globally.

Over the last 25 years, while there has been great success in reducing deaths in children under 5 years by preventing and treating infectious diseases, there has been little focus on improving surgical care for babies and children and indeed the proportion of deaths related to surgical diseases continues to rise.

Birth defects are now the fifth leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age globally, with most deaths occurring in the new-born period. Birth defects involving the intestinal tract have a particularly high mortality in low- and middle-income countries as many are not compatible with life without emergency surgical care after birth.

In high-income countries, most women receive an antenatal ultrasound scan to assess for birth defects. If identified, this enables the woman to give birth in a hospital with childrens surgical care so the baby can receive help as soon as it is born. In low and middle- income countries, babies with these conditions often arrive late to the childrens surgical center in a poor clinical condition. The study shows that babies who present to the childrens surgical center already septic with infection have a higher chance of dying.

The study highlights the importance of perioperative care (the care received either side of the corrective operation or procedure) at the childrens surgical center. Babies treated at hospitals without access to ventilation and intravenous nutrition when needed had a higher chance of dying. Furthermore, not having skilled anesthetic support and not using a surgical safety checklist at the time of operation were associated with a higher chance of death.

Improving survival from these conditions in low- and middle-income countries involves three key elements:

improving antenatal diagnosis and delivery at a hospital with childrens surgical care;

improving surgical care for babies born in district hospitals, with safe and quick transfer to the childrens surgical center; and

improved perioperative care for babies at the childrens surgical center.

This requires strong teamwork and planning between midwifery and obstetric teams, newborn and pediatric teams, and childrens surgical teams at the childrens surgical center, alongside outreach education and networking with referring hospitals.

Alongside local initiatives, surgical care for newborns and children needs to be integrated into national and international child health policy and should no longer be neglected within global child health.
Jessica Gannon, a recent graduate in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, will continue her education and research as a doctoral student in biomedical engineering through Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University's School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences.

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program award, Gannon will examine alternative treatments for pancreatic cancer. She is one of six graduate students in the College of Engineering who received the prestigious fellowship this year. The research fellowship program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements.

In the Therapeutic Ultrasound and Noninvasive Therapies Laboratory, Gannon studies a form of focused ultrasound known as histotripsy in the context of treating pancreatic cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, according to recent studies.

"I was ecstatic to receive this prestigious award," said Gannon, who also minored in biomedical engineering. "I am beyond grateful to have this opportunity where I can continue to conduct the research I am extremely passionate about, while being supported by the NSF. My research allows me to continue the fight against cancer, to which my father unfortunately lost his life. During my doctoral studies, I hope to develop focused ultrasound as a noninvasive ablation modality as an alternative treatment option for pancreatic cancer."

Coined at the University of Michigan laboratory where Eli Vlaisavljevich, assistant professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics and Gannon's mentor, completed his graduate studies, the term "histotripsy" combines "histo," which means "tissue," and "tripsy," which means "breakdown." Histotripsy uses high-pressure ultrasound pulses to create bubble clouds in a process called cavitation. As they rapidly expand and collapse, these clouds disintegrate targeted cells and tissue.

As a form of cancer therapy, histotripsy uses ultrasound imaging to monitor treatments in real-time, making it noninvasive with minimal side effects. Thus far, histotripsy has shown promising results in clinical studies for liver cancer.

It is particularly tough to access the pancreas and treat for cancer because of its position in the body, behind the stomach. There are limits to targeting cancerous tumors even with noninvasive treatments, such as histotripsy, because of its location. Gannon's research aims to overcome the current limitations of targeting pancreatic cancer with focused ultrasound through real-time experiments.

Gannon's father had always wanted to attend Virginia Tech and was able to live his dream vicariously through her, she said, before he passed away at the end of Gannon's freshman year. After attending a STEM high school in New Jersey, she already knew engineering was the field for her, but this experience fueled her passion to find solutions - through engineering - to help people.

In high school, Gannon had the opportunity to learn computer-aided design and work on other projects related to engineering. Through her class projects, Gannon realized she had always enjoyed breaking down a complex system into its components to learn more about them and understand how each piece works together to function flawlessly, she said. More than this, she recognized that she was one of only a few women in the classroom and wanted to change that. These two discoveries led Gannon to choose engineering as her career.

Mechanical engineering would be her major, but she wasn't yet sure where she would study. After touring many schools, Gannon said she immediately felt that Virginia Tech was the one for her when she stepped foot on campus.

Virginia Tech was the only school I could envision myself becoming an engineer. I knew I could bridge the gap between engineering and people here. I struggled to bridge that gap in my STEM-focused high school but knew, in almost an instant, I could combine my aptitude for math and science with my love of people here." Jessica Gannon, mechanical engineering graduate, Virginia Tech

During her first year, Gannon was part of Bioactivity, an interdisciplinary biomedical engineering design team that focuses on finding solutions to real-world medical problems. That year, the team was working on a lifting device for emergency medical technicians, assisting them in lifting and moving bariatric patients. Many medical workers hurt their lower backs or other areas because of lifting, so the team created an assist lift medical device. At the time, Gannon said their device could lift up to 170 pounds.

Bioactivity was designed to give students hands-on learning, with the assistance of an engineering faculty member as a mentor when needed. Students do most of the problem-solving, designing, and creation of devices on their own, Gannon said, though the professors are more than willing to help, if asked. Vlaisavljevich was the team's mentor.

As a sophomore, Gannon looked to Vlaisavljevich for help with her application for the Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship. They talked about research ideas, her desire to work in a lab, and her interest in medical device development and pancreatic cancer. He gave her a tour of the lab while explaining his research. When he mentioned that he not only does cancer research, but his research is specific to pancreatic cancer, Gannon said the alignment in interests felt almost unreal. She was awarded the Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship, though she was given the opportunity to work in Vlaisavljevich's lab whether or not she won the award. That was the beginning of her research on this topic.

Gannon's recent NSF award will allow her to continue this research as she pursues her Ph.D. following her graduation in spring 2021. Her work will add in a partnership with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine to test her methodology on large animal models.

"We are extremely excited that Jessica will be continuing her graduate studies here at Virginia Tech," Vlaisavljevich said. "As an undergraduate student, she has already made important contributions to our research developing histotripsy for multiple clinical applications, including performing the first-ever study to demonstrate histotripsy as a possible treatment for pancreatic cancer. Jess has thrived in this interdisciplinary research environment.

"This NSF fellowship will provide Jess with an opportunity to perform fundamental studies developing histotripsy as the first completely noninvasive, nonthermal, and nonionizing treatment method for pancreatic cancer as she pursues her long-term goal of improving treatment options for patients suffering from this devastating disease. The fellowship will also allow her to continue growing into a leader in the field and expand on the many outreach activities that she is passionate about engaging in to support the broader community."

Gannon aims to go into industry after completing the doctoral program, and to launch her own startup to develop medical devices. Ultimately, Gannon said she would love to return to Virginia Tech, a place that has given so much to her, and pay it forward by teaching the next generation of engineers.

"Whether I am in a lab, office, or classroom, I will always aspire to connect with people through engineering," Gannon said. "I look forward to continuing to bridge the gap between people and my discipline through the biomedical field in the years to come, especially in the advancement of pancreatic cancer therapies in honor of my father."

In addition to receiving the Clare Boothe Research Award in 2019, Gannon received the Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellowship Award in 2019 and the MAOP Summer Research Internship and Paul E. Torgersen Leadership Scholarship in 2020. She was named an Outstanding Senior by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2021.
Shelia R. Cooper, 66, of Memphis, IN, passed away at 8:43 p.m. on Monday, July 19, 2021, at Clark Memorial Health in Jeffersonville, IN. Shelia was born on Saturday, May 28, 1955, at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, IN. She is the daughter of Lonnie Cooper Jr. who preceded her in d
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(Newser)  A brave New York mom saved her 5-year-old son from an alleged kidnapping Friday. Police say Dolores Diaz was walking with her three kids in Queens when James McGonagle, 24, jumped out of a parked car and snatched her son Jacob. Diaz and her other two kids ran after him. She reached through the cars window and pulled her boy to freedom, CBS New York reports. Surveillance video of the incident shows Diazs struggle, and bystanders trying to stop the maroon sedan from leaving.

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Police say McGonagle was arrested Friday night at a Brooklyn hospital while dealing with some mental health problems, the Daily News reports. A man who was with him, possibly his father, is still being looked for. Jacob, the little boy pulled from the car, was frightened but physically OK after the incident. If they didnt give my brother back I would have to punch them, Jacobs older brother Benny said. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
(Newser)  An investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provides further evidence that military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group, the worlds most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and political dissidents, the AP reports. From a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International and shared with 16 news organizations, journalists were able to identify more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries who were allegedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance. They include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, and several heads of state.

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Amnesty also reported that its forensic researchers had determined that NSO Group's flagship Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, just four days after he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The company had previously been implicated in other spying on Khashoggi. The source of the leakand how it was authenticatedwas not disclosed. While a phone number's presence in the data does not mean an attempt was made to hack a device, the consortium said it believed the data indicated potential targets of NSO's government clients. In one case highlighted by the Guardian, Mexican reporter Cecilio Pineda Birto was assassinated in 2017 a few weeks after his cell phone number appeared on the leaked list. "Stop what you're doing and read this," tweeted Edward Snowden of the report. "This leak is going to be the story of the year." (Much more here.)
(Newser)  More than 80 major fires are burning across the West as it suffers a drought and high temperatures, including the Tamarack fire near Lake Tahoe, which exploded to 30 square miles Sunday. It first ignited two weeks ago due to lightning, the AP reports. Roads were closed and evacuations were ordered, including for some campgrounds in the area. Nevada firefighters were facing a Red Flag warning Sunday, meaning hot weather, low humidity, and strong winds, USA Today reports.

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Other major fires include Oregon's Bootleg Fire at 476 square miles, California's Beckwourth Complex Fire at 164 square miles, and Dixie Fire at 39 square miles. Others were burning in 13 states from Minnesota to New Mexico and Alaska to California, and dangerous fire weather is expected through Monday, with thunderstorms and lightning possible from California to Montana. (Read more wildfires stories.)
(Newser)  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan. Michael Taylor was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months, the AP reports. They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan. In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial. "This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

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Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said. Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan. The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial, they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japans criminal justice system. Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was broke, denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses. But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

(Read more Carlos Ghosn stories.)
(Newser)  Two more Texas lawmakers who left their state to hobble efforts to pass new voting restrictions have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising to five the number of infected people in the delegation, the AP reports. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio said in a statement Sunday that he had tested positive. "I am quarantining until I test negative, and I am grateful to be only experiencing extremely mild symptoms, he said. A person familiar with the delegation said the number of infected members had risen to five. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter and requested anonymity. More than 50 Texas lawmakers traveled to Washington on Monday aboard a private charter flight. A caucus official has said all had been vaccinated.

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After a photo showed them maskless on the plane, Republicans and others criticized the lawmakers for traveling without masks. But federal pandemic guidelines dont require masks to be worn on private aircraft. Vice President Kamala Harris, who had met last week with members of the Texas delegation, went to the Walter Reed military hospital on Sunday for a routine doctors appointment, a White House official said. After some of the lawmakers tested positive for the virus, Harris spokesperson said Saturday that Harris and her staff were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and added that Harris and her staff were fully vaccinated. (The Texas Democrats enter the second week of their holdout Monday; more here.)
(Newser)  Best known as a New York Times columnist who writes about human rights abuses, Nicholas Kristof is considering a change of profession: The Willamette Week of Oregon reports that the 62-year-old is exploring a 2022 run for governor in his native state. "I have friends trying to convince me that here in Oregon, we need new leadership from outside the broken political system," he tells the newspaper. "I'm honestly interested in what my fellow Oregonians have to say about that." The Oregonian reports that Kristof moved back to his family farm in Yamhill, about an hour southwest of Portland, in 2019. He and his wife, fellow journalist Sheryl WuDunn, are converting the longtime cherry orchard into a grape and cider apple farm.

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Kristof's Twitter bio refers to himself as an "Oregon farmboy turned NY Times columnist," notes Axios. The state's current governor, Democrat Kate Brown, cannot run again because of term limits. "What he lacks in direct political experience, he makes up for in decades-worth of progressive stances in a state in which Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by over 16 points last November," notes Matt Stieb at New York. Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer winner, his first for coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1990 and the second for commentary on genocide in Darfur in 2006. Last year, he and his wife wrote a book, Tightrope, about working-class America that included a look at his native Yamhill. (Read more Nicholas Kristof stories.)
Health workers place the body of a COVID-19 victim into a bag to take to a burial in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, on July 15. The world's fourth most populous country has been hit hard by an explosion of COVID-19 cases that have strained hospitals on the main island of Java. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

Health workers place the body of a COVID-19 victim into a bag to take to a burial in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, on July 15. The world's fourth most populous country has been hit hard by an explosion of... (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
(Newser)  The Biden administration on Monday blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year, per the AP. The Justice Department announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the Ministry of State Security in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities, and government entities. The European Union and Britain also pointed the finger at China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions, political organizations, and key industries in the blocs 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The hack was first identified in January.

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The Biden administration and allied nations also disclosed a broad range of other cyberthreats from Beijing, including ransomware attacks from government-affiliated hackers that have targeted companies with demands for millions of dollars. The announcements highlighted the ongoing cyberthreat posed by Chinese government hackers even as the administration has been consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure, including a massive fuel pipeline. Even though the finger-pointing was not accompanied by any sanctions of Beijing, a senior administration official said that the US has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination public shaming as sending an important message.

(Read more China stories.)
(Newser)  A veterinarian in China has become his nation's first fatality from a rare virus spread by monkeys. The 53-year-old man contracted the Monkey B virus after dissecting two dead monkeys in March and died in May, reports the Weather Channel. The man's close contacts have so far tested negative. The virus, also known as herpes B, has been around for a while, but it circulates almost exclusively in macaque monkeys. The CDC says the infection is "extremely rare" in humans, with fewer than 100 cases reported since it was first identified in the 1930s. Typically, those who catch it work closely with monkeys. Only one case has been documented of a person spreading the virus to another person, per the CDC.

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Still, the case is generating more attention than it might because of the current pandemic. The coronavirus and the Monkey B virus are both the consequence of species jumps, Nikolaus Osterrieder of the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences in Hong Kong tells the Washington Post. But the important difference is that in the case from herpes B, its a dead end. Its not jumping from one human to another human." It's possible that could change if the Monkey B virus mutates, but Osterrieder thinks it's unlikely. The Post also notes that health authorities in Florida last year expressed concern over a rising population of monkeys that carried the herpes B virus. (A Texas resident has been diagnosed with a rare case of monkeypox.)
(Newser)  A high-profile British commentator who traveled to Australia and then mocked that nation's COVID restrictions was quickly deported back home on Monday, reports the BBC. Katie Hopkins on Friday posted a since-deleted video on Instagram boasting that she intended to flout rules at her Sydney hotel by greeting staffers who delivered food "naked and without a mask." Sydney has lockdown rules in place because of the fast-spreading delta variant, and masked guests are supposed to wait at least 30 seconds before opening their doors when meals are delivered, notes the AP. Hopkins, however, says such restrictions aren't necessary. "Lockdown is and remains the greatest hoax in human history," she said in the video. She also boasted that the stunt was just "one game I'm playing" with hotel authorities, per the Washington Post.

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Australia has greatly restricted travel into the country, but Hopkins had been granted an exception to appear on the reality show Big Brother VIP. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews called Hopkins' comments "appalling," and authorities canceled her visa and escorted her to the airport, where she boarded a commercial flight back to Britain on Monday. The production company behind the reality show says her contract has been canceled. Hopkins has previously gained attention for posts viewed as anti-Muslim and anti-immigration, and the AP notes that former President Trump raised her profile by retweeting her before he was banned from the platform. (Read more COVID-19 stories.)
(Newser)  A Colorado teenager who hit the gas instead of the brake did not have a good daybut he provided plenty of laughs for the local police department. The Lakewood teen was cited for careless driving after accidentally flattening a fence and driving the Infiniti into a backyard pool Friday, Fox reports. The teen and his adult passenger were not injured. The Lakewood Police Department shared video of the fire department dive team's operation to recover the vehicle and tweeted: "The best line for this is 'Check out our new Infiniti Pool.' Everyone else is battling for second place." The police department thanked the fire department and a towing service for their help, 9News reports. They also thanked "all that is good in the world for there being NO injuries to anyone." (Read more Colorado stories.)
(Newser)  A Utah man who murdered his wife on an anniversary cruise four years ago has died in prison six weeks after he was sentenced to 30 years for the crime. The Alaska Department of Corrections says 43-year-old Kenneth Manzanares was found unresponsive in his cell in a correctional facility in Juneau Wednesday and medical staff were unable to revive him, KUTV reports. Officials have not confirmed a cause of death, but they say foul play is not suspected and the death was not COVID-related. Manzaneres, who had been in state custody since the day after the July 25, 2017, murder in waters near Juneau, was awaiting transfer to a federal facility.

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The deaththe seventh in state DOC custody this yearwill be investigated by state troopers and the medical examiner's office, officials said in a press release. Manzanares pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year, reports the St. George News. Prosecutors said he beat wife Kristy Manzanares to death after they argued about his behavior and she told him she wanted a divorce. Two of the couple's three daughters heard the attack from an adjoining cabin. Kristy Manzaneres' father and two brothers stopped Manzanares as he tried to throw her body overboard from the Emerald Princess cruise ship, according to court documents. "No excuse can justify the savagery committed by this man," said FBI agent Robert Britt after he was sentenced last month. (Read more Alaska stories.)
(Newser)  A Florida man who breached the Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag was sentenced Monday to eight months behind bars, the first resolution for a felony case in the Capitol insurrection, per the AP. Paul Allard Hodgkins apologized and said he was ashamed of his actions on Jan 6. Speaking calmly from a prepared text, he described being caught up in the euphoria as he walked down Washington's most famous avenue, then followed a crowd of hundreds up Capitol Hill and into the Capitol building. If I had any idea that the protest ... would escalate (the way) it did ... I would never have ventured farther than the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue, Hodgkins told the judge. He added: This was a foolish decision on my part.

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Prosecutors had asked for Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying in a recent filing that he, like each rioter, contributed to the collective threat to democracy by forcing lawmakers to temporarily abandon their certification of Joe Bidens 2020 election victory over President Trump and to scramble for shelter from incoming mobs. His sentencing could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial. He and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies. Hodgkins pleaded guilty last month to one count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop lesser charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

(Read more Capitol riot stories.)
(Newser)  "Celebrities Go to Bat for Man Sentenced to Die," read Newser's own headline in 2019. Now, defense lawyers are getting the chance to go to bat for Rodney Reed. The Black man was sentenced to die for the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Texas, but Texas' top appeals court halted his execution just days before it was to take place in November 2019. CBS News reports that court sent the case back to trial court, where a two-week evidentiary hearing began on Monday that will see defense attorneys ask for a new trial. Their case, per KXAN: that Reed is innocent, that the state didn't hand over all exculpatory evidence, and that the prosecutors gave false testimony. Reed has maintained that he was having an affair with Stites, 19, and had consensual sex with her the day prior to her death.

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His lawyers say the quantity of Reed's sperm detected in Stites' body syncs with that timeline, and that prosecutors withheld witness statements that supported Reed's claim the two were in a consensual relationship. At the original trial, prosecutors said there was no such relationship. They originally made the case that Stites was at home with her fiance, Jimmy Fennell, before leaving for work, and that Reed stopped her on the drive and raped and killed her. Reed's defense has argued that Stites was murdered by Fennell. Fennell, a former cop who served time for an unrelated sexual crime, will be called to testify. The Marshall Project reports that in 2019 an inmate signed an affidavit stating that sometime around 2010 Fennell confessed to him that he killed "my n----- loving fiancee." (Read more death row stories.)
(Newser)  A crushing defeat for Bitcoin miners in Malaysia: Authorities in the city of Miri used a steamroller to flatten 1,069 Bitcoin mining rigs in the police station's parking lot, CNBC reports. The machines, which solve complex equations to unlock blocks of the cryptocurrency, were used in illegal operations that stole around $2 million in electricity from power lines, authorities say. Police say the arrested miners, who will serve eight months in prison, also burned three houses down while stealing electricity for the energy-intensive process, reports PCMag. The seized equipment was worth around $1.25 million and while police had the option of selling it, they decided to send a more dramatic message. (Read more bitcoin stories.)
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 58F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 58F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Travelers are required to carry paper or digital copies of their vaccine records to show border agents. They need to have a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine if necessary.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday, July 19, 2019, signed into law a bill related to the "Schneider Loophole" that allowed for an act of sexual violence to go largely unpunished in Anchorage. Gov. Dunleavy signed April 30, 2020, House Bill 96, which reverses the rate hikes the governor had implemented in 2019. HB 96 puts into place limitations to keep future hikes in line with inflation but not higher. The governor signed another bill that addresses a number of issues in the mining industry brought up by individual miners, the Alaska Miners Associations working group and the Department of Natural Resources.
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

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Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

France has lifted travel restrictions on Bahrain, an official source at the Embassy of France in the Kingdom confirmed to Al Ayyam. France made the decision following a significant decline in the number of daily infections in Bahrain.

According to the source, the embassy will begin issuing visitor and tourist visas to France immediately after the end of the Eid Al Adha holiday. It comes after a suspension of entry to France that lasted for more than a year as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The issuance of visas was limited to official delegations and those who have family there, and for students in France in a limited scope. The source stressed that full vaccination with the vaccines approved by the French health authorities is a prerequisite for issuing visas for those wishing to travel to France from Bahrain.

The vaccines approved by the French health authorities in line with the European Medicines Authoritys recommendations are Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZenecas Covishield and Moderna, provided that 14 days have passed since taking the second dose. In the case of those who have taken a single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, four weeks should have passed since taking it to make travellers from Bahrain to become eligible to enter France.

France does not adopt the third booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for those who received the Chinese Sinopharma vaccine. The Russian Sputnik vaccine has not been approved as a recognised vaccine by the European Medicines Authority.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Brigadier Dr Khalid Abdul Ghaffar, the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Consultant, Director of the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research and member of the Arab Doctor Award Committee, has called on the Bahraini medical professionals in all specialities to apply for the Arab Doctor Award 2022 which aims to honour doctors for their contributions and efforts in serving humanity. He pointed out that candidacy for the award is for both military and civil doctors.

Brigadier Dr Khalid extended heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Commander of the Royal Medical Services, Major General Prof Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, for giving him the opportunity to represent the Military Hospital in the Arab Doctor Award.

He pointed out that the candidacy form for the award is available on the website of the Ministry of Health. He added the last deadline for submitting applications is 22 July 2021.

Brigadier Dr Khalid said Bahrains interest in the participation of the Bahraini medical competencies in the award reflects the kingdoms keenness to support doctors and motivate them to bring about more honourable achievements at the regional and international level.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Health Ministry has been following up a report by Qatari Al Jazeera Channel on its websites, quoting a report on the Amnesty International website that contains false allegations about the health condition of the inmate Hassan Mushaima.

In this context, the Ministry expresses astonishment at the false information, highlighting that the inmate receives comprehensive healthcare under its supervision and per the recommendations of his concerned doctors. Therefore, he is provided with the best medical services similar to other citizens. The Health Ministry clarifies the following:

First: The health condition of the inmate is followed up regularly, and many medical checkups were carried for him at the Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre through the clinic that works under the supervision of the Health Ministry or outside hospitals. He had 780 medical appointments and checkups.

Second: A recent x-ray indicates that his health condition is stable concerning his previous lymphoma disease (a lymphatic system cancer). There are no symptoms that show the return of the disease. Furthermore, on 22 February 2021, the checkups of a highly competent medical team indicated that he is cancer-free.

Third: The medical appointments were arranged according to his health condition, and he has medical appointments within the coming days.

Fourth: Through the follow-up of his health condition, the Health Ministry asserts that he enjoys his full rights stated in the Reformation and Rehabilitation Law, including the right of health and social welfare.

He receives special care for being among sick and elderly inmates, and all his necessary needs are provided for his health safety and the safety of all inmates.

Fifth: As part of the ongoing medical care for the inmates, he was admitted to a healthcare centre under the supervision of the Health Ministry to follow up on his condition and meet his treatment plan per the instructions of his doctors. He is treated like any other inmate in healthcare and visits per the rules of health centres.

Finally: The Health Ministry places the health of citizens among its top priorities and urges to not publish inaccurate information by seeking information from official sources.
From concerts to parades, festivals and more, News-Press NOW is the place to find out about events in the community.

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Guatemala is the place to travel for those who are really seeking a unique vacation that is "out of the ordinary". Here, you'll experience attractions that you just won't find anywhere else in the world that will create memories which will last a lifetime!

MONTREAL, July 12, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Experienced travel authority Matthew Keezer recommends Guatemala as a fantastic place to enjoy activities that are one-of-a-kind. These can include; drinking the most highly-regarded coffee in the world, which has been hand-picked by the locals and freshly roasted from nearby mountainous regions. After your morning coffee and breakfast, you can then take a tour of the ruins of a once-mighty Mayan civilization. Later, that afternoon, you can also view majestic smoking volcanoes while deciding on your evening's itinerary.
To keep everyone safe, timed ticketing will be in effect, face masks are mandatory in the building at all times and physical distancing measures are in place. Some areas, including KidSpark and Space Hall on Level 4, are temporarily closed. To learn more about what to expect, visit OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

WHAT: Ontario Science Centre reopens to the general public, following member preview weekends



WHEN: Monday, July 26  timed tickets available to buy or reserve

Wednesday, August 4  doors reopen to the general public



WHERE: Ontario Science Centre

770 Don Mills Road

Toronto, Ontario

SOURCE Ontario Science Centre

For further information: Media Contact, Andrea Mus, Digital Content Strategist, c: 416-895-5482, [email protected]

Related Links

www.ontariosciencecentre.ca


In the exclusive conversation with NewsX as part of NewsX Influencer A-List, Abhi & Niyu spoke to us about their journey together as influencers, inspiration behind their series and much more.

Abhiraj & Niyati, Travel influencers, who are are popularly known as Abhi & Niyu on Instagram with over 2 million followers, recently joined NewsX as part of its special series NewsX Influencer A-List. In the exclusive conversation, they spoke to us about their journey together as influencers, inspiration behind their series and much more.

They commenced by telling the audience about their journey from being college sweethearts to getting married and then together take up a career in influencing. More than 10 years ago, we met in college as friends. We were together in college events and thats when we realized that we both have feelings for each other. We dated for a long time before we married in 2018. Now, we are partners in all our ventures of life, Abhi said.

Commenting on difficulties of being married couple working together as influencers, Niyati said, So far not really, because we know each others strengths and weaknesses. We have been together for so long. We respect and leave some decisions on each other. We dont try to trample in each others fields. Of course, we have creative disagreements but then they get resolved. Its not too much about ego over here but to put out good content.Abhi added We are a team, whatever comes across if its good then it doesnt matter whose idea it was. What matters is producing good products.

Replying to does it ever get difficult to work together in the social media space such as Facebook, Abhi said We have been able to get people together and make them realise that they do not need one million followers to make a difference.

When asked about how they navigate when people question their content and how do they pick content, Niyati responded, Being online and creating content means that you have to deal with whataboutism. Our ultimate goal is to put out positive solution-oriented content, which can bring in some kind of impact. This influences our selection of topics as well. Due to pandemic, we are unable to continue series on 100 Reasons To Love India as travel is restricted. So, we have started creating content on famous Indian personalities. We feel the responsibility as a lot of people, especially kids, are following us. This automatically makes us very careful of what we are putting out. The direction is we want everyone to be critical thinkers, discover more about India and question things.

Talking about the idea of series 100 reasons to love India and how does it helps, Abhiraj spoke, The idea came in 2019 because of lot of negativity regarding our country on internet. When foreigners come to India, they are excited about it but people of our country do not know good things happening around us. With an aim to make India one percent better, we thought to bring up this series in entertaining way. All of us want to see something solution-oriented on internet. By this, we give people the hope to make their neighbourhood one percent better. In return, we are making our neighbourhood one percent better. In return, we also make our country one percent better. We dont need to make whole world a better place. We just need to light a dark corner of our house.

Niyati added People in other countries show pride in their culture and document it well but that is somewhere lacking in India. Kids are exposed to so much negativity online that it they think nothing good is there. But thats not correct. A lot of people are doing good work; we learn life lessons in our history and of our rich culture.

Niyati concluded the session by sharing how they have moved from doubts to meaningful content in their journey as influencers. She said, It was hard to convince because nobody had done it before. We also didnt have road map of it. We were also so not sure about what to do. But as we started are close family and friends appreciated it then we knew what we were doing. That is why I love India.
Sources confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the resignation and it is likely that Yediyurappa will resign on the 26th of this month.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday stated that he will resign on health grounds. Sources confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the resignation and it is likely that Yediyurappa will resign on the 26th of this month.

However, an audio clip, allegedly of the BJPs Karnataka chief Nalinkumar Kateel, talking of a leadership change in the state, has gone viral alongside this speculation. Mr Kateel said that it was a fake clip and urged Mr Yediyurappa to investigate the matter. The 47-second audio clip has a voice stating: There is going to be a definite change in leadership, a completely new team will be in place.

Mr Kateel later added today that he is writing a letter to the Chief Minister asking for a free and fair enquiry. On Saturday the Karnataka Chief minister met BJP Chief JP Nadda. Yediyurappa said later that he has been told to strengthen the party and bring it back to power in the state. The Chief Minister said that he will also meet Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh.

BSY added that these responsibilities are assigned to him by the BJP Chief. He had another meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on the same day.

On Friday, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed certain works that are pending in the state including the Mekedatu project across river Cauvery. The meeting was critical as speculations were made stating that Yediyurappa will be replaced by the Chief Ministers post.

There were a couple of accusations and allegations that Yediyurappa and his family had to face regarding corruption and interference in administration. These have embarrassed the minister and his party as well. These came in addition to the warnings of disciplinary action given by the leadership.

Apart from this, a section of the party demands his replacement stating his age. Sources say that they suggest the need to have a new face for the upcoming 2023 assembly polls.

An official statement released after the Friday meeting stated the Chief Ministers discussion on various state issues with the Prime Minister. Yediyurappa dismissed rumours about his resignation on Saturday.
The list of Indians spied upon include important individuals such as journalists, activists and politicians.

The NSO group of Israel that manufactures the Pegasus spyware is allegedly being used gain access to the personal information of 300 Indians including two cabinet ministers at the Centre.

The list of those who were being pried upon includes 40 journalists, activists a constitutional authority, politicians including three opposition leaders and scientists, says the French media non-profit, Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International.

The central government, however, categorically denied any allegations of the breach of privacy. Citing the accusation of the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp, it claims that the current one is also false and baseless.

The Centre also said that the only interception that has ever taken place is due to national interest under well-established protocols.

The opposition has not missed on the opportunity to take a jibe at them. After foreign media reported the leak of database of Indians, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, We know what hes been reading- everything on your phone.

It would not be surprising if this issue becomes the epicenter for a battle of words between the Modi government and the opposition.

A review of the leak revealed that atleast nine numbers belonged to eight people who were arrested in the Elgar Parishad Case. The Wire reported that the database included information on activists such as Shoma Sen and Hany Babu. Another 16 persons including the deceased Swamy were part of the data collection that illegally took place.

It is not necessary to completely rule out the possibility of the Centres involvement in the misuse of their authority and using the spyware to curb any resistance that threatens them.
STAMFORD  OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma is seeking court approval to pay up to $29 million in employee bonuses for 2021, but those incentives are opposed by Connecticut and other parties involved in the companys bankruptcy.

Purdue officials say the additional payments are necessary to tackle high turnover and recognize employees for helping the Stamford-based company manage its bankruptcy proceedings and restructuring into a new firm. The 2021 bonuses could total up to about $7 million for CEO and President Craig Landau and other top executives and about $22 million for several hundred lower-level employees.

The experience, expertise and knowledge of the debtors highly skilled, trained and educated workforce is necessary to allow the debtors to operate in their highly regulated industry and navigate the challenges stemming from the debtors restructuring, the company said in a motion filed in federal bankruptcy court in White Plains, N.Y. Motivation and retention of the debtors valuable key employees, through continued appropriate and competitive compensation, remains mission critical to maintaining and driving productivity, morale and achievement to maximize value for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Purdues bonus plan requires the approval of Judge Robert Drain, with a hearing scheduled for July 29. In September 2020, Drain approved a bonus package of up to nearly $36 million for several hundred employees and permitted in late 2019 a bonus round totaling about $35 million.

Despite Drains earlier approvals, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and others hold out hope that he will reject the new plan.

Im opposed to paying any money out of this company, except to fund treatment and prevention and bring justice for the (opioid) victims, Tong told Hearst Connecticut Media.

U.S. Trustee William Harrington, who represents the Department of Justice in Purdues bankruptcy, also opposes the new bonuses.

Purdues proposal does not satisfy the standards for a KEIP (key employee incentive plan) and, in any event, should not be approved because it will deprive a new post-(bankruptcy) board from making the determination as to the appropriateness of employee compensation, Harrington said in an objection submitted to the bankruptcy court.

Since filing for bankruptcy in September 2019, Purdue has struggled with recruitment and retention. It employs about 500 today, with nearly 200 based in Stamford. Twenty-eight positions have opened so far this year, but 17 remained unfilled, according to its motion.

Purdues contingent compares with about 1,100 employees in early 2018. Later that year, the company laid off several hundred employees as it ended its opioid marketing and subsequently disbanded its sales force.

Landau is one of Purdues longest-serving employees. He has served as chief executive since June 2017 and has worked at the company since 1999.

He would receive a 2021 annual award of between approximately $1.6 million and $2.2 million if Purdue meets certain performance goals, according to the companys plan.

Last November, Drain approved Purdues request to give Landau a bonus of nearly $3 million. In January 2020, Drain allowed Purdue to give Landau a $1.3 million bonus.

Landaus annual base salary was about $2.6 million, according to court filings made last year.

Dr. Landaus unique combination of clinical, R&D, business and management experience is essential for the companys continued value generation and successful emergence, Purdue said in a statement provided to Hearst. His compensation package is consistent with market comparators.

Not including Landau and other top executives, approximately 506 employees would participate in the 2021 KERP, or key employee retention plan, according to Purdues motion. Among that total, 19 will be vice president or higher and 487 will be middle management, professional employees and support and technical staff, which include scientific researchers as well as regulatory, compliance, quality and manufacturing personnel.

The 2021 KERP annual award is not subject to performance criteria to provide the 2021 KERP participants with greater certainty about their compensation, the motion said.

Through its bankruptcy, Purdue is trying to reach a comprehensive settlement of about 3,000 lawsuits filed by local and state governments alleging the company fueled the opioid crisis with deceptive marketing of OxyContin.

The company denies the complaints accusations, but it has offered a settlement it values at more than $10 billion. As part of that plan, Purdue proposes converting itself into a public benefit company that would use its funds to help tackle the opioid crisis.

Earlier this month, 15 states that previously opposed the proposal announced that they would now support it after Purdue and the Sackler family members who own the firm made additional concessions. Connecticut, eight other states and the District of Columbia still oppose the settlement offer.

A confirmation hearing for Drain to review Purdues settlement plan is scheduled for Aug. 9.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
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A Queens, N.Y. grand jury indicted TV actor Isaiah Stokes for murder on Friday. Stokes is accused of fatally shooting a man who sat in a parked car in Jamaica, Queens in February.

The defendant is accused of unloading nearly eleven shots during this brazen afternoon shooting, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a press release. Gun violence is all too prevalent in our neighborhoods. We will not allow it to become the norm.

Stokes was arraigned before Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder on a three-count indictment, charging him with second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. His sentencing is set for July 19 and he faces 25 years to life in prison. Representatives for Stokes declined to comment on the matter.

According to the charges, video surveillance footage from Feb. 7 showed the defendant exit a vehicle, approach the driver-side window of a Jeep Grand Cherokee and allegedly fire 11 gunshots into the car, which fatally injured Tyrone Jones, a 37-year-old man from Queens Village.

Law enforcement did not report on any sort of motive behind the shooting.

The Queens native was raised in Rochdale Village, a neighborhood in South Jamaica, and attended college at Delaware State University. His acting career coincided with the film debut of rapper Camron in the 2006 direct-to-video crime drama Killa Season, timed to the release of his album of the same name.

Since 2006, Stokes had appeared in number of network and premium cable staple dramas. He played two-episode stints on shows like Rescue Me, The Americans, Louie and Blue Bloods. His other acting credits include Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Boardwalk Empire and, most recently, Power.

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BOSTON (AP)  Human rights and press freedom activists are up in arms about a new report on NSO Group, the notorious Israeli hacker-for-hire company. The report, by a global media consortium, expands public knowledge of the target list used in NSO's military-grade spyware. According to the report, that now not only includes journalists, rights activists and opposition political figures, but also people close to them.

The groups decried on Monday the virtual absence of regulation of commercial surveillance tools. If the allegations of widespread targeting by NSO's Pegasus spyware are even partly true, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement, a "red line has been crossed again and again with total impunity.

Here's what you need to know about this issue.

NSO GROUP HAS LONG BEEN ACCUSED OF UNETHICAL HACKING. WHAT'S NEW?

The new investigation, based on leaked data of unspecified origin, builds significantly on previous efforts. Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International obtained the data they say indicate potential targets for surveillance by NSO's clients.

Journalists from the consortium combed through a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers, identifying more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries. They include 189 journalists, 85 human rights activists and several heads of state. Among the journalists were employees of The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde and The Financial Times.

Amnesty was able to examine the smartphones of 67 people on the list, and found attempted or successful Pegasus infections on 37. It found that the phone of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, was infected just four days after he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Amnesty also found Pegasus on the phones of the co-founders of the Indian independent online outlet The Wire and repeat infections on the phones of two Hungarian investigative journalists with the outlet Direkt36.

The list of potential targets included Roula Khalaf, the editor of the Financial Times.

Fifty people close to Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, were also on the potential target list. They include his wife, children, aides and cardiologist. Lopez Obrador was in opposition at the time. A Mexican reporter whose phone number was added to the list in that time period, Cecilio Pineda, was assassinated in 2017.

After Mexico, the largest share of potential targets were in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia is reported to be among NSO clients. Also on the list were numbers in France, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan, Morocco and Rwanda.

According to the The Committee to Protect Journalists, few effective barriers exist to prevent autocratic governments from using sophisticated surveillance technology to attempt cowing or silencing a free press.

After an Amnesty forensic analysis published Sunday showed it was hosting NSO infrastructure, Amazon Web Services said it had shut down accounts of the Israeli that were confirmed to be supporting the reported hacking activity. Amazon said they had violated its terms of use.

WHAT DOES NSO SAY?

NSO denies ever maintaining a list of potential, past or existing targets. It claims to sell only to vetted government agencies for use against terrorists and major criminals, and denies any association with Khashoggis murder. The company does not disclose its clients and claims it has no visibility" into the data. Security researchers contest that claim, saying the company directly manages the high-tech spying.

There is no doubt NSO's software deployment creates various logs and other data that the company can access, said John Scott-Railton, a researcher with Citizen Lab, the University of Toronto-based watchdog that has been tracking Pegasus abuses since 2016.

Amnesty has not identified the source of the leak or how the data was authenticated to protect the safety of its source. Citizen Lab vetted Amnesty's methodology for confirming Pegasus' infections and deemed it sound. Scott-Railton said he had no doubt the leaked data contains intent to target."

A phone number's presence in the data does not necessarily mean an attempt was made to hack a device, said Amnesty, which found Pegasus infection traces on the cellphones of 15 journalists on the list.

Amnesty says the malware is so effective that it can hack even the latest models of Apple's iPhone operating system, going undetected as it vacuums up personal and location data and seizes control of device microphones and cameras. In a statement, Apple head of security engineering Ivan Krstic did not directly address Amnesty's claim, instead emphasizing the rarity of such targeted attacks and the company's dedication to the security of its users.

DOES ISRAEL CONDONE THIS ACTIVITY?

Asked about its approvals of NSO's exports, Israel's Defense Ministry said in a statement that it approves the export of cyber products exclusively to governmental entities, for lawful use, and only for the purpose of preventing and investigating crime and counter terrorism. It said national security and strategic considerations are taken into account.

Last year, an Israeli court dismissed an Amnesty lawsuit seeking to strip NSO of its export license, citing insufficient evidence.

Citizen Lab and Amnesty have since 2016 primarily documented NSO targeting of rights activists, dissidents and journalists including dozens of Al-Jazeera employees. But the new list significantly widens the scope of potential targets to include members of Arab royal families, diplomats and business executives, according to the consortium, which includes The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

CAN ANYONE BE TARGETED? HOW CAN INFECTION BE THWARTED?

No one not involved in sensitive information-gathering outside the U.S. needs to worry much. Customers of NSO Group's malware and other commercial surveillance tools typically focus on high-profile targets.

But those in NSO's crosshairs may not be able to avoid infection. Its methods of infection often don't require user interaction, such as clicking on a link in a text message.

One such zero-click option exploited a flaw in WhatsApp, the popular encrypted mobile-messaging service. WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook sued NSO in San Francisco federal court in 2019.

The WhatsApp suit accuses NSO Group of targeting some 1,400 WhatsApp users. Until this week, that was the largest number of potential targets of the Israeli company's spyware amassed in one place.

__

AP correspondents Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Hartford Police / Contributed

HARTFORD  Police on Monday announced a second arrest in the Sisson Avenue homicide of Sylvia Cordova in early June.

Edwin Roman, 24, of Garden Street, was located by North Haven police on Saturday and taken into custody on an active arrest warrant, Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The 83-year-old emir of Kuwait said Monday he underwent successful medical tests, state-run media reported, the latest checkups for the sheikhdom's ruler who discloses little about his health.

Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah told the country's crown prince by phone that the usual medical checks had gone well and would be continued, state-run KUNA news agency reported, citing a royal court statement.
MILFORD  Joe Filanowski Sr. was a salt of the earth kind of guy  hunter, fisherman, conversationalist, cook  with just the right touch of warmth to create a winning atmosphere in his only sons side business, a private cigar club.

Filanowski died in 2016 and the popular club, Sea-Gar Loft, with some 200 members, had to close in 2018 because of an expired lease.

But on Fathers Day  the day chosen purposefully  the cigar club reopened in a new location where the elder Filanowskis presence remains in spirit at every turn.

Dad would love it, Joe Filanowski Jr. said. We have a big picture of him hanging up so hes always overlooking the place.

There are pictures of dad over the bar, a 12-foot long sign that reads Dads Pub & Grub with pipes carved into both sides of the sign, as the elder Filanowski smoked pipe tobacco, never cigars. His pipe is also part of the new decor.

Members say the place has a unique atmosphere like Cheers, where everybody knows your name, and its part of what the elder Filanowski created with his flair.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

Member Chris McInnis said the father and son made a place where people can come and feel like theyre part of a close-knit group of friends.

They get together, share stories, watch sports, play cards, have a drink (its BYOB), enjoy a cigar. Above all, theres camaraderie, customers say.

He opened and it kind of snowballed into something everyone wanted to be part of, McInnis said of the original club. His father was a really special man. He wanted to make a spot his father would be proud of, and succeeded.

Member Marc Zahariades said the men built an atmosphere where, everybody knows your name, like on the television show Cheers.

Its a great place. The buzz is huge, he said. Its warm, friendly, comfortable.

Joe Filanowski Jr., owner of the popular J & J Custom Builders, took a leap into the private cigar club business in 2011, when his dad, owner of Center Auto Body, decided to retire. Dad told his only child that to retire, he would need a part-time job to keep busy and make some extra income.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

The younger Filanowski always relished a good cigar combined with good conversation, so with dad available to run the place, it seemed perfect.

I just really enjoy cigars. I didnt need another business, said the busy Filanowski Jr.

Always a boater, Filanowski Jr. called it Sea-Gar Loft, as in their first location they were situated on the second and third floor overlooking the harbor.

The retirement plan worked out better than the younger Filanowski ever imagined  as dad was a natural at creating just the right social environment.

The elder Filanowski got there early to open, stayed late to close and added personal touches that made the place social magic, such as cooking partridge stew, grilled yellowfin tuna, venison chili and other food for happy hours.

He loved it once he started working there.  My dad was my wingman, Filanowski said. He always enjoyed feeding people, seeing them happy.

He said dad was the type of person who couldnt wait for a member to walk through the door and could make anyone feel at home even if they didnt hunt or fish.

He would love to make special game dinners on Fridays for up to 200 members like it was nobodys business, after he spent time hunting in the north woods with his brothers, Filanowski said.

Like clockwork my phone would ring on Saturday morning and he would tell me each and every member who stopped in and how much they enjoyed the dish, Filanowski said. The next line would be, Joe, they were scraping the bottom of the bowl trying to get another scoop.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

When the lease expired in 2018, Sea-Gar Loft took a hiatus, but the calls, texts and emails asking when they would reopen continued, Filanowski said.

It was tricky to find the perfect new spot  he wanted a place in the Gulf Street area where most of his members are from  and it ideally would be detached from other buildings. He calls new club Sea-Gar, dropping the word Loft, although it appears in some places on social media.

Ironically, Filanowski found the perfect spot to reopen Sea-Gar in his own business woodworking shop 97 Buckingham Ave.

I kicked myself out and found a new place (for woodworking), he said. It was good spot.

The space in an industrial site has high ceilings for smoke to rise, big windows, a ventilation system and now contains many items from the original Sea-Gar Loft, including the bar.

There is no stunning view of the harbor, but theres another stunning sight each night, as its located about 20 feet from the train tracks.

The best part is when (the) cargo train goes by every night, Filanowski said. It makes you feel very American seeing the coal and stone being shipped by steel tracks from north to south while enjoying a premium cigar that was had rolled by artisans from around the world.

Its often said each cigar is touched by 200 pair of hands before it is smoked. Connecticut is famous for its shade wrapper and my favorite tobacco comes from the rich soils of Nicaragua, he said.

He said the reopening was great and a lot of original members came back.

The new club, open 365 days per year, has fingerprint admission and a lot of self-serve features. Members can even work there on their laptops during the day.

Filanowski said his wife, Malissa, and three daughters Rylie, Reese and Rachel help him quite a bit, especially with technology.

He said owning the cigar lounge is not about the money, but rather having a fun place to go.

Its super relaxing in this fast-paced world. When you walk into Sea-Gar Loft the world shuts down, he said.

Returning member Matt Nittoly said he loves the place and often goes there with his wife after going out to dinner.

Its without a doubt my favorite place, he said. Its like a home away from home. Its so much more than just a cigar club.

Filanowski said he thinks every day about his dad, who was also a wonderful grandfather.

He left me more than anyone can know thats for sure and theres not a day that goes by that I dont think of him, or how would dad do that? He was the best mentor dad anyone could ask for, Filanowski said. He truly loved it and would often stay shooting the (breeze) with one or two members well into the night.

Joe Filanowski Jr. can be reached at Seagarman@seagarloft.com.
Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file

NEW HAVEN  When it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations in New Haven, choices are getting a little slimmer and more concentrated these days  often with additional incentives, such as free food, amusement park tickets or Dunkin gift certificates thrown in to sweeten things up.

The city and its partners, which not all that long ago were vaccinating people in field houses and gymnasiums, now are down to three semi-permanent locations  the New Haven Green, Lighthouse Point Park and Long Wharf Park near the food trucks  plus an ever-changing array of pop-up sites.
NORTH HAVEN  Authorities have identified the victim of a weekend homicide as a 28-year-old New Haven resident, according police Chief Kevin Glenn.

Davonte Warren was killed late Saturday morning near the intersection of Dixwell Avenue and the Route 40 connector eastbound. His death was the first homicide in North Haven in more than a decade.

After receiving multiple reports of gunfire, police located the victim, later identified as Warren, inside a vehicle, according to the chiefs original release.

Initial investigation resulted in the development of information that shots were fired from one vehicle into a second vehicle, he said.

As officials attempted to secure the area, a driver from a nearby town disregarded police units that had shut down Route 40 at Whitney Avenue, colliding with another vehicle in a crash that caused multiple injuries, according to a Facebook post from the North Haven Fire Department, which also sent responders to the scene.

The driver of the fleeing vehicle ran from the scene and was pursued by local and state PD, the post says.

The towns last recorded homicide occurred in May 2010, Glenn said.

In the towns last homicide case, a woman was found guilty of murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of bartender Christopher Hall.

Mary Ames, who was convicted in connection with the crime, received a 35-year prison sentence. She is currently incarcerated at York Correctional Institution, according to the state Department of Correction.

Glenn said the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad is assisting with the current investigation.

He asked anyone with information on Saturdays slaying to contact the North Haven Police Department at 203-239-5321.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A city man was shot while riding a dirt bike Sunday on Whalley Avenue, according to police.

Shortly after 6 p.m., detectives were dispatched to St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport for a report of a person who had been shot in New Haven showing up for treatment, Officer Scott Shumway said Monday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A 38-year-old man has been charged in connection with the deaths of three people who were found dead last week in a home in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Jackson County prosecutors office announced Monday that Rahman M. Muhammad of Kansas City faces three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of armed criminal action after he was linked to the slayings by investigators, the Kansas City Star reported.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  An area man suffered was found with gunshot wounds after a shooting on Foxon Boulevard early Saturday, police said Monday.

Officers responded to Foxon Boulevard between Eastern Street and Quinnipiac Avenue shortly after 1 a.m. following 911 calls about a person shot, according to Officer Scott Shumway.
NEW HAVEN  Emerson Zecena went into a Summer Nursing Symposium at Southern Connecticut State University convinced a nursing career was for him.

Leslie Lopez wasnt so sure.

Both teenagers, nonetheless, gave high marks to a program that delivered on the promise to give them way more than textbook knowledge of the in-demand health career.

They barely sat down.

Over five days, 14 city high school students learned how to stop bleeding and perform CPR, and shadowed nurses around Yale New Haven hospital wards.

They simulated the experience of being a patient with limited sight and mobility.

They tried to figure out what was wrong with Sally, a non-communicative child with stomach pain.

Does she have allergies? Mikayla Torres, a junior from Wilbur Cross High School, asked Sallys mother, the part played by Melissa Perez, a nurse and program collaborator.

None that I know of, responded Perez, as Sally, played by program volunteer Deanna Van Linter, moaned.

Other possible diagnoses  from too much candy to a stomach bug to swallowing a toy  were shouted out from the audience.

When someone threw out that Sally might be pregnant, eyes widened.

From the back of the Jennings Hall lab, Josh Knickerbocker, an assistant professor of nursing and co-director of the symposium cautioned the group.

Patients can read faces.  If you see or hear something that surprises you, you dont want to disturb the patient, Knickerbocker told them.

By the end of the exercise, Sally and her mother were advised to see an allergist.

Maria Krol, director of the Traditional BSN Nursing Program at Southern, said the program is the culmination of a year of planning.

We are very pleased, Krol said. The students are so engaged.

Despite a robust nursing program, Southern doesnt see a lot of New Haven students, or students of color, enroll in the program. The hope is that more of these special programs will encourage more local students to consider nursing as a career.

We want to increase the diversity, said Krol.

The program was kept small in its first year because of ongoing COVID concerns, but the hope is that it will grow in the future.

Many participants came to the program with little knowledge of nursing other than what they see on television, said Kickerbocker.

There expectations dont often match what a nurse does, he said. The focus was on foundational skills.

Torres, the Cross junior, said she is thinking of going into forensic nursing. She said she loved the whole week  or, most of it.

I liked giving shots and checking for veins, Torres said. (But) there was something. We had to do a catheterization procedure. We were taught how to do it on a dummy to get the bacteria out.

This year in New Haven, summer options are plentiful  and free  for local youth.

Lopez, a junior at Common Ground High School, said she was torn between two programs and gravitated to the Southern program because it seemed more hands-on. She is thinking she might want to be an emergency medical technician.

The Southern program taught her CPR and how to take blood pressure.

Zecena, a sophomore at Career Magnet High School, deemed everything in the program very exciting, and was the first to raise his hand when guest speaker Yaw Appiah asked how many planned to go into nursing.

Ive spent a lot of time in the hospital, said Zecena. I was surrounded by determined nurses when I woke up. That inspired me to be nurse.

Appiah, a psychiatric nurse, told students the career is not easy but rewarding.

He said he was not the best student ever, but had mentors and supervisors who stuck by him, and showed him how to handle mistakes graciously.

Wendy Garvin Mayo, who returned to oncology nursing from private industry in the middle of the pandemic, also spoke to students, telling them nursing is far more than a job.

I was tested but it is important to listen to your anchor, Mayo said. My anchor was stronger than me.  I am a nurse.

She urged the students to find their anchor.
ATHENS, Ala. (AP)  Testimony began in the corruption trial of a longtime Alabama sheriff Monday after a judge refused a defense request to throw out four charges alleging he stole thousands of dollars from his own campaign committee.

Judge Pamela Baschab denied a request filed by Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely, and prosecutors immediately began calling witnesses who testified about the flow of money toward Blakely, who was first elected in 1983.

News outlets reported Joyce Varnell, executive director of the Athens-Limestone Association of Realtors, testified that Blakely requested that a campaign donation that originated with a state realty fund be made out directly to him rather than his campaign account, called Friends of Mike Blakely, after the 2014 election.

Clay Helms, the elections director for the secretary of state's office, said all campaign contributions should go to accounts separate from the candidate's personal finances. Candidates can't put campaign money into a personal account unless it is reimbursement for a personal loan to the campaign, he said.

Indicted on 13 counts in 2019, Blakely was accused by prosecutors during opening statements Friday of using money from his campaign and public accounts to cover personal expenses, and of pressuring employees for money.

The first four counts of the indictment accuse Blakely, 70, of taking money from his campaign account. Blakely was the candidate and principal of the account, the defense argued, so he already had an interest in the money and can't be convicted of stealing from the fund.

The judge sided with prosecutors, who argued Blakely's position could result in a bank teller who stole being acquitted of theft if the worker owned any stock in the bank. The state also said Blakely waited too long to seek dismissal of the charges and denied claims that state campaign laws in effect bar the theft charges.

Aside from theft, Blakely is charged with using his office for personal gain and soliciting money from an employee. Blakely, who has continued working as sheriff, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and faces automatic removal from office if convicted of a felony.
BRIDGEPORT  More than eight years after 20-year-old college student Alyssiah Marie Wiley of West Haven was murdered, her remains found scattered in a wooded area of Trumbull, the states highest court appears to have put the case to rest.

The Supreme Court Monday upheld the conviction of Wileys killer, Bridgeport nurse Jermaine Richards.

Im just ecstatic, said Wileys mother, Corrinna Martin. This is one case where the judicial system got it right and pray fully this will end it all.

The Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Appellate Court affirming Richards 2018 conviction of murder after two previous juries deadlocked on a verdict in the case.

The opinion of the Appellate Court thoroughly and accurately reports the facts that the jury might reasonably have found to support the conviction of the defendant, the Supreme Court ruled.

The decision of the Connecticut Supreme Court brings some finality to this sad case, said Bridgeport States Attorney Joseph Corradino. Unfortunately, no court, indeed no one ever, can undo the harm to Alyssiahs family. I hope however, that the courts decision brings them some closure.

Richards, who lived in Bridgeport and worked as a private duty nurse in Stratford, is serving a 60-year prison sentence.

Richards appellate lawyer, Norman Pattis, acknowledged when he filed his appeal that The Supreme Court rarely hears sufficiency of evidence claims. However, he argued This one is significant because the trial court was presented with no evidence on the mechanism of death. It was entirely a matter of speculation how the victim died.

He did not return an email for comment.

Martin sat through all three trials in Superior Court in Bridgeport. It was during jury selection for the third trial that she learned her other daughter, Chaquinequea Brodie, 29, and her 9-year-old granddaughter, MyJaeaha Richardson, had been murdered by Brodies former boyfriend, Anthony Rutherford, in their Waterbury apartment. Rutherford was convicted of the crime and is serving 80 years in prison.

Sobbing on a bench outside the Bridgeport courtroom at the time, Martin told Hearst Connecticut Media that her only solace were the visits from Brodie and her daughter.

Following Wileys death, Martin and Brodie had set up a victims family support group called Mothers of Victims Equality in New Haven.

The hardest thing for me as a parent to do is continue living on after suffering the brutally heinous loss of my babyso I thought, Martin said later.

On April 19, 2013, Wiley, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University, disappeared after leaving the Willimantic campus in Richards car. Twenty-seven days later  after a statewide search and appeals by her mother on television  Wileys partial remains were found in a wooded area at the end of Quarry Road in Trumbull, a mile, and a half from Richards Bridgeport home.

Richards had been dating Wiley since she had been in high school. But there was no physical evidence in the case  no blood residue or anything to show where or when Wiley was killed, no eyewitnesses and no confession. Richards did not testify during the trial.

Instead, the state rested its case on the claim that Richards had the motive and the opportunity to kill Wiley.

Wileys family and friends testified Richards was jealous and possessive.

Her sister, Chaharrez Landell, testified that a month before Wileys disappearance, Wiley had called her, panicked.

He put me in a headlock and threw me on the bed and I couldnt breathe, Landell said her sister told her.

When Landell picked her sister up at the Norwalk home where Richards was working as a nurse, she said, Wiley was crying and said she wanted to break up with Richards but didnt know how.

Jevene Wright, a high school classmate of Richards, testified that Richards told him he was upset because he believed Wiley was messing around with an old friend.

She doesnt know who she is messing with, Wright recalled Richards telling him. Im a nurse and I know how to get rid of her.
Falls police investigating the scene of a shooting early Monday morning on Highland Avenue examine a bottle of liquor in the roadway. Shoes can also be seen in the road.
Border traffic at the Rainbow Bridge remains closed to casual travel between the US and Canada.
At least 3,462 Nigerian Christians have been killed this year by Nigerian Jihadists, Fulani herdsmen and state actors up till 18 July.

At least 3,462 Nigerian Christians have been killed this year by Nigerian Jihadists, Fulani herdsmen and state actors up till 18 July.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law gave this grim report today.

According to the report, Benue and Kaduna have recorded the most deaths in the last six months.

Benue State recorded the highest number of Christian deaths in the past 200 days with 450 and had recorded 200 deaths in Jan to April and 250 from May to 18th July.

Kaduna State came second with 410 Christian deaths and had recorded 300 deaths in Jan to April and 110 from May to 18th July;

Taraba State came third with 240 deaths, the report said.

The authors also blamed the genocide going on in Zamfara, Kaduna and most parts of the North west to muslim Fulani bandits.

The report comes with citations about the places of the killings.

The group based in Onitsha Anambra has been tracking such killings in the past.





Read the full report:

Intersociety, Nigeria: Sunday, July 18, 2021: The number of defenceless Christians hacked to death by Nigerias Islamic Jihadists and their collaborators in the security forces in the past 200 days or 1st January to 18th July 2021 has risen to no fewer than 3, 462 and this is just sixty-eight deaths less than the total deaths of Nigerian Christians in 2020 which the Open Doors World Watch List of Persecuted Christians put at 3,530.





This number further represents daily average Christian deaths of seventeen and second highest since 2014 when over 5000 Christian deaths were recorded in the hands of Boko Haram and Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen.





While Boko Haram killed over 4000 Christians in 2014, the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for 1,229 Christian deaths.





In our last report issued on 11th May 2021, covering January to April 2021, we found that no fewer than 1,470 Christians were hacked to death and in the past 80 days or 1st May to 18th July 2021, not less than 1, 992 Christian lives have been lost. We also found that no fewer than 780 additional Christians were abducted in 80 days or 1st May to 18thJuly whereas between 1st January and 30th April, 2200 were abducted. This brings the total number of the abducted Christians since January to 3000, out of which at least three out of every abducted thirty Christians were most likely to have died in captivity; thereby indicating additional secret death in jihadists captivity of 300 Christians. Additional deaths of 150 is also added to represent dark figures or deaths that occurred but not reported or recorded





The number of Churches threatened or attacked and closed or destroyed or burnt since January 2021 is also estimated to be around 300 with at least ten priests or pastors abducted or killed by the jihadists. Taraba State was discovered to be the most affected with at least seventy churches threatened or attacked and closed or burnt or destroyed. For purpose of setting the record straight, therefore, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law is a research and investigative rights group which has been monitoring and investigating religious persecution and other forms of religious violence by state and non state actors across Nigeria since 2010. This, we do through the use of direct contacts with the victims, eyewitnesses, media tracking, review of credible local and international reports, interviews and closed sources and so on.





Impunity And Complicity Of Nigerian Security Forces: It is deeply saddening that till date those responsible for the anti Christian butcheries in the country have continued to evade justice and remained unchecked, untracked, uninvestigated and untried; leading to impunity and repeat-atrocities. The surviving victims and families of the dead victims are also totally abandoned by the Government of Nigeria. The Nigerian Government has continued to face sharp criticisms and strong accusations of culpability and complicity in the killings and supervision of same. The countrys security forces have so fumbled and compromised that they hardly intervene when the vulnerable Christians are in danger of threats or attacks, but only emerge after such attacks to arrest and frame up the same population threatened or attacked. In the North, the jihadists operate freely under the cover and protection of the security forces; abducting, killing, looting, destroying or burning and forcefully converting their captive and unprotected Christians and their homes and sacred places of worship and learning. But the same security forces hatefully and brutally respond with utter ferocity against Southern and Northern Christians are accused of infraction or offending the law.





Herdsmen Killings Most Widespread, Accounting For 1,909 Deaths: The Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen are responsible for majority of the killings with at least 1,909 Christian deaths in 200 days, followed by Boko Haram, ISWAP and Muslim Fulani Bandits who jointly killed 1,063 Christians, while Nigerian Army, joined by the Nigeria Police Force and other branches of the Armed Forces accounted for 490 Christian deaths. The 3,462 Christian deaths include additional 300 deaths representing Christian deaths arising from deaths in the captivity of the jihadists, on average of three deaths out of every 30 Christians abducted and disappeared and another additional deaths of 150 technically representing dark figures of crime. The killings by the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen are also the most widespread cutting across the entire six geopolitical regions of Nigeria targeting Christian areas of Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe in the Northeast; Southern Kaduna (Northwest) and other Christian settlements in the State; Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi in the North-Central; Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun in the Southwest; Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Abia in the Southeast; and Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers in the South-south.





The Muslim Fulani Bandits, originally formed in Zamfara State in 2011, are jointly responsible for terrors going on in Christian parts of Southern Kaduna, Niger, FCT, Nasarawa and Kogi States. They are also responsible for attacks on indigenous Hausa Muslims in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi. In Kebbi State, for instance, the Muslim Fulani Bandits target and kill or abduct both Christians and Muslims; holding against their fellow Muslims a jihadist belief that the indigenous Hausa Muslims are not pure Muslims





The Muslim Fulani Bandits, originally formed in Zamfara State in 2011, are jointly responsible for terrors going on in Christian parts of Southern Kaduna, Niger, FCT, Nasarawa and Kogi States. They are also responsible for attacks on indigenous Hausa Muslims in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi. In Kebbi State, for instance, the Muslim Fulani Bandits target and kill or abduct both Christians and Muslims; holding against their fellow Muslims a jihadist belief that the indigenous Hausa Muslims are not pure Muslims; same reasons used in the ferocious jihadist attacks against their fellow Muslims in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, and Muslim areas of Kaduna and Niger States. Boko Haram and ISWAP, on their part, are majorly responsible for attacks in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba; and have through their recent alliances with other jihadists, made jihadist inroads and stepped up ferocious and unchecked attacks in Niger, FCT, Nasarawa, Kebbi and Kaduna, etc.









3, 642 Christian Deaths:

State By State Breakdown:

Benue State recorded the highest number of Christian deaths in the past 200 days with 450 and had recorded 200 deaths in Jan to April and 250 from May to 18th July;

Kaduna State came second with 410 Christian deaths and had recorded 300 deaths in Jan to April and 110 from May to 18th July;

Taraba State came third with 240 deaths;

Plateau 170 deaths and had recorded 90 deaths in Jan to April and 80 from May to 18th July,

Igbo States of Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra and Abia 200 deaths and had recorded 80 deaths in Jan to April and 120 from May to 18th July.

Others are Christian part of Niger State (i.e. Shiroro, Munya and Rafi, etc) 200 Christian deaths (out of over 400 deaths) and had recorded 70 deaths in Jan to April and 130 from May to 18 July;

Adamawa 80 Christian deaths,

Ogun/Ondo/Oyo/Ekiti 162 Christian deaths;

Kebbi 100 Christian deaths (out of 200 deaths);

Borno 400 Christian deaths (out of over 800 total deaths excluding battle-field combat deaths); Nasarawa 50 Christian deaths,

Igbo part of Delta 30 Christian deaths,

Edo State 30 Christian deaths,

non Igbo part of Delta 20 Christian deaths,

Gombe/Bauchi 40 Christian deaths, Christian part of Geidam in Yobe State 25 Christian deaths,

Kogi State 14 Christian deaths,





Katsina ten Christian deaths including a Reverend Father; and





Nigerian Army, Police, Navy, Air Force and DSS 490 Christian deaths (Imo 150, Abia 80 plus, Benue 70, Akwa Ibom 40, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River 150 others).





The total of 3, 462 Christian deaths are established when 300 additional captivity fatalities and another 150 dark figures of crime are added.





3000 Christians Abducted In 200 Days: The number of abducted Christians in Nigeria increased from 2,200 between 1st January and 30th April 2021 to 3000 in 200 days of 2021 or 1stJanuary to 18th July 2021 and it involved 1,350 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits in Kaduna State, 620 abducted and disappeared by Muslim dominated and controlled soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Eastern Nigeria, 100 (out of over 150 abductees) abducted by BH, ISWAP and Ansaru in Borno and 120 abducted by the same Jihadist groups in Adamawa and Taraba; 420 abducted by Fulani Bandits and BH/ISWAP in Christian areas of Niger State, 100 abducted by Fulani Bandits and BH in Christian areas of Kebbi, 68 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun, 40 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Nasarawa, 50 abducted in Abuja and Kogi and not less than 30 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia and 100 others abducted on Lagos, Abuja and other Northern and non Northern routes by Fulani Herdsmen and Muslim Fulani Bandits; totaling 3000 abductions in the past 200 days or 1stJanuary to 18th July 2021.





240 Christians Hacked To Death In Taraba In 200 Days: Attacks on Christians in Taraba State since January 2021 have intensified with ferocity and are barely reported in the media. In the past 200 days or 1st January to 18th July 2021, not less than 240 Christians have been hacked to death by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and hundreds of others have been terminally injured. The number of churches burnt or razed across the State particularly in Bali District has risen to no fewer than 70, with Bali District being the worst hit. In recent months attacks, Bali recorded 66 Christian deaths with scores of churches burnt; Gassol 56 Christian deaths and 15 churches burnt; Takum 20 Christian deaths and seven churches burnt, Wukari five Christian deaths, Dunga five Christian deaths, Gashaka four Christian deaths and one church burnt and Karimo-Lamido twelve Christian deaths. Sixteen Christians were also killed in Bali on 16th May 2021 and five were killed in Takum on 23rdMay 2021. On 27th May 2021, twelve were killed in Gassol and two in Bali. The recent attacks by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen have also been extended to Adamawa State where at least twelve Christians were hacked to death in Milibi and at least one church burnt. In Gombe State, at least six Christians have been killed in Bililri and in Bauchi State; at least two Christians have been hacked to death.





300 Churches Threatened Or Attacked And Ten Priests Abducted Or Killed:





No fewer than 300 Churches have received threats of attack or attacked and closed or burnt or destroyed by Nigerias Government protected Islamic Jihadists in the past 200 days and over 17,500 of such cases have been reported mostly in Northern Nigeria since 2009. In June 2020, the authorities of the Church of Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) announced that they have since 2009 lost 8,370 members to BH and other Jihadists in Adamawa, Taraba, Borno and Yobe and that out of 276 abducted Chibok Girls, 217 are their Faith members. The Church also disclosed that 300 of its churches have been burnt or razed, in addition to loss of eight of its pastors. Since June 2020 till date, dozens of its members and scores of its pastors have also been killed by the Islamic Jihadists. Also since January 2021, at least 300 churches have received threats of attack or attacked and closed or burnt or destroyed and the States mostly affected are Taraba, Southern Kaduna and others located in Muslim held areas of the State, as well as Plateau and Benue.





At least, ten priests of Catholic Church and Pastors of Pentecostal Churches have been abducted or killed in captivity by the Islamic Jihadists. On 20thMay 2021, Reverend Father Alphonsus Bello was abducted by the Jihadists along with Father John Keke and ten other worshippers in Malumfashi, Katsina State. He was killed days after along with eight of the ten abducted Christians. On 30thMarch 2021, Reverend Father Ferdinand Ngugban and six other Christians were killed by the Jihadists in Katsina-Ala, Benue State. Reverend Father John Gbakaan of the Diocese of Minna was also killed by the Jihadists in January 2021. In May 2021, Pastor Leviticus Makpa Marcus was killed by the Jihadists in Niger State and on 13th July 2021, Pastor Timothy Damisa of CRCN Church was gruesomely murdered by the Jihadists in Kurmi, Taraba State. Among the Priests and Pastors abducted in the past 200 days are Reverend Father John Keke, abducted in May 2021 in Malumfashi, Katsina State, Reverend Father Elijah Juma Wada, abducted in June 2021 by BH in Adamawa, Reverend Father Marcel Onyeocha, abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Irube, Okigwe, Imo State in April 2021, Reverend Father Harrison, Parish Priest of St. Johns Catholic Church, Obinomba in Ukwuani, Delta State, abducted along Abraka Road by Jihadist Herdsmen in March 2021 and Pastor Bulus Yikura of the EYN Church, abducted by BH near Chibok in Borno State in March 2021

Signed:

For: International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law

Principal Officers:

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair & Lead-Researcher

Chinwe Umeche, Esq., Head, Democracy & Good Governance

Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law

Ndidiamaka Bernard, Esq., Head, Intl Justice & Human Rights

Chidimma Udegbunam, Esq., Head, Publicity Department





Supporting Statistics

1st May-18thJuly 2021 Killings: 15thMay, three Christians killed by Fulani Herdsmen (FH) in Guma, Benue State, 15thMay, three killed by FH in Keana, Nasarawa State, 16th May, FH killed three in Ayamelum, Anambra State, 16th May, FH killed four in Gwer West, Benue State, 16th May 2021, FH killed sixteen in Bali, Taraba, 17th May, eight Christians killed in Kachia, Kaduna State, 19th May, FH killed eight in Chikun, Kaduna State, 19thMay Fulani Bandits (FB) killed eight in Chikun, 19th May, FH killed three Christians in Igabi, Kaduna State, 19th May, FB killed three in Suleja, Niger State and killed five in Katangora on 20th May; 20thMay, FB abducted and killed two Catholic Reverend Fathers in Malumfashi, Katsina State, 21st May, FH killed nine in Makurdi, Benue State, 22ndMay, scores killed by FH in Kajuru, Kaduna State, May 23rd, over 100 Christians massacred by FH in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, May 23rd, FH killed eight in Jos South, eight in Riyom and six in Wase, Plateau State, May 23rd, FH killed five in Takum, Taraba State, May 27th, FH killed thirty-six in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, May 27th, FH killed twelve in Gassol and two In Bali, Taraba State.





Included: May 28th, FB killed twenty persons including Christians in Wushishi and Lavun, Niger State, May 30th, two killed by FB in Rafi, Niger State, May 30th, no fewer than 55 Igbo Christians killed by FH in Ebonyi and Benue boundary Igbo communities in Ebonyi and Benue States, May 30th, nine killed by FH in Isi-Uzo, Enugu State and May 31st, fifteen persons including Christians killed in Mariga, Niger State. Others: June 1st, four killed by FH in Jamaa, Kaduna State, June 3rd, eight Christians killed by FB in Wasagu, Kebbi State, June 4th, five killed by FH in Chikun, Kaduna State, June 4th, one killed by FH in Ibarapa North, Oyo State, June 4th, three killed by FH in Logo, Benue State, June 6th, between 20 and 50 persons, mainly Christians killed by FH in Ibarapa North, Oyo State, June 6th, thirty killed by FH in Agatu, Benue State, June 7th, three killed by FH in Imeko-Afon, Ogun State, June 8th, four killed by FH in Asa, Kwara State, June 9th, three killed by FH in Asa, Kwara State, June 9th, six killed by FH in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, June 10th, five killed by FH in Makurdi, Benue State, June 10th, one killed in Zaria, Kaduna State, June 10th, fifteen abducted and feared killed in captivity by FH in Okigwe, Imo State, June 11th, six killed by FH in Keana, Nasarawa State.





The Rest: June 12th, FH killed one in Nkanu East, Enugu State, June 13th, twelve killed by FH in Jos South and five in Bassa, Plateau State, June 14th, eleven killed by FH in Agatu, Benue State, June 14th, five killed by FB in Rafi, Niger State, June 16th, two killed by FH in Akoko North-West, Ondo State, June 16th, one killed by FH in Isi-Uzo, Enugu State, June 17th, two killed by FH in Chikun, Kaduna State, June 18th, ten killed by FH in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, June 18th, two killed by FH in Chikun, Kaduna State, June 20th, four killed by FB in Kwali, Abuja, June 24th, four killed by FB in Shiroro, Niger State, June 25th, two killed by FH in Barkin-Ladi, Plateau State, June 25th, two killed by FH in Chikun, Kaduna State, June 25th, two Christians killed by FH in Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, June 27th, three killed by FH in Bassa, Plateau State, June 30th, three Christians killed by FB in Lavun, Niger State, July 3rd, four killed by FH in Kajuru, Kaduna State, July 5th, three killed by FH in Bali, Taraba State, July 7th, Boko Haram/ISWAP killed 24 Christians in Hong, Adamawa State and July 9th, nine killed by FH in Zango-Kataf, Kaduna State.





Source: the 2021 Nigeria Weekly Security Tracker of the Council on Foreign Relations, courtesy of John Campbell, former US Ambassador to Nigeria.
One student, among the 121 abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School Kaduna, has regained freedom on health grounds. It was learnt tha...





One student, among the 121 abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School Kaduna, has regained freedom on health grounds.

It was learnt that the abducted student was brought back by two of the same abductors.

A source who craved anonymity, disclosed that the released student has been taken to the hospital and is recovering.

According to the source, the freed student confessed that they were being given good treatment, adding that he leader of the abductors directed that the abducted students be treated well and should not be molested.

He added that the released student confessed their abductors always allowed them observe their religiously obligations.

According to the source, the student said, We sing choruses and pray loudly without molestation. The leader of the bandits said we must be allowed to worship our God.

The source explained that the abductors even asked the students to pray for them each time they were leaving the camp either for operations or market so that they will return safely.

He said the church was doing everything possible to meet the conditions laid out by the bandits for the children to be released.
Deji Adeyanju, an Abuja-based human rights activist, has berated Joe Igbokwe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over his re...





Deji Adeyanju, an Abuja-based human rights activist, has berated Joe Igbokwe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over his recent comments on social media.

Adeyanju said Igbokwe who should be cleaning smelly gutters in Lagos State is making noise on social media.

Igbokwe, who is the Special Adviser on Drainage and Water Resources to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been very outspoken on social media lately.

The APC chieftain celebrated the rearrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

He had explained that Kanu once asked IPOB members to kill him and his family members.

The governors aide also rebuked Kanus style of agitation, stressing that the IPOB leader never witnessed the Biafra civil.

Igbokwe further stressed that the Nigerian government has enough evidence to convict the embattled IPOB leader.

However, Adeyanju, in a tweet wrote: Joe Igbokwe who should be busy cleaning smelly gutters in Lagos is still on Facebook making noise.

Meanwhile, it was observed that Lagos State has witnessed serious flooding due to rain fall and bad drainage management.
The Department of State Services has stopped detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from signing a co...

The Department of State Services has stopped detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from signing a consular assistance form by the United Kingdom.

One of the counsels for the detained IPOB leader, Aloy Ejimakor, disclosed this in a statement on Monday after visiting Kanu in DSS custody.

Kanu, who was born on September 25, 1967, is a holder of Nigerian and British passports. Upon his re-arrest and extradition from a foreign country, he was arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja for terrorism-related charges and has since been remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services. He had jumped bail before fleeing to the United Kingdom.

Recall that the British Government expressed readiness to provide consular assistance for Kanu but need him to assent to the assistance by signing some forms.

Head of Communications, British High Commission in Abuja, Dean Hurlock, had said that The British High Commission in Abuja is currently in the process of seeking clarification from the Nigerian government about the circumstances of the arrest.

With regard to any questions about whether the British High Commission are providing assistance in this case, we can confirm that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stands ready to provide consular assistance.

Subsequently, Ejimakor delivered two forms to the IPOB leader last Wednesday during a visit to the office of the secret police.

But in a statement sent to our correspondent on Monday, the lawyer said the forms were returned to him unsigned.

Ejimakors statement was titled, Summary of my visitation with our Client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Monday 19th July.

It read, Last Saturday, when I visited Mazi Kanu, I expressed strong concerns about the inordinate delay in having Kanu sign the two Forms I had taken to the DSS for Kanus signature some days before.





Both Forms relate to affirming his consent to consular and diplomatic interventions by the United Kingdom and her High Commission in Nigeria.

Surprisingly, the Forms were returned to me unsigned.

Let me make it clear that the day I took the Forms to the DSS, the officers on location were amenable to Kanu signing them until somewhere along the line, they tarried and decided to send it to the legal unit for vetting.

So, my sense is that its the legal unit of the DSS that disapproved of Kanu signing the Forms for reasons that were not given to me.

As a lawyer, I dont see any legal advantage the government of Nigeria stands to gain by blocking Kanu from signing those Forms. The Forms are but a mere routine in matters like this.

Instead of any advantage, the refusal will help fuel the notion that the government of Nigeria is deliberately isolating Kanu from having consular and diplomatic access to the United Kingdom.

It does not comport with the best traditions of fundamental fairness that a detainee is being denied access to resources that will assist him in his defence. This is one of the things that will count in our reckoning as this matter continues to fold.

For these reasons, I am now compelled to call on the British High Commission in Nigeria to banish every red tape and exert the full weight of its diplomatic clout in gaining immediate access to Kanu. This is especially important, given the prospects of better welfare, including adequate medical care for Mazi Kanu.

Further, the prompt intervention of the High Commission will mean that Kanu will have another layer of human contact in addition to his legal team who are the only ones currently allowed to see him.
A man, who the police identified as a suspected kidnapper, has been accused of abducting a military officer on Saturday in Ogun State. Polic...





A man, who the police identified as a suspected kidnapper, has been accused of abducting a military officer on Saturday in Ogun State.

Police said the suspect and his colleagues, who were at large, reportedly kidnapped a W/O 2 military officer at about 11:30 pm on Friday and took him to their hideout in Alagbado, Lagos State, where they stripped him of his uniform, his identity card and his three Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and his phone.

It was reported that the suspect was arrested at Odo Pako Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.

The suspect, Waliu Oloyede, was nabbed after a distress call received by the DPO of Sango Ota Divisional Headquarters, CSP Godwin Idehai, that local vigilantes were having issues with an army officer in the area.

Upon the report, the DPO was said to have led his team to the scene where the suspect, who dressed in full military camouflage uniform with the rank of W02 was seen.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspect, who paraded himself in military uniform could not give satisfactory account of himself and was apprehended and brought to the station.

Oyeyemi stated that the suspect, who was said to have attempted to snatch a dane gun from a vigilante man, was unable to give account of how he got the military uniform, or address of the unit where he is serving, hence he was detained for impersonation.

While in detention, police got information that the suspect and others at large abducted a W/o2 military officer at about 11:30 pm of 16th July 2021and took him to their hideout in Alagbado, Lagos State, where he was stripped of his uniform, they collected his identity card, his three ATM cards and phone before the victim escaped from them, Oyeyemi said.

The PPRO said It was the victims uniform the suspect put on to commit another crime before he was arrested, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has ordered the transfer of the suspect to the anti-kidnapping unit of the state CIID for further investigation.
Popular media personality Morayo Brown has criticised the alleged Winners pastor who was allegedly sacked by the church for not generating e...

Popular media personality Morayo Brown has criticised the alleged Winners pastor who was allegedly sacked by the church for not generating enough income in his branch.

In a viral video over the weekend, the Winners Pastor, identified as Peter Godwin, alleged that he and over 40 other pastors were sacked for underperforming.

The video has generated reactions from Nigerians as some condemned Bishop David Oyedepo while others said the action was in line with the gospel of Christ.

Reacting, Morayo, via her Instagram page, criticised him for sharing his grievance on social media, urging him to instead take his grievance to God.

The popular TV host, who said she has been mute about the happenings in Nigeria, stated that she cannot keep silent about the pastors action.

She noted that God is the Managing Director of the church so any pastor who is sacked should take their grievance to Him.

I held myself from commenting on this one but I cannot let it slide.

God is the real MD of any believing Bible church. If you get sacked, take your grievance to God not the media.

Only he can compensate not the rabble rousers on social media, her post on Instagram read.
Veteran actor, Kanayo.O.Kanayo has disclosed why celebrities alongside politicians and dignitaries celebrated with Obi Cubana over the weeke...





Veteran actor, Kanayo.O.Kanayo has disclosed why celebrities alongside politicians and dignitaries celebrated with Obi Cubana over the weekend at Oba, Anambra State.

Obi Cubana became the talk of the town after videos of the lavish burial ceremony of his mother emerged online.

Bundles of Naira notes were sprayed at the burial ceremony which had Nigerians questioning his source of wealth.

Some wondered how he was able to gather gifts, celebrities, politicians for the burial ceremony.

Speaking on his Instagram page, Kanayo who was in attendance at the burial said Obi Cubana has invested in his friends which is why he had so many gifts and celebrities in attendance.

He advised those willing to be like Cubana to invest in their friends and build them up.

Kanayo said: Hello friends, we all become strong by lifting others. Impacting and investment in people is the greatest kind of investment.

We all took out time to celebrate our brother (Obi Cubana) due to his support and investment in others. It was a burial but also a celebration of life for his mother.

Now ask yourself how have you impacted others around you? Lessons from the burial; hard work and being selfless for others payS and Obi Cubana epitomises that.

Helping those in your circle to grow is a huge social capital investment. What is your social capital?
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, on Sunday, expressed shock over the killing of 13 police officers by suspected bandits. T...

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, on Sunday, expressed shock over the killing of 13 police officers by suspected bandits.

The policemen were gunned down at a mobile camp in Kurar Mota community, in Bagudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Matawelles reaction was contained in a statement by Director-General, Media, Public Enlightenment and Communications, Government House, Gusau, Malam Yusuf Idris.

The statement said the governor expressed devastation when he visited 7 injured policemen who were receiving treatment at the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau.

The statement read, It was on receipt of the news of the unfortunate incident that the governor immediately rushed to the hospital to sympathise with those currently receiving treatment at the facility.

While lamenting the attack, Matawalle promised to partner with other security agencies in the state to track down the attackers and all their sponsors and collaborators with a view to bringing them to justice.

The police officers were ambushed at a mobile police camp set up as part of the measures taken by the government to fight bandits in the state.

The governor, who was highly devastated by the sad incident, said the troops were doing well at the war front and had reduced the number of the terrorists in the area.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command had confirmed the killing of the 13 personnels with seven others injured by the attackers.

The commands Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Mohammed Shehu, gave the confirmation in a separate statement issued on Sunday.

Shehu said, The attack occurred on Sunday at about 1230hrs when Police Mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota Village were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by the bandits to attack some nearby communities.

Unfortunately, thirteen personnel paid the supreme price. However, the bandits on their part suffered heavy casualties.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Mandeville Mayor Clay Madden has chosen Todd Schliem from a field of eight applicants to replace Gerald Sticker as the city's police chief, and the City Council appears poised to approve the choice when it meets Thursday (July 22).

Schliem, who will soon retire from the FBI, will assume the job shortly after he is confirmed, Madden said.

The mayor interviewed seven candidates and then narrowed the field to three for a second interview. He said the choice wasn't easy because there were so many qualified applicants, though he didn't identify those he passed over in choosing Schliem.

"The finalists for the job were all capable professionals, however, I feel strongly that Schliem is what the department needs right now," Madden said in a prepared statement.

Schliem, who is 55 and resides in Mandeville, will lead a department of 54 employees, 44 of whom are law enforcement officers.

Madden said he forwarded the finalists' resumes to City Council members and let them know he planned to nominate Schliem. The confirmation process at the July 22 meeting is expected to be smooth.

"(Schliem) seems qualified and he's well respected," said Mandeville Councilmember at-Large Jason Zuckerman. "I do like the fact he resides in Mandeville. I know the mayor put a lot of effort and thought into his selection and I look forward to the confirmation process."

District 3 Councilmember Jill McGuire offered her support in advance, as well.

"He comes highly recommended by (former Mandeville Police Chief) Rick Richard who I respect and trust," McGuire said. "I look forward to working with the new police chief and believe he will do a great job."

Madden said Schliem's personality and leadership style makes him the best fit for the department. He noted that his appointment makes him the second chief to come from the FBI. Richard also worked for the agency before becoming Mandeville's chief from 2010-16.

Most of Schliem's career with the FBI was spent working and collaborating with local agencies, Madden said. A native of Wisconsin, Schliem transferred to the New Orleans field office in 2006. He and his wife moved to the Mandeville area the following year.

Schliem received the FBI Director's Award in 2016 and the Metropolitan Crime Commission Case of the Year in 2015.

He succeeds a longtime veteran of the department in Sticker, who spent 28 years as a Mandeville police officer, the last six as chief. Sticker retired last month.

Andrew Canulette contributed to this report.
Start with a great rug. How many times have you heard that maxim from interior designers talking about how to decorate a room?

OK, fine, I think to myself, but then what?

Just pull color from the rug is the rhetorical answer.

Oh, easy for you to say, I think. If youre like me, youre left wondering which color, where, how much of it, solids or prints?

Also, while Im off the subject, allow me to address another peeve of mine: That mocking word just (as in just pull color) does not belong in any sentence that involves home decorating. I will leave it at that.

For me, the ability to just pull a room together around a rug doesnt just happen, and yet, my favorite rooms are those that seem to effortlessly fall together around a fabulous area rug. When I encounter such a room, I try to visually deconstruct it to figure out whats working but find no formula. I craved the secret.

So, recently, when I came across a photo of a living room inside a historic Manhattan town home in the West Village that had at its core a vividly patterned, room-unifying rug, rather than speculate, I called the interior designer behind the project.

The easiest place to put a lot of color is on the floor, said New York designer Kathleen Walsh, owner of Kathleen Walsh Interiors. Color on a floor has less impact than a bold pattern anywhere else in the room, but will still enrich and energize the space.

However, she added, A patterned rug like this works best when everything else takes a step back. The minute you add something that competes, the eye gets confused.

Walshs clients tend to fall into two groups, she told me: nonrug people and rug people. For the nonrug group, looking at rugs is dizzying, while those in the other camp say, I cant decide on anything else until we have the rug figured out.

Either way, she adds, the choice of a rug, even if its solid, should come early in the design process, after creating the furniture plan but before choosing furniture and pillows.

The reason designers often advise furnishing a room around a great area rug or a lead fabric is because these textiles have built-in curated color.

This is the genius. Designers who really understand color and how colors work together have already created a palette that gives you a running start. However, to make sure you dont run off in the wrong direction and make one expensive mistake after another (as I have), here are some pro tips on how to decorate a room around a rug.

+2 Dive into your closet to purge, reorganize and score a win big against life's chaos I remember the moment three years ago when I sternly told my closet: I will deal with you later. My husband and I were moving from the happy

GIVE THE RUG THE FLOOR: If you are building a room around a colorful patterned rug, let the rug be the dominant voice in the space. Its the main speaker, said Betty Lou Phillips, a Dallas, Texas, interior designer and author. Everything else needs to play a supporting role.

Dont upstage it, but do turn to it to find colors to pull out for large, upholstered pieces and accessories.

DON'T AMPLIFY THE DOMINANT COLOR: When taking cues from an area rug or fabric, I like to pull the least expected hue, Phillips said.

In the room I liked, for example, the rugs main background color was a deep pinkish orange. However, the rug also had teal blue in the border, which Walsh drew from for the upholstered sofa, and a sandy taupe, which she picked up in a pair of upholstered chairs.

The goal is for the furniture to sit on the rug and look separate from it, Walsh said, not blend into it. Echoes of the rugs background color can show up in smaller touches, such as pillows or other accessories.

Sending flowers? 10 expert tips for getting the arrangements your really want from a florist I love getting flowers. I love sending flowers. They are beautiful. They convey emotion. And, perhaps best, when they die they get tossed, so 

GO SOLID ON SOFAS: Generally, I like for the sofa to be a solid so as not to distract from the speaker (the rug), Phillips said. A contrasting welt, again picked up from a color in the area rug, can add energy.

AVOID AN EXACT MATCH: When pulling a color from the rug, dont try to hit it exactly, Walsh said. Matched colors look boring. You want colors to be in the same family but slightly off. That variation in hue makes color feel dynamic.

KEEP OTHER PATTERNS AT BAY: If the area rug has a large-scale pattern, dont use another large-scale pattern on, say, the drapes. Choose a small- to medium-pattern for other fabrics, Walsh said. But do use other patterns. Falling back on solids is a little lazy.

COLOR THE WHOLE ROOM: To balance pattern and color on the floor, bring color up into the room onto the walls with art, wallpaper or window treatments, and perhaps, onto the ceiling with an interesting fixture. Then further distribute the selected accent colors throughout the room with pillows, throws and accessories.

In a well-done room, theres a reason for everything, Walsh said.

So, see, it doesnt just happen.

Join me next week to learn how to get the look of a high-end rug for one-tenth the price when you buy a good knockoff.

Marni Jameson can be reached at www.marnijameson.com.
The old St. Charles Tavern closed last summer as the pandemic shutdowns were ravaging local businesses. Now though, work is underway to open a new restaurant here, and it will be a thorough transformation.

It will soon be home to the second location for Titos Ceviche & Pisco.

Chef and co-owner Juan Lock expects to open here around November. First though, the old restaurant at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard is getting a major overhaul.

It will be like a new restaurant, he said.

The floor plan is being configured for a progression of dining rooms, with two downstairs and two upstairs, which can be used for events as well. A new bar will be the centerpiece downstairs where people enter.

Well have plenty of room there for pisco, Lock said, referring to the brandy that is the pride of Peru and that powers the famous pisco sour cocktail.

Lock and his wife Tatiana first opened Titos in 2017, taking over the snug Magazine Street address that had previously been home to the lounge Ivy. They plan to make no changes to the original spot as they add this second location.

Lock sees the new restaurant as a way to reach a different clientele centered downtown. They had considered expanding before the pandemic, and as their business began rebounding in the recovery, they found the St. Charles Tavern location available.

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St. Charles Tavern was a 24/7 restaurant with New Orleans staples and comfort food classics, playing a part somewhere between diner and pub. It was part of a string of all-night restaurants and bars along this stretch of St. Charles Avenue, with a specialty catering to people leaving downtown in the wee hours.

It closed just about a year ago, with business shriveled in the pandemic.

Titos serves a menu of Peruvian dishes showing the cuisines mix of the contemporary and tradition, and its blend of Asian, European and native Quechua influences. As the name implies, ceviche is a signature of the kitchen, served in an array of styles, alongside tiradito, a more composed and often elaborate presentation of raw fish. Order a couple ceviche preparations, a platter of arroz con mariscos (rice with aji amarillo peppers and mixed seafood) and a taste of pisco and you have a classic Peruvian meal here.

The second location will have a larger kitchen and Lock expects to expand his menu here too with more specialties from his homeland.

Titos Ceviche & Pisco

5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612

1433 St. Charles Ave., projected opening late 2021
Loy Madrigal remembers when he first started paying attention to the food of his heritage. He was about 7 years old and visiting his aunt Lita in the Philippines.

My aunt owned a little food stand, the kind that the taxi drivers would stop at all the time, he says. She sent me to the market with a list of what she needed, and I stayed with her in the kitchen after that as much as I could.

Loy Madrigal previously ran a Filipino food pop-up and food truck called Cebu Lechon at locations including Sidneys Saloon on St. Bernard Avenue. Cebu is the island region where his mothers family is from, and lechon is the Spanish word for a baby suckling pig. The late chef and travel host Anthony Bourdain proclaimed that the Cebu region produced the most succulent pigs of all of the Philippines more than 7,000 islands.

Loy Madrigal opened his home-style Filipino restaurant Cebu Litson & Grill in Algiers Point in May 2020.

It was a risk  in the middle of the pandemic at a time when we didnt know when indoor dining would start again and when people could get together in person for celebrations, he says. He and his wife Iris Madrigal had bought the building at the corner of Hende and Newton streets to serve as both their home and restaurant.

With Filipino roots on his mothers side and German on his dads, Loy Madrigal was born in the Philippines and moved to Arkansas, where his paternal grandfather lived, in 1994. He met his wife in the Philippines, and they have lived in New Orleans since 2000.

The restaurant space is large, but for now they mainly are using the small main dining room. Theres more dining space to use when necessary, as well as a small catering kitchen and bars. The Madrigals plan to use outdoor space for weekly barbecue specials and family-style meals. He plans to add grilled meat fiestas on Wednesdays.

The menu focuses on the marinated meats that dominate the Filipino table.

Thats where the flavor is, in the marinade, Loy Madrigal says. Filipino cuisine is known for its bold flavors, which have incorporated influences ranging from Malay, Spanish, Chinese and American and evolved over time.

Soy sauce, ginger, garlic and vinegar are big flavor carriers. They also make his pork adobo succulent  pork belly with a sweet-and-sour tang served over rice. That sour flavor is the driver in all versions of sinigang, a hearty soup made with ribs or milkfish with distinctive tamarind flavor. Although pork is the star attraction in many Cebu dishes, seafood is a supporting player. Whole roasted fish and seafood are available grilled, stewed or raw in a sashimi style.

Popular dishes include adobong pusit, made with squid and adobo spice; dinuguan, a savory stew of pork simmered in a rich, spicy, dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili and vinegar; and lumpia Shanghai, a flash-fried minced pork egg roll. Fried seafood and chicken get an added punch of distinctly Filipino flavor. Pork from a roasted whole pig is an occasional special and available as a special order. The $45 combination platter easily feeds three people  pick two main items and two sides for an adventure into Filipino gastronomy. The menu features traditional names and servers are happy to help diners unfamiliar with Filipino cuisine.

For dessert, halo-halo is delicious. Its like a Hawaiian shaved ice married a Vietnamese bubble tea studded with dried sweets. Add in evaporated milk and nutty tasting purple ube ice cream made from island-grown purple yams and the combo is dynamite. Like most dishes at Cebu Litson, the portion is large and shareable.

A visit to Cebu also offers a look at local Filipino connections. Historic photos, art and posters from the Philippine-Louisiana Historical Society show the island nations natural beauty as well as its ties to Louisiana. The former fishing village of St. Malo, about 30 miles east of New Orleans, was the first and largest Filipino community in the U.S. until it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1915. Also, at the turn of the last century in Barataria Bay, a group of Filipinos built what became known as Manila Village. Unfortunately, that shrimping community was destroyed by Hurricane Betsy in 1965. But the Madrigals are offering a taste of the Philippines again.

Our idea is to introduce traditional Filipino food to people who know and love it already or want to try it out, Loy Madrigal says.

1800 Newton St., (985) 302-6801

9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

Dine-in, outdoor seating and takeout available
Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed Monday that the Carnival Glory would resume sailing from New Orleans on September 5, having last sailed in March 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic caused it and other cruise operators to cease all U.S. sailings.

The Glory will be one of three additional Carnival ships sailing in September and October, bringing to 15 the number of cruise vessels the company will have back in service since it resumed sailing in July under the conditions required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The cruise line operator, which is the largest in the U.S., confirmed the Glory's resumption date for cruise sailings after the vessel left the French port of Marseilles on Saturday bound for Miami.

Carnival again extends its pause in cruise ship sailings from U.S. ports Carnival Cruise Lines has again extended its pause in cruise ship sailings from the U.S.  at least through the end of May.

It was in Marseilles to make physical preparations for other CDC protocol requirements, such as distance barriers and sanitization arrangements, as well as to screen crew members, many of whom are foreign nationals from countries with lower rates of vaccination than the U.S.

Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen declined to comment about the return of the Carnival Valor, the company's second cruise ship sailing from the Port of New Orleans. The Valor has moved from port in Italy, where it was in dry dock for refurbishments, to Marseilles last week. The ship has been scheduled to return to cruise sailings from New Orleans in November.

Carnival said in a statement on Monday that in addition to Glory's September resumption it would resume two other U.S. sailings in September -- the Carnival Pride from Baltimore and Carnival Dream from Galveston.

In October, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Freedom will resume sailing from Miami, Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral, and Carnival Sensation from Mobile.

When including the sailings that have already resumed, that means half Carnival's U.S. fleet will be back online by October, though at reduced capacities to comply with the CDC.

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The company also said that it will extend the sailing hiatus on half its U.S. fleet through the end of October.

+11 Another blow to New Orleans tourism: Cruise ship business unlikely to return in 2021 The cruise ship business, an increasingly vital part of the city's tourism sector, appears unlikely to see a complete revival until at least t

The ships that will resume sailing will restrict passengers to those over 12 years of age as well as being open only to those with documented proof of vaccination. Those without proof of vaccination will be subject to pre-cruise and pre-embarkation testing and testing again prior to debarkation (on cruises longer than four days) along with a $150 per person charge to cover the costs of testing, reporting and health and safety screenings, Carnival said.

Our plan envisions successfully bringing back our entire fleet by the end of the year, returning to full service," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in Monday's statement.

"We will continue to offer exemptions to our unvaccinated guests on a limited, capacity-managed basis within 14 days of sailing as we finalize the vaccinated guest count. The more bookings we initially secure for our cruises with fully vaccinated guests, the more exemptions we can ultimately offer for those unvaccinated guests already booked and those wishing to sail, Duffy added.

Carnival's booking agents have been telling passengers that cruises are being restricted to 70% of their normal capacity. Gulliksen didn't immediately comment on what September and October sailing capacity will be.

Carnival Valor now won't sail from New Orleans until at least end of October In the latest blow to New Orleans' tourism industry, Carnival Cruise Line said Monday that Valor, one of its two ships that homeport in New Or

The Glory and Valor have passenger capacities of about 3,000, with an additional 1,200 crew members typically on board.

The cruise ship industry has been a major loss to tourism in the Crescent City and Carnival is by far the largest component of the sector. Carnival accounted for 80% of the record 1.2 million passengers coming and going through the Port of New Orleans for cruise ship travel in 2019.
After a Louisiana man with a cocaine pipe in his pocket offered to perform oral sex for $10 under the Claiborne Expressway in 2001, New Orleans prosecutors made sure he would spend 20 years behind bars.

A judge said the sentence was cruel and unusual but handed it down anyway. Shawn Williams single appeal was denied.

But earlier this month, the city's new district attorney let Williams -- now 47 -- leave prison a few weeks early, handing a symbolic victory to advocates who said one of the laws used to convict him was discriminatory. Its the latest effort by District Attorney Jason Williams to unwind an old sentence in a case that had long been forgotten, despite its link to a controversial statute.

+3 Sentenced to 23 years after stealing two shirts, a New Orleans man just walked free Guy Frank wears a silver watch on his right arm. Its a memento from his brother Joe, who died of cancer last April during Frank's 20th year i

Since the 19th century, Louisiana has criminalized anal and oral sex acts under a crime against nature statute. By the early 2000s, soliciting the sex acts was a felony, and with prior convictions, it could result in a long prison term.

Shawn Williams path to prison began with an attempted street-corner exchange at North Claiborne and Ursulines avenues on Aug. 13, 2001. On that day, Williams tried to offer a plainclothes detective oral sex for cash.

The cop said he identified himself as an officer but Williams, who laughed the statement off, made the offer again. Other officers swooped in to make the arrest, finding a pipe with cocaine residue on Williams.

At a one-day trial, a six-person jury found him guilty of cocaine possession and crime against nature solicitation.

From there, prosecutors under former District Attorney Harry Connick used Louisiana's habitual offender law to invoke Williams' prior felony convictions and raise his potential minimum sentence to 20 years, with a maximum of life imprisonment.

It was part of an office policy to seek stern punishments for people with cocaine paraphernalia, Judge Julian Parker said.

New Orleans activists to lead a march against Louisiana's 'crime against nature' law Saturday New Orleans LGBT rights activists and prison rights activists will lead a march Saturday to advocate for the repeal of Louisianas crime agai

Parker furrowed his brow at handing down even the minimum sentence, but he said the law left him with no choice.

Even though Mr. Williams did go to trial and he did take up the time of the court, the public defender and the district attorney -- and he refused his 40-month plea bargain -- he is still a human being and in the opinion of the Court, and is not deserving of the punishment that the Legislature has forced me to give him, Parker said.

Critics have long said that the state disproportionately uses drug laws against Black people like Williams. In Williams case, the crime against nature solicitation law that resulted in a separate felony conviction was also controversial.

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The law treated soliciting oral or anal sex as a felony, while soliciting vaginal sex was a misdemeanor.

Why bid to toughen Louisiana anti-bestiality law is drawing unexpected pushback In Louisiana, a proposal to strengthen the law against bestiality is facing unexpected opposition from conservative lawmakers who see it as an

Critics said that the law was used disproportionately against transgender women of color, although its hard to know how often, because court records often give only a persons sex assigned at birth.

This was a law that was used to enslave us, said Wendi Cooper, the executive director of the transgender rights group Transcending Women. She added that Williams was sentenced behind something that doesnt make sense, but also did 20 years in a correctional facility for a practice that probably the entire world engages in.

By 2011, the Louisiana Legislature had done away with the sentencing enhancement for crime against nature solicitation. But the legal changes only applied to arrests going forward, not to existing convictions like that of Williams.

He remained in prison until Jason Williams took over as district attorney earlier this year. Prosecutors in the office's newly created civil rights division have been scouring court and prison records for sentences they regard as excessive.

The new district attorney says there were many. At one point during Shawn Williams' prison stay, one in 14 Black men from New Orleans was behind bars.

Among the sentences that Jason Williams has chopped down so far are that of a man who was sentenced to 23 years after he was convicted of stealing two shirts. In a court motion filed earlier this month, the District Attorney's Office identified Shawn Williams sentence as another injustice. The prior convictions that raised Williams' sentence were all for minor offenses like drug possession and solicitation, they said.

Sweeping project to undo split-jury convictions in New Orleans hits speed bump Newly installed Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams launched his project to undo split jury verdicts with a flourish: a speech on 

The prosecutors asked a judge to allow them to dismiss the sentencing enhancement, which would result in Shawn Williams' release, but only a few weeks early.

Mr. Williams is currently the only person out of Orleans Parish in Department of Corrections custody for the offense of solicitation against nature, prosecutors said. By any clear-eyed measure his continued incarceration is at odds with sound public policy and fundamentally unfair.

Louisiana's split-jury ban is retroactive under state law, Calcasieu Parish judge finds A Calcasieu Parish judge on Friday ruled that a ban on non-unanimous jury verdicts is retroactive under state law, in the case of a Florida ma

Judge Nandi Campbell agreed on July 8 and ordered Shawn Williams to be set free. Assistant District Attorney Cormac Boyle apologized to Williams, who was released later that week.

Attempts to contact Shawn Williams since his release have been unsuccessful. But Cooper, whos known Williams for decades, erupted in joy when she heard the news.

Thank you, Jesus! she said.
William "Bill" Thomas Ratliff (92) of Noble, passed away on July 19, 2021 at his home. Graveside services will be 11:00 am Friday, July 23, 2021 at the Noble IOOf Cemetery. Directed by McMahans Funeral Home of Noble.
Berwick, Pa. A lunch bag found in a car reported stolen out of Mifflinburg contained 14 pills, a butane lighter, and mushrooms, according to a complaint filed by the Briar Creek Township Police.

Offices said they also discovered a plastic baggie containing a white powder, one with a brown powder, white pills, glass pipes, hypodermic needles, and three keys.

Donald Duane Kouf, 49, of Mifflinburg was charged with receiving stolen property and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance after officers said they pulled him over in the early morning hours of June 1. A check of the vehicles registration showed it was reported stolen out of the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority Police Department, according to police officers.

Officers said a search of Kouf was conducted and turned up $3,000 in cash that was divided into three separate $1,000 bundles.

The vehicle was towed and later searched at a local towing garage. That search turned up the bags officers said contained the narcotics and paraphernalia.

In addition to the felony charges, Kouf was also charged with intentional possession of a controlled substance, misbrand a controlled substance, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. All of those are misdemeanors.

Kouf is being held at the Columbia County Prison in lieu of $75,000 monetary bail. No preliminary hearing is scheduled for him, according to court records.
Education

Cave Spring officials to attend FCS board meeting to discuss elementary school closure

Glenn White Rob Ware Charles Jackson

Cave Spring Mayor Rob Ware and Councilmember Charles Jackson will meet Monday with the Floyd County Schools Board of Education to discuss the upcoming closure of Cave Spring Elementary.

The FCS board voted to close the school at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Superintendent Glenn White has said the reason is that the system is operating and maintaining too many buildings compared to the number of students it has  and will have  enrolled.

At the meeting, Ware and Jackson plan to talk with board members about what they want to see happen to the building and their plans for the property. The campus is on an entrance corridor, just a block or so off the historic downtown commercial district.

Cave Spring community members also are hoping to use the school to host a 99th anniversary event toward the end of the school year.

The superintendent said the Cave Spring Housing Authority has voiced interest in the property, but nothing has been decided by board members.

The school boards caucus will begin at 8 a.m. and the meeting will directly follow. The meeting itself will take place in the superintendents office at the school headquarters at 600 Riverside Parkway.

Board members also will be voting on a policy change for paid parental leave in accordance with a new state law.

The policy would apply to employees who have children or are foster parents. Employees would have 15 days paid leave to take care of any parental responsibilities associated with childbirth, adoption and placement of foster care children.

During the meeting, board members also will be voting on using the Saxon Phonics curriculum for Kindergarten through third grade. The program specializes in teaching reading, spelling and writing.

If approved, about $268,000 would be taken out of the systems Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds.

The board will also be holding a public hearing for their millage rate at 7:30 a.m.
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Missing 76-year-old man last seen in northwest Dallas may be in need of help, police say
Napoleon, OH (43545)

Today

Showers in the morning with isolated thunderstorms arriving in the afternoon. High 82F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Froma Harrop: Not getting your shot can cost you your job
DES MOINESSam Kooiker said he is appalled at how the Iowa Civil Rights Commission is being managed.
Hoosiers looking to demonstrate their skills and knowledge without a high school degree are now taking a new high school equivalency test.

On July 1, the Department of Workforce Development and Indiana Adult Education transitioned to HiSET, an equivalency exam used in more than 25 states and territories, including three neighboring states  Ohio, Illinois and Michigan  according to a news release.

Test-takers will be able to complete any unfinished tests from July 1 to Oct. 15, during a transition period from the former Test Assessing Secondary Completion exam, the release said. New adult education students will take the HiSET.

HiSET is consistent with the curriculum found in todays high schools, aligns with the College and Career Readiness Standards for adult education and maintains rigor while providing another path to a new future, the release said.

Marilyn Pitzulo, DWD's associate chief operating officer for workforce strategy and design, in the release said Indiana continues to be a national leader in adult education.
GARY  Three men were wounded in three separate shootings last weekend, police said.

Gary police were dispatched about 5:30 p.m. Saturday to the 4300 block of Buchanan Street for a gunshot victim, Lt. Dawn Westerfield said.

A 19-year-old Gary man told police he was walking on the block when he was shot in both legs. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

About 20 minutes later, police responded to the area of East Eighth Avenue and Kentucky Street for a report of shots fired, Westerfield said.

Officers located a 23-year-old Gary man with multiple gunshot wounds in the 500 block of Rhode Island Street, she said.

The man told police he was in a vehicle at Eighth and Kentucky when gunfire rang out and he ran from the area. He was taken to a local hospital and sedated before he could provide more information, police said.

About 2:10 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus to talk with a 21-year-old Galesburg, Illinois, man being treated for gunshot wounds.

The person who drove the man to the hospital refused to speak with officers, but police found what was believed to be a crime scene in the 3700 block of Broadway, Westerfield said.
Luncsford was taken to Franciscan Health hospital in Michigan City for a gunshot wound to the jawline, where he later died, police said.

Police were dispatched about 15 minutes later to the 100 block of West Homer Street after a 43-year-old Michigan City resident was shot in the neck, Forker said.

The victim was sitting in his car when a man on a motorcycle drove up to him and asked him a question.

A witness told he was going to walk his dogs when he noticed a man standing next to a motorcycle. He'd never seen the man in the area before, so he waited until he left to start walking his dogs.

When he started walking, he noticed the victim in his car, looking at his phone with his head wobbling, but didn't think much of it since the victim is known to be in his car listening to music, the affidavit said.

About 10 minutes later, when the witness returned from his walk, the victim had the car door open, with blood on him, and asked for help. The victim told him to get his aunt, the affidavit said.

A woman who was nearby told an officer she heard a loud motorcycle go by and then a loud pop, the affidavit said. Ten minutes later she heard a lady outside screaming for help and asking for someone to call the police.
CROWN POINT  An East Chicago man was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison for shooting and wounding his pregnant girlfriend and her mother in 2019 while his 1-year-old child was in a room with them at an East Chicago residence.

Richard E. Johnson Jr., 23, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of aggravated battery, both level 3 felonies.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas accepted Johnson's plea agreement Wednesday, which called for a sentence of up to 32 years in prison.

Johnson was covered in blood when he met East Chicago police June 19, 2019, outside a home in the 4300 block of Magoun Avenue and said, "I did it, I shot them both," court records state.

The shooting happened after Johnson and his girlfriend argued and began fighting, records state.

The girlfriend's mother opened a bedroom door when she heard her daughter scream, according to the plea agreement.

Johnson slammed the door on the mother's arm. When the mother again opened the door, he grabbed her by the neck, got on top of her, choked her and struck her head and face, records state.
Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Hammer told jurors during closing arguments in Silva's trial that they need only be convinced that Silva had an intent to carry out the robberies to find him guilty on all counts. There is no need to prove Silva had intended for the killings to result.

Prosecutors told jurors during closing arguments that Silva sat in the basement as a backup man, holding a handgun and waiting to ambush as his friend Kerner attempted to carry out a robbery that ended with the two Lake County teens murdered.

"The defendant did much more than just sit there and let things happen," Hammer said.

But the defense attempted to paint their client as scared and hiding in the basement of Kerner's grandparent's Boone Township home on the day in question after seeing Kerner with a gun and realizing things were becoming "real."

Out of that fear and in hopes of distancing himself from the unexpected turn of events, Silva recorded the six gunshots echoing from the garage above and sounds of one of the victims moaning in pain, defense attorney Mark Gruenhagen said. That recording was played last month for jurors.

Kerner summoned Silva following the shootings to help clean up while Kerner finished killing Grill by beating him with a pipe wrench, police said.
"We appreciate the quick and thorough ruling which allows us to focus on a full and safe return," the university said in a statement. "We look forward to welcoming everyone to our campuses for the fall semester."

Bopp said he would ask an appeals court to block the university's policy from taking effect.

"An admitted IU student's right to attend IU cannot be conditioned on the student waiving their rights to bodily integrity, bodily autonomy, and consent to medical treatment like IU has done here," he said.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in federal courts in Connecticut and California, Bopp said. College officials across the country have struggled with whether they have the authority to require student vaccinations, which some see as key to returning campus to in-person classes and other normal activities.

Indiana law currently requires students at state residential colleges and universities to get immunized for six diseases  diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and meningitis. Students in public K-12 schools are required to get vaccinated for an additional five diseases.
MICHIGAN CITY  The city is moving forward on rezoning 98 properties near the old St. Francis Hospital after a sweeping zoning change 10 years ago turned homes into potential office sites.

The zoning quandary came to light when resident Coleman Moore wanted to refinance his house to take advantage of low rates. The lenders turned him down because his property is zoned for office spaces, not for residential use.

Planning Director Skyler York wasnt in that position back in 2010, when Michigan City, LaPorte and LaPorte County adopted joint zoning standards. The aim was to have zoning and development standards for land on the fringes of cities be compatible with the nearby municipal areas so it wouldnt be jarring when cities grow.

Its just a smart way to grow from the citys standpoint, York told City Council members Wednesday night.

As part of that process, buildings surrounding the former hospital were rezoned for office space with the expectation that future development would occur in the area surrounding the hospital.

Instead, Franciscan Health Michigan City built a new hospital on open land on the citys house side, near the intersection of Interstate 94 and U.S. 421.
The on-street parking permits in the area date back to 2009. I think with few exceptions the permit parking has worked well, he said.

At last weeks Plan Commission meeting, attorney Todd Leeth, representing the developers, received the commissions approved for a planned unit development that locks in zoning rules for the property.

A zoning change after the four buildings were erected zoned part of the property for urban residential and part for commercial general use.

This property has all sorts of development standards, Leeth said. The PUD zoning, which would have to be approved by the council, would lock in place the existing uses on-site.

Councilman Robert Cotton expressed concerns about the parking requirement. For as much as we do to solve a problem, we could actually be compounding it, he said.

Carol Stoner, who owns a home on nearby McIntire Court, said the parking issue could spill into her neighborhood. The city has posted signs on that street that say, Resident parking only, but apartment dwellers might be confused about the idea that the signs refer to residents in those houses rather than in the neighboring apartment buildings.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Authorities on Monday identified a suspect accused of fatally shooting one person and wounding four others, including firefighters and paramedics, during a house fire in Tucson.

Leslie Stephen Scarlett, 35, remained in extremely critical condition at a local hospital, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said at a news conference.

Magnus said the suspect was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a police officer on Sunday.

It is not clear what his intentions were, Magnus said. This is a highly tragic, really horrific incident, with many unknowns  A nightmare scenario.

According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Scarlett has a criminal history that includes a 2007 conviction for an attempted armed robbery. He was sentenced to six years and was released in August 2013.

Police said Scarlett drove up to the house fire and fired shots at an ambulance crew. The ambulance was two blocks from the fire but was actually on standby for another incident, authorities said.

The ambulance driver, a 20-year-old man, was shot in the head, and a paramedic in the passenger seat, a 21-year-old woman, was shot in the chest and arm, police said. The driver was in critical condition and the woman was stable Monday.
Ms. Richardson was invited to speak at the March on Washington in August 1963, though organizers balked when she showed up in her trademark jeans. She compromised on a jean skirt. Not long before Dr. Kings address, she rose to the microphone to speak, but was cut off after saying hello, apparently for fear that she would say something off message.

Protests in Cambridge continued into 1964, though in deference to the attorney general, whose brother President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in November 1963, Ms. Richardson muted her street-level activism. She became the co-founder of an organization, Act, that pushed for systemic change and economic justice in the North.

Ms. Richardson was heartened by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which not only enforced desegregation but also tackled job discrimination and education. By then, she had decided to step back from the Cambridge movement, in part because of the stress but also because she was wary of becoming an icon  better, she said, for new leaders to take over.

And they did. Her departure coincided with the coming of a new generation of activists like Stokely Carmichael and the Black Panthers, who looked past the reformist efforts of Dr. King and others to embrace the sort of change that Ms. Richardson had emphasized.

They looked to Ms. Richardson as the sort of uncompromising Black radical leader they should emulate, Joseph R. Fitzgerald, an associate professor of history at Cabrini University, in Radnor, Pa., and the author of The Struggle Is Eternal: Gloria Richardson and Black Liberation, said in an interview. She showed that you shouldnt settle for half a loaf of bread. You should take it all.

Gloria St. Clair Hayes was born in Baltimore on May 6, 1922, and moved with her family to Cambridge when she was 6. Her father, John Hayes, owned a pharmacy and her mother, Mabel St. Clair, was a housewife.

The St. Clairs were one of the wealthiest and most influential Black families in Maryland. Her grandfather, Herbert St. Clair, was the first Black member of the Cambridge City Council.
TEL AVIV  A major Israeli cyber-surveillance company, NSO Group, came under heightened scrutiny Sunday after an international alliance of news outlets reported that governments used its software to target journalists, dissidents and opposition politicians.

The Israeli government also faced renewed international pressure for allowing the company to do business with authoritarian regimes that use the spyware for purposes that go far afield of the companys stated aim: targeting terrorists and criminals.

NSO strongly denied the claims.

NSO has attracted scrutiny since 2016, when the companys software was said to be used against a rights activist in the United Arab Emirates and a journalist in Mexico. Since then, The New York Times has reported that the software was deployed against journalists, rights campaigners and policymakers in Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The new reports that appeared Sunday suggest that the firms software has been used against more people in more countries than had previously been reported.

Among other actions, the company is said to have sold a sophisticated surveillance application known as Pegasus that the journalism consortium said appears to have been used to attempt to hack at least 37 smartphones owned by journalists from countries that include Azerbaijan, France, Hungary, India and Morocco. Separately, a person familiar with NSO contracts told The Times that NSO systems were sold to the governments of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, India, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
In June 2020, three months into the pandemic, Halpern announced that she was closing iO for good, saying that the pressure of mounting bills, without any income during the shutdown, had become untenable. At this point in my life, I cant continue the struggle to stay open, Halpern said then.

The announcement came at the same time that performers associated with iO called for major efforts to improve diversity and equity there. In a petition, they said they would refuse to perform at iO unless its leadership met a series of demands: they asked Halpern to publicly acknowledge and apologize for the institutional racism perpetuated at iO, as well as hire a diversity and inclusion coordinator.

About a week after the petition was published and Halpern had agreed to work toward meeting the demands, she announced that iO would close for good, stunning performers. She said in an interview this May that if iO had been on better financial footing, she would have met with the protesters and addressed their concerns, but that she could not do so when the theaters prospects were so bleak.

In the months since Halpern put the building, at 1501 North Kingsbury Street, on the market, her hopes that someone would step in to save the institution brightened and flickered out again and again. She said recently there had been at least three interested buyers, including a Hollywood talent agency. At one point she contemplated reopening the theater herself, but a leaky roof introduced another financial roadblock, she said.

For the time being, the closed theater appears frozen in time, with signs pointing audiences where to line up for shows that were scheduled for March 2020.
Afterparties will not be the last the world hears from So. The second of his two-book deal with Ecco was originally planned to be a novel, Straight Thru Cambotown, which So was in the process of writing.

Instead, a second book, tentatively titled Songs on Endless Repeat and slated for release in the first half of 2023, will include chapters from the novel as well as nonfiction by So, including a personal essay, Duplex, that The New Yorker published earlier this month.

The stories in Afterparties are set in California, and while many of the characters have lived nowhere else, the Khmer Rouge genocide casts an unmistakable shadow  sometimes to convey how trauma can be passed down from generation to generation, other times for darkly comedic effect. In Generational Differences, a mother who survived Pol Pots reign is unnerved by her 9-year-olds endless curiosity with the regime, the camps, the genocide. Every little detail you would demand to know, as if understanding that part of my life would explain the entirety of yours. In Three Women of Chucks Donuts, also previously published in The New Yorker, a father yells, There were no ice cubes in the genocide! when his teenage daughter drinks a glass of water.

That dichotomy, too, is familiar to Sos sister Lamb. Among Cambodian Americans, the genocide is either a forbidden and repressed topic of conversation, she said, or theyre like my family, and every single freaking moment they get is like, That wouldnt have been in the genocide.

So was born and raised in Stockton, the driven, high-achieving son of his mother, Ravy, who worked for the Social Security Administration, and his father, Sienghay, the owner of an auto repair shop. He was the salutatorian of his high school class (a sore subject, his sister said, since So thought he missed the top spot on a technicality), and entered Stanford intending to major in computer science. But he failed his classes during his first year, shocking his family, according to Lamb. It was around this time that he came out to his family and was diagnosed as bipolar.

He switched his academic focus to art and literature, becoming engrossed with artists such as Diane Arbus and Mark Rothko (one of his and Torress favorite works at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was the landscape painting Valley Streets, by Wayne Thiebaud) and briefly trying out stand-up comedy. After graduating, he enrolled in Syracuses M.F.A. program, during which time he took a bus to New York City and, on a Friday afternoon in 2018 that has already become part of Anthony Veasna So lore, walked into the offices of n+1 and introduced himself to its publisher, Mark Krotov.
Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced via Instagram that they were leaving the royal family and seeking to establish their financial independence, the couple swiftly began building a media empire.

They struck a roughly $100 million production deal with Netflix, with plans to make documentaries, feature films, scripted shows and childrens programming. They signed a podcast deal with Spotify and joined the Harry Walker Agency to handle speaking engagements.

Now, the memoirs are coming. On Monday, Penguin Random House announced that it has acquired a book by Prince Harry, which it described in a news release as an intimate and heartfelt memoir that will offer the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him, including his childhood and coming-of-age as a royal, his military service, his marriage to Meghan and fatherhood.

The book, which is as yet untitled and is scheduled to be released in late 2022, will be published by Random House in the United States, Random House Canada in Canada and Transworld, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, in the United Kingdom. Penguin Random House did not disclose financial terms but noted that Prince Harry will be donating his profits to charity.
The U.S. accused China of hacking Microsoft

The formal accusation follows a March cyberattack that targeted Microsoft email systems used by many of the worlds largest companies, governments and military contractors. For the first time, the U.S. also accused China of paying criminal groups to conduct large-scale hackings, including ransomware attacks.

A broad group of allies, including all NATO members, joined the Biden administrations condemnation. Most E.U. countries have been reluctant to publicly criticize China, a major trading partner.

Despite the U.S. broadside, the announcement lacked sanctions similar to ones that the White House imposed on Russia in April, when it blamed the country for the extensive SolarWinds attack that affected U.S. government agencies and more than 100 companies.

Context: The U.S. began naming and shaming China for an onslaught of online espionage nearly a decade ago, the bulk of it conducted using low-level phishing emails against American companies for intellectual property theft. These recent attacks reveal that China has now transformed into a far more sophisticated and mature digital adversary.
In 1910, Ermenegildo Zegna was founded in the foothills of Northern Italy as a family-run maker of wool fabrics.

On Monday, the company, now a global luxury fashion house that owns the Thom Browne brand, took a major step onto the public stock markets  through one of the biggest trends on Wall Street in recent years.

Zegna announced that it would gain a listing on the New York Stock Exchange by merging with a publicly traded acquisition fund known as a SPAC. The deal is expected to value Zegna at about $3.2 billion, including debt, and may pave a path for other privately held luxury giants to follow.

The deal is also the latest sign that big luxury fashion companies are gearing up to get even bigger, seeing an opportunity in taking over rivals and becoming empires. It is a trend that has perhaps been exemplified by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the fashion empire that in recent years has struck deals to buy the likes of Tiffany & Company.
Robinhood disclosed the expected price range for its initial public offering on Monday, putting the popular stock-trading app one step closer to itself trading on the markets.

In an updated prospectus, Robinhood said it planned to sell shares at $38 to $42 each. At the midpoint of that range, it would raise $2.2 billion and be valued at about $33 billion; at the high end, it would be worth about $35 billion.

The announcement will formally kick off the final part of Robinhoods long road to going public: a roadshow in which the company will pitch prospective investors on its financial performance.

It will test investor appetite for the online brokerage firm, which forced a sea change in stock trading by eliminating commissions and becoming a platform of choice for a new generation of day traders  but has became a target for regulators and lawmakers that have accused it of misleading customers. At a House hearing in the wake of frenzied trading in so-called meme stocks, Vlad Tenev, the chief executive and a co-founder of Robinhood, faced sharp questions from lawmakers about the companys policies and business model.
Top U.S. financial regulators met on Monday to discuss stablecoins, asset-backed digital currencies that are exploding in popularity so quickly that the government is struggling to keep up  and that economic officials increasingly see as a risk to financial stability.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that derive their value from an underlying currency or basket of assets, and they have long been a point of unique concern. When news broke in 2018 and 2019 that Facebook was looking into creating a stablecoin, the Federal Reserve and other regulators took note, worried that the project could gain scale rapidly. Pressure to develop a framework for overseeing them has ramped up even more recently, as prominent stablecoins including Tether and Binance have exploded in popularity.

The Treasury Department announced on Friday that Secretary Janet L. Yellen would convene a meeting of the Presidents Working Group on Financial Markets to discuss regulators work on stablecoins. That group includes Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, and the leaders of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Mondays meeting was expanded to include the heads of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Meeting participants discussed the rapid growth of stablecoins, potential uses of stablecoins as a means of payment, and potential risks to end-users, the financial system, and national security, according to a Treasury statement released after the meeting on Monday. Ms. Yellen underscored the need to act quickly to ensure there is an appropriate U.S. regulatory framework in place.
Democrats hope to pass their budget package this year and use it as a way to expand social, educational and health care programs as well as fund a transition to clean energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The decision to package the proposals in a budget reconciliation bill would allow Democrats in the sharply divided Congress to pass the measure without any Republican votes.

A handful of Republican lawmakers have explored a carbon border tariff as a way to counter China and protect U.S. industries.

But Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, called the $3.5 trillion blueprint a freight train to socialism and said the Democrats plan for a border tariff would start a trade war.

Theyre proposing a border tax because they know punishing regulations and taxes will drive U.S. businesses overseas, Mr. Barrasso said in a statement. He said the United States should instead work on making energy cleaner and more affordable.

Mr. Barrassos state is a major producer of coal, natural gas and crude oil, the burning of which produces the carbon emissions that scientists say are driving climate change.

A border tax is typically designed to even out the burden for a nation that has imposed a tax or price on carbon dioxide emissions. Companies abroad that want to sell iron, steel, aluminum or other commodities to the United States would be required to pay a price for each ton of carbon dioxide they emit in making their products, which would erase any competitive advantage. The hope is that it will encourage other countries to also price carbon and drive down emissions.



It also is considered a way to prevent American companies whose manufacturing processes emit heavy amounts of carbon pollution from relocating to countries with looser environmental rules, a phenomenon known as leakage.
Until we really reach the heart of the country, Mr. Mazumdar said, I dont think we can really move Indian cuisine forward.

But opening an Indian restaurant is complicated. Americans expect to pay less for tandoori paneer than they would a burrata salad, and to dictate the level of spiciness, said Mr. Pandya.

Have you gone to your home and asked your mother, Can you make a chicken, on a scale of 1 to 10 spice level, a 5? he said.

We are stopping this idea of catering to every other person but the Indian palate, added Mr. Mazumdar.

Mr. Pandya has long wanted to start a fast-casual Indian restaurant with a national reach, and is inspired by the popular New York taqueria, Los Tacos No. 1. (Curry Up Now is a successful Indian street food restaurant with locations across the country.)

It is a phenomenal product, he said of Los Tacos No. 1.

The first of the teams fast-casual restaurants, the fried chicken-centric Rowdy Rooster, opens in August on First Avenue and Ninth Street. Mr. Pandya is studying the numerous Indian iterations of fried chicken, from pakoras to Chicken 65, a spicy snack that supposedly originated in a hotel in Chennai. A month later comes Kebabwala, on Second Avenue and Fifth Street, which will focus on classic kebab preparations like chicken tikka and seekh kebabs.
In Ghana, spicy fried plantains are called kelewele. And thats the name that Rachel Laryea, whose family is from Ghana, has given her new food counter in the Dekalb Market Hall. Plantains inform everything from decor to dessert. In addition to spreading the word about the spicy bites, Ms. Laryea created a vegan menu that includes a fried plantain boat topped with Ghanaian bean stew, sweet plantain taco shells with vegetables, and a veggie burger made with sweet plantains and black beans enclosed in a green plantain bun. Sweet plantains are the basis for brownies, chocolate chip cookies and soft serve. The sweets, including a plantain dark chocolate brownie mix, are available to ship nationwide.

Kelewele, Dekalb Market Hall, 445 Albee Square (Flatbush Avenue), Downtown Brooklyn, 929-322-3480, kelewelenyc.com.

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The result: Vaccine requirements can differ considerably depending on whether a school is in a Republican-led or Democratic-led state, or whether a student attends a public school or private one.

Even public universities within the same state can have different rules.

While Indiana University, in Bloomington, opted to mandate vaccines, Purdue University, a public school in West Lafayette, did not, instead requiring that students who were not vaccinated undergo regular testing.

The schools appear to be taking different paths, but both are pushing to get their students vaccinated, said Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education, an industry trade organization.

The science is clear; its unambiguous, Dr. Hartle said, adding that university presidents in many states have been forced to finesse their policies to avoid confrontation with state leaders and lawmakers.

How do we get students vaccinated without creating a political firestorm that distracts from our ultimate goal? Dr. Hartle said. The goal is to get shots in arms.

Students at the University of Wisconsin in Madison will not be required to be vaccinated, although the university says that it expects most will get one of the vaccines. Less than two hours away, at the private Marquette University in Milwaukee, students must get the vaccine.

In some places, confusion reigns. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, a public technical college in Lancaster, Pa., mandated the vaccine on May 22, then rescinded the mandate in June after the states General Assembly voted to limit mandates for coronavirus vaccines.
England lifted nearly all of its pandemic restrictions on Monday, which some Britons have hailed as freedom day. The British government, however, made a notable exception: People traveling to England from France must continue to quarantine upon their arrival, even if they are fully vaccinated.

The rule, announced on Friday, was spurred by concerns about the presence of the Beta variant of the coronavirus in France and is intended as a precautionary measure, officials said.

While vaccines are helping us turn the tables against this virus, we need to continue to proceed cautiously, Dr. Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency, said in a statement on Friday. That means maintaining our defenses against new variants and protecting our hard-won progress through the exceptional vaccination rollout.

Here are answers to some common questions about the Beta variant.

What is the Beta variant?

The Beta variant, formerly known as B.1.351, was first detected in South Africa last year. It contains several mutations, in a protein called spike, that help the virus bind more tightly to human cells.
Dr. Paul Auerbach, an emergency care physician who pioneered the field of wilderness medicine in the 1980s and then taught ways to heal people injured by the unpredictable, died on June 23 at his home in Los Altos, Calif. He was 70.

His wife, Sherry Auerbach, said the cause was brain cancer.

Out in the wild, knowing how to treat a venomous snake bite or a gangrenous infection can mean the difference between life and death. In the 1970s, however, the specialized field of health care known as wilderness medicine was still in its infancy. Then Dr. Auerbach showed up.

A medical student at Duke University at the time, he went to work in 1975 with the Indian Health Service on a Native American reservation in Montana, and the experience was revelatory.

We saw all kinds of cases that I would have never seen at Duke or frankly anywhere else except on the reservation, Dr. Auerbach said in a recent interview given to Stanford University, where he worked for many years. Snakebites. Drowning. Lightning strike.
It is nighttime in Puerto Rico. A dembow beat, the rhythmic foundation of reggaeton, throbs, slicing into the thick air. A man glistens with sweat, an amber light bathing the droplets on his shoulders as he grinds gently against his dance partner. The crowd hollers as a beloved reggaeton anthem echoes in the distance.

In the lilt of the islands familiar accent, a voice has spoken: I dont want to spend my whole life fighting.

This scene arrives near the end of Cecilia Aldarondos documentary Landfall. It is a moment of everyday pleasure, but one that also contends with the psychic weight of political struggle. It captures what it means to still be coming to terms with Hurricane Maria and the 2019 uprising against government corruption. It is an image of warmth and intimacy, but one that refuses to put aside the difficult feelings that have accompanied the last few years of life for Puerto Ricans.

This approach distinguishes Landfall and Stateless, two new films about Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in PBSs POV program, from many documentaries produced for audiences in the United States. Caribbean narratives are rarely granted this kind of complexity onscreen. In the West, the Antilles are viewed as a locus of hardship and disorder, of victimhood and depravity. In this reductive vision, Puerto Ricans are rendered helpless victims of Hurricane Maria, while Dominicans and Haitians are enemies locked in a never-ending historical battle.
In part, that may be because there are inherent challenges in prosecuting sexual assault, particularly when the attacker is not a stranger and alcohol is involved. Some experts believe that prosecutors are still unwilling to wade through those challenges.

At the end of the day, if the perception is that lawyers in our office are short, or in anyway disrespectful to victims  thats unacceptable, said Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney. We as an office need to deal with it and educate our assistants on how to be better at their interactions with survivors and victims.

[Prosecutors in New York City struggle to prove sexual assault accusations.]

The data

Most New York City prosecutors offices rejected a greater share of sex crime cases in 2019, the last year for which reliable data is available, than they did roughly a decade earlier. Thats particularly the case in Manhattan, where prosecutors dropped 49 percent of sexual assault cases in 2019  an increase from 37 percent in 2017, state data shows.

The data excludes most sex crimes against children and certain nonviolent offenses like stalking.

The number of rape reports made to the police jumped by around 20 percent from 2017 to 2019 in the aftermath of the 2015 prosecution of Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood producer who was convicted last year of rape and sexual assault.
HAVANA  The month of July has borne witness to a number of events that have been turning points in Cubas history: Fidel Castros assault on the Moncada Barracks in July 1953, which ignited the revolution; the execution of the revolutionary general Arnaldo Ochoa that shocked many Cubans in 1989; and the sinking of a tugboat with dozens of people on board heading for Miami in 1994, in what became the climax of the rafters exodus. To these historic July dates, we now add the day when we Cubans took back the streets, our streets.

Sunday, July 11, began like any other summer day on this island: hot, long lines to buy food and uncertainty dominating daily life. Then the first live Facebook videos of protests from the small town of San Antonio de los Banos, southwest of Havana, started appearing on social media. On our phone screens, we watched crowds chanting freedom, we want help and we are not afraid, as well as insults against President Miguel Diaz-Canel. These were new scenes for us, and the excitement was contagious.

Mr. Diaz-Canel and his entourage went to San Antonio de los Banos to re-enact the scene of Fidel Castro arriving to calm the masses at the 1994 protest in Havana known as the Maleconazo  until now the only widespread social upheaval that several generations of Cubans had ever seen. But Mr. Diaz-Canels game plan did not work.

By the time the presidential caravan reached San Antonio de los Banos, the protests had already spread, including to Palma Soriano, in the province of Santiago de Cuba on the other side of the island. Large crowds of neighbors took to the plazas of Cardenas and Matanzas, and groups of young people approached the capitol in Havana.
Other felonies, too, have increased on the subways. In 2020, there were 2.71 felonies committed per million rides, up from 1.45 in 2019. Most disturbing, though, is the elevated risk of violent felonies against people as opposed to property.

My analysis for the Manhattan Institute found that violent felonies  murder, rape, robbery and assault  have increased disproportionately compared with nonviolent property crime. During 2020, despite severely reduced ridership, violent crime rose to 928 incidents from 917 the year before.

Though the situation has improved since then, it is far from normal. According to my analysis, any single rider faces greater risk of becoming a victim of a violent felony, as opposed to a property-theft felony. In 2021 through June, at an average of 1.5 instances of bodily harm per million rides, the physical threat was three times the prepandemic average.

What can we do to combat crime on the subways?

Crowds help, but they are not the only preventive force available. In 1990 in New York, there were 26 homicides on the subway and 18,324 felonies overall. In the wake of these statistics, the transit police under Bill Bratton sought to stop people from committing small crimes  fare-beating among them  hoping it would prevent them from committing worse crimes.

Over the past five years, the police have eased such enforcement. Thats to riders detriment, given that this kind of enforcement still works. Of the 779 people arrested in the subway system last January and February, 51 of them, or 6.6 percent, were reported by the police to be carrying guns or knives.

Today, the problem is that this type of enforcement has fallen with reduced ridership. In the years before the pandemic, even as the police eased the enforcement described above, crime remained low. This was, in part, because of near-record subway crowds. But now the crowds are gone, and safety in numbers has disappeared. The police must step back up.

In his overall reform of the Police Department, Mr. Adams should staff the transit system with more police to make up for the lower civilian foot traffic. He should also encourage police officers to engage respectfully and with minimal force with suspected fare-beaters and other low-level transgressors. A vast majority of enforcement for such nonviolent offenses should continue to be civil fines, not criminal charges. And the city must make clear, through better reporting, that it will not tolerate racial discrimination in such enforcement.
July 16, 2021, 7:40 p.m. ET

NASHVILLE  When Dolly Parton received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine at Vanderbilt University, where her million-dollar donation helped to fund the research, she sang an updated version of her iconic song Jolene. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics were meant to inspire people to get vaccinated:

Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine

Im begging of you, please dont hesitate

Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine

Cause once youre dead, then thats a bit too late

She gave it a good try, a heroic try, but somehow the bonehead politicians running this state managed to overcome even the good will generated by its favorite daughter.

Remember how hopeful we were when the new Covid-19 vaccines arrived so astonishingly quickly, and were so astonishingly effective and safe? As a nation  politically, institutionally, too often personally  wed botched almost everything about this pandemic, and we did not deserve a miracle. The miracle arrived anyway.

We were giddy about the prospect of those vaccines. We could not stop talking about how happy we would be to sit in a movie theater again, to hear live music again, to go to church and sing out loud again, to sit and talk around a table again, late into the night, with no care for how long we had been breathing the same air. We would reach for new babies and lean down to smell their downy heads. We would weep with the joy of being skin to skin with new life. New life, after such a long, dark year!

The anticipation of happiness seemed truly ecumenical. Liberals, conservatives, politically indifferent people  all the people I knew were watching for their vaccine priority number to come up. We were signing up for leftover doses that might be available at the end of the day. We were heading out of town to get vaccinated in rural counties where health officials were moving more quickly through the vaccine priority rankings. The lack of vaccine lines should have told us something was happening in those counties, something besides the fact that fewer people lived there.
Efforts in red states to pass increasingly restrictive limits on abortions have ramped up in the past few years as the composition of the Supreme Court has made it more likely that those laws will be upheld. But a new law in Texas thats set to go into effect on Sept. 1 is especially worrisome.

Not only has Texas banned virtually all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, a point at which many women do not even know theyre pregnant, it has also provided for enforcement of that ban by private citizens. If you suspect that a Texan is seeking to obtain an abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, not only will you be able to sue the provider to try to stop it, but if you succeed, youll also be entitled to compensation. (And whats known as the litigation privilege would likely protect you from a defamation claim even if youre wrong.) The law, known as S.B. 8, effectively enlists the citizenry to act as an anti-abortion Stasi.

All of that would be problematic enough, but enlisting private citizens to enforce the restriction makes it very difficult, procedurally, to challenge the bills constitutionality in court. A lawsuit filed in federal court in Austin last week tries to get around those roadblocks. We believe that it should succeed. But if it fails, not only would that leave the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the country impervious to constitutional challenge, it would also encourage other states to follow Texas lead on abortion, as well as on every other contested question of social policy.

California could shift to private enforcement of its gun control regulations, never mind the Second Amendment implications of such restrictions. Vermont could shift to private enforcement of its environmental regulations, never mind the federal pre-emption implications. And the list goes on.
In the spring of 2020, as the novel coronavirus infiltrated the Twin Cities, Hinh Ly could not stop thinking about cats and dogs.

Dr. Ly, a veterinary and biomedical researcher at the University of Minnesota, knew that humans were the primary driver of the pandemic. But he also knew that many people loved to kiss and cuddle their pets, in sickness and in health. He wondered: How transmissible was SARS-CoV-2 to humankinds best friends?

In March of 2020, Dr. Ly learned that two dogs in Hong Kong had received positive P.C.R. tests for the virus. But these tests require the virus to be actively replicating and thus only reveal active infections. Swabbing the snouts of many pets struck Dr. Ly as an overly time-consuming way to figure out how easily the animals could be infected.

So he pitched an idea to his wife, Yuying Liang, a researcher in the same department who leads the lab with him, to test cats and dogs for antibodies, which would reveal past infection to the virus. I had the idea, but she is the boss, Dr. Ly said.
In the decades since The Dating Game debuted, dating show contestants have become increasingly fanatical subscribers to such logic. Daters on Sexy Beasts appear to regard visual input as at best a red herring, at worst an impediment to finding true love. In introductory interviews, they express guilt that their attraction to other people can be influenced in any way by physical appearance.

I would hope I could fall for someone without knowing what they look like, but honestly, just knowing me, I dont know if I can, laments one Sexy Beasts participant on the show.

The nobility of this aspiration is unchallenged. Sacrificing knowledge of a partners appearance, the reasoning goes, is an act indicative of an openhearted and honorable spirit.

But is love blind, as heavily suggested by the title of Netflixs 2020 dating show juggernaut Love Is Blind, in which 30 men and women spent 10 days conversing in various combinations while individually sequestered in adjoining womb-like pods that allowed them to hear but not see their interlocutors? (Couples were not permitted to see one another until a proposal of marriage had been offered and accepted, after which the engaged pairs were whisked off on a group vacation to Mexico, then forced to live for a month in the same Atlanta apartment complex as their fellow contestants  who were also their former potential romantic partners, or former competition for romantic partners  and then made to plan their weddings and decide on camera whether to enter a legal union with the person to whom they had become engaged weeks earlier. One contestant gave her dog wine.)

Or, if love is not blind, is blind love, at least, truly more noble?

Fern Lulham, a radio broadcaster whose TEDx talk recounts her experience online dating as a blind woman, finds the idea nonsensical.

It sort of assumes that you would be so bowled over by the way somebody looked that nothing else would matter, said Ms. Lulham. This idea that youre going to see someone whos drop-dead gorgeous, who completely blindsides you, and you dont care about anything else.
Nearly a decade ago, the United States began naming and shaming China for an onslaught of online espionage, the bulk of it conducted using low-level phishing emails against American companies for intellectual property theft.

On Monday, the United States again accused China of cyberattacks. But these attacks were highly aggressive, and they reveal that China has transformed into a far more sophisticated and mature digital adversary than the one that flummoxed U.S. officials a decade ago.

The Biden administrations indictment for the cyberattacks, along with interviews with dozens of current and former American officials, shows that China has reorganized its hacking operations in the intervening years. While it once conducted relatively unsophisticated hacks of foreign companies, think tanks and government agencies, China is now perpetrating stealthy, decentralized digital assaults of American companies and interests around the world.

Hacks that were conducted via sloppily worded spearphishing emails by units of the Peoples Liberation Army are now carried out by an elite satellite network of contractors at front companies and universities that work at the direction of Chinas Ministry of State Security, according to U.S. officials and the indictment.
When Pony Ma, head of the Chinese internet powerhouse Tencent, attended a group meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in 2014, he complained that many local governments had banned ride-sharing apps installed on smartphones.

Mr. Li immediately told a few ministers to investigate the matter and report back to him. He then turned to Mr. Ma and said, Your example vividly demonstrates the need to improve the relationship between the government and the market.

By then Tencent had invested $45 million in a ride-sharing start-up called Didi Chuxing, which later became a model in the governments push to digitize and modernize traditional industries. When President Xi Jinping met with global tech leaders in Seattle in 2015, Didis founder, Cheng Wei, then 32 years old, joined Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Apples Tim Cook and Mr. Ma at the gathering.

But the relationship between Beijing and the tech sector has splintered badly in the past year. Didi is now a target of the governments regulatory wrath. Days after the companys initial public offering in New York last month, Chinese regulators pulled its apps from app stores on the grounds of protecting national data security and public interests.
My job as a photojournalist involves a lot of travel, and Ive become quite good at acclimatizing to new places. These days, its difficult for me to feel culturally disoriented, or depayse, as we say in French  literally out of ones country.

Yet Kolkata, which I visited in 2018 while on scholarship for a photography workshop, left me with a welcome sense of cultural dislocation. The saris, the sounds of the Bengali language, the smells of the spice markets, the thick monsoon air: All of it contributed to my sense of disorientation in this dense, river delta city of more than 14 million residents. And so, too, did the sight of the rickshaw wallahs, who, often barefoot, pulled their passengers through the crowded streets.
Covid News: Canada Will Reopen Border With U.S. A federal judge affirmed Indiana Universitys student vaccination requirement, a ruling that could have a broad impact for the many colleges that have issued mandates. Follow our latest coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Canada will reopen its border with the U.S. and hopes to allow others in by early September. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:27 - 0:00 transcript Canada to Reopen Border to Vaccinated U.S. Travelers Canadian officials said fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents of the United States would be allowed to enter the country starting Aug. 9. Canada hopes to allow visitors from other countries by early September. On Sept. 7, we intend to allow entry for fully vaccinated travelers from any country, for non-essential travelers. Travelers will have to be fully vaccinated with a Health Canada authorized vaccine, at least 14 days prior to entering the country. But ahead of that date, on Aug. 9, a number of important changes at the border will come into effect to allow fully vaccinated United States citizens and permanent residents who are currently residing in the United States to enter Canada for non-essential purposes. The same requirements will apply. Travelers will have to be fully vaccinated with a Health Canada authorized vaccine, at least 14 days before entering the country. Our approach at the border has always been based on the latest science and evidence. This approach will be  the relaxation of measures will be a gradual process, taking into account the vaccination rate of Canadians and our own epidemiological situation. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will still need a negative pre-departure test. However, starting Aug. 9, we will shift to a mandatory randomized testing for fully vaccinated travelers. So only those that have been randomly selected will need to complete a Day 1 test. This shift allows us to focus efforts on unvaccinated travelers, while still keeping track of the new variants. Canadian officials said fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents of the United States would be allowed to enter the country starting Aug. 9. Canada hopes to allow visitors from other countries by early September. Credit Credit... Lindsay Dedario/Reuters Canada is poised to welcome back fully vaccinated travelers, including Americans, after over a year of strict controls at the border. Beginning on Aug. 9, citizens and permanent residents of the United States will be allowed to enter Canada as long as they have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days before travel, federal government officials said on Monday. Canada then hopes to allow visitors from other countries beginning on Sept. 7, a date that could change depending on conditions. Pressure has been building on both sides of the border to reopen, to bolster tourism and allow separated families to reunite (though Canada has already made some exceptions for relatives). The two countries have renewed the closure every month since the border closed to nonessential travel on March 21, 2020. Commercial traffic was never halted. Before the pandemic, Canada was the second most popular foreign destination for Americans, behind Mexico. Canada is ready to lift border restrictions because it has made rapid progress vaccinating its population after months of delays. It now has higher vaccination rates than the United States, with 50 percent of its population fully vaccinated, and 75 percent of residents having received at least one dose, according to its federal public health agency. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had indicated that Canada would begin to open its border after it crossed the 75 percent threshold for residents who are at least partly vaccinated. Travelers must present Canadian border officials with proof of vaccination. Canada will accept only the Covid vaccines it has approved for its population: those made by Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or the Serum Institute of India, and Janssen, the brand used by Johnson & Johnson in Canada. In a news conference on Monday, Bill Blair, the public safety minister, said he shared Canadas border plan with his U.S. counterparts last week, but theyve not yet made a decision. The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said in a briefing Monday that the United States would continue travel restrictions. Any decisions about reopening travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. We take this incredibly seriously, but we look and are guided by our own medical experts, Ms. Psaki said. I wouldnt look at it through a reciprocal intention. Several members of Congress from both parties applauded Canadas move and called on the United States to follow suit. Representative Brian Higgins, Democrat of western New York, criticized the Biden administration for what he called a lack of urgency in lifting restrictions at the border. Representative Pete Stauber, Republican of Minnesota, said on Twitter that the news was long overdue. Our border communities have suffered for over a year. The United States must decide by Wednesday to either extend its border closures with Canada and Mexico by a month or lift them altogether. Also as of Aug. 9, Canada is dropping its mandatory government-approved-hotel quarantine requirement for air travelers, and removing the quarantine period for eligible, fully vaccinated visitors. Children under 12, who are not yet eligible for the vaccines, or dependents of fully vaccinated travelers, will also be exempt from a 14-day quarantine. They may move around with their parents, but must avoid group settings, such as camps or daycares, public health officials said in briefing documents. The highly contagious Delta virus variant remains a concern, so some fully vaccinated travelers will be randomly selected to complete a post-arrival test for the virus. Regardless of vaccination status, all travelers will be required to present a negative test taken within 72 hours before arrival. Airline passengers have so far been limited to traveling through four international airports in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Now, the government is expanding international flights to Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton. On Friday the Toronto Blue Jays, a Major League Baseball team, were granted a travel exemption allowing them to return to Canada, after being forced to play across the border throughout the pandemic. Canada also let National Hockey League teams cross the border for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Miriam Jordan contributed from Los Angeles.

A federal judge upholds Indiana Universitys vaccination requirement for students. The campus at Indiana University in 2017. Credit... Luke Sharrett for The New York Times In what appeared to be the first ruling upholding a coronavirus vaccine mandate by a university, a federal judge affirmed on Monday that Indiana University could require that its students be vaccinated against the virus. A lawyer for eight student plaintiffs had argued that requiring the vaccine violated their right to bodily integrity and autonomy, and that the coronavirus vaccines have only emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, and should not be considered as part of the normal range of vaccinations schools require. He vowed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. What we have here is the government forcing you to do something that you strenuously object to and have your body invaded in the process, said the lawyer, James Bopp Jr. He said that the appeal would be paid for by Americas Frontline Doctors, a conservative organization that has been pursuing an anti-vaccine agenda. Mr. Bopp, of Terre Haute, Ind., is known for his legal advocacy promoting conservative causes. Mr. Bopp filed the lawsuit in June, after Indiana University announced the previous month that faculty, staff and students would be required to get coronavirus vaccinations before coming to school this fall. The university, whose main campus is in Bloomington, Ind., said that students who did not comply would have their class registrations canceled and would be barred from campus activities. The requirement permitted exemptions only for religious objections, documented allergies to the vaccine, medical deferrals and virtual class attendance. On Monday, Judge Damon R. Leichty of the U.S. District Court for Northern Indiana said that while he recognized the students interest in refusing unwarranted medical treatment, such a right must be weighed against the states greater interest. The Fourteenth Amendment permits Indiana University to pursue a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interest of public health for its students, faculty and staff, his ruling said, also noting that the university had made exceptions for students who object. Judge Leichty was appointed by former President Donald J. Trump. Universities around the country have taken different positions on the question of requiring coronavirus vaccines, with about 400 campuses mandating them. Students on several campuses have filed or threatened lawsuits.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends universal masking in schools this fall. The A.A.P. recommendation is a departure from the the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month. Credit... Stephanie Keith for The New York Times The American Academy of Pediatrics issued new Covid-19 guidelines for schools on Monday, recommending that everyone over age 2 wear masks this fall, even if they have been vaccinated. Exceptions may be made for those with medical or developmental conditions that complicate mask wearing, the group said. The universal masking recommendation is a departure from the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month, which recommends masking in schools only for unvaccinated people over age 2. Those guidelines heavily implied that fully vaccinated children and adults would not need to wear masks in the classroom  although they also said that individual schools were free to implement universal mask mandates. In many other ways, however, the two sets of guidelines are similar. The A.A.P., like the C.D.C., emphasized the importance of returning to in-person learning. We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers  and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely, Dr. Sonja OLeary, the chair of the A.A.P. Council on School Health, said in a statement. Like the C.D.C., the A.A.P. recommended a layered approach that combines a variety of measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. In addition to universal masking, those measures include vaccination, improved ventilation, virus testing, quarantines, and cleaning and disinfection, the group said. The A.A.P. laid out several reasons for its universal masking recommendation. Many students are too young to be eligible for the vaccines, which are authorized only for those ages 12 and older, the group noted. And universal masking could reduce overall transmission of the virus, helping to protect those who are unvaccinated. The group also cited concerns about more transmissible virus variants and the possibility that vaccination rates could be low in the surrounding community, which could raise the risk of an outbreak at a particular school. The A.A.P. recommended universal masking also because it may be difficult to verify whether individual students or staff members have been vaccinated. Some state and local officials have already announced that they will not require universal masking in the fall, and at least eight states have banned such mandates. The A.A.P. guidance stopped short of outright recommending vaccine mandates, but said that they may ultimately be needed. It may become necessary for schools to collect Covid-19 vaccine information of staff and students and for schools to require Covid-19 vaccination for in-person learning, the guidelines said. Like the C.D.C., the A.A.P. also encouraged families to ensure that students catch up on any other childhood vaccines they may have missed during the pandemic.

U.S. mens and womens basketball teams are the latest to be disrupted by the coronavirus. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday in Tokyo. Credit... Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Follow our live coverage of the 2021 Olympics. TOKYO  The U.S. mens national basketball team traveled to Tokyo on Monday without guard Zach LaVine, who entered coronavirus health and safety protocols. In a statement, Team USA said it was hopeful LaVine could take up his place in Japan later this week. The U.S. mens basketball team had reshuffled its roster last week after it lost guard Bradley Beal to health and safety protocols and forward Kevin Love withdrew from participation. U.S. womens basketball also suffered a blow with the news that Katie Lou Samuelson, a member of the 3x3 Olympics team, would miss the Games following a positive test result. Samuelson said she was fully vaccinated. Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and I hope someday soon, I can come back to realize that dream, Samuelson, 24, wrote in an Instagram post. Earlier Monday, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee confirmed that an alternate on the womens gymnastics team had tested positive for the coronavirus while in training in Chiba Prefecture outside Tokyo. Despite being vaccinated, Kara Eaker, 18, of Grain Valley, Mo., began a 10- to 14-day quarantine, her coach, Al Fong, said in a text message. He added that she feels fine. Image Zach LaVine, left, being guarded by Australias Matisse Thybulle during an exhibition last week in Las Vegas. Credit... Ethan Miller/Getty Images Fong said that Leanne Wong, another alternate and Eakers teammate at his GAGE Center gym in Blue Springs, Mo., was also under quarantine, expected to last until about July 31, because she is considered a close contact. Wong, who is 17 and from Overland Park, Kansas, said at the Olympic trials last month that she had not been vaccinated. The opening ceremony is Friday and the first competitions are Wednesday. But organizers of the Tokyo Olympics are struggling to manage public anxiety about the Games after a cluster of coronavirus cases that threaten to overshadow the festivities. As about 20,000 athletes, coaches, referees and other officials have poured into Japan in recent days, more than two dozen of them have tested positive for the virus, including three cases within the Olympic Village. An additional 33 staff members or contractors who are Japanese residents working on the Games have tested positive. Olympics organizers have said their measures  including repeated testing, social distancing and restrictions on movement  would limit, but not eliminate, coronavirus cases. The Games, originally scheduled for 2020, were postponed a year in the hopes the pandemic would have eased and they could herald a triumphant return to normal. Instead, they have become a reminder of the staying power of the virus and have fed a debate over whether Japan and the International Olympic Committee have their priorities straight. Jonathan Abrams, Alexandra E. Petri, Juliet Macur and

Facebook isnt killing people: Biden softens his attack over vaccine misinformation. Facebooks headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Credit... Laura Morton for The New York Times After a weekend of rancor between the White House and Facebook, President Biden has softened his forceful criticism of social networks over the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines. At a White House news conference on Monday largely focused on the economy, Mr. Biden stepped back from his comment on Friday that platforms like Facebook were killing people. Facebook isnt killing people, Mr. Biden said. These 12 people are out there giving misinformation. Anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it. Its killing people. Its bad information. He appeared to be referring to a study from earlier this year showing that 12 online personalities, with a combined following of 59 million people, were responsible for the vast majority of Covid-19 anti-vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories, and that Facebook provided the most consequential platform. My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that Im somehow saying Facebook is killing people, that they would do something about the misinformation, Mr. Biden said. In a blog post on Saturday, Facebook called on the administration to stop finger pointing, laid out what it had done to encourage users to get vaccinated, and detailed how it had clamped down on lies about the vaccines. The Biden administration has chosen to blame a handful of American social media companies, Guy Rosen, Facebooks vice president of integrity, said in the post. The fact is that vaccine acceptance among Facebook users in the U.S. has increased. Mr. Rosen said that the companys data showed that 85 percent of its U.S. users had been or wanted to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The country fell short of meeting Mr. Bidens target of having 70 percent of American adults vaccinated by July 4, but, Mr. Rosen said, Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed. On Sunday, the surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, reiterated warnings that false stories about the vaccines had become a dangerous health hazard. These platforms have to recognize theyve played a major role in the increase in speed and scale with which misinformation is spreading, Mr. Murthy said on the CNN program State of the Union. On Monday, Mr. Biden called on Facebooks officials to consider the impact the spread of misinformation about the vaccine could have on people they cared about. Look in the mirror, Mr. Biden said. Think about that misinformation going to your son, your daughter, your relative, someone you love. Thats all Im asking. Daniel E. Slotnik and

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As Boris Johnson isolates himself, England lifts nearly all legal Covid restrictions. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:22 - 0:00 transcript If Not Now, When? Johnson Asks as England Ends Restrictions Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain defended his decision to lift almost all of Englands pandemic restrictions in an address from his country house where he was in quarantine after a Covid-19 exposure. If we dont open up now, then we face a risk of even tougher conditions in the colder months when the virus has a natural advantage. We lose that firebreak of the school holidays. And there comes a point after so many have been vaccinated, when further restrictions no longer prevent hospitalizations and deaths, but simply delay the inevitable. And so we have to ask ourselves the question, if not now, when? And though both deaths and hospitalizations, as I say, are sadly rising, these numbers are well within the margins of what our scientists predicted at the outset of the roadmap. And so it is right to proceed cautiously in the way that we are. But its also right to recognize that this pandemic is far from over. And thats why Im afraid it is essential to keep up the system of test, trace and isolate. The continuing sacrifice of this large minority, those of us who are being asked to isolate, remains important to allow the rest of society to get back to something like normality. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain defended his decision to lift almost all of Englands pandemic restrictions in an address from his country house where he was in quarantine after a Covid-19 exposure. Credit Credit... Matt Dunham/Associated Press Freedom Day arrived in England on Monday with its chief architect, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, confined in quarantine, millions of Britons facing the same prospect and untold people more anxious about the risks of liberation. Those were the incongruities on the long-awaited day when the government lifted all but a few remaining coronavirus restrictions. Even as nightclubs and pubs threw open their doors and patrons embraced each other, 39,950 new cases were reported on Monday and tens of thousands were forced into quarantine after they were notified by the National Health Services cellphone app that they had been in contact with an infected person. The U.S. State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued their highest-level travel warnings Monday for the United Kingdom, citing high levels of the virus. Mr. Johnson defended the decision to reopen from his country residence, Chequers, where he has been in self-isolation since Sunday after the N.H.S. notified, or pinged, him because he had met with his health secretary, Sajid Javid, before he tested positive for the virus on Saturday. If we dont open up now, then we face a risk of even tougher conditions in the coming months when the virus has a natural advantage, Mr. Johnson said in a news conference. We have to ask ourselves the question, If not now, when? It is right to proceed cautiously in the way we are, he added. It is also right to recognize that this pandemic is far from over. British newspapers had dubbed Monday Freedom Day, celebrating it as a symbolic end to the countrys 16-month ordeal with the pandemic. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:21 - 0:00 transcript London Nightclubs Ring in Freedom Day as Virus Cases Rise Crowds packed onto dance floors after England lifted most coronavirus restrictions on social contact and ended its mask mandate, despite surging cases. Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one  [cheering] I definitely feel so relieved that things are going back to normal. It feels like it is, but it still is a little bit apprehensive, like  Yeah, I still dont feel like its real. Yeah. Like, are they going to put us back in a lockdown? Yeah, thats what Im worried about is that were going to be back into another lockdown. Yeah  Afterwards but  So were going to make the most of this. Yes. I love dancing, and literally all my friends love dancing and we havent been able to do that for 1 and a half years approximately. So yeah, were really excited about it. This mask doesnt show it, but you know, theres a big smile underneath it. Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one  [cheering] I want to dance, I want to hear live music, I want the vibe of being at a gig, being around people. I think Im really excited for that. Crowds packed onto dance floors after England lifted most coronavirus restrictions on social contact and ended its mask mandate, despite surging cases. Credit Credit... Rob Pinney/Getty Images But as new cases have soared and hospital admissions have begun to follow, the plan to throw open the economy instead looks like a likely recipe for a massive third wave. Mr. Johnson appeared to view a surge of infections as inevitable and worth getting through during the summer, when warmer weather and school vacations could mitigate transmission. The governments decision amounts to a breathtaking gamble that a country with fairly widely deployed vaccines in its adult population can learn to live with the coronavirus. Nearly 70 percent of adults in the United Kingdom have gotten both doses of a vaccine. Much will depend on the resilience of the vaccines and the capacity of the nations health care system to handle those who do become sick. The government is basically saying, Weve done all we can. Now its up to you, said Devi Sridhar, head of the global public health program at the University of Edinburgh. Theyve become the first country to surrender. U.K. Coronavirus Cases 20,000 40,000 60,000 cases Feb. 2020 Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. 2021 Feb. 2021 Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. New cases 7day average 45,889 These are days with a reporting anomaly. About this data Source: Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. The daily average is calculated with data that was reported in the last seven days. Under the new rules, pubs and restaurants can operate at full capacity and nightclubs are allowed to reopen. Curbs on the number of people who can meet indoors, generally limited to six, were also lifted. The legal requirement to wear face masks was dropped, though the government is urging people to keep wearing them on public transportation. (They remain compulsory on subways and buses in London.) The government has resisted linking vaccination status with restrictions like those recently announced in France. There were indications of a more buoyant mood, with many restaurants scrawling Happy Freedom Day on their signs. Still, many people said they felt conflicted about the governments decision to ease restrictions. The deaths are a bit less with the vaccination, but the people still have corona  we still have high numbers, said Simone Papi, 24, a chef. Isabella Kwai contributed reporting from London, and Aina J. Khan from Bradford, England.

Twitter suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene for posting coronavirus misinformation. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, has been an outspoken opponent of vaccines and masks as tools to curb the pandemic. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times Twitter said on Monday that it was suspending Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from its service for 12 hours after she posted messages that violated its policy against sharing misleading information about the coronavirus. Ms. Greene, Republican of Georgia, has been an outspoken opponent of vaccines and masks as tools to curb the pandemic. In tweets on Sunday and Monday, she argued that Covid-19 was not dangerous for people unless they are obese or over age 65, and said vaccines should not be required. But cases of the coronavirus are on the rise, and the highly contagious Delta variant accounts for more than half of new infections in the United States, federal health officials said this month. In Ms. Greenes home state, Georgia, new cases have increased 193 percent in the past two weeks. Twitter said Ms. Greenes tweets were misinformation, and it barred her from the service until Tuesday. We took enforcement action on the account @mtgreenee for violations of the Twitter Rules, specifically the Covid-19 misleading information policy, a Twitter spokesman said. The company also added labels to Ms. Greenes posts about the vaccines, calling them misleading and pointing to information about the safety of the inoculations. Twitter has long barred users from sharing misinformation about the coronavirus that could lead to harm. In March, the company introduced a policy that explained the penalties for sharing lies about the virus and vaccines. People who violate that policy are subject to escalating punishments known as strikes and could face a permanent ban if they repeatedly share misinformation about the virus. A 12-hour ban, like the one Ms. Greene is experiencing, is Twitters response to users who have either two or three strikes. After four strikes, Twitter suspends users for seven days, and after five strikes, Twitter bars the user altogether.

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A Florida congressman says he tested positive for the virus after he was fully vaccinated. Representative Vern Buchanan in Sarasota, Fla., in October 2020. Credit... Chris O'Meara/Associated Press Representative Vern Buchanan, Republican of Florida, has tested positive for the coronavirus after having been fully vaccinated earlier this year, his office announced on Monday. Mr. Buchanan was tested after experiencing very mild flu-like symptoms and is now quarantining at home, the statement said. Mr. Buchanan said in the statement that he looked forward to returning to work as soon as possible. He added, In the meantime, this should serve as a reminder that although the vaccines provide a very high degree of protection, we must remain vigilant in the fight against Covid-19. A telephone message left at Mr. Buchanans office in Washington was not immediately returned on Monday evening. Mr. Buchanan is the latest lawmaker to report being infected. More than 70 senators and members of the House of Representatives have been diagnosed with the virus, according to GovTrack. The announcement came as Florida reported a 190 percent increase in the number of people who have tested positive for the virus in the last two weeks, according to data collected by The New York Times, though cases remain at a fraction of their peak levels. Overall in Florida, 48 percent of people are fully vaccinated. Mr. Buchanans coastal district includes parts of three counties, where vaccination rates hover near the statewide figure: Sarasota (56 percent), Manatee (46 percent) and Hillsborough (43 percent), according to the Times data.

Mayor Bill de Blasio rejects any new indoor mask mandate amid a case rise in New York. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:43 - 0:00 transcript De Blasio Says He Wont Mandate Masks to Fight Delta Variant Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York said he would not support additional indoor mask requirements as the Delta variant fuels rising coronavirus cases in the city, and doubled down on vaccinations as the best defense. Reporter: Due to the challenge with Delta variant, do you expect or do you support any executive order to enforce mandatory mask-wearing indoors and outdoors in New York City? No  simple answer, no. Weve got, again, 4.8 million New Yorkers who have had at least one vaccine dose. That number grows thousands and thousands of people every day. Thats the ballgame. Thats where we make the impact. The thing that actually stops Covid, not the thing that masks  you know, masks have value, unquestionably, but masks are not going at the root of the problem. Vaccination is, so we do not intend mask mandate. We do intend to double down on vaccination. It now makes up about 69 percent of the cases that were sequencing. But our concern is primarily for people who remain unvaccinated, which is why the single most important thing that we can do to keep individuals, as well as our communities, our city, safe is to get as many people vaccinated as possible. I do also want to clarify that there are some settings where the mask mandate, particularly indoors, remains in effect. This includes public transit. It includes schools and other high-risk settings like our congregate settings and in health care facilities. And in those places, we do want people to continue wearing their masks regardless of their vaccination status. But as the mayor has said, the key to our getting out of this pandemic is vaccination. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York said he would not support additional indoor mask requirements as the Delta variant fuels rising coronavirus cases in the city, and doubled down on vaccinations as the best defense. Credit Credit... Jeenah Moon for The New York Times Though the number of coronavirus cases continues to climb in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday he would not issue an executive order mandating the use of masks indoors, instead doubling down on vaccination as the best line of defense. During a news conference, Mr. de Blasio announced the average rate of positive tests over the last seven days had risen to 1.69 percent. That figure has been steadily rising in recent weeks as the more contagious Delta variant continues to spread throughout the city, but is still well below the 6 percent positivity rate the city recorded in late March, just before the second wave began to recede. Hospitalizations and deaths have remained low. Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, the city health commissioner, said that the Delta variant appeared to be responsible for the increase and now accounted for 69 percent of cases sequenced by the city. Over the weekend, Mark Levine, chair of the New York City Council health committee, called for the renewal of a broad indoor mask mandate. The city has dropped the mask rule except on public transportation, in hospitals and schools, and in congregate settings like homeless shelters. But the mayor flatly rejected the idea on Monday, emphasizing instead the importance of getting all New Yorkers vaccinated. No. Simple answer is no, Mr. de Blasio said. Masks have value, unquestionably, he added. But masks are not going at the root of the problem. Vaccination is. Mr. de Blasio said that the city would increase its efforts to reach the unvaccinated and that he anticipated a surge in the number of children over 12 getting inoculated before school resumed in the fall. Inoculation rates across the city are uneven, and the citys vaccination campaign has slowed dramatically in recent months. About 42 percent of adults in New York City have yet to be vaccinated, according to the citys health department. As of Monday, 4.8 million New Yorkers had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and 4.4 million had been fully vaccinated.

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After 5 virus cases, Texas Democrats in Washington will hold voting events virtually. Texas House Democrats held a news conference last week at Dulles International Airport in Washington after leaving Texas in an effort to block Republicans voting restrictions bill. Credit... Kenny Holston for The New York Times Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers from the Texas House of Representatives on Monday resumed their lobbying campaign in Washington for federal voting rights legislation, but they were forced to switch many of their events from in-person to virtual after five of the legislators tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days. A battery of events, including an hourlong town-hall-style broadcast on MSNBC, will now be held virtually, with legislators appearing from either a conference room or their rooms at their hotel in downtown Washington. The shift has taken some of the steam out of the second week of what the Texas Democrats say will be a nearly monthlong stay to fight for voting rights at the Capitol. After spending their initial days in a series of well-documented meetings with Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, the Texans have no additional congressional meetings scheduled, though they may gather with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. It is not clear whether those sessions will be in-person or virtual. All five lawmakers are fully vaccinated and were experiencing mild or no symptoms, the Texas House Democratic Caucus said in a statement. It said all caucus members and their staff members in Washington were being tested daily. I am quarantining until I test negative, and I am grateful to be only experiencing extremely mild symptoms, said State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer, one of the five legislators who tested positive for the virus. I will be teleworking with my colleagues, staff, partners and allies. Were planning more good trouble, and hope to make announcements soon. On Monday, that meant participating in the first day of what the Democrats are now calling a virtual voting rights conference with Mi Familia Vota and S.E.I.U. Texas. The morning sessions will continue through the week, live from the Texas Democrats hotel.

Officially, the pandemic recession lasted only two months. Times Square in March last year as lockdown began in New York. Employers cut 22 million jobs in March and April 2020. Credit... Ashley Gilbertson for The New York Times The pandemic recession is officially over. In fact, it has been over for more than a year. The National Bureau of Economic Research, the semiofficial arbiter of U.S. business cycles, said Monday that the recession had ended in April 2020, after a mere two months. That makes it by far the shortest contraction on record  so short that by June 2020, when the bureau officially determined that a recession had begun, it had been over for two months. (The previous shortest recession on record, in 1980, lasted six months.) But while the 2020 recession was short, it was unusually severe. Employers cut 22 million jobs in March and April, and the unemployment rate hit 14.8 percent, the worst level since the Great Depression. Gross domestic product fell by more than 10 percent. The end of the recession doesnt mean that the economy has healed. The United States has nearly seven million fewer jobs than before the pandemic, and while gross domestic product has most likely returned to its prepandemic level, thousands of businesses have failed, and millions of individuals are still struggling to get back on their feet. To economists, however, recessions arent simply periods of financial hardship. They are periods of economic contraction, as measured by employment, income, production and other indicators. Once growth resumes, the recession is over, no matter how deep a hole remains. The recession that accompanied the 2008 financial crisis, for example, ended in June 2009  four months before the unemployment rate hit its peak, and years before many Americans began to experience a meaningful rebound. The unusual nature of the pandemic-induced economic collapse challenged the traditional concept of a recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research defines a recession as a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months. Taken literally, the latest downturn fails that test  the recession lasted mere weeks. But the bureaus Business Cycle Dating Committee decided that the contraction should count nonetheless. The committee concluded that the unprecedented magnitude of the decline in employment and production, and its broad reach across the entire economy, warranted the designation of this episode as a recession, even though the downturn was briefer than earlier contractions, the committee said in a statement.

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Singapore reports its highest daily count of new infections in almost a year. A table cordoned off for social distancing at the Amoy Street Food Center in Singapore in June. Credit... Wallace Woon/EPA, via Shutterstock Singapore reported 163 new locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus on Monday, its highest daily tally since August, as a growing cluster of infections has stalled the city-states return to normal life. Of the 163 cases, 106 were linked to the Jurong Fishery Port, and 19 were tied to karaoke bars. Ong Ye Kung, Singapores health minister, said in a Facebook post on Monday that the two clusters were linked. The Health Ministry says the number is likely to rise in coming days. The outbreak has delayed Singapores reopening plans just a week after it eased some restrictions, some of which have been restored. In addition, the port was closed for two weeks, and the authorities temporarily shut down more than 400 nightlife establishments that had been serving food and beverages to remain in business under pandemic restrictions. The Health Ministry said several of those businesses had abused the system by operating clandestine and illegal activities, contributing to the infections. Unfortunately, there are a few who have flouted the rules, Lawrence Wong, Singapores finance minister, said in a video released on Friday. He added, We will take firm action against them. Testing and tracing in the karaoke cluster, Singapores biggest of the pandemic, may have been hampered by the reluctance of some customers to come forward. The Singapore police said last week that they had arrested 20 women on suspicion of involvement in vice-related activities at three of the lounges. Officials said the reopening, though delayed, would be bolstered by the success of the vaccination campaign, which has moved faster than those of most other countries in Asia. About 47 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, and the government aims to reach a two-thirds vaccination rate by Singapores National Day on Aug. 9. Singapore, which has a population of almost six million people, has recorded a total of more than 63,000 cases and 36 reported deaths during the pandemic, according to a New York Times database. Jennifer Jett and

South Korea starts vaccinating high school seniors and teachers as its college entrance exam nears. High school seniors and teachers being monitored after receiving the Pfizer vaccine in Daegu, South Korea, on Monday. Credit... Kim Jun-Beom/Yonhap, via Associated Press South Korea started vaccinating high school seniors and members of teaching staff on Monday in the latest effort to expand the countrys vaccination program, even as older residents remain ineligible for shots. The Ministry of Education said the move would facilitate safe and smooth academic operations for the second half of the year and ease the burden on students preparing for critical exams. According to health officials, 460,000 students and 190,000 teachers will be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine across 280 vaccination centers. They will be eligible to receive the shots through July 30. Last year, the pandemic added another layer of stress and anxiety for students who were preparing for their college entrance exam. The nine-hour exams are held once a year, typically in November. They were postponed by two weeks last year because of the pandemic. High school seniors are the first group of adolescents to be vaccinated in South Korea, where until Monday vaccination was available only to people 55 and older. Monday was the first day vaccine appointments were opened to those ages 50 to 54. Though South Korea, a country of 50 million people, has kept the coronavirus relatively under control at 180,000 cases and 2,058 deaths, its vaccination campaign has been sluggish. About 13 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, according to a New York Times database. As the country faces a surge in infections  especially in the capital, Seoul  the vaccines offer relief to students preparing for what many consider the most important test of their lives. Covid-19 made me lose motivation since I was not able to study with my friends, said Lee Lim, a high school senior in Seoul preparing for her college entrance exam. Ms. Lee, who prefers studying at cafes or study rooms, said that being stuck at home made her more prone to get sidetracked with YouTube or Netflix. While Ms. Lee has some concerns about potential vaccine side effects, she considers herself lucky to be eligible for a shot when so many adults are not. I feel relieved, she said. Teachers who work at public schools and private academies also spoke of a sense of comfort. Covid-19 has affected everything for students, said Kang Seung-hyun, an English teacher in Seoul. They couldnt see or study with their friends, they had to cope with schools shutting down and reopening constantly, things that Ive never had to go through and took for granted. Mr. Kang said that he and his fellow teachers were greatly reassured by their eligibility for vaccines. It finally feels like something good is happening, he said. Seoul and its surrounding areas are under Level 4 of the governments social distancing measures until July 25, meaning people are not allowed to gather in groups of more than two after 6 p.m. Certain businesses like clubs are also barred from operating, and restaurants and cafes are required to close at 10 p.m.
Pacific Gas and Electric, Californias largest utility, said on Sunday that blown fuses on one of its utility poles may have sparked a fire that has burned through 30,000 acres in Northern California.

The blaze, known as the Dixie Fire, has spread through remote wilderness about 100 miles north of Sacramento, in an area close to the burn scars of 2018s devastating Camp Fire, which itself was caused by PG&E equipment failures.

The utility made the disclosure in a preliminary report filed with the California Public Utilities Commission. Matt Nauman, a PG&E spokesman, said that the report was submitted in an abundance of caution, and that the utility was cooperating with a state investigation into the fires origin.

PG&E has been linked to some of Californias most destructive and deadliest wildfires. It pleaded guilty last year to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration plans to evacuate an initial group of Afghans who helped the United States during the 20-year war and who now face reprisals from the Taliban to an Army base in Virginia in the coming days, the State and Defense Departments said on Monday.

About 2,500 Afghan interpreters, drivers and others who worked with American forces, as well as their family members, will be sent in stages to Fort Lee, Va., south of Richmond, to await final processing for formal entry into the United States, officials said.

This is a group who have completed that step, the security vetting process, the rigorous process that is required before we bring the applicants and their families to the United States, Ned Price, the State Department spokesman, told reporters.

The White House announced last week that it would begin evacuating Afghans the last week of July, in an effort called Operation Allies Refuge, but officials declined to comment on many details of the rapidly evolving program, including where the initial visa applicants and their eligible relatives would go in the United States.
Prison reform advocates have argued that the release of nonviolent prisoners during the Covid crisis has offered a test case for Mr. Biden to show he is committed to real change.

The disclosure of the Biden legal teams internal decision came as an ideologically broad range of advocacy groups  nearly two dozen organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, FreedomWorks and the Faith and Freedom Coalition  stepped up pressure on the Biden administration not to recall inmates from home confinement when the emergency ends.

Notably, however, those organizations issued a letter framing their request in terms of Mr. Biden using his clemency powers to resolve the issue.

On the campaign trail and during your presidency, you have spoken about the importance of second chances, according to the letter. This is your opportunity to provide second chances to thousands of people who are already safely out of prison, reintegrating back into society, reconnecting with their loved ones, getting jobs and going back to school. We urge you to provide clemency now to people under CARES Act home confinement.

Wendy Hechtman, who is serving a 15-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute a form of fentanyl, said she still held out hope that the Biden administration would issue her and other inmates clemency. She has tried to show that she deserves such reprieve by following the rules of her sober home in New Haven, Conn., and attending weekly therapy sessions. But for now, she said she felt stuck in limbo.

Its like waiting to be sentenced all over again, she said.

Under normal circumstances, the law permits Federal Bureau of Prisons officials to send federal inmates home toward the end of their time in prison  the shorter of the final six months or 10 percent of their sentences  to foster a smoother transition back into society.

But in March 2020, as part of the CARES Act, a package of legislation responding to the pandemic, Congress gave the Justice Department the authority to lengthen the time the bureau may place an inmate in home confinement during the covered emergency period, which it defined as ending 30 days after whenever the declared national emergency over Covid-19 ends.
The Justice Department on Monday accused three Chinese state security officials of coordinating a vast hacking campaign to steal sensitive and secret information from government entities, universities and corporations around the world, including research related to autonomous vehicles, genetic-sequencing technology and infectious diseases like the Ebola virus.

The announcement came as the White House formally accused the Chinese government of breaching Microsoft email systems and paying criminal groups to extort companies for millions of dollars in ransomware attacks, showing that the Biden administration was determined to aggressively confront Beijing.

In an indictment that had been sealed since May, the Justice Department accused officers in a provincial foreign intelligence bureau, the Hainan Province Ministry of State Security, of creating a sham information security company that they used as a front for a sprawling hacking operation.

The officers, Ding Xiaoyang, Cheng Qingmin and Zhu Yunmin, used the front company to manage a group of computer hackers and linguists who hacked into computer systems around the world to benefit China and hide Beijings role in the thefts, according to the indictment. One of the hackers, Wu Shurong, was accused of creating malware that was used to break into foreign computer systems.
I want to thank you, Your Majesty, for your enduring and strategic relationship with the United States. Youve always been there, and we will always be there for Jordan. We talked about the Covid crisis. Were able to be a little of help to Jordan, and we hope to be able to help some more, and end this pandemic. And we also want to thank you for your vital leadership in the Middle East. You live in a tough neighborhood. And the fact is, I look forward to hearing from His Majesty, about the pressing challenges that, that Jordan faces. Mr. President, thank you as always, for the kindness you showed me. And as you alluded to, I had the honor and the privilege of knowing you with my father decades ago. And so this is very warming for me to be able to see you in this position and to thank you for the generosity you always have shown me and my country. You alluded to supporting us with vaccine. So on behalf of Jordan and the people of Jordan, thank you so much for the leadership, not only in supporting our country, but fighting Covid internationally, youve set the standard for the rest of us to follow.
Judge Moss said the events of Jan. 6  when, as he noted, a mob assaulted the home of Congress and forced legislators to drop the business of democracy and flee the building  were extraordinary and chilling.

When a mob is prepared to attack the Capitol, he said, democracy is in trouble.

Mr. Hodgkins told Judge Moss that he was remorseful for breaking into the Capitol, calling it a foolish decision. He also said that he had followed the crowd inside the building, adding that if he had known the riot was going to escalate as it did, he never would have entered in the first place.

In short, Mr. Hodgkins said, I allowed myself to put my passions before my principles.

From the outset of the sprawling investigation into the Capitol attack, prosecutors have struggled with how to apply fair standards of justice to hundreds of people who did different things and bore different levels of culpability. Even though they were all part of the same mob, some rioters did little more than walk into  then out of  the Capitol while others shattered windows, broke into private offices or assaulted police officers.

Mr. Hodgkinss sentence was less than half of the 18 months the government had asked for but more than the request made by his lawyer, Patrick Leduc, for no time in prison. The obstruction count he was charged with is a felony and allowed prosecutors to ask for prison time but not use the more politically inflammatory crimes of sedition or insurrection.

During the hearing, a prosecutor, Mona Sedky, said the government wanted to frame the charges against Mr. Hodgkins as an act of domestic terrorism to deter future attacks. But Ms. Sedky also said prosecutors were not seeking a formal sentencing enhancement for a crime of terror.
DURANGO, Colo.  The last day Dzabahe remembers praying in the way of her ancestors was on the morning in the 1950s when she was taken to the boarding school.

At first light, she grabbed a small pouch and ran out into the desert to a spot facing the rising sun to sprinkle the taa dihdeen  or corn pollen  to the four directions, offering honor for the new day.

Within hours of arriving at the school, she was told not to speak her own Navajo language. The leather skirt her mother had sewn for her and the beaded moccasins were taken away and bundled in plastic, like garbage.

She was given a dress to wear and her long hair was cut  something that is taboo in Navajo culture. Before she was sent to the dormitory, one more thing was taken: her name.
American officials said they were pushing for a unity government among the various figures claiming leadership of Haiti, with the aim of paving the way for free and fair elections down the road.

Mr. Joseph said he would now become the foreign minister in Mr. Henrys cabinet.

We are encouraged to see Haitian political and civil actors working to form a unity government that can stabilize the country, and build the foundation for free and fair elections, said Ned Price, a spokesman with the State Department.

The switch in government announced on Monday follows a period of intense uncertainty in the wake of the presidents assassination. But the political maneuvering by Haitian officials and international power brokers was met with anger by Haitian activists and democracy advocates, who said it did not consider what the people wanted.

Its as if they have replaced the Haitian people. Its revolting, Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the leader of Seeing Eye To Eye, a civil society group that represents more than one million Haitians in the countryside, said of the foreign powers. We need the accompaniment of a lot of countries but we cant accept they make decisions in our place.

Mr. Joseph, the nations interim prime minister, had been scheduled to be replaced the week of the assassination, but the newly appointed prime minister, Mr. Henry, had yet to be sworn in. Both declared themselves to be the legitimate prime ministers, creating a power vacuum that threatened to further destabilize a country that had already been gripped by months of street protests over Mr. Moises rule.

At least one senator had called Mr. Josephs move to run the country and impose a state of siege after the assassination a form of a coup.

On Sunday night, Dr. Henry released a prerecorded speech addressing the Haitian people on social media channels.
Image Chen Yan-yi, 4, and her aunt Chen Yi-chuan in a photo taken before the crash. Both of them died. Credit... Chen Peng-nian

Among the families, there are fears that the 49 lives lost on that day have become not a call to action, but another missed opportunity to bring about needed change.

Chen Peng-nian, 38, was among the hundreds trapped in the wreckage. He and his family  his parents, sister and two children  had been in the third carriage from the front, on their way to their ancestral home near the city of Taitung.

Injured, he groped around in the darkness until he found a mobile phone to use as a flashlight. He saw his mother holding his son, who was bleeding, and his father nearby.

His sister was slumped lifeless on the other side of the car. Only a short time before, he had been taking pictures of her with his daughter, Yan-yi, who was 4. In one photo, Yan-yi is smiling, wearing a pink and white polka-dot hat with ears. She was thrown from the train and died.

They call for reform, improvements  I can say all these things, too, Mr. Chen said in an interview, referring to Taiwans leaders. But what are they actually doing? I have no idea.
After a weekend of rancor between the White House and Facebook, President Biden has softened his forceful criticism of social networks over the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines.

At a White House news conference on Monday largely focused on the economy, Mr. Biden stepped back from his comment on Friday that platforms like Facebook were killing people.

Facebook isnt killing people, Mr. Biden said. These 12 people are out there giving misinformation. Anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it. Its killing people. Its bad information.

He appeared to be referring to a study from earlier this year showing that 12 online personalities, with a combined following of 59 million people, were responsible for the vast majority of Covid-19 anti-vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories, and that Facebook provided the most consequential platform.
Freedom Day arrived in England on Monday with its chief architect, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, confined in quarantine, millions of Britons facing the same prospect and untold people more anxious about the risks of liberation.

Such were the incongruities on the long-awaited day when the government lifted all but a few remaining coronavirus restrictions  a day when the virus infected 39,950 people and swept up tens of thousands more who were notified by the National Health Services cellphone app after they were in contact with an infected person.

Mr. Johnson defended the decision to reopen from his country residence, Chequers, where he has been in self-isolation since Sunday after the N.H.S. notified, or pinged, him because he had come into contact with his health secretary, Sajid Javid, who said on Saturday he had mild symptoms of Covid-19.

If we dont open up now, then we face a risk of even tougher conditions in the coming months when the virus has a natural advantage, Mr. Johnson said in a news conference, his voice somewhat muffled and image slightly blurry on a video feed. We have to ask ourselves the question, If not now, when?
Kurt Westergaard, the Danish cartoonist whose 2005 caricature of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban touched off violent protests by Muslims, prompted a massacre that left 12 people dead at the offices of a French satirical magazine and made him a target of assassins for the rest of his life, died on Wednesday in Copenhagen. He was 86.

His family announced his death to Danish media on Sunday. No specific cause was given.

Mr. Westergaard was one of 12 artists commissioned by Jyllands-Posten, a self-described center-right newspaper in Denmark, to draw Muhammad as you see him. The newspaper said the Muhammad cartoons, as they came to be known  although some depicted other figures  were not intended to be offensive but rather to raise questions about self-censorship and the limits to criticism of Islam.

Mr. Westergaard said that when he drew his cartoon he was seeking to underscore his view that some people invoked the prophet to justify wanton violence. He later explained that the bearded man he had depicted, with a lit fuse protruding from his turban, could have been any Islamic fundamentalist  not necessarily the founder of Islam.

Still, many Muslims were outraged because they believe that any images of the prophet, much less one provocatively connected to terrorism, are considered blasphemous.
DRUSKININKAI, Lithuania  Migrants from Iraq and Africa have faced rapacious traffickers and perilous land and sea crossings as they tried to make their way to the European Union to seek asylum.

Now some are finding themselves caught in a geopolitical battle between the European Union and Belaruss strongman, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, which has intensified since his government forced down an international flight to drag off a young opposition activist, drawing worldwide condemnation  and E.U. sanctions.

Those battle lines appear to have been drawn at the Belarusian-Lithuanian border in recent weeks, as the number of migrants crossing into Lithuania, a member of the European Union, from Belarus has soared.

Lithuanian officials accuse Mr. Lukashenko of encouraging the migrants to cross the border, using them as hybrid weapons. In response, Lithuania is building a border fence as quickly as it can and just passed a law to fast-track asylum claims.
Ben & Jerrys, the ice cream purveyor famous for taking stands on hot-button social issues, announced Monday that it was ending sales in the Israeli-occupied territories  plunging itself into one of the most contentious debates on the international stage.

We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerrys ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, it said in a statement.

With that, an unabashedly political company that over the years has embraced the Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform movements also appeared to offer support to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to apply economic and political pressure on Israel on behalf of the Palestinians.

But the company emphasized that it was not boycotting the country as a whole  we will stay in Israel, it said  just withdrawing from markets in the West Bank.
JERUSALEM  Reports of Jewish groups praying at a volatile Jerusalem holy site, in contravention of a longstanding ban, have shined a spotlight on the erosion of a delicate, decades-old arrangement meant to keep the peace.

The Israeli government denied on Monday that there had been any policy change, but appeared to be sending mixed messages. A television report over the weekend by Israels N12 news channel revealed the proliferation of quiet prayer gatherings in the courtyards of the sacred compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, as the police looked on.

Some religious Jewish groups who yearn to rebuild a Jewish temple at the contested location, where the Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located, are now openly advertising the holding of daily prayers at the site.

Further questions about a policy shift arose on Sunday, when hundreds of Jews marked the holy fast day of Tisha BAv, which commemorates the destruction of the first two Jewish temples, by ascending the mount, a frequent flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
While most real-estate firms try their best to conceal potentially disturbing details about the properties they are trying to sell or lease, one Japanese company puts these details front and center, focusing on the advantages haunted or spooky houses have.

Jikko buken, the Japanese term for accident properties are a controversial aspect of Japanese culture. The term describes generally undesirable homes, be it because of their proximity to cemeteries or crematoriums, or because of disturbing events that took place in them, from suicide, to accidental deaths or even murder. Because Japanese law states that any potential buyer or renter needs to be notified about any such details, the term accident property is generally used. But while most real-estate companies avoid giving details about the accidents in their listing, Jobutsu Estate, aka Buddhahood Real Estate, has built its business model around giving potential clients as many disturbing details as necessary.

Photo: Jan Jakub Nanista/Unsplash

Founded in April of 2019, Jobutsu has built a reputation as the number one accident property real estate company. On its website, properties are sorted by a number of categories relating to the stigma around them, including suicide, murder, proximity to cemeteries or funeral homes, etc.. It is a model unique to Buddhahood Real Estate, one that has so far proven very effective from a business standpoint.

I wanted to make real estate transactions smoother by making it open rather than hiding it, Jobutsu founder and CEO, Koji Hanahara, told Asahi. The company can be accused for going into too much detail, as it even sorts properties by whether the person who died there was discovered within or after 72 hours, or if they died in a housefire.

Although Japanese law requires real-estate companies to inform potential clients about the accidents that took place in the properties they are trying to sell or lease, there is no clear guideline on how to do that. Koji Hanahara claims that most companies will try their best to keep disturbing details from buyers. For example, if 10 years have passed since the accident, or if the person is not the first to move in after the demise of the previous owner, they wont even mention it.

Hanahara says that he built his business around accident properties after someone asked him if he was interested in promoting a home in which someone had died of natural causes. His elderly mother lived alone so he saw lonely death as a familiar issue. After doing some research, he found that over 20% of Japanese people live alone, so it was a nationwide problem.

There are over 50,000 accident properties listed for sale or lease in Japan, but the manner in which these controversial properties are being promoted is inadequate, according to Koji Hanahara. His company is trying to change this. They are up-front about the history of the place, and emphasize the financial discount they come with (from 10 to 50 percent cheaper than regular listings).

Young and elderly people are the main age demographics interested in the stigmatized properties featured by Jobutsu, as they care more about the financial discounts than the accidents that took place in them. Still, Hanahara believes there is plenty of room for growth in the market, as these types of homes are ideal for foreign workers or other categories with difficulties securing housing.



To make accident properties more appealing, Jobutsu Estate also specializes in cleaning, disinfecting and renovating such homes, and offering a Buddhahood Certificate as proof of the work they conducted.

The unique Japanese real-estate company even has a YouTube channel where it goes into detail about the particularities and benefits of accident properties. Unfortunately, its in Japanese, so
Lauren Mackiel

According to Tourism Economics, global travel spending experienced a 42 percent annual decline in 2020, and international travel dropped 76 percent. While the pandemic shook the travel industry to its core, many pivoted to meet the needs of a new reality. Tourism and hospitality providers leveraged the time by developing creative solves in hopes of capturing the hearts of travelers, inspiring them in the short term to visit in the long term.

Remote work becomes dream vacation

Remote work increased from 20 percent pre-COVID to 71 percent at its peak, according to Pew Research. We saw international destinations turn their eye from the absent leisure traveler to the bleisure traveler. Countries competed to lure remote workers touting gorgeous landscapes as the new home office.

For example, imagine taking conference calls or conducting board meetings just steps away from Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands or brainstorming business solutions while paddling through its mangrove forests ... sounds like a dream, doesnt it? The Cayman Islands turned those dreams into reality. With borders still closed, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and Ministry of Tourism launched the Global Citizen Concierge Program, allowing eligible professionals to embrace a remote lifestyle and immerse themselves fully in the luxury, adventure, culture and beauty of the Cayman Islands. Digital nomads can revive their work-life balance and apply to live and work remotely for up to two years at the bespoke, luxury destination. The GCCP provides extended stability as compared to other destinations, only offering a six-month stay or less. Since the initiative was launched in October 2020, more than 100 successful applications from families, couples and individuals have been received, with most entrants coming from the U.S. and Europe. Successful applicants still have this unique remote work opportunity.

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's July '21 Travel & Tourism PR Magazine

(view PDF version)

For consumers looking for a change of scenery while staying closer to home, Hilton created a new offering that allows remote workers to stay remote without worrying about barking dogs, the neighbors lawn mower or cats on keyboards. WorkSpaces by Hilton launched in the midst of the pandemic to give remote workers a chance to eliminate the distractions of home without heading back to the office. With WorkSpaces by Hilton, consumers can book a room at a local Hilton property for a day rate. The program comes with all the amenities we love about an officea desk, comfortable office chair, lightning-fast Wi-Fi and plenty of free coffee and teawithout the construction project happening next door.

Guaranteeing a good time

National data indicates that most U.S. travelers daydream about visiting Hawaii more than any other destination; however, this amazing set of islands suffered huge setbacks as tourism plummeted more than 90 percent at the height of the pandemic (Associated Press). In an effort to inspire vacationers to its shores, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts launched the first-ever experiential promise made by a hospitality brand. Entitled The Outrigger Promise, it pledged that all guests will have a vacation of a lifetime, and if not, the brand will credit guests for a future stay to try againon the house. The industry-first offer was so successful in bringing happiness to travelers that Outrigger extended the offer through June 2021, good for stays booked through Dec. 21, 2021.

In even better news, Hawaii recently announced that once it reaches a 60 percent vaccination rate, the state will lift pre-arrival testing and quarantine requirements for domestic U.S. travelers (Travel and Leisure). Paradise awaits.

The dock at Rum Point Photo: Will Burrard-Lucas

Virtual escapes

Another trend that erupted this past year was virtually escaping and connecting online. Destinations and hot tourist spots were quick to reimagine their experiences, bringing them right to consumers doors, or more literally, their screens.

Google Arts & Culture partnered with more than 2,500 museums and galleries around the world, including Amsterdams Van Gogh Museum, Londons National Gallery and the Whitney Museum of American Art (Fast Company). For the first time, many of the worlds most awe-inspiring locations provided virtual access to travelers so they could get an up-close view of popular historical artwork.

Known as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism hosted its first-ever intimate and immersive virtual Cook-and-Sip event for top-tier media and influencers. The unique press engagement featured on-island culinary and mixology talent and reinforced key destination messaging, keeping Cayman top of mind among media while borders remain closed.

With so many people missing travel, Hilton decided to offer a peek behind the curtain and allow guests to bring some of their favorite hotel experiences directly into their homes. The Hilton at Home series not only kept Hilton relevant during a time when travel wasnt an option but also served up Hiltons signature hospitality for those stuck at home. From free video backgrounds featuring fabulous Hilton destinations around the world to downloadable coloring pages and cocktail demonstrations, Hilton at Home touched on all elements of a virtual hotel stay. The programs highlight was the release of the world-famous DoubleTree cookie recipe. Over the years, millions of travelers have enjoyed that warm, chewy cookie upon check-in. As baking increased in popularity during the pandemic, the timing was perfect for releasing the recipe and giving guests a sweet taste of Hilton, even if they couldnt experience it in person. Hilton at Home helped remind consumers what they love about travel and what they had to look forward to once travel resumed.

Looking forward

TripAdvisor reports that nearly half (47 percent) of travelers surveyed globally are planning to travel internationally this year, including 45 percent of U.S. travelers. And they plan to spend more on those experiences to make up for lost time (Forbes). While the first quarter of 2021 was also challenginginternational tourist arrivals were down 83 percent in the first quarter of 2021, according to The United Nations World Tourism Organizationthere are signs of increased consumer confidence and plans to travel based on rising vaccination levels and the easing of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Only time will tell if these trends are here to stay. In the meantime, the industry and travelers have much to look forward to.

***

Lauren Mackiel is SVP at Coyne PR.
Madelyn De Los Santos

Almost every industry has been impacted following the devastation of COVID-19. According to Forbes, the travel and tourism industry has taken the biggest hit, with approximately $1 trillion in losses worldwide. From cabin crew in masks to self-check-in at airports, the pandemic has transformed the industry following our virtual standstill.

Today, as global economies continue to revive themselves, an industry that accounts for nearly 10 percent of the global GDP is bracing itself for a significant travel surge after travelers who were confined primarily to their home for almost a year are gearing up for long-awaited adventures and family reunions.

More importantly, the travel industry has faced challenges like struggling operational infrastructures, health and safety concerns, disrupted supply chains and a rapidly depleting working force. With new trends now commonplace in this new normal, renowned travel PR executives share their insights and perspective regarding the short- and long-term effects of the pandemic on the travel industry.

A short-term adaptation or a long-term transformation?

When lockdowns and travel bans became imminent, the immediate future of travel and tourism companies was in doubt. Many airlines faced heavy revenue losses due to the closure of non-essential routes, heavy reimbursements of tickets for canceled flights, and layoffs of a large number of employees. According to the International Air Transport Association, travel demand fell by 71 percent, with a net loss of $39 billion.

A changing job market

According to Louise Evins, President and CEO of Evins, one of the most significant challenges of the pandemic has been people leaving the travel industry due to layoffs or a lack of job stability. According to the U.S. Travel Association, nearly four million travel workers lost their jobs. Meanwhile, the World Travel & Tourism Control estimates around 170 million job losses. As a result, many have moved on to other industries, while some wait for the industry to open up.

Digital transformation and extensive safety protocols

One of the most notable changes in the travel industry has been technology adoption for booking, check-ins, transportation, reservations, etc. Thousands of agencies enhanced their digital presence via their websites or applications to maintain business availability allowing consumers to have an easier experience.

When it came to navigating COVID protocols around the globe, it was an overwhelming task for travel leaders. However, the industry came together with health organizations to revamp their health and safety protocols. For example, hotels, resorts, and the airline industry implemented safety and hygiene protocols around their facilities to provide consumers with a COVID-19 free experience. Evins emphasized, safety and security are the most important thing for travelers at this moment. Hotels and resorts need full transparency when it comes to cleaning protocols and procedures; travelers want to know that the surface is cleaned of harmful bacteria and viruses.

Diversification

One of the most significant issues the pandemic pointed out was the lack of diversity in the travel industry at all levels, from advertising to marketing strategies. Virginia Sheridan, Managing Partner at Finn Partners, said, now is a good time to start attracting people who have a passion for travel. A lot of customers have been left out of the equation. There are BIPOC consumers who have accessibility and want to travel, but theyre not portrayed at all, so brands need to start shifting attention to those consumers to make them feel welcome.

Over the past year, the world has seen a rise in social justice and cultural issues, which has had a lasting effect on how people travel. Michelle Kelly, Senior Vice President at Lou Hammond Group, said weve seen an increased interest in how destinations are thinking about their DEI efforts. When you are welcoming people back into your destination, you want to have a really clear mission on how youre being inclusive and how youre authentically addressing multicultural communities.

As far as marketing and public relations go, industry leaders need to include multicultural voices in their C-level positions and campaigns to promote BIPOC and DEI travel efforts. Brands like Noirbnb and Kid & Coe have done this by providing alternative vacation rentals for Black travelers, LGBT tourists and other diverse travel enthusiasts who want to feel like they are in a safe space. This inclusion not only helps create an authentic experience but aids in better human interaction. As far as safety is concerned, companies will have to communicate their protocols and remain transparent and honest with customers during the pandemic and beyond. The scope of these protocols needs to involve more than keeping facilities clean.

Sheridan shared that it could easily take up to a decade for the travel and tourism industry to recover fully. She claims that theres still much confusion and concern, especially with companies rebuilding their root systems with technology and new personnel. Moreover, thousands of agencies will have to rehire and train new employees to bounce back financially and socially. Operational and customer service training is crucial in the new normal to gain back the trust of travelers.

The future of travel

The travel/tourism industry is in a unique position where there is a pent-up desire for travel, but at the same time in dire need of employees. Kelly suggests that employers need to provide employees with proper training because the demand in travel is going to rebound. A lot of people are going to hit the road and hoteliers are going to be overwhelmed. Apart from brands and companies providing employees with proper training, Jennifer Hawkins, CEO and President at Hawkins International, emphasizes that they need to amp up their marketing and public relations efforts. Since the travel industry is slowly recovering, theres a lot of competition to be consumers top destination of choice.

Authenticity plays a crucial role for the future of travel and consumer's experience. The concept of Slow travel is one of the trends that have become popular due to the pandemic. Florence Quinn, President at Quinn PR, said consumers now want to travel with a purpose; slow travel allows them to connect and have an emotional impact from their experience. According to Quinn, its crucial to always keep an eye on the trends, the best way to have success of pitching a story is by attaching it to a trend, no matter what climate we are in. Keeping an eye on trends and how media is reporting to the current climate in different parts of the world is key for PR professionals to help brands have a more personal voice than a promotional one.

Cessie Cerrato, Vice President of Public Relations at Palace Resorts, believes the future of travel will involve people making more conscious decisions with regards to how they support the local communities in the countries they vacation at. With social justice on the uprise, people are more conscious to how their travel affects these communities. Thats why communicators need to stay on top of trends and focus on the unique experiences that each destination offers to travelers.

Following the events of 2020, its safe to say that the travel and tourism industry is still evolving as things get back to normal around the world. However, the situation remains fluid, meaning the travel industry has a huge responsibility to ensure that travelers and connected services are up to date with the latest developments regarding the pandemic and how these developments would affect their consumers experiences.

Travel stories have changed, from vast global and local adventures to nostalgic trips down memory lane. On the brighter side, the travel industry was given a chance to explore and listen to their new and old consumer, leading a whole new chapter in the travel industry and how communicators have become more important now than ever.

***

Madelyn De Los Santos is a senior at the City College of New York, majoring in public relations and advertising in the Media and Communications Arts Department. Madelyn is also the recipient of the 2021 Art Stevens PRSA-NY CCNY Scholarship and CCNY PRSSA President.
CNN is getting into the streaming game. The network says it is hiring hundreds of people and developing dozens of programs for a subscription streaming service, CNN+, that is set for an early 2022 launch. The service will exist alongside CNN's television networks and will feature eight to twelve hours of live programming a day. In addition to that live programming, CNN+ plans to air original series and will initiate what CNN chief digital officer Andrew Morse calls an "interactive community," which is intended to give subscribers the ability "to engage directly with our talent and experts about the issues that matter most to them." Morse will also serve as the executive in charge of CNN+. CNN is prevented from using its current live programming on the streaming channel because of deals with cable distributors, which it says bring in more than a billion dollars in profit annually.

Noah Shachtman

Rolling Stone brings on Noah Shachtman, who has helmed the Daily Beast website since 2018, as the publications editor-in-chief. Shachtman will start his new position in September. He succeeds Jason Fine, who stepped down earlier this year, and now oversees Rolling Stones podcasts, video series and other digital journalism initiatives. Shachtman was hired by Rolling Stone president and chief operating officer Gus Jenner, whose father, Jann Wenner, sold a majority stake in the magazine to Penske Media in 2017. Shachtman told the New York Times that he plans to bring the hard-hitting style he employed at The Daily Beast to Rolling Stone. Its got to be faster, louder, harder, he told the Times. Weve got to be getting scoops, taking people backstage, showing them parts of the world they dont get to see every day, Wenner says that the publication is currently profitable, with the print magazine boasting a circulation of about 500,000.

Bozoma Saint John

Netflix has axed three senior marketing executives after it was discovered that they had been complaining on Slack about other employees, including management, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter. Two targets of the complaints were allegedly chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John and vp original films marketing Jonathan Helfgot. However, a Netflix spokesperson told the Reporter the depiction of the slack messages in question being critical of marketing is untrue. While Helfgot was initially reluctant to fire the offending exec, the report says that he did so in response to pressure from higher-ups in the company. The firings illustrate the radical transparency that is said to be a pivotal part of the Netflix culture under co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Ted told me its a firing offense because its destructive to the fabric of the company, a source told the Reporter.
Ronn Torossian

One of the most popular undergarment companies in the world, Victorias Secret, recently announced it would be abandoning one of its most popular promotional strategies. After being on the receiving end of public criticism for several years, the company finally decided to completely reinvent its brand image.

With this new change, instead of working with some of the world's most popular models, the company will now be working with other inspirational women, such as entrepreneurs and activists. This change is intended to signal the brands refreshed and reinvented public image.

Previously, some of the world's most famous models were both the face and the voice of the lingerie brand. That strategy was first implemented in the 1990s and has been used for about three decades. Some of the models who collaborated with the brand included Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and numerous others, who worked with Victorias Secret on annual runway shows as well as various marketing campaigns. Additionally, the company announced a few years ago it would be ending those runway shows as part of its road to reinvention.

According to the brands CEO, this change is being introduced because models are no longer viewed as culturally relevant, with many members of the public criticizing the brands image as being outdated. In the first two decades of this promotional strategy, as well as with the runway shows, the company functioned as one of the biggest global voices regarding what was deemed attractive. This was especially highlighted with the annual runway show that featured various new products and was often executed in collaboration with other celebrity musicians.

The marketing chief of Victorias Secret parent company L Brands, Ed Razek, was considered to be one of the most influential people in the modeling industry of the 2000s. Hed been working in that position for several decades and helped jumpstart the careers of a number of famous models before finally stepping down from the role in 2019.

Although this reinvention was recently announcedand hasnt been implemented yetit remains to be seen how receptive the public is going to be to these new promotional strategies. The response to the announcement has been relatively positive from a number of people, which shows the brand is still able to potentially remain relevant and not be seen as outdated during this time.

There's no doubt this new reinvention will be highly scrutinized moving forward by members of the public. For companies looking to implement a similar reinvention strategy, its best to do so carefully and to prepare thoroughly before the launch.

***

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading PR firm.
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About

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant shift among most tax administrations to remote working by many of their staff. As tax administrations consider the shape of the workplace post-pandemic, many are examining the options for some degree of continued remote working for employees on a longer-term basis. Such a shift needs careful consideration as it touches many aspects of an organisation, from information technology through to employment policy and organisational culture. This note explore some of the key issues that tax administrations may wish to consider in designing remote working policies, processes and guidance to help ensure that longer-term remote working is sustainable for both the tax administration as a whole as well as individual employees. This note does not provide recommendations for particular measures as the circumstances of each administration will vary. Instead, the intention is that the information in this note will help to stimulate thinking in tax administrations as to where changes or additions to existing strategies could be needed, which is brought to life through examples of actions taken or planned by Forum on Tax Administration members.

About Risk Exposure and Tolerance Assessment Tool (RETA Tool)

This RETA tool has been created to help tax administrations explore how the risks associated with a move to longer term remote working have evolved over the pandemic. It assists in the identification of priority areas, and also provides a framework to help consider mitigation strategies. It is based on the Risk Exposure and Tolerance Assessment tool created by the Canada Revenue Agency. It is highly adaptable, and whilst it has been pre-populated with some suggested risks, these can be changed depending on the specific situation in each tax administration. More detail on the operation of the tool can be found in the Read me tab contained within the tool.

Other actions to tackle Covid-19

With tax playing an important role in the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the OECD has outlined a range of tax measures governments could adopt to curb the economic fallout of the crisis, and has developed a compilation of all tax measures taken by governments so far.

Tax administration

See latest tax policy, tax treaty and transfer pricing measures.

The OECD is compiling data, information, analysis and recommendations regarding the health, economic, financial and societal challenges posed by the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). Please visit the dedicated OECD website for a full suite of coronavirus-related information.
FUNDING totalling 138,550 was approved by Offaly County Council's Local and Community Development Committee (LCDC) to 125 community groups under the Community Enhancement Programme 2021.

Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council and Chair of Offaly LCDC, Councillor Declan Harvey, welcomed the funding which is being provided to deliver vital services for vulnerable communities such as enabling community centres to be upgraded or to reopen, purchase of digital equipment to deliver remote training or counselling, and assisting community, sporting and environmental groups to become more active as more Covid restrictions are lifted. He also remarked on the fact that the successful projects were incredibly wide-ranging, from structural upgrade works and provision of equipment in community facilities, to provision of sporting, heritage and environmental enhancements, to supports for all ages from preschool to active retirement groups.

Chief Executive of Offaly County Council, Anna Marie Delaney, congratulated all of the successful applicants and thanked them for the outstanding work they do on a voluntary basis to enhance their communities.

The funding will be of enormous benefit to the many community groups across the county who have been struggling to fundraise during the past year of the Covid pandemic. In many cases the funding granted will enable the recipient group to access even greater amounts of funding through applications to LEADER, the Just Transition Fund or other funding programmes.

There was a tremendous response to the Programme, with 141 applicants seeking funding. This is the fourth year that this funding has been provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Please see the following link for a press release on the launch of the CEP at national level by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe OBrien TD.

A full list of the successful groups in receipt of Community Enhancement Programme funding is available on the Offaly County Councils website at www.offaly.ie.
If you have an interest in the natural world then you'll be interested to hear that Birr man John Feehan has released a number of YouTube episodes focussing on The Story of the Bogs.

This fascinating series is in 3 parts. Episode One can be found HERE.

We are delighted to work with John on this parallel project to the Wildflowers of Offaly series, says Amanda Pedlow, Offaly Heritage Officer, to develop a three part series explaining the story of the bogs which we trust will be useful and interesting to all of us who walk in, drive by, work and appreciate the landscape of the bogs as they evolve through time. Thank you to Tina Claffey for filming and Christiaan Feehan for editing.

The next instalment of the Wildflowers of Offaly is now available (it is useful if you have viewed furze and birds foot trefoil too) - Kidney Vetch with John Feehan - YOU CAN DO SO HERE.

Dont forget to view Julys playlist of plants in the series released last year. This can be found on the Offaly Heritage youtube channel.

In his series John looks at the history of peatland - Two centuries ago, he says, one in every four or five hectares of land in Ireland was covered by bog, some of it up to 15 metres in depth.
Offaly County Council is one of a number of Local Authorities in Ireland that have launched initiatives on Period Poverty.

At its meeting in April 2021, following a motion by Councillor Clare Claffey, the Council Executive committed to sourcing funding to provide free feminine hygiene products on a pilot basis.

The Councils Community Section went on to secure funding through Healthy Irelands Community Resilience Fund for a short-term project.

This followed a report on Period Poverty published in February 2021 by the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. That report asked public bodies to investigate the options for the provision of free products across all public buildings and sites and committed government support for Local Authorities to make period products available through libraries and other services.

Welcoming the initiative Offaly Comhairle Na Og said: "No woman, girl, intersex, trans or non-binary person who menstruates, should have to exclude themselves from the activities of daily living during menstruation or suffer the physical and mental health impacts resulting from both recurrent exclusion and the use of unsuitable period products. Government, NGOs, private individuals all have a role to play in achieving this objective. Offaly Comhairle na nOg welcome Offaly County Councils initiative and applaud them and Cllr. Claffey for bring the issue of period poverty to the forefront."

The initiative will help those who are perhaps having difficulty affording period products or getting access to them for social or cultural reasons. As a result of funding received from the Department of Health and Slaintecare from its Community Resilience Fund, Offaly County Council has set out to deliver a pilot rollout of free period products at five County Council buildings providing access to the public. The locations are Aras an Chontae, Tullamore; Birr (incorporating Birr Library), Tullamore and Edenderry Municipal District Offices and Tullamore Library.

Dispensing machines containing the free products have been installed in discreet locations in the reception areas of the aforementioned sites for those in need of the service. It is hoped that further funding can be secured to extend the service to all publicly accessible County Council buildings in the county.
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Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Bank of South Pacific has performed exceptionally well and he has no doubt about the banks compliance capability.

He said this following the allegations that the Bank of Papua New Guineas Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit or FASU alleged that BSP was in breach of the countrys anti-money laundering laws.

The Prime Minister says the Bank of PNGs Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit has the right to regulate banks in the country and BSP is no exception.

However, Mr. Marape says he did not question the countrys number-one Bank on its credibility.

Mr. Marape says he has yet to receive full details of the allegations of money laundering and meet with the parties concerned.

NBC News / ONE PNG





Next : PM Marape Challenges Central People to be Food Suppliers for Port Moresby City
Solomon Islands Prime Minister (PM) Manasseh Sogavare joins the Governor General Sir David Vunagi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Jeremiah Manele and other dignitaries to farewell His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Solomon Islands to Papua New Guinea, the Late Barnabas Anga at a burial service in Honiara on Sunday afternoon.

The late High Commissioner Anga died on Friday 9 July 2021 in Port Moresby.

Casket bearers carry the coffin of Late Anga to the cemetery in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Photo by Solomon Star

Mr Sogavare said Solomon Islands has lost a son and it is with a heavy heart to bid farewell to a great leader and to thank him for his outstanding service to the government and people of Solomon Islands.

The late High Commissioner Anga held very senior roles of duties in his public service life, including eight (8) Permanent Secretary Positions within eight Government Ministries before serving as the countrys High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.

Outside his government duties, High Commissioner Anga is also a traditional leader, a tribal leader who has additional duties to take care of his tribe and family members.

I must thank his family for bringing up this noble leader who have contributed to our countrys nation building. His service has honoured him a legacy of courage where our future generation will look upon with trust, humility and dedication. This legacy will definitely leave on, Sogavare said.

The Prime Minister conveyed his deepest gratitude to the government and people of Papua New Guinea for the unwavering care and support provided to the late High Commissioner during his tenure in office until his passing in Port Moresby as well as PNGs warm affection that comforted his family since his passing.

Mr Sogavare also acknowledged government officials from Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea and family members of the late High Commissioner, who have dedicated their time and effort to ensure the repatriation process went smoothly.

It is not an easy task to work on such arrangement during this pandemic period, however with your courage, ability and strength to think and work beyond these challenges, you have made it happen to bring this great man home, and allowed us to gather here to honour him and pay our final respects.

While we have this final moment with the late High Commissioner, let us continue to pray for Gods comfort, peace, love and healing be upon our country, be upon the families, relatives, friends and his work colleagues, as we all mourn this loss, PM Sogavare added.

Go on my brother; rest well, for our Good Lord has promised us a place to be with him during the resurrection morning. You have labored long, I salute you. Until then, farewell to you, Sogavare said at the burial Service attended by senior government officials, family members, relatives and friends at the Betikama cemetery.





Solomon Star / ONE PNG





Next : PNG PM Marape Trusts Bank South Pacific
Long before the first presidential nomination contest of 2024, most potential Republican candidates are just getting a sense of the political landscape, tiptoeing through early-voting states and trying to make friends in key places
Wise Township Clerk Doris Methner said township expenses had been rising while revenue was plateauing.

This gave Mario Porter an opportunity.

After the northeastern Isabella County township opted in for medical marijuana in 2017 to generate revenue, Porter opened a medical cannabis grow operation in 2019. It later morphed into a recreational marijuana dispensary, fully opening in September of 2020.

Despite having opened in a rural township during a global pandemic, business is booming for his dispensary, Hempire Collective.

This month, we are on track for about 100,000 more sales than we have done so far in any given month, Porter said in mid-July.

Located at 10147 N. Loomis Road in Loomis, an unincorporated village northwest of Coleman, Hempire is not the only small-town cannabis business thriving near Midland. Despite the City of Midland's decision to opt out of marijuana businesses, Midlanders can pop by to Bay and Isabella counties for their pot-based needs.

Porter said his store grows marijuana plants in-house, sporting several different strains. Any products they sell, such as gummies, are not made on site, but they are made with Hempires plants by a third party.

The high volume of business for Hempire most likely came from people sitting at home not being able to do much and being given extra money through unemployment/stimulus checks, Porter said.

Since the dispensary also grows its own plants, the profit margins are much wider than if the cannabis were purchased off site. Porter is already looking into opening other dispensary locations and would be open to opening a Midland location if the city ever decides to opt in.

Over in the other direction from Midland is Pinconning Township, a small township right along I-75/U.S. 23 in northern Bay County. One of the first sights greeting people pulling off the exit is Essence Provisioning Center, one of two dispensaries in the township. Owner Kirk Thomas said the company opened in 2018 for medical marijuana, then shifted to recreational in 2019.

Operating in a smaller town can be hard in terms of making sales, so he has to overcompensate to get attention on his business, Thomas said. He bought his property for the location and put billboards along I-75 to garner attention.

I am the first thing you see when you come to Pinconning and I treat my store as such, Thomas said. I want it to be a memorable event, and I want it to be aesthetically pleasing. I am a guardian for the township when people come in.

The pandemic also had a positive impact on his business, drawing more people to his place as people were looking to pass the time at home.

Both Thomas and Porter are planning on offering delivery services that would cover Midland in the near future. Thomass plan is to deliver just 30 minutes away initially, and then up to two hours away later on. Porter is looking at a 70- to 80-mile radius.

Having these dispensaries could give these townships economic opportunities as well. Methner said Wise Township has received its first funding from the state of Michigans marijuana revenue sharing, which gives municipalities a portion of excise tax money paid by dispensaries.

With this, Wise Township received $28,000 from marijuana revenue sharing alone earlier this year. In total, the township has around $200,000 of marijuana-related funds in a bank account ready to be put into township budgets.

Methner said the township can now do away with a special assessment put on residents to fund one-third of the townships fire budget, and fund it with marijuana revenue instead. She also hopes to repair some crumbling roads and clean some ditches in the township.

Clean some ditches and fix up some roads, that is the basic goal that we have in place, Methner said. That is basically what I was looking at when I introduced this (marijuana funding).

Giving back to the Wise Township community is also important to Porter.

We are locally (operated), Porter said. We are from the community, and we want to give back to the community because we are from here.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The number of people hospitalized due to the coronavirus jumped by 106 over the weekend in Arkansas, which is leading the nation in new virus cases per capita.

The Department of Health said Monday that the state's virus hospitalizations increased to 787. Of those, 291 patients are in intensive care and 124 patients are on ventilators. Most of the new hospitalizations, 79, occurred since Sunday, the department said.

The state's virus cases increased over the past three days by 2,552 to 365,132 total since the pandemic began. The state reported 15 new deaths. The department recently stopped reporting daily COVID-19 numbers on weekends, releasing the figures on Monday instead.

Arkansas' cases have surged in recent weeks because of the delta variant of the virus and a low number of people getting vaccinated. Only 35% of the state's population is fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 114%, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers.

Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson this month embarked on a statewide tour, holding town halls aimed at encouraging people to get vaccinated. Hutchinson on Monday said he'll hold four more town halls next week in Mountain Home, Dumas, Heber Springs and Siloam Springs.

Its critical we continue to have these discussions around Arkansas to ensure people have the facts and science behind these vaccines," Hutchinson said in a statement.

The governor said nearly 16,000 additional vaccine doses were administered over the weekend.

Dr. Jose Romero, the state's health secretary, planned to meet Tuesday at the Health Department with Dr. Bechara Choucair, the vaccinations coordinator for the White House COVID-19 response team, a department spokeswoman said.

About 21% of the state's 8,817 hospital beds and 5% of its 1,066 intensive care unit beds are currently available, the department said.

The state also announced that a Texas man won $1 million from a scratch-off ticket he received in exchange for getting his vaccination. Gary Smith, an Arkansas native who lives in Arlington, got the ticket after receiving his second dose of the vaccine at a local health unit.

The state has offered the $20 tickets, as well as gift certificates for hunting or fishing licenses, as incentives to get vaccinated. Smith was the first to win $1 million from the virus incentive tickets, though others have won amounts ranging from $20 to $500.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The monstrous wildfire burning in Oregon has grown to a third the size of Rhode Island and spreads miles each day, but evacuations and property losses have been minimal compared with much smaller blazes in densely populated areas of California.

The fire's jaw-dropping size contrasted with its relatively small impact on people underscores the vastness of the American West and offers a reminder that Oregon, which is larger than Britain, is still a largely rural state, despite being known mostly for its largest city, Portland.

The 476-square-mile (1,210-square-kilometer) Bootleg Fire is burning 300 miles (483 kilometers) southeast of Portland in and around the Fremont-Winema National Forest, a vast expanse of old-growth forest, lakes and wildlife refuges.

If the fire were in densely populated parts of California, it would have destroyed thousands of homes by now, said James Johnston, a researcher with Oregon State University's College of Forestry who studies historical wildfires. But it is burning in one of the more remote areas of the lower 48 states. It's not the Bay Area out there.

At least 2,000 homes have been evacuated at some point during the fire and another 5,000 threatened. At least 70 homes and more than 100 outbuildings have gone up in flames. Thick smoke chokes the area where residents and wildlife alike have already been dealing with months of drought and extreme heat. No one has died.

Pushed by strong winds from the southwest, the fire is spreading rapidly to the north and east, advancing toward an area that's increasingly remote.

Twitter/Bootleg Fire Info

Evacuation orders on the fire's southern edge, closer to more populous areas like Klamath Falls and Bly, have been lifted or relaxed as crews gain control. Now it's small, unincorporated communities like Paisley and Long Creek  both with fewer than 250 people  and scattered homesteads that are in the crosshairs.

The Bootleg Fire is threatening ranch houses that are in pretty far-flung areas, Johnston said. There are no suburbs in that area.

But as big as the Bootleg Fire is, it's not the biggest Oregon has seen. The fire's current size puts it fourth on the list of the state's largest blazes in modern times, including rangeland fires, and second on the list of infernos specifically burning in forest.

These megafires usually burn until the late fall or even early winter, when rain finally puts them out.

The largest forest fire in modern history was the Biscuit Fire, which torched nearly 780 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) in 2002 in the Rogue RiverSiskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California. The largest fire of any type was the Long Draw Fire in 2012, which incinerated 872 square miles (2,260 square kilometers) of mostly sagebrush and rangeland in the endless expanses of southeastern Oregon, where almost no one lives.

By the time the Bootleg Fire is extinguished months from now, it will likely be as big or bigger than those fires, but research shows that Oregon once experienced megafires much larger than these fairly often, Johnston said.

I think its important for us to take the long view of wildfire. In the context of the last couple hundreds years, the Bootleg Fire is not large, he said. One of the things my lab group does is reconstruct historical fires, and fires that were burning in that area in the 1600s and 1700s were just as big as the Bootleg Fire or bigger.

That's little reassurance for fire crews battling the current blaze, which is 25% contained.

On Monday, flames forced the evacuation of a wildlife research station as firefighters had to retreat from the flames for the ninth consecutive day due to erratic and dangerous fire behavior. Sycan Marsh hosts thousands of migrating and nesting birds and is a key research station on wetland restoration in the upper reaches of the Klamath Basin.

Fire pushed by winds and fueled by bone-dry conditions jumped fire-retardant containment lines and pushed up to 4 miles into new territory, authorities said.

Fire crews were also rushing to corral multiple slop fires  patches of flames that escaped fire lines meant to contain the blaze  before they grew in size. One of those smaller fires was already nearly 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) in size. Thunderstorms with dry lightning were possible Monday as well, heightening the dangers.

We are running firefighting operations through the day and all through the night, said Joe Hessel, incident commander. This fire is a real challenge, and we are looking at sustained battle for the foreseeable future.

The Bootleg Fire was one of many fires burning in a dozen states, most of them in the U.S. West. Sixteen large uncontained fires burned in Oregon and Washington state alone on Monday, affecting a total of 767 square miles (1,986 square kilometers), the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center said.

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

At the other end of Oregon, a fire in the northeast mountains grew to nearly 26 square miles (49 square kilometers).

The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, rural communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.

Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

A complex of fires where the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho meet also grew, reaching 167 square miles (433 square kilometers). The Snake River Complex was 44% contained. The complex was made up of three fires started by lightning on July 7. Flames were chewing through a mix of grass and timber in an extremely remote area of steep terrain about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Lewiston, Idaho.

And in Northern California, authorities expanded evacuations on the Tamarack Fire in Alpine County in the Sierra Nevada to include the mountain town of Mesa Vista. That fire, which exploded over the weekend and forced the cancellation of an extreme bike ride, was 36 square miles (93 square kilometers) with no containment.

Thunderstorms expected to roll through Monday night could bring winds to fan the flames and lightning that could spark new ones, the National Weather Service said.
A crane operator from Florida who breached the U.S. Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag was sentenced Monday to eight months behind bars, the first punishment handed down for a felony charge in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and one that could help determine the severity of other sentences in hundreds of pending cases.

In pronouncing the sentence on Paul Allard Hodgkins, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said the 38-year-old had played a role, if not as significant as others, in one of the worst episodes in American history. Thousands of rioters loyal to then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol and disrupted the certification of Joe Biden's election win, in a stunning display of public violence.

That was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a protest, Moss said. It was  an assault on democracy. He added: It left a stain that will remain on us  on the country for years to come.

Moss acknowledged Hodgkins sentence could set a benchmark for future cases. Deciding an appropriate punishment for Hodgkins, he said, was more challenging because the case is unique and the court couldnt look to previous sentencings as a guide.

Hodgkins was disappointed a prison term was imposed, his lawyer, Patrick Leduc, said in a phone interview after Mondays hearing. He said Hodgkins was heading back to his hometown of Tampa to organize his affairs  which will include speaking to his employer about whether imprisonment will cost him his job  before reporting to prison in several months.

Hes hurt. He's sad, Leduc said. Life is coming at him at 100 mph."

More than 500 people have been charged so far for their participation in the attack, and many like Hodgkins were accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as some others were, for roles in larger conspiracies. They will have to decide whether to plead guilty or go to trial.

Moss interrupted Leduc, Hodgkins' attorney, to ask if granting the defense request to spare Hodgkins from prison could encourage others disgruntled by the results of a future election to besiege the Capitol.

If we allow people to storm the United States Capitol, what are we doing to preserve our democracy?" Moss asked.

But the judge said Hodgkins deserved a lesser sentence than the 18 months prosecutors had requested, in part because he didnt assault anyone, didnt damage government property and wasnt among the lead attackers.

Hodgkins apologized to the court and said he felt ashamed. Speaking calmly from a prepared text, he described being caught up in the euphoria as he walked down Washingtons most famous avenue, then followed a crowd of hundreds into the Capitol.

If I had any idea that the protest ... would escalate (the way) it did ... I would never have ventured farther than the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue, he told the judge. He added, This was a foolish decision on my part.

He pleaded guilty last month to obstructing an official proceeding by participating in an attack that forced lawmakers to run and hide in fear. Five people died, including a police officer and rioter shot by police. Two other police officers who faced Jan. 6 rioters died by suicide days later.

In requesting an 18-month prison sentence during the hearing in Washington, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky likened the attack to domestic terrorism.

Leduc, Hodgkins' lawyer, said the government's description of the Jan. 6 events was hyperbole.

I think it is gaslighting the country, he said. What happened, he added, was "a protest that became a riot.

Moss interrupted Leduc again, noting that some of the Trump supporters seemed to be out to track down lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

There were people who were storming through the halls of the Capitol saying, Wheres Nancy? the judge told the attorney. That is more than a simple riot.

Sedky said that while Hodgkins didnt engage in violence himself, he walked among many who did  in what she called the ransacking of the Peoples House. And as he walked by smashed police barriers, he could see the smoke of tear gas and the chaos ahead of him.

What does he do? she asked the court. He walks toward it. He doesnt walk away.

Hodgkins, she added, was in the midst of a mob that forced lawmakers to seek shelter and some congressional staffers to hide in fear, locked in offices, as hundreds swept through the building. Those in fear for their lives that day will, she said, bear emotional scars for many years  if not forever.

Under the June plea deal, Hodgkins agreed to plead guilty to the one count and pay $2,000 in restitution to the Treasury Department. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop less serious charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct. They also said they would ask for a reduced sentence for acceptance of responsibility and for saving the government from a costly trial.

In earlier filings, Leduc described his client as an otherwise law-abiding American who, despite living in a poorer part of Tampa, regularly volunteered at a food bank. He noted that Hodgkins is an Eagle Scout.

His actions on Jan. 6 is the story of a man who for just one hour on one day lost his bearings ... who made a fateful decision to follow the crowd, the attorney said.

But Judge Moss said Monday he didn't accept that there was no forethought by Hodgkins or that he had no ill intentions. He brought rope and protective goggles with him to Washington, the judge said, and that demonstrated he came "prepared to defend his position and engage in whatever needed to be done.

Video footage shows Hodgkins wearing a Trump 2020 T-shirt, the flag flung over his shoulder and eye goggles around his neck, inside the Senate. He took a selfie with a self-described shaman in a horned helmet and other rioters on the dais behind him.

Separately on Monday, Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who was arrested in Washington two days before the riot, pleaded guilty to burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in December. He also pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device after police found two high-capacity firearm magazines when he was arrested.

___

Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Sheltered in a downtown D.C. hotel, the Democratic lawmakers who left Texas to block a restrictive voting bill are living a life of stress and scrutiny.

After bolting the state Monday in order to sabotage the bill by denying a quorum in the Texas House of Representatives, the more than 50 state legislators find themselves balancing a punishing schedule of political lobbying, outside work and family obligations, all under a national spotlight.

Many have left young children behind; most have other professional obligations back in Texas. All seem to be operating on minimal sleep.

"It's surreal," said Rep. Gene Wu of Houston. I can't even describe to you how weird it has been.

Wu said he realized just how big a story their exodus had become when they arrived via private plane at Dulles airport on Monday. He overheard a group of German tourists talking in the airport about the fugitive Texas legislators.

Their goal is to hold out until the end of their special legislative session on Aug. 7, but Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott can call another special session 30 days after that. Abbott has also threatened the legislators with arrest the moment they return to Texas.

In the meantime, they're working the Capitol and the White House, seeking some sort of federal voter-protection move that would supersede any state-level laws.

The Texas State Legislature is a part-time body with an annual salary of $7,200. So the vast majority of the delegates have other primary jobs back in Texas that they abruptly left behind.

The lawmakers describe 16-hour days of essentially operating in shifts, with some working the Capitol and doing media interviews, while others carve out four hours or so to handle their other jobs.

We have a number of attorneys. Weve had several folks doing Zoom hearings, said Rep. Erin Zweiner of Austin.

The Covid-19 pandemic weirdly turned out to be an unexpected training ground, she said, since everybody is already practiced in teleworking. Without that cultural shift, a lot of peoples ability to earn a living would be severely hindered, she said.

And not everyone has a job or a business they can handle via Zoom.

Weve got a lot of practice during the pandemic, said Rep. John Bucey of Austin. But several, he said, are here at the total expense of their careers.

Bucy came to Washington with his 17-month old daughter Bradley and his wife Molly, who is 27-weeks pregnant. The trio actually drove 23-hours straight rather than fly with the other representatives because Bradley is too young to wear a facemask on a plane.

It's really hard, he said. There's no childcare here. My wife works. I work.

Zweiner came to Washington with her three-year-old daughter Lark, for both practical and sentimental reasons, she said. Her husbands work schedule didnt allow him to solo-parent and Zweiner said the idea of being away from her daughter for weeks was heart-wrenching.

Now Lark is a low-key Twitter star: the toddler attended a group meeting with New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; she watched the movie Frozen on an iPad sitting on a Gillibrand staffers lap and Gillibrand gave her a U.S. Capitol coloring book.

Zweiner said Lark has been an absolute champ, but acknowledged Thursday that By day 4, shes getting a little grumpy with the process  she needs some kid time.

The balancing act is not just causing family sacrifices. Some Democrats are already paying a price back home in the Legislature, as Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody was stripped of his leadership position Thursday.

It is only one of the ways the Texas GOP is trying to turn up the heat just days into the showdown. Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan said he would have a plane ready in Washington this weekend to bring Democrats back home, while Abbott began running targeted campaign ads against absent lawmakers in likely competitive House districts in 2022, putting absent Democrats faces on milk cartons.

There is no excuse for their PR stunt, and I join thousands of Texans in demanding that these Democrats get back to work, Abbott said.

The non-stop meetings have been a mixed bag so far. On Thursday the Texas lawmakers huddled with Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate West Virginia Democrat. Manchins vote is pivotal to pass the stalled voting-rights legislation through Congress, which would preempt much of the measure that Texas Republicans are advancing in their legislature.

Very good meeting, Manchin said after exiting the gathering.

But approving the bill, known as the For the People Act, also hinges on weakening a procedural rule called the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation in the Senate. Senate Republicans used the rule last month to block debate on the measure. And Manchin, whose vote would also be required, has rejected the idea.

Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson, said after the meeting that Manchin, described (the For the People Act) as aspirational.

The Texas governor has accused the legislators of hanging out on a taxpayer-paid junket but the representatives defended their decision to leave the state, saying the move had already partially succeeded by shining a national spotlight on the issue.

We are not here on vacation, state Sen. Jose Menendez Id much rather be home with my family. We are here to do a job.

Representatives say they're currently too busy go out to dinner, take their kids to a museum or any of the other typical Washington-visitor activities.

I think we will get to a normal routine and a more reasonable baseline, Zweiner said, something where it's down to just 12-hour work days."

The decision to hole up in Washington is aimed at ratcheting up pressure on President Joe Biden and Congress to act on voting at the federal level. The day after they arrived, Biden delivered a speech in Philadelphia calling Republican-led efforts to curtail voting accessibility un-American and un-democratic.

About 20 of the state legislators held a press conference Wednesday, joined by a handful of Democratic Texas state senators who had flown in to offer support. Outside the downtown D.C. hotel where the contingent is living and working, about a dozen demonstrators held signs with messages like Do your job! and Who paid for the private jet?

The accusation that they're wasting public money particularly rankles. The delegation had maintained that the entire trip is being funded by donations through the state's Democratic Caucus. They're also in the midst of a public debate as to whether to decline their $221 per diems.

Some pointed out that their presence in D.C. was a personal financial disaster because of the jobs they left behind. Wu, an attorney with two young children, said he worried about making his next mortgage payment.

Our mission here, in Washington, is to use this time in this legislative session between now and Aug. 7 to say to the U.S. Senate that we need to pass federal voting rights legislation. And we need it now, said Rep. Chris Turner of Arlington, the leader of the Texas House Democrats. And were going to get into some good trouble, as best we can, while were doing it. 

___

AP reporters Brian Slodysko in Washington and Paul Weber in Austin contributed to this story.

___

Follow Khalil on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ashrafkhalil
BEIJING (AP)  The Chinese host of this year's meeting of the U.N. World Heritage Committee has defended the body's proposal to label the Great Barrier Reef as in danger against Australian government suspicion that China influenced the finding for political reasons.

The committee, which is meeting both virtually and in the Chinese city of Fuzhou for the next two weeks, will consider the draft decision on Friday.

Australia, as a member state of the World Heritage Committee, should ... attach importance to the opinions of the advisory bodies and earnestly fulfill the duty of World Heritage protection instead of making groundless accusations against other states, said Tian Xuejun, the Chinese vice minister of education and the president of this year's session, on Sunday.

The UNESCO committee will consider adding new sites to the World Heritage list, taking some off and adding others to the in-danger category. A draft decision to put Venice on the in-danger list prompted the Italian government to ban cruise ships from the lagoon city in a bid to avoid the designation.

Tian, speaking at the first news conference since the meetings opened last Friday, said the Great Barrier Reef proposal was based on data from Australia and recommendations from an advisory body.

Australian Environment Minister Susan Ley, who is in Europe lobbying UNESCO delegates against supporting the in-danger listing, did not immediately comment on the Chinese criticism.

She had held constructive and cordial discussions with China's Ambassador to UNESCO Yang Jin, the minister's office said in a statement on Monday.

The government looks forward to working with China and all members of the World Heritage Committee in discussions on the draft listing later this week, the statement said.

Her office also released a report by the government-funded Australian Institute of Marine Science that indicated widespread recovery of the reef's coral. Monitoring by the institute found coral cover had increased during the respite from severe weather over the last year.

The release of the full report underlines our view that the World Heritage Committee proposed listing had not been based on the latest information, Ley said.

Australia reacted angrily when the draft was released last month.

This decision was flawed. Clearly there were politics behind it, Ley said, without mentioning China by name.

Relations between the two nations have soured in recent years, with Australia blocking Chinese technology and investment in key infrastructure, and China using tariffs and other measures to reduce its imports from Australia.

Australia was warned in 2014 that an in-danger listing was being considered for the Great Barrier Reef, which was designated a world heritage site in 1981.

The draft decision said that Australia's long-term plan for the reef, a network of 2,500 reefs covering 348,000 square kilometers (134,000 square miles), requires stronger and clearer commitments, in particular towards urgently countering the effects of climate change.

We acknowledge very much the work which has been done in Australia, but our text in the draft decision ... is a proposal for putting the site on the list of world heritage in danger because of the threats which were identified, said Mechtild Roessler, the director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center.

Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, the assistant director-general for culture at UNESCO, said that an in-danger listing should be viewed as a collective call for action from all the member states.

Its something that should be seen as something positive and not, as what we heard from some of the authorities in other countries, as a punishment, he said, joining the news conference from Paris. Its how we preserve our heritage for future generations."

___

This story was first published on July 19, 2021. It was updated on July 22, 2021, to correct the title of Mechtild Roessler. She is director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, not of the World Heritage Committee.
Director of Content and Operations

Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Attacks against so-called slaves in Mali are on the rise and authorities must do more to prevent them, two independent UN human rights experts said on Monday
NORMAL  Tucked in the northeast corner of One Normal Plaza is a forest unlike any youll find in Central Illinois.

The Refuge Food Forest is like a healthy version of Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory, where just about everything is edible  except its filled with fruits, nuts and berries.

That didnt bother 4-year-old Xander Green or his 2-year-old sister Delilah Green, children of Kayla Kreppner of Bloomington.

Over here, guys! Over here, Xander shouted excitedly. Look at these apples.

Delilah was more interested in looking for ripe berries, but she will have to wait a bit longer. The blackberries were still bright red and a few had some green.

Tera Arendells 1-year-old son, Archer Arendell, eagerly followed Xander and Delilah as they ran around the forest, looking at the berries, fruit and flowers.

Anything you find out here you can definitely take bites off of, said Nick Frillman, a food systems and small farm educator with the University of Illinois Extension. Its a question of whether or not you like sour things.

This oasis is at 701 E. Lincoln St., Normal, east of Beech Street. Even if you are not interested in the food, its a nice place to relax, enjoy the shade of a cypress tree and watch birds and butterflies.

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The food forest is a collaborative project of the U of I Extension and Town of Normal. Developed in 2015 and covering about an acre, the forest includes fruit trees, grape vines, herbs, berry bushes and nut-bearing trees and shrubs.

You name it, its here, said Frillman.

Grapes line the arbor at the entrance. There are apples, pears and paw paws, which Frillman described as having the flavor and consistency of a mango and a banana when ripe. Finding some ripe currants, Frillman popped a few in his mouth and provided a detailed outline of their taste, somewhere between a blueberry and a blackberry.

A squirrel scurried up a tree with a pear in its mouth, showing that humans arent the only ones benefiting from the food forest.

The forest is maintained by mostly volunteer labor. The next group work day and harvest day is 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 26.

In addition to being a place of relaxation and recreation, the forest is also a place of education.

Frillman said it serves as a model for value-added commodity agriculture for those with small farms.

The forest also is home to wildflowers. The bright yellow blooms of the cup plants towered above me as I walked along the path. They were the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that arced across the sky one of our recent rainy days.

The food forest is open to all, year-round, all four seasons, said Frillman. Come out here. Walk your dog. Hang out with your kids.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

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BLOOMINGTON  An Ohio man was sentenced to eight years in prison on a charge of delivering more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, or more than 11 pounds.

Andrew T. Shaw, 28, was on his way back to Columbus, Ohio, from Omaha, Nebraska, when he was pulled over on Interstate 74 in November and was found to have about 100 pounds of cannabis, police said at the time.

He was charged with cannabis trafficking, unlawful delivery of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis and unlawful possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis.

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The cannabis trafficking and cannabis possession charges were dropped in a plea agreement. Shaw pleaded guilty to the other charge at a June 9 hearing.

Prosecutors said Shaw was stopped by Illinois State Police and told officers he had a large amount of cannabis in the car. Shaw told police he picked up about 100 pounds of cannabis in Omaha, Nebraska.

Shaw was given credit for 202 days served in the McLean County jail, as he remained jailed in lieu of posting $30,035.

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EIF announces 'Foodmobile' Food Giveaway in Normal

NORMAL  Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) will be distributing food to area families facing food insecurity. The distribution will be held at Normal Community West High School on Aug. 14 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and will be open to residents of McLean County. Attendees are asked to bring boxes or bags to transport food.

The distribution is part of the Foodbank's Foodmobile program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or under-served areas.

Attendees should pre-register at EIFclient.com, however this does not guarantee a place in line as income guidelines apply.

For more information, contact Amanda Borden at 217-328-3663 or visit eifoodbank.org.

Submit items to newsroom@pantagraph.com

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SPRINGFIELD  Four hunters from Indiana have pled guilty and paid fines in a southern Illinois poaching case, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The four hunters were accused of deer hunting with rifles without required permits or hunting licenses and had two untagged, harvested deer with them. They pled guilty in Williamson County to unlawful use of a rifle.

The four hunters were sentenced to one year of supervision, forfeited four rifles and paid $5,000 in fines, according to a recent IDNR news release.

Illinois Conservation Police donated the untagged deer to a local animal rehabilitator to help feed injured wildlife.

"Our Conservation Police go to great efforts to catch those who violate our laws and the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office has again proven to be a strong ally in protecting our resources," Sergeant Kris Taylor, with the Department of Natural Resources, said in the release.

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CHICAGO  Three teenagers and a 12-year-old were among six people who were shot outside a party in Chicago and treated at hospitals for their injuries, police said.

The injured included a 12-year-old girl who was shot in the hand; two girls aged 13 and 14 who were shot in their lower backs; a 15-year-old girl who was shot in the lower back and grazed on her head; a 19-year-old woman who was wounded in the lower back; and a 25-year-old man who walked into a hospital with a gunshot wound to the lower back and was treated and released.
Charles Chuck Poettker, the founder of Poettker Construction, died Saturday after he jumped off of the back of a boat into Kentucky Lake in Trigg County, Kentucky at about 3 p.m. and didnt come back up. Poettkers body was found about two hours later, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was 69 and lived in O'Fallon, Illinois.

An autopsy will be performed at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Madisonville, Kentucky.

Poettker Construction has been in operation for 41 years, according to their website, and has offices in Breese, Illinois, and Charlotte, North Carolina. All four of Poettkers children work for the company, along with 200 employees.

Poettker himself is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and was awarded the U.S. Bronze Star. According to a statement on Poettker's passing posted to the company website on Sunday, he served in the 101st Airborne Division in south Vietnam.

"In April 1971, Poettker and his unit were given orders into Laos to rescue two door gunners and recover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot of a downed helicopter," the statement reads. "This grueling journey back to safety earned him a U.S. Army Bronze Star for heroic service in a combat zone. He prayed that if he made it out alive, he would dedicate his life to building something of value."

He was the greatest man I ever met, his son Ryan Poettker, COO and Executive Vice President for Poettker Construction, said. He served this country, and he basically started his construction company from scratch and built it to the level it is today. Hes a tremendous man.

Poettker owned a boat out on Kentucky Lake, family said, and was on his boat with his wife Linda when he disappeared underwater. Ryan Poettker said his fathers death was unexpected, as the elder Poettker was a capable swimmer.

He was a great father figure for us, Poettkers son Keith Poettker, the companys president, said. He was a great mentor for all of us kids and many people throughout the decades. Its going to be hard for a lot of people because he was such a big personality and had such thoughtfulness for everybody."

He had this saying, Keith Poettker said. If anybody asked how he was doing, hed say Im having the greatest day since yesterday.

Rachel Rice  314-340-8344 @RachelDRice on Twitter rrice@post-dispatch.com

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CARBONDALE  Drew Williams admits he's tired.

Like many in his chosen field of nursing, the RN who works nights caring for intensive care patients at SIH Herrin Hospital, Williams has worked a lot of hours during the past 15 months and he has seen a lot of suffering.

He's not alone.

All across Southern Illinois and the U.S., nurses have carried an enormous burden and they are tired  physically, mentally and emotionally  leading to widespread "nurse burnout."

Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale set out to study nursing burnout more than a year ago and what they discovered not only showed nurse burnout to be significant even before COVID-19, but even more relevant since the beginning of the pandemic.

The interdisciplinary study, called "Emotional Exhaustion as a Predictor for Burnout among Nurses," looked at what causes burnout and offered suggestions to prevent it.

Kelli Whittington, who led the research team and is director of SIU's nursing program, said the study showed several factors contribute to the burnout.

"First, there's a really strong relationship between workload and emotional exhaustion," she explained. "It's not that nurses don't handle a heavy workload, it's how they are able to handle it and feel as though they can manage their time, interact with each other, how they can take a break and that the workload is equitably distributed. It's about having the flexibility to handle that workload in the way that they feel is best."

Additionally, she said nurses can become emotionally exhausted when they don't have a sense of control and that nurses need a sense of community within the workplace.

She said emotional exhaustion may not be apparent within the nursing unit, but can manifest itself in a variety of ways.

"There are emotional aspects, such as not wanting to do anything with our friends and family. We just want to go home, stay home and not interact with people and our tempers become short. We also can see it with things like depression or stomach aches," she explained.

Williams said it is the very nature of nursing  the call to care for others  that makes the job challenging, especially when patients suffer or pass.

"In this job you take things personally," Williams said. "We get to know these patients and their families and we make connections. It can be really difficult."

Steve Marlow, administrator of The Voyage, an assisted living facility in Murphysboro, said more has been asked of nurses during the pandemic.

"With all of the extra hours, all of the extra precautions in all environments, it's really been a strain on the nursing staffs," he said. "Burnout is the real deal."

Like many colleagues, Marlow said his organization is working to combat or prevent emotional exhaustion in nurses.

"We try to make sure that they get an appropriate amount of time off  at least two days in a row, maybe three," he said. "We also try to make sure to make sure our facility is somewhere they want to be."

He said leaders also must show compassion  such as assisting nurses with duties and picking up nursing or housekeeping rounds themselves.

"Rolling up their sleeves and showing that they care," he called it.

The SIU study used the widely accepted Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to measure the prevalence of burnout among nurses across the nation. An MBI score of 27 indicates burnout. Nearly half of the study participants reported a total score of 27 or higher.

Whittington said length of nursing career, ages and area of nursing did not seem to impact the level of burnout.

"We saw it all over the place, which tells me that if nurses are working as nurses, they are experiencing emotional exhaustion," she said.

She said the study also offered suggestions to combat or prevent burnout.

"First of all, there is acknowledging it and finding ways to care for ourselves," she offered. "Additionally, as nurse managers and leaders, we have to be equitable in assigning workload and in fostering ways to develop a sense of community, not only among nurses, but within the whole medical community."

For leaders such as Johnna Smith, nurse executive at SIH St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, caring for those who care for patients is a top priority especially because burnout can ultimately impact patient care.

"I think historically, we have always talked about nurse burnout, but I think the pandemic really brought it to light because it wasn't just affecting one hospital or one unit. It is nationwide," she said. "There are things we can do to help our staff and then it is a matter of convincing ourselves to take care of ourselves so we can continue to give ourselves."

One example is a "relaxation room" on the hospital's second floor. It's a place where medical personnel can "take a breather." Staff can use a massage chair, envelope themselves in environmental sounds or simply rest for a while.

"It's a place that they can use to have a moment to get their mind off of something or if they just need a moment to themselves," Smith said.

Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, like many other providers, offers an employee assistance plan to help battle job fatigue.

"We work to ensure our nurses have the resources they need to avoid burnout and that starts with mental, physical and emotional support," said Heartland Chief Nursing Officer Barrie Questelle.

Questelle stressed the role of communication in avoiding burnout as well.

"Staff-to-staff communication is also key. Our nurse leaders hold daily safety huddles. We share information on work hour needs, work processes, and more. That helps make certain that nurses have input about important hospital decisions," she said.

For many in nursing, simply talking about things  especially among peers  is a huge help. Williams said "debriefing" with his co-workers after a shift is beneficial in helping him deal with the challenges of nursing.

"Privacy laws prevent us from going home and talking with our families about these situations, so we really only have our coworkers and leadership to talk with. There's a lot of leaning on each other. We're like a family," he said.

For Whittington, a nurse herself, battling burnout is something she said those who train nurses must teach.

"Nursing students and providers must become mindful of the things that impact their emotional health and set up a plan for success from the very beginning so that we don't get to the point where we are exhausted and where we have a positive place and culture," she said.
In late December 2020, Patently Apple posted a report titled "Israeli Spyware, possibly used by the Saudi Arabian Government, was able to target iPhones of Al-Jazeera journalists. The spyware reportedly being used was Pegasus from NGO. It's believed the software was used against journalist Jamal who was brutally murdered by a team of Saudi security forces.

Flash forwarding to today and we're learning more about Pegasus spyware breaching Apple's iOS security once again. A new report by Amnesty International published on Sunday claims that journalists of over 16 media outlets along with human right activists, lawyers and Politian's worldwide have been snooped on by "authoritarian governments" using hacking supplied by the Israeli NSO Group.

The Pegasus Project is a ground-breaking collaboration by more than 80 journalists from 17 media organizations in ten countries coordinated by Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit, with the technical support of Amnesty International, which conducted cutting-edge forensic tests on mobile phones to identify traces of the spyware.

The report went on to state that "Clearly, their actions pose larger questions about the wholesale lack of regulation that has created a wild west of rampant abusive targeting of activists and journalists. Until this company and the industry as a whole can show it is capable of respecting human rights, there must be an immediate moratorium on the export, sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology."

From the leaked data and their investigations, Forbidden Stories and its media partners identified potential NSO clients in 11 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates.

Amnesty Internationals full report mentions Apple's iPhone 26 times. In the first mention, the report noted that "Most recently, a successful 'zero-click' attack has been observed exploiting multiple zero-days to attack a fully patched iPhone 12 running iOS 14.6 in July 2021.

In response, NGO Group replied by stating that the Amnesty International report was based on "wrong assumptions" and "uncorroborated theories" and reiterated that the company was on a "life-saving mission."

Supporting this, NGO's website Claims: "NSO creates technology that helps government agencies prevent and investigate terrorism and crime to save thousands of lives around the globe.

Terrorists, drug traffickers, pedophiles, and other criminals have access to advanced technology and are harder to monitor, track, and capture than ever before.

The worlds most dangerous offenders communicate using technology designed to shield their communications, while government intelligence and law-enforcement agencies struggle to collect evidence and intelligence on their activities.

Due to these ongoing global concerns, the member nations of the Five Eyes (FVEY) intelligence alliance warn that, 'The increasing gap between the ability of law enforcement to lawfully access data and their ability to acquire and use the content of that data is a pressing international concern that requires urgent, sustained attention."

Depending on what side of the argument you stand on, NGO makes a powerful counter argument for needing sophisticated software to stay ahead of criminals and terrorists. Benefits that Amnesty International refuses to acknowledge.

With that said, Amnesty's report mentioning the iPhone 26 times has forced Apple to officially respond to the report. In a statement issued today, Ivan Krstic, head of Apple security engineering and architecture, stated that breaches from the likes of Pegasus weren't a threat to average iPhone users.

Krstic added that "Apple unequivocally condemns cyberattacks against journalists, human rights activists, and others seeking to make the world a better place. For over a decade, Apple has led the industry in security innovation, and, as a result, security researchers agree iPhone is the safest, most secure consumer mobile device on the market."

As expected, the European Union on Monday condemned any spying on journalists, after reports that Israeli software had been used to hack the smartphones of journalists, government officials and rights activists worldwide.
Allianz Insurance, a subsidiary of Allianz Group has launched a new initiative Allianz Heroes that will reward sales agents for their contribution to the company.



Based on their achieved targets, the sales agents across the country will receive airtime and home appliances on a monthly and quarterly basis.



In addition, the three top agents for the year will also get an all-expense-paid trip to Germany as the ultimate prize.



Expressing his excitement about the initiative, the Head of Agency and Retail at Allianz Insurance, Paul Therson, said: We cant stress enough how thankful we are for the commitment, hard work, and loyalty our sales agents continue to show at all times and help us to increase our customer satisfaction and this is one way we want to celebrate them.



He explained that the initiative is essential to encourage and empower the sales agents to advance the products and services of the company to secure the future of its customers.



He added that the company will continue to equip sales agents with customer engagement skill sets that will see them become more efficient, knowledgeable and improve on their individual performance.



We have demonstrated commitment to helping and empowering young Ghanaians and will continue to find innovative ways through which we can empower many more young people in the insurance industry.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour strongly believes the government's idea to spend GHc34.8 million to purchase past questions for 2021 WASSCE candidates under the free SHS program was laudable.



He claims the buying was not only to support some deprived schools  but also, its an educational process.



Go to America, UK, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria among others, the education sector always buy past questions for final year candidates, he justified.



Tell me who in Ghana has not benefitted from past questions before exams? he questioned in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie'.



His comment follows an argument from some members of the NDC and the general public that the purchase wasnt necessary.



Some also indicated that the amount involved must be investigated.



Listen to interview below













Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The deadly violence and looting that have rocked South Africa for the past week were planned, President Cyril Ramaphosa has alleged, during his first visit to areas affected by the worst unrest in the countrys post-apartheid era.



It is quite clear that all these incidents of unrest and looting were instigated, there were people who planned it and coordinated it, he said on Friday.



Ramaphosa made the remarks when he visited Ethikwini Municipality, which includes the port city Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province, one of the worst-hit areas in a week of looting that destroyed hundreds of businesses. At least 117 people have died, some shot and others killed in looting stampedes.



We are going after them, we have identified a good number of them, and we will not allow anarchy and mayhem to just unfold in our country, Ramaphosa told reporters.



The government said on Thursday that one of the suspected instigators had been arrested and 11 were under surveillance. In all, 2,203 people have been arrested during the unrest for various offences, including theft.



Ramaphosa did admit, however, that his government could have acted quicker to prevent the unrest and expressed concerns about growing racial tensions in KwaZulu-Natal.



Zuma jailed



Protests broke out a day after Ramaphosas predecessor Jacob Zuma, who wields support among the poor and loyalists in the governing African National Congress (ANC)  began a 15-month jail term for refusing to testify to a corruption investigation.



They quickly turned into looting as crowds pillaged shopping malls and warehouses, hauling away goods as police stood by, seemingly powerless to act.



South Africa has deployed more than 20,000 defence personnel to assist police in quelling the unrest.



In one of the largest troop deployments since the end of white minority rule in 1994, the government said 10,000 soldiers were on the streets by Thursday morning and the South African National Defence Force has also called up all of its reserve forces of 12,000 soldiers.



South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that the government is now in control of most of the areas where there has been looting and riots.



There are still pockets of areas, where there continue to be some looting, she told Al Jazeera.



Local communities have stood their ground to repel any individuals, trying to enter businesses, Pandor said.



In the majority, it is now quiet. What we need to do is to maintain stability to start the process of rebuilding, she added.

Source: Aljazeera









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A cargo vessel has sunk after managing to sail out of the port in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, despite being impounded for safety reasons.



The Liberian-registered Niko Ivanka got into distress after sailing about six nautical miles off the coast of Monrovia, according to a statement from the Liberia Maritime Authority.



Reports say it was carrying between 20-30 passengers when it sunk.



Army chief General Prince C Johnson III told the BBC that 11 passengers had been rescued



Maritime officials said in a press statement they were hopeful of recovering everyone.



Some officials from the Liberian chapter of the West African Examinations Council were among the passengers but it is not clear if they were rescued.



But as a result of the accident, the annual exams they were supposed to supervise have been indefinitely postponed across the country, education ministry officials said in a statement on Monday.



It's unclear how the boat was cleared to leave the port and carry passengers.



The Niko Ivanka routinely transports goods between the ports of Monrovia and Harper in the southeast.



It was traveling to the south-eastern county of Maryland on the border with Ivory Coast.

Source: BBC









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Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera says it is "unfair" to criticize him for appointing his daughter as a diplomat.



"I have made over 2,000 appointments in the civil service, and Malawians have a problem with only one person - my daughter, who is going to Brussels as a diplomat. Why? I'm very disappointed. It's unfair," Mr. Chakwera said through his press officer, Brian Banda.



Since he appointed his daughter Violet as the third secretary at the Malawi embassy in Brussels, critics have been sharing his old speeches decrying his predecessor practicing nepotism.



Mr Banda said the president found it "unfair" to be criticized for appointing a qualified person "merely because the person is the president's daughter".



Since taking office last year, Mr. Chakwera has made several controversial appointments.



He has been criticized for naming a cabinet comprising a husband and wife, a brother and sister and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and with a majority coming from the same district or his home region.

Source: BBC









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The 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC), which began on the night of Sunday, June 27, officially ends today, Sunday, July 18.



The nationwide exercise was originally scheduled to end on Sunday, July 11 but was extended by one more week to enable enumerators mop up in districts where data collection was not complete.



As of the initial end date, 80 percent coverage has been attained.



In mid-week, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicated that the figure has gone up to 85 percent with 15 out of the 16 regions of Ghana above 80 percent and 10 out of the 15 above 90 percent.



North East Region had attained 99 percent, according to GSS, with the Greater Accra Region at 64 percent.



GSS wishes to assure the public who are yet to be counted that no one will be left behind, it said on Wednesday, July 14.



The 2021 PHC aims for complete coverage and generation of quality dtata for decision-making.









Source: 3news.com









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The Assemblyman of the Ankobrah Electoral Area in the Western Region, Mr Isaac Morkeh Codjoe, has appealed for assistance to protect the mangrove habitats around the Ankobrah River from being destroyed for firewood and construction.



Mangroves are a group of tropical trees or shrubs that grow in dense thickets or forests along tidal estuaries with exposed roots that serve as buffer between marine and terrestrial communities by protecting shorelines from damaging winds, waves, and floods.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Mr Codjoe said although other conservation groups had intervened through education and awareness creation, the problem still persisted and getting out of hand.



The Assemby and other groups have tried to protect the mangrove forests around the Akobrah River for so many years, but things are not the same now. People are cutting down the trees to sell for firewood and for construction, he said.



Most people here either go to the sea or to the river to fish. As we all know, marine fisheries in Ghana are suffering. The fishermen return from the sea every day with zero catch.



Previously, some of them will turn to the Ankobrah River to get some fish, but galamsey has destroyed the river. They can spend the whole day and catch only one fish in the polluted water.



Illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey has had devastating effects on the environment and livelihoods, not to mention the impact on fisheries around the Ankobrah, Mr Cudjoe said.



Several years of galamsey has destroyed the Ankobrah River, affecting the biodiversity of fishery resources around the area, he said.



Mr Codjoe said communities within his electoral area included Kotokro, Sanwoma, and Bobrama and that with their livelihoods destroyed, some of the people were cutting down the mangrove vegetation to sell.



He, therefore, called on the government, civil society organisations, and individuals to help protect the mangrove habitats to safeguard the environment and secure livelihoods.



Mr Muntaka Chasant, an Environmentalist, said the importance of mangroves in providing habitats for many species of coastal and offshore fish/shellfish and tackling climate change could not be over-emphasised.



Mangroves are incredibly important shrubs. They provide sheltered and spawning sites for fish and crustaceans, protect coastlines and act as sinks by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, he told the GNA.



This helps us to regulate the global climate. Destroying them releases decades of stored carbon into the atmosphere, worsening the climate crisis.



Mr Chasant, documenting mangrove habitats and livelihoods around the Ankobrah, said non-governmental organisations such as the Henmpoano had done an incredible job by creating awareness on the importance of mangroves in the coastal communities, but the problem still persisted.



Mr Codjoes call is, therefore, very critical. We all know the long-term impacts the polluted Ankobrah River will have on the health of the mangrove habitats around the area. The appropriate authorities need to intervene immediately to protect the mangrove forests.

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 Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Assin South John Ntim Fordjour have justified the procurement of West African Education Council(WAEC) past questions from Kingdom Books because they have the sole right to reproduce past questions with the examiners report in the country.



He said the state decided to procure past questions for the final year students to give a level ground for all the students due to the inability of some parents to afford the luxury of buying past questions for their wards.



Mr Fordjour said the practice of procuring past questions for students is quite the norm even in advanced countries and their examinations, like in the Standard Aptitude Test (SAT) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.



He said the 430-page booklet contains all the past questions and examiners report from WAEC, which has given the sole right to Kingdom Books in Ghana to reproduce the booklet in Ghana. This is the reason why the government is dealing with them to procure the past questions and not any other entity else in the country.



Mr Fordjour pointed out that the past question booklet was procured at GHS 71.25 in 2019 but has been raised by 9.47%, making it GHS 78 so it is justified for the government to procure the document for the best outcome of its students in the country. He said it is incorrect the figures that the minority are quoting as the price procured in 2019 at GHS 59 per unit is false due to a typo error made on the document presented to parliament.



He said these typo errors are commonplace in the House that is why a provision is made to correct errors on the floor of parliament and just yesterday he had corrected six pages on the document containing errors inadvertently made in printing it. He said it will be a mistake for the minority to hang on to these mistakes to doubt the legitimacy of the procurement.



Mr Fordjour disclosed this in an interview with Berla Mundi on the New Day show on TV3, Wednesday, July 15.



He was speaking on the back of the procurement of past question booklets for final year Senior High students by the government through the Ghana Education Service(GES) in 2019. The minority have raised concerns about the inflated price on the booklet and also why the government is dealing with Kingdom Books for the past questions and no entity else in the country.



As students have been prepared for three years, its best practice everywhere that when you are going to write SAT, when you are sitting for IB when you are sitting for Cambridge, when you are sitting for GRE and any international exams for that matter, past questions and a comprehensive examiners report are made available at a fee to the user. In West Africa, five countries that make up WAEC, many countries are spending sufficiently to prepare their children to pass. This practice of compiling past questions and examiners reports to introduce to the children in their revision period on how they have to prepare for the exams that are ahead he pointed out.



He added we have had situations where particularly people from underserved communities and underserved backgrounds are not able to afford. We have had parents who are spending as much as GHS 1000, GHS 2000 just to be able to compile certain materials to aid their wards. And this time, for equity and across the board, a booklet that is 430 pages so when people are calling for value for money, let us have it in mind that that the booklet is 430 pages of all past questions and examiners report and you will not get it for GHS 200 or GHS 500 anywhere on the market. And so if it was procured at GHS 71.25 in 2019 and two years on it has been reviewed at 9.47% to 78% that is the matter.



Mr Fordjour also submitted that aside from the free past questions for the students, the government supplied four core textbooks to the final year Senior High School students, a feat he says no government has done before.



WAEC owns the copyright to all their questions, materials and examiners reports, if there is any publisher out there who without legal authority from WAEC is reproducing any WAEC material that publisher is doing so at the breach of the law. And this must be put in context, the only company that WAEC has given that legal authority to reproduce their past questions and examiners report is Kingdom Books. As and when other publishers are able to obtain the legal right to reproduce WAEC material, the competitive tender must be engaged. But as we speak the only company which has the sole right to reproduce is Kingdom Books, he clarified on the New Day show.





Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Asking the Chief Justice to step aside is "alien to the constitution" according to a renowned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako.



The opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, wants the Chief Justice, Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah, to step aside temporarily, following a $5 million bribery allegation made against him.



The General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah at a press conference on Tuesday, 13th July 2021 said:

The difficulty with this is that the investigations would concern the Chief Justice, who is the subject of the bribery allegations in this matter and in whom disciplinary authority against Judicial Officers is vested under Section 18 of the Judicial Service Act.



Good governance dictates that the Chief Justice steps aside during the pendency of the investigations by the Judicial Service relative to the issue of alleged misconduct on his part as a Supreme Court Judge. The Chief Justice cannot be a judge in his own cause, hence cannot set up a committee to investigate allegations of misconduct against himself.



The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper in a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo' said there are lawful ways to deal with the issue than asking him to step aside



"I have not seen anywhere in the constitution which says if you have a case against the Chief Justice, he should step aside. There are proceedures to follow and it's in the constitution; step aside is alien. They should go by the law if they are sure the Chief Justice has done something wrong, they should go by the law otherwise, it's a sheer waste of precious time and space..." he said.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Private legal practitioner, Akoto Ampaw, has reacted to the $5m bribery allegations levelled against Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, describing it as "infantile and preposterous".



According to him, Lawyer Afrifa must have his own diabolical reasons for trying to implicate me in this crazy judicial bribery scandal, which manifestly does not add up.



Background



A Kumasi-based private legal practitioner, Lawyer Akwasi Afrifa, is in the limelight for perhaps all the wrong reasons, after he accused the Chief Justice, Kwesi Anin-Yeboah, of demanding a $5 million bribe.



Mr Akwasi Afrifa, Esq, in response to an invitation by the General Legal Council, alleged that his former client, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV informed him that Chief Justice Kwesi Annin-Yeboah, demanded a bribe of 5,000,000 for a successful outcome of his case and that he had already paid 500,000 to the Chief Justice.



The case under reference is OGYEEDOM OBRANU KWESI ATTA IV V GHANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY & LANDS COMMISSION.



Akwasi Afrifa further claimed the Traditional ruler informed him that the Chief Justice had agreed to ensure a favourable ruling in his case provided he selects Mr Akoto Ampaw as a lawyer in the stead of Mr Afrifa.



Meanwhile, Justice Anin-Yeboah has denied the allegation and petitioned the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the matter.



Step Aside



But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) insists the Chief Justice should step aside for investigations to continue.



The largest opposition party called on Parliament to invoke Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution to compel President Akufo-Addo, to establish a Commission of Inquiry to probe the $5million bribery allegation.



General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, explained that the Chief Justice, who is the accused in the said matter, cannot be the very authority to set up a committee to investigate and declare judgement.



The difficulty, however, with is this is that the investigations would concern the Chief Justice who is the subject of the bribery allegation in this matter and in whom disciplinary authority against judicial officers is vested under section 18 of the Judicial Service Act. Therefore, good governance dictates that the Chief Justice steps aside during the pendency of the investigations by the Judicial Service relative to the issue of alleged misconduct on his part, as a Supreme Court Judge, he stated.



Akoto Ampaw Breaks Silence



In a statement issued on Monday, Lawyer Akoto Ampaw accused Mr Afrifa of implicating him for his (Afrifa's) own "diabolical reasons".



Lawyer Afrifa must have his own diabolical reasons for trying to implicate me in this crazy judicial bribery scandal, which manifestly does not add up. That is his problem," he said in reaction to his name being embroiled in the matter.



1. Some time at the end of July 2020, Ogyeedom came to see me at our offices at Kojo Thompson Road, Adabraka, Accra, with a request that he wanted me to take over the prosecution of his case in the Supreme Court. I indicated that it would be foolhardy on my part to take over a case before the Supreme Court that was to be heard in some two to three days time. I, therefore, urged him to still rely on his current legal team in the pending application and, if thereafter, he still wanted my professional services, I would be ready to hear him out.



Sometime later, during the legal vacation, last year, Ogyeedom came back to consult with me, and, with much reluctance, I agreed to take up the brief, upon the very clear understanding that if he wanted me to take up the case because he thought I was politically connected or had friends within the judiciary, then he was at the wrong place, as I did not carry on my work as a lawyer by such dishonourable means. Indeed, I have had to make similar caveat to many potential clients when they seek my professional services, as, alas, these days, virtually everything seems to be for sale in our country and ethical standards have gone to the dogs. Fortunately, my junior, Nicholas Lenin Anane Agyei, was present in my office when I laid out this standard for my professional relationship with Ogyeedom, and he can testify to same.



Eventually, I agreed to take up the brief and filed notice of change of lawyer in the Supreme Court sometime in October. I have since been in the Supreme Court on a few occasions in respect of the matter to move an application to adduce new evidence in response to the Courts grant of an earlier application by the appellant to adduce new evidence.



On March 31, 2021, the Supreme Court granted our application by a four to one ruling. Incidentally, the Chief Justice, who, according to lawyer Afrifas yarn, wanted me to be engaged as a lawyer in the matter to facilitate an outcome favourable to my client, was the dissenting judge out of a panel of five. The records are there for anyone to access, including the media.







Attached a copy of Lawyer Akoto Ampaw's response:

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Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A natural gas refuelling port is seen on a vehicle at the Vancouver Board of Trade energy forum, in Vancouver in an October 8, 2014, file photo. A northern B.C. first nation and two liquefied natural gas companies have filed a project description notice for a new extraction project.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Flags of Canada and China are placed for the first China-Canada economic and financial strategy dialogue in Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018.Canada is joining the United States and other allies in blaming China for a massive cyber attack that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Lee/Pool Photo via AP
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President Steve Scott to wrap up time at the helm in June 2022

Monday, July 19, 2021 3:15 PM

Alumni, People and Society, News, Milestones

Pittsburg, KS

Pittsburg State University President Steve Scott has announced he will step down from his position in June 2022, at the end of the current fiscal year.

But hes stopping short of calling it a retirement, choosing instead to keep his future options open, he told the Kansas Board of Regents this week.

Ive strived to lead a life of purpose serving others, and even in the years ahead, Im not finished, he said. It will be clearer as the year closes what that might entail; Im still tenured as a faculty member here, so perhaps that might entail teaching  I just dont yet know.

He will be staying in Pittsburg, where he and his wife have already purchased a home and recently completed renovating it; they love the community and plan to remain active participants at university events and within the community.

My mentor, former Commissioner of Education Andy Tompkins, once told me Youll know when the time is right, Scott said. A few months ago, I realized that time is here.

Leadership

An alumnus of Pittsburg State, Scott has for the past three decades served the university in every leadership capacity possible: as a faculty member in the College of Education, chair of the Department of Special Services and Leadership Studies, dean of the College of Education, vice president for Academic Affairs, and most recently, provost in 2008.

His presidency, which began in 2009, has been nothing short of challenging: it was bookended by the Great Recession and will come to a close as the world continues to fight a global pandemic. It also marked a time during which Kansas universities saw a decline in state financial support.

Tompkins praised Scotts steady guidance and described him as a dedicated and visionary servant leader with a passion for higher education.

One quality that has been at the heart of his success is an unrelenting commitment to continually improve his leadership so that he can be worthy of the opportunities and responsibilities that his position has afforded him, Tompkins said. The care he takes in working through difficult decisions, the focus that he places on growing leaders at the university, and the risks that he has taken to help Pittsburg State evolve in its service to students, faculty, alumni, donors, colleagues, and the state are prime examples of this commitment.

Lifelong connection

A Baxter Springs native and the son of two teachers, Scotts relationship with Pittsburg State began in childhood: his mother and father were both graduates, as is his brother, longtime CEO of Walmart.

Scott earned a bachelors degree in mathematics from Pittsburg State in 1973, then went on to complete a masters degree in mathematics from Oklahoma State University in 1977, an educational specialists degree from Pittsburg State in 1984, and a doctorate degree in education from Oklahoma State University in 1990.

He married his high school sweetheart, Cathy Johnson, who also became a teacher, and their children, Kylie and Phil, and grandchildren, Josie, Hank, and Beau, have become ardent and active Gorilla fans.

Milestones

During Scotts tenure, the campus has seen some of the most ambitious building projects in its history, including the funding and completion of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, Block22, the Plaster Center, and the expansion of the Overman Student Center.

One of the highlights of his time in office was leading a conversation on stage at the Bicknell Center with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, as well as welcoming former President Bill Clinton and former first lady Laura Bush to campus.

Under his leadership, the university also completed many academic milestones, including the addition of a Doctor of Nursing Practice  the first doctoral program in university history  and the addition of the regions first undergraduate polymer chemistry degree, as well as the expansion of the Gorilla Advantage program to 31 states.

As chief executive officer of Pittsburg State, Scott has overseen all aspects of the university. Under his guidance, the university developed a comprehensive strategic plan which defines academic excellence, student success, partnerships and innovation as the top priorities of the institution.

Beyond serving as CEO of the university, Scott has held seats on numerous regional and national councils and boards, including serving as chair of the NCAA Division II Presidents Council, the highest governing body in Division II; as the chair of the MIAA CEO Council; and as a member of the University of Kansas Cancer Center Community Advisory Board.

He has a been a leader in fostering a deeper and more productive relationship between the university and the region, including a strengthened bond with the community of Pittsburg and the citys leaders.

But for Scott, he said, some of the most rewarding moments have come when reconnecting with graduates about the ways in which Pittsburg State changed their lives; sometimes its by email, but often it occurs by chance in their place of employment when they recognize him or hes wearing Gorilla gear.

Its a reminder that our graduates are everywhere, that theyre making a difference in the workforce and in their communities, and its always a goosebump moment to see them and know we played a role in getting them there, Scott said.

Equally rewarding, he said, have been the relationships he has developed with donors  something deeply meaningful to him, he said, because of the lasting friendships forged, and to the university, which counts on their support.

One of the best and most fulfilling parts of my time in this role has been those relationships, which have become so personal Ive attended birthday celebrations, open houses, funerals, visitations, and just all kinds of events that are meaningful to our donors and their families, he said. Our donors believe so much in this place. What you see around campus is the result of private money, so without them what we do here just wouldnt be possible. They will continue to be friends of mine for life, and Im confident their support of Pittsburg State will endure as well.

Three significant capital projects remain on Scotts mind and on the universitys horizon, and this year hell focus on getting those projects underway: Kelce College of Business renovation; a simulation hospital at McPherson Hall, home to the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing; and John Lance Arena updates.

Scott notified the Kansas Board of Regents of his decision last week and the board will discuss the search in coming months.
Stranger Things & Black Widow Star David Harbour Talks Poker & Rounders Movie

July 18, 2021 Chad Holloway

There are few Hollywood stars hotter right now than David Harbour, who stars in Netflixs Stranger Things as well as in the latest Marvel movie, Black Widow. As it turns out, Harbour used to grind poker as revealed in a recent interview with First We Feast, an online magazine focused on food, drink, and pop culture.

In the video interview posted to their YouTube Channel on July 15 that already has more than 1.4 million views in just three days, Harbour sat down with host Sean Evans to chat. During the conversation, guests must answer questions as they eat progressively spicy chicken wings. The show has featured A-list celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Gordon Ramsay, Kevin Hart, and Shaq.

Among the topics covered in the interview included Shakespeare, penguins, and most applicable to our readers, poker!

New York Underground Poker Clubs

Early on in the interview, Evans asked, Whats the most harrowing experience you had as a young man and member of an underground New York City poker club?

Harbour immediately broke out in laughter wondering how the interviewer even knew about the topic.

Did we play together? Harbour asks.

Evans responded in the negative and then asked Harbour if he ever saw a brazen armed-robbery attempt or play in a high-stakes game.

Yeah, I used to play in some high-stakes games, Harbour said while wiping his mouth. I never saw anything go down but one of the reasons those places got shut down because they were sort of sanctioned, I mean under the table, by the cops for a long time. And then what happened was guys would break-in, a guy broke in, I guess a couple guys broke in with shotguns and accidentally one of them went off and shot an old guy. Its not as romantic as you think it is.

Fond Memories of Rounders

Harbour then referenced a cult favorite flick amongst poker fans  Rounders. It was in those New York City games that Harbour claims to have crossed paths with screenwriters David Levien and Brian Koppelman, who have since gone on to write the hit Showtime series Billions.

That movie Rounders, thats what is like in my head, Harbour said. Those guys who wrote that movie, I used to play with, and I know the guy who is Teddy KGB and he does not look like John Malkovich, he looks like kind of a dumpy, little dude. But yeah, there was a real beautiful moment in the underground poker scene in New York that I wish lasted forever.

Heres a look at the First We Feast interview with David Harbour. The poker talk starts at the 5:32-mark.

*Lead image from wiki.commons
The Aiken County Sheriff's Office is seeking community assistance finding a witness after a Family Dollar in Warrenville was robbed.

The robbery took place July 13 around 9:30 p.m. at the store, located at 1207 Augusta Road.

Two armed Black males entered the store after the witness exited, according to a news release. A third Black male stood watch outside the front doors during the robbery, according to a news release for the Sheriff's Office.

At gunpoint, the store employees were told to open the safe and cash registers. The suspects stole money and an amount of tobacco products, according to the release.

Before the suspects ran away, it was reported that they went through one of the store employees' cars.

A second Family Dollar located at 132 Kerr St. in North Augusta was robbed by an armed Black male. The robbery took place July 18 around 9:59 p.m., according to the release.

It is believed that the two cases are not related at this time.

Anyone with information on this crime or the witness is urged to call ACSO at 803-648-6811 or submit a tip to CrimeStoppers. Tips to CrimeStoppers can be submitted online at crimesc.com and clicking Submit a Tip. Tips submitted through CrimeStoppers will remain anonymous.
EDGEFIELD  Main Street had much more than its regular amount of pedestrian traffic Sunday, with hundreds of visitors on hand to mark a military anniversary. The 122nd Engineer Battalion of the South Carolina National Guard was established in 1946, and several decades of soldiers celebrated the occasion, gathering for about three midday hours in the town square.

Soldiers lined up to hear about the unit's history and mission, and were dismissed for a couple of hours to take part in "food, fun and fellowship," with a variety of booths and family-friendly attractions available for exploration.

"Everything went great," said Maj. Caroline O' Sullivan, with the 122nd. "We were really pleased to have a lot of support from the community and former soldiers and everyone in the state of South Carolina as well."

This was her first time to see a unit celebrate 75 years, she added. "It's a huge milestone, and hopefully we'll have a lot more to celebrate in the next 75 years."

Reps. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, and Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, were among the high-profile visitors, presenting a proclamation "to commend the more than 750 soldiers, their families, retirees and veterans of this historic and courageous battalion on their dedicated and selfless service to the state of South Carolina and this great nation; and to extend best wishes for its continued success in the years to come," as stated in the document.

"This battalion has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other locations for missions throughout the country," said retiree Kevin Joy, a North Augusta resident.

"The National Guard falls under the governor, but they also fall under the Department of Defense," he said, pointing out that the results can be having troops respond for civil service, such as dealing with a flood, hurricane or tornado, or troops can be sent abroad to face other challenges.

Joy pointed out that his military background included years in the 122nd and in a variety of other scenarios. "I joined in 2001, and in 2003 we got deployed to Iraq, so the battalion was over there in Fallujah, Al Asad Airbase  all your hot spots there in Iraq."

His National Guard years continued until 2014, and prior military background included years in the Marine Corps (1973-85), followed by a stretch (1985-2006) working in the federal prison system and a little longer (2016-18) in the state prison system. His current local associates include the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League and the Fraternal Order of Police.

O'Sullivan, referring to the battalion at the center of attention, said, "We ... have several different type of engineer companies. We have a bridging company, we have ... vertical construction detachments and we have horizontal construction companies and then we have combat engineers as well."

Major recent engagements, she said, included the response to the catastrophic flood of October 2015, "and currently, we're staging to help out with hurricane response in this upcoming year."

Major backers of the Sunday event were such organizations as Edgefield Pool Room, Park Row Market, TLC Confections Bakery and Cafe, Edgefield Police Department, Dearybury Oil and Gas, Frank Chapman Resource Development Association and the Palmetto chapter of the Army Engineer Association of South Carolina.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and accused Beijing of working with criminal hackers on ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a "pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace." They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese government hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.

The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that has targeted victims  including in the U.S.  with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials allege that China's Ministry of State Security has been using criminal contract hackers who have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the Ministry of State Security in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of stealing trade secrets and confidential business information.

Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination public shaming as sending an important message.

Even without fresh sanctions, the actions Monday are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in China's western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities. Then on Friday, the administration advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.

The European Union and Britain also called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with "significant effects" that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the bloc's 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.'s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was "conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage."

The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack "by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour," U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations "and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace." The alliance said it was determined to "actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats."

That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was "the kind of aggressive behavior that we're seeing coming out of China."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government "to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct," the official said.

The Microsoft Exchange hack that months ago compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world was swiftly attributed to Chinese cyber spies by private sector groups. An administration official said the government's attribution to hackers affiliated with China's Ministry of State Security took until now in part because of the discovery of the ransomware and for-profit hacking operations and because the administration wanted to pair the announcement with guidance for businesses about tactics that the Chinese have been using.

An advisory Monday from the FBI, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency laid out specific techniques and ways that government agencies and businesses can protect themselves.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately return an email seeking comment Monday. But a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has previously deflected blame for the Microsoft Exchange hack, saying that China "firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms" and cautioned that attribution of cyberattacks should be based on evidence and not "groundless accusations."

___

Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report.
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COLUMBIA  The 27-year-old Clarendon County man facing murder charges in the killing of 21-year-old Samantha Josephson told a judge the first day of the trial he wanted a new lawyer.

Nathaniel Rowland, wearing a dark blue shirt and tie and khaki pants, appeared before Judge Clifton Newman during a break in jury selection July 19. Rowland told Newman his family had been in touch with another attorney and that he wasnt satisfied by the work of his public defender, Tracy Pinnock.

I just feel like shes not fighting for me as she would fight for her own, Rowland told Newman.

Pressed by Newman why he wasnt satisfied with Pinnocks work, Rowland said she was unprepared and disorderly. Pinnock, who has worked with the public defenders office 13 years, told Newman she had represented Rowland to the best of her ability.

Rowland was charged in March 2019 with murder and kidnapping in the death of Josephson, a University of South Carolina senior who had gotten in a ride she thought was her Uber in Five Points.

Rowland said Fielding Pringle, the chief public defender, had initially been assigned to Rowland's case but recused herself because of a potential conflict of interest. Rowland questioned how Pringle could have a conflict that didn't also affect another attorney in the public defender's office.

Pringle, called before Newman to explain, told the judge she had worked closely with someone whom Josephson knew at USC.

Rowland said his family had been in touch with another attorney, Debra Moore, who planned to represent him. He asked for a week delay in the hearing to hire the new attorney.

Rowland said his family told him the change had been made Friday, but Newman and attorneys on both sides of the case said they hadnt received any sort of notice that was the case.

Pinnock told the court she spoke to Moore on July 18 and the former prosecutor said Rowland had not hired her.

Newman pointed out that Moore had worked in the 5th Circuit Solicitor's office, the prosecutor in the case, from May 2019 until the end of 2020. This was while Rowland's case was pending, making Moore's hiring a clear conflict of interest, the judge said.

Newman asked that law enforcement officers find Moore and have her appear in court.

In the meantime, the judge said he wasn't inclined to pause proceedings and that jury selection would proceed the afternoon of July 19.

When Rowland returned to the courtroom later July 19, he told Newman that Moore had not been retained and there must have been a misunderstanding. A court clerk also told Newman she had called Moore and Moore said she did not represent Rowland.

Newman told Rowland to continue with Pinnock and public defender Alicia Goode to continue as his attorneys.

And at the end of the day, Newman asked Rowland if he was satisfied with his current attorneys and he gave a thumbs up.

About 700 people were called as potential jurors for Rowlands trial, twice as many as typical. The size of the pool is partly due to the nature of the case but also because COVID-19 has resulted to more people being sent home from jury duty.

The judge asked potential jurors how closely theyve followed the case and whether theyve seen videos of what led up to the death, have strong feelings about Five Points, or moral or religious objections to drinking alcohol or marijuana use.

Several potential jurors were excused by the judge for forming opinions about guilt or innocence.

Jury selection could be finished by July 20 with opening arguments starting in the afternoon.

The case stems from Josephson disappearance from outside a Five Points bar on a chilly March 2019 evening She was found dead hours later 65 miles away in a field by turkey hunters. Security cameras caught Josephson entering the backseat of a black sedan that authorities said she thought was an Uber she requested but was a trap because the child safety locks had been activated.

Rowland is charged with murder in the killing of the New Jersey woman who was heading to law school. He was arrested after police spotted a car matching the description the one Josephson entered was seen the night after her disappearance back in Five Points.

Blood matching Josephsons was found in the car, authorities testified during a 2020 hearing during which Rowland was denied bond.

Josephsons debit card was used twice at ATMs after she disappeared, and someone tried selling Josephsons phone at a store for $300, prosecutors and authorities testified during the 2020 hearing.

Rowland has denied his charges, and his family has maintained his innocence. He has no prior convictions.

Murder convictions and guilty pleas in South Carolina carry a sentence of 30 years to life.
Adam Parker has covered many beats and topics for The Post and Courier, including race and history, religion, and the arts. He is the author of "Outside Agitator: The Civil Rights Struggle of Cleveland Sellers Jr.," published by Hub City Press.
South Carolina had 351 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on July 19.

Two deaths from the coronavirus were also reported to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, bringing the total number of COVID-related deaths to 8,694 since the start of the pandemic.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 351 confirmed, 226 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 496,856 confirmed, 106,785 probable.

Percent positive: 7.5 percent.

New deaths reported: 2 confirmed.

Total deaths in S.C.: 8,694 confirmed, 1,163 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled: 27.6 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

DHECs vaccine dashboard indicates that 49.7 percent of South Carolina residents have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. According to the dashboard, 43.8 percent of the states residents have completed their vaccinations.

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Hardest-hit areas

Charleston (38), Spartanburg (34), Greenville (31) and Lexington (31) counties saw the highest total numbers of new cases.

What about tri-county?

In addition to Charleston County's 38 new cases on July 19, Berkeley had 21, and Dorchester County had 15.

Deaths

DHEC did not report the ages of the two people who died in the July 16 data.

Hospitalizations

Of the 232 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of July 19, 53 were in the ICU and 16 were using ventilators. This dashboard was last updated on July 12.

What do experts say?

Herd immunity from COVID-19 will happen when enough people are protected from the virus either by contracting it or by getting vaccinated. DHEC reports 70 to 80 percent of the states population would need to be immune to COVID-19 to meet herd immunity.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina, go to vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov or call 866-365-8110.
More than 300 airmen from the S.C. Air National Guard returned to the Palmetto State over the weekend after a three-month deployment to Saudi Arabia.

The airmen with a contingent of F-16 jets from the Guard's 169th Fighter Wing were sent to Prince Sultan Air Base to bolster "defense capabilities and potential threats in the region," according to a spokeswoman.

South Carolina's Air National Guard consists of 1,500 airmen, and the majority of them work at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Hopkins. The 300 airmen returned to the Palmetto State on July 18.

This was the S.C. Air National Guard's largest deployment since the summer of 2018 when they supported a mission rotation in Kuwait. While in Saudi Arabia, the 300 airmen provided support for three major operations, including Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Spartan Shield, and Operation Freedom Sentinel.

Since Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and that fateful day of September 11, 2001, Airmen of the SCANG and the 169th Fighter Wing have regularly deployed and taken the fight to terrorists that threaten the safety and security of the entire world while simultaneously providing 24/7 homeland defense security, Air Force Col. Akshai Gandhi, the 169th Fighter Wing commander, said in a statement.

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Other deployments of the 169th Fighter Wing over the past two decades include Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar.

The National Guard is a part-time commitment for many soldiers and airmen. But so many hold full-time jobs in the community and have to be prepared to leave their families, employers and friends at a moment's notice in case of emergencies or sudden deployments.

There were some emotional reunions at McEntire Joint National Guard Base on July 18. One little girl held a sign that read "Can't wait to get my hands on my daddy," as she waited for her father to arrive on the tarmac. Spouses embraced their loved ones as they climbed out of their fighter jets. Siblings ran to meet their parents after the long absence.

We ask much of our Swamp Fox Team, their families, employers, and communities and I am truly humbled by their sustained support," Gandhi said. "Their sacrifices enable us to vigilantly ensure the sovereignty of our great country.
Authorities are investigating the death of a 23-year-old man who died on a bicycle following a collision with a Honda Accord on Savannah Highway in Charleston.

Chad Johnson, a man from Texas, died on the bridge July 16 after a sedan hit him while he was riding a bike, according to the Charleston County Coroners Office. Johnson died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The crash happened near midnight at the Ashley River Bridge. The car was traveling northbound on the Ashley River Bridge and struck the adult bicyclist in a lane of travel, according to a release from the Charleston Police Department.

This collision is the 10th traffic fatality investigated by the department this year, according to the release.

Charleston police are investigating the case. No criminal charges have been filed at this time.
A Georgia woman wants a chance to return her exotic cat to South Carolina after it was recently confiscated by officials in Atlanta.

Anna Fyfe, who reportedly moved to Georgia from South Carolina, was forced to give up her pet serval because it is illegal to keep the animals as pets in the state.

It is legal to have pet servals in South Carolina.

Authorities were on the search for the animal since last month, when it was roaming parts of Atlanta, entered a house and jumped on a woman's bed while she was sleeping, according to The Associated Press.

The wild cats are native to Africa, can grow up to about 40 pounds and are known for their black-spotted coats and large ears, among other features.

Fyfe's cat, Nala, was confiscated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on July 7. Mark McKinnon, a spokesman for the agency's law enforcement division, said the cat is temporarily being kept at a facility licensed by the DNR and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A permanent home for the cat has not been determined. McKinnon said it is normal practice for the state's DNR to take confiscated wild animals to wildlife sanctuaries or other licensed facilities.

A report from the AP said Fyfe, who raised the serval since it was a cub, wants DNR to return the animal to her as long as it is taken back to South Carolina immediately.

Fyfe did not respond to an interview request from The Post and Courier.

McKinnon said the case regarding Fyfe's cat is still under investigation, and he does not have information regarding whether she will be able to bring the cat back to the Palmetto State.

South Carolina's game and fish laws do not specifically address servals. Large wild cats including tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars and cheetahs are prohibited in the state unless the legal owner had possession of the animal prior to Jan. 1, 2018. In this case, the owner would have to register the cat with authorities.

But for something like an African serval, "it becomes kind of legal by omission," said Jay Butfiloski, the S.C. DNR's furbearer and alligator program coordinator. And that is the case for a lot of exotic species.

He said in most cases, animals like servals do not become a big issue.

"And so, because it doesn't become an issue, the Legislature just doesn't address it," Butfiloski said.

While he is unsure just how dangerous a serval could be, Butfiloski said he is certain it could hurt a person if it decided it wanted to attack them. It is hard to tell what would set a wild animal off.

"Sometimes people get pets and they're great while they're young, and when they become sexually mature, sometimes their behavior changes," Butfiloski said.

Servals are popular among pet traders and can cost thousands of dollars.

Butfiloski recommends people check the laws before they visit or move to another state with animals other than a dog or cat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Last year, a local billboard company reached out to North Charleston High School art teacher Jennifer Connell with an idea: 12 billboards would be made available for a public showcase of student artworks.

Images would be displayed on digital and traditional billboards in Charleston and North Charleston. Connell would initiate a contest resulting in four winners and an honorable mention. The work of each winner would be mounted on three traditional billboards, and included in digital rotations.

The art would be on view for two months, after which the vinyl billboards would be rolled up and given to the students.

The project, which was unveiled in May and recently concluded, was a big hit.

The contest was judged by local artist Gail Robertson, with input coming from the teachers at North Charleston High School and the creative team at Adams Outdoor Advertising. Fatima Cuevas won first place for her creative portrait of activist and educator Angela Davis. Damian Mackley won second place for his mountain landscape called The Mind State.

Charisma Murray won third place for her painting of a baby-blue eye called Lashes. Jasmine Parrott won fourth place for her portrait of Malcolm X. Kerchief Reed received an honorable mention for his submission, Blue Heart.

This was a special kind of public promotion (valued at around $35,000) that Adams Outdoor Advertising likes to do occasionally.

When we do public service projects, one thing that hits close to home to us is education, General Manager Ben Armitage said. So local schools are always on the radar, and North Charleston High School in particular, which is around the corner from Adams offices. We like to be involved in things that make an impact locally.

The project was the brainchild of Administrative Coordinator Lyn Turner. She thought: It would be cool to have an art contest and put student art on billboards. ... It would be a lot of fun, get recognition for the students, and show everyone what talent is there (at the school).

Turner emailed the art teachers, connected with Connell, and got the ball rolling.

Connell said the project was first proposed in the fall of 2020, but logistical challenges posed by the pandemic caused her to suggest pushing the billboard initiative to the spring term. She was thrilled that Principal Henry Darby showed his support during a period when schools were necessarily focused on managing the pandemic and coping with related restrictions.

As the competitive nature of the enterprise ramped up, so did student engagement, she said.

The project was integrated into Connells lesson plans, and students in all three sections of her class participated. Some worked in the classroom, others at home. And art supplies were limited, so students reached for what they could find.

Some students were using makeup, food coloring or fingernail polish, Connell said. It was so exciting that they were so innovative and creative.

The students had a choice of mediums: digital formats, collage and cutouts, pencil, pastel, printmaking and more.

It was diverse, Connell said. I wanted them to explore different opportunities and express themselves.

Damian Mackley, 16, submitted his landscape for evaluation. He said art is a way for him to convey his emotions, and the mountain scene is one that gives him comfort.

I see it as a happy place I go to in my dreams, he said.

He made it on a computer using a mousepad and a finger. The first attempt was pointillistic, but Connell thought he could do better, Damian said. So he went back to the drawing board and tried again with lines and shading and color.

I thought it was a really great opportunity to get my artwork out there, and kind of step outside my comfort zone to see what I could do, and what I could accomplish, Damian said.

Once he knew the images were mounted on the billboards, he and his mom Nicole Mackley drove around to find them. One was located on Spruill Avenue.

When I first saw it, my heart dropped, and I was so excited, he said.

Nicole Mackley pulled over to take pictures.

Im so proud of him, she said of her sons success in the project. Im still in awe of it. Its surreal.

Armitage, of Adams Outdoor Advertising, said his company would consider partnering with North Charleston High School again  and potentially with other schools.

"It's another reason to think good things about North Charleston High School," he said, noting the improvements made in recent years under Darby's leadership.

Putting art on billboards is a great way to publicize the school's accomplishments, Armitage said.
In celebration of the 77th Guam Liberation Day, U.S. Air Force aircraft will perform a formation flyover starting at 9 a.m. on July 21.

A formation of two F-15E Strike Eagles from the 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; an F-22 Raptor from the 525th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and an F-22 Raptor from the 199th FS, 154th Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii will fly from south to north along Marine Corps Drive, according to Andersen Air Force Base.

Tribute to lost airmen in B-52 crash

This flyover is also conducted in tribute to the six airmen who were killed on July 21, 2008, in a B-52 Stratofortress crash with the call sign Raider 21.

The Raider 21 aircrew deployed to Andersen AFB from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, in support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence mission.

Shortly after takeoff to perform a flyover at the 64th Guam Liberation Day parade, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure in one of the aircraft's wings and crashed off the coast of Guam.

A monument was constructed at the Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex in Adelup in 2009 to honor the aircrew.

The memorial is in the form of a latte stone, a symbol of Guam's history, with the names of the Raider 21 aircrew etched on its surface: Maj. Christopher Cooper, 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron aircraft commander; Capt. Michael Dodson, 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron co-pilot; 1st Lt. Robert Gerren, 20th EBS electronic warfare officer; Col. George Martin, 36th Medical Group deputy commander, chief of aerospace medicine and flight doctor for the deployed members; 1st Lt. Joshua Shepherd, 20th EBS navigator; and Maj. Brent Williams, 96th EBS radar navigator.
The "illegal shipment of fighting birds" from the states to Guam rose 600% during the first six months of 2021 compared to the prior year, according to animal welfare organizations that have been tracking the shipment of birds to the island using records from the Guam Department of Agriculture.

"Cockfighters have resumed their illegal trafficking of fighting animals destined for Guam," Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, stated in a release.

"We dont expect cockfighting enthusiasts and their political backers to like the unanimous set of federal court rulings upholding the federal law against animal fighting, but we do expect them to respect the law and the authority of the courts. The people sending and receiving these fighting animals are lawbreakers, participating in conduct that allows prosecutors to impose felony-level penalties upon perpetrators," he added.

Guam Department of Agriculture Director Chelsa Muna-Brecht had not commented on the release from AWA and Animal Wellness Foundation as of press time Monday.

The organizations stated that exports of birds to Guam dropped substantially between 2017 and 2018, and then again in 2019. The next year saw an even steeper decline with the publicizing of a new federal ban on cockfighting and the COVID-19 pandemic.

But numbers have surged in 2021, and Guam is on a path to far exceed 2019 import numbers, according to the release.

AWA and AWF stated that most of the shippers sending to birds to Guam come from Oklahoma or Hawaii, including two reportedly well-known Oklahoma cockfighting traffickers - Bill McNatt and John Bottoms - accounting for more than two-thirds of the birds shipped to Guam.

"There is one major California-based cockfighting trafficker, Domi Corpus (170), who ships fighting birds across the pacific rim, and also a major cockfighting trafficker, James Edwards (74), from North Carolina. Animal Wellness Action has extensive information on most traffickers on this years list of transports, except for a new name on the list - Hang Nhan (104) of Georgia," the groups stated.

Shippers typically mischaracterize the birds as "brood fowl" or "show fowl" to skirt federal law, according to AWA and AWF.

The groups said the Guam Department of Agriculture should not allow transports into Guam from McNatt, Bottoms and Corpus since they had published information demonstrating that these shippers are "steeped in the cockfighting business."

"There is no legitimate reason for their birds to come to Guam, since there is no commercial poultry industry or any other legitimate pretense for these shipments. This is a criminal conspiracy and federal law enforcement should act against these individuals," AWA and AWF stated.

The organizations have announced a $2,500 reward for anyone that provides information resulting in the successful federal prosecution of an individual or group who violate federal laws against animal fighting. The rewards program is on www.EndCockfighting.org.

The federal 2018 Farm Bill, enacted in December of that year, imposed a federal ban on cockfighting throughout the territories with a phase-in period of one year.

The ban drew serious criticism from some territorial residents and public officials, who argued there is cultural and historical significance to the practice.

Local resident Sedfrey Linsangan attempted to challenge the ban at the District Court of Guam but his lawsuit was shot down by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood.

Despite the ban, the fiscal year 2020 budget law set enforcement of the federal cockfighting ban as the lowest priority for the government of Guam, which in effect, meant it would not be enforced.

Similar language does not appear in the fiscal 2021 budget law, but recent amendments strengthening Guam's animal cruelty laws also officially recognized cockfighting as a cultural practice, and prevent the criminalization or punishment of cockfighting.

Pacelle called the local exemption "window dressing" as federal laws already ban cockfighting on Guam.

Sen. Jose Terlaje, who proffered the exemption, responded to the release from AWA and AWF. His office stated that Pacelle and the organizations were interfering with the culture of the people of Guam.

"Guam law recognizes cockfighting as a cultural practice and the enforcement of the federal ban on cockfighting is the lowest priority of the Government of Guam. This is an issue of culture of democracy. We have a right to have voting representation in laws that affect us - it is a basic question of human rights more than it is of animal rights," Terlaje stated. Guam does not have voting representation on federal laws.

"Respect the CHamoru people. We will not ask anyone for permission to practice our own culture. It is our right under international law," Terlaje added.
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Over the weekend FOX 9s Tom Lyden reported the sordid details of DFL state representative John Thompsons domestic assault charges going back a decade and more. Following the publication of Lydens story, the DFL establishment turned on Thompson. Every member of the DFL establishment called in unison for Thompsons resignation.

Since he first appeared on the public scene in the summer of 2020, Thompson has manifested as an obvious racial hustler, thug, and nut. He has a screw or two badly in need of tightening. Yet the DFL stood behind Thompson until Lydens story broke this weekend.

Thompsons initial statement attributed Lydens story to an amplified showing of systematic racism[.] It has become a conspiracy so immense that it extends to the states DFL leadership.

That of course includes light-skinned Native woman Peggy Flanagan, our lieutenant governor. Calling for Thompsons resignation on Saturday, Flanagan sacrificed the mention of the credential she otherwise invariably cites when she opines on matters of public policy.

After his initial statement yesterday, Thompson issued a formal statement elaborating on his response to the charges Lyden had unearthed:

Mr. Thompson challenges the authenticity of the police reports that have been circulated to the press. Mr. Thompson and his wife  the only person whom Mr. Thompson would have been with at the times of the incidents  categorically deny that any of the inflammatory allegations (including but not limited to choking anyone or exposing himself) ever occurred. Mr. Thompsons wife further does not recall and does not believe she ever made such allegations. They have been together as a couple for more than twenty years, have worked through issues earlier in their relationship, and have a solid marriage. It is my understanding that the purported police reports were provided to reporters by persons associated with law enforcement groups. These are likely the same groups that have been constantly and vigorously waging a smear campaign against Mr. Thompson since his speech in Hugo, MN in August 2020 (11 months ago). If these police reports existed in their current form, it is unfathomable that the many people digging into Mr. Thompsons past would not have found those police reports before the November election much less during the ensuing months. The police reports are a product of the campaign to silence an American African man who speaks out against powerful and abusive interests, and not the product of any effort to uncover truth.

According to his statement, the conspiracy so immense is even immenser than Thompson originally intimated. The documents on which Lyden based his report were fabricated by someone out to get him. Does anyone at this late date recall Forgery by typewriter? Alger Hiss, call your office!

Speaking on its own behalf, FOX 9 reveals that Lyden did not dig up the documents from a pumpkin patch, a la Whittaker Chamber. Rather, FOX 9 states that it found the reports while making efforts to verify Thompsons residency status.Furthermore, the FOX 9 Investigative Reporter Tom Lyden obtained the reports from police departments using standard data practice requests.

Lyden has not taken kindly to Thompsons insinuation that he is part of a plot to take him down. Tom first posted the law enforcement documents he obtained on Thompson via his data practices act requests on Scrbid and made them accessible via Twitter (below). FOX 9 also posted the documents at the bottom of its story on Thompsons latest fulmination.

The five domestic assault police reports concerning MN Rep. John Thompson from Superior, WI., Eagan, and St. Paul (2003-2011) can be found here. I made additional redactions of names. Providing these after Thompson questioned reports 'authenticity.' https://t.co/PONWC68Q8r  Tom Lyden (@LydenFOX9) July 18, 2021

Blois Olson adds this footnote to the story in his daily email news roundup this morning:

While Alpha News reported the domestic assault cases last August, sources say that Rep. John Thompson was dishonest with legislative leaders when he was asked about them last year. He denied that it was him and suggested it was a different John Thompson.

Perfect!
As I have written before, going into the 2020 presidential season I thought Kamala Harris had a good chance to come away with the Democratic nomination. She seemed to check all of that partys boxes. But, as in the old story about the dog food advertising campaign, the voters just didnt like her. She was gone from the race before the Iowa caucuses.

Continued exposure has not raised Harris in the publics esteem. Trafalgar polled over 1,100 respondents within the last week, and found confidence in the vice president to be low. This is the most basic question for a vice president: Based on her performance as Vice President, how confident are you that Kamala Harris is ready to be President? The results:

Remarkably, even 43% of Democrats are not confident that Harris is ready for the big time.

I dont know whether the leaders of the Democratic Party, whoever they are, have been planning to ease Joe Biden out of office on the ground of failing health and replace him with Harris. If so, they cant proceed until either there is a dire emergency, or Harris shows some life in the polls. Moreover, even if Biden manages to survive his term, it wont be easy for the Democrats to turn to someone other than Kamalaa woman of colorin 2024. Her continuing unpopularity, which public exposure seems to aggravate rather than mitigate, poses a real problem for that party.
The Star Tribune published its lead editorial on lessons supposedly learned from the epidemic the weekend before last in its July 11 edition, i.e., the Sunday paper. They saved it for the Sunday paper in order to give it maximum exposure. They thought it was so good it deserved all the readers they could get for it. The lessons supposedly learned came via the execrable Andy Slavitt.

I flagged Kevin Roches Healthy Skeptic post responding to these supposed lessons here on Power Line. Kevin wrote another version of his Healthy Skeptic post for the Star Tribune. The Star Tribune has published this version of Kevins response this morning as the editorial counterpoint Learn the right lessons from the COVID response. Subhead: You cant place wholehearted trust in either political leaders or experts, including the one the Star Tribune Editorial Board recently praised.

As I read Kevins response, the tone is slightly modulated from that of his Healthy Skeptic post to make it safe for Star Tribune readers without trigger warnings. Over at Healthy Skeptic Kevin notes: I have had a lot of unkind things to say about the Strib over the course of the epidemic, but I am appreciative of their willingness to publish contrary opinions, and I am especially grateful to Doug Tice, who has been very good and decent to work with. Kevins column is excerpted below the break:

* * * * *

On July 11, this newspaper published an editorial commending to readers a book written by Andy Slavitt regarding the response to the COVID-19 epidemic. Slavitt may seem an inapt choice for such a book or editorial, given his frequent inaccurate predictions and observations regarding the course of the epidemic and his indefatigable support of suppression measures that have been shown to be largely futile and to have caused more harm than benefit to the population as a whole.

An article in this paper in October noted Slavitts support for a supposed virus-crushing  and soul-crushing  six-week complete shutdown of everything. He cited several nations that supposedly followed such a course with success, but almost every one of them, such as England, Italy, the Czech Republic, and currently Japan and Thailand, went on to have substantial waves of cases.

What is most striking in looking at epidemic curves from various areas is both their textbook shape and the visible lack of impact from differing suppression regimes. A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research examined the effect of stay-at-home orders on mortality across 43 countries and all U.S. states and found no beneficial effect, consistent with several prior pieces of research.

Recently, Slavitt has been spreading fear and misinformation about the delta variant, claiming it is twice as infectious and has worse outcomes, referring to it as COVID-19 on steroids. The Public Health England, where delta has been the dominant strain for a number of weeks, publishes a regular technical bulletin on all variants of concern. The most recent of those shows that delta has a lower hospitalization and death rate than did the prior predominant strain, alpha or B117, and that its transmissibility is roughly the same as alpha. Pretty weak steroids.

But what is more striking are the lessons he would have us learn, particularly those regarding Americans character and soul. Slavitt refers to the ugly selfishness of many. I must differ both as to that characterization and regarding the primary lessons that should be taken from our response to the epidemic. Is it ugly selfishness that led many Americans to wish to keep their jobs? To not lose their businesses? To have their children continue with their educational and social progress? To be with elderly loved ones in their last days? To resent government orders that were promulgated in an undemocratic manner with little actual support in data or research? Slavitt apparently believes we should all just slavishly kowtow to these pronouncements as words delivered on high from the gods themselves.

In fact, there is every reason to disregard the government epidemic-suppression measures. Most people do not understand how unprecedented these measures were. Never before in a respiratory virus epidemic had restrictions such telling people to stay home, closing businesses or cutting off access to health care even been considered. These measures were justified on models universally found to be far off the mark. The large and growing body of research on the epidemic response almost universally finds that lockdowns made no difference in case spread, that closing schools made no difference, that social distancing and plastic barriers and constant cleaning have no value.

Just last week a Danish study found that Denmarks mass testing and trace program, which included banning people from certain activities and places unless they had been tested, not only did not lessen spread, it may have increased transmission. Unprecedented, too, were the methods of case and death attribution, which fed a campaign to frighten the public. And research demonstrates that governments around the world adopted a panicked herd mentality; the most significant factor for predicting enactment of a suppression measure was whether a neighboring country or state had done so.

These suppression measures exacted a frightful toll on the population that will be felt for literally a generation or more and that ultimately will exceed the toll from the epidemic itself. Millions lost jobs; tens of thousands lost businesses. Domestic abuse, psychological problems and drug and alcohol use and deaths all rose to new heights. Children were horrendously affected, losing educational attainment, which in turn will damage their lifetime economic status. Many children simply abandoned education. We have a mental health and suicide crisis among children. They missed needed vaccinations and other health care, as did adults, leading to excess mortality likely to be sustained for several years. As always, minorities and low-income persons were affected the most.
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Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has called on those calling for foreign powers and other international organisations to interfere in the affairs of Nigeria to desist.

He urged them to instead support the federal government in discharging its responsibilities, especially in ensuring security of lives and property.

Mr Masari made the appeal in an Eid El Kabir message signed by his spokesperson, Abdu Labaran.

For any compatriot to wilfully call on foreign powers to meddle in the internal affairs of Nigeria is to display the highest level of unpatriotism.

No responsible citizen, least of all those who are the foremost beneficiaries of the commonwealth, would encourage foreign powers to interfere in the internal affairs of their nation, regardless of its adversities, Mr Masari said.

The governor called on the Nigerian elite to borrow a leaf from their counterparts in those foreign powers and guard Nigerias sovereignty jealously.

Those climes, the leading citizens partner with the government to protect and advance national interest. They do not go to the market place to expose the perceived inadequacy of their leaders.

According to him, those calling for foreign interference are being unpatriotic, after benefiting from the nation.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has obtained an order of the Sokoto State High Court for the permanent forfeiture of about N1.3billion said to have been traced to the bank account of one Aishatu Magaji.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, that the money was part of the proceeds of illicit activities.

Although the commission did not give the particulars of the alleged criminal activities, it said the court issued the order of final forfeiture on Monday following the courts earlier July 2, 2021 order of interim forfeiture.

Mr Uwujaren said the commission had, in line with the July 2, 2021 order, published the interim forfeiture order in a newspaper for anyone with interest in the money to show cause why it should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

He said when the case came up in court on Monday, the lawyers to the five respondents including the person in whose account the money was discovered did not oppose EFCCs application for its permanent forfeiture to the government.

Read the full statement

EFCC Press Release

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N1.3bn to FG

Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court today Monday July 19, 2021 granted a final Order, forfeiting the sum of N1, 362,675,353.56 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Six Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Three Naira, Fifty Six Kobo) to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The Judge had on July 2, 2021 granted an interim order of forfeiture of the said amount following an exparte application by the commission and directed that the order be published in a national newspaper for any one with interest in the said asset to show cause, why it should not be finally forfeited the Federal Government of Nigeria.

At todays (Mondays) hearing, counsel to the EFCC, S. H Saad informed the Court that the Commission had complied with its order for the publication of the interim Order and urged the Court to Order the final forfeiture of the said amount to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Counsel to the five respondents, Shamsu Dauda, did not oppose the application. Justice Mohammed consequently ordered the final forfeiture of the sum to the Federal Government.

The Sokoto Zonal Office of the EFCC had through intelligence traced the funds, suspected to be proceeds of illicit activities to the account of the first respondent, Aishatu Bandado Magaji domiciled in a new generation bank.

The respondents in the charge are Aishatu Bandado Magaji, First Ninety Degrees Continental Ltd, Priceless Legacy Hub Ltd, ABM International Ltd and Zenith Bank Plc.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

19 July, 2021
Quest Electricity Nigeria Limited has paid N19 billion to acquire Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) has said.

Alex Okoh, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), said this according to a statement on Monday signed by Amina Othman, Head, Public Communications of BPE.

He said the company would invest N28 billion to transform the company over a period of two years.

According to the statement, Mr Okoh made the remarks at the signing ceremony of the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (SSPA), for the privatisation of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC).

He also said the new investor was committed to improving the quality of life of the inhabitants in the North-East geopolitical zone, through an aggressive investment drive, thereby providing an economic tool for combating the insurgency in the region.

The DG said this investment would be utilised to carry out an extensive upgrade of the companys electricity distribution network.

He added that it was expected that the investment would deliver results within a five-year period.

He said the results included a reduction in Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collections (ATC & C) losses from the current level of 80 per cent, which was the highest in the industry, to 29 per cent which translated to a 51 per cent loss reduction.

He stated that the customer base increased from 396,650 to 596,650, a 50 per cent growth and a significant increase in energy supplied from 1,305 Gigawatt Hours (GWh), to 1,714GWh.

He said similarly, as a result of the aggressive investment drive by the investor, it was expected that the increase in energy supply would stimulate economic growth and development in the region.

This, he said, would be through the creation of new industries and opportunities, attracting much-needed investment and boosting job creation.

He acknowledged the rigorous process of the negotiation, which took place in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its crippling impact on economic activities as well as the challenging operational environment in the North East region of the country.

Mr Okoh, however, said it was a testament to the commitment and doggedness of the parties to deliver on the transaction and the high collaborative spirit between the Federal Government and the core investor.

Moreover, it is a clear indication that there is still a significant level of interest on the part of investors in the Federal Governments reform and privatisation programme.

READ ALSO: BPE proposes privatisation of Transmission Company of Nigeria

Notwithstanding the challenges in the power sector and the reaction that has trailed the privatisation process, this continued interest shows that the Federal Government took the right decision in reforming the power sector, he said.

Adamu Mele, the Chairman of Quest Electricity Ltd., acknowledged the insecurity in the companys area of franchise but assured that it would work around it to transform the distribution company within a short time through infrastructure upgrades.

The BPE recalled that following the approval of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) for the privatisation of YEDC and the conclusion of a competitive and transparent bidding process, Quest Electricity emerged preferred bidder, with a bid price of N19 billion.

(NAN)

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Adams Aduojo was dissatisfied with the conduct of the labourers he contracted to plough his farmland for planting of beans.

The commercial farmer who lives in Enjema, a rural community in the eastern part of Kogi State, had hired their service a few months before this reporter visited but the farmland was yet untouched.

They just collected my money and did nothing for more than a month. They must go there and do the work, an angry Mr Aduojo said that evening.

He was reporting the perceived laziness of the labourers to his aged mother when our reporter arrived in the community.

This is one of the challenges farmers usually encounter with labourers with poor work ethic.

But for Mr Aduojo, who was gradually recovering from the biting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world for more than a year, this poses a grave setback with the concern that he may miss the second window of the planting season, if the labourers delay any further.

Like any other farmer in Kogi State, he was badly affected by the pandemic, recording a huge loss, he said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

Last year, during the harvesting of cashew (nuts), between the marketers and the whites, what transpired made farmers to be at a negative point because they cannot export. A bag supposed to be sold for N70,000 was sold for N12,000, he told our reporter.

That amounts to over 80 per cent drop in revenue for cashew farmers who depend largely on export markets for sales.

The drastic drop was linked to the COVID-19 restrictions that limited international travels last year. Experts said the purchase of cashews even stopped in some localities.

Mr Aduojo explained that while the price of cashew nuts fell, the cost of maintaining a cashew plantation remained high.

You can use N30,000 in clearing the land. During September and October, you have to do the fire tracing so that fire will not get into it.

He was speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in company of his neighbour, Haruna Ajeh, who harvested eight truckloads of cassava but sold them for N100,000 instead of the N140,000  the market price before the pandemic broke out. Mr Ajeh, as a result of the price drop, had a cumulative loss of 320,000 naira.

Mr Aduojo recalled how the fear of the pandemic made some of his colleagues quit farming after the loss of capital.

Some had their yams harvested. People ate their yam for fear of the unknown. It was a bottleneck on the side of farmers, he lamented.

Loss in millions

In March 2020, nearly a month after the country recorded its index COVID-19 case, the Nigerian government declared a total lockdown in high-risk states and consequently, a ban on inter-state travels, which lasted for weeks.

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Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, a COVID-19 skeptic, refused a total lockdown but ordered a temporary closure of all land and water entry points into the state to curb the spread of virus in the state.

The restrictions on movement negatively impacted the supply of seedlings and other agricultural inputs for planting and marketing of farm produce.

Farming is movement. It is not highly restricted in Kogi State (like other states) but later on, the restriction came. The restricted movement affected us, said Babaniyi Asorose, a Lokoja-based farmer.

The sexagenarian who mainly plants cashew, maize and guinea corn, explained that Kogi farmers are dependent on neighbouring cities like Abuja, Ilorin and Benin for seedlings and farm input.

He further stated that he lost an estimated five million naira to the pandemic, cumulatively.

Dada Emmanuel, a retired civil servant and cassava farmer in Yagba West Local Government Area, also corroborated Mr Asoroses claim.

The year 2020 has been the worst since he retired five years ago from the states ministry of finance, he told PREMIUM TIMES. A large chunk of his monthly pension is what he invested in the three-acre cassava farm sited in Egbe.

(When the pandemic broke out), activities were reduced nearly to zero level because movement was restricted and labourers could not go to farm. That affected the yield, resulting in nearly N1.5 million estimated loss, he told our reporter.

Ramatu Usman, 28, on the other hand, said she used to make an annual turnover of between N500,000 and one million naira from growing beans and vegetables and bambara groundnut but her revenue crashed last year.

I could not raise up to N300,000.

She was only able to pay her childrens school fees from the proceeds of her farm produce. No savings, she said.

Double blow

The effect of the pandemic on farming was worsened by the reduction in rainfall last year, which experts attributed to climate change.

Messrs Aduojo, Asorose and other farmers said the rain stopped in August as against the expected November, a shift from the routine weather pattern.

The plot I marked for one hectare of palm tree, I have paid for them. 125 stamps. It was the rain that prevented me from transferring them from the nursery to the land, said Mr Aduojo about his botched attempts to plant palm trees.

Weather patterns in recent times have become less favourable and increase the volatility of crop yields, according to a research by McKinsey Global Institute.

Also, the State of the Climate in Africa 2019 Report noted that the changes are threatening food and water security, and socio-economic development in Africa.

For instance, the report noted that under the worst climate change scenario, there will be a 13 per cent reduction in crop yield in West and Central Africa, 11 per cent in North Africa and eight per cent in East and Southern Africa.

This climatic factor, coupled with the insecurity that has kept farmers away from their farms in the northern parts of Nigeria, has been blamed for the hike in food prices.

Livestock farmers not left out

The fate suffered by crop farmers did not spare their counterparts in livestock farming.

Jimba Umar, a fish farmer in Koton-Karfe in Kogi Local Government Area, lamented how he was jobless for nine months with more than a dozen mouths to feed.

The father of 15 children said he barely survived the lockdown because things were tough for his family.

That time, we stayed at home, we did not move for nine months. No Sunday, no Friday, Mr Umar said.

Asked if he was able to access loans or reliefs, he responded in the negative. Nothing. Ten kobo, we did not get, he retorted, paddling the boat towards the shoreline of the Lokoja river.

The 40-year old, who had since abandoned fishing, now ferries passengers from one end of the river to the other for a pittance.

He, however, said he is willing to go back to fishing if he gets the aid of the government.

Another livestock farmer badly hit during the pandemic is Ahmed Suleiman, a registration officer at the Ankpa local government secretariat in Ankpa.

He lost more than 100 fowls to flu last year and was gradually recovering from the loss when this reporter visited his community.

Unlike Mr Umar who abandoned fish farming, however, a resilient Mr Suleiman sold his goats to raise the capital to start afresh with forty chickens that were two months old when PREMIUM TIMES visited.

He sold four of the goats to raise money to buy the feeds and veterinary treatment for the fowls. His financial books perused by our reporter showed that he has spent N60,800 to feed and treat the birds.

If I get assistance from the government, I have a large space to keep them, he said with hope of expanding the business.

According to the Food Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the pandemic prompted some households to sell off their livestock.

Results from Nigeria COVID-19 National Longitudinal Phone Survey (conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics and the World Bank last August showed that about 54 per cent

of households have been engaged in livestock production since mid-March, with nearly 36 per cent of them reporting that the pandemic had impacted their livestock activities.

While a significant share of households generally sell livestock at the best of times, about 17 per cent reported that the pandemic prompted them to sell, the FAO report read.

Government Intervention

In a bid to cushion the effects of the pandemic and ensure a more sustainable and resilient food system in the country, the federal and state governments rolled out different agricultural schemes.

One of them is the distribution of agricultural inputs, seeds and fertiliser to smallholder farmers in the state, which was flagged off by the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, last July.

However, some of these farm inputs warehoused at the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) office in Lokoja were later carted away by hoodlums who hijacked the October EndSARS protest. The looting spree also took place in Osun, Lagos, Edo, Kwara and Plateau states where COVID-19 palliatives were stored.

Mr Asorose, who is also the Lokoja coordinator of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said he was in attendance when the minister flagged off the distribution, noting that it was abruptly discontinued the following day.

He said he was lucky to get a bag of benniseed but other members of the farmers group got nothing.

The minister came. I was there and they test-run the distribution. The minister said we should be given. They promised to continue sharing the following day but none of our members was given anything, he recalled.

During the COVID riot, the youth went there and packed them away. Why were we not given in the first place? he queried, accusing the state government of not being transparent.

According to him, if properly distributed, the farm inputs would be a relief because fertiliser and seedlings were scarce commodities during the pandemic.

COVID-19 spending in Kogi

At the state level, an analysis of the audited financial report of COVID-19-related expenditure made available on its website, shows that over two billion naira was expended on agric-related projects.

The audited budget execution documents certified by the Auditor General of Kogi State, Yakubu Okala, noted that N16.8 billion was used to fund COVID-19 response and recovery expenditures as of August, 2020.

A further breakdown shows that a significant part of the total sum was from the federal governments intervention fund, donations from private organisations and loans from banks, while the remaining was from the state coffers.

Majority of the 11 agricultural projects funded cut across planting and cultivation, economic empowerment for different cadres of farmers and the supply of farm inputs. All these gulped N2.6 billion.

For instance, N400 million was spent to support women and youth in agriculture while the supply of agricultural inputs, including fertiliser, gulped N200 million.

Despite these claims, the farmers who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES denied getting any support from the state government in form of financial assistance or supply of farm inputs.

Maria Egwemi, 42, said all she needed to cultivate her farm in Ajaokuta for cassava planting was N50,000 but she could not raise it despite efforts to obtain loans from friends and relations.

She started farming in 2002 with the support of her husband but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from continuing.

Even yesterday, I was thinking about my three farms at Ajaokuta. I went to a local place to get a loan. It has been cleared but I could not turn it.

The rainy season is almost over. If I get N50,000 now, I will be really happy, she said with a smile that concealed her frustration.

If she does not cultivate as at when due, weeds would take over the land and the rainy season will get past her.

You know we women dont like to sit down. We like to support our husbands. If they can help us, if the government gives us loan, it is better than the local ones and the interest is not much, Mrs Egwemi added.

Both Messrs Asorose and Aduojo said those who might have benefited from the schemes are political farmers, who owned farmlands on televisions only.

They described the political farmers as those ones often paraded by the state government for publicity stunts but who do not have farms in reality.

Questionable accountability

PREMIUM TIMES wrote the state ministry of agriculture in June, requesting the details of places where the 11 agricultural-related projects in the audited document were executed and the contractors awarded the projects.

A month after the Freedom of information (FoI) request was submitted to his office, the states Commissioner for Agriculture, David Apeh, responded, saying none of the projects had been executed.

Apart from one project that we call Accelerated Agricultural Development scheme which is in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria It is a special project. So, When I saw the list you sent, they are all budgetary provisions that have not been executed.

Mr Apeh said they have not been executed because the state does not have the money yet. We have plans but we cannot do them now.

However, when our reporter drew his attention to the fact that the audited documents, wherefrom the projects were extracted, indicated that the monies have been spent, the commissioner responded; it was not from my own office.

He then referred PREMIUM TIMES to other officials for further investigation.

All efforts to get the reaction of Asiru Idris, the finance commissioner who also endorsed the document with his signature, and Onogwu Mohammed, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bello, were unsuccessful.

They are yet to respond to this newspapers enquiries forwarded to them via SMS and known WhatsApp contacts.

Recall that a PREMIUM TIMES investigation into the states COVID-19 spending had in the past exposed how the state spent N90 million on a COVID-19 software that cost N300,000.

The acquisition of the contentious software was contained in the same audited budget execution documents that referenced the N2.6 billion spent on agriculture-related projects.

Although the state government said it spent the N90.7 million on a collection of software not limited to the self-assessment software, it failed to highlight other software acquired.

Sources in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said the anti-graft agencies have taken interest in further investigating the states COVID-19 spending.

This followed petitions submitted by two civil society organisations, Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project and Citizen Gavel, premised on the PREMIUM TIMESs report.

Although EFCC and ICPC have received several petitions from citizens and groups that have never been treated, Femi Ajibade, the Operation Lead at Citizen Gavel, expressed optimism that the Kogi case will not be swept under the carpet with constant follow-ups by his organisation.

While the probe is in progress, experts have posited that without an appropriate funding of the agriculture sector, the country cannot achieve food security.

An agricultural scientist, Celestine Ayok, told PREMIUM TIMES that in terms of funding, agriculture should have been second to the defence ministry in the budget allocation.

But the case of Kogi State goes beyond budget increase for agriculture; it is that of poor accountability on spending.

Mr Ayok, however, said the states have a bigger role to play in achieving food security because the federal government depends on them.

A month after PREMIUM TIMESs visit to the Kogi communities, Mr Aduojo told our reporter that he was able to go ahead with the beans planting earlier delayed by the labourers. He is hopeful of a bountiful harvest.

Despite not benefitting from the state governments spending on COVID-19 recovery, he said he would continue to invest hugely in agriculture for its potential of saving the nation from hunger.

This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check project.
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A Nigerian alpha jet aircraft, used for attacks against armed men, has crashed in Zamfara State, while under intense enemy fire.

The Nigerian Air Force confirmed the crash in a Monday statement, saying there was no casualty as the pilot escaped enemy fire.

The crash happened on Sunday at about 12:45 p.m., air force spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement.

On 18 July 2021, at about 12.45 pm, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft, returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna State, came under intense enemy fire which led to its crash in Zamfara State, the official said.

The latest incident makes it at least four air crashes involving Nigerian military planes in the last seven months.

Read the full statement by Mr Gabkwet, an air commodore, below.

ALPHA JET AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN ZAMFARA STATE, PILOT RESCUED

On 18 July 2021, at about 12.45 pm, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft, returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna State, came under intense enemy fire which led to its crash in Zamfara State. Luckily, the gallant pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft. Using his survival instincts, the pilot, who came under intense ground fire from the bandits, was able to evade them and sought refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset. Using the cover of darkness and his phone set for navigation, Flight Lieutenant Dairo was able to elude several bandits strongholds and maneuvered his way to a Nigerian Army Unit, where he was finally rescued. It is instructive to note that upon receipt of the news of the crash, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, had directed that all efforts must be emplaced to rescue the pilot. Accordingly, NAF Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms and helicopter gunships provided close air support to NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops who were able to locate the crash site and the pilots parachute, while also combing nearby locations for any sign of the pilot. It is gladdening to note that while in hiding, Flight Lieutenant Dairo confirmed that the presence of NAF aircraft within the vicinity of the crash site helped in scaring the bandits who were after him, thus enabling him to find refuge and escape to a safe location. It is important to also recall that only recently, the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, had directed the Armed Forces of Nigeria to do all it takes to flush out criminal elements in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna States. It is in fulfilment of this directive that the NAF, in conjunction with surface forces, has in the last 2 weeks mounted intensive day and night air interdiction operations against bandits and their hideouts, especially in these 3 states. Through these intensive air operations, hundreds of bandits have been neutralized and several of their hideouts destroyed. Despite the setback of yesterdays crash, the NAF remains committed towards fulfilling Mr Presidents mandate as well as other constitutional roles assigned to it. The willingness, readiness and tested ability of the NAF remains unshaken and unwavering as it continues to carry out its assigned roles. Kindly bring the information to the awareness of the general public.

Thank you.

Edward Gabkwet

Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information

Read more at: https://prnigeria.com/2021/07/19/naf-pilot-survived-crash/
At least 30 people died from cholera in Jigawa State in the past month, an official has said.

The Jigawa casualties add to the increasing death toll from the disease across Nigeria. Other states that have reported deaths from cholera in the past few weeks include Enugu, Benue, Plateau and Bayelsa.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in Jigawa, Salisu Muazu, said the deaths were from the over 2,000 patients who tested positive for the disease in nine of the 27 local government areas of the state. Hadejia and Dutse local governments are the most affected, he said.

He blamed open defecation for the spread of the disease.

Specifically in Hadejia LGA, the outbreak was due to open defecation from a nearby almajiri school that contaminated a water source, he said.

The state government has shut down the water source pending further investigation, the official said.

He said rainfall washes faeces and other wastes into wells and water outlets that the residents use for domestic purposes.

Mr Muazu said the state government has directed the release of free drugs to the victims for immediate medical attention.

He said UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders have indicated readiness to partner with the state in mitigating the scourge from further spreading.

Water sanitation and hygiene

Amidst the cholera outbreak in Jigawa, the federal government certified 14 local government areas as Open Defecation Free (ODF) in the state.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, presented ODF certificates to the affected local governments areas at Sule-tankarkar LGA during an official visit to the state on Monday.

The local councils declared open defecation free include Gagarawa, Birniwa, Guri, Sule-Tankarkar, Gwiwa, Kiyawa, Dutse, Buji, Birnin Kudu, Taura, Kafin Hausa, Auyo and Jahun.

Mr Adamu said the areas were declared open defecation free after over three million families in over 40,000 communities in the areas met the requirement of ODF protocol for hygiene promotion.

According to the minister, some of the conditions for attaining the ODF status include: communities must have eliminated open defecation by 100 per cent toilet use and increased ownership and sustainability of hygiene and sanitation services.

Cholera spread

The Monday announcement of the cholera deaths in Jigawa occurs two days after the Enugu government confirmed that seven people died from the bacteria infection in a market in the state.

The Enugu State Ministry of Health said there was a cholera outbreak in New Artisan Market, Enugu, which resulted in the death of seven people in the market with 19 persons identified with the symptoms of loose stool and vomiting.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Commissioner for Health in Enugu, Emmanuel Obi, disclosed in a Saturday statement that the ministrys rapid response team, upon receiving reports of the incident, carried out an immediate investigation and it was observed that the patients presented with sudden onset of passage of loose stool and vomiting.

He added that the ill persons identified within the area were immediately and safely evacuated to the state teaching hospital and are receiving treatment, while health education on safe and hygienic practices were given to the inhabitants of the market.

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According to the health commissioner, further tests carried out by the State Ministry of Health at the Teaching Hospital revealed that all the persons were suffering from cholera.

READ ALSO: Cholera kills 119 persons in Kano in three months

Mr Obi explained that cholera is an infection caused by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Risk factors are from poor sanitation, and contaminated drinking water.

The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and muscle cramps may also occur. Symptoms range from none, to mild, to severe.

Diarrhea can be so severe that it leads within hours to severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and even death. Symptoms start two hours to five days after exposure.

It is prevented by improvements in sanitation, use of clean water, hand washing and vaccines. Treatment involves replacement of lost body fluids orally or intravenously, zinc supplementation and antibiotics, he said.

Across Nigeria, between January and June 27, a total of 14,343 suspected cholera cases and 325 deaths, including 345 laboratory-confirmed cases, were reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
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The police in Katsina State on Monday said they repelled an attack by bandits in Kankara Local Government Area and rescued a kidnapped victim.

The police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isah, in a statement, also said the police recovered one AK47 rifle and 36 rustled cows abandoned by the bandits following a firefight.

On 17/07/2021 at about 23:21hrs, bandits riding on motorcycles, armed with AK47 rifles, blocked a feeder road at Layin Minister, Malumfashi LGA and kidnapped one Usaini Zuma, 45 of Tafkin Jege village, Kafur LGA of Katsina state.

A team of policemen led by Division Police Officer (DPO) in Kankara intercepted them at Unguwar Nakome, Yargoje village, Kankara, engaged them in gun duel and rescued the victim. In the course of profiling the scene, one (1) AK 47 rifle was recovered, the statement said.

In a related development, on the same date at about 17:00hrs, the same DPO Kankara, led a team of policemen to Majifa village, Kankara, engaged the bandits in a shootout and recovered thirty-six (36) rustled cows.

Following the incidents, many bandits are feared to have escaped with gunshot wounds. Search parties are still combing the area, with a view to arresting the fleeing bandits.

The Command urges members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by giving them credible information, the spokesperson said.
As the recorded number of infections in Africa edges towards the six million mark, it has become clear that Covid-19 is not only a public health challenge. Apart from the devastating economic impact of lockdowns and related regulations, the pandemic is undermining the well-being of democracy in Africa.

In prioritising public health, governments have drawn on emergency legislation to implement lockdown regulations. These measures narrow the gap between authoritarianism and democracy and can be used as a pretext for authoritarian regimes to hold on to power.

The pandemic struck at a critical time for some of Africas democracies and coincided with several elections scheduled for 2020 and 2021. Although some polls went ahead, others were postponed and rescheduled.

The health of democracy in Africa has been in question for some time and postponed elections can add to growing fears of democratic backsliding on the continent.

Postponed elections can threaten democracy in Africa for two reasons: moving an election is a controversial decision that can lead to instability, and uncertainty over whether elections will take place at all does not secure democracy.

Nowhere is this more evident than from Ethiopias June 21 parliamentary, regional state council and local elections. Rescheduled twice since August 2020, the postponements were not only a source of controversy, but are also linked to the conflict in the northern Tigray region after the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) went ahead with elections in that region in 2020. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds decision to postpone elections was interpreted by the TPLF as a move to extend his power, hiding behind Covid-19 public health concerns.

Further controversy arose after many opposition leaders were jailed, other opposition parties boycotted the polls, and constituencies in some regions were excluded from these elections based on security concerns and registration irregularities. Those regions will allegedly be voting in September 2021, but no elections are on the horizon for Tigray. This makes it hard to call these elections free and fair. Some experts believe that Covid-19 has dramatically redirected Ethiopias political landscape deeper into authoritarianism. Ethiopia is a key player in the Horn of Africa and the second most populous country on the continent. Its democratic trajectory is therefore of great importance.

Another case to consider is that of Senegal. Regional and local elections in Senegal have been postponed indefinitely from March 28, the third delay since 2019. Senegalese are already protesting the government crackdown on opposition leaders, corruption, and Covid-19-related economic decline. The Senegalese government responded with violence.

Postponing elections is not unheard of but the decision should not be taken lightly. Elections must take place within a specified period, usually five years. As a failsafe, an additional 90-days (usually) are factored in. If the time between elections exceeds this, a country can experience a constitutional crisis.

Delays can be interpreted by opposition parties as a move to consolidate power. Especially where elections have been postponed under states of disaster legislation during the pandemic, democracy has been rattled. Many governments have abused their additional powers. Freedom House reports that since the start of the pandemic, respect for human rights and democracy has deteriorated in 80 countries across the globe.

Abuses of power include violent crackdowns on protestors, experienced in Nigeria; detention or arrest of government critics, experienced in Zimbabwe; and social media blackouts and media restriction as experienced in Uganda, and Tanzania. To this list can also be added the recent government-sanctioned internet blackout in eSwatini during pro-democracy protests in the country.

It is also possible that proceeding with elections in the name of upholding democracy could have the opposite effect. Higher voter turnout is desirable since it is more representative of the voting population. Despite Covid-19 precautions implemented by election management bodies, citizens may still decide that the risk of infection from venturing out to vote at polling stations is too great and abstain.

Amid a security crisis and the pandemic, Mali proceeded with two rounds of legislative elections in March and April 2020. This combination of security and health threats meant only 23.22 percent of eligible voters turned up to cast their votes. More concerning than the low turnout is the confirmation of these results by Malis Constitutional Court.

Regular elections are the hallmark of democracy and allow citizens to voice their views on governments. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, elections have been postponed worldwide at a rate not experienced before. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance reports that between February 21 last year and June 21, 78 countries and territories globally have postponed elections citing coronavirus concerns.

African countries make up 17.9 percent of this total. The pandemic has created many new challenges for governments, not the least of which has been upholding democracy in conditions which call for social distancing and limited numbers of people gathering in groups. Indeed, finding a democracy-human security balance is proving to be one of the more complicated tasks facing governments during the pandemic.

Covid-19 could spark a global reconsideration of the electoral process, with remote voting options, such as online voting, enjoying renewed interest. It is important to remember that elections are not the only measure of democracy. Factors such as a level playing field for opposition parties, citizen choice as to whether or note to vote, voter turnout and a free public space are important indicators of the quality of democracy.

Elections are important and should be allowed to go ahead where possible. But what the pandemic teaches is that timing and safety are everything.

Isabel Bosman is a researcher in the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme of the South African Institute of International Affairs.

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The chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has filed a suit to stop the Senate from conducting an investigative hearing on a case of assault brought against him.

Those sued in the suit are, the Senate, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; the chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Ayo Akinyelure and the man the CCT chairman reportedly assaulted, Clement Sargwak.

According to a report by The Nation newspaper, Mr Umar filed the suit at the Federal Court in Abuja on July 13 to challenge the constitutional powers of the Senate to conduct an investigative hearing on the assault case.

He had been caught on camera assaulting Mr Sargwak, a security guard at the popular Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, following a squabble that ensued between them over a parking space on the premises on March 29.

In April, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Senate, directed its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by Mr Akinyelure, to probe the alleged assault reported to the Senate by Mr Sargwaks lawyer, Timzing Ramnap.

The petition was later laid during a plenary session of the Senate by Istifanus Gyang, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator representing Plateau North, the senatorial district from which Mr Sagwak hails.

The CCT chairman appeared before the committee on May 4 when he was given two weeks to respond to the allegations.

He was asked to return on May 18.

No constitution backing to probe me  Umar

In his suit he later filed, through his lawyer, Sunday Edward, Mr Umar asked the court to stop the Senate probe, arguing that the powers conferred on the Senate under sections 88 and 89 of the Nigerian constitution do not cover public assault which is within the competent jurisdiction of the police and the courts.

He raised some questions for determination in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/ CS/671/2021, and urged the court to answer them in arriving at its decision to stop the probe.

The questions for determination include: Whether the purported case of assault which allegedly took place at Banex Plaza on 29th March, 2021, forms part of the matters the 1st Defendant (Senate) is constitutionally empowered to investigate.

Others are: Whether the 1st Defendant and its Committee, that is the 3rd defendant, are competent to investigate and/or invite the plaintiff in relation to the investigation of the allegation of assault levelled against him.

Whether the powers of the 1st Defendant to conduct investigation are not by and/or subject to provisions of Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and are not exercisable for the purposes of making law and exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution of administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by the 1st Defendant.

Whether the 1st Defendants move to conduct investigative hearing on the petition before it is not unconstitutional and does not amount to an unwarranted usurpation of the functions of the Police and of the Courts of competent jurisdiction.

Mr Umar prayed the court to stop the Senate from further investigating the matter, as the case between him and Mr Sargwak was already before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.

He also wrote a letter informing the Senate of the pendency of another suit he filed on the same subject matter.

We write to inform you that the case between our client and Clement Sargwak is now before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (suit no FCT /HC/ CV/ 1544/2021, Mr Danladi Umar vs Clement Sargwak).

And the issue as to whether or not Clement Sargwak had discontinued and / or withdrawn his petition before your Honourable Commitee is equally sub judice.

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We trust that Senate, as the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, will respect due process and refrain from delving into a matter that is before a court of competent jurisdiction, his letter read in part.

Assault

This newspaper had reported how Mr Umar was caught on camera assaulting the security guard, Mr Sargwak, an employee of Jul Reliable Guards Services Limited.

In the five minutes video footage that went viral, the tribunal chairman was seen slapping and kicking the 22-year-old on March 29.

According to witnesses who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, the altercation was over the space where the CCT chairman parked his car on the premises of the mall.

Despite video evidence, the CCT chairman denied the assault allegation.

Mr Umars denial was faulted by witnesses who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES.

The CCT chairman, who accused Mr Sargwak of being rude, also reportedly ordered the arrest of a phone repairer, Peter Onyiuke, with an outlet at the plaza.

Mr Onyiuke was detained without charge for one week allegedly on Mr Umars instruction.

He was arrested on March 29 and was only released from the custody of a police station in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, a week later on April 6.
Activists, journalists and politicians around the world have been spied on using cellphone malware developed by a private Israeli firm, reports said Sunday, igniting fears of widespread privacy and rights abuses.

The use of the software, called Pegasus and developed by Israels NSO group, was reported on by the Washington Post, the Guardian, Le Monde and other news outlets who collaborated on an investigation into a data leak.

The leak was of a list of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of NSO since 2016, the reports said.

Not all of those numbers were subsequently hacked, and the news outlets with access to the leak said more details about those who were compromised would be released in coming days.

Among the numbers on the list are those of journalists for media organizations around the world including Agence France-Presse, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, FRANCE 24, Radio Free Europe, Mediapart, El Pais, the Associated Press, Le Monde, Bloomberg, the Economist, Reuters and Voice of America, the Guardian said.

The use of the software to hack the phones of Al-Jazeera reporters and a Moroccan journalist has been reported previously by Citizen Lab, a research center at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.

Among the numbers found on the list were two belonging to women close to Saudi-born journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by a Saudi hit squad in 2018.

The list also included the number of a Mexican freelance journalist who was later murdered at a carwash. His phone was never found and it was not clear if it had been hacked.

The Washington Post said numbers on the list also belonged to heads of state and prime ministers, members of Arab royal families, diplomats and politicians, as well as activists and business executives.

The list did not identify which clients had entered the numbers on it. But the reports said many were clustered in 10 countries  Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Guardian wrote that the investigation suggests widespread and continuing abuse of Pegasus, which NSO says is intended for use against criminals and terrorists.

Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit organisation, initially had access to the leak, which they then shared with media organisations.

NSO, a leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry, has previously pledged to police for abuses of its software.

It called the allegations exaggerated and baseless, according to The Washington Post, and would not confirm its clients identities.

Citizen Lab reported in December that dozens of journalists at Qatars Al-Jazeera network had their mobile communications intercepted by sophisticated electronic surveillance.

Amnesty International reported in June of last year that Moroccan authorities used NSOs Pegasus software to insert spyware onto the cellphone of Omar Radi, a journalist convicted over a social media post.

(AFP)

France 24 is a Premium Times syndication partner. We have permission to republish content.

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The police have confirmed that 13 officers were killed on Sunday during an operation to repel an attack by bandits in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the officers were killed by suspected bandits while on special duty along Kurar Mota frontline base.

The police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Shehu, in a statement, said 13 officers paid the supreme price in the attack and many bandits were also killed.

He added that the police were conducting a manhunt for the bandits.

The attack occurred on Sunday at about 1230hrs, when Police Mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota village in Bungudu LGA were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by bandits to attack some nearby communities.

The personnel, who ran into the ambush, exhibited resilience and gallantry by engaging the hoodlums, an effort that deterred the bandits from attacking the communities. Unfortunately, 13 personnel paid the supreme price. However, the bandits, on their part, suffered heavy casualties.

A special Anti  Banditry Operations is currently ongoing with a view to track down the assailants. The Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Rabiu, while visiting the injured Policemen at the hospital reaffirmed that todays unfortunate incident will not discourage the officers and men of the command from discharging their mandate of protecting lives and properties of the citizens.

He called on every law-abiding citizen to join hands with the security agencies to successfully end the menace, Mr Shehu said.
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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, ruled that a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has a case to answer in the N29 billion fraud charges brought against him.

In the ruling, Okon Abang, the trial judge, dismissed Mr Nyakos no-case-submission and ordered him to enter his defence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agency is prosecuting the former governor alongside his son, Abdul-Aziz Nyako; two companies, Sebore Farms and Extension Ltd and Pagado Fortunes Ltd.

They are first, second, sixth and seventh defendants respectively in the trial.

Other defendants are Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd as third, fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth defendants respectively.

The defendants had filed a no-case submission after the prosecution finished calling its witnesses, urging the court to dismiss the charges against them on the grounds that the prosecution failed to link them to the alleged crimes.

But the court, in its ruling on Monday, dismissed the no-case submission and urged them to enter their defence.

Details later
The ActionAid Nigeria on Saturday commended the Nigerian governments reluctance to sign onto the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, (OEDC) tax deal.

A statement signed by the country director of the organisation, Ene Obi, said the OECD recognises the need to better tax the digital economy and the fact that big tech companies need to be making bigger tax contributions.

The statement added, however, that ActionAid Nigeria supports the reluctance of Nigeria to sign onto the OECD global tax reform deal as it considered the new plan unhelpful to Nigeria.

The OECD consists of two parts, with the first pillar stating that if a company has a global turnover of more than 20 billion euros and a profit margin of more than 10 percent, then 20-30 percent of the profit in excess of 10 percent of revenue will be allocated to market jurisdictions using a revenue-based allocation key.

The second pillar, on its part, sets a global minimum tax rate of (at least) 15%.

ActionAid Nigeria said that in Nigeria, tax regimes are dependent on the benefits the countries are bound to gain.

The gains may be to maximize tax collection or maximize FDI inflow. However, the current global minimum tax of 15 percent is a threat to both gains, the statement said.

Nigeria set up rules and regulations with the corporate tax at 30 percent for big and multinational companies. The average Corporate Tax Rate for African countries is 28 percent. However, the 15 percent minimum corporate rate is too low and therefore inadequate to stop the race to the bottom.

The benefits of a proposed minimum tax will be far below what is expected to fund the budget deficit in Nigeria, which will translate to the countrys inability to meet up with the fight against poverty and unemployment.

For a moderate stand, Nigeria, like most other African countries will need the global minimum tax rate to stand between 25 percent to 30 percent above the 21 percent as initially proposed by the United States.

ActionAid Nigeria also said that it is displeased with the negotiation carried out by rich countries for their benefit, adding that the deal calls for all countries to remove their unilateral measures to tax the digital economy, such as digital services taxes, and replace them with the new rules laid out in pillars one and two.

It is fundamentally unfair to ask countries in the global south to trade-off their unilateral taxation of the digital economy, in lieu of implementing a deal they were not part of negotiating, coupled with the fact that they will only marginally benefit from it, the organization said.

The fact that this new deal will take effect earliest in 2023 and cannot be reviewed until earliest 2030 is not good enough. Revenues are desperately needed in the global south to tackle the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to fight poverty and inequality. Companies operating within the digital economy need to be compelled to pay their fair share of taxes, she said.

Recommendations

ActionAid Nigeria in its recommendation explained that while the new deal is disappointing, it underlines the need for more comprehensive reforms of the international tax practices and treaties.

Such reforms are expected to give countries in the global south equal voices in the process of negotiating international tax rules through e.g., a possible United Nations Tax Body, the organization said.

This will also give increased rights to countries in the global south to effectively tax digital companies operating within their jurisdictions.

In conclusion, the current OECD Tax deal is neither beneficial to the country as a tax rate or FDI attractor. The worst concern about it is that it can only be reviewed in the next seven years.

Hence, it is better for Nigeria and any developing nations to stand away from ratifying it, the unilateral measures imposed through the Finance Act of 2019 and the Significant Economic Presence Rule of 2020 stand to be more beneficial.

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The Inspector-General of Police Response Team (IRT) has arrested eight suspects in the kidnap of the father of former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, 13 months ago.

Chibi Dariye was kidnapped in June 2020 in Mushere village in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and nothing was heard about him again until last week when the suspects were arrested.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Dariye was first abducted in 2015 and released after a ransom was paid by his family. That of June last year was the second time the elderly man was abducted in his home town of Mushere.

The police spokesperson in the state, Ubah Gabriel, said the suspects were arrested when officers in a joint operation with their colleagues from the police headquarters in Abuja raided the kidnappers hideout.

The police said 26-member criminal gang to which the suspects allegedly belong had been carrying out armed robbery and kidnapping in Bokkos LGA.

The eight members of the criminal gang arrested include Jethron Ngusen, 57 years, from Horop village, who is the mastermind; Sunday Ibrahim, 35 years, from Horop village; Titus Ezikiel, 33 years, from Horop; Yau Saidu aka Yau Kaban, 40 years, from Kaban village and Dauda Isah, 38 years, from Horop village.

Others are Mangut Shumuwar, 30 years, from Horop village; Henry Amos, 35 years, from Horop village; all in Mushere district of Bokkos LGA of the state, the police said.
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The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, restrained the Zamfara House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of the state from taking steps to impeach the deputy governor of the state, Mahdi Gusau.

The judge, Obiora Egwuatu, gave the order in a ruling in an ex-parte motion with suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/650/2021, brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through its Lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Under the Nigerian constitution, the Chief Judge of a state is empowered to raise a panel to probe the impeachment allegations levelled against a governor or deputy governor by the states House of Assembly.

Bur Mr Egwuatu, in his ruling on Monday, ordered the defendants to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the PDP against the impeachment process.

The judge also stopped the House from taking actions against its other members who are still in the PDP.

He directed the plaintiff (PDP) to serve all the defendants in the suit before Friday and adjourned the matter till July 23 for hearing of the motion on notice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives, Speaker of Zamfara House of Assembly, Governor Bello Matawalle and Chief Judge of Zamfara are 1st to 7th defendants respectively.

NAN recalls that though Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara recently defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), his deputy, Mr Gusau, did not.

The lawmakers in the state had threatened to impeach Mr Gusau over activities they considered to be a threat to the security in the state, which they claimed he was involved in.

One of the grounds of impeachment that had been reportedly touted by the House of Assembly is that the deputy governor attended a political rally earlier in the month.

The House of Assembly had already asked Mr Gusau to appear before it on July 27.

The PDP, through its lawyer, had urged the court to grant its prayer in the interest of justice.

The party said the court had the inherent power to grant the order.

This is the only place we can run to, especially in a situation of chaos the state has found itself.

(NAN)
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Nigerian media entrepreneur and public commentator, Japhet Omojuwa, now sits on the board of Halifax International Security Forum, a global non-profit think-tank that debates possible responses to security challenges.

Mr Omojuwas appointment was communicated in a letter dated July 8.

Your contributions to HFXs work over the years have been very meaningful and I am delighted to now formalize the relationship. Having you on our Board of Directorswhich we would be honored to effect at the opening of its next formal meetingwill amplify the importance of our mission, the groups president, Peter Praagh, stated in the letter.

According to him, Mr Omojuwas leadership as a media entrepreneur standing up for social justice and democracy aligns seamlessly with HFXs work.

Accepting the appointment, Mr Omojuwa said it is an opportunity to work with exemplary leaders and change makers who are devoted to strengthening strategic cooperation among democratic nations.

I am delighted to announce that I accepted the invitation by the Halifax International Security Forum to join its board. This gives me an opportunity to work with such exemplary leaders& change makers who are devoted to strengthening strategic cooperation among democratic nations pic.twitter.com/hGH1tnEabl  JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) July 16, 2021

Current board members of Halifax include White House nominee to serve as Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture, and widow of John McCain, Cindy McCain, and Mexican Council on Foreign Relations chair, Tammy Harris. The board is chaired by Janice Gross Stein.

Founded in 2009 as part of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Halifax attracts senior politicians, including a significant delegation from the United States Congress, top military commanders, strategists, thinkers, influential journalists, and business leaders from across the world.

Its network extends from North America, through Europe, Eurasia, South and East Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Halifax also convenes high-level meetings in Washington DC, London, and elsewhere, and produces public policy recommendations on the major geo-political challenges of the day and for the years to come.
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An Anambra High Court in Awka has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore Charles Soludo as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the November 6 governorship election.

The court made the order on Monday.

While releasing the particulars of the candidate of all the parties in the election last Friday, INEC replaced Mr Soludos name with that of Chukwuma Umeoji as the candidate of APGA.

The commission also replaced the APGA deputy governorship candidate, Onyekachi Ibezim, with Obiagelu Orogbu.

The court said Mr Soludo and his running mate were the authentic choices of the party.

Reacting to the judgement, Mr Soludo said it was an important step in the electoral process.

I was a little surprised but not terribly surprised. I have gone through this before. What happened today is a very important step in the whole process. It is not surprising because the case is self-evident, he told Channels Television on Monday.

Mr Soludo, a former CBN Governor, said INEC was wrong by dropping his name from the list of candidates because he was a product of a primary election monitored by the commission.

He added that he was surprised with the action of the commission because Mr Umeoji and his promoters never organised a primary election that it monitored.

Also reacting, the National Chairman of the APGA, Victor Oye, said the judiciary in the country had done well, especially by stopping the activities of some people he described as impostors.

I believe in the independence of the Judiciary and I believe that the Judiciary in Nigeria has done very well despite a few disenchantments, Mr Oye said.

I dont want to be dragged into unnecessary controversy. I think what happened today in Awka shows the independence of the Judiciary and that it is the last hope of the common man. Imagine what would have happened if there were no Judiciary. There would have been chaos and anarchy.

I feel happy that the court in Awka has done justice to this matter by ordering the reinstatement of Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo as the Governorship candidate of APGA for the November 6 Anambra Governorship election.

INEC should immediately reinstate Prof. Soludo as the APGAs candidate for Anambra Governorship election without delay.

I have never had any doubt about the candidacy of Soludo because Chukwuma Umeoji and his co-impostors have no place in law to claim anything in APGA. Did they conduct any genuine congress or primary?

I feel it was a gross injustice for INEC to have declared him a candidate of APGA. This is evil and an invitation to chaos, he said.
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In 60 years, we have not found a way to entrench either truth or justice. And so, each generation has struggled to hand over to the next an untainted ensign. With more citizens oppressed than uplifted, the country has been cursed with a dearth of peace and plenty.

If anything good has come of the last five years in this country, it is in the way it has forced Nigerians to critically examine the country  if not themselves. To the obvious chagrin of the incumbent Federal Government, there have been no persons, principles, events, or processes that have not been challenged from first principles. Sadly though, the result of this self-examination has not been good at all  at least, if the discussions arising from this effort indicate anything. The emerging consensus is that Nigeria has comprehensively failed its people. In 60 years, we have not found a way to entrench either truth or justice. And so, each generation has struggled to hand over to the next an untainted ensign. With more citizens oppressed than uplifted, the country has been cursed with a dearth of peace and plenty.

Why did this happen? The #EndSARS protests briefly offered a pointer to a possible answer. Since 1960, the Nigerian state has conspicuously failed to strengthen individual rights and freedoms. Preferring instead to coalesce around putatively communal rights whose corporeal form whoever leads the country is argued to give expression to. And whose realisation is not possible without further abridging civil liberties. Hardly surprising, then, that by rejecting the fundamental argument of that protest, the Buhari administration has led a significant number of our compatriots to conclude that Nigeria is not just incapable of acting in the interest of its individual citizens, and that its claim to defend collective interests is a cheap masquerade for advancing narrow, often sectarian interests. Consequently, a growing share of the population argue that we should begin post-haste the process of its dissolution.

Except that a large part of those who would quickly be rid of the impost that Nigeria is said to have become then offer up stronger communal responses as a solution. And so we hear that Biafra and the Yoruba nation, to the extent that they are more culturally homogeneous will be better able to hold their leaders to account than a loosely-structured Nigeria has so far accomplished. Where Nigeria the geographical expression failed, these not-so-new cultural expressions, longer-lived than Nigeria will succeed.

After the death of Alafin Abiodun in 1789, most Yoruba would have been as embittered as most Nigerians are today. And for almost 100 years they fought to validate several of such myths. What about the evidence that some Yoruba kings did invite British help to put down threats to their kingdoms from other Yoruba states? Well, that was so many years ago.

The telling goes further. It would seem that but for Nigeria, or rather Lord Lugard, who forced these dissimilar and unequal cultural experiences into the current chimera, these other expressions of the country were doing just fine. But, then again, it is the lot of man, confronted by trying conditions, to create myths that help it hold together. After the death of Alafin Abiodun in 1789, most Yoruba would have been as embittered as most Nigerians are today. And for almost 100 years they fought to validate several of such myths. What about the evidence that some Yoruba kings did invite British help to put down threats to their kingdoms from other Yoruba states? Well, that was so many years ago.

Recently, Nigeria overtook me. One arm of my mongrel heritage reached out to invite me to properly identify myself. And so I attended a meeting of distinguished Igbo sons  alas, no daughters were distinguished enough to be in attendance. At this function, culture trumped womens rights. In Nigeria, geography is accused of trumping all rights. Did it rankle? Yes. I have two daughters. Young enough to hold strong opinions about female rights in 2021. And I cringed at the thought of both somehow running into their father taking part in an all male meeting after having brought them up to think themselves the equal, albeit not muscularly, of any human on earth.

Each time the question, Where is he from? accompanied a nomination, and before the vote, I felt slightly at ease. For, it was evident that the differences within the constituent parts of this country are deeper and wider than between each one such part and the rest of the country.

The contradictions didnt stop there. The first 30 minutes of the meeting was taken up by febrile disputation over how the kola nut ought properly to be broken. Amongst my mothers people  the Igbo of the West Bank of the River Niger  this is chore proper to the oldest male in the gathering, irrespective of the provenance of the caffeine-containing nut. Amongst the Igbo of the East Bank, though, the kolanut may only be broken by the host, who is duty bound to provide it to the assembly. Forget that this was early in 2021. The meeting was in a bind. The eldest Igbo in the room was from Okpanam. The host was from Imo State.

Between the rock and a very hard place, Solomon had to come to judgment. The eldest man broke and ate of his kolanut. It would have been an abomination for him to eat of kolanut broken by a stripling. The host broke and shared of his. And when it was time to nominate and vote new members into office, you could see the struggle to ensure that all shades of Igbo opinion was reflected  as in careful adherence to the affirmative action principles that underpin Nigerias failed federal character project. Each time the question, Where is he from? accompanied a nomination, and before the vote, I felt slightly at ease. For, it was evident that the differences within the constituent parts of this country are deeper and wider than between each one such part and the rest of the country.

Uddin Ifeanyi, journalist manque and retired civil servant, can be reached @IfeanyiUddin.
The increased number of universities has not led to improvement in the standard of education in the country over the years. Instead, what we have is an invasion of the university sector by all sorts of characters masquerading as educational investors. The concentration of all and sundry in the educational sector should be not in getting more universities to be established but rather to see that the ones already on the ground become of excellent quality.

The hallmark of productivity is improvement in quantity and quality. If one of these standards is sacrificed for the other, needed development is compromised. This argument is so valid in our tertiary education sector today. The demand for higher education in Nigeria, spurred by urgent national development needs, is enormous, hence the need for more universities. However, it is counter-intuitive and counter-productive to establish more when most existing universities are glorified secondary schools that are poorly resourced, poorly managed, and sometimes not fit for purpose. I advocate for improving the quality of existing universities before indulging in the proliferation of universities in Nigeria. And I would argue that improving the quality of outcomes of Nigerias universities requires investment, propelled by a national strategic vision, and complemented by good governance.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has indicated that it intends to increase university capacity by supporting the creation of new private universities. But indications show that the Commission has not focused on scholarly output and the quality of teaching. Quantity is of limited use, unless accompanied by quality. Recently, NUC issued provisional licenses to 20 newly approved private universities in Nigeria. However, the standards and criteria of approving private universities are either not known or are out of tune with the current global reality. The approval brings the number of private universities in Nigeria to 99 and, alongside the public ones, a total of 197 universities.

Ordinarily, the increasing number of universities in Nigeria should be a source of excitement, especially in the education sector. An increment in number means increased competition and increased choices, which should lead to better standards. However, the situation with Nigerian universities seems not to support this axiom. As the numbers of universities in the country increases, the standards seem to decrease. It is an ironic situation where competition does not seem to drive quality standards.

In the most recent report released by Webometrics, a respected authority in the ranking of universities globally, no Nigerian university made it to the top 1,000 universities in the world. The report states that the highest ranked Nigerian institution, the University of Ibadan, is placed 1,258 globally and number 18 on the continent of Africa, far behind universities from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. In terms of knowledge production through research, Nigerias universities produce only 44% of the scholarly output of South Africa and 32% of Egypt. This is even though Nigeria has nearly four times more universities than Egypt and over six times more than South Africa. These rankings tell a gory story of the state of university education in Nigeria and its gradual decline to global irrelevance. It is not the best way to showcase the state of education in a country touted as the giant of Africa; a country endowed with enormous human and material resources.

Universities aim to help people acquire academic skills, professional expertise and knowledge. These enable individuals to develop into valuable members of their communities. The universities achieve these through teaching, researching, and disseminating existing and new knowledge, pursuing service to the community and being a storehouse of knowledge. Also, they aim to inculcate proper values and orientation, provide objective views of the local and external environments, and improve the intellectual capacities of individuals to understand and appreciate their environments. Given Nigerias peculiar circumstances, universities should strive to close the gap in the life skills of leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology adoption.

In this time, when the battle for the essence, hearts and souls of institutions are contested in the public sphere, it is vital to reiterate the benefits of university education. It gives students the capacity for creative and independent thought, leads to long-term financial gain, job stability, career satisfaction and success outside the workplace. With more and more occupations requiring advanced education, a university degree is critical to the success of the average youth in todays workforce. Yet, rhe pertinent question is: Are Nigerian universities adequately fulfilling their objectives and providing adequate benefits to society and especially the youths? It is time to rethink university education to make it fit for purpose and a tool to help Nigeria leap-frog development. This calls for leadership. Education leaders in Nigeria must articulate a clear vision for our universities and sell this vision to society, so that all stakeholders will work collaboratively to improve our universities.

In the 1960s to early 1980s, several foreigners were in the nations universities as teachers and students. Today, the story is entirely different. In recent times, a lot of lecturers have left Nigerian universities to join the business world. Some joined politics, while others left Nigeria for greener pastures abroad. The import of brain drain is a decline in research outputs from institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

The current situation where, in most universities, Vice-chancellors function more as project managers, interested in civil contracts than as leaders of the academic community, must change. Incessant strikes by university workers, especially lecturers, have reduced our universities to burial grounds, where people gather periodically to bury quality education. ASUU, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which is the principal trade union of university teachers in Nigeria, has become a byword for a practice  the frequent disruption in academic studies occasioned by trade disputes between lecturers and the government on one hand and lecturers and the university administration on the other hand. Between 2019 and 2020, Nigerian university students spent almost one year at home through a combination of ASUU strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of incessant ASUU strikes, some students spend upwards of seven years pursuing a four-year programme.

The disruption of academic programmes of institutions of higher learning affects students learning outcomes, since lecturers find it difficult to complete their course works. In most cases, a semesters course work is sandwiched into a few weeks, during which lectures are rushed to accommodate the time lost to strikes. It has also contributed to the culture of bow and go at project and thesis defences, which has crept in from the political space to the academic environment. This type of academic rush is a significant threat to the attainment of quality in higher education in Nigeria.

There is also the issue of inadequate funding. Today in Nigeria, many instituions cannot build lecture halls, students hostels, equip laboratories and workshops, and pay staff salaries, offer research grants, allowances, and medical bills. While the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), recommended that governments of developing nations like Nigeria should allocate between 16-25 per cent of their budgets to education, the Federal Governments allocations to education in Nigeria rarely go beyond 7 per cent, a far cry from the internationally recommended standard. In the 2021 budget, the Federal Government proposed N197 billion for education, out of a budget estimate of over N13 trillion.

There is also the brain drain problem, which has seen a mass exodus of brilliant and the most talented lecturers in our institutions to other countries of the world and other sectors of the economy. In the 1960s to early 1980s, several foreigners were in the nations institutions as teachers and students. Today, the story is entirely different. In recent times, a lot of lecturers have left Nigerian universities to join the business world. Some joined politics, while others left Nigeria for greener pastures abroad. The import of brain drain is a decline in research outputs from institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

The prevalence of the lack of quality lecturers is embarrassing. In some public universities, some lecturers are engaged on political considerations and not on the basis of competence. Agreed, the challenge of quality academic staff is more pronounced in some private universities, which find it difficult to pay the salaries of competent staff, unlike government-owned universities. There have been scandalous cases where some lecturers in both public and private universities sell handouts as means of survival and not for the benefit of their students.

There are also other problems in our universities, such as inadequate-cum-obsolete facilities and equipment, inadequate infrastructure, the lack of vibrant staff development programmes, poor quality students from secondary schools entering university, plagiarism, examination malpractices, institutionalised corruption, cultism, poor policy implementation, and the absence of information communication technology facilities.

If the government and other stakeholders give adequate funding and desired attention to the sector, it can become a great source of revenue for the country. An improved educational system in the country can attract international students, through which governments can generate foreign exchange, which can be used to finance the education of locals and improve the infrastructure in our universities.

There are no simple solutions to the myriad of problems facing Nigerian universities, but the key indeed lies away from establishing more universities, at least for now, until quality improves. In some cases, federal and state governments establish universities due to certain primordial considerations and political calculations. Just last month, the Federal Government announced the establishment of two universities of technology in Akwa Ibom and Jigawa States, to balance the universities of technology across all geopolitical zones in the country. While this looks like good optics politically, little or no consideration is given to the funding of these new institutions.

Also, in our various States, we have situations where incumbent governors either move the permanent sites of the state universities to their local communities or establish campuses there. In most cases, it becomes a merry go round, as every governor takes a turn to develop campuses in their communities. These acts by such state chief executives, which lead to the proliferation of university campuses, hardly take into consideration infrastructure logistics issues and the extant needs of the universities. It leads to some universities becoming pawns of politicians, rather than places of academic excellence.

To get it right in Nigerian universities, the government should never make promises to lecturers, which incumbent or subsequent administrations cannot fulfil. The usual practice of allocating a meagre 7 per cent of the budget to education does not reflect a serious intention to improve the educational quality in the country. The UNESCO recommended 16 per cent -25 per cent of educational spending should be aspired to and met.

If the government and other stakeholders give adequate funding and desired attention to the sector, it can become a great source of revenue for the country. An improved educational system in the country can attract international students, through which governments can generate foreign exchange, which can be used to finance the education of locals and improve the infrastructure in our institutions. They should create enabling environments for staff through improved conditions of service, the provision of basic infrastructure and tools required for the effective functioning of universities, virtual libraries, information communication technologies and internet connectivity. They should create research-friendly environments to encourage creativity and innovation.

In the Western world, the private sector is heavily involved in the funding of university education through grants and endowments. This is an area that must be well explored in the country. Large companies and corporations should be encouraged to dedicate parts of their profit to the funding of our universities as part of their corporate social responsibility.

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In conclusion, ideally, increased options lead to increased competition, and subsequently improved standards. But Nigerian situations are never ideal. The increased number of universities has not led to improvement in the standard of education in the country over the years. Instead, what we have is an invasion of the university sector by all sorts of characters masquerading as educational investors. The concentration of all and sundry in the educational sector should be not in getting more universities to be established but rather to see that the ones already on the ground become of excellent quality.

Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert.
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With ownership of the third largest telecommunications business in Nigeria boasting about 55 million subscribers (according to Forbes), Mike Adenuga sealed his place in the sands of time and forever revolutionised operations in the Nigerian telecommunications space.

Globacom received its first license in 1999. Later revoked, the company was reissued another license in 2003 after a government auction. Globacom introduced the per-second billing in voice calls at a time when many called it impossible and that has today become the model for all telecoms industry players in Nigeria.

The telecoms giant also launched services into Benin Republic in 2008, and has continued its spread across West Africa (into Ghana and Cote dIvoire), with more licences currently being prospected in other West African countries. In 2015, Mike Adenuga made a takeover bid to purchase Ivorian mobile telecoms operator Comium Cote dIvoire for $600 million.

Nigerias second-richest man, Mike Adenuga built his fortune in oil and telecoms. Today, Globacom Limited or Glo as it is fondly called operates as a telecommunications service provider, offering international and voice calling, sms, high-speed internet, ADSL for homes, and fixed landline services, as well as other telecoms solutions. Globacom, as of the time of writing this article, serves customers in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Benin Republic and Ghana.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 48 per cent of Nigerias GDP, 96 per cent of businesses, and 84 per cent of employment, according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics. Despite this significant contribution to the Nigerian economy, the SME sector continues to face several challenges that impede its growth, the most significant of which is a lack of access to finance.

Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc is however taking on the challenge of scaling up small businesses through several initiatives. These solutions, which are not limited to financial interventions, are designed to also close the yawning gap in capacity building, which is often overlooked.

By definition, SMEs are small and have limited capacity. Because they are mostly owned by sole proprietors, partners, or families, their size and capacity limitations make it difficult for them to access the opportunities available to larger businesses. Fidelity Bank through the Fidelity SME Academy provides free capacity building services to prospective, new and existing SME customers.

The Academy provides a three-pronged approach to assisting businesses chief of which is the advisory sessions delivered via virtual training and seminars tailored to meet the specific needs of SME customers. The Academy also uses radio and social media to reach a larger and more diverse audience with entrepreneurial insights.

The live show, dubbed The Fidelity SME Forum, which airs on top-tier radio stations and the banks Instagram Page, for instance, has become a popular resource among small business owners looking for expert advice on growing their enterprises. The show features successful entrepreneurs from the fashion, media, technology, and lifestyle industries in the Instagram Live sessions.

In terms of funding, SMEs have access to both formal and informal sources of capital. Financial institutions, SME-specific credit schemes, and commercial banks are among the formal sources.

These institutions typically require sufficient collateral from SMEs because they are viewed as high-risk ventures with a higher likelihood of underperformance due to the challenging operating environment.

Financial institutions are hesitant to fund SMEs for two main reasons: failure of SMEs to deliver ROI and, as a result, loan repayment default. This scarcity of funds amounts to a huge challenge for many SMEs in Nigeria.

Nevertheless, Fidelity Bank remains committed to providing easy access to funding for small businesses through a variety of loans.

The loans are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of various SME types across industries such as FMCG, Education, Health, Agriculture, and small corporates. One such example is the Traders Support Facility (TSF), a short-term working capital finance/loan product for SMEs trading in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) in identified and well-organized market clusters in and around Lagos FESTAC area.

Having identified the need of these market clusters as the lack of tangible collateral to secure loan facilities, Fidelity Bank offers a 180-day loan structure that allows for overdraft, among other unique benefits.

The Fidelity Private Medical Support Scheme (FPMEDSS) is another loan product designed to provide financing support to eligible private hospitals for the purposes of procuring required drugs and equipment.

It targets duly incorporated and registered, well-structured private hospitals owned by qualified medical practitioners duly licensed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and who are also members of the Nigerian Guild of Medical Directors or the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN).

With these strategic initiatives, Fidelity Bank is well-positioned to help SMEs to continue to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Nigerian economy. Hopefully, other ecosystem players would be encouraged to also pitch in and provide support for Nigerian SMEs to scale up at an increased rate and reduce the army of unemployed youth while diversifying the nations economy.
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The Zamfara State government has confirmed the killing on Sunday of many mobile police officers on special duty by bandits in Kurar Mota area of Zamfara State.

A spokesperson of Governor Bello Matawalle confirmed the incident but did not provide details.

He said the governor had cancelled his schedules in mourning of the fallen police officers.

Ibrahim Zauma, special assistant to the governor on new media, gave the confirmation of the attack on his official Facebook page.

He posted thus: Governor Bello Matawalle has just cancelled his scheduled political meeting in commiseration of the death of our gallant MOPOL officers at Kurar Mota frontline base.

The Governor is shocked over the bandits incursion which claimed the lives of the police officers. May the souls of those who fell rest in peace. 

A resident of Dangulbi also spoke about the killings but unable to say how many people died.

I heard the gunshots coming from the axis I was heading to, the resident said, adding that when some people standing by the roadside asked him to stop, he thought they were among the bandits.

ALSO READ: Bandits release Zamfara college provost as gunmen attack communities

However, a source at Yarima Bakura Specialist Hospital said the bodies of the mobile police officers had been deposited in the facility.

I counted 26 bodies and several injured others who have been taken to the emergency unit. Two suspected bandits were also brought with gunshots injuries.

The police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, promised to respond to this reporters inquiry on the incident but had not done so at of the time of filing this report.
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Jigawa and Kano state governments have banned durbar activities and the customary centaralised Eid prayers at the Eid-el Kabir to be celebrated on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The state governments said this is in compliance with a circular issued by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 putting six states and the FCT on red alert over the third wave of COVID-19.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the emergence of the Delta variant of coronavirus infection in the country and the rising number of new cases and hospitalisations, resulted in the Nigerian government announcing the preventive measure.

The affected states are Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano and Plateau, aside from the nations capital, FCT.

The Jigawa State government announced the ban on Sunday through a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Adamu Abdulkadir-Fanini.

The government also directed the decentralisation of the Eid prayer to neighborhood Friday Prayer Mosques (outdoor) and observation of limitations in all indoors gathering, the statement said.

The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 under the leadership of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, advised all States of the Federation to heighten their state of preparedness and continue to enforce all protocols put in place, given the renowned greater ease of spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

The government further felicitated with the Muslim Ummah on the occasion of the Eid-el- Kabir celebration and urged the general public and religious leaders in the state to be mindful of the potential for a wider spread of the virus during large gatherings, the statement said.

Kano also

On the part of Kano, the states commissioner for information, Muhammad Garba, said that the Eid Prayers would be held in mosques across the state.

He said the development was part of the measures adopted by Nigeria, like most parts of the African continent now facing a COVID-19 third wave after detecting the more transmissible Delta variant.

Mr Garba said the red alert allows authorities in the affected states to restrict celebrations and gatherings to a minimum, particularly the traditional Durbar (Hawan Sallah) which is marked by colourful horse riding events watched by large gatherings.

The commissioner also urged the public to observe safety protocols that involve the use of face masks, handwashing, and social distancing during Eid prayer.
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The police in Kaduna state on Monday said officers have rescued four kidnapped victims on a highway in Jemaa Local Government Area of the state.

The polices spokesperson, Muhammad Jalige, said the police, through the divisional police officer in Kafanchan, rescued the victims at about 7 p.m. on Sunday.

He said the police were informed that some bandits had attacked two commuting vehicles around Bade forest in Jemaa LGA of Kaduna State and abducted six passengers into the forest.

On the strength of the information, operatives were immediately mobilised to the area, trailed the bandits into their enclaves, engaged them in a fierce shootout and succeeded in rescuing four (4) victims unhurt whereas the bandits, some with bullet wounds, escaped deep into the forest.

However, concerted efforts to rescue the remaining victims are tactically being coordinated to ensure they are safely returned, Mr Jalige said.

Arrest of suspected gun fabricator

Meanwhile, the police also said

they arrested one Musa Danyaro, 36, of Nagogo road Malali GRA Kaduna on Sunday in possession of a locally fabricated pistol and three live polymer-cased 12-guage shotgun shells.

The suspects residence was further searched where one double-barrelled gun was equally recovered.

The Command has since launched an investigation into the incident with the aim of establishing the motives behind the unlawful possession of the weapons and possible arrest of more suspects.

The Command appreciates the patriotic citizens for assisting the Police with useful information on the activities of criminal elements in their midst while urging others to emulate same for the interest of peace and tranquility within and across our communities, the statement said.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Yakubu Eleto, has narrated how he was allegedly maltreated by police officers at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Friday morning.

Narrating the incident on his Facebook page, the lawyer said he went to the House to submit a letter regarding a court case on the forthcoming local government elections in Lagos State when he was assaulted.

Mr Eleto said the officers attached to the House seized his phones, dragged his shirt, pulled him and carried him like a five-year-old boy to the Assembly gate into a waiting police van with plate no RRS 387 LA, and was whisked to the nearest police station.

They eventually dragged me on the floor, tear-gassed me, poured pepper spray on my face, brutalized me, dehumanized me and forcefully made me enter the car identified above, and whisked me in a commando manner to the Alausa, Police Station where I was kept behind the counter for till I became unconscious.

Alleged assault, torture

The lawyer said he went to submit a letter informing the House of a hearing of the Motion on Notice on a case filed at the High Court by his client in which the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LAISEC) and the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA) are defendants.

I instituted an action on the instruction of some of my clients against the unconstitutionality of the forthcoming local council elections in Lagos State and joined the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA) as co-defendants.

Mr Eleto said both LASIEC and LSHA were served the copies of the court processes on July 9 and 12, with that of the Lagos Assembly submitted to the clerk.

The suit in question with no FHC/L/CS/741/2021 came up for hearing on the 12th day of July 2021 where myself and three other lawyers represented the applicants. On that faithful day, I moved a motion exparte for an interim injunction restraining LASIEC from going ahead with the election but it was overruled by the court, where the court said ruling will have a far-reaching effect on the defendants and the Lagos State in general.

The court later instructed us to put the defendants on notice and further adjourned till Monday, the 19th day of July for a hearing of the Motion on Notice and to further determine if LASIEC could go ahead with the elections as scheduled, he wrote.

Mr Eleto said it was on the basis of the court ruling that he went to the Assembly to submit a letter notifying them that the case is coming up for hearing of the Motion on Notice.

Upon getting to the Assembly gate around 11 am on the 16th day of July 2021 to submit the letter, I met a Paramilitary officer who told me point blank that they dont receive correspondences on Fridays.

I engaged him further, by informing him that its not a correspondence per se but a letter notifying the law-making body in Lagos State that there would be a court sitting on Monday, 19th, July 2021 and the LSHA is a necessary party to the suit.

He further narrated that the officer called the attention of the head of the security who checked the letter and later declined collection on behalf of the house.

He said the officers stationed for such purposes were busy and that I should either come back on Monday or exercise patience for him to get in touch with a senior officer who could give further direction.

I informed him that the matter was coming up on Monday, therefore the option of coming back on Monday will defeat the purpose, so I would wait instead. I waited for close to two hours and no one showed up, he said.

Mr Eleto said after waiting for hours, an officer identified as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, appeared and said he was disturbing the securities.

The lawyer said he explained to the CSO of the content of the letter and why it was important for him to put the house on notice before the hearing date.

He replied further saying Mr. Man, we are not taking this letter, we have the discretion to determine what or which letter to take

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I told him in furtherance to the above that can such discretion work when it comes to a public office. He replied that I was rude to him and ordered the police officers on duty to throw me out of the complex, he said.

Mr Eleto said after the CSO left, he met with another officer to as whether he can meet head of the Legal Department or the clerk of the assembly or anyone working with the clerk, but he declined.

Suddenly, I noticed the CSO returned with eight mobile policemen, the CSO said it point-blank that I came to the assembly with a destructive mission and that he has the instructions to deal with me, he, therefore, asked them to seize my phones, forcefully collected my pens, dragged my shirt, pulled me in the company of the mobile policemen and carried me like a five-year-old boy to the assembly gate into a waiting police van with plate no RRS 387 LA.

They eventually dragged me on the floor, tear-gassed me, poured pepper spray on my face, brutalized me, dehumanized me and forcefully made me enter the car identified above, and whisked me in a commando manner to the Alausa, Police Station where I was kept behind the counter for till I became unconscious, he narrated.

Mr Eleto added that when he regained his consciousness, he called senior lawyers including Femi Falana and Wahab Shittu for them to get him out.

Immediately, they heard the names I called they asked me to stand up, I didnt respond as I had no strength left, they ransacked me once again, gave me dirty slaps, used metals on my joints, used their gun to hit me on my thigh while mentioning that Im proving stubborn.

I became seriously weak, they carried me once again into their van and took me to an unknown destination, they later drove me around Ikeja and back to the House of Assembly, where I was locked in the car with a plate number RRS 387 LA for several hours.

The policemen came back later in the night, returned all my belongings, and said Oga has asked you to go. I left the assembly and went home with stains and pains all over my body, the Lagos-based lawyer narrated.

Lagos House of Assembly reacts

When contacted, Setonji David (Badagry 2), Chairman, House Committee on Information, said the House of Assembly is a civilised arm of government and officials would never molest anybody.

We are there to listen to every complaint, we dont discriminate against anybody. In this particular instance, I think the man came to drop a letter, a court process or something and there is a procedure.

I learnt he actually wanted to give it to the clerk personally. The clerk is a very busy man, he has an office. When you drop a letter in the office of the clerk or anybody, it will be acknowledged and that should be enough for anybody, he said.

Mr David further said everybody cannot insist on seeing the clerk because it is like demanding to see the state governor or speaker of the house, who are busy persons.

The issue of molesting, we take it very serious. We dont molest anybody. Groups come, individuals come, the place is a public office and we are there to protect their interests, he said.

When PREMIUM TIMES asked whether an investigation will be instituted to look into the matter and disciplinary action meted against erring officers, Mr David said the House will investigate if there is any complaint brought before it.

If I have any complaint that is legitimate, of course, we will investigate and take necessary actions. We have never had a case of anybody molesting publicly in the House of Assembly, he said.
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The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has turned down an application to suspend the local government election in the state scheduled for July 24.

The judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, adjourned the hearing of the suit filed by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant Raheem Rasaki Alani till November 29.

Mr Aneke gave the ruling after upholding the argument of counsel to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Kemi Pinheiro.

Joined as first and second defendants/respondents in the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/677/2021 are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and LASIEC.

Among other prayers, Mr Alani is seeking to restrain INEC from making the register for Lagos 20 Local Government Areas (LGA) available for the election. He argued that LASIEC ought to conduct the election in accordance with the constitutionally-recognized LGAs in Lagos, and not based on the 57 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the state.

But Mr Pinheiro has filed a preliminary objection on behalf of LASIEC praying the court to strike out and or dismiss the suit in its entirety.

At the resumption of proceedings Monday, other political parties including the African Action Congress (AAC), African Peoples Movement (APM) and BOOT indicated their intention to join as plaintiffs.

Responding, Mr Pinheiro prayed the court to adjourn proceedings till after the annual vacation of the court because, among others, the intending parties who said they had filed a notice to join the suit, had yet to serve him and until that was done, the case could not go on.

He argued further that the failure of any party to comply with the law guiding the issue of service would rob the court of jurisdiction to entertain the case because service is very fundamental before a case can be properly adjudicated on.

The plaintiffs counsel, Taiwo Alabi, suggested that in view of the development, it was reasonable that the court should issue an order to stay action until the determination of the case pending in court.

Mr Pinheiro, however, opposed him.

The LASIEC counsel submitted that Mr Alabis offer was a trap which the court must not fall for adding that the Appeal Court had stated on different occasions that the court should not entertain that type of approach.

How can the plaintiff in the face of various applications for joinder filed by different parties which are yet to be served on me, and a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court from entertaining the case filed by us, be seeking the order of status quo?

I pray the court to adjourn further proceedings in this case till after the annual vacation of the court which is starting on the 26th of July, Mr Pinheiro added.

Granting his application, the judge adjourned till November 29 for the hearing of all applications.

He advised the plaintiff to approach the vacation judge during the courts holiday.

Editors Note: This story has been edited to reflect that the plaintiff in the suit is an All Progressives Congress chairmanship aspirant and not 11 political parties
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.
CleverTap offers Turkish brands access to industry-leading mobile marketing engagement and retention technology

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and MUMBAI, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CleverTap , the world's most trusted customer engagement and user retention platform, announced superior growth numbers across the Middle East over the past year, fueling its expansion into Turkey. Since launching in the Middle East in 2020, CleverTap has doubled its growth in META by adding 100 new brands to its company portfolio.

"Our rapid growth in the Middle East is welcomed with great enthusiasm and is evidence that the demand for real-time mobile marketing is ever-present and continuing to attract larger audiences," said Sunil Thomas , CEO of CleverTap. "Because of this success, we're thrilled to be expanding into Turkey to offer even more brands the opportunity to drive quality engagement and retention among their mobile app users."

Turkey's business ecosystem is a vibrant mix of startups and enterprises  all with apps used by customers. CleverTap is excited to reach this dynamic audience and expand its offerings in Turkey across the ecommerce, foodtech, gaming, fintech, and travel industries.

"We're looking forward to powering a variety of businesses in different verticals in the Turkey market," said CleverTap CMO Dave Dabbah. "Our goal is to help Turkish brands better engage with their target audiences and drive positive experiences that turn loyal customers into brand champions."

CleverTap will bring an omnichannel approach to the Turkish marketing landscape with powerful analytics, segmentation, and marketing automation to give Turkish brands the opportunity to engage with their customers where they are: their mobile phones.

For more information about CleverTap, please visit www.clevertap.com .

About CleverTap

CleverTap is the leading customer engagement and retention platform that helps brands maximize user lifetime value. Consumer brands around the world representing over 10,000 appsincluding Vodafone, Sony, MercedesBenz.io, Dominoes, and Emiratestrust CleverTap to help them improve user engagement and retention thereby growing long term revenue. CleverTap is backed by leading venture capital firms, including Sequoia India, Tiger Global Management, Accel, and Recruit Holdings, and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA with regional offices in Amsterdam, Singapore, Dubai, and Mumbai. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter .

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SOURCE CleverTap
MIAMI, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Countyline Apartments, a 112-unit residential development located at 1080 NE 215th Street in Miami, Florida, has secured funding through a $17.5 million syndicated loan from two lenders, Banesco USA and ABANCA USA - the lead arranger for the transaction.

ABANCA

The project will have a total cost of US$25.4 million, consisting of a pair of five-story apartment buildings spread between 3.5 acres of land on the border of Miami-Dade and Broward County. All units will have a patio or balcony, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, ceramic tile flooring, and an in-unit washer and dryer. Amenities will also include a business center, playground, media room, swimming pool as surface parking with the ability to house over 176 vehicles.

Monica Vazquez, ABANCA USA General Manager, explains that Countyline Apartments is a response to the market appetite not only for top-quality apartments but also for residential units that provide enough open space, optimizing energy consumption.

"What makes this project so unique is that it has been able to address the market demands for sustainable construction with an aesthetically pleasing and functional design, but at the same time providing sufficient amenities to encourage a healthy work-life balance," Vazquez emphasizes.

The developer, CADE CAPITAL, is a boutique real estate development company focused on residential, retail, and mixed-use properties across South Florida, including Riverview Tower, a 100-unit residential building, and MB station a mixed-use property among others.

ABANCA USA

ABANCA USA is an International Branch based in Miami and regulated by the FRB and the OFR. It is part of ABANCA Corporacion Bancaria Group, a financial institution based in Spain, with presence in 11 countries in Europe and America, 6,000 employees and a turnover of 100 billion euros. ABANCA USA's flexible offering is tailored to fit client needs through a well-structured portfolio of products focused on global and sustainable services, to support clients through all domestic and cross-country operations. For more information, visit: www.abancausa.com.

About Banesco USA

Founded in 2006 and based in Coral Gables, Banesco USA is an independent Florida state-chartered bank (https://banescousa.com/OFR-Cert-of-Good-Standing.pdf) with $2.06 billion in assets as of June 30, 2021. The bank has five branches in South Florida: Coral Gables, Hialeah, Doral, Aventura and Brickell as well as one in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visit www.BanescoUSA.com for additional information.

Contact: Sandra Arranz

[email protected]

T. 305-929-0880

SOURCE ABANCA
MUMBAI, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Accura Scan, a B2B solution provider, is aiming to support the baking, financial and telecom sectors with its recently launched ID Forgery Detection for real-time document authentication.

The company also plans to enter in a full fledged manner into the US and EU market with its ID verification and KYC solution for mitigating online ID fraud.

Yasin Patel - CEO, Accura Scan - said: "We expect to target Banks, FI's and Telecom sector with realtime ID Forgery Detection, Accura also plans to scale up in US, Europe and APAC with full force with its ID Verification solution."

"With rolling our KYC product three years ago, we had a demand from our customers to have a realtime ID Forgery Detection in place where document authentication becomes easy and can be verified in realtime. Adding that now, the company has a lot of traction from over 120 countries and is hoping to make partnerships globally."



"In the wake of global pandemic, there was a need for the banks and financial institutes to redefine themselves as digital disruption was ubiquitous. Accura Scan's KYC solution program makes a perfect fit for such financial schools that require security measures to prevent digital fraud or crimes in todays virtual world," he added

Accura Scan is a Fintech and Regtech AI-based Global User Verification Company whose powerful User On boarding Solution with No Code AI Platform, API, and SDK technology blends seamlessly with all operating systems and especially designed to reduce transaction friction. Its AI and Machine Learning innovation confirm the User and records in Real-Time, Remotely. Also it offers an innovative Digital KYC with a Robust OCR, Face biometrics and Video KYC environment that effortlessly blends with any given technology to serve you with user authentication at the highest levels swiftly with the feature-rich ID card scanning. It offers a proven real-time solution to aid in fraud prevention through identity authentication and scanning services, balancing user experience while reducing online challenges like ID forgery. It caters to financial institutions of all sizes.

For more information, visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/accura-scan/ and www.accurascan.com

SOURCE Accura Scan
WASHINGTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A recently published article in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 246 Issue 13, July, 2021) describes a new genetic mutation linked to hearing impairment. The study, led by Dr. Ambroise Wonkam in the Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), reports a variant of the DMXL2 gene in Cameroonian families with hearing impairment.

The inability to hear properly in one or both ears impacts nearly 6% of the global population. Hearing impairment can be caused by environmental or genetic factors. However, establishing a definitive genetic cause can prove difficult in some cases. Approximately 70% of genetic related hearing impairment cases are non-syndromic and occur without the presence of other clinical factors. Over 120 genes have been linked to non-syndromic hearing impairment. While most cases in Europe and Asia can be traced to variants in a single gene, the GJB2 gene, the etiology of African non-syndromic hearing impairment cases is unresolved.

In this study, Dr. Wonkam and colleagues used direct sequencing methods to analyze DNA samples from a Cameroonian family with non-syndromic hearing impairment (NSHI). A mono-allelic missense variant [NM_015263.5:c.918G>T; p.(Q306H)] was identified in the DMXL2 gene in this family. This variant was present in the heterozygous state in the affected mother and the two affected children (one male and one female), and absent from the other two unaffected children (one male and one female). The variant was absent from many genome databases, over 120 control individuals from Cameroon, and 112 isolated cases of NSHI from Cameroon. This is the first report implicating DMXL2 in NSHI in Africans and confirms a previous report of this variant in China. Dr. Wonkam said, "DMXL2 is now a confirmed NSHI candidate gene in Cameroon, and more studies are needed to assess its implication in other populations around the world."

Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology & Medicine, said "Dr. Wonkam and colleagues have identified a mono-allelic variant in DMLX2, also called rabconnectin-3a (RC3), in a Cameroonian family with hearing impairment. A similar variant was previously found in a Han Chinese family. It is very interesting that RC3 is found on inner ear hair cells and is a part of a synaptic vesicle protein complex involved in Ca2+-dependent neurotransmitter release in brain. Future studies aimed at a detailed understanding of the role of DMXL2 in hearing impairment is warranted."

Experimental Biology and Medicine is a global journal dedicated to the publication of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences. The journal was first established in 1903. Experimental Biology and Medicine is the journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine. To learn about the benefits of society membership visit www.sebm.org. If you are interested in publishing in the journal, please visit http://ebm.sagepub.com.

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SOURCE Experimental Biology and Medicine
NEW YORK, July 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemns the United Church of Christ (UCC) General Synod resolution entitled, "Declaration for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel," adopted today by a vote of 462 to 78. The measure demonizes Israel, fails to offer a credible path to Israeli-Palestinian peace, and undermines advances in Christian-Jewish relations.

In a 3,500-word document, there is no mention of Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, is committed to Israel's destruction, opposes any peace initiatives, and, most recently, in May, fired thousands of rockets indiscriminately at Israel's cities.

The resolution ignores inconvenient truths in the history and context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; innumerable peace proposals and initiatives rejected by Palestinians with violence; and ongoing security threats to Israel. In its accusations, the resolution uses terms like "sin" and "apartheid." The resolution dangerously describes the "oppression of the Palestinian people" and an unqualified "Israel's occupation of Palestine" as theologically motivated.

"At a time when Jews are being physically attacked worldwide for their solidarity with Israel, suffering violence that clearly crosses the line from criticism of Israeli policies into blatant antisemitism, one could rightfully expect an American Christian church to be more guarded in its judgments," said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC's Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations.

"Where in this resolution for a 'just peace' is there any mention of Israel's relentless pursuit of peace for 73 years?" Marans asked.

One of only eleven resolutions considered by the UCC General Synod, it was the only international conflict or threat addressed by the assembled.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


The Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant, which will occupy about 700 hectares, will have an installed capacity of 239MWp with 460,000 solar panels. The plant will host bi-facial module technology, which uses the reflection of the sun's rays from their front and back sides, increasing the efficiency of the photoelectric conversion and enhancing the overall production of the plant. The project is expected to generate enough energy to supply two of Unipars factories, located in Brazil.

Lar do Sol Casablanca II's yearly energy generation will be the equivalent of supplying energy to about 261,662 households, according to the average consumption of a Brazilian family. Moreover, the plant will approximately avoid 40,500 metric tons of CO 2 emissions per year. This calculation is based on the GHG (Green House Gases) Protocol, methodology developed by the World Resources Institute which follows the methods used by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). This amount of CO 2 emissions prevented will be the equivalent to removing 16,200 vehicles from the streets of Sao Paulo.

The Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant will be developed, built and operated by Atlas Renewable Energy, whose track record and expertise in Latin America has positioned it as one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in the Americas and as an essential player in the energy sector in the region. The project adds to Atlas' rapidly expanding footprint in the Brazilian market with a total of 6 large-scale solar plants amounting to over 1GW. The signing of this long-term agreement with Unipar, one of Brazil's largest chemical companies, attests to Atlas' ability to partner with private companies to help them achieve their carbon emission reduction goals as they transition towards a cleaner source of energy.

"The adoption of renewables is becoming a staple of good corporate responsibility and we at Atlas offer a unique opportunity for large energy consumers to clean their energy matrix and at the same time be sponsors of the social and environmental programs we develop to uplift the communities where we operate," said Luis Pita, General Manager of Atlas Renewable Energy for Brazil. "This contract is a testament to our company leadership in the renewable energy sector in Brazil, as we continue to implement tailor-made solutions with top-of-the-line technologies, elevating industry standards and providing a competitive edge to our clients. It's an honor to be working with a national chemical leader such as Unipar and partner with them to advance their sustainability goals."

Mauricio Russomanno, CEO at Unipar, says the agreement takes part in the company's commitment to the country's future and the business's sustainability. "This is one more move towards sustainable solutions that improve the company's efforts in the search for energy matrices from renewable sources, guaranteeing access to the essential input for our operation and generating greater competitivity through self-production. The total amount of generated energy destined to Unipar will be enough to produce chlorine for the water treatment to over 60 million people", declares the executive.

As part of Atlas Renewable Energy's commitment to the areas where it operates, the construction of the Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant is set to contract about 1,200 workers in the peak of its activity. The company will also be executing a series of environmental and social programs including the female workforce program "we are all part of the same energy". The program focuses on the promotion of inclusive practices by empowering the local female workforce through training. With this, Atlas has a goal of having at least 15% female representation in the total workforce during the plant's construction. This initiative will allow local women to have access to new job opportunities within the project's construction, generate an opportunity for their economic stability and enhance their skillsets and potential by integrating them into more technical jobs.

About Atlas Renewable Energy

Atlas Renewable Energy is a renewable energy generation company that develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects with long-term contracts across the Americas. The current company portfolio is 2.35GW of contracted projects in development, construction, or operational stages, and aims to expand by an additional 5GW in the next years.

Launched in early 2017, Atlas Renewable Energy includes an experienced team with the longest track record in the solar energy industry in Latin America. The company is recognized for its high standards in the development, construction, and operation of large-scale projects.

Atlas Renewable Energy is part of the Energy Fund IV, founded by Actis, a leading private equity investor in the energy sector. Atlas Renewable Energy's growth is focused on the leading emerging markets and economies, using its proven development, commercialization, and structuring know-how to accelerate the transformation toward clean energy. By actively engaging with the community and stakeholders at the center of its project strategy, the company works every day to provide a cleaner future.

To know more about Atlas Renewable Energy, visit: www.atlasrenewableenergy.com

About Unipar

Unipar is a leader in chlorine, chlorides, and PVC in South America, raw material that forms the basis of all industries and is traded on the Brazilian Stock Exchange (B3 S.A. - Brazil, Bolsa, Balcao).

With around 1,400 employees working in its offices and industrial plants in Cubatao (SP) and Santo Andre (SP), in Brazil, and Bahia Blanca, in Argentina, Unipar is focused on quality, safety, respect for the environment, community integration, and its recognition collaborators.

Throughout its 50 years of history, Unipar has been connected and integrated with the local communities through its Community Advisory Council, which brings together neighbors, social entities, and company representatives. In addition, it is a pioneer in the implementation of the Open Factory Program, which keeps its plants open to visitors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

Contact Unipar

FSB Comunicacao

(11)-3165-9596

[email protected]

Contact Atlas Renewable Energy

Jeffrey Group

(11)-9943-46870

[email protected]

SOURCE Atlas Renewable Energy

Related Links

www.atlasrenewableenergy.com/en/


The organisation is improving the experience of its employees and the community by mapping and managing organisational-wide processes and creating a process-centric culture.

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, today announced that the City of Greater Geelong has chosen Nintex Promapp to support the council's digital transformation and modernisation efforts.

Seeking a more effective way to manage its processes, the City of Greater Geelong in January 2021 commenced using Nintex Promapp because of the software's easy-to-use capabilities and intuitive user interface for process mapping and business-process management.

To experience how organisations are improving operations with Nintex Promapp visit https://bit.ly/3gFqtQX.

"We're looking to map and standardise our processes as part of a major transformation in how we work at the City of Greater Geelong," said Michael Dugina, Director Customer and Corporate Services, City of Greater Geelong.

"Our ambition is for local residents to enjoy more consistent service delivery and faster response times as a result of the organisation's focus on process improvements."

Process mapping is well underway at the City of Greater Geelong and has been made smoother with Nintex's online training videos and FactoryTen's expertise with the Nintex Process Platform.

"FactoryTen is a highly-regarded, standards-based development house, skilled with process and form digitisation andas a Nintex partnerwas well-placed to partner with the City of Greater Geelong to implement this key strategic platform," said Jenny Wotherspoon, Business Development Manager at FactoryTen.

"The business improvement team at the City of Greater Geelong are rapidly mapping their processes in Nintex Promapp, positioning them to successfully identify critical areas of improvement and understand where automation can be deployed for best effect and to reach their digital transformation goals."

The City's initial digital transformation and process improvement efforts are focused within the Customer Service, People & Culture and Financial Services departments.

"Our goal is to have all of our processes aligned to our customer relationship management, human resources, recruitment, and finance systems replacement mapped by the end of July 2021  after that, attention will shift to other areas within the organisation," said Dugina.

To experience the visual and collaborative process mapping capabilities of Nintex Promapp, request a demo at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/.

Media Contact

Laetitia Smith

[email protected]

cell: +64 21 154 7114

About Nintex

Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA).

Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700078/Nintex_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.nintex.com



SOURCE Nintex
MIDDLETOWN, Md., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Heritage Financial, Inc. ("the Company") (OTC Pink: CMHF), the parent company for Middletown Valley Bank ("MVB" or the "Bank") and Millennium Financial Group, Inc. ("Mlend"), announced today that for the period ending June 30, 2021 the Company earned year to date net income of $2.501 million or $1.11 per share, the highest for the time period in the history of the Company, with an increase of $1.142 million or 84% compared to June 30, 2020 at $1.359 million or $0.60 per share. Net income for the second quarter was $892 thousand or $0.40 per share, a decrease of 44.6% or $718 thousand compared to first quarter net income of $1.609 million or $0.71 per share. Year over year second quarter net income increased $43 thousand or 5% compared to the second quarter of 2020.

The net income of $2.501 million for the first six months of 2021 represents the best first half earnings performance in the history of the Company. Earnings continued to be bolstered by strong residential mortgage loan activity along with enhanced fee income from PPP loan forgiveness. Second quarter earnings were negatively impacted by an isolated loan charge-off related to a COVID-19 related business failure. While collection negotiations are ongoing between the borrower, the bank, and legal counsels, due to ongoing uncertainties in judicial proceedings related to COVID-19 which affect the timing of collection, the decision was made to charge-off the entire loan balance and treat collection as a recovery. Provision expense was increased in the first and second quarter specific to this credit. While the country and the economy continue to transition through the post-pandemic recovery, the Company continues to thoroughly evaluate the loan portfolio on a loan-by-loan basis to identify any current or future impacts to borrowers. As of June 30, 2021, credit quality was strong with non-performing assets to total assets at 0.36% with no additional COVID-19 related credit issues identified. While the Company added an additional $1.4 million to provision expense in the second quarter to absorb the charge-off as noted above, the Company recorded positive earnings of $892 thousand for the second quarter of 2021, which exceeded earnings of $849 thousand for the second quarter of 2020.

The Company remains deeply committed to the communities we serve. The grand opening of the Bank's Waynesboro branch was held on May 21, 2021. This is the Banks first location in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and the eighth full-service branch location for the Bank. Since the Waynesboro branch grand opening it has contributed $2.51 million in new deposits to the Banks balance sheet; $967 thousand in non-interest bearing deposits and $1.54 million in interest bearing deposits. We look forward to expanding our footprint in the Franklin County, PA market and continuing to grow in the Maryland market while providing our customers with "Absolutely Exceptional Experiences".

Quarterly Highlights  2Q21 vs 1Q21

Net book value and tangible book value per share both increased by $0.59 per share or 2.5% to $24.23 and $23.49 per share, respectively, in the second quarter, from $23.64 and $22.90 , respectively, in the first quarter.

per share or 2.5% to and per share, respectively, in the second quarter, from and , respectively, in the first quarter. Cash balances increased on a linked quarter basis by 12.9% or $6.4 million . In the second quarter of 2021 the PPP loan payoffs due to SBA forgiveness totaled $27.8 million . This along with $16.5 million in deposit growth contributed to the cash balance increase. The bank deployed a portion of the funds to purchase $24 million in security investments during the second quarter. The bank also continued to strengthen off-balance sheet contingency funding sources (FHLB and FRB discount window borrowing capacity), keeping the overall contingency funding position strong at approximately 51.4% of total funding at the bank level as of June 30, 2021 .

. In the second quarter of 2021 the PPP loan payoffs due to SBA forgiveness totaled . This along with in deposit growth contributed to the cash balance increase. The bank deployed a portion of the funds to purchase in security investments during the second quarter. The bank also continued to strengthen off-balance sheet contingency funding sources (FHLB and FRB discount window borrowing capacity), keeping the overall contingency funding position strong at approximately 51.4% of total funding at the bank level as of . Gross loans decreased on a linked quarter basis by $15.9 million or 2.7% as of June 30, 2021 . A net decrease in PPP loans of $25 million for the quarter was partially offset by core loan growth of $9.1 million .

or 2.7% as of . A net decrease in PPP loans of for the quarter was partially offset by core loan growth of . Overall deposits grew $16.5 million , or 2.5% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of 2021. The deposit growth for the second quarter was mainly due to interest-bearing deposit growth of $11.7 million . Contributing to this growth is money market deposit growth of $10.2 million . The cost of interest-bearing deposits for the second quarter decreased 7 bps to 0.45%.

, or 2.5% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of 2021. The deposit growth for the second quarter was mainly due to interest-bearing deposit growth of . Contributing to this growth is money market deposit growth of . The cost of interest-bearing deposits for the second quarter decreased 7 bps to 0.45%. The Banks normalized margin (excludes impact of PPP loans and fees, FRB Cash and Brokered deposits) decreased 11 basis points to 3.46% in the second quarter of 2021 from 3.57% in the first quarter of 2021. Accounting for the difference was the interest write-offs related to the isolated charge-off along with continued market pressure on earning assets.

normalized margin (excludes impact of PPP loans and fees, FRB Cash and Brokered deposits) decreased 11 basis points to 3.46% in the second quarter of 2021 from 3.57% in the first quarter of 2021. Accounting for the difference was the interest write-offs related to the isolated charge-off along with continued market pressure on earning assets. The loan loss reserve to total loans ratio (excluding PPP loans) decreased to 1.08% at June 30, 2021 , from 1.69% as of March 31, 2021 . Most of the decrease was related to the aforementioned isolated charge-off along with reevaluation of qualitative COVID-19 factors used in the reserve calculation. The total charge-off of $4.5 million utilized $3.1 million of specific reserve, and an additional $1.4 million of second quarter provision related to this credit. All future collections related to this credit will be treated as recovery as collection efforts are active and ongoing.

Quarterly Highlights  2Q21 vs 2Q20

Net book value per share of $24.23 represents a $1.80 , or 8% increase over June 30, 2020 book value of $22.43 per share. Tangible book value per share of $23.49 at June 30, 2021 increased by $1.80 or 8.3% from $21.69 at June 30, 2020 .

represents a , or 8% increase over book value of per share. Tangible book value per share of at increased by or 8.3% from at . Year-over-year net loan growth was $44.7 million or 8.6%, which includes a decrease of $32.1 million in PPP loans. Excluding the PPP loans, gross core loan growth was $76.1 million or 16.5% year-over-year.

or 8.6%, which includes a decrease of in PPP loans. Excluding the PPP loans, gross core loan growth was or 16.5% year-over-year. Deposits grew $56 million or 9.4% on a year-over-year basis compared to June 30, 2020 . Excluding brokered deposits of $35.2 million as of June 30, 2020 , core deposits increased $91 million or 16.3% year-over-year. The majority of the core growth was in demand deposits and low interest cost money market and savings deposits.

or 9.4% on a year-over-year basis compared to . Excluding brokered deposits of as of , core deposits increased or 16.3% year-over-year. The majority of the core growth was in demand deposits and low interest cost money market and savings deposits. As of June 30, 2021 , the Bank had reduced overall cost of funds to 0.28%, down from 0.56% at June 30, 2020 . This decrease results from the further rate reductions on numerous deposit account types due to historically low Fed rates.

, the Bank had reduced overall cost of funds to 0.28%, down from 0.56% at . This decrease results from the further rate reductions on numerous deposit account types due to historically low Fed rates. Year-to-date loan loss provision expense through June 30, 2021 totaled $2.9 million (excludes $40 thousand for off-balance sheet and check card loss provision), an increase of $1.95 million compared to $951 thousand through June 30, 2020 . Loan growth and the isolated charge-off combined with economic metrics due to the pandemic (unemployment, GDP and COVID factor) account for the increased provision expense.

totaled (excludes for off-balance sheet and check card loss provision), an increase of compared to through . Loan growth and the isolated charge-off combined with economic metrics due to the pandemic (unemployment, GDP and COVID factor) account for the increased provision expense. Non-interest income year-to-date as of June 30, 2021 grew by $1.27 million or 49.8% compared to June 30, 2020 . The mortgage activity and secondary sales income increase of $818 thousand along with the security sale gains increase of $187 thousand account for the majority of the increase year-over-year.

grew by or 49.8% compared to . The mortgage activity and secondary sales income increase of along with the security sale gains increase of account for the majority of the increase year-over-year. Non-interest expense as of June 30, 2021 increased by $786 thousand compared to June 30, 2020 . The increase is directly related to the growth of the balance sheet (8.6% year-over-year) as staffing has increased to support the growth, and increased FDIC insurance premiums as deposits increased (9.4% year-over-year).

Dividend

A dividend of $0.04 per share was declared by the Board of Directors on June 16, 2021 for shareholders of record as of July 30, 2021 and payable on August 6, 2021.

Community Heritage Financial, Inc.

Robert E. (BJ) Goetz, Jr.

President & Chief Executive Officer

301-371-3055

www.communityheritageinc.com

Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (dollars in thousands)





























June 30,

March 31,

December 31,

September 30,

June 30,





2021

2021

2020

2020

2020





(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)























Assets



















Cash and due from banks $ 49,830 $ 43,425 $ 28,785 $ 15,044 $ 49,706

Total cash and cash equivalents

49,830

43,425

28,785

15,044

49,706























Securities available-for-sale, at fair value

86,343

61,086

72,439

67,441

69,518 Equity securities, at cost

338

462

462

462

462























Loans

569,877

585,811

558,967

554,851

524,512 Less allowance for loan loss

5,812

8,948

7,480

6,024

5,179

Loans, net

564,065

576,864

551,486

548,828

519,333























Loans held for sale

8,008

10,717

12,626

21,670

13,525 Premises and equipment, net

7,025

6,529

6,400

6,459

6,612 Right-of-use assets

2,533

2,557

2,667

2,785

2,900 Accrued interest receivable

1,746

2,035

2,199

2,192

2,003 Deferred tax assets

1,873

3,025

2,081

1,796

978 Bank-owned life insurance

6,393

6,340

5,280

5,214

5,027 Goodwill

1,657

1,657

1,657

1,657

1,657 Intangible assets

5

7

9

11

13 Other Assets

1,590

1,750

2,090

1,960

1,740

Total Assets $ 731,404 $ 716,452 $ 688,181 $ 675,519 $ 673,475























Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity











































Liabilties



















Deposits:



















Non-interest-bearing demand $ 233,757 $ 228,946 $ 197,297 $ 187,972 $ 181,155 Interest-bearing

417,157

405,499

402,262

399,955

413,743

Total Deposits

650,914

634,445

599,560

587,927

594,897























Subordinated debt, net

14,708

14,686

14,664

14,641

14,619 Other borrowings

4,015

3,719

8,558

10,577

5,784 Lease liabilities

2,591

2,610

2,715

2,823

2,934 Accrued interest payable

206

426

215

445

235 Other liabilities

4,416

7,349

9,509

7,532

4,507

Total Liabilities

676,850

663,236

635,221

623,946

622,976























Stockholders' Equity



















Common stock

23

23

23

23

23 Surplus

28,523

28,523

28,523

28,523

28,523 Retained earnings

25,954

25,152

23,633

22,156

21,045 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

54

(482)

782

870

908

Total Stockholders' Equity

54,554

53,216

52,960

51,572

50,499

























Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 731,404 $ 716,452 $ 688,181 $ 675,519 $ 673,475

Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)





























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended





June 30,

March 31,

June 30,

June 30,

June 30,





2021

2021

2020

2021

2020























Interest Income





















Loans, including fees $ 6,328,253 $ 6,506,470 $ 5,497,442 $ 12,834,724 $ 10,811,340

Securities

347,943

303,676

250,044

651,618

461,545

Fed funds sold and other

5,115

8,710

31,911

13,825

110,096

Total interest income

6,681,311

6,818,856

5,779,397

13,500,167

11,382,981























Interest Expense





















Deposits

442,650

501,019

911,388

943,669

2,005,717

Borrowed funds

0

947

44,076

947

48,869

Subordinated debt

238,049

238,049

233,258

476,098

471,307

Other Interest Expense

51,071

71,428

25,780

122,499

39,889

Total interest expense

731,770

811,444

1,214,502

1,543,214

2,565,781























Net interest income

5,949,541

6,007,412

4,564,896

11,956,953

8,817,200 Provision for loan losses

1,432,697

1,465,981

628,360

2,898,678

951,497 Net interest income after provision for loan losses

4,516,844

4,541,431

3,936,536

9,058,275

7,865,703























Non-interest income





















Service charges on deposits

181,006

193,829

111,808

374,835

283,831

Earnings bank owned life insurance

45,307

51,690

18,530

96,997

43,543

Gain sale of fixed assets

0

1,500

0

1,500

0

Gain sale of securities

0

196,091

0

196,091

9,257

Mortage loan income activity

1,313,885

1,460,199

1,244,244

2,774,085

1,955,756

Other non-interest income

200,732

173,176

128,848

373,907

255,591

Total non-interest income

1,740,930

2,076,484

1,503,429

3,817,414

2,547,978























Non-interest expense





















Salaries and employee benefits

2,880,755

2,582,179

2,567,085

5,462,934

5,085,642

Occupancy and equipment

706,167

677,236

670,147

1,383,404

1,362,692

Legal and professional fees

169,242

150,029

154,206

319,270

328,811

Advertising

131,225

156,125

92,306

287,350

222,337

Data processing

625,055

468,249

480,667

1,093,304

909,511

FDIC premiums

108,963

114,796

27,184

223,759

52,480

Loss sale of securities

0

17,826

0

17,826

0

Other intangible amortization

2,083

2,083

2,083

4,167

4,167

Other

377,273

218,647

294,466

595,921

636,347

Total non-interest expense

5,000,763

4,387,169

4,288,143

9,387,934

8,601,986 Income before taxes

1,257,011

2,230,747

1,151,822

3,487,756

1,811,695 Income tax expense

365,343

621,580

302,945

986,923

452,442 Net Income $ $891,668 $ $1,609,167 $ $848,877 $ $2,500,833 $ $1,359,253























Basic earnings per share $ 0.40 $ 0.71 $ 0.38 $ 1.11 $ 0.60

Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Selected Financial Data





















Income Statement Review





























For the Three Months Ended

For theSix Months Ended



June 30,

March 31,

June 30,

June 30,

June 30,



2021

2021

2020

2021

2020



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)





















Interest Income $ 6,681,311 $ 6,818,856 $ 5,779,397 $ 13,500,167 $ 11,382,981 Interest Expense

731,770

811,444

1,214,502

1,543,214

2,565,781 Net interest income

5,949,541

6,007,412

4,564,896

11,956,953

8,817,200 Provsion expense

1,432,697

1,465,981

628,360

2,898,678

951,497 Net interest income after provision $ 4,516,844 $ 4,541,431 $ 3,936,536 $ 9,058,275 $ 7,865,703





















Non-interest income $ 1,740,930 $ 2,076,484 $ 1,503,429 $ 3,817,414 $ 2,547,978 Non-interest expense

5,000,763

4,387,169

4,288,143

9,387,934

8,601,986





















Yield on interest-earning assets

3.85%

4.08%

3.66%

3.96%

3.99% Cost of interest-bearing liabilities

0.69%

0.78%

1.14%

0.73%

1.32% Efficiency ratio

65.03%

54.27%

70.66%

59.51%

75.65%

Balance Sheet Review





































June 30,

March 31,





June 30,



2021

2021





2020



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)





(Unaudited) (dollars in thousands)















Total assets $ 731,404 $ 716,452



$ 673,475 Loans, net of reserve

564,065

576,864





519,333 Goodwill & intangibles

1,661

1,663





1,670 Deposits

650,914

634,445





594,897 Shareholder's equity

54,554

53,216





50,499

















Asset Quality Review















Non-accrual loans $ 1,656 $ 952



$ 1,319 Trouble debt restructured loans still accruing

969

975





686 Loans 90 days past due still accruing

-

-





180 Foreclosured properties

-

-





- Total non-performing assets $ 2,625 $ 1,927



$ 2,185

















Non-performing assets to total assets

0.36%

0.27%





0.32% Non-performing assets to total loans

0.45%

0.33%





0.42%

Summary of Operating Results





















For theThree Months Ended

For the Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30,

June 30,

June 30,



2021

2020

2021

2020



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

















Pre-allowance for Loan Loss provision, pre-tax net income $ 2,689,709 $ 1,780,182 $ 6,386,436 $ 2,763,192 Alllowance for loan loss provision, pre-tax

1,432,697

628,360

2,898,678

951,497 Tax expense

365,343

302,945

986,923

452,442 Net Income $ $891,669 $ $848,877 $ $2,500,835 $ $1,359,253

















(dollars in thousands)















Charge-offs $ 4,583 $ 18 $ 4,601 $ 38 (Recoveries)

(16)

(10)

(29)

(19) Net charge-offs $ 4,567 $ 8 $ 4,573 $ 19

















Per Common Share Data





















Common shares outstanding

2,251,320

2,251,320

2,251,320

2,251,320 Weighted average shares outstanding

2,251,320

2,251,320

2,251,320

2,251,320

















Basic Earnings per share $ 0.40 $ 0.38 $ 1.11 $ 0.60 Dividend declared $ 0.04 $ 0.04 $ 0.08 $ 0.08

















Book value per share $ 24.23 $ 22.43 $ 24.23 $ 22.43 Tangible book value per share $ 23.49 $ 21.69 $ 23.49 $ 21.69

















Selected Financial Ratios (unaudited)





















Return on average assets

0.49%

0.51%

0.71%

0.45% Return on average equity

6.50%

6.79%

9.12%

5.51% Allowance for loan losses to total loans

1.02%

0.99%

1.02%

0.99% Allowance for loan loss to total loans (excluding PPP loans)

1.08%

1.12%

1.08%

1.12% Non-performing assets to total loans

0.45%

0.42%

0.45%

0.42% Non-performing assets to total loans (excluding PPP)

0.49%

0.47%

0.49%

0.47% Net Charge-offs to total loans

0.80%

0.00%

0.80%

0.00% Community bank leverage ratio (bank only)**

8.99%

9.13%

8.99%

9.13% Average equity to average assets

7.58%

7.50%

7.73%

8.24% Net interest margin (bank only, normalized)*

3.46%

3.44%

3.52%

3.53% Loans to deposits - (EOP)

87.55%

88.17%

87.55%

88.17% *Normalized margin excludes impact of PPP loans and related on balance sheet liquidity through Brokered deposits and FHLB Borrowing.



**As of March 31, 2020 the bank adopted the community bank leverage ratio (CBLR) for capital reporting.









SOURCE Community Heritage Financial, Inc.
MALTA, N.Y., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobalFoundries (GF), the global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing, today announced its expansion plans for its most advanced manufacturing facility in upstate New York over the coming years. These plans include immediate investments to address the global chip shortage at its existing Fab 8 facility as well as construction of a new fab on the same campus that will double the site's capacity.

The announcement was made as the company convened leaders from government and industry to progress the national discussion around solving U.S. semiconductor supply chain challenges. CEO Tom Caulfield was joined by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo, former Pentagon officials, and executives from leading companies throughout the semiconductor supply chain.

GF will invest $1 billion to immediately add an additional 150,000 wafers per year within its existing fab to help address the global chip shortage. Following that, GF plans to construct a new fab that will create more than 1,000 new direct high-tech jobs and thousands more indirect jobs including high-paying construction jobs for the region. Following the successful investment model of Fab 8, GF is planning to fund the new facility through private-public partnerships including customers, federal and state investments. This new capacity will serve the growing demand for secure, feature-rich chips needed by high-growth markets including automotive, 5G connectivity and the Internet of Things. The facility will also support national security requirements for a secure supply chain.

These investments to expand GF's U.S. manufacturing footprint are part of the company's broader global expansion plans that include the recently announced new fab in Singapore and $1 billion planned investment to expand in Germany, all to meet the growing demand from customers worldwide.

"Our expansion and job creation in Malta requires a new economic model, based on the bold public-private partnerships being championed in Washington by visionary leaders Senator Schumer and Secretary Raimondo, as well as close collaboration with our customers," said GF CEO Tom Caulfield. "Our industry is expected to grow more in the next decade than it did in the past 50 years and GF is stepping up to do its part as we work together to address the growing demand for technology innovation for the betterment of humanity. We are honored to be joined by government and automotive leaders, national security experts, and our valued customers to continue the critical discussions needed to create a reliable supply of American-made chips to support the U.S. economy and national security."

"I've led the fight to establish historic federal incentives for semiconductor manufacturing and R&D to strengthen the domestic semiconductor supply chain that is critical to our national security and global competitiveness, including addressing the chip shortage impacting industries across the economy, all in hopes of bringing us to announcements like this today," said Sen. Schumer. "As Majority Leader, I worked hard with companies like GlobalFoundries to craft and pass the bipartisan U.S. Competition and Innovation Act, providing $52 billion to expand the domestic semiconductor industry and supercharge the GlobalFoundries expansion of Fab 8 and building a new fab in Malta. Today's announcement is a win-win-win: a win for jobs in the Capital Region, a win for GlobalFoundries, and a win for U.S. government, automakers, and other critical industries that desperately need chips."

GF employs more than 15,000 worldwide with 7,000 people across the U.S., and nearly 3,000 at its headquarters in Malta, New York. GF has invested more than $15 billion in its Fab 8 facility over the last decade to support innovation and increase manufacturing capacity. As an accredited supplier of advanced semiconductors to the U.S. government, GF delivers secure and reliable semiconductor solutions at Fab 8, which is compliant with the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Moreover, GF offers the highest industry, customer and government criteria for secure manufacturing, worldwide, through its GF Shield program.

About GF

GlobalFoundries (GF) is one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers and the only one with a truly global footprint. GF delivers feature-rich solutions that enable its customers to develop innovative products for pervasive chips for high-growth markets. GF provides a broad range of feature-rich process technology solutions with a unique mix of design, development and fabrication services. With an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its customers across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit www.gf.com.

SOURCE GLOBALFOUNDRIES
LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RegTech Associates, a research firm that provides strategic insight and advice to RegTech vendors, institutions and global industry bodies, announces the launch of its online platform that provides users with a view of the global risk and regulatory technology ecosystem.

Radar is a digital platform that brings together the industry's largest RiskTech and RegTech product database, research-backed insights, and a curated risk, compliance and legal sector news feed.

The platform aims to help buyers navigate over 1,200 different products created to help with managing risk and regulatory compliance. Radar's analysts constantly research and examine these industries to give sellers in-depth insights published on the platform. And with a bespoke news feed, Radar gives buyers, sellers, and investors focussed news allowing users to be fully informed on market movements.

Born from the RegTech Directory, a product database created by RegTech Associates in 2017, Radar contains over 45,000 data points from the products the platform lists. The company also uses this data to inform their research projects, including recent commissioned reports by the City of London Corporation, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and the New South Wales Government.

Jason Boud, Co-founder and CEO, RegTech Associates, says: "At RegTech Associates, we strongly believe that technology has a significant role to play in making highly regulated industries more compliant whilst also protecting consumers. To help further educate the market on this point, we have collected data from over 1,200 products from 1,000 companies covering more than 50 countries. As an accessible and trustworthy source of information, Radar is a critical part of this mission."

Radar offers two subscription plans: Free and Pro. Users are given credits to spend on the platform each month. The Free plan offers users enough credits to take the platform for a test drive, and the Pro plan allows users to access much more information and fully harness Radar's expertise.

Try it today: https://radar.rtassociates.co

About RegTech Associates

RegTech Associates is a research company using its analysis to provide strategic insight and advice to clients. RegTech Associates brings all sides of the market together to help RegTech vendors grow and regulated firms manage compliance more effectively. Founded in 2017, RegTech Associates is a privately held company based in London.

Related Links

https://www.rtassociates.co



SOURCE RegTech Associates
"Beau's deep experience in a wide range of representations, including various fund platforms, stages of development, and asset classes, is a perfect fit for our market-leading Investment Funds Practice," said Andrea Schwartzman, Global Chair of Latham's Investment Funds Practice. "He has tremendous technical skills and is known for his collegiality and team-based approach. We are thrilled to welcome Beau to Latham and to our group."

Brashares also works with both sponsors and limited partners on seed investments, spin-off transactions, co-investments, secondary transactions, and the purchase and sale of minority interests in management companies. In addition, he routinely advises sponsors on critical firm-level issues including succession planning, carry plan structuring, and governance matters.

"Continuing to expand our Investment Funds Practice both in the US and globally is a strategic priority of the firm, and we are delighted to welcome Beau to the group," said Charles Ruck, Global Chair of Latham's Corporate Department. "Furthermore, the market for funds representation is ripe for growth, and Latham remains committed to growing in line with our clients' needs."

Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins' New York office, added, "Beau is a highly respected funds lawyer with a well-established practice and an outstanding reputation in the market. He is a tremendous addition to our distinguished Investment Funds and Private Equity Practices in New York that serve a diverse client base on their most sophisticated transactions."

"Latham's top-tier Investment Funds Practice is one of the most active and diverse practices of its kind globally, and I am excited to be joining the group," said Brashares. "The combination of the firm's integrated global platform, deep roots in private equity, and collaborative culture will be of tremendous benefit to my clients."

Brashares joins Latham from Kirkland & Ellis in New York. He received his JD from Harvard Law School.





About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Contacts

Andrea Schwartzman, Global Chair, Investment Funds Practice, +1.212.906.2952

Charles Ruck, Global Chair, Corporate Department, +1.212.418.7625

Marc Jaffe, New York Office Managing Partner, +1.212.906.1281

SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP
LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CleanEquity is an annual invitation-only event hosted by Innovator Capital, the London based specialist investment bank. The 30 best-in-class sustainable technologies must meet high standards set by the selection committee. The conference provides an intimate and collegiate setting for inventors and entrepreneurs to share their stories with delegates - key decision makers looking to assist them with reaching their commercial and strategic goals.

Other partners and sponsors include Prince Albert II of Monaco's Foundation, Cision, Covington & Burling, Cranfield University, the Monaco Economic Board and Taronis Fuels.

MCPV has been identified by an expert panel as one of the world's most innovative sustainable technology companies and has been selected to present to selected sovereign, corporate, family and professional investors & acquires, policy makers, end users and international trade media.

Building on the momentum it helped create for the revival of European PV manufacturing, MCPV is today launching its external fundraising efforts as part of its roadmap to implement a 15GW heterojunction (HJT) cell and module manufacturing capacity by 2027, with start of production in 2022.

The MCPV team has developed its technology, manufacturing and market strategy, and is now ready to shift into execution. With the external environment never better - Green Deal, Clean Hydrogen Strategy, Industrial Strategy, Fit-for-55, and the US on board for clear 2030 targets, the PV market is set to accelerate globally, to an annual market deployment of 600GW by 2030.

MCPV is focused on fast-scaling, Industry 4.0/5.0 anchored, HJT manufacturing in Europe working closely with the up and downstream value chains to (re)build a robust EU PV industry, set global standards in LCOE competitiveness and eco-design, as well as improve EU security of supply.

Europe's major IPP and EPC firms are beneficiaries of a reliable and competitive EU-based PV manufacturing value chain, strengthening their global PV deployment activities. This is fast translating into effective demand visibility.

MCPV launches external fundraising and plans a public offering, allowing for the investment community to capture the significant market opportunity ahead for new generation PV manufacturing in Europe.

For more information: [email protected]

About Innovator Capital Limited

Innovator Capital (ICL), established in 2003, is a London based specialist investment bank focusing on health and sustainable technology companies; advising on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, IP, business & corporate development. ICL's mission is to assist IP rich private & public companies with finding the right investors, acquirers, customers, licensees and commercial partners.

SOURCE Innovator Capital

Related Links

www.innovator-capital.com


MELBOURNE, Australia, July 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The hiring and recruitment process represents a significant expense for most businesses, while reliable staff are one of a company's greatest assets. These competing factors can place additional strain on industries that might need staff for short-term contracts or project-based work. When they need reliable labour hire , Melbourne businesses can turn to a labour hire, recruitment, and HR company like AIO Contracting.

AIO

To ensure an organisation is working with the right labour hire company for their needs, AIO advises businesses to look for registered labour hire providers that hold the relevant certifications. Businesses can also search for companies with relevant experience within their own industry. For example, AIO provides qualified trades, production workers, ticketed personnel, and technical staff, as well as construction, engineering, and maintenance labour hire.

When searching for a labour hire agency in Melbourne, AIO also advises business owners to ask about the agency's employee screening process. Screening for qualifications and technical skills should form the base, while screening for the important employability characteristics that the business needs will make all the difference between finding staff and finding the right staff.

When they choose to work with industry-experienced labour agencies, Melbourne businesses can shorten the recruitment process, decrease the inherent risk of new hires and benefit from the industry knowledge of a labour hire agency that can help match the right candidates to their specific needs.

Working with a labour hire company in Melbourne can also give businesses access to a greater pool of candidates than other recruitment channels. There is also the benefit of having these skilled candidates matched exactly to specific project needs. Fast turnaround times will provide a valuable advantage for shut down or plant upgrade projects.

Reputable labour hire companies will have dedicated HR and HSQE (Health, Safety, Quality Assurance and Environment) departments. This is an assurance that the company will care for their staff.

Using a labour hire company like AIO puts businesses at an advantage when searching for good staff. Using a labour hire company can significantly reduce recruitment and training expenses, as businesses have access to a pool of skilled, industry-ready candidates and the backing of experienced recruitment consultants.

Related Images

aio.png

AIO

AIO

SOURCE AIO Contracting

Related Links

https://aiocontracting.com.au


TUCSON, Ariz., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mister Car Wash continues to expand its presence in the Sunshine State with the opening of its newest location at 12611 US-19 in Hudson, FL. The Hudson and Port Richey areas are rapidly growing, and this location is situated to provide customers and members access as they travel to the coast from both 1-75 and Suncoast Pkwy.

Mister has nearly 800 team members in Florida and has grown significantly through acquisition and new build locations since first entering the state in 2007. This growth has provided team members with opportunities to create careers and develop others around them. Over 90% of Mister's store managers nationwide have been promoted from within creating a pipeline for growth in the company and a culture of caring.

"Customers and members feel the unique Mister experience comes from team members who care when they visit one of our stores," stated Ryan Darby, vice president of development and construction. "The continued expansion in Florida is not only creating even more growth opportunities for our team members, but also sharing the Mister experience with even more customers and new members of our Unlimited Wash Club," he added.

For those who want to experience the Mister "shine" for themselves, the new Hudson location will be offering free car washes on July 31 and August 1.

Hours of operation of the new store are Monday - Saturday 7:30 am-7:00 pm and Sunday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm. For more information about the new location, please visit https://mistercarwash.com/location/hudson/

Join the Mister Car Wash team

Candidates interested in joining the Mister Car Wash team at any local store can apply online at careers.mistercarwash.com. Mister Car Wash is an equal opportunity employer, and new team members will receive a wide variety of benefits including competitive pay, paid-time-off earned from day one, generous benefits, and free car washes.

About Mister Car Wash

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Mister Car Wash, Inc. (NYSE: MCW) operates over 340 car washes nationwide and has the largest car wash subscription program in North America. The Mister brand is anchored in quality, friendliness and a commitment to creating memorable customer experiences. People are what make us successful and allow us to achieve these high standards. We continue to focus on recruiting and retaining top talent, developing best-in-class training programs and investing in employee benefits to cultivate a positive company culture that brings to life the Mister experience.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include but are not limited to Mister Car Wash's expansion efforts and branding initiatives. Words including "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "seek," or "should," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: developments involving the Company's competitors and its industry; the Company's ability to attract new customers, retain existing customers and maintain or grow its number of subscription members; potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; the Company's ability to open and operate new locations on a timely and cost-effective manner; the Company's ability to identify suitable acquisition targets and consummate such acquisitions on attractive terms; the Company's ability to maintain and enhance its brand reputation; the Company's reliance on and relationships with third-party suppliers; risk related to the Company's indebtedness and capital requirements; risk related to governmental laws and regulations applicable to the Company and its business; the Company's ability to maintain security and prevent unauthorized access to electronic and other confidential information; and the other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's final prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on June 28, 2021 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and Investors Relations section of the Company's website at www.mistercarwash.com .

These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any forward-looking statement that the Company makes in this press release speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information contact:

Media

Megan Everett

[email protected]

Investor Relations

Farah Soi/Caitlin Churchill

[email protected]

SOURCE Mister Car Wash

Related Links

https://www.mistercarwash.com


New effort by employers, business & public health groups to help working parents vaccinate children against COVID-19 Tweet this

During a National Business Town Hall on Childhood Vaccinations held today, top business and public health leaders joined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, AAP President Dr. Lee Savio Beers, White House Senior Policy Advisor for COVID-19 Equity Dr. Cameron Webb, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose CEO Daryl Brewster and Boston Consulting Group Managing Director & Partner Amanda Brimmer to call on employers to remove barriers for working parents who want to vaccinate their children. They're encouraging employers to:

Provide paid time off or flexible scheduling for working parents to attend vaccine appointments with children who are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, care for children recovering from vaccine side effects, and catch up on other routine immunizations that may have been delayed during the pandemic;

Offer transportation, language support or Internet access for scheduling appointments;

Connect families to free or discounted child care if they need support managing care for multiple children;

Offer incentives to employees to get their vaccine-eligible children vaccinated; and,

Partner with local health departments to host on-site or mobile vaccination clinics for employees and their families, including eligible children.

Employers are encouraged to sustain these policies when younger children become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, which is anticipated in late 2021 or early 2022.

Today, the following organizations announced their support of the initiative: Ad Council, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, American Staffing Association, Big Cities Health Coalition, Business Group on Health, Business Partners to CONVINCE, Business Roundtable, CDC Foundation, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, COVID Collaborative, de Beaumont Foundation, GBCHealth, LatinX COVID-19 Task Force, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Rural Health Association, National Safety Council, Reimagine Main Street, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rural America Chamber of Commerce, Rural Assembly, SHRM, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Council for International Business Foundation and Vaccinate Your Family.

"We know that parents trust pediatricians and healthcare providers, so it is critical that working families, particularly women, communities of color and families with lower income who have borne the brunt of the child care crisis be allotted time to visit with their child's pediatrician for vaccinations," said Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Employees with children may have many questions and they need accurate information and facts. Vaccinating children keeps them healthy which, among many benefits, means they don't miss school and parents don't miss work."

"August is National Immunization Awareness Month and I am reminded of how far we have come in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases in this country," said Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "Vaccines have protected individuals and families from life-threatening diseases such as whooping cough, HPV and the flu. They are safe and effective in preventing serious and potentially deadly diseases such as COVID-19, and this initiative to have employers support their workers can play an important role in encouraging more vaccinations. As new, more transmissible virus variants spread across the United States, it's urgent that eligible children are protected."

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, business leaders, as the most trusted resource to their employees, have played a critical role in working with the public health community," said Daryl Brewster, CEO of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose. "Business leaders can remove barriers, enact policies, and connect across divides to support the vaccination of their employees and their families, including their children. The benefits will be profoundto society, the economy, business, and employee wellbeing."

As part of this coordinated effort, employers across the country are invited to share their specific company actions and best practices. Health Action Alliance and the AAP encourage participating companies to activate their commitments during National Immunization Awareness Month in August and beyond.



"The country's leading business groups and public health organizations agree: removing barriers for working parents who choose to vaccinate their children is good for health, good for workers and good for business," said Stephen Massey, managing director of the Health Action Alliance.

About the Health Action Alliance

Health Action Alliance is a joint initiative of the Ad Council, the Business Roundtable, the CDC Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundationin partnership with Meteorite. Together, we work to strengthen and accelerate the business community's response to COVID-19, address health inequities and strengthen public health infrastructure. Learn more at: http://healthaction.org

SOURCE Health Action Alliance

Related Links

http://healthaction.org


ROCKLAND, Del. , July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambassador CBD has been providing legally imported full-spectrum, USDA Certified Organic, and T-Free products since 2020. They are the original imported cannabis oil from Colombia and Jamaica. These prime agricultural export destinations have some of the best horticultural soil and laws surrounding cultivation of hemp which entail Ambassador consumers reap and truly feel the benefits.

Founded in 2019, combat veteran James Brobyn noticed many fellow vets using cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. He saw first hand the lack of industry accountability and access to clean pharmaceutical-grade, organic cannabinol products and he set his sights out to provide the missing link.

Brobyn notes, "Ambassador products are imported from the best growing regions in the world - Colombia and Jamaica, near the equator. As a US Veteran owned company, we then third-party test these premium products for purity before we deliver them to our customers."

Brobyn's quest for clean products and industry integrity led him to depart from the typical CBD ingredient compliments and only source the purest form of the full hemp plant. His sourcing journey landed him on the shores of the climate-rich regions of Jamaica and Colombia. Similar to coffee, CBD grows best near the equator due to the warm soil and humidity.

Working with the US Department of Customs and Border Protection, Ambassador was able to acquire tariff codes to ensure their products are imported legally and comply with the 2018 Farm Bill.

Ambassador CBD produces oils that are USDA Certified Organic, holding all of their products to the highest production standards. USDA Organic Certification is not easy to obtain and very few CBD brands in the market today possess this credential. Transparency is important when it comes to cannabinoids, and Ambassador provides a Certificate of Analysis for every batch of CBD that is produced and sold in retail stores and on their e-commerce.

With their brand emphasis on quality, they have launched three CBD tincture products that address stress relief, anxiety, focus, pain and inflammation recovery. These three tinctures also correlate with their cultivation origins; Rionegro which is certified USDA Organic and the most potent, Medellin their high concentrate and Trelawny obsolete of THC.

Taking CBD is similar to the daily support provided by vitamins and minerals in fruits, vegetables, and plants. The human endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps regulate things like appetite, stress levels, energy, sleep, and overall well-being. Ambassador CBD and its founding team have gone to great lengths to procure and produce unparalleled excellence in the formulations of their products.

To learn more about Ambassador products and their founding story visit www.ambassadorcbd.com. Follow along with the Ambassador journey on Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook .

SOURCE Ambassador CBD

Related Links

http://www.ambassadorcbd.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PAQ Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to restoring heath and curing disease through autophagy, today announced the completion of its $30 million Series A financing. PAQ's approach and technology expands the therapeutic potential of autophagy - the body's most versatile mechanism for natural cellular degradation  to target not only disease-causing proteins but lipids, pathogens and other substrates with the goal of restoring health. Sherpa Healthcare Partners led the Series A financing with participation from Huagai Capital, MSA Capital, and MRL Ventures Fund, joined by seed investors, Nest.Bio Ventures and Matrix Partners China.

PAQ's novel autophagosome-tethering compounds (ATTECs) are small molecules with the potential to selectively catalyze autophagy-dependent degradation of a wide range of disease-causing substrates, including proteins and non-protein substrates, such as aggregates, mitochondria, lipids and pathogens. PAQ is initially focused on a genetic neurodegenerative disorder, with the potential to expand the breakthrough ATTEC platform to target disease-causing protein and non-protein targets for a range of diseases with limited treatment options. The Series A financing will allow the company to advance its ATTEC platform and progress its pipeline programs.

"PAQ's team of global experts are working to hijack the powerful autophagy pathway to directly target and eliminate disease-causing substrates from the body," said Nan Ji, Ph.D., PAQ's Co-founder, President and CEO. "PAQ's ATTEC technology provides a complementary and differentiated platform to targeted protein degradation (TPD), which works through the ubiquitin-proteosome (UPS) pathway. Our autophagy-dependent approach further supports a pivotal moment in the evolution of drug discovery and design by expanding our ability to target the disease-causing substrates beyond proteins underlying diseases with limited or no treatment options."

Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the global PAQ team collectively brings decades of drug discovery experience and significant expertise in autophagy research. Joining Dr. Ji as co-founders are Huaixiang Hao, PhD, Head of Biology and Professor Boxun Lu of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. PAQ's scientific advisors are distinguished research leaders in autophagy, neuroscience, drug discovery including:

David Rubinsztein, PhD, Professor of Molecular Neurogenetics and a UK Dementia Research Institute Group Leader, University of Cambridge

Jared Rutter , PhD, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Dee Glen and Ida Smith Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, University of Utah

, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, and Ida Smith Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, Jin-Quan Yu , PhD, Frank and Bertha Hupp Professor of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute

"Dr. Nan Ji has assembled a strong team of leading autophagy researchers and scientific advisors focused on advancing the ATTEC platform," said Cheng Xing, Managing Partner of Sherpa Healthcare Partners. "We see tremendous potential for autophagy-dependent degradation to achieve major therapeutic innovations leveraging the flexibility of small molecules to create cures and overcome serious diseases where therapeutic options are limited for patients."

About PAQ Therapeutics

PAQ Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to restoring heath and curing disease through autophagy, the body's most versatile mechanism for natural cellular degradation. With our ATTEC (autophagosome-tethering compound) technology, we are developing a novel class of small molecule degraders capable of binding a diverse array of substrates to the autophagy pathway. PAQ's research advances are driving an important new class of degradation therapies with the potential to fundamentally transform drug discovery and development and target a range of substrates including proteins, aggregates, lipids, organelles and pathogens.

About Sherpa Healthcare Partners

Sherpa Healthcare Partners ("Sherpa") is a healthcare-focused venture capital fund founded in 2018 by an experienced team of healthcare investment professionals. The team has made over 50 investments in leading companies in key areas such as Pharma, GeneTech, MedTech and Medical services. Sherpa is committed to investing in impactful technologies and supporting the success of aspiring entrepreneurs.

About Nest.Bio Ventures

Nest.Bio is a venture creation and venture capital firm focused on leveraging technological breakthroughs to develop, fund, and commercialize next-generation therapeutics globally. As an active partner in the transformation of revolutionary science into leading healthcare companies, Nest.Bio brings deep scientific, financial, operational and transactional expertise to create an ideal international ecosystem for entrepreneurs, scientists and seasoned executives.

About Matrix Partners China

Matrix Partners China is an early-stage venture capital firm in China founded in 2008. With biopharmaceutical and medical technologies as one of its most dedicated areas, Matrix Partners China is committed to building long-term relationships with driven entrepreneurs and helping them build industry-leading companies.

SOURCE PAQ Therapeutics
ATLANTA and PITTSBURGH, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Parallel (the "Company"), one of the largest privately-held multi-state cannabis operators in the United States (U.S.), announced today that it commenced sales of medical cannabis products in Pennsylvania through the opening of its first goodblend retail branded store in Pittsburgh, with the intent to open a second store in Erie in the coming weeks. goodblend is a new cannabis cultivator, producer, and retailer in Pennsylvania.

"This is another milestone for Parallel, as we are now serving the rapidly growing needs of medical cannabis patients in the Commonwealth," said William "Beau" Wrigley, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Parallel. "We believe Pennsylvania is an exciting, high-growth cannabis market and we look forward to providing well-being through cannabinoids to patients across Pennsylvania in the years to come."

Pennsylvania, with almost 13 million residents, is the sixth most populous state in the U.S. The Commonwealth's Medical Marijuana Program today has approximately 500,000 registered patients and caregivers.

"I couldn't be more excited for our team to begin serving qualifying patients within goodblend's approachable retail environment. Our dispensaries are designed to make patients feel comfortable, with expert retail guides ready to answer any questions and help them find the right cannabis products to fit their specific needs," said Elizabeth (Liz) Conway, Regional President, of Parallel and goodblend Pennsylvania. "For the past few months, we've been conducting local job recruitment in addition to having held preparatory informational sessions on expungement in partnership with the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) to support social equity and economic empowerment in our communities. Now, we welcome community medical patients into our stores."

The Pittsburgh dispensary is located at 5502 Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Regular operating hours will be Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

To learn more about goodblend, its store locations, and initial offering of well-known cannabis brands visit pa.goodblend.com. Parallel plans to make a wider array of product offerings available to qualifying patients later in the year.

About goodblend Pennsylvania

goodblend Pennsylvania, a retail brand of Parallel, is one of eight vertically integrated Clinical Registrants in the Commonwealth and was granted a license in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in August 2020. In addition to opening the retail facilities in Pittsburgh and Erie, goodblend  intends to continue to invest in building a cultivation facility. The Clinical Research Partnership with University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, one of the leading medical research schools in the world, will initially focus on the impact of medicinal cannabis on various symptoms of sickle cell disease and chronic pain.

The goodblend  brand reflects Parallel's intent to lead the way to the future of cannabis by providing its customers with a trusted, consistent, and seamless way for them to connect and learn, and to access innovative, high-quality cannabis products in a variety of form factors and to elicit such a positive experience that they come back again and again. The brand is about welcoming every type of customer and being an approachable source of products and information to support our customers' well-being. The ethos of goodblend  is based on Parallel's commitment to compliance, quality, innovation, and to be a great employer and local community partner, as well as its actions to improve diversity, inclusivity, and economic empowerment in the cannabis industry. To learn more about goodblend, visit pa.goodblend.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

About Parallel

Parallel is one of the largest privately held, vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis companies in the United States with a mission to pioneer well-being and improve quality of life through cannabinoids. Parallel recently announced that it intends to become a public company through a definitive business combination agreement with Ceres Acquisition Corp. ("Ceres") (NEO: CERE.U, CERE.WT;OTCQX: CERAF), a special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC). Parallel has ongoing operations in four medical and adult-use markets under the retail brands of Surterra Wellness in Florida; goodblend in Texas; New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Massachusetts; and The Apothecary Shoppe in Nevada. Parallel also has a license under its goodblend Pennsylvania brand for vertically integrated operations and up to six retail locations, in addition to a medical cannabis research partnership with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Subject to regulatory approval, Parallel will add Illinois as a sixth market when its announced acquisition of six Windy City Cannabis licenses is complete. Parallel has a diverse portfolio of high quality, proprietary and licensed consumer brands and products including Surterra Wellness, Coral Reefer, Float and Heights. Parallel operates approximately 50 locations nationwide, including 42 retail stores, and cultivation and manufacturing sites. Through its wholly-owned Parallel Biosciences subsidiary, it conducts advanced cannabis science and R&D for new product development in its facilities in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas and a facility in Budapest, Hungary through an exclusive license and partnership. Parallel follows rigorous operations and business practices to ensure the quality, safety, consistency, and efficacy of its products and is building its business by following strong values and putting the well-being of its customers and employees first. Find more information at www.liveparallel.com, or on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Additional Information

In connection with the proposed transaction with Ceres, that, if completed, would result in Parallel becoming a public company (Transaction), Ceres is expected to file a Form S-4 with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). Ceres and Parallel urge investors, stockholders and other interested persons to read, when available, the Form S-4, preliminary and final non-offering prospectus, including any amendments thereto, the Ceres special meeting circular, as well as other documents to be filed with the SEC and documents to be filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities in connection with the Transaction, as these materials will contain important information about Ceres, Parallel, the combined public company and the Transaction. Ceres also has, and will, file other documents regarding the Transaction with the SEC. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Ceres through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by Ceres may be obtained free of charge from Ceres' website at www.ceresacquisition.comor by written request to Ceres at Ceres Acquisition Corp., 1925 Century Park East, Suite 1700, Los Angeles, California, United States 90067.

Media Contact

Taylor Foxman-Weiner

[email protected]

Investor Contact

[email protected]

Parallel Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and U.S. securities law (referred to herein as forward-looking statements), including statements regarding the Transaction and expected future growth. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to, statements related to activities, events or developments that Parallel expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, statements related to Parallel's business strategy objectives and goals, and Parallel's management's assessment of future plans and operations which are based on current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "could", "would", "anticipate", 'believe", expect ", "intend", "potential ", "estimate", "budget", "scheduled", "plans", "planned", "forecasts", "goals" and similar expressions or the negatives thereof. Such statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on Parallel's management's belief or interpretation of information currently available. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release includes statements regarding: Parallel's strategic plans and business opportunities; Parallel's expansion into the Pennsylvania cannabis market; opening of certain Parallel facilities in Pennsylvania; and the cannabis market in Pennsylvania. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of factors and assumptions made by management and considered reasonable at the time such information is provided, and forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the transactions described herein will be completed or that, if completed, the combined public company will be successful.

Risk factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the following: (i) the risk that the Transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of Ceres' securities, (ii) the risk that the Transaction may not be completed by Ceres' qualifying transaction deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the qualifying transaction deadline if sought by Ceres, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Transaction, including the approval of the Transaction by the stockholders of Ceres and Parallel, as applicable, the satisfaction of the minimum trust account amount following any redemptions by Ceres' shareholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iv) the lack of a third party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed Transaction, (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the business combination agreement, (vi) the impact of COVID-19 on Parallel's business and/or the ability of the parties to complete the proposed Transaction, (vii) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the Transaction on Parallel's business relationships, performance, and business generally, (viii) risks that the proposed Transaction disrupts current plans and operations of Parallel and potential difficulties in Parallel employee retention as a result of the proposed Transaction, (ix) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Parallel or Ceres or their respective, directors, officers and affiliates related to the proposed Transaction, (x) the risk that the combined public company's securities will not be approved for listing on the NEO Exchange or, if approved, that the combined public company will be able to maintain the listing, (xi) the price of Ceres' and the combined public company's securities may be volatile due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Parallel operates, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Parallel's business and changes in the combined capital structure and a return on securities of the combined public company is not guaranteed, (xii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed Transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities, (xiii) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Parallel operates, (xiv) the risk that Parallel and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Parallel's products, brands or services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (xv) the risk that the combined public company may never sustain profitability, (xvi) the risk that the combined public company will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (xvii) the risk that the combined public company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (xviii) the risk that the pharmaceutical industry may attempt to dominate the cannabis industry , and in particular, legal marijuana, through the development and distribution of synthetic products which emulate the effects and treatment of organic marijuana, (xix) the agricultural risks related to insects, plant diseases, unstable growing conditions, water and electricity availability and cost, (xx) the risk that may arise because cannabis continues to be a controlled substance under the United States Federal Controlled Substances Act, (xxi) the risk of product liability or regulatory lawsuits or proceedings relating to Parallel's products and services, (xxii) the risk that the combined public company is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property, (xxiii) tax risks, including U.S. federal income tax treatment, (xxiv) risks relating to the reliance of Parallel on key members of management, (xxv) risks inherent in businesses related to the agricultural industry, (xxvi) risks relating to potentially unfavorable publicity or consumer perception, (xxvii) Parallel may be subject to the risk of competition from synthetic production and technological advances, (xxviii) investors in the combined public company and its directors, officers and employees who are not U.S. citizens may be denied entry into the United States, (xxix) product recalls, (xxx) results of future clinical research, (xxxi) difficulty attracting and retaining personnel, (xxxii) fraudulent or illegal activity by employees, contractors and consultants; information technology systems and cyber-attacks, (xxxiii) security breaches, (xxxiv) natural disasters and terrorism risk, (xxxv) restricted access to banking, (xxxvi) risks related to the lending facilities, (xxxvii) risks of leverage, (xxxviii) heightened scrutiny by regulatory authorities, (xxxix) risk of legal, regulatory or political change, (xl) general regulatory and licensing risks, (xli) Parallel and the combined public company may be subject to the risk of changes in Canadian as well as U.S. federal, state and local laws or regulations, (xlii) limitations on ownership of licenses, (xliii) Nevada regulatory regime and transfer and grant of licenses, (xliv) regulatory action and approvals from the FDA, (xlv) constraints on marketing products, (xlvi) anti-money laundering laws and regulation, (xlvii) the combined public company's status as an "Emerging Growth Company" under United States securities laws, (xlviii) discretion in the use of proceeds, (xlix) subsequent offerings will result in dilution to shareholders of the combined public company, (l) voting control, and (li) unpredictability caused by capital structure and voting control. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive.

Parallel undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Parallel
The acquisition of 220 Labs is PLZ's fourth acquisition in the personal care industry in the last two years. In total, PLZ now operates seven personal care facilities across the United States and Canada.

Founded in 1991, 220 Labs manufactures a variety of aerosol and non-aerosol personal care products including dry shampoos, conditioners, and body sprays. The company is known as a market leader in product development and has a long track record of innovation. 220 Labs operates out of a 200,000 square foot FDA-registered facility in Riverside, California.

"We are thrilled to welcome 220 Labs to our company as we continue to establish PLZ as the partner of choice for personal care brands in North America," said Aaron Erter, PLZ's President and CEO. "220 Labs is a renowned innovator and formulator within the personal care industry. We look forward to leveraging these capabilities across our combined enterprise to strengthen the value proposition we bring to our customers."

220 Labs is led by Ian and Eric Fishman, the second generation of Fishman family leadership at the company. Ian and Eric will continue with 220 Labs following the transaction.

"We are incredibly excited for 220 Labs to become part of the PLZ family," said Ian Fishman. "Over the past 30 years, 220 Labs has established itself as a premier partner for innovative personal care brands, and we will leverage PLZ's industry experience and national footprint to continue growing our company in its next chapter. We believe our combined company is poised to even better serve our customers in the years to come."

Headquartered outside Chicago, PLZ is owned by Pritzker Private Capital ("PPC") and management. With PPC's support, PLZ has continued to grow organically as well as through five acquisitions in the last two years  Champion Brands in 2021, Mansfield-King and Custom-Pak Products in 2020, and Liquid Technologies and Precise Packaging in 2019.

Carriage Hill served as the exclusive advisor to 220 Labs in this transaction.

About 220 Labs

220 Labs is a market leader in personal care contract manufacturing focused on hair, skin and body aerosol and non-aerosol products. Headquartered in Riverside, California, 220 Labs has a long track record of personal care production development and innovation. 220 Labs has been a proud family owned and operated business for over 30 years. For more information, visit 220labs.com.

About PLZ Aeroscience

PLZ Aeroscience is a leader in specialty aerosol and liquid product technologies. PLZ specializes in the development, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of a comprehensive line of contract fill, branded and private label products. PLZ has a robust and proprietary portfolio of products in household cleaning, personal care, food service, maintenance, specialty and industrial, and automotive. For more information, visit PLZAeroscience.com.

About Pritzker Private Capital

Pritzker Private Capital partners with middle-market companies based in North America with leading positions in the manufactured products, services and healthcare sectors. The firm's differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision-making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. Pritzker Private Capital builds businesses for the long term and is an ideal partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. Pritzker Private Capital is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). For more information, visit PPCPartners.com.

Media Contacts:

Abernathy MacGregor

Dan Scorpio / Kyla MacLennan

(646) 899-8118 / (646) 939-3062

[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE PLZ Aeroscience Corporation

Related Links

http://PLZAeroscience.com


DEERFIELD, Ill., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pregis, a leading global manufacturer of protective packaging, is announcing a $80 million investment in a new, state-of-the-art blown film extrusion facility in Anderson, South Carolina.

Headed by industry veterans, the 168,000 square foot facility will feature multiple newly-installed lines will be producing the latest engineered films that be used downstream to manufacture performance-oriented, packaging solutions for food, CPG and medical device applications. The plant will also include a world-class film laboratory to develop and test materials.

"We believe that this new facility will be the most technologically-advanced extrusion facility in North America. The facility has been staffed with technology and market leaders who are focused on developing extruded films that have been engineered to meet market-driven performance requirements," said Kevin Baudhuin, president and chief executive officer, Pregis.

In keeping with Pregis' previously announced 2K30 environmental goals, the Anderson facility will also feature the latest in energy-efficiency in manufacturing and other plant functions. Pregis' objective is to run its businesses in the most sustainable manner possible, so that it improves its carbon footprint, reduces environmental impact, while making significant, positive contributions to people and society.

The facility will create 120 new jobs for workers in the Greenville, South Carolina area and is expected to be operational in September.

"We congratulate Pregis on this $80 million investment that will create 120 new jobs within the Anderson County community. We wish them great success in the Palmetto State and look forward to seeing them grow and prosper for a long time," said Governor Henry McMaster.

About Pregis

Pregis LLC is a customer-driven solutions provider of innovative flexible packaging, protective packaging materials, equipment systems and surface protection. As a material neutral company, the company works with its customers to find the right solution to solve their business challenges. Pregis serves a wide variety of consumer and industrial market segments including food, pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical devices, agricultural, e-commerce, retail, automotive, transportation, furniture, electronics, building, construction, and military/aerospace. For more information: www.pregis.com.

SOURCE Pregis LLC

Related Links

https://www.pregis.com


NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE: SQSP), the all-in-one website building and ecommerce platform that enables millions to build a brand and transact with their customers in an impactful and beautiful online presence, today announced it will report its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021, after market close on Monday, August 9, 2021.

Squarespace will host a conference call and webcast to discuss second-quarter results at 2PM PT / 5PM ET on the same day. To register or participate in the conference call or webcast, please visit the Events & Presentations section of Squarespace's Investor Relations website at investors.squarespace.com.

An archived replay of the webcast will be available following the conclusion of the call.

About Squarespace

Squarespace is a leading all-in-one website building and ecommerce platform that enables millions to build a brand and transact with their customers in an impactful and beautiful online presence. Our suite of products enables anyone at any stage of their journey to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, ecommerce, marketing tools, and scheduling, along with tools for managing a social media presence with Unfold and hospitality business management via Tock. Squarespace democratizes access to best-in-class design, helping our customers in approximately 180 countries maintain consistent branding across all digital touchpoints to stand out online. Our team of more than 1,200 is headquartered in downtown New York City, with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, California.

Contacts

Investors

Christopher Chiou

[email protected]

Media

Amanda Cowie

[email protected]

SOURCE Squarespace, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.squarespace.com


Compared with the Summit's first edition, this year's event proved to be quite a bit bigger in scope, attracting 390 Fortune Global 500 companies and 517 leaders in their respective industries from more than 30 countries, with the result that cooperation agreements encompassing 96 projects calling for a total investment of US$11.85 billion were signed. The projects cover modern and efficient agriculture, medical and health care equipment and services, renewable energies and new materials, high-end equipment manufacturing, industrial park development and modern services as well as food manufacturing, food logistics and IoT-based food technologies.

Participants engaged in in-depth exchanges on such hot topics as upholding multilateralism, expanding into neighboring APAC markets via the recently-signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement, and achieving carbon peak and carbon neutralization goals. Some Fortune Global 500 companies unveiled new technologies and products through roadshows, articulating on the new directions that they envision their respective industries taking. The Summit has become a high-end platform for learning about and developing a critical eye in terms of new trends in the transnational investment arena while gathering new ideas for and reaching new consensus on transnational investments.

The 2021 New Growth Divers Fair Qingdao, an event held concurrently with the Summit, featured 1,147 online and offline exhibitors, 4.3 times the number present at the Summit's first edition. They exhibited advanced technologies and high-end equipment, including intelligent pension systems, ultra-high power intelligent laser cutting equipment, a high reliability 5G private network for the mining sector, and high-end hydrogen-powered tractors.

Some 300 companies participated in the 119 roadshows and promotional activities that took place during the fair, resulting in more than 60 letters of intent being signed. The fair provided a display platform and B2B match-making channel for companies, which not only enabled multinational firms from the four corners of the globe to gain a better understanding of Shandong Province and its many advantages as an entry point into the Chinese market, but also helped local companies accelerate their forays into foreign markets by having access to a platform where they could seek out likeminded overseas partners.

SOURCE People's Government of Shandong Province
VALDOSTA, Ga., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern pride is expressed in many different ways by native southerners in the United States. Native Georgian and author Olivia Reynolds just gave a clever take on traditional southernisms in her latest children's book, A Southern Gentleman. These southernisms are seen through the images and actions of a young southern boy, inspired by her real-life son.

A Southern Gentleman Author Olivia Reynolds

Reynolds' family members are the inspirations for all her southern-based books. "The Southern Gentleman is my youngest son, Pressley," said Reynolds, regarding the main character of her book. "The illustrations in A Southern Gentleman are based on photographs of Pressley as well."

The main character is a boy with all the traditional southern traits. He values and cherishes God and his family above all other things and minds his manners around other people. However, he is still a boy with a mischievous nature that tends to put him on the wrong side of the right way of doing things. But his innocent nature is expressed through the adorable teddy bear that he carries around wherever he goes.

Reynolds incorporates her own experiences as a southerner into her work. "My books are most appreciated by southerners, as they feature certain time-honored southern traditions," said Reynolds. "I, being a southerner myself, have a deeply rooted affinity for southern culture. Good manners, though perhaps, can be universally appreciated."

A Southern Gentleman is Reynolds' first book. Her writing experience up to this point has been journal writing. She has traveled to different areas of the world and has seen some amazing places. Now she lives in her southern homeland with her husband, son, and dog. Her experiences with family and travel are now influencing her desire to write books and share her stories with people everywhere.

"My one and only goal for my southern children's book series has always been for the books to be passed down from generation to generation," said Reynolds. "It would be the most profound honor for my books to be gifted at baby showers, gifted at first birthday parties, handed down from the original owners to their very own children."

Reynold is already working on her second book in what she calls the "Southern Book Series." Her next book, A Southern Lady, is scheduled to be released in Fall 2021. "The Southern Lady is based on my niece Bristol, and the illustrations are based on photographs of her. As you can imagine, with these little nods to my family, my books mean so much more to me than just words and illustrations."

A Southern Gentleman is for sale at Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble.

Media contact:

Olivia Reynolds

[email protected]

229-560-3183

SOURCE Olivia Reynolds
Tsingtao Brewery, jointly founded in Qingdao in August 1903 by German and British merchants, is a China-based brewer with a long history. With a brand valued at 198.6 billion yuan (approx. US$30.7 billion), the brewery has led the Chinese beer industry for 18 consecutive years and is listed among the World's 500 Most Influential Brands.

Tsingtao Brewery is creating a fashionable lifestyle experience: in addition to the Tsingtao 1903 Bars that can be found throughout the country, the brewery hosts beer festivals in 50 Chinese cities every year, achieving the transformation from product to experience and from traditional manufacturing to the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

On March 15, Tsingtao Brewery joined the World Economic Forum's elite Global Lighthouse Network of manufacturers at an induction event in Geneva, Switzerland, becoming the network's first member in the beverage industry. Members of the network have successfully harnessed advanced technologies to propel productivity, profits and sustainability gains, and, by doing so, have solved the pain points such as a long industry production cycle and challenges in setting meaningful production targets.

The brewery's latest high-end offerings include Tsingtao Centennial Journey and Amber Lager. Previously, there were few high-end beers selling for more than 100 yuan (approx. US$15.4), while the new offerings have succeeded in overcoming the price barrier and raising the perceived value of domestic product to a new level. With a color grading of EBC20 (European Brewing Convention), the product fills the technical gap experienced by the dark beer industry in China. From the selection of rare raw materials to refinement of brewing techniques, from getting the amber color of the beer just right to new packaging created by a world-class design team, alongside the well-executed transition to a lifestyle experience brand, Tsingtao Brewery has successfully leveraged several unique advantages that the firm possesses to transform the positioning of the brand to a whole new level.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province
CHICAGO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Key findings:

60% of organizations reported losing customers as a result of failed payments

Fewer than 50% are actively trying to improve their payments process despite nearly all respondents citing disappointment with failure rates

Over one third of payment data elements are still validated manually and two thirds of organizations identified reducing manual processes as extremely challenging

The cost of failed payments is estimated to have cost the global economy $118.5 billion in fees, labor and lost business in 2020 according to the latest study from Accuity, a LexisNexis Risk Solutions company.

The total cost of failed payments regionally was $41.1 billion in EMEA, $33.7 billion in the Americas and $43.7 billion in Asia-Pacific (APAC). The report shows that the average cost of failed payments varied across the globe, depending on the type of organization. Banks spent on average approximately $360,000 in 2020 on failed payments  which includes all fees, labor and costs related to customer attrition  whereas the average corporate firm spent just over $200,000.

A failed payment is a payment that is rejected by a beneficiary bank or an intermediary bank in the payment flow. Payments can fail for several reasons including inaccurate or incomplete information, data entry issues due to human error or poor reference data and validation tools.

Key themes that emerged from the findings include:

Customer experience matters: 80% of organizations with over 20,000 failed payments per day reported having lost customers as a result. Failed payments have the biggest impact on customer service, with 37% of organizations reporting a severe impact and nearly 50% indicating some impact.

There is a tipping point: Although fewer than 50% of respondents stated they were actively trying to reduce the number of failed payments, the study found that a failed payments rate of 5% or above was the tipping point that compelled 80% of organizations to act.

Validation processes make a difference: Account number issues were the cause of one third of failed payments and inaccurate beneficiary details were the result of another third. The survey also showed that 66% of organizations found reducing manual processes extremely challenging. Manual processes introduce human error and slow down the payment process, making it less efficient.

Dalbir Sahota, global head of KYC and payments product management at Accuity said: "From our research, we found that while organizations are well aware there is a cost to failed payments, most do not fully understand the impact both financially and from a customer retention standpoint. Tangible costs such as fees and labor might be easier to measure, but the intangible - including customer relationships - can be more difficult to repair. The payments market is fiercely competitive, so it is vital for organizations to take greater measures to improve their payments data to reduce their failed payment rate."

About The True Cost of Failed Payments Report

The report is based on a survey conducted in early 2021 which generated responses from more than 200 payments professionals across the banking, financial, fintech and corporate sectors. It provides an overview of the payments landscape, explores the key themes that emerged from the survey and provides insight into the various elements that had an impact on failed payments throughout 2020.

Participants represent organizations of all sizes and geographies in both advanced and emerging economies, with the greatest number of responses from Europe (41%) and North America (31%) followed by APAC (16%), the Middle East and Africa (8%) and Latin America (4%).

Download the full True Cost of Failed Payments report to learn more.

About Accuity

Accuity, a LexisNexis Risk Solutions company, powers compliant and assured client transactions to help build an interconnected and trusted financial ecosystem. Our financial crime screening, payment services, and benefits compliance solutions help enable financial inclusion while identifying criminal activity and fraudulent players. With deep expertise and industry-leading data and analytics solutions from the Firco and Bankers Almanac brands, Accuity provides unmatched confidence, efficiency, and compliance for customers around the world. Part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers, Accuity has been delivering solutions to banks and businesses worldwide for 180 years.

Media Contact:

Imogen Nash

+44 (0)7789 924 920

[email protected]

SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Related Links

http://www.lexisnexis.com


PHOENIX, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, today congratulated nine of its affiliated financial advisors on their recognition by Invest in Others (IiO) for their longstanding commitment to advancing the organization's charitable mission. Invest in Others awarded Pamela "Pam" J. Sams, President of Jackson Sams Wealth Strategies  a Securities America-affiliated wealth management practice in Herndon, Va.  with a 2021 Grant for Change, which she accepted on behalf of Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead, a nonprofit that mentors and empowers teen girls by promoting career exploration, confidence building and leadership development. Additionally, Invest in Others announced that three Advisor Group advisors have been named Finalists in the organization's 15th annual awards program, with a further five earning Honorable Mentions.

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation recognizes individual advisors and firms that are making a difference by donating their time and money to causes they care about, in communities across the country and around the world. Through its flagship program, the annual Invest in Others Awards, the organization has presented 74 awards, partnered with more than 375 charities and donated over $3 million to worthy causes.

Greg Cornick, Advisor Group's President, Advice and Wealth Management, said, "We are proud of the work these financial advisors have accomplished in collaboration with the nonprofit organizations they support. Their dedication to service and philanthropy reflects our profession's commitment to improving the communities we are privileged to serve. We are pleased to support Invest in Others' vital role in helping to amplify our industry's involvement with philanthropic causes."

IiO presents Grants for Change of up to $25,000 to nonprofits working to create and enhance opportunities for communities of color, providing essential services that aim to level the playing field and provide life-changing opportunities to underserved communities. It recognizes nonprofits whose work displays a measurable commitment to corporate, social and community contributions that enhance opportunities for Black people and other underserved groups.

Ms. Sams said, "Those of us in positions of influence have a responsibility to actively facilitate opportunities for underserved communities. I have been honored to work with Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead, and I'm thrilled to accept this grant on behalf of such a critically important and personally meaningful organization. I appreciate the support of the entire Advisor Group network, as well as its emphasis on community engagement and empowerment. And, of course, I am very grateful to Invest in Others for serving as such a powerful force for positive change."

Invest in Others Awards

Invest in Others named three Advisor Group financial advisors as Finalists in this year's 15th Annual awards program, with a further five receiving Honorable Mentions:

Finalists

The designated nonprofits of award Finalists and winners will receive donations of up to $75,000 from IiO:

Amy Doherty of Needham Heights, Mass.-based Centinel Financial Group, affiliated with Royal Alliance Associates, was named a Catalyst Award finalist for her work with Wellstrong, Inc.

Ferdinand "Ferd" Garcia of San Francisco, Calif. -based Ferd Garcia Wealth Management, affiliated with Woodbury Financial, was named a Lifetime Achievement Award finalist for his work with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

Kenneth Lawrence "Larry" Agee of Lake Charles, La. -based Agee Financial, affiliated with Sage Point Financial, was named a Volunteer of the Year Award finalist for his work with Disaster Aid USA .

Honorable Mentions

These advisors will receive $2,500 for their charity from IiO:

Craig Hauger , affiliated with Woodbury Financial  Volunteer of the Year for his work with the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Deborah Stavis , Stavis & Cohen Financial, affiliated with FSC Financial  Lifetime Achievement Award for her work with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.

Lisa Rae LaBoo , Prosperity Investment Services, Inc., affiliated with Securities America  Community Service Award for her work with the Florida A&M University Foundation.

Willie Howard , Howard Investment Services, affiliated with Securities America  Catalyst Award for his work with the Frederick Douglass Community Development Corporation.

Steve Thompson , Common Goal Financial, affiliated with SagePoint Financial  Catalyst Award for his work with Empower Sports.

About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc. is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 10,100 financial advisors and overseeing over $475 billion in client assets. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC, and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through Securities America, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. Advisor Group, Inc. is an affiliate of these firms. 20 E. Thomas Rd., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ, 85012. 866.481.0379.

Media Inquiries

Joseph Kuo / Chris Clemens

Haven Tower Group

[email protected] or [email protected]

424 317 4851 or 424 317 4854

SOURCE Advisor Group

Related Links

https://www.advisorgroup.com


ARLINGTON, Va., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association is thrilled to announce that Megan Tucker, of Lovettsville, Va., has been named the 2021 AFA National Teacher of the Year presented by Rolls-Royce. The program recognizes classroom teachers for their accomplishments and achievements in exciting K-12 students about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and preparing students to use and contribute to tomorrow's technologies.

A 17-year veteran of teaching, Tucker has served the last five years as STEAM Specialist (K-5)/ Instructional Facilitator of Technology (K-5 and Professional Development)/Gifted Teacher (K-5 and Professional Development)/Intervention Coordinator, and STEAM Curriculum Consultant at Hillsboro Charter Academy, Hillsboro, Va.

"Ms. Tucker, our 2021 National Teacher of the Year, is another great STEM educator selected to be a part of AFA's prestigious Teacher of the Year program," said Jim Hannam, AFA Vice Chairman of Aerospace Education. "All of the finalists were outstanding, enthusiastic instructors and it was a tough call for our team to make from among the fantastic nominees across the states and overseas. Infected with what she calls 'aviation fascination,' Ms. Tucker is an exemplary representative of America's innovative teachers for AFA and Rolls-Royce."

Nominated by AFA Gabriel Chapter #433, Chapter President Mike Winters met Ms. Tucker when she invited him to participate in a "Flight Funday."

"I have participated in many programs that aim to inspire a passion for the STEM fields," Winters said. "None of these could hold a candle to Megan's infectious enthusiasm that spread through the whole school! It is all the more impressive that she is able to bring this enthusiasm down to the elementary school level. The Air Force Association is blessed to have a teacher so dedicated to teaching aviation fundamentals through a school-wide elementary STEM program. She is truly making a positive impact on the future of Air & Space Power at the earliest stage of learning."

Ms. Tucker achieved her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and her master's degree in Science Education.

"We congratulate Megan Tucker for this well-deserved recognition as AFA's National Teacher of the Year," said Darryl Roberson, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President, and Air Force Lt. Gen. (Ret.). "Her enthusiasm and excitement inspire her students, and her focus on aerospace will help foster the next generation of scientists and technology leaders required by the Air Force and industry. Rolls-Royce is proud to support Megan and all teachers recognized in the National Teacher of the Year program, and to support AFA's Aerospace Education program as platinum sponsor."

The second and third place winners for AFA National Teachers of the Year presented by Rolls-Royce are:

Ashley Blackstone-Smith

Second Place Winner

Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Girls

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Jennifer Donais

Third Place Winner

Amesbury Middle School

Amesbury, MA

The Air Force Association is grateful to its Aerospace Education Program Platinum sponsor, Rolls-Royce, for their continued sponsorship of the AFA Teacher of the Year program, allowing the program to continue honoring educational innovators in STEM. The AFA Teacher of the Year program dates back to the early 1990s when the mission to recognize classroom teachers (K-12) for their innovative and successful instructional programs originally began.

The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote dominant U.S. Air and Space Forces as the foundation of a strong National Defense; to honor and support our Airmen, Guardians, and their Families; and to remember and respect our enduring Heritage.

SOURCE Air Force Association
Most extensive Canada-U.S. transborder schedule supports both countries' economies

Air Canada App enabling customers to securely scan, upload and validate COVID-19 test results expanded to all flights from U.S. to Canada

MONTREAL, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Air Canada today announced its current summer transborder schedule including 55 routes and 34 destinations in the U.S., with up to 220 daily flights between the U.S. and Canada. The new schedule coincides with the loosening of restrictions on travel between the two countries as of Aug. 9, 2021, enabling fully vaccinated Americans to enter Canada for non-essential travel and the removal of quarantine hotel requirements, relaxed testing requirements allowing Canadians taking short transborder trips for less than 72 hours to do their pre-entry tests in Canada, among other measures to ease restrictions.

Seats are available for booking at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada's Contact Centres and travel agencies.

"The easing of travel restrictions announced today by the federal government is an important step based on science, and we are very pleased to rebuild our Canada-U.S. network. Canada and the United States share close ties and restoring air connectivity will contribute to both countries' economic recovery. Air Canada's proud tradition of being the largest foreign carrier in the U.S. is reflected in our schedule which has been developed to provide a wide range of choices for customers in both countries, appealing to Canadian customers interested in travelling to popular U.S. destinations, and to U.S. residents looking to visit and explore Canada's spectacular sights and hospitality. Our schedule also enables convenient onward travel through our Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal hubs to and from our global destinations. We are planning to restore services to all 57 U.S. destinations previously served as conditions allow. We sincerely look forward to welcoming our customers onboard," said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada.

"We are thrilled with this announcement and look forward to welcoming back travellers from the U.S.," said Marsha Walden, President and CEO of Destination Canada. "From our lively cities immersed in nature to spectacular wilderness and coastlines to the unique mosaic of Indigenous and global cultures, every day in Canada offers a new adventure and a chance to reconnect with what's important. Team Canada is ready to host our American friends!"

New digital solution via Air Canada App simplifies COVID-19 related document requirements

Air Canada has developed a new digital solution via the Air Canada App, enabling customers flying from the U.S. to Canada and between Canada and select European destinations to conveniently and securely scan and upload COVID-19 test results to validate compliance with government travel requirements prior to arriving at the airport. More information is at: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/book/travel-news-and-updates/2020/covid-19/document-validation.html.

Transborder services

The airline's transborder services include wide-body aircraft featuring Air Canada Signature Class with lie-flat seating and Premium Economy Class on select routes between Toronto and Los Angeles.

In early August, Air Canada's onboard services will resume on transborder flights greater than two hours, with new Economy Class Bistro selections being gradually introduced, including products by Canadian brands and partners such as Nomz vegan energy balls, celebrated Montreal Chef Jerome Ferrer-inspired meals and more.

All customers can collect and redeem Aeroplan Points through Canada's leading loyalty program when travelling with Air Canada, and eligible customers have access to priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounges at Canadian airports, priority boarding and other benefits.

New Refund Policy gives customer choices and options

Air Canada's new refund policy of offering customers options of refunds, an Air Canada Travel Voucher or equivalent value in Aeroplan Points with a 65% bonus should the airline cancel or reschedule a flight by more than three hours, is applicable to all tickets purchased.

Air Canada's commercial schedule may be adjusted as required based on the COVID-19 trajectory and government restrictions.

Montreal  USA routes Frequencies per week

Montreal-Boston 14

Montreal-Chicago 21

Montreal-Denver 7

Montreal-Newark 14

Montreal-Fort Lauderdale 7

Montreal-Houston 7

Montreal-LaGuardia 21

Montreal-Las Vegas 3 restarts Sept. 9 Montreal-Los Angeles 7

Montreal-Orlando 3

Montreal-San Francisco 7

Montreal-Washington Dulles 7

Montreal-Washington National 14 restarts Sept. 7

Toronto  USA routes Frequencies per week

Toronto-Atlanta 14

Toronto-Austin 5 restarts Sept. 9 Toronto-Boston 21

Toronto-Charlotte 7 restarts Sept. 7 Toronto-Chicago 28

Toronto-Cincinnati 7 restarts Sept. 7 Toronto-Cleveland 7 restarts Aug. 1 Toronto-Columbus 7

Toronto-Dallas 14 restarts Sept. 7 Toronto-Denver 14

Toronto-Detroit 7

Toronto-Fort Lauderdale 8

Toronto-Fort Myers 2 restarts Aug. 1 Toronto-Houston 21

Toronto-Las Vegas 4 restarts Aug. 1 Toronto-Los Angeles 21

Toronto-LaGuardia 35

Toronto-Minneapolis-Saint Paul 7 restarts Sept. 7 Toronto-Nashville 4 restarts Aug. 30 Toronto-Newark 28

Toronto-Orlando 5

Toronto-Philadelphia 7

Toronto-Phoenix 3 restarts Aug. 2 Toronto-Pittsburgh 7 restarts Aug. 1 Toronto-Raleigh Durham 14 restarts Sept. 7 Toronto-Seattle 4 restarts Aug. 1 Toronto-San Francisco 14

Toronto-Tampa 5

Toronto-Washington Dulles 21

Toronto-Washington National 14 restarts Sept. 7

Vancouver  USA routes Frequencies per week

Vancouver-Chicago 7 restarts Sept. 7 Vancouver-Denver 14

Vancouver-Honolulu 3 restarts Aug. 2 Vancouver-Las Vegas 4 restarts Sept. 7 Vancouver-Los Angeles 21

Vancouver-Maui 3 restarts Aug. 3 Vancouver-Newark 7 restarts Sept. 7 Vancouver-Portland 14

Vancouver-Phoenix 5

Vancouver-San Diego 7 restarts Aug. 1 Vancouver-San Francisco 21

Vancouver-Seattle 14



Calgary  USA routes Frequency per week

Calgary-Phoenix 3 restarts Aug. 1

Connecting between U.S. to/from international destinations through Canada

Flights are timed to provide connectivity through Air Canada's North American and international destinations including to Brussels, Cairo, Doha, and to a multitude of other cities in Europe, Asia and beyond.

Travelling internationally?

Find the latest government entry requirements via IATA's Timatic website. Customers are responsible for ensuring they meet all government entry requirements, including holding the correct travel documents, visas, any required health certificates, and all other eligibility requirements for any flights they purchase. Government requirements may change with little notice.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline and, in 2019, was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world. It is Canada's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax. In 2020, Air Canada was named Global Traveler's Best Airline in North America for the second straight year. In January 2021, Air Canada received APEX's Diamond Status Certification for the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosafety program for managing COVID-19, the only airline in Canada to attain the highest APEX ranking. Air Canada has also committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. For more information, please visit: aircanada.com/media, follow Air Canada on Twitter and LinkedIn, and join Air Canada on Facebook.

Internet: aircanada.com/media

Sign up for Air Canada news: aircanada.com

Media Resources:

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SOURCE Air Canada

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Phase I awardees will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions at the Space Force Pitch Day virtual event on August 19 th , 2021.

The proposed craft, dubbed SCORPIUS, will use an origami-inspired, unfolding solar reflector to heat a tungsten block that will vaporize propellant to generate its main propulsion. This multi-role solar reflector will also act as a large-area communications antenna that can also redirect solar light to generate power for all of the spacecraft's subsystems. This architecture will allow for the USSF to rapidly reposition SCORPIUS in deep space to conduct offensive and defensive communications operations.

SCORPIUS is intended to provide a radical, cost-effective solution to a range of problems now facing USAF planners as they consider the challenges of deep-space travel. As U.S. and international spacecraft operations gradually extend past traditional geosynchronous orbits, spacecraft will require increased propulsion capabilities.

At present, to reach destinations beyond geosynchronous orbit, chemical propulsion is only capable of delivering small amounts of 'payload' over a short distance in a short period of time, while electric propulsion is capable of delivering significantly more payload, but much more slowly, taking months or even years to arrive at its destination.

To solve the payload and deployment time issue, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program known as "Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations" (DRACO), aims to develop a nuclear-thermal propulsion system, which would, in theory, deliver a high-thrust, high-efficiency spacecraft able to move large amounts of payload quickly. DRACO, however, is hampered by the safety and policy challenges of working with nuclear reactors. (The term "cislunar" refers to the vast area of space between the Earth and the Moon).

SCORPIUS addresses some of these conventional challenges by offering capabilities similar to DRACO, but without using radioactive material to achieve its high-performance level of propulsion.

Thus, SCORPIUS is intended to free up significant mass for larger spacecraft payloads, allowing the USSF to move assets through cislunar space in a much more responsive timeframe. SCORPIUS could potentially enable missions such as patrolling the Earth-Moon "Lagrange points" (defined as areas of open space in which objects remain stationary), ferrying satellites between low Earth orbit and the geosynchronous belt, or removing space debris from strategic Earth orbits. During the Phase I effort, RSA and its team worked with the USSF to identify missions of interest and ways to refine the SCORPIUS concept to improve propellant storability and lifetime.

The novel design of SCORPIUS hinges on origami unfolding solar concentrators, and a "ThermaSat+" solar thermal propulsion system now under development by Howe Industries, a SCORPIUS project partner with RSA. SCORPIUS uses the large solar concentrators to heat up the tungsten block of the ThermaSat+ system, melting encapsulated boron in the tungsten and storing significant amounts of energy in the phase change from solid to liquid. Once fully charged, the tungsten block vaporizes propellant at temperatures hot enough to melt steel and generates enough thrust to perform an impulsive burn.

SCORPIUS will also harvest electrical energy from the solar concentrators to power an electric ion engine. This bi-modal capability allows SCORPIUS to further conserve propellant during non-urgent maneuvers, and to easily make small station-keeping maneuvers without heating up the tungsten block.

For an animated rendering of the craft, see the following YouTube link. (Media please note  Rhea Space Activity has authorized this video for public distribution):

https://youtu.be/-HUlVsOPnQ0

Beau Rideout, an Aerospace Engineer at RSA, commented on the importance of using a bi-modal propulsion system in deep space: "Developing a high-performance propulsion system that can operate in high-thrust/low-impulse and low-thrust/high-impulse modes allows for a wide variety of flight envelopes in cislunar space. Additionally, multiple uses for the unfolding origami-type solar-reflector allows for a complete rethink of satellite comms and power systems. In many respects, this system promises to offer multiple applications and breakthroughs for satellites and spacecraft far into the future."

Troy Howe, president of Howe Industries, described SCORPIUS as a new twist on an old concept. "Solar thermal propulsion has been extensively studied since the 1990s but was considered to be too underpowered to be of much use at the time. With SCORPIUS, we can use high-thrust maneuvers instead of the old low-thrust, continuous burn concept, and take advantage of the Earth-Moon gravitational environment. By building on well-established techniques, we can provide an innovative new way of approaching spaceflight."

David J. Strobel, Executive Chairman at Space Micro, another RSA partner on the project, said: "Space Micro is very pleased to be on the RSA team, to which we are contributing our space communications and avionics expertise for the SCORPIUS spacecraft, including propulsion controller electronics, space processing and Command and Data-Handling, software defined radios, and star tracker/cameras as required for space operations."

RSA now has the opportunity to participate in Customer Discovery with key USSF stakeholders, to compete for a Space Force Pitch Day Phase II award. RSA plans to develop a design reference mission for SCORPIUS to inform further development of the spacecraft, and to carry the project's momentum into the Phase II proposal, which will likely develop a novel high-performance propulsion system for USSF space domain awareness. RSA also plans to advance "constellation architecture" recommendations to demonstrate how such a new capability will fit into current U.S. defense practices, and the broader U.S. space environment.

About Rhea Space Activity

Rhea Space Activity (RSA) is an astrophysics start-up company that ideates and creates high-risk / high-reward research and development concepts to support U.S. national security objectives. RSA has developed technologies in fields as diverse as infrared satellites, directed energy, artificial intelligence, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), astro-particle physics, small satellites, cislunar operations, intelligence collection, autonomous underwater vehicles, and for the F35 Lightening II.

For more information, please visit www.rheaspaceactivity.com

About Howe Industries

Dr. Troy Howe, PhD (CEO) started Howe Industries in 2015 to introduce technologies, with both space and terrestrial applications, derived from his team's expertise in nuclear tech, thermal systems and space propulsion. Reflecting the company's culture of innovation and excellence, Howe Industries has been the recipient of multiple grants from federal agencies such as NASA, NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), DARPA and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Howe projects now under development include the ThermaSat CubeSat propulsion system, the solid-state Advanced Thermoelectric Generator (ATEG), new fuel for nuclear thermal propulsion, and the innovative nuclear Pulsed Plasma Rocket.

For more information, please visit www.howeindustries.net

About Space Micro Inc.

Space Micro Inc., based in San Diego, CA, is an engineering-driven supplier of affordable, high-performance, radiation-hardened communications, electro-optics, and digital systems for use in commercial, civil, and military space applications around the world. Space Micro solutions include Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) transmitters, mission data transmitters, space cameras, star trackers, image processors, Command & Data Handling (C&DH) systems and laser communications systems.

For more information, please visit www.spacemicro.com

SOURCE Rhea Space Activity

Related Links

https://www.rheaspaceactivity.com


AKRON, Ohio, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Akrochem, a leading provider of rubber chemicals and compounding materials, today announced the acquisition of Bech Chem, LLC, a company with more than 25 years of experience in the worldwide chemical supply chain. The transaction is effective immediately, and Akrochem will continue to operate under its current name.

The purchase of Bech Chem, based in Houston, Texas, enables Akrochem to expand into new industries, as well as provide more extensive support services for Bech Chem customers.

The acquisition of Bech Chem enables Akrochem to expand into the paint and coatings market, positions the company for future growth, and provides Bech Chem customers with enhanced support levels.

"The acquisition of Bech Chem allows us to bring our over 90 years of experience in chemical distribution to new markets, specifically paints, coatings, and lubricants," said Akrochem President and CEO Jay Silver. "With our experienced, 15-person technical sales staff and over 120 personnel in support roles, we will improve our value to Bech Chem customers while positioning Akrochem for future growth."

Bech Chem served a number of markets, including paint and coatings, grease and lubricants, plastics, and chemical processing. Bech Chem's outstanding reputation within the specialty chemical distribution industry was based on the exceptional service the company provided throughout the ordering process, as well as its exemplary technical sales and support. The result was strong relationships with high-quality suppliers throughout the world.

"Becoming part of the Akrochem family allows us to introduce our unique specialty product line to a much larger customer base," said Bech Chem President Henrik Bech Poulsen. "We believe that we'll be a perfect complement to Akrochem's core markets."

Akrochem's broad line of rubber compounding products and innovative technical experience contribute to the success of organizations throughout the world. Akrochem works with its customers to optimize cure systems, improve chemical dispersion, and produce better batch uniformity to help companies become more profitable.

About Akrochem

Based in Akron, Ohio, Akrochem serves companies globally in the rubber, plastic, paint, coatings, and lubricant markets. Since the company's founding in 1929, Akrochem's goal has been to improve productivity for each of it customers. Akrochem provides a comprehensive assortment of compounding materials and color concentratesfrom the basic to the most complex and customizedall supported by the industry's best technical expertise and service. Akrochem promotes professionalism through its ISO-9001-2015 and National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) accreditations. Visitwww.akrochem.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Name: Jay Silver

Title: President and CEO

Phone: (800) 321-2260, ext.1190

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

akrochem-corporation-akron-ohio.jpg

Akrochem Corporation, Akron, Ohio

The acquisition of Bech Chem enables Akrochem to expand into the paint and coatings market, positions the company for future growth, and provides Bech Chem customers with enhanced support levels.

SOURCE Akrochem Corporation
In 2021, the APhA Foundation, a supporting Foundation of the American Pharmacists Association - the leading association of pharmacists in the United States, launched the IMPACT Care Transformation Networkempowering partnering pharmacy practices to collaborate on scaling innovative care models through infrastructure and opportunities that enable pharmacists to deliver and be compensated for innovative services. IMPACT Network pharmacies can now begin offering the ADEXUSDx  COVID-19 antibody test to interested patients, who will obtain results via APhA Foundation's RxTest.Solutions  that enable secure consumer and healthcare provider access to results through an innovative technology platform ( see https://IMPACT.CareTransformation.Network for more information ).

"The APhA Foundation is pleased to offer the ADEXUSDx COVID-19 antibody test through our IMPACT Network pharmacies across the country in conjunction with RxTest.Solutions, and we know that pharmacists will use the test to continue to provide exceptional patient care. Becoming aware of their antibody status resulting from a vaccination or actual disease, provides another valuable piece of data that could help patients to make informed decisions, along with guidance from their health care provider, as to the best course of action in their health care journey. As has been demonstrated since the pandemic began, pharmacist-provided care is essential to the public health and wellbeing of communities everywhere, and we believe this opportunity with NOWDiagnostics and the APhA Foundation presents another excellent way for pharmacists to serve their patients and communities," said Benjamin M. Bluml, RPh, Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation, American Pharmacists Association Foundation.

The ADEXUSDx COVID-19 antibody test detects antibodies that bind to the receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit of the S1 spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The most protective antibodies develop against this portion of the spike protein S1 domain and are induced by vaccination. Other antibody tests, designed to detect nucleocapsid antibodies, will not detect antibodies elicited by the vaccine, only those elicited through natural infection. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not released guidance yet for companies to conduct the trials necessary to make the claim of determining antibody response due to vaccination and therefore have not authorized any antibody tests for this specific indication, research studies underway have identified individuals who test positive for antibodies to COVID-19 with the ADEXUSDx COVID-19 antibody test, and who did not report prior COVID-19 disease but did receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Kevin Clark, CEO of NOWDiagnostics, said, "It is a privilege to partner with the APhA Foundation to offer an important COVID-19 test solution to our nation's pharmacists, one of the most trusted groups of healthcare professionals. We are grateful for the important work that pharmacists have been performing on the front lines, providing vaccines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are pleased to provide them with another important tool to ensure the health and safety of their patients."

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliable antibody testing has played a pivotal role in the identification of convalescent plasma donors to provide life-saving therapy for those most affected by COVID-19. In addition to this role, antibody testing offers important utility to understand immunity following infection, and potentially therapy and vaccinationfor individuals, healthcare providers, businesses, community, and governments. However, it is not known at this time if the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 as determined by this and other tests confers immunity to infection.

In May 2021, NOWDiagnostics announced receipt of Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the ADEXUSDx COVID-19 Test's use in moderate complex settings and at the point of care. In August 2020, this project was funded in whole or part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Division of Research Innovation and Ventures under Contract No. 75A50120C00156 to NOWDiagnostics for the development of the ADEXUSDx COVID-19 Test. Trials for over-the-counter use are ongoing.

About the American Pharmacists Association Foundation

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. works to design solutions to optimize medication use and optimize care delivery in America. The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association, the oldest and largest national professional society of pharmacists in the United States established in 1852. The APhA Foundation's mission is to improve health by inspiring philanthropy, research and innovation that advances pharmacists' patient care services. For more information, please visit www.aphafoundation.org.

About NOWDiagnostics, Inc.: NOWDiagnostics, Inc., based in Springdale, Arkansas, is a leader in innovative diagnostics testing. Its ADEXUSDx product line features a lab at the tip of your finger, using a single drop of blood to test for a variety of common conditions, illnesses, and diseases, with results in a matter of minutes. By eliminating the need to send tests to off-site laboratories, NOWDiagnostics products have the potential to decrease the waiting period to determine test results by days. For more information about NOWDiagnostics, visit www.nowdx.com. For more information about the ADEXUSDx COVID-19 Test, including its intended use, features, benefits, and directions for use, visit www.c19development.com. The ADEXUSDx COVID-19 Test will be distributed by C19 Development, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NOWDiagnostics. Laboratories may contact www.c19development.com/order to place an order.

SOURCE NOWDiagnostics

Related Links

http://www.nowdx.com


As one of the most acquisitive investors in US medical office real estate in recent years per Revista, the industry's leading medical real estate data platform, these four acquisitions are indicative of the strength of Anchor's locally based relationships and ability to source unique opportunities in an off market fashion given an increasingly competitive sector investment landscape. To date in 2021, Anchor has closed on more than $330 million of US medical office investments across twelve separate transactions, ten of which have been off market.

"We remain focused on building relationships with long-term investment grade tenancy in Class A assets that offer convenient, accessible healthcare services to the surrounding community," noted James Schmid, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner with Anchor. "These acquisitions are indicative of the collaborative, ownership-mentality adopted by the high-quality professionals of our platform  and the Company as a whole. Our value-driven investment thesis helps us navigate the ever-changing healthcare landscape and successfully close multiple transactions in a short period of time across markets nationwide. I consider our investments team best in class in terms of both sourcing and execution, and the team's ability to continually source top quality off market transactions in high barrier to entry markets demonstrates this performance."

University City Medical Office Building | 8401 Medical Plaza Drive, Charlotte, NC

As one of the largest non-health system owners of medical office facilities in the Charlotte MSA and one of the two largest landlords to Novant Health (Moody's Aa3), this 66,525 square foot medical office building acquisition expands on Anchor's existing market portfolio featuring a heavy presence from Novant, which functions as the anchor tenant. The balance of the building is occupied by synergistic, high-acuity specialty services, including neurology and clinical research. The property features more than two acres of excess developable land which allows for future expansion opportunities as the market continues to grow.

NorthBay Medical Office Building | 2470 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA

Strategically located on a best in class outpatient medical campus with close proximity to NorthBay Medical Center, Solano County's largest and most comprehensive hospital campus featuring 183-beds and the County's only formal trauma response center and featuring adjacency to a NorthBay primary care center as well as a Kaiser outpatient campus, NorthBay Medical Office Building is a two-story, newly built 29,620 square foot Class A medical office building. Built in 2015, the facility features sustainable elements, including a state-of-the-art energy management and solar panel system, and integrated covered parking. Well recognized, best-in-class tenancy includes NorthBay Healthcare and Retinal Consultants Medical Group. This is Anchor's second major acquisition in the San Francisco MSA in the past 60 days.

IDC Medical Plaza | 1412 SW 43rd Street, Renton, WA

As one of only two area MOBs to be constructed in the submarket during the past fifteen years, IDC Medical Plaza is a 59,155 square foot best in class medical office building with a host of national and regional clinical medical tenancy. The asset features close proximity to Valley Medical Center, the sole acute care hospital in Renton, which is operated by UW Medicine and features 321 inpatient beds. Constructed in 2005, the asset is anchored by Providence Health (Moody's Aa3) and an Ambulatory Surgery Center operated by Sight Partners. Additional complementary tenancy is focused on specialty care services, including pharmacy, oncology, cardiology, pharmacology, and behavioral health.

Vista Medical Plaza | 2067 W Vista Way, Vista, CA

As the largest non-health system owner of medical office facilities in the San Diego MSA, Anchor added to its market scale through the acquisition of a two story, 54,703 square foot Class A medical office building. One of the top remaining third-party owned assets in the market, Vista Medical Plaza is strategically located adjacent to Tri-City Medical Center, a 320-bed hospital district campus serving North San Diego County which features co-sponsorship from UC San Diego Health. The premier outpatient health center in the Tri-City medical district, the building's synergistic tenant mix includes such groups as United HealthCare (Moody's A3), Rady Children's (Moody's Aa3), LabCorp (Moody's Baa2), Greider Eye Associates, and Blue Coast Cardiology.

In addition to joining Anchor's investment portfolio, the Company will provide go forward asset and property management services as well as leasing services at these locations, growing Anchor's nationwide property management portfolio to more than 7.5 million square feet. Looking forward, Anchor anticipates continued record growth through the second half of 2021 across all three of its service lines (development, management and leasing, and investments) as the company continues to scale across the US.

About Anchor Health Properties

Anchor Health Properties is a national, full-service healthcare real estate development, management, leasing, and investment serving investors and health systems. Anchor takes a strategic approach to navigating the extremely competitive healthcare marketplace, considering multiple angles, such as retail drivers, customer experience, branding and efficiency of the project. We develop and manage projects across the United States that respond to the new landscape of employed physicians, team-based care, the need to optimize assets and reduce duplication, and the integration of care and technology. Anchor manages and leases more than seven million square feet of medical office space, inclusive of numerous projects under construction. Anchor maintains multiple offices nationwide and features more than 80 professionals in its ranks. Over the past five years, Anchor principals have acquired and/or developed more than $3 billion of medical real estate across the country. Healthcare today calls not only for new and more efficient ways of delivering outpatient services, but also a different kind of healthcare development and management company. For more information, please visit: www.anchorhealthproperties.com.

Contact: Rachael Hall, Anchor Health Properties

[email protected]; 434-293-8004

SOURCE Anchor Health Properties

Related Links

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SANTA ANA, Calif., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Douglas Borthwick has achieved a "SUPERB" Rating from Avvo as a top attorney in Personal Injury, the highest evaluation given by the attorney rating agency.

Award Photo

Avvo is an independent attorney rating organization that rates 97% of all attorneys in America. Its ratings are unbiased and earned by an attorney only through a stringent review process by legal professionals which incorporate client reviews, peer endorsements and a number of other factors. It cannot be purchased through dues or memberships. SUPERB is the highest ranking awarded by Avvo.

Avvo introduced the Avvo rating system nearly a decade ago and it has become the industry standard for rating attorneys in all 50 states. The rating system was created to reward attorneys who exhibit exceptional legal service to their clients and their industry.

Avvo's comprehensive rating system carefully reviews a lawyer's background and overall profile, which includes years in practice, professional achievements and industry recognition. Avvo performs rankings in 19 different legal categories and periodically collects background data from multiple sources.

Douglas Borthwick is also AV PREEMINENT RATED by Martindale-Hubbell. This is the highest possible attorney peer review rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Douglas Borthwick's experience includes, but is not exclusive of, the following areas: Personal Injury Law, Family Law, Criminal Law, and general civil litigation practice.

"Leave the darkness of your past behind so it can not block the light of your bright future. Your past is gone. Whatever happened, whether unjust, cruel, harsh, whatever the case, reliving the events will never do you any good. If someone did you wrong, the ONLY WAY you can win, is if you let go and move on. If you live in hate, they win. If you live in the victim story, they win.

If YOU want to win, you must focus on building your future and start right now. Release that weight from your back so you can be free. Don't allow events of the past, which are now gone, to ruin this moment, which is perfect  this moment which is now to enjoy, which is ready for you to LIVE FULLY. Your past does not equal your future."- Attorney Douglas Borthwick, Esq.

To learn more about Law Offices of Douglas Borthwick, visit: www.borthwicklawyer.com.

Also visit: https://calbizjournal.com/attorney-douglas-borthwick/

Also visit: https://www.acq-intl.com/issues/2018-Leading-Adviser-Supplement/32/

Media Contact: John Walter,

Phone: 714-564-9400,

Santa Ana, California Contact Douglas M. Borthwick,

Law Offices of Douglas Borthwick,

Telephone: 714-654-6742,

Firm website: www.borthwicklawyer.com

SOURCE Douglas Borthwick

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VANCOUVER, BC, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian Goldfields Limited (formerly Graphite Energy Corp.) (the "Company") (CSE:AUGF) (OTC:GRXXF) (Frankfurt: G0A) is pleased to report assays results confirming the presence of gold mineralization within surface samples taken at the Beaton's River Project, Pilbara, Western Australia. A reconnaissance and mapping program is ongoing at the project, with select sampling of areas deemed to be of interest.

Three small hand samples were taken from conglomerate located approximately 3 kilometers east of the Beaton's Creek gold resource currently being developed by Novo Resources. One sample returned 0.20 grams per tonne gold and another 0.02 grams per tonne gold. These results are considered anomalous for gold and indicate the potential for gold mineralization within the conglomerate formation. The rugged location was accessed on foot by the geological team. Samples were taken under the supervision of Mr. William Feyerabend, a Consulting Geologist, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and a director of the Company. The three samples were taken using best industry practices, with security insured to the laboratory. ICP Assay work was completed at Australian Laboratory Services PTY (ALS) of Brisbane, Australia, an ISO Certified laboratory. The geological team are currently further evaluating 40 target areas identified from a satellite imagery program completed by Perry Remote Sensing LLC of Denver, Colorado.

The next step in evaluating the area identified as gold anomalous will involve a larger bulk sample of the conglomerate outcrop. Helicopter or tracked vehicle support may be employed to obtain large bulk samples of the areas of interest. As the program is ongoing, other areas of interest may also be identified.

About Australian Goldfields

AUGF has an extensive land package located in the historic Pilbara Mining District of Western Australia. The package is comprised of five separate claim groups including the 335 square kilometer Beaton's River Project.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Adrian Hobkirk

President and CEO

T: 954-684-8040

E: [email protected]

W: www.australiangoldfields.com

The Technical and scientific information contained in this news release was reviewed by Mr. William Feyerabend, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Feyerabend participated in the production of this news release. Challenges associated with the company's exploration program are set out on page 14 of the Form 2A under the heading "Challenges associated with the Issuer's Exploration Program".

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. We seek safe harbor.

SOURCE Australian Goldfields Limited
TEL AVIV, Israel, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Azrieli Group (TASE: AZRG) announces expansion of its operations in the Data Centers sector to Europe with the signing of a significant agreement for the acquisition of a private company that operates in this sector in Scandinavia. In the transaction, the Group is acquiring 100% of the share capital of Green Mountain for around NIS 2.8 billion.

Green Mountain is a private company which was incorporated in Norway in 2009, which has been operating in the field of server farms since its incorporation, in three main areas: (a) planning and construction of server farms with high-level information security; (b) provision of advanced service farm services to organizations and wholesale customers; (c) highly-efficient operation of server farms, while using 100% renewable energies. The company holds several real properties which are leased to third parties and are used by the company for its operations in the field of server farms.

Green Mountain operates three server farms in Norway and, as of the date of this report, has signed contracts for approx. 24 MW with customers for an average period of approx. 7.5 years. Green Mountain also has future construction and development potential at these and additional sites of approx. 520 MW.

Inquiries made by the company indicate that the Scandinavian market, and particularly the Norwegian market, is experiencing significant growth in the Data Centers market, and benefits from exceptional availability of power, alongside power costs among the lowest in Europe. In addition, power in Norway is produced (100%) by means of environmentally-friendly sources.

In recent years, Green Mountain's growth rate has reached some 50% annually; the company's core customers include material customers in the cloud industry, significant High Performance Computing (HPC) customers, and more.

Green Mountain's key financials (NIS in thousands)



Forecast for

December 31,

2022 June 30, 2021 December 2020 December 2019 MW 49MW 24MW 16MW 10MW Representative NOI 176,000 85,000 54,000 40,000

The consideration will be self-financed by the company, including through part of the proceeds from the debt raising that the company is currently performing. The company also plans to act to obtain a specific loan, through the Subsidiary or GM from a financial body, in connection with the transaction, for up to 50% of the consideration, the terms and conditions of which, at present, have not yet been agreed.

The acquisition of Green Mountain is being made as part of the company's growth strategy, in the context of which the company has entered the server farm sector, and expansion of its operations in this sector.

The company intends to use Green Mountain's presence in the European Data Centers market, its experienced management, the professional knowledge and its business ties, in order to gain a foothold and grow in this market, which is characterized by high growth rates and high yields. The company also intends to act in the future for expansion of Green Mountain's current operations in the European market.

Danna Azrieli, Chairman of Azrieli Group: "Acquiring Green Mountain is a key milestone in realizing Azrieli Group's strategy for building international operations in the Data Centers sector. The combination of the operations in North America through Compass with the acquisition of Green Mountain in Europe will allow Azrieli Group to become a significant global player in this growing and developing arena.

The Data Centers sector represents the new income-producing real estate world and is experiencing high growth rates. We are making a significant investment in Europe through the acquisition of a high-quality platform with growth potential, experienced and knowledgeable management, and excellent assets. After several years of the Group's operating in the field, I believe that the Data Centers sector will be another significant growth engine for Azrieli Group, alongside the other growth engines which are continuing to develop. I would like to give special thanks to the Group's CEO, Eyal Henkin, who shares my vision, and together with Azrieli Group's excellent management led to the signing of the transaction".

Azrieli Group was advised by Rothschild & Co as sole financial advisor and DLA Piper for legal.

For further details :

Moran Goder, Head of Capital Markets and Business Development Analyst,

Azrieli Group

[email protected]

SOURCE Azrieli Group
DES MOINES, Iowa, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Basepoint Wealth (www.basepointwealth.com), a fee-only wealth management firm based in Cedar Rapids, IA has acquired Charter Accounting, PLC in a transaction completed June 30, 2021. The acquired business will operate as an affiliate under the name Basepoint Tax & Accounting, LLC (www.basepointtax.com).

With the acquisition, Basepoint is establishing its first presence in the Des Moines metro area, adding to existing locations in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Davenport.

For nearly 25 years, Charter Accounting, PLC provided high-quality accounting services to individuals and businesses in Des Moines, Iowa. The full-service accounting firm has prided itself on providing quality accounting, payroll, tax and consulting services to individuals and small businesses with integrity, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Mark McKee, principal of Charter Accounting PLC said of the acquisition, "I am very excited about the prospect of broadening the services that we can offer by affiliating with professionals adept at financial planning, investment management, and who understand the importance of independent, fiduciary advice for clients."

McKee, and his team of licensed and certified accountants will remain with the newly named company. Ryan Watermiller, an Ankeny-based Basepoint Wealth advisor will operate from the Des Moines office on a full-time basis.

The merger will allow Basepoint to provide investment management and tax planning advice under one roof and allow individuals to benefit from tax advisors and financial planners who see the same data, and who follow a unified philosophy. "For too long clients have had to play the role of mediator with their team of financial professionals," said W. Allen Wallace, Chief Investment Officer of Basepoint Wealth. "This union drives us one step closer to our ultimate goal of building a single, unified source of fiduciary financial advice, so clients no longer have to struggle with various competing opinions when making financial decisions without knowing with certainty whose best interest is being served".

Basepoint Wealth, parent company of Basepoint Tax & Accounting was recently named one of the "Fastest Growing Companies" by the Corridor Business Journal.

"This acquisition fulfills a strategic objective of gaining a presence in one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, and we're excited to have made this first step toward establishing a strong base of operations in Des Moines," said Landis Wiley, Director of Business Development for Basepoint Wealth. "Having successfully executed six acquisitions and mergers over the past four years, we are poised for continued expansion across our markets through a delicate balance of organic growth and targeted acquisition."

About Basepoint Wealth, LLC

Basepoint Wealth, LLC provides comprehensive independent financial planning, tax, and investment management services to clients throughout the United States. Basepoint combines integrated technology platforms with its team of credentialed professionals, providing a uniquely individualized wealth management experience.

By combining the expertise of people with powerful technology, Basepoint is focused on delivering a unified wealth management experience that goes beyond portfolio management.

Basepoint Wealth, LLC is a registered investment advisor. Visit our website www.basepointwealth.com for important disclosures.

Media Contact:

Landis Wiley

[email protected]

SOURCE Basepoint Wealth

Related Links

www.basepointwealth.com


- Transaction values the Company at an enterprise value of EUR c.1.6bn

- Under BC Partners' ownership, Pharmathen has become the leading European drug delivery technology company

- BC Funds invested over 250m in R&D and FDA approved best-in-class facilities, expanded its portfolio to 85 products sold in nearly 100 countries, achieved a high double digit organic growth rate doubling profitability and launched its first Long Acting Injectable ("LAI") products

LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- International investment firm BC Partners today announced the sale of a majority stake in Pharmathen ("the Company"), a leading European pharmaceutical company, to global private markets firm Partners Group (acting on behalf of its clients). The transaction values the business at EUR c.1.6bn.

Founded in 1969 and acquired by funds advised by BC Partners in 2015 for 475m, Pharmathen is the leading European drug delivery technology company. With a highly differentiated business model and strong management team, the company is a specialist in the development of "sustained release" technologies, with best-in-class R&D capabilities, serving a blue-chip customer base in nearly 100 countries worldwide.

Under BC Partners' ownership, Pharmathen has become a technology-driven leader in a highly attractive sector, with strong and sustained organic EBITDA growth of 16% CAGR over the last five years. The company is a global leader in complex long acting injectables ("LAI") and has also established a long-acting therapeutic technologies ("LATT") platform which will fuel growth for many years. With a highly diversified product, customer and country base, Pharmathen is strongly positioned for further growth under the new stewardship of Partners Group, particularly into the US market.

Nikos Stathopoulos, Partner and Executive Committee Member at BC Partners said: "In Pharmathen, we saw an opportunity to invest significantly behind a high-quality business to accelerate its organic growth and develop the company into a global leader. During our ownership, we invested over 250 million into R&D and new FDA-approved production facilities, nearly doubled the number of employees and executed some truly transformational projects. This allowed us to reposition Pharmathen as a technology-driven leader in a very attractive sector with high barriers to entry, with a differentiated business model, deep R&D pipeline and best-in-class manufacturing capabilities which position it strongly for further growth. Together with the management team, we have built a truly remarkable company, that I am confident will continue to flourish under Partners Group's stewardship ".

Dimitris Kadis, Chief Executive Officer, Pharmathen, added: "I want to thank the BC team for their partnership over the past six years. Their investment, support and guidance has enabled them to be extremely instrumental in taking the company to the next level as a global leader in drug development and delivery. We are excited to partner with Partners Group in this next chapter of our growth story, to build a drug development powerhouse that is a trusted partner to blue-chip clients worldwide and makes a positive impact on the lives of people, by ensuring they enjoy better health."

BC Partners was advised by Jefferies and Kirkland & Ellis.

The transaction is subject to receipt of customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in 2021.

Media contacts:

BC Partners

Prosek Partners

Henrietta Dehn

[email protected]

About BC Partners

BC Partners is a leading international investment firm with over 33 billion of assets under management in private equity, private credit and real estate strategies. Established in 1986, BC Partners has played an active role in developing the European buyout market for over three decades. Today, BC Partners executives operate across markets as an integrated team through the firm's offices in North America and Europe. Since inception, BC Partners has completed 123 private equity investments in companies with a total enterprise value of over 161 billion and is currently investing its eleventh private equity fund.

For more information, please visit www.bcpartners.com.

Related Links

https://www.bcpartners.com



SOURCE BC Partners
MELVILLE, N.Y., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., is proud to announce new executive promotions effective July 1, 2021. These new appointments represent Canon's strong commitment to elevating its employees and placing them in positions to succeed, further solidifying Canon's position as a leader in digital solutions.

"It is with great privilege that we announce these well-deserved promotions of my esteemed colleagues at Canon Solutions America, whose strong dedication and invaluable leadership inspire, encourage and strengthen our organization and its people every day," said Shinichi Yoshida, chairman and CEO, Canon Solutions America, Inc. "These individuals continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to furthering our company's status as an industry leader, and I applaud them for their continued service to our organization. I wish them much success with their new responsibilities."

Christopher Petro has been promoted to vice president of Production Print Solutions Strategic Accounts, responsible for building and leading the national sales and support team for Canon Solutions America's Production Print Solutions division. Mr. Petro also focuses on the division's top accounts and prospects and is a key contributor to the division's combined equipment and recurring revenue.

Mark Waugh has been promoted to vice president of Production Print Solutions Sales, responsible for managing all regional sales activities in the U.S. for the division, including all roll-fed and sheet-fed inkjet products, workflow solutions, and associated services.

For more information about Canon Solutions America, Inc., please visit www.csa.canon.com.

About Canon Solutions America, Inc.

Canon Solutions America, Inc. provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. Canon Solutions America, Inc. helps companies of all sizes discover ways to improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America, Inc. is headquartered in Melville, NY and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com .

Editorial Contact: Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website: Nicole Esan csa.canon.com 631-330-2139 For sales info/customer support: [email protected] 1-844-443-INFO (4636)

Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.

 2021 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Canon Solutions America, Inc.

Related Links

https://csa.canon.com


ATLANTA, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) announced Reimagine the Legacy, a tribute to the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis. On Friday, July 30th, Downtown Atlanta's business community, along with civil rights leaders, grassroots organizations, and luminaries will convene for a day in celebration and memory of Lewis.

Reimagine the Legacy will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a special tribute and mural rededication at the John Lewis Memorial mural, located at 219 Auburn Avenue (at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. At 11:00 am, church bells will ring throughout Downtown for 80 seconds initiating a community-wide moment of reflection, marking the day and time Congressman Lewis was laid to rest.

The public is strongly encouraged to participate in this inaugural event, which will return annually on the same day in Downtown Atlanta to Reimagine the Legacy of Congressman Lewis.

Schedule of Activities:

Mural Rededication: Starting at 10:00 a.m., the community will gather at the John Lewis HERO memorial in Sweet Auburn to celebrate the life of Congressman Lewis and reflect on how we can positively impact future generations.

Community-wide Moment of Reflection : At 11:00 am, church bells will ring throughout Downtown for 80 seconds initiating a community-wide moment of reflection.

Learning and Celebration: From 12:00 p.m.  4:00 p.m., Woodruff Park will host a celebration and opportunity for the community to gather and celebrate Lewis' legacy and the vibrancy to be found and savored throughout the Fifth Congressional District.

Panel Discussion: The Boy From Troy: At 2:00 p.m. at the Auburn Ave. Research Library there will be a special panel presentation featuring Shirley Franklin, former Atlanta, Mayor; Sherry Frank, President of the Atlanta chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women; and Michael Collins, former chief of staff for Congressman John Lewis.

All Day Free Admission at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights  12:00 to 5:00 p.m.

About Central Atlanta Progress: Central Atlanta Progress, Inc., is a Downtown business association with approximately 240 members. Its mission is to champion a vibrant community with strong leadership and sustainable infrastructure that is safe, livable, diverse, economically viable, accessible, clean, hospitable and entertaining.

SOURCE Central Atlanta Progress

Related Links

http://www.atlantadowntown.com


LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CleanEquity is an annual invitation-only event hosted by Innovator Capital, the London-based specialist investment bank. The 30 best-in-class sustainable technologies must meet high standards set by the selection committee. The conference provides an intimate and collegiate setting for inventors and entrepreneurs to share their stories with delegates - key decision-makers looking to assist them with reaching their commercial and strategic goals.

Other partners and sponsors include Prince Albert II of Monaco's Foundation, Cision, Covington & Burling, Cranfield University, MIT Solve, the Monaco Economic Board, and Taronis Fuels.

CH-Bioforce presents a solution for a more sustainable world

CH-Bioforce Oy has been identified as one of the world's most innovative sustainable technology companies and has been selected to present its solutions and technology to investors, policymakers, and media at the CleanEquity 2021 in Monaco.

CH-Bioforce offers a sustainable and completely bio-based alternative to oil- and food-based feedstock when producing clothing, food packaging, or cosmetics for example. Their technology enables the conversion of current waste material to valuable biopolymers that can be used in higher-value applications.

CH-Bioforce has developed a breakthrough biomass fractionation technology, which enables the full utilization of biomass, the side streams of industrial production. Their technology allows the extraction of biomass constituents in an economically sound way and with extremely high quality.

At the moment, many industrial raw-material side streams aren't utilized  the "waste" is burned which causes CO2 emissions and zero value. CH-Bioforce sees high value in these side streams and aims to change the status quo.

CH-Bioforce's patented technology produces high-quality biopolymers: high-purity pulp, polymeric hemicellulose, and sulphur-free lignin. Each of these material streams has a wide range of possible applications, especially in replacing fossil-based materials and less environmentally friendly bio-based products such as food-based starch or cotton.

This is the world's only technology that is able to fractionate all constituents of the biomass in one process. Almost any kind of biomass can be used as process' feedstock  both wood, and non-wood, such as straw, so there are minimal limitations to waste utilization. This is how we can make many consumer goods more sustainable.

For more information please contact:

Petri Tolonen

Chief Executive Officer

CH-Bioforce Oy

Raisionkaari 55, 21200 Raisio, Finland

Tel. +358 40 722 0372

E-mail: [email protected]

www.ch-bioforce.com

About Innovator Capital Limited

Innovator Capital (ICL), established in 2003, is a London-based specialist investment bank focusing on health and sustainable technology companies; advising on corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions, IP, business & corporate development. ICL's mission is to assist IP-rich private & public companies with finding the right investors, acquirers, customers, licensees, and commercial partners.

SOURCE Innovator Capital

Related Links

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Founded in 2003, Channing has built a solid 16-year track record for its flagship small-cap strategy within the institutional marketplace. The firm, which is based in Chicago, Illinois, currently manages over $3.4 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2021. Adds Channing's Founder, Co-CEO, Rodney Herenton: "The mutual fund provides both institutional and retail investors access to Channing's small-cap strategy, enabling us to further diversify our distribution and channel mix. Furthermore, the mutual fund helps to strengthen our brand awareness and identification in the marketplace, something I'm very excited about as we continue to expand our product offerings and scale our business as a boutique investment firm."

With approximately $2.2 billion in assets in the small-cap strategy, Channing is looking to further expand its client base among corporations, foundations, and endowments, as well as sub-advisory and platform opportunities. Adds Channing's Founder, Co-CEO, and CIO, Wendell Mackey: "The launch of our mutual fund allows us to bring our time tested, small company, distinctive, intrinsic value approach to a broader marketplace. We look forward to our mutual fund serving our clients, and prospective clients for their various channel needs."

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the fund before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the fund, and it should be read carefully before investing. Investors may obtain a copy of the prospectus by calling 833-565-1919. Distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC (Member FINRA). Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC is not affiliated with Channing Capital Management, LLC.

Important Risk Information

Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Given the significant differences between separately managed accounts and mutual funds, investors should consider the differences in expenses, tax implications, and the overall objectives between separately managed accounts and mutual funds before investing. SmallCap investing involves greater risk not associated with investing in more established companies, such as greater price volatility, business risk, less liquidity and increased competitive threat. Value investing involves the risk that an investment made in undervalued securities may not appreciate in value as anticipated or remain undervalued for long periods of time.

Media Contact: Deana Bass Williams, [email protected]

SOURCE Channing Capital
Merck is expected to have a leg-up in the Chronic Refractory Cough market over other key players owing to an early entry of its drug, Gefapixant (MK-7264), among all the CRC pipeline therapies.

LAS VEGAS, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Chronic Refractory Cough (CRC) Market report offers comprehensive coverage of the current treatment practices, pipeline drugs, Chronic Refractory Cough market share of the individual therapies, current and forecasted CRC market size from 2018 to 2030 segmented into 7MM (the USA, EU5 (the UK, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany), and Japan).

Some of the noteworthy points from the Chronic Refractory Cough Market report:

The total Chronic Refractory Cough prevalent population in the 7 major markets was estimated to be 17,600,264 in 2020, which is further estimated to rise at a CAGR of 0.48% during the forecast period 20212030.

in 2020, which is further estimated to rise at a CAGR of during the forecast period 20212030. The expected rise in the CRC prevalence can be attributed to increased research, development, public awareness, and improved diagnosis, mainly due to the advent of new biomarkers.

The USA accounted for the highest prevalence of Chronic Refractory Cough, followed by France in the 7 MM in 2020, with females accounting for a larger CRC prevalent population.

accounted for the highest prevalence of Chronic Refractory Cough, followed by in the 7 MM in 2020, with accounting for a larger CRC prevalent population. The higher CRC prevalence in women can be ascribed to a heightened capsaicin cough reflex sensitivity in women than in men.

The present Chronic Refractory Cough treatment market comprises the use of various off-label therapies and over-the-counter drugs like Neuro-modulating agents (Opioids, Baclofen, Gabapentin, Pregablin, and Amitriptyline), Proton Pump inhibitors, Inhaled corticosteroids (ICs), and others along with non-pharmacological treatments like speech therapy.

The Chronic Refractory Cough market size in the 7MM was estimated to be USD 6,118.6 Million in 2020.

in 2020. Key players such as Merck, Bayer, Bellus Health, Shionogi, Nerre Therapeutics, and others are actively developing treatments for CRC.

and others are actively developing treatments for CRC. The launch of pipeline therapies in late and mid-stage developments, including Orvepitant Maleate, BLU-5937, Gefapixant , BAY1817080, and S-600918 , is expected to expand the growth quadrant of the Chronic Refractory Cough market size in the coming years.

, and , is expected to expand the growth quadrant of the Chronic Refractory Cough market size in the coming years. Gefapixant (Merck) is currently in the Phase III stage of development, followed by Orvepitant Maleate (Nerre Therapeutics).

(Merck) is currently in the Phase III stage of development, followed by Maleate (Nerre Therapeutics). Merck's Gefapixant is expected to face backlash as the drug, despite showing promising efficacy data, is associated with serious adverse events. However, a severe dearth of approved therapies in the Chronic Refractory Cough therapy market may streamline its success trajectory.

Orvepitant Maleate has demonstrated no safety concerns in the treated population with excellent tolerability. If approved, the drug has the potential to capture a major CRC market share.

has demonstrated no safety concerns in the treated population with excellent tolerability. If approved, the drug has the potential to capture a major CRC market share. Out of all the emerging therapies, four therapies target the P2X3 inhibition , the only clinically validated treatment approach so far investigated.

, the only clinically validated treatment approach so far investigated. The Chronic Refractory Cough market dynamics are anticipated to change further during the forecast period 2021-30 owing to the launch of these therapies, increasing prevalence, better healthcare spending, improved diagnostics, and better awareness.

Discover more about therapy set to grab substantial market share @ Chronic Refractory Cough Market Share

Chronic Refractory Cough: Overview

Cough is a reflex activity in response to elements that irritate the throat and airways leading to voluntary control. If it lasts for less than 3 weeks, the cough is acute, while Chronic cough lasts for more than 8 weeks.

Chronic cough often occurs after a viral infection. It can also occur as an underlying symptom of respiratory diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), postnasal drip from sinus or allergies, or chronic lung conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, and interstitial lung diseases.

The most common signs and symptoms of Chronic Refractory Cough include a persistent cough/ dry irritating cough localized around the laryngeal region coupled with wheezing, stridor, dyspnea, hoarseness or aphonia, and tenderness over the laryngotracheal cartilage.

Discover more about the disease, causes, signs & symptoms, and diagnosis @ Chronic Refractory Cough Signs & Symptoms and Diagnosis

Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiology Segmentation

Chronic refractory cough is a condition associated with a considerable burden on the patients. The total diagnosed Chronic Refractory Cough prevalent cases in the 7 MM was estimated to be 10,560,159 in 2020, with the United States accounting for the maximum cases. Further, a higher CRC prevalence was observed in females than males.

The Chronic Refractory Cough market report puts forward the epidemiological analysis for the study period 2018-30 in the 7MM segmented into:

Chronic Cough Prevalent Population

Gender-specific Chronic Cough Prevalent Population

Chronic Refractory Cough Prevalent Population

Diagnosed Chronic Refractory Cough Prevalent Population

Diagnosed CRC Prevalent Population in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) patients

Download report to understand which demographic factors are guiding the CRC epidemiology trends @ Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiological Insights

Chronic Refractory Cough Therapy Market

The CRC market is dominated by non-pharmacologic therapies, which include Speech Therapy and Physiotherapy followed by off-label and over-the-counter medications. These include neuromodulators (like opioids, baclofen, gabapentin, pregabalin, and amitriptyline), proton pump inhibitors, inhaled corticosteroids (ICs), and others. One commonly used drug is codeine, which is a weak opioid, however, it is not an ideal antitussive. Tramadol, another opioid medication with a similar structure to codeine and morphine, has shown efficacy with its antitussive properties. Gabapentin and pregabalin (centrally acting neuromodulators) have shown potential in improving cough.

Learn more about available treatments @ Chronic Refractory Cough Drug Pipeline Therapies

Chronic Refractory Cough Market Unmet Needs

The present Chronic Refractory Cough treatment market comprises no approved therapy. Currently, the market of CRC is supported by various treatment options, such as inhaled corticosteroids, neuromodulators, proton pump inhibitors, and opioids, which include gabapentin, pregabalin, morphine, amitriptyline, baclofen, etc. that consumed as off-labels.

Also, it is worth noting that these interventions are approved for chronic cough but, to date, there is no such intervention available, which can treat a recurrence of cough, i.e., chronic refractory cough. Further, there is a lack of availability of specific biomarkers that can help in the accurate and timely diagnosis of Chronic Refractory Cough. Biochemical analysis is required to exactly get an insight into how actually a disease is prevailing, i.e., pathways or mechanisms involved with it.

Diagnosis remains for the majority of cases indicative in nature rather than diagnostic due to the lack of definite markers. Thus, it can be concluded that for systematic diagnosis, there is a major need for efficient biomarkers so as to have a targeted treatment approach.

Chronic Refractory Cough Market

The United States accounts for the largest Chronic Refractory Cough market size throughout the study period of 20182030, in comparison to the EU5 (the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain) and Japan.

The Chronic Refractory Cough market is anticipated to experience an influx of several pharma and biotech companies such as Merck, Bayer, Bellus Health, Shionogi, Nerre Therapeutics and others who are actively involved in strengthening the Chronic Refractory Cough pipeline. According to DelveInsight's CRC market analysis, among all the potential emerging therapies, Gefapixant (MK-7264), which is being developed by Merck, is estimated to enter the CRC market at the earliest, as the drug has already been completed several phase II and III developmental trials successfully. The drug has demonstrated quite impressive efficacy and consistent safety and tolerability profile. Besides, a major drawback that comes with this therapy is the incidence of serious adverse events and a high incidence of taste-related adverse events, which led to few treatment discontinuations. However, due to high unmet needs, lack of approved therapies, and recent acceptance of NDA by the FDA, the probability of the success of Gefapixant to enter the market is expected to be relatively high.

Chronic Refractory Cough Market Opportunities and Threats

DelveInsight estimates that a significant rise in the CRC prevalence is going to give momentum to the Chronic Refractory Cough market share growth in the next decade. Many patients with chronic cough require multiple clinical encounters to obtain a diagnosis, with over half remaining undiagnosed. However, the last decade witnessed significant scientific achievement in understanding the mechanisms of chronic cough, which has led to multiple clinical drug development programs exploring potential novel agents. Furthermore, an increase in healthcare spending & R&D and better awareness around the condition are expected to propel the market growth.

The lack of an effective cure in the market has managed to pull in several pharma and biotech companies to investigate novel agents and develop effective cures for CRC. However, the launch of pipeline therapies is set to be encumbered by the CRC market dominance of off-label and OTC drugs, which are relatively available without any prescriptions and at much cheaper costs. Thus, the fate of therapies will be reliable on patient acceptance as well. Moreover, a significantly high trial failure rate exacerbates the quandary. The CRC market has witnessed the terminations of trials investigating TRP modulators and NK1 antagonists in the late stages, leaving the CRC market in an unpleasant situation.

Drop by to learn more about the future market trends @ Chronic Refractory Cough Market Landscape and Forecast

Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Therapies

Gefapixant: Merck

Orvepitant Maleate: Nerre Therapeutics

BLU-5937: Bellus Health

Bradanicline: Attenua

S-600918: Shionogi

BAY1817080: Bayer

Drop by to learn more about the future market trends @ Chronic Refractory Cough Market Landscape and Forecast

Scope of the Chronic Refractory Cough Market Report

Coverage: 7MM (the US, EU5, and Japan)

Study Period: 2018-30

Key Companies: Merck, Bayer, Bellus Health, Shionogi, Nerre Therapeutics, and others.

Key Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Therapies: Orvepitant Maleate, BLU-5937, Gefapixant, BAY1817080 and S-600918, and others.

Chronic Refractory Cough Market Segmentation: By Geography, By Chronic Refractory Cough Therapies

Analysis: Comparative and conjoint analysis of Chronic Refractory Cough emerging therapies

Tools used: SWOT analysis, Conjoint Analysis, Porter's Five Forces, PESTLE analysis, BCG Matrix analysis methods.

Case Studies

KOL's Views

Analyst's Views

Interested in knowing which Pharma Company is expected to establish a major hold in the market? Drop your query at [email protected]

Table of Contents

1 Key Insights 2 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Report Introduction 3 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Overview at a Glance 4 Executive Summary of Chronic Refractory Cough 5 Disease Background and Overview 6 Algorithm for Diagnosis of Chronic Refractory Cough 7 Patient Journey 8 Prevention 9 Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiology and Patient Population 10 Treatment Algorithm, Current Treatment, and Medical Practices 11 Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiology and Patient Population 10 Country Wise-Epidemiology of Chronic Refractory Cough 12 Chronic Refractory Cough Treatment 13 Unmet Needs 14 Key Endpoints of Chronic Refractory Cough Treatment 15 Chronic Refractory Cough Emerging Therapies 16 Chronic Refractory Cough: 7 Major Market Analysis 17 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Unmet Needs 18 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Access and Reimbursement 19 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Drivers 20 Chronic Refractory Cough Market Barriers 21 SWOT Analysis 21 KOL Reviews 22 Appendix 23 DelveInsight Capabilities 24 Disclaimer 25 About DelveInsight

Discover more about the report offerings @ Chronic Refractory Cough Market Forecast

Get in touch with our Business executive for Rich and Deep Market Assessment and Consulting Solutions

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About DelveInsight

DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve.

For more insights, visit Pharma, Healthcare, and Biotech News

Contact Us

Shruti Thakur

[email protected]

+1(919)321-6187

www.delveinsight.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg

SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP
MIAMI, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the recent Surfside tragedy, the condominium insurance market is facing significant changes. Condo associations and unit owners can soon expect likely increases to premiums amidst a growing scarcity of insurance providers. Multiple insurance carriers are enacting potential 45-day cancellation notices if buildings 40 years and older cannot prove they have passed all inspections.

Condominiums in South Florida are already considered high-risk due to their common ownership structure, exposure to hurricane and tropical storm activity, and reputation for delaying much-needed maintenance to their infrastructure. As seen with the Champlain Towers collapse, ownership was aware of their structural problems but chose to not conduct maintenance to save money.

The Champlain Towers collapse has rocked the condominium insurance industry, spurring much-needed changes and oversight in a short period of time. Miami-Dade and Broward are the only Florida counties currently requiring condominiums to conduct a reinspection after 40 years. With more than 50,000 community associations throughout the Sunshine State, insurers sending action letters demanding reinspection verification could have a ripple effect extending out of just Miami-Dade and Broward.

The most pressing risk facing residents is that if more carriers drop condo buildings due to their failure to prove recertification, the costs will rise for everyone. Insurers will require condos to address any structural issues, meaning residents will have to foot the bill to remain insured. Condos may be forced to move to state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. if their private insurers drop them.

While these changes mainly apply to the condominium's building policy, residential policyholders may face changes to their own insurance policies that cover items inside the property. These policies carry coverage for special loss assessments which typically includes unexpected minor damages, not routine maintenance. If lawmakers decide to impose stricter regulations that require loss assessment coverage, insurers may choose to drop their condo policies altogether.

Chip Merlin, president of Tampa-based Merlin Law Group, a firm specializing in first-party property claims, believes insurance companies will hamper loss assessment provisions in their policies to get ahead of these new potential regulations. By doing this, insurers hope to prevent these provisions from being applied to any routine maintenance or structural repairs.

The cause of the Surfside collapse is still being investigated. Most significant changes to legislation or insurance regulations will not occur until the investigation is complete. However, Merlin suggests policyholders and condo associations brace themselves for a shift in both insurance costs and coverage.

About Merlin Law Group: Merlin Law Group has been dedicated to representing governmental, commercial, and residential policyholders with their insurance disputes for over 35 years. Founding member Chip Merlin published Pay Up!, a book detailing how policyholders can avoid a second disaster with their insurance company. As The Policyholder's Advocate, we are committed to helping policyholders nationwide.

SOURCE Merlin Law Group, P.A.

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HOUSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Benji Barron has rejoined Vinson & Elkins as a partner in the firm's Houston office.

Barron most recently served as Associate General Counsel for Targa Resources, a leading provider of midstream services and one of the largest independent midstream infrastructure companies in North America. In this role, he focused on strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, and also general commercial arrangements.

"In private practice and in-house, Benji has proven himself to be an exceptional lawyer whose contributions have and will continue to enhance our corporate practice and reinforce the first-rate service we provide to our clients," said Vinson & Elkins chairman Mark Kelly. "Just as importantly, he is highly regarded among his colleagues. We are excited to welcome him back to the team."

Barron's practice will include advising private and public companies, including private equity funds and portfolio companies, in connection with mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and other strategic investments.

"I have worked with Benji on several complex transactions over the years and experienced firsthand his adeptness at getting deals done," said Keith Fullenweider, chair-elect and co-head of Vinson & Elkins' corporate department. "His return comes at a key time of strategic growth for the firm as we continue to navigate global shifts in energy and infrastructure, and his deep understanding of these and other industries we touch will provide immediate value to our M&A and private equity clients."

"I am thrilled to start the next chapter of my legal career where it began and to be a part of the ongoing efforts to build on the growing corporate practice," Barron said. "The firm's reputation for excellence combined with its most recent investments to strengthen the team make this a particularly exciting time to return."

Other recent additions to Vinson & Elkins' corporate and tax practices include partners Gabriel Silva and Ron G. Nardini, as well as a nationally recognized renewable energy finance team that includes partners Sean Moran, Michael Joyce, Lauren Collins and Aaron Prince.

Barron received his J.D. degree from Columbia Law School in 2012, where he was a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He began his career at Vinson & Elkins as a summer associate in 2010 and is one of 40 attorneys at varying levels who have returned to the firm over the past five years.

About Vinson & Elkins

For more than 100 years, Vinson & Elkins has provided deep experience in handling transactions, investments, projects, and disputes worldwide. The firm is a trusted adviser to clients in the most important industrial and digital industries. Learn more by visiting www.velaw.com or follow us on Twitter @VinsonandElkins or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Courtney Binick

713-758-2333

[email protected]

SOURCE Vinson & Elkins LLP

Related Links

http://www.velaw.com


During Esser's leadership tenure, Cox has more than doubled its business to become the largest private telecom company in America serving nearly seven million homes and businesses across 18 states. He has guided the company's aggressive investment in product and network leadership to support new services and applications for customers. He has also sought growth outside the company, with recent investments and acquisitions in telecom infrastructure companies, home health logistics and cloud services.

Customer service excellence has been a Cox hallmark under Esser's leadership. Cox has consistently ranked highly in annual J.D. Power and Associates' studies of consumer satisfaction, with a total of 36 top honors across multiple residential and business product categories.

Esser is a highly respected community and telecommunications industry leader. He has been a champion of efforts to bridge the digital divide both through the company's Connect2Compete low-income broadband program and through his service to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, holding various board leadership roles at regional and national levels. Esser serves as chair of the C-SPAN board and on the board of directors of CableLabs and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). He also serves as an adviser to the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications and on the national Board of Governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In 2007, Esser was honored with Multichannel News' first "Executive of the Year" award. In 2013, he was awarded the distinguished Vanguard Award for Leadership  the industry's highest honor.

Under Esser's direction, Cox Communications has earned accolades for celebrating its diverse people, suppliers, communities and products. In 2006, Cox was first named in DiversityInc's listing of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity and in 2020, reached its highest ranking at No.11. Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) regularly recognizes Cox among the top operators for women.

"We are extremely thankful to Pat Esser for his leadership at Cox Communications," said Alex Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications. "He has grown the business consistently over the years. Even more meaningfully he has done it in the right way  by treating people well and making a positive impact in our communities. Pat is an extraordinary leader."

"I've always been fascinated by the cable business and have been fortunate to find a special family-owned company that lives its values," said Esser. "I'm grateful for the tremendous opportunities I've been given at Cox and the numerous mentors and committed peers that have helped me along this unbelievable ride of a lifetime."

As Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Mark Greatrex has been responsible for leading the company's residential sales team and marketing activities. Since joining Cox in 2011, Greatrex has made an indelible impact on both the company and the industry. He has transformed the marketing and sales functions to create a highly competitive team that has achieved significant growth in broadband market share. Greatrex has also worked to develop the Cox brand to highlight the power of Cox technology to deepen human connections and brought to market innovations such as Gigablast, Contour TV and Panoramic Wifi. He plays an active role in Cox's commitment to environmental sustainability and governance work, including the enterprise goal to improve the lives of 34 million people by 2034. Greatrex leads Cox Communications' Environmental Council that supports conservation efforts and serves on the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper board. Additionally, he is the founding executive sponsor of Cox's Young Professionals employee resource group.

Prior to joining Cox, Greatrex served in a variety of leadership roles at consumer product and telecom service companies such as Unilever, America Online and The Coca-Cola Company. His career experience includes senior marketing and sales roles as well as general management across multiple business models in the U.S. and across global markets.

"I am honored to be leading this very special company with a celebrated history, and an exciting future full of optimism and great momentum," said Greatrex. "We have a winning strategy and I look forward to amplifying the incredible values of the Cox family and the mission to improve the lives of the next generation."

"Mark is going to be a great leader for the next chapter in Cox Communications' evolution," Taylor said. "He is a wonderful executive and person. I have confidence he will continue to grow the business and will continue our commitment to making the company an exemplary corporate citizen."

Esser added, "Cox Communications is in exceptionally good hands. Mark is a strong and visionary leader who will sustain and amplify the momentum he's helped to achieve in the industry. His energy, creativity and sharp strategic sensibilities will drive continued innovation, excellence and passion for our customers. I wish him the best as he moves into his new role."

Read Pat Esser's full bio: https://newsroom.cox.com/Pat-Esser

Read Mark Greatrex' s full bio: https://newsroom.cox.com/markgreatrex

About Cox Enterprises

Cox Enterprises is dedicated to building a better future through our leading communications, automotive and media companies. Our major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Automotive, and we are strategically investing in new industries and emerging technologies, with sizeable interests in clean technology and health care. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with nearly $20 billion in annual revenues and brands that include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Cox Homelife. Founded in 1898 by Ohio Governor James M. Cox, the company is a family-owned business committed to its people, communities and planet. To learn more about Cox, visit coxenterprises.com, view our collective impact report at coxcsrreport.com, or follow us on Twitter via @CoxEnterprises or @AlexTaylor_Cox.

About o Communications

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. The largest private broadband company in America, we proudly serve nearly seven million homes and businesses across 18 states. We're dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.

SOURCE Cox Enterprises

Related Links

https://coxenterprises.com


SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Remediant, Inc, a leading provider of Privileged Access Management (PAM) software, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Remediant, Inc to its 2021 Emerging Vendors list in the Security category. This annual list honors new and up-and-coming technology vendors that have proven their commitment to innovation and growth within the larger IT channel. Organizations featured on the listall six years old or youngerare selected across eight different categories: cloud, data center, security, big data, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), storage, and networking/unified communications.



Remediant was selected because of its innovative approach to discover, revoke and protect privileged access within organizations. Remediant SecureONE enables dynamic discovery and removal of your always available admin access sprawl from endpoints. You can add back privileged access as needed, Just-in-Time (JIT) to enable Zero Standing Privilege (ZSP) and mandate MFA to implement Zero Trust security. This reduces the attack surface and prevents lateral movement attacks such as ransomware, phishing and most other advanced malware. SecureONE is agentless and vault-less, making it quick to deploy and simple to manage and adopt. Technology integrations with EDRs, SIEMs, help desk and asset management solutions provide real-time context into all privilege escalations and enables SOC teams to prioritize incident response and remediation.

Remediant's agentless PAM is a powerful tool to stop ransomware, " said Stel Valavanis, CEO at onShore Security. Tweet this CRN Emerging Vendors onShore Security

"Remediant is thrilled and honored to be a part of the CRN Emerging Vendors List two years in a row," said Raj Dodhiawala, President at Remediant. "As a 100% channel-focused company, our partners have embraced Remediant's agentless approach and delivered tremendous value to their customers by rapidly discovering and revoking standing privilege access sprawl. With our SecureONE software, partners can help their customers stop identity-based attacks such as ransomware from moving laterally and causing financial damage. We have partnered with onShore Security because they are one of only a handful of managed cybersecurity firms nationwide that performs 24/7 real-time monitoring, correlation, and analysis of organization-wide, full telemetry network data. onShore Security enables comprehensive detection, empowering us to see breaches and stop attackers from moving within client networks."

"We choose to partner with security vendors that offer next gen software that provide us with valuable telemetry. Remediant's innovative approach to agentless privileged access management is a powerful tool to stop ransomware and other malware attacks while empowering our detection capabilities," said Stel Valavanis, CEO at onShore Security.

With a commanding grasp of the IT industry's unique needs, technology vendors featured on the CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list allow solution providers to tackle complex IT market challenges, increase bottom-line revenue across the board, and deliver customer-facing solutions that ensure the IT channel's ongoing success well into the future.

"The CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list honors forward-thinking technology suppliers that are redefining IT channel success by focusing on innovative products that help customers overcome the complex and ever-changing IT demands," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. "Solution providers in search of the latest innovative technologies can depend on the Emerging Vendors list as a trusted resource."

The CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list will be featured in the August 2021 issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/EmergingVendors.

About Remediant

Founded in the heart of San Francisco, Remediant is a well-funded security start-up that is disrupting the Privileged Access Management market. Remediant SecureONE dynamically discovers and removes an organization's always on / always available admin access sprawl. With Zero Standing Privilege, Remediant can then add back privileged access as needed, Just-in-Time to realize Zero Trust security. SecureONE is agentless and vault-less, is simple to deploy and manage with value realized in hours instead of weeks and months. Remediant SecureONE is in use by enterprise customers across all industries, helping them reduce their attack surface and prevent lateral movement attacks such as ransomware and other advanced threats. To learn more, please visit: www.remediant.com

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook

 2021 The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts:

Sam Kumarsamy

Remediant, Inc.

408-836-5022

[email protected]

The Channel Company Contact:

Jennifer Hogan

The Channel Company

[email protected]

SOURCE Remediant

Related Links

http://www.remediant.com


NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberWarrior Academy (CWA) today announced the close of $25 million in outcomes-aligned financing to drive the expansion of their tuition payment options. The financing will allow one of the country's leading cybersecurity bootcamp programs to train up to 2,000 additional students from underserved backgrounds for a career in cybersecurity. This financing will make an almost immediate impact on combating cyber threats in both the business and government world with an additional 2,000 newly skilled cyber engineers and analysts.

To make this financing possible, CyberWarrior Academy has partnered with Leif, the Tuition Finance Management Platform. Leif works with premier education providers who deliver exceptional outcomes to students across a variety of fields and arranged the financing for CWA. Leif's outcomes-aligned tuition financing solutions include Income Share Agreements which help education providers maximize their program's growth and impact potential.

CWA, a Massachusetts-based company is Microsoft Gold certified, employing years of industry experience and a hands-on curriculum to train elite cybersecurity practitioners. There are almost 500,000 cybersecurity job openings in the US, and close to 3 million worldwide .

Reinier Moquete, CEO of CyberWarrior Academy, commented: "Our finely tuned curriculum is designed to create world-class cybersecurity employees. Incentive-aligned financing demonstrates our commitment to the success of our graduates. We chose to partner with Leif because they are the market's only full-service ISA Program Manager, enabling us to secure ISA financing and deploy their best-in-class technology solutions seamlessly."

"Leif is committed to partnering with education providers across the country in any field of study and helping them maximize their impact by leveraging outcomes-aligned tuition financing in all its forms," remarked Jeffrey Groeber, Founder and CEO of Leif. "We are thrilled to work with CyberWarrior Academy given this shared vision and commitment to building a lucrative skill set in their students."

About CyberWarrior Academy:

CyberWarrrior Academy was founded as a vehicle to drive social impact and economic empowerment, a vision that is delivered on by investing corporate resources into social enterprises that increase opportunity and economic mobility for people of all backgrounds via training, mentorship, and technology. CyberWarrior Academy's Cybersecurity Bootcamp is a live, online via video conference, skills-based, lab intensive program, including over 800 hours of instruction. Each week they deliver a new area of content or certification.

To learn more about CyberWarrior Academy's Cybersecurity Bootcamp, click here

To Contact CyberWarrior Academy: Jonathan Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, Phone: 617.359.1017, Email: [email protected]

About Leif:

Leif is a technology company dedicated to increasing access to quality and affordable education. The company has developed an end-to-end platform that enables the design, origination, and program management of Income Share Agreement and other outcomes-based tuition finance programs. As the infrastructure layer that powers tuition finance solutions for the postsecondary education ecosystem, Leif partners with schools to provide students with an outcomes-aligned form of education finance. Leif enjoys the benefit as the market leader based on the following core metrics:

20,000+ originations

200+ partner schools

$300+ million in arranged financing

LinkedIn

AngelList

SOURCE Leif

Related Links

http://leif.org


SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global e-commerce automotive aftermarket size is anticipated to reach USD 143.9 billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.6% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growth can be attributed to the rising availability of automotive replacement equipment on online platforms, thereby enabling customers to access more affordable buying options. Improved supply chain activity with technology deployments such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and automation has boosted the growth of e-commerce platforms in the automotive sector. Further, rising awareness of automotive OEMs to establish an omnichannel presence promotes them to deploy e-commerce practices, thereby offering growth opportunities for the e-commerce aftermarket parts.

Key Insights & Findings:

The lighting segment is expected to register the fastest growth over the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to the ongoing trend of automobile owners to customize and install new and personalized lighting equipment for interiors and exterior uses

The business to customer segment is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the rising acceptance of DIY innovation in automobiles, thereby promoting automobile users to order automotive parts replacement and self-installation

The Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period. This can be attributed to rising economic activity in China and India . The presence of several automotive parts manufacturers in China and their ability to provide affordable and attractive products are offering an impetus to market growth

Read 154 page market research report, "E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Replacement Parts (Lighting, Engine Parts, Braking Systems, Transmission & Steering), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028'', by Grand View Research.

The increasing automotive sales and the increasing presence of new automotive players are expected to aid the market growth. The production of new automobiles with diverse technologies facilitates the need to develop new aftermarket products. Furthermore, rising awareness amongst people to adopt electric vehicles promotes automotive companies and OEMs to develop more proficient products, which help increase the efficiency of the electric vehicle. This increasing awareness towards the adoption of electric vehicles is expected to result in higher R&D activities in product development, thereby offering promising growth opportunities to the market.

The Asia Pacific region is expected to record the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This growth is majorly fueled by China due to the increasing number of light motor vehicles in the country, facilitating an increase in the sales of automotive replacement parts. Additionally, the growing average age of the vehicle population and technological innovation in automotive manufacturing practices such as the influx of robots and automation is expected to grow the e-commerce aftermarket over the forecast period. The Chinese government also incentivizes the automotive suppliers to improve automotive aftermarket transparency and presence by enabling independent suppliers to sell Original Equipment Service (OES) parts.

E-tailers are continuously challenging traditional retailers by penetrating the market more effectively. This has led to the emergence of companies such as RockAuto and Tire Rack and also promoted companies such as Alibaba and Amazon to increase investments in the automotive aftermarket sales segment. This has led to an increase in automotive equipment sales via e-commerce channels, and the trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. Moreover, the onset of COVID-19 has promoted people to stay confined to their homes, thus encouraging them to engage in online shopping activities for earlier bought from physical stores, which will help the e-commerce automotive equipment shopping trend stay buoyant.

Grand View Research has segmented the global e-commerce automotive aftermarket based on replacement parts, end use, and region:

E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket Replacement Parts Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028)

Engine Parts



Piston and Piston Rings





Engine Valves and Parts





Fuel Injection Systems





Power Train Components



Transmission and Steering



Clutch Assembly Systems





Gearbox





Axles





Wheels





Tires



Braking Systems



Brake Calipers





Brake Pads





Rotor and Drums





Brake Disk



Lighting



Headlamps





Tail lamps





Others



Electrical Parts



Starter Motor





Spark Plugs





Battery





Others



Suspension Systems



Wipers



Others

E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028)

Business to Business



Business to Customer

E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada





Mexico



Europe



Germany





U.K.





France



Asia Pacific



China





India





Japan



South America



Brazil



MEA

List of Key Players of the E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket

Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc.

AutoZone Inc.

CARiD

E-bay Inc.

Flipkart Private Limited

NAPA Auto Parts

Auto Parts O'Reilly Auto Parts

RockAuto, LLC

U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc.

Check out more studies related to automotive aftermarket, by Grand View Research:

Automotive Aftermarket  Global automotive aftermarket size was valued at USD 390.10 billion in 2020. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% from 2021 to 2028. The market is majorly driven by the pursuit of automobile drivers to enhance their vehicle performance in terms of exhaust sound, speed, and appearance parameters along with many other aspects.

 Global automotive aftermarket size was valued at in 2020. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% from 2021 to 2028. The market is majorly driven by the pursuit of automobile drivers to enhance their vehicle performance in terms of exhaust sound, speed, and appearance parameters along with many other aspects. U.S. Automotive Aftermarket  U.S. automotive aftermarket was valued at a market size of USD 75.31 billion in 2018, and is expected to register 1.8% CAGR from 2019 to 2025. The automotive industry has experienced a substantial boost in the sales of OEMs and aftermarket parts in the U.S. as the aftermarket business has created attractive margins and revenues in the emerging market.

 U.S. automotive aftermarket was valued at a market size of in 2018, and is expected to register 1.8% CAGR from 2019 to 2025. The automotive industry has experienced a substantial boost in the sales of OEMs and aftermarket parts in the U.S. as the aftermarket business has created attractive margins and revenues in the emerging market. Automotive Aftermarket Glass Market  Global automotive aftermarket glass market size was USD 3.02 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 3.8% in terms of revenue from 2019 to 2025. Increasing cases of road traffic accidents across the world coupled with high vehicle production are anticipated to boost the consumption of glass in automotive aftermarket.

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Automotive & Transportation Industry.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
Why Spread Awareness about Plastics? | Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Plastic Free July campaign challenges every global citizen to give up single use plastics for one month. One individual may start their journey by bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, another may cook dinner at home more often.

With increasing impacts to marine ecosystems and ocean economies, plastic waste has grown to a scale we can't ignore. We certainly can't make progress without public awareness. In addition to sharing daily plastic waste tidbits, EarthxTV will curate programming that showcases ocean cleanups, revolutionary new solutions to plastic waste and strategies any individual can use to minimize their own impact and change the culture around them. EarthxTV can be watched anywhere and anytime with the free app.

During EarthxTV's Plastic Free Week, July 19 to 25, viewers can register for PFJ Watch & Win and enter to win a "plastic free" gift basket filled with items to help launch your plastic free journey. For another chance to win, viewers can also post how they're watching EarthxTV.

Plastic Free July Prizes | All throughout July, viewers can follow EarthX, watch EarthxTV, enter PFJ Watch & Win anytime for a chance to claim a special "plastic free" gift. EarthX offers over $350 in prizes during PFJ, ranging from EarthX branded bamboo utensils to cloth grocery and produce bags to Adidas Shoes valued at $200, featuring Parley Ocean Plastic (upcycled plastic waste intercepted on remote islands, beaches and shorelines and in coastal communities). One participant will win a $100 gift certificate from B Corporation Athleta. As of 2019, 71% of Athleta's products are made with sustainable fibers.

To learn more about Plastic Free July, follow EarthX at @earthxorg on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter or go to EarthxTV.com .

ABOUT EarthX

EarthX convenes the world's largest environmental expo, conference, film festival, and TV channel, and is a member of IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. Founded in 2011 as Earth Day Dallas by environmentalist and businessman Trammell S. Crow, the Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization promotes environmental awareness and impact through conscious business, nonpartisan collaboration and community-driven sustainable solutions. In 2019, the April event drew over 177,000 attendees, 2,000 environmental leaders, and 750+ exhibitors. In 2020, the April virtual event drew over 570,000 live-stream views and reached 171 countries. After an initial web-based launch in September 2020, EarthxTV is now available as an OTT platform on streaming TV services, mobile devices and tablets for balanced, inclusive environmental conversations, programs, emerging media & films. Visit www.EarthX.org or follow us @earthxorg on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

SOURCE EarthX

Related Links

earthx.org


VANCOUVER, BC, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc. (CSE: EATS) (OTCPK: EATBF) (FSE: 988) ("Eat Beyond" or the "Company"), an investment issuer focused on the global plant-based and alternative food sector, is announcing the appointment of Michael Aucoin as the Company's new CEO, taking the place of Patrick Morris, who has served as Eat Beyond's CEO since its inception in the Fall of 2019.

Aucoin will pilot Eat Beyond in a new direction, with a vision to establish the Company as a recognized leader in the $50 billion plant-based protein market, with a focus on North America and Europe, creating a substantial global entity that can help to address the barriers to greater consumer uptake of plant-based foods.

"We intend to compete in a wide cross-section of plant-protein verticals, as represented by our portfolio companies, with which we will work with closely to accelerate their success from an operational and value creation standpoint," Aucoin said. "Eat Beyond is committed to leading the future of food and becoming the most successful Canadian plant-based food business operating globally."

Eat Beyond will place a particular focus on technical innovation, research, and investments in capacity-building projects. The Company is building the corporate infrastructure to accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies with marketing, sales, sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities.

"The team is very grateful to Patrick Morris for his work building a solid foundation and team for Eat Beyond. As he leaves to pursue other interests, he has left the organization in a strong position, poised for further growth," said Eat Beyond Chairman of the Board, Don Robinson. "I am pleased to welcome Mr. Aucoin to the team as CEO as we chart a new course in the plant-based sector, building a balanced portfolio that can deliver value to our portfolio companies and our investors while pushing the industry forward."

Aucoin has over 25 years of experience in food sales management and the consumer packaged goods industry. He comes to Eat Beyond having worked most recently as the Principal for MJA Consulting, where he focused on product launch, and market and corporate development. Prior roles include leadership roles at Advantage Solutions, Agropur, Hershey's, and Smuckers. Aucoin holds an MBA from Queens University in Ontario, and a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours from the University of Ottawa in Ontario.

About Eat Beyond Global Holdings

Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc. ("Eat Beyond") ( CSE: EATS ) ( OTCPK: EATBF ) ( FSE: 988 ) is an investment issuer that makes it easy to invest in the future of food. Eat Beyond identifies and makes equity investments in global companies that are developing and commercializing innovative food tech as well as plant-based and alternative food products. Led by a team of food industry experts, Eat Beyond is the first issuer of its kind in Canada, providing retail investors with the unique opportunity to participate in the growth of a broad cross-section of opportunities in the alternative food sector, and access companies that are leading the charge toward a smarter, more secure food supply. Learn more: https://eatbeyondglobal.com/

Subscribe to updates about Eat Beyond Global here: https://eatbeyondglobal.com/contact/

Find Eat Beyond on Social Media on LinkedIn , Instagram , Twitter and Facebook

SOURCE Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc.

Related Links

https://eatbeyondglobal.com/


SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nobel Investments, a Santa Monica-based private family office, has named Ken Kanara President and CEO of its portfolio company ECA Partners. Ken Kanara has more than 15 years of experience in consulting and executive search with a focus on serving private equity and private equity portfolio clients.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, ECA Partners is an innovative tech-enabled executive search firm with more than 300 clients, the majority being private equity or investor-owned companies. ECA works with clients to place executives in full-time or interim roles, using a proprietary, evidence-based approach developed by Atta Tarki, ECA's founder and Managing Partner of Nobel Investments.

"Ken has been instrumental in growing the firm over the past five years. He helped to formalize and scale our sales team, and more importantly, build out various technology solutions, which will give our clients more effective ways to engage with candidates," said Atta Tarki. "In many ways, Ken has already been leading the firm in a CEO capacity, so we are excited to formalize it. Him formally stepping in as our CEO will help us put a stronger emphasis on our technology solutions."

Most recently, Kanara was in a President & Managing Director role at ECA, working directly with clients on project and full-time executive search roles. Prior to ECA, Kanara was at Booz & Company (now PwC - Strategy&), a global management consulting firm, where he held positions in both New York and Dubai, working with both private equity, and large corporate clients.

"This is certainly an exciting time to lead the firm. We've been developing a number of tech-enabled solutions so we can better serve our clients, and I'm looking forward to seeing the impact it has on their businesses and ours," said Kanara.

About Nobel Investments

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Nobel Investments invests in B2B services companies with a focus on recruiting and talent. Since its founding in 2020, Nobel has made four major investments: ECA Partners, TalentCompass, Bulletin, and SellingBee.

For more information, please visit www.nobelinv.com.

About ECA

ECA Partners is a boutique executive search firm, focused on strategy, operations, and finance talent serving private equity and private equity portfolio companies, for interim, project and full-time talent needs. The firm has been in operation for 10 years and has more than 300 clients.

For more information, please visit www.eca-partners.com.

Media Contact:

Nick Fraher

VP of Investments, Nobel Investments

SOURCE ECA Partners
EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV closes at EUR 2.1 billion hard cap following strong support from existing and new international blue-chip investors

hard cap following strong support from existing and new international blue-chip investors EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV will pursue a value-add strategy to acquire, develop, redevelop, lease, operate, and sell supply chain and e-commerce focused big box warehouse, last mile and light industrial properties serving major markets throughout Europe

The Fund is the first vehicle to close after the combination of EQT's real estate business and Exeter Property Group, which was completed in April 2021

STOCKHOLM, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV (the "Fund") has held its final close at its hard cap of EUR 2.1 billion in fee-paying assets under management. Demand from both existing and new investors was exceptional resulting in the Fund being significantly oversubscribed with commitments coming from a diversified group of high-quality investors across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The Fund will pursue a value-add strategy to acquire, develop, redevelop, lease, operate and sell supply chain and e-commerce focused big box warehouse, last mile and light industrial properties serving major markets throughout Europe. EQT Exeter has employed similar value-add strategies throughout its series of US and European logistics value-add funds which have significantly outperformed the market. The senior management team of EQT Exeter focused on logistics has worked together for over 17 years, averages 22+ years of experience in the real estate industry and has demonstrated its ability to manage the full value chain of logistics real estate investments across numerous markets and through multiple growth, income, recessionary and recovery real estate market cycles.

The Fund benefits from EQT Exeter's "local with locals" approach with 40 global offices (14 in Europe) and its vertically integrated team of 260+ real estate professionals (60+ in Europe) with deep expertise in acquisitions, dispositions, development, construction, leasing, asset and property management, finance, legal, compliance and accounting. EQT Exeter's local presence enables a targeted selection of submarkets and properties, favorable cost basis due to one-off, small deal sourcing, and full ownership/control of assets. Furthermore, with over 1,200 global tenant relationships, the Fund will capitalize on EQT Exeter's "tenant-centric" philosophy whereby customer demand, discussions with corporate executives and up-to-the-minute information from corporate heads of real estate and their tenant broker representatives will strongly influence the Fund's investment and property operating decisions. Knowledge gained through EQT Exeter's presence in the field and frequent communication with tenants is expected to allow the Fund to offer properties which provide the functionality and location that tenants most desire.

Ward Fitzgerald, Partner and Head of EQT Exeter, commented, "I would like to thank our repeat and new investors for their support of the latest flagship vehicle in EQT Exeter's European logistics value-add fund series. The successful fundraise of EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV validates our proven 15+ year track record of value creation due to our locals with locals vertically integrated operating model. We look forward to working with our new colleagues at EQT to continue to outperform and provide strong returns to the Fund's investors."

Paul Rubincam, Partner and Co-Head of the EQT Exeter Europe Advisory Team, commented, "We are confident that given the strong pipeline and the team's ability to utilize its leasing, tenant relationship, development and asset management skills to effectuate value-add outcomes, we will successfully advise on the deployment the Fund's capital and delivery of its superior performance."

Lennart Blecher, Head of Real Assets' Advisory Teams, Deputy Managing Partner and Chairperson of EQT Exeter, commented, "The closing of the Fund marks an important milestone following the completion of the combination of EQT's real estate business and Exeter. This represents not only a great fundraising by Ward and the Exeter team but also a concrete contribution to the scaling of our real estate platform which is a crucial part of EQT AB's global growth strategy. EQT Exeter will be working closely together with the entire EQT platform across Europe and the Fund will be able to capitalize on thematic real estate investment opportunities in the market."

EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV is backed by a highly regarded, international investor base including public and corporate pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, global asset management firms, commercial banks, endowments, foundations and family offices.

Contact

EQT Press Office, [email protected], +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT

EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with more than EUR 67 billion in assets under management across 26 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas with total sales of approximately EUR 29 billion and more than 175,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com

Follow EQT on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram

About EQT Exeter

EQT Exeter was created through the combination of EQT's real estate business and Exeter Property Group in 2021. EQT Exeter is among the largest real estate investment managers in the world, focused on acquiring, developing and managing logistics/industrial, office, life science and residential properties. EQT Exeter applies a thematic investment strategy and value-creation approach. With almost 40 regional offices and 260+ professionals across the Americas, Europe and Asia, EQT Exeter combines local execution with global scope to deliver superior real estate solutions to tenants while providing investors with some of the industry's leading and most consistent returns across value-add and core-plus strategies.

More info: www.exeterpg.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-exeter-europe-logistics-value-fund-iv-closes-at-eur-2-1-billion-hard-cap---fortifies-commitment-,c3386843

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/3386843/1446335.pdf EQT Exeter Europe Logistics Value Fund IV closes at EUR 2.1 billion hard cap a" fortifies commitment to logistics value-add investments across Europe https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/eqt-exeter,c2937032 EQT Exeter

SOURCE EQT
TWIN CITIES, Minn., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, long-standing Minnesota native Nott Company announced its partnership with Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. (Zeus). The two companies headquartered in the St. Paul metro area have formalized a long-term Joint Development and Supply Agreement, positioning themselves to become a force in the industry.

"Zeus and Nott Company have been working closely together for over 3 years and have formed a strong relationship. The team has a market-leading approach to integrating an EV cab-chassis with traditional auxiliary body functions, ensuring a safe and productive solution that meets customer needs," says Bill Brandt, Zeus VP of Business Development & OEM Sales.

Nott Company's scope of work on the Zeus cab-chassis includes all electronic controls, telematics, HMI integration, traction motors, e-Pump for steering & braking, high power electronic cooling sub-systems and on-board charging/export power. "Nott Company has an outstanding portfolio for any electrification (low or high voltage) or hydraulic solution and combination thereof. We are partnering with innovative companies like Zeus to transform the electric vehicle landscape," notes Markus Rauchhaus, Nott Co. CEO.

Nott Company, a distribution and systems engineering integrator, primarily covers the Midwest states while also solving electrification needs with customers nationwide. Over the past 5 years, Nott Co. has executed on a strategy to become a leader in electrification systems integration. Nott Co. has added market-leading global component manufacturers to their portfolio and built a strong system engineering team to create innovative solutions.

Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. is bringing to market a leading class 3-8 electric work truck solution in North America. The Zeus business model includes leveraging strategic partners such as Nott Co., and enabling existing OEM body manufacturers to create uncompromising and fully integrated electric vocational work truck solutions. This includes integrating all hydraulic and electric work functions/tools with a common control system architecture.

Zeus is well-networked within the e-Mobility ecosystem, partnering with market leading technology suppliers, work truck body OEM's, end-user fleets, and non-profit industry leaders with the mission of accelerating EV adoption nationwide. The ground-up approach and willingness to co-develop allows Zeus customers to reimagine their future business model.

Nott Co offers a complete product line of ePumps and hydraulic controls sized specifically for EV work truck applications that provide optimum efficiency, safety and productivity.

About Nott Company: From modest beginnings supplying leather drive belts for the milling and lumber industries in 1879, Nott Company has expanded into four divisions specializing in Mobile and Industrial Fluid Power, Engineered Materials Solutions, and Industrial Engineered Solutions. Headquartered in Arden Hills, MN, we serve customers via seven locations in North America. Visit us at nottco.com.

About Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.: Headquartered in White Bear Lake, MN, Zeus is a fully configurable class 3-8 electric work truck manufacturer. Our mission is to design and manufacture uncompromising, full-electric vocational solutions that address environmental and industry needs. Learn more at zeuselectricchassis.com.

For further information, please contact:

Wayne Kugel, Chief Executive Officer

Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.

Phone: (844) 938-7462

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.
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 fishing product manufacturers and suppliers. This company information includes employee insights, company competitors, the impact of emerging trends and challenges, the latest news, and more.

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List of product and service category offerings and primary operating industries

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Learn how BizVibe helps buyers: https://www.bizvibe.com/find-suppliers

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Learn how BizVibe helps sellers: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers

About BizVibe

BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and help sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today.

Contact

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

Email: [email protected]

+1 855-897-5880

Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/

SOURCE BizVibe

Related Links

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CLEVELAND, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- US demand for furniture is forecast to grow 2.7% per year in nominal terms through 2025, according to Furniture: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Expansion of residential and commercial building construction activity and continuing macroeconomic growth will drive gains across segments. In addition, new architectural trends and shifts in consumer taste will support replacement purchases. Demand is expected to expand 3.1% in 2021, representing a recovery from COVID-caused declines in 2020, as offices, hotels, schools, and restaurants reopen. Faster gains will be tempered by the surge of household furniture purchasing in 2020, which will reduce replacement demand. Additionally, the large number of business and restaurant closures will introduce large amounts of furniture into the used market, which will impede gains as firms and consumers continue to take advantage of the cost savings associated with purchasing used items.

Demand for institutional furniture is forecast to outpace both the household and office market segments, expanding 3.3% annually through 2025. Suppliers will benefit from robust growth in institutional building construction, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare. However, the dominance of low-cost imports for most products in this segment will restrain price increases, constraining demand.

These and other key insights are featured in Furniture: United States. This report forecasts to 2021 and 2025 US furniture demand and shipments in nominal US dollars at the manufacturer level. Total demand and shipments are segmented by product in terms of:

household

institutional

office

To illustrate historical trends, total demand, total shipments, the various segments, and trade are provided in annual series from 2010 to 2020.

Items excluded from the scope of this report include:

cabinets and countertops

custom architecture and woodwork

establishments exclusively manufacturing furniture parts

mattresses and box springs

outdoor furniture articles made of ceramic, concrete, or stone

partitions, shelving, showcases, and stands

used, recycled, and refurbished furniture

Re-exports of household and office furniture are excluded from demand and trade figures.

This report includes the results of a proprietary national online consumer survey of US adults (age 18+). This Freedonia Focus Reports National Survey has a sample size of approximately 2,000, screened for response quality, and representative of the US population on the demographic measures of age, gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, household income, and the presence/absence of children in the household.

More information about the report is available at:

https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Furniture-United-States-FF20016/?progid=91541

About Freedonia Focus Reports

Each month, The Freedonia Group  a division of MarketResearch.com  publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Consumer Goods reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com.

Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including:

total historical market size and industry output

segmentation by products and markets

identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators

segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts

a survey of the supply base

suggested resources for further study

Press Contact:

Corinne Gangloff

+1 440.842.2400

[email protected]

SOURCE The Freedonia Group
MINNEAPOLIS, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc (Zeus) is excited to be a part of the Marion Body Works booth at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC), taking place in Indianapolis August 2-7, 2021. We will have one of our trucks on-site at the booth and members of our team will be there to answer questions and discuss the growth of fleet electrification.

"At Zeus, we are all about the evolution of the specialty vehicle market to full electric vehicles. The new Zeus truck designed for the fire and emergency market is a great example of bringing the future home today," said Robert Grinstead, Founder and Zeus CTO. "Our technology allows us to have an industry-leading suspension travel, 16" ground clearance and all wheel drive, making the Zeus chassis an ideal option for fighting wildfires to off-road emergency use."

"As a startup, partnering with reputable OEM's is the lifeblood of Zeus. We value these relationships with key supplier partners like Marion that provide multiple components to enable the Zeus EV transformation of the vocational truck market," said Wayne Kugel, Zeus CEO.

"We believe the Zeus Electric Chassis platform will revolutionize the work truck industry and we are pleased to welcome them to our booth at FDIC...," said Curt Ignacio, Marion President and CEO.

Marion Body Works provides the cab structure for our Zeus Electric Chassis. Fire & Rescue applications are a strong market for the Zeus Power Platform TM, and many departments are already looking into transitioning fleets to electric.

Come see us in Indy!

FDIC International, 2021

August 2-7, 2021

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium

About Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.

Headquartered in White Bear Lake, MN, Zeus is a fully configurable class 3-8 electric work truck manufacturer. Our mission is to design and manufacture uncompromising, full-electric vocational solutions that address environmental and industry needs. Learn more at www.zeuselectricchassis.com.

About FDIC:

FDIC International offers 35,000+ Fire & Rescue professionals from 65+ countries around the world, quality world-class instructors, classrooms, workshops, H.O.T. evolutions and the most innovative products and services available to the industry displayed by over 800 exhibiting companies. The FDIC Experience is more than your traditional trade show it's about the learning and sharing with your peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships and recharging your passion for the industry. Simply, there is no other event like FDIC International and to experience it, you'll simply have to attend. Learn more at www.fdic.com.

About Marion Body Works:

Marion Body Works manufactures Fire & Emergency Apparatus, Commercial Truck Bodies, Aluminum Custom Cabs, Custom Engineered Vehicles, and Defense Products for customers across the country. Marion has been privately owned, family operated, and continuously operated in Marion since they were founded in 1905. Marion specializes in all aluminum products, with more experience in this area than any other U.S. manufacturer. The company's capabilities include aluminum and steel fabrication, welding, plumbing, foam insulation, hydraulics, electrical and electronic controls, and painting. Learn more at www.marionbody.com.

For further information, please contact:

Wayne Kugel, Chief Executive Officer

Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.

Phone: (844) 938-7462

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.
COLUMBUS, Ohio and PITTSBURGH, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Express Wash Concepts (EWC) today announced its expansion into the Pittsburgh market with the acquisition of CleanTown USA, located at 4867 William Flynn Highway in Allison Park. The location will continue operating as is until mid-October, at which point it will be temporarily shut down for 60 days for a $2 million conversion. Upon reopening, CleanTown USA will be Pittsburgh's premier express car wash featuring two new express wash tunnels, the industry's best wash equipment and free, self-serve vacuums.

Express Wash Concepts also announced it has broken ground on a new express tunnel car wash at 97 Tarentum Bridge Rd. in New Kensington and is scheduled to begin construction on a third express tunnel location in East McKeesport next month. Both New Kensington and East McKeesport locations will operate under the Clean Express Auto Wash brand.

The acquisition brings Express Wash Concepts' current operating wash portfolio to 45 locations under the following brands: Central Ohio-based Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Greater Dayton-based Flying Ace Express Car Wash, Greater Cleveland-based Clean Express Auto Wash, Toledo-based Meyers Auto Wash, and Virginia-based Green Clean Express Auto Wash. EWC plans to open more than 50 additional locations by the end of 2022.

"We have been eyeing the Pittsburgh market and waiting for the right opportunity to introduce our Clean Express Auto Wash brand," said John Roush, Express Wash Concepts Chief Executive Officer. "With these two upcoming express tunnel washes openings, coupled with the CleanTown USA acquisition, we are confident that we will provide the highest quality, customer service-focused wash experience available. Additionally, we're pleased to offer our team members some of the highest wages and advancement opportunities in the industry, and pledge to better the communities in which we operate with our CleanCares initiative."

The acquisition is effective immediately, with no service interruption to current CleanTown USA customers. The New Kensington and East McKeesport Clean Express Auto Wash locations are scheduled to open by the end of October, 2021.

Express Wash Concepts was formed in April 2018 with the announcement of a strategic investment partnership with Wildcat Capital Management, the approximately $3.9 billion family office of TPG Capital co-founder, David Bonderman. EWC's family of brands feature fast, high quality and environmentally friendly express tunnel wash experiences and free vacuums. The company's popular Unlimited Wash Club packages offer members the convenience and value of contactless payment and unlimited washing at any location.

About Express Wash Concepts:

Express Wash Concepts is the parent company of Central Ohio-based Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Dayton, Ohio-based Flying Express Car Wash, Greater Cleveland & Pittsburgh-based Clean Express Auto Wash and CleanTown USA, Toledo-based Meyers Auto Wash and Virginia-based Green Clean Express Auto Wash. With 45 locations and rapidly growing, Express Wash Concepts' portfolio of award winning, premier express car washes are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. For more information, please visit www.expresswashconcepts.com.

SOURCE Express Wash Concepts

Related Links

https://www.expresswashconcepts.com


SALT LAKE CITY, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Extra Space Storage, Inc. (NYSE: EXR), a Real Estate Investment Trust and member of the S&P 500, is celebrating onboarding their 2,000th property. The company, which was founded in 1977 and went public in 2004, has doubled in store count since 2013.

"The self-storage industry continues to prove itself as stable and resilient. While the sector is competitive, our advanced technology, high-performing team and great platform continue to produce strong results, allowing us to continue our accretive growth nationwide," said CEO Joe Margolis.

Extra Space Storage now operates over 2,000 stores across 40 states and Washington, D.C. These stores provide 1.4 million units, creating 156 million square feet of rentable space. In 2020, Extra Space invested over $900 million in external growth investments.

Extra Space's property growth comes from multiple sources. Of the 2000 stores, 48 percent are wholly owned properties acquired by the REIT, 12 percent are owned in a joint venture with partners, and 40 percent are managed on behalf of independent owners by Extra Space Storage's ManagementPlus platform. Extra Space is the largest self-storage management company in the U.S. and has won Inside Self-Storage's "Best Third-Party Management Company" award consistently over the past decade.

"We've been looking forward to hitting this growth milestone. It's a big marker for our team and shows the exceptional work our 4,000+ employees have put into growing our company," said CEO Joe Margolis. "Looking ahead, we have a very promising future. I believe we have the deepest and strongest team in the industry, and I'm grateful to work alongside so many talented individuals here at Extra Space."

In 2020, Extra Space was named a "Best Places to Work" by Glassdoor and was the 90th ranked company out of over 1 million companies considered. Extra Space was also named by Forbes as a "Best Employer for Diversity and won the "Leader in the Light" award from National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT)  marking the first time a self-storage company was recognized for their sustainability efforts by NAREIT. Learn about joining the Extra Space team at careers.extraspace.com/

About Extra Space Storage

Extra Space Storage Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of July 19, 2021, Extra Space Storage operates over 2,000 self-storage stores comprising approximately 1.4 million units and approximately 156 million square feet of rentable space. Extra Space Storage offers customers a wide selection of conveniently located and secure storage units across the country, including boat storage, RV storage and business storage. Extra Space Storage is the second largest owner and/or operator of self-storage stores in the United States and is the largest self-storage management company in the United States. Learn more on extraspace.com.

SOURCE Extra Space Storage Inc.

Related Links

http://www.extraspace.com


HOUSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The mother of three children injured in Saturday's chemical spill at a Houston-area water park has filed a lawsuit against the park's operators. The lawsuit claims that a concentrated and highly corrosive mixture of hypochlorite and sulfuric acid was released into a children's pool area at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown, located in the Houston suburb of Spring.

Amanda Regulus of Houston says in the lawsuit that her three daughters, all under the age of 13, immediately felt the presence of toxic chemicals in the air. Shortly thereafter, they began developing headaches, skin irritations, and sore throats. Despite the dangerous conditions, the family was not immediately evacuated by the park. Ms. Regulus says park employees asked her and other guests to join a promotional contest before exiting.

Ms. Regulus and her children are receiving ongoing medical care for their injuries.

"On the surface, this chemical exposure was a negligent and irresponsible act that endangered hundreds of park guests, many of them children," says Derek Potts of the Potts Law Firm, attorney for Ms. Regulus. "Through litigation, we'll determine the extent of the operational issues and mistakes that led to the incident and its aftermath and compel the park to make the necessary changes to prevent this happening in the future."

The Potts Law Firm also filed a temporary restraining order to ensure that the park operator does not destroy any evidence relevant to the case.

According to news reports, 86 people were treated for injuries at the scene and 31 were transported to local hospitals for treatment.

The lawsuit is Regulus v. Six Flags Splashtown LLC, No. 2021-43362 filed in the 295th District Court in Harris County.

The Potts Law Firm diligently pursues a variety of complex litigation and mass tort matters. The firm's team of highly competent attorneys has experience in many different practice areas. Believing that every detail of a case matters, the firm's attorneys work tirelessly to pursue just compensation, regardless of the obstacles faced. For more information, visit www.potts-law.com .



Media Contact

Barry Pound

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Potts Law Firm

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NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mollie Biggane Melanoma Foundation and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Fire Academy announce a partnership to promote skin cancer prevention among "NYC's Bravest." Running into burning buildings and battling out of control fires isn't the only risk for fire fighters. According to the CDC/National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), first responders have a higher risk of developing skin cancer than the general population. Studies have long shown an increased risk for mesothelioma and lung cancer but in a study published in the JAMA of Dermatology, firefighters were also found to be diagnosed with melanoma at younger ages  an average of 42.

NEW York City Fire Fighters and Mollie's Fund collaborate on skin cancer prevention

On July 29th, the FDNY Fire Academy and Mollie's Fund will initiate a program to bring skin cancer awareness to incoming and incumbent fire fighters. "We want to help those who help others," said Jack Biggane, President of the Mollie Biggane Melanoma Foundation. Chief of the Fire Academy Frank Leeb added, "The FDNY Fire Academy is all about making sure our fire fighters are the best trained and we believe skin cancer prevention is an important self-help tool. We want our people to understand their risk and take proactive steps to mitigate this risk. The sunscreen dispensers that Mollie's Fund has donated to the Academy will serve as a reminder that sunscreen use prevents skin cancer."

During the event, scheduled to be held at the Academy, Cara Biggane, a NYC public school teacher, will share the tragic story of her 20 year-old sister's diagnosis and passing. The Fire Academy's staff will also learn from Dr. Elizabeth Hale, MD, NYU Associate Professor of Dermatology, about skin cancer and the necessity of prevention. Their presentations will be incorporated into a learning module available for training and then accessible on social media.

In addition to the six donated sunscreen units at the Randall's Island Academy, Mollie's Fund is also providing dispensers and sunscreen to the training facilities at: FDNY EMS Training Academy Fort Totten Park, FDNY Rockaway Tactical and FDNY Staten Island Tactical.

The FDNY is the largest municipal fire department in the United States, serving more than 8 million people. The Fire Academy on Randall's Island provides aspiring fire fighters with the skills and education they need to respond not just to fires, but also to a number of other emergencies calls.

For more than 20 years, Mollie's Fund has worked to increase awareness for melanoma prevention, provide information and services on skin cancer detection, and support melanoma patients through education of the latest treatments. For more information, visit www.molliesfund.org

CONTACT: John Biggane, [email protected]

SOURCE Mollie Biggane Melanoma Foundation

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PORTLAND, Maine , July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Liz Kirby, female founder of Betoken CBD, a wellness brand on a mission to make adulting easier, just added a new purpose to her passion. That purpose is not only to add value to the lives of her customers by providing easily accessible all-natural supplements and body care products that soothe and calm the mind, body, and soul but also to normalize incorporating the use of CBD-based products into a healthy lifestyle.

Liz Kirby - Betoken CBD

The first, and most crucial, step to normalizing CBD is to educate people on what CBD actually is - and most importantly, what CBD isn't. There's a false narrative within the wellness industry and beyond that CBD and THC, the controversial chemical responsible for inducing psychological effects in its consumer, are one and the same.

Therefore, the use of CBD can, by default, carry a negative stigma simply based on this false assumption. Liz aims to educate consumers and provide them accurate information by way of Betoken's interactive website, dynamic social media presence, taking on entrepreneurial leadership roles, and opening a brick-and-mortar store where people can go to get real-life insights on how incorporating CBD into their daily routine can have a meaningful and positive effect on the quality of their lives.

"I saw a need to introduce CBD as an all-natural alternative to more mainstream remedies for everyday ailments, rather than being seen as a diluted version of THC," Liz explains as the motivating factor for bringing Betoken CBD to life.

"My goal was to bridge the gap between what was being said about CBD versus what was actually true about CBD," Liz continues, and to this point, Betoken offers an array of all-natural supplements and body care products that provide relief for consumers.

Visit Betoken CBD in real-life at the Black Box, located at 93 Washington Ave, Unit 4, in Portland, Maine or visit betokencbd.com for their array of all-natural CBD supplements and body care products. Stay in-the-know and read the latest Betoken CBD in the press in BuzzFeed.

ABOUT BETOKEN CBD

Betoken is the only CBD company designed exclusively for grown-ups. What was once a routine morning 5k is now the source of chronic knee pain. Where falling asleep was once a matter of head hitting pillow, it's now a tossing and turning fiasco. Products are formulated to help people sleep, chill, and feel better.

ABOUT LIZ KIRBY

Liz and her husband have two young kids and live in southern Maine. Liz practiced law for three years before she "retired" in 2013 to embark on a series of more creative endeavors. She has been a CBD entrepreneur since 2018.

CONTACT

Contact [email protected] for questions, samples or to schedule an interview.

Betoken CBD

93 Washington Ave Unit 4

Portland, ME 04101

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Liz Kirby - Betoken CBD

Liz Kirby - Betoken CBD

SOURCE Betoken CBD
Fisher Investments launches Private Client Group in Ireland. Tweet this

Carrianne Coffey, Fisher Investments' Senior Executive Vice President of the Private Client Group International, said, "We're honored to help high net worth clients in Ireland reach their financial goals. We look forward to showing Irish investors how our tailored portfolio management, personalized client service and structure that always puts their interests first, can help them plan for brighter financial futures."

The firm is actively recruiting candidates for sales, service and operations roles in Ireland. Fisher Investments Ireland offers generous compensation plans, exciting benefits and flexible career paths. Candidates from all professional and academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Interested job candidates should visit FisherCareers.com to explore available opportunities, learn more about benefits and apply.

About Fisher Investments

Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. As of 30/06/2021, Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over $188 billion in assets globallyover $144 billion for private investors, $41 billion for institutional investors and $1 billion for US small to mid-sized business retirement plans. Fisher Investments maintains three principal businesses: Private Client, Institutional and 401(k) Solutions, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes "Portfolio Strategy" column from 1984 through 2016, making him the longest continuously running columnist in the magazine's history. In recent years, Ken's columns have run consistently in major media outlets across almost every Western European country as well as material Asian countries, spanning more countries and more volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has also authored 11 books, including four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information on Fisher Investments, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com.

About Fisher Investments Ireland

Fisher Investments Ireland Limited is a private limited company incorporated in Ireland (Company Number 623847) and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Fisher Investments Ireland's registered address is 2nd Floor, 3 George's Dock, International Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1, D01 X5X0 Ireland. For more information on Fisher Investments Ireland Limited, please visit https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-ie

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SOURCE Fisher Investments

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Firm continues rapid growth and expands to serve Irish individual investors

DUBLIN, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisher Investments, one of the world's largest fee-only investment advisers, will begin offering investment management services to high net worth investors and families in Ireland via a subsidiary, Fisher Investments Ireland Limited. The announcement follows the firm's recent expansion to serve Australian high net worth clients earlier this year.

"The decision to expand into Ireland was a logical step given the success we've experienced with our client-first model elsewhere in Europe," said Fisher Investments' CEO Damian Ornani. He continued, "It's another milestone in our mission to better the investment universe and help more clients globally."

Carrianne Coffey, Fisher Investments' Senior Executive Vice President of the Private Client Group International, said, "We're honoured to help high net worth clients in Ireland reach their financial goals. We look forward to showing Irish investors how our tailored portfolio management, personalised client service and structure that always puts their interests first, can help them plan for brighter financial futures."

The firm is actively recruiting candidates for sales, service and operations roles in Ireland. Fisher Investments Ireland offers generous compensation plans, exciting benefits and flexible career paths. Candidates from all professional and academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Interested job candidates should visit FisherCareers.com to explore available opportunities, learn more about benefits and apply.

About Fisher Investments Ireland

Fisher Investments Ireland Limited is a private limited company incorporated in Ireland (Company Number 623847) and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Fisher Investments Ireland's registered address is 2nd Floor, 3 George's Dock, International Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1, D01 X5X0 Ireland. Fisher Asset Management, LLC, trading under the name "Fisher Investments" is the parent company of Fisher Investments Ireland Limited and is established in the USA (Delaware Secretary of State number 3936233) and regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC# 801-29362). For more information on Fisher Investments Ireland Limited, please visit https://www.fisherinvestments.ie.

About Fisher Investments

Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. As of 30/06/2021, Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over 158 billion in assets globallyover 121 billion for private investors, 35 billion for institutional investors and 1 billion for US small to mid-sized business retirement plans. Fisher Investments maintains three principal businesses: Private Client, Institutional and 401(k) Solutions, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes "Portfolio Strategy" column from 1984 through 2016, making him the longest continuously running columnist in the magazine's history. In recent years, Ken's columns have run consistently in major media outlets across almost every Western European country as well as material Asian countries, spanning more countries and more volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has also authored 11 books, including four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information on Fisher Investments, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com.

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SOURCE Fisher Investments Ireland
"As a Board Member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas San Antonio Branch, I have known Blake for many years and have witnessed his outstanding work," said Charlie Amato, SWBC Chairman and Co-founder. "I have no doubt he will use his superlative work ethic and expertise to provide meaningful contributions to our outstanding leadership team and their successful divisions."

Prior to joining SWBC, Hastings worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas for over 14 years. He served as the Senior Vice President and was instrumental in modernizing and enhancing the bank's succession planning efforts, talent-acquisition approaches, leadership and organizational development programs, and much more. He developed and implemented a comprehensive outreach strategy with the business, economic development, and academic communities of CentralSouth Texas. He also established a new leadership program for the bank to enhance the development of future senior management prospects.

"This position is a catalyst for transformation," said Gary Dudley, SWBC President and Co-founder. "SWBC has grown to a point where it's more important than ever to develop effective strategies which can be executed across the company in order to meet organizational objectives. We know Blake is the person for this job, and we are excited to have him join SWBC."

"Blake has earned a great deal of respect, as he's made major contributions to the financial services' industry and businesses throughout Texas and beyond," said Amato. "We are fortunate to have him join SWBC and keep his talent here in San Antonio."

Hastings received his Bachelor of Arts in International Economics and his Master of Business Administration in International Business from George Washington University, where he graduated with top honors, including the Wolcott Fellowship Recipient for Graduate Studies and received the designation of Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude, respectively. He has completed a language program at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. He is proficient in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and German. Hastings has completed the Leadership San Antonio program and the executive program at Northwestern University: Creating a Culture of Innovation. He is active in the community, serving as a board member for the San Antonio Area Foundation (Board Secretary and Executive Committee member) and a member of the San Antonio Works Industry Advisory Board for the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation.

About SWBC

As a diversified financial services company, SWBC provides financial institutions, businesses, and individuals a wide range of services, including insurance, mortgages, wealth management, employee benefits, and more. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, SWBC has partners and divisions across all 50 states and manages business around the world. No matter how wide its reach, SWBC always listens to its customers' needs, analyzes their current situations, and recommends customized solutions. For more information about our innovative approach to personalized service, visit SWBC's website at swbc.com.

SOURCE SWBC

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MARLTON, N.J., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jazzy, soulful, and a voice that glides over the instrumentation like butter, New York based Ajada Reigns lends her outstanding vocals to FOTY Record's newest track, "I've Got To Use My Imagination." Talented, and obviously well footed within the industry, Ajada Reigns blesses this track through FOTY (From Old to Young) Records, LLC., a record company operating from Marlton, New Jersey, which will create reproductions of classic music and take fans back down to memory lane. "I've Got To Use My Imagination," originally performed by the remarkable "Gladys Knight and the Pips" is meant to be played at full volume, and promises to get everyone on the dance floor when it is released soon.

Ajada Reigns Ajada Reigns

Ajada Reigns was born in New York City to a musically inclined family. Her calling within the world of music was planted in her early years while singing in church, later to be nurtured. She shaped her unique singing style with the training she received from the Harlem School of Arts and the Professional Performing Arts High School in New York City, where she learned to sing in four different languages. The three-time winner at the World-Famous Apollo Theater accredits Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Beyonce, among her inspirations, as well as a huge range of others that have shaped her development as an artist.

Support Ajada Reigns on Social Media

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Listen to more of Ajada Reigns

Spotify | Apple Music

Listen Here

*Private Link*

Release Date: 23rd July, 2021

Pre-Save Here

Contact James Houston at 551-216-5669 or [email protected]

Website: www.fotyrecords.com

SOURCE FOTY Records, LLC

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The TALENT study (TALENT) findings, which were presented at the 11th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science, showed that a two-drug regimen was as effective and safe as multi-drug therapies

TALENT is the world's first phase III clinical trial of the new long-acting HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, Aikening (generic name: Albuvirtide [ABT]) in an all-Asian population

TALENT investigated the novel long-acting injectable combination dual therapy to treat people living with HIV (PLHIV) who have failed initial treatment

ABT, a new fusion inhibitor given once weekly, is the first and only long-acting injectable available as a two-drug regimen for treatment-experienced patients with HIV-1 replication

BERLIN, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In conjunction with the IAS Conference on HIV Science, Frontier Biotechnologies today announced positive top-line results for its phase 3 TALENT study, which demonstrated that an ABT-based two-drug treatment arm was non-inferior to a lopinavir (LPV)-based three-drug arm (75.7% vs 77.3%).

The results of the randomized controlled, open-labelled, multicenter, non-inferiority study showed successful achievement of the primary endpoint, with a good proportion of patients on the ABT regimen with HIV RNA less than 50 copies/mL at 48 weeks. The drug demonstrated efficacy against major strains of HIV, including resistant strains.

Additionally, the subjects who experienced virological failure at 48 weeks did not present with treatment emergent resistant associated mutations with gp41. The high genetic barrier to resistance of ABT+LPV/r meant no further resistance developed against these agents, which is important to avoid compromising future drug options for these treatment-experienced HIV patients.

Dr Dong Xie, Chief Scientific Officer, Chairman, Frontier Biotechnologies said, "IAS is the world's most influential meeting on HIV science. It leads the collective response on every front of the global HIV community. Frontier Biotechnologies is delighted to break the TALENT study results, through the investigators, at this prestigious meeting. ABT+LPV/r (Albuvirtide plus boosted Lopinavir combination) is a preferred two-drug regimen as ABT is active against most HIV strains, including resistant strains, and has a high resistance barrier, while LPV/r is widely available in China. This is a robust example of a combination of two classes of drugs with different mechanisms of action providing a combination of complementary efficacies. Two NRTIs were replaced with Aikening as the core, and rapid and persistent viral suppression was achieved in patients who failed initial treatment."

The phase 3 trial randomized 418 patients; more than 25% of patients were female and more than 70% patients had resistance to at least two drug classes. Further, approximately 25% of patients had CD4 cell count of less than 100, indicating advanced HIV disease with highly compromised immunity, who were at high risk of opportunistic diseases and death. In other words, this was a patient population that was relatively difficult to treat.

Dr. CJ Wang, CEO, Frontier Biotechnologies said, "Today's announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to create a long-acting injectable for treatment-experienced PLHIV (Patients Living with HIV) and critically ill, hospitalized AIDS patients who have limited choices for antiretroviral treatment. ABT is the first novel HIV long-acting ART discovered in China and we look forward to working closely with global regulators and HIV medical communities to bring ABT to more PLHIV in need, as quickly as possible."

The percentage of HIV RNA <400 copies/mL subjects treated at 48 weeks was 88.1% and 85.4%, respectively, and the viral load decreased by an average of 2.2 and 2.1 log 10 copies/mL (p>0.05), CD4 increased by an average of 139.1 and 142.3 cells/L (p>0.05). The results showed that with a two-drug regimen of ABT (replacing two NRTIs), patients could receive rapid and durable viral suppression for 48 weeks that is not inferior to standard second-line three-drug combination therapy.

Prof. Datuk Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President of IAS, said, "HIV is no longer a life-threatening disease. Newer antiretroviral treatments are always welcomed, especially those with better tolerability, fewer drug-drug interactions, and in long-acting injectable formulations with less frequent dosage administration. Now more than ever, we have more drug options to meet individual patient needs. ABT is one of these new options that possesses unique features to advance existing ART options."

The principal investigator of TALENT study, the physician of Infection Division in You 'An Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Professor Wu Hao said, "ABT once weekly was well tolerated in TALENT and there were no injection site reactions. The data also reinforced the advantages of ABT such as, good clinical adherence (>97%) of long-acting weekly injections was also demonstrated together with good overall safety.

The two-drug regimen with different targets is the future trend of ART research. It is worthy and we are looking forward to continuing to develop new HIV combinations of high efficacy and good tolerability for our patients."

About Aikening

Aikening is Frontier Biotechnologies' original new pharmaceutical product with independent intellectual property rights in the world's major markets.

In May 2018, Aikening received a new drug certificate from the State Drug Administration in China. In October 2018, Aikening was included as one of the major antiretroviral drugs available in the Chinese guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS (2018) issued by the Chinese Medical Association's Infectious Diseases Unit and the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In December 2020, Aikening was enlisted as an exclusive patented product in the National List of Essential Medical Insurance, Industrial Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance Drugs (2020).

Aikening in combination with other antiretroviral treatment is effective for both major and drug-resistant viral strains. In a real world setting, Aikening was widely accepted as one of the ARTs for patients with high unmet needs such as HIV hospitalization and critically-ill patients, liver and kidney dysfunctional patients and multiple drug-resistant patients due to the new mode of administration (once-weekly injection), lower pill burden, fast onset of action, high resistance barrier and well tolerated safety profile.

About Frontier Biotechnologies

Founded in 2013, Frontier Biotechnologies Inc. ("Frontier Biotech") is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in China with global vision and world-class competitiveness. Frontier Biotech is committed to discovering, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative medicines that improve patient health.

To download the corporate logo: https://www.webcargo.net/l/pskSVj2pqh/

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SOURCE Frontier Biotechnologies
LOS ANGELES, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, global esports organization Gen.G and Toyota announced the "Toyota Sedan: Drive Your Game" campaign, a 10-day gaming stream virtual race that will include 9 content creators on three teams. The competition kicks off July 19 and concludes on July 28.

Photo by Gen.G

Content creators in League of Legends, Minecraft, Rocket League, and Teamfight Tactics will be teamed up in a race against time to complete the most gaming challenges and for the most engaged audience. Teams' progress will be measured by images of Toyota sedans completing laps and earning points at the bottom of each live Twitch stream. Fans can help drive the car forward by sending specially customized Toyota sedan emotes in live chat during the stream. These emotes, along with social media likes and comments, will be a strong factor in deciding the winner of this one-of-a-kind experience.

"Streaming is an essential part of the gaming landscape and we are excited to continue to deliver fresh content with a fun twist to our fans. We have a vibrant history with Toyota so it was fitting to partner with the brand to bring this event to life," says Martin Kim, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Gen.G.

Throughout the event, fans can expect to see a number of content creators including: Gloria ' Ploo ', an esports player with over 500 thousand followers across her social network. Nathan ' Stanz ' Stanz is a former esports employee turned streamer and YouTuber with over 60 thousand followers. Jessica Kim , is a YouTuber and Twitch streamer with over 250 thousand followers. Tim ' Nemesis ' Lipovsek is a League of Legends player with 246 thousand followers across his social network. Shelby ' Shubble ' Graces, is an esports YouTuber with over 1 million followers. Caroline ' Captain Puffy ', a gaming YouTuber and streamer known for her Among Us and Minecraft gaming content with 904 thousand followers on her social channels. Avery ' Siha ' is a streamer with 170 thousand followers on Twitch. The winning team will receive prizes, awarded to their community members who participated in the race. Prizes include a PlayStation 5 and various gift cards.

"We are thrilled to launch the 'Toyota Sedan: Drive Your Game' campaign with Gen.G," says Tony Mueller, vice president, Integrated Marketing Operations, Toyota Motor North America. "With this campaign, we strive to promote friendly competition within the gaming community by creating spaces where players and spectators can come together to participate in a unique partnership that highlights our incredible Toyota sedan lineup."

Toyota and Gen.G have previously collaborated for the "Toyota Sienna Dream Builds" Minecraft competition, a week-long event that brought gaming fans, friends, and families together to build their dream rides.

For more information or to check each team's standings, please visit: www.ToyotaDriveYourGame.gg

SOURCE Gen.G
DUBLIN, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Diabetic Food Market By Product Type (Baked Products, Beverages, Confectionery, Ice Cream, Dairy Products and Breakfast Cereals), By Distribution Channel, By Age Group, By Company, By Region, Forecast & Opportunities, 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Diabetic Food Market is driven by rise in population having diabetes because of high intake of junk food.

Moreover, growing awareness regarding health benefits and precautionary measures taken by the users is positively impacting the growth of the market during the forecast period.



The Global Diabetic Food Market is segmented based on product type, distribution channel, age group, company, and region. Based on product type, the market can be categorized into baked products, beverages, confectionery, ice cream, dairy products and breakfast cereals.

Out of which, the beverages for the diabetes segment dominated the market in 2020 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period as well, which can be attributed to the high demand for sugar-free and low-calorie beverages across the globe. Also, the baked product segment is projected to witness significant growth in the next five years as they are healthy because of low fat content.



In terms of region, North America held the largest market share until 2020 and is projected to lead during the forecast period as well. This is due to presence of largest population pool experiencing chronic disorders coupled with a greater number of health-conscious population in the region.



The major players operating in the Global Diabetic Food Market are Nestle S.A., Unilever Plc, PepsiCo Inc., Cadbury Plc, The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg Company, Fifty 50 Foods, Inc., Mars Inc., Sushma Gram Udyog, Newtrition Plus Health and Wellness Pvt. Ltd., Amber Lyn and David Chapman's Ice Cream Limited, Al Safi Danone Co. Ltd., Dabur India Ltd., RJ Corp., Unibic Foods India Pvt. Ltd and others.

The key market players are adopting some competitive strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, partnership, agreements in order to expand their geographic reach and to increase their customer basis.

Objective of the Study:

To analyze and estimate the market size of the Global Diabetic Food Market from 2016 to 2019.

To estimate and forecast the market size of the Global Diabetic Food Market from 2020 to 2026 and growth rate until 2026.

To classify and forecast the Global Diabetic Food Market based on product type, distribution channel, age group, company and regional distribution.

To identify dominant region or segment in the Global Diabetic Food Market.

To identify drivers and challenges for the Global Diabetic Food Market.

To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in the Global Diabetic Food Market.

To conduct pricing analysis for the Global Diabetic Food Market.

To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in the Global Diabetic Food Market.

To identify key sustainable strategies adopted by market players in the Global Diabetic Food Market.

Key Target Audience:

Diabetic food manufacturers

Market research and consulting firms

Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers

Organizations, forums and alliances related to diabetic food

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2016-2019

Base Year: 2020

Estimated Year: 2021

Forecast Period: 2022-2026

Report Scope:



Global Diabetic Food Market, By Product Type:

Baked Products

Beverages

Confectionery

Ice Cream

Dairy Products

Breakfast Cereals

Global Diabetic Food Market, By Distribution Channel:

Grocery Stores

Supermarkets/Hypermarkets

Online

Drug Stores/Pharmacies

Others

Global Diabetic Food Market, By Age Group:

Below 28

28 and above

Global Diabetic Food Market, By Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Middle East & Africa

& South Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Colombia

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Diabetic Food Market.



Companies Mentioned

Nestle S.A.

Unilever Plc

PepsiCo Inc.

Cadbury Plc

The Coca-Cola Company

Kellogg Company

Fifty 50 Foods, Inc.

Mars Inc.

Sushma Gram Udyog

Newtrition Plus Health and Wellness Pvt. Ltd.

Amber Lyn and David Chapman's Ice Cream Limited

and Ice Cream Limited Al Safi Danone Co. Ltd.

Dabur India Ltd.

RJ Corp.

Unibic Foods India Pvt. Ltd

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ef2trp

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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GREENVILLE, S.C., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GrandSouth Bancorporation (GRRB:OTCQX) (the "Company" or "GrandSouth"), the holding company for GrandSouth Bank announced today that net income for the second quarter of 2021 was $4.0 million.

The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per common share ($0.105 per Series A preferred share) payable on August 13, 2021 to shareholders of record on August 4, 2021.

Second Quarter 2021 Highlights

Net Income was $4.0 million , an increase of $2.3 million , or 142.39%, from the same quarter in 2020.

, an increase of , or 142.39%, from the same quarter in 2020. Basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.73 and $0.71 , respectively.

and , respectively. The annualized returns on average assets and average equity were 1.38% and 18.13%, respectively.

Total assets increased $27.1 million , or 2.39%, to $1.2 billion .

, or 2.39%, to . Gross loans increased $19.5 million , or an annual rate of 8.80%, to $909.0 million .

, or an annual rate of 8.80%, to . Total deposits increased $25.8 million , or an annual rate of 10.46%, to $1.0 billion .

, or an annual rate of 10.46%, to . Cost of funds decreased by 56 basis points, or 53.84%, from the same quarter in 2020.

Less than 0.01% of gross loans, excluding specialty floor plan and purchased student loans ("Core Bank loans") were 30 days past due as of June 30, 2021 . The annualized net recovery ratio for the quarter was 0.03%.

. The annualized net recovery ratio for the quarter was 0.03%. The efficiency ratio was 57.44%, an improvement from 60.64% in the prior quarter and 72.76% in the same quarter in 2020.

To view the full report, visit https://backend.otcmarkets.com/otcapi/company/financial-report/291816/content

About GrandSouth Bancorporation

GrandSouth Bancorporation is a bank holding company with assets of $1.2 billion at June 30, 2021. GrandSouth Bank provides a range of financial services to individuals and small and medium sized businesses. GrandSouth Bank has eight branches in South Carolina, located in Greenville, Fountain Inn, Anderson, Greer, Columbia, Orangeburg and Charleston.

www.grandsouth.com

SOURCE GrandSouth Bancorporation
NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Suicide is a global problem, and the number of those taking their own life has increased exponentially over the past quarter-century. Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide every year, one every 40 seconds. Suicide does not discriminate  it impacts people of every age, racial, ethnic, socio-economic, gender and geographic group. According to several studies, including those by Blue H.E.L.P. and Ruderman Family Foundation, it kills more police than gunfire and more fire personnel than fire.

While there are a number of effective, evidence-based interventions that can and have helped individuals at-risk, there is now a singular peer-reviewed screening tool that definitively predicts imminent death by suicide.

In a historic study recently published in Psychological Medicine, scientists in Sweden found that the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale, also known as the Columbia Protocol, "robustly" predicted death by suicide over one-week, one month, and one-year periods. The study findings, based on a sample of 18,000 psychiatric emergency patients in Sweden between May 2016 and December 2017, showed that the answers given by patients to the Columbia Protocol's questions, which focus on suicide ideation and methods, accurately pointed to the imminence of their suicide.

The study authors, led by Dr. Johan Bjurberg of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, and the Department of Psychology, Stanford University, described the fact that while suicide screening is routine practice in psychiatric emergency departments in Sweden, evidence for screening instruments is sparse. Improved identification for nascent suicide risk is important for suicide prevention. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between the C-SSRS and subsequent clinical management and suicide within one week, one month and one year from screening.

The findings noted that both suicidal ideation and behavior were prevalent at screening. In total, 107 patients died by suicide during follow-up. Both C-SSRS Screen Ideation Severity and Behavior Scales were associated with death by suicide within 1-week, 1-month and 1-year follow-up. The optimal cut-off for the ideation severity scale was associated with at least four times the odds of dying by suicide within 1 week (adjusted OR 4.7, 95% confidence) Bjureberg 2021 - Columbia-suicide_severity_rating_scale_screen_version_initial_screening_for_suicide_risk_in_a_psychiatric_emergency_department.pdf

"I'm so pleased that this study affirms my lifework and further validates the importance of fully incorporating the Columbia Protocol into all suicide ideation and prevention initiatives, whether they are community-based, healthcare settings, schools, organizations, or at the government level," said Dr. Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber.

Under the leadership of Dr. Posner Gerstenhaber, its principal investigator, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Pittsburgh  supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)  developed the Columbia Protocol for a 2007 NIMH study of treatments to decrease suicide risk among adolescents with depression.

Based on more than 20 years of scientific study, the screening tool  a series of six plain-language questions that anyone can ask  filled an urgent need for suicide research and prevention: a better way to uniformly and reliably identify people who are at risk. The Columbia Protocol achieved accurate and comparable results by using consistent, well-defined, and science-based terminology. Just as important as its ability to identify who might attempt suicide, it was the first tool to assess the full range of a person's suicidal ideation and behavior, including intensity, frequency, and changes over time.

Today, with endorsements and recommendations from the World Health Organization, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Action Alliance, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, and other entities in the U.S. and globally, it is used in clinical trials, public settings, and everyday situations, such as in schools, faith communities, hospitals, and the military, in all 50 states and on six continents to identify those in need of help and reduce the suicide rate.

The U.S. Department of Defense said that Columbia Protocol is "nothing short of a miracle" and stated the Dr. Posner Gerstenhaber's "effective model of improving the world will help propel us closer to a world without suicide." The CDC has noted that the Columbia Protocol is "changing the paradigm in suicide risk assessment in the US and worldwide." The American Psychiatric Association has compared the Protocol's life-saving impact to "the introduction of antibiotics." James Shelton, the former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said that, "If implemented to the extent of its capacity across the country, the Columbia has the potential to keep the 64 million children in our schools safe physically and mentally by helping prevent school violence." And Michael Hogan, former Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health, echoed this sentiment, noting that, "having a proven method to assess suicide risk is a huge step forward in our efforts to save lives."

"It's about saving lives and directing limited resources to the people who actually need them," said Dr. Posner Gerstenhaber, the 2018 recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service; founder and director of the Columbia Lighthouse Project, a national suicide prevention initiative and clinical professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Research on the use of the Columbia Protocol has confirmed its reliability and validity for assessing risk. Studies also have supported its use by nonmental health staff, in electronic form, and in non-English language translations.

SOURCE The Columbia Lighthouse Project
Appoints Chairman Matt Hawkins as Interim Chief Executive Officer and former Amazon executive Ahmer Iqbal Chief Operating Officer

OAKLAND, Calif., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Harborside Inc. ("Harborside" or the "Company") (CSE: HBOR), (OTCQX: HBORF) a California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis enterprise, today announced that Peter Bilodeau has been asked to step down from his role as Interim Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") effective immediately, and Matt Hawkins, Chairman, will assume the position of Interim CEO while the Company completes its search for a successor. In addition, Ahmer Iqbal, former CEO of Sublime, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Harborside.

"Since implementing our turnaround plan in November of last year, our team and the entire board of directors have worked to ensure that Harborside has a strong foundation to take on the immense opportunity ahead in the California cannabis market," said Matt Hawkins, Chairman, and Interim CEO of Harborside. "While our work is not yet done, we have made great progress in a short period of time, adding an iconic consumer brand to our portfolio, expanding our cultivation capacity, and building a solid balance sheet to support our growth. On behalf of the entire team, I'd like to thank Peter for his contributions during his time with Harborside."

Mr. Hawkins added, "Having worked with Ahmer and seen the incredible job he did over the past several years to build Sublime into one of the leading brands in California, we are confident that his deep experience in technology, operations, manufacturing and supply chain logistics will be instrumental as we scale our operations."

Ahmer Iqbal, Chief Operating Officer, added, "Since joining the team, I've been impressed with both the quality of operations and scale of the operations. Harborside has tremendous untapped potential and I'm extremely excited about the Board's vision to expand our California operations. I look forward to working collaboratively with our management team, board and future CEO, to leverage Harborside's strong retail and consumer brand positioning, and continue to build Harborside's reputation as the preeminent California focused cannabis company."

For the latest news, activities, and media coverage, please visit the Harborside corporate website at www.investharborside.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Harborside:

Harborside Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected cannabis retailers in California, operating three of the major dispensaries in the San Francisco Bay Area, a dispensary in the Palm Springs area outfitted with Southern California's only cannabis drive-thru window, a dispensary in Oregon and a cultivation/production facility in Salinas, California. Harborside distributes its portfolio of brands, including Sublime, Harborside, and Key, to over 500 dispensaries within California. Harborside has played an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to a broad and diverse community of California consumers since 2006, when it was awarded one of the first six medical cannabis licenses granted in the United States. Today, the Company holds cannabis licenses for retail, distribution, cultivation, nursery, and manufacturing. Harborside is a publicly listed company on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") trading under the ticker symbol "HBOR" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "HBORF". Additional information regarding Harborside is available under Harborside's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. To the extent any forward-looking information in this news release constitutes "financial outlooks" or "future-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements with respect to the Company's ability to take advantage of opportunities in the California cannabis market and the ability to leverage the Company's brand positioning and expand the Company's operations.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as 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 materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the cannabis markets where the Company operates; changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political, social and environmental uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products in the markets where the Company operates; and the risk factors set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and the Company's listing statement dated May 30, 2019, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company, through several of its subsidiaries, is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable US federal money laundering legislation.

While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under US federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Harborside Inc.
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillphoenix, part of Dover Food Retail and Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a pioneer in designing environmentally sustainable refrigeration systems, announced the addition of AdvansorFlex-Mini to its ecofriendly product portfolio. The AdvansorFlex-Mini CO 2 refrigeration system provides customers with a flexible solution for small-capacity operations while also meeting regulatory requirements.

"Today's regulations are phasing out high Global Warming Potential refrigerants and restricting charge amounts and creating refrigeration systems that meet these standards is a top priority for Hillphoenix," said Sean Daley, product manager with Hillphoenix. "Our new AdvansorFlex-Mini provides customers with a flexible, natural refrigerant system alternative that is in line with the latest requirements."

With the addition of the AdvansorFlex-Mini to its CO 2 systems portfolio, Hillphoenix can supply a CO 2 refrigeration solution for stores of all sizes in any climate zone in North America. While the AdvansorFlex-Mini is designed for small capacity stores, it can also be utilized in supermarkets for incremental capacity. In addition, this system provides flexibility for retailers looking to convert to natural refrigerants, providing the option to remodel in phases versus needing to conduct a full-store conversion at once.

The AdvansorFlex-Mini utilizes a lower capacity, optimized rack design that can be located closer to loads, reducing piping and wiring in the field and potential for leaks. Its vertical design lends itself to a variety of placements, fitting in small machine rooms, back rooms or outdoor spaces in optional weatherproof enclosures.

About Hillphoenix:

Hillphoenix branded products and services deliver advanced design and manufacturing of commercial refrigerated display cases and specialty products along with commercial and industrial refrigeration systems and integrated power distribution systems. Training, design, energy and aftermarket services are available through the Hillphoenix Learning and Design Centers and The AMS Group. For more information visit www.hillphoenix.com, or call 800-283-1109.

About Dover Food Retail:

Dover Food Retail, part of Dover Corporation with headquarters in Conyers, Georgia, is the partner to customers seeking to create unique food experiences. Employing the capabilities of our industry-leading brands, Anthony and Hillphoenix, we can provide insight and a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions that enables our customers to sell more food, more profitably. Our ability to evolve with the ever-changing market demands is driven by our passion for understanding our customers' business and providing them with the best quality products and services they need to succeed both today and in the future. Our focused, forward-thinking approach, combined with the strength of our brands, sets the stage for streamlined product development, a broader product portfolio, and cutting-edge technology resulting in redefining what is possible for customers in the food retail value chain.

About Dover:

Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Fueling Solutions, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale, operational agility, world-class engineering capability and customer intimacy to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 60 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com.

Dover Food Retail Contact:

Kim Camp

(804) 451-2420

[email protected]

Dover Media Contact:

Adrian Sakowicz, VP, Communications

(630) 743-5039

[email protected]

Dover Investor Contact:

Andrey Galiuk, VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

(630) 743-5131

[email protected]

SOURCE Dover

Related Links

http://www.dovercorporation.com


PRINCETON, N.J., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Hospital Association recently honored the compassion, leadership and heroics of its members during this pandemic year with a new event, The NJHA Awards. NJHA treated healthcare workers to a beachfront party July 15 and presented awards to 14 individuals and organizations for exemplary service to the people of New Jersey during the public health emergency.

"It's been almost 18 months since COVID-19 reached our shores. With a novel virus you learn on the move. So, we did what we always do in healthcare; we faced the challenge head-on," said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett. "It is ingrained in you  all of you  to care for others before yourselves, and we saw that spirit of self-sacrifice time and time again throughout the pandemic."

NJHA Board Chair Doug Struyk, president and CEO of Christian Health, announced the following award winners:

Distinguished Service  Kevin J. Slavin , president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health and 2020 NJHA Board Chair, who was recognized for his leadership during the pandemic on behalf of the entire NJHA membership and St. Joseph's own community of Paterson .

, president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health and 2020 NJHA Board Chair, who was recognized for his leadership during the pandemic on behalf of the entire NJHA membership and St. Joseph's own community of . Lifetime Achievement, Leadership  Frank Vozos , MD, RWJBarnabas Health, an advocate for quality patient care as a physician, a hospital executive and an NJHA Board member.

, MD, RWJBarnabas Health, an advocate for quality patient care as a physician, a hospital executive and an NJHA Board member. Lifetime Achievement, Clinical Excellence  R. Phillip Dellinger , MD, Cooper University Health Care, who was recognized for his state and national leadership in improving sepsis care and outcomes and sharing that expertise with colleagues through NJHA quality improvement collaboratives.

, MD, Cooper University Health Care, who was recognized for his state and national leadership in improving sepsis care and outcomes and sharing that expertise with colleagues through NJHA quality improvement collaboratives. Chair's Award  Alan Lieber , president, Overlook Medical Center, and vice president, Atlantic Health System, for outstanding leadership and governance.

, president, Overlook Medical Center, and vice president, Atlantic Health System, for outstanding leadership and governance. Chair's Award  Joseph Lemaire , president, Health Ventures, Hackensack Meridian Health, recognized for leadership and investments to advance health innovation.

, president, Health Ventures, Hackensack Meridian recognized for leadership and investments to advance health innovation. Advocacy Action Award  Fred Hipp Jr. , Virtua Health (presented posthumously), who was honored for his commitment, professionalism and tireless advocacy for health policies that promote access to care and healthy communities.

, Virtua Health (presented posthumously), who was honored for his commitment, professionalism and tireless advocacy for health policies that promote access to care and healthy communities. Clinical Excellence  St. Joseph's Health Laboratory, which was the first hospital laboratory in the state to perform in-house COVID testing to ensure faster diagnosis and treatment.

Connect Award for Outstanding Communications  AtlantiCare, which was honored for its comprehensive internal and external outreach campaign to protect staff, patients and communities against COVID.

Counselor of the Year  Thomas Flynn , senior vice president, legal affairs, Hackensack Meridian Health, honored for his legal leadership that helped form one of the state's largest health systems, and for service above and beyond as an incident commander during the pandemic.

, senior vice president, legal affairs, Hackensack Meridian honored for his legal leadership that helped form one of the state's largest health systems, and for service above and beyond as an incident commander during the pandemic. Diversity and Inclusion Champion  Atiya Jaha-Rashidi , chief equity officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health, for leading community healing after the death of George Floyd with virtual town halls and White Coats for Black Lives learning sessions.

, chief equity officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health, for leading community healing after the death of with virtual town halls and White Coats for Black Lives learning sessions. Emerging Leader  Maggie Pogorelec , DNP, RN, director of care coordination and women's and children's services, Valley Health System, for early career leadership that have helped improve care, efficiency and outcomes for patients.

, DNP, RN, director of care coordination and women's and children's services, Valley Health System, for early career leadership that have helped improve care, efficiency and outcomes for patients. Excellence in Patient Experience  Virtua Health, for its success in vaccinating community members against COVID, including telephone calls to 10,000 individuals to help them secure vaccination appointments.

Healthy New Jersey Award  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, for its collaboration with local schools, churches, food banks and municipalities to reach the Latinx population with COVID information, facemasks, hand sanitizers and other resources.

Innovation in Elder Services  Pamela Garofolo , corporate manager, Tapestries Memory Care, United Methodist Communities, who has championed the Tapestries model which prioritizes residents' comfort and happiness, including them in decisions about their daily lives and encouraging them to be active and social members of their "neighborhood."

Visit http://www.njha.com/events/the-njha-awards/ for photo downloads of all of NJHA's honorees.

SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA)

Related Links

http://www.njha.com


PALISADES, N.Y., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- History Publishing Company will publish The Chinese Slant by Long Tang on July 20. It is a work that delves into the Chinese culture, history, philosophy and military techniques. It brings to the Western reader Chinese patterns of thought in order to comprehend the mindset of those previously deemed inscrutable.

China Rising To Dominate Author Long Tang

Since the rise of China and its challenge to the United States for world dominance, HPC seized the opportunity to bring to American readers, this remarkable work by Long Tang that will enable them to understand the serious nature that China presents to the United States.

One who knows about that threat is Terry D. Turchie a retired FBI Assistant Deputy Director in Counter Intelligence who commented after reading an advance copy "The Chinese Slant is a book that penetrates the inscrutability westerners apply to the Chinese mind and gives the reader a key to understanding that thought process. it should definitely be on the reading list of everyone in Government. Everyone!"

Someone who knows China well is Chris Loo, a retired FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge and a Former Detachment Commander, USAF Office of Special Investigations Tainan Air Base, Taiwan. After reviewing The Chinese Slant he said "In order to successfully engage America's adversary, one must have a clear understanding of what they are facing. This book successfully does that and more. Much more."

Author Long Tang born William Tang in Taiwan graduated with Honors from the Taiwan Political Warfare College. He was the Chief of Counterintelligence (Asia Pacific Region) for the DIA of the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Chinese Slant Deluxe Color Edition to be published by History Publishing Company LLC July 20, 2021 and will be available to bookstores through Ingram's international distribution channels, on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other fine outlets. ISBN 9781951008598. The electronic edition will be published concurrently.

Media contact:

Don Bracken

845-359-1765

[email protected]

SOURCE History Publishing Company LLC
SAN DIEGO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Innormax, one of the leading companies of business consulting, information technology, and professional services, is proud to announce the launch of its newly designed website at innormax.com. The new site features a streamlined, modern design, improved functionality, and easy access to essential information to provide value-added services with customers and business associates.

The revamped website encompasses all the Innormax services like ERP consulting, project management, and technical development for organizations worldwide.

"Our new website represents our investment not only in the look and feel of Innormax, but an investment in the experience of Innormax clients," says Tiran Mendis, CEO at Innormax Solutions, "We are improving our communications, web connectivity, and other critical online infrastructures to make our website easier to navigate and highlight our dedication to our customers."

Innormax's new website will be continuously updated on a regular basis with news of product updates, launches, regulatory changes, essential information, corporate milestones, and helpful resources. Visitors are encouraged to explore the website and contact Innormax with any questions about their business offerings.

About Innormax

Innormax Solutions combines industry knowledge and technology with outstanding communications to build long term relationships. The main objective: enable Innormax clients to liberate their power through the application of ERP best practices and tools. Innormax provides guidance to help businesses achieve greater revenues, reduce inefficiencies, costs, and maximize profits.

Media Contact

Tiran Mendis

INNORMAX Solutions, LLC

12707 High Bluff Dr # 200

San Diego, CA 92130

Telephone: (619) 241-4100

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Innormax

Related Links

https://innormax.com/


NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InsurTech NY, the largest InsurTech community in North America, announced today that they will be conducting a benchmark study on Corporate Venture Capital.

InsurTech NY has partnered with the IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research & Education at Tilburg University in the Netherlands to study the organizational structure, best practices, and common themes across insurance carrier and broker affiliated corporate venture groups.

InsurTech NY Announces Insurance Corporate Venture Benchmark

The research will be aggregated, anonymized, and shared at the Corporate Forum organized by InsurTech NY on September 21 in New York City. The IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research will analyze the data and compare it to their existing body of research on corporate venturing across several industries including broader financial services.

"The corporate venture community in insurance is one of the fastest forming investment groups. Insurance industry venture capital went from near non-existence in 2013 to more than 200 insurance entities having made investments in startups today," said David Gritz, Managing Director at InsurTech NY. "We want to learn from the segment's rapid growth over the past decade and apply the learnings to future initiatives."

"The IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research is one of the only academic institutions worldwide to dedicate research efforts to understanding corporate venturing," said Joshua Eckblad, Director of the IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research. "My research focuses on the practices of corporate venturing units and on the knowledge flows between large established firms and startups. InsurTech is one of the true examples of a symbiotic relationship between incumbents and startup firms working together to grow the industry."

The research study will include a range of participants from super-regional carriers to Top 5 carriers and brokers. It will include a variety of portfolios, from insurers who have made ad-hoc off-the-balance sheet investments to established corporate venture funds working on their second or third funds.

"NFP Ventures is excited to contribute to this body of research," said Adam Blumencranz, VP at NFP Ventures. "We are preparing to launch our second fund and the insights we gain from this aggregate research will help us to continue to implement best practices internally and across our broader strategic ecosystem."

"Transverse started as a venture investor off its balance sheet and now has a venture capital group and special purpose acquisition vehicle (SPAC) to help augment our value proposition to Digital MGAs," said Mark Hong, Managing Director at Transverse Insurance. "Better understanding our peers will help us to continue to expand our platform to provide the optimal mix of services for our InsurTech partners."

The assessment can be found at https://cvc2021.paperform.co .

About InsurTech NY

InsurTech NY is an international gateway to bring together the insurance innovation community. It brings together carriers, brokers, investors, and InsurTech startups via educational and networking events, a competition, and an accelerator. InsurTech NY's mission is to accelerate corporate innovation, drive talent to insurance, make regulation innovation-friendly, and improve access to investment. See more at www.insurtechny.com or follow us on LinkedIn ( linkedin.com/company/insurtechny ).

About Tilburg University IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research & Education

The IQONIC Hub for Entrepreneurship Research & Education offers 12 programs, including a physical Creativity Studio on the Tilburg University Campus in the Netherlands and the Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (E&BI) Bachelor's degree program. See more on corporate venturing research at: https://www.corporateventuringresearch.org/

Contact: David Gritz

[email protected]

212-634-9516

SOURCE InsurTech NY
SPARTANBURG, S.C., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Biometrics (IB), the world leader in mobile FBI-certified biometric fingerprint sensors, today announced that CEO Steve Thies is retiring as of July 19, 2021. After 13 years leading the company through unprecedented growth, Thies plans to travel, enjoy time with his family, pursue other interests, and act as an advisor to Integrated Biometrics.

"Being IB's CEO for more than a decade and leading innovation in such a rapidly evolving industry has been a wonderful experience. I've established meaningful, long-term relationships with employees, as well as with investors, customers, and suppliers. During this time, the IB team conceived, designed, and manufactured awesome fingerprint sensors that are demanded by customers worldwide," said Thies. "And, while my wife and I are still healthy, we want to explore, enjoy our family, pursue hobbies, and make each day count."

Integrated Biometrics developed and produced the world's first non-prism-based FBI Appendix F Certified fingerprint sensors using its patented electroluminescent film and a thin film transistor (TFT). Under Thies' leadership, the company's product offerings (which include the Watson, Sherlock, Kojak, Columbo and Five-0) have grown into a full suite of enrollment and verification sensors used by governments and commercial markets in over 90 countries worldwide. IB has been on the Inc. 5000 list for the past five consecutive years and been recognized by the state of South Carolina for its growth record.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished under Steve's leadership," said David Gerulski, executive vice president of IB. "He's truly central to this company's history, having started as its fifth employee and now with nearly 100 people working under his leadership. We're sad to see him go, but collectively, we're very excited for his next chapter and wish him the best in retirement."

Thies will act as a transitional advisor to the new CEO (to be announced in the coming days) through September 2021 and as an advisor to the company beyond that.

About Integrated Biometrics

Integrated Biometrics' fingerprint sensors are mobile, easy to use, and affordable. The company designs and manufactures the world's smallest, lightest, and most durable FBI-certified fingerprint sensors for law enforcement, military operations, homeland security, national identity, election validation, social services, and a wide range of commercial applications. The company's patented light-emitting sensor (LES) film yields products superior to traditional prism-based devices in size, power consumption, portability, and reliability. For more about Integrated Biometrics, visit www.IntegratedBiometrics.com or call (888) 840-8034.

Media Contact:

Kira Perdue

Carabiner Communications

404.556.0062

[email protected]

SOURCE Integrated Biometrics

Related Links

http://www.integratedbiometrics.com


"More than 1200 students have taken benefit from the International Academic Alliance program at Chandigarh University, who have travelled abroad to countries like USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Italy, Germany to fulfill their dreams of pursuing higher education from foreign universities" said, Dr. Bawa. Top ranked universities like Vancouver Island University, Canada, Okanagan College, Canada, University of North Alabama, USA, New York Film Academy, Arkansans State University, USA, Christian Brothers University, USA, University of Canberra, University of New Castle, Curtain University, University of Wollongong from Australia are offering 1+1 Masters and 1+2, 2+2 Under-Graduate programs for the Indian students," he added.

Dr. Bawa further said that, "Indian students seeking admissions under the International Articulation Programs are in win-win situation as they complete their initial 1 or 2 years of study at Chandigarh University which saves money as they have to pay fees according to Indian Universities fee structure and then can shift to their respective foreign universities to complete their degrees. It is safe way to fulfil your dreams to study abroad as the success rate of getting visas under the International Articulation Program is 100%. In addition the students are also eligible for benefits like work permit, stay completion of degree, application for PR."

"The students need not to wait for easing of travel restrictions as the initial 1 or 2 years of academic learning will be done in India and by then things would be normal and hence the students will save at-least one academic year under the Chandigarh University International Articulation Program. The students are also eligible for government and university scholarships, fellowships. Till date benefit of Rs. 28 crore in the form scholarships have been extended to the CU students travelling abroad," said Meenu Bhardwaj, Department of International Affairs, Chandigarh University.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University said, "Chandigarh University has always worked to match the aspirations of today's youth. Students and their parents aspire to undergo world-class education, which can enhance career options at global level. With this aim, we have started this International Academic Alliance Program where students are given a platform to choose the country, university & course from the wide variety of international options and can turn the dream of studying abroad into a reality."

About Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

Website: https://www.cuchd.in/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1576457/Chandigarh_University_global_programs.jpg

SOURCE Chandigarh University
NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brand Guild, the integrated communications agency with headquarters in New York City and Washington DC, today released its 2021 Commercial Real Estate Trend Report, titled Live, Play Work: The Great American Shakeup . The extensive report analyzes consumer behavior and the future of brands through the lens of commercial real estate.

In partnership with market research firm Lucid, The Brand Guild surveyed about 1,000 Americans across the country, with an additional focus on NYC, DC, Houston, and Miami. The survey asked consumers to define if and how their priorities have shifted between living (defined as meeting the needs of day-to-day life, including housing and transportation), working (defined as one's career, including work environment and length of commute) and playing (defined as leisure time both at and away from home).

"We built this report to study the reciprocal relationship between the evolving real estate industry and consumer behavior," said The Brand Guild Co-CEO Barbara Martin. "This relationship reveals so much about why things have changed, and which of those changes are likely here to stay, and gives us a great roadmap as we continue to help our clients across industries adapt and innovate post-pandemic."

Key points from the report include:

Pre-covid, American priorities were 1) Live, 2) Work, 3) Play. That has now shifted to 1) Live 2) Play 3) Work. The takeaway: business--whether the CRE industry or businesses that employ these consumers--need to meet consumers where they are;

50% of Americans said that Covid-19 has made them consider moving to a new area. Where would they move? 82% thought suburbs were better than cities (and even 73% of city dwellers agree);

People are willing to make sacrifices to continue to work from home: 52% are willing to have a longer commute in order to work from home a few days per week. And 65% of employees predict that open offices will be a thing of the past;

The buying power of Gen Z is quickly increasing, which is influencing purchasing when it comes to sustainability--4 out of 5 consider sustainability an important factor in deciding on purchasing or renting their next home--or consumers voting with their wallets: 28% said they were more conscious than last year of political figures and policies supported by the companies they purchase from.

In addition to the survey, the report draws on expert insights from top executives across consumer brands and commercial real estate, such as VC firm Lerer Hippeau, online real estate marketplace Zillow, international developer Skanska, American furniture maker Room & Board, handbag company Dagne Dover, and more.

"It remains to be seen whether these shifts are a temporary reaction to the pandemic or the dawn of a lasting reprioritization," said Jayne Sandman, Co-CEO of The Brand Guild. "But what can't be ignored is that consumers see this as a seismic shift, and businesses, from real estate developers to retailers, need to meet consumers where they are  and do it quickly."

For a deeper analysis of these trends, please refer to the full The Brand Guild's Commercial Real Estate Trend Report here .

About The Brand Guild

The Brand Guild is a fully integrated agency that builds and grows the most powerful brands in consumer lifestyle, food & beverage, and real estate. Our holistic approach to brand creation, strategy and storytelling creates critical momentum for our client-partners through a comprehensive suite of services that includes public relations, marketing, content, design, experiential and branding. For more information, please visit www.thebrandguild.com and follow @thebrandguild .

SOURCE The Brand Guild

Related Links

https://thebrandguild.com


In partnering with Compass, Kinlin Grover is now part of a network of the largest independent real estate brokerages in the country. Compass is currently home to over 22,000 agents, serving hundreds of the top cities in the country. Last year Compass agents sold approximately $152 billion in residential real estate and completed 66% more transactions than they did the year before.

Kinlin Grover's local expertise and market dominance combined with Compass' powerful agent network, real estate technology platform and consumer programs will provide expansive national and international exposure for the firm's valued clients, listings and agents.

Under the new Kinlin Grover Compass brand, the firm will continue to operate as Southeastern Massachusetts' leading real estate brokerage, maintaining its leadership team, staff and marketing with the added resources and technology of Compass. Jeffery Heighton, Compass' New England Regional President will work in partnership with Kinlin Grover Compass leadership to grow their footprint in Massachusetts.

"Over the years we've adopted countless resources to ensure the very best experience for our agents and our clients. After meeting with Compass, we realized this strategic alliance would allow us to maintain our company culture while providing the best-in-class agent support, marketing and technology offered on the Compass platform. We're excited to join with a company who values their agents as customers and trusted partners and who has the vision and resources to build and invest in our profession, bringing the highest level of service to our clients," said Michael Schlott.

"At Compass we always aim to collaborate without ego and that's what we are announcing today  a collaboration between Compass and some of the most experienced real estate professionals in New England," said Jeffrey Heighton, Regional President, Compass New England. "This partnership further expands Compass' robust network across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, creating new opportunities for our New England agents and beyond."

"By joining Compass, Kinlin Grover Real Estate isn't just raising the bar with agent support and technology but we're also elevating an even higher standard of customer service for our clients. We couldn't be more excited about our new partnership. This is an opportunity for us to participate in the innovation and growth that Compass is chartering the course for, and to contribute to its growth by expanding its footprint further into New England," said Doug Randall, CEO of Kinlin Grover and The Randall Family of Companies.

Photo Caption:

Left-to-Right: Jeffery Heighton, Regional President of Compass New England with Michael Schlott, President of the Randall Family of Companies (Kinlin Grover Compass, Randall Realtors Compass, Page Taft Compass).

About Kinlin Grover:

Kinlin Grover Real Estate, part of The Randall Familyof Companies, operates 23 Massachusetts offices from Cape Cod to the South Coast and the South Shore specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village and luxury homes. Kinlin Grover operates a residential, commercial and relocation division and the area's largest vacation rental company. It serves the area with a 99% customer services rating. In 2020, its $1.66 billion in sales and 450+ real estate professionals led the market with 19% market share according to CCIAOR MLS. For more information visit kinlingrover.com

About The Randall Family of Companies:

Headquartered in Charlestown, R.I., prior to the merger with Compass, The Randall Family of Companies ranks among the top real estate firms in the United States. Twice named one of Inc. Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in the U.S. with over $2.2 Billion in sales in 2020 and $10 billion in sales in the last six years, Randall maintains 35 offices with over 650+ agents across Kinlin Grover Real Estate in Massachusetts, Randall Realtors in Rhode Island and Connecticut and Page Taft in Connecticut. The company is a RISMedia Power Broker and a Real Trends Top 500 Real Estate Company. For more information visit randallfamilyofcompanies.com .



SOURCE Regan Communications

Related Links

http://www.regangroup.org


MELBOURNE, Australia, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid a shortage of skilled resources in Australia, a labour hire agency in Melbourne, AIO Contracting, carefully screens workers and employees to ensure they are suitably matched. With a proven track record, the company has become the go-to for big businesses across Victoria looking to use contractors during major projects.

Labour Hire

By searching for high-quality candidates who will prove an asset to any team, AIO is able to take the hassle out of labour hiring. Melbourne businesses can turn to AIO and confidently expect the right skilled workers for the job every time.

According to AIO, their diverse team includes trade, production, ticketed and technical personnel. They provide support for young workers coming up in the industry by offering training and helping to match these energetic and driven young workers with the right opportunities.

By balancing out this young and diverse workforce with seasoned professionals, AIO has become the labour hire company Melbourne businesses rely on.

The AIO labour hire workforce includes boilermakers and welders, fitters, forklift drivers, machine operators, general labourers, scaffolders, storepersons and more. Business owners in any industry can experience the AIO difference and find skilled workers with the right attitude.

As part of the comprehensive screening process, AIO ensures each candidate measures up in terms of work ethic, reliability, and their attitude to safe working practices. In return, AIO says they are committed to providing a safe and supportive work experience for their labour hire teams.

As a respected labour hire agency Melbourne, AIO takes great pride in matching the right candidates to the right jobs, so that both sides have a rewarding experience. Workers who are engaged and eager find the work that they need, and companies are supplied with a professional labour force. AIO says it's an all-in-one solution.

When they are comparing labour agencies, Melbourne businesses need to know that they have found an industry-leading service. AIO uses industry experience to do right by clients and workers, offering hassle-free HR support and a 24/7 response service for all clients.

AIO's ISO certifications, industry memberships, and status as a registered labour hire provider, in addition to years of experience, gives businesses the reassurance they have found industry professionals able to meet their needs.

Related Images

labour-hire.png

Labour Hire

Labour Hire

SOURCE AIO Contracting
SPEARVILLE, Kan., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lead For America and Land O'Lakes, Inc. today announced the placement of three American Connection Corps (ACC) Fellows in Kansas. These fellows will work to increase broadband access and digital literacy as well as contribute to critical community development initiatives in Wabaunsee County and Wichita.

The American Connection Corps is a new, innovative fellowship program focused on bridging the digital divide, led by Land O'Lakes and Lead For America (LFA). As part of the national network, ACC Fellows will have access to premiere national training on community organizing, broadband and digital inclusion, and a network of LFA leaders nationwide. Over the course of the application window, the program received hundreds of applications from emerging leaders across the country. After an extensive interview process, the Fellows program has selected 50 individuals to serve as community leaders across the country.

"Lead For America is on a mission to build a generation of civic leaders dedicated to tackling the toughest challenges facing the communities they call homeparticularly in places like my own home state of Kansas where young people often leave and never return," said Joe Nail, CEO and co-founder of Lead For America. "The coronavirus pandemic underscored the importance both of local leadership, and of closing the digital divide in rural and urban communities across America. We are honored to partner with Land O'Lakes and the other American Connection Corps partners in placing 50 dynamic, and locally rooted leaders in their hometowns and home states this year, and to ensuring this initiative becomes a nationwide model for national and community service for many years to come."

"When it comes to expanding broadband, we all know that public-private partnerships are key --- especially in our rural areas," Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said. "The American Connection Corps program is a perfect example of how we can leverage these partnerships to boost connectivity and uplift all communities. I want to thank Land O'Lakes and Lead For America for their commitment to expanding access to quality, affordable high-speed internet across our state, and partnering with my administration to achieve our aggressive goals for broadband infrastructure improvements in Kansas."

"Land O'Lakes, alongside so many great partners, is thrilled to support these leaders as they get started connecting their communities here in Kansas," said Beth Ford, Land O'Lakes, Inc. president and CEO. "Connectivity affects all communities ability to compete in the global marketplace and improve the prosperity of the people that live in them. We see this program growing significantly and working in concert with legislators at both the state and federal levels. We're excited to see the progress these Fellows will drive as we continue to advocate for the needed investment in broadband infrastructure."

"As I've traveled across the state of Kansas, one of the biggest concerns I've heard from families and communities alike is access to a reliable and affordable internet connection," said U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. "Continued broadband deployment, especially in rural Kansas, is vital to our state's continued economic growth and long-term prosperity. And while the federal government has numerous programs aimed at closing the digital divide, navigating those programs or even knowing where to begin can often be a challenge for small, rural communities. Connecting every home, business and farm will truly take an all-of-the-above approach and I applaud the efforts Land O'Lakes and its partners are dedicating to helping close the digital divide."

"Broadband deployment is a critical issue facing our rural communities, and I am pleased that this partnership will work to make broadband more accessible in states like Kansas," said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. "By improving rural internet capabilities, we are supporting businesses, tele-health and tele-education for people across rural America."

ACC Fellows will serve their home communities in locations nationwide through high-impact, high-urgency two-year placements focused on closing the digital divide and building the next generation of leaders. In partnership with local institutions listed below, the three ACC Fellows will tackle tough challenges facing Kansas, strengthen its civic infrastructure and join a new generation of transformational community leaders. Fellows will also participate in LFA's national Changemaker Summit, attend quarterly retreats, receive 1:1 expert mentorship, and join a growing community of local leaders.

The following organizations will host Fellows in their communities:

Amalia Murguia : Office of Economic Development for Wabaunsee County Government

Amalia, under the direction of the Office of Economic Development  and in partnership with residents, small businesses, educators, and local internet providers  will assess broadband needs and shortfalls, identify potential resources and programs to fill gaps, and develop initiatives to improve digital literacy. The focus will include how Wabaunsee County  its residents, small businesses, and schools turns broadband access and adoption from a relative disadvantage to competitive advantage.

 its residents, small businesses, and schools turns broadband access and adoption from a relative disadvantage to competitive advantage. Jose Trejo : Empower Evergreen, Wichita, Kansas

: Through Empower Evergreen, a newly formed non-profit organization focused on the holistic development of Wichita's predominantly Hispanic community, Jose will work directly alongside the Executive Director to help streamline work productivity for Hispanic owned business owners by using broadband as well as identify ways to increase access to technology for education and workforce purposes for Hispanic children and families.

predominantly Hispanic community, Jose will work directly alongside the Executive Director to help streamline work productivity for Hispanic owned business owners by using broadband as well as identify ways to increase access to technology for education and workforce purposes for Hispanic children and families. Christianna Mershon : Newman University , Wichita, Kansas

Through Newman University's Division of Student Affairs, Christianna will use some of her time researching, implementing and executing strategies focused on ways digital broadband can increase campus and community involvement; thus leading to higher retention rates of students. Additionally, Christianna will identify barriers that limit access to the internet with a special focus on students from rural communities.

The American Connection Corps is led in conjunction with Lead For America and funded through the support of 20 additional partner organizations, including: Land O'Lakes, Heartland Forward, CoBank, Tractor Supply Company, Microsoft, Mayo Clinic, Ariel Investments, Scoular, CHS, Zoetis, Tillamook County Creamery Association, Accenture, University of Minnesota, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Midwest Dairy, Purdue University, Partners for Education, CentraCare, Common Sense Media and University of Illinois Extension.

For general information on the ACC, please visit: https://www.lead4america.org/american-connection-corps

About Lead For America

Lead For America (LFA) is a national nonprofit that helps outstanding young people become civic leaders. LFA seeks to direct homegrown talent where it's needed most  in towns and counties where challenges outpace resources available  often in rural and under-resourced communities. Through their flagship two-year paid Fellows program, LFA has funded and placed over 100 Fellows in over 80 communities and 30 states in newly created positions in their home communities since 2019, and plan to have 100 additional Fellows starting in 2021. Combined, LFA Fellows have leveraged more than $17 million for their communities and impacted the lives of more than 13.5 million people. Lead For America's national headquarters is located in Dodge City, Kansas.

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2020 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 219 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 100 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including Land O'Lakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota.

Media Contacts:

Lead For America: Matthew Miller, 269-352-5742

Land O'Lakes, Inc.: Abbey Shilling, 651-242-1503

SOURCE Land OLakes, Inc.
BOSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Mutual Insurance will be applying for regulatory approval to acquire Malaysian insurer AmGeneral Insurance Berhad (AmGeneral). AmGeneral is currently 51%-owned by AmBank Group and 49%-owned by Insurance Australia Group (IAG). Subject to receiving appropriate regulatory approvals, Liberty Insurance Berhad will acquire 100% shares of AmGeneral, and AmBank Group's share of the sale proceeds will be in the form of cash and consideration shares, which will result in AmBank Group holding a 30% interest in the Liberty Insurance Berhad and AmGeneral businesses. The AmGeneral and Liberty Insurance Berhad operations will, at a subsequent date, be formally merged. Following the merger, it is expected that the combined entity will become the largest auto insurer and second-largest property and casualty insurer in Malaysia based off of 2020 data.

As part of the transaction, the prospective merged entity will enter into an exclusive 20-year bancassurance partnership with AmBank Group to distribute general insurance products.

"Expanding and investing in international insurance markets is instrumental in our aspiration to become a leading global property and casualty insurance company," said Liberty Mutual President, Global Retail Markets, Jim MacPhee. "Liberty Mutual's mission to help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow is well aligned with AmBank's mission to help individuals and businesses in Malaysia grow and win together. Combining Liberty's global capabilities with AmGeneral's leading market share in auto and a growing business in additional product lines will create a best-in-class insurance operation."

AmGeneral serves the Malaysian insurance market through approximately 1,400 employees at 33 branch locations. A top three motor insurer with a growing business in additional product lines, the company distributes its personal and commercial insurance products under the AmAssurance and Kurnia brands through more than 6,000 agents, brokers, car dealers, franchises and affinity partners, and its fast-growing digital and direct capabilities.

Citigroup, Inc. acted as financial advisor to Liberty Mutual in the transaction.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow.

In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the sixth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2020 gross written premium. We also rank 71 on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2020 revenue. As of December 31, 2020, we had $43.8 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

We employ over 45,000 people in 29 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property.

For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com.

About Liberty Insurance Berhad

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Liberty Insurance Berhad has approximately 450 employees at six regional offices and 24 branches across Malaysia. The company distributes its personal, commercial and other product lines through multiple channels, including a 2,000-agent force.

Contact: Glenn Greenberg

617-574-5874

[email protected]

SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance

Related Links

https://www.libertymutualgroup.com


PRINCETON, Ky., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Marc A. Wells, Esq. is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Trusted Attorney in acknowledgement of his successes as the Owner and Sole operator of Marc Wells Attorney At Law.

Located at 209 West Main Street, Marc Wells Attorney At Law specializes primarily in criminal defense and offers legal expertise and services in areas related to trusts, wills and estates, real estate law, family law, insurance defense, and personal injury.

Marc A. Wells, Esq.

Leading an impressive career for more than for forty-six years, Mr. Wells has earned a laudable reputation for being erudite and skillful. In 1981, he partnered with other attorneys to establish Wells, Baker & Wetzel. Later on, he decided to practice individually at Marc Wells Attorney At Law.



As an acclaimed attorney offering sterling work, Mr. Wells offers clients a personable and compassionate experience. Driven by his work, he intends to continue learning and practicing law for the foreseeable future.

To prepare for his career, Mr. Wells attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He remained at the University of Kentucky for higher education, receiving a Juris Doctorate. He was recognized for having an excellent academic record and graduated cum laude.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Mr. Wells was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association. He is a current member of the National Trial Lawyers Association and the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

A man of many accomplishments, Mr. Wells has been twice awarded the designation of Top 10 Lawyers from the National Trial Lawyers Association on account of his work in the field of criminal defense law. His extensive track record of achievements in the courtroom has landed Mr. Wells in newspapers more than one hundred times.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


YOKOHAMA, Japan, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ejworks corporation has announced that digital artwork of Kow Yokoyama, a well-known mechanical designer, is going to be put up on the OpenSea marketplace as a non-fungible token (NFT) on August 6, 2021, for the first time in the world. Yokoyama, one of active Japanese leaders in the mechanical design world, is well known for his masterpiece, "Maschinen Krieger," and also for mechanical design for Japanese games and movies.

Image1: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PI1fl_gwUkB1UD.jpg

On the occasion of releasing the NFT art, he answered his thoughts on his past and future works in an interview with ejworks corporation.

https://s.ejworks.com/interviewKowYokoyama

In this collection, Yokoyama will release four works of his most famous illustrations of science fiction weapons, including his latest work "SCHWARZER HUND 2021," from "Maschinen Krieger."

Event website

https://www.ejworks.com/nft/kowyokoyama/en.html

NFTs and auction details

https://s.ejworks.com/openseaKowYokoyama

Start time: 12:30 (UTC), August 6, 2021

End time: 23:00 (UTC), August 9, 2021

Image2: "snowmanpaint 2018"

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PI2fl_DF30xbIt.jpg

- Price: $500 & upward

- NFTs produced: 1 unit

Image3: "Big Nut SAFS"

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PI3fl_jOI1g7Vh.jpg

- Price: $500 & upward

- NFTs produced: 1 unit

Image4: "Operation Super Hammer"

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PI4fl_1EFF98Zp.jpg

- Price: $500 & upward

- NFTs produced: 1 unit

Image5: "SCHWARZER HUND 2021"

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PI5fl_5m49z3ip.jpg

- Price: $500 & upward

- NFTs produced: 1 unit

Kow Yokoyama

The most famous Japanese illustrator and modeler, Yokoyama graduated from Musashino Art University's Department of Japanese Painting in 1980. His representative work is "Maschinen Krieger ZbV3000 (S.F.3.D ORIGINAL)."

Maschinen Krieger ZbV3000

"Maschinen Krieger" is a science fiction mechanical work created in 1980. The series had originally been published in the regular feature series of "SF3D" in a monthly magazine at the time, and it is still in almost the same world as then. Their plastic models that appear in the series have been very popular with fans. It is often abbreviated to "Ma.K."

About ejworks corporation

ejworks corporation develops, provides, and supports the operation of NFT platforms for artists. The company promotes sales of NFT galleries in its VR space and supports related DX using NFTs for the industry of gaming or publishing, and for leisure or commercial facilities.

Company details: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106711/202107137632/_prw_PA1fl_3qy4gEn4.pdf

SOURCE ejworks corporation

Related Links

https://www.ejworks.com


WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MediaJel, a leading provider of programmatic marketing solutions for cannabis and other regulated industries, announced today that it has merged with Foottraffik, a digital advertising and SEO agency. Privately held, the new company will operate as MediaJel and leverage its custom-built software platform and proprietary data tools to deliver compliant digital marketing solutions that help regulated brands and retailers accelerate scalable, sustainable growth.

"We're excited to partner with Foottraffik. For way too long, programmatic and SEO efforts in regulated sectors have been pursued separately, resulting in campaign inefficiencies, financial waste, and stifled outcomes. This union eliminates those operational barriers. Acting as a force multiplier, our combined solution sets will drive the market's evolution from merely buying media to procuring right-fit audiences and transform how brands and retailers engage with consumers at all points along the buyer's journey," said Jake Litke, CEO of MediaJel.

Historically, the complementary companies have worked closely to generate data-driven marketing campaigns for shared clients. The merger combines MediaJel's compliant data management and proprietary programmatic software platform with Foottraffik's search optimization and digital advertising capabilities, deepening the expertise available to cannabis and regulated brands.

Jake Litke will head the combined organization as MediaJel's Chief Executive Officer. Guillermo Bravo, CEO of Foottraffik, will serve as the company's Chief Evangelist, working with clients, partners, and technologists to develop new solutions and market opportunities for the cannabis and MediaJel community. Together, Litke and Bravo will lead the continued growth of MediaJel's technology platform and digital software solutions and focus the new company's comprehensive suite of services on helping brands and retailers identify, reach, and engage their ideal consumers.

"We're on a shared mission to help our clients accelerate their growth, and we're thrilled about the opportunities this merger provides," said Bravo. "Our complementary digital advertising services and combined industry strengths and valued partnerships will allow us to deliver better business outcomes for cannabis, CBD, and regulated companies across the United States, Canada, and worldwide."

"As a team, we are united, enthusiastic, and well-positioned to deliver compelling digital marketing and data management solutions and to continue to drive demand, sales, and retention in the cannabis and regulated markets," said Litke. "The past year and a half illustrated how the consumer's digital experience is critical to generating revenue growth. Our robust and integrated services approach will enhance the consumers' user experience while improving our clients' bottom line."

The headquarters for the combined company will be in Walnut Creek, California. Terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

About Foottraffik

Since 2016, Foottraffik has served the cannabis industry as a dispensary digital advertising and analytics agency, making cannabis more accessible by supporting dispensaries' growth strategies. With an office in San Francisco, our team helps dispensaries and marijuana delivery services in the US and Canada with their digital advertising needs, including Google Ads, programmatic advertising, search engine optimization, website design and more.

About MediaJel

MediaJel is a custom-built data management platform that provides regulated marketing and advertising software solutions. We help regulated brands engage their target consumers and curate valued relationships throughout the awareness, consideration, and purchase journey. Built with proprietary technology, the MediaJel.io platform leverages unique actionable data for brands, retailers, and agencies to effectively execute high-performance marketing campaigns. With Data Ethics at the core of our business, all aspects are brand safe and compliant for regulated industries. For more, visit http://www.MediaJel.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

SOURCE MediaJel

Related Links

www.mediajel.com


SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global medical telepresence robots market size is expected to reach USD 159.5 million by 2028, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 18.5% from 2021 to 2028. Some of the factors contributing to the market growth are the growing adoption of telepresence robots in the healthcare sector and product innovations catering to the increasing demand. Moreover, the rise in the elderly population with chronic illnesses requiring regular monitoring is expected to propel the demand for medical telepresence robots, especially for home use.

Key Insights & Findings:

Based on type, the mobile segment dominated the market in 2020 owing to the features such as autonomous navigation, adjustable height, head motion, and obstacle avoidance that enable smooth and efficient delivery of services and virtual monitoring

On the basis of component, the camera segment dominated the market in 2020 due to the fact that its operations are essential for the working and functioning of the robot

In terms of end use, hospitals and assisted living facilities held the largest share in 2020 owing to the increase in the adoption of robotics in the healthcare sector and the development of features specifically for healthcare such as ultrasound imaging machines and digital stethoscopes

In 2020, North America dominated the market due to the higher adoption of artificial intelligence and robotics in the healthcare sector, growing disposable income, and the increasing number of market players in the region

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period owing to the higher adoption of robotics in the healthcare sector and the supportive government initiatives in medical robotics

Read 80 page market research report, "Medical Telepresence Robots Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis By Type (Stationary, Mobile), By Component (Camera, Sensors & Control System), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028'', by Grand View Research.

The market experienced a surge during the Covid-19 pandemic owing to the rise in the implementation of telepresence robots in hospitals in most of the countries. For instance, the Yatharth Hospital in Noida deployed Mitra robots to assist the healthcare providers in delivering quality care with telepresence technology. Moreover, the features facilitating efficient two-way communication and the ability to connect from any location to monitor the patients remotely are boosting the demand for medical telepresence robots.

The rise in the number of market players offering technologically advanced robots, the introduction of new features catering to the current demand, and the continuous focus on R&D are likely to boost the adoption of medical telepresence robots. Furthermore, the governments of most of the countries are taking initiatives to support artificial intelligence and robotics, further leading to attracting new entrants to enter the market.

Grand View Research has segmented the global medical telepresence robots market based on type, component, end use, and region:

Medical Telepresence Robots Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Stationary



Mobile

Medical Telepresence Robots Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Camera



Display



Speaker



Microphone



Power Source



Sensors & Control System

Medical Telepresence Robots End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Hospitals & Assisted Living Facilities



Home Use

Medical Telepresence Robots Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





Australia



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa

List of Key Players of Medical Telepresence Robots Market

Amy Robotics

Ava Robotics Inc.

AXYN Robotics

Blue Ocean Robotics

Guangzhou Yingbo Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.

InTouch Health

OhmniLabs, Inc.

Rbot

VGo Communications Inc.

Xandex Inc.

Check out more studies related to implementation of robotics into healthcare, by Grand View Research:

Medical Robotic Systems Market  Global medical robotic systems market size was valued at USD 7,470.7 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for accurate laparoscopic surgeries, growing need for surgical procedures in geriatric population, and rising cases of trauma injuries are the factors driving the growth of this market.

 Global medical robotic systems market size was valued at in 2014 and is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for accurate laparoscopic surgeries, growing need for surgical procedures in geriatric population, and rising cases of trauma injuries are the factors driving the growth of this market. Surgical Robots Market  Global surgical robots market size was valued at USD 2.30 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028. Growing adoption and acceptance of minimally invasive surgeries owing to benefits such as shorter hospital stays and the introduction of cost-effective and flexible surgical robots by the new market players are some of the key factors driving the growth.

 Global surgical robots market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028. Growing adoption and acceptance of minimally invasive surgeries owing to benefits such as shorter hospital stays and the introduction of cost-effective and flexible surgical robots by the new market players are some of the key factors driving the growth. AI-based Surgical Robots Market  Global AI-based surgical robots market size was valued at USD 5.0 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2% from 2021 to 2028. Robotic surgeries are gaining traction due to the increased efficiency and success rate provided by these surgeries, along with the "minimally invasive" nature of the surgeries.

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Healthcare IT Industry.

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About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

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Grand View Research, Inc.

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BANGALORE, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Tubing Market by Type - PVC, Polyolefin, TPE & TPU, Silicone, Other, by Application - Bulk Disposable Tubing, Catheters & Cannulas, Drug Delivery Systems, Other. It is published in Valuates Reports under Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

The global Medical Tubing Market was valued at USD 8418 million in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 13770 million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% during 2021-2026.

Major factors driving the growth of the Medical Tubing Market are:

Increasing use in a wide range of minimally invasive critical applications such as cardiovascular catheters, stent delivery systems, urological retrieval devices, and drug delivery is expected to drive the medical tubing market.

Availability of cost-competitive medical-grade plastics, increasing access to healthcare supplies across the globe, are expected to further propel the medical tubing market.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Auto-556/global-medical-tubing

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF MEDICAL TUBING MARKET

The shift toward minimally invasive medical procedures is expected to drive the medical tubing market. Minimal invasive medical procedures are becoming more important than traditional surgical procedures, as they provide benefits such as lower costs, faster recovery times, and shorter hospital stays. Furthermore, the rising prevalence of disorders including arthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, all of which require extensive surgical treatment, has boosted the demand for minimally invasive procedures. Plastic polymers, which are suited for use in catheters and medical tubing, have seen an increase in demand as a result of this. Furthermore, medical tubing improves cost efficiency and saves time. As a result, the rising need for minimally invasive medical procedures, as well as the desire to improve the efficiency of these procedures, are boosting demand for medical tubing.

Because of the increased healthcare awareness, and an aging population, the healthcare industry in emerging nations is rapidly evolving, which presents numerous potential for the medical tubing market in the healthcare and medical device industries. The market in emerging countries is expanding primarily due to economic expansion, greater government spending on healthcare facilities, and increased consumer purchasing power. As a result, the medical tubing market is primarily driven by overall growth and increased investment in healthcare infrastructure.

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MEDICAL TUBING MARKET SHARE

Based on type, the PVC held the largest market share of 43.5% in 2018 and is expected to be the most lucrative segment during the forecast period. Because of its capacity to meet the rigorous standards of the healthcare industry, PVC is the most extensively utilized thermoplastic material in medical tube manufacturing. Over the forecast period, an increase in the adoption of single-use pre-sterilized medical equipment is likely to boost product demand.

Based on application, the Catheters & Cannulas are expected to be the most lucrative during the forecast period. Over the projected period, the demand for tubes in the catheter application category is expected to expand significantly. Electrophysiology (EP) ablation, angiographic, and urine catheters are only a few of the catheters that use medical tubes. The wide range of applications for catheters in the healthcare industry is likely to provide medical tube producers with significant growth prospects.

Based on region, North America & Asia-pacific is expected to be the most lucrative regions during the forecast period.

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Segment by Type

PVC

Polyolefin

TPE & TPU

Silicone

Other

Segment by Application

Bulk Disposable Tubing

Catheters & Cannulas

Drug Delivery Systems

Other

BY COMPANY

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics

Nordson Corporation

Freudenberg Group

Teleflex

Tekni-Plex

Raumedic

B. Braun

W.L.Gore & Associates

Lubrizol (Vesta)

Zeus Industrial Products

Putnam Plastics

Microlumen

Optinova

Ap Technologies

MDC Industries

Teel Plastics Inc.

Polyzen

FBK Medical Tubing, Inc.

A.P. Extrusion

LVD Biotech

BY REGION

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy



Russia

Asia-Pacific

China



Japan



South Korea



India



Australia



Taiwan



Indonesia



Thailand



Malaysia



Philippines



Vietnam

Latin America

Mexico



Brazil



Argentina

Middle East & Africa

& Turkey



Saudi Arabia



U.A.E

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SIMILAR REPORTS :

- Global Polyimide Medical Tubing Sales Market Research Report contains Market Size, Market Share, Market Dynamics, Porter's 5 force Analysis, Segmentation, Regional and Competitor Analysis. Product-Type: ID Below 0. 1mm, 0. 1mm Above ID Below 0. 51mm, 0. 5mm Above ID Below 2mm, ID Above 2mm, Application: Cardiovascular Catheters, Urological Retrieval Devices, Neurovascular Applications, Intravascular Drug Delivery, Others,

- Global Disposable Medical Tubing Sales Market Research Report contains Market Size, Market Share, Market Dynamics, Porter's 5 force Analysis, Segmentation, Regional and Competitor Analysis. Product-Type: PVC, Polyolefin, TPE and TPU, Silicone, Other, Application: Cardiovascular Catheters, Urological Retrieval Devices, Neurovascular Applications, Intravascular Drug Delivery, Others.

- The global Medical Corrugated Tubing market is segmented by company, region (country), by Type, and by Application. Players, stakeholders, and other participants in the global Medical Corrugated Tubing market will be able to gain the upper hand as they use the report as a powerful resource. The segmental analysis focuses on sales, revenue and forecast by region (country), by Type and by Application for the period 2016-2027.

- Global Medical Grade Silicone Tubing Sales Market Research Report contains Market Size, Market Share, Market Dynamics, Porter's 5 force Analysis, Segmentation, Regional and Competitor Analysis. Product-Type: Peroxide-cured, Platinum-cured, Application: Blood & Fluid Handling, Dialysis, Laboratory Uses, Surgical Drains, Pharmaceutical Processing, Other.

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SOURCE Valuates Reports
The full August 2021 schedule is available here: https://mhzchoiceblog.com/premiere-schedule/

AUGUST 3

DELIVER US, DENMARK, DYNAMIC, NEW SERIES

In this dark psychological drama, five people in a small town plot a seemingly perfect revenge murder - but playing God has devilish ramifications. Starring Claus Riis stergaard (Dicte), Morten Hee Andersen (The New Nurses), Lene Maria Christensen (The Legacy) and Dar Salim (Spring Tide).

MOVIE OF THE WEEK  ROSE AND THE CAPTAIN, FRANCE, NEW FEATURE, FILM & PICTURE

In 1942 Martinique, a young teacher is torn betwen the resistance and her love of a French soldier.

AUGUST 10

LA PERMISSION, FRANCE, BANIJAY, NEW FEATURE

The story of a forbidden romance between a young French woman and a dashing Senegalese rifleman in 1917 France.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK  THE BRAVE JUDGE, FRANCE, FILM & PICTURE, NEW FEATURE

In 1911, a brave judge leads a campaign against a notorious boarding school that preys upon and abuses its young charges. With Bruno Debrandt (Spiral) and Julie Ferrier (Perfect Murders).

AUGUST 17

TATORT: STREETS OF BERLIN, GERMANY, GLOBAL SCREEN, NEW SERIES

Berlin homicide cops Nina Rubin and Robert Karow couldn't be more opposite: she tends to explode in the face of individual injustice, while he is a cool, rational thinker with a healthy dose of mistrust for anyone and anything.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK  SEASONS OF LOVE, FRANCE, FILM & PICTURE, NEW FEATURE

Philippe falls in love with a beautiful stranger and decides to marry her - against the will of his parents.

AUGUST 24

THE BASTARDS OF PIZZOFALCONE: SEASON 2, ITALY, RAI, NEW SEASON

A ragtag team of misfit detectives solves crimes in Naples. Based on the bestselling mystery novels by Maurizio de Giovanni.

SHADOWS OF THE PAST, FRANCE, BANIJAY, NEW FEATURE

In this thriller from director Denis Malleval (Georges Simenon Mysteries), a man witnesses a deadly accident which rekindles a terrible event from his past.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK  MANON LESCAUT, FRANCE, FILM & PICTURE, NEW FEATURE

Amiens, 1713: A young nobleman abandons his privileged life and runs away with Manon Lescaut, a candlemaker's daughter.

AUGUST 31

GIGANTES: SEASON 1, SPAIN, APC, NEW SERIES

The Guerrero family battles rivals, the police and each other to stay on top of Madrid's criminal underworld.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK  ME AGAINST THE WORLD, FRANCE, FILM & PICTURE, NEW FEATURE

A single mother battles big pharma after her son suffers a debilitating reaction to a prescription drug.

About MHz Networks

MHz Networks offers viewers access to a library of the best television mysteries, dramas, comedies and documentaries subtitled in English through its subscription streaming service, MHz Choice. Select MHz Networks content is also available on DVD and on its free ad-supported service MHz Now, available on Samsung TV Plus.

New MHz Choice customers receive a free 7-Day Trial. For more information, go to mhzchoice.com.

SOURCE MHz Networks

Related Links

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LONDON and VALLETTA, Malta, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital financial institution wamo has started operations in Europe where it expects to attract 10,000 customers before the end of 2021.

wamo, a digitally native fintech aimed at small and medium-sized companies, is incorporated in the United Kingdom and has headquarters in London and Malta.

New clients can sign up via www.wamo.io

With technology and innovation at its core, wamo aims to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services.

This fintech uses smarttech to streamline every aspect of day-to-day financial management processes making it possible for both businesses and consumers to 'do it all' from one app.

The company is committed to constantly improve the security of transactions and has mechanisms in place to safeguard customers' money through a key partnership agreement with Railsbank.

Last month, wamo raised a one million euros investment from a group of angel investors, bringing the total amount raised to over 1.9 million and securing funding for its expansion plan in Europe.

Fast, global, agile and fully digital, wamo hopes to become the solution of choice for over 10,000 European SMEs and retail clients looking for convenient, efficient solutions to their everyday financial management needs.

Registered in the UK and the EEA, wamo is a company that was able to grow and settle a position during the unique challenges of the 2020 market, where it found that significant value can be unlocked for SMEs when they are given the capability to make or receive payments strategically by attracting rewards, improving working capital, driving efficiency and optimizing processes.

Adoption of paytech to digitise payments and the offer of rewards will help SMEs to extract value for their business.

SMEs need solutions to develop digital capabilities that can be implemented quickly and go beyond basic payments capabilities.

The company has so far received support from investors from Canada, Turkey, Malta and the United Kingdom.

"The future of financial services will be impacted deeply by the emergence of embedded finance: finance that promises to be more internet-like, more interconnected and more customizable, with novel components that can be effortlessly inserted into individual businesses in different sectors," Yanki Onen, CEO and founder of the company, stated.

Onen, the driving force behind the company, has 20 years' experience in the banking and finance industry with a career spanning investments, banking and brokerage, where he developed a keen, solution-focused interest in fintech and the smart future of finances.

"Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter many challenges and complexities in running and growing their businesses, digital solutions have certainly not reached their full potential when fewer than 10% of the 180 million micro and small merchants (MSMs) around the world can accept digital payments. We're here to help change that," he added.

With a potential market of 25,1 million small companies in Europe, wamo is looking to become a first choice in the post-pandemic age of fintech.

Issuance of Electronic Money and payment services are provided by PayrNet Limited. With each transaction PayrNet holds an amount equivalent to the money in wamo current accounts in a safeguarding account, giving customers protection against insolvency.

"We are aware of how important it is to demonstrate to our customers that their hard-earned funds are protected," Onen says.

wamo makes it possible for prospective customers to increase their target market audience by adding vast amounts of digital payments options with the smallest amount of effort.

The technology supporting wamo's market proposition, including its various mobile applications, has been developed by a team of 16 working remotely from the UK and Turkey since 2018.

In its first stage, the company will develop and consolidate its position in Malta. From Malta the company will expand into Europe.

SMEs' influence on the economy is rapidly growing in Malta and Europe where an increasing number of SMEs and the emergence of their unique needs are creating a new market and challenge for financial technology companies. This is because micro and small enterprises are currently underserved with banks generally assuming an ambivalent stance towards them.

In the meantime - hugely accelerated by the behavioural changes of the pandemic - online transactions have sharply increased while PoS (point-of-sale) transactions have shifted markedly towards contactless.

The company believes that these new consumer habits are here to stay and SMEs are in urgent need of solutions that can meet them quickly and with minimal onboarding friction for businesses and consumers alike.

wamo, as a fintech company, has been actively preparing for this gear-change for the past four years with a solution that has been finely crafted to step in and carry SMEs and their customers forward, effortlessly.

Contact:

The Paloma Project

Media, [email protected]

+356-7946-7486



SOURCE wamo
DUBAI, U.A.E, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newgen Software is excited to unveil the one and only, comprehensive digital transformation platform  NewgenONE  to simplify even the most complex business processes, manage the messiest information, and drive customer engagement based on changing demands.

Newgen's digital transformation platform, now known as NewgenONE, combines existing process automation, content services, and communication management capabilities. The platform enables enterprises to leverage low code to develop and deploy complex, content-driven, and customer-engaging business applications on the cloud. NewgenONE provides users with information, while empowering professional IT developers with speed and agility. Furthermore, it enables seamless integration of business applications with back-end and third-party systems.

"Enterprises are embracing digital transformation to simplify processes spanning siloed departments, information across data systems and files, and customer engagements across channels. NewgenONE is the only platform that can handle such levels of complexity for superior employee and customer experiences. NewgenONE unlocks simple," said Diwakar Nigam, Managing Director and Chairman, Newgen Software.

"Our platform does it all  from developing 100% custom-fit business applications to helping enterprises leverage hyperautomation and robotic process automation; from enabling scalability in processes to simplifying use cases across industries. The platform seamlessly handles complex business processes and manages the complex information related to those processes," he further added.

The NewgenONE Digital Transformation Platform unlocks simple in business operations, making it easier for all stakeholders to participate, utilize information, make decisions, and service their internal and external customers.

NewgenONE is in direct response to enterprises' growing need for managing business complexities, enabling customer success, and expediting digital transformation. Enterprises across 72 countries rely on NewgenONE's underlying, industry-leading platforms for their customer-facing and content-driven business transformation initiatives.

About Newgen Software Technologies Limited

Newgen is the leading provider of a unified digital transformation platform with native process automation, content services, and communication management capabilities. Globally, successful enterprises rely on Newgen's industry-recognized low code application platform to develop and deploy complex, content-driven, and customer-engaging business applications on the cloud. From onboarding to service requests, lending to underwriting, and for many more use cases across industries. Newgen unlocks simple with speed and agility.

For more details, visit www.newgensoft.com

Media Contact:

Asif Khan

[email protected]

SOURCE Newgen Software Technologies Limited
The low code platform unlocks simple from complex, content-driven business operations

SINGAPORE, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newgen Software is excited to unveil the one and only, comprehensive digital transformation platform  NewgenONE  to simplify even the most complex business processes, manage the messiest information, and drive customer engagement based on changing demands.

Newgen's digital transformation platform, now known as NewgenONE, combines existing process automation, content services, and communication management capabilities. The platform enables enterprises to leverage low code to develop and deploy complex, content-driven, and customer-engaging business applications on the cloud. NewgenONE provides users with information, while empowering professional IT developers with speed and agility. Furthermore, it enables seamless integration of business applications with back-end and third-party systems.

"Enterprises are embracing digital transformation to simplify processes spanning siloed departments, information across data systems and files, and customer engagements across channels. NewgenONE is the only platform that can handle such levels of complexity for superior employee and customer experiences. NewgenONE unlocks simple," said Diwakar Nigam, Managing Director and Chairman, Newgen Software.

"Our platform does it all  from developing 100% custom-fit business applications to helping enterprises leverage hyperautomation and robotic process automation; from enabling scalability in processes to simplifying use cases across industries. The platform seamlessly handles complex business processes and manages the complex information related to those processes," he further added.

The NewgenONE Digital Transformation Platform unlocks simple in business operations, making it easier for all stakeholders to participate, utilize information, make decisions, and service their internal and external customers.

NewgenONE is in direct response to enterprises' growing need for managing business complexities, enabling customer success, and expediting digital transformation. Enterprises across 72 countries rely on NewgenONE's underlying, industry-leading platforms for their customer-facing and content-driven business transformation initiatives.

About Newgen Software Technologies Pte Ltd.

Newgen is the leading provider of a unified digital transformation platform with native process automation, content services, and communication management capabilities. Globally, successful enterprises rely on Newgen's industry-recognized low code application platform to develop and deploy complex, content-driven, and customer-engaging business applications on the cloud. From onboarding to service requests, lending to underwriting, and for many more use cases across industries. Newgen unlocks simple with speed and agility.

For more details, visit www.newgensoft.com

Media Contact:

Asif Khan

[email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/676258/Newgen_Logo.jpg



SOURCE Newgen Software Technologies Pte Ltd.
NAPERVILLE, Ill., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nicor Gas' Renewable Gas Interconnection Pilot received approval July 8 from the Illinois Commerce Commission. The pilot aims to encourage the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities within Nicor Gas' service territory, and allows the company to determine how RNG can be efficiently integrated into its natural gas distribution system as a safe, reliable and clean energy source for customers.

"Nicor Gas is committed to helping our communities thrive and to bettering our environment. This program seeks to do that by bringing sustainable, clean RNG to the marketplace, while creating clean energy jobs and new revenue streams for Illinois businesses," said John O. Hudson III, president and CEO of Nicor Gas. "We look forward to working with RNG producers and consumers during the pilot program while helping our state lead in the progress toward a clean energy future."

As a part of the pilot, Nicor Gas will enable the interconnection of new RNG facilities, which create a pathway for lower carbon fuels to be available to customers by displacing traditional, geologic natural gas. With an investment capped at $16 million, the pilot marks the first time an Illinois gas utility has a tariff that allows its distribution system to interconnect renewable fuel production systems, creating a sustainable and clean energy solution for Illinois.

RNG is a sustainable and reliable non-fossil fuel produced from sources such as food and animal waste, wastewater plants and landfill gas. As these organic waste sources decompose, methane is produced. RNG projects, like those eligible to enroll in Nicor Gas' Renewable Gas Interconnection Pilot, capture the methane and convert it into RNG that is an interchangeable substitute for geologic natural gas. Converting waste to clean RNG and integrating it into Nicor Gas' distribution system reduces greenhouse gas emissions while creating new jobs and business opportunities in the community.

According to an Illinois economic impact study by EcoEngineers, just one RNG project could create up to 229 part-time jobs during construction, 46 full-time jobs during operations and $478 million in total economic output over the 20-year project life.

For more information about RNG and Nicor Gas, please visit nicorgas.com/rng. RNG suppliers interested in the Renewable Gas Interconnection Pilot can contact [email protected] for more information.

About Nicor Gas

Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit nicorgas.com.

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America's premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 666,000 retail customers. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

SOURCE Nicor Gas

Related Links

http://nicorgas.com


BANGALORE, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nurse Call Systems Market is Segmented by Product Type (Wired Nurse Call Systems, Wireless Nurse Call Systems), Application (Medical Institutions, Assisted Living Centers and Nursing Homes). The report covers global opportunity analysis and industry forecast 2027. It is published in Valuates Reports under Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

In 2020, the global Nurse Call Systems market size was USD 1669.4 Million and is forecast to 2973.7 Million USD in 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period 2021-2027.

Major Factors driving the growth of the Nurse Call Systems market are:

A significant increase in the need for efficient and responsive health care communication between patient and nurse.

The growing patient population is anticipated to contribute to the significant growth of the market during the forecast period.

The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in countries worldwide starting to conjure Emergency Corona-wards out of nothing. Numerous patients pooled in very confined spaces need options to call for help and staff has to react quickly. As a result Nurse Call Systems is likely to see significant expansion and acceptance.

Get your sample today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-1Y5175/Global_Nurse_Call_Systems_Market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF NURSE CALL SYSTEMS MARKET

Ease of communication and diverse applications of nurse call systems is expected to drive the growth of the nurse call systems market. Nurse call systems are crucial for effective communication in healthcare settings. These technologies allow for quicker, tailored communication between patients, clinicians, and caregivers, resulting in improved patient satisfaction and care quality. Nurse call systems have become an important feature of a hospital's communication system as a result of these benefits.

Nurse call systems help reduce healthcare worker fatigue and aid in timely care to the patients. Especially in a time of crisis where the number of healthcare workers is less when compared to the patient's count, the Nurse call system helps by allowing healthcare workers to know exactly the location or room a patient is calling from, and provide care in a timely manner. This feature is expected to further increase the system adoption thereby driving the nurse call system market size.

Browse the Table of Contents and List of figures at: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Auto-1Y5175/global-nurse-call-systems

NURSE CALL SYSTEMS MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Based on product type, the Wired Nurse Call Systems sector is expected to have the highest revenue share during the forecast period, accounting for roughly 58% of total sales volume in 2019.

Based on the application, the Medical Institutions category is expected to account for 85.71% of sales in 2019.

North America is expected to be the most lucrative region during the forecast period. The quick penetration and acceptance of nurse call systems by multiple healthcare organizations, notably nursing facilities and hospitals, is credited with the market expansion in this region. Furthermore, a growing geriatric population and rising healthcare spending in the United States are expected to positively impact the growth of the nurse call systems market in North America.

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MAJOR TOP COMPANIES IN THE NURSE CALL SYSTEM MARKET:

Hill-Rom Holding continued to rank top among the top companies in Nurse Call Systems in 2019. Hill-Rom Holding accounted for roughly 19% of the global Nurse Call Systems revenue market. Ascom Holding and Johnson Controls(Tyco), accounted for almost 17% and 9% of the total respectively in 2019.

Hill-Rom Holding, Inc.

Ascom Holding

Johnson Controls (Tyco)

Rauland-Borg Corporation

Stanley Healthcare

CARECOM Co. Ltd

Critical Alert Systems LLC

Aid Call

Static Systems Group Plc

Shandong Yarward Electronics

IndigoCare

Azure Healthcare Limited

Schrack Seconet AG

TekTone Sound & Signal Mfg., Inc.

Jeron Electronic Systems, Inc.

West-Com Nurse Call Systems, Inc.

LonBon Technology

Beijing Xinfeng Nangle Technology

Shenzhen Xin De Liang Electronics

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SIMILAR REPORTS

- The global Remote Patient Monitoring Products market size is projected to reach USD 2632.4 Million by 2027, from USD 1052 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 14.0% during 2021-2027.

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- The global Clinical Alarm Management market size is projected to reach USD 1332 Million by 2027, from USD 431.4 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 17.4% during 2021-2027.

- The global internet of things in healthcare market size was valued at USD 113.75 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 332.67 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 13.20% from 2020 to 2027.

- The global Patient Engagement Solutions market size is projected to reach USD 39070 Million by 2026, from USD 12190 Million in 2019, at a CAGR of 18.1% during the forecast period 2021-2026.

- Visual Nurse Call Systems Market contains segmentation By Type (Conventional System, Smart System), By Application (Medical Institutions, Assisted Living Centers and Nursing Homes)

- The global Emergency Department Information System market size is projected to reach USD 1011 Million by 2027, from USD 551.5 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 8.6% during 2021-2027.

- The global Healthcare Consulting Services market size is projected to reach USD 15690 million by 2026, from USD 8944.8 million in 2019, at a CAGR of 8.3% during 2021-2026

- Patient Intake Software Market contains segmentation By Type (On-Premise, Cloud-Based), By Application (Hospital, Clinic, Others)

- The global mHealth Apps market size is projected to reach USD 101,550 Million by 2026, from USD 30,160 Million in 2019, at a CAGR of 18.4% during the forecast period 2021-2026

- The global healthcare payer services market size was valued at USD 19,409.52 Million in 2019, and is projected to reach USD 41,906.64 Million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 10.6% from 2020 to 2027.

- The global Healthcare Business Intelligence market size is projected to reach USD 8379.9 Million by 2026, from USD 4205.7 Million in 2019, at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period 2021-2026

To see the full list of related reports on the Healthcare

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"Every five minutes, someone in the world receives the life-altering diagnosis of multiple sclerosis," says Prof. Tissa Wijerante, Chair of the WFN World Brain Day committee. "To support those living with MS and their carers, we have ignited a global campaign to educate the public on this neurological disease."

As part of the World Brain Day 2021 campaign, the WFN and MSIF are asking those with MS, their loved ones, healthcare providers and the public to join in raising awareness to stop multiple sclerosis. The 2021 campaign is also supported by the American Academy of Neurology, European Academy of Neurology and World Health Organization.

"When we join together, we empower and amplify the voices of those most impacted by this disease while uniting the world in a mission to stop multiple sclerosis," says WFN President Prof. William Carroll.

WFN is hosting a free webinar on July 22 at 12:00pm BST to bring the world's leading neurologists, MS experts and patient advocates together to discuss the current state of disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The speakers include:

Prof. William M. Carroll  President of the World Federation of Neurology

 President of the World Federation of Neurology Prof. Tissa Wijeratne  Chair of World Brain Day, World Federation of Neurology

 Chair of World Brain Day, World Federation of Neurology Prof. Wolfgang Grisold  Secretary General of the World Federation of Neurology

 Secretary General of the World Federation of Neurology Prof. Brenda Banwell Chair of MSIF's International Medical and Scientific Board

Chair of MSIF's International Medical and Scientific Board Prof. Mai Sharawy - Chair of the Board of MS International Federation (MSIF)

Additional World Brain Day activities include a live Twitter Chat on Jul 20, 2021at 3:00pm BST, a series of Facebook Live events, educational videos hosted on social media, and use of the hashtag #WorldBrainDay2021.

More than 2.8 million people of all ages live with multiple sclerosis. Access to trained healthcare professionals and to treatment is unavailable in many parts of the world. The goal of World Brain Day is to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis and its impact on the individuals who live with it, their loved ones and society in an effort to improve access to quality neurological care and life-changing treatments.

"While there is no cure for MS, treatments that reduce the risk of relapses and slow disease progression give us plenty of reasons to be hopeful," says Rachel King, International Evidence Manager at MSIF. "As the world comes together on World Brain Day, we again demonstrate how collective voices hold the power of change."

To learn more about multiple sclerosis and to participate in the global awareness activities, please visit https://wfneurology.org/world-brain-day-2021.

About the World Federation of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology represents 122 member neurological societies around the globe whose mission is to foster quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training with an emphasis on underserved areas of the world. WFN supports the spread of accurate research and clinical information in pursuit of improvements in the field of neurology. The Federation unites the globe for brain health annually on July 22 for World Brain Day, with each year focused on a different area of brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at https://wfneurology.org/.

About the MS International Federation (MSIF)

The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) is a unique global network of MS organisations, people affected by MS, volunteers and staff. The global movement tackles the big challenges for people affected by MS, in countries rich and poor. For people living with MS today, the movement improves quality of life, and ultimately looks to end MS forever. Learn more at https://www.msif.org/

Media Contact

Ashley Logan

Yakkety Yak

[email protected]

SOURCE World Federation of Neurology

Related Links

https://wfneurology.org


BOSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic skin patches represent one wearable technology product type that is well suited for physiological monitoring. Placing a connected electronic device onto the skin via an adhesive provides a platform which can house many different types of sensor, most prominently for medical monitoring of the wearer. Over the last 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven a worldwide concerted effort to explore and revise our approaches to patient monitoring and infectious disease management. As with other wearable devices, electronic skin patch products have evolved significantly over this period of time.

The impact of COVID-19 has been significant for many sectors but in vastly different ways. Products for remote patient monitoring saw a significant increase in demand and deployment, with remote monitoring options being significantly more favorable when dealing with a highly infectious disease. Regulatory hurdles were lowered to meet the emergency demand during the pandemic, which saw many companies accelerate in their commercialization on already existing paths. This particularly helped companies in the early stage of commercialization to get to the next stage of scale-up in the long journey to commercializing a mainstream medical device.

For many other sectors, the changes were more subtle. As with other markets, local lockdowns impacted products that require in-person delivery, such as a visit to a cardiologist. However, with many companies already trialing telehealth options, they were often quickly able to scale these up to enable remote delivery of products. As such, whilst late Q1 and Q2 figures may have been impacted negatively, many companies recovered extremely quickly and enabled shifts to potentially more profitable models involving tools such as telehealth.

The net result is that many trends which have been observed in the electronic skin patch market have been accelerated. Familiarity with telehealth and its general acceptance has seen a notable increase in uptake. Remote patient monitoring options have developed further, not just within the monitoring and treatment of specific disease verticals, but also in more general settings. Both of these have been underpinned by a series of prominent acquisitions, seeing some major medical device companies acquiring leading skin patch companies with a view to integrating them within wider digital healthcare ecosystems. Philips' acquisition of BioTelemetry for $2.8bn, announced in December 2020, is the largest and most significant, and one of several deals which are covered and discussed in IDTechEx's latest report on the topic, "Electronic Skin Patches 2021-2031".

This report describes each of the key market sectors where electronic skin patch products are used today. As a diverse product platform, these markets each have very unique dynamics and product ecosystems in which skin patches play a certain role. However, there are also many overarching themes in both technology and business model which span the product sector. The report covers each of these in turn, with historic data back to 2010 and market forecasts to 2031 for each sector covered. As part of this narrative, activities of over 130 companies are covered, including over 50 interviews by IDTechEx analysts as part of the team's focus on primary research.

For more information about this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/patches, or contact the IDTechEx team at [email protected]. For the full portfolio of Wearable research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/WT.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

Media Contact:

Natalie Moreton

Digital Marketing Manager

[email protected]

+44(0)1223 812300

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch

SOURCE IDTechEx
WESTPORT, Ireland, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the midst of significant growth within the global payroll space, Payslip , an automation and integration technology platform for global payroll management, today announced the addition of Sam Hunt as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Aiveen Hyland as VP of Customer Operations to its executive team. In addition, the company plans to dramatically increase its global headcount with more than 100 new hires in the coming months, representing an 150 percent increase in total employee headcount.

Hunt brings over a decade of extensive finance, operational, and advisory experience to his role as CFO. Most recently, Hunt was Director of Finance at Everseen where he led the finance function as the company experienced four years of exceptional growth, establishing operations in seven countries and securing some of the largest global retailers as customers. Prior to that, he excelled in a number of specialist finance areas, including corporate finance, corporate restructuring, and assurance. Leveraging his business-first approach, Hunt will focus his role at Payslip on financing strategy and funding, scaling Payslip's global operations, cost management and compliance, and board and investor management.

Hyland is an internationally experienced customer operations professional with over 20 years of experience managing large scale operations and transformation programs, most recently working in the Enterprise Transformation Office at Bank of Ireland. Prior to that, she was Chief Operation Officer at Vearsa Ltd, leading the company's process transformation to deliver 100%+ year over year growth. In her new role at Payslip, Hyland will use her strong leadership and relationship management skills to scale the operational delivery model within the Customer Success division, ensuring quality support and best practices for enterprise clients and partners.

In line with its goal to deliver seamless global payroll to multinational employers across the globe, Payslip will also add dozens of new hires to its international team, primarily within the technology and engineering sectors. Additional roles will be filled in the customer success, sales, and technology support sectors, as well. Payslip anticipates that approximately 30 percent of these 100+ roles will be fully remote, available to be worked anywhere in the world, while the remaining 70 percent of hires will be based in Ireland. There is increasing appeal to working within the financial technology space, especially for an organization like Payslip that is disrupting and changing the way that multinational global payroll is delivered and managed.

"We're delighted to announce our new colleagues in our growing executive and leadership team. Sam and Aiveen have considerable depth and breadth of experience driving growth in high potential SaaS B2B companies, across international markets and enabling strong systems and customer success. Their energy, excitement and determination to build impact fits very well in our Payslip culture that drives our continued growth and innovation," said Fidelma McGuirk, Payslip Founder and CEO. "We're in an unprecedented high-growth phase of our journey at Payslip, and we're excited to be seeking out the best global talent for a range of new positions across engineering, customer success, sales, and tech support."

Payslip's rapid expansion results from a record year of growth for the company, which saw a nearly 100% increase in employee headcount, 40% revenue growth, and 25% quarterly customer growth. Earlier this year, the company also announced a successful close of an additional $10M to its Series A financing round, bringing the company's total financing to $14.5M.

Payslip is already used by dozens of multinational organizations throughout various industries and customers include LogMeIn, Get Your Guide, Cloudera, and Airbus. To learn more, or to enquire about available global positions, please visit www.payslip.com .

About Payslip: Payslip provides Automation & Integration technology that delivers standardized Global Payroll Management to multinational employers. Payslip technology integrates with HCM & Accounting/ERP systems: automating payroll processes, standardizing payroll data and consolidating payroll reporting. Companies can centrally manage their global payroll operations with visibility, control and governance while scaling easily into new countries.

SOURCE Payslip

Related Links

https://payslip.com


PARIS, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PEP-Therapy, a biotechnology company developing cell penetrating peptides as targeted therapies for the treatment of cancers, announced today that it raised an additional 2.6 million ($3 million) in an extension of its Series A financing round, bringing the total raised in this round to 5.4 million ($6.4 million). This new funding comprises 1.6 million in equity from Anaxago, i&i Prague and BADGE as well as a 1 million loan from Bpifrance. This increased financial support highlights the potential of PEP-010, as well as PEP-Therapy's Cell Penetrating & Interfering Peptide (CP&IP) technology platform, which was first developed at Sorbonne University and Institut Curie.

PEP-010 is the first of a new class of therapeutic peptides based on PEP-Therapy's innovative Cell Penetrating & Interfering Peptide (CP&IP) technology. These innovative molecules penetrate cells and specifically block relevant intracellular protein-protein interactions, leading to the inhibition of key pathological mechanisms, without altering physiological mechanisms.

PEP-Therapy will use the funds to finance the Phase I a/b clinical trial of PEP-010, PEP-Therapy's lead candidate, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. The first part of the Series A, which closed in April 2021, will finance the Phase Ia dose escalation part of the study, with the additional funds being used for the development of PEP-010 until the end of the expansion cohorts, Phase Ib.

PEP-Therapy expects to generate promising clinical data from this study, particularly in two indications: metastatic triple negative breast cancer and platinum resistant ovarian cancer. Patients with these two types of solid tumors have a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic alternatives.

Antoine Prestat, CEO and co-founder of PEP-Therapy, said: "We are delighted to have completed this financing round via an attractive balance of dilutive and non-dilutive funds from new high quality and diversified investors who will bring expertise and new insights to support our development."

Jaromir Zahradka, PhD, CEO of i&i, commented: "PEP-Therapy has developed an extensive knowledge of targeted peptides and the promising preclinical data the company has generated show great potential. We are looking forward to seeing the confirmation of the positive results seen in preclinical data in the upcoming Phase I study."

Gaston Vasseur, Investment Manager at Anaxago, added "This extended financing highlights PEP-Therapy's capacity to attract highly specialized as well as diversified investors. The Company has managed to rapidly secure the funding for the Phase I trial with PEP-010, a very important milestone for the company. We are happy to contribute to this financing round in conjunction with a number of experienced life science investors."

In addition, PEP-Therapy and its clinical partners, Institut Curie and Gustave Roussy, previously received a 2.9 million grant from the French state innovation fund  Fonds Unique Interministeriel (FUI)  to finance nonclinical and early clinical development of PEP-010.

About PEP-Therapy

PEP-Therapy is a French biotechnology company developing first-in-class peptides as targeted therapies in oncology based on the Company's innovative Cell Penetrating and Interfering Peptides (CP&IP) technology. These innovative molecules penetrate cells and specifically block relevant intracellular protein-protein interactions, leading to the inhibition of key pathological mechanisms without altering physiological mechanisms.

PEP-Therapy, which was founded in 2014 and builds on research from Sorbonne University and Institut Curie, is backed by international investors: Anaxago, i&i Prague, Italian Angels for Growth (IAG), Doorway, Magna Capital Partners (MCP), Business Angels des Grandes Ecoles (BADGE), Seventure Partners (Quadrivium 1 Seed Fund), and Dr. Bernard Majoie (former Chairman and CEO of Laboratoires Fournier, Founding Chairman of Fournier-Majoie Foundation for Innovation).

For more information, please visit www.pep-therapy.com

About Anaxago

Founded in 2012, Anaxago Venture Capital is a digital VC firm specialised in Healthtech & Biotech, Proptech, Fintech and Impact investing. Anaxago Venture Capital has financed more than 45 companies since its creation.

Find more on: https://venturecapital.anaxago.com/

Contact: [email protected]

About i&i Prague

i&i Prague focuses on scouting and supporting innovative technologies in the field of drug development, diagnostics and medical devices. It supports the foundation of spin-off companies and invests in their pre-seed to Series A phases. So far, i&i Prague has supported more than 10 spin-off companies from 4 countries with total investment of almost 3.0 Million. i&i Prague also supports the commercialization of innovative technologies from over 15 research institutions and universities in the Czech Republic and abroad.

For further information visit: www.iniprague.com

About BADGE

Business Angels des Grandes Ecoles (BADGE), created in 2004, is a leading French Business Angels association with more than 280 members, and having participated in 21 fundraisings in 2020 of a combined value of over 5.3 million.

Its members are recognized leaders in all sectors of the industry and are willing to finance and support young innovative companies with high growth potential.

BADGE aims to:

Identify and review promising innovative projects

Conduct fund-raising for the most promising ones

Support the entrepreneurs with individualized business advice and key contacts

Provide training and methodological support to its members

BADGE has thus financed more than 185 young companies since its creation.

Find more on: www.business-angels.info

Contacts



PEP-Therapy

Antoine Prestat, CEO & co-founder

[email protected]

+33 1 81 70 76 82



MEDiSTRAVA Consulting

Sylvie Berrebi, David Dible

[email protected]

+44 (0)7714 306525

SOURCE PEP-Therapy
BERKELEY, Calif., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pivot Bio , the leading nitrogen innovator in agriculture, announced today the close of a $430 million Series D funding led by DCVC and Temasek, bringing the total equity raised to more than $600 million. The funding will fuel the company's accelerating release of disruptive products focused on replacing the $60 billion of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer sold each year just to sustain corn, wheat, and rice. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer supports the demands of today's global food system. But it is inefficient, expensive for farmers, contributes to seven percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, depletes soils, and harms water supplies and fisheries  synthetic nitrogen is no longer a viable solution for farmers and food security.

Since the company introduced the industry's first commercially available microbial nitrogen in 2019, Pivot Bio has replaced synthetic nitrogen on more than 1 million crop acres in 2021 alone, representing more than 300% growth year-over-year and unprecedented agricultural product adoption. Pivot Bio's clean nitrogen immediately decreases and permanently prevents synthetic nitrogen emissions from the environment, potentially avoiding approximately $200 billion of environmental impact. Pivot Bio has achieved these breakthroughs with proprietary computational and microbiome technologies, multi-scale automated testing, and deep scientific expertise unrivaled by any other company in its market.

Generation Investment Management , G2 Venture Partners , and Rockefeller Capital Management join returning investors in Pivot Bio's Series D, including Series D co-leads DCVC , also the Seed, Series A lead, and material investor in all funding rounds since the company's inception, and Temasek , also Series C co-lead; Breakthrough Energy Ventures , the Series B lead and Series C co-lead; Continental Grain Company ; Prelude Ventures ; Pavilion Capital ; Bunge Ventures, the venture capital arm of the leading global agribusiness and food company Bunge; Tekfen Ventures ; and Roger Underwood , the co-founder of industry-leading biological technology company Becker Underwood. Pivot Bio's next stage of growth will focus on rapidly scaling its U.S. business and expanding into key international markets.

"Pivot Bio exemplifies the power of DeepTech solutions to create equitable and profitable outcomes for all stakeholders in immense industries like agriculture," said Matt Ocko , Co-Managing Partner of DCVC. "Farmers are able to grow more crops to feed more people, more cost-effectively, while being even better stewards of their land and water. Societies benefit from both more abundant food and more climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture. Pivot Bio has delivered the kind of win-win-win breakthrough DCVC is honored to back, and on which we are focused as a firm."

"We are thrilled to be investing in Pivot Bio, given the deep trust they have built among farmers by providing solutions which are both more sustainable and profitable for their customers," said Lila Preston , Head of Growth Equity at Generation Investment Management. "We look forward to supporting the company as it accelerates its broader climate impacts on a global basis."

Pivot Bio is selling the first disruptive agricultural products in decades through a direct-to-grower model by creating mutual trust and economic success for both the farmer and the company. Developed in close consultation with farmers, the company's nutrient measurement tools, grower engagement programs, and a direct-to-farm supply chain adapt to the dynamic challenges on each farm, and deliver long-term, predictable revenue for both Pivot Bio and its farmer partners. Pivot Bio is the only company in the world to have shipped a synthetic nitrogen fertilizer replacement at scale with performance that meet farmers' tough requirements and the company expects to retain this position for years to come.

"Pivot Bio is driven to serve farmers by simplifying the challenges of managing nitrogen and ensuring resilient farm productivity. We have built a platform for accelerating nitrogen innovation in the market, and our products are delivering recurring positive outcomes for the growers we serve," said Karsten Temme, Ph.D ., Pivot Bio co-founder and CEO. "We are establishing relationships that will span decades, and aim to provide the sole source of nitrogen needed to power the economic and environmental sustainability of global agriculture for generations to come."

Pivot Bio PROVEN 40, the company's fourth commercial product in three years, enables farmers to replace up to 40 pounds per acre of synthetic nitrogen, almost double the performance of Pivot Bio's inaugural product. The product streamlines farming operations, potentially eliminating machinery and labor required to apply synthetic nitrogen. It represents a more consistent, weatherproof way to ensure nitrogen is delivered into the crop throughout the growing season instead of being left in the soil or lost from the field.

"We have earned the trust of farmers for our direct-to-grower approach and have proven that our products provide consistent yields and profits for farmers, even in the face of a volatile climate," said Karsten Temme. "Our track record of delivering a solution to address farmers' needs and remediate the challenges facing our planet has also earned us the support and confidence of our investors. The Pivot Bio team looks forward to continuing our success at scale."

Farmers urgently need a clean nitrogen source that supports the environmental needs of their farmland while delivering productivity. Crops only use about half of the total synthetic nitrogen applied to agricultural fields. A portion of the unused synthetic nitrogen is emitted as nitrous oxide, a GHG that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and other nitrogen gases. As a result, synthetic nitrogen has become the leading cause of crop-related GHGs. Unused synthetic nitrogen also ends up in our waterways in the form of nitrates, impacting water quality, and significantly contributing to the more than 500 global oceanic dead zones.

Similar to the evidence of rising atmospheric CO2 levels that first emerged in the 1950s, there is now mounting proof that synthetic nitrogen is correlated to the degradation of farm soils. The more synthetic nitrogen is used to increase food supply, the more farm soil degrades and jeopardizes the entire food system increasingly year by year. Pivot Bio is committed to protecting farmers' land and preserving the global food system with current and sustained breakthrough innovation in crop nutrients.

About Pivot Bio

At Pivot Bio, we believe in meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Our unparalleled understanding of the crop microbiome will help create a future with cleaner water and air. We are dedicated to providing farmers with solutions that enable them to grow high-quality, environmentally-responsible and sustainably focused crops to help feed families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pivotbio.com and follow @pivotbio on Twitter. For press materials, visit https://www.pivotbio.com/presskit.

Contact:

Tracy Willits

VP-Communications

Pivot Bio

515-202-7714

[email protected]

SOURCE Pivot Bio

Related Links

https://www.pivotbio.com


LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Purify Fuel is pleased to announce it will be presenting its nanO2 ESG combustion catalyst technology at CleanEquity Monaco 2021 on July 22nd & 23rd at the Fairmont Hotel Monte Carlo. CleanEquity is an annual invitation-only event hosted by Innovator Capital, the London based specialist investment bank. The event provides an intimate and collegial setting for inventors and entrepreneurs to share their stories with investors looking to assist them with reaching their commercial and strategic goals.

"Our company is honored to be recognized at CleanEquity Monaco 2021" stated Purify Fuel's CEO John Carroll who will be presenting their nanO2 ESG combustion catalyst at the event. "It is a testament to CleanEquity's vision that we need both short- and long-term solutions to today's climate crisis. The reality is the majority of industries are still (despite their best efforts) dependent on heavy diesel now and for the foreseeable future. There are limited options to help this primary fuel source burn cleaner; we are proud to be one of the few companies offering solutions today".

Other partners and sponsors of the conference include Prince Albert II of Monaco's Foundation, Cision, Covington & Burling, Cranfield University, the Monaco Economic Board and Taronis Fuels.

Purify Fuel has been identified as one of the world's most innovative sustainable technology companies and will be presenting to selected sovereign, corporate, family and professional investors,policy makers, end users and international trade media. Its nanO2 ESG combustion catalyst technology provides a transitional solution that will help fight climate change until alternatives are invented. The product has been extensively tested since the middle of last year and has been aggressively launched across multiple industries (rail, marine, oil and gas, and mining).

About Purify Fuel:

Purify Fuel develops and manufactures a line of patented nanO2 Combustion Catalysts that optimize diesel, biodiesel and dual fuel engines to help operators in heavy duty diesel industries save money, increase power, and reduce emissions. Our nanO2 ESG Combustion Catalyst achieves a more complete combustion that chemically alters the timing of a compression combustion engine to use a larger percentage of the fuel to create power which reduces unburned fuel escaping in the exhaust as smoke. Testing has demonstrated a 6-10% improvement in fuel efficiency and 25-50% reductions of harmful emissions without any engine modifications. Purify Fuel nanO2 ESG catalysts reduces fuel consumption while eliminating nitrous oxide to lessen the Global Warming Potential by 7-15%. Successful testing across multiple sectors (marine, oil and gas, rail) has demonstrated that our product works to reduce greenhouse gases, eliminates harmful emissions while saving our customers money  an ESG home run.

About Innovator Capital Limited

Innovator Capital (ICL), established in 2003, is a London based specialist investment bank focusing on health and sustainable technology companies; advising on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, IP, business & corporate development. ICL's mission is to assist IP rich private & public companies with finding the right investors, acquirers, customers, licensees and commercial partners.

For more information on Purify Fuel, please visit purifyfuel.com

Event website: https://www.cleanequitymonaco.com

Press Contact

Carleen Walker

Purify Fuel

[email protected]

+1 (203) 260-0480

SOURCE Innovator Capital

Related Links

www.innovator-capital.com


NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QIC, a long-term specialist manager in alternatives, said today that QIC Global Infrastructure has invested more than $2 billion over the past 18 months to accelerate the delivery of sustainable decentralized infrastructure in North America. In making these investments, consistent with its strategy across energy transition, decarbonization, and distributed infrastructure, QIC has multiplied the size of its U.S. infrastructure portfolio since 2019. This growth reflects:

QIC's follow-on investment in Generate on behalf of its global funds and clients, leading the $2 billion capital raising Generate announced today, accelerating its deployment of sustainable decentralized infrastructure solutions at scale. This investment follows QIC's Lead Investor role in Generate's $1 billion capital raising in February 2020 .

capital raising Generate announced today, accelerating its deployment of sustainable decentralized infrastructure solutions at scale. This investment follows QIC's Lead Investor role in Generate's capital raising in . Completion of the acquisition by QIC and its partner Ullico of the acquisition of CenTrio (formerly known as Enwave Energy USA ), the largest pure-play district energy platform in the U.S., on July 16, 2021 .

QIC also announced today that it has appointed Peggy Smyth as U.S. Senior Advisor, Global Infrastructure, based in North America, and Chair of the CenTrio Board of Directors. In her Senior Advisor role, Ms. Smyth, the former Chief Financial Officer of National Grid U.S. and current Independent Director of Etsy and Frontier Communications, will work closely with QIC Global Infrastructure's North American investment team, comprising six investment professionals based in New York, on investment strategy and asset management.

Ross Israel, Head of Global Infrastructure at QIC, said, "The investments we have made in the U.S. over the past 18 months significantly expand our North American infrastructure portfolio and footprint, now spanning 30 states. They are consistent with our thematic strategy across energy transition, decarbonization, and distributed infrastructure - themes that have never been more relevant. We will continue leveraging our energy sector expertise to accelerate deployment of sustainable decentralized infrastructure solutions across North America while delivering meaningful benefits for customers and communities and building long-term value for our investors."

Arash Shojaie, QIC's Energy & Utilities Sector Leader for North America, said, "Since 2019, QIC has led Generate's $3 billion equity capital raisings, acquired the district energy platform CenTrio, acquired Australia's largest off-grid power generation company Pacific Energy, and positioned PowAR to become one of Australia's leading wind and solar generation platforms through the pending A$2.9 billion acquisition of Tilt. Our ability to secure and grow leading decarbonization and decentralization investments has never been stronger, even as our pursuit of opportunities in digital infrastructure, waste, and traditional utilities gains momentum. We are delighted to welcome Peggy to our team as we continue to grow our North American infrastructure platform."

Generate builds, owns, operates, and finances sustainable decentralized infrastructure that delivers affordable, reliable resource solutions for companies, governments, and communities. Over the last seven years, it has built about $2 billion in sustainable infrastructure assets across the energy, waste, water and transport markets, deploying proven solutions that can have an immediate impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resource efficiency. The company works with more than 40 technology and project development partners to build infrastructure that serves the mission-critical needs of over 1,000 customers, including companies, universities, school districts, cities, and non-profits across North America.

CenTrio is the largest pure-play U.S. district energy provider. As an industry leader, it delivers reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy to customers across the U.S., providing critical heating, cooling, and electricity solutions to more than 400 buildings in urban centers, universities, and hospitals. The company owns and operates assets in Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, Syracuse, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland, operating intelligent thermal energy systems that generate, store, and share energy.

The acquisition of CenTrio further diversifies QIC's North American infrastructure portfolio, which, in addition to Generate, includes U.S. concession investments in the campus parking systems at Northeastern University through MasParc and Mobility and at The Ohio State University through CampusParc, as well as the Long Beach Courthouse PPP. QIC Global Infrastructure now has investments in 30 states across more than 330 cities in the U.S. employing a total of 280 people.

With the addition of CenTrio, QIC's global infrastructure footprint has now grown to encompass 21 assets in six countries across the transport, energy and utilities, and social/PPP sectors.

About QIC:

QIC is a long-term specialist manager in alternatives offering infrastructure, real estate, private capital, liquid strategies and multi-asset investments. It is one of the largest institutional investment managers in Australia, with A$85bn (US$65bn) in funds under management1. QIC has over 800 employees and serves more than 115 clients. Headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, QIC also has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco and London. For more information, please visit: www.qic.com. 1As at 31 Dec 2020

About QIC Global Infrastructure:

QIC is a long-term infrastructure investor with an established global platform, an active management approach and a proven, 15-year track record. With a global team of more than 61 professionals across five offices (including an office in New York)1, QIC Global Infrastructure manages A$21.4bn (US$16.1bn) across 20 global direct investments and has realised in excess of A$12 billion (US$9bn) back to its clients2. Its sector-centric and thematic-based investment strategy deconstructs risk across sector value chains identifying relative value for investment across market cycles. This drives a targeted origination approach, enabling the firm to build diversified portfolios for its clients.

1As at 15 July 2021 2As at 30 June 2021. USD values converted using 30 June 2021 FX rates

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

QIC Limited ACN 130 539 123 ("QIC") is a wholesale funds manager and its products and services are not directly available to, and this document may not be provided to any, retail clients. QIC is a company government owned corporation constituted under the Queensland Investment Corporation Act 1991 (Qld). QIC is regulated by State Government legislation pertaining to government owned corporations in addition to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ("Corporations Act"). QIC Private Capital Pty Ltd ("QPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of QIC, has been issued with an AFS licence and other wholly owned subsidiaries of QIC are authorised representatives of QPC. QIC's subsidiaries are required to comply with the Corporations Act. QIC does not hold an Australian financial services ("AFS") licence and certain provisions (including the financial product disclosure provisions) of the Corporations Act do not apply to QIC. QIC also has wholly owned subsidiaries authorised, registered or licensed by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the Korean Financial Services Commission.

For more information about QIC, our approach, clients and regulatory framework, please refer to our website www.qic.com or contact us directly.

The statements and any opinions in this document (the "Information") are for commentary purposes only and do not take into account any investor's personal, financial or tax objectives, situation or needs. The Information is not intended to constitute personal legal or investment advice and it does not constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy, securities or any other investment, investment management or advisory services.

SOURCE QIC

Related Links

https://www.qic.com


Qingdao Port's fully automated container terminal is the world's most advanced of its kind due to its high degree of automation, as well as the terminal with the fastest loading and unloading efficiency, and Asia's first totally automated such facility. The single-machine operating rate averaged 36.2 units per hour and peaked at 47.6 units for fully automated operation, comprehensively surpassing traditional ports powered by manual labor and more than 50% higher than similar automated terminals in other countries. Current projects, once completed, will yield six fully automated berths. The terminal occupies a water frontage of 2,088 meters, a depth in front of the quay of 20 meters, and a docking capacity for handling container ships carrying in the aggregate 24,000 TEUs. With a designed annual throughput of 5.2 million TEUs, it is one of the largest automated terminals in the world.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the advantages of the automated container terminal came to the fore, with a 36% year-on-year rise in operation throughput without human drivers, no personnel contact throughout the whole process and achievement of an average efficiency of 47.6 TEUs moved per hour for a single crane, setting a new world record for the sixth time.

In June 2021, the world's first demonstration model of an intelligent air rail collection and distribution system was put into operation, representing another breakthrough for the technology deployed at Qingdao Port.

From concept to operation, the Port was independently designed and built by the engineers at Shandong Port Group. Dubbed the "Qingdao Model", the port is now serving as an example of what can be achieved in port operations, while the lineup of benefits as a result of this accomplishment is impressive: low operations cost, short cycle, high efficiency, full intelligence, higher safety and zero emissions.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province
CONYERS, Ga., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Reco McDaniel McCambry has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Business & Finance. These prestigious biographical registries profile people who excel in terms of achievement and influence, making their collection a true directory of movers and shakers of the modern world. McCambry's induction comes mere months after the designation of a holiday in his honor in his hometown of McDonough, Georgia.

Congratulations Reco McDaniel McCambry on your induction into Marquis Who's Who in America!

What has McCambry done to warrant such recognition? After being raised by his single mother in a low-income Georgia neighborhood, McCambry went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University and a Master of Business Administration from Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University, where he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. During this time, he was inducted into the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society as well as the Golden Key International Honor Society. Over the last two decades he has found several multi-million-dollar businesses and currently offers free business mentorship calls to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.

In his latest community service move, McCambry released a book titled "The Plan After Police Reform That Will GUARANTEE Social Justice and Progress for the Black Community." He gave away thousands of copies of the book, which covers topics of Black history, political strategy, financial strategy, and personal development, for free to all interested readers through his websites for the duration of Black History Month. He also published a companion workbook with specific exercises to assist readers in furthering their education and personal development while finding their own community service mission.

Mr. McCambry currently excels as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Novae LLC. Novae, also known as Novae Money, is a financial consulting and training company that develops and sells products and services designed to educate and facilitate the building of intergenerational wealth for its customers. With tools like professional assistance from financial experts and educational how-to courses and assistance on topics like building credit, buying a home, investing into real estate, and entrepreneurship, Novae is a business with the mission of spreading prosperity. Other services include providing businesses access to funding and consumer financing. McCambry focuses his message on inspiring communities like the one he grew up in, where financial education was nonexistent and entrepreneurship was an impossible dream for many.

McCambry also currently serves as an industry expert contributor on Forbes.com as a member of the Forbes Business Council offering expert advice on topics such as how to obtain business funding and building business credit. He also serves on the leadership council of the National Small Business Association out of Washington, D.C.

Throughout his career, Mr. McCambry has sought to achieve as much as possibleand to prove to others like himself that the same is possible for them. McCambry's long list of honors and accomplishments stands as testament to what a little boy from the projects of Georgia can do.

Contact: Arielle Dothard (678) 750 - 3787

SOURCE Marquis Who's Who
OTTAWA, ON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Today, the Government of Canada announced the details of its approach to easing border measures for some travellers entering Canada.

These measures will only come into force on August 9th at 12:01 a.m. ET.

It is important to note that, in the meantime, travel restrictions remain in place for all foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens. Seeking entry to Canada for discretionary (non-essential) travel  such as tourism and recreation continues to be prohibited until then.

Examples of discretionary travel include, but are not limited to: hikes across the border, social events, such as birthday parties or weddings, camping, picking up a pet, visiting or checking on a seasonal residence, etc.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents without a right of entry to Canada or who are not otherwise eligible to enter Canada under the current travel restrictions, and who attempt to visit Canada for discretionary reasons will be turned away at the border, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Before heading to the border, U.S travellers should be informed and know their obligations. The Government of Canada has a website to assist travellers in finding out if they can enter Canada and, if able to enter, what their public health obligations are: Find out if you can enter Canada.

Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians. As vaccination, case counts and hospitalization rates evolve, the Government of Canada will continue to consider further targeted measures at the bordersand when to lift or adjust themto keep Canadians safe and the economy running.

Related Products

Associated Links

SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency

Related Links

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/


BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RoboForex, an international financial broker, announces the start of the promotion for its clients and partners to celebrate the company's 11th birthday. The promotion will last from July 2021 to April 2022. The total prize pool is $1,100,000.

Each month, 54 money prizes for the total sum of $110,000 will be given away. The prizes will be distributed among owners of special Coupons, which can be received for trading on RoboForex accounts and attracting new clients to the company as a partner. One can receive up to three Coupons in all categories per month.

Robert Stephenson, Chief Business Officer at RoboForex, is commenting: "Last year was our first experience in launching such a promotion to celebrate the company's anniversary. We received a lot of positive feedback from our clients and partners and decided to launch another similar promotion, but with improved conditions. We've increased the number of prizes and giveaways up to 54 and 10 respectively. This time, we'll be giving away money prizes for the total sum of $110,000 each month. Good luck to everyone!"

Categories for receiving Coupons:

1. Trading on Prime accounts

Prime is an account type with the best trading conditions available at RoboForex.

To receive a Coupon in this category, it's necessary to deposit at least $300 to a Prime account and perform a monthly trading volume from 3 lots. In this case, only the positions in currency pairs and metals opened in the current month are taken into account.

2. Attracting new clients as a RoboForex partner

RoboForex partners have the opportunity to earn up to 60% of the Company's revenue for all transactions of their attracted clients due to VIP conditions and the Loyalty program.

To receive a Coupon in this category, a partner must have at least $300 of partner commission at month-end.

3. Making the CopyFX Top list

CopyFX is an investment platform that allows successful Traders to attract subscribers for copying transactions and receive commissions for that. When trading on CopyFX accounts, a Trader earns not only on their own trading operations but their subscribers as well.

To receive a Coupon in this category, a CopyFX Trader must make the Top 30 of the best Prime accounts at month-end.

More detailed information on how to receive a Coupon can be found on the RoboForex website.

How are the winners decided?

Each Coupon has a unique 6-digit number that will be used for deciding the winners. Participants, whose Coupon numbers will be mathematically the closest to the combinations, will become winners of 54 monthly prizes.

Winning combinations are defined based on stock prices of 54 leading American companies. Stock prices are fixed at the end of the trading session on the first Friday of each month following the month Coupons were granted. For example, a giveaway for the Coupons granted in July will take place on the first Friday of August, 06.08.2021. A combination consists of the last digits of a pair of stocks, which was defined in advance for each of the 54 prize places. The list of these stocks can be found in the "Promotions" section of the RoboForex website.

The price data is taken from an independent public source  finance.yahoo.com.

About RoboForex

RoboForex is a company, which delivers brokerage services. The company provides traders, who work on financial markets, with access to its proprietary trading platforms. RoboForex Ltd has the brokerage license IFSC 000138/210. More detailed information about the Company's products and activities can be found on the official website at Roboforex.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1575771/RoboForex_Logo.jpg

SOURCE RoboForex
ATLANTA, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rollins, Inc. (NYSE: ROL), a premier global consumer and commercial services company, has been named #17 on Automotive Fleet's 2021 list of Top 50 Green Fleets, making it a company with one of the largest "green" vehicle fleets in the U.S.

"We are committed to increasing our numbers of alternative-fuel vehicles to be better stewards of the environment," said Chris Gorecki, Vice President of Operational Support for Rollins, Inc. "We're consistently assessing new solutions that generate sustainable efficiencies for the business. We are proud of how far we've come but know there is still much to be done across our large fleet."

The Automotive Fleet's 2021 list represents more than 92,000 vehicles  everything from compressed natural gas (CNG), propane autogas and flex fuel to hybrid electric, electric, biodiesel, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles. Automotive Fleet's listing offers a full breakdown of all the alternative vehicles operated by each company on the list as well as the total number of green vehicles in each fleet.

As Rollins moves forward in the 21st Century, sustainability, stewardship, and shareholder engagement are at the core of our business. We constantly strive to uphold our values in sustainability, while making innovations to improve our service programs through new technologies and processes. Our annual sustainability report is available here.

About Rollins

Rollins, Inc. is a premier global consumer and commercial services company. Through its family of leading brands, Orkin, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Clark Pest Control, Orkin Canada, Western Pest Services, Northwest Exterminating, McCall Service, Critter Control, The Industrial Fumigant Company, Trutech, Orkin Australia, Waltham Services, OPC Services, PermaTreat, Rollins UK, Aardwolf Pestkare, and Crane Pest Control, MissQuito, the Company provides essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects to more than two million customers in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia from more than 700 locations. You can learn more about Rollins and its subsidiaries by visiting our web sites at www.orkin.com, www.pestdefense.com, www.clarkpest.com , www.orkincanada.ca, www.westernpest.com, www.callnorthwest.com , www.mccallservice.com, www.crittercontrol.com, www.indfumco.com, www.trutechinc.com, www.orkinau.com, www.walthamservices.com, www.opcpest.com, www.permatreat.com, www.safeguardpestcontrol.co.uk, www.aardwolfpestkare.com , www.cranepestcontrol.com, www.missquito.com and www.rollins.com. You can also find this and other news releases at www.rollins.com by accessing the news releases button.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements." These statements are based on management's current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While the Company believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. There are many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein including, most prominently, the risks discussed in the Company's periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

For Further Information Contact

Eddie Northen, (404) 888-2242

SOURCE Rollins, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rollins.com


LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosti Group, the European headquartered technology led plastic moulding company and contract manufacturer, has announced that two key management positions have been filled in the United States of America. The appointments of a regional technical director and regional sales director are part of a long term strategy to expand the service offering to North American clients, and follow the announcement of a commitment to opening a Digital Innovation Lab in Boston.

Pat Williams, Senior Vice President Asia at Rosti Group said, "I am delighted to have Ron Maddocks and Steve Dei Rossi on board to enable Rosti to serve our existing and growing client base in North America even more effectively."

Ron Maddocks has joined as Regional Technical Director, having previously been a client of Rosti and working in the industry since 1995 within engineering and plastics companies. Maddocks commented, "We will provide a US-based portal to the rest of Rosti's global manufacturing sites to provide 24/7 development capability. I'm excited to be a key member of the growing team at Rosti here in the United States."

Steve Dei Rossi has joined as Regional Sales Director, with over 12 years in industrial client management and business development, having previously served as a military police officer in the US Navy. He said, "Our early stage development is to build the Rosti Group's reputation in America to be as popular, trusted and respected as it is in the United Kingdom, Europe, China and South East Asia. Rosti has established a beachhead now in America, and I look forward to playing my part to serve our growing client base to help them access our worldwide capabilities."

Rosti is a global technology led plastic injection moulding company and contract manufacturer to some of the world's leading manufacturers in the packaging, consumer appliances, business machines and medical sectors. Founded in 1944 with headquarters in Malmo, Sweden, the Group has 3,200 existing employees across 8 production facilities in Europe and Asia, with the operations in Malaysia recently awarded Platinum by the America based Responsible Business Alliance. The investment being made by the establishment of a senior team based in America, under the management of the Asia based leadership, demonstrates the long term vision of the Group to serve clients worldwide with a 72 hour turnaround.

About Rosti Group

Founded in 1944 with headquarters in Malmo, Sweden, the Group has 3,200 existing employees across 8 facilities in Europe and Asia and specialises is plastic moulding and outsourcing. Rosti is owned by the family controlled investment company Nordstjernan. Please visit: http://www.rosti.com

SOURCE Rosti Group

Related Links

http://www.rosti.com


CHICAGO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you been searching the hard seltzer aisle all summer hoping to find that refreshing and crisp beverage that hits just right? Get ready for the moment we've all been waiting for: Vizzy is officially dropping an all-watermelon variety pack, set to hit shelves in late July. (We won't judge you if you stock up!).

You've never had a watermelon hard seltzer like this before! Not only does the new pack include antioxidant vitamin C but all four flavor combinations are made with REAL watermelon juice. Other hard seltzer brands could NEVER!

Just in time for National Watermelon Day on August 3, Vizzy went above and beyond to identify the flavors that hard seltzer drinkers are craving this summer and the unanimous response led to the four new, outrageously delicious watermelon combinations: Blueberry Watermelon, Kiwi Watermelon, Passionfruit Watermelon and Mango Watermelon.

"Vizzy continues to bring the most desired flavor profiles to our hard seltzer drinkers," said Vi Tran, marketing manager for Vizzy Hard Seltzer. "Fans saw this first with the incredible success of our Lemonade variety pack earlier this summer, and now we're delivering the crisp summer taste of watermelon  a flavor that is made with real watermelon juice and certainly sets us apart from competitors. We've got a feeling that our fans are going to enjoy this watermelon pack well beyond summer sipping."

Each new Vizzy Watermelon flavor contains 100 calories, 5% alcohol by volume, and 1 gram of sugar. The variety pack comes in 12-oz. slim can 12-packs and the bold design of the hot pink and green case won't be hard to miss on shelves.

Can't get enough antioxidant vitamin C? Find Vizzy near you by visiting VizzyHardSeltzer.com, and become an official member of the Vizzy Gang (and get the latest access and info, like a heads up on new flavor drops!) by signing up HERE. Oh, and don't forget to give us a follow on Instagram and Twitter.

About Molson Coors Beverage Company

For over two centuries Molson Coors has been brewing beverages that unite people for all of life's moments. From Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Carling, and Staropramen to Coors Banquet, Blue Moon Belgian White, Saint Archer Gold, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Creemore Springs and more, Molson Coors produces some of the most beloved and iconic beer brands ever made. While the company's history is rooted in beer, Molson Coors offers a modern portfolio that expands beyond the beer aisle with sparkling cocktails, canned wine, kombucha, cider and more.

Molson Coors Beverage Company is a publicly traded company that operates through Molson Coors North America and Molson Coors Europe, and is traded on the New York and Canadian Stock Exchange (TAP). The company's commitment to raising industry standards and leaving a positive imprint on our employees, consumers, communities and the environment is reflected in Our Beer Print and our 2025 sustainability targets. To learn more about Molson Coors Beverage Company, visit molsoncoors.com.

SOURCE Vizzy Hard Seltzer

Related Links

https://VizzyHardSeltzer.com


SALT LAKE CITY, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Scorpion , a leading provider of technology and services helping local businesses thrive, and ERJ Solutions , a developer of customized solutions for elective medical offices, announced a new partnership that provides merchant services to Scorpion's medical practice customers, including dentists, chiropractors, orthodontists, veterinarians and urgent care / ER providers.

The new partnership provides Scorpion's medical practice customers with cost savings on payment processing while easily extending to patients the convenience of contactless payment and payment installments on costly elective procedures. As a trusted Scorpion partner, ERJ Solutions--which can be coupled with any practice management software--is available to assist in the implementation of efficient and staff-friendly contactless payment options, including QR codes, text payment links, automatic invoicing and more, while ensuring PCI compliance through all online payment processing. Similar merchant services will also be made available through the partnership to legal practices and home service providers as ERJ expands to meet growing consumer demand for flexible payment options in these industries.

"We are thrilled to be working with Scorpion to minimize expenses associated with a myriad of electronic payments options for today's busy medical practices," said Michael Gutlove, Principal at ERJ Solutions. "The credit card processing industry is constantly evolving. All clients of Scorpion can now keep the focus on growing their business while their merchant account is being cared for by a payments professional."

This new partnership presents particular value to medical practices that provide emergency or elective services, which typically present large out of pocket costs to patients. This often results in longer unpaid balances that require more time from accounting staffs as they work to resolve them. With the convenient set of payment options and installment plans ERJ Solutions brings, customers can resolve balances faster and effectively mitigate the burden on both practices and their patients.

"With ERJ Solutions now available through Scorpion, our customers can easily access trusted merchant services with the confidence that they will receive the greatest savings for a stronger bottom line while providing greater convenience to their patients," said Jamie Adams, Chief Growth Officer at Scorpion. "This is just one more way that we are working in support of our mission to better local businesses and the communities they serve."

If you would like to learn more about the services available through this partnership, please visit www.scorpion.co/ERJSolutions .

About Scorpion

Scorpion is the leading provider of technology and services helping local businesses thrive. It helps local service providers understand their unique market dynamics, maximize their marketing efforts, and deliver experiences their customers will love. Scorpion puts SEO, Reviews, Advertising, Email Marketing, Chat and Messaging, Social Media, Websites, Lead Management, Appointment Scheduling, and more to work for local businesses. The company brings everything together in a way that's easy to understand and manage, blending AI and teams of real people with vertical expertise committed to customers' success and ready to do whatever it takes to help them reach their goals.

Scorpion is Headquartered in the Salt Lake City area, with offices in California, Texas, and New York. For more information, please visit https://www.scorpion.co/about-us/ .

About ERJ Solutions

ERJ Solutions is a leading facilitator of payment processing solutions. For more than 20 years they have been helping business owners get paid by identifying opportunities to reduce aging accounts receivable balances while improving the end user experience. With an emphasis on the healthcare vertical, ERJ Solutions recently expanded their offerings to include Buy Now Pay Later financing, Accounts Payable reconciliation, and ACH remittance. The company removes complicated redundancies in managing both sides of the balance sheet while reducing overall costs.

ERJ Solutions is Headquartered in the Bergen County area of New Jersey. For more information, please visit https://erjsolutions.com/

SOURCE Scorpion
Koletas, an early pioneer of digital ABM, seeks to define the SSG vision and grow the company to full maturity.

Most notably, Koletas served as principal and Chief Revenue Officer at Madison Logic based in New York, NY. During his eight-year tenure at Madison Logic, Koletas and his team were responsible for generating exponential revenue growth through media development, marketing automation, and analytics enhancements, eventually leading to the company's acquisition in 2017.

Prior to joining SSG, Koletas was Global SVP of Digital ABM at MRP. He also serves as advisor & consultant to multiple data and AdTech companies in the U.S.

"Tom's proven track record as a growth consultant and digital pioneer is just what we need at SSG," said CEO and President Michael Whife. "We are excited to have Tom on the executive team, and I'm confident in his ability to grow our organization."

At Selling Simplified, Koletas is focused on growing the company's products and expanding its service into new regions and verticals. He also hopes to add insights to SSG's list of core capabilities, alongside digital lead gen and programmatic advertising.

"We're on a super-growth trajectory because the market is responding to the fact that our high-quality data and 100% digital methodology drives better results than traditional lead gen vendors." said Koletas.

Based in New York, NY, Koletas is responsible for leading SSG's marketing, support, and sales teams. He continues to call on his diverse experience to chart and execute the growth of the company and contribute to its trajectory to surpass 100% YoY growth in 2021.

"I've helped businesses grow into maturity before, so I've seen how this movie is made," he said. "The prevailing plot shows that B2B marketers want more than intent data. They want qualified engagement that they can measure. That is exactly what SSG offers, and I am here to help as a Producer."

SOURCE Selling Simplified Group, Inc

Related Links

http://www.sellingsimplified.com


NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of RenovaCare, Inc. ("RenovaCare" or the "Company") (OTCMKTS: RCAR). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether RenovaCare and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued a litigation release stating that RenovaCare was being charged with securities fraud. According to the SEC's complaint, between July 2017 and January 2018, the Company's controlling shareholder and Chairman, Harmel Rayat, "arranged, and caused RenovaCare to pay for, a promotional campaign designed to increase the company's stock price." Specifically, "Rayat was closely involved in directing the promotion and editing promotional materials, and arranged to funnel payments to the publisher through consultants to conceal RenovaCare's involvement in the campaign." When OTC Markets Group, Inc. requested that RenovaCare explain its relationship to the promotion, the complaint alleges that "Rayat and RenovaCare then drafted and issued a press release and a Form 8-K that contained material misrepresentations and omissions denying Rayat's and the company's involvement in the promotion."

On this news, RenovaCare's stock price fell $0.66, or 24.8%, over three consecutive trading sessions to close at $2.00 per share on June 2, 2021.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

888-476-6529 ext. 7980



SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

www.pomerantzlaw.com


SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shorenstein Properties, LLC ("Shorenstein"), an owner and operator of high-quality office, residential and mixed-use properties across the U.S., today announced the acquisition of Monroe Business Center, which consists of seven Class B office buildings on approximately 19 acres of land in the Herndon submarket of Northern Virginia (the "Portfolio"). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Portfolio totals 244,393 square feet and is 94% leased to 61 tenants with a combined weighted average remaining lease term of two years. The Portfolio sits within the Transit Related Growth area ("TRG"), which currently provides landowners with the opportunity to secure up to 1.25x floor area ratio, qualifying the site for up to one million square feet of additional mixed-use density. Situated across the street from Herndon Silver Line Metro Station as well as several major highways, Monroe Business Center provides easy access to the broader DC region and greater East Coast. In addition to outstanding accessibility via train or car, Monroe Business Center is just 5 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport, the second busiest trans-Atlantic airport on the East Coast.

"The acquisition of Monroe Business Center enables Shorenstein to expand upon its thesis of acquiring properties in high-growth, transit-oriented locations and to leverage its fully integrated platform to create value over time," said Matt Knisely, Managing Director at Shorenstein. "The Portfolio offers an ideal option for companies that are seeking a cost-effective space with flexible transportation options, and we are pleased to add another quality portfolio of properties to Shorenstein's portfolio."

Major tech names such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle, Google, IBM and SAP have consistently grown their footprint and employment base in the region and continue to draw top tech talent to live in Herndon and Reston. With more than 19 acres, the Portfolio provides Shorenstein with a rare opportunity to create a more mixed-use environment over time.

About Shorenstein Properties LLC

Founded in 1960, Shorenstein Properties LLC is a privately-owned, real estate firm that owns and operates high-quality office, residential and mixed-use properties across the U.S., with offices in San Francisco and New York. Since 1992, Shorenstein has sponsored twelve closed-end investment funds with total equity commitments of $8.8 billion, of which Shorenstein committed $723.5 million. The firm uses its integrated investment and operating capabilities to take advantage of opportunities that, at the particular time in the investment cycle, offer the most attractive returns. Investments have included ground-up developments, asset repositioning and stabilized assets; investment structures have included asset acquisitions, mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments and structured joint ventures. More information is available at www.shorenstein.com.

Contacts

Shorenstein

Jon Keehner / Jed Repko / Julie Hamilton / Jack Kelleher

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212.355.4449 / 415.869.3950

SOURCE Shorenstein Properties LLC

Related Links

https://shorenstein.com


As a technology partner, Solenis will provide chemical solutions to optimize the PET-free paper bottle, including surface treatments to enhance its functional and visual properties. The Pulpex technology allows for embossing, debossing, labeling and direct printing with food-safe coloured pigments and dyes to fit brand needs.

Richard Brooks, Global Packaging Director for Consumer Packaging at Solenis said: "This collaboration with Pulpex is another indicator of our commitment to new, sustainable and innovative technologies to the food and beverage paper packaging market. The partnership will enable Solenis to serve the growing eco-friendly paper bottle market while maintaining our commitment to environmental sustainability."

Scott Winston, CEO, Pulpex, said: "Solenis is well known as a leader of process and functional chemistries with over a century of service to the pulp and paper industry. The company's technical know-how and its wide spectrum of solutions will help us deliver eco-friendly paper bottles that meet the brand and functional needs of our consortium partners."

Pulpex consortium partners are working to develop branded paper bottles across several categories, including alcohol and non-alcohol beverages; liquid foods; homecare, personal care and consumer healthcare products; and lubricants. Pulpex is also working towards adding the capability of holding hot-fill and carbonated beverages by the end of 2022.

About Solenis

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. The company's product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets and minimize environmental impact. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 41 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of approximately 5,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company. For additional information about Solenis, visit www.solenis.com.

About Pulpex

Pulpex Limited is a sustainable packaging technology company that offers the world's first patented, customisable, single-mould paper bottle made from sustainable pulp that can be recycled curbside. Pulpex Ltd is a collaboration between Pilot Lite Group and Diageo PLC. Pilot Lite is a pioneer and international leader in venture management who directly invest in and convert corporate IP into free-standing, revenue-generating businesses. Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.pulpex.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1575860/Pulpex_bottle_crop_v2.jpg

SOURCE Pulpex
SHENZHEN, China, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 17th, the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft consisting of a crew of three was launched into space, taking one step forward to establish China's Tiangong space station which is under construction in a Low-Earth orbit. Astronauts will stay in space for three months to conduct extravehicular activities and the in-orbit verifications of major technologies.

Prolonged exposure to microgravity causes multiple physiological and biochemical changes in humans, including cardiovascular deconditioning that leads to orthostatic intolerance, musculoskeletal complaints, urinary tract infections and etc. Currently, ultrasound is still the modality of choice for the diagnosis and treatment of medical contingencies in space[1].

In this mission, astronauts conducted ultrasound examinations during spaceflight to monitor their health condition. SonoScape's X5 was honored to be selected by China National Space Administration (CNAS) to support medical research in the aviation environment. It becomes the first Chinese ultrasound system that is going to function in orbit to help assess the impact of long-duration microgravity space flight on astronauts.

"Ensuring the usability and stability, our ultrasound system passed the rigorous regimen of hardware qualification and acceptance testing," said Dr. Feng, General Manager of Ultrasound Division at SonoScape. "Our R&D team pushed the boundaries enabling space imaging to reach a high level; Aerospace ultrasound examination will give researchers a deeper insight of long-term zero gravity and radiation on human's body."

According to China Manned Space Program, the construction of the space station will be completed by 2022, supporting the long stay of astronauts and large-scale scientific, technological, and application experiments. SonoScape will continuously undertake the mission of assisting aerospace medical research and providing effective information that leads to the improvement of the crew members' health care.

Reference:

1.Law J, Macbeth PB. Ultrasound:from Earth to space.Mcgill J Med.2011:13(2):59

About SonoScape

Founded in 2002 in Shenzhen, China, SonoScape has committed itself to "Caring for life through innovation" by providing ultrasound and endoscopy solutions and delivering first-rate services. It now has seven R&D centers in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Harbin, Wuhan, Tokyo, Silicon Valley and Seattle. SonoScape invests nearly 20% of its revenues into R&D in recent 3 years, with more advanced products to be introduced into the pipeline.

SOURCE SonoScape Medical Corporation
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The founders of Statcomm Inc., a fire and life safety company located in the Bay Area, are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 7, 2021.

To learn more about the job fair, which will take place at 780 Montague Expressway, Suite 607 in San Jose, CA and/or to start the application process online, please check out https://www.statcomm.com/news/please-join-us-for-statcomms-upcoming-job-fair-on-saturday-august-7th-2021/.

As a company spokesperson noted, Statcomm is a secure and stable employer that has recently experienced a great deal of growth. The expanding service company, which has been in business for almost three decades, specializes in fire alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, automated gates, access control and other products and services.

"If you're the kind of person who's always taken an interest in life safety, and you're looking for a career that really makes a difference, Statcomm is pleased to invite you to our upcoming job fair," the spokesperson noted, adding that the company is hiring for a number of full-time, permanent positions that feature a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits including health/dental/vision/life insurance and a 401k plan, career growth and advancement and assistance with industry continuing education and certifications.

Statcomm Inc. is looking to fill a number of positions, including the following: Entry Level Life Safety Inspectors, Fire Alarm Installation Technicians, Fire Alarm Service Technicians, Gate & Door Access Control Technicians, Fire Extinguisher Technicians and Fire Sprinkler Technicians.

"We want team players who are customer service-oriented, friendly, and will represent Statcomm Inc. in a professional and positive manner," the spokesperson noted, adding that the team at Statcomm Inc. is looking forward to meeting applicants at the upcoming job fair.

About Statcomm Inc.:

Statcomm Inc. is a complete fire alarm and life safety company that's able to assist clients throughout the Greater Bay Area with tests and inspections required by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and State of California. For more information, please visit http://www.statcomm.com/.



Statcomm Inc.

939-C San Rafael Ave.

Mountain View, CA 94043

650-988-9508

SOURCE Statcomm Inc.

Related Links

https://www.statcomm.com


FORT WORTH, Texas, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Successful Student https://successfulstudent.org/ an education-focused website, providing objective, student-centric college rankings for students to navigate education, has published its 2021 ranking of The Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science 2021.

The Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science 2021 is a list of the top 30 universities and colleges in the U.S. that offer online Computer Science bachelor's degrees. This includes online Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Computer Science.

The Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science 2021

The most salient point that sets this ranking apart from other Computer Science college rankings is the methodology behind the ranking. Using a database of all online Computer Science bachelor's degrees in the U.S., a proprietary algorithm parses the data and produces the best online programs by a weighted formula. This formula calculates across two main variables: Academic Influence in Computer Science (Computer Science articles and citations in academic journals and other publications), and factors most beneficial to students (lowest tuition rates, and highest acceptance and graduation rates).

As a result of this formula, this ranking is a convergence of academic prestige in Computer Science and online Computer Science programs that are most affordable and student-friendly.

Universities in this ranking (listed here alphabetically):

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

AUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY  MONTEREY BAY

CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY

COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY  COLORADO SPRINGS

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY  SAINT PAUL

DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY

FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY  CHARLOTTE

LAMAR UNIVERSITY

LEWIS UNIVERSITY

MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

MERCY COLLEGE

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

PARK UNIVERSITY

REGENT UNIVERSITY

REGIS UNIVERSITY

SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY

TROY UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS

Computer Science is one of the best online college degrees available, in terms of earning potential with various career fields working as a Computer Scientist, and the projected growth rates of these vocations.

Successful Student provides objective rankings and educational resources for students who are navigating education, at undergraduate and graduate levels. We were the first to rank schools and degrees for students, as a bottom-up, student-centric approach to understanding education options. We are educators, data scientists, and past students who are mapping education for future students.

Contact:

Jake Akins, President

Successful Student

[email protected]

(817) 658-2469

https://successfulstudent.org/

SOURCE SuccessfulStudent.org
The approval of "Licence for Operating Money Service" in Hong Kong means it officially obtained permission to execute cross-border remittance and exchange business in Hong Kong. This lays a solid foundation for the next stage of overseas financial business deployment. The successful approval of the "Hong Kong Licence for Operating Money Service" marked that Suning Cross-border Payment has officially obtained permission to carry out cross-border remittance and exchange business in Hong Kong, laying a solid foundation for the next stage overseas financial business deployment. Suning Cross-border Payment, the first and only payment institution in Jiangsu Province holding cross-border foreign exchange payment business qualifications, expanded its business to the United States, Europe, Japan and other regions. It covers key industries such as goods trade, international logistics, air tickets, hotel accommodation, etc. Additionally, it supports cross-border foreign exchange settlements in 10+ mainstream foreign exchange currencies and RMB, distributing funds in 220+ countries and regions. It also has the fastest T+0 arrival of funds in the world.

Suning Cross-border Payment has always supported Suning International. The program of Suning International, "one-stop solution for overseas brands to enter mainland China," relies on its own multi-channel, multi-sector advantages and free trade zone resources, providing brands with cross-border strategy consulting services, customized retail solutions, global trade and other services. The program continues to win Suning International recognition from overseas brands.

The General Manager of Suning International, Melody Jia released this statement.

"The acquisition of this licence upgrades Suning Financial Service cross-border payment business capabilities and confirms further improvements in the 'one-stop solution for overseas brands to enter mainland China' service. By relying on the cross-border payment services provided by Suning Financial Services, we can realize the real-time exchange rates from onshore to offshore. In addition to that, we can provide safer and more convenient full-process payment services for overseas brands to enter the Chinese mainland market. As an imported supply chain retail service platform, the 'one-stop solution for overseas brands to enter mainland China' service can help more overseas brands take root in mainland China."

In the future, Suning International will continue to improve its global one-stop retail solutions. Suning International commits itself to create online and offline scenarios, experiential localized retail, marketing, and consulting solutions. We also wish to empower cross-border merchants and make the preferred entrance for overseas brands to enter the Chinese mainland market.

About Suning Group

Founded in 1990, Suning Group has two listed subsidiaries at home and abroad and more than 300,000 employees around the world, ranking the third in the Chinese private sector. Being committed to its mission of Leading the Industrial Advancements in Creating a Higher Quality of Life for All, it provides quality products and services to more than 700 million customers worldwide and has its business scope covering three main sectors: Retail, Real Estate, and Financial Service. Suning.com, the main subsidiary is a leading O2O smart retail service provider in China. In 2020, Suning.com maintained its position among the Fortune Global 500 and topped the 2020 List of China's 500 Most Valuable Brands with a brand value of RMB 296.815 billion.



About Suning International

Suning International is the international business arm of Suning Group, with two business platforms: cross border retail platform and leading cross border retail services provider Sup's. Suning International positions itself as an import supply chain retail service platform for the new decade, to fully empower growth and prosperity of global brands in the Chinese market.

SOURCE Suning Group
CAMBRIDGE, ON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cowan Insurance Group entered into a new partnership with TechAssure on June 1, 2021, securing access to a broad range of tools and information to enhance our client experience and provide our clients access to all TechAssure's resources. Partnership with TechAssure is only extended to top brokerages focusing on technology-related risks.

Cowan Insurance Group

"We are excited to be partnering with like-minded brokerages to continuously enhance our client's experience," said Pam Derksen, VP, Brokering and Insurer Relationships, Commercial and Personal Insurance. "TechAssure provides a high-quality platform for exchanging ideas, networking, relationship building with partners, and increasing our technical knowledge in order to know our clients. We are proud to be part of this network."

As a member of TechAssure, Cowan can collaborate with other members and exchange best practices for the benefit of all and receive access to advanced resources and capabilities to serve the innovation sector. Cowan Insurance Group's clients will gain access to resources such as benchmarking, analytics, and risk management tools to help mitigate risk and make more informed decisions.

"Cowan Insurance Group is a highly-regarded brokerage serving one of the most important technology hubs in North AmericaToronto. We are excited to enhance our Canadian footprint by bringing on such a specialized and respected partner," said Garrett Droege, CPCU, CIC, Executive Director, TechAssure.

Working with TechAssure provides additional resources and support to help Cowan continue to grow with our clients and stay ahead of the emerging risk curve.

MORE ABOUT TECHASSURE

TechAssure is a unique consortium of risk management experts serving innovative industries, such as technology, telecommunications, life sciences, clean tech, as well as the venture capital and private equity firms that fund them. Comprised of over 30 specialist firms located in strategic locations across the world, TechAssure members collectively serve over 5,000 clients and represent over $8 Billion in premium volume. The association also produces a proprietary annual benchmarking report for the industries it serves. TechAssure is currently celebrating its 20th year.

MORE ABOUT COWAN GROUP

As a prominent Canadian-owned and operated independent insurance brokerage and consulting operation, Cowan Insurance Group provides real value in insurance and risk management solutions to businesses, organizations and individuals. With over 500 employees and operating out of 10 locations across Canada, we partner with leading national and international insurance companies to advise on and create retirement, group benefits, disability management and international benefits programs for employee groups. We also offer wealth and asset management as well as financial and succession planning services to individuals, and specialize in property, casualty and credit insurance. For additional information about Cowan Insurance Group, please visit cowangroup.ca.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact H. Garrett Droege, CPCU, CIC at (855) 292-3772 or email at [email protected]. Or visit www.techassure.org or on Twitter @TechAssure.

Contact: H. Garrett Droege, CPCU, CIC

Telephone: (855) 292-3772

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE TechAssure
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TETRA Technologies, Inc. ("TETRA" or the "Company") (NYSE: TTI) announced today that it will release second quarter 2021 results after the closing of the market on Monday, August 2, 2021. On August 3, 2021, TETRA will host a conference call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results. Brady M. Murphy, President and CEO, and Elijio V. Serrano, Senior Vice President and CFO, will host the call.

TETRA invites you to listen to the conference call by calling the toll-free phone number 1-888-347-5303. The conference call will also be available by live audio webcast and may be accessed through the Company's website at www.tetratec.com. The news release will be available on the Company's website prior to the conference call. A replay of the conference call will be available at 1-877-344-7529 conference number 10158935, for one week following the conference call and the archived webcast will be available through the Company's website for thirty days following the conference call.

Company Overview

TETRA is a geographically diversified oil and gas services company, focused on completion fluids and associated products and services, water management, frac flowback, and production well testing. Visit the Company's website at www.tetratec.com.

SOURCE TETRA Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tetratec.com


This year's event continued the summit's focus on multinationals firms and on China, reiterating the theme of the first edition of QMS that took place in October 2019. QMS 2021 was specifically designed to establish a platform that facilitates exchanges among leaders from multinational companies, government agencies and academic organizations, in a move to foster a broad consensus on building an open world economy while deepening the mutually beneficial relationships among multinationals as the global economy moves into the next stage of development.

Top executives from 390 Fortune 500 firms, 517 recognized industry leaders, consular officials from the embassies of 15 countries in China, representatives from interested international organizations and business associations, top academics and industry experts, as well as officials from China's ministries and commissions and Shandong's provincial government attended the opening ceremony.

The summit featured themed salons, closed-door meetings, panel sessions, multinational roadshows, city roadshows, exchanges and business matchmaking sessions, and other events sponsored by the organizing committee. During the panel sessions, participants shared their insights into key topics with a focus on intellectual property protection of and partnerships among multinationals, key strategies of some of the world's longest-established global leaders, quality-focused development and enhanced partnerships in the Yellow River basin, new trends influencing the growth plans of multinational companies, and accelerated programs aimed at achieving CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. In addition, the synergy between QMS 2021 and the concurrent 2021 New Growth Drivers Fair  Qingdao held at the same venue is expected to increase the depth and breadth of China's ongoing openness.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province
HOUSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Simon Bolivar Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit private foundation, today announced the release of its 2020 annual report. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of the most vulnerable Venezuelans and others in need affected by disaster, conflict, and poverty, with special attention to children and mothers in and from Venezuela.

In 2020, the Foundation's new leadership assessed the dire humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and determined that the Foundation could significantly expand its impact  and reach the greatest number of Venezuelans and others in need  by providing grants to qualified charitable organizations and other non-governmental organizations operating in Venezuela and the region.

Accordingly, among other efforts, the Foundation awarded the following grants in 2020:

$100,000 in small grants targeted at increasing access to medicines and healthcare, expanding doctors' abilities to serve patients, and related objectives. Overall, these grants benefit more than 5,700 patients and 116 healthcare providers while also enabling NGOs to provide approximately 1,600 meals;

in small grants targeted at increasing access to medicines and healthcare, expanding doctors' abilities to serve patients, and related objectives. Overall, these grants benefit more than 5,700 patients and 116 healthcare providers while also enabling NGOs to provide approximately 1,600 meals; $248,395 in small grants to NGOs through the Hoy Invita Simon Small Grant Food Program, to benefit over 28,900 people in 8 cities. Among other accomplishments, these enabled approximately 11,500 grocery bags to be delivered to food insecure Venezuelan refugees in the United States and benefited 67 families with special needs children, and;

in small grants to NGOs through the Hoy Invita Simon Small Grant Food Program, to benefit over 28,900 people in 8 cities. Among other accomplishments, these enabled approximately 11,500 grocery bags to be delivered to food insecure Venezuelan refugees in and benefited 67 families with special needs children, and; $1.65 million in medium-large grants to NGOs with longstanding presences in Venezuela and the region to provide approximately 2.396.000 meals and help nearly 84,350 people.

"We're very excited to release the Foundation's first public annual report and share the work we're doing daily to help the most vulnerable Venezuelans and others in need," said Mariela Poleo, President of the Simon Bolivar Foundation. "2020 was an extremely challenging year, and we focused on increasing impact, by benefiting a larger number of individuals, providing access to medicine and nutrition, improving the ability of medical professionals and caregivers to treat patients, and increasing the effectiveness of community organizations."

The Foundation also devoted significant resources during 2020 to help address the COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela:

An Emergency Relief Fund provided $145 ,751 in support for PPE, medical equipment, and other supplies benefiting more than 1,800 health professionals and over 7,500 families.

,751 in support for PPE, medical equipment, and other supplies benefiting more than 1,800 health professionals and over 7,500 families. The Small Grants COVID-19 Program awarded $427,631 to increase access to healthcare focused on combatting COVID-19, reaching more than 5,151 healthcare workers and benefiting 21 hospitals. These grants supported an estimated 320 food pantries to help provide approximately 426,368 meals.

In total, the 2020 expenditures were 71 percent high-impact grants, 24 percent to individual patients and medical hospital grants, and five percent for grant administration expenses. These amounts exclude in-kind donations from CITGO.

This is the first time the Foundation has issued a public report, part of the new leadership's commitment to transparency and good corporate governance.

Learn more about the Foundation and its annual report here: https://www.simonbolivarfoundation.org/presentations/SBFAnnualReport2020.pdf

About The Simon Bolivar Foundation

Simon Bolivar Foundation Inc. is the 501(c)(3) non-profit, private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation. The Foundation supports charitable initiatives, leverages existing resources and provides charitable grants to qualified organizations to meet the immediate and long-term health needs of the most vulnerable individuals particularly in and from Venezuela with a special focus on the health and well-being of children and their mothers.

SOURCE The Simon Bolivar Foundation

Related Links

https://www.simonbolivarfoundation.org


SUGAR LAND, Texas, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trecora Resources (NYSE: TREC), a leading provider of specialty hydrocarbons and waxes, today announced the planned release of its second quarter 2021 financial results after market close on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, 2021. President and Chief Executive Officer, Patrick D. Quarles, and Chief Financial Officer, Sami Ahmad, will host a conference call on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time/10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results.

Date: Thursday, August 5, 2021 Time: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Toll-free dial-in number: +1-866-417-5724 International dial-in number: +1-409-217-8234 Conference ID: 9462308 Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/zcza6anf

The conference call will be simulcast live and available for replay via the investor relations section of the Company's website at http://www.trecora.com/

The presentation slides will be available before the call begins under the investor relations section of the Company's website at https://ir.trecora.com/presentations

A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call through October 5, 2021.

Toll-free replay number: +1 855-859-2056 International replay number: +1 404-537-3406 Replay PIN number: 9462308

About Trecora Resources (TREC)

TREC owns and operates a specialty petrochemicals facility specializing in high purity hydrocarbons and other petrochemical manufacturing and a specialty wax facility, both located in Texas, and provides custom processing services at both facilities.

Investor Relations Contact: The Equity Group Inc.



Fred Buonocore, CFA (212) 836-9607

[email protected]

Mike Gaudreau (212) 836-9620

[email protected]

SOURCE Trecora Resources

Related Links

http://www.trecora.com


Constitutional challenge accuses Twitter, Canadian government of failing to protect freedom of expression and democracy over refusal to allow ads about Canadian documentary film

TORONTO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The team behind the global documentaries The Corporation (the highest grossing documentary in Canadian history) and The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel (which examines how corporate power, including big tech's, threatens democracy) is suing Twitter and the Canadian government in a landmark case to establish responsibilities of tech platforms.

The case arises out of Twitter's rejection of "boosted" posts featuring a trailer for The New Corporation. Twitter claimed the posts were too "political," "sensitive," and "inappropriate" to be promoted on its platform. The posts feature clips and voiceover from, among other esteemed commentators, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Michael Sandel, Vandana Shiva, Bill Gates, and Anand Giridharadas.

"Biden says Facebook allows too much free speech (and that it's killing people). Trump says Twitter doesn't allow enough (and he's suing them). The overarching story? Platforms do whatever they want, and there's not much we  even a past and current president  can do about it. This case aims to change that  at least in Canada, and hopefully beyond," said Joel Bakan, writer, co-director (with Jennifer Abbott), and executive producer of The New Corporation , and part of the legal team.

The case is based on the claim that Twitter, because of its central role in Canadian democratic discourse, is legally prohibited from restricting political and social speech that causes no harm  such as The New Corporation post  in the same way that governments are.

"The film is about the urgent need for more robust democracy and greater democratic control of corporations  including big tech. If Twitter doesn't want people to know about this film, what will it censor next?"

added Bakan.

Key Facts:

During promotion for The New Corporation , which is a sequel to the multi-award-winning The Corporation , the top performing documentary in Canadian history, Twitter declined to allow posts of the trailer for the film to be promoted as ads.

, which is a sequel to the multi-award-winning , the top performing documentary in Canadian history, Twitter declined to allow posts of the trailer for the film to be promoted as ads. No satisfactory explanation for the rejection was ever provided  Twitter simply claimed the posts were "political," "inappropriate," and "sensitive," and thereby offended its policies.

The rejection negatively impacted the visibility of the film and its launch, and also had tangible negative effects on the film's performance and brand recognition.

Decisions about Canadian-running content were made out of California , calling into question Canadian content sovereignty.

, calling into question Canadian content sovereignty. The case is fundamentally different from Donald Trump's case against Twitter  Canadian free speech law, unlike its US counterpart, and more like that in most other countries, accommodates free speech claims against non-government actors like Twitter, and does not protect incendiary, hateful, discriminatory and other types of harmful speech.

Leading the legal arguments are Sujit Choudhry and filmmaker and author Joel Bakan , two Harvard-trained constitutional lawyers, both former Rhodes Scholars and law clerks to Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada. Choudhry practices at Huron Chambers, and Bakan is a law professor at the University of British Columbia.

The case has been filed in the Superior Court of Ontario in Toronto, Canada. The team will be available for questions and comments via Zoom call and in person on July 19. Please contact Jen Evans @nejsnave at [email protected] or 4163463262 (Toronto) to register for either event or to arrange an interview.

About The New Corporation , The Corporation and Grant St Productions

The sequel, The New Corporation, based on a book by Joel Bakan (published by Penguin Random House), was produced by co-plaintiff Grant St Productions, and was released in Canadian theatres and online platforms in 2020 to rave reviews. The film has been screened at festivals globally and aired by broadcasters. USA release will be forthcoming in late 2021. Community screenings can be arranged here, and screeners are available for media. Released in 2003, The Corporation by Mark Achbar, Joel Bakan and Jennifer Abbott is to date the highest grossing documentary in Canadian history and has had over 4 million views on YouTube over the past year.

About Cool World Technologies Inc.

Founded in 2019 by award-winning impact producer and entrepreneur CEO Kat Dodds, Cool.World is a SaaS marketing, streaming and distribution platform for the film and cultural industries. The company was hired to do marketing for The New Corporation, holds non-theatrical distribution rights, and is a co-plaintiff.

About Joel Bakan

Joel Bakan is a constitutional lawyer, and an award-winning author and filmmaker. A Rhodes Scholar, he clerked for Chief Justice Brian Dickson of the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a professor of law at the University of British Columbia.

About Sujit Choudhry

Sujit Choudhry is a constitutional lawyer and the former Dean of the law school at Berkeley. Also a Rhodes Scholar, he clerked for Chief Justice Antonio Lamer of the Supreme Court of Canada and practices out of Huron Chambers .

SOURCE Joel Bakan
NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Candace Adams, President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) New England/Westchester/New York Properties, announced today that two top-producing agents have joined the brokerage's New York office: Richelle Spindell and Gale Rundquist Chen.

Native New Yorkers Spindell and Rundquist Chen have each enjoyed illustrious real estate careers overseeing some of Manhattan's most significant residential transactions.

Award-winning broker Richelle Spindell joins BHHS New York Properties as a Senior Global Sales Executive and Luxury Collection Specialist. She was previously at Douglas Elliman for 25 years and has been consistently lauded as an expert negotiator with an intuitive sense for people and their needs. Spindell's high-energy approach is rooted in forming authentic, long-term partnerships with her clientele. With an entrepreneurial mindset, integrity and dedication, she's earned a stellar track record of notable sales in Manhattan's Midtown East, Upper East and Upper West Side neighborhoods.

A lifelong entrepreneur with an innate sense of design, Spindell formed her own apparel industry resident buying office after graduating from Manhattan's Fashion Institute of Technology. In that role, she handled all apparel buying for a dozen independently owned high-end retailers and devised creative marketing strategies for those businesses. Spindell also studied at the New York School of Interior Design. This unique background in upscale fashion and interior design gives her a decided competitive edge in the industry: she deeply understands the luxury customer mindset allowing her to maximize listing appeal and exposure for sellers, and she's incredibly adept at visualizing possibilities for buyers. A REBNY member and certified negotiation expert, Spindell has a talent for exceeding her clients' expectations with expert guidance and tireless positive energy.

"After more than two decades at Douglas Elliman, I felt it was time for a change, and given Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' broad national and international reach, I will be able to continue to grow my business even more," said Spindell.

"Welcoming Richelle (Spindell) into our company has been effortless," said Adams. "Her top standards, steadfast commitment to her clients, and unwavering values have naturally blended into our company's long-term vision."

Broker Gale Rundquist Chen has established an impressive track record of success and industry accolades throughout her illustrious real estate career. Her comprehensive expertise within the city is expansive, including some of the best buildings along Central Park West, Park Avenue, Beekman and Gramercy Park. Her roots as a second-generation real estate professional bolster Gale's highly regarded and distinctive skill set: She was introduced to the industry by her mother, who was also a successful New York broker.

Rundquist Chen entered the industry running, closing a record-breaking deal in her debut year and tallying consistent sales totals above $10 million annually since then. Praised by her peers, she has been the recipient of numerous honors and distinctions, including REBNY's Deal of the Year award. She was also honored by Douglas Elliman as a Legend Award Winner and a 2021 Ellie Gold Award winner  placing her among the top 9 percent of the company nationwide. Gale has joined BHHS as a Senior Global Sales Executive & Luxury Collection Specialist.

"Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a global powerhouse and an ideal fit for my ever-expanding brand," said Rundquist Chen. "I look forward to continuing this company's tradition of excellence, as well as embracing the many opportunities that lie ahead."

"We are honored to have Gale (Rundquist Chen) be a part of the BHHS NY Properties team and to watch her flourish even more with our unparalleled access to the industry's greatest resources," added Adams.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties/New England Properties/Westchester Properties

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties/New England Properties/Westchester Properties is a leading real estate brokerage firm with more than 1,800 sales professionals in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Manhattan and Westchester County, NY. Selectively chosen by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and HomeServices of America; the global reach, financial strength and fresh brand make the brokerage the premiere real estate firm in the Northeast. For more information, visit www.bhhsNEproperties.com, www.bhhsNYproperties.com or www.bhhsWestchester.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, bringing to the global residential real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. The network's parent company is HomeServices of America, Inc., the nation's largest, full-service residential brokerage firm as measured by transactions, and an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices global network has more than 50,000 affiliated independent sales associates and 1,500 offices throughout the U.S. and abroad, generating nearly US$120 billion in closed transactions in 2020. For additional information, visit www.berkshirehathawayhs.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Israel Kreps / [email protected]

Caroline Underwood / [email protected]

P: 305-663-9802

SOURCE Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties
NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Khaled Salem, the popular Egyptian-American U.S. Senate candidate running against incumbent Chuck Schumer for the 2022 election, today expressed his admiration for the unity and friendship that continue in the New York Jewish Community. Salem points out that U.S. Jews respect all human beings and are leaders byproactively building positive relationships among disparate groups. Salem made it clear thatthe Jewish community has always reached out to those experiencing discrimination. Jews around the world have seen an alarming build up in anti-Semitic terrorist actions, yet continue to survive and thrive, understanding that these hate groups are the minority.

U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem

"When I am elected as New York's next U.S. Senator, I want the Jewish community to know that I recognize their perpetual efforts to always 'do the right thing,' in spite of what the world tries to do to them," said Salem."During the 1960s, American Jews, including the most prominent rabbi in postwar America, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, marched in solidarity with Dr. Martin Luther King. The Jewish community, a U.S. minority themselves, were most responsive to all racial injustice because it understood that 'civil rights were sacred rights."

Salem continued, "In these days of elevated global racial hate, we must remind ourselves that every human being deserves dignity.Discrimination is always a Jewish issue because it is a 'human issue.'Heschel marched with Dr. King in Selma, and said that, 'racism is Satanism.'The ethical Jewish community stands up for civil rights because it is 'a prophetic call to do justice.'At the 1963National Conference of Christians and Jews, Dr. King introduced Heschel as 'a profit of our day.'Heschel spoke about the horrors of slavery and racial injustice, stating, 'You can not worship God and at the same time look at man as if he were a horse."

Khaled Salem is a proponent of free education and equality. When elected, he plans to fight for the rights of New Yorkers and all U.S. citizens, to have a decent quality of life, education and opportunities for growth.

For more information, visit https://www.khaled2022forcongress.com/

And: https://www.facebook.com/Khaledforcongress/ , https://twitter.com/KhaledYork , or https://www.khaled2022forcongress.com/donate

Contact:

U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem

1518 348 6868

[email protected]

SOURCE Khaled Salem

Related Links

http://www.khaled2022forcongress.com/


WASHINGTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) today unveiled a six-figure advertising campaign thanking the U.S. Senate for passing the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 92-8 and urged the U.S. House of Representatives to quickly follow suit.

"The Growing Climate Solutions Act sets up a new way for farmers to harvest carbon credits along with their cropscredits that can be sold on voluntary exchanges to companies who have pledged impressive sustainability goals that they can't achieve without offsetting their emissions," said Heather Reams, Executive Director of CRES. "CRES applauds the 92 Senators who voted to pass the GCSA, and particularly Indiana's Senator Mike Braun and his team who worked so tirelessly to ensure such a success. To express our gratitude, we've launched an ad campaign including our first ever Wall Street Journal ad and digital commercials in the style of a summer blockbuster movie trailer, featuring the GCSA's new champions in the climate battle: America's farmers. We urge the U.S. House of Representatives to swiftly pass this legislation that is a free-market win for agriculture producers, businesses, and the climate."

The campaign encourages readers and viewers to visit GrowingClimateSolutions.com to learn more about the bill, sign a petition to urge their Representative to vote "yes," and view all of the ads. Videos thanking Republican Senators Boozman (Ark.), Braun (Ind.), Cassidy (La.), Cornyn (Texas), Crapo (Idaho), Ernst (Iowa), Grassley (Iowa), Portman (Ohio), Romney (Utah), Rounds (S.D.), Thune (S.D.), and Young (Ind.) will run online in their respective states, and the full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal appeared in today's morning print edition.

"Along with an extensive digital video campaign thanking several Republican Senators who helped get the bipartisan legislation over the finish line," Reams continued, "One message that the ad in the Wall Street Journal makes abundantly clear is that substantial climate action is achievable in Washington with overwhelming Republican support when legislators focus on the solutions instead of politicking. One glance at the ad and it's evident that with the GCSA there are more 'R's' after Senators names than 'D's.' To Republicans, this comes as no surprise. Even though America's farmers, ranchers, and foresters have been environmental stewards for generations, but have largely been left out of the climate conversationdespite the serious consequences our changing climate can have on their livelihood. The GCSA is commonsense, free-market climate legislation that delivers actionable solutions instead of expensive rhetoric."

This January, CRES released the results of a national survey of more than 1,050 registered voters that gauged support for various climate change and clean energy proposals and concepts. The survey revealed that 74% of voters approve of financial incentives for agricultural producers to increase sustainable farming practices with 77% of voters supporting the creation of a voluntary carbon market for farmers.

On Friday, Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) and Heather Reams penned a joint op-ed in USA TODAY celebrating the more than 60 Republican members of Congress who recently launched the Conservative Climate Caucus to provide leadership in America's fight against climate change. The op-ed also emphasizes that conservatives in Congress tackling environmental challengeslike their work to pass the Growing Climate Solutions Actis in no way new.

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) engages Republican policymakers and the public about responsible, conservative solutions to address our nation's energy, economic, and environmental security while increasing America's competitive edge. For more information, visit www.citizensfor.com .

SOURCE Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
Will reinforce global talent pool and conduct integrated management of the entire process of developing and commercializing cloud solution technologies to lead global digital transformation

Will solidify its position as the global no. 1 cloud hospitality solution provider by securing solution technology leadership

SEOUL, South Korea, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global travel platform company Yanolja's new corporation 'Yanolja Cloud (CEO Jongyoon Kim)' has launched to reinforce technology leadership in the global cloud solution market.

Yanolja Cloud is an aggregation of Yanolja's Cloud Solution Business Unit and affiliates -- EZee Technosys, ZEN Rooms, Sanha Information Technology and Trustay. The new corporation will offer an integrated hospitality solution package to digitalize all the interactions between hotels and guests through AI and Big Data technologies and expand its platform base into residential space beyond travel sector.

Soon after its launch, Yanolja Cloud will jumpstart the global expansion of its cloud solution business and a talent pool. This year, in particular, the company plans to roll out Y FLUX in the global market, offering flawless digital transformation by connecting the entire hotel operation systems via the cloud. With this, it will solidify its position as a global travel tech company.

Jongyoon Kim, CEO of Yanolja Cloud, said, "Yanolja Cloud will scale and continue leading the digital transformation of the global travel and hospitality industry in addition to taking the global top position by securing technology leadership in the global cloud solution market. Yanolja Cloud will spearhead technological innovation and expand its platform base into restaurant, residential, and all over the lifestyle."

Yanolja Cloud currently provides its proprietary hotel solutions to approximately 30,000 clients in 170 countries in 60 different languages, which automate online and offline operations and help businesses generate more revenues and lower the cost. Yanolja Cloud is developing localized solutions through a partnership with global leaders in Southeast Asia and Africa, as demand for contact-free technologies grows around the globe due to COVID-19.

About Yanolja Cloud

Created to strengthen Yanolja's leadership in the global hospitality market with Software-as-a-Service technology, Yanolja Cloud is the global top cloud-based hospitality solution provider offering B2B operation solutions for approximately 30,000 clients in 170 countries in more than 60 different languages. With its Y FLUX, a fully automated hotel management solution, Yanolja Cloud plans to drive the digital transformation of hotels, leisure and residential spaces while establishing a cloud solution ecosystem that satisfies the needs of partners, booking channels and customers. Yanolja Cloud is expanding its client base by leveraging its powerful SaaS model, enabling efficient installation and operation, and is developing optimized local solutions through partnership with global leaders.

SOURCE Yanolja

Related Links

https://www.yanolja.com/


NEW YORK and LANSING, Mich., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Capital Partners, L.L.C., the private equity fund management arm of Z Capital Group, L.L.C. (together with its affiliates, "ZCG"), a leading privately-held asset manager, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Premier Thermal Solutions LLC ("PTS" or the "Company"), a leading provider of metal processing services, to an affiliate of Aalberts N.V. The transaction is expected to close before year-end. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For more than 40 years, PTS has provided commercial metal processing services to a variety of industries, including aerospace & defense, automotive, heavy truck, energy, heavy equipment and other industrial end-markets. Since opening its first plant in Lansing, Michigan, in 1978, PTS has expanded its footprint to ten plants across the industrial Midwest.

Since acquiring PTS in 2017, ZCG successfully established PTS as a platform investment and leveraged its differentiated operational approach to scale the business organically and through acquisitions, while significantly improving profitability and financial performance. ZCG invested in the Company's employees and across the business to streamline and drive growth. In October 2018, ZCG sourced and completed the transformational acquisition of Al-Fe Heat Treating, which significantly expanded PTS' service capabilities and diversified its metal-treatment offering.

"When we acquired PTS as a corporate carve-out from Gerdau, we saw an opportunity to work with a company that could benefit enormously from our deep operational expertise, resources and technical capabilities. We were also confident that, together with Steve and the team we built around him, we could achieve our ambitious growth goals and position PTS as a high-performing standalone company," said James Zenni, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZCG. "Through a combination of consistent organic growth and the acquisition of Al-Fe Heat Treating, PTS has been transformed, and we wish Steve and the entire team nothing but continued success."

"The performance and growth of PTS over the last four years truly exemplifies the strengths of our team and our commitment to working hand in hand with strong leadership teams," said Rahul Sawhney, Senior Managing Director at ZCG. "By investing heavily in PTS - including in organizational processes, technology systems, state of the art facility upgrades and complementary senior leadership hires - not only did we grow the business, but we scaled the platform and positioned the Company for continued growth in a fragmented metal processing industry."

"The extensive support from the ZCG team to execute on a shared long-term vision for PTS has generated exceptional results," said Steve Wyatt, President and Chief Executive Officer of PTS. "Our business is now positioned to grow, scale and capitalize on new market opportunities with Aalberts, and we look forward to building on this success and identifying more unique and efficient ways to provide our customers with the critical services they rely on us for."

About Premier Thermal Solutions

Premier Thermal Solutions is a leading provider of metal heat treating and processing services. PTS offers high quality products and services with plants located in Lansing, Michigan, Saginaw, Michigan, Canton, Ohio, Defiance, Ohio, Wadsworth, Ohio, North Vernon, Indiana, Wabash, Indiana and Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. PTS has more than 800,000 tons of installed heat treating capacity including annealing, ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC), normalizing, and quench & temper processing for various industries. The company also offers a variety of other metal processing services including phosphate coating, shot blast cleaning, cutting and testing. It is also the only domestic provider of FNC bars and tubes in the 13-24' range. PTS' FNC process is a "green" alternative to chrome plating, providing improved wear resistance, better lubrication retention, dent resistance, increased service life, and can last up to three times longer. For more information, please visit www.premierthermal.com/.

About ZCG

ZCG is a leading, privately held, investment firm with approximately $4.0 billion of assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses.

Z Capital Partners, LLC ("ZCP") is the private equity fund management platform. ZCP's investment philosophy centers on operational value creation and is driven by targeted investment themes, deep sector expertise and strong partnerships with management teams. ZCP Principals have made over twenty-six years numerous investments across industries, including consumer products, consumer food, restaurants, gaming hospitality, manufacturing, media, publishing, metals and business services. ZCP current portfolio companies have worldwide annual revenues of approximately $1.6 billion, sell products in 55 countries, operate 15 manufacturing facilities, and have over 200,000 employees and associates directly and through joint ventures.

Z Capital Credit Partners, LLC ("ZCCP") is the credit fund management platform. ZCCP invests across a range of credit investments including leveraged loans, private debt, and opportunistic stressed credit. ZCCP manages closed and open-ended funds as well as structured vehicles for strategic debt. Developed over twenty years, ZCCP's approach to fundamental credit analysis encompasses proprietary sourcing, sophisticated structuring and comprehensive risk management using the Olympus system.

For more information please visit www.zcg.com.

Contact

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

Jonathan Keehner / Erik Carlson

212-355-4449

SOURCE Z Capital Group, L.L.C.

Related Links

https://www.zcg.com/


South Ghanzi is being developed through a 50/50 Joint Venture with Kavango Resources

( ) said additional sampling at the Morula target at South Ghanzi in Botswana had increased the size of the identified anomaly to 18km.

South Ghanzi is being developed through a 50/50 Joint Venture with ( ), which is the operator.

The Morula Target geochemical anomaly is now over 18km long (up from 12km previously announced on 21 June 2021) and varies between 800m and 2.4km in width and is open along strike in both directions towards the northeast and southwest, said the statement.

In addition to this, a third sub-parallel geochemical anomaly has been identified immediately to the south of the Morula target approximately 5km long and approximately 700m wide.

Paul Johnson, Power Metal Resources chief executive, said: "The current 18km length of the Morula Target is dramatic, particularly as the target remains open in both directions.

Alongside this, the discovery of a further geochemical anomaly named "Happy", is another surprising and positive development at South Ghanzi.

What is also encouraging is that we are seeing strong coincidence between the copper-zinc geochemical anomalism with previously defined airborne electromagnetic ("AEM") conductors.
New York, July 19 : A bombshell report Sunday on military-grade 'Pegasus spyware from Israeli firm NSO used by governments around the world to snoop on a longlist of more than 50,000 people in 50 countries has injected a fresh round of ammunition into the raging debate over digital surveillance - especially when governments lean on private companies hacking muscle.

Pegasus is a malware that infects iPhones and Android devices. It allows its users to pull messages, photos and emails, record calls and activate microphones. The Washington Post reports that 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials and more than 60 business executives were targeted by clients of NSO Group, a hacker-for-hire headquartered in Israel.

More than 80 journalists from 17 media organisations will be outing sensational revelations in the coming days. The outrage is boiling over, the central question is clear: How much of what's ours secretly belongs to the Big Tech-Big Daddy axis? "This is nasty software - like eloquently nasty," Timothy Summers, a former cybersecurity engineer at a U.S. intelligence agency and now director of IT at Arizona State University, told The Washington Post. "With it "one could spy on almost the entire world population. ... There's not anything wrong with building technologies that allows you to collect data; it's necessary sometimes. But humanity is not in a place where we can have that much power just accessible to anybody," Summers told the Post.

"If we do not take back our ownership rights from software companies and overreaching governments, we will become digital peasants, only able to use our smart devices, our homes, our cars, and even our own software-enabled medical implants purely at the whim of others," writes Joshua A.T. Fairfield in "Owned: Property, Privacy, and the New Digital Serfdom".

Earlier this month, US president Joe Biden specifically asked the Federal Trade Commission to create new rules on surveillance by tech giants and their accumulation of users' data via algorithms. It marked the first time that the Biden White House affixed its official stamp on a high level approach to reining in Big Tech's outsize influence. But when cyber offensive capabilities are outsourced by governments to privately owned firms to spy on citizens, all bets are off.

Many governments have been pushing hard for backdoor access to encrypted systems. Supporters of end-to-end encryption argue that any backdoor will then become a target for foreign adversaries, terrorists, and hackers. So far, the legal system has had trouble deciding what sort of rules must apply to digital goods. In the digital piazza, the old playbook on what belongs to whom has been ripped apart. What takes its place is still being worked out.

"We don't yet have the bodies of laws that are purpose built for the harms that we face, beginning with the entire supply system of surveillance capitalism, the unilateral secret extraction of behavioural data from our lives," Dr. Shoshana Zuboff, author of 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism' and Professor Emerita at Harvard Business School, said in a recent interview in the context of big tech regulation and algorithmic manipulation.

"This is something that began in secret, grew in secret, we never agreed to it, there is almost no law to contain it...If you fundamentally described this process to any child you say hey, somebody took from me without asking, what should I do, and that child will say they stole something from you. You should call the police." (Nikhila Natarajan is on Twitter @byniknat)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Srinagar, July 19 : Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist commander was among two terrorists killed during an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Check Sadiq area in South Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said on Monday.

"Top commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT Ishfaq Dar alias Abu Akram who was active since 2017 neutralised," police said.

Earlier the firefight between terrorists and security forces took place on Sunday evening after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

IG Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar has congratulated the police and security forces for carrying out the operation.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
July 19 : Our actors and actresses work a lot to get into the skin and shape of the character. Lots of hard work goes into the process of playing any character on screen. Kriti Sanon who is all geared up for her next release 'Mimi' had to put on 15 kgs for her role of a surrogate mother in the film. The actress has now shared a photo from the day when she was the 'chubbiest' in the film.

Sharing the photo, she wrote,'This was my chubbiest day of Mimi. And it coincidentally happened to be the godh bharai scene! Couldn't recognise myself!! #ChubbySanon #Mimi".

The actress had recently shared a video on her social media where she was seen only eating on the sets of the film as the director had told him to put on 15 kgs for the role. The actress mentioned how after a point, she did not want to see food.

Mimi is directed by Laxman Utekar and is a remake of Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy! The film focuses on surrogacy where Kriti will be seen playing the role of a surrogate mother. It is produced by Dinesh Vijan and also features Pankaj Tripathi, Sai Tamhankar, Manoj Pahwa and Supriya Pathak.

The film is all set to release on Jio Cinema and Netflix on 30 July.

On the workfront, Kriti has a list of films in her kitty. She will be seen in 'Hum Do Hamare Do' opposite Rajkummar Rao. She will be seen with Akshay Kumar in 'Bachchan Pandey'.

The actress recently finished the shoot for her film 'Bhediya' alongside Varun Dhawan. She will also be seen portraying the role of Sita in Adipurush.
Riyadh, July 19 : The Saudi government is employing the latest information technologies to help control the spread of Covid-19 during this year's Haj season.

The Ministry of Haj and Umrah said on Sunday that it launched the "Haj smart cards" to facilitate the journey of pilgrims, reports Xinhua news agency.

The cards, equipped with near field communication (NFC) technologies, can be scanned by self-service machines at the holy sites to feed fast and accurate information to the organisers.

The Haj smart card records its holder's personal, medical and residential information.

It can also help the pilgrims to find locations and gain access to various venues.

Moreover, the kingdom also distributed about 5,000 smart bracelets for pilgrims, which are not only capable of storing the pilgrims' personal information, but also monitoring their health conditions such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and possible exposure to the infectious virus.

It is the second year in a row, in which Saudi Arabia is organising the annual pilgrimage without foreign worshippers as part of precautionary measures against the ongoing pandemic.

About 60,000 Muslims, selected by the authorities from 558,000 registered ones, will take part in the 2021 Haj season, while the number was 2.5 million in 2019.

More than 13 million worshippers wearing masks and observing physical distancing rules have visited the mosques since the seven-month prayer and Umrah suspension was lifted last October.
Venice, July 19 : Italy's decision to ban oversized cruise ships from sailing into Venice is bound to reset the balance between the environmental and safety needs of the canal city and its status as one of country's top tourist destinations. But some key observers are already complaining that the new rules do not go far enough.

The presence of large, multi-storey cruise liners in and around Venice has been a source of frustration for locals for more than a decade now, Xinhua news agency reported.

But the problem was put on the back burner during the coronavirus pandemic: the city was free of cruise ships between February 2020 and last month, when the 2,500-passenger MSC Orchestra entered the Venetian Lagoon amid protests from locals.

Last week, in what Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini called a "historic" move, the Italian cabinet approved a ban on ships weighing more than 25,000 metric tonnes or longer than 180 metres entering the lagoon basin near Venice's St. Mark's Square, the narrow Giudecca Canal and the surrounding areas starting August 1.

For comparison, the MSC Orchestra weighs more than 90,000 tonnes and is 295 metres in length.

The largest cruise liners that docked in Venice before the pandemic sometimes topped 200,000 tons, according to news reports.

The decree was front-page news in Italy, and elicited praise from environmentalists and culture advocates alike, especially after the Unesco warned that Venice's status as a World Heritage site could be put in jeopardy by the ships.

But it earned mixed reviews from the city's beleaguered business community, which is highly dependent on tourism. After nearly a year and a half of travel restrictions, the city's restaurants, shops and tour companies had been banking on a strong tourist season this year. The cruise ship ban will cut into that.

According to Gianfranco Lorenzo, head of research at the Centre for Tourism Studies in Florence, the ban is likely to reduce the number of tourists arriving by cruise ship by half over the long haul, from an average 1.3 million to 1.5 million per year before the pandemic.

But he told Xinhua that, overall, tourism revenues would probably suffer just a modest impact.

The ships have proved controversial because of their negative effects on the local ecosystem and air quality, plus what Andreina Zitelli, a professor and activist member of the Venice Environmental Association, called the "unknown" impacts on the city's ancient infrastructure of bridges and buildings with underwater foundations.

But Zitelli worried that the new ban does not go far enough. She noted that the big ships that once passed through the Giudecca Canal will after August 1 be rerouted 22 km to the mainland port of Marghera through a far less picturesque route, unseen from the centre of Venice.

Still, she said, the ships will continue to do damage even on the new route and therefore they should eventually be banned completely.

Despite the ban, Venice's Unesco status remains on the agenda of the ongoing World Heritage Committee meeting, which opened on July 16 in Fuzhou, China.
San Francisco, July 19 : Popular video communication app Zoom has acquired Five9, a leading provider of the intelligent cloud contact centre, for $14.7 billion in an all-stock deal, which is its first major acquisition.

The acquisition is set to help enhance Zoom's presence with enterprise customers and allow it to accelerate its long-term growth opportunity by adding the $24 billion contact centre market.

Five9 is a pioneer of cloud-based contact centre software and delivers a comprehensive suite of easy-to-use applications that allows management and optimisation of customer interactions across many different channels.

?Zoom has gained immense popularity amid the pandemic as millions of people get connected via its platform for remote work and learning from home.

"We are continuously looking for ways to enhance our platform, and the addition of Five9 is a natural fit that will deliver even more happiness and value to our customers," said Eric S Yuan, CEO and Founder of Zoom.

"We believe this acquisition creates a leading customer engagement platform that will help redefine how companies of all sizes connect with their customers," he said in a statement late on Sunday.

Following the close of the transaction, Five9 will be an operating unit of Zoom and Rowan Trollope will become a President of Zoom and continue as CEO of Five9, reporting to Yuan.

"Joining forces with Zoom will provide Five9's business customers access to best-of-breed solutions, particularly Zoom Phone, that will enable them to realise more value and deliver real results for their business," said Trollope.

"This, combined with Zoom's 'ease-of use' philosophy and broad communication portfolio, will truly enable customers to engage via their preferred channel of choice", he added.

Zoom Phone is a modern, cloud phone system that offers a digital alternative to legacy phone offerings, enabling organisations to connect and interact in new and convenient ways to keep businesses moving.

The combination of Zoom's robust communications platform with Five9's intelligent cloud contact centre will enable organisations to reimagine the way they engage with their customers
Lakhimpur Kheri : , July 19 (IANS) A giant mugger crocodile attacked a watchman and ripped off his leg while the latter was crossing the Sharda canal.

The attack took place near Belha village in Lakhimpur Kheri district near Dudhwa forest and the man could be freed after a group of villagers came to his rescue.

The critically injured guard was rushed to a government hospital, from where he was referred to a higher medical facility in Lucknow.

Four people have been killed by crocodiles in the region in the past two months.

On June 26, a farmer was killed when he was grazing cattle in Kheri's Singahi area.

On May 22, a man was killed in the Palia area, while two men were killed by crocodiles in neighbouring Pilibhit district.

According to the forest department sources, Eshwardin, a marginal farmer who also works as a watchman, was caught by a giant crocodile lying in wait for prey in the Sharda River canal near Nighasan range of Dudhwa forest.

The watchman shouted for help as the reptile caught him and began to drag him into the water.

Some six-seven farmers rushed to rescue him by pelting stones at the crocodile and beating it with sticks.

After a struggle of over 15 minutes, Eshwardin was rescued but his left leg was almost ripped off. By that time, he had lost consciousness and suffered excessive blood loss. He was then taken to hospital where his condition is said to be serious.
New Delhi, July 19 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took up the phone tapping issue and launched a veiled attack against the Prime Minister.

Rahul tweeted: "We know what he's been reading-everything on your phone! #Pegasus." With this he tagged his July 16 tweet saying: "I'm wondering what you guys are reading these days." Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the government is "tapping jeevi" and has not spared even the RSS leadership and this is "detective sarkar".

The Indians in the snooping database include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of business persons, The Wire reported on Sunday.

Among the numbers in the Pegasus Project database is one that was registered in the name of a sitting Supreme Court judge. However, The Wire has not been able to confirm whether the number, which the judge gave up before it was added to the list, was still being used by him for WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging apps when the number was selected.

"Until such time as we are able to establish the number's actual user during the period in question, we are withholding the name of the judge," it said.

The Wire and its partners said that they will also not be revealing the identity of any names that appear to be the subject of counter-terrorism.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bangkok, July 19 : Starting from Tuesday, Thailand will expand restrictive measures, including travel curbs, a night-time curfew and shopping mall closures to cover three more provinces as the daily Covid-19 caseloads have surged to a record high.

The Southeast Asian country reported 11,397 new cases and 101 deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to 403,386 and cumulative fatalities to 3,341, according to the Centre for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

From Tuesday, shopping malls will be closed, while travel restrictions and a curfew between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. will be imposed in the provinces of Ayutthaya, Chonburi and Chachoengsao, reports Xinhua news agency.

These measures will last for 14 days, according to a royal gazette announcement.

The capital Bangkok and nine provinces have been put under such partial lockdown from July 12 onwards and for at least 14 days, as the country is grappling with its worst wave of the outbreak.

Thailand has been trying to secure more vaccines as it vows to inoculate about 70 per cent of its nearly 70-million population by the end of the year.

Till date, the country has administered more than 14.2 million doses of vaccine, with less than 5 percent of the total population having been fully vaccinated, according to the CCSA.

Thailand planned to buy 50 million more doses of Pfizer vaccine from the US, in addition to an order of 20 million doses that has been placed with delivery scheduled between October and December, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters on Sunday.

The new purchase plan has yet to be approved by the cabinet of ministers, according to Anutin.
London, July 19 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will self-isolate for coming into contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, Downing Street said.

According to the Downing Street's announcement on Sunday, this marked a U-turn on the pair's initial decision to avoid self-isolation by taking part in a daily testing pilot scheme, which had caused huge public outrage in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking in a video on Twitter after the U-turn, Johnson said: "We did look briefly at the idea of us taking part in the pilot scheme, which allows people to test daily, but I think it's far more important that everybody sticks to the same rules and that's why I'm going to be self-isolating until Monday 26 July.

"I know how frustrating it all is, but I really do urge everybody to stick with the programme and take the appropriate course of action when you're asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace." Johnson will now conduct meetings remotely from Chequers, his countryside retreat.

Sunak said on Twitter: "Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren't the same for everyone is wrong." After testing positive on July 16, Javid, who replaced Matt Hancock last month, is now self-isolating at home with his family.

Javid said he has had two jabs of the vaccine and his symptoms are mild.

The development came a day ahead of lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions in England on Monday as part of the final step, or Step Four, of England's roadmap out of the lockdown.

Almost all legal restrictions are to end, including limits on how many people can meet, and nightclubs will reopen, but self-isolation rules will remain.

But scientists have warned that lifting all restrictions at this stage could increase likelihood of dangerous variants.

The country has so far registered 5,455,043 confirmed coronavirus cases and 128,985 deaths.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tel Aviv, July 19 : Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that "verified coronavirus patients who knowingly violate quarantine" will be criminally indicted and "dealt with to the fullest extent of the law".

Bennett made the announcement during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.

The Attorney General Office and the Public Security Ministry are considering utilizing an app to track people on quarantine, Xinhua news agency quoted Bennett as saying.

The Prime Minister said his government aims to impose aggressive and efficient enforcement against violators, because "whoever violates the directives is endangering his health and the other citizens of Israel".

The Delta variant is "leaping forward around the world," making the implementation of new restrictions "a critical component in managing the pandemic in order to beat the mutation", Bennett noted.

Last week, Bennett said Israel can beat the outbreak without lockdowns, by increasing the number of vaccinated people, wearing masks indoors, and keeping social distance.

The Israeli Health Ministry has reported a steady rise in the number of infections, driven by the spread of the Delta variant.

The Ministry reported on Sunday a total of 6,622 active cases in the country, with 63 of them being in serious condition.

This increased the overall Covid-19 infection tally to 849,654, while the death toll stood at 6,443.

About 61 per cent of the country's 9.3 million citizens have been vaccinated with at least one dose and about 56 per cent with two doses.

Most of them have received the Pfizer vaccine.
Bhopal, July 19 : At least eight people have died and 15 others injured when a jeep in which they were travelling fell into a deep gorge in Badwani district of Madhya Pradesh, close to the Maharashtra border. Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have expressed grief over this accident.

Police said, "Some people of Barwani district were returning from Maharashtra's Toranmal on Sunday night, when their jeep went out of control and fell into a deep gorge. So far the death toll has gone up to eight. Most of the people who died are residents of Pati police station area of Barwani district who had gone to pay obeisance at Shiv Mandir. The operation is on to search survivors at the accident site." Governor Mangubhai Patel while expressing deep condolences over the accident, prayed to God for peace to the departed souls and strength to their families to bear the grief, and speedy recovery of the injured.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Sad news has been received about the death of eight people in a road accident in Badwani. Praying to God to give peace to the departed souls. Give strength to bear the grief to family members and recovery to the injured soon."
Thiruvananthapuram, July 19 : A two-member committee will decide the fate of top CPI-M party leader and former State Minister G. Sudhakaran.

The party's state committee in a meeting held here last week commissioned top party veterans Elamaram Kareem, Rajya Sabha MP and his party colleague K.J. Thomas to see if there was any laxity on the part of Sudhakaran in leading the Assembly election campaign at his home turf in Alappuzha district.

The two are expected to take stock of this later in the week, when they will meet up with a cross section of their party leaders and workers.

Sudhakaran was not given a seat to contest in the April 6 Assembly polls and he went hammer and tongs against what he claims to be a section in the party which celebrated, hearing the news that he was not given a seat.

For over a decade now, Sudhakaran was the last word in the district and in that process he antagonised a few senior leaders like his former Ministerial colleague Thomas Issac, present State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian and Alappuzha CPI-M Lok Sabha member A.M. Ariff, who it appears have now joined together, sources said.

At the Alappuzha district committee meeting, a huge majority of the committee members welcomed the probe, while Sudhakaran who was present remained tight-lipped.

Sudhakaran, who handled the State Public Works Department portfolio during Pinarayi Vijayan's first term ( 2016-21) and the Cooperation portfolio in the V.S. Achuthanandan government (2006-11), is known for his razor sharp tongue and for long he was a confidant of Achuthanandan.

And at a crucial time when the tiff between Achuthanandan and Vijayan took a turn for the worse, Sudhakaran switched his loyalties and became a loyal Vijayan supporter, but of late there appears to be some rift between them and hence the outcome of the party probe could well turn out to be crucial.

Meanwhile, the party has also decided to look into the defeat of their candidate at Tripunithura in Ernakulam district, after its firebrand youth icon M. Swaraj lost to Congress veteran K. Babu.

Similar probes within the party will take place at Pala, where new ally -- Kerala Congress (Mani) chairman Jose K. Mani, suffered a shocking defeat.
New Delhi, July 19 : A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court against Kerala government's decision to relax Covid lockdown restrictions in the state for three days in view of 'Bakrid'.

The intervention application has been moved by one P.K.D. Nambiar, a Delhi resident, in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court in connection with Uttar Pradesh government decision on 'Kanwar Yatra'.

The application submitted that despite discontentment shown by the top court over the yatra, the Kerala government is acting in a casual manner by relaxing Covid norms. "To the utter dismay of India's citizens, Kerala government announced a 3-day relaxation of lockdown restrictions on July 18, 19 and 20 keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival," said the plea.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh will appear for the petitioner before the top court. Nambiar contended that Kerala has been showing alarming numbers in Covid cases, though other states have improved their situation. "It is shocking that in a medical emergency, the government is playing with the lives of citizens through such measures. That the government's move is in total contravention with July 16, order passed by this court", the plea added.

On July 16, the top court had pointed out that fear of a third Covid wave looms large over all Indians as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra. On Uttar Pradesh government's symbolic Kanwar Yatra proposal, the court had replied, "the right to life is paramount" and asked the government to reconsider its position on the annual ritual that sees a heavy movement of pilgrims across the states in the northern belt.

The application is likely to come up on Monday before Justice R.F Nariman bench.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jerusalem, July 19 : A week after rolling out a booster shot of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine to people with weak immune systems, Israel has removed some cancer patients from the list, the media reported.

The Health Ministry on Sunday alerted health providers and clinics to not administer a third Covid vaccine booster shot to most patients undergoing cancer treatment, The Times of Israel reported.

Last week, the country, one of the first countries to globally approve a booster shot, began administering third vaccine doses to people with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant recipients and those with autoimmune diseases.

Cancer patients are also sometimes immunocompromised.

About 90 per cent of cancer patients who were vaccinated and undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumours "maintained a high level of antibodies following the vaccine" and thus there was no immediate need for a booster, according to a statement from the Mnistry.

Further, the vaccine may cause side effects in some patients, including "lymph node enlargement or liver dysfunction", and therefore "the recommendation at this time" is not to administer a third Covid dose to cancer patients, it added.

While most cancer patients were exempt from a third dose, the ministry noted that those with certain hematological cancers include patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia; multiple myeloma; and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma should take the booster jab, but in consultation with a physician, the report said.

The list of people eligible for a third dose of the Covid vaccine also includes heart, lung, kidney and liver transplant recipients; those with multiple sclerosis; and patients with rheumatological or autoimmune diseases, Emilia Anis, head of the Ministry's epidemiological unit, was quoted as saying.

However, all these must consult a physician before the jab.

The Ministry also recommended an antibody test prior to receiving the shot and another 14 days later "to assess the benefits".

The decision for the third jab comes as Israel is witnessing an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant, after being one of the first to fully inoculate more than 60 per cent of adults in the country.

The booster rollout last week, was following evidence that the booster shot may increase such patients' antibody counts.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have recently released a joint statement on vaccine boosters, saying that people who are fully vaccinated are protected from severe illness and death, including from emerging variants such as the highly contagious Delta variant.

"FDA, CDC, and NIH (National Institutes of Health) are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary," said the statement.

Israel has also signed a deal with Pfizer to receive a new batch of Covid-19 vaccines in August.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, July 19 : Telugu actor Satyadev has gathered a good following, especially over the past year, with his work in Telugu films getting commercial and critical acclaim. Now, he gears up with his Bollywood debut in the Akshay Kumar-starrer "Ram Setu", and he says exploring Hindi films was always on his mind.

While he is tigh-tlipped about his character, Satyadev is comfortable giving the backstory on how the big-budget Hindi project came his way.

"It came out of nowhere. I had not even put my profile up there, and it landed in my lap. It's a very good role. Few things happen and we don't even realise that it's happening and that is how my Bollywood debut happened. I would say this is the best Bollywood debut in terms of where I am placed. I see this as the best opportunity to explore Hindi cinema," he tells IANS.

The actor adds: "It was always part of the plan. I really wanted to explore Hindi cinema and, in fact, all languages. That is how I look at things and Hindi was definitely on my plate. To be honest, I personally feel that things happen to you because you have a thought somewhere lingering around to get them. My predominant thought was always exploring bigger markets, different films in Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada. Hindi was always there in my mind."

While Wikipedia mentions another Hindi film as his debut, the actor clarifies that Abhishek Sharma's "Ram Setu" is his first. However, he gives away a bit of trivia about another project, which could have been his Hindi debut.

"I have done a film in Afghanistan and that should have been my Hindi debut but unfortunately the film got stalled. Now I am happy that it is going to be 'Ram Setu'," he says.

Satyadev has wrapped up the shooting of his next Telugu film "Thimmarusu" and is gearing up for its release, whereas he is midway with the shoot of "Godse".

The actor wants the world to watch his films, as he says: "Any actor you ask, they would love to be part of films that entire India would watch, be it Telugu film or any film. You want people to watch your work. As an actor, you want people to recognise the work you are doing. It gives you the satisfaction that 'my film is being watched by so many people'. I would not call my work to be pan-Indian but would rather want the entire world to watch it."

However, he is aware of the change the film industries across India are undergoing.

"Thanks to 'Baahubali', and some other films, I can think of why the pan-Indian film happened. Earlier dubs were happening but now people are making sure that they are specifically making it for other languages as well. They are creating sets to match other languages as well. Earlier it used to be only Tamil and Telugu. The actors used to never talk in Telugu but the ambiance would be familiar," says Satyadev.

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, July 19 : Saudis were behind behind an NSO spyware attack on the family of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Guardian said in a report.

Forensic analysis revealed that the phones of those close to the dissident journalist were targeted before and after he was murdered.

A joint investigation by the Guardian and other media organisations, based on leaked data and forensic analysis of phones, has uncovered new evidence that the company's spyware was used to try and monitor people close to Khashoggi both before and after his death.

In one case, a person in Khashoggi's inner circle was hacked four days after his murder, according to peer-reviewed forensic analysis of her device.

The investigation points to an apparent attempt by Saudi Arabia and its close ally the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to leverage the NSO's spy technology after Khashoggi's death to monitor his associates and the Turkish murder investigation, even going so far as to select the phone of Istanbul's chief prosecutor for potential surveillance, the Guardian report said.

Khashoggi was killed and dismembered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.

While the investigation mostly points to Khashoggi's close associates being targeted in the months after the murder, it also identified evidence suggesting that an NSO client targeted the phone of his former wife, Hanan Elatr, several months before his death, between November 2017 and April 2018.

The report said a forensic examination of Elatr's Android phone found that she was sent four text messages that contained malicious links connected to Pegasus. The analysis indicated the targeting came from the UAE.

However, the examination did not confirm whether the device had been successfully infected.

US intelligence agencies have already concluded that the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was responsible for ordering the murder of Khashoggi, a former Saudi government insider whose criticism of the kingdom's regime in the pages of the Washington Post was seen as a threat to the Saudi heir.

A team of Saudi agents killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul during his visit there to pick up documents he needed to get married to his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who later became an outspoken advocate for accountability over his murder.

The report said a close friend of Khashoggi, Wadah Khanfar, the former director general of the Al Jazeera television network, was also hacked using Pegasus, with analysis showing that his phone was infected as recently July 2021.

The phone analysis discoveries and leaked phone records suggest that Saudi Arabia and its allies used NSO's spyware in the aftermath of the murder to monitor the campaign for justice led by friends and associates of Khashoggi, while also showing an intent to spy on the official Turkish inquiry into his murder.

The phone number of Irfan Fidan, the Istanbul chief prosecutor who later formally charged 20 Saudi nationals over the killing, also appeared in the list of numbers of possible candidates for surveillance by NSO Group clients.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Monday during the hearing of an intervention application, against Kerala government's decision to relax Covid lockdown restrictions for three days in view of Bakrid amid high high infection rate of 10.9 per cent, remarked that Uttar Pradesh Covid positivity rate is "allegedly 0.04 per cent".

The application was moved by one PKD Nambiar, a Delhi resident, in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court in connection with Uttar Pradesh government's decision on Kanwar Yatra. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Nambiar, argued positivity rate in Kerala is 10.9 per cent, while in UP it was only 0.042 per cent, when this court intervened in the Kanwar Yatra matter and expressed its discontent with the UP government's decision to allow the yatra. Singh said the positivity rate in Delhi is merely 0.08 per cent and added that a positivity rate of over 5 per cent is certainly not good.

At this juncture, the bench headed by Justice R.F. Nariman said, "allegedly 0.04%". Singh contended these statistics are put out by respective state governments and pointed out the grim situation of COVID-19 in Kerala. He urged the court to pass an order in the matter.

The application submitted that despite discontentment shown by the top court over the yatra, the Kerala government is acting in a casual manner by relaxing Covid norms. "To the utter dismay of India's citizens, the Kerala government announced a 3-day relaxation of lockdown restrictions on July 18, 19 and 20 keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival," said the plea.

Kerala government counsel submitted that it has only opened few shops for the festival and otherwise all norms for Covid are strictly followed. The top court asked Kerala government to file response by evening and agreed to take up the issue on Tuesday.

Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for the UP government, reads out the affidavit the bench also comprising justice B.R. Gavai that Kanwar sanghs in various districts have decided not to conduct Kanwar Yatra and hence, no order from the state disaster management authority is required. The bench recorded in its order that yatra will be postponed this year too.

The top court also asked the UP government and all authorities including police to take stern view of any violation of Covid norms. The bench said authorities concerned should sternly look into any untoward incident, which directly affects the life of public.

On July 16, the top court had pointed out that fear of a third Covid wave looms large over all Indians as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra. On UP government's symbolic Kanwar Yatra proposal, the court had replied, "the right to life is paramount" and asked the government to reconsider its position on annual ritual that sees a heavy movement of pilgrims across states in the northern belt.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kuwait City, July 19 : Kuwait has started vaccinating teenagers aged 12-15 against Covid-19 in preparation for the new school year that begins in September.

Buthaina Al-Mudhaf, assistant undersecretary for public health affairs of the Kuwaiti Health Ministry, said in a statement on Sunday that the vaccination campaign took place in health centres across six governorates, reports Xinhua news agency.

"There was a great vaccination turnout of teenagers today," she added.

Registration for vaccination is still open, she said, calling on people to help their children make registration and receive the vaccine on the specified date.

To contain the spread of the Covid-19, Kuwait has decided to shut down all activities for children including summer clubs starting from July 25 until further notice.

In March, Health Minister Bassel Al-Sabah announced the resumption of study at schools from September, affirming that all students, teachers and administrative bodies will have completed vaccination by then.
Lucknow, July 19 : Efforts made in Uttar Pradesh to provide permanent employment to people through industries are now showing positive results and the industrial investment in ten districts of western UP are proof of this, the government has said.

The maximum number of industrial plots have been taken by investors from the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), in western UP.

According to the government spokesman, several new industries are now being set up in ten districts of west UP, namely Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Hapur, Aligarh, Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur with permanent employment in these industries.

Many of the industries have already started production and are providing employment.

After assuming power in the state, chief minister Yogi Adityanath made many changes in the industrial policies of the state to provide permanent employment to people through industries.

The spokesman said that the basic idea was to make industrial policies investor friendly and announced several concessions to investors willing to invest in the state.

In this process, the major industrial development authorities of the state (UPSIDA, NOIDA, Greater NOIDA, YEIDA and GIDA) were directed not to delay in providing land to the investors willing to invest in the state.

In line with the intentions of the chief minister, UPSIDA, NOIDA, Greater NOIDA, YEIDA and GIDA took interest in providing land to small and big investors.

Soon after, industries started setting up in Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Hapur, Aligarh, Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur on the land provided by UPSIDA.

According to the UPSIDA data, more than 3,500 investors have taken 2,000 acres of land from UPSIDA since 2017 for setting up factories.

An investment of Rs 11,500 crore will be made on this land and through this one lakh people will get employment in the industries on UPSIDA land alone.

Large companies like ITC Ltd, PepsiCo, Haldiram, Berger Paints, Green Ply, Kribhco Fertilizers, Von Wells, Coca-Cola, Gyan Doodh, British Paints, Webley Scott, AB Mauri, Bharat Petroleum, Unilever and Inox Air have taken land from UPSIDA.

Similarly, Bika India Limited in Ghaziabad, Link lock Private Limited in Aligarh, PepsiCo and Rose Enterprises in Mathura, Rasik Exports Private Limited, MG Organics have also taken land from UPSIDA.

Many of these companies have started production by setting up their factories, while many companies are in the process of setting up their factories.

UPSIDA has also allotted land in Greater Noida, Saharanpur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Mathura last month to the entrepreneurs willing to set up oxygen production units.

Land has also been allotted to over a dozen companies investing in the Defence Corridor in Aligarh.

According to the officials of UPSIDA, in the last four years, the maximum 40 per cent of total industrial investment took place in the ten districts of west UP followed by 25 per cent in the districts of central UP, 20 per cent in eastern UP and 15 per cent in Bundelkhand.

Even during the Corona period, the investors took land from UPSIDA for the establishment of about 922 small and big industrial units.

Last year, all the small and big investors were given land through the Nivesh Mitra portal, on which the process of construction of the factory has started.

Among those who set up factories by taking land from UPSIDA, majority of the 42 per cent investors are associated with manufacturing sector, followed by 26 per cent in the food processing sector, 11 per cent in the textile sector, 10 per cent in the metal sector, five per cent in the chemical sector and two per cent investment in electronics.
Gaza, July 19 : The partnership between the US and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been fully restored, a senior official said.

On Sunday, the UNRWA media advisor in Gaza, Adnan Abu Hasna, said the American financial aid to the Agency has reached $320 million this year, which is "close to the same level of financial aid as the US used to donate before former President Donald Trump", reports Xinhua news agency.

The renewal of the financial aid to the Agency "is a sign of confidence and a message to the others that the partnership between UNRWA and the US is fully restored", Abu Hasna added.

The Palestinian Authority severed all official relations with the White House and the State Department after Trump has declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel in December 2017.

In response, Trump in 2018 took a series of actions against the Palestinians, the most significant of which was stopping the US financial aid to the UNRWA, which reached $360 million per year.

The cut was about 30 per cent of UNRWA's annual budget.

The UNRWA provides life-saving services to about 5.6 million Palestinian refugees in its five fields of operation that include Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
New Delhi, July 19 : In a major reform initiative, the government proposes to delicense the power distribution sector allowing competition in the supply of last mile electricity connectivity to consumers.

The proposed changes will be part of the New Electricity Amendment Bill which the government proposes to introduce and pass during the coming monsoon session of Parliament. The bill will replace Electricity Act, 2003 which earlier delicensed power generation sector.

Official sources said that the draft bill has removed the wording 'distribution licensee'. What this will do is to maintain status quo of existing distribution entities but will now allow entry of other participants in a distribution area if it is able to manage infrastructure for supplying electricity to consumers.

In her Budget 2021-22 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that a framework will be put in place to give consumers alternatives to choose from among more than one distribution company. She had said that there is a need to provide choice to consumers by promoting competition and breaking monopolies existing in power distribution sector.

As per the plan, the delicensing will provide for infrastructure sharing by existing players. This will give an option to monetise assets by existing players while allowing new players to strengthen infrastructure and start supplying electricity to consumers on demand.

The changes will allow operation of more than one distributor in a supply area giving option to consumers to choose electricity supplier based on competitive tariff and assured supplies.

The Ministry of power earlier wanted to introduce provision for separation of carriage and content operation in the distribution sector as part of plan to break the monopoly of discoms. Under this while carriage or transmission aspect of distribution operation would have been retained with existing discoms, content or actual supply of electricity to households and others would have been freed for competition offering choice to customers to choose their electricity supplier. However, in the absence of requisite support from states to the move, the proposal was dropped.

What delicensing will do is to allow multiple players to bid for supplying electricity in a distribution area. Bids could be invited by states based on rules framed by them, guided by models to be developed by the Centre. Permission to distribute would only be given if a player brings along with the proposal a plan on providing last mile connectivity and other infrastructure support.

The government is looking at various schemes to reform the power sector. As part of a recent Covid related stimulus measure, it introduced a new Rs 3.03 lakh crore reform-based result-oriented power distribution scheme. This has brought various existing schemes in the power sector under one umbrella.

With regard to initiation of direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme in the power sector, sources said that the reform measure could be undertaken at the state level while the Electricity Act will wait for competition to settle into the distribution sector first before proposing the changes.

(Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in)
Abdulla Haiwad is President of the Afghan Governors Assembly which is a prominent Kabul-based body of 66 past and present Governors of the country. Haiwad was Governor of the Ghor province in Afghanistan. He is currently under treatment at Alanya, Turkey, following a Covid-19 attack and yet was willing to respond to questions furnished by IANS.

He tells IANS that "I live in Afghanistan, I am a British citizen and I am with my family in Turkey for another two weeks, and then I will return to Kabul".

IANS: After a long presence in Afghanistan, the US Army has almost left the country with 90 per cent of the forces already gone, what is in store for Afghanistan? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: America has left Afghanistan in a big mess, just as their other allies have done in the past. They have left Afghanistan at the mercy of God and there is a lot of uncertainty moving forward.

IANS: Even as the US Army has started leaving Afghanistan, the Taliban has stepped up attacks and have claimed to have seized power in several districts. Your comments? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: It is not possible for the Taliban to have captured these districts alone. If what they claim is true, there is no doubt that the Pakistani government and the ISI had some involvement. It is to be noted that Pakistan has created Taliban and issues regular instructions to Taliban ever since it was created. The Taliban does not have any financial resources and fully relies on Pakistan's ISI and military for money and weapons and cash to pay the salary of its foot soldiers.

IANS: India has done huge investments in infrastructure, health, and education in Afghanistan. What will happen to these once Taliban seize power? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: The Taliban will never have the sole power of Afghanistan. It is possible that an agreement might take place allowing joint leadership however even if this happens, it will not affect the investments India has made. It might mean that further projects in Afghanistan may not take place however any current projects will be left alone.

IANS: Almost all of the Taliban leaders are trained by Pakistan and will it be a proxy Pakistan rule in Afghan if Taliban assumes office? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: There is no doubt that if the Taliban takes over, it will be a proxy Pakistani government ruling Afghanistan however the chances of them taking over are slim.

IANS: China and Russia has evinced interest in Afghanistan. Your comments? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: The Chinese and Russians will protect their investments in Pakistan and will look after their own interests.

IANS: If the Taliban seize power will there be curtailment of women's freedom? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: After Taliban left office, there has been a major improvement in women's lives in Afghanistan, and women were enrolled even in the army and police and many became lawmakers. There will be to some extent curtailment of this freedom but not completely.

IANS: When the Taliban seized power earlier, they hanged the then President Najeebullah. If they seize power again what is in store for the present elected leaders of the country? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: The world is now watching Afghanistan and the information will reach far and wide immediately and hence it is no longer possible for Pakistan to allow that kind of thing to happen in the country again.

IANS: There are unconfirmed reports that India has entered into back door negotiations with Taliban. Your comments? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: I have not seen any proof that India has allied with any terrorist organisations so as far as I'm concerned, these reports are untrue.

IANS: Will a new Afghan regime supportive of Pakistan act against Indian interests in Kashmir? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: A new regime supportive of Pakistan will undoubtedly interfere with India's internal affairs, both Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

IANS: What is the role of Iran in the emerging politics of Afghanistan? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: Iran has historically been a close ally to Pakistan and together they have worked against the interests of Afghanistan for years. Iran has been actively helping to maintain the war in Afghanistan to keep the government in a weakened, fragile situation.

IANS: Will the education of women be affected if the Taliban comes to power in the country? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: As I have said earlier, times have changed and the whole world is watching the developments in Afghanistan. I don't think that the education of women are affected but certainly, some restrictions may be put in place.

IANS: In several forums and on social media platforms like Twitter, you had spoken about Afghanistan supporting a free Balochistan. Is this simple rhetoric or a well thought about Afghan national policy? Dr Abdulla Haiwad: As you know, before India and Pakistan got freedom from British Colonialism, Balochistan got its freedom and had its own national flag, lower and upper houses of Parliament and a President or Emir as you may call it. However on March 27, 1948, Balochistan was occupied by the Pakistanis and ever since the Balochis have been seeking for freedom.

Mohammed Daud Khan as the first President of Afghanistan had encouraged the Balochis to seek their freedom and an armed struggle was waged in 1973 but Pakistan with the support of Iran and its French Mirage Jets crushed it. Najibullah had also tried to help the Balochis get their freedom but unfortunately, he was also assassinated.

If Afghanistan is to be free of terrorists, then Balochistan has to be a free nation as almost all the terror bases of Pakistan are based there.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Monday ordered for the release of Manipuri activist Erendro Leichombam, on or before 5 p.m. Monday. Leichombam was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for a Facebook post criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cure for Covid.

A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah said a person cannot be kept in jail even for a day for such an act. Justice Chandrachud said: "He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We will order his release today".

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for his part, requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday. However, the bench did not budge and said the court will grant interim relief today.

The bench said: "We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith subject to interim directions of this court and subject to further orders".

The court directed its registrar judicial to communicate the order to Manipur Central Jail for release of the activist before 5 p.m. on Monday. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that he would press for compensation at the next hearing.

The plea was filed in Supreme Court by Leichombam's father, L. Raghumani Singh, stating that the detention of the activist is a reprisal for his criticism against BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid. "Erendro, a Manipuri political activist, has been preventively detained solely to punish him for his criticism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid," said the petition.

The plea contended that it is a shocking instance of misuse of preventive detention law to stifle completely innocuous speech, which is fully constitutionally protected.

Leichombam was initially arrested on May 13 for his Facebook post on the complaint of BJP leaders. On May 17, the day he was granted bail by the local court, the district magistrate Imphal West District, detained him under the stringent NSA, which is a preventive detention law. The plea said he has already spent 45 days in custody for an "innocuous piece of speech".

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Thiruvananthapuram, July 19 : The Kerala police has begun probe into an alleged loan fraud to the tune of over Rs 100 crore that has surfaced at the Trissur Karavanoor Cooperative Bank after the local Cooperative officials conducted an inspection.

The inspection was carried out after locals gave a complaint that things are not right in the bank.

Following the inspection by the Cooperative Inspectors, the complaint was found to be true and it surfaced that loan money given on various property documents was credited to a few accounts, while some had no clue that loans were being sanctioned based on their property documents.

Following the inspection, the Cooperative department officials registered a complaint with the local police at Trissur, which has registered a complaint and charges like cheating have been registered against the bank officials.

The CPI-M controlled bank has a 13-member committee and that has been disbanded after the Cooperative Inspectors found out the loan fiasco and six bank officials have also been suspended.

Speaking to the media, the complainant in the case said that he had last year brought this to the notice of higher ups.

"The bank has a deposit base of over Rs 450 crore and of this Rs 400 crore has been given out as loans and the figure of Rs 100 crore which has now come out is so low, while the actual fraud can be more," said the complainant.
For most political parties, sociologists and psephologists what a common Indian on the street thinks matters most. It is an insight into a common mans psyche, which allows them to strategies and formulate new plans and narratives. Though the political parties are able to set the narrative for their own narrow agendas yet they are unable to control the common perceptions and thinking among the populace.

Studies like a recent one by the US-based Pew Research Centre's Survey of Religion across India, helps not just the narrative formulators but also offers a peep into the common man's psyche. The recent Pew study based on nearly 30,000 face-to-face interviews of adults conducted in 17 languages between late 2019 and early 2020 (pre-COVID-19), finds that Indians of all religious backgrounds overwhelmingly say they are very free to practice their faiths.

Religious Tolerance Indians see religious tolerance as a central part of who they are as a nation. Across the major religious groups, most people say it is very important to respect all religions to be "truly Indian". And tolerance is a religious as well as a civic value: Indians are united in the view that respecting other religions is a very important part of what it means to be a member of their own religious community.

Yet, despite sharing certain values and religious beliefs - as well as living in the same country, under the same constitution - members of India's major religious communities often don't feel they have much in common with one another. The majority of Hindus see themselves as very different from Muslims (66 per cent), and most Muslims return the sentiment, saying they are very different from Hindus (64 per cent).

Tolerance Indians, then, simultaneously express enthusiasm for religious tolerance and a consistent preference for keeping their religious communities in segregated spheres meaning they live together yet separately. These two sentiments may seem paradoxical, but for many Indians they are not.

Indeed, many take both positions, saying it is important to be tolerant of others and expressing a desire to limit personal connections across religious lines. Indians who favour a religiously segregated society also overwhelmingly emphasise religious tolerance as a core value.

In other words, Indians' concept of religious tolerance does not necessarily involve the mixing of religious communities. While people in some countries may aspire to create a "melting pot" of different religious identities, many Indians seem to prefer a country more like a patchwork fabric, with clear lines between groups.

This is what I ascribe to the syncretic Indian values, which you'll not be able to see in any western society. The Indians in spite of all differences and antagonisms try to view themselves as colours of a rainbow, which India is and this is what makes India, united.

Dimensions of Hindu nationalism in India The survey reports that Hindus tend to see their religious identity and Indian national identity as closely intertwined: Nearly two-thirds of Hindus (64%) say it is very important to be Hindu to be "truly" Indian.

Most Hindus (59 per cent) also link Indian identity with being able to speak Hindi. And these two dimensions of national identity - being able to speak Hindi and being a Hindu - are closely connected. Among Hindus who say it is very important to be Hindu to be truly Indian, almost 80 per cent also say it is very important to speak Hindi to be truly Indian.

Overall, among those who voted in the 2019 elections, three-in-10 Hindus take all three positions: saying it is very important to be Hindu to be truly Indian; saying the same about speaking Hindi; and casting their ballot for the BJP.

Indian Muslims Vast majority of India's Muslims say Indian culture is superior. Today, India's Muslims almost unanimously say they are very proud to be Indian (95 per cent), and they express great enthusiasm for Indian culture: Eighty-five per cent agree with the statement that "Indian people are not perfect, but Indian culture is superior to others".

Overall, one-in-five Muslims say they have personally faced religious discrimination recently, but views vary by region. Relatively few Muslims say their community faces "a lot" of discrimination in India (24 per cent). In fact, the share is similar to the share of Hindus who say Hindus face widespread religious discrimination in India (21 per cent).

In addition, most Muslims across the country (65 per cent), along with an identical share of Hindus (65 per cent), see communal violence as a very big national problem.

Muslims' desire for religious segregation does not preclude tolerance of other groups - again similar to the pattern seen among Hindus. Indeed, a majority of Muslims who favour separate religious courts for their community say religious diversity benefits India.

South v/s North The survey consistently found that people in the South (the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and the union territory of Puducherry) differ from Indians elsewhere in the country in their views on religion, politics and identity.

For example, by a variety of measures, people in the South are somewhat less religious than those in other regions - 69 per cent say religion is very important in their lives, versus 92 per cent in the Central part of the country.

Hindu nationalist sentiments also appear to have less of a foothold in the South. Among Hindus, those in the South (42 per cent) are far less likely than those in Central states (83 per cent) or the North (69 per cent) to say being Hindu is very important to be truly Indian. And in the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJP's lowest vote share came from the South. In the survey, just 19 per cent of Hindus in the region say they voted for the BJP, compared with roughly two-thirds in the Northern (68 per cent) and Central (65 per cent) parts of the country who say they voted for the ruling party.

Other contentious issues Most Indian Muslims opposed triple talaq. Fifty-six per cent said Muslim men should not be allowed to divorce this way. Still, 37 per cent of Indian Muslims say they support triple talaq, with Muslim men (42 per cent) more likely than Muslim women (32 per cent) to take this position. A majority of Muslim women (61 per cent) opposed triple talaq.

Similarly many Indians, across a range of religious groups, say it is very important to stop people in their community from marrying into other religious groups. Roughly two-thirds of Hindus in India want to prevent inter-religious marriages of Hindu women (67 per cent) or Hindu men (65 per cent). Even larger shares of Muslims feel similarly: Eighty per cent say it is very important to stop Muslim women from marrying outside their religion, and 76 per cent say it is very important to stop Muslim men from doing so.

The survey throws up many findings which may sound contradictory and unbelievable, yet they represent the true feelings of Indians, however convoluted they may be. And this contradictory yet assimilating feeling is what makes India what it is.

(Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs. The views expressed are personal)
Lucknow, July 19 : The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has started an investigation into the money trail followed by the alleged militants who were arrested a week ago in Lucknow.

A sum of Rs 2 crore from Gulf nations had been received by Islamic Dawah Center (IDC) run by the prime accused, Umar Gautam and Mufti Kazi Jahangir Qasmi.

ATS officials said the alleged accused will be confronted on the financial transactions.

The hefty amount had been received by IDC as donations and used for conversions, the officials said.

IG ATS Gajendra Kumar Goswami said that the trio operated a big conversion racket in Maharashtra at the behest of Gautam.

"We conducted an operation in Maharashtra in a very amicable manner and arrested Rameshwar Kawre a.k.a Adam, Kausar Alam, and Bhuriya Bando a.k.a. Arslan Mustafa. During questioning of the trio, it surfaced that every year, they conducted 'revert get-togethers'," said the ATS chief.

"Those arrested believe that there is only one religion in the world which is Islam and those who converted or embraced Islam from different faiths had in fact reverted to their original religion," said Goswami.

The officer also said that no audit of accounts of IDC had been done since it came into existence in 2010.

"We will scrutinise and check the bank accounts and transactions," he added.
Cairo, July 19 : Egypt has condemned the "renewed violations by Israeli extremists" against the al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

In a statement on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry affirmed Egypt's complete rejection of these violations, while repeating a warning against harming the al-Aqsa Mosque, which enjoys a great position among Muslims around the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The mosque is a place of worship for Muslims and the Israeli authorities are responsible for providing protection for worshipers in order to maintain security and stability," said the statement.

The Ministry demanded Israel refrain from taking any actions that will lead to escalation, while highlighting the need to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process based on the related international resolutions within the framework of the two-state solution.

Hundreds of Jews visited on Sunday the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem to mark the Jewish holy day of Tisha B'Av, when the Jews mark the anniversary of the destruction of their biblical temples in 586 BC and 70 AD.

Early in the morning, Israeli police stormed the compound and clashed with Muslim worshippers.

A statement issued by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf that manages the site said five Palestinian have been arrested, while the Palestinian Red Crescent reported several injuries among the Palestinians.

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it later, claiming it as part of its "indivisible" capital, in a move unrecognized by most of the international community.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Indian Sellers Collective, a non-governmental trade association committed to bringing to the fore the voices of micro and small enterprises and family businesses across India, has written an open letter toN. R. Narayana Murthy urging him to end partnership with Amazon for Cloudtail India.

The letter states that for years, Murthy, has been the idol of millions of Indians and more than leading Infosys and the Indian IT services revolution for India, his greatest achievement has been his adherence to the dharma of straight and the narrow and constant emphasis on honesty, integrity, fairness, values and transparency.

However, this is changing since 2014, when Murthy has been in cahoots with Amazon through a name-lending arrangement with Cloudtail acting as a front for Amazon's retail business and defied the objectives of the policies of the Government of India.

The letter said just for a fixed fee or returns, Murthy has sacrificed the interests and livelihood of millions of small traders in India and left them at the mercy of Amazon.

It states that Cloudtail India has been the largest seller on Amazon India. On paper, this arrangement does not flout India's FDI regulations, however, in reality, it is the mysterious Hober Mallow Trust that actually owns and controls Cloudtail.

Some signs are clear - the senior leadership of Cloudtail as well as majority of board members of Cloudtail are all former Amazon employees. In 2018, the government amended the laws to stop these practices of foreign retailers forming front companies to carry out retailing and Murthy promptly increased his stake to 74 per cent but changed nothing else.

Reacting on the issue, Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convener, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch said: "Foreign retailers operating ecommerce marketplaces in India have been finding creative routes to flout India's retail FDI laws. This is a cause of worry among the Indian seller community, necessitating a need for continuous strengthening of the policies governing Indian e-commerce. Amazon India, through arrangements with companies like N.R. Narayana Murthy's Cloudtail is indulging in predatory pricing and discounting thereby destroying the business of offline retailers and small sellers." Abhay Raj Mishra, President, Public Response Against Helplessness and Action for Redressal (PRAHAR) said: "Foreign ecommerce retailers operating in India have time and again mocked the spirit of the law while following the letter of the spirit. Amazon's covert understanding with Cloudtail, a majority company of N.R. Narayana Murthy is one such glaring example. " AIOVA spokesperson stated: "It is sad to see Murthy associating himself with an economic terrorist called Cloudtail which crushes thousands of e-commerce sellers inspired by the successes of Murthy." Dhairyashi H. Patil, President, All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPD), said: "He must once again rise to the occasion and come clean on his alliance with Amazon India and the Hober Mallow Trusts and Catamaran." "Cash-rich entrepreneurs in the country are over-ambitious. They are using smart tactics to evade the laws. We must stop them in their tracks before they push people into slavery the way East India Company did years ago. It is high time that our lawmakers understand the urgency of the problem, review regulations, and undertake necessary policy reforms to ensure harsh penalties and punishments for lawbreakers," said Shriram Baxi, General Secretary, Federation of All India Distributors Associations (FAIDA).

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Khartoum, July 19 : A Sudanese official said that the water level in the Nile River has been stable despite Ethiopia's second filling of the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

"Since April, the Al-Daim station on the border with Ethiopia has not monitored any drop in the daily level of the water coming from the Ethiopian Plateau to Sudan," Hamid Mohamed Ali, director of Sudan's Al-Rusaires Dam, said in a statement on Sunday.

"Although Ethiopia started the second filling of the GERD, yet the daily water amounts are stable," he noted.

But Ali stressed that, despite Ethiopia's start of the second of filling of the GERD, a legal and binding deal should still be signed regarding filling and operating of the dam, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Al-Rusaires Dam on the Blue Nile, which lies some 100 km from the GERD, was established in 1966 with a storage capacity of 3.35 billion cubic meters.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have been in talks for years, under the umbrella of the African Union, over the technical and legal issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD.

Sudan proposed a mediation quartet of the UN, the European Union, the US and the African Union on solving the GERD dispute.

Ethiopia, however, has rejected this proposal.

In February, Ethiopia said it would carry on with the second-phase 13.5-billion-cubic-metre filling of the GERD in June.

The volume of the first-phase filling last year was 4.9 billion cubic metres.

Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity from the dam project.

While Egypt and Sudan, downstream Nile Basin countries that rely on the Nile river for its freshwater needs, are concerned that the GERD will affect their shares of the water resources.
Washington, July 19 : The Bootleg fire in the US state of Oregon has burned more than 300,00 acres of land since it erupted on July 6, fire officials said on Monday.

As of Monday morning, the fire has burned 303,791 acres with a containment of 25 per cent, according to data from InciWeb, the US clearinghouse for wildfire information.

The fire, which was growing to the east, started on July 6 northeast of Klamath Falls and threatened more than 5,000 structures, reports Xinhua news agency.

This came after the National Weather Service issued a "red flag warning" for the Klamath Basin and Fremont-Winema National Forest, which indicates critical fire weather conditions or weather conditions that may cause fires, according to a report by the OregonLive.

There are currently 80 large wildfires raging in 13 states across the US, burning more than 1.1 million acres, mostly in western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

Montana has reported the most large wildfires with 18, and Idaho is close behind with 17, the NIFC said.
San Francisco, July 19 : One person was killed and three others were injured during a shooting in Walnut Creek, Northern California, police said.

Local police responded after receiving reports of a shooting at 1.37 a.m. on Sunday, Xinhua news agency quoted the police as saying in a Facebook post.

One victim died at the scene and the other three were taken to a local hospital, police said, adding that "This is an active investigation".
Congress insiders say that months of negotiation with Amarinder Singh proved to be futile, so the high command finally had its way with the Chief Minister. The action, insiders says, this is a message to the party's state satraps as well as chief ministers who are asserting themselves.

New Delhi, July 19(IANS) By anointing Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab PCC chief even after stiff opposition from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Sonia Gandhi has subtly sent out a message to chief ministers rein themselves in.

Congress insiders say that months of negotiation with Amarinder Singh proved to be futile, so the high command finally had its way with the Chief Minister. The action, insiders says, this is a message to the party's state satraps as well as chief ministers who are asserting themselves.

The Congress is facing a Punjab-like situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where Sachin Pilot and T.S. Singh Deo, respectively, have chief ministerial ambitions.

Pilot had raised the banner of revolt last year, only to come back into the party. Singh Deo, on the other hand, has been careful. For the record, he maintains that "Soniaji and Rahul Gandhiji will decide." He was in Delhi recently on a personal visit, which made Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel rush to Delhi.

During his Delhi visit, Baghel said he would abide by the decision of the leadership and returned to Raipur in the same plane with Singh Deo.

Congress high command is finally asserting itself after coming across as weak and indecisive in the aftermath of the 2019 poll dAbAcle and then after the collapse of the coalition government in Karnataka and its own dispensation in Madhya Pradesh, following the revolt of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is now a Union Minister.

The Madhya Pradesh government fell as a result of the feud between Scindia and the then chief minister, Kamal Nath. Scindia felt he was being sidelined by Kamal Nath. Pilot had the same complaint in Rajasthan.

There are other reasons as well for the disquiet in Rajasthan. A Congress worker in the state pointed out that even though the Ashok Gehlot government had completed one-half of its term, a number of political appointments were pending.

"With what face shall we go to the people in 2023 when the elections are announced?" he asked, adding that the strength of the PCC in Rajasthan was reduced to 39 after it was dissolved following the rebellion last year by the Pilot camp.

After the Punjab decision now, the Pilot and Singh Deo camps finally have a reason to believe that the high command would listen to their grievances and act on them.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Canberra, July 19 : A new polls has revealed that support for the Australian government has fallen to its lowest level in two years amid coronavirus lockdowns in the country's two biggest cities.

According to the latest Newspoll, which was published on Sunday night, the governing Coalition trails the opposition Labor Party 47-53 on a two-party preferred basis, reports Xinhua news agency.

It represents the Coalition's worst electoral position in the current term of government.

The poll found that voter satisfaction with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has fallen nine points since late June to 52 per cent, down from a high of 85 per cent in April 2020.

It was conducted as millions of Australians in the Greater Sydney area and the state of Victoria were in lockdown in response to outbreaks of the Delta strain.

Confidence in the federal government's management of the vaccine rollout fell below 50 per cent for the first time, with just 40 per cent of respondents saying they were satisfied.

As of Monday morning, 35.4 per cent of Australian adults had received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose and 13.6 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Newspoll revealed that overall satisfaction with Morrison fell from 55 to 51 per cent while the portion of respondents dissatisfied rose to 45 per cent.

However, Labor leader Anthony Albanese failed to capitalise on the dip in Morrison's popularity, with his own satisfaction rating among 1,506 participants in the poll falling 2 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Panaji, July 19 : For the second time in less than a year, a debate has yet again sparked between the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders over the power tariff models endorsed by the Goa and Delhi governments.

AAP leader and Delhi MLA Raghav Chaddha, on Monday, accepted an invitation given last week by Goa Power Minister Nilesh Cabral to debate over the two power models adopted by the state.

"Nilesh bab, I am happy to note that you have expressed your desire to debate with the Delhi Govt. I, once again, accept your challenge. I hope you will not back out like last time. Please confirm the date, time, venue and I'll be there. Goans want to see a debate on governance," Chadha tweeted on Monday.

Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an announcement made in poll-bound Goa, had said, that if the AAP comes to power, the first 300 units of power consumed by domestic households would be free, while also promising 24x7 uninterrupted power supply, on the lines of the Delhi government.

Reacting to the announcement, Cabral had slammed the Delhi government's power tariff, claiming Goa already better and cheaper power to domestic consumers in the coastal state.

On July 16, Cabral also dared the Delhi Chief Minister to a debate over the merits and the demerits of the two models.

This is the second time that tariff structures in the two states, have triggered rhetoric between leaders of the two political parties.

In November last year, Cabral and Chaddha had also raised hype about a debate over the power tariffs in their respective states.
Kolkata, July 19 : In an effort to cope up with the present problem in the party and reach out to the people, the West Bengal unit of the BJP has formulated several strategies. The state BJP leadership has not only formulated a plan to increase their inter-personal connection with the people but also have formulated a design to handle the disgruntled leaders.

In the likes of 'Didi Ke Bolo' (Tell it to elder sister) articulated by TMC's election strategist during the assembly election campaign, the state BJP has decided to launch 'Bidhayok ke Bolo' (speak to your MLA) to reach out to the people. The scheme is the brainchild of Amit Malviya, the national-in-charge of the party's IT cell as well as the central observer for West Bengal.

Confirming this development, a senior BJP legislator said that all 75 MLAs have been asked to start separate WhatsApp groups. "The voters of the respective constituencies can directly register their grievances with their MLAs. Every MLA has been directed to attend to the complaints and initiatives in finding solutions within 48 hours from the receipt of the complaints," he said.

"We admitted that the TMC's Didike Bolo (Speak to the elder sister) reaped electoral benefits for the party in the recently concluded Assembly elections. Now, we want our elected MLAs to concentrate on intense public relations exercises in their respective constituencies. So, we have decided to start the bidhayokke bolo (speak to your MLA) programme," another senior BJP leader said.

So far as the disgruntled BJP leaders - mainly those who have migrated from TMC- are concerned, the saffron brigade has decided to apply the stick and the carrot method. "There are two kinds of leaders. One is those who have openly expressed their displeasure and publicly disturbed the image of the party and there are some who are not happy with the activities of the party but preferred to keep quiet and discuss it with the party leadership. The party will treat these two categories separately," a senior party member said.

In simple words, for leaders with rebellious attitudes like Soumitra Khan, Rajib Bandopadhyay and Sabyasachi Dutta, the approach of the BJP;s state leadership will be "bitter". On the other hand, for leaders like Rathin Chakraborty and Baishali Dalmia, the approach will be "sweet".

On one hand the state party president is ensuring that no big roles are given to the turncoats at the moment and on the other, the Leader of Opposition is reaching out to those other turncoats who have openly not voiced their displeasure over the running of affairs in the saffron brigade. The outreach is to make sure there is no further bleeding.

When the party is ensuring that the rebellious attitude of leaders like Soumitra Khan, Rajib Bandopadhyay and Sabyasachi Dutta does not percolate to other turncoats, Adhikari is holding meetings with leaders like Dalmia and Chakraborty, since they never raised their voices publicly.

"There are many leaders who have come from different parties. They have separate organisational set-up and they are not accustomed to the BJP style of functioning. We need to give them more time so that they can understand the party's ideology and culture but at the same time we will have to ensure that they don't taint the image of the party. We are going through a reformation and we hope to overcome these problems soon," a senior party leader said.
Lucknow, July 19 : Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Mohammad Azam Khan, who is currently lodged in the Sitapur jail, is now being shifted back to a hospital in Lucknow after his health condition deteriorated.

Khan's oxygen level went down to 88.

The SP leader had recently recovered from Covid-19 and was discharged from hospital last week after being on oxygen support for several days.

Doctor D. Lal of Sitapur district hospital said that a team of doctors reached Sitapur jail to treat Khan after his health condition deteriorated on Monday morning.

Khan had tested positive for Covid on April 30 and was shifted to a hospital for treatment as his condition worsened.

Even though hetested negative on June 1, he continued to be kept in the hospital's intensive care unit and put on oxygen support for several days.

He was later discharged from the hospital on July 13 and taken to the jail.

Khan, an MP from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, had been lodged in Sitapur jail since February 2020 with more than a hundred cases registered against him.
Islamabad, July 19 : At least 27 people were killed and over 30 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a trailer in Pakistan's Punjab province, local media reported on Monday.

According to the reports, the accident occurred after the over-speeding bus collided with a trailer near Taunsa bypass in Dera Ghazi Khan district, reports Xinhua news agency.

Rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the victims to the near hospital.

The bus was heading to Sialkot city from the Rajanpur district of the province.

Road accidents are quite frequent in Pakistan mainly due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and unprofessional driving.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Monday observed that hospitals have become large industries thriving on human distress, and it is better they are closed. The top court added state governments can provide better hospitals, instead of permitting private hospitals to operate from small residential buildings.

A bench comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah said: "Hospitals have become large industries now based on human distress and we cannot let them prosper at the cost of lives. Let such hospitals be closed". The bench pulled up the Gujarat government for extending the deadline for hospitals in connection with building use permissions.

The bench cited that one patient had recovered from Covid and had to be released the next day, but he died due to fire, and also two nurses were burnt alive. "These are human tragedies which have unfolded before our eyes! Then, we go on extending time for these hospitals," he said.

The bench said hospitals have become a real estate industry, and instead of providing succour to patients in distress, it is widely felt they have become money minting machines, which fleece patients.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on his part, submitted before the bench that visualise the impact, if a 10-story building with 4-5 bedded hospital, which was required for Covid treatment now, doesn't have building use permission. Mehta added, resultantly hospitals were required to be closed and in total 30,000 beds could become unavailable.

Justice Chandrachud responded, there is no point in condoning lapses of these nursing homes which are not supposed to be in those buildings in the first place. Justice Shah added if any recommendation is made, you see to it that corrective measure is taken.

"Let the state provide those facilities and Covid care centres. We can't have them in these small residential buildings", said the bench.

Referring to a government notification that hospitals do not have to adhere to the norms till June 2022, the bench said: "Once a mandamus is there, it cannot be overridden by an executive notification like this! You now give a carte blanche and say hospitals don't have to adhere till 2022 and people will continue dying and be burnt..." The top court strongly condemned a report by a commission on the issue of fire safety in hospitals that was filed in a sealed cover. "What is this report in a sealed cover by the commission, etc.? It is not a nuclear secret," said Justice Chandrachud. The top court told the Gujarat government to withdraw the notification giving relaxation to hospitals.

In December last year, the court had directed the Centre to submit data from all states on fire safety audits carried out in hospitals. The court noted that although different states and union territories have taken measures and conducted inspections, further audits were required and asked the state government to constitute a committee to carry out a fire audit of each Covid hospital at least once in a month, in each district. The bench listed the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

The Court was hearing a suo motu case concerning fire tragedies in Covid-19 hospitals across the country following incidents in Rajkot and Ahmedabad.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Canberra, July 19 : A new human rights report on Monday revealed that majority of Muslims in Australia have experienced discrimination.

According to the report published by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, 80 per cent of the Muslims in the country have faced prejudice or discrimination, reports Xinhua news agency.

Half of 1,000 respondents to the survey said they were discriminated against by law enforcement and 48 per cent said they were targeted in workplaces or while looking for work.

One in every four said they were too scared to speak up when they, or someone they knew, experienced discrimination.

Zaahir Edries, a Sydney-based Islamic lawyer who migrated to Australia from South Africa at the age of five, said he noticed an increase in discrimination towards Muslim Australians in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

"Around September 11 things changed for me quite significantly," he was quoted by multicultural state broadcaster SBS on Monday.

"Attitudes towards my faith and my identity changed in the public sphere, so that made it difficult to interact the same way I did before.

"As a young adult at the time, I struggled to reconcile my identity as a Muslim and also as someone who was being asked to explain the events of some horrible criminals on the other side of the world, which wasn't something we'd experienced previously," he added.

Despite the high level of Islamophobia uncovered by the survey, 63 per cent of participants said they believed Australia was a welcoming country and 74 per cent said they felt Australian.

Chin Tan, Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, said it was time for the federal government to establish an anti-racism framework.

"We believe there is a strong and powerful need for us to have a coordinated national strategy that works on many fronts to actively counter racism and discrimination at the various levels that they occur and it brings me to this advocacy that we are now putting forward to the commission about implementing a national anti-racism framework," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, July 19 : Founder leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Dr S. Ramadoss has said that the Central government jobs in Tamil Nadu must go to locals.

In a statement on Monday, the senior leader said that Tamils are ignored for jobs in Southern Railway and other Public sector undertakings even after they have the necessary qualifications.

The senior leader said that 50 per cent of officer level jobs in these departments must be offered to only local people and called upon the Central government to amend the laws accordingly. He also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to provide aid to the Central government in this.

The PMK leader said that majority of jobs in Southern Railway is being grabbed by North Indian people and added that this was a mystery as to how jobs in Central government undertakings of Tamil Nadu are going to people from other states.

He said that the infrastructure for the Central public sector undertakings was provided by the state government and added that despite this reservation is not being provided for locals in central jobs. He said that this should be changed and fixed immediately.
New Delhi, July 19 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday took a jibe at the Narendra Modi government over the alleged phone tapping issue, saying the Pegasus revelations are abhorrent and if true, the government seems to have launched a grave and sinister attack on right to privacy.

In a series of tweets, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The Pegasus revelations are abhorrent. If true, the Modi government seems to have launched a grave and sinister attack on the Right to Privacy - constitutionally guaranteed to Indian citizens as a Fundamental Right. This is an affront to democracy and has ominous implications for our freedoms." Her remarks came a day after The Wire reported that over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of business persons were in the snooping database.

Among the numbers in the Pegasus Project database is one that was registered in the name of a sitting Supreme Court judge. However, The Wire has not been able to confirm whether the number, which the judge gave up before it was added to the list, was still being used by him for WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging apps when the number was selected.

"Until such time as we are able to establish the number's actual user during the period in question, we are withholding the name of the judge," it said.

The Wire and its partners said that they will also not be revealing the identity of any names that appear to be the subject of counter-terrorism.

Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya also raised objection to the alleged snooping and demanded for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Bhattacharya said, "There should be an investigation. If necessary, a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) should be formed as phone tapping is done against the democracy of our country."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kabul, July 19 : Afghan forces regained control of Dara-e-Suf Bala district in Samangan province, forcing the Taliban militants to flee, a police spokesman said on Monday.

"The security forces launched counter-offensive in Dara-e-Suf Bala early Monday and recaptured the district within hours, forcing the rebels to flee," the provincial police spokesman told Xinhua news agency.

Taliban commander Amir Shahidullah is also among those killed in the fighting, the official said but did not give an exact figure on casualties of the warring sides in fight for the control of Dara-e-Suf Bala district.

According to the police spokesman, a clean-up operation is continuing in the Dara-e-Suf Bala district and its vicinity.

A statement from the Army also confirmed the recapturing of Dara-e-Suf Bala district, saying the security and defence forces, after evicting the militants from the district at 6 a.m. on Monday, have been chasing the insurgents in adjoining areas.

Taliban militants have captured three districts including Dara-e-Suf Bala in Samangan province a couple of weeks ago and have been fighting to besiege the provincial capital Aybak city.
New Delhi, July 19 : Hundreds of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists on Monday staged a protest over the issue of alleged phone tapping and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and Supreme Court monitored probe into the issue.

The protest comes a day after the Wire on Sunday reported that over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of business persons in the snooping database.

Several IYC activists under its national President Srinivas B.V. staged a protest near its headquarters at Raisina Marg in central Delhi and tried to march towards Parliament raising slogans against the government.

The Delhi Police detained several IYC workers and took them to Mandir Marg Police station.

Speaking to the media, Srinivas said that during the British days their business was "spying", even today when they have gone, the business of "spying" continues, when will they improve? Taking a potshot at the government, the IYC leader said, "Seven years have passed and he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) does not listen to our 'Mann Ki Baat'. After seven years, we got to know that through Pegasus he was listening to 'Mann Ki Baat' while sitting in WhatsApp, gallery, etc." He also accused the Prime Minister of targeting political opponents, journalists, judges, industrialists, his own senior most ministers and even the leadership of the RSS.

"We will not stop till the people involved in the spying case are punished. We demand a JPC and Supreme Court monitored investigation in the spying case," Srinivas demanded.

IYC national media in-charge Rahul Rao said that many workers marched towards Parliament House over the issue of phone tapping in heavy rain, but the Delhi Police detained many party workers.
Bengaluru, July 19 : Amidst Covid fears, the two-day Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Class 10 examinations began across the state on Monday.

This is for the second consecutive year that the Karnataka State Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) is conducting the SSLC examinations amid the pandemic.

As many as 8.76 lakh candidates have registered for the SSLC examination. The examination has been cut short this year due to the second wave of the pandemic.

Students will have to attempt a multiple choice question (MCQ) paper and have to shade the right option on the OMR (Optical Mark recognition or Optical Mark Reading) sheets.

The OMR sheets are of different colours so that there is no confusion among students while appearing for class 10 examinations. The evaluation process is expected to be faster this year as there is no conventional method involved in finalizing the marks of the students.

On Monday (July 19), the examination for core subjects - science, social science and mathematics are being conducted. On Wednesday (July 22), students will have to write three of their language papers. Each of the subjects will be of 40 marks each.

Owing to Covid concerns, the KSEEB this year has increased the number of examination centres and teachers on duty, with as many as 1.19 lakh staff have been deployed for 73,064 exam halls in 4,885 centres across the state.

Special arrangements have been made for 33 students who have tested positive for Covid, to write the exams at the Covid Care Centres (CCC) in their respective districts.

Apart from having a health screening centre at all examination centres, heads of the centres ensured that physical distance was maintained and only 12 students were seated in a classroom and one student was seated on a bench, as a result of this, there is a substantial rise in the number of examination centres and staff deployed on examination duty this year.

As per the Covid safety protocols, the education department has ensured that all the staff involved in examination duty have received at least one dose of vaccination.

Considering the ongoing Covid situation, the state government has also arranged transportation for children to reach the examination centres.

Wishing all the students appearing for SSLC exams good luck, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in a tweet said, "I urge my young friends to relax and focus on exams. I assure parents that our government has made all arrangements to ensure exams are held safely." Karnataka Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar too in a tweet assured parents that the exam centres are safe for students and the government has taken all necessary measures to conduct the exams in a safe environment.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tehran, July 19 : Iran will continue to attend the Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement after President-elect Ebrahim Raisi and his cabinet take office in August, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The spokesman for the Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said during an online press conference that Iran has announced its intention to continue the talks with its partners in the Joint Commission of the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reports Xinhua news agency.

Iran's policy will not change under the new administration, he said, adding that the country will return to its commitments as soon as the US returns to its obligations and Tehran verifies it.

Under the deal reached in 2015, Tehran agreed to roll back parts of its nuclear program in exchange for decreased economic sanctions.

However, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its commitments in May 2019, a year after the administration of former US President Donald Trump unilaterally abandoned the agreement and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.

Between April 6 and June 20, the JCPOA Joint Commission, attended by a US delegation indirectly, held talks in Vienna to discuss a possible return of Washington to the agreement and the way to ensure a full and effective implementation of the deal.

After six rounds of talks, the parties recently said serious differences remained between Iran and the US over the revitalization of the deal.
Kabul, July 19 : The Taliban militant group has overrun the Dihrawud district in the southern Uruzgan province, a local official said on Monday.

The official on condition of anonymity confirmed that the Dihrawud district fell to the armed insurgents earlier in the day, reports Xinhua news agency.

Uruzgan Governor Mohammad Omar Shirza told Xinhua that "the security personnel made tactical retreat and reached Tirin Kot city last night" and the security forces would fortify the security of provincial capital Tirin Kot.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a media release also confirmed the development.

According to Mujahid, with the capture of Dihrawud, the Taliban now is in possession of all the districts in the province.

The spokesman added that the group would now look to capturing the provincial capital of Tirin Kot and surrounding areas.
Bengaluru, July 19 : The BJP high command after conveying the subtle message to the Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to go, is now contemplating not to give much time to him.

Party sources explain that if CM Yediyurappa gets time to make a decision regarding his exit, there is a chance that he may try to consolidate his position by getting the support of MLAs. If this happens, the BJP High Command will be forced to accept his demands. The central leadership wants the change to take place according to their plans, sources added.

It is said that Yediyurappa has been asked to take a call immediately after July 26, on the completion of 2 years of the BJP government in Karnataka. However, it is said that he is asking for time till August.

Yediyurappa had earlier, with the support of more than 70 MLAs had not only challenged the High Command in 2013, he managed to install D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Jagadeesh Shettar as chief ministers of the state, much to the chagrin of the BJP central leadership.

The past experiences have made the BJP central leadership apprehensive about Yediyurappa, and they are creating pressure on him to take call on the issue in accordance with their terms and conditions, sources said.
New Delhi, July 19 : Jeff Bezos is all set to fly to the edge of space, beyond the Karman line, on Tuesday, along with three others, aboard his company Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.

The Karman line, 100 km above the ground, is the internationally recognised boundary of space.

The company will launch its first astronaut flight, NS-16, from Launch Site One in West Texas.

The liftoff is set for 9 a.m. EDT (6.30 p.m. IST).

Besides Bezos and his brother Mark, the 11-minute trip will take the oldest person ever to go to space, 82-year-old trailblazing female aviator Wally Funk, and the youngest,an 18-year-old physics student Oliver Daemen, to an altitude of 100 km, where they will experience three to four minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth in their space capsule.

They will land in the West Texas desert.

"Our first human flight on Tuesday will be the 16th flight in New Shepard's history," Blue Origin saidd in a tweet.

The passengers are currently staying in Blue Origin's "astronaut village", where they are undergoing 14 hours of preflight training over two days to prepare themselves for the spaceflight, Space.com reported.

Bezos' flight follows Richard Branson's flight to the edge of space aboard his company Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity on July 11.

Branson's flight, however, did not go beyond the Karman line. It climbed nearly 86 km above the Earth's surface.

"From the beginning, New Shepard was designed to fly above the Karman line, so none of our astronauts have an asterisk next to their name," Blue Origin said in a tweet, before Branson's flight The company also shared a chart comparing Virgin Galactic's space plane to Blue Origin's New Shepard on window size, vehicle type, escape system, and other factors.

Bezos' flight is touted as the world's first unpiloted suborbital flight.

The five-storey-tall New Shepard rocket, named after the first American in space Alan Shepard, is designed to launch a crew capsule with seats for six roughly 340,000 feet into the sky toward the edge of space.

Paying tourists can experience a few minutes of weightlessness in microgravity and witness super high-altitude views of Earth.

The booster is topped by a gumdrop-shaped Crew Capsule with space for six passengers inside and large windows.

After reaching the Karman line, the capsule will detach from the booster, allowing those inside to view the curvature of the earth and experience weightlessness.

The booster and capsule will then land separately, with the capsule landing in the west Texas desert with the help of parachutes.

Blue Origin recently received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to carry humans on the New Shepard rocket into space.

"The vehicle is ready to fly," said Chris Yeager, Blue Origin's chief engineer for New Shepard, at a pre-launch event on Sunday. There are no technical issues with the spacecraft, he added.

Daemen will be the first paying customer to fly on board New Shepard, marking the beginning of commercial operations for the programme.

"We are honoured to welcome Oliver to fly with us on New Shepard," said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin, in a statement.

"This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space," he added.

Bezos chose July 20 as the launch date to honour the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
At a time when foreign investors that include a host of South Korean companies are looking to increase investments in India, the raids carried out by the department of revenue intelligence (DRI) in Samsung's offices in Mumbai and Delhi have led to serious concerns.

Reports have suggested that the raids were carried out to investigate if there were violations of customs duties on networking equipment imports.

"Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials carried out 'searches' at offices of South Korean firm Samsung Electronics over suspected evasion of duty on import of network equipment, said people aware of the matter," the Economic Times reported.

However, the incident has led to concerns among investors.

Sources said that the incident could prove to be a dampener for companies that are looking to withdraw from China and invest in India. "Tax raids or searches must be undertaken only in extreme cases," two people closely associated with corporate sector said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team had largely won the confidence of the corporate sector as they promised not to resort to "tax terrorism." "India must make itself conducive for investments and such raids and searches by the taxmen do no good to the image. Even if there are discrepancies, it must be understood whether or not they are intentional. To carry out such activities arbitrarily can cause damage to the investment climate," a corporate lawyer told India Narrative.

Amid changing geopolitical and geoeconomics contours, several other Asian countries including Vietnam have started offering huge incentives to companies wishing to set up factories. "In such a scenario, raids by the tax department must be undertaken only in cases which are absolutely unavoidable," a senior executive with a multinational company said.

Meanwhile just before leaving India after completing a three year term. South Korean ambassador Shin Bongkil said that the global pandemic had exposed the risk of overdependence on global supply chains being concentrated in one country. "Consequently, there are increasing calls for diversifying supply chains to be better prepared to tackle future disruptions caused by any global crisis. Global companies, including Korean companies, are looking at India as an alternative manufacturing destination," Shin said at a Korean investors' meet at Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's residence in Chandigarh.

In 2018, Korea's investment to India crossed the $1 billion mark for the first time, touching $1.053 billion.

While India's overall rank improved significantly from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2020, doing business in India still is still fraught with handicaps that need to be addressed jointly by the Centre and states.

Sources said that the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme is aimed at boosting manufacturing and investments in the country, but such activities from taxmen must be avoided "at all costs." (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Agartala, July 19 : The long-awaited expansion and reshuffle of the council of ministers of the BJP led alliance government in Tripura is likely to take place soon, top party sources said on Monday.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who is now on a weeklong tour to New Delhi, held a series of separate meetings with the Bharatiya Janata Party President J.P. Nadda, National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh and discussed the organisational matters.

After meeting Nadda on Sunday night, Deb tweeted: "Informed him about the committed efforts being made by the State Govt for welfare of the people of Tripura and also held extensive deliberations on various organisational matters of the party." "Delighted to meet BJP General Secretary (org) Shri B. L. Santhosh ji and briefed him about the party work and pro-people initiatives taken by our government under the guidance of PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Also received valuable direction and support from him to strengthen the party," said Deb in another tweet.

Deb, who went to Delhi along with the state party President Manik Saha on July 14, during his stay in the national capital also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and four other central ministers and discussed various developmental and economic issues of Tripura.

A senior BJP leader told IANS that the Chief Minister would expand and reshuffle his council of ministry in line with the union cabinet reshuffle done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Without elaborating about the possible expansion and reshuffle of the state council of ministry, the BJP leader said that the exercises both in the ministry and the organisation would be done keeping an eye on the next assembly elections, due in February 2023. "The central BJP leaders have given green signals for the cabinet expansion and reshuffle in the Deb-led BJP-IPFT ministry," the leader said, refusing to be named.

Since the BJP-IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura) government assumed office on March 9, 2018, three ministerial berth were lying vacant and in May 2019 former Health and Information Technology Minister Sudip Roy Barman was sacked following differences of opinion with the Chief Minister and the vacancy in the ministry rose to four.

Amid dissidence and discontent among a section of the legislators and leaders, the ruling BJP in the state along with the party's central leaders, have initiated a series of meetings since last month to strengthen the organisation before the 2023 Tripura Assembly polls.

To quell the dissidence and differences, besides the State Executive meeting on June 28 two other very significant meetings were held in 12 days. On June 16, BJP's National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh, General Secretary in-charge of the Northeast region Ajay Jamwal and central observer Fanindra Nath Sharma rushed to the state and held a series of meetings for two days with the state leaders, legislators, ministers and other party functionaries. Another central observer Vinod Sonkar was scheduled to come on June 16 but his tour was cancelled at the last minute.

In the June 28 meeting, where the dissident leaders and MLAs led by former Minister Sudip Roy Barman remained absent, Nath Sharma physically attended while BJP's strategist and National General Secretary Bhupender Yadav (now union minister) and Sonkar virtually participated in the meeting from Delhi.

A BJP insider said that at least ten of the party's 36 MLAs did not participate in the June 25 crucial meeting of the legislators held in the state Assembly conference hall. Strong speculations about a fresh political development in Tripura are rife after BJP national Vice-President Mukul Roy along with his son Subhrangshu Roy rejoined the ruling Trinamool Congress on June 11 in Kolkata. Roy, before joining the BJP around four years ago, had often visited Tripura to supervise the Trinamool's organisational matters. Under Roy's influence, six Congress MLAs led by Sudip Roy Barman and a large number of party leaders and workers joined the Trinamool in 2016 and a year later joined the BJP, boosting the political strength of the saffron party.

All the six and former Congress legislature party leader Ratan Lal Nath were re-elected on the BJP tickets in the 2018 polls and among them Roy Barman, Pranajit Singha Roy and Nath were made Ministers and Biswabandhu Sen appointed as Deputy Speaker.

Roy Barman, son of former Chief Minister and incumbent Congress leader Samir Ranjan Barman, became the Health and Family Welfare, Information Technology and Science and Technology Minister, but was sacked on May 31, 2019 following the dispute with Deb. At Least 11 BJP legislators and some party leaders led by Roy Barman and fellow MLAs and former party Vice-President Ram Prasad Paul went to Delhi in October last year to discuss "party affairs in Tripura with the central leadership".

Amid dissidence and discontent among a section of the BJP leaders and legislators, Chief Minister Deb in December last year announced to take "public mandate" through public gatherings in Agartala but subsequently with the request of the central and state leaders, the plan was called off.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Patna, July 19 : Former Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav was admitted to a hospital here on Monday after complaining of abdominal pain and uneasiness in breathing.

This was the second time in a month when Tej Pratap fell ill. He is currently undergoing treatment in a prominent hospital in Patna.

According to a top source in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Tej Pratap complained of abdominal pain and breathing problems on Monday afternoon. Initially, he underwent treatment at his official residence but as his condition did not improve, doctors advised him for treatment in hospital.

An RJD official said that Tej Pratap was immediately rushed to a prominent hospital in Patna. His health is normal now. He underwent an ultrasound of his stomach.

Similar symptoms arose early this month on July 6 when he complained of uneasiness in breathing and abdominal pain. Then his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav had rushed to his brother's residence.

However, on Monday Tejashwi Yadav had a pre-scheduled plan to go to Delhi. When he was on board the flight, he received the message about his brother's illness. After speaking to his brother on the phone, Tejashwi continued with his onward journey.
Panaji, July 19 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday met Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda in the national capital to demand the inclusion of Goa-based Gouly-Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

Sawant along with several members of his cabinet is currently in Delhi to meet several central ministers, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, to lobby for getting clearances for several projects ahead of the 2022 state Assembly polls.

The Goa delegation which met Munda included Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, Assembly speaker Rajesh Patnekar, Goa Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, members of the Goa cabinet, including Social Welfare Minister Milind Naik, Public Works Department Minister Deepak Pauskar, among others.

Members of the Gouly-Dhangar tribe, who live in forested areas are essentially shepherds by trade, have been demanding their inclusion in the ST list for several years now.
New Delhi, July 19: India is looking at reviving the Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) -- the mega infrastructure project that was launched in 2017 to connect Asia and Africa. The contours and finer details of the project, which was essentially a collaboration between India and Japan, could be significantly altered. Other stakeholders could be brought in as well to revive the project.

The almost still-born AAGC was seen as an attempt to provide an alternative to the China-powered Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"At a time when the world is looking at an alternative to Chinese projects, the AAGC holds promise but with the Covid 19 pandemic and its economic impact, many projects have come under the spotlight," an insider told India Narrative. However, he added that a new funding mechanism which is viable and transparent needs to be chalked out.

Other countries along with multilateral agencies including the ones focused on Asia such as Asian Development Bank need to be roped in to inject life into the project.

At present, China, which is aggressively carrying out the BRI execution, is the largest lender in the continent. However, from 2019, China's loan commitments to Africa have reduced.

"We should think about how we can revise the AAGC to make it more attractive and beneficial. It should be a profit-driven project rather than a human development vision," The French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) pointed out.

According to a study by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Chinese financiers committed $153 billion to African public sector borrowers between 2000 and 2019. "After rapid growth in the 2000s, annual lending commitments to Africa peaked in 2013, the year the BRI was launched. By 2019, though, new Chinese loan commitments amounted to only $7 billion to the continent, down 30 percent from $9.9 billion in 2018," it said.

That apart, China's "resource-backed lending model for financing infrastructure projects" in which the borrowing country commits future revenues to be earned from its natural resource exports to pay loans secured from Chinese creditors have raised doubts.

Africa's debt problem "China's business dealings in Africa are raising eyebrows," a report published by Nairobi News noted.

"It is true many African countries have shown their concerns over the Chinese lending pattern but the problem is that other sources of funds are often not available to them and this creates a condition where they have to borrow more from China," Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International, told India Narrative.

Last month, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund noted that debt levels-which were already elevated before the pandemic-have increased sharply. Public debt in sub-Saharan Africa jumped by more than 6 percentage points to 58 per cent of GDP in 2020, the highest level in almost two decades, she said.

A sectoral decomposition of Chinese loans highlights that more than 65 per cent of its lending goes to infrastructure sectors such as energy, mining, construction, transport among others, The Carnegie study said, adding that in comparison, traditional lenders-mostly from Europe and North America as well as Japan in the OECD-Development Assistance Committee focus more on social sectors like health, population, education, and humanitarian aid.

Not just that. The lending pattern of the other lenders comprises a fair mix of grants and loans.

"It is time that India and other countries look at Africa to ensure partnered development," a business entrepreneur of Indian origin living in Kenya told India Narrative.

G7 initiative The Group of Seven (G7) countries that held their meeting in June spotlighted an arc between Africa and the Indo-Pacific as the space where they wish to expand their democratic footprint amid China's rise as a global power.

The G7 also announced that it will increase its support to the Indo Pacific and Africa. "We resolve to collaborate with partners around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, to actively promote these shared values for the good of all," said the statement.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's proposal of carving out a mega infrastructure plan under the "Build Back Better World" (B3W) initiative, which according to a Financial Times report, would be based on transparency, sustainability and consultation with local communities -- will be a move to counter the BRI.

"It is yet to be seen what will be the finer details of the proposed project," Mehta said.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, July 19: On July 13, Canada found its third mass grave of children with 182 bodies near a former Catholic residential school for the indigenous children. The graves were found at the St. Eugene's Mission School -- operated by the Catholic Church from 1912 till the 1970s.

With this discovery, more than 1,000 graves of indigenous children have been unearthed in Canada, sparking global outrage against the actions of the Catholic church. Some of the bodies have been of children as young as three.

The second mass grave of around 751 bodies was found in June, on the site of the Marieval Indian residential school.

In May, the first mass grave with 215 children was found at one of Canada's largest residential schools -- the Kamloops Indian Residential School--funded by the Canadian government and run by the Catholic church.

These findings are believed to be the tip of the iceberg as indigenous people in Canada are investigating a cultural genocide perpetrated by the State and the Catholic schools. Despite the developed status of the country, the indigenous people still live in deprived conditions.

MD, Development Interlinks International, Dr Ajith Chandran who has conducted research on the First Nations communities in Canada, tells India Narrative that the conditions of the native people are far from better. Chandran says: "While there are changes over the years, systemic issues continue to exist in the treatment of indigenous people. There are disproportionate numbers of indigenous people who are homicide victims and unemployed. They are also more likely to leave the education system early, live in crowded areas and have health issues, specifically mental health".

British newspaper The Guardian says: "Between 1867 and 1996, the Canadian state abducted more than 150,000 Indigenous children from their parents and forced them into these schools as part of a campaign of forced assimilation. Thousands were subject to physical, emotional and sexual abuse".

With Canada's native people making strenuous efforts to dig out the truth, will they get justice with their lands taken away and identity suppressed? They constitute just five per cent of the current population.

Chandran says that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up in 2008 aimed to understand the Church-run residential school system in Canada and its impact on students and families. "The Commission released its findings in 2015. While this helped bring out voluminous information, I believe the reconciliation is yet to happen in full earnest".

He adds that the native people are also fighting for their lands. "The land treaty processes have been underway since the early 1990s. These are slow processes, and only a few First Nations have had the benefit as of now. In general, indigenous people have difficulty managing their traditional lands as their powers are confined to a minuscule area designated as the Indian reserve", says Chandran.

Various communities in the liberal democratic governments in both the US and Canada are questioning their governments about the past histories of cultural genocide, usurpation of native lands, discrimination against 'others' and atrocities committed on the native populations by the Christian settlers. The Black Lives Matter movement in the US and Europe in 2019 held a mirror to their governments and powerful dominant communities.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, July 19 : Security has been beefed up in the national capital, including near its three borders in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, in view of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament that commenced on Monday and the Independence Dat next month, the Delhi Police said.

Apart from reviewing the security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Police have also strengthened the security in and around the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day.

Delhi Police Commissioner Balaji Srivastava conducted a citywide patrol on Sunday night with over 30,000 police personnel.

To ensure elaborate security arrangements in the national capital in view of the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Parliament and in the run up to the Independence Day, Srivastava, who took charge as Delhi Police chief on June 30, visited the borders areas where thousands of farmers are sitting on protest against the three Central farm laws for the last several months.

"The Delhi Police Commissioner also interacted with the Special Commissioner of Police, Joint Special Commissioner of Police and other senior police personnel along with the staff deployed at the spots while inspecting the arrangements in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, besides the Red Fort and the Parliament areas," Delhi Police said in an official statement on Monday.

Stressing on the need for vigil and alertness on the part of every staff on duty in the national capital, Srivastava motivated the policemen and women to remain prepared 24x7, saying, "Delhi Police have been entrusted with public trust to keep the capital safe and secure. The city never sleeps, neither do we." Srivastava also directed the DCPs to look after the welfare of the cops deployed on the ground by making arrangements for timely food, proper shelter and rotation of duties to the best possible extent.
Mumbai, July 19 : Priyanka Singh, sister of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, took to Twitter on Monday to urge Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and co-founder Larry Sanger to change the cause of his death as mentioned on the site.

At the time of publishing this report, Wikipedia mentions the actor's death as "suicide by hanging".

Priyanka, who is a lawyer by profession, says Sushant's death is still under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and hence it should be mentioned as "under investigation".

"I am Sushant's sister and I thank you @lsanger for being a credible voice for Neutrality. In today's world when information is power, sticking to Facts and Facts alone is the greatest service one can do #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput," Priyanka tweeted on Monday.

"My demand from @Wikipedia @jimmy_wales is: Firstly, as the investigation is still ongoing in Sushant's death case by top Indian agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, the cause of death cited on wiki page should be changed from 'suicide by hanging' to 'under investigation'," she added.

Priyanka also stated that her late brother's height is crucial for the ongoing investigation and his actual height should be mentioned on the site.

"Secondly, change sushant's height on the wiki page to 183cm as who can be a more reliable source than the person himself. Hear it out from Sushant's mouth @Wikipedia @jimmy_wales," she tweeted along with a throwback video of Sushant revealing his height as 183 cms.

"I am his sister and I vouch by the fact that sushant's height is 183cm indeed. His height is crucial to the matrix of the Sushant's death case. Here is a picture from @mariotestino photo shoot of Sushant with @KendallJenner for @voguemagazine. Btw Kendall is on high heels," Priyanka further tweeted along with a blurred photograph.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Rajya Sabha also saw proceedings being disturbed repeatedly on the first day of the Monsoon Session on Monday and was finally adjourned for the day, as opposition members created ruckus over various issues, including fuel price rise, and the alleged snooping.

Before being finally adjourned for the day, the house was adjourned many times as opposition did not pay heed to the Chairman's appeal to let the house proceed normally.

The chairman did not allow the notices given by Congress' K.C. Venugopal, RJD's Manoj Jha, CPI's Binoy Viswam, and members of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties shouted slogans against the government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi started introducing his new Cabinet ministers.

The bedlam prevented him from continuing and he laid his statement on the table of the house.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha and it was also eventually adjourned for the day.
New Delhi, July 19 : India's accelerated vaccination drive as well as pent-up demand has triggered a recovery in leisure air travel, said Tata-SIA airline Vistara.

The travel trend, which includes the VFR category, is still in a nascent stage but is expected to sustain.

In an interaction with IANS, Vistara's Chief Commercial Officer, Vinod Kannan, said the airline remains optimistic about the future.

"We understand that people have held back their travel plans due to various reasons like travel restrictions, rapid spread of the virus in the second wave etc., and going by the trend, we hope they will resume travelling as soon as the situation gets stabilised. In fact, we are noticing some level of recovery in VFR and leisure travel." On corporate travel trend, he said a complete rebound is unlikely until more of the global population is fully vaccinated.

"Corporates are already trying their best to vaccinate their staff. International travel to client locations is also inhibited to ensure that the employees are not stuck under quarantine in different countries abroad. However, we feel this is temporary.

"The number of trips may be fewer compared to pre-Covid levels; however, they will not completely stop. Virtual meetings cannot completely replace physical interactions; hence, we are positive that corporate traffic will also pick up slowly," Kannan said.

At present, the sector faces its most challenging time with high cost of business, fluctuating demand and looming uncertainties.

However, the country's vaccination drive has instilled confidence in the travelling population.

"Vaccination being the only known way to fight the pandemic, it is definitely expected to have an impact across all aspects of our lives, including aviation," Kannan said.

Besides, he expects 'vaccine passports' to become a key requirement for the future of global travel.

"We feel that some level of relaxation can be offered to fully vaccinated travellers for ease of movement," he said.

According to the recent figures gathered by IATA, more than 20 countries have partially or entirely lifted their entry restrictions for those vaccinated against Covid-19.

This is being seen as an indication for the revival of international travel.

Furthermore, he said that the airline plans to start long-haul operations to the US in the coming months.

"We have initiated the process with the relevant authorities and have already received a temporary 'Foreign Air Carrier' permit from the Department of Transportation, US.

"We continue to monitor the market and evaluate more such opportunities from both from the commercial viability and feasibility of operations point of view," Kannan said.

Lately, the airline has expanded its international network under the 'air bubble' agreements.

In this period, eight international destinations, including London, Dhaka, Dubai, Doha, Frankfurt, Sharjah, Male and Tokyo, were added.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in) -IANS

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Mumbai, July 19 : Actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra took to social media on Monday to suggest meditation that offers benefits like calming the mind, reducing stress and sharpening the eyesight. The ancient meditation practice is called Tratak.

"We may not always have the power to change what's happening around us, but we can definitely control what happens within. That is possible only through Yoga. Give yourself the ability to calm the mind, reduce unwanted thoughts, centre your wandering attention, and improve your focus through Tratak Meditation," Shilpa wrote in an Instagram post.

The actress, who is known for her penchant for Yoga, also mentioned the benefits of the meditation, which include increased concentration levels, fighting sleeping difficulties, sharpening eyesight and reducing stress.

On the work front, Shilpa is set to make her comeback into Hindi films after 14 years with the upcoming comedy "Hungama 2". The Priyadarshan directorial also features Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Meezaan Jafri and Pranitha Subhash in key roles.
Patna, July 19 : Liquor ban in Bihar is a milestone decision as claimed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with complete support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, a BJP District President has made a mockery of the law after he was caught on camera consuming liquor in the Madhubani district.

Siyaram Shah, the Jhanjharpur BJP District President, had thrown a liquor party inside the party office in Jhanjharpur. An alleged video of the party went viral on social media.

The video shows Shah smoking cigarettes and glasses filled with liquor and starters (chips packet) placed on a table right in front of him with background music.

Two more persons accompanied the BJP leader, however their faces are not visible in the video. Shah seems to be suggesting that they had organised the party inside the BJP district office near Jhanjharpur sub-divisional hospital.

IANS has not confirmed the authenticity of this alleged video and photos circulated on social media platforms.

On contacting him, Siyaram Shah said, "The alleged video is not authentic. Someone has conspired against me. The video is doctored and someone has shown my face in the video to defame me." Chandramani, the Jhanjharpur police station House Officer said, "We have received the video and sent it to the lab to verify its authenticity. The matter is under investigation. Action will be taken on the basis of the investigation report. We are also making efforts to identify those persons whose faces are not visible in the video." After the alleged video went viral on social media, Rohini Acharya, the daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad, posted a series of tweets and slammed CM Nitish Kumar.

"When will you send the BJP District President to jail? Is the liquor prohibition act made only for poor people and Dalits?" Acharya asked.

"What is happening under the government of 'mis-governance' babu (Nitish Kumar). Liquor trade is going on under the protection of the ruling Bihar government. They are making illegal money in the name of liquor ban," she said.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 19 : Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) on Monday came out with a plan to provide the offline version of its "First Bell 2.0" Digital Classes for the students in Lakshadweep region, who study according to Kerala school syllabus.

This became a reality on the request by Directorate of Education, Lakshadweep administration, to KITE to provide the digital content offline to the students in Lakshadweep where there are issues with respect to internet connectivity and availability of Direct to Home (DTH) channel.

The Lakshadweep Education Officer had visited the KITE state Office at state capital Thiruvananthapuram, following which it has been decided to support the students in the Union Territory by providing downloaded versions of digital contents from pre-primary to class 12 students on a monthly basis.

K. Anvar Sadath, Chief Executive Officer, KITE, said this initiative would directly benefit 6,420 students across 43 schools located in 10 islands of Lakshadweep, who study as per the Kerala school syllabus.

"KITE has been providing necessary support to Lakshadweep Department of Education for setting up hi-tech classrooms on request," Sadath added.

From 2020 onwards, with its inclusion in all DTH networks, KITE Victers channel is now available in Lakshadweep region as well. However, due to the prevailing issues of availability of the channel and the internet connectivity in many areas in the island, the need of the hour was to make the 'First Bell' Digital Classes available in an offline mode, which can be directly provided to the students.
Mumbai, July 19 : In a horrific incident, a Mumbai lawyer was surrounded and attacked by over a dozen assailants with swords, iron rods, and knives on a road in full public view, officials said on Monday.

The MBH Colony Police Station has arrested four persons and booked another seven absconding for the crime and launched a hunt to track them.

The shocking incident happened on Sunday when the lawyer, Satyadev Joshi and his associate Ankit Tandon had gone to survey a land for a client in Dahisar suburb.

Just then, a group of goons wielding swords, iron rods, and knives swooped on them and launched a murderous attack on Joshi, 38, and Tandon, 28, even as they screamed for help.

The bleeding duo, with sword and rod injuries in the shoulders and arms, was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and both are stated to be out of danger now.

"I had gone to Kanderpada in Dahisar west to survey a property for my client Tauquir Khan, who is the owner of the plot when the brutal attack occurred around 3 p.m. on Sunday," Joshi told IANS later.

A resident of Goregaon, Joshi was called on Monday by the police to record his statement while a delegation of lawyers went to the police station to register their protest over the attack on a member of the legal fraternity and demanding security.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Thakur visited the police station and listened to their grievances and assured necessary action in the matter, said Karan Mertia, one of the lawyers present there.

Stunned by the broad daylight assault, the lawyers now plan to raise the matter with the government and Home Department through the respective city and state bar councils to ensure protection for advocates on duty.
Chennai, July 19 : Skirting the issue of Gail (India) Ltd laying its gas pipeline through farm lands in Krishnagiri district raised by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, the state Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said on Monday that such pipelines were also laid when the AIADMK was in power.

On Saturday, AIADMK Coordinator Panneerselvam had urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to prevent GAIL (India) Ltd from laying gas pipelines on farm lands in Krishnagiri district much against the wishes of the local farmers.

He had asked Stalin to stop GAIL from laying its gas pipelines in farm lands and lay the same along the highway.

Panneerselvam said that projects are for people, and not people for projects.

Reacting to his comments, Thennarasu said that gas pipelines have been laid by oil and gas companies in Tamil Nadu from 2018 onwards.

Listing out the various pipelines that were laid by the oil and gas companies in Tamil Nadu when the AIADMK was in power, Thennarasu said the projects were executed in cooperation with the farmers, and also after paying higher compensation.

He said the government insists on laying pipelines along the highways wherever it is feasible.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Gujarat government for bringing a notification to reverse its order on fire safety norms in Covid hospitals, warning that putting of the adherence till 2022 would mean "people will continue to die by burning".

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah expressed anguish at the state government for breaching its order, citing the recent government notification, and added it only gives more time to hospitals that do not have a fire safety system and till they take action, patients will continue to die.

"The notification gives the impression that the state is protecting illegality," the bench said, telling the Gujarat government to withdraw the notification extending the deadline for hospitals in connection with building use permissions.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on his part, submitted that the court should visualise the impact, if a 10-story building with a hospital, required for Covid treatment now, doesn't have building use permission. As a result, hospitals were required to be closed and in total, 30,000 beds could become unavailable.

Justice Chandrachud responded that there is no point in condoning lapses of these nursing homes which are not supposed to be in those buildings in the first place. Justice Shah added if any recommendation is made, the government should see to it that corrective measure is taken.

"Let the state provide those facilities and Covid care centres. We can't have them in these small residential buildings," said the bench.

Citing the government notification that hospitals do not have to adhere to the norms till June 2022, the bench said: "Once a mandamus is there, it cannot be overridden by an executive notification like this! You now give a carte blanche and say hospitals don't have to adhere till 2022 and people will continue to die by burning..." It observed that hospitals have become large industries thriving on human distress, and it is better that they are closed. It added state governments can provide better hospitals, instead of permitting private hospitals to operate from small residential buildings.

"Hospitals have become large industries now based on human distress and we cannot let them prosper at the cost of lives. Let such hospitals be closed." It noted that one patient had recovered from Covid and had to be released the next day, but he died due to fire, and also two nurses were burnt alive. "These are human tragedies which have unfolded before our eyes! Then, we go on extending time for these hospitals," the bench said.

The top court strongly condemned a report by a commission on the issue of fire safety in hospitals that was filed in a sealed cover. "What is this report in a sealed cover by the commission, etc? It is not a nuclear secret," said Justice Chandrachud.

In December last year, the court had directed the Centre to submit data from all states on fire safety audits carried out in hospitals. The court noted that although different states and Union Territories have taken measures and conducted inspections, further audits were required and asked the state government to constitute a committee to carry out a fire audit of each Covid hospital at least once in a month, in each district. The bench listed the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

The court was hearing a suo motu case concerning fire tragedies in Covid-19 hospitals across the country following incidents in Gujarat's Rajkot and Ahmedabad.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, July 19 : Elnaaz Norouzi, who will be seen in the web show "Chutzpah", has been taking Hindi lessons to hone her dialogue skills, and the Iranian-German actress describes it as a struggle well worth it.

"For two years I took Hindi lessons. In Bollywood, every day is a struggle -- from learning Hindi to learning dance. It's a constant struggle as I have to prove myself among other Indian girls who have all the training and grooming from childhood," she told to IANS.

Elnaaz says she wanted to be an actress after watching Bollywood films. Her biggest inspiration is Shah Rukh Khan and as a newcomer, she got a chance to act with him in two advertisements. "Meeting Shah Rukh Khan was surreal. When I met him I realised dreams do come true," signed off Elnaaz.

"Chutzpah" is her third web series, and she was appreciated for her past shows "Sacred Games" and "Abhay".

In "Chutzpah", Elnaaz plays a camgirl. "I am playing a Russian star in 'Chutzpah'. I play Wild Butterfly in the virtual world and Sara in real life. You will see me in two different worlds -- real and virtual," Elnaaz said.

The actress has multiple looks in the series. "I have more than 10 looks. Each day, every look took me three to four hours to get ready. But, I enjoyed doing these different looks. These were very crazy looks that the viewers would enjoy. Nobody has ever done so many looks in one series before," she claimed.

She auditioned for "Chutzpah" from Germany during the pandemic. "When I was selected I had an apprehension over how I would play the role of a camgirl. But the makers presented my role in a very subtle and tasteful manner," she told.

"Chutzpah" is about five individuals who are connected through the internet. It showcases the power of social media and highlights the digital influence on the youth of today.

In the series directed by Simarpreet Singh, Elnaaz is paired opposite Manjot Singh.

In the show, there were no co-actors, as the actors had to act in the virtual world in front of the cameras. "It was a very different experience to only act to the camera. In a film, you have a co-actor to romance, but here I was romancing the camera. It is a different ball game altogether. One has to depend on self-confidence and emotions to act. It is much tougher. It took me some time to get into the new format," said Elnaaz.
New Delhi, July 19 : Eyewear retailer Lenskart on Monday announced it has raised $220 million in fresh funding led by Temasek and Falcon Edge Capital, taking its valuation to nearly $2.5 billion.

The company recently raised $95 million from global investment fund KKR, taking the total transaction size to $315 million to date.

The current round also saw participation from Bay Capital and Chiratae, the company said in a statement.

"We're already the largest eyewear player in India and in the top 3 in Singapore. Lenskart envisions to have 50 per cent of India wearing its specs over the next five years and become the #1 eyewear platform in Southeast Asia and Middle East over the next 18 to 24 months through organic and inorganic expansion," Founder and CEO Peyush Bansal said.

The company said that fresh funds will help it expand its presence in India as well as scaling its growing operations in Southeast Asia and Middle East.

"Lenskart has built a world-class fully backward-integrated omnichannel eyewear retail experience with extreme customer centricity," Falcon Edge Capital co-Founder and Partner Navroz Udwadia said.

The market opportunity for Lenskart in target geographies is expected to be over $15 billion by 2025.

Along with the expansion, Lenskart is also planning to use the capital to deepen its investments in technology and AI-driven innovations to create a personalised experience for its customers.

Founded in 2010, Lenskart is currently serving over seven million customers annually through its omni-channel shopping experience with more than 750 omni-channel stores in 175 cities.

In 2019, Lenskart expanded to Singapore -- marking its foray into Southeast Asia -- where it is now a key service provider for opticals.

In May, Lenskart and KKR, a global investment firm, announced the signing of definitive agreements under which KKR invested $95 million in Lenskart via a secondary stake acquisition.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea against the Maharashtra government's denial of permission to Warkaris of the Sant Namdev Maharaj Sansthan and other groups of Warkari sect to walk from their doorstep till the temple at Pandharpur.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy refused to entertain the plea by the Sansthan, citing the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra.

The plea had challenged the state government decision to permit only ten palkis to perform the 'Dindi' (or pilgrimage to Lord Vithal Temple) against the backdrop of emergence of the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus. Dindi is an assimilation of Warkaris who commence their spiritual journey reciting the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

"You know the pandemic. You know the situation in the country. And you want that there should be no restrictions? We cannot do this," the Chief Justice told the petitioner's counsel.

Arguing that state has allowed 10 'palkis' to travel and it is the birthplace of Sant Namdev, counsel said: "Please require my 'palki' to be approved." However, the bench did not budge and reiterated that it is not keen to entertain the plea.

The petitioner contended that warkaris (pilgrims) from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana will face a lot of hardship in completing their wari, which normally starts from their home to the temple of Lord Vithal situated at Pandharpur.

The petitioner argued the state had arbitrarily denied the permission of conducting an age-old practice of 'wari' and it violated the fundamental rights of warkaris. The plea stated that the petitioner did not press for the pilgrimage but this year, it should be allowed.

The plea had sought a direction allowing palkhis from across India to be allowed to travel and no restrictions are imposed on numbers as done by the Maharashtra government.
Beijing, July 19 : Netizens in China have signed an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO), demanding it probe the shutdown of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, Maryland, media reports said.

The netizens asked the health body to investigate the US military biological lab to prevent a future epidemic, the Global Times reported on Sunday.

The letter comes as China is subject to fresh rounds of scrutiny over alleged leak of SARS-CoV2, the virus causing Covid-19, from the country's infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

The netizens posted the letter on its WeChat and Weibo platforms on Saturday, which garnered half a million signatures within 24 hours. The open letter particularly noted the Fort Detrick lab, which stores the most deadly and infectious viruses in the world, including Ebola, smallpox, SARS, MERS, and the novel coronavirus. The leak of any of them would cause severe danger to the world, the report said.

"But this lab has a notorious record on lab security. There have been scandals of anthrax bacterium from the lab being stolen, causing poisoning to many and even death. There has been a leakage incident in the lab in the autumn of 2019 right before the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, however, detailed information had been withheld by the US under excuses of national security," said the letter.

The USAMRIID was temporarily shut down in 2019 after a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inspection. Although this mysterious lab reported the reason for the closure as "ongoing infrastructure issues with wastewater decontamination," the explanation was not persuasive enough.

"What is more perplexing is that, when China allowed virologists from Western countries and even US mainstream media to visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the US has not opened the Fort Detrick lab, let alone shared the original data with countries including China that are independent from US geopolitical influence," the joint letter noted.

Further, the netizens stated that the US even purposely neglected and distorted the Chinese people's call to investigate the Fort Detrick lab -- referring to the questions raised in the letter as a "conspiracy theory," and at the same time, used untenable and flawed rumours to attack the WIV, said the open letter.

While, the WHO has already made their evaluation about the "Wuhan lab leak theory" during their trip to China, questions remain for other labs over whether the virus was leaked from them, Zeng Guang, former chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, was quoted as saying to the Global Times.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, July 19 : Actress Madhuri Dixit Nene took to social media on Monday to celebrate her Instagram family growing to 25 million.

The actress shared a cartoon video of herself thanking her fans for the love. "25 Million strong. Thank you everyone for your love & support," Madhuri wrote.

Fans responded in the comment section with enthusiasm.

"Back in the nineties, you were the heartthrob of the entire nation. This 25 million is nothing," commented a fan.

"Ma'am I'm a huge fan of yours and want to meet you," shared another fan.

Remarking on the actress using a cartoon filter for herself, another fan wrote: "You naturally look like a princess you don't need a filter." Madhuri currently features as a judge on the dance reality show "Dance Deewane 3". The actress is all set to make her OTT debut with the upcoming thriller series "Finding Anamika". The series also features Sanjay Kapoor and Manav Kaul.
Patna, July 19 : A man having an affair with a woman constable of Bihar police was gunned down in Vaishali district on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Munna Rai, a native of Mani Bhakurgarh village under Sarai police station. His wife alleged that a woman constable of the village was behind his murder. She had threatened him and his family a month ago.

"Initially, my husband (Munna Rai) was in a relationship with the woman constable of the village. After some time, she extorted money from him. She recently threatened him and the entire family with dire consequences after my husband refused to give money. I suspect that she was behind the murder of my husband," the deceased's wife said.

Raghav Dayal, DSP (Sadar) of Vaishali district said: "Initially, it came to notice that purchase of a Mahindra Bolero was the reason for the dispute. Now, there is another angle of love affair in the investigation." "We have detained two men and two women in this case. Their interrogation is currently underway," Dayal said.
New Delhi, July 19 : In the midst of the heated Assembly elections in West Bengal earlier this year, the phone of poll strategist Prashant Kishor was broken into using NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, according to digital forensics conducted by Amnesty International's Security Lab and shared with The Wire.

In addition, the mobile number of key strategist Abhishek Banerjee, the powerful Trinamool Congress MLA who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was also selected as a potential target for surveillance by a government client of NSO Group, an investigation of leaked data by The Wire and its media partners on the Pegasus Project has shown.

Also on the list is Banerjee's personal secretary.

Their phones, along with that of a close aide to Kishor, were not immediately available for forensic investigation, making it impossible to say definitively whether an attempt to hack them was made.

Since NSO insists that only "vetted governments" can purchase Pegasus, the targetting of Kishor -- who was working as an advisor to Mamata Banerjee -- is the first iron-clad piece of evidence that this deadly spyware is being used in India by an as yet unidentified agency to gather political information from rivals of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, The Wire said.

Kishor's current or one-time role as a key political advisor and strategist for a range of opposition parties, including the DMK in Tamil Nadu and the Congress in Punjab, besides the Trinamool, means the agency targeting him is also interested in gathering information about the government's political opponents in different parts of the country.

The forensic examination of his current phone also shows that what appear to be unsuccessful attempts to initiate a Pegasus attack were made on Kishor's phone in 2018, just months prior to the general elections of 2019. This was at a time when there was considerable speculation over who Kishor and his much-in-demand election consultancy organisation, I-Pac, would be assisting in the elections.

Traces of Pegasus on Kishor's phone were also detected in 14 days in June 2021 and 12 days in July 2021, including July 13, the day when he met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi. In fact, a hack of Kishor's phone occurred even on the date that The Wire met him and AI helped conduct forensic analysis on it.
New Delhi, July 19 : The issues with calculation of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues are far from over. The Supreme Court on Monday said it would pass order on applications filed by telcos -- Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, and Tata Tele Services Ltd - alleging arithmetical errors in calculation of AGR dues payable by them.

A bench, headed by Justice L.N. Rao, cited the earlier order passed by the top court which clearly points out that no re-assessment of AGR related dues can be done. The telcos, however, submitted that arithmetical errors can be rectified and there are cases of duplication of entries.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Vodafone Idea, submitted they were not blaming the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for it, and there are arithmetical entries. Rohatgi added that they want to bring these errors to the attention of the department concerned, for their rectification.

As the bench reiterated that the apex court order had made it clear that there can't be any re-assessment, Rohatgi said that figures are "not cast in stone", adding that tribunals don't have the power of review but they can correct arithmetical errors. He submitted that they were not seeking any extension of time.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing Tata Tele Services Ltd, submitted rectification of errors in calculation can be done.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted he has not received any instructions from DoT on allowing correction of errors.

The bench, also comprising Justices S.A. Nazeer and M.R. Shah, observed that it has said not just once, but twice and thrice that AGR demand can't be recomputed.

Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Airtel, said there are cases of duplication and also of payments made but not accounted for. He submitted: "I don't want to pay thousands of crores on account of these errors." Mehta said he can take instructions on this within two days. "It may be little hazardous for me to make statement without taking instructions..," he said.

After hearing arguments, the bench said it will pass orders in the matter.

In September last year, the top court had given 10 years' time to telcos, who were struggling to pay Rs 93,520 crores of AGR dues outstanding to the government. The apex court had said that telecom operators shall make the payment of 10 per cent of the total dues as demanded by DoT by March 31, 2021, and the rest had to be paid in yearly instalments commencing from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2031.
New Delhi, July 19 : The phone numbers of Ashwini Vaishnaw, newly-inducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, and Railways Minister, and Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel, were among the 300 verified Indian numbers listed as potential targets for surveillance during 2017-2019 by a client of the Israel-based NSO group, The Wire reported.

Also on the list is the personal secretary to BJP leader Vasundhara Raje, when she was Chief Minister in Rajasthan, and Sanjay Kachroo, who worked as an officer on special duty (OSD) for Smriti Irani in her first years as a Union minister in the Modi government from 2014-2015.

Other junior politicians linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's leader, Pravin Togadia, a long-time opponent of Modi from his days as Chief Minister of Gujarat, are other individuals whose numbers figure in the database.

Patel, the MP from Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, was recently shifted to the Jal Shakti ministry under Cabinet Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, where he held independent charge, The Wire said.

The former Odisha-cadre Indian Administrative Service officer and Rajya Sabha MP Vaishnaw, on the other hand, was given three crucial cabinet portfolios in what was a much-publicised appointment in the latest cabinet reshuffle. He appears to have been targeted for possible surveillance back in 2017, when he had not yet taken the plunge in favour of the BJP. Another number, apparently listed in the name of his wife, also appears to have been selected, the report said.

Last week, it was Vaishnaw's ministry which issued a formal response to the Pegasus Project media consortium denying that any of the individuals mentioned to the PMO in advance had been spied upon.

Vaishnaw was informed of his presence in the leaked database on Sunday but has yet to respond with a comment or reaction.

In the absence of forensics on the phones associated with the numbers on the leaked database, it is not possible to conclusively establish whether Pegasus was successfully deployed against Vaishnaw or Patel, The Wire said.

Apart from the two Union ministers, the phone numbers of Kachroo, his father and his minor son also appear in the leaked data. A corporate executive, Kachroo was chosen by then Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani as her officer on special duty (OSD) in 2014 but he never got formally appointed.

Their phone numbers continue to appear in the leaked records for a sizeable part of 2018.

Kachroo's interim appointment as an OSD in Irani's ministry was examined by the PMO, after his controversial role in appointments came to the fore on social media. His appointment, unlike OSDs of other ministries, had reportedly not been approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), The Wire said.

BJP sources had then told the media that one of the reasons Irani was shifted to the supposedly lightweight Textiles Ministry in 2016 was her impulse to unilaterally take decisions without consultation, the report said.

Kachroo's appointment had also rubbed the RSS the wrong way, claimed some sources who thought "power brokers" were being preferred over dedicated Sangh workers. Kachroo, however, is still considered an integral part of Irani's coterie.

The Wire said a range of phone numbers belonging to people who are associated with the Sangh parivar appear in the records. These include Togadia, whose phone number was potentially targeted for surveillance throughout 2018.

Vasundhara Raje's personal secretary Pradeep Awasthi's phone number was also marked as a possible candidate for surveillance for most part of early 2018, months ahead of the state assembly polls in December 2018. It is widely known that Raje and BJP's central leadership have often been at odds. In the run-up to the Assembly polls, her tiff with the central leadership had become apparent, The Wire said.
Chandigarh, July 19 : A 13-year-old girl who passed away has become a beacon of hope with her parents' decision to go for organ donation, saving the lives of four patients battling for survival after suffering from end-stage organ failure.

One the patients belong to Mumbai, while three were treated at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here.

The retrieved corneas on transplantation will restore the sight of two corneal blind patients here.

Expressing indebtedness to the donor family, PGIMER Director Jagat Ram said, "It is an extremely hard decision, but the donor families are a ray of hope, a silver lining in the dark lives of organ failure patients. It is through their generous gifts that hundreds of people each year are given a second chance at life." The Director further shared, "At the same time, we cannot underestimate the commitment of the entire team of PGIMER involved in the process, right from the brain death certification committee, transplant coordinators, testing labs, treating doctors and especially the intensivists, who maintain the potential donor in the best condition for optimum usage of organs, and the transplant surgeons who save precious lives with their skill and synergy." It was the fateful day of July 8 when the donor girl from Chandigarh became unconscious due to cerebral oedema and was rushed to the Government Multi Specialty Hospital in Sector 16. However, due to worsening prognosis, she was shifted to the PGIMER in an extremely critical condition the next day.

But all efforts of the family and doctors could not deter the dark tragedy as the little girl's 10-day struggle between life and death came to a halt as she could not be revived and was subsequently declared brain dead on July 18.

When it became clear that the girl would not come out of her precarious condition, the transplant coordinators at the PGIMER approached the grief-stricken father to request if he could consider organ donation. The resolute father showcased immense grit and consented for organ donation.

The father, who wants to keep his identity anonymous due to his personal sentiments, said, "It's something no family should have to go through. We said 'yes' to organ donation because we knew this could help someone else and they wouldn't need to go through the heartache that we were going through. We knew it was the right thing to do.

"We just want people to know about the cause and not who did it, as we have done it so that our daughter re- lives through others. We have done it for our own peace and solace. We hope our daughter's story will inspire the families who find themselves in the same position.

"We want to aware people on organ donation to realise that death is not the end of things, as people can live on through others, through organ donation." PGIMER Additional Medical Superintendent and acting Nodal Officer of ROTTO (North), Ashok Kumar, while detailing about the latest case, said, "As the donor family wanted their daughter to relive in others, it became our moral duty to respect their wish. Following the family's consent, we secured her heart, liver, kidneys and corneas.

"Once the donor organs became available, everyone swiftly got into action leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the donor's legacy continues. As the cross-matching indicated no matching recipient for heart in PGIMER, we immediately got in touch with other transplant hospitals to explore the options for matching the recipients and finally, the heart was allocated to Sir H.N. Reliance Hospital, Mumbai, with the intervention of NOTTO." Elaborating about the Green Corridors created for the case, Kumar said, "To ensure safe and speedy transportation of the harvested organs, a Green Corridor was created in conjunction with the retrieval timings from the PGIMER to the Technical Airport in Chandigarh at around 6.35 a.m. for the transportation of the retrieved heart for the onward flight to Mumbai."
Mumbai, July 19 : Milind Soman took to social media on Monday and shared a black and white picture describing his rainy Monday mood on a set.

The actor wrote on Instagram: "Crazy rainy monday mood. #onanotherset." In the black and white picture post, Milind flaunts a chiselled look, appearing suave in a black high-neck and black leather jacket.

The actor was complimented for his picture post from Bollywood colleagues and fans.

His wife Ankita Konwar commented: "Omg!!" Bollywood fashion stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania wrote: "Quite sun kisses I say!"

The actor was last seen in the web series "Paurashpur" and "Four more shots please"
New Delhi, July 19 : Three phone numbers belonging to the Supreme Court staffer, who had accused former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment in April 2019, were selected as potential targets for surveillance by an official - but unidentified - Indian agency that is a customer of the Israel-based-NSO Group, The Wire reported.

NSO is best known for its Pegasus spyware, which it says it only sells to "vetted governments" and not to private entities, though the company will not confirm which governments it sells its controversial product to.

The staffer, whose name is being withheld, was dismissed from service in December 2018, weeks after she said she rebuffed the judge's advances. She recorded her allegations in a sworn affidavit on April 20, 2019 and was marked as a person of interest just days after this, an analysis of a leaked list of phone numbers accessed by French media non-profit Forbidden Stories revealed.

The leaked records show that eight other phone numbers belonging to her husband and two of his brothers were also marked as possible candidates for surveillance in the same week, when her allegations against the CJI were first reported, The Wire said.

All told, a total of 11 numbers associated with the complainant and her family were selected, making them among the largest cluster of associated phone numbers in the India-leg of the Pegasus Project, a special investigation coordinated by Forbidden Stories and 16 international media partners with the assistance of Amnesty International's technical team.

The Wire said her presence in the list, and the timing of her selection, suggest that the reason she and her family became persons of interest is because she went public with serious allegations against the sitting Chief Justice of India.

Her selection also underlines the point that privacy advocates have been making for some time: That the use of highly intrusive and illegal means of surveillance has become routine in situations for which there is not even a remote 'public emergency' or 'national security' alibi, the report added.

Soon after her complaint, the young woman appeared before a specially constituted in-house committee in what was meant to be a confidential process. If indeed her phones were successfully compromised, this means the agency involved would have had the ability to eavesdrop on privileged conversations with her lawyers.

The Wire said the affidavit, which the woman sent to 22 sitting judges of the Supreme Court, documented what she claimed was the deliberate and drawn-out victimisation of her husband and other family members after she spurned "unsolicited" sexual advances by Justice Gogoi.

The woman's husband and brother-in-law both worked for Delhi Police at the time of her alleged sexual harassment and were suspended in January 2019, soon after her dismissal, as part of what she alleged was a vendetta against her.

This vendetta, she had said, included being charged and arrested on the basis of a fabricated criminal complaint that was eventually dropped for the lack of evidence, the report added.
New Delhi, July 19 : As defence employee bodies reject its decision to corporatise the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the government has ensured safeguarding the interests of the OFB employees post the move, the Parliament was told on Monday.

In a written reply to CPI member Binoy Viswam in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said that it has been decided that all the employees of OFB (Group A, B & C), belonging to the production units and also the non-production units being handed over to the new DPSUs (to be formed) would be transferred to these DPSUs on terms of foreign service without any deputation allowance (deemed deputation), initially for a period of two years from the appointed date.

"All the employees of OFB Head Quarters, OFB New Delhi Office, OF Schools and OF Hospitals, would be transferred to the Directorate of Ordnance Factories (to be formed) under the Department of Defence Production, initially for a period of two years from the appointed date," he added.

Till such time the employees remain on deemed deputation to the new entities, they shall continue to be subject to all rules and regulations as are applicable to the Central Government servants, Bhatt said, adding that their pay scales, allowances, leave, medical facilities, career progression and other service conditions will also continue to be governed by existing rules, regulations and orders, as applicable to the Central government servants.

The pension liabilities of the retirees and existing employees will continue to be borne by the government.

Since the government's announcement to undertake corporatisation of OFB in May 2020, it has held various discussions with the OFB employees' Federations regarding the corporatisation of the OFB under Chairmanship of Secretary, Defence Production, and their concerns and suggestions were noted, the Minister said.

Their main concern about safeguarding the interests of the employees of OFB has been adequately addressed as mentioned above. It is pertinent to mention that Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) also held discussions with Government and OFB Federations as part of the conciliation process under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Defence Ministry has accorded approval to 119 defence proposals, worth Rs 2,15,690 crore approximately, under the various categories of capital acquisition, in last three years to promote domestic manufacturing under the Make in India programme, Parliament was told on Monday.

"In the last three financial years - from 2018-19 to 2020-2021, the government has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to 119 Defence proposals, worth Rs 2,15,690 crore approximately, under the various categories of capital acquisition, which promotes domestic manufacturing as per DAP," Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt told Loktantrik Janata Del Rajya Sabha member M.V. Shreyams Kumar in a written reply.

He said that 'Make in India' is implemented in defence sector through various policy initiatives which promotes indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence items.

"As per Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), priority has been accorded to capital acquisition through 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)', 'Buy (Indian)', 'Buy and Make (Indian)', 'Buy and Make' (Strategic Partnership Model) or 'Make' categories over Buy (Global) category," Bhatt said.

Many significant projects including 155mm artillery gun system 'Dhanush', bridge-laying tank, thermal imaging sight Mark-II for T-72 tank, light combat aircraft 'Tejas', 'Akash' surface to air missile system, submarine 'INS Kalvari', Kolkata-class stealth guided missile destroyer 'INS Chennai', anti-submarine warfare corvette (ASWC), Arjun armoured repair and recovery vehicle, landing craft utility, etc. have been produced in the country under 'Make in India' initiative of the government in last few years, the Minister said.

Further, production of indigenous defence equipment and innovations therein is a dynamic process and their development is decided on the basis of operational requirements of the armed forces, he noted.

"So, no specific timeline can be assigned in such cases. Procurement of defence equipment is undertaken from various domestic as well as foreign vendors, based on threat perception, operational challenges and technological changes and to keep the Armed Forces in a state of readiness to face the security challenges," he said.
Washington, July 19 : For the first time, the US and its key allies, including the European Union, the UK and NATO, have accused the Chinese government of hiring cybercriminals on contract and attacking tech giants' networks and federal agencies in the West.

The US and allies exposed China's pattern of malicious cyber activities and taking further action to counter it, saying it poses a major threat to US and allies' economic and national security.

"The United States is deeply concerned that the PRC (People's Republic of China) has fostered an intelligence enterprise that includes contract hackers who also conduct unsanctioned cyber operations worldwide, including for their own personal profit," the White House said in a detailed statement.

"As detailed in public charging documents unsealed in October 2018 and July and September 2020, hackers with a history of working for the PRC Ministry of State Security (MSS) have engaged in ransomware attacks, cyber-enabled extortion, crypto-jacking, and rank theft from victims around the world, all for financial gain," the US government alleged.

China was yet to reach to the serious allegations.

The US and key allies accused the Chinese government of executing the recent Microsoft Exchange hack that affected more than 30,000 organisations in the US alone.

"In some cases, we are aware that PRC government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransomware operations against private companies that have included ransom demands of millions of dollars," the statement read.

The US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against four MSS hackers addressing activities concerning a multi-year campaign targeting foreign governments and entities in key sectors, including maritime, aviation, defence, education, and healthcare in a least a dozen countries.

The US said with a high degree of confidence that malicious cyber actors affiliated with PRC's MSS conducted cyber espionage operations utilising the zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server disclosed in early March this year.

Before Microsoft released its security updates, MSS-affiliated cyber operators exploited these vulnerabilities to compromise tens of thousands of computers and networks worldwide in a massive operation that resulted in significant remediation costs for its mostly private sector victims.

"We have raised our concerns about both this incident and the PRC's broader malicious cyber activity with senior PRC Government officials, making clear that the PRC's actions threaten security, confidence, and stability in cyberspace," the US noted.

"By exposing the PRC's malicious activity, we are continuing the Administration's efforts to inform and empower system owners and operators to act. We call on private sector companies to follow the Federal government's lead and take ambitious measures to augment and align cybersecurity investments with the goal of minimising future incidents," the statement said.
Kolkata, July 19 : More than a decade after forcing them to shift their planned car factory from Singur, the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal has welcomed the Tatas to make big investments in the state.

The Trinamool's anti-land acquisition movement in Singur in Hooghly district had forced the Tatas to move their planned Nano car factory to Gujarat.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party rode to power on the strength of the Singur and Nandigram anti-land acquisition agitations that struck a chord with the rural poor, the traditional supporters of the Left Front.

But after returning to power for a third time this year, Banerjee and her party have prioritised big ticket investments in manufacturing, taking a clue from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Underscoring job creation as the Trinamool government's top priority, Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Monday that incentives will be provided to companies which invest big in West Bengal, but the nature and extent of the incentives will depend on their ability to generate employment.

He said the Mamata Banerjee government wants at least two large manufacturing units to be set up by any prominent industrial house in West Bengal at the earliest.

"We never had any enmity with the Tatas, neither did we fight against them. They are one of the most respected and biggest business houses of this country and also abroad. You can't blame the Tatas (for the Singur fiasco)," said Chatterjee.

Government insiders said that negotiations are on with the Tatas and 'few other groups', but it is not yet clear what kind of projects are likely to attract investments.

"Automobiles, especially new generation electric vehicles, could be manufactured in West Bengal. Hooghly district, where the Birlas produced the Ambassador cars, is a natural venue because of the availability of local skilled manpower. Singur is also in Hooghly," said a government insider familiar with the negotiations.

He said Bengal is also keen to attract new generation knowledge-driven industries like IT and ITES.
Jaipur, July 19 : In an autocratic decree allegedly issued by a 'khap panchayat', a penalty of Rs one crore has been imposed on a family in Sawai Madhopur's Sikroli village in Rajasthan.

Also a penalty of Rs 51,000 has been announced for anybody helping the family or selling grocery or any other products to the family.

The victim Jitendra's family, after being harassed and tormented, submitted a plea in court and registered a complaint against 28 'panches' in Bamanwas police station on July 12.

Two persons, namely Mahesh and Jitendra, had invested in a property which went into loss during the pandemic. Mahesh committed suicide due to this and his wife lodged a case against Jitendra for abetting his suicide. However, Jitendra later got bail in the matter. Thereafter, Mahesh's wife called a panchayat and demanded compensation.

A total of 28 panches on her request ordered Jitendra's father and mother namely Ramswaroop and Kailash Devi to pay compensation of Rs 1 crore to Mahesh's wife and asked the villagers to boycott the family. No shopkeeper was allowed to sell any product to the family and anybody found talking to or helping the family was directed to pay a penalty of Rs 51,000.

Jitendra alleged that despite lodging a police case, no action has been taken against the panches.

However, Bamanwas SHO Brijesh Meena said a probe is on in the case and action will be taken once the investigation is over.
New Delhi, July 19 : Some of the companies belonging to Adani group are currently under the investigation of markets regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Parliament was informed on Monday.

In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha on the opening day of Monsoon Session, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, said that SEBI is investigating some Adani group companies with regard to compliance with SEBI regulations while the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is also probing certain entities under the laws administered by it.

However, Chaudhary added that the Enforcement Directorate is not probing these companies.

In response, the Adani group denied having received any communication or information requests from the SEBI recently.

"We have always been transparent with all our regulators and have full faith in them. While we have always been fully compliant with the applicable SEBI regulations, we have made full disclosures to SEBI on specific information requests from them in the past. However, we have not received any communication or information requests recently," an Adani group spokesperson said.

"With regard to the DRI matter, it issued a show cause notice to Adani Power about five years back. Subsequently, the DRI passed an order in favour of Adani Power, confirming that there is no over-valuation of equipment.

"The department has approached the Tribunal and the matter stands sub judice now. Adani group is a responsible corporate citizen and strongly believes in compliance with applicable laws and adheres to prudent corporate governance framework," the spokesperson added.
New Delhi, July 19 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said a world-class drainage system is the need of the hour and will be developed across the national capital.

His remarks came after reviewing the city drainage system with officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Municipal Corporations (MCDs), the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department.

The meeting was chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

"Once such a system is in place, we would only require de-silting it once a year and the drainage system will be free of liability. So we should work on that prospect. We need to also popularise our grievance helpline numbers with the people of the city," he added.

The area under the Minto Road rail bridge is the city's most vulnerable point for water-logging. This underpass is a crucial connection between the upmarket area of Connaught Place and other parts of central Delhi such as New Delhi railway station, Ramlila Ground etc.

However, unlike last year, this year so far, there was no water-logging reported from underneath the Minto Bridge.

"Drainage systems like the one in Minto Road will be replicated across Delhi. Drains and sewers will be de-silted regularly. World class drainage system will be developed in Delhi," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted after the meeting.

Delhi PWD Minister Satyendar Jain asked the agencies to be fully prepared for combating any problems. "In the next three days, we are going to have excess rainfall, so we need to be fully prepared to handle the situation. We not only have to be alert during the day but extra alert during the night; we have over 1,500 pump sets... we should deploy them all." "Our officers and engineers across departments need to be available and alert 24x7 because the next few days are going to need more attention," he added.

There have been several reports of water-logging and traffic snarls since early Monday following rain.
New Delhi, July 19 : Facebook-owned WhatsApp on Monday rolled out a new feature where the users can join a group video or voice call even after its started, and you see the participants in a video call screen the way you see on various communication apps.

WhatsApp said that the 'Joinable calls' reduce the burden of answering a group call as it starts, and brings the spontaneity and ease of in-person conversations to group calling on WhatsApp.

If someone in your group misses a call when the phone rings, they can still join whenever they like. You can also drop-off and re-join so long as the call is still ongoing.

Group calling on WhatsApp currently allows up to eight participants to video call with each other.

"We've also created a call info screen so you can see who is already on the call, and who has been invited but not yet joined. If you hit 'ignore' you can join later from the calls tab in WhatsApp," the company said in a statement.

When you receive a group video call, the incoming WhatsApp group video call screen will show the participants currently on the call, and the first contact listed will be the participant that added you, the company informed.

Group video call history will appear in the 'CALLS' tab.

You can tap the call history to view the individual participants from the call, according to WhatsApp.

For over 400 million users in India, WhatsApp video calls are an easiest medium to connect to their loved ones especially in the social distancing times.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, July 19 : Under attack by the opposition over reports of snooping of prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed that "disruptors and obstructers" will not be able to derail India's development trajectory through their "conspiracies".

In a statement, Shah said: "People have often associated this phrase with me in a lighter vein but today I want to seriously say - the timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions... 'Aap Chronology Samajhiye' (understand the chronology). This is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers." "Disrupters are global organisations which do not like India to progress. Obstructers are political players in India who do not want India to progress. People of India are very good at understanding this chronology and connection," he contended.

The Home Minister stated that "disruptors and obstructers will not be able to derail India's development trajectory through their conspiracies and monsoon session will bear new fruits of progress".

Referring to timing of the reports' release, Shah said: "The facts and sequence of events are for the entire nation to see. Today the Monsoon Session of Parliament has started. In what seemed like a perfect cue, late last evening, we saw a report which has been amplified by a few sections with only one aim - to do whatever is possible and humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about our nation and derail India's development trajectory." "The people of India have high hopes from the current Monsoon Session. Key bills for the welfare of farmers, youngsters, women and the backward sections of society are lined up for debate and discussion. No less than the Prime Minister said that the Government is ready to discuss all topics," he said.

Hitting out at the opposition, Shah said: "Just a few days ago the Council of Ministers was expanded with great emphasis given to women, SC, ST and OBC members. But there are forces unable to digest this. They also want to derail national progress. This merits the question - to whose tune are these people dancing, who want to keep showing India in poor light? What pleasure do they get to time and again show India in bad light?" Attacking the Congress, he said: "To see the rudderless Congress jump on to this bandwagon is not unexpected. They have good past experience in trampling over democracy and with their own house not in order, they are now trying to derail anything progressive that comes up in Parliament." About the opposition's behaviour in the Parliament when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was introducing his new ministers, Shah said: "When the Prime Minister rose in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to introduce his Council of Ministers, which is a well-established norm, the Congress-led Opposition was in the well of both the Houses. Is this their respect for Parliamentary norms? The same behaviour continued when the IT Minister was speaking about the issue." "And, I want to assure the people of India that the Modi govt's priority is clear - 'National Welfare' and we will keep working to achieve that no matter what happens," he said.
New Delhi, July 19 : In a major blow to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the state's plea against quashing of criminal cases filed in connection with land transactions at Amravati.

A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari noted that private sale transactions cannot be criminalised and that the concept of the offence of "insider trading" cannot be read into Section 420 of the IPC or into any provisions in the scheme of the IPC.

The top court was hearing pleas by the state government challenging the January 19 judgment of the single judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

The state's YSRCP government had filed criminal cases alleging the respondents before the court had purchased lands in Amaravati after being privy to the information from the then Chandrababu Naidu government. It was alleged that information was provided in advance that area was being developed as state capital after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the state government, argued that provisions of Section 418 of the IPC, read with section 55(5) of the Transfer of Property Act, would be attracted in the present matter, and this aspect has been overlooked by the high court.

But the bench said that, in connection with section 418, "we may observe that the said provision would not be attracted in the facts of the present case".

It pointed out that there was no question of any loss being caused to any person or to the sellers or of any cheating by the buyers. "Neither by law nor by a legal contract were the buyers obliged to disclose any facts. In any case, the said question was neither argued before the high court nor are there any pleadings in this regard in this petition nor has this ground been taken," it noted.

The top court cited that there was no such relationship between the buyer and seller for which the buyer was bound to protect the seller.

As it was submitted that high court ought not to have gone into the facts of the case and should have left it to the investigating agency and the trial court to see whether any criminal act was involved, the court said: "We find that without considering the facts of the case, the question whether any criminal case is made out could not have been decided. Then, in no case, can the court go into the question as to whether the FIR is to be quashed or not."
Hyderabad, July 19 : Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths on Monday seized about 3.2 kg heroin, valued at Rs 21 crore in the grey market, from a Zambian woman at the Hyderabad International Airport.

DRI officials intercepted the woman passenger, who arrived from Zambia via Johannesburg and Doha.

They checked her baggage and found an off-white powder. The substance tested positive for heroin.

The DRI seized the drug and the woman was arrested under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

She is the fourth from Africa to be arrested with drugs by the DRI at Hyderabad Airport during last one-and-a-half months. All the accused used the same route to try to smuggle in the drugs to Hyderabad.

On June 21, DRI officials seized three kilograms of heroin from a Tanzanian national who arrived from Johannesburg via Doha.

In the first week of June, the DRI had arrested two women passengers from Zambia and Uganda and seized around 12 kg of heroin valued at Rs 78 crore from them.

The woman from Uganda was arrested on June 5 when she came to the airport to collect her baggage which she claimed was missing. She had landed in Hyderabad from Zimbabwe via Johannesburg and Doha a few days ago. The DRI sleuths found about four kg of heroin concealed in the specially designed suitcase.

On June 6, the DRI officials intercepted a Zambian woman, who arrived from Johannesburg via Doha. They examined her baggage and found eight kg of the powder concealed in the suitcase.
New Delhi, July 19 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at nine locations in Telangana in connection with the Dummugedam explosives case of Maoists.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency conducted searches at nine locations in Mahboob Nagar, Warangal, Jangaon, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Medchal districts of Telangana at the premises of accused persons namely Muthu Nagaraju, Kommarajula Kanukaiah, Gunji Vikram, Sura Saraiah, V Sathish, Vallepu Swamy, Trinadha Rao and also in the explosives magazine of accused Vallepu Swamy.

The official said that during searches, NIA seized metal plates and pieces, iron pipes and circles, coins, bills suspected to be used for making IEDs and grenade launchers, various incriminating documents and explosive substances including slurry sticks and electric detonators.

The official said said that a case was registered on February 18 this year at Dummugudem Police station in Bhadradri Kothagudem against eight accused persons including four Under Ground cadres of CPI (Maoist) relating to seizure of explosive materials including 400 electric detonators, 500 non-electric detonators, 400 gelatin sticks and 549 metres of fuse wire from the possession of accused Muthu Nagaraju and Kommarajula Kanukaiah while they were transporting it to Hidma alias Mangu, commander of PLGA first Battalion of CPI (Maoist) in Chhattisgarh.

NIA had registered a case on May 2 this year.
New Delhi, July 19 : Close on the heels of media reports on the Pegasus project that some 300 Indians were targeted using spyware capable of extracting data from a phone, comes a riveting book that asks an urgent question relating to Facebook: What are the consequences for society when a few individuals are in charge of the technology used by half the worlds population? Drawing on unrivalled sources, based on more than 500 interviews, and never-before seen internal documents, "An Ugly Truth" (Hachette) by investigative journalists Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang is the tech story of our times, following Facebook from its undisputed power and influence in 2011, up to its greatest challenge to date: The 2020 US Presidential Election.

In November 2018, the New York Times published a bombshell in-depth investigation that exposed, with disturbing insider detail, how leadership decisions at Facebook enabled, and then tried to cover up, massive privacy breaches and Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The story quickly shot to the top of the paper's most emailed list. It would earn the team of NYT reporters a prestigious Loeb award, the George Polk award, and a spot on the Pulitzer short list. But it only skimmed the surface.

Frenkel and Kang spent eighteen months piecing together the story of how one of the most powerful companies in the world tried to bury a damning truth: that Facebook has become a conduit for disinformation, hate speech, and political propaganda.

The unrivalled sources of these two veteran journalists led them to perhaps the most recognizable names in the tech industry: Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Both have long existed as archetypes of uniquely 21st century executives - he, the tech "boy genius" turned billionaire; she, the ultimate woman in business, an inspiration to millions through her books and speeches.

Drawing on their unrivalled sources, Frenkel and Kang take the reader inside the complex court politics, alliances and rivalries within the company, its growing political influence as well as its skirmishes with privacy groups and the FTC, to reveal that the missteps of the last four years were not an anomaly but an inevitability: this is how Facebook was built to perform.

In a period of great upheaval, growth has remained the one constant under the leadership of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Each has stood by as their technology is co-opted by hate-mongers, criminals and corrupt political regimes across the globe, with devastating consequences. In "An Ugly Truth", they are at last held accountable.

Sheera Frenkel covers cyber security from San Francisco. Previously, she spent over a decade in the Middle East as a foreign correspondent, reporting for BuzzFeed, NPR, NYT and McClatchy Newspapers.

Cecilia Kang covers technology and regulatory policy out of Washington. She joined the NYT in 2015 after ten years covering technology and business at the Washington Post.

The Pegasus project reports, published in The Wire, showed that over 300 phone numbers - including those of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, and three opposition leaders, among others, could have been targeted for hacking through Pegasus spyware. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rubbished the reports of espionage while replying to questions from the opposition in Parliament on Monday.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Defence Ministry is to undergo redeployment or restructuring of around 57,000 posts, both military and civilian, as per Committee of Experts (CoE) recommendations, Parliament was told on Monday.

In a written reply to CPI-M's Rajya Sabha member K. Somaprasad, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said: "The implementation of certain recommendations of the CoE involves redeployment/restructuring/optimisation of approximately 57,000 posts, both military and civilian." He said that the Committee of Experts (CoE), set up by the Ministry under the chairmanship of Lt Gen D.B. Shekatkar (retd) to recommend measures to enhance combat compatibility and rebalance defence expenditure of the armed forces, submitted its report in December 2016.

The report was taken up by the Defence Ministry to frame key action points and roadmap for implementation, the Minister said.

Among the recommendations to be implemented were optimisation of Signals establishments to include Radio Monitoring Companies, Corps Air Support Signal Regiments, Air Formation Signal Regiments, Composite Signal Regiments and merger for Corps Operating and Engineering Signal Regiments.

Then there would be restructuring of repair echelons in the army to include Base Workshops, Advance Base Workshops and Static/Station Workshops in the field, and redeployment of Ordnance echelons to include Vehicle Depots, Ordnance Depots and Central Ordnance Depots, apart from streamlining inventory control mechanisms, he said.

There would better utilisation of Supply and Transportation echelons and Animal Transport Units and as per recommendations, Military Farms and Army Postal Establishments in peace locations would be closed.

Enhancement in standards for recruitment of clerical staff and drivers in the Army, and improving the efficiency of the National Cadet Corps were also some of the recommendations to be implemented, Bhatt said, adding that full details are not being placed in the public domain as they include operational aspects of the armed forces, the disclosure of which is not in the interest of national security.
Guwahati, July 19 : In all, 22 children along with their nine mothers are lodged at three detention centres in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the state Assembly on Monday.

Replying to a question, Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that nine "convicted women foreigners" along with 22 children are presently lodged in three detention centres in Kokrajhar, Silchar and Tezpur.

Of the 22 children, 20 are below 14 years of age while two are above 14 years.

The Chief Minister said that in the six detention centres of the state -- in Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Jorhat, Silchar, Dibrugarh and Tezpur -- 181 detenues were lodged.

Of the 181 detenues, 61 are "declared foreign nationals" while the remaining 120 were convicted by the court and are awaiting deportation after their terms of sentence got over .

The Supreme Court in May 2019 had ordered to release 273 detenues on bail as they had spent more than three years in detention.

Subsequently, another 481 were released based on separate orders issued by the apex court and the Gauhati High Court in April 2020.

Sarma said that so far, 29 people have died in the detention centers due to various diseases.

The cases of suspected foreigners are being dealt with under the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT), a quasi-judicial institute.

Till April 30 this year, the FTs have disposed of 2,98,471 cases. Of them, 1,39,900 were declared as foreigners while 321 were repatriated.

The Assam government had set up six detention centres within the existing jail premises in Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Jorhat, Silchar, Dibrugarh and Tezpur and lodged "declared foreign nationals" pending their deportation or repatriation and whose movements are required to be restricted.

In view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Gauhati High Court had in April asked the Border Wing of the Assam Police to release on bail the "declared foreigners" to comply with the Supreme Court order on those who have completed two years in detention camps.

A person is considered a foreigner if he or she entered Assam after March 24, 1971. This is the cut-off date for detecting, detaining and deporting illegal migrants, according to the Assam Accord of August 1985.

A "declared foreigner" (DF) is a person marked by any of the existing 100 Foreigners' Tribunals in Assam for allegedly failing to prove their citizenship after the the Border Wing detects him or her as an illegal immigrant.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Jaipur, July 19 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday congratulated Punjab's newly-appointed PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu after Rajasthan Congress in-charge Ajay Maken's retweet supporting Sidhu evoked mixed emotions in political corridors of the desert state.

Gehlot in his tweet said "It has been the tradition of Congress that everyone is consulted before taking any decision. Everyone gets a chance to have their say. Keeping everyone's opinion in mind, all Congressmen follow the tradition of uniting and accepting any decision taken by the party high command thereafter. This is the biggest strength of Congress even today." Supporting the Punjab CM, Gehlot further said, "Captain Amarinder Singh had announced in front of the media last week that he would accept every decision of the Congress President." While congratulating Sidhu, the Rajasthan CM also gave him a piece of advice to follow the tradition of Congress and take everyone along.

Gehlot tweeted "Congress President Sonia Gandhi ji has announced the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the President of Punjab Congress. Congratulations and best wishes to Sidhu. It is expected that he will also discharge the tradition of the Congress party and take everyone along while carrying forward the party's ideology." Maken's retweet earlier said that "no 'satrap' wins any kingdom on his own. The poor, weaker sections and the common man votes for the Gandhi-Nehru family. But whether it is Amarinder Singh or Gehlot or Sheila Dixit or anyone else, as soon as they become the Chief Minister, they think the party won because of them." He further said that the party leadership took the right decision to name Sidhu as Punjab PCC in-charge and that such a show of strength was necessary.
Amaravati, July 19 : The President of BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit, Somu Veerraju, on Monday lashed out at Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for not meeting the Polavaram project evacuees during his visit to the dam.

"Looking at your schedule, it is evident that you are only eager to win votes," alleged Veerraju, pointing at the absence of any schedule to meet the evacuees even after the CM visiting areas near their vicinity.

He said that it is clear that the CM does not have any concern for the people who lost everything because of the project, comparing it with the keen interest Reddy exhibits over the Polavaram project.

"During this visit, you (Reddy) could have visited the rehabilitation centres to see the difficulties being faced by the evacuees," said the BJP leader.

He added that the Chief Minister could have personally seen the squalor being suffered by the evacuees in order to direct the concerned officials to take action for their relief.

Veerraju warned that the BJP will not tolerate such behaviour towards the evacuees.

On Monday, Reddy visited the Polavaram dam, surveying it from a helicopter before driving on to it to see the progress of work at a time when flood waters of the Godavari river are gushing through the dam.
New Delhi, July 19 : The two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have received investment of around Rs 3,342 crore from public as well private sector companies, Parliament was told on Monday.

In a written reply to Biju Janata Dal Rajya Sabha member Sujeet Kumar, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the investments of Rs 20,000 crore are planned in both defence corridors by 2024.

"The progress is reviewed regularly at apex level," he said, adding that so far, investment of approximately Rs 3,342 crore have been made in both the corridors by public as well private sector companies.

"Moreover, the respective state governments have also announced their Aerospace and Defence Policies to attract private players as well as foreign companies including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in these two corridors," he said.

He also said that the government has taken several policy initiatives and brought in reforms to promote indigenisation and self-reliance in defence manufacturing, under AatmaNirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.

Noting that the Defence Ministry has notified a 'First Positive Indigenisation list' of 101 items on August 21, 2020 and 'Second Positive Indigenisation list' of 108 items on May 31, 2021 for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timelines indicated against them, he said: "This is a big step to promote indigenisation in defence sector. This offers a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry to manufacture these items using their own design and development capabilities to meet the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces." These lists includes some high technology weapon systems like artillery guns, assault rifles, corvettes, sonar systems, transport aircraft, light combat helicopters, radars, wheeled armoured platform, rockets, bombs, armoured command post vehicle, and many other items to fulfill the needs of the defence services, he said.

The Minister said that the SRIJAN portal to promote indigenisation was launched on August 14, 2020, and as on date, 10,929 items, which were earlier imported, have been displayed on the portal for indigenisation.

The Indian industry has shown interest for 2,890 displayed items so far. A total 1,776 components and spares have been indigenised in 2020-21 as a result of efforts of indigenisation by DPSUs, OFB & SHQs through their own process of indigenisation.

In order to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment 'Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)' category has been accorded top most priority for procurement of capital equipment.

The Minister also said that the 'Make' Procedure of capital procurement has been simplified, and there is a provision for funding up to 70 percent of development cost by the government to Indian industry under Make-I category. In addition, there are specific reservations for MSMEs under the 'Make' procedure.

"Procedure for 'Make-II' category (Industry funded), introduced in DPP-2016 to encourage indigenous development and manufacture of defence equipment, has number of industry-friendly provisions such as relaxation of eligibility criterion, minimal documentation, provision for considering proposals suggested by industry/individual etc," he said.

So far, 58 projects relating to Army, Navy and Air Force, have been accorded 'Approval in Principle'.

For the year 2021-22, the allocation for domestic procurement has been enhanced compared to previous years and is about 64.09 per cent, or Rs 71,438.36 crore, of the allocated amount for military modernisation.
Chennai/New Delhi, July 19 : President Ram Nath Kovind will chair the centenary celebration of the Tamil Nadu Assembly which was established in 1921, and also unveil the portrait of former Chief Minister, the late M. Karunanidhi during the event.

This was announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin after meeting the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

Stalin told reporters that the date of the programme will be announced soon after the President's office provides a schedule.

The President will also be laying the foundation for a library in memory of Karunanidhi at Madurai, a multi-specialty hospital at Guindy, and a memorial pillar at Marina beach to mark the platinum jubilee of India's Independence.

The Chief Minister, however, said that he had not taken up the issue of the release of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case with the President, adding that he had already written a letter to the President for granting clemency to the convicts.

He said that the Mekedatu dam issue was also not taken up with the President as he had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said that a 13-member all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu, headed by state Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan, had met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhavat on the issue, and the latter assured that no permission would be given to Karnataka for the project.

Regarding Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's statement that the state would go ahead with the construction of the Mekedatu dam, Stalin said that both the Prime Minister and Jal Shakti Minister had assured the Tamil Nadu side that permission would not be given for its construction. He also said that the matter is with the court and that the state would fight it legally also.

Stalin also supported Duraimurugan's stand that Tamil Nadu would not go for any talks with Karnataka on the Mekedatu dam issue.

He also said that the atmosphere in the state is not conducive for opening of schools and colleges, adding that the government would speak with the students, teachers, and parents to arrive at a decision.

Stalin also said that the state is ready to face any eventuality of a possible third wave of the Covid pandemic and called upon the people not to let their guard down regarding Covid protocols.
New Delhi, July 19 : The Defence Ministry has signed 102 contracts with local vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment such as aircraft, missiles, tanks, bullet proof jackets, guns, navy vessels, radars, networks and others in last three years, Parliament was told on Monday.

In a written reply to BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sambhaji Chhatrapati, Minister of state for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in line with 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, it has been decided to earmark an amount of Rs 71,438.36 crore for domestic capital procurement out of the total allocation of Rs 1,11,463.21 crore for capital acquisition.

Capital procurement of defence equipment is undertaken from various domestic as well as foreign vendors, based on threat perception, operational challenges and technological changes and to keep the Armed Forces in a state of readiness.

"During last three financial years i.e. 2018-19 to 2020-21, 102 contracts have been signed with Indian vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment such as aircrafts, missiles, tanks, bullet proof jackets, guns, navy vessels, radars, networks etc," the minister said.

In order to provide impetus to self-reliance in defence manufacturing as part of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, two positive Indigenisation Lists have been promulgated.

The first Positive Indigenisation List was promulgated in August 2020, which included 101 items, and the second in May 2021, which included 108 items. The lists intend to implement the ban in a staggered manner up to December 2025.

The aim behind promulgation of the lists is to apprise the Indian defence industry about the anticipated requirements of the armed forces, so that they are better prepared to realize the goal of indigenisation.

"It provides a great opportunity for the Indian defence industry to manufacture the items in the list by using their own design and development capabilities or adopting those developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to meet the requirements of the armed forces in the coming years," the minister said.
New Delhi, July 19 : Head of the Taliban, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, in his message on the occasion of Eid has assured all regional countries that the Taliban fighters will not allow anyone to use Afghanistan's soil to pose threat to its neighbours or other countries, Khaama Press reported.

Hibatullah in his message said that foreign diplomats, embassies, consulates, welfare organisations and investors are of utmost importance and the Taliban will strive to ensure their security and safety.

He added that other countries do not necessarily need to worry about the recent territorial gains of the Taliban and can carry on their operations as normal.

The Taliban leadership assured the international agencies at a time when several consulates have evacuated their diplomats from Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif cities, the report said.

The message calls on the internal stakeholders not to be subject to the Taliban's enmity in case they embrace the system.

The message in this regard lays out that the rights and legitimate demands of all the internal stakeholders will be accepted and the Taliban are willing to utilise the ability and intelligence of Afghans in reconstructing the country, it said.

Hibatullah also considered the Taliban negotiating team in Doha as potent and accused the Afghan government of wasting time in pushing the peace talks forward.

People's armed uprisings too have been criticised by the Taliban, which asked the people to learn lessons from past, urging them to cooperate with the Taliban for establishing an Islamic system.

The message from the Taliban leadership comes at a time when the Afghan government and the Taliban delegation are busy discussing major points, including a ceasefire and political system, in Doha, the report said.
New York, July 19 : US President Joe Biden's administration finally came out publicly on Monday against China's involvement in cybercrimes accusing it of running a massive global operation of "state-sponsored activities" causing billions of dollars of losses to victims.

In a show of solidarity indicating the serious global repercussions, all the 30 NATO allies and the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan joined in indicting Beijing.

The US Justice Department charged three Chinese officials of running the hacking operation against systems around the world looking for, among other things, information on dangerous diseases like Ebola.

Such information about diseases could be used in biological warfare or for creating diseases like Covid-19.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US and its allies had "formally confirmed" that China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) used the vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server "in a massive cyber espionage operation that indiscriminately compromised thousands of computers and networks, mostly belonging to private sector victims".

He said that they were "holding the People's Republic of China (PRC) accountable for its pattern of irresponsible, disruptive, and destabilising behaviour in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security".

Blinken accused the MSS of promoting "an ecosystem of criminal contract hackers who carry out both state-sponsored activities and cybercrime for their own financial gain".

"These contract hackers cost governments and businesses billions of dollars in stolen intellectual property, ransom payments, and cybersecurity mitigation efforts, all while the MSS had them on its payroll," he added.

The allies did not impose any direct sanctions on China similar to the ones imposed on Russia by the US.

But a senior adminisration official said: "We're not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) accountable." The attention to China comes after the focus so far on Russia-based hackers and media allegations that an Israeli company had provided spyware to several governments and other entities to spy on government officials, journalists and civil society activists.

However, there have been no reports of China carrying out massive ransomware attacks on the scale attributed to Russian actors who allegedly disrupted petroleum supply networks and meat distribution, in addition to hospitals and local governments.

The Chinese hack of Microsoft exposed millions of computer users to potential spying or disruption while avoiding overt actions like the Russia-based Revil's allegedly behind the dramatic ransomware attacks.

Beijing-linked hackers were reported to have penetrated US-government computers.

The officials charged by the Justice Department were linked to the Hainan Province Ministry of State Security.

Significantly the charges had been filed in May but had been kept secret till now.

Their operations from 2011 to 2018 targeted governments, universities and companies in 12 countries, according to court documents. (India was not listed among the countries attacked.) They allegedly scoured the systems of information relating to defence, healthcare, aviation and shipping.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: "The breadth and duration of China's hacking campaigns, including these efforts targeting a dozen countries across sectors ranging from health care and biomedical research to aviation and defence, remind us that no country or industry is safe." A senior administration official, who briefed reporters about the Chinese hack, was asked for the delay in publicly disclosing it.

The official said that they wanted to have "high confidence" in their assessment and now had, in addition to network data, "malware signatures, other indicators of compromise" for confirmation.

In addition, the official said that they have been able to mobilise US allies in the coming out against China.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)
New Delhi, July 19 : After party MPs from Punjab had sought an appointment with her, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi called all the lawmakers and asked them to work together in the state to win next year's Assembly polls, sources said on Monday.

The development comes after the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's Punjab unit chief, announced late on Sunday.

Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.

Asked about the meet, Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, who was batting for a non-Sikh state chief, said: "Internal party matters will be only be discussed at party forums." Bajwa, who was the host, played down the meeting, saying: "We are with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi... whatever decision they will take, everybody will accept it."
Bengaluru, July 19 : Karnataka will declare results of the Class 12 (II year Pre-University Course) students on Tuesday, Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar announced on Monday.

Kumar told reporters that students can check their PUC II results on the official website of the department -- pue.kar.nic.in -- and to access the results, students have to use their login credentials including registration numbers and birth date.

Owing to the second wave of the pandemic, Karnataka had cancelled the Class 12 board exams that were scheduled to begin on May 24 and end on June 16, after postponing them multiple times, based on the academic experts' advice.

The Department of Pre-university Education (DPUE) will now release the results on Tuesday, based on the marks obtained by the students in previous examinations.

As per the evaluation criteria, regular or fresher II PUC students will be promoted to the next class by considering 45 percent of their Class 10 Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) marks, 45 percent of the I PUC marks and 10 percent basis of academic performance of II PU.

On the other hand, the private candidates will have to appear for the examination, whenever the exam is conducted by the Board in the state. Also, the repeaters who have enrolled themselves for the exam will be promoted by allotting minimum passing marks along with five per cent grace marks.

Those students unhappy with the grading system can take up the examination later in offline mode, the dates of which would be notified after the declaration of results.

There are 1,202 government Pre-University colleges, 637 aided Pre-University colleges, 1,936 unaided Pre-University colleges, 165 bifurcated Pre-University colleges and 13 Corporation Pre-university colleges across the state.

After SSLC (Class 10), about 10 lakh students enrol in the two-year PUC.

The courses offered by the DPUE are broadly classified under the categories of Humanities (Arts), Science and Commerce. There are 23 subjects, 11 languages and 50 combinations in the Pre-University curriculum.

Last year, a total of 5,56,267 students had appeared in the exam, and the overall pass percentage stood at 69.20. The pass percentage in II PU Arts, Commerce and Science stream was 65.52 per cent, 41.27 per cent and 76.2 per cent, respectively.
New Delhi, July 19 : In what has brought clarity over the functioning of the Directorate General of Good and Services Tax Intelligence, the Gujarat High Court in a recent order said that DGGI officers are fully empowered to issue summons to taxpayers under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (CGST Act) issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

The order has established what constitutes 'proper officer' who are selected by the CBIC for issuing summons in matters where inconsistencies are found in IGST refund claim or wrongful claim of input tax credit by the taxpayers.

The court order came on a writ petition filed by a taxpayer seeking quashing of a circular related to the assignment of functions to the officers as the 'proper officers' in relation to the various functions of the CGST Act and to get a refund of IGST credit paid under protest.

The taxpayer was aggrieved by what he conceived as institution of two parallel investigating proceedings, namely, the proceedings initiated by the DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) and the proceedings instituted vide the summons by DGGI.

The court analysed the definition of 'proper officer' under Section 2(91) of the CGST Act and the power to issue summons under Section 70 of the CGST Act and held that an officer of the DGGI is a proper officer and is entitled to issue summons.

The court also agreed with the Supreme Court's decision that when a statute directs things to be done in a certain way, it must be done in that way only.

In the particular case, the high court said that there is no delegation of power as the CBIC, within its powers, assigned the officers of DGGI the functions of a poper officer.

Also, no parallel proceedings initiated by the office of the DRI and the DGGI as per the communication by the DRI was in relation to the inquiry in connection with double benefits, i.e., exemption of IGST on the input material imported under the advance authorisation/EOU scheme and the refund of IGST paid on the goods imported.

Whereas the summons issued by the DGGI were in relation to the inquiry on the refund of input tax credit (ITC) under the CGST Act.

Also, the court said that the payment made under protest shall be dealt with or adjusted by the concerned officer of the DGGI in accordance with the law.

The high court upheld the empowerment of officers of the DGGI to issue summons under the CGST Act. The court also permitted parallel proceedings considering that the subject matter of the enquiry by the DGGI and the DRI officers was different.

The CBIC had issued guidelines in the past to state that the provisions to issue summons should not be misused and summons should conceptually only be issued as a last resort when the taxpayers are uncooperative.
A rowdy hacked to death by rivals inside bank in front of his young daughter in Bengaluru Image Source: IANS News

A rowdy hacked to death by rivals inside bank in front of his young daughter in Bengaluru Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, July 19 : A man with an old criminal record was on Monday hacked to death in a bank by a gang of seven or eight masked men who barged into premises, leaving customers and staffers in fear and panic, police said.

According to the police, the deceased was identified as Joseph aka Babli, 42, a resident of Adugodi in Bengaluru.

The police said that the incident took place when Joseph had come, along with his wife and his eight-year-old daughter, for some transactions in a bank in Koramangala 8th block, around 1.30 p.m.

"A gang of seven to eight masked men followed him on their bikes and attacked him with sharp lethal weapons, machetes, and swords. The gang left when severely injured Joseph collapsed on the floor. Joseph died on the spot, as he was declared dead at the hospital," a police officer said.

Police claimed that though no cases were booked against Joseph after 2011 but he still had a criminal record wih Adugodi police, facing cases for murder, attempt to murder and other crimes. "During his heydays, his rivalry with a gang led by Viveknagar rowdy sheeter George is well known. It is suspected that he could be behind this gruesome killing," the police said.

The police added that after 2011, Joseph reportedly was into the civil contract business and leading a peaceful life with his wife and daughter.

Additional Commissioner of Police, East, S. Murugan, who visited the spot, told reporters that police was collecting evidence and will nab the criminals at the earliest.

"We have formed special teams to nab the assailants at the earliest," he said, adding that police is analysing the CCTV footage installed in the bank and surrounding buildings.

Along with Murugan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Southeast, Srinath Mahadev Joshi, also visited the spot, and a team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officials and the dog squad also came to collect evidence.
New Delhi, July 19 : A group of citizens, including former judges, IAS and IPS officers, on Monday slammed those accusing the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government of crushing dissent by suppressing democratic protests.

The response of the former officials has come as an apparent rebuttal to another group of former civil servants and others who have often criticised the Yogi Adityanath government for allegedly suppressing dissent and using state instruments to target its critics.

An official statement bearing the sign of Yogendra Narain, former Chief Secretary UP and ex-Secretary-General in the Rajya Sabha, said, "It is a matter of concern that a group of retired civil servants aligned to a particular political stream despite overtly posing as non-political, repeatedly avail of every opportunity to put the Indian democracy, its institutions, and persons legitimately holding high offices in poor light by making ill-considered public statements or writing misconceived communications to various authorities." Putting figures, the group of citizens backing the UP government claimed that between March 20, 2017 and July 11, 2021, a total of 8,367 police encounters took place in the state in which 18,025 alleged criminals suffered injuries. Of them 3,246 were arrested and 140 lost their lives, they said.

The group further stated that as many 115 of the alleged criminals who were killed in the encounters carried rewards on their head, with 21 of them carrying rewards of over Rs 50,000 each and nine of them carrying rewards of Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Countering the charge that a disproportionately large number of them were from a minority community, they said 51 out of the 140 belonged to the minority group. They noted that 13 policemen were also killed in these encounters, while another 1,140 policemen were injured.

"Enough checks and balances are in place, from magisterial enquiry to NHRC, and the PUCL guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. Out of the 140 police encounters in which magisterial inquiries were ordered till July 11, enquiry reports have been submitted in case of 96 encounters, and 81 of them have been accepted by the courts," the statement read.

"The recent statement containing its judgmental allegations against the Uttar Pradesh government under the garb of protecting the Constitution is an irresponsible and wholly misconceived statement... The political agenda group, while levelling false allegations, has gone horribly wrong on facts, and haywire in its analysis," it added.

Former Sikkim High Court Chief Justice Permod Kohli and ex-CBI director Nageswara Rao also signed the official letter, besides a number of retired IFS and military officials.
Hyderabad, July 20 : Senior IPS officer and Secretary of Telangana State Social Welfare Residential Welfare Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS), R.S. Praveen Kumar, who gave wings to the dreams of many children from marginalised sections of the society, on Monday announced his decision to voluntarily retire from the government service.

Kumar, who still had six years of service left, mailed his request to Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.

"After 26 years of serving the motherland as an IPS officer, I have applied today for voluntary retirement to pursue my passion for social justice and equality with more vigour at my own pace. I thank you all for standing by me throughout my career," Praveen Kumar tweeted.

In a letter to all, Kumar said he was sharing his decision with a heavy heart and joy at the same time.

"It was not easy to arrive at this life-changing decision, given my humble beginning and the arduous journey to become an IPS officer. However, the pure pleasure of following my passion hereafter has helped me overcome this uncertainty," he said.

The IPS officer said he will use the rest of his life to fulfil the unfinished dreams of the doyens of social justice, Mahatma Phule couple, B.R. Ambedkar, Manyawar Shri Kanshiram, and many more torchbearers of the country.

"I sincerely pray to you and all to bless and guide me as I start this new phase of my journey," he added.

Born in a remote village near the Nallamalla forest in Mahabubnagar district (now Jogulamba Gadwal district) on November 23, 1967, Kumar belonged to the IPS batch of 1995. He holds a Masters degree in public administration from the Harvard University and was an Edward S. Mason Fellow.

He thanked his parents, relatives, teachers, friends, colleagues, students, public representatives, media, NGOs and the people in general for "moulding me as a responsible human being".

Kumar said he was grateful to both the governments of erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for their trust and enabling him to serve the weak, voiceless and underserved population of the country.

TSWREIS is a society set up by the government of Telangana in 2014 with an aim to provide quality education to the needy and deprived children and to administer various schools/colleges/hostels which are run by the government of Telangana.

Kumar, who has been heading TSWREIS for the last seven years, helped many students from the marginalised sections to excel through the TSWREI institutions.

Kumar was the inspiration behind 13-year-old Malavath Poorna, who became the youngest girl to scale Mount Everest. 'Poorna', a movie based on the tribal girl's achievement and Kumar's efforts behind her success, was released in 2017.

In March this year, the IPS officer had landed in a row after he allegedly took an oath with a group of people that they would not follow any Hindu ritual or tradition.

A video of the official had gone viral in which he was seen taking oath along with other people, strongly affirming their disbelief in the existence of Hindu deities and their traditions.

The oath was taken at the 'Swaero Holy Month' ceremony on March 15 that he had launched at the famous Buddhist shrine in Dhulikatta in Peddapalli district.

The video sparked a huge row with several right-wing groups condemning the action of the police official, demanding action against him.

The 'Swaero Holy Month', also called Bheem Deeksha, is a month-long event marked by reading B.R. Ambedkar's works and other such activities.

The oath drew inspiration from the pledge taken by Ambedkar upon his conversion to Buddhism in Nagpur in 1956.
Chennai, July 20 : AIADMK's Joint Coordinator and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Monday claimed that the state's people feel cheated by the ruling DMK over the NEET issue.

He said that the DMK had openly said that it would not conduct the examination if it came to power, but its government has yet to clarify whether it would conduct NEET or not.

In a statement, he said that even after he had repeatedly asked both the Chief Minister and the Health Minister whether NEET exams would be held or not, there was no reply from either of the leaders.

Palaniswami also said that his government had got the Cauvery waters for Tamil Nadu after a prolonged legal battle in the Supreme Court. "The Supreme Court had ruled that at no place, Cauvery water should be stopped, stored or diverted." He said that the Karnataka government was deliberately trying to stop Cauvery water coming to Tamil Nadu by announcing that a dam would be constructed at Mekedatu over the Cauvery river, and termed this "highly condemnable".

He claimed that if a dam is constructed over Cauvery at Mekedatu, the whole delta region would turn into a desert, and it would also lead to total drinking water scarcity at 16 districts.

On the charge of vaccine wastage, Palaniswami said that during the initial phases of vaccination, the people feared taking vaccines and that the charges of vaccines being deliberately wasted during the AIADMK period does not stand. He said that wastage had occurred due to the low turnaround of people and accused the DMK of being instrumental in conducting campaigns across the state against vaccination.

He also said that he had urged the Prime Minister to provide maximum doses of vaccines to Tamil Nadu and that the state government should take this up.

He also said that the AIADMK was ready to face the local body polls whenever they were held and hit out at former interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala for "deliberately spreading lies" regarding the party's defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ranchi, July 20 : Though the Jharkhand government is yet to take a final call on organising the Shravani Mela in Deoghar, sources have indicated that this year also the annual festival will not be organised in the famous Baba Baidyanath Mandir in Deoghar owing to the COvid-19 pandemic.

It is expected that this time the temple will not be opened for the common devotees in the month of Shravan. Preparations are being made by the district administration to close the roads leading to the temple for the common devotees, who will also be prevented from coming in the month of Shravan through the Kanwaria route.

"Dumma, the entrance gate of Jharkhand, will also be sealed and there will be deployment of magistrate and police force. The police will stop and send back the Kanwariyas coming through Bihar," a source in the Deoghar administration to IANS.

According to the information received, instructions have been issued by the administration to make temporary office-cum-police cantonments at many places, including Dumma, Matri Mandir School Chowk, Nehru Park, Jalsar Mod, Ranga Mod, Darshani Mod and Laxmipur Chowk.

According to sources, orders have been given to build a pandal for these temporary police cantonments.

Additional police force has been demanded to maintain law and order in the month of Shravan. It has been decided that more than 1,000 police personnel will reach Babadham before the start of the month of Shravan.

To accommodate these policemen, the district administration has provided many school buildings to the police department.

The Baba Baidyanath Mandir in Deoghar is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country. Every year, more than 35 lakh devotes offer 'water' on the Shiva linga in the month Shravan. However, due to the pandemic, the annual event was not held last year.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ground Central Coffee Fashion District Mural We are thrilled we partnered with Huemanbooks and Dala Records to offer curated collections of books and music to our diverse group of customers. We built Ground Central Coffee as a hub to bring people together through good music, great books, and of course coffee.  Etienne Wiik, CEO, GC.

At times where many of the New York City small-businesses are suffering due to the pandemic, Ground Central Coffee is going ALL IN and opening a new store, while inking partnerships with local small businesses such as Huemanbooks, an independent bookstore, and Dala Records, an independent record label.

Ground Central Coffee, one of the most unique coffee shops in New York City, will open its seventh location on June 20th in the Fashion District. To celebrate this expansion Ground Central Coffee also inks partnerships with Huemanbooks, an independent bookstore to host book launches, sell books online and in-store, and Dala Records, a local Brooklyn-based record label to curate its musical playlist, host events, sell vinyl and cassettes.

Ground Central Coffee takes great pride in being a coffee shop unlike no other because it built its business to welcome and foster a community of dreamers, students, artists, book lovers, musicians  all aspiring towards life beyond the mainstream. As a one-of-a-kind, independent coffee shop serving a distinct La Colombe blend and a variety of delicacies from local food providers Ground Central energize inspire and bring people from different walks of life together.

We are thrilled we can partner with Huemanbooks and Dala Records to offer curated collections of books and music to our diverse group of customers. We built Ground Central Coffee as a hub to bring people together through good music, great books, and of course coffee. These partnerships will do just that. We are excited about the future of our city, post-pandemic, and real New York partnerships like these are the reason why.  Etienne Wiik, CEO, Ground Central Coffee

Uniting the community through shared experiences and interests is Ground Centrals top priority. Every day, they strive to deliver a personalized experience while capturing the essence, diversity, and personality of the city's neighborhoods.

The past four years have shown us the need for deep cross-cultural understanding. We know how important this is to the well-being of all people, and as we reboot, we are taking our concept one step further to what we call Huemanbooks on the go. We felt the best way to do this was through a strong collaboration with a partner that shares our values and vision. In these times of cultural crisis, we find it imperative to reinvent ourselves as one of Americas most beloved bookstores.  Marva Allen, co-owner at Huemanbooks.

At Ground Central Coffee, they fuel these adventures of people from all walks of life. By combining fresh coffee with the other things that make life great: music, love for arts, meaningful book choices, and most importantly, diversity.

"Dala Records is excited to partner with Ground Central Coffee Company and collaborate in a number of ways to bring a uniquely New York musical experience to the Ground Central community. Look out for our special curated playlists for each of the Ground Central stores, as well as in-store performances from our artists and opportunities to purchase vinyl from our catalog in the GC shops. We look forward to merging our respective worlds of coffee and music and delivering an exciting and welcoming environment for every person who walks into Ground Central"  Billy Aukstik, founder of Dala Records.

About Dala Records: At Dala Records, they have one goal in mind: to cultivate organic music and share it with the world. With a concentration on high-quality artistry and analog presentation, Dala Records strives to fill a void in today's music industry. Founded by trumpeter Billy Aukstik in New York City's East Village, Dala Records intends to preserve the history of the city and its musical legacy while constantly pushing the envelope and delivering honestly raw records.

About Huemanbooks: Huemanbooks is an independent bookstore in New York. They offer a wide range of books, from educational and self-help books to cookbooks, business books, and childrens books. Their curated selection of books is hand-picked with a diversity focus, aligning with the goal to amplify stories through the lens of marginalized groups.

About Ground Central Coffee: Ground Central is not your typical coffee shop. Its a community of dreamers, students, artists, book lovers, musicians  all aspiring towards life beyond the mainstream. At Ground Central Coffee they energize, inspire and bring people together.
"We are honoured to be amongst the winners for Microsoft Canada's Impact awards and I am extremely proud of the Softlanding team," said Shaun Roberts, President of Softlanding Solutions, Inc.

Softlanding is proud to announce it has won the 2021 Microsoft Canada Inclusion Changemaker Impact Award. These annual Canadian awards recognize Microsoft partners that have focused on bettering the lives of Canadians and demonstrated excellence in sales, marketing, skilling, innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology.

"We are honoured to be amongst the winners for Microsoft Canada's Impact awards and I am extremely proud of the Softlanding team," said Shaun Roberts, President of Softlanding Solutions, Inc. "Since the onset of COVID-19, our focus has been on delivering innovative solutions for our clients to help them adapt and thrive despite this incredibly challenging time. We are particularly excited about this award as it directly aligns with our ongoing commitment to help make Canada a more productive, modern and inclusive place to live and work.

Microsoft Canada presented these awards in 27 categories on July 15, 2021 as part of Microsofts second virtual Inspire conference. Winners were selected based on the outstanding work the companies provided to their customers and community.

We are pleased to recognize Softlanding as this years recipient of the Inclusion Changemaker Impact Award, said Suzanne Gagliese, Vice President, Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft Canada. Amid a challenging year, our partners have demonstrated dedication to innovation and customer excellence by leveraging cutting-edge solutions to solve complex business challenges and overcome disruption.

About Softlanding

Established in 2000, Softlanding is a leading provider of transformation, professional services and managed IT services that helps organizations boost innovation and drive business value.

We are a multi-award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with 13 Microsoft Gold Competencies. We use our experience and expertise to be a trusted advisor and ensure our clients have the best technology solutions to solve their business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing world. We optimize the return on investment of their technology while creating a solid foundation for growth strategies, flexibility, and scalability.

To get in touch, please visit softlanding.ca

Connect with Softlanding at http://www.softlanding.ca or on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
We really believe that the tools and concepts students will learn will have an immediate and long-term positive impact on their lives."

On July 26th, 2021, AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc. will begin a three-day Money Cent$ Camp for local high schoolers 9th - 12th grade. This educational, engaging, and fun event is being offered free of charge for 2021 as a way to promote financial literacy and personal finance to Central Floridas next generation.

We hear over and over again from our clients: I wish I would have known more about money and personal finance when I was younger, says Paul Roldan, Co-Founder and CEO of AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc.

We really believe that the tools and concepts students will learn will have an immediate and long-term positive impact on their lives, adds Jason Martin, Co-Founder and CIO of AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc.

Some of the highlights of the camp will include:

-Learn the Dangers of Debt and Student Loans

-Learn How to Earn Money and Buy a Car

-Smart Spending and Investing

-The Cash Flow and Live on Your Own (LOMO) Experience

-The Power of Generosity and Biblical Stewardship

Additionally, Stephanie Bowman of One Heart for Women and Children will be a guest speaker. Stephanie Bowman has been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and is known by many in the Central Florida community for the work she is doing with families as they overcome varying hardships. Organizations like Bowmans are a great example of how generosity can impact our community.

Discovery Church, located at 881 Sand Lake Blvd, is providing the space to host Money Cent$ Camp 2021.

To connect with AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc., visit their website here: https://www.allgenfinancial.com/ or visit their LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allgenfinancial/

For additional information about One Heart for Women and Children, visit their website here: https://www.oneheartforwomenandchildren.org/

For more information about Discovery Church, visit their website here: https://www.discoverychurch.org/
My American Terrorists: a gripping story of fighting for whats right. My American Terrorists is the creation of published author America, who has overcome a life of duplicity to finally have a quiet, safe life.

America shares, Terroristswho are they? Some are even born right here in Americayes, they are.

Not usually what we think of when someone says the word terrorists, but during a warand this book is about a family warterrorists need to be eliminated. Americans who were supposed to love America, not hurt her; help America, not terrorize her. American terroristsyes, they do exist right here in America. Open this book, and you will see that this is a page-turner to a new American terrorist plot planned out for years to destroy her!

Does she escape?

Sit back and get comfortable in your recliner; youre in for an amazing yet shockingly bumpy read.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Americas new book is a fascinating exploration of what it is like to have a life shattered and how one rebuilds when there is no one to trust.

Americas story is one of danger, deception, and above all else, determination to survive and thrive no matter what lurks around the corner.

View a synopsis of My American Terrorists on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase My American Terrorists at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about My American Terrorists, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Seventy years ago in 1951, Ernie Ausherman left his job to begin building homes in Frederick County. Ausherman Homes, as the company was known then, began with single-family residences. By 1986, Ausherman Development Corporation was founded to meet the growing needs of commercial and residential markets. In 2003, the home-building business was sold, and efforts were switched to residential and commercial development with Ausherman Properties.

Today, as Ausherman Properties celebrates its 70th anniversary, the original focus and vision have never been clearer. Although the way the corporation does its work has evolved since 1951, the heart and soul of the company 70 years ago still applies today. It is building community. It is actively honoring the history and legacy of its founding father. It is making a positive impact on the community that it holds so dear.

Everything is done through the lenses of quality and making the community a more vibrant, dynamic place to live, work, and play. The company's history is long and respected, and its success is a team effort, because the company never lost sight of this rich history.

Ausherman Properties is proud to be a leading property developer in both the Frederick community and within the industry as a whole. It has built solid relationships. It has partnered with other companies and individuals who share the same vision and values. The partners know and trust Ausherman. When they engage with the company, they know that it is giving back to the community and supporting Frederick County in so many ways.

Ausherman has invested in projects with meaning and purpose. The company derives pride from driving in the community and visibly seeing the projects it has invested in come to life. Like its name, the properties tell stories and preserve history. Through its work over the years, and the work of its partner organization Ausherman Family Foundation, it is building for the greater good.

As it continues to meet the communitys needs, it plans to build on the same foundation in the next 70 years. It all started with family, and thats how it will always befamily in the Ausherman name and family in the Frederick community.

Ausherman Properties wants to thank you for being part of the Ausherman family. It couldnt be here, 70 years later, without you. Ausherman looks forward to what it will accomplish, together, in the next 70 years.

The Ausherman Family Foundation is a private foundation, established in 2006. The Trustees envision a vibrant community where committed nonprofit organizations effectively work together in a spirit of cooperation to advance superior charitable outcomes in Frederick County. The Foundations mission is to empower the passion for change in Frederick County, Maryland.
David Schwinger, a retired mathematics instructor who spent his entire career teaching at City University of New York and now lives with his wife in Florida, where he enjoys writing songs, playing pickleball, and traveling, has completed his new book Murder Saves the Day: An Amy Bell Mystery: a riveting drama that keeps the pages turning until the satisfying conclusion.

Multimillionaire Ethan Barris sold his Internet startup and now greatly enjoyed teaching computer science to the brightest seniors at Laketown Science Academy, an all-girls school. He also reveled in insulting and humiliating his colleagues on the school faculty who he thought were mediocre losers.

Ethan found additional pleasure in having sex with several much younger women while bullying his long-time girlfriend into taking an action she would immediately deeply regret.

One morning, while leaving for work, Ethan was stabbed to death on his front porch. The police were making no progress, and super sleuth Amy Bell was hired by Ethans one friend in the faculty to investigate the killing.

Amy soon realized that virtually everybody who knew Ethan strongly disliked him, except for his students who respected and admired him.

Who hated Ethan so much that they would kill him on that mid-September morning? Amy found it hard to believe any of her suspects would go that far. But somebody clearly did, and the beautiful and brilliant Amy represented the last best chance to solve the case.

Published by Page Publishing, David Schwingers engrossing book is an excellent choice for avid murder mystery readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Murder Saves the Day: An Amy Bell Mystery at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.


Caroline Presburg, BayRunner Shuttle says, It's an honor to be recognized for our sustainability and growth in the community. The milestone provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the...people who work hard to deliver a reliable and safe transportation option that brings people together...

BayRunner Shuttle, a locally-owned and operated airport shuttle announced it has received proclamations from Frederick Mayor Michael OConnor, Frederick County Executive, Jan Gardner and Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary, Kelly M. Schulz, in celebration of ten years of successful growth and service to the community in Frederick, Maryland and surrounding areas.

We are proud of our operations in Frederick, Maryland and look forward to continuing to serve the needs of our clients for years to come, said Caroline Presburg, BayRunner Shuttle. It is an honor to be recognized for our sustainability and growth in the community. This milestone provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the team of people who work hard to deliver a reliable and safe transportation option that brings people together every day.

Frederick City Mayor Michael OConnor recently visited BayRunner Shuttle with members of his team and the Citys Economic Development staff. We join our community in celebrating BayRunner Shuttle on its 10th anniversary and for choosing Frederick a decade ago to better serve the transportation needs of area travelers. The Company is emerging from an incredibly challenging time in this travel industry, and we look forward to watching the company chart its course for the future. We are grateful to have BayRunner Shuttle as part of our robust business community.

BayRunner Shuttle first opened in Salisbury, Maryland in 2005. Upon receiving funds from the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program, the company opened operations to support vehicles, maintenance and dispatchers in Frederick, Maryland. The shuttle service has carried over 44,000 passengers in Frederick and over 122,000 in Western Maryland.

The Formula Grants for Rural Areas program provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000, where many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations.

About BayRunner Shuttle

BayRunner Shuttle offers daily BWI shuttle service throughout Maryland from Ocean Citys beaches to the mountains of Western Maryland. The company also travels and partners with Amtrak (BWI Amtrak station) and Greyhound (Downtown Baltimore Greyhound station). Staffed by professionally licensed drivers, the company offers multiple daily departures from 14 pick-up locations across Maryland and free parking.

For more information call 410-912-6000 or visit https://bayrunnershuttle.com/
Family Home Care of Central Florida, a leading provider of in-home support for both individuals and their families, is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Cheri Wells, BSN, RN, as Chief Nursing Officer.

Well known and respected throughout the community, Cheri is a nursing leader and clinical researcher with expertise in neurovascular, cardiovascular, geriatrics, and emergency care. With over four decades of experience in nursing, Cheri will be an integral part of our senior leadership team in advising senior management on best practices, conducting performance assessments, and day-to-day operations of the agency.

We are thrilled to welcome Cheri to the Family Home Care of Central Florida team, said Jarod Carter, President and Founder of Family Home Care of Central Florida. Her knowledge and experience will be key to our growth. We share the same passion for delivering best in class care and service for our clients and their families.

Cheri Wells noted, Joining Family Home Care of Central Florida as Chief Nursing Officer is a natural fit. Im honored to be part of the team and am looking forward to contributing to the new culture and excellence that Family Home Care of Central Florida is building.

Family Home Care of Central Florida specializes in providing care solutions that serve the whole family, regardless of age or care situation. Services are highly customized according to each individuals needs, and can include personal care assistance, companion care, post-hospitalization recovery care, live-in care, and more.

To learn more about Family Home Care of Central Florida or to schedule a free in-home consultation, call (407) 641-4306 or visit http://www.familyhomecarecf.com.

About Family Home Care of Central Florida

Family Home Care of Central Florida is a locally owned and operated home care agency that addresses the needs of the whole family with customized private in-home care support throughout the greater Orlando, Florida area. Compassionate, highly trained and skilled caregivers are available to provide personalized care in private residences or senior living facilities with as much or as little support as needed. Call (407) 641-4306 or visit http://www.familyhomecarecf.com to learn more and to schedule a free in-home consultation.
With myAXXESS, FEIG offers system integrators a perfectly coordinated overall package including RFID readers, transponders and software. Now integrators can offer their customers smooth and highly reliable access to their properties.

FEIG ELECTRONIC, has launched myAXXESS, its innovative, secure, powerful and economical RFID access control solution for buildings and parking areas. The solution is free with FEIG reader hardware. Now system integrators can offer this simple, powerful system as an incentive to customers who need a new access system or want to modernize an outdated system.

Based on advanced, proven RFID technology from FEIG, myAXXESS can be a standalone system or integrated into an existing RFID control point. The myAXXESS solution gives a sales boost to system integrators because they can now offer users a convenient, simple way to fully manage access at no additional cost.

Short- or long-range access? No problem

Integrators can tap into FEIG advanced technology for applications that open electronic gates and barriers. Users access short-range applications with chip cards or key fobs. The user presents credentials a few inches from the reader and the system responds. Transponders for long-range identification can be located on the windshield, rearview mirror headlight of a vehicle. Long-range RFID readers from FEIG are fast, so authorized users pass through the gate as quickly as the gate allows, without waiting extra time for the reader to grant access. Tags are non-proprietary, so customers can purchase inexpensive tags and brand for their business.

If an integrator has a small or medium-sized project, access control installation needs to be as simple and resource-efficient as possible. myAXXESS is a fully compatible system that can be integrated in a very short time at minimal cost, and it is scalable. The readers and transponders work reliably and can be operated intuitively, reducing the amount of support time integrators need to dedicate to the customer. For particularly sensitive environments, FEIG offers maximum security and control with chip card technologies such as Mifare DESFire and UCODE DNA from NXP.

24/7 data collection and robust support

Integrators have a particularly powerful selling point with PoE and offline management available exclusively from FEIG. PoE and offline management enable data collection even if the power goes down. This adds a substantial level of reliability to data collection. Integrators can be confident in-stalling FEIG systems because expert tech support and marketing materials are readily available.

myAXXESS adapts easily for customer requirements

The customers entire access system can be centrally controlled using FEIGs myAXXESS Manager software to manage authorizations, readers and transponders. This makes the myAXXESS approach to access control simple, intuitive and efficient. Customers can easily and quickly add, update or create user groups. The system offers simple solutions for public holidays and other special rules and events that can be stored in the system along with individual authorizations.

With myAXXESS, FEIG offers system integrators a perfectly coordinated overall package including RFID readers, transponders and software. Now integrators can offer their customers smooth and highly reliable access to their properties. To meet FEIGs high performance and quality standards, the entire conception, programming and production of FEIG systems takes place exclusively in Germany, says Manuel Haertle, Senior Product Manager, FEIG ELECTRONIC.

FEIG specialists will be available in stand #16141 at the International Security Conference & Exposition, ISC West, held July 19-21 at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Well discuss with system integrators how myAXXESS and FEIG access systems increase profitability and provide secure, convenient and reliable access systems for customers.

For more Information:

Visit the myAXXESS website.

About FEIG

For more than 50 years, FEIG ELECTRONIC has been a development pioneer and specialist for contactless identification (RFID), control electronics, traffic sensors and payment terminals. Based in Weilburg in the region of Hessen, the company with around 400 employees, contributes to technological progress with innovative solutions for a large number of applications and industries. Contact FEIG for more information.
Halla redefines personalization for grocery. From left: Co-founders Spencer Price (CEO), Henry Michaelson (CTO & President) and Gabriel Nipote (COO)

Halla, the Taste Intelligence company and creator of the only human preference engine designed for grocery, announced today that it raised $4.5 million in Series A1 funding. The investment round was led by James McCanns Food Retail Ventures (FRV), whose previous investments include Fetch Rewards, Takeoff Technologies, Bowery Farming, Weee!, and more. A former CEO at Tesco, Carrefour, and Ahold USA, McCann has also been appointed as Hallas newest board member.

Grocers have historically relied on shopping trends, lagging sales data, and intuition, or people like you also bought algorithms to predict what shoppers wanted. Unfortunately, these methods work poorly, and may even lead to negative outcomes like bad substitutions for out-of-stock incidents, which drive up to 20% of grocery shoppers to competitors, according to McKinsey.

Hallas Taste Intelligence technology was designed to fulfill this market demand. It is the worlds only human preference engine designed specifically for grocery. The AI-based technology leverages over 100 billion shopper and product data points to predict, with remarkable accuracy, what grocery shoppers are actually looking for. Solutions within the Taste Intelligence engine include:



Halla Substitute identifies the most similar and personally relevant replacement products available and within the context of real-time inventory.

Halla Recommend returns contextually relevant complementary products when and where shoppers are most likely to buy.

Halla Search results are prioritized by each consumers unique preferences and household objectives, not just by whats popular with other shoppers. This makes product discovery intuitive and enjoyable.

Hallas Taste Intelligence engine redefines personalization in grocery by introducing a solution that predicts what individual customers will want to buy next, said McCann. To provide an exceptional customer experience today, grocers must be able to recognize customer intent in the moment. They then must ensure that the shopper is presented with options that meet their individual needs across all touchpoints, and in real-time. Halla has solved this challenging set of demands in one engine, and has already delivered double-digit basket size growth to its grocery partners. Im delighted to be backing this team and look forward to working with them closely as they continue to scale.

Hallas Taste Intelligence engine leverages API-first technology to easily plug into any digital touchpoint within the grocers existing platform. From cart pages online to printed coupons in-store, Halla drives value for both the grocer and the shopper across all shopping channels. With Taste Intelligence grocers can show shoppers the most enticing product recommendations, the best possible substitutions for out-of-stock items, and the most relevant search results for each specific shopper, at every digital touchpoint in the customer journeyall in real-time. This results in bigger baskets for grocers and better shopping experiences for customers.

Our Taste Intelligence engine offers grocers a unique opportunity to make each of their customers feel like the grocery store was curated just for them whether theyre shopping in-store or online, said Spencer Price, co-founder and CEO of Halla. For us, the most exciting part is creating an experience so individualized to each shopper that it feels like magicwhen in reality, its just very advanced science and technology. Were honored to have a grocery industry visionary like James McCann recognize the value that our technology brings to grocers and join the Halla family. This round of funding will allow us to expand our team and roll out our Taste Intelligence engine even faster to help more grocers increase basket size and customer loyalty by offering their shoppers the best possible shopping experience.

Hallas Taste Intelligence technology is now live in over 1,100 ecommerce storefronts for a top-5 U.S. grocer, driving best-in-class digital ad media performance and improvement in ecommerce profitability. The company plans to use the latest infusion of capital to double the number of stores it supports across accounts, as well as double its headcount by 2022. The company recently relocated its headquarters to New York City and will be hiring positions across technology, science, sales, and marketing both remotely and for its TriBeCa office.

The $4.5M Series A1 round brings Hallas total capital raised to $8.5M.

To learn more about Halla, check out our website at halla.io and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Halla

Halla is The Taste Intelligence Company, founded in 2016 by Gabriel Nipote, Henry Michaelson, and Spencer Price. Taste Intelligence is the worlds only human preference engine designed specifically for grocery. Halla was formed to help grocers better understand and answer the fundamental human query, How do people decide what to eat? Today, Hallas industry-leading Taste Intelligence engine helps shoppers intuitively find and discover grocery items they want via solutions that map 1:1 to their unique shopping behavior, in real-time. From cart pages online to printed coupons in-store, Halla drives value for the retailer and shopper at every digital touchpoint along the customer journey. Shoppers see the most enticing products at the perfect moment, resulting in bigger baskets, better rewards, and the best grocery experience possible.
Derived from the word Hedonism, HEDO skincare focuses on enjoyment, self-love and self-care. Past News Releases RSS

On July 20th at 10:00 a.m., the HEDO mens skincare line will be available at ReBalance of Radiance Aesthetics & Wellness at 635 Madison Ave #1401, New York, NY 10022. This is the first physical store to sell the exclusive products at https://hedo.co/ created by Christy Curtis Buss, successful choreographer, entrepreneur and proud member of the Los Angeles Lakers Buss Family.

Derived from the word Hedonism, HEDO skincare focuses on enjoyment, self-love and self-care, states Buss. No matter who you are, its important to take care of your skin so you look and feel your best now and have healthy skin in the future.

Made in the USA, the HEDO skincare line includes unisex, anti-aging products for all skin

types that:



Offer clinically proven, advanced pharmaceutical-grade formulas made under FDA labs;

Deliver bio-active ingredients directly to target areas deep in the skin; and

Are 100% cruelty-free with no artificial colors or fragrances, synthetic chemical preservatives, parabens or other harmful toxins.

Just across from the Plaza Hotel, anyone can easily stop by the ReBalance Aesthetics & Wellness Spa to pick up the luxurious, skincare products made just for men. These include face cleanser, moisturizer, shaving balm, and more with toxin-fighting exfoliation, complexion-purifying masking, and moisture-rich eye rejuvenation.

For more information, visit https://hedo.co.

About HEDO

Choreographer, entrepreneur and proud member of the Los Angeles Lakers family, Christy Curtis Buss, created the HEDO skincare line to aid in your everyday routine for success. Derived from the word hedonism, the unisex, anti-aging products focus on self-love, self-care and taking care of your skin now and in the future so you can look and feel your best. HEDO is made in the USA under FDA labs with advanced pharmaceutical-grade formulas. The products are 100% cruelty-free and have no artificial colors or fragrances, synthetic chemical preservatives, parabens or other harmful toxins. For more information, visit https://hedo.co.

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Media Contact: Melanie Rembrandt, Rembrandt Communications, 800-771-0116
Joining at a time of exponential growth, they will be invaluable as we work toward our mission of equipping individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to confidently outsmart cybercrime

Infosec, the leading cybersecurity education company, today announced the appointment of Paul Shain, president and CEO of Singlewire, and Neil Etheridge, COO of LitLingo, to the company's Board of Directors. Infosecs Board of Directors will work closely with the Infosec leadership team to drive profitable growth, execute business strategy and most importantly, deliver the most value to customers.

We are thrilled to welcome Paul and Neil to the Infosec Board of Directors as we take this next step on the companys growth trajectory. Their expertise and experience in the software industry will help guide strategy and accelerate growth, said Jack Koziol, Infosec CEO and founder. Joining at a time of exponential growth, they will be invaluable as we work toward our mission of equipping individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to confidently outsmart cybercrime.

Infosecs board members include:



Paul Shain, president and CEO of Singlewire, has led the companys strategic direction since its founding in 2009. Under his direction, the Singlewire team grew from a handful of people to over 100 employees, serving more than 7,000 customers. Paul is a seasoned technology industry executive who previously was senior vice president and executive committee member at CDW, a leading provider of technology products and services for business, government and education. Before CDW, Paul was CEO of Madison-based Berbee Information Networks Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDW Corporation, acquired by CDW in October 2006. Paul currently serves on the board of directors for Fiduciary Management Inc., American Family Insurance Company, and the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

Neil Etheridge, a 20-year technology industry veteran, focused on bringing cloud computing and AI solutions to address the legal, compliance and culture challenges businesses face around the world. As LitLingos COO, Neil leads the company's go-to-market functions including sales, marketing and customer success. LitLingo builds and deploys machine-learned models involving industry-specific litigation risk, fraud/waste/abuse risk, employment risk, product liability risk, IP risk, customer service optimization and culture analysis and insight. Prior to LitLingo, Neil was CMO for DISCO, a leading legal technology provider, and helped them grow from a series A startup to its most recent valuation of $785M.

Jack Koziol, Infosecs CEO and founder, will serve as Chairman of the Board. A pioneer in cybersecurity training and education, Jack founded Infosec in 2004 with the goal of making cybercrime less profitable through education  and frustrating cybercriminals ever since. Before building Infosec from the ground up, Jack worked in the private sector, developing vulnerability and exploitation experience and training members of the U.S. intelligence community, military and law enforcement.

In 2020, Infosecs software segment of business reported an 87% increase in annual recurring revenue and a 102% net revenue retention rate. Additionally, the company achieved a Net Promoter Score of 54  considered excellent by global NPS standards. In 2021, the company received many awards for its online training platforms, Infosec Skills and Infosec IQ, and announced several strategic industry alliances with organizations like Microsoft and Coursera.

I am honored to be joining the board at Infosec. As a current customer, I understand the value and importance their products bring to an organizations security strategy. I look forward to working with the leadership team as they scale the business in the future, said Paul Shain, CEO of Singlewire.

With cybercrime on the rise, cybersecurity is more important than ever. I am excited to join the Infosec board and look forward to helping the company build on its impressive position in the market, said Neil Etheridge, COO of LitLingo.

Learn more about Infosec here.

About Infosec

Infosec is the leading cybersecurity education company helping IT and security professionals advance their careers and empowering employees to be cyber-safe at work and home. Its mission is to equip individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to confidently outsmart cybercrime. More than 70% of the Fortune 500 have relied on Infosec Skills to develop their security talent and teams, and more than 5 million learners worldwide are more cyber-resilient from Infosec IQs security awareness and phishing training. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Infosecs Resources Blog for the latest news, or visit infosecinstitute.com for more information.
Le Cordon Bleu will also propose a programme dedicated to Saudi Arabian Cuisine, to highlight the local ingredients, flavours and gastronomy.

Le Cordon Bleu in Riyadh is to become an iconic flagship institution for gastronomy, located in state of the arts facilities, with prime equipment and technology, and teaching programmes of the highest standards from technical courses in the culinary arts, such as Cuisine and Patisserie Diplomas, to higher education degrees in Hospitality management. Students will benefit from a faculty of Le Cordon Bleu Master Chefs, industry experts and professors that have trained in the finest establishments worldwide and share years of experience. Students may also choose to participate in international exchanges benefiting from the many study destinations that Le Cordon Bleu can offer.

Among the curriculum, Le Cordon Bleu will also propose a programme dedicated to Saudi Arabian Cuisine, to highlight the local ingredients, flavours and gastronomy. Present in the biggest gastronomic capitals, Le Cordon Bleu aims to support the Cuisines of the World and has developed many diplomas and certificates to celebrate Peruvian, Brazilian, Mexican, Spanish, Japanese, Thai cuisines. Among these courses, some are accredited by the local education ministry, guaranteeing authenticity and respect for the principles taught.

Le Cordon Bleu is committed to innovation and honours its commitments through an expanding international network of teaching, learning and research. Taking into account innovation and new technologies, Le Cordon Bleu continually adapts its academic programmes to the future needs of the industry. Responding to the keen interest in nutrition, well-being, vegetarian cuisine, food sciences, social and environmental responsibility, and the online demand.

Le Cordon Bleu will propose a startup incubator to support and guide graduates who wish to create their own business within the restaurant and hospitality industry. Around the world, Le Cordon Bleu is proud to see its alumni thrive in a variety of different careers, such as Chefs, culinary stylist, caterers, entrepreneurs, app creator, journalists, writers, food critics, award winners and Michelin stars.

Le Cordon Bleu is recognized worldwide for its excellence in education providing students with an international passport for a career in the food and hospitality industry, which can be seen by the numerous success stories of its Alumni from Julia Child to Giada de Laurentiis, from Dame Mary Berry to Gaston Acurio, and from Yotaam Ottolenghi to Vicky Lau. Le Cordon Bleu students from Riyadh will be part of the exclusive network of alumni, counting over 20,000 graduates every year worldwide.
I am honored to work alongside founder and CEO, Monica Enand, and her team, as we continue to further accelerate innovation and create even more solutions to better serve the ediscovery community.

Zapproved, the leading ediscovery software provider for managing corporate ediscovery, announced today that the Board of Directors has voted to appoint Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary at Coinbase, to the Board.

Grewal is responsible for Coinbases legal, compliance, global intelligence, risk and policy groups. Coinbase, as a pioneer in cryptocurrency, regularly faces some of the most significant legal challenges in technology today. He and his team partner with financial services regulators, contribute to the development and rollout of innovative regulated products and services, and support the companys global growth and regulatory strategy.

Before joining Coinbase, Grewal was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Facebook. He also has served as United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California.

"We are excited to add Mr. Grewals expertise to our Board of Directors. He has a rare combination of experience in private practice, as a highly respected federal judge, and as a leading in-house lawyer and business executive for corporate legal and compliance teams," said Monica Enand, Zapproved Founder and CEO. "His counsel will be critical as we continue to grow the market presence of ZDiscovery and help us architect the next chapter of Zapproved.

Grewal was previously a partner at Howrey LLP, where his practice focused on technology litigation. He has tried cases from Marshall, Texas to Wilmington, Delaware, and has argued before various federal appellate courts. Grewal served as a law clerk to Federal Circuit Judge Arthur J. Gajarsa and United States District Judge Sam H. Bell. He received his JD from the University of Chicago and his SB from MIT.

I admire Zapproveds belief that technology can transform the lives of corporate legal professionals. Great products have been proven to create meaningful efficiencies that I have seen impact my own work, said Grewal. I am honored to work alongside founder and CEO, Monica Enand, and her team, as we continue to further accelerate innovation and create even more solutions to better serve the ediscovery community.

Grewal will join the existing Board of Directors effective immediately. The search for Grewal was supported by Vistas independent board program, which leverages the firms network to source qualified board candidates for its portfolio companies. Grewal joins more than 60 talented industry leaders who serve as independent directors across Vistas portfolio company boards participating in ongoing curriculum for board leadership.

About Zapproved

Founded in 2008, Zapproved builds ediscovery software designed to help corporate legal teams reduce costs and mitigate risk. Our software empowers teams to manage legal holds and collect, process, and review data with ease. We have more than 350 corporate customers, a 99% retention rate, and an unwavering commitment to keeping our customers ridiculously successful.
After a year and a half of managing the mental load of child care, education and enrichment for children, parents are at their breaking point, according to a new survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children. The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sittercity, Americas first online source for in-home care, found that 60 percent of parents find the mental load of parenting to be overwhelming, but nearly half (45 percent) dont even know where to look when it comes to planning child care.

Key survey findings include:



Unprepared and Overwhelmed: The majority (51 percent) of parents said they don't feel prepared for the upcoming school year, and one in three parents said they are only now getting the hang of their current routine.

Crisis Continues: Unsurprisingly, 70 percent of parents agree that having an extra set of hands would bring them a lot of relief in the back-to-school routine. However, 45 percent dont even know where to look when it comes to planning child care.

Seeking Support: Even though all parents with school-aged children are stretched thin, 13 percent reported they dont have any support options when it comes to filling their child care gaps. Of those who do, the majority (57 percent) turn to their spouse, partner or another family member for child care, followed by after school programs (12 percent), a friend or neighbor (6 percent) or a babysitter or nanny (3 percent).

Routine Rush: The never-ending ups and downs of the last year have certainly made an impact, as nearly seven in 10 parents (69 percent) said they are overwhelmed by the constant routine changes of the past year.

Remaining Remote: Although 86 percent of parents with school-aged children said learning in a classroom setting is important for their child's socialization, 25 percent report their children will continue virtual or remote learning, followed by 21 percent who said their children will attend a mix of remote and in-person learning. Five percent will homeschool their children this year.

Bright Side: While the pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for parents, more than three-quarters (77 percent) said theyve learned more about their children over the past year due to more time spent together.

As part of its mission to help families minimize the cognitive load of finding and managing high-quality, trustworthy and enriching child care solutions, Sittercity created a free Planning Assistant tool to help parents identify and understand the type of individualized support that is best suited for their family. In just two minutes, the Planning Assistant helps parents determine the type of child care that will best support their needs, where to find it and how to ask for it.

Its unrealistic to expect parents to identify and hire the best type of child care for their family without guidance, said Jada Rashawn, Sittercitys Child Care Expert and Professional Caregiver. With proper resources, parents can build a support system that actually works for their family, giving them more space to take care of themselves and raise the best children possible.

Methodology

The Sittercity survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children was conducted by One Poll on behalf of Sittercity. The survey was conducted on June 15, 2021.

About Sittercity

Sittercity, a Bright Horizons company, is a technology company working to reimagine the in-home child care industry. As the first and largest digital platform for finding in-home care, Sittercity connects millions of parents with babysitters and nannies every year. Sittercity is radically simplifying the way families search for, screen, and hire trusted carewhether in person or virtually. Headquartered in Chicago, Sittercity offers families nationwide access to a child care support team that can be ready for anything. For more information, go to http://www.sittercity.com.

Sittercity Press Contact:

Tisha Ferraro

sittercity@thekeypr.com

(775) 848-8231
Pet-Inclusinve Housing Initiative Rental housing owner/operators can benefit from pet-inclusive policies by becoming attractive to a wider pool of potential residents.

Non-profit organizations Michelson Found Animals Foundation and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced the release of a new Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI) Report, outlining the path to create more than 8 million new pet-friendly rental homes in the United States. The report identifies both the economic opportunity for rental housing owners and operators and the community benefits of pet-inclusive rental housing.

Michelson Found Animals and HABRI developed this report to provide clear and detailed market-based strategies that benefit all  housing owner/operators, residents, and our beloved pets, who have been so important to us during the pandemic, said Brett Yates, CEO of Michelson Found Animals. We look forward to sharing this report to create more pet-inclusive housing for healthier, more connected communities.

The report highlights results of a comprehensive survey of residents and owner/operators conducted on behalf of the Pet-inclusive Housing Initiative, and looks at the opportunity for pet-inclusivity to help blunt the impact of the pandemic on the rental housing marketplace.

This report is grounded in data that will spur common-sense changes to increase the availability of pet-inclusive housing, said Steven Feldman, HABRI president. Our message to housing providers is that they can do good and capture an economic opportunity by easing restrictions on pets in rental housing communities.

The data shows that significant restrictions on pets in rental housing present hurdles for pet owners. It also shows that the majority of rental housing owners and operators love pets. Bridging the gap by increasing the availability of pet-inclusive housing can help families find the homes they need, provide economic benefits to owners/operators, and help up to 8.2 million animals find new homes over time.

Rental housing owner/operators can benefit from pet-inclusive policies by becoming attractive to a wider pool of potential residents. The data shows that, on average, residents in pet-friendly housing stay 21 percent longer than those in non-pet-friendly housing. Owner/operators also reported that pet-friendly vacancies can be quicker and easier to fill.

A major opportunity exists for property owners and operators to embrace pet-inclusive policies to attract and retain residents and enable more people to access the joy of pets in their lives, Yates added.

Through the implementation of new pet-inclusive policies, rental housing operators can boost their leasing and resident retention efforts while also keeping families and their pets together. Solutions for owner/operators to consider include:



Attracting pet owners by offering a free month of pet rent or waiving pet deposits, and instead relying on regular security deposits to cover minimal damage that pets may cause.

Creating an easy-to-follow screening process and pet agreement that focuses on well-behave pets and owners.

Formalizing the types of pets allowed in the community with forward-thinking, positive pet policies.

Increasing the number of pets that can live in a unit from one to two.

Coordinating with shelters and pet adoption agencies to organize virtual meetings with pets.

COVID-19 may have altered the housing landscape as we know it, but it has also shown how pets are so important in peoples lives, Feldman added. By providing residents with a clear path to welcome a pet into their home, housing owner/operators can benefit, while helping residents cope in uncertain times.

Key Findings in the Report:

Easing Restrictions on Pet Friendly Housing Makes Economic Sense

- 83% of owner/operators say pet-friendly vacancies are filled faster

- 79% say that they are easier to fill

Everyone Loves Pets

- 98% of residents with pets and 92% of all residents surveyed consider pets to be important members of the family

- 93% of housing owners/operators consider pets to be important members of the family

- 76% of housing owner/operators identify their properties as allowing some pets, which reflects a willingness to accommodate pets by a large majority of housing owner/operators.

Current Restrictions Limit Pet-Friendliness

- 72% of residents say pet-friendly housing is hard to find

- 59% of residents say pet-friendly housing is too expensive

- 92% of pet-friendly housing places some restrictions on the type, number, breed, or weight of pets

- 35% of non-pet-owning residents say they would get a pet if restrictions on their rental housing were lifted

- 33% of pet-owning residents say they would get another pet if restrictions on their rental housing were lifted

For more information, please visit petsandhousing.org.

About the Market - Research

The market research, conducted by data and analytics consultancy LRW on behalf of Michelson Found Animals Foundation and HABRI, was conducted in the United States to explore the current housing circumstances of residents with and without pets in non-rural settings, and the perceptions of property owners and managers towards pet-friendly housing and pet owners. The research was conducted online among a nationally-representative sample of 1,049 residents (749 pet owners and 300 non-pet owners) and by telephone with 500 property owners and managers.

About Michelson Found Animals Foundation

Michelson Found Animals Foundation is a leading animal welfare non-profit that believes people and pets are better together. Generously funded by Dr. Gary Michelson and Alya Michelson, Found Animals operates a range of social enterprises, impact investments, strategic partnerships, and thought leadership initiatives that share a common goal: to champion pets at every point they intersect with our society. Found Animals has helped more than 5 million pets since it was founded in 2005. Learn more at foundanimals.org.

About HABRI

HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the worlds largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit habri.org.

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San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney David Silldorf Peoples reputations are often on the line when they stand accused of serious felony conduct. To beat this case before charges were filed was a best-case scenario for everyone involved

A San Diego man was detained on suspicion of felony Hit and Run and DUI after allegedly crashing into multiple vehicles (San Diego Superior Court Case Number 21202894). The Law Offices of David Silldorf were hired to handle the pre-filing investigation and to represent the suspect in the event that criminal charges were filed. San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney David Silldorf was able to persuade investigating officers to close out the criminal matter based on the strength of the defense investigation and evidence. No criminal charges were filed and the matter was closed out and converted to a civil matter.

Attorney David Silldorf stated:

This was an obvious win for our client. Any time a criminal investigation is brought to a grinding halt and closed out is a victory for usbut more importantly, its a victory for the person or persons that stand accused of a crime. Simply being accused (or, worse yet, charged) of a crime can have negative life-changing effects. The result here netted a life-changing positive effect for our client who is actively pursuing a pilots license. Had he been charged or convicted, all that time, energy, and money may have been wasted. This is never just a career-saving or criminal record-saving event. Peoples reputations are often on the line when they stand accused of serious felony conduct. To beat this case before charges were filed was a best-case scenario for everyone involved.

David Silldorf has devoted his career to representing individuals charged with a wide variety of crimes as well as administrative and civil matters with fraud or criminal overtones. Over the years, he has successfully helped thousands of people charged with criminal offenses in both federal and state courts.

David has been actively involved in all stages of the defense of these matters, from preliminary investigation, through grand jury proceedings, to trial. His tireless trial preparation system has resulted in many acquittals and hung juries as well as reversals in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. David's fearless approach to his clients' matters has led to countless cases being dismissed before trial as well.
I have used the book to talk to my own family about their financial futures, Woodsboro Bank Board of Director Jason Lee stated. It is a simple read but full of power packed solutions.

Author Shantay DeMar launches first book, O.W.N. I.T. as a roadmap to financial awareness. O.W.N. I.T. was written for individuals, and educational programs at all levels of financial literacy as a resource to spark conversations centered around finances.

DeMars financial awareness roadmap, O.W.N. I.T., is now officially available for purchase on: Amazon, BookBaby, and at Barnes & Noble.

Written for all ages, O.W.N I.T. provides practical ways to learn financial fundamentals and educates readers on how to help create and eventually reach long-term financial goals. DeMar grew up in a home with financial challenges. These challenges empowered DeMar to educate himself on money and learn techniques to create stability for his family. DeMar pairs his life experiences with expertise and resources to empower readers to start conversations and navigate financial challenges. Topics covered in O.W.N. I.T. include: budgeting, saving, investing, debt and credit.

I have used the book to talk to my own family about their financial futures, Woodsboro Bank Board of Director Jason Lee stated. It is a simple read but full of power packed solutions.

Over the past year, DeMar has taken programming that supplements O.W.N. I.T. into local schools and continues to offer programming and bulk orders to schools and organizations.

It is important for our youth to get an understanding of the financial world and how it applies to them as individuals, Lee said. I purchased multiple books from Shantay and gave them to a local nonprofit that works with minority youth.

Readers can visit http://ownitroadmap.com for more resources and to take the O.W.N. I.T. Financial Roadmap Quiz to determine if they are a passenger, driver or instructor when it comes to owning their finances.

Shantay DeMar is an author, entrepreneur, financial mentor, public speaker and Founder of Frederick, Marylands premiere Virtual Reality Gaming Room. DeMar holds a Bachelors of Science in Finance from Morgan State University and has over a decade of experience in the financial services sector. For more information, inquiries, and to take the Financial Roadmap quiz, visit: http://ownitroadmap.com.


Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds announces a new line of Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets. Pictured: Metropolitan Signature Kitchen in Black River Stacked Stone. Our Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets were designed for people who want to imagine their perfect outdoor kitchen, order it, and then install it in a matter of days rather than weeks.

Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds announces its line of Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets featuring easy-to-install, customizable configurations pre-designed in a variety of sizes. Manufactured using glass-fiber reinforced concrete (GFCR) for durability, the new outdoor living products provide homeowners with expanded possibilities for personalized outdoor spaces while offering builders, landscape architects and other trade professionals the benefits of easy, reduced installation in as little as a single day.

Over the last year, elegant outdoor gathering spaces have grown in popularity, with an emphasis on options that reflect the unique lifestyles and personalities of homeowners, said Sarah Lograsso, Director of Marketing and Product Design for Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds. Our Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets were designed for people who want to imagine their perfect outdoor kitchen, order it, and then install it in a matter of days rather than weeks.

TWEET THIS: Fully customizable and simple to install, @kindred_living_ Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets invite homeowners to take the outdoor space of their dreams from imagination to installation in just one day. https://www.mykindredliving.com/

Signature Kitchens Offer Outdoor Luxury Made Simple

The Signature Kitchens from Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds are a collection of strong, yet lightweight building blocks that quickly assemble into custom barbecue islands, fireplaces, fire pits and more.



Each Signature Kitchen is pre-designed and arrives ready to install complete with all necessary cabinets, bolts, and endcaps.

Landscape architects, builders, and homeowners can choose from the popular Coastal Ranch Signature Kitchen, an 11-foot by 8-foot L-shaped kitchen; the Metropolitan Signature Kitchen, a 12-foot linear kitchen; and the Parkview Signature Kitchen, a 9.5-foot by 6.5-foot L-shaped kitchen.

Outdoor Cabinets Provide Endless Possibilities for Custom Outdoor Spaces

Easily assembled in just a few hours, Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds Outdoor Cabinets can be purchased individually to create a truly custom configuration.



Straight cabinets, 90-degree corner cabinets, end caps, backsplashes, and seating walls can be combined to fill or fit any space.

Cutouts for custom features such as barbeques, sinks, drawers, and burners can be done onsite to further customize a homeowners dream outdoor kitchen space.

Hassle-Free, Fast Installation

The Signature Kitchens and Outdoor Cabinets from Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds are crafted from strong, but lightweight glass-fiber reinforced concrete and can be installed on any solid flooring surface without concrete footings or rebar. Components can be assembled by two people in just one day, creating authentic and beautiful masonry outdoor spaces in a fraction of the time of a concrete block kitchen.

Once installed, trade professionals can help homeowners complete their outdoor space by adding appliances, countertops, and their choice of stone or brick from Eldorado Stone, Cultured Stone [Cultured Stone __title__ https://www.culturedstone.com/ , or Dutch Quality Stone.

For more information on Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds Signature Kitchens or Outdoor Cabinets, visit MyKindredLiving.com.

About Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds

Distinguished by craftsmanship, accentuated by firelight, and designed to gather round, Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds creates memorable spaces that bring people together through thoughtful composition and functionality. With hand-forged fire bowls, fireplace surrounds, and outdoor kitchens, friends and family can commune, converse and unwind in comfort, both inside and outside of the home. Launched in 2020 by Boral North America, Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds provides outdoor living and fireplace products that can be specified to feature any manufactured stone from the Boral family of brands including Eldorado Stone, Cultured Stone, Dutch Quality, StoneCraft and ProStone. For more information, visit MyKindredLiving.com.
Outdoor dining gained attention and popularity in Paso Robles during 2020 as an opportunity for restaurants to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Central Pacific Construction, the Paso Robles general contractor recently announced completion of a remodel project for a new Chicken Shack franchise in Paso Robles. The remodel included a permanent outdoor dining area, upgrading the exterior of the building and sidewalk compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

Outdoor dining gained attention and popularity in Paso Robles during 2020 as an opportunity for restaurants to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Paso Robles helped local restaurants create temporary parklets for outdoor dining, using approximately 68 parking spaces throughout the city for this purpose. Several restaurants already had permanent outdoor dining and seating, some facing city streets and some in courtyards. The new seating at the Chicken Shack at 1401 Park St. is the latest addition to permanent outdoor restaurant seating in the city.

The new dining area is beautiful with its granite countertops, said the local Chicken Shack general manager, Kassi Bledsoe. The four tables can seat six people each on permanently installed seating facing the sidewalk, the perfect way to enjoy a meal and people-watch at the same time. Two of the tables are on the Park St. side of the restaurant and two on the 14th St. side. The restaurant is located on the corner of Park and 14th streets in the downtown area, easy walking distance from shopping, art galleries, the Downtown City Park and wine tasting.

We painted the entire building, installed original cool looking awnings and created a fine, permanent outdoor seating area, said Frank Cueva, owner of Central Pacific Construction, the Paso Robles general contractor. We are honored to have been the company chosen for this project.

Cliff Branch of Cal Coast Commercial, the company that manages 1401 Park Street, said, We are pleased that this new restaurant has come to Paso Robles to fill the vacant anchor space. Frank Cueva and Central Pacific Construction did an excellent job. The public now has brand new sidewalks that meet ADA codes.

Serving the Central Coast since 1997, Central Pacific Construction is a leading commercial and residential general contractor in the region. The company has a reputation for excellent service, bold, stylish designs and delivering on time and within budget. Projects include new construction and remodels for restaurants, retail and other commercial spaces as well as new home construction, remodeling and tenant improvements.

The Paso Robles general contractor has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and serves San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Monterey counties.

Central Pacific Construction

3200 Riverside Ave Ste 120

Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 471-4749
Through our partnership with Summit Homes, Silverton Mortgage will provide their home buyers with an option for an experienced lender that is familiar with the new construction process and has top-notch customer service, said Jake Heiserman, Branch Manager for Silverton's Kansas City branch.

Silverton Mortgage, a leading direct residential mortgage lender, announced its partnership with Summit Homes, the largest new-home builder in Kansas City. With its partner lender status, Silverton will open an office in Summits headquarter town of Kansas City, giving Silverton its 36th location across the country.

Through our partnership with Summit Homes, we will provide their home buyers with an option for an experienced lender that is familiar with the new construction process and has top-notch customer service, said Jake Heiserman, Branch Manager for the Kansas City branch. We know home buyers can choose lenders for any number of reasons, but we are aiming to make financing a new home as fun and easy as building it with Summit Homes.

Founded in 1998, Silverton Mortgage has grown from a one-man operation to an acknowledged leader within the mortgage industry. Silverton credits its success to exceptional communication skills and prioritizes keeping all parties in the loop throughout the entire loan process. In 2020, more than 9 out of 10 borrowers and real estate agents said they would recommend Silverton to their friends and family. In 2021, Silverton was recognized for the fifth consecutive year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of the top places to work.

Summit Homes has built more than 2,500 homes since entering the Kansas City market in 2002. The team has won more than 120 awards for excellence and has been named among Kansas City Business Journals Champions of Business, Builder Magazines Top 10 Up-and-Coming Building Firms and the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.

The two companies are also aligned in their commitments to build and support strong communities. Summit Homes donates time, shares resources and contributes financial support to organizations such as Drumm Farm Center for Children, Harvesters Community Food Network, Boys & Girls Clubs of Kansas City and Hope Haven Domestic Violence Shelter.

Silverton Mortgage also supports many community organizations with team time and resources including The Silverton Foundation, which provides mortgage and rent assistance to help reduce financial and emotional burdens for families with children who have been hospitalized or receive ongoing chronic or critical care treatments.

Both Silverton Mortgage and Summit Homes are a part of the Clayton family of companies.

About Silverton Mortgage

Founded in 1998, Silverton Mortgage is a recognized industry leader within the mortgage community. Our Team Members recognize that home loans are as diverse as the people who seek them and work closely with borrowers to find the right program to fit their unique needs. We are guided by the strong belief that communication is key, which is why we take pride in helping you through the entire loan process, from application to closing, managing all aspects in-house. This way, loans close faster, and you know what's going on every step of the way. We count our success one loan, one happy customer, one family in a home at a time.

About Summit Homes

Summit Homes is delivering a personalized, customer-centric, home building experience creating high-quality, innovative homes in the Kansas City and Des Moines areas. The award-winning company is known for developing and building exceptional communities as well as its innovative design practices. In 2016, Summit joined Clayton Properties Group, a Berkshire Hathaway company.

To learn more about Summit Homes, visit summithomeskc.com. For additional information, please contact: marketing@summithomeskc.com or call 816.246.6700.

All loans are subject to credit approval.

Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc., dba Silverton Mortgage, 1201 Peachtree St NE, Ste 2050, Atlanta, Georgia 30361, 855-815-0291, NMLS #1561, (https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), AZ Lic. #BK-0902616, Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act license, Georgia Residential Mortgage (Lic. #6911), MT Lic. #1561, Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance, Licensed by PA Dept. of Banking, Rhode Island Licensed Lender. All information is believed accurate and is subject to change without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity.
The Pacific Palisades is a robust and dynamic market and we are delighted to further serve the community with the addition of a new office in this very special destination, said Mauricio Umansky, CEO and Founder of The Agency.

Global real estate brokerage, The Agency has announced the opening of a new corporate office in Pacific Palisades, California to be led by acclaimed industry professionals Santiago Arana and Marco Rufo. The office will be the second for the firm in the Palisades, and will join the brokerages growing network of franchise and corporately-owned offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The new Pacific Palisades locale features a new concept office design to welcome all members of the community given its prime location in the heart of Pacific Palisades.

The Pacific Palisades is a robust and dynamic market and we are delighted to further serve the community with the addition of a new office in this very special destination, said Mauricio Umansky, CEO and Founder of The Agency. Santiago Arana and Marco Rufo will provide expert leadership to our growing agent community as we further build our team in the Palisades and continue to represent preeminent real estate offerings including One Coast Pacific Palisades. We are also looking forward to announcing new franchise partners shortly as we continue to grow domestically and abroad.

The Agency has experienced impressive growth over the course of 2021 with the launch of several new franchise and corporate office locations including in New Canaan, Connecticut, North Shore-New York, Oakville, Canada, and Studio City, California.

Marco and I have long-served residents of Pacific Palisades for all their real estate needs and we are delighted to now broaden The Agencys team within this very special Southern California community, said Santiago Arana. With the addition of dynamic retail and dining destinations including Rick Carusos Palisades Village, it is an exciting time to be a part of the growth of the Palisades.

Santiago Arana serves as Principal of The Agency, and takes his place among the most distinguished professionals in the United States. This year, he was ranked as the number 16 real estate agent in the country by RealTrends The Thousand 2021. Specializing in high-end residential real estate and new construction across the regions most coveted neighborhoods, Arana has closed more than $3.5 billion in real estate, netting nearly $2 billion in sales volume from 2017 to 2020. Originally from Sucre, Bolivia, Aranas international background has helped build him a strong network of contacts from every corner of the globe. Armed with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing, he offers clients knowledge-backed guidance through the real estate market as well as highly-targeted, future-facing marketing strategies.

Having a deep understanding of the area and this very special location, we wanted to create a new design concept for our office that embraces the community and is welcoming to all, Marco Rufo said. We envision our new office as a central hub for real estate within the Palisades, and a place where families and children can stop in and enjoy some sweet treats at our complimentary candy wall.

Marco Rufo is one of Californias leading real estate professionals, achieving $1.5 billion in sales over the course of his more than 25-year career in luxury real estate. His nuanced understanding of the real estate process from every side of the business makes him an invaluable resource to his clients, with extensive experience representing historically and architecturally significant homes and high-profile clients across numerous industries. Born in Rome, Italy and raised in Boston, Mass., Marco moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA and holds prestigious designations and certifications from both the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors. His work in residential and commercial real estate has spanned the globe, an experience that allows him to adapt to a range of diverse cultures and situations. With sharp attention to detail, clients flock to Rufo for his honesty, strong negotiation skills, and warm personality.

The Agencys new Pacific Palisades office is located at 1017 N. Swarthmore Avenue, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.

About The Agency

The Agency is a full-service, luxury real estate brokerage and lifestyle company representing clients in a spectrum of classes, including residential, new development, resort real estate, residential leasing, and luxury vacation rentals. Since its inception in 2011, The Agency has modernized and advanced the real estate industry by fostering a culture of partnership in which all clients and listings are represented in a collaborative environment. Shunning the traditional brokerage model, agents share knowledge, spheres of influence, contacts, and expertise, ensuring clients better representation and a true competitive edge. The Agency has closed more than $25 billion in real estate transactions since its inception and has almost 700 agents in more than 41 corporate and franchise offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Harnessing the creativity of Maine people, universities and colleges, as well as Maine businesses and nonprofits, will be fundamental in making Bendable Maine a success.

The Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University and the Maine State Library announced today a major expansion of the institutes community-driven lifelong learning system, Bendable, into Maine.

A robust learning marketplace, Bendable allows residents of all ages and backgrounds to easily discover content that is just right for them and then acquire new knowledge and skills through online courses as well as local, in-person learning opportunities. In most cases, content on the Bendable platform is free for the end user.

Because Bendable is not a plug-and-play app but, rather, is tailored to the learning needs and desires of local residents, the system wont be launched in Maine until the summer of 2022.

In the interim, the Drucker Institute, the Maine State Library, hundreds of local libraries across the state and other stakeholdersbusinesses, nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions and grassroots groupswill go through a design and development process to ensure that residents in every region have direct input into what learning resources and other features Bendable Maine should include.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is supporting the initiative with American Rescue Plan Act funding provided to the Maine State Library.

Bendable made its debut in June 2020 in South Bend, Indiana, in close partnership with the St. Joseph County Public Library and in collaboration with the Mayors Office. Since then, more than 15,000 visitors from the South Bend area have come to the Bendable digital platform to access learning resources from over two dozen national and local content providers.

We couldnt be more excited to be bringing Bendable to Maine, said Rick Wartzman, head of the Drucker Institutes KH Moon Center for a Functioning Society. While Maine is obviously much bigger than South Bend in terms of both population and geography, it shares a quality that is essential to Bendables success: a strong sense of community.

With that as a foundation, Wartzman added, we are confident that over time we can deliver on Bendables essential promise by helping the residents of Maine become more resilient in the face of a fast-changing economy.

As part of the Drucker Institutes expansion to Maine, three Bendable Fellows will be hired to provide a steady, on-the-ground presence in different parts of the state and ensure that local residents voices are heard in the design and creation of Bendable Maine.

This opportunity to bring a customizable lifelong learning platform for all Maine people is incredibly exciting, stated Maine State Librarian James Ritter. Harnessing the creativity of Maine people, universities and colleges, as well as Maine businesses and nonprofits, will be fundamental in making Bendable Maine a success.

Bendables key features include:



Community Collectionspersonal playlists of learning resources (classes, TED Talks, podcasts, books, etc.) on a particular subject that are put together by local residents.

Career Collectionslearning pathways, curated by local employers, that help to prepare people for some of the most in-demand jobs in their area. As users complete Career Collection courses, they receive digital badges to mark their progress.

Community Shelveshandpicked sets of learning resources that allow local employers, nonprofits, schools and other organizations to weave Bendable into their programming and activities while supporting designated cohorts of learners.

While much of the content on Bendable centers on building skills for work, the team at the Drucker Institute has seen in its research that people are eager to learn for different reasons throughout their lifesometimes even throughout their day. As a result, Bendable includes resources on a wide variety of topics, including cooking healthier meals, better handling personal finances and understanding technology. Users can also tap Bendable to study science, literature, music, art and a host of other subjects. By offering this kind of breadth, Bendable aims to cultivate in people the habit of continuous learning.

For more on Bendable, please visit Bendable.com.

About the Drucker Institute

The Drucker Institute is a social enterprise based at Claremont Graduate University. Its mission is strengthening organizations to strengthen society. Its programs help corporate, nonprofit, government and community leaders manage with courage. For more, visit drucker.institute.

About Claremont Graduate University

Founded in 1925, Claremont Graduate University is one of a select few American universities devoted solely to graduate-level education. The university is a founding member of The Claremont Colleges, which include Pomona College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College, Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College and Keck Graduate Institute. CGU comprises seven schools offering 76 degree and certificate programs. The university's unique transdisciplinary perspective encourages students to explore complex issues across academic disciplines. CGU is home to the Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management and the annual Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards. Visit cgu.edu.

About the Maine State Library

Established in 1837, the Maine State Library serves Maine residents by providing access to collections that reflect the rich history of Maine and the world around us, serving as a destination for the public to obtain a wide array of library services, and through efforts that support all Maine libraries as they work to deliver essential services to their communities.
BCEN honors one top board certified emergency nurse who holds the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential with its annual national Distinguished CEN Award. Heidi Cote represents the best of certified emergency nursing practice. Every shift and every day, she raises the standard of care ...," said BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker.

The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), the benchmark for board certification across the emergency nursing spectrum, today recognized an outstanding board certified emergency nurse for their excellence and advocacy with its 2021 Distinguished CEN Award. The annual national award recognizes one top Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) from among the nearly 42,000 CENs practicing across the U.S. and around the world.



The BCEN 2021 Distinguished CEN Award winner is Heidi Cote, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, Clinical Nurse III and Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine. Cote will be spotlighted, along with all of BCENs 2021 nurse and organizational award winners, during BCENs virtual Certibration event on Thursday, July 22.

Heidi Cote represents the best of certified emergency nursing practice. Every shift and every day, she raises the standard of care through her own bedside practice, her role as a nurse educator, and her commitment to helping her colleagues achieve the highest levels of clinical and professional excellence through CEN certification, said BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, CENP, CPHQ, FABC.

The CEN is one of the oldest and most widely held nursing specialty certifications. Nurses who earn the CEN designation have demonstrated advanced knowledge, expertise and clinical judgment across the entire body of emergency nursing knowledge for patients of all ages.

Heidi represents emergency nursing to our public in such a positive light, and we couldnt be more proud of her, said Maine Medical Center Director of Emergency Services Faye Collins, DNP, RN, NEA-BC. I can honestly say that in my 30 years of nursing, I have never had the privilege of knowing someone so uniquely appropriate and deserving of this award. Heidi is an amazing certified nurse, and a role model for all of us.

When asked what receiving the BCEN Distinguished CEN Award means to her, Cote said, There is no other kind of nursing I would rather do, and Im greatly honored to be selected given the many hard-working and deserving emergency nurses out there. I did not earn this on my own. I have several mentors and colleagues and my leadership who have helped me along the way and given me avenues to succeed.

Having my CEN makes a difference because it shows that I keep up with current, evidence-based practices in emergency nursing, Cote added. I firmly believe having this certification makes me a safer and more effective bedside nurse.

Read about Cotes journey from ED tech to award-winning board certified emergency nurse in our Meet the Winner Q&A at bcen.org/2021-cen-award-winner/.

For more on the origin, history and impact of the CEN certification, read 40 Years of Excellence: The Certified Emergency Nurse from BCENs Commitment to Excellence series.

About BCENs National Nurse and Organizational Awards

Every year, BCEN seeks to recognize individual specialty certified emergency, trauma and transport nurses as well as healthcare organizations that demonstrate and advance certified nursing excellence and advocate for emergency nurse board certification. Learn more about BCENs Distinguished Awards and National Certification Champion Awards at bcen.org/awards.

This years BCEN National Certification Champion honoree will be announced on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. BCENs 2021 Distinguished CFRN (flight) and Distinguished TCRN (trauma) recipients were announced earlier this year.

About BCEN

Founded in 1980, the independent, not-for-profit Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) offers robust national board certification programs fostering empowered nurses across the emergency spectrum who contribute noticeably to patient care, safety and outcomes. Nearly 59,000 BCEN credentials are currently held by registered nurses (RNs) who specialize in emergency, flight, critical care ground transport, pediatric emergency and trauma nursing. BCEN offers the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN), Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN), Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN) and Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) certifications. The CEN, CFRN, CPEN, and TCRN certification programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC). Learn more at bcen.org. Follow BCEN on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Note to Editors: Photos available by request.
4-H Extension helps promote new program assuring Purdue admission, advancing affordability, accessibility

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Incoming Boilermaker William Steven Herrell will begin his marketing studies in the Krannert School of Management this fall. Thanks to Purdue Universitys innovative Fast Start program, Herrell will have a head start on his classmates.

First hearing about Fast Start through his Miami County 4-H Extension office, Herrell took five free online courses and passed the corresponding College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams in spring 2020. Now, that time and effort will translate into extra tuition savings when he arrives at Purdue next month.

I view coming to Purdue through Fast Start as a way to say thank you to my parents for raising me and supporting me all these years, said Herrell, a 2021 North Miami High School graduate who lives in the small town of Macy. Ive learned that college debt is important not to have. And Fast Start will be a way to potentially avoid that as I study at Purdue.

Launched in February 2020, Purdue Fast Start is a partnership with ModernStates.org, a philanthropy dedicated to making a college degree more affordable and accessible. Through Fast Start, Purdue assures admission to students from Indiana who pass a minimum of five CLEP exams and meet the universitys standard admissions requirements.

Purdue 4-H Extension leaders are actively promoting participation in the Fast Start program during this summers county fair season across the state of Indiana.

A $1 million gift to Purdue from Steve and Maureen Sherry Klinsky covers the cost of 10,000 CLEP exam fees for Indiana students. Maureen Sherry Klinsky is a trustee of Modern States.

Fast Start is available to all residents of Indiana but is especially beneficial to students in rural parts of the state, those enrolled in schools that arent able to offer the full menu of Advanced Placement courses, and those for whom a college education is less affordable, said Kris Wong Davis, Purdue vice provost for enrollment management.

We view Fast Start as another key piece of our ongoing commitment to affordability and accessibility and the programs assured admission to Purdue for students in the state who successfully complete these courses, she said.

Passing five CLEP exams, the equivalent of an entire semester, can save students that time in school and nearly $11,000 in Purdue tuition and expenses. Complete 10 CLEPs, or a year of college courses, and the time and financial savings nearly doubles. As another plus, Fast Start students can graduate and enter the workforce sooner than their peers.

Fast Start is designed for Indiana high school students who may not have had access to these courses to learn the material as well as the test fee per course. The program guides students through taking courses and tests, and navigating admittance to Purdue. And students can access Purdue alumni and friends for mentoring if desired.

As Purdues inaugural Fast Start students, Herrell and twin sisters Jenelle and Sydney Ward of rural Howard County also will become the first Klinsky Scholars when they arrive on the universitys campus in the next few weeks.

During his quarantine in spring 2020 after being exposed to the coronavirus, Herrell registered for five courses in history and sociology. Taking a Fast Start class each week, he completed all five in six weeks, passed the CLEP exams and gained credit hours to enter Purdue as either a second-semester freshman or even a sophomore with his AP classes.

Were excited about the opportunities Fast Start will create for high school students currently participating in this unique program by a Big Ten university that has gone a decade without raising tuition and helping nearly 60% of our students graduate debt-free, said Jason Henderson, director of Purdue Extension and senior associate dean of the College of Agriculture.

Less than 30% of rural residents age 25 and older have an associate degree or higher, national statistics show, compared with more than 43% of those living in larger cities. And research by Georgetown Universitys Center on Education and the Workforce shows two-thirds of all jobs and 80% of all good jobs (those paying a median wage of $65,000) demand a postsecondary degree.

With 200,000 registered users, ModernStates.org is the largest free college for credit program in the nation. Students can access the expansive Modern States library of online courses, taught by top college professors, at no cost.

Administered by the College Board, CLEP exams can help students gain credit for up to 30 hours of general education courses, or a full year of college credit.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

Writer: Phillip Fiorini, 765-430-6189, pfiorini@purdue.edu

Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-586-7496 (cell), oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

Sources: Kris Wong Davis, 765-494-9116, kwongdav@purdue.edu

Jason Henderson, 765-494-8489, jhenderson@purdue.edu
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  A partnership between Purdue University Global and the College of Southern Maryland will facilitate students transfer from CSM to Purdue Global in several areas of study.

CSM students graduating with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science or Associate of Applied Science degree and a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or higher will be able to transfer coursework and credits directly into a bachelors degree program at Purdue Global. CSM associate degree graduates will transfer to Purdue Global with junior status and with guaranteed admission into their preferred area of study.

Many programs from CSM align with the Purdue Global offerings, including analytics, cloud computing and solutions, criminal justice, cybersecurity, early childhood education, environmental policy and management, fire and emergency management, fire science, and human services. Purdue Global will provide materials, catalogs and other information to CSM advisors to facilitate their understanding of university requirements and academic programs.

Purdue Global joins with the College of Southern Maryland in a commitment to helping students achieve their higher education goals with a smooth transfer of credits, Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley said. This commitment strongly supports the concept of seamless transfer that embraces the principle that transfer students should not be required to repeat courses for learning they have already demonstrated and achieved. We offer many options for obtaining a bachelors and/or masters degree, and look forward to welcoming CSM students to the Purdue family.

The maximum number of lower-division credits that can be accepted and applied to a bachelors degree at Purdue Global is 86 semester credits. The majority of transfer pathways from CSM to Purdue Global will facilitate the application of at least 60 credits when students complete an associate degree and transfer to complete a complementary bachelors degree.

We are thrilled to continue our expansion of transfer opportunities for CSM students, said Jacqui Rogers, CSM coordinator of transfer and articulation. And we are equally as excited to grow our relationship with a quality institution like Purdue University Global.

CSM students transferring to Purdue Global will receive a 20% tuition discount on Purdue Global undergraduate programs and a 14% discount on graduate programs.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations  no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu.

About the College of Southern Maryland

The College of Southern Maryland is a regional, public community college with campuses in Hughesville, La Plata, Leonardtown and Prince Frederick, Maryland. It serves students living in Southern Marylands Charles, St. Marys and Calvert counties. To learn more about all of the transfer agreements and opportunities available for CSM students, visit csmd.edu to conduct an online search by institution or by area of study.

Media Contact, Purdue Global: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu

Media Contact: CSM: Angela Small, 301-934-7745, amsmall1@csmd.edu

Sources: Frank Dooley

Jacqui Rogers
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First created in 2009, the new series (season four), produced by Beyond Productions for Foxtel, sees Selling Houses Australia favourite Andrew Winter and interior expert Neale Whitaker go head-to-head to help homeowners down under decide whether they should stay in their current property and renovate, or move house to find the home they need.The original Love It or List It title now runs to nine seasons and 220 hours, with locally produced versions of the format in the UK, Australia and Germany, as well as spin-off series Love It or List It: Vancouver, Love It or List It: Quebec, Love It or List It: Vacation Homes, Love It or List it: Change of Heart and Love It or List It: Brilliant Builds. To date, a version of Love it or List It has aired in more than 20 countries.In Finland, Beyond Rights has licensed the format to Rabbit Films ( Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Battle Ranch), with the production company currently working on an initial 10-episode run for Nelonen, which is due to premiere on 26 August. Nelonen has also acquired season four of Love It or List It: Australia (10 x 60) and Love It or List It: Brilliant Builds (12 x 60).In France, M6 has licensed the Love It or List It format and is currently in pre-production, with further details yet to be announced.Love It or List It is the perfect property and lifestyle title as it deals with the should we stay or move issues that most property owners, wherever they are in the world, usually face at some time, commented Beyond Rights head of sales Simona Argenti.If you add in useful renovation, makeover and buying tips  and everyones love of looking around other peoples homes, its no surprise that this title continues to perform extremely well, both as a format and as finished programming. With fresh versions in new locations, significant volume, and franchise extensions, Love It or List It has become a cornerstone programme brand for numerous broadcasters around the world.
Berks places

Vinemont has agricultural, railroad roots

Berks Places: Vinemont had a bounty of fruit and winemaking and was home to a resort
Henry Fordham III, president of the Allegheny East Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, based in Pine Forge, and his wife, Sharon, were killed in a fire early Sunday morning in their Amity Township home.
The Charles Koch Foundation donated nearly $12 million to Arizona State University (ASU), the nation's most innovative university, according to U.S. News & World Report. A press release from the Koch Foundation said that the grant money would be used to develop programs for "students to more effectively pursue their own individualized and self-defined learning goals." One sponsored initiative is a "stackable credential" system that would allow students  particularly low-income and working students  to accumulate industry-specific credentials and customize their higher-education experience.

According to Connecting Credentials, a stackable credential is a certificate awarded as part of a "sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an individual's qualifications." The "stackable" nature of the credential means that it can be completed in tandem with other certification courses as the student progresses in his career.

Many of Arizona State's programs  including nursing, business, and tech consulting  offer students the ability to acquire such credentials, allowing working students opportunities for career advancement and the option to resume their education later in life. The school says stackable credentials "enable learners to earn badges and certificates, in addition to degrees, that validate the attainment of their skills and focus on workforce-specific competencies."

Derrick Anderson, an associate professor and adviser to ASU's "President for Innovation," told RealClearEducation that the University created its stackable-credential programs by breaking down standard academic courses into their component parts and making those parts available to students. One challenge, he said, was taxonomizing those parts in a way that was accessible to interested learners.

"We kind of said, Hey, we need a library for 'learning objects.' And that's going to help us take what we have right now and break it apart into stackable experiences because we have the content. We're a research university  we have Nobel Prize-winning scientists here. We have content that's just as good as any place out there, or better. We just need to start breaking it apart into stackable experiences, Anderson explained.

He said that the Koch grant is being used in part to flesh out that "library" of credential offerings for students.

According to a Columbia University white paper, stackable credentials have existed in some form since at least 1994, when Congress passed the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. The Act called on states to create a "process for issuing skill certificates"  portable credentials awarded to students who have demonstrated proficiency in a given skill. One element of Congress's intent was to provide workers without bachelor's degrees a bridge to better-paying jobs and further education.

Decades later, it is clear that this goal hasn't been fully realized. According to the National Skills Coalition, middle-skill jobs  meaning jobs that require more training than a high-school degree but less formal education than a bachelor's degree  account for 54% of the U.S. labor market. Still, only 44% of the American workforce are trained to the middle-skill level.

Rachel Vilsack, a senior fellow at the National Skills Coalition, told RealClearEducation that programs like the ones envisioned by Arizona State have the potential to narrow the skills gap.

"Because these programs are often shorter terms, it allows people and working adults to be able to connect more quickly with opportunities, to get that retraining and up-skilling that is needed," she said.

The pandemic heightened the need for adaptive education models like the one being pursued at ASU. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, between 32 and 43% of employees laid off due to the pandemic will have their positions permanently cut. This will force many displaced workers to return to school and learn new skills.

For many workers, research suggests that stackable credentials can boost earnings and enhance career prospects. According to researchers at Brown University, adults who completed a stackable-credential program are four percent more likely to be employed and earn about seven percent higher pay than their non-stacking peers.

The demonstrated success of stackable-credential programs is precisely why Vilsack sees programs like the one offered at ASU becoming more prevalent over time, particularly as automation and other economic pressures cause workers to update their skills.

"We have seen a greater emphasis and are certainly promoting a greater emphasis on stackable credentials as a way to help  whether it's that adult worker who has been laid off and doesn't have any college education, getting into a postsecondary career pathway and pursuing their career through an industry. Think of it even in healthcare  from a nursing assistant to an LPN to a registered nurse. We can look at that whole sequence as being 'stackable credentials' over someone's career," she said. "We see this as a critical [economic] recovery strategy."

Ryan Stowers, executive director of the Charles Koch Foundation, told RealClearEducation that another economic benefit of stackable-credentials programs like the one offered at Arizona State is their potential to reduce the number of students saddled with crippling debt upon graduation.

"If more learners can pursue low-cost, quality pathways that offer portability and the opportunity to begin fulfilling careers, then we should start to see fewer of the 'non-completers' [or college programs] that leave people with burdensome debt. In addition, when an institution's transfer policies are learner-centered, stackable credentials provide individuals a chance to decrease the cost and time to earn a degree by having their prior learning counted for credit," Stowers said.
Republicans should be poised to win back the majority in the House of Representatives next year, and could retake the Senate as well. Given historic midterm election trends, fragile Democratic margins in both chambers and redistricting advantages for Republicans, the GOP starts out close to the finish line.

To win, Republicans will cling to former President Donald Trump, hoping he can be more a magic carpet than an albatross. Yet this last week underscored that Trump could easily blunt their competitive edge, help Democratic fundraising and turnout, and motivate other anti-Trump voters to the polls.

Amid bonkers and alarming revelations from newly published books about the 45th president, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy trucked up to Trumps Bedminster, N.J., resort last week to show the world that Republicans are cool with all that stuff. From allegations of Trump complimenting Hitler to fears among the top ranks of the military that he would attempt a coup to discussions of removing him from office under the 25th Amendment after the Jan. 6 insurrection  McCarthys unsaid message was no problem. That same day, Trump had gone viral once again by making a statement about how hes not into coups and if he was planning one he wouldnt have done so with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, who suspected Trump might attempt just that, overseeing the military. While McCarthy had tried and failed, during his trip to Mar-a-Lago in January, to convince Trump not to target GOP incumbents who voted to impeach him, the California Republican was once again brimming with thanks.

I appreciate President Trump's commitment to help House Republicans defeat Democrats and Take Back the House in 2022, McCarthy said in a statement with Trumpian capitalization.

Most GOP leaders hoping to harness Trumps hold on their voters know next year could bring potential prosecutions of the former president and/or his family and that more tell-all books are on the way. But they have made it clear they will embrace not only the Big Lie and the whitewashing of the assault on the Capitol, but attacks on fellow Republicans and all of Trumps present and future legal woes too.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said several months ago, after joining the ring-kissing tour of Mar-a-Lago, that Republicans couldnt move forward without Trump. He noted that yes, the former president was mad at some people but that he was ready to move on and rebuild the Republican Party and excited about 2022. Graham knows how little Trump likes moving on, that he doesn't think his party needs rebuilding and that excitement about elections he isnt participating in is a stretch. But it's a better way of saying, Were trapped.

Mitch McConnell, attacked by Trump on a regular basis since the minority leader declared Trump was practically and morally and responsible for the insurrection, has tried to stay quiet after Graham and everyone else went crawling back to Trump following his second impeachment. McConnell wont comment on anything Trump- or campaign-related, but has indicated he will support incumbents and intervene in primaries for open seats if he sees Trump-backed candidates as a risk to the partys chances of taking back the Senate next year.

Things are swell right now. Last week Trump called Jan. 6, when rioters injured about 140 police officers, a lovefest. Sen. John Thune, the GOP whip, told CNN, Thats not what any of us here experienced. Trying to rehash and revisit and relitigate the past election is not a winning strategy for trying to get the majorities back in 2022. When Manu Raju, the CNN reporter, asked if that meant Trump could hinder the partys chances next year, Thune said: I mean, hes gonna keep saying it. Theres not anything we can do about it. But like I said, anytime youre talking about the past, youre not talking about the future. I think the future is where were gonna live.

The past, however, is always top of mind with Trump. At his new rallies, as at his old rallies, he looks back, focusing on November of last year but not November of next year. We won the election twice, said Trump in Ohio in June, lying about the 2020 election. And its possible that well have to win it a third time. At what was an event to endorse Max Miller (pictured), running against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez  who voted for the second impeachment  Trump barely mentioned Miller. At another rally in Florida, Trump ranted about his former CFO Allen Weisselberg being indicted. But he didnt deny taxes went unpaid; he just questioned why such perks as cars and apartments should be taxed.

Trump summed up both rallies thusly: Seeing the record crowds of over 45,000 people in Ohio and Florida, waiting for days, standing in the pouring rain, they come from near and far. All they want is HOPE for their Great Country again. Their arms are outstretched, they cry over the Rigged Election  and the RINOs have no idea what this movement is all about. In fact, they are perhaps our biggest problem. We will never save our Country or be great again unless Republicans get TOUGH and get SMART!

Republicans cannot only expect that Trump will normalize alleged crimes like tax evasion at campaign rallies, but that he will target any Republican who disagrees with him  on anything  as RINOs out to destroy the country. Just ask retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. He has endorsed his former chief of staff, Katie Britt, whos running for his seat, instead of Rep. Mo Brooks, Trumps preferred candidate. Brooks urged rally-goers at the Capitol to fight on Jan. 6 and is being sued by a Democratic congressman for inciting the violence that day. Trump took aim at Britt, who was also head of the Business Council of Alabama, as well as Shelby. True to the tone of a sixth-grade boy, which characterized most of Trumps tweets, his statement read: I see that the RINO Senator from Alabama, close friend of Old Crow Mitch McConnell, Richard Shelby, is pushing hard to have his 'assistant' fight the great Mo Brooks for his Senate seat. She is not in any way qualified and is certainly not what our Country needs or not what Alabama wants. For Mitch McConnell to be wasting money on her campaign is absolutely outrageous."

Trump and McConnell will be butting heads in North Carolina next year too. After urging daughter-in-law Lara Trump to run for the open Senate seat in North Carolina, and she took a pass, Trump suddenly announced his endorsement of Rep. Ted Budd, which took the state GOP by surprise. Trumps nod didnt clear the field, however, and with former Gov. Pat McCrory in the race and holding a strong lead, establishment Republicans are sticking with him. Retiring Sen. Richard Burr called McCrory the only one in the race that can win the general election, and said of Trump endorsing Budd, I cant tell you what motivates him. McCrory has said Trump got bad advice in picking a Washington, D.C., insider.

Such division and intraparty tension in the Tar Heel State is all too familiar to their fellow Republicans in Georgia, who still blame Trump for costing them two Senate seats in January. Trump has not only attacked Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger and endorsed a challenger in next year's campaign to replace him, but he has repeatedly attacked Gov. Brian Kemp for not overturning the election in the Peach State last year, as Trump all but demanded. He is still searching for someone to defeat Kemp.

In Alaska, Trump has backed a candidate running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski because she voted to convict him at his second impeachment trial. The Alaska GOP, following Trump, has endorsed her rival. McConnell and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, on the other hand, are supporting the incumbent.

All three candidates Trump has endorsed (in North Carolina, Alaska and Alabama) have been outraised in their campaigns thus far. Will he help those candidates raise more money? Who knows? Will he persuade his supporters to turn out and vote next year when he isnt on the ballot, or keep telling them elections are rigged? The only thing those candidates can count on is Trumps single focus on his grievance and grandiosity, this year and next.

The future can be where Republicans try and live. But Trump promises to be there too.
President Biden is projecting a tougher tone on Cuba as the world watches the governments violent crackdown on the most widespread and fervent uprisings across the island nation in more than six-decades of communist control.

After a few days of tepid statements on the protests, late last week the president surprised some in his party by labeling Cuba a failed state that represses its people and communism a universally failed system.

But Bidens next steps will be far trickier with the Democratic Party split and pushing him in different directions, and his own wildly shifting positions on Cuba policy in recent years providing few clues for a logical path forward.

Biden on Thursday suggested his administration is looking into ways to reinstate Internet access to the people after the Cuban government shut it down, but he didnt say when or how that would occur and previewed no additional steps.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki put little meat on those bones Friday, noting only that restoring Internet access to Cuba is something we would love to be a part of but referring all questions about how and when that might occur to the State Department.

A more forceful U.S. government message came from Julie Chung, the acting assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere. In a tweet Friday, Chung labeled the Cuban government a dictatorship that is showing it wants revenge, not order with reports of protesters being killed or brutally beaten by police.

She also encouraged party and military apparatchiks there to denounce the violence and turn on the current government.

Its not too late to take a stand against violence and repressions, she added.

The inconsistent signals from the administration has created an opening for Republicans who have pressed Biden for more leadership and called for a variety of actions, from traveling to Miami to deliver a Reagan-esque tear down that wall speech to urging immediate meetings of the Organization of American States (a regional forum for policy and decision-making in the Western Hemisphere) and the United Nations.

[Democrats] could miss a golden opportunity for the president to make history, seize this moment and reject his partys recent wrong moves on Cuba, Jason Poblete, president of the Global Liberty Alliance (an international human rights organizationan) and the son of Cuban immigrants, told RealClearPolitics.

Florida two most prominent Republicans, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio, along with several GOP House members last week pressed the Biden administration to quickly deploy a special type of high-altitude communications system that would enable Cuban citizens to access the Internet unfettered by the repressive government.

We need Biden to step up and make this happen, DeSantis, a top GOP contender to challenge Biden in the 2024 presidential election, said Thursday. The one thing that communist regimes fear the most is the truth.  Mr. President, nows the time to stand up and be counted.

Others are urging Biden to harness the power of the U.S. presidency to call out the regime and urge the Western world to denounce repression and embrace democratic change. Biden should lose his fear of his left flank [and] have a Tear-Down-this-Wall moment, tweeted Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

He should really channel his inner Ronald Reagan, if he can, Gonzalez later told RCP.

Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who is challenging Rubios reelection, also expressed solidarity with the Cuban protesters last week and reiterated the urgent need for the Biden administration to ensure that the Internet can remain a lifeline to connect the Cuban people to their families in the U.S. On Wednesday the Cuban government restored the Internet, but it remained unreliable in some places.

The pressure campaign on Biden to build on his Thursday comments will continue this week. Nearly 300 Cuban Americans departed Florida on six buses Friday, headed to Washington where they will press Biden to more aggressively denounce the regime and encourage an uprising. They plan protests at the Cuban Embassy and the White House over the next few days. The contingent includes several former Cuban political prisoners, among them Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, known as Antunez, who was a State of the Union guest of then-Speaker John Boehners during President Obamas efforts to normalize relations with Havana.

Were not going to allow the Biden administration to laugh at the sacrifice, pain, and tears of the Cuban people, Antunez told a gathered crowd in Spanish as the group boarded buses, the Miami Herald reported.

Biden is also getting a disjointed earful from congressional Democrats as well. While Demings pushes for efforts to reinstate Internet access, Rep. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, predictably blamed the unrest on the U.S. embargo on Cuba and called on Biden to lift it.

Even the House and Senate committees on foreign relations are pushing Biden in different directions. House Foreign Affairs, chaired by Rep. Gregory Meeks, is calling on the president to send more humanitarian aid and vaccines to Cuba while Sen. Bob Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants who leads the Senate committee counterpart, is arguing that now is not the time to loosen U.S. policy  that the Cuban regime would misuse humanitarian aid.

This is the moment that could change the course of history, the New Jersey Democrat told CNN earlier this week. We support the people of Cuba in their quest for freedom.

Eric Farnsworth, who has led the Washington office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society since 2003, views this moment as the opportunity of a lifetime to push for change in Cuba. But while he believes the administration needs to wholeheartedly back the Cuban people, Farnsworth argues the United States cannot inject itself too strongly into the unrest because the matter must be viewed by the world as an issue between the Cuban people and their oppressors.

Others say Bidens messaging needs to become more coherent and persuasive to key allies  after an easily avoidable bungling of the U.S. response for most of the critical first days of the protests.

The messaging on this has been terrible  and its shocking to people like myself because its not as if what youre seeing play out in Cuba was unexpected, said Poblete. This is a scenario that the U.S. government has studied for years, and theres been numerous contingency plans crafted for just this moment.

For instance, during the Trump administration, some at the State Department were pushing to assemble humanitarian aid at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay military base to respond to any type of uprising, according to a former senior official. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo never signed off on positioning the aid but was aware of the push as part of a Cuba-contingency plan if such an uprising  which the world is watching now  were to take place.

The U.S. government should be proactively airlifting massive amounts of aid and positioning it at Guantanamo Bay for distribution, Poblete argued.

Tracking Bidens Stance

Just how far Biden will be willing to go to support a move to democracy is difficult to say considering his shifting stances in recent years.

During his decades-long Senate career, Biden supported tightening the U.S. embargo on Cuba by voting in favor of the Helms-Burton Act, but then changed directions while vice president by supporting Obamas second-term rapprochement with Cuba.

On the campaign trail, he promised to unwind the Trump administrations tighter restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba but then reconsidered after losing the Florida vote in the 2020 election. Trump won the electoral-vote-heavy state for a second time with big gains in the Miami area, a traditionally Democratic stronghold where roughly seven in 10 residents are Latino and a vocal contingent of Cuban American voters condemned the Democratic Partys leftward lurch toward socialism.

Instead of immediately ending Trumps policies upon taking office, Biden kept them in place while launching a months-long review expected to end in August.

Back in April, Juan Gonzalez, Bidens National Security Council director of Western Hemisphere affairs, was asserting that the presidents policy on Cuba would not duplicate Obamas, that a process of rapprochement would be gradual.

Joe Biden is not Barack Obama in policy towards Cuba, he said, pointing to the Cuban governments ongoing oppression, which he argued has grown worse over the last 20 years.

By the end of June, however, Gonzalez, speaking in Spanish, said that the administration planned to renew remittances  the practice of Americans transferring money to their Cuban relatives -- and allow Americans to once again travel to Cuba.

Farnsworth observed that when Democrats got the results in [Florida] in November, they were sobering  and it was Democrats in Florida who were asking the president to be careful not to throw open the doors to full liberalization, which I dont think the presidents instincts would take in that direction any way.

Washington learned a lot of lessons during the Obama years about Cuba  including placing too much trust in the Cuban government to make reforms. Former Secretary of State John Kerry last year expressed disappointment in the regimes failure to improve its record on human rights after Obamas rapprochement. That record became frighteningly worse when the U.S. discovered in early 2017 that its diplomats in Cuba were experiencing sonic attacks.

That is a huge impediment to our changing any sort of our posture toward the island, Farnsworth said.

The ground has now shifted far more dramatically on Cuba with Biden last week ruling out renewing remittances  at least in the short term  because of what he said was the high likelihood of the regime confiscating them or taking big chunks while the nation remains in turmoil.

As the administration continues to evaluate its next steps, Psaki on Thursday said its important that we are not doing anything to pad the pockets of the authoritarian regime. This is a big shift from the Obama administrations policies because many of us make the argument that a lot of Obama policy did pad the pockets of the regime, said Eddy Acevedo, a veteran Republican foreign-policy hand in Washington.

Along with more trade and travel restrictions that Trump put in place, Acevedo recalls that the previous administration carefully dedicated funds and prioritized pro-democracy efforts in Cuba. During this time, the U.S. Agency for International Development directed an additional $3 million to help more families of Cuban political prisoners and to counter human rights abuses, including human trafficking and exploitation of Cuban doctors.

The message here is that we can support Cuban civil society, and they need this kind of support now more than ever, Acevedo said. The Biden administration also could use the help of other countries to confront the different challenges in the region.  We need that regional leadership. We need the Canadians with us, the Brazilians, the Chileans, the Colombians. We need regional leadership and solidarity with the Cuban people.

Getting Canada and Spain to take a stronger stand in support of the Cuban people should be a goal, but trying to rally Latin America countries is a taller order, Farnsworth said. Mexico last week threw its support behind the Cuba government amid the first few days of protests and called for an end to the U.S. trade embargo with Havana.

Theres a history here of using Cuba as a foil to the United States  theres fear of organizing the left-wing supporters in your own country against your government, he said.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican and daughter of Cuban immigrants, said on Fox News Sunday that blaming the embargo for the islands problems is an old communist trick that only sympathizers, such as Ocasio-Cortez, are buying into now. She pointed out that Cuba trades with the rest of the world, and that even though theres an exemption from the U.S. embargo for agriculture, the Cuban government does not fully utilize that exemption.

The reality is they use everything that they get when they do business with other countries for the regime; they use it to reward the people in the ruling class. It never gets to the people, she said.

During the George W. Bush years, the U.S. government flooded the island with cellphones, providing them directly to Cuban citizens without getting approval from the Castros, knowledgeable sources told RCP. When the Obama administration came in, officials were trying to work with the regime to greatly expand Internet access  but doing so likely allowed the Cuban government more control to shut it down during uprisings such as the unprecedented protests now taking place.

One very specific thing Biden can do, as the White House last week promoted its role in flagging COVID vaccine misinformation on Facebook and Twitter, is to compel social media companies to shut down the Cuban governments Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Why is [Cuban President] Miguel Diaz-Canel still on Twitter? Farnsworth asked. Why cant we use these regulatory actions to compel these companies to shut down these accounts?

Doing nothing but condemning communism is not a good option either for Biden.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla already has hinted that the U.S. could risk another mass exodus of Cuban migrants by making its recent statements in solidarity with the protesters. A senior White House official quickly pushed back on that, saying the U.S. is preparing for such a migration and slamming Rodriguez for even suggesting it. That statement of the Cuban foreign minister  threatening a mass migration reflects a lack of care for Cubans who would risk their lives to come to the United States, the official said.

But with the level of illegal crossings at the southern U.S. border at a 21-year high, there is real concern about the chaos such a boatlift could create. The least Biden can do is try to engage diplomatically with major U.S. allies to get everyone to sing from the same song sheet in denouncing the governments violent crackdown on the protesters, observers say.

If the international community is clear and speaks with a loud voice that this behavior from the Cuban regime is not just unacceptable but will not be tolerated, even by the friends and others who have traditionally run interference for Cuban internationally, then the regime is at least going to take notice and presumably will trim itself at least until the lights are turned down and the temperature has receded a little bit, Farnsworth said.

But other advocates, including Rubio and Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, would like to see regime change in Havana. Both lawmakers are of Cuban descent, and they argue that pushing for shifts around the edges in Cuba would be missing the seminal moment taking place just 90 miles from our shore right now.

America has a unique role in the world, a role to provide leadership, a role to speak the truth at times of inflection, Cruz said last week. At times when people are risking their lives for freedom, the leadership of America matters.

An earlier version of this article contained a misattributed quote about President Obama possibly going to Cuba for a state visit in 2015. The comment was from Jeb Bush, not then-Vice President Joe Biden. It has been removed from the story.
Starting even before his inauguration and continuing right through to the end of his first term, how many times were we told with absolute confidence that the facts had caught up with President Trump and he would be forced to resign or face impeachment? That he was running scared? That the jig was up?

Well, the worm has turned, and now its my pleasure to announce that six months into Joe Bidens own first term, the walls are closing in. If he isnt on the verge of being forced to resign or face impeachment yet, the only thing saving him is a Democratic majority in the House, but that firewall is in danger of crumbling in the 2022 election.

So why is Biden in trouble? Simple, because he doesnt yet  despite the Democratic Partys best efforts  control all aspects of media and government. Yes, most of the media remain cheerleaders for the left, but disturbing facts keep surfacing about illegal immigration, about unconstitutional mandates, and about fraudulent votes. In particular, since the federal system allows (at least for now) individual states the power to regulate elections, we keep finding out more and more about what happened in the swing states on Nov. 3, 2020. Most significantly, and to the absolute terror of Joe Biden and his allies, three states have begun investigations into the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.

First up was Arizona, where Biden was declared the victor by fewer than 11,000 votes out of more than 3.3 million cast. That states Republican governor certified the results despite being presented with considerable evidence of fraud, and yet the Republican-controlled legislature was unsatisfied the official count could be trusted. As a result, the Arizona Senate ordered a recount and forensic audit of the ballots in Maricopa County, the states most populous county, to determine if the alleged irregularities could be found. A private firm, Cyber Ninjas, was hired to complete the audit, and has made a preliminary report to the state Senate. That was enough for one senator, Wendy Rogers, to call for decertifying Bidens victory in the state.

"I have heard enough, Rogers tweeted. With the tens of thousands of ballots mailed without being requested, the over ten thousand people who voted after registering after November 3rd, the failure of Maricopa to turn over the 40% machines, the passwords that Dominion still refuses to turn over, & tens of thousands of unauthorized queries demonstrating how insecure the election was, I call for the Biden electors to be recalled to Arizona & a new election must be conducted. Arizonas electors must not be awarded fraudulently & we need to get this right."

Reallocating Arizonas 11 electors would not change the result of Bidens 306-232 victory in the Electoral College. But were not done. Georgias election has been suspect since the vote-counting was halted on election night in the Democrat strongholds of Fulton County and Atlanta. When Trumps attorney Rudy Giuliani produced surveillance video of election workers sending poll watchers home and then rolling out ballots that were hidden underneath a table, suspicions were heightened. The video also appears to show ballots being counted multiple times. But the Republican governor and secretary of state couldnt find anything amiss. They not only certified the election; they told the world that Trump was a liar. Most importantly, Gov. Brian Kemp refused to call a special session of the state legislature that would have had authority to investigate alleged fraud in the election.

If Kemp had anything to hide, he probably thought that he was safe by shutting down further inquiry. But a number of citizens went to court to demand access to the ballots. Garland Favorito and the VoterGA nonprofit obtained access to some ballot images from Fulton County, and last week they presented evidence that they said proved the election was riddled with massive errors and provable fraud. It was certainly distressing to see ballot batches that contained 554 votes for Biden, 140 votes for Trump and 11 votes for Jo Jorgensen listed as containing 850 votes for Biden. That doesnt even make sense as plain math.

Why dont Democrats care about evidence of at best carelessness and at worst criminal activity in Georgia and elsewhere? And why wont Republican leaders lift a finger to help Trump? No matter how often they call claims of voter fraud baseless, the evidence doesnt lie, and there is plenty of evidence, with more to come.

A Georgia judge is still considering whether to open Fulton Countys ballots to a full review in response to VoterGAs lawsuit. Bottom line: The people should have a right to inspect the mechanism being used to select their representatives to ensure both accuracy and fairness. Any less robs them of their sovereignty. If the level of error found so far can be proven on a larger scale, then Bidens victory in Georgia must come under doubt. His margin of victory was even smaller there than in Arizona, just 11,779 votes out of nearly 5 million cast.

No wonder Biden is getting nervous. If Georgias 16 electoral votes swung to Trump along with those of Arizona, Bidens total would shrink to 279, just barely above the 270 he needed to be named president.

Which brings us to Pennsylvania, fortuitously known as the Keystone State. Pennsylvanias 20 electoral votes  if they had been incorrectly awarded to Biden  would be more than enough, in conjunction with Arizona and Georgia, to throw the 2020 presidential election into doubt. Of course, Biden had a larger cushion here, winning by 80,555 votes in the official tally, but thats out of nearly 7 million votes cast.

What makes Pennsylvania so intriguing is that Trump led by more than 700,000 votes after most of the votes were counted, but then the nation went to bed and the votes stopped being counted. By the time we woke up, Biden had nearly caught up and with the benefit of late votes and late rule changes, eventually he passed Trump and took the lead. Democrats didnt seem bothered by reports of urban precincts where Republicans were not allowed to observe the vote count. Neither did judges. Nor did anyone other than Trumps lawyers seem curious about a report of completed ballots being trucked into the state from New York.

Giuliani appeared before a legislative hearing in November to expose the irregularities that had been reported, especially in Philadelphia, and he begged the assembled lawmakers to heed the testimony of witnesses and affidavits that swore there was something rotten in the state of Pennsylvania. One legislator who listened was Republican Sen. Doug Mastriano, who, as chair of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee, issued a request on July 7 to several counties to begin taking steps to hold a forensic audit of the 2020 election.

Democrats immediately balked at cooperating with the Senate investigation, almost as if they were worried about what the audit might reveal. Most tellingly, Biden hastily scheduled a visit to Philadelphia where he called proponents of election reform and transparency an example of human nature at its worst, something darker and more sinister. He called the citizen-led drive to audit the election results the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. Hes right, just not in the way he meant it.

Our democracy is being tested. Some of us want to know (if the election were truly as secure as Biden claims!) why Democrats are doing everything in their power to prevent the people from seeing the ballots, from accessing the voting machines and from confirming the chain of custody. What are they afraid of?

Maybe they are afraid of 259, the number of electoral votes that Biden would have if the election results from Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania were decertified. Remember, you need 270 votes to be elected president, and more and more people are wondering whether or not Joe Biden really was duly elected.

Lets face it: This was not supposed to happen. The joint congressional session on Jan. 6, 2021, was supposed to put an end to all doubt. It was the last chance for the federal government to object to the results of the election, and various Republican senators and members of Congress were indeed going to object, but because of the incursion into the Capitol building that occurred that day, the best chance to publicly expose a national scandal evaporated as the media manufactured its last hit job on President Trump.

Remember the second bogus impeachment of Trump, the one that happened after he was no longer president? The one that claimed he had led an insurrection against the United States? Dont forget, that was intended specifically to punish Trump for raising questions about the 2020 election  as if the very idea of a fraudulent election in the United States was beyond the pale.

Trump and his voters were supposed to shut up after that ignominious spectacle. No further discussion of voter fraud was to be allowed. At least, that was the hope of CNN and MSNBC and their operatives in Congress. Trump was supposed to be crushed once and for all, and to scurry away in shame, never to be heard from again. Except something went wrong with the plan. Trump wriggled out of danger again, and now he looks for all the world like the leading candidate to oppose Joe Biden in 2024  if, that is, Bidens presidency survives the peoples crusade for an election audit.

The walls are closing in, but this time it isnt Trump who will be running scared.
Bobby Bones is a married man.

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The 41-year-old radio and television personality married Caitlin Parker, 29, at an intimate wedding Saturday at their Nashville home.

Bones confirmed the news Sunday on Instagram.

"Greatest night of my life," he wrote. "Love you @caitcparker."

On Instagram Stories, Bones said he and Parker purposely kept their wedding plans private.

"so great to finally share our wedding w you guys. for safety reasons, we kept it under wraps as to when/where," Bones wrote.

"It was at our house. And people have found and done some shady stuff recently to us. And we didn't want our guests some of who are well known to feel like they were unsafe. So we just kept it quiet til it was over. Bc you know folks will run through a wall for a Dan+Shay show," he said.

People said Dan + Shay performed Bones and Parker's first dance song -- the Jesse and the Rippers version of the Beach Boys' song "Forever." Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, Chuck Wicks, Charlamagne the God and Andy Roddick were among the other guests in attendance.

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Bones said his home seemed like the perfect place to hold the wedding.

"We love home. We picked this place out together -- that was really one of the first decisions that we made as a couple. And so she thought, 'What if we got married here?'" he said.

Bones and Parker met through mutual friends and had been dating a few months when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Parker, who was living in California at the time, traveled to Tennessee to be with Bones and ended up staying.

"I knew immediately that it was extremely different, even from the start," Bones said of their relationship. "Early on, it was like, 'I really needed to treat this delicately and invest my time and my capabilities because this is going to be for a long time.'"

Bones and Parker got engaged in October.

Bones hosts the country music radio show The Bobby Bones Show and serves as a mentor on the ABC singing competition American Idol.
Jason Momoa took to Instagram Sunday to announce he is in Britain to film his second Aquaman epic.

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"London calling!... so excited to start Aquaman 2, we are here! goodbye brown hello blondie! Mahalo to everyone for support on the HD Momoa line with @harleydavidson and all my love to the cast and crew of SEE! Love u Canada link in bio! Aloha," Momoa wrote.

The post included a video of Momoa wearing glasses and speaking directly to the camera about changing his hairstyle so he can start filming the project on Monday.

It already has gotten about 1.7 million "likes."

Momoa, 41, will play the titular superhero in Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, the sequel to 2018's Aquaman.

James Wan, 44, is directing the project, which will co-star Amber Heard Patrick Wilson and Pilou Asbaek.
66, of Traverse City, died July 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Wendy (Van Appel) Kanoza; daughters, Jennie (Matthew) Losey, Katie (Bryon Cates) Kanoza; grandchildren, Ian Schooler, Caleb and Seth Barber, Luke, Andrew, and Elliott Losey, Caleigh and Owen Morrison and brothers. He was p
Athens, GA (30605)

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Simran Kaur Malhotra is the current health editor and a member of the D&I committee. As a pre-med student, she is majoring in anthropology & minoring in global health. Simran is the founder and CEO of UGA Doctors Without Borders. Associated: AHCJ; AAJA

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...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... The North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources in Raleigh NC has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulates, until midnight EDT tonight. Air quality is expected to reach code orange, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups, and means individuals with respiratory and/or heart ailments, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. An Air Quality Action Day means that Fine Particulates concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards. For additional information, please visit the North Carolina Division of Air Quality Web site at: https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenterEnvista
Nolan Erwin, 7, poses with his sister, Alice Charron, 10, celebrating the deck built at his Rutland Town home by VMS Construction with the help of r.k. Miles and Make-A-Wish Vermont during an event on July 5 with his parents, Eric Erwin and Brittney Scott.
Glass, stones, and wood are left throughout the playground at Academy School on Thursday, July 22, 2021, after the creek overflowed and debris was caught in the filter from the storms over the weekend.
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Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012.
By land and by river: Protesters call for better portage at Bellows Falls dam
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 77F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Meg Hansen is the former executive director of Vermonters for Health Care Freedom, a health policy think tank. She ran for state-level public office in 2020. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Brattleboro Reformer.
Comedian/actor/writer Adam Ray is the master of crowd work and his newest comedy album, Ill Take It From Here, features interactions with audiences in such bits as Uber Driver and Save Yourself! The longtime stand-up comedian will perform a show at the SHU Community Theater in Fairfield July 22, and crowd work will no doubt be as much part of it as will his carefully-honed monologues and punchlines.

Besides doing stand-up shows around the country, Ray has appeared in TV shows Young Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and others. He most recently starred in the indie comedy, The Bellman, and hosts a popular podcast,About Last Night.

What can audiences expect at your show?

They can expect stand-up comedy, jokes, laughing, smiles and maybe post-show hugs with proof-of-vaccination cards. My show is fun and upbeat. There is something for everybody and it will be a nice escape from everything going on.

Were you always funny? Oh yeah, a real funny kid.

I was always a big goofball, class clown and got in trouble a lot for being more concerned about making everyone in the class laugh, including the teacher instead of school work but then I hunkered down. It wasnt like every day I was kicked out of class...but every other day. I would prank call radio stations, record them on My First Sony, bring them on the bus and show friends. I would impersonate Ace Ventura and memorize big monologues from the movies and act them out, and I would mimic teachers. I could mimic voices and kind of impersonate them at a young age. That was a fun way to make buddies laugh and once I saw stand-up, I kind of figured out it was something you could do. Seeing Eddie Murphy in Delirious was what kind of opened my eyes to that.

Tell us about what inspires your comedic style.

The world provides enough day-to-day comedy, plus my own life, being an uncle, being engaged and living in Los Angeles, I have accumulated quite a few celeb stories that are pretty bonkers. I still have a few friends who are living the single life so I am still stuck in that vortex. My shows have a lot of personal stories, a lot of fun observations on life and stuff about my mom, which everyone can relate to. And I like to do audience interaction throughout the show peppered in so that makes every show different.

Can you share one celeb story with us from your show?

There is a Paul McCartney one that I probably will be telling at the show. Its kind of my favorite and is about me meeting him at the Hollywood Improv one night. Im about to go on stage and my buddy says Hey, no pressure but Paul McCartney is here. And I am like Hey man, thats all the pressure! You dont get to perform for one of the Beatles too often. Long story short, he invited me over when I walked past him after my set and invited me to sit down and have a drink with him and thats all I will say.

You are famous for your crowd work. You make it look easy but you never know what will happen. Is that the fun part?

The uncertainty is what I really dig about it. Once you are doing what youre doing in stand-up, you get somewhat of an idea of how its going to go down, but crowd work is a true roll of the dice and I like that. I have gotten to the point where I feel like theres nothing I cant handle. It is kind of the ultimate way of being on stage and jumping without a parachute. Its a cool feeling and you can figure out how it can go in your favor and have the audience recognize that they were part of something that only happened right then.

Every comedian has a good heckler story and several of yours are online on YouTube. Is there one incident that stands out in your mind?

I was doing a winery tour three years into stand-up and I was playing Wolverine at Universal Studios at the same time. A woman tried to throw a wine glass at me after she kind of drunkenly chirped at me and I put her in her place. I see in my peripheral vision her hand go up and before I could really turn my entire body towards her or get out of the way, I just froze and put my hand up to kind of deflect it. The base of the wine glass kind of stuck in the webbing of my hand so all I had to do was wrap my hand around it and I snagged the wine glass out of midair from about 20 feet away. I walked over and set it on her table and everyone went crazy.
WASHINGTON  Hopelessness, isolation, and rejection  those are just some of the daily emotions felt by many young people in the LGBTQ community, according to town resident Chris Herrmann, co-founder of Pride in the Hills.

The mission of the three-year-old nonprofit is to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning people in Greater Waterbury and Litchfield County.

Toward that goal, Pride in the Hills will hold a program of activities at the first-ever SHAG, or Spring Hill Arts Gathering Festival, from 4 to 10 p.m., July 31 at Spring Hill Vineyards, 292 Bee Brook Road (Rt. 47), New Preston, Washington. The entire festival spans the weekends of July 29-Aug. 1 and Aug. 6-8. Tickets start at $45 for day passes and are available at www.springhillartsgathering.com. Admission is free for children under 12.

At SHAG, Pride in the Hills, or PITH, will feature performers including Sophie B. Hawkins, Alex Newell, Mila Jam, and Shequida Hall.

When you look at that lineup, we are trying to represent every area of our LGBTQ community, said Herrmann, owner of Mannic Media, a production company specializing in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, corporate, and education media.

Herrmann founded PITH with Southbury residents Kevin Jennings  co-founder of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, an American civil rights organization that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities  and Deborah Fuller.

PITH supports young people in the LGBGT+ community in multiple ways including providing financial support for other LGBTQ organizations in the area such as QUEST (Queer, Unity, Empowerment, Support Team), a queer youth social group; and giving college scholarships to LGBTQ+ high school seniors.

Additionally, PITH has awarded grants to all the high schools in the Litchfield County area for gay-straight alliances.

Gay and straight alliances bring together the gay and straight community, Herrmann said. When you have a gay-straight alliance in a high school, the bullying stops in its tracks because you have straight people supporting gay people.

Proceeds and donations from PITH will support the Pride in the Hills Fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. In order to provide funding to support the LGBTQ community, PITH holds several events a year.

Through PITH, We want to give them hope that someday they can have a normal life and they can love people like everybody else, and they can have a successful career and family and a marriage and friends, Herrmann said. Thats ultimately what our goal is, to let them know that theyre supported and cared for and loved.

SHAG

SHAG evolved from the Five Senses Festival, according to founder Stephanie Ingrassia, of Washington. For the last three summers, we co-produced the Five Senses Festival with with Pilobolus. Ingrassia said.

While the new event is no longer a collaboration with Pilobolus, our goal has always been to bring the community together, so were just continuing what weve done, Ingrassia said.

Performers at SHAG include Ariana Debose, Sophie B. Hawkins, KT Tunstall, and Graydon Carter. Additionally, there will be a market where craftsmen of various trades sell their wares, which includes leather goods, essential oils, and baked items.

The festival also will pay tribute to town heroes  people whove gone above and beyond in the last year for the community, Ingrassia said. One of them is John VandenBosch of G.W. Tavern in Washington, who made meals for those in need on a weekly basis during the pandemic.

On another day, artists from the Art for Justice Fund, which works to bring attention to the injustices of the prison population, will show their work.

The festival has something for everyones tastes, according to Ingrassia.

Were over seven days and each evening is themed, and we always want to welcome many people into the community, Ingrassia said. Therefore, we have programs that might be of interest to lots of different people.

sfox@milfordmirror.com
From concerts to parades, festivals and more, the Miami County Republic is the place to find out about events in the community.

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U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser announced Friday that Tyler Menzler will be his new office chief of staff.

I am pleased to have Tyler Menzler join our team as the new Chief of Staff, Meuser, R-9, Dallas, said in a news release. Tyler brings a wealth of knowledge from both the private and public sector, and I believe with his expertise he will continue to help foster our exceptional constituent services, important legislative priorities, and effective communication that serve in the best interest of those in the Ninth District of Pennsylvania.

Menzler is a graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, where he studied political science. He most recently served as the director of legislative affairs for the Cigar Association of America.

I would like to thank Congressman Meuser for giving me this opportunity. I am excited to return to my home state of Pennsylvania, and serve the people of the Ninth District, Menzler said in the news release.

Eli Woerpel has been promoted to deputy chief of staff. He was Meusers legislative director.
McAdoo

The McAdoo Community Civic Association will have its annual yard sale on July 31. It will include McAdoo Borough and Kline Township. The cost is $5, which includes a pinwheel, maps, advertising and a yard sale sign. In case of rain, the sale will be held on Aug. 1. For more, call Mary Labert at 570-929-3658 or, in Kline, Karen Wallace at 570-956-1587.

Port Carbon

People who enjoy classical reads can try the Newbery Challenge at the Janet Eich Public Library. The Newbery Medal has been awarded annually since 1922 for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The 100th anniversary of the medal will be celebrated next year. For more information, email ptclib@wtvaccess.com. The library is open from 1 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and can be reached by calling 570-622-6115.

Pottsville

The Schuylkill County Historical Society will present a program called Pirates of the Canal: The Story Behind the Schuylkill Rangers, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, at its 305 N. Centre St. headquarters. Historian Wesley Schwenk will discuss criminal preyed-on barges, lock-tenders and residents of towns on the old Schuylkill Canal. For more, call 570-622-7540.

Shenandoah

The borough has regulations, as does the state, regarding the operation of ATVs. Driving ATVs on public streets or in areas where they are not allowed, such as in parks or on others private property, is unlawful. Anyone who witnesses such violations is asked to contact borough authorities. To reach borough police, call 570-462-1991.

Valley View

At 6 p.m. Saturday, July 24, the oldies band Shotgun will be featured in a free event at Valley View Park. Food and beverages will be on sale. For more information, call 570-573-9467.
POTTSVILLE  Comic legend Ed Asner is coming to Pottsville this week to discuss a serious subject using his trademark humor.

Asner, 91, best known for playing Lou Grant on the The Mary Tyler Moore Show, will star in the one-man performance of A Man and His Prostate, at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at the Majestic Theater, 209 N. Centre St.

Written by veteran comedy writer Ed Weinberger, A Man and His Prostate is based on Weinbergers own experience having emergency prostate surgery while on vacation in Italy. Despite its serious subject matter, the show uses humor to raise awareness about the issue of prostate cancer.

In a 2017 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Weinberger said that Asner was perfect for the role of an old codger who wont take any of lifes injustices sitting down.

Asners portrayal of Grant, the TV newsroom boss on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, led to a spinoff drama called Lou Grant, in which he portrayed a newspaper editor, that aired on CBS from 1977 to 1982.

His career in TV and film continued through the 1980s and 90s, and among his numerous awards and nominations were five Golden Globe Awards, seven Emmys and a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2001.

A meet-and-greet with Asner after the show is sold out, but tickets remain. They can be purchased online at www.showtix4u.com/event-details/54571.

(Updated to clarify that Asner does not portray Lou Grant in "A Man and His Prostate.)
POTTSVILLE  A city man is headed to state prison after a Schuylkill County judge recently sentenced him for assaulting a woman in February.

Ladell L. Snowden, 45, must spend three to 10 years in a state correctional institution, President Judge William E. Baldwin ruled.

Baldwin also sentenced Snowden to pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $1,974.90 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

Snowden pleaded guilty on June 22 to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors withdrew a second count of aggravated assault, two counts of indecent assault and one count each of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.

Pottsville police charged Snowden with assaulting a 49-year-old woman in the early morning hours of Feb. 13 at 722 Mahantongo St. in the city.

Police said they entered that residence to find the woman lying on the floor in pain. Schuylkill EMS took the woman to a local hospital for treatment, police said.

Police said Snowden assaulted the woman while he was intoxicated and refused to render aid to her.

Snowden already is an inmate at the county prison, and Baldwin conducted the hearing by videoconference.
100 years ago  1921

Personal:

Miss Kate Schllicher, public school teacher, left Tuesday for an extended visit to her sister, Effie Stoffregen, in Spangler.

75 years ago  1946 Saint Clair:

The Rev. Robert (Chaplain, U.S. Navy) Lang reports for sea duty Saturday of this week to take his first cruise, having completed his training.

50 years ago  1971 Pottsville police report that a burglary of the Sugar Bowl Restaurant, West Market Street, and several cases of vandalism occurred over the weekend.

25 years ago  1996 While people around the world gather around their televisions to view the Olympic opening tonight, one Minersville native wont just be watching the ceremony  hell be at it. The stadium seats 85,000 and it is estimated that the biggest audience at one time  over 4 billion  will be watching, said Maj. James P. Droskinis, 43, a 1971 graduate of Minersville Area High School who now lives in Sharpsburg, Ga. To be a part of that and to be on the field....what an opportunity. Several months ago, Droskinis, a full-time force structure officer for the Army Reserve Command in Georgia, answered a call from the reserve for volunteers to help with the Olympic opening ceremony in Atlanta. The ceremony will be broadcast tonight on NBC beginning at 8 oclock.
I am 66 years old and never, in my lifetime, has there been an election audit in July. Silly me, I should have sued the TV stations when my favorite shows were canceled. Stop this nonsense and wake up.

Mahanoy City



This is for the caller from Ashland talking about the fireworks going off the other night. I heard them, too, and I called for our police but of course, we never have any police anymore in this town. I was told to call state police. So, I called state police and they were very rude. So, I dont know what we are supposed to do. I guess we just have to let all the criminals do whatever they want in this town anymore because we just dont have any police and it is sad.

Ashland



To the school and the school board, I take care of and pay for my home. I have a budget to do so. I do not destroy my property, but you expect us to pay for what you have destroyed. You cant even work a budget. Your inactivity is causing property owners to leave. Example: Blue Mountain.

Auburn



Hats off to Rich Magnani and Bill Wagner. You guys speak the truth and have the facts. Keep the facts and the truth coming. We need to hear from you. We look forward to your letters.

Pottsville



For those people complaining about their cable bills, maybe it is time to get library cards and a couple magazine and newspaper subscriptions.

Frackville



How do you go about checking on someone who committed a rape crime if they are registered with Megans Law? I would like to know.

Mahanoy City



Hats off to the Shenandoah Heights Fire Company, its members, volunteers and anyone that helped plan and deliver a very successful Fourth of July bash. This day provided food, fun and music and dancing for young and old. Several food trucks provided delicious variety of food and an evening of live band music for all of us to dance to. They wrapped it up with a beautiful fireworks display. I hope it is not the last one.

Shenandoah Heights



I am glad that someone finally told Harris about that laughing. She looked like an idiot every time she did it.

Minersville



President Biden, looks like you are making another mistake, bringing the people that helped us in Afghanistan to the United States. Dont tell people there are procedures when you are leaving anybody at the south of the border just come running into this country. If you dont help those people that helped us in Afghanistan, they will be killed. Their women will be raped and it will all be on your head.

Ashland



My heart is broken and sad after hearing about the death of Monsignor OConnor.

Pottsville
Dia Mirza recently welcomed her first child with husband Vaibhav Rekhi. Meanwhile, the new mom is also spending quality time with her stepdaughter Samaira. Dia and Samaira recently gave a glimpse of their 'Sunday Shenanigans' and celebrities were all hearts for it.

Dia Mirzas 'Sunday Shenanigans' with stepdaughter

Twinning in cute white tops and ripped jeans, Dia and Samaira showcased cute moves as they danced to the song Iko Iko. The duo were all smiles as they goofed around and the youngster even fell at the end, leaving the actress in splits. The lyrics of the track went my bestie, your bestie and the duo definitely looked like BFFs.

Celebrities like Soni Razdan, Bipasha Basu, Diana Penty, Esha Gupta, Rasika Dugal, Amruta Subhash, Tara Sharma were impressed with the heartwarming video. They showered love on Dia and Samaira with words like cuties, sweetest and more.

Recently, Dia went back in time to recall her fond memories with Samaira on their trip to Maldives. The Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein actor called it one of the most memorable and magical times they had shared.

Samaira is entrepreneur Vaibhav Rekhis daughter from his first marriage with Sunaina Rekhi. Dia, who was married to Sahil Sangha till 2019, married Rekhi on February 15.

The couple welcomed their first child, a son, on May 14. They have named him Avyaan Azaad Rekhi.

Dia had shared that Avyaan had 'arrived early' after she developed appendectomy during her pregnancy and was rescued from the subsequent severe bacterial infection. The actor shared that her first baby will come home soon.

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Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra received many wishes from celebrities on her 39th birthday on Sunday. From Anil Kapoor to Kareena Kapoor Khan and Katrina Kaif have taken to social media to wish happy birthday to Miss World 2000. Anil Kapoor posted a picture from the memory of the sets of Dil Dhadakne Do. Kareena Kapoor Khan posted a picture of Priyanka Chopra on her Instagram story and wrote,

"Happy birthday Priyanka....May you keep breaking boundaries forever. Lots of love."

Katrina Kaif recalled her dance practice classes with Priyanka at guruji's classes and wrote,

"From our days at guruji, how I used to dread your fire and drive has always inspired me at different points in my life, some important car rides and night out, every time we meet. Its always a blast-keeping riding higher and higher."

Actor Sonam Kapoor also posted an adorable post for her birthday and wrote,

"Keep conquering the world and breaking the glas ceiling everytime. Stay empowered....lots of love."

Priyanka Chopra's upcoming project Citadel

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, currently shooting in London for her upcoming spy series Citadel, surprised everyone with her bloody-faced selfie from the sets. Shooting for one of the scenes, she had fake blood spattered on her face. Created by Patrick Moran and the Russo brothers, Citadel will release on Amazon Prime Video. Sharing the image on Instagram, she wrote, "Ha! You should see the other guy!". She also added hashtags like 'set life', 'actor's life', 'wake up and makeup', and 'Citadel'. Have a look at the picture.

The series is currently in production in the United Kingdom and is scheduled to stream in January 2022. The series will include spinoff sets in Italy, India, and Mexico. The makers, Joe, and Anthony Russo are also known for creating Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War. Priyanka and Richard will headline the US version which is being called the 'mothership' of the project. The series has been described as an "action-packed spy series with a compelling emotional center". Earlier this year, the Russo brothers, in an interview with Indianexpress.com, stated that Priyanka is an 'incredible star' and that they think she was 'amazing'. At the same time, they also mentioned that they just had a table read about the show, that they were 'proud' of the show. They also couldn't contain their excitement about the audience watching the series.

(IMAGE: PRIYANKA CHOPRA-INSTA)

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Window cleaners outside Canada hospital dress up as Marvel superheroes to cheer up kids being treated in the medical facility. As scientifically proven, sometimes emotional simulations help patients recover from illness a lot quicker than expected. Brain mechanisms respond positively to engaging happy events and intuitively divert energy from negative attention to the infotainment streams, informed Mind and Body article by Greater Good Magazine.

Our #healthcare heroes received some back-up today - #superheroes brought smiles to the faces of our youngest #patients. Staff from @EliteWindowC rappelled down the building to not only fight grime, but bring much needed fun & distraction to patients, family & staff. #ygk pic.twitter.com/TLie1vccLx  KingstonHSC (@KingstonHSC) July 16, 2021

In an attempt to cheer up ailing kids at Kingston HSC, Ontario, Canada, window cleaners disguised as Marvel superheroes hung from their cleaning suspensions, which brought a smile to the faces and lifted the spirits of innumerable kids who are being treated in the hospital. Staff from Elite Window Cleaners "rappelled down" the building not only to "fight grime" but also brought a great lot of distraction to the patients, families and staff, Kingston HSC wrote on their Twitter. The window cleaners adorned costumes of Ironman, Thor, Spiderman and the Hulk and made the youngest patients happy during their painful times. Kingston HSC also expressed their gratitude on Twitter by posting pictures of the young happy patients and addressing the window cleaners as "superheroes" who provided backup to the healthcare workers.

Netizens react

The pictures have filled the hearts of netizens with happiness. Since shared on July 17, the post has garnered over 1k likes and 304 retweets. The comment section is overpouring with love reactions by viewers. Most of the viewers have thanked Elite Window Cleaners for bringing a smile to the faces of the children.

Methods to reduce stress and anxiety among children undergoing treatment at medical facilities

Pediatrics are constantly in search of anti-medication procedures to reduce the stress and anxiety of children during their treatment at hospitals. Clown therapies have proven to open a new dimension that is being experimented by pediatrics. According to Sridharan K, researcher of Therapeutic clowns in pediatrics: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, hospital clowns play a significant role in reducing stress and anxiety levels in children undergoing hospitalisation or invasive procedures as well as to their parents. Furthermore, it also helps to induce positive emotions and create a sense of well-being among dementia patients. Clowning in hospitals was first started in North America in 1986, Mint reported. Karen Ridd ( Robo the Clown) a Child Life specialist, founded the Therapeutic Clown program at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital.

(Inputs from Agencies)

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Rubbishing the report that the Indian government allegedly spied on over 300 citizens, including 40 journalists via Israeli spyware Pegasus, Centre on Sunday night issued a rebuttal. Highlighting the Personal Data Protection Bill (2019) currently in the works, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) asserted that India was committed to free speech. Stating that the questionnaire sent to Centre was 'founded on pre-conceived notions', MeitY pointed out that Centre's RTI response to the use of Pegasus was itself sufficient.

Govt rubbishes using Pegasus to spy on citizens

The Centre reminded that similar allegations were made regarding the use of Pegasus on Whatsapp and highlighted that those reports were categorically denied by all parties including Whatsapp in the Supreme Court.

Calling the report a fishing expedition, the Centre said that there is a well-established procedure for lawful interception of electronic communications in India for national security reasons by agencies in the Centre or states.

The Centre explained that interception, monitoring and decryption is approved by the Union Home Secretary as per IT rules 2009 which ensures that any such procedure is done as per the law.

Government of Indias response to inquiries on the Pegasus Project media report. pic.twitter.com/F4AxPZ8876  ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2021

Report claims Indian govt spied on citizens

A report by sixteen media houses claimed that 300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers were allegedly spied upon using Israeli surveillance technology firm Pegasus - which only has 36 vetted governments as its clients. As per the leaked database of Pegasus, numbers of those allegedly spied upon include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving cabinet ministers, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and businessmen. The target also includes the eight activists currently accused of the Bhima Koregaon case. The report claims that the leaked numbers mainly belong to ten countries - India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

A similar hack had been revealed in 2019 when WhatsApp revealed that Indian journalists and human rights activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using an Israeli spyware Pegasus. WhatsApp said it was suing NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm, that is reportedly behind the technology that helped unnamed entities' spies hack into phones of roughly 1,400 users spanning across four continents and included diplomats, political dissidents, journalists, and senior government officials. While Whatsapp has not revealed on whose behest this hacking has happened, Centre had sought Whatsapp to explain the kind of breach and what it is doing to safeguard the privacy of Indians. Later in the Supreme Court, WhatsApp Monday denied the allegations that its data can be hacked.
The mission to eliminate terrorism continues in Jammu and Kashmir, in a recent update, two terrorists were killed in an encounter in Jammu's Shopian district. One of the terrorists is identified as LeT commander, Ishfaq alias Abu Akram.

#ShopianEncounterUpdate

Top commander of #proscribed #terror outfit LeT Ishfaq Dar @ Abu Akram who was active since 2017 #neutralised. Congratulations to Police & SFs: IGP Kashmir @JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/5p3cPI5eWi  Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) July 18, 2021

The IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, informed that the encounter operation was initiated on July 18 evening after receiving information about two terrorists hiding in a house at Shopian. During the anti-terror operation, terrorists were given a chance to surrender.

LeT commander, Ishfaq alias Abu Akram had joined terror groups in 2017 after working as a J&K constable in 2010.

The encounter is completed and two AK-47 and other incriminating materials were recovered.

Earlier encounters by J&K police

On July 14, three terrorists were killed by the J&K Police in Pulwama. The encounter operation began at late night on July 13, where the police recovered incriminating evidence such as arms and ammunition and imposed strict restrictions in the surrounding region. LeT commander Aijaz along with two local terrorists were killed.

Addressing the issue of foreign terrorists killing in J&K, Vijay said, "For the past month, about four foreign terrorists were killed, one in North Kashmir, one in Central Kashmir, and two in Pulwama district encounter".

According to a recent report, the Indian intelligence agency has warned regarding heavily armed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba carrying 6 AK56 Rifles, 21 Grenades and 3 big bags are planning to infiltrate the Indian territory via Kashmir through Baban Nala in Samba district of Jammu. The Border Security Forces (BSF), military troops, as well as the anti-Infiltration grid deployed along the International Border have been put on high alert.

Explosives discovered in J&K

On July 13, about 5 kgs of explosives were dismantled in Jammu's Samba district. This was reported to be a heavy explosive if triggered, would have resulted in a 'high magnitude effect' and evoked irresistible damage.

Local villagers of the Samba districts found the explosives and reported them to the J&K police. Upon receiving the information, the police rushed to the spot and disposed of the explosives.

J&K police team, bomb disposal squad, and border security forces successfully dismantle the explosives using controlled explosions. The origin of the explosive remains unidentified and investigations of this matter are underway.

(Image credit: PTI/ANI)
After the Beijing-based vet, who was the first human infection case with Monkey B (BV) virus died, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Monday took to his official Twitter handle and said "don't believe in China". Asking people to not believe in World Health Organisation (WHO), Abhishek Singhvi said that prepare as well as possible. "Seeker, do your thing," he added.

Here we go again 

1. Don't believe China

2. Don't believe WHO

3. Prepare as well as possible

4. Seeker, do your thinghttps://t.co/JRlR9lAOmY  Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) July 19, 2021

China reports death of 1st human infection case with Monkey B (BV) virus

Earlier on Saturday, China had reported the first human infection death with Monkey B Virus (BV). The 53-year-old male vet, who works for an institution researching non-human primates, showed early-onset symptoms of nausea and vomiting, a month after he dissected two dead monkeys in early March, reported China's Global Times citing the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the family members of the vet are reportedly safe from the virus.

According to Global Time,s the vet had sought treatment in several hospitals and eventually died on May 27. The journal further stated that until now, there were no fatal or even clinically evident BV infections in China. Therefore, the vet's case marks the first human infection case with the Monkey B virus to be identified in China. Researchers have collected the cerebrospinal fluid of the veterinarian in April and identified him as positive for BV, yet samples of his close contacts suggested negative results for the virus, it added.

The Global Times further reported that the virus, initially isolated in 1932, in an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca. This virus can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions and has a fatality rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent. It suggested that BV in monkeys might pose a potential threat to occupational workers. It is necessary to eliminate BV during the development of specific pathogen-free rhesus colonies and to strengthen surveillance in laboratory macaques and occupational workers in China.

The 'morbid' B-virus

The Monkey B virus, B-virus, or the Macanine Herpesvirus 1 is a virus infecting macaque monkeys. The fatal virus has a structure similar to the HSV-1, which means it is neurotropic and infests the blood. According to the Chinese CDC, the Monkey B virus exhibits pathogens similar to that of cold sores in humans. It can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of body secretions and has a mortality rate of 70-80 per cent. The primary indicators of the virus are similar to that of flu, that is, fever, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue. However, this can lead to visible rash-itchy wounds and pain or numbness around them. The virus also causes muscle coordination, brain damage, and finally death.

(Image: ANI, PTI, AP)
Newly elected Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had a telephonic conversation on Monday. PM Modi extended his congratulations and best wishes to Deuba. They recalled the unique and millennia-old people-to-people linkages that underpin the special friendship between India and Nepal. Both the leaders agreed to work together, to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas, as per a government release.

They also spoke about ways to strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the countries, viewing, ongoing efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi put out a tweet about the conversation on his Twitter. His tweet said, 'Spoke with Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr to convey my congratulations and best wishes. We will work together to further enhance the wide-ranging cooperation between India and Nepal, including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.'

I had cordial telephone conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi this afternoon. We shared views on further strengthening bilateral ties. PM Modi assured early supply of Covid Vaccines to Nepal. I thanked him for his warm words of congratulations.  Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) July 19, 2021

PM Modi and Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba discussed bilateral cooperation between countries

Deuba had earlier said that he is looking forward to working closely with PM Modi, to strengthen ties between India and Nepal. He said, he wanted to strengthen the relationship between the two countries as well as the people-to-people contacts. This occurred after PM Modi had congratulated Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in the reinstated House of Representatives on Sunday night, July 18. PM Modi put out a tweet saying, I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties. In response to this, Deuba thanked him and spoke about his wishes to work closely with him and to make the bilateral ties between the two countries stronger.

Thank you very much, Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji, for your congratulatory note. I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and people. https://t.co/rJIElX1ytY  Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) July 18, 2021

PM Deuba's journey

Deuba had won the Presidency of the Nepali Congress by winning a trust vote in the reinstated lower House of Representatives, averting a general election in Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed as the Prime Minister as per Article 76(5) of the Constitution on Monday, July 12, following Supreme Court's intervention, securing 165 votes in the 275-member House. He needed a total of 136 votes at a vote taken within a month of being appointed, but he called for a vote of confidence on the first day of the reinstatement of the House. Deuba has served as the Prime Minister of Nepal 4 times previously: 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002, 2004 to 2005, and 2017 to 2018. His current term will be for the next 1.5 years until a fresh parliamentary election can be held. This appointment was caused by a series of incidents, starting with the dissolution of the House by President Bhandari last year.

(IMAGE: PTI/AP)
Kolkata, Jul 19 (PTI) Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended three Bangladeshi nationals, including a woman, when they were illegally crossing the international border between India and Bangladesh at different places in West Bengal, an official said here on Monday.

The woman, who hailed from Rajbari district in Bangladesh, was apprehended on Monday by the border guards in Jhorpara area for illegally entering the Indian territory, a BSF official said.

The troops also apprehended Uttam Biswas (20) and Vidyadhar Dhali (24), residents of Khulna in Bangladesh, from Hakimpur area on Sunday, he said.

The men claimed that they had crossed over to India illegally, and were working as labourers in Mumbai. They were nabbed when they were returning to Bangladesh, the BSF official said.

All the three have been handed over to the local police, the official said. PTI AMR SBN MM MM

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Media portal NewsClick has come under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged fraudulent infusion of the foreign fund to the tune of Rs 38.05 crore during a short span of three years. Republic SIT has accessed exclusive details of the investigation carried out by the agency.

Top sources say scrutiny of the evidence has revealed questionable infusion of foreign inward remittance of Rs 9.59 crore by way of Foreign Direct Investment and Rs 28.46 crore by way of export of services. The funds received were distributed among several controversial journalists and activists.

According to sources in ED, businessman Nivelle Roy Singham, a close associate of NewsClick Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and frontman of Communist Party of China, is the real owner of the fund of Rs 38.05 crore which was infused in PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt Ltd between April 2018 and March 2021.

Unexplained FDI of Rs 9.59 crore

ED sources say that PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt Ltd received FDI of Rs 9.59 crore in April 2018 from a non-existent company (registration cancelled) namely M/s Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, USA. When asked during the interrogation, Prabir Purkayastha admitted that he did not know anything about Worldwide Media Holdings. Further investigations reveal that Worldwide Media Holding LLC was incorporated by one Jason Pfetcher, who was known to Prabir, with 100% equity of People Support Foundation in November 2017 and the company after transferring fund of Rs 9.59 crore to NewsClick stopped any further business activity as it was evident from the statutory non-filing by the company. Effectively, the ED believes that the funds received by NewsClick were through a legal facade of FDI investment.

Unexplained export remittance of Rs 28.46 crore

NewsClick claimed that they received export remittance of Rs 27.51 crore from Justice & Education Fund Inc USA, Rs 49.31 lakhs from The Tricontinental Ltd USA, Rs 26.98 lakh from GSPAN LLC USA and Rs 2.03 lakh from Centro Popular Demidas Brazil from March 2018 to date. ED sources also say that there is no evidence of exporting services to the entities that gave the funds. NewsClick, however, claimed that the payments were received in lieu of uploading news content on Peoples Dispatch Portal owned and maintained by NewsClick.

9th Grade Eduacted Electrician is a beneficiary

According to ED, Prabir Purkayastha siphoned off funds to the tune of Rs. 1.55 crore from the company in the name of his electrician and friend Joseph Raj. The payment to Raj was on the grounds of petty maintenance work. But ED says they havent found any documentation for corresponding work.

More China connection

Digital evidence has proved that Prabir and his associate journalist are working on various projects of CPC China which includes enhancing the image of China and to support several Chinese actions. The investigation reveals that Neville Singham asked Prabir to dub and subtitle a Chinese movie produced by the Propaganda Department of CPC Sichuan and the Shaanxi party provincial committee. Also evident from emails accessed by ED that as part of image building programme of China, several events / studies were carried out for China by Prabir and his associates.

Emails between Prabir, Vijay Prasad, senior CPM leader and Neville revolves around updates from China coverage of CPI(M) in China, the news is Anti-China feeling in India, restriction of investment and import from China, recent victory if CPM in local body elections in Kerala, praise for Chinese government action against ANT & Alibaba, a tribute by CPM to Mao Zedong.

A top Left leader is also named in the email exchanges between Prabir and Nivelle.

Defence supplier link

Prabir and Gautam Navlakha incorporated a company along with an existing defence supplier. According to the documents seized by ED, Gautam Navlakha and Prabir Purkayastha incorporated a company M/s Sagarika Process Analyst Pvt Ltd with the help of investment received from M/s Viking Systems International Inc USA, a company engaged in the business of military and naval supplies. The reason and source of the investment in the incorporation of the company are not disclosed during the interrogation.

NewsClick, meanwhile, has issued a statement calling it a smear campaign. Newsclick has received funds, which have been duly disclosed to authorities in India, both from reputed entities and foundations in the US and as per rules and regulations in India and the United States governing such transactions. The selective leaks from ED regarding their investigation, which is already under challenge before the Court, reflect the inherent weakness in their own investigations and the course that it will take in the courts. Since the matter is already in the courts, Newsclick does not believe that it should participate in a media trial. It is unfortunate that the BJP, the ruling party, also sees fit to air such unfounded allegations. We reserve the right to initiate appropriate legal action on these matters. Newsclick will continue to carry out its journalistic duties as it has been doing and will not be forced into submission by these attacks, read the statement.
An improved way of comparing humans' DNA with that of their extinct ancestors has enabled scientists to take another step towards distinguishing mankind from them. According to a study published on July 16, in the journal Science Advances, only 7% of our DNA is unique to humans and not shared by other early ancestors. Nathan Schaefer, a computational biologist at the University of California and co-author of the new paper, said, "That's a pretty small percentage." This kind of finding is why scientists are turning away from thinking that we humans are so vastly different from Neanderthals, he added.

The study uses DNA from 279 modern people from throughout the world and fossil remnants of now-extinct Neanderthals and Denisovans dating back to roughly 40,000 to 50,000 years ago. Scientists already know that modern humans share some DNA with Neanderthals, but various sections of the genome are shared by different people. One of the goals of the new study was to find genes that are unique to modern people.

Only 1.5 per cent of DNA is shared by all living people

The researchers "developed a valuable tool that takes account of missing data in the ancient genomes," said paleoanthropologist John Hawks, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who was not involved in the study. They also discovered that a much smaller portion of the DNA i.e. just 1.5 per cent is unique to our species and shared by all living people. Those slivers of DNA could offer the most important insights as to what genuinely differentiates modern humans.

Richard Green, a computational biologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a co-author of the article, stated, "We can tell those regions of the genome are highly enriched for genes that have to do with neural development and brain function." Green assisted in the creation of the first draught sequence of a Neanderthal genome in 2010. Geneticist Joshua Akey co-authored a report four years later indicating that modern people have some Neanderthal DNA traces. Scientists have continued to improve ways for extracting and analysing genetic material from fossils since then.

Better tools allow us to ask increasingly more detailed questions about human history and evolution, said Akey, who now works at Princeton and was not involved in the new research. He praised the new study's methods. In contrast, Alan Templeton of Washington University in St. Louis questioned the authors' hypothesis that human genome modifications are randomly distributed instead of clustered around specific geographic areas. According to Akey, the data predicts "that were actually a very young species. Not that long ago, we shared the planet with other human lineages, he added.

(With AP inputs)
A fuel tanker exploded in western Kenya while people were siphoning fuel from it, killing 13 people, police said Sunday.

Residents started siphoning fuel from the tanker after it was involved in a crash late Saturday with a trailer near the Malanga Village in Siaya county, Gem subcounty Police commander Charles Chacha said.

Despite warnings from authorities of the dangers of siphoning after the deaths of hundreds in previous incidents, many Kenyans continue to do it because they are pressed by poverty.

In 2009, at least 120 people were killed after a huge crowd descended on an overturned gasoline tanker, which then blew up.

But poverty-stricken families say they have little choice: spiraling food and fuel prices mean many can't feed their children.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Australia's state of Victoria recorded 13 new cases of community acquired coronavirus cases on Monday.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne that the new cases are linked to current outbreaks.

It brings the total number of active cases in the state to 72.

Andrews indicated that there were now "more than 250 exposure sites."

More than 54,000 Victorians got tested on Sunday.

Andrews also announced that the state will not be ready to lift its lockdown by Tuesday, but was unable to tell what was next steps would entail.

The Victoria Premier added that had the lockdown not been put in place, Victoria "would be just like Sydney" with hundreds of cases.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The island of Mykonos became the first location in Greece to have a curfew re-imposed, from 1am to 6am effective early Sunday due to a spike in coronavirus cases.

Greek authorities said Saturday that 1 in 10 individuals tested on the island in recent days tested positive.

Authorities also imposed a round-the-clock ban on music in bars, cafes and restaurants starting 6 pm Saturday.

Many people were seen on Sunday queuing to leave the island via ferry.

Property owners renting their properties for parties exceeding 20 guests will be fined from 50,000 to 200,000 euros ($59,000 to $236,000), authorities said.

The ban on music and the curfew will end on Monday, July 26, unless the government decides to extend it.

Police on the island, a big high-end tourist destination, say that violations of social distancing norms had got out of hand recently.

According to authorities, the single hotel assigned to people quarantining has overflown and visitors who have tested positive have been camping on the island's beaches.

But there have been no serious COVID-19 infections so far; the average age of the infected is 27, authorities said.

Greece continued to report a relatively high number of new infections Saturday, with 2,562 cases reported in the 24-hour period ending 3 pm Saturday.

There were also 7 deaths.

The number of new cases had fallen to the low hundreds a few weeks ago, before the Delta mutation of the virus started expanding.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Pakistan has been facing embarrassment globally after the daughter of the Afghanistan Envoy to Islamabad was abducted and assaulted on Saturday. To add to its woes, even the Taliban which is known for violence and subversion of women's rights - is giving lectures of 'humanity' to Pakistan over the incident of abduction.

Suhail Shaheen, an Afghan Taliban Politician and a Member of the Negotiations Team of Taliban, took to Twitter and schooled Pakistan on 'humanity' as he demanded that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

1/2

The kidnapping of an Afghan girl in Pakistan is against humanity and an aggression which we condemn. We urge the government of Pakistan to step up its efforts to arrest and punish the perpetrators so that such acts do not give rise to hate between the two nations  Suhail Shaheen.    (@suhailshaheen1) July 18, 2021

Pakistan is yet to issue any response to the statement made by Suhail Shaheen who is also the spokesperson of the Taliban. It has, however, recalled its own envoy from Kabul after the Ashraf Ghani-led Afghanistan Government withdrew its diplomats posted in Pakistan over the envoy's daughter's kidnap. The Taliban's verbal salvo, however, comes as a double blow to Pakistan and its standing globally, given that Imran Khan's government has been accused by the Afghan government of supporting the Taliban militants. This is aside from the ignominy that is inherent in receiving a 'humanity' lecture from the Taliban which is even now claiming to have occupied a majority of the territories in Afghanistan by force and violence.

Taliban's violence and oppression of women

The Taliban's oppression of women in Afghanistan is widely known. Decades ago, when the Taliban had conquered Afghanistan, the insurgent group had forced the women to cover themselves from head to toe.

Since capturing several new areas in Afghanistan after the US and NATO forces withdrawal, the Taliban have re-imposed repressive laws and other retrograde policies on women that defined its iron fist rule from 1996 to 2001 including enforcing their version of Islamic Sharia law.

According to ANI, a report in Gandhara (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty) said that the re-imposition of such repressive measures on Afghan women is the new brutal reality of tens of thousands of females who are presently living in areas, now captured by the Taliban. The re-imposition of such laws have come despite the Taliban claiming repeatedly that it has changed its ways. Reportedly, the Taliban has also issued a diktat asking Afghan residents to marry off their teen daughters to fighters in the terror group. In a statement shared online, the terror group has directed local leaders to prepare a list of all girls above 15 and widows under 45 to be married as sex slaves to the groups foot soldiers.

According to the British tabloid - The Sun, Taliban has said that the girls and women within the said age would be transported to the mountainous region of Waziristan in Pakistan where they would be married to the insurgents, converted into Islam, and reintegrated into the society.

The Taliban is at loggerheads with the Afghanistan Government which aims to govern democratically. The Taliban is seemingly attempting to reinstate the Islamist Emirate of Afghanistan with regressive belief systems after the US and NATO forces have begun the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. Another round of peace talks which was held on July 19 led to a stalemate while the Taliban led violence continues unabated on the ground. After the inconclusive peace talk, fifteen missions, the EU delegation and the NATO representative in Kabul in a joint statement urged the Taliban to halt their military offensives across the war-torn country.
A Pakistani court has temporarily banned Uber-owned Careem from referring to its drivers as 'Captains' after an airline pilot lodged a complaint and raised objection to the use of the term for car drivers. In a petition filed before a civil court in Rawalpindi, the pilot alleged that by giving the title of 'Captain' to its drivers, Careem had caused humiliation and disgrace to his job title which he had earned after rigorous training. As per Dawn, the petitioner, Labeeb Ahmed, alleged that he had to bear the brunt of jokes in his life with people confusing his job title with that of Careem captains.

According to his complaint, the rank of a Captain was attained after going through rigorous education and obtaining a commercial pilot license from the Civil Aviation Authority Pakistan," and the casual use of the term for drivers had disgraced the aviation rank.

The petitioner added that such nomenclature should solely be reserved for a pilot or a third-ranked officer of the armed forces, also known as a commissioned officer. After hearing his arguments, Civil Judge Rawalpindi Rao Ejaz Ahmed Awan temporarily barred Careem from using the phrase 'Careem Captains' for its car drivers. The use of the term has been restricted until the next hearing and the Court has also sought a response from the zonal manager of the company by July 31.

The Dubai-based company Careem, which is a subsidiary of Uber, has been regularly in trouble in Pakistan. In 2019, the private ride-hailing service had to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 to a customer for inflicting 'mental agony' on him. The complainant had alleged that a Careem Captain had put his life and that of his female guests and children in danger by driving in a reckless manner. After raising an objection, he had allegedly left them in the middle of the road during the month of Ramadan when the entire family was fasting.
Days after Afghan envoy's daughter Silsila Alikhail was kidnapped and assaulted by an unknown group of perpetrators in Islamabad, Pakistan continues to evade responsibility for the incident. Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Sunday claimed that the kidnapping of Silsila Alikhail was an 'international conspiracy'. In an interview with Pakistan's Geo News, the Minister alleged that investigation up to this point had shown that there were no signs of kidnapping and claimed that the daughter of the Afghan envoy 'wasn't kidnapped at all'.

Speaking to Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan Imran Khan's Minister said, "There has been no kidnapping. I want to tell the entire nation, this is an international racket, an international conspiracy."

Divulging details of the case, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that the Afghan ambassadors daughter had left her home on foot and arrived at a market on July 16. "From the market, she took a taxi to Khadda Market for shopping. We were able to know about this with the help of the Safe City Cameras," the minister disclosed. Further, Rasheed said that from Khadda Market, the ambassador's daughter took another taxi to Rawalpindi.

"We also have a footage of her getting out of a taxi at a Rawalpindi shopping mall," Rasheed said, further adding that she then took a third taxi to arrive at Daman-e-Koh. "The only gap [in the investigation] that we are facing is that how was she able to arrive at Daman-e-Koh from Rawalpindi," the minister added.

Daughter of Afghans envoy to Pakistan abducted

On July 16, Afghanistan's envoy to Pakistan Najib Alikhail's 26-year-old daughter Silsila Alikhail was kidnapped and released after 6 hours from the capital city of Islamabad. The official statement released by Afghanistan stated that the envoy's daughter, Silsila Alikhail, was allegedly severely tortured by kidnappers before she was released. The perpetrators remain unknown to local police and officials.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in their press release, stated that Silsila Alikhail is currently in the hospital recuperating from physical assault and multiple injuries that were inflicted upon her. The complaint letter has enumerated the Afghanistan Ambassador's daughter's grave injuries. The incident has also escalated fear among Afghan families residing in Pakistan.

(With Agency Inputs)
Pakistans Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry Association has warned the Imran Khan-led government that it would cut off the gas supply to the entire country on July 31 if the authorities failed to accept its demands. As per news agency ANI, the LPG traders in the country have refused to accept the governments new policy and instead, demanded that the regulatory duty on the LPG imported through land routes be scrapped. The associations chairman Irfan Khokar reportedly said at a convention in Lahore that, LPG is the fuel for the poor and the industry should be declared tax free.

Khokar also urged that the Jamshoro joint venture should be kickstarted at the earliest in order to ramp up the production of LPG. He noted that in case of any violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs), action should be taken by the staff of civil defence and town offices on the order of an assistant commissioner and deputy commissioner instead of the police. The associations chairman claimed that substandard" cylinders, walls and buzzers were also being manufactured from already used iron drums in Gujranwala that caused an explosion. Hence, he demanded an immediate closure of factories still manufacturing them.

"If our demands are not met, we will close the Lahore metro bus service today. There will be a nationwide strike on July 31 and gas supply to the entire country will be cut off," he said as per ANI.

Official organised a rally

The convention, attended by LPG association officials and participants from other cities, reached Kalma Chowk in a form of a rally. The march not only chanted slogans against the countrys law enforcement but also blocked the track of the Lahore metro bus service. Earlier this month, the President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Mian Nasser Hyatt Magoo also called for equal taxation for imported and locally produced Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to provide local industry with a level playing field. FPCCI noted that it is not against the import of LPG but expressed objection to the disparities in taxation. He called for LPG imports to continue until local producers can meet the entire demand. FPCCI also demanded a new LPG Policy 2021 stressing that it should be approved by the Imran Khan-led government to update the policy framework for LPG sales.

IMAGE: AP/PTI
In a major breakthrough amid the violence in Afghanistan, the government and Taliban have issued a joint statement on the situation and agreed to prevent civilian casualties. According to Afghanistan's TOLOnews, both sides have agreed to protect the countrys civilian infrastructure, prevent civilian casualties, and cooperate with humanitarian assistance. The decision was announced by both sides in their joint statement.

Joint statement by Afghanistan government and Taliban

As per TOLOnews, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation and the head of the 7-member delegation of Afghan politicians, has assured that the government is committed to peace. Both sides have decided to continue the high-level talks even though there has been no clarity on the de-escalation of violence or ceasefire. TOLOnews added that the government and Taliban have decided to work together on a common ground to move away from the current situation. Moreover, both sides have also thanked Qatar, which has been hosting them for peace talks. In addition, officials from both sides have also committed to cooperating in terms of treating COVID-19 patients in Afghanistan.

Both sides agreed to protect the countrys civilian infrastructure, prevent civilian casualties, and cooperate with humanitarian assistance, a joint statement by the Afghan Republic and the Taliban reads: Afghanistan's TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/OgcrrpA9Eb  ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2021

Taliban agrees for a 3-month ceasefire; puts forth conditions

Earlier, the insurgent group had announced that it was willing to follow a ceasefire if 7,000 militants that have been imprisoned in Afghanistan are released. As per reports, the Taliban have captured over 150-180 districts in the country. The clashes in the country have intensified following a withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the Afghanistan soil where they had been based since the Afghanistan War began 20 years ago. The group has captured large swathes of territory, including border areas with Iran, China and Pakistan. Even as talks continue, reports have stated that the Taliban continues to gain more ground and many have opined that it will re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. A United States intelligence report had earlier informed that Kabul could fall within six months after the US troops' withdrawal.
Afghanistan on Sunday announced that it was withdrawing all its ambassadors and diplomats from Pakistan's capital Islamabad in the aftermath of the kidnap and assault of the Afghan envoy to Pakistan Najibullah Alikhils daughter, the Afghan foreign ministry said on Sunday. Tensions remained heightened as the bilateral ties deteriorated between the two Islamic republics over the formers support of the Taliban terrorism that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghan national forces.

In a tweet fired Sunday, Afghanistans Vice President Amrullah Saleh said: President Ashraf Ghani instructed the ministry of foreign affairs Afghanistan to call back our ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats. He continued, The abduction of the Afghan ambassador's daughter and her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured.

President @ashrafghani instructed @mfa_afghanistan to call back our ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats. The abduction of Afgh ambassador's daughter & her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured.  Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 18, 2021

This isnt the first case but the first spectacular case involving a lady. Harassment of diplomats, local staff with integrity who reject collaboration is in the menu of Islamabad agencies, he said, condemning the shocking incident. Afghan foreign ministry then summoned Pakistani ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan in Kabul to protest what Afghanistan described a grave incident of manhandling.

In a statement issued shortly after the tweet, Afghanistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated that the Afghan officials and envoys will not return to Islamabad unless the accused were apprehended and high-level security was arranged for the safety of the diplomats. "Following the abduction of the daughter of the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, the leadership of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan recalled the ambassador and senior Afghan diplomats based in Islamabad to Kabul until the complete diplomatic immunity and security is provided, including the arrest and trial of the hostages," read the statement.

Furthermore, it added, A delegation is scheduled to visit Pakistan in the near future to review and follow up on the current issue and related issues. In the light of the findings of this, further steps will be taken.

Afghan Ambassador and Senior Diplomats to Islamabad Called Back to Kabul

July 18, 2021

--------------------------https://t.co/jUZDre0Tpv pic.twitter.com/ftReqZYUgL  Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Afghanistan  (@mfa_afghanistan) July 18, 2021

Pak's diplomatic community is working hard painting & decorating a fictional image for Talibs. On the ground however Talibs 2.0 is nothing but an Afg replica of IS-K & Al-Qadea, providing bases to foreign "good & bad terrorists" The "good" LeT is their buddies in allegiance.  Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 18, 2021

Afghanistans Ministry of Foreign affairs also issued a statement citing Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting on Friday last week in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Central and South Asia Connectivity Summit. Pakistans PM Khan had agreed to undertake necessary measures in mutual consultation with his Afghan counterpart to establish a joint mechanism to address the security concerns to end the bloodshed in Afghanistan. The two sides agreed to utilize all available means and resources to ensure permanent and sustainable peace in Afghanistan and to make joint practical efforts to secure a political settlement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban, Afghanistans foreign ministry mentioned in the statement.

Prime Minister has further directed the Interior Minister that Islamabad Police and other law enforcement agencies must investigate the incident on TOP PRIORITY, bring up the truth of the matter and apprehend the culprits within 48 hours.2/3  Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) July 17, 2021

Pakistans Foreign Office meanwhile responded saying that the decision was unfortunate and regrettable and that the authorities were investigating the assault at the highest level on the orders of Pakistani PM Imran Khan. We hope that the government of Afghanistan would reconsider its decision, the Foreign Office said, adding that Pakistans foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood met with the Afghan envoy to brief him on steps being taken to and reassured him of full cooperation.

Afghani ambassador's daughter 'tortured for several hours'

The 26-year-old daughter of an Afghani ambassador, Najib Alikhil, was abducted in the middle of the Pakistani capital Islamabad from her rented vehicle. Silsila Alikhil was tortured for several hours by her assailants before she managed to secure her release. A hospital medical report showed that she had sustained injuries on her body, had rope marks on her wrists and legs, and was beaten badly. She had suffered a blow to her head and had fractured bones, reports reveal. Afghan foreign ministry condemned the "heinous act and condemned Pakistan for sending thousands of jihadi militants over the border and providing a safe haven to the terrorists.

(With ANI inputs)
Waiting among hundreds of fellow travelers to catch a ferry out of Bangladesh's capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was risking catching the coronavirus, but he felt it was even riskier to stay in Dhaka with another lockdown looming.

"I have to pay rent every month even though I have no work," he said, adding that his landlord had been bothering him for money even as he was struggling just to feed himself.

Nijam is among the tens of millions of Bangladeshis shopping and traveling this week during a controversial eight-day pause in the country's strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid-al Adha.

With the spread of the virus rampant, most everything in Bangladesh was ordered shut on July 1, from markets to mass transportation.

Yet even with the new restrictions, virus deaths still hovered around 200 each day and daily infections were still around 11,000, both thought to be undercounts. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.

Despite the warnings from experts, the government announced that from July 15-23, all restrictions would be lifted and everything would be reopened so people could celebrate the festival, which is normally a boon to the economy.

Officials have not responded to criticism of the move.

The result in the capital has been crowds of people jamming into malls and markets to do their holiday shopping, and others thronging ports and bus stations as they try to make their way back to hometowns.

Among the huge crowd of people shopping at Dhaka's New Market, was Shah Alam, a dental technician.

"As the government has relaxed the situation for a few days, we are coming to markets to buy necessary goods," Alam said. "We are trying to follow the health safety guidelines."

The suspension has been panned by health experts who warn it could exacerbate an ongoing surge fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first detected in neighboring India.

Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former chief of the government's Health Directorate, said he sees the main risks of suspending the lockdown as people from the city spreading the virus to their villages and people spreading the virus while they pack into markets for their shopping, especially cattle markets where millions of people will buy animals to sacrifice for Eid-al Adha.

During the last major Islamic festival in May, an estimated 10 million of Dhaka's 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families. A similar number could travel this week, especially since many like Nijam, the construction worker, may be looking to wait out the next lockdown in their villages.

According to Ahmed's estimates, 30 million to 40 million people will gather for prayers in mosques or open fields across the country for the festival on Wednesday.

He said the month after the festival will be a critical time for a country that has already tallied nearly 1.1 million infections and nearly 18,000 deaths from the pandemic.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Nepal's new Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Sunday thanked his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending greetings on his successful tenure as the new PM of Nepal for the fifth time. Thank you very much, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for your congratulatory note, the 75-year-old Nepali leader Deuba said.

He added, I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries [India and Nepal] and people.

Earlier on July 18, as Deuba won the Nepal Parliaments crucial confidence vote, Prime Minister Modi took to his official Twitter handle to extend best wishes, as he wrote, Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties. The chief of Nepals Congress was appointed as the prime minister on July 13 as per Article 76(5) of the Constitution, following Supreme Court's intervention after former Nepali PM KP Sharma Olis ouster. Deuba, who needed 165 votes to win the vote on Sunday, secured 165 majority in the 275-member house.

"I hereby declare that the motion of the vote of confidence tabled by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has been endorsed with a majority, House Speaker Agni Sapkota announced.

Deuba served as the prime minister of Nepal on four occasions previously, from 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002, 2004 to 2005, and between 2017 to 2018. He took the oath of office and secrecy on Tuesday, last week, forming a small 5 member cabinet right after the swear-in ceremony. Nepali PM Deubas installation as the countrys leader came just a day after a five-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, which according to local press reports, was done for the second time in 5 months by the President Bidya Devi Bhandari on recommendation by Oli. The ousted PM had also announced the snap elections scheduled for November 12 and November 19.

With the majority support of 149 lawmakers, Deuba had instated the claim to form a government, contested by President Bhandari. With the help of the Southeast Asian countrys apex court's intervention, Deuba was able to garner the support of CPN Maoist Centre and Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal lawmakers, including his own Nepali Congress Party, all of whom voted in favour of Deuba. Nepals newly sworn-in PM also drew support from Olis opposition CPN-UML partys 8 lawmakers in the lower house. Olis faction comprises a total of 121 members. JSP which consists of 32 members also voted in favour of Deuba. During the last minute, the Thakur-Mahato faction of the JSP-N also swung in support.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (July 18) extended hearty congratulations to his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba after he won a crucial vote of confidence days after Nepals Supreme Court reinstated the Lower House of Parliament. The voting process was participated by 249 lawmakers, of which 83 voted against him while one lawmaker largely remained neutral. The proposal for the vote of trust was registered in the Parliament Secretariat on July 18, the first day of the session, and Deuba needed 136 votes to win the Parliaments vote of confidence.

"Congratulations Prime Minister Deuba Sherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties, PM Modi wrote in a tweet.

Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 18, 2021

The 75-year-old head of the Nepali Congress won165 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives that secured him a landslide victory, according to the local Kathmandu Post. "Continuous political confusion, uncertainty, instability weakens democracy," Deuba told the parliament ahead of the vote. Furthermore, he added, that it was important for Nepal to walk the road of political stability. The former secured a majority after lawmakers from Oli's party backed him. The vote was required by the court to take place within 30 days after Deuba was instated as Nepals Prime Minister on Tuesday (July 13), last week. The Nepalese leaders loss to the crucial voting would have meant re-election in the Himalayan nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sworn-in as PM for the fifth time

Deuba was sworn into office as Nepals newly elected PM for the fifth time following months of political turmoil, as the Southeast Asian countrys apex court ousted the former PM KP Sharma Oli. He had served as the PM four times between 1995 and 2018. In May, former Nepali PM Oli had abruptly dissolved the parliament after he was removed as Chairman of ruling NCP over allegations of corruption, mishandling of COVID-19, and tensions with the party of former Maoist rebels Pushpa Kamal Dahal, with whom he had merged to form a unified Communist Party. Nepals Supreme court gave orders to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to appoint Deuba as Olis successor. The former won the support of 149 of the total 275-seat in the Lower House.
The company that administers Portugal's airports, ANA, stated that the strike by employees of Groundforce, a ground-handling company, resulted in the cancellation of 327 flights on Sunday in Portugal. Around 301 of the 511 arrivals and departures scheduled for Sunday were cancelled at Lisbon airport, while 26 other aircrafts were cancelled at Porto airport. According to an official source at the airport assistance firm, 81.3 per cent of workers in Lisbon did not show up for work on the second day of the strike.

According to the ANA, they encourage travellers with cancelled flights not to go to Lisbon airport due to the handling service strike. Instead, they should seek information through other channels, digital and telephone. The spokesperson of the company stated on Sunday that several airlines have decided to postpone the whole operation scheduled for that day; it is expected that just 200 of the 511 flights scheduled for the Portuguese capital will be carried out.

Airlines capital that utilises Terminal 2 at Lisbon airport sustain their operations

Because they are served by different handling businesses, only low-cost airlines that utilise Terminal 2 at Lisbon airport were able to sustain their regular operations. The Groundforce strike began on Saturday, with 260 flights being cancelled at the two main Portuguese airports that day. Between July 29 and August 2, another shutdown is planned.

The walkout was announced by the Union of Airport Handling Technicians (STHA) in response to Groundforce workers' "unsustainable instability" about timely payment of wages and other monetary components since February 2021. Groundforce is owned by the Pasogal Group (50.1%) and the TAP Group (49.9%), which was taken over by the Portuguese government in 2020.

Groundforce claims TAP owes it 12 million euros ($14.17 million) for services previously rendered, but TAP claims it owes Groundforce nothing. The strike is part of a long-running financial dispute between Groundforce and TAP Air Portugal, the country's flag airline, which is bearing the brunt of the cancellations.

Porto airport is the second most affected in Portugal

With 45.2 per cent of workers present, Porto airport is the second most affected by the strike after Lisbon, followed by Funchal (31.6 per cent) and Faro (31.6 per cent) (31.6 per cent). According to the company, the operation in Porto Santo was not disrupted.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan who has been busy with the T20 Vitality Blast 2021 in the United Kingdom opened up on the situation back in his home country and how the unrest had deeply hurt him. The 22-year-old revealed that ever since he had made his debut five years ago, he had spent only 25 days in Afghanistan and had not even got an opportunity to celebrate his achievements with family.

Speaking to Guardian.co.uk, Rashid said, In the last five years Ive spent about 25 days at home. I didnt have that opportunity to celebrate my achievement with the family because I was just so busy. I forgot my achievements and that hurts sometimes. I dont get enough time to be with the family but at the same time it is the start of my career so I have to struggle.

With the Afghanistan civil war wrecking devastation, Rashid Khan hoped that he could do his best to make civilians back at home happy. As a player it makes you super sad. It hurts a lot, but at the same time we are just trying our best to do something special in the field to make [the people at home] happy."

I feel I have done something good for the country, that helps to change the mindset of the young generation. I hope once that young generations mindset has changed then definitely the country will start to make progress and, Inshallah, Inshallah, peace will happen," he added.

Afghanistan civil war

With the US troops' exit from Bagram Airfield after nearly 20 years, the Taliban moved swiftly to take over Afghanistan claiming control over 85 percent of Afghanistan's territory. According to a report by BBC, the militants have successfully captured over two-thirds of the country including five districts in Herat. In recent days, the group has captured key border crossings with Iran, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in an armed rebellion even as Afghan forces attempt to launch counter operations to restrict the militancy group.

As per reports, the Taliban has claimed control over 150-180 districts in the country including large swathes of territory near border areas with Iran, China, and Pakistan. Even as talks continue, reports have stated that the Taliban continues to gain more ground and many have opined that it will re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. After gaining significant control, the Taliban has announced that it was willing to follow a ceasefire if 7,000 militants that have been imprisoned in Afghanistan are released.
Vietnam's entire southern region started a two-week lockdown from the early hours of Monday to curb the spread of COVID-19, as confirmed cases on Sunday reached a record 5,887.

The lockdown order includes the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City metropolis, the country's financial and economic hub with over 35 million people  more than a third of Vietnam's population.

Officials said they have to act as the number of infections reached over 50,000 since the outbreak re-emerged at the end of April after several months of no cases being recorded. Most of the 225 COVID-19 dead  190 of them  have occurred since April.

Ho Chi Minh City, the epicenter of the surge, had already announced a full lockdown a week ago, after dozens of cases were reported in late May.

The city now accounts for most of the cases in the country.

The government order bans all gatherings of more than two people in public places except for government offices, hospitals and a handful of essential businesses.

People are requested to only leave home to buy necessities such as food, medicine, or for vital matters.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the country's committee for COVID-19 pandemic prevention, said the lockdown order must be applied strictly since the latest wave has spread to 57 of the country's 63 municipalities and provinces while the vaccine supply is still limited.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The Taiwan government on July 19 approved the production and emergency use of the first locally developed COVID-19 vaccine by Medigen. While speaking at a press conference, Taiwans Food and Drug Administration Director-General Wu Shou-mei said that the vaccine produced by the Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. - officially known as MVC-COV1901 - will become available for public as early as August. Wu even informed that Medigen is designed for people aged over 20 who will get two shots 28 days apart.

Back in June, the Taiwanese-based pharmaceutical company had announced that it had completed the second phase of the clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. It had said that the results met the safety standards set by the FDA for emergency use. Experts added that the early data suggested it was similarly effective to AstraZenecas jabs, however, they gave no details of its efficacy rate.

During a press conference, Taiwans health minister said that there are no major safety concerns. Chen Shih-chung said "it will take some time to expand production capacity but added that the first small supplies for the public could be expected in August. Chen further informed that Medigens offering is a subunit vaccine which teaches the bodys immune system to recognise the spike protein that the coronavirus uses to invade cells.

Taiwan to purchase 5mn doses of Medigen vaccine

According to The Mainichi report, now, as the company has been granted the emergency use authorization, it is working to conduct phase three clinical trials at home and abroad to seek international recognition. The Taiwan government reportedly signed contracts to purchase five million doses of the Medigen vaccine and another five million doses from another local vaccine maker, United Biomedical Inc., whose application for emergency use authorization is still pending. The government has also signed contracts to purchase nearly 20 million vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca and unspecified brands through the global COVAX facility.

As of Sunday, a total of 5.19 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been reportedly administered in Taiwan, covering about 22 per cent of the total population. President Tsai Ing-wen has set the goal of having 20 to 25 per cent of the population receiving at least one dose of the two-shot vaccine regimen by the end of this month. Till now, Taiwan has received around 726,000 vaccine doses before the US and Japan donated 2.5 million and 3.37 million doses, respectively.

(Image: PTI)
More than 700 Venezuelans returned to their homeland on Sunday after being repatriated from Trinidad and Tobago.

At the eastern coast of Venezuela, on the port of Guanta, some 330 km east from Caracas, a Venezuelan commercial ferry transported hundreds of Venezuelans who left Trinidad & Tobago for lack of employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I didn't have the capacity to take care of my son," said Valentina Itriago, a repatriated Venezuelan who worked cleaning houses in Trinidad and Tobago. "I had already been out of work for 3 months, rents were super expensive. It was time to go back."

The Venezuelan government began a repatriation plan called "Return to the Fatherland" in 2018 and since then, more than 25,000 Venezuelans have been repatriated from other countries in the region such as Peru, Ecuador and Chile.

This return of Venezuelans from Trinidad and Tobago is the first voluntary repatriation to be done by sea.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
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Shu Lifa's wife says he lost control of his emotions after months of camping in a shipping container on the ruins of his former home.

The shipping container used for six months by Shu Lifa and his wife Zhang Yuezhen after their home was forcibly demolished is shown in an undated photo.

Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hubei are holding a man on suspicion of murdering two officials following clashes linked to a forced demolition in the provincial capital, Wuhan.

Shu Lifa is being held in the Wuchang Detention Center after being criminally detained on suspicion of the "intentional homicide" of Xiong Zhiping, a staff member at the Wuchang District Old Town Reconstruction Project, and Sun Yi, the director of the Binjiang Business District, which directs the work of the local demolition bureau.

The clashes came after Xiong and other officials started beating Shu after arriving to survey his ruined home in Wubei village in Xujiapeng, Wuchang district, Wuhan earlier this month.

Shu, 66, and his wife Zhang Yuezhen had been camping out in a container in the ruins of their former home following a forced demolition in January, on which they hold a private property lease, refusing to leave in the absence of any resettlement arrangements or compensation.

Eventually, the authorities claimed to have obtained the necessary permit in April, and returned to Shu's home on July 12. Shu started taking photos of them, Zhang Yuezhen told RFA.

"One of the highest-ranking leaders in the demolition office saw him doing that and snatched [the phone] away, and that's how it started," she said.

"He was beaten to the ground by the demolition office people, and one of them even took a brick and went to hit him with it."

"So [Shu] ran home and got a knife, telling them to wait there."

Xiong died from blood loss at the scene. Shu then took the knife to the demolition bureau, where he also attacked Sun.

"That woman had come to our house for Lunar New Year, but she was always threatening us, saying they would requisition our home," Zhang said. "She did it all the time."

"He caught sight of her," she said, adding that Sun also died at the scene.

Zhang said Shu likely lost control of his emotions due to the stress of living in a container for several months.

"Our home was demolished on Jan. 30," she said. "They threw out our furniture and everything we owned."

"We have been living in the ruins in a container ... and nobody has bothered to ask how we're doing," Zhang said. "They refuse to discuss it with us."

"I actually lodged a complaint. We would have left if they'd negotiated [a settlement] with us," she said.

'It's pretty barbarous'

A Hubei journalist who declined to be named said Shu and Zhang should have been resettled if the land they occupied was needed for redevelopment.

"National demolition laws expressly stipulate that the authorities must first arrange for residential resettlement and also a compensation deal before demolition can take place," the journalist said.

"But what they actually do is demolish homes and take no responsibility: it's pretty barbarous," he said.

The incident in Wuhan comes amid simmering public anger over the use of violent forced evictions, often with no warning or due process, by local governments to reclaim land for lucrative redevelopment or speculation.

In May 2015, authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu handed down an eight-year prison term to a retired People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier for attacking members of a demolition gang who came to raze his home.

Fan Mugen was found guilty of "intentional wounding" by the Suzhou Intermediate People's Court following his trial and ordered to pay civil compensation.

Fan allegedly attacked two members of a demolition gang that came to evict his family from their home on Dec. 3, 2013, and who he said beat up his wife. The two men later died.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Families race to leave ahead of a visa deadline, while businesses express concern over possible internet censorship.

Changes to Hong Kong's election system imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have set the city's political life back by decades, to the pre-reform colonial era in the mid-20th century, analysts said on Monday.

The rule changes mean that opposition candidates are highly unlikely to be allowed to run, but even when candidates make it into the race, they will now be chosen by a tiny number of voters compared with the previous system, RFA has learned.

The Election Committee, which was already mostly composed of members handpicked by the CCP, now also includes representatives of 28 industry and professional groups known as "functional constituencies," and the voter base for these seats has been slashed by an estimated 97 percent.

According to provisional voting registration information from the Hong Kong government, the number of registered voters in the constituencies that get to choose a member of the Election Committee has fallen by 90 percent since the last election, when the Committee only picked the chief executive.

Since the rule changes imposed by the CCP, the Committee has also been tasked with returning 40 members to the Legislative Council (LegCo).

In the education functional constituency alone, the number of registered voters is listed as just 1,700, compared with 80,000 in the previous session of the Committee.

Ivan Choy, senior politics lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), said that previously anyone in the education sector had been entitled to vote for Election Committee members. Now, however, only people "designated" by the authorities can vote in their functional constituency.

"Before, we would have more than 200,000 people taking part in these elections," Choy said. "Some said that this participation was trivial, but now we don't even have that."

"I think voters will feel even more alienated from the entire election process now, for both the chief executive and for LegCo," he said.

'No way to lose'

Choy said Beijing has set up the forthcoming election in December so that there is basically "no way for it to lose."

He said the CCP regards Hong Kong politics as "more manageable" after the changes.

Chinese and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said that the electoral changes represent the "perfection" of the electoral system.

Chung Kim-wah, deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI), confirmed Choy's assessment, saying that democracy in Hong Kong has now regressed to where it was in the middle of the 20th century.

"Personally, I don't think we're even where we were in the 1980s," Chung said. "Back then, only the District Council was elected, and then we had some indirect elections of LegCo members in the mid-1980s."

"What we have now is worse than what we had in the 1980s, with a voter base even smaller than that of the Urban Council elections back in the 1950s," he said.

The new electoral rules took effect on March 31, 2021, and prompted the U.S. State Department to say it was "deeply concerned" at the changes.

The comprehensive plans ensure that anyone standing for election to Hong Kong's legislature is a staunch CCP supporter, with all candidates to be vetted by the national security police before being allowed to stand.

The new system forces election hopefuls to run a multi-layered gauntlet of pro-CCP committees before they can appear on any ballot paper.

However, the decisions of all of those committees will hinge on approval by the national security branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, according to details published by the National People's Congress (NPC) standing committee.

There will be no right of appeal to decisions of the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee or opinions issued by the national security police.

District councilors, the last hope of any pro-democracy representation in the city, have also been removed from the Election Committee that chooses who will fill 40 of the 90 seats in LegCo and which also chooses the chief executive.

Elections pushed back

Elections to the Legislative Council (LegCo), which were previously scheduled for September 2020 and then postponed by a year, have now been pushed back to December 2021.

While 20 seats in a newly expanded 90-seat LegCo will still be returned by geographical constituencies and popular ballot, voters may only choose from among candidates pre-approved by the multi-layered vetting process, ensuring that pro-democracy politicians and rights campaigners are unlikely to make the cut.

The remaining seats will be appointed, or returned by trade, industry, and special interest groups. As with the geographical seats, all candidates must be pre-approved by national security police.

The authorities are also required to take action against anyone seeking to "undermine" the electoral system.

The State Department said in its human rights report for 2020 that the CCP has effectively "dismantled" Hong Kong's promised rights and freedoms and "severely undermined" the rights and freedoms of the city's seven million people.

Thousands leave Hong Kong

Thousands of people -- many of them families with school-age children -- have been lining up at Hong Kong International Airport to board flights to the United Kingdom ahead of a key deadline that expires on July 19, 2021, which had allowed some three million holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passport to enter the country without a visa.

Many families have told RFA as they left that their main motivation stemmed from the effect of a draconian national security law imposed on the city by the CCP from July 1, 2020 on their childrens' education.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham), warned on Monday of a worsening business environment in the city.

"AmCham is well aware of an increasingly complicated geopolitical environment and its risks; particularly those which have evolved in recent years," the statement said.

It said the chamber had bought a new site in downtown Hong Kong to "foster dialogue, allow businesses to network, to share ideas and espouse the values of transparency, free flow of information, rule of law and good governance."

AmCham president Tara Joseph said the business community is concerned in particular that Great Firewall-style internet censorship may be in the pipeline for Hong Kong.

"One of the key attributes of Hong Kong is that you can go onto Google, you can go onto Facebook and any other platform you want versus what you can do in mainland China," Joseph told Bloomberg Television, in comments reported by government broadcaster RTHK.

"So I do think it's important for the government to recognize that and to be open and say we're going to maintain that free flow of information."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Government curbs on the activities of online service providers come as the ruling party forges ahead with nationalization.

China's internet regulators are continuing to crack down on the country's top tech companies, with ByteDance's Toutiao suspending new accounts and investigators moving in to ride-sharing app Didi's headquarters.

TikTok owner ByteDance is blocking new user and content creator registrations for Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao, Reuters cited people familiar with the matter as saying.

The freeze began in September 2020, with some content creators reporting on social media that they had been unable to register new accounts, but with no announcement made by the company.

New users who try to register currently see a message: "System is currently under maintenance. Registration is temporarily unavailable," Reuters reported.

Existing users are still able to post, and the app is still available on app stores inside China, the report said.

In 2018m, Toutiao suspended more than 1,000 accounts after being sanctioned last week for alleged breaches of regulations and for spreading "pornographic and vulgar content."

The popular app also added a channel titled "New Era," in a reference to the political "thought" of Chinese President Xi Jinping, "to release information or reports about China's accomplishments and efforts after socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era."

The move came after the powerful Cyberspace Administration temporarily suspended both Toutiao and Phoenix News for "having serious problems in guiding public opinion."

The apps had "carried pornographic content, seriously misled the public and had a very negative impact on the social media environment," the administration said at the time.

The aggregator is ByteDance's second largest source of advertising revenue in China, second only to Douyin, and accounting for 20 percent of the companys U.S.$5.4 billion in sales in China last year.

But the company's plans earlier this year to list on the U.S. stockmarket had been a slap in face for the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), an internet industry worker surnamed Pan told RFA.

"I think the first major factor in all of the recent crackdowns [on large technology platforms] is that they are going after private companies," Pan said. "Secondly, they are seeking listings in the U.S., which is embarrassing [for the government]."

"Toutiao had always said they would list in the U.S. ... [but then] the financial director announced that the plan had been suspended," she said. "The word is that the listing won't be happening now."

Overseas share-listings

China's cabinet said on July 6, 2021 that it would crack down on overseas share-listings by its companies, just two days after the country's Cyberspace Administration removed the Didi ride-hailing app from Chinese stores following its U.S.$4.4 billion initial public offering (IPO) in New York.

The removal of the app wiped billions from the value of Didi Global Inc shares in the first trading session since the app's removal.

Didi -- which runs an Uber-like service with around 500 million users and 15 million drivers -- went ahead with the listing despite being urged by Chinese regulators to delay the IPO, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Monday.

Officials were "wary of the ride-hailing company's troves of data potentially falling into foreign hands" owing to public disclosure around the listing, the WSJ quoted sources as saying.

Didi is under investigation by the Cyberspace Administration, and investigations are ongoing into other U.S.-listed Chinese companies including Full Truck Alliance and Kanzhun.

"The Cyberspace Administration of China will ... cooperate with the ministry of public security, ministry of state security, ministry of natural resources, ministry of transport, the state administration of taxation, the state administration of market supervision and other departments are installed at the [headquarters] of Didi Chuxing Technology Co. Ltd to conduct a review of online security," the administration said in a statement on its official website on July 16.

'Red entrepreneurs'

A current affairs commentator surnamed Zhao said the CCP under general secretary Xi Jinping is going after the second generation of "red entrepreneurs" who are related to revolutionary leaders, to stem their financial power and political influence.

"These platforms have made huge profits for the second generation of red elite, the children of [high-ranking] officials," Zhao said. "Capitalist entities with a communist background are packing more and more of a punch, both internationally and in China."

"These captains of industry are starting to challenge the authority of the central government, and so the government is moving to cut them off," he said.

The moves against China's homegrown tech giants come as the government is also moving to acquire stakes in private companies, businesspeople in the eastern province of Zhejiang told RFA in recent interviews.

Peng Huagang, spokesman for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), told reporters on July 16 that his agency would press ahead with "mergers" between private sector and state-owned companies.

These takeovers would be implemented both by paid acquisitions and uncompensated nationalization, as well as share transfers, Peng said.

The process would improve competitiveness and optimize the use of skills and resources, he said.

Zhejiang businessman Jiang Jieben told RFA that the process is already under way in his home province.

"This is actually a long-term trend, which is aimed at strengthening state-owned enterprises at the expense of the private sector and private capital," he said.

"There is pressure within and beyond provincial government to do this, and for it to happen more quickly."

Jiang said the process had only become more obvious with the treatment meted out to Alibaba founder Jack Ma's Ant Financial and to Didi.

"They want to nationalize all of these companies, to the point that there will be no private sector left at all," he said.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Politicians and media rights groups across the world have voiced outrage after a new report alleged several governments, including EU-member Hungary, used an Israeli program to hack the smartphones of journalists, officials, and rights activists worldwide.

An investigation by 17 media organizations and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), released late on July 18, has drawn links between the Israeli-based NSO Group, accused of supplying spyware to governments, and a leaked database of up to 50,000 phone numbers believed to have been identified as people of interest by clients of the company since 2016.

The NSO Group clients included the governments of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates, according to the report.

The report has sent a chill across the world by bolstering accusations that not just autocratic regimes but democratic governments, including India and Mexico, have used the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware for political ends.

"Revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians, and others in a variety of countries are extremely alarming, and seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine people's human rights," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on July 19.

NSO denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement that its Pegasus software was intended for use against criminals and terrorists and is made available only to military, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records.

"After checking their claims, we firmly deny the false allegations made in their report," the statement said.

But the statement did little to quell recriminations and calls for investigations from capitals around the world.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that while the information still had to be verified, "if it is the case, it is completely unacceptable. Against any kind of rules we have in the European Union," she said during a visit to Prague after Hungary, one of the bloc's 27 members, appeared on the client list.

"Freedom of media, free press is one of the core values of the EU. It is completely unacceptable if this (hacking) were to be the case," she added.

The list of names includes 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, and several heads of state, according to The Washington Post, a consortium member.

The journalists work for organizations including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, and the Financial Times.

The Israeli Defense Ministry echoed NSO's statement, saying that the export of cyberproducts, like spyware sold by NSO Group, was for lawful use and with the sole purpose of fighting crime and countering terrorism.

In the wake of the report, the U.S. government said it would no longer use the "compulsory legal process" including subpoenas or warrants to obtain records or identify sources from journalists involved in news-gathering activities.

The new policy comes following revelations that former President Donald Trump's Justice Department secretly obtained phone records of journalists investigating his administration, including from CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

In Europe, the report was a stinging blow to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been accused by the EU of flouting democracy with a series of laws seen as curtailing a free press and human rights.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto rejected the allegations, telling a press conference on July 19 that Hungary's civilian intelligence agency did not use the Pegasus software "in any way."

"The government has no knowledge of this type of data collection," Szijjarto added.

Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices to enable operators to record phone calls, access text messages, photos, e-mails, and passwords, track GPS data, and secretly activate microphones and cameras.

The report has sent a chill across the world by bolstering accusations that not just autocratic regimes but democratic governments, including India and Mexico, have used NSO Group's Pegasus spyware for political ends.

The investigation has identified more than 1,000 people spanning over 50 countries whose numbers were on the list, including more than 180 journalists from outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, and Al-Jazeera.

According to OCCRP, a consortium of investigative centers, media, and journalists operating in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Central America, Azerbaijan appears to have acquired Pegasus to spy on hundreds of local activists and journalists, including RFE/RL reporters.

While there is "no definitive proof" that Baku is an NSO client or that the leaked numbers represent people selected for targeting, it said "a preponderance of evidence suggests that this is the case."

The OCCRP said that all but a few of the 245 Azerbaijani numbers identified belonged to journalists, activists, lawyers, and members of the country's opposition.

Among them were five current and former reporters for RFE/RL, including Khadija Ismayilova, the broadcaster's former Baku bureau chief and one of the country's most renowned investigative journalists.

Forensic analysis determined that Ismayilov's phone was ridden with traces of Pegasus software, OCCRP said.

"It is outrageous that in the 21st century, so many governments seek to block free expression and prevent journalists from providing objective news and information to their fellow citizens," RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said in a statement on July 19.

"RFE/RL strongly condemns this cowardly invasion of the privacy of working journalists. We have long highlighted the abusive practices of the Azerbaijani government against our Azerbaijani Service, Radio Azadliq. We call on the Azerbaijani government to stop blocking our website, halt its surveillance of our staff, and to cease its harassment of our former bureau chief Khadija Ismayilova," he added.

President Ilham Aliyev has turned Azerbaijan into one of the most repressive former Soviet states, cracking down hard on free media and the opposition during his nearly 20-year rule.

Critics have accused his authoritarian government of using a growing array of sophisticated surveillance technology to track members of the opposition and media.

Sevinc Vaqifqizi, an Azerbaijani journalist working for Meydan TV, an independent news organization based in Berlin, was one of those whose phone number was found to have been infected with the Pegasus software.

She told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service via Skype that a forensic analysis of her phone showed it had been tapped since 2019.

"We will file a complaint with the courts. We will demand an investigation from the prosecutor's office. And if this case is not investigated in Azerbaijan, and there is no decision on this issue, we will bring the case to European courts," she said.

Elsad Haciyev, head of the media and public relations department of Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry, told RFE/RL the report was "nonsense," calling it a "baseless fabrication of some individuals."

Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of London-based Amnesty International, which was also involved in the project, said the investigation "lays bare how NSO's spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril."

The secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders, Christophe Deloire, said the revelations about the use of the Pegasus spyware "inspire disgust and a feeling of revolt given the extent of the surveillance and the targeting of journalists."

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and the BBC
Belarusian authorities have raided the headquarters of an independent newspaper and taken into custody three of its journalists as part of a continuing crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists.

Alyaksandr Mantsevich, the editor of the Regionalnaya gazeta (Regional Newspaper), and journalists Zoya Khrutskaya and Nasta Utkina were detained on July 19, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAZh) said.

The three were detained after a search of the newspaper's office in Maladzyechna, 80 kilometers northeast of the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

Belarus has been mired in turmoil since the disputed presidential election that gave authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term in power.

The West, which has refused to recognize the official results of the vote and does not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader, has imposed several rounds of sanctions against the 66-year-old, some of his family members, other senior officials, and on key economic sectors.

Lukashenka has since put down street protests and dissent over the vote with sometimes lethal force, jailing thousands of people and forcing most opposition leaders who haven't been imprisoned to leave the country.

In recent weeks, authorities have focused on independent media outlets and journalists.

As many as 64 searches have been conducted over the last 10 days, the BAZh said in a statement, adding that the number of journalists who are now in custody had risen to 32. They are either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.

"The authorities have turned life into hell for independent journalists in Belarus with a conveyor belt of searches and arrests," BAZh head Andrey Bastunets said. "There is an impression that the authorities have decided to leave the country without journalists."

Earlier on July 19, the authorities froze the bank accounts of two civil rights groups without explanation.

Officials from the Belarusian PEN Club and the charitable organization Imena (Names) said they were informed of the move on July 19, without being given a reason explaining the decision.

The PEN Club, led by writer Svetlana Alexievich, a Nobel Prize laureate and member of the Coordination Council of the Belarusian opposition, said on Telegram that the organization's account had been frozen by the Investigative Committee in a decision made on July 13.

The Coordination Council is a body set up by the political opposition in Belarus last year to facilitate the transfer of power in the country following a presidential election in August 2020 that the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept.

The same day, Imena founder Katsyaryna Sinyuk said her group's bank account was frozen by the Investigative Committee as of July 14.

Sinyuk's group was among at least 19 NGOs and media organizations raided by police on July 14, after which at least a dozen people were detained.

In a related development, a court in Minsk on July 19 also handed out prison sentences ranging from five to nine years to 11 people who were accused of coordinating "radical actions" and planning arson on a messaging app.



The Vyasna human rights center recognized the 11 people convicted on July 19 as political prisoners, saying there are a total of 562 in the country now.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 2020 election considered fraudulent.

Belarus has been mired in turmoil since the disputed presidential election that gave authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term in power.

Lukashenka has since put down street protests and dissent over the vote with sometimes lethal force, jailing thousands of people and forcing most opposition leaders who haven't been imprisoned to leave the country.

The West, which has refused to recognize the official results of the vote and does not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader, has imposed several rounds of sanctions against the 66-year-old, some of his family members, other senior officials, and on key economic sectors.

The EU recently imposed further far-reaching penalties aimed at weakening the regime after the forced landing of a European passenger plane in Minsk and the arrest of an opposition blogger who was on board.

In April, Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey publicly warned that further Western sanctions against Lukashenka's government would be met by a crackdown on the country's civil society.

"Any further toughening of the sanctions will lead to the situation where the civil society [in Belarus] of which they [in the West] care, will stop functioning. And that will be, I believe, absolutely grounded in the current situation," Makey said at the time.
MOSCOW -- Just one month shy of its seventh birthday, the prominent legal-aid nongovernmental organization Komanda 29 has ceased its activities following a long pressure campaign against it by the Russian authorities.

The authorities on July 16 blocked the Komanda 29 website because of the organization's purported connections with a Czech NGO called Spolecnost Svobody Informace, which has been designated an "undesirable" organization in Russia.

Under the controversial law on "undesirable" organizations, any Russian individual or organization that "cooperates" with a designated group risks potentially severe administrative or criminal penalties.

"Under these circumstances, the continued work of Komanda 29 creates a clear and direct threat to the security of a large number of people, and we cannot ignore that risk," the group said in a social-media post announcing its shutdown.

"The authorities' logic is clear although we, of course, don't agree with it," Komanda 29 lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov told RFE/RL. "We don't cooperate with [the Czech NGO]. We don't have any ties to it. But if we continue working in our previous way, it will create enormous risks for members of our team as well as for journalists and people who cite our information."

Smirnov's colleague, Komanda 29 lawyer Yevgeny Olenichev, said the latest moves against the group "made it simply too dangerous to keep working as before."

The pressure campaign against Komanda 29 made headlines in April, when the group's founder and leader, defense attorney Ivan Pavlov, was arrested and charged with revealing state secrets. Since then he has been under house arrest and barred from using the Internet or communicating with journalists.

"This is one general attack against us all," Smirnov said. "And this attack did not begin on April 30 when Ivan was detained. It began last year, when they tried to disbar our lawyers. It is a planned assault on many fronts that continues to the present. We are making public whatever we can make public. But there is other information that we cannot talk about because of the need to protect our clients."

'A Bone In The Throat' Of The FSB

Komanda 29 was a group of young St. Petersburg-based lawyers that specialized in open-government cases. According to Olenichev, the group was handling about 25 cases when it closed, including several involving alleged high treason and espionage. The group was defending Karina Tsurkan, who was convicted last year of spying for Moldova, and former journalist Ivan Safronov, who faces charges of revealing secrets about Russian arms sales to the Czech Republic.

Komanda 29 has also been involved in several cases aimed at gaining access to Federal Security Service (FSB) archives containing information about political repressions and other crimes of the Soviet state during the 1930s and 1940s.

When Pavlov was arrested in April, lawyer Irina Biryukova said that "he has been like a bone in the throat of the security agencies."

Olenichev says there are many reasons why the FSB has targeted Komanda 29, including its representation of the now-banned organizations of opposition political leader Aleksei Navalny and its efforts to gain access to the closed FSB archives.

"In many areas we have had good results that attracted the attention of the authorities," he said, adding that the government was also "cleaning up the entire civic sector" in preparation for the September elections to the State Duma.

Smirnov added that the Komanda 29 lawyers will continue to work individually but the group will lose the "collaboration that enables us to more effectively do the work we were doing individually."

"Journalists and lawyers who work in political matters get better results by working together than by working alone," he said. "That, apparently, was a goal of the attack -- to make it so we would not be as effective and so we would be less noticeable and less of an obstacle to our opponents."

Lev Shlosberg, a local lawmaker in Pskov and head of the Pskov regional branch of the Yabloko party, wrote on Facebook that the government was attacking the very notion that Russians have rights and freedoms that can be defended.

"The authorities want to show everyone that they have no rights and are defenseless," he wrote, "that there are no inherent human rights and freedoms in Russia. Only unlimited violence and impunity."

The government is "destroying everything that has been done by people without its involvement," Kirill Martynov, political editor at the independent newspaper Novaya gazeta, wrote on Facebook. "Here in Russia everyone who is doing something that is dear to them has gotten used to the routine: get knocked down by the state, get back up, move forward."

Journalist Maria Eismont noted that Komanda 29's closure came at the same time that the government named the Institute of Law and Public Policy, another legal-aid NGO that brings Russian citizens' cases to the European Court of Human Rights, a so-called "foreign agent."

"It would be hard to find a more patriotic activity than helping Russian citizens fight for their rights against those who are much more powerful," she wrote on Facebook. "There is no doubt that such organizations are not only desirable,' but essential for any society that is thinking about its future."

Political analyst Aleksandr Shmelev called the law on "undesirable" organizations "absolutely fascist and so blatantly illegal that it stands out sharply against the background of all our other illegal, fascist laws."

"I am almost certain that this law will be used more and more frequently in the coming years and everyone imaginable will be deemed 'undesirable,'" he wrote on Facebook. "After all, it is simply so convenient!"

Written by Robert Coalson based on reporting from Russia by Svetlana Prokopyeva and Anna Yarovaya of the North.Realities desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service
The European Union's border agency says it will deploy 60 guards next week to monitor Lithuania's frontier amid an influx of migrants crossing illegally from Belarus, a move seen as revenge by Minsk after the bloc imposed a new round of sanctions on Alyaksandr Lukashenka's repressive regime.

Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri, on a trip to Vilnius amid a flood of migrant crossings unleashed by Lukashenka in recent months, said on July 19 that the EU was "facing something that is unprecedented."

"It's the first time in history that Frontex has to deploy such an operation in this region of the European Union," Leggeri said.

Almost illegal 2,100 migrants have entered Lithuania from Belarus this year, including 1,400 this month alone, the Lithuanian border guard service has said.

Lukashenka has repeatedly threatened to allow migrants to cross into the EU in response to sanctions imposed on Minsk following a disputed presidential election last year and a subsequent crackdown on those protesting the strongman's claim that he won reelection by a landslide.

Lithuania, which has a nearly 680-kilometer border with Belarus, has been particularly hard hit. It accuses Belarus of deliberately allowing migrants -- a large number of whom are from Iraq -- across its borders.

Vilnius has even accused Minsk of flying in migrants from abroad to send illegally into the EU.

The Frontex deployment, which was requested by Lithuania, is the agency's first since it began policing Greece's land border with Turkey in March 2020.

The Frontex mission, which will last until October 6, will employ some 30 vehicles and two helicopters, along with staff to screen and interview migrants.



Lithuania is also building a 550-kilometer razor-wire barrier on the border, but construction has stalled because of a shortage of razor wire.

EU members Slovenia and Denmark will supply razor wire "as fast as possible," in addition to what Vilnius can procure on its own, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa
MINSK -- A court in Belarus has handed lengthy prison terms to 11 activists as authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka's crackdown against pro-democracy activists, the independent media, and civil rights groups continues to intensify.

Belarus has been mired in turmoil since a disputed presidential election in August 2020 that gave Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term in power.

Belarusian security forces in recent weeks have ramped up repression against media and human rights organizations, drawing even greater criticism from Western countries that have already slapped several rounds of sanctions on Lukashenkas regime.

A court in Minsk on July 19 found Paval Nyadayla, Rastsislau Stefanovich, Yauhen Prapolski, Alyaksandr Reznik, Syarhey Plonis, Artsyom Mitsuk, and Alyaksandr Yurchyk -- the only person not recognized as a political prisoner among others in the group -- were sentenced to eight years in prison after the court found them guilty of taking part in mass disorders and damaging private property.

Stefanovich and Plonis are members of the Coordination Council, a body set up by the political opposition to facilitate the transfer of power in Belarus following a presidential election in August 2020 that the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept.

Artsyom Kasakouski, Dzmitry Lastouski, and Dzmitry Zheburtovich were found guilty of taking part in mass disorders and sentenced to five years in prison.

The court also found Yury Byalko guilty on the same charges and additionally convicted him of illegal activities using a firearm and sentenced him to nine years in prison.

All of the defendants have rejected the charges.

In a separate trial at a different court in Minsk, four others who have been recognized by rights groups as political prisoners, Uladzislau Barysau, Yan Falkin, Uladzimer Matsyukh, and Mikita Litvinenka, were sentenced to prison terms of between 3 1/2 and five years for their participation in anti-Lukashenka rallies in August.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 2020 election considered fraudulent.

Lukashenka was declared the victor of the August 2020 election, triggering protests by tens of thousands of Belarusians who say the vote was rigged. The demonstrations lasted for months as Belarusians demanded Lukashenka, in power since 1994, step down and hold fresh elections.

Security officials have cracked down hard on the demonstrators, arresting thousands and pushing most leading opposition figures out of the country.

Several protesters have been killed in the violence and rights organizations say there is credible evidence of torture being used against some of those detained.

Lukashenka denies voter fraud and has refused to negotiate with the opposition led by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who supporters say actually won the vote.

The European Union, United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka, 66, as the legitimate leader of Belarus and have slapped him and senior Belarusian officials with sanctions in response to the falsification of the vote and postelection crackdown.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has condemned Belarus's detention of another of its correspondents, Ales Dashchynski, as authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues to crack down on independent media.

Dashchynski's relatives told RFE/RL that police detained him on July 16 after his apartment in Minsk was searched and his computer, telephone, a hard drive, several flash memory sticks, and a bank card were confiscated.

His accreditation as a journalist was canceled last October as part of Lukashenka's campaign against dissent and free media following a disputed presidential election in August that the opposition and many Western nations say was rigged.

Dashchynski's detainment came the same day as police and security forces raided the offices and homes of several independent journalists across Belarus, including RFE/RL's offices in Minsk. The raids resulted in the detention of several people, including two other RFE/RL correspondents whose accreditations also were annulled in October -- Aleh Hruzdzilovich and Ina Studzinskaya.

"The arrest of RFE/RLs Ales Dashchynski -- just like the arrests of his colleagues Aleh Hruzdzilovich and Ina Studzinskaya, and so many other independent Belarusian journalists -- is the latest searing testimony to the desperation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka," RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said in a statement on July 18. "These continuous assaults on journalists serving the people of Belarus will not mask the truth about what is happening in Belarus. Ales and his colleagues should be released immediately."

Belarusian authorities have moved to shut down critical and nonstate media outlets and human right bodies in the wake of mass protests after the disputed election. The opposition and West say Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya won the vote and accuse Lukashenka of falsifying the result to give him a sixth consecutive term in power.

Lukashenka has put down street protests and dissent over the vote with sometimes lethal force, jailing thousands of people and forcing most opposition leaders who haven't been imprisoned to leave the country.

The West, which has refused to recognize the official results of the vote and does not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader, has imposed several rounds of sanctions against the 66-year-old, some of his family members, other senior officials, and on key economic sectors in the former Soviet republic.

Recently, the EU imposed further far-reaching penalties aimed at weakening the regime after the forced landing of a European passenger plane in Minsk and the arrest of an opposition blogger who was on board.
SKOPJE -- North Macedonia says it has repatriated four suspected former fighters of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and their families from Syria and Iraq.

The 23-member group, including five women and 14 children, was transferred to the Balkan country late on July 17, the government said in a statement on its website.

The four men, who are facing criminal charges, were put in custody pending trial.

The women and children will be subject to 14-day health quarantine and medical exams.

The government also said authorities will investigate their possible participation in incriminating acts, on a case-by-case basis.

If cleared, they will then begin the process of reintegration into society.

A police spokesperson said that 11 other Macedonian citizens had been repatriated from Syria and Iraq in 2018-20.

North Macedonias court have given 13 people sentences ranging from six to nine years in prison for joining the IS group and for fighting in Syria and Iraq.

With reporting by AP
Prominent U.S. investor Michael Calvey has told a Moscow court that evidence presented in his embezzlement trial proves his innocence and that his acquittal would attract billions of dollars in investment into the Russian economy.

Delivering his final testimony in a high-profile trial that is being closely watched by the international business community, Calvey told Moscow's Meshchansky district court on July 19 he and his co-defendants acted "solely within the law" in a case he believes is being used to pressure them in a business dispute over control of Vostochny Bank.

The case has rattled the business community both within Russia and outside of it, and prompted several prominent officials and businessmen to voice concerns about the treatment of the executives.

"The court's decision to reject all the charges would be a big positive signal proving that courts are independent and investors' rights are protected. It would not be an exaggeration to suppose that this kind of a positive decision of the court could attract billions of dollars in new investments to Russia and create thousands of new jobs," Calvey told the court.

The trial of Calvey, the founder of the private equity group Baring Vostok, Philippe Delpal, and five other associates -- Russian citizens Vagan Abgaryan, Ivan Zyuzin, Maksim Vladimirov, Aleksei Kordichev, and Aleksandr Tsakunov -- started on February 2, almost two years after their arrest.

The charges stem from a long-running dispute between Baring Vostok and Vostochny Bank shareholders. Baring Vostok owned a 52.5 percent share of the bank. Prosecutors accuse the defendants of embezzling 2.5 billion rubles ($37.5 million) by persuading Vostochny Bank shareholders to approve a share deal at an unrealistically low price.

Calvey, who along with his co-defendants has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, said at the trial that he worked in Russia because he "loved this country and believed that Russia had the potential to become one of the world's leading investment markets."

"Even after 2014, when the geopolitical climate worsened and [Western] sanctions were imposed on Russia [over the seizure of Ukraine's Crimea and instigating separatism in Ukraine's east], I continued to defend Russia's image as an attractive country for work and investments," Calvey said.

The prosecution has asked the court to find Calvey guilty and hand him a six-year suspended prison term, and that Calvey's associate, Delpal, who is a French national, should receive a five-year suspended prison. The others, the prosecution says, should be given suspended prison terms of between four and five years.

Judge Anna Sokova said that the verdicts and any sentences in the case will be pronounced on August 2.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin was aware that international businesses are following the case against Calvey and his associates, but said he didn't think "a single [criminal] case could have global consequences."

Baring Vostok is one of the largest and oldest private-equity firms operating in Russia. It was founded in the early 1990s and manages more than $3.7 billion in assets. The company was an early major investor in Yandex, Russia's dominant search engine.

Calvey is one of several Americans currently held in Russia on charges their supporters say are groundless.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, was sentenced in June 2020 to 16 years on espionage charges that he has vehemently rejected.

Another former U.S. Marine, Trevor Reed, was sentenced to nine years in prison in late July 2020 after a Moscow court found him guilty of assaulting two police officers, a charge that he refused to admit.

With reporting by Interfax, RIA Novosti, and TASS
KIROV, Russia -- A court in the Urals city of Kirov has fined three Jehovah's Witnesses on charges of organizing and financing the religious group that Russia labeled as extremist and banned in 2017.

The Lenin district court on July 19 ordered Andrei Shchepin, Aleksandr Shamov, and Yevgeny Udintsev to pay fines of between 200,000 rubles and 500,000 rubles ($2,700-$6,750).

Although the defendants pleaded not guilty, their relatives and supporters met the pronouncement of the verdicts and sentences with applause as in many cases the religious group's members have been handed lengthy prison terms in Russia in recent years.

It was not immediately clear if they will appeal the court's decision.

The United States has condemned Russia's ongoing crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses and other peaceful religious minorities.

For decades, the Jehovah's Witnesses have been viewed with suspicion in Russia, where the dominant Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin.

The Christian group is known for door-to-door preaching, close Bible study, rejection of military service, and not celebrating national and religious holidays or birthdays.

Since the faith was outlawed in Russia, many Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned in Russia and the Russia-annexed Ukrainian Black Sea Crimea Peninsula.

According to the group, dozens of Jehovah's Witnesses were either convicted of extremism or are in pretrial detention.

The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has recognized dozens of Jehovahs Witnesses who've been charged with or convicted of extremism as political prisoners.
Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will hold joint military maneuvers near the Tajik-Afghan border in early August amid increasing security concerns in Central Asian nations over Taliban offensives against government troops in northern Afghanistan.

The commander of Russia's Central Military District, Aleksandr Lapin, told reporters on July 19 that the drills will be held on Tajikistan's Harb-Maidon military field on August 5-10.

"During the exercises, we will polish joint military efforts against illegal armed formations that intervene into the territory of an ally country," Lapin said.

The Central Military District's press service said personnel from Russia's military base in Tajikistan, mountainous vehicular troops, tank and artillery units, as well as the district's special units will take part in the maneuvers.

In recent weeks, hundreds of Afghans, including police and government troops, have fled the country and entered Tajikistan and Uzbekistan amid a Taliban offensive. The militants have captured around one-third of Afghanistans 423 districts since the start of the international military withdrawal on May 1.

The Taliban ramped up its offensives after U.S. President Joe Biden said in April that the withdrawal of U.S. forces would be completed by September 11. Biden later moved the date up to August 31.

The rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces, and the Taliban's battlefield successes, have caused concerns that the Western-backed government in Kabul may collapse.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax
The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have traded barbs in a round of talks that highlighted the differences between the two former Yugoslav entities and failed to bring them closer to resolving one of Europe's thorniest territorial disputes.

In Brussels for the second time in a month, the talks on July 19 between Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic are part of decade-long negotiations aimed at resolving disputes that continue to taint relations more than 20 years after the 1998-99 Kosovo War.

But after only a couple of hours, EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak emerged from the meeting with the blunt assessment that "we achieved very little progress today."

"The meeting was difficult and it demonstrated very different approaches of the two parties to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia," he said.

"As far as the EU is concerned, it's important to stress that the European future for both Serbia and Kosovo depends on the normalization of their relations and that they are expected to work together to overcome the past and solve the current issues among themselves," Lajcak said.

Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008 after a 1998-99 conflict between separatist ethnic Albanian rebels and Serbian forces. The war ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign that drove Serbian troops out and a peacekeeping force moved in.

Both Washington and Brussels have said that normalization is essential for their further integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. Serbia and Kosovo are both seeking EU membership, and Kosovo hopes for NATO membership, too.

Kosovo's independence has been recognized by more than 100 countries, including the United States and all but five of the European Union's 27 member states. But Serbia still considers the territory as its southern province, and is supported by Russia and China.

Kurti said the atmosphere was little changed from the first meeting on June 15, and that Serbia needed to first face its past before it can look toward the future.

"The reason we don't have a common position is because the Serbian side rejected the expression 'facing the past,' even though it was accepted by the European side," Kurti said, adding that Vucic personally "has a problem with dealing with the past."

For his part, Vucic put the blame for a lack of progress squarely on his counterpart, saying Serbia accepted all three points for negotiations suggested by the EU and that Kosovo welcomed none.

"We are not talking about a rational principle, but we speak to people who only demand Serbia's responsibility for a geocode in the continuum. That is all they are interested in."
Andrei Sharashkin has faced wolves, bears, thieves, and countless friendly locals while walking (and sometimes hitchhiking) alone across almost 30,000 kilometers of Russian territory. Over the past three years, Sharashkin has seen nearly 2,000 cities, villages, and towns across Russia.

The 55-year old, who was born in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic but settled in the Russian city of Tyumen, says he is undertaking the epic journey in order to write a book about Russia's disappearing villages in its underpopulated rural regions.

Since his backpack and journals full of notes were stolen, the former history teacher began uploading observations and mobile-phone photos to an increasingly popular blog called Walking In Russia. His followers donate money to help him with supplies.

The long-distance hiker says he walks around 30-35 kilometers every day, though he admits to hitchhiking on some parts of his journey.

The adventurer lives in a tent through the warmer months, but in winter either stays with locals who know he is coming or in a hotel.

Sharashkin says he has wanted to undertake the journey since 2002, but it only became possible after he got divorced.

"In order to see Russia and understand its history, you need to walk through it," Sharashkin says.

The hiker told Russian media he decided to begin the epic journey on foot after driving with his brother on Russia's highways and realizing they had "missed" a lot. "Our nature, the world around us -- they are so beautiful that my head was swiveling around 360 degrees. But you can't get out of the car, you can't take a photo."

Through the tens of thousands of kilometers, which he walks mostly along roadsides, Sharashkin says he has encountered one bear, in October 2019, which he shooed off by lighting flares. The run-in ended with Sharashkin catching a ride to get out of the area, but the car he was traveling in ended up crashing.

The hiker had a far more dangerous experience with a pack of wolves on the lonely steppes of Kalmykia in November 2018. "I had pitched my tent, then sensed that someone was looking at me," he told RFE/RL. "Ten meters away, eight wolves are sitting and watching me. Of course I was scared. My heart dropped. I just sat down and started talking to them with a knife in one hand and an ax in the other. I don't remember what I was saying or how long it lasted, maybe five, six, seven minutes. Eventually they got up and left. Apparently they were bored by me. I was shaking for about 15 minutes afterward, I broke two cigarettes trying to light them. The wolves were probably not hungry, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here today."

Sharashkin says his interactions with locals have been overwhelmingly positive, but he has been struck by the condition of the country's rural regions, telling RFE/RL that "devastation is everywhere."

"Many villages are dying, many have already died," the hiker says. "I went through villages where only one or two people remained and there are such villages everywhere, in every region, in every republic. At least where I've been. This is sad."
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A groundbreaking investigative reporting outfit and a prominent legal-defense group are among the latest victims of the Russian states sweeping campaign against opponents, civil society, and independent media. Meanwhile, court cases against allies of Aleksei Navalny and others continue. RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.
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A plaque honoring the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps was dedicated at the Statehouse on July 6. Pictured are, seated, World War II cadet nurses Betty Beecher and Mary Maione; standing, from left, Leland Hussey, Gov. Charlie Baker, state Rep. Paul Tucker, Sen. Joan Lovely, Rep. Brad Hill, Sen. Bruce Tarr and Barbara Poremba, of Salem.
Plus, nonprofits donate food for people and pets, and info on a local backpack drive and blood drive
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United Airlines will stop service at Everett's Paine Field starting this fall as the carrier consolidates its routes in the Pacific Northwest.

The airline will cease operations at Paine Field due to "demand trends" with a final flight departing to Denver on October 5, according to The Points Guy. The airline only operated two routes out of the airport and stopped service to San Francisco in February 2020.

But it's not all bad news for Snohomish County travelers who want to avoid the trip to the busy Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: Alaska Airlines is expanding its offerings at the airport with a new nonstop flight to Tucson beginning in November.

The airline plans on resuming its full schedule of 18 daily nonstop departures by spring 2022. Currently, the airline operates just five routes: Las Vegas, Orange County, Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco.

The airline will offer 11 daily departures starting on Sept. 8, adding two flights a day to both Boise and Spokane and second daily flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. Later in October, the airline will also bring back seasonal flights to Palm Springs.

By Genna Martin

"Our commitment to Paine Field never wavered," said Brett Catlin, vice president of network and alliances at Alaska Airlines in a June news release. "Our guests love the convenience of the airport. Next year, as we continue to offer additional flights, we'll be in a position to resume our full allotment of 18 departures every day to the places our guests want to fly to the most."

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and plummet in demand for air travel, the airport suspended all service for 10 weeks in 2020 and implemented new safety protocols including scanning a passengers' body temperature with a thermal camera before flights. The airport resumed service last August with just three daily flights, including one to Denver operated by United.
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Good morning, Bay Area. Its Monday, July 19, and several Bay Area athletes are worth watching at the Olympic Games starting Friday. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

On Friday, seven Bay Area counties issued new guidance recommending that even fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors, which adds to unpredictability for workplaces.

The standards board of the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration had voted last month to update workplace rules so that vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks at work. The board talked about updating the rules if the pandemic worsened but has no plans to vote on changes.

Read more from Chase DiFeliciantonio.

 Los Angeles County reimposed its mask mandate because of a sharp increase in coronavirus cases. So where does the Bay Area stand?

 Heres why Bay Area health officials want residents to start masking again, regardless of vaccination status.

 Bay Area restaurants are scrambling to respond to the new masking guidance.

 Heres what has actually changed amid the new mask guidance from Bay Area officials.

 San Francisco has seen a small rise in coronavirus cases in the past few weeks. Who is getting infected?

The No-Fun Olympics

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images 2019

The Olympic Games in Tokyo start Friday after being delayed a year because of the pandemic. Keep an eye out for these 10 Bay Area and Northern California athletes who will be competing in gymnastics, fencing, skateboarding and more.

This years Games will also include some dramatic and inspiring story lines to watch unfold during a spectator-less Olympics under strict protocols where athletes arrive, compete and must leave the country within 48 hours after their events.

Around the Bay

Noah Berger / Associated Press

 Rapidly spreading: The Tamarack Fire south of Lake Tahoe grew more than 18,000 acres as of Sunday evening. Check The Chronicles wildfire tracker for updates. Also: A red flag warning has been issued for parts of the Bay Area through Monday evening.

 From Heather Knight: Charges against a man who followed and grabbed a 15-year-old girl were dismissed by an S.F. judge.

 Swindled or saved? Chronicle Editorial Page Editor Matthew Fleischer details his experience selling his home to Redfin.

 Taking legal action: DoorDash and Grubhub have sued San Francisco over its permanent cap on third-party delivery fees.

 Stadium showdown: Oakland and the As continue to disagree on waterfront stadium terms as a key vote from the City County nears Tuesday.

 Is it enough? The number of prescribed burns has increased in California in recent years, which fire experts say is crucial to controlling the states wildfire problem.

 Thats all, folks: The window to express interest in running against Gov. Gavin Newsom in the recall campaign has closed.

Kicker

Photos by Nina Riggio/The Chronicle

Like most people, David Gans life changed dramatically when the pandemic hit in 2020.

After his last live show on March 6, 2020, Gans saw his performing schedule come to a complete halt. But instead of putting away his guitar, he started live-streaming shows every day to see what happens, he said. Now hes played 450 shows and counting.

I missed five or six days last September because my wife and I went on a camping trip, he said. I missed a day for a colonoscopy. I missed a couple of days for technical difficulties here and there.

And even after hes begun booking live shows again, Gans said he doesnt plan to stop his virtual performances anytime soon. Read more from Peter Hartlaub.

Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com.
The chances of the Bay Area experiencing dry lightning dropped considerably Sunday, though much of the region remained under a red flag warning.

Drew Peterson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the monsoonal high pressure system, the reason for the warning, had expanded further west and north than initially expected, changing the path of the moisture and significantly (lowering) our chances of seeing dry lightning in our area.

Still, he said, there was a marginal risk the Bay Area could experience the sort of thunderstorms and lightning strikes that, in years past, have sparked wildfires across Northern California.

According to current forecasts, he said, lightning would be most likely to occur between 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, with the highest chances in the morning.

A red flag warning signaling high fire danger is in effect in parts of the region from 5 p.m. Sunday to 5 p.m. Monday  particularly in higher elevations, including in the North Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, East Bay hills and Diablo Range.

Meanwhile, gusting winds and gathering storm systems fanned two major wildfires burning in the Sierra Nevada on Sunday.

In Alpine County south of Lake Tahoe, firefighters battling the 18,299-acre Tamarack Fire worked as a storm system entered the region, bringing some rain and also lightning strikes to the dry terrain. U.S. Forest Service officials said firefighters were defending structures in the town of Markleeville as well as Sierra Pines, Shay Creek and Hung A Lel Ti communities. Officials closed a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Tamarack Fire was wholly uncontained, having grown dramatically since it was an estimated 500 acres Thursday. The fire sent a dramatic pyrocumulonimbus cloud into the sky Sunday.

The Dixie Fire in Butte and Plumas counties threatened the communities of Jonesville and Philbrook, about 30 miles north of Paradise, leading sheriffs officials to order residents there to evacuate. Authorities also shut down a portion of Highway 70 near Jarbo Gap as burning rocks and vegetation began tumbling downhill onto the road below, Cal Fire Operations section chief Tony Brownell said. The fire grew to 18,702 acres and was 15% contained as of Sunday night.

Firefighters also continued working Sunday to contain the Sugar Fire within the 103,348-acre Beckwourth Complex in the Plumas National Forest. U.S. Forest Service officials reported the fire showed little growth. The complex was 82% contained Sunday.

Ryan Kost and Julie Johnson are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com, julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost, @juliejohnson
A state appeals court says California violates the freedom of speech of nursing home staff members by making it a crime for them to deliberately use the wrong pronouns when referring to transgender patients. But the court upheld another section of the law requiring the homes to place transgender patients in rooms that match their gender identity, and said the state could take other steps to require staff to respect the patients decisions.

Misgendering a person, by knowingly referring to a transgender female, for example, as him or Mr., can be disrespectful, discourteous, or insulting, the Third District Court of Appeal in San Francisco said Friday. But the First Amendment does not protect only speech that inoffensively and artfully articulates a persons point of view.

The court suggested it could uphold a more narrowly drawn law that applied only to intentionally insulting or harassing use of misgendered pronouns and did not include criminal penalties.

The 2017 law, SB219, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and supported by LGBTQ advocates, prohibited staff members of long-term care facilities from knowingly and repeatedly referring to a resident with a name or pronoun different from those chosen by the resident. Violations could be prosecuted as misdemeanors punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,500 fine.

The law also required the facilities to assign rooms based on a residents gender identity, unless the resident requested a different assignment.

California law already prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. But supporters of Wieners bill said transgender seniors remained vulnerable to mistreatment in nursing homes. A 2013 survey, cited in a legislative staff analysis, found that nearly 60% of elderly transgender residents in San Francisco lived alone, and many said they lacked family support networks while living in care facilities.

The law was challenged by an advocacy group called Taking Offense. It argued that the ban on misgendering unconstitutionally required some nursing home staff to convey messages that violated their personal beliefs, and the room assignment provision granted rights to transgender patients that were not provided to others.

A Sacramento County judge upheld the entire law. But the appeals court said the misgendering provision went too far by applying to comments that were not necessarily discriminatory or harassing, and did not even have to be made in the patients presence.

We recognize the Legislatures legitimate and laudable goal of rooting out discrimination against LGBT residents, Justice Elena Duarte said in the 3-0 ruling. But SB219, she said, punishes the kind of isolated remarks not sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to create an objectively hostile work environment.

To not call one by the name one prefers or the pronoun one prefers is simply rude, insulting and cruel, Justice Ron Robie said in a separate opinion. The Legislatures laudable goal, he said, can be accomplished in other ways.

Duarte said the laws other provision, requiring patients to be housed in rooms consistent with their gender identity unless they request otherwise, confers no special rights on transgender patients.

Wiener, the laws author, said the state must appeal the ruling on misgendering.

Deliberately misgendering a transgender person isnt just a matter of opinion, and its not simply disrespectful, discourteous, or insulting. Rather, its straight up harassment, the senator said Monday. And, it erases an individuals fundamental humanity, particularly one as vulnerable as a trans senior in a nursing home.

A lawyer for the Taking Offense group could not be reached for comment.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
With everything and everybody packed into narrow spaces, a submarine is not an attractive environment during a pandemic.

So when the battle-hardened World War II floating museum Pampanito opened to visitors on Fishermans Wharf last month, its operators did not expect attendance to be what it was before COVID-19.

Their hunch was right. It isnt the same. Its better. On Sunday, paid attendance passed 5,000 in just one month. Compared to the same month in 2019, it is up 14%, or around 500 tickets.

It blew my mind the first day when we opened the gate, said Pampanito volunteer Rich Pekelney, as he stood on Pier 45 and watched a steady stream of curious pedestrians walking toward him to line up for a self-guided smart phone tour. It was so normal after a year and a half of not being normal.

One aspect that has not returned to normal is foreign tourists, who make up half the usual annual attendance. With far fewer of them, due to travel restrictions, and with the slow rebooting of the tourist economy, we were anticipating 20 or 30% of our normal attendance, said Darlene Plumtree, CEO of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, which owns and operates the Pampanito as a National Historic Landmark. We were amazed.

The association took advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown by sending the Pampanito into dry dock in Alameda. It was its second trip in five years, following a major overhaul in 2016. Managing director Aaron Washington described this trip as a shave and a haircut, but it was more than cosmetic.

The boat, which survived 697 dives while torpedoing six enemy ships during the war in the Pacific, was attacked again in its berth. First a shed on Pier 45 burned down in a conflagration in May 2020, threatening both the Pampanito and its mate the Jeremiah OBrien, a World War II liberty ship that shares anchorage on Pier 45. Two forklifts used in the boats maintenance were lost in the fire.

Then came the ferocious windstorm of January 2021. A gale blew down from Vallejo and she dragged her moorings into the pier, Pekelney said. The challenges this year were not just COVID, which meant no income. We had a fire and a storm slam into the pier.

Mike Kai Chen / Special to The Chronicle

The shave and haircut ended up taking six weeks and costing $800,000, covered by a combination of a $175,000 Maritime Heritage Grant, which the Pampanitos boosters were able to match, and an insurance settlement. The crew took advantage of the subs time under repairs to remount its most powerful gun, a 5-inch, 25-caliber cannon, to its original placement on the rear deck. A pair of 40mm machine guns were also restored and mounted in their original positions for the the first time since decommissioning in 1945.

When we got the boat in 1982, there were no weapons on it, said Pekelney. Its been the dream since the museum opened to get all the right deck guns in all the right places.

The Pampanito was towed back to its mooring in San Francisco and reopened without fanfare or even an announcement. On June 17, its first first full day of operation, 220 visitors paid the $20 admission fee, up from the average weekday attendance of 175, and it has held steady.

Since we reopened weve had a lot of climate change tourists, said Pekelney, a member of the Board of Trustees who works on the machinery. People from Redding, Lodi, Stockton, Chico and all over the Central Valley coming to the city to escape the heat.

Hes also noticed more San Franciscans than before. They are the ones who say, I didnt know you were here.

Mike Morgan, a visitor from Fort Worth, noticed the Pampanito and its guns while driving along the Embarcadero with his family.

I wanted to shoot the guns, he said at the ticket booth. They said it was fully operational.

Mike Kai Chen/Special to The Chronicle

To get on board, visitors climb down a steep ladder below the water line and into the belly of the boat. From there they travel 311 feet and through six watertight doors that require ducking down and stepping through. It is a gauntlet nearly impossible to travel without either banging your head or tripping or both. Most people reach out and grab the same surfaces that everybody else reaches for in order to get a handhold.

Masks are recommended but not required. A hand sanitizer is at the exit.

Michal Camarena came from Fresno with his four kids, all under age 12.

I felt claustrophobia and a little seasick, he said after going through the boat, but COVID never crossed my mind.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com
The extra-contagious delta variant has driven a recent surge in coronavirus cases nationwide, and San Francisco is no exception. Case rates have risen citywide this month, primarily among unvaccinated people.

The Chronicle looked at data from the San Francisco Department of Public Health to see where in the city these infections are occurring. The data shows that new cases are predominantly hitting residents who have suffered disproportionately from the virus since the pandemic began: Black and Latino people.

Our analysis found that from July 1 through July 10, ZIP codes in which at least 20% of residents identify as Black or Latino had an average of 7.9 new cases per 10,000 residents, compared with just 4.7 per 10,000 in ZIP codes where less than 10% identified as Black or Latino.

The ZIP code hit hardest so far by this new surge is 94124, which encompasses most of the Bayview neighborhood. The ZIP code, which is 52% Black and Latino, had 61 confirmed cases through July 10, more than any other ZIP code in the city; it also has the highest per capita rate over that time period, at 17 new cases per 10,000.

In a news briefing Thursday, Mayor London Breed said that 28% of San Franciscans currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are Black, despite Black people making up just 5.6% of the citys population according to U.S. census estimates.

The fact that COVID-19 is once again causing outsize harm to Black and Latino residents has alarmed and frustrated community leaders.

We feel like were fighting for peoples lives right now, said Dr. Monique LeSarre, executive director of the Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness. LeSarres organization works to reduce health inequities within the Black San Franciscan population.

LeSarre noted that vaccination rates of Black and Latino residents continue to lag those of white populations, largely because these communities tend to have less trust in traditional media and the medical establishment. While over 83% of ZIP code 94124s residents have been fully vaccinated, LeSarre said Black and Latino residents still lag behind white San Franciscans citywide.

Currently, the health departments data shows white San Franciscans lagging behind Latino residents. However, the data is not particularly robust because more than 75,000 people identified as other or multi-racial, or their race is unknown.

We think vaccination is the best prevention we have and can, in many and most cases, prevent death and dying, LeSarre said. We also know there will be a group of people that just wont get vaccinated.

Black and Latino residents who are unwilling to get vaccinated are at greater risk for both contracting the coronavirus and getting very sick from it, LeSarre said. They are more likely than white people to work in essential jobs, such as those in the service industry, that place them in proximity to many people on a daily basis.

Additionally, in the U.S., these groups  particularly Black people  have higher levels of pre-existing conditions that make the likelihood of a severe COVID-19 case higher, LeSarre said.

Because the Bayview and Hunters Point region was once home to an unusual number of factories and was formerly the site of a naval base housing ships contaminated with radioactive material, current and past industrial emissions and chemicals expose residents to more pollutants than most other San Franciscans, she said.

LeSarre said she hopes that in addition to continuing its vaccination outreach efforts, the city will streamline its messaging around public health measures  specifically by getting people to start wearing masks indoors again, which it recommended Friday along with other Bay Area counties.

California took this whole thing and went with it and folks wanted to believe that we were in a new place, and were not  were still in a pandemic, LeSarre said, referring to the statewide June 15th reopening. We need to pull back.

Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson
WYNDMERE, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota authorities are searching for a woman accused of robbing a Wyndmere bank Monday morning.

Richland County Chief Deputy Gary Ruehl said the woman came into Lincoln State Bank shortly before 11 a.m. Her face was covered and she demanded money, Ruehl said.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon thats spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources.

Crews had to flee the fire lines late Thursday after a dangerous fire cloud started to collapse, threatening them with strong downdrafts and flying embers. An initial review Friday showed the Bootleg Fire destroyed 67 homes and 117 outbuildings overnight in one county. Authorities were still counting the losses in a second county where the flames are surging up to 4 miles (6 kilometers) a day.

The blaze has forced 2,000 people to evacuate and is threatening 5,000 buildings that include homes and smaller structures in a rural area just north of the California border, fire spokeswoman Holly Krake said. Active flames are surging along 200 miles (322 kilometers) of the fire's perimeter, she said, and it's expected to merge with a smaller, but equally explosive fire by nightfall.

The Bootleg Fire is now 377 square miles (976 square kilometers)  larger than the area of New York City  and mostly uncontained.

Now Playing: Tim and Dee McCarley fled from their southern Oregon home last week as fierce flames closed in. They returned days later to find the house was not damaged, the refrigerators were still working and even the cat they couldn't find was safe. (July 15) Video: Associated Press

Were likely going to continue to see fire growth over miles and miles of active fire line, Krake said. We are continuing to add thousands of acres a day, and it has the potential each day, looking forward into the weekend, to continue those 3- to 4-mile runs.

The inferno has stymied firefighters for a week with erratic winds and extremely dangerous fire behavior, including ominous fire clouds that form from superheated air rising to a height of up to 6 miles (10 kilometers) above the blaze.

Now Playing: A wildfire threatening more than 1,500 homes near Wenatchee, Washington, has grown to 14 square miles and was about 10% contained. The cause remains under investigation. (July 15) Video: Associated Press

We're expecting those same exact conditions to continue and worsen into the weekend, Krake said of the fire-induced clouds.

Early on, the fire doubled in size almost daily, and strong winds Thursday again pushed the flames rapidly. Similar winds gusting up to 30 mph (48 kph) were expected Friday.

It's burning an area north of the California border that has been gripped by extreme drought, like most of the American West.

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have swept the region, making wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

The blaze was most active on its northeastern flank, pushed by winds from the south toward the rural communities of Summer Lake and Silver Lake. Paisley, to the east of the fire, was also at risk. All the towns are in Lake County, a remote area of lakes and wildlife refuges with a total population of about 8,000.

The Bootleg Fire is one of at least a dozen major fires burning in Washington state, Oregon and California as a siege of wildfires takes hold across the drought-stricken West. There were 70 active large fires and complexes of multiple fires that have burned nearly 1,659 square miles (4,297 square kilometers) in the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center said.

In the Pacific Northwest, firefighters say they are facing conditions more typical of late summer or fall than early July.

About 200 firefighters were battling but had little control over the 17-square-mile (44-square-kilometer) Red Apple Fire near the Washington city of Wenatchee renowned for its apples. The flames were threatening apple orchards and an electrical substation, but no buildings have been lost, officials said.

In California, the Tamarack Fire in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest quickly grew to 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers) on Friday, prompting evacuations in the Markleeville area in Alpine County. The blaze prompted the cancelation of Saturday's Death Ride, a 103-mile (165.76-kilometer) bicycle ride in the so-called California Alps over three Sierra Nevada mountain passes.

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This story has been updated to correct the name of a southeastern Oregon community: Silver Lake, not Spring Lake.

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Follow Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus.
I scrutinized the article, Deluge of cash to combat S.F. homelessness (Front Page, July 16), to see how much of that money was going to be spent on acute-psychiatric, substance-abuse rehabilitation and long-term psychiatric facility beds, to tackle the real causes of our homelessness problem. The article points out that San Francisco has already thrown millions and millions of dollars at the problem, only to see it get worse, rather than better.

Its no surprise to me or anyone else that worked in the psychiatric field before and after the 1980s.

One only has to look at the number of acute psych beds and long-term beds per capita in the 1970s and compare it with the number of beds per capita today to see the real underlying problem.

I was glad to see that some of the money will go to mental health and treatment but concerned it still may not be enough as long as those doling out the money keep insisting its primarily a real estate problem, rather than mental health and substance abuse crises.

Sylvan Rogers, Vallejo

Just obey the law

Regarding Balance energy use (Letters, July 15): The letter writer asked, I may be naive on this whole situation, but if we have to depend on only electricity to power our homes and businesses, how are we going to balance this?

We suggest, Obey the law. Californias Public Trust Doctrine requires a balancing test where burdens of proof and persuasion are reversed for analytical purposes from grantor to grantee. In other words, long-term public interests are weighted more than short-term business gains. Thats how we balance this.

Michael Warburton, Berkeley

Expansion of Medicare

Regarding Biden meets with Dems to firm up spending support (Nation, July 15): While I read recent reporting on the Democrats plan to improve Medicare benefits, which is a good step, the plan must include lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 60, and instituting a cap on out-of-pocket expenses.

For 60-year-olds like me with chronic health conditions, including diabetes and an autoimmune disease, commercial health insurance is hugely expensive ($2,100 a month) for a plan that ensures access to the specialists and treatments I need.

The health security and peace of mind Medicare provides is lifesaving. I urgently need Medicare and urge California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla to support this improvement and expansion of Medicare funded by the savings from limiting prescription drug prices.

Michael Lighty, Oakland

Make voting easier

I have tried several times to write a letter to the editor that expresses my disbelief of the Republican effort to restrict voting in many states, but havent come up with anything about this outrageous movement.

But, finally, I have to speak up: Do the Republicans think these restrictions will only affect the Black voters who they think wont vote for their party candidates?

It also affects Asians, Latinos, the elderly, retired and disabled of any party and any ethnic group, many of whom might be Republicans! Those of us who have grown up in these United States need to take direct action and speak out about your outrage that anything like this can happen in this country.

Speak up and contact your representatives to voice your objection to the rejection of the American rights that we have been enjoying for hundreds of years.

These are very dangerous changes to our voting rights. Voting should be easier, not harder, for everyone!
SACRAMENTO  A former senior employee in the California State Treasurers Office has sued Treasurer Fiona Ma for sexual harassment and wrongful termination, alleging that she was fired earlier this year after resisting unwanted sexual advances from Ma.

Judith Blackwell, who worked under Ma for about 16 months as executive director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, filed the lawsuit last week in Sacramento County Superior Court.

Plaintiff felt the work environment to be hostile as she felt her employment was contingent on her accepting Defendant Mas sexual advances, Blackwells attorney, Waukeen McCoy, wrote in the complaint. As a result of Plaintiff denying Defendant Mas advances, she was terminated from her employment.

Ma, a former Democratic state legislator from San Francisco who was elected treasurer in 2018, said in a statement that she repeatedly refused attempts by McCoy to settle.

I am saddened and disappointed by these baseless claims. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support Ive received today, she said. We look forward to bringing the truth to light in court.

As treasurer, Ma chairs the committee that administers a pair of federal and state tax credit programs to build affordable rental housing for low-income Californians, and she named Blackwell executive director in September 2019. The following January, she ousted the head of a closely related affordable housing bond committee that she chairs and asked Blackwell to lead that one as well.

With Blackwell now working late into the evenings and facing an hour commute home, the lawsuit alleges that Ma offered to pay for a room at a Sacramento hotel for her to stay. Beginning in February 2020, Blackwell began dining nightly with Ma and her chief of staff, who shared a room at the same hotel, according to the lawsuit.

Soon after, Ma allegedly proposed that she share a room with Blackwell instead, and during that time, repeatedly exposed her bare backside to Blackwell.

It was done to get Plaintiffs attention, McCoy wrote in the complaint. Plaintiff was uncomfortable and was fearful to comment on Ms. Mas lewd behavior.

Over the next few months, Ma gifted Blackwell with jewelry, paintings and edible marijuana to help her sleep, according to the lawsuit. She also allegedly provided Blackwell with a parking space in front of their office and promised to promote her to deputy treasurer.

In May 2020, Ma, her chief of staff and Blackwell moved into a Sacramento home rented through Airbnb where they each had their own rooms, according to the lawsuit. Blackwell alleges that Ma climbed into her bed one night while she was trying to sleep.

After suffering a stroke in September that kept her out of work for eight weeks, Blackwell alleges that she began experiencing negative treatment, including losing her parking space and being assigned additional tasks that required her to work overtime without assistance or additional compensation. The lawsuit states that she was fired in January without being given a reason.

In addition to sexual harassment and wrongful termination, Blackwell is suing for race discrimination, disability discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She alleges that Ma, who is Asian American, has a pattern of pushing out African American senior employees like Blackwell and that Ma replaced her with a less-qualified Caucasian female.

Blackwell is seeking punitive damages, civil penalties and attorneys fees, among other relief. McCoy, her attorney, said Monday that Ma has 30 days to respond to the lawsuit, after which they will be assigned a case management conference with a judge.

We tried to resolve the case with Ms. Ma before the lawsuit, he said. We never heard from them.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
California has banned the practice of sending foster youth and teens charged with crimes to faraway residential treatment programs, following a Chronicle investigation into reports of violent abuse at some of these out-of-state campuses.

The policy change, signed into law last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom, commits $100 million over five years to create new programs closer to home for these vulnerable children and teenagers.

It ensures that every youth in our care has the in-state services they need to thrive in the communities they call home, said Assembly Member Mark Stone, D-Santa Cruz, who authored the legislation that was later adopted as part of a larger budget bill. I am proud that Governor Newsom has signed this.

The December investigation by The Chronicle, in collaboration with nonprofit news outlet The Imprint, found that California officials had sent thousands of children to out-of-state treatment programs run by a private company, Sequel Youth & Family Services. California law prohibits judges from sending children to for-profit residential facilities; Sequel skirted the law by managing the campuses while preserving their ownership under local nonprofits.

At these institutions in Michigan, Iowa, Wyoming, Arizona and Utah, students reported physical abuse and sexual assault at the hands of employees, licensing records show. The violence turned deadly in April 2020, when seven staff members at the Sequel-run Lakeside Academy in Michigan killed a 16-year-old boy by piling on top of him as he cried out, I cant breathe.

The California Department of Social Services, which certifies residential treatment programs used by probation and child welfare agencies, had long known about the problems at campuses operated by Sequel, which is based in Alabama. Since 2017, officials in California and five other states had investigated hundreds of alleged violations or deficiencies at Sequel-run facilities used by California, including complaints that staff members had hit, kicked and assaulted residents, or had placed them in dangerous physical restraints.

In response to the Chronicle and Imprint investigation, the social services department decertified all out-of-state residential treatment programs in December, temporarily ending the practice of shipping foster children to distant facilities. With the signing of the budget bill on Thursday, Newsom effectively made the ban permanent starting July 1, 2022.

The bill will fund a pilot program for counties, which are charged with developing local treatment alternatives for foster youth with severe mental and behavioral health needs  a group that child welfare and probation officials have historically said they dont have the resources to serve in-state.

As part of the pilot, counties can use the money to create specialized foster family homes, which can include live-in professional staff for children who need around-the-clock supervision.

The funds also can be used to develop 24-hour crisis stabilization units for young people experiencing psychiatric emergencies, as well as residential programs for children who require long-term care. The stabilization units will serve no more than eight children at a time, while the residential treatment programs will each be capped at four.

Both options would confine youth to locked facilities, a situation criticized by advocates; many of the children have not been charged with crimes, and could be treated in less restrictive settings, they say.

Attorneys with the San Francisco-based Youth Law Center, which has long asked California authorities to stop sending children out of state, said they feared that these locked units could become dumping grounds for teens with severe challenges.

Still, the legal group and other advocates applauded the broader move away from out-of-state treatment programs and toward local solutions, describing the new policy as a necessary step in reforming Californias child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Banning the practice will force the system to look at the problem in a different way than we have in the past, said Daniel Macallair, executive director of the San Francisco-based Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, a nonprofit that pushes for alternatives to youth incarceration. We need to get out of the frame of mind where we send the problem away for a year or two and think somehow it will magically go away.

Officials with child welfare and probation agencies also said they welcomed the influx of money to develop local programs for those California youth who have proved hardest to serve. But some cautioned lawmakers against viewing the funding as a one-time budget commitment.

Sustaining this investment will be crucial, said Cathy Senderling, executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California, since the complex needs of youth are not one-time in nature.

Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, and Sara Tiano is a staff writer for The Imprint. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com, stiano@imprintnews.org
Ingleside Terraces is not one of San Franciscos better-known neighborhoods. There are no obvious tourist attractions  located in the southwestern part of the city, its a pleasant residential district, with a number of fine Craftsman, Edwardian, Dutch Colonial and Spanish-style houses.

But this neighborhood south of Ocean Avenue and east of Junipero Serra Boulevard is worth a visit just to behold one of the strangest streets in San Francisco: Urbano Drive. This unique street, in the shape of a giant oval, traces the contours of a long-vanished horse-racing track that was once one of the most splendid in the West.

The story of the street and the neighborhood is recounted in Woody LaBountys Ingleside Terraces: San Francisco Racetrack to Residence Park. Originally part of Jose de Jesus Noes 4,443-acre San Miguel land grant, the remote area was slow to develop. When a few roadhouses opened at nearby Lake Merced, riders began to use an old path west of San Jose Road that became known as Ocean House Road, later Ocean Avenue.

By the 1860s, sporting men enjoyed riding their gigs on a circuit that went out Point Lobos Road (now Geary Boulevard) to the Cliff House, down Ocean Beach, and back home via the roadhouses at Lake Merced and Ocean House Road. A horse-racing track opened just north of Lake Merced in 1865, but went out of business eight years later.

In 1885, a convivial businessperson named Cornelius Stagg opened what proved to be a popular roadhouse at Ocean House Road and Junipero Serra. He called it the Ingleside House, after a Celtic word meaning a domestic fireplace. Stagg was killed during a robbery in 1895, but the name he gave to his business lived on  and spread.

Not long after Stagg died, two wealthy bookmakers and a group of investors, including sugar magnate Adolph Spreckels, began construction on what was billed as the finest racetrack west of the Mississippi. They called it Ingleside Racetrack.

It cost $350,000 and featured a mile-long track. The central grandstand held 5,000 spectators; the betting ring accommodated 20 bookies and 4,000 customers.

The tracks inaugural race was held on Thanksgiving Day 1895. Despite misty weather, at least 7,000 spectators made their way out to the sticks. The Call newspaper gushed that the tracks opening meant a new era in horse racing on this side of the continent, contrasting its genteel atmosphere with the Bay District track in the Inner Richmond, which it disparaged as a resort mainly of disrepute. As a rule the better class of gentlemen did not care to go there, and if the impulse to witness racing could not be overcome they seldom boasted of having attended. As to ladies being present, that was out of the question.

However, the new racetracks supposed respectability soon wore off. By its third season, The Chronicle was reporting that few society women were to be seen, and in the grandstand there were some faces that always mark the racetrack. There were good women and not so good.

Trivia time The previous trivia question: What was the first live jazz recording in a club? Answer: "The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco," recorded at the Jazz Workshop in 1959. This week's question: How many of the 8,300 workers who built the Bay Bridge died during construction? Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your inbox twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday. See More Collapse

The anti-gambling fervor of the Progressive era forced Ingleside Racetrack to cease horse racing in 1899. The owners tried to survive by staging automobile and bicycle races instead, and limited horse racing was later allowed, but the track had begun a terminal decline.

The coup de grace was the 1906 earthquake. The racetracks buildings were converted into residences for special needs refugees, almshouse types made up of the elderly, indigent, mentally ill and alcoholic. The Ingleside Model Camp, as it was called, served a total of 1,287 people before it closed in January 1908.

By 1910, the area around the old racetrack had begun to attract residents, with stores and churches springing up nearby. Talk that a tunnel would be bored through Twin Peaks, opening up the entire western side of the city, led the propertys owner, a turf man named Thomas Williams, to plan to turn it into a 150-acre residential park, an exclusive area to be developed along picturesque lines. Williams optioned the property for $400,000 to a developer named Joseph Leonard, who had had great success building a neighborhood of Victorian homes in Alameda.

Leonard incorporated the Urban Realty Improvement Co., or Urico, and announced plans to build the most beautiful suburban residence park in the city, to be called Ingleside Terraces. Leonard said that by terracing lots around the old racetrack, his homes would have views of the Pacific and Lake Merced that could never be obstructed.

In keeping with the current nostalgia for Californias Spanish past, the developments streets were all given Spanish names. The street built atop the racetrack oval would be called Urbano. As LaBounty points out, some of the names made no sense: Entrada (entrance) Court is an interior cul-de-sac and not an entrance to anything, and Lunado (crescent-shaped) Way is one of the straightest streets in the development.

By December 1912, much of the infrastructure was completed, 38 houses had been built or were under construction, 500 shade trees had been planted, and the first streetlights in six blocks were turned on. To celebrate, the developers held a gra nd ball in the old clubhouse, which had been converted into a social center building for the homeowners.

Urico began aggressively promoting the upscale new development. One ad was written as a poem, concluding, If you reside in San Francisco, you owe it to your city to have seen this place that you may tell about it. Another made the grand, albeit preposterous, claim that the area had better weather than most peninsula localities.

But the most original marketing device was a giant sundial, its vertical monument (called a gnomon) 28 feet long and 17 feet high and standing in a circle 34 feet in diameter. The sundial was dedicated on Oct. 10, 1913, with a weird allegorical performance in which two children led two live storks towing baby buggies, with real babies inside, around the dial.

The outwardly cheery tableau had an ugly side. Like other upscale residence parks of the time, Ingleside Terraces decreed that no person of African, Japanese, Chinese or any Mongolian descent would be allowed to buy or occupy any property. Such racial covenants were ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948, but real estate agents continued to exclude nonwhites well into the 1950s.

So many of San Franciscos old sites have vanished without a trace. But the grand oval of Urbano Drive remains, a reminder of the days when thousands of people made the long trek to the citys barren west to place their bets at the greatest racetrack this side of the Mississippi.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. His new book, with drawings by Paul Madonna, is Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
The video begins with idle chatter, some acoustic pop music playing  then, it's interrupted with a car crashing headfirst leaving behind a trail of smoke and a scream.

"Oh my god, Mike, can you just back up a little bit?" a woman can be heard saying in the background. "Get out of the way, please."

The surreal car crash took place Wednesday off Highway 99 near Yuba City; a video recorded and posted that same day likened the accident to "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Multiple recordings show the car speeding on Highway 99 sometime on Thursday before sustaining air of up to 50 feet and then crashing on the other side of the road.

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol told the Sacramento news outlet KOVR that the vehicle had just been involved in a hit-and-run, driving backward on the highway and speeding excessively. A spokesperson for the CHP did not provide further comment to SFGATE.

Brian Conejo, an employee at a nearby agricultural equipment shop whose surveillance cameras recorded the crash, told KOVR the car was "probably doing 80 [to] 100 miles per hour in a 25 zone."

"Theres a really hard left-hand turn up here [on Highway 99], he told the station. They failed to make that turn, just kept going straight and literally went flying over the whole overpass.

Surprisingly, the woman driving the vehicle was left unharmed with only minor injuries, the station reports. Also, the incident, Conejo told the station, could have gotten much worse if she had tangled up with some power lines.

Pretty crazy to see someone flying through the air, he added.

A Yuba City police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.
Hundreds of professional searchers, dozens of law enforcement officers, search dogs, drones, planes equipped with thermal imaging equipment, hundreds more volunteers and nine long days in the East Bay hills have yielded nothing.

Philip Kreycik, the 37-year-old Berkeley runner who disappeared in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park on July 10, has still not been found.

"We truly feel we have done an enormous effort covering all possible scenarios during the past eight days," Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Sunday evening. "Like the community, we are frustrated and perplexed that this massive effort has yielded no results. We feel we should have found Philip by now."

A glimmer of hope was quickly dismissed after "cries" were heard in a canyon in the park on day 4. Despite a friend of Kreycik's confirming the sound, authorities later said it was not the missing runner. A discarded T-shirt was also found over the weekend, but again, authorities verified through a family member that it did not belong to Philip.

Facebook / Find Philip Kreycik

"We re-checked areas we had searched before that had limited access. We wanted to go back in to those difficult areas to be 100% sure. These areas included deep ravines with high angle rope teams traversing the steep terrain. We also searched private property areas, adjacent park land, to make sure we were exhausting every possible scenario," Kelly said in the statement. "We followed up on 72 hours worth of tips and leads that came in from police and community reports."

Kreycik's family is still holding onto hope that Philip may be alive but disoriented, possibly in an outlying barn or building. They have urged residents to check their properties.

I think the saying goes that your life can change in an instant. Thats exactly what happened to us, Kreycik's wife Jen Yao told NBC News this weekend. Your life can change just like that. I want everyone to hug your families, care for each other and help us bring him home.

Meanwhile, a now 10,000 member-strong Facebook group, Find Philip Kreycik, is continuing to organize search teams and advise on next steps.

Kreycik, an analyst for PG&E and avid runner, parked his car near the Moller Ranch staging area around 11 a.m. on July 10, after telling his wife he was going for an hourlong run in the East Bay Regional Park. When he didn't return home as expected, his wife reported him missing at 2 p.m. Saturday. His car was found undisturbed, with his wallet and cell phone in it, police say. It is unclear if Kreycik carried any water with him.

Temperatures in the area hit a soaring 105 degrees on the day Kreycik went missing. The terrain in the park, which spans a large area between Pleasanton and Hayward in the East Bay Regional Park District, is rugged and steep, and the creeks are currently without much water.

A strong runner with no known health conditions, Kreycik is described as white, with a thin build and brown hair and eyes. He is thought to be wearing running attire.

"Phillip is still missing and we want to find him," Sgt. Kelly added yesteday.

Anyone with information about Kreycik's location is asked to contact the Pleasanton Police Department at 925-931-5100.
Get information and maps for the Tamarack Fire from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Find road closure updates at Caltrans District 10's Twitter feed.

Find the latest evacuation information here.

Live camera feeds can be seen here.

LATEST July 20, 6:43 a.m. The Tamarack Fire near Markleeville ballooned to an estimated 39,045 acres with zero containment Monday night, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire remained active Monday as winds from thunderstorms fanned flames and pushed the blaze northeast toward the California-Nevada border and Highway 395 corridor.

July 19, 6:15 p.m. New evacuation orders were issued Monday afternoon by the Alpine County Sheriff's Office for the Tamarack Fire near Markleeville.

The Mesa Verde area was put under mandatory evacuation at 2:53 p.m.

Markleeville, Grover Hot Springs and campground area, Shay Creek, Marklee Village, Alpine Village, Woodfords, East Fork Resort, Hung A Lel Ti, Blue Lakes Road, Upper and Lower Blue Lakes and Mesa Vista are all under evacuation orders.

See more information on evacuations here.

July 19, 6:25 a.m. A storm-producing fire cloud threw out lightning strikes over a wildfire growing south of Lake Tahoe Sunday.

The Tamarack Fire pumped out a massive mushroom cloud of hot, smokey air known as a pyrocumulonimbus cloud.

Rising warm air from the fire carries water vapor, ash and smoke up into the atmosphere, forming clouds.

These clouds can become so intense that they create their own weather and emit lightning that can start new wildfires on the ground.

"It was a very strong plume with a lot of hot air rising," Jon Mittelstadt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Reno office, said Sunday night. "During the middle of the afternoon at about 4 p.m. we saw several lightning strikes created by the pyrocumulonimbus cloud above the fire. We're expecting some heavy rain in places tomorrow. There was some moisture today that created some really light rain north of fire."

A monsoonal surge has pushed moisture into California and thunderstorms are in the forecast for Monday with heavy rain, hail, gusty outflow winds and possible flooding, according to the National Weather Service. The chance of rain over the fire today stood at 60% on Monday morning.

"There's a chance for heavier rain over the fire tomorrow [Monday]," Mittelstadt said. "We're hoping so. The way with these thunderstorms are it's hit and miss. It's equally likely to be beneficial. It's equally likely to miss the fire and send strong winds to the fire."

SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

The fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had burned 23,078 acres as of Monday morning and had zero containment. About 800 fire personnel are assigned to the blaze, "focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible, the U.S. Forest Service said.

The blaze was threatening Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line that serves as the county seat for Alpine County. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.

"There is a lot of green surrounding the town, crews seem relaxed inside the main strip," Jonathan Petramala, a documentarian who was on the ground covering the event, wrote in an email to SFGATE. "It was like a bubble protected as the fire raged around it. The only structures I am aware of burned were near Grover Hot Springs. Most of the vacation homes close to the entrance had fire within 20 yards but they are safe. A trailer home, possibly one other home and some sheds along with a few cars I have seen burned out."

Evacuations included Markleeville, Grover Hot Springs and campground area, Shay Creek, Markleevillage, Alpine Village, Woodfords, East Fork Resort and Hung A Lel Ti.

Video footage taken by a wildfire photographer and posted on Twitter is going viral and shows a terrifying landscapes with flame-covered trees set amid a red sky.

SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

The blaze led Forest officials on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to close a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. The fire is burning northeast of the trail near Raymond Peak (around mile 1060) in the Pleasant Valley Creek area and the trail is closed between California State Route 88 and California State Route 4 (Ebbetts Pass), according to the Forest Service. For reroute details, please visit the Pacific Crest Trail website at: https://bit.ly/3wNPoYD.

Smoke from the fire poured into Reno and the Lake Tahoe Basin. Ash coated cars in South Lake Tahoe. The gondola at Heavenly Ski Resort was shuttered due to the blaze.

A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile Death Ride's website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.

SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fire's quick spread.

It happened so fast, Pennington said. We left our tents, hammock and some foods, but we got most of our things, shoved our two kids in the car and left."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The internet prankster Walter Masterson looks almost too happy to be there.

Dressed in a shirt, shorts and bucket hat all printed in the American flag, he's standing next to GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, two of the more contentious figures in the House of Representatives. He's at what appears to be an "America First" rally staged by the two politicians at a beach in Southern California.

Three separate venues in Southern California canceled scheduled events with Gaetz and Greene, resulting in the two holding a protest outside city hall in Riverside  a city an hour away from Los Angeles.

"Oh my God, Im so excited! Im so excited! Masterson tells the two of them during what appears to be a photo opportunity. Both Greene and Gaetz are grinning, holding up a thumbs-up.

I mean, everyone thinks youre crazy, I dont think youre crazy. People think youre a pedophile, I dont think youre a pedophile at all. I dont think hes a pedophile at all.

In March, Gaetz was placed under federal investigation for allegations of sexual relations with an underage girl. Joel Greenberg, a former associate, pleaded guilty in May for sex trafficking of a minor and bribing an official, among other charges.

Gaetz's face changes noticeably in these seconds, no longer smiling for the camera. Greene is still grinning and holding up her thumb.

"The charges against you are totally false!" Masterson yells, as he's escorted away by a security guard.

The video of this incident was shared on Masterson's TikTok and anti-Trump PAC Meidas Touch's Twitter, where it has 2.8 million views as of Monday afternoon.

Masterson has done this sort of thing before  crashing school board meetings, anti-vaccine rallies and an event for MyPillow founder Mike Lindell within the last few months.

He explained in a TikTok that the event's location was changed three times to avoid protesters like him from showing up, but he was apparently invited all three times. It is unclear if the re-locations he's referencing are due to the last-minute cancellations.

"Just trolled these 2 losers," he said in a separate post.

Masterson and attorney Ben Meiselas  who co-founded Meidas Touch  did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP)  A judge set bond at $1 million for a South Dakota man charged Monday with killing a woman whose decomposed body was found in the Black Hills in 2013.

Richard Melvin Schmitz, 53, was arrested at his home near Hill City without incident Friday morning for the death of 38-year-old Meshell Will, of Custer. Schmitz is charged with second degree murder.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  Nearly 850,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Catawba River near Old Dowd Road on Friday, according to Charlotte Water.

News outlets report that the spill happened Friday near Old Dowd Road. It was the largest spill of untreated wastewater in Charlotte in more than a year.
CRANSTON, R.I. (AP)  A civil liberties organization on Monday called on a Rhode Island city to halt what it says is an illegal traffic stop quota by its police department.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island said the Cranston Police Department has for years required officers to stop a minimum of two cars during their patrol shifts.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A man was charged with capital murder in the shooting death of a 3-year-old boy over the weekend, police said.

Orlando Harriell, 35, was arrested in the killing of Jeremiah Chappell, news outlets reported. The boy was taken to a hospital on Saturday and died of his injuries.
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TOKYO (AP)  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

"This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japans criminal justice system. Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was broke, denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses.

But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

The father and son, both wearing dark suits and flanked by guards, stood before the court in silence.

The Taylors' defense lawyer Keiji Isaji sought a speedy trial. Many Japanese trials last for months, if not years.

The maximum penalty in Japan for helping a criminal is three years in prison. Prosecutors had demanded a sentence of of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for his son.

The Taylors defense had argued for suspended sentences for the two, who spent 10 months in custody in the U.S. before their extradition.

But Nirei said the time they were held before and during trial would not count as time served, saying they were not directly related and should be treated differently. There is a limit to how much we can consider, he said.

In December 2019, Ghosn left his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka. At a hotel there, he hid in a big box supposedly containing audio equipment, that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe, according to prosecutors.

Another man, George-Antoine Zayek, is accused in the escape, but has not been arrested.

Separately, Greg Kelly, a former top Nissan executive, is on trial in Tokyo on charges of falsifying securities reports on Ghosns compensation. Kelly, arrested at the same time as Ghosn, also says he is innocent.

A verdict in Kellys trial, which began in September last year, is not expected until next year. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions. Upon conviction, the charges Kelly faces carry the maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday hes not ready to reinstitute mask requirements, now or when schools are back in session in September.

The Democrat made his comments on the same day the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended a layered approach that includes masks for children over age 2, regardless of vaccination status, when they return to school.

State health commissioner Judy Persichilli said the rate of positive test results has risen recently for children up to age 13, and most sharply in children 4 and under. She added that overall cases, the rate of hospitalization and the percentage of patients in intensive care has remained low.

Currently, children 12 and over are eligible to be vaccinated. A vaccine for children under 12 is expected to be available by the end of this year.

Murphy noted that the AAP is issuing guidelines encompassing all 50 states, many of which have vaccination rates lower than New Jersey's. Roughly 5.2 million of New Jersey's 8.8 million residents are fully vaccinated, according to state officials, or about two-thirds of the eligible population.

We continue to be comfortable where we are, Murphy said. "We watch this like a hawk. I dont want to go back, but if we think thats the right thing to do, well do what the public health experts suggest.

Murphy lifted the state's indoor mask mandate in late May for people vaccinated against COVID-19.

___

BREAKTHROUGH UPDATE

Murphy and Persichilli provided an update on the number of fully vaccinated people in the state who have tested positive for COVID-19, referred to as breakthrough infections.

Through June 28, they found about 3,500 positive cases, 84 requiring hospitalization and 31 deaths among the states 4.4 million vaccinated people.

These numbers speak for themselves, and they speak volumes as to why everyone aged 12 and up who is eligible should go and get vaccinated, Murphy said.

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Authorities in Belarus raided offices of an independent newspaper and detained three of its journalists Monday as part of a relentless crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists.

Alyaksandr Mantsevich, the editor of the Regionalnaya Gazeta (Regional Newspaper), and journalists Zoya Khrutskaya and Nasta Utkina, were detained, said the Belarusian Association of Journalists, or BAJ.

They were taken into custody after the search of the newspapers office in Maladzyechna, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

BAJ said that a total of 64 searches have been conducted over the last 10 days. Thirty-two journalists in total are in custody, either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.

The authorities have turned life into hell for independent journalists in Belarus with a conveyor belt of searches and arrests, BAJ head Andrei Bastunets said. There is an impression that the authorities have decided to leave the country without journalists.

On Monday, authorities also froze the bank accounts of the Belarusian PEN Center, an association of writers led by Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature. Alexievich, a member of the opposition Coordination Council, left Belarus last year after being summoned for questioning by the state investigative agency.

On Monday, a court in Minsk also handed out prison sentences ranging from five to nine years to 11 people who were accused of coordinating radical actions and planning arson on a messaging app.

One of them, 26-year-old Yevgeny Propolsky, who was sentenced to eight years in prison, said during the trial that investigators beat and tortured him to force confessions.

They threatened me, beat and tortured me with electric current, Propolsky said. They forced me to write a confessional testimony.

The Viasna human rights center recognized the 11 people convicted Monday as political prisoners, saying there are a total of 562 in the country now. Viasna said the searches Monday targeted civil society activists and human rights defenders in the cities of Brest and Pinsk in western Belarus.

Belarus was rocked by months of protests after Lukashenkos August 2020 election to a sixth term in a vote that the opposition and the West saw as rigged.

Belarusian authorities responded to opposition demonstrations with a massive crackdown, including police beating thousands of demonstrators and arresting more than 35,000 people. Leading opposition figures have been jailed or forced to leave the country, while independent media outlets have had their offices searched and their journalists arrested.

The West has responded to the crackdown by imposing sanctions on Belarus. The European Union ramped up the restrictions after Belarus in May diverted a passenger jet to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist. The government in neighboring Lithuania has accused Belarusian authorities of organizing a flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa in retaliation.

Lukashenko, who has ordered to halt cooperation with the EU on stemming illegal migration, said Monday that Belarus could contain the flow of migrants if the bloc rolls back the sanctions.

They have introduced sanctions to strangle us," Lukashenko said. "They take such action against the Belarusian people and they want us to protect them  listen, it's really weird. If you want us to help you, dont put a noose around our neck.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main challenger in the August 2020 election, was forced to leave Belarus under official pressure immediately after the vote. She was in Washington on Monday for meetings with officials and U.S. House members to rally support for the Belarusian opposition.

They have the power, they have weapons and they have been trying to silence people, Tsikhanouskaya said. But we have been standing up to them for a year.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Monday with Belarus main opposition leader as the United States steps up criticism of the government in Minsk for a widening crackdown on dissent following disputed elections last year.

Blinken met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the State Department to show support for her and other protesters demanding an end to repression. Tsikhanouskaya was President Alexander Lukashenkos main challenger in the August 2020 election and was forced to leave the country after the polls that the opposition and the West saw as rigged.

They discussed the ongoing repression, the crackdown by the Lukashenko regime and the steps that we have said, and much of the international community has said, that the Lukashenko regime must take, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

As you know, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has been at the forefront of the opposition movement in Belarus, and we were happy to welcome her to the department today and to continue our efforts to stand with the Belarusian people and their aspirations for human rights, democracy, and their broader Euro-Atlantic aspirations, he said.

Tsikhanouskaya is in Washington this week meeting with Biden administration officials and lawmakers to seek their backing.

Mondays meeting came after authorities in Belarus widened the crackdown last week by raiding the homes and offices of dozens of independent media outlets and civic leaders, prompting condemnations by the United States and European nations. The countrys main security agency, which still goes under its Soviet-era name KGB, said those targeted were suspected of involvement in extremist activities.

The ongoing crackdown on journalists and civil society is the Lukashenka regimes latest brutality, Price said on Friday. We call on the Belarusian authorities to release their 550-plus political prisoners and engage in a dialogue with the opposition and civil society. We stand with the people of Belarus."

Lukashenko, the longtime authoritarian leader of Belarus, has promised to deal with organizations that he accuses of fomenting unrest in the aftermath of the election and months of protests against his rule. Lukashenko was proclaimed the victor, cementing a sixth term in office, despite widespread complaints the vote was neither free nor fair.

Authorities responded to the demonstrations with a massive crackdown, including police beating thousands of demonstrators and arresting more than 35,000 people.

Overall, 32 Belarusian journalists are in custody, either serving their sentences or awaiting trial, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
VAN HORN, Texas (AP)  For years, the official letterhead for the small town of Van Horn, tucked neatly among the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains, read simply: Farming, ranching, mining.

And while there is still some farming and ranching in this far West Texas community, and a talc mine still operates near the edge of town, theres another booming business in its midst: space tourism.

The sprawling spaceport of Blue Origin, the company founded by business magnate Jeff Bezos in 2000, is located about 25 miles outside of the town of about 1,800 residents on what was once desolate desert ranchland. On Tuesday, the company plans to launch four people on a 10-minute trip into space, including Bezos, his brother, Mark, female aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old Dutchman and last-minute fill-in for the winner of a $28 million charity auction who had a scheduling conflict. Funk, at age 82, and Daemen will become the oldest and youngest people in space.

Thats the big buzz in this little town, said Valentina Muro as she rang up a customer at the Broadway Cafe along Van Horns main strip. Its kind of put Van Horn on the map a little more than it was.

The town, which sprouted up in the late 1800s during the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway, now is mostly an overnight stop for travelers along Interstate 10, which runs parallel to the towns main road, dotted with hotels, restaurants, truck stops and convenience stores.

Our biggest driving force is the tourism dollar, said Van Horn Mayor Becky Brewster.

The towns proximity to Big Bend National Park, the Guadalupe Mountains, an ancient barrier reef that includes the four highest peaks in Texas, and New Mexicos Carlsbad Caverns also makes it an ideal pit stop for tourists.

We often plug ourselves as the crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail, Brewster said. Were right here in the center and this can be your hub for all your adventures in far West Texas.

As for the impact that Blue Origins operations have had on the town, the reaction among locals is mixed. While employees and contractors have been working at the facility since about 2005, Brewster said its just been in the last five years or so that workers for Blue Origin have started integrating themselves into the community.

When they were in the development stages, Blue Origin was so secretive about what was going on, their people couldnt really socialize because they couldnt talk about their work and things like that, Brewster said. And it was like, here are the Blue Origin people and here are the Van Horn people. But thats starting to change for the better.

One of the roadblocks to connecting locals and the scientists and engineers who work at Blue Origin is one that plagues many rural American communities  a lack of available housing. A local developer constructed about a dozen two-bedroom homes and a small apartment complex, and all of those were quickly rented out for Blue Origin employees. Of the roughly 250 employees and contractors that work at the facility, Brewster said only about 40% live in Van Horn.

Krissy Lerdal, whose husband is an engineer for the company, said he lived in a local hotel for more than four years before finally relocating his family to Van Horn from New Mexico.

When we looked to buy here, there were five houses on the market, none of which passed inspection, and so we had to bring in a modular home, Lerdal said. Its not my dream home, but housing is lacking.

Still, in the three-and-a-half years that she has lived here, Lerdal said she has worked hard to integrate herself into the community. Her children attend the local school system, and she joined the Womens Service League, which raises money for scholarships. She also has a seat on the citys zoning board.

I know the people who are living here and bought homes here have been trying hard to be involved, she said. Its hard when most of the community is all related. Were the outsiders and we dont want to step on toes, but we want to be involved, and its a hard line to walk.

Im glad that I feel like Im part of the community, but some people dont feel that way.

Linda McDonald, a longtime Van Horn resident and the district clerk for the seat of Culberson County, said that while shes amazed at the prospect of people being launched into space from practically her back yard, she bristles at the suggestion that Blue Origin put Van Horn on the map.

We are already on the map, she told a group of about 100 graduates of Van Horn High School during a recent pep rally and reunion that was part of the towns annual jubilee. You have helped put us on the map, and we should be proud of that.

___

Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
Search crews are entering their fifth day on the water in a national park in Louisiana in hopes of finding the body of a 4-year-old boy who went missing.

Ellis Boudean disappeared in the water at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Thursday evening, WVUE-TV reported.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  When classrooms in California reopen for the fall term, all 6.2 million public school students will have the option to eat school meals for free, regardless of their familys income.

The undertaking, made possible by an unexpected budget surplus, will be the largest free student lunch program in the country. School officials, lawmakers, anti-hunger organizations and parents are applauding it as a pioneering way to prevent the stigma of accepting free lunches and feed more hungry children.

This is so historic. Its beyond life-changing, said Erin Primer, director of food services for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District on Californias central coast.

Several U.S. cities including New York, Boston and Chicago already offer free school meals for all. But until recently, statewide universal meal programs were considered too costly and unrealistic. California became the first state to adopt a universal program late last month, and Maine followed shortly after with a similar plan.

Weve completely leveled the playing field when it comes to school food, Primer said. The extra funding will also allow her to offer tastier, better quality food such as fresh bread, produce and cheese from local producers, she said.

Under federal rules, a family of four must make less than $34,000 a year to qualify for free meals and $48,000 to qualify for reduced-price meals. The caps shift annually but are based on federal poverty measures that dont take into account the high cost of living and taxes in California.

So its just for the most poor families, and not even all of them because some people failed to sign up or were fearful to sign up," said Kat Taylor, a philanthropist and major funder of the Center for Ecoliteracy and the TomKat Ranch that backed California's plan.

About 60% of California students qualify, but experts say the number of children who need food assistance is much higher in a state with vast income inequality. Communities of color are disproportionately affected and immigrant communities in particular are fearful of applying because of detailed forms that ask intrusive questions such as their family income, Social Security number and children's immigration status.

Schools reported a declining percentage of families applying for free and reduced-price meals during the Trump administration, which attempted to tighten immigration policies and public benefits.

Like school officials statewide, Primer has countless tales of children who struggled to pay for school meals or were too ashamed to eat for free. There was the child whose mother called Primer, distraught because she made a few hundred dollars too much to qualify; the father who is in the country illegally and feared that filling out the free meal application could get him deported; and constant cases of high schoolers not wanting friends to know they need free food, so they skip eating.

When the pandemic hit, it changed everything  including how school meals were served  and provided an impetus for the universal program, which had bipartisan, unanimous support. Lawmakers previously had only pursued targeted bills such as easing school lunch debt.

After schools shut in March 2020, many transformed their parking lots into pickup sites, and federal funding allowed schools to offer meals to anyone. There were no applications, qualifications and no questions asked.

The massive turnout showed how much families rely on the meals.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the states largest with 600,000 students, handed out upward of 400,000 meals a day, said spokeswoman Shannon Haber. San Luis Coastal, with 7,500 students, gave out 30,000 meals a week at the height of the pandemic, nearly triple the number before. The district includes the wealthy city of San Luis Obispo and lower-income areas.

I thought it was a pipe dream for a long time, said Sen. Nancy Skinner, a longtime advocate for universal free meals.

Backed by over 200 organizations in a coalition called School Meals for All, Skinner and other lawmakers pushed for funding in the state budget, seizing the momentum at a time when California is flush with cash. The $262 billion budget provides $54 million for the coming school year, supplementing funding from the Biden administration through June 2022. After that, California will spend $650 million annually.

If youre a hungry child, youre not going to learn well, said Skinner, a Democrat representing Berkeley. Why should we have to go through a bureaucratic hassle to get a kid fed, when we could just have universal meals?

Senate Education Committee Republicans supported the plan as a way to help families struggling with Californias high cost of living. Sen. Brian Dahle, a Republican from a largely rural area of Northern California, said he had watched kids at his childrens school steal leftover food when cafeteria workers werent looking.

For a lot of them that was their dinner and they were sneaking it or taking it off someones plate when they didnt finish it, said Dahle.

Schools rarely turn hungry kids away. But for children who didnt qualify and needed lunch, their parents were billed and many racked up huge debts. In recent years some schools threatened to not let students graduate middle or high school until lunch debts were paid, or stamped the hands of students who owed money, said Jessica Bartholow, chief of staff for Skinner who previously was an anti-hunger advocate.

Some schools would hire debt collectors to hound parents, but at the end of the year schools have to use general fund dollars to pay off lunch program debts, she said.

For Tina Self, a mother of three, avoiding the cost of $3 school lunches every day will be an enormous relief.

It might seem like a little bit, but it helps a lot, said Self, who lives in San Luis Obispo where a gallon of gas can cost just shy of $5 a gallon and rent is crazy.

Lucky for us we both have a job and we have two running cars, she said of herself and her husband. But were barely making it as it is.

Tony Wold, an associate superintendent of the West Contra Costa Unified School, says it's about time lunches were free.

Just like you need to give students textbooks and a computer, there are certain things you need to do. And this is one of them," Wold said.

___

This story has been corrected to say that Kat Taylor is a major funder of the Center for Ecoliteracy, not its co-founder.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)  The city that is home to the University of Florida may allow people to drink legally from open containers in public places such as sidewalks.

The Gainesville Sun reports that the city commission plans a vote Monday on whether to allow open drinking on city property or right of way. If the measure passes, a second commission approval would be required to make it final.
CHICAGO (AP)  The Chicago Police Department on Monday announced a new team of officers, prosecutors and federal agents that will target gun trafficking, an effort that depends heavily on people coming forward with information in exchange for money.

At a news conference, Police Superintendent David Brown said he's confident that the offer of money from a $1 million fund for tips that Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced last week will be persuasive.

I've seen criminals for the right price, turn over their mother," he said. I have.

Brown did not provide any details on how much money people would receive for tips to the new Gun Investigations Team but said the amount would be significant.

Tips can be made anonymously and, if that information results in arrests or an indictment, the department will protect the identity of tipsters, police spokesman Tom Ahern said.

Police have long paid for information but Brown said the department has never launched a similar program that specifically targets gun trafficking and straw purchasers  people who legally buy weapons then provide them to people who cannot legally purchase them.

The point of this is to get the gun before it hits the streets at the trafficking level, he said.

Elena Gottreich, deputy director for prosecutorial strategies for the department and one of the new team's leaders, said that while the department recovers thousands of illegal guns a year, We lacked the mechanism to intercept the guns prior to them hitting the streets.

After another bloody weekend that ended with more than 60 people shot, including 10 fatally, and with homicide totals expected to surge in what is typically the most violent time of year, Brown said it's especially important to seek out those who have are unwilling to come forward with information.

Someone knows who is being paid as a third party to purchase guns for a violent person in this city, that would do a drive-by shooting on young people celebrating a graduation, who have been reluctant to give it to police," he said, referring to a shooting late Saturday on the West Side in which a 12-year-old girl and four teenagers were wounded by gunfire at an outside party.

Brown also said the team  which includes Cook County and federal prosecutors  will charge gun traffickers with the highest crime we can.

The announcement comes days after Brown and Lightfoot talked to President Joe Biden about what his administration might do about gun violence in Chicago. When Brown returned from the White House he said he would soon roll out a new initiative.

Biden recently announced he would deploy so-called strike force teams to Chicago and other major cities but Brown said he needed to do something independent of that effort.

Chicago cant wait for the strike force, he said. "We have to do everything we can from a law enforcement perspective to take guns off the streets from violent people, he said.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  Colombian President Ivan Duque on Monday announced reforms to the nations police forces that are meant to improve accountability and decrease human rights abuses, following weeks of protests in which officers were accused of killing at least two dozen demonstrators.

Speaking in a courtyard, flanked by police officers, Duque said that the government will create a human rights directorate that will report to the nations police chief, and will be led by a retired colonel.

The new department will gather complaints from citizens and produce two reports each year on human rights issues, Duque said.

In addition, officers and junior officers will be obliged to take a new course on human rights, and the police will toughen sanctions against those who commit abuses. The nations mobile riot squad -- which was implicated in many of the violent actions against protesters during Mays demonstrations -- will also have to undergo a new course on human rights.

The reforms come as human rights groups criticize Colombias police for using excessive force during large protests that began on April 28 and lasted until mid June.

According to Human Rights Watch, credible evidence exists linking police officers to the deaths of 25 demonstrators who were shot with firearms or killed with crowd control devices like tear gas canisters. In a report issued in June, the organization also pointed out that at least one protester was beaten to death by police, and recommended that the government place the police under the Interior Ministry to increase civilian oversight.

Currently, Colombias police is overseen by the Defense Ministry and officers who commit crimes on duty are often judged in military tribunals. The reforms announced by Duque are not as far reaching as those proposed by Human Rights Watch and other international organizations like the Inter American Commission for Human Rights. But the president said they are part of a wholesome effort to improve policing.

The government also announced that at least 11,000 officers who work on neighborhood patrols will have to wear body cams.

The nations police forces will also trade traditional green uniforms for navy blue uniforms that are aimed to emphasize their role as a civilian force. The new uniforms display each officers license number and a QR code that can also be used by citizens to identify officers.

During Colombias armed conflict, police were often deployed to fight drug traffickers and rebel groups and sometimes participated in joint operations with the army. Experts believe that this kind of training has led them to be more violent towards protesters, who have sometimes attacked police with stones and homemade bombs.
Jon Geigers criminal conviction in an excessive force case was supposed to prevent him from ever again working as a police officer in Colorado.

When the former Georgetown officer pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment in 2018  a conviction that triggers an automatic revocation of an officers state certification  then-Fifth Judicial District Attorney Bruce Brown lauded the move as weeding out bad apples in law enforcement and said blocking Geiger from working again as a Colorado police officer was a fundamental goal of the prosecution.

But just two years after Geigers conviction, the states Peace Officer Standards and Training Board reinstated Geiger  exercising its power, in certain circumstances, to exempt officers convicted of crimes from being decertified.

This spring, Geiger, 52, joined the town of Nunns police department, recently leading the small Weld County law enforcement agency as interim chief.

This is a man who should not be wearing a badge, Brown said when he learned from The Denver Post that Geiger was back on the job. And it discredits the integrity of the criminal justice system, as well as the hiring practices of local law enforcement agencies, who obviously are not doing thorough background searches or who are not making decisions in the best interest of their communities.

Geiger declined to comment when reached by The Post on Wednesday. Town officials in Nunn did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Geigers hiring.

His case highlights the power the Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, board can wield to keep officers who have been convicted of crimes in their jobs, even as Colorado state lawmakers work to increase police accountability and crack down on the years-long problem of officers with poor track records migrating from department to department.

"It is clear here that they exercised that authority inappropriately and contrary to the needs of the community by allowing an officer with a long history of misconduct across two states for both use of force and deceptive behavior, Brown said of the POST decision in Geigers case, adding the boards exemption power creates a loophole in officer discipline that he believes should be legislatively closed.

Geigers case began in 2016, when he was working as a Georgetown police officer and filling out paperwork at a desk across from a DUI suspect in a booking cell. The door on the booking cell did not latch, and the suspect began to bang the metal door open and shut.

Geiger reacted by pulling the man from the cell and pushing him against a wall, briefly twisting the mans arm behind him and causing him pain. It was a use of force that was completely unnecessary, Brown said.

All Geiger had to do was leave him in his cell, Brown said.

The POST system worked

Geiger was indicted by a grand jury and in 2018 pleaded guilty to harassment involving a strike or a shove. Its one of 43 misdemeanor convictions that automatically trigger POST decertification. Geiger lost his certification to work as a police officer in Colorado later that year.

But he was reinstated on appeal in 2020, a power the POST board can exercise if it finds mitigating circumstances around the conviction and that the officers return to the job is in the public interest, according to POSTs published rules.

The members of the POST subcommittee that reviewed Geigers case felt like the officer did not use excessive force, said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, who chaired the subcommittee. They also questioned why Geiger was criminally charged.

All Im hearing is one side of the story, but apparently Mr. Geiger was either writing and then eventually dating and having a relationship with a deputy district attorney (in Browns office), Spurlock said. I believe there were some circumstances that led for people to be upset about that, and so, you know, he was criminally charged.

Spurlock could not explain why Brown would react that way, and said he was not accusing the former district attorney of prosecutorial misconduct.

All Im saying is that the evidence that was presented to us led us to believe that there were circumstances that, one, the behavior in the interview room did not shock our conscience, and two, we didnt believe that, given the totality of the circumstances, led us to revoke his POST certificate, Spurlock said.

Brown called the claim that Geigers relationship influenced the charging decision preposterous and totally without credibility. He said it was his understanding that Geiger was married to the staff member.

The record in the criminal court is clear, Brown said. He was indicted, which is a finding of probable cause, he was convicted, which means he admitted that the charge could be proven  and was proven by his plea  beyond a reasonable doubt.

In a letter to the POST board, Geiger said he pleaded guilty to the harassment charge not because he was actually guilty but because he couldnt afford to hire an attorney and because he wanted to put the matter behind me, during a period when he was grieving the death of a grandchild.

That happens every day in courts across this country all the time, Spurlock said. People plead because the system is onerous and cumbersome. So they plead instead of going to court like they have every right to do.

He defended the subcommittees decision to reinstate Geiger, saying that they gave careful consideration to Geigers case, and said that the ability to issue case-by-case exemptions to automatic decertification is a valuable tool. In most cases, he said, its clear the decertification should stand. Geigers was a closer call.

The POST system worked like it was supposed to, he said.

Not eligible for rehire

Geiger previously worked for law enforcement agencies in Telluride, Georgetown and Kansas, among others. Local media coverage indicates he was fired from the job in Kansas.

Former Telluride Chief Marshal James Kolar said he could not comment on Geigers departure from the agency, but said he was not eligible for rehire.

He is also not eligible for rehire in Georgetown, although Marshal Randy Williams said Geiger resigned well before he faced criminal charges.

He had some other little issues that were being looked at and causing a problem and he resigned amicably, Williams said, adding that Geiger is a capable, hardworking officer. He called Browns prosecution of Geiger in the excessive force case a travesty.

In the Fifth Judicial District, Geiger is on a list of officers who have known credibility issues that could impact their testimony in court  the offices so-called Brady list  but that designation didnt follow him to Weld County, District Attorney Michael Rourke said.

Frankly, this is a shortcoming of the way Colorado does Brady right now, Rourke said. Theres not a good mechanism yet when an officer leaves one jurisdiction and goes to another.

Alerted to Geigers past by The Post, Rourke said he would investigate to determine whether Geiger should be on the Brady list in Weld County.

State lawmakers took aim at the siloed nature of Brady concerns this year, and a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis this month requires law enforcement agencies and district attorneys offices to set up statewide credibility notifications about officers who lie, tamper with evidence, show bias or are convicted of crimes involving dishonesty.

Under the same law, POST must create a public database of officers who are decertified, fired or subject to a credibility notification.

The new systems must be in place by the start of 2022.
HELSINKI (AP)  Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, whose image of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb as a turban was at the center of widespread anti-Danish anger in the Muslim world in the mid-2000s, has died. He was 86.

Westergaards family announced his death to Danish media late Sunday and told the newspaper Berlingske that Westergaard died in his sleep after a long period of illness. Danish media reported that he died July 14, a day after his birthday.

From the early 1980s, Westergaard worked as a cartoonist for Jyllands-Posten, one of Denmarks leading newspapers, and was associated with the daily until he turned 75.

Westergaard became known worldwide in 2005 for his controversial depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in Jyllands-Posten, which published 12 editorial cartoons of the principal figure of Islam.

Muslims consider images of the prophet to be sacrilegious and encouraging idolatry. The images, particularly Westergaard's, sparked a huge wave of anger in the Muslim world and escalated into violent anti-Denmark protests by Muslims worldwide in 2006.

Several newspapers in neighboring Norway also published the controversial cartoons. Danish and Norwegian embassies in Syria were burned down by angry crowds during the demonstrations.

Political observers in the Nordic countries have described the cartoon incident as one of the most severe foreign policy crises for both Denmark and Norway in their recent histories.

In the aftermath of the uproar, Westergaard received several death threats and was forced to have police protection.

In 2008, three people were arrested for planning to kill him, and in 2010 a 28-year-old Somali man broke into his home with an ax and knife. The man was later sentenced to 10 years in prison.

I would like to be remembered as the one who struck a blow for the freedom of expression. But theres no doubt that there are some who will instead remember me as a Satan who insulted the religion of over 1 billion people, Westergaard said, according to Berlingske.

Jyllands-Posten said in an editorial published Monday that with the death of Westergaard it is more important than ever to emphasize that the struggle for freedom of expression, which became his destiny, is the struggle of all of us for freedom.

Westergaard is survived by his wife and five children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A former state lawmaker is the newest member of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees.

Trustees met Friday and elected Kimberly L. Campbell of Jackson to finish a six-year term started by former state Supreme Court Justice Reuben Anderson, the department said in a news release Monday. Campbell will serve through 2022.

The department is responsible for collecting and preserving historical documents. It also administers various museums and historic sites.

Anderson had served on the nine-member Archives and History board since 2007, when he was chosen to fill another person's unexpired term. He was reelected in 2010 and 2016, and is the board's most recent president.

Anderson served last year on a commission that recommended a new state flag design after lawmakers retired the old state flag that included the Confederate battle emblem. Voters approved the new design in November.

Campbell is an attorney and is state director of AARP. She served in the state House of Representatives from 2008 to 2016.

The nine-member Archives and History board was established in 1902. Its members have always nominated their own successors, and those nominees have been confirmed by the state Senate.

In March, the Mississippi House killed a Senate bill that would have changed the way board members are chosen. The proposal said the Archives and History board could recommend nominees, but the governor or lieutenant governor could ignore those recommendations and nominate any person they want. The nominees would have still needed Senate confirmation.

Historians opposed the proposal, saying it could have politicized the way Mississippi preserves and presents its history.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  South Africa has been rocked by the worst violence since the nation achieved democracy in 1994. Here is a closer look at the unrest.

WHAT TRIGGERED THE VIOLENCE?

The unrest began on July 8 when former President Jacob Zuma started serving a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court. Supporters in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal set up roadblocks on major highways and burned about 20 trucks. The protests closed the N3 and N2 highways, which link the Indian Ocean ports of Durban and Richard's Bay to the industrial hub of Johannesburg and to Cape Town.

The unrest spread within KwaZulu-Natal, where shopping malls and centers were ransacked by mobs that took food, electronics, clothes and liquor. Attacks on retail centers also spread inland to Gauteng province, to Johannesburg, the countrys largest city, and to Pretoria, the capital. In Durban and Pietermaritzburg, crowds attacked warehouses for major retailers and factories, which were set alight. Several burned until their roofs collapsed. The unrest lasted for a week until 25,000 army troops were deployed.

HOW BAD WERE THE RIOTS?

At least 215 people died in the unrest, and more than 2,500 were arrested on charges including theft and vandalism, according to government figures updated Monday.

The unrest was largely limited to the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, which together account for nearly 50% of South Africa's GDP. The violence did not spread to South Africa's other seven provinces.

Extensive damage was done to 161 malls and shopping centers, 11 warehouses, eight factories and 161 liquor stores and distributors, according to the government. An estimated 10 billion rand ($680 million) was lost in stolen goods, burned trucks and destroyed property, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

South Africa's economy may sustain longer-term damage if domestic and international investors view the unrest as a sign that the country is not a safe destination for their capital. South Africa's economy was already in recession, and the instability is expected to cause the economy to contract even further. The hardest hit will be South Africa's poor, many of whom will not be able to buy food at competitive prices at the township shopping centers that have been closed or burned. People receiving monthly government grants, especially the elderly, will not be able to get them at centers that have been closed.

WHAT CAUSED THE DEATHS?

Police and government officials say many of the deaths were caused when people were crushed in stampedes during the chaotic ransacking of shops. At least 20 deaths occurred in the Phoenix area of KwaZulu-Natal, where residents were protecting their neighborhood from suspected intruders, according to Police Minister Bheki Cele. It is not known how many deaths were caused by police shooting at rioters.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, are investigating the deaths.

WAS THE RIOTING SPONTANEOUS?

After Zuma entered prison, numerous posts on social media encouraged protests, including attacks on highways and on retail centers. Six people have been arrested on charges of inciting violence, the government announced Monday without disclosing their identities. One of those arrested has been released on bail. Five are still in custody.

The unrest was orchestrated, instigated and planned ... It almost brought our country to its knees, said acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has also stated that the violence was planned. The police have said they have discovered large caches of ammunition.

The extent of the rioting exposed South Africa's underlying economic problems, including high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment is more than 32%, and it is above 64% for those under the age of 35, according to South African government statistics. More than half of the country's 60 million people live in poverty, and more than 20% are food insecure. The country is one of the most unequal in the world, and that inequality has increased since apartheid ended in 1994, according to the World Bank.

WHY HAS ZUMA BECOME THE FOCUS FOR SO MANY LEGAL CASES?

Zuma, who has been a controversial figure for years, went to prison for contempt of court because he refused to testify before a judicial commission investigating allegations of corruption during his time as the country's president from 2009 to 2018. The commission has heard damning testimony from former Cabinet ministers and top executives of state-owned corporations that Zuma allowed members of the wealthy Gupta family to influence his Cabinet appointments and the awarding of lucrative state contracts.

The 79-year-old Zuma also faces separate charges of corruption. He's accused of receiving bribes from the French arms manufacturer Thales related to the countrys controversial 1999 arms procurement contracts. At that time, Zuma was a high-ranking official in the ruling African National Congress party and a provincial minister in KwaZulu-Natal. He is alleged to have received the bribes through his former financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, who was convicted on related charges in 2005, sentenced to prison and later released on medical parole.

Zuma was forced by his ANC party to step down as president in 2018 because of the growing allegations of corruption, but he still has a considerable following within the party, including other top ANC officials who are also facing corruption charges. Before he was imprisoned, Zuma made inflammatory speeches to his supporters in KwaZulu-Natal.

Human rights groups have welcomed his imprisonment. When he entered prison, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it was pleased to see Zuma in custody and criticized him for a pattern of disregard for the rule of law and for our constitutional democracy.

The foundation said it was profoundly disturbed" by Zuma's willingness to court public violence and lawlessness in support of political and personal agendas.

WHAT WILL MAINTAIN STABILITY IN SOUTH AFRICA?

The deployment of 25,000 army troops to assist police has succeeded in establishing an uneasy calm over the country. The highways have reopened, and no violent incidents were reported Monday. Volunteer groups are helping to clean up trashed retail centers. It was not clear how long the military would be needed on the streets.
BOSTON (AP)  The FBI has released hundreds of pages of records from notorious Boston mobster James Whitey Bulger's file.

The Boston Herald reports the 300 pages of heavily redacted records show the agency was aware that Bulger was involved in loan-sharking, horse-fixing and other crimes before recruiting him as an informant.

The FBI says the records were posted on the agencys Vault public records database earlier this month and will be the first in a series of records released on Bulger.

The newspaper says the records show the FBI was tracking Bulger and other different hoodlum groups in the Boston area that were involved in loan-sharking in the early 1970s.

The records also detail a horse racing scheme that involved bribing jockeys and drugging horses to fix races at tracks in Boston, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Las Vegas to benefit mobsters operating in those areas.

Bulger led a largely Irish mob that ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets in the Boston area.

He was convicted in 2013 in connection with a series of gangland slayings and other crimes while also working as an FBI informant who ratted on the New England mob, his gangs main rival.

Bulger fled Boston in late 1994 after his FBI handler warned him he was about to be indicted and was one of Americas most wanted men before being arrested in California in 2011.

Bulger was killed in federal prison in West Virginia in 2018. Authorities have not charged anyone with his killing, but law enforcement officials said at the time that two Massachusetts mobsters were suspects.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indiana University can require its roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19 under a federal judge's ruling that might be the first of its kind regarding college immunization mandates.

In a ruling dated Sunday, U.S. District Judge Damon Leichty in South Bend rejected a request from eight IU students who sought to block the requirement while they pursue a lawsuit claiming that the universitys policy violated their constitutional rights by forcing them to receive unwanted medical treatment.

James Bopp, a conservative lawyer representing the students, said Monday that he plans to appeal the ruling, which he believes is the first by a federal judge in challenges to such mandates, which have been imposed by hundreds of U.S. public and private colleges.

Leichty wrote that the students havent presented evidence showing they could prevail in the case, and that the Constitution permits Indiana University to pursue a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interest of public health for its students, faculty and staff.

Leichty, who held a hearing on the case last week, said the plaintiffs could seek medical or religious exemptions offered by the university, or they could take the fall semester off or attend another school.

University officials defended the vaccination policy as one designed for the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff.

We appreciate the quick and thorough ruling which allows us to focus on a full and safe return, the university said in a statement. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our campuses for the fall semester.

Bopp said he would ask an appeals court to block the universitys policy from taking effect.

An admitted IU students right to attend IU cannot be conditioned on the student waiving their rights to bodily integrity, bodily autonomy, and consent to medical treatment like IU has done here, he said.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in federal courts in Connecticut and California, Bopp said. College officials across the country have struggled with whether they have the authority to require student vaccinations, which some see as key to returning campus to in-person classes and other normal activities.

Indiana law currently requires students at state residential colleges and universities to get immunized for six diseases  diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and meningitis. Students in public K-12 schools are required to get vaccinated for an additional five diseases.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who range in age from 18 to 39, maintain that their age group is at low risk of severe cases of COVID-19 and that they face possible dangers from the vaccine that is being administered under federal emergency use authorization.

Leichty, who became a federal judge in 2019 after his nomination by then-President Donald Trump, faulted a doctor who testified against IUs policy for using soft and inconsequential language and cited the extensive review by federal health agencies to confirm the safety of the three available COVID-19 vaccines.

Progress has been made because of the vaccine, not despite it, Leichty wrote. To the extent that lingering medical and scientific debate remain  the court remains resolved that Indiana University has acted reasonably here in pursuing public health and safety for its campus communities.

The lawsuit was filed after IU officials announced in May that the school would require all students and employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester. Students who don't comply will have their registration canceled and workers who don't will lose their jobs.

IU initially was going to require students and employees to provide immunization documentation. That sparked a conservative backlash, with nearly all Republican members of the Indiana Senate signing a letter calling the policy a heavy-handed mandate goes against many of the liberties on which our founders built our democratic republic.

A non-binding opinion from Republican state Attorney General Todd Rokitas office called the policy illegal under a new state law banning the state or local governments from requiring vaccine passports.

In response, IU made providing proof of vaccination optional and is allowing students and employees at its seven campuses to attest to their vaccination in an online form.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  David Hawpe, who rose through the ranks of the Courier Journal to become editor of the Louisville newspaper, which won multiple Pulitzer Prizes on his watch, has died. He was 78.

His death Sunday night was confirmed on Facebook by his sister-in-law, Hilda Miller. Hawpe had been hospitalized with multiple health problems, the Courier Journal reported.

Hawpe was an unabashed liberal who championed school reform, working people and the Appalachian region of his home state during his decadeslong career.

Kentucky lost one of its strongest voices in the passing of journalist David Hawpe, Gov. Andy Beshear said on social media. David dedicated his work to bettering the lives of all Kentuckians. He will be greatly missed.

Hawpe began his career reporting for The Associated Press in Kentucky. In 1969, he started working for the Courier Journal in its Hazard bureau in eastern Kentucky.

He wrote his first front-page story in late 1969, the newspaper reported, about a disabled tall, gaunt 30-year-old father of 5 who went as far as the second grade and said was denied county assistance to help lift his family out of its destitute existence on Bear Run in Owsley County because he doesnt vote the way he was told to.

The next year, Hawpe covered the Hyden mine disaster in Leslie County that killed 38 men. Watching family members file into a gymnasium to identify the dead, Hawpe said he vowed to do anything possible to reduce the chances of that happening again. Ive tried all this time to be true to the promise I made to myself.

David committed his career and his great intellect to Kentucky, said Ed Staats, former longtime bureau chief for The Associated Press in Louisville. "The state and its residents are better for it."

Staats said Hawpe particularly loved the people of eastern Kentucky.

Hawpe was later a copy editor, an editorial writer, the city editor of the Louisville Times and the Courier Journals managing editor, editor and editorial director.

Under Hawpes leadership, the Courier Journal successfully fought to rein in the excesses and environmental degradations of the mining industry. The paper's reporting also helped reform Kentuckys nursing home industry and its often shoddy death investigations as well as strengthen the policing of bad doctors by the Kentucky Medical Licensure Board.

The newspaper also pushed for tougher rules on bus safety and stricter drunk driving laws after the 1988 church bus crash in Carroll County that killed 27 people, including 24 children. The newspapers coverage earned it a Pulitzer Prize.

While Hawpe kept The Courier Journals focus on Kentucky and Indiana, he sent reporter Joel Brinkley and photographer Jay Mather to Cambodia, where they won another Pulitzer for international reporting about the aftermath of the genocide there, the newspaper reported.

After his retirement in 2009, Hawpe served for six years on the board of trustees of the University of Kentucky, his alma mater. The school's president, Eli Capilouto, saluted Hawpe's commitment to his home state.

David Hawpe loved Kentucky  every coal town and community, every hill and holler, and all the contours and contradictions of its history, Capilouto said in a statement. He believed deeply that journalism and education  particularly his alma mater, the University of Kentucky  were essential to advancing the future of his beloved commonwealth."
PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday made American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson a commander of the Legion of Honor, Frances highest award, for helping change the destiny of the United States and with it, the world.

Jackson, 79, who had gallbladder surgery this year and is being treated for Parkinsons disease, had visible difficulty walking. The founder of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition and two-time U.S. presidential candidate sat beside the podium as Macron spoke at a ceremony in Paris.

Hes a visionary with talent for uniting and leading people, whose moral and physical courage has helped him to overcome adversity and change the destiny of the United States, our oldest ally, and to change our world for the better, Macron said at the gathering at the presidential Elysee Palace.

Speaking in English, the French president called Jackson a great friend of France and very popular in our country, but not just in our country.

Macron recounted Jackson's life, from his childhood in segregated South Carolina to his work with Martin Luther King Jr. and his activism in Chicago. After draping a red ribbon with a medal around Jacksons neck. Macron clasped his hand amid applause from the small invited audience. Jackson did not make any remarks during the ceremony.

The civil rights leader has remained active despite his health problems. He has advocated for vaccinations against COVID-19 in Black communities with below-average inoculation rates.

Through Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH, the 1984 and 1988 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination also has continuing to advocate for voting rights. Last month, Jackson he was arrested and ticketed for obstructing traffic during a voting rights demonstration near the U.S. Capitol.

Macron described the world of institutionalized inequality that Jackson grew up in and that shaped his future as a civil rights leader. He recounted Jacksons failed bids for the presidency and said, You paved the way for those who came after.

Referring to Barack Obama's election as the first Black president of the United States, the French leader asserted that 2008 would definitely have been impossible without your fights and your contribution.

Macron also recounted a less-known story for which you never sought credit, Jacksons 1990 role in freeing French hostages. During the first Gulf War, citizens from several countries trying to stop the invasion of Kuwait were taken hostage by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Macron said Jackson negotiated the release of French citizens and thanks to you, they were safely returned to their families.

You are a brother to us, Macron said.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Former Louisiana Senate Secretary Glenn Koepp, a lawyer who worked in the Senate for decades before rising to the chief administrative officer's position, has died. He was 76 years old.

Koepp's death was confirmed Monday by Gov. John Bel Edwards and lawmakers. No cause of death was immediately provided.

Glenn Koepps genuine kindness, inquisitive nature and spirit of adventure were as unmatched as his expertise and knowledge of the Louisiana Legislature where he spent decades on staff in both chambers culminating with his retirement as secretary of the Louisiana Senate. Glenns service to the state was exemplary," Edwards, a Democrat and former House member, said in a statement.

Koepp worked 16 years as Senate secretary, retiring at the start of the new term in 2020 from the job that is critical to the functioning of the Legislature. The Senate secretary, elected every four years by the senators, dispenses advice on the 39-member body's rules and parliamentary procedure, acts a general counsel to the chamber and serves as custodian of records.

"He leaves behind a legacy of dedicated public service and a genuine understanding and respect of the legislative process in the state of Louisiana, Senate President Page Cortez, a Republican from Lafayette, said in a statement.

Koepp was elected Senate secretary in 2004, but he had been a legislative employee for years prior to that job, working in the Louisiana Capitol through seven different governors. Koepp was secretary under three Senate presidents and assistant secretary under five more before that.

He was an expert on redistricting, the redrawing of political maps that happens every 10 years with the release of new U.S. census data.

Lawmakers offered tributes on social media.

Such a sad day learning of the passing of Glenn Koepp, former Secretary of the Senate! He was one of kind and served the state with honor for many years, Republican Sen. Rick Ward of Port Allen said on Twitter.

Rep. John Stefanski, the Crowley Republican who will oversee redistricting work in the House, posted: Very sad news. Glenn was incredibly smart. The state lost a great mind. I will miss him.

Koepp started in the Legislature in May 1972.

He told The Associated Press in 2019 shortly before his retirement that as a law student, he hitchhiked to the Capitol seeking a summer job and ended up getting a position as an assistant sergeant-at-arms. He worked at the state's constitutional convention a year later and left the Legislature for a three-year break in the mid-1970s before returning to the Senate for the rest of his career.

Even after his retirement, Koepp was hired back at the Louisiana Capitol to help Cortez with redistricting work for the upcoming special session planned in early 2022.

Koepp is survived by his wife, Anna, and two sons, according to the Legislature's communications office.

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Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
HOUSTON (AP)  A man killed two people at a Houston motel then wounded two others by opening fire into the parking lot before dying in a shootout with police, authorities said.

The shootings happened late Sunday at the Palace Inn motel in northwest Houston, executive police chief Matt Slinkard said.
ATLANTA (AP)  Republican leaders are promising quick legislative action to fight violent crime in Atlanta as the House begins hearings on crime in Georgia's largest city.

Gov. Brian Kemp told the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on Monday that he would include anti-crime proposals for lawmakers to consider this fall when they return for a special session to redraw electoral districts.

House Speaker David Ralston of Blue Ridge said House leaders will propose $2 million to pay for 20 new state troopers to focus on tactical response and drunken driving enforcement in Atlanta. Ralston wants another $1 million to double to the size of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's anti-gang task force and Attorney General Chris Carr's anti-human-trafficking task force.

The hearing came days after Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms proposed a $70 million crime-fighting plan that includes 250 more police officers, working to alter violent behavior and tracking repeat offenders to make sure theyre convicted. She also wants to install 10,000 more streetlights, crack down on illegal after-hours clubs and add 250 license plate reader cameras. The Atlanta City Council would have to approve the spending.

Ralston said in remarks delivered by video from Savannah that he didn't want to point blame or have a political discussion. But both Kemp and Carr criticized some elected officials for their approaches to crime.

The dangerous criminals in these gangs arent letting up. In fact, because local leadership in our capital city has created an anti-police, soft-on-crime environment, the task forces work, in my opinion, is needed now more than ever," Kemp said, reiterating criticism of Bottoms.

Ahead of 2022 state elections, many Republicans are trying to make the case that voters shouldnt trust Democrats on crime, even though state government has traditionally had a limited role in fighting crime, with most of the responsibility falling to local sheriffs, police departments and district attorneys. Kemp has repeatedly touted state police efforts to cut down on street racing and stunt driving. Troopers have formed a six-person crime suppression unit to arrest fugitives, but troopers have little role in investigating local shootings, a key concern.

Carr said some district attorneys weren't doing enough to prosecute cases, singling out District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, who covers Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Gonzalez has said that more people who are arrested should be released before trial without requiring cash bail, that she won't prosecute some low-level drug cases and that she won't seek the death penalty. That's prompted pushback, especially from officials in Republican-dominated Oconee County.

If they dont like it, they should run for the legislature and change the law that way, Carr told committee members. I think it is dangerous for a member of the executive branch or the judicial branch to say Im just not going to enforce the law.

Carr suggested such prosecutors could be charged with violating their oath of office, although he said such a prosecution could be difficult.

Gonzalez said she was elected to stop misusing resources on minor offenses.

Violent crime is a serious problem, and if AG Carr wants to stop playing politics and work together on addressing it, I am ready to do so, she said in a statement.

While Carr said increased violent crime is being driven in large part by criminal street gangs, Assistant Atlanta Police Chief Todd Coyt said that the city's police can only definitively link two homicides this year to gangs. He said most shootings are driven by disputes among people who already know each other.

We believe that most of the homicides and aggravated assaults are due to a lack of conflict resolution, Coyt said, adding that police can't arrest ourselves out of this problem.

You all keep focusing on Atlanta, Coyt said. What's happening in Atlanta is not just Atlanta. This is a regional issue. It's a national issue.

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Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
Three days after a 21-year-old man was fatally shot by police officers outside of a McDonald's restaurant, a Maryland police chief provided details on Monday about the armed standoff," but did not say what prompted officers to kill the suspect.

Friday's incident outside the fast food restaurant ended with a show of force before a negotiator could reach the scene, Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones told reporters.

Jones said the department's hearts are with the family of the victim, Ryan Leroux of Gaithersburg, as well as the police officers who responded to the call.

A spokesperson for the police department didn't immediately respond to a request to identify the races of the officers and the victim.

According to Jones, dispatchers received a trespassing call in which a customer ordered food, refused to pay for it and didn't move his SUV from the drive-thru lane. A uniformed officer responded to the call and observed a handgun in the driver's lap, Jones said. The officer ordered Leroux at gunpoint to get out of the vehicle and radioed for backup, the chief said.

The McDonald's was evacuated, Jones said, adding that officers attempted to negotiate with Leroux for approximately 30 minutes. A negotiator was called as officers formulated a plan to arrest Leroux peacefully, according to the chief.

A sergeant on scene spoke with Mr. Leroux on his cellphone and tried to convince him to exit the vehicle in a safe manner, Jones said. However, he was not cooperative.

Before a negotiator arrives, Jones said, there was a use of force." He didn't describe what led to shots being fired by police officers. He said several officers tended to Leroux until emergency personnel could arrive. Leroux was taken to a local hospital, where he died, Jones said. A loaded Glock 47 was recovered from the scene, according to the chief.

The Leroux family was offered the chance to see the video from the body-worn cameras, and Jones said they accepted, but he added that the video wouldn't tell the entire story.

Body-worn cameras are a helpful tool, but they do not replace the human eye and what the officers actually saw, he said, noting that County Executive Marc Elrich has also seen the video.

When you get to see the video, no one would have expected this outcome from the way the video began, Elrich said. It makes it all the more tragic.

One phone number listed for the Leroux family was not in service and no one responded immediately to a request for comment at a second number.

The four officers involved in the incident, who Jones said had a combined 58 years of experience, have been placed on administrative leave as an investigation begins. The Howard County State's Attorney's Office will conduct the investigation under an agreement with its counterpart in Montgomery County which calls for one county to conduct such investigations for the other county.

Members of the Silver Spring Justice Coalition planned to attend the news conference to demand full transparency, the resignation of department leadership and redoubled efforts for genuine police reform, according to a statement from the group.

The group, which was formed after an officer fatally shot a Black man in neighboring Silver Spring in 2018, called for police to release details of what led to the shooting, including what actions were taken to de-escalate the situation.

Time and time again SSJC has witnessed a failure of MCPD to hold itself accountable, show transparency, and transform its culture of violence. the group said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Wisconsin's two medical schools are collaborating on a study addressing health disparities in the state.

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin will use $3 million in endowment money to measure and recommend solutions for health inequities, which have been underscored by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality is a consortium of state health systems and hospitals. The collaborative in 2020 found low rates of colon cancer screening and HPV vaccination in some rural areas and low rates of childhood vaccinations and depression screening in some urban neighborhoods.

Blacks in Wisconsin have higher rates of cancer and sexually transmitted diseases than other groups, and poorer outcomes for stroke, diabetes and asthma, stemming in part from more poverty and less education, according to the state Department of Health Services, the State Journa l reported.

By supporting a collaboration of this magnitude  between academic centers, health systems and payers  we aim to bring forward new solutions that will reduce inequities in health and positively impact those who have been underserved and marginalized, said Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, senior associate dean at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Differences are also seen in coronavirus vaccination rates, with 27.5% of Blacks, about 34% of American Indians, 37.6% of Hispanics, 47.4% of whites and 50.8% of Asians statewide having received at least one dose as of Friday.
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP)  Environmental groups pressed a state judge to order a new review of a Montana copper mine over worries that mining waste will pollute a river that's popular among boaters.

Attorneys for Trout Unlimited and other groups argued that state officials did not adequately review the risk of toxic waste spills from the Black Butte copper mine north of White Sulphur Springs.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  Kosovos interior minister said Monday that the repatriation of 11 of the European nation's citizens from Syria was made in close cooperation with the United States.

Six men, one woman and four children arrived in Kosovo on Saturday from conflict zones in Syria.

Authorities undertake all the necessary actions with the appropriate institutions to offer full support for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society, Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said.

The minister indicated, however, that the adults would be investigated for possible prosecution.

All persons who have taken part in fighting at the conflict zones have committed crimes, and those who have been involved in terrorist organizations also will face justice, he said.

The court in the capital, Pristina, decided to put the six men under arrest while the woman under house arrest, accusing them of organizing and taking part in terror groups.

Kosovo Police Director General Samedin Mehmeti said 253 Kosovar people  130 men, 39 women and 84 children  have returned from Syria and Iraq in recent years and fewer than 80 Kosovars remain in the Middle Eastern countries. Authorities have said more than 400 citizens of Kosovo left to join extremist groups in 2013 and 2014.

Two years ago, Kosovo repatriated 110 citizens from Syria, mostly women and children, with the assistance of the United States. Many of the adults have already been charged for terrorism-linked activities and are serving prison sentences.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP)  With the delta variant causing a surge of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in southwestern Missouri, health officials have taken to going door-to-door in an effort to encourage vaccinations.

The Kansas City Star recently followed along as health officials knocked on doors in Springfield, handing out brochures. The effort was non-confrontational and the officials always took no for an answer, the newspaper reported, despite concerns raised by Gov. Mike Parson and other Republican leaders that the outreach would be heavy-handed.

Southwestern Missouri has seen an alarming rise in illnesses caused by COVID-19 in recent weeks. There was a tinge of good news Monday: The number of people hospitalized dipped slightly both in southwestern Missouri and across the state, according to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data.

After several days of more than 1,000 newly confirmed cases, the state reported 826 on Monday, bringing the total for the pandemic to 545,551. No new deaths were reported, keeping the total at 9,474.

Southwestern Missouri lags well behind the national average for vaccinations, but persuading the unvaccinated to get a shot is proving difficult.

In Springfield, Annaliese Schroeder, a community health advocate, knocked on a door and briefly talked about an upcoming clinic. She offered a door tag with information about the virus, and asked a few question: Do you want information about the clinic? Do you know someone who does? Do you have any questions about other clinics, or the vaccines?

Josh Gollaher and Nikki Schaub turned down a flyer as they walked home to their apartment complex. Both told a reporter they were adamantly against taking a vaccine.

I just dont want to, Schaub, 42, said. Id rather wear a mask.

Gollaher, 29, said he doesn't trust the studies about the spread of the virus.

Their studies could be wrong, he said. Itll blow over.

Schroeder and Kelsey Connor, a public health information specialist, said those sort of encounters are rare. She and Conner are careful not to push back when residents turn them down. They never ask the residents vaccination status, they said.

If somebody is already a little uncertain, being aggressive  is not something thats going to make them feel more comfortable to come in and get vaccinated, Schroeder said. Its a lot about creating that community bond  so when they see us they dont feel unsafe or threatened.

Greene County and Springfield have held nearly 10 door-to-door canvasses so far. Officials are using surveys at clinics to track the impact, but data isn't yet available.

Health officials know the door-to-door outreach isn't an option in some places. In low-vaccinated Shannon County 135 miles (217 kilometers) east of Springfield, anti-vaccine sentiment is so high a clinic has offered private rooms for patients who dont want to be seen getting a shot.

Were not going to go knocking on doors, said Kandra Counts, Shannon County's health administrator. Weve made that very clear to the public.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Mont. - Isaiah Sullivan can measure the intensity of this year's hot summer by the lines of visitors outside the boat rental business he manages on the shores of Lake McDonald. Once the afternoon heat intensifies, the line to paddle on cool water fed by melting snowpack doesn't dissipate until he puts out the closed sign at 7 p.m.

Many visitors would rather just cool off or wait for smoky haze from forest fires to lift, rather than brave slopes of the surrounding peaks in unusually high heat and limited visibility. The temperature Sunday at Lake McDonald was forecast to reach 94 degrees, as yet another searing heat wave settled over the northern Rocky Mountains.

Glacier National Park is among the West's public landmarks experiencing extreme heat as huge volumes of campers and hikers flock to their gates, eager to make up for last year's lost pandemic summer with outdoor adventures from the scorching sands of California to the mountains of Montana.

Travelers rolling up to storied mountain ranges in their campers are finding peaks shrouded in haze from fires and record-setting temperatures. In places that are not yet suffering from fire emergencies, charred vistas from last year's fires have led to restrictions on where it is safe to hike.

In interviews at several Rocky Mountain parks, visitors said they were still happy to hit the road after the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns of 2020 and escape their home states. But the large crowds and extreme temperatures can combine for disappointing, challenging and even life-threatening conditions.

At Grand Canyon National Park, where temperatures are routinely exceeding 110 degrees on sun-baked paths, rangers issue strong warnings and advise people to take precautions, such as avoiding hiking during the middle of the day, staying hydrated and eating salty foods, and carrying a spray bottle of water to cool off. Visitors still succumb to the heat on the trails. Last week, a 44-year-old man from Louisiana died while hiking up arduous switchbacks out of the canyon during the hot afternoon. A 53-year-old woman from Ohio died June 20 on a different Grand Canyon trail after experiencing heat-related symptoms, the Park Service said.

Crowds are so big at Arches National Park in Utah that parking lots at trailheads are often filled by 7:30 a.m. and closed to anyone coming later. Closures leave visitors with waits of three to five hours as temperatures soar toward 100 degrees. At Zion National Park, local emergency crews have seen a sharp increase in emergency calls for heat-related illness.

The successive heat domes that have locked furnace-like conditions over the northern Rockies and the Pacific Northwest - which scientists say are the result of climate change - are creating a range of extremes.

Early summer is traditionally a wet and chilly time in northwest Montana, especially June, but between June 15 and July 15 this year, the average daily temperature in West Glacier was 71.6 degrees, a full 10 degrees higher than the 30-year average. Corby Dickerson, a meteorologist and observation program manager for the National Weather Service in Missoula, said that although daily high temperatures in the 90s are not unusual for Glacier Park, they are unusual early in the summer. He also said the extremely hot days result in fewer cool nights, which is skewing the daily average.

Shanay Kapadia of Houston and Linda Wang from California's Bay Area were visiting Glacier in hopes of hiking this weekend, but when the smoke obscured the mountain vistas, they opted to go paddleboarding instead, crossing their fingers that the haze would clear by the next morning.

"It's been a little bit of a bummer, but every once in a while it clears," Kapadia said.

Photo by Justin Franz for The Washington Post.

"And it could be worse," Wang said, adding that last summer, she drove to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to go hiking only to have to turn around because of all the smoke.

Brandy Burke, public affairs assistant for Glacier National Park, said rangers have been encouraging visitors to stay hydrated and have a backup plan if it's too smoky to hike safely. (On Saturday morning, the local air quality was listed as "unhealthy for sensitive groups.")

Dylan Boyle, executive director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau, just west of the park, said local businesses that cater to tourists have had a lot of practice the past few years offering suggestions for alternative activities when wildfires both near and far derail vacations.

"It's all about having backup plans," Boyle said.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported 70 large blazes burning across a dozen states, with lightning risks on the rise.

Although much of the smoke that has been blanketing Glacier Park is from neighboring states, officials in northwest Montana were on edge, fearing this weekend's heat would fuel fires locally. Lincoln Chute, the fire service area manager in Flathead County, which includes the western half of Glacier Park, said Glacier and the nearby Flathead Valley had been the greenest spots on the map in the western United States because of a rainstorm a few weeks ago that kept vegetation green. But now grass, brush and other forest fuels are drying out quickly.

"That rain a few weeks ago bought us some time, but now we're quickly running out of it," he said.

Although smoke was blanketing much of the Lake McDonald Valley on Friday afternoon, some of it cleared out just before sunset, revealing the towering peaks of the Livingston Range. The temperature was still in the low 80s just after 8 p.m. and Lillian Phalanger was sitting in the water with her family. Earlier this year, Phalanger had seen a photo of Glacier Park on Facebook and decided that she had to see it in person. The family drove from their home in Covington, La., and hit Yellowstone on the way. Although they were disappointed about the smoke that obscured the mountains for most of their visit, they were still glad they had made the trek.

"Glacier has been the highlight," she said.

At Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, a light breeze at the Longs Peak trailhead kept the worst of the heat at bay Saturday. But the sun was still strong at 9,400 feet, where many hikers begin the arduous trek up Rocky Mountain National Park's highest mountain.

"This feels like wintertime in Houston," said Chase Almaguer, who is originally from Texas and currently based in New York. Almaguer spent the weekend hiking in the Rockies with his longtime friend Jakob Humphrey of Greeley, Colo. It may have been cooler and far less humid than their childhood hometown, but it was practically tropical for the high alpine.

With the pandemic's end on the horizon, Almaguer was looking for a vacation where he could travel responsibly, get outside and keep his distance from travelers who may not be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

"Hiking and camping has been on my mind for a long time. I know everyone's taking out RVs and getting outside right now," Almaguer said. "It feels good to do something you know is safe but also fun."

Madison Hurmence came to Rocky Mountain National Park with her family to get away from the wildfires near her home in Logan, Utah. The Colorado air has been a relief for Hurmence, who said the smoke in Utah was unbearable. "People can't breathe as well, and then the heat doesn't make that any better."

Even though Colorado isn't in an apocalyptic blaze, the long-lasting effects of last year's wildfires have kept large sections of Rocky Mountain National Park off limits. Almost 30,000 acres burned within the park's boundary in fall 2020, according to the National Park Service. Many trails require repair before hikers can use them again.

The park has volunteers and rangers at popular trailheads on busy days to advise hikers who want to get into the mountains. They emphasize what's called preventive search and rescue (PSAR) to educate visitors about backcountry safety with guidance on gear and conditions before they hit the trail.

Burn scars left behind by the fires are particularly dangerous for those exploring the backcountry - including swaths of charred forest and blackened stumps strewn across steep hillsides. The Park Service is warning visitors to steer clear of those areas where falling trees and unstable ground pose serious hazards. Flooding and mudslides are also of concern as these burn scars are vulnerable to fast-flowing water with few trees to anchor the earth down. Not to mention, less tree cover means less shade to protect hikers on hot days.

Last year's wildfires came within a few miles of downtown Estes Park - the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park - before they were curbed.

In Gardiner, Mont., near the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park, business owners reported zero slowdown in business as a result of the smoke. In June, Yellowstone had more than 900,000 visitors, another record among many for 2021. In addition to persistent smoke for several weeks, the area is experiencing unseasonably high temperatures, with several days at or around 90 degrees.

At noon Saturday in Gardiner, it was 91 degrees and there were long lines at every restaurant and the gas station. Cars were still waiting to get into the park, many full of families eager to observe a pack of wolves with nine pups in a den that can be viewed with binoculars and telescopes. The National Weather Service forecast temperatures in Gardiner near 100 on Sunday.

Megan Pringle, a budget analyst from Baltimore, and Sam Johnson, a ninth-grade math teacher from Rochester, N.Y., had flown into Salt Lake City, where they picked up a rental camper van before heading to Grand Teton National Park.

"We were driving through the Tetons but all of the mountains were pretty hazy, so you can't see them that well," Pringle said. "We were thinking, 'Wow, if it is this beautiful now, how incredible is it when the skies are clear?'"

"The rangers there said it doesn't usually get that hazy until August," Johnson said.

They spent several days at Yellowstone and were planning to head to Utah's national parks next. With breakfast eaten and the dishes cleaned up, the two women grabbed a couple of chairs and prepared to walk up the hill to a group of people with scopes. They had no intention of leaving before seeing wolves.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP)  The Navajo Nation Council is commencing its summer session with a return to tradition.

Tribal officials marked the beginning of the session Monday with a horse ride to the council chamber in Window Rock, Arizona, the Farmington Daily Times reported.

The horse ride was canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The ride's participants typically would travel to various chapters before arriving at the session. The event honors how previous tribal leaders would go to the Navajo Nation's capital.

Delegate Mark Freeland said he rode alongside more than two dozen others.

Still, some delegates chose to attend the session by telephone.

The reservation is the countrys largest at 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) and it covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Hard hit by the pandemic with more than 31,000 known cases, the Navajo Nation is seeing cases going down. But leaders are continuing to urge mask wearing and vaccinations.
STAVANGER, Norway (AP)  A timeline of the events of July 2011, when Anders Behring Breivik attacked the Norwegian government and a Labor youth camp on the island of Utoya, killing a total of 77 people, and the court proceedings that followed:

July 22, 2011

2:09 p.m.  Anders Breivik sends a manifesto, 2083  A European Declaration of Independence to 1,002 email addresses including Norwegian politicians and journalists.

3:17 p.m.  Breivik parks a white van outside the government quarter in Oslo, loaded with a 950-kilogram bomb, then leaves in a separate vehicle heading for Utoya island.

3:25 p.m.  The bomb explodes, killing six women and two men.

5:17 p.m.  Breivik arrives in Utoya on a boat from the mainland, dressed as a policeman and carrying an arsenal of weapons in a suitcase

5:21 p.m.  The shooting starts. Breivik kills a guard and a camp organizer before stalking and murdering mostly teenagers and young adults around the island. He kills 69 people.

6:34 p.m.  Breivik gives himself up to armed police and is arrested

April 16, 2012  The trial begins with Breivik entering the court giving a clenched fist salute. The court will decide if he is sane, and capable of facing justice.

August 24, 2012  Breivik is sentenced to the maximum 21 years in prison. He will serve his sentence in a high security three-room cell, with access to a gym and computer games, but very little contact with other inmates.

July 2015  Breivik begins proceedings to sue the Norwegian state for violations of human rights

March 15, 2016  Breivik returns to court in a special prison facility, for the beginning of the hearing. He enters, giving a Nazi salute

April 20, 2016  The Oslo district court rules that Breiviks imprisonment violates article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment. The government says it will appeal

March 1, 2017  An appeals court overrules the previous decision

June 21, 2018  The European Court of Human Rights rejects Breiviks appeal
HONOLULU (AP)  As state tourism officials consider a plan to improve tourism on Hawaii's most populated island of Oahu, they're looking managing what some say are too many visitors.

It's an issue other islands have also been grappling with, including Maui, where Mayor Mike Victorino recently asked airlines to limit service to the island.
CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP)  The Ohio newborn delivered after the shooting death of her pregnant mother last week has died, police said.

Cincinnati police said 31-year-old Michelle McDonald died at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center following the shooting shortly after 6:30 p.m. Friday.
A massive wildfire in southern Oregon has torched hundreds of thousands of acres, fueled by exceptional heat and drought conditions as it has burned for nearly two weeks. At this point, a fire official warns, it won't be completely contained until there's a significant change in the weather.

The Bootleg Fire is the largest of the blazes burning in the United States. It had burned more than 343,000 acres as of Monday evening.

The area has been plagued by extreme drought conditions and is under a red-flag warning because of high winds and low humidity - conditions that create high fire danger and are expected to continue.

"It is so dry out here on the ground that to be able to extinguish the fire completely, to be able to have what we call full containment of the fire, we are going to need Mother Nature's help," Katy O'Hara, a spokeswoman for the firefighting effort, told The Washington Post on Monday morning.

That means a "season-ending weather event," which usually comes in the form of widespread wetting rain, significant wetting rain, or snow, O'Hara said.

In that part of southern Oregon, that kind of weather event is not expected until late fall, perhaps late October or November.

As of Monday evening, the fire was 25% contained.

Fire experts said it's increasingly common for a fire of this scale to need a weather change.

Maureen Kennedy, an assistant professor who focuses on fire ecology and forest management at the University of Washington at Tacoma, called it a "circular" problem.

"The reason the fire was able to get so large was because of the extreme weather contributing to it," Kennedy said. "And we can't suppress a wildfire - there's difficulty under those extreme weather conditions."

O'Hara said fire crews are expecting similar red-flag conditions, with high winds and low humidity, to continue for the next couple of days, further fueling the fire and posing a challenge for any management strategies.

"As we continue to have those conditions, we will be challenged to continue to get around this fire," she said.

Since the Bootleg Fire ignited July 6, authorities have warned about the weather's effect on firefighting efforts. A fire update published Monday said the prior day had been the ninth consecutive day with "such extreme fire behavior that firefighters moved to safety zones and looked for opportunities to re-engage."

"Weather's really against us. It's going to be hot, it's going to be dry and air's going to be unstable, which helps the heat raise faster, which brings in more air - all things that are negative for firefighters and positive for fire," John Flannigan, an operations section chief with the Oregon Department of Forestry, said in a Sunday briefing. "So it's going to be a real battle today."

Monday's update said that given the conditions, fire growth is expected. On Sunday, further evacuations were implemented in Oregon's Lake County because of the fire's increased activity.

Daniel Leavell, an associate professor of practice at Oregon State University's College of Forestry, described the weather plaguing much of the West as "unheard of."

"I've been in the West since the '70s, and I've never experienced this," said Leavell, who said he has 40 years of fire management experience. "The conditions are just ripe for burning. All the fuels have dried out and it burns, and as long as those weather conditions stay what they are, fuel will burn."

Nearly two-thirds of the West is experiencing "extreme" or "exceptional" drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the two most severe categories. The West this year has been beleaguered by historic drought conditions and major heat waves. One recent episode in the Pacific Northwest would have been "virtually impossible" without human-driven climate change, scientists found.

O'Hara said fire crews have also had challenges with the terrain where the fire is located and being able to safely access some fire points. She added that future rain and snow may be especially helpful in interior parts of the fire, in pockets that could have more intense burning.

"Our top priority is always firefighter and public safety first," she said. "Firefighters have to be able to not only get into an area but safely exit that area if something bad were to happen."

Leavell said fire crews need to be "strategic."

"Hopefully it's smaller parts, but if parts of the fire are on rugged rocky terrain, in canyons, if parts are just not safe to directly deal with, you need to play defense and back off and let other resources deal with that," he said. "And if you can't, the only alternative is to wait for Mother Nature."
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP)  The 18-year old pilot of a banner plane made an emergency landing Monday on a bridge in southern New Jersey, snarling traffic but causing no injuries, authorities said.

Landon Lucas reported that his plane started having engine trouble around 12:30 p.m. as he was flying near Steel Pier in Atlantic City, officials said. Lucas released his banner into the ocean and was trying to fly to a nearby municipal airport in Ocean City when he spotted a gap in traffic in the westbound lanes of the Route 52 causeway, which connects Ocean City and Somers Point.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A suspected intoxicated motorist struck and killed two pedestrians late Sunday along an Indianapolis street, police said.

Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the scene on the city's south side just before midnight on a report of a person struck by a vehicle.

The responding officers found two men, who were pronounced dead at the scene, IMPD Officer Genae Cook said. The victims' names have not been released.

Cook said detectives believe the driver of a Ford Focus was traveling southwest on Kentucky Avenue from Interstate 465 when that person veered into the shoulder and struck the two pedestrians.

The driver stayed at the scene and was arrested. Cook told WRTV-TV that alcohol contributed to the crash.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)  Police in New Hampshires largest city are investigating separate shooting incidents that slightly wounded one person.

Manchester police say they received a report of multiple shots being fired at about 11:35 p.m. Sunday on Quirin Street.

A caller reported hearing several gunshots followed by a vehicle leaving the area. Officers found evidence that the building had been struck several times by gunfire, but there were no injuries.

Approximately 15 minutes later police received reports of shots fired on Hevey Street. Officers found numerous spent shell casings along with damage to the building.

There, officers learned one male had suffered a non-life threatening wound.

Police say they dont know if the two incidents are related.
DECATUR, Ala. (AP)  Police in an Alabama city are working to determine if the discovery of a body in a ditch is related to the arrest of a motorist on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Al.com reports that Decatur police responded to a single-car crash shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. There, police arrested the driver of a car that left the roadway and hit a guardrail.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP)  An 18-year-old man was shot to death in Dubuque over the weekend, and two younger teens have been arrested in the death, police there said.

Robert Powell-Moore, 18, of Dubuque, died at a hospital Saturday afternoon after officers responding to a shooting call found him with a gunshot wound to his chest, the Telegraph Herald reported.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  Half of Olivia Chiavaras time is spent across from other people  their hands in hers as she trims cuticles and spreads polish over freshly filed fingernails. The other half is spent in a classroom.

Chiavaras main job  her calling, as she says  is as a third grade teacher at North Buncombe Elementary School where shes been for nine years. Next year, she will shift to teach for the Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy.

But to pay her mortgage and feed her child, Chiavaras, like so many other North Carolina teachers, has had a second job since she began educating.

Ive been doing this two job thing for as long as Ive been teaching, she said. Thats exhausting. Working five 12-hour days for nine years, thats a lot of hours, and it eventually tolls on the energy that you have to give to your kids.

According to the NC Department of Public Instructions teacher pay schedule, a first year teacher makes $35,000. Buncombe County Schools offers a local supplement for teachers depending on experience levels. For teachers in their first year, its 8.5% of their base salary.

That means a first-year teacher in Buncombe County Schools makes just under $38,000.

The state offers an annual pay raise of $1,000 for the first 14 years an educator with a bachelors degree teaches in North Carolina. When educators enter Year 15, they plateau at $50,000 until their 25th year of teaching, when they can make a base salary of $52,000.

The expected annual spending for a single renter in Asheville is about $49,000, according to the Asheville-Buncombe County Economic Development Coalition  which means it would take a BCS teacher 10 years in the profession to make enough to meet Ashevilles cost of living.

So its not hard to understand why Chiavaras books back-to-back manicure appointments after her students file into their parents cars.

During the school year, there is nothing but work, she said.

When school is out for the summer, Chiavaras spends more time in the acetone-soaked air of the salon, where she ends up making more money as a manicurist than she does as an educator.

Chiavaras story is not a one-off  not even for Asheville.

Weekdays, Autumn Merrill works as a first grade teacher at Johnston Elementary School. Then on the weekends, she puts on a black polo and heads to her shift at the Carolina Cinemark Asheville.

Merrill is new to the teaching field  in her second year. Despite being unmarried with no dependents, she still has a hard time paying her bills on only a teacher salary.

The movie theater job helps kind of fill in the gaps, she said.

To offset the pause in teacher income during the summer, Merrill teaches summer school while still working weekends at the movie theater.

But Merrill said shes exhausted. Working two jobs  one that includes refereeing 6-year-olds  takes its toll on her in more ways than one.

I have to leave straight away on Friday afternoon. There have been occasions where my assistant has had to stay with students whose families are picking them up late, she said. It also takes away a day of rest and relaxation for me to be in a good rested state of mind to teach my students.

Both Chiavaras and Merrill said they knew they werent entering a lucrative profession when they started teaching the elementary students, but they kept at it both in school and in the first few years of teaching despite the bleak pay stubs.

Their reason for perseverance: their students and the potential to impact lives.

Teaching is the greatest job in the world, Chiavaras said. Teaching is meaningful. It feels like an important thing that I can do to give back to our community and our world. If were not providing for our kids, then what are we actually doing?

Other teachers shared this thought. During a July 12 press conference at UNC Asheville, North Carolina Association of Educators member and Yancey County music teacher Courtney Malone said the greatest victims of underpaid teachers are students.

I am a good teacher, but if I didnt have to work a second job, I could be a great teacher, she said.

After school, Malone drives to Asheville to deliver food for GrubHub and UberEats so she can pay her bills. She has been a teacher for 25 years and has had a second job the entire time  even as she raised her two daughters and went to night school for a masters degree.

I dont work a second job for fun, Malone said. I work a second job because Im a North Carolina teacher.

During the press conference, NCAE members expressed their discontentment with the state legislatures lag on producing a fiscal 2021-22 budget.

While the new fiscal year started July 1, the legislature still hasnt adopted an official budget. The state Senate approved a budget proposal June 24 respectively. Now, the budget goes back to the House, where representatives and Gov. Roy Cooper will discuss, tweak and draft the budget for complete approval.

The governors proposed budget, which heavily focuses on education, includes an allocation that Cooper said would increase the average pay for educators by 10% over the course of two years.

But teachers are skeptical and frustrated.

I feel appreciated by my school. I feel appreciated by my administration, Chiavaras said. I dont feel appreciated by my government. Im wondering how many of them work second jobs.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Authorities have identified the person killed in a shooting early Saturday in downtown Portland, Oregon, as an 18-year-old woman who had graduated from high school last month.

Portland Police said Monday that Makayla Maree Harris was killed in what is believed to be a drive-by shooting. Relatives told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she had graduated from Grant High School in early June and was the youngest in her family with six siblings.
PETERBOROUGH, N.H. (AP)  Some roads will need major repairs after heavy rains caused flooding in parts of southern New Hampshire over the weekend, officials say.

The Contoocook River was flowing high and fast in Peterborough, WMUR-TV reported.

Highest Ive ever seen, said resident Norm Makechnie. It was flowing over the top of the dam by the bridge.

The water caved in a long stretch of the roadside on Old Town Farm Road.

One of the issues that were facing with this particular roadway is that it is a dead-end road, so by having no way out at the other end, there are 18 residences and a little over 30 people who would be trapped if we were not able to keep this roadway open, Fire Chief Ed Walker said.

In nearby Jaffry, high water cut off Letourneau Road.

"We kind of came out thinking the water would be a little high but never expected to see water running across the street from this little brook, said Bill Goudreau, of Jaffrey, after receiving a text from a neighbor about the conditions.

Jaffrey Town Manager Jon Frederick said two bridges are a concern and the town is working with consultants to figure out what to do.

Were going to be working with the state of New Hampshire, the Department of Environmental Services, as well as Homeland Security and Emergency Management, he said.

State officials are in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and a damage assessment is expected to be done in the coming days.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Campaign finance records show Missouris disgraced former governor, Eric Greitens, has raised roughly $350,000 for his run for U.S. Senate.

That means Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt raised the most out of any Missouri Senate candidate during the latest quarter.
BAGHDAD (AP)  A roadside bomb attack targeted a Baghdad suburb Monday, killing at least 30 people and wounding dozens of others at a crowded market, Iraqi medical officials said.

The attack took place in the Wahailat market in Sadr City, Iraq's military said in a statement. Two medical officials said at least 30 people were killed and dozens more wounded in the powerful explosion. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The blast happened a day before the Eid al-Adha holiday when the market was busy with shoppers looking for gifts and groceries.

Piles of merchandise lay on the ground after the explosion. Shopkeepers recounted to security forces how the blast occurred as they salvaged what items they could.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the Islamic State group has claimed similar attacks in the area before.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi placed the commander of the federal police regiment responsible for the area of the market place under arrest, the military statement said. It also said an investigation was launched.

It was the third time this year that a bomb hit a market in the densely populated neighborhood in eastern Baghdad.

In June, 15 people were wounded when a bomb placed under a kiosk in another Sadr City market detonated. In April, at least four people were killed in a car bomb attack in Sadr City. That blast was caused by an explosive device attached to a parked car at the market.

Monday's attack comes two months ahead of federal elections slated for Oct. 10.

Large bomb attacks, once an almost daily occurrence in Baghdad, have slowed in recent years since IS was defeated on the battlefield in 2017.

Attacks persist, however. In January, over 30 people were killed in a twin suicide bombing in a busy commercial area in central Baghdad. It was the deadliest bombing in three years to strike Iraqs capital.
BRUSSELS (AP)  A meeting Monday between Serbia and Kosovo that is part of the European Union-brokered negotiations aimed at resolving a long-lasting dispute that remains a source of tensions in the volatile Balkans produced no progress.

The negotiations were headed by the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who urged Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti before the meeting in Brussels to achieve a comprehensive legally-binding agreement.

The EU's special envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, who was part of the talks, said at the end of the meeting that it was difficult and it demonstrated very different approaches of the two parties.

The only outcome I would report today is that the dialogue will continue, he said, adding that chief negotiators will hold monthly meetings while both leaders agreed to meet again in September.

Serbia and Kosovo have been told that they can't hope to move forward in their efforts to join the EU before resolving the decades-old rift that exploded in a conflict in 1998-99, leaving more than 10,000 people dead and triggering an intervention by NATO.

The European future for Serbia and Kosovo depends on the normalization of their relations. We therefore expect both parties to work together, to overcome the legacy of the past and solve all outstanding issues between them, underlined Lajcak.

Kosovo, formerly a province in Serbia, declared independence in 2008. But Belgrade has refused to accept that. While Kosovo has been recognized by the U.S. and most EU nations, Belgrade has relied on support from Russia and China in its bid to retain claim on the territory.

Kurti said that Serbia didn't want to face the past and face the families of more than 1,600 people still missing from the war in Kosovo.

Serbia should recognize Kosovo. Kosovo should recognize Serbia and everything else is resolvable and easy, Kurti said.

Vucic argued that all sides committed crimes, adding that there was no agreement at all at the meeting, describing the Kosovo side as irrational.

I am concerned. I dont know what we are going to do, Vucic said. They see only themselves as a victim and only Serbs as criminals.

After a stalemate since last year, the two meetings in the last two months have been fruitless.

The EU-brokered negotiations started in 2011, but were stalled last year partly because of the coronavirus pandemic before resuming a month ago.

Since the start of the EU-brokered negotiations, the delegations from Belgrade and Pristina have agreed on a number of issues, tackling problems from free travel to trade. While many of them still remain to be applied, they also remained far apart on Kosovos independence.

The future is more important than the past. The past is important, but we have to look forward. And when we look forward, what we see at the end of the path is the European perspective for Serbia and Kosovo, Borrell before the meeting.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  A Navy helicopter crew looking for a hiker missing in some California mountains east of Yosemite National Park survived after they crashed near the tallest peak in Nevada, and both the searchers and the hiker were rescued over the weekend.

The four-member crew escaped injury but had to spend Friday night in the rugged wilderness before being rescued Saturday from a ridge along the California-Nevada line, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, authorities said.

The Navy is investigating the cause of the crash reported about 5 p.m. Friday, Navy spokesman Zip Upham said Monday. The Navy MH-60 Knighthawk had been helping with the search for a lost hiker in the White Mountains in the Inyo National Forest.

Ronald Bolen, an Oklahoma University professor who was reported missing last week on a trail to Boundary Peak, was found by hikers late Saturday or Sunday in good condition and transported for medical treatment, the Mono County sheriffs office said.

A family member told the Reno Gazette Journal that Bolen was dehydrated but otherwise in good shape.

Boundary Peak, near the California line about 100 miles (161 kilometers) east of Yosemite National Park, is Nevada's tallest mountain at an elevation of 13,410 feet (4,005 meters).

The helicopter crash occurred at 11,700 feet (3,566 meters) in very rugged terrain in the national forest, Upham said.

It's going to take us a little time to do the investigation because of where the aircraft rests, he said. After that, we'll see about removing the aircraft.

A second Knighthawk helicopter left the air station after the crash and found the crew but was unable to safely rescue them.

A California National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter that performs better at high altitudes and is based at Mather Field in Sacramento returned Saturday afternoon to safely remove the crew members, Upham said.

They had been on standby for firefighting so they were available, he said.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)  A software problem kept at least two inmates in the St. Joseph County Jail longer than their sentences required in 2019, leading to a $20,000 settlement for one.

A man who was in jail two months longer than required received the $20,000 settlement from the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners last month, the South Bend Tribune reported Monday.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The state-run ferry system is proposing a winter schedule that suggests limited service for some southeast Alaska communities and improved service for Kodiak Island and some parts of south-central Alaska.

State transportation department spokesperson Andy Mills told CoastAlaska the draft schedule reflects the best the state can do given available funding and maintenance needs within the fleet.

We do our best to juggle all of the considerations when it comes to formulating the schedule, he said.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed about $8.5 million for vessel operations, which his budget office said would align service with historical demand, while providing 18 months of funding to align the systems budget with the calendar year.

The move to provide funding for operations for 18 months rather than the traditional 12 months was intended in part to provide more stability in scheduling.

The draft, which the transportation department is taking public comment on, covers operations between October and April and calls for up to five ships operating at any one time. One of those, however, is a ferry that shuttles between Ketchikan and nearby Metlakatla.

Robert Venables, executive director of Southeast Conference, a regional civic and business organization, expressed disappointment to see such gaps still, for so many communities. Theres apparently no service to a number of the village communities for a great length of time.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, suggested the funding level isn't set in stone.

Were still working with the governor and there were a lot of vetoes that need to be addressed, she said.

Support from three-fourths of the Legislature is needed to override a veto, and it's not clear what appetite there might be to revisit Dunleavy's vetoes.

Overall, though, Stutes said shes pleased with the draft schedule in which Kodiak Island and Prince William Sound communities have shorter service gaps compared to last year.

We went long periods with no ferries, Stutes said. And so I think that theyre just trying to make it a little more spread out. And some communities are getting a little more and some are getting a little less.

The largest ship in the ferry system's fleet, the Columbia, continues to be idled as a cost-savings measure.
BOSTON (AP)  Massachusetts will use $186 million in federal aid for the coronavirus pandemic to help struggling hospitals, bolster the local health care workforce and invest in workforce training efforts, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker announced Monday.

The governor said $55 million will go towards health and human services workforce development, another $50 million for hospitals facing major financial shortfalls, $31 million for inpatient psychiatric acute facilities and $50 million to help train an estimated 15,000 unemployed or underemployed people to learn new skills in manufacturing, health care, information technology and construction.

Our administration is putting this $186 million to work now because many communities throughout Massachusetts  especially low-income families and communities of color  have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and cannot wait for assistance, Baker said in a statement.

The spending is part of $200 million designated to the governor to respond to the immediate needs of the pandemic. It represents just a sliver of the roughly $5.3 billion Massachusetts received under the nearly $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package approved by Congress earlier this year. The majority of that funding is controlled by the Democratic-led legislature.

Baker has proposed using nearly $3 billion toward a range of housing, economic development, job training, health care and infrastructure priorities.

A look at other coronavirus-related developments in Massachusetts:

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P-TOWN MASK ADVISORY

A popular tourist town on Cape Cod issued a new mask-wearing advisory on Monday after more than 100 people tested positive following the Fourth of July holiday.

The public health advisory from Provincetown officials encourages residents and visitors to the town, a popular LGBTQ+ summer destination, to resume wearing masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. It also urges crowded venues and other businesses where social distancing isn't possible to verify that patrons are vaccinated.

The advisory was approved during an emergency meeting Monday with the towns select board and board of health.

Dr. Catherine Brown, of the state Department of Public Health, said the state has alerted other jurisdictions about the cluster of cases tied to Provincetown.

Local officials said the majority are Massachusetts residents but more than 40 are from out of state. They said more 90% of those infected were men and that their median age is 35. Officials said they're also investigating how many of those infected were already vaccinated.

I think this last week and since July 4th is just a reminder to us that yes, COVID is still here, Barnstable County Chief Health Officer Sean OBrien said.

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BU VACCINE REQUIREMENT

Boston University said Monday that all employees returning to campus in the fall will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

University President Robert Brown said the school decided to impose the mandate after a survey indicated that more than 70% of faculty and nearly 74% of staff are currently or will be vaccinated by Aug. 1.

These totals are significantly below what we need to safely return our campuses to near-normal operation in the fall, Brown wrote in a letter to faculty and staff.

He said the university will offer walk-in vaccination clinics and that vaccinations must be completed by Sept. 2.

The college, like others in the Boston-area, has already said vaccinations will be mandatory for all students returning to campus in the fall.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Nevada-based scientists argue in a new study that wildfire smoke may increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

A study published last week by scientists at the Desert Research Institute found that coronavirus infection rates increased disproportionately during wildfire season in 2020, when smoke from fires in neighboring states blanketed much of northern Nevada.

In a paper in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, Desert Research Institute Assistant Research Scientist Daniel Kiser and four co-authors note the test positivity rate in Washoe County increased significantly during periods when monitors measured high levels of particulate matter in the air from wildfire smoke.

For every 10 micrograms per cubic meter of small particulate matter known as PM2.5 in the air, the positivity rate increased about 6.3% two to six days later, the study found.

Kiser said the study was observational and noted that the uptick could be attributed to other factors, like last year's second surge, students returning to schools or changes in local restrictions. But he said momentary upticks during periods of high pollution suggested a connection between smoke and the spread of the virus.

"That temporary association in the midst of a large uptick in cases overall is what convinced us that somethings going on," he told the Associated Press.

The authors argued that the association between wildfire smoke and the coronavirus likely suggested pollution made people more prone to viruses more broadly.

Our findings also bolster arguments that PM2.5 from other sources such as vehicle traffic or industry, increases susceptibility to" the coronavirus, they wrote.

Kiser said wildfires and other climate change-driven weather events were likely to figure more largely into the study of viruses in the future.

Smoke from the Tamarack Fire and Beckwourth Complex Fire is shrouding parts of northern Nevada, causing pollution in Reno, Carson City and Gardnerville.

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Sam Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP)  A 17-year-old Tampa-area boy received five years probation Monday after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of teenage girl in a November boating crash.

Gavin Johnston of Largo pleaded guilty to vessel homicide in adult court for the Nov. 1 crash that killed Rachel Herring, 16, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Johnston, Herring and other teens had been at a Halloween party when they left and took the boat out on the Intercoastal Waterway.
ISTANBUL (AP)  Security forces in eastern Turkey have conducted a major operation against people traffickers bringing migrants across the Iranian border, the provincial governors office said Monday.

More than 1,450 migrants were found in abandoned buildings around Mount Erek, which towers over the city of Van, since July 10, Van governors office said.

Eleven organizers were detained, six of whom have been held in prison by a court order. The statement added that 11 barrack-style buildings for holding migrants had been demolished.

The operation comes amid concerns over a possible spike in migrants from Afghanistan before the U.S. pullout and intense fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces.

Describing earlier operations by police and border agents, backed by aerial drones, the governors office said 27,230 migrants had been caught crossing the Iranian border so far this year.

Turkeys border with Iran has long been a popular smuggling route for people, mainly Afghans, Iranians and Pakistanis, seeking to enter Turkey before heading west to cities such as Istanbul and Ankara.

The migrants typically hope to raise money in Turkey by working in the black market before heading on to Europe.

Turkey, which hosts around 4 million refugees, is currently building new security measures on its eastern border. Afghans are believed to be the second-largest refugee community after Syrians.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
CALISTOGA, Calif.  In a vineyard flanked by scorched hills and charcoal trees, Rob Thompson gripped two stainless steel rods, began rotating in a circle and counted under his breath.

Then he said he had found it  water, hundreds of feet beneath the parched ground.

This is really good, said Thompson, 53, scratching an X into the ashen soil with his shoe. This is a deep one: 750 feet, 55 to 60 gallons a minute. He added, This one I can feel.

Thompson is a water witch.

He claims that he can locate streams of water in the fractures in the earths bedrock, using two L-shaped rods that together resemble an old-fashioned television antenna. Amid Californias extreme drought, just a two-hour drive north of the nations technology capital of Silicon Valley, the water-seeking services of a man relying on two 3-foot rods and a hunch are in demand.

This is my busiest I think Ive ever been in my life, said Thompson, a third-generation water hunter with silvering hair and a lumbering gait. He had been a co-owner of one of Northern Californias largest well-drilling companies, but he gave that up and now searches for water full time.

JIM WILSON/NYT

His busy schedule is a sign of the desperation of ranchers, vineyard owners and land managers as California reels from a crippling drought that has depleted aquifers, shrunken crops and forced some farmers to sell off their water rights.

The mystical technique of locating new groundwater sources is thought to have first come into vogue in Europe in the Middle Ages. The method is known as dowsing or divining, or even doodlebugging, and those who practice it are called water dowsers or water witches  a phrase that may have originated from the practice being deemed witchcraft in the 17th century.

The National Ground Water Association, a group of experts, including hydrogeologists, that promotes responsible water use, describes water witching as totally without scientific merit. Some California farmers who pay for the service, however, say it often provides a cheaper alternative to traditional methods, like hiring a geologist.

The American Society of Dowsers says it has about 2,000 members, several of whom are working water witches. Other dowsers claim they can locate treasures, lost objects, alien life-forms and stress in the body. Some dowsers dangle a Buddha pendant above a printed map or a laptop screen to find what they are looking for. Thompson  who also dowses oil, gas and minerals  says when he steps over groundwater, the energy surrounding him changes, causing an involuntary muscular twitch within him that makes his rods cross.

JIM WILSON/NYT

He and some others who water dowse are blue-collar workers deeply familiar with farming yet whose beliefs in the sixth sense or subconscious happening of witching are decidedly more New Age than agricultural. Many say the knowledge of their craft has been passed down to them by their elders, and they revere the ancientness of the practice, even if it sometimes earns them a sideward glance.

People think youre crazy, said Larry Bird, 77, a Sacramento-based dowser who learned the method from his grandfather. He described the sensation of being close to water as being akin to a magnetic field. It leaves me hot, he said. Just like if you short a battery.

Sharry Hope, a longtime dowser based in Oroville, California, says standing over water leaves her with a chilling sensation. Hope claims she learned one of the techniques she uses to find water on maps from a former military officer: She swings a pendulum until it stops and points toward a water vein, Hope said. I just mark it with a Sharpie.

Although scientists and groundwater experts make clear that the dowsers methods are unscientific and amount to a kind of hocus-pocus, dozens of vineyards in the wealthy winemaking regions of California have hired them to find water on their lands.

JIM WILSON/NYT

One company that manages vineyards in Napa Valley has hired dowsers across nearly all of the more than 70 vineyards it manages. I havent ever used a geologist to find water, said Johnnie White, operations manager of the company, Pina Vineyard Management.

The owner of another company said Thompson had successfully located wells on several properties. Seeing is believing, right? said Doug Hill, owner of Hill Family Estate, which manages several vineyards and a winery in Napa Valley.

Fifty of Californias 58 counties are under emergency drought declarations. Water holders have been ordered to stop drawing their allotments from rivers. On farms and vineyards, a surge in well drilling and increased reliance on those wells has helped to deplete groundwater, leaving some with no choice but to truck in the precious resource. A waitlist for a driller can be several months to a year, and the hole costs tens of thousands of dollars.

Hydrogeologists use a combination of satellite imagery, geology, topography, geophysical instruments and other hydrologic tools to assess water sources, said Timothy Parker, a Sacramento-based groundwater management consultant, geologist and engineer, compared to dowsing, which is a person with a stick.

It was possible, Parker and other experts said, that witches got lucky, because it is not hard to find water in many parts of California. Dowsers like Thompson with years of experience in the industry would also have developed a familiarity with the landscape, they added.

There are economic issues, personal beliefs and desperation factors going into the decision to try dowsing, Ben Frech, a spokesperson for the National Ground Water Association, said in an email. While the group understood that despair could lead to exploring all options, ultimately, he said, the method was a waste of time and money.

On Monday in Napa Valley, Thompson leaned out of the passenger side of a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle to scope out his assignment: locating fresh water on a 155-acre vineyard with two dry wells and others that were underperforming.

JIM WILSON/NYT

Responding to critics of dowsing, he said, I just laugh at them. They dont know the facts. He added, Im rarely wrong.

Choking dust billowed from beneath the wheels. Thompson, shades down, divining rods in hand, maintained a cool demeanor. He planned to charge at least $1,400 for his visit. A geologist had quoted the same site at a minimum of $6,500.

He stepped out of the ATV and placed the rods perpendicular to the earth to ground out  a process he says helps dispel his energy. Then he leaned back, his head cocked in concentration, and held the rods out in front of him, turning slowly until they crossed.

Yeah, its right down here, he said.

Up the charred hill between two rows of vines razed by last years wildfires but recently replanted, Thompsons rods crossed again. He said he was sure that he had found a keeper.

His wife pushed a stake marked with a red ribbon and the words WELL 9 into the crumbling earth. With a clank, clank, clank, Thompson secured it with a hammer.

He carried a hand-held GPS device so that he could provide a topographic map with his water sites to his clients. But his other methods and tools were all low-tech: bronze and stainless steel rods, a bullet-shaped pendulum on a tattered string.

Those Silicon people, he added, still hire me.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Two United Nations representatives urged Belgian authorities Monday to offer temporary residence permits to several hundred migrants who are on a hunger strike in Brussels, some of whom with failing health.

The migrants desperate to obtain legal residency papers began their hunger strike on May 23 at two universities and a church in the Belgian capital. Some said they have been living and working in the European nation of 11.5 million for a decade.

In recent days, some of the migrants have also started refusing water.

U.N. Special Rapporteurs Olivier De Schutter and Felipe Gonzalez wrote an open letter to Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Sammy Mahdi asking for urgent measures.

The information we have received is alarming, and several of the hunger strikers are between life and death," said De Schutter, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

Gonzalez, the U,N.'s special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, said the Belgian government should clearly rule out the possibility of deporting the migrants, given the state of their health.

The government also should consider issuing temporary residence permits allowing any person who introduces a request for stay regularization the right to exercise an economic activity," Gonzalez said.

In his response to the letter, Mahdi said a collective solution should not be proposed and said he had suggested to the hunger strikers that they file individual residency requests.

According to the rapporteurs, some 150,000 migrants live in Belgium without authorization. They said that people wanting to have their status legalized are deterred from doing so because they fear they will be deported if they apply.

The hunger strike has ignited tensions in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Last week, the Socialists and Greens called on the liberal De Croo to intervene in a bid to avoid an imminent drama."

According to Belgian media, Minister of Economy and Labour Pierre-Yves Dermagne went a step further on Monday, threatening that all socialist members of the government will resign if one of the migrants taking part in the strike dies.

___

Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
BERLIN (AP)  The United Nations' human rights chief voiced alarm Monday over the reported use of military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's comments came after an investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provided further evidence of the malware's use.

Revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a variety of countries are extremely alarming, and seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine peoples human rights, Bachelet said in a statement released in Geneva.

Given that that software and others "enable extremely deep intrusions into peoples devices, resulting in insights into all aspects of their lives, their use can only ever be justified in the context of investigations into serious crimes and grave security threats," she said.

If the recent allegations about the use of Pegasus are even partly true, then that red line has been crossed again and again with total impunity.

From a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International and shared with 16 news organizations, journalists were able to identify more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries who were allegedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance.

They include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists and several heads of state, according to The Washington Post, a consortium member. The journalists work for organizations including The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde and The Financial Times.

Amnesty also reported that its forensic researchers had determined that NSO Groups flagship Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Post journalist Jamal Khashoggis fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, just four days after he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The company had previously been implicated in other spying on Khashoggi.

NSO Group denied that it ever maintained a list of potential, past or existing targets. It called the Forbidden Stories report full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.

Bachelet said that companies involved in the development and distribution of surveillance technologies are responsible for avoiding harm to human rights and that governments have a duty to protect people from abuses of their right to privacy by companies. She called for better regulation of the sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology.
BOSTON (AP)  The vice chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party is stepping down.

The Boston Globe reports Tom Mountain notified state committee members on Sunday that he's resigning his position because of a scurrilous and demeaning blog post.

Mountain did not name the website but said he was leaving as the party's second-in-command immediately to focus on an effort to clear my name.

He said in his resignation letter that he believes he is the victim of a crime and has retained legal counsel.

The state GOP was planning to meet Monday to discuss allegations involving the Mountain, the Globe reports.

It comes after Governor Charlie Baker and other prominent state Republicans publicly rebuked state committeewoman Deborah Martell for saying in an email that she was sickened that a gay Republican congressional candidate had adopted two children with his partner.

Jim Lyons, the state party chairman, refused to sanction Martell, but Mountain was was among those who said she should resign.

It has been my honor to serve as MassGOP Vice Chair, he wrote in his resignation letter. I hope others follow this example by ALWAYS doing whats right for our Party even when those decisions require personal sacrifice.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Another shadowy group of armed residents emerged in Mexico over the weekend, when a hundred or so vigilantes armed with rifles, shotguns and machetes staged a public drill in the southern state of Chiapas.

The group in the township of Pantelho was introduced over a loudspeaker as The Machete, and it claims to be fighting the incursion of drug cartels in the largely Indigenous mountain communities of Chiapas. Some of the drill was conducted in a Maya-family language.

There have been a number of confrontations since mid-June in the region and local human rights groups say around 2,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in recent years because of the fighting.

The vigilantes, who appear to include members of the Tzotzil Indigenous group, are calling themselves self defense forces, just as other groups did in western Mexico in 2013 and 2014.

But the so-called self defense groups in the states of Michoacan and Guerrero were often infiltrated by drug gangs. In Michoacan, the groups formed to expel the Knights Templar drug cartel, but eight years later, the state remains a battleground where rival cartels jockey for dominance.

It was unclear who organized or armed the Machete vigilantes in Chiapas; the men appeared mainly masked, with black T-shirts bearing the group's logo, a pair of crossed machetes, and carrying a motley array of weapons.

In a statement posted earlier on social media, a masked spokesman for the group claimed around 200 residents of Pantelho had been killed in recent years by drug traffickers. The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels appear to be fighting for control of the area, which is used to traffic both drugs and migrants from neighboring Guatemala.

We must defend the lives of our community, the unnamed spokesman said. The group took responsibility for a shootout in Pantelho in June in which several people died.

We entered (the town) not to attack the people, but to expel the professional killers and drug traffickers, according to the statement. Once we have freed it from the professional killers and drug traffickers, we as self-defense forces will withdraw, because we do not seek money or power for ourselves.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has dispatched soldiers and National Guard officers to the area, but has downplayed the significance of the recent events, saying they do not represent any risk to the rule of law or stability.

The Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center said the military presence around Pantelho and the nearby town of Chenalho serves to deepen the fear and terror of people who have forcibly displaced by the generalized violence caused by organized crime in the area.

The center estimates that a dozen people have been killed in the area since March. While the center did not comment directly on the nature of the Machete group, it cited conditions that would lead to the development of that kind of movement.

In recent years, the presence of criminal groups seeking to control the territory have prevented keeping peace in these communities," the group said. It has become a spiral of violence seen in forced displacement, the killing of families, confrontations between armed groups (of dubious origin) and narco-blockades.

The structural violence in Chiapas state has led townspeople to create organizations with the aim of confronting the historical injustice, the center wrote.

Local politics also appears to play a role; the vigilante group accused the mayor-elect of Pantelho who won recent elections of being allied with drug traffickers.
MOSCOW (AP)  A large wildfire in Russia's Siberia region Monday is burning near a village and posing a threat to a hydroelectric power plant Monday, local officials said.

A total of 216 forest fires remained active in the Sakha-Yakutia region in northeastern Siberia on Monday morning, the region's Ministry of Natural Resources said. Heavy smoke covered more than 60 cities, towns and settlements, including the regional capital Yakutsk.
California lawmakers OK funding programs to guarantee some people -- especially foster youth and pregnant women -- an income floor.

By Jesse Bedayn

CalMatters

Universal basic income was championed by Martin Luther King Jr., promoted by Silicon Valley citizens as the "social vaccine for the 21st century" and endorsed by 2016 presidential candidate Andrew Yang, but it has never really caught on.

Now its time may have come.

On Thursday California lawmakers approved the nation's first state-funded guaranteed income program. Once the bill is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, cities and counties can apply for funding from a $35 million pool to support current or new pilots that prioritize foster youth who recently left the foster care system and pregnant mothers. The White House has also rolled out a form of guaranteed income in its new expanded Child Tax Credit that is part of the pandemic relief package.

The state program comes on the heels of local efforts in the Bay Area and Stockton. Over the last two years, Oakland, Marin County, San Francisco and Santa Clara County started one to two-year basic income programs that offer participants between $500 and $1,000 guaranteed dollars every month with no strings attached. Those programs are largely funded by private donations.

The surge in support for guaranteed income is being credited to the wealth and racial inequalities revealed by COVID-19, as job losses hit low-income and minority workers the hardest.

The pandemic "took the blinders off of what it means to live on the margins," said Los Angeles county supervisor Holly Mitchell, a member of Mayors for Guaranteed Income, a national group that has grown from 11 member cities to over 50 in the last year. "Everyone saw it."

The Bay Area basic income initiatives are focused on raising artists, mothers or minorities out of poverty. The Santa Clara County program, which helps foster youth, helped lay the groundwork for the statewide program.

"Cities are the laboratories of democracy," said Sukhi Samra, director of the mayors' group, who hopes the pilots in the Bay Area and across California will "provide a proof of concept" for federal policies.

The new wave of basic income initiatives is an alternative to government assistance programs that were "very prescriptive about doling out social services," said state Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, who started Santa Clara County's income program for foster youth as a county supervisor. "It really had a mentality of 'we know what's best for you weaker, poorer people.'"

Critics of guaranteed income worry that free money, similar to unemployment benefits, will discourage participants from working. "There's a pretty plausible case to be made that the more generous you make unemployment benefits, the less anxious people are going to be to get back to work," said Matt Zwolinski, director of the Center for Ethics, Economics and Public Policy at the University of San Diego.

Universal basic income supporters point to Stockton's 2019 program, the first in the state, which found that full-time employment among participants increased by 12 percent in the program's first year. Participants, who received $1,000 monthly from 2019 to 2021, reported greater financial stability month to month. That enabled them to buy the necessary food, pay off unexpected costs, and increase their overall wellbeing.

Zwolinski worries that the pilots' one to two-year timeframes limit the evidence researchers can pull from the data.

"The pilot programs are worth doing. They provide some level of evidence," he said, but "there's always going to be a leap of faith involved in jumping from a pilot program to say a full city-wide program to a full statewide program."

The City of Oakland's new program is the largest in the Bay Area, offering $500 monthly to 600 families making below Oakland's median household income, about $65,000 for a four-person family. San Francisco is offering $1,000 a month for 130 artists and 150 Black and Pacific Islander pregnant women. Similarly, Marin County will be supporting 135 low-income women of color with $1,000 monthly. Santa Clara County's pilot program provides $1,000 a month to 72 foster youth. The programs either randomly select eligible residents or pull from an applicant pool.

One recipient of Santa Clara's program was Veronica Vieyra, a recent San Jose State University graduate.

In March 2020, Vieyra was surviving on a $1,100 monthly stipend from an internship with iFoster, an organization supporting foster youth. Kicked out of the dorms as COVID-19 spread across California, her monthly expenses for rent, car insurance, and phone left her with $280 for food and gas. The 25-year-old's grades plummeted and she fell into a new living routine.

"If I sleep I don't have so much to worry about," she remembered thinking. "I actually save money because then I won't have to eat as much." Vieyra planned to return to the job at Safeway she worked before college, delaying her graduation.

When Vieyra received her first payment at the end of the summer, "The first thing I felt was like, I'm going to pay my rent." She paid two months ahead. "I was like, that feels so good."

With greater free time, Vieyra attended after-hours tutoring for the classes she had failed the year before, graduating with a degree in public health. She hopes to work with foster youth.

"If it wasn't for the program, I'd probably be going back to Safeway," she said.

-- This article is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California.

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Kevin Lacy/ Special to SFGATE

California has a lot of beaches and Im certain the most famous title is disputable. But its hard to think of another stretch of coast with the combination of celebrity and rivalry that comes with the Hollywood-pretty sands of Malibus Paradise Cove. Julie Tremaine, SFGATEs resident lover of all things retro Southern California reports:



I found Californias most famous beach, Paradise Cove in Malibu, which locals wish was still secret

While Im as entranced by Californias beaches and natural beauty as the next person, the Bay Area is the states second largest metropolis and I live here for a reason. A few big reasons: public transportation, the regions rich culture and deep history. Culture reporter Amanda Bartlett took advantage of all three on a recent BARTable hike through a stunning, and fascinating, Oakland cemetery.
There were 96 passengers and 11 crew on Japan Air Lines Flight 2, flying from Tokyo to San Francisco on November 22, 1968. The flight was going very smoothly, until it wasnt.

As the DC-8 plane, named Shiga by the airline, finished its descent into the foggy bay, pilot Kohei Asoh realized his plane had dropped way too far, way too soon.

We came alongside the mountains and went into thick fog, passenger Walter Dunbar recalled. I was sitting in the aft part of the plane. The next thing I knew, we were about one foot off the water. She hit, skipped twice, then nose up.

I realized two or three minutes ahead of time we were going in, said Karen Fishburne of Sacramento, who was travelling with her daughter. There was a great shock as the plane stopped and hand baggage, cameras and coats came flying off the racks above the seats. The railing along the racks came flying off and gave one little child a bloody nose. A piece of railing hit me on the head, but it didnt hurt.

And just like that, the plane stopped in the shallow water. Like Sully Sullenberger on the Hudson 41 years later, Captain Asoh somehow managed to guide the plane onto the water and into the mud below without a single injury to the 100 adults and seven children on board, beyond a bloody nose.

The resting place of Flight 2 was around one mile south of its intended runway. The passengers were ferried safely to the shore at nearby Coyote Point in San Mateo on life rafts, where ambulances and paramedics waited, but were not needed. No passenger even got wet.

It was a perfect water landing, if you have to have a water landing, passenger Dudley Schotten remarked. The pilot throttled the engine enough so that the nose was up and the tail touched first.

It landed in a swan effect, another passenger, Al Wimmershoff, told the press, the tail first, then it bellied down. Everyone was calm after we found out we were still alive.

The safe rescue was a one-in-a-million shot, the chief of the SF Fire Department said.

The chief was right. If the plane had come down in any other part of the bay, such as the 30-foot deep waters to its east or the dry flats to the west, Flight 2 would have either sunk, or likely set ablaze. While not quite as safe as a tarmac runway, the seven feet of water above the mud proved a near-perfect resting place.

As chief cabin crew member Kazuo Hashimoto yelled at the passengers as the plane came to a stop, "Be quiet, the plane has reached the bottom of the sea. It will not sink. Do not worry, we are well-fixed for evacuation."

San Francisco Examiner

The cabin door opened to a comfortable step onto the gathered life rafts. Captain Asoh was the last to leave, and returned to the plane after ensuring everyone was safely ashore to gather and return the passengers' personal belongings.

While everyone aboard safely went about their strange day after the crash, the plane was left with $4 million of damage, though it was fixed up and flying again less than 12 months later.

Japan Air Lines immediately praised the captain and crew for their heroism, and put it down to the company's rigid training. But questions still lingered  why didnt Captain Asoh land on the runway?

The National Transportation Safety Board in Washington remarked that it was the first completely successful ditching operation since modern jetliners took to the air a decade prior. But its investigators also wanted to know from the pilot, who had made 100 previous landings at SFO, why the plane needed to be ditched in the first place.

Peter Covert

The investigation proved that the weather that day was indeed extremely foggy, even for Bay Area standards. Some passengers said they couldnt see the tips of the wings. The cloud ceiling was 300 feet, with visibility of three-quarters of a mile, and it was hard to distinguish between the sky and the calm bay waters.

A language barrier between Captain Asoh, who spoke little English, and his American copilot, Joseph Hazen, was also partially to blame, as the pair attempted to use a new instrument landing system for the first time. But at the NTSB investigation, Asoh chose not to blame any of those factors or make any excuses.

When asked what went wrong, he simply replied, As you Americans say  I f--ked up.

Captain Asohs frankness and self deprecation helped him preserve his career. Rather than get fired, as was expected, the airline merely demoted him to copilot, before allowing him to work his way back up to captain a few years later. He went on to captain hundreds more flights, all of which landed successfully.

The I f--ked up reasoning, or what became more eloquently known in legal circles as The Asoh Defense is used to prove that sometimes a frank admission of guilt is the easiest way out of a pickle.

The term was first coined by writer Jerry B. Harvey in his 1988 management training book, The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management. Asoh's story has since been repeated in many leadership courses on how to accept responsibility for mistakes, including in this blog post on how "Companies must empower leaders to hold themselves accountable" and the How to Use the Asoh Defense training, which promotes the power of admitting ones own mistakes.

Gordon Peters/Staff

That self blame also serves as an end to the matter, as its hard to argue with someone who tells you they made a huge mistake.

Some frequent flyers, on learning that Asoh was still a pilot, told the San Francisco Examiner that they hoped they would be fortunate enough to fly a future route under his captaincy, as he became known as the luckiest pilot on earth.

Yet the clean closure to the incident was apparently too abrupt for some in the Bay Area.

In 1970, the San Francisco Examiner wrote that, every month or so a rumor comes across this desk that veteran Japan Air Lines captain Kohei Asoh, who ditched his DC-8 in the bay in November, 1968, without getting a passenger wet, had committed Hari Kari (sic) over loss of face. Not so. He was grounded but is now back in the air as a co-pilot and working his way back to skipper.
COLONIE  Police are no longer seizing marijuana, making arrests or issuing tickets for low-level possession for travelers passing through Albany International and other airports across the state, highlighting the softening rules for cannabis as New York and dozens of other states have legalized it for adult recreational use.

Green State NY newsletter: We're tracking the latest developments in the legalization of marijuana in New York. Sign up today .

Bart R. Johnson, a former State Police colonel who is the federal security director for 15 upstate airports including Albany International, said marijuana is not something that security officers are looking for when they pat down passengers or search their luggage for contraband.

New York legalized the possession of up to three ounces of marijuana in March.

"We dont seize it. We just look for threats  explosives, knives, guns; we dont look for illegally possessed narcotics," said Johnson, who is based at Albany International Airport. "When we notice something suspicious on a pat-down or something like that and then we discover that its marijuana ... so were looking to see if its a threat. ... If it turns out to be something that appears to be an illegal substance, we notify law enforcement."

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, whose department patrols the airport, said deputies are occasionally summoned to the security checkpoint by Transportation Security Administration officials when they find marijuana on a traveler or in their luggage. The sheriff said they no longer issue tickets or make an arrest if the amount of marijuana appears to be less than three ounces.

In prior years, Apple said, his deputies and investigators had annually made dozens of arrests or issued tickets for unlawful possession of marijuana at the airport.

"We dont take it anymore," he said. "Its legal if not more than three ounces and, well, have a nice day."

The TSA is required by federal law to notify law enforcement when they discover what appears to be an illegal substance. But while marijuana is still consider illegal under federal law, the TSA is not a law enforcement agency.

In an April 2019 Instagram post, the TSA hinted at its more tolerant outlook on marijuana possession: Are we cool? We like to think were cool. We want you to have a pleasant experience at the airport and arrive safely at your destination. But getting caught while trying to fly with marijuana or cannabis-infused products can really harsh your mellow," the post stated, adding "#marijuana" and "#traveltips."

"Let us be blunt," the post continued, "TSA officers DO NOT search for marijuana or other illegal drugs. Our screening procedures are focused on security and detecting potential threats. But in the event a substance appears to be marijuana or a cannabis-infused product, were required by federal law to notify law enforcement. This includes items that are used for medicinal purposes.
A lot has been written about the tech exodus in California. Cities such as Denver, Austin and even Boise have been labeled new tech capitals. And there is some truth to the matter. But for the most part, it seems it was just employees moving to states with nonexistent income taxes.

Plans to return are on the horizon, however. Just look at the massive tech campus that is planned to replace the legendary Temple of Doom-esque Fry's headquarters in San Jose. Some companies are even moving to San Francisco.

It's no longer folly; tech companies are reopening their Bay Area office doors once again, and some of their employees are eager to return to a normal work setting. Some employees, though, would prefer to continue to work remotely. Here's a list of some of the most notable Bay Area tech companies and their office plans moving forward.

Salesforce

In March, Salesforce made news by sharing their vision for a digital-first workplace, meaning employees could work remotely forever. Brent Hyder, president and chief people officer of the company, said, "The 9-to-5 workday is dead." Just a month later, however, the company sort of backtracked. They are currently reopening their billion dollar headquarters in a phased approach while giving employees the option to come into the office or work remotely. Looks like they don't want the money they spent on their new digs to go to waste.

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Facebook

The social media giants is giving their employees a choice: ask for permission to continue working from home or commit to going into the office at least half the time (no NDA's need to be signed when making this choice, as far as we can tell). CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he plans to spend half of the next year working remotely. The other half of the year he will presumably be spending on his hydrofoil board. But in all seriousness, the company expects to open their offices to half capacity in September and full capacity in October.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Google

In a recent internal survey, Google developers said they would like to continue to work remotely because they feel they are just as productive at working from home. But the company wants them to return to the office. Oh wait, that only applies to workers who fall below a certain seniority level. Senior Vice President Urs Holzle, for example, can work from New Zealand for the next year. (A Google spokesperson reached out to clarify that Holzle's request was approved in 2020). We'll see how this plays out between the leadership and the plebes, but beginning in September, the official plan is 60% of employees will work from an office a few days per week, 20% can relocate and work from new offices and the last 20% can continue to work remotely.

Apple

There seems to be a disconnect between employees and leadership at Apple as well. In June, the company announced it would require workers to return to the office three days a week starting in September. But many staff want a flexible approach. Some employees even quit after the announcement of this company policy. This week, however, Apple delayed employees' return to office. Due to the rise in coronavirus cases around the country, workers do not need to return to the office until October.

Blair Heagerty/SFGATE

Twitter

In May, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told his employees via email that remote work could be done forever. Employees of Twitter, however, seem to be eager to return to the offices. Earlier this month, the San Francisco and New York offices allowed for 50% capacity. It's likely these two cities were the first to open because of the high vaccination rates in each. Twitter is requiring proof of vaccination upon re-entry to a Twitter building.

Smith Collection/Gado/Gado via Getty Images

Uber

The ride-hailing tech company seems to be another company backtracking on their initial return to office plans. Instead of requiring workers to return to the office, as it announced earlier this year, they now will be enforcing a hybrid model after gathering feedback from employees. Staff can apply for the possibility of working remotely full time or choose from a list of other offices instead of their pre-pandemic location. The offices in San Francisco are operating at 20% capacity.

LinkedIn

After giving the entire company a full, paid week off in April to recharge their batteries, the company is moving forward with a flexible hybrid model. Back in October 2020, LinkedIn was one of the first tech companies to announce a permanent plan for long-term remote work. It is unclear whether the San Francisco offices are open for employees that do wish to return.

Adobe

Based in San Jose, the software company will allow employees to work from home up to 50% of the time. In a company blog post, chief people officer Gloria Chen said, "The future of work at Adobe will be hybrid. Flexibility will be the default." It is unclear what percentage of the San Jose headquarters is open.

Airbnb

Everyone's preferred vacation rental tech company is allowing its employees to work from anywhere, which is good because it would be against their ethos to require otherwise. Having taken a huge loss in earnings while people could not travel during the pandemic, the company was one of many to shed office space by subleasing certain offices. The company formerly had three separate office buildings in San Francisco, but they have downsized and will only use a hybrid model out of their building on Brannan Street. CEO Brian Chesky said he does not expect employees to return to their offices full-time until September of 2022.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:40 a.m. on July 20, 2021, to include new information about Apple's return-to-office policy, and again at 10:40 a.m. on July 21, 2021, to include new information about Urs Holzle's move to New Zealand.
You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short.
FILE - In this May 18, 2021, file photo, a teacher, center, and her third grade students wear face masks and are seated at proper social distancing spacing during as she conducts her class in Rye, N.Y. In response to a push for culturally responsive teaching that gained steam following last year's police killing of George Floyd, Republican lawmakers and governors have championed legislation to limit the teaching of material that explores how race and racism influence American politics, culture and law. The measures have become law in Tennessee, Idaho and Oklahoma and bills have been introduced in over a dozen other states. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
LONDON (AP)  Corks popped, beats boomed out and giddy revelers rushed onto dancefloors when Englands nightclubs reopened Monday as the country lifted most remaining coronavirus restrictions after more than a year of lockdowns, mask mandates and other pandemic-related curbs on freedom.

For clubbers and nightclub owners, the moment lived up to its media-given moniker, Freedom Day. But the big step out of lockdown was met with nervousness by many Britons and concern from scientists, who say the U.K. is entering uncharted waters by opening up when confirmed cases are not falling but soaring.

As of Monday, face masks were no longer legally required in England, work-from-home guidance ended and, with social distancing rules shelved, no limits existed on the number of people attending theater performances or big events.

Nightclubs were allowed to open for the first time in almost 18 months, and from London to Liverpool, thousands of people danced the night away at Freedom Day parties starting at midnight.

Im absolutely ecstatic, clubgoer Lorna Feeney said at Bar Fibre in the northern England city of Leeds. Thats my life, my soul  I love dancing."

At The Piano Works in London, patrons packed the area around the cordoned-off dance floor on Sunday as a host led a countdown to midnight.

Once a ceremonial ribbon was cut, the crowd ran toward the dance floor as confetti canons went off and a disco ball spun above. Soon, unmasked clubgoers dancing to a live bands rendition of Whitney Houstons I Wanna Dance With Somebody filled the floor.

But while entertainment businesses and ravers are jubilant, many others are deeply worried about scrapping restrictions at a time when COVID-19 cases are on a rapid upswing because of the highly infectious delta variant first identified in India. Cases topped 50,000 per day last week for the first time since January. Deaths remain far lower than in the winter thanks to vaccines, but have risen from less than 10 a day in June to about 40 a day in the past week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has dialed down talk of freedom in recent weeks, urged the public to proceed cautiously and recognize that this pandemic is far from over.

Or, as Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam put it at a televised news conference: Don't tear the pants out of this.

In a reminder of how volatile the situation is, the prime minister was spending Freedom Day in quarantine. Johnson and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak are both self-isolating for 10 days after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Johnson initially said he would take daily tests instead of self-isolating  an option not offered to most people  but U-turned amid public outrage.

The prime minister is among hundreds of thousands of Britons who have been told to quarantine because they have been near someone who tested positive. The situation is causing staff shortages for businesses including restaurants, car manufacturers and public transport.

Globally, the World Health Organization says cases and deaths are climbing after a period of decline, spurred by the delta variant. Like the U.K., Israel and the Netherlands both opened up widely after vaccinating most of their people, but had to reimpose some restrictions after new infection surges. The Dutch prime minister admitted that lifting restrictions too early was a mistake.

In the U.S., many areas abandoned face coverings when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated people didn't need to wear them in most settings. Some states and cities are now trying to decide what to do as cases rise again.

British officials have repeatedly expressed confidence that the U.K.s vaccine rollout  68.5% of adults, or more than half the total population, has received two doses  will keep the threat to public health at bay. But 1,200 scientists from around the world backed a letter to British medical journal The Lancet criticizing the Conservative governments decision.

I cant think of any realistic good scenario to come out of this strategy, Im afraid, said Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester. I think its really a degree of how bad its going to be.

Tang said nightclubs in particular are potent spreading grounds, because they increase close physical contact among a core customer base  people 18 to 25  that hasn't yet been fully vaccinated.

Thats the perfect mixing vessel for the virus to spread and to even generate new variants, he said.

The government wants nightclubs and other crowded venues to check whether customers have been vaccinated, have a negative test result or have recovered from the disease.

I dont want to have to close nightclubs again, as they have elsewhere, but it does mean nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing," Johnson said.

There is no legal requirement for them to do so, however, and most say they wont. Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said many owners accuse the government of passing the buck to businesses.

Either mandate it or dont mandate it, Kill said. This is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on us.

Soon they may have no choice. Johnson said that from the end of September, full vaccination will become a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues with big crowds. He said by that time, everyone 18 and over will have had the chance to get both doses of a vaccine.

Johnsons decision to scrap the legal requirement for face masks in indoor public spaces  while recommending people keep them on  has also sowed confusion.

Some retailers said they would encourage customers to keep their masks on, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan said they remain mandatory on the capitals subways and buses  though police can no longer be called in to enforce the rule.

Khan said Monday that more than 90% of passengers appeared to be wearing masks, and what I think that shows is that people are carrying on their great habits."

The end of restrictions in England is a critical moment in Britains handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 128,000 people nationwide, the highest death toll in Europe after Russia. Other parts of the U.K.  Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  are taking slightly more cautious steps out of lockdown and keeping mask requirements for now.

Psychologist Robert West, who sits on a science panel that advises the government, said telling people to be careful without giving them thorough knowledge of risks was like putting someone out on the road without having taught them to drive.

At London's Egg nightclub, clubber Alex Clark acknowledged feeling a bit of apprehension and uncertainty.

Fellow clubgoer Kevin Ally felt no such qualms.

Theres zero concern, he said. The only concern is why we havent been here for a year and a half. Its been a very long time since weve been out.

Its good to be back, and were here to dance.

___

Sylvia Hui and Jo Kearney contributed to this story.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at:

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
Ludington, MI (49431)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms in the morning. High 77F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy in the evening followed by scattered thunderstorms after midnight. Low 71F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Ludington, MI (49431)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then partly cloudy late. High 76F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms later during the night. Low 71F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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When Hamish Macdonalds move from Ten to the ABC was announced in November 2019 it seemed like a coup, for both him and the national broadcaster. Macdonald had scored a coveted and high-profile job as host of the flagship Q&A program on Monday nights, as well a roving role as a senior presenter across television and radio. They had nabbed one of broadcast televisions most impressive new talents.

But just 18 months after fronting his first Q&A in February 2020, Macdonald is leaving the ABC, his stint in the plum job having turned decidedly sour.

Hamish Macdonald was announced as the new host of Q&A in 2019. Credit:Nic Walker

The news of his departure, announced by the ABC on Monday morning, brings to an end what appears to have been a frustrating time for the high-flying Macdonald. Brought in as Tony Jones replacement as host of the panel program, Macdonald was at the helm of the show as it moved from Monday night to Thursday, with an attendant plummet in ratings.

For the first episode of 2021, in the Thursday night slot, the show drew an audience of 280,000 metro viewers. A year earlier, on a Monday, it was watched by 411,000 in the five capital cities. By April, the numbers had plunged even further, with just 224,000 tuning in.
By that time, Broadway star Nick Cordero had been admitted to hospital with pneumonia. Within days the 41-year-old was transferred to the ICU, as the virus ravaged his body. Within weeks he was forced to have his right leg amputated. Just over three months later, he died. So you know, murmurs Kloots, whenever I have those regrets, I try to remember that I dont think I could have changed anything.

With a shake of her tousled blonde head, she tries to dispel the thought. But honestly, my answer to that is: They would have sent him home. They would have sent him home! Because it wasnt until the third test that Nick tested positive for COVID-19.

That first week when my husband was just lying there on the couch feeling tired... The 39-year-old US TV host closes her eyes for a second, the pain prompted by that flashback to March 2020 now familiar enough to be wearying. And I think to myself: If only we had taken him to the emergency room, then and there.

Corderos story touched people far beyond the theatre world in which both he and his wife of three years were well-loved figures. Cordero was a Tony Award nominee (who met his wife starring in Bullets Over Broadway), and his deterioration and death at such a young age and with no underlying health conditions underscored the terrifying COVID-19 unknowns early on in the pandemic. As Kloots started bravely documenting her husbands progress and setbacks on social media over his 95-day battle, millions of people all over America and beyond started rooting for him, praying for him, and singing for him.

Their son Elvis was just one when Cordero was hospitalised and as word spread about this inspiring young mothers Instagram dispatches, which included AK! Positive Thought of the day and a 3pm singalong to Live Your Life - a rock anthem written by her husband - Ohio-born Klootss following grew from 50,000 to more than 600,000. Today, as she publishes a heartbreaking but uplifting memoir she co-wrote with her sister, Anna - a memoir that is already a New York Times bestseller in the US - many struggling with grief and loss are still reaching out to this woman who became a symbol of courage, and Kloots feels that as a tremendous responsibility.

Its not like I ever intended to become that person, she tells me from her dressing room at CBS studios in LA, where she is a co-host on The Talk, in between teaching fitness classes. And its true that neither the stoic widow nor the specialist in grief are covetable titles. But those things were thrown at me. Yes, it was hard when people wrote to me about how to handle COVID, grief or loss, especially after Nick had passed, because every time youre answering that message you go back into your own grief mode. It takes a bit of peace out of you. And part of you is thinking: Why am I the expert on death? There are books for that. But I found that I wanted to be the bigger person and try to help other people through my own life experience.

After her husband lost his battle Kloots remembers somebody telling her: You know, I prayed and cheered for Nick every single day, because I felt like if Nick made it our world was going to make it through this pandemic. That still gives me chills now.

Much has been made of the corrosive effects of social media, but for Kloots it provided a comfort at the most difficult moment of her life. Even my family were worried about the toll it might take on me, doing those afternoon singalongs, but now everyone close to me understands that the Instagram army I created was a lifeline for me. Those people were like my right arm. I had people all over the world praying for Nick, and specialists ready to help from every field. I had a list of doctors I could call from all over the world. If we needed a place to stay, there were five different homes immediately on offer. After her husband lost his battle Kloots remembers somebody telling her: You know, I prayed and cheered for Nick every single day, because I felt like if Nick made it our world was going to make it through this pandemic. Her eyes fill with tears. That still gives me chills now. So you see, the social media world can be a really beautiful place.
In her 700-page judgment, Justice Elizabeth Fullerton said that it was fundamental to our system of government that ministers of the Crown always act conscientiously and honestly in the public interest.

As mining minister, Macdonald, 72, was found to have committed numerous acts of misconduct which financially benefited his parliamentary colleague Eddie Obeid, also a former resources minister.

Former Labor ministers Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald are likely to be jailed after a Supreme Court judge found the pair guilty over their roles in a rigged coal exploration tender which resulted in the Obeid family receiving a $30 million windfall with the promise of another $30 million.

Macdonald failed to do this, she said. Instead of making a decision for the benefit of the people of NSW, he conspired with Eddie, 77, and Moses Obeid to make a series of decisions for the sole benefit of the Obeid family.

In May 2008 Obeid asked Macdonald for information about coal reserves at Mt Penny. The conspiracy between the three men started the following day when Macdonald directed his department to provide him with the information.

The judge held that when Macdonald later asked his department to re-draw the boundaries of a potential mining area in the Bylong Valley, he knew that the Obeid family had a farm, Cherrydale Park, in that exact location.

Justice Elizabeth Fullerton presided over the criminal trial of two former Labor ministers, Ian Macdonald and Eddie Obeid, and Obeids son Moses.

Justice Fullerton said that Macdonalds motives were not clear. Perhaps it was to gain some political leverage or in the hope or expectation of a financial benefit if the Obeids deal came to fruition, she said. Regardless of his motives, the judge said Macdonald had knowingly breached his ministerial obligations for the improper purpose of advancing the financial interests of the Obeids.
Sixteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic, my two favourite cities  Sydney and Vancouver  could not look more different. Far from locking down, Vancouver continues to open up. Bars, restaurants and cinemas are thriving. Social sport is back. Even nightclubs are pumping once again. And on July 1  Canadas national day  the British Columbia provincial government officially declared the pandemic over with an end to the 16-month old state of emergency.

All this in spite of daily COVID-19 case numbers similar to those of Sydney, and the ominous presence of the Delta variant.

Beachgoers on Kitsilano Beach during the recent heatwave in Vancouver, British Columbia. Credit:Bloomberg

There are no prizes for guessing how this is possible: vaccination. British Columbia has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 vaccination in the world, with 80 per cent of the population having received at least one dose and 50 per cent having received their second.

I have observed the pandemic keenly as an Australian respiratory physician and researcher living and working in Vancouver. Here we have lived with the virus since the moment it arrived in Canada. Elimination was never an option: containment was the only realistic goal. As a result, we have suffered through rolling restrictions of varying grades since March 2020. Masks were mandatory. Travel outside your local area was forbidden. Christmas with your loved ones? Forget it, eh. But no longer. Vancouver has opened up.
Nagging fears that have underscored Kirribilli resident Alex Allens daily interactions for months were pushed aside by a sense of relief, and a little bit of hope, on Monday morning.

Leaving the new mass vaccination hub on Pitt Street in Sydneys CBD, where he had joined a short queue to receive his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine shortly after 9am, Mr Allen said he felt really relieved.

People queuing for the new mass vaccination hub in Sydneys CBD have their temperature checked on Monday morning. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Im very glad that its done, he said. I feel like I dont have to walk around with so much fear and mistrust.

Simple things, like walking the dog and someones running past without a mask and you think, have they got it?
Life during the pandemic has meant living with uncertainty. But the past 18 months have also provided time for governments to plan ahead for the worst-case scenarios.

Yet the approach to the NSW lockdown is starting to feel like policy on the hop.

There has been much confusion about the definition of essential work, with a changing list that extends beyond the provision of health services and food.

In what she described on Saturday as probably her most difficult day in public life, Premier Gladys Berejiklian decided to temporarily shut down construction and most retail establishments. She hopes this will help quash the virus. For now.

Business NSW estimates the construction ban will cost the economy $800 million to $1 billion, on top of the existing $1 billion hit for each week of the lockdown. The decision to halt construction caught businesses off guard on Saturday, giving them only until the close of business on Monday to secure construction sites.
The state secretary and president of the powerful NSW firefighters union have told colleagues they plan to resign as soon as this week despite being elected just two months ago on a ticket promising a more muscular industrial approach and transparent governance.

Internal messages and sources close to the union, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said secretary Shane Kennedy and president John Carlos Henry had informed the Fire Brigade Employees Union internal executive group on Monday morning they planned to quit.

Shane Kennedy has told colleagues he plans to resign from the top job at the NSW firefighters union.

Mr Kennedy and Mr Henry ran on a Members First ticket that unseated the former secretary, Leighton Drury, in May but hit a series of stumbles, including an attempt to stop kids and families attending an annual open day.

Sources close to the union also said the pair had attempted to sack Emily Mayo, who is listed as a senior organiser with the union but has been on paid leave since early May while negotiating her departure. Ms Mayo, who was perceived as close to the previous leadership, declined to comment when contacted on Monday. Messages on union chats showed support for Ms Mayo from several firefighters.
Sydneys public transport patronage fell to levels not seen since the 1800s and traffic was the lightest it had been in four decades as the city all but stopped on Monday after new coronavirus restrictions came into effect to suppress the Delta outbreak.

The number of people on public transport was about eight per cent of pre-COVID levels, according to new NSW government figures, a sign that the latest restrictions had likely had an immediate impact on mobility across the city. Road traffic also decreased by more than 45 per cent.

An empty street in Parramatta on Monday. Credit:Nick Moir

New restrictions announced over the weekend included a ban on all non-urgent construction work, the closure of non-essential retail, a travel ban stopping residents from leaving Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown unless they were essential workers and a cut in public transport services by up to 50 per cent.

University of Sydney transport expert Geoffrey Clifton said it had been more than a century since so few people had used public transport in the harbour city.
NSW introduced strict new rules for residents of Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas on the weekend that further limit their movements.

The government says the additional restrictions are necessary to stem the spread of COVID-19, with more than two-thirds of new cases announced on Monday located in the citys south west.

There are stricter rules in place for the three south-west Sydney LGAs. Credit:Nick Moir

Most of the 16 permitted reasons to leave home still apply to all residents in the three LGAs.

However, under the new rules, residents in the three localities are not allowed to leave their LGA for work unless they are listed as authorised workers.
The comprehensive reform of planning systems went hand-in-hand, employing a formula that remained remarkably consistent through the years: simplicity, division of strategic (goal-setting) and statutory (implementation) functions, independent planning panels, openness, ethicality, permitting legitimate challenges by third parties to counter corruption, and harnessing the efficiency of digitisation. Mants decades of exhortations, submissions, recommendations, counselling and decisions within the corridors of power saw him influence numerous initiatives and reforms in virtually every Australian state and territory. He was awarded an AM in 2016 for significant service to urban planning and public administration as an advisor and consultant to local and state governments. John Hayward Mant was born in Sydney in 1936 - a good year, hed quip: Too young for the Korean War, too old for Vietnam. After attending Cranbrook School and Sydney University (consorting with the Sydney Push) he followed his father into the legal profession but was grafted to the idealism of his mothers Christian socialism. While John Mant Sr was a founding member of the Liberal Party, Mant Jr took a more left-of-centre course. He ran for federal parliament in 1966, one of 22 candidates for Gordon Bartons Liberal Reform Group (he was the last survivor), the forerunner to the Australia Party (later integrated with the Australian Democrats) whose preferences helped Labor win in 1972 and 1974. Re-aligning with Labor he headed to Canberra to work for the National Capital Development Commission, a sobering immersion in traditional bureaucracy that shaped much of his later planning work. He was seconded as an adviser to Whitlams Minister for Urban and Regional Development, Tom Uren, and he held a senior position in the reformist Department of Urban and Regional Development (DURD).

John Mant, acting commissioner of ICAC during doorstop at Redfern, May 11, 1994. Credit:Fairfax His political and administrative nous were recognised with his 1975 appointment to the Prime Ministers staff where he served for the tumultuous last five months prior to the Whitlam Governments dismissal by the governor-general. Regarding himself as more spectator than player, John broke the news to ALP Secretary David Combe on 11 November 1975 with his usual mischievous grin: Weve been sacked. Thereafter Mant had a successful trajectory in planning administration and local government law, commencing as director-general of South Australias Department of Housing, Urban and Regional Affairs (1977-80) and pursuing a DURD-like reorganisation for Premier Don Dunstan. Returning to his Sydney legal practice, a steady procession of client and consultancy briefs ranged across planning, organisational and regulation reviews, land management, health and transport policy. Most notably, he completed a game-changing review of the NSW Department of Housing (1992), acted as interim commissioner of the NSW Independent Commission against Corruption (1994), chaired Paul Keatings Urban Design Task Force (1994), pioneered place-based zoning in a new Local Environmental Plan for Warringah Shire (2000), comprehensively rewrote the NSW Local Government Act (2003) with Julie Walton, and, in so-called retirement, served as a Sydney City Councillor on Clover Moores team (2012-16).

John Mant elected to the City of Sydney Council with the town crier, 2012. In a life dedicated to fashioning public processes and policy toward quality and socially inclusive outcomes, he found time to lend expertise, skills and leadership to other causes, including two terms as president of the Paddington Society and deputy chair of Common Equity, the peak body for cooperative housing organisations in NSW. He had told the Herald back in 2008 that whenever he complained about things, his father would say: Well, what are you doing about it? Right up until his death he worked with Michael Neustein of the Australian Institute of Urban Studies on a new state planning system embodying all the far-reaching reforms he had long advocated. Their Better Places Act envisages a place management approach to planning, involving greater community participation, appeal rights, and digital dexterity. As recently as June he was still doing something about it, meeting with NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes to discuss how to advance the Better Places mission. Encouragement came from many quarters with the proposal gaining traction. Mant did not live to see the increasing acceptance of his ideas but the momentum he helped create for a better planning system will not falter for his passing. Mates like Richard Broinowski shared Johns love of sailing as both a burden and great fun. Whether on the Adriatic, Sydney Harbour or in the Whitsundays, like Captain Queeg rolling his marbles, John was always at the helm, master and commander. We did his bidding. No rope uncoiled. No anchor left to drag. There were early morning swims at Bondi, where birthdays were celebrated at 6.30am with champagne around the boot of the car, and in earlier years, parties at his fashion-statement, Pettit and Sevitt house in Canberra, his cynical sense of humour an antidote to the greyness outside.
Restaurateur Daniel Zeidan, behind Melbourne venues including the Grace Darling Hotel, Lazerpig Pizza Parlour and Strange Wolf basement bar, has been banned from managing companies for four years.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission issued a statement on Monday advising that Mr Zeidan had been disqualified because of his involvement in the failure of three companies.

The Grace Darling Hotel. Credit:Joe Armao

Creditors were left $2.3 million out of pocket, ASIC said. They included the Australian Taxation Office, which was owed more than $1.35 million.

Three hospitality companies Mr Zeidan served as director of  5 Ships at Sea (trading as the Grace Darling), The Umpire Strikes Back (trading as Lazerpig), and 4 Ships at Sea (trading as the now-closed Strange Wolf)  went into liquidation between August 2018 and December 2019.
It all started for Ava when she had a fight with her adult son. Ava often feared for her safety when they argued, but kept the police out of it. Avas son hadnt been staying with her long, only after his circumstances changed during COVID.

Things were different this time and she called triple-zero twice. When the police arrived, they spoke with her son who was standing outside in the front garden.

More than half of the people in Victorias womens prisons are unsentenced. Credit:the age

When Ava saw the police, she was relieved; she invited them inside to explain everything. But they didnt ask her any questions. They handcuffed her and forced her into the back of the police van. She begged them to explain but they wouldnt tell her anything.

After several hours in custody, police served Ava with an intervention order, banning her from her home and from contacting her son. Ava was finally released at 2am.
The Sydney and Victorian lockdowns aimed at stopping the spread of the Delta strain of coronavirus could cost the country $10 billion, with new private-sector forecasts that the outbreak will derail the national economic recovery.

KPMG estimates up to 1.5 percentage points will be stripped from growth in the September quarter based on shutdowns of 40 days across Greater Sydney and 10 days in Victoria, with the cost being borne largely by private businesses and privately employed workers.

KPMG estimates the lockdown in Sydney will cost about $220 million a day while in Victoria the cost will be closer to $150 million a day. Credit:Steven Siewert

Through the first six months of 2020, Australia recorded its deepest recession since the 1930s as restrictions hit the economy during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, however, it has bounced back strongly while the jobless rate has fallen below 5 per cent.

Even Victorias lockdown through much of the second half of last year failed to impede the recovery, with the nations economy to the end of March almost 9 per cent bigger since the middle of last year.
Beaming in the royal box at the mens Wimbledon final, the Duchess of Cambridge clapped every winning shot. She could have also given herself a round of applause for a summer very well played indeed.

While the royals would never admit it, Kate is the leading lady in a subtle PR campaign to repair reputational damage done to the Windsors by the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.

The Duchess of Cambridge enjoying this years Wimbledon championships. Credit:Getty Images

The narrative of the duelling duchesses has existed since the then-Suits star dropped into Kensington Palace to gift the future Queen a dream diary. It was all just a great headline until Meghan bought into it by telling Oprah that Kate had made her cry before her wedding, but was forgiven because shes a good person.

That revelation more than any other made by Harry and Meghan  bullying, racism, financial casting-off  reportedly made Prince William incandescent with rage, knowing his wife could not, would not, directly fire back.
He cited three main clusters: English speakers, Russian speakers and Spanish speakers. Colombians are at the vanguard of the last group, which also includes ex-combatants from El Salvador, Guatemala and elsewhere in Latin America. Now that the US is no longer the big sugar daddy, the market has really diversified. Sean McFate, the Atlantic Council For years, hundreds of military retirees from Colombia  many with extensive knowledge of counter-insurgency warfare  have shopped their skills abroad, notably in the Middle East, where the United Arab Emirates has employed them for both internal security and foreign intervention. By all accounts, Colombian veterans make exceptional guns-for-hire for deep-pocketed potentates, warlords and others seeking to create or bolster an army  or assemble a hit squad. Why are Colombian soldiers good candidates? Because they have excellent training, excellent discipline, and because they have had the experience of combat, said Carlos Calatrava, a military expert at the Andres Bello Catholic University in Caracas, Venezuela. There are always groups looking for well-trained individuals for the job of protection and security.

And money talks. A Colombian army soldier typically makes the equivalent of less than $677 a month; an experienced sergeant may earn double that. Monthly pensions for retirees from those ranks are only the equivalent of $440 to $800. Many supplement post-service income working as security guards. By comparison, the Colombians who allegedly helped assassinate the Haitian president were reportedly paid up to $4700 a month. They were apparently brought on in staggered fashion in the weeks before the attack, mostly flying initially to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, which borders Haiti. Ten days after her husband was killed, Haitis first lady Martine Moise returned home on Saturday (Sunday AEST). Moise, who was wounded in the arm during the attack, was evacuated on a medivac flight on July 7 to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and immediately taken to Jackson Health Systems Ryder Trauma Centre, where she underwent surgery.

Moises right arm was in a sling when she stepped onto the tarmac at Toussaint Louverture International Airport at the end of a charter flight from Miami with members of her family. Haitis first lady Martine Moise, wearing a bullet proof vest and her right arm in a sling, arrives at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Before leaving Miami, Moise thanked the doctors and nurses at Jackson with a message posted to her personal Twitter account. Thank you to the team of guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time, she said. With your gentle touch, kindness and care, I was able to hold on. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Moises state funeral will be on July 23. His widow is expected to help in the planning, along with a committee announced by the government.

It was money that likely drew Dubernay Capador Giraldo, 40, another retired Colombian first sergeant killed after the assassination, to Haiti. Capador apparently talked up the gig to various ex-colleagues, including Romero. Dubernay thought that this would give him the opportunity to travel abroad to improve his quality of life, his sister, Jenny Capador Giraldo told the Spanish daily El Pais. Colombian Armed Forces Commander General Luis Fernando Navarro, centre National Police Director General Jorge Luis Vargas, right, and Army Commander General Eduardo Zapateriro. Credit:AP Word-of-mouth solicitation is the norm in insular mercenary circles. Shady middleman outfits  the names of several have emerged in the Haiti investigation  count on trusted recruits to find battle-tested former comrades to sign up. Hey, we need some more people like you, goes the pitch, McFate said. Rattle your cages and use your networks.

Secrecy is fundamental. Loose lips are anathema. The government of the United Arab Emirates has never admitted to hiring mercenaries from Colombia. Initially recruited a decade or so ago to protect oil and gas pipelines and prepare for possible hostilities with Iran, some Colombians in the Persian Gulf were eventually dispatched to the US-backed, Saudi-Emirati war against Yemen. Even when 10 Colombians were reportedly killed in 2015 during fierce battles near the Yemeni city of Taizz, authorities in the Emirates remained silent. No government ever confirmed their deaths. One of the chief selling points of mercenaries is plausible deniability, McFate said. The UAE doesnt have to report how many people have been killed. And they like it that way. The Haiti assassination has stirred deep discomfort in Colombia, where the militarys reputation had already been sullied in the so-called false positive scandal. The Colombian army was found to have killed thousands of mostly poor, young civilian men between 2002 and 2008 in a bid to elevate body counts of supposed guerillas.

Despite the embarrassment of the revelations from Haiti, military officials in Colombia said there was little they could do to stop veterans from selling their services to the highest overseas bidders. The recruitment of ex-military [personnel] to go to other zones of the world as mercenaries has been an issue for a while, but there is no rule that prohibits or impedes the practice, General Luis Fernando Navarro, commander of the Colombian armed forces, told reporters in Bogota this month. Many Colombians have insisted that their countrymen were duped into taking part in the assassination plot. They believed they were brought on board for a legitimate operation, the defence goes, to act as bodyguards or perhaps assist in a legal arrest of Moise. Never would a Colombian soldier  even hypothetically consider participating in a magnicide, Marta Lucia Ramirez, Colombias Vice-President and foreign minister, said Friday. They were deceived.
PHILIPSBURG:---I greet you on behalf of the government and people of St. Maarten on this momentous occasion of the global celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day. I am grateful to the organizers for the invitation to have the honor to share this platform with illustrius dignitaries from the Caribbean and the Americas.

Today, we celebrate our collective power to make our world a better place for all. This movement for positive change, however, hinges on small steps each one of us can take to impact the lives of others. It is, therefore, most appropriate that the theme of this years Mandela Day is One hand can feed another.

The ongoing, mutating COVID-19 Corona Virus pandemic has thrown many of our people out of work and into poverty, with food security being a top priority for most governments within this region and the world. I am, therefore, happy to note that Food Hampers for the poor and underprivileged is on the program the organizers intend to launch today. This has been among the top priorities of my government as well since the onset of the pandemic and remains a campaign to which we are committed wholeheartedly as our food program and voucher system continues.

Our current initiatives are intended to help lessen the hardships the pandemic has inflicted on our people who have seen our tourism-based economy virtually grind to a halt. Thankfully, St. Martin is safely open again for business, but it cannot be business as usual in a world that has been plunged into a so-called new normal, which requires massive vaccination to combat this faceless yet lethal enemy.

However, we can continue to encounter unexpected challenges on this front as well, with a relatively large segment of a population showing a lack of confidence in vaccination. This phenomenon seems to be worldwide. Nevertheless, I am happy to report that as of July 15th, a total of 19,642 of our residents on Dutch St. Maarten, which is about just over half of our population, have been fully vaccinated and the Pfizer vaccine is the one that we have been using, with some 23,528 having received their first jab. We are well pass our 50% mark and therefore continue to encourage our people on St. Maarten and within the region to get vaccinated at the highest rate possible.

We all know, that the COVID-19 virus is no respecter of borders, therefore efforts in one country would be ineffective unless similar measures are taken around our region and indeed around the world. Mandela himself wanted us to show a fundamental concern for others as we seek to improve the world that we live in. We cannot, therefore, turn a blind eye to the situation currently going on in both Haiti and Cuba; our sisters and brothers within this Caribbean region. When they hurt, we all feel the pain.

As we mark Mandela Day today, may I suggest that we take part of the 67 minutes we are called upon to dedicate in honor of his 67 years of service to humanity, to pray for peace and stability in both Haiti and Cuba where our brothers and sisters are facing not only food shortages but also a lack of adequate access to the very vaccines that will be able to save lives? Indeed, As Mandela told us, It is in our hands to make of our world a better one for all. The world begins with our beloved Caribbean for, as they say, charity begins at home. So let one, feed one; let one, teach one.

Happy Mandela Day!
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday morning, July 18, 2021, at about 9:30 a.m., Central Dispatch dispatched several patrols and an ambulance for an incident in Ebenezer. There, a man was found on the ground showing no signs of life.

Following an investigation conducted by the Police's Forensic Department, it was determined that there was no foul play involved with his death and the victim appears to have taken his own life.

The Police Force expresses sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased.

Police understand that many people in the community are going through difficult times at the moment, from worry about jobs, money, health, and the profound feelings of helplessness that can trigger depression. When depression makes you feel suicidal, your problems do not seem temporary and seem overwhelming and permanent. If you are going through a difficult time, please reach out to your doctor, family, or friends or your community police officer who can guide you to the necessary help.

If you or someone you know may be in need of professional assistance, contact the Mental Health Foundation via the crisis hotline at +1 721 520 5556.

KPSM Press Release.
~ Calls for transparency on land tax ~



PHILIPSBURG:--- While the government focused its Nelson Mandela Day message on Madibas honorable record on service to the country and overcoming challenges, Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel said he hopes government would finally focus on the principle of effective leadership for the people which were the bedrock of Mandelas movement.

The MP said he can support the call of the Prime Minister for the return of peace and quality of life in other nations, especially facing a pandemic, but stressed that on St. Maarten a decent or improved quality of life can only be achieved through honest, transparent and decisive government, not an evasive, indirect and dishonest one.

I believe when government decides to mark an important day such as Mandela Day and it wants to frame it to our local circumstances, it should avoid trying to self-praise in his name and instead be self-critical based on his principles of governing and the role of governments to their people, Emmanuel said.

It is very easy to look at his life and say we need to be as resilient and strong as he was but not recognize that government has operated in contradiction of the principles he stood for the most. For the past 9 months, honesty has been lacking, scheming is the norm, transparency is a catch-phrase, and changing positions on every subject is the order of the day. This was not Mandelas style, Emmanuel said.

Case in point, the MP said, is the ongoing debate of the proposal of the CFT for the enforcing of land and property taxes on St. Maarten. He said the Minister of Finance recently declined to say whether the government will impose such taxes, only stating that the law is on the books but not enforced and that he would be in Parliament in August to discuss tax reform.

Mandela would have answered the question with yes or no. That is all the Minister had to do. He chose to be evasive. Along with the VAT tax which is part of the current phase of the implementation agenda, a land and property tax, considering our realities when it comes to land, will create chaos in this country, not the peace and prosperity the government chose to mention while invoking Mandelas name, Emmanuel said.

He went on to implore the government to remember to of Mandelas quotes on the marking of Mandela Day: It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism, to conduct discussions as if he or she is a schoolmaster talking to less informed and inexperienced learners.

A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones. This is a reminder to government about the need to do better in poverty alleviation, in social equity, and in realizing a higher degree of effectiveness for the government.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Sunday expressed concern for St. Maarteners, St. Maarten students in particular, and the Dutch people in general in the aftermath of torrential rain that started last Wednesday over Northern Europe.

With the death toll throughout Europe rising daily, I can only sympathize with our people on the continent and in Holland in particular, the MP said. We know natural catastrophe all too well on St. Maarten and we know the toll it takes. With that said I pray that all is well with our students and St. Maarten families who are caught in it, the MP said.

He said he has been seeing persons from St. Maarten saying they are safe via social media, which was encouraging to read. But perhaps the government can provide an update on our students and if any were affected negatively by the storm. If our people reached out for help via the St. Maarten House or so let us know so perhaps organizations and individuals on St. Maarten could assist if we need to, MP Emmanuel said.

Images from throughout Europe show sinkholes that swallowed up houses and buildings. Cars were carried away by torrents of water and deposited upside down or upended against trees. Homes have been emptied, their contents mixed into oozing mud pits. The raging rivers have also swept away cellphone towers and fiber optic cables, further hampering rescue efforts.

Even some of the dikes that have long protected the Netherlands have been overcome by water levels not seen since before World War I. A dyke alongside the Juliana canal in the south of Limburg broke through on Friday afternoon, leading the local safety board to urge people in several villages to leave their homes as a matter of urgency because flooding was inevitable. The dike was eventually fixed.

The MP also took the opportunity to remind the general public of St. Maarten that it should continue to take Mother Nature seriously and prepare for the peak of the hurricane season. The weather system that slammed Europe is a stark reminder that we cannot take for granted our experience with storms. Yes we have learned lessons and we are battle-tested, but we should still prepare for anything and on time. Let us prepare and send up many prayers for the people of Europe and our Caribbean brothers and sisters to be spared from such tragedies, the MP said.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew A. Fahie, and newly appointed UNDP Resident Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Ms. Valerie Cliff, have discussed continued collaboration between the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and UNDP on COVID-19 response, sustainable development, resilience of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during a virtual meeting on 13th July 2021.

At the virtual meeting, Premier Fahie received the credentials of Ms. Cliff who updated him on the BVIs current participation in UNDPs Future Tourism (FUT-Tourism) project, among other things. The FUT-Tourism project is currently providing local MSMEs with training, to be followed by grants, in order to assist them with repositioning their businesses and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Fahie expressed his satisfaction with the BVIs participation in the project and the ongoing engagement between the Premiers Office and UNDP to ensure its success.

In addition, Premier Fahie updated Ms. Cliff on the current COVID-19 outbreak in the BVI and the Governments response to the pandemic. Regarding the recovery of the BVI and wider Caribbean, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Ugo Blanco, highlighted UNDPs policy recommendations to Caribbean Governments that emphasises the importance of vaccinations.

According to Mr. Blanco, the six priorities identified by UNDP for COVID recovery in the region are:

1. Vaccination;

2. Vaccination;

3. Vaccination;

4. Economic reactivation;

5. Social protection schemes; and

6. Reopening of schools.

Premier Fahie and Ms. Cliff both stressed the importance of disaster preparedness during the 2021 hurricane season and acknowledged the heightened vulnerability of the BVI and other societies in the region due to COVID-19. They also agreed that BVI and UNDP will continue to work together to accelerate the sustainable development of the BVI to position the society to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Commenting on the virtual meeting, Premier Fahie said,

I had very productive discussions with newly appointed UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Valerie Cliff and Deputy Resident Representative Mr. Ugo Blanco. I look forward to working with Ms. Cliff on the continued collaboration between the BVI and UNDP on COVID-19 response, MSMEs, sustainable development and the resilience of SIDS.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew A. Fahie, was joined by his Special Envoy Mr. Benito Wheatley and Assistant Secretary for External Affairs Ms. Dwynel Davis.
President Joe Biden speaks with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and other bipartisan group of senators, 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. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Securing a sustainable future

The UK Government has set out an ambitious ten-point plan, known as the green industrial revolution, with an aim to forge ahead with eradicating its contribution to climate change by 2050. This makes our government the first major economy to embrace such a legal obligation. Green recovery Acknowledging climate change and meeting net-zero is a demanding challenge especially for those affected by the pandemic. But the UK Government, with the launch of its aspiring strategy, is investing everything in its power to promote a green recovery. Here, Reece Paprotny, Commercial Manager and Sustainability Champion at Amthal, highlights how the fire and security industry has an opportunity to use the current recovery period to explore its own sustainable journey and embrace the significance of environment, economic and social collaboration, transparency, and accountability. Employing sustainable technologies Pressure is mounting on construction to find ways to reduce emissions and help meet net-zero targets The perception is that COVID-19 presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-write the existing rulebook. This is riding on the significance of changing public support for more environmentally friendly living opportunities, with associated cost savings, efficiencies, and cleaner industries. Innovative sustainable technologies are the key to kickstart this route to success. Nowhere can this be seen more than in the built environment, which currently contributes to 40% of the UK's carbon footprint. Pressure is mounting on construction to find ways to reduce emissions and help meet net-zero targets. This is through the entire life cycle of a building, to reduce their impact on the environment from planning stages, through build and demolition. Building the right environment By creating the right policy environment, incentives for innovation and infrastructure, the Government can encourage companies to seize the sustainable opportunities of new technologies and value chains linked to green sectors. They can accelerate the shift of current carbon-intensive economic and industrial structures onto greener trajectories, enabling the UK to meet global climate and development goals under the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Transparent working practices Each industry sector is expected to engage and pledge its support to achieve the significant deadlines. Every company can make a difference, even with small steps towards a sustainable future. So whilst elements such as safety and security represent just one component of building the right sustainable environment, it paves the way to opening up our sector to greater efficiencies, transparent working practices, and encourages collaborative use of resources. Sustainability in security The security sector has a significant opportunity to incorporate going green into its practices In fact, the security sector has a significant opportunity to incorporate going green into their processes, and practices. This is right from product lifecycles to more environmentally friendly work practices when it comes to maintenance and monitoring services. When integrating environmentally friendly practices, starts with the manufacturing and production of the wide variety of systems in operation for the security sector. And some certifications and guidelines can be achieved, such as the ISO 14000 which looks into eliminating hazardous materials being used which in turn will reduce carbon footprint. Upgrading supply chain process Observing the complete supply chain and working with partners to reduce unnecessary travel, shipments, and transportation of products, can all contribute and create sustainable processes. In the maintenance and monitoring of products, it is essential installers and security specialists consider their own environmental impacts. Simple changes such as switching company vehicles to electric options for site visits can make a significant difference to climate change and improving air quality. Presenting sustainable ways of disposing of products at the end of their natural lifecycle is key to change in our sector. This is especially in the security industry where many customers will need a complete overhaul of outdated solutions or need systems upgrading due to changing threat levels. Sustainable evolution Progress is being made, specifically in the fire and security industry, in its sustainable evolution. Businesses are trying to develop a reputation for sustainability or good corporate citizenship. And it has gone well beyond the theory to the practical, where companies recognise activities have an impact on the environment and are also reviewing the social and economic influences. Three pillars of sustainability In a recent interview, Inge Huijbrechts, the Global Senior Vice President for safety and security and Responsible Business at Radisson Hotel Groups sees her vision to combine safety, security, and sustainability. Inge focuses on three pillars, namely, Think People, Think Community, and Think Planet. Think People means that we always care for the people in our hotels and our supply chain. So, in outwards communications, safety and security were always part of the Think People focus area. Think Community is caring and contributing in a meaningful way to communities where we operate. Finally, Think Planet makes sure that our footprint on the environment is as light as it can be in terms of energy, water, waste, and carbon, and making sure that we incorporate sustainability into our value proposition. Moving forward Apprenticeship schemes are integral to think people and have a role to play in the social impact on the security industry There are immediate actions that can be taken by companies in the security industry to support sustainable development, working right from within a company to supporting industry-wide initiatives. From a social perspective, at a foundation level, Think People can see the Living Wage Foundation as an example of a commitment to a team. This is for businesses that choose to go further and pay a real Living wage based on the cost of living, not just the Government minimum. Apprenticeship schemes are also integral to think people and have a pivotal role to play on the social impact on the security industry. It addresses the sector-wide issue of finding employees with the right mix of skills to collaborate and meet discerning consumer demands for increasingly smart security solutions for homes and businesses. Impact of the full lifecycle of products From an environmental view, or think planet, we need to collectively look at all elements of our industry, with a desire to analyse the impact of ingredients used, supply chain, or manufacturing alone, and also consider the full lifecycle of our selected products from creation to end of life. As Jamie Allam, CEO Amthal summarises, This is a long-term, sustainable investment in our people, our products, and our business based on our values. When put together, a social team which feels empowers and operates in environmental optimum working conditions is in a position to provide a great experience to our customers, creating an economic positive difference. It forms the basis of a sustainable sector vision for the security industry-wide to adopt. Taking action Amthal is taking action based on the ready-made universally agreed UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Also known as Global Goals, these are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member states. This agenda is a plan of action for people, the planet, and prosperity. By being an early adopter, we believe we can engage with customers, partners, and suppliers on these issues and generate opportunities to innovate for mutual and industry sector benefit. Together, we can contribute to building a more sustainable security sector and future, and contribute to the UK Governments green industrial revolution.
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values of 98 to 103 expected. * WHERE...Portions of northwest Wisconsin and central, east central, south central, southwest and west central Minnesota. * WHEN...From noon to 8 PM CDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. &&
Medford, NJ (08055)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 84F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable.
Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey, Shadowplay, War and Peace) and Martin Compston (Line of Duty, The Nest, In Plain Sight) will play estranged husband and wife Fi and Bram Lawson as Rupert Penry-Jones (The Drowning, Whitechapel, The Last Weekend) takes the role of enigmatic Toby in this edge-of-your-seat thriller produced by Red Planet Pictures.Also joining the cast are Weruche Opia (I May Destroy You,) as Fis best friend and neighbour Merle, and Buket Komur (Honour) as the mysterious and alluring Wendy.Fiona Lawson (Middleton) arrives home one day to find strangers moving into her house. With all her familys possessions and furniture nowhere to be seen, Fi believes theres been a huge mistake and insists her home isnt for sale. With events spiralling beyond her control, her panic rises as she cant reach her estranged husband, Bram (Compston).As she reflects upon the safe space in which she and her family had made a life together, Fi begins to peel back the layers of her relationship and discovers her husband has disappeared. With her life shattered, she realises the secrets and lies have only just begun. Intertwining the present day with flashback scenes of Fiona and Brams life together, their separation and their new relationships with Toby and Wendy, Our House gradually unravels unexpected secrets and shocking revelations, culminating in a nail-biting finale.Our House is adapted by screenwriter Simon Ashdown (Funland, Kitchen) and produced by Red Planet Pictures, with joint managing director Belinda Campbell (Death In Paradise, Sanditon) as executive producer. Sheree Folkson (Bridgerton, American Horror Story) will serve as lead director, with Tom Mullens (Endeavour, Poldark) as producer. The suspenseful literary thriller has been commissioned by ITVs Head of Drama, Polly Hill.Our House is adapted from the international best-selling novel written by Louise Candlish. The successful novel, which is published in the UK by Simon & Schuster and in the US by Berkley, Penguin Random House, became a Sunday Times best seller and also won Book of the Year  Crime and Thriller, at the British Book Awards in 2019.Commented Belinda Campbell: Im so excited by the incredible cast that we have brought together for Our House. Simons scripts are a thrilling rendering of Louise Candlishs un-put-downable novel, and in the wonderful Sheree Folkson, we have a director who will to bring them to life with the deft skill she has brought to shows such as American Horror Story and Bridgerton.Commented Martin Compston: Im absolutely delighted to be part of the cast of ITVs Our House in the role of Bram. The scripts are genuinely thrilling, packed with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Im excited to bring them to the screen.Commented Tuppence Middleton: What struck me about Our House is its immense relatability; its a story where you catch a glimpse of yourself in the characters, and you get the chilling realisation that what happens to Fi could happen to anyone. What a fantastic opportunity to work alongside ITV and the team at Red Planet Pictures to adapt this artfully plotted novel.Commented Rupert Penry-Jones: Im delighted to be stepping into the shoes of the elusive character of Toby in this nail-biting thriller; highlighting how a few innocent wrong turns can spiral into an eventuality no oneanticipated. Its all the more rewarding to be working alongside the brilliantly talented Tuppence Middleton and Martin Compston. This is a TV thriller that will subvert all expectations.The drama will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios.Photo credit for use of the above headshots: Jonathon Griggs (Rupert Penry-Jones) Rob Harper (Tuppence Middleton) Stefan Sieler (Martin Compston)
Corbin Bernsen (Psych) and Alexis Valdes have been tapped for roles opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux in The White House Plumbers, HBOs five-part limited series that revisits Watergate, one of the biggest political scandals in American history.Bernsen will play Richard Kleindienst, the Harvard-educated attorney general that is tainted by the ITT scandal and a contentious confirmation process. He refuses to use his power to shield the Plumbers from investigators.Valdes plays Felipe De Diego, a Cuban-American real estate broker and yachtsman who participates in every Plumbers operation except the one which ends in their arrest.The series, now in production, hails from Veep executive producers Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, David Mandel and Frank Rich. Created and written by Gregory and Huyck and directed by Mandel, White House Plumbers is based part on public records and the book Integrity by Egil Bud Krogh and Matthew Krogh. It tells the true story of how Nixons own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E. Howard Hunt (Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Theroux), accidentally toppled the presidency they zealously were trying to protect.
Algiers, 18 July 2021 (SPS) - Ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) to Algeria Abdelkader Taleb Omar on Saturday said that the struggle of the Sahrawi people will continue following Mandelas footsteps until the liberation of its territories, denouncing Makhzens pressure on the countries that support the implementation of international law in Western Sahara.



Africa can be proud of the contribution of Nelson Mandela to the human civilization through his struggle for freedom, respect for human rights and peaceful coexistence on the basis of equality, democracy and international law, said Taleb Omar at a Forum on Memory held in Algiers on the occasion of the 103th anniversary of Mandelas birth.



Enumerating the qualities of the late South African leader, the Sahrawi diplomat focused on the lessons he left for oppressed people and long term resistance despite the lack of means.



The deceaseds speeches carried several messages that have become life principles for people and institutions, such as the right to education, the spirit of initiative and anticipation, mutual aid and collective work, stated Taleb Omar.



Recalling that Mandela had received several Sahrawi activists to whom he voiced solidarity, the Sahrawi ambassador highlighted the attempts of the South African leader to convince the Makhzen of the need for a referendum.



In the face of Moroccos procrastination and its maneuvers to impede any peaceful solution, South Africa has officially recognized SADR," he continued.



"The Makhzen has reneged on all its international commitments and works to falsify the nature of the conflict based on its expansionist policy supported by colonial powers seeking to preserve their hegemony by relying on the forces of collaborationism and submission," said the Sahrawi diplomat.



According to him, the Moroccan regime "is part of the relays of colonialism in the region in violation of international legality and the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU), which insists on respect for the borders inherited after independence and the integrity of the territories of member states. (SPS)



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London, 18 July 2021 (SPS) - Morocco is to dig 2,400 square meters of soil in occupied Western Sahara, as part of a mineral exploration, warned the International Observatory Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), recalling that Western Sahara is under foreign illegal occupation by Morocco, and the latter has no right under international law to carry out such exploration work.



The Moroccan government's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) has issued a tender document on its website revealing a plan to carry out mineral exploration in Western Sahara, said WSRW in a report released on its website.



The tender invites for digging 2,400 square meters of soil, in the shape of 800 meters of trenches, each 3 meters deep and one meter wide, said the source.



Trenching is a common mineral exploration technique, through which rock samples are taken at regular intervals - for instance, every 1 meter - for geochemical analysis. The digging is to get to slightly fresher and more representative rock below the excavated sand/gravel cover, said the report.



In this regard, WSRW recalled that Western Sahara is under foreign illegal occupation by Morocco, and the latter has no right under international law to carry out such exploration work.



ONHYM refers to the location for the dig as being in Provinces du Sud - the 'Southern Provinces'. This is how Morocco's refers to the territory that the UN, the International Court of Justice, the EU Court of Justice, and the African Union reject Morocco's claims to.



ONHYM itself, together with Canadian company Metalex, is a joint-venture partner in the mineral exploration in the same area of Western Sahara. Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) wrote yesterday that reports from Metalex suggest that the company is proceeding in its partnership with ONHYM. It is not clear to WSRW if there is any relationship between the trenching programme described in the tender and ONHYM's partnership with Metalex. An ONHYM map from January 2021 reveals that ONHYM has two other projects in the same part of Western Sahara, said the source. (SPS)



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The juvenile justice system is falling short of its goal of holding repeat juvenile offenders accountable, meeting their needs and protecting the community. Prosecutors can help. Why not let them?

Criticism about Connecticuts juvenile justice system in Connecticut reached a crescendo following the death of 53-year-old Henryk Gudelski. The father, marathon runner and active member of New Britains Polish community was killed June 29 when, police said, he was struck by a stolen car driven by a 17-year-old who had been charged 13 times in the last four years with a series of crimes, from drug possession to reckless driving.

Outcry about the death of Mr. Gudelski  as well as reports of suspected young car thieves firing guns at Glastonbury and Simsbury residents trying to stop the thefts  pushed several lawmakers to petition for a special legislative session to discuss policies concerning youthful offenders.

But the sad reality is that crimes like these involving juveniles are not new. Just ask the family of Rosella Shuler.

The 56-year-old Hartford grandmother was waiting at a bus stop on July 18, 2017, when she was killed by a teen driving a stolen vehicle. The tragedy was one of a string of serious incidents at the time involving youths in stolen cars.

Four years later, Connecticut is still seeing similar crimes. Serious discussion about closing the gaps in our juvenile justice system is long overdue.

Prosecutors who handle juvenile matters face daily the frustrations of restrictions on post-arrest and pretrial detention of juveniles. They are often unable to transfer the most serious juvenile offenders to adult court, where diversionary efforts could likely help stem recidivism. There have been few constructive alternative programs for troubled juveniles since the 2018 closure of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, the states only high-security treatment facility for youths.

It is time for Connecticut to implement effective solutions for juveniles who have been arrested and sent to court several times. It is time for the state to show there are meaningful consequences for out-of-control juveniles on crime sprees who violate probation and parole and no longer worry about the results of their actions.

Discussion about juvenile crime needs to include all stakeholders involved in the system  especially prosecutors, perhaps the most vital actors in the lives of youths when reforms to the system are underway.

Prosecutors understand and respect that it is up to legislators to set policy. But since policy has the potential to impact the safety of the communities in which lawmakers serve, prosecutors should be involved in conversations about what happens to juveniles when they go to court. A prosecutors job is to seek impartial justice for the guilty as much as the innocent and to preserve public safety, two valued concepts the prosecutor works to balance every day.

Prosecutors in Connecticuts adult courts routinely consider effective treatment options and early intervention programs instead of incarceration for defendants. In juvenile court, a prosecutors role is limited.

Probation officers, according to state law, are the early decision-makers in juvenile court. While juvenile probation officers have the training and unique skills that allow them to evaluate certain aspects of juvenile court cases, they do not have the same training, skill set or perspective that prosecutors handling juvenile matters have.

Input from probation officers and prosecutors should  together  be considered in determining whether a case should go before the court. For those cases that do reach court, both probation officers and prosecutors should have access to effective treatment and rehabilitation services for youths. And their actions should be timely so that juvenile offenders can get the help they need before they ultimately end up in adult court, jailed and removed from their communities.

Thats what happened to the teen who fatally struck Ms. Shuler.

Deykevious Russaw had appeared in juvenile court to face auto theft charges two years before the crash that killed Ms. Shuler. His crimes escalated, and eventually he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the fatal crash and to another 20 years for the fatal shooting of Jeff Worrell, 63, who was killed while sitting on a park bench in Hartford. The shooting occurred two days before Ms. Shuler was struck.

You were involved with stealing cars for a lengthy period, and the juvenile justice system never held you accountable. The result is where we are today, Superior Court Judge Frank M. DAddabbo Jr. said during the 2019 sentencing hearing for the shooting.

Following a recent bipartisan meeting of legislators at the Capitol about the rash of serious juvenile crimes, lawmakers are expecting more discussion in the weeks to come, talks that the lawmakers said are crucial because the violence involving juveniles is escalating.

Prosecutors can help restore a sense of security to citizens if they are able to point juvenile offenders toward meaningful services that provide the offenders with a sense of responsibility. Prosecutors have a unique understanding of the challenges that exist when a young person enters a courtroom. They must protect the publics safety while protecting juvenile offenders, making sure the youth is on the path to rehabilitation. Prosecutors can immediately identify problems in the system.

Collaborative efforts achieve better outcomes. Including prosecutors in discussions about juvenile justice is vital to achieving those better outcomes, not only for residents of Connecticut in need of security, but also for the repeat youthful offenders who desperately need help. Prosecutors can help these young people turn the corner to a structured, meaningful path toward adulthood.

Richard J. Colangelo Jr. is the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Connecticut and administrative head of the states Division of Criminal Justice, the agency responsible for the investigation and prosecution of all criminal matters in Connecticut.
STAMFORD  Local school officials have yet to decide whether or not remote learning will be offered in the fall in Stamford, but a new survey should help them make an informed choice.

Jennifer Forman, former senior co-president of the Stamford Parent-Teacher Council, is the co-chair of a committee that developed the survey, which was released last week. Only one hour after it was posted online, there were already about 1,500 responses, she said.

At first glance, the survey appears to have only five questions. But depending on the answers chosen, new questions appear. For example, if the respondent chooses any grade between kindergarten and seventh grade in the first question, an additional query appears as the third question.

It says: (Stamford Public Schools) is considering a remote learning option in the fall for students too young to be vaccinated under the current guidelines. If you have children who would be under 12 as of fall 2021, would you consider using the remote learning option? Your answer is not binding but will help SPS plan for the fall.

Additionally, the survey asks parents if they would like to see any COVID-era changes remain next year. If the respondent selects yes, a new question appears in which they can write what they want to see return.

The survey closes on Sunday, Aug. 1.

I would encourage people to do the survey just so we can have a good response and we want to hear from people, Forman said. The district is hoping to at least address concerns and continue best practices so it would be helpful to know what parents think.

She said volunteers have also been designated to help parents fill out the survey, in order to get a response that is representative of the larger school community.

Superintendent Tamu Lucero has said in the past that unless the COVID-19 vaccine is approved for younger students, remote learning is likely to be on the menu for families in the fall.

Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine is offered only to people who are 12 years of age or older, meaning most students from about sixth grade and below are not yet eligible.

Lucero has also said that remote learning is not part of the plan for the fall for students who are 12 years of age or older, because they have the opportunity to get the vaccine.

The issue could get complicated for the seventh grade, where about one-third of students wont be age-eligible for the vaccine as of Sept. 1 since the grade is mostly comprised of 11- and 12-year-olds.

If remote learning is still offered in the fall, its possible that Stamford could partner with other school districts to provide it. Lucero previously said officials have been in discussions with educators in Norwalk and Bridgeport about a possible collaboration.

In all grade levels, Lucero said that if a student had to quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure or infection, they would likely be provided some form of remote learning, another indicator that distance teaching and learning is unlikely to be a thing of the past.

The Stamford school district created a standalone Distance Teaching and Learning Academy, or DTLA, for this school year. The academy had its own roster of teachers, for the most part, and students in the program received instruction entirely online during the year. About a fourth of all students were in the academy, though that number declined significantly toward the end of the school year

Figuring out the logistics of such an academy caused headaches early on, as student movement from the academy to the in-person model, or vice versa, caused a ripple effect across schools.

For example, if 400 high school students suddenly decided to move into the distance learning academy, that would mean filling seven courses for each student. In all, that would equal 2,800 new high school class slots for the academy.

More students in online learning also meant more teachers would be needed, so many instructors in the in-person hybrid model were moved to the academy at the last minute, meaning the classes they had been scheduled to teach in-person were collapsed.

Nonetheless, the model did receive praise from some, as Stamfords academy was an unusual approach for the region.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and author of The Next Pandemic, available at Amazon.com. Contact her at betsy@betsymccaughey.com or on Twitter @Betsy_McCaughey.
Monday, 19 July 2021 11:19:17 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

In the January-June period this year, Georgias total external trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $944.1 million, including exports worth $164.47 million, up by 61.1 percent, and imports worth $779.60 million, increasing by 30.8 percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to the data provided by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).

In the January-June period, semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel ranked fifth among Georgias most exported products to Turkey, amounting to 23,840 metric tons, rising by 33.3 percent year on year. Meanwhile, the value of these exports totaled $11.84 million, up by 81.8 percent year on year.
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The wait time for formalities in the airport for those entering the country that do not have their digital certificate can take up to 40 minutes at certain peak intervals, the recommendation being for vaccinated persons to have the green passport, and those not vaccinated to come with the necessary paperwork filled out, said, on Monday, the General Director of the Bucharest Airports National Company (CNAB), Cosmin Pestesan.

He mentioned that passengers that have the digital passport have at their disposal green corridors, special corridors, so that their wait times in the airport, after landing, are highly reduced.

"By creating these corridors, wait times for entering the country are reduced by a lot for those who have these green certificates. Those who do not have them or are unvaccinated remain in the same paradigm: they queue, complete forms, wait for the DSP [Public Health Directorate] doctor decision, after which they enter the border. The wait times for those entering the country who do not have their digital certificate for formalities - in certain peak intervals we had 4-5 planes at the same time - can sometimes last 40 minutes, because many people do not use that certificate nor do they know of the DSP form, although the airline companies send it when they check in. They come in with no form, they queue, they come back, they fill it out, so there's a small chaos. It could be shortened, this was our encouragement and our recommendation: those vaccinated should have their certificates, those without should come with forms filled in," Pestesan explained.

Although the United Kingdom is releasing a digital certificate, it is not eligible for the green corridor, and persons holding such a document must go through the formalities imposed by Romanian authorities, agerpres.ro confirms.

"It's not the airport's decision. We implemented what exists in law. Entry to the country with a green certificate is only at the EU level," said the CNAB head, when asked why the simplified rules are not applied for those vaccinated coming from the UK.

The Bucharest Airports National Company organized, on Monday, at the Henri Coanda Bucharest International Airport, the Open Doors Day. The event was dedicated to the celebration of the Day of Romanian Aviation and represented an opportunity to discover, through a unique incursion, the airport activities less accessible to the public.
Passenger traffic at the 'Henri Coanda' International Airport of Bucharest is nearing 800,000 this July, down 42 percent from 2019, and is seen ending 2021 on a pessimistic forecast, at around 5.5 million - maximum 6 million travelers, provided that the 4th COVID-19 wave doesn't bring along very tough restrictions, CEO of the Bucharest Airports National Corporation (CNAB) Cosmin Pestesan said on Monday.

"Numbers as of July 18 show that we are headed for 800,000 air travelers in July. We closed June with 600,000. We are at 42 percent below 2019 and 32 percent less as regards aircraft movements. Summer is according to projections. Unfortunately, the first 5 months did not turn out to our advantage and we don't know whether the 4th wave will strike or not. We do see the restrictions, countries switch overnight to the red or yellow high infection risk zone. Our recommendation is for everyone to get vaccinated and use the Covid green certificate, because we have separate, dedicated corridors for incoming travelers, even if they come from red or yellow areas; if they have the Covid digital certificate, they have priority at entering the country," Pestesean said on the occasion of the airport's Open Doors Day.

In the opinion of the CNAB CEO, the 'Henri Coanda' Airport will register this year a maximum of 6 million passengers, almost half the traffic recorded in 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The budget we built in February relied on a forecast in line with Airport Council International predictions, ie between the average and the pessimistic forecast. We built our budget for 6.8 million passengers. Regrettably, the first months didn't confirm our forecasts. Provided that we are spared a 4th or 5th wave with very tough restrictions, we will probably end the year on the pessimistic forecast made in February, at around 5.5 million - maximum 6 million passengers. Probably around half the 2019 figure," he said.

The five-month passenger traffic amounted to 1.2 million, the figure usually registered in a "good month" in 2019, and there were 600,000 air travelers in June, half the aggregate January - May number.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry joins international condemnation of the malicious cyber activities targeted at the Microsoft Exchange Server and the hacking campaign of the APT40 group.

According to a statement issued today in the context of the EU and NATO statements on a series of malicious cyber activities targeting critical infrastructure, the Foreign Ministry reiterates the messages issued by these organizations, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry expresses its solidarity with the United States, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the other partners amid public concerns about the conduct of malicious cyber operations against the Microsoft Exchange Server, as well as about the APT40 cyber campaign, which are attributed to PR China and which targeted key European and international governmental institutions and industries. These malicious cyber activities were carried out in disregard of the international regulatory framework on responsible state behavior in cyberspace as defined in the consecutive reports of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (UNGGE), reaffirmed by the UN Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) and approved by the UN General Assembly," the statement reads.

The Foreign Ministry shows that Romania expresses its concern over any form of hostility in cyberspace and irresponsible cyber behavior, while also reaffirming its strong commitment and involvement in supporting strengthened efforts at European and international level to prevent, deter and respond to such destabilizing actions, while respecting the international framework on responsible state behavior adopted at UN level, based on international law.

"Promoting and protecting a global, open, free, stable and secure cyberspace, as well as the protection of intellectual property, is a key goal in sustaining economic development, society and international security, while respecting democratic values and rule-based order," the statement shows.
The military are still acting on Monday in support of the population in areas affected by flooding in the central-western County of Alba.

According to a press release sent by the Ministry of National Defence (MApN), 26 soldiers with four technical means from the 136th Engineers Battalion of Alba-Iulia are carrying out missions in the localities of Ocolis, Sohodol and Rosia Montana for unblocking access points, removing water and alluvium from households and for unclogging drainage gutters from the yards of the local people.

In Rosia Montana, the soldiers are placing modular living containers for the flood victims, agerpres.ro confirms.

On Saturday, MApN employees acted in the same area with a 15-troop detachment and three technical means, and on Sunday, 21 soldiers with 4 technical means have intervened, at the request of the local authorities, in order to unclog alluviums on traffic routes and to remove the mud and alluviums from the people's households.
Minister of European Investments and Projects Cristian Ghinea discussed on Monday with the Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Alain Pilloux, about the financing opportunities of the European programmes starting this year, both through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and through the operational programmes with cohesion funds, a press release sent by the relevant ministry informs.

During Monday's meeting, the two officials discussed the most appropriate ways to involve the EBRD in financing the European programmes, which can materialize as financial support or technical assistance, reads the MIPE release, agerpres.ro confirms.

Thus, the two parties are preparing a Memorandum of Understanding on the future cooperation framework, which will be signed soon, according to the release.

Minister Cristian Ghinea underlined the support provided by the EBRD regarding the development of projects in the water sector.

"I appreciate the valuable collaboration with EBRD under the programs so far. In particular, I would like to mention the support given to local and regional authorities in the development of projects in the water sector, as well as the outline of the comprehensive reform in this sector, which we have included in the PNRR. I also think that it could make an important contribution, for example, to the development of projects that will be included in the Local Fund or in the Fund for the Renovation Wave. I also think that it could play an important role in shaping reforms in other areas as well," appreciated the Minister of European Investments and Projects.

Alain Pilloux said that the EBRD will continue to provide Romania with its expertise in absorbing European funds.

The meeting on Monday was also attended by: Mark Davis, Regional Director Romania and Bulgaria of the EBRD, Mihaela Mihailescu, Deputy Director - EBRD Romania, Venera Vlad, Associate Director of the EBRD for Infrastructure, Teodora Preoteasa, General Director, MIPE System Coordination and Monitoring Division, Programming Directorate, Svetlana Gombos, general manager of Management Authority (MA) Competitiveness Operational Programme (COP) and George Carpuror, head of service MA COP.
A new tranche of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, 662,220 doses, will arrive at the Otopeni airport on Monday, the National Coordinating Committee for Vaccination Activities against COVID-19 informs in a press release sent to AGERPRES.

The transportation of the vaccine doses to the storage centre is provided by the manufacturing company, including by land. The vaccines are transported safely in special containers with carbonic ice and sealed foil.

The doses will be stored at the National Storage Centre, and in the next period they will be distributed to the existing regional centres nationwide. The National Centre for the Storage of the Vaccine against COVID-19, which is part of the "Cantacuzino" Institute, is fully authorized by the National Authority for Medicines and Medical Devices of Romania (ANMDMR), the national authority operating in the field of medicinal products for human use.To date, Romania has received 16,596,629 doses of the vaccine produced by Pfizer, and 7,269,098 have been used to immunise the population.
The border police on Saturday and Sunday, in Timisoara, found 36 foreign citizens who could not justify their being in the area.

"After verifications the police established that they are citizens from Afghanistan, Tunisia, Pakistan and Bangladesh aged between 20 and 39, most of them holding temporary identity documents for asylum seekers, but who could not justify their presence in the municipality of Timisoara," said a press release of the Timisoara Border Police sent on Monday.

The migrants were detected during actions in an integrated system to combat illegal migration in the municipality of Timisoara, carried out by the border guards in cooperation with police officers from the Timisoara County Police Inspectorate, the Timis County Immigration Service, the Timis County Gendarmerie Inspectorate and the Timisoara Mobile Gendarmerie Unit.

Upon completion of all checks, asylum seekers will be supported to return to the Regional Accommodation and Procedures Centres for Asylum Seekers in the country where they are housed and registered.

"All the structures within the MAI (Ministry of Interior) that participate in the actions in integrated system permanently operate in the municipality of Timisoara to prevent any antisocial acts. Also, constant checks of the means of transport are carried out to establish if the foreigners present within the municipality of Timisoara have legal documents of residence," reads the press release.

Border guards announce that these actions will continue in the coming days, Agerpres informs.
Health Minister Ioana Mihaila says that if the COVID-19 14-day cumulated reporting rate increases beyond certain limits, the Health Ministry will suggest periodic testing of unvaccinated healthcare workers, with the costs to be borne by those undergoing the testing.

"We will most likely come up with a proposal to have unvaccinated healthcare workers tested periodically to ensure the safety of the patients they come in contact with. But that will only happen if certain levels of the cumulated reporting rate are exceeded. Obviously, now, at such low rates, the circulation of the virus does not support such a scenario," the minister told Digi 24 private broadcaster on Sunday.

Mihaila added that at this moment, according to the National Public Health Institute (INSP) methodology, the rate is 1.5 cases per 1,000 population.According to the minister, the costs of the test will not be covered by the public health system."There will be rapid testing or PCR testing at a certain frequency decided by INSP specialists, only for the unvaccinated healthcare workers. (...) The costs will not be covered by the public health system; in principle, the costs should be the responsibility of the person who is unvaccinated," said Mihaila.She explained that certain professional categories need to think about the people they come in contact with, even if vaccination is optional."Vaccination is optional; it is good for to be up to each of us whether we get vaccinated or not, but I think that for certain professional categories, such as the healthcare workers, it is important that they think about the people with whom they come in contact as well, that is in general vulnerable patients, with chronic diseases, with a lot of other conditions, and then it is important to be responsible. In general, when we choose to get vaccinated, we must understand that it is a responsibility to our health, but it is also a great responsibility for the health of those around us, and then I think it is incumbent on the healthcare workers not to endanger those with whom they come in contact," added the minister.
Thats the first key sentence. Here are the other two:

This is particularly true for members of the minority party, as circumventing the Missouri Houses process signals to Missourians that unless they are represented by a member of the majority party, their voice does not matter. That is not how our democratic republic is meant to function.

Indeed, this entire debate is about whether voters voices matter; whether the constitution matters. What Republicans in the Legislature did by refusing to expand Medicaid, as called for in the constitution, is determine that those two things  voters and the state constitution  dont matter to them. What they did, further, by filing a brief and claiming it speaks for the entire House, is decide that Democrats dont matter.

Some Republicans might find these sentiments to be just fine in our particularly divided political times. But imagine if the shoe was on the other foot. Take, for instance, the debate over the filibuster in the U.S. Senate. There, Democrats have a slim majority. Many of their priorities  protecting voting rights, passing an infrastructure bill, fixing the nations immigration system  are stymied by the filibuster.
UPDATED Sunday at 6 p.m. with more details from family members and a statement from Poettker Construction.

Charles Chuck Poettker, the founder of Poettker Construction, died Saturday after he jumped off of the back of a boat into Kentucky Lake in Trigg County, Kentucky at about 3 p.m. and didnt come back up. Poettkers body was found about two hours later, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was 69 and lived in O'Fallon, Illinois.

An autopsy will be performed at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Madisonville, Kentucky.

Poettker Construction has been in operation for 41 years, according to their website, and has offices in Breese, Illinois and Charlotte, North Carolina. All four of Poettkers children work for the company, along with 200 employees.

Poettker himself is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and was awarded the U.S. Bronze Star. According to a statement on Poettker's passing posted to the company website on Sunday, he served in the 101st Airborne Division in south Vietnam.
Sen. Bill Eigel, R-St. Charles County, suggested that Mondays discussion adds momentum to the push for school choice legislation that would allow parents to use their property tax dollars to pay for private schools that align with their beliefs.

The solution is to empower parents with choices beyond the public school, Eigel said.

In an initial move toward school choice, Gov. Mike Parson signed a law last week creating the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program. The program allows residents to receive a tax credit for donating to a scholarship fund for eligible students to pay for private schools, tutoring services or other educational uses.

Parson signaled in a Facebook post Monday his opposition to potential legislation addressing critical race theory, saying I believe in local control and our state has a long history of valuing local control, and that is why local school districts have statutory authority over curriculum. Individual schools receive direct input from teachers and parents and know best how to address these topics in their curriculum.

School choice measure in Missouri signed into law The first scholarships are expected to be available for the 2022-23 school year.
Mayor blames false information

Cases and hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks due to the presence of the delta variant, and because of low vaccination rates, especially in rural areas of the state. The southwest part of the state has been especially hard hit, and hospitals in that region are nearing capacity.

Springfield, Missouri, Mayor Ken McClure told CBS-TVs Face the Nation on Sunday that false information about the pandemic was hampering the fight to get people vaccinated.

I think we are seeing a lot spread through social media as people are talking about fears which they have, health-related fears, what it might do to them later on in their lives, what might be contained in the vaccinations, he said.

The health director vacancy is among more than four top administrative jobs open in the Republican governors administration, including the heads of the Department of Social Services, the Department of Natural Resources and the states Medicaid program, known as Mo HealthNet.

Parson has already begun interviewing candidates for the DNR post to fill the vacancy created by the death of Director Carol Comer, Jones said.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in southwest Missouri surpass winter peak At the same time, the virus' rebound continued creeping closer to St. Louis, with health officials issuing "hot spot" advisories for three counties along the Interstate 44 corridor.

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One of the hang-ups during negotiations revolved around the concept of micro-licenses, an idea designed to appease those pushing for an open market while still protecting industry from too much competition, Kisner said.

Meeting notes indicate that last fall, the committee moved away from talk of opening up commercial licenses in favor of the micro-license idea. In draft language Kisner provided from Legal Missouri, a marijuana microbusiness facility would be limited to 200 flowering plants.

In mid-September, industry and advocate subcommittees voted on whether to restrict micro-licensees from selling to consumers. The groups diverged on the topic, with advocates voting down the restrictions and industry members voting for them.

Kisner said the restriction would have effectively forced those small licensees to sell to already established companies, forcing micro-licensees to accept what commercial buyers were willing to pay. Micro-license bud would then be marketed and priced as craft cannabis, Kisner said.

Everyones calling for more inclusion in the industry, he said. This is more exclusive.
One of the roadblocks to connecting locals and the scientists and engineers who work at Blue Origin is one that plagues many rural American communities  a lack of available housing. A local developer constructed about a dozen two-bedroom homes and a small apartment complex, and all of those were quickly rented out for Blue Origin employees. Of the roughly 250 employees and contractors that work at the facility, Brewster said only about 40% live in Van Horn.

Krissy Lerdal, whose husband is an engineer for the company, said he lived in a local hotel for more than four years before finally relocating his family to Van Horn from New Mexico.

When we looked to buy here, there were five houses on the market, none of which passed inspection, and so we had to bring in a modular home, Lerdal said. Its not my dream home, but housing is lacking.

Still, in the three-and-a-half years that she has lived here, Lerdal said she has worked hard to integrate herself into the community. Her children attend the local school system, and she joined the Womens Service League, which raises money for scholarships. She also has a seat on the citys zoning board.
CHICAGO (AP)  A Florida man who breached the U.S. Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag is scheduled to become the first Jan. 6 rioter sentenced for a felony, in a hearing that will help set a benchmark for punishment in similar cases.

Prosecutors want Paul Allard Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying in a recent filing that he, "like each rioter, contributed to the collective threat to democracy" by forcing lawmakers to temporarily abandon their certification of Joe Biden's election victory and to scramble for shelter from incoming mobs.

Video footage shows Hodgkins, 38, wearing a Trump 2020 T-shirt, the flag flung over his shoulder and eye goggles around his neck inside the Senate. He took a selfie with a self-described shaman in a horned helmet and other rioters on the dais behind him.

His sentencing Monday in Washington could set the bar for punishments of hundreds of other defendants as they decide whether to accept plea deals or go to trial. Hodgkins and others are accused of serious crimes but were not indicted, as other were, for roles in larger conspiracies.
ATHENS, Ala. (AP)  Testimony began in the corruption trial of a longtime Alabama sheriff Monday after a judge refused a defense request to throw out four charges alleging he stole thousands of dollars from his own campaign committee.

Judge Pamela Baschab denied a request filed by Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely, and prosecutors immediately began calling witnesses who testified about the flow of money toward Blakely, who was first elected in 1983.

News outlets reported Joyce Varnell, executive director of the Athens-Limestone Association of Realtors, testified that Blakely requested that a campaign donation that originated with a state realty fund be made out directly to him rather than his campaign account, called Friends of Mike Blakely, after the 2014 election.

Clay Helms, the elections director for the secretary of state's office, said all campaign contributions should go to accounts separate from the candidate's personal finances. Candidates can't put campaign money into a personal account unless it is reimbursement for a personal loan to the campaign, he said.

Indicted on 13 counts in 2019, Blakely was accused by prosecutors during opening statements Friday of using money from his campaign and public accounts to cover personal expenses, and of pressuring employees for money.
Kosovo, formerly a province in Serbia, declared independence in 2008. But Belgrade has refused to accept that. While Kosovo has been recognized by the U.S. and most EU nations, Belgrade has relied on support from Russia and China in its bid to retain claim on the territory.

Kurti said that Serbia didn't want to face the past and face the families of more than 1,600 people still missing from the war in Kosovo.

Serbia should recognize Kosovo. Kosovo should recognize Serbia and everything else is resolvable and easy, Kurti said.

Vucic argued that all sides committed crimes, adding that there was no agreement at all at the meeting, describing the Kosovo side as irrational.

I am concerned. I dont know what we are going to do, Vucic said. They see only themselves as a victim and only Serbs as criminals.

After a stalemate since last year, the two meetings in the last two months have been fruitless.

The EU-brokered negotiations started in 2011, but were stalled last year partly because of the coronavirus pandemic before resuming a month ago.
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Back in 2016 NATO and Ukraine agreed to have NATO personnel help train and expand Ukrainian special operations forces. At the same time Ukraine copied the American SOCOM (Special Operations Command) concept and combined all its special operations forces into a fifth branch of their military; UASOF (Ukraine Special Operations Forces). Tight military budgets have kept the size of UASOF at about 2,000 personnel, rather than the 4,000-man force originally planned. Despite the personnel shortage, UASOF have continually upgraded their skills to meet NATO standards and are now certified to serve as part of the NATO Response Force. This is one of the many conditions the Ukraine military must meet to be eligible to join NATO. To help with the budget problems the U.S. and other NATO nations have contributed vehicles, special boats and other equipment to get all three branches (land, naval and air) of UASOF equal to American and NATO standards. Ukraine is reforming and expanding its military and that will include another thousand personnel for UASOF.

All this NATO help was sorely needed because when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 Ukraine inherited about 6,000 special operations troops. While trained for special operations, the Soviet era version was not as accomplished and experienced as Western operators. During the 1990s the Ukrainian force shrank to about 3,000. A common reason for Ukrainian special operations troops leaving was that many were Russian or pro-Russian and Russia made more of an effort to recruit special operations troops who had ended up in the armed forces of one of the new 14 nations created from the wreckage of the old Russian Empire.

After a Ukrainian popular revolt in 2014 put an anti-Russian government in power, even more Ukrainian special operations troops left or were discharged because they were loyal to Russia. Since then, Ukraine has been rebuilding its special operations forces using troops loyal to Ukraine. Noting the success of the small number of Ukrainian special operations troops in 2014, NATO offered help to rebuild Ukrainian special operations forces.

The Soviet era special operations troops Ukraine did still have in 2014 came from highly respected Russian traditions. Airborne Forces (paratroopers) and special operations forces (Spetsnaz) have historically been a major source of pride to Russians, going back to the '70s and '80s, when 30,000 Spetsnaz and airborne troops constituted the most effective troops available during the 1979-1989 Afghan War. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia's special ops suffered the same problems as the rest of Russia, namely corruption, low morale, low funding, and a major decline in the quality of training. Special operations soldiers were often accused of doing contract killings and other "special tasks" for the Russian mob during the chaotic '90s.

Ukraine was on the receiving end of Russian special ops in 2014 when Russia grabbed the Crimea Peninsula. Most of the work was done by several hundred members of the GRU (Army Intelligence) 45th Spetsnaz Regiment. These operators were sent to the Crimea disguised as civilians to create a popular uprising that would enable Russia to justify annexing Crimea. Some of the uniformed men who then took control of Crimea were apparently pro-Russian locals hired by the GRU. The core of this local militia were men with obvious military training who had been using those skills recently. These were Russian spetsnaz and they were obviously in charge. Nearly 60 percent of Crimeans are ethnic Russians and GRU appears to have been recruiting, or prospecting there for years. Some of these locals admitted that money changed hands and they were glad to be part of the effort that returned control of Crimea to Mother Russia. When you use armed amateurs, you have to expect this sort of unauthorized contact with the media but these comments did not sidetrack the takeover plan. The armed men were obviously briefed and most would not talk to reporters or even let journalists get close. But a few of these fellows, apparently local recruits, just could not resist a reporter with a camera crew looking for a few snappy comments for the evening news. Some of the anonymous armed men were also civilian contractors, which Russia was already exporting to many foreign nations, and some were just pro-Russian veterans willing to take a gun and endure a bit of risk.

There are actually several different special operations, or Spetsnaz organizations and most are of recent origin. After World War II it took the Soviet Union a while to note the success of U.S. and American commandos and attempt to emulate their success. During and after World War II the Russian military formed special operations units. These were not in competition for the KGB special operations units but meant to provide long range reconnaissance capability. In the 1960s, the Red Army began to organize "troops of special purpose" units. These were called "Spetsialnoye nazranie", or Spetsnaz for short. The Soviet Union had always had some form of commandos but they were special units of the secret police (KGB). For special operations the army had to form temporary units consisting entirely of officers. This changed during and after World War II.

The original Spetsnaz were organized more like the British SAS (the original operators) raiding teams. A Spetsnaz brigade of 1,300 men could field about a hundred 8-to-10-man teams. A Spetsnaz company had 135 men further divided into 15 independent teams. The actual organization of these brigades was four parachute battalions, an assassin company, a headquarters, and support troops, mainly communications. A naval Spetsnaz brigade had two battalions of "combat swimmers", comparable to U.S. SEALs, a parachute battalion, a midget submarine company, and other units the army Spetsnaz brigades had. There were also many independent Spetsnaz companies assigned to armies or smaller units.

In wartime each team would be given an objective to destroy deep inside enemy territory. Or, if not to destroy something, to go deep and find out what was happening in the enemy rear. Put simply, the job of the Spetsnaz was reconnaissance and sabotage. The Spetsnaz teams would get to the target by parachute, ship, submarine, or as "tourists" before the war began. At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union had about 30,000 Spetsnaz in service.

There was one flaw with this system: most of the Spetsnaz troopers have long been conscripts, in the army for two years. The Russians made this work by being selective in which volunteers they chose to be in the Spetsnaz and putting these recruits through a rigorous, and violent, training program. You could think of the Soviet era Spetsnaz as paratroopers with additional training in demolitions, infiltration techniques, foreign language training and reconnaissance techniques. Many conscripts had just learned a foreign language in high school and Spetsnaz was one place where they could learn to improve those skills. Perhaps most importantly, the Spetsnaz recruits were taught to think for themselves. This was a rare directive in the Soviet (or Russian) armed forces. But for commandos to be effective they had to think independently, and the Soviets realized this when they set up the Spetsnaz and the Spetsnaz training program.

During the Soviet period the Spetsnaz were seen as an elite organization and a career enhancing thing to have on one's resume. The army had more volunteers than it needed and would take the top graduates from the training program. A favorite method was to send volunteers to the six-month NCO course, which had a high washout rate. Those who made it through were competent leaders and just the kind of people the Spetsnaz were looking for. Even after the Soviet Union fell the Spetsnaz were still seen as elite. It did not go unnoticed that Spetsnaz veterans were always in demand as well-paid bodyguards and security experts.

The Soviets knew they were getting a lot of eager, motivated, and not thoroughly trained Spetsnaz troopers. But they had so many of them that it was felt enough of them would do enough damage to make it all worthwhile. We'll never know if the original plan would have worked, but the Spetsnaz were effective during the 1980s Afghanistan war. The main reason wasn't the superior Spetsnaz combat skills but their initiative and ability to think for themselves. The Afghan irregulars they were fighting noted this and learned to clear out of the area if Spetsnaz were found to be operating nearby.

The Spetsnaz recognized the need for career troops for some jobs. The assassin company in each Spetsnaz brigade was staffed with 70-80 career soldiers, whose job was to find, identify, and kill key enemy political and military leaders.

When the Soviet Union fell in 1991 the Spetsnaz didn't disappear. The new nations formed from parts of the Soviet Union inherited any Spetsnaz units stationed in their territory. Many of these non-Russian Spetsnaz still exist, although most are not of the same quality as they were when the Soviet Union still existed. Although there are fewer Spetsnaz today there are still about 10,000 of them in Russian service and most are career soldiers. By 2014 about half were career men, versus 20-30 percent during the Soviet period. Eventually all Spetsnaz will be volunteers because conscription is fading away in Russia. Many of the current Spetsnaz are specialists, with specific skills needed for underwater operations (like U.S. SEALs) and anti-terrorist operations (like the U.S. Delta Force). The post-Soviet Union Russian government maintained the strength of their commandos because they knew they would need some skilled and dependable troops for emergencies.

The Spetsnaz selection and training methods were used to create commando units in the FSB (the successor of the KGB), military intelligence (GRU), the Interior Ministry (the national police), and various other paramilitary organizations. By 2012 most (about two-thirds) of the 15,000 Spetsnaz troops were in the ten army Spetsnaz Brigades. Since 2012 Russia has been working to expand its Spetsnaz force further. That was successful with national police and reserve units but the Russian Spetsnaz strength is still not much more than half what it was before 1991.
Hybrid Learning - The New Normal

See more videos like this on StreamingMedia.com.

Learn more about distance learning at Streaming Media West 2021.

Read the complete transcript of this clip:

Scott Nelson: From my experience, as far as Ohio State and higher ed, I think this was a huge win for us, My career over the last several years has been working with instructors who have been told, "Hey, you have to teach online, figure it out." And me having to really encourage them and show them what's possible. And the best part of my job is when that light bulb goes off, and that epiphany moment of, "I see how I can do this online. And it's not going to be the same experience as in-person, but it could actually be improved and better." And for them to actually rethink how they teach in general. And so, for years, it's been kind of a process getting them to buy in and see that opportunity. And then the pandemic has just forced them to say, "Well, we're going to have to figure this out."

I think for a lot of them, it was very challenging. It was very stressful, but at least they see the opportunity: "Oh, I guess I can do this--maybe not great at first, but there are ways and opportunities and the technology has come so far to help make it as easy as possible." So, ultimately I think it was a kind of like ripping a band-aid off, so to speak. and definitely, we had a sharp pain, but I'm so thankful that so many instructors who have told me for years that they could never teach online or their course could never be taught online have seen how and what can be done.

Rich Mavrogeanes: So, truth in advertising: I serve on the board of the Connecticut Commission of Educational Technology. What we've seen is an exposure of the digital divide. For those that have internet access--broadband--the experience has been great. You know we've arrived--or online learning has arrived--when Saturday Night Live is doing sketches about Zoom, and the new experience, and you see that now. So this is mainstream. It's never going back.

I think what's going to happen in the future is we're going to have a hybrid experience. We have customers that, for example, do clinical assessment skills training, where you've got multiple cameras looking at, let's say, medical mannequins, and the students are doing exercises on them. You need to actually have physical access to that. So, during the pandemic, they would come in, they'd have their masks, they would do their assessments. They could watch it online live, or it's recorded so they can view it later. But the classes are all online.

I think the other thing that that's happened, and we'll never go back, is the exposure of the weakest link. Particularly, our K-through-12 customers, have a lot of premise-based systems--some cloud, but a lot of premise-based because they're integrated with active directory and a whole bunch of security issues. This has exposed the weakness in their network. So when we talk about teachers, and perhaps even students being the heroes of education to a large degree, the IT staff has really stepped up and performed some miracles in a very short amount of time to get the the technology working online.

So again, my observation is, it's a changed world. There's the new normal is going to be hybrid. You're not just going back to school. You're also going to be participating online.

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Solving the Puzzle of Pain with MDMA Medicines

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2021) - Global Wellness Strategies Inc. (formerly Redfund Capital Corp.)(CSE: LOAN) (FSE: O3X) (OTCQB: PNNRF) ("Global" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a binding letter of intent ("BLOI") on July 12, 2021 with Cannvalate Pty Ltd ("CVL") based in Australia to acquire 100% of their wholly owned subsidiary, Shanti Therapeutics Pty Ltd, and all its assets focused on psychedelic MDMA-based drug development. This acquisition is focused on becoming the first and only company solving the puzzle of chronic pain with MDMA-based medicines utilizing clinical trials for the purposes of novel drug development.

The global chronic pain treatment market is predicted to progress at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2020 to 2030 and generate revenue of $151.7 billion in 2030.1

Cannvalate was established in early 2018 by co-founders Sud Agarwal, Asaf Katz and Darryl Davies. CVL is a leader in the science, development and commercialization of cannabinoid-based prescription medicines with a large patent portfolio of novel cannabinoid and psychedelic drugs. Additionally, Cannvalate jointly owns a Contract Research Organisation with a major Australian university specialising in cannabinoid and psychedelic clinical trials which has been researching psychedelic solutions for several years. Cannvalate holds an Australian import license and license to supply schedule 8 poisons (including MDMA and Psilocybin).

Chronic Pain has a significant psychosocial component2 which is not fully addressed by existing analgesics3. To-date, there are no psychedelic drugs that have been approved as analgesics and there is a paucity of literature describing their use in this novel setting4. The team will conduct clinical research on an IP-protected, novel drug, with MDMA as the primary API, with a view to modulate the psychosocial component of pain. After positive confirmation from the proof-of-concept clinical study, toxicology and CMC will be conducted to open an IND (Investigational New Drug) File with the FDA.

The Deal:

The BLOI signed between the Company and Cannvalate sets out the parameters for the proposed transactions and the due diligence period will last 30 days consummating with the signing of a definitive agreement detailing the exact terms of the deal. Global agrees to purchase 100% of all assets and research being developed for MDMA, all licenses, permits, certificates, designs obtained either before or after the effective date of this agreement for common shares of LOAN at a value near CDN$2,500,000; an initial CDN$300,000 in restricted common shares of LOAN will be issued to CVL and the final valuation will be determined during the due diligence period and approved by the board of Global Wellness Strategies Inc. and Cannvalate Pty Ltd. A bonus valuation up to CDN$5,000,000 with milestone terms shall be set between the parties during the due diligence period. Cannvalate's subsidiary Shanti Therapeutics Pty Ltd. ("Shanti") will continue all the MDMA-based work. CVL shall appoint one director to the LOAN board upon the completion of the purchase of the pharmaceutical grade psychedelic solutions. Peak Asset Management will be engaged as corporate advisor and provide capital raising activities, corporate and financial advice in relation to the agreement and shall receive a 2% corporate finance fee on the transaction.

About Global Wellness Strategies

Global Wellness Strategies is a prospect generator that provides high growth companies with financial, operational, and management assistance in the fast-growing market for wellness consumer products. The focus of the Company is on global wellness, psilocybin, mycology, hemp and CBD, healthcare-related target companies.

For further information please visit out website: www.globalwellnessstrategies.com

Or Contact Meris Kott CEO 604.484.0355 or email to info@globalwellnessstrategies.com

Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, its financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

1Global Chronic Pain Treatment Market Analysis and Growth Forecast Report 2020 2030

2Pain 1994 Apr;57(1):5-15

3Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2014; 7: 115124

4Pain 2011 Apr;152(4):717-725

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/90595
(Tribune News Service)  The organization advancing human performance for the Air Force has a new commander.

Brig. Gen. (Dr.) John Andrus assumed command of the Air Force Research Laboratorys (AFRL) 711th Human Performance Wing in a ceremony Monday at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The wing is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, AFRL commander, presided over the ceremony. She noted that Andrus is a flight surgeon and family physician in the field of aerospace medicine, who was part of the team that responded to the October 2000 suicide attack on the USS Cole.

Seventeen Navy sailors were killed and nearly 40 injured in that attack.

The crucible of conflict, or some kind of difficult challenge, brings a team together like no other, Pringle said.

Pringle recounted highlights of Andrus nearly 33-year Air Force career, including his command roles. Youre getting a great advisor, a great strategic thinker and a great leader in Brig. Gen. Andrus, she told listeners at the museum.

Andrus called the 711th an operational powerhouse that is well known across the globe.

Ive been awed and amazed by this organization my entire career, he said.

The wings mission is to assure and maintain an Air Force advantage in air, space and cyberspace by pushing human performance. The organization is made up of two mission units  the Airman Systems Directorate and the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.

This is an organization that educates and answers questions  thats basically the mission, he said.

Andrus comes to the wing from U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, where he was the command surgeon, responsible for patient movement operations and served as senior medical advisor to the U.S. Transportation Command commander, the Air Force said.

The one-star general, who entered the Air Force in 1988 through the Uniformed Services University, is a chief flight surgeon with more than 900 hours, primarily in C-130E, C-9A, C-17A,C-5A and T-1A aircraft.

The wing was formed and found a home at Wright-Patterson as result of the 2005 BRAC or Base Realignment and Closure Process. As a result of that BRAC, the School of Aerospace Medicine moved from Brooks City-Base in San Antonio to Wright- Patterson in 2011.

Air Force leaders wanted to integrate multiple human performance-related elements into a single unit. Today, the wing has nearly 2,000 personnel.

Last August, Brig. Gen. Jeannine Ryder assumed command of the wing during a virtual change of command ceremony, also at Wright- Patterson.

Ryder became commander of the 59th Medical Wing and market director, San Antonio Military Health System, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps.

(c)2021 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC .
Sgt. Maj. Jason Towns, left, and his son, Sgt. Jaden Towns, participated in a paratrooper jump together at Fort Bragg shortly before Fathers Day. (Twitter)

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Tribune News Service)  Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Towns has spent more than 20 years in the Army, but Fort Bragg gave him a few Army firsts.

It was the first time he was ever assigned to the North Carolina Army post  and  it was the first time he participated in a paratrooper jump with his son, Sgt. Jaden Towns.

Sgt. Maj. Towns, who is in his early 40s, was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group Support Battalion.

His son, who is in his 20s, is part of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

The jump was right before Fathers Day weekend on the St. Mere Eglise drop zone.

Command Sgt. Maj. Towns conducted the jumpmaster personal inspection for his son, who was the first jumper out of the C-27 aircraft.

I watched him get out and was like holy (expletive) that just happened, Command Sgt. Maj. Towns said. He was gone, and when I saw him again, he was on the ground. It was a pretty cool feeling to walk it in with the kid.

Sgt. Maj. Towns, who is originally from Mount Pleasant, Texas, enlisted in the Army in June 1998.

His uncle, who was in the infantry at Fort Benning, Ga., inspired him to want to become a soldier after high school.

In 2000, he encountered a group of Rangers overseas and decided to switch his military occupation specialty.

I thought I needed to be with them, and they looked like they had their stuff together, and in order to do that, I had to go to airborne school, Command Sgt. Maj. Towns said.

He spent most of his career with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, where his son spent most of his time growing up.

He would always go to work with me whenever the opportunity arose, and I think it was about his freshman year when he made up his mind to go toward the military, Command Sgt. Maj. Towns said. Then, he obviously enlisted just liked I did out of high school, and I told him if youre going to join, you should go all the way and go airborne and experience being an airborne infantryman and hopefully get your Ranger tab.

Sgt. Towns enlisted in the Army in fall 2016.

It was definitely to follow after him, Sgt. Towns said. I looked up to him and everything he did, and kind of wanted to be like him in a way, so I joined as soon as I could to try to follow in his footsteps.

Although Command Sgt Maj. Towns is aware there are a select number of airborne installations in the Army, he didnt consider his Army career path crossing with his sons.

I wanted to go somewhere else simply because I wanted him to live his life without having his father nearby, Command Sgt. Maj. Towns said. I wanted to give him his own personal space.

Sgt. Towns arrived at Fort Bragg before his father, in summer 2017.

His father arrived in September 2019.

I thought it was hilarious, Sgt. Towns said of learning that his father would be at the same duty station. It was even funnier, because my mom was stationed here. So, when she left, he immediately showed up, and it was like I couldnt get away from my parents.

After learning hed receive his next assignment to Mississippi, Command Sgt. Maj. Towns wanted to take advantage of being at the same installation as his son while they are both on active airborne status.

He spoke to his own leadership and his sons leadership to get the green light.

Leadership identified when one of the battalions was conducting a routine jump and allowed Command Sgt. Maj. Towns to get his own chalk  group of paratroopers  to be a jumpmaster for the aircraft his son was aboard.

Sgt. Towns said he was on board when his dad asked him about the jump because he knew it was important to his father.

He was the jumpmaster for our door, so it was pretty cool, and I knew he was going to be meticulous, Sgt. Towns said.

Sgt. Maj. Towns said it was somewhat daunting because it was the first time his son used an MC-6 parachute that maneuvers differently from the T-11 parachute his son normally uses.

He had flashbacks of becoming injured the first time he used the same chute.

The father and son each landed smoothly.

It was one of the many countless jumps for the elder Towns and No. 15 for his son, but it will be one of the most memorable for both, they said.

We were both pretty excited, Sgt. Towns said. He landed a little further away from me and was laughing because I guess hes used to running, and I walk it off on the drop zone. But it was a good time. We had some laughs and talked about the jump.

Sgt. Maj. Towns, who just arrived for his new assignment with the 2nd Battalion, 410th Brigade Support Battalion at Camp Shelby, Mississippi this past week, said it was likely the last jump of his Army career.

There probably wont be any airborne units when I become available to become a brigade command sergeant major, so this most likely was my last hoorah as a paratrooper, he said. Its a really cool way to close out your time on Fort Bragg.

(c)2021 The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.)

Visit The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.) at www.fayobserver.com
Former Afghan interpreters hold placards during a demonstrations against the U.S. government in front of the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 25, 2021. The Biden administration says it will evacuate about 2,500 Afghans who worked for the U.S. government and their families to Fort Lee in Virginia pending approval of their visas. (Mariam Zuhaib/AP)

WASHINGTON  The Defense Department will house and support about 2,500 Afghans seeking refuge in the United States at stateside military bases starting with Fort Lee, Va., chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday.

The State Department made the request over the weekend that the Defense Department house 700 special immigrant visa applicants and their families at stateside bases, Kirby said.

The 2,500 refugees will not arrive in the United States all at once, he said. Some of them might not end up at Fort Lee, as the Pentagon continues to evaluate other stateside installations that could host Afghan visa applicants.

Kirby did not say when the applicants would begin arriving in the U.S., but officials have said evacuation efforts out of Afghanistan would begin late this month.

The news comes after President Joe Biden on July 8 announced plans to evacuate an estimated 20,000 Afghan translators and others who helped Americans during the war in Afghanistan as the U.S. military drawdown nears completion.

Only Afghans who have completed the security-vetting portion of the visa process will be transported to the U.S., Kirby said. Most will stay at the base near Richmond, Va., for just a few days as they complete the final stages of their visa process.

This initial group of SIV applicants would be able to, while at Fort Lee, safely complete the final steps of the SIV process, such as final medical screenings and final administrative requirements, he said.

The Pentagon is still working to identify overseas locations  including U.S. installations abroad  that could host Afghan evacuees who are working through earlier stages of the visa application process.

Individuals and families will stay in available barracks rooms or family housing units at Fort Lee. Aside from housing, Kirby said the Pentagon will provide food and water, proper sustenance, appropriate medical care  and as much comfort as we can provide them in the short span of time that they're going to be there.

They, for instance, are making sure that [visa applicants] have access to religious facilities if they need it, that kind of thing, he said.

Kirby declined to say whether Afghans who have not had their visas approved will be able to leave the base, saying he couldnt speak to the security and movement requirements yet.

It was also unclear how the initiative will be funded, though Kirby said the State Department will work with the Office of Management and Budget to cover the costs.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., whose home state will host the applicants, applauded Bidens decision to help the thousands of other Afghans and their family members who remain at risk because of their support for the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.

Virginia has a long history of standing up for our military and those who have risked their lives for our country, Warner said in a statement Monday. For two decades, thousands of Afghans have put their own lives and safety in danger in order to work with U.S. and allied personnel to fight [al-Qaida], the Haqqani Network, [the Islamic State] and other terrorist groups.

Caitlin Doornbos
Acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph. (Claude Joseph/Twitter)

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti  Claude Joseph, who has nominally led Haiti as acting prime minister since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, said in an exclusive interview with The Washington Post on Monday that he had agreed to step down, handing over power to his challenger who has been backed by the international community.

The agreement ends a power struggle between two men who had been courting support internationally and domestically for their rival claims as Haitis interim leader, and is aimed at defusing a roiling political crisis that has left the troubled Caribbean nation rudderless since the July 7 assassination.

Joseph had previously claimed that Ariel Henry, the 71-year old neurosurgeon who was appointed prime minister by Moise two days before the killing, had not yet been sworn into the job and had no right to act as interim leader. Joseph, who was Moises foreign minister, had also been serving as acting prime minister before Moise named Henry, a fact he had claimed made him Haitis rightful interim leader following the slaying.

But on Monday, he said he and Henry had been privately meeting over the past week in a bid to resolve the leadership dispute, and that he had finally agreed on Sunday to step down for the good of the nation.

Everyone who knows me knows that I am not interested in this battle, or in any kind of power grab, Joseph said. The president was a friend to me. I am just interested in seeing justice for him.

Late Sunday, Henry released an recorded address in which he reiterated his claim to the prime ministers job.

I give the reinsurance that light will be shed and those who carried out [the assassination] and its intellectual authors will be brought to justice, he said in the address. I compliment the Haitian people on their political maturity in the face of what we can call a coup detat.

Foreign governments and international bodies initially recognized Josephs claim as interim prime minister in the wake of the assassination. But on Saturday, an informal bloc of foreign ambassadors and envoys known as the Core Group  and that includes the United States  appeared to do an about face, emphasizing the need for a consensual and inclusive government put together by designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

By backing Henry, the Core Group effectively appeared to be withdrawing its support for Joseph, leaving him in a untenable position.

While the agreement appears to resolve the most significant power struggle in the country between two men who had both been appointed to cabinet positions by Moise, it is unlikely to settle the leadership question for good.

Members of Haitian civil society groups in recent days have sharply criticized the international community for backing Henry, and have insisted on a new interim government decoupled from Haitis jostling political parties. Many had been calling for Moise to step down before his killing, claiming he was in league with the violent gangs that have terrorized the country. They said they would not recognize anyone as interim leader who had been named by Moise.

We are indifferent to this news. Ariel Henry was designated prime minister by Jovenel Moise, said Samuel Madistin, an attorney and chairman of the board of directors of Fondation Je Klere, a Port-au-Prince based human-rights group. We dont have the sense or the conviction that this will change something the failed policies of Jovenel Moise that brought the country to the failure that we all are witnessing.

In addition, elected members of Haitis nonfunctioning Senate rejected the agreement between the two men. Members of the Senate  it lacks a legal quorum due to a lapsed election schedule  head earlier voted to make the bodys president, Joseph Lambert, the countrys acting president. That attempt has largely been ignored by the international community.

These maneuvers are carried out outside the Haitian people and far from their interests, said Patrice Dumont, a senator who did not support Lambert as president either. The conditions for Ariel Henrys accession to the prime ministers office are in total disharmony with the imperatives of our structural flaws and the dangerousness of the economy.

Henry appeared to nod to the need to win over civil society groups. In his statement released Sunday, he said: During the last days, I met with compatriots and diverse actors of the national life politics of course but also from the civil society and the private sector. I intend to continue and deepen these discussions, because it is the only way to assemble the Haitian family, to bypass or divergences and antagonism and to witness a different future.

In a July 10 interview with The Washington Post, Henry  who does not hail from Moises party and was brought in just before his slaying in attempt to build a broader coalition  had described Joseph as his foreign minister, a title he had also held at the time of the assassination. He had also described Joseph as being in open rebellion against him.

Ariel had suggested that Joseph was seeking to stage a coup against Henrys claim to interim leadership, and said warned that he would use unspecified leverage to gain control of Haiti. He also criticized Josephs call for foreign troops  made on the day of the assassination in letters to the United States and United Nations  as premature.

Joseph would not say if any pressure had been exerted, and said it remained unclear if he would remain within Henrys government.

I am willing to do the transfer of power as quickly as possible, Joseph said.
The admirals barge moors at the USS Arizona Memorial during the 62nd commemoration of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 2003. A 2019 fire that started in an electrical power area resulted in its total loss, damaged two other VIP boats and cost nearly $1.7 million in repair and replacement costs, the Navy said. (William R. Goodwin/U.S. Navy)

HONOLULU (Tribune News Service)  A 2019 fire that started in an electrical power area of the stately old 63-foot U.S. Pacific Fleet boat known as the admirals barge resulted in its total loss, damaged two other VIP boats and cost nearly $1.7 million in repair and replacement costs, the Navy said.

Former President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rode in the mahogany-hulled boat that bore the name CINC PACFLT  (Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet ) in December 2016 as part of Abes visit to the USS Arizona Memorial following the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Constructed in 1957, the admirals barge also was the last air sea rescue  or crash  boat in military service, although modified for dignitary rides as opposed to performing its intended role as a rescue boat for aviators who went down at sea, said Carlos Ruth, who has researched the vessels extensively and runs the website uscrashboats.org.

Officials said the blue-and-white CINCPACFLT, hull number C-3007, which was kept in Pearl Harbor, was a total loss and scrapped.

Im sad to see the last one go out of (military) service, but it was modified beyond all recognition as a crash boat, Ruth said. The interior was beautiful.

The hull and cabin were correct for a crash boat, but the Navy added a superstructure on top. It looked nice, but it wasnt a crash boat (anymore),  Ruth said. They made it into an excellent tour boat.

During World War II the boats were commonly referred to as air sea rescue boats or emergency rescue boats, and those operated by U.S. Army Air Forces personnel were organized into emergency rescue boat squadrons, Ruth said on his website. The 13th ERBS was located in Hawaii.

American crash boats were a vital part of U.S. military aviation for about 20 years and were used into the Korean War, he said. The helicopter finally rendered them obsolete when it developed the lifting capacity and reliability for the job.

CINCPACFLT was built for the Navy in 1957 by Knutson Shipbuilding of Halesite, N.Y., and spent time in Rota, Spain. By 1960 it was excess in Norfolk, Va., and stored for five years before being shipped to Hawaii in July of 1965 where she was converted to the CINCPACFLT admirals barge, Ruth said on his website.

In 1984 the boat underwent $142, 000 in repairs and upgrades, he said.

Early on a Sunday morning in May 2019, the CINCPACFLT caught fire in the Quonset hut boathouse thats at the end of the access road to the USS Arizona Memorial visitor center. Two other VIP boats were damaged.

Early speculation was that the cause was arson,  Ruth said on his website.

Pacific Forensics and Consulting was hired to investigate, and the results, obtained by Ruth through a federal Freedom of Information Act request, found that the CINCPACFLT broke free of its moorings during the fire and floated out of the boathouse. With fire crews continuing to fight the fire, the boat sank and was subsequently salvaged and refloated.

Although the exact cause of the fire could not be determined due to the heavy fire damage to the fleet admirals barge, investigators concluded that the general area of fire origin was within the crawlspace fronting the pilothouse, said Cmdr. J. Myers Vasquez, a Pacific Fleet spokesman. Specifically, two locations were identified: the electrical power inlet/connectors to the electrical panel and the starboard battery charging conductors from the battery trickle charger to the starboard battery space.

The Navy determined that the boat was a total loss, he said. Two other barges housed in the boathouse, the deputy commanders barge and the remembrance barge, received external hull and topside superstructure damage.

Vasquez said the cost to repair the deputy commanders barge was approximately $495, 000, with the boat returned to fully operational status in April 2020.

The cost to repair the remembrance barge was approximately $642, 000. That boat was returned to service in December 2019, he said.

The Navy searched its inventory of existing barges and boats that could be converted to a flag barge but did not find any that met the requirements,  including specific draft and height limits to pass under the Ford Island bridge.

The Navy purchased for $550,000 a 78-foot boat, built in 1981, as a replacement for the admirals barge that was destroyed in a 2019 fire in a Quonset hut boathouse in Pearl Harbor. (U.S. Navy)

Naval Sea Systems Command evaluated proposals and purchased for $550,000 a 78-foot replacement built in 1981 that can accommodate 30 passengers and four crew, Vasquez said, adding it is nearly identical to a boat used to support the U.S. Naval Academy.

Authorized uses for flag barges include hosting community leaders and foreign dignitaries, or military ceremonies, Vasquez said. Barges are not used for recreational activities or purely social events, nor are they provided for personal use. Other commands that have flag barges include the chief of naval operations and Navy Region Hawaii.

The remembrance barge is used for official tours of Pearl Harbor that offer a unique opportunity to share Hawaiis significant history and to highlight the United States resolve, resilience and determination in times of adversity and peace, Vasquez said. These tours reinforce the strategic importance of our military installations and supporting commands based in Hawaii.

At the end of World War II, a slew of Navy crash boats also met a fiery end.

The Navy pulled their crash boats and their PT boats into Samar Bay in the Philippines, he said. They stripped off the military hardware and just burned the things. I think I read that fires were going for six weeks.

(c)2021 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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This Dec. 30, 2019 image from security camera video shows Michael L. Taylor, center, and George-Antoine Zayek at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. (DHA/AP)

TOKYO  A Tokyo court handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret, was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.

This case enabled Ghosn, a defendant of a serious crime, to escape overseas, he said.

Although the defense argued the two had been merely used by Ghosn, they clearly were involved, regardless of who was making the decisions, he said.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation and of breach of trust in using Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He says he is innocent, and he left because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020 and extradited to Japan in March. During their trial they apologized, saying they had been misled by Ghosn about Japans criminal justice system. Michael Taylor sobbed and said he was broke, denying they had benefited monetarily because the $1.3 million prosecutors said Ghosn paid them just covered expenses.

But Nirei, the judge, said the court found that the motive was money. The Taylors can appeal within two weeks, he said.

The father and son, both wearing dark suits and flanked by guards, stood before the court in silence.

The Taylors defense lawyer Keiji Isaji sought a speedy trial. Many Japanese trials last for months, if not years.

The maximum penalty in Japan for helping a criminal is three years in prison. Prosecutors had demanded a sentence of of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for his son.

The Taylors defense had argued for suspended sentences for the two, who spent 10 months in custody in the U.S. before their extradition.

But Nirei said the time they were held before and during trial would not count as time served, saying they were not directly related and should be treated differently. There is a limit to how much we can consider, he said.

In December 2019, Ghosn left his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka. At a hotel there, he hid in a big box supposedly containing audio equipment, that had air holes punched in it so he could breathe, according to prosecutors.

Another man, George-Antoine Zayek, is accused in the escape, but has not been arrested.

Separately, Greg Kelly, a former top Nissan executive, is on trial in Tokyo on charges of falsifying securities reports on Ghosns compensation. Kelly, arrested at the same time as Ghosn, also says he is innocent.

A verdict in Kellys trial, which began in September last year, is not expected until next year. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions. Upon conviction, the charges Kelly faces carry the maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
The Myanmar flag is flown at half-staff over the Myanmar Fire Services Department building in observance of Martyrs' Day in Yangon, Myanmar Monday, July 19, 2021. (AP)

BANGKOK  Myanmar's military-installed government and those seeking to topple it on Monday marked the 74th anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung San, the father of the country's recently ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The separate commemorations by the contending groups were a reminder of the tragic political turmoil that has marked much of the country's history, including dysfunctional parliamentary rule, armed struggle by ethnic separatists and military repression. It also highlights the complicated relationship of Suu Kyi and the military to her father, whose legacy they both claim.

There were protest marches Monday in several cities across the country commemorating Aung San, six Cabinet colleagues and two other officials who were killed at a Cabinet meeting less than six months before Britain formally handed independence to Myanmar, then called Burma. Aung San was 32 years old when he died. A political rival, former Prime Minister U Saw, was tried and hanged for plotting the attack.

The protests, generally brief to avoid confrontations with security forces, also paid tribute to those who have lost their lives protesting the February military takeover that ousted Suu Kyi and her elected government. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 919 protesters and bystanders have been killed by the security forces, though the government calls that figure an exaggeration.

In Yangon, some neighborhoods heard a cacophony of car horns at 10:37 a.m., the time of the 1947 attack. About a decade ago, pro-democracy activists revived a tradition in which factories sound their sirens and public activities stop for a minute in memory of the nine martyrs.

An official memorial ceremony was held, as every year, at Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon, near the foot of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda. The service this year was low key, attended by neither Suu Kyi, who is under arrest, nor Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who took over as the country's leader.

Religious Affairs Minister Ko Ko was the highest-ranking official in attendance. Toe Aung, a Yangon city official, laid a wreath on behalf of Suu Kyi's family.

Suu Kyi, 76, has not been seen in public since the takeover apart from one photo shown on state television in May taken inside a court at the start of criminal proceedings against her. The legal actions are seen as a calculated move by the military to permanently remove her from politics.

The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper had a rare front-page graphic with an illustration of the memorial, a photo of Aung San and a quote from him.

Inside, an editorial said Aung San's speeches remain relevant today and suggested his words justified the military's steering of the country.

"The summary of his speeches means: All the people should be disciplined and united, and the motherland Myanmar must be prosperous," the editorial concluded. "So, let's march along a straight path to the goal without derailment."

The military used to bask in the reflected glory of Aung San, who led the independence army as well as negotiated freedom from the British.

But after Suu Kyi rose to prominence in a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was crushed by the military, she was more closely identified with her father's legacy. She has been seen as sharing her father's charisma, fierce nationalism and stubborn streak.

Suu Kyi became the main nemesis of military rule, winning the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her nonviolent struggle for democracy but also spending 15 years in house arrest for her activities.

In the 1990s, the military government then in power began to chip away at Aung San's image.

State-run newspapers abandoned their practice of printing commemorative biographical sketches of Aung San along with other slain leaders, together with excerpts of the independence hero's speeches. Lower-ranking officials attended the Martyrs' Day ceremonies and Aung San's image was replaced on currency.
Marines from 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division launch an M-270 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System from Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Australia, July 19, 2021, during exercise Talisman Sabre. (Alyssa Chuluda/U.S. Marine Corps)

The U.S. military with its allies is producing twin displays of air, land and sea power in Guam, the Northern Marianas and Australia this month in a demonstration for potential adversaries of its ability to move and fight.

Air Force commands in Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii and Japan are fielding more than 35 aircraft, many of them fifth-generation stealth fighters, to Guam and Tinian for Pacific Iron 2021, according to a Pacific Air Forces news release from July 12. That exercise, scheduled through the remainder of this month, will test the Air Forces ability to disperse its aircraft and fight them effectively, according to PACAF.

Pacific Iron 2021 is a PACAF dynamic force employment operation to project forces into the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility as part of the 2018 National Defense Strategy, according to the release. The exercise will entail simulated combat flight operations from local airports on Guam, a U.S. territory, and Tinian, 106 nautical miles to the northeast in the Northern Marianas.

Airmen assigned to the 389th Fighter Squadron inspect an F-15E Strike Eagle after landing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, for the Pacific Iron exercise, July 14, 2021. (Kevin Iinuma/U.S. Air Force)

Meanwhile, a biennial exercise in Australia involving 17,000 U.S., Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean and British troops got underway Wednesday. Talisman Sabre hones the military and humanitarian capabilities of the participating nations. The exercise ends in August.

At Talisman Sabre this year, U.S. troops for the first time fired a live Patriot air-defense missile in Australia. Soldiers of the Armys 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, deployed from Okinawa, hit a drone target with a missile Friday at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, according to video of the shot posted online by the Marine Corps.

The exercise demonstrated the Armys ability to quickly move and bring to bear its missile defense units, demonstrations the Marine Corps has made recently, too.

For Pacific Iron, PACAF dispatched approximately 10 F-15E Strike Eagles from the 389th Fighter Squadron out of Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; 25 F-22 Raptors from the 525th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 199th Fighter Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii; and two C-130J Super Hercules from the 374th Airlift Wing from Yokota Air Base, Japan, according to the statement.

Anderson Air Force Base posted photos of F-22s arriving Sunday and F-15Es arriving Thursday for Pacific Iron on its website.

They will operate from Anderson and its Northwest Airfield and A.B. Won Pat International Airport, both on Guam, and Tinian International Airport, according to PACAF. They aim to practice agile combat employment, or the ability to create robust airpower in a contested environment.

The 2018 National Defense Strategy calls on military commanders to use ready forces to proactively shape the strategic environment while also standing ready to respond quickly to contingencies and maintaining long-term combat readiness, PACAF said.

Speaking Friday during the 18th Wing change-of-command ceremony at Kadena Air Base Okinawa, 5th Air Force deputy commander Maj. Gen. Leonard Kosinski directly called out INDOPACOMs potential adversaries.

As the U.S. National Security Guidance highlights, China has become rapidly more assertive, he said. Russia continues to play a disruptive role on the world stage and North Korea pursues game-changing technologies, threatening U.S. allies and partners and challenging regional stability.
A woman is comforted by others during a protest in support of migrants without officials papers on hunger strike in Brussels, Saturday, July 17, 2021. (Francisco Seco/AP)

BRUSSELS  Two United Nations representatives urged Belgian authorities Monday to offer temporary residence permits to several hundred migrants who are on a hunger strike in Brussels, some of whom with failing health.

The migrants desperate to obtain legal residency papers began their hunger strike on May 23 at two universities and a church in the Belgian capital. Some said they have been living and working in the European nation of 11.5 million for a decade.

In recent days, some of the migrants have also started refusing water.

U.N. Special Rapporteurs Olivier De Schutter and Felipe Gonzalez wrote an open letter to Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Sammy Mahdi asking for urgent measures.

"The information we have received is alarming, and several of the hunger strikers are between life and death," said De Schutter, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

Gonzalez, the U,N.'s special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, said the Belgian government should clearly rule out the possibility of deporting the migrants, given the state of their health.

The government also "should consider issuing temporary residence permits allowing any person who introduces a request for stay regularization the right to exercise an economic activity," Gonzalez said.

In his response to the letter, Mahdi said a collective solution should not be proposed and said he had suggested to the hunger strikers that they file individual residency requests.

According to the rapporteurs, some 150,000 migrants live in Belgium without authorization. They said that people wanting to have their status legalized are deterred from doing so because they fear they will be deported if they apply.

The hunger strike has ignited tensions in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Last week, the Socialists and Greens called on the liberal De Croo to intervene in a bid to avoid "an imminent drama."

According to Belgian media, Minister of Economy and Labour Pierre-Yves Dermagne went a step further on Monday, threatening that all socialist members of the government will resign if one of the migrants taking part in the strike dies.
Buy Photo Air Force members shop at the exchange at RAF Lakenheath, England July 19, 2021, under guidelines that allow fully vaccinated service members to go without masks in base facilities, with some exceptions. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)

RAF LAKENHEATH, England  The U.S. Air Force in the U.K. will ease mask restrictions in some buildings but maintain most other COVID-19 restrictions, even after England ended many of its own strict measures Monday.

Fully vaccinated personnel no longer have to wear masks in the commissary, exchange and other buildings where 6 feet of distancing can be maintained, command memos to U.S. service members stationed in the U.K. said.

Those who arent fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and outdoors, with limited exceptions. Everyone on base, regardless of their vaccination status, must wear masks on public transportation, in lodging reception areas and in health care facilities, military officials said.

The decisions we make to mitigate COVID-19 can still impact mission and the quality of life, Col. Jason A. Camilletti, the commander of the 48th Fighter Wing, said in a memo to personnel at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell.

The eased restrictions were welcomed by some service members.

I think its good because its sort of a sign of normalcy again, said Senior Airman Destiny Moore, who works in squadron aviation resource management with the 493rd Fighter Squadron. Were actually heading towards getting back to how things used to be.

The militarys decision came as the U.K. removed restrictions on social contacts in England. At the same time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was vital to proceed with caution, warning that this pandemic is not over, the BBC reported.

The U.K. recorded more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases Friday, the highest number since mid-January, The Associated Press reported.

The new measures end limits on how many people can meet at home gatherings, weddings, concerts, sporting events and places of worship, the BBC reported. Additionally, masks will no longer be required, nightclubs can reopen, and pubs and restaurants must no longer offer table-service only.

For those traveling to and from Britain, government restrictions on travel to countries on the amber list, with relatively high infection rates, have been lifted. But those returning from France and going to England, Wales and Scotland must still quarantine for 10 days.

Fully vaccinated travelers under 18 years old must no longer self-isolate after visiting amber list countries.

More coronavirus restrictions remain in other parts of the U.K., including Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Detailed information is available at http://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
A screenshot from a U.S. Central Command video showing airstrikes against suspected militia storage facilities near the Syria-Iraq border, June 27, 2021. But U.S. military officials disputed reports that an American drone attack recently destroyed an Iran-backed militias truck in eastern Syria, labeling it disinformation. (Jack Holt/CENTCOM)

Military officials disputed reports that a U.S. drone attack destroyed an Iran-backed militias truck in eastern Syria, calling them an attempt to discredit the U.S.-led coalition.

The news came as U.S. and Iraqi leaders are expected to meet in Washington next week, where they will discuss the battle against the Islamic State group and other militants.

The coalition has not conducted airstrikes of any nature in the Combined Joint Operations Area today or yesterday, spokesman U.S. Army Col. Wayne Marotto said in a statement Sunday, following reports that a drone had fired a missile that destroyed the vehicle but caused no casualties.

Officials believe the earlier reports were an attempt at disinformation, a military official told Stars and Stripes Monday. The official pointed to a report by the Kurdish news site Rudaw quoting a militia commander in Anbar province, who also denied the attack.

Unnamed Iraqi militia officials had told The Associated Press that the drone first fired a warning shot and the driver jumped from the truck before the missile hit it. The vehicle supposedly belonged to the Iran-backed Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada.

The region has seen an increase of disinformation released by adversaries, an unnamed senior U.S. military official told Kurdistan 24.

The reports came just weeks after U.S. warplanes struck sites along the Iraq-Syria border that the Pentagon said were used by the militia groups to support drone and rocket strikes inside Iraq. Those air raids killed four militiamen.

Shortly after the June 27 strikes, Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhadas commander vowed retaliation. That week saw near daily attacks hit installations housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.

Several thousand American and allied forces are deployed to the two countries to battle ISIS. They largely provide training, equipment, intelligence assistance and air support to the Iraqi government forces and partner militias that make up the Syrian Democratic Forces.

In recent days, the coalition has assisted SDF forces in operations that have resulted in the killing or capture of ISIS militants, including the head of a network that was smuggling the terrorist groups affiliates out of a displacement camp, officials have said.

Coalition forces have come under attacks for years from rockets and, since April, bomb-laden remotely piloted aircraft, which the U.S. has blamed on Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada.

The Shiite militias are formally part of government forces in Iraq. Thousands of Iran-backed fighters are also deployed to parts of Syria to assist President Bashar Assads forces in the 10-year civil war there that has killed half a million people.

Iraqi officials have expressed concerns over U.S.-Iran tensions playing out on Iraqi soil, and in a televised interview Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi told Al-Arabiya that his government was working to encourage dialogue.

It is not in anyones interest to have a conflict in Iraq, as it will have very large regional repercussions, said a translated statement about the interview, which his office issued via the Telegram app.

Kadhimi will visit Washington next week to meet with President Joe Biden, the White House said Friday.

The leaders will discuss the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces, among other shared interests, Kadhimi said. A NATO mission in Iraq is expected to take on more training activities to bolster security forces.
Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, left, speaks to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, at the Central and South Asia 2021 conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 16, 2021. On Monday, July 19, 2021, Khalilzad, Washingtons point man in talks aimed at ending decades of war in Afghanistan, made a brief visit to Pakistan. (AP)

ISLAMABAD  Washington's point man in talks aimed at ending decades of war in Afghanistan made a brief visit Monday to Pakistan as relations between Islamabad and Kabul reached a new low.

Zalmay Khalilzad's visit came just hours after Afghanistan withdrew its ambassador from Pakistan late Sunday after the diplomat's daughter was brutally attacked last week. The U.S. envoy met with Pakistan's powerful army chief of staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa but nothing was immediately known of their discussions.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a long and troubled history, their relationship fraught with mistrust and suspicion. Each accuses the other of fomenting violence on its territory while also harboring its enemies. Pakistan also hosts nearly 2 million Afghans, refugees from four decades of war in their homeland, and many in Afghanistan have grown up as refugees in Pakistan before returning.

Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad from Qatar where the Taliban and Afghan government representatives have held two days of talks that ended late Sunday, with a promise by the warring sides to meet again.

It was the highest level of talks so far, aimed at jumpstarting a peace process that has stagnated for months while fighting inside Afghanistan soared as the U.S. and NATO complete their troop withdrawal.

Khalilzad had expressed hope that the sides would agree even to a temporary truce  to mark the most important Islamic holiday, Eid al-Adha or "Feast of Sacrifice," which begins on Tuesday in most Muslim countries. Instead, the talks ended with a communique that offered little prospects of an end to fighting anytime soon.

It promised more high-level talks and offered promises of greater protection for Afghan civilians caught in the crossfire and for infrastructure.

Last week, Khalilzad attended an international conference in Uzbekistan that tried to find a resolution for the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan but the gathering did not produce a roadmap to end the fighting.

Pakistan is seen as key to peace in Afghanistan. The Taliban leadership is headquartered in Pakistan and Islamabad has used its leverage, which it says is now waning, to press the Taliban to talk peace.

In a statement following Khalilzad's visit, Pakistan said he met with the head of the powerful military and the head of the intelligence service known by its acronym ISI. He also met with Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said Pakistan gains nothing from continued fighting in Afghanistan.

"Conflict and instability in Afghanistan was not in Pakistan's interest as it would lead to serious challenges for Pakistan in areas of security and influx of refugees," Khan was quoted in the statement as saying.

Still, Kabul is deeply critical of Islamabad's assistance to the Taliban, including hospital treatment for Taliban fighters wounded in battles in Afghanistan. In the most recent fighting in the town of Spin Boldak in southeastern Afghanistan, Taliban fighters were seen receiving treatment at a Pakistani hospital across the border in Chaman.

Senior Pakistani security officials had previously said that Khalilzad pressed Pakistan to push Taliban leaders to embrace a cease-fire or at least substantially reduce the violence in Afghanistan to allow a peace process to take root. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Pakistan's military leadership has reportedly warned the Taliban  who have recently taken more and more territory amid battlefield wins against beleaguered Afghan forces  not to make a push on Kabul. Islamabad has also reportedly told the Taliban it will not recognize a government that comes to power by force.

Pakistan has also been deeply critical of Kabul saying it has allowed another militant group, the Pakistani Taliban  Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan  to find safety in Afghanistan from where they have launched a growing number of attacks targeting the Pakistan military.

While the two insurgent groups are separate, Afghan Taliban leaders have close ties with the Pakistani Taliban. Some analysts say Pakistan worries that if it pushed the Afghan Taliban too hard, they will in turn push the Pakistani Taliban to step-up their attacks.

In Kabul, the Afghan foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday saying it was recalling its senior diplomats from Islamabad over the assault on the ambassador's daughter. Silsila Alikhil, 26, was abducted in the middle of the afternoon in the Pakistani capital, held for several hours and brutally assaulted.

The ministry said the diplomats would not return to Islamabad "until all security threats are met including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of the abduction."
EDGEFIELD, S.C. (Tribune News Service)  Main Street had much more than its regular amount of pedestrian traffic Sunday, with hundreds of visitors on hand to mark a military anniversary. The 122nd Engineer Battalion of the South Carolina National Guard was established in 1946, and several decades of soldiers celebrated the occasion, gathering for about three midday hours in the town square.

Soldiers lined up to hear about the units history and mission, and were dismissed for a couple of hours to take part in food, fun and fellowship, with a variety of booths and family-friendly attractions available for exploration.

Everything went great, said Maj. Caroline O Sullivan, with the 122nd. We were really pleased to have a lot of support from the community and former soldiers and everyone in the state of South Carolina as well.

This was her first time to see a unit celebrate 75 years, she added. Its a huge milestone, and hopefully well have a lot more to celebrate in the next 75 years.

Reps. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, and Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, were among the high-profile visitors, presenting a proclamation to commend the more than 750 soldiers, their families, retirees and veterans of this historic and courageous battalion on their dedicated and selfless service to the state of South Carolina and this great nation; and to extend best wishes for its continued success in the years to come, as stated in the document.

This battalion has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other locations for missions throughout the country, said retiree Kevin Joy, a North Augusta resident.

The National Guard falls under the governor, but they also fall under the Department of Defense, he said, pointing out that the results can be having troops respond for civil service, such as dealing with a flood, hurricane or tornado, or troops can be sent abroad to face other challenges.

Joy pointed out that his military background included years in the 122nd and in a variety of other scenarios. I joined in 2001, and in 2003 we got deployed to Iraq, so the battalion was over there in Fallujah, Al Asad Airbase  all your hot spots there in Iraq.

His National Guard years continued until 2014, and prior military background included years in the Marine Corps (1973-85), followed by a stretch (1985-2006) working in the federal prison system and a little longer (2016-18) in the state prison system. His current local associates include the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League and the Fraternal Order of Police.

OSullivan, referring to the battalion at the center of attention, said, We ... have several different type of engineer companies. We have a bridging company, we have ... vertical construction detachments and we have horizontal construction companies and then we have combat engineers as well.

Major recent engagements, she said, included the response to the catastrophic flood of October 2015, and currently, were staging to help out with hurricane response in this upcoming year.

(c)2021 the Aiken Standard (Aiken, S.C.)

Visit the Aiken Standard (Aiken, S.C.) at www.aikenstandard.com

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The 122nd Engineering Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conducts an area clearance mission on Fort Jackson, S.C., in April, 2020, to clear the live hand grenade range using a robotic mine flail. The battalion celebrated its 75th anniversary on July 18, 2021. (David Erskine/South Carolina National Guard)
Then-Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger speaks at a news conference July 15, 2015, to discuss developments in the investigation of the disappearance of 10-year-old Katherine Lyon and 12-year-old Shelia Lyon in 1975 in Wheaton, Md. Manger, who has run large departments in Maryland and Virginia, has been selected as chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. (Molly Riley/AP)

WASHINGTON  A police official who has run large departments in Maryland and Virginia has been selected as chief of the U.S. Capitol Police in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, in which pro-Trump rioters stormed the building in a violent rage, disrupting the certification of Joe Biden's presidential win.

J. Thomas Manger, who most recently served for 15 years as chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, was being named to the position following an extensive search, according to two people briefed on the matter. The people were not authorized to discuss the selection process publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Before that, Manger led the Fairfax County, Virginia, police department. Those jobs, as well as a leadership position in the Major Cities Chiefs Association, have made him a familiar face in Washington law enforcement circles and on Capitol Hill.

The decision comes as the Capitol police and other law enforcement agencies are struggling to determine the best way to secure the Capitol and what direction to take the 2,300-person force that guards the building and the lawmakers inside it and functions as mashup of a national security agency and local police department.

The department has asked for more funding for more officers and better riot gear. In the meantime, the massive fence that encircled the grounds was taken down in the past few weeks.

The Capitol Police Board, which includes the House and Senate sergeant at arms and the Architect of the Capitol, is charged with oversight of the police force and led the search.

Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman was elevated to the role after the agency's top official, Steven Sund, was forced out a day after the riot.

Pittman, a longtime Capitol police officer, wasn't expected to get the job permanently. And her appointment did little to soothe the tumult inside the department or to quell concerns about failures of preparation and intelligence-sharing ahead of the insurrection.

She faced steep criticism from her own officers after they said she showed little to no leadership on the day of the insurrection. The union voted overwhelmingly to show no confidence in her.

As the invaders wielded metal pipes, planks of wood, stun guns and bear spray, the vastly outnumbered rank-and-file officers inside the building were left to fend for themselves without proper communication or strong guidance from supervisors. The officers weren't sure when they could use deadly force, had failed to properly lock down the building and could be heard making frantic radio calls for backup as they were shoved to the ground and beaten by rioters, with some left bloodied.

Five people died, including a Capitol Police officer and a woman who was shot by police.

Pittman had been in charge of intelligence leading up to the riot, which caught law enforcement badly off guard. She conceded to Congress that multiple levels of failures allowed pro-Trump rioters to storm the building but denied that law enforcement had failed to take the threat seriously, noting how Capitol Police several days before the riot had distributed an internal document warning that extremists were poised for violence.

Pittman became the first Black and female police chief in the department's nearly 200-year history after becoming one of the first two Black women promoted to captain. The department has long faced allegations of racism, notably in a 2001 class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of more than 300 current and former officers who alleged they lost out on promotions and assignments to less-qualified officers and were harassed with racial epithets.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The Senate Armed Services Committee will begin the process of assembling the massive annual defense policy bill for fiscal 2022 this week, amid roiling debates in a number of areas affecting the military.

These include a potential, major reworking of the military code of justice, proposals to thwart extremism in the ranks and arguments over the number of jets and ships the Pentagon plans to buy.

Subcommittee markups begin Monday evening and go through Tuesday, with the full committee convening on Wednesday to consider the bill.

Since all but two of these meetings will take place behind closed doors  the Readiness and Management Support and the Personnel panels will hold open sessions on Tuesday  most of the decisions wont be made public until the committee publishes the bill and the accompanying report later this fall.

But Armed Services members are sure to bring up a number of topics.

A debate over the military justice system could be among the most contentious in this years markup.

Having resisted for roughly a decade making changes to how allegations of sexual assault crimes are handled in the military, Pentagon leaders this year, for the first time, acceded to a long-standing congressional push to overhaul the courts-martial system.

The brass agreed it was time to create special prosecutors offices and empower them, rather than military commanders, to decide whether sexual assault and related crimes, such as domestic abuse, should be prosecuted.

However, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the New York Democrat who chairs the Personnel Subcommittee, wants the new prosecutors offices to handle more crimes than that  including nearly all felonies, except for those that are military-unique, such as desertion.

Gillibrand has said she will offer an amendment to the panels defense authorization bill that would implement the broader change. Not every member of the committee has stated their position on the issue. But a majority of the panel has indicated backing for Gillibrands proposal, though at least one  Angus King, an independent from Maine  may be reconsidering, according to a recent New York Times report.

Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed, the committees chair, and Oklahoma Republican James M. Inhofe, the ranking member, agree with the military leaders that the change should be limited.

The debate should be impassioned. Reed and Gillibrand have squared off publicly over this issue on the Senate floor. Reed has blocked Gillibrands efforts to move her bill on the subject to a Senate floor vote.

Whether or not Gillibrand gets her measure into the committees bill, she told reporters on Jan. 15 that she will seek a floor vote on her bill as a stand-alone measure. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat, has promised her that, she said, and the vote will probably occur in the fall.

What to do, if anything, about extremism in the ranks is likely to be another contentious issue. The involvement of veterans, and even a handful of active-duty servicemembers in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, has some lawmakers looking for ways to curtail extremism, particularly white supremacy, in the ranks. (Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered every unit to conduct a one-day discussion of extremism shortly after his confirmation in January, and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has noted that even a tiny percentage of the Pentagons 2 million troops would mean that there are potentially thousands of extremists in the ranks.)

Some members, including Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, have voiced resentment at the suggestion that the military has an extremism issue, pointing out that the military, integrated since 1948, is one of the most diverse organizations in America.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has taken aim at critical race theory, an academic approach to reexamining how racial bias has been encoded in law and other social institutions. The topic of critical race theory and the military has already arisen in appearances by Austin and Milley before the Senate and House Armed Services panels, and Cotton and other Republicans may push to include language to bar it from being taught in the military.

As they do every year, lawmakers will tweak the number of big-ticket items, like ships and planes, that the Pentagon has requested. The Biden administration requested fiscal 2022 funding for eight ships, a figure thats drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats who argue that the fleet must be grown faster to keep up with challenges posed by Chinese ambitions in the Pacific region.

The fiscal 2022 Defense spending bill recently approved by House appropriators would add funding for a second Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and members of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee will certainly have additional input.

It is unclear whether senators will increase the number of F-35s the Defense Department can buy above the 85 the Pentagon requested. In years past, lawmakers routinely added about a dozen of the fifth-generation stealth fighters to the Pentagons request. But this year, Congress may choose to spend on other jets to round out its air fleet, and earlier this month the Air Force listed 12 F-15EXs (modernized versions of an older fighter jet) but no F-35s on its unfunded list. (The Navy did ask for five more F-35s in its unfunded list, but it was not a very high priority.)

With the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan almost complete, Congress will likely look to step up its oversight of U.S. support for Afghan troops, loath to see the country fall under complete control of the Taliban.

There is also considerable momentum on the Hill to push the military to do more to counter Chinese military advances. The Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a program to provide more military equipment and technology to the region, may see increased funding levels above the Pentagons $5.1 billion request, with a particular focus on missile defense capabilities in Guam.

Members of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee may also push the Defense Department to accelerate both its defensive and offensive capabilities, particularly in the wake of recent cyber intrusions such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, which shut down a major gasoline distribution pipeline for nearly a week in May.

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Barbers from Fort Lee shops picket in front of the Sisisky Gate at Fort Lee, Va., on June 16, 2021. They say they are being underpaid by the contractor that manages their operation. (Sean Jones, The Progress-Index/TNS)

FORT LEE, Va. (Tribune News Service)  Fifteen barbers got together to picket outside of the Sisisky Gate on Friday. It had been 12 days since they started an unfair labor practices strike against Sheffield Barbers, and they were yet to hear anything from the contractor about meeting their demands.

They stood outside the gate with signs that read on U.L.P strike, File I.C.E Complaint Ft Lee Barbers and urging people to honk in support.

Seemingly every minute, a large truck driving past would take them up on the offer and lay on its horn for several seconds as it rolled past.

About 20 barbers organized under LiUNA Local Union 572 are striking against Sheffield Barbers for allegedly underpaying them. The barbers have historically made 55% of the sticker price for a haircut at the bases three barber shops  plus one at Fort Pickett.

Barbers say that once Sheffield was awarded the contract for those facilities, it started giving barbers 55% of $11.25, the price from 2017, while at the same time increasing the actual cost for a haircut to $13.

One picketer, Matt Macklin, retired from the barber shop on base after working there for 48 years. He said he heard about the wage fiasco when he was at a funeral. One of the other attendees say they would be picketing and asked if he wanted to join.

I said, Thats it, Im going to be there,  Macklin said.

Throughout his decades of cutting hair, Macklin came to know his fellow barbers as family. Often times you would stand next to the same barber for 16 years. Its a barber shop that is known for its longevity. Once a barber is there, they usually work there for life. He wanted to show support for the institution he came to love.

I dont like the way theyre treating these guys, Macklin said.

Many of the barbers at the bases shops have been civilians their entire lives, but Eugene Harris served for 21 years before becoming a barber. He was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait before ending his military career.

I understand the importance of appearance, Harris said. When soldiers come in, they want to look presentable because their jobs depend on that. I know what a soldier is supposed to look like, I know what a soldier isnt supposed to look like.

Army Regulation 670-1 sets the standard for Army uniform and appearance, including grooming policies.

Ar670-1 says that soldiers should take pride in their appearance. While many hairstyles are allowed, they must be neat and conservative, per the regulation. Male haircuts cannot drop below the eyebrows or touch the collar. Longer female hairstyles must be fastened above the lower edge of the collar and also avoid dropping below the eyebrows.

One specific line addresses hair that doesnt part naturally. The regulation says that soldier with this type of hair can style their hair with only one part and that it has to be a completely straight line.

These are standards that Harris says he is intimately familiar with, and can ensure that soldiers at the base are adhered to.

Since Sheffield Barbers first got their contract just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down shops across the country, Harris said that many of their customers have been aware that their barbers pay situation, which puts them in an awkward position.

Its kind of hard because it makes customers want to tip more, and they shouldnt have to make up for what the contractor isnt doing, Harris said. They try to compensate for that. Its not fair to put that on soldiers, they dont make much money in the first place.

The barbers are arguing that the increased haircut prices, mixed with their decrease in pay means the contractor is pocketing a sum of extra cash rather than focusing the revenue on its people. One customer says that is a huge mistake.

Kevin Philips is retired Army veteran who has been working and getting his hair cut at Fort Lee for the past six years. He says he wont go back to the shop at Fort Lee until the dispute is settled in favor of the barbers.

I even called the contractor to express the relationship that we have, Philips said. Im just not willing to go back there and start all over with someone else at this particular point.

That relationship is what he says he will miss most of the bases barbers dont have their demands met, and decide to leave.

A barber is a stylist; they know what you want. You dont have to explain how you want your cut. But you also establish a personal relationship with them as well. I know about his family, he knows about mine, Philips said.

Now in management for an agency at the base, Philips added that losing these barbers would be a terrible mistak because theyve become an institution, with a number of barbers that are longtime employees.

People think you can just slide one thing in and slide it out. It takes a whole rebuilding process. In my mind, [Sheffield] is doing [itself] a disservice because the barbers have a known product that has been producing for years, Philips said. I dont think they see that loss, its going to be a loss.

Currently, temporary barbers have been hired in the place of those that are going on strike. Sheffield Barbers is also advertising for barbers on Indeed.com. The listing says it is seeking 8-10 people and offering a pay rate of up to $70 and hour. The barbers say that is well above the compensation they are asking for.

While striking, many barbers have been going completely without a paycheck. One barber, Mike Kates, has been cutting hair for many of his former clients while also advertising for more customers on social media to help make ends meet. Kates said it feels like a waiting game, with Sheffield just waiting to see how long the strike is going to last.

One of the bases newer barbers, Delvon Jackon, is one of the barbers going without a paycheck. He said unless the pay is reinstated to 55% of the sticker price, he wont go back to work at Fort Lee.

I gave these people 110% and it only makes sense that you would treat your employees right, Jackson said.

sjones@progress-index.com.

2021 www.progress-index.com.

Visit progress-index.com.
This undated photo released by lawyer Shelby Sullivan-Bennis on Dec. 11, 2017, shows his client, Abdullatif Nasser, at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Biden administration on Monday, July 19, 2021, transferred the detainee out of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility for the first time, sending the Moroccan man back home years after he was recommended for discharge. (Shelby Sullivan-Bennis via AP)

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration took a step toward its goal of shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center for terror suspects Monday, releasing into the custody of his home country a Moroccan who'd been held without charge almost since the U.S. opened the facility 19 years ago.

The transfer of Abdullatif Nasser was the first by the Biden administration, reviving an Obama administration effort that had been stymied by conservative opposition and the difficulty of resolving the remaining few dozen cases, including finding secure sites to send some of the detainees.

Rights groups have called the detentions and detention camp, opened under President George W. Bush after the 2001 al-Qaida attacks, a historic wrong by the United States. There were allegations of torture in early questioning, and challenges to the lawfulness of military tribunals there. The Bush administration and supporters called the camp, on a U.S. naval base in Cuba, essential to safely managing international terror suspects.

A review board had recommended repatriation for Nasser, who is in his mid-50s, in July 2016, but he had remained at Guantanamo under President Donald Trump, who opposed closing the site.

In announcing Nasser's transfer, the Pentagon cited the board's determination that his detention was no longer necessary to protect U.S. national security.

Nasser, also known as Abdul Latif Nasser, arrived Monday in Morocco. Police took him into custody and said they would investigate him on suspicion of committing terrorist acts  though he was never charged while in Guantanamo.

Nasser's attorney in Morocco, Khalil Idrissi, said the years Nasser spent in Guantanamo "were unjustified and outside the law, and what he suffered remains a stain of disgrace on the forehead of the American system."

The State Department said President Joe Biden's administration would continue "a deliberate and thorough process" aimed at reducing the detainee population at Guantanamo "while also safeguarding the security of the United States and its allies."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was considering all available options for safely transferring out the last detainees and shutting down Guantanamo.

That would mean succeeding where President Barack Obama had failed. Shortly after he took office in January 2009, Obama had pledged to close the detention camp within a year. Psaki at a White House briefing declined to set any timeline.

The control tower is seen through the razor wire inside the Camp VI detention facility in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, on April 17, 2019. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The Biden administration is also moving rapidly this summer to end U.S. military combat in Afghanistan, another lingering legacy dating back to the first weeks of the American retaliation against the al-Qaida plotters responsible for the 9/11 attacks and against al-Qaida's Afghan Taliban hosts.

Almost 800 detainees have passed through Guantanamo. Of the 39 remaining, 10 are eligible to be transferred out, 17 are eligible to go through the review process for possible transfer, another 10 are involved in the military commission process used to prosecute detainees and two have been convicted, a senior administration official said. The 10 eligible for transfer are from Yemen, Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

The administration didn't address how it would handle the ongoing effort to prosecute five men held at Guantanamo for the Sept. 11 attacks. Further complicating the effort to close the detention camp, the chief prosecutor of the alleged 9/11 conspirators earlier this month announced his retirement, raising questions about how the government would handle future trials.

It also has to deal with detainees that the Obama administration particularly struggled with, either because their home countries were not considered secure enough or because they were refused by third-party countries. About a third of the remaining prisoners are from the impoverished, warring country of Yemen.

The detention center opened in 2002. Bush's administration transformed what had been a quiet Navy outpost on Cuba's southeastern tip into a place to interrogate and imprison people suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The Obama administration, seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had "returned to the fight," set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat. It also planned to try some of the men in federal court.

But the closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the U.S., including for prosecution or medical care.

The prisoner transfer process stalled under Trump, who said even before taking office there should be no further releases from "Gitmo," as Guantanamo Bay is often called. "These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield," Trump said.

Under Trump, only one prisoner, a Saudi, was transferred to Saudi Arabia to serve the remainder of his sentence after he agreed to a plea bargain.

Under Obama, 197 were transferred to other countries, while 500 were transferred by Bush. Most of those still at the site are being held without charges.

The possibility that former Guantanamo prisoners would resume hostile activities has long been a concern that has played into the debate over releases. The office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a 2016 report that about 17% of the 728 detainees who had been released were "confirmed" and 12% were "suspected" of reengaging in such activities.

But the vast majority of those reengagements occurred with former prisoners who did not go through the security review that was set up under Obama. A task force that included the Defense Department and the CIA analyzed who was held at Guantanamo and determined who could be released.

The U.S. thanked Morocco for facilitating Nasser's transfer.

"The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for its long-time partnership in securing both countries' national security interests," the Pentagon statement said. "The United States is also extremely grateful for the Kingdom's willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility."

In a statement, the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Rabat said the National Division of the Judicial Police in Casablanca had been instructed to open an investigation into Nasser "on suspicion of committing terrorist acts." It didn't specify what those might be.

Idrissi, Nasser's attorney, said judicial authorities should not "take measures that prolong his torment and suffering, especially since he lived through the hell of Guantanamo."

Nasser initially got news he was going to be released in the summer of 2016, when one of his lawyers called him at the detention center and told him the U.S. had decided he no longer posed a threat. He thought he'd be returned to Morocco soon.

"I've been here 14 years," he said at the time, five years ago. "A few months more is nothing."

Nasser's journey to the Cuban prison was a long one. He was a member of a nonviolent but illegal Moroccan Sufi Islam group in the 1980s, according to his Pentagon file. In 1996, he was recruited to fight in Chechnya but ended up in Afghanistan, where he trained at an al-Qaida camp. He was captured after fighting U.S. forces there and was sent to Guantanamo in May 2002.

An unidentified military official appointed to represent him before the review board said he studied math, computer science and English at Guantanamo, creating a 2,000-word Arabic-English dictionary. The official told the board that Nasser "deeply regrets his actions of the past."

AP writers Tarik El-Barakah in Rabat, Morocco, and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.
The CIA symbol on the floor of CIA Headquarters, July 9, 2004, at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. A panel of experts is focused on identifying the cause and potential mechanisms of "Havana syndrome." (Mark Wilson, Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  A panel of experts led by senior intelligence officers has met in recent weeks on Havana syndrome as the investigation into unexplained health incidents among American personnel enters what one U.S. official described as a new and intensive phase.

The panel  which is focused on identifying the cause and potential mechanisms of the mysterious illnesses  is led by senior officers from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA, and includes scientific experts from outside government who are already cleared to access classified material.

The intelligence community has convened a panel of experts from across the U.S. government and private sector to work collectively to increase understanding of the possible mechanisms that are causing these anomalous health incidents, an intelligence official told McClatchy.

The intelligence panel is one of two set up by President Joe Biden last month to study the strange sensory phenomenon that has baffled and concerned the government since at least 2016, when American diplomats in Cuba became ill with mysterious ailments.

Since then, over 130 American officials stationed overseas  including in Britain, China and Austria  and at home in the United States have reported symptoms.

The U.S. diplomats, CIA officers and National Security Council officials have described experiencing sudden sound pressure or heat, vertigo, nausea, and head or neck pain that government physicians have been unable to diagnose.

A second panel is primarily focused on trying to identify protective measures for U.S. personnel going forward. Neither panel is time-bound.

Biden has lent urgency to the probe since taking office, and the CIAs new director, Bill Burns, is receiving regular briefings on investigative work and suspected cases.

Director Burns is personally engaged with personnel affected by anomalous health incidents and is highly committed to their care and to determining the cause of these incidents, a CIA spokesperson said.

Over the past six months, the National Security Council led an effort to centralize the reporting of cases and standardize treatment for affected personnel across agencies and departments. Officials hope the new process will help experts identify patterns.

Last year, a committee at the National Academy of Sciences studied the matter and produced a report for the Trump administration. But members of that committee complained that they lacked sufficient access to classified information to render a complete assessment  a problem that has been corrected in the formation of the current panels, officials say.

Additional U.S. personnel overseas have reported experiencing the syndrome this year, with some returning to the United States for treatment, two sources said.

The phenomenon gained public attention after a cluster of American diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Havana experienced similar symptoms. A handful of reported cases may have predated the events in Cuba.

Current and former officials suspect the incidents are being caused by attacks from a foreign power, using some form of directed energy. But intelligence agencies say they have not been able to identify a cause or source with any confidence.

Nevertheless, the issue was raised in Bidens meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, a State Department official told reporters at the time. Officials have declined to provide details.

The National Security Council is coordinating a full review of intelligence reporting to ascertain whether there may be previously unreported incidents that fit a broader pattern, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday.

At this time, we still dont know the cause of these incidents or whether they constitute an attack of some kind by a foreign actor, Psaki said. These are areas of active inquiry, something our intelligence community is working on  and very focused on.

2021 McClatchy Washington Bureau.

Visit at mcclatchydc.com.

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Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, talks to members of the media in Istanbul on July 3, 2020. Amnesty International reported that its forensic researchers had determined that NSO Group's flagship Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Cengiz, just four days after Khashoggi was killed. (Emrah Gurel/AP)

BOSTON  An investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provides further evidence that military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group, the world's most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.

From a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International and shared with 16 news organizations, journalists were able to identify more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries who were allegedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance.

They include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists and several heads of state, according to The Washington Post, a consortium member. The journalists work for organizations including The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde and The Financial Times.

Amnesty also reported that its forensic researchers had determined that NSO Group's flagship Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, just four days after he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The company had previously been implicated in other spying on Khashoggi.

NSO Group denied in an emailed response to AP questions that it has ever maintained "a list of potential, past or existing targets." In a separate statement, it called the Forbidden Stories report "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories."

The company reiterated its claims that it only sells to "vetted government agencies" for use against terrorists and major criminals and that it has no visibility into its customers' data. Critics call those claims dishonest  and have provided evidence that NSO directly manages the high-tech spying. They say the repeated abuse of Pegasus spyware highlights the nearly complete lack of regulation of the private global surveillance industry.

The source of the leak  and how it was authenticated  was not disclosed. While a phone number's presence in the data does not mean an attempt was made to hack a device, the consortium said it believed the data indicated potential targets of NSO's government clients. The Post said it identified 37 hacked smartphones on the list. The Guardian, another consortium member, reported that Amnesty had found traces of Pegasus infections on the cellphones of 15 journalists who let their phones be examined after discovering their number was in the leaked data.

The most numbers on the list, 15,000, were for Mexican phones, with a large share in the Middle East. NSO Group's spyware has been implicated in targeted surveillance chiefly in the Middle East and Mexico. Saudi Arabia is reported to be among NSO clients. Also on the lists were phones in countries including France, Hungary, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

"The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media. It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice," Amnesty quoted its secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, as saying.

In one case highlighted by the Guardian, Mexican reporter Cecilio Pineda Birto was assassinated in 2017 a few weeks after his cell phone number appeared on the leaked list.

AP's director of media relations, Lauren Easton, said the company is "deeply troubled to learn that two AP journalists, along with journalists from many news organizations" are on the list of the 1,000 potential targets for Pegasus infection. She said the AP was investigating to try to determine if its two staffers' devices were compromised by the spyware.

The consortium's findings build on extensive work by cybersecurity researchers, primarily from the University of Toronto-based watchdog Citizen Lab. NSO targets identified by researchers beginning in 2016 include dozens of Al-Jazeera journalists and executives, New York Times Beirut bureau chief Ben Hubbard, Moroccan journalist and activist Omar Radi and prominent Mexican anti-corruption reporter Carmen Aristegui. Her phone number was on the list, the Post reported. The Times said Hubbard and its former Mexico City bureau chief, Azam Ahmed, were on the list.

Two Hungarian investigative journalists, Andras Szabo and Szabolcs Panyi, were among journalists on the list whose phones were successfully infected with Pegasus, the Guardian reported.

Among more than two dozen previously documented Mexican targets are proponents of a soda tax, opposition politicians, human rights activists investigating a mass disappearance and the widow of a slain journalist. In the Middle East, the victims have mostly been journalists and dissidents, allegedly targeted by the Saudi and United Arab Emirates governments.

The consortium's "Pegasus Project" reporting bolsters accusations that not just autocratic regimes but democratic governments, including India and Mexico, have used NSO Group's Pegasus spyware for political ends. Its members, who include Le Monde and Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Germany, are promising a series of stories based on the leak.

Pegasus infiltrates phones to vacuum up personal and location data and surreptitiously control the smartphone's microphones and cameras. In the case of journalists, that lets hackers spy on reporters' communications with sources.

The program is designed to bypass detection and mask its activity. NSO Group's methods to infect its victims have grown so sophisticated that researchers say it can now do so without any user interaction, the so-called "zero-click" option.

In 2019, WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook sued NSO Group in U.S. federal court in San Francisco, accusing it of exploiting a flaw in the popular encrypted messaging service to target  with missed calls alone  some 1,400 users. NSO Group denies the accusations.

The Israeli company was sued the previous year in Israel and Cyprus, both countries from which it exports products. The plaintiffs include Al-Jazeera journalists, as well as other Qatari, Mexican and Saudi journalists and activists who say the company's spyware was used to hack them.

Several of the suits draw heavily on leaked material provided to Abdullah Al-Athbah, editor of the Qatari newspaper Al-Arab and one of the alleged victims. The material appears to show officials in the United Arab Emirates discussing whether to hack into the phones of senior figures in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, including members of the Qatari royal family.

NSO Group does not disclose its clients and says it sells its technology to Israeli-approved governments to help them target terrorists and break up pedophile rings and sex- and drug-trafficking rings. It claims its software has helped save thousands of lives and denies its technology was in any way associated with Khashoggi's murder.

NSO Group also denies involvement in elaborate undercover operations uncovered by The AP in 2019 in which shadowy operatives targeted NSO critics including a Citizen Lab researcher to try to discredit them.

Last year, an Israeli court dismissed an Amnesty International lawsuit seeking to strip NSO of its export license, citing insufficient evidence.

NSO Group is far from the only merchant of commercial spyware. But its behavior has drawn the most attention, and critics say that is with good reason.

Last month, it published its first transparency report, in which it says it has rejected "more than $300 million in sales opportunities as a result of its human rights review processes." Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a strident critic, tweeted: "If this report was printed, it would not be worth the paper it was printed on."

A new, interactive online data platform created by the group Forensic Architecture with support from Citizen Lab and Amnesty International catalogs NSO Group's activities by country and target. The group partnered with filmmaker Laura Poitras, best known for her 2014 documentary "Citzenfour" about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who offers video narrations.

"Stop what you're doing and read this," Snowden tweeted Sunday, referencing the consortium's findings. "This leak is going to be the story of the year."

Since 2019, the U.K. private equity firm Novalpina Capital has controlled a majority stake in NSO Group. Earlier this year, Israeli media reported the company was considering an initial public offering, most likely on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
A Microsoft computer is among items displayed at a Microsoft store in suburban Boston on Jan. 28, 2020. The Biden administration on Monday, July 19, 2021, blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier in the year. (Steven Senne/AP)

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace. They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.

The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that targeted victims  including in the U.S.  with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials also alleged that criminal contract hackers associated with Chinas Ministry of State Security have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the MSS in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of targeting trade secrets and confidential business information, including scientific technologies and infectious-disease research.

Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination shaming as sending an important message, even if no single action can change behavior.

President Joe Biden told reporters the investigations not finished, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out future consequences for China, saying, This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia.

Even without fresh sanctions, Mondays actions are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in Chinas western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.

The administration also advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.

The European Union and Britain were among the allies who called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the blocs 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage.

The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace. The alliance said it was determined to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats.

That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was the kind of aggressive behavior that were seeing coming out of China.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement that the U.S. has repeatedly made groundless attacks and malicious smear against China on cybersecurity. Now this is just another old trick, with nothing new in it. The statement called China a severe victim of the US cyber theft, eavesdropping and surveillance.

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct, the official said.

Dmitri Alperovitch, the former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said the announcement makes clear that MSS contractors who for years have worked for the government and conducted operations on its behalf have over time decided  either with the approval or the blind eye of their bosses  to start moonlighting and engaging in other activities that could put money in their pockets.

The Microsoft Exchange hack that months ago compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world was swiftly attributed to Chinese cyber spies by Microsoft.

An administration official said the governments attribution to hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security took until now in part because of the discovery of the ransomware and for-profit hacking operations and because the administration wanted to pair the announcement with guidance for businesses about tactics that the Chinese have been using.

Given the scope of the attack, Alperovitch said it was puzzling that the U.S. did not impose sanctions.

They certainly deserve it, and at this point, its becoming a glaring standout that we have not, he said.

He added, in a reference to a large Russian cyberespionage operation discovered late last year, Theres no question that the Exchange hacks have been more reckless, more dangerous and more disruptive than anything the Russians have done in SolarWinds.

___

Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan in London and Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.
The Defense Department must take bold steps to put prevention and reporting at the forefront of its fight against sexual assault and harassment or the behaviors will remain a persistent problem for the military, according to a report released Monday by the Rand Corp.

The 11 recommendations of the report focus mostly on Defense Department policies and procedures that could do more to better track instances of assault and harassment such as allegations levied against a service member throughout his or her career and improving the quality of training troops receive, as well as the funding and personnel allocated to bases. It also recommended improving accountability of commanders who manage the allegations, while empowering them to use appropriate punishment for low-level offenses that could escalate.

The eight authors of the report from the nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution, titled Countering Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military: Lessons from RAND Research, combed through years of the corporations own studies to determine the changes needed to break through the departments stagnant efforts.

The numbers underscore the significant challenges the [department] faces in combating these issues, said Joie Acosta, senior behavioral and social scientist at Rand and lead author of the report. While some improvements have been made in prevention capabilities, the reality is that the [department] doesnt have the organizational infrastructure in place to close the chasm between where they are and where they need to be.

The report joined a growing list of findings and investigations  conducted internally and outside the military  that have found the military must do more when it comes to prevention and accountability of sexual assault and harassment. While some changes are underway, major overhauls, including those that require action from Congress, remain ongoing and up for debate.

It seems, especially with everything that has been brought up over the past year, the public is finally getting somewhat of an insight into the sexual assault problem within our military, since the tragic death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, said Navy veteran Kaitlynne Hetrick, an associate of government affairs for the veterans group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. It seems as though they've definitely made improvements, but there is a lot to be done.

Guillen was killed by another soldier in April 2020 at Fort Hood, Texas, and her death created a movement among service members and veterans to call for change in the way the military handles sexual assault and harassment. Two investigations were launched in response to her death, and one found a noncommissioned officer in her chain of command sexually harassed Guillen and her informal reports to other leaders were not handled properly. The report did not find that Guillen was harassed by her suspected killer, who later died by suicide.

Earlier this month, the Defense Department released the findings of the 90-day Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault and Harassment, which was appointed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as he took office in January. The commission made 82 recommendations in four priority areas of accountability, prevention, climate and culture, and victim care and support.

Following that report, Austin said any changes will need to be well-designed and well-resourced for effective implementations, be clear to the entire force, and be measured regularly for effectiveness.

He also released guidance that agreed with the commissions recommendation to move prosecution of sexual assault and related crimes from the military chain of command. Legislation is also moving through Congress that would do this as advocates have cited the Defense Departments inability to rein in the problem.

The Defense Department began efforts about 10 years ago to curb incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment, but there has been little improvement and rates appear to be trending upward  especially for female service members, according to the Rand report. It estimates 1 in 16 women in the military have experienced sexual assault and 1 in 4 have experienced sexual harassment. The prevalence among men is 1 in 143 for sexual assault and 1 in 16 for sexual harassment.

The research also noted a previously known gap in reporting. In 2018, the Defense Department received 6,053 reports of sexual assault compared to survey data on prevalence that suggested more than 20,000 service members were assaulted in the same year.

Among the Rand authors key findings, they said, Without bold action, sexual assault and sexual harassment will continue to have negative consequences for the military.

Last month, Rand released an Army-focused report that called out specific factors that put soldiers at higher risk of becoming a victim of sexual assault and harassment, such as their job, duty station or unit assignment. Mondays report recommended the military conduct further research on those units with unusually high- or low-documented cases of sexual assault and harassment, while also looking into new prevention approaches that target command climate and the unique risks faced by LGBTQ troops.

Hetrick agreed that using risk factors to curb unwanted sexual behavior is insightful and important to include alongside other efforts.

If we take a look at it, maybe we'll be more inclined to pay attention to what is causing that to be a risk factor, she said. Paying attention to those [command climate] surveys and ensuring that we are improving the lives of our service members and making sure that their day-to-day life on base isn't horrific is instrumental to making sure that we have a completely ready military.

Buy Photo Activists hold signs depicting Spc. Vanessa Guillen at a rally July 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Guillen's family said Vanessa, who was killed at Fort Hood in April 2020, told them she was being sexually harassed but was too afraid to report it. (Nikki Wentling/Stars and Stripes)

Rose Thayer
Dez Del Barba in uniform. Mark Del Barba, director of development and co-founder, and Kamini Del Barba, vice president and co-founder, are the parents of Dez Del Barba, 21, who developed Streptococcus A, a type of strep throat, just five weeks into basic training for the U.S. Army at Fort Benning in Georgia. Even though he was seen by eight medical professionals at his base, none of them provided the basic care he needed, his parents said. (Facebook)

STOCKTON, Calif. (Tribune News Service)  Many young adults grow up with dreams of one day serving their country, wearing a uniform proudly and serving the nation that they love, putting their own life on the line for freedom.

Often, though, they are unaware of their own rights, or of the conditions that they will be placed in to achieve that dream. Many are also unaware of the Feres Doctrine (the Federal Tort Claims Act)  the best kept open military secret.

There has to be a level of awareness; you have to understand what youre getting yourself into, said Manuel Vega, president and co-founder of Save Our Servicemembers.

Save Our Servicemembers (SOS) is a nonprofit organization that just launched its website on July 8. Its mission, as stated on the nonprofits website: SOS is here to provide a voice for change, to better our military for the sake of our future Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Guardians. Our children and our loved ones deserve the best from a grateful nation. 

The board members share their experiences in hopes of raising awareness and so that sharing what they have learned and experienced might keep what happened to them from happening again to other families. They hope to advocate for victims of military malpractice and negligence.

Medical malpractice and negligence is something that they unfortunately experienced with their own sons, and they are hoping the nonprofit helps raise awareness about knowing your rights and becoming mentors to others.

Manuel Vega, president and co-founder, and Amy Vega, operations director and co-founder, are the parents of Patrick Vega, 20, who died during his second week at Marine Recruit Depot San Diego during boot camp in 2018. During his second week, Vega became ill; he was later found on his bed, unresponsive and with no pulse and was immediately rushed to the Naval Hospital just a few miles away from his base. Vega was placed on life support and just two days later he passed away as a result of the common cold.

Our son Patrick died of the common cold from negligent medical care. We partnered with other grieving families to push for true accountability at the highest levels of the US Armed Forces. Unfortunately, the military has always been guarded and most details leading up to tragic events are rarely ever disclosed. In most cases, we discovered the investigations were conducted by the same military command in question, Manuel Vega said in a news release on July 8.

The nonprofit was founded during the summer of 2020 by a group of Gold Star and military families affected in one way or another by military malpractice and negligence.

We all decided that we needed to get together and form a nonprofit and start helping other families and telling stories of our loved ones who have either been injured or passed away, so thats why we created this website, Amy Vega said.

Mark Del Barba, director of development and co-founder, and Kamini Del Barba, vice president and co-founder, are the parents of Stockton native Dez Del Barba, 21, who developed Streptococcus A, a type of strep throat, just five weeks into basic training for the U.S. Army at Fort Benning in Georgia. At the time their son was stricken, Mark Del Barba was a correctional officer at Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy and Kamini Del Barba worked in the human resources department at Stockton Unified School District.

Even though he was seen by eight medical professionals at his base, none of them provided the basic care he needed, his parents said. This caused Dezs health to worsen, and he developed the rare flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis. He ultimately ended up at the hospital on Feb. 11, 2019, when he had his first surgery, one of many to remove dead tissue caused by the disease. His life on the line as strep throat escalated into a disease that put Dezs life in danger, his left leg had to be amputated. Dezs journey has not been easy since then. On July 22, he will be having another surgery; his 22nd surgery was in September 2019.

The heroes that put their lives on the line to fight for freedom are not always so free themselves, advocates say. Under the Feres Doctrine, military service members that become injured as a result of military service are prevented from successfully suing the federal government.

On June 16, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a document titled Military Medical Malpractice and the Feres Doctrine, which highlights standards and procedures related to medical malpractice claims and explains how that plays a role: During the 116th Congress, the House passed a version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; H.R. 2500) that proposed to modify the Feres Doctrine to let servicemembers sue the United States for military health care providers malpractice.

The Department of Defense issued a 57-page document on June 17.

This interim final rule implements requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 permitting members of the uniformed services or their authorized representatives to file claims for personal injury or death caused by a Department of Defense ( DoD) health care providers in certain military medical treatment facilities. Because Federal courts do not have jurisdiction to consider these claims, DoD is issuing this rule to provide uniform standards and procedures for considering and processing these actions.

The American public has until Aug. 10 to send in comments for consideration.

The simple fact that convicted murders, rapists and child molesters in our Federal and State prison systems have more constitutional rights and better access to medical care than our active duty service members is incredibly wrong, nonprofit organizers shared on the SOS website.

Learn your rights. Learn your rights before you join, Kamini Del Barba said.

2021 www.recordnet.com.

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A diverse group of eight young growers have stepped up to compete for the title of 2021 Bay of Plenty Young Grower of the year.

This year's contestants span from Katikati to Opotiki and include one entrant from Pukekohe.

The competition, which also accepts participants from the Northland region, is now in its 14th year of celebrating the young and upcoming leaders of the horticulture industry.

Originally planned for February this year, the competition was postponed due to a change in Covid-19 Alert Levels.

The competition day will take place Mount Maunganui College ground on Thursday, July 22.

From 9am to 1pm competitors will be undertaking a range of horticultural related theory tests and practical modules.

Spectators are encouraged to come and support the young growers on the day.

Following the day event there will be a Gala Dinner and Awards Evening at Zespri International, Mount Manganui, where the young growers will participate in a speech competition, with the final winner announced at the end of the evenings proceedings.

Contestants will have the opportunity to compete for the title of the 2021 Bay of Plenty Young Grower and additional prizes will be up for grabs for the runners up and the winners of each module.

The 2021 winner receives a media and presentation development course in Auckland, and will travel to Wellington to represent the Bay of Plenty in the 2021 national final of the NZ Young Grower on 22 & 23 September.

The 2021 Bay of Plenty Young Grower competition aims to inspire and acknowledge the talents of young people in the fruit and vegetable sectors.

Last year, Melissa van den Heuvel secured the title of the 2020 Bay of Plenty Young Grower.

Its a great promotion of what the horticulture industry has to offer and provides the opportunity for young people to share their passion, knowledge and skills. It is also a great way for the younger generation to be empowered, and to promote the industry and opportunities within it to others looking for future careers.

This years young growers come from an array of backgrounds. All of them have made grand contributions to the horticulture industry.

Katherine Bell is proud of helping run a Katikati grower group to facilitate discussion on orchard topics, with the hope that the sharing of knowledge amongst growers will improve their yield and OGR.

Yvette Jones accomplishments include helping to identify unusual vine symptoms that led to kiwifruit trunk disease research.

Trevor Macdonalds eye for detail and strive for perfection has helped him achieve Punchbowls most improved orchard for the 2020 harvest.

Jess Matheson has provided crucial financial and labour knowledge to support orchard managers and is a stakeholder in a nursery that provides growers with high quality plants for the base of their orchards.

Aurora McGee-Thomas has broken major industry stereotypes by doing a male dominated job, showing other women there is a place for them in any role in horticulture.

Bryce Morrisons achievements include the Gold Futures and Cut it Out projects, which helped the industry better understand and manage Psa.

Quintin Swanepoel has conducted vital research on industrial hemp cultivators and continues to contribute to the hemp industry by providing support and sharing his knowledge.

Emily Woods determination helped her successfully co-ordinate Apatas harvest at their Turntable site in a season of uncertainty.

About the competition

The 2021 Bay of Plenty Young Grower competition aims to inspire and acknowledge the talents of young people employed in the fruit and vegetable sectors in the Bay of Plenty.

We have some of the best fruit and vegetables in the country so it goes without saying that there are also a number of very talented young fruit and vegetable growers in the region.

The winner of the 2021 Bay of Plenty Young Grower goes forward to the national final of the NZ Young Grower on 22-23 September 2021 in Wellington. More information at www.bopyounggrower.co.nz
Two crew members of a container shipping crew have tested positive for Covid-19 in the South Island.

The crew members, who are symptomatic, are onboard the Mattina container ship.

The Mattina is currently in quarantine in Bluff.

The Marshall Island-flagged vessel came into port last night and all 21 crew members were tested this morning.

Rapid tests were ordered for the two symptomatic cases. Health officials report their condition is regarded as improving.

Both crew members whove tested positive, joined the ship in Singapore on July 2 after providing negative pre-departure tests, says a MOH statement.

Health officials in Southern DHB are working with other agencies to determine the next steps for the ship. In the meantime, the crew members remain on board the Mattina.

The test results for the remainder of the crew are due back later tonight.

The Mattina is currently in quarantine in a secure area of the port which is inaccessible to any members of the public.

Fencing will be put up to further restrict access to the ship.
More than 150 high school leavers now have a better understanding of careers in New Zealands food and fibre sectors, thanks to the Feed Your Future campaign.

Feed Your Future is a collaborative career promotion series between GoHort, DairyNZ, Lincoln University and Massey University that encourages high school students to pursue careers in the food and fibre sectors.

GoHort manager Emma Boase, who supports the national network of Career Progression Managers working to attract people into the horticulture industry says were really stoked with how the Feed Your Future series has gone.

We had seven events from Whangarei to Invercargill throughout May and June, where we took high school students to visit successful and innovative primary sector businesses.

"We had more than 40 young professionals at the events sharing how they got to where they are in the industry," says Emma.

"Having role models to look up to and being able to see the different pathways to where you can be in five years, is hugely important to school leavers.

For those who dont have a background in primary industries, these events have been really eye-opening to the opportunities available.

"We made sure to include students who hadnt had experience or exposure to the primary industries, but were open to a career in the sector.

We introduced them to people who had been there and done that, and could give them a taste of what it would be like working or studying in the primary industries.

Lincoln University domestic engagement manager Jaime Shone says its fantastic to interact with the students and have the chance to educate them on the broad range of career possibilities available in the food and fibre sectors.

Theres an increasing demand for university-educated professionals in these areas and many new employment opportunities are expected to open up in the years to come.

At Lincoln, our programmes are designed with input from employers, so students develop the industry-specific knowledge and hands-on experience they need to move into great careers as soon as they graduate.

We hope to see many of the Feed Your Future participants studying at Lincoln in the near future.

Adam Shears, a Year 13 student at Mount Hutt College, found the event gave him insights into opportunities in the industry he otherwise would not have had.

It was a very cool event. I loved being able to speak with people who are in the sector and get a perspective of their lives through university and all the opportunities they took to become who and where they are today, says Adam.

AgFirst horticultural consultant Sarah de Bruin, who spoke at the Nelson event, wished that this type of event was available when she was at school.

If this sort of thing had been offered to me at high school, I would have been all over it, says Sarah.

My personal highlight was the young professional panel. It was very interesting listening to stories and advice from such a diverse set of experiences.

Overall, the students reacted well to the presentations.

I think it opened their minds more to the many roles involved in primary industry supply chains and the different pathways everyone took to get where they are.

A few of the students actually changed their minds about what they thought their pathway was, after hearing the different stories."
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Debi Jacks takes a deep breath as she presses her face into her grandson outside of her Oklahoma City apartment. Jacks has struggled to find work for more than 18 months. She said her anxiety and depression have increased since the pandemic and with every passing week that she remains jobless. Her grandson's laugh and knowing she has two daughters to care for are the only things keeping her going.
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers many degree programs to prepare students for careers in health care, and new programs are under way and on the horizon.
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Why it matters: Tencent has been growing its portfolio at a feverish pace as of late, and it only continues this week with the acquisition of British video game developer Sumo Digital. The Chinese tech conglomerate will pay 513 pence in cash for each Sumo share, a 43 percent increase over Sumos closing price of 358 pence on July 16. In total, the deal is valued at $1.27 billion.

Sumo was founded in 2003 and has put out a steady stream of titles ever since. Notable games developed by Sumo include Forza Horizon 2, LittleBigPlanet 3, Hitman and Hitman 2 and Crackdown 3, just to name a few.

Carl Cavers, one of the original co-founders, said the opportunity to work with Tencent is one they just couldnt miss. It would bring another dimension to Sumo, presenting opportunities for us to truly stamp our mark on this amazing industry, in ways which have previously been out of reach, Cavers added.

As mentioned, Tencent has been quite busy lately. Late last year, the company attempted to merge video game streaming sites Huya and DouYu, but those plans were recently struck down by China market regulators due to antitrust concerns. Tencent earlier this year also teamed up with Chinese police to help bust a massive video game cheating operation.

Sumo isnt the only British video game developer to change hands recently. In December, EA announced plans to scoop up Codemasters for $1.2 billion.

Image credit: Tingshu Wang, Reuters
The big picture: The Biden Administration issued a statement claiming "with a high degree of confidence" that China exploited the Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities to acquire confidential information for gain. The White House already confronted the Chinese Government about this and other malicious cyber activity related to it, pointing out how these actions injure the confidence and stability in cyberspace.

In early March, Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities had given unwanted access to over 30,000 government and commercial organizations in the US. These vulnerabilities were exploited by "at least 10 hacker groups," allowing them to control servers remotely via a web browser. By late March, most Microsoft Exchange Servers were patched against these vulnerabilities.

According to Biden's administration, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) hackers exploited the Exchange Servers vulnerabilities to engage in ransomware attacks, cyber-enabled extortion, crypto-jacking, and rank theft from victims worldwide. This caused billions of dollars in lost intellectual property, proprietary information, ransom payments, and mitigation efforts.

White House's statement is backed by allies and partners of the US, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and NATO. Besides the White House, the US's Department of Justice also indicated that four individuals working for China's MSS were charged for attacking multiple entities and organizations between 2011 and 2018 targeting the aviation, defense, education, government, health care, biopharmaceutical and maritime industries, among others.

The UK's National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) and the Council of the European Union also issued statements denouncing the China's malicious cyber activities and backing the US' position against these attacks.

In response to the attacks exploiting Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities, the US will be strengthening the USG's Cyber Defenses. First steps include making sure that cyber actors can't access public and private networks anymore and add private companies to the US Government's new model for cyber incident response.

CISA, NSA, and FBI are also releasing a "cybersecurity advisory" detailing cyber techniques used by China-sponsored hackers to target US and allied networks, including those used to exploit the Exchange Server vulnerabilities.

To further protect Federal networks and improve US's cybersecurity, the Biden Administration funded the Federal government to modernize their network defenses, implemented President Biden's Executive Order, and issued a directive to oblige critical pipeline companies to meet cybersecurity standards.

Masthead and Image Credit: Alejandro Luengo, ESET
Jeff Bezos' space mission is launching pretty soon, in a launch that will be televised to the entire world.

The Amazon founder is set to leave Earth on a rocket that will take him on a ride few in history have ever experienced: a 2300 mph rocket trip to the edge of the planet's atmosphere where he'll stay for 11 minutes, writes CNN.

For those who want to watch, the entire launch will be streamed on Blue Origin's website. There, the space travel company will be showing closeups of the rocket's exteriors, as well as the capsule flying off into space carrying Bezos and four other crew members. The launch is scheduled for July 20, 9 a.m. EDT (6 a.m. PDT, a few days after Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic mission.

But while it's easy to dismiss this launch as just another multi-billion dollar flex from one of the world's richest people, there are certain facts about Jeff Bezos' space mission that are pretty important. This information alone should be enough to make at least you consider watching the event as it unfolds live.

Read also: Jeff Bezos' Trip to Space Via Blue Origin Approved by FAA, Following Virgin Galactic CEO Richard Branson's Announcement

Jeff Bezos Space Trip: Who's On It?

As mentioned, the former Amazon CEO will be flying with three other passengers. But among the crew, one person is considered the most significant: retired aerospace pioneer Wally Funk.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos)

Funk, now 82, was one of the all-female team of astronauts which underwent training back in the 60s. She was supposed to go to space as part of NASA's Mercury program but never made it alongside her colleagues just because they were women.

Funk was invited as an honored guest on Jeff Bezos' space flight, which the Amazon founder posted on his Instagram account. He then went on to say that nobody has waited longer to go to space. And if there's somebody out there deserving of such an honor, it would definitely be Funk. On July 20, she will be the oldest person in history to go to space.

Bezos' brother Mark will also be on the trip, but the much-talked-about rich passenger who paid $28 million for the flight won't be going. Instead, the still-unnamed bidder gave their seat to the 18-year-old young man Oliver Daemen, who WSB Atlanta reports will be the youngest person to go to space opposite of Wally Funk.

What Will Happen on the Launch?

The spacecraft, named New Shepard (after Alan Shepard, the first American in space), will conduct its first-ever crewed mission after a series of successful test flights. This will be the 16th launch of the spacecraft.

Bezos and his crew will be launching higher than Branson's prior altitude from the launchpad: 66 miles above the Earth's surface to the internationally recognized boundary of space known as the Karman Line. The passengers will experience around 3 to 4 minutes of weightlessness and then strap in for a parachute landing a mere 10 minutes after lifting off.

Related: Bezos Blue Origin's Rocket Has Emergency Fail-Safe; Is The Mission Dangerous?

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/ Patrick Perkins) covid-19 protest

COVID-19 conspiracy theories have reached millions of people worldwide. It has caused debates on whether the government is being reasonable with requiring vaccination and health passes to travel and visit public spaces.

The latest example of the effects of COVID-19 conspiracy theories is the rally in France on July 17 that more than 100,000 people attended.

The French protested President Emmanuel Macron's plans of requiring a health pass to access public places like cinemas, restaurants, and cafes.

COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Effects

Conspiracy theories have fueled the opposition to making proof of COVID-19 vaccination mandatory, aside from the concerns about civil liberties.

The French government announced that beginning July 21, a health pass will be needed for people to access leisure and cultural venues.

From the beginning of August, the health pass will be required on long-distance public transport, outdoor terraces, and shopping centers as well.

Also Read: Truth About 5G Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory: Here's What Experts Say

The health pass must include the QR code that proves a person has been fully vaccinated, or it must include results from a negative antigen test taken in the last two days.

France's COVID-19 cases have rebounded as the Delta variant has spread in the country, with the average number of new cases per day soaring almost 11,000 from the recorded 2,000 cases per day in June.

The rise in cases prompted President Macron to announce the health pass restrictions.

However, the move was welcomed by the opposition. Around 137 rallies took place in the country on July 17, gathering 114,000 demonstrators.

Many believe that obligating people to be vaccinated if they want access to public places is an infringement of their rights. A protestor told Reuters that President Macron has no right to decide on people's individual health.

Another protestor told AP that even though he is not an anti-vaxxer, the state should not coerce people to get vaccinated, adding that the government is "going too far."

Some politicians have echoed the same sentiments. Francois-Xavier Bellamy, a young MEP for the conservative Les Republicains party, and Loic Herve, the vice-president of the Senate's Centrists bloc, wrote a joint opinion piece in Le Figaro this week in which they laid out their reasons for opposing the health pass.

The politicians wrote that opposing the health pass does not make them an anti-vaxxer. The problem with the health pass is that people will have to present a document in order to do the most simple things.

Extremes on Both Sides

The far-right National Rally party leader, Marine Le Pen, said that President Macron's plans are a backward step for personal freedom.

Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the extreme-left France Unbowed, said that the health pass is an abuse of power.

Francois Ruffin, from the LFI firebrand, urged people to rally. He said that the health pass is a means of humiliation coming from an absolute monarchy in the form of Marcon's government.

Le Pen's former right-hand man and the leader of the right-wing populist Les Patriotes party, Florian Philippot, said that they would demonstrate the power of the people in the face of a disgrace.

Other populists have argued against the health pass on civil grounds, avoiding anti-vax statements.

Related Article: COVID-19 Update: France Is Officially Working on 'StopCOVID' Contact-Tracing App, Minister Says

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Virtual Weddings in New York were a massive hit during the early days of the pandemic, but are now not recognized by the state, and are requiring people's presence back on courtrooms. Zoom Weddings were observed and officiated by judges in several states, especially as lockdown restrictions have been strict in letting people out, even with matrimonial concerns.

Zoom has been a massive name and video conferencing service since the start of the pandemic, and it has even pushed with its acquisition of real-time translation software for virtual meets.

Virtual Weddings in New York Not Legal Anymore

Virtual Weddings in New York were canceled after its stint for more than a year now, coming from an executive order from NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. The governor's disaster emergency executive order has allowed people since April 2020 to obtain marriage licenses and perform virtual ceremonies as officiated by either judges or priests.

That is one of the features of the executive order, among other things, which had a massive need during 2020's lockdown, where COVID-19 was at its peak. As people were not allowed to go outside their homes, their lives were put on hold, but Cuomo and New York have allowed several things to go on and move forward despite this pandemic.

However, as the restrictions have eased and vaccines were distributed to a large number of the US population (still not at 50 percent), this executive order is now lifted.

People can now go to physical places and courtrooms to obtain licenses, and it would be better if they were already vaccinated so as not to get infected.

Read Also: Zoom Meetings With $952 Million Revenue for Zoom in the First Quarter of 2021

Should Virtual Weddings Be a Thing?

Virtual Weddings are a grey area for some but are still sacred and heartfelt for others. While some virtual weddings are held physically and only live stream the festivities to friends and supposed invited people, fully virtual ones like the lack of presence of a priest, officiant, and applying for a wedding license can not be observed anymore.

People can still live stream their weddings to friends and family who cannot join the festivities if they fear transmission, but it needs to be in the presence of an actual judge, witnesses, and other requirements.

Zoom for Weddings Soon?

Zoom has been a massive avenue for online weddings and other virtual events like e-meets, reunions, work conference calls, and other needs. It has grown throughout the pandemic, mainly because of its free application that offers a seamless way to connect to the online world.

Weddings held on Zoom may not be as heartfelt or legitimate as the physical ones, but the bonds shared by the bride and groom, or the LGBT community are the most important. It is up to leaders of different states or countries if Zoom weddings are allowed soon.

Related Article: Ziotag, AI-Driven Video Platform, Boosts Zoom Calls With New Features

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Facebook log in screen

Facebook has pushed back against U.S. President Joe Biden's comments regarding social media's role in the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination efforts.

Last week, President Biden made a comment regarding social media networks "killing people" thanks to the spread of misinformation that has caused vaccine hesitancy among certain people.

In its pushback against Biden's claims posted on its website, Facebook cited data that shows "85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19."

"President Biden's goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed," the post reads.

Facebook Refutes Biden's Claims With Data

Facebook's pushback, which comes in the form of the post written by the company's VP of Integrity Guy Rosen, the social media giant presented even more data to deny Biden's accusations.

According to Rosen, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Facebook users has increased from 70% to somewhere between 80-85%. He also said that Facebook applied similar tactics regarding vaccine acceptance to users in the U.K. and Canada and both countries have "achieved more than 70% vaccination of eligible populations."

"This all suggests there's more than Facebook to the outcome in the US," according to Rosen.

Rosen also mentioned that 3.3. Million Americans have utilized the vaccine finder tool to make vaccination appointments and to locate where vaccination sites are.

Facebook's Other Efforts to Help People Get Vaccinated Against COVID

As far as President Biden's allegations of spreading misinformation regarding vaccines is concerned, Rosen says that Facebook has already removed more than 18 million instances of COVID-19 misinformation.

The social media giant also has a network of "fact-checking partners" that helps it debunk, label, and reduce COVID-19 content that may contain misinformation.

Rosen also highlighted that Facebook has made efforts to encourage more people to get vaccinated by expanding its vaccine pop-up clinics so that more low-income and underserved communities can be reached.

Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Campaigns on Facebook, Twitter Pushed by Biden to Invite 16 Year-Olds

Biden Says COVID Misinformation on Social Media is 'Killing People'

Facebook's pushback comes after President Biden claimed that COVID-19 misinformation being spread on social media is "killing people."

"The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated," Biden is quoted to have said in a Bloomberg report.

In a tweet posted Friday, White House Digital Director Robert Flaherty said "I guess I'm left with a simple question: How many people have seen COVID vaccine misinformation on Facebook?" The question came with a retweet of Facebook's response to Biden's comments.

President Biden previously admitted that the government failed to reach its goal of vaccinating 70% of the population by July 4. The government has continuously encouraged its citizens to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, especially as the Delta variant continues to spread. The Delta variant has caused a rise in cases in the country.

Also Read: Biden: US Vaccination to Go 'Knock on Doors,' Get More Americans to Receive the COVID-19 Shots

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Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
COVID-19 conspiracy theories are yet to be growing, especially with the immunization campaign, as one woman shared in an interview that being near vaccinated people can destroy one's body.

While vaccines are dedicated to protecting the body from the incoming virus that one can pick up from public places, and being around the vaccinated may help in herd immunity.

The woman's theory was closely related to Imperial College of London's study, which made mention of a body's decline by 26 percent after getting vaccinated against COVID-19. However, it is not concrete and is negating what most experts say about the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Can Being Around Vaccinated People Destroy One's Body?

The David Parkman Show recently had a guest on its talk show, known as DeAnna Lorraine, a person widely known to be a Republican and failed her run for Congress. Here, the former candidate has expressed her beliefs about COVID-19 vaccinations, and how it destroys one's body.

Lorraine is also a part of the unvaccinated community who do not want to get an immunization shot, as they believe that it would only make things worse, or propaganda, or something which the government would use to track them.

While the politician discussed a lot of different attacks against COVID, the interview has focused on the new conspiracy theory she presented. Here she talked about how COVID-19 vaccinated people can "destroy the bodies" of the unvaccinated ones that would simply stand or be near them.

Read Also: Dr. Anthony Fauci Claims Herd Immunity Possible in July, Pre-COVID Life to Return by Fall 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Theory Debunked

COVID-19 can destroy the body if it infected people, and being around them makes others subject to getting infected.

However, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccinated people can destroy other people's bodies by simply being near them, as herd immunity is not even believed to be possible during this time.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 vaccine facts, the person vaccinated can not get sick from COVID-19, because their bodies already know how to fight against it. Moreover, they cannot "destroy" other people's bodies, despite close contact with them.

Herd Immunity is the sharing of antibodies in a crowd, especially as more people in the population are vaccinated, trumping those who do not want to get jabbed, or have not received one yet.

Could Vaccines do Better or Worse?

Vaccines were made for the betterment of society, and to make its recipients better to fight against the virus that is widespread in the community. To answer the question "could vaccines do better or worse," these shots were made to give people a better chance in fighting and resisting infections or the disease.

Especially now that the Delta Variant is infecting the US's massive population, vaccinations are more important and needed than ever.

Related Article: WHO Says People Should Maintain Social Distancing Since No Herd Immunity Will Happen This 2021



This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has said that it plans to launch a solar sail project of its own in order to investigate near-Earth asteroids.

The solar sail project will make use of a small satellite NASA calls the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout).

The NEA Scout will join the Artemis I mission and be deployed along with other smaller cubesats. The small satellite will then use solar sail to travel to a near-Earth asteroid.

What is the NEA Scout and What Will It Do in Space?



(Photo : Screenshot taken from NASA'S Webpage)

NASA's Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, or NEA Scout, is a small satellite roughly the size of a shoebox, according to a report by Digital Trends. Its task will be to take high resolution photos of the near-earth asteroid it will travel to.

"The images gathered by NEA Scout will provide critical information on the asteroid's physical properties such as orbit, shape, volume, rotation, the dust and debris field surrounding it, plus its surface properties," according to the mission's principal science investigator Julie Castillo-Rogez in a statement posted by NASA.



(Photo : A Owen from Pixabay)

NASA expects the NEA Scout's journey to a near-Earth asteroid to take two years.

NEA Scout will not carry fuel. Instead, the small satellite will be powered by a technology called solar sail.

What is Solar Sail?

The solar sail technology will enable the NEA Scout to sail through space powered by sunlight. The NEA Scout will be the first ever interplanetary mission that will use this kind of propulsion.

To do this, the cubesat will deploy an aluminum-coated plastic film sail that NASA describes to be thinner than human hair. The size is roughly similar to that of a racquetball court.

"The large-area sail will generate thrust by reflecting sunlight. Energetic particles of sunlight, called photons, bounce off the solar sail to give it a gentle, yet constant push," according to NASA.

"Over time, this constant thrust can accelerate the spacecraft to very high speeds, allowing it to navigate through space and catch up to its target asteroid," it adds.

Related Article: Carl Sagan's Solar Sail Goes On Test Flight On May 20: Why You Should Care

Past and Future Solar Sail Projects

NASA sees the NEA Scout as a "stepping stone" for another solar sail project called Solar Cruiser. The Solar Cruiser is said to use a sail 16 times larger than of NEA Scout's. It is expected to fly to outer space in 2025.

NASA previously said that it wants to try solar sail technologies by mid-2022. With the planned launch of the NEA Scout, NASA is set to do just that.

The NEA Scout, however, is not the first ever effort to try out the solar sail in outer space.

2019 saw the success of the solar sail aircraft LightSail 2. It was designed by a non-profit organization founded by Bill Nye, The Planetary Society. The spacecraft proved that solar sail works by increasing its orbital high point by 1.2 miles.

A previous LightSail spacecraft ended up burning when it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere in 2015.

Also Read: LightSail Deploys Solar Sail But Fails To Return Useful Images To The Planetary Society

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung just might unveil new long-rumored products on August 11, according to a leak posted on Twitter.

Evan Blass, who goes by the handle @evleaks on Twitter, posted a promotional image on his account that suggests the next Samsung hardware event will take place next month.

Samsung Promo Image Leak Details

Samsung's leaked promotional image reads: "The future will unfold in a new way. Very soon."

The image suggests that the next Samsung hardware event is called Galaxy Unpacked and will take place August 11 at 5:00 pm, Moscow time.

While there is not much text present on the image, the graphics that come with the text have attracted attention. According to a report by TechRadar, the shapes on the image are described as "one with a more conventional folding hinge running vertically, and the other with a folding hinge running horizontally across the display, creating a clamshell form factor."

The report surmised that the shapes "could well be representing the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldables." Samsung fans have been anticipating the announcement on these two products.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: Z Fold 3, Galaxy Watch, Buds to Release on August 11 Event says Leak

Samsung's Potential New Products: What Fans Have Been Waiting For

According to the TechRadar report, some of the Samsung products that fans and tech enthusiasts have been anticipating to be launched are a couple of foldables as well as watches. With the Galaxy Unpacked leak, there is more anticipation about these products being released on August 11.

Among the highly anticipated foldables are the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Important details about both foldables were leaked early this year, including its price and specs. In June, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has already begun production.

As for wearables, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are being anticipated as well. Samsung has already confirmed that new Galaxy Watches are on the way. Reports have said that the new Galaxy Watches will not come with a power adapter.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3 Price, Specs, Release Date: Ultra-Thin-Glass Replaced With Plastic?

Galaxy Buds 2, Galaxy S21 FE -- What Else Can Be Unveiled?

Rumors have also suggested that the Galaxy Buds 2 will be unveiled on August 11 along with the watches and wearables. Leaks of the Galaxy Buds 2 have made their way to the internet in June.

According to the leaks, the new Galaxy Buds will have a sportier design and will come in new colors.

Samsung fans have also been waiting for any news on the Galaxy S21 FE. Whether or not it will be revealed on the August 11 Samsung hardware event remains to be seen as well.

As pointed out by TechRadar, what is known, however, is that the Galaxy Note 21 has been cancelled. What this means for the fate of Galaxy Note 22 is "unclear," according to the report.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
INDEPENDENCE  Plans to sell a beloved Girl Scout camp in the piney woods of eastern Tangipahoa Parish have ignited worries among environmentalists and former scouts who fear an endangered forest on the property will be razed by a development-hungry buyer.

The Girl Scouts Louisiana East chapter said in late June it would sell Camp Whispering Pines  a 600-acre outdoor getaway off La. 1054  after attempts to raise nearly $1 million needed for key repairs fell through. The property has neither been appraised nor placed on the market yet, said Madeleine Briscoe, the chapters chief development officer.

The camp's possible sale prompted a cohort of both current and former scouts  some of whom attended Camp Whispering Pines when it first opened in 1970  to quickly rally.

Dubbed Friends of Camp Whispering Pines, the 50-person coalition has launched a GoFundMe campaign in an effort to buy the property. Doing so could save thousands of rare longleaf pine trees on the property, said Joan Doyle, a former Girl Scout parent and conservation worker acting as the groups spokesperson.

The GSLE board chose to sell the camp quickly and without consulting scouts themselves, according to Doyle  raising worries that the pristine natural site may be sold for development.

In Tangipahoa Parish, the pressure to develop land at this time is tremendous, she said. Conversely, the pressure to maintain some of these pristine areas is even more pressing.

New commercial, residential and energy-production developments have appeared rapidly in Tangipahoa Parish in recent years, driving debate over impacts on flooding and natural landscapes.

Tangipahoa doesn't do zoning. Now it's wrestling with what do about big solar power plants. AMITE CITY  Under pressure from angry farmers and residents, some Tangipahoa Parish leaders want to set tighter rules on solar power plants 

Native to a swath of Southeast U.S. coastal plain stretching from East Texas to Virginia, the camp's longleaf pine trees offer pristine habitat conditions for hundreds of animal species, including threatened gopher tortoises and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

Ravaged by a century of logging, the trees are now themselves classified as endangered. The 90 million acres they covered in the 1800s have shrunk to less than five million acres, some of which conservationists have planted through reforestation efforts.

Longleaf pines cover about 300 of the 595 acres of forest at Camp Whispering Pines, plus scattered stands of trees in other locations. Woodpeckers and gopher tortoises are among the species who call the camp home, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 1994, a coalition of environmental groups and state agencies joined forces on a five-year initiative to save the "unique, threatened habitat" at Camp Whispering Pines, according to a 2003 report by the Louisiana Forest Stewardship Resource Management News.

The effort included planting longleaf pine seedlings and prescribed burns vital to preserving the trees' habitat. Since then, present and former Girl Scouts have continued pitching in to preservation efforts.

Margie Vicknair-Pray, a conservationist at the New Orleans chapter of the Sierra Club, said selling the camp risks putting an end to those efforts.

As an environmentalist, I don't want to see the camp go because of the longleaf and all the endangered species that depend on the longleaf, said Vicknair-Pray. As a mom, I want to have a place where girls can go and enjoy nature.

The Girl Scouts hold preservation of the outdoors as one of its pillars, Briscoe said, and buyers commitment to stewardship of the land will be one of the criteria on which they are evaluated.

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In the past decade, state and federally-owned land home to 3.4 million acres of longleaf pine forest have hosted large-scale conservation efforts aimed at revitalizing the trees presence across the South.

But another 4.6 million acres of longleaf pines grow on privately-owned land, like Camp Whispering Pines, a 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found. Those areas don't fall under federal and state conservation efforts unless the property owners decide to partake in them.

Thus, private landowner support is key to the restoration of longleaf pine ecosystems on 4.6 million acres by 2024, the reports authors wrote.

Asked whether terms of sale on the Camp Whispering Pines property would include rules stipulating the preservation of longleaf pines there, Briscoe said that the sale is an evolving process with details yet to be finalized.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East for several years fought for funding to repair dilapidated facilities at the camp before choosing to sell the property.

The money would have gone towards fixing an ailing spillway at Camp Whispering Pines lake. The man-made lake  used by Girl Scouts for swimming, canoeing, and other water activities  is threatening to dump into the Tangipahoa River, which could cause flooding downstream.

One funding battle over the repairs played out in the Louisiana Legislature. A House panel drew fire in 2018 for declining to move $850,000 needed to fix the spillway on the same day it approved $780,000 for a Boy Scout camp in the Atchafalaya Basin swamp.

Concerns that the lake could spill into the river recently caught the attention of Tangipahoa Parish Councilwoman Kim Coates, who chairs the Councils Development Regulations Committee.

In the flooding-weary parish, caution will be important in evaluating how a buyer will use the property, Coates said.

More development might not necessarily be the answer there, Coates said. Parish Councilman Carlo S. Bruno, whose district encompasses Camp Whispering Pines, did not immediately return an interview request.

After shuttering Camp Whispering Pines, Girl Scouts Louisiana East will shift to hosting Scouts at its two other Louisiana Camps  one in Covington and the other in St. Francisville  and at a new Experience Center located in a high-traffic retail area, according to a press release.

With the Scouts membership numbers depleted by the pandemic and its revenue down, selling the beloved camp was a last resort, Briscoe said.

Id hate for anyone to think we arrived at this decision rashly, she said.

An earlier version of this file reported an incorrect number for the original acreage of longleaf pine forest in the United States. Longleaf pines covered 90 million acres before deforestation.
Canadian methanol manufacturer Methanex Corp. plans to restart construction on a plant in Ascension Parish after hitting the pause button more than a year ago.

Methanex had decided to defer $500 million in spending for its third methanol plant in Geismar for 18 months starting in early April 2020, citing an uncertain global economy at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The previously planned $1.4 billion methanol plant, which is expected to produce 1.8 million tons of methanol, had reached a final investment decision before the pandemic and its related economic lockdown began.

The Louisiana plant is the company's only major project in the works for the next few years. The size of the plant was reduced by $200 million to $600 million, making overall costs for the project between $1.25 billion up to $1.35 billion.

"This revised estimate is based on a significant reduction in the project's execution risk profile," according to the company.

The Vancouver-based company expects to begin manufacturing methanol from the plant by the end of 2023 or early 2024, which is later than previously planned in 2022.

The plant is expected to create 62 permanent jobs for a total of 230 jobs across all three plants in Geismar.

The business looks to spend $435 million through third quarter this year and another $900 million in expenses after October. Methanex will fund the construction with cash on hand and from future cash flow instead of taking on more debt.

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The two other Louisiana facilities were dismantled in Chile and relocated to the U.S. several years ago.

The average price of methanol has been around $430 per ton the past few months, which is closer to pricing during 2018. During 2019 and 2020, average prices for methanol dropped to lows closer to $200 per ton, according to the Methanol Institute, a trade organization for the industry.

The company estimates that demand for methanol will increase by 20%, or 16 million tons, in the next five years while there is 14 million tons of capacity in the market from existing methanol plants.

"The timing is right to restart construction on our Geismar 3 project as the methanol industry outlook is positive, we have a strong financial position to fund the project and the project has been significantly de-risked and is well positioned to be completed on-time and on budget," John Floren, CEO of Methanex, said in a news release.

The Geismar plant was described as the least expensive of its portfolio and would have "one of the lowest CO2 emissions intensity profiles in the industry." The concept of reducing carbon dioxide intensity rather than pure volume of emissions is common among industrial complexes, especially as companies often increase capacity year after year to meet customer demand.

Methanex re-evaluating new $1.4B methanol plant in Ascension Parish amid coronavirus pandemic Canadian methanol manufacturer Methanex Corp. is evaluating all its expenses, including its proposed $1.4 billion methanol plant in Ascension 
Womans Hospital in Baton Rouge is the latest hospital to change their visitation rules amid a rise in the number of COVID cases.

The hospital announced the policy changes Monday morning. Both Our Lady of the Lake and Baton Rouge General announced changes to their visitation policy Sunday as the coronaviruss delta variant continues to contribute to an uptick in hospitalizations.

The changes are effective as of Tuesday at 5 a.m.

As delta variant spreads, OLOL and Baton Rouge General change visitation policy Our Lady of the Lake and Baton Rouge General are changing their visitation policies amid a surge of COVID-19 patients.

Visitors will now be limited to two adult support persons in labor and delivery and the newborn intensive care unit. Only one visitor will be allowed in the mother and baby high risk unit, surgery, oncology, adult intensive care unit and outpatient clinics.

Visitors must stay the same throughout the mother or babys stay in the hospital. Clergy members are also allowed to visit with the parents permission and are not considered to be part of the two-person limit.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

All visitors must be over the age of 18 and are required to wear a mask.

+3 A 'statewide outbreak' in Louisiana: COVID cases soar as vaccination rates stall COVID-19 is again on the rise in Louisiana as state officials urge residents to get vaccinated to stave off the rapidly spreading delta variant.

Those who have tested positive for COVID or are under investigation for COVID will not be allowed to visit the hospital. Patients and visitors will be required to go through a screening before entering the hospital.

Visitors will not be allowed at outpatient doctors visits. Patients are asked to contact their physicians office for policies about visitation at doctor appointment.

At Our Lady of the Lake, only one visitor, 18 years or older, is now allowed to remain at the bedside throughout the patient's hospital stay. Visitors to COVID-19 patients are limited to to one person for one hour per day, except in end-of-life situations where extended times of visitation may be coordinated.

Baton Rouge General's updated policy also allows for only one visitor per patient on most nursing units, including labor and delivery and the emergency room.
In hindsight, David Gerardo Bueso wishes he had testified in his own defense after the 2017 bludgeoning death of his best friend and former roommate, Jhoel Brisuela-Tercero, at a Baton Rouge apartment complex. After not doing so on the advice of his lawyer, he spent four years in Louisiana's prison system until the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed nonunanimous verdicts.

"It had been David's intent all along to testify at trial, but he was an impressionable kid who ultimately took his trial lawyer's advice not to testify when the trial lawyer did not think the state had presented sufficient evidence of guilt to warrant putting on a defense," Bueso's appellate attorney, Kyla Blanchard-Romanach, said in a recent interview.

An East Baton Rouge Parish jury, however, decided the state had met its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and voted 11-1 in February 2019 to convict Bueso of second-degree murder in the Aug. 5, 2017, killing. He was sentenced three months later to a mandatory term of life in prison and sent to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

In April 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed nonunanimous jury verdicts in criminal cases, prompting a reversal of Bueso's conviction and sentence.

He was granted a new trial, which was scheduled to occur later this month, but in June, the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office dismissed the murder charge after another parish grand jury, with access to new information, declined to re-indict Bueso on the murder charge.

In EBR bludgeoning death, charges dropped against formerly convicted killer; DA cites new info David Bueso always maintained his innocence in the fatal 2017 bludgeoning of his ex-roommate in Baton Rouge, even after a jury voted 11-1 to c

The new evidence included statements from Bueso, who claims he and Brisuela-Tercero were the victims of an armed robbery that took his friend's life; the manager of the Gardere-area apartment complex where Brisuela-Tercero was killed; and a woman who picked up Bueso after the homicide.

In addition to Bueso's statement that he and Brisuela-Tercero were the victims of an armed robbery inside the apartment at the Broussard Plaza apartment complex on Coy Avenue, the new grand jury received a statement from the complex's manager who said he was aware that robberies were taking place in the complex around August 2017, when Brisuela-Tercero was killed.

Bueso had told the judge at his sentencing that, "I'm a victim, too."

Baton Rouge man sentenced to life term in 2017 Gardere-area bludgeoning death A 21-year-old Honduran man maintained his innocence in two languages Friday as a state judge sentenced him to life in prison in the 2017 bludg

The new grand jury pretermitted the second-degree murder count on June 30, meaning it neither indicted nor cleared Bueso, now 23.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said the case could be brought back to the grand jury if additional evidence comes to light.

"The case will always remain open. I don't anticipate anything new coming forward," Moore said, citing language barrier issues in the 4-year-old case.

Blanchard-Romanach contends Bueso, who was indicted on a second-degree murder count in December 2017, was wrongfully convicted, but Moore disputes that characterization.

"Absolutely not," Moore insists. "The jury verdict in this case was a proper verdict based on the evidence that both sides presented."

Moore said Bueso was picked up on burglary warrants after the homicide and questioned about the slaying. He was not truthful and said his girlfriend picked him up and he knew nothing about the victim's death, the district attorney said. That statement to detectives was recorded and played for the jury.

But the appellate attorney said the case was tilted against Bueso.

"Because they told him from the moment they made contact with him that he was going to prison for life and they lied and said they saw blood all over his boots, David got scared and denied being at the apartment when Jhoel was killed," Blanchard-Romanach said.

She said Bueso was 19 at the time and alone in this country. His mother was in a hospital in Mexico at the time.

"A couple of days later, he asked to speak with the detectives again with a lawyer, but they basically told him they didn't have a lawyer available for him at that time and he could just go back to the jail without giving a statement," Blanchard-Romanach said.

Moore said the trial jury that found Bueso guilty cannot be faulted now that new information was presented to a second grand jury.

The district attorney, while stressing that Bueso is presumed innocent due to the grand jury's latest action, acknowledged there are law enforcement officials involved in the case who still believe he is responsible for the homicide.

Blanchard-Romanach, who gives Moore credit for agreeing to present the new evidence to the grand jury, said Bueso has no plans to sue the state for losing four years of his life.

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"His focus at this time is on his immigration status and efforts to rebuild his life after the trauma of seeing his good friend murdered and then being wrongfully convicted and sent to Angola for that murder," she said.

Brisuela-Tercero, 22, died of blunt-force trauma to the head. He suffered skull fractures and bruises of the brain.

Prosecutor Morgan Johnson argued at Buesos trial that he killed Brisuela-Tercero during a cowardly ambush while the victim slept on Aug. 5, 2017. She suggested Bueso killed Brisuela-Tercero in a dispute over money. Bueso was unemployed while he roomed with Brisuela-Tercero and was supposed to pay half the rent, the prosecutor said.

Johnson also suggested to the jury that a 24-inch machete found in a bathroom next to a spray bottle of bleach was the murder weapon, but Buesos DNA was not discovered on the machete. Buesos DNA and Brisuela-Tercero's blood, however, were found on the bottle, she said.

Prosecutor suggests man beat ex-roommate to death with machete; weapon was later wiped with bleach A grisly crime scene video that included a severely beaten body, blood on a bedroom's walls and ceiling, and a machete and bleach bottle sitt

Moore said in a recent interview that there was insufficient DNA found on the blade of the machete to produce a valid DNA profile. The handle of the machete included a mixture of profiles from a minimum of three contributors, he added, but due to the complex nature of the profile, no conclusions could be made by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab.

Bueso told detectives where they could find the pants he was wearing the night Brisuela-Tercero was killed, and the victim's blood was discovered on those jeans.

Blanchard-Romanach said Brisuela-Tercero's blood apparently got on Bueso's pants when Bueso went into Brisuela-Tercero's bedroom at gunpoint to get money demanded by the robbers  money that was in Brisuela-Tercero's closet.

"David was not even aware that the blood had gotten on his pants, as his attention was obviously on trying to stay alive and begging the robbers to stop striking Jhoel," she said. "While there were drops of blood on David's pants, it was not at all the quantity of blood that would have gotten on the pants of the perpetrator nor was it in the location that would have gotten on the perpetrator."

Blanchard-Romanach previously stated in a new trial motion filed in April 2019, a month before Bueso was sentenced, that the blood was found on the back of his pants. Blood spatter was discovered on the walls, ceiling and floor of Brisuela-Tercero's bedroom.

"One would expect that whomever attacked Mr. Brisuela-Tercero would have been covered in blood. It defies logic and common sense to suggest that a person who attacked and killed Brisuela-Tercero would have left that scene with only a few specks of blood on his pants," she wrote in that motion, which was denied.

Blanchard-Romanach also said the statement from the Broussard Plaza apartment complex manager weighs in favor of Bueso's armed robbery claim.

The manager wrote in an October 2020 affidavit that there was a particular problem with robberies of the apartments on the edge of the complex near a partially broken wooden fence. Brisuela-Tercero's apartment was one of the apartments in that line of apartments with doors that faced the fence rather than the interior of the complex, he said.

"This made these apartments more susceptible to robbery than the other apartments in the complex," he wrote.

The manager said he specifically recalled the occupants of two of those exterior-facing apartments being robbed.

"In fact, there was a previous occupant of (Brisuela-Tercero's apartment) who, as a result of robberies in this very apartment, first obtained a concealed carry permit and then moved out of the apartment," he wrote.

Moore said the manager's statement was circumstantial in nature but "something you have to consider."

Blanchard-Romanach had stated in her new trial motion that law enforcement testified at Bueso's trial that robberies in that apartment complex were rampant and that most of the robberies were never reported to law enforcement, "most likely because many of the tenants of the (complex) are undocumented immigrants." Moore said Bueso and Brisuela-Tercero lacked legal status to be in this country.

The new grand jury also was provided information from a woman who picked Bueso up from the scene, and he told her that he and the victim had been robbed.

Moore said Bueso did not identify the alleged robbers.

The district attorney said he doesn't feel the Bueso case is an indictment of the criminal justice system.

"Things worked out the way you would want them to work out," he said. "It could have potentially worked better if the information had come in sooner."
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War veteran Ben Roberts-Smiths defamation trial against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald will resume next week to hear urgent evidence from four Afghan witnesses in Kabul, as the newspapers warned there was a risk of a Taliban-led terrorist attack in the capital city.

Sydneys growing cluster of COVID-19 cases led Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko to call a four-week halt last month to the trial, which had entered the fourth week of what is anticipated to be a run of up to 10 weeks.

Ben Roberts-Smith arrives at the Federal Court in June. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Justice Besanko had foreshadowed the trial might be able to resume on Monday, July 26, but the lockdown in Greater Sydney will not end until July 30 at the earliest.

On Monday, Justice Besanko said he would allow the trial to resume on July 26 for the limited purpose of hearing from the Afghan witnesses, who are living in a safe house in Kabul awaiting the call to give evidence.
The mother of two Sydney removalists who tested positive to COVID-19 was found dead in the family home on Monday morning.

The body of the woman, aged in her 50s, was found by emergency services at the home in Green Valley in Sydneys west and she was later publicly confirmed as a COVID-19 case.

The mother of two Sydney removalists Ramsin and Roni Shawka (pictured) who tested positive to COVID-19 was found dead in the family home on Monday morning. Credit:Nine News

Hers is the fifth death in NSW linked to the latest outbreak of COVID-19, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.

A NSW Police spokesperson said emergency services responded to concerns for the womans welfare about 9.15am on Monday. Liverpool police officers went to the home and found her body inside.
Masked and dutifully keeping their distance, locals from Sydneys pandemic hot zone of Hurlstone Park were eager to abide by a new set of restrictions on Monday.

The only problem was every resident in the suburbs sleepy main street, where customers and shopkeepers are on a first-name basis, seemed to have a different version of what the rules were.

Simon Lakis of Kylon Eatery and Specialty Coffee in Hurlstone Park. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Simon Lakis, the owner of Kylon Eatery, said he initially thought he would have to close his cafe when tough new restrictions were announced for the local government area of Canterbury-Bankstown, because he lived in another unaffected part of Sydney.

He had begun ringing his employees telling them not to come to work when he was informed by a friend he could remain open.
The brother of bigwig fraudster Nino Napoli has pleaded guilty to swindling Victorias Education Department, just days after his sibling was jailed for doing the same.

Robert Napoli, Ninos younger brother, on Monday admitted conspiracy to defraud during a short appearance before the County Court.

Nino Napoli outside court last week. Credit:Joe Armao

But prosecutors announced they were no longer pursuing the same charge against Robert Napolis wife, Domenica, who sat next to her husband on a video link as he pleaded guilty.

The developments came five days after Nino Napoli and cousin Carlo Squillacioti were jailed for defrauding the Department of Education and Training from 2007 to 2014, when Nino Napoli abused his position as head of the departments finance unit  where he was responsible for a $5 billion budget  to approve contracts to companies run by family members.
Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp has called for Australias leaders to set national targets for the level of vaccinations required to let the country open up and live with the virus.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the states five-day snap lockdown will continue beyond Tuesday night. And as the state recorded another 13 cases on Monday (including one Mildura case reported on Sunday), Cr Capp said uncertainty was hurting businesses as much as the lockdowns.

Lord mayor Sally Capp outside Melbourne Town Hall during last years stage four restrictions. Credit:Arsineh Houspian

After more than a year of lockdowns there is still no freedom day on our horizon, which means there is no hope for our small business owners and workers, she said.

National cabinet must urgently agree on how many people need to be vaccinated before the lockdowns stop. This will provide certainty and confidence to business that there is an end date for the devastating lockdowns, state border closures and crippling uncertainty.
Bella, who is now in year 8, attends a three-day intensive therapy program weekly to help her regain confidence. There is such a stigma. People assume that if she has mental health issues its some sort of bad home life or someone touched her and they assume shes not living at home with her family, Mrs Henderson said. But she is someone who comes from a happy, stable background; I am happily married to her dad and we lead a normal life. Mental health doesnt discriminate. Bellas story is part of an ongoing issue in WA public schools where families are being forced to flee bullies as schools fail to grapple with an issue causing children as young as five to develop mental health issues that, in turn, increases the risk of suicide.

A 2020 review by WA Chief Psychiatrist Dr Nathan Gibson found that within the past decade, metropolitan hospitals emergency departments experienced a 403 per cent increase in self-harm, suicide risks or attempted suicide in under-13s, and a 214 per cent increase in 13 to 17-year-olds. Between 2016 and 2019, WA had the second-highest rate of youth suicide among children aged five to 17, at 3.3 deaths per 100,000 people; higher than the national average at 2.4 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Last month Kelsey Taylor, 14, and Ante Sutalo, 13, took their own lives over school bullying issues, which sparked opposition mental health spokesperson Libby Mettam to deliver a grievance motion over early intervention funding in State Parliament. Even though the Department of Education has provided improved guidelines as of 2020 to youth suicide, it is also increasing school principals autonomy over their handling of school issues. By all reports from families, schools key performance indicators do not promote transparency and encourage a culture of whitewashing families concerns for the sake of appearances.

The stories that surface on WA families Facebook posts and to WAtoday share common themes of feeling ignored, with the changes in behaviour put upon the victims, not the bullies themselves. Even Perth mother and famous blogger Constance Hall has given a TEDx talk on the subject. Another mother Claire*, who didnt want to identify her seven-year-old son, said he recently tried to take his own life after being severely bullied at a state school north of Perth considered notorious for bullying. She said the principals first reaction was lets try tomorrow and asked her to bring her son into school despite his fears. They dared to tell me it was because of other trauma in his life because his dad died a few years ago by suicide, Claire said, breaking down in angry tears over the phone.

He was too little to remember so dont you dare say that when its clearly bullying. Foster mother Kelly*  not her real name as she lives in a regional town and her foster child cannot be identified  says the school told their foster daughter to stay in clear sight of teachers around the playground or sit in the library to avoid the bullies. Further isolating her rather than dealing directly with the bullies and teaching kids to do better, Kelly said. The whole culture is ridiculous. They did Bullying No Way at the school and by the end of the week she was hit in the head by a kid in class because he was having a bad day. When they changed schools to move up north for work, their foster daughter again became a target of another bully, who they had to seek a violence restraining order against after she was dragged to the ground by her hair and beaten.

The teachers had to pin the attacker against a wall to end it, Kelly said. Loading Department of Education deputy director-general Jim Bell said bullying of any form was not tolerated in schools and each WA public school had to have a student behaviour plan that supports positive behaviour, including measures to prevent and manage bullying. These plans provide school staff with clear and consistent steps for responding to incidents of bullying, he said. This includes support and training for staff to confidently manage incidents as they occur.

It also ensures that staff, students and parents are aware of the process for reporting incidents of bullying and what to do if they become aware that a student needs support because of bullying. Mr Bell said information from school psychologists on specific behaviour management approaches for preventing and responding to bullying incidents was also included. Sometimes bullying can result in violence and principals take strong action as outlined in the ministers plan against violence in schools, he said. Students involved in inappropriate behaviour will face consequences which may include suspensions and loss of their good standing. Last year, Education Minister Sue Ellery announced $2.58 million to develop three alternative learning settings (ALS) as part of a plan to help public school principals stamp out increasing violence.
So there was no public transport or out in the streets to access them like other children. Multiple children have been beaten up in that school by those kids. Bullies attend the same class despite VRO In late May, the court awarded an interim order against one of the teenagers, which will be contested at a future hearing but has remained in place until a final decision is made, while awarding a full violence restraining order on the other teen after they did not contest it. The orders, which WAtoday has seen, state that neither teenager is to be within 10 metres of the Olsen child, or to try and communicate by any means or harass using the internet and social media or behave in an intimidatory, offensive or emotionally abusive manner. Yet the school refused to move the alleged bullies out of the Olsen childs elective classes.

If it were core subjects, Id understand their reluctance to move them because every child is entitled to an education, Mrs Olsen said. But these are elective subjects that when you sign up, you agree to behave and all that because theyre elective. WAtoday has obtained emails sent by the school in June, which said the Education Act over rides (sic) this for school-age kids and, later, that the departments regional office did not see a need to change the accused bullies elective classes in light of the court orders. Public schools dont enforce policy An email from the Department of Educations lawyer in 2018 over an unrelated incident at a public primary school, shared with WAtoday, made the case that a state school was not misapplying the VRO if it did not implement the court order and reiterated that the principal and school staff had statutory authority over the grounds and its students.

The schools focus is providing schooling and an education program for each student, not the enforcing or policing of a VRO for a party to the VRO, the email said. Yet family lawyers Sneedon, Hall and Gallop in the Australian Capital Territory, where VRO legislation was similar to WA, said removing the applicant child and respondent child from any classes they may share together  while restricting each child to certain parts of the school premises and playground to avoid them coming into contact with one another  was enforceable. Taking steps such as these can mitigate the risk to students and ensure that the principal and school are appropriately exercising their duty of care responsibilities, they said. The Education Departments lawyer went on to add if the family in the 2018 case believed the VRO was breached, it was a matter for the courts and referred to the primary schools risk minimisation plan. The plan stated that the duty owed to students is not a duty to ensure that no harm will ever occur, but rather a duty to take reasonable care to avoid harm being suffered.

It outlined a roster of staff to monitor out-of-class times, the school library, and release times of students to minimise opportunities for interaction. VRO not enforced where it matters - at school The school was not willing to change classroom arrangements after receiving information on the VRO. Mrs Olsen said such limited actions by any school would be useless. It means that there is no safety on a school ground anywhere, she said.

There is no enforced safety audit program unless the school chooses to do it, making it safer outside the school rather than on the school grounds, which was the purpose of the VRO. She said the safety plan Como Secondary put into place was to simply have her child and the offenders put on opposite sides of the classroom, but it wouldnt prevent attacks. Teachers cannot be expected to monitor the position of students in a class; theyre not guards, theyre teachers. So if youre a target of a bully, its all over, she said. There was no other public school option for us because thats the area we were assigned to. The only system is to do what weve done and were spending money to send them to a private school.

Mrs Olsen said the bullies did not live in Como Secondarys local intake area and had alternative schools they could attend. And while her family was able to change schools, others werent in the same position. The school barely met with us or talked to us. Its utterly disgusting, she said. They told us that if we want to talk to someone, we have to talk to the education department  the regional office. The Department of Education said schools managed violence restraining orders on a case-by-case basis to assist and support students when a restraining order is in place.
Eight crew members from a cargo ship docked in Fremantle have tested positive for COVID-19. The BBC California docked at 9am and eight workers with COVID-like symptoms briefly left the ship, with masks and gloves on, to be tested for the virus by health authorities before returning to their quarters. Eight sick crew have been taken off cargo ship BBC California which berthed in Fremantle on Monday. Credit:Nine News Perth WAs Department of Health confirmed on Monday afternoon all eight seafarers had tested positive for the disease via rapid PCR testing. The six remaining crew members, who have not reported symptoms, will be tested for COVID-19 on Monday afternoon.

Earlier on Monday, WA Premier Mark McGowan said it was hoped the crew could remain on board the ship to be quarantined given the potential for spreading the virus if they had to be taken to hospital or the airport in the case of replacement mariners being brought in. It is essential we dont let our hard work be undone, he said. Were seeing whats happening in NSW and Victoria as we speak and we certainly dont want any of that to come here. Loading The ship was scheduled to berth in Kwinana, south of Perth, to take on a cargo of ammonium nitrate. It left Egypt last month before docking at three ports in virus-stricken Indonesia on July 11. The crew members started showing signs of sickness from July 12. The Department of Health said the ship would remain in Fremantle with all crew members on board and medical assistance would be provided if required.
Tokyo: A Tokyo court has handed down prison terms for the American father and son accused of helping Nissans former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, escape to Lebanon while awaiting trial in Japan.

Michael Taylor was sentenced on Monday to two years in prison, while his son Peter was sentenced to one year and eight months.

They were charged with helping a criminal in the daring December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big musical case that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

Ex-Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn holds a press conference in Kaslik, Lebanon, in September. Credit:AP

In handing down the sentencing, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said they had committed a serious violation of the law, as now there is next to no chance of putting Ghosn on trial.
New York: Prince Harry is writing what his publisher is calling an intimate and heartfelt memoir.

Random House expects to release the book, currently untitled, late in 2022.

Im writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become, the Duke of Sussex, 36, said in a statement Monday.

Ive worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think. Im deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what Ive learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life thats accurate and wholly truthful.
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Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times.
Horses work out as the sun rises at Churchill Downs Friday, April 30, 2021, in Louisville, Ky. The 147th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 1.
Migrants walk on a dirt road after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Mission, Texas. A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. The head of Homeland Security acknowledged the severity of the problem but insisted it's under control and said he won't revive a Trump-era practice of immediately expelling teens and children.
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Tim Gruver is a politics and public policy reporter. He is a University of Washington alum and the recipient of the 2017 Pioneer News Award for Reporting. His work has appeared in Politico, the Kitsap Daily News, and the Northwest Asian Weekly.
Closed signs are seen in some businesses Wednesday May 13, 2020, in Milwaukee. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
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Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom.

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A street view of Malanga Village in Siaya county, Kenya, in June 2018. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

13 Killed in Kenya Fuel Tanker Explosion

NAIROBI, KenyaA fuel tanker exploded in western Kenya while people were siphoning fuel from it, killing 13 people, police said Sunday.

Residents started siphoning fuel from the tanker after it was involved in a crash late Saturday with a trailer near the Malanga Village in Siaya county, Gem subcounty Police commander Charles Chacha said.

The trailer which was ferrying 20 tons of milk hit the fuel tanker which was heading to Busia, he said.

The tanker hit the vehicle on the right rear side. As a result of the impact, it overturned on the extreme left side of the road, he said.

He said that members of the public, rushed to the crash scene to siphon fuel.

Moments later, the fuel tanker burst into flames, he said.

Despite warnings from authorities of the dangers of siphoning after the deaths of hundreds in previous incidents, many Kenyans continue to do it because they are pressed by poverty.

In 2009, at least 120 people were killed after a huge crowd descended on an overturned gasoline tanker, which then blew up. But poverty-stricken families say they have little choice: spiraling food and fuel prices mean many cant feed their children.

By Tom Odula
New York Times reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones speaks during the 13th International Congress of Investigative Journalism in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 29, 2018. (Alice Vergueiro/Abraji via Wikimedia Commons)

1619 Projects Nikole Hannah-Jones Said Cuba Among Most Equal Countries Because of Socialism

Nikole Hannah-Jones, the leading author of The New York Times controversial 1619 Project, has came under fire after comments she made in 2019 about socialism making Cuba one of the most equal nations in the world was unearthed.

According to The National Pulse, which first reported on the controversy, the comments about Cubas socialist society was part of an episode of podcast Conversations hosted by the Ezra Klein, editor-at-large and founder of Vox.

Are there candidates right now, or even just places, that you think have a viable and sufficiently ambitious integration agenda? And if so, what is it? Klein asked Hannah-Jones, who laughed and said she wasnt an expert on race relations internationally.

If you want to see the most equal, multiracial dem its not a democracythe most equal, multiracial country in our hemisphere, it would be Cuba, Hannah-Jones replied, citing socialism as the reason behind the alleged equality.

Cuba has the least inequality between black and white people of any place really in the hemisphere, she continued. In places that are truly at least biracial countries, Cuba actually has the least inequality, and thats largely due to socialism, which Im sure no one wants to hear.

Also reported by The Pulse was an op-ed published by The Oregonian in 2008, in which Hannah-Jones wrote about Cubas achievements that she said were overlooked by the Western world because of the prevalent narrative that Cuba is poor. Cuba is communist. Cuba violates human rights and represses dissent.

Education is the cornerstone of the revolution. Nearly everywhere among the magnificent Havana architecture signs speak of equality and liberation through education, she wrote, before moving on to praise Cubas universal health care system, which she said is seen by many as a world model.

Cuban exiles rally at Versailles Restaurant in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood in support of protesters in Cuba, July 12, 2021, in Miami. Sundays protests in Cuba marked some of the biggest displays of antigovernment sentiment in the tightly controlled country in years. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The remarks sparked renewed criticism of Hannah-Jones as the Cuban people stand up against the communist regime that has been ruling over the Caribbean nation since 1959. In the largest anti-regime protests in decades, people went out on streets in cities and towns across Cuba, including Havana, to not only rally against chronic shortages of food and basic goods, but also call for the end of the communist dictatorship that caused their suffering.

Please go to Cuba and stay in CubaNicole Hannah-Jones, wrote Mercedes Schlapp, a senior fellow at the American Conservative Union. The anti-American factions in our own country fail to understand the horrors of communism.

I think one should be required to live in the country one believes is superior for a year before endorsing it as preferred location over ones own country, another suggested.

Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators on Saturday gathered in Washington D.C., holding up signs reading Freedom for Cuba while calling on the Biden administration to take action in support of Cuban people who demand change.

[When] this many people get together and chant someone has to listen, Amanda Velazquez, a protester from Miami, told ABC-affiliated WPLG. We are trying to tell [President Joe] Biden we are here in your front door on our knees to help us to help our people. They are suffering through a system that completely failed them and oppressed them for 60 years.
Texas state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a Democrat, leaves after a news conference on voting rights outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 13, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

2 More Texas House Democrats Test Positive for COVID-19 After Fleeing to DC

Another two members of a Texas Democratic Party delegation of lawmakers who flew to Washington in response to a Republican overhaul of election laws have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on July 18.

Of the more than 50 lawmakers who fled Texas, a total of five have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. All five members had been fully vaccinated against the virus, the Texas House Democrat Caucus said in a statement.

The caucus said that all of the HDC Members who tested positive are feeling good, with no symptoms or only mild symptoms. The statement didnt name which members had tested positive for COVID-19.

However, Texas state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer confirmed on the evening of July 18 that he had tested positive earlier that day.

I will be teleworking with my colleagues, staff, partners, and allies. Were planning more good trouble, and hope to make announcements soon, Fischer said in a statement. Democracy is in jeopardy, and we will not be stopped in our fight to protect it.

While in Washington last week, the delegation members met with Vice President Kamala Harris and other Congress members, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), second from left, speaks as Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) listen in a press conference in Washington on Jan. 31, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Symone Sanders, the vice presidents senior adviser and chief spokesperson, said in a July 17 statement that Harris met with two members who tested positive for the virus, but that she was not at risk of exposure.

Based on the timeline of these positive tests, it was determined the Vice President and her staff present at the meeting were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and therefore do not need to be tested or quarantined, the spokesperson said.

Harris visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center hospital on July 18 for a medical appointment that was unrelated to the COVID-19 diagnoses, her office said.

News of last weeks walkout, planned to stymie efforts to pass election reform legislation, was first reported by NBC News and later confirmed by Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. The group traveled to Washington via a chartered flight and provided a photo of themselvesmasklesson the plane.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa speaks at a rally at the state Capitol on June 20, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

The move prompted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to announce on July 12 that he will continue special sessions, citing a poll that showed more than half of Texans oppose walkouts.

Texans Oppose Walkouts to Avoid Votes. No one else gets paid to walk off their job. Quitters never win, the Republican governor wrote on Twitter on July 12. We will continue successive Special Sessions until elected representatives do what they were elected to dodebate issues & cast votes.

The walkout followed a Texas state House committee vote on July 11 to push forward legislation that would bring back a number of voting integrity-related proposals that failed to pass during the previous session. Senate lawmakers advanced their version of the voting bill later that day in a committee vote.

The two bills have been described by Republicans as necessary to combat voter fraud and election irregularities.
2020 Presidential Pre-Election Polls Marked Worst Performance in Decades: Report

A new report from an association of public opinion and survey research professionals found that supporters of former President Donald Trump who refused to take part in surveys were one of the likely reasons that polls overstated support for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, the biggest polling inaccuracy in 40 years.

The report from the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) found that Bidens lead over Trump was overstated in national polls by 3.9 percentage points, the largest such polling bias since 1980. At the same time, polls at the state level overestimated Bidens lead by 4.3 percentage points, the biggest miss for state-level pre-election political preference surveys in at least 20 years.

The two most likely reasons for the polling inaccuracy were Trump supporters not responding to survey-takers and an influx of new voters who werent accounted for in polls, the report stated. At the same time, the reports authors noted that they were unable to make definitive conclusions on the reasons driving the 2020 polling biases.

Identifying conclusively why polls overstated the DemocraticRepublican margin relative to the certified vote appears to be impossible with the available data, the report reads.

The authors did rule out a number of factors blamed for pre-election poll inaccuracies in 2016, including late-deciding voters breaking heavily for Trump and the shy voter phenomenon, which is the idea that voters would tell pollsters they were undecided despite having already made up their minds as to for whom they would vote.

A study in August 2020 showed that nearly 12 percent of Republican voters fall into the shy voter category, meaning that they would be reluctant to disclose to pollsters their true preferences.

That the polls overstated Bidens support more in whiter, more rural, and less densely populated states is suggestive (but not conclusive) that the polling error resulted from too few Trump supporters responding to polls, the report reads. A larger polling error was found in states with more Trump supporters.

Joshua Clinton of Vanderbilt University, chairman of the 19-member AAPOR task force, told Bloomberg that the report failed to find major differences in polling errors based on whether they were conducted by Democrats or Republicans.

Its not clear that Republican pollsters did any better, so its an issue that is pretty pervasive, Clinton told the outlet. All partisan pollsters have the same incentive to get this right, but Democratic pollsters and Republican pollsters were off by equal amounts.

The report notes that its unclear whether the problems plaguing poll reliability will persist in the upcoming elections or if its a phenomenon that is linked to the presence of Trump on the ballot.

Its possible that if President Trump is no longer on the ticket or if its a midterm election where we know that the electorate differs in the presidential election, that the issue will kind of self-resolve itself, Clinton told The Washington Post.

Trump has been a vocal critic of pre-election polls, calling them a joke in a May 15 statement.

Even the rigged final result was extremely close. Its called SUPPRESSION POLLING and it should be illegal. These are crooked, disgusting, and very dishonest media outlets, and they know exactly what they are doing, Trump said.
Attendees at Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Mich., in a file photo. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Malibu Rum)

4 Michigan Festivalgoers Dead; 3 Exposed to Carbon Monoxide

BROOKLYN, Mich.At least four people died while attending a weekend country music festival in southern Michigan, including three men who likely succumbed to carbon monoxide exposure inside a travel trailer, authorities said Saturday.

Two more men were in critical condition at a hospital from the same exposure, the Lenawee County sheriffs office said. The five men were in their early 20s.

A concerned friend called 911 around 1:30 p.m. when he had not heard from them during the Faster Horses Festival at Michigan International Speedway, 80 miles west of Detroit. They were staying at a campground outside the festival grounds in Woodstock Township.

This tragic incident is being investigated as a suspected carbon monoxide exposure from a generator located very near the travel trailer, the sheriffs office said on Twitter.

Separately, state police reported the death of a 30-year-old woman, Melissa Havens of Croswell.

The cause and manner was unknown, state police said, although investigators were looking for a suspect.

Detectives want the public to know there is no danger or threats to people attending the music festival, state police said.

The three-day festival is scheduled to conclude Sunday. Its headliners include Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 07: Nurse Emeldah Mufara administers the AstraZeneca vaccine to Margaret Donnellan at the Sydney West COVID Vaccine Centre on May 07, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. People over 50 are now eligible to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine across Australia after the federal government brought forward the start of the 2a phase of Australia's vaccine rollout to begin from Monday 3 May. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

A Fifth Person Has Died From Sydney COVID-19 Outbreak as NSW Calls for Children to Get COVID-19 Vaccine

A southwest Sydney woman in her 50s has died after contracting COVID-19, becoming the fifth person in NSW to die amid the current outbreak.

The Green Valley woman was reportedly linked to the two removalists who travelled to central-west NSW, including to Orange, while one was known to be COVID-positive.

Her body was found in her home on Monday morning, and NSW Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner.

The woman is the 61st person to die of COVID-19 in NSW since early 2020. There are 82 COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals, with 24 in intensive care and seven being ventilated.

The news of the womans demise comes as NSW recorded 98 new local cases of COVID-19, with as many as 44 of the cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Sunday being active in the community while infectious, including 20 for their entire infectious period.

The closer we get that number to zero, the sooner we can end the lockdown, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday. But she warned that the effect of harsh new restrictions in Greater Sydney  including the shut-down of the construction sector  wont be reflected in case numbers for another four or five days, she said.

A total of 1340 people have officially contracted the virus since the first case  an unvaccinated airport limousine driver  was diagnosed on June 16.

Greater Sydneys lockdown is scheduled to end at midnight on July 30, but the Premier is not prepared to give a definitive end date until she sees the data over the next few days.

The state government has also warned children may have to be vaccinated to protect against the highly contagious Delta variant.

In previous strands, we have not seen younger people get the virus in the way they are, Berejiklian said.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the state needed to think about making vaccines available for children, particularly those of high school age, once older age groups are immunised.

I think there will be a key role for vaccinating children and also having booster vaccination rolled out quite quickly as well, Dr Chant said.

The admission throws into question the states goal of getting 80 per cent of the adult population jabbed before starting a conversation about opening up.

The premier said the community would have to live with some level of restriction until vaccination rates were at an acceptable level.

She also doubled down on her weekend decision to shut the construction industry, with tradies across Greater Sydney forced to down tools for two weeks.

Having thousands of people being mobile and moving around from communities where cases were concentrated was too big a risk, she said.

Workplaces are the second-most common site for transmission in this outbreak.

Construction workplaces will get extra COVID-safe measures like on-site testing to ensure work can resume soon, with Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and key senior public servants meeting with the sector daily.

Its the first time the construction industry has been shut anywhere in Australia since the pandemic began.

Other new restrictions imposed over the weekend include the closure of non-essential retail outlets and the scaling back of public transport.
A delegation comprised of Senators Tammy Duckworth, Christoper Coons and Dan Sullivan pose for photographs with Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen and other officials following their arrival at the Songshan Airport in Taipei on June 6, 2021. (Aden Hsu/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

All China Can Do Is Talk: Taiwan Official Dismisses Beijings Threats After US Military Aircraft Landing in Taipei

In the face of the United States deepening engagements with Taiwan, the Chinese communist regime can do nothing but issue stern warnings, an official of the democratic island told The Epoch Times.

On July 15, a U.S. Air Force C-146-A Wolfhound landed in Taiwan, delivering diplomatic mail to the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipeimarking the second U.S. military aircraft to land on the island in less than two months.

The stopover drew anger from the Chinese communist regime, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory despite the island having been governed for decades as a separate entity. Its defense ministry on Thursday warned that foreign countries entering the regimes airspace without approval would lead to serious consequences. It also warned the United States that it was playing with fire and said the Taiwan government was inviting danger.

All China can do is talk, Twu Shiing-jer, Chairman of Taiwans Development Center for Biotechnology, told The Epoch Times.

If the United States continues its cooperation with the island, China, of course, will be very angrybut theres nothing it can do, he said.

When the United States sent an Air Force cargo plane carrying a delegation of three U.S. senators to meet with Taiwans president in June, Beijing issued similar warnings.

On Friday, the Peoples Liberation Army and Navy held joint amphibious landing exercises, state-run media Global Times reported on July 18. The drills should serve as a warning to the United States and Taiwan secessionists, an unnamed military expert told the outlet.

Continuing the Trump administrations friendly posture towards Taiwan, the Biden administration has increased support to the island by sending high-level officials, donating vaccines, and reviving economic talks.

This approach to Taiwan is the result of a consensus between the Republicans and Democrats about the need to counter threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Twu said.

According to Twu, a former Taiwanese health minister and lawmaker, both parties now agree they should not let the CCP continue to destroy the whole world, and we especially should not let the CCP destroy Taiwan.

Standing together with Taiwan used to be vague, he added. Now its not vague. Now its become very clear.

Ian Easton, senior director at Virginia-based think tank the Project 2049 Institute, described the recent U.S. military aircraft landing in Taipei as a bold political move and an important milestone.

Gestures of diplomatic support like this matter a great deal because Taiwan is isolated and under siege by the Chinese Communist Party, Easton told The Epoch Times in an email.

Alice Yang, an assistant research fellow at Taiwans Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the move showed that the U.S will support Taiwan in some instances.

Facing increasing aggression from an authoritarian China, the island is left looking to strong allies, such as the United States and Japan, for support, Yang told The Epoch Times.

Its very hard for Taiwanese people to defend ourselves [on our own], she said.

Taiwan is looking for increased engagement with the United States, according to Yang. Taiwanese people really want to feel that we can depend on, rely on the U.S. if something did happen.

While the United States does not have formal diplomatic ties with the island, it is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

Easton foresees broadening political and military exchanges between the two sides going forward.

There is little Beijing can do to arrest the improvement in U.S.-Taiwan relations that does not increase the risk to itself and cause self-harm, said Easton, also the author of The Chinese Invasion Threat: Taiwans Defense and American Strategy in Asia.

The more the CCP relies on coercion, the more American officials will likely feel compelled to move toward normal diplomatic and military exchanges with Taiwan.

Twu believes the likelihood of the communist regime invading Taiwan is very low, but not out of the question.

The CCP is impeded from launching an attack on Taiwan because it is bogged down by both internal and external problems, Twu said. Domestically, the Party is beset by factional struggles, while internationally, scrutiny is increasing over whether the COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a leak from a Wuhan lab.

Theyve told lies for too long, he said.
The Royal Caribbeans Odyssey of The Seas arrives at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on June 10, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Appeals Court Keeps Pandemic Rules in Place for Florida-Based Cruise Ships

A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a judges ruling that sided with a Florida lawsuit seeking to overturn the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) pandemic restrictions on cruise ships.

In a ruling on July 17 (pdf), a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a temporary stay in the case, effectively allowing the CDCs guidelines for cruise operators to remain in place while the agency appeals a June decision by a district court that stated that the CDC exceeded its authority by imposing restrictions on the industry.

The state of Florida on April 8 sued the federal government over its prolonged shutdown of cruises, arguing that trips are being run safely in other parts of the world and the U.S. industry is on the brink of financial ruin, according to a 156-page suit filed in federal court and obtained by The Epoch Times.

The CDC ordered cruises to stop departing and returning to U.S. ports in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then on Oct. 30, 2020, the CDC imposed a four-phase conditional framework it said would allow the industry to gradually resume operations if certain thresholds were met.

The lawsuit asked a judge to bar the CDC from preventing cruises from launching from Florida and other U.S. ports. If the shutdown continues, Florida will lose hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, and the approximately 159,000 state residents who work in the industry could lose everything, according to the suit, which names the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services and their directors.

This is not reasonable. This is not rational, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, told a press conference on April 8. And this is something that we dont believe can continue any longer.

We are not going to sit back while its administrative agency decides to shut down an entire industry, the states Attorney General Ashley Moody said.

In June, a federal judge ruled for Florida in the lawsuit, with U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday writing in a 124-page decision that the state would be harmed if the CDC order were to continue.

Florida persuasively claims that the conditional sailing order will shut down most cruises through the summer and perhaps much longer, the judge wrote, adding that Florida faces an increasingly threatening and imminent prospect that the cruise industry will depart the state.

Merryday delayed the effect of his order until just after midnight on July 18, with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appealss decision coming just ahead of that date.

In a court filing cited by CBS News, attorneys for Florida urged the appeals court to reject the CDCs request to keep the pandemic restrictions in place.

The equities overwhelmingly favor allowing the cruise industry to enjoy its first summer season in two years while this Court sorts out the CDCs contentions on appeal, Floridas lawyers argued, according to the report.

Attorneys representing the CDC stated in court filings cited by CBS that maintaining the restrictions would prevent future outbreaks on ships.
PASADENA, CA - JULY 29: Katie Hopkins at 'Sex, Presidents & Handmaids Hosted by Lady Freak' panel during Politicon at Pasadena Convention Center on July 29, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for Politicon)

Australian Govt Revokes Visa of UK Commentator Katie Hopkins for Breaching Quarantine

British conservative commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported back to the UK following her comments on social media that she breached Australias quarantine rules while in Sydney.

Australias Home Affairs Minister, Karen Andrews, confirmed the decision on July 19, adding that Hopkins actions were unacceptable given the current state of lockdown across Australian states.

The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling, Andrews told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). [I]t was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown.

We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can possibly arrange that, so Im hopeful that it will happen imminently.

In her now deleted post that was uploaded on Instagram on July 17, Hopkins criticised Australias response to the pandemic, saying that lockdowns were the biggest hoax of all time. She also detailed how she broke hotel quarantine rules by opening her door to workers naked with no face mask.

Quarantine rules require Hopkins to wear a mask and wait 30 seconds before opening the door for food deliveries.

In response, Hopkins said she never broke quarantine rules.

EXTREME HUMOUR. I have never broken quarantine, she wrote on an Instagram post on July 19.

Hopkins was due to appear as a contestant or housemate on Channel Sevens Big Brother, and was granted a travel exemption from the NSW state government on the basis of potential benefit to the economy, Andrews said.

Big Brothera reality game show where contestants live in a monitored house isolated from the outside worldreceived an exemption to bring in offshore contestants with the support of the NSW state government.

The NSW government approved quarantine for Big Brother contestants above the quarantine cap, Andrews saidamong whom include American celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, who landed in Sydney on July 16, reported TMZ.

However, Channel Seven decided to terminate Hopkins Big Brother contract following public outrage over her now deleted video post.

Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP, a Channel Seven spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times. Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.

Victorian Labor MP Andrew Giles added that Hopkins behaviour was grossly disrespectful to frontline workers who are trying to keep us safe.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said all visa holders who are in Australia during a pandemic are expected to abide by all public health directives issued by both Commonwealth and state and territory governments.

A breach of these directions is considered a potential risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community, the spokesperson said, adding that the Australian Border Force can issue warnings, cancel visas, and remove non-citizens in more serious cases.

This comes as the number of international arrivals coming into Australia via commercial flights was halved from July 14. Meanwhile, Sydney and Melbourne are in lockdown as concerns grow over a rise in case numbers of the Delta variant of the CCP virus.

Last year, Hopkins was de-platformed on Twitter over hateful conduct, reported Breitbart.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Australian Border Force and Katie Hopkins for comment on the news but had not received any in time for publication.
Burn It All Down: Violent Language Leads to Violent Actions

Commentary

You wouldnt think opposing burning churches would be controversial in Canada. But it upsets a surprising number of people including Harsha Walia, former British Columbia Civil Liberties Association head, and a bunch of her supporters. How did we get here?

As Global News observed, In a June 30 tweet responding to a news article about a pair of Catholic churches burning down, Walia wrote burn it all down. And she was immediately not fired. Nor two weeks later. Finally on July 16 the BCCLA grudgingly conceded that they were cutting her loose in a cowardly act of capitulation to a racist sexist mob.

No, really. On announcing her resignation with heavy hearts, the board of directors said in a follow-up letter that their outfit was facing inexcusable racism and misogyny and threats to physical and mental safety. Apparently We encountered a wave of hateful commentary, fuelled by the fact that our executive director is a racialized woman leader. And crumpled.

They also squeezed out the modern Im-sorry-you-idiots-were-offended apology, allowing that burn it all down as churches burned left some people with the wrong impression about the values and principles to which we adhere. But basically, theyre the victims. You cheer on a few lousy church burnings and the bigots come crawling out of the woodwork in numbers we no longer dare oppose.

The American Civil Liberties Union famously defended the right of Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois, in 1978 on the principled, courageous basis that sunlight destroys evil. And it seemed to work; it wasnt free speech but wokism that fuelled the counter-intolerance of Trumpism. Nowadays these outfits offer just cookie-cutter hard-left identity politics, as for instance Ms. Walias Wikipedia biography, full of anti-capitalism and noting that She is a frequent guest speaker at campuses. Unlike conservatives who get forcibly deplatformed in the name of fighting verbal violence with the real stuff. So how did we get to this dismal pass?

For 60 years now weve been told to let it all hang out, Do what thou wilt, and, frankly, give in to the dark side of the force. And we did, as the older understanding of human nature, as requiring personal and social restraints to avoid running amok because we are all sinners, gave way to an even older one where might makes right and losers are mocked.

As one lawyer tweeted about Walia, let me be clear, I would help her burn it all down. And that would light our way forward. And also, I would help defend anyone charged with arson if they actually did burn things. Adding Ps. Burn it all down. Doesnt literally mean, burn it down. But just in case, I can also defend, both civil and criminal.

Yeah. Just in case. And some comedian claimed burn it all down is clearly referring to a challenge to historic systemic inequities as a result of ongoing colonization and assimilation in Canada. Shall we then burn down his house, a phrase here meaning challenge ideological excuse-making?

No. Absolutely not. Because this brutal neo-pagan culture is not just on one side today. Doubtless the BCCLAs incoming social media rockets over Walias tweet, and before, were often racist and sexist. Internet commentary is frequently appalling on all sides, including the torrent of obscenity in place of argument. And too many right-wing pundits being sneering, self-pitying, and malevolent. When Foxs Tucker Carlson called Walia a monster there was no charity.

For many years it has been canonical in the West that the Enlightenment finally pried human rights from the brutal, superstitious clutches of Christianity. It is absurdly ahistorical; the casual cruelty of antiquity is its most baffling quality, for now at least. But it is also a dangerous guide forward because it assumes we can ecraser linfame and keep the unprecedented gentleness, pity, and second chances arising from Christianitys transvaluation of all values with a God who embraced weakness, shame, and victimization.

Cancel culture shows we cannot. Could Caligula be less sympathetic as the lions pranced toward a doomed victim across the arena sand? Or Prime Minster Justin Trudeaus close friend and former advisor Gerald Butts tweeting that burning churches might be understandable (which one doubts he would say of mosques). Or the head of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and others dismissing outrage as pearl clutching because Burn it all down is part of a lexicon of social movements going back two centuries.

Bosh. Like Burn, baby, burn in the 1960s as fire gutted American inner cities, the violent language means what it says, driven by violent thinking toward violent actions. And these people are not being insincere. Not even in whining about microaggression but cheering as churches burn. On the contrary, they think fair play is weakness, pity is for losers, and they intend to be winners.

On a charred and poisoned landscape.

John Robson is a documentary filmmaker, National Post columnist, contributing editor to the Dorchester Review, and executive director of the Climate Discussion Nexus. His most recent documentary is The Environment: A True Story.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Businesses in California Today Are Conditioning People to Submit to Tyranny | Chris Banescu

Do you see a working environment these days where people cant speak freely about their opinions? Are you noticing a shift in the corporate culture where diversity of thought is no longer acceptable?

In our latest edition of California Insider, our guest Chris Banescu, author and entrepreneur, explains why he thinks companies are becoming more indoctrination centers and more anti-free speech.

California Insider is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube, Rumble, Youmaker, and The Epoch Times website. It also airs on cable on NTD America. Find out where you can watch us on TV.

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California Gubernatorial Candidates Argue Necessity of Recalling Newsom

YORBA LINDA, Calif.A group of eight gubernatorial candidates gathered in Yorba Linda on July 16 to discuss the states most pressing issues.

With the special election set for Sept. 14, the candidates also argued the necessity of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom.

I just want to say thank you very much to everyone who has built what is the greatest citizens movement in California history, state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) told a crowd of nearly 400 attendees.

The two-hour discussion allowed each candidate a one-minute block to answer questions by the moderator.

Topics of discussion included the recall of current Gov. Gavin Newsom, the lockdown during the CCP virus pandemic, high housing costs, decriminalization, homelessness, wildfires, low-performing public education, and others.

Anthony Trimino, who won the popular vote for the discussion panel, said he intends to collaborate and, if necessary, use leverage against the Democrat supermajority to comply with residents needs.

Even though its a blue state, I believe there are more of us than them, but we havent been provoked until now, Trimino told The Epoch Times.

Were going to work on eliminating the basis of ideology like critical race theory, sexuality in the classrooms, were going to reverse mask mandates for children, and were going to eliminate the vaccine passport. My position is if you want the vaccine, you can have it, but there should be no mandate to receive it.

California Exodus

Californias population declined by 182,083 people in 2020, according to the Department of Finance. Thats the first time the state reported a decline since the department began collecting data in 1900.

Kiley said many Californians are fleeing the state because political corruption  is impacting our quality of life in every way that you see around you.

The impetus for recalling Newsom, Kiley said, comes from his losing touch with Californians and not governing in their interest when residents were protesting the lockdowns in counties all around the state.

Public Education

School choice was a widely discussed topic during the forum. Many candidates said Californians are fleeing the state because the public school system is failing, as the state ranks 40th in the nation in K12 education.

We need to make sure that the funding the state provides presently to districts based on campuseswe need to make sure that funding follows the child wherever the parent decides that child to go, former congressman Doug Ose told attendees.

Working with a Democratic supermajority is complicated as a Republican, he said.

I cannot overemphasize to you that experience in this level of government matters, Ose said. Youve got to be able to see where the other sides coming from.

A Leader for the People

Sarah Stephens, a pastor from Southern California, said that due to the travesties that occurred last year with the lockdowns, many Californians are not going to be voting Democrat anymore.  Theyre going to be voting for a candidate of their choice.

Stephens said she has spent years getting homeless off the street.

We have the highest homelessness in the nation175,000 homeless people here in California, Stephens said.

For those with serious drug addictions, the best thing for them is to put them into a program, she said. There is the Dream Center in LA that has an amazing success rate of transforming peoples lives.

Businesswoman Jenny Rae Le Roux said she would have handled the CCP virus pandemic and lockdowns differently as governor.

We would have had 43 counties open, 10 on watch, five closed, and allocated our resources in different directions. We would have used data throughout the pandemic to maintain freedom instead of constraining it.

Back the Blue

Businessman and pastor Tim Herode said Newsom is not for We the People, and when youre hired by an employer and dont do your job  you get fired.

Herode said the more than $30 billion in unemployment fraudand other crimes in the past yearmay have been due to releasing prisoners and a call to defund the police.

We have to be tough on crime  [and] we cant defund our police and hire a social worker to take their place, he said.

Our frontline workers are out there protecting us, and we need to fund them and honor them for what they do and pay them a very competitive wage.

Government Overreach

Rhonda Furin, a former Democrat and public educator, said shes running for governor to stop government overreach and socialism from ruling the future generation.

We actually need to bring back churches into our schools.  The answer is not throwing money into it, she said.

Furin said that her experience working with teachers for much of her life adds to her ability to reach across the line, and work with Democrats, as most teachers are Democrats.

Diego Martinez said that as a small-business owner, he considered leaving the state due to overregulation and high taxes.

We leave California because we cant afford to live here, he said. We need to deregulate California, bring business back, lower our taxes and make California affordable.

We have legislators take our state and ruin it, and we have idly stood by. Its time that we stand up together and fight for our state and stay in California.

The event was hosted by the Pat Nixon Republican Women Federated.
A Chinese paramilitary stands guard on Tiananmen Square before a flag raising ceremony in Beijing on March 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Canada Joins Allies in Blaming China for Massive Attack on Email Servers

OTTAWACanada is joining the United States and other allies in blaming China for a massive cyber attack that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year.

The attack saw hackers exploit weaknesses in Microsoft Exchange email servers, with an estimated 400,000 servers compromised by March.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan say authorities are confident that Chinas Ministry of State Security was responsible for compromising the servers.

They go on to allege the attack was aimed at stealing intellectual property and personal information, and that one particular group that previously targeted Canada was among several Chinese entities involved.

China has previously denied any involvement.

Canada and its allies have been increasingly calling out China, Russia and other countries for alleged cyber attacks in an effort to rein in such activity.
A U.S. Customs and Protection vehicle stands beside a sign reading that the border is closed to non-essential traffic at the CanadaUnited States border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge, to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada, on Sept. 28, 2020. (Lars Hagberg/File Photo)

Canada Will Reopen Borders to Fully Vaccinated Americans Starting Next Month

Canada will allow Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the country next month, officials said on July 19.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said that U.S. citizens and permanent residents living in the United States who have received the vaccine at least 14 days before trying to cross the border can enter on Aug. 9, according to a statement from the government of Canada.

They will have to have a full set of shots accepted by the Canadian government. That includes vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.

Entry to Canada will continue to be prohibited for U.S. travelers who are not fully vaccinated and for all other foreign nationals, unless they already meet an exemption set out in the Orders made under the Quarantine Act, the Canadian governments news release said.

Those who try to cross the border have to provide evidence supporting their vaccination in English or French, or with a certified translation of their vaccine.

The government said theyll also have to provide COVID-19-related information electronically through ArriveCAN (app or web portal) including proof of vaccination prior to departing for Canada, meet testing requirements before entering, be COVID-19 asymptomatic, and have a digital or paper copy of their vaccination documentation.

Travelers, according to the health agency, will also need to provide Canadian authorities with a suitable quarantine plan and will have to be prepared to quarantine.

They will also be required to follow public health measures in place, such as monitoring for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, wearing a mask when in public, and keeping a copy of their vaccination documentation and test resultsas well as a list of close contacts and locations visitedfor 14 days after entry to Canada, the release stated.

In addition, starting on Sept. 7, the Canadian government will allow fully vaccinated people from any country to enter unless cases in the country start to rise again.

It isnt clear when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will allow Canadian travelers to cross into the United States. DHS officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the United States extended restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential trade & travel, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to several news outlets on July 19.

DHS also notes positive developments in recent weeks and is participating with other U.S. agencies in the White Houses expert working groups with Canada and Mexico to identify the conditions under which restrictions may be eased safely and sustainably.

Over the past few months, Republican lawmakers have expressed concern about what they said is the suppression of religious freedom within Canada, and theyve asserted that the Canadian government has used COVID-19 lockdown orders to unfairly target churches and religious leaders.

Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent Western nation like Canada. Canadian authorities arrest of faith leaders and seizure of church property, among other enforcement actions, appear to constitute systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said in a letter last month to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Example of a missile silo: A deactivated Titan II nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile is seen in a silo at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., on May 12, 2015. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas New Missile Silos Spark Concerns of War Over Taiwan

NEW DELHIChina is building 120 new silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) near its northwestern desert city of Yumen, indicating a significant expansion in its nuclear forces and sparking concerns of a Taiwan-related conflict between China and the United States.

Construction of these silos began in March 2020, with major assembly happening rapidly after February 2021, and is likely meant for Chinas DF-41 ICBM, which is capable of carrying multiple warheads, according to a satellite imagery analysis by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (CNS/MIIS).

If the silos under construction at other sites across China are added to the count, the total comes to 144 silos under construction, said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the CNS/MIIS in a summary of the analysis on his blog, Arms Control Wonk. We believe China is expanding its nuclear forces in part to maintain a deterrent that can survive a US first strike and retaliate in sufficient numbers to defeat US missile defenses.

Lewis said that he leans strongly towards the interpretation that China is possibly building a large number of silos to complicate the ability of the United States to target Chinas ICBM force.

S. Chandrashekhar, a former scientist with the Indian Space Research Organization whose work covered satellites and rockets, application of space technology, and particularly remote sensing, told The Epoch Times that the silos might be needed to increase the survivability of Chinas ICBMs and that the Chinese may want some of these missiles to have the protection of underground tunnels with silos for launching.

They may also use rail or other [forms of transportation]moving them around to increase survivability, he said, adding that the United States and even the Soviets or the Russians had used such approaches during the cold war.

All of these that are reported are a logical extension of a plan that China has been pushing for some time, he said.

In addition to the new silos in Yumen, there were reports of 16 new silos east of the city of Jilantai, according to another satellite imagery analysis done over a period of two years by Hans Kristensen and published by the Federation of American Scientists in February.

The Epoch Times couldnt independently verify if the 144 new silos under construction in China include the 16 identified by Kristensen.

The Chinese militarys new DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles, that can reportedly reach the United States, are seen at a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, at Tiananmen Square on Oct. 1, 2019, in Beijing, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Possibility of US-China Conflict

Kunal Singh, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies nuclear weapons, told The Epoch Times in an email that he views the increase in silos as an indication of the Chinese leadership becoming more serious about the possibility of a U.S.-China conflict in the coming years.

Any such conflict can remain limited but can also escalate even if none of the parties want it to, said Singh. China does not have nuclear parity with the United States. Far from parity, China is believed to have just enough nuclear warheads so as to threaten some retaliation after the United States strikes first.

Abhishek Darbey, a research associate with the New Delhi-based Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, told The Epoch Times over the phone that the United States has around 5,500 nuclear weapons and the Chinese have around 350.

There is a huge gap, said Darbey. Also, in terms of the deployment, the United States has nearly 1,376 nuclear weapons at any one time, while the Chinese have 50-70 ICBMs.

Singh said this parity indicates China doesnt have a large number of backup forces and building silos is a way to make sure that the United States will have to squander many of its missiles on these silos if it ever decides to strike China first.

These silos could absorb a large number of U.S. missiles and this, China hopes, will keep the mobile missiles safer, said Singh. Essentially, the move seems to be driven by a calculation that a U.S.-China conflict has become much more likely, and hence, Beijing cannot just rest easy with its wafer-thin second-strike survivability.

According to the CIA, Chinas present development of its road-mobile solid-fuel ICBM force was triggered by the deployment of Trident II D5 missiles by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, said Kristensen.

This action-reaction dynamic is most likely a factor in Chinas current modernization, he said.

Chandrashekhar said that by building more silos, China is sending a clear message to the world.

The silos for the DF 31 and DF 41 may be just to make sure that Chinas second-strike capability is improved and to state it clearly  make it known to all that they have the numbers and the mobility to survive and retaliate, he said, adding that these missiles are all directed at the United States.

Military vehicles carrying DF-31AG intercontinental ballistic missiles participate in a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019, (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Other missiles located all over China on mobile transporters, submarines, aircraft, and shipsalong with several other platforms and weaponsaddress regional actors such as Japan, Guam, and Taiwan, said Chandrashekhar.

Kristensen mentioned in his report that the U.S. Air Force has 450 silos, of which 400 are loaded.

Pressure on the Region

According to Singh, if the silo buildup is preparation for a possible conflict with the United States, that brings up questions for regional U.S. allies.

Indirectly, if the silos are an indication that a conflict over Taiwan is coming sooner than we expected, that raises a number of questions for Indo-Pacific countries like India, Japan, and Australia, said Singh. Each will have to decide the kind of role it has to play in the run-up to such a conflict and during the conflict.

Darbey said U.S. military activities have increased around the eastern coast of China, the Taiwan Strait, and the South China Sea. Almost every day theres an American aircraft or a ship near the Chinese coast.

Such activities are usually followed by some Chinese military response and other diplomatic reactions from the Chinese foreign ministry, he said.

These activities from either side are escalating both in terms of frequency and severity, and it has really created pressure for the Chinese Communist Party, said Darbey. The silos are actually to create a deterrence against the U.S. for any possible intervention in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan, or China.

The Biden administration also sent an unofficial delegation to Taiwan in April this year, which the Chinese regime objected to, saying that its against the bilateral agreement signed between the two sides. Darbey noted that the United States also supports Taiwan militarily, which has always irked the regime.

Chandrashekhar, however, said that the likely possibility of any tense situation escalating into a hot war is very low.

Small conflicts, tit-for-tat responses, especially in the South and East China seas, saber-rattling, a lot of media hypeall will happen, he said. Direct war? Unlikely.
A police officer is detaining a petitioner, who is protesting about medical and land grab issues, outside the Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, China on May 8, 2012. (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese Regime Spent Hundreds of Thousands to Block a Petitioner Who Was Seeking $15,000 in Compensation

A Chinese citizen who has appealed for injury compensation for her father for a decade discovered the regime had spent morethan $300,000 to stop her petition, but refused to pay her father a work injury subsidy of less than $15,000.

Furthermore, a document issued by a local authority on Feb. 2, 2020, claimed that they had paid the father almost $30,000 for his treatment, but the petitioners family never received it.

Liu Yi, the petitioners young sister and legal representative, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on July 18 that she got the chance to review the petitioners legal dossier at the court, in which she found the above-mentioned document.

During the hearing, I pointed out the regimes cost on controlling my sister, and none of our family members received any penny that the document described. The judge ignored my words, and just simply skipped the questions, Yi said.

Liu Li, the petitioner, lives at Hongling street, Bayi town, Sujiatun District of Shenyang city in northeastern Chinas Liaoning Province. The father Liu Shuyi was injured when he worked for the local regime in 2009, but the regime refused to pay the work injury subsidy. Without health care insurance or savings, the father couldnt receive the treatment he needed. Li accompanied her father to petition the Chinese central regime, the only way for Chinese people to defend themselves if they cant afford an expensive lawsuit in the communist country.

A police officer is trying to detain a petitioner, who is protesting about medical issues, outside the Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, China on May 10, 2012. (Mark Ralston/AFP/GettyImages)

A Fathers Cry

The Liu family was poor and the father Shuyi had to work very hard to make enough money to feed the family. The family lived in extreme poverty when Shuyi couldnt work and needed money to receive hospital treatments. The family hoped that petition could help them, however, the result was the opposite.

Then 69-year-old Shuyi worked for the Bayi township government as the operator of a coal-fired boiler on the evening of Jan. 12, 2009, when he had an accident on his way to work. On that dark night, a car hit Shuyi from behind when he was riding on his bicycle. The car escaped quickly and Shuyi walked to his workplace with a bleeding head.

According to Chinas Work Injury Insurance Regulations, the employer has the responsibility to pay the medical cost and compensation if the employee is injured because of anothers fault on their way going to or leaving from their workplace.

Seeing Shuyi was injured badly, his co-workers quickly sent him to a hospital, but the hospital discharged him after three and a half days because Shuyis family couldnt pay for further treatment, and the township government refused to pay any work injury subsidy, which they should pay according to the employment contract that Shuyi signed with the regime and the laws.

Soon after, Shuyi and Li started their appealing journal for hospital treatment and compensation.

In China, people are granted the right to petition in the constitution. However, the regime treats petitioning as a behavior that could damage the partys rule. It uses the excuse of maintaining societys stability to detain the petitioners at detention centers, even sentencing them to prison.

In the past 12 years, the Lius completed some petitions, in which the National Petition Office in Beijing promised to contact the township government to arrange treatment for Shuyi. But the township government and local authority never took action to help the Lius. They then tried to appeal again.

Most of the time, the petitions failed because they were stopped and even detained at detention centers by policemen before they could approach the National Petition Office. Li was detained in different prisons several times after the failed petitions. The latest one happened in January 2020, and Li had been detained at Shenyang No. 1 Detention Center for almost 18 months.

Shuyi suffered a lot from the petitions too. He made his last trip on Oct. 27, 2018, and was detained by police from Shenyang city at Beijing Railway Station. With untreated injuries and the threat of being detained again, Shuyi suddenly felt very sick. The police realized that Shuyi might die at any time, and called an ambulance for him. On Nov. 6, 2018, Shuyi died at Tongren Hospital in Beijing at 78.

After Shuyis death, Li continued the petition by herself. To make the petition easier, Li found a temporary job in Beijing and moved to the city.

The photos of the Hongling street governments document, in which it claimed spending $300,000 to control a petitioner Liu Li from Sujiatun, Shenyang city in northeastern Chinas Liaoning Province on Feb. 2, 2020. (Provided to The Epoch Times by Interviewee)

Government Document

On Jan. 13, 2020, a police officer stopped Li and asked for her ID when she was walking on Fuyou Street, where the National Petition Office is located. The police quickly detained Li because her ID number was on a blacklist of petitioners.

The police sent then 51-year-old Li back to Shenyang and announced an arrest on Feb. 19, 2020. Her sister Yi then applied to be Lis legal representative because Li was detained inside the detention center and didnt have freedom of movement. After being approved by the Sujiatun District Court, Yi had the chance to read Lis legal dossier to the court and took photos of documents detailing the costs to control the petitions.

From June 2009 to now (February 2020), we, the street government, spent 2,081,740 yuan ($321,000) to help Liu Li and maintain the social stability [stop Lis petitions], the document wrote. [In the same period of time], the street government had spent 191,453 yuan ($29,500) on her father Liu Shuyi.

Most of the $321,000 was spent on police travels from Shenyang to Beijing or other cities when they were trying to stop the Lius, as well as meals, hotel costs, travel allowances, and bonuses for the police. Other expenses include the cost to transport the Lius from Beijing to Shenyang and the cost to detain Li at detention centers and prisons.

The document listed $7,100 given to the Lius as living relief. However, Yi said that Shuyi and Li had never received the money that the street government claimed. She gave an example of the recent unfair treatment they faced.

The National Petition Office approved our application for social security relief, which is over 230,000 yuan ($35,500) in total. The office ordered the street government to pay us on June 1. But the street government refused to give a penny, and claimed that the regime didnt reach an agreement about the work injury subsidy with Liu Shuyi. But the social security relief isnt the work injury subsidy, and has no relation with the work injury subsidy, Yi said.

She said the most ridiculous points of the document include the regime claiming it paid for Shuyis hospital treatment in October 2019, but Shuyi died in November 2018. The regime also claimed the Liu family asked for $4 million in compensation, which they never asked for. In two different documents, the regime claimed it paid $7,680 and $4,310 for Shuyis hospital treatment in 2019. Shuyi and Li had never went to Beidaihe, but the regime said it sent officials and policemen to Beidaihe to stopping Lis petition, costing a huge amount of money.

We want the street government to explain things clearly to the public, Yi said. It has been 12 years, but the regime hasnt solved my fathers case.

Yi said that Li and she would report the case to Chinas top watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, because they believed that the related officials were engaged in corruption. They suspect that the officials used their case to make a profit for themselves.

The Chinese Communist regime would rather spend the huge amount of money on controlling people, rather than solve their problems. The Chinese regime is corrupt from central to rural. The officials dont take any action to benefit people, and dont care about peoples lives, Wang Jing, volunteer at Chinese human-rights websiteLiusi Tianwang, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on July 18.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab walks in Downing street in London on May 27, 2021. (Niklas Halle'n/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese Regime Will Be Held Accountable Unless It Ends Systematic Cyber Sabotage, UK Warns

The UK on Monday confirmed that Chinese state-backed actors were responsible for the cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange earlier this year that affected over a quarter of a million servers worldwide.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement that the attack was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour.

The Chinese government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held [to] account if it does not, Raab warned.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that its almost certain that Hafnium, a group that is highly likely to be linked with the Chinese state, was responsible for the attack.

It also assessed that the attack was highly likely to enable large-scale espionage, including acquiring personally identifiable information and intellectual property.

The NCSC said the attack on Microsoft Exchange servers was the most significant and widespread cyber intrusion against the UK and allies uncovered to date.

Paul Chichester, the NCSCs director of operations, said in a statement that the attack is another serious example of a malicious act by Chinese state-backed actors in cyberspace.

The NCSC said it was able to quickly provide tailored advice to affected organisations to mitigate the damage.

Officials also said that the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is behind activities known by cybersecurity experts as APT40 [Advanced Persistent Threat 40] and APT31 [Advanced Persistent Threat 31].

APT40, which targeted maritime industries and naval defence contractors in the United States and Europe, regional opponents of the Belt and Road Initiative, and multiple Cambodian electoral entities in the run-up to the 2018 election, is highly likely sponsored by the regional MSS security office, the MSS Hainan State Security Department (HSSD), the NCSC said.

It added that its almost certain that APT31, which targeted government entities, political figures, contractors, and service providers, is a group of contractors working directly for the MSS.

The UKs announcement comes in coordination with the UKs allies, including the United States, the European Union, and NATO.

NATO observes with increasing concern that cyber threats to the security of the Alliance are complex, destructive, coercive, and becoming ever more frequent, the security alliance said in its statement, adding that it condemns such malicious cyber activities designed to destabilize and harm Euro-Atlantic security and disrupt the daily lives of our citizens.

Reaffirming NATOs defensive mandate, the Alliance is determined to employ the full range of capabilities, as applicable, at all times to actively deter, defend against, and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, in accordance with international law, the statement reads.

Also on Monday, the United States charged four Chinese Nationals involved with APT40, three of whom are alleged officers in the HSSD, a provincial arm of Chinas MSS.

The defendants were charged with a campaign to hack into the computer systems of dozens of victim companies, universities, and government entities in the United States and abroad between 2011 and 2018.

The U.S. Department of Justice said the campaign targeted victims in the United States, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Critical Race Theory Makes It Easier to Manipulate Young Minds

Commentary

As defined by Encyclopedia Britannica: Critical Race Theory (CRT), is an intellectual movement and loosely-organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.

Critical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans.

CRT is a way of thinking about Americas history through the lens of racism. It was a school of thought developed in the 1970s in response to what some people viewed as a lack of racial progress following the civil rights legislation of the 1960s.

It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and that those institutions function today to maintain the dominance of white people in society.

Proponents believe that race is not biological, but culturally invented, and because of that, our institutions and federal laws have preserved unequal treatment of people of color.

CRT dismisses the idea that racism stems from acts of individuals, but is rooted in a system of oppression based on a socially-constructed hierarchy that only allows white people to reap material benefits over people of color by the misuse of power.

Many teachers unions, educators and social studies organizations now support the teaching of CRT in our schools. They believe awareness of past acts of racial discrimination against people of color, perpetrated by whites because of systemic racism, is absolutely necessary before true equity for all minority classes can be achieved.

To apply CRT in an educational environment requires todays students, whether they have experienced acts of racism or not, to be fully cognizant of past acts of racial discrimination. Students are forced to accept the theory that if you are white, you have been privileged to be part of the oppressor class, and if you are non-white, you are part of the class that has been oppressed, or systematically held back.

The supporters of CRT believe that any limits placed upon the teaching of the theory will whitewash American history by downplaying the role past injustices still play today.

Of Historic Importance

I want to stress at this point that I am a firm believer of the importance and the value of lessons of the past, be they good or bad. Without knowledge of those lessons, or an understanding of how they came to be, we have little chance to advance our lot or improve society.

Only a fool does not learn from lessons of the past, and the ignorant learn the wrong things from the past. To reap the benefits of past lessons, it is crucial that we view those lessons in their proper perspective with a knowledge of how those lessons came to be, and an open mind as to their relative importance.

There is no doubt that there have been horrible instances of racial discrimination in our nations past, as there have been ten-fold in almost all other nations the world over.

Yes, it is important to have a knowledge of past injustices. Yes, there have been times when our institutions and system of laws have supported racial and even gender disparities. Laws enforcing segregation or prohibiting women to vote are just two examples, but have we not as a nation, made tremendous strides to change those laws in the direction of true equality?

Are we not the only nation in the world that has opened our doors to people of different color from all over the world? Is our Constitution, with its clauses of liberty and justice for all, and amendments to assure that all men are created equal and with equal opportunity, not a sole and unique approach in a world awash with racial and class strife?

Selective History

CRT does not acknowledge that our nations institutions have been constantly improving by redefining and modifying its laws and guidelines to serve a population that is changing, and demanding more equality for all its citizens. Instead, CRT doubles down on the negative aspects of racial instances of the past, and completely ignores what the efforts, aspirations and actions of those individuals, who make up the classes, have done to prevent such instances in the future.

When the application of CRT focuses only on past examples of institutional class oppression on the basis of skin color, it misses the opportunity of providing any knowledge of individual equality or responsibility.

White students are made to feel guilty because of past racial incidents that they have had absolutely nothing to do with, and students of color are made to feel inferior because they have been held back by an oppressive white society. The teaching of CRT denies individual students of all colors the opportunity to aspire to do more and better when it comes to race relations.

Because CRT promotes class distinction and division by means of skin color and guilt by association, it is much easier to manipulate young and innocent minds by calling for class equity as opposed to individual equality.

The Guilt Card

CRT uses the emotion of guilt to deliver its message. Guilt is a very powerful negative tool that can easily be used to motivate todays young students, many who have had no negative racial discrimination experience at all. Such an approach ignores and negates the wonderful race relations advances that this nation has achieved in the past century.

Its a fact that any type of racism and discrimination left unchecked will only promote more of the same. So why does CRT not use the educational setting to promote those concepts in our society that have been proven to eradicate racism and promote true equality by encouraging the individual aspirations of students to do so?

I think the answers are clear.

CRT emphasizes group association over individual responsibility, and skin color over character in order to achieve its goal of class distinctiona very un-American concept that goes against all that our laws and institutions are striving to protect.

When CRT says race is not biological but culturally invented, it defies the reality that many of us have different skin colors. Is the real goal here to subvert and denigrate American laws and institutions that have been specifically set up to protect racial equality and ensure equal opportunity?

When CRT subjugates the individual to that of a class, and guilt by association to that class, it diminishes the desire and aspirations of young individuals, regardless of color, to achieve even more in terms of race equality. Those who suffer the most by such reverse reasoning are precisely those students of color who will be denied the opportunity to advance themselves on their abilities apart from their skin color or class.

It is very easy to promote class distinction and even animosity via the negative effects of guilt by association, and that is my primary objection to the introduction of CRT in todays curriculum. To emphasize only the negatives as opposed to the positives is not the way to teach todays students who are in no way responsible for the atrocities of the past.

The Wrong Message

The application of teaching critical race theory could easily result in teaching our students not about the pitfalls of racism, but how to employ racism as a means to an end. Is this what we want for our students?

Americans of all races are rapidly becoming aware that our nation is under siege from those who, in their quest for self-serving political power, seek to transform the basic ideals that our country was founded upon.

The costs of allowing such maligned thinking are steep, especially if they include the brainwashing of our innocent children in schools that are teaching critical race theory under the guise of enlightenment about diverse equity.

When one examines the basic precepts and goals of such a harmful theory, it is easy to see it for what it is. It is a concerted effort to promote guilt, confusion, and division among different races of people, with the result of generating hate and animosity.

This most un-American of ideals is taking place right before our very eyes and is being soft-pedaled as intellectually enlightening our children to the realities of past racism in our history.

Again, it only presents one side of the story, and that is how white America abused and discriminated against all blacks mainly, and a few lesser mentioned minorities.

It uses instances and snapshots of racism in our past to push the narrative that because of those mistakes, America is systemically racist today.

It teaches that only whites have been the oppressors, and only non-whites have been the victims. It completely ignores the racist behavior of most other non-white races throughout history such as cannibalism, human sacrifice, tribalism, imperialism, slavery, genocide, and a multitude of other discriminatory practices in the effort to paint only whites as oppressors. CRT gives no credence or recognition to the concept that all human beings share a common humanity apart from race.

Many Americans know that in a country as multicultural as ours, there are and have been many examples of racism where whites have not been the oppressors but indeed the victims, as there are many different types of discrimination.

CRT does not acknowledge this, but insists that only white children must be made to feel guilty even though they themselves have had nothing to do with any kind of past racism. CRT emphasizes and encourages non-white children to think that they somehow are inferior and deserve to be preferentially treated as a class because they have been deprived to compete equally.

I think we have enough of the false reasoning, and purposeful distortion of historical facts such as CRT tries to impose. Its a dated theory being pushed by those who would have us regress a group of class warfare.

The politicians that support CRT and want to force it on our schools are just pandering for votes as they care nothing about the quality of education being provided to our youngsters or for their welfare tomorrow. They are just as guilty as the race mongers who invented CRT in their failure to acknowledge that America has moved on. The gruesome, cherry picked examples of past racism that they employ are in stark contrast to the reality of American society today.

People of different races are now neighbors, close friends, acquaintances, business partners, elected officials, and even family members.

This didnt happen because of the divisiveness taught by a twisted, bitter, and pseudo-intellectual fringe sect. It is happening because decent, intelligent, socially responsible, and caring people are rejecting skin color and class distinction as a gauge when it comes to their fellow man.

Tony Hall is a former supervisor in the city and county of San Francisco.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
People take part in a demonstration against the regime of Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana, Cuba, on July 11, 2021. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)

Cuban Artist Blasts BLM: All Black Lives Matter, Except Cuban Black Lives

A Cuban artist has accused the Black Lives Matter movement of disregarding Cuban black lives, after the organization put out a statement blaming the U.S. governments cruel and inhumane economic embargo for the current unrest in Cuba.

For #blacklivesmatters all black lives matter, except Cuban black lives, wrote Havana-based producer and director Jose Luis Aparicio Ferrera on Facebook.

The Marxist-inspired organization has faced strong criticism since posting a statement on July 14 in response to protests that have erupted in multiple cities across Cuba. Demonstrators have called for freedom and an end to the communist regime.

In its statement, Black Lives Matter also praised the communist regime for its solidarity by granting asylum to black revolutionaries.

The statement came in response to demonstrations that erupted in Cuba nationwide on July 11 amid widespread shortages of basic goods and demands for political rights.

The regime admitted some of its shortcomings last week, but mostly blamed the protests on U.S.-financed counter-revolutionaries exploiting economic hardship caused by U.S. sanctions.

Leader Miguel Diaz-Canel, who also heads the countrys Communist Party, said that Cubas enemy has once again thrown itself into destroying citizens sacred unity and tranquility.

Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez addresses the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 26, 2018. (John Moore/Getty Images)

He said it was no small matter to call a rally as the country saw increasing numbers of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus cases.

We convened you to denounce once more the blockade, the aggression, and terror, Diaz-Canel said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) echoed Blacks Lives Matters sentiment on July 15, when she blamed the suffering of everyday people in Cuba on the nations 60-year-old embargo.

We are seeing Cubans rise up and protest for their rights like never before. We stand in solidarity with them, and condemn the anti-democratic actions led by President Diaz-Canel, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist said in a statement.

Last month, once again, the U.N. voted overwhelmingly to call on the United States to lift its embargo on Cuba. The embargo is absurdly cruel and, like too many other U.S. policies targeting Latin Americans, the cruelty is the point. I outright reject the Biden administrations defense of the embargo. It is never acceptable for us to use cruelty as a point of leverage against everyday people.

Cuban American Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), whose family fled communist Cuba, was quick to denounce Black Lives Matter for their comments.

The extortionist ring known as the Black Lives Matter organization took a break today from shaking down corporations for millions & buying themselves mansions to share their support for the Communist regime in #Cuba, Rubio posted on social media.

Rubio called on the Biden administration last week to simultaneously maintain sanctions on Cuba and stand with the Cuban people in their fight against communism.

Theyre shooting people that literally are unarmed  and we should be clear. We should be clear in our language. We dont just condemn this tyranny, we condemn this communist, this Marxist, this socialist tyranny, Rubio said on the Senate floor. No. 2, we should make clear, nothings going to change. Theres not going to be any sanctions changed as a result of this.

President Joe Biden and White House press secretary Jen Psaki have both spoken against the ruling regime, with Psaki describing communism as a failed ideology last week.

Masooma Haq and Reuters contributed to this report.
Defending U.S. Freedoms and National SecuritySen. Blackburn, Rep. Brooks, Gordon Chang, Ken Paxton

With China threatening to crack the heads of its enemies, a recent Russian cyber-attack on a U.S. pipeline, and terrorist activity rife in the Middle East, is learning critical race theory really the highest priority for U.S. troops? Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) doesnt think so.

For this CPAC Texas 2021 special, I interview Rep. Mo Brooks, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and former HUD Sec. Ben Carson and other U.S. conservative leaders on preserving American freedoms and national security.

Holding the China regime to account for spreading the coronavirus, suing big-tech for 1st amendment violation, combating child sex-trafficking, and Americas fentanyl epidemic are among the issues explored.

While situations like the Southern border crisis threaten our nations stability, signs of Americans coming together to face these threatsfrom young to old, from worker to congressmanoffer hope of restoring the nations strength and dignity.

Hosted by NTD journalist Brendon Fallon, Wide Angle is following the latest political developments in the United States and abroad, and finding the connection between these and the larger global trends of our times.

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Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Detained While Pregnant, Families Torn Apart: 2 Women Recall Torment of Being Targets of CCPs Persecution

BROOKLYN, N.Y.The two womens lives have run in parallel with each other, despite their never having met before.

Both were born in China and later fled to New York after nearly two decades of sustained harassment and arrests. Both were detained while pregnant and were threatened with forcible abortion. And both declined to do the one thing the authorities wanted them to do: renounce their beliefs.

They are both adherents of Falun Gong, a meditation practice grounded in the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance that became hugely popular in China three decades ago. In 1999, after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) labeled the practice a threat, Peng Zhaoli from Chongqing in southwestern China and Xia Haizhen from Shanghaiboth in their 20s at the timebecame targets for local police, along with the other 70 million to 100 million Falun Gong adherents all over China.

Falun Gong practitioners in a vigil commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the persecution in China, in Manhattan on July 18, 2021. The Chinese characters in front of them read truthfulness, compassion, tolerance. (Larry Dye/The Epoch Times)

Peng and Xia, now both around 50, joined a nearly 1,000-strong parade in Brooklyn on July 18 to raise awareness about the persecution, which began 22 years ago this week. Too many around them have suffered similar mistreatment and pain, they said. And they want it to end.

The regime arrested people by households if they didnt give up the practice, Peng said.

It was just months into Pengs marriage, and not yet one month after she found out she was pregnant, when she was thrown into a police van and later put into a detention facility. For each adherent they caught, the policemen got 2,000 yuan ($308) in reward, a considerable sum at the time, according to Peng.

Dont think we have no way to deal with you because youre pregnant, a police officer warned Peng, who was then 30 years old. We can abort your baby and sentence you to three years of forced labor.

Peng knew he wasnt bluffing. Local female adherents before her had lost their babies that way before being sent to prison, she said. The police stopped such threats after her family and friends publicized her case widely, and her mother, who was also detained at the time, went on a hunger strike in protest.

Without their efforts, he could have perished long ago, she said of her son, now a high school junior in New York.

Peng Zhaoli (C), with her husband and her son, ahead of a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

That was in March 2001. Both her younger sister and mother, also practitioners, were in jail by then. Pengs sister, who was two years her junior, served a 1 1/2-year sentence after being arrested by authorities in May 2000 when trying to obtain a marriage certificate, a procedure overseen by local police.

Pengs mother, Huang Genhui, was also arrested around that time for going to Beijing to petition central authorities to end the persecution. Huang likewise was slapped with a 1 1/2-year jail term, despite having an eye condition that made her legally blind. She ended up being released the next October, three days after Pengs son was born. While Huang was detained, she was forced into slave labor, including making bamboo mats and folding drug packing boxes and sanitary napkins.

Around the time that Pengs mother was arrested, Xia, then six months pregnant, journeyed from Shanghai to Tiananmen Square to protest the persecution. Almost as soon as she had unfurled a banner and started shouting Falun Dafa Is Good, she was hurled into a police car and slapped in the face repeatedly. At the police station, when Xia refused to give her details, a young police officer, apparently drunk, grabbed her by the hair and slapped her multiple times, threatening that they would kick her baby out.

Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Do You Want Your Beliefs, or Do You Want Your Family?

In May 2002, local officers and riot police broke into Pengs family home with an ax to arrest Pengs sister and mother again. They dragged her sister by her arms from the fourth floor down to the first, not caring whether her head hit the stairs, Peng said. Two layers of her clothes were ripped through on the stairs, exposing her undergarments, a sight witnessed by hundreds of bystanders outside as she was being dragged away.

Pengs 6-month-old son was at home during the raid. Startled by the commotion, he kicked around in his bassinet.

Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Larry Dye/The Epoch Times)

The shock from that arrest proved too much for Pengs father, the only person in the family of four who didnt practice Falun Gong. While he had previously withstood police pressure to get a divorce, this time he caved. He told the family that he did it so that if the three were ever imprisoned again in the future, at least one person could be there to send them blankets.

Xias marriage broke apart during her fourth arrest, right before she came out of a three-year prison term.

[The police] asked me: Do you want your beliefs, or do you want your family? If you choose Falun Gong, you will have no family. If you give up Falun Gong, we wont [force your husband to] give you a divorce, she told The Epoch Times.

To crush your faith and suppress those kindhearted people who believe in truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, they go so far as to tear apart your family. In that moment, I really thought the Communist Party was evil to the core.

Bystanders watch a parade by practitioners of the spiritual discipline Falun Gong in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Xias son was only three when police arrested her at the door of a fellow adherents home, where she was paying a visit. In September 2006, when Xia walked out of the prison, the son no longer recognized her. Looking at her face full of tears, though, the 6-year-old decided she was his real mother.

I have called many people Mom, but none were hugging me and crying, she recalled him saying. I can finally have my own mother like other kids.

Her former husband took her to a stone bench in the park away from the crowd, looked left and right to make sure they werent being monitored, before bursting into tears, Xia recalled. He told her that the police threatened to make him a social outcast and block their son from going to school, joining the military, or working for the government if he refused to file the divorce papers. I can never find someone as good as you, he told her.

Peng left China in 2018, but couldnt bring along her mother, Huang, whose jail time for practicing Falun Gong made her passport automatically disqualified for overseas travel, according to Peng.

She worries for her septuagenarian mother, whose vision is impaired. When Huang was in prison, it was Pengs father who helped clip Huangs nails during visits. Later that role had shifted to Peng. The police have withheld Huangs pension since 2015, saying they wont release it unless she signs statements renouncing her faith, which she refuses to do.

Huang now lives alone. Even though she always assures Peng that she is all right, Peng couldnt control her tears when she recalled learning that her mother had been wearing a 19-yuan (less than $3) shirt for three years.

Who is going to clip her nails? Even the simplest task of hanging clothes, how would she do that? She cant even see, she said, tears gliding down her face.

Xia Haizhen and her husband, Luo Jiaolong, take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

In 2008, Xia met her current husband, software engineer Luo Jiaolong, while producing underground literature to tell people about the severity of the persecution. The couple came to the United States in 2017, shortly after each came out of a multi-year jail term. Their son followed them in 2019.

The CCPs persecution is becoming more expansive, more cruel and secretive, and all of this started in 1999, Luo said, noting that the regime has gone on to target Uyghurs in Xinjiang and other ethnic minorities.

Unlike all the persecutions in history  the CCP doesnt just destroy you physically, it also shatters you spiritually.

Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

At the tail of the parade were about 20 Chinese Christians who wanted to show their support for Falun Gong and call for an end to communism.

Falun Gongs pursuit of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance leads to a better future for the world, one of them, Yang Shisong, said. For the Chinese regime to suppress Falun Gong and its values, he said, shows that the Communist Party is something dark, against humanity, and against civilization.

Its the opposite of justice and light, and we must end it.

A previous version of the article misstated Xia Haizhens name. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
End Sale of Petrol and Diesel Cars by 2035 for Climate Change: Grattan Institute

Australian think tank the Grattan Institute is calling on the government to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 to help meet the 2050 net-zero emissions target.

In its new report, the think tank said zero-emissions vehicles should be exempt from stamp duty, import duty, and luxury car tax to make the cars cheaper and more accessible to the public.

It said that removing stamp duty alone would cut the cost of electric vehicles (EVs) by 6.5 percent, and removing import tax would lower the price by another 5 percent.

Governments should encourage a thriving market for zero-emissions vehicles by exempting them from inefficient taxes such as import duties, luxury car tax, and motor vehicle stamp duty, the report said. They should ensure drivers across the country have somewhere to charge electric models.

The institute believes the best policy would be a blanket emissions tax but accepts the regrettable reality that it would not happen in Australia any time soon.

The climate clock is ticking. We cant wait around for an emissions price, the report authors said. So this series will identify sector-specific policies Australia should implement to set us on the path to net zero.

However, zero-emission vehicles are out of most budgets, even with the suggested tax cut benefits. For example, only seven EV models are available to Australians for under $70,000 (US$51,600), which goes down to zero when shopping for an EV under $40,000 (US$29,500).

Stickers on an E3 Glory SUV is seen ahead of the Electric Vehicle Show at Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2019. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Federal Independent MP Craig Kelly previously told The Epoch Times that subsidies and tax cuts for EVs were a complete misallocation of resources that would not open the market to lower-income households.

A $70,000 car is for the very wealthy, Kelly said. Why would they need an extra subsidy?

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Sunday that he would consider supporting a net zero emissions target deadline if the details around cost and impact are clearly laid out.

We want to see exactly whats involved, and we want to see exactly what the cost is, Joyce told the ABC.

The report also recommends increasing the truck width limit to 2.5m to 2.6m (8.2 ft to 8.5 ft), in line with limits in other countries, so imported zero-emissions heavy vehicles can be used without expensive modifications.

It comes after the European Union (EU) also proposed to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2035 on July 14.

Daniel Khmelev contributed to this article.
Newly elected DUP leader designate Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaks to the media, in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2021. (Peter Morrison/PA)

EU Needs to Recognise Northern Ireland Protocol Has Failed: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted that the European Union needs to recognise that the Northern Ireland Protocol has failed.

He was speaking shortly before taking part in a virtual meeting with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic.

The protocol, which was negotiated as part of the Brexit settlement to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, is set to be top of the agenda.

Unionists strongly oppose the additional checks on goods arriving into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as undermining the union.

Leading supermarkets at the weekend hit out over fears of the impact on supply lines into the region once various grace periods on checks end.

The EU need to recognise that the protocol has failed, it is creating very substantial problems in terms of barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, our biggest market, and distortions in trade, Jeffrey told the BBC.

Indeed we know that not only has there been a diversion of trade where Northern Ireland businesses are now having to locate their supply chains in the Irish Republic, but contrary to what the protocol actually says, the EU are using the grace periods to facilitate the Irish Republic in attracting more Northern Ireland companies to use them as their supply chain, and that is contrary to what the protocol says, because it says if there is a disruption to trade then the UK government may take action to correct that.

It [the protocol] is having a damaging impact on our economy and of course fundamentally on our relationship with the rest of the UK.

Jeffrey said he wants the EU to agree to negotiate new agreements that respect Northern Irelands place within the UKs internal market.

If that doesnt happen I think the UK is well within its rights to invoke Article 16 of the protocol which allows for unilateral action to be taken to correct a diversion of trade and its impact on our economy and our society, he said.

If the EU is not prepared to recognise the failings of the protocol then I think the UK is entitled to take unilateral actions in those circumstances.

Jeffrey also accused the EU of destabilising and undermining the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont, by Northern Ireland politicians having no say in post-Brexit arrangements.

Last week the DUP set out seven tests on the protocol.

They include a promise of no checks on any sort of goods being sent to Northern Ireland from Great Britain and compatibility with the Act of Union that says all parts of the UK should be on equal footing when it comes to trade.

By Rebecca Black
Exposing the Red Elites Behind Chinese Uber Didi (Part 1)

Didi amasses red capital to monopolize China's ride-hailing industry

Chinas largest online ride-hailing platform, Didi Chuxing, was listed on the New York stock exchange at the end of June. Days later, a cybersecurity review followed along with the removal of all its apps, resulting in its share price plunging.

It was a massive reversal of fortunes which also resulted in the exposure of some red (communist) power elite interest groups behind Chinas version of Uber.

Didi is a vast platform supported by many heavyweight princelings of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and international capital giants, Tang Jingyuan, a current affairs commentator for The Epoch Times, said in his July 5 program Visionary Express.

More importantly, these princelings seem not to be in the same boat as Xi Jinping, regardless of whether they belong to former Chinese leader Jiang Zemins faction or another united faction, Tang said.

On June 30, a day before the CCP celebrated its centennial, Didi was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange and went on to sell some $317 million worth of shares. According to Bloomberg, Didis public offering was the second-largest U.S. listing by a Chinese company, tailing Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.s $25 billion initial public offering (IPO) in 2014.

The logo of Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing is seen at their new drivers center in Toluca, Mexico, on April 23, 2018. (Reuters/Carlos Jasso).

An informed source previously told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that Chinas Office of Cybersecurity Review had wanted Didi to postpone its IPO just weeks before. According to the WSJ, the regulators were concerned that Didis immense mass of data would fall into U.S. hands due to Washingtons auditing obligation requirements.

On July 2, the cybersecurity watchdog announced it was conducting a network cybersecurity audit of Didi and banned it from accepting new user registrations. Two days later, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) stated the Didi app had severe violations of personal information collection and ordered the app store to take down the app and told Didi to fix its problems. The CAC was founded in May 2011 during the first term of Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the CCP.

Chinas Office of Cybersecurity Review is an internet censor body that is a subordinate office to the CAC, itself a branch of Chinas State Council Information Office (SCIO).

Pro-CCP media Multi-Dimensional News cited a source close to the financial regulator on July 5 who said CCP top brass is punishing Didi for ignoring the request to not list the company in the United States. The source said the punishment will be much worse than was dealt out to Alibaba.

Didis State-Owned Shareholders and Private Capital Investors

According to a June 25 report by Huaxia Times, Didis board of directors has eight members, including CEO Cheng Wei and President Liu Jean Qing, a Beijing-born businesswoman aged in her 40s. The other six members come from representatives of Alibaba, Tencent, Softbank, and Apple.

The report said that SoftBanks appointed board member Kentaro Matsui is still on the list of directors. Still, as previously agreed, SoftBank was to withdraw from the board of directors after Didis official listing. In addition, Chen Zhiyi, director of Boyu Capital, will also resign as a director after the IPO.

A taxi driver uses the Didi Chuxing app while driving along a street in Guilin City, in Chinas southern Guangxi Province on May 13, 2016. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)

On July 1, the Chongqing Daily reported that Didi has received several rounds of financing since its establishment, totaling nearly $20 billion, with a luxurious line-up of investors: Sequoia Capital, High Tide, Goldman Sachs China, Matrix Partners, Ali, Tencent, Softbank, Apple, and many other capital giants.

The Chongqing Daily added that there were also state-owned shareholders. According to CVSources investment data, there are nearly 20 state-owned investors since 2015, including China Merchants Bank, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, CICC ALPHA (a subsidiary of China International Capital Corporation Limited), Poly Capital, Sinomach Automobile, and China Post Capital, etc., reported the media.

Many capitals (that invested in Didi) has benefited through this listing, the report said.

Tang Jingyuan said that behind each of these state giants stands one or more powerful red families. Those investors, both national and non-national, are all wealthy, powerful, and dominant in certain areas. They are not easily offended, said Tang.

Five years ago, Uber Technologies Inc. sold its China business to rival Didi as it reportedly failed to effectively compete in the country. This left Didi with 90 percent of the market share.

During the critical period when battling Uber China and eventually winning its monopoly in the market, Didi received support from these CCP-controlled banks, insurance companies, brokerages, and industrial capital, Tang said.

The person behind the monopoly of Didi is its presidentLiu Qing, who is the daughter of Liu Chuanzhi, the founder of Chinas Lenovo Group, but Liu Qing is only a figure in the foreground, he indicated.

Liu Chuanzhis Family Behind Didi

Liu Chuanzhi made his fortune during the reign of former communist leader Jiang Zemin, and the Lenovo Group has close relationships with the CCPs military.

While the battle between Didi and Uber China may have looked fierce, the end result of Didi taking over Uber is probably just a relocation of internal interests as Liu Zhen, who was Uber Chinas head of strategy, was also the niece of Liu Chuanzhi, making her the cousin of Didis president.

Liu Jean Qing, president of Didi, the number one ride-sharing and taxi-hailing service in China, attends a press event in Beijing on January 26, 2016. (Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty Images)

A post on Chinese blogging platform zhuanlan.zhihu.com claimed that the Liu family monopolized not only Didi but the entire Chinese ride-hailing service, as Lius Lenovo Group also controls shares of Shenzhou Car on Demand (Shenzhou Zhuanche) and Shenzhou Car Rental (Shenzhou Zuche).

Shenzhou Car on Demand, founded in 2007, received several investments from Legend Holding when promoted online in 60 major cities of China in 2015. Legend Holding is the controlling shareholder of its better-known associate company Lenovo Group. Lenovo was initially Legend Computer until it changed its English name to Legend in 2004. In June 2012, Liu Chuanzhi stepped down as chairman of Legend Holdings.

Liu Qing, daughter of Liu Chuanzhi, joined Didi as Chief Operating Officer in July 2014, and in February 2015, she became its president. Before joining Didi, Liu Qing was the general manager of Goldman Sachs Asia for 12 years, studied computer science at Peking University, also studied at Harvard University.

Liu Zhen, who is Liu Chuanzhis niece, joined Uber China in 2015 as senior vice president. After the acquisition of Uber China by Didi, Liu Zhen left the company and joined Todays Headlines, a Chinese news and information content platform (a Bytedance product), as senior vice president of corporate development.

Bytedance is the parent company of social networking service Douyin and its overseas version TikTok.

On May 29, 2020, Bytedance confirmed that Liu Zhen had left the company.
President Joe Biden walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on July 16, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

Facebook Isnt Killing People: Biden Walks Back Criticism of Tech Giant

President Joe Biden on July 19 walked back statements he made about Facebook last week that the social media company is killing people by allowing the spread of alleged misinformation.

Facebook isnt killing people, these 12 people are out there giving misinformation, Biden told reporters during an event, referencing a study that made claims that a dozen accounts on Facebook are the main ones that promote alleged COVID-19 misinformation. Anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it. Its killing people. Its bad information.

In attempting to qualify his statement, Biden said, My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow Im saying Facebook is killing people, that they would do something about the misinformation, the outrageous misinformation about the vaccine  Thats what I meant.

Facebook over the weekend responded to Bidens and other White House officials comments about the firm, saying that the social media giant wasnt responsible for the Biden administration missing its self-imposed July 4 deadline to get 70 percent of Americans vaccinated.

We will not be distracted by accusations which arent supported by the facts. The fact is that more than 2 billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which is more than any other place on the internet, Facebook spokesman Kevin McAlister told news outlets.

After the July 4 deadline was missed, the administration ramped up its rhetoric around vaccines.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki last week suggested that individuals who post alleged misinformation on Facebook should be banned on Facebook as well as other social media platforms. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy also told Fox News on July 18 that Facebook isnt doing enough to censor posts about COVID-19 that the administration doesnt agree with.

Psaki also said that the White House has flagged with Facebook what she described as harmful posts.

The recent comments drew heavy criticism on social media, with users saying the White House is essentially trying to consolidate more power by pressuring social media companies into doing its bidding. Several Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, said the administration would attempt to pressure Facebook and other tech giants into censoring other topics to gain a political advantage during elections.

Biden on July 19 didnt elaborate on how the administration might penalize Facebookif its even within the realm of possibilityfor not adhering to White House officials recent statements.

Im trying to make people look at themselves, he said when asked how the administration might hold Facebook and other platforms accountable. Look in the mirror. Think about that misinformation going to your son, your daughter. Thats all Im asking.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
A person cleans up debris from a broken window at a home FBI agents searched in Hartland Township mobile home in connection of a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer,, in Heartland, Mich., on Oct. 8, 2020. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)

FBI Agent Involved in Whitmer Kidnap Case Arrested for Assault

An FBI agent deeply involved in the arrest of men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was himself arrested this week for assault.

Richard Trask, 39, an agent with the bureau since 2011, was arraigned on July 19 for assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, according to Kalamazoo County court records.

An FBI spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the bureau is aware of the charge. The spokesperson declined to answer when asked whether Trask is still employed by the bureau.

We are fully cooperating with the Prosecuting Attorneys Office on this matter. In accordance with FBI policy, the incident is subject to internal review, and I cannot comment further at this time, the spokesperson said in an email.

Jeffrey Getting, the prosecutor who brought the charge, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trask faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. There was no lawyer listed on the court docket.

Trask was released on $10,000 personal recognizance bond following the arraignment, The Detroit News reported. A court spokeswoman could not confirm the release when reached on Monday, though county jail records did not show Trask in custody.

Trask has testified in court in the kidnap plot case and authored multiple criminal complaints in federal cases against the defendants, six of whom face federal charges.

The group conspired to abduct Whitmer, a Democrat in her first term, because of frustration over her harsh mandates issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to court documents.

The FBI used at least a dozen informants in building the cases, along with undercover agents, according to court filings. Trask confirmed the use in one of the documents.

The arrest of Task gives defense lawyers ammunition, Andrew Arena, the former special agent in charge of the FBIs Detroit field office, told the News.

Arena said the bureaus internal affairs will look into what happened.

Depending on the severity, it could be a suspension until things are ironed out one way or another, Arena said. If you cant carry a weapon, then youre not going to work as a street agent. Hes going to be suspended or put on restricted duty.

Lawyers have said another FBI special agent working on the case engaged in suspect behavior.

Henrik Impola, the agent, was captured in a recording late last year telling one of the confidential sources utilized in the cases that the best chance is to create utter confusion and chaos, according to a defense lawyer for Barry Croft, one of the defendants.

When the source expressed concern that his identity would be revealed, Impola also said that having done this with a lot of sources, we can cloud the water, according to a recent filing from the lawyer.

And it can be completelywe can send everybody into disarray and chaos where the last thing theyre worried about is [CHSs name]. Like thats a thing, right? It becomes a question of is it worth it? Do we want to do that, right? Impola allegedly added.

The lawyer said Impolas behavior has infected the discovery produced by the government as demonstrated by the disorganized and highly duplicative way it was produced and asked the court to intervene.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams testifies during a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing about how to counter vaccine hesitancy, on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 1, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Former Surgeon General Says CDC Was Premature in Relaxing Mask Guidance

Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams has said the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions decision to relax COVID-19 mask guidance may have been premature as new highly infectious variants continue to spread across the United States.

Adams, who held the position under the Trump administration, said on Twitter that he is concerned that the CDC may have been rash when in May it announced it was relaxing mask recommendations for fully vaccinated Americans. His remarks come amid a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

Last year, Tony Fauci and I famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call at the time, but now regret it. Im worried the CDC also made a similarly premature, misinterpreted, yet still harmful call on masking in the face of delta variant, Adams wrote on Twitter.

He said that the CDCs updated guidance to lift mask requirements in the majority of indoor and outdoor settings for fully vaccinated people was based on the science and conditions at the time.

Riders on a subway train wearing protective masks due to COVID-19 concerns in New York on Aug. 17, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

However, citing emerging data and the surge in cases of the Delta variant, he urged the CDC to reconsider advising people to both wear masks and get vaccinated in areas with high COVID-19 numbers, until cases start to drop.

The sooner CDC says we were wrong, & hits the reset button, the better, Adams wrote. CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature & wrong. Lets fix it.

The Delta variant of the CCP virus is believed to be more transmissible than other strains of the virus and is becoming the leading COVID-19 strain in many countries. Researchers say however that its too early to say whether the variant of the CCP virus is more or less deadly than others.

The CDC said on July 6 that the Delta variant is now likely the dominant strain in the United States, currently accounting for more than half of all recorded COVID-19 cases.

A CDC spokesperson said that the variants prevalence in the United States has grown from 30.4 percent of all cases for the period ending June 19 to 51.7 percent during the period from June 20 to July 3.

Variant proportions are dynamic and difficult to predict due to reporting delays, the presence of multiple variants, and changing incidence, Jade Fulce, a public affairs specialist with the CDC, told The Epoch Times in an email.

CDC continues to evaluate approaches that can reliably predict these dynamics while making improvements to genomic surveillance to increase the number, representativeness, and timeliness of specimens, Fulce said.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines, which have been granted emergency use authorization by the FDA, are believed to be effective against the Delta variant, studies suggest. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is effective as well, according to White House COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci.

CDC data shows that approximately 161.2 million Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, making up about 48 percent of the population.

Meanwhile, President Joe Bidens Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy, has said that he backs the various U.S. counties that are reimposing mask restrictions to tackle surges of COVID-19 cases.

Its very reasonable for counties to take more mitigation measures like the mask rules you see coming out in L.A., and I anticipate that will happen in other parts of the country too, Murthy told ABC Newss This Week.

He added that his comments were not contradictory to CDC guidance, which is designed to allow local authorities the freedom to determine their own prevention measures that best fit the local situation.

For sale masks are seen displayed on a clothesline in the front yard of a house in Los Angeles on July 20, 2020. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

Los Angeles on July 16 reinstated a countywide mask mandate, requiring all residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of whether theyve been vaccinated against the CCP virus.

The LA countys public health department said that the mandate has been reinstated to counter a rising transmission rate from the Delta variant, and an intermingling of unmasked individuals where vaccination status is unknown.

The move was met with intense opposition, with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD) announcing that its deputies wont enforce the order.

Forcing the vaccinated and those who already contracted COVID-19 to wear face masks indoors is not backed by science and contradicts the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a statement. The underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance.

Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Rhineland-Palatinate State Premier Malu Dreyer talk to residents standing amid debris during their visit in the flood-ravaged village of Schuld near Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate state, on Germany, on July 18, 2021. (Christof Stache/Pool via Reuters)

Germanys Merkel Pledges Fast Help in Terrifying Record Floods

German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised fast financial aid on Sunday after visiting one of the areas worst affected by record floods that have killed at least 157 people in the country over past days.

We are by your side, Merkel told residents of the small town Adenau in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, calling the situation there terrifying.

She added that a short-term relief program would be launched by the government on Wednesday.

As efforts continued to track down missing people, the devastation continued on Sunday when a district of Bavaria, southern Germany, was hit by flash floods that killed at least one person.

Roads were turned into rivers, some vehicles were swept away and swathes of land buried under thick mud in Berchtesgadener Land. Hundreds of rescue workers were searching for survivors in the district, which borders Austria.

We were not prepared for this, said Berchtesgadener Land district administrator Bernhard Kern, adding that the situation had deteriorated drastically late on Saturday, leaving little time for emergency services to act.

About 110 people have been killed in the worst-hit Ahrweiler district south of Cologne. More bodies are expected to be found there as the flood waters recede, police say.

The European floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium. Entire communities have been cut off, without power or communications.

In North Rhine-Westphalia at least 46 people have died. The death toll in Belgium climbed to 31 on Sunday.
Falun Gong adherents parade through downtown Toronto on July 17, 2021, marking 22 years since Chinese Communist Party launched its campaign of persecution against the spiritual practice in China. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)

Hundreds Join Toronto Parade Marking 22 Years of Falun Gong Persecution in China

Speaking at a rally in Toronto on July 17, former parliamentarians and rights activists voiced support for Falun Gong adherents amid the ongoing persecution of the spiritual practice launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 22 years ago.

Over 500 Falun Gong adherents participated in a parade through the citys downtown to commemorate the victims of the largest human rights abuse in China. At least 500 people registered online for the parade, but roughly 700-800 people showed up, said Jeffery Jiang, one of the organizers.

At the rally in Queens Park, former Conservative MP Wladyslaw Lizon called on Canada, the United States, and Europe to help those who demand rights and change in the communist system as in the past they helped people living in the Soviet Union.

This gives hope, and it should give hope to all of us and to those that are here today, persecuted by this terrible communist government in China, Lizon said.

We should remind not only the communist government of China of their crimes, [but] remind them that the times to answer for those crimes is coming.

Former Conservative MP Wladyslaw Lizon speaks at the rally in Queens Park, Toronto, on July 17, 2021. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times)

Falun Gong is a spiritual practice that includes meditation exercises and teachings based on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Also called Falun Dafa, the practice was introduced in 1992 in China, where it gained widespread popularity due to its benefits to peoples mental and physical well-being. By 1999, it had attracted 70-100 million adherents, according to Chinese government estimates.

CCP leader Jiang Zemin perceived that popularity as a threat to the regimes rule. On July 20, 1999, Jiang launched an unprecedented campaign and brutal oppression aimed at eradicating the practice.

Former Senator Consiglio Di Nino speaks speaks at the rally in Queens Park, Toronto, on July 17, 2021. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times)

Former senator Consiglio Di Nino urged the CCP to open up to media and public scrutiny of the persecution of Falun Gong.

If you have any decency, if you have any respect for humanity, if you really want to tell us that these things are not happening, open up to reporters, to the media, Di Nino said. What are you hiding? Why are you not allowing the media to come in and take a look?

Warmth of Compassion Will Persevere

Former MPP and Toronto city councillor John Parker invoked the story of The North Wind and the Sun, one of Aesops Fables, as an analogy to the CCPs campaign against Falun Gong.

Former MPP and Toronto Councillor John Parker speaks at the rally in Queens Park, Toronto, on July 17, 2021. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)

In the fable, the wind, which was jealous of the sun for its warmth and happiness, challenged it to a contest of strength to see who could remove the cloak worn by a man walking along the road.

The wind blew up a destructive storm, destroying everything along its path, but the man held tightly to his cloak. When the sun took its turn, it beamed brightly and warmed up the man who eventually took off the cloak voluntarily.

In the contest between the destructive power of the wind and the love and the warmth of the sun, the destructive power of the wind has its effect, but it was the sun that persevered that day, Parker said.

I see that as the message that you bring, with your message of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, because thats the sunshine. That doesnt always win every battle, but in the end the power of the wind, the power of storms, is only destructive, but the power of the sunshine that you bring perseveres overall.

Sheng Xue, co-founder of the China Rights Network, at the rally in Queens Park, Toronto, on July 17, 2021, condemning the CCPs 22-year persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times)

Sheng Xue, co-founder of the China Rights Network, a group that unites communities that have suffered under the CCP, said history will remember Falun Gong as the light that fought against the darkness of the regime.

Falun Gong is the light [that] fights against the darkness,  and every practitioner is a light. When people in the future look back to our time, they will see you, especially those who give up their lives for their beliefs, Sheng said.

Gloria Fung, president of Canada-Hong Kong Link, noted that the CCP is also responsible for atrocities inflicted on Uyghurs, Tibetans, and other minority groups in China. She said the CCP is undermining Western democracies through manipulation, infiltration, intimidation, as well as hostage taking, such as the two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, imprisoned in China.

Gloria Fung, president of Canada-Hong Kong Link, speaks at the rally in downtown Toronto on July 17, 2021, voicing support for Falun Gong practitioners. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times)

The Chinese Communist Party rules by lies and violence. It brainwashes its population with a very sophisticated mechanism of ideological control, Fung said.

She said Canada and its western allies are starting to realize that the CCP is not just a competitor, but an adversary on all fronts, and she called on the government to introduce stronger measures against the regime, such as boycotting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The Brutality of the Persecution

Shenli Lin, a Falun Gong practitioner who made headlines when he was rescued to Canada in 2002 after suffering years of torture and brutality in a Chinese labour camp, shared his experience at the rally.

Shenli Lin, a Falun Gong adherent who was rescued to Canada in February 2002, speaks at the rally in Queens Park, Toronto, on July 17, 2021. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times)

Lin was arrested in 1999 when he appealed for the right to practise after the CCP launched its campaign against Falun Gong. He was detained several times and ultimately sentenced to two years of re-education through labour.

During his time in the labour camp, he was forced to do slave labour for long hours, which resulted in ulcers all over his body. He said he was also forced to undergo medical examinations for the sinister purpose of preparing me for live organ harvesting.

Falun Gong adherents march in downtown Toronto on July 17, 2021. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)

Shenli Lins brother, Mingli Lin, also endured torture, brainwashing, and forced labour, and was left with permanent damage to his windpipe due to being force-fed while on a hunger strike. Mingli was rescued to Canada in 2012. Lins 76-year-old sister, Qiu Peng Lin, was also arrested in China for practising Falun Gong and has not been heard from since May 2020.

The history of the Chinese Communist Party is the history of murder. The CCP treats life as if it were grass, and slaughtered 80 million Chinese people, Lin said.

I therefore call on the Canadian government, and all good people, to continue extending your helping hand. Let us all raise our voices for justice to stop the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong.
Students pick up their school books at Hollywood High School in Hollywood, Calif., on Aug. 13, 2020. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Hundreds of Educators Sign Open Letter Against Math Framework

SANTA CLARA, Calif.California is pushing back its schedule to implement a proposed math curriculum that has sparked controversy.

The California Department of Education stated on July 14 that it would postpone its implementation of the new math framework after receiving hundreds of letters of opposition to the curriculum.

About 500 current and former STEM leaders, educators, business executives, and venture capitalists signed an open letter as of July 15 denouncing the new math curriculum, stating it would de-mathematize math.

Williamson Evers, senior fellow at the Independent Institute, co-wrote the letter.

The proposed curriculum contains lots of stuff about ethnic issues, of things like this that were sort of intruding into math and turning math into kind of, propaganda and indoctrination rather than calculation and theorems, Evers told The Epoch Times sister media outlet NTD.

I think this is really out of place. Its alien to mathematics, he said. Its burdening the student with unnecessary things.

The new math framework aims to keep students learning at the same level, citing equity. However, opponents said it would discourage students who speak English as a second language.

I dont see any reason why we should be plaguing a child like that who has enough challenges, Evers said.

The letter criticized several points within the framework.

[It] urges teachers to take a justice-oriented perspective at any grade level, K12, reject ideas of natural gifts and talents, and encourages keeping all students together in the same math program until the 11th grade, the letter reads.

The framework also claims that offering differentiated programs causes student fragility and racial animosity.

You dont mix teaching mathematics with any other agenda, Alexander Givental, a math professor at UCBerkeley, told NTD. Of course we draw the context from the world around us, thats what mathematics is about. But no, if you want to teach social justice, it should be done in a different classroom.

Oleg Gleizer, director of UCLAs Olga Radko Endowed Math Circle, told NTD that its inefficient to keep students learning at the same level when some are ready to advance ahead.

Some decent, professional level of mathematics is a requirement for everyone, Gleizer said. But the people who move humanity forward, that are one in a hundred million, people like Isaac Newton, like Gauss, like Archimedes; these people should be identified early on by the system and given the nourishing environment they deserve, just like gifted athletes are.

An emailed statement from Joel Hass, a distinguished professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of CaliforniaDavis, ridiculed the new framework.

It rejects educational methods for teaching mathematics that evolved from thousands of years of trial and experience, and advocates for their replacement by poorly reasoned proposals supported by dubious social science, Hass said. It will lead to a further weakening of mathematical instruction in California schools and diminished mathematical knowledge among California students.

Hass noted that the Mathematics Framework in 1997 prepared all students for Algebra I in eighth grade. After its implementation, students across all ethnic groups saw an increase in math achievement.

While in 1999 only 16 percent of students took algebra in eighth grade, four times as many, or 67 percent, took it in 2013 by eighth grade, according to a report by the Hoover Institute,

Success rates also increased.

The forum agreed that the proposed framework should be replaced with something else or simply be left alone for now.

The math framework development timeline from 2019 is out of date and needs to be adjusted to allow for completion of edits directed by the Instructional Quality Commission, a spokesperson for the California Department of Education told The Epoch Times via email on July 15.

Final action for the math framework has been postponed from November to May 2022.
Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd anniversary of the start of the Chinese regime's persecution of Falun Gong, in Washington on July 16, 2021. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Immediately Cease Repression of Falun Gong, US Tells Beijing on Eve of Persecution Anniversary

The United States on July 19 called on the Chinese communist regime to immediately cease its long-running persecution of Falun Gong and release all adherents who have been jailed for their beliefs.

State Department spokesman Ned Price made the comment at a regular press briefing, a day before the 22nd anniversary of the start of Beijings eradication campaign against the faith group.

Tomorrow, we recognize 22 years since the Peoples Republic of China launched the campaign of repression against the Falun Gong movement, and its millions of practitioners, advocates, and the human rights defenders working to protect their rights, Price said.

He added that thousands of Falun Gong practitioners face detention, harassment and reported torture and abuse each year for simply refusing to renounce the peaceful practice of their beliefs.

A meditation practice first introduced to China in 1990s, Falun Gong surged in popularity in the country with its slow-movement exercises and moral teachings centered around the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice had about 70 million to 100 million adherents by the end of that decade, according to official estimates. Deeming this popularity a threat, the regime on July 20, 1999, began a nationwide campaign to persecute adherents.

Since then an untold number of practitioners have suffered from mental and physical torture, financial pressure, forced labor, imprisonment, and forced organ harvestingall of which have been deployed in a bid to eradicate their faith.

Survivors of the abuse have retold stories of being subjected to toxic drug injections, grueling forced labor, electric shocks on private parts, and threats to pregnant women to forcibly abort their babies.

The 22-year-long suppression has led to an uncountable number of deaths. Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that serves as a clearinghouse for the persecution, has verified details of thousands of deaths, although it notes the number is likely just the tip of the iceberg because of the extreme difficulty of collecting information from China.

Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

The ongoing abuse is drawing growing concerns on the international stage. In May, the State Department sanctioned a Chinese Communist Party official who had a role in persecuting adherents in Chengdu, the capital of Chinas Sichuan Province. It also similarly punished a local police official in Chinas Fujian Province last year for his role in repressing practitioners.

The State Department under the Trump administration made a similar statement calling for an end to the atrocities in July 2020.

Over the past year, the state of Texas and more than a dozen counties in Virginia have passed resolutions warning residents against traveling to China for organ transplants. The measures were made in the hopes of ensuring that Americans dont become unwitting accomplices in the regimes state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting, which targets primarily Falun Gong practitioners and also other prisoners of conscience. Bipartisan lawmakers in Congress, as well as UK and Canadian officials, are also looking to hold the regime accountable for this grisly practice.

At a July 16 rally in Washington, religious freedom expert Nina Shea called on the United States to recognize the regimes persecution of Falun Gong as a form of genocide.

Genocide is the destruction in part of a religious community, for example, with the intent to eradicate it, said Shea, director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute.

I dont think theres any doubt that what has happened these past decades to Falun Gong meets that criteria.
For 22 years, the communist regime in China has deployed a comprehensive campaign of repression against adherents of the spiritual group Falun Gong. Millions of Falun Gong practitioners have suffered

detention, torture, harassment, forced labor, and organ harvesting.

How the persecution started and how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has executed this expansive campaign is explained below.

How Did 100 Million People Become Targets?

A Popular Practice

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation practice that features moral teachings based on three core tenets, truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, along with a set of meditative exercises.

In 1992, the practices founder, Li Hongzhi, introduced it to the public in Changchun, a city in northeastern China. It spread quickly by word of mouth to other parts of the country. By 1999, roughly 70 million to 100 million people around the country had taken up the practice, according to official estimates at the time.

Li himself is a four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. The practice was also recognized by state bodies for its contributions to society, and some adherents received awards for their community service before the regime began an all-out clampdown in July 1999.

A Peaceful Demonstration

On April 25, 1999, around 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered at the appeals office near the CCPs headquarters in Beijing to appeal for their right to practice freely. It became the largest peaceful demonstration that China had seen in a decade, since the Tiananmen Square massacre.

What triggered the appeal was the arrest of dozens of adherents in the nearby megacity of Tianjin who had protested a defamatory article about their faith. The environment was also becoming more restrictive: The publication of Falun Gong books had been banned; and police in some areas had been harassing adherents, searching their homes and beating them up.

The petitioners met with then-Premier Zhu Rongji and delivered three requests: to release the practitioners whod been arrested, reverse the publication ban, and allow them to practice in public without fear. After learning that the Tianjin practitioners had been released, the petitioners left quietly that evening.

Authorities would later seize upon the event to justify the persecution, launched three months later, claiming that practitioners were laying siege to the regime.

Fear and Loathing

The disciplines rapid growth, with its practitioners outnumbering the 60 million Party members at the time, meant the practice was deemed a threat to the regimes authoritarian rule. Meanwhile, the values that Falun Gong espouses were at odds with the atheist Marxist ideology underpinning the CCP.

Then-Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, who personally ordered the persecution, repeatedly expressed his vehemence toward the practice in remarks and in interviews with foreign media.

Jiang, in a letter released immediately after the April 25 appeal, expressed alarm at the substantial number of Party members, cadres, intellectuals, soldiers, workers, and peasants among Falun Gong practitioners and vowed to toughen ideological control.

Could it be that Marxism, materialism, and atheism that we communists embody cant defeat what Falun Gong promotes? Thatd be a tremendous joke if true, he wrote in the letter.

An Entire State Apparatus Focused on Persecution

Orders to Eliminate

The CCP was intent on wiping out Falun Gong; Jiang initially aimed to crush the practice within three months. Top Chinese leaders also ordered officials to defame their reputations, bankrupt them financially and destroy them physically, according to a military colonel who attended the meeting.

Police officials declared that if they beat practitioners to death, it would be considered suicide, according to Minghui.

In June 2001, more than a dozen female adherents died in a labor camp in Harbin, a city in northern Heilongjiang Province, in what authorities claimed was a mass suicide. Only 15 or 16 out of 3,000 have died. How is this a lot? the labor camp reportedly told the family of Li Xiuqin, one of the victims. They saw only her ashes.

The 610 Office

On June 10, 1999, an extralegal Gestapo-like agency was set up and named the 610 Office after the date of its creation. The 610 Office enjoys wide-ranging powers and directs various sectors of society to carry out the persecution campaign. A 2017 report by the human rights watchdog Freedom House estimates that the annual budget for all 610 Offices across China is around 879 million yuan ($135 million).

In 2002, a Falun Gong practitioner from Changchun was beaten to death after being arrested for hijacking TV airwaves to broadcast programs debunking state propaganda about the practice. The head of the citys 610 Office overseeing the persecution instructed police to keep the matter confidential. He described the campaign to destroy Falun Gong as an arduous political task and told the police not to fear blood or deaths, a former officer present at the meeting told Minghui.

The 610 Office is also involved in state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting, resulting in an unknown number of deaths, according to the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong.

Whole-of-Society Clampdown

The campaign was thorough and mobilized all levels of society. Propaganda maligning the practice appeared in state newspapers and on television and radio, as well as school textbooks and community boards.

The Department of Culture directed the mass destruction of millions of Falun Gong materials, including book burnings, and the jailing of bookshop owners. Workplaces fired people who refused to give up their faith, while students from primary school to college were expelled. One high schooler was sentenced to five years in prison after refusing to join a school-organized parade that slandered the practiceeven though he wasnt old enough to be sent to jail.

A Shanghai primary school punished a teacher who was a Falun Gong practitioner by demoting her to the role of cleaning the school bathrooms, a decision one colleague said harked back to the abuse inflicted during the Cultural Revolution.

With the court system under the control of the CCP, trials in China are a mere formality. Adherents are often detained for months or longer before trial and at times denied legal assistance. Lawyers representing them experience harassment, assault, or threats, and are frequently interrupted in court when advocating for their clients. Wu Shaoping, a human rights lawyer now in the United States, told The Epoch Times he was stopped mid-argument and escorted out of the court by police when making the case that his client had been charged illegally. His client was sentenced to nine years in prison one month later.

Demonizing the Victims

Propaganda and Disinformation

Finding that public opinion hadnt turned against Falun Gong, the regime launched in 2001 a brazen disinformation campaign in a bid to incite public hatred against the practice and its adherents. In January 2001, five individuals set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square, an incident that Chinas state-run media blamed on Falun Gong. Following the tragedy, the number of hate crimes against Falun Gong practitioners increased.

The incident turned out to be a staged event. Suspicious circumstances surrounding the event have since been revealed and documented in the award-winning film False Fire.

The regime also cooked up false stories about alleged practitionerssuch as a person who killed her own child before taking her own lifein hope of spinning public opinion in China. An independent investigation later revealed that the person never existed.

Chinese officials have openly taken part in spreading the propaganda both in China and overseas. In 2004, a Falun Gong supporter brought and won a defamation lawsuit against the Chinese deputy consul-general in Toronto for attacking him in a letter published in the Toronto Star.

During the 1999 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in New Zealand, Jiang handed out booklets defaming Falun Gong to participants of the meeting.

Censorship and Indoctrination

Chinas censors have wiped the Chinese internet of any authentic materials on Falun Gong, while allowing misinformation and propaganda about the spiritual practice to fill cyberspace. Words related to Falun Gong have been scrubbed online, and there have been cases in which practitioners were detained for using words related to the practice on Chinas popular messaging platform WeChat.

The Great Firewall, which prevents Chinese citizens from accessing many foreign sites such as Facebook and Google, also blocks overseas websites relating to Falun Gong.

The regimes censorship does not exist only in cyberspaceit also denies practitioners rights to freedom of speech. Practitioners who speak with neighbors or strangers about Falun Gong run the risk of being detainedor worse, sentenced to prison.

Teachers are required to indoctrinate their students with anti-Falun Gong propaganda. In April 2020, the primary school attached to Chinas Jinan University held a national security class, during which students were taught that Falun Gong posed a threat to society.

Breaking the Body to Defeat the Will

Since 1999, several million Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in detention centers, labor camps, prisons, and psychiatric facilities, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center. At these facilities, Falun Gong practitioners are often singled out for particularly cruel treatment, in a bid to force them to renounce their faith, according to accounts from survivors.

Torture and other forms of ill-treatment are endemic in these facilities. An untold number of Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of torture or forced organ harvesting.

Slave Labor

Practitioners detained in labor camps and prisons have also been subjected to forced labor, producing cheap goods destined for Western markets and enriching CCP officials in the process.

The detainees are forced to work long hours, sometimes as many as 19 hours a day to hit production quotas, according to Minghui. Guards are known to step up their torture or abuse against those who fail to meet a quota or refuse to comply with work orders.

Products that practitioners have been forced to make include wigs, toothpicks, chopsticks, eyelash extensions, embroidery, ornaments, cellphone cases, winter jackets, medical cotton swabs, leather bags, and more.

Since the start of the pandemic, some prisons have forced practitioners to make personal protective equipment for export, including surgical masks and surgical gowns.

Torture

Practitioners held at detention sites and psychiatric facilities have suffered various forms of physical, psychological, and psychiatric torture. The goal is to force them to sign a declaration renouncing their faith. Many practitioners have sustained severe injuries and died as a result.

Some common torture methods include sexual assault; force-feeding; beating with wooden clubs or steel bars; shocking with electric batons; piercing sensitive body parts such as fingertips with bamboo skewers; and burning with cigarettes, boiling water, or hot iron bars.

Guards also subject practitioners to extreme conditions for extended periods of time, including holding them in a small cage filled with chest-deep water, leaving them exposed to freezing temperatures, or depriving them of sleep.

In other cases, practitioners have been forced into or bound in painful positions for prolonged periods.

Practitioners are sometimes forcibly fed with unknown drugstoxic chemicals that damage the central nervous system or psychotropic chemicals that affect their mental state.

Organ Harvesting

An untold number of detained practitioners have been killed by the regime for their organs, which are used to supply Chinas vast organ transplant market.

In 2019, an independent peoples tribunal concluded that the regime had been harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience for years on a significant scale and that Falun Gong practitioners were the main source of organs. The tribunal found no evidence that these crimes had ended.

Gao Yixi, a Falun Gong practitioner from far northern Heilongjiang Province, died 10 days after his arrest in 2016, Minghui reported. Not long after, doctors dissected Gaos body, despite his familys objections, and removed all of his major organs and brain.

Freedom Denied

Surveillance

Authorities actively track adherents whereabouts by tapping their phones, tracking their location, and monitoring surveillance camera footage, which is often enhanced with artificial intelligence.

By 2017, every person in China was forced to register with their real name to use phone services and to comment online, making it easier for police to track down adherents. In January of that year, police in Harbin of Heilongjiang Province arrested at least five practitioners with the help of surveillance technology after finding a banner with the words Falun Dafa Is Good.

One adherent was arrested at a train station after discussing her train itinerary in private social media messages. In 2019, an adherent was arrested at a hospital while taking care of a sick relative after the facial surveillance system alerted the police.

In 2020, police questioned another practitioner in Shanxi over his purchase of some construction materials on the internet.

Financial Persecution

Chinese police officers and security officials have illegally confiscated practitioners cash and other personal property. Some officials have extorted family members of detained practitioners, saying they would be released if the family paid a hefty sum.

Inside prisons and labor camps, practitioners could be denied money and personal belongings sent by their families. Their family members could also be coerced into paying bribes to officials to see their imprisoned relatives.

There have been cases when brainwashing centers have extorted money from the families of detained practitioners to cover the expenses of tortures used on their detainees, such as force-feeding.

Courts also impose hefty fines on adherents. In the first half of 2021, the court sentenced 674 people with fines totaling more than 3.4 million yuan ($525,000), or about 5,000 yuan ($770) per person, roughly one months salary for an average person.

Practitioners have also had their salary or pension withheld by their employerssometimes at the demand of Chinese authorities.

Harassment

Local police and CCP officials have subjected practitioners to harassment, intimidation, and verbal and physical threats.

The regime also targets relatives of practitioners, harassing their parents, spouses, or children.

The harassment escalated in 2020 when the regime launched a nationwide Zero-Out campaign, with the aim of reducing the number of practitioners in China to zero. The new campaign also involves a monetary reward system that entices citizens to report known practitioners to the police.

Defiance

Peaceful Resistance

Despite the repressive climate, the group has persisted in grassroots efforts to call attention to the regimes abuses. Practitioners around the countryat great personal riskdistribute homemade booklets, posters, and CDs to households and passersby to refute the regimes propaganda. They hang banners in prominent places as a symbol of their perseverance.

Since 2004, adherents have been urging Chinese people to disassociate themselves from the crimes committed by the CCP by quitting its affiliated organizations.

In 2015, adherents began a wave of lawsuits seeking to bring former leader Jiang to justice.

People in some areas of China have shown support for practitioners efforts to counter the persecution. In 2017, around 300 people in Huludao city of Liaoning Province signed a petition calling for the unconditional release of a local Falun Gong practitioner, Minghui reported.
Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph gives a press conference almost a week after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on July 13, 2021. (Ricardo Arduengo/REUTERS)

Haitis Interim Prime Minister Joseph Says He Will Step Down

WASHINGTONClaude Joseph, who has nominally led Haiti as acting prime minister since the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, said in a Washington Post interview published on July 19 that he has agreed to step down, handing power to a challenger backed by the international community.

The announcement appears to end a power struggle in the Caribbean nation between Joseph and Ariel Henry, the 71-year-old neurosurgeon who was appointed prime minister by Moise two days before the killing but had yet to be sworn in.

Moise was fatally shot when attackers armed with assault rifles stormed his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince. The assassination has pitched the already troubled nation into chaos, coming amid a surge in gang violence that has displaced thousands of people and hampered economic activity in the poorest country in the Americas.

Joseph told The Washington Post that he and Henry had met privately over the past week, adding that he agreed to step down on July 28 for the good of the nation and is willing to transfer power as quickly as possible.

Everyone who knows me knows that I am not interested in this battle, or in any kind of power grab, Joseph said.

The president was a friend to me. I am just interested in seeing justice for him.

Haiti, a country of about 11 million people, has struggled to achieve stability since the fall of the Duvalier dynastic dictatorship in 1986, and has grappled with a series of coups and foreign interventions.

On July 17, the important Core Group of international ambassadors and representatives urged the formation of a consensual and inclusive government.

To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government, the group said.

The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the European Union, and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

The group also called for the organization of free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible.

A Colombian police chief said on July 16 that the assassination may have been ordered by a former Haitian justice ministry official, citing a preliminary investigation that has implicated Haitian Americans and former Colombian soldiers.

Martine Moise, the assassinated presidents widow, returned to Haiti on July 17 for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the attack.
A damaged bridge with a missing part is pictured following heavy rainfalls in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, on July 18, 2021. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

Its Terrifying: Merkel Shaken as Flood Deaths Rise to 188 in Europe

BERCHTESGADEN/BISCHOFSWIESEN, GermanyGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel described the flooding that has devastated parts of Europe as terrifying on Sunday after the death toll across the region rose to 188 and a district of Bavaria was battered by the extreme weather.

Merkel promised swift financial aid after visiting one of the areas worst affected by the record rainfall and floods that have killed at least 157 in Germany alone in recent days, in the countrys worst natural disaster in almost six decades.

She also said governments would have to get better and faster in their efforts to tackle the impact of climate change only days after Europe outlined a package of steps towards net zero emissions by the middle of the century.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Rhineland-Palatinate State Premier Malu Dreyer speak to people as they stand on a bridge during their visit in the flood-ravaged areas, in Schuld near Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate state, Germany, on July 18, 2021. (Christof Stache/Pool via Reuters)

It is terrifying, she told residents of the small town of Adenau in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The German language can barely describe the devastation thats taken place.

As efforts continued to track down missing people, the devastation continued on Sunday when a district of Bavaria, southern Germany, was hit by flash floods that killed at least one person.

Roads were turned into rivers, some vehicles were swept away and swathes of land buried under thick mud in Berchtesgadener Land. Hundreds of rescue workers were searching for survivors in the district, which borders Austria.

We were not prepared for this, said Berchtesgadener Land district administrator Bernhard Kern, adding that the situation had deteriorated drastically late on Saturday, leaving little time for emergency services to act.

A police officer and volunteers clean rubble in an area affected by floods caused by heavy rainfalls in Bad Muenstereifel, Germany, on July 18, 2021. (Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters)

About 110 people have been killed in the worst-hit Ahrweiler district south of Cologne. More bodies are expected to be found there as the flood waters recede, police say.

The European floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium. Entire communities have been cut off, without power or communications.

In North Rhine-Westphalia at least 46 people have died. The death toll in Belgium climbed to 31 on Sunday.

Aid Up, Power Down

The scale of the floods mean they could shake up Germanys general election in September next year.

The German government will be readying more than 300 million euros ($354 million) in immediate relief and billions of euros to fix collapsed houses, streets and bridges, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

A man carries a person at an area affected by floods, following heavy rainfalls, in Pepinster, Belgium, on July 17, 2021. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

There is huge damage and that much is clear: those who lost their businesses, their houses, cannot stem the losses alone.

There could also be a 10,000 euro short-term payment for businesses affected by the impact of the floods as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the paper.

In Belgium, which will hold a national day of mourning on Tuesday, 163 people are still missing or unreachable. The crisis center said water levels were falling and a huge clean-up operation was underway. The military was sent in to the eastern town of Pepinster, where a dozen buildings have collapsed, to search for any further victims.

About 37,0000 households were without electricity and Belgian authorities said the supply of clean drinking water was also a major concern.

Bridges Battered

Emergency services officials in the Netherlands said the situation had somewhat stabilized in the southern part of Limburg province, where tens of thousands were evacuated in recent days, although the northern part was still on high alert.

In the north they are tensely monitoring the dykes and whether they will hold, Jos Teeuwen of the regional water authority told a press conference on Sunday.

Police officers and volunteers clean rubble in an area affected by floods caused by heavy rainfalls in Bad Muenstereifel, Germany, on July 18, 2021. (Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters)

In southern Limburg, authorities are still concerned about the safety of traffic infrastructure such as roads and bridges battered by the high water.

The Netherlands has so far only reported property damage from the flooding and no dead or missing people.

In Hallein, an Austrian town near Salzburg, powerful flood waters tore through the town center on Saturday evening as the Kothbach river burst its banks, but no injuries were reported.

Many areas of Salzburg province and neighboring provinces remain on alert, with rains set to continue on Sunday. Western Tyrol province reported that water levels in some areas were at highs not seen for more than 30 years.

Parts of Switzerland remained on flood alert, though the threat posed by some of the most at-risk bodies of water like Lake Lucerne and Berns Aare river has eased.

By Ralph Brock and Romana Fuessel
Judge Refuses to Block Indiana Universitys COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A federal judge has denied a request to block Indiana Universitys (IU) COVID-19 vaccine mandate after a group of students sued the school, claiming the inoculation requirement is unconstitutional.

Judge Damon R. Leichty of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division, said in an opinion issued on July 18 (pdf) that the plaintiffseight IU students who sued the university over the vaccine mandatefailed to establish a likelihood of success on the merits of their Fourteenth Amendment due process claim, or that the balance of harms or the publics interest favors the extraordinary remedy of a preliminary injunction.

The 14th Amendment, which says no state may deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, prevents public universities from mandating vaccines for students unless they can demonstrate that they have rationally pursued a legitimate interest in public health for their campus communities, the judge wrote.

Leichty wrote that while IUs vaccine policy has real implications, such as potentially depriving students who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine or havent qualified for an exemption from attending the university, students still have real options in the face of the policy, including applying for a medical or religious exemption, applying for a medical deferral, attending a different college, or taking classes online.

Recognizing the significant liberty interests the students retain to refuse unwanted medical treatment, the Fourteenth Amendment permits Indiana University to pursue a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interests of public health for its students, faculty, and staff, Leichty wrote, adding that IUs COVID-19 vaccine policy leaves the students with multiple choices, not just forced vaccinations.

On May 21, IU notified all faculty, staff, and students via email that there would be a requirement to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for the fall semester. Failing to do so will result in students class registrations being canceled and their university-issued IDs terminated, and they will be prohibited from any on-campus activity.

Approved exemptions will be extremely limited to a very narrow set of criteria, the universitys website reads. The exemptions include religious exemptions, medical exemptions with documentation or medical deferrals, and an online program exemptionit must be an online program, not simply taking all online classes.

In June, eight students represented by The Bopp Law Firm sued the board of trusteesthe IUs governing body and legal ownerover the mandate.

The lawsuit claims that IUs vaccine mandate violates the liberty protected by the 14th Amendment, including rights of personal autonomy and bodily integrity and the right to reject medical treatment.

IUs Mandate violates the constitutional rights of IUs studentsit requires all IU students without any meaningful exemptions to take the COVID vaccine, lead counsel James Bopp said in a statement, noting that no government entity and no other Indiana public university requires a COVID-19 vaccination.

This kind of total disregard for student freedom to choose for themselves, for students bodily autonomy, and for the need for voluntary and informed consent cannot stand under the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit also claims that the mandate violates Indianas ban on vaccine passports.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita issued an opinion in May (pdf), saying the ban on vaccine passports applies to public colleges and universities because they are arms of the state.

IU unquestionably violates the new law by requiring its students, faculty, and staff to show proof of immunization as a condition of continued attendance or employment, Rokita wrote in his letter.

In an earlier statement to The Epoch Times, IU spokesperson Chuck Carney said the universitys mandate was put in place to support a return to safe and more normal operations this fall.

The university is confident it will prevail in this case. Following the release of the Indiana attorney generals opinion, our process was revised, with uploading proof of vaccination no longer required. The attorney generals opinion affirmed our right to require the vaccine, Carney said.

Li Hai contributed to this report.
This undated photo shows former soldiers participating in a protest outside the provincial government building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. Marginalized and misunderstood, Chinese Vietnam veteranswho fought in a little-celebrated war with its southern neighborrisk beatings and prison in a new battle with authorities. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Leaked Document Reveals How Chinese Authorities Suppress Military Veterans

In China, the growing number of mass protests by veterans over their rights and benefits has become a sensitive issue for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in recent years. The Epoch Times recently obtained a government document from a trusted source that reveals how petitioners are being suppressed by the authorities. One China observer said that the CCP suppresses veterans through draconian measures to maintain stability and solidify its rule.

Major Protests

The Epoch Times obtained a document from the municipal government in Dandong city, Liaoning Province.

In 2018, three mass protests occurred between May 31 to June 12, according to the document titled, Report on the Verification and Investigation of Military-related Petitioning, issued by the Dandong City Public Complaints and Proposals Administration to the Party Committee of Dandong City on June 23, 2018.

On May 31, 75 veterans from local companies in Dandong gathered at the municipal government office complex and appealed to the authorities by holding up banners, kneeling on the ground, and sitting quietly.

On June 11, over 110 veterans protested in front of the citys Railway Station Square to appeal for their rightsa few protesters delivered speeches, while many were seen holding up banners and sitting quietly.

On June 12, around 230 veterans protested in front of the provincial government complex.

Despite the peaceful protests, Chinese authorities were concerned about the number of protesters at the demonstration sites. The report claimed that the retired military personnel got an opportunity to unite, exchange information, learn from each other, and increase their influence, creating multiple negative impacts on future stability maintenance and reconciliation work.

People stand on a street as they queue outside the petitions office in Beijing on March 8, 2013. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Veteran Petitioners are Well-organized

The report noted that the number of veterans at protest sites were increasing and the petitioners were well-organized.

The group has a tendency to intensify [the situation] and wont stop until their goal is achieved, it said.

According to the document, the petitioners have strong ties among themselves and with other similar groups, and these veterans are well organized at the petition sites because they are divided into different teams. It said that there are seven groups of veterans over the social media platform WeChat, with nearly 400 members.

The report said the group works quickly and is able to evade the monitoring and tracing by the police. The petitioners frequently change cell phone SIM cards that are not registered under any real name. They intentionally take a detour and travel in private cars or trucks to get to their petitioning destinations under the cover of darkness.

Hsin-Hsien Wang, a Taiwan expert on China affairs said that the main reason for this high level of mobilization is that various veteran organizations have been set up by local veterans to facilitate communicationthese organizations include the Chongqing Disabled Veterans Organization Committee, Guizhou War Veterans, Henan Revolutionary Disabled Veterans Rights, Shaanxi August 1 Veterans, and Hebei War Veterans. He noted that these networking groups are widespread at the city, county, and provincial levels. Some of the groups are established at the national level such as the National Association of Veterans of the Two Participations and the National Veterans United Association.

The Two Participations group refers to veterans who have participated in the CCPs Vietnam War and veterans from Nuclear Unit 8023, a military unit in charge of nuclear weapons tests.

Suppressing Veterans

According to the report, the then-Secretary of Dandong Municipal Party Committee was frustrated at the situation: The city has sent two Standing Committee members to Shenyang to work [on controlling the petitioners], and more than 100 county or district leaders and police officers participated in the work, but why wasnt this [sending people to Shenyang to control the petitioners] reflected [in the report]?

The report listed suggestions for future stability maintenance work related with veteran petitioners, including setting up special organizations that are responsible for veteran groups; strengthening the collection of personal information of all the military veterans, targeting the leaders and organizers by alienating them from the group, implementing humane care to appease the veterans in order to prevent them from petitioning.

A reporter from the Chinese language Epoch Times reached out to the office of the Dandong City Public Complaints and Proposals Administration, but the director of the office refused to respond to questions related to veterans.

According to the document, there are 2,114 veterans working in the citys enterprises, of which 288 veterans were laid offthat is the main reason why they have frequently petitioned for their benefits.

An elderly protester holds up his veteran certificate and his documents relating to a land dispute in Hebei Province, outside a petition office in Beijing, on March 7, 2006. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

The CCP Uses Both Hard and Soft Measures to Control Veterans: Expert

Hsin-Hsien Wang, a professor at the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies of the National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taiwan once wrote in an analysis, Veterans have a variety of qualities that scare the [CCP] government.

In 2018, Wang published An Analysis of Recent Veterans Protests in China in Prospect & Exploration, a monthly publication of the Taiwan Ministry of Justice Investigations Bureau.

Wang estimated that about 3 million veterans are from the Two Participations group and about 1 million are those who were discharged during Chinas arms control and nuclear disarmament from 1985 to 1987. (In 1985, the CCP announced to reduce its military personnel by one million by 1987, which was known later in China as the Great Disarmament.) However, due to a large number of fake veterans, Wang believes that getting an accurate number of the total number of veterans in the country is a headache for the CCP.

In the past two decades or so, military imposters paid for a veteran status to get access to good job placements and veteran-related benefits, and various government departments and hospitals were involved in providing them with fake identity documents. This indirectly impacts the benefits of true veterans, according to Wang.

The petitioning and protesting veterans have demonstrated astonishing mobilizing capabilities, Wang wrote in his analysis.

One example is the protest in October 2016 outside the CCPs Central Military Committee office complex in Beijing by thousands of veterans. Security was on high alert as the incident occurred at a sensitive time when two significant events took place in the capital city.

These veterans came from at least nine provinces and cities, and the timing of the event was very sensitive, as it coincided with the annual Xiangshan Forum attended by official delegations and military experts from nearly 60 countries, and the eve of the 18th Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wang wrote.

Wang noted that the large-scale veterans mobilization is mirrored by other groups.

It is of concern that this kind of mass mobilization is not only happening to veterans, but also to truck drivers who went on strike in June [2018], he said.

To maintain stability, the local governments use harsh measures to suppress the petitioning veterans, Wang said. This includes deploying police or security personnel equipped with heavy weapons; censoring online media and deleting social media posts, closings roads and shutting down train services, and using drones to monitor protest sites.

The soft measures include payments of benefits and improvements of veterans incomes. But local governments have failed to carry out these measures. And when veterans complain, authorities respond with draconian measures, he said.

It is expected that the rights defense of veterans will be a huge challenge and a sensitive issue for the CCP, Wang concluded in his analysis.

On June 19, 2018, a group of veterans from Zhenjiang city, Jiangsu Province went to relevant government departments to inquire about veteran-related policies. They were suddenly surrounded by police and later beaten by unidentified thugs, who ran into the municipal governments office buildings and hid themselves there. Upon hearing about the incident, other veterans from nearby cities in Jiangsu and from other provinces came to Zhenjiang to support the local veterans. Police beat the veterans, and nine veterans were arrested on June 20. In 2019, they were sentenced to two to four years in prison.

Hong Ning and Gu Qinger contributed to this report.
A sign is pictured at the main entrance of the Central Criminal Court, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey in central London on Aug. 21, 2016. (Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images)

Man in Court Over Plot to Kill Pakistani Political Blogger

A man has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of plotting to kill an exiled Pakistani political blogger.

Muhammad Gohir Khan, 31, was charged on June 28 with conspiring with others unknown to murder anti-Pakistan Army blogger Ahmad Waqas Goraya between Feb. 16 and June 24 this year.

On Monday, Khan, from Forest Gate, east London, appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing by video link from custody.

The court heard Khan had been charged with one offence of conspiracy to murder with the alleged target being a political commentator from Pakistan who is exiled in the Netherlands.

During the hearing, Justice Sweeney said the case would be heard at Kingston Crown Court.

A plea hearing was set for October with a trial starting either on Jan. 4 or Jan. 11, 2022.

The defendant was remanded into custody.

By Emily Pennink
In this image from closed circuit television footage, a man identified as Paul Hodgkins, front, holds a flag while in the Senate chamber inside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (CCTV via FBI)

Man Who Breached Capitol on Jan. 6 Sentenced to 8 Months in Jail

A man who entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was sentenced to eight months in jail on July 19.

Paul Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, Florida, entered the Capitol building on Jan. 6 at approximately 2:50 p.m. He was seen about 10 minutes later wearing a Trump 2020 shirt and waving a flag with the same message on it, walking among the desks in the Senate well, taking selfie photographs with his cell phone and donning, at one point, white latex gloves.

Hodgkins, who exited the Capitol after about 25 minutes inside, was also sentenced to 24 months of supervised release after serving the jail time and ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and $2,000 in restitution.

Defense attorneys pushed for no jail time, noting Hodgkins had no prior criminal record and that he wasnt accused of being violent while in the building.

Patrick Leduc, one defense attorney, asked the judge to be merciful and claimed that Hodgkins actions werent materially different than those of Anna Morgan-Lloyd, 49, who was sentenced to probation last month.

Hodgkins was the first participant in the U.S. Capitol breach to be sentenced for a felony. Morgan-Lloyd pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss largely rejected the defenses arguments.

Hodgkins entered the Capitol bearing ski goggles and rope, indicating that he expected clashes with law enforcement, the judge said.

I dont know whether he thought there was going to be an assault on the Capitol or not, but he came that day prepared to defend his position and to engage in whatever needed to be done, even if it placed him at the center of the conflict.  He didnt end up there by accidental curiosity, said Moss, an Obama appointee who worked as a government lawyer during the Clinton administration.

It was obvious as he approached the Capitol that he was participating in an ongoing attack to impede the certification of the election.  To make matters worse, Mr. Hodgkins stood next to the dais of the United States Senate, in the well of the Senate, and raised the red flag that said Trump 2020 in large white letters. The symbolism of that act is unmistakable. He was making a claim on the floor of the United States Senate, not with an American flag, but with a flag declaring his loyalty to a single individual over the nation. That act captured the threat to democracy that we all witnessed that day.

Members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence were evacuated on Jan. 6 after the Capitol was breached through broken windows and other avenues. The evacuees, who were evacuated before Hodgkins entered the chamber, were in the process of certifying electoral votes. They eventually reconvened and certified Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.

Prosecutors had recommended Hodgkins be sentenced to 18 months in jail, the midpoint of sentencing guidelines as calculated by the U.S. Probation Office.

Yes, Mr. Hodgkins did not participate in the physical violence or the destruction, but he surely participated in the grave danger to our democracy, assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky told the judge.

The recommended sentence would help bolster respect for the law, she said, describing the breach of the Capitol on Jan. 6 as being done to subvert the election and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.

Hodgkins later addressed the court directly.

I am truly remorseful and regretful for my actions in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, he said, noting that he regretted the damage the breach caused and how it hurt America.

A group of protesters enters the Senate Chamber in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Although I know that I did not or would I ever engage in acts of assault, vandalism, or theft, Ive also thought  that the company of us who remained calmer in our protests may have made others feel emboldened to carry out the destruction that occurred.

The Florida man said he traveled to the nations capital to support then-President Donald Trump and participated in a march that ended at the U.S. Capitol, when he saw people entering the building. He followed and eventually made it to the Senate chamber.

This was a foolish decision on my part that I take full responsibility for, he said. I do not, I will not make any excuse.

Hodgkins said he acknowledges Biden as the president of the United States. He also said he has voluntarily given up alcohol, completed volunteer hours, and started going to church since being charged. He foresaw that if he were sentenced to jail, he would lose his rental home and his job at an auto shop.

The judge said he appreciated the statement, which he described as sincere. He said Hodgkins appeared to try to exert a calming influence on fellow breachers.

Leduc told The Epoch Times last month that Hodgkins pleaded guilty because he realized that he had made a mistake and wanted to accept responsibility for what he did.

He understands what he did was wrong. He feels terrible about it, Leduc said.

He told the court that prosecutors attempts to blame his client for the actions of other breachers were flawed. He noted that prosecutors had brought no domestic terrorism charges, undercutting the governments claims about what happened on Jan. 6.

If the Capitol breach was an example of domestic terrorism, then riots in 2020 that caused widespread damage in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon, would be also, he argued.

Moss interjected, indicating how he would soon rule.

There were people who were storming through the halls of the Capitol saying Wheres Nancy. There were people who were threatening the lives of members of Congress. There were members of Congress who fleed fearful for their lives. That is more than a simple riot, he said, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

The fact that Congress, chambers of Congress, were emptied during the most solemn act in our democracy, of certifying who the next president will be, by an angry mob of people  that is not an exercise of First Amendment rights by any measure.
Minnesota state Rep. John Thompson is seen before being elected during a march in St. Anthony, Minn., on July 6, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Minnesota Representative Defies Calls From Fellow Democrats to Resign

Minnesotas governor and other high-profile Democrats are calling on a Democrat state representative to resign after abuse allegations surfaced and police body camera footage indicated he misrepresented a traffic stop.

But Minnesota Rep. John Thompson says he wont step down from office.

Local media found that Thompson was the subject of four allegations of domestic violence, with police reports from 2003 to 2009 showing accusers alleging that Thompson punched, hit, and choked them.

The cases were filed in Wisconsin.

Prosecutors either declined to pursue charges in the cases or have an open investigation. In one case, Thompson pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, was among those calling for Thompson to step down over the allegations.

Minnesotans deserve representatives who uphold the highest moral character and share our values, he said in a statement over the weekend. Following the deeply disturbing reports of domestic violence against multiple women, Rep. Thompson can no longer effectively be that leader and should immediately resign.

As a mom, advocate for children, and survivor and child witness of domestic violence, I know the deeply traumatic impact of the actions outlined in reports against Rep. Thompson, added Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a Democrat. Someone who has allegedly demonstrated this violent pattern of behavior, especially in the presence of children, is unfit to serve in elected office.

Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, as well as Ken Martin, who chairs the Minnesota DemocraticFarmerLabor Party, joined the calls for Thompsons resignation.

In a July 18 statement on Facebook, Thompsons attorney Jordan Kushner said his client challenges the authenticity of the police reports.

Minnesota Rep. John Thompson is seen before being elected during a rally in St. Paul, Minn., on June 19, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Mr. Thompson and his wifethe only person whom Mr. Thompson would have been with at the times of the incidentscategorically deny that any of the inflammatory allegations (including but not limited to choking anyone or exposing himself) ever occurred, Kushner said.

The lawyer also claimed that persons linked to law enforcement groups provided the reports to news outlets as part of a smear campaign against him thats aimed to silence an American African man who speaks out against powerful and abusive interests, and not the product of any effort to uncover truth.

Thompson has no plans of stepping down, he said through the attorney.

The resignation calls follow another situation involving the first-term representative.

A police officer in St. Paul, Minnesota, pulled Thompson over on July 4 because he said the lawmaker was driving without a front license plate. Thompson told the officer that he was a state representative but presented a Wisconsin drivers license. The officer told Thompson that his license in Minnesota was suspended, according to recently released body camera footage.

Thompson claimed he was pulled over because he was black.

St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said the traffic stop was by the book.

What happened afterward was anything but. Im dismayed and disappointed by the state representatives response to the stop, Axtell said in a statement.

Rather than taking responsibility for his own decisions and actions, he attempted to deflect, cast aspersions, and deny any wrongdoing, he added, calling for Thompson to apologize.

In his own statement, Thompson said he was pulled over in what is known as a pretextual traffic stop, the same type that led to the police shootings of Philando Castile, who was fatally shot by a former officer later charged with manslaughter, and Daunte Wright, who was killed while trying to flee police by a former officer who now faces charges.

During my stop, it was brought up that my vehicle did not have a front license plate, I did not have a Minnesota drivers license, and there was a record of me having missed a child support payment. While all of these have relatively simple explanations, I take responsibility for my fault in not addressing these issues and allowing them to eclipse the hard-fought work done in the name of police reform, he said.

I was able to drive away from this interaction while other Black Minnesotans, in very similar situations, have not. The desire to be treated with respect and be able to drive away from this interaction safely was why I informed the officer I was a State Representative during our conversation.
Chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a meeting at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on May 24, 2021. (Laurent Gillieron/AFP via Getty Images)

More Than a Year After Declaring Pandemic, WHO Calls for Audits of Wuhan Labs

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called for an audit of laboratories in Wuhan, China, as part of a second phase of investigations into the origins of COVID-19 after the first phase failed to secure transparency and information sharing from the Chinese regime.

A key priority to moving toward a deeper investigation into the origins of COVID-19 will include audits of relevant laboratories and research institutions operating in the area of the initial human cases identified in December 2019, WHO chief Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a closed-door meeting.

The second phase of the probe will also require studies of certain Wuhan residential areas and the central citys wildlife and animal markets, including the Huanan seafood market, Tedros said, according to remarks provided by the WHO.

Investigators will focus on studies prioritizing geographic areas with the earliest indication of circulation of SARS CoV-2, Tedros said.

A security personnel stands guard as members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19, make a visit to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, in Chinas central Hubei Province on Feb. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

A day earlier, the agency chief said it was premature to rule out the possibility that COVID-19 could have emerged from a Wuhan lab without sufficient evidence, walking back on a controversial WHO report published in March that designated a lab leak theory hypothesis as extremely unlikely.

In recent months, the theory that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus was the result of a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) has gained wider recognition as a likely possibility after being largely condemned by legacy media, with commentators calling it a debunked conspiracy despite a number of scientists and officials presenting evidence to support the hypothesis. Confusion was exacerbated by comments by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who had agreed with the CCPs assessment about the virus origin.

U.S. President Joe Biden on May 26 ordered the intelligence community to produce a report in 90 days on the origins of the virus, saying that agencies are looking at different theories, including the possibility of a laboratory accident.

The WHO also said on Thursday that it will fix several unintended errors in its joint report with China on the origins of the virus, and that it will clarify that the first family cluster was not linked to the Huanan seafood market, the Washington Post first reported.

China remains a member state of the WHO.

A worker wearing a face mask looks out from an entrance of a hospital toward the Wuhan center for disease control and prevention in Wuhan, Chinas central Hubei province on Feb. 1, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The agencys report, produced with the input of Chinese scientists who would have been working under Beijings restrictions, was questioned by U.S. government officials and some scientists who voiced concerns about the communist regimes influence over the probe. The critics noted that China had denied scientists access to raw data from early patients.

The initial report did adhere to Beijings preferred stances on the viruss origin. Beijing has pushed a natural zoonotic hypothesisthat the virus was transmitted to humans from an animal hostas the most likely origin. The Chinese regime has repeatedly cited the WHOs assessment that a lab leak was extremely unlikely as its reasoning for pushing virus probes in other countries.

Losing Valuable Time

Tedros on Friday said that the WHO expects China to support this next phase of the scientific process by sharing all relevant data in a spirit of transparency.

He also announced the creation of a new permanent International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) that will play a vital role in the next phase of the CCP virus origins probe, as well as the origins of future new pathogens.

Tedros said an open call will be made by the WHO for highly qualified experts to apply to SAGO. Different investigators will be nominated by member states, he said.

Members of this new advisory group will be selected based on their technical expertise, taking into account geographical representation and gender balance.

The world needs a more stable and predictable framework for studying the origins of new pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential, Tedros added.

That announcement has been met with concern from some scientists who have questioned whether the proposal could see SAGO replace the existing mission appointed by the WHO to investigate the origins of the virus.

Im worried about delays and of course its a bit strange, virologist and veterinarian Marion Koopmans of Erasmus University, a member of the existing mission told ScienceMag. Were losing valuable time.

Gerald Keusch, associate director of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory Institute at Boston University said that hes suspicious about the creation of the new group.

Im very suspicious about dismissing the initial task force and now allowing individuals and governments to nominate themselves, which will result in a partisan, selective process and not lead to the best composition, Keusch told ScienceMag.

The WHO didnt immediately respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times.
Tucson Police investigators work at the scene of a house fire where a body was found in Tucson, Ariz., on July 19, 2021. (Rebecca Sasnett/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Multiple People Shot in Series of Attacks in Tucson, Arizona

TUCSONA gunman killed one person and wounded four others, including firefighters and paramedics, at the scene of a house fire in Arizona on Sunday before being shot by an officer, authorities said.

The 35-year-old suspect, who was critically wounded and remains hospitalized, drove up to the fire and shot at an ambulance crew around 3:45 p.m., Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus told news outlets.

The ambulance driver, a 20-year-old man, was shot in the head, and a paramedic in the passenger seat, a 21-year-old woman, was shot in the chest and arm. The driver was in critical condition and the woman was stable.

The suspect also opened fire on firefighters and neighbors trying to douse the flames, the chief said. One neighbor was shot in the head and died. A firefighter was shot in the arm, and another bullet grazed another neighbors head.

A badly burned body was found inside the home. Children who lived there and were initially missing have since been located unharmed, Sgt. Richard Richard Gradillas said Monday. He would not confirm how many children had been missing.

A police officer responding to the scene encountered the suspect a couple of blocks away, the chief said. Police said the suspect rammed his SUV into the officers vehicle and opened fire. The officer returned fire and shot the suspect, critically wounding him, the chief said. The officer was not injured.

This is a highly tragic, really horrific incident, with many unknowns, Magnus said.

Investigators are still trying to piece together several details.

We are continuing the investigation and not releasing anything additional right now, Gradillas said.

The investigation was ongoing. It was unclear what prompted the attacks or if the suspect had a connection to the residents of the burned home.

Tucson lies roughly 115 miles southeast of Phoenix.

This story has been corrected to clarify that the police chief said two or three children were missing after the house fire, not three.
Women and children demand withdrawal of military after alleged shooting of two civilians, in conflict Zone south of Jos, Nigeria, on July 14, 2021. Protestors tell Military Officials who visit protest ground that they no longer trust Army to protect them. Masara Kim

Nigerian Women Protest Alleged Military Complicity With Terrorists

JOS, NigeriaHaving buried their fathers, sons, and husbands who died as a result of terrorist activity in Nigeria, along with what they claim is complicity by the military, northern Nigerian women have taken to the streets in protest.

From January to June, 23 attacks by Fulani terrorists in Nigerias Plateau State resulted in 215 deaths, according to Mark Lipdo, founder of the Stefanos Foundation in Jos.

That appalling loss of life was partly what drove more than 500 women and children to march in protest on July 14, following the shooting of unarmed civilians by men in camouflage fatigues, who local residents believe were regular Nigerian army soldiers. The army has denied the allegation.

Bitterness and anger have driven the women to demand that the army leave Riyom County, 17 miles southwest of Jos, the capital of Plateau State.

Tabitha Gyang stands amid hundreds of women and children seeking the withdrawal of troops from their villages over violations and dereliction of duty, in the conflict zone south of Jos, Nigeria, on July 14, 2021. Gang protested with over 500 women and children for 12hrs and attempted to continue the next day until County Officials appealed for calm. Masara Kim

Tabitha Gyang, a 60-year-old farmer, led the group of shouting women and children in a 12-hour protest against what they assert was the state-assisted slaying of unarmed civilians and the despoiling of farmers crops as soldiers stood by silently.

A day after our crops were destroyed, we saw the soldiers guarding herdsmen passing through our community to their settlements, and when we complained that they do not give us the same protection when we need it, they said they are not here for us, that they are here to protect minoritiesthat is, the Fulani, Gyang told Epoch Times.

The Fulani tribe has been linked to thousands of incidents of banditry and sectarian attacks; its present throughout West Africa and the Sahel, and it claims more than 12.8 million members in Nigeria alone, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Despoiled cornfield near Jos, Nigeria, on July 5, 2021. Courtesy of Solomon Dalyop.

Two members of Gyangs family were killed by soldiers in 2018, she said.

The protest was triggered by claims that two unarmed men serving as volunteer watchmen in a local hamlet were shot to death by soldiers. This latest instance of troops apparently siding with terrorists makes the soldiers a threat to the community, Gyang said.

Titus John and Iliya Dalyop were killed on July 13 in Kum village, 17 miles southwest of Jos, by men in military uniforms, eyewitness Pam John told The Epoch Times.

We were in the backyard keeping vigil because we heard that attacks were being planned on the village, when two people wearing military camouflage approached. We thought they were coming to help us because we only had sticks and torch lights and whistles for alarm, but they opened fire on us, killing two of my colleagues.

That was just one of more than 100 incidents of abuse allegedly involving local military, including extrajudicial killings, in the past three years, according to Yakubu Bawa, a local lawyer representing the victims.

A heartbroken farmer watches her despoiled crops in Northwest Plateau State, Nigeria, on July 14, 2021. Masara Kim

When we say 100 cases in the last three years, we are just being modest, and these cases range from extrajudicial killings to illegal arrests and unwarranted brutality by members of the armed forces, Bawa told The Epoch Times.

Soldiers assigned to a peacekeeping mission in the region agreed to withdraw from the village on July 11, according to community leader Ezekiel Tengwong.

The troops issued threats before evacuating, after villagers accused them of complicity, Tengwong told The Epoch Times. They threatened to return and deal with us since we said we dont want them here because they are colluding with herdsmen to attack us and destroy our farm crops.

In recent weeks, ripe crops of corn and maize on more than 50 local farms were mowed down by terrorists on the night of July 4 and in the following days, Tengwong said. The crops, owned by indigenous farmers and spanning more than 250 acres, have been despoiled in an effort to force local Christian farmers to evacuate the area. Photos of the destroyed crops were provided to The Epoch Times.

While local authorities pleaded for police to intervene, their distress calls were ignored during the destruction, Tengwong said in the Hausa language thats spoken throughout northern Nigeria.

Gen. Ibrahim Ali publicly apologizes to a victim of a military shooting, Gyang Dachollom, during a news briefing at Special Task Force headquarters in the conflict zone south of Jos, Nigeria, on July 15, 2021. Masara Kim

The militarys Special Task Force (STF) commander on July 15 denied taking sides, saying the troops were withdrawn following petitions from the locals.

We are here to protect both Berom and Fulani and indeed every other tribe on the plateau, but if communities say they dont want us, we have no choice, commander Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Ali told a news conference in Jos.

County Chairman Mafeng Gwalson said during a meeting with peacekeeping officials in Jos: Less than half of Riyom County feels safe with the military.

I have toured all the communities in Riyom and many of them prefer the police to soldiers because of these cases of violations that have persisted for years.

Many attacks in the area previously linked to military excesses and collusion with criminals have eroded public confidence, he said.

Gyang Dachollom, a native of Riyom, told The Epoch Times that he lost trust in the military after being shot by soldiers at a military checkpoint in 2013.

With what happened on Feb. 13, 2013, in Fang village of Bachi District here in Riyom County, each time I see anything relating to the military, I get frightened, Dachollom told the meeting of local officials with the STF, a combined force of military and police set up to curb ethnic and religious violence in Plateau State.

Five of us were shot at a military checkpoint. I survived with a bullet wound in my stomach, but while crawling to safety, one of [the soldiers] came close to me wearing khaki and a helmet and still shot at me. I rolled on the ground as he fired his gun on rapid, and when I got a cover, I ran, staggering before I called for help.

Ali on July 15 conceded that there were bad eggs within the task force in Plateau State, although he denied that the military had fired on unarmed civilians. He countered that civilians could have used military identities to cover crimes.

There are criminals in every organization. But is it not possible for a civilian to get a military uniform and ID card, to go and attack, and put the uniform there? Is it not possible? Ali said. It is very possible, so that he will bury his tracks. So that nobody will ever suspect him. People do that. So that is the reason why you should not just conclude that it is the military that did that.

Ali publicly apologized to Dachollom during a news briefing on July 15 at the STF headquarters in Jos. Ali had denied violations by the military until Dachollam appeared at the meeting along with Gwalson.

Chris Kwaja, Advisor USIP. courtesy of Chris Kwaja.

Chris Kwaja, an adviser to the United States Institute for Peace, said: Militarization of civilian communities is increasing the tendency for crimes. Soldiers are now taking over the work of the police whose duty it is to handle internal security affairs.

The consistent flooding of civilian communities with military personnel, like in the case of Plateau State, for over two decades now, is militarizing the psyche of the civilian populations.

Even little children now know an AK-47 rifle. Civilians now keep and use these weapons unchallenged. In other [regions], you dont see a soldier in uniform likely. You could see a sidearm but certainly not assault rifles.

But what is happening today is redefining the society and that is giving room for criminality to thrive. In the first place, when these things happen and are not investigated, whether it is the soldiers or criminals that are behind it, the failure of law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice puts them at fault.

In 2018, former Nigerian Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma told the Premium Times that the military was colluding with herdsmen to attack communities.

[The military] collude with the armed bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians, said Danjuma, whose home state of Taraba was the scene of a series of armed attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

A cellphone believed to belong to a Fulani terrorist found at the scene of a massacre in Kaduna State, which adjoins Plateau State, on April 26, 2020, gave credence to Danjumas claims. Among the 26 phone numbers saved to the phone were direct cellphone numbers for Nigerian army and police officersthe very people who should be hunting terrorists, Zenger news reported.
No Compromise of Leaked Defence Papers by Adversaries: UK Defence Secretary

Classified Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents found at a bus stop last month were leaked as a result of a mistake, not espionage, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed.

Wallace told MPs on Monday that the papers had not been compromised by the UKs adversaries.

The 50-pages of papers, including documents relating to the likely reaction of the Russians to the passage of the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender through waters off the coast of Crimea and to the UK military presence in Afghanistan, were found in a soggy heap at a bus stop in Kent on June 22 by a member of the public, who handed them to the BBC.

The MoD said at the time that the loss of the documents had been reported by an employee the week prior.

After an investigation into the incident, Wallace assured MPs on Monday, We are confident that we have recovered all the secret papers.

The investigation has found no evidence of espionage and has concluded there has been no compromise of the papers by our adversaries, he said.

Wallace said the investigation has independently confirmed the circumstances of the loss, including the management of the papers within the department, the location at which the papers were lost, and the manner in which that occurred, and they are consistent with the account of the individual who lost the papers.

The individual concerned has been removed from sensitive work and has already had their security clearance suspended pending a full review.

For security reasons, the department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss or on the identity of the individual, Wallace added.

Russia said on June 23 that it fired shots and dropped bombs in the path of the UKs HMS Defender near Cape Fiolent, a landmark on the southern coast of Crimea near the port of Sevastopol, headquarters of the Russian Navys Black Sea fleet.

The UK has denied Russias claim, saying that the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise and that no shots had been fired at the British warship, which was conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters.

Russia seized and annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, and it considers areas around the peninsulas coast to be Russian waters. Western countries consider the peninsula to be part of Ukraine and have rejected Russias claim to the seas around it.

PA contributed to this report.
Clinical staff draw up AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines at the Claremont Showgrounds COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in Perth, Australia, on May 3, 2021. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

North Carolina County Starts Offering Door-to-Door COVID-19 Vaccinations

A county in North Carolina has begun a campaign to bring COVID-19 vaccinations to people at their homes.

Mecklenburg County has dubbed the effort doses to doors.

The countys health department is offering COVID-19 vaccinations on demand in neighborhoods across Mecklenburg County, the county said on its website, calling on residents to be on the lookout for our mobile vaccination unit.

The unit is providing vaccinations on demand. People can get a shot of Pfizers vaccine if aged 12 or older or a Johnson & Johnson jab if 18 or older, according to a flyer about the campaign.

As we go and have those individual conversations that we know are so important and encounter someone who is ready to get the vaccine or has their concerns identified and says OK lets do it now, that vaccine will be available at that time, Mecklenburg County Medical Director Dr. Meg Sullivan told WBTV.

While volunteers with nonprofits have been going door to door to spread information about the COVID-19 vaccines since May, the door-to-door vaccination effort is new, WBTV reported. The unit, which was following volunteers with Action NC, started at Southside Homes, an apartment complex in Charlotte.

Richard Dawkins, a volunteer, said volunteers are not confrontational and that their job is to dispel rumors and things.

Most people told door knockers that they had either gotten a vaccine or didnt want to; four people decided to get a vaccine.

The reason I havent been vaccinated yet is because I didnt have the convenience of getting around to get there, one man who received a shot said. I have grandkids in here I watch every day.

Former City Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield, who helped the outreach, told WCNC: That eliminates any excuse. You dont have to drive anywhere and sit in line, you dont have to have a vehicle, you dont have to have an Uber. They are right here.

But South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, opposes door-to-door visits regarding vaccines.

McMaster earlier this month called on the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control to direct state and local health care groups not to use targeted door-to-door tactics in the States ongoing vaccination efforts.

The call came after White House officials announced a nationwide effort to go door to door to try to drum up fresh interest in the vaccines due to lagging demand.

A South Carolinians decision to get vaccinated is a personal one for them to make and not the governments. Enticing, coercing, intimidating, mandating, or pressuring anyone to take the vaccine is a bad policy which will deteriorate the publics trust and confidence in the States vaccination efforts, McMaster said in a letter to the state agency.

The prospect of government vaccination teams showing up unannounced or unrequested at the door of targeted homeowners or on their property will further deteriorate the publics trust and could lead to potentially disastrous public safety consequences.

Federal officials have defended the door-to-door outreach, arguing that teams arent composed of government employees.

Besides the mobile unit, Mecklenburg County is offering to send health officials to peoples homes to administer shots if residents fill out a form requesting such a visit.

As of July 14, approximately half of the 1.1 million residents in the county have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson (L) accompanies volunteers and staffers during a door-knocking outreach effort to inform residents about an upcoming COVID-19 vaccination event in Birmingham, Ala., on June 30, 2021. (Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images)

North Carolina Door-to-Door Vaccine Outreach Violating Zone of Privacy, Advocacy Group Says

Though North Carolinas door-to-door vaccine outreach program has been called not confrontational, a health advocacy group said it veers into violating a zone of privacy.

The zone of privacy is civil liberty constitutionally protected in the Bill of Rights first recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) when it determined that the government cant restrict the sale and use of contraceptives, invalidating an 1879 law that the court ruled was a violation of marital privacy.

The courts ruling later became a precedent in the 1973 case of Roe V. Wade, which decided that the government cant excessively restrict a womans right to have an abortion.

Leslie Manookian, president and founder of the Health Freedom Defense Fund Inc, (HFDF), a nonprofit headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho, told The Epoch Times that the established zone of privacy is being challenged by the door-to-door campaign.

We dont walk up to people and ask them, are you on anti-depressants? Do you have erectile dysfunction? We dont ask people personal things like this for a reason, because its unethical, and because of this zone of privacy, Manookian said. We understand that its not our business to meddle in other peoples businesses, and its not the governments business, either.

Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County Public Health Department (MCPHD) in Charlotte, North Carolina initiated a doses-to-doors vaccine campaign that is followed by a mobile clinic to administer shots to those swayed.

The health departments program, which began last week, is a part of a larger campaign spoken about in a speech on July 6 when President Joe Biden said there needed to be a movement to visit each community, neighborhood, and oftentimes door-to-doorliterally knocking on doorsto help the remaining people who arent vaccinated.

Though North Carolina followed suit, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster challenged Bidens door-to-door vaccine campaign by directing the state health board to prohibit the operation.

A Personal Decision

In a July 9 letter addressed to Mark Elam, chairman of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), McMaster said the decision to get vaccinated is a personal one.

Enticing, coercing, intimidating, mandating, or pressuring anyone to take the vaccine is a bad policy which will deteriorate the publics trust and confidence in the states vaccination efforts, McMaster said. The prospect of government vaccination teams showing up unannounced or unrequested at the door of targeted homeowners or on their property will further deteriorate the publics trust and could lead to potentially disastrous public safety consequences.

In his July 6 speech, Biden didnt specify who would be going door-to-door, though in a July 9 press briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, she said campaigners wouldnt be federal employees but grassroots volunteers such as members of the clergy who would be providing information on vaccines.

White House Responds

In response to a reporter requesting that Psaki address McMasters resistance to the door-to-door campaign, Psaki said, Well, let me first say that the failure to provide accurate public health information, including the efficacy of vaccines and the accessibility of them to people across the country, including South Carolina, is literally killing people, so maybe they should consider that.

Manookian alluded to this and several other media reports that suggest the unvaccinated are killers, and what William Schaffer, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, called variant factories, implying that an unvaccinated person has the potential to mass-produce, or multiply the virus into mutation, creating a more serious variant down the road.

They are painting the unvaccinated as disease-ridden carriers, Manookian said.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons also spoke out against the campaign in a July 7 tweet: I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!

DHEC Director Edward Simmer responded in a press release on the departments web page stating that the DHEC will not enact unsolicited door-to-door visits, though Simmer stressed the importance of vaccinations.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra told CNN that its the governments business to know who and who hasnt been vaccinated.

With funding from the American Rescue Plan, the DHHS has invested up to $10 billion to expand vaccine programs into rural areas.

A Health Department Initiative

A spokesperson for The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) told The Epoch Times that the NCDHHS will, however, employ doing door-to-door knocking across the state to ensure that people have the information that they need about vaccinations and can easily and conveniently get vaccinated, and added that the purpose of this initiative is to increase access to historically marginalized populations through outreach and education efforts.

This effort is a part of the Healthier Together initiative, which the spokesperson said is intended to drive demand and increase access to vaccines in marginalized populations.

The initiative is a partnership between the NCDHHS and the NC Counts Coalition, which has released a request for proposals for which community organizations can apply in amounts up to $500,000 in grants to support groups that will help North Carolina achieve its goal of delivering equitable access to vaccines.

The NC Counts Coalition is a nonprofit established in 2017 to assist in achieving an accurate count for the 2020 Census by highlighting undercounted communities.

In Mecklenburg County, Action NC, a nonprofit that addresses social and economic inequality, partnered with the MCPHD to begin the outreach that, as of this week, includes the doses-to-doors program.

Robert Dawkins, political director for Action NC, told WBTV News in Charlotte that doses-to-doors is non-confrontational, and that no one is forcing anyone to take the shot, however, he added that its the job of the health department and Action NC to dispel rumors about the vaccines.

Vaccines and Censorship

YouTube cites medical misinformation when it pulls videos off its platform for allegedly violating its terms and conditions of giving out harmful information.

Manookian said this type of censorship should not only raise concern, but it also speaks to the integrity of the narrative Big Tech says it protects.

The fact that you are not allowed challenge the official narrative, that doctors and scientists who say what is being put by mainstream media is inaccurate, should make thinking person shiver with concern and seriously ask questions about what is going on, because if we cant have an open debate, then somebody is trying to hide something, Manookian said.
Olive Oil Flap

A wine writer's perspective on California's olive oil controversy

The word Champagne, legally, is capitalized because its a placenamethe famed sparkling wine comes from that small region north of Paris. This is an example of why place-named products are unique and often lead to laws protecting their names and reputations.

France, home to the worlds most important wine culture for hundreds of years, has dozens of placenames today that are supported by laws it sees as essential to protecting areas that are de facto brands. As a result, many of its regional names such as Chablis, Sancerre, and Beaujolais cannot be used on wines made by anyone outside these districts.

When a European wine regions name (i.e., Chianti in Italy) is synonymous with one wine type thats permitted to use that designation, the name of the primary grape (such as sangiovese) does not need to be identified. It isnt legal to make Chianti without it.

One reason for these regulations is that laws allowing their use can apply only to wines that conform to rigid regional regulationsincluding the use of only permitted grape varieties. There are exceptions to these rules in some other countries.

You see some California Chablis, for instance. Such terms, which have been used here for decades, appear on wines that are grandfathered in. The U.S. government agrees that certain terms have been in use here for so long that they may continue to exist.

Such exceptions have long riled makers of the great white wines of Chablis, for example. Chablis is a classic Burgundian district, and it has continued to oppose any out-of-region use of its name.

With this as a backdrop, look at olive oil. A controversy has embroiled the California olive oil industry for a few years. A large company, California Olive Ranch (COR), made a blended olive oil called Destination Series not long ago, which contained olive oils from other countries.

Its label, however, make it look like a California oil. Other California olive oil producers, from artisans to large companies, said CORs label was deceptive.

One reason was the brandCalifornia Olive Ranch. It appeared on the label with the state name in large print followed by a logo and Olive Ranch below the logo. It appeared similar to previous labels in which the oil was entirely from California olives.

Olive oil from California Olive Ranch. (Warren Price Photography/shutterstock)

Other olive oil producers argued that this Destination Series product was an attempt to obfuscate because the oil was a blend containing only a small amount of California olives.

Olive groves in California. (Thomas Barrat/shutterstock)

Subsequently, COR redesigned its label, eliminating the word Destination. The company name was still in large type at the top of the label, along with the words Global Blend.

In small type at the bottom of the label, it says, A Global Blend of Oils from Argentina, Chile, Portugal, California. No percentages are listed.

The major olive oil industry body, the Olive Oil Commission of California, opposes CORs labeling, arguing that the companys name, with California so prominent, makes it appear that only California olives are used.

Among those opposing COR are larger companies such as Corto, Cobram Estate, Seka Hills Estate, McEvoy Ranch, and numerous other artisan producers.

They support the passage of State Assembly Bill 535, which prohibits the sale of any California Olive Oil that indicates that California is the source of the oil unless 100 percent of that oil is derived from olives grown in California.

Olive oil judge and writer Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne has followed this topic and recently had an article on it on OliveOil.com. She says, AB 535 is the way to settle this.

The Senate re-cast one key section of the bill, which now reads: Any container of olive oil produced  in California which contains olive oil produced from olives grown in locations other than California  and includes California in any form on the (label) shall state (in a similar font size) the minimum percentage of California-grown olive oil in the container.

Olive oil connoisseurs usually suggest that the best oils are single-sourced and blends can be unreliable.

Wine of the Week

2018 Cambria Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, Julias Vineyard ($22): The aroma of this gorgeous, lighter-weight red wine leans heavily on distinctive Central Coast black cherry and herb elements. The entry is seductive, with soft and generous fruit flavors and a handsome and structured mid-palate in which the tannins play a very minor role. If this wine had come from a more prestigious area of California, its price point would be approximately twice as much. As it is, some discounters are carrying it for less than $20. A startling value.

To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at Creators.com. Copyright 2021 Creators.com
Rep. Byron Donalds: Im Not Getting Vaccinated Because I Dont Want To

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) says the Biden administration shouldnt pressure people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and he wont get the vaccine because its his own decision as a free-thinking human being.

Listen, Im 42 years old. I had COVID-19. Im not getting vaccinated, because I dont want to, Donalds told Fox and Friends on July 18. That is my own decision as a free-thinking human being. I dont want to do it. I dont want the shot. You have millions of Americans who are like that. Leave us alone.

Donalds criticized the Biden administration for exerting too much pressure to get people vaccinated.

Stop pressuring everybody. Stop throwing it in peoples faces, he said. If you want people to get vaccinated at a higher rate, just provide the information, step back and let adults manage their own lives. This is a free country. People are going to do what they want to do.

President Joe Biden announced earlier this month that the federal government would start door-to-door outreach in targeted communities to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates, following the failure to meet its self-imposed goal to get 70 percent of American adults vaccinated by July 4.

This is a real problem for [the administration] because they could have just stopped and said, we recommend people to get vaccinated, please go get this the vaccine, there are plenty, theyre available. But theyve gone way past that, the first-term Florida congressman said. Theyre now putting pressure on social media companies to censor speech in our country. That is not the job of the president of the United States.

The Biden administration has called on social media companies to crack down on so-called COVID-19 misinformation, claiming it poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nations health.

Republicans and conservatives have criticized the move, as it shows that the federal government is collaborating with Big Tech to suppress Americans freedom of speech.

Donalds isnt the first federal lawmaker to publicly announce unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who was infected with COVID-19 last year, told The Epoch Times in May that he isnt getting a COVID-19 vaccine because he still has high levels of antibodies against the disease.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), an ophthalmologist, also indicated in May that he wouldnt get vaccinated because he had already contracted the virus and has natural immunity.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told reporters at a news conference on the Fire Fauci Act last month that he wont get vaccinated until theres evidence that shows that it will improve upon the immunity thats been conferred to me as a result of a natural infection that I had.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) speaks at a news conference on the Fire Fauci Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, on June 15, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Im not saying go out and get the virus instead of getting the vaccine. The vaccine can save lives, its certain, Massie said. But theres no needthe science shows thistheres no need to get the vaccine if youve already recovered from COVID. And theres no need to expose yourself to that danger.
A statue of Canadas first prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 3, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Macdonalds Legacy (Part 1): Reclaiming a Foundational Leader

Commentary

Editors note: In the words of author and historian Richard Gwyn, without Sir John A. Macdonald, there would be no Canada. Macdonald wasnt just the Father of Confederationhe worked relentlessly to unite Canada, save the western territories from annexation by the United States, and negotiate for Canadas interests with London and Washington. With the movement to erase Canadas historical figures and cut ties with the nations past intensifying in recent months, The Epoch Times is publishing a multi-part series examining Macdonalds legacy.

At the hands of Canadas didactic elites, the powerful liberal-conservative consensus that guided the development of the Canadian nation has all but expired.

The lives and times of foundational leaders, like Conservative Prime Minister John A. Macdonald or Liberal Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier, are no longer seen as worthy subjects of study for Canadian schoolchildren.

Today, our roots are considered to be irredeemably poisoned by the flaws of those who came before us. The reputations of departed founders are stationary targets on the rhetorical fields of cultural warfare.

Killing off Canadas forefathers has become a top priority for the countrys educators.

Cancelling Macdonald

It has become clear that, for Canadas new woke establishment, one of the prime targets for destruction is the legacy of the countrys founding prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

Statues of John A. have been removed or vandalized and his picture on our $10 bill has been replaced. Several high schools named after Macdonald have undergone a name change, and post-modern academics have worked overtime to deconstruct his contribution to the development of the Canadian nation.

Close to my own residence in Nova Scotia, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education announced earlier this year that Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Upper Tantallon should be renamed Bay View High School.

Sir John A. Macdonald in an undated photo. (National Archives of Canada/CP Photo)

Outspoken students and educators eagerly lined up to cast the first stone at the memory of Canadas long-departed founder.

In a video statement posted on YouTube, student council co-president Grace Alberts said: By having our name, were upholding values that our school does not support. In changing this name were able to better support our minority groups at the school, specifically indigenous people whove had to experience much generational trauma from the effects of Sir John A. Macdonald, and to move toward truth and reconciliation.

Some local objections to the name change were voiced, but in a letter to parents, school principal Darlene Fitzgerald unequivocally supported the decision. This is really a no-brainer for me, she said last November upon announcing that the name would be changed.

Accusations of Genocide

The oppressor-oppressed paradigm is central to the neo-Marxist mega-narrative that prevails in the faculty rooms of Canadian schools and universities.

The Canadian lefts present contempt for Macdonald is laser-focused on the widely acknowledged mistreatment of indigenous peoples by a succession of colonial empires and national governments in North America.

The deadly clash of cultures between European migrants and native peoples in North America unfolded over a period of some four centuries. At times it led to what would be considered by present standards as merciless levels of oppression and injustice.

A majority of contemporary academics, educators, and civil rights activists are telling anyone who will listen that Canadas founding prime minister, and the nation at large, bear a unique burden of responsibility for the tragic suffering of indigenous peoples.

Macdonalds most severe critics argue that the plight of indigenous peoples and the placement of native children in federal residential school systems were not just tragic accidents of history or products of misguided policy. They contend that Canadas first prime minister set out to eradicate the indigenous population in a deliberate act of genocide.

Canadians Deserve a Fair-Minded Account of Our History

Like most of us, John Alexander Macdonald was significantly influenced by personal experience. He descended from Scottish families who had been loyal subjects of the Crown since the defeat of the Pretender at the Battle of Culloden.

In the Victorian-era British Empire, it was commonly believed that supplanting indigenous cultures with European civilization was a pragmatic and moral course of action. Establishment Victorian reformers and missionaries regarded primitive natives in the same way that todays woke social justice warriors regard Brexit voters, MAGA supporters, and members of Canadas Peoples Party.

The Victorian equivalent of present-day progressive elites wanted everyone integrated into an orderly, Christian, Protestant, Enlightenment culture. In former French and Spanish territories, assimilation into an agrarian, Roman Catholic society was regarded as the most uplifting and productive path that could be taken by indigenous peoples.

Nevertheless, few would deny that the Macdonald governments indigenous peoples policy was a traumatic product of those times.

In Defence of Macdonald



There are still dispassionate observers of history who admire Macdonald for what he accomplished in the context of his era.

In early January, a joint initiative by Friends of Sir John A. Macdonald and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) brought together some 200 historians, policy experts, educators, business leaders, public figures, and thought leaders to sign a joint statement in defence of Macdonald.

Their statement was published as a full-page ad in the National Post, but it received scant attention from Canadas legacy media. Signatories departed from the progressive mega-narrative and pushed back against the contempt heaped on the legacy of John A. They held that Macdonald deserved thoughtful and measured thanks for his contribution to the development of the Canadian nation.

All Canadians deserve to hear the full story about Macdonald, the founding of Canada, and Canadian history generally. Only then can we form reasoned views about that historical record, they argued.

Like those at Friends of Sir John A. Macdonald and the MLI, Epoch Times readers are generally well inclined toward open and fair-minded modes of historical inquiry. Mature citizens, parents, and grandparents also have a vested interest in understanding what is being taught in Canadas schools.

As a post-pandemic back to school project, The Epoch Times plans to publish a series of articles on Macdonalds legacy and the present controversy that surrounds it.

It is our hope that a more complete understanding of the man, his times, and his legacy will contribute to the authentic spirit of truth and reconciliation that all Canadians are seeking.

William Brooks is a Canadian writer who contributes to The Epoch Times from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He currently serves as editor of The Civil Conversation for Canadas Civitas Society.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Ridiculous, Travellers Dismayed by UK Quarantine Measures for France

PARISTravellers about to board a train from Paris to London on the day quarantine rules in Britain were due to lapse were upset on Monday by a last-minute decision to keep them, calling it ridiculous, cruel, and incoherent.

Anyone arriving from France will have to quarantine at home or in other accommodation for 5 to 10 days, the government said on Friday, even if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The fact that England scrapped most coronavirus restrictions on Monday made it even more bitter for those about to check in on the Eurostar at Paris Gare du Nord station.

Its incoherent and  frustrating, said Vivien Saulais, a 30-year-old Frenchman on his way back to Britain, where he lives, after visiting his family.

I am forced to do a 10-day quarantine while the British government lifts all the restrictions and is going for a policy of herd immunity.

Britain is reporting many more COVID-19 cases than France due to the spread of the Delta variant, first identified in India, but has few cases of the Beta variant, first identified in South Africa. The government said it was keeping quarantine rules for travellers from France because of the presence of the Beta variant there.

Britain has a COVID-19 death toll of 128,708 and is forecast to soon have more new infections each day than it did at the height of a second wave of the virus earlier this year. On Sunday there were 48,161 new cases.

But, outstripping European peers, 87 percent of Britains adult population has had one vaccination dose and more than 68 percent have had two doses. Deaths, at around 40 per day, are a fraction of a peak of above 1,800 in January.

Its totally ridiculous because the Beta variant in France is so low, said Francis Beart, a 70-year-old Briton who had travelled to France to see his partner but had cut short his visit to allow time for quarantine. Its a bit cruel.

French authorities have said the bulk of cases of the Beta variant come from the overseas territories of La Reunion and Mayotte, rather than mainland France, where it is not widespread.

We dont think the United Kingdoms decisions are totally based on scientific foundations. We find them excessive, Frances junior European affairs minister Clement Beaune told BFM TV.

By Emilie Delwarde
People's Liberation Army (Navy) General Intelligence Ship Tianwangxing (AGI-797) transits through the Arafura Sea, approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Tiwi Islands on July 10, 2021. (Australian Department of Defence)

Second Chinese Spy Ship Signals China Watching Australia Very Closely: Experts

Beijings decision to spy on the U.S.-Australian wargames is a sign the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is keeping an eye on Australia and its democratic allies, according to experts.

The comments follow recent reports that two Chinese spy ships were headed towards the Australian coast to monitor Talisman Sabre, the largest biennial training exercise between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the United States military.

The message Beijing is sending, particularly to Australians, is that weve got eyes on you and are watching very closely. I think for a nation of Australias size, its a little destabilising, Joseph Siracusa, adjunct professor of the history of international diplomacy at Curtin University, said.

Keep in mind right now, they (Australian ministers) cant get anywhere in China, or have any minister pick up the phone, he told The Epoch Times. The fact that (the CCP) is sending military ships to gather information and attract attention. I mean, theres a bit of an irony here, you know, China isnt paying attention to Australia politically, but militarily its paying a great deal of attention.

On July 18, Beijing dispatched a second surveillance vesselHaiwangxing, also known as Neptuneto the coast of Queensland to observe Talisman Sabre.

It follows the arrival of Tianwangxing, or Uranus, on July 16, where it stationed itself inside Australias Exclusive Economic Zone. There it can legally remain unless it engages in fishing activities.

Peoples Liberation Army (Navy) General Intelligence Ship Tianwangxing (AGI-797) transits through the Arafura Sea on the morning of July 11, 2021. (Supplied: Australian Department of Defence)

Chinese spy ships have been present at previous iterations of Talisman Sabre in 2017 and 2019. However, the arrival of a second vessel caught the Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton by surprise.

We are surprised there are two vessels, but obviously, the Chinese have made a decision to have a greater presence, he told reporters on July 19. We would expect them to operate and conduct themselves within the rules of international law.

Both ships are fitted with advanced electronic sensors that can intercept and record U.S. and Australian communications for analysis.

Alexey Muraviev, head of the Department of Social Sciences and Security Studies at Curtin University, said the Chinese had an interest in the military hardware and tactics on display during the wargames.

The Chinese have been showing continuous interest in monitoring Australias military activity, especially our joint operations or exercise activities with our allies, he told The Epoch Times. The exercises reveal inside information on tactics, weapons performance, our approach to joint planning and operations.

Soldiers from the 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Battalion fires a Patriot missile during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 at Camp Growl in Queensland, Australia, on July 16, 2021.

(U.S. Army photo by Maj. Trevor Wild, 38th ADA BDE Public Affairs.)

HMAS Brisbane sails alongside HMAS Parramatta during a replenishment at sea approach, off the coast of Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21) is the largest bilateral training activity between Australia and the United States, commencing on 14 July 2021. (Supplied: Australian Department of Defence)

You can do a comparative analysis to whats happening around Russia in the Black Sea region, for example, where you see increased exercise activity on the one hand, and increased surveillance and intelligence gathering activities on the other, he said.

Meanwhile, Siracusa warned that the possibilities of a miscalculation or major incident increased with the presence of Chinese ships.

Something small and preventable will not be preventable at the end of the day because of this lack of communication, I think something small could be big, he said. The fact that you have enemy warships in coastal waters near Australia tells you also that not only can the Chinese project power, but it could be a ship leading a flotilla of ships one day in the future.

Talisman Sabre began in June and will run until mid-August. The wargames involve training in logistics, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, urban operations, as well as air and maritime operations.

It also takes place across most of the state of Queensland and sees military personnelfrom South Korea, Japan, Canada, and New Zealandtest out the latest technology and military hardware.

An Australian Army M777 Howitzer fires at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. (Supplied: Australian Department of Defence)
Second Pennsylvania County Raises Objections to Senators Election Investigation

Officials in a Pennsylvania county say a state senator may not have the legal power to compel it to provide election-related materials such as forensic images of ballot tabulators and voter information.

Commissioners in York County, in a recent letter obtained by The Epoch Times, told Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano, a Republican, that the panel he chairs, the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee may lack jurisdiction of elections oversight.

Mastriano triggered a forensic investigation of the 2020 election in York, Tioga, and Philadelphia counties on July 7, requesting reams of information from county officials.

He said he had the authority as chairman of the panel.

York County Commissioners Julie Wheeler, Doug Hoke, and Ron Smith, two Republicans and a Democrat, said the state Senates State Government Committee typically oversees elections.

As a result, we believe that there may be a lack of jurisdiction over this issue which should be addressed and determined internally between the Committees and the legislature that created these Committees, they wrote.

Pennsylvania Sen. Dave Argall, a Republican who chairs the government panel, told The Epoch Times last month that he supports an audit of the 2020 election. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, a Republican, has said the legislature has clear authority to conduct election oversight.

A spokesman for Argall told The Epoch Times via email that it makes perfect sense for the Intergovernmental Operations Committee to take the lead on this investigation because of the intergovernmental aspects of the 2020 Election among the 67 counties, the Department of State, and other executive agencies involved in elections.

A spokesman for Mastriano did not return a request for comment.

Commissioners also expressed concern with outside parties potentially gaining access to voting systems if a forensic probe does occur, pointing to a recent directive by the Pennsylvania Department of State that warned counties against providing such access. And they included questions about funding, wondering which body would be expected to pay for a probe.

But they left open complying with the requests if subpoenas were issued.

Should the Committee decide to subpoena such an analysis and provide comprehensive answers to all the above issues, we could more properly consider such request, they said.

Election workers count ballots in Philadelphia, Pa., on Nov. 4, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party cheered the letter, writing on Twitter that even @SenMastrianos Republican-run home county is telling him to take a hike.

Sen. Mastrianos committee doesnt have appropriate jurisdiction, and the cost to taxpayers will be in the millions, added state Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, a Democrat.

Mastriano has not yet responded to the letter, a spokesperson for York County told The Epoch Times in an email.

Tioga County officials previously said they would not allow access to its voting machines, citing the directive.

Mastriano requested that counties send a proposed timeline by July 31 regarding inspection, testing, or sampling of election-related items.

The senator told The Epoch Times earlier in July that he would convene his panel to vote on giving him subpoena power if counties did not comply with the requests. Noting that multiple judges sided with the Arizona Senate on jurisdiction and subpoena matters for the audit happening there, he said he expected to be successful if any of the counties pursued litigation in the courts.

After the time period expires, which Ive given three weeks to comply or to express [their] desire to comply, then it will be followed by committee vote. My committee will vote on authorizing me with a simple majority to issue subpoenas, he said.

I know its going be painted by the other side as some kind of awful thing, but it really is just reviewing, for transparency sake, what happened [in] the last election, and let the chips fall where they may. If theres nothing to hide, this will exonerate everything theyve been saying over the past eight months; Biden won, and nothing to see here. But I tend to think theres going to be issues.
Sen. Klobuchar Says Breyers Retirement Should Come Sooner Rather Than Later

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer should retire sooner rather than later, a top Democrat senator said in a new interview.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said she would not speculate on the retirement of Breyer, the oldest justice on the nations top court at age 82.

But she noted that Breyer, in rare public comments, named health and the courts positioning as the two main factors in his decision, which he has not made yet.

When you look at the court, he has to be concerned about the makeup. And you have to be concerned about how you get a justice on the court with all of the manipulation that Mitch McConnell has engaged in. So that would lead me to say, sooner, rather than later, Klobuchar said.

He makes his own decision about if hes going to retire, but hes goingif hes going to retire, it should be sooner, rather than later, if you are concerned about the court, because what happens in the U.S. Senate matters.

Klobuchar was speaking on CNNs State of the Union.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last month that Republicans would not advance a Supreme Court nominee of President Joe Bidens if Republicans controlled the Senate in 2024.

Democrats fear losing control of the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections since they only control the upper chamber by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harriss tiebreaking vote.

That would mean McConnell could block a Biden nominee, as he did to former President Barack Obama in 2016.

Seated from left: Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, standing from left: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett pose during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington on April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

The open seat Obama sought to fill with Merrick Garland was left vacant until his successor, former President Donald Trump, nominated Neil Gorsuch, who received approval from the GOP-controlled Senate.

Trump went on to select two more justicesBrett Kavanaugh to fill a seat left open by the retirement of Anthony Kennedy, and Amy Coney Barrett, who filled the spot that was held by Ruth Bader Ginsburg until her death last year.

Ginsburg famously refused to step down during the Obama era and Democrats, in the minority in the Senate, were unable to prevent Barrett from being confirmed.

Other Democrats have also said they would prefer Breyer step down soon.

Im very concerned about the sustainable liberal wing of the party, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told CNN recently. And Im very concerned about the court right now because it seems to have a very rightward tilt, and we need balance, which Justice Breyer provides.

The court is currently composed of three justices nominated by Democrat presidents and six nominated by Republican ones, though some conservatives argue the ideological makeup of the judges actually means it tilts to the left.

Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor who counts Breyer among his friends, said on Newsmax over the weekend that he believes Breyer will retire in August 2022.

That will give the president the power to appoint somebody before theres a new Senate, he said. So, everybody on the left will be happy, and Breyer will be able to say, I didnt give into pressure. Thats my prediction.
Former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl speaks during a press conference to declare his bid for South Korea's 2022 presidential election, at a memorial of independence activist Yun Bong-gil in Seoul on June 29, 2021. (Kim Min-hee/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

South Korean Politicians Condemn CCPs Interference in Upcoming Presidential Election

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ambassador to South Korea, Xing Haiming, has publicly criticized Yoon Seok-youl, the former South Korean attorney general and a popular presidential candidate, for his stance on diplomacy and national security. However, many South Korean politicians condemned Xings comments, seeing them as CCP interference in the countrys upcoming presidential election.

Conservative Yoon Seok-youl, 61, is currently the most popular presidential candidate in the opposition party. In an interview with South Koreas JoongAng Daily on July 14, Yoon suggested establishing an equal relationship with China by strengthening the South KoreaU.S. alliance and cooperation with countries of shared values.

Yoon supported the deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, in South Korea and emphasized that it strengthens its national sovereignty.

THAAD is a U.S.-designed and manufactured anti-missile system installed in South Korea between 2016 and 2017 to defend against North Koreas nuclear missile threats. However, the CCP has insisted that the deployment of THAAD affects Chinas security and has since adopted a series of countermeasures against South Korea.

On July 16, the Chinese ambassador to South Korea, Xing Haiming, published a signed statement on JoongAng Daily, saying that the South KoreaU.S. alliance should not harm Chinas interests and THAAD seriously harms Chinas security interests.

It is rare for a CCP ambassador to publicly criticize a South Korean presidential candidates national security and diplomacy stance.

In response to Xings statement, Jin Park, a member of the People Power Party, the largest opposition party in South Korea, asserted on July 16, Please do not interfere in the South Korean election.

Ambassador Xings statement was a breach against diplomatic conventions, and it is a regrettable action, Park wrote on Facebook. For a stationed ambassador to ignore the common diplomatic practice, criticize a presidential candidate, and meddle in another countrys politics is an obvious violation of its sovereignty. This action can only mean the CCP seeks to interfere in the South Korean election and invites criticism.

Park also urged South Koreas Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm whether this is an official position of [the CCP] and denounce it.

When a diplomatic agency in South Korea asserts its position on the countrys politics, it is necessary to be cautious and avoid damaging the relationships between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded on July 17.

Another member of the People Power Party, Jeong Jin-seok, also criticized Xing, saying that THAAD is the minimum defensive measure taken to protect South Korean citizens against North Koreas nuclear missile threat. And saying that [THAAD harms Chinas interest] is absolutely absurd. What a pity!

In addition, Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo that it is very unusual for stationed ambassadors to publicly comment on politics in the host country. Judging from Xings rare act of submitting articles to newspapers, it should be obvious the order came from the CCP, he said.
Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron addresses the media regarding the ballot count, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 5, 2020. (Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images)

Speaker of Georgia House Urges Fulton County to Request Independent Forensic Probe Into 2020 Election

Georgias House speaker says Fulton County should be the subject of an independent probe after multiple reports have emerged detailing alleged issues with the Nov. 3, 2020, election and an audit that occurred after the contest.

Rep. David Ralston, a Republican who is speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, noted in a recent letter that there are serious questions about how the election unfolded in Georgias largest county, which includes Atlanta.

Recently, media reports have surfaced which call into question the way in which Fulton County conducted, counted, and audited the November 2020 Presidential Election. These reports have been accompanied by video and other evidence which is part of ongoing litigation and requires thorough examination and explanation, Ralston told Fulton Countys Elections Director Richard Barron.

Given the seriousness of this situation and the possible repercussions for our state and nation, it is time we have an independent investigationonce and for allof the way in which Fulton County conducted, counted, and audited the November 2020 Presidential Election.

Ralston urged Barron to request a probe by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, asserting the law enforcement agency would follow the evidence wherever it may lead to determine if any irregularities or willful fraud occurred.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, whose director was copied on the letter, didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.

Barron, whom some county officials moved to fire earlier this yearthough he kept his job after others defended himhasnt responded to Ralston. But Robb Pitts, chairman of the countys Board of Commissioners, did issue a response.

Noting he was in receipt of a copy of Ralstons letter, Pitts said that he has been brought no proof of any allegations of intentional wrongdoing related to the election.

The election process was monitored by Carter Jones, a contractor hired by the State Elections Board, as well as observers from both political parties. Jones said in his report, which was only released recently, that there were major issues with the election process, but also claimed that there was no evidence of fraud.

Pitts said Fulton County shouldnt be investigated unless other counties are probed as well.

While Fulton County is the largest county and therefore under the most scrutiny, it is also my understanding that other counties had issues in their elections and finding ballots not included in the initial tabulation, he wrote. If you are requesting that Fulton County be the subject of such an investigation, then I believe it would only be fair that all counties with issues be subject to investigation.

Ralstons office didnt respond to a request for comment on the reply letter by press time.

Georgia Rep. David Ralston and his wife attend a screening for Richard Jewell in Atlanta, Ga., on Dec. 10, 2019. (Derek White/Getty Images)

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger gives an update on the state of the election and ballot count during a news conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 6, 2020. (Dustin Chambers/Reuters)

Republicans control both chambers in Georgia, as well as the governors office, but officials have resisted calls for an in-depth examination of the election. Proponents say the examination should closely follow the audit being done in Maricopa County, Arizona, while critics point to multiple recounts that were done in Georgia in the wake of the election.

I am glad to see that Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston and others are finally calling for a GBI investigation into the fraud being uncovered in Fulton County. But, as I have been screaming from the rooftops for months, we need a forensic audit in all 159 counties in Georgia, Vernon Jones, a former state representative who is challenging Gov. Brian Kemp from the right, said in a statement.

Jones is a supporter of former President Donald Trump, who lost Georgia by about 12,000 votes to Democrat Joe Biden after winning the state in 2016.

Fulton County came under intense criticism for irregular ballot-counting practices, including indicating counting was done on election night, but resuming after observers and the monitor left State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The county faces several lawsuits over how the election was run, including one in which plaintiffs were granted absentee ballot images that they say shows fraud occurred in the subsequent audit.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has alleged that no widespread fraud took place in the state during the election, but called last week for Fulton County to fire both Barron and Ralph Jones, the countys voter registration chief, in light of the series of reports detailing alleged irregularities, including nearly 200 ballots being scanned twice.

Other counties have also faced issues following the election. Four counties said they found uncounted votes during an audit after the election, and one fired its elections director.
State of Emergency at Lake Powell: Fears of Hydroelectric, Water Shutoffs Increasing

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages Western states water and power systems, said it recently released emergency water reserves from reservoirs upstream of Lake Powellthe second-largest reservoir in the United States.

The agencys regional director, Wayne Pullan, said that emergency releases from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir will bolster Lake Powells water levels so Glen Canyon Dam can continue to generate power.

Unlike an earthquake or a fire or a hurricane, its not an imminent emergency, but its been an emerging situation over many years, Pullan told the Salt Lake Tribune. Because of the way this has emerged over the years, weve been able to have this agreement in place and to be ready to act. Theres been no declaration of emergency. We consider this a response to an emerging, very difficult situation.

Other than Flaming Gorge Reservoir, located in Wyoming and Utah, two other reservoirs upstream from Lake Powell will also be tapped to provide water. According to the paper, Lake Powella manmade body of water that spans Utah and Arizonacovers about 74,000 acres today when it normally covers 165,000 acres.

We are facing unprecedented dry conditions in the Colorado River Basin. More details about conditions as well as planning efforts are forthcoming, said Rebecca Mitchell, Upper Colorado River Commissioner for the state of Colorado, according to KUNC. What we do know is that the Upper Basin Drought Contingency Plan calls for increased coordination and planning in situations like this. And those agreements call for the Bureau of Reclamation to closely consult with the Upper Basin States, including Colorado. It has never been more critical to work together.

Nearly all of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico are under severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor website.

Pullan noted that water-sharing agreements that were established about 100 years ago force the Bureau of Reclamation to constantly release water from Lake Powell downstream to satisfy water shares in Californiaalso under a droughtas well as Nevada and Arizona.

Here we are now in 2021, and the basic underlying assumptions that weve been able to rely on are beginning to erode and we cant count on the hydrology. And when we cant count on the hydrology we cant count on the hydropower and hydropower revenues, Pullan told the Tribune. Were really in a new era.

And Amy Ostdiek, deputy section chief of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, said that if Lake Powells water levels fall below the level mandated by the interstate agreementwhich is 3,525 feetit may lead to seven-state litigation, which weve never seen before on [the] Colorado River.

Which would create a lot of uncertainty. It would probably be a very long, drawn-out process, she told Colorado Public Radio.

The Epoch Times has contacted the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for comment.
State-Sponsored Censorship

Commentary

Two leading officials of the federal governmentthe press secretary and the surgeon generalhave revealed the Biden administrations plan to coordinate with social media platforms to censor dissident voices that disagree with the official position on COVID-19 and the efficacy of vaccines. This raises First Amendment concerns of the highest order.

At a recent press conference, Jen Psaki said, Were flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation. She went on to say that purveyors of disinformation must be suppressed and banned, not merely on Facebook but on all platforms. Her tone was as revealing as her content; Psaki seemed to discuss Facebook as if it were just another government agency.

Just a few decades ago, Psakis blithe advocacy for government-driven censorship would have brought a widespread roar of outrage, not just from public opinion but also from institutions such as the ACLU that had a reputation for being free speech absolutists, which is to say, for jealously guarding the outer precincts of free speech. Now, however, the ACLU has abandoned the free speech cause, and maintained dead silence over the Biden administrations open assault on the First Amendment.

The first obvious issue, which an earlier ACLU leadership would have immediately highlighted, is what constitutes disinformation and who gets to define it. This by itself is problematic. Obviously, every government is going to take the position that its own views are entirely based on facts, and its critics are relying on faulty assumptions and misstatements.

Yet even if the critics were completely wrong on a given issue, that would simply make them purveyors of misinformation. Misinformation and disinformation are not the same. Disinformation is something far more insidious: It implies deliberate deception, as in the claim that foreign governments are using disinformation to manipulate political debate in America.

So why not combat misinformation with accurate information? Evidently, the Biden administration doesnt believe that is sufficient. Either they believe that their information isnt strong enough to overcome the misinformation, or they believe that many people will embrace the misinformation no matter how strong the evidence they provide.

Either way, theres no good rationale here for the suppression of free speech. Now, I realize of course that the First Amendment applies only to the government, not to private entities. The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law, and the term Congress here is a stand-in for government more generally. With some very clearly defined exceptions, the government cant make laws that restrict freedom of speech or of the press.

But what if the government, which is constitutionally prohibited from restricting speech, directs private corporations to carry out what the government itself is prohibited from doing? This is whats at issue here, not direct government restriction but government collusion with private platforms to achieve the same result.

Think of it this way. The Constitution prohibits unreasonable search and seizure. What if the government, which cannot search your home or car without probable cause, hires private security agencies to do exactly that? The government cant deny you the right to vote or due process of law or equal protection of the law, so what if it works in collusion with private groups to subvert those rights?

Obviously, these would be gross violations of the Constitution. The government is basically using private actors to perform a function that, if the government performed it, would flagrantly contravene the Constitution. Fortunately, the Supreme Court recognizes this. In a landmark 1973 case, Norwood v. Harrison, the Supreme Court held that government may not induce, encourage or promote private persons to accomplish what it is constitutionally forbidden to accomplish.

The encouragement here is not merely achieved through ideological compatibility or friendly relations between Facebook and the Biden administration. The U.S. government specifically immunizes Facebook and other social media platforms by giving them immunity to lawsuits for content that appears on their platforms. As Vivek Ramaswamy and Jed Rubenfeld point out in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, not only is Section 230 a massive financial subsidy, but the governments carrots are also accompanied by sticks: Democrats have repeatedly threatened to withdraw these financial protections if social media platforms dont comply with their directives to suppress rival points of view on a host of issues.

Once again, Ramaswamy and Rubenfeld note, courts have repeatedly ruled that when governments provide federal immunity to private parties, overriding state laws, this action can transform the private partys conduct into state action that is subject to constitutional scrutiny. In a 1956 case, the Supreme Court held that agreements between employers and unions, both private entities, nevertheless constituted state action because Congress passed a law immunizing such agreements from liability under state law. A 1989 precedent, Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives Association, made exactly the same point.

The logic of these cases is hard to dispute. Imagine an extreme case in which the government pays social media companies millions of dollars to restrict, shadowban, and deplatform dissident voices that are nevertheless engaging in constitutionally protected speech. In other words, the speech may be misinformation, from the governments point of view, but it is nevertheless legal. Would the government be allowed, under the First Amendment, to do that?

Obviously not. Nor should it be able to. Its fascist governments that perfected the technique of making private companies do their bidding. The Nazis called this Gleichschaltung, a term that means coordination. The Nazi goal was to bring the entire private sector into lockstep with Nazi ideology, and in no area was this forced conformity more aggressively enforced than in the domain of free speech.

No one is saying the Biden administration is made up of Nazis; Im merely saying that they are acting in a manner that in this respect resembles the Nazis when they first came to power. Of course all tyrannical regimesfrom the former Soviet Union to China, Cuba, and Venezuela todayengage in similar forms of repression, and they do it using the same types of justification.

Dinesh DSouza is an author, filmmaker, and daily host of the Dinesh DSouza podcast.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Texas Rep. Introduces Bill to Audit 13 Most-Populous Counties Election Results

A Texas House representative announced Monday hes introducing a bill for a forensic audit of the most populous counties election results.

According to the text of House Bill 241, introduced by Republican state Rep. Steve Toth, forensic reviews of counties with more than 415,000 population should be carried out before Nov. 1, 2021, and they should be completed before Feb. 1, 2022.

Not later than March 1, 2022, the bills text states, the independent third party conducting the audit under this section shall submit a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature detailing any anomalies or discrepancies in voter data, ballot data, or tabulation.

The counties that should be audited, according to the bill, include Harris, Dallas, Bexar, Tarrant, Collin, Travis, Denton, Hidalgo, Fort Bend, El Paso, Williamson, Montgomery, and Cameron.

Its not clear whether the Republican-led Texas Legislature has the appetite for the sweeping audit, which would be one of the largest election reviews in U.S. history. The Epoch Times has contacted House Speaker Dade Phelans office and Republican Senate President Pro Tempore Donna Campbell for comment.

A news release posted by Toth on Monday cited recent comments from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said last month that about 500 election fraud cases are being prosecuted by his officealthough scant details have been provided to date. During a speech at CPAC this month, Paxton said hes investigating 400 more fraud cases.

His release also included a statement of support from Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, who said Toths proposed bill is timely and necessary in potentially exposing any instances of fraud during the 2020 election and reassuring Texas voters.

After the months-long audit of Arizonas Maricopa Countys Nov. 3 results, lawmakers in other Republican-led states like Wisconsin or Pennsylvania have pushed for election reviews of their own. Last week, an audit team that reviewed ballots and election equipment in Maricopa told a state Senate hearing they found thousands of discrepancies, although Maricopa County executives and Democrats have frequently denigrated the audit and said the results are not credible.

Meanwhile, the Texas state House is currently in a state of limbo after dozens of Democrat lawmakers left the state earlier this month in a bid to deny Republicans quorum to block a separate election overhaul bill and met with top Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, in Washington D.C. The stunt drew condemnation from Phelan and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who both threatened to arrest and detain the lawmakers upon their return to the Lone Star State and force them to be present to hold the special legislative session.

A quorum is the minimum number of members of an assembly or legislative chamber who must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of the meeting valid.

In reasoning why they left the state, Democrats said they have no other choice to block the election billwhich they described as a measure designed to suppress minority voters rights. But Republicans said the bill is necessary to restore the publics confidence in their elections and safeguard future ones.

By and large, individual voters are trying to vote. Theyre trying to do the right thing, Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes told KWTX earlier this month in why the election overhaul bill needs to be passed. We want them to do that. The security measures in this bill, by and large, are directed at vote harvesters or folks who are trying to steal votes.
Cuban exiles rally at Versailles Restaurant in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood in support of protesters in Cuba, in Miami, on July 12, 2021. Sunday's protests in Cuba marked some of the biggest displays of antigovernment sentiment in the tightly controlled country in years. (Marta Lavandier/AP Photo)

The Chinese Regime and the Black Lives Matter Movement Have Similar Agendas

Commentary

Last week, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the corporation behind the Black Lives Matter movement, issued a rather interesting statement. The corporations members stood in solidarity with the people of Cuba. The U.S. federal governments inhumane treatments of Cubans was unacceptable. Not finished there, BLM appealed to the Biden administration to lift the embargo, as it only serves to undermine the Cubans right to choose their own government.

Where some saw a passionate statement of solidarity, others saw opportunists looking to exploit a situation and steal some of the spotlight.

The author Jorge Felipe Gonzalez appears to fall into the latter category. In a piece for The Atlantic, aptly titled, Black Lives Matter Misses the Point About Cuba, Gonzalez writes, Cuba is not an empty canvas onto which calculating, cynical actors can project their political ideas. Furthermore, its not a utopian vehicle to advance some fantasy of socialist equality, nor is it a pawn for opportunistic political debates. The BLM movement, whose members have also voiced support for the Cuban regime, would do well to keep Gonzalezs words in mind.

With the BLM statement, as well as Gonzalezs comments, I was reminded of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) many statements on the recent condo collapse in Miami, Florida. Few countries, according to the journalists Rebecca Tan, Lyric Li, and Alicia Chen, have followed the condo collapse as closely as China. The trio document the ways in which state-run news agencies have provided wall-to-wall coverage of the collapse halfway across the world, with daily updates on the death toll and multiple editorials deriding the U.S. governments sluggish response. Ironically, as the CCPs various mouthpieces were busy mocking the tragedy in Miami, a catastrophic hotel collapse occurred in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Irony, however, is not something that the CCP appears to be familiar with. The same is true of the BLM movement, whose tone-deaf messaging is as ironic as it is farcical: we will defeat racism by being explicitly racist; black lives matter, but only the lives of those black people that agree with everything the movement stands for. I could go on, but you get the message.

A waste receptacle was moved into the intersection of SW 3rd and Main and its contents set on fire as protesters gathered in downtown Portland on July 10, 2020. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP)

The similarities between the CCP and the BLM movement dont end there. Both promote absolutist ideologies. To disagree is to open oneself up to a world of violence and pain. In the case of the CCP, just ask Jack Ma. In the case of BLM, just ask anyone living in Portland, a city that has been absolutely decimated by the so-called peaceful movement. With the CCP and BLM, the threat of violence is used as a weapon of coercion, and if the threats fail to work, then actual violence is used.

Last year, at a peaceful protest in Kenosha, an elderly man who had the audacity to protect his home from an angry BLM mob had his jaw broken.

Furthermore, both the BLM movement and the CCP (rather obviously) fetishize the idea of communism. BLMs fetishization of communism is particularly amusing, especially when one realizes that the groups co-founder, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, is the owner of multiple million dollar homes. Communism has never looked so lavish. Oh, to add, these homes are situated in predominantly white neighborhoods. The hypocrisy is astounding.

Another similarity includes the desire to rewrite history. Take the 1619 project, for example, a fact-free initiative with intimate links to BLM. The heavily criticized project is the brainchild of Nikole Hannah-Jones, a journalist who has attempted to reframe the countrys history. One neednt possess a Ph.D. in formal semantics to understand what is meant by the word reframe.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have, for many years, actively attempted to reframe history. In 2014, for example, Xi repeatedly urged historians to explore the CCPs role in WW2, with a specific emphasis on the ways in which Chinese forces helped defeat the Japanese. In other words, the CCP asked the countrys people to quite literally suspend disbelief and agree to the altering of reality.

A copy of George Orwells novel 1984 sits on a table in New York on Feb. 26, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Control Language and You Control the Masses

The revision of history is intimately linked with language. Both the BLM movement and the CCP excel at dictating who gets to say what. In 2018, as Vox reported, a matter of days after announcing that presidential term limits could be abolished, opening the door for President Xi Jinping to continue his rule indefinitely, the Chinese regime introduced an extensive list of newly banned words. These included terms like my emperor and lifelong control. References to George Orwells dystopian novels Animal Farm and 1984 were also banned. The same year, the CCP banned the Winnie the Pooh movie after comparisons were made between the character and Xi, a dictator for life. Meanwhile, BLM has its own list of acceptable language. From microaggression to intersectionality, colorism to performative activism, the movement, in many ways, has become a master of self-parody. Its members demand to be taken seriously yet they employ gobbledygook as a means of communicating with the masses. Nevertheless, there is nothing funny about brutal bullies and sinister agendas. The CCP and the BLM movement, more alike than one might imagine, are jam-packed with both.

John Mac Ghlionn is a researcher and essayist. His work has been published by the likes of the New York Post, Sydney Morning Herald, The American Conservative, National Review, The Public Discourse, and other respectable outlets. He is also a columnist at Cointelegraph.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The U.S. Department of Justice is seen in Washington, on June 11, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

US Attorney General Curbs Seizure of Journalists Phone, Email Records

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday reversed a long-standing Department of Justice (DOJ) policy by formally banning federal prosecutors from seizing the records of journalists in most leak investigations.

The policy change addresses the issue first brought up by Garland in June when he said the DOJ would stop the practice of seizing reporters records in leak investigations. The goal of the change is to resolve the issue of prosecutors trying to balance the governments obligation to protect classified information and the medias First Amendment rights.

The Department of Justice will no longer use compulsory legal process for the purpose of obtaining information from or records of members of the news media acting within the scope of newsgathering activities, said Garland in a memo sent out on Monday.

The DOJ was pressured to take action after a report revealed that Trumps DOJ had obtained records belonging to journalists at The Washington Post, CNN, and The New York Times who received leaked classified information on the Russia investigation.

Trumps first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, said in November 2017 that the DOJ was investigating 27 leaks of classified intelligence, which were advancing the Trump-Russia narrative, reported CNN Business.

The records at issue relate to 2017 and the legal process to seek these records was approved in 2020, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said in a statement last month. Department leadership will soon meet with reporters to hear their concerns about recent notices and further convey Attorney General (Merrick) Garlands staunch support of and commitment to a free and independent press.

According to the Associated Press, President Joe Biden said he would not allow the Justice Department to seize journalists phone records and emails, calling the past actions wrong. I wont let that happen, he said.

Garlands announcement was immediately praised by leaders in the media including Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

We welcome the Justice Departments commitment to no longer seek source information from reporters in leak investigations. But serious unanswered questions remain about what happened in each of these cases, said Brown in a press statement. To ensure it does not happen again, we look forward to pursuing additional policy reforms with the Biden administration to further safeguard these essential rights.

The DOJ has long been challenged by leak investigations and faced pushback from the media. The DOJ said the ban on gathering journalist information would not apply to foreign terrorists, ongoing legal cases, and when the use of the compulsory legal process is necessary to prevent an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, including terrorist acts, kidnappings, [and] specified offenses against a minor. 
UK Reaffirms Backing for Guaido as Venezuela President Ahead of $1 Billion Gold Case

LONDONThe British government reiterated on Monday that it recognises opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuelas president, a move aimed at quashing a bid by the Nicolas Maduro-backed Venezuelan central bank to repatriate nearly $1 billion of its gold stored in London.

Legal teams representing Maduro and Guaido will be at the UK Supreme Court on Monday in the latest stage of a long-running tug-of-war over what amounts to about 15 percent of Venezuelas foreign currency reserves.

Lawyers representing the central bank say selling the gold would fund the response to the coronavirus pandemic and bolster a health system gutted by more than six years of economic crisis.

The Bank of England, whose vaults house the gold, has refused to release it, however, after the British government in early 2019 joined dozens of other countries in backing Guaido on the basis that Maduros presidential election victory the previous year was rigged.

The UK government is clear that Juan Guaido has been recognised by Her Majestys Government since February 2019 as the only legitimate President of Venezuela, the British Foreign Office said in a statement, having been invited by the Supreme Court to clarify its position ahead of Mondays case.

He [Guaido] is the only individual recognised to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state, a Foreign Office spokesperson added, saying the South American country needed a peaceful transition to democracy.

The dispute over the gold began in May 2018 when Maduro secured reelection in a vote that the main opposition coalition boycotted and called a sham. Afterwards, Boris Johnson, then the British foreign minister, said, We may have to tighten the economic screw on Venezuela.

Concerned by mounting sanctions against the Maduro government, the Venezuelan central bank (BCV) told the Bank of England (BoE) it wanted to bring home 14 tonnes of gold it had stored there.

Around the end of 2018, Calixto Ortega, the BCV president, traveled to London to discuss the matter with BoE officials, according to Sarosh Zaiwalla, a London-based lawyer representing the BCV, but they told Ortega there was an issue with his authority.

The following February, Britain joined dozens of other nations in backing Guaidos claim to be the legitimate president. In April, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the BCV, alleging Maduro was using it to plunder Venezuelan assets to enrich corrupt insiders.

Before the sanctions, Venezuela paid off several gold swap transactions the BCV had agreed with Deutsche Bank in previous years, people familiar with the deal said. That resulted in 17 tonnes of gold held in the BOEs vaults being returned to the control of the BCV, bringing its holdings there to 31 tonnes, about a quarter of Venezuelas total gold reserves.

The sanctions then triggered the early termination of other gold swaps made between BCV and Deutsche Bank, releasing more gold to the BCV, according to a chronology filed in previous court cases by Guaidos legal team.

Guaidos team asked the UK courts to determine who had the authority to represent the BCV and receive the gold.

The European Union, which Britain formally left at the start of the year, said in January it could no longer legally recognise Guaido as Venezuelas president after he lost his position as head of parliament following legislative elections in December, despite the EU not recognising that vote.

By Marc Jones
UK to Offer Pfizer Vaccine to Some 12-Year-Olds and Over

The UK will offer Pfizer-BioNTech CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccines to some groups of children that are over 12-year-old, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said on Monday.

The governments advisory body Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on Monday issued its recommendation, advising that children at increased risk of serious COVID-19 disease are offered the vaccine.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is currently the only CCP virus vaccine thats authorised for use on children over 12-year-old.

The groups the JCVI advised to be given the vaccine are children aged 12 to 15 with severe neuro disabilities, Downs syndrome, immunosuppression, and multiple or severe learning disabilities.

Children aged 16 to 17 with underlying health conditions have already been offered vaccination under existing recommendations.

The JCVI also recommended children aged 12 to 17 get vaccinated if they live with an immunosuppressed person, as well as young adults who are about to turn 18 in three months to ensure good uptake in newly turned 18-year-olds.

The committee said that U.S. clinical trials suggested side effects in children aged 12 to 15 were generally short lived and mild to moderate.

It added that therere currently limited real-world safety data of COVID-19 vaccines in children, but there have been extremely rare reports of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane around the heart) following the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in millions of younger adults.

The JCVI said they currently hold the view that the minimal health benefits of offering universal COVID-19 vaccination to children do not outweigh the potential risks, but Javid said the JCVI will continue to review new data, and consider whether to recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at a future date.

Office data said fewer than 30 children have died because of COVID-19 in the UK as of March this year.

After reviewing all currently available information and despite evidence suggesting a likely association between heart inflammation and the emergency use mRNA vaccine, the WHOs Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) announced on July 9 that the benefits of the vaccines continue to outweigh the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis to the individual.

But some scientific experts have spoken out on the rush to vaccinate children with COVID-19 vaccines, saying that there needs to be more safety data.

Professor of Adolescent Health at the University College Londons Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Russel Viner, said in an opinion article published in The Guardian, that public health officials should wait until there are adequate safety data in children before injecting them with COVID-19 vaccines.

The inventor of mRNA vaccine technology, Dr. Robert Malone, said that the risk-benefit ratio for children to get vaccinated doesnt look so good.

Meiling Lee contributed to this report.
A man uses a computer in an Internet cafe in Beijing on June 1, 2017. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

US Charges 4 Chinese Nationals Working With Spy Agency in Global Hacking Campaign

Four Chinese nationals working with Chinas top intelligence agency have been charged in a global hacking campaign to steal trade secrets and sensitive information from companies, universities, and government bodies.

The charges were announced as the United States and allies, in a coordinated push on July 18, condemned the Chinese regime for sponsoring malicious cyberattacks against targets around the world. Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS), the regimes chief intelligence agency, is behind the deployment of these hackers, they said. The United States also attributed the massive hack of Microsoft disclosed earlier this year to hackers working for the MSS.

The hackers charged were sponsored by the MSS and focused their theft on information that would significantly benefit Chinese companies, such as research and development processes, according to a statement by the Justice Department.

The defendants and officials in the Hainan State Security Department, a provincial arm of the MSS, attempted to hide the Chinese regimes role in the hacks by using a front company, according to the indictment, which was returned in May and unsealed on July 16.

The campaign, active from 2011 to 2018, targeted trade secrets in an array of industries, including aviation, defense, education, government, health care, biopharmaceutical, and maritime industries, the Justice Department stated.

Victims of the hacks include entities in Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK, and the United States.

Prosecutors allege that the hackers stole foreign information to help Chinese state-owned companies secure contracts in the targeted companies, such as a large high-speed railway project. The group also targeted research institutes and universities for infectious-disease research relating to Ebola, MERS, HIV/AIDS, Marburg, and tularemia, according to the Justice Department.

These criminal charges once again highlight that China continues to use cyber-enabled attacks to steal what other countries make, in flagrant disregard of its bilateral and multilateral commitments, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in the statement.

It said the two-count indictment alleges that Ding Xiaoyang, Cheng Qingmin, and Zhu Yunmin were HSSD officers responsible for coordinating computer hackers and linguists at the front companies.

The fourth defendant, Wu Shurong, an employee at front company Hainan Xiandun Technology Development Co. Ltd., created malware, hacked into computer systems operated by foreign governments, companies, and universities, and supervised other Hainan Xiandun hackers, the Justice Department stated.

Malicious Activities

On July 19, the Biden administration, together with a group of allies, criticized the communist regime for its sweeping global hacking campaign that employed contract hackers.

The United States and countries around the world are holding the Peoples Republic of China accountable for its pattern of irresponsible, disruptive, and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a July 19 statement.

The MSS is behind the deployment of these hackers, senior administration officials said on July 18. And their targets include managed service providers, semiconductor companies, defense corporations, universities, and medical institutions, according to a U.S. government cybersecurity advisory.

These cyber operations support Chinas long-term economic and military development objectives, the advisory stated.

The Chinese Communist Party has set out different policies and industrial road maps with the goal of achieving socialist modernization by 2035 and becoming a global leader in innovation.

Some of the cyberattacks are ransomware operations, which involve malicious actors encrypting victims data and making it inaccessible. The actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption. According to officials, some private companies were asked to pay millions of dollars after being hit with Chinas ransomware operations.

The new revelations on Chinas long track record of malicious cyber activities drew joint condemnation from multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan, as well as from the European Union and NATO.

Were making it clear to China that for as long as these irresponsible, malicious cyber activities continue, it will unite countries around the world who are all victims to call them out, promote network defense, and cybersecurity working together in that way, Biden administration officials said.

In response to Chinas new cyber threats, the officials explained that the Five Eyes countriesthe United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealandalong with Japan, the EU, and NATO, would work together on information sharing and expanding diplomatic engagement to strengthen our collective cyber resilience and security cooperation. They expect more countries to join the cooperation in the coming weeks.

It marks the first time NATO has publicly condemned Chinas cyber activities, the Biden officials said, as the transatlantic alliance adopted a new cyber defense policy in June. That policy states that a cyberattack against a NATO member is considered an attack against all members, and actions will be considered accordingly in response.

The senior officials also said that they had high confidence that the Chinese regime was responsible for the cyberattack against Microsoft, saying that malicious cyber actors affiliated with the MSS exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in the U.S. tech giants Exchange Server software, compromising tens of thousands of systems globally.

In March, Microsoft announced that Hafnium, a state-sponsored hacking group operating from China, was responsible for hacking into its email and calendar server. Security experts estimated at the time that at least 30,000 organizations in the United States were hacked.

Weve raised our concerns about both the Microsoft incident and the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] broader malicious cyber activity with senior PRC government officials, making clear that the PRCs actions threaten security, confidence, and stability in cyberspace, the senior U.S. officials said.

The U.S. and our allies and partners are not ruling out further actions to hold the PRC accountable.

Beijing has previously rejected Microsofts claims, stating that companies and media shouldnt make groundless accusations.

Chinas Cyber Tactics

The cybersecurity advisory outlined Beijings tactics and techniques and provided recommendations on how to shore up computer systems.

By exposing the PRCs malicious activity with allies and partners, were continuing the administrations efforts to inform and empower system owners and operators to act at home and around the world, the senior U.S. officials said.

Chinas state-sponsored cyber actors are known to mask their identities through virtual private servers, as well as by evading detection by using small office and home office (SOHO) broadband routers.

These actors consistently scan target networks for critical and high vulnerabilities within days of the vulnerabilitys public disclosure, according to the advisory. Theyve sought to exploit flaws in applications, including Microsoft products, Apache, F5 Big-IP, and Pulse Secure.

In April, California-based cybersecurity firm FireEye issued a report stating that Chinese hackers had exploited Pulse Secures virtual private network in order to gain access to government agencies and companies in the United States and Europe. The hackers were suspected to be working for the Chinese regime and had ties to APT5, one of the Chinese advanced persistent threat groups.

Among the different Microsoft products targeted were Microsoft 365, Outlook Web Access, and the Exchange Offline Address Book.

These actors are also known to be carrying out spearphishing campaignssending out infected emails with a malicious link or attached filesin order to gain control of the victims device.

The advisory offers several mitigation choices, including using a network intrusion detection and prevention system and monitoring common ports and protocols for command and control activity.

Cathy He and Reuters contributed to this report.
NORWALK  Five veteran educators will be joining Norwalk Public Schools central office, including Brien McMahon High School Principal Scott Hurwitz.

Hurwitz, a longtime district employee who has helmed the citys largest school four the last four years, will transition into the new role of education administrator of data analytics for the school system.

According to a news release from the district, Hurwitz will be tasked with gathering detailed statistics associated with federal and state requirements and school accreditation.

Reporting to Dr. Thomas McBryde, the districts deputy superintendent of excellence, equity and inclusion, he will be responsible for a variety of duties associated with the acquisition, management, analysis and reporting of educational data for district departments and schools, including developing protocols to ensure data accuracy, the district said in the release.

Barbara Wood, an assistant principal at Brien McMahon, will serve as interim principal while the district searches for Hurwitzs permanent replacement.

Huwritzs appointment comes a little more than a month after he returned to work following a three-month administrative leave from the school. In April, the school system said Hurwitz  and two other school administrators  were placed on leave to allow the district to address an undisclosed personnel matter.

District officials have declined to offer an explanation for their absence. But records obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media last month show that the three employees were placed on leave after a longtime music instructor at the school was accused of misconduct.

Hurwitz, who joined Brien McMahon in 1996 as an English instructor, was named the schools assistant principal in 2008. A graduate of the University of Connecticut and the University of Bridgeport, he has served as principal since 2017.

Hurwitz will be joined in the districts central office by four new hires from outside the school system. Fatima Susana-Tejada, a special education coordinator with Stamford Public Schools, will become the districts new education administrator of specialized instruction.

As part of her new position, Susana-Tejada will oversee the districts special education services and will report to Robert Pennington, the newly-named assistant superintendent of schools.

Hannah Cohen, a speech-language pathologist with Trumbull Public Schools, will serve under Susana-Tejada as the districts supervisor of specialized instruction for related services.

Cohen, according to the district, will help oversee district employees who provide services for students with special needs, including occupational and physical therapies, speech and language, teachers of the hearing impaired, teachers of the visually impaired and adapted physical education.

Meanwhile, Deborah Perry, the department head of special education at Stamford High School, will become the education administrator for scientifically research-based interventions, an educational approach that aims to support students with learning and behavioral needs.

Perry will be responsible for implementing the districts state-mandated SRBI plan and ensuring the effective function of data teams at each school. Like Susana-Tejada, Perry will report to Pennington.

Lastly, Luz V. Palmero, the former world language department coordinator at Wooster School in Danbury, has been named the districts supervisor for multilingual learners and world languages.

In her new role, Palmero will lead the districts programs for multilingual learners and students studying world languages. She will also provide instructional leadership and will report directly to the education administrator for curriculum and professional development.

With over 19 years as a practiced Spanish teacher and experienced leader in curriculum development and planning, Ms. Palmero is committed to student development and elevating the learning experience for multilingual learners and students studying world languages, district officials wrote in the release.

None of the new hires responded to requests for comment on Monday.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com
SPRINGFIELD  One familiar face at the Illinois Press Association is retiring and another will succeed him.

IPA Board of Directors Chairman Don Bricker announced on July 19 that Sam Fisher is retiring as the organizations president and CEO, effective Sept. 1. Fisher has been the IPAs leader since 2017.

Bricker also announced the IPA Board has voted to appoint Donald M. Craven, longtime legal adviser to IPA membership, to be the next president and CEO.

Craven has provided legal counsel to members of the IPA and Illinois Press Foundation  including The Intelligencer  for nearly four decades. He was interim president and CEO of the IPA from 2009 to 2010, and again in 2017 until Fisher was named to the position.

I look forward to leading the great staff at the association and foundation, Craven said. The staff is a relatively small group, much smaller than in the past, but to call them talented is an understatement. They know their jobs, they know the membership, and they know (and like) each other.

Having the opportunity to help them help the IPA is an honor, he said. We have the task of preserving where we are and what we have, while at the same time working to further expand existing programs such as Capitol News Illinois and Public Notice Illinois. We will continue to have the same fights in the General Assembly on legislation impacting the press and public notices, and we will hopefully continue our success under the dome.

Craven currently operates a general practice law firm with a concentration in media and government law in Springfield. He has been with the firm since 1986, when he joined his father, former Illinois Appellate Court Justice James C. Craven.

Fisher had informed the IPA Board at the time of his hiring in 2017 of his intention to retire at the end of 2020.

Given the events of the past year with the pandemic, I decided to wait to retire until this year, Fisher said. I had advised the IPA Boards Executive Committee this spring of my intent to retire in August.

We are fortunate to have someone with Dons skills and experience step into the role at this very challenging time, said Bricker. Our businesses face challenges from every direction. Don has been a key advocate for the IPA and its members for decades and will bring that experience with him every day as he works with members and the Illinois legislature to keep the Illinois news and information landscape vital and thriving.

Craven has counseled members, executive directors and board members of the Illinois Press Association, Illinois Broadcasters Association, and Illinois News Broadcasters Association on legal and legislative activities. He has testified before committees of the Illinois General Assembly on media issues, and is the author of the Illinois chapter of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Open Government Guide publication.

The friendships and professional relationships forged during that time are near and dear to me, Craven said. I look forward to IPA gatherings as much for the opportunity to renew those friendships as any other reason.

Cravens hiring was also lauded by Illinois Press Foundation Board President Jerry Reppert of Anna.

The selection of Don Craven to lead the Association is an outstanding choice, Reppert said. No one is more qualified to hold the post. Much of his career has been devoted to the newspaper industry. As foundation president, I look forward to working closely with Don.

The IPA was founded in 1985 as an organization for Illinois publishers. It has evolved into one of the largest state newspaper associations in the country representing more than 400 daily and weekly newspapers.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Authorities on Monday identified a suspect accused of fatally shooting one person and wounding four others, including firefighters and paramedics, during a house fire in Tucson.

Leslie Stephen Scarlett, 35, remained in extremely critical condition at a local hospital, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said at a news conference.

Magnus said the suspect was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a police officer on Sunday.

It is not clear what his intentions were, Magnus said. This is a highly tragic, really horrific incident, with many unknowns  A nightmare scenario.

According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Scarlett has a criminal history that includes a 2007 conviction for an attempted armed robbery. He was sentenced to six years and was released in August 2013.

Police said Scarlett drove up to the house fire and fired shots at an ambulance crew. The ambulance was two blocks from the fire but was actually on standby for another incident, authorities said.

The ambulance driver, a 20-year-old man, was shot in the head, and a paramedic in the passenger seat, a 21-year-old woman, was shot in the chest and arm, police said. The driver was in critical condition and the woman was stable Monday.

The suspect then opened fire on firefighters and neighbors trying to douse the flames, authorities said.

A neighbor  identified as 44-year-old Cory Michael Saunders  was shot in the head and died, Magnus said. A firefighter was shot in the arm, and another bullet grazed another neighbors head.

Police said a badly burned body was later found inside the home hasn't been identified yet, but likely is the mother of three children who lived there. The children were initially reported missing but were located unharmed Monday morning, according to authorities.

A responding police officer encountered the suspect a couple blocks away. Police said he rammed his SUV into the officers vehicle and opened fire.

The officer wasnt injured and returned fire, critically wounding the suspect.

Tucson is about 115 miles (185 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix.

___

This story has been corrected to accurately spell Cory.
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New order confirms boat tours for Phuket Sandbox tourists

PHUKET: Phuket officials have issued a special order to confirm that Phuket Sandbox tourists may leave the island on sealed boat tours to nearby islands while still observing their mandatory 14-day stay on the island.

corruptionCoronavirustourismtransport

By The Phuket News

Monday 19 July 2021, 04:32PM

Tourists at Chalong Pier ready for a boat cruise off Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The order was issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew yesterday. The order was posted online at 10:28pm last night.

Sandbox tourists who are still observing their mandatory 14-day stay in Phuket can travel around Phuket to other islands by leaving with a tour boat at these three piers: Ao Por, Rassada, and Chalong, the order noted.

For the case that tourists want to travel around by yacht, they can leave the island through the marina, as follows: Yacht Haven Marina in Mai Khao, Ao Por Grand Marina in Pa Khlok, Phuket Boat Lagoon in Koh Kaew, Royal Phuket Marina in Koh Kaew, and Chalong Pier in Chalong, it added.

Tourists must turn on the location sharing for the tracing app [MorChana] and inform the Phuket Marine Office or the Phuket Sandbox Command Center at least 6 hours before leaving, the order continued.

As marked in the previous order regulating boat tours, the new order confirmed that boats used for Sandbox tourist tours must have at least AIS (Automatic Identification System) Type B and VHF radio installed and operating at all times.

Boat owners, captains, or representatives of owners must present documents to marine officers, including a report confirming the boats time of departure and the time of return, a list of tourists and boat crew, and confirmation that the tourists on board are covered by insurance.

Pier operators, boatmasters, captains, boat crews and passengers all must follow the rules explained in the announcement of Marine Department no. 8/2564 issued on Jan 11 this year, said the order.

As such the order issued yesterday confirms that Sandbox tourists still observing their 14-day stay within Phuket may join tours to nearby islands that are within Phuket provincial waters. This includes sunset cruises as well as day trips to islands such as Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi, which are in Rawai subdistrict, as well Koh Bon and Koh Hei (Coral Island).

However, Sandbox tourists must complete their 14-day stay in Phuket before they can take day trips or travel to islands that are in Phang Nga or Krabi province, including Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, off Phukets east coast, and Phi Phi Island and Koh Lanta, which are both in Krabi province.

In order to board a board departing Phuket province, Sandbox tourists must present their passport showing the requisite immigration stamps and evidence of testing negative for COVID-19 from the three mandatory tests during their first 14 days in Phuket.They must also show a booking at a SHA+ hotel or similar venue for where they are going to stay once they leave the island.

Sandbox tourists wanting to return to Phuket must satisfy the same entry requirements for all people who want to come onto the island, the order noted.
Phang Nga welcomes first tourists from Phuket Sandbox project

PHUKET: Phang Nga organised a welcome parade last Friday (July 16), to greet the first foreign tourist couple from the Phuket Sandbox project who have traveled on to Khao Lak.

tourismCoronavirusCOVID-19

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Monday 19 July 2021, 10:16AM

The welcome party. Photo: NNT

At La Vela Khao Lak Hotel on Bang Niang Beach, in Khuk Khak subdistrict, Phang Nga province, Phang Nga Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada welcomed the first tourist couple visiting under the Phuket Sandbox project.

The couple stayed in Phuket for 14 days before traveling to Khao Lak, Phang Nga. They were welcomed with a Tom-Tom parade and were granted garlands and souvenirs from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. They also joined a group photo session before checking into their hotel.

The British couple, listed only as Mr and Mrs Cullen, was among the first batch of foreign tourists who arrived in Phuket on July 1 and booked a stay in Khao Lak from July 16-25.

Once their stay there finishes they will return to Phuket before flying back to England.
If our municipalities are higher than county average what can we do in those municipalities to try and make sure theres equity in employment across the county?  Montgomery County Commissioners Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr.

Pull Quote
BOSTON (AP)  An investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provides further evidence that military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group, the worlds most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.

From a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International and shared with 16 news organizations, journalists were able to identify more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries who were allegedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance.

They include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists and several heads of state, according to The Washington Post, a consortium member. The journalists work for organizations including The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde and The Financial Times.

Amnesty also reported that its forensic researchers had determined that NSO Group's flagship Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, just four days after he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The company had previously been implicated in other spying on Khashoggi.

NSO Group denied in an emailed response to AP questions that it has ever maintained a list of potential, past or existing targets. In a separate statement, it called the Forbidden Stories report full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.

The company reiterated its claims that it only sells to vetted government agencies for use against terrorists and major criminals and that it has no visibility into its customers data. Critics call those claims dishonest  and have provided evidence that NSO directly manages the high-tech spying. They say the repeated abuse of Pegasus spyware highlights the nearly complete lack of regulation of the private global surveillance industry.

The source of the leak  and how it was authenticated -- was not disclosed. While a phone number's presence in the data does not mean an attempt was made to hack a device, the consortium said it believed the data indicated potential targets of NSO's government clients. The Post said it identified 37 hacked smartphones on the list. The Guardian, another consortium member, reported that Amnesty had found traces of Pegasus infections on the cellphones of 15 journalists who let their phones be examined after discovering their number was in the leaked data.

The most numbers on the list, 15,000, were for Mexican phones, with a large share in the Middle East. NSO Group's spyware has been implicated in targeted surveillance chiefly in the Middle East and Mexico. Saudi Arabia is reported to be among NSO clients. Also on the lists were phones in countries including France, Hungary, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

The number of journalists identified as targets vividly illustrates how Pegasus is used as a tool to intimidate critical media. It is about controlling public narrative, resisting scrutiny, and suppressing any dissenting voice, Amnesty quoted its secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, as saying.

In one case highlighted by the Guardian, Mexican reporter Cecilio Pineda Birto was assassinated in 2017 a few weeks after his cell phone number appeared on the leaked list.

AP's director of media relations, Lauren Easton, said the company is deeply troubled to learn that two AP journalists, along with journalists from many news organizations are on the list of the 1,000 potential targets for Pegasus infection. She said the AP was investigating to try to determine if its two staffers' devices were compromised by the spyware.

The consortium's findings build on extensive work by cybersecurity researchers, primarily from the University of Toronto-based watchdog Citizen Lab. NSO targets identified by researchers beginning in 2016 include dozens of Al-Jazeera journalists and executives, New York Times Beirut bureau chief Ben Hubbard, Moroccan journalist and activist Omar Radi and prominent Mexican anti-corruption reporter Carmen Aristegui. Her phone number was on the list, the Post reported. The Times said Hubbard and its former Mexico City bureau chief, Azam Ahmed, were on the list.

Two Hungarian investigative journalists, Andras Szabo and Szabolcs Panyi, were among journalists on the list whose phones were successfully infected with Pegasus, the Guardian reported.

Among more than two dozen previously documented Mexican targets are proponents of a soda tax, opposition politicians, human rights activists investigating a mass disappearance and the widow of a slain journalist. In the Middle East, the victims have mostly been journalists and dissidents, allegedly targeted by the Saudi and United Arab Emirates governments.

The consortium's Pegasus Project reporting bolsters accusations that not just autocratic regimes but democratic governments, including India and Mexico, have used NSO Group's Pegasus spyware for political ends. Its members, who include Le Monde and Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Germany, are promising a series of stories based on the leak.

Pegasus infiltrates phones to vacuum up personal and location data and surreptitiously control the smartphones microphones and cameras. In the case of journalists, that lets hackers spy on reporters communications with sources.

The program is designed to bypass detection and mask its activity. NSO Groups methods to infect its victims have grown so sophisticated that researchers say it can now do so without any user interaction, the so-called zero-click option.

In 2019, WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook sued NSO Group in U.S. federal court in San Francisco, accusing it of exploiting a flaw in the popular encrypted messaging service to target  with missed calls alone  some 1,400 users. NSO Group denies the accusations.

The Israeli company was sued the previous year in Israel and Cyprus, both countries from which it exports products. The plaintiffs include Al-Jazeera journalists, as well as other Qatari, Mexican and Saudi journalists and activists who say the companys spyware was used to hack them.

Several of the suits draw heavily on leaked material provided to Abdullah Al-Athbah, editor of the Qatari newspaper Al-Arab and one of the alleged victims. The material appears to show officials in the United Arab Emirates discussing whether to hack into the phones of senior figures in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, including members of the Qatari royal family.

NSO Group does not disclose its clients and says it sells its technology to Israeli-approved governments to help them target terrorists and break up pedophile rings and sex- and drug-trafficking rings. It claims its software has helped save thousands of lives and denies its technology was in any way associated with Khashoggi's murder.

NSO Group also denies involvement in elaborate undercover operations uncovered by The AP in 2019 in which shadowy operatives targeted NSO critics including a Citizen Lab researcher to try to discredit them.

Last year, an Israeli court dismissed an Amnesty International lawsuit seeking to strip NSO of its export license, citing insufficient evidence.

NSO Group is far from the only merchant of commercial spyware. But its behavior has drawn the most attention, and critics say that is with good reason.

Last month, it published its first transparency report, in which it says it has rejected more than $300 million in sales opportunities as a result of its human rights review processes. Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a strident critic, tweeted: If this report was printed, it would not be worth the paper it was printed on.

A new, interactive online data platform created by the group Forensic Architecture with support from Citizen Lab and Amnesty International catalogs NSO Groups activities by country and target. The group partnered with filmmaker Laura Poitras, best known for her 2014 documentary Citzenfour about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who offers video narrations.

Stop what you're doing and read this, Snowden tweeted Sunday, referencing the consortium's findings. This leak is going to be the story of the year.

Since 2019, the U.K. private equity firm Novalpina Capital has controlled a majority stake in NSO Group. Earlier this year, Israeli media reported the company was considering an initial public offering, most likely on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Today

Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 96F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
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Prompt, cheerful, students with professional attitudes are encouraged to apply to answer office phones and greet guests from behind a plexiglass COVID barrier in The Shorthorn office.Preference is given to students available to work some mornings. This in-office job offers flexible hours and plenty of time to study.Apply through Handshake for job #5030898 or call 817-272-3188 for more information.
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Ian Ostroff is a writer/reporter who resides in Montreal. He is passionate about getting to know the people and places that make his hometown so great. In his spare time, you can find him at the gym, eating ice cream, or working on his novel(s).
David L. Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund. The Fulcrum covers whats making democracy dysfunctional and efforts to fix our governing systems. Sign up for the newsletter at thefulcrum.us . The Fulcrum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news platform covering efforts to fix our governing systems.

David L. Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

The Fulcrum covers whats making democracy dysfunctional and efforts to fix our governing systems. Sign up for our newsletter at thefulcrum.us. The Fulcrum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news platform covering efforts to fix our governing systems.
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  Opposition lawmakers in Hungary's parliament have demanded an inquiry into findings by an international investigation that the country's right-wing government used powerful malware to spy on critical journalists, politicians and business figures.

The investigation by a global media consortium suggested that military-grade spyware from Israel-based NSO Group, an infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, was used in Hungary to infiltrate the digital devices of a range of targets  including at least 10 lawyers, one opposition politician and at least five journalists.

The results of the investigation, headed by the French nonprofit journalism organization Forbidden Stories, were published Sunday, prompting three members of Hungary's parliamentary national security committee to call for an emergency session to question government agencies on their potential involvement in the spying.

Janos Stummer, the committee's chairman and a lawmaker from the right-wing opposition party Jobbik, told The Associated Press that the surveillance described by the investigation is not permissible in a state governed by the rule of law.

The committee will question Hungary's national security and intelligence agencies on the allegations, he said, adding that a majority of seats on the committee are held by governing party lawmakers who could potentially block the inquiry by boycotting the session.

Our perspective is that staying silent would essentially be an acknowledgement that the government is indeed involved in this, Stummer said.

The investigation, drawing from a list of more than 50,000 cellphone numbers obtained by Forbidden Stories and the human rights group Amnesty International, identified more than 1,000 individuals in 50 countries who were allegedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance.

The malware, Pegasus, infiltrates phones to vacuum up personal and location data and surreptitiously control the smartphones microphones and cameras. In the case of journalists, that lets hackers spy on reporters communications with sources.

The Guardian, part of the 16-member media consortium that conducted the investigation, reported that forensic analysis revealed that the phones of two journalists with Hungarian investigative outlet Direkt36 had been repeatedly infected by the malware.

NSO Group denied in an emailed response to the AP that it had ever maintained a list of potential, past or existing targets. In a separate statement, it called the Forbidden Stories report full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories.

In response to questions from the AP, a spokesperson for the Hungarian government wrote in an email that Hungary is a democratic state governed by the rule of law, and that state bodies authorized to use covert instruments are regularly monitored by governmental and nongovernmental institutions.

"What would be the answer of the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany or France to the same questions? Will we ever find out who  or which secret services  have an interest in pillorying Hungary?" the spokesperson wrote.

Hungary's Ministry of Justice didn't respond to requests for comment.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told journalists after a meeting of regional foreign ministers in the northern city of Komarom on Monday that his government was unaware of any such data collection, and that the civilian intelligence agency he oversees did not participate in any way" in the spying.

Szijjarto, casting some doubt on whether the digital infiltration had occurred, said he had asked the director of the agency to examine whether the reports were the product of a coordinated communication action by unnamed secret services.

The allegations of government spying come amid a rapid deterioration in media freedom and plurality in Hungary. Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his governing Fidesz party took power in 2010, the country has slipped from 23 to 92 in the World Press Freedom Index ranking.

Earlier this month, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders placed Orban on its list of predators, the first time a Western European leader appeared in the lineup of heads of state or government who crack down massively on press freedom.

Peter Ungar, a member of Hungary's national security committee with opposition green party LMP, told the AP that the committee would seek to determine whether the individuals identified by the investigation had indeed been under surveillance.

It would also inquire into who authorized the surveillance and on what grounds, and what was done with the collected data, he said.

If any part of this is true, even half of it, its one of the deepest national security scandals I have seen," Ungar said.
EDWARDSVILLE  Scott Credit Union has announced Carla Lambrecht has been selected as Chief Information Officer and Chris Kieffer has been named Chief Operating Officer.

What drew me to Scott Credit Union was how dedicated they are to their employees and members, said Lambrecht. This is an organization thats consistently looking forward to determine how they can improve member experience, knowing that a focus on technology is essential when planning for the future.

In Lambrechts role of Chief Information Officer, she will oversee SCUs Information Technology team and be responsible for the management and oversight of all aspects of the credit unions network, systems, and technology infrastructure.

Lambrecht brings more than 20 years of experience in the information technology industry with a focus in executive leadership; strategic planning and assessment; IT engineering; software development; business continuity; technology security; and more. Lambrecht joins SCU from Mastercard, where she held the role of Vice President of Business Operations. Prior to Mastercard, she worked for Enterprise Holdings where, over the course of her 20-year tenure, she held several positions, serving most recently as Assistant Vice President of Information Technology.

Lambrecht holds a Master of Business Administration from Maryville University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mankato State University.

Kieffer has stepped in to take the COO position vacated by Wendy Erhart, now SCUs Chief Experience Officer. Kieffer has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, with a focus in operations, payments, product development, and analytics.

What I found most compelling about Scott Credit Union is its commitment to improving both member experience and employee experience, said Kieffer. As we move forward, my goals are to increase process efficiency and to strive for excellence in our operations. Im excited to use my years of experience to accomplish these goals together, and Im proud to be a part of this team.

As COO Kieffer will be responsible for the delivery of operational excellence  as experienced by both employees and members  across all business units. In this role, he will oversee the credit unions Operations, Business Intelligence, Card Services, Collections & Recovery, the Member Contact Center, Process Engineering, and Project Management.

Kieffer joins SCU from First Bank where, during his 21-year tenure, he held the positions of Senior Vice President, Director  Product & Operations, Payments and Alternative Delivery; Senior Vice President, Chief Product Officer; and Senior Vice President, Chief Analytics Officer.

From our branches to our website to our mobile app, our goal is to always look for ways to improve the Scott Credit Union experience for our members and employees, said Frank Padak, President and CEO. The additions of Carla Lambrecht and Chris Kieffer set the stage for continued improvements to our service both online and offline. We are fortunate to have these accomplished and skilled leaders join us, and Im delighted to welcome them to Scott Credit Union.

SCU has 20 area locations in Affton, Ballpark Village, Belleville, Collinsville, Columbia, Crestwood, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Ferguson, Highland, Ladue, Lebanon, Mascoutah, OFallon, Illinois, Troy, Scott Air Force Base, Waterloo and Wood River.

For more details visit www.scu.org.
JERSEYVILLE  A Jerseyville man faces charges after allegedly going to a Jerseyville police officers home and making threats.

Lloyd A. Hawes, 70, of Jerseyville, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony; aggravated assault of a peace officer/fire/ER worker, a Class 4 felony; criminal trespass to real property, a Class B misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor.

According to court documents, on July 9 Hawes allegedly kicked a local police officer in the leg, threatened to kill the officer, went on the officers property and yelled and acted aggressive toward the officers wife.

Bail was set at $150,000.

To the best of my knowledge theres no history with the officer involved and the defendant, said Jersey County States Attorney Ben Goetten, describing the officer as a good young man and an excellent lawman.

Plain and simple, the defendant crossed the line when he chose to approach the home of an off-duty police officer to resolve a grievance he had with the city, a matter wholly unrelated to this officer Goetten said. He said Jerseyville Police has had nearly a dozen complaints about Hawes in the past six months.

Goetten said Hawes went to the officers home and rang the doorbell several times, challenging the occupants. Going around to the back, Hawes allegedly encountered the officers wife in the back yard.

She was obviously fearful, Goetten said, adding that soon after this incident the officer confronted Hawes and told him numerous times to get off his property. When Hawes didnt comply, the officer escorted him off the property, and Hawes kicked him in the leg.

It wasnt until the defendant threatened to kill (the officer) did he (the officer) finally call the police, Goetten said. Goetten said he commended the officers restraint after this defendant refused to leave his property, put his wife in fear, berated him, kicked him and threatened to kill him.

Bail was set at $150,000.

Goetten said the judge has indicated the court may entertain a bond reduction if the defendant undergoes a psychological evaluation, which has been completed.

Other felony charges recently filed by the Jersey County States Attorneys Office includes:

 Daniel A. Powell, 35, of Jerseyville, was charged July 14 with two counts of forgery and financial exploitation of elderly, all Class 3 felonies, and two counts of theft, both Class A misdemeanors. According to court documents, on May 21 and between June 14 to July 2 Powell altered checks from an elderly woman, took some of her checks and tried to cash them. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Kaitlyn R. Rexford, 24, of Bethalto, was charged July 12 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony, and obstructing identification. According to court documents, on July 9 Rexford allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine and allegedly furnished a false identification to a police officer. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Jeremy P. Devaisher, 41, of Jerseyville, was charged July 14 with driving while license is revoked, a Class 4 felony. On July 9 Devaisher allegedly was found to be driving a 2005 Chevrolet while his license was revoked. Devaisher has previous convictions for related crimes out of Jersey County in 2003, Macoupin County in 2005 and Madison County in 2020. Bail was set at $10,000.
EDWARDSVILLE  A South Roxana man was charged with auto theft on Friday  one day after he was charged with the same crime.

Chances R. Hart, 29, of South Roxana, was charged July 16 with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the South Roxana Police Department.

According to court documents, on July 1 Hart allegedly was found to be in possession of a stolen 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. Bail was set at $50,000.

On July 15, Hart and Jennifer M. Johnson, 34, of East Alton, were both charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, both Class 2 felonies. Those cases were presented by the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force and stem from a July 5 incident in which the two allegedly were found to be in possession of a stolen camper.

Other felony charges filed July 16 by the Madison County States Attorney Office include:

 Jason N. Weber, 40, of Springfield, Missouri, was charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force. According to court documents, on June 28 Weber allegedly was found to be in possession of a 1996 Wells Cargo box trailer. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Caleb M. Springer, 30, of South Roxana, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the South Roxana Police Department. On May 15 Springer was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamines. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Stephanie L. Genther, 37, of Collinsville, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On Feb. 5 Genther allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Marcedes M. Morgan, 36, of Cahokia, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. OPn May 29 Morgan allegedly took clothing and toys valued in excess of $300 from the Collinsville Walmart, 1040 Collinsville Crossing. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Justin D. Johnson, 43, of Alton, was charged with theft under $500 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force. On July 15 Johnson allegedly took a boat trailer, auto parts and scrap metal valued at less than $500 from another person. Johnson has a 2018 Madison County conviction for burglary. Bail was set at $50,000.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I got hired right out of college, just before the pandemic, and have worked remotely. During that time, I was never given a raise. I felt grateful for a job. Now that things are opening back up, and were going back to the office, the company hired three entry-level people for my role. We went to lunch, and I found out theyre all making more than me! I am furious. I want to walk in and scream at my boss and quit. How do I go and demand more money and back pay? I worked so hard through the pandemic, how can he not even think to give me more money?

 Connor

DALE: No, no, dont be angry. This is a moment to rejoice. The labor economics have shifted, and your job is now worth more than it used to be. This is like hearing the condo next to yours just sold for $20K more than you paid a year ago. While theres no chance of getting back pay  in our condo example, that would be like the people who sold you a condo a year ago coming back to you and saying they now want the $20K you didnt give them  you can help your employer readjust your salary. Thanks to your newbie co-workers, you know that the company knows that things have changed.

J.T.: First, Im glad that you realize that being angry wont solve the situation. What I would do is put together a list of the things youve accomplished for the company. Map out the additional activities that you took on beyond what the original job description entailed. Try to quantify how you have saved or made the company money. Then set a meeting with your boss and go over this list, making it clear that you have provided a lot of value. At which point you can ask what it is going to take for you to receive a raise, because you understand that the new hires are making more than you. This gives the employer the chance to clarify whats going on and keep the conversation about your earning potential. The key is to calmly and objectively talk about the facts and discuss what its going to take for you to get a raise. If they cant justify giving you one, then you know that they dont value your work as much as you thought, and it might be time to move on.

Dear J.T. & Dale: We just got back into the office after the pandemic. Apparently in that time, my boss has become a vegan and is completely against meat of any kind. Yesterday, I was microwaving my lunch, and she came out and said she could smell meat and that it was disgusting, and then she sent out an email telling everyone that they can no longer cook meat in the microwave. She owns the company so I guess she can do what she wants, but is there anything I could say? How absolutely ridiculous is this?

 Andrea

DALE: What can you say? Nothing. Thats right: Here we have another shut-your-piehole situation. Clearly your boss has the fervor of a new convert, and shes unlikely to be yielding in any way, at least for now.

J.T.: Yes, as you said, she owns the company so she can set the rules. But that doesnt mean doing nothing. Do you have a lunch break? I would start taking your lunch outside the office. Go someplace every time. Eventually, when she realizes you dont eat in the office anymore and asks why, you can explain that you were following her policy and didnt want to offend her. If everyone is leaving at lunch, perhaps shell start to realize new policy wasnt the best idea.
Should you buy campus health insurance for your student?

Many colleges and universities require students to have health coverage, and most offer campus policies tailored for students. The cost is about $2,000 to $4,000 for the academic year, said Elizabeth Marks, senior strategy consultant for Academic HealthPlans, which administers student health policies for colleges nationally.

Many colleges that require health insurance include the cost of the campus policy on their fall semester bills. But they allow students to opt out by showing they have comparable coverage  such as through their familys health plan. (The charge for insurance is different from a student health fee, which most colleges charge to cover the cost of basic care at campus health clinics and usually cant be waived.)

Before deciding which insurance plan to use, health experts say, students and families should research and compare plans to see which option offers accessible care at the most affordable cost. Information about campus plans, including premiums and deductibles, is generally available on college websites. The best choice depends on a familys finances and where the student is going to school.

Under federal law, young adults can remain on their parents health plan until they turn 26. If the family has job-based health coverage through a major insurer, the plan probably participates in a national preferred provider network, said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation. That means students are likely to be covered by the familys plan even if they attend college in another state.

For most students, staying on a parents plan is generally the best option, said Erin Hemlin, director of health policy and advocacy at Young Invincibles, a group focused on issues affecting young adults.

Details of the familys plan matter, however. If the familys insurer is a health maintenance organization, it may not have in-network providers where the student is attending college. In that case, it may be better to enroll in campus coverage. Its best to check with your insurer  start by calling the number on your insurance card  to see if your plan will cover your student at college.

Some employer plans charge workers a flat premium for family coverage, so theres no savings in removing a dependent child who is going to college. Other plans, however, may base premiums on the number of family members covered. In that case, it may be less expensive to switch the student to a campus plan.

Insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, sold on federal and state exchanges, may cost less than enrolling a student in a campus policy. But many marketplace plans are HMOs, which would mean restricted coverage if the college was outside a plans network, Pollitz said. (All ACA-compliant plans must cover emergency care, she said, even if it occurs out of network. The new No Surprises Act will add further protections to prevent emergency rooms from billing patients for care beyond what their insurance covers.)

Students could compare their colleges policy with the cost of enrolling individually in a marketplace plan in the schools state, said Sara Collins, a health insurance expert at the Commonwealth Fund. Most college plans now comply with the ACA and cover preventive care and other essential benefits.

It comes down to cost, she said.

(Healthcare.gov, the federal health insurance marketplace, offers guidance for college students seeking ACA coverage. Because of the pandemic, a special enrollment period for 2021 marketplace coverage was extended until Aug. 15.)

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have their own marketplaces, and their deadlines vary. But if you miss a deadline, youll probably qualify for a special enrollment period anyway if you are going away to college, Collins said.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The mental health of college students has been an increasing concern. Families should carefully check details of coverage for behavioral health therapy, including counseling, said John Dunkle, senior clinical director of higher education at the Jed Foundation, which works to prevent suicide among teenagers and young adults.

Because of state licensing rules, he said, students going out of state to college may not be able to receive therapy remotely from their regular counselor, even if they participated in virtual care from home during the pandemic. Parents of students with known mental health issues can contact campus counseling centers over the summer to plan for care when the semester starts, Dunkle said.

Its great to have a provider at home, he said, but get one set up at school.

Some colleges arrange for students receiving financial aid package to have it cover health premiums, but others may not. Check with your colleges financial aid office to be sure.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Here are some questions and answers about college health insurance:

Q: How do I opt out of campus health insurance?

A: Students typically must submit a request to waive college coverage and include a copy of their insurance card  often by a date that falls during the summer or at the start of the fall semester. You cant waive it after the deadline, said Brendan Williams, senior director of consulting at uAspire, a nonprofit group that works to make college more affordable. So make sure you check your bill to avoid getting stuck with coverage you dont need. Many colleges bill students in the fall for coverage for both the fall and spring semesters.

You typically must submit a waiver request each year that you enroll.

Q: Can we buy a campus health plan in addition to our family health insurance plan?

A: If your student is covered by a college plan as well as another health plan, the campus plan will typically pay first for any care needed by the student, with the other plan paying as secondary coverage, said Marks of Academic HealthPlans.

Families with high-deductible plans that are paired with tax-favored health savings accounts usually need to be cautious about layering on other health coverage. Thats because families generally cant have other health insurance if they want to reap the tax benefits of an HSA, including tax-free contributions and withdrawals that are also tax-free when spent on eligible medical care.

But since the campus plan would cover only the student, it wouldnt disqualify her parents from contributing to an HSA, said William G. Stuart, president of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters. (The student would be disqualified from funding her own HSA, but she would probably be ineligible anyway if she was a dependent.) If you are uncertain, it may be wise to consult a tax professional familiar with HSAs.

Q: Can I use funds from my 529 college savings account to pay for campus health coverage?

A: Health insurance is deemed a nonqualified expense under Internal Revenue Service rules, according to an online overview from Richard Polimeni, director of education savings programs at Bank of America. So if you use 529 funds to pay college health premiums, you could owe taxes and a penalty on at least some of the money withdrawn. Withdrawals from 529 accounts are tax-free when used for eligible costs, including tuition, mandatory fees, books, supplies and housing.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
SCRANTON  The city plans to use up to $3 million in federal coronavirus relief money to provide grants to qualifying small businesses, nonprofits and other eligible entities.

Funded with a share of the roughly $68.7 million Scranton is due from President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan, the grants will provide financial support to help pandemic-impacted recipients recover and succeed as the public health crisis wanes, city Office of Economic and Community Development Director Eileen Cipriani said.

The whole idea behind the American Rescue Plan is to help us respond to ... and now recover from the pandemic, she said.

Officials are not yet prepared to announce specific details of the grant program. They expected to receive final rules Friday from the federal government on how exactly the funding may be used, Cipriani said.

Grant information, including eligibility criteria and details on how to apply, will be released once program details and parameters are finalized.

City council introduced legislation last week authorizing an agreement with the nonprofit Scranton Area Community Foundation to establish a pass-through fund from which the grants will ultimately be disbursed. Scranton engaged the foundation last year to establish a similar fund for the disbursement of other pandemic relief grants.

That arrangement was wildly successful, city Business Administrator Larry West said, noting officials hope to duplicate the process and success.

Under the proposed agreement, Scranton will provide the foundation with up to $3 million in ARP money the foundation will use to create the pass-through fund. City officials will review grant applications and make recommendations to the foundation, which will help distribute the grants for a 1% administrative fee.

The foundation is equipped to more efficiently disburse the grant funding, West said.

Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti and administration officials will attend a public council caucus Tuesday to discuss the $68.7 million in ARP funding. Scranton has been soliciting input on the money from residents and businesses via online surveys, which will inform the citys process of determining allocations.

Council adopted legislation earlier this month authorizing an agreement with Fidelity Bank to provide depository banking services for the $68.7 million. The city issued a public notice in May seeking qualifications from banks or financial institutions to serve as a depository for the federal relief funding.

Tuesdays caucus in councils second-floor chambers at City Hall, 340 N. Washington Ave., will begin at 5:45 p.m.
The Scranton teachers union is working on a proposal to counter the districts most recent offer to settle its expired teachers contract.

The Scranton School District gave the union until 4 p.m. Thursday to accept a proposal outlined in a statement last week and prompted by an additional $5.7 million in state funding.

Union President Rosemary Boland said Monday she hopes to have a counterproposal to the district before the deadline. She did not provide details but said the executive board is working on its offer.

In September, the 700 teachers in the district are set to start their fifth school year without a contract.

In the most recent offer from the district released Thursday, teachers would move two retroactive steps, with retroactive pay from the start of the 2020-21 school year. The proposal includes a total of five step movements through the 2023-24 school year, with a 1.5% increase to the salary scale over the life of the contract. Teachers typically move one step  which is based on years of service and experience  per year before reaching top scale.

District officials asked union leaders to bring the proposal to the general membership for consideration, according to the statement. The union will not vote on the proposal before the July 22 deadline, Boland said last week. The union also has concerns with the proposed change in health insurance.

The district will also offer its other employee groups raises through the additional funding.

Scranton will receive the additional $5.7 million annually in the Pennsylvanias 2022 budget, which increased basic and special education funding through the Level Up initiative, according to a district statement released Monday. The initiative is providing $100 million to the 100 most underfunded districts, which includes Scranton. The district is currently in financial recovery.

The Scranton School District Recovery Plan outlines a framework by which windfall revenues may be allocated, according to Mondays statement. The plan defines windfall revenue as an unanticipated increase in funding from the Commonwealth.

The additional funding was considered in the updated proposal sent to the Scranton Federation of Teachers and the same must be offered to the other employee groups, the statement says.

In the coming days, the Chief Recovery Officer will calculate the amount of funding which can be directed to the existing contracts for the SEIU 32 BJ, Act 93 and contracted administrators, according to the statement.

The board will hold personnel and budget and finance committee meetings Wednesday beginning at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. For more details or instructions to join, visit www.scrsd.org.
A familiar benefactor is assisting the Indraloka Animal Sanctuary with an initiative that founder Indra Lahiri says could ultimately save the lives of countless rescue animals in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The sanctuary near Dalton received a $40,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to help establish NEPA Rescue Vet, a clinic that will provide veterinarian services to partner organizations within NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative.

The funding is among $717,500 in grants awarded to 45 area nonprofits by the Spitz Foundation for 2021.

Indraloka is in the process of setting up the NEPA Rescue Vet clinic, which will be operated by the sanctuary but available to all the shelters and rescues that are part of the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, Lahiri said.

The sanctuary has launched an international search to hire a veterinarian to run the clinic.

What that is going to do is allow our rescue and shelter partners to get veterinary services at a lower rate than they would at a private practice, Lahiri said.

She said the initiative came about after the Scranton Area Community Foundation brought the regional animal welfare collective together in 2019, and its members discovered they were all struggling to get veterinary care. The nation as a whole is facing a veterinarian shortage that has only worsened by many vets retiring during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

We are not going to be able to solve all of our veterinary problems with one vet, of course, she said. But its a start, and I think it will save a lot of lives.

The new $40,000 grant from the Spitz Foundation, which Lahiri said has been incredibly generous to Indraloka in recent years, will be used to prepare space at the sanctuary and purchase equipment and supplies for the clinic.

In the beginning, the clinic will probably take the form of a mobile unit, she said.

Eventually, we plan to build a hospital, Lahiri said, but these things take time.

The Spitz Foundation was established in 2015, by the estate of the late Robert H. Spitz, a Scranton native and Scranton Central High School graduate who owned several local Arbys franchises.

Spitz, who died in 2014, at age 75, had a well-known love of animals, and more than a dozen of the 2021 grants went to area animal welfare organizations.

Several others reflected the foundation namesakes interest in local Jewish heritage and culture and support for veterans.

For example, the largest grant  $80,000  was awarded to the Jewish Community Center of Scranton, which last month renamed and dedicated its swimming pool as the Robert H. Spitz Aquatics Center.

The grant represents the latest installment in a multiyear, $1 million gift from the foundation for the refurbishment of the pool, JCC Executive Director Daniel Cardonick said.

The Treatment Court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County received a $50,000 grant to support its veterans and Veterans Treatment Court programs.

The center plans to use the funds for improvements to the space the programs occupy within the Recovery Bank, 120 Wyoming Ave., that was originally developed with grant money from the foundation, said attorney Frank Bolock Jr., president and CEO.

The center is also looking to acquire a van to transport veterans to and from the Recovery Bank and to activities around the area, he said.

The Robert Spitz Foundation has been very generous over the years, and we are thrilled they found a way to support us again this year, Bolock said.

Since 2015, the foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, has provided more than $3.7 million in funding to the community.

The impact of Mr. Spitzs legacy is transformative, Laura Ducceschi, SACF president and CEO, said in a statement, noting the foundation also provided $100,000 to support local COVID-19 relief earlier this year.
Senate Democrats are close to finalizing a $3.5 trillion budget plan that is expected to include historic government investments in child care. This proposal, introduced by President Joe Biden in April as part of his American Families Plan, has faced its share of conservative opposition, as have policymakers attempts to tackle child care over the past half-century.

Fifty years ago, President Richard M. Nixon vetoed the bipartisan Child Development Act that would have provided universal care for 3- and 4-year-olds on a sliding scale. He was swayed by critics who framed the policy as governmental intrusion into private family life. That veto produced long-lasting consequences. Today, the United States has a highly unequal and fragmented system that leaves many families unable to access high-quality, affordable child care.

Opponents of Bidens proposal are reviving arguments from the past, with critics charging that such policies harm families. By contrast, todays advocates of child care reform are shifting focus from families to women, showing how access to more affordable child care can support women as workers and mothers.

These debates are rooted in the mid-1960s, when Congress began trying to create a universally accessible child-care system.

The idea was popular. Leaders of the coalition behind the Child Development Actof 1971, notably Yale psychologist Edward Zigler and lawyer Marian Wright Edelman, imagined the reforms as an extension of Head Start. That program was part of President Lyndon B. Johnsons War on Poverty.

Nixon recognized that investing in children would address U.S. poverty and improve outcomes and issued a commitment in 1969 to support child development. The CDA would have created centers to provide high-quality, locally controlled education and nutritional and medical services.

But opponents painted child care as a Soviet-like intrusion, building on decades of Cold War-inspired opposition to any family policies. Sen. James Allen, D-Alabama, asserted that the pernicious thrust of this bill would be to undermine the family as the basic unit of society and create a gigantic bureaucratic monstrosity with near-complete control over the lives of children.

Allen misconstrued the legislation, which entailed voluntary participation. But the idea that the state was threatening family lives had purchase with the conservative movement, which was animated by an anti-communist, small-government politics. It included a family-values faction against perceived threats to the traditional nuclear family, with a mother at home engaged in full-time child care.

Although the CDA passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support, Nixon vetoed it in 1971 to stop the growing right wing from challenging him in the 1972 primary. His speechwriter, Patrick Buchanan, convinced him that conservatives were angry that he had gone to communist China earlier in the year and had proposed domestic policies that were seen as too liberal. Buchanan was sure that a veto message decrying public child care as a slippery slope toward communism would placate their concerns.

Subsequent congressional attempts to create a public child-care system, including 1975 and 1979 proposals, also were stymied by conservative opposition. Even in 1979, advocates feared the issue would derail the agenda of President Jimmy Carter. The Child Care Act never made it out of committee that year.

Although opponents of these measures argued that publicly funded child care undermined the sanctity of the family, their arguments neglected the fact that an increasing number of mothers needed to work to support their families and that doing so without access to quality, affordable child care harmed their families.

But many leaders were hesitant to make womens work a rationale for child care. In 1971, for example, Rep. Bella Abzug, D-New York, a well-known advocate for child care reform, stated the obvious: Everyone says that this is a childrens bill, but it is also a womans bill, and that is something no one seems to want to mention. Feminists like Abzug had been on the forefront of supporting subsidized child care to support womens labor within the home and in the market. Outside of feminist circles, however, most allies in the child-care reform community tended to be more invested in child development and too wary of upending the traditional family consensus to acknowledge what Abzug had said.

In a 1982 debate, feminist legal scholar Catherine Mackinnon challenged Phyllis Schlafly, a key leader of the conservative family values movement, asking: Who among us can afford Mrs. Schlaflys choice of exclusive home and motherhood? The privileged few, mostly white and upper middle class women.

By the late 1980s, President Ronald Reagans anti-government rhetoric helped animate opposition to further child care legislation. In 1988, Schlafly, charged that public support for child care was an attempt to sovietiz[e] the American family. A Heritage Foundation report likewise claimed that the Act for Better Child Care then before Congress was a direct attack on the traditional American family....

George H.W. Bush signed the ABC Act into law in 1990 over such objections. The act created a subsidy system that gives low-income working parents a voucher to use in the private market. But only one in six eligible families receive support because of underfunding, and there is little incentive for providers even to accept these vouchers.

Advocates may find that reviving arguments about women can help counter the old conservative arguments about families. Today mothers employment is largely an accepted necessity. Between 1975 and 2019, the labor force participation rate for mothers with children younger than 3 nearly doubled.

Even as Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, compares the Biden proposal to the Soviet bogeyman and Republican senatorial hopeful J.D. Vance of Ohio claims that universal day care would harm the stability provided by traditional families that follow a male breadwinner/female caregiver model, advocates make the case that child care is infrastructure. Like the bridges and roads necessary for workers to commute to their jobs, affordable child care is at the center of economic recovery, especially for working mothers.

What was once, at best, a tertiary goal is now a primary goal for child-care reformers, while opponents still bank on old arguments that reflect long-past geopolitics and demographic realities. The truth is that, for families to thrive, access to high-quality, affordable child care is a must. Bidens plan finally might offer an opportunity to reverse Nixons 1971 veto and launch major investments in child care that embrace mothers employment, promote child development and pay livable wages.
FILE - This undated photo released by the FBI on Dec. 30, 1998 shows Boston mobster James Whitey Bulger. The FBI says it posted hundreds of pages of records from the notorious mobsters file earlier in July 2021.
FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2011, file photo, scallop meat is shucked off a shell in Harpswell, Maine. Fishermen are harvesting fewer scallops off the East Coast as the population of the valuable shellfish appears to be on the decline. Sea scallops are one of the most profitable resources in the Atlantic, and the U.S. fishery was worth more than $570 million at the docks in 2019. Fishermen harvested more than 60 million pounds that year. But fishermen harvested about 43.5 million pounds in 2020.
Chinese private equity companies are increasingly mounting takeover bids for star British technology companies, MPs have warned.

Their warnings come at a time of mounting disquiet over China's ambitions and its takeovers of UK firms, including the near 1billion swoop yesterday by technology conglomerate Tencent on games developer Sumo Group.

Buyout firms with links to Beijing have been quietly targeting science, technology and engineering firms.

The chips are down: Chinese giants are targeting UK tech stars such as Wales' Newport Wafer Fab

MPs claim some of the firms effectively act as proxies for China, while others obscure their connection to the country's Communist regime through tax havens.

There have been concerns for years about foreign investment in firms working on hi-tech 'dual-use' technologies such as microchips, which appear innocuous but could be militarised and turned against Britain by adversaries.

But there are now added fears that the Covid crisis  which has wiped billions off the value of UK companies  could trigger a wave of attempts by Chinese private equity firms and other predators to pounce on cutting-edge groups on the cheap.

This could lead to a 'brain drain' with highly skilled British jobs and intellectual property flowing overseas.

Conservative MP Bob Seely, who sits on the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: 'There is a problem with private equity anyway but we've got to be wiser to what's happening when it's a Chinese firm.

'When it comes to buying up sensitive technologies, because China is a one-party state you have to wonder what the motives are  this can effectively be a surreptitious tech transfer.'

The Isle of Wight MP added: 'We are extraordinarily naive about this and, of course, we need to trade to China but it has to be on reasonable terms and not where we lose out significantly.'

The Mail is campaigning for greater transparency in the private equity and an end to sharp practices by firms. One of the major demands in the Mail's manifesto is for more protection for sensitive sectors such as technology and defence.

Critics have long argued that the UK has been far too lax about selling off hi-tech British companies  particularly to private equity groups. This is because they often work to a model where they buy a firm, make sweeping changes and then break it up and sell off the parts within five or so years.

When China is involved too, it can raise questions about national security.

There have been some signs of a tougher approach, notably in telecoms where Huawei was banned from taking part in Britain's 5G rollout.

China has also walked away from the Sizewell C nuclear project, amid rising tensions between London and Beijing.

And at Welsh chip maker Newport Wafer Fab (NWF), the UK's biggest microchip factory, ministers have intervened in an attempt by a Chinese-owned company to take over the business. Nexperia has already appointed two directors to NWF's board following a contract dispute.

Conservative MP Bob Seely says sensitive technologies should not be allowed to fall into Chinese hands

The company is ultimately owned by China-based microchips giant Wingtech, which bought the business from Beijing-based private equity firm Wise Road last year.

The firm insists it is exercising its 'legal rights' and has sought to take over NWF outright. Drew Nelson, Newport Wafer Fab's chairman, has claimed that Nexperia's takeover will help secure the factory's future.

But it prompted Boris Johnson to instruct Sir Stephen Lovegrove, the national security adviser, to look at the deal.

'We have to judge whether the stuff that they are making is of real intellectual property value and interest to China, whether there are real security implications,' the Prime Minister told a parliamentary committee earlier this month.

Another recent embarrassment for ministers included revelations that a Chinese-owned circuit board maker was supplying parts for Britain's next generation F-35 fighter jets.

The Ministry of Defence claimed Exception PCB posed 'no risk' to the F-35 supply chain  an assertion that has prompted incredulity from some defence hawks who pointed out the programme is highly classified.

Sir Gerald Howarth, a former Conservative defence minister, said the Government had been 'completely and utterly naive about China'.

A PCB director insisted 'firewalls' were in place between the company and its owner, Shenzhen Fastprint.

Britain's laissez-faire approach to foreign takeovers backfired spectacularly last year when Chinese investors attempted a boardroom coup at Imagination Technologies.

The Hertfordshire firm  which makes microchips used in everything from computers to cars  was sold to private equity firm Canyon Bridge for 550million in 2017 despite security concerns raised by critics about the deal.

Cayman Islands-based Canyon Bridge is partly funded by the communist government in Beijing, through state-backed investor China Reform.

At the time of the takeover, Government officials were reportedly assured that the Chinese would be 'passive' investors, meaning they would not interfere with the running of Imagination.

But last year a crisis erupted when China Reform suddenly attempted to parachute directors on to Imagination's board and seize control. They reportedly wanted to relocate the company to China.

The power-grab was only halted after a group of Tory MPs alerted the Government and officials stepped in.

A probe involving spy agency GCHQ was later launched into how the fiasco had been allowed to get so far.

When it comes to overseas takeovers, new laws could lead to much more extensive scrutiny at an earlier stage, but only if they are deployed with vigour.

The National Security and Investment Bill (NSIB) grants ministers new powers to block foreign takeovers.

The rules will force companies to notify the Business Department in advance of sensitive transactions in more than a dozen sectors including artificial intelligence, satellite and space tech, and autonomous robots.

But even if it is adopted with gusto, UK firms will still be more vulnerable than those in other countries  including the US, many in Europe and even China itself  which readily block deals where sensitive technology could be lost to foreign buyers.

Matthew Byatt, co-founder of chip-focused investment bank Acuity Advisors, warned that the UK is not doing enough 'and that means all of our most precious assets are ripe for the taking. Chinese private equity are really attracted to them.'
Sir Martin Sorrell has hailed booming business at his company as a 'post-pandemic rebound' turbocharges the economy.

The 76-year-old's advertising tycoon's outfit S4 Capital said in a trading update that sales and profits had surpassed expectations this summer.

The advertising and marketing services firm said it was due to growing momentum in the global economy and the switch towards digital marketing by many businesses, a trend that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 crisis.

On the rise: Sir Martin Sorrell's outfit S4 Capital said in a trading update that sales and profits had surpassed expectations this summer

Many western countries, including the UK, are easing pandemic restrictions as vaccination rollouts cut hospitalisations and deaths.

S4 also revealed new loans that will be used to refinance its debts and embark on fresh takeovers.

The firm said activity was 'at unprecedented levels' in May and June, driven both by the post-pandemic rebound in global output and the acceleration in digital marketing.

S4 is planning to expand into other areas of technology and to offer more services in the Americas and Asia-Pacific region.

Sorrell set up S4 just months after leaving WPP  the firm he turned into the world's biggest ad agency  in 2018.

The tycoon is aiming to double the company's size over the next three years. That goal is being aided by the growing shift towards digital advertising models that S4 specialises in.

And Sorrell believes the pandemic has sped up that process, after firms shifted more ads online to target those stuck at home under lockdown. S4 claims that 66 per cent of global advertising spending will be digital by 2024.

In yesterday's update, S4 said it had agreed a 321million loan with Credit Suisse, HSBC and Barclays, as well as a five-year facility of up to 100million Credit Suisse, HSBC, Barclays, JP Morgan and BNP Paribas.

The money will refinance existing debts worth 109million.
Spire Healthcare tumbled after shareholders shot down a 1.4billion takeover offer that would have turned it into the UK's largest private hospital group.

Spire's Australian rival Ramsay Health Care had tabled a 250p-per-share bid for the mid-cap hospital group, which had been accepted by the board.

It needed to win 75 per cent of votes at a one-off meeting for the deal to go through. But it only clinched 70 per cent after two of Spire's biggest shareholders  Fidelity and Toscafund  rebelled against Ramsay and tried to convince others to do the same.

Takeover target: Spire's Australian rival Ramsay Health Care's bid for the hospital group was accepted by the board but shareholders  Fidelity and Toscafund - have voted it down

Ramsay had been trying to woo Spire's investors since May, when it put forward a 240p offer that was also backed by management.

It hiked it to 250p earlier this month  but Fidelity and Toscafund continued to say it hugely undervalued the company, which they believe is set to outperform over the next few years.

It is uncommon for a takeover deal that has been accepted by a company's board to be torpedoed by shareholders. Spire has 39 hospitals and eight clinics in Britain where it treats private and NHS patients.

The company is chaired by Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of Barclays UK, who said the board respected the decision and that the firm is 'well positioned for success as a standalone business'.

Stock Watch - United Oil and Gas United Oil and Gas started the week with a bang after it announced it struck oil at another site in Egypt's Western Desert. The company owns 22 per cent of an area called Abu Sennan, where it has had success with other wells. Chief executive Brian Larkin said the results from the test drilling were much better than they had expected. He added that United Oil and Gas will probably keep exploring for more oil in the licensing area. Shares in the main market-listed group rose 4 per cent, or 0.15p, to 3.85p yesterday.

Cheshire added: 'Throughout our ongoing engagement with shareholders, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive towards the long-term strategy and our strong management team.'

Alex Wright, portfolio manager at Fidelity Special Solutions Fund, said Spire is in a good position to do well when Covid passes.

'We remain confident and supportive of Spire's strategic plans,' he said. 'In our opinion, Spire can return to a 2015-to-2017 level of earnings over the next three to five years.' Despite Ramsay's efforts, many believed the takeover was in trouble when on Friday Spire's shares closed at 235p  significantly below the offer price.

Its stock dived another 7.2 per cent, or 17p, to 218p last night.

The wider market was also in the red after a torrid day for stocks around the world, as concerns continued to rise about the spread of the Delta variant.

In the UK, the FTSE 100 dropped 2.3 per cent, or 163.7 points, to 6844.39 and the FTSE 250 also by 2.3 per cent, or 526.12 points, to 21,940.88 as England's 'Freedom Day' was marred by soaring infection rates and mixed messages from the Government, which urged people to remain cautious while it also went ahead and lifted Covid restrictions.

Aside from airlines and travel stocks, oil shares also lost ground after Opec agreed a deal to increase supply from August.

The oil price fell and BP was off 4.7 per cent, or 13.8p, at 278.45p while Shell lost 4.2 per cent, or 57.4p, at 1311p.

Another notable loser was Ocado after the online delivery company suffered its second fire in just two years. The fire was caused by a robot collision at its warehouse in Erith in south-east London.

One broker said: 'The worries aren't about Ocado itself, but what if a fire broke out at a customer warehouse like Kroger. There'll be some eyebrows raised about what effect this has on future deals.'

Shares fell 1.9 per cent, or 34p, at 1771p.

Further down the market and Litigation Capital Management said its second fund will close by the end of the summer after strong interest from investors.

The 219million fund is a big vote of confidence for the company which competes with Burford Capital (down 4 per cent, or 30p, at 722.5p).

Litigation finance has grown rapidly as an asset class in recent years with investors hunting for higher returns on their money.

But shares were down 5.2 per cent, or 6p, at 109p.

Make-up group Revolution Beauty had a disappointing debut on AIM. The Camden-based company went public at 160p, but closed at 150p.
The UK's biggest and most popular investment trust is one of Tencent's top backers.

About 5.8 per cent of Scottish Mortgage's funds are invested in the Chinese company  the trust's single biggest holding.

Its sixth-biggest holding is in Tencent's rival, Alibaba, with 3.9 per cent of funds invested in the stock.

Holding: About 5.8% of Scottish Mortgage's funds are invested in the Chinese tech giant Tencent

According to Scottish Mortgage, the stake in Tencent was valued at 1billion at the end of May.

The 16billion investment trust's holding in Alibaba was worth another 723million.

Scottish Mortgage is co-managed by Baillie Gifford's James Anderson and Tom Slater, with its returns far outpacing the MSCI World Index thanks to successful investment in tech stocks such as Tesla, Amazon, Facebook, Alibaba and Tencent.

But its heavy involvement in China became a subject of potential concern earlier this year amid a crackdown by Beijing on tech companies.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma disappeared from the public eye for months after falling out with financial regulators, while Tencent and other gaming companies were previously blocked from releasing new titles for nine months.

But Anderson  who is due to retire next year  has played down any concerns and warned shareholders it would be 'dangerous' to react quickly to news headlines.

'Actually, what we think is happening is that China is moving principally to a policy of greater antitrust requirements in a way that I think would have been beneficial in America and Europe,' he told investors.

'Now, none of that is to excuse aspects of the Chinese political scene or the directions it's gone.

'But we do not think the overall operation conditions have deteriorated as drastically as the media would like you to believe.'
Italian fashion house Zegna will go public in a 2.3billion Spac deal in New York later this year.

The luxury retailer sells men's suits and smart-casual wear, including shirts priced at 1,330 and bomber jackets at 6,110.

Zegna has been family-owned since it started as a fabric maker in 1910 in Trivero, in the Piedmont region.

Private equity firm L Catterton, which is backed by LVMH, the owner of Luis Vuitton, has agreed to buy a 60 per cent stake in Etro (worn by the model, pictured)

It will list through a Spac  a special purpose acquisition company  called Investindustrial Acquisition Corp, whose chairman is Sergio Ermotti, the former boss of investment bank UBS.

The company is looking to raise 640million.

Spacs, also known as 'blank cheque companies', are empty firms which list on the stock market, raising millions from investors with the purpose of buying an existing company.

In another major move on an Italian family-led fashion group, a private equity firm backed by LVMH, the owner of Luis Vuitton, has agreed to buy a 60 per cent stake in Etro.

The deal with L Catterton values Etro at around 430million, according to reports.

L Catterton also recently swooped on trendy sandal-maker Birkenstock.
A coronavirus surge is ripping through Myanmar

With hospitals in junta-run Myanmar empty of pro-democracy medical staff and coronavirus cases surging nationwide, volunteers are going house-to-house to collect the fast-rising number of victims dying in their homes.

Early each morning, Than Than Soe's phone starts ringing with requests from family members of those who have died in the commercial capital Yangon.

She writes the name, address and contact number of the victim in a ledger and dispatches a team to their home.

"We are running our service without resting," she told AFP at the bustling office of her volunteer group.

Every day "my team is collecting between 30-40 dead bodies... I think other teams will be the same like us".

"Sometimes, there are two dead bodies in one house."

Hospitals around the country are empty of both doctors and patients because of a long-running strike against the military regime that seized power in February.

Widespread anger at the coup -- and fear of being seen to cooperate with the regime -- is also keeping many away from military-run hospitals, leaving volunteers to source precious oxygen and bring the dead for cremation.

With medical staff on strike against the junta, volunteers are taking on the risky job of disposing of Covid victims' bodies

Sann Oo, who began working as a volunteer driver when the pandemic's first wave hit Myanmar last year, says a typical working day is now at least 13 hours long.

"We used to send patients to hospitals," he told AFP. "We asked patients 'which hospital do you wanna go to?'

"But now it's different. When we receive incoming calls, we have to ask, 'Which cemetery?'"

Authorities reported almost 5,500 cases on Saturday, up from around 50 per day in early May, but analysts say the true toll is likely much higher.

At the house of one victim, Sann Oo and the team strap the corpse onto a stretcher, cover it with a blanket and navigate the narrow wooden staircase down to the street.

They carry the stretcher to the van while another volunteer hits a gong used in Buddhist funeral rites.

As they arrive at the Kyi Su crematorium there are at least eight other ambulances already parked outside.

The words "Dead Body Carrier" adorn the windscreen of one of the vehicles.

- 'Only bad news' -

Medical workers who were at the forefront of Myanmar's Covid-19 response before the coup have been targeted after leading early mass protests against junta rule.

Medical workers who were at the forefront of Myanmar's Covid-19 response before the coup have been targeted after leading early mass protests against junta rule

Top health officials, including the head of Myanmar's vaccination programme, have been detained and hundreds of others have gone underground to avoid arrest.

Last week, the State Administration Council -- as the junta dubs itself -- called for doctors and nurses to volunteer for the Covid-19 effort, admitting it was facing "difficulties" in controlling the surge.

State media reported Saturday that authorities were rushing in oxygen supplies from neighbouring Thailand and China.

The UN's special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar last week warned the country was at risk of "becoming a Covid-19 super-spreader state".

Than Than Soe said two of her team had tested positive since the recent spike, and one has died.

"Everything I hear is only bad news," she added.

One man her office helped called his brother at the Kyi Su cemetery, where his mother was about to be cremated, and asked him to wait for the ambulance bringing their father, who had just died.

"I want them to meet one last time," he sobbed into the phone.

For Than Than Soe, such scenes have become constant.

"Sometimes I don't pick up the phone and don't want to answer calls," she said.

"It's not because I don't want to do my duties... it's because I'm suffering a lot of pain."
By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU, July 12 (Reuters) - Pro-Western Moldovan President Maia Sandu's PAS party won the country's snap parliamentary elections, data from the central election commission showed on Monday, on a platform of fighting corruption and carrying out reforms.

Sandu hopes to win a majority in the 101-seat chamber to implement reforms she says were blocked by allies of her pro-Russian predecessor, Igor Dodon.

After the counting of 99.63% of ballots, only three political forces will be represented in the new chamber, the data showed. PAS had 52.60% of the vote, while its main rival, Dodon's Socialists and Communists bloc, had 27.32%.

The party of Ilan Shor, a businessman convicted of fraud and money-laundering in connection with a $1 billion bank scandal, received 5.77% of the vote. Shor denies wrongdoing.

The West and Russia vie for influence in the tiny ex-Soviet republic of 3.5 million people, which is one of Europe's poorest nations and has suffered a sharp economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sandu, a former World Bank economist who favors closer ties with the European Union, defeated Dodon last year but was forced to share power with the parliament elected in 2019 and the government run by lawmakers aligned with Dodon.

In April, Sandu dissolved parliament, in which PAS had 15 lawmakers while Dodon's Socialists had 37. Together with allies he controlled a majority of 54 deputies.

"I hope that Moldova will end today a difficult era, the era of the rule of thieves in Moldova. Our citizens must feel and experience the benefits of a clean parliament and government that cares about people's problems," Sandu said on Facebook.

She said that after the final count of votes she intended to form a new government as soon as possible.

The distribution of seats in parliament is not yet clear, as the votes cast for the parties that did not win enough votes to enter parliament will be distributed among the winners.

Moldova, sandwiched between Ukraine and EU member Romania, has been dogged by instability and corruption scandals in recent years, including the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking system.

Dodon, a regular guest in Moscow, has formed an electoral bloc with the communists who have accused Sandu of pursuing a pro-Western policy that would lead to the collapse of the state.

"I appeal to the future deputies of the new parliament: we must not allow a new political crisis in Moldova. It would be nice to have a period of political stability," Dodon said after the election. (Writing by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Richard Pullin)
Keaton Loyd, 17, of Sumner passed away Monday. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, at Ty Ty First Baptist Church The family will receive friends on Saturday from 6-8 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Bryce Ethridge | The Valdosta Daily Times

Caitlin McDargh, a Wild Adventures Zookeeper, feeds Topanga, a lemur, some bananas shortly before the animals usual naptime. Topanga has her pup hanging from her belly which it usually does for its first four weeks of life.
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Early discussions have begun across the Hudson Valley among cities, town and villages as to whether to cater to cannabis buyers, and whether to opt out of the market.

Recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older was legalized in New York during this years legislative session with the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. Now attention shifts to the local level, where municipalities have until December 31 to pass a local law to opt out of allowing marijuana dispensaries and smoking lounges  either both or one or the other. If municipalities dont opt-out by the year-end deadline, they will be unable to opt-out at a future date but can decide to opt back in by repealing the originally passed local law. Voters within each municipality may petition the outcome of a local law, moving the matter to the ballot at the next general election.

New York State has established a 13 percent tax on legal marijuana sales, which includes a 4 percent local excise tax that will be distributed to local governments based on where a retail dispensary is located. Twenty-five percent of this tax revenue goes to the county and 75 percent goes to the cities, town or villages within the county as a proportion of cannabis sales. It is estimated that the marijuana industry could bring in as much as $350 million annually to the state.

Although a local law doesnt need to be passed until the end of the year, and retail stores could take two years to open, local government leaders in the Hudson Valley are already beginning discussions on whether to opt out of allowing marijuana dispensaries in their towns. Heres where those conversations are leaning right now.

Opting out

Middletown, Orange County

Middletown is leaning towards opting out of allowing dispensaries, for the simple reason that you can opt back in but you cant opt out after December 31, said mayor Joe DeStefano. The city has scheduled a June 15th public hearing to discuss a proposal to prohibit the licensing of retail cannabis dispensaries or consumption sites.

A cannabis cafe I am absolutely opposed to, said DeStefano, who expressed more concern for consumption sites than dispensaries. I also have problems with the public consumption portion of the law, which doesnt change with opt out but [if we dont have smoking lounges it] will certainly reduce the flow of people in the community.

DeStefano said he is open minded about dispensaries and that some council members are in support. Overall, he believes that the revenue share the city would get is too small to justify the potential negative effects.

There will be a two-week period following the public hearing for written comments before a vote.

Crawford, Orange County

While Crawford Supervisor Charles Carnes is against on-site consumption of cannabis  in the form of cannabis cafes or smoking lounges, for example  he said he is open to the idea of allowing dispensaries.

His concerns come from the proximity to four schools in the Pine Bush hamlet where the businesses could open.

I dont think four percent [tax revenue] for a small community like what we have here is going to amount to a lot of money, said Carnes. I dont think it will be a large revenue source.

The town has scheduled a public hearing on June 17 for further discussion, with local law enforcement planning to attend. Carnes said the town has already drafted an opt-out proposal that would ban both dispensaries and consumption sites but can be modified later to apply to only one. No decisions will be made at the June 17 public hearing.

Town of Southeast, Putnam County

Southeast passed its local law to opt out a month ago, making it the first in the county and seemingly the first in the Hudson Valley. Tony Hay, town supervisor, said as soon as he heard local municipalities could opt out, he added it to the towns agenda.

The public hearing drew around six people, all of whom were against having dispensaries or smoking lounges. The board was unanimous as well.

I think any type of drugs leads to a harder drug, especially marijuana, said Hay, who doesnt plan to opt back in at any point. I dont think the revenue is worth a persons life. I dont buy the revenue thing.

Other towns

Nearby, in Patterson, town supervisor Richard Williams said he does not support recreational marijuana. While the town board has not made a decision yet on whether to opt out, he believes the majority of the town board shares his views.

Opting In

Newburgh, Orange County

Mayor Torrance Harvey said he supports allowing dispensaries and on-site marijuana consumption in his city. My focus isnt to limit dispensaries or ways to go into business since its legalized in our state, Harvey said. Those prohibitors arent necessary or needed.

While other local officials might be concerned about folks being under the influence of marijuana, Harvey compared it to drinking alcohol  for the most part people drink responsibly and those who don't are taken to task. Those individuals would have to be held accountable, said Harvey.

He said community members should have the opportunity to start businesses in this industry, especially after members of Black and brown communities have been incarcerated at higher rates over the years for selling marijuana. Right now, there is no public hearing scheduled to further discuss the matter.

Kingston, Ulster County

There hasnt been any conversation of opting out, said city of Kingston Mayor Steve Noble. My hope and my plan is that were not going to opt out. I think our constituents also feel there is no need to opt out.

He said he plans to treat marijuana retail sites just like they would any other commercial retail establishment. No public hearings are scheduled for the city to start the opt-out process.

Hudson, Columbia County

Thomas DePietro, City of Hudson Common Council President, said he and the mayor are on board and are definitely opting in, even despite the city not having public discussion yet. I assume the community will be on board because thats my sense of things here, said DePietro.

One of the biggest reasons DePietro says Hudson should opt in is to support minority communities who previously have been adversely affected by drug-related laws. Given the equity aspect of how this will roll out, we are well positioned to make sure the money gets back into the community in the form of jobs and tax revenue that can be steered towards community based projects, said DePietro.

The New York legislation establishes equity programs that will provide loans, grants and incubator programs to ensure opportunities for participation in the market by people from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition, as well as small farmers.

Other towns

Municipalities like Saugerties, Woodstock and New Paltz  all in Ulster County  all plan to welcome dispensaries and on-site smoking to their towns.
He had a reputation for a white-hot temper and brutality, but in the end it was his loose lips and delirious deathbed ramblings that cemented mobster Dutch Schultzs legend  and that today still drive modern-day treasure seekers to the Catskills with shovels and a mission.

Lets rewind. Schultz was born Arthur Flegenheimer in the Bronx in 1901 to German-Jewish immigrant parents, and soon ran with the Bronxs Frog Hollow Gang, which was known for bestowing the nickname Dutch Schultz upon its toughest members. The monicker stuck.

Over the years, Schultz built a reputation as a top bootlegger, racketeer and the first mobster to extort New York's labor unions, said Sullivan County historian John Conway, who wrote the 2000 book Dutch Schultz and his Lost Catskills Treasure.

Who still cares about a Prohibition-era tough guy gunned down in a Newark tavern? Schultz was a well-known figure in the Catskills and Hudson Valley from his bootlegging days, even inspiring the naming of the new Dutchs Spirits distillery in Dutchess County.* But its the hunt for his ill-gotten gains thats fueled at least one screenplay, many books and documentaries, a PBS special, and countless Catskills visits. The location of the hidden treasure was teased by Schultz himself.

Theres endless contradictions and confusions in the story surrounding the treasure hunt  which I think Schultz would have delighted in because he was the expert of misdirection, deception and falsehoods, Conway said.

Bronx beginnings lead to criminal empire

Bettmann via Getty Images

As one might imagine, the pathway to becoming a master criminal is quickly littered with enemies. Law enforcement, naturally, was one  but the real trouble began for Schultz with other mobsters who fought over territory and rackets in the 1930s.

New Yorks criminal underworld in 1931 formed the Commission to coalesce various Mafia gangs under one governing body. It was a time of no more independent operators doing things the way they wanted, Conway said. Now everything had to go through them.

Conway said Schultz was often described as a hothead and a loudmouth, qualities the Commission disliked as J. Edgar Hoover built up the FBI into a national law enforcement entity. In one particularly ruthless incident in Cohoes, as outlined in the book Five Families by Selwyn Raab, Schultzs lawyer Dixie Davis recalled the mobster shooting gangster Jules Modgilewsky in the mouth at the Harmony Hotel just as casually as if he were picking his teeth.

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Schultz was identified as Public Enemy No. 1 by Hoover in 1933 after the fall of Chicagos Al Capone, drawing the attention of prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, who would later become governor of New York. Schultz sat trial twice for tax evasion  the crime that tripped up Capone  but was never convicted.

Dewey didnt give up; he kept going after Schultz, Conway said. So Schultz decided he had to kill Dewey. Its the only way he could get him off his back.

NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

The Commission balked at Schultzs proposed killing of such a prominent figure. In a twist of fate, the syndicate later ordered Schultzs killing: He was gunned down in Newarks Palace Chop House tavern on Oct. 23, 1935, along with three other associates.

Schultz lingered in the hospital for 24 hours with his fatal wounds, babbling a stream of consciousness that observers at the time  including the police  noted in great detail. He uttered strange phrases like, A boy has never wept  nor dashed a thousand kin, plus others that were decidedly more interesting.

The police wrote down everything he said, said Conway. They wrote down that there is a treasure and where its located in Phoenicia.

Bettmann via Getty Images

Have shovel, will travel to Phoenicia

Legend has it that Schultz stashed money to fund his escape in case Dewey ever tried to have him arrested. The mobster is said to have hidden in a steel box, waterproof safe or suitcase a mix of gold coins, jewelry and paper money and bonds somewhere in the Catskills or another part of upstate. (Conway posits that any treasure is unlikely to have been buried: These were city men, not (digging a hole) up there in hiking gear.)

In 1935 money, Schultzs loot was estimated to be worth between $5 million and $9 million. Today, that fortune translates to a cool $50 to $100 million, depending on the mix of cash to gold.

While on his deathbed being questioned by police, Schultz is known to have said, Dont let Satan draw you too fast. Many presumed this to be a coded reference  which Conway first suggested himself in the 1990s  to the Catskills town of Phoenicia, which has several landmarks that reference the devil, including the large boulder called Devils Tombstone and Devils Face, a rock outcropping.

Gary Bennett

The area was significant for Schultz, who established illegal bootlegging operations in the Catskills and ran beer and liquor up and down the Hudson from Canada to New York City.

Schultzs trusted friend and bodyguard Bernard Lulu Rosenkrantz  who many think hid the treasure at Schultzs request  was shot alongside Schultz and is believed to have drawn a map of its location, according to Bruce Alterman, author of Fear in Phoenicia.

Alterman said Rosenkrantz gave the map to a Schultz lieutenant, Marty Krompier, who was then almost killed by mobster Jacob Gurrah Shapiro in a barbershop. Krompier didnt die, but its believed that Shapiro left the scene with the map. To this day, no one knows where a map might be.

Many modern-day hunters, meanwhile, have sketched out their own ideas of where the money is hidden, and the internet is chockful of crowdsourced hypothetical pinpoints.

Treasure-hunting tourism

Courtesy Bruce Alterman

From 1935 to the current day, the legend compels tourists and locals to dig around Phoenicia. In fact, perceived proximity to the treasure is a tourism selling point for some. A recent guest at a Phoenicia Airbnb left a review in May 2021 saying they went to see where Schultz supposedly buried his treasure 10 miles away, and the Phoenicia Library said visitors still arrive asking for maps of the area to inform their search.

One man spent the last few years of his life walking up and down the nearby tracks of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad with a shovel, Conway said. Eventually, his excessive digging unleveled the tracks, and railroad officials had to ask him to stop.

A retired detective would email me regularly with new leads, Conway said of Gary Bennett of Holyoke, Mass. He had a good way of piecing together things. He  said he knew where the treasure is. But when he got there, he found a hole and a tree next to the hole with the year 1934 carved into it.

Another person who owned an Ulster County campground near where the supposed treasure is thought to be buried said people knocked on her door all the time, with metal detectors and shovels, asking to look for it on her property, Conway recalled. She eventually drew up an agreement for people to sign, stipulating that she would get a portion of the treasure if they found it. She stopped allowing visitors after someone dug up her entire yard and didnt put it back, he said.

Courtesy John Conway

Is the loot in Phoenicia? Conway says other rumored burial spots include Lake George and Yonkers. He added that its also entirely possible that the treasure never existed or was already found. No one knows for sure, he said.

There are so many versions of the legend and story. Its one of the reasons why people become fascinated by it  theyre challenged to find the right version, and then challenged to find the treasure.

*Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the location of Dutch's Spirts as being in Columbia County. It is in Dutchess County.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  One person who went missing from a Colorado River rafting trip in the Grand Canyon during a flash flood was found dead Thursday in frigid water while a second person was found alive, a park spokeswoman said.

The flood was part of monsoon storms that have inundated Arizona this week, including in Flagstaff where city streets were left a muddy mess as water mixed with logs and debris swept through. Cleanup was underway Thursday with the threat of more rain looming.

At the Grand Canyon, a torrent of water rushed through a slot canyon and washed away the camp where two commercial rafts with 30 passengers pulled off the river to stay Wednesday evening, said Grand Canyon spokeswoman Joelle Baird.

Authorities initially believed that two people had been swept into the river and launched a search by air, ground and water to find them. One was found at the camp that the group had abandoned to seek a safer place to sleep, Baird said. The other was found dead in the water next to the camp that flooded, she said.

The motorized trip operated by Arizona Raft Adventures was scheduled to last more than a week. A company spokeswoman on Thursday referred questions to John Dillon, the executive director of the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association that represents the outfitters permitted in the canyon.

Dillon said he hasn't yet spoken to company officials, one of whom is on another trip on the river. He said while the outfitters were pleased to hear one rafter was found, they're saddened by the death of the other.

Our hearts our broken that people on the trip lost somebody, people at home lost somebody, he said. That matters more than anything else.

A park helicopter took two paramedics to the river late Wednesday to treat and stabilize the injured rafters after receiving a satellite phone call from someone on the trip asking for help. Seven passengers who were injured were airlifted out of the canyon, Baird said. She wasn't sure of the extent of their injuries.

Baird said the park will help the other rafters who want to cut their trip short get off the river, she said.

The flood hit the camp set up about 40 miles (64 kilometers) downstream from where the rafts launched at Lees Ferry near the Arizona-Utah state line, turning the normally greenish-colored river into a muddy brown. Forecasters had issued a flash flood watch for the area Wednesday, but it's not clear whether the rafting guides were aware.

Radar showed about an inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain along that stretch of the Colorado River, according to the National Weather Service.

Park officials did not immediately release the name of the rafter who died. At least two other people have died this year on Grand Canyon rafting trips that draw tens of thousands of tourists, locals and researchers annually.

James Crocker, 63, of Colorado died after he fell into the river at the top of a rapid in June. Members of his private boating groups pulled him out of the water but couldn't revive him.

Deborah Ellis, 60, of Idaho died after the commercial raft she was on hit rapids and flipped in late April. An autopsy report released to The Associated Press in response to a public records request determined she drowned.

The entire Southwest, which has been desperate for rain after two years of dismal monsoon activity, has been hammered lately with storms. More rain is in the forecast.

In Tucson, a fire department swift water team rescued a father and his two daughters from the roof of their vehicle Wednesday after they drove into a usually dry wash and got stranded in the floodwaters, said Golder Ranch Fire District spokesman Capt. Adam Jarrold.

Our message, telling everybody, be patient, especially here in the desert, he said. The water comes up quick, but it also goes away quick.

Farther north in Flagstaff, floodwaters have inundated communities in the shadow of a mountain that burned in 2019 and adjacent neighborhoods, sending at least one vehicle floating down a city street. Residents had been somewhat prepared for a major flood with sandbags around their homes and concrete barriers to redirect water. Still, many of them have been digging out.

Flagstaff and Coconino County declared a state of emergency over the monsoon flooding, opening up funding and allowing officials to request state assistance, according to a news release.

Flagstaff likely can recoup some of the costs for responding to and repairing flood damage related to wildfires under a recent state law. Cities also can be reimbursed for providing emergency shelter and support for people who are displaced, but it does not allow spending to repair individual homes.

The threat of flash flooding will remain through next week, the National Weather Service said, though the coverage will be more scattered than widespread.

The moisture is not going anywhere, and it will heat up as well, so those are perfect ingredients for thunderstorms in the afternoon and evenings in Arizona, said Evan LaGuardia, a meteorologist in Flagstaff.

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Associated Press writers Bob Christie and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.
HUDSON  Peter Volkmann, a Hudson Valley police chief once touted for innovative efforts to combat drug addiction, avoided prison time Monday at his sentencing for stealing from the retirement system and for filing false claims for mileage and expense reimbursement from Chatham.

Instead, Volkmann, 58, was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service by Columbia County Court Judge Richard Koweek. He also repaid the money he took.

In February, Volkmann pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony, for stealing $74,222 from the retirement system and to official misconduct for filing false claims for $18,607 in mileage and expense reimbursement from Chatham. Koweek placed Volkmann on two years conditional discharge for the grand larceny count, and one year conditional discharge for the official misconduct charge.

"The idea of double dipping is not correct," Koweek told Volkmann in court Monday.

In Volkmann's pre-sentencing report, the county probation officer said the former police chief was dismissive of his actions. Volkmann's attorney William Dryer, took issue with the characterization. Volkmann repeated that he was guilty of the charges.

"I did it before under oath and will do it here under oath. I'm guilty," Volkmann said.

"I've taken full responsibility. I've disgraced my family. I disgraced myself. I lost my home. I lost my business. I lost my standing in the community," he continued.

Koweek warned Volkmann that he must complete the 200 hours of community service with a charity or a not-for-profit organization. The judge said Volkmann could not do his service at an organization run by a friend or acquaintance. He said he would consider it a violation of the conditional discharge if Volkmann did not follow this directive, leaving him open to re-sentencing.

"Mr. Volkmann stole funds from the citizens he was sworn to protect and serve as police chief of the Village of Chatham," District Attorney Paul Czajka said.

"In doing so, he undermined much of the good he did in providing assistance to so many suffering from addiction. With his conviction before Judge Koweek, those funds were returned in full to the Village of Chatham and the New York State Retirement System.," Czajka said.

Volkmann double-dipped while collecting a pension, the state comptroller's office said. Volkmann circumvented the annual cap on a state retiree's earnings from other government sources by having 19 municipalities and school districts pay his private company, PF Volkmann & Associates, instead of paying him, the state comptroller's office said. The ruse disguised the government work - which is not allowed to be over $30,000 while one collects a government pension. The comptroller did not specify what services Volkmann provided for the payments.

Volkmann retired from serving as a police officer and emergency medical technician with the town of Ossining Police Department before he came to Columbia County, according to a Facebook page for his business which features a number of posts advertising active shooter action plan training.

Volkmann of Stuyvesant funneled the government payments through his firm from about 2012 to 2019, according to authorities. Volkmann was police chief of Chatham since the fall of 2013 and had been chief of the Stockport police until 2016, holding both jobs simultaneously.

The retirement double-dipping scheme began while Volkmann was the Stockport chief and carried over into his time leading the Chatham Police Department, officials said.

Forensic auditors from the state comptroller's office Division of Investigations dug into the municipal records as they investigated Volkmann with the assistance of the Columbia County district attorney's office and the State Police. They looked into the retirement payments as well as Volkmann's falsifying mileage and other expense reimbursements from the village of Chatham.

"No one is above law, including Volkmann who, as the chief law enforcement officer of the village, not only defrauded the state retirement system but also stole from his community, said State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Volkmann immediately lost his job as the village chief of police under state law when he entered his guilty plea. As part of his plea deal, Volkmann paid $92,829 in restitution before his sentencing.

Czajka described the multi-agency probe as an "extremely complex investigation under difficult circumstances."Czajka prosecuted the case with Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty.

"Instead of upholding the law, Volkmann, the chief law enforcement officer of the village, defrauded the state retirement system and his community. Taxpayers have the right to expect their public officials, including law enforcement officials, will act with honesty and integrity," State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said.

Volkmann had been on leave since September from his Chatham position. The move occurred days after the village of Chatham was served with a warrant to search Chatham Police Department computers, the mayor told the Times Union in an emailed statement.

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Related

Chatham police chief on leave after state investigators search computers

Chatham police chief remains on leave during investigation

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He also served as police commissioner for the city of Hudson. He resigned after only nine months in the role which he was appointed to in Jan. 2020. He left it when the investigation in Chatham became public.

At his department, Volkmann started the Chatham Cares 4 U initiative, which allows drug users to turn over drugs to the police without punishment and get help finding treatment. As a result of the program, Volkmann was the guest of U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado at the State of the Union speech in Washington, D.C. to bring awareness to the effects of the opioid epidemic on the Capital Region.

Volkmann wrote about Chatham Cares 4 U and the legalization of marijuana in an essay the Times Union published on March 26, 2019. In the piece, Volkmann wrote about the need to connect people with treatment programs, adding: "This issue is personal  I have been in recovery since September 2, 1995."

"I support legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use because its prohibition has caused much more damage to communities and individuals than its use," he continued in the essay.

"Marijuana prohibition has cost taxpayers billions of dollars and forced law enforcement to divert resources to marijuana arrests, all without improving public safety or reducing usage."
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced last week that a memorial honoring highway workers killed on the job will be unveiled at the New York State Fair.

The memorial will honor state Department of Transportation workers, as well as Thruway Authority employees, municipal workers, contractors, consultants and towing service employees.

Between 2003 and 2017, 1,844 workers were killed at road construction sites nationwide, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The memorial represents an opportunity to reach hundreds of thousands of people who visit the fairgrounds - making them aware that their failure to pay attention while driving has real life and death consequences, DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said in a press release.

The announcement also included an update on Operation Hardhat, an enforcement effort to crack down on work zone violations. State troopers have issued 871 tickets already this year, and local law enforcement has issued another 35 tickets. The 2020 campaign saw 1,770 tickets issued.

This year, the Thruway Authority is deploying trucks with large radar boards to alert drivers of their approach speed, among other enhancements, to improve worker safety. The DOT has also begun using portable rumble strips and work zone cameras in every region of the state to protect workers.

Transportation data: New Yorkers have still not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of mobility, data from Google shows.

Trips to workplaces, for example, were down 37 percent in June and early July, compared to a baseline established in January and February 2020. Trips to transit stations were down 34 percent during that time period.

Grocery and pharmacy and park trips were up three percent and 56 percent, respectively, although the surge in parks is likely due to the summer weather. Residential trips were also up slightly, seven percent statewide.

The data for Albany County followed the statewide trends, with workplace trips down 45 percent and retail and recreation down 13 percent. In Rensselaer County, workplace trips were down only 30 percent, while in Saratoga County they were down 36 percent. Schenectady County has seen a marked uptick in grocery and pharmacy trips - 23 percent.

Fourth of July enforcement: Over 10,000 tickets were issued during a special enforcement period over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. During the campaign, State Police used sobriety checkpoints and targeted reckless and aggressive drivers, as well as drivers using cell phones.

Of the 10,238 tickets issued statewide, nearly four thousand were for speeding. Another 671 were for seat belt violations. Troopers arrested 195 people for driving while intoxicated.

Troop G, which patrols the Capital Region, issued 335 tickets for speeding, 22 for distracted driving, 68 for child restraint and seat belt violations and six for Move Over law violations. They arrested 11 for DWI and issued 838 total tickets.

Last years statewide campaign saw 8,214 tickets issued, with 180 arrested for DWI.

Have a question about transportation in the Capital Region? Email gettingthere@timesunion.com and include your name, town and phone number or tweet @abigail_rubel.
MALTA  GlobalFoundries plans to build a second semiconductor fabrication plant at its Fab 8 campus, an expansion the company says will lead to the creation of another 1,000 jobs and double its manufacturing capacity - signaling a new phase of growth in the Capital Region's semiconductor segment.

The plan announced Monday by the chip manufacturer is likely to have a broad economic impact on the region, where it already employees 3,000 people. GlobalFoundries recently moved its headquarters to Malta, and the expansion of the company over the last decades has fueled a home-building boom in the region.

GlobalFoundries did not say how much it would spend on the second factory - known as Fab 8.2 - or how much the second factory would cost. Generally, such facilities cost $10-15 billion to build and equip. And the construction phase would add thousands of local construction jobs paying union wages through a project labor agreement, as was the case with Fab 8.

CEO Tom Caulfield said that the company would now spend $1 billion in upgrades at the current Fab 8 to build out its manufacturing capacity into unused floor space.

Caulfield made the announcement with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at his side.

"This is going to mean thousands of good paying J-O-B-S, jobs, in the Capital Region," Schumer said. "Today is the day we have been waiting for."

In the past, GlobalFoundries has said that it is looking at building a second chip factory, or "fab," in Malta pending a $52 billion federal chip manufacturing subsidy package being promoted by Schumer and the White House, and it was clear from Monday's announcement that that funding would be required to move forward. The House of Representatives must next pass the bill, known as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act.

Caulfield said the company has begun the planning process for Fab 8.2  something the company has started and stopped in the past  although he would not discuss a date or timetable for the new factory.

Monday's announcement happened less than a week after the Wall Street Journal reported Intel was contemplating a $30 billion offer for GlobalFoundries.

Officials with the Malta-based company denied being part of any sales talks, something Caufield said Monday about the article when asked about it by a Times Union reporter.

"I didn't see that coming," Caulfield said wryly, in response to the question. "There's nothing to that story. What's important is the story of today."

Caulfield has set up Malta, which is now GlobalFoundries' headquarters, to become one of the largest computer chip manufacturing sites in the country, second only behind Intel's campus in Chandler, Arizona. Chip giant Samsung operates two fabs in Austin, Texas and is planning a third, although Samsung is looking at an upstate New York site as well.

Monday's event also featured a re-branding and launch of GlobalFoundries' new logo.

That $30 billion price tag that Intel has reportedly offered to GlobalFoundries' parent company, Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Co., also happens to be the same amount that bankers for GlobalFoundries at Morgan Stanley had valued GlobalFoundries at for an IPO on Wall Street that would have turned GlobalFoundries into a public company.

Intel had recently expressed interest in building a computer chip factory in upstate New York as part of a push by the U.S. government to encourage more domestic chip manufacturing as a way to counter China's growing influence in the industry, especially for military purposes. The world's largest foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., is on the island nation of Taiwan, which the Chinese government has increasingly threatened with military action.

Intel also recently announced plans to become a major research partner with IBM at Albany Nanotech, fueling speculation that Intel would follow with a new manufacturing facility nearby.
QUEENSBURY  Unable to get enough workers, the Great Escape amusement park will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until further notice.

The park and adjacent waterpark are closing on the two weekdays as we adjust to the current market staffing conditions, spokesman Jason Lee said on Monday.

The facility is continuing to advertise for employees and they has dropped its previous prohibition on employing people with piercings and tattoos. Additionally, the park is offering bonuses to some employees who remain on the job through the summer season.

The unprecedented two-day-a-week closure may be the strongest sign yet that the greater Capital Region, along with much of the U.S., is experiencing an ongoing shortage of people willing to fill certain jobs, especially in the leisure and hospitality industries, which were especially hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will impact the village and Saratoga, predicted Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Many people who travel to Great Escape combine that with visits to Lake George Village, a few minutes away, as well as the shopping outlets just north of the amusement park.

Parents may also drop their kids off at the park while they peruse the outlets or dine in the village.

Additionally, summer visitors to the Saratoga Race Course often come to the Great Escape or Lake George during the thoroughbred tracks dark or closed days on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The latest move by Great Escape means that both the track and the amusement park will be closed on Tuesdays.

Well know starting tomorrow what the feedback is right away, Mintzer said, adding that the chamber has notified personnel in the villages visitor center of the two-day closures in order to inform visitors.

Lodges and restaurants in Lake George, as well as Saratoga Springs, 25 miles south, have also been struggling with staff shortages and some of the eateries have cut back days of operation and hours as well.

Mintzer said restaurateurs in Lake George have tried to coordinate closure days so they dont all close on the same days, which would reduce dining options for people staying in the area.

With that in mind, two dark days at Great Escape could provide some relief for employee-short businesses in the area.

In addition to the COVID-19 cuts of a year ago, enhanced unemployment benefits may be adding to the lack of job applicants. Additionally, tourist areas like Lake George havent seen the usual summer influx of foreign students this year to fill jobs, although some workers from Jamaica and Thailand have been able to travel to the U.S., Mintzer said.

While the village usually hosts about 1,000 foreign workers during the summer, this year the number has dropped to about 100, she said.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
Brandi Levy was denied a place on a varsity cheerleading squad, but the U.S. Supreme Court last month guaranteed the Pennsylvania teenager a place in history: the first high schooler to win a free speech case at the nation's top court in more than 50 years.

On Thursday, the court's decision upholding the student's expletive-laced - but protected - speech will be the focus of a webinar sponsored by the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Law, Youth and Citizenship. It runs from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Moderated by Seth Gilbertson, associate counsel for SUNYs Office of University Counsel, the webinar will examine how far schools can go to regulate the speech of students off school grounds, especially in a digital age where teens are glued to their cell phones and social media apps.

The forum will include three panelists: Jay Worona, the New York State School Boards Association's deputy executive director and general counsel, Candace J. Gomez, co-chair of the firm of Bond, Schoeneck & Kings school law practice; and Robert Ruggeri, senior managing counsel of the State University of New York.

The program is titled: Regulation of Student (and Cheerleader) Speech: F--- School? SCOTUS Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

"What's important about the case, really, is it is the first time the Supreme Court has ever had occasion to examine the parameters of the First Amendment with respect to kids and what they say off-campus," Worona told Law Beat. "The Internet makes it even more important, I suppose."

Worona - an Albany Law School graduate and Slingerlands resident who has argued before the Supreme Court and won - will discuss the implications of the Levy ruling for public education, he said.

The Supreme Court's June 23 decision relied heavily on its landmark 1969 ruling in Tinker vs Des Moines Independent Community School District, a matter involving five students who wore black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War. The students prevailed in what was the first time the Supreme Court examined the First Amendment rights of students.

Tinker also established that school districts can discipline students for speech off school grounds if it materially disrupts class work or involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others.

In the 52 years since Tinker, lawyers for students brought three free-speech cases before the Supreme Court. Each time, they lost. The Supreme Court carved out exceptions to its 1969 ruling - backing districts that disciplined students for on-campus speech considered vulgar, that was inconsistent with the school's educational mission, or that promoted drug use - without overturning the Tinker ruling.

Then came Levy, a high school student in the Mahanoy Area High School district in eastern Pennsylvania who wanted to join her high school's varsity cheerleading squad in 2017. After being denied, Levy responded - off campus - in expletive-laced Snapchat posts slamming the school's decision.

F--k school, f--k softball f--k cheer f--k everything, Levy remarked in one post with her middle fingers raised.

Profane, sure. But punishable?

The school suspended Levy from being on the junior varsity cheerleading squad for the next year. Levy and her parents sued in federal court, arguing the suspensi0n violated the First Amendment, and prevailed. The Third Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the decision - and further found that schools could not discipline students for any off-campus speech. The Supreme Court upheld the Third Circuit's ruling, but disagreed with the broadness, saying schools should be allowed to discipline students for off-campus speech, such as bullying behavior.

Worona told Law Beat it would have been a "major, major problem for school districts" if the Supreme Court agreed with the broadness of the Third Circuit's decision. He said he believes school districts will still be able to use measures against students who bully other students or threaten violence against the school.

"The main point of this case is not necessarily how precedentially binding it is," Worona said. "Why it is so important is it is the first internet case and they had something to say about that. And they also had something to say to the Third Circuit."

School districts in New York might have been confident the Pennsylvania district would prevail over Levy based on a 2011 ruling at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan. That ruling upheld the discipline of a student who, in a blog post off-campus, called school officials "d-----bags" for canceling a battle-of-the-bands concert. The student used a school computer to send out a mass email asking people to call the superintendent. As punishment, the school prohibited the student for running for class office. The Supreme Court did not take that case up.

In the Levy ruling, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer wrote that "the school itself has an interest in protecting a students unpopular expression, especially when the expression takes place off campus, because Americas public schools are the nurseries of democracy."

Justices agreeing with Breyer included Chief Justice John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito, the latter two justices writing concurring opinions. The lone dissenter was Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.






Although the FBI officially closed its active DB Cooper investigation, one team of retired FBI agents says the culprit is local  and still alive.

'D.B. Cooper: Case Closed?', which aired on the History Channel, claims that the elusive skyjacker is Robert Wesley Rackstraw, a Scotts Valley native who is now 72 years old. Which means Cooper survived his famous 1971 leap from a commercial airliner and that he once walked among us.

Dan Cooper entered the annals of infamy when he boarded Flight 305 from Portland to Seattle. Shortly after takeoff, Cooper passed a note to a flight attendant indicating that he had a bomb in his briefcase. He demanded $200,000 in cash, which was gathered from banks in Seattle, and four parachutes.

When the flight landed in Seattle, the rest of the passengers disembarked while the plane refueled for Cooper's return trip to Mexico. Once airborne again, Cooper disappeared, apparently jumping with his parachute from the open rear airstairs. He was never seen again.

Unless you believe Thomas Colbert, the consulting executive director of the History Channel special.

Colbert claims that Rackstraw checks every box. After growing up "very poor" in Scotts Valley, Rackstraw served on a helicopter crew in the Vietnam War. Once discharged, he went on to fly small planes all over the Pacific Northwest for a real estate company; Cooper reportedly seemed to know the terrain well.

Colbert says that Rackstraw tried to fake his own death eight years after the DB Cooper skyjacking, bailing out of a plane flying over Monterey Bay after sending a mayday call. Over the years, he's been arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives and for writing tens of thousands of dollars of bad checks.

In 1979, Rackstraw was actually questioned about the DB Cooper incident after being arrested for allegedly trying to forge a pilot's license in Fullerton. At the time, he said he was not Cooper.

Currently, Rackstraw is living on a boat in San Diego Bay and maintains he is not the man the FBI searched 40 years for.

"He's not DB Cooper," Rackstraw's Oakland attorney, Dennis Roberts, told the Monterey Herald. "Everything I've heard is that DB Cooper died, and he (Rackstraw) is alive."

Roberts is reportedly considering filing suit against the History Channel.
One of the most difficult moments in my life was looking into the eyes of parents whose first-grade children were blown away by a man with a high-powered Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle. These children were just beginning their life journey at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

When Sandy Hook happened, I was the chair of the Committee on Children in the Connecticut Legislature. In the mass shootings aftermath I met with every one of the bereaved parents. I felt like I needed to say something profound and yet all I could do was reach out my arms and cry with them.

I vowed that whatever these parents needed in order to find some semblance of relief, I would do. After what felt like an endless debate, the General Assembly finally managed to get a limit on magazine size, background checks for all gun sales and some redefinition of the meaning of assault weapon. But what was really needed was national comprehensive legislation implementing common-sense gun reform.

The days following the shooting were fraught. Our Department of Children and Families commissioner, Joette Katz, was doing everything in her power to respond to the tragedy. Counselors, social workers, psychologists, and therapy dogs were all rushed to Sandy Hook.

The horror of what had happened could not be ignored or denied. The searing loss of 20 first-grade children and six brave staff members at the hands of a gunman was there for all to see. Children slain in such a horrific manner that forensic experts told parents not to view their childs mangled body but to try and hold on to happier memories.

It was unfathomable to anyone who had any direct contact with those impacted by the massacre that the federal government would not now respond with some simple, long-overdue national reforms on guns and gun sales.

It took an extra level of courage and commitment for these traumatized parents to travel to Washington in order to shine a bright light on the terrifying specter of their loss, with the hope that through their loss they could prevent further violence to children and families.

Many words of sympathy were spoken by legislators, including the now-over-worn expression of thoughts and prayers, but in the end nothing was done. Nothing. And too soon the Parkland, Fla., school was a target. This time 14 high-schoolers and three staff people were the victims. In an amazing response, the kids from Parkland decided to fight back and organize March for our Lives protests all across the country. Yet again, even with these young voices crying out their pain and fear, nothing was done in our nations capitol.

And now New York state  which promptly passed the SAFE Act in the aftermath of Sandy Hook  has again stepped up to the plate with meaningful reforms that actually try to get at the roots of the gun violence problem, which is now epidemic across America. Measures include creating a program that targets gun violence hotspots, spending $138 million in intervention, prevention and jobs programs to engage at-risk youth, and a program aimed at strengthening police/community relations.

What happens? Immediate pushback on this common-sense approach that recognizes that we need to learn much more about gun violence, including why people resort to shootings and why in this country and culture it is so easy to get weapons that are clearly not meant for hunting but are capable of killing vast numbers of people in a short amount of time.

We need to reconsider our whole approach to gun violence, and our governor is on the right track in declaring a gun violence disaster emergency in New York. Hopefully, more states will follow New Yorks lead and we can move to a more productive phase of debate and discussion about gun violence nationwide.

Diana Urban is a former Connecticut state legislator and is president of Protecting Kids and Pets Partnership. She lives in Chatham.
Of all the courts in New York, the one that reaches most intimately into peoples lives and tends to be the most controversial is Family Court. So when it comes to reforming it, one would think the state would be as transparent as possible.

Yet for reasons that elude us, the Cuomo administration has decided to erect a wall of secrecy around a commission created in June to  get this  improve the fairness and transparency of the Family Court system. Members of the 20-member panel are threatened with fines of $10,000 if they divulge confidential deliberations about the commissions work.

This isnt about specific cases, but about the day-to-day operations of the court and how it can best serve the public. What could possibly be confidential about that?

The administration doesnt offer even a lame answer to that question, saying only that many government deliberations occur in a mix of public and private settings.

That doesnt mean they have to. And in the case of a court, especially one that deals with child custody issues, divorce, juvenile delinquency and other deeply personal matters, a robust public discussion that defines the problems and need for reform from the start is entirely in order.

U.S. must protect its Afghan friends

There was never going to be a perfect way to withdraw the last U.S. troops from Afghanistan and end what had become this countrys longest war  nearly 20 years. Whether the current regime endures or falls to the fundamentalist Taliban, which the U.S.-led coalition ousted from power after the Sept. 11 attacks, is largely out of Americas hands.

But one thing this country can do is protect Afghans who risked their lives to support and assist U.S. troops and diplomatic personnel by providing interpreter services and intelligence.

The Biden administration has already signaled plans to evacuate Afghans who helped the U.S. effort by flying them to other countries while their visa applications are processed. So far, some 18,000 Afghan nationals, and tens of thousands of their family members, have applied for visas.

The House of Representatives has passed legislation to streamline the visa process, and the Senate is now considering it.

Were well aware that the U.S. track record on immigration and asylum was poor under former President Donald Trump, who made hostility to immigrants an ideological signature. But if America is going to live up to its ideals, which include supporting democracy around the world, it cant be known as a country that turns its back on its friends, whether theyre nations or individuals. A strong and speedy bipartisan vote in the Senate would send a message.

Shave and a haircut, not blue

Your barber or hair stylist might not have know this, but until this past week, it was illegal to cut hair or do other barbery stuff on a Sunday in New York. That ended with Gov. Andrew Cuomos signing of a bill to finally lift the blue law restriction that dated back to the 1800s.

How many more such outdated laws are on the books, who knows  but it would be worth the state finding out and striking them as well. In the meantime, heres to not enforcing them.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have thought that by rejecting calls to step down, or at least step aside, the scandals swirling around him would just fade away. They havent.

The news this past week of yet more discrepancies in the states COVID-19 death statistics  representing thousands of fatalities left off the states own website  only serves as a reminder of why he is in such hot water.

The governor, we realize, isnt alone in wanting the controversies to go away. There he was at a news conference on gun violence Wednesday with, among others, state Assembly Member Diana Richardson and Sen. Zellnor Myrie. Just four months ago, the two lawmakers, both Democrats of Brooklyn, had issued a scathing press release saying Mr. Cuomo had irreparably damaged his trustworthiness and ability to lead, and calling on him to resign. When a reporter asked Ms. Richardson about that statement in light of her appearance with the governor, she blew up, saying that politics is politics, business is business.

Ms. Richardsons call for the governor to resign may have been just politics in her mind, but its very much about the public business of New York. Lets not forget the entirely official reasons the governor is under such fire.

His administration grossly and purposely understated the number of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19. It kept the real numbers from the Legislature and the public for months until its hand was finally forced by a report from the attorney generals office. It did so while the administration was being questioned about whether a directive that nursing homes accept COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals may have caused more infections, and while the governor was producing a self-laudatory book on his handling of the pandemic. In short, it had all the appearance of a cover-up.

There are also questions about the administrations handling of a still-undetermined number of bolts on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Memorial Bridge, defects whose impact on the bridges safety remain unclear.

The governor has been accused by multiple women who are or were state employees of inappropriate behavior ranging from sexual overtures to unwelcome touching and kissing to outright groping.

And there are questions as to whether he unethically used state employees to help with his pandemic memoir, for which he received a more than $5 million advance.

Those arent petty political nits. These are all about the business Mr. Cuomo conducts on public property and taxpayer time, using  or abusing  the power of his position. So is the latest revelation this past week that the state underreported on its website the numbers of pandemic deaths in prisons and certain other institutions by 11,000 people. The administrations insistence that it reported the correct numbers to the federal government only makes this lapse more puzzling.

New Yorkers in search of information from their state shouldnt have to go wandering around the internet to get it when the state itself has it. Nor should they have to assume that everything Mr. Cuomo or his administration says comes with an asterisk and fine print. Its no wonder that most New Yorkers say he shouldnt run again, and why we continue to call on him to resign. He squandered the publics trust, and time will not restore it.
Provided photo

The second location of The Ugly Rooster Cafe opens today (7/19) at at 2476 Route 9 in Malta, previously home to the Malta Diner in Malta for nearly 28 years.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Check out the menu for Ugly Rooster-Malta. The phone number is 518-899-5099.
Educators in West Virginia and neighboring counties who teach math, business and civics will visit Morgantown this week through July 22 to take part in the 19th Annual Fnance University. Naomi Boyd, shown here, associate dean for innovation, outreach and engagement and the Fred T. Tattersall chair of finance at the Chambers College, will be one of the presenters.
Activists are calling for officials to reinvestigate an incident where a southern Illinois police officer used force against two Black teenagers while breaking up a fight at a trampoline park
The city that is home to the University of Florida may allow people to drink legally from open containers in public places such as sidewalks
The president of the University of South Florida says he's retiring after two years in the job for health reasons
[July 19, 2021] Atlas Renewable Energy and Unipar sign a Solar Energy PPA in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Brazil, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ -- Atlas Renewable Energy, an international leading renewable energy company, along with Unipar, a leader in chlorine, chlorides, and PVC in South America, announced today the signing of a large-scale solar energy power purchase agreement (PPA) in Brazil. The clean solar energy supply will be generated through Atlas Renewable Energy's Lar do Sol  Casablanca II photovoltaic plant located in Pirapora, State of Minas Gerais. The Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant, which will occupy about 700 hectares, will have an installed capacity of 239MWp with 460,000 solar panels. The plant will host bi-facial module technology, which uses the reflection of the sun's rays from their front and back sides, increasing the efficiency of the photoelectric conversion and enhancing the overall production of the plant. The project is expected to generate enough energy to supply two of Unipars factories, located in Brazil. Lar do Sol Casablanca II's yearly energy generation will be the equivalent of supplying energy to about 261,662 households, according to the average consumption of a Brazilian family. Moreover, the plant will approximately avoid 40,500 metric tons of CO 2 emissions per year. This calculation is based on the GHG (Green House Gases) Protocol, methodology developed by the World Resources Institute which follows the methods used by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). This amount of CO 2 emissions prevented will be the equivalent to removing 16,200 vehicles from the streets of Sao Paulo. The Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant will be developed, built and operated by Atlas Renewable Energy, whose track record and expertise in Latin America has positioned it as one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in the Americas and as an essential player in the energy sector in the region. The project adds to Atlas' rapidly expanding footprint in the Brazilian market with a total of 6 large-scale solar plants amounting to over 1GW. The signing of this long-term agreement with Unipar, one of Brazil's largest chemical companies, attests to Atlas' ability to partner with private companies to help them achieve their carbon emission reduction goals as they transition towards a cleaner source of energy. "The adoption of renewables is becoming a staple of good corporate esponsibility and we at Atlas offer a unique opportunity for large energy consumers to clean their energy matrix and at the same time be sponsors of the social and environmental programs we develop to uplift the communities where we operate," said Luis Pita, General Manager of Atlas Renewable Energy for Brazil. "This contract is a testament to our company leadership in the renewable energy sector in Brazil, as we continue to implement tailor-made solutions with top-of-the-line technologies, elevating industry standards and providing a competitive edge to our clients. It's an honor to be working with a national chemical leader such as Unipar and partner with them to advance their sustainability goals."



Mauricio Russomanno, CEO at Unipar, says the agreement takes part in the company's commitment to the country's future and the business's sustainability. "This is one more move towards sustainable solutions that improve the company's efforts in the search for energy matrices from renewable sources, guaranteeing access to the essential input for our operation and generating greater competitivity through self-production. The total amount of generated energy destined to Unipar will be enough to produce chlorine for the water treatment to over 60 million people", declares the executive. As part of Atlas Renewable Energy's commitment to the areas where it operates, the construction of the Lar do Sol  Casablanca II Solar Plant is set to contract about 1,200 workers in the peak of its activity. The company will also be executing a series of environmental and social programs including the female workforce program "we are all part of the same energy". The program focuses on the promotion of inclusive practices by empowering the local female workforce through training. With this, Atlas has a goal of having at least 15% female representation in the total workforce during the plant's construction. This initiative will allow local women to have access to new job opportunities within the project's construction, generate an opportunity for their economic stability and enhance their skillsets and potential by integrating them into more technical jobs.

About Atlas Renewable Energy Atlas Renewable Energy is a renewable energy generation company that develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects with long-term contracts across the Americas. The current company portfolio is 2.35GW of contracted projects in development, construction, or operational stages, and aims to expand by an additional 5GW in the next years. Launched in early 2017, Atlas Renewable Energy includes an experienced team with the longest track record in the solar energy industry in Latin America. The company is recognized for its high standards in the development, construction, and operation of large-scale projects. Atlas Renewable Energy is part of the Energy Fund IV, founded by Actis, a leading private equity investor in the energy sector. Atlas Renewable Energy's growth is focused on the leading emerging markets and economies, using its proven development, commercialization, and structuring know-how to accelerate the transformation toward clean energy. By actively engaging with the community and stakeholders at the center of its project strategy, the company works every day to provide a cleaner future. To know more about Atlas Renewable Energy, visit: www.atlasrenewableenergy.com About Unipar Unipar is a leader in chlorine, chlorides, and PVC in South America, raw material that forms the basis of all industries and is traded on the Brazilian Stock Exchange (B3 S.A. - Brazil, Bolsa, Balcao). With around 1,400 employees working in its offices and industrial plants in Cubatao (SP) and Santo Andre (SP), in Brazil, and Bahia Blanca, in Argentina, Unipar is focused on quality, safety, respect for the environment, community integration, and its recognition collaborators. Throughout its 50 years of history, Unipar has been connected and integrated with the local communities through its Community Advisory Council, which brings together neighbors, social entities, and company representatives. In addition, it is a pioneer in the implementation of the Open Factory Program, which keeps its plants open to visitors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Contact Unipar

FSB Comunicacao

(11)-3165-9596

unipar@fsb.com.br Contact Atlas Renewable Energy

Jeffrey Group

(11)-9943-46870

npadilha@jeffreygroup.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atlas-renewable-energy-and-unipar-sign-a-solar-energy-ppa-in-brazil-301336645.html SOURCE Atlas Renewable Energy

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[July 19, 2021] Bill.com to Acquire Invoice2go, a Leader in Accounts Receivable Software for Small Businesses

Bill.com (NYSE:BILL), a leading provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates complex back-office financial operations for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), announced today it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Invoice2go in a stock and cash transaction valued at approximately $625 million. Invoice2go is a leading, mobile-first accounts receivable (AR) software provider that empowers small businesses and freelancers to grow their client base, manage invoicing and payments, build their brand, and much more. With offices in Sydney, Australia and Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, Invoice2go serves a large global customer base of small businesses. The acquisition will enhance Bill.com's current accounts receivable offering and supports Bill.com's mission to make it simple to connect and do business. Invoice2go's AR solution makes it easy for businesses to engage and interact with their customers, generate professional invoices, and simplify their AR operations through mobile and desktop solutions. Combined with Bill.com's platform and payments expertise, there is a significant opportunity to help businesses get paid faster and more conveniently with electronic payments. "We are investing to accelerate the adoption of our accounts receivable offering. The acquisition of Invoice2go will bring a leading product and a very talented team to Bill.com. It supports our strategy to invest in our platform to be a one-stop shop solution for businesses to transform their financial operations, make and receive payments, and manage their cash flow. Invoice2go's international team and customer base will enable us to serve more businesses around the globe," said Rene Lacerte, Bill.com CEO and Founder. "Most small business transactions today are made with paper checks. Yet we know from our customers that there is strong momentum to digitally transform and adopt e-payments. Our payments expertise and go-to-market capabilities combined with Invoice2go's product capabilities can make it even easier for businesses to get paid quickly and electronically. Between Bill.com and Invoice2go, there are billions of dollars of invoices being sent annually that can be enabled for electronic payments," concluded Mr. Lacerte. "We are thrilled to join forces with Bill.com," said Mark Lenhard, CEO of Invoice2go. "Combining Bill.com's market-leading payments platform and broad market reach with Invoice2go's deep AR expertise provides a unique opportunity to offer SMBs and freelancers a powerful platform to streamline their day-to-day financial operations and control their cash flow. I am equally excited for employees of both organizations who share a culture that prioritizes delivering innovation ad exceptional customer value for all small business owners."



Details Regarding the Proposed Acquisition The transaction has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both Invoice2go and Bill.com, and is expected to close by the end of this calendar year, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Bill.com will acquire Invoice2go for approximately $625 million (75% in Bill.com Common Stock and 25% in cash), subject to customary adjustments for transactions of this nature. Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to expectations, plans, and prospects including expectations relating to the benefits that will be derived from this transaction. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of Bill.com's management as of the date of this release, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, risks related to: (i) failure of Invoice2go to obtain stockholder approval as required for the proposed transaction; (ii) failure to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the closing of the proposed transaction, or delays in governmental and regulatory approvals that may delay the transaction or result in the imposition of conditions that could reduce the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction; (iii) failure to satisfy the conditions to the closing of the proposed transactions; (iv) successful completion of the transaction; (v) unexpected costs, liabilities or delays in connection with or with respect to the proposed transaction; (vi) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on the ability of Bill.com or Invoice2go to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers and others with whom Bill.com or Invoice2go does business, or on Bill.com's or Invoice2go's operating results and business generally; (vii) the outcome of any legal proceeding related to the proposed transaction; (viii) the challenges and costs of integrating, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies and benefits of the proposed transaction and the risk that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction may not be fully realized or take longer to realize than expected, including the challenges and costs to Bill.com of integrating both Invoice2go and its recently-acquired DivvyPay, LLC. subsidiary; (ix) competitive pressures in the markets in which Bill.com and Invoice2go operate; (x) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; and (xi) other risks to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including the risk that the proposed transaction will not be consummated within the expected time period or at all. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and Bill.com disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. About Bill.com Bill.com is a leading provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates complex, back-office financial operations for small and midsize businesses. Customers use the Bill.com platform to manage end-to-end financial workflows and to process payments. The Bill.com AI-enabled, financial software platform creates connections between businesses and their suppliers and clients. It helps manage cash inflows and outflow. The company partners with several of the largest U.S. financial institutions, the majority of the top 100 U.S. accounting firms, and popular accounting software providers. Bill.com is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information visit www.bill.com. About Invoice2go Invoice2go is a technology company that empowers freelancers and small businesses with straightforward tools that simplify their day-to-day workflow. Our software enables users to grow their client base, manage invoicing and payments, maintain financial wellness, build their brand, and much more. To create a free account, go to https://invoice.2go.com, or download from the Apple (News - Alert) App Store or Google Play. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005226/en/

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[July 19, 2021] BIRD - Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial R&D Foundation to invest $6 million in 6 new projects

TEL AVIV, Israel, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- During its meeting on June 28, 2021, held via video conference, the Board of Governors of the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation approved $6 million in funding for six new projects between U.S. and Israeli companies. In addition to the grants from BIRD, the projects will access private sector funding, boosting the total value of all projects to $13 million. The BIRD Foundation promotes collaborations between U.S. and Israeli companies in various technological sectors for joint product development. In addition to providing conditional grants of up to $1 million (up to $1.5m for exceptional projects), the Foundation assists by working with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions. Projects submitted to the BIRD Foundation are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Israel Innovation Authority. The six projects approved by the Board of Governors are in addition to the 1000 projects which the BIRD Foundation has approved for funding during its 44-year history. To date, BIRD's total investment in joint projects is over $370 million, helping to generate direct and indirect sales of more than $10 billion. The projects approved include: Cyberint Technologies (Petach Tikva, Israel ) and Secure Systems Innovation Corporation, dba X-Analytics ( Arlington, VA ) to develop an operational cyber threat intelligence capability to inform cyber risk financial decisioning.

(Petach Tikva, ) and ( ) to develop an operational cyber threat intelligence capability to inform cyber risk financial decisioning. GrayMatters Health ( Haifa, Israel ) and the McLean Hospital Corporation ( Belmont, MA ) to develop personalized self neuro-modulation therapy for major depression disorder using clinical biomarkers.

( ) and the ( ) to develop personalized self neuro-modulation therapy for major depression disorder using clinical biomarkers. Over-Sat (Netanya, Israel ) and MIL-SAT ( Surry, VA ) to develop a LEO Satellite End-User Mobile Terminal capable of tracking multiple satellites.

(Netanya, ) and ( ) to develop a LEO Satellite End-User Mobile Terminal capable of tracking multiple satellites. Sensifree (Kfar-Saba, Israel ) and the Cleveland Clinic ( Cleveland, OH ) to develop next generation non-Invasive, continuous Blood Pressure Monitor for hospital use. /li>

(Kfar-Saba, ) and the ( ) to develop next generation non-Invasive, continuous Blood Pressure Monitor for hospital use. /li> Skillreal ( Ramat Gan , Israel ) and Siemens DI ( Plano, TX ) to develop an enhanced high-accuracy AR system supporting workers on installation and assembly lines with automatic validation to increase productivity and reduce assembly errors.

( , ) and ( ) to develop an enhanced high-accuracy AR system supporting workers on installation and assembly lines with automatic validation to increase productivity and reduce assembly errors. YonaLink ( Jerusalem, Israel ) and Trialjectory ( Closter, NJ ) to develop a platform to enroll diverse patients from diverse sites in clinical trials by automating the clinical trial value chain, from patient selection to data management.



Ms. Mojdeh Bahar, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and co-Chair of BIRD's Board of Governors said: "I am honored to serve as the new U.S. co-Chair of the Board and to be working alongside our Israeli partners, including the Israel Innovation Authority, to support the U.S.- Israel innovation relationship. The projects that the Board approved last month, addressing major challenges and business opportunities in sectors from cybersecurity to advanced communications, demonstrate the continued value of the Foundation in creating synergies in the U.S. and Israeli innovation ecosystems." Dr. Amiram Appelbaum, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, and co-Chair of BIRD's Board of Governors said: "The partnership with the U.S. is highly significant for Israel, and the business partnerships between companies from both countries may be considered as 'a whole greater than the sum of its parts.' The BIRD Foundation's Board of Governors has selected six wonderful joint projects in the fields of cyber, healthcare, satellites and automation that will benefit from the collaborations. We wish them success and invite more companies to contact the BIRD Foundation in order to leverage its services."

Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, said: "In a world affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with almost no cross-border, in-person meetings taking place during this time, BIRD's role as a catalyst for the creation of new R&D partnerships has become even more impactful. The framework provided by the BIRD Foundation provides reduced risk and improved partnerships, attracting high quality, innovative proposals, which is reflected by the projects selected in this cycle." The deadline for submission of Executive Summaries for the next BIRD cycle is September 2, 2021. Approval of projects will take place during December 2021. About the BIRD Foundation The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation works to encourage and facilitate cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies in a wide range of technology sectors and offers funding to selected projects. The Foundation supports projects without receiving any equity or intellectual property rights in the participating companies or the projects, themselves. BIRD funding is repaid as royalties from sales of products that were commercialized as a result of BIRD support. The Foundation provides funding of up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage. For more information, please contact:

Israel: Ms. Limor Nakar-Vincent,

Deputy Executive Director of Business Development & BIRD Energy

Limorn@birdf.com

Tel: 972-3- 6988-315 U.S.: Ms. Andrea Yonah,

Director of Business Development, East Coast and Midwest

andrea@birdf.com

Tel: 1-609-356-0305

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bird--israel-us-binational-industrial-rd-foundation-to-invest-6-million-in-6-new-projects-301336259.html SOURCE The BIRD Foundation

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[July 19, 2021] Brain Mapping Pioneer Omniscient Neurotechnology Raises AUD 40 Million in Series B Financing

Omniscient Neurotechnology ("o8t"), a pioneering brain mapping technology company, today announced the completion of an AUD 40 million Series B financing round. The funding was led by family offices and high-net worth individuals, including Hancock Prospecting's Executive Chairman Mrs. Gina Rinehart, and prominent fund manager Will Vicars. Using innovations in medical imaging and machine learning, Omniscient builds applications capable of modelling and analyzing connectomes or brain networks which are formed by the electrical connections within an individual's brain. This technology transforms complex brain data into clear insight for doctors, psychologists, neuroscientists and brain technology innovators to better treat neurological disorders and mental illnesses. Omniscient is a global leader in the groundbreaking field of "connectomics", a global interdisciplinary effort to study brain connectivity which has helped identify and understand individual brain networks responsible for functions such as language, emotion, and cognition. The closing of this financing round represents a transition from breakthrough neuroscience to real-world applications. The funding will allow Omniscient to accelerate its research and product portfolio, and expand its science, engineering, and sales teams globally. Additionally, the company will expand market access to its research platform, Infinitome, and its neurosurgical planning platform, Quicktome, which recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance. "We are delighted to have such strong support from our outstanding investors," said Stephen Scheeler, Chief Executive Officer of Omniscient Neurotechnology. "This investment will allow us to advance our research and expand our portfolio of medical device and research solutions, which will transform the lives of the millions who suffer from brain-related disorders, including Alzheimer's dsease, depression, chronic pain, and brain cancer."



"If you look at a brain scan today, many disorders such as depression are invisible - there's nothing physically there to see," said co-founder and Omniscient's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Sughrue. "Observing the brain's connections tells a very different story. Brain surgery is where we wanted to start, because neurosurgeons have an urgent need for brain mapping to guide surgical decisions. Our software processes MRI scans to provide a detailed map of an individual's brain networks, specifically tailored to each patient." Prior to founding Omniscient Neurotechnology, Dr. Michael Sughrue was one of the most prolific neurosurgeons in the US, having performed over 3,000 brain tumor surgeries. His collaboration with Dr. Stephane Doyen, a Cambridge-trained neuroscientist and prominent leader in data science, led to the creation of the first commercial platform to harness connectomics.

"Omniscient is at the forefront of advancing brain connectomics. The brain is the most challenging big data problem there is, and probably the most important of our generation," said Dr. Stephane Doyen, Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist at Omniscient Neurotechnology. "I am excited that our team proven its ability to deliver revolutionary platforms in neurosurgery and look forward to advancing new products to improve the lives of patients worldwide." "We see Omniscient as the clear leader in this nascent field of brain connectomics," said Will Vicars. "The progress made by Stephen and the team in the last few months have been incredible, and we look forward to their continued growth across a broad range of different areas from depression to brain surgery." About Omniscient Neurotechnology Omniscient Neurotechnology (o8t) is a pioneering brain mapping company that is revolutionizing brain care with data. Using innovations in medical imaging and machine learning, Omniscient builds applications capable of mapping and analyzing "brain networks" which are formed by the electrical connections within a person's brain. Such insights are illuminating the neural processes that make us human and helping clinicians and researchers understand, diagnose, and treat complex neurological and mental illnesses. Omniscient is a leader in the field of "connectomics" - the study of the brain's connections. It recently launched Quicktome, the world's first medical device to harness this vital data for neurological care, providing neurosurgeons brain network information prior to life-changing surgery. The company is headquartered in Sydney, Australia with offices globally. For more information, please visit www.o8t.com. About Quicktome Quicktome is a digital brain mapping platform that allows neurosurgeons to visualize and understand a patient's brain networks prior to performing life-changing brain surgery. These brain networks are responsible for everything from language to movement to thought, and brain maps help inform surgical decision-making to preserve and protect them. Quicktome analyzes millions of data points derived from a patient's MRI. Designed by neurosurgeons and data scientists, the majority of the analysis takes place in the cloud and can be accessed easily on a desktop computer, allowing neurosurgeons and other healthcare professionals to focus on surgery. The launch of Quicktome is a milestone that combines decades of connectomics research, the study of brain connections, with cutting-edge algorithms and cloud computing. Quicktome recently received regulatory clearance in the United States, Canada, and Australia. About Infinitome Infinitome is a next generation neuro research platform that enables groundbreaking data and image analysis of the brain without the need for code. In a single platform, Infinitome conducts sophisticated image and data processing of a subject's brain MRI. It then uses machine learning to analyze each region of their brain and how they wire and function together. This enables researchers to quickly identify patterns and regions of anomaly when investigating neurological and mental illnesses. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005237/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Ceres Global Ag Corp. Announces the Appointment of David Rotenberg to its Board of Directors

MINNEAPOLIS, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Ceres Global Ag Corp. (TSX: CRP) ("Ceres" or the "Corporation") a global agricultural, energy and industrial products merchandising and supply chain company, is pleased to announce that David Rotenberg has agreed to serve as an additional member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, effective July 19, 2021. David Rotenberg is a Principal at Bixby Bridge Capital, LLC ("Bixby"), a private investor and lender founded in 1992 and headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, and certain affiliates of Bixby are investors with Ceres's largest shareholder, VN Capital Fund C, LP. Mr. Rotenberg's investment portfolio includes commercial real estate, operating businesses, private equity, and secured financings. He also serves as Bixby's in-house legal counsel and is licensed to practice law in Illinois. Prior to joining Bixby in 2007, Mr. Rotenberg practiced law in Chicago. He received a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 2004 and graduated with honors from in 1999.



"The Ceres Board is pleased to welcome David Rotenberg as its newest Director," said Douglas Speers, Ceres' Chair of the Board. "Mr. Rotenberg's broad business background will be very valuable to the corporation as we continue to execute on our strategy to become a leading northern-tier grain and oilseed company in North America." About Ceres Global Ag Corp. (ceresglobalagcorp.com)

Ceres and its subsidiaries ("Ceres") add value across agricultural, energy and industrial supply chains through efficient sourcing, storing, transporting and marketing of high-quality agricultural commodities, value-added products and raw materials. Leveraging its network of commodity logistics centers and team of industry experts, Ceres connects farmers to customers around the world. Ceres is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and together with its affiliated companies, operates 13 locations across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota. These facilities have an aggregate grain and oilseed storage capacity of approximately 31 million bushels. Ceres has a 50% interest in Savage Riverport, LLC (a joint venture with Consolidated Grain and Barge Co.), a 50% interest in Farmers Grain, LLC (a joint venture with Farmer's Cooperative Grain and Seed Association), a 50% interest in Gateway Energy Terminal (an unincorporated joint venture with Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp.), a 25% interest in Stewart Southern Railway Inc. (a short-line railway located in southeast Saskatchewan with a range of 130 kilometers), and a 17% interest in Canterra Seed Holdings Ltd. (a Canada-based seed development company). For more information about Ceres, please visit www.ceresglobalagcorp.com SOURCE Ceres Global Ag Corp.

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[July 19, 2021] Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Urges Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Support Efforts to Diversify Chancery Court and Enhance Judicial Transparency

Following a recent visit by Elon Musk to testify in front of the Delaware Court of Chancery, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) urged the billionaire Tesla CEO to use his influence to amplify the need for judicial reform in the First State. Delaware's Chancery Court rules over more than half of the country's Fortune 500 companies yet continues antiquated and opaque proceedings without juries or allowing cameras in the court. The court's decisions affect millions of diverse workers across the country yet it does not have a single justice of color. In 2018, the Radio Television Digital News Association, the world's largest group devoted to broadcast and digital journalism advocacy, called on Chancery Court Chancellor Andre Bouchard to remove the shroud of secrecy around te Court hearings and give companies and workers the transparency they deserve, but to no avail. And for more than three years Rev. Al Sharpton, the prominent civil rights leader, has urged Delaware's leadership to be held accountable for their failure to appoint justices of color. CPBD has led the charge for Chancery Court reform and is calling on high-profile business leaders to join the fight for increased transparency, diversity, and accountability on the court.



Said Chris Coffey, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager, "Former Chancellor Bouchard moved to restrict more public access to the Chancery by tying the issues up in the red tape of a rules committee. Governor Carney not once but twice backfilled the first Black justice on the Chancery court with a white judge and refused to meet with a legend of the civil rights movement, Al Sharpton, to discuss judicial diversity. There is no diversity and minimal accountability and transparency on the Chancery Court. With Elon Musk bringing his media convoy to the Chancery Court, we hope that he will add his voice to those shining a light on the court's failures." Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives, and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the unprecedented forced sale of TransPerfect. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005576/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Clearwater Analytics Appoints New President, Product and Technology

BOISE, Idaho, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearwater Analytics, the leading SaaS solution for investment accounting, reporting, and analytics, announced today that it has named Joseph (Jody) Kochansky as President, Product and Technology. Kochansky will lead the company's R&D and Product functions and in this capacity will provide the vision to implement best practices and provide a unified product roadmap for the entire organization. Kochansky worked at BlackRock for over two decades in a variety of leadership roles within technology, analytics, and portfolio management. He recently served as Managing Director, Head of the Aladdin Product Group (APG) at BlackRock where he was responsible for defining and implementing the vision for the platform and was chair of the Aladdin Product Group Executive Committee and a member of BlackRock's Global Operating Committee. Previously, he served as head of APG's Portfolio Management Tools Group and as co-head of the BlackRock Solutions Analytics Team. Kochansky also served as head of equity trading for the Americas, which included responsibility for cash equities, program trading, equity derivatives, and international coverage. After working at BlackRock, Kochansky spent a little over a year working with Motive Partners, where he was an industry partner focusing on strategy and growth for Motive portfolio companies, which included serving as th chief technology officer at Wilshire.



Based in the New York City Metro area, he earned a BA degree in Economics from Duke University. "We are so excited that Jody has joined Clearwater to manage our significant and continued investment in the platform. Jody brings an extraordinary perspective about both the industry and the technology landscape, and we know that he will contribute incredible value as Clearwater continues to grow," said Sandeep Sahai, Chief Executive Officer, Clearwater Analytics."

"Clearwater has built a true single instance, multi-tenant platform that addresses the evolving needs of the market. The industry leading Net Promoter Score is a testimony to the value it brings customers," said Jody Kochansky. "I am thrilled to be joining a visionary team to help them to further disrupt the investment accounting and reporting fintech space. Together we will apply the latest data science, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) to our award-winning technology in order to make an amazing platform even better." About Clearwater Analytics Clearwater Analytics is a global industry leading SaaS solution for automated investment data aggregation, reconciliation, accounting, and reporting. Each day, the Clearwater solution reports on more than $5.5 trillion in assets for clients that include leading insurers, asset managers, corporations, pension plans, governments, and nonprofit organizations  helping them make the most of their investment portfolio data with a world-class product and client-centric servicing. Investment professionals in 50 countries trust Clearwater to deliver timely, validated investment data and in-depth reporting. Additional information about Clearwater can be found at www.clearwater-analytics.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clearwater-analytics-appoints-new-president-product-and-technology-301336165.html SOURCE Clearwater Analytics, LLC

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[July 19, 2021] DreamBox Learning Enters ELA Market with Acquisitions of Reading Plus and Squiggle Park

DreamBox Learning, the leading education technology provider that in 2006 pioneered intelligent adaptive learning, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Reading Plus, an evidence-based online reading program for grades 3-12 designed to help students boost their literacy skills and reading confidence. This move complements DreamBox's recent acquisition of Squiggle Park, a K-2 reading solution designed to help students gain proficiency in early literacy. The combined programs offer school districts the only dual-discipline solution rated "Strong" by Johns Hopkins' EvidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading. "These strategic additions to the DreamBox family represent a significant milestone toward achieving our mission to radically change the way the world learns and unlock learning potential for all students - regardless of race, gender or zip code," said Jessie Woolley-Wilson, President and CEO of DreamBox Learning. "We believe the winning formula to shape the future of learning has three components: dual-discipline offerings that cultivate a strong foundation in mathematics and reading; strong data and analytics solutions that leverage formative data to personalize the learning experience; and professional development to help educators develop their blended learning knowledge and skills." Currently, DreamBox supports over 5 million students and over 200,000 educators in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated DreamBox's growth as most district administrators rapidly adopted and scaled blended learning solutions to support remote learning. During this time, teachers' attitudes towards blended learning changed and they began to see it as a powerful and effective strategy to deliver engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences that enabled them to keep learning "on" even when schools were closed. "DreamBox's mission-driven leadership, adaptive learning model, and third-party validation made the decision to join forces a natural next step for Reading Plus," said Steven Guttentag, Ph.D., CEO of Reading Plus. "As educators look to accelerate student learning in the wake of the pandemic, they will find in this combined mathematics and reading solution a comprehensive, data-driven approach that provides the actionable insight needed to close any learning gaps." Equipped with a proven model, a bold vision, and a market awakening to the need for education technology, DreamBox's entry into the ELA space strengthens its position as an industry leadr in edtech with its winning strategy of offering a proven dual-discipline solution, robust analytics and data, and value-added services.



"DreamBox continues to focus on rigorous evidence of efficacy and real learning gains for students," said Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, DreamBox board member, and Senior Advisor to The Rise Fund. "That is what technology in education is all about. We are thrilled to support DreamBox's visionary leadership as they scale their impact into a new discipline and deepen their mission to transform the way students learn." Together these solutions advance DreamBox's commitment to meet each learner where they are, while complementing teacher instruction with actionable student learning data and professional development resources. DreamBox's dual-discipline approach also offers educators the option of selecting a single provider they can trust, offering mathematics and reading solutions that are backed by data and research.

The additions come at one of the most critical moments in education, and a year of unprecedented growth at DreamBox - a year which validated the company's long-term vision and strategy and further established the company as best-of-breed in the industry. To learn more about DreamBox, visit https://www.dreambox.com/. About DreamBox Learning DreamBox Learning, founded in 2006 in Bellevue, Washington, is the only K-8 digital math program powered by students, built by and for educators, and independently proven to positively impact student achievement. DreamBox dynamically adapts and differentiates in real time based not only on students' answers, but also on how they solve problems. Along with actionable reporting and tools that empower differentiation for all learners, DreamBox gives teachers content-specific professional development and provides administrators with insights about how all students are progressing. The company's pioneering platform has won more than 40 top education and technology industry awards and is used by 200,000 teachers and nearly 5 million students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and throughout Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit http://www.dreambox.com/. About Reading Plus Reading Plus is an evidence-based, online program that provides personalized instruction and intervention for students, improving reading proficiency by 2.5 grade levels in a single school year. The adaptive literacy program develops fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, while also measuring student motivation. It supports students with diverse needs, including multilingual learners, students who qualify for special education services, RTI/MTSS Tiers 1-3, and advanced readers. Reading Plus provides educators with an easy-to-use management and reporting system, extensive resources to guide differentiated instruction, professional development, and highly rated customer support. Used in more than 7,800 schools, the Reading Plus program is helping over 1 million students become confident, lifelong readers. For more information, visit www.readingplus.com. About Squiggle Park Squiggle Park, a Halifax-based adaptive web-based learning app, was launched by Eyeread Inc. in 2017 with the goal of helping young children develop reading skills through a literacy platform consisting of small games designed by teachers, researchers, and gamers. Early readers can work on all the skills required to be successful readers including letter identification, blending, and spelling. Research shows that Squiggle Park accelerates reading success in only 30 minutes of weekly engagement and is equally as effective for students with no foundational literacy skills. For more information, visit www.squigglepark.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005142/en/

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[July 19, 2021] ERP Market in Turkey in Systems Software Industry|Emerging Trends, Company Risk, and Key Executives|Technavio

NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Technavio has been monitoring the ERP market in Turkey and it is poised to grow by USD 70.72 million during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of 6.09% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. COVID-19 Impact Analysis on ERP Market In Turkey can now be gained through our report. Download Free Sample Now! As the business impact of the COVID-19 spreads, the ERP market in Turkey is expected to have a Neutral growth. With the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, organizations across the globe are gradually flattening their recessionary curve by leveraging technology. Many businesses will go through response, recovery, and renewal phases. Building business resilience and enabling agility will aid organizations to move forward in their journey out of the COVID-19 crisis towards the Next Normal. This post-pandemic business planning research will aid clients to: Addressing Potential Impacts by Facilitating changes in Process Designs

Identifying potential disruptions

Assessing Impact on Critical IT infrastructure and Software System Fetch Pandemic-Driven Insights on ERP Market In Turkey Key Considerations for Market Forecast: Impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior

Optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios for all markets as the impact of pandemic unfolds

Pre- as well as post-COVID-19 market estimates

Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates Unlock the Potential Advantages of Technavio's Subscription Platform Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform



Top 3 Vendor Analysis of ERP Market In Turkey: abas Software GmbH

abas Software GmbH offers ERP solutions for management, purchasing, cost accounting, production, or warehousing services.

Epicor Software Corp.

Epicor Software Corp. offers Epicor ERP through its authorized partners and exclusive distributors in Turkey. IFS AB

IFS AB offers an ERP solution that includes functionality for enterprise project management, enterprise asset management, and service management. It offers this solution in Turkey through IFS Partner Program. If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extract FREE! Get report snapshot here to get a detailed market share analysis of market participants during COVID-19 lockdown: https://www.technavio.com/report/erp-market-in-turkey-industry-analysis ERP Market In Turkey 2021-2025: Segmentation

Erp market in Turkey is segmented as below: Deployment

Cloud ERP



On-premise ERP The ERP market in Turkey is driven by the growing focus on improving operational efficiency among enterprises. In addition, the rising adoption of ERP among financial institutions is expected to trigger the ERP market in Turkey toward witnessing a CAGR of 6.09% during the forecast period. Get Actionable Insights on each Contributing Segments. Download Free Sample Report:

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR70730 Similar Reports: Global Cloud GIS Market- The cloud GIS market is segmented by end-user (government, public safety, transportation, business, and others) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America).

Download FREE Sample Report Global Digital Manufacturing in Electrical and Electronics Market- Digital manufacturing in the electrical and electronics market is segmented by type (solution and services) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA).

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Market Challenges

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Vendor Landscape Vendors covered

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Competitive scenario About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact

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Newsroom: https://newsroom.technavio.com/news/erpmarket View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/erp-market-in-turkey-in-systems-software-industryemerging-trends-company-risk-and-key-executivestechnavio-301335961.html SOURCE Technavio

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[July 19, 2021] Free new Canadian app detects and maps forest fires to improve response and public safety

TORONTO, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - The new FireFringe app detects and maps forest fires and hotspots across the country. It is now available for free to Canadian firefighters, forestry managers, emergency managers, municipalities, the media and the public to see  in near real time  where fires are blazing. "There are thousands of fires raging right now in Canada, causing devastation," said Phil Green, CEO of First Resource Management Group (FRMG), the developers of FireFringe. "Our app can help save communities. It shows where fires are beginning to grow and can help predict where they are headed. It's simple and visual to keep people informed and safe." FireFringe is powerful. It leverages FRMG's SkyForest technology, which uses satellites to make detailed maps of forests and the trees growing there. It is then paired with satellite sensors from NASA that detect high temperatures, and mapping imagery from Mapbox. The app also provides data from Natural Resources Canada about the perimeters of fires and their hotspots.



The app can help: understand what could be fueling a fire;

track a fire's progression;

make better predictions; and,

give more time to prepare and respond. On the maps, fire clusters appear as large circles and show the number of fire points in a cluster. As you zoom in, current day fires appear in red. Previous days' appear in yellow.

"I've been fighting fires all my life," said Greg Johnson, CEO, Johnson Fire Service. "We're currently battling one of the worst seasons ever and FireFringe gives us a leg up so we can keep people and property safe." FireFringe features: Worldwide coverage

Search ability by major cities and landmarks

Sensitivity that can be set from low to high

Clear visuals to tell the distance between you and a fire

Historical data to see previously burnt areas "Three years ago, the technology used by FireFringe helped me prepare my town for an approaching fire," said Terry Fiset, Reeve of Elk Lake, Ontario. "Although FRMG was using a manual process then, I used the maps to alert the Ministry of Natural Resources of a hotspot near Elk Lake they weren't even aware of. When they confirmed it, we got to work. Without question, every community with fire risks needs FireFringe." FireFringe was invented by people who know forests, working with people who know fires. Visit www.firefringe.com or download the free app on Google Play, The App Store or the AppGallery. First Resource Management Group's mission is to advance the practice of forestry. We provide forest management services for sustainable benefits and use, and remotely sensed forest inventory data. Currently we provide services for industry and government on over nine million hectares of public forests in Ontario and have mapped forests all across Canada with satellite data. SOURCE First Response Management Group

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[July 19, 2021] Generate Closes $2 Billion Equity Raise from Global Institutional Investors to Accelerate and Scale Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Solutions

Generate, a leading sustainable infrastructure company, today announced it has raised $2 billion in corporate equity from some of the world's leading institutional investors to accelerate the deployment of sustainable infrastructure. Existing investors AustralianSuper and QIC led the fundraising round with new investment from Harbert Management Corporation, Aware (News - Alert) Super, and CBRE Caledon. The fundraising tapped many of the world's largest long-term oriented pension funds and institutional investors from Australia, the U.S., and Europe, including additional commitments from existing investors AP2 of Sweden, Railways Pension of the UK and The Wellcome Trust. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005233/en/ A Generate community solar project in Sullivan County, New York built in a partnership with Delaware River Solar. Generate's portfolio of about $2 billion in sustainable infrastructure assets spans across the energy, waste, water and transport markets. (Photo: Business Wire) Generate builds, owns, operates and finances sustainable infrastructure that delivers affordable and reliable resource solutions for companies, governments and communities. Over the last seven years, Generate has built a portfolio of about $2 billion in sustainable infrastructure assets across the energy, waste, water and transport markets, deploying proven solutions that can have an immediate impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resource efficiency. The company works with more than 40 technology and project development partners to build infrastructure that serves the mission-critical needs of over 1,000 customers, including companies, universities, school districts, cities and non-profits across North America. The new equity infusion makes Generate one of the most well-capitalized sustainability-focused enterprises in the world and will allow it to continue expanding its reach into new sectors and regions to meet rising demand for sustainable infrastructure. "Generate is purpose-built to deploy sustainable infrastructure at scale and we are thrilled to reach this milestone that builds on our strong track record and enables our next phase of growth," said Scott Jacobs, chief executive and co-founder of Generate. "Successful infrastructure projects require a long time horizon, dedicated operational expertise and a commitment to deliver returns for all of the many stakeholders involved in infrastructure. The urgent need to deploy proven climate solutions and get the world to a Net Zero pathway has never been greater. e are grateful to have a truly values-aligned set of investors committed to our mission of rebuilding the world."



As the only one-stop shop for companies and communities looking to meet their Net Zero goals with new infrastructure, Generate offers customers the chance to quickly deploy solutions across diverse clean technology sectors. Because of Generate's well-established Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, customers no longer need to make large capital commitments to meet their sustainability goals. They can rely on Generate to manage those infrastructure assets rather than taking that financial and operational risk - removing the key barriers to adoption of decarbonization and resource efficiency solutions. Generate's holding company structure means that project developers and technology companies pioneering the Infrastructure Revolution (News - Alert) have access to any and all types of financing and help needed to rebuild the world. Generate has accelerated its business over the past year, despite a global pandemic and economic uncertainty, doubling staff across all business lines to meet this unprecedented opportunity in sustainable infrastructure. The company recently launched its Generate Credit unit dedicated to creating more credit solutions for green projects and companies, and geographic expansion beyond North America is also underway.

"Generate is a market leader, with an innovative business model that successfully leverages growing global demand for sustainable infrastructure solutions. Investing in Generate provides both an attractive investment return for our members and fosters the development of new sustainability focused technology which is making a real impact on the global transition to clean energy," said AustralianSuper Head of Infrastructure Nik Kemp. Added Ross Israel, Head of Global Infrastructure at QIC: "We are very pleased to continue partnering with Generate as it grows its sustainable infrastructure platform across power, mobility, waste, and water. This follow-on investment reinforces QIC's sector-centric, thematic-based investment strategy across energy transition, decarbonization, and distributed infrastructure. We look forward to further leveraging our infrastructure sector expertise to accelerate the expansion of Generate's high-quality platform across dynamic and rapidly growing markets for its customers." "As one of Australia's largest pension funds, we have committed to achieving net zero by 2050 and have ambitious targets to invest in renewables and sustainable technologies to help us achieve this goal. This new partnership with Generate supports our growing portfolio of sustainable infrastructure assets in the US and globally. We look forward to supporting Generate's continued impressive growth and development while delivering strong returns to our members," said Mark Hector, Senior Portfolio Manager, Infrastructure and Real Assets, Aware Super. Generate offers sustainability project developers and technology companies a comprehensive and flexible range of financial and operational solutions, establishing itself as the only "one-stop-shop" for sustainable infrastructure pioneers. The asset base the company owns, operates and finances includes renewable power, community solar, energy efficiency, microgrids, energy storage, electric mobility, hydrogen, wastewater, and waste management. Generate's projects create thousands of jobs across communities and the infrastructure assets already on its balance sheet are expected to prevent over 43 million metric tons of CO2e from entering the atmosphere over the course of their operating lives. "In infrastructure, stakeholder alignment is extremely challenging when you consider all of the various needs customers, communities, investors, regulators, suppliers and developers have. Generate has pioneered approaches that meet all of those needs, while solving some of the world's most pressing problems. We are excited to continue partnering with the Generate team to rebuild the world," says Helena Olin, head of infrastructure and real assets at Swedish national pension AP2. Added Claude Estes, Co-Head of Investments at Harbert Infrastructure: "Generate has a deep bench of experienced professionals, an extensive pipeline via leading development partners and an aligned investor base which includes several of the largest and most respected capital providers in the world. Harbert believes that Generate will continue to execute on their vision and will benefit from durable energy transition tailwinds for the foreseeable future." About Generate Generate Capital, Inc. is a leading sustainable infrastructure company driving the infrastructure revolution. Generate builds, owns, operates and finances solutions for clean energy, water, waste and transportation. Founded in 2014, Generate partners with over 40 technology and project developers and owns and operates more than 2,000 assets globally. Generate is the one-stop shop offering pioneers of the infrastructure revolution tailored funding and support needed to get projects built. Our Infrastructure-as-a-Service model delivers affordable, reliable and sustainable resources to over 1,000 customers, companies, communities, school districts and universities. Together, we are rebuilding the world. For more information, please visit www.generatecapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005233/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Government of Canada invests $2.6 million to improve alfalfa growth and develop a grassland carbon offset system

SAWYERVILLE, QC, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of over $2.6 million to Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) to support three projects that will assess and improve alfalfa growth using artificial intelligence and will develop a Canadian grassland carbon offset system. Alfalfa is a key forage crop producers rely on to capture and fix carbon, return nutrients to the soil and improve soil health. Minister Bibeau made the announcement at the farm Bergerie Malvibois in Sawyerville, Quebec, one of the key data collection sites for the project. Funding will be allocated as follows: Up to $998,185 to develop a tool to improve yield and forage nutritive value from alfalfa fields using artificial intelligence. The tool will identify potential agronomic, climatic and soil-related factors affecting Alfalfa yield. It will also predict potential yield and nutritive value loss through soil nutrient analysis and health diagnostics.

to develop a tool to improve yield and forage nutritive value from alfalfa fields using artificial intelligence. The tool will identify potential agronomic, climatic and soil-related factors affecting Alfalfa yield. It will also predict potential yield and nutritive value loss through soil nutrient analysis and health diagnostics. Up to $996,190 to develop a tool to assess and improve alfalfa's winter survival rates with artificial intelligence and persistency by combining data and remote imagery with artificial intelligence.

to develop a tool to assess and improve alfalfa's winter survival rates with artificial intelligence and persistency by combining data and remote imagery with artificial intelligence. Up to $621,572 to develop an assurance system for farmers to produce and sell carbon offsets, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and retention of Canada's grasslands. Canadian Forage and Grassland Association expects that more than 5,000 hectares of Canadian grasslands will be protected by land conservation agreements, and 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) will be saved through third-party verified carbon offset credits. These projects will help farmers better understand alfalfa growth, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Government of Canada is committed to providing new and innovative means for farmers to improvethe yields of their cover crops and building a sustainable agriculture sector.



Quotes "Today's announcement is about projects that will help to develop tools farmers can use to produce and export more, higher-quality alfalfa through artificial intelligence, and to sell carbon offsets."

- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food "The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is very excited about this funding from AAFC's Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program. Alfalfa is an important ingredient that feeds many other agriculture sectors in Canada, and this funding will help provide forage producers with valuable decision-support tools to help alfalfa crops thrive." - Cedric MacLeod, Executive Director, Canadian Forage & Grassland Association Quick Facts Funding for the first two projects comes from the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP). The CASPP supports the Canadian agricultural sector's participation in the Government of Canada's growth and policy objectives, by investing in the sector's design, development and implementation of tools and strategies to respond to and seize opportunities created by these objectives. These projects include a network of 40 agronomists and 225 farms for collecting the data.

growth and policy objectives, by investing in the sector's design, development and implementation of tools and strategies to respond to and seize opportunities created by these objectives. These projects include a network of 40 agronomists and 225 farms for collecting the data. Funding for the third project comes from the AgriAssurance Program, which funds projects, at the national level, to help industry develop and adopt systems, standards and tools to support health and safety claims about Canadian agricultural and agri-food products.

Formed in 2010, the CFGA is the national voice for all sectors of the forage and grassland industry. Their main role is to uphold the robust forage industry and realize the potential of the domestic and export forage market. Additional Links Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program

AgriAssurance Program: National Industry Association Component

Canadian Forage and Grassland Association Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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[July 19, 2021] International Academic Alliance program offered by Chandigarh University is helping to fulfill the dreams of Indian students to study abroad

Chandigarh University offers global programs in association with USA, Australia, UK and Canadian Universities CHANDIGARH, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Indian students are finding it difficult to travel abroad due to the prevalent travel restrictions imposed by countries because of pandemic. According to an estimate more than 7.5 lakh students from India travel abroad every year to pursue their dream to study from International Universities, which saw a 30% percent decline during 2020. Chandigarh University is offering an alternate plan to realize the dream of studying abroad for the Indian students under its International Academic Alliance program. With tie-up with more than 309 Universities in 60+ countries offering variety of programs including semester abroad, student exchange, summer internships, joint research initiatives, Chandigarh University is also offering International Articulation Programs in Engineering, BBA, Fine Arts, Commerce, Hospitality Management and MBA. This was informed by Pro-Chancellor, Chandigarh University, Dr. R.S.Bawa. "More than 1200 students have taken benefit from the International Academic Alliance program at Chandigarh University, who have travelled abroad to countries like USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Italy, Germany to fulfill their dreams of pursuing higher education from foreign universities" said, Dr. Bawa. Top ranked universities like Vancouver Island University, Canada, Okanagan College, Canada, University of North Alabama, USA, New York Film Academy, Arkansans State University, USA, Christian Brothers University, USA, University of Canberra, University of New Castle, Curtain University, University of Wollongong from Australia are offering 1+1 Masters and 1+2, 2+2 Under-Graduate programs for the Indian students," he added.



Dr. Bawa further said that, "Indian students seeking admissions under the International Articulation Programs are in win-win situation as they complete their initial 1 or 2 years of study at Chandigarh University which saves money as they have to pay fees according to Indian Universities fee structure and then can shift to their respective foreign universities to complete their degrees. It is safe way to fulfil your dreams to study abroad as the success rate of getting visas under the International Articulation Program is 100%. In addition the students are also eligible for benefits like work permit, stay completion of degree, application for PR." "The students need not to wait for easing of travel restrictions as the initial 1 or 2 years of academic learning will be done in India and by then things would be normal and hence the students will save at-least one academic year under the Chandigarh University International Articulation Program. The students are also eligible for government and university scholarships, fellowships. Till date benefit of Rs. 28 crore in the form scholarships have been extended to the CU students travelling abroad," said Meenu Bhardwaj, Department of International Affairs, Chandigarh University.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University said, "Chandigarh University has always worked to match the aspirations of today's youth. Students and their parents aspire to undergo world-class education, which can enhance career options at global level. With this aim, we have started this International Academic Alliance Program where students are given a platform to choose the country, university & course from the wide variety of international options and can turn the dream of studying abroad into a reality." About Chandigarh University Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC. Website: https://www.cuchd.in/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1576457/Chandigarh_University_global_programs.jpg

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[July 19, 2021]

Merchant Growth Acquires Company Capital

VANCOUVER, BC, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Merchant Growth, together with its funding vehicle, the Merchant Opportunities Fund, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the portfolio and business assets of Victoria, BC based, Company Capital Inc.

Company Capital Inc. has been supporting small businesses across Canada for their working capital needs since their inception in 2011. They share the Merchant Growth philosophy of open disclosure and a strong customer relationship management ethos.

David Gens, Founder, President & CEO of Merchant Growth notes: "We look forward to welcoming each and every Company Capital customer to Merchant Growth, and we commit to serving our new customers for a long time". Founder of Company Capital, Steve Clark goes on to say "We believe our customers will be well looked after by the Merchant Growth team".



About Merchant Growth

Merchant Growth is a leading Canadian financial technology company that specializes in small business financing. Over the past decade, Merchant Growth has supported Canadian businesses with hundreds of millions of dollars in growth financing. Using an innovative approach that includes the latest technology, complete transparency and thoughtful customer care, Merchant Growth is committed to helping make business financing easy to understand and accessible. To learn more, visit: www.merchantgrowth.com.

SOURCE Merchant Growth
[July 19, 2021] OSE Immunotherapeutics Announces Voluntary Pause of Enrollment in the CoVepiT Phase 1 Study

NANTES, France, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OSE Immunotherapeutics SA (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) today announced a voluntary and temporary pause of enrollment and dosing in its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial for CoVepiT, the companys investigational prophylactic COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

OSE Immunotherapeutics notified the Belgian Health Authorities that the Company is voluntarily pausing its Phase 1 clinical study of CoVepiT in healthy volunteers. This pause was decided after receiving a preliminary update by the trials principal investigator at the Center for Vaccinology, Ghent University, regarding a limited number of Grade 1 and one Grade 2 adverse events, in particular, persistent nodules around injection points (subcutaneous, with no pain, no inflammation, no fever, no impact on everyday life and without any systemic symptoms). Out of an abundance of caution, and in agreement with the independent Safety Monitoring Committee (SMC), the Company has decided to voluntarily pause dosing in its ongoing clinical study and assess the evolution of these nodules before determining the best way forward for this product and its target population. The Company will carefully review all available data to determine the future clinical development strategy of CoVepiT. "As always, patient safety and wellbeing is our utmost priority, and we are working to resolve this unfortunate trial delay, stated Alexis Peyroles, CEO of OSE Immunotherapeutics. We will maintain an open dialogue with the SMC and with the trials principal investigator at the University of Ghent on the modalities to resume the clinical development of CoVepiT. In an ever-changing COVID-19 vaccine environment, where multiple lines of defences could be useful, in particular, for populations at higher risk, we believe it is valuable to have a candidate targeting 11 viral proteins and designed to cover all initial and new emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants." About CoVepiT

CoVepiT is a next-generation multi-target, multi-variant vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 designed to generate robust CD8 T cell responses and supported by Bpifrance1,2 and in clinical Phase 1 (EudraCT 2021-000572-11 and clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04885361). The study seeks to assess CD8+ T Cell responses to spike and additional non-spike antigens from SARS-CoV-2 with aim of augmenting clinical protection against spike variants of concern. The vaccine candidate was designed using optimized epitopes selected after screening more than 67,000 global SARS-CoV-2 genomes, as well as those of previous human-infective CoVs, SARS and MERS, to identify vaccine targets with the lowest chance of natural mutation. Targeting 11 virus proteins including Spike, M, N and several nonstructural proteins, this second-generation vaccine covers all initial and novel SARS-CoV-2 variants identified globally to date. In preclinical testing, CoVepiT demonstrated the ability to activate T cell defenses through CD8 T-cell multi-epitope responses for long-term T memory cell immunity. ___________________________

1 https://ose-immuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EN_210518_Bpifrance.pdf

2 https://ose-immuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EN_201218__CoVepiT-Bpifrance_VF.pdf



ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. The companys immunology research and development platform is focused on three areas: T-cell-based vaccination, Immuno-Oncology (focus on myeloid targets), Auto-immunity & Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile: Vaccine platform

Tedopi (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the companys most advanced product; positive results for Step-1 of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer post checkpoint inhibitor failure.

In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR.

In Phase 2 in ovary cancer (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO.

In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT.

(innovative combination of neoepitopes): the companys most advanced product; positive results for Step-1 of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer post checkpoint inhibitor failure. In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR. In Phase 2 in ovary cancer (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO. In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT. CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine against COVID-19, developed using SARS-CoV-2 optimized epitopes against multi variants. Positive preclinical and human ex vivo results in August 2020. In clinical Phase 1.

Immuno-oncology platform BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on SIRPa/CD47 pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 results in monotherapy and BI 765063 dose escalation study ongoing in combination with Ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist).

(OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on SIRPa/CD47 pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 results in monotherapy and BI 765063 dose escalation study ongoing in combination with Ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist). CLEC-1 (novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells.

(novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells. BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component anti-PD-1 (OSE-279) combined with new immunotherapy targets; 2nd generation of PD-(L)1 inhibitors to increase antitumor efficacity.

Auto-immunity and inflammation platform FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in a niche indication in autoimmune diseases.

(anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in a niche indication in autoimmune diseases. OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a planned in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor).

(humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a planned in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor). OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): first-in-class therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity.

For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/

Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

https://twitter.com/OSEIMMUNO

https://www.linkedin.com/company/10929673 Contacts OSE Immunotherapeutics

Sylvie Detry

sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com ?

+33 153 198 757

Media

U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications

Darren Opland, Ph.D.

darren@lifescicomms.com

+1 646 627 8387

Guillaume van Renterghem  LifeSci Advisors

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

+41 76 735 01 31 Investor Relations Thomas Guillot

thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com

+33 607 380 431 French Media: FP2COM

Florence Portejoie

fportejoie@fp2com.fr

+33 607 768 283 Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as expect, anticipate, believe, target, plan, or estimate, their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.



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[July 19, 2021] PriceHubble raises a USD 34 million Series B round to strengthen its leadership position in Europe and accelerate its international expansion

ZURICH, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceHubble AG, the fast-growing global PropTech founded in Switzerland in 2016, successfully completed its Series B round and raised USD 34 million in new funding. Digital+ Partners led the investment round with significant investments from Latitude Ventures, TX Ventures, and selected business angels, including Dr. Martin Enderle. The round was met with a strong demand from the existing investor base, among them Swiss Life and btov/Helvetia Venture Fund. PriceHubble, the globally leading AI analytics and data company for the residential estate industry, successfully completed its Series B investment round, raising USD 34 million in new funding. Founded by Dr. Stefan Heitmann and Markus Stadler in Zurich in 2016, PriceHubble has experienced a fast and successful development and is now active in nine markets: Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Its rapidly growing customer base in Europe and Asia consists of more than 800 companies and has tripled over the last twelve months. PriceHubble currently employs over 130 specialists. "The entire PriceHubble-team is extremely proud to announce this successful Series B funding. It is a major milestone towards accomplishing our vision of becoming the undisputed leader in data-driven digital solutions for real estate and finance in Europe and Asia," states Julien Schillewaert, CEO of PriceHubble. PriceHubble is working to radically improve the customer experience across the real estate and mortgage value chain by developing data-led and machine learning-based real estate products with a focus on vauations, predictive analytics and actionable insights, all embedded in a state-of-the-art visualisation. PriceHubble's products and tools provide a new level of market transparency and enable PriceHubble's B2B customer base to leverage the power of big data analytics for them and their end customers, ultimately achieving a higher level of transparency and smarter real estate decisions.



The financing round was strongly oversubscribed and was led by Digital+ Partners, the leading European Growth Equity Investor focussed on international B2B Software investments. Furthermore, Latitude Ventures, the Series B+ sister fund of LocalGlobe, the London based VC with a very successful multi-year growth track in supporting high growth start-ups, and TX Ventures from Zurich, TX Group AG's venture arm, joined the round among high ranking business angels, including Dr. Martin Enderle, Chairman of Delivery Hero and former CEO of Scout24 Group, and strong support from existing investors, such as Swiss Life and btov/Helvetia Venture Fund. PriceHubble will use the funds from this investment for its growth and expansion strategy, as well as to further extensively innovate in data science resources. Dr. Stefan Heitmann, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PriceHubble AG, adds: "With this new capital, PriceHubble can further accelerate the global market expansion and continue expanding our technology leadership in data driven solutions for the real estate and finance markets. It is one of the largest B-rounds in the European PropTech scene and I would like to thank both our existing and new investors for their trust and strong commitment."

"By successfully operating in nine international markets, we believe that PriceHubble is very well positioned to become the international category leader in residential real estate analytics," states Patrick Beitel, Co-Founding Partner and Managing Director at Digital+ Partners. "In combining an excellent team, a mature technology-driven organisation and best-in-class UX, PriceHubble is ideally equipped to accelerate further growth opportunities, attract further top talent and scale-up the go-to-market organisation internationally." Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) Press contact:

Roswitha Brunner, Head of Corporate Communication

+41 76 577 15 29

roswitha.brunner@pricehubble.com About PriceHubble PriceHubble is a Swiss B2B PropTech company that builds innovative digital solutions for the real estate industry based on property valuations and market insights. Leveraging big data, cutting-edge analytics and great visualisation, PriceHubble's products suite brings a new level of transparency in the market, enabling their customers to make real estate and investment decisions based on the most accurate data-driven insights (such as valuations, market analyses, value forecasts or building simulations) and enhance the dialogue with end consumer. PriceHubble's digital solutions are designed to help all players across the entire real estate value chain (banks, asset managers, developers, property managers and real estate agents). PriceHubble is already active in 9 countries (Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Slovakia) and employs more than 130 people worldwide.

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[July 19, 2021] Prime Trust Achieves ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification for Managing Information Security and Operational Risk

LAS VEGAS, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Trust, the one-stop shop for financial infrastructure for fintech innovators, recently earned its ISO/IEC 27001:2013 designation, certifying that the company meets the financial industry's most stringent information security-management standards. ISO/IEC 27001:2013 is a globally recognized standard for managing information-security and operational risk  increasingly important amid the rise in cryptocurrency transactions and evolving regulatory landscape. The standard outlines essential practices and processes to effectively identify and manage risk across an organization. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the controls are designed to regulate and manage the security of assets, including financial information, intellectual property, employee details and information entrusted by third parties. ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification is widely considered the pinnacle of excellence in security. Prime Trust's new certification supports growth opportunities for the company, particularly in compliance, custodial, and settlement services. Last year, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency opened cryptocurrency services to banks, many of which require their partners to have their information scurity and risk management programs externally audited against industry accepted standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001:2013.



"Larger and more mature organizations  including the country's top banks -- manage risk by ensuring that their business partners and suppliers meet or exceed the industry's highest security standards," said Tom Brandl, Chief Security Officer of Prime Trust. "Having our ISO 27001 certification provides assurance that we have the necessary procedures and technologies in place to proactively identify and mitigate risk across our operations  which greatly increases the speed and ease of due diligence requirements and makes onboarding simple for even the most complex clients." To learn more about Prime Trust, please visit www.primetrust.com .

About Prime Trust

Prime Trust is the one-stop-shop for financial infrastructure for fintech innovators. We offer core financial service APIs and plug and play widgets that allow companies to launch quickly and scale securely. Prime Trust powers mission-critical infrastructure for many of the world's leading crypto exchanges, NFT creators, digital wallets, ATS', RIAs, broker dealers, banks, and neobanks. Prime Trust has top engineering talent along with executives that have regulatory and financial services backgrounds from the OCC, SEC, Federal Reserve, Department of Justice, US Treasury/Secret Service, Wyoming Banking Division, JPMorgan Chase, Green Dot, American Express, PNC, Bank of America, and Visa. For more information, visit www.primetrust.com . MEDIA CONTACT INFO:

Interdependence PR for Prime Trust

(949) 777-2485

314640@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prime-trust-achieves-isoiec-270012013-certification-for-managing-information-security-and-operational-risk-301336318.html SOURCE Prime Trust

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[July 19, 2021] Signify Health Appoints Sam Pettijohn as Chief Growth Officer and Erin Kappler Kelly as Chief Compliance Officer

Signify Health, Inc. (NYSE: SGFY), a leading value-based healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology and nationwide healthcare provider networks, today announced the appointment of Sam Pettijohn as Chief Growth Officer and Erin Kelly as Chief Compliance Officer. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005208/en/ Sam Pettijohn joins Signify Health as Chief Growth Officer (Photo: Business Wire) As Chief Growth Officer, Sam Pettijohn will lead Signify Health's continued growth as the Company expands its suite of offerings and its market presence across the public and private healthcare markets. In addition, he will collaborate with the Company's client success and implementation teams to enhance the customer experience to drive sustainable, long-term growth. "Sam is a results-driven leader who brings a deep understanding of what our clients need and expect from Signify Health as a partner in helping them achieve their goals in a dynamic environment," said Kyle Armbrester, SignifyHealth's CEO. "He will play a valuable role in helping us continue to broaden and deepen our engagements with clients across healthcare and we are delighted to have him join the executive leadership team."



An advocate of organizational ethics, Erin Kelly will lead the continued development and implementation of policies and procedures that ensure compliance with regulations, policies and legal requirements. In her role as Chief Compliance Officer, Erin also will play a key role in helping enable sustainable growth by leading the Company's compliance risk management function, including driving technology initiatives and overseeing internal controls and training. "Erin's extensive and diversified legal experience, along with her exceptional track record of managing complex healthcare business and legal strategies, makes her uniquely qualified for this role and we are delighted to welcome her to our team," said Adam McAnaney, General Counsel, Signify Health.

Sam joins Signify Health from Cerner (News - Alert) Corporation where he was senior vice president of client relationships with responsibility for sales, delivery and sustainment of client relationships representing more than $1 billion in total annual revenue. An accomplished sales leader, Sam spent more than 25 years at Cerner driving exceptional growth and managing high-performance teams. Prior to Cerner, he held various sales roles at LabCorp and Roche Biomedical Laboratories. Sam earned his bachelor's degree in Speech Communication from the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives among other professional organizations. Erin brings to Signify Health a breadth of experience managing complex healthcare business, regulatory, and legal issues. She has more than twenty years of experience, and most recently served as senior legal counsel at CVS Health/Aetna Inc. supporting strategic enterprise initiatives. Previously, Erin played a critical role providing legal and regulatory guidance for Aetna and Coventry Health Care's Medicare business. She earned her JD from the University of Michigan Law School and her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. She is a member of the Illinois Bar and the District of Columbia Bar. About Signify Health Signify Health is a leading healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology, and nationwide healthcare provider networks to create and power value-based payment programs. Our mission is to transform how care is paid for and delivered so that people can enjoy more healthy, happy days at home. Our solutions support value-based payment programs by aligning financial incentives around outcomes, providing tools to health plans and healthcare organizations designed to assess and manage risk and identify actionable opportunities for improved patient outcomes, coordination and cost-savings. Through our platform, we coordinate what we believe is a holistic suite of clinical, social, and behavioral services to address an individual's healthcare needs and prevent adverse events that drive excess cost, all while shifting services towards the home. For more information on how we are taking health homeward, visit us at signifyhealth.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005208/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Supporting Surfside: Regions Foundation Announces Grant to Help Champlain Towers Residents, Families

The Regions Foundation, a nonprofit organization primarily funded by Regions Bank, on Monday announced a $25,000 grant to support residents and families impacted by the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium development in Surfside. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005074/en/ The Operation Helping Hands disaster-recovery fund from United Way of Miami-Dade is helping people and families impacted by the Surfside condominium collapse. (Photo: Business Wire) The grant will be allocated toward United Way of Miami-Dade's disaster-recovery fund called Operation Helping Hands. The fund is helping people and families with short-term and long-term needs created by the partial collapse and subsequent demolition of Champlain Towers South. "South Florida is a place like none other - an international community where people from all walk of life live side-by-side, and in recent weeks, we have seen how people are standing together during one of the most difficult chapters of Miami-Dade's history," said Marta Mendes-Miguel Self, executive director of the Regions Foundation. "Our hope is that this contribution will make the coming weeks and months easier to navigate for people who are starting over while mourning the loss of friends, loved ones, and their homes. More than that, we hope our contribution will affirm that we, like so many people around the world, stand united with the people of South Florida during this time of need."



The Regions Foundation issues grants year-round to support a variety of community initiatives, including disaster recovery, as well as ongoing priorities including education, economic and community development, and more. Both the Regions Foundation and Regions Bank are community partners of United Way of Miami-Dade. Examples of the organizations' commitments include the grant announced by the Foundation Monday, as well as Regions Bank's contributions of more than $100,000 over the last three years to support financial wellness initiatives through United Way. In addition, several Regions Bank associates are actively involved as United Way volunteers.

"Our teams at Regions Bank are committed to using our time, our talents, and our resources in ways that make a positive impact in every community we serve," said Christina "Chris" Cruzpino, Miami-Dade market executive for Regions Bank. "We live here; we work here. And when our community is hurting, we hurt as well. We stand united with the people of Surfside and Miami-Dade County as we heal from this tragedy together. We appreciate our colleagues at the Regions Foundation for making this new investment in support of urgent, crucial work to help people impacted by the Surfside collapse." People or organizations interested in making contributions to United Way of Miami-Dade's Operation Helping Hands fund can learn more details at this link. About Regions Foundation Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank. About Regions Financial Corporation Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $153 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,300 banking offices and approximately 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005074/en/

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[July 18, 2021]

Scoot partners with Insider to power personalized multi channel experiences amid travel restrictions

SINGAPORE, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and one of the world's best low-cost airlines, continues to roll out new initiatives to engage its customers even as the global spread of COVID-19 continues to prolong the lifting of travel restrictions. To further enhance the experience on their digital channels, Scoot deployed Insider's AI-powered platform to create personalized, multichannel experiences for customers on its website.

Using Insider's AI-Powered Platform , Scoot became even more operationally agile, releasing travel requirements at different parts of the customer journey and communicating flexibility options on its website quickly, addressing the fluidity of global travel regulations with agility. Insider's AI-backed segmentation module has also enabled the airline to serve relevant web push messages to users with a high likelihood of booking a flight.

"Our partnership with Insider has been instrumental in how we support our customers in these challenging times. Scoot's motto has always been to re-define the customer experience in the low-cost sector, and a large part of this overall experience is delivered via our digital channels. Insider has been a valuable partner in improving our overall site engagement and new customer acquisitions with personalized overlays and engagement features. The ease of use of the platform has also enabled us to be operationally agile and so keep our customers abreast of the latest changes in travel regulations." said Calvin Chan, Chief Commercial Officer of Scoot.

The airline will continue to invest in providing a personalized, multichannel experience for its customers. Visitors to the website will benefit from Smart Recommendations based on their previous browsing history for a more relevant user experience. Exit surveys will enable Scoot to improve its customer experience constantly.

Patrick Steinbrenner, Managing Director APAC of Insider , said, "We're proud to power digital experiences for one of the world's best low-cost airlines and are happy to have supported them during this pandemic. For the post-COVID recovery phase, we will be stepping up our partnership even further to deliver personalized journeys for Scot's customers across the web, mobile web, mobile apps, and ad channels."







About Insider

Insider is a cross-channel marketing platform that enables enterprise marketers to connect customer data across channels and systems, predict their future behavior with a built-in AI intent engine, and orchestrate individualized customer experiences at scale. Marketers use Insider's platform to deliver experiences across channels like Web , App , Web Push , Email , SMS , Messaging Apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, RCS), Ads , and more.

Recently, Insider announced its $32 Million Series C funding round, led by Riverwood Capital and joined by Sequoia, Wamda, and Endeavor Catalyst. Insider was featured in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Marketing Hubs 2020 and was named the #1 leader on G2's Mobile Marketing Software and Personalization Grids, with a 4.6/5 rating based 100% on user reviews, 18 quarters in a row. CrunchBase recently ranked Insider's co-founder and CEO Hande Cilingir as one of the top women CEOs outside the US.

Many of the most prestigious Fortune 500 companies and top brands in retail, automotive, and travel use Insider to deliver AI-backed personalized experiences that exceed customer expectations. Insider is trusted by over 800 global businesses, including Singapore Airlines, Virgin, Toyota, New Balance, IKEA, Samsung, Newsweek, MediaMarkt, Nissan, AVIS, Marks & Spencer, Allianz, BBVA, Dominos, Avon, and CNN.

Media Enquiry

Ankesh Sagar, ankesh.sagar@useinsider.com

SOURCE Insider
[July 18, 2021] Mobile Marketing Powerhouse CleverTap Expands Offerings into Turkey Amid Extreme Growth in the Middle East

CleverTap offers Turkish brands access to industry-leading mobile marketing engagement and retention technology MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and MUMBAI, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CleverTap , the world's most trusted customer engagement and user retention platform, announced superior growth numbers across the Middle East over the past year, fueling its expansion into Turkey. Since launching in the Middle East in 2020, CleverTap has doubled its growth in META by adding 100 new brands to its company portfolio. "Our rapid growth in the Middle East is welcomed with great enthusiasm and is evidence that the demand for real-time mobile marketing is ever-present and continuing to attract larger audiences," said Sunil Thomas , CEO of CleverTap. "Because of this success, we're thrilled to be expanding into Turkey to offer even more brands the opportunity to drive quality engagement and retention among their mobile app users."



Turkey's business ecosystem is a vibrant mix of startups and enterprises  all with apps used by customers. CleverTap is excited to reach this dynamic audience and expand its offerings in Turkey across the ecommerce, foodtech, gaming, fintech, and travel industries. "We're looking forward to powering a variety of businesses in different verticals in the Turkey market," said CleverTap CMO Dave Dabbah. "Our goal is to help Turkish brands better engage with their target audiences and drive positive experiences that turn loyal customers into brand champions."

CleverTap will bring an omnichannel approach to the Turkish marketing landscape with powerful analytics, segmentation, and marketing automation to give Turkish brands the opportunity to engage with their customers where they are: their mobile phones. For more information about CleverTap, please visit www.clevertap.com . About CleverTap CleverTap is the leading customer engagement and retention platform that helps brands maximize user lifetime value. Consumer brands around the world representing over 10,000 appsincluding Vodafone, Sony, MercedesBenz.io, Dominoes, and Emiratestrust CleverTap to help them improve user engagement and retention thereby growing long term revenue. CleverTap is backed by leading venture capital firms, including Sequoia India, Tiger Global Management, Accel, and Recruit Holdings, and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA with regional offices in Amsterdam, Singapore, Dubai, and Mumbai. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1445305/CleverTap_Logo.jpg

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[July 18, 2021] Focusing on innovation effectiveness, 2021 Effie Awards Greater China Round 1 judging for Business, Product, Service Innovation Specialty Category was successfully held!

HONG KONG, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 13, the Round 1 judging for Effie Awards Greater China Business, Product, Service Innovation Specialty Category was successfully held. 11 judges from different brands, agencies and third-party platforms attended the online judging. "Business, Product, Service Innovation" is a new strategic specialty category of Effie Awards in 2021, aiming to recognize innovation single marketing and business activities, or entire marketing programs. Any action or business idea regarding innovation for the product, service or business that has had an exceptionally positive impact on the market position of a business, product or service. Before the judging, Alex Xu, President of Effie Greater China and Senior VP of Effie Worldwide, shared the strategic planning and competition process of Effie Awards. He said, "Effie Greater China has been actively embracing all types of innovative, hoping to identify effective entries in the market, provide guidance and improve quality and efficiency in the new specialty category through collaboration with Kraft Heinz, thereby setting standards for industry, and even showcasing to the world the marketing practice from Chinese market." Allen Cai, Consumer Market Insight/Digitalization/Media/Content at Kraft Heinz Asia, said in his sharing, "I have been Effie Awards Greater China judge two years in a row. This year, a new specialty category was launched through the cooperation with Effie Greater China. I ope to see brilliant entries in today's judging and I would like to thank all judges again for your support."



Alicia Gan, VP of Marketing at Effie Greater China, introduced the evaluation criteria of Effie's four pillars to the judges, followed by the judging process. The online judging lasted 3 hours reviewing a total of 9 entries, including 3 entries from business innovation and 6 entries from product/service innovation sub-categories. After reviewing a set of 3 entries, the judges actively discussed and shared their opinions and the innovative breakthrough of each case The innovative thinking reflected in the works triggered the judges' thinking and source of inspiration for new ideas. According to the judges, this year's entries reflected industry trend in business, product and service innovation, and many cases have evolved in terms of creative interaction, by forming connection with consumers to create sustainable and replicable marketing models.

The establishment of the Innovation Specialty Category opens door to many new entrants from different industries and fields, which not only enriched the diversity of the competition, but also provided many excellent innovative entries and innovative ideas. The judges also expressed that they hoped these excellent cases could represent this specialty category by entering into the finalists and win at Effie awards. So far, the online preliminary judging of 2021 Effie Awards Greater China Business, Product, Service Innovation Specialty Category was successfully concluded. We would like to thank all the judges for their valuable comments! Business, Product, Service Innovation Specialty Category Committee (in alphabetical order of last name) Allen Cai

Consumer Market Insight/Digitalization/Media/Content at Kraft Heinz Asia

Jessie Guo

Chief Marketing Officer of Microsoft Greater China Guo Xiao

Chief Marketing Officer of Pop Mart Siyuan Aw

Chief Strategy Officer of BBH Shanghai Eva Yao

Head of Marketing & Innovation, Digital Transformation Project Lead for AP Region at Bayer Healthcare China Zhi Qiang

Head of Brand Marketing at Meituan Business, Product, Service Innovation Specialty Category R1 Jury (in alphabetical order of last name) Charley Dong

General Manager for Digital and Media of Fonterra Group Fu Lu

Chief Marketing Officer of Jiang Xiao Bai Gao Yuan

Head of Marketing Center (MC) Commercialization Division, Internet Business Dept., Xiaomi Group Shan Zhe

Partner of Accenture Interactive Wu Yue

Marketing Department Brand Director at Phoenix Metropolis Media Technology Co., Ltd. SOURCE Effie Awards Greater China

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[July 19, 2021] MIT Centre for Future Skills Excellence introduces PG Diploma in Robotics Process Automation for Career aspirants

PUNE, India, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MIT Centre for Future Skills Excellence , MIT Art, Design & Technology University Pune has introduced a new post-graduate diploma in Robotics Process Automation from August 2021 academic session. On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, July 15, MIT Art, Design and Technology University Pune signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CiTiS Infotech & InnoWise Global to jointly offer a PG diploma programme in Robotics Process Automation. The main intention of this association is to build employable professionals to cater the demand of the ever-emerging global automation industry. The Curriculum for PG Diploma in RPA has been curated, designed, & developed in such a way that may help graduates and working professionals develop their talents with micro-credentials anticipated for future jobs. Prof. Dr. Mangesh Karad, Executive President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Harshad Sangle, Director and CEO, CiTiS Infotech, and signed the MoU. Mr. Sunder Rao Swarana, CMO-InnoWise, Shri Dighe, VP Education-CiTiS, Dr. Mahesh Chopade, Registrar-MITADT University, Dr. Dnyandeo Neelwarna, COE, Dr. Rahul More, Dean- Faculty of Skills & Work Integrated Education and Prof. Suraj Bhoyar, Project Director were present for the ceremony. To stay ahead of the curve, MIT Centre for Future Skills Excellence ( MIT-FuSE ), MIT-ADT University offers industry-relevant post graduate programmes in AI/ML, Cloud computing, Cybersecurity , RPA, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, SAP-ERP to provide India's working professionals and graduates with the opportunity to further their ambition with the most in-demand skills that will prepare them for future careers. These PG Programmes will undoubtedly aid recent graduates as well as working professionals, in overcoming the loss of learning opportunities caused by the global pandemic. Prof. Dr. Mangesh Karad said, "In today's world, technology is emerging and advancing every single day. And Upskilling with future tech is a critical component in making better careers and equipping everyone to prosper in the forthcoming gig economy." He also stressed that the strategic partnerships with leading industries will enable students in the state to get hands-n with technology and understand future automation solutions through the Internship's unique engagement module included in the programme.



Dr. Harshad Sangle highlighted the intent and USP of the programme which is designed for professionals who want to broaden their career horizons in automation & integration of business processes as well as anyone who wants to ensure future employment. Top Industry experts and mentors will be facilitating training & practical hands-on for better engagement. Mr. Sunder Rao Swarana deliberately mentioned that this PG Diploma in RPA is first of its own kind of academic offering for career aspirants across India. He cited that engineers & technologists aren't the only ones who can benefit from RPA. Business analysts and others who can study business processes and envision how they can be automated can learn to make bots or draw up requirements for an RPA developer to work from. The adoption of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) across multiple global industries viz. banking and finance, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, transport & logistics, telecom, e-commerce is rising at a breakneck speed. These global industries are employing RPA to reap the cost savings of automation but are finding it difficult to find enough competent personnel to undertake the work, so robotic process automation (RPA) is becoming a popular career choice. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's economic pressures, the RPA industry is predicted to increase at double-digit rates until 2024. Because of the rising demand and limited supply, professionals can consider a decent package from the start of their careers.

Prof. Suraj Bhoyar specified the vision and mission of MIT Centre for Future Skills Excellence to transform & empower individuals into winning professionals. He underlined growing adoption of AI, machine learning & robotics at the workplaces and rise of remote employees as well as gig workers as a major part of the workforce who would be requiring constant upskilling. A career in RPA is extremely beneficial and profitable. This new technology will undoubtedly provide a large number of job possibilities around the world. When comparing salaries for persons with RPA abilities to those for other positions on the market, it is clear that those with RPA skills earn more. Developing skills in RPA tools will help you advance in your job. Any graduate with Mathematics at Class XII or equivalent is eligible for the Eleven Month programme, which is divided into three trimesters with unique internship opportunities for better exposure. The admission announcement with details is available on its official website. The programme will commence from August 2021. MIT-FuSE is also unique in its approach, as it incorporates the greatest industry techniques and technologies into all parts of learning pedagogy, resulting in a genuinely exceptional online learning experience. All programmes will be delivered through the LMS and can be accessed via a web-based learning app. In July 2021, the next cohort of SAP, AI/ML, Cloud Computing , and Cybersecurity will begin. It's crucial to remember that only those that put in the time and effort to upskill and improve their existing abilities will be successful in the future. Aspirants must continue to push for new paradigms of knowledge and capabilities due to the ever-changing nature of the future corporate environment. Visit www.mitfutureskills.org to learn future skills today for a brighter tomorrow. About MIT-ADT University MAEER's Trust which is known to set the strong precedence for the privatization of Engineering education in Maharashtra had taken a first mover's advantage by establishing the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT-Pune), in 1983, which continues to remain the flagship institute of the group.

MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune has been established under the MIT Art, Design and Technology University Act, 2015 (Maharashtra Act No. XXXIX of 2015). The University commenced its operations successfully from 27th June 2016. The University is a self-financed institution and empowered to award the degrees under section 22 of the University Grants Commission act, 1956. The University has a unique blend of Art, Design, and Technology as the core of its academics.

Recently, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune has accomplished the following accolades:

- Ranked 26th for ARIIA 2020 by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India.

- Received 5 Star rating for exemplary performance by the Ministry of Education's Innovation Council, Govt. of India.

- Conferred with Best University Campus Award by ASSOCHAM, New Delhi

- Granted with Atal Incubation Centre under ATAL Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Govt. of India

MIT Art, Design and Technology University has been taking a holistic approach towards imparting education wherein the students are being motivated to build a complete winning personality which is "physically fit, intellectually sharp, mentally alert and spiritually elevated". The students are being encouraged to participate in yoga, meditation, physical training, spiritual elevation, communication skills, and other personality development programmes. Currently, we have 7500+ students studying in various schools of higher education under the University viz. Engineering and Technology, Food Technology, Bioengineering, Arts, Design, Marine Engineering, Journalism and Broadcasting, Film and Television, Music (Hindustani Classical Vocal and Instrumental), Teacher Education, and Vedic Sciences. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1576212/MIT_FuSE_MoU.jpg

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[July 19, 2021] SES Government Solutions Wins USD 14.5 Million Contract to Support Thule Air Base

SES (News - Alert) Government Solutions (SES GS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES, today announced it was awarded a contract of USD 14.5 million to support Thule Air Base in Greenland with critical communications capabilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005023/en/ SES Government Solutions Wins USD 14.5 Million Contract to Support Thule Air Base (Photo: Business Wire) The SES GS solution leverages C-band technology, which is highly resilient to weather effects, and provides a dedicated reachback beam leveraging single hop connectivity directly to the user site. The SES GS solution also provides redundancy at all levels, to include antennas, uplink and downlink telemetry, ground infrastructure, and restoration capabilities. This award is an example of the company's proven track record of providing reliable services in harsh climate conditions in the Arctic, while ensuring the mitigation of physical antenna degradation. "We are proud to provide satellite communications support for this critical mission," said President and CEO of SES Government Solutions, Brigadier General Pete Hoene, USAF (retired). "Thule Air Base is the Department of Defense's northernmost installation, and this program continues to serve as a great example of the importance of our capability to deliver the critical intelligence data to military decision makers." SES GS has been the sole provider of commercial satellite communications to Thule Air Base for over 20 years. It has extensive experience overcoming the challenging conditions of operating in Arctic locations, including the extreme cold-weather environment, unpredictable weather patterns, near-horizon location, and logistical challenges. SES operates the world's only global satellite fleet of both geostationary and non-geostationary (NGSO) satellites, with expanded capabilities to be deployed in 2022 with the upcoming launch of the next-generation O3b mPOWER constellation.



SES combines its operational experience with its GEO and NGSO global capabilities to deliver multi-band, multi-orbit communications to customers' remote locations like Thule, where resilience and reliability are non-negotiable. Follow us on:

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram Read our Blogs >

Visit the Media Gallery > About SES Government Solutions SES Government Solutions (SES GS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions. SES GS operates under a proxy board allowing them to provide services through contracts with the U.S. Government, including classified work. SES GS is exclusively focused on meeting the satellite communications needs of the U.S. Government. Leveraging more than four decades of experience in the government SATCOM market, SES GS offers robust and secure end-to-end satellite communications solutions. Further information can be found at www.ses-gs.com. About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world's only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world's leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES's video network carries over 8,400 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210718005023/en/

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Hagens Berman: National Law Firm Investigating Envision and MyMedicalPayments.com for Potential Medical Billing Scam

Consumer-rights law firm Hagens Berman has launched a national investigation into Envision Healthcare Corporation and its medical bill collection moniker, MyMedicalPayments.com, for what attorneys say is likely a massive billing scam.

"We've seen widespread reports from consumers across the country who are baffled and frankly very frightened by the wildly inflated hospital and ER bills they receive from Envision's MyMedicalPayments.com," said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman. "After their visit, patients are often hounded by confusing mailers, text messages and phone calls, harassing them to pay exorbitant fees and overcharges."

"We think it's time this extortion stopped," he added. "We believe that what Envision is doing violates consumers' rights and consumer protection laws."

If you receive care from an Envision physician, or a medical bill from MyMedicalPayments.com, you may have been severely overcharged for medical care and may be entitled to repayment. Contact Hagens Berman to find out more about this issue and your consumer rights against Envision.

While allegedly fleecing patients, Envision has made its private-equity investors rich. By 2005, Tennessee-based Envision was the largest ER outsourcer in the U.S. with roughly 300 client hospitals in 39 states and $550 million in sales, attorneys say.

Online forums and the Better Business Bureau's online reports list dozens of complaints against Envision, with medical bills in the thousands of dollars.

Is MyMedicalPayments.com legitimate? How do I know if I've been scammed?

Attorneys are offering he following guidance to consumers who may have received care from an Envision physician or received a bill from MyMedicalPayments.com:







How would I know if my provider was from Envision? Envision has long been accused of hiding its practices to avoid detection. Many patients are never informed that Envision providers were operating out of their insurance network and would bill additional "out-of-network" rates for their services, leading to massive medical bills. Chances are, you would have only known you received care from an Envision physician after your visit, via a bill or contact from MyMedicalPayments.com. How would I have been billed or contacted? Patients online have reported being contacted via mail, email, phone and text message for alleged medical bill debt collection. The text may state that you owe Envision money, or you may receive a bill stating, "Pay your bill online at MyMedicalPayments.com!" or other similar language. The bills may include vague references to care you received, but the charges, attorneys say, may be inflated and fraudulent. Health care is expensive. How do I know I've been overcharged? According to patients, Envision Healthcare Corporation has hit uninsured and out-of-network patients with bills for thousands of dollars following emergency room visits, hospital visits and use of ambulance and have "habitually charged exorbitant fees" violating state and federal laws through deceptive and unlawful practices. If you aren't sure, our legal team can assist you in reviewing your medical bill. What do I do if I'm being harassed by Envision and MyMedicalPayments.com? Attorneys say that patients who are currently being harassed by Envision to pay this fraudulent debt should contact our legal team. What if I've already paid my bill? If you have already paid the bill Envision or MyMedicalPayments.com sent you, you may have overpaid and be entitled to reimbursement. Contact our legal team to learn more.

Learn more about the investigation into Envision and MyMedicalPayments.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm operating in 10 cities worldwide. The firm's tenacious drive for plaintiffs' rights has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of "Most Feared Plaintiff's Firm," MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005057/en/
[July 19, 2021] Broadridge Teams with OpenFin to Offer Enhanced Digital Workspace for Portfolio Managers and Traders

Asset managers to benefit from flexible workspaces and intuitive workflows NEW YORK and LONDON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Enhancing the productivity and efficiency of its trading and portfolio management solution for its asset management clients globally, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader, today announced it will utilize OpenFin's operating system for financial desktops. With this new digital workspace solution, asset managers using Broadridge's next generation portfolio and order management system will benefit from componentized apps with highly configurable layouts and intuitive workflows. Traders and portfolio managers will be able to manage their desktop real estate more efficiently and increase productivity by reducing the effort and time navigating across multiple windows and screens. Rich notifications will also keep users up to date with the most relevant insights. "In this ever-evolving digital environment, clients are increasingly looking for flexibility and the ability to adapt their workspaces to meet their unique needs," said Eric Bernstein, Presiden of Broadridge Asset Management. "OpenFin's leading system, combined with our open architecture, will eliminate user friction and is another example of how we are setting the industry standard for flexible and adaptable next-gen investment operations."



"We're excited to be a strategic partner with Broadridge, helping clients accelerate and adapt to advanced digital workspace solutions," said Mazy Dar, CEO of OpenFin. "Providing an adaptable interface customizable to user preferences will help Broadridge's clients boost productivity and simplify the investment management process." About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with over $4.5 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. In addition, Broadridge's technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of on average more than U.S. $10 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work, Broadridge is a part of the S&P 500 Index, employing over 12,000 associates in 21 countries. For more information about us and what we can do for you, please visit www.broadridge.com.

About OpenFin

Move Fast. Break Nothing. OpenFin is the operating system for enterprise productivity, enabling app distribution, workspace management and workflow automation. Used by 90% of global financial institutions, OpenFin deploys more than 3,500 desktop applications to more than 2,400 buy-side and sell-side firms. OpenFin investors include Bain Capital Ventures, Barclays, CME Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, NYCA Partners, Pivot Investment Partners, Standard Chartered and Wells Fargo Strategic Capital among others. The company is based in New York with offices in London and presence in Hong Kong. Media Contacts: North America

Matthew Luongo

Prosek Partners

+1 646-818-9279

mluongo@prosek.com Europe

Hannah Polson

Cognito

+44 (0) 7974244217

BroadridgeEMEA@cognitomedia.com

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[July 19, 2021] Medical Telepresence Robots Market Size To Reach $159.5 Million By 2028: Grand View Research, Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global medical telepresence robots market size is expected to reach USD 159.5 million by 2028, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 18.5% from 2021 to 2028. Some of the factors contributing to the market growth are the growing adoption of telepresence robots in the healthcare sector and product innovations catering to the increasing demand. Moreover, the rise in the elderly population with chronic illnesses requiring regular monitoring is expected to propel the demand for medical telepresence robots, especially for home use. Key Insights & Findings: Based on type, the mobile segment dominated the market in 2020 owing to the features such as autonomous navigation, adjustable height, head motion, and obstacle avoidance that enable smooth and efficient delivery of services and virtual monitoring

On the basis of component, the camera segment dominated the market in 2020 due to the fact that its operations are essential for the working and functioning of the robot

In terms of end use, hospitals and assisted living facilities held the largest share in 2020 owing to the increase in the adoption of robotics in the healthcare sector and the development of features specifically for healthcare such as ultrasound imaging machines and digital stethoscopes

In 2020, North America dominated the market due to the higher adoption of artificial intelligence and robotics in the healthcare sector, growing disposable income, and the increasing number of market players in the region

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period owing to the higher adoption of robotics in the healthcare sector and the supportive government initiatives in medical robotics Read 80 page market research report, "Medical Telepresence Robots Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis By Type (Stationary, Mobile), By Component (Camera, Sensors & Control System), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028'', by Grand View Research. The market experienced a surge during the Covid-19 pandemic owing to the rise in the implementation of telepresence robots in hospitals in most of the countries. For instance, the Yatharth Hospital in Noida deployed Mitra robots to assist the healthcare providers in delivering quality care with telepresence technology. Moreover, the features facilitating efficient two-way communication and the ability to connect from any location to monitor the patients remotely are boosting the demand for medical telepreence robots.



The rise in the number of market players offering technologically advanced robots, the introduction of new features catering to the current demand, and the continuous focus on R&D are likely to boost the adoption of medical telepresence robots. Furthermore, the governments of most of the countries are taking initiatives to support artificial intelligence and robotics, further leading to attracting new entrants to enter the market. Grand View Research has segmented the global medical telepresence robots market based on type, component, end use, and region:

Medical Telepresence Robots Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Stationary



Mobile

Medical Telepresence Robots Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Camera



Display



Speaker



Microphone



Power Source



Sensors & Control System

Medical Telepresence Robots End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Hospitals & Assisted Living Facilities



Home Use

Medical Telepresence Robots Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





Australia



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa List of Key Players of Medical Telepresence Robots Market Amy Robotics

Ava Robotics Inc.

AXYN Robotics

Blue Ocean Robotics

Guangzhou Yingbo Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.

InTouch Health

OhmniLabs, Inc.

Rbot

VGo Communications Inc.

Xandex Inc. Check out more studies related to implementation of robotics into healthcare, by Grand View Research: Medical Robotic Systems Market  Global medical robotic systems market size was valued at USD 7,470.7 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for accurate laparoscopic surgeries, growing need for surgical procedures in geriatric population, and rising cases of trauma injuries are the factors driving the growth of this market.

 Global medical robotic systems market size was valued at in 2014 and is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for accurate laparoscopic surgeries, growing need for surgical procedures in geriatric population, and rising cases of trauma injuries are the factors driving the growth of this market. Surgical Robots Market  Global surgical robots market size was valued at USD 2.30 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028. Growing adoption and acceptance of minimally invasive surgeries owing to benefits such as shorter hospital stays and the introduction of cost-effective and flexible surgical robots by the new market players are some of the key factors driving the growth.

 Global surgical robots market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028. Growing adoption and acceptance of minimally invasive surgeries owing to benefits such as shorter hospital stays and the introduction of cost-effective and flexible surgical robots by the new market players are some of the key factors driving the growth. AI-based Surgical Robots Market  Global AI-based surgical robots market size was valued at USD 5.0 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2% from 2021 to 2028. Robotic surgeries are gaining traction due to the increased efficiency and success rate provided by these surgeries, along with the "minimally invasive" nature of the surgeries. Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Healthcare IT Industry. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

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Alibaba Group Will Announce June Quarter 2021 Results on August 3, 2021

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA and HKEX: 9988, "Alibaba" or "Alibaba Group") today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 before the U.S. market opens on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, and will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (7:30 p.m. Hong Kong Time) the same day.

Details of the conference call are as follows:

International: +65 6713 5330

U.S.: +1 347 549 4094

U.K.: +44 203 713 5084

Hong Kong: +852 3018 8307

China Landline: 800 820 2079

China Mobile (News - Alert) : 400 820 6895

Conference ID: 6395344 (English)

Conference ID: 1547494 (simultaneous interpretation in Chinese, listen only mode)

A live webcast of the earnings conference call can be accessed at https://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/earnings. An archived webcast will be available through the same link following the call. A replay of the conference call will be available for one week (dial-in number: +61 2 8199 0299; same conference ID as shown above).







Please visit Alibaba Group's Investor Relations website at https://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/home on August 3, 2021 to view the earnings release and accompanying slides prior to the conference call.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group's mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company aims to build the future infrastructure of commerce. It envisions that its customers will meet, work and live at Alibaba, and that it will be a good company that lasts for 102 years.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005239/en/
[July 19, 2021] HAI ROBOTICS Enters Australia Market, Boosts Largest Online Book Retailer Booktopia's Efficiency by 800%

SHENZHEN, China, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HAI ROBOTICS, a Shenzhen-based warehouse robotics startup, which launched the world's first carton picking and double deep autonomous case-handling system, is announcing its first deployment in Australia. Through integration and implementation done by BPS Global, the HAIPICK robots were deployed at Booktopia's 14,000 sqm distribution center in Lidcombe, NSW. According to Booktopia, although the company's key decider for implementing this technology was efficiency gains, they are now finding improvements across their entire operation. A HAIPICK solution differs from a standard autonomous mobile robot solution in that the robots utilize a telescopic fork that stretches 4m high. This gives the robots the ability to carry cartons as well as individual totes and to bring multiple cases to pickers or conveyors in one movement. This enables Booktopia to facilitate the completion of multiple customer orders at one pick station  greatly improving fulfilment and dispatch rates for the leading retailer.



"By deploying this innovative robot solution, we have doubled our capacity and significantly improved our picking and put away rates. This gives us the confidence we need to continue to serve our customers," Tony Nash, CEO at Booktopia said.

"COVID-19 placed immense pressure on e-commerce retailers and we saw volumes reach record heights across the entire retail landscape. We're thrilled to work with Booktopia on the first ever deployment of this innovative automation solution in Australia. This investment ensures they are well-placed to meet rising demands and continue to service the nation with its favorite books," Malcolm Druce, Managing Partner at BPS Global said. While the rising rental cost of warehouses is becoming a major issue for many companies throughout Australia, the HAIPICK solution now makes it faster and easier to increase capacity and storage. "Through our partnership with BPS Global, the end customer gets access to both local advice, implementation, service, and support as well as the latest in robot-based automation technology," Michael Rolfing, Director of Sales Australia at HAI Robotics said. HAI Robotics has been expanding rapidly outside China, establishing offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Fremont, United States, while partnering locally to provide full-service and deliver automation faster and easier. HAIPICK ACR series obtained the CE Mark, meeting European standards, proving the quality and safety of its products. With over 200 ongoing projects worldwide in various industries, the company has successfully expanded its business and services across five continents. For more information please contact: sales@hairobotics.com. About Booktopia Founded in 2004, Booktopia is Australian's biggest online bookstore. It now turns over $165 million a year and was listed in the AFR/BRW's Fast 100 eight times, the only company to ever achieve this feat, from 2009 to 2017. About BPS Global Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Hong Kong, BPS Global Group is a leading provider of construction and logistics infrastructure and logistics. BPS Global Australia provides end-to-end services from professional business solution design and consultancy service, logistics automation consulting to first-class project execution and maintenance services. About HAI ROBOTICS Established in 2016, HAI ROBOTICS is the pioneer in autonomous case-handling robotics (ACR) system. The company is committed to providing efficient, intelligent, flexible, and customized warehouse automation solutions through advanced robotics technology and AI algorithms and creates value for each factory and logistics warehouse. The company has applied its solutions in 3PL, apparel, e-commerce, electronics, energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and several industries. Press Contact

Betty Rao

Tel: +86 18202069031

Email: betty.rao@hairobotics.com SOURCE HAI ROBOTICS

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[July 19, 2021] Klar Raises Series B Led by General Atlantic to Support Growth of Its Digital Financial Services Platform in Mexico

Klar, a leading digital financial services platform providing a transparent, free and secure alternative to traditional debit and credit services in Mexico, today announced its Series B funding round, subject to applicable regulatory approvals, including clearance of the Mexican Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) and the Mexican Economic Competition Commission (COFECE). General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, led the round with participation from existing investors Prosus Ventures, Quona Capital, Mouro Capital, International Finance Corporation and WTI. The funding will be used to strengthen Klar's efforts to broaden access to consumer credit as Mexico's transition to a digital economy accelerates through product and proprietary technology expansion. Founded in 2019, Klar's vision is to become the primary financial services platform of its users by offering a full suite of products. Since its founding, the company has undergone rapid and significant growth in its efforts to provide the underbanked population in Mexico access to consumer credit through its free, mobile-first platform. It has opened more than 700,000 accounts to date, with transactions on the platform having increased by 60% each month in 2021. Today, 100% of Klar's users have access to its fee-free overdraft line and more than a third of its users utilize its lending product. "We founded Klar to expand credit access to all Mexicans, many of whom have been overlooked by the traditional banking system. As a digital-native, holistic platform, we provide our clients with the ability to transact in an increasingly digital economy," said Stefan Moller, Co-Founder & CEO of Klar. "Our growth to date is emblematic of the critical nature of our services in this underserved region. Partnering with General Atlantic, a renowned global investor with deep experience in technology and financial services, will be a key enabler in our mission to innovate and expand into a truly digital financial services platform in this market." "The leadership team at Klar brings the vision, technical expertise and financial services credibility to be a breakout player that disrupts the Mexican financial services industry and has the potential to scale into the country's leading full-service digital financial services platform," said Martin Escobari, Co-President, Managing Director andHead of General Atlantic's business in Latin America. "We are proud to partner with the company, which brings a differentiated tech stack and product offering, to accelerate its mission of broadening financial access and inclusion across Mexico."



"Our investment in Klar builds on General Atlantic's track record of investing in forward-thinking, digital financial services businesses globally," said Luis Cervantes, Managing Director and Head of General Atlantic's Mexico City office. "Mexico is the one of the last major economies to transition to a digital ecosystem, and we look forward to supporting Klar in its mission to promote transparency and innovation." As part of the transaction, Mr. Cervantes and Sofia Garrido, Vice President at General Atlantic, will join Klar's Board of Directors. Klar marks General Atlantic's sixth investment in Mexico since 2014, when it first entered the country. Since then, General Atlantic has invested USD$1 billion in high-growth Mexican companies with two unicorns, Kavak and Clip, in its portfolio.

Prior to the current funding round, Klar raised more than USD$27.5 million since its inception in 2019, including a $15 million Series A Round last year led by Prosus Ventures, alongside Quona Capital, Mouro Capital and International Finance Corporation. Klar Group's products are offered through its own subsidiaries, including Klar, which offers and operates the Klar Credit Card, and Merci Pay, which offers electronic payment funds' accounts and is in the process to obtain its authorization from the National Banking and Securities Commission under the Eighth Transitory Article of the Mexican Fintech Law. About Klar Klar has been working to democratize financial services in Mexico since 2019 by offering a 100% digital, transparent, free and secure alternative to traditional credit and debit services. Unlike traditional institutions, Klar provides users with a unique set of features and benefits, including: Simplicity : Users can open online an account on the platform in five minutes through the Klar app.

: Users can open online an account on the platform in five minutes through the Klar app. Zero Costs : The account requires no minimum balance and charges no fees.

: The account requires no minimum balance and charges no fees. Cashback : Klar Card rewards users with cashback on all their purchases.

: Klar Card rewards users with cashback on all their purchases. Free-fee overdraft: All Klar Card users access an overdraft up to $1,000 pesos with no overdraft fees.

All Klar Card users access an overdraft up to $1,000 pesos with no overdraft fees. Access to credit: Klar offers credit lines up to $10,000 pesos without referencing the users' credit bureau score.

Klar offers credit lines up to $10,000 pesos without referencing the users' credit bureau score. Security: Klar is powered by Mastercard, and the platform is protected by the highest standards in the industry. For more information, visit: https://www.klar.mx/ About General Atlantic General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 400 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic currently has over $65 billion in assets under management and more than 175 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto (News - Alert) , Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Stamford. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit the website: www.generalatlantic.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005080/en/

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[July 19, 2021] OPSWAT Announces Asset Acquisition of Bayshore Networks to Expand Critical Infrastructure Protection Capabilities to OT/ICS Environments

TAMPA, Fla., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OPSWAT, the global leader in Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), today announced that it has acquired all assets of Bayshore Networks, the leading provider of active industrial cybersecurity protection solutions specifically designed for Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environments, automation engineers, and plant operators. As part of the acquisition, OPSWAT will integrate Bayshore Networks products and teams, extending OPSWAT's CIP capabilities to OT/ICS environments. This acquisition extends our CIP mission to operational technology and will drive continued growth and momentum at OPSWAT There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cybersecurity and ransomware attacks in the industrial infrastructure industry specifically, from the Colonial Pipeline attack to the Florida water supply attack. This has required an elevated security interest as these types of attacks can have catastrophic outcomes. This asset acquisition will add key capabilities in unidirectional/bidirectional secure data transfer in critical neworks, intrusion prevention for industrial devices, secure remote access for OT assets and ultimately help expand OPSWAT's mission to deliver best-in-class cybersecurity solutions to protect critical infrastructure.



"This acquisition furthers our commitment to provide organizations worldwide with the most comprehensive critical infrastructure protection solutions available today," said Benny Czarny, OPSWAT founder and CEO. "Over the last few months, we have hit several corporate and product milestones, including raising a $125 million round of financing, expanding our channel program to over 80 countries, and introducing our breakthrough cybersecurity kiosk for critical infrastructure protection. Today's acquisition extends our CIP mission to operational technology and will drive continued growth and momentum at OPSWAT." "We are excited to bring two industry leaders together," stated Kevin Senator, former CEO of Bayshore Networks and current OPSWAT Consultant. "Over the last decade, Bayshore Networks has provided state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions for OT/ICS environments. Extending OPSWAT's powerful platform to OT is a natural next step for both companies. Not only will we meet very specific cybersecurity demands in the industry, but the synergy between our companies will be truly extraordinary. I have no doubt that our employees and our technology will thrive at OPSWAT."

About OPSWAT

OPSWAT is a global leader in critical infrastructure cybersecurity that helps protect the world's mission-critical organizations from malware and zero-day attacks. To minimize the risk of compromise, OPSWAT Critical Infrastructure Protection solutions enable both public and private organizations to implement processes that ensure the secure transfer of files and devices to and from critical networks. More than 1,500 organizations worldwide spanning Financial Services, Defense, Manufacturing, Energy, Aerospace, and Transportation Systems trust OPSWAT to secure their files and devices; ensure compliance with industry and government-driven policies and regulations, and protect their reputation, finances, employees and relationships from cyber-driven disruption. For more information on OPSWAT, visit www.opswat.com. Media Contact

Kat Lewis

Director of Corporate Communications

kat.lewis@opswat.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opswat-announces-asset-acquisition-of-bayshore-networks-to-expand-critical-infrastructure-protection-capabilities-to-otics-environments-301335793.html SOURCE OPSWAT

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[July 19, 2021] CIBC and CIBC Asset Management Launch a New Suite of Sustainable ETFs on the NEO Exchange

NEO is proud to welcome CIBC Asset Management ("CIBC AM"), the asset management subsidiary of CIBC, for their first-ever listings on the NEO Exchange with the launch of six actively managed, sustainable ETFs. CIBC has now become the 20th ETF Manager to list on NEO. Seeking to align with the investing values of socially responsible investors, the six ETFs launched by CIBC are as follows: CIBC Sustainable Canadian Core Plus Bond Fund - ETF Series (CSCP)

CIBC Sustainable Canadian Equity Fund - ETF Series (CSCE)

CIBC Sustainable Global Equity Fund - ETF Series (CSGE)

CIBC Sustainable Conservative Balanced Solution - ETF Series (CSCB)

CIBC Sustainable Balanced Solution - ETF Series (CSBA)

CIBC Sustainable Balanced Growth Solution - ETF Series (CSBG) Using CIBC's proprietary environmental, social, and governance analysis alongside data from Sustainalytics, the robust lineup of ETFs is designed to offer a smaller carbon footprint and lower energy sector exposure than broad market indexes, and employs positive screening for companies involved in the renewable energy space and green bonds. "We are excited to partner with NEO as we launch the ETF series of our Sustainable Investment Solutions, which leverages CIBC Asset Management's strong history of responsible investing practices and our estabished best-in-class ESG framework," said David Scandiffio, President and CEO of CIBC Asset Management.



David Stephenson, Head of ETF Strategy at CIBC Asset Management shared his own sentiments about the ETF launch: "Launching innovative solutions requires partnering with innovators. We chose NEO because of their track record of innovation which they have demonstrated in their ETF closing price methodology as well as their advocacy for making better market data accessible to investors. NEO has been a strong advocate for advancing the ETF industry as a whole and they have the insights and resources to help grow our ETF lineup. All factors considered, NEO was a clear choice for this launch." "We are honoured that CIBC and CIBC Asset Management chose the NEO Exchange as their preferred listing partner for this suite of ETFs. It is a strong validation of the expertise and innovation NEO brings to the market," added Jos Schmitt, President and CEO of NEO. "As one of the largest asset managers in Canada, CIBC AM offers a diverse range of actively managed investment products, and these 6 new sustainable ETFs - all based on expert research and socially responsible investing practices - align well with NEO's core values. We look forward to providing CIBC and CIBC AM with exceptional service and support over the years to come."

Investors can trade units of CIBC Asset Management's six sustainable ETFs through their usual investment channels, including discount brokerage platforms and full-service dealers. Click here for a complete view of all NEO-listed securities. The NEO Exchange is home to over 150 ETF and corporate listings, and consistently facilitates roughly 20% of all volume traded in Canadian ETFs. About the NEO Exchange The NEO Exchange is Canada's Tier 1 stock exchange for the innovation economy, bringing together investors and capital raisers within a fair, liquid, efficient, and service-oriented environment. Fully operational since June 2015, NEO puts investors first and provides access to trading across all Canadian-listed securities on a level playing field. NEO lists companies and investment products seeking an internationally recognized stock exchange that enables investor trust, quality liquidity, and broad awareness including unfettered access to market data. Connect with NEO: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook About CIBC CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 10 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Small Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network, and locations across Canada, in the United States and around the world. Connect with CIBC: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter About CIBC Asset Management (CIBC AM) CIBC AM, the asset management subsidiary of CIBC, provides a range of high-quality investment management services and solutions to retail and institutional investors. CIBC AM's offerings include: a comprehensive platform of mutual funds, strategic managed portfolio solutions, discretionary investment management services for high-net-worth individuals, and institutional portfolio management. CIBC AM is one of Canada's largest asset management firms, with over $162 billion in assets under administration as of May 2021. Connect with CIBC AM: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005133/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Todos Medical to Launch EUA Authorized cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Kit Through Agreement with Fosun Pharma



Nature Medicine publication shows that neutralizing antibodies are critical to prevent or reduce the severity of a COVID-19 infection, including infection by emerging COVID-19 variants such as the Delta variant, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations

Todos now validating cPass in its highly automated Provista Diagnostics CLIA/CAP lab to enable antibody quantitation, high throughput and fast turnaround times

Todos will offer cPass as a service via Provista and distribute kits to client labs New York, NY, and Tel Aviv, ISRAEL, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Todos Medical, Ltd. (OTCQB: TOMDF), a comprehensive medical diagnostics and related solutions company, today announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Fosun Pharma for the cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Detection Kit* that has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US FDA for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD or neutralizing) antibodies. A recent peer-reviewed paper published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine concluded:  Here, we show that neutralization level is highly predictive of immune protection, and provide an evidence-based model of SARS-CoV-2 immune protection that will assist in developing vaccine strategies to control the future trajectory of the pandemic. With the Delta variant posing a significant risk for breakthrough infections based on data from Israel , and fears increasing of a potential third wave nationwide, we see neutralizing antibody testing becoming critical for informed decision making to assess who may be best suited for booster shots, as well as at what point someone previously infected with COVID begins to show waning immunity and may decide to receive vaccination as a result, said Jorge Leon, Chief Medical Officer for Immunology and Oncology at Todos. As we begin to learn more about the heterogeneity of immune response to different COVID vaccines, there appear to be subgroups of people who may need an additional dose of the vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated from a neutralizing antibody perspective, and we have now seen the Ministry of Health in Israel just this past week begin to give booster shots to the immunocompromised and certain other at-risk groups who were shown to have low neutralizing antibody titers. Additionally, a recent German study reported that 2% of the general population and over 30% of those over 80 had no detectable neutralizing antibody levels after their second vaccine dose . The cPass test will enable individuals to take charge of their health by making data-driven decisions to protect themselves beyond vaccination, such as masking or avoiding certain higher-risk actvities when armed with this crucial information.



Todos sees a large market opportunity developing for cPass that will begin to encroach on the COVID-19 PCR testing market that rapidly developed into an $80 billion market worldwide in 2020. We believe immune monitoring will be the primary driver of COVID-19 testing growth going forward. To date, 161 million people in the United States have been vaccinated, with the majority of the doses having been administered to older populations who are most likely to show waning immunity the earliest, and will be the first ones for whom booster decisions will have to be made. As time advances, and more and more individuals are 6 months and beyond from their initial vaccine dose, it will become increasingly important for individuals and healthcare providers to asses and monitor neutralizing antibody levels in order to make data-driven decisions with respect to booster shots and behavioral changes. The Company is currently automating the EUA cPass test at its CLIA/CAP laboratory, Provista Diagnostics (Provista), to add high-capacity neutralizing antibody testing to its test menu, and is ramping up its sales and marketing infrastructure. Provista plans to offer cPass as a testing service to other CLIA labs on a reference basis, as well as directly to the public through healthcare professionals. A key differentiator for this novel cPass test is that it detects neutralizing antibodies in patient samples without the use of live virus and with very fast turnaround times, as compared to the conventional method of measuring neutralizing antibodies in patient samples, which requires the use of live cells. Upon completing the automation process, Todos expects Provista to provide high volume results in less than 24 hours. Todos will also make cPass available for client labs to run on their automated equipment.

Todos has also been granted authorization to utilize a high value version of the cPass test at Provista that has been adapted to quantitate neutralizing antibody levels, thereby allowing monitoring of levels over time. Todos sees this modified test as eligible for a higher reimbursement rate than traditional SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests. The Company intends to aggressively market Provistas new testing capabilities in the coming months in order to begin to capitalize on its investment in automation and drive high margin revenue growth. * This test has not been FDA cleared or approved. This test has been authorized by FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories. This test has been authorized only for the presence of total neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens. This test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C.  360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. About Todos Medical Ltd. Founded in Rehovot, Israel with offices in New York City, Todos Medical Ltd. (OTCQB: TOMDF) engineers life-saving diagnostic solutions for the early detection of a variety of cancers. The Company's state-of-the-art and patented Todos Biochemical Infrared Analyses (TBIA) is a proprietary cancer-screening technology using peripheral blood analysis that deploys deep examination into cancer's influence on the immune system, looking for biochemical changes in blood mononuclear cells and plasma. Todos' two internally-developed cancer-screening tests, TMB-1 and TMB-2, have received a CE mark in Europe. Todos recently acquired U.S.-based medical diagnostics company Provista Diagnostics, Inc. to gain rights to its Alpharetta, Georgia-based CLIA/CAP certified lab currently performing PCR COVID testing and Provista's proprietary commercial-stage Videssa breast cancer blood test. Todos is also developing blood tests for the early detection of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. The Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (LymPro Test) is a diagnostic blood test that determines the ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and monocytes to withstand an exogenous mitogenic stimulation that induces them to enter the cell cycle. It is believed that certain diseases, most notably Alzheimer's disease, are the result of compromised cellular machinery that leads to aberrant cell cycle re-entry by neurons, which then leads to apoptosis. LymPro is unique in the use of peripheral blood lymphocytes as a surrogate for neuronal cell function, suggesting a common relationship between PBLs and neurons in the brain. Todos has entered into distribution agreements with companies to distribute certain novel coronavirus (COVID-19) test kits. The agreements cover multiple international suppliers of PCR testing kits and related materials and supplies, as well as antibody testing kits from multiple manufacturers after completing validation of said testing kits and supplies in its partner CLIA/CAP certified laboratory in the United States. Additionally, Todos has entered into a joint venture with NLC Pharma to pursue the development of diagnostic tests targeting the 3CL protease, as well as 3CL protease inhibitors that target a fundamental reproductive mechanism of coronaviruses. For more information, please visit https://www.todosmedical.com/ . Forward-looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. For example, forward-looking statements are used when discussing our expected clinical development programs and clinical trials. These forward-looking statements are based only on current expectations of management, and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, including the risks and uncertainties related to the progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product development programs; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approval or patent protection for product candidates; competition from other biotechnology companies; and our ability to obtain additional funding required to conduct our research, development and commercialization activities. In addition, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and market requirements; delays or obstacles in launching our clinical trials; changes in legislation; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; lack of validation of our technology as we progress further and lack of acceptance of our methods by the scientific community; inability to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of our products; unforeseen scientific difficulties that may develop with our process; greater cost of final product than anticipated; loss of market share and pressure on pricing resulting from competition; and laboratory results that do not translate to equally good results in real settings, all of which could cause the actual results or performance to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, Todos Medical does not undertake any obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Todos Medical, please refer to its reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Todos Corporate and Investor Contact: Richard Galterio Todos Medical 732-642-7770 rich.g@todosmedical.com



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[July 19, 2021] Go1 Raises $200 Million in Series D Funding to Further Corporate Learning

SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Go1 , one of the worlds largest corporate education content hub for on-demand training and resources, announced today a $200M Series D round that has the company valued at more than USD $1B. The company plans to use this new investment to continue and create new partnerships, expand product offerings, and grow its physical presence globally to support the more than 3.5 million learners at more than 1,600 customer organizations worldwide.

This Series D funding round was led by new investor SoftBank Vision Fund 2*, as well as AirTree Ventures and Salesforce Ventures, with additional investors Blue Cloud Ventures, Larsen Ventures, Scott Shleifer and John Curtius from Tiger Global, and TEN13. Previous investors also contributed to the round, including M12  Microsofts venture fund  Madrona Venture Group, SEEK, and Y Combinator. To date, the company has raised more than USD $280M total inclusive of previous rounds. The support and funding that Go1 has received in its lifetime have been monumental to the companys growth thus far, said Andrew Barnes, Go1s CEO. However, this is just the beginning. Expanding in the US will allow Go1 to better engage, communicate and support customers and partners, especially as they consider a new hybrid work model. As society transitions out of the pandemic, ensuring that employees have opportunities to explore learning and development resources will be essential for team retention and encouraging employee growth within the organization. This latest round of funding will enable our team to not only expand internally with new global offices and job opportunities, but enables us to be hyper-focused on growing our user base and advancing our product features for our customers, Barnes said. Go1 set out in 2015 to become a learning and professional development resource for organizations and a critical distribution partner for content providers. Its easy integration and breadth of content have led to widespread adoption on both sides - corporations that now have a single subscription for all workplace training needs, and corporate learning content creators whose insights can find their way to a larger audience. When people think about music, they often think of Spotify and access to unlimited music for one subscription. We believe Go1 is the emerging category leader in providing a similar experience for corporate learning. Powered by AI and machine learning, Go1s platform provides an intuitive experience, and creates an opportunity for individuals to expand their professional development goals and explore the resources to help achieve them, said Nagraj Kashyap, Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. With premier education providers suc as EdX, Coursera, Skillsoft, and Harvard as part of Go1s subscription, organizations can curate learning content to fit the needs and interests of its workforce. We are delighted to partner with Andrew and the Go1 team help advance their vision of reaching one billion learners.



With more than 70 percent of its new revenue generated from markets outside its home base in Australia, Go1 will focus on scaling up its team and partnerships with new platform content and resources. The company increased its user base more than 300 percent year-over-year, largely driven by rapid expansion into these markets and key government contracts with the Malaysian and Singaporean governments. Go1 foresees additional expansion opportunities in the United States and Europe through its growing integration with Microsoft Teams, Workday, SAP and more. Our team worked closely with Go1 on a Microsoft Teams integration to enable more enterprises to maintain corporate training remotely, said Jeff Teper, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint. As many companies navigate in-person work scenarios, a plan for hybrid engagement is critical. Employees and students can access one of the worlds largest libraries of online learning resources with Go1 in Microsoft Teams. Companies can also onboard new talent and ensure essential trainings are provided regardless of employee location.

We have seen demand for online learning ramp up, including on Trailhead, as the pandemic drives consumers online and companies need people with the right skills to rapidly develop and deploy digital experiences for their customers, said Rob Keith, Head of Australia, Salesforce Ventures. Go1 is well positioned to support learners and companies to develop the skills needed for todays digital economy, with international growth and product innovation increasing the breadth and depth of its offering. Go1s content aggregation approach reimagines corporate education, enabling organizations to utilize learning, training and certification content from a variety of resources via its SaaS platform or by integrating into existing learning systems. We have been working closely with the Go1 team for a number of years and are thrilled with the progress to date, said Andrew Bassat, SEEK co-founder. Our continued investment reflects our ongoing commitment to help Go1 achieve its potential to help people to up-skill and re-skill themselves for work, which will be critical as the world recovers from the global pandemic. About Go1 Go1 makes it easy for organisations to learn, with the world's most comprehensive online library of learning resources. Go1 pulls the worlds top online learning providers into one place, delivering all the learning an organisation needs in a single solution. With over 3.5 million learners  and growing  Go1 is a world leader in online learning. Go1.com has raised over US$280M in total funding from investors including AirTree Ventures, Blue Cloud Ventures, Larsen Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, M12, Our Innovation Fund, Oxford University, Salesforce Ventures, SEEK, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, TEN13, and Y Combinator. To learn more, visit www.go1.com . Contact

Mike Dorsey for Go1

Go1@praytellagency.com *As of the date of this press release, SoftBank Group Corp. has made capital contributions to allow investments by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 ("SVF 2") in certain portfolio companies. The information included herein is made for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy limited partnership interests in any fund, including SVF 2. SVF 2 has yet to have an external close, and any potential third-party investors shall receive additional information related to any SVF 2 investments prior to closing. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19684cdc-eb9a-4639-a683-818a04fb22b9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7ff1a82c-a86a-4fc2-af28-58cf79177082

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b26cb126-9f95-4eb5-9ecc-80bf3bea48d1

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/364c64e4-190f-4b7a-9be1-430959f8335e



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World's Most Advanced AI Solutions Platform Appoints First Chief Marketing Officer to Accelerate Go-To-Market Engagements and Global Presence

As artificial intelligence (AI) permeates industries across global markets - leading to newfound business value for enterprises and organizations worldwide - SambaNova Systems, the company building the industry's most advanced software, hardware, and services to run AI applications, is accelerating its go-to-market and category creation strategy with the appointment of the company's first chief marketing officer, Amy D. Love.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005143/en/

Amy D. Love, SambaNova Systems Chief Marketing Officer (Photo: Business Wire)

With more than 25 years of marketing experience, Love will lead SambaNova's marketing department and advance its positioning, messaging and go-to-market activities, demonstrating how current and future customers can achieve unprecedented value and supercharge their competitive advantage with AI technology.

"We are thrilled to have Amy's exceptional go-to-market vision, which will strengthen SambaNova's team in concert with our continued momentum as the world's best positioned AI systems and services startup," said Rodrigo Liang, CEO and co-founder of SambaNova. "As SambaNova expands its reach across global markets and drives ahead as a leading AI platform solutions provider, Amy's expertise and leadership will be vital."

Love brings to SambaNova a wealth of experience across the technology industry, which includes time at Fortune 500, high-growth and startup companies. Most recently, she served as CMO at Pavilion Data Systems, an enterprise data storage company based in San Jose, California. Her prior positions include CMO at Violin Memory; and vice president of global brand and demand generation, vice president of brand and communication, and CMO at NetApp.

"I am honored to join the highly-accomplished and committed team at SambaNova. The immense opportunity for SambaNova to have a material and lasting impact on the global technology industry is unmatched," Love said. "Togeter, we are forging a new category of technology. I am thrilled to join the organization at a time when AI is catapulting organizations forward to achieve unmatched business outcomes leveraging the ease of SambaNova's full solution that yields results in days, not years."







SambaNova's flagship Dataflow-as-a-Service offering, an extensible AI services platform, enables organizations to jump-start AI initiatives overnight by augmenting existing capabilities and staffing, revolutionizing accessibility and empowering organizations in every industry to unleash AI's vast potential with a simple subscription. The platform is powered by DataScale, an integrated software and hardware platform delivering unrivaled performance, accuracy, scale, and ease of use built on SambaNova's Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture (RDA).

Amy's addition to the company comes as SambaNova continues to be recognized by the industry, including in June 2021 when Gartner (News - Alert) named SambaNova a Cool Vendor in its "Cool Vendors in AI Semiconductors" report. SambaNova is extremely well positioned for accelerated growth given its latest funding round, which launched the company to status as the best-funded AI systems and services platform in the world with over $1 billion in funding.

SambaNova has also been recognized as the Best AI Product in Next-Generation Infrastructure by CogX. The company was named one of CRN's 10 Hottest AI Chip Makers in 2021 and one of CRN's 20 Coolest Tech Startups Of 2020. SambaNova was also Great Place to Work certified in 2021.

About SambaNova Systems

SambaNova Systems is an AI innovation company that empowers organizations to deploy best-in-class solutions for computer vision, natural language processing, recommendation systems, and AI for science with confidence. SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service , helps organizations rapidly deploy AI in days, unlocking new revenue and boosting operational efficiency. SambaNova's DataScale is an integrated software and hardware system using Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture(RDA), along with open standards and user interfaces. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, SambaNova Systems was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries, hardware, and software design experts from Sun/Oracle and Stanford University. Investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel (News - Alert) Capital, GV, Walden International, Temasek, GIC, Redline Capital, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, WRVI Capital, and several others. For more information please visit us at sambanova.ai or contact us at info@sambanova.ai. Follow SambaNova Systems on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005143/en/
[July 19, 2021] Fuze Identified as a Contender in the 2021 Aragon Research Globe for Intelligent Contact Center

Fuze, the leading cloud-based communications provider for the modern global enterprise, today announced that it has been named a Contender in the Aragon Research Globe for Intelligent Contact Center (ICC). The report notes Fuze's ability to offer an integrated ICC and unified communications and collaboration offering, providing the audio, video, and chat capabilities required for a more effective and productive contact center experience. "The Fuze Platform has continued to push the envelope on ease of use, leveraging its wholly owned IP for audio, video, and chat, and this is why it has continued to win large enterprise deals," said Jim Lundy, CEO and Lead Analyst of Aragon Research. "As enterprises realize the need for an integrated ICC and UCC offering Fuze offers those buyers a significant set of capabilities." Fuze continues to invest in its contact center solutions. In March, the company announced a series of new product features to enhance the Fuze Contact Center experience for agents and supervisors, providing users with a holistic view of their contact center activities and deeper insight into agent performance. Fuze now also offers Fuze Contact Center as a standalone solution for enterprises that require a contact center for high-level customer experiences, with faster deployment and implementation services for accelerated enablement. Further, Fuze's partnerships with organizations like Verint Monet and Envision create enhanced workforce engagement capabilities.



"We believe that being identified as a Contender in the ICC Globe is a testament to the value we bring to contact center operations. Fuze contact center solutions are specifically designed to meet the evolving demands of a growing digital economy," said Rob Scudiere, president and chief operating officer at Fuze. "Unified communications is at the heart of the modern intelligent contact center, and we are well-positioned to support the pivot to virtual agents across industries - a movement that will enable increased efficiencies within contact center operations and drive more impactful agent interactions." With the rise of hybrid work emerging in the wake of the pandemic, the demand for cloud contact centers is growing, forcing enterprises to develop a digital labor strategy to remain competitive within the ICC market. The Aragon Research Globe for Intelligent Contact Center is a market evaluation tool that measures 15 major vendors' ability to provide virtual agent offerings, placing them within four categories: Leaders, Contenders, Innovators and Specialists. Companies within the contender category have strong performance, and are well-positioned to expand their strategic focus in this space.

The full Aragon Research Globe for Intelligent Contact Center can be found here. Aragon Research does not endorse vendors, or their products or services that are referenced in its research publications, and does not advise users to select those vendors that are rated the highest. Aragon Research publications consist of the opinions of Aragon Research and Advisory Services organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Aragon Research provides its research publications and the information contained in them "AS IS," without warranty of any kind. About Fuze Fuze is a global cloud communications provider for the enterprise. Our intuitive unified communications and contact center platform enables seamless transition between calling, meeting, chatting, and sharing powered by the industry-leading intelligent cloud architecture. Fuze empowers the digital and distributed workforce to communicate anywhere, anytime, and across any device. Founded in 2006, Fuze is headquartered in Boston, MA with offices around the world. For more information, visit fuze.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005241/en/

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[July 19, 2021] GMH Communities and CBRE Global Investors Fund Announce Strategic Joint Venture for Student Housing Investment

GMH Communities ("GMH") and a fund sponsored by CBRE Global Investors have entered into a programmatic joint venture to acquire existing core and value-add student housing assets for GMH's Student Living vertical in select markets across the United States. As the joint venture's first investment, GMH and CBRE Global Investors ("the JV") have acquired SOVA Student Living, a 248-unit student housing community in Marietta, Ga., that services Kennesaw State University. "Our partnership with CBRE Global Investors enables us to rapidly grow our student housing portfolio and bring a global institutional platform to a long-term asset class," said Gary Holloway Jr., President of GMH Communities. "As a pioneer and one of the nation's leading owners, developers and managers of high-quality student housing, GMH has a proven track record of 36 years and overcoming multiple market cycles in this highly specialized sector. We believe that CBRE Global Investors is the ideal, experienced partner that shares our long-term strategy, and we look forward to a successful endeavor in the months and years to come." SOVA Student Living was delivered in 2019 and is located at 3021 Hidden Forest Drive. The five-story building can house up to 816 students and offers a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom fully furnished apartments. Each apartment features bed/bath parity and high-end finishes, like stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, faux wood flooring, oversized closets, and private outdoor space. SOVA Student Living is located less than a mile from Kennesaw State University, wich is the second largest university in Georgia and has seen its on-campus enrollment grow an average of 6 percent year-over-year for the last decade.



"With U.S. college enrollment climbing each year, the student housing sector has tended to be resilient through various cycles," said Kim Hourihan, Chief Investment Officer for CBRE Global Investors' Americas Direct Real Estate Strategies. "SOVA is the first of many strategic investments that we will make with GMH, and we look forward to continue growing our partnership with this best-in-class operator." Given strong market fundamentals, GMH and CBRE Global Investors share a strong conviction in student housing as a long-term institutional asset class. The partnership will target varying return levels and risk profiles. The first phase of the strategic partnership involves acquiring and repositioning, if necessary, strategic student housing communities over the next 18 months.

In total, GMH has owned and operated over 89,600 student housing beds in its 36-year history. Recent additions to its growing portfolio include SOVA in Marietta, Georgia, The Dean Campustown in Champaign, Illinois, and Academy65 in Sacramento, California. About GMH Communities Headquartered in Newtown Square, PA, GMH Communities is a dynamic, privately-held real estate company specializing in the acquisition, development and management of exceptional living communities throughout the United States. Since 1985, GMH has participated in over 300 transactions representing more than $8 billion of gross asset value across all major property types. For more information, visit www.gmhcommunities.com. About CBRE Global Investors CBRE Global Investors is a global real assets investment management firm with $124.5 billion in assets under management* as of March 31, 2021. The firm sponsors investment programs across the risk/return spectrum for investors worldwide. CBRE Global Investors is an independently operated affiliate of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE). It harnesses the research, investment sourcing and other resources of the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2020 revenue) for the benefit of its investors. CBRE Group, Inc. has more than 100,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. For more information about CBRE Global Investors, please visit www.cbreglobalinvestors.com. *Assets under management (AUM) refers to the fair market value of real assets-related investments with respect to which CBRE Global Investors provides, on a global basis, oversight, investment management services and other advice and which generally consist of investments in real assets; equity in funds and joint ventures; securities portfolios; operating companies and real assets-related loans. This AUM is intended principally to reflect the extent of CBRE Global Investors' presence in the global real assets market, and its calculation of AUM may differ from the calculations of other asset managers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005429/en/

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[July 19, 2021] SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGIES CHOOSES THE BRIGHTSPACE PLATFORM

Kitchener, Waterloo, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global learning technology leader D2L announced today that the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) has selected D2L as its learning partner to help them quickly shift from fully in-person to fully online and hybrid learning.



SIIT is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The institute was established to meet the needs of learners and provide programs that reflect the labour market needs and standards. Today, as an Indigenous institution governed by First Nation leaders, SIIT is made up of more than 95% Indigenous students and 65% Indigenous staff and reaches learners from across Saskatchewan and Canada. SIIT picked the Brightspace platform for its easy-to-use interface, its host of integration and reporting capabilities and its strong mobile strategy. SIIT also took advantage of D2Ls Quick Start Package, which allowed them to get up and running in less than 90 days for its career training programs.



As a First Nation-governed institution, SIIT has a responsibility to respond to the needs of our communities and nations, said Allison Rinas, Career Services Coordinator at SIIT. Were proud to partner with Brightspace to create a modern, accessible, and resilient learning infrastructure for our students, wherever they are located. Following the successful transition of SIITs JobSeries programs from fully in-person to fully online, SIIT chose to replace a legacy system with the Brightspace platform for the remainder of its academic programs. SIITs offerings cover a range of disciplines and levels from Adult Basic Education, to Trades and Industrial, as well as post-secondary program areas like Business and Nursing. Building off of the excitement and energy generated by our annual Fusion conference, were celebrating our customers and the ways in which they are changing the world, said John Baker, President and CEO at D2L. D2L has been an education technology leader for more than 20 years and in that time, weve seen online learning go froma nice-to-have add-on to become a vital part of learning  and a tool that can be used by educators to support the unique educational needs of Indigenous communities. Were proud to partner with learning institutions like SIIT who are using online learning to reach learners everywhere and to create exceptional experiences for their learners.





ABOUT D2L BRIGHTSPACE

D2L Brightspace is a cloud-based learning platform built for people who care deeply about student success and helping to prepare them for what comes next.



It gives faculty across your institution tools theyre going to love, makes it easy to support exceptional student experiences in the classroom or fully online. D2L Brightspace is designed in close collaboration with clients around the world  building a pedagogically rich set of features to improve engagement, retention and learning outcomes. It also makes it easier to do assessment and give feedback.



D2L Brightspace is worry-free with 99.99% reliability. Its highly accessible and looks beautiful on any mobile device, making it easier for educators to reach every learner.



D2L Brightspace has won multiple industry awards, including the #1 LMS Technology for next-generation online teaching and learning. To learn more, visit D2L for Higher Education. ABOUT D2L D2L is transforming the way the world learns  helping learners of all ages achieve more than they dreamed possible. Working closely with clients all over the world, D2L is supporting millions of people learning online and in person. Our more than 950 global employees are dedicated to making the best learning products to leave the world better than where they found it. Learn more about D2L for K-12, higher education and businesses at www.D2L.com. D2L MEDIA CONTACT Christine DAngela

Director, External Strategic Communications, D2L Corporation

pr@D2L.com Twitter: @D2L  2021 D2L Corporation. The D2L family of companies includes D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L Asia Pte Ltd, and D2L Brasil Solucoes de Tecnologia para Educacao Ltda. All D2L marks are trademarks of D2L Corporation. Please visit D2L.com/trademarks for a list of D2L marks. ABOUT SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGIES (SIIT)



SIIT was established in 1976 by Saskatchewan First Nations leaders representing all Treaty areas. Today, SIIT remains a First Nation-governed educational institution, one of only four credit granting post-secondary institutions in the province  and the only accredited Indigenous institution. SIIT provides adult learners with academic, vocational and technical training as well as services and supports for employment and career growth. Indigenous learners are at the core of SIIT, representing over 95% of the student body. SIIT MEDIA CONTACT

Dr. Victoria Lamb Drover Director, Strategic Communications

Phone: (306) 441-5418

Email: droverv@siit.ca



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[July 19, 2021] Chase Sapphire Kicks Off "Sapphire Supports Restaurants Contest" to Award $1 Million in Grants to Local Restaurants

Chase Sapphire, in collaboration with restaurant discovery platform, The Infatuation, announces "Sapphire Supports Restaurants Contest," an initiative that will give 20 grants of $50,000 each to small business restaurants across America to provide COVID-19 pandemic recovery assistance. Starting today, consumers can nominate their favorite local restaurant to be eligible to win one of 20 $50,000 grants. Contest entries are centered around a prompt asking diners across the country to share what their favorite local restaurant means to them, the role the restaurant plays in the community, and to describe the tenacity they've shown through the pandemic. "Small businesses and local restaurants are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods," said Marleta Ross, General Manager of Chase Sapphire. "The past year has been challenging, especially for the smaller, local places that are some of our favorites. Sapphire wants to recognize these establishments, the people behind themand the service they provide for their communities and help them along in their recovery so they can keep doing what they do best."



Entries will be accepted through August 16, 2021 and will be reviewed by a panel of culinary industry insiders who will consider a variety of factors including the restaurant's impact to the community; their innovation or creativity during the pandemic; and the nominator's passion for the restaurant. There will be five winning restaurants from each of the four geographical regions across the U.S. Eligible restaurants must be located in the United States; have no more than two locations; no more than 50 full-time employees; and have been open prior to or as of March 1, 2020. Additional details can be found here.

You can learn more about the Sapphire Supports Restaurants Contest and submit your favorite local restaurants at www.chase.com/sapphire-supports. About Chase Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves more than 60 million American households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: More than 4,700 branches in 44 states and the District of Columbia, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005491/en/

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[July 19, 2021] FANUC America and Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Have Aligned to Co-Market the Stackability of Their Industry-Recognized Certifications

FANUC America, the leading supplier of CNCs, robotics, and ROBOMACHINEs, and MSSC, the long-established U.S. leader in certifying front-line production technicians with foundational skills in advanced manufacturing and logistics, have aligned to co-market the stackability of their respective industry-recognized certifications. This alliance represents a major step to address the acute shortage of skilled industrial robotics and automation operators. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005653/en/ FANUC offers industry 4.0 Connected Smart Manufacturing  occupational pathways and stackable certifications to develop entry- level skills for exciting careers in robotics and automation. Here, a welding operator works with an easy-to-use FANUC CRX Cobot. (Photo: Business Wire) Both organizations offer their certification assessments through NOCTI/Nocti Business Solutions ( NBS (News - Alert) ), the leader in industry-developed and recognized certification assessments that follow international standards for personnel certification (ISO 17024). NOCTI/NBS have developed and validated the end-of-course assessments for both FANUC and MSSC to certify their technicians. This partnership creates a streamlined approach for schools and industry partners when administering the certifications. FANUC offers industry 4.0 Connected Smart Manufacturing  occupational pathways and stackable certifications beginning with the FANUC Certified Robot-Operator (FCR-O1 & FCR- O2 (News - Alert) ) to develop entry- level skills for exciting careers in robotics and automation. The objective is to align students and job seekers on a pathway to become advanced automation operators, technicians, systems integration specialists, or engineers. The US supply chain is confronting a severe shortage of entry-level operator job applicants with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to perform complex operator tasks. In addition, the accelerated use of emerging digital technologies in manufacturing is making it even more difficult to fill the skills gap. MSSC has recently upgraded its signatue Certified Production Technician (CPT) program for entry-level front-line production technicians to add a fundamental understanding of Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, 3D (Additive), Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), Data Analytics, Autonomous Robots, Augmented Reality, Nano-manufacturing and Advanced Materials.



Dr. Katherine Manley, an eminent national expert on industrial assessments, recently completed a detailed crosswalk between FANUC's FCR-O1 and FCR-O2, and MSSC's CPT and found a high level of complementary synergies between these two nationally portable, widely respected industry certification programs. MSSC offers the added benefit of a nationwide delivery system of some 2900 MSSC-trained instructors and 1900 MSSC-qualified test sites, mostly at high schools and community colleges, and 72 technical field reps, in all 50 states. "The collaboration between FANUC and MSSC will provide a major benefit to employers looking to fill industry 4.0 robotics and CNC technical positions," said Paul Aiello (News - Alert) , Executive Director of Education at FANUC America. "The manufacturing industry in the U.S. is facing a growing shortage of higher-skilled technicians vitally needed at the operator level. We look forward to incorporating the highly regarded MSSC foundational CPT certification programs into our robotics and CNC operator training pathways, and will encourage our customers to use the CPT certifications as part of their employee training."

Adds Neil Reddy, CEO of MSSC, "Given the close fit between these FANUC and MSSC Certifications, we will encourage our entire nationwide network to use both to prepare individuals to build a robust pipeline of world-class robotics operators. The digital transformation of manufacturing globally requires the U.S. to build a highly competitive, next generation front-line workforce capable of keeping pace with technological change." About MSSC Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) , a 501(c)3 non-profit, is an industry-led, training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation's front-line production and material handling technicians. The nationwide MSSC System, based upon industry-defined and federally endorsed standards, offers both entry-level and incumbent workers the opportunity to demonstrate that they have acquired the skills increasingly needed in the technology-intensive jobs of the 21st century. For more information, contact Catherine Feeney, Senior Marketing Manager at cfeeney@msscusa.org or at 219-793-5309. About FANUC America Corporation FANUC America Corporation is a subsidiary of FANUC CORPORATION in Japan, and provides industry-leading CNC systems, robotics and factory automation. FANUC's innovative technologies and proven expertise help manufacturers in the Americas maximize productivity, reliability and profitability. FANUC embraces a culture of "Service First" which means that customer service is our highest priority. We are committed to supplying our customers with parts and support for the life of their FANUC products. FANUC America is headquartered at 3900 W. Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, and has facilities in: Auburn Hills, MI; Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Houston; Huntington Beach, CA (News - Alert) ; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Montreal; Pine Brook, NJ; Pontiac, MI; Birmingham, AL; San Francisco; Seattle; Toronto; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sao Paulo, and Manaus, Brazil; and Aguascalientes, Monterrey, and Queretaro, Mexico. For more information, please call: 888-FANUC-US (888-326-8287) or visit our website: www.fanucamerica.com . Also, connect with us on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005653/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Global Growth Executive joins Headspring as Chief Commercial Officer

AUSTIN, Texas, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Software consultancy Headspring has appointed Karen Freitag as Chief Commercial Officer. Karen is a proven business leader set to scale Headspring's mission across all business units and geographies. As CCO, she will guide Sales and Marketing while leveraging her extensive cloud and SaaS expertise to expand Headspring's client base, become more deeply integrated with existing partners, and drive additional value and offerings. Karen has spent the majority of her career growing large, multinational companies like IBM, Nortel Networks, Ericsson, and Sprint. She's thrived by applying her world-class IBM Sales training across industries, most recently for two startups in the technology sector. With Headspring, she looks forward to putting systems and processes in place to drive success while maintaining the agility and client focus of an entrepreneurial firm. "I hae a great respect for Headspring and how they've grown the business already," comments Karen. "I see so many areas of opportunity here and I look forward to further elevating this amazing company that has accomplished so much already."



Headspring's CEO, Dustin Wells, notes the synergy he discovered with Karen. "When I asked her about her ideal role, she mentioned Growth, People & Talent, and Relationships. These were the top things I was looking for, and during months of mutual vetting, I found that she has a proven record of delivering all three." Karen's addition represents a new stage of growth for Headspring. She sets a new pace for the company with her approach to problem solving, training and team building, consulting and partnering, and customer relationships. Karen's experience benefits not just the business, but everyone who works with her.

"Our commitment to employees is that they will grow faster here than anywhere else," explains Dustin. "Karen not only brings the corporate experience to drive business growth, but she has a proven track record of building and developing amazing teams." About Karen

Karen Freitag is a global sales executive with a rare combination of operational experience, P&L responsibility, technical knowledge, and high-growth sales performance history. She achieved impressive results with IBM, Nortel Networks, Ericsson, and Sprint, before leading two technology startups to rapid growth. About Headspring

Headspring is a technology and software consultancy transforming organizations with cloud-first solutions, from application development to architectural strategy to legacy system transformation. Headspring's teams are motivated daily by the core belief that great software has the power to transform organizations and lives. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-growth-executive-joins-headspring-as-chief-commercial-officer-301336595.html SOURCE Headspring

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[July 19, 2021] Kim Spencer McPhee Barristers, P.C. Publishes This Notice of Certification and Notice of Hearing for Settlement Approval of the Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. Securities Class Action

Kim Spencer McPhee Barristers, P.C. today announces a proposed securities class action settlement regarding Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. ("IPCI"). In 2019, a proposed securities class action was commenced against IPCI and Isa Odidi, IPCI's CEO and Chairman of the Board, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (the "Court"). It is alleged that during the period from February 29, 2016 to and including July 26, 2017 (the "Class Period"), IPCI made misrepresentations and omissions regarding a New Drug Application made to the United States Food and Drug Administration for an opioid analgesic called Rexista. The parties have reached a proposed settlement of the class action, which is subject to approval by the Court (the "Agreement"). The Defendants do not admit any wrongdoing or liability. The Agreement is a compromise of disputed claims. This Notice provides a summary of the proposed settlement. Under the Agreement, the Defendants will pay or cause to be paid CAD $266,000 (the "Settlement Amount") in full and final settlement of all claims against them, including Class Counsel's fees, applicable taxes and expenses, and interest, in exchange for a full release and a dismissal of the class action. Due to the limited monetary amount of the settlement, settlement funds will not be distributed to Class Members, but rather any amounts remaining after amounts approved by the Court to be paid to the Plaintiff and Class Counsel, will be provided cy pres to the Class Actions Clinic at the University of Windsor Law School. Investors can opt-out of the proposed settlement and pursue their own action with their own lawyer at their own expense. A copy of the long-form notice providing greater detail about the settlement, including about Class Cousel's fees that will be requested of the Court, your right to oppose the settlement, the hearing of the motion to approve the settlement, and the right to opt-out is available at https://investorcomplexlaw.com/intellipharmaceutics-international-inc/.



There will be a hearing (the "Approval Hearing") in which Class Counsel will request the Court to approve (i) the Agreement; and (ii) their legal fees and expenses. The Approval Hearing shall take place on October 12, 2021 at 10:00AM. The Approval Hearing is scheduled to take place in person at the Courthouse at Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St W., Toronto, ON (News - Alert) ., but due to the COVID pandemic may need to be conducted via video-conferencing methods such as Zoom or by conference call, as directed by further order of the Court. At the Approval Hearing, the Court will determine whether the Agreement is fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the Class. At the Approval Hearing, Class Counsel will also seek Court approval of their request for fees equal to CAD $130,000 plus reimbursement of their relevant expenses. Class Counsel has been working under a contingency-fee agreement, has not been paid as the matter has proceeded, and has paid all the expenses of conducting the litigation. Class Counsel will be requesting that the legal fees and disbursements be deducted from the Settlement Amount.

Any Class Member may participate in the Approval Hearing to object to the Agreement or comment on the Agreement or Class Counsel's request for fees, so long as they email any objections or comments to Class Counsel at info@investorcomplexlaw.com no later than August 27, 2021 at 5:00pm EST. Class Members who do not email an objection or comment by August 27, 2021 at 5:00pm EST will not be permitted to participate in the Approval Hearing. The French Long-Form Notice may be found at

https://investorcomplexlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Intellipharmaceutics_Long-Form_First_Notice_FR.pdf The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has authorized distribution of this Notice.

Questions about this Notice should NOT be directed to the Court. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005686/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Teledyne Awarded $39.2 Million U.S. Navy Contract for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) announced today that its subsidiary, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc., was awarded an indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery contract with a maximum base value of $27.4 million from the U.S. Navy for the Littoral Battlespace Sensing-Glider (LBS-G) program. The contract, awarded under full and open competition, includes a single five-year ordering period and five one-year option periods. The option periods, if exercised, have a ceiling value of $39.2 million. Teledyne Slocum gliders are long-endurance, buoyancy-driven autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that provide a highly persistent means to sample and characterize the ocean water column properties. They can do this at spatial and temporal resolutions not possible using other vessels or tactical units alone. The AUVs host a range of oceanographic sensors to support antisubmarine warfare, mine countermeasures and Naval Special Warfare mission areas. Teledyne Brown Engineering and sister company, Teledyne Webb Research, will perform the design, development, fabrication, production, test, and support of the LBS-G systems. Under a previous contract awarded in 2009, Teledyne delivered 203 gliders to the U.S. Navy. "We are pleased to announce the continuation of Teledyne's successful partnership with the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command to deliver this capability," stated Jan Hess, President of Teledyne's Engineered System Segment and Teledyne Brown Engineering. "We look forward to supporting the Navy and assisting with its awareness and understanding of the ocean's conditions." Teledyne Slocum gliders provide the U.S. Navy the capability to conduct persistent sampling of large ocean areas for long periods of time. They also allow focused smpling to obtain extremely high-resolution data within a smaller, tactically significant operating area. The LBS-G System, part of the LBS Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUV) program, is part of a solution to close critical capability gaps allowing the U.S. Navy to characterize adequately and persistently the physical ocean environment on tactical and strategic scales in a battlespace.



About Teledyne Brown Engineering Teledyne Brown Engineering is an industry leader in full-spectrum engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions for harsh environments in space, defense, energy, and maritime industries. For over six decades, the company has successfully delivered innovative systems, integration, operations, and technology development worldwide. For more information, visit Teledyne Brown Engineering's website at www.tbe.com.

About Teledyne Webb Research: Teledyne Webb Research designs and manufactures scientific instruments for oceanographic research and monitoring with a focus on extended observations over both time and space. Teledyne Webb Research specializes in three areas of ocean instrumentation: neutrally buoyant, autonomous drifters and profilers (10,000 delivered to date), autonomous underwater gliding vehicles (900 delivered to date) and moored underwater sound sources. These systems are core to several major ocean monitoring programs including the international Argo array, the National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative and the U.S. Navy Littoral Battlespace Sensing - Glider (LBS-G) program of record. A Teledyne Webb Research Slocum glider, the Scarlet Knight, was the first unmanned vehicle to cross an ocean. For more information, visit Teledyne Webb Research's website at www.teledynemarine.com/webb-research. About Teledyne Technologies Incorporated Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated digital imaging products and software, instrumentation, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies' operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at www.teledyne.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005694/en/

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[July 19, 2021] Even Financial Reaches $3 Billion In Credit Issued Milestone

NEW YORK, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Even Financial ("Even"), the leading search, comparison, and recommendation engine for financial services, announced it has now facilitated over $3 billion in consumer credit, as of July 2021. Leveraging machine learning and advanced data science, Even solves a significant pain point in financial services customer acquisition by seamlessly bridging financial institutions and channel partners via its industry-leading API and embedded finance marketplaces. Founded in 2014, Even Financial is a B2B fintech company that is evolving the way financial institutions interact with consumers. Enterprises and established channel partners such as SoFi and TransUnion rely on Even to power financial product offers for loans and other financial services including insurance, credit cards, and savings. Even surfaces financial product offers for millions of consumers each month, providing an optimal user experience, security, and product recommendations. "Our goal is to transform the way financial institutions find and connect ith customers, while ensuring that those consumers enjoy the superb user experience they deserve and expect," said Phill Rosen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Even. "Hitting this key milestone in credit issued is a defining moment for our entire team and network of more than 800 partners."



Even offers the largest network of premium, API-connected loan providers across products including unsecured personal loans, secured personal loans, line of credit, student loan refinancing, and auto loan refinancing. Leading financial institutions and fintechs such as LendingClub and SoFi partner with Even to reach qualified consumers searching for loans, benefiting from Even's unparalleled network and native integrations. Underlying the strong momentum in its business model, Even has grown its network of loan providers by 67% since 2019. The company has continued its rapid growth trajectory in 2021. In addition to facilitating over $3 billion in consumer credit issued, Even has expanded its platform to over 800 partners. Earlier this year, Even was named one of "America's Best Startup Employers'' by Forbes for 2021 and placed in the Top 50 of the 2020 Deloitte Technology Fast 500, which recognizes the fastest growing tech companies in the world.

About Even Financial

Founded in 2014, Even Financial is a B2B fintech company that is transforming the way financial institutions find and connect with consumers. As the leading search, comparison, and recommendation engine for financial services, Even seamlessly bridges financial institutions (such as SoFi) and channel partners (such as TransUnion) via its simple yet robust API and embeddable solutions. Even turns any consumer touchpoint into a comprehensive financial services marketplace with full compliance and security at scale. The company is backed by leading financial services firms and VCs, including American Express Ventures, Canaan Partners, Citi Ventures, Fidelity's F-Prime Capital, Greatpoint Ventures, Goldman Sachs, LendingClub, and MassMutual Ventures. Learn more at www.evenfinancial.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/even-financial-reaches-3-billion-in-credit-issued-milestone-301336700.html SOURCE Even Financial

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[July 19, 2021] Facturation.net partners with FMP, solidifying its position as a leader in medical billing

MONTREAL, July 19, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Facturation.net, a member of the Purkinje Group, the leading medical billing company in Quebec, has announced the acquisition of Les services informatiques F.M.P. Inc., one of the largest providers of digital solutions in the field in Quebec. "We are pleased to announce that the Les services informatiques F.M.P. team is now part of the Purkinje Group. Some bright talents will be joining us so that we can continue innovating in the medical billing field and offering top-quality service to all of our customers," stated Francois Carignan, President and CEO of Facturation.net. Their high level of expertise in medical billing services will be an asset for us in strengthening our leadership position with physicians and medical billing agencies. The addition of physicians billing the RAMQ throug Les services informatiques F.M.P. confirms Facturation.net's position as the number one choice for general practitioners and 26 medical specialties.



"We are optimistic about joining the Facturation.net team to provide innovative medical billing solutions," confirmed F.M.P.'s directors, who remain part of the Purkinje Group. The two companies are partnering to achieve their common goal, which is to simplify the everyday operations of physicians and medical billing agencies. F.M.P.'s current customers will continue to work with the same billing experts and can count on the same quality of service. About Facturation.net

A Canadian company whose head offices are located in Quebec City, Facturation.net has been responsible for medical billing and has been simplifying the everyday operations of general practitioners and specialists for over 35 years. Facturation.net has become the leader in its field thanks to its easy-to-use solution and its teams of competent, dedicated experts. Facturation.net provides general practitioners and specialists with peace of mind when it comes to medical billing.

About F.M.P.

F.M.P. is a Quebec company whose head offices are located in Montreal. Working since 1990 as a software provider recognized by the RAMQ and as a Quebec medical billing agency, FMP offers a fully personalized, customized approach. F.M.P. is also affiliated with the Doctors Billing Services (D.B.S.) billing agency, which also offers medical billing services, and which will join the Purkinje Group. SOURCE Facturation.net

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[July 19, 2021] NASA Invites Media to Launch of Landsat 9 From West Coast

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Media accreditation is open for the upcoming launch of the Landsat 9 satellite, a joint NASA and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mission that will continue the legacy of monitoring Earth's land and coastal regions that began with the first Landsat in 1972. Landsat 9 is scheduled to launch Sept. 16, 2021, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch is managed by NASA's Launch Services Program, based at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Live coverage of the launch will air on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website. Both U.S. and U.S.-based international media, as described in NASA's newly released agencywide media accreditation policy, must apply by 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Media accreditation requests must be submitted online at:



https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, NASA will be credentialing a limited number of media to cover the Landsat 9 launch from Vandenberg. With COVID-19 safety restrictions at the base and quarantine requirements, international media who would be traveling from overseas will not be able to register for this launch. International media based in the U.S. may also apply.

NASA is proactively monitoring the coronavirus situation as it evolves. The agency will continue to follow guidance from local officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the agency's chief health and medical officer and will communicate any updates that may impact mission planning or media access as they become available. Once fully commissioned in orbit, Landsat 9 will replace Landsat 7, and join its sister satellite Landsat 8 to collect images from across the planet every eight days. This calibrated data will continue the Landsat program's critical role in monitoring land use and helping decisionmakers manage essential resources including crops, water resources, and forests. Images from Landsat 9 will be added to nearly 50 years of free and publicly available data from the mission  the longest data record of Earth's landscapes from space. With Landsat's medium resolution, researchers harmonize the images to detect the footprint of human activities and their impact on climate change over the decades. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Landsat 9 mission. Goddard teams also built and tested one of the two instruments on Landsat 9, the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) instrument. TIRS-2 will use thermal imaging to make measurements that are used to calculate soil moisture and detect the health of plants. The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will operate the mission and manage the ground system, including maintaining the Landsat archive. Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, built and tested the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2) instrument, another imaging sensor. Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona, built the Landsat 9 spacecraft, integrated it with instruments, and tested the observatory. For more information about Landsat, visit: https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov and www.usgs.gov/landsat Para obtener informacion sobre cobertura en espanol en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en espanol, comuniquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-invites-media-to-launch-of-landsat-9-from-west-coast-301336812.html SOURCE NASA

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[July 19, 2021] FHLB Dallas and Members Award $600K to 37 Community Organizations

More than $600,000 in funding was awarded to 37 community-based organizations (CBOs) by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and its members. FHLB Dallas awarded $400,000 in Partnership Grant Program ( PGP (News - Alert) ) grants, and its members provided an additional $200,250. Through this unique program, FHLB Dallas member institutions contribute $500 to $4,000 to a CBO, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio to provide the CBO up to $24,000 per member and $60,000 per year in grant money. PGP grants are awarded annually through FHLB Dallas' member institutions and help promote and strengthen relationships between CBOs and members. "We designed the PGP to help our members build and strengthen relationships with local community-based organizations," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. "The funds will help our members directly impact their communities by providing nonprofits the means to contribute resources they need to serve their citizens." Among participating members in the program are First Security Bank in Searcy, Arkansas; Origin Bank in Choudrant, Louisiana; Bank of Commerce in Greenwood, Mississippi; Wells Fargo (News - Alert) in Houston, Texas; and Texas Bank Financial in Weatherford, Texas. Here's what members had to say about the impact of the PGP: "First Security Bank values its partnership with FHLB Dallas and the wonderful programs it provides. We are excited to further assist nonprofits in our communities through the PGP." - Andrea Lewis, CRA Officer at First Security Bank, Searcy, Arkansas "PGP is a vital progrm that several of our community organizations rely on for funding. The program is twofold for Origin Bank as it has strengthened our relationship with the nonprofit, and the program also puts the bank's name out in the community."



- Shelia Grayson, Vice President CRA at Origin Bank, Choudrant, Louisiana "The program allows us to reinvest funds back into underserved communities that need it most. We are honored to partner with FHLB Dallas this year."

- Timothy Stanciel, Vice President and CRA Officer at Bank of Commerce, Greenwood, Mississippi "FHLB Dallas has helped us build new relationships with community-driven organizations through the Partnership Grant Program. Wells Fargo is committed to serve the community by providing critical resources to serve our nonprofit organizations through this opportunity." - Patricia Parina, VP, Relationship Manager at Wells Fargo, Houston, Texas "Texas Bank Financial is committed to providing funding for nonprofit organizations to aid them in assisting the community. We are honored to partner with FHLB Dallas." - Mark Riebe, President & CEO at Texas Bank Financial, Weatherford, Texas The PGP may be used for: - Organizational capacity-building

- Assistance with applying for grants and other funding sources

- Research and studies

- Contractual services See the complete list of the 2021 PGP grant recipients. For more information about the 2021 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $61.1 billion as of March 31, 2021, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005818/en/

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In the aftermath of camps cleared out of Westport on Sunday we notice homeless on the move and looking for a new Kansas City location to reside/squat.

Westport camp denizens have now taken up space in Penn Valley Park and we've heard that Independence Ave. is enduring a "deluge" of disenfranchised new residents in public right of ways, adding to already crowded spaces.



And so in order to expose "root causes" that led up to this crisis and to counter claims of "success" by Mayor Q, we share a bit of wisdom from a Kansas City Insider on Sunday.



Here's the word . . .



"Mayor Quinton Lucas created this situation. He spend MILLIONS to cater to the homeless and negotiated with them directly rather than listening to neighborhoods, stakeholders and voters about this problem. The influx of homeless that we've seen directly correlates to the benefits and services he has offered. Of course this is an ongoing problem but the numbers have never been this bad, even during times of similar economic hardship. The connection is obvious. The 'generosity' that Mayor Lucas has shown the homeless has done nothing more than bolster their numbers and worsen the problem."

Sadly, there hasn't been much political benefit for the Mayor . . .

"He is the most unpopular Mayor we've had in years."

TKC was surprised by that statement because we thought that honor belonged to Mark Funkhouser.

Perspective . . .

"He's not going to pick up any votes in the Northland. Northeast and the Westside have turned on him. His Midtown support is nominal and voters who really know South KC have seen the decline of his influence. I'm doubtful that he will be able to turn out enough East side voters to stay in power now that his track record has proven so horrible."



Back to the homeless problem . . .

"He decided that he's going to be a mayor for the homeless and that's a mistake from which he cannot recover. Clearing out a few people today doesn't erase the damage that has been done. Today he's merely sweeping the problem under the rug . . . It's not going to work."



There's more news on this story that continues to evolve and as homeless retreat to new locations across the metro.

Developing . . .


Picking up this worthwhile interview from the weekend given its political implications in an upcoming election . . .



"Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach explains how the Obama-era DACA immigration policy violates federal law"

Here's the word from his camp . . .



Kris Kobach appeared on Fox and Friends to discuss a federal judge's ruling against the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program.



"Finally, justice is done," said Kobach. "DACA was illegal for many reasons and violates several federal laws."



Kris Kobach represented ten ICE agents in the first lawsuit against DACA in 2012.



"We -- attorneys general, ICE agents, myself -- have been pointing this out to judges for years as we challenged DACA in courts," said Kobach. "I think this ruling will be upheld in the Fifth Circuit and in front of the Supreme Court."



DACA is a program created under the Obama administration that in practice has created amnesty for over 850,000 illegal aliens who are competing with United States citizens for jobs.



"The notion DACA is for children is a myth," said Kobach. "You can be up to 45 years old and simply have to claim you've been in the country prior to the age of fifteen. We are a country of laws, and in a country of laws you must come in legally."

############



You decide . . .


Jeff Edelstein is a columnist for The Trentonian. He can be reached at jedelstein@trentonian.com, facebook.com/jeffreyedelstein and @jeffedelstein on Twitter.
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Tribune-Star/Lisa Trigg$10K winner: The presentation of a $10,000 check to Rubber Duck Regatta winner Tracy Gaston of Naperville, Illinois, occurred Friday at the Catholic Charities foodbank in Terre Haute. At the presentation were, from left, Waddles, Caleb Fleschner of the advisory board, Kroger representatives Matt Wilkins and John Malone, Gaston, Connie Arney, Jerry Arney, David Wills of the advisory board, and executive director John Etling.
Photo by Mike LunsfordA beautiful voice: The beautiful voice of the summer tanager has been rare this summer; a mysterious disease, yet to be identified, is killing songbirds in a dozen states.
We are UK residents (but not UK citizens) and we are vaccinated with Pfizer, so we have the England equivalent which is the NHS app.

Our flight will be 14 days after my second dose... but my wife is going to have her second dose only 4 days before our trip, which will probably show as 2 doses in the NHS app, but by your message I guess it wont be valid for Ireland...

So I guess Im ok with my fast Antigen test for the US, but we need to arrange in advance an expensive PCR for my wife.

So I guess that somewhere between our 90 minutes short connection we have to go through some irish customs/covid control? Im still shocked, I thought we will have everything checked in Heathrow before boarding to the first flight.
All,

I will be traveling with 2 teenagers out of Germany and returning back to US from Italy. "Kids" are mostly interested in Venice and Pompeii and I will avoid big museums to keep family happy and vacation light. This is their first trip to Italy (kids visited before, but they were small). My goal is to make first introduction to an amazing country and history. I am sure they will come again.

I will not be renting a car.

1. First of all - the most important question about this coming September. I know it is still a high season for South of Italy, but do you think (speculations are OK) THIS year -2021 - I will get less crowds in September than in August? I have a luxury of traveling in September and void summer.

2. I will be coming from Germany and will take a night train to Italy and planning to travel by train within Italy. Is that a smart idea?

3. I was thinking to start in Venice, not in Rome. So do Venice->Rome->Naples/Amalfi->US. Why? Train from Venice to Rome is 3h:30min, train from Rome to Naples - 1 hr. But if I go from Venice to Naples then it is 5 hours, which way too long. Flying is probably faster, but also tons of hassle.

* So arrive to Venice by night train from Germany, stay 2 nights, go to Rome for 3 nights and then stay in Amalfi for 3 nights while exploring Pompeii Herculaneum and relax a bit. Then travel back to US from Naples.

* Problem is - there are limited plane options out of Naples AND I need to make sure to get the right Amalfi->Naples airport transfer.

4. Additional question about the right base in Amalfi to visit Pompeii and having enough time to relax. We do not have to stay on Amalfi Coast itself. As long as the place has nice beach, restaurants, beautiful scenery and availability of drivers/transfer options to Pompeii and back - we will be happy. Positano is the most unbelievable place I have ever visited, but it is expensive and hassle to travel to-from unless you are using private drivers.

Thank you all!
Re: As an English citizen can I cross the border from Greece to

1. Re: As an English citizen can I cross the border from Greece to

There's no ban on UK citizens entering Bulgaria.

But there is a ban on people arriving from UK and that includes arriving indirectly from UK , via an intermediate stop.

I've no doubt that there will be Brits getting flights to Thessaloniki and hoping to enter Bg an hour away. I reckon that most Bulgarian border officials will want proof that a UK passport holder has been in Greece for at least two weeks.

Am unsure what proof would satisfy a Bulgarian border official that you have been in Greece or any country on the Bulgarian green list for a reasonable period .
Paradise, first of all I will begin by saying...34 days? Lucky you!!!! Now thats the way to visit Croatia! So many people try to see it all in 7 days and that just doesnt work.

The time of year you are planning is getting a "little" late for beaching/swimming etc. Obviously you never can predict what Mother Nature has in store but towards the end of Sept and into October CAN start to see a weather change with rain and winds. Some years can be pleasant to hot though.

If it were me I would follow a loose itinerary such as this and play around with the how many days you want for each...

3-4 nights Zagreb (day trip to Varazdin & Trakoscan, allow 1 full day for Zagreb itself)

4-5 nights Rovinj (visit Pula and some of the hilltop towns)

2 nights Ljubljlana (day trip to Lake Bled)

1 night Plitvice (visit at opening then continue on to Zadar once done)

2-3 nights Zadar

2-3 nights Dugi Otok (visit Saharun Beach & Telascica Nature Park)

1 night Sibenik Old Town (its not large an easily enjoyed in 1 day/evening)

visit Skradin & NP Krka en route to Split

4 nights Split (day trip to Hvar and another to Trogir)

4 nights Vis (take the ferry there and return to Split)

3 nights Makarska (day trip to Brac?)

visit Kravice falls en route to Mostar

1 night Mostar

1-2 nights Korcula (Korcula Town itself is small and like Sibenik, easily enjoyed in a day/evening. If staying one night you can park your car in the pay lot in Orebic and catamaran (15 mins) to the town. If you want to explore the Island then you can take the car ferry from Orebic to Domince and stay a couple of nights)

4 nights Dubrovnik (day trip options to Island Lokrum, Montenegro, Cavtat and depending on weather and available tours you could do one of the 3 Elaphite Island boat trips)
In our forthcoming Sept/Oct trip to Namibia we have 4 nights booked at Chobe River Camp (Namibia) at the end of the Caprivi Strip. The original idea was to use the 3 full days to do an organised day trip into Chobe and 2 days (overnight) to VF. But with Covid testing and Zim borders closed we have cancelled those trips for now. Flying to VF from Kasane is >$800 - we'll save it for another trip!

But I now find it will not cost us hardly anything, and seems quite easy, to take our (4x4) car into Botswana at Ngoma. So we COULD do something like:

- 2 nights Chobe River Camp (Namibia) - to get Covid tests for Botswana in Katima Mulilo

- 2 nights in Botswana (e.g. Muchenje Cottages or similar budget / non-camping) and do a self drive around Chobe Riverfront

Will we get a much better (animal sighting) experience than staying on the Namibia side of the river? Is it worth the testing and cross border hassle for 2 nights? Would we be better going to Kasane area instead of Muchenje? Comments and advice welcome!
CAPITAL REGION

Troy native Verdile set to retire as dean of Albany Medical College
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SCRANTON, Pa. (AP)  Betsy Ross would be impressed by this operation.

Since 2016, the staff at North American Manufacturing on Barring Avenue has meticulously produced about 8,000 full-size American flags each year, which are sold to the Defense Logistics Agency and awarded to government retirees.

The military-grade flags are durable, made from lightweight, high-tenacity nylon that is moisture- and chemical-resistant. Every stitch meets government specifications, a company official said.

On a recent morning, the hum of industrial sewing machines filled the plant as workers carefully cut and sewed the red, white and blue materials with like-colored threads. In about 30 minutes, the nylon and thread is transformed into the Stars and Stripes.

The process, says Greg Stanton, CEO of North American Manufacturing, is meticulous.

Strips to stripes

The red and white stripes are first cut into 125-yard-long strips. They are sewn together to make continuous panels by simultaneously folding and stitching the edges of each strip to strengthen the flag and create smooth seams.

About 2 tons of thread is used each year.

Next, the red and while panels are measured and sliced into upper stripe and lower stripe fields.

The blue star fields with sewn 5-point white stars, purchased from Embroidery Solutions in South Carolina, are measured and cut before an employee attaches the upper and lower stripe fields and the star field.

The sewers have to use both of their hands and their feet, Stanton said. Its almost like a drummer. They need to have all of their body moving and controlling the machine.

So the woven works are ready for the flag pole?

Not just yet.

The header is sewn on using stronger thread and the final edge is stitched, giving Old Glory a clean look and protection against weathering. A final inspection consists of checking the flags for defects, decolorizations and stray threads.

You need to have a very hawk-like eye to be able to see things most people dont, Stanton said. The quality of these flags is exceptionally high.

Stanton noted the company has established a routine over the years to streamline production, including cutting and sewing techniques.

One of the things were most known for here is trying to develop a process that can be repeated, he said. Were looking to try to make the most consistent product and we want to deliver on time.

Workers salute

Stanton said Joseph Shea, the original owner of North American Manufacturing, signed on to the American flag business because hes patriotic and loves the flag.

In 2017, with Shea at the helm, the company broke the world record for the largest free-hanging flag. The massive piece measured 5,475.25 square feet and weighed about 400 pounds.

He wanted to have his company be a part of something bigger than itself, Stanton said.

Debbie Wademan of Scranton, who serves as production supervisor at the plant, stressed there was a significant learning curve to master the process of flag making.

It took us a while, she said. From starting to figure it out to making our first flag was about nine months. You have some leeway and have to figure out whats going to work best for you.

Wademan takes pride in making the flags for longtime government employees.

I enjoy sewing and creating with my hands, she said.

The composition of the flag is crucial to ensure each one meets specifications set forth by the government.

Its very critical that the points of the stars are always in the same spot, Stanton said. When the president or someone on his staff is doing a press conference the flags behind them need to look perfect.

___

Online:

https://bit.ly/3qNztI8
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Before a top Tennessee health official recommended firing the state's former vaccine director over claims that include shortcomings in her leadership, her supervisor had praised her strong leadership as recently as last month while her program faced very intense scrutiny and performance expectations, according to a state job performance evaluation circulated publicly on her behalf.

The interim performance review sheds additional light on the circumstances leading up to the July 12 termination of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who has spent the last week speaking nationally in rebuttal to a firing she argues was political appeasement for Republican lawmakers who were fuming over the department's COVID-19 vaccine outreach efforts for eligible minors.

In a July 9 letter, Tennessee's chief medical officer, Tim Jones, said Michelle Fiscus should be removed due to complaints about her leadership approach and her handling of a letter explaining vaccination rights of minors for COVID-19 shots, which helped prompt the backlash from lawmakers. The Department of Health released her personnel file, including the firing recommendation letter, in response to public records requests from news outlets.

Tennessee officials didn't include her performance reviews, which are exempted under state public records law, but Fiscus' husband Brad released them in rebuttal. Several years' worth of them show her performance was deemed outstanding," including for October 2019 through September 2020. Over the weekend, Brad Fiscus said they located two more recent interim evaluations. One followed a legislative meeting last month that put the department in the hot seat over its childhood vaccine messaging efforts.

That meeting is briefly mentioned in the June performance review by Fiscus' supervisor, state epidemiologist John Dunn, who suggests she work closely with her supervisor during the upcoming month to coordinate and clear all vaccine communications following legislative (Government Operations) hearings focused on (Tennessee Department of Health) immunization priorities and actions.

Neither review directly mentions her much-discussed memo on the Mature Minor Doctrine, which traces back to a 1987 state Supreme Court case and allows children 14 and up to be vaccinated without a parents consent. The recommendation to fire her claims she sent around her own interpretation of the doctrine. Fiscus has said the letter she sent providers was verbatim from documents provided by the departments chief legal counsel. She provided email records to back up the assertion.

Dunn's evaluations praise Fiscus multiple times. The June review says the state's COVID vaccination planning and program implementation have been excellent" under her.

It also laments that vaccination rates have been disappointing due in part to Tennessees population demographics and core beliefs on vaccination. Dunn mentions Fiscus' work to promote the vaccine, but says the communications approach has been less robust than advocated for from the (Tennessee Department of Health) perspective because of overarching Government Comms team objectives" outside of the department's Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Division.

I appreciate Dr. Fiscus and her determination," Dunn wrote. "The implementation plan has been very successful in reaching the most at-risk in our population.

In the June review, Dunn notes the loss of some employees and some staff complaints to department leaders and human resources. In both reviews, Dunn frames staff-related concerns within the context of how the unprecedented COVID-19 response has taken a toll on health workers nationwide.

The toll of COVID has been dramatic, the June review states. Dr. Fiscus has balanced her responsibilities well and should continue to focus on her team and herself in regards to work-life balance, professional development, and job satisfaction.

Within the April review, Dunn raises concerns over the proposals being floated by lawmakers due to the pandemic. He stressed the importance of communicating with the department's legal counsel and "legislative leads" because COVID has created much legislation which threatens (the Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Division) and public health program objectives.

Late last week, Fiscus released a point-by-point rebuttal on the claims made in the firing recommendation.

She also responded to the governors office regarding her claims that the Health Department stopped outreach for vaccinating minors for all diseases, not just COVID-19, which she has backed up through departmental email records, saying she never said the childrens vaccines program had been halted. What has been stopped, she said, are partnerships between local health departments and outside agencies, such as schools, to provide vaccines outside of a local health department and any attempts to communicate to parents that their children are in need of critical routine immunizations during this back-to-school season.

Republican Gov. Bill Lees office and the Health Department have declined to comment directly on Fiscus firing.

One prominent Tennessee Republican weighed in Friday, though without naming Fiscus or the pause over outreach for childhood vaccines.

Former U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, a surgeon, tweeted that it is the responsibility of our states leaders to take sometimes uncomfortable, even unpopular, positions when the health and lives of our people are at stake.

Tennessee can stand by #science and #savelives, or we can further a dangerous trend that is eroding public health and trust in government, Frist tweeted.


Political Prognostications For The Coming Year. By Jim Nintzel THE BIGGEST LOCAL political race in 1998 promises to be the contest for the District 4 seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors. This is a special election, made necessary by the death of Supervisor John Even just four months after he was sworn into office in January 1997. After considerable political jockeying, the other four supervisors picked Republican Ray Carroll to replace Even. That didn't sit well with John Even's widow, Brenda, who is already raising funds to challenge Carroll in the September Republican primary. Brenda Even, who has the support of much of the party establishment, including heavy-hitting car dealer Jim Click, is expected to raise beaucoup bucks for her campaign. Also eyeing the seat is accountant Ken Marcus, a longtime Republican activist who was also a finalist during the appointment process last year. District 4 is heavily Republican; no word yet as to whether any Democrats will challenge the winner of the September primary. Elsewhere in Pima County politics, Clerk of the Superior Court Jim Corbett is not expected to seek re-election. Former state lawmaker Patti Noland is planning to seek the office. NEARLY EVERY STATEWIDE office will be up for grabs this year. Gov. Jane Dee Hull, who inherited the office after former Gov. J. Fife Symington III resigned in disgrace following his conviction on multiple fraud counts, announced early on she planned to run for the top spot--so early, in fact, that some people suggested she might have violated Arizona's resign-to-run law. Fortunately, state Attorney General Grant Woods decided not to prosecute, sparing us all another round of ridiculous political theatre in Arizona. Since state Sen. Tom Patterson last month gave up his gubernatorial ambitions, the only Republican who is currently challenging Hull is former TV weatherman Jim Howl, best known for reading the winning numbers on lottery night. While that gig no doubt brought Howl some statewide recognition, it's unclear how it has prepared him for the highest public office in the state. On the Democratic side in the governor's race, supermarket magnate Eddie Basha, who was the Democrat's nominee in 1994, has chosen not to run, leaving only former Phoenix mayor Paul Johnson in the race. In the attorney general's race, Tom McGovern, who has served as an assistant attorney general, will challenge state Rep. John Kaites in the Republican primary. Kaites is already under investigation by a special prosecutor, who--at the urging of Woods--is looking into possible fundraising violations by Kaites. Expect the politics to get nasty in that race. The only Democrat to show interest in the AG's race is former U.S. Attorney Janet Napolitano, who recently resigned from her federal post to seek the state's top legal office. Secretary of State Betsey Bayless, a former Maricopa County supervisor who was appointed to her current post by Hull, plans to run to keep the seat. She may face a challenge from state Rep. Art Hamilton, who may give up the statehouse to seek a spot in the executive branch. One seat is open on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which is pledged to overseeing the state's utilities and corporations. Democrat Renz Jennings, who currently holds the seat, can't run for re-election, thanks to the state's term-limits law. Republican Gary Carnicle is thinking about running for the open post, as is state Rep. Paul Newman, a democrat who hails from Cochise County. IN LOCAL LEGISLATIVE races, the most exciting donnybrook will be in northwest Pima County's District 13, which is currently represented by Ann Day in the Senate and Freddy Hershberger and Dan Schottel in the House of Representatives. Although Day will probably cruise back to the Senate without a challenge, several Republicans are gearing up for the House race. Schottel is planning to run for re-election, but Hershberger's plans are less clear. Although she had said she would not seek re-election, recent rumors suggest she may have changed her mind. Among the other Republicans said to be seeking a District 13 House seat: Real estate broker Vicki Cox-Golder, an eight-year veteran of the Amphi School Board. She lost a bid for the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 1996; Ted Schlinkert, who has led the opposition to developer David Mehl's massive Dove Mountain development (the master-planned community formerly known as RedHawk). Schlinkert was also involved in the incorporation of Casas Adobes. Steve Huffman, a real estate agent who sought a District 13 House seat in 1996. The two winners of the Republican primary may face Democrat Andy Morales, a teacher who heads up the Amphi Educational Association, a teachers' union. Down in District 9, state Sen. Keith Bee says he planning to run for re-election, but some sources say he has suggested he might call it quits if the upcoming legislative session turns into a miserable experience. If Bee decides to call it quits, District 9 Rep. Bill McGibbon is expected to run for the Senate seat. If not, he'll face Rep. Lou-Ann Preble and challenger Jonathan Lee Paton in the race for two House seats. The 26-year-old Paton teaches in the German department at the University of Arizona and has worked on the staff of state Sen. Stan Barnes. In District 13, which stretches from northeastern Tucson through the Catalina Foothills, state Sen. George Cunningham probably won't face a GOP opponent, although Republican Carole Dooley has thought about challenging Cunningham. Meanwhile, District 13's two House representatives, Andy Nichols and Brian Fagin, may face Republican Kathleen Dunbar, who is the GOP chair of D13. In District 14, currently represented by Ruth Solomon in the Senate and Hershella Horton and Marion Pickens in the House, Republican Sam Ramirez is considering a House run. Ramirez is part-owner of the Bratwurst House. Districts 10 and 12, both Democratic strongholds, are probably safe havens for the incumbents. ON THE FEDERAL level, U.S. Sen. John McCain probably doesn't have much to worry about, although Democrat Ed Ranger, a Phoenix attorney, is thinking about challenging the two-term incumbent. Congressman Jim Kolbe will probably face a challenge from Sierra Vista Councilman Harold Vangilder, a Sierra Vista councilman who sprouts Wise Use rhetoric. The winner of that race may face former Tucson Mayor Tom Volgy, who is pondering a Democratic run for the District 5 seat. Meanwhile, District 2 Rep. Ed Pastor, the only Democrat left in Arizona's Congressional delegation, isn't likely to face serious opposition in a primary or general election.


Hugo O'Conor's Launches A New Conquest. By Rebecca Cook THE FOLKS AT Hugo O'Conor's are quick to tell you what the restaurant is not. It's not a pub. Well, not really. You see, that was the initial idea, but they'd originally envisioned a pub in the European sense, not the more familiar classed-down American interpretation of that kind of establishment, and there was uncertainty as to whether Tucson commoners would comprehend the difference. Hugo O'Conor's is not your typical upscale fine-dining experience, either. A few of those pub-type dishes seemed too good to abandon completely, and so have been retained on the menu, creating profound shifts in terms of price and items featured on the daily menu. Perhaps there's some metaphoric significance to the fact that pot roast and filet mignon rub shoulders on the same menu, but I haven't quite discerned what that might be. One thing's clear: To dine at Hugo O'Conor's is to experience a piece of Tucson history. The restaurant is named for the colorful Irish expatriate-turned-Spanish military commander who founded the Tucson Presidio in 1775. The Manning House, where the restaurant is located, has been home to a Tucson mayor as well as the local chapter of the Elk's Club, and the new owners have spared no expense in restoring the building to much of its turn-of-the-century grandeur. The interior redwood paneling has been stripped of decades of paint and buffed to a rich-grained radiance. Plush, large-print floral carpeting stretches throughout, except in the lovely circular atrium patio, where midday diners are seated around a bubbling fountain amidst incandescent filtered light. Stained glass was commissioned for many of the windows and borders, and it did not go unnoticed that the pattern of the china matched the color and design of some of that glass. Given the attention to so much other detail, the dining room furniture can only be described as an aberration: Immense wrought-iron chairs that come with a warning that it's better to lift up when trying to move them or they tip, potentially leaving the petite diner with legs a-dangling. Even the more statuesque may find the height at which torso meets table requires a slight but persistent body tilt while dining--which by evening's end can become mildly uncomfortable. The modern, gray marble-topped tables not only give an otherwise warm dining room a slight chill, they take on an icy-slick peril when trying to carve a nice juicy steak. Had I not been in similar straits, I might have found the tribulations of the woman across the way entertaining as she delicately tried to saw through the meat on her plate, which persisted in sliding every which way, while she gamely tried all the while to maintain her lover's gaze. So...what is Hugo O'Conor's? It's a work in progress, intriguing and engaging on many counts, but with some significant kinks to be worked out. The owners and staff seem so genuinely interested in making the place fly that it could be just a matter of time before they secure a spot on the register of local culinary landmarks. In its current state, there's still much to admire at the fledgling restaurant. Executive Chef Robertson Reid, formerly of the Arizona Inn, brings an innovative elegance to the kitchen, reflected in dishes such as the tower of roasted vegetables with roasted pine nuts and tomato-basil sauce. Two soup specials are offered daily, one chilled and fruity and the other warm and hearty. A hot, mulligatawny was exceptionally good, with a velvety, curried base surrounding bits of chicken, carrots, onion and potato. A basket of warm bread (French baguette and a delicately herbed multigrain) was the ideal accompaniment to this first course. Dinner salads also transcend the mundane with an exotic mix of mesclun greens and colorful splashes of julienned golden and watermelon radishes. Both dressing choices piqued our curiosity: a citrus vinaigrette with a dominant orange influence, and a creamy cucumber-dill with a generous crush of fresh garlic. A grilled mushroom flan served with a burgundy truffle sauce fell short of its potential as an appetizer, lacking the intense chanterelle flavor I'd anticipated. Nevertheless, the entire portion gradually disappeared. The fresh fish of the evening was a grilled salmon fillet delicately seasoned in a deceptively simple beurre blanc, which beautifully allowed the taste and quality of the fish to take center stage. Such was not the case with the seared loin lamb chops, which were cooked to a succulent medium-rare perfection but were overshadowed at times by the pungency of a rosemary goat-cheese stuffing. The red chile pesto accompanying the dish didn't help matters, congealing unpleasantly soon after its arrival and maintaining a coarse, floury edge. The pot roast was also disappointing--tasty but a bit too tough to qualify as anything near the epitome of the dish. The baby vegetables that came with, however, were wonderful, especially the petite red beets, which lent themselves nicely to the meat's gravy glaze. All entrees are served with a variety of side dishes, ranging from feathery potato croquettes to an enormous spear of tender-crisp broccoli served with a red hollandaise sauce. You certainly won't be wanting for portions at Hugo O'Conor's. Luncheon entrees are more modest in scale, and feature more sandwiches and salads. A healthful vegetarian sandwich consisting of provolone cheese, mashed avocado, sliced tomato, red onion and cucumber, on thick slices of whole-wheat, sun-dried tomato bread smeared with cilantro mayonnaise, was surprisingly dull given its tantalizing ingredients. A bowl of linguini with shrimp, scallops, sliced mushrooms, artichoke hearts, loads of fresh lemon and a touch of garlic was a far more appealing noontime option, replete with the flavors of the sea and a vibrant splash of sunshine and citrus. Dessert constitutes a short list, but one well worth a look. Possibilities are a dense chocolate torte with a cinnamon-laced truffle center, served on a pool of blackberry sauce; and crisp almond tuile tacos packed with a scrumptious mango mousse and an assortment of fresh berries. Curiosity seekers will be happy to know that tours of the building are almost always available. If possible, be sure to include one in your visit. Even with a few wrinkles, Hugo O'Conor's at the Manning House shouldn't be missed. Hugo O'Conor's Restaurant at the Manning House. 450 W. Paseo Redondo. 770-0651. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Full bar. Major credit cards accepted. Menu items: (lunch)$4-$12, (dinner) $4-$25.


Justice May Be Blind, But Some Arizona Supreme Court Justices Apparently Aren't. By Paula Huff THE ARIZONA SUPREME Court justices do not appreciate giant breasts bouncing around inside their sacred building in Phoenix. I write from personal experience. I'd just received my bachelor's degree from the UA and was in the market for a job as a writer. I'd decided to live and work in Phoenix, since the pay scale up there is higher than it is in Tucson. I was hired by Accustaff Inc., a temp agency, so I could earn a living while looking for a career. Accustaff sent me to the Education Services division of the Arizona Supreme Court to work as an executive secretary. Before being allowed to work in the Supreme Court Building, I had to undergo an extensive background check, fingerprinting and an additional interview by supervisors in my department. Robert "Mac" McCormick and Russell Mathieson, of Probation Education Services, performed the interview. During the interview, Mathieson informed me that I wouldn't be permitted to answer phones for a month or so, until I'd become familiar with the first names of all the justices. He said this is because the justices don't normally identify themselves on the phone by anything other than their first names, and if the person who answers the phone doesn't immediately recognize the name and voice as that of a justice, there's hell to pay. McCormick added that occasionally the justices make strange requests and complaints, and that it's usually the result of all the stress associated with being a Supreme Court justice. McCormick, realizing he may have just committed the crime of saying something unfavorable about a justice, cleaned it up by adding that stress-related brouhahas usually blow over within a few days, so I should just go along with any that may come my way. I didn't give it a second thought--until the following Wednesday, January 28, when the department director, Karen Waldrop Thorson, called me into her office on a "fashion violation." Although my dress was conservative and typical of what other women in the department wore, Thorson stared at my breasts, eyes darting back and forth from the left tit to the right and back again as she informed me that my dress was "too snug on top." Since the dress fit well and was not snug anywhere, I reached between my breasts, pulled my dress out about nine inches off my body and asked, "This is too tight?" Thorson squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, with her eyes continuously darting back and forth, never once looking me in the eye during the entire reprimand. She informed me that Marie Holck, my supervisor, had been ordered to reprimand me, but Holck didn't think it was right and had ducked out early that day; so now the buck had been passed on to Thorson. In order to avoid any future fashion violations, I asked Thorson if my dress was too short, in addition to being "too snug." She replied, "I didn't even look." This struck me as odd, since most fashion violations committed by women involve a too-short hem line and the hem line is often the first thing scrutinized by the fashion police. When I asked Thorson who complained about me in the first place, she was vague and her muttered reply was something to the effect that the justices are just strange sometimes. Everything would be all better, she said, if I would just wear a blazer to work every day, even in the summer. Other employees in the department are not required to wear blazers; I was being singled out because of my physique. Thorson had informed me that I would be allowed to dress like everyone else for the rest of the week, then she ordered me to return to Tucson over the weekend and bring every blazer I owned back to Phoenix with me, to conceal the offending globes from the eyes of the justices. I did return to Tucson that weekend, but I didn't go back to Phoenix on Monday. I was too stressed from the shock and humiliation of being reprimanded for the way I'm built to return to the Supreme Court. In fact, I couldn't even bring myself to return to Phoenix at all. I was just too mortified. So, a Supreme Court justice coerced a department director into committing a crime against a temporary employee. Sexual harassment, gender discrimination and discrimination against those with disabilities are crimes, even if the victim is only an office temp. Someone needs to inform the justices of that. Or perhaps they're above the law? Although Thorson gave a vague reprimand, her point was made: Size 36F breasts are simply too large to be in the same building with the Supreme Court justices. Apparently, at least one justice must think of breasts as nothing more than decorations; therefore, huge breasts count as inappropriate, gaudy decorations that do not belong in such a posh environment. This boob must feel he has every right to demand that the offending decorations be removed. The only problem is that removing my "decorations" would cost more than $12,000. And while they may have been quick to complain about it, not one of the justices has offered to pick up the tab.


Healthcare And Insurance Companies Should Be Forced To Cover Mental Disorders, Too. By Jeff Smith GOT A PIECE of mail the other day and nearly chucked it in the woodstove. It came in a white envelope with a cellophane window, a Post Office box but no name in the return address space, metered postage and nothing but my rural route number in the address window. Didn't even claim to know me as Occupant. It looked like your standard junk mail. Could this be the chance I'd been praying for to buy term life to pay off my mortgage in the event of my untimely demise? I just don't know if my soul could rest, knowing Chase Manhattan was stuck holding my marker for 40 grand. As cold and rainy as El Nino has made it these past few weeks, I could have used the BTUs more than whatever offer the envelope contained, but rather than incinerate it I opened the letter and saw it wasn't junk mail after all, but a bill from my shrink. This being the first such missive I have received, it surprised, then amused me somewhat. The closest thing to porn I've ever found in my mailbox was a Victoria's Secret catalog, so I'm not accustomed to the plain brown wrapper routine. Maureen and Jackie at the Post Office already know that my tastes in literature run to gun and motorcycle magazines. I've got nothing to hide and no way to do it if I did, so how come Palo Verde Behavioral Health feels the need to be coy about our professional relationship? I guess even the docs themselves are somewhat stigmatized by the spectre of lunacy. So I was pleased to read that same day that Herschella Horton finally has succeeded in getting her bill a wider hearing before the Arizona Legislature. Who hears a Horton? It was the House Banking and Insurance Committee last week, reporting about HB2580--which would force insurers to pay for healthcare of the mental variety--by a bare 5-4. But after five years of trying and running into walls, the District 14 Democrat is tickled. "This is a time for celebration, after all the years and all the tears and all the heartaches for the families," Horton said. We'll see if the festive spirit continues when the bill is heard by other committees, on its hopeful path to the floor of the Legislature as a whole. I suspect it will be another year, another legislative session before it gets that far. Why? Two reasons: One, the insurance industry is in it for the money, and money not spent covering claims for mental and emotional healthcare is cash in the bank, and; Two, society at-large--and the Arizona Legislature as a sampling of society's mentality at-small--still tend to regard afflictions of that portion of the anatomy above the neck as shameful, sinful, embarrassing, unmanly, and somehow self-induced if not outright, shall we say, imaginary. (Them imaginations are only in your head.) Which is how come many insurance carriers have for so long been able to get away without covering mental health. Not all of them take this medieval tack, but enough to warrant concern, and it's in small group health plans, or individual policies where benefits already are marginal, and premiums high-priced, that most offenses are found. Horton's bill simply would require insurance companies to provide the same coverage for mental disorders and substance abuse that they do for physical illness. Of course "simply" ain't always simple. It's simple to point out that mental illness really is physical illness, since your head is a physical part of your package and chemical imbalances up there make you bummed or crazy the same way toxins in your tummy make you barf or bad stuff in your bloodstream makes you dead. Yeah, but it ain't like a broke leg, say Arizona's lawmakers, nor do they want to encourage dope smokers and such by getting them help to kick it. Never mind that most state legislatures are among the most notorious bunches of drunks outside of Shriners' conventions. We've got to get off this moronic mind-set or we're only going to get more mental than we already are. Which is a lot. I myownself am a proud investor in a nifty little product called Zoloft. I don't know what its generic name or chemical formula is, but I know that after years of watching my mood sort of slide into the mud, and trying the old New England Puritan family formula of booting myself in the butt, I studied up on the chemical component of clinical depression and decided to see my doc about it. She said take half of one of these every morning and call me in a couple of weeks. I called back and said I didn't feel like fragging myself, but I wasn't exactly euphoric either. She said take a whole one and call back later. I called back and said I was feeling more chipper, except for the diarrhea. She said knock it off and we'll try Paxil. The thin dirties persisted, plus I was lazy and shiftless. We went back to Zoloft and more psylium fiber and eventually things leveled off and firmed up. I'm much better now. The point is, that after taking a couple of 100-mile-an-hour hits in the head, a pair of cerebral hemorrhages, a divorce, half a hundred birthdays and way too much chocolate and caffeine, my body and brain chemistry had got out of whack. I could feel the blues coming on like a freight train full of bad drugs, running through my veins straight to the brain. Those of you with any experience with recreational hypodermics will know what I mean. There's only so much even a Ralph Waldo Emerson can accomplish by himself in the face of such demons. Or should have to. Or want to. It's not your fault that the air you breathe, the food you eat, the water you drink and the experiences you live conspire to change the chemical makeup and balance of your body and brain. You shouldn't feel ashamed, and nobody else should dis you for it. Get help. Get better. Get on Herschella Horton's bandwagon and get on the Legislature's ass to get on the insurance industry's ass to treat your head as compassionately as they treat your butt when your hemorrhoids act up.


Playing It Close To the Edge In The Haunted Sierra Madres. By Tim Vanderpool RANDY GINGRICH IS living proof that death can be a tough gig. Death of a forest, death of a culture, death threats, death of innocence--they're all daily fodder in Mexico's haunted Sierra Madre Mountains, just like the scent of ripe Chihuahuan poppies and the crack of gunfire. It's a ruggedly remote highland where the pale rider wears a narcotraficante's poison grin, totes a clear-cutter's buzz-saw and doesn't take kindly to complications. Depending upon your perspective, Gingrich could be considered a complication en extremis. He heads the Sierra Madre Alliance, a group aiming to protect the mountains' incredibly rich ecosystem from an exploding, NAFTA-enhanced lumber industry, and roughly 60,000 Tarahumara Indians from Mexico's pervasive drug trade. Up in the Sierra, those twin demons are inextricably entwined. Not surprisingly, both are also accomplished by essentially the same set of goons. Whether stripping land to cultivate marijuana and opium, or to extract wood, the net effect is destruction of a remote world considered the jewel of Chihuahua. While international development money has encouraged logging with massive road-building projects into the mountains, narco-barons lead a terror campaign against the Indians, driving them from their communal lands or co-opting them into harvesting drugs. In response, the Alliance and its sister group, the Advisory Council of the Sierra Madre, or CASMAC, have helped train the Tarahumara to fight back in Mexican courts. They've also helped the Indians develop crucial government connections, particularly with Mexico's version of the BIA, called the Institucion Nacional Indigenista, or INI. But the nightmare faced by the Tarahumara and their benefactors is unrelenting. More than 150 Indians have been killed over the past decade. Gingrich himself has repeatedly raced north across the border for safety. The strain of that struggle is obvious today, as he leans over his soup bowl in a downtown Tucson cafe. Old-timers might recall him as an impish, carrot-topped UA student who was always fronting for one cause or another. Now he exudes that dampened fire-in-the-belly peculiar to exhausted activists--the faltering flame waiting for an idealistic rekindling. To Gingrich, that would mean more cash, to help his Alliance continue helping the Tarahumara. As he sees it, the alternative is just more of the same, in a land where the status quo remains deadly. Unfortunately, the grim reaper has grown more sophisticated. These days, blunt violence is accompanied by raw power tactics. Political bosses, or caciques, are installed in many communities, where they act as defacto brokers for the narco/lumber interests. But their strategy is both time-honored and deceptively simple: divide and conquer. "There are all kinds of different forces that come in from the outside to corrupt the Tarahumara," Gingrich says. "It's never-ending, and it's creating so much stress, building so much tension in those communities." That tension often translates into Indians killing each other, "usually vengeance killings over dumb arguments." The strain also leads to rivalry between villages, exemplified by a battle between the small settlements of Pino Gordo and nearby Coloradas de los Chavez. "The people in these towns are all inter-related," Gingrich says. "But they get into feuds over controlling each other's land." Such skirmishes are then exploited by criminal syndicates, he says, resulting in many families losing their share of communal property. "Many times these people are blatantly defrauded," he says. "It's common for the druglords and others to control the indigenous communities through these tactics. It really corrupts the Tarahumara culture." While INI tries to intervene, its efforts usually rely on the interest of one or two key officials rather than a consistent policy, he says. "The INI has good people, and they are a positive force in Chihuahua. Unfortunately, they're dictated by Mexico City a thousand miles away. And outside of INI, none of the other agencies will really take the time to get involved." ALL THIS CHAOS forces the Alliance to keep its goals crystal clear or collapse in similar confusion. "Number one, we want to stop the logging," Gingrich says. "We also want to establish a federal certified reserve, a 1.3 million-acre protected area." That sanctuary would eventually become part of an envisioned 3 million-acre Sierra Tarahumara Biosphere Reserve, serving as a model for protecting old growth forests, biological diversity and cultural integrity, with indigenous inhabitants becoming trained stewards. "Third, we want to provide economic alternatives for these people that don't involve the timber industry, or cultivating marijuana or opium," he says. "For example, we've begun helping them market their artwork through a pair of dealers in Sante Fe." There have been other signs of hope for the Tarahumara. Capable Indian leaders, or promaturas, have emerged in many villages, Gingrich says, and they're on a definite learning curve concerning legal and technical strategies. But the obstacles remain enormous. Caciques still coordinate clandestine clear-cutting, using the economic fall-out to enhance their own power. The degradation of human and animal life continues apace, both through the logging and through illegal hunting. "It's horrible," Gingrich says. "We've seen rare species on the edge of extinction. For example, we're already losing the last of the thick-billed parrots, and others are close to that point." Tight-knit Tarahumara culture could likewise disappear, along with devoted activists like Gingrich. Indeed, this Tucson visit is part of a whirlwind journey to bolster the Alliance's marginal $150,000 budget. Like countless other non-profits, it's been crunched by increased competition for funds from long-standing sources like the Packard and Homeland Foundations. Belt-tightening means further reductions in the already small Alliance staff of 11 full- and part-timers, based in Chihuahua City. To Gingrich, endlessly chasing money just distracts him from the war at ground zero. "That's the worst part of it," he says. "We're pretty close to the edge sometimes, when I'm not sure we're going to make it financially. And there's so much to be done." For more information concerning the Sierra Madre Alliance, or to make a contribution, contact the The Wild Bird Store, 3526 E. Grant Road, Tucson, 85716. For more information call 322-9466.


How To Murder A Good Idea By Jeff Smith AS A KID growing up in Tucson I looked to my parents first, and their friends and the parents of my best friends secondarily, as examples of how grown-up, fair-minded and honest people ought to act. Common sense and common decency seemed to be the standard. As I remember, my mother and father were extremely level-headed folks. They came from the state of Maine, from small towns in farm country. Both went to college, were well-read, well-spoken and had been to Boston. The significance of the latter, in the Aroostook County, Maine, context, was a certain level of sophistication and cosmopolitanism. My parents both were life-long Republicans, but this sprung from New England fiscal conservatism practiced on a personal level. They weren't stingy or suspicious of other people of whatever culture, color or class; they just spent carefully. They were self-reliant and they were kind, but above all they kept their common sense. My natural rebellious streak of youth led me to register as a Democrat when I was old enough to vote, and it puzzled my father I suppose, because the mean-spirited selfishness I saw coming in the Republican Party was not the kind of Republicanism he was drawn to in his politically formative years. I expect that he and Mom would have been Democrats like I was, if they'd come along when I did. My brand of idealism was founded in practicality. It made sense to me to be charitable to the less fortunate in society and to take good care of Mother Earth. Good housekeeping. It struck me that people given a fair shake and a hand up would make more congenial neighbors and productive workers and taxpayers, and that an Earth well cared-for would maintain us all in good health and plenty. So I went about my life and my work without having to worry overmuch about cleaving to any rigid dogma of political correctness or cross-referenced environmental agenda: common sense is plain enough and simple enough that one does not need to keep his finger moist and constantly in the wind to catch the slightest puff of change in direction of the prevailing politick. But this style of old-fashioned sensibility doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore. Despite a modicum of ear wash from the mainstream press to the effect that we should not be slaves to P.C., or to micro-manage ourselves according to hourly opinion polling, the dominant media and political forces have become so extravagantly attached to consensus, and to the notion that every move society makes must pass a battery of tests, that we're damn near buried in bullshit. A case in point: Pima County's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. This plan is a classic Good Idea, and I suspect Chuck Huckelberry, the man whose byline it carries, is a common-sense sort of guy. The trouble is, some of the influence makers who are pushing the plan have become so wrapped up in their own agenda of please-all-our-friends-and-political-fellow-travelers that they will bury any hope of passing the plan under the sheer weight of consensus they seek to build. By the time they have run the plan by every wing-nut interest group they want to advise and consent, the simple folks at home will be confused, then fed up and finally bored out of their minds. I read an editorial last week in The Arizona Daily Star on the day the supervisors reviewed the conservation plan. "Today the Board of Supervisors gets a progress report on the effort, which it should keep pushing toward boldness...This reflects that the county is now ready to start gearing up the actual machinery that will hash out the plan...The board should first seat a large, diverse, 77-person steering committee to shape the plan through consensus-based decision-making." Jesus. With friends like the Star editorial board the plan needs no enemies. Keep pushing toward boldness. Yeah, boy: When we get to boldness we'll have the world by the balls. Now ready to start gearing up. Let's see: ready, start, gearing up, now; that's four ways of saying essentially that for the past year all we've been doing is getting horny over some fantasy. It's like the old joke about giving up half your sex-life: either thinking about it, or talking about it. Imagine how much the Star's recommended large, diverse, 77-person steering committee will speed this process of getting ready to start gearing up. Perhaps even enough to run the whole, top-heavy new bureaucracy head-on into the Star's next bright idea: The Omnibus Pygmy Owl Committee of Inquisitors. Because bright and sensible as Chuck Huckelberry is, and much as the Star editorial board condescends to endorse his plan in principle, they say the supervisors need to be "much stricter" than Huckelberry proposes, in limiting what people do wherever potential pygmy owl habitat may exist. Or any other species someone may decide is menaced and needs a knee-capper to look out for it. And the Star, or the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, or some other such well-connected/well-heeled bunch of trust-fund eco-fascists will inform us as to what and where they may be, thank you very much. Pardon my sorry, common-sensical ass, but this pygmy owl thing has come to symbolize precisely what has gone wrong with so many ideas that started out simple and good, but have long since lost touch with the real world and the real people who populate it. Yes, I recognize there are indicator species, the health of which speak to the overall wholesomeness of the planet. I also recognize that throughout the history of the planet, species go extinct every day. Charles Darwin understood this. And he demonstrated to anyone with literacy and common sense that this makes for more vigorous species in a constantly evolving biological dynamic. A case can be made that, outside outright extermination or wide-ranging poisoning of ecosystems, the degree of attention we currently are spending to save the pygmy owl will result in future generations of pygmy owls that aren't fit to survive in an evolving world. Are we screwing around with Darwinism, to the ultimate weakening and ruination of the green (and in some cases, brown, cement gray and blacktop) world? Food for thought.


The Arizona Legislature Has Some Bad Bills In The Hopper. By Tim Vanderpool FUTURE SHOCK SURE has a firm foothold in Arizona. From amorphous shopping malls and pre-fab villages to endlessly flabelliform freeways, the Brave New World just keeps marching on, come hell or high temperatures. Not to be left behind, statehouse visionaries are determined to drag us screaming into the millennium with a bumper crop of bad legislation. Among them are efforts to gut the already pathetic Growing Smarter plan, shred a few more civil rights, and squash a woman's right to choose. "There are just so many bills that constitute bad overall policy," says Sandy Bahr, conservation outreach coordinator for the Sierra Club. "Combined, some of them would do a lot of damage. Probably the area we're most concerned about relates to local authorities and their ability to manage growth." Though varying widely, all pro-growth proposals share one thing in common, she says. "They would require cities and counties to compensate property owners if there's an action that impacts the property's value. That includes just about anything cities and counties would be doing to manage growth." She singles out Senate Bill 1021 as "one of the more horrible bills." Sponsored by Democrat Gus Arzberger, it sets a standard 20 percent value reduction rate for property impacted by local general or comprehensive land use plans. "Then the property owner would have to be compensated," Bahr says. "If this bill passed, it would make Growing Smarter totally moot, instead of just lame and weak. And it's kind of ironic, because Arzberger sits on the Growing Smarter Commission." The bill has passed the Senate, and currently sits in the House. Bahr says it's part of a backroom deal, cut last year by Gov. Jane Dee Hull to gain support among lawmakers for her Growing Smarter scheme. For Bob Beatson, head of the Arizona League of Conservation Voters, House Joint Resolution 2001 ranks among the legislature's more sordid recent efforts. Reflecting lawmakers' sentiments, the "ranting and raving" non-binding resolution would return the environmental state of affairs to the dark ages, he says. "It's specifically aimed at communicating with the feds, a political postcard from Arizona that stresses weakening the Endangered Species Act, hurting efforts to protect forests, and basically running roughshod over the environment." Sponsors include Republicans Bill McGibbon, Jeff Groscost and Steve Huffman. SHIFTING FROM BAD to worse, Arizona Common Cause Director Dennis Burke points to House Bill 2081 as a particularly nasty affair. Officially championed by Republican Richard Kyle, Burke says the measure is secretly sponsored by the hegemonic Salt River Project utility. The bill would let SRP pump cash into initiative and referendum campaigns, a practice he says was largely curtailed by last year's Clean Election ballot proposition. "In the process of trying to create an exemption (for SRP), the law is so badly written that it would enable almost all tax districts, such as irrigation and fire districts--just about everything except libraries and public transit--to make contributions," he says. That means those districts could use public funds to influence campaigns, regardless of how taxpayers felt about a particular issue. "It would also make it easier for corporations to solicit political contributions from their employees," Burke says. "Right now, strict regulations say they can only solicit by mail, and only twice a year. And there can't be any reprisals if an employee says no. "With this bill, the reprisal prohibition would remain, but the two-times-per-year and mail-only limits would be removed. So corporations could constantly be haranguing their employees for political contributions, which is absolutely wrong." On the civil rights front, Eleanor Eisenberg, executive director of the ACLU's Arizona Chapter, says several fingerprinting measures go too far. "I think pretty soon we're going to need to be fingerprinted before we leave our homes," she says. "There are a whole slew of bills that require fingerprinting for various professional positions, some of which may--by a real stretch--make sense. Many others really don't at all." She also criticizes Senate Bill 1279, which would make it a felony to post information about police officers on the web. Sponsored by Republican Marc Spitzer and Democrat Linda Aguirre, the bill arose from last year's flurry over a website posting the names and addresses of all Phoenix cops. "From our perspective, it might also have the ludicrous result of putting somebody in prison for publishing information which is already available in the telephone book," Eisenberg says. To date, California is the only state with such a law. "There are other bills that attempt to make information about public and governmental officials secret," she says. "Our concern is that this is a pretty slippery slope. Pretty soon we're going to have a secret government." Meanwhile, the Legislature continues injecting public policy directly into the womb. According to Virginia Yrun, president of Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona, two absurd bills would restrict a woman's right to abortion information. "Interestingly enough, Senate Bill 1343 is titled 'a Woman's Right to Know,' " she says. Sponsored by Democrat Linda Aguirre, and Republicans Ken Bennett and Scott Bundgaard, "It would require the state to dictate what physicians can and cannot discuss with their clients concerning abortion procedures," Yrun says. "They're trying to tell doctors exactly what a woman needs to know, and exactly how long before a procedure she needs to know it. But we keep trying to remind legislators that they were not elected to play doctor." Likewise, House Bill 2076 was hatched after a Phoenix woman died at the hands of an incompetent doctor, following a botched abortion. Several prior complaints had already been leveled against the doctor--and routinely dismissed. "It was an outrage that the Board of Medical Examiners was so derelict in its duties," Yrun says. "But now legislators have taken that as an opportunity to single out abortion services, and then determine how the procedure should be conducted." She says the bill highlights two key issues. "One is that abortion remains among the safest outpatient surgical procedures available. If the Legislature wants to regulate outpatient procedures, they have every right to do so. But they should begin, logically, with those that provide the greatest risk to clients. Because they don't like women having abortions, they're picking out the safest procedure to regulate." She also says the bill exempts doctors who conduct five or fewer abortions a month. "But the fact of the matter is that, the fewer of any surgeries you do, the more likely you are to not do them well, or to run into complications. That alone makes this bill dangerous to the health of women."



AS TIM VANDERPOOL points out in the accompanying article, there are plenty of bad bills still on the move in the Arizona Legislature. But there is something you can do: Call your lawmakers and let them know these bills ought to be flushed down the toilet. Just dial 1-800-352-8404--a toll-free call!--and ask to speak to your senator or representative. Here's the downside: Most Pima County lawmakers already oppose most of these disgraceful bills, so you'll be preaching to the choir. But there are a few who back these measures, so call to speak your mind. And even if the bills pass, there's one more chance to stop them: a veto from Gov. Jane Dee Hull. Call her office at 1-800-253-0883 and let her know she ought to shitcan these abominations when they hit her desk. HB 2373 (The Wildcat Subdivision Protection Act): Arizona has loose laws about subdividing property--and House Bill 2373 would make 'em even looser. A favorite scheme to bend the rules about subdividing property is to sell it back and forth between a handful of owners, each of whom subdivides the property. Under current law, these kinds of crooked arrangements are difficult to prove in court. HB 2373 would make it impossible. Kill this bill! HB 2279 (The Public Education Erosion Act): The Legislature has jump-started its campaign to slowly destroy public education with HB 2279, a voucher bill that would allow families with an income up to 135 percent of the federal poverty level to receive thousands of dollars in funds to cover tuition for private schools, including religious academies. It's probably unconstitutional, and certainly bad public policy, especially in light of the fact that the state seems incapable of actually taking care of public schools. Kill this bill! HB 2643 (The Polluter's Goldmine Act): Under this one, polluters can sign a "financial hardship" deal to escape the full costs of an environmental clean-up. Guess who picks up the rest of the tab: You the taxpayer. Kill this bill! HB 2671 (The Billboard Relief Act): Back in '85, Tucson voters, by a two-to-one margin, passed a law strictly restricting billboards. Now that city staff has gotten serious with the billboard industry, particularly with multimillionaire Karl Eller's outdoor media empire, Eller has run to the Capitol to pass a law making many of his eyesores exempt from the law. Kill this bill! HB 2058 (The Mine Our Pockets Act): This one reduces the paltry severance tax paid by copper, gold, silver and turquoise mines in Arizona. Somebody's going to have to make up for that cut--what do you guess it'll be us? Kill this bill!


Our Favorite 'Kitchen-Table Populist' Is Coming To Town. By Tim Vanderpool JIM HIGHTOWER IS Thomas Paine in a Stetson, Michael Moore with a drawl, a bona- fide populist for modern times who lacerates corporate greed and political corruption with down-home humor. This week the tall Texan brings his bulls-eye perspective to Tucson for a special dinner benefiting the Pima County Democratic Party and Southern Arizona Central Labor Council. He'll also attend a reception sponsored by the National Writer's Union. He's also the host of a syndicated show, Hightower Radio (broadcast until recently on Tucson station KMRR). Hightower also writes a syndicated column appearing in the Tucson Weekly (see below), edits The Hightower Lowdown newsletter, and has authored several books, including There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos, and his soon-to-be-published If the Gods Had Meant Us To Vote, They Would Have Given Us Candidates. He's witnessed the power structure from inside-out, having served as editor of The Texas Observer from 1976 to 1979, and as Texas Agriculture Commissioner from 1982 to 1990. During his stint in office, he turned the formerly do-nothing post into a hotbed for "percolate up economics," raising Texas livestock exports from $6 million to $77.6 million, and pissing off the petro-chemical and agri-business potentates by pushing organic farming. His politics are purely kitchen table, and his goal is helping Ma and Pa America "take our country back from the Big Shots and Bastards who've been running roughshod over us." Jim Hightower spoke to the Tucson Weekly by phone from his offices in Austin. He highlighted his keynote message for Tucson, Kickass Populism--and the Democratic Party. "My basic point is that we need to return to our populist roots," he says. "It's not a matter of right-to-left--the real political spectrum is top-to-bottom. The vast majority of folks are no longer in shouting distance of those powers at the top, even when those powers turn out being Democrats. "We certainly don't need to move to the right, as the Bill Clinton regime would have us believe. It's not even really a matter of moving to the left. It's a matter of moving out to Tucson, and to Tupelo, and to Tyler, where the people actually are, and getting on the side of working people's interest. And that means a willingness to confront and challenge the corporate powers. This is quite the opposite of what the national Democratic party is pursuing now." He blames Democratic missteps on plain old greed. "I was elected as agricultural commissioner here on the Democratic ticket, and I was proud to have been a Democrat," he says. "But I look now at my national party, and even at the state party here in Texas, and see that they've taken off the Sears and Roebuck work boots, and strapped on the same Guccis the Republicans strut around in." He says his party hoped to gain slopping rights alongside Republicans at the fat corporate trough, and "get away from those tacky old labor unions, environmentalists, middle-class families, family farms and all that." As a result, the two parties are nearly indistinguishable. In turn, that's allowed for smokescreen shenanigans like the "compassionate conservatism" of Texas Governor and presidential hopeful George W. Bush Jr.--"or 'Shrub,' as we like to call him," Hightower says. "He's quite compassionate to his contributors." Meanwhile, Texas remains at the bottom of the heap in providing medical care for children, or addressing income inequality. "And this from a guy who now wants to be president on the basis of his gubernatorial record, and is campaigning on compassionate conservatism? "Yet he did express great concern last month. He said 'Many people are hurting.' But he wasn't referring to those children, because he's pushing through legislation that would deny healthcare to 200,000 Texas children. He was referring to the owners of Texas oil wells. He pushed through a $46 million tax break for Exxon and other oil well owners. That gives a pretty clear picture of him as a compassionate man." Hightower nails the mainstream media for not hammering such blatant arrogance. "The clearest measure of the media's performance," he says, "is that its representatives rank just above politicians among the American people. And politicians are just one notch above mad cow disease. That's why it's so important to have alternative voices around the country. "The most common reaction I get on my radio show is from people saying, 'My God, these are the things we want to talk about, but we never get a chance to. The media doesn't talk about it, the politicians don't talk about it. But this is what's happening to us at the kitchen table level.'" He says the brightest spot for change may come from computer screens: "Down the road, the Internet becomes such an important tool, which is why the forces of evil are trying to put a meter on it, and lock it up for themselves. But if it works right, it could be a real democratic tool." Campaign reform is another lever for progress. Hightower calls it the "issue that crosses all other progressive issues. It's the old adage of following the money, because money is the force that is choking off our democracy." Lawmakers are blundering when they dismiss its importance to the public, he says. Still, "The people don't push because they know nothing's going to happen. They know both parties are butt-deep in that corrupt money, and have no interest in reforming the campaign system. In the meanwhile, every time people get a chance to go for campaign finance--in the cases of Arizona, Massachusetts, Vermont or Maine--they've done it by good margins." In Austin, for example, a reform measure landed on the city-wide ballot, sponsored by a group humbly named "Austinites For a Little Less Corruption." The initiative won by 73 percent, Hightower says. Opponents claim that limiting campaign funding likewise limits free speech. But Hightower calls that a rhetorical red herring. "It's not exactly free when you have to pay to have a voice in government," he says. "I don't think that's what Thomas Jefferson and James Madison had in mind when they were doing the First Amendment--that there would be free speech for those who could afford to buy it." At the same time, he also sees encouraging signs of change, particularly on the labor front. "Unions are back and being more aggressive, being focused on the need to organize, paying attention to independent political action, and doing a little of this kick-ass populism," he says. Hightower describes growing international ties between labor unions--particularly NAFTA-era links among workers in the United States and Mexico--as "an essential step. The same thing is taking place in Asia and in other parts of Latin America. If the economy is going to be global, then the organizing and the people connections have to be global as well. And NAFTA is one galvanizing reality." He says the only way to stop the hemorrhaging of American jobs to low-paying, labor-rich nations "is by getting wages up in those countries so that corporations are not free to hop around the world and exploit workers. I mean, they're not going to Indonesia or Vietnam because they love the climate." Subsequently, on issues ranging from environmentalism to immigration, Hightower's views always land firmly back on the kitchen table. An example: The nation's most powerful environmental forces aren't the Sierra Club or the National Resource Defense Council, he says, "but instead groups called 'Ouch,' and 'Wow,' and 'Uh-Huh,' and 'No.'--what I call spontaneous combustion environmental groups that usually leap up because of some local outrage. People find that their children are being poisoned in one way or another, and there's nothing that quite rivets the political attention of families like their children being poisoned. And Mr. Pollution is most often the neighbor of working folks and poor folks and rural folks, people without power." As a Texan, Hightower is especially well-versed in problems along the United States/Mexico line. He calls the current anti-immigration putsch truly frightening. "All the beefing up of the Border Patrol has meant intrusion into civil liberties of people on both sides of the border," he says. "I'm sure it's true in Arizona, and it certainly is here in Texas. They're just willy-nilly stopping cars, and searching cars, in a blatant violation of people's civil liberties." On the flipside, "Immigration in Texas has been a boon. That's not to say there haven't been real problems with it. But the real problem is not that people out of Mexico or Guatemala or wherever else are taking good jobs away from Americans, but that there is a knockdown of good jobs in America for all people. "The powers that be have gone too far," he says. "They've knocked down too many people. It's no longer just poor people who are getting stomped on, it's that middle class making less than $50,000 a year. That's 80 percent of the American people. "The next question becomes, 'What are they gonna do about it?' Are they going to have a political channel? Right now, they don't. Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one." Jim Hightower will broadcast on KTKT-AM 990 at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 7. At 5:30 p.m., he'll appear at a reception, forum and booksigning in the Viscount Hotel, 4855 E. Broadway. A $5 donation is requested. On Saturday, May 8, Hightower will appear at a benefit dinner and reception at 6 p.m. in the Community Hall of the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 1145 E. Fort Lowell Road. Dinner is $60, and provided by Jack's Original Barbeque. For reservations and other information, call 326-3716.


The Doctor Is In-For Now. By Chris Limberis IT WAS IN the depths of Pima County that Dr. Richard Carmona, the czar of the county's health system who has presided over a $14 million loss in the last year, made a surprising offer to his chief political benefactor, Democratic Supervisor Raul Grijalva. In the county's subterranean garage, Carmona told Grijalva--the conduit in the increasingly volatile relationship Carmona has with Sylvia Campoy, who heads the county's health care commission--that he would step down from his $190,500-a-year job. There, near the county's bottom, 12 floors beneath the perch that Grijalva has held for 11 years, Carmona says he told Grijalva: "If you tell me 'Rich, it's time to go,' I'm willing to. I'll go. There's no problem. There's no fight. There's no lawsuit. I'll just go away. I can go do something else. But he said, 'No. I want you to stay. We need you.' " Carmona is in discussions with officials from the University of Arizona College of Medicine for a full-time position. He already has faculty appointments in surgery, public health, and family and community medicine and treats patients at the student clinic during the school year. Last year, Carmona turned down a job as executive vice president of a

$1-billion-a-year health system in Virginia--a job that would have evolved into the CEO position. He also spurned an offer from UCLA to be associate dean and chief medical officer--a job that would have included duties with the Los Angeles County hospital system. He says he continues to receive other offers in Tucson as well as from both coasts. Reports of the job with the UA and UMC came as Carmona's high-pitch, high-profile battle with Health Commission Chairwoman Campoy reached full force in the last two weeks. Thorny at best over the last several months over budget and management issues, the feud erupted last month when Campoy forwarded to the County Attorney's Office allegations about a Kino doctor writing bogus prescriptions. Carmona was furious that Campoy, whose Health Care Commission is purely advisory to the Board of Supervisors, did not discuss the issue with him first. The matter ended up in The Arizona Daily Star. He says Campoy's move stripped the doctor, the popular Kino internist Dr. Charles Blanck, of his rights to due process and privacy. Blanck had reported substance abuse problems to the state Board of Medical Examiners in 1997 and has been in a post-care monitoring program for alcoholism. Blanck also is Grijalva's personal physician. Carmona says the repeated battles have taken a toll. "There's a lot of distractions," Carmona says. "There is, you know, divisiveness that takes me away from things I should be doing. I definitely need more time for planning and prospective things. And instead I am thrust into a reactive mode where I have to be put on the defensive. "I'm doing my best. I want to stay because I've made the commitment here, but, on the other hand, reality prevails. If it's not working out for one reason or another I have to consider that in the future," he adds. Critics, including some on the commission, contend that it is Carmona's bundle of other activities like the SWAT team, the EMT service, the student health service and the lecture circuit, that cause the overcrowded schedule for the county's top doc. When the Blanck issue blew open, for example, Carmona was somewhere in New Mexico giving a lecture. Earlier this year, health care commission members were not pleased that Carmona was out of state during a couple meetings. "Does it not make the organization more credible that I publish articles, that I'm known nationally for what I do, that I'm called upon as a resource by professional organizations?" Carmona asks in his rapid defense. "I would argue that that's where your leadership should be. That of prominence." Meanwhile, Kino and the system are buried under debt topping $40 million. The system lost more than $1 million a month in the last year. Carmona claims he has streamlined administration and battled a 50-year-old culture of bureaucracy to make cuts. But while a few positions were consolidated in his top administrations, those left got hefty pay raises, a fact that looked particularly bad last year when he was cutting back home health workers. Grijalva stood by Carmona through all that. And, according to Carmona, the supervisor is still with him. Replaying his conversations with Grijalva, Carmona says: "I've said to him that I don't want to be the source of divisiveness. I don't want to be the source of the morale decreasing and if you feel it's time for me to move on, I'm happy to move on. OK? And there are no hard feelings. I mean I've done good, I think. You know we've hit an impasse. Maybe it's time to bring somebody else in. And I'm willing to recognize that. 'No,' he said. 'Absolutely not. I want you to stay.... I think we can get by this. I think you and Sylvia can solve your problems and I think we need to hold the course. It's not the time to change leadership.' " Grijalva disputes that he has urged Carmona to stay. "I've said that it's not my call," Grijalva says. "And the reason I've said that it's not my call is because I don't want to be part of the lawsuit, which is where this is going. It's not my call. I don't want to be the one who 'pressured' him to resign." Carmona, a former trauma surgeon at Tucson Medical Center whose 3-year-old position at the county grew from Kino Community Hospital administrator to chief of the entire, $245-million-a-year county health system, says he continued to press Grijalva. And Carmona says that he "understands" that Grijalva may quickly reverse positions. "I am aware of that. And I don't want to sound Polyannish. Yo no soy pendejo," Carmona says. "I understand exactly that. But I take the man's word at face value. At least for what he tells me." Not all of Carmona's time at Tucson Medical Center was pleasant. Nor was his departure. His lawsuit ended with a settlement in which he received several million dollars. Grijalva has said that Carmona is laying the groundwork for a lawsuit, but Carmona denies that. "Let me set the record straight on that. There is no intent," Carmona says. "Now, I'm not telling you that if I'm harmed that I won't. But I have no reason now. I don't want to." Instead, Carmona says he has sought mediation with Campoy. Grijalva, with connections to all parties, is a logical facilitator. "Let me just say, I've not asked him, I've begged him to intercede," Carmona says. "To set up a meeting and facilitate it. Or I've said, 'Let's get a third party who has nothing to do with any of us politically or in the health system that just has a vested interest in seeing it resolved. And let's just sit down and draw up the checklist and say how can we live together. What do we need to do?' I am 100 percent committed to doing that." Carmona entered the county health care bureaucracy under a previous Board of Supervisors, headed by Ed Moore and his Republican majority that included Mike Boyd and Paul Marsh. Boyd was Carmona's champion. Moore didn't support Carmona, but he and Carmona held regular discussions. And Grijalva and Democrat Dan Eckstrom, a strong backer of Kino and southside health services, were not necessarily cheerleading. Grijalva emerged as Carmona's point man, at least until Carmona's recent clashes with Campoy. And Carmona says he knows full well where he stands. "Well there's no question in my mind that when it comes to the question of the sword and if Raul is going to fall on hers or mine, I'm dead. There's no doubt in my mind," Carmona says. "He clearly has an allegiance to Sylvia. He's going to protect her. That's his track record for years. On the school board, everybody's told me about it, that every time that she's fallen he's been there to pick her up. When she got bounced from the school board, he found her a job in the health commission; he's got her a job with the city. I mean, he's her protector for whatever reason. So I'm not foolish. I understand what that means. But on the other hand, am I going to prostitute myself to keep the vote of a supervisor who I have had an excellent relationship with? I've told him what I feel is true." Despite his precarious position with Grijalva, there is no real drive to dump Carmona. Boyd has remained a supporter, although the recent controversies have caused him to question the county's continued wide role in health care delivery. Republican Ray Carroll says he "trusts" Carmona, though both deny their relationship is as cozy as Campoy recently said it was. "I've done far more for Raul Grijalva and Dan Eckstrom than I've done for Ray Carroll, simply because they have asked me to be involved in their projects," Carmona says.

Eckstrom inherited his southside District 2 seat in 1988 from Sam Lena, the Democrat who was the true patron saint of the county's indigent health system and Kino Community Hospital. He has not had any sharp confrontations with Carmona. Of his relationship with Eckstrom, Carmona says: "You know, Dan's a funny guy. You just can't tell every day. When he wants me he calls. I respond. Usually he wants information. Occasionally he's asked me to participate in a community program. We've done surveys for him on the southside and other parts of the district. It's just that Dan's personality is such that you never get close to him. And that's just the way he is. I respect him. He works hard for his constituents. And when he needs me, I'm there." That leaves Democrat Sharon Bronson, the Board's current chairwoman. She has a deep and well-known dislike for Carmona. "Why do I stay?" Carmona asks. "I feel that there's still some unfinished business. You know, I grew up in an area like this. I was poor. I come from a Hispanic family and I just feel an allegiance to the population. Like there's still some unfinished business. Public health things. Prevention. Wellness. Primary care stuff. There's a lot of people that need care. So I have this commitment. But at some point, you know we hit the crossroad and maybe it is time to move." Carmona says he would expect the Board to honor clauses in his contract for 30-day notice and the $75,000 severance. "Oh, for sure. But that's a business deal," Carmona says. "Why should they renege on it?"


The Virgin Of Guadalupe Reigns Supreme In This Part Of The Country. By Margaret Regan THE VIRGIN OF Guadalupe is everywhere in the barrio: on the video store wall, in the front yards and even on the stark face of an electrical generating station. Last week, just a few days before her December 12 feast day, artist Antonio Pazos led a tour group to assorted barrio murals, nearly all of them featuring some version of Mexico's beloved patron saint. The blustery day was so cold that the barrio houses seemed to shiver behind their chain link and you wouldn't have been surprised to see the placid Guadalupes pulling their star-dappled mantles tighter over their thin pink dresses. They didn't, but the painted Guadalupe at the electrical station was a little out of the ordinary. She appeared as both the Aztec goddess Tonantzin, adorned with feathers and shiny gold headplate, and as her usual familiar self, brown-skinned, not European but definitely Christian. Down on South Tenth Avenue, the station is near the 27th Street dividing line between rival gangs, Pazos said. Along about 1993, Tucson Electric Power officials, frustrated by the weekly graffiti rituals of local teens, hired Pazos to get the warring kids to paint murals on the station's walls instead. What they got for their trouble was a block-long painting that is nothing less than a rewriting of the history of the Conquest of Mexico from the viewpoint of the conquered, black death ships and all. But one panel on the mural, what you might call a panel of reconciliation, features Montezuma and Cortez bowing courteously to each other. The two ladies, Guadalupe and Tonantzin, stand at either side, symbolizing European and indigenous culture. "She is the dearest of symbols in Mexico," Pazos explained. "To me she represents Tonantzin. To my father, Guadalupe." Guadalupe has long been seen by Mexican and Chicano activists as a sort of reincarnation of the earlier Aztec goddess, whose name means Reverend Mother. In part, she stands for a wily allegiance to the old religion carried out under the unknowing noses of the Catholic priests. The story goes that an Indian, Juan Diego, was visited by the beautiful brown-skinned lady in 1531. The skeptical Spanish bishop didn't believe him, until Juan Diego unfurled his cloak to release a cascade of out-of-season roses. The cloak itself was miraculously imprinted with the image of the lady. The bishop took her to be the Virgin Mary but, the story goes, the Indians knew better, recognizing her for their own goddess. The most recent scholarship, contained in Stafford Poole's book Our Lady of Guadalupe, however, persuasively argues that the Guadalupe cult was a top-down phenomenon, promulgated by Spanish leaders to win the conversion of Mexican Indians. Nor is there any historical evidence for another staple of the myth: that the Guadalupe basilica was built on an earlier cult site of Tonantzin's. But on some level, the historical facts don't matter as much as the enduring emotional attachment to the story. Cesar Chavez effectively used Guadalupe's image on United Farmworkers banners, invoking her compassion for the sufferings of the exploited. And she continues to work in the modern world as a potent, and flexible, symbol for everything from ethnic identity to the eternal feminine, as an intriguing show at Jose Galvez Gallery vividly demonstrates. The invitational exhibition, Imagenes de la Virgen de Guadalupe, offers some 19 works by Hispanic and Anglo artists, and their Guadalupes are all over the map. There's a gangster chick Guadalupe, a Mother Earth Guadalupe, a skeletal Guadalupe, even a Hindu Guadalupe. There's a Guadalupe fashioned out of cut paper, or papel picado, a quilted Guadalupe on cloth, and Guadalupes created by everything from cameras to computers to old-fashioned oils. Margaret Garcia, a Los Angeles painter who has shown at Galvez before, has created perhaps the most traditional Virgin. Her large oil on canvas, "La Virgen y Las Rosas," has the conventional Guadalupe at the center, but her totemic roses have grown to wondrous size, crowding her out for space. The swelling red blossoms celebrate the bright colors and giant paper flowers of Mexican folk art, and just perhaps invoke a pre-Christian association of flowers with fertility. Catherine Eyde transforms one icon into another with her "Virgin and Juan Diego," an oil on wood. The Virgin of Guadalupe becomes the Nativity Madonna, scooping up Juan Diego and cradling him in her arms like baby Jesus. Gonzalo Espinosa, who works in an art-based youth program in South Tucson, evokes contemporary barrio life in his "Super Lupe." She may not be in a low-rider, but his Virgin rides the hood of an old Volkswagen decorated with fringe, and she stands on a base painted in the red, green and white of the Mexican flag. Cristina Cardenas reworks a cliche from advertising art of the '30s: Her Virgin is a beautiful, water-color senorita gilded with hothouse flowers. Ezequiel Esparza's sexy Virgin is easily the most outrageous. His Guadalupe is a babe in a bikini and she's flirtatiously pulling off the skimpy bottoms, made out of her usual green star-studded cloth. No doubt he's taking aim at the Church's traditional contempt for female sexuality. Alfred Quiroz, a UA prof, has made a political statement in his "Cliche": His skeleton Virgin is a victim of U.S. economic imperialism. Her flames are colored in the red-and-white stripes of the American flag, and dollar signs float around her skull. The non-Hispanics also tackled the visually rich subject with relish. Judith Golden made an eerie photograph in silvery blacks and gray, picturing a young veiled woman who holds the Virgin's typical crescent moon in her lap. Maurice Grossman created a novel three-dimensional piece in ceramics and wood: a white cutout porcelain of the Virgin casts a shadow against the rough wood of the shrine-like background. L.A. artist Michael Walker made perhaps the most heartfelt tribute to the hard-working mothers of the barrio, who may well be Guadalupe's most devoted fans. In "Planchando, Pensando" (ironing, thinking), a painting scanned into a computer and printed, the Virgin is hard at work ironing in her kitchen. Her crown is on her head, but her face is middle-aged, lined with years of hope and worry. She takes comfort in the family "photo" on the wall behind her, a painting of her husband Joseph and young Jesus, but like any good mother this household saint is taking no chances. A candle burns brightly in front of them, ensuring their safe return home. Imagenes de la Virgen de Guadalupe continues through Saturday, January 10, at Jose Galvez Gallery, 743 N. Fourth Ave. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For more information call 624-6878. Antonio Pazos will lead another barrio murals tour on Saturday, March 14. The cost, including lunch and bus transportation, is $59. For more information call Baja's Frontier Tours at 887-2340.
A man wanted in connection with a 2020 murder is shot and killed by police, in Maracas, St. Joseph.

And, cops discover several guns and ammunition, at another suspect's home, in Couva.
The season of cloudberries and blueberries launches in Finland as the first groups of foreign berry pickers have already arrived in the country.

Thats according to Finlands Yle media company, Ukrinform reports.

This summer, most berry pickers will be coming from Ukraine and Thailand, the report notes.

Finlands association of entrepreneurs in the field of natural products elaborated that almost 3,000 cloudberry and blueberry pickers will arrive from Thailand. The number of Ukrainian seasonal workers to be employed in the industry is estimated at about 500 to 600.

The outlet adds that, due to this years drought, the harvest of forest berries in Finland is expected to be lower against last years.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of Finland recommended that local health authorities provide COVID-19 jabs to foreign nationals arriving both on long-term employment contracts and for seasonal work, including Ukrainians.

Photo: Alex Kirsanov / Yle
Turkey expects Ukrainian business to take more active steps to develop joint projects, and the Government of Ukraine  to sign a bilateral free trade agreement.

"There is a very important issue  signing the free trade agreement between Turkey and Ukraine," Rusen Cetin, Chairman of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) at the Turkey-Ukraine Business Council, said on the air of Dom TV channel.

In recent years, the Ukraine-Turkey annual trade has reached about $5 billion, Cetin informed.

"At the same time, the foreign trade balance is in Ukraine's favor. Turkey exports goods and services to the tune of $2.3 billion to Ukraine a year, while Ukraine  $2.7 billion a year," he specified.

As the DEIK chairman assured, Turkey is open to Ukrainian companies, favored by the geographical location of the two countries.

However, according to Cetin, Ukrainian business does not enter Turkey actively.

"We expect more vigorous actions from the Ukrainian side now. After all, we can cooperate not only on drones. There are opportunities in Ukraine, there are opportunities in Turkey, but we need to go further and engage in practical efforts, implementation of projects," he said.

As reported, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine and Turkey had to take the last step, the most important and sensitive one, before the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement, which required a compromise between the two sides. The Ukrainian delegation is ready to arrive in Ankara to continue negotiations on finalizing the agreement.

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In the context of strengthening relations between Ukraine and African countries, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held a phone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Geoffrey Onyeama.

According to the ministry's press service, Kuleba and Onyeama discussed steps to intensify political dialogue, increase trade, revive cooperation in education, and strengthen cooperation within international organizations.

They agreed to hold another round of political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers in the nearest time.

Kuleba noted the interest of Ukrainian business in the implementation of infrastructure, energy and agricultural projects in Nigeria. Onyeama supported the Ukrainian minister's proposal to work out the organization of a bilateral business forum in the near future.

At the end of the conversation, Kuleba invited his Nigerian counterpart to visit Ukraine.

As a reminder, in 2020, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Nigeria amounted to USD 86.2 million. The positive balance for Ukraine was USD 78.3 million. In the first quarter of 2021, the volume of trade in goods and services amounted to USD 30.68 million.

As of January 1, 2021, 4,379 Nigerians were studying at higher education institutions of Ukraine.

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The decision of the Council of the European Union to include Ukraine in the "green" list of countries for which it is recommended to lift travel restrictions opens up additional tourism opportunities for Ukrainians.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote about his on Facebook, summing up the economic results of the past week, Ukrinform reports.

The Council of the European Union has included Ukraine in the list of countries for which it is recommended to remove temporary restrictions on entry. This decision opens up additional tourism opportunities for Ukrainians. Now each EU member state can add Ukraine to its own "green list". And a number of countries have already opened their borders to Ukrainians," the head of government said.

At the same time, he noted that the government continues to work on the introduction of Covid certificates so that Ukrainian citizens can travel freely across Europe during a pandemic. "I showed our developments to Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic. He assured that the document does not differ from the European one, and this indicates a potentially positive decision on the recognition of certificates by the European Union," Shmyhal said.

As Ukrinform reported, on July 15, the Council of the European Union added Ukraine to the list of countries for which coronavirus-related travel restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU should be lifted.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba instructed Ukraine's embassies in EU countries to work on including Ukraine in national "green lists," which will allow Ukrainians to travel to these countries without restrictions.

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The Estonia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Riigikogu, the Parliament of Estonia, welcomed Ukraines initiative to establish the Crimea Platform and its parliamentary dimension.

We truly hope that the initiative will be an opportunity for like-minded countries and international organisations, as well as the democratic community to express their support to the platform, especially in view of the inaugural Crimea Platform Summit to be held on 23 August 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine, reads the statement.

The ultimate strategic goal of the Crimea Platform mechanism is ensuring the de-occupation of Crimea, the Riigikogus press service noted.

We believe that the situation in Crimea needs to be kept in focus by the international community, and the issue of ensuring balanced regional security and territorial integrity of Ukraine in its internationally recognised borders must be considered of the highest importance, Estonian lawmakers stressed.

The Estonia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Riigikogu continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea, the violations of human rights, especially the oppression of national minorities and racial discrimination of the Crimean Tatar People, and the disregard for the international law demonstrated by the Russian Federation.

The Group members reiterated once again their unwavering support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and its commitment to peaceful conflict resolution.

For better coordination of involvement, the Estonia-Ukraine Parliamentary Group decided to be the point of contact for the parliamentary dimension of the Crimea Platform.

We MPs also extended their congratulations to the people of Ukraine on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine.

The statement was signed by all 22 Group members.

The Crimea Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the efficiency of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, step up international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the de-occupation of Crimea.

The first Crimea Platform summit is scheduled for August 23, 2021.

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The United States welcomes judicial reform laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and hopes they will provide a better future for all Ukrainians.

According to Ukrinform, State Department spokesperson Ned Price wrote this on Twitter.

"We welcome the judicial reform laws passed by the Ukrainian parliament with the strong backing of the President of Ukraine," the diplomat tweeted.

According to him, the United States hopes that "these changes will help strengthen Ukraine's institutions, promote transparency, and lead to a brighter future for all Ukrainians."

The Verkhovna Rada on July 14 passed a law introducing amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on the procedure for the election of members of the High Council of Justice and activities of disciplinary inspectors of the High Council of Justice, which envisages reform of the agency. Some 259 lawmakers voted in favour of the decision.

On July 13, the parliament adopted a law introducing amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges" and to some laws of Ukraine resuming the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine. A total of 305 MPs voted for the decision.

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The Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, after landing at Batumi International Airport, has left for the contact line between Georgia and its occupied territory  Abkhazia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has announced on Facebook.

"Right now, immediately after landing in Batumi, the Ukrainian delegation led by the president is going to the line of contact between Georgia and its occupied territory - Abkhazia. This is a sign of Ukraine's solidarity with Georgia in its fight against external Russian aggression," Kuleba wrote.

He also said that during the Batumi conference, which will be attended by Zelensky, the Ukrainian side will talk about security in the Black Sea region and EU integration.

Zelensky is on a working visit to Georgia on July 19. He will take part in the Batumi International Conference during the visit. In addition, the Associated Trio of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova will launch its activity at the level of heads of state. The leaders of the three countries will sign the Declaration of the Associated Trio Summit and hold a joint meeting with European Council President Charles Michel.

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In The Hague, those gathered outside the Palace of Justice have called on Russia to admit its guilt

Seven years ago, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over the occupied part of Donbas. On July 17, 2014, all 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board were killed in the downing. Most of them, 196 people, are Dutch citizens.

IRON BIRD AND SUNFLOWER FIELD

Since 2014, July 17 has been a special day in the Netherlands. Every year on this day, the families of the victims mourn their loved ones and once again remind the whole world of the terrifying consequences of Russian aggression. The seventh anniversary of the tragedy passed without mass events due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 incidence with a new daily high of 11,000 cases recorded on July 15. Under these circumstances, the event at the national memorial saw limited attendance.

The memorial to the victims of the disaster is located near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, where fkight MH17 took off seven years ago. Most of the families of the victims are still unwilling to communicate publicly, especially with the media. Piet Ploeg, who lost his brother, daughter-in-law, and nephew, as well as Anton Kotte, whose eldest son, daughter-in-law, and six-year-old grandson died in the incident, took on such a difficult mission. Both of these silver-haired men are also members of the board of the MH17 Disaster Foundation, taking an active part in organizing vigil services.

"It's hard Parents arent supposed to bury their children," said Anton Cotte, touching the carving with the victims names.

Wreaths and sunflowers bouquets are seen at the memorial complex as seven years ago MH17 plunged from the sky onto a sunflower field. A sunflower field has also been planted around the site. Flowers grew from Donbas seeds taken from a field on which the bodies and plane debris were found scattered. On the territory of the memorial there are 298 trees, symbolizing the victims of the tragedy. Next to each tree is a nameplate and an iron bird that will never take to the sky again.

Ukraines Ambassador to the Netherlands, Vsevolod Chentsov, laid flowers and expressed condolences to the victims families. He noted that July 17 also marks World Day of International Justice, which is very symbolic, because now the main task in the MH17 trial is to ensure that justice prevails: to identify the perpetrators and bring them to responsibilIty.

It's hard Parents arent supposed to bury their children

"In their tireless and coordinated efforts, the Joint Investigation Team is steadily moving towards revealing all circumstances of the plane crash. A huge number of intercepted communications, videos and photos, technical examinations, and witness accounts helped identify the weapon of crime, the place of the missile launch, and the individuals involved. All this allowed the court to consider a single plausible version: the plane was shot down by the Buk launcher, which belonged to the 53rd Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, and that the missile was launched near the village of Pervomaiske, the one controlled by pro-Russian militants. The trial in the Hague District Court will resume its work in September 2021," the ambassador said in an exclusive comment to Ukrinform.

In the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the diplomat added, Ukraine and the Netherlands are seeking to bring Russia to justice for its role in the MH17 downing.

"In parallel lines, the trial against the Russian Federation initiated by families of the victims is underway in the same court. In addition, MH17 is one of the key episodes in the Ukraine v. Russia case in the UN International Court of Justice. Despite Russia's desperate attempts to confuse the courts, compromise the investigation, or manipulate public opinion, we have made significant progress toward achieving justice  in all possible jurisdictions and in the shortest possible time for trials of such complexity," Chentsov stressed.

RUSSIAS RESPONSIBILITY AND RALLY OUTSIDE PALACE OF JUSTICE

The UN International Court of Justice sits in the Palace of Justice in The Hague. It was outside its HQ that Ukrainians living in the Netherlands rallied to once again call on Russia to acknowledge own responsibility for the MH17 downing.

On the seventh anniversary of the MH17 tragedy, they held posters calling for justice to MH17 victims and flew Ukrainian flags.

A monument was erected near the Palace of Justice and Peace in 2004, symbolizing the path to peace and calling on the world to unite in seeking it. Around the monument with eternal fire stones were set up, reflecting the countries will to achieve peace. Ukraine is among those countries.

"Seven years into the tragedy Russia still hasnt acknowledged its responsibility, hoping that eventually everything will pass and fall into oblivion. We see the efforts the Russian Federation has been making to avoid punishment. Therefore, today, on the anniversary of the tragedy, we are trying to remind once again of the threat Russia poses to the civilized world by its actions," Colonel Volodymyr Denysov, Defense Attache at the Ukrainian Embassy in the Netherlands, told Ukrinform.

During the rally in The Hague, representatives of the Ukrainian community in the Netherlands expressed condolences to the families of the victims and called on other countries to join the initiative launched by the Ukrainian community in France: to remember the victims of the MH17 tragedy and take to the streets of their home cities demanding justice and peace.

Also, on the seventh anniversary of the MH17 tragedy, the memory of the victims was honored in Austria. The rally unfolded in Viennas central square. The activists called on Russia to acknowledge its responsibility for the plane downing and to cooperate with the investigation and court.

Seven years into the tragedy Russia still hasnt acknowledged its responsibility, hoping that eventually everything will pass and fall into oblivion

A model of the plane with a list of states and the number of their citizens killed in the crash was installed on Geldenplatz. The participants in the rally observed a moment of silence in memory of the victims and lit candles, arranging them in an MH17 formation. During the event, reports about the plane crash, investigation, and trial in the MH17 case were aired from speakers.

TRIAL AND FAMILIES HOPE

The Hague District Court in March last year launched hearings of the case into the crash of flight MH17 from the sky over Donbas. On July 8, the Schiphol Court Complex near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, from where MH17 took off seven years ago, held its last hearing on the merits this summer. Photos, videos, and maps of the Buk transportation routes, collected by the investigation, were publicly presented in court.

"Summarizing where the case has progressed to is simple. If you know the JIT investigation outcome, there is little new evidence or issues that were not anticipated to date. But there are more sources, more descriptions of in-depth analysis and additional information. The roles of each Defendant are also being coordinated so you can see each separate actor as a part of the whole plan and event. That is impressive and adds context to each role. That has been the most impressive part of the trial so far," said Jerry Skinner, a U.S. lawyer representing relatives of MH17 victims at the European Court of Human Rights, said in an exclusive comment to Ukrinform.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in November is due to hold a hearing of the MH17 case. The hearing is scheduled for November 24, 2021.

The hearings on the merits will continue in the Schiphol court complex in September  this is when the relatives of the victims will appear in court.

"Many of us still see a picture of how, after the planes brought the remains here, black cars then were transporting them to another city for identification... We are waiting for a court ruling and, except for the four accused, we hope to hear the names of all those involved in the tragedy and we want them all to be punished," Anton Cotte said, standing next to the MH17 monument by the military airbase in his hometown of Eindhoven.

Traditionally, Ukrainians living in Eindhoven came to the monument to express their condolences and lay sunflowers.

Together with his son and grandchildren, Anton Cotte observed a moment of silence in memory of his eldest son, who was 43, his daughter-in-law, and his youngest grandson, who was only six.

Iryna Drabok, The Hague

Photos by author

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Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Spain to Ukraine Silvia Cortes Martin, during which the parties agreed to deepen cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, combating domestic violence and cybercrime.

"We are in the process of transformation. Every day we work to change the prosecution authorities for the better, increase their efficiency, and restore public confidence. We have successfully passed the reform stage, having certified prosecutors at all three levels. Our goal now is to improve operational processes within the prosecutor's office, as well as to change the internal culture in the institution," Venediktova stressed.

She also shared the steps to implement the strategy for development of the prosecutor's office, which was first adopted last year.

"We are committed to a serious fight against corruption within the system and excessive bureaucracy. We focus on the positive experience of digitalization, which has already been implemented in other countries. I consider it expedient to create a digital platform for the prosecutor's office that would combine all the necessary functions related to criminal proceedings and document circulation, Venediktova said.

The interlocutors also discussed cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, which is becoming global. In addition, they exchanged views on combating environmental crimes.

On behalf of the Government of Spain, the ambassador congratulated Ukraine on the successful reform of the prosecutor's office and expressed readiness to deepen bilateral contacts.

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The head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia), Marek Szczygie, has thanked President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in Batumi today, for his interest in the Missions work.

According to Ukrinform, Szczygie wrote about this on Twitter.

Szczygie greeted Zelensky at the Enguri Bridge and explained to him "the humanitarian situation of the conflict-affected population at the Abkhaz administrative boundary line (ABL), amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic."

He also thanked Zelensky for his interest in the work of the EUMM in Georgia.

As reported, a Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, after landing at Batumi International Airport on July 19, has left for the contact line between Georgia and its occupied territory  Abkhazia.

During the visit, Zelensky will initiate the activity of the Associated Trio format of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova at the level of heads of state. The leaders of the three countries will sign a declaration of the Associated Trio summit and will hold a joint meeting with European Council President Charles Michel.

Zelensky will also take part in the Batumi International Conference along with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, and the European Council president.

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In Georgia, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky got acquainted with the security situation on the border with occupied Abkhazia and walked across the Ingur Bridge, which is currently the only entry-exit checkpoint in the region.

As the Presidents Office informs, Zelensky had an opportunity to observe the ongoing occupation of part of Georgia's sovereign territory during a visit to the Abastumani observation post.

Russias military presence is built up in Abkhazia, and the rights of citizens are being violated, the President said.

At the same time, he noted that Ukraine and Georgia stood united in their initiatives to return the issue of temporarily occupied territories to the agenda of leading international and regional organizations.

In addition, during his visit to the Ingur Bridge, the President talked to representatives of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

According to Head of Mission Marek Szczygie, the operation of the checkpoint was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result of which local residents experienced significant difficulties, in particular, school teachers were not able to get home. Currently, the traffic across the bridge is resumed and up to 2,000 people cross this checkpoint every day.

At the same time, according to the Presidents Office, the self-proclaimed authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia deny the Mission entry into Georgias occupied territory under their control.

As the President assured, Ukraine and Georgia are friendly states and strategic partners who mutually support each others territorial integrity and sovereignty, so they will work together to de-occupy their territories and fulfill their aspirations.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a working visit to Georgia on Monday, July 19, where he will take part in the Batumi International Conference. As part of the visit, it is planned to launch the Associated Trio format of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova at the level of heads of state.

Photo credit: Presidents website

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President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the European Union should demonstrate a clear vision of relations with its closest partners  Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova  at the December summit of the Eastern Partnership.

He said this during the opening of the Batumi International Conference on July 19, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The head of state noted that the next Eastern Partnership summit is to take place in December. According to him, this is very important, but the lack of a strategic vision of the Eastern Partnership goals on the part of the European Union makes this format "not so substantive, half-alive."

"We do not need a summit for the sake of a summit. We have people dying, we have a war. We need a political content and a geopolitical vision of the future of this initiative; otherwise, to be honest, the expediency of this in general is not clear. The next summit should show a clear vision of relations with the closest partners on the part of the European Union," Zelensky said.

He added that Ukraine will support the Eastern Partnership initiative "as much as it will contribute to the realization of our European aspirations."

In addition, Zelensky expressed hope that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova together will achieve this goal and celebrate the replenishment of the European family with "three sisters".

As reported, a Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, after landing at Batumi International Airport on July 19, has left for the contact line between Georgia and its occupied territory  Abkhazia.

During the visit, Zelensky will initiate the activity of the Associated Trio format of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova at the level of heads of state. The leaders of the three countries will sign a declaration of the Associated Trio summit and will hold a joint meeting with European Council President Charles Michel.

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Ukraine's immediate goals in cooperation with the European Union are to start implementing the Common Aviation Area Agreement, further prepare for signing the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products, and sum up the first results of the Association Agreement renewal.

"Our benchmark is the Association Agreement with the EU. Its implementation will bring Ukraine closer to the criteria for EU membership. But today we already have an ambitious agenda with the European Union. The immediate goals are the launch of the Common Aviation Area Agreement implementation, next stage of preparation for industrial visa-free regime [signing Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products], and the first results of the Association Agreement renewal, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Batumi International Conference, streamed live on the Presidents Office Facebook page.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a working visit to Georgia on Monday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed hope that the European Common Aviation Area Agreement would be signed with Ukraine this autumn.

On July 6, President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Council President Charles Michel discussed the priorities of bilateral cooperation in the context of preparations for the 23rd Ukraine-EU Summit.

The previous, 22nd Ukraine-EU Summit took place on October 6, 2020, in Brussels, and the next summit is scheduled for October 12, 2021, in Kyiv.

Speaking at the international Ukraine Reform Conference in Vilnius on July 6-7, Zelensky also said that he expected the next Ukraine-EU Summit to sum up the first results of negotiations on renewing the tariff part of the Association Agreement.

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The Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement (TCG) via video conference on Wednesday, July 21, will consider the issue of ceasefire violations by the Russian armed groups.

Thats according to a report by the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to the schedule, video conferences of working groups on security, political issues, as well as humanitarian and economic groups have been scheduled for July 20, while the TCGs general meeting, also via video link, will be held on July 21.

"The agenda: the issue of ceasefire violations by the armed groups of the Russian Federation; the enhancing of control mechanism; implementation of Minsk agreements and the outcome of the Paris summit; ensuring security in the conflict zone, ceasefire compliance; and continued development of a joint action plan, "the statement reads.

In addition, TCG participants will discuss the resumption of operations at the crossing checkpoints along the contact lines and the opening of new ones in the settlements of Zolote and Schchastia, the exchange of hed persons, full and unconditional access of international organizations to the occupied territories, and the restoration of socio-economic ties across the line of contact.

"Consultations at the level of N4 [Normandy Four] political advisers are ongoing, aimed at returning to strict compliance by the parties with a full and comprehensive ceasefire. Ukraine's international partners support this direction of our policy," the statement reads.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on July 8, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau, stated the deterioration of the security situation in and around the disengagement areas in eastern Ukraine.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky is sure that the aggression of the Russian Federation is aimed at hindering the European integration of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.

Therefore, it is important to move forward and have the support of the European Union, the head of state said during a speech at the Batumi International Conference on July 19, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation, hybrid attacks, and the occupation of sovereign territories are aimed at significantly slowing down our movement towards this integration. That is why moving forward and the EUs support are crucial to us," Zelensky said.

He thanked the EU leaders for recognizing the European aspirations of the associated partners, and stressed that "it is equally important to turn all these words into actions."

In my opinion, the proof that our countries have a place in the European future can be the provision of a European prospect to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia as states sharing common values in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. We want the EU territory to become larger, and for this choice, the territories of our three states, unfortunately, have become smaller," Zelensky emphasized.

He added that "territories have become smaller" temporarily, but how temporarily depends largely on the support of EU partners.

At the same time, the president noted that Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova have common aspirations today and common vision for tomorrow, namely, full EU membership, equality, freedom, and democracy.

Zelensky added that the countries are united not only by aspirations, but also by the price they had to pay for them, because the three states are well aware of annexation, occupation, and war.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a working visit to Georgia on Monday.

On May 17, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova signed a memorandum on the establishment of the Associated Trio for the joint successful European integration of the three countries.

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Ukraine is not planning to reconsider its geopolitical vector regarding EU and NATO membership, but at the same time, it will develop relations with countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, taking into account its national interests, according to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko.

He told this to Ukrinform, commenting on a statement by Oleksii Arestovych, spokesperson for the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group, about Ukraine's possible eastward turn.

"Ukraine does not intend to reconsider its geopolitical vector. The strategic course of our state is secured at the level of the choice of the Ukrainian people and the Constitution of Ukraine. This is gaining membership in the EU and NATO. The question of Ukraine's westward or eastward movement in the paradigm of Ukrainian foreign policy is not on the agenda," Nikolenko said.

He said Ukraine appreciated the support of Western partners, including the United States and the European Union, in countering Russian aggression and in the de-occupation of Crimea and Donbas. At the same time, Ukraine is doing a lot of work to become a modern European democracy, he said.

"And this path is inevitable. At the same time, this does not mean that we will artificially hinder the development of relations with certain countries or regions. National interests are always the number one priority for us," Nikolenko said.

In this context, he stressed that this is why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had tasked Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in addition to the systematic work by the Foreign Ministry to achieve Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO, with developing relations with countries in other regions, including Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Earlier, Arestovych stated on the Dom television channel that if pro-Russian sentiment were to intensify in Europe and the West, Ukraine would reorient its interests to the East, meaning it will start building a system of relations with China, Vietnam, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other countries.

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Finnish diplomat Mikko Kinnunen has been appointed the new Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine, the Finnish Foreign Ministry has reported.

According to the report, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde, who is the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in 2021, has appointed Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen to serve as the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group. Kinnunen will take up his duties on August 1.

Kinnunen currently serves as Political Director (Director General for Political Affairs) in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 1996 and has worked, among other things, as Director of the Unit for Security Policy and as Finland's first Ambassador for Countering Hybrid Threats.

In 2009-2013, Kinnunen served as Finland's Ambassador in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. He has also worked in the Embassies in Moscow and Washington, D.C. and at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York.

Photo: LEHTIKUVA

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Georgian authorities release two Ukrainian yachtsmen convicted of illegal border crossing.

Thats according to News-Georgia, as reported by Ukrinform.

The yachtsmen were pardoned by Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Mtavari TV channel wrote.

At the same time, the convicts did not apply for pardon, the report elaborates.

The convicts were freed from custody on the day of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys to Georgia.

Today, July 19, he arrived in Batumi to take part in an international conference on EU integration. Earlier, at a meeting with his Georgian counterpart in Kyiv on June 23, Zelensky personally discussed the issue.

President Zelensky has confirmed the release by Georgia of Ukrainian yachtsmen, Yuriy Khomych and Volodymyr Diachenko, who were earlier sentenced to four years in prison, Ukrinform reports.

Since November 2020, we have been working on the release of Ukrainian yachtsmen Yuriy Khomych and Volodymyr Diachenko, detained in Georgia. Today, Georgia released them from prison. I am grateful to the Georgian side for the decision, which is in line with the spirit of strategic partnership between our countries," the head of state wrote on Twitter.

Background

In late November 2020, Georgian border guards seized a Turkey-bound yacht off the coast of Georgia. On board were citizens of Ukraine Volodymyr Diachenko, Yuriy Khomych, and the yachts owner, Georgian national Mykhailo Baturin.

The court later ruled to remand all three in pre-trial custody on the illegal border crossing charges.

However, the sailors families, as well as their lawyer, claimed that the Ukrainians had committed nothing illegal, and accused the Georgian authorities of unlawfully detaining Ukrainian citizens on the high seas, citing purely political reasons behind the move.

On July 14, Georgias Batumi City Court sentenced Ukrainians to four years in prison.

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Belgium has opened its borders for all types of travel of Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the Council of the European Union.

"Belgium is open to all types of travel for Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the Council of the EU. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to expand travel opportunities this summer," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba posted on Twitter.

According to the interactive map of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, travel to Belgium requires the following documents: biometric passport of a citizen of Ukraine, the validity of which must exceed the date of your intended departure from Belgium by six months; documentary confirmation of the purpose of the trip; confirmation of financial solvency; and health insurance policy, which is recognized in the territory of the EU countries. Passenger Locator Form (PLF) must be completed 48 hours prior to arrival in Belgium.

As Ukrinform reported, on July 15, the Council of the European Union added Ukraine to the list of countries for which coronavirus-related travel restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU should be lifted.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba instructed Ukraine's embassies in EU countries to work on including Ukraine in national "green lists," which will allow Ukrainians to travel to these countries without restrictions.

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| By Stephanie Janard

Children and teens experiencing acute mental health crises have a safe and healing space to recover in the newly opened Children and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at University of Maryland Childrens Hospital (UMCH). The 16-bed, state-of-the-art unit is the first in the state designed both architecturally and clinically to deliver trauma-informed care to children from 5 to 17 years old. Trauma-informed care is a framework for treating patients who have endured abuse, neglect, violence, school issues, and other traumatic events  which not all but many young patients have experienced.

A virtual grand opening of the new unit can be viewed on the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) website.

The new unit is designed to provide crisis stabilization, respite, and recovery for our most vulnerable patients  children and adolescents  and to instill hope that life will get better, said Sarah Edwards, DO, director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UMMC and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM).

The need for mental health care among youth has become an urgent national issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childrens mental health-related emergency department visits significantly increased in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, compared to 2019. A screening of over 1.5 million people by Mental Health America uncovered alarming statistics about youth suicide ideation during the pandemic.

These rates were highest among youth, according to the report, which found that in September 2020, over half of 11- to 17-year-olds reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm more than half or nearly every day of the previous two weeks. From January to September 2020, 77,470 youth reported experiencing frequent suicidal ideation, including 27,980 LGBTQ+ youth.

Prior to these findings, the CDC published that almost 19 percent of high school students who responded to the agencys 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated they had seriously considered suicide

Designed to Heal

Patients in crisis will be able to receive psychiatric care for a range of conditions including:

Trauma disorder (PTSD, acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder)

Psychotic spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, substance-induced psychotic disorder)

Mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder)

Anxiety disorders (phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder)

Co-morbid neurodevelopmental disorders (high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, mild intellectual disability)

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

No matter the patients condition, every intervention at the new unit is designed to not traumatize the child again. Whether participating in a group therapy session, resting in their rooms, or tucked into a chill alcove gazing at a nature wall mural designed by local artist Annie Howe, patients are in an environment where they can manage intense emotions and unsafe urges while learning adaptive behaviors and coping skills.

Architectural elements in the new unit feature soothing colors and nature themes, curved walls, and lighting to mirror a childs circadian rhythm to promote restful sleep at night and optimal energy during the day for therapy and other activities. Wherever possible, patients are given the choices and control so often robbed from them in trauma-filled lives.

For example, by adjusting a switch on the wall, patients can choose from different sounds to play in their room such as running water, nature sounds, or music. Architecture and design for the new unit were provided by the Baltimore firm Inquiry.

The new unit is staffed to provide multidisciplinary expertise in every facet of treatment and recovery. To maximize staff and patient interaction, the unit is designed with on stage and off stage areas, so that patient care is the focus in treatment areas, while other work like documentation, phone calls, and team conversations happen off stage.

Post-discharge, school transition specialists work to help connect patients and their families to vital services and peer support. This is part of a longstanding program at UMCH that has proved to actually reduce readmissions.

The new Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit at University of Maryland Childrens Hospital Children is an essential component of the continuum of care we offer to youth experiencing mental distress. They are not alone in their struggle; we are here to help them recover and thrive, whether they need crisis stabilization at our new inpatient unit or ongoing counseling at our outpatient psychiatry clinics, stated Jill RachBeisel, MD, chief of psychiatry, UMMC, and professor and chair, Department of Psychiatry, UMSOM.

Steven J. Czinn, MD, director of UMCH and the Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji Endowed Professor and chair, Department of Pediatrics, UMSOM, stated, The thought and design that have gone into creating the inpatient psychiatric unit exemplifies our commitment to the whole health of children  mental, emotional, and physical.

Senior leaders at UMSOM and UMMC also offered congratulations to the teams behind the new unit.

E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and dean, UMSOM, said, The attention given to every detail of the new Children and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit is exceptional  from the design to staffing to implementation of an evidence-based recovery model of care. We expect that the unit will quickly make a meaningful improvement on the mental health and well-being of Baltimore and Maryland youth.

Bert W. OMalley, MD, president and CEO of UMMC, where UMCH is located, concluded, Dr. Edwards and the psychiatric teams have worked tirelessly to bring this outstanding new addition to our childrens hospital. Their dedication underscores our mission to be the childrens hospital of choice throughout Maryland, offering a place of healing and hope for all of our young patients.
When the first episodes of Telling the Real Story, Somali Talks: Stories about Tahriib aired in Somalia, Khadra and her family had just received devastating news of the death of her cousin Ifrah, who drowned at sea while crossing from Turkey to Greece.

I didnt realize it would be the last time I would hear her voice, says Khadra, who spoke to Ifrah last December before she embarked on what should have been a short sea crossing.

Khadra and Ifrah were so close, one would have imagined they were siblings.

We were best friends, Khadra adds.

She explains that they had different aspirations  she wanted to further her education while Ifrah desired to start a family.

By the age of 26, Ifrah had been married twice and divorced both times because she was unable to conceive. Consumed with shame and feeling like she had failed as a woman, she yearned to leave the small town where everybody knew each other.

She felt like the spotlight was on her, that everybody knew she was barren and nobody would want to marry her, says Khadra.

I didnt realize it would be the last time I would hear her voice.

She confided in Khadra about her plans to go on tahriib to Europe. Khadra had heard of the dangers of irregular travel and the deaths at sea and discouraged her from making the journey. Instead, they agreed that Ifrah would go to Turkey by flight and Khadra would join her to further her education. For Ifrah, it would be an opportunity to get away and start a new life.

Portrait of Ifrah Ahmed, UNHCR High Profile Supporter and host of Telling the Real Story.  Photo courtesy of IEFTA

Ifrah Ahmed (left) speaks with Khadar, a guest on the talk show, Telling the Real Story.  Photo courtesy of IEFTA

Ifrah Ahmed (centre), the host of Telling the Real Story, is flanked by two guests on the show.  Photo courtesy of IEFTA

Ifrah Ahmed (left) speaks with Aasiya, a guest on the talk show, Telling the Real Story.  Photo courtesy of IEFTA

Once Ifrah was in Turkey, Khadra applied for a visa to join her but unfortunately, her application was denied.

I was devasted. I called Ifrah and she reassured me that I could try again in a few months, says Khadra.

She explains how Ifrah later told her about her encounter with a young man who told her he could help her get to Europe. Before their interaction, Ifrah had not had any desire to move to Europe  at least not without Khadra.

The young man repeatedly reassured her that the journey would be safe and told her that he had helped many other Somalis like herself get to Greece safely. He even provided her with a lifejacket to further reassure her.

Khadra adds that Ifrah told her that it would be best for her to travel to Turkey soon.

She said I would have someone to welcome me once I arrived, recalls Khadra when Ifrah made the decision to take the sea journey, hopeful of the day that Khadra would join her in Europe.

On the fateful day, Khadra spoke to her cousin and wished her a safe journey. She also told her that she would be waiting for her next call. After some time, news reached them that 32 people had been rescued at sea by Greek lifeguards. The rubber boat they had travelled in sunk close to the Greek coast and by the time the travellers were picked up, two people had already drowned.

We all panicked. We didnt know if Ifrah was okay, says Khadra.

Ifrah had shared the smugglers number with Khadra, so they called him immediately.

He said that Ifrah was fine, her phone was off, but she would call once she reached her next destination, she adds.

But worry and unease continued gnawing at them.

Khadra called everyone she knew in Turkey to see if they had heard anything, to no avail.

Time went by so slowly. I prayed for her as much as I could, she says tearfully.

It took two days for the devastating news to reach them  the two people who had drowned were identified as Ifrah and another Somali girl.

We couldnt believe it at first, says Khadra, adding that they tracked down a young man who had left Somalia with Ifrah and was on the same boat with her and confirmed the terrible news.

...this project raises awareness on such an important issue.

The family tried to have her body sent to Turkey for burial as they had some relatives there but unfortunately, this was not possible. Eventually, Ifrah was buried in Greece.

The memory of her loss is still fresh in her mind, so after watching an episode of the talk show on TV, Khadra reached out to the talk shows host, Ifrah Ahmed, who is also a High Profile Supporter of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

I told her about my grief, but I also wanted to thank her for all the hard work that she is doing through this project that raises awareness on such an important issue, she says.

By the end of April, over 1,000 refugees and asylum seekers had arrived in Greece by sea this year, nearly 300 of them being Somalis like Ifrah.

If my cousin had watched the show, she would have reconsidered taking such a journey and possibly saved herself, says Khadra.
As I drove around Oregon this past July 4th weekend I was terribly disappointed to see so few flags flying in yards and on porches. Whats happened?
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Even though e-learning has become prominent in the world of education, scholarships retain their importance. Many students need scholarships to access the benefits of higher education. Whether they are need- or merit-based, scholarships can provide the assistance that students need to reach their dreams.

Robert Davis RD Heritage, a scholarship founder from Las Vegas, Nevada, explains how scholarships work, how students can find the right scholarships to apply for, and how scholarships continue to be important even as the trend of e-learning continues.

How Scholarships Work

A scholarship is a financial aid award intended to help students attend their preferred college or university. A scholarship may be a one-time award, or it may be renewable each semester or school year. The major difference between scholarships and loans is that scholarships do not need to be repaid.

Scholarships may be received in the form of a check in the student's name, or they may be given directly to the school's financial aid office.

Scholarships are available from a huge variety of sources. Colleges and universities themselves give out many scholarships and grants. Individuals, the government, businesses, foundations, charities, clubs, and organizations also give out scholarships, among other donors.

How Do I Qualify for a Scholarship?

The two main reasons why students qualify for scholarships are academic merit and financial need. Merit scholarships are given to students with superior grades and accomplishments. Many prestigious schools give out merit aid in addition to need-based aid.

Need-based aid is focused on a student's ability to pay for college. Students must fill out the federal FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to qualify for need-based assistance. This program takes the parents' and students' financial situation into account, including any assets they may possess and their annual income, and decides whether a student can pay for college independently or whether they need help from the government.

Many non-government scholarships also use the data from the FAFSA to award financial aid, so it is important to make sure that you fill out the form no matter your financial situation.

Finding the Right Scholarships for Every Student

No matter where your talents and interests lie, there are probably scholarships available that match your ambitions. In every subject area, there are scholarships available from institutions of higher learning and organizations and individuals. Students should perform detailed searches online to find scholarship ideas. You should also speak to your high school or college guidance office to find information about scholarships you may have missed.

The Robert Davis Scholarship

Robert Davis RD Heritage from Las Vegas, Nevada, has founded the Robert Davis Scholarship in hopes of helping students from across the country realize their dreams of higher education. This scholarship is intended to help students who are focused on making the world a better place through their actions.

In 2021, the scholarship awarded $10,000 in total to three deserving students, and intents to increase the award to $100,000 for 2021. These students are chosen through submitting their 500-word essay on the prompt "What small things can you do every day to make the world a better place than before?"

Scholarships and E-Learning

Even though e-learning has been on the rise, scholarships retain their paramount importance in the world of higher education. Schools may not be operating in person, but their tuition and services remain at the same price point. Today's college students may not be able to receive the same type of in-person educational experience that they may have wished. However, they can still take advantage of colleges' and universities' academic learning environment from home.

Many schools that have always been run online-only also accept scholarships. Even as the world of education opens again post-Covid, these schools will continue to use the principles of e-learning to help their students achieve their goals.

Applying for Scholarships

Applying for scholarships can be a time-consuming business, so the process must begin as quickly as possible. High school seniors and college students need to assemble the scholarships they want to apply for and do so promptly.

Many scholarships have deadlines that expire in the winter or spring before the academic year begins. Keeping track of all of the scholarships you want to apply for in a calendar format may be helpful.

Putting your time into applying for scholarships can be incredibly rewarding. Every dollar you receive in scholarship form is a dollar you will not have to borrow to finish school. Student loan relief is one of the greatest benefits of receiving scholarships.

Taking Advantage of Available Assistance

Robert Davis RD Heritage and other generous scholarship donors take the opportunity to give back because they want students to succeed. When students complete college, they receive higher salaries, better benefits, and more career opportunities-everyone in society benefits when students become educated.

Even if you are taking part in e-learning, be sure to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Your scholarship portfolio may allow you to cut back on student loans and protect your financial health far into the future.
China's index of export container transport went up 13.9 percent month on month in June, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange

SHANGHAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :China's index of export container transport went up 13.9 percent month on month in June, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

The average China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) stood at 2,483.6 last month, according to the exchange.

The sub-reading for Persian Gulf/Red Sea service led the gain with a month-on-month rise of 21.3 percent, followed by those for the Mediterranean and Europe routes, which went up 17.9 percent and 15.2 percent respectively from the previous month.

The CCFI tracks spot and contractual freight rates from Chinese container ports for 12 shipping routes across the globe, based on data from 22 international carriers.

The index was set at 1,000 on Jan. 1, 1998.
GABORONE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jul, 2021 ) :-- Botswana, through its Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan, has set aside 700,000 U.S. Dollars to purchase bucks and rams for farmers across the country for breeding, said President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Saturday.

There is need to intensify efforts to increase the small stock population, which has declined over the years, said Masisi during his visit to the Impala Rural Training Center located in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city.

"The initiative of distributing rams and bucks to farmers across the country is aimed at promoting the quality and quantity of small stock," said Masisi, adding that his administration is committed to commercializing the country's small stock sub-sector.

All these efforts are aimed at ensuring that Botswana gets a constant supply of quality and quantity to the external markets, he said.

Botswana's national population of sheep and goats stands at 264,962 and was just over 1.2 million respectively in 2019, according to the parastatal statistical organization Statistics Botswana.
(@FahadShabbir)

Cairo, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Egypt on Sunday freed six activists including journalist Esraa Abdel-Fattah, a symbol of the 2011 revolution, just days after Washington warned Cairo over a crackdown on rights activists.

Since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took power in 2014, the former army chief has overseen a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

Analysts said the latest releases were aimed at easing international pressure over Egypt's human rights record.

The prosecution ordered Abdel-Fattah's release after nearly 22 months in pre-trial detention, lawyer Khaled Ali said, posting photographs of her leaving prison.

She was ordered released on Saturday along with Abdel Nasser Ismail, leader of the Popular Alliance party, and Gamal El-Gammal, a journalist and opposition figure.

In another surprise announcement on Sunday, the prosecution ordered the release of prominent lawyer and rights activist Mahienour El-Masri and journalists Motaz Wadnan and Mostafa El-Asar.

All had been in pre-trial detention on charges including spreading "fake news" and cooperating "with terrorists" or "illegal groups".

Security and legal sources said they were all freed pending an investigation into the charges they faced.

The releases are "aimed at easing domestic tensions and could have some positive results for Egypt's image abroad", said Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed, a professor of political science at Cairo University.

"But I doubt that it will change the situation because there are many political prisoners" still detained, he added.

Also Sunday, well-known journalist Abdel Nasser Salam was arrested a week after slamming Sisi on Facebook, senior security officials said without providing any details of his detention.

A former editor-in-chief at state newspaper al-Ahram, Salam had accused the president of endangering Egyptian interests by failing to resolve a dispute with Ethiopia over its under-construction dam on the Nile river, calling on him to "resign at once".
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's confession of influencing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to keep Pakistan on the "grey list" has raised serious questions on the integrity of the watchdog prompting Pakistan to seek answers.

Reacting strongly to India's negative role, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, "Manipulating an important technical forum for narrow political designs against Pakistan is disgraceful but not surprising for the Modi Government." Indian news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar on Sunday as saying,"Due to us, Pakistan is under the lens of FATF and it was kept in the grey list." The confession sent shock waves across the globe, prompting Pakistan to consider approaching the president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for an appropriate action against the Government of India for politicizing the forum.

"Following the recent confession by the Indian government, India's credentials for assessing Pakistan in FATF as co-chair of the Joint Group or for that matter any other country are subject to questions, which we urge FATF to look into," Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said in a statement on Monday.

Last month, the FATF announced to retain Pakistan on the grey list despite the fact that it had largely complied with 26 of the 27 items on the action plan agreed to in June 2018.

However, the FATF said Pakistan would remain on the "increased monitoring list" - Grey List - as the global financial watchdog handed over a new list of six action items on Pakistan which, according to it, were identified by its regional partner Asia Pacific Group (APG) in 2019.

Hammad Azhar, who has been leading the case for Pakistan at the FATF, said, "It only confirms what Pakistan has been saying all along; India actively politicises & undermines the technical processes & spirit of FATF. Our progress is nevertheless undeniable & we shall soon be completing both our action plans." The Foreign Office spokesperson said, "The Indian statement not only exposes its true colours, but also vindicates Pakistan's longstanding stance on India's negative role in FATF." He said Pakistan had always been highlighting to the international community the politicization of FATF and undermining of its processes by India.

The admission by the Indian FM also triggered a strong response from activists, journalists, and people from all walks of life, who lashed out at the integrity of the financial watchdog and said the body was being used as a political coercion tool, under the Indian influence.

The admission by India has cast a big question mark over the credibility of the FATF and further strengthened doubts over its neutrality.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said the statement had raised serious questions on the integrity of FATF's decision-making process.

"The watchdog must clarify that it is not being used against Pakistan at the behest of others!" he said in a tweet.

The Twitterati stressed that now it was time for the FATF to come clean and prove that it was not pursuing the Indian line of action.

An infographic released by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute clearly shows the non-compliance to the FATF by several countries, however, the watchdog failed to take any measures, reflecting its twisted priorities.

The people on social media raised questions whether other international institutions had also lost their credibility or had been hijacked by India, as was disclosed in the findings of EU Disinfo Lab.The social media activists demanded that the FATF should clarify its position on the Indian FM's statement and come clean.

The people wanted to know that despite getting 26 out of 27 requirements of FATF cleared, Pakistan was retained on the grey list, as India through its membership wanted to attain certainregional political objectives.

The FATF has been ignoring the fact that seven Indian companies were found to be among those from 20 countries named in a list whose components were used by ISIS to make explosives, an EU mandated Study by the Conflict Armament Research said.

Another study by the US Treasury Department described India as one of the largest countries to move money secretly through Hawala worldwide, however, this fact too remained unnoticed by the otherwise very watchful FATF, which never spares Pakistan despite fulfilling most of its requirements.

It has also been reported that Indian entities and individuals were involved in money laundering of $1.53bn through 3,201 illegal and suspicious transactions.

The glaring illegal activities by India need to be probed by the United Nations and it must put a check on the deviated mandate of FATF and force it to stop political coercion and end India's exploitative role in the organization.
New Delhi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :India's top court Monday ordered the release of an activist arrested on sedition charges two months ago for a Facebook post that said cow dung did not cure coronavirus.

Erendro Leichombam, 40, made the comments in May after the death of a Manipur state politician from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Cows are sacred in Hinduism and there have been several instances of BJP politicians backing the use of cow urine and dung to prevent and cure Covid-19 and other ailments.

"The cure for corona is not cow dung and cow urine. The cure is science and common sense," Leichombam wrote on Facebook.

He was arrested shortly afterwards, together with a local journalist, on charges of "outraging religious sentiments" of family members and BJP workers, following a complaint by another local BJP politician.

He was later charged with sedition under the contentious National Security Act (NSA), under which the accused can be held in prison for a year.

On Monday the Supreme Court ordered Leichombam's release, saying his continued detention violated his rights. The local journalist arrested at the same time, Kishorechandra Wangkhem, however remains behind bars.

Under Modi, several thousand people have been arrested under sedition and anti-terrorism legislation, including journalists, rights activists and others.

This month 84-year-old priest and tribal rights activist Stan Swamy, who had been charged with terrorism offences, died after nine months in custody, prompting international outrage including from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Last week, the court rued the "misuse" of India's colonial-era sedition law and asked the Modi government why it should not be scrapped. The government did not respond.
London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :England lifts virtually all of its coronavirus restrictions on Monday, setting it at odds with the three other nations of the United Kingdom and sparking concern among scientists.

The decision leaves a patchwork of freedoms and restrictions in different parts of the country. Here is what will be allowed where and when: - England - Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary Sajid Javid have announced that all coronavirus curbs will be removed in England on Monday, despite opposition from experts.

The final phase of the gradual easing of restrictions in England -- population 56 million -- was delayed from June 21, because of concern about spiralling infection rates.

Most conspicuously, along with the scrapping of social distancing rules, all mandatory facemask-wearing will end.

London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, though, has said masks will still be required on public transport and the UK's biggest supermarket groups will also retain Covid-19 safety measures and encourage customers and staff to keep wearing face coverings.

As the government pursues a transition from enforceable rules to personal responsibility, nightclubs and other venues like theatres, cinemas and galleries will be allowed to reopen to maximum capacity.

Workers will also go back to offices, although many businesses are planning a staggered return.

- Scotland - The whole of Scotland, home to 5.5 million people, also moves to "Level 0" of the devolved government in Edinburgh's five-tier system of restrictions on Monday.

But some measures will remain in place until August 9 when virtually all Covid-19 regulations are expected to be scrapped.

Under the new rules, indoor gathering restrictions will be relaxed and up to 10 individuals from four households will be able to meet in public indoor spaces like pubs and restaurants.

Plans for workers to return to offices have been postponed until August 9.

Nightclubs will also remain closed and indoor bars have been given a mandatory midnight closing time until that date.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has indicated mandatory mask wearing in Scotland could remain in place after August 9, drawing a clear distinction between her approach to face coverings as a way of protecting the clinically vulnerable and the rules south of the border.

- Wales - Wales, where 3.1 million people live, has said almost all coronavirus restrictions in the country will be lifted on August 7.

But the compulsory face coverings will remain after that date in many indoor settings and on public transport, the government in Cardiff has said.

The country on Saturday moved to a lower "Alert Level 1" footing, which means currently six people will be able to meet indoors in private homes and holiday accommodation.

Under the rules, organised indoor events will be able to take place with up to 1,000 people seated and up to 200 standing.

- Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland is due to unlock a further level on July 26 with an end of social distancing requirements for outdoor activities and a reduction of social distancing in indoor settings to one metre.

All of the measures, including the scrapping of social distancing requirements in venues like theatres and galleries, and increasing limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings, will be voted on by the country's devolved assembly on July 22.

The country's power-sharing government will meet on August 12 with a view to further lifting restrictions on August 16, during which requirements for face coverings for the province's 1.9 million people will be discussed.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jul, 2021 ) :Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of former Sindh chief minister Mumtaz Ali Bhutto who passed away on Sunday at his Karachi residence.

In a condolence message, the state minister prayed for the departed soul and commiserated with the bereaved family.
Special Representative to the Prime Minister on religious harmony, Middle East Affairs and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi Monday said that Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan for stability in the region

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Special Representative to the Prime Minister on religious harmony, middle East Affairs and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi Monday said that Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan for stability in the region.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies here, he said that Pakistan's stance on Afghanistan was clear and obvious as peace in Pakistan was linked with the peace in Afghanistan, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would adopt a comprehensive policy over the affairs pertaining to Afghanistan.

To a question, he said that in past, the Pakistan government had endorsed the Taliban's government in Afghanistan so if they would again come into power in Afghanistan, the Foreign Office of Pakistan would decide in this regard. Pakistan, instead of any group or political party, always supported the people of Afghanistan and peace in the region, he maintained.

To another question about terrorism, he said that Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Inspector General of Police Punjab Inam Ghani had clearly mentioned regarding the perpetrators of terrorists activities in the country and involvement of hostile intelligence agency in terrorism.

The law enforcement agencies including Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) deserved appreciation for apprehending the culprits of Lahore blast, he asserted. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had clarified to the world community that Ulema always stood with Pakistan Army and other national security agencies for national interests.

Earlier, addressing on the occasion, Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said that coronavirus cases had been increased so it was needed to follow the SOPs pertaining to it, adding that traders should also implement the SOPs to continue their businesses.

He appealed to the people to ensure cleanliness on Eidul Azha and follow the corona SOPs in Eidgahs and said that coronavirus could only be eliminated through vaccination and complete adoption of precautionary measures against it.

Ashrafi said that peace committees would visit across Punjab from July 26 to ensure peace duringMuharram-ul-Haram while an Ulema's delegation would also meet the Punjab Chief Minister in this regard.

Maulana Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari and Allama Hussain Akbar also spoke on the occasion.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday assured his Afghan counterpart of taking all possible steps to arrest the culprits involved in the incident regarding the daughter of Afghan ambassador

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday assured his Afghan counterpart of taking all possible steps to arrest the culprits involved in the incident regarding the daughter of Afghan ambassador.

Qureshi, in a telephonic call to Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, briefed him about the steps taken so far by the law enforcement agencies following the July 16 incident and vowed to bring the culprits to justice.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was cognizant of the diplomatic norms and mentioned that the security at Afghan embassy and consulate in Pakistan had been beefed up.

He said Pakistan expected the Afghan government to reconsider its decision to recall its ambassador and senior diplomats given the serious efforts being made by the government of Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Atmar thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking a personal interest in the investigation into the incident, the Foreign Office said.

He also appreciated the efforts of Foreign Minister Qureshi to increase the security at the Afghan embassy and consulate.

Hanif Atmar said Afghanistan attached special importance to bilateral relations with Pakistan and was committed to its peace and stability.

The two foreign ministers agreed to continue collaboration on issues of mutual interest, the FO said.
The 2021 edition of the INDRA joint Indian-Russian naval exercise will be held in Russia's Volgograd Region on August 1-13, the Defense Ministry's Southern Military District said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) The 2021 edition of the INDRA joint Indian-Russian naval exercise will be held in Russia's Volgograd Region on August 1-13, the Defense Ministry's Southern Military District said on Monday.

"From August 1 to August 13 of this year, a joint Russian-Indian exercise INDRA-2021 will be held at the Prudboy training ground of the Southern Military District in the Volgograd Region. The events are planned to involve about 80 servicemen of the Southern Military District's motorized rifle unit, and some 80 servicemen of the armed forces of India," the military said.

During the drills, the two armies will be tasked to destroy a mock enemy in a specially-built settlement with three streets and 50 residential buildings, as well as several mobile targets.

This year's exercise aims to prepare the military units of both countries for the joint fight against terrorism.

INDRA-2020 was held in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
(@FahadShabbir)

The US State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Belarusian opposition leaded Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Washington on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) The US State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Belarusian opposition leaded Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Washington on Monday.

"Secretary Blinken joins Under Secretary Nuland's meeting with Belarussian Opposition Leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, at the Department of State," the State Department said in its public schedule, adding that the meeting would be closed to the media and would take place at 12:10 p.m. local time.

Tikhanovskaya plans to discuss how the US could provide effective assistance to Belarusians and civil society, as well as new sanctions against the regime and closing loopholes in those already adopted, her office said in a statement earlier on Monday.

In Washington, Tikhanovskaya will also meet with State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, followed by meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and several senators on Tuesday, according to her press office.

The Belarusian opposition leader will stay in Washington until July 23. Then, she will have meetings in New York from July 24-27, in San Francisco from July 28-29, and in Los Angeles from July 30-31.

After incumbent Alexander Lukashenko won the Belarusian presidential race in August 2020 for the sixth time, the country witnessed massive protests by the opposition contesting the outcome. The opposition claims electoral fraud, asserting that Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. The West has sided with the opposition and refused to recognize Lukashenko's victory.
Former Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Monday said she has asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to appeal to Russia to play a constructive role in her country

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) Former Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Monday said she has asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to appeal to Russia to play a constructive role in her country.

"I called on [the United States] to strengthen help for our civil society, economically and politically pressure the regime, and appeal to Russia to play a constructive role in the crisis resolution," Tikhanovskaya said via Twitter after the meeting on Monday.

Tilkhanovskaya also said that she thanked Blinken for supporting the Belarusian democratic aspirations.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Monday to make no "concession" as he pressed for a two-state solution for Cyprus, during a visit to the divided eastern Mediterranean island

Nicosia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Monday to make no "concession" as he pressed for a two-state solution for Cyprus, during a visit to the divided eastern Mediterranean island.

Erdogan began a two-day visit Monday to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), whose independence is only recognised by Ankara.

The island has been divided since 1974, when Turkey seized the north, in response to a coup orchestrated by an Athens-backed junta seeking to annex the island to Greece.

Erdogan, whose visit coincides with the 47th anniversary of the invasion, told a special session of the breakaway northern region's parliament he firmly rejected international efforts to reunify the island.

"On this island, there are two states and two peoples," Erdogan said, in comments carried live on television in Turkey.

"We do not, and cannot make, any concession on that," he said, in reference to Turkish Cypriot TRNC leader Ersin Tatar's push at UN-brokered talks for international recognition.

In April, a UN summit failed to reach a deal aimed at resuming talks that stalled in 2017.

Tatar told that meeting he would only negotiate on the terms of a two-state solution.

His stance was flatly rejected by the majority Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus, a European Union member with effective control over the southern two-thirds of the island.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month Brussels would "never accept" a two-state solution for island.

Erdogan said past experiences "taught everyone clearly that Greek Cypriots have no intention of establishing a partnership state" comprised of two equal halves.

In 2004, Greek Cypriots rejected a UN plan for the creation of a loose federation on the island, pointing out that it did not include a clear right for Greek Cypriots to return to the occupied north.

The majority of Turkish Cypriots voted for the scheme.

On Tuesday, Erdogan is expected to review some of the thousands of Turkish troops in the breakaway north in the abandoned beach resort of Varosha, which the 1974 invasion emptied of its Greek Cypriot inhabitants.
Memphis, TN  U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller announces the arrest of Elliot Griham for Attempted First Degree Murder.



On July 14, 2021, at approximately 1 P.M., a Memphis Police Officer observed Elliot Griham driving recklessly in the Ridgeway and Knight Arnold area. The officer followed Griham and attempted to take him into custody. Allegedly, Griham was armed with a rifle and began to shoot at the officer. The officer was not struck. Griham fled the scene.



A warrant was issued for the arrest of Griham for this crime. In addition to Attempted First Degree Murder, there were also charges of Employment Of Firearm in Commission of a Violent Felony, Resisting Official Detention, Evading Arrest, and Reckless Driving. There was also a warrant for Attempted Second Degree Murder for this subject from an earlier incident. This fugitive case was adopted by the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force.



In the afternoon of July 16, the fugitive was tracked to an address at Dew Cove in Cordova, Tennessee. Working with the Shelby County Sheriffs Fugitive Apprehension Team and the Multi Agency Gang Unit, Griham was taken into custody without incident.



The Marshals Service is grateful that the MPD officer was not injured in the initial incident, and we are glad to capture this fugitive, said U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller.



The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force in the Western District of Tennessee with offices in Memphis and Jackson. Its membership is composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby County Sheriffs Deputies, Memphis Police Officers, Fayette County Sheriffs Deputies, Jackson Police Officers, and Special Agents with the Tennessee Department of Correction. The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov. ####



Americas First Federal Law Enforcement Agency


The 2021 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships came to Knoxville on Father's Day weekend. This is the fourth year for Knoxville to host the U.S. Pro Road and Individual Time Trial Championships and the third year to host the U.S. Pro Criterium Championships.
Amanda M. Usher | The Valdosta Daily Times

Tom Kuettner, owner of Kickin K Soap, speaks to Vicki Wetter and her sister, Traci Chumak, about his homemade soap crafted from goat milk during the farmers market at the Hahira Depot.
Submitted PhotoColquitt Regional Medical Center recently expanded its hospitalist program to include pediatrics, which will help relieve the burden of parents having to travel to receive necessary care for their children. This new program will be led by Dr. Debra Selby, M.D. (pictured), Dr. Patricia June, M.D., and Dr. Lacey Chambers, M.D.
On the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, Nigerian Bishop sends a message of goodwill to Muslims.

Paul Samasumo  Vatican City.

In a message of congratulation to Muslim brothers and sisters in Nigeria, and elsewhere, Nigerias Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Oyo, Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, has commended cordial relations between Catholics and Muslims in his area.

The goodwill message, jointly signed with the Diocesan Director of Inter-religious Dialogue, Fr. Joseph Ogundipe, Bishop Badejo called upon Muslims and Catholics to continue to trust God and work together for peace.

Celebration Of Eid-el-Kabir 1442ah /July 2021 A.D.

On behalf of the entire Catholic Diocese of Oyo, may I congratulate you, dear Muslim brothers and sisters, as you celebrate another holy feast of sacrifice, Eid-el-Kabir. We join you in thanking God for this opportunity understanding the challenges that this season poses to us all. We feel for those who missed the obligation of going to Hajj due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and we pray that next year will be better. Amen, Bishop Badejo said.

Our common need for peaceful coexistence

Bishop Badejo continued, Eid-el-Kabir is a festival of great sacrifice to Allah which must reflect in our loving sacrifice to one another, especially those who do not share our beliefs and language. Our beloved country needs all of us, and we all have a part to play in the success of Nigeria as a nation. I humbly urge us to use this medium to reflect on our common need for peaceful coexistence, good governance and youth empowerment. We must be ready to combat all forms of prejudices, fake news, hate speech and religious fanaticism and join hands with our (political and civic) leaders in making Nigeria work for all of us, observed the prelate of Oyo Diocese.

Good relations with Oyo state

Bishop Badejo also praised the cooperation that exists between the Diocese of Oyo and the government of Oyo State reaffirming the Church's willingness to work for the common good.

We also pray for more peace and progress in the years ahead. As always, we are open to programmes of mutual enrichment and dialogue of peaceful coexistence with you all. Once again, on behalf of the priests, religious and laity of this diocese, I wish you all a blessing-filled Eid-el-Kabir celebration, he said.

20 July: Eid-el-Kabir day

Eid-el- Kabir is a sacred month in Islam. Muslims perform the Hajj (Holy Pilgrimage) and observe the Festival of Sacrifice.

Last week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Saad Abubakar III, clarified the date for Eid-el-Kabir day. He said Nigerian Muslims would observe the 2021 Eid-el-Kabir on Tuesday, 20 July, instead of the earlier expectation that it would be on 21 July.
Pope Francis expresses his vicinity to flood-struck populations in Germany, Belgium and other western European nations where the death toll of more than 180 keeps rising with hundreds of people still missing.

By Linda Bordoni

I express my closeness to the populations of Germany, Belgium and Holland, struck by catastrophic floods, said Pope Francis, speaking after the Sunday Angelus.

He said he is praying the Lord may welcome the deceased and comfort their loved ones, may he sustain the efforts of everyone who are helping those who have suffered serious damage.

The Pope had already sent a telegram on Thursday evening in which he said he was "deeply affected" on learning "the news of the severe storm and floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate" in Germany.

Since then, heavy rains have triggered catastrophic floods also in Belgium and have wreaked much damage in some areas in The Netherlands.

As of Sunday, the death toll in western Germany and Belgium rose to at least 184 after burst rivers and flash floods collapsed houses and ripped up roads and power lines.

Hundreds of others were still missing or unreachable as several areas were inaccessible due to high water levels while communication in some places was still down.

The European floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium.

The German government is reportedly ready to disburse more than 300 million euros in immediate relief and billions of euros to fix collapsed houses, streets and bridges.

In Belgium, which will hold a National Day of Mourning on Tuesday, water levels were falling on Sunday and the clean-up operation was underway. The military was sent in to the eastern town of Pepinster, where a dozen buildings have collapsed, to search for any further victims.

Tens of thousands of people are without electricity and Belgian authorities said the supply of clean drinking water was also a big concern.

Emergency services officials in the Netherlands said the situation had somewhat stabilized in the southern part of Limburg province, where tens of thousands were evacuated in recent days, although the northern part was still on high alert.
Addressing the faithful in Saint Peter's Square for the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis says we need an "ecology of the heart" developed through "rest, contemplation and compassion". And the summer is a good time to do this.

Vatican News staff writer

After a two-week absence, Pope Francis appeared once again at the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking Saint Peters Square for the noontime Sunday Angelus. A week ago he led the Angelus prayer from Romes Gemelli Hospital, greeting crowds below from the tenth floor balcony where he was recovering from intestinal surgery that took place a week earlier. The Pope returned to the Vatican on Wednesday.

In his reflections before leading the recitation of the Angelus, the Pope drew from the Gospel of the Sunday liturgy, which recounts when the Apostles return enthusiastically from their missionary labors and Jesus invites them to Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while (Mk 6:31). Jesus offers us an important teaching here, the Pope observed, as He is concerned about their wellbeing due to the physical or interior tiredness, even though He rejoices on seeing their happiness over the success of their preaching.

We too can get caught up in the rush of all our activities and be focused always on doing things and achieving results, the Pope said, and this presents a risk of thinking we are the prime protagonists. We see this at times in the Church, he noted, where we are very busy, thinking everything depends on us, but we risk overlooking Jesus. Jesus invitation to take time out to rest is not only physical rest, but also rest for the heart he added.

To truly rest, we need to return to the heart of things, the Pope said, and that requires stopping our activities and remaining in silence and prayer to help us stop focusing on all that we have done and need to do. Jesus always served others, but each day He would withdraw in prayer, in silence, in intimacy with the Father, the Pope said, and His tender invitation  rest a while  should accompany us. The Pope added, let us learn how to take a break, to turn off the mobile phone and look at one another, cultivate silence, to contemplate nature, to regenerate ourselves in dialogue with God.

As we read further in todays Gospel, the Pope noted, we learn that Jesus and the disciples could not take any rest in the end, given all the crowds coming to them for help. The Lord was moved with compassion, he said, dedicating His time to help the people. The Pope said this may seem a contradiction, but it is not, since a heart that is not overtaken with busyiness and focusing only on itself, is a heart that is capable of being moved to be being aware of others and their wounds and needs.

Compassion is born from contemplation, the Pope said, and by learning to truly rest we can be authentically compassionate. By staying close to the Lord and true to who we are, all of our activities and outreach will not have the better of us, the Pope said, summarizing it by saying We need an ecology of the heart, that is made up of rest, contemplation and compassion.
Members of the Afghan government delegation attend the presentation of the final declaration of the peace talks between government and the Taliban (AFP or licensors)

Fifteen diplomatic missions in Afghanistan urge the Taliban to halt their military offensives.

By Nathan Morley

This call for a halt in military action comes less than a day after rival Afghan sides failed to agree on a ceasefire at a peace meeting in Doha.

Representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban have been meeting Doha for talks as violence continues to spiral in the country.

On Monday, the Taliban said that both sides agreed upon the need to speed the peace talks up, in order to find a fair and permanent solution as soon as possible. However, there was no mention of a halt to escalating violence.

Following on the heels of many foreign troops, the French government flew out around 100 of its citizens and Afghans working for the embassy over the weekend.

At the same time, India, China, Germany and Canada have flown out their citizens or told them to leave as the security situation worsens.

Now, the two sides in the conflict are meeting again in Qatari capital. However, commentators say the talks have lost momentum the Taliban are making practical military gains.

The Taliban were quick to capitalize of the pull-out of US and other foreign troops to launch a series of offensives.
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Orrin Erickson, age 91, of Alexandria died on Friday, July 16, 2021. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, 2:00 p.m. at East Zion Lutheran Church in rural Starbuck, with visitation one-hour prior at the church. This service will be live-streamed and recorded for family and 
Moderate mag. 4.0 earthquake - 8.2 km east of Korce, Rrethi i Korces, Qarku i Korces, Albania, on 19 Jul 12:21 am (GMT +2) -

Moderate magnitude 4.0 earthquake at 10 km depth

18 Jul 22:25 UTC: First to report: GFZ after 3 minutes.

18 Jul 22:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.1 to 4.0. Epicenter location corrected by 1.4 km (0.9 mi) towards SW.

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Mag. Depth Location Source 4.0 10 km Greece-Albania Border Region GFZ 4.0 2 km ALBANIA EMSC 3.5 10 km Albania: 44 Km W From Florina NOA unknown n/a Near Korce, Korce, Albania VolcanoDiscovery 3.5 11 km Albania: Sovjan / Albanien ZAMG

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Send your own user report! Korce / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : I was outside and the trees started shaking. It was short it felt like a bomb blast | 2 users found this interesting. Korce / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : Felt it | One user found this interesting. Orikum, Rrethi i Vlores, Vlore (121.2 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) Strong (reported through (reported through our app / Strong shaking (MMI VI) Pefkochori, Chalkidiki, Central Macedonia (234.3 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt (reported through our app / not felt Korce, Rrethi i Korces (7.8 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s Korce, Rrethi i Korces (8.9 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s Durres (137.9 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt (reported through our app / not felt Korce / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Korce / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Korce ,Albania / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Korce / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Dishnice (8.4 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s Korce / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s Korce / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Bilisht, Albania / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s Korce albania (12.7 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s Korce,Albania / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s Korce (8.7 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

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At the Redzikowo base in Poland, work has begun on the installation of the Aegis Ashore system, at a cost of more than $180 million. It will be the second U.S. missile base in Europe, after that of Deveselu in Romania became operational in 2015. The official function of these bases is to protect, with the "shield" of SM-3 interceptor missiles, the U.S. forces in Europe and those of European NATO allies from "current and emerging ballistic missile threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic area".

In addition to the two land installations, four ships equipped with the same Aegis system, deployed by the U.S. Navy at the Spanish base of Rota, cross the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Baltic Sea. The U.S. Navy has about 120 destroyers and cruisers armed with this missile system.

Both ships and Aegis land installations are equipped with Lockheed Martins Mk 41 vertical launchers: vertical tubes (in the body of the ship or in an underground bunker) from which the missiles are launched. Lockheed Martin itself, illustrating the technical characteristics, documents that it can launch missiles for all missions: anti-missile, anti-aircraft, anti-ship, anti-submarine and attack against land targets. Each launch tube is adaptable to any missile, including "those for long-range attack," including the Tomahawk cruise missile. It can also be armed with a nuclear warhead.

It is therefore impossible to know which missiles are actually in the vertical launchers of the Aegis Ashore base in Romania and which will be installed in the one in Poland. Nor which missiles are on board the ships that cross the limits of Russian territorial waters. Not being able to check, Moscow takes for granted that there are also nuclear attack missiles. Same scenario in East Asia, where Seventh Fleet Aegis warships cross in the South China Sea. The main US allies in the region - Japan, South Korea, Australia - also have ships equipped with the US Aegis system.

This is not the only missile system the US is deploying in Europe and Asia. In his speech at the George Washington School of Media and Public Affairs, General McConville, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, stated last March that the U.S. Army is preparing a "task force" with "long-range precision fire capability that can go anywhere, consisting of hypersonic missiles, medium-range missiles, precision strike missiles" and that "these systems are capable of penetrating anti-aircraft barrage space. The general pointed out that "we plan to deploy one of these task forces in Europe and probably two in the Pacific."

In such a situation, it is not surprising that Russia is accelerating the deployment of new intercontinental missiles, with nuclear warheads that, after ballistic trajectory, glide for thousands of kilometers at hypersonic speed. Nor is it surprising to hear the news, published by the Washington Post [1], that China is building over one hundred new silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. The arms race takes place not so much on the quantitative level (number and power of nuclear warheads) as on the qualitative one (speed, penetrating capacity and geographical location of nuclear carriers). The response, in case of attack or presumed attack, is increasingly entrusted to artificial intelligence, which must decide the launch of nuclear missiles in a few seconds. It increases the possibility of a nuclear war by mistake, risked several times during the Cold War.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted by the United Nations in 2017 and entered into force in 2021, has so far been signed by 86 states and ratified by 54. None of the 30 NATO and 27 EU countries (except Austria) have ratified or even signed it. In Europe, only Austria, Ireland, Malta, San Marino and the Holy See have signed and ratified it. None of the nine nuclear countries - the United States, Russia, France, Great Britain, Israel, China, Pakistan, India and North Korea - has ratified or even signed it.
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The burning heat of summer has us all reaching for sunscreens. But before you slather that product on your skin, first check to see if it is part of a voluntary recall by sunscreen brands Neutrogena and Aveeno.

The companies recently pulled several sunscreens from market shelves after independent testing had found they were contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical called benzene.

"Exposure to benzene increases the risk of developing leukemia and other blood disorders," according to the National Cancer Institute.

CVS Health also stopped selling two of its after-sun care products due to similar findings. But other sunscreens and after-sun cosmetics, which also tested positive for the toxin, remain on the market (the full list is below).

The vast majority of tested sunscreens, however, were free of benzene, and experts stress the importance of sunscreen use to protect skin from the aging and cancerous effects of the sun.

"It is NOT a reason to stop using sun protection, which is known to prevent skin cancer. To do so would be like hearing a particular car model was recalled and then committing to never drive again," dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch, a past president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, posted on Instagram.

How did brand-name sunscreens become contaminated with benzene? Should you be concerned? And what can you do to protect yourself and your family? We've gathered answers to these questions and more.

Which sunscreens were recalled?

All batches, or lots, of these four Neutrogena spray sunscreens and one Aveeno spray were voluntarily recalled this week by parent company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) "out of an abundance of caution":

Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol

Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol

Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol

Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol

"While benzene is not an ingredient in any of our sunscreen products, it was detected in some samples of the impacted aerosol sunscreen finished products," J&J reported in a statement. "Consumers should stop using these specific products and appropriately discard them."

Specific lots of all recalled Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens can be found here, and customers can call with questions and request a refund by completing this form, or calling 1-800-458-1673.

CVS also stopped selling CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera and CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera Spray a day after the Johnson & Johnson recall was announced.

Mike DeAngelis, senior director of CVS Health's corporate communications, told CNN the company is "cooperating with Johnson & Johnson's voluntary recall."

He said that "CVS products have not been recalled," but the company has paused sales of the two CVS products, which tested positive for benzene, "out of an abundance of caution." CVS Health is working with the supplier of the products to "take appropriate additional steps," he added.

However, one of the CVS products on the list of benzene-contaminated products, After-sun Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel, "is still for sale," DeAngelis said.

Why were the sunscreens recalled?

The voluntary recalls and pause in sales came after an independent lab tested 294 samples from 69 brands of sprays, lotions, gels and creams designed to protect the skin from the sun or care for the skin after sun. Of those, 78 samples tested positive for benzene.

Contamination appeared in specific batches of sunscreen, rather than a specific brand, said David Light, CEO and founder of Valisure, the independent lab that ran the tests.

"The finding of benzene in sunscreen was certainly surprising to me as a scientist and a consumer. I'm quite a heavy user of sunscreen myself; I have five kids and we all use sunscreen, so it was rather concerning to find such high levels," Light said.

Multiple samples contained "significantly detectable benzene and some batches contained up to 3.1 times the conditionally restricted limit," according to the citizen petition asking for action that Valisure filed with the US Food and Drug Administration.

"We petitioned the FDA to recall or to request recalls of the products that are 0.1 per million and above," Light told CNN. "It's obvious that we shouldn't be taking that risk, and we just wanted it cleaned up."

Samples of three of the recalled Neutrogena spray sunscreens -- Beach Defense, Invisible Daily and Ultra Sheer -- and one CVS brand -- After-sun Aloe Vera Soothing Spray -- had levels of benzene that were 2 parts per million or higher, according to Valisure's tests.

Another spray, Neutrogena's Cool Dry Sport, and CVS Health's After-sun Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel, tested at .01 to 2 parts per million of benzene in some samples.

Aveeno's Protect + Refresh aerosol, which was the fifth sunscreen recalled by J&J, was not tested by Valisure.

"We did not have the chance of acquiring any of the Aveeno sprays, but it certainly sounds like Johnson & Johnson's own internal testing confirms our overall concern with benzene in the sunscreens," Light said.

According to J&J, daily exposure to benzene in these sunscreen products "at the levels detected in internal testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences."

"There is not a safe level of benzene that can exist in sunscreen products," said Dr. Christopher Bunick, associate professor of dermatology at Yale University, in Valisure's press release. "Even benzene at 0.1 ppm (parts per million) in a sunscreen could expose people to excessively high nanogram amounts of benzene."

Which products were not recalled?

Samples of Eco Formula Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, Advanced After-Sun Gel by Sun Burst, Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 by SunBurnt, Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 by Goodsense, Ultimate Sheer Sunscreen Lotion SPF 70 by TopCare Everyday, and UV Aero Broad-Spectrum Full-Body Sunscreen Spray, SPF 45 by EltaMD all tested for benzene at levels of 2 parts per million or higher.

Samples of three Banana Boat products also contained levels of benzene at those levels: Kids Max Protect & Play Sunscreen C-Spray SPF 100, UltraMist Deep Tanning Dry Oil Continuous Clear Spray SPF 4 and Ultra Sport Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 100.

To date, CNN was not able to verify that any of these products have been recalled following Valisure's request to that effect to the FDA.

The sunscreens tested by Valisure were only a tiny sample of the more than 11,000 registered sun care products on the market.

The Personal Care Products Council, an industry association, said its members were "firmly committed" to providing products with "ingredients that have been thoroughly tested for safety and follow the requirements of the law."

"We are aware of the study reporting the presence of benzene in some of the sunscreen products tested," the council said in a statement. "There is nothing more important than safety. If our consumers can't believe in a product or rely on it to do what it says, then nothing else matters."

What is benzene?

Benzene is a natural component of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke and ranks in the top 20 chemicals used for production of "lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides," as well as "plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers," according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At room temperature, benzene is a colorless or light yellow liquid with a sweet odor. Highly flammable, it will float on water, and while it evaporates quickly, it is heavier than air and can sink into low-lying areas, the CDC noted.

Gas emissions from volcanoes and forest fires are natural sources of benzene, but the largest sources are emissions from burning coal and oil, motor vehicle exhaust, and evaporation from gasoline service stations, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause death, the ATSDR says, but the impacts of eating foods or drinking liquids containing lower levels of benzene are not known.

"If you spill benzene on your skin, it may cause redness and sores. Benzene in your eyes may cause general irritation and damage to your cornea," the ATSDR said.

Cigarette smoke and off-gassing from furniture wax, detergents, glue and paint are sources of indoor exposure to benzene, according to the CDC, while outdoor air can be polluted with benzene from "gas stations, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions."

How did benzene get into sunscreens?

No one knows for sure how the toxin ended up in sun care products. Benzene was not an ingredient in any of the sunscreens, so experts suspect contamination had to have occurred during the manufacturing process.

"There are a lot of theories," said Scott Faber, the senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit consumer health advocacy group which puts out a yearly guide to safe sunscreens.

"Benzene could be a byproduct of the process of making the chemicals that companies sell to the formulators of personal care products and sunscreens. Or it could be that some of those chemicals break down into benzene, although that seems less likely," Faber said.

"But it's very alarming, especially since the FDA does not require companies to test ingredients for contaminants, nor does it require testing for such chemicals at a finished product stage," he added.

What is the FDA doing?

In response to Valisure's petition, the FDA told CNN that it "evaluates and assesses the information provided in citizen petitions of this type and, generally, initiates an independent testing and verification process."

"While the FDA evaluates the citizen petition submitted by Valisure, we will continue to monitor sunscreen manufacturing and marketing to help ensure the availability of safe sunscreens for U.S. consumers," an FDA spokesperson said.

How can I tell if my sunscreen is contaminated?

Because the contamination was sporadic and likely occurred accidentally, there is no way for consumers to look at a label and choose a product without benzene, Faber said.

"Sadly, consumers are screwed. There's no way to shop around this problem," Faber said, adding that consumers can petition for new regulations to more thoroughly test consumer care products for toxins and contaminants.

"People can tell the FDA to require over-the-counter sunscreen product companies to test for contaminants like benzene, and people can tell Congress to pass laws to modernize cosmetics safety laws," he said.

Valisure has committed to testing additional sun care products as they have space in their lab schedules, and it is encouraging people to send in sunscreens and sun care products they have purchased to be analyzed.

If you're interested in having your sunscreen tested in their crowdsourcing study, the full instructions on how to package and send your product can be found here.

How can I protect my family?

Benzene is not the only concern when it comes to sunscreen. A number of sunscreens have been shown to be ineffective or contain chemicals that can enter the bloodstream and disrupt hormones. In EWG's 2021 guide to sunscreens, they analyzed over 1,800 products and found that 75% did not provide adequate sun protection -- or included ingredients linked to harm. Still, there were over 200 products that did meet their safety standards.

All of this uncertainty may leave consumers unsure of what to do, and experts worry some may forgo the use of sunscreen altogether. But, experts warned, that's an even worse idea. Melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer, has been on the rise globally for decades. And while survival rates are getting better, melanoma is still the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States.

And of course, it's always a great choice to use common sense practices as well to protect your skin from harmful rays. Wear shorts, shirts, pants and hats to help block dangerous rays and apply safe sunscreens to exposed skin. Wisely choose your time in the sun by avoiding the most intense rays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and seek shade whenever possible.

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A slow moving front is sagging south from out of Tennessee and into North Alabama Monday. This front is tapping into tropical moisture which continues the heavy rain chances and flood threat.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms stick around all day Monday as the stalled boundary inches closer to North Alabama. Beyond Monday, models are split on what happens with this frontal boundary. Some keep the front hung up nearby while others push it south. Regardless of the front's exact location, it will be close enough for more scattered showers and storms Tuesday, but coverage will be a touch less widespread (a 50-50 shot instead of 70-80% chance).

This front is rather weak so it won't be enough to significantly change our weather pattern. High temperatures are in the mid 80s to start the week with humidity making it feel more like the low to mid 90s. By midweek, we return to the typical afternoon pop up storm chances that we're used to seeing in late July. Less rain coverage means temperatures climb back to near 90.
With a new school year, comes new policies and Madison City Schools is announcing masks are now optional.

WAAY-31 spoke with a parent about this decision as COVID variants continue to spread in our community.

One parent in particular is on the fence when it comes to this decision.

She says she's happy her daughters can get back to school and socialize in person, but they will still be wearing masks.

She says COVID is still here and isn't going away any time soon.

"We did have a few months of optimism, now there's just a lot of confusion and there's a lot of variants that can still be to come that even for the people that are vaccinated that we don't know it's going to cover,"said Ursula Page.

Ursula Page is a mother of two and feeling uneasy about the district's decision.

The school system says they decided to make masks optional due to the number of cases going down.

However, the delta variant continues to spread in Alabama, and with Alabama in nearly last place when it comes to vaccination rates, Page says masks are required for her kids

"I've already gotten both my girls mask carriers to keep multiple, that they can change out during the day and everything. With us being one of the least vaccinated places in the country, I worry about a variant coming from Alabama, " she said.

MCS also says they will be still be monitoring data and ask if your child is sick or showing symptoms to take them to a doctor and to keep them home.

As we get ready for another uncertain school year, Page says this:

"I would just encourage everyone to try their best to keep this non-political and just genuinely be concerned about the safety of everyone," she said.

MCS still has their quarantine procedures in place as well and sanitation products will still be widely used.

But page just hopes come august 4th, parents and students will remain cautious.

The school system also announced its no longer offering virtual school for kids grades K-8, so if you want your child to learn virtually, you will have to go through the state's options.

The district said you can contact them for help by emailing them at curriculum@madisoncity.k12.al.us
Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer primarily covering the communities of North Powder, Imbler, Island City and Union, education, Union County veterans programs and local history. Dick joined The Observer in 1983, first working as a sports and outdoors reporter.
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 72F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Annual campaign urges Romans not to leave their dogs behind over summer holidays.

Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has launched an awareness campaign calling on residents of the capital not to abandon their pets as they head off on summer holidays.

The city has published posters featuring Roman actress Milena Miconi, along with her dog Lola, as part of the annual campaign issued every summer.

The mayor has called on dog owners to check the website of Rome's kennels for useful information such as dog fostering services, as well as encouraging "responsible adoption" from the city's dog shelters.

Milena Miconi with Lola

Raggi said that in the first six months of this year the Muratella kennels welcomed 593 animals, of which 427 have been adopted, desrribing it as an "excellent" result that needs to be promoted.

To learn about the procedure involved in adopting a dog in Rome, see our guide.
Bvlgari's latest act of patronage to Rome will allow visitors to walk through the Area Sacra at Largo Argentina for the first time.

Conservation and maintenance works are underway at Rome's archaeological site in Largo di Torre Argentina ahead of a 1 million development project sponsored by luxury jeweller Bvlgari.

The scheme, expected to take about a year, will make the site accessible to the public for the first time by installing raised paths to allow visitors to "walk through history."

The elevated walkways will offer close-up views of the four Roman Republican temples, including the circular monument to the goddess of Fortune, and the remains of Pompey's Theatre.

Largo di Torre Argentina. Photos courtesy Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali.

Visitors will also be able to view the numerous archaeological finds from the excavations and demolitions carried out during the Fascist period.

The so-called 'sacred area' of Largo Argentina is best known as being the scene of Julius Caesar's assassination; it is also home to a popular cat sanctuary which - the city assures - will not be affected by the works.

"The feline shelter will not be touched, it will be protected" - said the city's mayor Virginia Raggi - "and the cats, famous in Rome and around the world, will stay where they are, silent custodians of these treasures."

The mayor said the completed project will make the site accessible in "an integral, definitive way" for the first time.
Although free on bail, Ghosns movements were supposed to be closely monitored. An extraction team assembled by Michael Taylor, a former U.S. Army Green Beret, found weaknesses that helped them devise an audacious plan to smuggle Ghosn out of Japan. On the morning of Dec. 29, 2019, Ghosn left his rented house in Tokyo, changed clothes at a hotel, and then boarded a bullet train to Osaka. Waiting at a hotel near Kansai International Airport was a big box on wheels used for musical gear. Ghosn got into the box, was transported to the private jet terminal and onto a Bombardier Global Express plane that took him to Turkey. There, he switched planes and flew to Beirut. Only then did the rest of the world, and stunned Japanese authorities, learn about his escape. (Taylor and his son Peter were extradited to Japan from the U.S. in March and pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to help Ghosn escape; in July the elder Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison, and his son to 20 months.)
Confidence among U.S. home builders pulled back in July to an 11-month low as builders contend with elevated material prices and ongoing supply shortages. A gauge of builder sentiment decreased for a second month, to 80 from 81 in June, National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo data showed Monday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists called for no change in the index from the month before. The figures underscore how higher material costs and supply chain disruptions are dissuading builders from replenishing the lean supply of available homes. Low mortgage rates helped spur a surge in buyer demand, but it has outstripped supply.
Nobody has ever witnessed a true cyberwar, with escalating attacks and counterattacks in the digital realm perhaps accompanied by military combat in the real world. (A 2019 Israeli airstrike on a building in the Gaza Strip may have been the first real-world response to a cyberattack; Israel said Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian group that controls the territory, was using the building as a base for the cyber operation.) Warring nations could shut down each others power grids (as Russia did to Ukraine in 2015 and 2016), wipe out data centers, scramble bank records to cause financial panic, interfere with the safe operations of dams and nuclear plants and blind radar and targeting systems of fighter jets. Had the Stuxnet attack failed, the U.S. was ready with a broad cyber battle plan against Iran that would have taken out its power grids, the New York Times reported.
Saudi Arabia met its neighbor halfway on the demand for a higher baseline, which will take effect -- along with revisions for some other members -- in May 2022. The UAEs level was increased to 3.5 million barrels day, below the 3.8 million it wanted when it blocked an earlier proposed deal, but above the previous baseline of 3.17 million. The baselines for Saudi Arabia and Russia both rose by 500,000 barrels a day to 11.5 million. The compromise followed pressure from key consumers with the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden reaching out to the main players and urging them to reconcile. Typically, disputes at OPEC+ are resolved with some creative accounting and a diplomatic fudge that allows the opposing sides to save face. Still, nothing is set in stone. OPEC+ will continue to hold talks every month, including a review of the market in December, and it could adjust the schedule if required.
This rush to dive back into pre-pandemic life isnt unusual. Vaile Wright, senior director of health-care innovation at the American Psychological Association, characterizes what shes seeing as people emerge from the past months as an adjustment process  an emotional or behavioral reaction to stressful life events. As long as someone isnt so emotionally distraught they cant take basic care of themselves, its a normal response to a very abnormal year, she said. The way to handle this without overwhelming yourself is to take it slow, because both extremes  doing everything or doing nothing  are likely not to feel that great.
Whether youre traveling far or staying local, we want to see what youre up to this summer. Take KidsPost along and share the fun with us. Well feature a selection of readers photos in KidsPost this summer. In September, three randomly selected participants will receive books and KidsPost goodies.
As for Rob Shepherd, memorializing his wife via reef ball was more than an environmental decision, and more than an homage to her love of Ocean City. It was an unusual, yet heartening, way to process loss  especially for his grandchildren in attendance, who were too young to get to know Beth when she was alive. We all took turns stirring, Shepherd said of the process of mixing her ashes with concrete. We decorated around the top with some of the trinkets and flowers. And we drew pictures with sidewalk chalk on the side  hearts, and goodbyes, and Miss you. 
Members of the Open FCPS Coalition  an advocacy group that formed during the pandemic to push for reopening schools  have gathered more than 5,000 signatures on a petition to recall board member Elaine Tholen (Dranesville), according to Rory Cooper, a signatory and parent who helped with the recall effort. That crosses a threshold and means the recall petition will now go before a circuit court, where a Virginia judge will decide if a trial is warranted, according to Cooper.
Still, Leduc likened the bitterly divided public to a married couple in which one partner seeks forgiveness and the other refuses to give it, opining, Man, that marriage is in trouble. While he acknowledged that many Portland and Minneapolis rioters faced felony prosecution, he added, Paul was a vehicle to start a conversation we need to have as a country . . . which is how are we going to treat each other?
Despite his personal struggles, there is no excuse for the ugliness of my threat . . . which I would give anything to take back if I could, he said, apologizing to those he threatened, as well as his wife of 31 years and brother. If there is any way to make it up to Judge Sullivan, his staff and family, I will do so.
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A shooting Saturday night outside Nationals Park during a ballgame wounded two men police said were targeted and a female bystander who had left the game and was waiting for an Uber. The game was called off after fans inside the stadium heard the shots and raced for safety or hid behind their seats.
What we did in Georgia, this last election in terms of turnout, should have been celebrated by everyone, regardless of political party, but instead it was attacked by craven politicians, more committed to the maintenance of their own power than they are to the strengthening and maintaining of our democracy, said Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.), who rode a wave of record Black turnout to win a Jan. 5 runoff election and now faces reelection next year under the new GOP-passed rules.
An Israeli expert on Jerusalem issues who asked not to be identified told Religion News Service that, according to Israeli law, Jews and others have a right to pray on the Temple Mount. The Israel-Jordan agreement does not explicitly say that non-Muslim prayer at the site is prohibited, he said. Rather, when the Israeli police prevent Jews from praying, it does so based on an Israeli law relating to a risk to the public order.
The explosion occurred in Sadr City, a sprawling majority-Shiite suburb with dilapidated public services and scant access to electricity. Earlier in the day, the director of the areas main hospital had written on his Facebook page that the facility was struggling to cope in the face of surging coronavirus cases. Iraqs Health Ministry said Monday night that it stood ready to provide additional support to treat the wounded. Health officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, said 60 people were being treated for their wounds.
We need to fundamentally transform our economy and our society, deepening our efforts to create employment, lift millions out of poverty and ensure that the countrys wealth is shared among all its people, he said. The events of the last week are a stark reminder of how deep the problems are and how far we still have to go. These events must propel us to act with greater purpose and speed.
An official at the presidential Blue House, who was not authorized to be quoted by name, told reporters that talks had met a last-minute obstacle. Later, another official, said Moons office had become skeptical about his trip after hearing about the unacceptable remarks.
Viola Summers, 94, of Loogootee, passed away at 10:40 p.m. Monday, July 19, 2021, at Ketcham Memorial Center in Odon. She was born Feb. 7, 1927, in Washington, Indiana, to the late Jacob and Lydia (Stoll) Swartz. Viola was a member of the Loogootee United Methodist Church and was a faithful 
Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on.
Mr Sutton confirmed in a COVID update on Monday evening that there was one coronavirus case in hospital in Victoria as of Sunday. New cases announced on Monday have emerged out of the Ms Frankie cafe in Cremorne, the rugby match at AAMI Park, Young & Jackson pub in the CBD and a screening of the Euro 2020 final at the Crafty Squire pub, and other new cases were linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Trinity Grammar School. Mr Andrews said it was a triumph of tracing that the four most recent people to test positive had been in isolation. More than 54,800 test results were returned across Sunday, with 14,758 vaccine doses administered at state hubs.

Loading Staff at regional Victorian hospital sent into isolation More than 40 staff at Mildura Base Public Hospital have been sent into isolation after a positive case was treated at the emergency department on Saturday night. The man, in his 30s, tested positive for coronavirus early on Sunday morning. He attended the Carlton v Geelong match at the MCG on July 10 with three household members. A Mildura hospital spokesman said more than 40 of its 1000 staff were now self-isolating. All non-emergency surgery has been cancelled for the next three days.

One of the new cases reported on Monday morning was a household contact of the COVID-positive Mildura man. Authorities were stepping up their COVID-19 response in the area on Monday morning. Mr Sutton said new testing sites were deployed, including at the Mildura Recreation Reserve. But 9 News reported one testing site was at capacity 15 minutes after it opened. Earlier, other testing sites were turning away people too, with queues at some clinics stretching 1.5 kilometres.

Mr Sutton said an online community forum would be held in Mildura on Monday night, with presentations from Milduras mayor, Jason Modica, the Department of Health and the local public health unit. Loading Exposure site list swells Almost 16,000 Victorians are in 14-day quarantine, with positive cases stretching from Phillip Island to the Mallee. There are now 15,800 people who are considered close contacts to the outbreak and are in isolation. More than 3000 were linked to MCG, with about half the test results from that site returned. There are 1800 close contacts from the AAMI Park stadium, with about half of those test results back.

There are 2300 close contacts at Trinity Grammar, with about 57 per cent of the test results from that community returned, while about 76 per cent of the 2700 close contact tests related to Bacchus Marsh Grammar are returned. About 540 primary close contacts have been linked to the Ms Frankie restaurant in Cremorne and authorities have processed results for 63 per cent of them. There are now 313 exposure sites listed across Victoria, with concern around regional exposures in places including Mildura and Phillip Island. The Crafty Squire pub in downtown Melbourne has been listed as a COVID-19 exposure site. Credit:Chris Hopkins The Ravenswood Caltex has been listed as a tier-1 site for July 11 from 12.45pm to 2.15pm, while the Wycheproof Bakery on Broadway has been listed as an exposure site for the same day between 2pm and 3pm. There are now more than 12 exposure sites in Mildura, with many tier-1 sites, including hospitality venues Mister Bun Mi and Blk mlk Specialty Coffee, and the Mildura Waves Aquatic and Leisure Centre.

About 30 exposure sites were added on Monday after more than 20 were added overnight, with the latest tier-1 sites including a Richmond apartment building and a media consultancy close to the Ms Frankie restaurant in Cremorne, a Docklands office, a Ringwood North supermarket and a Japanese restaurant in Fitzroy. Other sites added throughout the course of the day were in Windsor, Prahan, Port Melbourne, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Dandenong South. A number of public transport routes have also been added as tier-2 sites, including tram route 16 at certain times on July 14 and 15 and the Frankston train line between Glen Huntly and Richmond on the same days. The Department of Transport is urging anyone who uses public transport to register their myki card and make sure they touch on and off when they travel, noting this is crucial in helping health authorities trace potential contacts when a train, bus or tram is listed as an exposure site. People who visited a tier-1 site must quarantine for 14 days and get tested immediately. Read the full list of exposure sites on the governments exposure site page. Those who have visited a tier-2 site need to isolate until they test negative for the virus.

Some MCG patrons urged to retest, AAMI exposure site expanded On Monday, Professor Sutton urged some patrons at the recent MCG Carlton v Geelong match to get retested, while more people who attended the France v Wallabies rugby union game at AAMI Park on July 13 are being told to quarantine for 14 days. Professor Sutton said the new COVID-19 case connected to AAMI Park was seated in an area of the ground that was not anywhere near the initial case in question, meaning they needed to increase their catchment area for isolation. Crowds entering the Wallabies v France match at Melbournes AAMI Park last week. We think that transmissions occurred at the pinch point on entry, he said.

Loading As a reminder of what our definitions of AAMI Park were, if you were seated in sections 22, 23 or 24 in zone two on level one, or if you entered gate seven between 7.56pm and 8.13pm, then you have to get tested and isolate. Those seated in sections 25 to 42 of zone two and anyone who entered gate seven outside the above time period were considered tier-2 contacts. However, authorities have now declared sections 81 to 91 a tier-2 area following the detection of the latest case. The Health Department also linked to a map outlining which sections of AAMI Park are places of concern. Professor Sutton said health authorities had also widened some times for exposure sites for the MCG AFL game on Saturday, and patrons have been urged to check the Department of Health website.

Loading If youre on level two of the MCC Members Reserve at any stage and have already had one test, I am requesting that you obtain a second test when possible following your first test again, reflecting that upgraded risk, he said. Thats really out of an abundance of caution. If you dont have symptoms you dont have to isolate while awaiting your second test result but if you have any symptoms at all you have to remain isolated, until that negative result. Professor Sutton said it was possible transmission of the Delta variant had happened outside at both the MCG and AAMI Park sporting matches, with evidence of people being infected and then becoming infectious in a short time. Another school snared in outbreak

Non-government school St Margarets Berwick Grammar was undergoing a deep clean on Monday after it reported a senior staff member had tested positive on the weekend. The school is closed to all staff and students, including the children of essential workers, and the staff members close contacts have been directed to isolate for 14 days. All other students and staff across the schools three campuses and early learning centre have been classified tier 2 and asked to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. Multiple schools have been snared in Victorias latest COVID-19 outbreak, including Bacchus Marsh Grammar, Barwon Heads Primary, Trinity Grammar School in Kew, St Patricks School in Murrumbeena and De La Salle College in Malvern.

Education unions for government and non-government schools are lobbying for education staff to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccinations, but Mr Andrews told reporters the calls were just words on the weekend, because the state lacks vaccine supply. Cars lining up at a testing site at Albert Park on Monday. Some testing sites have started turning people away as they reach capacity. Credit:Getty Images Some Melbourne testing sites no longer accepting entry A number of testing sites across Melbourne are over capacity and are turning away people seeking to get tested. Sites no longer accepting entry include Aughtie Walk at Albert Park, the Casey Fields clinic in Cranbourne run by Monash Health, the walk-through at The Royal Childrens Hospital in Parkville, the IPC Health clinics in Deer Park and at Victoria University in Werribee East, the Montague Street site in South Melbourne and the Akoonah Park site in Berwick.
Washington The Biden administration has blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year.

The administration and allied nations on Monday also disclosed a broad range of other cyber threats from Beijing, including ransomware attacks from government-affiliated hackers that have targeted companies with demands for millions of dollars.

Chinas Ministry of State Security has been using criminal contract hackers, who have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit, according to a senior administration official. That official briefed reporters about the investigation on the condition of anonymity.

Australia joined Britain, Canada, the EU, Japan and New Zealand in the condemnation of China in the first such statement from NATO publicly targeting Beijing for cybercrimes.
When America watched Bill Cosby  once Americas Dad  go off to prison nearly three years ago, it was perhaps the most stunning development yet of the nascent #MeToo movement, which had emerged in late 2017 with allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
In this March 2021 photo provided by Pfizer, vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared for packaging. (Pfizer via AP)
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB)  When General Electric finally offloaded its Louisville-based appliance-making business in 2016, many were relieved the buyer was not a domestic competitor who might slash jobs.

But the 2016 sale to Haier Group was also met with apprehension, as an American stalwart was now in the hands of a Chinese owner.

Some feared this would be the end of GE Appliances, Kevin Nolan, the Louisville-based CEO of GE Appliances, said Monday.  It was frankly the opposite. GE Appliances got a new life.

The company showed off the latest manifestation of its new life on Monday  a $60 million expansion of its Louisville refrigerator plant, part the sprawling Appliance Park manufacturing campus.

In recent months, GE Appliances added equipment and about 250 jobs to begin producing high-end four-door refrigerators, a complement to the three-door version also produced in Building 5 at Appliance Park. More products are on the way, executives said.

This is only the beginning, Dave McCAlpin, GE Appliances vice president of refrigeration.

The larger picture, as executives highlighted Monday, is that GE Appliances has steadily grown production and employment since the $5.6 billion, 2016 sale to Haier, which is the biggest player in the global appliance industry.

The Appliance Park campus  which factories making refrigerators, dishwashers and washers and dryers  now employs nearly 5,000 hourly workers, according to Julie Wood, a spokeswoman for GE Appliances. Thats up from about 3,600 at the time of the Haier sale.

The company also employs about 2,100 salaried workers  engineers, designers and corporate personnel  at its Louisville headquarters.

Haier has invested more than $1 billion into GE Appliances since taking over, including more than $400 million in Louisville where dishwasher and washer-dryer production has also been expanded, according to company figures.

Nolan added during remarks Monday that Haiers philosophy of zero distance between us and the customer means the company has been able to bring work from China to the U.S. The four-door refrigerator line is an example, he said.

We are committed to bringing manufacturing back to the United States, because it makes good business sense, Nolan said.

GE Appliances WIllie Eddins door repairman Building 5 Appliance Park Refrigerator Plant 7-19-21 (7).JPG

Willie Eddins, a repairman on the refrigerator door line at Appliance Park, said hes noticed a lot more workers in his building in recent years.

I think its a great thing, he said. I am glad.

The Louisville investments havent come without a few givebacks, as well as some tense moments with Appliance Parks workforce, the only union shop in the GE Appliance umbrella.

In 2016 the company outsourced its finished-product warehouse operation to a third-party company, displacing about 200 union-represented warehouse workers; stopped producing a hybrid-electric water heater because of low sales; and moved production of a hotel-room air conditioner from Louisville to its Selmer, Tenn. plant.

As the pandemic took hold in March 2020, workers took the street outside the factory to protest being called back to work after a one-week layoff.

While GE Appliances implemented safety measures, such as temperature checks upon entry and plastic dividers between workstations, some employees said the company put production targets ahead of their health.

At Mondays press event, the highest-ranking elected Democrats in Kentucky  Gov. Andy Beshear, U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer  praised the company for persevering in the pandemic, adding jobs and helping with local workforce development efforts.

For this investment to be made here is really special, Beshear said.

Nolan wasnt available for an interview following the event.

The president and vice president of IUE-CWA Local 83-761, the union representing Appliance Park workers, also couldnt be reached Monday.

Aaron Little, a welder in Appliance Parks plastic injection-molding factory and an assistant chief steward for the union, said the job additions are to be applauded, but workers face other challenges, like a revolving door of new hires who arent as invested in careers at Appliance Park and mandatory overtime shifts.

The starting wage of $15.50 per hour is higher than in previous years, but not enough to keep people in jobs that are physically demanding without climate-controlled buildings.

We are in good hands in terms of the trajectory; thats great, he said. At the same time, we are getting run into the ground because we are getting overworked.
Reporter

I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.
FILE - In this Wednesday, April 17, 2019 file photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, the control tower is seen through the razor wire inside the Camp VI detention facility in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The Biden administration has transferred a detainee out of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility for the first time, sending a Moroccan man back home years after he was recommended for discharge. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Wisconsin Aviation to celebrate 40 years

daily times / Ed Zagorski Wisconsin Aviation is celebrating 40 years in Watertown. daily times / Contributed The Watertown Municipal Airports terminal building and Wisconsin Aviations home at the time of its inception in 1981.

The skies over Watertown will be crowded later this week, it could be for the anniversary of Wisconsin Aviation, but more likely for the Experimental Aircraft Associations annual convention in Oshkosh.

Ironically, the busiest week at the local airport comes when Wisconsin Aviation, with corporate headquarters in Watertown, will be celebrating its 40th anniversary.

This year marks a significant milestone in our company history, said founder, owner/president/CEO Jeff Baum.

From three employees in 1981 to 140 today, from piston Senecas to Citation jets, from a 3,200-foot runway to Dane County Regional, its been quite a journey, Baum said. The challenges seem to come from more directions, but so do the opportunities. We are proud of where we have come frombut even more excited about where we can go. We will do it by concentrating on providing the best customer service, prudent financial management, and making sure we enjoy the journey along the way.

The anniversary date of the founding of the company is Thursday, July 22. It is just days away from the EAA, which draws hundreds of aircraft to the area. During EAA, we are expecting hundreds of airplanes in, Baum said. Every hotel will be booked in the area Friday night, Baum said.

Wisconsin Aviation started when Watertown Aviation failed, Baum said. A couple of us were standing on a ramp at the airport, unemployed. The bank had just pulled the plug on the company and we said, Lets start a new operation, Baum said. And Wisconsin Aviation was started.

The old company was underfunded and it did not have the business to succeed, said Baum, who has been in the business for more than 40 years. Also in 1981 we were in a terrible recession, with interest rates at 21%. Two weeks after we started the business, President Reagan fired all traffic controllers.

But we have been able to succeed and able to make the airport grow and be more of a community asset, Baum said.

Baums mission was to be an organization with which customers want to do business and a place where its colleagues want to work. The companys focus is to deliver the best possible customer service. This was true 40 years ago and still holds true today, he said.

We took over the Dodge County Airport in Juneau in 1983 and took over as the flagship operation at the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison in 1994.

Watertown Municipal Airport is owned by the city, with Wisconsin Aviation under contract to manage the facility. We provide all the services at the airport, Baum said. We do the same at Dodge County, but at Madison we provide services, but not manage.

The Wisconsin Aviation team consists of more than 140 employees, with several serving the company for over 30 years. The companys full lineup of general aviation services include private air charter, flight training, aircraft rental, maintenance, avionics, interiors, aircraft sales and management, and ramp services.

Over the years, many hangars have been added at the airport, along with additional services being offered. In 1981, we did not have jet fuel at this airport. Shortly after starting the business, jet fuel was made available for pilots.

The number of landings and takeoffs of small to mid-sized business aircrafts fluctuates with the economy, Baum said. Watertown is situated in a unique location, between Madison and Milwaukee. Also, people stop in because we are close to restaurants, Baum said.

It is the citys airport and we encourage people to come out and check it out, Baum said. We have been continuously trying to improve the airport, he added. In the next several years, the runways will be rebuilt, Baum said. They were built in the 1980s and in the next couple of years they will have to be redone. We are not expanding the length of the runways, but making them all usable, he added. Nothing will change physically, but all the runways, instead of parts of them, will be usable.

Baum said Wisconsin Aviation assisted with the creation of Aero Park which was constructed by the Marine Corp in Watertown. No city money went into that, he said. It gets a lot of use and the Marine Corps have done great with it.

Darcey Park is also located near the airport. It is great to see the kids play there, he said.

The airplane on the pole out there on (State Highway) 26 is a nice addition to the city of Watertown, Baum said. We are pleased of those things we are able to do.

Wisconsin Aviation is a member of many associations, including Air Charter Safety Foundation, National Air Transportation Association, National Business Aviation Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Wisconsin Airport Management Association, and the Experimental Aircraft Association.


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ORANGE, MA (WGGB/WSHM)--The town of Orange's fire chief called for a state of emergency Sunday morning after the weekend's storm.

Two roads flooded in Orange. The water has subsided, but Tully Road, one of the two that flooded is still closed for bridge inspection. It has the community talking after a culvert underneath the bridge on Flagg road has been washed out.

I could actually hear the big rocks banging together, said resident Lynn Stopen.

Stopen described what she heard on Flagg road Sunday Morning. Thats when she saw this culvert, a tunnel that allows water to flow underneath the bridge, get completely washed out. Another Flagg Street resident told Western Mass news, only a bridge remained on Saturday night.

The water was right at the road level. And you couldn't see any of the culverts, rocks, or anything. It was just roaring over, said Flagg Road Resident John O' Keefe.

Beyond this road is a dead-end. Only one home is beyond this point. Both Lynn and John told Western Mass News the people who live there were not home when this happened to the culvert. But they add there is a cat inside the home.

We let them know what had happened. Early this afternoon, they came up and looked at it. Now trying to figure out how theyre going to get to their house, O'Keefe said.

O'Keefe told us that now, the only way to get to their house is by walking on the ladder that is laid down and climbing on rocks.

Tully road also flooded on Sunday. That road is closed until at least Monday so the Massachusetts department of transportation can inspect the bridge. Royalston was flooded but it is now open. The orange fire chief has a message for residents.

At this point, we do have the potential for some more rain. So just keep your eyes especially on the smaller tributaries that are not controlled by dams or anything like that. keep their eye on them. Watch for rising water," Orange Fire Chief James Young said.

Town of Orange declares state of emergency from rain, flooding ORANGE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- A state of emergency was declared in the town Orange Sunday morning.

The state of emergency is still in effect in Orange, despite conditions improving. Stick with Western Mass News both on-air and online for updates on the state of emergency in Orange.
GREENWICH  A historic building in central Greenwich is getting a new tenant.

The John Lockhart House at 75 Arch St. will be the new home of Douglas Elliman, a leading real estate firm that is relocating to the historic site from a nearby office. The office is the main headquarters for Douglas Elliman in Connecticut.

Built in about 1867 in the Second Empire style, the building is notable for its mansard roof. It has functioned as an office building for a number of years, serving as the office of David Ogilvy, a longtime Greenwich real estate broker who died in 2020. It was landmarked by the Greenwich Historical Society in 2013. Ogilvy oversaw the renovations of the building when he moved his business there in 1987.

Douglas Elliman doesnt have far to go, as its current office is close by.

While we have enjoyed our time at 88 Field Point Road in Greenwich, it is time we trade up to a larger space for the betterment of our successful agents and their clients, said Scott Durkin, president and CEO of Douglas Elliman. We are incredibly proud to call the John Lockhart House home and look forward to conducting best-in-class real estate service from our new stomping ground.

The new site will house 70 agents and what the company calls a growing real estate business. The four-story building includes 6,000 square feet of space. Douglas Elliman said proximity to the nearby Metro-North train station was a plus. An executive with the company, Michael Fitzgibbon, noted that the staff at the office would be active, engaged members of the surrounding community.

The real-estate firm has been reporting significant sales this year. The Greenwich office closed a record $281,958,000 in real estate sales in 2020, a 34 percent increase in sales volume from 2019. In January of this year, a company agent brought a buyer to Tommy Hilfigers estate at 30 John St. for $45 million, the highest sale in Greenwich so far this year.

Founded in 1911, Douglas Elliman bills itself as the largest brokerage in the New York metro area.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Officials with Deaconess Health System said Monday that the Delta variant of COVID-19 was now the dominant strain of the virus in southwest Indiana.

Deaconess said it had received confirmation that the Delta variant was now the most prevalent in the area from the Indiana State Department of Health.

Deaconess President Dr. James Porter and Director of Microbiology Dr. April Abbott discussed the news from the state health department on Monday afternoon.

Dr. Porter told 44News that the Pfizer vaccine is around 85% effective at preventing symptomatic infection and even better at preventing hospitalizations.

Although vaccinated individuals can still contract the Delta variant, Dr. Porter says the vaccine remains the most reliable form of protection against the virus.

"If you aren't vaccinated, get vaccinated," Dr. Porter said. "It's by far the best way for us to get out of this pandemic, it's the best protection for individuals, it's the best protection for us as a population."

According to the state health department, 67.3% of samples tested in July showed positive results for the Delta variant - making the Delta variant now the most prevalent strain of COVID-19 throughout the state.



Indiana State Department of Health

Before the Delta strain topped the variant chart on the state's COVID-19 dashboard, the B.1.1.7 variant, also known as the "UK Variant," had previously held the top spot on that list.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, evidence suggests that the Delta variant is potentially more transmissible than other variants.

With Warrick, Posey, and Vanderburgh counties back in the Yellow on the state's COVID-19 map and Gibson County in the Orange, local leaders indicate the Delta variant could be to blame.
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BURLINGTON, CT (WFSB) - A tragic ending to the days-long search for two teens who went missing after swimming in the Farmington River.

Officials found the bodies of 15-year-old Lucas Brewer and 17-year-old Anthony Nagore Monday afternoon near the banks of the river.

It was heartbreaking for everyone involved. Family and friends flocked to the site to mourn.

Officials are also very shaken up. They say after four long days, there will be no more sleepless nights for them and for the families involved.

"Everybodys hurt. We wanted it to be a different outcome, but were glad they can be at peace," Stephanie Dube tells us.

This was not the ending anyone in the Farmington River Valley wanted for two teens who went missing after swimming in the rushing river four days ago.

"We were able to recover those two individuals this afternoon. They were positively identified as the two individuals that weve been looking for since Thursday," Keith Williams of DEEP said.

Around 3:15 Monday afternoon, the bodies of Brewer, from Plainville, and Negore, who is from out of state, were recovered, their bodies found snagged on a tree a mile and a half from the spot they were last seen.

"They were probably 30, 40 yards apart from each other, but in the same general area," continued Williams.

Nagore and Brewer were last seen on Thursday afternoon.

The two were reported missing around 5 p.m. that day when they didnt return home.

Recent storms made the Farmington River dangerously fast.

Officials say the water was moving out of the Colebrook Dam section of the river at 1,600 cubic feet per second on the day the two went missing.

"The water level is probably six or seven times higher than it normally would be this time of year. It is very dangerous to be out there," explained Williams.

Theres been so much rain, water from the Colebrook Dam had to be released, actually helping the search.

"We couldnt say it was the factor, but probably a contributing factor," stated Williams.

On Friday, they reported that the Farmington River was flowing at 1,800 cubic feet per second. Due to the weekend weather, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection told Channel 3 the flow increased to 3,200.

To put it in perspective, the river is usually flowing at 200 cubic feet per second.

By Monday, the state Environmental Conservation Police issued a warning to people who wanted to use the river:

Due to the large amounts of rain that we have been experiencing as of late, the Army Corps of Engineers Intend to release a large amount of water into the Farmington River [Monday] morning in an effort to reduce the strain on the dams and larger bodies of water to the North. Anyone planning to recreate on the river this morning should use extreme caution as we expect the levels to rise very quickly. With that being said, anyone visiting any rivers as of late should exercise caution as these rivers can be deceiving and appear to be calm while in reality having very strong undercurrents. Thank you, Stay Safe.

DEEP also released a statement about the dangerous water levels.

DEEP met [Monday] with the Army Corps of Engineers, who will be releasing water from the Colebrook Reservoir. Water levels in the reservoir are dangerously high, and to prevent an overflow of the dam, water must be released into the Farmington River. Depending on water conditions, the release may allow for the dam to be drawn down on Friday, reducing the water into the river and lowering water levels enough to facilitate a search in the water on Saturday. EnCon will re-evaluate water levels on Friday to determine the feasibility of another recovery operation on Saturday. DEEP EnCon expects to continue land-based searches until then, with EnCon officers patrolling the shorelines.

The Army Corps of Engineers also had to release water from the dam a few days ago.

Word of the discoveries traveled fast.

More than a hundred family and friends came to the Burlington side of the river and walked the path down to the water to pay their respects.

Families asked Eyewitness News to give them space, which we did so friends who did attend set the scene for us.

"You can tell everybodys hurt. Theres a lot of people showing their love for these boys," Dube says.

Stephanie Dube and Brooke Lowe knew 15-year-old Lucas.

"He would do stuff for everybody else and he would think of everybody before himself, and hed have this very positive energy toward everyone," noted Lowe.

"Lucas was a sweetheart. He lit the room up when he walked in. You couldnt have a bad day. He knew how to bring a smile to everyones face," added Dube.

Counseling and support services were available at Plainville High School on Monday for students, families and staff members. Professional counselors and K9 first responders were were scheduled to be there from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

"For anyone who needed support or someone to talk to, a familiar face, we have the counselors from all the schools come in and additional help," explained LePage.

LePage says setting this up was necessary, because in Plainville, they're family.

"The wonderful thing about Plainville is that, through all the challenges we face, year in and year out, this is really a strong community that really comes together as a family. That's the motto of our school staff, you know, five schools, one family," LePage added.

Superintendent LePage said they also partnered with Cornerstone Counseling to provide over-the-phone services for those who didn't feel comfortable coming in-person.

Crews continue to comb Farmington River for two missing Plainville teens FARMINGTON, CT (WFSB) - The search for two Plainville teens last seen swimming in the Farmin

Officials said Nagore was staying with relatives for the Summer, while also working long hours at a local pool company.

We're told his mother lives in Arizona and his father resides in Kansas.

Search for teens on Farmington River suspended due to high water levels Officials said the search for two missing teens who were last seen swimming in the Farmington River was suspended Friday afternoon.

Officials added that Nagore wanted to take a couple of days off and hang out with his friends before going back home.

The official cause of death will not be released tonight, but officials are warning all of us that the river levels are still very dangerous here and pretty much everywhere else in the state, and theyre only expected to rise, so the bottom line is to stay out.
NORWALK, CT (WFSB) - A crop-damaging insect has been spotted in Connecticut once again.

A spotted lanternfly was found in Norwalk, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reported on Monday.

The CAES and a division of the United States Department of Agriculture that specializes in plant protection is trying to assess the extent of a potential infestation.

+2 Population of farm-damaging spotted lanternfly discovered in CT A population of the invasive spotted lanternfly was discovered in western Connecticut.

Last year, multiple adult spotted lanternfly populations were found in Greenwich, New Canaan and Stamford. Now, Norwalk will be added to the list of regulated areas.

This detection of the spotted lanternfly indicate that this insect is expanding in Fairfield County and raises future concerns for Connecticuts agriculture, said state entomologist Dr. Kirby Stafford.

Single adults were detected in Farmington in 2018, Southbury in 2019, and West Haven in 2020. The CAES said they were likely hitchhikers on vehicles from infested states.

It said early detection is important, and the public is urged to report potential sightings.

Anyone who suspects to have found a spotted lanternfly is asked to snap a picture of it, collect it if possible, and report it to ReportSLF@ct.gov.

More information about the insect can be found the Department of Energy and Environmental protection's website here.
Hot on the heels of her Emmy nomination for best actress for her portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown, Emma Corrin is treading the boards in a new play inspired by the life of a high-class con woman. It's her West End debut  and her co-star Nabhaan Rizwan, the playwright Joseph Charlton, the director Daniel Raggett and design team member Mikaela Liakata are all also taking their first West End bows. It feels like a breath of fresh air: they're an impressively talented bunch.

The play, presented as part of Sonia Friedman's Re:Emerge season, has its origins in the extraordinary life of Anna Sorokin, a woman who lied her way to the top of New York society, pretending to be a wealthy German heiress. Here she is transformed into an influencer and curator of the contemporary art scene, a woman with thousands of Instagram followers, who is supposedly the super-rich daughter of a Russian oil family.

In a brilliant opening scene, she meets quiet tech millionaire Ariel (Rizwan) at a nightclub. As they dance, their shouted and inaudible dialogue flashes up on a wall behind them. Ariel, creator of an exclusive dating app, is immediately smitten by this mysterious, beautiful blonde, who exudes confidence and style.

From there the story unfolds backwards and forwards, partly narrated by the couple directly addressing the audience and partially enacted in scenes between them, and other characters who they also play. If the trajectory of the story is predictable, then the telling and the performances are not.

Emma Corrin and Nabhaan Rizwan

 Helen Murray

The set and video design are just sensational, a rich tapestry of every changing images that conjure New York life, from its parks, to its offices with a strategically placed Jeff Koons, to the smoking rooms of nightclubs with the city sparkling behind. The effects are magical: at one moment, as Anna remembers her time in London, she seems to be stepping out of a smudgy black and white painting, her outline shown in bleeding red. In another, a scene is played in front of a postcard of the Golden Gate, a boat sailing serenely beneath. The whole thing is wonderfully lit by Jessica Hung Han Yun.

In this simple but sophisticated frame, Radlett makes the action charge forward with the same pulse as the frenetic life Anna is leading. He's good at contrasts, between high energy and moments of quiet and it's in the scenes where the characters interact that the play comes most vividly to life.

Corrin and Rizwan are both appealing presences; she has just the right amount of charm to make it believable that he would fall so hard and believe for so long; he has an innocence that makes the deception possible. Their performances are full of nuance: the way her eyes narrow when he makes romantic suggestions; his spaced-out goofiness when they first talk. They slip into other characters effortlessly too, holding attention keeping the play moving.

It's harder for them to maintain this subtlety in the long passages where monologue takes over; if the play has a fault, it's that there's too much exposition and not enough interaction. But Charlton's writing is full of memorable phrases  Ariel is "a moth to the flame" of Anna's unkindness; Instagram is a way of painting lives online; a certain type of girl survives "on tapas and cocaine." He's good too at letting bigger themes push through the narrative: the danger of a world where everything seems real and nothing is checked, where everything is a concept that you can buy into or reject, where the American dream becomes so corrupted that entrepreneurship and fraud are separated by a barrier as thin as paper.

It's a savage indictment of the way society has lost all sense of value, delivered with considerable style, panache and even humour. Definitely talents to watch.
Technical Officer, Geneva, Switzerland

Organization: World Health Organization (WHO)

Country: Switzerland

City: Geneva

Office: WHO Geneva, Switzerland

Grade: P-4

Closing date: Thursday, 5 August 2021

Technical Officer

( 2103188 )

Grade : P4

Contractual Arrangement : Fixed-term appointment

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 1 year

Job Posting: Jul 16, 2021, 10:32:20 AM

The Health Security Preparedness (HSP) department supports Member States in enhancing national preparedness across the IHR core capacities to manage all-hazard risks and emergencies, and to build multisectoral approaches for health security. It ensures that WHO supports Member States to build sustainable preparedness capacities and scale up the implementation of the IHR (2005), and support the implementation of the Sendai Framework, the WHO Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework, Paris Agreement on Climate Change and other related global and regional frameworks. The department also establishes strategic links to, and supports the advancement of global initiatives such as GPMB, GHSA, EU ACP, Health and Security Alliance, Foreign Affairs for Global Health initiative and the UN System Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience. HSP works with partners and the broader global heath security community to ensure that the most vulnerable communities in all countries are protected from the impact of health emergencies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:

Working with key players in WHE, WHO and partners, manage the pre-strategic and operational direction for all aspects of simulation exercises, as part of the IHR monitoring and evaluation framework.

In collaboration with partners, lead the development tools, materials, guidance and training for simulation exercises.

Follow up and consolidate country needs with regards to simulation exercises, providing guidance and support to the updates of country plans and budget following simulation exercises.

Develop and disseminate related documents.

Analyze results from national simulation exercises and develop key lessons for distribution through strategic Partnership portal as well as to inform capacity building of the IHR.

Maintain and expand a trained network of professionals to support the implementation of exercises.

Document achievements and lessons learnt on the implementation of simulation exercises, advocate for, and link simulation exercises to relevant WHO and interagency processes.

Play a key role in the development of WHO`s simulation exercises across all levels of the organization including WHO Country Offices, Regional offices, Headquarters and partners, including inter agency exercises.

Perform other related responsibilities, including replacing and/or backstopping.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

Advanced university degree in health, social sciences, humanitarian action, public administration or related field.

Desirable:

Certification or specialization in outbreaks emergencies, emergency management or crisis management.

Experience

Essential:

At least seven years experience in emergency preparedness and response, project management, and information management in response operations, of which three years exposure at the international level.

At least two years of experience in conducting public health simulation exercises.

Desirable:

Experience in working in response operations in a field location (regional or country office) within the humanitarian domain (UN/NGO & inter-agency partners).

Tags climate change crisis management disaster risk disaster risk reduction emergency management emergency preparedness global health health emergencies information management monitoring and evaluation project management public administration risk assessment risk management social sciences

Experience of work in the area of risk assessment, planning, and lessons learned/after action reviews would be an added value.

Skills

Knowledge of WHO, the UN System or NGO work in the field of outbreak response and/or of their practices and procedures as related to the work.

Excellent organizational and analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and manage several projects at same time.

Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.

Ability to write in a clear and concise manner, and to present factual information.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

Producing results

Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

Intermediate knowledge of French.

Intermediate knowledge of WHO Language.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 74,913 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 5219 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

A written test may be used as a form of screening.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

For information on WHOs operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

WHOs workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1626631041522
Social Policy Officer (Youth Employment), Accra, Ghana

Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Country: Ghana

City: Accra, Ghana

Office: FAO Accra, Ghana

Closing date: Thursday, 29 July 2021

2101964

Social Policy Officer (Youth Employment)

Job Posting: 08/Jul/2021

Closure Date: 29/Jul/2021, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : RAF

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition : Professional

Grade Level : P-3

Primary Location: Ghana-Accra

Duration : Fixed term: 2 years with possibility of extension

Post Number : 2006258

CCOG Code : 1L

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

Organizational Setting The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) leads FAOs response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAOs priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with offices, centres and divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAOs strategic response to regional priorities. In its programme delivery, RAF contributes to the achievements of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, guided by SDG 1 No poverty, SDG 2 No hunger, and SDG 10 Reducing inequalities as well as to supporting achievement of the broader SDG agenda, which is crucial for attaining FAOs overall vision. In addition to supporting FAOs work in Member countries, RAF develops and maintains strategic partnerships with continental organizations, such as the African Union Commission and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). At policy level, RAF supports countries to develop strategies, policies and regulatory frameworks as well as supports regional and country policy dialogues that sustain efficient and inclusive agricultural and food systems. RAF also facilitates partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders, supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

Reporting Lines The Social Policy Officer (Youth employment) reports to the Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, focal person for the Strategic Programme "Enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food Systems" until end of the 2020-21 biennium. He/she works under the overall guidance of the Assistant Director General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) and the Regional Programme Leader. RAF. With the implementation of a new Regional Programme structure starting in January 2022, the Social Policy Officer will be re-assigned to the newly formed programme "Decent Employment in agri-food systems", reporting directly to the Programme Manager and working in close collaboration with the Alternate Programme Manager. He/she will work in consultation with other technical officers in the programme team and other priority programme teams in the Africa region and headquarters, as well as with the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP), the Partnerships and South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division (PST) and RAF Partnerships and Communication Officers.

Technical Focus Support and contribute to the promotion of decent employment and entrepreneurship for rural youth, including policy support and technical advice, capacity building, knowledge development, resource mobilization, advocacy and communication.

Key Results Research and analysis of information, data and statistics, and the maintenance and updating of related tools, methodologies, and/or databases to support the delivery of programme products, projects, publications, and services and in alignment with the Organizations work on Decent Rural Employment, in particular on Youth Employment.

Key Functions

Researches and analyses agricultural, economic, trade, market, social, environmental, nutrition/food composition and/or employment related data, statistics and information to provide technical, statistical and/or policy related information and analysis to support the delivery of economic and social development programmes of work, products, projects, publications and services.

Supports the integration of decent employment, in particular of youth employment, in FAOs work, including the disaggregation of data by sex and age where appropriate.

Produces a variety of technical reports and inputs for technical documents, publications and/or web pages.

Provides technical, statistical, and/or analytical services on various studies, projects, and/or assessments and provides technical backstopping to field projects.

Participates in the development of improved/updated technical, statistical and/or analytical tools, methodologies, systems, databases, and/or key social/ economic/ environmental/ nutritional and/or early warning indicators, etc.

Participates in multi-disciplinary teams, collaborates with other divisions and agencies on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.

Collaborates in capacity development activities involving the planning and organizing of training workshops, seminars, and major meetings and the preparation of related information, materials, on-line tools and information kits.

Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.

Participates in resource mobilization activities.

Specific Functions

Participates in activities fostering the inclusion and mainstreaming of decent employment priorities and opportunities for rural youth in sub-Saharan Africa, and contributes to developing and expanding partnerships with other UN agencies, the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Governments, Civil Society Organizations, academia, and other development partners at the global, regional and national level;

Collaborates with regional and national youth groups, youth-focused organizations, and other groups implementing similar youth employment and entrepreneurship-related activities in rural areas; and participates in youth employment-related meetings with relevant stakeholders and partners;

Provides technical backstopping to youth employment in agri-food systems programmes and projects in the RAF region, ensuring effective communication and collaboration with the country teams, subregional offices, priority programme teams in RAF and the Decent Rural Employment Team in headquarters;

Supports FAO Representatives, country, subregional and RAF programme teams in the design and implementation of activities that strengthen rural youths access to information, training, technology, finance, markets and productive resources and services, and to overall decent employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, both on and off farm;

Develops and supports innovative solutions to promote decent youth employment and entrepreneurship, including the use of digital technologies, the uptake of green job opportunities and other innovations;

Supports participatory monitoring, performance assessment and reporting of Youth Employment projects, programmes and activities in the RAF region;

Collaborates in capacity development activities on Decent Rural Employment, in particular on Youth Employment, including the development of tools and guidance materials;

Supports outreach and communication activities related to programme and project activities as well as opportunities for interregional dialogue and sharing of good practices.

Contributes to work planning and reporting, acting as focal point for specific teams to enhance collaboration and communications, contributing to the implementation of corporate initiatives such as "Hand-in-Hand";

Carries out resource mobilization efforts on the topic of decent agriculture and agribusiness jobs for youth, especially to fund follow-up activities after the conclusion of technical cooperation projects;

Performs other related duties as requested.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree in political science, economics, institutional development, social anthropology , rural development, labour law, or other relevant social sciences, related to socio-economic analysis, policy formulation, capacity building in relation to decent employment.

Five years of relevant experience in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes/projects related to decent youth employment in agri-food systems

Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable

Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge in setting up and undertaking empirical socio-economic analysis and developing, analyzing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes/projects related to decent rural employment (DRE) in food systems;

Extent and relevance of experience in youth inclusive policy development and related programmatic support, including experience related to promoting youth engagement in agri-food value chains;

Depth of experience with relevant DRE approaches for youth and capacity to grasp, analyze and synthesize their relevance to current regional rural development issues and trends related to youth employment and entrepreneurship in food and agriculture, both on farm and non-farm employment;

Extent and relevance of experience in supporting, advising and guiding the implementation of complex multistakeholder projects;

Extent and relevance of experience in sub-Saharan Africa at international level is desirable

Ability to develop plans for the implementation and coordination of project operations in developing countries, in partnership with UN agencies and other concerned stakeholders and/or partners;

Familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset.

Working knowledge of French will be a strong asset.

FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds

FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:

Dependency allowances

Rental subsidy

Education grant for children

Home leave travel

30 working days of annual leave per year

Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

International health insurance; optional life insurance

Disability protection

FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:

elements of family-friendly policies

flexible working arrangements

standards of conduct.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills.

Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile;

Once your profile is completed, please apply and submit your application;

Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile;

Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications;

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Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. Hot. High near 95F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Weather Alert

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THURSDAY NIGHT... The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has issued a Code Orange Health Advisory for the Nashville and Clarksville areas...in effect until midnight CDT Thursday night. A Code Orange Air Quality Alert for Particulate matter means ground level Particulate matter concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with a respiratory disease such as Asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. For additional information...visit the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation site at http://www.tennessee.gov/environment.
STAMFORD  Stamford Health will close its South End vaccine supersite on July 23, officially marking the end of the mass vaccination era in Stamford.

The hospital attributed its decision to high vaccination rates in the community and the availability of multiple other decentralized locations for vaccination. Stamfords other mass vaccination site, run by Community Health Centers, closed on June 30.

Stamfords only hospital opened its mass vaccination site on March 15 at the former Pitney Bowes headquarters and operated the venture with both the city government and the sites proprietor, Building and Land Technology. Before opening the supersite, Stamford Health was vaccinating patients on its main campus in the Wheeler Building.

There, the hospital was administering between 730 and 930 COVID-19 vaccines per day. At the Elmcroft supersite, Building and Land Technology Chairman Carl R. Kuehner III said the hospital could vaccinate up to 3,000 people daily.

Overall, the city has progressively moved away from using large-scale vaccine clinics. Instead, the city Department of Health and other healthcare providers have relied on appointment-free pop-up clinics since late April. These events have appeared everywhere, from Cove Island Park to church parking lots.

The complete list of upcoming pop-up clinics is available via the citys website.

Stamford Health earlier this month began easing its pandemic-related precautions. The hospital announced that patients without COVID could start receiving more than one visitor a day. A week later, the hospital said it would no longer mandate COVID-19 testing for fully vaccinated hospital patients. However, those patients must still show proof of vaccination.

Stamfords new cases, while low, have been slowly increasing for the past four weeks. In mid-June, the citys 7-day rolling average was 1. Now, it is 4, according to Hearst Connecticut Media data.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
The craft beer industry in Connecticut generated $3 billion in economic activity last year. Now the state is giving the growing industry a tax break.

Gov. Ned Lamont chose to visit Thomas Hooker Brewery, located in a warehouse in Bloomfield, Wednesday to highlight a 16.7 percent tax reduction for Connecticut brewers included in the new state budget, which went into effect July 1.

The drop from 23 cents per gallon to 19 cents puts Connecticut more in line with excise tax rates in other states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Commissioner of the Department of Revenue Services Mark Boughton said.

While the change will cost the state a little more in terms of tax revenue, Lamont said, it will help spur further economic growth in the industry.

Thomas Hooker, which employs 50 workers, has plans to soon open a new events venue called Thomas Hooker Live in the North Armory of the former Colt firearms complex in Hartford.

Connecticut is home to more than 120 craft breweries with dozens more in the hopper, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said. The industry employs almost 18,000 people across the state.

Asked whether the tax break jives with the message from public health officials warning of an increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic, Lamont evoked the brewerys namesake, a leader in the Puritan movement.

Thomas Hooker said drinking is OK but do it responsibly, the governor said.
Amid the luxury homes, townhouses and shopping centers that dominate western Prince William County, what's left of The Settlement neighborhood - built by formerly enslaved African Americans in Virginia - is easy to miss.

The Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, founded in 1877 on the site of a former plantation, is still there, next to a graveyard marked with tilting headstones. But the building that was a lasting center of community life has been unusable since an arsonist torched it in 2012.

Nearby on a busy stretch of Lee Highway, a rotting structure with a vine-choked roof marks where the Shady Inn Dance Hall once lit up the night from the 1940s to the '60s - drawing the likes of James Brown to perform where Civil War battles occurred.

And along the surrounding leafy country roads, 50 miles west of Washington, some aging descendants of the original settlers live in their wood-paneled homes, nestled among 692 acres of pine forest and farmland that was once among the few places African Americans were allowed to live under Jim Crow laws.

That history is driving a fight over how much new development should be allowed in The Settlement - pitting those who want to preserve a legacy of the Reconstruction era in Prince William against officials pushing for more affordable housing in the steadily growing county of 470,000 residents.

Some Black property owners in the area say a proposal to dramatically scale down new development allowed there would deprive them of the generational wealth that has long eluded African Americans - an argument that has resonated with the county board's four Black supervisors.

"I have three daughters, I have five grandkids and I want the best for them," James Jackson, whose family has owned 15 acres in The Settlement for 101 years, recently told the board. "For the last 22 years or so, we've been trying to sell that property. We pay taxes on it, basically throwing away money because the land is just sitting there."

- - -

Such tensions have long existed in this portion of Prince William County that White families once considered undesirable.

The Settlement started in 1887 with Sally Grayson, who became the area's first known African American landowner after she bought seven acres in what is now Gainesville from the son of a former plantation owner, according to a history of land records and local family stories compiled by the county. Other Black settlers followed, forming an insular community that coexisted with Thoroughfare, another Reconstruction-era enclave now surrounded by new development.

The Baptist church was The Settlement's hub, filled with music during day-long Sunday services that melted into cookouts. The Shady Inn and other businesses, including a bus charter service that offered rides to Atlantic City, were the seeds of Black entrepreneurship in the area.

"It was a community where everyone helped everyone," said Janet Robinson, 64, whose family has owned property in the area for four generations. "Everybody knew everybody and everybody knew we were safe, at least within these boundaries."

But those boundaries began to blur as families left to chase their fortunes elsewhere. Others held on to their land, then lost the property in county tax sales after falling behind on their payments, county officials said.

The erosion quickened during the early 1990s, when Walt Disney Co. announced plans to build a 3,000-acre history-themed park in the area, prompting a wave of land speculation.

Disney abandoned the "Disney's America" idea - which included plans to re-create a Civil War-era village - in the face of heated opposition from residents in the nearby town of Haymarket, who were worried about traffic congestion.

But the development continued as families arrived from Washington's inner suburbs in search of cheaper homes and more space.

By 2000, the county's population had jumped by 188,000 in a decade. With White homeowners moving in, Black residents made up only two-thirds of The Settlement, according to county officials. Those who stayed resisted an idea to convert the area into an African American heritage park, arguing that it would stifle their property values.

Then, in 2005, plans to build the 259-home Hopewells Landing community on a large swath of the original neighborhood convinced many of those residents to sell. The Settlement crossed a point of no return.

"We can't hold on to it forever," one 74-year-old resident, Maxine Thomas, told The Washington Post at the time, after her family sold its 15 acres for $4.5 million.

- - -

Then came the church fire in 2012 and the community's core was suddenly empty.

The fire caused $1.2 million in damage. The church's 130 members - many of whom live elsewhere - have raised what they could through online fundraising and frequent yard sales.

But much left remains to be done to restore the still-gutted building, despite a recent listing in the National Register of Historic Places and some help from the county.

Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, R-Brentsville, a slow-growth advocate elected to represent that portion of the county in 2014, has championed efforts to keep the rest of The Settlement intact.

In 2017, Lawson helped defeat a plan by the Dominion utility company to erect transmission lines through Settlement properties, an effort to accommodate the continuing growth that includes plans for data centers. Dominion later agreed to run its lines below Interstate 66.

Since then, Lawson, who is White, has worked with local residents and property owners to create a plan that would reduce what is allowed to be built there.

Currently, the county allows farming, low-to-medium density residential communities of as many as six homes per acre, and some commercial and industrial development. The rural roads running through the neighborhood are two lanes, but the county permits them to be widened to four.

Lawson said she has been approached by several developers over the years who've wanted to build townhouses or condominium developments, which many of the descendants of the original settlers adamantly oppose.

"They don't want higher density and I want to honor that," she said.

The proposal Lawson sponsored last month would create a network of pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods in The Settlement that would lower the amount of density allowed and label the area with historic markers.

Under that plan, most of the area would be limited to many fewer houses per acre - from as little as one house every two acres, to four homes per acre. Pockets of higher-density neighborhoods would be allowed in the northern and southern tips of The Settlement off Lee Highway, where mixed-use commercial and residential buildings would also exist.

Meanwhile, the two-lane rural roads would be kept that way.

But other property owners - among them real estate investors who've owned their land for decades - say that, in a county where many lower-income families are sharing single-family homes, it is time to open the area to new development.

"Ninety-five percent of that property is no longer in the original Settlement's hands," said Neil Zarou, who is White and for 35 years has owned five undeveloped parcels in the area, one of which is allowed to contain townhouses. "There is a shortage of housing in Prince William County."

Patricia Limage, who is also White, said she hopes she and her husband can sell the horse ranch they've owned in the area for three decades to fund their retirement.

"All of our money is in this piece of property, basically," said Limage, 75. "If we can't leave, we have nothing but a burden to leave my daughter when we die."

Ernest Lightfoot, who is Black, said his mother and sister intend to stay in the neighborhood their family moved to in 1969.

He believes a historical designation now would hurt some property owners on smaller lots like theirs while allowing wealthier families to continue to move to larger lots.

"It still can be a community, but we need to make sure that the property values are appreciating instead of depreciating," Lightfoot said.

Those arguments swayed the five Democrats on the eight-member county board, who in a party-line vote late last month sent Lawson's plan back for revisions that would include higher density.

Supervisor Victor Angry, D-Neabsco, who pushed for that decision, said he was particularly moved by the arguments about generational wealth.

With a racial wealth gap in the country that has only widened over time, for a local governing body to effectively lower the value of someone's land by setting new limits on development "just goes to that whole narrative of Black people losing in the end and that's a narrative we're not trying to write here," Angry said.

- - -

Yet that is how some Settlement property owners who supported Lawson's plan see it.

Their frustrations deepened after two 19th-century family burial sites in Thoroughfare that are still in use were disturbed by development.

In one case, the owners of a farm brewery that opened in 2019 cleared land believed to hold as many as 100 century-old African American graves to make way for a sunflower field, according to county officials who investigated that incident.

The owners of the Farm Brewery at Broad Run did not return messages seeking comment. But county officials said the owners didn't realize the gravesite was there, blaming the incident on a lack of communication from a county department that has catalogued where such family cemeteries exist.

In the second incident, developer Jason Doucette's company excavated land where it plans to build five single-family homes on property that sits a few feet away from another burial site that holds Black and Native American graves.

Doucette declined to comment, but Supervisor Pete Candland, R-Gainesville, said the county is working with the developer to make sure the gravesites aren't further disturbed.

Joyce Hudson, who heads an alliance of Settlement property owners who want to limit new development, said it's likely that there are undetected family burial sites in the rural parts of that area.

Hudson, who is Black and uses the home she bought in 1969 as a rental property, said the site should be afforded the same honor as a Civil War battlefield.

"If this were the Manassas battlefield, you wouldn't go developing in that area," she said. "People know the history there, they know that people were buried there. The only difference is that's more widely known because, in a lot of cases, of the color of their skin."

- - -

County supervisors agree that some kind of effort to formally recognize the area's role in African American history will occur, which several said should have happened decades ago.

After the graveyard incidents in Thoroughfare, the county board approved that area as a historic overlay district, which places extra restrictions on new development.

The county is also conducting a survey aimed at preserving other historically significant African American sites.

Lawson said she'd like the plan for The Settlement to include a reproduction of one of the original settler's homes and, perhaps, a street named after Sally Grayson.

But, she said, she's unsure how the board can reach a compromise on density that will make all sides happy.

"I don't think some of my colleagues really understand the end game with some of these landowners," Lawson said. "They're land speculators and I'm not going to plan and rezone according to their investment plan."

Lawson admits that the time for saving The Settlement may have long since passed.

"Yeah, the horse left the barn a long time ago - but let's put some reins on this horse," she said.
Kindergarteners at First Presbyterian Church pose for their class picture in 1961. The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives at Handley Regional shared the photo. If you can identify anyone in the photo, call the archives at 540-662-9041, ext. 17, or email archives@handleyregional.org.
WASHINGTON - The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2020, file photo, a Microsoft computer is among items displayed at a Microsoft store in suburban Boston. The Biden administration on Monday, July 19, 2021, blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier in the year. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File

WASHINGTON - The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.

The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a pattern of irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace. They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.

The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that targeted victims  including in the U.S.  with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials also alleged that criminal contract hackers associated with China's Ministry of State Security have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the MSS in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of targeting trade secrets and confidential business information, including scientific technologies and infectious-disease research.

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2020, file photo, a Microsoft computer is among items displayed at a Microsoft store in suburban Boston. The Biden administration on Monday, July 19, 2021, blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier in the year. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File

Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination shaming as sending an important message, even if no single action can change behaviour.

President Joe Biden told reporters the investigation's not finished, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out future consequences for China, saying, "This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia.

Even without fresh sanctions, Monday's actions are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in Chinas western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.

The administration also advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.

The European Union and Britain were among the allies who called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the blocs 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defence contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.

A man looks at his smartphone as he walks by the Microsoft office in Beijing, China on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. The Biden administration on Monday, July 19, 2021 blamed China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage.

The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace. The alliance said it was determined to actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats.

That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged in ransomware was surprising and concerning to the U.S. government, the senior administration official said. But the attack, in which an unidentified American company received a high-dollar ransom demand, also gave U.S. officials new insight into what the official said was the kind of aggressive behaviour that we're seeing coming out of China.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement that the U.S. has repeatedly made groundless attacks and malicious smear against China on cybersecurity. Now this is just another old trick, with nothing new in it. The statement called China "a severe victim of the US cyber theft, eavesdropping and surveillance."

The majority of the most damaging and high-profile recent ransomware attacks have involved Russian criminal gangs. Though the U.S. has sometimes seen connections between Russian intelligence agencies and individual hackers, the use of criminal contract hackers by the Chinese government to conduct unsanctioned cyber operations globally is distinct, the official said.

Dmitri Alperovitch, the former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said the announcement makes clear that MSS contractors who for years have worked for the government and conducted operations on its behalf have over time decided  either with the approval or the blind eye of their bosses"  to start moonlighting and engaging in other activities that could put money in their pockets."

The Microsoft Exchange hack that months ago compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world was swiftly attributed to Chinese cyber spies by Microsoft.

An administration official said the government's attribution to hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security took until now in part because of the discovery of the ransomware and for-profit hacking operations and because the administration wanted to pair the announcement with guidance for businesses about tactics that the Chinese have been using.

Given the scope of the attack, Alperovitch said it was puzzling that the U.S. did not impose sanctions.

They certainly deserve it, and at this point, it's becoming a glaring standout that we have not, he said.

He added, in a reference to a large Russian cyberespionage operation discovered late last year, "Theres no question that the Exchange hacks have been more reckless, more dangerous and more disruptive than anything the Russians have done in SolarWinds.

Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan in London and Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
WINNIPEG - Two Indigenous men have quit their positions on Manitoba economic development boards in the wake of controversial remarks by Premier Brian Pallister and a cabinet minister.

WINNIPEG - Two Indigenous men have quit their positions on Manitoba economic development boards in the wake of controversial remarks by Premier Brian Pallister and a cabinet minister.

The resignations of Jamie Wilson and Darrell Brown form the latest chapter in the growing fallout from Pallister's comments on Canadian history, which have drawn widespread criticism.

Premier of Manitoba Brian Pallister speaks at a news conference after the 2021 budget was delivered at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Wednesday, April 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

""As a former treaty commissioner for Manitoba and member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, I cannot support this government's rewriting of Canadian history," Wilson wrote in a text message Sunday.

"It was clear to me that I have to get away from any connection to this (Progressive Conservative) party," Darrel Brown said in an interview.

Until last week, Brown served on the government-appointed board of directors of the Rural Manitoba Economic Development Corporation, which provides support to businesses and communities in southern Manitoba.

Wilson was board chair of a similar agency in the north, the Communities Economic Development Fund.

Wilson previously served as a deputy minister in two departments under the Progressive Conservative government and was the treaty commissioner for Manitoba, heading up a body set up by the federal government and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

A spokesperson for the premier's office could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday.

The resignations came roughly one week after Pallister criticized protesters who had toppled statues of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria on the legislature grounds. Pallister said people who came to Canada, both before and after it was a country, came not to destroy anything but to build communities, churches and businesses.

His comments were criticized by Indigenous leaders as minimizing the harmful effects of colonialism. Pallister defended his comments, saying he never mentioned colonialism and instead meant to get across the idea that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people often worked together to build Canada.

Two days later, Indigenous and Northern Relations Minister Eileen Clarke quit her cabinet post. She said many Manitobans are disappointed with their representatives, and added that she and other cabinet ministers had not been listened to.

Pallister appointed a replacement for Clarke last Thursday -- Alan Lagimodiere, who created more controversy within an hour of being sworn in. Lagimodiere defended some of the intentions behind residential schools and said they were originally aimed at teaching skills to Indigenous children.

He took back his remarks later that day and, one day later, issued a full apology and asked for forgiveness.

Lagimodiere's initial remarks were the "final straw," said Brown, who is calling for a change at the top of the Progressive Conservatives.

"They need new leadership and a better understanding of ... Indigenous issues," Brown said.

Pallister's caucus members have not criticized him, but there have been signs that some are now willing to break away from the government's normally centralized communication strategy.

Three elected Tories posted statements on social media last week to make clear their opposition to residential schools.

"I will never stand behind words that add hurt to traumatized people," Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah Guillemard posted on Twitter.

"Residential schools were designed to erase a culture."

Families Minister Rochelle Squires said she was troubled by "recent events and comments" although she refused to elaborate.

Tory backbencher Shannon Martin said he wanted to clear up any "confusion" by saying residential schools were designed to erase Indigenous cultures and, in too many instances, lives.

The next Manitoba election is slated for October 2023 although Pallister has hinted he may leave well before then.

He was asked repeatedly, during a year-end interview with The Canadian Press last December whether he was committed to serving out his full term. He replied each time by saying he would stay on to see the COVID-19 pandemic through.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2021.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The arrests one year ago Wednesday of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four associates in connection with an alleged $60 million bribery scheme have rocked business and politics across the state, and events over the last year suggest a federal probe's tentacles only continue to grow.

FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2018, file photo, David DeVillers, the U.S. Attorney for southern Ohio, is shown in the federal prosecutor's offices in Cincinnati before he was formally sworn into office, Jan. 10, 2020. DeVillers, who as U.S. attorney brought charges against Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four associates in an alleged $60 million bribery scheme, described it as the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. The 2020 arrests of Householder and four associates in connection with the scheme have rocked politics and business across Ohio. (AP Photo/Dan Sewell, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The arrests one year ago Wednesday of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four associates in connection with an alleged $60 million bribery scheme have rocked business and politics across the state, and events over the last year suggest a federal probe's tentacles only continue to grow.

Here is a look at where things stand in what then-U.S. Attorney David DeVillers described as the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history:

THE PLAYERS

Householder, a Republican, has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. He was removed from the speakership last year, reelected to office in November despite the felony racketeering charges he faces, then expelled from the chamber last month in an historic vote.

His longtime political adviser Jeff Longstreth, lobbyist Juan Cespedes and Generation Now, a dark money group accused of taking millions in bribes, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Former Ohio Republican Chair and lobbyist Matt Borges has pleaded not guilty, admitting in a separate campaign finance probe that he spent the money but insisting legally so. Longtime Statehouse lobbyist Neil Clark died by suicide in Florida in March.

DeVillers, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump, resigned in February to allow the new president to pick a successor. Democratic President Joe Biden has yet to nominate DeVillers' permanent replacement.

THE POLICY

The legislation at the heart of the scandal, House Bill 6, included a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear power plants operated at the time by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. The federal criminal complaint said the conspiracy to pass the bill had partial roots on a flight FirstEnergy provided to Householder and his son to Trumps January 2017 inauguration.

Soon after the trip, $1 million from FirstEnergy began flowing to Generation Now, controlled by Householder, in $250,000 increments. That cash and more were used to elect Householder-backed candidates and win him the speakership, prosecutors say.

Step two was passing the bill, titled the Ohio Clean Air Program, in July 2019. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed it within hours. Step three was FirstEnergy spending around $38 million to finance a campaign to prevent a repeal referendum from reaching the ballot.

State lawmakers have since rescinded the nuclear bailout and another provision of HB 6 guaranteeing FirstEnergys three Ohio utilities revenue equal to what they earned in 2018, a year of weather extremes. Majority Republicans blocked calls to repeal the entire bill, which they said was voluminous and contained some good energy policy.

THE POWER COMPANIES

FirstEnergy has undergone a reckoning since DeVillers announcement. Company officials say FirstEnergy is cooperating with investigations by the Justice Department, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Company officials also have said FirstEnergy has spoken with federal prosecutors about a deferred prosecution agreement.

Six top executives have been fired, including CEO Chuck Jones.

The company faces two sets of consolidated lawsuits by shareholders, one that seeks a court compelling the companys board of directors to implement reforms. The other set of lawsuits claims the company defrauded investors.

FirstEnergy's CEO and President Steven Strah, who succeeded Jones, has said the company has made significant reforms in the last year.

Officials from Columbus-based electric utility AEP in June disclosed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcers have subpoenaed documents related to subsidies it has received from the energy bill for two aging coal plants partly owned by the company.

AEP officials initially testified against the bill but later added its support when the coal plant subsidy was added to the legislation. The bill requires nearly all electric customers in the state to subsidize the coal plants. Previously, only Ohio customers of the AEP, Duke and AES paid the subsidy, which amounted to $114 million last year.

THE PUCO

The dismissal of Jones, who initially denied any wrongdoing by the company, appeared to be tied to a $4.3 million payment that FirstEnergy made in January 2019, purportedly to end a longstanding consulting contract with a person soon to be appointed Ohios top utility regulator.

There has been no dispute the regulator was Sam Randazzo, a seasoned utility lawyer and lobbyist, who DeWine appointed chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in February 2019.

Randazzo resigned from the commission in November after FBI agents searched his Columbus townhome, the same day FirstEnergy revealed the payment. Language in a separate lending document filed by the company that month suggested Randazzo helped the company after he became PUCO chair.

DeWine appointed former Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Jenifer French, a Republican, to succeed Randazzo as chair in March. French has pledged to restore public trust in the commission through improved transparency.

THE POLITICS

DeWine, up for reelection next year, has faced some political pushback for disregarding cries of alarm from consumer and environmental advocates and a group of fellow Republicans over Randazzo's deep ties to FirstEnergy.

The governor has defended his decision to appoint the utility law expert.

DeWine reassigned Laurel Dawson, the chief of staff who oversaw the Randazzo selection process, in a May staff shuffle described as unrelated. The governor's top lobbyist, Dan McCarthy, is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who was president of one of the dark money groups implicated in the alleged bribery scheme. McCarthy has said his actions were legal and he has no indication he is a target of the probe.

Still, Ohio Democrats have seized on the ongoing investigation in their efforts to reverse Republicans' dominance in state politics next year, which is complete. The party controls every statewide office, both chambers of the state Legislature and the Ohio Supreme Court, with many of those seats up for grabs.

In May, Democratic state Reps. Allison Russo and Bride Rose Sweeney re-introduced an anti-corruption bill aimed at shedding light on dark money and other political spending in the state.

The next month, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, the mayor of Dayton, unveiled a four-point plan to combat corruption and restore ethics in Ohio."

Within weeks and with political pressure mounting, a monthslong legislative stalemate over whether to remove Householder was broken. The effort to expel Householder was ultimately championed by two Republicans.

Gillispie reported from Cleveland.
PARIS (AP)  A French Holocaust survivor has denounced anti-vaccination protesters comparing themselves to Jews who were persecuted by Nazi Germany during World War II. French officials and anti-racism groups joined the 94-year-old in expressing indignation.

A view of the empty tent of a vaccination center after an arson attack on Saturday evening in Urrugne, southwestern France, Monday, July 19, 2021.Two Covid-19 vaccination centers were ransacked in less than 48 hours in France, over the weekend. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

PARIS (AP)  A French Holocaust survivor has denounced anti-vaccination protesters comparing themselves to Jews who were persecuted by Nazi Germany during World War II. French officials and anti-racism groups joined the 94-year-old in expressing indignation.

As more than 100,000 people marched around France against government vaccine rules on Saturday, some demonstrators wore yellow stars recalling the ones the Nazis forced Jews to wear. Other demonstrators carried signs evoking the Auschwitz death camp or South Africas apartheid regime, claiming the French government was unfairly mistreating them with its anti-pandemic measures.

You cant imagine how much that upset me. This comparison is hateful. We must all rise up against this ignominy, Holocaust survivor Joseph Szwarc said Sunday during a ceremony commemorating victims of antisemitic and racist acts by the French state, which collaborated with Adolf Hitlers regime.

I wore the star, I know what that is, I still have it in my flesh, Szwarc, who was deported from France by the Nazis, said with tears in his eyes. It is everyones duty to not allow this outrageous, antisemitic, racist wave to pass over us."

Historian and former Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld also took aim at the analogy, stressing Monday that the yellow star was a symbol of death that excluded Jews from society and marked them for extermination, while vaccines, on the other hand, save lives." To equate the two, he told The Associated Press, is an odious comparison that serves to trivialize the yellow star.

A star that reads, not vaccinated is attached on the back of an Anti-vaccine protesters during a rally in Paris, Saturday, July 17, 2021. A Holocaust survivor, French officials and anti-racism groups are denouncing anti-vaccination protesters who are comparing themselves to Jews persecuted by the Nazis. Some mostly far-right demonstrators at weekend protests against government vaccine rules wore yellow stars, like those Jews were forced to wear under Nazi rule in World War II. Other demonstrators carried signs evoking the Auschwitz death camp or South Africa's apartheid regime, claiming the French government is unfairly persecuting them as it battles the pandemic. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal lamented the absolutely abject comparisons of vaccine rules to Nazi atrocities, and he urged other political leaders to speak out.

Attal later stressed the need for vaccinations despite some increasingly radical pockets of resistance.

We are in a fourth wave, he said after a Monday evening Cabinet meeting, a day before a bill goes to parliament to make vaccination passes to access public spaces, including restaurants, obligatory. It enters into force Wednesday for cultural and recreational venues, and early August for restaurants, bars and other places  once the fast-track law is in place.

We won't cede to a dictatorship of images and outrageous words, the government spokesman said in reference to the anti-vaccination protesters.

The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism said the anti-vaccination protesters were mocking victims of the Holocaust and minimizing crimes against humanity committed during World War II.

Some commentators said political forces that are jockeying ahead of next years French presidential election manipulated the protesters.

A municipality workers cleans the debris of a Covid-19 vaccination center in Urrugne, southwestern France, Monday, July 19, 2021, following an arson attack on Saturday evening. Two Covid-19 vaccination centers were ransacked in less than 48 hours in France, over the weekend. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

Saturdays protests drew a mix of people angry at the government for various reasons, and notably, supporters of the far right. Prominent French far-right figures have been convicted in the past of antisemitism, racism and denying the Holocaust.

The government is introducing a bill Monday requiring a ll health care workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus and requiring COVID-19 passes to enter restaurants and other venues.

At a large protest in Paris on Saturday against vaccine rules, one demonstrator pasted a star on his back reading not vaccinated. Another, Bruno Auquier, a 53-year-old town councilor who lives on the outskirts of Paris, drew a yellow star on his T-shirt and handed out arm bands with the star.

I will never get vaccinated, Auquier said. People need to wake up, he said, questioning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Auquier expressed concern that the new measures would restrict his two childrens freedom and pledged to take them out of school if vaccination becomes mandatory.

Polls suggest most French people support the measures, but they have prompted anger in some quarters. Vandals targeted two vaccination centers in southwest France over the weekend. One was set on fire, and another covered in graffiti, including a reference to the Nazi occupation of France.

France has reported more than 111,000 deaths in the pandemic, and new confirmed cases are increasing sharply again, raising worries about renewed pressure on hospitals and further restrictions that would damage jobs and businesses.

The government ordered tougher border controls on visitors, and some regions have reinstated mask rules outdoors and ordered restaurants and bars to close early. Government spokesman Attal raised the possibility Monday of shutting down night clubs again, just days after they reopened.

Klarsfeld, whose father died in Auschwitz, pushed back against protesters demands for liberty and claims that the latest health measures were dictatorial, saying that dictatorships adopt repressive measures to serve their own ends, while republics sometimes adopt necessary measures for everyones good.

What freedom is it they seek? The freedom to be contagious? he asked.

In Germany last year, several people protesting virus restrictions put on Stars of David, prompting prominent German Jewish leader Josef Schuster to denounce a disgusting instrumentalization of the symbol.

In Russia, popular actor Yegor Beroyev wore a yellow star last month at an awards ceremony, speaking of waking up in a world where (COVID-19 vaccination) became an identification mark." He drew widespread criticism but also scattered support. He spoke after the Moscow mayor announced new coronavirus restrictions including for restaurants. Those restrictions only lasted three weeks.

Daria Litvinova in Moscow, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report.
HONG KONG (AP)  U.S. businesses operating in Hong Kong should reassess their operations and decide if the risks of operating there are worth the reward, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press.

A red advertisement board is seen with backdrop of Hong Kong's business district in Hong Kong Monday, July 19, 2021. U.S. businesses operating in Hong Kong should reassess their operations and decide if the risks of operating in the city are worth the reward, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG (AP)  U.S. businesses operating in Hong Kong should reassess their operations and decide if the risks of operating there are worth the reward, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press.

Tara Joseph said companies in Hong Kong are caught in the middle of antagonisms between the U.S. and China. Her remarks followed an advisory issued by the U.S. government on Friday warning businesses about risks in the former British colony.

Relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated amid a trade war and mounting tensions over Chinese moves to curb political dissent in Hong Kong. The Biden administration cited Hong Kong's shifting legal landscape and tightening control by the communist ruled government in Beijing as growing risks.

The business landscape has certainly become more complex than it used to be, were definitely in a new normal as far as business goes here, Joseph said.

Tara Joseph, President of American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, listens to reporter's questions during an interview in Hong Kong, Monday, July 19, 2021. U.S. businesses operating in Hong Kong should reassess their operations and decide if the risks of operating in the city is worth the reward, according to an American business interests group, days after Washington issued an advisory warning firms about business risks in the former British colony. (AP Photo/Janice Lo)

What is concerning overall, not just with this advisory, would be a constant tit-for-tat between U.S. and China when it comes to Hong Kong . . . (which) in many ways is caught right in the middle, she said.

The U.S. government advisory said operating in Hong Kong could lead to reputational and legal damage and data privacy risks.

Hong Kong authorities slammed it as unfounded fear-mongering, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy and double standards.

Beijing has been walking back freedoms promised for 50 years to Hong Kong when Britain handed the colony over in 1997. The imposition of a sweeping national security law last June has led to the arrests of more than 100 pro-democracy supporters, including Jimmy Lai, whose Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper was forced to close after authorities arrested at least seven of its staff and froze millions of dollars in assets.

Over the past year, Hong Kong authorities have amended electoral laws, arrested most of the citys most prominent pro-democracy activists and banned large-scale protests citing public health risks from the pandemic, despite months of few coronavirus infections. Those moves have drawn criticism from the U.S. and other Western governments.

China has hit back, saying Hong Kong matters are part of Chinas internal affairs and other governments should not interfere.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong represents U.S. business interests in the city. It has doubled down on that commitment, buying a new office to facilitate its work, the organization said last week.

Joseph said the Biden administration's advisory might influence the perspectives of U.S. companies not already operating in Hong Kong. But the city remains an important hub for doing business with mainland China.

Hong Kong has a separate customs territory and ostensibly an independent judicial system, though the recent trend to designate many issues as falling under the National Security Law has experts worried that the city's famed rule of law" is being undermined.

Right now, rule of law is what makes businesses really tick here in an international environment. Commercial law at this point seems very sound and thats very important to the business community, said Joseph.

But any signs of that being unwound or any real changes taking place there could cause a lot of concern, she said.

Joseph said she hoped Hong Kong would manage to maintain those global standards.

So anything that takes away from that can make it harder for Hong Kong to maintain its role, but we hope that there will be an increased understanding and a recognition that its a win-win for people to maintain their businesses here and for Hong Kong to maintain its position as a gateway, she said.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia on Monday after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach the country's quarantine rules.

A man wears a mask as he walks in Sydney, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. Sydney's two-week lockdown has been extended for another week due to the vulnerability of an Australia population largely unvaccinated against COVID-19, officials said. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia on Monday after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach the country's quarantine rules.

Hopkins traveled to Australia to appear in a reality television program and was in a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney before filming was to start.

Her flight to Australia last week created outrage after the government halved the number of Australian citizens and permanent residents allowed to return home each week to 3,000 to try to reduce the risk of COVID-19 leaking from hotel quarantine. More than 34,000 Australians who want to come home remain stranded overseas.

Australias two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are under lockdown to contain a coronavirus outbreak caused by the more contagious delta variant.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said Hopkins would be deported after boasting on Instagram her intention to flout quarantine rules.

A man wears a mask as he walks in Sydney, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. Sydney's two-week lockdown has been extended for another week due to the vulnerability of an Australia population largely unvaccinated against COVID-19, officials said. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Its appalling that this individual behaved the way that she did and she will be leaving, Andrews said.

We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that, Andrews added.

Hopkins left on a commercial flight from Sydney's airport early Monday afternoon, a government official said on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to make the information public.

FILE - In this July 5, 2007, file photo, Katie Hopkins arrives at the film premiere of "Hairspray" in London. Australian officials said Monday, July 19, 2021, the far-right British commentator will be deported after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach quarantine rules. (AP Photo/Nathan Strange, File)

Hopkins, who has also gained notoriety for her anti-Muslim and anti-immigration comments, described pandemic lockdowns as the greatest hoax in human history.

Her social media following was expanded by then-President Donald Trump who often retweeted her before Twitter permanently banned her in June last year for breaching the platform's hateful conduct policy.

In a since-deleted Instagram video from her hotel room, she said that she planned to frighten staff who brought meals to her door by confronting them naked and without a mask.

FILE - In this July 5, 2007, file photo, Katie Hopkins arrives at the film premiere of "Hairspray" in London. Australian officials said Monday, July 19, 2021, the far-right British commentator will be deported after she boasted on social media that she planned to breach quarantine rules. (AP Photo/Nathan Strange, File)

People in quarantine are not allowed to open their hotel room doors until 30 seconds after their meals have been delivered and must wear masks while their doors are open.

Andrews described Hopkins comments as shameful.

The fact that she was out there boasting about breaching quarantine was just appalling, Andrews said. It was a slap in the face for all those Australians who are currently in lockdown and its just unacceptable behavior."

Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the program Big Brother VIP in which Hopkins was to appear, said on Sunday her contract was cancelled.

Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine, the companies said in a joint statement.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Waiting among hundreds of fellow travelers to catch a ferry out of Bangladesh's capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was risking catching the coronavirus, but he felt it was even riskier to stay in Dhaka with another lockdown looming.

People crowd a market area ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, July 16, 2021. Millions of Bangladeshis are shopping and traveling during a controversial eight-day pause in the countrys strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid-al Adha. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Waiting among hundreds of fellow travelers to catch a ferry out of Bangladesh's capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was risking catching the coronavirus, but he felt it was even riskier to stay in Dhaka with another lockdown looming.

I have to pay rent every month even though I have no work, he said, adding that his landlord had been bothering him for money even as he was struggling just to feed himself. "I'd rather go to my village home and lead life as God lets me.

Nijam is among the tens of millions of Bangladeshis shopping and traveling this week during a controversial eight-day pause in the country's strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha. The suspension has been panned by health experts who warn it could exacerbate an ongoing surge fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first detected in neighboring India.

People shop at a market ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, July 16, 2021. Millions of Bangladeshis are shopping and traveling during a controversial eight-day pause in the countrys strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid-al Adha. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Already there is a scarcity of beds, ICUs, while our health care providers are exhausted," said said Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former chief of the governments Health Directorate. "So if the situation worsens and more patients come to hospitals, it will be near impossible to deal with the crisis.

With the spread of the virus rampant, most everything in Bangladesh was ordered shut on July 1, from markets to mass transportation. Soldiers and border guards patrolled the streets and thousands were arrested and sent to jail for violating the lockdown.

Yet even with the new restrictions, virus deaths still hovered around 200 each day and daily infections were still around 11,000, both thought to be undercounts. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.

Despite the warnings from experts  and with just over 4 million of the countrys 160 million people fully vaccinated  the government announced that from July 15-23, all restrictions would be lifted and everything would be reopened so people could celebrate the festival, which is normally a boon to the economy.

People shop at a market ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, July 16, 2021. Millions of Bangladeshis are shopping and traveling during a controversial eight-day pause in the countrys strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid-al Adha. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

But, in all situations people must stay alert, use face masks and strictly follow health instructions, a government policy statement said.

Government officials have not responded to criticism of the move. An official with the Ministry of Public Administration, which issued the order pausing the lockdown, referred The Associated Press to the policy statement when asked for comment. Calls and emails to a spokesperson with the Health Ministry were not returned.

A junior minister from the Ministry of Public Administration, Farhad Hossain, told local media on Saturday that the lockdown needed to be eased as a lot of business revolves around the festival.

The result in the capital has been crowds of people jamming into malls and markets to do their holiday shopping and others thronging ports and bus stations as they try to make their way to their rural hometowns.

Cattle are displayed for sale at Gabtoli cattle market ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, July 16, 2021. Millions of Bangladeshis are shopping and traveling during a controversial eight-day pause in the countrys strict coronavirus lockdown that the government is allowing for the Islamic festival Eid-al Adha. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

During the last major Islamic festival in May, an estimated 10 million of Dhaka's 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families. A similar number could travel this week, especially since many like Nijam, the construction worker, may be looking to wait out the next lockdown in their villages.

Among the huge crowd of people shopping at Dhakas New Market, was Shah Alam, a dental technician.

As the government has relaxed the situation for a few days, we are coming to markets to buy necessary goods," Alam said. We are trying to follow the health safety guidelines.

Ahmed, the health expert, said he sees the main risks of suspending the lockdown as people from the city spreading the virus to their villages and people spreading the virus while they pack into markets for their shopping, especially cattle markets where millions of people will buy animals to sacrifice for Eid al-Adha.

Maybe hundreds of thousands of cattle markets will be arranged throughout the country starting from remote village up to city, and the cattle sellers and others engaged in the business are mainly coming from rural areas, and possibly they will bring virus with them, he said.

According to his estimates, 30 million to 40 million people will gather for prayers in mosques or open fields across the country for the festival on Wednesday.

The Eid congregations are going to be a superspreading event," he said.

He said the month after the festival will be a critical time for a country that has already tallied nearly 1.1 million infections and nearly 18,000 deaths from the pandemic.

We may not actually avoid a catastrophic situation, he said.

Associated Press video journalist Al-emrun Garjon contributed to this report.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Authorities in Belarus raided offices of an independent newspaper and detained three of its journalists Monday as part of a relentless crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists.

FILE - In this Friday, July 9, 2021 file photo, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko addresses members of Belarus National Olympic team ahead of the Summer Olympics Games in Tokyo, Minsk, Belarus. Belarus' authorities on Monday July 19, 2021, raided offices of an independent newspaper and detained three of its journalists as part of a continuing crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists. (Maxim Guchek/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Authorities in Belarus raided offices of an independent newspaper and detained three of its journalists Monday as part of a relentless crackdown on media outlets and civil society activists.

Alyaksandr Mantsevich, the editor of the Regionalnaya Gazeta (Regional Newspaper), and journalists Zoya Khrutskaya and Nasta Utkina, were detained, said the Belarusian Association of Journalists, or BAJ.

They were taken into custody after the search of the newspapers office in Maladzyechna, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

BAJ said that a total of 64 searches have been conducted over the last 10 days. Thirty-two journalists in total are in custody, either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.

The authorities have turned life into hell for independent journalists in Belarus with a conveyor belt of searches and arrests, BAJ head Andrei Bastunets said. There is an impression that the authorities have decided to leave the country without journalists.

On Monday, authorities also froze the bank accounts of the Belarusian PEN Center, an association of writers led by Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature. Alexievich, a member of the opposition Coordination Council, left Belarus last year after being summoned for questioning by the state investigative agency.

On Monday, a court in Minsk also handed out prison sentences ranging from five to nine years to 11 people who were accused of coordinating radical actions and planning arson on a messaging app.

One of them, 26-year-old Yevgeny Propolsky, who was sentenced to eight years in prison, said during the trial that investigators beat and tortured him to force confessions.

They threatened me, beat and tortured me with electric current, Propolsky said. They forced me to write a confessional testimony.

The Viasna human rights center recognized the 11 people convicted Monday as political prisoners, saying there are a total of 562 in the country now. Viasna said the searches Monday targeted civil society activists and human rights defenders in the cities of Brest and Pinsk in western Belarus.

Belarus was rocked by months of protests after Lukashenkos August 2020 election to a sixth term in a vote that the opposition and the West saw as rigged.

Belarusian authorities responded to opposition demonstrations with a massive crackdown, including police beating thousands of demonstrators and arresting more than 35,000 people. Leading opposition figures have been jailed or forced to leave the country, while independent media outlets have had their offices searched and their journalists arrested.

The West has responded to the crackdown by imposing sanctions on Belarus. The European Union ramped up the restrictions after Belarus in May diverted a passenger jet to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist. The government in neighboring Lithuania has accused Belarusian authorities of organizing a flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa in retaliation.

Lukashenko, who has ordered to halt cooperation with the EU on stemming illegal migration, said Monday that Belarus could contain the flow of migrants if the bloc rolls back the sanctions.

They have introduced sanctions to strangle us," Lukashenko said. "They take such action against the Belarusian people and they want us to protect them  listen, it's really weird. If you want us to help you, dont put a noose around our neck.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main challenger in the August 2020 election, was forced to leave Belarus under official pressure immediately after the vote. She was in Washington on Monday for meetings with officials and U.S. House members to rally support for the Belarusian opposition.

They have the power, they have weapons and they have been trying to silence people, Tsikhanouskaya said. But we have been standing up to them for a year.
VAN HORN, Texas (AP)  For years, the official letterhead for the small town of Van Horn, tucked neatly among the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains, read simply: Farming, ranching, mining.

Van Horn, Texas, Mayor Becky Brewster poses for a photo on Saturday, July 17, 2021, in Van Horn, Texas, just days before Blue Origin plans to launch a manned spacecraft from its spaceport about 25 miles outside of the West Texas town. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy)

VAN HORN, Texas (AP)  For years, the official letterhead for the small town of Van Horn, tucked neatly among the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains, read simply: Farming, ranching, mining.

And while there is still some farming and ranching in this far West Texas community, and a talc mine still operates near the edge of town, theres another booming business in its midst: space tourism.

The sprawling spaceport of Blue Origin, the company founded by business magnate Jeff Bezos in 2000, is located about 25 miles outside of the town of about 1,800 residents on what was once desolate desert ranchland. On Tuesday, the company plans to launch four people on a 10-minute trip into space, including Bezos, his brother, Mark, female aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old Dutchman and last-minute fill-in for the winner of a $28 million charity auction who had a scheduling conflict. Funk, at age 82, and Daemen will become the oldest and youngest people in space.

Thats the big buzz in this little town, said Valentina Muro as she rang up a customer at the Broadway Cafe along Van Horns main strip. Its kind of put Van Horn on the map a little more than it was.

The town, which sprouted up in the late 1800s during the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway, now is mostly an overnight stop for travelers along Interstate 10, which runs parallel to the towns main road, dotted with hotels, restaurants, truck stops and convenience stores.

Our biggest driving force is the tourism dollar, said Van Horn Mayor Becky Brewster.

The towns proximity to Big Bend National Park, the Guadalupe Mountains, an ancient barrier reef that includes the four highest peaks in Texas, and New Mexicos Carlsbad Caverns also makes it an ideal pit stop for tourists.

We often plug ourselves as the crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail, Brewster said. Were right here in the center and this can be your hub for all your adventures in far West Texas.

As for the impact that Blue Origins operations have had on the town, the reaction among locals is mixed. While employees and contractors have been working at the facility since about 2005, Brewster said its just been in the last five years or so that workers for Blue Origin have started integrating themselves into the community.

When they were in the development stages, Blue Origin was so secretive about what was going on, their people couldnt really socialize because they couldnt talk about their work and things like that, Brewster said. And it was like, here are the Blue Origin people and here are the Van Horn people. But thats starting to change for the better.

One of the roadblocks to connecting locals and the scientists and engineers who work at Blue Origin is one that plagues many rural American communities  a lack of available housing. A local developer constructed about a dozen two-bedroom homes and a small apartment complex, and all of those were quickly rented out for Blue Origin employees. Of the roughly 250 employees and contractors that work at the facility, Brewster said only about 40% live in Van Horn.

Krissy Lerdal, whose husband is an engineer for the company, said he lived in a local hotel for more than four years before finally relocating his family to Van Horn from New Mexico.

When we looked to buy here, there were five houses on the market, none of which passed inspection, and so we had to bring in a modular home, Lerdal said. Its not my dream home, but housing is lacking.

Still, in the three-and-a-half years that she has lived here, Lerdal said she has worked hard to integrate herself into the community. Her children attend the local school system, and she joined the Womens Service League, which raises money for scholarships. She also has a seat on the citys zoning board.

I know the people who are living here and bought homes here have been trying hard to be involved, she said. Its hard when most of the community is all related. Were the outsiders and we dont want to step on toes, but we want to be involved, and its a hard line to walk.

Im glad that I feel like Im part of the community, but some people dont feel that way.

Linda McDonald, a longtime Van Horn resident and the district clerk for the seat of Culberson County, said that while shes amazed at the prospect of people being launched into space from practically her back yard, she bristles at the suggestion that Blue Origin put Van Horn on the map.

We are already on the map, she told a group of about 100 graduates of Van Horn High School during a recent pep rally and reunion that was part of the towns annual jubilee. You have helped put us on the map, and we should be proud of that.

Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
CALGARY - A new report suggests Toronto businesses are making plans to call employees back to the office.

Office towers are photographed in Toronto's financial district on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. A new report suggests Toronto businesses are making plans to call employees back to the office. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

CALGARY - A new report suggests Toronto businesses are making plans to call employees back to the office.

The report, released last week by commercial real estate firm Avison Young, says office market activity in downtown Toronto remains muted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The downtown office vacancy rate hit a new all-time high of 7.3 per cent in the second quarter, but the report suggests the market may be on the brink of recovery.

According to Avison Young, some companies that were trying to shed downtown office space on the sublet market are reversing course. Available sublet space fell for the first time in six quarters, ending the quarter at 288,000 square metres or 32 per cent of available space downtown. The report suggests this is a sign that some Toronto businesses are anticipating more employees will return to the office soon.

Some companies including TMX Group and Intelex Technologies have withdrawn sublet space from the market in part or altogether. In addition, Netflix's selection of Toronto over Vancouver for its Canadian headquarters affirms Toronto's status as a growing tech hub, the report said.

Other companies have already offered a glimpse into what return-to-work strategies could look like. Sun Life is allowing staff flexibility to decide their own work arrangements, while Apple has asked its employees to return to the office three days a week starting in the fall.

The frequency of remote versus on-site work will vary by industry, function, and location, as well as personal circumstances and preferences, Avison Young said.

"Downtown will be the catalyst for the GTAs growth when the market recovers," Avison Young said in the report. "The possibilities of a hybrid workplace have helped shift occupiers mindset from will we ever return to the office? to when and how? "

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2021.
AMATHUS, Cyprus (AP)  Its said that Demetrius the Besieger, a mighty warrior king and one of Alexander the Greats successors, built this harbor on Cyprus southern coast 2,400 years ago to thwart a potential naval invasion from the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy I, another of Alexanders heirs.

Cyprus Antiquities Department official Yiannis Violaris dives over submerged stone remains of the ancient harbor next of Amathus ancient city, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Thursday, July 1, 2021. Lying just a few feet underwater a mere 200 feet off the coastline near the resort town of Limassol, this 2,400 year-old harbor said to be built Alexander the Great's successors will soon be Cyprus' newest tourist attraction where adventurous holidaymakers could snorkel over its submerged stone remains. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

AMATHUS, Cyprus (AP)  Its said that Demetrius the Besieger, a mighty warrior king and one of Alexander the Greats successors, built this harbor on Cyprus southern coast 2,400 years ago to thwart a potential naval invasion from the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy I, another of Alexanders heirs.

French archaeologists who initially studied the ancient harbor of Amathus believe it to be an incomplete military fortification work, the three piers of which would have accommodated the best of the ancient worlds naval ships, ready to repel an attacking force.

Lying just a few feet underwater a mere 200 feet off the coastline near the resort town of Limassol, the harbor will soon be Cyprus newest tourist attraction where adventurous holidaymakers can snorkel over its submerged stone remains.

Its a novel direction for Cyprus tourism authorities, who are looking beyond the east Mediterranean island nation's long-held sun and surf product to reach out to specialized tourism markets.

The COVID-19 pandemic has slashed tourism arrivals for an island that relies much on that revenue, so Cyprus authorities are taking a fresh look at what the island has to offer visitors, to re-ignite interest among those who do opt to travel.

Cyprus Antiquities department official Yiannis Violaris says what makes the harbor unique to the entire eastern Mediterranean is its state of preservation, combined with its proximity to the coastline.

Submerged stone remains of the ancient harbor next of Amathus ancient city, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Thursday, July 1, 2021. Lying just a few feet underwater a mere 200 feet off the coastline near the resort town of Limassol, this 2,400 year-old harbor said to be built Alexander the Great's successors will soon be Cyprus' newest tourist attraction where adventurous holidaymakers could snorkel over its submerged stone remains. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

He says those attributes could bring more people amid a global surge of interest in diving tourism. The fact that Cyprus has earned top marks for the cleanest waters among all other European Union nations for the second year running is also a big bonus.

Tourists as well as local visitors will have the opportunity to see this impressive ancient harbor, to swim over it and to see how it was constructed, with three moles enclosing it, Violaris told the Associated Press.

Specialist diving crews are currently cleaning the harbor of vegetation and will mark underwater routes that swimmers can follow on their tour.

Diving tourism isn't entirely new for the island. Divers have for years been flocking to the wreck of the MS Zenobia, a Swedish-built ferry that sank in about 140 feet of water just over a mile off the coastal town of Larnaca in 1980.

The wreck has been ranked as one of the world's best for divers. But diving shop owner Michalis Sinopouris says authorities need to do a lot more to put Cyprus solidly on the global diving map like scuttling larger ships near the coasts to create artificial reefs.

Tourism directly accounts for around 13% of Cyprus economy. According to the latest available figures, tourist arrivals between January and February this year marked an 86% drop from the same period in 2019 when Cyprus hit an all-time high in the number of travelers who opted to holiday on the island.

Tourism officials had hoped for the industry to rebound this month once the U.K. and Russia  Cyprus top two markets  had put the island on their green list of safe destinations. Now theyre hoping that August may be the turnaround month.

Industry bosses recognize that the sector is hardly out of the woods and are urging a re-think on how to market Cyprus tourism product.

Hotels Association Chief Haris Loizides told an industry conference last week that the countrys tourism needs to adapt dramatically to survive and continue its critical contribution to the economy.

He proposed a greater focus on the big picture of what Cyprus has to offer, like local culture and cuisine, while reaching out to niche markets through digital marketing.

The sustainability of the mass market is being questioned, Loizides said. I dare say massive gatherings will gradually become things of the past.

Its a message that Cyprus Deputy Ministry for Tourism has taken to heart, redesigning its logo and reaching out to new markets.

I dont lose my courage and my optimism because the EU is a big market, so many, many countries, and they feel that the psychology for travel is only now starting to pick up in Europe, Tourism Deputy Minister Savvas Perdios told The Associated Press.

Perdios said authorities are working to extend the holiday season with the launch of a game changing campaign dubbed Heartland of Legends where tourists can visit a village and witness locals making the islands world-famous Halloumi cheese, among other experiences.

Perdios said despite the drop in arrivals from the U.K. and Russia, hes encouraged by the digital interest that potential holidaymakers from nontraditional markets such as France and Germany are showing in traveling to Cyprus.

We have been working on these markets. ... Things wont happen from just one day to the next, so Im still optimistic, said Perdios.

Perhaps Demetrius the Besieger would have approved.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The monstrous wildfire burning in Oregon has grown to a third the size of Rhode Island and spreads miles each day, but evacuations and property losses have been minimal compared with much smaller blazes in densely populated areas of California.

Flames lick at a roadside as the Tamarack Fire burns in the Markleeville community of Alpine County, Calif., on Saturday, July 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The monstrous wildfire burning in Oregon has grown to a third the size of Rhode Island and spreads miles each day, but evacuations and property losses have been minimal compared with much smaller blazes in densely populated areas of California.

The fire's jaw-dropping size contrasted with its relatively small impact on people underscores the vastness of the American West and offers a reminder that Oregon, which is larger than Britain, is still a largely rural state, despite being known mostly for its largest city, Portland.

The 476-square-mile (1,210-square-kilometer) Bootleg Fire is burning 300 miles (483 kilometers) southeast of Portland in and around the Fremont-Winema National Forest, a vast expanse of old-growth forest, lakes and wildlife refuges.

If the fire were in densely populated parts of California, it would have destroyed thousands of homes by now, said James Johnston, a researcher with Oregon State University's College of Forestry who studies historical wildfires. But it is burning in one of the more remote areas of the lower 48 states. It's not the Bay Area out there.

At least 2,000 homes have been evacuated at some point during the fire and another 5,000 threatened. At least 70 homes and more than 100 outbuildings have gone up in flames. Thick smoke chokes the area where residents and wildlife alike have already been dealing with months of drought and extreme heat. No one has died.

In this photo taken with a drone provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, a pyrocumulus cloud, also known as a fire cloud, is seen over the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Smoke and heat from a massive wildfire in southeastern Oregon are creating "fire clouds" over the blaze  dangerous columns of smoke and ash that can reach up to 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and are visible for more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. Authorities have put these clouds at the top of the list of the extreme fire behavior they are seeing on the Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. (Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP)

Pushed by strong winds from the southwest, the fire is spreading rapidly to the north and east, advancing toward an area that's increasingly remote.

Evacuation orders on the fire's southern edge, closer to more populous areas like Klamath Falls and Bly, have been lifted or relaxed as crews gain control. Now it's small, unincorporated communities like Paisley and Long Creek  both with fewer than 250 people  and scattered homesteads that are in the crosshairs.

The Bootleg Fire is threatening ranch houses that are in pretty far-flung areas, Johnston said. There are no suburbs in that area.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, smoke from the Bootleg Fire rises behind the town of Bonanza, Ore., on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon that's spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources. The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched more than 377 square miles (976 square kilometers), and crews had little control of it. (Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP)

But as big as the Bootleg Fire is, it's not the biggest Oregon has seen. The fire's current size puts it fourth on the list of the state's largest blazes in modern times, including rangeland fires, and second on the list of infernos specifically burning in forest.

These megafires usually burn until the late fall or even early winter, when rain finally puts them out.

The largest forest fire in modern history was the Biscuit Fire, which torched nearly 780 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) in 2002 in the Rogue RiverSiskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California. The largest fire of any type was the Long Draw Fire in 2012, which incinerated 872 square miles (2,260 square kilometers) of mostly sagebrush and rangeland in the endless expanses of southeastern Oregon, where almost no one lives.

In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, columns of smoke from the Bootleg Fire rise behind a water tender in southern Oregon on Friday, July 16, 2021. Firefighters scrambled Friday to control a raging inferno in southeastern Oregon that's spreading miles a day in windy conditions, one of numerous wildfires across the U.S. West that are straining resources. The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched more than 377 square miles (976 square kilometers), and crews had little control of it. (Lisa Chambers/Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP)

By the time the Bootleg Fire is extinguished months from now, it will likely be as big or bigger than those fires, but research shows that Oregon once experienced megafires much larger than these fairly often, Johnston said.

I think its important for us to take the long view of wildfire. In the context of the last couple hundreds years, the Bootleg Fire is not large, he said. One of the things my lab group does is reconstruct historical fires, and fires that were burning in that area in the 1600s and 1700s were just as big as the Bootleg Fire or bigger.

That's little reassurance for fire crews battling the current blaze, which is 25% contained.

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

On Monday, flames forced the evacuation of a wildlife research station as firefighters had to retreat from the flames for the ninth consecutive day due to erratic and dangerous fire behavior. Sycan Marsh hosts thousands of migrating and nesting birds and is a key research station on wetland restoration in the upper reaches of the Klamath Basin.

Fire pushed by winds and fueled by bone-dry conditions jumped fire-retardant containment lines and pushed up to 4 miles into new territory, authorities said.

Fire crews were also rushing to corral multiple slop fires  patches of flames that escaped fire lines meant to contain the blaze  before they grew in size. One of those smaller fires was already nearly 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) in size. Thunderstorms with dry lightning were possible Monday as well, heightening the dangers.

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

We are running firefighting operations through the day and all through the night, said Joe Hessel, incident commander. This fire is a real challenge, and we are looking at sustained battle for the foreseeable future.

The Bootleg Fire was one of many fires burning in a dozen states, most of them in the U.S. West. Sixteen large uncontained fires burned in Oregon and Washington state alone on Monday, affecting a total of 767 square miles (1,986 square kilometers), the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center said.

Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

Firefighters spray water from Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

At the other end of Oregon, a fire in the northeast mountains grew to nearly 26 square miles (49 square kilometers).

The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, rural communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.

Natural features of the area act like a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.

A complex of fires where the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho meet also grew, reaching 167 square miles (433 square kilometers). The Snake River Complex was 44% contained. The complex was made up of three fires started by lightning on July 7. Flames were chewing through a mix of grass and timber in an extremely remote area of steep terrain about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Lewiston, Idaho.

And in Northern California, authorities expanded evacuations on the Tamarack Fire in Alpine County in the Sierra Nevada to include the mountain town of Mesa Vista. That fire, which exploded over the weekend and forced the cancellation of an extreme bike ride, was 36 square miles (93 square kilometers) with no containment.

Thunderstorms expected to roll through Monday night could bring winds to fan the flames and lightning that could spark new ones, the National Weather Service said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  The official list of who's running in California's recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom remained unsettled Sunday, with conservative talk radio host Larry Elder maintaining he should be included but state officials saying he submitted incomplete tax returns, a requirement to run.

FILE  In this July 9, 2021 file photo Caitlyn Jenner, a Republican candidate for California governor, speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. Sacramento County Superior Court Judge James Arguelles ruled Monday July 12, 2021, that Newsom cannot belatedly put his Democratic Party affiliation next to his name on the ballot California voters will see when they decide if he should be removed from office in the Sept.14 recall election. Jenner filed to intervene in the lawsuit arguing that Newsom had missed the February 2020 deadline that the legislature had set. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  The official list of who's running in California's recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom remained unsettled Sunday, with conservative talk radio host Larry Elder maintaining he should be included but state officials saying he submitted incomplete tax returns, a requirement to run.

Elder's next recourse is to go to court to get on the ballot for the Sept. 14 election, which he tweeted late Sunday he may do.

Candidates are required to submit tax returns for the five most recent taxable years and pay a nearly $4,200 filing fee or submit 7,000 signatures. A letter to Elder shared late Sunday by the secretary of state's office does not detail what tax information he did not include. Several other candidates have not yet filed their 2020 tax returns so they only submitted four year's worth of returns.

Politicians know I'm the only candidate who will beat Gavin Newsom  and that's why they don't want me on the ballot, Elder wrote on Twitter. They're using shenanigans that they invented to block to doors to the Governor's Office and make sure they stay in power.

When Elder announced his candidacy July 12, he instantly became one of the most recognizable Republicans in the field given his years on talk radio and appearances on Fox News, and was viewed as a candidate who could further energize GOP voters. Though Elder is likely to excite many voters, most Republicans are unlikely to stay home if he's not on the list, said Jack Pitney, a professor of political science at Claremont McKenna College.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom fields questions after a rally where he signed the California Comeback Plan relief bill Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

I think Republicans are going to show up because they hate Newsom, not because they are particular fans of any of the replacement candidates, Pitney said.

Among other candidates, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer's campaign was in a dispute with state officials over whether he could be listed as the city's retired mayor and YouTube creator Kevin Paffrath said he planned to sue to get his YouTube nickname on the ballot. Meanwhile, Caitlyn Jenner, the Olympian-turned-reality-TV-star, was reportedly in Australia filming a reality show, though she tweeted Friday she and her campaign team are in full operation.

The list of 41 candidates released Saturday by the state lacked the panache of the more than 100 candidates who ran in California's last recall of a governor in 2003. But it includes a range of candidates from the anonymous to the famous, including an entertainer known for putting herself on Los Angeles billboards in the 1980s and others with eye-catching names, like deputy sheriff Denver Stoner, and Nickolas Wildstar, who lists himself as a musician/entrepreneur/father.

FILE - This Aug. 31, 2017, file photo shows Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Kiley announced on Twitter on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, that he is running in the Sept. 14, recall election in an attempt to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

The list includes 21 Republicans, eight Democrats, one Libertarian, nine independents and two Green Party members. Ballots will start going out next month in the mail, and the official election date is Sept. 14.

Each candidate is listed with a job title or other descriptor, but they are not allowed to use the word former. Faulconer's campaign requested he be listed as San Diego's retired mayor, which state officials are now disputing, Faulconer spokesman John Burke said. He left the office in 2020, and referencing his prior role would help boost his name identification.

Paffrath said he plans to sue after he was denied being allowed to list himself as Kevin Meet Kevin Paffrath on the ballot. He noted another candidate was cleared to run as Chauncey Slim Killens, who lists himself as a retired correctional officer.

Conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder speaks to supporters during a campaign stop, Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in Norwalk, Calif. Elder announced Monday, July 12, that he is running for governor of California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

No Democrat with political stature decided to run. Polls have shown Newsom well positioned to win. But should he lose in an upset, there would be no established Democrat among replacement candidates, potentially opening the way for a Republican to take the seat.

Voters will be sent a ballot with two questions: Should Newsom be recalled, and who should replace him. If more than half of voters say yes to the first question, then whoever on the list of potential replacements gets the most votes is the new governor of the nations most populous state. With numerous candidates and no clear front-runner, its possible the someone could win with less than 25% of the votes.

The push to oust Newsom is largely rooted in frustration with long-running school and business closures during the pandemic that overturned daily life for millions of Californians. But many voters aren't paying attention, and there were no new candidates who emerged Saturday who appeared to have the potential to reorder the trajectory of the race.

FILE - In this May 12, 2021, file photo, Kevin Faulconer, a Republican candidate for California governor, speaks during a news conference, in Downey, Calif. Faulconer was twice elected mayor of Democratic-leaning San Diego and left office last year. He was an early entrant in the recall race and has long been seen as a potential statewide candidate, given his centrist credentials in strongly Democratic California. (AP Photo/Michael R. Blood, File)

According to the secretary of state's office, candidates who have filed the required paperwork include:

- Paffrath, 29, who gives financial advice to his 1.7 million YouTube subscribers. The Democrat says his lack of political baggage is a good thing. His proposals include building underground tunnels for new roadways and cutting income taxes.

- Angelyne, the only one-name candidate running on the ballot, is an entertainer who gained fame in Los Angeles in the 1980s by buying billboard space to advertise her name and image. She's listed as no party preference and her platform includes an annual masquerade ball where citizens dress up like the governor, an official Bubble Bath Day, and rehab for politicians.

FILE  In this July 9, 2021,file photo Caitlyn Jenner, a Republican candidate for California governor, speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. Jenner has described herself as a fiscal conservative who is liberal on social issues. But shes proven gaffe-prone in interviews. (AP Photo/Noah Berger,File)

- Jeff Hewitt, 68, is a Riverside County supervisor. He wrote in The Orange County Register that he was entering the race because this state no longer accommodates dreams, fosters ideas or solves problems. He argues the state needs a new approach and is running as a Libertarian.

- Joel Ventresca, 69, is a Democrat though says he's further to the left than Newsom, whom he called a corporate, establishment, insider Democrat. Ventrescas main campaign platform is providing free health care and education cradle to grave for everyone in California. He retired in 2018 from the San Francisco International Airport, where he held multiple roles.

- Sam Gallucci, 60, a Republican, is a former technology executive who is senior pastor at Embrace! Church in Oxnard, California. He also runs services that provide assistance for at-risk women and children and migrants. In his tech career, he rose through the corporate ranks to become an executive vice president and general manager for software maker PeopleSoft, which Oracle acquired for $10.3 billion in 2004.

In a photo provided by Kevin Paffrath, Kevin Paffrath smiles for a selfie in front of the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Friday, July 16, 2021. The 29-year-old YouTuber is one of the Democrats running in the recall against California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Paffrath's videos typically touch on real estate and investment advice, and he's never held public office. (Kevin Paffrath via AP)

- Caitlyn Jenner, 71, is a lifelong Republican trying to parlay her celebrity into a surprise win. She won the men's decathlon gold medal at the 1976 Olympics, married into the Kardashian family, became a reality TV star with them, and came out as transgender in 2015. She has described herself as a fiscal conservative who is liberal on social issues. But shes proven gaffe-prone in interviews and hasn't released any significant policy proposals.

- John Cox, 66, was the Republican nominee for governor in 2018 and lost to Newsom in a landslide. This time around the multimillionaire businessman has displayed a showmans instincts, campaigning with both a Kodiak bear and a giant ball of trash. Hes long sought public offices, including failed races for U.S. House and Senate as well as president.

- Doug Ose, 66, is a multimillionaire businessman and former Republican congressman who represented a Sacramento-area district from 1999 to 2005. Ose says he's ready to work across party lines to reopen schools and get the economy back at full strength. He calls Sacramento broken, pointing to the homeless crisis, climbing gas taxes and increasing crime rates. He briefly ran for governor in 2018.

In a photo provided by Joel Ventresca, date and location known, Joel Ventresca poses for a photo. Ventresca is one of the Democrats running in the recall election against California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He's running on a platform that includes free health care and education for all Californians at any age. (Joel Ventresca via AP)

- Jacqueline McGowan, 46, a Democrat, is a stockbroker turned advocate for cannabis policy reform. She's running to bring attention to what she calls a crisis in the legal cannabis market, which has struggled to get on its feet amid heavy regulation and taxes while facing stiff competition from the thriving underground market. She would slash pot taxes and push communities that have not set up local markets to open the door for legal sales.

- Kevin Faulconer, 54, is a Republican who was twice elected mayor of Democratic-leaning San Diego and has long been seen as a potential statewide candidate, given his centrist credentials in strongly Democratic California. Hes presented himself as a problem-solver and has touted his work keeping homeless encampments off streets while they spread unchecked in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

- Steve Chavez Lodge, 62, is a retired homicide detective and small business owner who served on local government commissions. He gained notoriety when he got engaged to reality TV personality Vicki Gunvalson, who appeared on the Real Housewives of Orange County for 15 years. The Republican says California is completely broken and is promising to get government out of our lives ... and out of our wallets.

- Kevin Kiley, 36, is a Republican state assemblyman from the Sacramento area who emerged as a favorite among GOP volunteers who gathered petition signatures for the recall. He built a reputation as a strong conservative and one of Newsoms most vocal critics.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northern Minnesota encountered a setback Monday when the state Court of Appeals ordered regulators to revisit a critical air emissions permit given to the project.

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016, file photo is a former iron ore processing plant near Hoyt Lakes, Minn., that would become part of a proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine. Lawyers for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine and state regulators urged the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, to defer to the judgement of the state Department of Natural Resources and reinstate three critical permits for the project. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northern Minnesota encountered a setback Monday when the state Court of Appeals ordered regulators to revisit a critical air emissions permit given to the project.

The court ruled that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency hadn't sufficiently justified granting the permit after opponents raised allegations that PolyMet was planning a much larger mine.

Environmental groups and a Native American tribe pointed to a report that PolyMet filed with Canadian regulators that suggested PolyMet was considering expanding the mine to four times the size that the air permit would allow.

The appeals court last year said the MPCA hadn't adequately evaluated whether the air permit understated the company's real plans, only to have that ruling overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court. The high court ruled in February that the MPCA wasn't required by federal law to investigate the allegations of sham permitting."

The Supreme Court sent the case back to the Court of Appeals to consider whether the agency correctly concluded that PolyMet would comply with all terms of the permit, and whether PolyMet had failed to fully disclose all relevant facts or submitted false or misleading information to the agency.

FILE - This Feb. 10, 2016 file photo shows a former iron ore processing plant near Hoyt Lakes, Minn., that would become part of a proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine. The proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northern Minnesota encountered a setback Monday, July 19, 2021, when the state Court of Appeals ordered regulators to revisit a critical air emissions permit given to the project. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

Monday's ruling said the MPCA has not adequately explained the reasons for its conclusions and said that would be sufficient grounds to reverse the permit. But the court instead sent it back to the MPCA for reconsideration.

PolyMet issued a statement saying it's disappointed in the court's decision and will expeditiously provide the supporting explanation requested by the court. The company said the facts and the science prove that the project can meet state and federal air quality standards.

The open pit mine and processing plant near Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes would be Minnesota's first copper-nickel mine. Environmentalists have fought the project because of the potential for acid mine drainage upstream from Lake Superior. The opponents are a coalition of groups led by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy plus the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

The case is one of several legal challenges still making their way through the courts and regulatory agencies at the state and federal level that have led to suspensions, remands or reversals of important permits. The Minnesota Supreme Court in April affirmed the Court of Appeals' reversal of PolyMet's critical permit to mine and sent that case back to the state Department of Natural Resources for more proceedings.

PolyMet has been speaking out of both sides of its mouth, trying to keep its plans for a bigger, dirtier mine hidden from the people of Minnesota," Chris Knopf, executive director of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, said in a statement. "Now, Governor (Tim) Walz and his administration has an opportunity to look at all the facts and science behind this toxic and dangerous proposal."
WASHINGTON - Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9, joined by the rest of the world Sept. 7, federal officials announced Monday as the country prepares to lower border barriers that were erected to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The United States border crossing is seen on March 18, 2020 in Lacolle, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

WASHINGTON - Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9, joined by the rest of the world Sept. 7, federal officials announced Monday as the country prepares to lower border barriers that were erected to limit the spread of COVID-19.

However, the United States is not currently planning to reciprocate by easing travel restrictions on would-be Canadian visitors hoping to go south of the border.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said he briefed Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas about the steps Canada intended to take, but got no indication that the U.S. would be following suit before the existing restrictions are set for renewal on Wednesday.

"He indicated to me at this time they have not yet made a decision; they anticipate their measures would likely be (extended) on July 21," Blair told a news conference announcing the changes.

"They are obviously considering additional measures and data, but at the present time they have not indicated any plan to make any changes in the current border restrictions that are in place."

That imbalance is sure to aggravate domestic political tensions around the border issue in the U.S., where a growing chorus of congressional lawmakers have been pressing President Joe Biden and his officials to embrace their vaccination success to date and ease international travel restrictions.

Rep. Brian Higgins, the New York member of Congress who has spearheaded the American campaign, said as much in a statement Monday as he cheered the Canadian measures.

"It is extremely frustrating that the U.S. government has failed to reciprocate current family exemptions already allowed by the Canadian government and failed to show a lack of urgency to make any progress on this side of the border toward lifting restrictions," Higgins said.

"The U.S. has neglected to give reopening the northern border the serious attention it deserves, and there is no excuse. Failure to co-ordinate this announcement in a binational way will only lead to confusion among travelers."

Political observers in both countries have pointed to the onset of the Delta variant in the U.S., stubborn vaccination rates and the ever-present challenge of the U.S.-Mexico border as some of the factors at play in the apparent American reticence.

Not long after Canada's plan was announced Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tried to play down any suggestion that the U.S. should feel obliged to follow suit.

"I wouldn't look at it through a reciprocal intention," Psaki told the daily briefing.

"We are continuing to review our travel restrictions; any decisions about reopening travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. We take this incredibly seriously, but we look and are guided by our own medical experts."

Canadian officials say the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived beginning the second week of August for eligible travellers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use by Health Canada.

The move comes two weeks after the Canada Border Services Agency began waiving quarantine rules for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents  a move that prompted an unsurprising spike in the number of travellers seeking to enter the country.

But Canada is nowhere near being out of the woods just yet, said Health Minister Patty Hajdu, who seized on the chance to encourage more Canadians to get vaccinated.

"It has been nice to be able to see friends and family this summer, but we do see international evidence that the pandemic is not over," Hajdu said.

"Thanks to the hard work of Canadians, things are much better here in Canada, and our progress has been hard won. It is very important, and we cannot risk it."

Children under 12 who are accompanied by fully vaccinated and eligible family members will also be exempt from quarantine, provided they wear a mask in public places and avoid indoor group settings, such as classrooms and summer camp.

All travellers will still be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result and proof of vaccination prior to arrival by way of the ArriveCAN smartphone app or web portal, but post-travel test results will no longer be necessary for those who are fully vaccinated.

Canada Border Services Agency officials will also be randomly subjecting vaccinated travellers to a mandatory molecular test upon arrival.

As of Aug. 9, airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton will also be added to the list of Canadian cities where international flights are permitted to land. Air travellers will no longer be required to spend the first three nights of their quarantine at a government-approved hotel.

A ban on flights from India, however  where the Delta variant of COVID-19 has been wreaking havoc for weeks  will remain in place until at least Aug. 21.

All travellers will still be required to provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in the event it turns out they do not meet the necessary requirements, the government added.

Reaction to the decision in Canada was a swift thumbs-up, particularly from business stakeholders, airport authorities and travel industry executives  provided the changes don't result in logistical snafus and lengthy delays at border crossings.

"The establishment of clear guidelines and dates will instill confidence and enable individuals and businesses to make plans. It will also provide much-needed hope for Canada's hard-hit travel, tourism and hospitality sectors," said Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

Perrin Beatty, who heads up the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said it's high time for Canada to modernize its border control measures with a secure, bilateral system of exchanging digital health credentials  particularly if delays result in fewer shorter incidental visits.

"We are concerned that the costly and cumbersome procedures that remain for fully vaccinated travellers will discourage short visits, including many business trips," said Beatty, who flagged border congestion, unvaccinated minors and the eventual U.S. decision as outstanding issues.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2021.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  A new prime minister supported by key international diplomats will take charge of Haiti, an official said Monday  a move that appeared aimed at averting a leadership struggle following the assassination of President Jovenal Moise.

Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph gives a press conference in Port-au-Prince, Friday, July 16, 2021, the week after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moises on July 7. (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  A new prime minister supported by key international diplomats will take charge of Haiti, an official said Monday  a move that appeared aimed at averting a leadership struggle following the assassination of President Jovenal Moise.

Ariel Henry, who was designated prime minister by Moise before he was slain but never sworn in, will replace the country's interim prime minister, Haiti Elections Minister Mathias Pierre told The Associated Press.

It wasnt immediately clear how quickly Claude Joseph, who has been leading Haiti with the backing of police and the military since the July 7 assassination of Moise, would step down.

Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph gives a press conference in Port-au-Prince, Friday, July 16, 2021, the week after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel MovseAos on July 7. (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn)

Negotiations are still in course, Pierre said, adding that Joseph would go back to being minister of foreign affairs. There was no immediate comment from Joseph.

In an audio recording, Henry referred to himself as prime minister and called for unity, saying he would soon announce the members of what he called a provisional consensus government to lead the country until elections are held.

I present my compliments to the Haitian people who have shown political maturity in the face of what can be considered a coup. ... Our Haitian brothers gave peace a chance, while leaving the possibility that the truth could one day be restored," Henry said.

Now it is up to all the national leaders to walk together in unity, towards the same goal, to show that they are responsible.

Fishermen return to shore near the La Saline neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, July 19, 2021. The country of more than 11 million people are still reeling from the July 7 killing of President Jovenel Moise. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The political turnover followed a statement Saturday from a key group of international diplomats that appeared to snub Joseph as it called for the creation of "a consensual and inclusive government.

To this end, it strongly encourages the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government, the statement from the Core Group said.

The Core Group is composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the U.S., France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

On Monday, the U.N. issued a statement calling on Joseph, Henry and other national stakeholders to set aside differences and engage in constructive dialogue on ways to end the current impasse.

Fishermen return to shore near the La Saline neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, July 19, 2021. The country of more than 11 million people is still reeling from the July 7 killing of President Jovenel Moise. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The U.N. added that Joseph and Henry made significant progress in the past week and that it supports dialogue to find minimal consensus for holding fair legislative and presidential elections.

Monique Clesca, a Haitian writer, activist and former U.N. official, said she doesn't anticipate any changes under Henry, whom she expects to carry on Moise's legacy. But she warned Henry might be viewed as tainted because of the international backing that preceded his taking power.

There is not only a perception, but the reality that he has been put there by the international community, and I think thats his burden to carry, she said.

What were calling for is for Haitians to really say this is unacceptable. We do not want the international community stating who ought to be in power and what ought to be done. It is up to us.

Youths stand at a gate along the seashore in the La Saline neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, July 19, 2021. The country of more than 11 million people are still reeling from the July 7 killing of President Jovenel Moise. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the Biden administration welcomes reports that Haitian political actors are working together to determine a path forward in the country.

We have been encouraging, for several days now, Haitian political actors to work together and find a political way forward, she said.

Earlier, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said the U.S. would continue to work with Joseph after noting he was the incumbent in the position and was serving as acting prime minister before the assassination.

On Monday, Price urged all political actors in Haiti as well as the civil society and private sector to work together in the interest of the people, adding that the U.S. is standing with them.

We have always said, and we continue to believe, that the decision of who should lead Haiti belongs to the Haitian people," he said. Political gridlock has taken a tremendous toll on the nation of Haiti, and its vital for the countrys leaders to finally come together to chart a united, inclusive path forward.

The Core Group statement was issued hours after Moise's wife, Martine, arrived in Haiti on Saturday aboard a private jet clad in black and wearing a bulletproof vest after being released from a hospital in Miami. She has not issued a statement or spoken publicly since her return to Haiti as the government prepares for the July 23 funeral that will be held in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Other events to honor Moise are planned this week in the capital of Port-au-Prince ahead of the funeral.

Moise designated Henry as prime minister shortly before he was killed, but he had not been sworn in. The neurosurgeon was previously minister of social affairs and interior minister. He has belonged to several political parties including Inite, which was founded by former President Rene Preval.

The upcoming change in leadership comes as authorities continue to investigate the July 7 attack at Moise's private home with high-powered rifles that seriously wounded his wife.

Authorities say more than 20 suspects directly involved in the killing have been arrested. The majority of them are former Colombian soldiers, most of whom Colombian officials say were duped. Another three suspects were killed, with police still seeking additional ones, including an ex-Haitian rebel leader and a former Haitian senator.

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed.
LONDON (AP)  The British government sought Monday to prevent Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from gaining access to nearly $2 billion of gold held by the Bank of England as the U.K. Supreme Court started hearing a case that hinges on the question of who should be considered the Latin American nations president.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido points to a spot where he says the marks on a column are from gunshots fired by security forces inside his residential building parking lot in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, July 12, 2021. Guaido held an impromptu press conference to say that security forces threatened his driver as he arrived home Monday. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

LONDON (AP)  The British government sought Monday to prevent Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from gaining access to nearly $2 billion of gold held by the Bank of England as the U.K. Supreme Court started hearing a case that hinges on the question of who should be considered the Latin American nations president.

Britain told the court that its recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido as president is clear and longstanding, and therefore he is the person authorized to decide how the gold held by Britains central bank should be used. The governments statement came after a lower court said the U.K.s recognition of Guaido was ambiguous.

The U.K. government has the right to decide who to recognize as the legitimate head of a foreign state, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement. The U.K. recognizes Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela and consequentially he is the only individual recognized to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state.

FILES - Juan Guaido, the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly who says he is also the countrys interim president, gives a press conference in Caracas, Venezuela on Dec. 7, 2020, left, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks in Caracas, Venezuela on Jan. 22, 2021. The British government sought on July 19, 2021 to prevent Maduro from gaining access to nearly $2 billion of gold held by the Bank of England as the U.K. Supreme Court started hearing a case that hinges on the question of who should be considered the Latin American nations president. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos and Matias Delacroix, File)

Maduro has demanded access to the gold to help his cash-starved nation fight the coronavirus pandemic. But the Bank of England has refused to hand it over, citing the British governments recognition of Guaido.

Guaido has sought to preserve the gold stash at the Bank of England to keep it out of the hands of the Maduro government, which it contends is illegitimate and corrupt.

Guaido, who was the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly, challenged Maduros claim to the presidency, arguing that his 2018 election was rigged and invalid. Guaido says he is the countrys interim president under provisions of the constitution that allow the head of the legislature to take power until free elections can be held.

Countries including the U.S. and the U.K. have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, although China, Russia and many others haven't and Maduro holds effective power within Venezuela.

The battle over the gold is being fought out between two competing governing boards of the Central Bank of Venezuela, one appointed by Maduro and the other by Guaido.

Guaido, who is represented by the law firm Arnold & Porter, is arguing there is nothing ambiguous about the U.K. actions.

Maduros lawyers argue that he's still president of Venezuela and that the U.K. has recognized this by continuing diplomatic relations with his government.

Leigh Crestohl, a lawyer representing the Maduro board, said the U.K. governments position threatens the attractiveness of the City of London and the Bank of England as a secure place for foreign assets.

International observers to this case may be surprised by the possibility that a unilateral statement of political recognition by the U.K. government can dispossess a foreign sovereign of assets deposited in London without any recourse in the English court, Crestohl, a partner at the London-based law firm Zaiwalla & Co., said in a statement. This is all the more so where that recognition ignores the reality on the ground.
LONDON (AP)  The British government has decided not to inoculate most children and teenagers against COVID-19 until more safety data on the vaccines become available.

People enjoy the weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England, Monday July 19, 2021. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)

LONDON (AP)  The British government has decided not to inoculate most children and teenagers against COVID-19 until more safety data on the vaccines become available.

Children as young as 12 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, as well as those who are household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, will be eligible for vaccination, the government said Monday.

The decision to hold off giving shots to most people under age 18 was based on the recommendation of an expert advisory panel. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization said the health benefits of universal vaccination dont outweigh the risks for most young people, who typically suffer only mild symptoms of the virus.

Until more safety data is available and has been evaluated, a precautionary approach is preferred, the JCVI said in a statement.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement that todays advice does not recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at this point in time.

On what some have called "Freedom Day", marking the end of coronavirus restrictions in England, visitors follow as Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler leads the first tour of the Tower of London in 16 months since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, in London, Monday, July 19, 2021. Beginning Monday, face masks will no longer be legally required and with social distancing rules shelved, but mask rules will remain for passengers on the London transport network.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

"But the JCVI will continue to review new data, and consider whether to recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health conditions at a future date.

The decision not to vaccinate most young people puts the U.K. at odds with France and several other European countries, which have decided to vaccinate adolescents as young as 12.

Among hundreds of people at a Paris vaccination center Friday, scores were teenagers with their parents. The French government announced last week that it plans to set up vaccine drives at middle schools, high schools and universities in the fall.

People enjoy the weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England, Monday July 19, 2021. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)

In the U.K., children and teenagers who are eligible for inoculation will receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the only one British regulators have authorized for use in those under 18. The University of Oxford is still conducting trials of the safety and effectiveness in children of the vaccine it developed with AstraZeneca.

Aside from medical and scientific questions surrounding the use of COVID-19 vaccines by adolescents, many public health experts have raised questions about the morality of inoculating low-risk children at a time when many of the worlds most vulnerable people still lack access to vaccines.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who was instrumental in developing the AstraZeneca vaccine, told Parliaments science and technology committee last month that vulnerable adults elsewhere should be prioritized over children.

On what some have called "Freedom Day", marking the end of coronavirus restrictions in England, visitors listen as Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler leading the first tour of the Tower of London in 16 months since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, in London, Monday, July 19, 2021. Beginning Monday, face masks will no longer be legally required and with social distancing rules shelved, but mask rules will remain for passengers on the London transport network. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

It is older adults, those with other health conditions, and health care workers who are looking after them, who absolutely have to be prioritized, he said.

The Oxford trial should help policymakers decide whether they want to extend mass vaccination programs to children at some point in the future as they seek to ensure schools are safe and combat the spread of the virus in the wider population, Pollard said.

The announcement came on what the government has dubbed Freedom Day, the day most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were removed throughout England. Bars and restaurants can now operate at full capacity and night clubs are reopening for the first time in 16 months.

The government decided to lift the restrictions because 88% of the adult population has now received at least one dose of vaccine and more than two-thirds are fully vaccinated. While infections are rising rapidly, the high level of vaccination means that fewer people are becoming seriously ill than during earlier waves of the virus.
LONDON (AP)  Businesses in England warned Monday that a pingdemic of people receiving notifications on their phones telling them to self-isolate because of contact with coronavirus cases threatens to lead to widespread staff shortages and mayhem across the economy just as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

A face mask lies on the ground at Piccadilly Circus in central London, Monday, July 19, 2021. As of Monday, face masks are no longer legally required in England, and with social distancing rules shelved, there are no limits on the number of people attending theater performances or big events. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON (AP)  Businesses in England warned Monday that a pingdemic of people receiving notifications on their phones telling them to self-isolate because of contact with coronavirus cases threatens to lead to widespread staff shortages and mayhem across the economy just as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Though many businesses, notably nightclubs, have cheered Monday's lifting of all remaining lockdown restrictions on social contact, they are increasingly grappling with staff shortages as the National Health Service's test and trace app informs people to self-isolate for coming into close proximity with someone who has tested positive for the virus. Supermarket chain Iceland and pub owner Greene King are two firms that have had to close certain sites as a result of the self-isolation requirements.

There are also warnings of shortages of goods in supermarkets, cuts in production at factories and potential transport chaos, as illustrated by Saturday's closure of the Metropolitan Line on the London Underground, due to key staff being pinged.

On what some have called "Freedom Day", marking the end of coronavirus restrictions in England, commuters disembark from a train at London Bridge train station in London, during the morning rush hour, Monday, July 19, 2021. Beginning Monday, face masks will be recommended but not compulsory and with social distancing rules shelved, there will also be no more limits on people attending theater performances or big events. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Mike Lynch, general secretary of The Rail, Maritime and Transport union warned that so-called Freedom day could "very easily collapse into chaos day.

Hundreds of thousands of people are having to self-isolate for 10 days after being informed by the National Health Service's test and trace app that they have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 26 million people have downloaded the app in England and Wales.

It's clear where the numbers are going. More than 520,000 people were pinged in the week to July7 and told to self-isolate, a tenfold increase on the previous month. With daily infections rising sharply and set to at least double from current rates to 100,000 this summer, the number of people being pinged by the app will inevitably grow, potentially to more than 1 million a week.

That's going to cause untold disruption to businesses trying to recover after 16 months of lockdown duress and many executives are calling on the British government to, at the very least, reform the self-isolation rules.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020 file photo, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, left, leave Downing Street to attend a cabinet meeting in London. Johnson has been contacted by the countrys test-and-trace system as a contact of a confirmed coronavirus case. The prime minister's office says that unlike most people, he wont have to self-isolate. But Johnsons office says the prime minister will instead take a daily coronavirus test as part of a pilot project. The same applies to Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, who also was contacted. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

Weve been talking for a while internally about living in the United Pingdom and it has become a huge challenge for individuals and businesses, Humphrey Cobbold, chief executive of PureGym, told BBC radio.

Up to 25%, in some areas, of our staff have been asked to self-isolate; weve been able, through flexibility and sharing of labor, to keep sites open so far but it has been a very close call in certain circumstances, he added.

The Confederation of British Industry is urging the government to immediately exempt double-jabbed people from the self-isolation requirement rather than wait until Aug. 16 when the rules are set to be changed. It also wants those who have not had two doses to be offered a route out of their self-isolation via daily testing.

With restrictions being lifted and cases rapidly increasing, we urgently need a sure-footed approach from government, creating confidence to secure the recovery, the lobby group's president, Karan Bilimoria, said. Against the backdrop of crippling staff shortages, speed is of the essence."

There's anecdotal evidence to point to people taking matters into their own hands by deleting the app or at least turning off Bluetooth when they go into areas, such as hospitals or restaurants, where they could potentially come into close proximity with someone who may have COVID. Charlie Mullins, the founder of Pimlico Plumbers, has even recommended people delete the app.

One potential implication of the big spike in cases  for much of the spring, daily cases in the U.K. hovered around the 2,000 mark  is that it may overwhelm the whole effort to track contacts of those infected with the virus.

I dont imagine track and trace will function for much longer, said James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at from the University of Oxford Neither it or the app were designed for 100,000 cases in a highly vaccinated population.

Follow APs pandemic coverage at:

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
MOSCOW (AP)  A large wildfire in Russia's Siberia region Monday is burning near a village and posing a threat to a hydroelectric power plant Monday, local officials said.

Volunteers and employees of the Yakutlesresurs extinguish a forest fire outside Magaras village 87 km. (61 miles) west of Yakustk, the capital of the republic of Sakha also known as Yakutia, Russia Far East, Sunday, July 18, 2021. Russia has been plagued by widespread forest fires, blamed on unusually high temperatures and the neglect of fire safety rules, with the Sakha-Yakutia region in northeastern Siberia being the worst affected. (AP Photo/Alexey Vasilyev)

MOSCOW (AP)  A large wildfire in Russia's Siberia region Monday is burning near a village and posing a threat to a hydroelectric power plant Monday, local officials said.

A total of 216 forest fires remained active in the Sakha-Yakutia region in northeastern Siberia on Monday morning, the region's Ministry of Natural Resources said. Heavy smoke covered more than 60 cities, towns and settlements, including the regional capital Yakutsk.

One blaze that already had engulfed 41,300 hectares (102,000 acres) was just four kilometers away from the village of Syuldyukar, the ministry said. A hydroelectric power plant is located about 20 kilometers away from the village, it said.

More than 2,000 people have been involved in the firefighting efforts in the region.

Russia has been plagued by widespread forest fires, blamed on unusually high temperatures and the neglect of fire safety rules.

The airport in Yakutsk suspended flights into and out of the city on Sunday because of the smoke-filled skies but resumed operations on Monday.
WINNIPEG - Several Indigenous leaders are calling on Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government to either overhaul its approach to First Nations issues or resign.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas (left) speaks during a signing ceremony to improve child and family services in Manitoba First Nations communities, as Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott (centre) Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett look on in Ottawa, Thursday, December 7, 2017. Some Indigenous leaders are calling on Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government to change its ways or resign. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

WINNIPEG - Several Indigenous leaders are calling on Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government to either overhaul its approach to First Nations issues or resign.

Grand Chief Garrison Settee of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 26 northern First Nations, stood alongside others on the steps of the legislature Monday as fallout continued from Premier Brian Pallister's remarks about Canadian history.

"Today, we are not here to topple any statues. We are here to topple a government that is racist, a government that has no place in this legislature," Settee said.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said he is tired of dealing with Pallister.

"I give him every opportunity to have meaningful dialogue. We bring forward meaningful solutions ... but he'd rather talk at me," Dumas said.

Pallister has faced growing discontent over remarks he made earlier this month after protesters tore down two statues of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria on the legislature grounds.

Pallister said destruction is not the way forward. He said people who came to Canada did not come to destroy anything but rather to build communities, churches and businesses.

The remarks were widely condemned as downplaying the harmful effects of colonialism, although Pallister said afterward he never used the word colonialism and was trying to appeal for people to work together.

Pallister's Indigenous relations minister quit her cabinet post two days later and her replacement, Alan Lagimodiere, stirred up more anger by defending some of the intent behind residential schools.

That prompted two Indigenous men to resign from provincial economic development boards. One, former deputy minister and treaty commissioner Jamie Wilson, said he could not support the government rewriting history.

Some of Pallister's caucus members have also made their thoughts known. Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah Guillemard, Families Minister Rochelle Squires and Tory backbencher Shannon Martin posted separate social media messages last week that said residential schools were designed to eliminate Indigenous culture.

"I will never stand behind words that add hurt to traumatized people," Guillemard posted on Twitter.

Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs Organization, which represents 34 First Nations communities, said Monday the Pallister government has failed to address key issues such as lower Indigenous graduation rates, shorter lifespans, high rates of apprehension in the child welfare system, and a lack of recognition of treaty rights.

Daniels said the government must allow Indigenous people more control over their own lives.

"If Pallister can't lead, and his cabinet can't lead, they do need to resign," he said.

Chiefs of Treaty 5, an area that covers much of northern and central Manitoba, released an "action plan" Monday that promises greater efforts to tackle racism and discrimination. Part of the plan will see regular reports sent to the United Nations on the issue, and new awareness campaigns.

The provincial government did not comment on the grand chiefs' demands, but did promise to consider the ideas put forward by the Treaty 5 chiefs.

"We look forward to reviewing the action plan and working collaboratively with Indigenous leaders and communities across the province," read a one-sentence written statement from Lagimodiere's office.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2021.
If you have been reading this series of articles leading up to the 150th anniversary of the making of Treaty 1 on Aug. 3, 1871, you will have gained a greater understanding of the true intent, from the First Nations perspective, of discussions and desired outcomes that were based on sharing, mutual obligations, rights to our land and a livelihood that was codified through the sacred pipe ceremony.

If you have been reading this series of articles leading up to the 150th anniversary of the making of Treaty 1 on Aug. 3, 1871, you will have gained a greater understanding of the true intent, from the First Nations perspective, of discussions and desired outcomes that were based on sharing, mutual obligations, rights to our land and a livelihood that was codified through the sacred pipe ceremony.

If history had only played out the way the Indigenous signatories envisaged, life for First Nations peoples would have been much different today with our communities among some of the wealthiest, with state-of-the-art infrastructure and services, and our people among the best educated in the country.

Instead, the marginalization and isolation of First Nations peoples have left our communities with unemployment rates five times higher than others in Canada and with one in four living in poverty. Overcrowded homes, lack of access to clean drinking water and even simple access to education and health care are daily issues for many.

If you are looking for an answer as to why things went so badly off the rails, look no further than the Indian Act, which was unilaterally introduced by the federal government in 1876, and designed to set First Nations up to fail, with repercussions that we feel in our communities to this day.

Based on the notion that First Nations were wards of the state, the Indian Act introduced "Indian agents" to govern reserves. Imagine in todays environment if people, goods, commerce, and housing were all controlled by just one person  the Indian agent  and you will have a good idea of the power and control the agent could wield.

One example of the near-absolute authority held by Indian agents was the pass system, empowered by the Indian Act. Introduced in the early 1900s, First Nations who wanted to leave their reserve were forced to first find the Indian agent, then get a pass to leave. Shockingly, Indian agents used the pass system into the 1960s.

To further exercise control over our First Nations peoples, the Indian Act removed our right to vote, which had been in place since the late 1800s. Once removed, it took until 1960 for this right to be restored.

The Indian Act also outlawed and made illegal First Nations ceremonies. Gatherings that had taken place over millennium were banned and those caught participating faced imprisonment.

On the economic front, the Indian Act enabled the government of Canada to introduce the peasant farmer policy, which made it illegal for First Nations farmers to use "labour saving tools" to farm. Yes, our farmers could legally only farm with hand tools, if you can imagine, while all other colonial farmers mechanized.

Overnight, the burgeoning First Nations agriculture sector, embraced to transition away from being reliant on a rapidly dying buffalo population, was killed overnight, taking down First Nations farmers in areas that stretched from Selkirk to Portage and Virden.

So why not fight the Indian Act? The reason was simple. If First Nations dared to challenge any of the measures, the act removed that option by making it illegal in Canada for lawyers to represent any of us against the federal government without their written approval. In fact, lawyers faced disbarment if they dared to represent First Nations clients.

Worst of all, it was the Indian Act that empowered the introduction of residential schools in Canada  a move that ran totally contrary to the promise of schools on reserves agreed to in Treaty 1. The horrific results and effects generations of our families continue to experience result from the federal government contracting out schooling to Canadian churches.

There is no denying that the Indian Act forcibly and deliberately created a First Nations system of dependency on the government  the effects of each of these policies that has and will continue to reverberate in our communities and with our children for generous to come.

So, when we commemorate the making of Treaty No. 1, as we will on Aug. 3, it is not to celebrate but to continue to remind our federal government and Canadians that the outstanding commitments, almost immediately broken, must be rectified as part of the reconciliation process.

Chief Francine Meeches of Swan Lake First Nation is a member of the Treaty One Nation Governing Council composed of the seven Treaty One First Nations: Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Long Plain First Nation, Peguis First Nation, Roseau River Anishinabe Nation, Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation, Sandy Bay Ojibwe First Nation and Swan Lake First Nation.
Opinion

Its Saturday morning and the call comes from a phone number I dont recognize.

"Hello, is this Niigaan Sinclair?" a voice asks. "Its Alan Lagimodiere."

Its not often I get a cabinet minister phoning me, never mind Manitobas newly-minted minister of Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations  and the man I just wrote a highly critical column about in that mornings newspaper.

In that Free Press column, I wrote that, while Lagimodiere is a nice man Ive known for years, he is "woefully unprepared to be minister for Indigenous relations, as evidenced by his factually incorrect, preposterous and offensive comments surrounding residential schools just minutes after being inserted into the role by Premier Brian Pallister."

Im used to positive and negative comments on things I write but this call is different.

"I want to apologize to you personally for things I said last week. The residential school system was genocide and everything about it was wrong. I want you to know I know that," Lagimodiere says.

He then listed off reasons why he personally condemns residential schools, from the arresting of First Nations parents to the rampant starvation, sickness, and abuse that resulted in the deaths of thousands of children. He also talked about how the legacies of residential schools exist in the poverty, trauma, and violence Indigenous peoples experience today.

At times, Lagimodiere sounded rehearsed, but also careful, detailed, and precise. Its too bad he didnt say any of this in last Thursdays press conference because, if he did, he would have impressed.

Of course, Im aware the new minister has apologized and retracted his statements, then issuing a press release last Friday that he will "commit to a journey of healing that requires listening, learning, and creating understanding" by "reaching out to Indigenous leaders to begin this important dialogue and to chart a path forward."

I also know this is basic mistake management strategy in politics: apologize, promise to do better, and "reach out."

I just had no idea I was a person he would reach out to. Im certainly not someone politicians apologize to and Im no chief.

Lagimodiere and I then talked for about fifteen minutes. He shared with me a number of private, intimate things that involved his education, his upbringing, and why he had the perspective he shared last week  one he now knows was sorely lacking.

At no time did he ask me to go off the record even though some of the things he shared were clearly hard for him to talk about. The call validated a point in my column when I said Lagimodiere has precisely the same kind of poor education surrounding residential schools that most Canadians do.

At no time did he ask me to go "off the record" even though some of the things he shared were clearly hard for him to talk about.

The call validated a point in my column when I said Lagimodiere has precisely the same kind of poor education surrounding residential schools that most Canadians do.

He also is an Indigenous person ignorant of some of his own history, another outcome Canada has produced.

I told him that he should have known better if he was going to take on this role  and he accepted my comments with a remarkable tone of humility.

I also told him he needed to do a whole lot more than phone calls  and he agreed.

We then talked policy and ways the government could enact the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions calls to action.

For someone not used to seeing a whole lot of humility in the government of Brian Pallister, the Saturday morning conversation was a notable and unexpected experience.

It reminded me of NDP Leader Wab Kinews statement as he confronted Lagimodiere: "We will give you a chance, but you cant be out here defending residential schools if you want to work with Indigenous communities."

Those words have got to be one of the most Indigenous statements ever said in Canadian politics.

Indigenous peoples are always giving people who make mistakes second chances. It comes from an ethic of community; a principle that we all have to find a way to live with one another eventually and no matter the disagreement.

For evidence, look at how the chiefs of Manitoba just re-elected Arlen Dumas grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. In a close vote over Sheila North (where more chiefs voted against him during the first ballot), Dumas was given a very thin mandate to repair the controversies that plagued his first time around.

Lagimodiere has a second chance now, and its clear he can learn a lot over a few days. He is a veterinarian after all, so studying is not likely a problem.

Apparently, he can listen too. It takes guts to admit when youre wrong and face the consequences of your actions.

And I was only one of his phone calls. He told me he was going to spend all weekend calling chiefs and other Indigenous peoples impacted by his comments.

Hell be at it longer than that. More than a few Indigenous leaders have announced they wont be taking his calls. Hes got a lot more trust to build before he can help "chart a path forward."

Lagimodiere has his next media availability on Tuesday.

What hes willing to share with the public via reporters will go a long way to prove whether he deserves this second chance or he will have the shortest ministerial term in Manitobas history.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
Renata Machado was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, where she lived near the beach and swam in the ocean every day. Two years ago, she left the Brazilian city and moved to Winnipeg.

Opinion

Renata Machado was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, where she lived near the beach and swam in the ocean every day. Two years ago, she left the Brazilian city and moved to Winnipeg.

Machados never regretted it. She and her wife made the 10,000-kilometre move after witnessing a surge in homophobic violence in Brazil.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Renata Machado in the library at the Rainbow Resource Centre. Machado volunteers her time facilitating the New Pride of Winnipeg group at the centre, an LGBTTQ+ support group for newcomers.

"I didnt feel safe anymore," she says. "It was so bad and so disappointing. I was so fed up."

Upon arriving in Winnipeg in August 2019, Machado immediately got involved at Rainbow Resource Centre, the Osborne Village organization that offers support to the LGBTTQ+ community in the form of counselling, education and programming.

The 36-year-old joined New Pride of Winnipeg, the centres support group for immigrants and folks with refugee experience who identify as LGBTTQ+.

In January 2020, when the group was in danger of shutting down due to a lack of facilitators, Machado stepped up to volunteer her time and lead the group.

The purpose of the group is to provide a place where participants can make connections, practise their English, hang out and enjoy food together. Since the pandemic hit Manitoba, the group has held its monthly meetings on Zoom.

"Some of the meetings are more fun and were laughing a lot, and other meetings we have deeper conversations  particularly when people in the group are struggling," says Machado, who now has four co-facilitators helping her with New Pride.

In addition to her role facilitating New Pride, Machado sits on the centres board of directors. She also volunteers as sustainability director for the Pride Winnipeg Festival.

Machado volunteered in Brazil, but she did not feel safe volunteering in the LGBTTQ+ community. Shes glad thats changed.

"When I got here and saw both Pride and Rainbow and the work they do, I just really wanted to be a part of it," she says. "I really want to make a difference and I feel proud to volunteer with them.

"Volunteering with Pride and Rainbow has made me more confident. Everything they provided me, I just want to give a little bit back, if possible."

Adam Rout, volunteer co-ordinator at Rainbow Resource Centre, describes Machado as "a really stable and committed force" who has kept the New Pride group going.

"Renata is very passionate and very dedicated," he says. "She cares a lot about the community as a whole, but that particular group of newcomers I think really resonates with her, having gone through a lot of the same things that the participants have."

The centre had to shut its doors because of the pandemic, and has been offering its programming virtually over the last number of months. As Rout and his fellow staff members hope to reopen the centre in the fall, they are planning to expand their volunteer base.

Anyone interested in getting involved can visit rainbowresourcecentre.org/volunteer or email adamr@rainbowresourcecentre.org.

Machado says as soon as she walked through the doors at Rainbow Resource Centre in 2019, she felt at home.

"Ive met my best friends there. We have a great group, and I feel like I belong there," she says. "Every time we have a meeting, I learn so much."

If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.
Indigenous leaders have advised Canadians to brace themselves for findings of more unmarked graves of children on the sites of former Indian Residential Schools.

Opinion

Indigenous leaders have advised Canadians to brace themselves for findings of more unmarked graves of children on the sites of former Indian Residential Schools.

Speaking of the residential school legacies, Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has said: "Education got us into this mess and education will get us out."

To move forward in a positive way requires Canadians to acknowledge how schooling Indigenous people and settlers has advanced colonization. The problem is, too often, a refusal to know. Any honest historical examination of contemporary relations will challenge many Canadians cherished myths about our country, including the belief that Canada is a meritocracy with improving Indigenous-settler and race relations.

It also challenges the idea that all or most of those representing Canadians in government have the desire, power and commitment to solve inequities.

As a scholar concerned with how teachers own education shapes what happens in classrooms and how curriculum in Alberta schools can help students to be ethically engaged treaty partners, I can offer two concepts that may be helpful: considering learning in schools as a process of encounter and thinking about peoples relationships to stories about the past.

Learning is an encounter

The possibilities of what students learn at school are shaped by how teachers understand what they are doing.

Whether teachers learn to deliver curriculum as just a body of facts, attitudes and skills or whether they see themselves providing students opportunities to encounter new possibilities matters enormously.

For teachers, approaching curriculum as an encounter means looking at the ways in which students at any age have already learned much about making sense of life, their country and themselves in relation to others. What they take for granted as common sense is itself a historical legacy that requires explicit study.

To recognize is to "re-cognize": to bring into consciousness so as to know again.

Understanding teaching an encounter asks educators to not only engage their students to "re-cognize" what they have been formally taught  but also what they have informally learned.

For example, students have been subject to imagined but powerful social ideas related to ideal or acceptable forms of sexuality, gender and racialization. We need look no further than examples of hateful slurs on bathroom stall walls or uttered in schoolyards to know that these powerful and dehumanizing ideas persist and require explicit attention.

Tensions with preparing teachers

I conducted a study with five university social studies teacher instructors about how to prepare new teachers to engage the inclusion of Indigenous and francophone perspectives in Albertas (then new) current program of social studies. One finding from that study was the need to get better at equipping teachers and students to navigate discomfort and apprehension.

In teacher education, classrooms and beyond, what is needed is a cultural shift to valuing being "unsettled" by the unpleasant facts both of our historical and on-going relationships.

Educational institutions need to find ways to support students in understanding how we might forge our personal and collective identities ethically, responsive to all those with whom we are in treaty relations.

Easily digestable stories

The German scholar Jorn Rusen argues that the ability to perceive moral obligations in the present is related to how we position ourselves in relationship to inherited stories from or about the past. He says our capacities to change our current moral course of action hinges on this and he speaks of "narrative competence." I take this to mean the extent to which a person can learn useful lessons from a variety of stories about the past to think creatively about present and possible futures.

But the big stories about "our" origins as members of nation-states  what the theorist Jean-Francois Lyotard called "grand narratives"  work against narrative competence. These grand narratives are easily digestible stories around which an imaginary "we" can unite through the exclusion of others "not us."

Two problems grand narratives present is that they oversimplify the complexity of the past and present, and contribute to narrow national identifications about who has and has not contributed to the building of the country. As a powerful cultural story template and meme, Canadas grand narratives get retold in textbooks, heritage minutes and movies with an occasional addition of women, Indigenous and racialized people, immigrants or workers being added for flavour.

The power of stories to shape us

Researchers concerned with how people are understanding the call to truth, justice and reconciliation and what blocks it talk about "story-ing"  the process through which people understand their lives through the stories they are told and tell. It is my hope that non-Indigenous scholars continue to learn from Indigenous scholars and story tellers like Thomas King and Lee Maracle amongst many others in our local communities.

Canadians now need to acknowledge the power of stories to shape how people relate to each other, our non-human relatives, to the past, the nation and the world. And we need to ask whether we have the right stories to thrive well together in the face of present and future collective challenges.

The histories we tell each other must start with questions about justice and who we wish to collectively become. We need education that engages with our stereotypes and educated apprehensions so as to "re-story" a future better than that we have inherited.

If you are an Indian Residential School survivor, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.

Kent den Heyer is a professor of secondary education in the faculty of education at the University of Alberta.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
So, maybe it isnt just a vocal minority, after all.

Editorial

So, maybe it isnt just "a vocal minority," after all.

Back in May, as an initial wave began to grow in opposition to the provinces Bill 64  the Education Modernization Act  Minister of Education Cliff Cullen dismissed the negative public reaction as the over-amplified voices of a partisan few.

"Its a vocal minority that were hearing from, quite frankly," Mr. Cullen stated, suggesting groups with an axe to grind over proposed changes to education  including the Manitoba Teachers Society and the Manitoba School Boards Association  were peddling misinformation, stoking fears and "preying on the anxiety that many Manitobans are feeling during COVID."

The minister called for an open and honest discussion based on the facts of Bill 64, and vowed to address "misconceptions" about the proposed legislation in the days and weeks that followed.

Time has passed. Unease about the bill has only grown more widespread and vociferous.

As the number of lawn signs trumpeting opposition to Bill 64 continues to grow in various residential areas and new pockets of opposition emerge, it might be time for Mr. Cullen and the Pallister government to reconsider their assessment of the broader public view of their legislation.

Heres one way to look at it: if youre a Progressive Conservative government in Manitoba, and you lose the support of Winkler on a given issue, it might be time to revisit the ol drawing board.

Winkler, which sits smack-dab in the middle of the bluest of Tory-blue regions of the province (Manitobas sixth-largest community voted 87.5 per cent PC in 2019), last Wednesday sent a letter to the education minister outlining a resolution adopted by its city council in opposition to Bill 64s planned elimination of elected local school boards in favour of a centrally managed and government-appointed education authority that will set policy throughout the province.

"School boards reflect the values of local community through essential programming, services and supports offered to the populations they serve," the letter says. "Their operations are transparent, and through community involvement and open dialogue can build the trust that is necessary for good governance."

The letter calls on the province to amend Bill 64 to preserve the right for communities to elect school boards and maintain local accountability in public education.

The Pallister government has couched the board-elimination measure as a cost-saving initiative, but some observers have argued it is equally concerned with seizing central control of collective bargaining with teachers.

Winkler is one of several communities and municipalities in Tory-supporting rural Manitoba to join the anti-Bill-64 chorus in recent days. Mr. Cullens assertion that opposition to the bill is limited to special interests and a negligible big-city constituency that has fallen victim to the vocal groups fear-mongering is beginning to look like a rather sizable political miscalculation.

With the Progressive Conservative Party currently staring at polling numbers that would land them in the opposition benches if an election were held today, much of the blame for the flagging fortunes of Premier Brian Pallister and his government is being assigned to the uneven and twice-catastrophic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But make no mistake  Bill 64s proposal to aggressively centralize education authority at the expense of local representation has become a flashpoint that could prove to be as much of a tipping-point issue as is the pandemic response.

Mr. Cullen and the government he serves will ignore the ever-larger, ever-louder "vocal minority" at their peril.
Reports of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards are already cropping up in Manitoba, forcing public health officials to revisit guidance on how businesses verify immunization status of customers.

Reports of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards are already cropping up in Manitoba, forcing public health officials to revisit guidance on how businesses verify immunization status of customers.

Winnipeg pub manager Jay Kilgour said a pair of patrons came to Fionn MacCools on Saturday evening hoping to dine in with two other guests.

Two customers presented fake digital vaccination cards to Fionn MacCools staff on Saturday evening hoping to dine in with two other guests.

They presented digital vaccination cards to staff, who reported identical names on both cards after verifying them with a provincial application.

Kilgour detailed the interaction on Twitter, but declined an interview with the Free Press after receiving intense backlash from speaking with another media outlet Monday.

He said the customers presented a screenshot of a vaccination card and QR code, which he suspects was altered to display their names rather than the name of the person the card was issued to.

"When we scanned it, the real name popped up on our screen," Kilgour said on Twitter. "No patio table (was) available at the time, so we sent them on their way with a free appetizer card," in case the name duplication was an error.

Asked about the extent to which phony secure immunization cards may be in circulation, deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal said he had just learned of the possibility and could not comment on how widespread the issue might be.

"Ive heard, anecdotally, of one situation. Im sure theres more than one," Atwal said Monday. "But thats something that were going to have to take a deeper look into."

Unlike other vaccination records, such as the paper cards issued in some Canadian provinces, Manitobas secure immunization card can be validated using an application developed by the provincial government.

The application is available for free in the Apple App and Google Play stores, and is expected to be used by restaurant staff, ticket takers and personal care home workers.

When a person requests their individualized immunization card  either the digital or hard copy version  a unique QR code is created that contains first and last name and confirmation they are fully vaccinated.

The provinces Manitoba Immunization Verifier application checks the QR code against a government list and confirms vaccination status and displays the cardholders name.

The card can only be validated using the provinces application.

The government recommends affected businesses ask for photo identification to confirm the name appearing on the verification app matches that of the cardholder.

Atwal said government officials would be meeting to discuss the subject and come up with recommendations for operators to ensure people entering their establishments are following public health orders.

"Were expecting people to take whats necessary to make sure that someone is providing credible information. So verification of a name with photo ID doesnt sound unreasonable to me," Atwal said.

Under current public health orders, Manitobans must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend movie theatres, concert halls, casinos and bingo halls, museums and art galleries, visit personal care homes and hospitals, and to dine indoors with people they do not live with.

The province began issuing secure immunization cards June 8. To date, 62 per cent of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated, or about 737,000 people.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
The programs through the years have changed and much diversity in programming has occurred. Gone are the days of a single room and a coffee pot. In 2003, a gym opened with professional fitness trainers, and many health and wellness staff provide a variety of workouts. There are educational programs from local educators as well as live hikes of our own beautiful area in the Mississippi valley of bluffs, trails and water. We have a variety of innovative offerings for an individuals creative side. Zoom programming has been offered since 2012 and will continue in a hybrid manner as long as people are homebound or unable to come to the building. We have Senior Advocates that assist older adults with resources and information to remain living in their home for as long as they possibly can. We offer programs for persons living with memory loss and inform the community through dementia informational sessions. We work towards making Winona a dementia-friendly community.
July 17-23 is Hemp History Week, so its a great opportunity to highlight Wisconsins past, present, and future in the industry. In the past, Wisconsin was a national leader in hemp. Industrial hemp was grown experimentally here in the early 1900s, we had 7,000 acres dedicated to hemp farming in 1917, and by the 1940s, we led the nation in hemp production. At that time, hand labor was necessary and this crop was intensive to produce. However, Wisconsins farmers used their great work ethic to become leaders in harvesting this crop. During the height of hemp production, our state also had 42 processing mills. These mills were able to process the fibrous hemp stalks into a number of materials including rope, shoes, sewing materials, and caulking for the U.S. military.

From the mid-1900s until the passage of 2017 Senate Bill 119 it was illegal to grow hemp in Wisconsin. After I introduced bills in April 2015 and February 2017 on this topic, my colleagues and I finally got a bill to the governors desk in November 2017. This bill was the first step in many to get to the hemp program that we now have in Wisconsin. Today, the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection licenses farmers to grow hemp for CBD and fiber.
The vulnerable points in South Africas fuel supply chain

The glaring failure by authorities to secure an area notorious for attacks on trucks prompts questions about, at best, utter ineptitude, or at worst, complicity

Oil companies and governments are usually awake to the strategic role played by liquid fuels and have special measures to protect supply and logistics. Much of South Africas measures are apartheid era hangovers that have eroded with time. Periodic risk assessments have been done, but many assumed a calm society. It seems there was inadequate attention given to the risks imposed by a broken social compact.

So where do the biggest risks lie?

South Africa has always been heavily dependent on imported fuel. Its synthetic fuel (from coal) capability  developed during the apartheid era to overcome the oil sanctions imposed by the United Nations  accounts for the balance.

But the risk to imports seems low. The world is awash with oil and refined products . This is due to the slump in demand triggered by lockdowns to contain the spread of Covid-19. There seems little risk of global shortages, apart from the usual refinery fires and supply disruptions.

The OPEC cartel still tries to manipulate prices. At the same time they dont want to strangle demand. In addition its power has been tempered by a massive increase in production by unconventional producers, such as the fracking industry, in the US. North America is now one of the worlds largest producers of oil.

This leaves frontline security risks to fuel supply in South Africa. Fears that the country would run out of fuel arose last week following an outbreak of looting and infrastructure destruction. Most of the destruction was centered in the countrys economic hub Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal on the east coast and home to one of Africas largest harbours.

From the patterns of violence over the past week it appears that the threats to fuel supply are land based. They come from following types of groups:

politically motivated insurrectionists seeking to undermine the democratic project

organised crime (mafias). The South African construction industry has been beset by local racketeering mafias armed with automatic weapons demanding protection money.

small time thieves

occasional looters, and

weak or complicit policing. The institutional weakening of law and order that took place during the state capture period associated with President Jacob Zumas term of office, may have been a contributory factor.

The attacks that have taken place seem to have been made by one or more of these groups acting in concert  by design or by coincidence. Which groups are involved can depend on local conditions.

Who is, and who isnt, doing the damage

The fact that certain groups managed to close the economic umbilical cord  the main road from South Africas largest port in Durban to its industrial heartland, Gauteng  for several days reveals some level of organisation and determination as well as the weakness of the authorities.

Most of South Africas fuel is delivered by ship. Unlike countries like Somalia and Nigeria, South Africas domestic mafias have not yet expanded into piracy.

Crude oil is delivered by very large vessels to the single buoy mooring off-shore Durban which is visible from shore.

But no nefarious groups have yet shown any marine proclivities. In addition, crude oil has no immediate local value given that it still needs refining. The single buoy mooring seems low risk for the time being.

What about the risks to refineries?

The immediate threat to a refinery is a workforce that cannot get to work and back. The next threat is posed by capacity. Refineries produce large volumes. If their downstream distribution network is obstructed, they have to close for fear of drowning in their own product.

This is what lay behind the decisions by Shell and BP to close their refinery in Durban last week.

South Africa also imports petroleum products, delivered by ship to the main ports Durban, Richards Bay and Cape Town, where it is discharged through loading facilities into nearby storage tanks in the harbour area.

Tight security is paramount. The recent looting of containers in Durban harbour doesnt speak well of harbour security.

To steal that fuel you need at least one large truck. This wouldnt be easy to sneak into a harbour, unless the security at the harbour gates is complicit. Most of this kind of theft has been more along the lines of fraud in the paperwork, such as false volumes, which the oil companies are continually countering.

From the storage depots the fuel is loaded onto road tankers for delivery to service stations and customers. This is where the fuel logistics chain is at its most vulnerable. To restock service stations in and around Durban, private security services have since late last week been escorting road tanker convoys with the law and order authorities unseen.

Road tankers are slow soft targets often moving through built up areas.

The rioting and insurrection in KwaZulu-Natal started with the torching of more than 20 trucks on the main road from Durban to the industrial heartland at the sleepy town of Mooi River. Attacks on trucks have happened repeatedly at this location for several years. It is inexplicable that law enforcement authorities appear to have done nothing about it.

It is such a glaring oversight that it prompts questions about, at best, utter ineptitude, or at worst, complicity.

A lot of people know about fuels explosive qualities and although there are those who might take a chance, stealing petroleum products is more the preserve of mafias. This was evident in the theft of several million litres from a pipeline at Van Reenen  some 270 kms from Durban  where several large road tankers were arranged to cart the fuel away.

The state owned pipeline operator, Transnet Pipelines, has reported an unprecedented increase in incidents of pipeline theft in recent years.

The point is that arson attacks on fuel installations is literally sending money up in smoke, which even criminals dont like. Not so, insurrectionists.

Inland there are further storage depots in the logistics chain. They are required by law to install certain protective measures. These appear to have either worked, or they havent been on the radar of those seeking to do damage.

From these depots fuel is road-hauled to service stations and retailed to motorists.

Because South African law prohibits motorists from filling their own vehicles, service stations normally have several pump attendants on hand and are well lit at night, making them relatively safe. In the current round of unrest many service station proprietors have locked up shop, making it difficult for thieves to access underground storage tanks.

South Africa will need to reassess its risk profiles at each link in its on-land fuel supply chain. Currently the most vulnerable seem to be the refineries, road delivery, and the transport corridor from Durban to Gauteng  both pipeline and road.

Rod Crompton, Adjunct professor African Energy Leadership Centre Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  Interest in the Tippecanoe County Health Department's back-to-school vaccine clinic is down, despite a decline in the number of children staying up to date on their shots.

"We need to make sure that everyone is back on schedule and that's a big push with the state for local health departments," said Tippecanoe County Health Department Executive Assistant Amanda Balser.

Balser said routine vaccinations went down in 2020, and now they're trying to make sure all children are up to date with their shots before school starts.

"All of those diseases that we normally, routinely vaccinate for could make a comeback if you're not getting your child immunized," Balser said.

That's why the health department is holding a back-to-school vaccine clinic.

It's focused on making sure children get the required vaccines for Kindergarten, sixth and 12th grade, but there's been a drop in interest this year.

"We normally do an appointment every 10 minutes with our back-to-school clinics and right now we only have 20 appointments scheduled," she explained.

Balser said some kids fell behind on state-required vaccines due to the pandemic and said schools didn't penalize students for not having updated shots.

"We have safe vaccines that have been proven to be effective," said West Lafayette Intermediate School Nurse Beth Bangs. "I mean, meningitis. You don't want your kid getting meningitis."

Bangs is the nurse at West Lafayette Intermediate school, and she said there are consequences for not having your kids up to date.

"Our rule right now is 20 days after the beginning of school, if your child isn't vaccinated, they cannot attend school until they have a scheduled appointment verified," Bangs explained.

However, the consequences could be much more dangerous if your child isn't meeting the state requirements.

"You don't want to see a spike of something else besides COVID hit the schools," said Balser. "You have to protect your kids."

The clinic is Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the COVID vaccine clinic at 2577 Maple Point Drive in Lafayette.

Walk-ins are accepted, and those underinsured or without insurance will still be eligible for vaccines.
Christi Caughron, 66 year old Woodward resident, passed away Thursday, July 15, 2021 at home surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 21, 2021 in the Billings Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Chris Ames officiating. Interment will be at the Memor
The Ohio River is a 1,579km long river in the east-central United States. The name Ohio has been derived from the native Seneca language, where the term Ohi:yo literally means Good River. The Ohio River serves as a source of drinking water for over five million people and more than 25 million people live in the Ohio River basin.

Geography

Aerial View of the Ohio River between Jeffersonville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky.

The two sources of the Ohio River are the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River. The Allegheny River rises in north-central Pennsylvania in the Allegheny Township at an elevation of 680m. The Monongahela River begins in the city of Fairmont in the State of West Virginia at an elevation of 270m. The two rivers meet at Point State Park in the city of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and form the Ohio River. The Ohio River then flows in a southwesterly direction and joins the Mississippi River at the city of Cairo in the State of Illinois.

Through its course, the Ohio River passes through six US States namely, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. The river flows along the state boundaries of Ohio and West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, Indiana and Kentucky, and Illinois and Kentucky. The Ohio River forms the eastern and the largest tributary of the Mississippi River. At the point where both the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers meet, the Ohio River is much bigger than the Mississippi River in terms of discharge volume. It is estimated that at their meeting point, the Ohio River has a discharge volume of 7,960m3/s, whereas the Mississippi River has a discharge volume of 5,897m3/s. It has also been found that the flow of the Ohio River is greater than that of the Mississippi River and hydrologically the Ohio River contributes more water to the Mississippi River than any other tributary.

The Ohio River is naturally a shallow river that has been artificially deepened by constructing a series of dams. The river has a width of less than 0.8km between the cities of Pittsburgh and Wheeling and a width of 1.6km from the city of Cincinnati to Louisville. The rivers deepest point is 51m on the western side of Louisville in Kentucky. From Louisville to its confluence with the Mississippi River at Cairo, the river has a depth of 6m. The lowest elevation of the river is at 96m at the point where it joins the Mississippi River. The dams help to raise the water level, assist in controlling floods and make the river navigable.

The lower Ohio River just below the city of Louisville has been obstructed by rapids known as the Falls of the Ohio and makes it impassable for navigation. However, the construction of the McAlpine Locks & Dam has helped to bypass the rapids and allow commercial navigation from Forks of Ohio to the Port of New Orleans. Over 184 million tons of cargo are transported through the river annually.

Some of the major tributaries of the Ohio River include Tennessee River, Cumberland River, Wabash River, Allegheny River, Muskingum River, Kentucky River, Green River, Great Miami River, etc. The Ohio River basin covers an area of 490,600 sq. km and drains parts of 14 US States in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Deep South regions.

Geology

Sunset view over the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Geologically, the Ohio River is relatively young. Before the river was formed, large parts of the North American continent were covered by water which formed a saltwater lake. During this time, the bedrock of the Ohio valley was also formed. It is believed that the Ohio River was formed on a piecemeal basis that began about 2.5 and 3 million years ago. The movement of glaciers during the early ice ages helped in forming the current river drainages of several rivers that ultimately created the Ohio River System as well as the course of the headwaters of the Ohio River. The Teays River was the largest of these rivers. It is believed that the present-day Ohio River flows within the segments of the ancient Teays River.

Climate and Ecology

A Canada goose in Ohio River.

The Ohio River is situated in a climatic transition area and the waters of the river run along the borders of humid subtropical and humid continental climate areas. During winter, the river regularly freezes at the city of Pittsburgh, while at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers in the city of Paducah in Kentucky, the Ohio River remains ice-free throughout the year. About 160 species of fish and 50 rare species of mussels have been recorded in the Ohio River.

The Ohio River is considered the most polluted river in the United States. Agricultural runoff and wastewater from industrial processes are major causes of water pollution in the Ohio River.

Brief History

Coal barge and pusher boat on Ohio River.

The Ohio River had great significance for the Native American people as many ancient civilizations took place along its valley. For several years, the Native Americans used the river for transportation and trading purposes and helped in connecting various communities. The native American tribes of Kaw, Ponca, Omaha, Osage lived near the Ohio River but had to leave the area under the pressure of the dominant Iroquois. The first European explorers to see the Ohio River were Rene-Robert Cavelier and Sieur de La Salle in 1669. They named the river la belle riviere or the beautiful river. During the 18th century, the Ohio River served as the southern boundary of the Northwest Territory and a border between the British settlements in Kentucky and the native American Indian communities in Ohio. Along with the Mason-Dixon Line, the Ohio River also serves as a symbolic divider between the slave states in the south and the free states in the north.
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JCVI recommends offering covid vaccine to children ages 12 -15 years with specific underlying health conditions

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has today issued advice on offering the coronavirus vaccine to children and young people aged 12 -15 years with specific underlying health conditions.

This means the clinically extremely vulnerable patient group now includes young people aged 12 and over.

Young people aged 16 to 17 years of age who are at higher risk of serious COVID-19, as currently set out in the Green Book, have already been offered the COVID-19 vaccination and should continue to be offered.

Children and young people aged 12 years and over who are household contacts of persons who are immunosuppressed should be offered a COVID-19 vaccination on the understanding that the main benefits from vaccination are related to the potential for indirect protection of their household contact who is immunosuppressed. There is a self-referral form, which you will find here.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: JCVI also advises that operationally, it is reasonable to allow a lead-in time to offer vaccination to those children who are within three months of their 18th birthday to ensure good uptake of vaccine in newly-turned 18 year olds.

We will move quickly to vaccinate those turning 18 years old, including those intending to go to university.

As a result of the low incidence and severity of COVID-19 in children and the reported safety issues, the JCVI does not currently advise routine universal vaccination of all other children and young people less than 18 years of age. I am aware there have been calls for children to be vaccinated to prevent them getting post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (long COVID).

Covid rates in children are relatively low and there is still limited information about the overall direct effects of the virus on them. However, studies are emerging which show that this risk is very low in children, especially in comparison with adults, and similar to the secondary health complications of other respiratory viral infections in children.

My officials remain in close contact with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on this matter and have established a group to consider the impacts of Long Covid on both adults and children and co-ordinate the wide ranging response needed. The group includes childrens policy leads as well as clinical and research colleagues.

The group has just committed to establishing a sub-group, chaired by Dr Mark Walker, to consider the establishment of a paediatric care pathway for use with children with Long Covid in Wales.

The minister has also outlined changes to self isolation for those who have been double vaccinated.

Ms Morgan said: Turning to self-isolation, as the First Minister set out on 14 July, it has been agreed that, from today, all adults who are fully vaccinated with NHS COVID-19 vaccines and under-18s, do not have to self-isolate on their return from amber-list countries.

The exception to this is France, from where on arrival people will continue to be required to self-isolate for 10 days, even when fully vaccinated. This is because of concerns about the Beta variant which is understood to more easily evade our vaccines. Fully vaccinated means that two weeks have passed since you have had your final dose of an approved vaccine under the UK vaccination programme, are taking part in formally approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, or under the age of 18 and resident in the UK.

In addition, during August we will remove the requirement for people who have been fully vaccinated to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive. Self-isolation will continue to play a very important role to help minimise the spread of the virus.

There will be additional safeguards in place for people who work in health and social care settings. We will consider as part of the next three week review of the regulations other potential exemptions, such as for those under the age of 18.

We are still receiving a lot of queries about vaccine certification and some vaccines not being recognised by certain countries for entry. As outlined in my written statement last week, I would like to reiterate that all AstraZeneca vaccines given in the UK appear on the NHS COVID Pass as Vaxzevria.

The EMA has authorised this vaccine and travel should not be affected. Where there is a misunderstanding with individual countries, the UK Government has agreed to discuss the integrity of the vaccines directly with the relevant Government.
People urged to respect cross border restriction differences

Councils chiefs on either side of the border are urging people to respect the differences in Wales as England ends most of the legal Covid-19 restrictions.

PM Johnsons lockdown roadmap will reach step four today, meaning most of the remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England will be lifted despite steeply rising infection rates.

On Saturday Public Health England reported 48,161 new Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK.

The prime minister  who is now self-isolating following Sajid Javids positive Covid-19 test  said last week, we know were going to see more hospitalisations and more deaths from Covid.

But we also know that this wave was clearly foreseen by our scientists when we first set out that roadmap in February.

We also know that if we were now to delay this 4th step  for instance to September or later  then we would be re-opening as the weather gets colder and as the virus acquires a greater natural advantage and when schools are back.

But it is absolutely vital that we proceed now with caution. And I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough. This pandemic is not over. This disease coronavirus continues to carry risks for you and for your family.

From today in England, all mandatory restrictions including social distancing and mask-wearing will be removed, though many of the major retailers in England will be encouraging people to keep wearing face coverings.

Wales moved to alert level one on Saturday but most of the current restrictions in place wont be lifted until 7th August when the country moves to alert level zero if safe to do so.

Even then, face masks will remain a legal requirement indoors in public places, such as on public transport, in shops and when accessing healthcare.

Key differences from today centre around the use of face coverings, and the number of people able to meet indoors. In Wales  face coverings are mandatory in all indoor public places at alert level one, when Wales moves to alert level zero, face coverings will remain a legal requirement in certain settings. From Saturday, July 17, up to six people will be able to meet indoors in private homes and holiday accommodation. There will be no change in the rules around face coverings. Organised indoor events can take place for up to 1,000 people seated and up to 200 standing, and ice rinks will be able to reopen. Nightclubs in Wales will remain closed. In England, from today there will be no limit on the number of people who can meet indoors, and face coverings are recommended to be worn (not a legal requirement) in crowded indoor areas and on public transport. There will also be no limits on the number of people who can meet, and most legal restrictions are lifted.

Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire Councils and Chester councils are advising residents of the different restrictions affecting both sides of the England and Wales border from Monday.

The unattributed joint statement noted: The changes in restrictions follow the success of the vaccination programme, which has weakened the link between infections, serious illness and hospitalisation in both Wales and England.

However, the Delta variant continues to spread and the virus still poses a serious risk to health. Infection rates are still very high in Cheshire West and Chester and we are seeing more people requiring treatment for Covid-19 in our local hospitals.

Were also seeing young, fit people suffering from long-Covid, which is having a major impact on their lives.

Everyone living, working in and visiting Wales is asked to respect the difference in restrictions between England and Wales, and to stick to the regulations in place.

Those living, working in and visiting Cheshire West and Chester are also advised to continue to exercise caution in the borough and to get their two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

People should continue with their use of face coverings in enclosed spaces, particularly on public transport.

Visitors to Wales are asked to respect staff working in tourism, hospitality and leisure industries, who are all continuing to do their utmost to look after the health and welfare of those they work for and with.

People travelling into Wales from England on public transport will be required to wear a mask when they cross the border, Mark Drakeford has said.

The Welsh government confirmed that face coverings will continue to be required on public transport, in taxis, health and social care settings and most indoor public places, as a minimum while coronavirus remains a public health threat.

Wales  Restrictions from 17 July: frequently asked questions

England  Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread from 19 July
Three Eagles County Winner in National Pub & Bar Awards

The best venues in every UK county have been revealed and Three Eagles are granted top County spot.

Three Eagles Bar & Grill were named one of the best county venues in the National Pub & Bar Awards 2021. Three Eagles have taken top spot for the county of Denbighshire and they say their team are thrilled.

The National Pub & Bar Awards aims to put the finest on-trade businesses across the UK in the national spotlight, showcasing just how diverse and creative the hospitality industry is, as well as how businesses have survived the pandemic. A total of 94 pubs and bars received the prestigious National Pub & Bar Award.

The venues, which have been selected on overall best practice across a number of operational categories, will be officially crowned at a red-carpet celebration at 30 Euston Square in September. At the grand finale, 15 Regional Winners will also be announced, as well as the esteemed accolade  the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year.

Three Eagles will go up against seven county competitors in a fight for the regional title and hope to be in the running following a monumental return to service post-pandemic.

Adam Gaunt-Evans, Director or Restaurants and Bars, One Hundred Knights, said: Its a true testament of how hard the team have worked to get us back up and running since we re-emerged from lockdown. Im so proud of everyone involved and were thrilled to win the County National Pub & Bar Award for Denbighshire.

The atmosphere and experience at the Three Eagles is unrivalled and we have a fantastic following of customers, we hope we can go all the way in the final!

Ive never been prouder of this industry, says Tristan OHana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which hosts the event. The entries for this years awards demonstrated the undeniable value that communities place on their beloved pubs and bars. To be able to acknowledge the hard work and diligence of venues across 94 UK counties is an absolute privilege. These outstanding venues deserve this recognition now more than ever.

View the full list of county winners at https://nationalpubandbarawards.co.uk/ or the Three Eagles website at https://thethreeeagles.co.uk/
Virtual gig raises 1000 for community radio station

A virtual concert featuring more than a dozen local musicians and bands has raised a thousand pounds for CalonFM, Wrexhams community radio station.

The online gig, coordinated by one of CalonFMs volunteers Chris Ingram, raised a total of 1,055 and will go towards ensuring the station is back on the airwaves.

Heather Wilson, one of the directors of Wrexham Community Broadcasting, which is looking to retain CalonFMs broadcasting licence, said: Fundraising during Covid has been very difficult and we were really grateful for everybodys support in getting this off the ground. Chris played a huge role in organising and coordinating the musicians and poets such as Evrah Rose so a big thanks to him.

CalonFM has been an amazing public resource in Wrexham for over 13 years. Sadly the station has been on hold while a new board was formed and new premises sought. This means starting afresh and funds are needed to get back on air as soon as possible  with new equipment, premises and staffing.

CalonFM has a local reach potential of more than 100,000 listeners and, thanks to our new online presence at https://calon.fm were now able to reach a new audience.

Getting funding for this equipment will allow us to start preparing studios for volunteers to start broadcasting as soon as can and also create podcasts on our website covering a range of topics such as mental health, Wrexham community groups, music and acting.

Artists who contributed to the online gig included Evrah Rose, Andy Duncan, Andy Hickie, Check Masses, Una Quinn and Neil Campbell, Sera Songs, Trandoshan Hunters, Emmi Manteau, Logans Close, Georgia and the Vintage Youth and Hazel Sian.

You can visit the new CalonFM site via https://calon.fm
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - The US Coast Guard confirms to News4 that the cruise ship, American Jazz, has been dislodged from the sandbar it had been stuck on.

Coast Guard rescues passengers off riverboat stuck on Kentucky lake TRIGG COUNTY, KY (WSMV) - Passengers on board the American Jazz were stuck in a sandbar on

For over a week, the ship had been stuck on a sandbar on Lake Barkley in Kentucky. The ship was headed for Nashville from Memphis when it got stuck. Late last week, the Coast Guard was able to get most of the passengers off the ship.

The vessel became off course and routed itself on the left descending bank. Original efforts to try and remove the vessel with the passengers on board proved unsuccessful so right now the company and the United States Coast Guard are developing additional plans to move forward to keep passengers and crews safe, said Lt. Nolan. - Lt. John Nolan with Marine Safety Unit Paducah told us last week.

News4 was sent video of the ship sailing again late Friday afternoon.

The riverboat is on its way to Nashville according to American Cruise Lines.
In her typically hypocritical and insensitive manner, Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, after admitting that we are going to continue to see preventable cases, hospitalization and, sadly, deaths among the unvaccinated, sought to blame this on the poor choices of those have not yet been vaccinated.

Were having a pandemic of the unvaccinated, she said, as though there was no connection between the evident failure of the Biden administrations vaccination campaign and its broader effort to push workers back to their jobs and students back to school, regardless of the mounting danger of infection from the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.

The unvaccinated, on whom she blames the pandemic, also includes 40 million school children for whom there is no vaccine as yet, but who will be fully exposed to the risks of coronavirus when public schools reopen, either now, during the summer months, or in August and September, when the regular school sessions begin.

Dr. Joseph Varon, right, leads a team as they try to save the life of a patient unsuccessfully inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center earlier this month. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Instead, Walensky reiterated the demand that schools be fully reopened for the fall and the advice that fully vaccinated individuals need not wear masks, while claiming, things can still get worse, which is why were doing everything we can now to make sure that that doesnt happen, a patent falsehood.

As a teacher on the Facebook group Teachers Against Dying appropriately noted, [That] Walensky is shifting the blame is epic! The unvaccinated did not cause, nor are they perpetuating, the pandemic. The CDC is wildly culpable for massive death and illness and continues with their shitty and baseless advice.

Teachers and parents should note that the CDC has confirmed the role children play as vectors of transmission. In yet-to-be- published data from June 10, 2021, during a presentation on the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents, Dr. Hannah Kirking warned that kids transmit as efficiently as adults and are infected at rates similar to adults. This information has continued to be suppressed by the CDC and the media, which continue to endorse school reopenings.

Speaking on CNBCs Squawk Box on Wednesday, former head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Scott Gottlieb offered a more compelling and starker reminder that the pandemic is far from being over even for those fully vaccinated. He said, If youre in a location where there is dense spread, and there are parts of the country where its very dense right now, I think people need to start taking precautions, including people who are fully vaccinated if youre a vulnerable individual.

Figure 1 Estimated seroprevalence from US multi-state assessment for SARS-CoV-2 survey in commercial laboratories

He added, The Delta variant is going to move its way through the country over the course of August and September, maybe into October. Thats what the modeling shows, thats what we expected, that the peak of this epidemic would really be sometime around the end of September, back-to-school seasonIts going to get worse before it gets better in terms of the spread of these infections right now.

Despite the CDCs insistence that face coverings are not required for vaccinated individuals, Los Angeles County, where about 52 percent of the residents are fully vaccinated, has reinstated the indoor mask mandate in the face of rising infections.

On Saturday, 1,800 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the county. Barbara Ferrer, the local public health director, said in a statement, Given the increased intermingling among unmasked people where vaccination status is unknown, the millions of people still unvaccinated, and the increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, we are seeing a rapid increase in COVID-19 infections.

The number of new COVID-19 cases across the United States has been accelerating since reaching its low point near the end of June. The seven-day moving average has climbed to more than 31,000 new infections per day, a 135 percent rise compared to 14 days ago.

All states across the country, even those with high vaccination rates, are seeing a rise in infections. Twenty-eight states had cases climb more than 100 percent in a two-week period. In conjunction with these new surges, hospitalizations for the treatment of severe COVID-19 infections have also risen to a seven-day moving average of over 21,400, a 33 percent increase from the lows in June. Twenty-five percent of those hospitalizations are in intensive care units.

The US will reach the milestone of 35 million cumulative COVID-19 cases early this week, with 625,000 reported deaths attributed to complications with the infections since the pandemic. These figures remain the highest in any country across the globe.

Attesting to the benefits offered by vaccinations, the rise in hospitalizations and fatalities associated with COVID-19 complications is essentially occurring among unvaccinated patients, hence predominately among younger people. However, their youth does not provide a guarantee against the danger of more severe and even life-threatening consequences. Health officials are growing concerned that younger unvaccinated people are accessing healthcare with severe COVID-19 symptoms, necessitating admission into hospitals for treatment more frequently than in the earlier period of the pandemic.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas Health System, remarked, We are seeing patients in their 20s and 30s who are otherwise healthy who are coming because of worsening symptoms  today, in the hospital, in the ICU, who are needing to have ventilator and high oxygen support.

Dr. Faisal Khan, director of St. Louis Countys public health department, said on MSNBC, Two weeks ago there were 89 patients admitted to ICU beds for COVID-related conditions across the St. Louis metro area. Each of these individuals was unvaccinated, and they were from the relatively younger age group between 18 to 50.

At Miamis Baptist Hospital, COVID-19 patient numbers are growing exponentially, with now more than 70 people being treated for their infections. Dr. Sergio Segarra, the chief medical officer, speaking with CNN, reminisced, I remember seeing articles in the news about hospitals in California with empty COVID units, and I longed for that experience. Its an experience we were working our way towards that, unfortunately, has taken a rather sad turn. He explained that many are very young, in their 20s and 30s, who are critically ill and dying.

What makes the situation particularly dire is that the US vaccination campaign has slowed dramatically, with only 48.5 percent of its people fully vaccinated. The seven-day average of inoculations has remained barely over 500,000 per day for more than a week. Bidens goal of 70 percent of adults receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines by July 4, a meaningless target given that a single dose offers minimal protection against the present strain, has been pushed back to mid-August.

Breaking this down by age groups, about 84 percent of adults 65 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. Almost 72 percent have been fully vaccinated, accounting for the most significant proportion by age group. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted the elderly. Though they account for 16 percent of the population, they make up 80 percent of all those that have died from COVID-19 during the pandemic so far.

Approximately 66 percent of those between the ages of 50 and 64 have been fully vaccinated, while for those aged 40 to 49, 56.4 percent have been fully vaccinated. Less than half of adults between 25 to 39 have been fully inoculated. That drops to 42 percent for 18 to 24. Only 10 percent of people 12-17 have been fully vaccinated, and no vaccines are available yet for children under 12.

There are enormous geographic variations: states in the Southeast and parts of the Midwest and Rocky Mountain areas that wont see the 70 percent of adults fully vaccinated well into winter or next year. States like Wyoming, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Alaska, Ohio, Indiana, and Louisiana, which are below the national averages, are also seeing the pace of vaccination declining from the previous week.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation, regions that rank high on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), along with higher poverty levels, also have lower vaccination rates. In areas where the share of people 65 and older living in poverty is greater than 11 percent, only 58.8 percent are vaccinated compared to 69 percent vaccinated where fewer than seven percent of the elderly are in poverty.

The Axios website, in a survey of adults on their vaccination status, conducted June 9-21, found that those earning less than $50,000 by household income accounted for 52.7 percent of all unvaccinated Americans. Though political affiliations, media misinformation, and religious backwardness all play a role, the socioeconomic factors appear decisive.

Julia Raifman, a health policy professor at Boston University, told Axios, A lot of low-income workers are working hard to provide food and housing. That may mean its hard for them to find a time to get vaccinated. The issue of unpaid time off is a concern, given vaccine side effects. Companies are not always making it easy for workers to get these life-saving treatments despite many low-income workers still wanting to get vaccinated.

Even the CDC noted that although vaccine eligibility has expanded, vaccination coverage among adults was lower among those living in counties with lower socioeconomic status and with a higher percentage of households with children, single parents, and persons with disabilities.

It should be noted that since Joe Biden took his oath of office in January, close to 200,000 people have died from COVID-19. His administration, the CDC, and both Democratic and Republican state governments have been working furiously to dismantle the safeguards of public health measures that have saved lives, in order to push workers back to their jobs. Vaccines have been used to declare the pandemic over and demand a return to capitalist exploitation as usual.
The governments profits before lives policy has already led to rising infection figures again in recent weeks. Now, the federal and state governments are putting the lives and health of tens of thousands more people at risk by continuing unsafe face-to-face teaching at the end of the summer holidays.

Against the backdrop of an explosive spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus throughout Europe, Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) on Wednesday that outbreaks at schools must be expected.

In primary schools, the minister said, there was naturally the danger that school attendance... spreads coronavirus again more strongly in families and society and can then also affect those who cannot be vaccinated, for example, because of cancer. To maintain regular classes under these conditions, a step-by-step plan was necessary, which determines how to react if the infection situation worsens.

Classroom in Dortmund, August 2020 (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

This is unmistakable: Instead of comprehensively securing schools and day care centres against the highly contagious delta variant, children and youth, as well as their families, are to be infected according to a step-by-step plan in the interest of big business.

As virologist Melanie Brinkmann of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research warned RND at the beginning of the month, the Delta variant will rush through schools very quickly after the summer holidays if no additional measures are taken. Education Minister Karliczek, however, did not hold out the prospect of any precautions apart from tests and a limited obligation to wear masks and referred to the responsibility of the Lander (federal states) for the installation of air filtration systems.

The policy of profit maximisation and deliberate infection is being implemented by all the establishment parties, which are thus realising the programme of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and increasingly adopting its slogans.

For example, at the beginning of the month, CDU candidate for chancellor in the September federal election, Armin Laschet, had already demanded that the population live with the virus. In an interview with broadcaster ARD, he added that compulsory testing and wearing masks in schools could be lifted if the incidence figures remain stable.

Social Democratic Party (SPD) chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz recently spoke of the need for a normal school day and called for clear and courageous reopening steps. SPD politician Karl Lauterbach told broadcaster n-tv that in future there would be no more lockdowns.

The nominally left-wing opposition parties are also putting the herd immunity policy into practice. The Greens sit in a total of 11 state governments where they are pushing the brutal reopening of the economy.

In Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) leads a Left Party-SPD-Green coalition. The state has almost always recorded the highest infection figures during the pandemic and ranks secondafter Saxony, where the Greens are also in governmentamong the federal states with the most infections in relation to the number of inhabitants. Ramelow himself has repeatedly praised the Swedish governments policy of herd immunity.

The unsafe opening of schools has already contributed to a renewed catastrophe in other countries. In the UK, where the Delta variant has spread furiously through schools, it already accounts for well over 90 percent of new infections. Although more than half the population is fully vaccinated, the country is heading for new highs with more than 50,000 new daily infections at last count.

Figures from Public Health England (PHE) show that in the working-class city of Liverpool, the incidence of coronavirus among 10- to 14-year-olds increased tenfold in the second half of June. In the week ending June 20, more than 16,000 schoolchildren fell ill in the UKyet pupils are no longer to be quarantined if there is a suspected case of coronavirus in their class. Social distancing and mask-wearing requirements are to be removed at the start of the new school year in September.

The Netherlands is currently experiencing the steepest increase in new infections since the beginning of the pandemic. Within 14 days, the infection rate has increased tenfold and was recently back above 10,000 new infections in a single day. At the end of June, the right-wing government of Mark Rutte had, among other things, eliminated compulsory mask-wearing at primary schools.

In Israel, which started vaccinations early compared to European countries, the Delta variant has also become the dominant strain. Israels Ministry of Health had already admitted at the end of June that about half of those newly infected were schoolchildren and reported new outbreaks in close to 30 schools in the country. Although the summer holidays began in Israel on June 19, many pupils are still being sent to schools so their parents can work.

The Delta variant has also long been prevalent in Germany. The R (reproduction) value is above 1 for the first time in months and the rate of new infections is rising steeply. Schoolchildren are currently at twice the risk of infection as the average population. According to the figures of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the incidence rate of 15-19 year-olds is over 14 and that of 20-24 year-olds even over 18. Among 10-14-year-olds, the 7-day incidence rate reached a relative peak of 12 a fortnight ago.

Despite this ominous development, all federal states are maintaining regular classes and eliminating even the most basic protective measures. The compulsory use of masks in classrooms hardly exists in any of the federal states. According to official figures, more than 60,000 pupils have been infected with the virus so far, of whom more than 500 had to be hospitalised and two have died. If infections spread further in schools, tens of thousands of students would have to be hospitalised.

More than 16 months since the start of the pandemic, a growing number of studies highlight the prevalence of prolonged disorders following COVID-19 infection and the dangerous consequences it can have.

A study published on July 5 this year by scientists at the University of Heidelberg found that 12 months after a COVID-19 infection, only 22.9 percent of patients at the university hospital were completely free of symptoms. According to the study, the most common symptoms were reduced physical performance (56.3 percent), fatigue (53.1), dyspnoea (37.5), concentration problems (39.6), word-finding problems (32.3) and sleep problems (26.0).

The researchers concluded that neurocognitive Long COVID symptoms persist for at least one year after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms and can significantly reduce quality of life.

Another study by the University of Mainz, in which more than 10,000 people participated, concluded that more than 42 percent of those infected with COVID-19 are unaware that they carry the virus and can pass it on unknowingly.

Despite the study only examining those between 25 and 88 years of age, it was immediately misused by politicians and the media to drum up support for unprotected in-person classes. Although the study found that children are not particularly strong drivers of infection, the risk of infection increases sharply with the number of people in a household.

The class nature of the pandemic is also clearly demonstrated once again by the study. People with a higher social status are more likely to know about their infection, study leader Philipp Wild told news programme Tagesschau. People with a low socio-economic status, on the other hand, are particularly affected by COVID-19, although these layers consistently adhere to hygiene rules. The socially worse off also bear the brunt of the crisis financially, the researcher said.

A renewed mass infection, with all its devastating consequences, can only be prevented if students, teachers and workers take their safety into their own hands and enforce appropriate measures. To this end, rank-and-file committees for safe education must be founded everywhere.

The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) is fighting for a socialist programme against the herd immunity policies of the capitalist governments and advocates the following demands:

 Schooling only in fixed small groups and with extensive protective measures: As long as the pandemic is not defeated, all pupils who are in school must be given the best possible protection. This includes sufficient protective equipment such as masks and disinfectants and the installation of air filters.

 Suspend compulsory attendance and provide additional days of leave and sick leave: No one should be forced to go to school under these dangerous conditions. Students must have the opportunity to take time off without red tape. Parents who stay at home to look after their children must receive full compensation for their earningseven during quarantine.

 Digital learning aids for all: No one should be denied the same quality of participation in lessons due to a lack of technical equipment. All students must be provided with the necessary devices and internet access.

 Provision of vaccines for all: There must be immediate studies to see whether safe vaccines for children exists or can be developed. International vaccine production must be taken away from the profit-grubbing of a small group of pharmaceutical companies and planned socially.

 No exam pressure and learning stress: Students must not be forced into school by pressure to perform. Teacher and student committees must be allowed to develop and establish alternative methods of determining learning success.

 Hire hundreds of thousands more teachers and support staff: Instead of giving away billions to the banks and big corporations, these funds must be invested in the education system to ensure a good and safe education for all.
On July 14, a Hatton magistrate postponed a planned court hearing against Alton Estate workers until October 27. The trial was originally scheduled to begin on May 28 but had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case against the 24 Alton Estate workers and two youths is a frame-up by the company and the police, assisted by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC). The company and police falsely claim that the workers physically attacked the estates manager and assistant manager. The victims have categorically rejected the allegations.

Alton Estate is located near Maskeliya in central Sri Lanka and is part of Horana Plantations, which is controlled by Hayleys, one of the countrys biggest companies.

Alton Estate (Source: Facebook)

Once again, the reason given for the postponement of the trial was the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Authorities, however, did not inform the workers in advance, forcing them to travel over 12 kilometres to the courts in a crowded bus to find out that the case would not be heard for more than four months.

The lawyer defending the framed up workers told the World Socialist Web Site that the police have still not presented charge sheets despite the workers being placed on bail under harsh conditions on March 10.

The police delay in filing charges points to the fabricated nature of the allegations and is part of the continuing attempts to intimidate and harass the workers. The 26 people facing trial are being treated like criminals. Under their bail conditions they must visit Maskeliya police station on the last Sunday of every month and sign a register.

The witch hunt began early this year when 500 Alton Estate workers walked out on February 2 to fight for higher wages and improved living conditions. Three days later they joined a one-day national strike called by the CWC to demand a 1,000-rupee ($US5) daily wage. While nearly 150,000 estate workers participated in the national walkout, the CWC called the industrial action to dissipate their widespread anger and frustration over the poverty-level wages and the unions refusal to fight for the long-pending demand.

Alton Estate workers remained on strike for another 47 days in protest against provocations by plantation management. On February 17, workers protested outside the estate managers residence over this harassment. Horana Plantations seized on the demonstration to launch a police witch hunt, claiming the protesters attacked the estate managers.

Poonduloya tea estate workers demanding COVID-19 compensation and relief funds [Source: Facebook]

In March, the company summarily sacked 38 Alton Estate workers, including the 24 workers facing court, without any investigation into the claims they assaulted the managers, and no right of appeal. These workers, who have no income, have been blacklisted by Alton Estate management and are being prevented from finding employment at other estates.

Last May, 12 of the suspended workers were given casual jobs at Luccombe Estate, about 12 kilometres from Alton. In June, however, the van they were travelling in to Luccombe Estate was stopped by Maskeliya police and the workers told that the vehicle could not proceed because of COVID-19 health regulations. The police took the license of the driver and told the mainly female workers they would have to walk the remaining 10 kilometres to Luccombe

One of the workers told the WSWS that she believed Alton Estate management were involved. As we were leaving the Alton Estate, we saw that a supervisor noted our vehicles number. Im sure that he provided the information to the police. When we were stopped by police, which was outside a police station, we saw an Alton Estate assistant manager inside.

She explained that the police had stopped the van at 8.30 a.m. and that it took the workers until 11a.m. to walk to Luccombe Estate. This meant we could only pluck 5kg of tea leaves and were paid just 200 rupees [$US1] that day. After this incident the owner of the Luccombe Estate refused to give us any more work. Estate management and the police, she added, treat them like terrorists and are trying to starve them.

Last month a Hatton assistant police superintendent provocatively visited the Alton Estate, attempting to use its Cultural Hall for a police post inside the plantation. When this was opposed by estate workers, police decided to establish a police station in the small township bordering the estate.

The ongoing witch hunt at Alton Estate is a part of stepped up action by the plantation bosses and the police, with the assistance of the CWC, against the growing numbers of plantation workers determined to put an end to poverty-level wages, increasing workloads and harsh social conditions.

Concerned that the unions may lose control of the plantation workers, President Gotabhaya Rajapakse in January ordered companies to pay a 1,000-rupee daily wage, made up of a 900-rupee basic amount and a 100-rupee allowance. CWC leader Jeevan Thondaman falsely claimed this as a victory for workers. The CWC is part of the Rajapakse government with Thondaman the state minister for estate infrastructure.

Estate companies have resisted paying the increase and have instead boosted workloads, setting impossible targets and slashing wages. The new daily tea plucking target for Alton Estate workers has been increased to 18 kilos. If a worker fails to reach that target, he or she is only paid 500 rupees that day.

Since April, struggles have erupted at one estate after another in opposition to the increased workloads and wage cuts. Recent weeks have seen workers protest at the Drayton, Hatton, Kotiyagala, Bogawantalawa, Lanka, Maskeliya and Glenuge estates in the Nuwara Eliya district.

President Rajapakse, who continues to insist that he has addressed the estate wage issue, is totally silent about the wage cuts and increased workloads. The CWC and other plantation unionsthe National Union of Workers, Up-country Peoples Front and Democratic Workers Congressare all backing the estate companies and doing everything they can to block or scuttle workers' protests and industrial action.

Plantation workers and the working class as a whole can only win a decent living wage, defend their social rights, and defeat government and employer repression, as part of a unified struggle, independent of the trade unions, and on the basis of socialist policies.

The Alton Workers Action Committee (AWAC) is fighting for this unity and campaigning to demand the dropping of all charges against the 24 Alton Estate workers and two youth, and for the unconditional reinstatement of all sacked workers. The ongoing repression at Alton Estate must be ended.

The Socialist Equality Party and the AWAC urges you to back this campaign and give it your maximum support. Please send all letters endorsing this fight to this address: wswscmb@sltnet.lk.
Measured by the number of fatalities, the current floods in Germany constitute the worst flooding catastrophe since the storm flood along the North Sea coast in 1962. Officially, more than 180 people have died so far, with at least 156 in Germany and 31 in Belgium. Thousands of people remain unaccounted for.

People around the world are horrified by the devastation wrought by the floods. Drone video and before-and-after pictures reveal the extent of the destruction. The high waters had an especially horrific impact in the Eifel region. Villages along normally small rivers like the Ahr, Erft and Ruhr, as well as their tributaries, were largely destroyed.

Entire roads were consumed by the water and partially washed away. Paths, sections of railways and bridges were rendered impassible, and some were destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people temporarily lost power after several distribution plants were flooded. In some regions, the mobile phone networks and drinking water were interrupted for a time.

A bridge over the Ahr river is damaged in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, Saturday, July 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

The most dramatic consequence of the floods, however, is the number of deaths, which continues to grow.

In the district of Ahrweiler alone, there have been 110 deaths, including at least 28 in the community of Schuld (660 residents) and the small city of Sinzig (17,642 residents). It is difficult to find words to describe the fates of the individuals. People lost their parents, brothers, sisters and children. Among the deaths in Sinzig were 12 residents of a home for disabled people, which was not evacuated in time.

Similarly dramatic scenes are now threatening to be repeated in parts of Bavaria, Saxony and Austria. Since Saturday night, the heavy rain has shifted to the southeast, pushing up water levels on the Danube, Isar, Inn and tributaries of the Elbe. In Bavaria, the inner cities of Passau and Beerchtesgaden were flooded, and in Saxony, villages including Bad Schandau and Krippen.

The flood disaster exposes in numerous ways the bankruptcy of capitalism and its political representatives.

First, it is the direct product of the climate crisis produced by the capitalist profit system, which is leading to ever more extreme weather events. Already over thirty years ago, climate models predicted that extreme precipitation would occur more often, while days with light rain would be less frequent, commented Stefan Rahnstorf, professor at the Potsdam Institute for Research into the Consequences of Climate Change. For every degree of warming, the air [can] absorb 7 percent more water vapour and then rain it down.

The consequences of climate change fuel events like the current flood disaster and ultimately threaten the very survival of the planet and all of humanity. These consequences have been understood for a long time. However, the ruling class is incapable of and unwilling to adopt serious climate protection measures, because this would undermine its economic and geostrategic interests. The regular agreements and treaties on climate change are not worth the paper they are written on.

Second, the deadly effects of climate change are the product of decades of underfunding and cuts to infrastructure, including flood barriers, a working early warning system and a disaster prevention system. International experts have pointed out that the high death toll is directly bound up with inadequacies in these areas.

In 2021, we should not experience this number of fatalities from floods. This is just unacceptable, stated Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading in the UK.

The professor told the ZDF television channel about problems with early warning systems. Already, several days in advance, it was possible to see what was coming, she said. All the necessary warnings were issued by the weather services, commented Cloke, who was involved in the construction of the European flood alert system EFAS. But this chain of warnings broke down somewhere so that they never reached the people.

This account is confirmed by reports from flood victims given to the WSWS. A resident in Ahrweiler explained that he and his family were only warned about flooding in the local area two hours ahead of time. The sandbags they then received were not filled. Due to the approaching mass of water, the family no longer had any time to locate sand. Within a short period of time, the cellar and lower parts of the house were totally flooded.

It is incredibly frustrating, continued Cloke. In Germany, there were failures at every level, she said. First, there is no unified nationwide approach to flood risks, even though different flood plans for various scenarios are needed. Second, local authorities often dont have the resources necessary to prepare appropriately.

In fact, numerous municipalities are bankrupt due to the debt brake in Germanys Basic Law. Deep cuts were made to budgets for disaster protection over recent years. This applies to the building of emergency hospitals, the training and provision of equipment for tens of thousands of volunteer civil protection forces, and the maintenance of national stores of equipment and medical supplies. The network of warning sirens was also largely dismantled.

The Federal Office for Population Protection and Disaster Assistance, which is part of the Federal Interior Ministry, has only 344 employees and a pathetic annual budget of less than 250 million.

Necessary spending for flood protection was not undertaken. The implementation of flood-related measures was restricted due to a lack of allocated financial resources, notes a report from the European Accounting Agency from 2018 on the implementation of the European Flood Guidelines. Member states are often not in a position to calculate the impact of climate change on the extent, frequency, and location of the appearance of floods.

The same politicians who now shed crocodile tears in the disaster zones and incessantly pledge rapid and unbureaucratic emergency help are responsible for this situation. Over recent years, they have provided the banks and corporations with hundreds of billions of euros with no strings attached and repeatedly increased military spending. At the same time, they have carried out spending cuts that have plunged millions of workers and their families into poverty.

The ruling class exploited the pandemic to intensify its policy of redistribution from the bottom to the top. Within the framework of the so-called coronavirus emergency bailout, all parties in the German federal parliament supported the pumping of billions of euros into the major corporations and banks. All parties in government are allowing the virus to spread so as to guarantee the profits of the financial oligarchy, while rejecting all scientific measures to protect the population. The result is over 4 million dead around the world, including more than 1 million in Europe and over 91,000 in Germany.

The same indifference to human life and the wellbeing of the population is being repeated in the current flood disaster. The joking and laughter captured on video in one of the disaster zones by North-Rhine Westphalias Minister President and Christian Democratic candidate for Chancellor, Armin Laschet, are merely the most disgusting examples of this.

After the initial shock, workers and young people will begin to draw far-reaching lessons from these experiences.

The struggle against climate changelike the struggle against the pandemic, and the danger of fascism and waris a political one. It requires the revolutionary mobilisation of the working class against capitalism. The working population around the world bears the chief burden of the consequences of global warming. At the same time, it is being forced into struggle and is objectively defining itself as an international class whose elementary interests are irreconcilable with the capitalists private ownership of the means of production.

No social problem can be resolved without expropriating the banks and corporations, and placing them under the democratic control of the working class, states the Sozialistische Gleichheitsparteis election statement. Their profits and wealth must be confiscated and the billions they received last year returned to the public purse. The world economy must be reorganised on the basis of a scientific and rational plan.

This is the decisive lesson of the past few days. Only the socialist reorganisation of society can secure victory for the struggle against climate change, and a safe and just future for all.
Academics, university staff and students, workers and youth took part in a lively online public meeting last Saturday to discuss the political issues posed by the historic government-management offensive against university jobs and conditions in Australia and internationally.

Many questions were raised and answered about the need for a network of rank-and-file committees to fight against the ruling elites exploitation of the COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the pro-business restructuring and decimation of public education.

A full video of the event can be viewed below.

Oppose all the job cuts at Macquarie University and nationally!

The Committee for Public Education (CFPE) and International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) called the joint meeting in response to a petition campaign launched by students at Macquarie University last month demanding the reinstatement of a highly-appreciated mathematics lecturer, Dr Frank Valckenborgh. He was sacked as part of a brutal Hunger Games-style operation throughout the university, forcing academics to compete against each other for a drastically reduced numbers of jobs.

Within two weeks, the petition received more than 500 signatures, accompanied by passionate comments from students, expressing deep-felt support for the defence of educators and education. This was taken further by coverage on the World Socialist Web Site and by CFPE and IYSSE members, which included the overwhelming adoption of a resolution of support moved by a member of the CFPE at a meeting of 450 staff at the University of Sydney. Similar student-led or student-supported petitions were also initiated against retrenchments and course closures at Melbournes Monash University and the University of Western Australia.

Just two days before Saturdays public meeting, in an obvious move to head off the broader fight triggered by the sacking of Valckenborgh, the Macquarie University management suddenly told him last Thursday that it had found him a new post, as a teacher of both maths and statistics, apparently because another academic had decided to resign.

Even if this offer is confirmed in writing, it still allows the overall cuts to the mathematics department, as well as throughout the university and nationally, to go ahead. There was strong agreement that the powerful response to the campaign, which appears to have secured a job for Valckenborgh, at least for now, must be taken forward.

Chairing the meeting, Mike Head, an educator at Western Sydney University (WSU) and member of the CFPE and SEP, said the students had taken a significant stand against the intensifying job cuts and pro-business restructuring of universities and issued a clear warning about the role being played by National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). He explained the global context in which the meeting was being held and the resurgence of working class struggles in the US and internationally.

The first speaker, Zach Diotte, the president of the IYSSE club at WSU, explained that the opposition among students in Australia was part of an international movement, including strikes by students at New York University and Columbia University, in New Zealand and the UK, and mass protests by high school pupils in France.

Students like me and those who have turned to the IYSSE are tired of education being turned into a privilege for the affluent layers of society through the increase of course costs, the continuing inaccessibility to quality education in low economic areas, as well as the restructuring of curriculums to better suit the interests of big business and the government, Diotte said. This is our future at stake. Education is a right! A right whose struggle the students here at Macquarie have joined.

Diotte called for students to turn to the working class, the only social force that can overturn this assault. The fight for education can only be won by linking it to the fight against climate change, war, fascism, job cuts, and social inequality. This can only be done through a socialist program.

Diotte explained that this required a break from the pseudo-left tendencies that claim to be socialist, but seek to deflect students and workers opposition to capitalism away from revolutionary politics. When strikes have broken out in factories or protests have begun on campuses these organisations have told the workers and students to trust the unions who subsequently sold out their struggles.

The final speaker, Chris Gordon, a mathematics lecturer at Macquarie and member of the CFPE and SEP, explained that the collaboration between the unions and management since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which had resulted in the destruction of up to 90,000 university jobs, and over 2,100 courses and 160 programs, in 2020, was not an aberration.

The unions have functioned as industrial policemen for decades, especially since the Accords with the Hawke and Keating Labor governments in the 1980s and 1990s, Gordon said. Referring to the introduction of Fair Work legislation in 2009 by the Rudd-Gillard Labor government, the speaker noted that the unions had helped draft these repressive laws.

Gordon explained that Labor governments had been at the forefront of the commercialisation of tertiary education. Fees for domestic and international students were re-introduced by the Hawke government in the 1980s, followed by the Rudd-Gillard governments education revolution, which forced universities to fight each other for enrolments, particularly from full-fee paying international students, and then cut tertiary funding by $2.7 billion in 2013.

University workers and students are posed with a struggle not just against the governments and university managements, but against the unions and the Labor Party, Gordon said. A new political perspective is needed, with new organisations, completely independent from the unions.

Gordon called for the creation of a network of rank-and-file committees, controlled by and answerable to the workers, to carry forward a counteroffensive by the working class. Such committees would link university students and staff across the sector with the working class as a whole in Australia and internationally and fight on the basis of a socialist perspective.

The meeting included important contributions and questions from residents of Shepparton in rural Victoria where the state Labor government is preparing to amalgamate four public schools into a super school of 2,700 students, producing widespread opposition among residents.

Robyn, a Shepparton resident who has been active in the campaign against the amalgamation, said in a chat comment: The elite in Shepparton get more say in our childrens education then we do as parents. They are streamlining students into what they want them to do, not what the students actually want. The AEU [Australian Education Union] has been useless and continues to support the government, not the teachers. Teachers have been gagged and cannot speak out publicly. We have lost so many good teachers, with more that will be let go as this new school opens next year.

Colleen, who also is fighting the Shepparton amalgamation, asked if parents and grandparents could join the rank-and-file committees. There is a lot of anger out there as parents see their children channelled into local corporate needs rather than follow their dreams, she commented.

Sue Phillips, the national convener of the CFPE, replied in the affirmative. She said parents, grandparents, students, teachers and community members needed to be part of the formation of networks of rank-and-file committees.

The capitalist class does not want the vast majority of kids to be critical about society. They want kids who will agree to whatever, have the basics, and if necessary be driven off to the next world war. What is happening in Shepparton is a microcosm of the crisis that is taking place in public education overall.

These committees had to be completely independent of the unions, Labor and all the other capitalist parties, Phillips said. It is not a question of pressuring these organisations to do the right thing. What has become clear in every situation, whether it is COVID or the restructuring, the working class must begin to fight completely independently.
On July 17, tens of thousands participated in protest in France against mandatory coronavirus vaccination and social distancing restrictions. The protests were called and supported by neo-fascist figures, including Marion Marechal Le Pen and Florian Philippot, the leader of the Patriots Party.

The protest took place against the backdrop of a rise of COVID-19 across Europe, driven by the Delta variant. The Macron government is rejecting scientifically-based social distancing policies, including the closure of non-essential workplaces and schools. Rather, Macron proposes only that health workers be vaccinated and that a health passdemonstrating either complete vaccination, or a recent negative test result, or recent recovery from the virusbe required before entering restaurants and social events. Marechal Le Pen and Philippot have themselves denounced obligatory vaccination and any social restriction aimed at saving lives.

Their call to let the virus spread unimpeded has won support not only among neo-fascist activists, but inside Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France (La France insoumiseLFI), as well as a layer of the Greens. Some Unsubmissives joined the protests of Philippot and Marechal, which gathered thousands in several demonstrations in Paris, 5,500 in Montpellier, 4,500 in Marseille, 2,800 in Strasbourg, 2,500 in Toulouse and Nantes, 2,000 in Rennes, and 1,200 in Perpignan and Nancy.

Anti-vaccine protesters march during a rally in Strasbourg, Saturday, July 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

At the head of the march in Paris were Philippot, former leader of the National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen; Nicolas Dupont-Aignan of the far-right party Debout la France; and Jacline Mouraud, a known yellow vest figure who was broadly opposed among protesters after she urged them to run for positions within the state apparatus. There were chants of Macron resign and Freedom, and signs declaring No to mandatory vaccination. Vaccine freedom is a right, and Dont touch our children.

The demonstration had a heterogeneous character. Among the demonstrators were health care workers wanting to denounce Macrons policy, restaurant owners opposed to the requirement that they inspect health passes of their customers, and former yellow vests. Jerome Rodrigues, a well-known figure of the movement whose eye was shot out by the police, called for refusing vaccination, but refused to participate in the demonstration led by the neo-fascists.

However, the political character of this demonstration was clearly dominated by the extreme right. In France and around the world, the extreme right is leading the opposition to a scientifically-guided policy of vaccination and social distancing to contain the virus. This opposition is fundamentally reactionary, given that the pandemic has already killed more than four million people internationally, and 1.1 million in Europe, and is once again accelerating.

Philippot welcomed the tacit support of police for the policy of propagating the virus, saying on Twitter, Im meeting a surprising number of restaurant owners who have absolutely no intention of supporting the #PassSanitaire [health pass] and, even more unprecedented, police officers who tell me they have no intention of actively enforcing them Humanity still exists.

Marion Marechal Le Pen, present at the protest, told the far-right Valeurs actuelles: I am resolutely opposed to the mandatory vaccination against COVID and the health pass. It seems to me that the right to doubt should still be permitted in the land of Descartes! She added, And now, one should justify ones state of health to a stranger to have the right to drink a coffee? There is an obvious drift taking place, a radicalisation of those who hold the reins of power.

At the same time, neo-fascists worked to spread confusion with false and obscene amalgams between vaccinations that could save millions, the anti-black apartheid of the South African regime in the 20th century, and the genocide of Jews in fascist Europe. The transparent purpose of this operation was to try to give a left-wing veneer to their extreme right-wing policy of spreading the virus through the population.

The vaccineswhich in France include Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZenecahave been scientifically tested, and their effectiveness verified in numerous studies. Their use in a scientifically-guided health policy is an urgent necessity that would save millions. They can have dangerous side effects for a few individuals per million vaccinated, but the virus kills tens of thousands per million infected. There is no scientific reason to oppose it.

Workers and small business owners are angry and suspicious of the policies pursued by Macron and the European Union, whose deaths now number in the millions. But the financial aristocracy is exploiting these feelings, promoting far-right forces, to push official politics even further to the right. Using the lies of the neo-fascists, it intends to stop any policy of mandatory vaccination and lockdowns, which would require investment in healthcare rather than bailouts for the banks and financial markets.

Among these lies is the false comparison between the protests called for by Philippot and the yellow vest demonstrations against social inequality and the Macron government in 2018. The yellow vests were demonstrating against Macron and the privileges of the rich, and enjoyed the overwhelming support, 72 percent by some polls, of the French population.

Now, neo-fascists are calling for the spread of the virus, a policy essentially supported by Macron and police agencies, while polls show that more than 70 percent of the population in France supports vaccination and the mandatory vaccination of health workers.

The political force playing the central role in confusing the issue and presenting this far-right policy as a popular one is LFI.

The leader of LFI in Picardy, Francois Ruffin, added his voice to the neo-fascists calls to protest. I live with this as a humiliation, Ruffin said on BFM-TV. Although vaccinated, he wanted to fight against mandatory vaccination. Declaring that I call for protests, he added that Macron, when he has power, tends to abuse it. Here he abuses it, with this absolute monarchy  and he must meet a limit. And that limit must be us.

But Ruffins politics involve the whole of LFI, as Melenchon directly endorsed it in a cynical video released on Friday, in which he made it clear that he would understand those among his supporters who would join the neo-fascist protest.

On the one hand, he suggested that he was offended by the obscene political arguments of the anti-vaccine protest organizers. He implored his supporters who were going to join the far-right protest not to use political amalgams that would discredit him. He urged them to avoid completely inappropriate language. No, the freely distributed vaccine is not apartheid and its dissemination is not the Holocaust... I call for a return to reason.

On the other hand, Melenchon adopted all the arguments of the far right against not only Macron's reactionary policy, but also a scientific policy against the coronavirus.

He called the obligation to present a health pass a profound change in our way of life, a considerable restriction of freedoms and collective conditioning that pushes everyone at every moment to feel obliged to say who they are, what they are sick with, and what they are not sick with. He claimed that this totally abnormal situation would lead to a society of permanent and universal control, and to a society of permanent conflict.

These anti-scientific comments and the resulting political alignment of LFI with the far right should sound a warning to workers in France and across Europe.

As hundreds of thousands of lives are once again threatened by the spread of the Delta variant, the entire ruling elite is pursuing a murderous policy of allowing the virus to spread and infect or even kill the young, unvaccinated and vulnerable.

To prevent a new wave of deaths sanctioned by the far right and the pseudo-left from sweeping across Europe, the working class must be politically mobilised against the entire ruling elite. This requires building rank-and-file safety committees in workplaces and schools, independent of the trade union apparatuses, and the building of a European and international political movement for socialism and for a scientific fight against the pandemic.
At least 37 active Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) workers in New York City have died so far this year, according to official statistics. While the cause of death is often not specified, there is little doubt most, if not all, are due to COVID-19.

Last year, the transit agency acknowledged more than 130 deaths among workers. However, a tally by rank-and-file workers suggests the official count may underestimate deaths significantly, with as many as 188 transit workers dying since March 2020.

While government officials and the corporate media continue to portray the pandemic as a thing of the past, the grim reality for transit workers is that the coronavirus continues to exact a horrific toll. Every month, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials read the names of new victims at their board meetings. In June, they reported the deaths of an electrical equipment maintainer, a station agent and a locomotive engineer. In May, they announced the names of six transit workers who had perished. They announced five in April, including a 33-year-old father of three.

MTA NYC Subway 1 trains at 125th St. (Photo: Mtattrain/Wikipedia)

But aside from perfunctory moments of silence at the board meetings and rare posts on the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100s social media pages, there has been a deafening silence over the extraordinary and ongoing carnage. Mass death is treated like an ordinary hazard of the job, much the same as a sprained ankle or a sore back. The main concern for New Yorks ruling class lies not in protecting workers lives but in ensuring that public transit, a precondition in the countrys most densely-populated large city to keeping profit flowing for the corporate and financial elite, returns to some sense of normal.

Following the reopening of New York City, a new normal is emerging for transit workers and riders consisting of the normalization of death, failing service and stepped-up attacks on jobs.

At the same time as they virtually ignore COVID-related deaths in the transit system, the media and the TWU have sensationalized incidents of assault on the citys buses and subways in order to whip up a law-and-order campaign for hundreds of more cops in the transit system and to center this years mayoral election on crime rather than social inequality and the pandemic.

With the Delta variant triggering a resurgence of the pandemic, officials at every level of government have continued to press ahead with eliminating what minimal protections remain. Taking his lead from President Bidens Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Andrew Cuomo scrapped statewide mask mandates and restrictions on indoor occupancy in June. While formally masks remain required at indoor stations and on buses and trains, the broader policy shift has undermined compliance. The MTA has long since abandoned rear boarding on buses, which provided a buffer between passengers and drivers, and never addressed many issues with the deplorable state of crew rooms and locker rooms.

The battered transit workforce has seen its numbers decline precipitously, severely impacting bus and subway service operations. During the pandemic, the MTA extended its ongoing hiring freeze despite an increased pace of workers retiring and quitting. In May, the number of agency employees fell to 67,062, down from 72,388 in April of 2019. In just over two years, the MTA has cut more than 5,300 jobs, including 2,216 in operations (train operators, bus drivers, etc.) and 2,161 maintenance personnel.

The inevitable consequence has been months of severe service disruptions and increased wait times throughout the system. Some routes, such as the A and C lines connecting upper Manhattan to Brooklyn and Southern Queens, have been plagued with extensive delays, making already long commutes even longer. Last month, worker shortages alone led to the cancellation of nearly 11,000 subway trips. By comparison, staff shortages in June 2019 caused approximately 750 scrapped trips.

Sarah Feinberg, the interim president of the New York City Transit Authority (the division of the MTA responsible for subways and buses), indicated in a series of interviews last week that the agency is nowhere near close to resolving the worker shortage. She refused to commit to backfilling the job losses with trained replacements by September, when schools resume and many offices are planning to reopen. Instead, she attempted to justify the hiring freeze, which took place while the federal government was pledging unlimited funds to bail out Wall Street, as the only alternative to furloughs and layoffs.

Feinberg also took no responsibility for policies that forced workers into deadly conditions and set off a wave of workers leaving due to health and safety concerns.

The MTA has long attempted to reduce operational costs by attacking jobs. Before receiving temporary injections of federal funding, the agency prepared a plan to lay off more than 9,000 employees. Those layoffs have been put on hold, but the groundwork has been laid for further downsizing.

One of the primary targets is station agents, whose jobs staffing the booths at subway stations are under renewed attack as the MTA implements its new fare payments system, OMNY. During the pandemic, the agency suspended cash transactions at the booths, seeking to eliminate one of the main functions of station agents. Officials have refused to commit to resuming the service.

The MTA also attempted to eliminate 185 agent positions among those assigned to cover booths during lunch breaks of the regular staff. A judge has halted the cuts for now because the MTA hadnt gone through the necessary public comment procedure.

There is also a growing push to combine the jobs of train operators and conductors, leaving a single worker to operate each subway train. In the face of a worker shortage, the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), a prominent non-partisan voice of Wall Street, released a report calling on the MTA to shift to one-person train operations.

The CBCs report was highlighted by the New York Times in a recent article on the worker shortage. Underscoring the utter indifference to the workers whose lives and health have been destroyed over the past year and a half, the commission also demanded transit workers and retirees pay more for health care.
A data breach of the Israeli spy company NSO Group has revealed that the companys Pegasus software is being used by governments around the world to spy on political dissidents and journalists. The breach, obtained by French media non-profit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, included a list of 50,000 phone numbers targeted for infection with the Pegasus spyware.

Many identified targets of NSOs software are prominent individuals, including hundreds of business executives, religious leaders, academics, union and government officialsincluding several yet to be named cabinet ministers, presidents and prime ministersas well as employees of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

The list consists of at least 180 targeted journalists, with reporters, executives, and editors from the Financial Times, CNN, the New York Times, France 24, the Economist, Associated Press and Reuters, all identified by the Pegasus project. The Guardian, which has produced a series reporting on the leak titled The Pegasus project in coordinating with 16 other news outlets, has stated that it will release further information about the targeted individuals in the coming days as part of its reporting on the issue.

This file photo shows the logo of the Israeli NSO Group company on a building where they had offices in Herzliya, Israel. (AP Photo/Daniella Cheslow, File)

Without forensic analysis of each phone number listed, it is impossible to determine how many phones were actually infected. However, an analysis of a sample of the listed phones by the Pegasus project determined that half, 37 of 67, were infected, indicating potentially tens of thousands of infections.

Regardless of how many phones were actually infected, the determination by government agencies that it was necessary to spy on tens of thousands of people, and hundreds of journalists and activists, is a warning of the lengths that capitalist governments will go to suppress any and all opposition to their rule and trample on democratic rights.

The revelations of the scale and extent of NSOs spying operations are an astonishing exposure of the ability of governments and intelligence agencies around the world to spy on their populations. An extensive investigation by over a dozen news outlets has discovered disturbing details about the capabilities of the Pegasus spyware.

According to the Guardian, Pegasus software is capable of monitoring all information stored on a smartphone, including texts, emails, and images, as well as encrypted data and contacts lists. It is even capable of accessing the victims GPS, as well as activating a cell phone microphone or camera to record the targets conversations.

Such capabilities suggest that it may have been the GPS tracking features of Pegasus that facilitated the assassination of Mexican journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto in 2017. Pineda was gunned down by four men at a car wash in Altamirano, Mexico just weeks after his addition to the list by one of NSOs Mexican clients.

Even more concerning is the ability of Pegasus to infect a targets phone with ease. Earlier infection models relied on texting or emailing a link through which the virus would enter the targets device. This method was often unreliable, with some known targets sent links that failed to complete the infection. However, recent advancements in NSOs spyware have allowed it to infect phones through what are called zero-click attacks that significantly reduce the risk of failure.

Such attacks enable NSO to infect target devices without any interaction on the part of the victim. These methods exploit zero-day vulnerabilities such as bugs in the operating system of a phone that the developer may not even know exist. In 2019, for example, WhatsApp revealed that NSO had been able to send malware to 1,400 devices by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability that allowed Pegasus to infect the device through a phone call, regardless of whether the target answered the call or not.

NSO has also been working to exploit weaknesses in Apples iMessage app. Claudio Guarnieri, director of Amnesty International's Security Lab, has been able to identify Pegasus infections of Apple devices as recently as this month, even penetrating Apples most recent security updates.

The target may also have their phone targeted remotely through an agent operating a wireless transceiver, and, according to NSO itself, a phone can be infected manually if an agent is able to steal the phone and download the spyware directly.

Using these techniques, Pegasus is virtually impossible to stop. The software is effectively undetectable, living in the temporary memory of a device and leaving no trace once the device is shut down. Furthermore, once infected, the spyware is capable of activating administrative privileges for itself. Pegasus can do more than what the owner of the device can do, Guarnieri explained to the Guardian .

Guarnieri continued, This is a question that gets asked to me pretty much every time we do forensics with somebody: What can I do to stop this happening again? The real honest answer is nothing.

The consequences of the widespread deployment of this software are apparent: NSO is facilitating the extensive spying on journalists and political dissidents by governments with impunity.

According to NSO, it provides its services only to verified military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies in 40 unnamed countries and conducts extensive vetting of clients human rights records. Ostensibly, the software is only used to target high profile criminals and terrorists.

However, based on information about NSOs clients obtained by the Pegasus project, this appears to be patently false. Not only have journalists, political activists and even high-ranking politicians been targets, but the ten countries so far identified by the Pegasus project as clients of NSO are Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, India and the United Arab Emirates.

Among this list are governments notorious for violating the human rights of journalists and citizens. Notably, Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was found to have ordered the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Several members of Khashoggis family, as well as close associates and Turkish officials investigating the murder, were targets for NSOs spyware.

Khashoggis fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, was allegedly hacked with Pegasus spyware just four days after his murder.

Mexico, with multiple agencies purchasing Pegasus and a suspected 15,000 targets, is the most dangerous country for journalists in the world outside of active war zones. Since 2010, 86 journalists have been killed, including two just last month. Those who investigate the connections and corruption between organized crime, the government and the security forces are often targeted for intimidation and threats of violence.

NSO and its government clients, the list of which will undoubtedly grow with time, is enabling the covert surveillance of any person deemed a threat by the capitalist governments and their intelligence agencies.

Such software will undoubtedly be used to record every move of independent, left wing and socialist journalists and political activists across the globe. This spying will be used to intimidate and threaten them, using the potential of violence as a bludgeon against critical journalism and political dissent. It will also be only a matter of time before such technology is used by companies to spy on their employees and crack down on the efforts of workers to organize against their bosses.

The attempts of governments to use spyware against journalists and their people must be opposed. But the defense of democratic rights cannot be entrusted to the capitalist parties that have assaulted democratic rights for decades and carried out mass surveillance of all electronic communications, as was exposed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013.

In the United States, the Republican Party passed the anti-democratic Patriot Act and the Democratic Party voted to extend it in 2019. In Germany, the grand coalition of the conservative Christian Democrats and liberal Social Democrats voted this June to further expand the surveillance powers of the state.

In every country, it is imperative for the working class to break with these parties, which embrace the assault on democratic rights, and build an independent socialist movement for the defense of democratic rights and freedom of the press.
The United States is in the midst of a major new upsurge of the COVID-19 pandemic that has already taken the lives of 624,000 people. Over the past month, daily cases have increased 250 percent, driving a rise in hospitalizations and a significant increase in the daily death rate.

The Delta (4th) wave in the United States is already showing it to be on a path to its the worst yet in major hotspots, noted Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Institution.

The surge is concentrated in the poorest sections of the country, including Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida and Nevada, where vaccination rates are lowest. In Missouri, the tenth-poorest state in the country which has one of the lowest vaccination rates, hospitals are at the highest occupancy at any point of the pandemic. We only get beds available when someone dies, which happens several times a day, Terrence Coulter, the critical-care medical director at CoxHealth, told the Atlantic.

A nurse puts on personal protective equipment as she prepares to treat a COVID-19 patient in Missouri. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The rise in cases is caused by the Delta variant of COVID-19, which not only spreads more rapidly, but reproduces much more aggressively inside infected people. A study published earlier this month noted that the viral load of people infected with the Delta variant was 1,000 times greater than those infected by the initial variant of the disease.

The surge in sections of the country with the lowest vaccination rates has been accompanied by a troubling growth in so-called breakthrough infections among vaccinated people. According to official figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 791 fully vaccinated people have died from COVID-19 in the US so far, and 5,000 have been hospitalized.

Three fully vaccinated athletes inside the Olympic village in Tokyo and one staff member tested positive over the weekend, raising the threat of new outbreaks at the worlds premier sporting event. In recent days, three fully vaccinated members of the Texas House delegation in Washington, D.C., tested positive after traveling maskless on a chartered airplane.

Moreover, less than half of the population in the US is fully vaccinated. While the media blames this fact on people who do not want to get the vaccine, the ruling class has been unwilling to organize the type of public education and mass distribution program that is required.

In recent days, it has become clear that the US government expects the upsurge that has already taken place in southern states to be merely the prelude to a new wave of the pandemic.

This is just going to spread through the population, Trumps former FDA director Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Friday. He pointed to an internal CDC model showing an increasing epidemic, a wave of infection from this Delta variant moving through the population over the next two months.

The assumptions built into those models is no mitigation, no mandates for masks, no closures of businesses, Gottlieb added. I think thats likely to be the norm.

What Gottlieb is describing is the deliberate mass infection of the American population, allowing tens or hundreds of thousands more to die. The Trump-appointed FDA director was not describing some ideal world that would exist if the COVID-19 denier Trump was still in power, but the actual policies of the Biden administration.

On May 13, the CDC, under pressure from the Biden administration, announced that it was no longer recommending that vaccinated people wear masks, triggering the effective abandonment of all social distancing measures by businesses, states and municipalities throughout the country.

The World Socialist Web Site, in a position consistent with the World Health Organization and leading public health experts, opposed the CDCs decision, warning that it would lead to a new resurgence of the pandemic. Less than two months later, these warnings are being confirmed.

Facing the disastrous outcome of the White Houses policies, Bidens CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, was asked last week, Is there any consideration, any scenario in which you might want to reverse yourself on reopening schools?

Walensky replied, I remain emphatic that our schools need to open in the fall. They need to open for full, in-person learning. When asked again, CDC is not recommending people who are fully vaccinated wear masks? Walensky responded, We are not.

The Biden administrations open opposition to masking and the end to all social distancing measures is virtually indistinguishable from the policies of former US President Donald Trump, whose disastrous handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was a major factor in Bidens victory.

220,000 Americans dead, Biden said in his opening remarks at the second presidential debate. Anyone is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States of America. He added, I will take care of this. I will end this.

But since Inauguration Day, a further 196,000 people have died of COVID-19. That is, almost as many Americans have died under Biden as had died when Biden proclaimed anyone responsible for such mass death had forfeited his right to be president.

The president who pledged to follow the science is rejecting the demands of scientists, discouraging mask-wearing and peddling pseudo-science that children cannot be infected with COVID-19 and that schools are not centers for the transmission of the disease.

Tens of millions of people voted for Biden in the belief that he would take the measures necessary to stop the pandemic. But these promises were empty, because Biden, like Trump, represents the interests of the financial oligarchy that has massively enriched itself as hundreds of thousands have died.

It is urgently necessary to draw the lessons of the year and a half that has elapsed since the start of the pandemic. Under the banner of herd immunity, capitalist governments throughout the world made the calculated decision to sacrifice millions of lives because saving them would have impinged on the profit interests of the financial oligarchy.

With more than four million deaths, the mass of humanity is no closer to eradicating the pandemic than it was in March. Rather, the uncontained spread of the disease has led to the development of ever-more-dangerous variants.

Stopping the pandemic requires a radically different approach. This means the closure of schools and nonessential businesses, with full compensation for all those who lose any wage or small business income. This must be combined with the allocation of vast social resources to ensure that every case of COVID-19 is meticulously tracked and that every infected person is given a safe and comfortable place to quarantinewith full financial compensationuntil they are no longer infectious.

It is a fundamental fact that, despite the unanimous consensus of scientists on the measures necessary to contain COVID-19, there is only one political party in the United States calling for the stopping of nonessential production: the Socialist Equality Party, affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International that publishes the World Socialist Web Site. That is because the Socialist Equality Party does not accept the economic prerogatives of the capitalist class.

If COVID-19 is to be contained, it will only be through a mass mobilization of the working class to demand urgent measures to stop the pandemic, whatever the cost to the wealth of the financial oligarchy. The ill-gotten gains made by Americas billionaires while hundreds of thousands died must be seized and used to fund the measures necessary to stop the pandemic.

As the disease rips through workplaces, workers will form rank-and-file committees to demand the closure of non-essential production and the enforcement of critical safety guidelines. Teachers must and will resist the efforts to reopen schools for in-person learning under conditions in which the pandemic is still spreading.

The inability of the capitalist system to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the incompatibility of capitalism with the social needs of society. The struggle to save human lives in the pandemic is inseparable from the struggle for socialism.
One and a half months after 1,700 registered nurses voted to authorize a strike to address inadequate staffing and pay issues, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 21 has reached a tentative agreement (TA) with Providence Regional Medical Center facilities in Everett, Washington. The contract vote is set for July 23.

The deal was announced on the local unions website on July 13 along with sketchy highlights. The bargaining committee states that the TA achieved the protection of benefits, insures affordable healthcare costs, great wages and much more! Highlights include a $2,000 pandemic pay bonus, a legacy bonus for long-term employees, a total of a 15% wage increase for the life of the contract, down from the 21 percent increase initially demanded by the nurses, increased education funds, and strong staffing language. Local 21 has no plans to release the full agreement to the membership, but instead has offered online Zoom sessions where nurses can hear union officials explain the details.

Providence nurses authorized a strike to address chronic work-related stress as a result of severe understaffing, long hours, and the lack of fair compensation. Like health care workers across the United States and world, Providence nurses have experienced a year working under extremely stressful conditions, treating thousands of sick patients during a global pandemic. Nurses want to see their pay increased to a level comparable with surrounding hospital networks, improved benefits and overall conditions in order to attract and retain staff, as well as to reward them for enduring such difficult conditions.

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett - wikimedia commons

The only reference to staffing issues in the highlights page is the inclusion of the vacuous phrase strong staffing language. The specific changes to language in the new agreement are not spelled out because the union knows full well that the issue has not been addressed. Even in terms of wages, the 15 percent increase over five years is not enough to keep up with skyrocketing living costs in Everett and the Seattle metro area, setting aside the question of catch-up pay nurses are owed for years of inadequate wages. The 15 percent represented a climb down by the UFCW from its initial demand for a 21 percent wage increase, itself inadequate.

Furthermore, the highlights left out the status of parking and protection of Extended Illness Bank (EIB) and Paid Time Off (PTO), two demands on which Providence did not budge for months. After nearly a year and a half of working through a global pandemic, eliminating or decreasing EIB/PTO for exhausted nurses is dangerous to both staff and patients.

In line with the corporatist program of the unions, the UFCW will do all it can to convince nurses to accept the deal and not to strike, regardless of how inadequate the terms of the contract are. UFCW Local 21 is the largest local in the national union, covering tens of thousands of grocery, food, retail and health care workers, all of whom have faced health and safety risks, increased workloads and economic hardships during the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic the role of the unions has been to ensure workers stayed on the job while sabotaging all opposition to unsafe conditions.

Instead of actively fighting for workers, Local 21 has engaged in the familiar pattern of letting contracts expire, bargaining behind closed doors, holding strike authorization votes for workers to blow off steam, then soon after announcing a victory with a wholly inadequate sellout agreement.

Nurses at Providence Medical Center have been under an expired contract for over eight months and the prior proposed contract offered pay that was below market wage and aimed to take away sick leave. They have every right to demand that the full agreement be subject to careful review before the vote and if rejected carry forward the strike they had already authorized to win every one of their basic demands.

However, for the UFCW the strike vote was nothing more than a tactical maneuver. As the bargaining committee stated, the modest proposals included in the new agreement were rejected by Providence until we took a strike authorization vote. Clearly there never was an intention to fight for workers full demands.

Providence nurses are prepared and determined to fight. In carrying forward their struggle, nurses in Everett would receive the sympathy and support of health care workers across the country and internationally who are fed up with conditions that have left them overworked and underpaid.

To win their reasonable demands, workers must break from any illusions in the UFCW and other unions and wage an independent struggle while linking their fight with other sections of workers.

This lesson has been demonstrated in the strike by St. Vincent nurses in Massachusetts who have been out for over three months, one of the longest strikes in the history of the state, without strike pay from the union, which has left them isolated. Despite this, they are determined to bring an end to unsafe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Like the UFCW, their union, the Massachusetts Nursing Association, has isolated the struggle, refusing to call on their membership to support and join the nurses in solidarity.

In Los Angeles, nearly 1,400 registered nurses at two local hospitals participated in a two-day strike due to unsafe working conditions that include long shifts, not enough staff and an overreliance on contract nurses. In late June, health care workers in a dozen nursing homes across Pennsylvania voted to go on strike in order to demand life-saving changes to the way the facilities are run. According to the Associated Press, deaths in nursing homes increased by 32 percent last year.

The issues in these contract fights raise broader social and political questions. Health care workers are bearing the brunt of the disastrous state of health care, which is the result of decades of capitalist cuts. The pandemic has further exposed the fact that profit-driven systems are not compatible with the safeguarding of public health.

Across the country, health care workers have been struggling for more than 16 months to cope with the pandemic. According to the staffing firm Aya Healthcare, permanent nurse vacancies are up 20 percent compared to the start of the pandemic. Additionally, a Mental Health America survey found that 93 percent of health care respondents reported experiencing stress, while around 86 percent reported anxiety produced by the sudden overflow of sick patients. Some 77 percent reported feeling frustrated with their working conditions, and a similar percentage experienced physical exhaustion and burnout.

While at the beginning of the pandemic the media floated the narrative that front line health care workers were the heroes of the pandemic, as the pandemic has stretched into a second year the so-called heroes have been virtually abandoned. Health care workers are burnt out and in need of care, including ample paid time off, manageable hours, sufficient pay and adequate staffing and equipment to properly attend to patients.

Throughout the pandemic, governments have callously sacrificed the health and safety of working people to the profit demands of the corporations. With the insistence by the worlds governments on the full reopening of the economy and the elimination of even the most basic safety measures, regardless of rising COVID cases or low vaccination rates, the burden on health care workers is sure to increase.

To carry forward their struggle, health care workers must arm themselves with a socialist program aimed at ending health care for profit. They should not look to the pro-corporate unions to lead this fight but mobilize their own independent strength. To organize a serious fight in defense of living standards, working conditions and patient safety, health care workers must take matters into their own hands by building rank-and-file workplace committees. These committees should democratically draw up demands based on what workers need, not what management says it is willing to accept. They should forge links with health care workers and other sections of workers such as autoworkers and teachers nationally and globally to fight for health care as a social right for all.

If youre interested in joining the struggle or for more information about forming rank-and-file committees contact the WSWS.
Written and directed by Ena Sendijarevic

Take Me Somewhere Nice was written and directed by Ena Sendijarevic (born 1987), an Amsterdam-based Bosnian filmmaker and screenwriter. It is her first feature film.

A teenage girl, Alma (Sara Luna Zoric), living in the Netherlands with her mother, returns to her native Bosnia to visit a father, now seriously ill, whom she hardly knows.

Her cousin Emir (Ernad Prnjavorac) picks her up at the airport, but, apart from that, ignores Alma, including her requests that he drive her to her fathers house in a town some distance away. He is too busy, Emir asserts, although he is unemployed. He seems wary of this visitor from a wealthier part of Europe, and the wariness makes him indifferent or aloof. Their relationship is something of an armed truce, at least to begin with.

Out of the blue, the extroverted Denis (Lazar Dragojevic), Emirs self-styled intern, pops up, a bit of a ladies man. Alma learns from Emir that Denis has a girlfriend. Denis makes no secret of the fact that he wants a way out of Bosnia. He flirts with Alma, regularly greeting her as Holland. She tells him she hates the Netherlands, Cold weather, cold people. Later, Emir derisively lets Alma know that to Denis, Youre a walking passport.

Lazar Dragojevic and Sara Luna Zoric in Take Me Somewhere Nice

Eventually, tired of Emirs refusals, Alma sets out on her own by bus for her fathers house. This does not turn out well. She manages to miss the bus after a rest stop, lose her suitcase, get herself picked up by a politician who offers to pay a hotel bill, and become the kidnap victim of her own cousin and his friend now determined to drive Alma to her destination.

That does not turn out so well either. The engine in Emirs car melts en route, and the trio end up walking some distance across the Bosnian countryside. They arrive at the hospital where Almas father is supposed to be a patient only to discover that he has just passed on. After burying the man, they head back toward the city in his car. Unexpectedly, they make some money.

Tensions rise at a certain point. From the backseat, Alma yells at Denis that no one is waiting for you in the Netherlands. There are already too many foreign losers in that country. In return, Emir angrily demands, Why are you here?

They make their way to the seaBosnia has only 12 miles of Adriatic coastline!where new difficulties and pleasures, more or less simultaneously, await them.

Take Me Somewhere Nice is fundamentally a sincere and conscientious effort. It is one of those works whose mildly annoyingin this case, quirky and self-consciouselements are secondary, almost accidental. Sendijarevics film is a little like each of her central characters, unnecessarily enigmatic, a little irritating at times, butto a certain extent against its better judgmentessentially good-hearted.

Take Me Somewhere Nice

The weaker aspects include shots taken at odd angles, with heads or entire bodies either in the foreground or in the corner of the frame. The contents of the frame are sometimes off-balance, with numerous diagonals. For what reason? At such moments, the film is not unsettling, it simply calls attention to itself.

In the same ironic vein, Sendijarevic at times overemphasizes the kitsch, the tackiness of Bosnias small-town hotels, restaurants, clubs. Will anyone who knows the conditions in such impoverished countries be surprised by any of this? But, more regrettably, this tendency sometimes spills over into a quasi-mockery of the people stuck in the middle of all this tawdriness, as though they were somehow partially to blame.

It is understandable that after all that has happened in Balkans, after all the tragedies of the 1990s and beyond, after all the hyperbole, demagogy and politically driven emotionalism, Sendijarevic wants to avoid pulling at our heartstrings, she does not want to sweep her audience away. A certain coolness and distance prevail.

Sendijarevic told an interviewer, I wanted to create an alienating world, which would focus on a construction rather than on reality. I think film has the power to show that the world around us is changeable, that we do not have to live with choices made by others. A stylized film world shows there are different views and by doing so that there are several possible truths.

This is interesting, and what the filmmaker went on to say was even more interesting: I used [German playwright Bertolt] Brechts ideas in order to make choices. He uses his Verfremdungstechnik [alienation or distancing technique] to address problems in society. Another filmmaker who played a very important role in this matter is [German filmmaker R.W.] Fassbinder. There is a lot of truth in his approach to minorities and the weaker members of society. He shows how society corrupts them, instead of representing them as heroes.

For a contemporary filmmaker to refer positively to Brecht and Fassbinder is unusual, and promising. Good intentions and references by themselves, however, do not solve all the problems. If one were to draw out what was common to Brecht and Fassbinder in their best work, and these were two very different artists working under very different conditions, with different political histories and outlooks and different artistic methods, one might point to their strong concern with making existing, bourgeois social relations unnatural, strange and thereby something that could be criticized and altered. That is to say, they proceeded from a definite partisanship, with a distinct interest in the oppressed and the progress of their consciousness.

That is not the same thing as a rather arbitrary and even occasionally misanthropic stylization intended to show that there are several possible truths. When one registers the obvious influence of Jim Jarmusch (Down by Law, Stranger Than Paradise) and also that ofby Sendijarevics acknowledgementFinlands Aki Kaurismaki, New Zealands Jane Campion, Mexicos Carlos Reygadas and Taiwans Tsai Ming Liang, all problematic and, as it were, postmodern figures, one derives a better sense of the contradictory and even opposed impulses at work in Take Me Somewhere Nice, and why it has a certain push me/pull you effect.

Take Me Somewhere Nice (2019)

In any event, in the end, and this also perhaps has something to do with changing, more favorable political and ideological conditions, Sendijarevics better instincts prevail. The film sheds some, although not all, of its eccentricity and takes on a warmer, more sympathetic quality.

What the director has to say about shooting her film in Bosnia and about the younger generation there is worth citing. Sendijarevic explains that it was tough to be in Bosnia and that it hurts me to see Bosnias current state. It looks like the world has turned its back on her. Sixty percent of the youth is unemployed, nothing is functioning as it is supposed to, the governmental system, that has been set up by the Dayton agreement, is encouraging segregation and corruption.

Sendijarevic traveled to many parts of Bosnia during the making of the film and it was heartbreaking, she said, to see how many people are struggling to survive. I really wanted to help them, but I felt powerless. For me, this sense of powerlessness has become part of the film.

Young Bosnians, she asserts, have little awareness of the stifling world in which they live. They grow up with the idea that they have no influence on anything and that they are inferior, because they are war children. Through the internet, they have access to the world outside of Bosnia and so they always refer to their own world as absurd. They are always repeating what their nostalgic parents say: In the time of Yugoslavia everything was better.

The filmmaker says, I was constantly confronted with the scars and wounds of a nonfunctioning country in which the young generation has been let down.

Further, Sendijarevic, referring to Alma as an Alice in Wonderland-like character, observes that her protagonist finds herself constantly navigating between opposites: New or Old, Mother or Father, West or East, fast sex or everlasting love, Masculine or Feminine, Dutch Calvinism or Bosnian Islam, iPhone or wild nature, European passport or Yugoslavian soul. She asks, What does it mean to be in-between in our ever-globalizing world?

No doubt there are bitter and frightful particularities in Almas situation (and that of Denis and Emir, for that matter). The Bosnian and Balkan population generally has been traumatized over the past three decades, since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the bloody civil wars in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, which were fueled and incited by the US and Germany. There is no secure, much less popular government in the region. Corruption and crime are pervasive, and the social conditions for the overwhelming majority, as Sendijarevic points out, are simply horrendous. The political-military situation remains a powder keg.

(In the one amusing scene in the film that refers specifically to geopolitics, a couple of Bosnian men are discussing things. What has Europe ever done for us? Nothing. They go through the list of powers and major countries one by one. Russia? Nothing. The Americans, the Turks, etc., nobody has done the Bosnians much good, it turns out.)

But it also may be that Sendijarevic underestimates the extent to which the younger generation globally is still at sea, looking for a new orientation, for some stable, coherent political and moral reference point. Many young people, refugees or not, from the Balkans or not, are in-between at present, disgusted by the existing set-up and not yet having found an alternative. This in-between-ness is bound up with the on-the-eve quality of the present moment.

In any case, in Take Me Somewhere Nice, Sendijarevic has accomplished much of what she set out to do, to make a young, playful film, to translate the young and reckless energy of the trio in a fresh and energetic cinema language. And that genuinely counts for something.
On Tuesday of last week abortion rights activists filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block a barbaric and medieval anti-abortion law, which is set to go into effect in Texas in September this year, that bans abortions by allowing citizens to sue those who perform or aid in abortions for $10,000, with a successful case stipulating the sued parties are to pay the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit was filed in Austin by the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union and others.

The law applies to anyone connected to the abortion, including anyone who, according to the language of the statute, knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion through insurance or otherwise, opening the door for a flood of lawsuits by conservative activists and anti-abortion vigilantes against the states few remaining abortion clinics and reproductive health organizations.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The Texas law was signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott on May 19, the same day that the state executed Quintin Jones, illustrating the utterly false character of Republicans supposed concern for the sanctity of life.

Speaking to the character of the law, Nancy Northup, president of the CRR, one of the plaintiffs in the case, denounced the law for putting a bounty on the head of any person or entity who so much as gives a patient money for an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people know they are pregnant, referring to the provisions of the law.

While some may point to the federal courts as a check on the new legislation, as the plaintiffs do, one has to look no further than the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, to see that there is no significant basis for the defense of democratic rights, given the extreme-right majority in the court led by anti-abortion Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was confirmed thanks to the cowardice and duplicity of the Democratic Party.

The Republicans and anti-abortion extremists no doubt aim for the case to go to the Supreme Court, which could then be able to make a ruling for the entire country striking down the right to abortion.

Texas and 13 other states, including South Carolina, Oklahoma, Idaho, Ohio and Tennessee, have fetal heartbeat abortion bans that have recently been signed into law. The clearly unconstitutional bills are part of a coordinated campaign to overturn the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that established the legality of abortion under the 14th Amendment.

The attack on legal abortion threatens many women who will be forced instead to rely on unsafe back-alley abortions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented unsafe abortions as one of the leading causes of death in pregnancy in the world, estimating that they account for between 4.7 and 13.2 percent of maternal deaths every year. The WHO notes that barriers to safe abortion for women, including adolescents, worldwide include:

restrictive laws

poor availability of services

high cost

stigma

conscientious objection of health-care providers and

unnecessary requirements, such as mandatory waiting periods, mandatory counseling, provision of misleading information, third-party authorization and medically unnecessary tests that delay care.

The result of the Republicans reactionary anti-abortion crusade is much the same as if they made a point of checking every item on the WHOs list.

For example, in Texas access to abortion services has been under sustained attack with the number of clinics in the state declining from 40 in 2013 to just 22 in 2019, according to National Public Radio. Most abortion clinics are in large cities, meaning that women living in rural areas have basically no access to abortions without driving hundreds of miles.

According to the ACLU, Texas law requires the doctor performing your sonogram to display the images, make any heartbeat audible, and verbally explain the results of the sonogram. This has the obvious intended effect of attempting to stigmatize abortions.

The dwindling number of clinics has forced many to travel out of state, presenting higher costs.

Before the landmark Roe v. Wade federal case in 1973 which legalized abortion, women would go through dangerous operations resulting in injuries which could cause complications with future pregnancies and could result in death. The situation was barbaric. The attacks on abortion being carried out across the country threatens to turn back the clock.

Roe v. Wade came at the tail-end of mass struggles of the working class such as the anti-war movement of the 1960s, the Civil Rights movements and a wave of mass strikes. Four decades of suppression of the class struggle by the unions, as well as 30 years of non-stop warfare by US imperialism and the precipitous decline of the United States economic standing on the world stage, form the reactionary context for the present attack on abortion rights.

The plaintiffs in the case are affiliated with the Democratic Party, which makse varying claims to support abortion rights. The fact of the matter is that the Democratic Party has assisted in the attack on abortion rights, with the Obama administration signing an executive order in 2010 which upholds severe restrictions on the legal right to an abortion by enforcing the Hyde Amendment, a provision which blocks federal funding for abortion, except in cases of incest or rape, or if the womans life is at risk.

The first death due to an illegal abortion following the passage of the Hyde Amendment, that of Rosie Jimenez, 27, was recorded in McAllen, Texas, in 1977. The Hyde Amendment could have been rescinded at any point in the past four decades but continues to be maintained by key sections of the Democratic Party.

In June of this year, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, in response to reports that the Biden administration was considering rescinding the Hyde Amendment, vowed to support the Amendment in every way possible.

In Louisiana, Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards signed a heartbeat bill in May 2019.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly ruled out support for abortion rights as a litmus test for Democratic Party candidates.

No significant campaign has been mounted by the Democrats to stop the assault on abortion. This is part and parcel with their pledge to work with the Republican Party, which attempted a coup to overthrow the Constitution on January 6 and is being transformed into a fascist party with Trump at the head. They refuse to carry out a campaign to defend this basic democratic right, just as they refuse to carry out any serious investigation of the coup, as it could stand to mobilize the working class and quickly spiral out of the Democrats control, threatening the entire capitalist system.

As a simple matter of fact, women in the ruling class will never have a problem affording birth control or obtaining an abortion. The attack on abortion rights is fundamentally an attack on the working class, and on working class women in particular. The Democratic Party, as a party of Wall Street and the upper-middle class, has no intention of defending the rights of the working class.

As the WSWS previously noted:

The fight for this demand and for the defense of democratic rights requires a struggle to put an end to capitalism and establish socialism. The only social force capable of carrying this out is the working class. Those determined to defend the right to abortion and democratic rights in general must link these issues with the fight against war and social inequality and turn to the mass of working people and youth. Defense of abortion rights must be linked to the mounting struggles of teachers and health care workers and the coming battles of auto workers.
25 years ago: LTTE train bombing kills dozens of workers in Sri Lanka

On July 24, 1996, a bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at the Dehiwala train station outside of Colombo killed 64 commuters. A further 400 people were wounded. The LTTE operatives placed suitcase bombs containing over 200 pounds of explosives in four carriages at the height of rush hour. The act was deliberately aimed at workers commuting to the suburban areas of Sri Lankas capital city. The train, scheduled to leave the Colombo Fort railway station after 5 p.m., was to carry city workers home after the day shift. The train was known as the office train and was extraordinarily packed. Over 2,000 people were on board the day of the attack.

Sri Lankan soldiers and on lookers stand by the exploded train in Dehiwala. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

The Revolutionary Communist League (RCL), Sri Lankan section of the International Committee and forerunner of the Socialist Equality Party, issued a statement condemning the LTTEs brutal anti-working-class attack, while explaining that the incident was the direct outcome of the racist war against the Tamil people, intensified by the Sri Lankan government.

The Peoples Alliance of President Chandrika Kumaratunga consisted of her own Sri Lanka Freedom Party, one of the two major bourgeois parties in Sri Lanka, together with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, which broke from Trotskyism in 196364, and the Stalinist Communist Party of Sri Lanka, along with several minor bourgeois-populist parties. While using populist language, the Peoples Alliance pursued a chauvinist policy towards the Tamil minority, which fueled support for the LTTE, and carried out vicious attacks on workers and poor farmers.

The connection between the war and attacks on the conditions of the working class was illustrated on the same day as the bombing when Kumaratunga addressed a meeting of small-holder tea planters. She stated the determination of her government to remove economic subsidies and threatened to fire workers fighting for wage increases. The lethargic public servants and teachers who continue their old wars without being perceptive to the need of the hour and changes in society will face tough penalties including dismissal, she said.

The RCL urged workers not to be drawn into the racist anti-Tamil campaign that was whipped up in the aftermath of the bombing by the ruling class. The party called for workers to establish their own independent defense committees to organize the security of workers and their families. It urged them to oppose the governments racist war and increasing militarization of the government.

The bombing, a previous bombing against Central Bank workers, and the continuous harassment of Sinhalese peasants in the Tamil-populated northern and eastern provinces demonstrated the LTTEs opposition to the unity of the Sinhala and Tamil masses. The LTTE was seeking to prevent the development of a movement of workers and oppressed against the Sri Lankan regime.

50 years ago: Failed coup by Communist Party in Sudan

On July 19, 1971, the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) attempted a coup d'etat against the government of the Democratic Republic of Sudan and removed the countrys leader, Jaafar Nimeiry, from power. The coup was short-lived, lasting less than one week. By July 23 Nimeiry would be freed and returned to power.

Leading up to the coup were years of immense political crisis in Sudan. Following a 1969 coup by the Free Officers Movement, Nimeiry ruled the North African country as the Chairman of the National Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), the ruling junta where all political power was consolidated.

Initially the SCP had given some support to the RCC government after the 1969 coup. However, fearing the development of a revolutionary movement among the Sudanese workers, the RCC began an anti-communist crackdown in March 1971. Nimeiry had announced the creation of a state-controlled political party called the Sudan Socialist Union, which would essentially dissolve all existing parties, including the SCP, into one tightly directed organization. The RCC also forcibly assumed control of the trade unions, where the SCP drew most of their support.

Many SCP leaders went into hiding, with most of the partys operations being driven underground during the spring and early summer of 1971. Under these conditions the SCP began preparing for the July 19 coup. Under the direction of the Stalinist bureaucracy in Moscow, the SCP oriented themselves not to the working class, but to their supporters from within the Sudanese military officer core. The most significant of this layer was Major Hashem al-Atta who would lead the coup and briefly hold the position of Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces after he surrounded the Presidential Palace with tanks and arrested Nimeiry.

Coup leader Hashem al-Atta

The SCP was the largest Communist Party in the Arab world, but its coup faced hostility, not only from the RCC within Sudan, but from all the surrounding nations. Both Egypts Anwar Sadat and Libyas Muammar Gaddafi opposed the SCP coup and provided support to Nimeiry and his return to power. These bourgeois nationalists, who were balancing between the Soviet Union and the imperialist powers, feared that the establishment of a Stalinist-led government in the region would destabilize their own fragile regimes.

Outside the members of the SCP itself, which had been substantially broken up by the Nimeiry repressions, the coup had little popular support. Atta was unable to bring the military under his control, with the vast majority of generals and other officers continuing to support the RCC.

After a few days the forces loyal to Nimeiry freed him from prison and arrested Atta and the other coup plotters, who were court-martialed and shot. In the aftermath, Nimeiry deepened his persecution of the SCP, arresting and executing its leaders and banning all communist-led trade unions and other organizations.

75 years ago: Zionist Irgun group bombs King David Hotel in British Palestine

On July 22, 1946, the Zionist organization Irgun bombed the King David Hotel in British-controlled Palestine, killing 91 people and injuring 46 more. The terrorist attack was one of a series, based on the perspective of compelling Britain, or the other major powers, to approve the establishment of a Jewish state in the area. Among those who died were 41 Arabs, 28 British citizens, 17 Jews and members of several other national groups.

British forces in Palestine

The attack received widespread international coverage, not only because of the large number of victims, but also because the King David Hotel was the headquarters of the British Mandatory authorities who oversaw the occupation of Palestine. It was conceived of as retaliation for a security crackdown conducted by the British authorities against militant Zionist organizations.

The well-organized Irgun operatives planted bombs in the basement of the hotel, as well as in a cafe next to it and one on a street nearby. Some onlookers who gathered to view the consequences of the explosion at the latter location were hit by the subsequent detonations. While Irgun members claimed that a warning was sent to the hotel almost half an hour before the bombings, the details have been disputed and no evacuation was carried out.

The attack had apparently been discussed beforehand within the broader Zionist milieu. However, its consequences, and the international response, resulted in a breakdown of the alliance between Irgun and several other groups, including the Haganah, the military wing of the Labour Zionists, who adopted a nominally left-wing posture.

Unlike some of the other Zionist organizations, Irgun only began hostilities against the British after it was clear that the Allied powers would be victorious over Nazi Germany. Its perspective was not based on any form of anti-colonialism, but included virulent denunciations of the Arabs, including calls for them to be driven out of the region or subjugated.

At the time of the bombing, Irgun was led by Menachem Begin, who would subsequently serve as the sixth prime minister of Israel, from June 1977 to October 1983.

100 years ago: Major military defeat for Spanish in occupied Morocco

On July 22, 1921, Berber rebels (known as the Rifis after the Rif mountain range), led by Abd el-Krim, inflicted a major defeat on Spanish imperialist troops at Annual in northeast Morocco, beginning the Rif War. The Spanish, who controlled areas along the coast, including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, sought to push inward and eastward, ignoring warnings from Abd el-Krim.

Abd-el Krim on the cover of TIME magazine

A Spanish general, Manuel Fernandez Silvestre, had occupied the village of Annual in January with several thousand Spanish troops. Silvestres lines of communication were poor, and his army was low on ammunition by the summer. Five thousand Spanish troops skirmished with 3,000 irregular Rif fighters on July 21.

The Spanish began a retreat, which turned into a rout. Spain sent reinforcements but these too were defeated by the Rifis. Altogether Spain lost over 20,000 soldiers as well as large quantities of weapons and ammunition. Abd el-Krim is said to have remarked, In just one night, Spain supplied us with all the equipment which we needed to carry on a big war. Silvestre was believed to have been killed, although his remains were never definitely identified. Abd el-Krim established a Rif Republic.

The Rif War had its origins in over 20 years of aggression in North Africa by the imperialist powers, which was a source of persistent inter-imperialist conflict. At the Algeciras Conference of 1906, both France and Spain had made claims on Morocco and apportioned areas of influence. Despite attempts at modernizing its military, the sultanate of Morocco, which had ruled a unified state since the 17th century, had collapsed under the European incursions and retained control of only six cities.

Germany also had claims in Morocco, which nearly led to war between the great powers after the Agadir crisis of 1911, when a German gunboat entered a French-held port on the Atlantic coast of Morocco and raised the possibility of war. The incident sparked mass antiwar demonstrations in Europe led by Social Democratic parties. The crisis was one of a series of inter-imperialist skirmishes that led up to World War I.

In 1912 Spain established, with French and British agreement, a formal protectorate in Morocco.

After the First World War, Spain and France both renewed their colonial ambitions in Morocco, sparking the rebellion by Abd el-Krim.

The 1921 Rif War, which was joined by the French, lasted five more years. In a war of retribution for the defeat at Annual, the Spanish indiscriminately used chemical weapons against civilians. Some Berber organizations today allege that residue of these weapons is still poisoning residents of the area. The war ended ultimately with the defeat and capture of Abd el-Krim, who died in exile in Cairo in 1963.
As the number of coronavirus cases in New South Wales (NSW) surges to 1,340, reports are revealing that large numbers of health workers, including nurses and aged care workers, are yet to receive even the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is the case in NSW and nationally, including in Victoria, where there have been 81 infections in recent days.

Some three and a half months after the designated target date of March 31 for full vaccination of all health care workers and with only 12 percent of the adult population immunised, health staff face the growing COVID-19 crisis largely unprotected and entirely vulnerable.

On July 12, Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt admitted that more than half of the aged care workforce in Australia was unvaccinated against the coronavirus. Only approximately 107,000 aged care workers, or around 40 percent have received at least one dose.

Technicians prepare Pfizer vaccines at the newly opened COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in Sydney, Australia. (James Gourley/Pool Photo via AP, File)

While the NSW government has refused to reveal the total number of health workers who have been vaccinated, some individual hospitals have released their own statistics, with as many as one-third of staff in one hospital emergency department yet to receive full vaccination.

On July 10, the Daily Telegraph reported the details of an internal memo which was circulated at one south-western Sydney hospital. It stated that the number of unjabbed frontline staff, including staff, student nurses and nurses in emergency wards, was at 35 percent.

The memo called for unprotected workers to be kept away from hot and red zones in the hospital, where COVID patients were present. Effectively acknowledging that this is unviable, given that more than a third of staff are unvaccinated, the document called for such segregation to be put in place where possible.

The report comes after more than 600 staff at the Royal North Shore Hospital on Sydneys lower north shore and at Fairfield Hospital in the citys south-west were forced into isolation, when an unvaccinated student nurse tested positive for coronavirus and had worked at the hospitals for five days while potentially infectious.

Despite this, according to the memo student nurses were still being sent to hospitals unvaccinated.

At the Summit Care aged facility in the north-west Sydney suburb of Baulkham Hill, where there have been at least ten coronavirus cases among residents and staff, it was revealed that only one-third of the facilitys workers had received the coronavirus vaccine. The outbreak began when an unvaccinated worker at the facility tested positive. At least 7075 percent of staff, including contracted cleaners, were identified as close contacts and forced into isolation.

Following that, RSL LifeCare, one of Australias largest aged care providers, which operates 28 homes across NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, revealed that just 27 percent of its staff have received a first dose and only 15 percent are fully vaccinated.

These figures are an indictment of governmentsstate and federal, Labor and Liberalwho have sought to keep the economy open to maximise corporate profits, against the advice of epidemiologists who have repeatedly warned of the danger of mass outbreaks.

In order to try and cover over the festering political scandal, the bipartisan national cabinet determined on June 28 that first dose of COVID vaccinations will be mandatory for aged care workers by September 17, a decision that scapegoats the workers for the failure of the rollout and in the interim leaves them unprotected and highly vulnerable to the increasingly infectious and dangerous variants of the virus. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a minuscule $11 million fund to be paid through the providers to enable workers to take time off work, if necessary, to obtain a vaccination.

This measure was to placate the competing aged care providers that were disputing which facility would be liable for the cost of administering the injection and any time off needed by staff working across multiple facilities if adverse reactions were experienced.

The government and the media have repeatedly blamed the workers for the perilously low rate of vaccinations. with Morrison stating: This has been a difficult cohort, a difficult group to get vaccinated, and this is why I have been fairly constant and determined to ensure we got to where we are tonight.

In reality, the reason aged care workers, nurses, paramedics and other essential workers are not yet vaccinated is because the government has failed to ensure there are supplies.

The Morrison government had originally announced a priority target of vaccinating all residential aged care staff, part of the initial 1a phase, by early April. In that month, with almost 3.5 million of the targeted 4 million still unvaccinated, the next 1b phase of the rollout commenced, exacerbating the problem of dwindling vaccine supplies. Reports emerged of aged care workers being told to get vaccinated in their own time or being given leftover doses on site after residents had received their jabs.

Initially aged care staff were told they would be vaccinated in their workplaces by the four private companies fielding teams sent to the residential facilities for the residents, but this did not happen. The government promised to set up 13 pop-up vaccination hubs for aged care staff during May. So far, only three of these are operating, all in western Sydney.

One aged care nurse from Victoria, who had contracted COVID-19 at her workplace during 2020, told the WSWS about her difficulties in obtaining a vaccination, either at work or in a hub:

I dont know why I didnt get the vaccination at work because they said it was only for the residents, and then if there was vaccine left over, they would give it to the staff. But at that time, I didnt get it because I wasnt working during the day. If you go outside to have the book-in vaccination, the queue is so long. Maybe you have to stay there for hours to get inside. I tried to go there on the weekend, but the queue was just so long, I didnt stay.

With rising case numbers and growing hospitalisations, Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid last week warned that NSWs hospital system could destabilise if it became overloaded with COVID-19 patients, stating, Weve seen 10 percent of cases already in hospitaljust multiply that to thousands and thousands of cases Imagine what you might experience if you need to go to hospital for urgent care, such as with a heart attack or cancer.

After decades of funding cuts, public hospitals in Sydney and nationally have been pushed to breaking point. Even prior to a major outbreak of coronavirus, they have been operating close to capacity. In recent months, hospitals in every state and territory have reported overflowing emergency departments, increased ambulance ramping and lengthy wait times as a result of understaffing and bed shortages.

Throughout June, widespread industrial and strike action was taken by health workers across NSW, including paramedics, patient transport officers, nurses and midwives in at least 24 different hospitals, in opposition to unsafe staffing levels and wage cuts.

These actions were all limited and broken up by the unions to different workplaces and different days. Paramedics covered by the Health Services Union (HSU) were expected to take different action to their colleagues, in some cases in the same ambulance, who were members of the Australian Paramedics Association (APA). Some nurses in different hospitals were not aware of the actions taken by their counterparts in hospitals in the same city or town.

The trade unions were fully aware of the danger of a coronavirus outbreak but refused to mobilise health workers in a broader struggle. The chronic staff shortages, increased workloads and dangerous working conditions have been implemented with the direct complicity of all the health unions. NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes told a rally of nurses and midwives in Newcastle last April about severe staff shortages including 1015 shortages on shift at Westmead Hospital, the major public hospital in western Sydney and the first to establish a COVID-19 ward.

As with all the health unions he proposed no action of health workers to address this dangerous situation. With the spread of the Delta variant among health workers, the unions are seeking to suppress any opposition from workers.

The lack of preparation of the health system in every state over the past 18 months is a criminal expression of the priorities of all governmentsprofits and budgets over the lives of health workers and their patients. It highlights the urgent necessity for workers not to place their health and safety in the hands of the unions who act as the policemen of the capitalist class. Matters must be taken into the hands of health workers in collaboration with their counterparts internationally who have suffered the same conditions in country after country over the past 12 months.

Health workers, including doctors, nurses, orderlies and administrative staff, must establish rank-and-file committees to discuss and determine the requirements for maintaining safety of both staff and patients. These committees must be independent of the trade unions whose role is to suppress and isolate the struggles of health workers.

While workers have consistently demonstrated that they want to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, these developments underscore that it is impossible to do so within the framework of capitalism, which subordinates every aspect of life to the profit interests of a tiny corporate elite.
Volvo Trucks workers returning to work today in Virginia say it is going to be a battle with management after the sellout of their five-week strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW). The nearly 3,000 Volvo workers at the New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia return to the factory in a confident and militant mood after striking two times over the last four months and rejecting three, and more likely four, UAW-backed concession contracts.

Last Wednesday, the UAW claimed its proposal for a six-year labor agreement, already rejected by nearly two-thirds of the workforce on July 9, had passed by only 17 votes out of the 2,369 votes cast by workers. Amid widespread accusations of vote fraud, the UAW quickly shut down the strike. UAW President Ray Curry cynically declared, The democratic process played out at Volvo Trucks.

Although some workers voluntarily returned late last week, the first full shifts began late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Management has made it clear it plans to speed up the assembly line and impose long hours of mandatory overtime to make up for lost production during the strike.

Workers striking at Volvo. (Image credit: UAW L. 2069)

Our focus now will be on getting trucks to customers as quickly as we can, Franky Marchand, vice president and general manager at the Volvo Trucks plant, declared in a statement last week. Pointing to a shortfall of thousands of trucks, a supervisors talk sheet said, Current demand of trucks exceeds industry capacity for 2021 and Rest of year will not be smooth.

Its going to be a crazy rest of the year, with the impact of the strike and the parts shortage, a Volvo worker told the WSWS. On Monday, workers are going to talk to each other, see what the company is implementing and find their footing. We have a long road ahead with the bosses. Theyre always fudging the numbers, but one worker who returned last week said they had 60,000 trucks on the order board.

That means tons of overtime. I guarantee they will try to impose a 10-hour day, without overtime payments, even though they removed it from the earlier agreement we voted down. The UAW never showed us the full contract, and they are always adding things without letting us know. I have no doubt they would like to give the 10-hour shift to them, but if they try workers are going to tell them to shove it.

Management is going to try to put the screws on us, but it is not like before. If they press too hard, workers will walk out again. The union will be nowhere around. The local officials cant even show their faces in general assembly, the weld shop or anywhere else. Volvo may have a lot of orders, but it is not doable. We were out for more than a month, and they lost at least $50-60 million. They could have spent that money to give us a good contract, but they wouldnt.

The co-pay on the healthcare is going to be 85-15, instead of the 90-10 we had. Its going to cost my family $8,000 to $10,000 more a year. Thats going to happen to a lot of people. For the younger workers, its going to take six years to reach top pay and a lot longer if they are hit by layoffs.

I am sure we are going to get a motivational speech from the main boss, another Volvo worker told the WSWS. Workers feel we have the upper hand, especially because of the way the company treated us. We were out for more than a month, and workers feel they were empowered by the strike.

The worker scoffed at Currys claim that Volvo workers went through a democratic process to end up with the concessionary contract. By democracy, he said, The UAW means you vote and vote until you get it right.

The worker warned that Volvo and the UAW might use the new contract at the New River Valley plant in Virginia to slash jobs and whipsaw Mack Truck workers in Pennsylvania, Maryland and other states into accepting even deeper cuts when their contract expires in 2023, or even before. Volvo workers currently paint truck cabs that are shipped to the companys Macungie, Pennsylvania plant where Mack trucks are assembled.

In the grand scheme of things, they are moving assembly operations to a new building as part of their $400 million expansion at the New River Valley plant here. They will be using universal cabs for both Volvo and Mack-branded trucks. Well be painting them and shipping them north to Pennsylvania. We used to build both Mack and Volvo trucks here, but they stopped because of production problems. Now the different models share so many parts they might do that again to cut costs. They could use the concessions they got here to shift production from Macungie and take away their jobs. I would be more than happy to unite with the Mack Truck workers and defend all our jobs and livelihoods.

To lead the fight against the sabotage of their struggle by the UAW, the Virginia workers formed the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee to rally opposition to the concession contracts and fight for the expansion of their struggle. The VWRFC established contact with Mack Truck workers, including in Macungie where workers have formed their own rank-and-file committee.

We told the Mack workers: Look what we did in two months. You have more time to build your rank-and-file committee. We were in their spot trying to figure out what to do on the fly and how to implement it. They have time to build their committee in advance of the big changes theyre going to face.

The worker explained the importance of the rank-and-file committee in the Volvo workers struggle. There were plenty of naysayers about the committee at first. But then everybody was like, What is the committee saying? We heard management. We heard the UAW. Now we want to hear what the committee is saying. Eventually even the naysayers were saying, The committee is the only credible source of information.

The UAW always says this is the best you are going to get. You have to jump on it, and research it and the publish the truth for all the workers to see, the worker said.

The other worker added, We need to keep progressing with the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee. We went from a thorn in their side to a real fighting force. Workers are asking why pay dues to fight the people you are paying dues to? We need to build our committees and unite with workers at Mack, autoworkers in Detroit and Volvo workers around the world.

Analysts for the auto industry are worried that the rebellion by Volvo workers will spark a far broader movement of workers to overturn decades of UAW-backed concessions. These concessions have reduced autoworkers from the highest paid industrial workers in the US to highly exploited workers with starting wages equivalent to fast-food jobs.

According to an Associated Press account, Kristin Dziczek, senior vice president at the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank, said rank-and-file union members flexed their muscles in the labor dispute by rejecting two agreements endorsed by union leadership.

It shows members in future contract talks that the first or even second deals agreed to by union leaders can be improved, she warned. This changes the dynamic quite a bit. If members dont see the first deal as the best they can get, then its a self-fulfilling prophecy.

In other words, the Volvo workers have proven that the working class can challenge the decades-long collaboration of the UAW in the systematic impoverishment of workers. The lessons of this struggle now must be taken to every section of the working class to expand the national and international network of rank-and-file committees and launch an industrial and political counteroffensive by workers around the world.
Die Selbstgerechten [1] ( The Self-Righteous), the latest book by Sahra Wagenknecht, is a volkisch-nationalist diatribe. Wagenknecht, a leading member of the Left Party, rages venomously against cosmopolitanism and cultural openness while promoting protectionism and a strong state. She denounces migrants and refugees as wage depressors, st rikebreakers and foreign cultural elements, and seeks to drive a wedge between working people who have a university degree and those who do not. There are paragraphs in the book that can also be found almost verbatim in texts of the far-right AfD and the Nazis , as we have demonstrated in the first part of this article.

Economic nationalism

In the sphere of economic policy Wagenknecht also draws upon the nationalist ideology associated with the far right. She advocates de-globalisation, protective tariffs and other protectionist measures to protect German companies from foreign competition and the return of value chains back into the country. At the same time, she wants to maintain the export orientation of the German economyan international leader with an export quota of almost 50 percent of GDP.

De-globalisation would increase our prosperity and make our economy less vulnerable to crises, she claims. This is not about saying goodbye to international trade but about global value chains, under conditions where 80 percent of this world trade today takes place within the manufacturing chain of large multinational corporations.

It is not free trade, but protectionism that has made Germany and the USA rich, Wagenknecht writes, demanding: We must change the rules in such a way that each country once again has greater leeway to shape its economic policy. ... Those who expose themselves without protection to imports that undermine their own standards are not open to the world, but stupid. ... Protecting workers and domestic suppliers from cheap imports and hostile takeovers is, in this sense, a democratic duty.

Sahra Wagenknecht (2017)

A simple means of doing this, she writes, is protective tariffs: We need to bring industrial value creation back to Europe and overcome our dependency in key sectors such as the digital economy. ... the more value created in the country, the greater the prevailing prosperity.

The claim that tariff walls and other protectionist measures serve to protect the socially disadvantaged and economic prosperity is factually false and politically reactionary.

The absolute and active domination of the world economy over all national economies is a fundamental fact of modern life. The globalisation of production, combined with outstanding technological advances in IT, communications and transport, has led to a historically unprecedented integration of the world economy and significantly increased the productivity of labour.

Scientific progress, modern technology and the global division of labour have created the conditions to solve all societys basic problems and enormously enrich the lives and culture of all humanity. For this to happen, however, it is necessary to liberate the productive forces from the shackles of private property and the nation-state upon which capitalism is based.

The subordination of all aspects of economic life to private profit interests leads to the paradoxical situation in which the increase in social wealth leads to an increase in poverty. A handful of billionaires wallow in fabulous luxury while the vast majority can barely make ends meet or live in abject poverty.

The concentration of the economy under the control of finance capital and a handful of monopolies intensifies the global struggle of the imperialist powers for markets, profits and raw materials to the point of open military conflict. Economic nationalism and trade war are intensifying worldwide. All imperialist powers, including Germany, are massively rearming, spending billions on renewing nuclear arsenals. Preparations for war, especially against China, are well advanced.

Only an international offensive of the working class, the overthrow of capitalism and the reorganisation of the world economy on a socialist basis can overcome social inequality, unleash the potential of modern productive forces for social progress and prevent a third world war.

The objective conditions for such a socialist offensive are developing rapidly. The ranks of the international working class have grown enormously. According to the ILO, the global workforce has risen from 2.6 billion to 3.3 billion since the beginning of this century alone. For the first time, the vast majority of humanity lives in cities. Entire regions of the world that used to be predominantly agrarian have been integrated into the global production process.

Wagenknechts economic nationalism serves to divide the international working class and support the German bourgeoisie in trade war and war preparations against China, the US and other rivals. Her attempt to lock up the global economy in the cage of the nation-state is directed against the working class, whose existence is bound up with modern productive forces.

Once again, Wagenknecht draws on extreme right-wing models. Mussolini and Hitler had already blamed the world economy for the deep recession of the 1930s and pursued a nationalist economic policy. Leon Trotsky wrote about this in 1933: Attempts to save economic life by inoculating it with virus from the corpse of nationalism result in blood poisoning which bears the name of fascism.  Instead of clearing away a suitably large arena for the operations of modern technology, the rulers chop and slice the living organism of economy to pieces. [2]

Trotsky warned that fascist nationalism was preparing volcanic explosions and grandiose clashes in the world arena.  All our experiences on this score during the last 25 or 30 years will seem only an idyllic overture compared to the music of hell that is impending.

The confirmation of Trotskys warning took just six years. In 1939, Germany invaded Poland and launched a war that meantas he predictedcomplete economic devastation and the destruction of an entire culture.

From Stalinism to right-wing nationalism

Sahra Wagenknecht began her political career in the 1990s as a spokesperson for the so-called Communist Platform of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS, the predecessor of the Left Party). At that time, she employed Marxist vocabulary and made regular pilgrimages to Rosa Luxemburgs memorial, while physically adopting her appearance. At the age of 20, and shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, she had joined the Stalinist Socialist Unity Party (SED), the ruling party of former East Germany. The PDS was founded in 1990, succeeding the Stalinist SED.

Stalin

The Marxist phraseology of that period has disappeared in Wagenknechts latest book. She even carefully avoids the terms socialism and socialist; an electronic search does not yield a single hit. Instead, she explicitly promotes capitalisma capitalism without globalisation, a real meritocracy where competition works and private property and the pursuit of profit drive technological progress, where property based on real performance makes life easier for entrepreneurs.

On the surface, Wagenknecht has made a 180-degree turn, but this appearance is deceptive. Her development follows a political logic. The Communist Platform was an amalgamation of former Stalinists. It did not defend the socialised property of the GDR and East Germanys attendant social achievements, but rather the Stalinist SED dictatorship and its repression of the working classincluding the suppression of the June 17, 1953 uprising and the building of the Berlin Wall.

Stalinism developed in the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Stalins dictatorship embodied the rule of a privileged bureaucracy that had grown disproportionately and usurped Soviet power due to the isolation and economic backwardness of the first workers state. Basing its privileges on the socialised property created by the October Revolution, the bureaucracy felt compelled to adhere to the Marxist phraseology of revolutionbut in fact transformed it into its opposite.

At the heart of the Stalinist offensive against Marxism was a vehement advocacy of nationalism and bitter hostility to world socialist revolution. In 1924, the Stalin faction promulgated the theory of building socialism in one country, which was diametrically opposed to proletarian internationalism. This became the starting point for a campaign against revolutionary Marxists that culminated in the Great Terror of 193738. Hundreds of thousands of those who had played a leading role in the October Revolution, in the initial years of the Soviet Republic and the Communist International died in the course of the Terror. Leon Trotsky, leader of the Left Opposition, was murdered in exile in Mexico in 1940.

After the Second World War, Stalin transferred the Soviet Unions forms of rule and ownership to Eastern Europe and the eastern part of Germany in order to protect the Soviet Union against renewed imperialist attack with a chain of buffer states. Unlike the Soviet Union, these states, including the GDR, were not the result of a proletarian revolution. The expropriation of capital and large landholdings represented social progress, but at the same time the SED regime suppressed any independent political movement of the working class.

Although Stalinism and fascism were based on completely different social foundationsStalinism was a parasitic cancer on the workers state, fascism embodied the dictatorship of finance capitalthere were similarities between the two. Both were terrified at the prospect of a revolutionary movement of the working class.

Leon Trotsky wrote in his book The Revolution Betrayed: the crushing of Soviet democracy by an all-powerful bureaucracy and the extermination of bourgeois democracy by fascism were produced by one and the same cause: the dilatoriness of the world proletariat in solving the problems set for it by history. Stalinism and fascism, in spite of a deep difference in social foundations, are symmetrical phenomena. In many of their features they show a deadly similarity. A victorious revolutionary movement in Europe would immediately shake not only fascism, but Soviet Bonapartism. [3]

Trotsky also predicted in The Revolution Betrayed that the bureaucracy would inevitably reintroduce capitalism if the working class failed to overthrow the bureaucracy in a political revolution. His prognosis was confirmed in 198990, when the Stalinist rulers in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and China introduced private property, looted state property and demolished all of the remaining social gains of the working class.

The SED/PDS also supported capitalist restoration. In 1989, it considered the path to German unity inevitably necessary and undertook this task with determination, as its last prime minister Hans Modrow wrote in his memoirs. Gregor Gysi, the long-time chairman of the PDS, later expressed his pride in having led the Easts elitesincluding the middle functionary levelinto German unity.

In the course of capitalist restoration many former Stalinists turned into open fascists. In Russia and many Eastern European countries, the transition between neo-Stalinist and fascist organisations remains fluid to this day. In Greece, Syriza, the sister party of the Left Party, had no problem forming a government alliance with the far-right Independent Greeks in 2015 to impose the brutal austerity dictates of the Troika in the face of fierce resistance by the working class.

Wagenknecht is thus just one of the many Stalinists turncoats who has ended up on the right.

Corporatism and strong unions

Wagenknechts right-wing nationalism is part of a sharp turn to the right by the entire trade union and social-democratic milieu. Since the 2000s, she has aligned her politics with Oskar Lafontaine, to whom she is currently married. After a 40-year career in the SPD, Lafontaine united a group of breakaway social democrats and trade union officials with the PDS to form the Left Party.

For Lafontaine, the most important task of the SPD had been to preserve social peace i.e., suppress the class struggle and ensure the stability of capitalist rule. In 1999, he resigned as SPD leader and federal finance minister because he believed that Chancellor Gerhard Schroders policies were undermining the SPDs ability to keep the working class under control. Lafontaines vision for the Left Party, which he headed in its early years together with Gregor Gysi, was to replace the SPD as the main anchor of stability in capitalist society.

Wagenknecht now began to sing the praises of the free market and meritocracy and extol the type of ordoliberal economic policies associated with the post-war rule of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Her book Freiheit und Kapitalismus (Freedom and Capitalism) was published in 2011 and Reichtum ohne Gier (Wealth without Greed) in 2016. Both books feature many of the motifs to be found in her latest book. For example, in Wealth without Greed she writes: We need what the neoliberals are so fond of writing on their banners, but obliterate in reality: Freedom, initiative, competition, performance-based pay, protection of self-earned property.

In The Self-Righteous Wagenknecht cites the federal republic of the 1950s to the late 1970s as a role model. She describes it as an equitable middle-class society in which there are no longer stark social contrasts and everyone who makes an effort and follows rules is given the chance for social advancement and a life of solid prosperity; in which values such as achievement, diligence, discipline, order, security, stability and normality, were shared by the working classes as well as by the traditional bourgeois and petty-bourgeois classes; in which society was regarded as a joint affair in which social cohesion, public spirit and responsibility counted not just for oneself but also for others.

The basis of this capitalist land of milk and honey, according to Wagenknecht, were powerful trade unions and a state that imposed rules and restrictions on the pursuit of profit. She concludes, Capitalism works best in highly competitive industries where laws and strong trade unions ensure rising wages and high social and environmental standards.

All of this is a grotesque distortion of historical reality. The post-war era was marked by the Cold War and a climate of social reaction. The top echelons of German business circles, politics, government and universities were teeming with former Nazis. The social gains won at that time were the result of bitter class battles in Germany itself and also internationally.

In 195657, for example, metalworkers in the state of Schleswig-Holstein achieved sick pay in a 16-week strike. In France, 10 million workers went on general strike in 1968, bringing bourgeois rule to the brink of collapse. In 1969, spontaneous mass strikes in the German steel, metal and textile industries put an end to the miserable wage settlements agreed by the union. In the early 1970s, extensive industrial action in the chemical, metal, printing and steel industries, as well as in the public sector, resulted in substantial wage increases, six weeks annual leave and other significant concessions.

September strikes at Hoesch in Dortmund in 1969

The unions were not the initiators of these struggles. Instead, they worked closely with the employers and government within the framework of the German system of co-determination, and intervened to ensure that industrial struggles did not endanger capitalism. If they nevertheless achieved significant social improvements, it was only because companies could pay under conditions of post-war economic recovery.

The situation changed after the first deep recession in the 1970s. The trade unions reverted into open opponents of the working class. Deprived by the process of globalisation of the ability to negotiate compromises within a national framework, they drew up and enforced the companies plans for layoffs and rationalisation under the banner of competitiveness and defending production sites.

Today, the unions are deeply integrated into the state and big business. Their functionaries and works council leaders earn many times that of an ordinary worker. They move seamlessly from the union to the company boardroom and government posts, and act as co-managers and company cops. Almost without exception, they support domestic and external rearmament. Not a few of the bureaucrats support the far-right AfD.

Wagenknechts call for strong trade unions aims to strengthen these reactionary, corporatist apparatuses. She praises the trade unions to the skies. While blaming left liberals for all the negative consequences of globalisation, she is silent on the role of the trade unions and their officials who have signed deals involving the shedding of millions of jobs, agreed significant wage cuts and, in their role as government ministers, have overseen the reduction of unemployment benefits, pensions and other social benefits.

With her advocacy of corporatist unions Wagenknecht is not reinventing the wheel. The tendency to cooperate with big business and the state has long characterised the trade unions. Especially in times of crisis and war, they tend to merge with the state. Fascism took corporatism to its ultimate consequence, transforming trade unions into direct organs of the state.

Conclusion

The political evolution of Wagenknecht and the Left Party can only be understood against the background of objective social changes. The class struggle and the tensions between the major imperialist powers have reached a degree of intensity that no longer permits half measures. All political tendencies are forced to show their true colours.

Capitalism is in its deepest international crisis since the end of World War II. The profit-before-life policy of the ruling classes in response to the coronavirus pandemic has claimed millions of lives and created widespread social miserywith no end in sight. At the same time, the stock market and the fortunes of billionaires climb from one record to another. Explosive class struggles are looming worldwide, which will inevitably assume an international and socialist direction.

The Left Party is reacting to this development with a sharp lurch to the right. The idea that this party can contribute to socialism, fomented by pseudo-left currents in and around its ranks, has always been a colossal fraud. Historically, the Left Party is rooted in Stalinism, the most bitter opponent of socialism. Socially, it relies on members of the middle class and bureaucratic apparatuses, who fear that an uprising by workers would threaten their privileged positions and bank accounts. Politically, the party is a staunch pillar of capitalist rule.

The Greek sister party of the Left Party, Syriza, already demonstrated where it stood in 2015. Faced with the alternative of accepting the Troikas austerity dictates or fighting against them, Syriza in power disregarded the very referendum it had organised and enforced unprecedented social cutbacks in the face of fierce resistance by workers.

The ruling class all over the world is responding to the global crisis of capitalism by turning to militarism and dictatorship. Staggering social inequality, unceasing attacks on jobs and wages, millions of avoidable coronavirus deaths and massive preparations for war are incompatible with democratic forms of rule.

In the US, Donald Trump is transforming the Republican Party into a fascist movement, while Joe Biden pleads for unity with the Republicans. In Germany, one reactionary police law follows the next, right-wing terrorist networks are spreading throughout the countrys security forces, and the AfD, an extreme right-wing party, sits in the Bundestag where it is courted by the other parties. Wagenknechts book makes clear that the Left Party is an integral part of this right-wing front.

A socialist movement of the working class can only be built in opposition to the Left Party and its pseudo-left hangers-on. The International Committee of the Fourth International, to which the Socialist Equality Party (SGP) is affiliated, was founded in 1953 to defend the programme of world socialist revolution against all those who aligned themselves with Stalinism, social democracy and petty-bourgeois nationalism.

Today, the ICFIs political and theoretical struggle is gaining enormous importance. Under conditions where the working class is radicalising worldwide and its struggle is taking on international dimensions, the Left Party and other pseudo-left organisations are moving rapidly to the rightas Wagenknechts book underlines. Anyone who seriously wants to fight for a socialist perspective must join the ICFI and SGP and support the struggle to mobilise the international working class for the overthrow of capitalism and the construction of a socialist society.

Notes

[1] Sahra Wagenknecht, The Self-Righteous. Mein Gegenprogramm  fur Gemeinsinn und Zusammenhalt, Campus Verlag Frankfurt am Main, 2021.

[2] Leon Trotsky, Nationalism and Economic Life (1934). https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1934/xx/nationalism.htm

[3] Leon Trotsky, Revolution Betrayed https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1936/revbet/ch11.htm#ch11-1
The long-delayed trial of former African National Congress (ANC) President Jacob Zuma on charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering has resumed, with Zuma appearing by video link from prison.

The 79-year-old Zuma, a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle who for decades played a key role in the ANC, is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. The Constitutional Court ordered his imprisonment for defying its order to appear at a separate inquiry into corruption during his presidency from 2009 until 2018, when President Cyril Ramaphosas faction in the ANC forced him to resign.

Jacob Zuma in 2017 (Credit: Kremlin.ru)

This trial relates to the $5 billion purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and military gear from five European arms firms, brokered in 1999 when Zuma was President Thabo Mbekis deputy. The charges, that he accepted $34,000 annually from the French arms company Thales in return for protecting the company from an investigation into the deal, were reinstated after the ANC forced him out of office. The alleged bribe was part of a broader corrupt relationship between Zuma and one of the consortium members that won a major bid to provide combat suites for new navy frigates.

The resumption of Zumas trial has sparked fears of a resumption of the violence that followed his imprisonment on July 7. The protests by Zumas supporters that started on July 9 in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal escalated into a wider movement against the ANC government. The ANC has turned South Africa into the most unequal society in the world since its ascent to power in 1994, while enriching a tiny black layer, including both Zuma and Ramaphosa. As poverty escalated, the ANC turned to the tried and tested policies of divide and rule, inciting against migrant workers and exploiting divisions based on tribes.

Members of the South African Police Services on patrol outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Monday July 19, 2021, where the corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma resumed. The trial continued more than a week after Zuma's imprisonment for contempt of court in a separate case set off rioting. (AP Photo/Shiraaz Mohamed)

Millions are angered over the ANCs mismanagement of the pandemic and vaccine rollout and an escalating economic crisis that has left many without jobs, income or financial support with nearly 20 percent experiencing weekly hunger. Official figures that disguise chronic underemployment show that more than half of the countrys young people, who form 50 percent of the population, are unemployed, forcing them to hawk on the streets where they face police violence. The number of people killed at the hands of the police (629) in 2019/20 was more than double that of the US on a per capita basis.

At least 212 people died during the riots that saw the destruction, damage and looting of 200 shopping malls, the plundering of dozens of food factories and warehouses and damage to hundreds of lorries and cars. The downtown areas of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, the two main cities in KwaZulu-Natal province, look like war zones. Scores of telecommunication towers have been put out of action and port facilities damaged, while attacks on chemical plants have led to dangerous and polluting spills. Damage across the country has been put at $826 billion, although the full scale of the devastation is far from clear.

The violence has reportedly affected healthcare clinics and the faltering vaccine rollout programme, with medical supplies and medications looted, even as South Africas third wave of Covid infections rips through the country. Armed community groups are barricading suburbs in some parts of the country against outsiders, raising fears of vigilantism and racial, tribal and communal fighting.

Last week, even as Ramaphosa was forced to acknowledge the atrocious social conditions that had animated the riots, he requested 25,000 troops for the three months to help the police suppress the protests and arrest looters. He made clear that that the army would act to enforce the rule of law and protect big business and the South African bourgeoisie from the enraged masses. At least 10,000 soldiers have now been deployed and armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets.

Since then, Ramaphosa has attacked the forces behind the protests, which he called economic sabotage. Speaking on television Friday evening, he declared this was an attempted insurrection and an attack on our democracy. Authorities had identified a good number of those who planned and coordinated the violence, although he did not say who was behind what some pro-government commentators have called an attempted coup.

Certainly, the scale and nature of the damage suggests that some of it was planned and organized. It included the burning of more than 30 lorries on the main roads between the commercial capital Johannesburg and the port city of Durban that blocked key supply lines, attacks on water-treatment facilities, the disabling of mobile-phone towers, the burning of a pharmaceutical factory, the busing in of impoverished people to loot food stores and the theft of 1.5 million rounds of ammunition from a storage depot. According to Daily Mavericks associate editor Ferial Haffajee, this was orchestrated by a dozen of Zumas close associates in the ANC and intelligence services that he had built up during his years in office, with the aim of undermining the Ramaphosa government and securing a pardon and the dismissal of his trial.

The factional infighting within the ANC has brought it to point of civil war. It testifies to the internal decay and bankruptcy not just of the ANC but the entire South African bourgeoisie that has used the ANC to maintain its economic grip on the country.

By the late 1980s, globalisation of production had become widespread, rendering nationalist and autarkic regimes, including South Africas apartheid regime, obsolete. As the militancy of the South African working class in the townships against the apartheid system escalated, sparking fears that this would end capitalist rule in the country, the white bourgeoisie released Nelson Mandela from prison, made its peace with the ANC, ended apartheid and sanctioned majority rule that brought the ANC to power in 1994.

The choice of the ANC as the mechanism to rescue South African capitalism rested on its perspective and programme, based upon the Stalinist South African Communist Partys two-stage theory, which proclaimed the formal end of apartheid as a democratic revolution and a necessary stage before any struggle for socialism. The ANC would maintain capitalist property relations and develop alliances with the capitalist class, posing no threat to the economic system.

It sought to develop a black capitalist class that would take its place alongside the white capitalists through Black Economic Empowerment, while suppressing the revolutionary strivings of the black working class, as expressed graphically by the career of Ramaphosa. The former head of South Africas largest trade union, the National Union of Mineworkers, was elected ANC general secretary in 1991 and soon became a multi-millionaire. Twenty years later, as a shareholder in the Lonmin mines in Marikana, in 2012, Ramaphosa called on the authorities to take action against striking miners, thereby sanctioning the killing 34 and wounding 78 others by the security forces.

Like its counterparts in the Middle East and Africa, the ANC was unable to provide any solutions to the social and economic problems confronting the working class and peasantry. Its only answer to the sharpening social tensions is repression, arrests and the lethal crushing of protests and strikes.

The working class must draw the lessons. It is not enough to take to the streets as repeated mass protests in Africa, including Sudan, Algeria and Nigeria, and in the Middle East during the 2011 Arab Spring, have demonstrated. Workers must be guided by their own political perspective and programme, rejecting all divisions on the basis of ethnicity, race or colour. It means breaking with the capitalist politics of the ANC and adopting a socialist and international programme in the closest unity with their class brothers and sisters in the African continent and in the imperialist centres, to take power, overthrow capitalism and carry out the socialist reorganization of society.
The Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee opposes the legislation (HB 0580/SB 0623) passed by Tennessees right-wing legislature aimed at intimidating teachers and attacking their free speech and academic freedom.

This legislation includes a prohibition against instruction that promot[es] division between, or resentment of, a race, sex, religion, creed, nonviolent political affiliation, social class, or class of people.

Later, the bill nonsensically qualifies this prohibition with the claim that this section does not prohibit schools or instructors from making use of textbooks or instructional materials that discuss the history of an ethnic group or include the impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history or the impartial instruction on the historical oppression of a particular group of people based on race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, or geographic region.

Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville (Wikimedia)

This distinction between the promotion of divisions and the impartial discussion of them seems to be intentionally vague. We cannot escape the conclusion that the legislators hope to intimidate teachers into avoiding controversial topics to avoid getting into trouble.

A series of similar laws has been passed throughout the country in states with Republican-dominated legislatures. As awful as they are, these laws are only the opening shot in a broader campaign to undermine any kind of socially critical instruction in schools. Two laws recently passed in Florida go even further than the legislation in Tennessee and serve as a warning to educators everywhere.

The Florida laws restructure civics education in high schools and require that students pass a civic literacy assessment either in high school or in college in order to prove their grasp of the supposed evils of communism as compared with the supposedly more democratic US political system. The legislation requires public universities to survey faculty and students on their political beliefs and face a possible loss of funding if not enough students and faculty profess their allegiance to a right-wing perspective. Nothing in the legislation guarantees the anonymity of the responses, which brings into question what will be done to those individuals who answer in a way that displeases the states right-wing legislature.

From the anticommunist McCarthyite witch-hunts in the United States to the purging of Jewish and left-wing academics from German universities by the Nazi party, the practice of drawing up lists of dissidents has a dark history.

The Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee condemns this legislation and stands with Florida primary and secondary school and university teachers and students in opposing these laws.

Already, the Tennessee legislation has been used to target an individual teacher. Matthew Hawn, a tenured high school social studies teacher in Sullivan County, Tennessee, came under attack the day after the state legislature passed HB 0580/SB 0623 into law. Hawn assigned his class to read an essay titled, The First White President, by Ta-Nehisi Coates, that was published in the Atlantic. For this he was censured by the school board and suspended without pay pending possible termination.

Our committee has fundamental disagreements with the theoretical foundations and historical claims expressed by Hawn himself and outlined in this essay. This outlook is inspired by the concepts of critical race theory, which posits the existence of irreconcilable racial divisions in our society, above all in the working class. Nevertheless, we oppose all efforts to censor Hawn and other teachers who have views similar to his. The open discussion of a variety of points of view is of the utmost importance to the education of young people in our society.

Social class is the fundamental division in our society, not race, sex, religion, or creed. Class divisions and the resentments they produce are real, not the mere inventions of teachers. Moreover, the current fascistic and anti-socialist attacks on teachers are taking place in the context of a dramatic intensification of real class divisions.

Nowhere are divisions of class more apparent than in the response of the political representatives of the ruling class to the emerging coronavirus variants, which threaten to reverse even the meager progress accomplished by the partial vaccination of the US and world population. The emergence of these variants is the direct result of the politicians criminally irresponsible policies of herding workers back into unsafe working conditions and teachers and students back into unsafe schools. Meanwhile, the wealthy continue to have access to safe working environments and the best care the medical profession has to offer.

Ignoring the urgent warnings of the World Health Organization and epidemiologists around the world, the Biden administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reversed masking recommendations, continuing in all fundamental respects the very same policies pursued by the Trump administration. This has provided fertile ground for the virus to evolve, further threatening the lives of workers and their children.

The Delta variant now presents a triple threat in the schools. Under conditions where children under 12 years old, roughly half the school-aged population, are not yet eligible for vaccination, and most children 12 years old or older remain unvaccinated, the withdrawal of mask recommendations will fuel the spread of the disease, promoting the evolution of new and even more dangerous variants, and killing or permanently disabling an untold number of children, teachers, their family members and the broader population.

National divisions in vaccine production and distribution, which have created a situation where most of the worlds poorer countries have little or no access to any COVID-19 vaccine, are further fueling these same processes.

If human life rather than private profit were the priority, the pandemic could be brought under control within months. However, the capitalist classes in nearly every country have not taken the necessary measures to end the pandemic because doing so would run counter to their profit interests.

The wealth divide in American society continues to grow, intensifying the class struggle on a global scale. Aided and abetted by the corrupt, corporatist trade unions and their pseudo-left acolytes, the American capitalists are pursuing record profits at the expense of human lives. Worldwide, billionaires wealth surged 60 percent during the first year of the pandemic alone.

Again, teachers have not created these class divisions and antagonisms. The capitalist class itself is working with ruthless abandon to deepen the existing divisions in our society, which is the real cause of deepening resentments. How could we not resent the fact that the capitalist class is threatening the lives of working people and our children simply in order to enrich itself?

The capitalists are well aware that they cannot get away with their homicidal behavior indefinitely without producing a massive social explosion the likes of which the world has never seen. Under conditions in which the class struggle increasingly threatens to break out of the stranglehold of the corporatist trade unions, which for decades have functioned as little more than an auxiliary police force for workplace management, the capitalist class, above all its more fascistic elements, are concerned about the role that public education institutions could come to play in the discussion and dissemination of ideas critical of the capitalist system itself.

So, we understand why the Tennessee legislature is attacking our free speech and trying to intimidate us into silence. However, understanding and justification are not the same thing. HB 0580/SB 0623 is unjustifiable and unconstitutional. Teachers have the first amendment right to discuss and oppose the acts of class warfare of the capitalist class, including in the classroom.

We demand the immediate repeal of HB 0580/SB 0623, the immediate reinstatement with back pay of Michael Hawn, and an end to all further efforts to victimize individual teachers or their schools for the content of their instruction.
A wall collapse at Nyrstars Immel Mine in eastern Knoxville County, Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon left two miners injured and another dead. Both of the injured were hospitalized, with one requiring surgery. A spokesperson for Immel said that the miner who died had worked at the mine for over 10 years. The company has stated that it does not know what caused the accident.

This is the second fatality at Immel Mine this year; it is the third fatality in Nyrstars Tennessee mines, which are all nonunion. In February, 26-year-old Cody Maggard was crushed to death in a powered haulage incident at Immel. On May 18, 35-year-old Brandon Rosky was struck by a trailer at Nyrstars Young Mine in Jefferson City. Rosky had only worked at the mine for two weeks.

Between July 1 and July 18, the Immel Mine was cited three times by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for safety violations. On July 7, it was cited for either not having a telephone in the mine or for not posting instructions to use the phone. On July 8, it was cited for not having fire extinguishers near machines that run on their own. The day before the collapse, Immel received a citation for failing to provide voice communications between the surface and the refuge chambers in the mine, where communications are crucial in emergencies.

Nyrstar mine in east Tennessee (Nyrstar Medai)

Roxanna Jackson, Cody Maggards mother, told reporters for WBIR News that the most recent death at Immel is causing her to re-live her pain. In the five months since Maggards death, she says she has received no answers about what happened. She questions the adequacy of safety protocols.

Nyrstar has a long and notorious history of safety violations in its Tennessee mines, and of retaliation against workers who expose them. In June, United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh filed a complaint with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC) on behalf of Richard Waller, a worker at Nyrstars Cumberland mine.

The complaint contends that Waller was fired for documenting unsafe conditions in the mines shaft inspection book. He complained to supervisors about the unsafe conditions, and he refused to do welding in the shaft without the requisite fire extinguisher. He spoke to an MSHA inspector on site in the mine.

Waller wrote in statements about the case that his termination paperwork cites insubordination as the cause for his dismissal. The only discipline on his record prior to that was a two-day suspension in January for a violation of lockout/tagout policies; there was no history of insubordination.

Waller claims that the company fails to follow its progressive discipline policy. He added that the discipline policy contains so many loopholes and caveats that it is essentially meaningless.

Under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act (FMSHA), refusing to work in unduly hazardous conditions and reporting unsafe conditions are protected activities, and workers cannot be fired, discriminated against, or interfered with for engaging in these activities.

In 2014, MSHA settled two discrimination cases with Nyrstar for the same violations.

Under the settlement, the company was made to pay back wages, front pay, and compensatory damagesplus penalties adding up to $22,000to two miners fired in 2012 from the Elmswood/Gordonsville Mine. Prior to their termination, they had made numerous safety complaints to their immediate supervisors. Finding no remedy, they went to the mines safety department and the senior managers on-site. They filed internal complaints with the mines human resources department, and then again with corporate headquarters.

The two miners had also assisted MSHA during inspections, and had registered with the agency as designated representatives of miners. Through MSHA, they had filed a complaint of retaliation against another miner at their job site. All of these are protected activities under FMSHA.

Like all underground mining, zinc mining is rife with danger. Zinc miners are exposed to dangerous amounts of lead, cadmium and radon, and this exposure has long-term ramifications for their health. In addition, they face hazards implicit in all underground mining; flooding, rock falls, silicosis, electrocution, and powered haulage incidents.

Nyrstar has obviously deduced that paying out settlements and fines is more economical than investing in safety precautions for its workers. The company has more than a decade-long record both of violating safety policies and retaliating against employees who report them. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Nyrstars Clarksville, Tennessee plant $4,500 after an explosion injured two workers in 2012. That was not the first, nor even the second explosion at that plant resulting from the companys lax regard for safety. It was, however, the first time the plant had been fined.

Despite these largely token fines, the company proceeds with impunity. In March of 2016, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development awarded Nyrstar Clarksville the Commissioners Award of Excellence for Workplace Safety and Health.

Nyrstar operates with the same impunity worldwide. In 2018, the groundwater around Nyrstars smelting plant in Port Pirie, Australia was found to be contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The company has claimed that PFAS have not been proven to cause illness in humans; however, studies done by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report that PFAS can cause reproductive, developmental, and immunological dysfunction, in addition to kidney and liver damage.

Nyrstar has been responsible for two separate chemical leaks at the Port Pirie plant; the first occurred in 2017, when cadmium from the plants chemical storage area leached into groundwater. In 2019, sulfuric acid from the plant was discharged into Port Piries First Creek and resulted in a massive fish kill.

Nyrstar is an international company; it operates mines and smelting plants in Europe, Australia, and North America. It was formed in 2007 by merging the zinc smelting operations of Australian mining company Zinifex with Belgian materials company Umicore. Its corporate offices are located in Switzerland, but it is incorporated in Belgium.

Nyrstars largest stakeholder is the commodity trading company Trafigura, which acquired Nyrstar in 2019. Trafigura was involved in the Iraqi Oil-For-Food scheme sponsored by the United Nations, and in 2006 admitted in court that it had smuggled Iraqi oil out of the country and sold it for a profit.

That same year, the Probo Koala, a ship owned by a Singaporean businessman and chartered by Trafigura, emptied 500 tons of waste at the Port of Abidjan in Cote DIvoire. The waste was then dumped by an Ivorian contractor at several illegal dumping sites throughout Abidjan. In the following days, nearly 100,000 Ivorians sought medical attention resulting from contact with the waste. At least seventeen people died; many more continue to suffer from respiratory and skin disorders attributable to the waste.

The Probo Koalas confusing international identity is an apt illustration of capitalisms international character; it sailed beneath a Panamanian flag, was owned by a Singaporean entity, and engaged by Trafigura. It sailed around the worldfrom Mexico, to Amsterdam, then to four other countriesin its efforts to make the maximum amount of profit, whatever the cost to the environment and human lives.

These facts provide context to Tuesdays tragedy at Immel Mine. Nyrstars history in Tennessee mirrors that of other mining corporations worldwide. It demonstrates the incompatibility of a system based on private profit with the protection of workers health and safety. Existing safety laws are largely for show, tailored to the profit needs of the companies. They are rarely enforced, and when they are, companies receive no more than token punishment. Workers lose their lives, the operator is issued a citation, or, at worst, a token fine, and the mines and smelting plants continue to run as before.

These same conditions are faced by workers worldwide. Miners at Alabamas Warrior Met Coal have now been on strike for over 100 days over losses in pay and benefits concurrent with longer hours. Warrior Met Coal is steered by a conglomeration of hedge fund managers who hire local executives to carry out their bidding. Working a miner seven days a week, twelve hours a day is not conducive to safetybut it does allow the mine to operate more cheaply.

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) at Warrior Met agreed to the inhumane conditions under which Warrior Mets miners worked prior to their strike. The union now works to keep the strike isolated to Warrior Mets mines. The UMWA has played the same treacherous role at other mines that it organizes. As a result, union membership has fallen from 112,481 in 2000 to just 56,580 today.

To defend decent and safe working conditions, Nyrstar miners cannot rely on the big business-dominated MSHA or the pro company unions such as the UMWA. They must follow the examples of autoworkers, teachers, Amazon workers and other sections of the working class by organizing their own rank-and-file safety committee. They must join forces with their brother and sister workers, including Warrior Met coal miners in Alabama, Volvo workers in Virginia, nurses in Massachusetts and workers internationally in raising demands for decent compensation and safe working conditions.
TERRE HAUTE Ind. (WTHI) - On Saturday, Musicians Giving Back and the American Legion Post 104 made their way back to Terre Haute for the Second Annual Foodstock.

At the event, local musicians turned their favorite tunes into donations in an effort to help dozens of community members.

This year they are hoping to raise more than $3,000 in donations and several hundred pounds of food as well.

All of the money raised will go to the Terre Haute Catholic Charities Food Bank, which will buy food and feed many residents in the community.

"This is a chance for my friends, the musicians, to give back to our community and to help our neighbors," Bob Flott, the publicity director of Musicians Giving Back, said.

Eight different bands came out to support and raise money for this important cause. Community members say this year's event was very successful, and they are excited to see what the future holds.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- A local business is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Turbines Inc. is the oldest tenant at the Terre Haute Regional Airport.

The company hosted an event on Friday to mark the accomplishment.

Turbines Inc. works on airplane engines for the agricultural sector.

The company services engines on a global level. But, those in charge tell News 10 that Indiana's Business Structure makes Terre Haute a smart economic choice.
VERNON, Ala. (WTVA) - It's a tax-free weekend in Alabama as stores stopped charging sales tax on school supplies and more.

This is part of a push to help parents purchase items needed for the start of the new school year.

Source: WAAY-TV Source: WAAY-TV

Cheyenne Wheeler is a mother of two living in Vernon.

She said raising kids is expensive, especially after the difficulties faced with the pandemic.

It all adds up," said Wheeler. "Clothes, school supplies, I mean, its a lot, especially in a time where you may have a job or you may still be on unemployment.

However, through this weekend, the state of Alabama is holding its Back-to-School Sales Tax holiday.

This exempts all sales tax on things like school supplies, computers, and even clothes.

Along with being a mom, Wheeler also owns her own boutique in downtown Vernon, which she said is reaping the benefits of this weekend.

The sales tax in Alabama is 4%, but in Lamar County, city officials add an additional 5%.

This allows folks in the area to save 9% on all school-related purchases this weekend.

Wheeler said she's expecting to see a few hundred customers in her store and predicts up to one thousand online sales.

Not even looking at it from a point that it helps us," she said, "but just looking at it from a point that it helps our customers because thats really what we are excited about.

Wheeler said her customers will receive double savings in State of Cotton because she coupled the tax holiday savings with her own back-to-school sales.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - Teenagers from across the state traveled to the Golden Triangle on Friday and Saturday to compete in a state tournament.

Conner Smith is a 16-year-old out of Lee County.

Credit: Sig Sauer Credit: Sig Sauer

He's been shooting guns since he was about four years old and started shooting competitively almost five years ago.

Smith was just one of 130 teenagers competing in the state shooting tournament held by Mississippi 4-H.

Athletes ranging from ages 14 to 18 came to Starkville from all across the state in teams to compete with the hopes of advancing to the national shooting tournament.

Curt Lacy helped organize the shooting tournament.

His main objective of the event is to teach safety but said it also teaches great life lessons.

Theres also a lot of leadership skills that the youth learn whether its decision making, working well with others, following instructions, you know, identifying problems solving," Lacy explained.

On Friday, the athletes competed in skeet shooting where shooters aim for clay targets thrown from a trap.

However, on Saturday, they competed in trap shooting.

Once the tournament ends, the top four shooters will advance to nationals in Nebraska.

Smith said he hopes to someday earn a scholarship to compete for Mississippi State, but for now, his goal is to compete nationally.

It would be probably the best thing in the world to me because thats a big deal to me," said Smith. "It would be won on my own. I did it myself. I accomplished this by myself.

There was also a second tournament being held in West Point to put competitors' archery skills to the test.
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Housing activists erect a sign in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14, 2020. 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.
Little Free Libraries are popping up all around Sheridan, and there just like around the world, the phenomenon is about more than sharing books. Anyone can build a box on their own, and registration with the Little Free Library nonprofit is not required. However, registration adds a box to the groups network and to a map showing the libraries around the country.
England lifts lockdown restrictions amid rising COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 lockdown rules ease in England on Monday despite a recent spike in cases due to the delta variant. The mandates will be replaced by a recommendation that people wear masks in crowded places and on public transport, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week. Johnson will spend 10 days self-isolating after contact with a confirmed coronavirus case, his office said Sunday. Meanwhile, in the U.S., a doubling of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks suggests the nation has entered a fourth wave of the pandemic. Instead of the virus raging through entire communities, it's expected to target the unvaccinated, including children, and if rates are high enough, also the most vulnerable of the vaccinated: the elderly and the immunocompromised.

People dancing at Egg London nightclub in the early hours of July 19, 2021 in London, England. As of 12:01 on Monday, July 19, England dropped most of its remaining COVID-19 social restrictions.

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Britney Spears conservatorship battle continues

The Britney Spears conservatorship battle continues Monday with Judge Brenda Penny conducting a conference call with attorneys from both sides. The discussion will cover potential security for the temporary conservator who oversees Spears medical care. Last week was a major week for the pop stars ongoing effort to be freed from the 13-year conservatorship, under which she has little control over her finances or life decisions. Penny granted Spears' request to hire Mathew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor, to represent her. In an Instagram post Saturday, Spears vowed not to perform on any stages anytime soon as long as her father Jamie Spears remains in control of her conservatorship. This conservatorship killed my dreams, Spears wrote.

Flood destruction continues to mount in Europe; more than 180 dead

Story continues

Western Europe is still reeling in the wake of devastating flooding that has taken more than 180 lives in Belgium and Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday pledged quick financial aid and a renewed focus on curbing climate change in a visit to the hard-hit village of Schuld, which she described as a "surreal, ghostly situation." Although the rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, downpours have persisted elsewhere in western and central Europe. Scientists can't say for sure whether climate change caused the flooding, but they insist it exacerbates extreme weather disasters around the world.

Dozens of wildfires rage across dry West

Firefighters on Monday are continuing to battle more than 80 major fires raging across the hot, drought-stricken West, fire officials said. Wildfires burning Sunday in 13 states torched more than 1,800 square miles from Alaska to California and Minnesota to New Mexico. Almost 20,000 firefighters were working to keep the blazes at bay. One of the fires, the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, consumed more than 476 square miles  and destroyed at least 67 homes, as of Sunday. The blaze, which was 22% contained, forced 2,000 people to evacuate and threatened 5,000 buildings. Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon. With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts, the National Weather Service in Sacramento said on Twitter.

'We are so unprepared': Extreme heat fueled by climate change putting farmworkers' lives on the line

Biden administration takes aim at COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Social media and tech platforms are feeling the heat from the Biden administration for what officials say is their inaction on stopping misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. President Joe Biden set the tone Friday when he said, "They're killing people," when asked what his message is to platforms like Facebook on COVID-19 misinformation. On Sunday, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told "Fox News Sunday" that "misinformation is still spreading like wildfire in our country aided and abetted by technology platforms." And in a CNN interview, Dr. Anthony Fauci said, If we had had the pushback for vaccines the way we're seeing on certain media, I don't think it would've been possible at all to not only eradicate smallpox, we probably would still have smallpox."

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: England COVID-19 restrictions, Britney Spears, floods: 5 things to know Monday
Last Week Tonight didnt air a new episode this week, but the HBO late-night series did reveal some new content online, as host John Oliver couldnt delay talking about a topic near and dear to his own personal anatomy: John Dillerman, that Danish kids program about a man with a very large penis, which has sparked criticism since its premiere in January.

As the head of [the Danish broadcast networks] childrens department made clear, its as desexualized as it could possibly get, Oliver said during a standalone segment shared to Last Week Tonights YouTube page Sunday. The problem is, there are some both in, but especially outside Denmark, who cant seem to get their head around the charms of this show.

Oliver used the example footage of a British morning TV host grilling a Danish expert who was defending the show as being about the penis that a young child has. The host fired back, 20 foot-long and striped? Thats not the penis that everybody has.

This is when the Last Week Tonight host decided to reveal his personal connection to this childrens show about a man with large animated genitalia  which happens to be that he, too, has large animated genitalia.

Well hold on there, because you dont know that that is not the penis that everyone has. And that actually brings us to the reason that I wanted to talk to you about this show. Because the reason John Dillermand resonated so much with me isnt just that I found it interesting or charming or funny. Its that I, too, happen to have a 20 foot-long animated hose dong, Oliver said, revealing his cartoon penis friend on screen.

As you can see, he has a suit and glasses, just like me. And for people like myself, John Dillermand is the representation on television that weve been looking for for a long time. Because for us, our penises arent necessarily sexual, are they? No, theyre multitalented. Look, he can wiggle. He can show off his muscles. He can even make penis animals. Oooh, a giraffe! Fancy boy! And he can become a limp worm, which, yeah, I will admit is well within the wheelhouse of most penises. Of course, unfortunately, I cant keep him out for long because if he inadvertently gets excited, he siphons off about a gallon of my blood. So back you go before I collapse, OK?

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Oliver closed out the bit by adding, And thats it. Thats really all I wanted to tell you. That and the fact that well be back July 25th. Hey, Discovery, youre going to own this soon. Congratulations on the merger. Its going to go great.

Watch the full Last Week Tonight video above.

Read original story John Olivers 20 Foot-Long Animated Hose Dong Rallies Support for That Danish Show About a Man With a Huge Penis (Video) At TheWrap
In an unprecedented move, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in over 40 different cities last Sunday to protest their government. Cuba is a socialist dictatorship that has been ruling the island nation for over 62 years. Ever since Fidel Castro took over in 1959, Cuba has been subjected to a one party rule (the Communist Party of Cuba), which controls all forms of mediums and does not protect the right to free speech or assembly for its citizens.

Demonstrators hold placards during a rally held in solidarity with anti-government protests in Cuba, in Times Square, New York on July 13, 2021.

ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators hold placards during a rally held in solidarity with anti-government protests in Cuba, in Times Square, New York on July 13, 2021.

The protests come as the country is facing severe economic scarcities in food, water, and other basic necessities. The Cuban government's domestic inefficiencies, combined with the U.S. embargo, has crippled the economy for decades. Adding fuel to the fire has been the pandemic, as Cuba heavily relies on tourism.

People block Palmetto Expressway during a protest showing support for Cubans demonstrating against their government, in Miami, on July 13, 2021.

EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images People block Palmetto Expressway during a protest showing support for Cubans demonstrating against their government, in Miami, on July 13, 2021.

However, while citizens shared their grievances for the economic situation, they also protested their government. Chants like "libertad" ("freedom") and "Patria y Vida" (homeland and life), as well as explicit cries about the current president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, were heard everywhere.

After news broke about the protests, the Cuban exile community all over the globe rallied together with the protesters asking for the end of a dictatorship.

If you're looking for ways to show your support for Cuba, read on for how to help right now.

Write to your representatives.

One of the most critical things you can do is write to your senators, congressmen, and congresswomen about the current situation in Cuba. Reaching out to them not only increases visibility on the topic, but it also pressures them to recognize the dictatorship. Asking the U.S. for humanitarian intervention can help alleviate the dire situation citizens are in. You can find your representatives by using this link.

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People supporting protests in Cuba gather on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House grounds July 13, 2021, in Washington, DC.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images People supporting protests in Cuba gather on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House grounds July 13, 2021, in Washington, DC.

Listen to Cuban voices.

Independent journalists and bloggers risk their freedom every day to report the current situation in Cuba. Yoani Sanchez at 14yMedio, El Toque, and Abraham Jimenez Enoa are just some of the journalists and blogs in Cuba worth noting and reading.

Donate recharges to cell phones.

Internet in Cuba is extremely expensive for the average Cuban; the government's tight control of the internet sets prices that are unattainable. Providing citizens with internet is essential to getting their stories out. Cubanos Pa'lante has been on a recharge (recarga) campaign that you can donate to here.

Drink some Cuba libres in Miami.

From July 16 to July 23, local spots in Miami will be selling Cuba libres with proceeds being donated to the Center for a Free Cuba. Bacardi, which has its origin in Cuba, has donated its Real Havana Club rum to local Cuban-owned businesses to make these drinks. Bacardi has also pledged $10,000 to add to all the proceeds going to the organization.
BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will threaten this week to deviate from the Brexit deal unless the European Union shows more flexibility over Northern Ireland, one UK and three EU sources told Reuters, a move that could thrust the five-year Brexit divorce into tumult.

Deviating from the deal's so-called Northern Ireland Protocol is a risky step: its aim was to prevent Brexit from disrupting the delicate peace brought to Northern Ireland by the U.S.-brokered 1998 agreement that ended three decades of sectarian conflict.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who signed the 2020 Brexit deal, has been dismayed by the protocol which has imposed paperwork and checks that London says could prevent British food staples such as sausages going to Northern Ireland.

David Frost, the British minister who leads Brexit negotiations, is preparing to announce a significant potential change on the protocol that could have far-reaching consequences for the relationship with the EU, one of the sources said.

The plans are being worked on by Downing Street. Frost is due to update parliament on Wednesday about Northern Ireland and Brexit, and will also present a paper on Brexit to lawmakers.

After the Reuters report, Frost told lawmakers the protocol was not sustainable in its current form and that if an agreement could not be reached then London would consider all options, including unilateral action through Article 16 of the protocol.

"All options are on the table," Frost said, when asked if he would consider triggering Article 16. "We've said it's not sustainable in the way it's working at the moment, things have got to change."

Frost said it was not yet clear whether or not a fundamental rebalancing of the protocol was possible.

Brussels expects Frost will push for a deviation from the protocol unless the EU agrees to compromise, said an EU diplomat who was briefed on talks with British negotiators.

"We will not agree to the reopening of the Irish protocol," said a third source, a senior EU official.

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Britain is expected to go beyond its demands for changes to veterinary rules. The senior EU official and a second EU diplomat said that London would seek to have the European Court of Justice (ECJ) removed from the arbitration process.

Preserving the peace in Northern Ireland while protecting the EU's single market but without dividing up the United Kingdom was always the most difficult riddle of the Brexit saga since the 2016 referendum.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Since the United Kingdom exited the bloc's orbit on Jan. 1, Johnson unilaterally delayed the implementation of some provisions of the protocol and Frost has said the protocol is unsustainable.

Frost is insisting on a bespoke veterinary deal based on equivalence which London says would remove the need for controls on goods crossing from Britain to Northern Ireland.

Britain is arguing that there should be a more flexible approach to agri-food rules to limit the impact on everyday lives and will spell out clearly what the options and risks are.

The 1998 peace deal largely brought an end to the "Troubles" - three decades of conflict between Irish Catholic nationalist militants and pro-British Protestant "loyalist" paramilitaries in which 3,600 people were killed.

An open Irish land border is seen as crucial to the spirit of that deal by aiming to safeguard peace, free trade and travel on the island.

But that became a problem after the 2016 Brexit vote. The EU could not close the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland but feared it could become a backdoor into the EU's single market.

The result was the 63-page "Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland", which effectively keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods and having Northern Ireland apply EU customs rules at its ports.

But by putting checks on some goods crossing between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, many pro-British unionists say the protocol has breached the 1998 peace settlement.

Loyalist paramilitary groups told Johnson in March that they were temporarily withdrawing support for the peace agreement due to concerns over the Brexit deal.

(Writing by Gabriela Baczynska and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels and Guy Faulconbridge in London; additional reporting by William James; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Catherine Evans and Toby Chopra)
The Singapore State Courts. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  A 50-year-old radicalised Singaporean who was detained under the Internal Security Act was on Monday (19 July) charged with financing terrorism.

Appearing at the State Courts via video-link, Mohamed Kazali Salleh was accused of passing RM1,000 to Wan Mohd Aquil Wan Zainal Abidin at a bus terminal in Johor Bahru in December 2013 to facilitate a terrorist act in Syria.

In January 2014, Kazali allegedly also remitted USD351.75 to Wan Mohd Aquil, a Syria-based militant with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group also known as Akel Zainal, through a Western Union branch in Singapore for the same purpose. Sometime in early 2014, Kazali also purportedly remitted RM500 to Akel through a Western Union branch in Malaysia to facilitate a terrorist act in Syria.

Kazali was arrested in Malaysia by Special Branch officers in December 2018 and was handed over to Singapore's Internal Security Department in January 2019. A pre-trial conference for the case has been set for 11 August.

If found guilty, Kazali faces a fine of up to $500,000, up to 10 years jail, or both for each of his three terrorism financing charges.

About the case

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier said that Kazali was a businessman based in Malaysia and a close associate of Akel, who was believed to be the most senior Malaysian ISIS fighter in Syria before his reported death in March 2019.

Akel had been identified by the Malaysian authorities to be responsible for two ISIS-linked attack plots in Malaysia. He is also reported to have instructed two Malaysian ISIS supporters to mount attacks against places of worship and police stations in Malaysia in early 2019. The plots were foiled when the two supporters were arrested in November 2018.

Kazali relocated to Malaysia with his family when he was a young child, and had been working in Johor Bahru over the past decade, said MHA.

He first met Akel in 2009 and allegedly became influenced by the latter's radical views and conspiracy theories. He was purportedly convinced by Akels belief that Muslims are duty-bound to travel to Syria to fight against those who oppress Muslims.

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When Akel decided to go to Syria to fight in late 2013, Kazali allegedly provided him with financial assistance for his trip. This purportedly continued when Akel was in Syria and, in turn, Akel kept him updated on his exploits on the battlefield. Kazali believed that the help he gave to Akel would guarantee him a place in paradise should Akel achieve martyrdom in Syria, said MHA.

As Kazali became increasingly radicalised, he saw ISIS fighters as righteous individuals defending Muslims in Syria and around the world, the ministry added. At Akels urging, he took a baiah (pledge of allegiance) to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, which was conveyed to Akel via social media.

Kazali also allegedly agreed to join Akel in Syria when invited by the latter to do so on several occasions. But he did not act on it as he was not ready to leave his life in Malaysia behind, said MHA.

Instead, Kazali took to sharing news of Akels terrorism-related activities in Syria on social media to inspire others to travel to Syria. He was prepared to facilitate the travel of any individual who wanted to undertake armed violence in Syria through Akel.

In December 2018, Kazali received instructions from Akel to carry out an attack against a Freemasons centre in Johor Bahru, but did not follow through as he was afraid to be caught by the authorities.

In a statement after he was charged on Monday, MHA said that if he is found guilty, Kazali's detention order would be cancelled and he would serve the sentence imposed by the court.

"To prevent him from spreading his radical ideas to other inmates, he will be held separately, and will continue to undergo rehabilitation whilst serving his prison sentence," said MHA.

"An assessment will be made at the end of his sentence whether he has been successfully rehabilitated or remains a threat to society. If he remains a threat, he may be detained further under the ISA," said the ministry.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related story:

Two radicalised Singaporeans detained under ISA for involvement in terrorism-related activities
Blake Bargatze. WXIA

A man who refused a coronavirus vaccine was infected and needed a lung transplant, his mom said.

Blake Bargatze, 24, has been hospitalized since April and got a double lung transplant in June.

His mom urged people to get vaccinated, saying "I just don't want anyone else to go through this."

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A man in Georgia needed a double lung transplant after refusing a coronavirus vaccine and then getting infected.

His suffering prompted his mother to urge others in his position to get vaccinated.

Blake Bargatze, 24, has been hospitalized since April, NBC News reported.

His mother, Cheryl Bargatze Nuclo, told the NBC affiliate WXIA that he was hesitant to get vaccinated ahead of attending an indoor concert in Florida, where he was likely infected.

She said he wanted to wait much longer before getting a shot: "He wanted to wait until it was out for, like, 10 years or so, kind of like a lot of the population wants it to be out longer."

Georgia and nearby southern states are among the least vaccinated in the US, per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Her son's condition got worse in hospital, and he struggled to breathe to the extent that he required a double lung transplant. He got the transplant in June, NBC News reported, and took a COVID-19 vaccine days before his surgery.

WXIA broadcast videos of Bargatze hospitalized with tubes in his nose and using a machine to stand. At one point he seemed to mouth the words "get the vaccine."

"I just don't want anyone else to go through this," Bargatze Nuclo said. "It's horrific. It's not worth all the pain it's going to cause you and your family."

She said Bargatze's brother and a cousin got the vaccine after seeing what happened to him.

Read the original article on Business Insider
An MC-130P Combat Shadow, top, an MC-130J Commando II, center, and an MC-130H Combat Talon II off the coast of Okinawa, January 26, 2015. US Air Force/Senior Airman Maeson Elleman

Since the mid-1960s, the Air Force has used the MC-130 to support special-operations missions all over the world.

The Air Force is now rolling out the MC-130J model, and it will remain important as special operators adapt to new challenges.

"The MC-130 is a very versatile and flexible aircraft," a former Air Force officer and Combat Talon pilot told Insider.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

The US military has thousands of aircraft that can launch attacks and support conventional operations, from the futuristic F-35 and F-22 fighters to the venerable A-10 and AC-130 close air support planes.

When it comes to supporting special-operations units, the MC-130 has an essential if little-known role.

MC-130 variants have participated in every major and minor US military campaign since the Vietnam War, backing up special-operations units in some of the biggest commando missions.

The first versions of the aircraft flew in the Son Tay prisoner rescue in North Vietnam in 1970. Ten years later, MC-130s participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the failed mission to rescue American hostages held in Iran.

MC-130s were also part of the first major Delta Force and Ranger mission in Afghanistan in 2001, and an MC-130 was the first aircraft to land at Baghdad International Airport after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

From the jungles of Vietnam

An MC-130E on its final flight before retirement, April 15, 2013. The MC-130E was developed to support special operations during the Vietnam War. US Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.

During the Vietnam War, the Air Force began experimenting with using a large transport aircraft to support large commando operations. Helicopters could only lift so much and fly so far.

Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observation (MACV-SOG), a secretive force that conducted missions behind enemy lines, specifically needed the capability to support its recon teams that went across the fence.

Composed of Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Recon Marines, and Air Commandos, SOG conducted covert operations in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and North Vietnam, where US troops weren't supposed to be.

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The introduction of the MC-130 allowed SOG to be more effective in its covert war in Southeast Asia. The Air Commandos who flew the aircraft received the Presidential Unit Citation for their performance, which paved the way for a mission that is still going nearly 70 years later.

A special-operations workhorse

A cockpit of the MC-130J, seen here on April 5, 2011, has state-of-the-art technology. US Air Force/Master Sgt. Scott MacKay

The MC-130 fleet of about 60 planes is the backbone of Air Force Special Operations Command's fixed-wing force.

The latest iteration, the MC-130J Commando II, specializes in the infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special-operations units in semi- or non-permissive areas.

It can also support psychological operations - dropping leaflets and broadcasting messages - and provide aerial refueling for special-operations helicopters.

Each Commando II costs $114 million and is operated by a crew of five Air Commandos. It can haul up to 164,000 pounds as far as 3,000 miles without refueling. It also has significant external and internal upgrades over previous versions.

It has new engines that are 25% more powerful than those on the previous model, which is known as the Combat Talon. Internally, the Commando II has state-of-the-art digital electronic and navigation systems that can be used by the same operator, meaning it needs fewer crew than earlier MC-130 variants.

An Australian special-operations unit exits a US MC-130 over Australia during the exercise Talisman Saber 2011, July 18, 2011. US Army/Staff Sgt. Aubree Clute

The MC-130 can fly as low as 250 feet in adverse weather conditions using its potent terrain-following, terrain-avoidance radar system, the AN/APQ-187 Silent Knight. This means that in capable hands, the aircraft can fly nap-of-the-air routes to avoid detection from enemy radars and anti-aircraft systems.

"The MC-130 is a very versatile and flexible aircraft that can accomplish a wide range of special-operations missions," a former Air Force officer and Combat Talon pilot told Insider.

"You will seldom, if ever, see or hear about the aircraft and the men who fly it. We aren't as sexy as our AC-130 [gunship] colleagues, whom your audience might be well aware of," the former officer said.

"Nevertheless, we fulfill an important mission - transporting and resupplying special operations forces anywhere in the world. We don't kick in any doors, but we enable the special operators on the ground to kick them."

Adapting for the future

An MC-130J airdrops a Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System over the Gulf of Mexico during an exercise, November 12, 2015. US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Matthew Plew

The Air Force has begun retiring the -E, -H, and -P versions of the MC-130 fleet and plans to completely replace them with the MC-130J by 2025. The "Combat Talon" designation, active since 1977, will also be retiring.

But the MC-130 will remain an important asset as US special operators adapt to new challenges. One key role for the Commando II will be as a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP).

During FARP operations, an MC-130 can refuel and rearm special-operations aircraft, such as AH/MH-6 Little Bird helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles while using austere or improvised airfields in semi- or non-permissive areas.

Forward Area Refueling Point aircrew members refuel an F-22 from an MC-130J in Alaska, January 30, 2020. US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Ridge Shan

The MC-130's FARP capability isn't limited to special-operations aircraft. The Air Force has been experimenting with using MC-130 refuel some of its more advanced fighter jets, such as the F-22 Raptor, from impromptu airfields.

The US military, the Air Force in particular, is looking to counter the growing size and reach of China's military by dispersing its forces across the Indo-Pacific region, often using dilapidated or under-developed bases.

A more robust FARP capability could therefore be invaluable in a conflict with China, especially if paired with the Marine Corps' F-35B fighter jet, which has a short-take-off-and-vertical-landing capability that makes it suitable for very austere environments.

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate.

Read the original article on Business Insider
LOS ANGELES  Authorities made several arrests on Saturday after a dueling protest over transgender rights outside a Los Angeles spa turned violent.

The protests stemmed after a customer posted a video to Instagram of her complaining about a transgender woman's genitalia in the women's section of the spa. The video sparked controversy after the spa defended its policy of allowing transgender customers in its facilities, the Los Angeles Times reported.

At about 11 a.m., the police declared an unlawful assembly when demonstrators against transgender access to the spas facilities clashed with counter protesters. According to LAPD spokesperson Det. Meghan Aguilar, some in the crowd threw smoke bombs and other objects at the officers.

An emergency alert sent out to Angelenos in the area stated that the LAPD will arrest you if you do not leave the area immediately.

In a statement to Los Angeles Magazine about the video, Wi Spa stood behind a California Civil Code which makes discrimination against trans and nonbinary customers illegal.

Police in Los Angeles declared an unlawful assembly and fired non-lethal projectiles to disperse an unruly crowd on Saturday after a dueling protest over transgender rights at Wi Spa in Koreatown turned violent.

Like many other metropolitan areas, Los Angeles contains a transgender population, some of whom enjoy visiting a spa, the statement said. Wi Spa strives to meet the needs of all its customers.

Far-right protesters ordered a boycott of the spa and chanted baseless claims of pedophilia, The Guardian reported. People carried signs calling to protect female spaces, a common demand amongst anti-trans groups claiming transgender women endanger cisgender women, according to the Guardian.

Photos and videos posted to Twitter reflected police beating protesters with batons and firing bean bag rounds and other projectiles. At one point, a woman was hit in the abdomen, causing her to fall to the ground.

'Doctors are so uninformed': For transgender Americans, the doctor's office experience often a difficult one

Related: Conservatives want to ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Their evidence is shaky.

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In May, a federal judge extended an order restricting the Los Angeles Police Department's use of hard-foam projectiles at protests, an injuction that had been requested by protests groups suing the city, according to the Times.

Several dozen people were arrested for ignoring orders to disperse, and police found stun guns, knives and pepper spray discarded on the street, police later said.

Aguilar didnt have an immediate arrest count because authorities were still processing the people who were arrested and screening to see if anyone needed medical treatment.

She said no officer was injured and no protester was transported to hospitals.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles protest over trans rights results in arrests at local spa
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Abu Dhabis powerful crown prince visited Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday following weeks of speculation about the growing rift between the two leaders. It came as their nations compete for business, regional investments and prominence.

The meeting between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, 60, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 35, also came a day after their energy ministers announced a compromise on oil production quotas that had been preceded by rare public commentary between the OPEC allies.

Both princes, whose nations sit on vast reserves of oil, are seen as de-facto leaders of their respective countries. They oversee their country's armed forces and wield control over intelligence and foreign policy.

Their meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, was attended by a tight circle of three top officials from each side. The state-owned Saudi Press Agency reported few details about the meeting, describing it as a discussion on the deep-rooted fraternal relations between the two countries and the latest regional and international developments.

The news agency reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally welcomed Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed upon his arrival to Riyadh.

The two princes once shared a brotherly like bond, reportedly spending time on hunting trips in the desert as Abu Dhabi's crown prince mentored Saudi Arabia's ambitious and brazen heir to the throne. Prince Mohammed worked to model aspects of the kingdom's transformation on the successes of the United Arab Emirates.

So close were the two de-facto leaders that Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched into a war in Yemen and cut ties with neighboring Qatar together. In late 2017, the two nations announced a new partnership to coordinate in all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields.

In more recent years, however, increasing political differences emerged, particularly with regard to the fighting in Yemen and relations with Qatar. This has prompted some analysts to speculate of behind-the-scenes tensions between the two powerful princes.

But on Monday, the UAE's state-run news agency said the meeting in Riyadh explored ways for enhancing the flourishing relations and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
With the return of leisure travel to the European Union, many Americans are jumping at the chance to explore European cities that have been off limits for the past 15 months or so. Now, the question for many families planning summer travel is: What is this REALLY going to cost me?

Parents spoke to family travel specialist Jennifer Wood of Dune Lakes Travel in Destin, FL about what costs to expect for those itching to cross the pond this season.

An image of passports on a colorful background.

Getty Images. Art: Jillian Sellers.

Airfare

This one is going to be tough for the foreseeable future. "There is an upward trend in airfare pricing as the surge in travel demand continues to rise. We expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future as more travel restrictions are lifted and the vaccination rates increase," Wood said.

"A rise in bookings coupled with fewer flight schedules is driving up prices as airlines prepare for a very busy summer," Wood explains. "Now, more than ever, it's important to book your airline travel as much in advance [as possible], because prices will increase and inventory will disappear the closer you move to your travel dates."

One solution to stomach steep airfare is to search for partner airline frequent flier deals and book with points, if you can. There are still some deals to be had in terms of reward tickets, but flexibility is key here. Planning travel for off-days of the week can bring down the cost of a ticket in many cases.

"Seasonality [also] affects pricing," Wood adds, "so always ask your travel agent when the low and shoulder (the travel period between the peak/high and off/low) seasons are for your destination. Travelers can take advantage of significant benefits including better prices on everything from airfare, accommodations and excursions. It also means fewer crowds and mild weather."

Bottom line? Budget for more than usual for air travel, but there are still a few ways to save a buck.

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Accommodations

Many families opt for vacation rentals via Airbnb or VRBO when traveling abroad, as these can be money-savers that also give your group more space to spread out than a typical (ahem, small) standard European hotel room.

Wood suggests considering a different option this year. "The other accommodations that go the extra mile are budget hotels. Don't let the word "budget" scare youyou can still get the complete vacation experience you want without breaking the bank. Most are located in the center of the city and are close to landmarks and attractions. Some budget hotels are also part of well-known chains which many travelers will recognize. Budget hotels deliver quality, cleanliness, value and comfort. You can find a charming hotel that has its own unique offerings and personality and save some serious Euros!"

Another upside? Many hotels have been closed for the better part of the last year, and are offering lots of extra perks like free breakfast, complimentary WiFi, welcome cocktails, and room upgrades to welcome back international travelers. A trusted travel agent can also secure a whole range of freebies when booking, too.

Bottom line? Room rates may be the same or slightly elevated from previous summers, but this is your chance to score a lot of upgrades and free perks to go along with your hotel accommodations.

Meals

This is the time to utilize the "When in Rome" mentalityi.e., go all-in on dining customs in your travel location. Italian aperitivo is one of the great foodie gifts for your pocketbook, because when you order a cocktail it usually comes with a slew of complimentary snacks to fill your belly before you even head to dinner. The same goes for tapas culture in Spain.

Exploring Paris? Grab a baguette with brie, some bubbles, and a blanket from a local market and enjoy a fresh picnic in one of the many gorgeous parks around the city while your kiddos play. Heading to Greece? Support local fishermen on the coast, who in many cases will cook their catch for you, rather than opting for a pricey restaurant dinner.

Bottom line? Lean in to the culture of the country where you are traveling and there are lots of ways to eat very well on a tighter budget. One caveat: Tip well, when culturally applicable. A little goes a long way for a service industry that has been out of commission for the past year.

Activities

Planning ahead and budgeting for private tours is essential right now due to increased demand and crowd-size restrictions still in place from the pandemic.

The upside? For many attractions, it's necessary to book a specific entry time, which means no waiting in lines and majorly reduced capacity (Hooray, no swarm of tourists when viewing the Mona Lisa!). Additionally, a great travel professional with a sense of your expectations for your vacation can help you zero in on exactly where to spend and where to save in terms of vacation activities.

"I cannot stress enough the importance of working with a travel agent," Wood emphasizes. "Budget-conscious travelers can appreciate the services and benefits of working with a trusted and vetted travel agency in assisting to avoid the pitfalls of purchasing travel products and services that in the end don't provide the vacation experience they were expecting."

Bottom line? Budget for a more private & tailored experience this year with the help of a trusted travel professional who can streamline costs and make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

Wood adds that this summer can be a magical time to travel with your family after a long year of uncertainty and quarantine. But make the most of your experience by treating your destination and the locals with respect.

"Embrace slow travel and stay longer in a destination so you can fully immerse yourself and connect with people, food and culture," she recommends. "Take a bike, ride the train, or use the Metro system to get around. We've all had time to self-reflect and realize how interconnected we areand that human connection, our health and well-being, and safety are values shared by everyone. Travel with respect, empathy, and always try to remain patient and flexible. Remember to travel with kindness."
Spanish actress Pilar Bardem, the mother of Javier Bardem, has died at 82. Her son Carlos, also an actor, announced the sad news Saturday.

The award-winning actress and activist died Saturday at the Ruber Hospital in Madrid due to complications from lung disease not related to COVID-19, Deadline reported.

Fotonoticias/WireImage Javier Bardem and Pilar Bardem

"We want to share the news that Pilar Bardem, our mother, our example, has died," Carlos tweeted in Spanish. "She departed in peace and without suffering, surrounded by the love of her family. We know the love and admiration many felt for her, both in Spain and beyond, for her work as an actress and as a fighter who always stood in solidarity. We appreciate with all our heart the love toward our mother. Thank you from her children, Carlos, Monica, and Javier."

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On Sunday, Carlos shared a photo with Javier and their sister, actress Monica Bardem, with memorabilia of their mother.

"We bid farewell to my mom with a heart full of love. With tenderness and a smile," he wrote. "And with our soul overflowing with gratitude for the thousands and thousands of messages of affection, respect, and admiration for Pilar Bardem. Thank you for this wave of love."

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One of Spain's most famous actresses, Pilar is best known for starring in the 1995 film Nadie hablara de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto (Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead), which garnered eight Goya Awards, Spain's highest honor recognizing cinematic achievement. She was nominated again in 2005 for Best Leading Actress in Maria querida. An activist, Pilar also worked to advance labor rights for actors and civil rights for women. In 2003, she publicly opposed the Spanish government's decision to send troops to Iraq.

Acclaimed actress and Javier's wife Penelope Cruz shared a lengthy tribute in Spanish, saying she "couldn't have dreamed of having a better mother-in-law." The two co-starred in films like Live Flesh and No News from God (also with Javier), as well as Entre rojas.

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Antonio Banderas, who acted alongside Pilar in the 1990 film Contra el viento, also expressed his condolence. "Spanish theater is losing a great actress," he wrote in Spanish.

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Duke of Windsor

Edward, Duke of Windsor

Prince Harry announced that he's writing an "accurate and wholly truthful" memoir  but he's far from the first member of the royal family to do so.

Edward, Duke of Windsor  who was Queen Elizabeth's uncle and had been coronated King Edward VIII before abdicating the throne in 1936 so he could marry American Wallis Simpson  produced a ghost-written biography titled A King's Story: The Memoirs of the Duke of Windsor in 1951. The memoir recalled his royal upbringing and schooling, leading up to falling in love with the American divorcee and ultimately giving up the position as monarch.

"Given my character, my roving curiosity and independence, my life appeared to form a disconnected pattern  duty without decision, service without responsibility, pomp without power," wrote Harry's great-great-uncle, according to an excerpt on Amazon. "Meanwhile, something had happened that, although I did not realise it at the time, was destined to change the whole course of my life. I met Wallis Warfield Simpson."

Duke of Windsor

Reg Speller/Fox Photos/Getty Images Edward, Duke of Windsor

Edward and Wallis struggled financially after the abdication, having been cut off from the monarchy and having no source of income. Royalties from Edward's memoir helped fund them as they lived in France.

Wallis published her own memoir, The Heart Has Its Reasons, in 1956.

Duke of Windsor

Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Edward, Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor

Penguin Random House announced on Monday that Prince Harry, 36, is writing a memoir that's scheduled to be released in late 2022.

"I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," said Harry in a statement. "I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."

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Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex

Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince Harry

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Continued Harry, 36, "I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I've learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that's accurate and wholly truthful."

Proceeds from the book and audiobook  which will cover his childhood in the public eye to his military duty in Afghanistan to becoming a husband to Meghan Markle and father to son Archie, 2, and daughter Lilibet, 1 month  will be donated to charity.
A major attraction of Africa is its large population of 1.2 billion, which hints at a sizable addressable market. But what happens when your target audience is the governments of 54 countries?

In our situation, that was the case. We started Domineum Blockchain Solutions with the intention to help African governments solve problems with shipping and keeping records.

We knew it'd be hard work, but didnt anticipate that getting our first customer would be the most difficult part.

Its typical when entering Africa to want to focus on the big and popular markets like Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. But what weve learned so far is that theres a high probability that these countries might not be your first entry point.

Our first product was a cargo service that tracks shipment origin and movement and determines the contents of goods being imported or exported in any country. We built this to solve the problem of lost revenue due to shipments being passed through informal backdoor channels.

With our focus on sub-Saharan Africa, we approached four countries in 2019: our home country of Nigeria, plus Kenya, Gambia and Guinea-Conakry.

We started this conversation and didnt get a substantial response from the four countries governments. They werent open to trying out our solution -- it was new and they werent familiar with blockchain technology. Distraught, we decided to add a smaller country to our list: Sierra Leone.

The Freetown seaport, located in the countrys capital, is the main gateway for trade in and out of Sierra Leone, with 80% of trade passing through this port. The port has a long history as a trading hub and benefits from the countrys strategically important location midway between Europe and the Americas.

But Freetown isnt one of the top ports in Africa or even sub-Saharan Africa; a fraction of a percentage point of the worlds trade shipment flows through its ports. The small African country, with about 0.1% of the worlds population, exports diamonds, cocoa and coffee and imports food, machinery and chemicals.

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Notably, it faced big challenges in shipping these products in and out of the country. A Sierra Leonean supply chain manager described this situation, We used to face big challenges during the export process. There would be long delays at the port. Our trucks would arrive before midnight and could be stuck in queue for hours, even days. The documentation process was so complicated.

According to the World Bank, Sierra Leones trade challenges can be attributed to several factors: lack of access to trade information; high levels of physical inspections; multiple fees, licenses, permits and certificates; manual processes; and the lack of coordination among agencies. Domineum set out to solve this.

Our initial conversations with the Sierra Leone government went well. Fortunately, Sierra had developed a five-year plan (2018-2023), supported by the World Bank Group, to reduce the time and costs needed to move goods across its borders. The goal is to reduce trade costs by 10%. After three months of discussion, our cargo tracking system was implemented.

In late 2019, we started this partnership, and so far weve been able to capture $2 million in revenue that would have been lost. The business model is simple: We get a 40% commission out of extra revenue were able to capture for the Sierra Leone government via our cargo tracking system.

Its typical when entering Africa to want to focus on the big and popular markets like Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. But what weve learned so far is that theres a high probability that these countries might not be your first entry point. A business-to-government model is a difficult one. Theres a lot of politicking that goes into working with the government.

What weve seen work is to approach other countries and gain a foothold, then use that as validation that the concept works. With the success of Sierra Leone, were hoping to return to other countries and get a better reception.

The success of Sierra Leone got us rethinking the services we were offering. The initial conversation started with a cargo tracking service, but then we wondered if we should offer a different service to countries that said no at first.

We identified that land registration was a common problem in Africa. More than 90% of rural land in Africa is undocumented and therefore vulnerable to land-grabbing. This hampers the growth of agriculture and other sectors because land is lost to other parties or taken forcefully by the government during times of conflict.

We returned to these countries, offering other services like land ownership registration via blockchain. We got a positive response from a state government in Nigeria to carry out a pilot program. We're optimistic that once this pilot phase is over, well be able to seal the next business deal.

Whats it like working with African governments? It's a smaller addressable market. If youre looking to pitch a product or service to governments in Africa, itd be helpful to keep in mind that your first customer might be from a smaller country.

To seize other opportunities, well keep looking to expand to other African countries with this mindset.
Since 1950, the Chinese Professional Club of Houston has awarded scholarships to Chinese-American students in the area going off to college. This year, three College Park students were among the 21 CPC scholarship recipients.

Katherine Forbes, Ian Pedroza, and Zoe Wang all graduated from The Woodlands College Park High School in 2021, and through their school were introduced to the CPC scholarship opportunity.

Wang was awarded the CPC Scholarship Education Award, $2,500, for her work with the student-lead organization Teach 2 Learn, which helps organize classes and workshops for middle school students lead by high school students in a variety of subjects. As part of the application process Wang explained how her Chinese-American heritage has shaped her character.

Growing up in an Asian household I was with my parents and culture so I was heavily influenced by it, Wang said. There were a bunch of sayings that helped shape the person I was today. Zi zi bu juan, which is work diligently, and San yin xing biyou wo shi, which is Learn from everyone.

She plans on going to Rice University to study biochemistry but plans on staying involved with Teach 2 Learn.

I really like the mission that (CPC) stands by, Wang said. It means a lot that they would award me this scholarship out of everyone and help me continue my education.

All of the scholarships are funded through donations by CPC members, and several are named in honor of the scholarship founders.

Thanks to the generosity and hard work of our members, we now have 17 permanently named scholarships, said Lillian Chan, president of CPC Fund Inc, in a statement. Our scholarship recipients attended colleges all over the United States. Some have returned to Houston and have become active members of our organization. A lot of awardees also have outstanding career and contributions to the society. All these achievements make us proud and reinforce our belief that our efforts are worthwhile and not wasted.

Forbes, a graduate of The Woodlands College Park High School-Academy of Science and Technology, was awarded the Patrick Pichi Sun And May Lan Chew Sun Scholarship of $3,000. She plans on going to John Hopkins University to study pre-med.

I know that its a really hard scholarship to get and Im really happy that I was able to get it, Forbes said, explaining that during the application process she had to explore her Chinese identity, which is something she doesnt get to speak about often. Being able to focus on my Chinese identity and being Asian-American was really nice.

Pedroza, a graduate of The Woodlands College Park High School-The Academy of Math and Sciences, received the Mitchell & Priscilla Lou Scholarship of $3,500. He will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in a dual-degree program for business and engineering.

Be willing to open up, is Pedrozas advice to future scholarship applicants. Just be honest and be true to yourself because I feel like thats going to lead to the best writing.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
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Omaha, Nebraska - Nebraska Railcar Cleaning Services LLC (NRCS), its president and owner, Steven Michael Braithwaite, and its vice president and co-owner, Adam Thomas Braithwaite, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Omaha to charges stemming from an investigation into a 2015 fatal railcar explosion that killed two workers.

The charges include conspiracy, violating worker safety standards resulting in worker deaths, violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and submitting false documents to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of American workers and to protecting our environment, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. The defendants in this case put their employees at risk and falsified documents to evade worker safety requirements. Tragically, two of their employees died while working with hazardous waste under unsafe conditions. Guided by its managers, NRCS failed to appropriately dispose of hazardous wastes removed during the cleaning process  wastes that are ignitable and can cause human cancer and other health effects. Todays guilty pleas show that the Department of Justice will prosecute those who thwart federal laws created to protect American workers and the environment.

Worker safety standards and environmental regulations are not just meaningless rules made up by faceless bureaucrats, said Acting U.S. Attorney Jan Sharp of the District of Nebraska. They address real-world safety issues, and failure to abide by them can cost lives. Todays guilty pleas emphasize the grave consequences of cutting corners, not only for the workers who are meant to be protected, but also for the employers who fail to live up to their responsibilities.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations that companies must follow to ensure worker safety, said Special Agent-in-Charge Steven Grell of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Region. Steven and Adam Braithwaite disregarded OSHA regulations and provided false documentation to OSHA to make it appear as if all safety requirements were being followed, when in fact, they were not. Their lack of adherence to OSHA regulations and indifference to their employees safety resulted in tragic consequences which impacted several families. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and OSHA to hold accountable those who jeopardize workers  safety and obstruct DOL agencies in carrying out their important missions.

The defendants in this case ignored health and safety protocols and knowingly put their employees and the public at risk by disregarding federal regulations, said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for the EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Todays guilty pleas send a clear message that individuals who intentionally violate these laws will be held accountable.

NRCS was in the business of cleaning railcars, including rail tanker cars. Tanker car cleaning often involved NRCS sending workers inside the cars tanks to scrape and remove various commodities, including gasoline, ethanol, petroleum by-products, pesticides, herbicides and food-grade products.

According to court documents, NRCS failed to implement worker safety standards and then tried to cover that up during an inspection by OSHA. In addition, the company mishandled hazardous wastes removed from rail tanker cars during the cleaning process. On April 14, 2015, two NRCS workers who were sent into a tanker car containing severely flammable residue were killed and another injured when the contents of the railcar they were cleaning ignited and exploded.

On various occasions prior to the explosion, OSHA officials conducted regulatory inspections during which they notified the principals of NRCS that NRCS was in violation of OSHA safety regulations concerning confined space entries. Rail tanker cars are confined spaces under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. After an inspection of NRCS, Steven Braithwaite entered into a written agreement on Feb. 5, 2015, where he represented that NRCS had been testing for benzene since July 2014. After OSHA returned to NRCS in March 2015 to conduct a follow-up inspection and was turned away by Steven Braithwaite, Adam Braithwaite submitted falsified documents to OSHA purporting to show that NRCS had been purchasing equipment to test the contents of railcars for benzene and had taken other required safety precautions. Adam Braithwaite also falsely testified under oath in an OSHA hearing that NRCS had been purchasing the benzene testing equipment.

Meanwhile, NRCS had been engaged to clean the railcar that ultimately exploded. On or about Jan. 27, 2015, NRCS received an inquiry from one of its customers about receiving and cleaning product residue from a rail tanker car. The inquiry included a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the product in the railcar, describing it as natural gasoline, also known as petrol, casing head gasoline, CS s. The SDS also stated that the flammability rating was severe at class 4 (the highest rating), that the natural gasoline would ignite at zero degrees Fahrenheit, and that it contained benzene, a cancer hazard. NRCS responded that it could handle the material in the railcar.

The tanker car was not tested for benzene levels. Nonetheless, NRCS sent two of its employees into the tanker car. Continuous monitoring for explosive levels of gases was not conducted. The two employees sent into tanker car began removing the remaining contents, which were hazardous for toxicity (benzene) and ignitability. On April 14, 2015, approximately one hour after the two employees were sent into the tanker car, its contents ignited and exploded, killing those two employees and injuring a third.

Stephen Michael Braithwaite was the President and majority owner of NRCS and was responsible for all phases of the business, including both environmental and worker safety issues. He pleaded guilty to two counts of violating worker safety standards that resulted in the workers deaths, and knowingly endangering others by violating RCRA. Adam Thomas Braithwaite was the Vice President and a minority owner of NRCS and also handled both environmental and worker safety issues, among others. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of violating worker safety standards that resulted in the workers deaths, to two counts of falsification of records in a federal investigation, and to committing perjury. NRCS pleaded guilty to all 21 of the counts it was charged with in the indictment.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct.25. Steven Braithwaite faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $750,000 or twice the gain or profit caused by the offense. Adam Braithwaite faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $1,250,000 or twice the gain or profit caused by the offense and NRCS faces a maximum penalty of five years probation and a fine of the greater of $9,500,000 or twice the gain or profit caused by the offense. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by U.S. EPAs Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Inspector General. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe of the Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald J. Kleine of the District of Nebraska are prosecuting the case.
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New York - A New York federal court unsealed an indictment Tuesday charging four Iranian nationals with conspiracies related to kidnapping, sanctions violations, bank and wire fraud, and money laundering. A co-conspirator and California resident, also of Iran, faces additional structuring charges.

According to court documents, Alireza Shavaroghi Farahani, aka Vezerat Salimi and Haj Ali, 50; Mahmoud Khazein, 42; Kiya Sadeghi, 35; and Omid Noori, 45, all of Iran, conspired to kidnap a Brooklyn journalist, author and human rights activist for mobilizing public opinion in Iran and around the world to bring about changes to the regimes laws and practices. Niloufar Bahadorifar, aka Nellie Bahadorifar, 46, originally of Iran and currently residing in California, is alleged to have provided financial services that supported the plot.

Every person in the United States must be free from harassment, threats and physical harm by foreign powers, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Departments National Security Division. Through this indictment, we bring to light one such pernicious plot to harm an American citizen who was exercising their First Amendment rights, and we commit ourselves to bring the defendants to justice.

As alleged, four of the defendants monitored and planned to kidnap a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin who has been critical of the regimes autocracy, and to forcibly take their intended victim to Iran, where the victims fate would have been uncertain at best, said U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss for the Southern District of New York. Among this countrys most cherished freedoms is the right to speak ones mind without fear of government reprisal. A U.S. citizen living in the United States must be able to advocate for human rights without being targeted by foreign intelligence operatives. Thanks to the FBIs exposure of their alleged scheme, these defendants have failed to silence criticism by forcible abduction.

As alleged in this indictment, the government of Iran directed a number of state actors to plot to kidnap a U.S.-based journalist and American citizen, and to conduct surveillance on U.S. soil - all with the intention to lure our citizen back to Iran as retaliation for their freedom of expression, said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division. We will use all the tools at our disposal to aggressively investigate foreign activities by operatives who conspire to kidnap a U.S. citizen just because the government of Iran didnt approve of the victims criticism of the regime.

According to the indictment, Farahani is an Iranian intelligence official who resides in Iran. Khazein, Sadeghi and Noori are Iranian intelligence assets who also reside in Iran and work under Farahani. Since at least June 2020, Farahani and his intelligence network have plotted to kidnap a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin (Victim-1) from within the United States in furtherance of the government of Irans efforts to silence Victim-1s criticisms of the regime. Victim-1 is an author and journalist who has publicized the government of Irans human rights abuses.

Prior to the kidnapping plot, the government of Iran attempted to lure Victim-1 to a third country in order to capture Victim-1 for rendition to Iran. In approximately 2018, Iranian government officials attempted to induce relatives of Victim-1, who reside in Iran, to invite the victim to travel to a third country for the apparent purpose of having Victim-1 arrested or detained and transported to Iran for imprisonment. Victim-1s relatives did not accept the offer. An electronic device used by Farahani contains, among other things, a photo of Victim-1 alongside photos of two other individuals, both of whom were lured from third countries and captured by Iranian intelligence, with one later executed and the other imprisoned in Iran, and a caption in Farsi that reads: gradually the gathering gets bigger... are you coming, or should we come for you?

On multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, as part of the plot to kidnap Victim-1, Farahani and his network procured the services of private investigators to surveil, photograph and video record Victim-1 and Victim-1s household members in Brooklyn. Farahanis network procured days worth of surveillance at Victim-1s home and the surrounding area, videos and photographs of the victims family and associates, surveillance of the victims residence, and the installation of and access to a live high-definition video feed of Victim-1s home. The network repeatedly insisted on high-quality photographs and video recordings of Victim-1 and Victim-1s household members; a large volume of content; pictures of visitors and objects around the house; and depictions of Victim-1s body language. The network procured the surveillance by misrepresenting their identities and the purpose of the surveillance to the investigators, and laundered money into the United States from Iran to pay for the surveillance. Sadeghi acted as the networks primary point of contact with private investigators while Noori facilitated payment to the investigators in furtherance of the plot.

As part of the kidnapping plot, the Farahani-led intelligence network also researched methods of transporting Victim-1 out of the United States for rendition to Iran. Sadeghi, for example, researched a service offering military-style speedboats for self-operated maritime evacuation out of New York City, and maritime travel from New York to Venezuela, a country whose de facto government has friendly relations with Iran. Khazein researched travel routes from Victim-1s residence to a waterfront neighborhood in Brooklyn; the location of Victim-1s residence relative to Venezuela; and the location of Victim-1s residence relative to Tehran.

The network that Farahani directs has also targeted victims in other countries, including victims in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and has worked to procure similar surveillance of those victims.

As alleged, Bahadorifar provided financial and other services from the United States to Iranian residents and entities, including to Khazein, since approximately 2015. Bahadorifar facilitated access to the U.S. financial system and institutions through the use of card accounts and offered to manage business interests in the United States on Khazeins behalf. Among other things, Bahadorifar caused a payment to be made to a private investigator for surveillance of Victim-1 on Khazeins behalf. While Bahadorifar is not charged with participating in the kidnapping conspiracy, she is alleged to have provided financial services that supported the plot and is charged with conspiring to violate sanctions against Iran, commit bank and wire fraud, and commit money laundering. Bahadorifar is also charged with structuring cash deposits totaling more than approximately $445,000.

Farahani, Khazein, Sadeghi and Noori are each charged with: (1) conspiring to kidnap, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (2) conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and sanctions against the government of Iran, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (3) conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and (4) conspiring to launder money, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Bahadorifar is charged with counts two, three and four, and is further charged with structuring, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBIs New York Field Office, Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and Iran Threat Task Force are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Nathan Swinton of the Justice Departments Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig and Matthew J.C. Hellman of the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
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Washington, DC - The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it will require Danfoss A/S (Danfoss) and Eaton Corporation Plc (Eaton) to divest assets from both Danfosss and Eatons orbital motor and hydraulic steering unit manufacturing businesses in order to proceed with their proposed asset purchase agreement.

Without these divestitures, the transaction would substantially lessen competition in the design, manufacture, and sale of orbital motors and hydraulic steering units used in agricultural, industrial and construction equipment in the United States.

The Justice Departments Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive harm alleged in the lawsuit.

Orbital motors and hydraulic steering units are essential components in equipment used in the agricultural, industrial and construction industries, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers of the Justice Departments Antitrust Division. The transaction, as originally proposed, would have led to higher prices and lower quality for original equipment manufacturers in these industries that are vital to the American economy. The remedy preserves competition in the manufacture and sale of these products for the benefit of equipment manufacturers and consumers.

According to the complaint, Danfoss and Eaton are the two largest suppliers of orbital motors used for mobile off-road equipment in the United States. Orbital motors are used to propel and power the working attachments in equipment like skid steer loaders, harvesters and street sweepers. The complaint also alleges that Danfoss and Eaton are the two largest suppliers of hydraulic steering units that help turn a vehicles wheels using hydraulic fluid. According to the complaint, absent a divestiture, the proposed transaction between Danfoss and Eaton would lead to higher prices, decreased quality of delivery and service, and diminished innovation.

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the parties must divest three Danfoss orbital motor and hydraulic steering unit facilities located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Parchim, Germany; and Wroclaw, Poland, and two orbital motor production lines and one hydraulic steering unit production line from Eaton facilities located in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to Interpump Group S.p.A. (Interpump) or an alternate acquirer approved by the United States. Interpump is a global, established provider of cylinders, pumps and valves with operations in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.

The department expressed thanks to its enforcement partners in the European Commission for their close and constructive collaboration on this matter, which enabled a thorough investigation and resulted in remedies that will preserve competition in the United States and Europe.

Danfoss A/S, a global corporation headquartered in Nordborg, Denmark, manufactures components and engineering technologies, among other products, for hydraulics for off-road machinery through its Power Solutions division. Danfosss Power Solutions division had sales of approximately 6.3 billion in 2019.

Eaton Corporation Plc, a global corporation headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, manufactures hydraulic motors, power units, valves and steering units through its subsidiarys Power & Motion Controls Division. Eatons Power & Motion Controls Division had sales of approximately $2.2 billion in 2019.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement during a 60-day comment period to Jay Owen, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
News

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A Wisconsin man was sentenced Wednesday to 36 months in prison for fraudulently seeking over $600,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Stephen Smith, 42, of Milwaukee, pleaded guilty on April 12. According to court documents, Smith admitted that he fraudulently sought, on behalf of three different companies, over $600,000 in PPP loans through applications to an insured financial institution. According to his plea agreement, Smith caused fraudulent loan applications to be submitted that made numerous false and misleading statements about the companies respective payroll expenses. Smith then directed his co-conspirators to send him portions of the PPP funds within days of receiving them and used the proceeds for personal expenses.

In addition to the prison sentence, Smith was ordered to pay $397,500 in restitution.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin; Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson of the SBAs Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Central Region; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Hughes of the FBIs Milwaukee Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Fran L. Mace of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation  OIG (FDIC-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Kathy Enstrom of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI, SBA-OIG, FDIC-OIG and IRS-CI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Laura Connelly and Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Ingraham of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
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Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 88F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 88F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 107F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
Reacting to the infringement procedure launched by the European Commission over LGBTQ issues, a pro-government historian thinks this controversy resembles the clash over asylum-seekers in the late 2010s.

A left-wing commentator, by contrast, sees a clear political motive behind the child protection law identified as homophobic by the European Commission.



On Thursday, the European Commission launched infringement procedures against Hungary and Poland, accusing them of violating gay rights. In Hungary, the cases include the law which bans access to content that promotes or portrays paedophilia, pornography, divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality for individuals under 18; and a disclaimer imposed on a childrens book with LGBTQ content.



(Regarding Poland, the Commission considers that the Polish authorities failed to respond to its inquiry regarding the nature and impact of the so-called LGBT-ideology free zones in several Polish regions and municipalities.) In his by-weekly radio interview on Friday, PM Orban said Brussels is abusing its power by wanting to impose its will on us. What is at stake is the freedom of children and of raising children, he added.



In Magyar Hirlap, historian Iren Rab likens the current controversy to the one over illegal migrants in 2015. Once Hungary was not allowed to restrict their movements within its borders or keep them waiting just outside until their requests were processed, she recalls, the government decided to only accept applications through its consulates abroad.



The case was referred by the Commission to the European Court and Hungary was found in breach of European values. This time, she writes, it is about Hungarys defence of traditional values that are also enshrined in the German Fundamental Law, where the idea of the traditional family is also outlined.



True, that definition is under attack from childrens rights warriors, she remarks. In both cases, Rab suggests, the conflict is about preserving European civilisation.



On 168, the 168 ora website, Tamas Boros tries to trace the child protection law back to the scandal of the former Hungarian ambassador to Lima who got away with a light sentence after he was found in possession of thousands of paedophile images, acquired through a paid subscription to a paedophile internet ring.



Boros speculates that the original version of the anti-paedophile bill which proposed harsher sanctions in the Penal Code against paedophile acts was meant to mitigate the unfavourable effect of the scandal on the governments image.



The paragraphs on LGBT promotion and representation which amended several other laws, Boros believes, were added as the opposition was improving its ratings in opinion polls, in the wake of newly announced plans to privatise motorways and build a campus for Chinas Fudan University.



He suspects, however, that the price the government may pay for that manoeuvre might be higher than expected. For instance, Hungarys programme to spend the Covid recovery funds has been put on hold by the Commission.



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Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

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The weeklies are sharply divided on the issues which pit the Hungarian government against the European Commission, but all consider these controversies serious and lasting.

In Magyar Hang, Szabolcs Szereto suspects a political motive behind the decision of the European Commission to put Hungarys recovery programme and thus its access to substantial EU funds on hold. He finds it difficult to ascribe the decision purely to the controversy over Hungarys recently adopted law on the protection of children which is deemed homophobic by Brussels.



He deems it more probable that the European Commission just wouldnt be happy to promote Prime Minister Orbans victory in next years election by opening the money tap. A lot depends on when the European Court approves the so-called rule of law mechanism which would enable the Commission to withhold payments to member countries when it finds them in breach of the rule of law, Szereto adds.



Magyar Narancs devotes both its weekly editorials to the feud between the Hungarian government and the European Commission. The editors are not convinced that the leading bodies of the Union will take strong measures to rein Hungary in, despite widespread dissatisfaction with the Hungarian government. Sooner or later, the recovery plan will be submitted to the finance ministers of the European Union, who will take their decision with a qualified but not absolute majority.



Most finance ministers, the editors continue, belong to the European Peoples Party and therefore could be expected not to support the Hungarian government. Magyar Narancs fears, however, that the Christian Democrats will follow the example of their predecessors who, in the early 1930s, let themselves be devoured by the Nazis.



In 168 ora, former conservative Foreign Minister Geza Jeszenszky admits that Hungary has often been unjustly criticised by the European Union. He also acknowledges that it is right to protect minors from pornography and sexual propaganda. What he doesnt approve however, is that homosexuality was mentioned in the law ostensibly to protect children.



Nevertheless, he wonders why this law in particular is considered over-the-top, while many more important controversial measures were not. He believes the reason lies in what he calls the pervasive LGBTQ cult in the West. His problem is that most Hungarians support the governments position in this dispute. He fears that the wave of foreign criticism over LGBTQ rights will do harm to the image of the European Union in Hungary.



In an apocalyptic editorial in Demokrata, Andras Bencsik agrees with the governments claim that the European Commission and the European Parliament want Hungary to let LGBTQ activists into its schools and kindergartens.



The propaganda of sexual deviance, he argues, inevitably leads to lower birth rates, which in his view corresponds to the progressive idea that sex only serves pleasure and human reproduction is just an unimportant side effect. Unsurprisingly, Bencsik continues, extremist movements would authorise abortion, up until the very minute of birth.



All this leads to our extermination, he muses, and asks what a new civilisation devoid of any identity designed to replace us will be able to create.



in Mandiner, Milan Constantinovits thinks that what the Brussels mainstream regards as European values are increasingly extremist ideas imported from the United States. Those who dont espouse these trends are considered second-rate actors within the European Union, he suggests.



He calls such attitudes colonial reflexes and believes they are the ultimate reason for the series of infringement procedures launched against Hungary over the past few years. Hungary believes in a European Union that doesnt give up its cultural identity and in which there are no first-class or second-class members. He calls the current state of affairs a nightmare and asks whether Europe will wake up before it is too late.



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

Click here to Share Your Story
Mumbai: Ahead of the release of Bhuj: The Pride of India, actor Nora Fatehi opened up about getting an injury on her forehead while shooting for an action sequence in the film.

"We were shooting for an action sequence and the director wanted to shoot the scene in a single take with one camera, hence my co-actor and I rehearsed the action choreography wherein he holds a gun to my face and I flick the gun out of his hands to start beating him up," Nora said.

"It went perfect in our rehearsals which was literally five minutes before the take, however, when we started rolling the actual take, the coordination was off and the actor accidentally threw the gun to my face, due to which the end of the metal gun, which was by the way, really heavy, hit my forehead causing an injury and blood gushing out," she added.

Nora was immediately taken to a hospital as the injury caused swelling and blood loss, almost leaving her unconscious due to the pain. Interestingly, the injury worked out for the film as a sequence required Noras face to be smashed in a mirror, which was ideally supposed to be a VFX creation, however, with Noras accident, the team decided to use her real wound.

This wasn't the only injury, Nora also got injured while performing another action stunt.

"Later that day, we shot for another action scene, it was a chase sequence which demanded running, action and fast-paced movements. During the shoot, I fell injuring my fingers really bad, because of which I had to wear a sling throughout the shoot. In all, it was a physically tough sequence, wherein I got hurt a lot as I executed all my scenes myself without any stunt double, but I wear my scars with pride as it offered me an outstanding learning experience that Id cherish for a lifetime," she said.

The forthcoming film also stars actors Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharad Kelkar, and Ammy Virk.

The film is set amid the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Ajay will be seen essaying the role of Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik in the film.

Directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya, Bhuj: The Pride of India' is scheduled to release on August 13 on Disney+ Hotstar VIP.
New Delhi: Gold in the national capital on Monday dipped Rs 126 to Rs 46,967 per 10 gram in line with a fall in international precious metal prices, according to HDFC Securities.

In the previous trade, the precious metal had closed at Rs 47,093 per 10 grams. Silver also went lower by Rs 97 to Rs 66,856 per kilogram from Rs 66,953 per kilogram in the previous trade.

Gold Futures

Gold prices fell Rs 103 to Rs 47,950 per 10 gram in the futures trade on Monday, as speculators reduced their positions amid low demand. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold contracts for the August delivery traded lower by Rs 103, or 0.21 per cent, to Rs 47,950 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 6,723 lots.

International Gold price

Gold prices reversed course to trade at a near one-week low on Monday as investors sought comfort in the U.S. dollar amid rising coronavirus cases, although a dip in Treasury yields limited the metal`s losses.

Spot gold fell 0.4% to $1,803.20 per ounce by 0833 GMT, after falling to its lowest since July 13 at $1,801.20. U.S. gold futures slipped 0.7% to $1,802.90. Elsewhere, silver fell 1.1% to $25.38 per ounce, palladium shed 0.3% to $2,623.40, and platinum dropped 1.2% to $1,089.02.

(With Agency Inputs)

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New Delhi: IT firm HCL Technologies on Monday posted a 9.9 per cent rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,214 crore for the June 2021 quarter, and said it expects double-digit growth in constant currency revenue in FY22.

The IT major had registered a net profit of Rs 2,925 crore in the April-June 2020 quarter (as per US GAAP), HCL Technologies said in a regulatory filing.

Its revenue grew 12.5 per cent to Rs 20,068 crore in the quarter under review, from Rs 17,841 crore in the corresponding period last year.

"We posted 11.7 per cent year-on-year revenue growth in constant currency and 29 per cent y-o-y growth in Mode 2 services in constant currency headlined by Cloud and Digital transformation deals.

?We remain very confident of a good quarter-on-quarter growth for the rest of this year, enabled by 37 per cent y-o-y growth in bookings and 7,500-plus net hiring this quarter,? HCL Technologies President and CEO C Vijayakumar said.

In constant currency terms, HCL Tech's revenue in the June 2021 quarter grew 11.7 per cent year-on-year, the filing said.

"Revenue (is) expected to grow in double digits in constant currency for FY'22...EBIT margin (is) expected to be between 19 per cent and 21 per cent for FY'22," it added.

The company's first-quarter TCV (total contract value) of new deal wins was at USD 1,664 million, up 37 per cent year-on-year.

In dollar terms, HCL Technologies' net income was up 12.8 per cent at USD 43 million in the June 2021 quarter, while revenue was higher by 15.5 per cent at USD 2,719.6 million in the reported quarter over the year-ago period.

The Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend of Rs 6 per equity share for the financial year 2021-22. The Record date of July 28, 2021, has been fixed for the payment of the interim dividend.

At the end of the June 2021 quarter, HCL had 1,76,499 employees with a net addition of 7,522 people. Its attrition for IT services (on last 12-month basis) was at 11.8 per cent.

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New Delhi: This year Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha on Wednesday (July 21) in India. However, it will be celebrated a day earlier (July 20) in Saudi Arabia. The special day is also known as Bakrid or 'The Festival Of Sacrifice'. It is considered to be the second of the two most important Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year.

The first one being Eid-al-Fitr, and the second one Eid-al-Adhait is considered the holier of the two. The festival of Eid-al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah as per the Islamic lunar calendar.

As per the Gregorian calendar, Eid-al-Adha dates may vary from year-to-year drifting approximately 11 days earlier each year.

Significance

Eid-al-Adha festival marks and revers the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Gods command. According to the Quran, it is said that before Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead.

In commemoration of this, Muslims across the world sacrifice a male goat and divide it into three parts: one-third of the share is given to the poor and needy; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbours; and the remaining third is retained by the family.

The poor and needy are fed the food, thereby providing them with an adequate portion. Sumptuous food items and delicacies are prepared at home and guests are welcomed.

Eid celebrations and prayers

Usually, devotees visit the mosque to offer Eid al-Adha prayers which are traditionally performed after the sun has completely risen up. After offering prayers, many Muslims visit each other's homes, exchange greetings and give one another gifts to celebrate the festival. However, social gatherings such as these may not be feasible due to COVID restrictions in many areas.

Here's wishing our readers an Eid Mubarak!
New Delhi: Stepping up against the use of derogatory remarks made by the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party against environmentalist and Chipko Movement leader Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna, the Uttarakhand Wing of the Aam Aadmi Party protested outside the BJP Head Office in Delhi on Sunday morning.

The protest was helmed by the Uttarakhand President of AAP Brij Mohan Upreti who said that using such foul and derogatory words against the legendary Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna has unveiled the mentality of the leaders of BJP and that such remarks resulted from Shri Arvind Kejriwal honouring the legacy of the late environmentalist.

Shri Kuldeep Kumar, MLA, who was also present at the protests, said that the BJP had insulted the entire country by this move and that AAP will continue to protest against them till they apologise.

Stressing on the unacceptable actions and remarks of the BJP, President of the Uttarakhand Wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, Shri Brij Mohan Upreti said, The leaders of the BJP cannot think and process after the AAP National Convenor Shri Arvind Kejriwal installed a portrait and a statue of the great environmentalist in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. BJP is bound to see the same results as they saw in the elections of West Bengal. The people of Uttarakhand will not spare them this time. The people of the hilly regions living in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Uttar Pradesh will show their anger by casting their votes against the BJP.

If BJP is unwilling to apologise for this act, then AAP will continue its fight for the honour of the people of Uttarakhand, Brij Mohan Upreti said.

It is not only a day of shame for the people of Uttarakhand but also for the people of the entire country and if BJP is unwilling to apologise for this act, then AAP will continue its fight for the honour of the people of Uttarakhand.Shri Bahuguna is known as the Gandhi of Uttarakhand and using such foul language against such a great environmentalist is unacceptable, he added.

The Uttarakhand wing of the Aam Aadmi Party gathered at the BJP head office at 11.30 AM today to protest against the use of derogatory language by the leaders of BJP against Late environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna. Aam Aadmi Party workers gathered at the party headquarters in the morning and from there marched to the BJP Head Office in Delhi. During this, party workers raised slogans against the BJP.

AAP Uttarakhand Wing President Brij Mohan Upreti said that BJP has insulted the people of Uttarakhand using unacceptable remarks against Shri Bahuguna. The leaders of BJP have become flustered after the AAP National Convenor installed a statue and portrait of the late Sunderlal Bahuguna in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

He said, The people of BJP are Blind Bhakts that made them use such language against a person who has received Padma Award from the Government of India and has also been honoured with Jamnalal Award and an honorary doctorate from the IIT.

The BJP people could have answered it in a different way as well. The BJP has become blind and their leaders are full of arrogance. The condition of BJP will be the same in the upcoming elections as we have seen in the elections of West Bengal. The people of Uttarakhand will not tolerate BJP more. All the people living in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Uttar Pradesh with an origin from the hills will avenge the insult of Late Sunderlal Bahuguna by casting their vote against the Bharatiya Janata Party,'' Upreti said.

Speaking on the matter, MLA Kuldeep Kumar said, this kind of derogatory language used by the BJP for the Late Environmentalist is unacceptable. Whatever you say against the AAP National Convenor Shri Arvind Kejriwal every day is a different matter but using such remarks for the Gandhi of Uttarakhand is not only an insult to the people of Uttarakhand but to the people of entire India.

The Aam Aadmi Party is working to fight this battle today and will continue to do so in honour of the people of Uttarakhand.

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New Delhi: KT Rama Rao, also known as KTR, on Sunday (July 18, 2021) urged the Centre to allow candidates to write in regional languages in the competitive exams.

In a letter to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the Telangana Minister said that every year, many candidates from different states appear for competitive exams for recruitment in central services, departments and undertakings through the Union Public Service Commission and other recruitment agencies.

"However, these competitive exams are held in only English and Hindi, which was a serious disadvantage to students who did not study in English medium or not from Hindi speaking states," he wrote.

"Allowing applicants to write competitive exams in their respective languages will provide an equal and fair opportunity to the candidates from all the states," the Siricilla MLA said.

KTR, who is also the Information Technology Minister, pointed out that the Union Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up a National Recruitment Agency which had decided to facilitate a Common Eligibility Test (NRA-CET) to replace multiple examinations for recruitment to Central government jobs and conduct these examinations in 12 Indian languages. He wrote that while he wholeheartedly welcomed the move, it was very unfortunate to note that these changes are not being implemented properly.

"For instance, in a recent job notification ie Constables (GD) in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), NIA, SSF and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles Examination, 2021- candidates are allowed to write the exam only in Hindi or English. The same is the case with a few other employment notifications in the recent past. This comes as a rude shock to applicants belonging to regional languages, who are forced to lose great opportunities," KTR stated.

He urged Jitendra Singh to look into this issue and permit candidates taking all competitive exams of the Centre, its departments and undertakings held through the UPSC, the RRB, the PSBs, the RBI, the SSC, etc to write in regional languages also.

KTR also demanded the Centre to withhold the recruitment process for the notifications already issued and refrain from issuing new job notifications until a proper implementation policy is decided on this regional languages issue.

Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting to permit candidates taking all competitive exams of the Centre to write in regional languages.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Amid Opposition leaders accusing the central government of treason and compromising on national security over the Pegasus spyware issue and demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah questioned the timing of such selective leaks. He said that it was done by some global disrupters with the obstructors based in India. "The timing of selective leaks, the disruptions, Aap Chronology Samajhiye!," he said, referring to opposition parties stalling proceedings in Parliament.

Hitting out at the Congress and international organisations for suggesting that the government was involved in surveillance of phones of politicians, journalists and others, Amit Shah said that such 'obstructers and disrupters' will not be able to derail India's development trajectory with their conspiracies.

In a hard-hitting statement, Shah said that the report about the alleged snooping has been amplified by a few whose only aim is to do whatever is possible to humiliate India at the world stage. "This is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers. Disrupters are global organisations that do not like India to progress.

"Obstructers are political players in India who do not want India to progress. People of India are very good at understanding this chronology and connection," he said.

The Home Minister said he wanted to assure the people of India that the Modi government's priority is clear 'National Welfare' - and it will keep working to achieve that no matter what happens.

Shah said those who intend to derail India's progress are peddling the same old narratives about the country. "To see the rudderless Congress, jump on to this bandwagon is not unexpected "They have a good past experience in trampling over democracy and with their own house not in order, they are now trying to derail anything progressive that comes up in Parliament," he said.

Opposition parties on Monday hit out at the government over the alleged phone-tapping of prominent personalities in the country using Israeli Pegasus spyware and demanded an independent judicial or parliamentary committee probe. An international media consortium reported Sunday that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (July 19) urged MPs and political parties to ask the sharpest and toughest of questions to the government in the Monsoon session of Parliament, asserting that the government should also be allowed to respond to them without disruption.

Speaking with reporters ahead of the start of the session, Modi said he wants meaningful discussions in Parliament over the COVID pandemic which has gripped the entire world.

PM Modi said he has urged all floor leaders to take some time out on Tuesday evening when he would like to give them detailed information on the pandemic.

"We want discussion inside Parliament as well as outside it with floor leaders on COVID pandemic," he said.

Modi said the government is ready to give the answers that the people of the country want.

"I urge all MPs and political parties to ask the sharpest and the toughest of questions but they should also allow the government to respond in a cordial environment as democracy is strengthened by conveying the truth to the people," Modi said.

It increases the trust of the people and improves the pace of development, he added.

(With inputs from news agencies)

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New Delhi: There will be no 'gherao' in Parliament during the proposed farmers' protest against the centre's farm bills on July 22, said Bharatiya Kisan Morcha (R) leader Balbir Singh Rajewal after Delhi Police denied permission for the protest.

While speaking to ANI, Rajewal said that the farmer union had met with Delhi Police today at the Mantram resort near the Singhu border and sought permission for a 'kisan sansad' in Jantar Mantar, where about 200 protesters will gather. "We have shared our program with the Delhi Police. From July 22, 200 farmers will reach Jantar Mantar by bus and hold a Kisan sansad. There has never been talk of any type of gherao to the Parliament," the farmer leader said.

"Farmers who will go to Jantar Mantar will be given ID cards from the Kisan United Front. Anyone who does not have an ID card will not be allowed to participate," he added. Farmer unions are planning to protest from July 22 till the end of the Parliament's Monsoon Session to demand the scrapping of the contentious farm laws and a legal guarantee on MSP.

According to police sources, Delhi Police officials suggested that farmers consider alternative venues in the national capital for the protest. Another farmer leader from Madhya Pradesh Shivkumar Kakka said, "We told the Delhi Police that 200 people will march to Parliament from Singhu border every day. Each person will have an identification badge. We`ll hand over a list of protesters to the government."

"The police asked us to reduce the number of protestors, which we declined. If they don't give permission we will go by force," he added. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait had on Wednesday said that the protest would be 'peaceful'. However, the country witnessed violence on Republic Day when protestors reached Red Fort as a part of their 'tractor rally' protest.

Earlier, on January 26, protesters had broken barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the `tractor rally` protest organised by farmers. The protestors had also entered the iconic Mughal era monument Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.

The Delhi Police has written to the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation to keep extra vigil at seven metro stations and close them if needed, in view of farmers' protest near Parliament tomorrow.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
New Delhi: A new report has emerged which has left certain people worried as they allege that their right to privacy has been violated. They have claimed that Israels Pegasus spyware was used to spy on about 40 people including journalists, politicians, activists and others. Named Pegasus Project, the report has made astonishing allegations against the government of India.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Monday (July 19) explained the truth behind the Pegasus Project and exposed the foreign conspiracy involved in it.

It has been alleged that with the help of spy software Pegasus created by NSO Group, an Israeli company, many prominent people of India were spied on. With the help of this software, the mobile phones of these people were hacked and the activities of these people were monitored.

Some of the people who were allegedly spied on include Rahul Gandhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Minister of State Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Minister Smriti Irani's Officer on Special Duty Sanjay Kachru and election strategist Prashant Kishor. Apart from this, the name of the personal secretary of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is also on this list.

This report has been prepared by two international organizations - Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories. Amnesty International was accused of violation of laws and corruption in India last year, after which its accounts were frozen. The organization ran away from the country after leveling several allegations against the Indian government.

Forbidden Stories is a charitable organization that claims to provide a platform to such independent journalists whose lives are in danger from the government or enemies. It has been found to be associating with various other organizations that run propaganda against the Indian government, including Mediapart which is running a campaign against alleged corruption in the Rafale deal.

The use of Pegasus costs Rs 9 crore for snooping on ten people. If the espionage of 40 journalists of India is true, then Rs 36 crore would have been spent on them. All these journalists are either unemployed and inactive today or their influence is negligible. The question is that why anyone would spend Rs 40-50 crore to spy on them.

The kind of journalism done in the Pegasus Project uses information already available on the Internet and presents it in a sensational way. Some media organizations use it as a toolkit and an attempt is made to defame the country.

The maker of Pegasus, NSO Group, has denied the report. It said that the list in it is fake and has been there on the Internet for a long time. The organization also said that it is considering filing a defamation suit against organizations such as Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories.

The government of India has also refuted the allegations made in the media reports. The Centre said that the claims were baseless and malicious. The government also questioned the timing of the report which was published a day before the start of parliaments monsoon session.

There are five key points to understand about the Pegasus row. They are:

1. The report contains a list of 50 thousand phone numbers. Investigating organizations identified 1500 of these and forensic investigation of 67 was done. Of the numbers identified, 300 are registered in India. Evidence of tampering through Pegasus was found in 37 of these mobile phones. That is, out of 50 thousand phone numbers, only 37 Indian mobile numbers were found to have been spied on. Thus, an investigation backed by just 0.04 per cent of the total phone numbers was made the basis of such a big disclosure.

2. The media organizations that are involved in this have themselves said that the presence of the phone numbers in the list does not prove that all the numbers have been spied on.

3. Many media organizations used headlines such as - How phones of journalists, ministers, activists may have been used to spy on them. That is, those who published the story are themselves unsure of the snooping charges.

4. Pegasus is reportedly also used by countries like the US, UK and Pakistan. But this report does not mention these countries, while India has been placed in the list of countries where there is either no democracy or where the roots of democracy are very weak. This points to a well-planned conspiracy.

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Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, while hearing posthumously the appeals filed by late Jesuit priest Stan Swamy in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, on Monday said he was a wonderful person and the court had "great respect" for his work. The observations were made by a bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar that had also presided over Swamy's medical bail plea on July 5, when the HC was informed about the 84-year-old priest's death at the Holy Family Hospital here that day following a cardiac arrest.

"We don't have time normally, but I saw the funeral service (of Swamy). It was very gracious," Justice Shinde said. "Such a wonderful person. The kind of service he has rendered to the society. We have great respect for his work. Legally, whatever is there against him is a different matter," he said.

The bench also referred to the criticism that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the judiciary had received following Stan Swamy's death. It expressed regret over how, in several cases, undertrials languished in prisons waiting for the trial to begin.

The bench, however, also said it had ensured to remain fair while passing orders on Swamy's medical bail plea, as well as on the pleas filed by his co-accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. "You came to us with his medical bail plea on May 28 and we acceded to every prayer, every time," the court said to Swamy's advocate, senior counsel Mihir Desai.

"Outside, we are speechless. Only you (Desai) can clarify this. You have said it on record that you have no grievance with this court in the matter," the HC said.

The HC further said nobody mentions that this is the court which granted bail to (co-accused) Varavara Rao, despite vehement opposition.

"We allowed (Rao's) family to meet as we thought human angle has to be seen. In another case (Hany Babu), we sent to hospital of his choice (Breach Candy Hospital-a private medical faciluty)," the HC said.

"We never anticipated this will happen (Swamy's death in custody). What was on our minds, we can't say now as we couldn't pronounce our order," the HC said referring to the pending medical bail plea of the late Jesuit priest.

Swamy was arrested by the NIA in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case from Ranchi in October 2020. The tribal rights activist, who was suffering from Parkinson's disease and several other ailments, spent most of his time in custody in the Taloja prison's hospital in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

He was admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai on two occasions and was shifted to the Holy Family Hospital, a private medical facility, on May 28, following the intervention of the bench led by Justice Shinde.

On July 5, the bench was informed by the hospital authorities that Swamy had suffered from a cardiac arrest two days prior and was put on ventilator support. He never regained consciousness and was declared dead by the hospital authorities about an hour before Swamy's medical bail plea was taken up for hearing by the HC, it was informed at that time.

On Monday, following the HC's observations on it having passed fair orders, Desai said, "Let me say on record that I am extremely happy with various benches of the HC that heard this matter."

Desai, however, urged the HC to let Swamy's aide and another priest, father Frazer Mascarenhas, to participate in the magisterial inquiry that was initiated under Section 176 of the CrPC following the undertrial's death. He also urged the high court to direct the magistrate conducting the inquiry to adhere to the UNHRC guidelines on such inquiries, and to ask for a report of the probe to be submitted in the HC.

Desai was Swamy's counsel in the appeals challenging a special court order denying him bail on both medical grounds and merits. Swamy had also filed a plea in the HC just weeks before his death, challenging section 45-D of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), that barred grant of bail to any person accused under the Act.

Advocate Sandesh Patil, who appeared for the NIA, on Monday said the central agency was objecting to Desai's request since the HC was hearing appeals challenging a bail order and issues related to the inquiry could not be raised on the same pleas. "Time and again it is projected that the NIA is responsible for whatever has happened, and that jail authorities are responsible too," Patil told the HC.

The bench, however, told him there could be "no control on who says what outside on the matter". "You take instructions on how many witnesses, how long will the trial take. We have to look at it practically," the HC said to the NIA counsel.

"The concern is that for how many years can people be asked to languish in jail without a trial. Not only in this case, but the question will arise on other cases also," it said.

The HC will continue hearing the pleas on July 23.

The Elgar Parishad case is related to inflammatory speeches made at a conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, the police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city. The police had claimed the conclave was organised by people with alleged Maoist links. The NIA later took over the probe into the case.

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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a veiled attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pegasus snooping allegations, which the government has categorically denied.

Taking up the phone tapping issue, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "We know what he`s been reading-everything on your phone! #Pegasus."

We know what hes been reading- everything on your phone!#Pegasus https://t.co/d6spyji5NA  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 19, 2021

Along with his tweet, the Congress leader tagged his July 16 tweet saying, "I`m wondering what you guys are reading these days."

Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala has said that the government is "tapping jeevi" and has not spared even the RSS leadership and this is "detective sarkar".

The Indians in the snooping database include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and scores of business persons, according to a report by a leading publication.

The Centre on Sunday (July 18) rejected the media reports which claim surveillance of prominent personalities including journalists and politicians by the government using Israels Pegasus spyware. Calling the snooping allegations "false and malicious,'' the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had said that there has been no unauthorised interception by government agencies.

The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people have no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever, the ministry said in a statement. It said that the government is committed to ensuring the right to privacy of all its citizens.

India is a robust democracy that is committed to ensuring the right to privacy to all its citizens as a fundamental right. In furtherance of this commitment, it has also introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to protect the personal data of individuals and to empower users of social media platforms, the ministry said.

NSO Group, an Israeli company that sells Pegasus spyware worldwide, too said that the ''report is full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories,"

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New Delhi: In a unique protest, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs on Monday (July 19, 2021) cycled to the Parliament to protest against the hike in petrol prices of petrol, diesel and LPG.

The petrol and diesel prices in the national capital on Monday stood at Rs 101.84 and Rs 89.87 per litre, respectively. In Mumbai, petrol is being sold at Rs 107.83/litre, while diesel is at Rs 97.45 per litre. The price of petrol and diesel in Bhopal was Rs 110.20 and Rs 98.67 per litre respectively and Rs 102.08 and Rs 93.02 per litre in Kolkata.

Watch:

#WATCH | Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs cycled to the Parliament today in protest against the rise in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG.#MonsoonSession pic.twitter.com/4NE72QhNjp  ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2021

Several political parties including Congress and BSP have also protested against the increasing fuel prices across the country.

Earlier, the Mamata Banerjee-led party also said that it has given multiple notices under various Rules in both houses of Parliament on the opening day of the Monsoon session. The issues on which notices have been given include price hike of diesel, petrol, LPG and other commodities, demand to repeal farm laws, a decline in economic growth, restoration of MPLAD funds and the alleged weakening of the federal structure by the government.

Meanwhile, on the very first day of the Monsoon session of the Parliament, the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2 PM amid uproar by Opposition MPs.

On the other hand, the Rajya Sabha proceedings have been adjourned for an hour as a mark of respect for departed two sitting MPs Raghunath Mohapatra and Rajeev Satav.

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New Delhi: Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT Shashi Tharoor on Monday (July 19) said that an independent investigation is absolutely indispensable in the Pegasus spyware controversy.

"So the question that comes up is who has done it so if the government of India did it that is very bad, if somebodys not authorized by the government of India did it thats even worse. And if a foreign government say China or Pakistan snooped on our people then, national security demands that our government should want to investigate and this is why I feel that an independent investigation is absolutely indispensable," Tharoor told ANI.

The Congress leader also referred to the Pegasus case that happened two years back and stated that now national security cannot be a good enough explanation anymore in this regard.

"It is true that two years ago when the first breach of Pegasus occurred when there was a report that many people had been compromised through their WhatsApp on that occasion. Some members did not wish to have a discussion, citing national security. I think today`s details would suggest that national security is not a good enough explanation anymore. And in any case, the government is not seeking a national security exemption," he added.

This comes after The Wire reported that phone numbers of Indian Journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware.

The spyware `Pegasus` is developed by Israel-based NSO Group. The company specialises in hacking devices and caters to various governments of the world for spying purposes.

Forensic tests have also confirmed that the phones of some of these journalists were successfully infected with the Pegasus malware, the report said.

According to the report, the journalists who were targeted work for some news organisations in the country including Hindustan Times, The Hindu, India Today, Indian Express and Network18. Many of them cover matters related to Defence, Home Ministry, Election Commission and Kashmir among others.

Also Read: Media reports day before parliament session attempt to malign Indian democracy: IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Pegasus row

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New Delhi: India added 38,164 new COVID-19 cases and 499 related deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Monday (July 19, 2021). With this, the total number of cases in the country has increased to 3,11,44,229 and the death toll stands at 4,14,108.

India currently has 4,21,665 active coronavirus cases and the weekly positivity rate is at 2.08 per cent, while the daily positivity rate is at 2.61 per cent.

This is to be noted that the daily COVID-19 cases in India have significantly declined over the past few weeks as compared to the second wave in the country in April and May.

In 2020, India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

Subsequently, the country crossed the grim milestone of 2 crores on May 4 and 3 crores on June 23.

Meanwhile, 38,660 patients recovered in the last 24 hours and took the total number of recoveries to 3,03,08,456. The national recovery rate has now improved to 97.32 per cent.

On the other hand, over 40 crore vaccine doses have been administered across the country to date.

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Srinagar: Two BJP leaders, including the son of BJPs district president of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara and a party spokesperson, were arrested after they allegedly planned a fake terror attack on themselves to get their security enhanced as well as to get more attention from the party leadership.

Ishfaq Ahmad Mir had sustained an injury in his hand in a firing incident that took place on Friday.

Apart from Ishfaq, the police arrested Basharat Ahmed, the BJP spokesperson from Kupwara, in connection with the "conspiracy".

Following allegations of fake attack, his father Mohammad Shafi, who was the district president of BJP in Kupwara was suspended by the party.

A police investigation into Friday's firing incident exposed a failed attempt by the BJP workers to enhance their security as well as get "more attention" from the party leadership, the Kupwara police said in a statement.

According to the sources in the police, Ishfaq had earlier described the entire incident as a terrorist attack but later during police interrogation, he admitted that the incident was an accidental bullet fired from a security guard's gun.

Weapon of PSO went off accidentally in the car which hit the arm of BJP worker Ishfaq Mir. The other PSO fired in fear. Ishfaq got minor arm injury, Kupwara SSP Dr GV Sundeep tweeted.

People are requested not to spread rumours of militant attack, he added.

An investing police officer said, "In a Bollywood-style conspiracy, they tried to prove the incident as a terrorist attack just to increase security as well as gain additional attention from the party.

He added, the injury was stage-managed and the police personnel deployed for Ishfaq's security are also being questioned.

A statement from BJP read, The incident which took place in Kupwara on the night of 16th July in which Ishfaq Ahmad Mir, son of Mohammad Shafi, district president Kupwara, was involved. Some reports received from various sources took us to think credibility of our workers. As such party has taken this decision that Shri GM Mir state spokesperson of party will examine the whole facts of the incident and report the party by 25th July.
New Delhi: Budgam Police on Monday (July 19) busted a terror module of proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba and arrested a local terrorist along with four associates from Budgam area. The police also recovered incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, from their possession.

A police handout reads, "Acting on specific information, Budgam Police along with 53RR and 43BN CRPF arrested one local terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one magazine, 08 live pistol rounds from his possession. He has been identified as Mohd Younis Mir resident of Choon Budgam."

It further added, "Upon questioning of the said terrorist, Budgam Police succeeded in busting a terror module of proscribed terror outfit LeT by arresting 04 terror associates. Incriminating materials and ammunition including 02 hand grenades were also recovered from their possession. They have been identified as Imran Zahoor Ganie resident of Kulbug Budgam, Umer Farooq Wani resident of Ompora Budgam, Faizan Qayoom Ganie and Shahnawaz Ahmad Mir both residents of Choon Budgam."

A police officer said a preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested terrorist associates were involved in providing shelter, logistics and other material support, including transportation of arms and ammunition to the active terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT in various areas of Budgam.

The arrested local terrorist and terror associates have been in touch with the Pakistan terror commanders through various social media platforms and were also in constant touch with local terror commanders of proscribed terror outfit LeT in Kashmir.

Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 219/2021 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Budgam and further investigation is in progress.

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New Delhi: A day after a consortium of media organisations including The Wire, The Washington Post and The Guardian among others reported that the government of India spied on certain journalists, politicians and other individuals through an Israel spyware Pegasus, the Union Minister of Information & Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw rejected the claims in the Lok Sabha.

Vaishnaw said that the sensational story that appeared a day before the start of the monsoon session of Parliament cannot be a coincidence.

He asserted that the media reports were an attempt to malign Indian democracy and its well-established institutions.

A highly sensational story was published by a web portal last night. Many over-the-top allegations have been made around this story. The press reports appeared a day before the monsoon session of Parliament. This can't be a coincidence, the IT minister said in Parliament.

In the past, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp. Those reports had no factual basis and were denied by all parties. Press reports of July 18, 2021, also appear to be an attempt to malign Indian democracy and its well-established institutions, he added.

I request all members of House to examine issues on facts and logic. The basis of this report is that there is a consortium that has got access to a leaked database of 50,000 phone numbers Vaishnaw said.

He further said that the report says that the presence of a phone number in the data does not reveal whether was a device was infected by Pegasus or subjected to an attempted hack.

Without subjecting the phone to this technical analysis, it's not possible to conclusively state whether it witnessed an attempted hack or successfully compromised. The report itself clarifies that presence of a number in the list doesn't amount to snooping, he said.

Yesterday, calling the snooping allegations false and malicious, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had said that there has been no unauthorised interception by government agencies.

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New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins from Monday (July 19, 2021), is likely to witness fireworks as the Congress-led Opposition has planned to corner the ruling Narendra Modi government over its handling of the second wave of COVID-19 and the rise in fuel prices.

Meanwhile, the government, which has readied a big legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session of Parliament, has said that it is ready to discuss all issues with the opposition members in a peaceful manner.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Sunday told an all-party meeting that the government was ready for a healthy and meaningful discussion on various issues in Parliament, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. An official statement later said the Prime Minister told the floor leaders that according to the country's traditions of a healthy democracy, issues concerning the people should be raised in an amicable manner and the government should be given an opportunity to respond to these discussions.

PM Modi said it is everyone's responsibility to create such a conducive environment and added that people's representatives truly know the ground-level situation, hence their participation in these discussions enriches the decision-making process.

Upping the ante, several opposition parties are planning to move adjournment notices in both Houses of Parliament on Monday over farmers' issues. Opposition parties held a separate meeting after an all-party meet convened by the government on Sunday to discuss their floor strategy.

Many opposition parties will give adjournment notices on the farmers' issue in both Houses of Parliament, RSP leader N K Premachandran said here after the meeting which was attended by leaders of the Congress, TMC, NCP, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, RSP, Shiv Sena and the AAP.

Farmer unions have been protesting on Delhi's borders since last November against the Centre's three new agri laws and are also demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). During the all-party meet, opposition parties objected to the government's offer for a joint address to all MPs by the prime minister on COVID-19 at the Parliament annexe, saying this will be "highly irregular" at a time when Parliament will be in session and it aims to "bypass" norms.

The meeting was attended by 33 parties. Leaders, including from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the CPI(M), also said that when the pandemic and issues related to it can be discussed on the floor of the House, what was the need to go "outside". The annexe is a separate building within the premises of the Parliament complex. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi announced at the meeting that Prime Minister Modi will address MPs of both the Houses -- Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha -- on July 20 and speak on the pandemic.

Sources in other opposition parties confirmed that Joshi's offer has been refused and that some have even suggested a joint sitting of the Houses at Central Hall. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the party's position has always been that when Parliament is in session, whatever the government has to say, it can do so on the floor of the House.

O'Brien claimed that all opposition leaders present in the meeting, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Samajwadi Party's Ramgopal Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party's Satish Misra refused to be addressed "outside" Parliament.

In another development, various parties, including the Congress and the TMC, on Sunday demanded the restoration of MPLAD funds, in an all-party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, sources said. Speaker Birla assured them that he will raise the issue with the government and its top functionaries, they said.

17 new bills listed for introduction in the Monsoon Session

Three of the bills seek to replace ordinances issued recently. One of the ordinances issued on June 30, prohibits any agitation and strike by anyone engaged in the essential defence services.

The Essential Defence Services Ordinance 2021 came in the backdrop of the announcement by major federations of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to go on an indefinite strike from the later part of July to protest the government's decision to corporatise the OFB.

The Essential Defence Service Bill, 2021 has been listed to replace the ordinance, according to a Lok Sabha bulletin issued on July 12. The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 is another measure that seeks to replace an ordinance.

According to the government, the ordinance was brought to provide a permanent solution and establish a self-regulated, democratically monitored mechanism for tackling air pollution in the NCR and adjoining areas, rather than limited ad-hoc measures.

The Opposition on its part wants to raise issues like alleged shortcomings in the healthcare system during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to states.

It would also seek replies on the rising prices of petrol diesel and cooking gas during the session which would end on August 13. Sources said several opposition parties are also planning to give an adjournment notice over the alleged phone tapping of their leaders.

According to the financial business listed in the bulletin, there would be a presentation, discussion and voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2021-22. There would also be a presentation, discussion and voting on Excess Demands for Grants for the year 2017-18.

(With Agency Inputs)

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has made it mandatory for passengers, coming in from other states with a high caseload, to carry their RT-PCR negative report. The state government said that the report should not be more than four days old. However, people who have been administered both doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be exempted from this rule.

The rule will not only be applicable to people coming by air, rail and road but also to those using private vehicles, the government spokesman was quoted as saying by IANS.

The decision to make RT-PCR report mandatory, for people coming from other states, comes amid a high positivity rate in some cities of Maharashtra and Kerala.

Reports reveal that some areas of Maharashtra including Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Buldhana, Pune (rural), Palghar and Raigadh have recorded test positivity rate higher than 4.5 percent. Likewise, the positivity rate in Kerala has been hovering around 10 percent.

The development also comes a day after the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government announced the suspension of the proposed Kanwar Yatra following a call by the Kanwar association in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The chief minister said the community should take decisions on issues pertaining to faith. "The feeling of Kanwar association should be respected," he added.

The chief minister has directed officials to ensure contact tracing and testing of people coming from states with high positivity rate. He said these people should be subjected to antigen test and thermal scanning on arrival in UP.

According to officials, the state is determined not to lower the guard as it gears up for a possible third wave of coronavirus pandemic, which is said to affect the children.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday recorded 56 new COVID-19 cases and 69 recoveries. Seven more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh, bringing the death toll to 22,721, while the infection tally climbed to 17,07,847 on Sunday, according to an official statement. The count of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 1,260.

(With IANS inputs)

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New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at nine locations in five districts of Telangana in relation to the Dummugudem Explosives Maoists Case. According to the investigation agency, the searches were held that Mahboob Nagar, Warangal, Jangaon, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Medchal at the premises of the accused persons in the case.

The accused in the case have been identified as Muthu Nagaraju, Kommarajula Kanukaiah, Gunji Vikram, Sura Saraiah, V Sathish, Vallepu Swamy and Trinadha Rao.

"The case was originally registered as FIR no. 17/2021 dated February 18 at Dummugudem police station in Telangana's Bhadradri Kothagudem against eight accused persons including four Under Ground cadres of CPI, relating to seizure of explosive materials including 400 electric detonators, 500 non-electric detonators, 400 Gelatin sticks and 549 metres of fuse wire from the possession of accused Muthu Nagaraju and Kommarajula Kanukaiah while they were transporting it to Hidma alias Mangu, Commander of PLGA 1st Battalion of CPI (Maoist), in Chhattisgarh.

NIA had re-registered the case as RC-02/2021/NIA/HYD dated May 2 and taken up the investigation," the NIA said.

It said that during the searches conducted today, the NIA seized metal plates and pieces, iron pipes and circles/coins/billas suspected to be used for making IEDs and grenade launchers, various incriminating documents and explosive substances including slurry sticks and electric detonator.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

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New Delhi: The Monsoon session of the Lok Sabha began on a stormy note on Monday with the Opposition creating a ruckus and preventing Prime Minister Narendra Modi from introducing his newly-inducted Union ministers to the House.

As the disruptions continued despite Speaker Om Birla's repeated pleas to maintain decorum, the House was adjourned after nearly 40 minutes till 2 pm.

The prime minister said he was expecting members of the House to show enthusiasm by thumping their desks as a large number of those from the Dalits, Scheduled Tribes and OBC communities as well as sons of farmers and those from economically backward and rural backgrounds have become ministers in the recent rejig.

"However, probably, some people did not like that people of such background have become ministers and that is why they are now conducting themselves with such behaviour," the prime minister said.

Modi appealed to the Speaker to consider introduction of the ministers with the submission of their list to the House.

Responding to the prime minister's appeal, the Speaker announced that the House has accepted the introduction of the ministers.

Criticising the Opposition for not allowing the prime minister to introduce introduce the new ministers, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said such a thing was happening for the first time in his 24 years of parliamentary career.

"The strength of Parliament is in maintaining healthy traditions. Both Opposition and Treasury should maintain healthy traditions. Even if one or 50 new ministers are inducted, the whole House listens to their introduction by the prime minister with decorum... This is sad, unfortunate and an unhealthy approach," Singh, who is also the Deputy Leader of Lok Sabha, said.

Earlier, four newly elected members --- Maddila Gurumoorthy (YSR Congress), Mangal Suresh Angadi (BJP), M P Abdussamad Samadani (IUML), Vijayakumar (Congress) --- took oath as the House convened after a gap of nearly four months.

Following this, the prime minister stood up to introduce the newly inducted ministers who had taken oath on July 7 following a major rejig in the council of ministers.

As soon Modi stood up, Opposition MPs started shouted slogans and disrupted the proceedings.

The speaker appealed to the Opposition members to not disrupt the proceedings as it is the tradition of the House for the prime minister to introduce new ministers.

"You have been in power too. You should not lower the dignity of the House. You are breaking a good tradition. This is the largest democracy and you are setting a bad precedent. I appeal you to maintain the dignity of the House," Birla told the Opposition members.

However, they did not relent. The House also paid tributes to 40 former members who passed away in recent months.

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Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Monday (July 19) came down heavily on the BJP government at the centre over allegations of snooping against party leader Abhishek Banerjee and poll strategist Prashant Kishor, terming it as 'an attack on democracy'.

It said the revelations prove that the saffron party is suffering from "fear-psychosis" over rise of Abhishek as a national leader. "This is a black day for democracy. This is shameful that the Union government is using spyware to snoop on the phones of politicians, journalists, activists. Even youth leaders like Abhishek Banerjee are also not spared; our poll strategist Prashant Kishors phone was hacked.

"This only reflects the authoritarian mindset of this government. The union government should come clean on it. We condemn it," senior Trinamool Congress leader Sougata Roy told PTI.

Echoing him, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, the revelations reflect the "fear psychosis" of Abhishek Banerjee that the BJP is suffering from.

On Monday, Opposition parties hit out at the government over alleged phone-tapping of prominent personalities in the country using Israeli Pegasus spyware and demanded an independent judicial or Parliamentary committee probe.

An international media consortium reported Sunday that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge, besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India, could have been targeted for hacking through Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies. It was also claimed that the phone of TMCs poll strategist Prashant Kishor was hacked during the high-octane West Bengal assembly polls.

IT and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday dismissed media reports on the use of Pegasus software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations levelled just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament are aimed at maligning Indian democracy.

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NEW DELHI: Pegasus, a spyware developed by an Israeli company NSO Group, is back in the spotlight over allegations of surveillance of prominent personalities including journalists and politicians by the government.

Calling the snooping allegations false and malicious, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has said that there has been no unauthorised interception by government agencies.

The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever, the ministry said in a statement. It said that the government is committed to ensuring the right to privacy of all its citizens.

What is a Pegasus spyware?

It is a spyware that is used for hacking phones. Pegasus had made headlines in 2016 when it emerged that it unsuccessfully attempted to hack the mobile phone of UAE human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor.

He had received text messages on his iPhone promising 'new secrets' about tortured prisoners in the country if he opened a link in the SMS. Instead of following the instructions, Mansoor sent the messages to researchers at Citizen Lab, who traced the origin of the links back to infrastructure belonging to the NSO Group.

Pegasus spyware is believed to be the most sophisticated among all such products available in the market. It can easily infiltrate iOS, Apple's mobile phone operating system, and Android devices. Pegasus was meant to be used by governments on a per-license basis. In May 2019, its developer - the Israeli firm NSO Group - had limited the sale of Pegasus to state intelligence agencies and others.

NSO Group's website states that the company creates technology that "helps government agencies" prevent and investigate terrorism and crime to save thousands of lives around the globe.

The company's human rights policy includes "contractual obligations requiring NSO's customers to limit the use of the company's products to the prevention and investigation of serious crimes, including terrorism, and to ensure that the products will not be used to violate human rights".

Despite all this, NSO has been accused of using Pegasus to snoop on people.

Allegations of snooping, phone tapping

In late 2019, WhatsApp claimed that nearly 1,400 of its users in 20 countries, including some Indian journalists and activists, had been targeted by Pegasus in May that year. The Facebook-owned messaging service alleged said the spyware exploited its video calling system and a specific vulnerability to send malware to the mobile devices. The vulnerability has since been patched.

NSO allegedly first created fake WhatsApp accounts, which were then used to make video calls. When an unsuspecting user's phone rang, the attacker transmitted the malicious code and the spyware got auto-installed in the phone even if the user did not answer the call.

Through Pegasus, the attacker then took over the phone's systems, gaining access to the user's WhatsApp messages and calls, regular voice calls, passwords, contact lists, calendar events, phone's microphone, and even the camera.

The NSO Group has categorically denied all allegations of wrongdoing and said that it sold Pegasus only to "vetted and legitimate government agencies".

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New Delhi: At least 30 people died and several others were injured in rain-related incidents in Mumbai on Sunday (July 18, 2021) as incessant heavy downpour overnight during a major thunderstorm pummeled the city, causing severe water-logging and traffic disruptions, officials said.

Over 19 people died in the Mahul area in suburban Chembur after a wall came crashing down on some houses located on a hillock following a landslide, said BMC on Sunday night. The retaining wall of the Bharatnagar locality collapsed at 1 am. Five people were injured and taken to nearby Rajawadi hospital, the civic body added.

In another rain-related incident, ten hutment-dwellers died as six shanties collapsed after a landslide in suburban Vikhroli at 2.30 am. One person was injured in the incident who was discharged after treatment, the BMC said.

Additionally, a 16-year-old boy died in the suburban Bhandup area after a forest department compound wall collapsed, another official revealed.

IMD issued red alert in Mumbai on Sunday

The weather experts revealed that Mumbai on Sunday, between midnight and 3 am, recorded over 250 mm of rain and touched 305 mm by 7 am on Sunday.

This incessant heavy downpour resulted in the suspension of train services by the Western Railway and Central Railways in Mumbai and many long-distance trains were terminated or regulated at various stations, officials said.

Heavy rains continued throughout Sunday with the IMD placing Mumbai under a red alert for the day indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations.

Monster thunderstorm

Images from a Doppler radar showed that the thunderstorm had a cloud top height of nearly 18 km, which is around 60,000 feet, the IMD said.

ALSO READ: Monster thunderstorm with cloud top twice the height of Mt. Everest hits Mumbai, causes havoc- In Pics

To put in other words, the height/vertical extent of this monster thunderstorm is approximately twice that of Mount Everest!, tweeted meteorologist Akshay Deoras.

Such thunderstorms are definitely uncommon for Mumbai or the west coast during an active phase of the monsoon and in a month like July. The cloud top height of this monster thunderstorm is definitely comparable to the one that produced rains on 26 July 2005, he said.

Thunderstorms have already been observed on the following five days in this month: On July 9, 11, 12, 16 and 17, said Deoras, a PhD student in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

Additionally, the IMD has predicted a severe wet spell for the next couple of days and issued an orange alert for Mumbai and the Konkan coast for the next five days. As per the forecast, winds might blow at the speed of 50 to 60 km per hour. Heavy rains are expected on July 23 as well.

Maharashtra CM takes stock of situation

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday took stock of the preparedness by various government agencies in the evening to tackle any emergency with the IMD forecasting a severe wet spell for the next couple of days.

Thackeray directed the agencies to remain more alert and asked authorities to keep a watch on landslide-prone areas and dilapidated buildings, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

BMC commissioner IS Chahal, who attended a review meeting on the situation chaired by the CM, said that 27 people had lost their lives in the rain-related incidents

"Last night's rain was over 200 mm and in the compound wall collapse and landslide in two different places 27 people lost their lives," he said.

BMC also urged the citizens to boil water before drinking as the flooding has affected electrical equipment in the water purification complex at Bhandup, which controls the pumping and filtration processes there, one of the major sites of water supply to the country's financial capital. The heavy downpour also resulted in the overflowing of Vihar Lake on Sunday morning.

PM Modi, President Kovind expressed anguish

At last, many political leaders including, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the loss of lives caused by wall collapse incidents in Mumbai. PMO also announced Rs two lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. A sum of Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured.

"Saddened by the loss of lives due to wall collapses in Chembur and Vikhroli in Mumbai. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that those who are injured have a speedy recovery," Modi said.

President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed grief over the rain-related deaths in Mumbai. CM Thackeray expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each of the victims.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: Former union minister of IT Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday (July 19) refuted the allegations of snooping levelled by the Congress on the government following the emergence of the Pegasus report.

Calling it a new low for the Congress party, Prasad said the allegations were baseless.

BJP strongly refutes, condemns the baseless and bereft of political propriety comments levelled by Congress against the BJP. It is a new low for a party that has ruled India for more than 50 years, Prasad said.

Congress has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were involved in snooping on Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, journalists and other citizens. The party even demanded resignation of Shah.

Responding to the charges, Prasad said, Not a shred of evidence has come that proves any linkage of BJP or GoI in the Pegasus story. And can we deny that bodies like Amnesty had a declared anti-India agenda in many ways? When you ask them their funding source, they say it's difficult to work in India.

Prasad also questioned the timing of the Pegasus report which broke a day before the start of the monsoon session of the parliament.

Was it planned to break Pegasus story before Monsoon session to create a new atmosphere? Prasad asked, adding, Why these kinds of questions are raised at the time of important events? Riots were incited during Trump's visit, Pegasus story was circulated during 2019 polls and again it's in the news when Parliament is in session and when Congress is in a very bad situation.

The former minister further said, The company (NSO Group) is denying it (findings in Pegasus Project report) & saying that most of its products are being used by western countries but India is being targeted.

Also Read: Media reports day before parliament session attempt to malign Indian democracy: IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Pegasus row

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 20, 2021) will hear the plea against the Kerala government's decision to ease the COVID-19 curbs ahead of Bakrid. The top court has also asked the Kerala Government to file a reply today (July 19) on the same order.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the petitioner, informed the SC that Kerala has the highest COVID-19 positivity rate of 10.96 in the country. He also stated that the maximum number of coronavirus infections are coming from Kerala.

He argued that if Uttar Pradesh, where the positivity rate is currently 0.04%, can suspend the Kanwar Yatra, then how can the lockdown be relaxed by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for Bakrid.

Singh also requested the apex court to pass the order as there is no scope to issue a notice.

This is to be noted that the intervention application has been moved by a Delhi resident PKD Nambiar, in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court in connection with the Uttar Pradesh government decision on `Kanwar Yatra`.

The application submitted that despite discontentment shown by the top court over the yatra, the Kerala government is acting in a casual manner by relaxing COVID-19 norms.

"To the utter dismay of India's citizens, the Kerala government announced a 3-day relaxation of lockdown restrictions on July 18, 19 and 20 keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival," the plea said.

"It is shocking that in a medical emergency, the government is playing with the lives of citizens through such measures. That the government`s move is in total contravention with July 16, order passed by this court", the plea added.

Earlier on July 16, the Supreme Court had pointed out that fear of a third COVID-19 wave looms large over all Indians and had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra.

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New Delhi: With an aim to enter national politics, the Trinamool Congress on Monday (July 19) announced that it will put up giant screens in various states to broadcast party supremo and West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjees speech on July 21.

Senior TMC leader Madan Mitra said that TMC will enter national politics and form government in Delhi in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

TMC is going to enter national politics through virtual programmes on July 21. Giant screens will come up in Tripura, Assam, Odisha, Bihar, Punjab, UP and Delhi on July 21. In 2024, there will be Mamata government in Delhi, Mitra was quoted as saying by ANI.

Mitra added that the main event will happen in Delhi at the Constitution Club where Mamata Banerjee will virtually address the gathering from Kolkata.

The TMC will be inviting opposition leaders on July 21 which the party celebrates as Martyrs Day and which was organised virtually last year, he said.

The TMC leader said that the party would use Modi Bharat Choro slogan to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in the general elections.

This time the slogan will be Modi Bharat Choro. In UP elections, BJP will suffer a huge loss and it will be a deciding factor for 2024 whether or not BJP will retain power, Mitra asserted.

The TMC soundly defeated the BJP in the recently concluded assembly elections in West Bengal. The party had earlier hinted at challenging the prime minister in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

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New Delhi: The Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu is all set to announce Class 12 results today. The Tamil Nadu Plus Two results are expected to be announced by 11 am. The DGE also revealed that the students will receive their results, once announced, as an SMS on their registered mobile numbers.

Students need to note that they can also check their Class 12 results using their roll number and date of birth at:

TN Board 12th +2 Result 2021: Other websites

dge1.tn.nic.in

dge2.tn.nic.in

dge.tn.gov.in

indiaresults.com

Tamil Nadu 12th +2 Result 2021: How to download

Step 1. Candidates need to log onto the official website- tnresults.nic.in, dge1.tn.nic.in, dge2.tn.nic.in, dge.tn.gov.in

Step 2. Click on the link which reads 12th result 2021

Step 3. Enter personal details like roll number and date of birth.

Step 4. Click on submit

Step 5. Download the scoresheet and take a printout for future reference

In case of some issue, the students/parents/guardians can call Tamil Nadu School Education Departments toll-free helpline 14417 for help. The helpline number will also assist them with career prospects and related doubts.

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New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday (July 19) ordered a cap on gatherings for Bakrid celebrations which will take place on Wednesday. He directed that not more than 50 persons should gather at any spot at one time.

The decision was taken in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

He said that there should be no killing of prohibited animals such as cows and camels for performing any ritual.

The CM further said that the qurbani or animal sacrifice should not be carried out in public places and must be done only at designated spots for the ritual.

Adityanath also ordered that hygiene standards should be maintained at all places while celebrating the festival.

Meanwhile, the Kerala government has relaxed COVID norms on the occasion of Bakrid. The state governments order was challenged in the Supreme Court which will hear the plea on Tuesday.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the petitioner, argued that if Uttar Pradesh, where the positivity rate is much lower than Kerala, can suspend the Kanwar Yatra, then how can the lockdown be relaxed by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for Bakrid.

Earlier, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had asked the Kerala government to withdraw its decision to ease COVID-19 restrictions ahead of Bakrid, terming it "unwarranted and inappropriate" at a time of a medical emergency.

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New Delhi: Businessman and Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra was on Monday (July 19) night arrested by the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police in a case relating to the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. The information was shared by Mumbai Police Commissioner while talking to news agency ANI.

"He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this," Mumbai Police Commissioner told ANI.

Businessman Raj Kundra has been arrested by the Crime Branch in a case relating to creation of pornographic films & publishing them through some apps. He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this: Mumbai Police Commissioner pic.twitter.com/LbtBfG4jJc  ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2021

Mumbai CP in a press statment stated, "There was a case registered with Crime Branch Mumbai in Feb 2021 about creation of pornographic films a nd publishing them through some Apps.

Weve arrested Mr Raj Kundra in this case on 19/7/21 as he appears to be the key conspirator of this. We have sufficient evidences regarding this.

Investigation is in progress please."

For the unversed, a case was registered with Crime Branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. The incident came into limelight when actresses Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey confessed before the Mumbai Police team that they were brought into the adult film industry by Raj Kundra.

An investigation is in progress and more details are awaited.
New Delhi: Priyanka Singh, sister of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, took to Twitter on Monday to urge Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and co-founder Larry Sanger to change the cause of his death as mentioned on the site.

At the time of publishing this report, Wikipedia mentions the actor's death as "suicide by hanging".

Priyanka, who is a lawyer by profession, says Sushant's death is still under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and hence it should be mentioned as "under investigation".

"I am Sushant's sister and I thank you @lsanger for being a credible voice for Neutrality. In today's world when information is power, sticking to Facts and Facts alone is the greatest service one can do #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput," Priyanka tweeted on Monday.

"My demand from @Wikipedia @jimmy_wales is: Firstly, as the investigation is still ongoing in Sushant's death case by top Indian agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, the cause of death cited on wiki page should be changed from 'suicide by hanging' to 'under investigation'," she added.

I am Sushants sister and I thank you @lsanger for being a credible voice for Neutrality. In todays world when information is power, sticking to Facts and Facts alone is the greatest service one can do #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput https://t.co/s8yQ4bNC4p  Priyanka Singh (@withoutthemind) July 19, 2021

Priyanka also stated that her late brother's height is crucial for the ongoing investigation and his actual height should be mentioned on the site.

"Secondly, change sushant's height on the wiki page to 183 cm as who can be a more reliable source than the person himself. Hear it out from Sushant's mouth @Wikipedia @jimmy_wales," she tweeted along with a throwback video of Sushant revealing his height as 183 cms.

Secondly, change sushants height on the wiki page to 183cm as who can be a more reliable source than the person himself. Hear it out from Sushants mouth @Wikipedia @jimmy_wales pic.twitter.com/khR5lVyo3Q  Priyanka Singh (@withoutthemind) July 19, 2021

"I am his sister and I vouch by the fact that sushant's height is 183cm indeed. His height is crucial to the matrix of the Sushant's death case. Here is a picture from @mariotestino photo shoot of Sushant with @KendallJenner for @voguemagazine. Btw Kendall is on high heels," Priyanka further tweeted along with a blurred photograph.
New Delhi: For lakhs of central government employees, awaiting the implementation of increased dearness allowance, heres another piece of good news regarding HRA (House Rent Allowance). The government has now revised the HRA (House Rent Allowance) of central employees as well. If reports are to be believed, the employees will get an increase in HRA, deposited in their salary account from the month of August. According to the office memorandum of the government, the HRA has been increased because dearness allowance has exceeded 25 percent.

HRA purportedly raised to 27%

The Central Government has increased the dearness allowance of its employees from 17% to 28%, after this announcement, while it has also purportedly increased the house rent allowance to 27%. In fact, the Department of Expenditure is believed to have issued an order on 7 July 2017 in which it was said that when dearness allowance will exceed 25% bracket and hence the HRA will also be revised. Since July 1, the Dearness Allowance of the employees will be increased to 28%, which requires for a revision in the HRA as well.

HRA vary from city to city

According to the order of the Finance Ministry, central employees will get HRA on the basis of their city. The cities are divided into three categories  X, Y and Z. After revision, HRA for X category cities will be 27% of basic pay, similarly HRA for Y category cities will be 18% of basic pay while for Z category cities it will be 9% of basic pay.

If DA crosses 50%, then how much will be HRA?

If the population of a city crosses 5 lakhs then it gets upgraded from Z category to Y category. So, instead of 9%, employees will be eligible for 18% HRA. Cities where population is more than 50 lakh, fall in the X category. The minimum house rent allowance for all the three categories will be Rs 5400, 3600 and Rs 1800 respectively. According to the Department of Expenditure, when the dearness allowance reaches 50%, the HRA will be rendered to 30%, 20% and 10% for X, Y and Z cities.

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New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has in the recent times made it a lot easier for the people to get access to online facilities so as to minimise visit to the Road Transportation offices.

It has also been in the backdrop that the applications VAHAN & SARATHI were conceptualized to capture the functionalities as mandated by Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 as well as State motor vehicle Rules with customization in the core product to suit the requirements of States and Union Territories. (Also read: No need to go to RTO office for Driving License, read new guidelines here)

The following instructions must be adhered to for application submission. You will need to go through these stages in Application Submission while Issuing Driving Licence will be done in the following order. (Driving license, RC validity expired? No need to worry till THIS date as govt extends validity)

1. Fill Applicant Details

2. Upload Documents

3. Upload Photo and Signature if required (applicable for only some states)

4. DL Test Slot booking (applicable for only some states)

5. Payment of Fee

6. Verify the Pay Status

7. Print the receipt

Visit this website: https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do

Select your respective State from the drop-down menu.

Choose your option, for example here it is "Apply for Driving License"

Press Continue Button

For selecting "Apply for Driving License", you will need to provide details of your Learners Licence Number.

You will also need to enter your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.

Fill in the required information and click on OK.

After that, you will also need to fill up your personal details like your name, age, and address.

Once you have punched in all your details, you will have to to upload all supporting documents like address proof, age proof, and identity proof.

Passport size photograph and signature are also one of the important requisition, so keep scanned copies for the same handy.

Now choose the date and time for your DL appointment. You will be asked for the payment, after which your application will be successfully sent to the RTO.

Once your appointment is through, you can visit the RTO office and take your DL test.

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Indonesia has surpassed Brazil in reporting the highest number of daily deaths due to covid-19 in a day. On Sunday, Indonesia reported 1093 fatalities and 44,721 Covid-19 cases. On July 17, 1092 people died in Indonesia while Brazil registered 862 deaths due to the deadly disease.

Fuelled by the spread of the more virulent Delta variant, Indonesia has repeatedly reported record infections and COVID-19 deaths in recent weeks, prompting some health experts to declare the country Asias new epicentre for the virus.

Deaths of doctors from COVID-19 in Indonesia rose sharply in the first half of July, according to the professions association, as the Delta variant of the coronavirus fuelled a surge in infections across the country.

A total of 114 doctors died during July 1-17, the highest number reported for any period of similar length and more than 20% of the 545 total doctor deaths from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, officials from Indonesias doctors association (IDI) said during a virtual news conference.

Mahesa Paranadipa, a senior IDI official, said the association was concerned that the medical system may not be able to cope, according to a recording of the event.

"We are worried about the potential of a functional collapse," Paranadipa. "This is the reported data, not yet data that may not have been reported to us."

Doctors deaths have increased in Indonesia, the worlds fourth most-populous nation, despite a 95% vaccination rate among health workers. This has prompted the government to use a batch of Moderna vaccines as booster shots to Chinas Sinovac for healthcare workers.

Fuelled by the spread of the more virulent Delta variant, Indonesia has reported more new coronavirus cases than any country in the world in recent days, data from the latest seven-day average from a Reuters tracker showed. It was second only to Brazil in terms of the number of deaths.

Health experts are calling the country the new epicentre of the pandemic. Indonesia reported 44,721 cases and 1,093 new deaths from the virus on Sunday.

The government imposed strict mobility curbs on July 3 to slow the spread of the virus. They are set to end on Tuesday, but may be extended.

Adib Khumaidi, head of the IDIs mitigation team, did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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New Delhi: The NSO Group, an Israeli company that sells Pegasus spyware worldwide, on Sunday (July 18, 2021) refuted the media reports that they have put on surveillance, phones of current Indian cabinet ministers, opposition leaders, businessmen and journalists among others.

"The report is full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories that raise serious doubts about the reliability and interests of the sources. It seems like the 'unidentified sources' have supplied information that has no factual basis and are far from reality," an NSO Group spokesperson said in a statement to Zee Media.

"After checking their claims, we firmly deny the false allegations made in their report. Their sources have supplied them with information which has no factual basis, as evident by the lack of supporting documentation for many of their claims," the statement further added.

The spokesperson also said that these allegations are 'so outrageous and far from reality', that NSO is considering a defamation lawsuit.

The media reports claim that the massive data leak contains a list of more than 50,000 phone numbers from across the world of union officials and government officials, including cabinet ministers, presidents and prime ministers, business executives, religious figures, academics and NGO employees.

However, the NSO said that the claims that the data was leaked from their servers, is a complete 'lie and ridiculous' since such data never existed on any of their servers.

"NSO Group has a good reason to believe the claims that are made by the unnamed sources are based on misleading interpretation of data from accessible and overt basic information, such as HLR Lookup services, which have no bearing on the list of the customers targets of Pegasus or any other NSO products. Such services are openly available to anyone, anywhere, and anytime, and are commonly used by governmental agencies for numerous purposes, as well as by private companies worldwide," the statement read.

As per the media reports, in India, more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including two serving ministers, three opposition leaders, over 40 journalists and one sitting judge besides scores of business persons and activists could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

Earlier in the day, the Government of India also rejected the media reports and called the allegations false and malicious. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that there has been no unauthorised interception by government agencies.

"Government of India's response to a Right to Information application about the use of Pegasus has been prominently reported by media and is in itself sufficient to counter any malicious claims about the alleged association between the Government of India and Pegasus," the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said.

(With agency inputs)